2776/Devils Wild

Devils Wild
Date of Scene:	04 August 2020
Location:	An old dive bar in Hoboken, NJ
Synopsis:	Some demons, a mortal, and an angel sit down for a game of cards.
Cast of Characters:	Johnny Blaze, Sera

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Johnny Blaze has posed:
In a dive bar whose name has changed so many times it's called something different by every patron, an old analog clock ticks its way up to midnight and then stops.

The bar's back room, smoke-filled and wallpapered with IOUs of all sorts, is occupied tonight--a five-sided card table set up for a game of poker. A very special game of poker.

One of the players is Paimon, a prince of Hell. He sniffs and looks around. "Easy pickings this year."

Johnny Blaze occupies another of the seats, his eyes hidden behind his shades, although his smirk is obvious. "You can say that again."

The third player, a figure hidden under heavy robes, lets half a dozen tentacles slip out of its sleeves, tapping on the table. It slobbers something incomprehensible to human ears.

The dealer, an imp dressed in vest, bolo tie, and translucent visor, scowls. "Now, now, Yglar-bruftogl. You all know the deal. Anything's available to toss in the pool. Winner take all, and the losers are prohibited from enacting revenge on the other players until the night of the next game. All agreed?"

One by one, those at the table begin showing some sort of assent.

Sera has posed:
New York is her city of choice, she helped save it from the birth of a corrupted new god. The city knows her.. so it's with some regret that her investigations have lead her out of New York and in to New Jersey. As expected, due to the negative advertisements, New Jersey does not compare to the big apple.

Seated at the fourth seat at the table is Sera, looking for all intents and purposes like a regular human for the time being. Though, she is certainly anything but. Those who can read the auras to determine what is and isn't of this Earthly world would know that. She is keeping her nature tight to her chest for the moment though. Gambling is one of her favourite pass times, she has her ups and downs though.

Dressed in blue jeans, black boots, a white t-shirt that says "Acute Angle" across her chest. Over that, a black leather jacket. Her long dark dreadlocks hang behind her as she wraps her fingertips against the table top, nails done in black. She was looking to fit in. As the rules are stated, she nods her head. This is an evening of gambling fun, not demon killing any way.

Johnny Blaze has posed:
The dealer starts tossing cards to everyone--two face-down, one face-up. "Seven card stud," the imp says with a grin that displays several rows of razor-sharp needle-like teeth.

Visible cards:
Paimon: Jack of hearts
Johnny Blaze: Six of spades
Yglar-bruftogl: Nine of hearts
Sera: Queen of diamonds

"Blaze," the imp says. "set the bring-in."

The biker glances at his face-down cards and nods. "Alright. Standard first-round starter: a one-night haunting of my dreams."

Paimon snorts. "Leave it to a mortal to offer something so ... mundane."

"You're just bitchin' 'cuz you can't," Blaze counters.

"Gentlemen," the dealer interjects. "enough. Paimon, your bet?"

The demon prince clears his throat. "One soul freed from my ranks."

Yglar-bruftogl says something.

"Indeed," the dealer says, nodding to Sera. "And you?"

Sera has posed:
That stupid book. She has tried to sell it so many times and it seems like may be it's cursed and doesn't want to be taken by others. May be she should look at it from that angle instead. "A page from a book of magical spells," she says with a smirk. Sure, why not rip the thing up. As far as she can tell the spells are all pretty mundane.

There are some dangerous ones in there, no need to offer those ones up early on. And heck, she could just give them the forward or table of contents. "There'll be more pages offered as the night goes on I'm sure." She gives a small shrug to the other players, "I'm good for it, you can trust me." She smiles mischievously though as she looks at her other two cards.

No need to start cheating yet, it's not like anything is on the table that is serious.. or that she really really wants. It's not like that time she won a nightmare and called it Maximus Clop. Angela was amused, Sera was amused, Maximus Clop was amused. It was a good day for all.

Johnny Blaze has posed:
A burn card is set aside, and the second round of face-up cards is dealt.

Paimon: Three of clubs
Johnny Blaze: Six of clubs
Yglar-bruftogl: King of diamonds
Sera: Ace of hearts

"Oof," Blaze mockingly intones at Paimon's card.

"What are you on about?" the demon prince asks, gesturing to his card. It's the king of diamonds.

Yglar-bruftogl pounds the table with a wet slap of tentacles.

"Should have kept your eye on your cards," the dealer says.

Paimon winks. "I'll wager the melody of a song only ever sung by fallen angels."

Blaze sits silent for a moment. "The memory of the last Christmas gift I ever got from my dad."

