DRIFT FLEET: IC CONTACT

[killedwithlove]

"Hello, recorder. Can you please take messages if I'm not here? Thank you."

Voice : Video : Action

Comments

[goldenglasses]

Never heard of that game before. [Vash grins and chuckles at the mental picture of someone talking at his cards.] I suppose talking to your cards would give away what's in your hand.

Can you play with a 52-card deck?

[killedwithlove]

But they have so much to say, so many wins and losses, so many hopes and fun times.

[He blinks and shrugs a little.]

I don't know.

[goldenglasses]

You can even see the losses and wins with the individual cards? That's pretty amazing!

Well, I have a 52-card deck. Would you like to play some games?

[killedwithlove]

It's... like in the dream in my head, and your head. Some times, things have memories and I see them, or hear them, or live them. But, it's everything that was in something strong. And people, people have lots and lots of things, strings, threads, chains and ribbons...

[He rubs his hands over his face.]

Yes. That would be nice.

[goldenglasses]

I can see why that would be hard to keep what's real and what only you can see straight then.

[Vash sits near Cole to get ready to play.] Any game you want to play? Or want to try something new? [Vash starts to shuffle the deck he has.]

[killedwithlove]

I only know Wicked Grace and I don't really know it. I keep forgetting what beats what.

Teach me something?

[He shuffles on his butt to face Vash.]

[goldenglasses]

Hm. Then why not a simple game that can be fun? Ever heard of Old Maid?

[killedwithlove]

She sits on the front porch, on her old stool, watching the children, watching us, they say she can lay the eye on people, that demons will reach through your dreams if she stares in your eye too long.

[goldenglasses]

Hhmm, no. Not that old maid. The one I'm talking about is a card game. I'll put a joker in the deck and we take turns taking cards from each other, laying down any matching numbers we get, until only the joker is left. The person not holding the joker at the end wins!

This way you could even talk to your cards and it won't matter too much.

[killedwithlove]

I don't understand.

You put a Joker in the deck. Shuffles, it hurts, always hurts, bones break with too hard breath. And then... we take cards from each other?

[goldenglasses]

Oh, um. We could try playing something else then. How about go fish?

[killedwithlove]

I went fishing once. You're not meant to get in the pond with them, apparently.

... I don't think there are ponds on the Marsiva.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash can't help but last at the thought of Cole walking into the pond to talk to the fish.] No, I don't think you're are.

[He starts shuffling out a hand to each of them.] No ponds, but maybe on the next planet we're on they'll have one.

Now, how you play this game is simple. You'll ask if I have a card with the same number as one of your cards. If I do I'll give it to you. If I don't I'll say Go-- ah, take a card! And you'll take a card from these ones here!

[He spreads out the remaining cards between the two of them.] Our goal is to try to match each card together in pairs!

[killedwithlove]

When we were by the ocean, I fell in and breathed in water and Cullen pulled me out, but when I met Nami in her dream mind, she said she'd teach me to swim.

[Cole knows this is fun, the way Vash bubbles with it, it's clear, but he doesn't understand why it's fun. Maybe it's fun if you can't see in other people's minds.]

We can try that game.

[goldenglasses]

I bet Nami would be pretty good at teaching someone. She seems really smart.

[Vash peers at his cards.] I'll start then. Do you have a two?

[killedwithlove]

[Cole looks at the cards he's given and runs his fingers over them softly.

He finally plucks out the two he has and offers it out.]

We try and make pairs, right? What do we do with a pair when we've made it?

[goldenglasses]

We put them together! [Vash takes the cards and puts them face down on the table.] We're going to match up the cards until they all find their friends! Now I found a match so I'll guess again! When I guess a card you don't have I'll take from the middle and it will be your turn to guess!

How about a ten?

[killedwithlove]

All right. I think I understand.

[It is a vast step up on most of Cole's attempts at games.]

Um... no, I'm sorry.

[goldenglasses]

That's okay! Can't guess perfectly every time. [Vash pulls from the pile.] Your turn to guess!

[killedwithlove]

[Cole looks at his cards. Then Vash's in his hand.]

May I have your three?

[goldenglasses]

Sure! [Vash takes the three and hands it over.]

[killedwithlove]

[He looks again and tries to feel more echoes, and then shrugs slightly and tries at random.]

Do you have a... nine?

[goldenglasses]

[Vash grabs the nine of clubs out of his hand.] Here you are!

[killedwithlove]

[He took the card and set down his pair.]

And we keep doing this until all the cards are in pairs?

[goldenglasses]

Exactly! Normally you're trying to see who can get the most pairs first, but we'll just play together and try to match them all.