Post by johnpaul on Apr 9, 2018 17:39:10 GMT -6
It had all looked so promising. He'd made it to the final - it could have been his big break! If he won, then fame and fortune were sure to follow. If only...
Algernon Sharp. He's the one that made it all go wrong. Of course, HE could afford that "Blazing Inferno" card. And after that... well, there was no coming back. Algernon had him - and what's worse, finished it with a shower of sparks that caused the whole audience to go wild. It wasn't enough that he'd defeated him, he had to steal his gimick too. Gods, how he'd hated him in that moment. And that smug little smile with which he'd done it had just twisted the knife.
He had tried. He had pursued the best cards, but they had always been just out of reach. Whether he bought packs in the hope of striking gold or bidding online for them, they were always just more than he could afford.
He had bought them anyway.
At first he had told himself that the exhorbitant "loans" he took out were an investment. Gotta speculate to accumulate! Buying that Corporate Buyout card meant that not only compete, but actually win tournaments with the big prizes.
But the other competitors could afford that, Stockmarket Crash and Corrupt Politician. So he had bought more cards that he couldn't afford until he had more loans than he could ever hope to conceal from Mike.
It had come to a head with the Acamorian Nationals. They had the biggest prize money ever so with the right deck, all his money worries would be over... but it was 100 Gold to enter and he would need a killer deck. And the only way to get hold of enough cash was to sell the family car. He'd left for the tournament confident he would win... and, once again, Algernon had been there to knock him out.
He remembered the feeling of dread as he headed home, knowing there was no way to make it right. And when he had stepped into the house, the first thing he noticed was how quiet it was. And when he'd stepped inside, Alexander was waiting.
"You're moving out." He'd said it softly but firmly. "The kids are with my folks, but before they come back, you're leaving. Until you can get your head on straight, I can't be around you."
Frank went mad. He'd ranted and raved. He could still remember every horrible, poisonous accusation he'd spat at Alex, knowing that it was all unfair. Maybe he'd wanted Mike to fight back, so he could feel justified in his anger, but Mike had just taken it and never even raised his voice. If he thought back, he could even remember there were tears in Mike's eyes. But Alex had been resolute and no matter how sad it may have made him, hadn't given an inch. In the end, Frank had stormed out with one suitcase, yelling that Alex had never supported him, knowing it was a lie. He'd headed for one of his Holodeck friends and crashed there, lying that he was better off on his own.
And now this. He'd noticed the chat in Ever Summer Days that had suggested there was a way of making money... that might not be strictly legit. He'd heard how police sometimes ran sting operations to entrap criminals, but other than a few unpaid fines, Frank couldn't imagine he was important enough to any of the corps. And the other people he owed money to... were more likely to lob grenades through windows rather than anything subtle.
Maybe this time everything would go right...
Algernon Sharp. He's the one that made it all go wrong. Of course, HE could afford that "Blazing Inferno" card. And after that... well, there was no coming back. Algernon had him - and what's worse, finished it with a shower of sparks that caused the whole audience to go wild. It wasn't enough that he'd defeated him, he had to steal his gimick too. Gods, how he'd hated him in that moment. And that smug little smile with which he'd done it had just twisted the knife.
He had tried. He had pursued the best cards, but they had always been just out of reach. Whether he bought packs in the hope of striking gold or bidding online for them, they were always just more than he could afford.
He had bought them anyway.
At first he had told himself that the exhorbitant "loans" he took out were an investment. Gotta speculate to accumulate! Buying that Corporate Buyout card meant that not only compete, but actually win tournaments with the big prizes.
But the other competitors could afford that, Stockmarket Crash and Corrupt Politician. So he had bought more cards that he couldn't afford until he had more loans than he could ever hope to conceal from Mike.
It had come to a head with the Acamorian Nationals. They had the biggest prize money ever so with the right deck, all his money worries would be over... but it was 100 Gold to enter and he would need a killer deck. And the only way to get hold of enough cash was to sell the family car. He'd left for the tournament confident he would win... and, once again, Algernon had been there to knock him out.
He remembered the feeling of dread as he headed home, knowing there was no way to make it right. And when he had stepped into the house, the first thing he noticed was how quiet it was. And when he'd stepped inside, Alexander was waiting.
"You're moving out." He'd said it softly but firmly. "The kids are with my folks, but before they come back, you're leaving. Until you can get your head on straight, I can't be around you."
Frank went mad. He'd ranted and raved. He could still remember every horrible, poisonous accusation he'd spat at Alex, knowing that it was all unfair. Maybe he'd wanted Mike to fight back, so he could feel justified in his anger, but Mike had just taken it and never even raised his voice. If he thought back, he could even remember there were tears in Mike's eyes. But Alex had been resolute and no matter how sad it may have made him, hadn't given an inch. In the end, Frank had stormed out with one suitcase, yelling that Alex had never supported him, knowing it was a lie. He'd headed for one of his Holodeck friends and crashed there, lying that he was better off on his own.
And now this. He'd noticed the chat in Ever Summer Days that had suggested there was a way of making money... that might not be strictly legit. He'd heard how police sometimes ran sting operations to entrap criminals, but other than a few unpaid fines, Frank couldn't imagine he was important enough to any of the corps. And the other people he owed money to... were more likely to lob grenades through windows rather than anything subtle.
Maybe this time everything would go right...