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-3+0+0: Investigate the wait Staff
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Book III: Casino Royale (Pt. II)- Step Inside The Casino
--- Gregory Fischer ---
“If there are arrows pointing at it then it must be worth investigating.” He figured as he looked at a poster for a poker tournament of some kind, the darker neon colors of the image drawing his attention in a way that made them contrast from the flashier colors of the actual district.
“Perhaps… Though would we truly get a Story out of that?” Maeve asked, with a curious frown. “I mean, based on what I understand of what Stories -as Ms. Black calls them- actually are.”
He considered the Stories he’d picked up from the Crimson Carnival. Namely the sheer variety, and the ones that specifically involved him doing something. “We could probably squeeze a couple out of it if it’s all dramatic enough… Though if things work the way that I’m pretty sure they do we’d get the biggest by actually joining the game ourselves… somehow.”
“Well that shouldn’t be too difficult.” The vampire noted. “Typically, you need simply pay to enter, yes?”
“Yeah, except we’re in another country where any money we’re carrying might not be accepted.” He pointed out with a wry grin.
“Ah, that would be a problem…” Maeve grimaced, before taking in the space around them. “How exactly do you acquire the local currency?”
He remembered leaving his money at an unattended carnival stand and swiping what he wanted when no one was looking. “So far? Hope no one notices it’s a different currency.”
Mave gave him an unimpressed look.
“Look, let’s just take a look around then we can figure out if it’s even worth bothering with.” He told her as he started to follow the posters.
“Fine.” Maeve sighed even as she moved to follow. “Hopefully this isn’t too foolish of an endeavor.”
“Honestly, as long as I don’t get chased by a swarm of vampire clowns I’m going to be happy.” He admitted, before pausing and glancing at his current companion. “No offense.”
“None taken.” The vampire dryly assured him.
As they walked around he took actual note of their surroundings just in case he did end up being chased by a swarm of casino clowns or some such. And from what he could tell this whole place was one massive interconnected entertainment district, with every shop, game room, and attraction bearing the same insignia of a king card with a slash through the eye at every entrance.
How far it all extended he couldn’t tell without higher ground, but given the sheer variety of people he was seeing -from tourists to clearly stressed out waitstaff- he was fairly certain this was a legitimate place of business rather than a scam like the carnival.
Eventually they reached the hall where the tournament was supposed to be held, where he couldn’t help but notice how the whole building seemed to have the darker neons that stood in stark contrast to the brighter colors of the nearby buildings.
He narrowed his eyes as he watched the crowd moving nearby and noticed something. “This setting off your weirdness detector?”
Maeve narrowed her own eyes at the scene before seeing what he did after a couple of moments. “There’s a massive tournament and no one is even looking at the building despite how much it stands out… magic perhaps?”
(Possibly, but nothing so blatant that I can pick it up myself.) Then again when it came to sensory abilities, he was almost as blind as he was without his glasses. Instead of admitting this, he instead put on a grin and clapped his hands. “A magic casino? That sounds like the start of an interesting story to me.”
One interesting enough that he felt completely warranted in drawing a chem smoke and having it dance across his fingers, fully ready to light the thing should this bite him in the ass.
When he stepped inside he’d half expected the color scheme to continue inside the building, perhaps via black light even, but instead the inside was bright and far closer to what he’d expect of a casino. If a higher class one with a number of waiters and waitresses in semi-skimpy outfits walking around.
Though he noted that something about them was setting off his instincts, as if there was something he should be able to pick up but was just out of reach… (Motherfucker… Don’t tell me the stupid book is messing with my non-combat skills too!)
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
He wouldn’t have thought it before, but given how ‘The Smoke of War’ gave him both the Tactician and Infiltrator classifications (whatever that means) it would be perfectly in character for the Book to have sealed some of his skills associated with those. Admittedly, he may have purposely let some of those skills rust, but he was sure he’d brushed all of that rust off during his time stuck reliving his past.
“What’s wrong?” Maeve asked him, a touch of caution as she began looking around the room.
“You know how the Book sealed some of our power?” He checked.
“A… fair if annoying precaution given what skills I possess.” The vampire confessed.
“Yeah, well turns out some of those skills come and go depending on what Volumes we equip.” He frowned, very much tempted to light his cigarette solely in irritation.
Maeve tilted her head. “Isn’t that… obvious?”
