(no subject)

[steelbeowulf]

Action 1, Teeters

[It seems Teeters has a new regular! Friday Poker Nights managed to capture the eye of one Lt. Kyosuke Nanbu, and unfortunately they've never been the same since. Kyosuke, it would seem, possesses the devil's own luck, and has a killer wit and instict to match. Suffice to say, he's been making a fair bit of money each night, but the likely challengers have become slimmer and slimmer each night. He's on the lookout for new contenders. Care to give it a try?

OOC: I don't particularly mind Kyosuke losing, so feel free to let me know the kind of poker game you're looking for. If you have no major opinion, he does tend to win. A lot.]

Action 2, open training grounds

[While always diligent in training, it seems recently Kyosuke had kicked it up a notch. He's picked a recent spot and has been using live rounds. The steel training dummies, Calderan steel, are showing some major signs of wear and tear. He's definitely done a number on them.]

Comments

2.

[platinumlucifer]

[ Cripes, who got on his bad side? Resting her launcher against the wall, Excellen called out. ]

Oy! Kyosuke! There won't be anything left of that thing at the rate you're going. Maybe you should ease up a bit?

2.

[steelbeowulf]

I can always order more.

[Which is good since he just exploded one]

Re: 2.

[platinumlucifer]

You're going to go bankrupt at the rate you're going. What's got you going?

Re: 2.

[steelbeowulf]

I'm fine. No problems.

[Whups, another one bites the explosive dust]

2.

[platinumlucifer]

Don't quit your day job. You're a terrible liar, you know.

2.

[steelbeowulf]

I wasn't planning on quitting my day job...

2.

[platinumlucifer]

[ Right. Kyosuke + Idioms = No. ]

Doesn't change my previous statement. Something is obviously up. Wanna talk about it?

2.

[steelbeowulf]

I don't really like caves.

2.

[platinumlucifer]

And that's what's got you all worked up?

[ She puts a hand on her hip, giving him a very critical look. You wouldn't be destroying training dummies left and right if it was just that. ]

Kyosuke, there's such a thing as being honest with yourself. It's okay every once in a while, you know. Nobody's gonna judge you.

Re: 2.

[steelbeowulf]

What makes you think I'm worked up?

[Somehow this question sounds honest despite the shattered dummies around]

2.

[platinumlucifer]

Do you really want me to start listing reasons? We might be here a while.

Re: 2.

[steelbeowulf]

I was planning on being here awhile anyway.

2.

[platinumlucifer]

[ She walks over, giving his arm a lackluster punch. ]

You know what I mean.

Seriously, though, what's up? You can tell me.

Re: 2.

[steelbeowulf]

I didn't think you'd want to talk about it.

[platinumlucifer]

Oh.

[ So that's what this was about. Of course it was. Excellen frowned a bit. ]

I was surprised you remembered.

[steelbeowulf]

It's hard to forget something like that.

[platinumlucifer]

You didn't seem to act like you remembered. You didn't recognize me, at least.

[steelbeowulf]

To be fair it's been ten years.

[platinumlucifer]

Have I really changed that much?

[steelbeowulf]

In some ways, yes. In others, no.

[platinumlucifer]

I'm a lot stronger than I was back then, you know. A lot more cautious too. Besides, Gigas'll never get their talons in out here, so it's fine. It's boring around here, but it's pretty safe.

[steelbeowulf]

Going around Caldera and Refuge is indeed difficult, but there is still much harm they can do.

[platinumlucifer]

[ Excellen frowned a bit. ]

But they would be suicidal to split themselves between Caldera, Sanctuary and Union, considering the number of allies Union has. Fighting a war on two fronts is bad enough. Three is a death sentence. You know that.

[steelbeowulf]

It's not armies that worry me. Union is unguarded and vulnerable to more underhanded tactics.

[platinumlucifer]

That's why they've got us here, right? We know what to look for.

[steelbeowulf]

Yeah. We'll have to be vigilant.

[platinumlucifer]

But that doesn't mean we have to be so serious all the time, right?

[ She leans into his shoulder, bumping it a bit. Not like she could actually move him or anything. ]

So lighten up a bit, okay?

[steelbeowulf]

I shall make an effort to lighten up.

[platinumlucifer]

Do you even know how to lighten up? Let me see what you've got.

[steelbeowulf]

[Effort is made]

[platinumlucifer]

[ w o w. ]

You didn't do anything at all. You need to try harder than that. What about a smile?

[steelbeowulf]

I'm not sure I know how to do that.

[platinumlucifer]

[ She punches his arm a bit. ]

Liar.

[ At least he got a genuine smile out of her. ]

[steelbeowulf]

I don't know how to lie either.

[platinumlucifer]

Except when you're cleaning people out in poker.

[steelbeowulf]

That's not lying, that's just playing the game.

[platinumlucifer]

That's even scarier than lying...

[steelbeowulf]

How is that scary?

1

[victimlessdetails]

Oh ho.

[Isabela knows an interesting game when she sees one, and has kept an eye on Kyosuke for a few hands before she sits down at the table. Most of the challengers remaining at this point just get up and leave seeing both of these people at the table.]

I've been watching. Seems there's more to you than meets the eye after all.

((Isabela cheats a lot, but she's very good at it. Feel free to catch her or not.))

[steelbeowulf]

I'm just a man who enjoys a good game. Looks like it's just you and me.

[He deals her out a hand]

[victimlessdetails]

[Isabela picks up the cards casually, leaning back in her chair and putting her legs up on the table in a ridiculously exaggerated display of casual ease as she idly peruses her hand.]

How are you enjoying Union so far?

[steelbeowulf]

It's not bad. Much more peaceful.

[He takes two cards and places them facedown. Isabella will definitely notice his gaze is very intense and piercing. Perhaps overt cheating isn't a good idea]

[victimlessdetails]

[He's very hard to distract, she'll say that much.]

How about the lady you arrived with?

[Isabela burns three cards with a casual air. She's not even playing so much as feeling him out for reactions at this point.]

[steelbeowulf]

[Kyosuke studies his hand and tosses a few more chips on the pile.]

She seems to be having fun. I imagine Union suits her well. In some ways, anyway.

[victimlessdetails]

You seem to be opposites, in a way. She's...effusive.

[Isabela considers her options, and folds.]

I guess you have some practice dealing with outgoing women. How long have you two known each other?

[steelbeowulf]

[Kyosuke collects his meager pile and deals a new hand]

Not long. I transferred to the unit perhaps half a year ago.

[victimlessdetails]

Six months is longer than I knew most anyone before I got here.

[Isabela starts off with a strong bet this time.]

Then again, Calderans are a lot more consistent about their careers than...Archipelagoans? I never really thought about the adjective before.

[steelbeowulf]

Indeed. I've been in the Steel Battalion much of my adult life.