The dealer blinks and nods in approval.

Yglar-bruftogl slobbers again, gesturing with a wave of robes.

"The deed to the whole town? You don't say?" the dealer replies. "It is noted," he continues, before turning to Sera. "More pages from your grimoire to add to the pile?" The imp grins again. "Or is there something else you'd like to gamble?"

Sera has posed:
Sera raises an eyebrow as she peers at Paimon. What a curious thing to gamble. "Oh, plenty more pages from the book to add to the pile, but now things have gotten interesting. I'll wager the melody of a song sung by angels who have felled demons in to dust." There's a smug little smirk on her face as she notes the curious little card trickery already going on. She must remind herself the aim of this game isn't to win until the very last moment. Then again, not winning with this crowd would be just as fun.

The opportunity to be a little antagonistic to this crowd is too good to pass up. She sits up slightly in her seat and peeks back at her cards again, then taps a finger against her lips.

Johnny Blaze has posed:
In response to Sera's bet, Blaze snorts a chuckle and grins. "Shit, Zelebiax, this game might actually be enjoyable."

The dealer doesn't respond, instead delivering the next round of face-up cards.

Paimon: Wheel of fortune
Johnny Blaze: Six of cups
Yglar-bruftogl: 'Go to jail' Monopoly community chest card
Sera: The Hierophant

"Sucks to be you," Paimon sneers at Yglar-bruftogl, who immediately disappears in an inky mass of shadow that smells strongly like peat and sludge.

"The bet, Paimon," says the dealer.

"I'll suspend all of my demesne's operations for one week," replies the demon.

Blaze rubs his chin. "Damn." He thinks for a long moment. "I'll enact vengeance on the subject of the winner's choice."

The imp squints before replying. "Acceptable. Madame?"

Sera has posed:
Sera locks eyes with Paimon for a moment, rather amused by his antics. Though, when the next card is dealt she visibly tenses and her eyes begin to glow a bright magical white energy. She grinds her teeth a touch as she stares balefully at the card and then looks back at the dealer.

"What kind of game are you playing at here. The disappearance of the tentacled creature makes her snap her head. "I thought we were going to have an enjoyable game of cards." She stabs a finger against the table top and glares at the people at the table. "I don't suffer threats idly. My bet is mercy to the fool who thought it'd be a good idea to make this kind of joke."

She lowers back in her seat, though the deadly threat of magic in her eyes does not fade. Definitely not a human. She is probably good for it after all.

Johnny Blaze has posed:
The corner of Paimon's mouth turns upwards. "Why, my dear, were you under the impression this was a /fair/ game? I do believe I'll enjoy the winnings I take from you..."

The dealer clears his throat. "Mississippi rules in play. Two cards up and one down."

Visible cards...
Paimon: Jack of hearts, King of diamonds, Wheel of fortune, A Blockbuster video rental card, Nine of swords
Johnny Blaze: Six of spades, Six of clubs, Six of cups, A wallet-sized photo of what appears to be Johnny himself and an unidentified woman, A sandwich shop frequent buyers' card with six meals punched
Sera: Queen of diamonds, Ace of hearts, The Hierophant, An excerpt from the Dead Sea scrolls, Judgment

Paimon exhales deeply through his nose, a faint trail of smoke rising from his nostrils. "I will not rise to the aid of one of my brethren--the winner's choosing--not including the Archfiend ... when the time would come to do so."

Blaze offers a toothy grin. "Now we're talkin'," he begins, but his smile fades when he touches the photo in front of him. "I ... ah ... I'll say a prayer for her."

"Boo," Paimon groans.

The dealer nods. "I'm afraid I must agree. That's not remotely on par."

"Fine," Blaze sighs. "I'll stop fighting Zarathos for control ... for a night."

Paimon stares at him.

"Okay. A week."

"Accepted," the dealer replies, and all eyes turn to Sera.

"You can fold any time you like, dear," Paimon says quietly. "Of course, you'll forfeit what you threw in the pool..."

Sera has posed:
Sera peers at the cards, then at her own hand, then back to the cards. "I see. That was unexpected." She twists the corner of her mouth thoughtfully and peers at the visible cards sidelong as she contemplates the mess before her. "Queen of diamonds, ace of hearts, hierophant, ..and judgement starts," she says a little singsongy as her eyes begin to glow a little more. "The secret scroll, a history awoken, now begins the game, played by the forgotten."

She raises an eyebrow, "I get it, you want to be relevant, but you also want to win and keep yours to yours. It's an interesting way to live. Or die, one or the other." Of course she considers cheating, but she recognises when the fates are amused more by random than certainty.

