A Gamble [Cammy, E. Nigma]

[Darkrai]

It was true that the war-torn remains of the Remoor Region did not easily inspire images of a happy populace with enjoyable or even livable lives, but often appearances can be deceiving. The great citadel of Nada, admittedly but a broken shadow of its former glory, was nonetheless a veritably thriving community that managed to maintain a shaky semblance of a normal civilization. A person living in Nada Citadel could convince themselves that they lived in a normal, albeit it somewhat rough, society so long as they resolutely forbade themselves from exiting the citadel’s borders into the living hell that their home had become.

Nada Citadel managed to maintain a variety of facilities and attractions for its residents. There were functioning restaurants, banks, and other services. There was also a great deal in the way of having a good time. All sorts of minor attraction dotted the streets, some more favorable than others but all promising a good time. However, if someone needed to have an absolute blowout bonanza they would go to possibly the last center of genuine good cheer to be found in Remoor: the District of Fun.

The simply named District of Fun did a marvelous job of living up to that name and was often the solace for many a tired soul who simply needed to forget the nightmare that was their life for a few hours. An attraction existed to sate any palate starving for entertainment. There were establishments for dancing, movie theaters, casinos, bowling rinks, arcades, pubs, karaoke parlors and more. It was often said by the locals that it’s impossible to frown in this part of town, and yes they meant to rhyme.

One of the most popular attractions to be found within the District was Persian’s Palace, the most well known casino in all of Remoor. Every imaginable gambling endeavor in existence could be found here, from roulette tables and craps to slot machines and video poker, and that wasn’t even the half of it. Many a man was wont to watch the troubles of his life swept away by the entrancing spin of a slot machine’s wheels, hopefully to be replaced by the biggest ‘score’ of his life. People came from near and far throughout all of Remoor to test their luck, so one shouldn’t be too surprised to see a few odd characters here and there on the floor.

However, on that day the one person who was perhaps the least likely individual to set foot in anything even remotely resembling a casino had come to the Persian Palace, but not to gamble. Wagering introduced an element of chance into his dealings that he simply could not stand. No, he was here to extract something far more valuable: information.

Very few people noticed the small shadow on the ground that for some reason didn’t seem quite attached to its owner, and those who did simply assumed that they’d had a little too much to drink before hitting the slots. Anyone who bothered to continue observing the odd black patch would also realize that not only was it somewhat detached from its owner, but it didn’t seem to be entirely sure who its owner actually was. It would follow an individual for a few feet, not quite touching their feet as a shadow should. Suddenly it would detach itself from that person entirely and would instead follow a different person in an entirely different direction.

The shadow’s path appeared to be completely random, but a careful observer, perhaps one with knowledge in counter-intelligence, would see otherwise. The shadow was making a large but undeniable triangular path around a central point towards which it was steadily progressing. After a short while the shadow reached its target, which happened to be a blackjack table.

The shadow slipped undetected beneath the table and began floating around the feet of the table manager, a middle-aged man with black hair and a rather plain face. For about ten minutes nothing of further interest happened. When something new did happen, it occurred almost too quickly to be seen.

There was a very brief moment in which absolutely no one was looking at the blackjack table. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadow on the floor, using the table to pull itself up behind the table manager. The figure emerging from the darkness was a perfect doppelganger of the man in front of him right down to his attire. The imposter placed both of his hands behind the man’s neck and, before he could realize what was happening, jabbed both his thumbs into the base of the man’s neck. Without a sound his body went limp, and then suddenly he disappeared completely as though he’d never even been there. The replacement straightened his bowtie slightly, looked around to see if anyone had noticed, and began casually shuffling the deck of playing cards as though nothing odd had occurred.

Darkrai had come to Persian’s Palace for a very good reason. He had it on very good information that a famous researcher of Ghost-Type Pokémon was currently in Remoor conducting research on the legendary Destinae. He was allegedly taking a break from his project to enjoy some R&R at Nada Citadel. He was supposed to be a regular at Persian’s Palace whenever he happened to be in Remoor. He was apparently an avid player of blackjack. And he always played this exact table. There was nothing to do at this point but wait for the man to arrive, so that’s exactly what Darkrai did. He hardly expected anything of interest to happen until then.

