Who ⬤ Azem + FOLKS What ⬤ Catch-all for July, various dates and stuff When ⬤ shortly after Ember 2.0 launch Where ⬤ Around the city Content Warnings ⬤ will update as needed
Really? An axe huh? Didn't think you to be the type to use such heavy weapons.
[Azem had a fighters build to be certain.
But considering how she had described her world and work he never imagined her to be an active warrior. Was her utopia really in need of people with such skills?]
Nah, used to fight with just my fists for a good long while. But I got her about... I guess four, almost five years ago now? And pretty much stuck with her ever since.
[Not that he could give her up even if he tried. At least, that's how it used to be. It's been different ever since he started world hopping. And yet here he was, still carrying her around.]
You ever consider getting it back? Your axe?
Edited (Azem cronked and can crush him with her thighs (good)) 2022-07-22 20:47 (UTC)
[ She bobs her head in a nod. ] Axe, daggers, and occasionally a cane or, um, staff I suppose. Still, nothing like your Shakujo.
[ She did mention she traveled around to help deal with people's problems, didn't she? Sometimes problems include monsters going on rampages. ]
Ah, fists. A good weapon when lacking others.
[ Though it wasn't until now that she had a reason to be without her trusty weapons. ]
My axe is always with me. [ She grins. ] So long as I have a few items to transform into it. Though back home I used to be able to just draw it from the aether.
[Sure, that may have come off as a sleight out of context. But truthfully, Gojyo was more or less amused by how Azem described it. It was because it felt like they once more shared some strange eerie similarities with how certain things worked between their worlds.
His gaze settled upon the weapon against the wall. His heart dropping with the empty feeling he felt from it.]
I used to be able to do something like that with Shakujo. Our spirits were entwined, so I could call her when I needed it. These days don't feel much of anything, though.
[They used to call it a curse when it first happened. Now life without his extension just felt kind of lonely.]
You created your weapons with the same stuff that pretty much everything in your world was made from, huh?
[He replied, offering one of his signature coy smiles as he held out the beer that he had previously gotten for her.]
First rule of the game. Drink and refreshments ain't mandatory, but they certainly make it all the better.
[With that he turned away, making his way over to the small table and plopping himself down on the floor heavily. Pulling out a carton of cigarettes from his pocket be fore looking up at Azem.]
You mind if I smoke? Know some people are pretty adverse to it.
[ She takes the beer, popping it open before taking a sip. Cans were a mystery to her when she first arrived. She was rather pleased with herself when she figured out the mechanics of it. After which she takes a seat across from him. ]
I see.
[ She would rather prefer that drinks and treats were part of the game. ]
Um, go ahead. [ She's still not used to cigarettes. The smell of them is awful but this is his home, he makes the rules. ]
[Sadly addiction would forever keep its deathly grips upon him. Truthfully, he didn't prefer it any other way. Most of the time he never even bothered to ask people before he lit up. But since he actually wanted Azem to stay around for long enough that he'd manage to teach them a thing or two he thought he'd make an exception. Pulling the zippo lighter and flicking the flint until he managed to get a few good puffs in before starting to deal his hand.]
So poker's one of those games where, the more people you have the better. But it can still absolutely be played between two people. In fact, this may even teach you a few things about dealing and not just playing. ♥
[With that he began to deal five cards face down to both himself and Azem. Smiling as he nodded towards them.]
That'll be your hand. And this--
[He picked up his own hand. Giving a satisfied smile as he looked then over.]
[ Addiction is not something Azem has experience with so she probably wouldn't fully understand it. While they have alcohol and possibly smoke various things back home, it doesn't seem to be the kind of thing that people end up addicted to. ]
Hmmn, I see. [ She can imagine a lot of games like this would probably be more fun with more people. Getting rowdy with food and drink while playing with the cards.
She watches the way he deals out the cards and then picks up his own, keeping them hidden. She does the same as she picks her own cards up, though she has no idea what each is supposed to mean in the case of this game. ]
Okay. [ Her attention is fully focused on him, ready to learn, once she's taken a good look at her cards. ]
All right. So starting off simply, the rule of the game is that you want to have as many of a "kind" as you can. So for example, say you have two twos, or three fours, or four sevens. The more you have of that kind the more points its worth. Also the higher the number it is the more its worth. So say I have two nines.
