Later that night
They set Jack’s dorm as the rendezvous point for the poker game later that evening, and as the dorm lights began to dwindle one by one each of the new students slipped into his room. It was stark and bare, with little personality or character of its own. The walls were plain, and the cabinets empty save for a few large bags of jerky, a case of homemade cider, a gallon of scotch whisky, and a few bottles of sweet Eupraxian wine. A sleeping bag and pillow were rolled out over the bare bed, and a carton of cigarettes lay sprawled across the top of his nightstand next to a dimly lit lamp. He picked up the carton, tapping it gently a few times and then plucking a thin cigarette from the box, placing it between his lips. In a flash he produced a lighter from his back pocket, as well as a deck of playing cards. He drew out the cards slowly, then tossed the empty box aside. Lighting the cigarette with one hand he began shuffling the cards with the other. “The game’s five card stud, small ante, whatever ya got, deuces wild.”
They played for hours, several different varieties of poker and even a few more exotic card games from across the multiverse. Barney (@giliad_) and Jack began hitting the booze right away, their senses of humor and class becoming slowly more sophomoric as the night progressed... particularly Jack’s. Soon Jokul had joined, them, though his drinking habits were tame in contemplation of the other two. It was little surprise when Olivia (@patriotbear) lit into Jack hard with her fist following one of his more ...adventurous remarks. The blow sent him flying across the room, to the laughter of all, even Jack himself. Thinking it was exceedingly funny Jokul (@jacthripper) implored Olivia to deck him too, but she declined despite his best efforts.
Al (@stormshadow_x) made out like a bandit, playing his blind status up fully. How could any of them have known he could see through Abe? Jack and Olivia were both trying their hardest to help him along, at least until Jack got too drunk to care. Even Barney took it easy on the little blind kid, though he had a pretty good idea Al wasn’t nearly so helpless as he put on. For his part Abe was mostly quiet, observing the room with his cold eyes, each brilliant like distant orbs of fire. Though he couldn’t be sure, Jack was even pretty sure Abe enjoyed himself, but that could have just been the liquor talking.
Olivia did pretty well for herself throughout the night winning several glasses of wine she refused to drink, one of Abe’s scales and the rest of Jack’s cigarettes, which she promptly crushed to dust in her hand, much to Jack’s dismay. His spirirts were soon lifted though, as Olivia found herself the proud owner of Jokul's severed finger, an idea that seemed quite bright to Jokul in his slightly inebriated state. Irked by her prize she soon pawned it off on Al, who despite not being able to see thought it was hilarious.
As it turns out there really is a luck of the Irish, for despite the best efforts of his new compatriots Barney came home with the most impressive haul, encompassing several shirts out of Jack’s drawers, a flashlight from Olivia, a pocketwatch from Al, Jokul's broken compass, a couple peanuts of questionable origin, and over a dozen shots of Jack’s whisky. Al wasn’t quite as lucky, but satisfied nonetheless. He went home with his beautiful new finger, an odd pound or so of deer jerky, and Jack's derringer, as well as a promise of homemade steak from Olivia. Jack himself drank most of his winnings, but did end up with one of Barney’s anti-magic throwing darts. Even Jokul got in on some of the winning with a few strips of jerky of his own and a few swigs of whiskey.
After Olivia left though is when Jokul came into his element, talking Jack and Barney into a competition to see who could take the most punches while Al and Abe watched. Emerging the victor earned him Jack’s flask and a small pocket knife from Barney. It was early in the morning by the time Jokul carried Barney stumbling out of the dorm room, with Al and Abe in tow. Finally Jack collapsed on the bed still bleeding from his face, and started to sleep off his first night at Armstrong Academy.
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