How wrong he would turn out to be.
0

[E.nigma]

The gate into the city resembled something from the age of the romans, the handles swirled among eachother in a circular embrace. Walls of yellowed stone clutched at the clouds, windows shining in their alcoves like buried hives of treasure. A variety of people milled about the entrance to the Citadel, some bouncing up and down with excitement, others torn apart or injured by the wilderness, a few seemed to shiver with anxiety arms reaching for the next bottle or card to sate their addiction.
"...pathetic..."
The voice was little more than a whisper, lose among the milling bodies, which for unknown reasons formed a path around the slight figure. Large, dead, eyes stared at the walls in silence even as they grew closer with each confident well placed step. The gate even seemed to draw back as he entered, a large creature loomed over him like a shadow, bright-red eyes constantly moved about, well-toned muscles stood out beneath rubbery skin.
"Master Enigma...is this wise? You have no guards...no battle plans...what if someone were to attack?"
The figure in front showed no signs of having heard, head slowly swiveled about to settle on a group of hunched women running down the street. Half of the people's eyes were filled with fake happiness, some were empty, but the majority of them just looked beaten.
" I doubt there is a threat in this town, and if it is so we will deal with it in a succinct, efficient, manner."
The voice was cold, and direct. It lacked any true inflection, and ended with clipped precision. The point was obviously no longer up for discussion.

Brigtly lit windows passed by in a string of rotting advertisements, overly bright lights, fake smiles, hurried steps, and paranoid glances. Even the cars milling about the road moved in the same manner, desolate and guarded. They never came near one another, and people seemed to wait for empty streets before they submerged into traffic.

--

The ground slowly rose, and the Pravus member climbed the hill without complaint. The building of destination sat atop the hill like a modern coliseum, but instead of blood , it was money that fed the hungry crowds. The sound of tokens clattering in trays, and the calls of fury [or extasy] could rival the noise of any crowd. The city seemed to pulse like a heart, long strings of rainbow colored lights flowed from its roof, and along the vessels of the street. The sign adorning stood out like some sort of festering wound, and completely destroyed any ideas of dignity when it was discovered.
" Come along Thoist."
The robotic voice intoned again, startling the tense Gallade, even as the door swung inward and the world became a kaleidoscope of color and noise.

The sound of sweat, and anxiety swamped the Pravus member's senses, and his nose wrinkled in distaste. The people seemed to be pieces of furniture, lanky limbs intertwined with the gambling tables//machines in what seemed to be an unbreakable embrace, eyes shone with greed, and sometimes with nothing more than the flicker of the screen that currently held their gaze.
" ...disgusting....."
Humans made slaves to machines, their minds turned into mush by mere pixels, these people claimed the same race as he did?

Like some sort of ghost, albeit a regal one, the white-swathed figure cut his way through the crowd. Like some sort of king he blended in with the finery, his head held high, the tall pokemon followed behind like some sort of servant.

What was this feeling, there was something in this casino....

Something interesting....

Something dark enough to catch his attention....

Dark energy pulsed through his skull like some sort of migraine, the smell of decay slowly drew him through the hiss of roulette tables, and the hammer like noise of dice. It lead him into the center of the casino, the land of greens, and a game of almost political implications. It appeared the land of fake smiles, and subtle muscle jerks would not be his final destination.

The red floor flowed beneath his snow-white shoes like a river, and he finally paused in the section of quick-draw games, of things usually attributed to fate and lady luck.

The land of the dark monarch, Black Jack,

" ...do you smell it as well?"
The Pravus member questioned after an eternity of silence, his large eyes swept across the room, brushing off useless pawn after useless pawn.

The Gallade stiffened, blade along its arms slowly began to glow, even as guards spotted the small figure in the center of the room.
" What exactly is it? It smells...like.......fear? No.. not fear..."
The scent shifted into the coppery tang of blood, the feeling of dark power was like a shrill scream echoing inside his skull.

"..interesting...that's what it is."
The Gallade turned to see his master stroll across the room, large tophat was pulled low, ears twitched beneath the dome of the cap, tailored suit moved with his body like some sort of extension, and his fingers twitched with poorly disguised excitement.