[With that he placed down two nines on the table before her.]
You would need three of a kind or higher or a pair higher than the nuber nine to beat me.
That makes sense so far?
[Patience. Best not to overwhelm her while introducing her. Soon they'll get to the juicy bits.]
There are a few rounds where you can trade any of the cards in your hand for cards on top of the deck in hopes that you can get something better. And then if you feel like there's no way you're going to win you can always fold early between rounds to cut your loses. Or-
[With that he smirks, tilting his head to the side. Pointing his finger upwards in dramatic explanation.]
If you're feeling that secure that the people that you're playing against aren't doing well either you could always lie in hopes to make them fold instead. Or as we who enjoy the sport like to call it, 'Bluffing'.
Most games have it so that you can draw one card each turn for up to three rounds, but that can also change up depending on the players involved and how they want to play it.
But! Since we're learning the basics here we're gonna keep things nice and simple and keep it to that.
Now, since you're familiar with the base combinations, there are more complicated sets that you can get in your hand that aren't just pairing things up. But those are much harder to get and thus worth even more points. Like, for example, leys say you get a two,three,four,five, and six all in your hand. That's called a straight. That's worth more than a pair, two pairs, or a three of a kind. A flush is the next step higher where all the cards are the same type, like all hearts or all spades. More than that is a full house, where you get both a pair and a three of a kind in one hand. Four of a kind, which is just as it sounds, beats all that. Second highest you can get is a straight flush which is all cards in a row and all the same type to boot. And the grandaddy of them all, the highest ranking set, is the royal flush: where you get a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace all of the same type in the same hand.
[He paused, doing everything he could to keep from smirking at the sudden influx of information. There was always something fun about dumping info about all the different types of hands onto newbies.]
That the pictured cards that look like royalty and the card that has a letter "A" on it.
So.... You got all that? Or do ya want me to write ya up a guide for these first few rounds so you remember?
Edited (Forgot some useful words) 2022-08-16 23:44 (UTC)
[ That is a lot to take in all at once. Azem listens closely, trying to absorb it all. More questions pop up in their mind. ]
So is three of a kind are worth more than two?
[ They squint down at their cards, still trying to parse all of the information. They definitely don't have any of those other combinations he rattled off. ]
[Okay. Seeing the hesitance in Azem's expression as they got all flustered out by the rules was actually kind of cute. Not that Gojyo didn't expect it. He had lured enough people through their first games in his life to see how overwhelming it could get. In fact--
[It helped that Shuten was in charge of the gambling houses. It also helped that he had access to most back of house supplies to many of the casino's because of it.]
He was planning on purposefully losing the first round anyway just to give her the feel of things but... Really they hadn't even swapped any hands yet and she already got that huh?]
Damn. Guess it does.
[He chuckles with that. Lifting his hands in the air in defeat for this round.]
All right. You got me. Guess I lose this round so--
[He looked up, a devious gleam entering his eyes as he looked across at them.]
[With that, he lifted his hand and gave a casual wave.]
This is a gambling game, after all. You can never start a round without putting something on the line to lose. That's half the fun of it.
[His smirk widened, a devious glint entering his eye.]
It can be as easy as offering up plastic counters, money, to even things like the stardust that's been prominent here all month. Many places around the city have been using that as winnings these days.
And then you can get creative. Go for fewer physical objects to win and more concepts, like winning dares, secrets, or even a request.
[With that, he lounged back with a chuckle, lowering his arms so that he could support his weight.]
Of course, I'm just messing with you. Revealing parts of your body can lead to some fun exhilaration, but I ain't just gonna throw it on you without your consent.
We do need something to use as betting fodder if we wanna continue a few more rounds, though.
[ His explanation makes sense to Azem that they would bet with what they have. They have snacks but clothing does sound a great deal more fun to bet with. As they think about it a grin spreads across their lips. ]
That sounds fun. [ They lean onto the table, grinning across at him. ]
Hmm, what to have you remove though? [ There is no hiding the fact that they're looking him over. ] Let's start off easy and go with a sock if you're wearing them.
