week four | dates

[marriagebroker]

Get dressed up, go on the town, this is your last week for romance!

Comments

[ordimame]

[Edamura knows how to play mahjong but I SURE DON'T so fuck it we ball]

[as he sets up his tiles--]

Hey! It's been a while since I've played this game!

[gamboler]

[ Picking up a few of the tiles and turning them over in his hands: ]

How fascinating...these are similar to the tiles used in Celestial Jade, but just different enough...well! I learn best on the fly, so if the rules are any different from what I'm used to, I'll just have to adapt.

[ordimame]

. . . what's Celestial Jade?

[he asks, like he is going to know. also setting up his tiles, along with the two old grannies on either side of them who are about to kick their asses]

[gamboler]

A popular strategic tile game like this one exported from the Xianzhou Alliance. I only tried it for myself a few times before, but I'm still no slouch. [ Nodding winsomely to the old women across from them: ] Ladies.

[ They are sure about to be decimated. ]

[ordimame]

[one of the grannies grumps. You're going down, punk. WOW, SO COMPETITIVE??]

[Edamura stares at her for a few moments, before shaking his head and turning back to Aventurine]

Sounds like it might just be another name for mahjong. . . if you can't keep up, I'll teach you what I know.

[Yeah, because we sure won't! the other granny pipes in. man. this game is serious business]

[gamboler]

[ Oh, he likes these women. They've got moxie. He wouldn't even be mad if they lose to them, so long as they get a good game out of it. ]

Well, now that we have such charming company, the game is hardly my main focus now. Let's —

[ "Don't try to butter us up! Get on with it already!" one of the grannies interjects.

Oh. Well. Okay... ]

[ordimame]

[WELL. OKAY!!]

[leaning towards Aventurine as one of the old grannies stars plucking tiles from their rows, starting the game in earnest]

So I know we did pretty good in poker. . .

But I think we're about to get crushed.

[gamboler]

[ Yeah, he's having the exact same realization right now... ]

You didn't put any money on this game, did you...?

1/2

[ordimame]

[. . .]

[ordimame]

M— money isn't everything!

[wow these grannies play fast, Edamura almost misses it when it is his turn. grabbing some tiles!]

[gamboler]

At least tell me you used what you won last week...

[ Right, if this follows the same idea as Celestial Jade...Aventurine takes some tiles, too. Now it's the grannies' turns, who doesn't even hesitate before making their next moves. ]

[ordimame]

Not. . . all of it. . .

[he will go home with a profit, albeit a much smaller one]

[gamboler]

[ A shake of his head. A rookie mistake... ]

Never bet against the parlor grannies.

[ This causes one of said grannies to toss a tile at his head. "I'm not a granny, pretty boy!" ]

[ordimame]

Whoa, whoa. . .! We don't have to get violent!

[wheezing a little as he grabs some more tiles when it is his turn, rearranging his hand quickly and with practice, even if it's not as impressive as how their two feisty opponents play]

[gamboler]

[ There seem to be a few variations from Celestial Jade, but the principles are the same, and Aventurine is a fast learner. He adds a couple more tiles into his hand, gaze flickering around the table. ]

No? I think that makes things a little more exciting.

[ordimame]

I don't need things to be that exciting!!

[and then its one of the grannies turns, and. . . she plucks a few tiles of her own, rearranges her hand, and then slams them all down onto the table with a victorious hah! Mahjong!!]

[gamboler]

[ Oh, heavens. That was even faster than he expected! The tiles drop out of his hand so he can applaud instead. ]

Well done, well done -- genuinely!! No need for any further violence.

[ Please spare their handsome faces. ]

[ordimame]

[the grannies fistbump each other while cackling. Edamura sighs, but he also seems endeared]

I think one round is all I've got in me. Maybe we should hit up the bar.

[gamboler]

[ Aventurine is already rising from his seat, head hung low in defeat. ]

I'd like that. It better be my treat, since you bet all your money against the grannies.

[ ...One last mahjong tile is flung at his head. ]

[ordimame]

[oh my god]

If you keep goading them on and they take out an eye, I'm not going to feel sorry for you.