The figure paused in a circle of green, and took in a long draft of air. With alarming precision his bright eyes swiveled toward one table, even as a beefy hand clamped on his shoulder.

The voice that spoke was deep, and brimming with laughter.
" Whatcha up to kid? Lost your mommy?"
"No. I am looking for something, and would appreciate your grease covered fingers doing something more polite than soiling my suit."
The shadows of his hat hid his annoyed expression, but not the tension in his shoulders.

Why did these little inconviences pop up whenever he found something worth wasting his time on?

"I advise you to let go..I have more important things to do than explain myself to some sort of mindless attack dog."
The cool voice spoke again, this time at the air. The atmosphere seemed to spark with energy.

Surely the retrieving of the Pravus tribute could wait long enough for him to not only deal with this moron, but also to investigate the fountain of dark energy nearby.
--

The Gallade bounded across the room, blades poised to turn the guard's[who currently held his master] neck into ribbons.

A single pointed gaze stopped him.

Why waste the Gallade on something so trivial?

[eeew...]

0

[Cammy!]

There was no question to how she had gotten there, just how she had gotten in. It was unlikely to see anyone else that neared her age when it came to a place such as this, but that didn't seem to phase her as she mingled rather casually with the other individuals that dominated the floors of the infamous "Persian's Palace". No one glanced at her with suspicious eyes, or came close to her with cautious steps. It was as if she fit in perfectly with the group of hopefuls that wished to earn a buck or two at Nada's popular casino. The tiny child merely played along with the rest of them, cheering when the sound of coins falling into the tray below a slot machine was heard, and egging on any person who hoped to hear the click-clicking of coins as well. Her deep blue eyes were sometimes glued to a machine just like the rest of the gambling hopefuls, and her heart pounded quite loudly as she pulled the lever, watching as the little symbols failed to match up behind the glass once more. Her casual attitude made it all the more normal that she was there, but this was not the true reason why she blended in so perfectly with the rest of them.

A dark figure cloaked in deep lavender stayed near the child omnisciently, watching the surroundings more closely than his comrade. His large head constantly swiveled to and fro, his golden eyes constantly staring down a random partier as they passed. Intense glares were all that he gave when he made contact, and as he did so, the inebriated fellows that had been subject to his vicious stare were quickly sobered down a bit, and would press on like nothing happened. The tiny ghost was the reason that the girl had been able to sneak in in the first place. He was the reason no one questioned her appearance in the strictly adults only section of Persian’s Palace. Puppy floated silently behind Cameron, his form almost invisible thanks to the neon lighting that bounced off the vacant spaces. Camouflage aside, no one really paid much attention to the small ghost pokemon anyway thanks to the fact that he was able to keep their minds from wandering and pinpointing him and his accomplice for very long. Their drunken states also helped them with their cover, which was why Puppy had chosen to make money here in the first place.

Cameron checked back at her partner numerous times to ensure herself that he had not disappeared. She waved giddily at him numerous times, which was immediately expelled with a harsh gaze. Cameron couldn’t help but pout when Puppy was concentrating on his “work tactics”. He was no fun when he was busy.

“Cameron thinks that she and Puppy have made enough money. Listen to Cameron’s dress pocket!”

She shook her swollen pocket and heard the delicious jingling sound that came from it. Cam estimated that they had about 40 dollars worth of quarters from the slots, which would be enough to cover for just about anything she wanted for the next three days. Puppy on the other hand, disagreed.

“Cameron, that won’t be enough. We need more before we set out again. We’re here aren’t we? Why don’t you take some of your earnings and buy yourself a beverage. Then we can get back to winning some money.”

He replied to her in a hushed tone, but when he had said the word “beverage”, Cameron perked up immediately and shoved her hand into the mouth of her bloated pocket. She retrieved eight quarters, counting them while she dropped them into her open hand. It would be enough to buy a fizzy drink, the ones she used to enjoy when Roxanne took her out for dinner. When she had the needed amount of quarters in her hand, she started her march towards an open portion of the crowded bar that dominated one corner of the casino.

