No matter how hard he tried, Campbell found his eyes returning to the clock on the wall. She'd be here in just a few hours. This time he'd be ready for her, he wouldn't lose again. Lose again. His brow curled in frustration as the thought of losing went through his mind. Chase Campbell never lost, at least that's the way it used to be. He pounded his fist against his oak desk. "Damn you Nagaoka!" Him, it had all started with him. Jinsaku had caught him off guard and had gotten a lucky victory, costing Campbell Dread Machine. It was an outrage that Jinsaku Nagaoka would come to regret. Campbell had the perfect plan for his revenge, but to put it into action, he would need more Cards. Cards that were more powerful than the ones he could snatch through a forfeit. Campbell switched his gears, started to take all comers. And the great Chase Campbell continued to lose. He didn't lose all the time, he still walked all over most, but there were still a few that were able to beat him. Chase Campbell never loses. Why did he now? Jinsaku. It was all his fault. The little bastard had gotten a lucky win which had marred Campbell's perfect record. He had to avenge himself. That was the only way to get back into the form he had been. But not until the time was right. Miller on the other hand, there was no reason to wait to put that gothic trash in her place. She had the Air Card that he needed for Jinsaku. Campbell pulled a Card out of his pocket, and grinned at it. His 'Jinsaku Special.' He held the Card up, "Lets have a look at you, Prismatic." A small light appeared in the center of the room, as the light dimmed, a small crystal could be seen. It shuddered and began to expand, it branched out like a tree as crystalline limbs grew out in all directions. When it had finished, a giant stood at attention in front of Campbell's desk. He stood up and walked around Prismatic, he marveled at the crystal giant's skeleton reinforcing the massive body and protruding in large stone claws at each of it's four, three fingered hands. "This must be from the Earth Card I took from that Terry twerp, " He mused. Ice/Water/Earth/Blood /Lightning, 700/1000. Campbell allowed himself a laugh, he could take Rachel Miller easily with this. No, he had to play it safe with Prismatic, Jinsaku would have the privilege of being the first to taste this Minion's power. Besides, he had other ways of dealing with the goth. Beware the Radish Presents A Studio Turnip/Down to the Wire Production High Stakes-Starring: Jinsaku Nagaoka Part 7:Calling the Bluff By: Ian Heafer Original Concept by: Neo Vid Disclaimer: If cursing bothers you, consider yourself warned. "No!" Annette shot up straight, hand reaching forward as the last memories of her nightmare slipped from her mind. Taking a moment to calm herself she took a look around. Wherever she was, it wasn't home. The room was dimly lit, well furnished with a color scheme that seemed chosen as to not offend. The gray Seattle skyline could be seen through a large window in the far wall. She studied the room so intently that she never saw him coming. A cup of green tea appeared under Annette's nose, "Here," said a flat voice. Annette looked up, startled. She took the glass, Katsuya nodded and walked back to the table, "Glad to see you're okay." he said. Annette blinked once trying to make sense of everything. "Katsuya?" She looked around again. "Where..." "This is where Jinsaku and I are staying," he said without even looking up from what he was writing. "You fainted after the battle last night. Tyrell thought we should keep an eye on you." The battle. Annette shivered at the thought of it. "Please, I'd rather not think about that right now." "That's fine, the battles bother me too." He looked at her cup. "Drink it, it'll help you relax." He took a long drink from his own cup and went back to work. Annette noticed the death grip that her other hand still had on the brown wool blanket and decided to take Katsuya's suggestion. She sipped at the warm, bitter liquid and sat up completely. She looked at the clock on the wall, three in the afternoon. "Is this right?" Katsuya looked up. "The clock, have I been out all day?" Katsuya nodded. "After what happened you probably needed it." Annette got up and wrapped the blanket around her. Katsuya went back to his writing. "What are you doing?" she asked. "Writing a letter," he said without looking up. "It's cheaper than phoning home." He held the letter up, checking for mistakes. "I can't read it." "Probably because I don't want you to." "What?" "It's a theory I have about the Cards." "What does that have to do with your letter?" "You understand what Jinsaku can say, right?" "Well of course, but what does..." "He can hardly speak a word of English." A blank look was Annette's answer. "Right after we got here he said something about the