Lucan Vs Pash

"aww come on, is a guy not allowed a weakness for sweet things?" Lucan replied with a smile of his own. "But yeah I can't force you to show your hand, but that means I don't have to show mine either, and you can't tell me you aren't a little bit curious to see what my cards can do can you?"

"Oh ok then, I suppose I will let you have that one weakness," giggled Pash.

So eager to show off his tricks while she was so shy about her's. Did not make sense to her. Then again, she was in an environment where everyone seemed expected to flash what they had."

"Well, since you seem so eager, let me see what your cards can do."

Maybe he could impress her enough for her to show him her magic? Or perhaps that was Lucan's excuse for simply wanting to impress the gorgeous, sweet girl in front of him.

"Hmm, which to show..." He spoke softly to himself as he thumbed through the deck. "Well, most of them are suited to combat, but perhaps you'll find interest in the jack" as he said this, he pulled a random card, the two of hearts from the deck, before flourishing it once, upon holding it up again, the image on the face had turned to that of the heck of spades. He held it aloft momentarily as the card been to shine with increasingly bright light before he suddenly pulled it down.

"... Actually, Misty would kill me if I pulled a trick like that somewhere so public..."

Pash watched as he went through his deck. She then watched a 2 of hearts turn into a Jack of spades.

Well, that might answer some questions about how he is a successful gambler.

She then watched that card start to glow... before he quickly stopped the process.

Ah, what an anitclimax.

Then it came.

The classic bait and let's go to somewhere more private.

Did he really think she would not see through this?

"Did you really think I would not see through this?"

"I have to say that I'm somewhat disappointed that all that was just a long set up to ask me to go someplace more private with you."

"Props on the patience though, that was a long set up for just one line," she smirked.

Lucan felt like an absolute idiot, after a long pause he finally spoke. "That is... Exactly what that just sounded like wasn't it..." He hung his head to hide his embarrassment. "I was merely suggesting that it wouldn't look good for the voyage if one of its most well known regulars started showing off magical playing cards in the middle of the casinos restaurant, Misty wouldn't appreciate me giving her so much damage control work to do."

"I was only going to suggest we step outside got a few moments where there's less people around, maybe cross the street or something so I don't look like I'm affiliated with the voyage when I do it."

"However I can see why that looks like an exceptionally lame attempt to take you back to my room, I can only give you my word that it isn't. Truth is I don't even have a room rented right now"
He didn't know what more to say than that, it did seem very much like he was just using a lame excuse to invite her somewhere private. He was usually so smart with his words, why was he tripping over them so much around lash?

"*giggle* Believe it or not, I fully understand you stumbled into that one by accident," said Pash smiling at him. "Does not mean I'm not going to call you out on it," she winked.

"That or boys just can't help themselves when it comes to trying that classic technique. Even if we girls have caught on to it already, it just must be some innate part of you all's subconscious *giggle*."

"Why don't you just tell me what happens? I'm sure Ms. Misty won't object to that."

Lucan went from an ashamed paleness to a deep red blush at her wink, "... That's fair, that must've looked absolutely shameless of me" he said with a somewhat awkward smile before returning to his normal eagerness when discussing magic. "So the Jack card embodies trickery, basing the spell around that, the card creates a blinding flash, while also creating two clones of me, and swapping my position with one of them, makes it damn difficult for whoever I'm facing off with to land their next attack, plus they're in for a surprise if they hit the wrong one"

Pash smiled as she watched Lucan get all flustered. Not only did she have a talent for getting boys to do that, she absolutely loved it.

Ah, so when he uses it, two of him will appear, one is the real one, one is a trap? Apparently? Made sense, great way to buy time in a fight. Best option would be not to attack.

"Looks like it is the face cards that have power. What does the Queen do then?"

Was she toying with him right now? Lucan wondered, noticing her smile at his embarrassment. He briefly considered calling him on it but decided against it, she clearly meant no ill will, plus if anything being toyed with in an environment where he didn't have to worry about being enslaved if he made the wrong move came as a somewhat of a welcome change

"Ah the Queen, she's arguably the card that's saved my ass the most out of this entire deck if I'm honest with you. Channelling the Grace of the Queen improves my reflexes and agility, practically doubling the effectiveness with which I can dodge attacks," he quickly flourished what was once the Jack, changing it into the Queen of Diamonds, "she's a real lifesaver I'll tell you that"

Ah, do that is two moves based on avoiding attacks. Seems to be a pattern.

"So the king?"

Why was she so eager to learn all of his moves. "Now now, I believe you said yourself, a master gambler never shows all his cards, especially when he's not even in a game" he gives Pash a triumphant grin

"Well, you seemed so eager to show them, so I'm just going along with it."

"I mean, *giggle* this was your idea, not mine, and now you want to stop half way? You boys sure are confusing sometimes."

... She had a point
"Its just that it's not always wise to reveal all your tricks even during a fight, when you aren't even in one it feels a waste you know? I suppose I can let on what the king does though, there's more than 3 cards in the deck after all, it deals damage to its target while healing either the stamina or willpower of the caster"

He can heal and attack in the same move? Now that is just unfair. She would have to keep her eyes open for that one if it ever came to that.