“Puppy, Cameron doesn’t want to play anymore slots! Slots are boring!”

The juvenile complained, causing the ghost behind her to sigh quietly. He scanned the premises, looking for a game that would hold the child’s attention while still performing the purpose of gathering the much needed loot. His eyes came to rest on a lone table that stood in the center of the large area. Its shape and the dealer who manned it was a simple explanation to what it was.

Cameron liked card games…

Puppy made a note to tell Cam about the blackjack table as soon as she had a frothy glass of soda in her hands.

Cameron placed the quarters on the table and waited patiently for the bartender to monotonously poor the contents of the soda machine into a single glass. The two exchanged their offerings and before long, Cameron was obnoxiously sucking up the bubbling substance through a thin straw. Puppy waved off the bartender’s suspicion with a single glare as he followed closely behind the small girl that eagerly looked around for some sort of entertainment that fit into Puppy’s rules.

“Might I suggest a card game for Cameron?”

Cam looked up at her Mismagius with a quick nod, nearly spilling some of the brown liquid that sloshed around in her cup. Puppy guided her eyes to the table he had previously pinpointed, and Cameron watched it excitedly. Cards left the dealer’s hand with grace, and she watched them, transfixed with the rate of speed at which they flew. It was just a demonstration, but she immediately wanted to participate.

“Will Puppy help Cammy win?”

“Yes, I will help you win. Just listen to me and you will excel.”

With his assurance, Cameron strutted forward towards the table that was somewhat crowded. Before she could get within a few feet from it though, Puppy halted her abruptly.

“Let’s…go play at that table over there.”

He was looking over at the lone table once more, where the shady dealer who sat at the head of it scanned around in a suspicious manner. Puppy’s eyes were slits as he trailed over to where the individual stood. Cameron paused for a moment, watching him go before groaning and stomping off after him.

“Cammy likes playing other people! She doesn’t want to play by herself!”

As she complained, her eyes focused on one person in particular that seemed to be making his way to the same spot. His size neared hers somewhat, and she suddenly began to sulk even more.

“Is Puppy taking Cam to the kid’s table? Cammy wants to play the adults!”

Puppy rolled his eyes at her complaint. She was the only child in this casino… at least that’s what he thought. When he looked at the shorter boy though, he started to doubt his assumption.

That is rather odd… although he doesn’t hold himself like a child, he certainly has the height to match one.

His inquiry was quickly interrupted though when a Gallade shot past them agilely, aiming himself at the area where the strange boy stood. Puppy watched in alarm as the blade that dominated the Gallade’s forearm was just about to dismember a bulkier man that stood over the smaller figure. But just as sudden as the Gallade had come, he had stopped. Just like that, the pokemon had extinguished his previous attack thanks to a stare that had been granted by the green-haired one. Confused, the ghost had begun to absentmindedly float towards that direction. Cameron had managed to stop him though, and aimed her friend towards the table once more.

“Puppy needs to stay attentive! Now let Cameron go and play!”

Puppy nodded cautiously, his eyes still focused on the area that had seized his attention. He was only able to move thanks to the tiny hand that gripped his cloth-like appendage and dragged him along.

Interesting…

The duo made their way to the table, Cam waving at the man who stood behind it, a deck of cards at his hand.

“Cameron is here to play! Deal her up Mr. Blackjack man!”

Cam took her seat, Puppy still not paying attention. The smaller boy was coming this way as well.

-puke

00

[Darkrai]

Darkrai shuffled his cards casually, acting for all the world as though he belonged there and had in fact always been there. He did not attract many customers, but enough people came by to play a round or two that he did not draw attention to himself, or at least so he hoped.

He'd been at his position for the better part of an hour, and currently his table was empty. The table a few yards across the floor had stolen his customers, but Darkrai didn't mind so long as his intended quarry did not follow them. He spent the time shuffling his cards with a few fancy displays he'd taken the time to learn over the centuries, and although he only had three fingers per hand he handled them well.

There was a sudden scuffle a few feet to his left, but Darkrai barely raised his eyes for a moment. More than a few rowdy casino-goers had already attracted the attention of security since he'd arrived, so one more wasn't much of a concern. He didn't even notice the individual being apprehended, and wouldn't have cared much if he had. Children were wont to emulate the adults they so wanted to grow up into, so finding one trying to sneak their way onto th casino floor was about as unlikely as a stone falling when dropped.

