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IoriVeteran Member- November COTM 2011 :
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Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:24 pm
SCIONESS OF AVARICE
THARA
If you asked the demons who occupied Demon world, they would tell you that roaming earth in the current day had become an exercise in futility, a struggle to enjoy anything without the hateful eyes of humans who felt they had been wronged by Mana for centuries. No demon was a stranger to the hostile environment that may await them if they entered the wrong city or location. In order to enjoy life on earth, the most one could do is lay low, cloak their energy, or control the mind of a human and allow them to explain how harmless their intentions were.
Concerning the demon of avarice driving on a highway in Los Angeles, California---she employed a few strategies revolving around laying low and seducing those who fell victim to her charismatic charms. Those with greed and the joy of having what their heart desired were like putty in her hands. Currently, she was driving in the car was a businessman who was the owner of one of California's finest casinos. Based on what he had explained to her, it was a location so wonderful as to be legendary but still...
"It's not vegas," she murmured as she gazed at the scenery of the city. The estimated drive was no longer than an hour as the two arrived at the casino. The businessman opened the door for her as any fine gentleman should, and when she had exited, her appearance caught the eyes of many men and women in the establishment.
Adorned in a black silk dress, her skirt - ending at her knees, flowed elegantly within the cold wind of the night. There was a slit in the middle that revealed enough skin to keep her image dignified. Her appearance alone was already attractive and her confidence was such that she could attract any man or woman's gaze with her charisma alone. There was no need for extravagance or even sex appeal.
In any case, she hardly waited for the businessman as she entered the casino - "Hollywood's finest" was the name but still...
"It's not Vegas..." Of all the places these damned wars could've taken why did it have to be the City of Lights?
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:13 pm
The interior of Hollywood's finest casino was indeed a remarkable place to behold, festooned with the sort of imagery one would expect to see from a king's throne room, and positively glittering. There was nowhere for shadows to pool, nothing that could go unseen. It was, in many ways, the perfect image of a casino. Straight out of a movie, or a storybook...or a danava's dreams, even. But there was still the knowledge that they weren't just a few hours' drive from the desert, and a culture that had built entirely around the world of high-stakes. There was something inherently...different about the aura here, the knowledge that as soon as someone stepped outside, the magic would dissipate into the air, like steam off of a bucket of hot water. Spectacular this place might be, but it was an island in the ocean, a speck in a roaring stream.
For someone like Thara, likely a rock to cling to in an otherwise confusing world. Many people here wore their greed on their sleeves, so naked and easily displayed that you didn't even need magic to tell what they were hoping for, what they dreamed of. They were little more than zombies, simply moving on some pre-determined routine. The place was filled with sound, but no conversation; surrounded with light, but all the light did was destroy circadian rhythms. This place was teeming with life, but somehow it was obvious from the moment stepping through the door...it was the kind of life you got in a beached whale, nothing but parasites or crabs picking away at what scraps they could grasp, and the constant, unseen rot of bacterial growth. Causing an endless expansion. And what, exactly, happens to a beached whale that can't expand any further?
Pop.
A woman approached Thara, carrying with her a bottle of champagne, and a glass flute. She spared barely a glance towards the businessman she had manipulated into leading her to this place, simply pouring the bubbly into the glass and handing it towards Thara, then nodding her head in slight acknowledgement, before gesturing behind herself.
"Welcome to the finest casino in all of Hollywood, Miss. What game strikes your fancy today? Craps, blackjack, texas hold'em? Or perhaps the slots would make a good warm-up? Our grand prize is up to eight figures."
She spoke without much heat or acknowledgement, but while -she- wasn't paying much attention to Thara, aside from the usual professional distance, there was one man, wearing a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses and shuffling a deck of cards, who was watching her very intently. It felt almost like drifting towards a black hole, or soaring close to the sun, to be caught by the focus of this obscured figure. His skin was pale and his hair was jet white, but aside from that there was no way to make out any defining features about him. Even so, it was like an ironclad law of nature, something he didn't even feel a need to acknowledge.
Thara would find her way to his table, no matter what. Whether now, or in a few hours, the man of purest palest ivory in the palace of gold would wait as long as it took for the Scioness to come to him.
