4♠ | video

[solitaire]

_{( Remy’s hanging out in what passes for one of the classier taverns, leaning back in a wooden chair as his hair falls over his eyes. He’s eyeing the communicator a little devilishly, and, as ever, he’s shuffling a deck of cards. And though the process is constant, he eventually pulls out exactly the card he meant to: the Ace of Diamonds. )}

Diamonds are called Coins, sometimes. If it was gonna be an element, it’d be Earth. Has ta do with the physical, your body an’ your wealth. People who do work like that, too—merchants, traders.

Sometimes it jus’ means you’re an achiever. Y’like gettin’ things done.

_{( He nods, solemnly, before replacing the card in the deck and continuing with his shuffling. He pulls out the Ace of Clubs, next. )}

Clubs’re different. Called Wands, in the old days. They’re Fire, willpower. People who do hard work, wit’ their hands. If you’re someone who likes destruction, that’s your suit. But that’s no so bad. The world needs breakin’ down an’ buldin’ up.

_{( Another nod, another tilt of his head. The next card is the Ace of Hearts. )}

Hearts’re special, some people think. Used ta be called Cups. They gotta do with Water, with emotion. People who do things spir’tually.

Hearts’re socializers. They like other people, more than things.

_{( He kisses the card lightly before shuffling it back in, pulling out the last. The Ace of Spades. )}

Now, Spades. Also called Swords, sometimes. They’re Air, freedom. But wit’ that comes unpredictability. If you’re a Spade, y’like havin’ authority. But that comes wit’ responsibility, an’ consequences.

Spades’re explorers. They like the unknown, seekin’ out what they might be ‘fraid of o’ what might bring ‘em joy.

_{( That card goes back into the deck, too. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Remy smiles at the communicator once more. )}

So, here’s a question. Which’re you?

Comments

video; I've been told you were waiting for this

[speakveryclearly]

[Kanaya answers this one from a bench in the training halls. The heavy green makeup on her eyes and lips only accentuates her skepticism at the post.]

Clubs for myself, I suppose.

...

Have you ever heard the division pale, ashen, flushed, caliginous, by any chance?

[solitaire]

Don't sound so excited there, fille.

_{( He tilts his head, idly indulgent as ever. )}

I know a flush, but the rest is Greek ta me. What's it mean?

I submitted so so early sorry

[speakveryclearly]

[She squints at the term fille - French, isn't it? She's just been there on mission but she's never known a transport of such a persuasion. The memory of the epiphet's meaning a moment later smooths the bags under her eyes back out again - only at the admission of just flushed she arches an eyebrow, unconsciously shakes her head a millimeter.] It's always flushed if it's any of them at all, isn't it?

I'm just talking about the exact same tetraparitite division, really. If I seem disinterested, I apologize; it's a disappointment when the similarities aren't recognized as such, that's all.

...but in your cards the colors were only red and black. That's an excuse. Should I prepare a more varied visual aid?

no worries!

[solitaire]

C'est vrai. When you got five outta the family, all lined up.

There's blue an' yellow. They just fell outta use a while ago. What do your divisions mean, then?

[speakveryclearly]

They're still chromatic, just - don't your card games have majors and minors instead of just colors?

Just a moment, monsieur-- [She's in a bakery. So she gets up to fetch a napkin and... icing. The resulting diagram resembles this without the textual labels or grid lines. Yet.]

[solitaire]

D'pends on the game. Different ones got different rules.

Alright, so y'got the same suits. Now tell me what's different.

[speakveryclearly]

They're for [her lips form a word she decides not to say and replaces with] emotions.

In just the right light not too different from your personality types. Clubs, for example, being pragmatism, problem-solving.

[solitaire]

Seems simple 'nough. What're the others?

[speakveryclearly]

[Indicated by glowing pointer finger--

Hearts:] Your pursuit of happiness, your reckless emotional investment.

[Spades:] Your competitive passion and rivalry.

[And diamonds:] Work at improvement of self and others.

But humans only ever do flushed, or at least that's what you'll hear most of them say. It's something I don't quite understand. Doesn't it seem imbalanced?

[solitaire]

I think we got most a' those. Just maybe not in the same way.

Hearts're romance, but y'can have other kinds a' relationships.

[speakveryclearly]

[The screen makes it harder to see her eye twitch; the fact that both of them glow like yellow headlamps make it easier.]

None of them are formalized, though, aren't they?

[solitaire]

Fille, romance is barely formalized. Humans don't really like labels, least not for themselves. Or rules.

[speakveryclearly]

Ahahahahaha.

[Her white teeth flash underneath green lips. Clearly sharper than human.]

That explains a great deal.

[solitaire]

Been wonderin' about them, have you?

[speakveryclearly]

--Wait, a moment if you would.

Are you referring to "them" for the sake of verbal harmony or making a deliberate distinction?

[solitaire]

Just bein' honest. I ain't human.

[speakveryclearly]

You had me fooled.

[solitaire]

_{( he grins, red eyes gleaming for a moment from within. )}

What can I say? I'm subtle.

[speakveryclearly]

You play it safer than I know how to, that's for sure.

[She's really bad at figuring out what traits are and aren't what you get outside of Transports.]

[solitaire]

You're the first person ta think so.

[speakveryclearly]

What, do you have a reputation for gambling?

[solitaire]

I got a lot a' reputations.