Becoming an Eight [OTA, esp Spades, Q♦, and Jokers]
[[She'll have sent out invitations to the Q♦ and both Jokers, and of course the Spades all heard or were told about the challenge, and the story has probably spread throughout the Deck, as these are always exciting affairs.]]
Delilah was ready. And she was confident, of course - she'd hit the underground racing circuit at fourteen, long before she should have been allowed to drive a car. Not that the underground racers ever cared about legality. Legally, though, she'd kept it up a little - mostly on whatever free time she'd managed to snag since she'd become a Spade. It was something that took years to learn and perfect - that couldn't be done in a fortnight. Marcus honestly didn't have a chance.
Which had been the point.
He'd likely counter-challenge with his own strength, but she'd been practicing for months, ever since she learned what it was. He, like most people, made most of his challenges with a single weapon. Amateur, really... Delilah liked to mix things up.
So there they were, on the track, next to their cars. Marcus had tried them all, made his choice. And she always used her Screaming Devil, with it's red-and-black paint job. These were souped-up stock cars, basically - no nitrous oxide boost, nothing fancy. Just speed, and the driver's ability to gun it off the line and shift up.
Twenty minutes later, it was done.
She'd even beat him by enough of a margin that the photo finish hadn't been necessary - the whole crowd had seen her win.
So she was now officially an Eight.
Delilah took off her helmet, and smiled first at David, then at Rachel, then Eileen, and afterwards at the whole crowd, grinning widely.
A very angry Marcus stomped up behind her.
"DELILAH!"
"Yes?" she asked, the picture of innocence.
"I COUNTER CHALLENGE YOU." He threw a driving glove at her feet.
She picked it up. "Really, there's no need to shout. I knew you would."
"YOU - what?" Then he sneered. "Of course you did." David's little omniscient pet... but he didn't say it. What he did say was, "Whips. Double-handed."
Double handed... Delilah was momentarily surprised. But she was nearly as good at two smaller whips... a bit of practicing, and she should be fine.
"I'll see you in the training yard in a week, then. Around noon again." she said.
And then he went stomping off... presumably to his own car, to speed back to the Castle and vent more anger. Though she wouldn't have been surprised if Hagen had followed him - the former Eight had always been an admirer of his.
Delilah, for her part, turned the cars over to the track crew, took off her jacket and gloves, and went to talk to those who'd come to watch.
Delilah was ready. And she was confident, of course - she'd hit the underground racing circuit at fourteen, long before she should have been allowed to drive a car. Not that the underground racers ever cared about legality. Legally, though, she'd kept it up a little - mostly on whatever free time she'd managed to snag since she'd become a Spade. It was something that took years to learn and perfect - that couldn't be done in a fortnight. Marcus honestly didn't have a chance.
Which had been the point.
He'd likely counter-challenge with his own strength, but she'd been practicing for months, ever since she learned what it was. He, like most people, made most of his challenges with a single weapon. Amateur, really... Delilah liked to mix things up.
So there they were, on the track, next to their cars. Marcus had tried them all, made his choice. And she always used her Screaming Devil, with it's red-and-black paint job. These were souped-up stock cars, basically - no nitrous oxide boost, nothing fancy. Just speed, and the driver's ability to gun it off the line and shift up.
Twenty minutes later, it was done.
She'd even beat him by enough of a margin that the photo finish hadn't been necessary - the whole crowd had seen her win.
So she was now officially an Eight.
Delilah took off her helmet, and smiled first at David, then at Rachel, then Eileen, and afterwards at the whole crowd, grinning widely.
A very angry Marcus stomped up behind her.
"DELILAH!"
"Yes?" she asked, the picture of innocence.
"I COUNTER CHALLENGE YOU." He threw a driving glove at her feet.
She picked it up. "Really, there's no need to shout. I knew you would."
"YOU - what?" Then he sneered. "Of course you did." David's little omniscient pet... but he didn't say it. What he did say was, "Whips. Double-handed."
Double handed... Delilah was momentarily surprised. But she was nearly as good at two smaller whips... a bit of practicing, and she should be fine.
"I'll see you in the training yard in a week, then. Around noon again." she said.
And then he went stomping off... presumably to his own car, to speed back to the Castle and vent more anger. Though she wouldn't have been surprised if Hagen had followed him - the former Eight had always been an admirer of his.
Delilah, for her part, turned the cars over to the track crew, took off her jacket and gloves, and went to talk to those who'd come to watch.