Cards helping him understand English. Tyrell doesn't speak any Japanese, but he can understand Jinsaku, and he can understand me." He shrugged. "I guess it's something the Cards let you do. If someone wants to be understood, you guys can understand them. Something like that." "You're not a Player, Katsuya?" Katsuya chuckled. "No, but I get more than my fill of the Game from Jinsaku and Tyrell." "Someone call me?" Tyrell said as he stuck his head through the door. "Hey, you're back among the living!" he said as he spied Annette. "How're you feeling?" Annette gave a small smile. "Alright, all things considered. Katsuya made me some tea and we've been talking." "You mean you got him to speak?" Annette looked at him confused. Tyrell just smiled. "He usually likes to play the big silent type." Katsuya ignored Tyrell. He folded his letter and stuffed it into an envelope. Annette took another sip of her tea. "We've been talking since I got up." "Really." Tyrell raised an eyebrow. "If he's talking to you that must mean he likes you," he said with a playful grin. Annette did her best not to look embarrassed. Katsuya shot Tyrell an evil look. "Easy, easy man," Tyrell said, "I'm just playing. That's good for you though, talking to someone's healthy Katsuya, good for the soul." Katsuya just shrugged, grabbed his coat and walked to the door. "Where you going?" Tyrell asked. "To mail this." He let the door swing shut behind him. Tyrell sat down and started to open the paper bag he carried with him. "I brought some lunch." He offered Annette a burger wrapped in paper. "Want some?" Annette shook her head. "No thanks, when you work where I do, you get tired of stuff like that." Tyrell shrugged and started into a burger of his own. Annette just sat and watched him. Finally she said, "Tyrell, could you... tell me what happened last night?" Tyrell's cheery disposition vanished for just a moment. "Well, let's start with what you remember." Annette thought for a moment. "Not much," she said finally. "Last night was a nightmare." "You drifted in and out for a while," Tyrell said through a mouthful of burger. "An unusual evening, to say the least." Annette shifted in her chair. "The last thing I remember is you talking to me, you said... I lost?" Tyrell nodded. "But that can't be right." "I hate to say it, but that Inoch thing wiped the floor with Patchwork." He rolled the hamburger wrapper into a ball and stuffed it into the bag. "I don't think I could explain what happened next if I tried." Annette looked confused. "But if I lost I..." She stared at her hands as she trailed off. "Shouldn't I..." "Talia did... something. None of us have even a clue as to what, she saved you, and gave you an extra Card." Annette stiffened, she pulled out her Cards and stared at the 'Annette' Card. "I have no Idea how to explain that," Tyrell said. "I like to think that I keep up with what happens in the Game, but Talia pretty much reminded me about how little I know." Annette's eyes never left the Card. "I thought it was just a nightmare." Tyrell just shook his head. "I wish I could tell you it was, it would be easier to explain that way." Jinsaku chose that moment to stumble out of his room. "Morning," Tyrell said. Jinsaku just grumbled and wandered over to the bathroom. Annette put her Cards away. "It's interesting though," Tyrell said. "What?" "Aren't you curious what that Card'll be like?" "No." "Not even a bit?" Annette looked at the floor. "To tell the truth, it scares me." She looked at her hands again. "Everything's a little strange to me right now though, It's almost like I'm a walking contradiction to the rules." Tyrell shrugged. "Maybe we'll discover a little more about the Game this way." Jinsaku came storming out of the bathroom. "Where's Katsuya?" "He left," Tyrell said. "Something about mailing something, I think is what he said." Annette nodded. "Something about a letter." Jinsaku grabbed his jacket. "Where are you going?" Tyrell asked. "Out." ********** Rachel Miller leaned against a wall and took a long drag from her cigarette. A few people gave her strange looks as they walked by. She gave them a sinister smile. She had learned to love when people looked at her that way, to revel in the discomfort she caused them. She stuck a hand into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a pocket watch. Still a few hours yet, just a little more time to kill before she went and took another one of that old man's Cards. She thought of the rage on Campbell's face when his Minion had gone down last night. It had been priceless. She couldn't wait to see it again. Rachel joined the crowd flowing by her on the street. She needed something to do, something to pass the time, to get her in the mood for a battle. She found him at one of his usual hangouts, a little coffee house down the street from the