“Cameron is here to play! Deal her up Mr. Blackjack man!”

Darkrai looked up from his card shuffling to see a young girl standing at the edge of the table. She was looking at him expectantly, which made it clear that she had been speaking to him.

"Certainly young miss," he said with a cordial smile, completely unaware that not two seconds before he had been intending to point out to the girl that the casino was for adults only and, most regretfully, he was forced to ask her to leave. Unnoticed by him, the thought processes in his mind regarding the fact that the girl should not be here were being methodically replaced by a steady stream of chanted syllables. He could not even tell that his mind was being assaulted, for the chants melted across his audio receptors like water, failing to register but affecting him all the same.

"How much would you care to wager?" he asked politely, shuffling the deck a final time.0

[E.nigma]

The suit was likely stained with sweat, and the ruffian was starting to irritate him with his touch. The urge to violence was only batted away by a stronger one to gamble, and to find the disgusting presence that annoyed his finer senses. Regardless of the fact that the guard was in the wrong, child or not, slamming and breaking his nose into a very expensive table would likely have him removed from the casino.
"Come on kid, lets go give your parents a lecture..."
The man pushed forward, but besides bending his spine slightly Enigma did not move forward, instead his hands moved backward, slipped into his pants pocket and pulled out a thin square of plastic.

The Gallade had been expecting a gunshot, maybe an explosion, the crackle of psychic energy or maybe even a cold remark. The little card was not what he expected, but made the guard crumble in the same manner as any of the others.


The bright lights flickered across its laminated surface, and the giant guard startled, eyes fixated on the card's contours. With something between a gasp and a nervous swallow he jumped away from Enigma, going so far as to gently brush unseen dirt from his shoulders. With a very clumsy bow he began to back, nearly stumbling over his own feet in the process:
"No hard feelings right.? ..I'll go tell the manager your here...."
The Pravus member slid the slim card back into his silky pockets, and straightened his watch chain. The man did not look at the guard when he spoke, but the much larrger man could feel the taunt in his eyes.
" If you touch me again, it won't just be hard feelings you will have to deal with. Tell your manager that his security is useless, and made up of a crew of poorly trained monkeys. Now. You may go."
The guard scurried away with a metaphorical tail between his legs, nearly tripping over Cammy and Puppy in the process.

It was then that he could hear the high-pitched voice, the grating grammar, and feel the curtain of fog pulling at his sensitive neurons. With claws of psychic energy he attempted to tear into them, following the source of this annoyance with flared nostrils. The man's eyes caught on the odd reflection in the mirror behind the table, but he said nothing even as he shifted toward the girl and ghost.
"Please. Keep it down. You're not only giving me a headache, but your ghoulish friend is being quite rude with his...intrusion...."
The smell of rot and death coated his nostrils, and he grimaced in distaste. The Gallade did the same, and following his master's rather annoyed statements he turned his blades toward Puppy.

Was that disgusting presence nothing more than this girl? Was this what had drawn him across the casino?

Golden eyes narrowed slightly, and they settled on the dealer. Was this man that easily controlled, a few ghostly mutterings and he was turned into some sort of servant to this girl's whims?
"...pathetic..….“
After a pronounced pause he fixed his golden eyes on Cameron, and decided that the ghost needed some sort of discipline for its insolence:
“excuse me, deal me a hand as well."
The trail stopped here, smashing into his brain like some sort of hammer, the presence continued to enrage the psychic beast deep inside.

At the same time it terrified it, with a subtle little smile, Enigma pulled himself onto one of the chairs, gloved hands laced over the felt-top, his hat pulled down to disguise his expression.

"Dealer? When did they change he voting age?"
Psychic energy sparkled along his fingers, and attempted to slice the thin thread of energy mottling the dealer’s mind.

The Gallade stood over all like some sort of violent Gargoyle, his arms both pointed toward Cammy’s partner.


[eeeew...give me a bit,,,,]

[Cammy!]

