This was not what you expected or consider 'learning'. Well, maybe from John's perspective. In his mind, this was considered 'teaching', yeah bringing a teen to Las Vegas is a good idea. Better yet, why bring a teen who is a fly trap for all sins, to Sin City. What could someone of your age do here? Everything that considered age appropriate, was closed for the most part. Nothing but casinos and other adults related fun open. Leaving you with very options to choose from. Meaning, you had to accompany John.
And his umm...'meeting.' Meaning gambling. Should Dick find out, he wouldn't be happy at all. Nor would another dark crusader and certain brooding Robin. Two out of the three already held a certain distaste for the con-man. Finding out about this, would not go over with them. And their well, personal hate for him would just go soaring through the roof. So, mum's the word as John would tell you. And also, to be a good lad and just sit there and watch.
You might just learn something. And what you were learning right now was that there was a whole lot of cheating in the game. Especially if it involved magic users. That and John seem to be getting a horrible hand. Not like luck was really on his side for the man who always had a way out. Licking your thumb you turn the page to the book you had. Glancing over to the poker game being played with John, the Demons Three and another. Jason Blood. A man who looked human on the outside, but, you could sense something demonic inside. When you first meet him before a couple of months back. Finding out he had a demon he shared a body with.
The demon Etrigen. Maybe that's why you felt a bit comfortable here, with all the demons in one room."Can't believe you actually brought a child here?"Abnegazar said chuckling a bit surprised."Then again she ain't no child is she now?"
Eyeing John. Who tells him to shut it."Shut it. And leave her alone."
"Isn't that consider bad parenting?"Gasth chaste teasingly."You should be ashamed of yourself."
Rath snickers amused."I'll say. I'm surprised though, you...out of everyone woul-"
"Shut your bloody trap. And spare me the lectures." John sneers."You gonna play cards? Or keep talking?"
Why again did you get dragged into this? You thought. It would have been better if you'd stay in the house. They all talked with egoistic pride, yammering over ridiculous meaning. It made it rather difficult for you read. Hearing the blabbering. Glancing up from your reading, glaring at them. Watching them take pleasure in a sinful act of wasteful spending. Clearly, all of them cheating.
Carefully you watch the magic both sides tried to secretly use. Except for Jason, who was actually playing honorably. Watching the cards being shuffled, accidentally, lock eyes with Rath. Who gives you a rather creepy smile. Cackling.
Your eyes flash him a sneer. He took it non-threatening. What an annoyance. Rolling your eyes, go back to your reading. Turning the page. Unable to get pass the first paragraph. Hearing them in the back again. Shutting your book in frustration and a huff. Get up and proceed out the room."Hey? Where do you think you're going?"John demands.
You stop at the door, dropping your shoulders."I'd like a quiet place to read. If that's alright."
Noticing that look in your eyes, he said no."No. Stay here."
The Demons Three, couldn't help but chuckle."Aw? Come, on Papa? Let the little night bird fly about, while we grown-ups enjoy our time."Abnegazar teases. For a good laugh."Seems the little one doesn't want to be here. She's at that age, most teens don't want to listen to their Pap-"
John slams his hand down, furrowing at the demon."I'd mind you to shut it. And you!"He turns to you."You're staying."You groan, mumbling under your breath."Ah! Don't you fuss and sassy me. Sit down."He points back to your seat, eyes watching. As you plop and lounge on the couch, giving John a rather nasty look. He shoots you a hard one.
You turn your back to him, mumbling something under your breath."...Whatever."
The demons just laugh."Teenagers? Right?"Rath slapping the table.
Abnegazar chuckles at that taunting teasing from his kin. While shuffling the cards."Alright, let's go again. Shall we?"
And again they went, which John lost again."In what bloody plane of existence does four of a kind lose?" He throws his cards on the table, while Abnegazar collects the pile.
"To to bad Conestine." Rath cackles.
"Have you gained weight?"Gasth comments in sort of ridicule way."It looks good. It looks good on you."
"What say you let your soulmate play a few hands, Jason? He maybe might change my luck."John ignores the demon, turning to Jason blood the man beside him. Who shoots a cynical and annoyed look back."He'd definitely be less mopper than you."
"John Constine, the man who perfected the bad idea."Jason response against John's character."The only reason I came to dark hep of a casino is to find a relic to keep that monster locked away forever."
"Boys. Boys,"Abnegazar interrupts them. Shuffling the cards telekinetically."You're boring me. Let's play shall we?" And passes out a hand to everyone.
Turning another page of your book, this was just boring and stupid. Shifting in your position from irritation and frustration. What was the point of him playing if there was nothing John could even play? You knew that much about poker.
"I'm beating the house. The House of Mystery."
You hear John offer, that you jolted up from your reading shocked by this. Looking straight out the window the house and your home materialize out of thin air. Just as John said it. Was he really this stupid?
"What are you doing?!" You protest, John didn't answer and just ignores you.
"And since I'm including everything inside, it looks like you're the one who can't call Abnegazar."John turns it back on the demon.
"John!"You shout again, he still pays you no mind. Now becoming frustrated with him for his ignorance get ready to chuck your book when someone grabs your wrist. Stopping you.
Jason.
"As much as anyone would like to do that more than me," he tells you."It would be best if you don't. Knock him out, he can't play."
