41 - There's a monster on the loose

[seeya_next_life]

Hey, chief, Stoneface, I meant to make a report earlier, but I was a little [pause] distracted. By now I assume you've heard Kagerou was killed, but it bears mentioning that she was killed by a monster from Crystala. And she wasn't on Crystala. In fact, I didn't find her anywhere near the bridge--she was along the southeastern bend on the coast

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Quicklog

[seeya_next_life]

[Lea had certainly noticed the marks on Cloud's face, but hadn't really given them much thought. It was pretty obvious the spontaneous tattoos were supposed to represent something, but he really couldn't figure what the lines over Cloud's lips meant any more than he could figure the significance of the numbers on his own neck. He'd seen the bloody marks on Cloud's hands, and for a moment had thought he'd hurt himself, before he realized the blood didn't smear. They were tattoos, too.

Giving the bottle of sake a slightly dubious look, Lea held up the two sakazuki--he had never imbibed anything out of a... saucer before--and then headed up the stairs. Setting everything down on the cardtable, he took a seat, automatically plucking his deck of cards from the little pocket on the side of the table and shuffling them absently for a moment before opening the bottle of wine and carefully attempting to pour some into the two little saucers.]

So I'm not sure if I should say a toast, perhaps to giving in to stereotypical coping methods, or just say screw trees, bottoms up.

[His usual sarcasm is there in his tone, but there's something particularly bitter in his voice tonight.]

Quicklog

[iattractmushi]

[Cloud was mildly curious about the tattoos that had appeared on Lea's neck, but probably the other man had no idea what they meant... and they were much less obvious than his own.

He waited patiently until Lea had carefully poured the sake and claimed one of the cups for himself. Then he reached over and took the other one, lifting it in a sketchy salute.] 'Screw trees' isn't a bad toast, for this place.

[He took a sip of sake. Setting his cup down on the table, he leaned back in the chair, regarding Lea calmly. The bitter tone was unsurprising, but Cloud found himself speaking in a slightly more gentle tone than he normally would, in response to it. He had died, and people had grieved for him... he had never lost anyone he cared for. He knew he would someday; he liked too many people, and death was a part of things here too, even though this place twisted it. So his gaze wasn't unsympathetic as he said,] ...were we going to play cards, too?

Quicklog

[seeya_next_life]

[He lifts his cup then and gives a wan grin.] Screw trees, then. Let's drink to firewood, mulch, and sawdust. [And with that he throws back the sake, and then physically jolts, startled by the sheer fire of the drink. He manages to refrain from actually coughing, but it's definitely stronger than he expected it to be. Thumping his chest with one fist, Lea forbade his eyes to water, and instead poured himself another. Surely it just took a little getting used to. He'd had a few drinks in his day, and they were always a little harsh the first time.

He glanced up at Cloud, then back down at the cards in front of him.]

Oh. Just habit, I guess. I don't like having idle hands. [He gives a helpless sort of chuckle.] I'm a fidget, you could say--I've always gotta be drumming my fingers or shuffling cards or something. If I've got nothing in my hands I fold my arms; I hate having empty hands. [Maybe that was why he wielded dual weapons--if he didn't have something in both hands, he felt unbalanced. A pause, and he lifted his eyebrows.] Wanna try your luck? [He raised his right hand in a mock oath.] I solemnly swear not to cheat.

Quicklog

[iattractmushi]

[At Lea's reaction to the sake, Cloud smothered a chuckle hastily--it came out sounding more like a strangled cough. He hadn't expected the other man to drink it all at once like that--sake was something you savored, and drank more slowly than that.] To toothpicks, then, [he murmured, grinning, and sipped from his cup again.]

No cheating, huh... well. A promise like that, how can I refuse? [His grin turned into a slight smirk, and he leaned his elbows on the table on either side of his cup.] Blackjack again? That way you won't have to take the time to teach me a new game.

Quicklog

[seeya_next_life]

I'll drink to that. [His voice is a little strained, and it's obvious he still hasn't quite recovered, but he's trying. He clears his throat and gives the cards another shuffle.]

Blackjack it is, then. Here, we can play a slightly different style now that you know the ropes a little better. I don't really have anything worth betting, though, so... this game's just for bragging rights, okay?

[He deals them each one card face down, and then one face up--a seven of diamonds for Cloud, and then a five of spades for Lea.] Any future hits are played facedown, but that one card remains face-up. It doesn't really tell anybody anything too useful unless it's a face card, but when someone gets an ace dealt face-up, that tends to make thing a bit more interesting.

[He takes another sip of the sake, still surprised by how strong the flavor is, and then gives Cloud an expectant look.] So what's it gonna be?

Quicklog - keywords very appropriate

[iattractmushi]

[Still grinning a little at Lea's reaction to the drink, Cloud nodded.] Sounds good. [Despite his luck the last time they played, Cloud didn't really think he'd win his third game of cards. So he was just as happy that Lea didn't want to bet anything on the outcome of the game.

He peeked beneath his face-down card--a two of hearts. Hmmmm.] I see. [He tapped the table, asking for another card. He'd have to get a better number than nine if he was going to have a chance of winning the hand.