It was completely unexpected, and the Mismagius did not know how to respond exactly. While he continued his methodic chanting, the child he was responsible for swung her legs happily as she grabbed the cards that lay flat on the table. Puppy watched, his yellow eyes merely slits as the tiny man made his way to their table, a Gallade trailing him from behind. Worry would have furrowed his brow if he had been bestowed with one, but since he hadn't, this worry was displayed plainly on his face. His chanting amplified as soon as he felt the other energy that was emanating from the peculiar figure that took a seat right next to Cam, casually taking some cards as well.

"Puppy? How much should Cammy wager?"

Her voice was loud and obnoxious, her eyes studying the cards that she had been dealt. She was counting the amount, and was somewhat disappointed when it only reached a certain number. A number that she doubted would make her any money. Puppy looked down to the cards as well, his mind wandering as he viewed the amount. The small child looked up at him expectantly, her patience wavering as she waited for his response.

"Bet three for now."

The girl slid three chips into the center of the table and placed her cards down before happily addressing the other player with the same pep she had been giving off all night long.

"Hey kid! Cameron likes seeing other kids here who are her age! Aren't you glad they let kids like you and Cammy in here? Cam sure is! Cam likes making money here because the games are so fun!"

She did not address the statuesque Gallade that loomed above the new face, but Puppy's eyes were locked onto its large sword-like arms that were aimed for his tiny form. The look on its face signified that it would attack him without hesitation, and that made the Mismagius weary, and also a tad bit nauseous. No matter, his incantation continued silently through the casino's large room. His mind thrumming when numerous thoughts pelted his concentration, making it hard to focus.

"So dealer? Do you play this game a lot? Cameron bets you do! Cammy wishes she came here more often but she can't because then it might get a bit suspicious if you know what Cammy means!"

She then addressed her opponent once more before she returned to swinging her legs and clicking her nails on the side of the table.

"Cameron hopes you are ready to lose kid because Cammy is very good at blackjack. With Puppy's help, Cammy is an unstoppable force and she always ends up winning even the toughest of games that's why she is sitting here right now ready to face you and take you down so be ready!"

The girl inhaled deeply as she finished, waiting eagerly for the next play to ensue.

-okay, first I must say that I am utterly sorry for my lateness of getting this post out and I am so glad that you have the patience to wait for me. also, finals made me a bit rusty so bear with me on this one.

[Darkrai]

((Just a quick note for your sake Flutter. According to traditional casino rules, the lowest table minimum accepted for blackjack is at least $5, and I don't expect Persian's Palace to be any different. Also, green chips usually have a value of $1, which means that as is Cammy bet $3 at a $5 table minimum. However, since chip values can easily change from casino to casino, I believe it would be easiest if we assume that Cammy bet three of the next highest value chip, $5, which means she bet $15. I hope this is alright with you.

Yes, I do my research :D

Also, Darkrai hasn’t quite dealt Cammy her hand yet. I once had someone I was roleplaying with assume that I was going to do something which I was not going to do and it very much disrupted the rhythm I’d had in mind, so it’s something of a pet peeve when people assume that I've done))

Darkrai took note of Cammy's three green chips briefly before cutting the deck one last time. With casual ease he slid two cards across the smooth tabletop that stopped neatly in front of the clay tokens placed by the young girl. He then placed one card face down in front of himself, which was immediately joined by a face up ace.

"Would you care to make an insurance bet?" Darkrai asked. If Cameron asked what he meant by that, he would explain that whenever the dealer gives himself a face up ace in the initial deal all players have the option to make a secondary 2-to-1 payoff bet that the dealer has a natural blackjack.

However, before Cammy could make her decision about the matter a new voice introduced the presence of a third party at the blackjack table.

“Excuse me, deal me a hand as well."

Almost before he had looked up to see the human child Darkrai strongly suspected that he was not going to appreciate him much at all. It was almost undetectable, but something in his tone and diction suggested an unmistakable and very thorough arrogance, almost as if it were his Arceus-given right to have whatever he fancied when he fancied having it.

