Symbol Chapter 0.1: Spades
(A look into the life of the Spade Cards and lifestyle)
“Well, since we have a grand 3 challengers here with all different ideas on what to play, I get to decide what the game is. So the game will be… Tycoon! It’s my favorite game, after all, but it doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed the win. You just have to make sure to get rid of all your cards before everyone else, and if you rack up enough points, you win!”
“But.. this means we’re all against one another..”
“That makes it way harder! Why couldn’t we just challenge you one by one??”
“I was so ready for my own game, but you.. You’ll take advantage of this! It’s not fair, right??”
“Mm.. That’s true. It’s normally a 1 v 1. So, I’ll propose this: you three can be a team, and focus me down. You can tell each other what cards you have, ensure I don’t have a chance to play, do whatever you want to do to make sure I lose.
“If you win, you guys can figure out who shall be the new Leader of Spades together~”
The Spades Section of the Symbol City. A place full of neon bright lights, soothing music, and bustling entertainment buildings. Out of all the four sections, this one was the place to be for fun. Restaurants big and small, clubs of different genres for different folks, arcades from classic to 4D, and so much more. Various Servants with heads of Spades wandered together with the residents, ready to assist anyone who had questions and concerns with anything. The city lights look like stars in the pale blue landscape, the moon never seeming to set to give the sun a turn, but it still felt so warm and bright. If you were bored in this part of town.. Well, you were just a boring person, weren’t you?
One of the biggest clubs in town was the FNF, run by one of the Leader’s very own Trump Cards. This club was full of the best music, and hosted countless singing competitions and karaoke nights. The drinks were fruity, as well as the workers there. There were also private rooms for private games, and you can even stack up winnings to get yourself some prizes, which can be saved for another visit. Wins aren’t rigged against the customer, since this was all fun sport, but..
“Ahhh~! Gotta hurry! I’m gonna miss their challenge!”
A blue hair playboy bunny rushed around the club, quickly checking if everything was running smoothly. Customers could barely catch a glimpse of him from how fast he was running; his super speed was a power given to him by the Leader themselves. His blue-highlighted black bunny ears whipped in different directions, trying to see if there was any sort of issue that needed his help. There weren't normally any issues when he was in and out the club, but you can never be too sure.
[You don’t have to worry so much, Keith.] A female robotic voice spoke up, spooking the bunny to a halt. Keith looked over to see his older sister, Roxanne, who was standing behind him with her trusty clipboard in hand and male Servant by her side. She, too, was dressed in a playboy bunny outfit, yet she somehow looked more modestly dressed than him. [I can handle the club while you’re gone. You should worry more about being on time.] A choker around her neck glowed whenever it spoke, despite her lips not moving.
Keith pouted at the slight jab at his tardiness. “It’s not my fault! Someone kept using all their points to challenge me, so it went way longer than expected! They lost it all, and I had fun, but now I’m running behind!” Yes, customers can use their earnings to challenge Keith directly, in hopes of winning even bigger, more enticing prizes. However, they’re no easy wins, and he always dominates the challenge with a perfect score. People know this, yet they continue to challenge; either the grand prizes are just so tempting to win, or his cocky and teasing behavior makes them want to wipe that smirk off his face.
His ears stopped darting about and drooped, meaning his “scan” of the club was complete. “Ok Roxie! I’m passing control over to you! Keep me posted in case anyone tries anything funny. And don’t let that chick stare at your butt anymore! I’ll fight her if she dares try to go third base with my sister.” Keith glared at Roxanne, who was blushing beet red and bonked him with the clipboard. Rushing over to the exit, he raised his hand to his earring, ready to transform out of his uniform.. Until someone blocked his way. He groaned in annoyance and said, “I’m off the clock, buddy. Talk to Roxanne if you need something.”
“Ah c’mon, just real quick.” The sneaky guy grinned as he towered over Keith, but the Trump Card was far from fazed. “You said last time that you would accept my lil game, yet you’re tryna pull a fast one on me yet again. It’s a quick game, nothing we gotta set up with anything fancy.”
“Me, pull a fast one? You’re the one that has a tab that hasn’t been paid off yet!” Keith retorted. “You were already warned that if you didn’t pay your tab at the end of the week, you’d be forced to clean this place until it’s paid in full.”
“I know, I know, but that’s what my lil bet is for.” The man flicked a coin in the air, catching it without breaking eye contact with Keith. “Just one game of Heads or Tails. If you win, I pay for everything tonight. I win, and the debts’ gone.” His grin grew as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Keith’s. “And don’t worry if you lose. We can always double or nothin’, heh heh~..”