For someone like Thara, likely a rock to cling to in an otherwise confusing world. Many people here wore their greed on their sleeves, so naked and easily displayed that you didn't even need magic to tell what they were hoping for, what they dreamed of. They were little more than zombies, simply moving on some pre-determined routine. The place was filled with sound, but no conversation; surrounded with light, but all the light did was destroy circadian rhythms. This place was teeming with life, but somehow it was obvious from the moment stepping through the door...it was the kind of life you got in a beached whale, nothing but parasites or crabs picking away at what scraps they could grasp, and the constant, unseen rot of bacterial growth. Causing an endless expansion. And what, exactly, happens to a beached whale that can't expand any further?
Pop.
A woman approached Thara, carrying with her a bottle of champagne, and a glass flute. She spared barely a glance towards the businessman she had manipulated into leading her to this place, simply pouring the bubbly into the glass and handing it towards Thara, then nodding her head in slight acknowledgement, before gesturing behind herself.
"Welcome to the finest casino in all of Hollywood, Miss. What game strikes your fancy today? Craps, blackjack, texas hold'em? Or perhaps the slots would make a good warm-up? Our grand prize is up to eight figures."
She spoke without much heat or acknowledgement, but while -she- wasn't paying much attention to Thara, aside from the usual professional distance, there was one man, wearing a pair of thick-rimmed sunglasses and shuffling a deck of cards, who was watching her very intently. It felt almost like drifting towards a black hole, or soaring close to the sun, to be caught by the focus of this obscured figure. His skin was pale and his hair was jet white, but aside from that there was no way to make out any defining features about him. Even so, it was like an ironclad law of nature, something he didn't even feel a need to acknowledge.
Thara would find her way to his table, no matter what. Whether now, or in a few hours, the man of purest palest ivory in the palace of gold would wait as long as it took for the Scioness to come to him.
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Thu Jan 14, 2021 9:23 pm
SCIONESS OF AVARICE
THARA
The hustle and bustle of the casino was fascinating - despite the danava's disappointment that this casino wasn't one of the ones she had frequented in the City of Lights. Of course, her disappointment didn't waver in the slightest.
The loud cheers of joy from those who won a jackpot or won their bet at one of the gambler's table, the exasperated sighs of defeat from the men and women who had lost a bet or found themselves struggling at one of the slots, the grand decorum, and the countless waiters and waitresses serving drinks - it all seemed relatively dull once you looked beyond the surface. One could easily make the claim that Thara wasn't even making an attempt to give this establishment a proper opportunity to prove itself.
Such a conjecture was not entirely false. Turning to the woman who handed her a glass of champagne, Thara smiled politely, taking a small sip of the bubbling drink as she surveyed her surroundings. Did Thara really possess any particular interest in playing quite yet? Blackjack was always fun. What gambler didn't like a good came of craps? Texas hold'em and the mystery of not knowing the other's hand was certainly an intriguing proposition in its own right. She had nearly come to a decision as to what she desired to play until---until she felt as though someone was gazing at her from a distance. This was not a passing glance or a lustful stare from a passerby gambler.
It felt as if she was being watched, observed even. Thara had often learned that she needed to be careful with how she conducted herself on earth. Could it be that someone knew who she was? With another polite smile in her seductive countenance, she turned to the table where the man of purest ivory sat and shuffled his deck of cards.
His appearance stood out but not entirely so. His aura possessed a certain tinge of mystery that had caused the demon of avarice to gravitate towards him out of mere curiosity. She rose from her initial spot beside the gentlemen, taking a respectful bow towards the woman for serving her a drink and walked towards the table where he resided.
A seductive smile lined her lips as she sat at his table, her gaze ever more curious as she observed him.
"Hey there. I thought about playing the slot machines to start myself off but you look like an interesting fellow, so I hope you don't mind if I set here and introduce myself. My name is Thara."
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 11:35 am
"Just so, Miss."
The dealer's voice was professional, warm, pleasantly distant without sounding completely detached, giving the impression that he would've been quite happy to talk to her about much more interesting things once off the clock. His facial expression never changed as he continued to shuffle the deck in his hands, fingers nimbly manipulating each card as he seemed to observe her from behind those obscuring lenses. When he finally did set down the deck, he inclined his head ever so slightly, and then shook his head.
"What brings Miss to this part of the world? Certainly Hollywood has become less of a bastion of cultural development as it once was. And this casino is only the best by default. Pleasure over business, I can only imagine."