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no subject
[Azem had a fighters build to be certain.
But considering how she had described her world and work he never imagined her to be an active warrior. Was her utopia really in need of people with such skills?]
Nah, used to fight with just my fists for a good long while. But I got her about... I guess four, almost five years ago now? And pretty much stuck with her ever since.
[Not that he could give her up even if he tried. At least, that's how it used to be. It's been different ever since he started world hopping. And yet here he was, still carrying her around.]
You ever consider getting it back? Your axe?
no subject
[ She did mention she traveled around to help deal with people's problems, didn't she? Sometimes problems include monsters going on rampages. ]
Ah, fists. A good weapon when lacking others.
[ Though it wasn't until now that she had a reason to be without her trusty weapons. ]
My axe is always with me. [ She grins. ] So long as I have a few items to transform into it. Though back home I used to be able to just draw it from the aether.
no subject
[Sure, that may have come off as a sleight out of context. But truthfully, Gojyo was more or less amused by how Azem described it. It was because it felt like they once more shared some strange eerie similarities with how certain things worked between their worlds.
His gaze settled upon the weapon against the wall. His heart dropping with the empty feeling he felt from it.]
I used to be able to do something like that with Shakujo. Our spirits were entwined, so I could call her when I needed it. These days don't feel much of anything, though.
[They used to call it a curse when it first happened. Now life without his extension just felt kind of lonely.]
You created your weapons with the same stuff that pretty much everything in your world was made from, huh?
no subject
Ah, yes I suppose it is similar to that. Though I can't say there was anything to really feel even if the weapon was made from my own aether before.
[ Her attention returns to him once more. ]
Anyroad, I believe you had snacks and drinks and a game to teach me.
no subject
[He replied, offering one of his signature coy smiles as he held out the beer that he had previously gotten for her.]
First rule of the game. Drink and refreshments ain't mandatory, but they certainly make it all the better.
[With that he turned away, making his way over to the small table and plopping himself down on the floor heavily. Pulling out a carton of cigarettes from his pocket be fore looking up at Azem.]
You mind if I smoke? Know some people are pretty adverse to it.
no subject
I see.
[ She would rather prefer that drinks and treats were part of the game. ]
Um, go ahead. [ She's still not used to cigarettes. The smell of them is awful but this is his home, he makes the rules. ]
no subject
[Sadly addiction would forever keep its deathly grips upon him. Truthfully, he didn't prefer it any other way. Most of the time he never even bothered to ask people before he lit up. But since he actually wanted Azem to stay around for long enough that he'd manage to teach them a thing or two he thought he'd make an exception. Pulling the zippo lighter and flicking the flint until he managed to get a few good puffs in before starting to deal his hand.]
So poker's one of those games where, the more people you have the better. But it can still absolutely be played between two people. In fact, this may even teach you a few things about dealing and not just playing. ♥
[With that he began to deal five cards face down to both himself and Azem. Smiling as he nodded towards them.]
That'll be your hand. And this--
[He picked up his own hand. Giving a satisfied smile as he looked then over.]
Will be mine. Feel free to look.
I'll describe what we do after that.
no subject
Hmmn, I see. [ She can imagine a lot of games like this would probably be more fun with more people. Getting rowdy with food and drink while playing with the cards.
She watches the way he deals out the cards and then picks up his own, keeping them hidden. She does the same as she picks her own cards up, though she has no idea what each is supposed to mean in the case of this game. ]
Okay. [ Her attention is fully focused on him, ready to learn, once she's taken a good look at her cards. ]
no subject
[With that he placed down two nines on the table before her.]
You would need three of a kind or higher or a pair higher than the nuber nine to beat me.
That makes sense so far?
[Patience. Best not to overwhelm her while introducing her. Soon they'll get to the juicy bits.]
no subject
I see.
And if I don't have any that match up or are higher than what you put out then I lose?