This bastard and his coin.., Keith thought, sucking his teeth in. There was always annoying customers like him, and he always challenged people to coin flips just to get out of trouble. Keith was all too familiar with it, especially with how this guy knew how high to flip the coin in order to get the side he wanted. He could just ban the guy from the club, but at this point..
The man’s eyes widened in excitement. This was going to be such an easy win, and knowing how stubborn Keith was about losing.. Hoho, the things he’s going to make this bunny bitch do~! “Alrighty then! After I flip it, just say what side you want while it’s in the air. Good luck~” Doing two casual flips, he snaps the coin high into the air with his thumb, still not breaking eye contact with Keith. “So? Heads or Tails~?”
“Heads.” Keith answered instantly.
The man caught the coin and slapped it onto the back of his other hand. He didn’t even have to look at it to know what it was, and boy was he excited. “Y’sounded pretty confident there, lil bunny boy. Unfortunately for you, it was–”
“.. huh? But.. it was supposed to be..”
This time, it was Keith’s turn to grin almost sinister-like. “Get your suit on. You work in 10 minutes.”
While the FNF was the most popular club within Spades, the Sweet Delights was the most popular cafe there. It’s mainly known for its wide variety of desserts and all things sweet, but their sandwiches, various comfort drinks, and small meals can rival most restaurants there. Not to mention the five beautiful maids that serve the customers with a bright smile on their faces.. Well, if you don’t do something that’ll have them death glare you to the ground. This bubbly yet cozy atmosphere attracts people from even the other Symbols, keeping it consistently busy until closing.
“Puuuddiiiing! Is the Smores Cheesecake ready yeeeet?” One maid with the poofiest pigtails popped her head into the kitchen, calling out for the bluenette maid baking with various Servants. All were hard at work in catching up with the different dessert orders, but none were stressing from the busy business (not like the Servants could visibly show stress, but if “Pudding” was fine, so was everything else). “I’m sorry for rushing, by the by! They’re my last table, and there’s something I HAVE to record for Miss Cremie! It’s about these magical mecha girls, and–”
A bonk on the head cut her off from blabbing, causing her to cower and whine. A maid with short pink hair growled, her face flushed in embarrassment. “Shortcake, if you don’t shut your trap, I swear to god..” “Miss Cremie” (or Creme, her ACTUAL alias) looked over to all the desserts going through the last bit of decoration, her irritation turning into concern. Stepping into the kitchen, she leaned closer to the bluenette and whispered “Leroy, are you okay? If you need a break, I can take over..”
“Hm?” Leroy, who was hyper focused at the before mentioned cheesecake, snapped back to reality and looked over to “Creme” with wide eyes. Some chocolate syrup was on his cheek and fingers, and his apron was slightly more messy with various creams, but he didn’t seem to be stressed out. If anything, he looked as if he was perfectly in his element.
Once he realized who was next to him, he smiled and grabbed a nearby rag to clean off his hands and cheek. “I’m fine, Sophia. We should be done with everything in just a bit. The kitchen will focus on sandwiches and crepes afterwards, once the desserts are kept warm..” he lightly booped Sophia’s nose, “.. or cool for the night~” Giggling at Sophia’s flushed face again, Leroy put on the final touches to the cheesecake, before carefully placing it into a to-go box. “Here you go, Poppy. You’re free to leave once you get your table cleaned up. Oh, and your red velvet cupcakes are waiting for you in the cooler~”
“Yaaaay! Thank yooooou~♡!” Poppy instantly recovered into her bubbly self from the mention of her work reward, and she grabbed the box with excitement, trying not to bounce too much in her step as she rushed to her customer’s table. The maids used fake aliases at work, since it felt a little weird to be addressed by their actual names by random customers. However, they used their real names when in the kitchen or break room, as well as outside of work. Poppy and Sophia, as well as two others named Vivian and Nova (also known as Matcha and Mocha) were hired by Leroy and he found each of them at their lowest. They all feel indebted to him, but he sees them all as good friends that helped him adjust more to the Symbol City.
Since he came from the outside..
“How are Vivian and Nova holding up?” Leroy asked Sophia as they both began cleaning up the kitchen counters. “Have they decided who is going to stay and help you out for the night?”