Sipping from his own cup slowly as he waited for Lea to deal the next card, Cloud considered asking the red-head if there was anything he could do to help... but he decided not to in the end. He was just here to make sure Lea got home alright. He didn't need to start poking around in someone else's business like that.]

osnap! then i guess i'll have to use my appropriate keyword icon as well

[seeya_next_life]

[Sliding another card across the table to Cloud, Lea takes a look at his own card, the ace of diamonds. Well, nobody won a hand with six. Or sixteen, for that matter. So he deals himself a second card as well--ooh, the four of spades--then took another sip of sake before resting his chin in his palm and furrowing his brow at Cloud.]

So. Any unexpected memory crystal accidents lately?

[It's not as random as it sounds. Lea had been considering talking to Cloud about the real purpose of the Gingers Club (or, as Toushi preferred to call it, The League of Extraordinary Gingermen featuring Nova and Kager... oh. Well, he wasn't changing the title. Anyway!) for a while now, and so far as he could tell, this was as good a time as any.]

Quicklog

[iattractmushi]

[Cloud moved the new card over to where the others were, then peeked under it carefully. One of the face cards; a Q and a spade marked this one. So that made nineteen... if he asked for another, there was a very small chance he'd get a two or an ace, and a slightly higher chance Lea might not have a higher number right now... asking for another card would be risky, and there wasn't anything riding on this game.

At Lea's question, he looked up from pondering his options with a raised eyebrow.] I haven't found a single crystal since that time in the park. Why?

[He finished what was left of his sake while waiting for Lea to answer, reaching for the bottle and pouring the last of the clear alcohol into his cup.]

Quicklog

[seeya_next_life]

Just curious. [He looks down at his cards again, then back at Cloud as the other man polishes off the last bit of sake from the bottle. Oh, gone already? Why were the bottles so damn small?] I'll go grab us another. [And before Cloud can protest (or approve), he's up and headed down the stairs. He returns a moment later with another bottle of the same sake, and a second bottle of a different type, looking a little confused. He sets the bottles down and then frowns expectantly at one of them, like he's waiting for it to talk.] I can't read any of this. But I liked the label on this other one. [He twists the cap off and pours himself some, then tastes it experimentally. It's not quite as fiery as the first one, and a little sweeter.

Glancing up at Cloud again, he tilts his head.] And I just wondered. I've saved my old used crystals, I guess I just wondered if you needed any spares to try things out on. [His grin is wry--he's obviously not serious. He points at his cards then.] Hit or stay?

Quicklog - lol, I researched this ridiculously much

[iattractmushi]

[Lea was gone before Cloud could offer to go himself--he wanted to get some food, for both of them. But... well, one more bottle probably won't hurt.

When he saw that Lea had brought two fresh bottles he looked faintly surprised, though he hid it quickly. Picking up the bottle Lea had poured from, he peered at the label.] Aside from things like the brand name, I think, this one says it's Hanjozo. The other one's apparently Junmai. That's the kind of sake they are, I guess. [Cloud didn't exactly know what those words meant, but since it looked like Lea didn't mind drinking something he couldn't read the name of, Cloud wouldn't worry about it.

His own cup was still full, so Cloud set the bottle back down without pouring any for himself.] Haven't given that much thought, actually... I'm still a little wary about doing anything to them, even if they've been used. [He sipped from his cup slowly.] Unless you had an idea you wanted to try out? [He shook his head, and sipped again.] Stay.

[sorry for the wait]

[seeya_next_life]

Hanjozo? [He picks up one bottle, then the other, and frowns at the label. Hm, it seems Cloud can read Moonspeak. Interesting. He decides to try the one he hasn't tried yet, and then gives Cloud a knowing grin.][He gestures at Cloud's cards to indicate for him to turn them over--time to see who wins this hand--before turning his own.] Ooh, looks like this one's mine. [A watery smile and he holds up his sake cup in a silent sort of toast.] So, we didn't place any bets, but... what say you to answering a personal question as payup? [The smile turns sly as he takes a sip of the new sake (makes a brief face) and sets the cup back down.] Just to satisfy a little curiosity...

[If he's focusing on other things, he won't be thinking about the fact that Kagerou is dead. Just focus on cards, on the Sphere and how much it pisses you off, on sake and cups and wooden tables beneath your hands. Think about anything else...]

[<3]

[iattractmushi]

[Cloud chuckles a little.] Mmm. I've always been able to read that kind of script. [He sees it in his journal too... which possibly means it's the language of his home, that Japan place... anyway, it had been all over the Japan area of Disney World, and the Tokyo wilderness.]

[He snorts softy.] Luck. [A grin, and he starts to raise his own cup in answer to Lea's toast, then... hesitates, putting it down again.] A personal question...? [His expression becomes slightly veiled, though he's still smiling.] ...alright, what is it?

[He's curious what this 'personal question' is, and that more than anything else prompts him to ask Lea what the question is. He could always lie, if it was a question he didn't want to answer...]