He began to lay out the cards one by one, remaining utterly silent except for the sounds of paper on smooth velvet surfaces, allowing her to watch those same nimble fingers at work dictating her fate. He examined them for several long moments, before finally looking towards her, and tilting his head slightly, seeming like he was listening to a voice in his head...or trying to remember something.
"What game, precisely, did Miss wish to play? I apologize if this conversation isn't interesting enough for your likes, but this -is- a casino, and I am here to take your money. I'm afraid that when it comes to betting games, I'm rather boring and to the point. Once one of us has fully evaluated and appropriated the worth of the other, I'm sure you'll find me to be much better company."
His lips turned up ever so slightly, into something that could almost be called a smile, and the sound that came from his closed lips could've been either a laugh, or a polite clearing of his throat.
The dealer's voice was professional, warm, pleasantly distant without sounding completely detached, giving the impression that he would've been quite happy to talk to her about much more interesting things once off the clock. His facial expression never changed as he continued to shuffle the deck in his hands, fingers nimbly manipulating each card as he seemed to observe her from behind those obscuring lenses. When he finally did set down the deck, he inclined his head ever so slightly, and then shook his head.
"What brings Miss to this part of the world? Certainly Hollywood has become less of a bastion of cultural development as it once was. And this casino is only the best by default. Pleasure over business, I can only imagine."
He began to lay out the cards one by one, remaining utterly silent except for the sounds of paper on smooth velvet surfaces, allowing her to watch those same nimble fingers at work dictating her fate. He examined them for several long moments, before finally looking towards her, and tilting his head slightly, seeming like he was listening to a voice in his head...or trying to remember something.
"What game, precisely, did Miss wish to play? I apologize if this conversation isn't interesting enough for your likes, but this -is- a casino, and I am here to take your money. I'm afraid that when it comes to betting games, I'm rather boring and to the point. Once one of us has fully evaluated and appropriated the worth of the other, I'm sure you'll find me to be much better company."
His lips turned up ever so slightly, into something that could almost be called a smile, and the sound that came from his closed lips could've been either a laugh, or a polite clearing of his throat.
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 2:39 pm
SCIONESS OF AVARICE
THARA
"On the contrary, good sir - anyone who stares at Thara for longer than two minutes suddenly becomes a person of interest~! Alas, this is a casino and I do intend to spend every ounce of cash that that pleasant businessman gifted me with over there. His focus is elsewhere, anyhow. Let's see..."
Thara tapped at her chin as she returned to the contemplative train of thought she was in before the unnamed stranger's aura caught her attention. Blackjack, Craps, or Texas hold'em? Her fingers tapped thoughtfully against the table as she finally came to a decision. Gazing into his sunglasses with a pair of amethyst orbs, the danava of avarice announced her decision, placing three pairs 100$ dollar bills on the gambler's table.
"Let us grow familiar with one another over a few rounds of Blackjack, then, mister~"
Her avaricious aura had pulsated ever so slightly, as if it symbolized a rise in excitement from Lady Greed. She had to admit, no matter how hostile the environments on earth could be, gambling would never lose its luster. Thus, she would hardly ever leave.
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 3:54 pm
"I'm sorry to say I've the advantage on you there, Miss. I now know you are a Handschuhschneeballwerfer. One who insulates themselves from even the slightest consequence. You come here, and play with the money of others, in so doing giving yourself the bravery to play boldly, unlike any other. Were you to go bankrupt, you would return in an hour with a new roll of bills."
He spoke the words with no heat, no sense of animosity or force. It was not an insult, or a criticism, but a simple declaration of fact; Thara was a coward, and not even one who had the good sense to advertise it. She would gladly and openly strike down others and goad over them in her victory, but would never allow herself to be open to retaliation.
"I style myself somewhat of a polyglot. There are so many good words in other languages, so many...feelings or thoughts that someone summed up for us long ago. What need is there to explain ourselves further, when a single word can do the work of a few paragraphs? Perhaps in a few generations, we can make all conversations in ten words or less. Wouldn't that be nice? Far more time to focus on the game before us."
He placed out the cards slowly, meticulously; a three of clubs, a queen of hearts, and a ten of hearts. He drew his own cards, expression still utterly unreadable behind his sunglasses, as he made a very loud show of sucking at his teeth, and then gesturing towards her.
