You're riding on a train heading eastward. To find your master, for the sake of the Exorcists of the Black Order. Lavi, the Bookman's Junior, sits next to you and you both consider the man curled up against the wall of the train... crying.
Lavi tells "Crow" that he shouldn't be so depressed, but really, he has every reason to be. His Innocence is parasitic and has attached itself to his teeth--he's a vampire, but for akuma. But the villagers of his hometown didn't see it that way at all, hurled insults and curses at him as you Exorcists take him in as one of your own.
You wish you could be more surprised, but that's the world you, also, are familiar with. A little bitter, you also somehow got the villager's ire (probably a mix of being cursed and also the earlier bite from Krory, a misunderstanding). That's just your luck.
Lavi, however, takes it all in stride with a Who Cares? kind of approach. "As long as a man can still breathe, it's all good."
You wish you had that kind of laissez-faire attitude.
You both suggest that Krory go look around the train some. It's a long ride to the Orient and it's the first time he's ever ridden a train before. Krory shyly and bashfully agrees to go stretch his legs and look around. You and Lavi note to each other how he's completely different when in battle--the man is scary, like a real vampire when it's a fight. But now he's docile and calm, albeit sad, like a soft lamb.
... three hours later, and you're a little concerned that Krory hasn't been back yet.
You and Lavi go searching for him. You even wonder if he got lost somehow (the funny thing being that you are usually the one who gets lost--but never on a train. how does one get lost on a train?!).
You open the next door, and there he is.
You've found him.
He's crying miserably again.
And sitting practically naked in front of a bunch of hooligans, one of whom sports glasses, a cigarette, messy hair, and a hand of cards flared in his hand.
"Sorry. Right now, young kids aren't allowed to enter here."
They immediately try to start to bully Krory into another hand. You ask Krory what happened, exactly. Krory explained just how he got suckered into it, and you feel a bit of pity for him. But also, spite for these con artists. Krory's already gone through enough, but to have this happen on top of it...
It can't be helped.
They start to taunt Krory again, implying cowardice and a bad attitude.
You remove and thrust your Exoricst coat at them, smiling nicely.
"All the trimmings on this coat are made of silver. If I bet this for all of Krory's clothes, will you have a match with me?"
Lavi quickly becomes alarmed.
The hooligans think they have this in the bag.
You inwardly smile a less polite smile as they agree to the match.
Fools.
It takes only a few hands before you have three of them stripped down to their underwear. Your newest hand, a royal straight flush, means you win again. This was the expected result, and yet they yell and curse. They start to argue and bicker--you know why. They've clearly been trying to rig the game against you. How cute. But they could have never known that they were actually up against an expert of your level.
You're enjoying yourself because, really, it's nice to have an easy challenge for once.
They throw down the next challenge. You easily accept.
Lavi leans over and whispers in your ear, asking what's going and and why you're so unbelievably good at this--"I thought you were an unlucky boy..." You whisper back that you're cheating, of course. Lavi seems surprised that this is your true character. You laugh to yourself and explained that they brought it on themselves for treating Krory that way.
You go on to explain that you learned these skills in order to earn more money to pay back your master's debts and earn money for food.
"When gambling, I'll win no matter how many times I play... I won't go easy on them! They're coming at me 3 to 1, too, so it's even!"
Perhaps Lavi can't yet appreciate the level you're at, but it's fine.
You win the next hand.
The hooligans cry out in confusion.
You delightfully take more of their belongings.
Later, the hooligans leave the train at their stop stripped down to nothing but their skin and underwear. They're surprisingly good sports about it.
You hold out their belongings to them.
"Here you go. I don't care as long as I got my friend's stuff back. It's hard to be naked at this time of year, isn't it?"
They look at you with some confusion.
The glasses-wearing ringleader especially seems amused. "Kid... we haven't sunk so low as to be pitied by you."
And yet they were grabbing for their belongings anyway.
There's laughter and good cheer as they get themselves dressed again. Pleasant smalltalk back and forth while the train waits for people to disembark and embark. You still have a long way to go, so you remain. The child in their group offers up what looks to be a simple necklace--or something wrapped in with a string held tightly in their fist. You're not sure what to do with this.
The glasses-wearing hooligan gently scolds the child, reminding them that that's their precious treasure and they should keep it safe. Instead, the man digs around in his own pocket and tosses you something as the train starts to pull away from the station. You manage to catch it--a deck of cards.
"Please let us off with that, okay!"
You smile back at them as the train continues down the line to the east.]
But by the end of it, Rin is laughing so much that he has to lean on a wall for support. Because really? THIS is what Allen is like? A total card shark with a heart of gold who just wants to protect his friends?]
Oh man! You took 'em for all they were worth, didn't you?
[Rin wholeheartedly approves. This side of Allen is a fun one to see too.]
[oh no, Allen actually--he's surprised by an actual, genuine laugh escaping him at the end there.
so surprised, he actually slaps a hand to his mouth and looks to Rin to be sure that laughing is even okay there. because, listen, for as much the Satan thing clearly bothers Rin, it was clearly wholesome friendly bullying happening.]
[It's all good, Rin is smiling. Even with the teasing, it's a happy memory for him.]
I think I lucked out, to have good friends like them. I spent years and years thinking the only friend I'd have in life is Yukio. Don't get me wrong, he's good company! But having more friends besides him is good too.
[The Satan thing does bother him when people are insulting him for it, but gentle teasing is alright it seems.]
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2021-10-17 04:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-17 04:39 am (UTC)But by the end of it, Rin is laughing so much that he has to lean on a wall for support. Because really? THIS is what Allen is like? A total card shark with a heart of gold who just wants to protect his friends?]
Oh man! You took 'em for all they were worth, didn't you?
[Rin wholeheartedly approves. This side of Allen is a fun one to see too.]
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Date: 2021-10-17 08:35 pm (UTC)he laughs a little, sheepish.]
Well, they asked for it?
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Date: 2021-10-17 10:40 pm (UTC)[No sympathy for them, none.]
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Date: 2021-10-18 02:37 am (UTC)Anyway, best to avoid this area a bit. Seems like there's those shards lingering about.
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Date: 2021-10-18 03:42 am (UTC)[Sorry Allen you get a memory too!
Luckily, it's a fun one! One of a day out with friends, visiting tourist spots in a big city. And at the end of it all, a simple request leads to a touching memory.
It's actually one of the nicer ones Rin gets this week, so he's left smiling by the end of it.]
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Date: 2021-10-19 01:07 am (UTC)so surprised, he actually slaps a hand to his mouth and looks to Rin to be sure that laughing is even okay there. because, listen, for as much the Satan thing clearly bothers Rin, it was clearly wholesome friendly bullying happening.]
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Date: 2021-10-19 01:15 am (UTC)I think I lucked out, to have good friends like them. I spent years and years thinking the only friend I'd have in life is Yukio. Don't get me wrong, he's good company! But having more friends besides him is good too.
[The Satan thing does bother him when people are insulting him for it, but gentle teasing is alright it seems.]
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Date: 2021-10-19 04:28 am (UTC)They seem like good people to have as friends.
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Date: 2021-10-19 11:41 am (UTC)Worried that it was something else?
[He can guess why Allen quickly covered up his laugh before, yes.]
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Date: 2021-10-19 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-10-19 10:35 pm (UTC)