Jacks And Jokers

20: Dinner With Copains 💢

TW Gore. If you don't like that, skip until the next sign 💢

I was being chased. It was horribly disfigured and strangely fast. The moon did little to guide my way but still showed my freezing breath. With a limp it was quickly catching up to me. Trees flew past me as I kept running. Now there were two. This ones body was littered with gashes and scratches. There was no life in their eyes, but a lust for death. Branches crunched underneath their feet, and leaves crashed against their face. Then I hit something. 

A large rocky cliff staggered my conception of size, but I didn't need to worry about this now, I just needed to run away. I couldn't though. The cliff, now seeming larger and more foreboding was in the way. They were closing in. I could hear the breath, branches, and see their blur. Now 3 columns of blood, ripped flesh, and pus now stood in front of me. Soon four, five, and six were crowding around me. The pounding of my heart made me feel like my veins were going to burst. 

I started to shrink against the wall of stone. Freezing water started to cool my back, my breath barely visible in the moonlight. Moss brushed up against my hands gave me an idea, so I started to climb. I got only a feet in the air when the hand grabbed my leg.
💢
I woke up with a start. I gasped for air, seeming out of breath. It was just a dream. I looked outside remembering Ash's threats. I still had about 30 minutes before sunset so I resorted to walk around. I had probably been asleep for around an hour. Everyone else was outside their hut catching up so I thought to do the same.

"Dakota!" I yelled across our small courtyard. He looked over at me and waved. We both started to walk over to each other.

"Did Ash give you the talk too?" Dakota asked. 

"The one about us trying to 'take' power?" I responded. He quickly nodded.

"Do you think the capital actually tried to send spies on the jokers?"

"Is that what he said? I doubt that the king would actually care about anyone in the wild. He could probably just let us die." I said. 

Dakota just nodded his head in thought. "Ya, I doubt he actually cared. He probably sent more people this year just to get them out of the way." He casually mentioned.

"Well he couldn't think we're all with the King." I said. "There's eight of us, and from what I presume, there's usually only three or four." Upon looking at me quizzically I explained. "So first when we got to the abandoned and kinda destroyed town Ignis was surprised when we told him there were more jokers. He thought it was just plain normal for us to be out there until that."

"Ya that would make sense. We should probably get ready for dinner so he doesn't feed us to the bent cards. Know where we need to go?" He asked.

"No, but we might as well head towards that giant palace in the middle of town. I feel like if it's anywhere it's probably going to be there." I said. 

Dakota and I decided to leave a little early so we didn't risk being late. Soon after that all of the new jokers started to leave and follow us. We all gradually floated along seeing where the main foot traffic lead too. From what we could tell everyone was headed to the large building Ash had walked out of. 

Up close the building was more a dark green than the original black I'd thought of. The doors, of a dark brown color, loomed sinisterly above a reasonable height. We soon started to file into those doors. The area inside also fit the rustic appearance of the exterior, but held more lighting. There were candles in ridiculously high up, but before I could figure out how they got there Ash started to talk to the crowd. He was situated at the front tables faced towards the rest of the crowds.

"Welcome to a very delayed," he started as he raised his arms, " 'sorting ceremony'." Everyone started laughing at this remark. There were about 30 people, all looking under the age of 25, sitting at the tables. "This year The King decided to gift us with 8 people instead of the usual 3 or four. It's going to be difficult for them to adjust to life here, so I need everyone here tonight to make them feel welcome."

Ash started looking at all of the new arrivals and made a grand gesture for us to sit down at the closest tables to the front. We all started to walk down to the assigned tables and sat down. Dakota sat next to me and Brittany sat next to him. She started to, as far as I could tell, hitting on him. 

"Now, let us get this years celebration on, and let the feast commence! And remember, don't eat till our guests arrive." At Ash's words previously unnoticed doors opened and more people entered the dinning hall with platers. Great smells only smelled once before wafted into our noses. 

"Everything smells so good," One of the jokers from our group said. 

I then turned to Dakota and said, "It smells oddly familiar too." He looked at me and nodded. 

The platters arrived at Ash's table first. They placed the platters in front of him and his friends before removing the domes revealing delicacies that made everyone's mouth water. I realized Ignis was one of the few people sitting at the table next to Ash. 

Next the platters and servers made their way to our table. The six other jokers looked to Dakota and I as if asking permission. I shook my head to say let's wait. I looked up to see how the distribution of food was working. Soon the servers went to the next table behind us, then further until they reached the back table. Too the servers grabbed platters from the back room and sat at a previously uninhabited table. 

I looked up. He'd said to wait to eat till the guests arrived. We were already here, so who were the guests? Thats when the ridiculously large doors opened. In walked a large, hunched over figure with spines growing out of its back. Its eyes glowed red, and two horns protruded from its head. As it walked its claws dragged on the floor. It soon passed our table who were frozen in fear. 

Soon, three more of those creatures started to walk into the dinning area. Four large chairs, previously desolate, were now occupied. Four workers carried four new, larger platters to the table in front of the beasts. 

"We want to thank you for being here copains Thunder, Whirlwind, Chamomile and Flame. We are so honored you gifted us with your presence!" Ash said. Soon the servers lifted the large domes from the platters. The platters had raw animals, and the 'copains' seemed pleased with this. 

In a low, growly, thunderous voice one of them responded with a, "Thank you. Now let's eat!"

Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who's added this to their reading list! If you voted, here's a cookie for you. 🍪 If there are any misspellings please tell me! Thanks, and have a great day!