"What is it, do you think, that convinces people to gamble? Is it something hard-wired into us? Do our lizard brains simply love the risk of destruction? Is there a deep-seated lust in all living things to cease? Or is it in the besting of death that we find meaning?"
He spoke the words with no heat, no sense of animosity or force. It was not an insult, or a criticism, but a simple declaration of fact; Thara was a coward, and not even one who had the good sense to advertise it. She would gladly and openly strike down others and goad over them in her victory, but would never allow herself to be open to retaliation.
"I style myself somewhat of a polyglot. There are so many good words in other languages, so many...feelings or thoughts that someone summed up for us long ago. What need is there to explain ourselves further, when a single word can do the work of a few paragraphs? Perhaps in a few generations, we can make all conversations in ten words or less. Wouldn't that be nice? Far more time to focus on the game before us."
He placed out the cards slowly, meticulously; a three of clubs, a queen of hearts, and a ten of hearts. He drew his own cards, expression still utterly unreadable behind his sunglasses, as he made a very loud show of sucking at his teeth, and then gesturing towards her.
"What is it, do you think, that convinces people to gamble? Is it something hard-wired into us? Do our lizard brains simply love the risk of destruction? Is there a deep-seated lust in all living things to cease? Or is it in the besting of death that we find meaning?"
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 7:07 pm
SCIONESS OF AVARICE
THARA
Even though Thara was far from well-versed in every language of the human world, she was familiar enough with the term that the mysterious man mentioned to smirk softly at what he implied.
Coward, huh? The first to throw the snowball, to insult and strike from a distance and keep themselves away from harm - Thara tilted her head as she playfully tapped at one of the cards. There was something odd about the entire setup. These cards were not set out in a formation or style similar to that of blackjack.
No, this was more akin to... Texas hold'em. Thara found it both humorous and insulting. Well, perhaps he didn't mean anything by it or... perhaps he was trying to throw her off? She couldn't say for sure. She made a comment on how this wasn't the same game she had spoken of.
"I don't think I recall saying I wanted to play Texas hold'em, sir."
Thara smirked somewhat disappointedly as she sipped from her glass.
"Well, coward is most certainly correct. Most would find such a term to be an insult on their pride but I value my life almost more than anything in this world. I do not intend to willingly die if I could help it. Of course, I do enjoy taking things as I believe most possessions are mine and belong to me.. but I digress. "
"A Polygot, eh? Well, there is no shame in using phrases or terms to cut down the amount of sentences or words in a conversation. I prefer to be grandiose and long-winded at times but I admire those who keep things short and quaint when such conversations call for it."
This man was certainly an odd fellow. She hadn't met someone like him before in a casino. From her observational standpoint, he was not one who could easily be manipulated or seduced. He didn't have a tell or a tick she could pick up on. It made her both unsettled and intrigued.
"Such a philosophical musing in a vibrant setting, no? Well, if I had to voice my own opinion... I think it's the risk of destruction. By all accounts, people try to convince themselves that gambling is wrong but the allure of money and gaining something they've never had in their lives before is enticing. Try as they might to resist, they fall ever deeper into a black hole until they find that the black hole has left them emptied. Be it human or child, that sense of danger and overcoming it is exhilarating. Of course, this is my perception. I can't say the allure of danger is always a pleasant one for me..."
Just who was he? She couldn't help but wonder who this man was and how he operated. The ivory stranger remained ever elusive to the Danava of Avarice.
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:06 pm
He said nothing as she spoke, for several long moments afterwards as well; he simply scooped up her bills and tucked them into his shirt pocket, before replacing them with six chips, each a faint, faded shape of red and black. They looked as if they had gone through many hands, and been clutched many times. And finally, just as she would've felt a need to repeat herself, he did reply.
"You're correct, Miss. You wanted to get to know me over a game of blackjack. And I want to see how close you skirt to destruction in a game of Texas Hold 'Em. I believe this is called an impasse."
He pushed down the lenses ever so slightly, causing the very top of his eyes to be visible...and there was nothing human in them, no shred of normalcy. They were a piercing shade of green that looked straight out of some painting, and they were purely elliptical, like a cat's eye. They dilated ever so slightly, before placing them back on his face. It was a moment that seemed to drag on for minutes, but couldn't have lasted more than five or ten seconds.