"You'll regret your bets, even if you win. I will teach an Enochian word of power, that is my bet." She glances up at the ceiling a moment, chuckles, then looks back to the other players.

Johnny Blaze has posed:
"That's settled, then. Now's the time to fold or the time to reveal your five-card hands," the dealer says, impish hands held outward, palms up.

Paimon flips over his face-down cards. "King, Jack, Queen of spades, Wheel of fortune, and a Joker. The unruly court."

Blaze shrugs and shows his cards, arranging them in a pentagram with one card in the middle. "Six sixes."

"Naughty boy," Paimon says, grimacing. "I knew I shouldn't have sat next to the dealer. Harder to one-up the rule-bending."

"Well," Blaze says, taking a deep breath. "You want to go ahead and whisper that word of power in my ear now, or do I need to buy you a drink first? Unless you're gonna knock our socks off with a big reveal."

He grins. "Of course, as a showman, I gotta say, I'm hopin' that's the plan."

Sera has posed:
Sera looks at the interesting hangs they present and just clucks her tongue and begins to shake her head. "Oh you poor poor boys. You shouldn't bet on demonic hands to win a game with an angel in it. After all, you are but the servants of a fallen angel." Rub it in, she can't help herself. Learning about what angels have been doing in Midgard since she got here has been truly fascinating.

She places down the Queen of Diamonds, "Heven is a place of free markets, true capitalism. Our Queen is the richest, by very definition."

Next she places down the Heirophant, "And you invoke the ones who pray over the fallen, of which I was one in another timeline. They are the ones who pass judgement, the custodians of Heven's great and vast power."

Next she places down the judgement, "Together they rule. They pass judgement over all. But of course, they know nothing of Earth and what has taken place here... but you foolishly gave that to them."

She places down the dead sea scroll.. and opens it up, unfolding the card in to five segments, "You see, the Enochian words of power, they command all servants." Her eyes lay upon the demons, "ALL servants."

"By right of might," she says and lays down a card emblazened with an angelic sword, wings stylishly wrapped about it. The card is glowing white like her eyes. She motions over her five cards, "The might of Heven commands your submission."

Johnny Blaze has posed:
Paimon fumes--figuratively and literally. "I shall obey the agreement. But be warned--once the next game is held, I will come to repay this humiliation."

A bright tongue of flame ignites, engulfing him, and then it disappears, taking him with it.

The imp dealer tips his visor. "I'll make sure an invitation gets to you both for the next." Then he steps sideways into nothingness.

Johnny Blaze chuckles and shakes his head. "Gotta hand it to you--I didn't see that comin'. I knew Zelebiax loved his delicious ironies, but it doesn't usually backfire on the table quite so fully." He nods quietly. "So ... you let me know when you want to cash in those favors I threw in the pot. Unless angels are above all of that. Hell, maybe you are."

Sera has posed:
Sera stands up with a victorious grin. Once the table has cleared she lifts an eyebrow and the glow from her eyes disappears, but so does the glow from the card showing the angelic sword. It transforms back in to a 3 of clubs. "Oh.. no need to repay me anything. I just wanted to have some fun."

With an amused little smirk she offers her hand to Johnny, "I'm Sera." Okay, so she did cheat after all. She sung, but luckily these demons didn't realise that was her way of doing magic. She's not above cheating cheaters. They are demons after all.. and if we're being entirely technical, she left Heven and is hunted by the heirophants for it.. she is technically a fallen angel too.

"Thanks for the very entertaining game. I liked your hand. I also never bet anything I'm not willing to lose. I just do it for the fun of it. Besides, it seemed a little unfair. I am an Angel after all."

Johnny Blaze has posed:
"Well, what do I care, all in all?" Johnny replies, shrugging and leaning back in his seat. "My soul's already spoken for. Everything else is just so ... I don't know. Ephemeral? Meaningless?"

He shakes Sera's hand and offers a finger-gun her way. "Still. Well played. Hope you make it to the next one--even if it's just to make Paimon whine about how he got out-maneuvered. I'm gonna enjoy sippin' on those tears."

Sera has posed:
Sera laughs and tugs on the corners of her jacket. "Ah, it was a lot of fun wasn't it. But I'm sad to hear you've lost your lust for life. There's always something exciting around the corner. Trust me, I know, I cheated and snuck a peek." She winks and then steps out of the room. She leans back in and says, "Until next time." As she exits the building there is a bright glowing light as magical wings erupt from her back. With a mighty beat she takes off in to the sky.