His appearance did little to further Darkrai's liking of him. The immaculate gentleman's attire, aside from looking rather comical on a child, might have passed off as a boy cutely trying to look very polished and neat, had not his surprisingly cold eyes reflected that arrogance that had laced his words like a cancer; almost undetectable, but ugly all the same. No, these clothes were a clear statement that this child was, or thought he was, better than everyone else around him, an aristocrat amongst peasants.

His face was by far the most striking feature of him, and the most unnerving. At first glance his was that of a normal underage human male countenance: small and youthful. However, the expression it wore was not something that belonged on a child's face. The completely deadpan appearance he gave suggested an emotional deadness that rivaled even Darkrai's own apathy. The boy's golden eyes were cold and without feeling, and just before he pulled his hat down to hide his face Darkrai felt something looking into those eyes that he had not known for millennia: wariness. This was not the face of a boy. This was the face of a man, a very cruel man.

A man who knew what blood tasted like.

However, unnerving though the child might have been he was still evidently a child, and he did not have a Mismagius with him to distract Darkrai from the fact that he was not supposed to be allowed on the casino floor. Concealing his dislike for the boy, Darkrai prepared to politely mention that children were to remain in the casino’s arcade and were not allowed to partake in floor games. He never got the chance, though, for at that moment Cammy turned to address the newcomer in such a rapid pace that, had her words been a river the boy would have been washed out to sea by now.

"Hey kid! Cameron likes seeing other kids here who are her age! Aren't you glad they let kids like you and Cammy in here? Cam sure is! Cam likes making money here because the games are so fun!"

The Mismagius was evidently well versed in his chants, for even with this evident slip-up on Cammy’s part Darkrai gave her words no more thought than he would to the buzzing of a fly. An informed onlooker would by now find it almost amusing how completely he was unaware of the situation at hand, and indeed this day would be the source of deep personal humiliation for many months.

The boy did not look at Cammy as she spoke, and he gave no indication that he was aware of her address. In fact for all the attention he paid her she might not even have been there, a herculean feat when one considered how difficult it could be to ignore such an outpouring. Indeed, as if to drive home the point of his lacking concern for her he chose that moment to ask, as if she wasn’t even there:
"Dealer? When did they change the voting age?"

“I was not aware that they had changed the voting age, whoever they are,” Darkrai said as a slight flash of annoyance flitted across his face. “However, even if they had done so this change would have no impact whatsoever on the age of legal adulthood, which you apparently fail to meet. Children are not allowed on the casino floor, and I must ask you to remain in the arcade or leave the building.”

E. Nigma’s attempts to cut through the fog of chanted syllables encircling Darkrai’s awareness of Cammy’s age met with no success at all. Until the invocations met Darkrai’s ‘ears’ and entered his mind they were nothing more than vibrations in the air. A Psychic Pokémon of notable caliber might have had the power and control to manipulate the air molecules in such a way as to silence the chants, but a human, even one with E. Nigma’s power would find it difficult if not impossible to achieve this effect. Once the sounds entered his mind and became a substantial energy that could be manipulated they had already sunk below his Dark-laced skin, beyond which E. Nigma’s power had no chance whatsoever of penetrating.

"So dealer? Do you play this game a lot?

Cammy’s chatter caused Darkrai’s focus to shift from the boy back onto her. He had no further need to pay the boy any attention in any case. He’d already said all he was going to say on the matter and if the child persisted then he would call security. However, the new object of his attention had already from a fast-talking fountain of pep to a chattering nuisance for which silence seemed an impossibility.

“ Cameron bets you do! Cammy wishes she came here more often but she can't because then it might get a bit suspicious if you know what Cammy means!"

Mercifully, after this last she didn’t seem interested in talking to him any longer if the fact that she looked away from was anything to go by. Darkrai’s relief was short lived, however, for the girl decided to take the opportunity to ramble at the boy again.

"Cameron hopes you are ready to lose kid because Cammy is very good at blackjack. With Puppy's help, Cammy is an unstoppable force and she always ends up winning even the toughest of games that's why she is sitting here right now ready to face you and take you down so be ready!"

Oh merciful Arceus, make it stop! Did the child ever run out of breath? It took a considerable amount of Darkrai’s patience not to cradle his temples in his hands to ease the headache that had been engendered by Cameron’s inane prattle.