"You are right in one sense, and wrong in many others. Why is it that -casinos- are the preferred place of those who deal in large sums, moving at incalculable paces, as opposed to...stock markets? Or cryptocurrencies? What is it about this place that keeps people coming back? Seeds are planted in them, and once there, the possibility of escaping is null. Do you truly think so little of mankind that you believe all of them suicidal? That they rush headlong into the mouth of a predator? I suppose I could understand why you would think that way."
He scooped up the cards once more, shuffling them again, and then doling out two cards to each of them, placing his hand over his own, and speaking in a soft, dulcet whisper, that seemed to carry the faintest trace of a hiss now, the syllables suddenly softer, dragging outwards.
"I believe I understand you all the better now. You speak of casinos with a fondness that many reserve for themselves. And you speak so brazenly of the company you keep. You are what most people call a gold digger, obviously, but beyond even that. You are not one of them. You walk amongst people, manipulating them, turning their impulses destructive. You make man thirst and provide him with saltwater to drink, so he is never truly sated. You offer tiny sips, glimpses of what could be, and the unfortunate people who chase you, always confident that they and they alone will be the one...are inevitably crushed to a pulp in the infinite emptiness of your self."
He snorted, just once, ever so slightly.
"You are not greedy, you are greed itself. You are the walking incarnation of all that casinos represent. A beautiful, pleasant surface, covering a meat grinder that will never stop running. Tell me, Danava. Are Hell's gambles no longer to your liking? Or is it that merely coming here is -itself- a gamble? You play with money like it is nothing, and proudly boast of yourself as a coward. Perhaps, then, you'd prefer to bet with something more substantial?"
"You're correct, Miss. You wanted to get to know me over a game of blackjack. And I want to see how close you skirt to destruction in a game of Texas Hold 'Em. I believe this is called an impasse."
He pushed down the lenses ever so slightly, causing the very top of his eyes to be visible...and there was nothing human in them, no shred of normalcy. They were a piercing shade of green that looked straight out of some painting, and they were purely elliptical, like a cat's eye. They dilated ever so slightly, before placing them back on his face. It was a moment that seemed to drag on for minutes, but couldn't have lasted more than five or ten seconds.
"You are right in one sense, and wrong in many others. Why is it that -casinos- are the preferred place of those who deal in large sums, moving at incalculable paces, as opposed to...stock markets? Or cryptocurrencies? What is it about this place that keeps people coming back? Seeds are planted in them, and once there, the possibility of escaping is null. Do you truly think so little of mankind that you believe all of them suicidal? That they rush headlong into the mouth of a predator? I suppose I could understand why you would think that way."
He scooped up the cards once more, shuffling them again, and then doling out two cards to each of them, placing his hand over his own, and speaking in a soft, dulcet whisper, that seemed to carry the faintest trace of a hiss now, the syllables suddenly softer, dragging outwards.
"I believe I understand you all the better now. You speak of casinos with a fondness that many reserve for themselves. And you speak so brazenly of the company you keep. You are what most people call a gold digger, obviously, but beyond even that. You are not one of them. You walk amongst people, manipulating them, turning their impulses destructive. You make man thirst and provide him with saltwater to drink, so he is never truly sated. You offer tiny sips, glimpses of what could be, and the unfortunate people who chase you, always confident that they and they alone will be the one...are inevitably crushed to a pulp in the infinite emptiness of your self."
He snorted, just once, ever so slightly.
"You are not greedy, you are greed itself. You are the walking incarnation of all that casinos represent. A beautiful, pleasant surface, covering a meat grinder that will never stop running. Tell me, Danava. Are Hell's gambles no longer to your liking? Or is it that merely coming here is -itself- a gamble? You play with money like it is nothing, and proudly boast of yourself as a coward. Perhaps, then, you'd prefer to bet with something more substantial?"
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 10:17 pm
SCIONESS OF AVARICE
THARA
Ah, so it was a deception then. Rather than the game she chose, the man of palest ivory had pulled the wool over her eyes, placing the cards in a formation that could only be found in Texas hold'em. To be certain, there was a significant risk in this particular betting game. For one, the mystery of who possessed the better hand and who would bend or break as the game progressed were always two significant factors.
There would often be a series of feints and smirks and different tells that a person would posses, as a means of throwing off the opponent and eventually winning out with the best hand. It was as much strategical as it was dangerous if you bet a lot of money. Thara was particularly fond of those risks but his next words had caused her to become even more uneasy than she was before.