“Vivian’s gonna stay and work.” Sophia answered. “She’s taking a nap right now during her break, so once she’s up, Nova will head out.” She grabbed a box of opened strawberries and glanced over to the bluenette. When he nodded, she took a berry and bit into it, smiling at the freshness. “Most of our usuals have already finished their meals and left, and we haven’t had any creeps come today, so I wanna say it’s gonna be a smooth night.”
“That’s good. Don’t be afraid to call me if someone tries to start any problems, okay?” Leroy placed the remaining dirty dishes to the dishwasher, where a Servant nodded and got to work in washing. He looked over to the clock and subconsciously played with the hem of his maid dress. “He should be here soon.. I should wash up and change.”
Sophia looked puzzled at Leroy’s statement.. Then furrowed her brow at a thought. “Wait.. is that guy coming here? The friggin’ giant that looks like he hasn’t grown out of his edge phase?”
“.. Pfft!” Leroy couldn’t help but snort at Sophia’s comment, then waved his hand in denial. “No no, not Tsuri. I meant Keith! Ore-.. Our Leader is going to be challenged today. It’s going to be broadcast in a bit, so we want to watch it.” He waltzed over to the pink maid, who had sighed in relief at the confirmation, and held onto her hands, a sneaky glint in his eyes. “Y’know, you don’t have to be mean to him just because you’re jealous, Sophi. You know you and the other maids are my utmost favorites, right~?”
“Wh-?! J-Jealous?? Of him?! Hell no!” Sophia flabbergasted, her face turning red for the third time that night. “I-I just think he needs to get that stick out his ass! He’s always so serious and annoying! I feel it’d kill him to literally smile. .. then again, trying to imagine him smiling puts a shiver down my spine..”
Seeing Sophia actually shiver at the thought had Leroy giggling again. He couldn’t help himself and kissed her cheek; a habit he had when he was with the other maids, as well as the few others very important to him. Keith.. Tsuri.. Leroy shook his head and let go of the pink maid in order to fix his dress, ignoring the literal smoke steaming out of Sophia’s ears. “Well, I should get going. Vivian, Nova, and your treats are in the cooler as well, so you can grab them once you’re done with your shift. Please let the other two as well.”
With a tap on his collar, a light beam swirled around Leroy’s body, and the blue maid dress was replaced with a pale brown sweater dress, black tights, and boots to match. After a quick check up on his face and hair, Leroy grabbed two boxes from the cooler and waved goodbye to the maids, deciding to meet up with the other bluenette instead of waiting.
At least, that was the plan, until someone randomly hugged him from behind.
“.. Keith, I literally almost slammed these boxes into your face.”
“I can’t help iiiit!” The perpetrator, Keith, couldn’t help but snicker at Leroy’s slight annoyance. Even with the almost attempted threat, he didn’t let go until he gave Leroy a bigger squeeze. He then swerved in front of Leroy, taking the boxes and grinning the biggest child-like smile. “You’re the most huggable person ever to exist! Plus, you came out right as I was turning the corner, so it was too perfect of a time to getcha from behind!”
Leroy huffed at Keith’s immaturity and flicked his forehead, getting a “Beep!” in response. “I know, but I still prefer if you make some sort of noise before hugging from behind, just to let me know it’s you. That’s what a gentleman does.” Although he wanted to stay stern, Leroy felt himself falter a bit once he heard Keith’s depressed “bee…” It was hard to stay mad at him, so he smiled and kissed the spot he flicked. “I guess, to make up for that spook, you can carry those treats, and lead me to the broadcast. It’s going to start soon, isn’t it? Just be careful while carrying those. They might mess up if you move too wildly.”
Keith’s bunny ears popped up (he was no longer in his bunny outfit, and was instead in an oversized hoodie, loose shirt, and baggy pants, but his ears can still magically appear out of habit), and he smiled bright again, nodding eagerly. “It’s gonna be so cool! I heard Oreo’s letting three different people challenge him at once! I wonder if they’re gonna be able to beat him– Oh!”
A bright light beamed up to the sky, and multiple holographic tv screens opened up, facing various angles for everyone around to see. A Spade Symbol flew around the air before transforming into a young looking robotic teen in bright blue. “Heya! Howdy! Hello! Can everyone hear me nice and clear???” They shouted, floating speakers projecting their voice, hover boots keeping them afloat. “It’s Chiyo, back at it again with the intense, blood-pumping, super ultra epic commentary for the game of the day! We have a SPECIAL challenge today, as we have not ONE, not TWO, but THREE CHALLENGERS! Let’s see if any of them can take the throne from our beloved 3 of Spades: OREO!!”