“You aren’t competing against him,” he explained with a superhuman attempt at patience that he was not quite sure he was succeeding with. “Blackjack players only compete with the dealer. He could be very likely to win the same hand as you, if he were allowed to be here.”

With this last Darkrai gave a slightly edged look in the boy’s direction, a notice that the last word had been said on the matter and that he’d best leave now. Privately Darkrai almost wished the boy could stay simply so that he could have someone with whom to have the most basic likeness of an intelligent conversation, but rules were rules and in all honesty Darkrai just didn’t like this boy. Even so, it was with a resignation to a miserable night that Darkrai returned his attention to the young girl in front of him.

Humans could be simply intolerable.

((By the gods this is late. My apologies to you both))

[E.nigma]

Enigma's hat was pulled lower over his brow with a few deft movements, and he let out an exasperated sigh as African chant mixed with the noise of an elementary school playground. Large golden eyes took an opportunity to exam the cards in her hand, seeing nothing but the common checkers on the back he turned back toward the dealer. A single ivory hand now rested on his cheek, and his head now balanced on his open palm, his eyes jumping from the chatterbox with swinging legs, to the source of the earlier stench.
Which was close, but at a higher height, the particles drifting down to his nose were diffused and weak. There were obviously no skeletons hanging from the ceiling, which made him all the more curious, it even allowed him to deal with Cammy, while tolerating the ectoplasmic entity nearby. The administrator ignored all urges to tear it to shreds, he was not in the mood to comfort crying children, or anything for that matter. Not to mention, ghost matter was not something most Laundromats specialized in removing from expensive fabrics.

Eyes slowl drifted upward, studying the mirrored ceilings, and the subtle blink of a hidden camera. Not only would the laundry bill be expensive, but bail was not something he was in the mood to pay.

That little ghost was lucky.
----

Would you be surprised to know that Enigma was decent with children? Me too.

Enigma turned toward the girl, eyebrow raised. Why did she insist in talking in such a whine, not to mention in third person?
" I am nothing like you, and gambling is not fun, it's manipulation."
Eyes were currently tilted in her direction, but his tone sounded more apathetic than ever. Why did children ask so many questions? Didn't they know anything about cats, children, and curiosity? Normally, he would have brought up how blackjack, unless you knew a series of complex equations or had a photographic memory, was a game of luck; thus why it was in a crooked place like Persian‘s palace. Passing all of the former as possible replies he allowed his golden gaze to slip to the table where the picnic-blanket like cards stood out against a field of felt.
" .....then don’t lift your cards so the dealer can see them Cameron, it is Cameron correct?"
Enigma did not really care. He was dearly tempted to leave now and come back when the parrot and her little puppet master weren't cluttering the place. Talking was a way to ignore the headache, the stench, and the feeling of revulsion creeping down his spine.


'" I do believe it is the job of the bouncers, and guards to stop illegal play. The guard is gone, I am here. I do suggest you deal the cards."
The administrator blatantly ignored the order, and instead gestured for his lanky shadow to take a seat.


---

The Pravus member blinked owlishly, the pulsing magic of the chant still clung to the odd man's gray matter like a second cortex. It pulsed with each word, and Enigma could feel the nasty little words looking for an opening underneath his own skin, scowling he brushed at his coat sleeve , which did nothing but spread the greasy ecto-residue.

" I am allowed to be here."
Impatience lent itself to his cold tone, the gloved hand switched positions, angular little fingers now massaged at his temples.

The ghost continued to chant, when mixed with the sounds blaring from the speakers, the little girl's obnoxious chatter, and the buzzing of tainted minds he was almost overwhelmed.

" ....Miss Cammy, Cameron, it is sometimes a tradition that when playing Blackjack you are either drunk, or silent. Being under the age to drink, I do suggest the second."
Another twist of words to avoid a lie, a quick glance at the dealer, and an elevated

Maybe if the man said no he could tear out the defective parts of his brain, and stuff them into that shaman ghoul's mouth.

[[..wow.....this....is disgusting...*bowscrape* ...going from fighting Niggy with Samantha to this, is a hard switch]]