marketplace. She threw the butt of her cigarette on the ground as she stepped inside. It was a little hole in the wall, trying to pass itself off as trendy. People chatting over coffee while a mellow jazz number played in the background. Some nights, a place like this wouldn't bother her, but today she tried her best to look disgusted as she walked over to him. "Nose in a book again, eh Michael?" Michael looked up at her for a moment then back to his book. "Hey." "Watcha got here?" she asked as she snatched the book from his hands. "The Federalist," he said nonchalantly. He wasn't going to play her game. "If you were smart, you'd be reading it too. We're supposed to know it for the lecture tomorrow." "What's to know?" she asked. "Just a bunch of dead white guys stroking their egos talking about how great America is, trying to fool everyone into believing they know what they're talking about." Michael sighed, "Ya know, normally you're a pretty neat girl, but sometimes," he looked her over, "sometimes you're just so impossible." "Whatever," she pulled up a chair, "I just need to get out of there every now and then, ya know, live a little." "That's what you're calling it huh?" He took the book back. "So you had a reason for coming here right? Besides telling me everything I need to know about The Federalist." "No reason, just killing time." ********** Jinsaku knew he'd find him here, it was the only post office near the hotel. Katsuya had reached the front of the long line as he had arrived. He seemed so different as he talked to the attendant. It had been months since Jinsaku had seen his friend so animate, whenever the two of them were together, Katsuya was somber, almost zombie like, always escaping into his music. Jinsaku knew he was to blame, he didn't want to admit it, but he couldn't deny it anymore. Katsuya paid the attendant and turned to leave, his icy glare returned when he noticed Jinsaku, he slipped past him like he didn't exist. Jinsaku wouldn't give up this time, he shadowed Katsuya. "Hey, wait up." Katsuya didn't slow his pace. "I need to talk to you dammit!" The two left the post office and Katsuya tried to disappear into the crowd, but Jinsaku kept up after him. He finally caught up with him at street corner. "Why didn't you tell me, Katsuya?" Katsuya didn't notice, he continued on as soon as the light changed. Jinsaku kept up with him, "Why didn't you tell me what Shade did to you?" Katsuya shot him another glare. "We were friends, right?" Jinsaku stumbled over that for a moment, "Friends? Sure, I guess so, I mean we hung out in school, but what does..." Katsuya cut him off, "Oh that's right, you're one of those Players, attacking each other with those, things, that's your idea of friendship." That remark actually stunned him, Jinsaku stood there for a moment, Katsuya just continued on. "Hey!" he snarled as he finally took off after him again. After a little pushing and shoving through the city streets, he found Katsuya again. He grabbed him by the collar. "C'mere. You and me are gonna talk." Katsuya tried to slip past him but Jinsaku just tightened his grip. "We're gonna talk, now." Katsuya didn't say a thing but allowed Jinsaku to lead him off to the side of the street. "Is that what you think?" Jinsaku asked. "You think that just because I'm a Player I go around attacking things, cause it's fun?" Katsuya's head twitched, it may have been a nod. "Well, that's a bunch of shit, and even if it wasn't what the hell does that have to do with us?" "You attacked me with that thing, Shade." Katsuya said flatly. "Attack you? I showed it to you, that's all." "It wanted to kill me." "It wants to do whatever the hell I want it to, that's it." "You didn't see its eyes." Katsuya tried not to shudder. "It's just a Minion, it can't think for itself." "Are you sure?" Jinsaku paused, before last night, he could have been sure. But now, now he was starting to doubt everything. "Look, I can't explain all the crap we've seen recently, but Shade's only ever done exactly what I tell it to." Katsuya just rolled his eyes. Jinsaku sighed. "Look, I fucked up when I showed you Shade. All right? I admit it." Jinsaku tried to look Katsuya in the face, but his eyes kept drifting downward, to the side, away. "I'm sorry okay, I didn't expect any of this to happen. I didn't think that it had gotten to you so bad okay, you never said anything about it. But, man, it was scary to see the way you reacted when I was fighting that Terry kid. I'm sorry man, if I had known..." Jinsaku was finally able to look Katsuya in the face, who was staring back wide eyed. "W...what?" It took Katsuya a moment to answer, "You've never apologized to anyone for anything." "Well, I've never fucked up this bad before." Jinsaku shrugged. "You can hate me if you want, but I want to make this right." Katsuya turned