Understanding, you drop your arm back down and wait for it play out. The Demon's Three seeing they needed to raise, pretty much match John's payment summon forth an ancient chest filled with magical items. John looks at its contents and accepts it. The game begins. He plays his hand which caused the demons to laugh at how pathic it was. Great, you were going sleep on the streets...again. Well, not really you could always go back to Dick and Kori. Maybe Damian was right. Sighing in defeat when you hear an angry roar. Looking quickly before Jason grabs you and hides behind a pillar, Abnegazar enraged breaks the table into pieces.
What just happened? A second ago they were playing cards and now this? A brawl? What did John do? To anger them? Why would you even think of that question, what didn't' he do to upset someone? Still, he was...well...you just couldn't let him be killed by those three. Wriggling out of Jason's hold go and assist.
"No! Don't!"He tries to stop you. But to no avail."...That girl.."
"Back off!"You rush Gasth and Rath with a blast of your flames. It caught them off guard. John who was dealing with Abnegazar saw you take on the other two and couldn't help but smile with pride, for it quickly fades as he avoided being sliced in two.
Gasth and Rath were knocked down a bit from you, get up with their weapons drawn. Sneer at you, their wrath for John went to you as well. You didn't care. Nor did you fear it, you were fear. Remaining calm, your eyes told a different story. The charge at you and attack. You block them quickly with a wall of fire, kin or not you didn't like them. Keeping your own urges under control from running wild, take a bit of the atmosphere around you to fuel your power, increase the wall and push back, you could smell their burning flesh and attempts to resist and withstand the pain.
How you craved to hear their agonizing screams. How you wanted to feed off them. Your hunger began to grow. You needed to redirect it and quickly. Feeling that presence creep over you, hold your hands out and dark gray seal appears.
"..."Concentrate and expel such cravings for the time being. Turning it into something else, reaching into the seal pull out a board blade. It was on the smaller side, but it would have to do the trick.
The two demons break through and deliver a powerful blow to you. Striking you down and back hard into one of the wall mirrors. The pieces and shards pierced you, ignoring the pain, reabsorb it back into you. Stand up with a bleeding forehead, stand your ground. Gritting your teeth and glowing eyes. Take a strong stance, your flamed wings sprout from your back threatening.
They stop for a second, looking at you in your semi-transformation. Of your fallen form. Bearing your teeth. Warning. While looking at like a meal.
"Ye dare to touch me! Feel my flaring warth! Heathens!"Shout at them like a mad person and lunge for them. Gasth moves out the way, Rath blocks you. He was slightly struggling with you.
Focused on him, you did not see Gasth come behind and throw you off. This time at the window, to be caught by someone or something. That put in the two demons.
Etrigen.
He sets you down and deals with the two, your head still a bit fuzzy before it refocuses again to find the fight over and place trashed. "...My head..."You whince, rubbing it.
"Hey, get up," John tells you standing over you. With his hand out and helping you up. He had his prize chest box in the other hand. His eyes quickly look you over, no damage really done. He was relieved."Go on inside."He tells you as the house comes over and he opens the window for you. With the box following.
When Jason comes over and punches him square in the face."For 500 years I've been bound to Etrigen. Fighting to keep him coming forth. And you force me to summon him!"
"Everything got sorted,"John said in his defense.
"He could have gone on a killing spree. You don't think. You don't consider the cost!"
"I did. Weighted against me eaten alive and thought yeah totally worth it."
With those last words and regret for what he did John leaves to the house. Along with you.
After a night in Sin City you needed to rest and after what happened you seriously needed too. Settle that urging side, while Orchid tended to you. She found nothing really wrong which was good. Though her concerns for your mental state where debatable. Sickened by it all, you threw up a couple of times to expel the guck and cleanse yourself. The black ooze came up foul and decrypted. This was why you could not go to places like that. Holding the bag for you Orchid waited until you were done, she even had some herbal tea for you along with some medical herb soup.
Watching as your eyes flashed between normal and demonic, it took a strain on you. Her eyes see the burn markings upon your shoulders blades where your wings sprouted. permit no doubt, your skin looked rather charred. After a couple of more times, you finished and lay down.
"T-Thank you..." you weakly say. Resting an arm on your forehead. When John knocks on the door and comes in.
Orchid ties up the bag and goes to dispose of it. Leaving you both. It silent he looks at you in slight agony and sickness. This was his fault and he knew it. It irritated him seeing you like this. He still could not bring himself to say the words.
"What...?"You growl lowly. An eye peering at him.
He smirks back shrugging his shoulder."Nothing."He looks to the tea and levitates it over."You need to drink this." Stubbornly you refuse but he was just as stubborn if not more and stands over you glaring down."...Drink it."This time sterner. "If you don't then I'll make you.."Following with a threat, which you knew he would follow through with.
Sitting up you take it and drink the stuff. It was an interesting taste. Ease your stomach and everything else. He watched and waited for you drink it, every last drop and levitates the soup over.
"...Lavender root..."You could smell it."Birchwood too? Mandrake root...I might as well become a plant myself."Sighing and ingest it. What choice did you have?
John watches you take it, even if you didn't too. He had to make sure you did, adding an extra ingredient he told Orchid to put. Raising a hand he stops himself and sticks it back into his pocket.
Finishing it set it down."I know the drill,"You look at him."What stays in the house, stays in the house. Not a word to Batman."
He couldn't help but smile and shake his head."Yep. Now, get some rest."
"No, I think I'm up for a new lesson."You said getting up out of bed, but he stops you.
"Naw, just rest."He said and leaves before you could even object."Night."