He was reading her and that caused a slight shiver to run up her spine. It was odd. Far from befitting of a casino to have someone like this here, and yet that's what made it all the more intriguing. Even so, the unease only grew as he passed his judgment. He was both correct and incorrect in those opinions. Suffice it to say, there were significant truths in what he said and Thara felt almost childish as she listened, as if she was being spoken to by a parent lashing out verbal discipline.
She never enjoyed talking about how she felt to anyone nor did she feel as if anyone would listen. Did she manipulate others? Certainly. Was it malicious? No. Her intents had always been to manipulate through her charisma and her allure and earn friends in a way that she felt was consensual. She never left anyone who longed for her attention - especially those who did so naturally - thirsty. She welcomed them all, into both her heart and home. In a word, she was but a child, one who craved the affections she felt she had lost long ago.
Thara felt almost as if she had been undressed when he revealed the name of her race and what she represented but... curiosity - that accursed curiosity - had compelled her to remain in her seat, to learn more of this man... even though her intuition had told her otherwise. With a soft pout, she quickly tapped at thin-air, causing one of her favorite pieces of literature to land on the table. It was a collection of fairy tales, something that she had read ever since she was a child and something that meant more than the mystery man might imagine. Dammit, what was she thinking?
"Yes, i am a Danava. The Danava of Greed. However, I... don't take and leave others emptied. I don't put them on a path of destruction. I know it's a gamble in coming here. My kind - no, Mana has made it so that nearly every demon - regardless of their origin - who wishes to enjoy earth's pleasantries can't do so in the daylight or in the eyes of other humans. I walk among humans because I admire them... I don't use anyone!"
She would continue.
"Do I manipulate those who deserve to be manipulated? Of course. They knew what they were getting into.. But to those who truly enjoy my presence and who I am beyond greed and a demon... I show them my deepest compassions and give them a home... though by human standards, you would all call that kidnapping, no? Fine. I'll play your game, Ivory man. This," she would point down to the compilatory piece of literature weaved with so many fairy tales and stories of fantasy.
"This is something I have had almost ever since I was a child. I know it would pain me to lose something like this but I have some form of pride to uphold. What, then, would I be, if not the Danava of avarice?" she'd smirk somewhat nervously, clearly unable to part with her book but knowing there was no turning back now, as she awaited the fate pf the bet. If she lost, there was no book. If she won, well she got to keep the book. It was as simple as that.
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Re: Vegas died and so did my heart(Thara)
Fri Jan 15, 2021 11:01 pm
No reply, for several more long moments. The man in front of her simply went about drumming fingers on the table, as if he were taking in her rebuttal to his statement. Nearly a minute passed, as he examined his own cards, before pulling one more from the deck and placing it down next to his own; a five of clubs, and a single facedown card. He then let out a soft, weary sigh for a moment, as if he were trying to figure out what to reply.
"You...admire humans. At the same time that you use them. I suppose it can indeed be argued that your plus one today has sacrificed a certain...essential human element by assuming you had a price tag attached. He bought you fancy clothing, drove you around in a nice car, and gave you no shortage of walking around money, which in his mind leads him to believe he owns you. That he can make demands of you that no human being in their right mind would ever agree to. And yet, for all this, have you once thought to tell him the truth? To offer him an opportunity to walk away before he destroys himself? Even cigarettes come with a warning label on the side, you know."
His demeanor softened for a moment, seeming to look at her as if from another angle. Something about the phrase kidnapping seemed to strike a chord with him, to lead him to take another -very- close look at her. Again, that sense of being in the middle of a vacuum, of trying to peel away more of the layers, lay her naked before a microscope. But this time it was...warm, almost bemused, as if he had suddenly found something there that he liked.
"I find myself at somewhat of a loss here. You see, I am but a humble representative of this establishment, and I therefore gamble with their resources, not my own. I suppose you could call us similar in that aspect; we both wager that which is not our own. But you have escalated this matter, into the realm of intangibles. What dollar value can be placed on a fond memory? Or a good night's sleep? What diamond can ever match a fondly whispered goodbye between two lovers? So I must offer something of equal value. And yet...this establishment trucks only in the concrete."