[ She frowns, brow furrowing a little. ]
no subject
There are a few rounds where you can trade any of the cards in your hand for cards on top of the deck in hopes that you can get something better. And then if you feel like there's no way you're going to win you can always fold early between rounds to cut your loses. Or-
[With that he smirks, tilting his head to the side. Pointing his finger upwards in dramatic explanation.]
If you're feeling that secure that the people that you're playing against aren't doing well either you could always lie in hopes to make them fold instead. Or as we who enjoy the sport like to call it, 'Bluffing'.
no subject
[ This may or may not be similar to a game Azem has played back home. Though they aren't sure how long those similarities will last. ]
Bluffing, huh? That is something I am familiar with, at least.
no subject
But! Since we're learning the basics here we're gonna keep things nice and simple and keep it to that.
Now, since you're familiar with the base combinations, there are more complicated sets that you can get in your hand that aren't just pairing things up. But those are much harder to get and thus worth even more points. Like, for example, leys say you get a two,three,four,five, and six all in your hand. That's called a straight. That's worth more than a pair, two pairs, or a three of a kind. A flush is the next step higher where all the cards are the same type, like all hearts or all spades. More than that is a full house, where you get both a pair and a three of a kind in one hand. Four of a kind, which is just as it sounds, beats all that. Second highest you can get is a straight flush which is all cards in a row and all the same type to boot. And the grandaddy of them all, the highest ranking set, is the royal flush: where you get a ten, jack, queen, king, and ace all of the same type in the same hand.
[He paused, doing everything he could to keep from smirking at the sudden influx of information. There was always something fun about dumping info about all the different types of hands onto newbies.]
That the pictured cards that look like royalty and the card that has a letter "A" on it.
So.... You got all that? Or do ya want me to write ya up a guide for these first few rounds so you remember?
no subject
So is three of a kind are worth more than two?
[ They squint down at their cards, still trying to parse all of the information. They definitely don't have any of those other combinations he rattled off. ]
I might need a guide, yes.
no subject
Reaching under the table he pulled out a small laminated sheet of paper. Casually handing it over to them.]
Already got you.
[It helped that Shuten was in charge of the gambling houses. It also helped that he had access to most back of house supplies to many of the casino's because of it.]
Feel a little more confident now?
no subject
[ Azem takes the sheet and looks it over. It's easier to parse all the information with something as easy as this in front of them. ]
Hmm, so according to this... [ They lay out three twos. ] This should beat your pair, correct?
no subject
[Huh.
Well.
He was planning on purposefully losing the first round anyway just to give her the feel of things but... Really they hadn't even swapped any hands yet and she already got that huh?]
Damn. Guess it does.
[He chuckles with that. Lifting his hands in the air in defeat for this round.]
All right. You got me. Guess I lose this round so--
[He looked up, a devious gleam entering his eyes as he looked across at them.]
What do ya want me to take off?
no subject
Beginner's luck, I suppose. [ She chuckles. ]
Pardon? [ Azem blinks at him, clearly confused as to what he means. ]
Take off?
no subject
[With that, he lifted his hand and gave a casual wave.]
This is a gambling game, after all. You can never start a round without putting something on the line to lose. That's half the fun of it.
[His smirk widened, a devious glint entering his eye.]
It can be as easy as offering up plastic counters, money, to even things like the stardust that's been prominent here all month. Many places around the city have been using that as winnings these days.
And then you can get creative. Go for fewer physical objects to win and more concepts, like winning dares, secrets, or even a request.
[With that, he lounged back with a chuckle, lowering his arms so that he could support his weight.]
Of course, I'm just messing with you. Revealing parts of your body can lead to some fun exhilaration, but I ain't just gonna throw it on you without your consent.
We do need something to use as betting fodder if we wanna continue a few more rounds, though.
no subject
[ His explanation makes sense to Azem that they would bet with what they have. They have snacks but clothing does sound a great deal more fun to bet with. As they think about it a grin spreads across their lips. ]
That sounds fun. [ They lean onto the table, grinning across at him. ]
Hmm, what to have you remove though? [ There is no hiding the fact that they're looking him over. ] Let's start off easy and go with a sock if you're wearing them.