He let out a scoffing sound. “It is until you forget something you know you remembered.”
“Hmm…” His fellow Librarian didn’t have much she could say to that.
Rather than dwelling on whatever mystery was just out of sight he instead started looking around the lobby for a dealer’s cage of some kind.
“I believe that’s where we’re supposed to go.” Maeve noted after a couple of minutes, now pointing toward where the small number of people to enter the casino were walking.
“As good a direction as any.” He sighed before joining the thin if steady stream of people.
While they were moving he noticed the other Librarian’s gaze occasionally jumping, her eyes narrowing one way or another.
“Notice something?” He frowned.
“I can tell there’s magic here but it keeps slipping out of my grasp before I can pinpoint it.” Maeve confessed.
“And how good is your magic?” He wondered, plopping his cigarette in his mouth even if he didn’t light it. “I mean I know I’ve seen some of what you can do, but if we’re going to be working together…”
“I’m not a true Practitioner of magic such as yourself, but I’ve still a fairly experienced understanding of the abilities of my blood.” The vampire assured him, arms crossed as she clearly disliked this topic even if she understood why they were talking about it. “Truthfully, the only magicks I possess are tied to either that or this Book.”
“But you’ve experience dealing with other magic at least?” She’d at least understood some of what he’d told her while they were fleeing the Carnival, and she wasn’t all too surprised by everything involving his own magic and the Library.
“There… were a few magicians within the court…” Maeve grimaced before shaking her head. “But yes, you’ll find after a couple hundred years you can be considered ‘experienced’ in a great many things whether you like them or not…”
“A couple hundred years?” He grimaced himself. “I was barely sane after thirty… Even if I stayed young I’m not sure I’d want to live that long.” (Gain that many regrets.)
Maeve let out an amused huff. “At least you see the trap of longevity…” She sighed after a moment. “At the very least it’s not true immortality like rumor believes… Even if my bloodline is still longer lived than most others…”
He wasn’t stupid enough to ask how much longer lived, instead letting this less than happy conversation die.
Fortunately, following the crowd seemed to have taken them to a separate portion of the casino, one more clearly dedicated to poker given the setup of the tables and a massive board on the wall. One that still contained a handful of empty slots on it. (Meaning we might still be able to get in.) “I’m still not seeing a casino cage anywhere…”
“Perhaps we should simply ask for directions?” Maeve suggested.
“Only if you do it, I’m not the best with people…” Unless he was manipulating them from the shadows. (Which surprisingly doesn’t require all that much talking to people. Just understanding how they’ll react to things.)
“Well I suppose it would be nice to talk to someone who isn’t at least mildly insane for once.” The vampire sighed.
He felt like he should argue that, but between his PTSD, depression, and the fact that he once thought burning his own arm off for a spell was a good idea…
(I’m definitely not the poster boy for sanity.)
So instead of wasting time on an argument where he knew he was wrong, he instead turned his attention to the room around him hoping that even if the Book had re-sealed some of his forgotten skills it wouldn’t prevent him from being able to get a basic read on the people around him. Something he was capable of even before brushing the rust off.
Off to the side he spotted a pale young man on a cell phone. He had a cocky grin on his face but (even needing glasses it’s pretty obvious he’s faking it. Still despite being a nervous wreck…)
“That one’s movements… they’re trained despite his nerves.” Mave noted, eyes narrowed as she followed your gaze and saw what you did.
“Yep.” He nodded, his eyes drifting towards someone who almost demanded the room looked at him.
A handsome dark haired man cut through the room with a confident step and a grin on his face as he danced a coin across his fingers. (Meaning he probably knows this place well enough to point us in the right direction.)
Maeve’s head snapped and he couldn’t help but follow her gaze this time as she glared at a fairly beautiful woman in a red dress. Or rather she glared at the older man making the woman less than comfortable. (Maybe if we help her, she’ll help us.)
The fact that he was profiling people like this showed that even if he hadn’t quite regained everything he’d let burn away, he did retain some of his old skills in spite of not equipping the Smoke of War. Even if those profiles were fairly abysmal by his old standards. (Then again sometimes you’ve just gotta make due.)
Which wasn’t too much of an ask when in truth it would be far easier to just stop one of the various staff walking about and just ask them for directions. (Then again… It feels like some of those other people might have a Story to them…)
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