“It’s starting! Lemme get a thingy!” Keith balanced the boxes with one hand while the other multi tapped his earrings, and not a minute later did a Servant appear in front of them, inside a hovering convertible- like car. It opened the door and helped the two inside, before driving to the sky, heading to a roof with the best view.
Being able to fly in such a fancy car was a luxury few had access to, and the two Trump Cards always took advantage of it to get the best views of the city. The Servant parked and awaited its next orders, but the two weren’t focused on that. Their eyes stayed glued to the screen, seeing their Leader and the three competitors sit apart from one another, their cards showing only on screen, next to their profiles. The first competitor’s profile had him look confident yet cocky. The second looked very serious, glaring at the screen. The third couldn’t hide their nervousness she must’ve felt when entering. And the Leader..
“Oreo has the best poker face ever, I swear.” Keith whistled. It probably helped the neutral appearance since Oreo’s hat and hair covered his eyes, but the constant smile he had threw people off everytime. Was he actually happy? Was he plotting something? Was he hiding anger or frustration? Nobody could ever know.. Except for his Trump Cards, and that was honestly the best power yet. “Do you think those three are actually gonna work together to take Oreo down?” Keith asked Leroy. “I feel like that’s the only way they’d win.”
“It would..” Leroy shook his head, “But I don’t think they will. Even if they followed through and managed to beat him, they’d still have to decide who the Leader would be. Look at their faces too.” Leroy pointed up to the screen. While Oreo was difficult to read, the competitors wore their thoughts right on their sleeves, eyes shifting between one another. “It’s not just about beating Oreo; they want to be the Tycoon in the end because it may guarantee their spot as Leader. I doubt any of them would want to be Cards, if the Tycoon were to actually offer that. Their clouded goals are going to keep them from winning..”
Leroy looked over to Keith, and was startled by the stars sparkling in the bunny’s eyes. He felt his face heat up from the stare, which he quickly shook his head and stared back at the screen. He missed Oreo win the first round, and the second round was about to start. Dammit, he was usually good at hiding his surprise.. “Th-that’s just what I noticed. I could be wrong, though!” he stuttered, twirling a curl in his hair in embarrassment. “You.. aren’t looking at the screen, Keith–”
“Leroy, you’re so friggin cool!” Keith interrupted, unintentionally making the car shake from his bouncing. “You’ve gotten so good at reading people’s expressions! That’s really important when playing games like this! I need to work harder to catch up to you two!” He smiled genuinely, which made Leroy’s cheeks heat up more.
Not like the compliments upset Leroy.. In fact, it made him really, REALLY happy. Caving into the good feeling, he leaned his head against Keith’s shoulder, who instantly adjusted to make sure they were both comfortable. They’ve been working together for over a year now, yet the positive attention he would get from Keith.. It always made Leroy’s chest flutter.
“Keith..” Leroy whispered, “.. Oreo’s gonna win this, right?”
“Heh heh, of course he is.” Keith nodded. “I bet my everything on it.”
They both looked up to the screen. Oreo won the second round. Just one more round left, and the only way he could lose is if second place beat him. He had a hand full of pairs, a 4 stack to start a revolution, and a 3 of Spades; his signature card.
“Yeah.. I don’t doubt he’ll win, too.” Leroy smiled. “Good.. I get to stay as a Card with you.”
“Th-This is bullshit! How’d you have that good of a hand every time?! You fuckin’ cheated somehow!”
“I knew trying to work with you two was a mistake.. Why did you guys lie about your hands?! You guys never played the cards that I needed you to play in order to win! We just had to beat him, remember?!”
“N-No.. I-I don’t want to die.. Please don’t kill me, please!!”
“I don’t cheat in my games. I’ve never had to, I never will. I told you guys that you could work together to beat me, but you couldn’t even manage that. All you had to do was try to beat me, that’s all. But you each wanted to be the Tycoon. To be honest.. That was a bit boring. I’ll figure out what to do with you three later~”
With a loud snap, each competitor was escorted by a Servant, all yelling, cursing, and crying the way out.
“Sigh.. Keith and Leroy should be home soon. Mmm, they made donuts today, I believe. I need a treat sooo bad.”
The “hat” tugs on his arm.
“Hmm.. you sensed it too, didn’t you, Namu? Something’s coming.. I can’t wait to see what we have in store today~♤”