"Ah, I see," said Pash studying to card.

"And I suppose you would like to keep the ace a secret?"

"Seems only fair," Lucan replied somewhat smugly "After all, I haven't seen your bear, judging by what you've said about it though is it safe to assume you haven't been in many fights?"

"Ok, and I won't press you for it," replied Pash. "See, *giggle* I'm not some spy trying to learn how to take you down."

"And yeah, I do my best to avoid physical violence. I mean, look at me"

She flexed her sleeveless arms. Not a whole lot of muscle going on there.

"So if I see a situation that might end in violence, I just do my best to deescalate."

"And if that does not work, well, usually I'm wearing running shoes when I'm not trying to look all *giggle* posh and what not."

"okay okay I trust you,"Lucan says, feeling somewhat bad for doubting Pash's intention, "Kind of a shame you aren't one for a fight though, a sparring match would've been an interesting way to end my night, would've been willing to make it interesting too..." The gambler trails off and takes another sip from his glass

"Oh my, so you spend some time chatting to a lady who has been nothing but nice to you, and your thoughts are: "boy, I sure do want to fight her?"

"*giggle* Kind of messed up, no?"

"And how on earth would you make it interesting? I mean, the outcome is pretty much set in stone should a girl like me..."

Once again, she flexed her non existent biceps

"...try to fight a guy like you."

This was a moment where if she wasn't a Midara, he'd never forgive himself for how outrageously weird he was being.
"Heh, you aren't wrong I guess, but you have an energy to you that I can't quite pin down, and a match is usually where that energy comes to the forefront, I'm fuelled mainly by curiosity at this point"
Lucan said honestly, the idea that she could be non Midara seemed so far fetched after how much she'd tried and frankly, failed, to convince him she was nothing but a normal girl, that it was getting to him at this point.

"Of course if you really have no tricks up your sleeve to even the playing field, you have my sincerest apologies and I promise no harm will come to you, but if I'm right and there is something there, I was going to offer a little wager..." He was really hoping to spark her curiosity now

"Hahahaha, what tricks do you think I have? You think I'm going to get into a fight with you just so that I can be like: "Aha! Here is the teddy bear I have totally been not telling you about! See how it bounces off of you when I throw it at you."

"And what could you want to wager? Normally I would just dismiss someone trying to pick a fight with me, but now I'm curious to see what Mr. Gambler man feels such a fight would be worth."

Lucan laughed at the teddy line, she was far more genuinely funny than most Midara he'd met, if she was a Midara that is.

"Well, I don't know if you've seen the room Misty rents for her guests, but they aren't the finest. With what I've won tonight, I was gonna wager that if you win, I'll pay for an upgrade to the platinum suite for the duration of your stay, plus you can put any expenses on my tab. The manager gives me a great discount, so it works out far cheaper in my name"

Oh goodness that was tempting. Especially for a wanderer like her. The chance to spend a weekend in absolute luxury for free. I mean, she was already happy with the nice little room she was given and the generous food vouchers, but here she had a chance to go all the way with it. Spending all day in the spa. To heck with eating from the buffet with everyone else, she could have to most exquisite foods and drinks sent to her room one by one. Then she could get all her clothes dry cleaned. She could also visit the tailor and have them make a beautiful dress for her...

She was lost in fantasy for a bit before snapping back to reality.

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's right"

"That is nice and all, and if I manage to kick you in the crotch once I might get it, but what if I lose? That looks to be the more likely outcome."

"Hmm" Lucan thought aloud, honestly the fight itself was good true goal, but there was one other thing. "If I win, could you teach me the pocket dimension spell you put on the your bear? I've been using this deck for ages but uhh, I never thought of anything to put on the joker cards, so I um, have to take them out every time I use it..." He chuckles nervously at this admission

"Oh that is what you are after. Actually kind of respect you for being so practical. Thought you were going to say some stupid guy thing. Yeah, I'm going to drop the coy act for a bit to respond to that. See, I can't help you with that. I don't know how to do it. It was not me who put the spell on that bear."

It was the witch who changed her that did that one. The witch had striped her down and was looking for a place to put her clothes. Frustrated when she did not immediately find one, she spotted the bear Pash...

Well, she was not Pash back then...

The bear she had brought. Had a little pocket in it her mom had sewn for her. The witch absent mindedly cast a spell on it and threw all her clothes in.

Funny how that little spell would end up being her house.

"I can give you a signed picture of me? How about that?"

Sent from Topic'it App

"hmmm, that's a shame, guess the Joker'll have to wait" Kuban replied a little disheartened before perking up again "A signed picture huh, that's... Unique I guess, more interesting than what I normally leave here with by far, you know what, sure! Sounds good to me" There's an hall that's currently just used to store a couple of old tables and couches, doors locked but I know the code and I'm sure the manager wouldn't mind us using the room. We could spar there without interruption, that is, if you're taking me up on my offer of course?"