and took a few steps in the direction the two had been heading. "If you think you can." Jinsaku expected Katsuya to leave again, but he stopped, like he was waiting for him to catch up. "But don't expect this apologizing thing to become a habit," Jinsaku said as he started after him. ********** Later that evening, Annette returned home. Tuppins had missed her terribly, and showed it by yipping and jumping all over her the moment she let herself in. Seeing Tuppins again helped to lift her spirits for a while, but when she tried to relax later on, she could think of nothing but her spotty memories of last night. She pulled out her Cards again, she paused for a moment, admiring Patchwork's gruesome illustration. Terrifying as Patchwork was, Annette felt more attached to it than she had to any of her other minions. Before Patchwork, the Game had been just that, a game. Fighting with Patchwork had raised the stakes, made the game more serious, it had also brought her her only victory. And if nothing else, Patchwork was the more normal of her two minions. She had never felt so terrified at the sight of her own face. She shuddered as her illustration on the Card smirked back at her. But was it really her face? Annette couldn't remember her face ever looking so confident, in control. Her eyes drifted down towards the stats. 'Annette,' the Card displayed proudly. Earth/Fire/Blood. That was all. Annette looked over it again. There was no Defense/Offence rating. What in the?... That was odd, of course there wasn't much that wasn't odd about this Card. How could a Player have a Card? But was she still really a Player? Yes, she still had Cards, but she had lost with Patchwork, badly according to Tyrell. As far as she knew, she should be dead. Isn't that what happens when a Player loses their final Card? She thought about it for a moment, no one really knew. Tyrell wasn't sure, neither was Jinsaku. She had only been told the rules once, when she had first agreed to become a Player, she had never had trouble remembering them, it was almost like her Cards answered any questions she had about how the Game worked. But they were silent now. Talia, if anyone knew, Annette figured it would be her. Would she though? Was Talia even all there? She had been babbling all through their fight. Most of what she said made no sense. That wasn't Important to Annette though, she had to know what had happened, and Talia seemed like her only option now. ********** Campbell tore the ringing phone from its resting place on his desk. "What?" "Mr. Campbell sir," The security guard on the other end said, "that creepy girl from last night is here saying she has an appointment." "Is she?" "You want us to, show her out?" Campbell would have liked to taken the easy way out, but that wouldn't get him what he wanted. "No, stall her for a few minutes, but let her in." He hung up. Campbell stood up and walked over to the large portrait window in the back of his office. He allowed himself a wicked grin as he looked over the dark, Seattle skyline. "I hope you're ready, Miller. You won't be so lucky this time." ********** Authors notes: Sorry for the long delay on this everybody, I feel really bad about it this time seeing as there are quite a few people in the queue behind me. It's great to see some new signups. This being the first time I've written more than once for an impro, it's neat to come back to a story and see what's happened to what I had written earlier. It's a cool feeling to see ideas and characters you created still being used. Anyway, a short explanation for this part. No, I'm not gonna whine about how much it sucks or how lame it is, I'm actually pretty happy with it, all things considered. The reason for this part is something NeoVid put up on the impro message board some time ago. He said something about wanting to see a part that didn't focus on a battle, this is my attempt at taking up that challenge. Kind of an experimental piece for me, since I didn't have an action scene to fall back on when the story started to slow down. Anyway, time for thank yous. Many, many thanks to Clint for your help and encouragement. This probably wouldn't have ever gotten finished if it wasn't for your help. Thanks to John Evans, for putting up with my delays, again. I swear I won't pull this stunt with Yumeko, the last week has been hell for me, trying to juggle impro and school. As always comments and constructive criticism are always accepted at asimh@uaa.alaska.edu Normally I'd pass the flames along to those who need them but we've been having an unusually warm winter here in Alaska, I guess I'll just have to save them for the cold snap that I know is coming. Thank you all very much for reading this. Ian Heafer 2/21/2000 Beware the Radish http://btradish.tripod.com This document was created entirely in BBEdit lite 4.6