B. The Games We Play

B.04. Early Bird Cameo

Chance entered his brother's pawn shop. The shop was dark with the only light sources being the dusk light filtering through the window. All kinds of second-hand jewelry and weapons littered the mahogany shelves.

Risk sat with his feet on the counter, reading a magazine. He looked up when the store bell clicked.

"Hey nerd! Got anything for us today?"

Risk was a tall white lagomi with thick, short blonde hair. He wore a duster jacket and many rings on his fingers.

Chance emptied out a small bag on the counter. A handful of coins toppled out. "Twenty-five bronze, thirteen silver and two gold."

Risk gave him a concerned glance. "This is much less then you normally bring."

"I gambled too long at the one place and lost fifty golds I won."

"And your powers did the glitchy-ness?"

"Yes, I still haven't figured what causes that."

Risk locked the coins in a safe under the counter. "Maybe your powers aren't glitching, maybe those games were just rigged."

Chance considered the thought then shook his head. "I don't think so. Just yesterday I played Find-the-queen with this human girl. She got really suspicious when I kept winning, as if she knew the game was tilted to my advantage. I think she was trying to cheat but I won anyway."

Risk leaned back in his seat, "Mmm... any other theories then?" He smiled when Chance started rambling.

"Well I was thinking, maybe instead of things just inexplicably going right for me, my power just increases the already available odds. So say if the odds are 40% it will increase to 80% but that means 1% will become only 2%."

Chance tucked a loose lock of hair into his beanie. "I'm still testing the theory but it works with the 'ignores rigged results' rule as then it will just influence the probability of the rig being set up wrong."

Risk got up and stretched. "So you'll just report your findings to me when your done." He chuckled and walked around the counter, "I sound like a nerd when I say that." He grabbed Chance in a headlock and noogied him. "You're infecting me with nerditis."

"Hey!" Chance tried to wiggle free. "The itis suffix refers to inflamation idiot!"

Risk grabbed his legs and held him up upside down and swung him around. "Neeeerrrrd-itis!"

Chance laughed and kicked him. "Let me go!"

Risk dropped him with a grin, noogied him once more then shouldered the rucksack that layed next to the counter. Chance tried to fix his hair by pressing the loose strands back under his beanie then gave up and removed it all together so he can comb his long hair properly.

"I'm going out with some friends. I need to know your plans for the night so I know who should keep the keys."

"I don't know, I was thinking of going to the carnival." Chance shrugged.

Risk swung the keys around his fingers, unsure what to do.

"Give them to me, you'll just lose them again."

"How was I supposed to know that delwer dragons love sparkly things?" He rolled his eyes and tossed Chance the keys.

.....

The peaceful Lovegood park was transformed into a glorious fair with many attractions such as adrenline-pulsing rides, intriguing street shows and stalls with all kinds of odd (and questionably legal) trinkets.

Keira ran from stall to stall. Taking in all of the attractions. Jane has never seen her so happy, it made her happy even if she was already out of breath from chasing her around.