He reached across the counter, running a hand along the book. At first it seemed like he was trying to open it, or perhaps divine its contents, but after a moment longer it became clearer he was simply...basking in it. He was reveling in the feel of human flesh on the cover of a book, fingertips lightly gliding over each little whorl and raised bump, as if he were trying to commit it all to memory.
"You agree that you are a coward, yet stand your ground when threatened. You do not lash out, but instead seek to take back control. And you claim that you harbor affection to those who do not themselves indulge in the sin of greed. This I find paradoxical; like is attracted to like, is it not? You are a desire, and those who you proclaim to want to spend your time with could never satiate that desire. You are dooming yourself to die by degrees, surrounding yourself only with those selfless lot who would see fit to forgive kin to the monstrous Asthavon. Is it perhaps some self-imposed penance, then? Some symbolic gesture to prove to yourself that you are more than your mother's daughter?"
He tapped a finger once, and then twice on the book, clearing his throat. It was somehow far louder than before, resonant; it seemed to come from the entire building, from every intercom, all interlacing. His voice boomed through the entire casino, causing people to stop mid-act. A ball spun in a roulette wheel, and absolutely no one bothered to check where it landed.
"You offer me something of incalculable value. I offer something equally valuable. Tell me, Thara. Danava of Avarice. How would you like to see Las Vegas, just once, before you go?"
He pushed the deck towards her, his grin turning positively predatory, as he folded his hands over his chest. He knew such a statement would lead to a flood of dozens of questions...and a surge of longing so powerful it could probably be called a law of the universe, like gravity.
She would accept, of course.
"You...admire humans. At the same time that you use them. I suppose it can indeed be argued that your plus one today has sacrificed a certain...essential human element by assuming you had a price tag attached. He bought you fancy clothing, drove you around in a nice car, and gave you no shortage of walking around money, which in his mind leads him to believe he owns you. That he can make demands of you that no human being in their right mind would ever agree to. And yet, for all this, have you once thought to tell him the truth? To offer him an opportunity to walk away before he destroys himself? Even cigarettes come with a warning label on the side, you know."
His demeanor softened for a moment, seeming to look at her as if from another angle. Something about the phrase kidnapping seemed to strike a chord with him, to lead him to take another -very- close look at her. Again, that sense of being in the middle of a vacuum, of trying to peel away more of the layers, lay her naked before a microscope. But this time it was...warm, almost bemused, as if he had suddenly found something there that he liked.
"I find myself at somewhat of a loss here. You see, I am but a humble representative of this establishment, and I therefore gamble with their resources, not my own. I suppose you could call us similar in that aspect; we both wager that which is not our own. But you have escalated this matter, into the realm of intangibles. What dollar value can be placed on a fond memory? Or a good night's sleep? What diamond can ever match a fondly whispered goodbye between two lovers? So I must offer something of equal value. And yet...this establishment trucks only in the concrete."
He reached across the counter, running a hand along the book. At first it seemed like he was trying to open it, or perhaps divine its contents, but after a moment longer it became clearer he was simply...basking in it. He was reveling in the feel of human flesh on the cover of a book, fingertips lightly gliding over each little whorl and raised bump, as if he were trying to commit it all to memory.
"You agree that you are a coward, yet stand your ground when threatened. You do not lash out, but instead seek to take back control. And you claim that you harbor affection to those who do not themselves indulge in the sin of greed. This I find paradoxical; like is attracted to like, is it not? You are a desire, and those who you proclaim to want to spend your time with could never satiate that desire. You are dooming yourself to die by degrees, surrounding yourself only with those selfless lot who would see fit to forgive kin to the monstrous Asthavon. Is it perhaps some self-imposed penance, then? Some symbolic gesture to prove to yourself that you are more than your mother's daughter?"
He tapped a finger once, and then twice on the book, clearing his throat. It was somehow far louder than before, resonant; it seemed to come from the entire building, from every intercom, all interlacing. His voice boomed through the entire casino, causing people to stop mid-act. A ball spun in a roulette wheel, and absolutely no one bothered to check where it landed.
"You offer me something of incalculable value. I offer something equally valuable. Tell me, Thara. Danava of Avarice. How would you like to see Las Vegas, just once, before you go?"
He pushed the deck towards her, his grin turning positively predatory, as he folded his hands over his chest. He knew such a statement would lead to a flood of dozens of questions...and a surge of longing so powerful it could probably be called a law of the universe, like gravity.
She would accept, of course.
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