"But I didn't do anything!" exclaimed Delia as the teacher lead her down the hallway.

"For that protest, your detention will be twice as long!" Snapped back the teacher quickly.

Delia had just joined Shokushu and so far was rather apprehensive about the school. At first she had been happy, but all of the students seemed to be afraid of something, always seemed to be looking about, as if something were to strike them. It made Delia nervous. It didn't help with being given detention for doing nothing!

Delia looked about as she followed the teacher down the hall. Most of the students were still in classes. The rooms were soundless, no noise emanating from the thick, oak doors that seemed to be endless, though the noise was broken with a large scream that sounded like a studnet.

"What was that?!?" Asked Delia, rather afraid herself now.

"Your detention has been doubled again! You need to learn to be well behaved, Delia." Shot back the teacher. The teacher seemed unmoved by the noise. She was as calm as always. Not once stopping. She seemed almost oblivious to it.

"That's complete nonsense!" Replied Delia, in shock at what had just happened.

"Your detention is already four times longer than originally planned, do you want to go for eight?". Asked the teacher with a menacing tone.

Delia remained quiet. The teacher lead her to a stairwell, then beckoned her on. Delia slowly descended as she heard the teacher leave. Delia came to the door and knocked on the oak with a shaky hand.

"Yes?" Asked a male voice from the other side.

"Excuse me sir" stuttered Delia, "I've been sent here for detention."

"And how long is your detention to go for?" Inquired the man from the other side.

"It was originally two hours, but the teacher decided to lengthen it to eight." Delia replied.

"Come in, the door is unlocked." Spoke the man softly. Slowly, Delia turned the knob of the door and pushed.

Seraph looked up from the desk he was sitting behind as he heard a knock on the door.

Yes?

The voice from the other side of the door piped up, stuttering "Excuse me sir. I've been sent here for detention."

And how long is your detention to go for?

"It was originally two hours, but the teacher decided to lengthen it to eight."

Come in, the door is unlocked. Seraph replied.

The door was indeed unlocked, although the enchantment on it would ensure that once it closed behind the student it would lock. The room itself was mostly empty. It had the teachers desk that was standard amongst the school that Seraph was sitting behind, and a single student desk that looked like it had been taken from a classroom. Seraph himself looked just like a teacher, his wings were hidden and he sat in the chair, his legs resting on the desk as he read through a book. He was dressed in some casual clothes, not wanting to alarm her that quickly.

What is your name?

Delia opened the door and entered the room. Afterwards, Delia closed it behind her and she heard a feint noise, like a small piece of metal hitting something. She looked at the teacher who seemed to have dropped a pin onto his desk.

The room itself was in no way auspicious. It was rather bleak, Delia didn't expect detention to be a party. A nondescript desk similar to that of the rest of the teachers' was near one side of the room, with the teacher sitting behind it. There was a small desk in the centre of the small room. Nothing else, save light coming through windows near the top of one of the walls, though the shutters had been pulled mostly closed, and the remaining light was slight. The teacher was reading a book.

"What is your name?" Asked the teacher.

"Delia, sir." Replied Delia, now a lot more calm.

The teacher beckoned Delia to sit down at the desk. Delia placed her bag next to the desk and sat down.

After about an hour of sitting there, the teacher seemed to have finished, at which point he looked up at Delia and spoke.

"Delia, I have a proposition for you."

When the student closed the door behind her Seraph let a pen fall on the desk he was sitting at, masking the sound of the door locking shut behind Delia. He gestured her to the seat, watching as her nervousness quickly faded.

Seraph pretended to be reading his book for about an hour before he snapped it shut and placed it on the desk. His hand pulled open a drawer and her pulled out a deck of cards and started to shuffle them. he regarded Delia as he did so.

Delia, I have a proposition for you. Since I can't really be bothered hanging around for another seven hours would you be interested in a bet? Pick a card game, and perhaps we can arrange a bet. I can sign your slip to say you remained the entire length of the detention if you win ... although you will need to come up with something that you can provide if I win.

Interested? Or would you prefer to simply sit around for another seven hours?

"Delia, I have a proposition for you. Since I can't really be bothered hanging around for another seven hours would you be interested in a bet? Pick a card game, and perhaps we can arrange a bet. I can sign your slip to say you remained the entire length of the detention if you win ... although you will need to come up with something that you can provide if I win." Stated the teacher, as he pulled out a deck of cards from a desk.

Delia had been sitting there for an hour, but what had seemed to be an age. Delia's face lit up. Terribly grateful for the distraction and to be able to partake in a good hobby, Delia got up and dragged her chair over to the teachers desk. Besides, how could she lose? And even if she did, Delia always broke even in the end.

"Yes, thankyou! Have you heard of the game Big 2?" Inquired Delia.

Seraph smiled at Delia as she pulled a chair over. Yes I have, Suit order ranging from highest to lowest Spades, Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds OK? When she had asked the question Seraph had known nothing about it, but a mental command to the Darklight Grimore to share this student's history relating to this game had given him complete knowledge of it.

Continuously shuffling the deck of cards Seraph asked Now that the game is established we need to determine the stakes. I have already placed my bet on the table, but what will yours be Delia? It would be interesting to see just what Delia came up with, and even more interesting to see how long it took him to guide her bet to something more entertaining. After all in this position he held the balance of power, she had to play to his wants if she wanted to get out of here quickly rather than sit around doing nothing for seven hours.

Of course if she did back out Seraph had no intention of letting her sit around and do nothing for seven hours. He could come up with much more entertaining things to spend their time in detention. The far wall of this room was in darkness, and for good reason. It contained all sorts of toys, and even a few outfits that would make most student's pale.

"Now that the game is established we need to determine the stakes. I have already placed my bet on the table, but what will yours be Delia?" Inquired the teacher as he placed the deck on the table.

Delia hadn't thought that far. What could she give the teacher that woudl be of worth? She had very little on her person. Her weapons had been confiscated before boarding the plane, and besides, she could never wager those.

She remembered she was wearing a silver necklace with a brilliant ruby on it. Delia had never actually appreciated the necklace, for it was slightly heavy and she couldn't pull it apart. But at the same time, it had great sentimental value, so she kept it. Delia pondered a moment, and then decided that because she was going to win the game, Delia unfastened the necklace and with slight reluctance, placed it on the table. There was a small sound of the links touching the wood as she slid it towards the teacher.

"If you were to win this game, I would forfeit the necklace." Replied Delia.

Very well. If you win the detention ends, if I win I get a necklace. Seraph finished shuffling the cards, and as his fingers started skilfully dealing the cards, flicking the cards he dealt to Delia so they would slide across the table and come to rest just in front of her, he cast a spell. Delia wouldn't see anything, but the faces of the cards he had dealt changed so that it would be almost impossible for Seraph to lose. He knew what he had changed Delia's cards too, and as such knew the complete contents of both their hands, plus the cards not in use.

I'd wish you good luck, but since it's a competition I would rather keep my luck to myself. Nothing personal. Seraph smiled at Delia as he looked at his hand.

With that all done the game began.

"Very well. If you win the detention ends, if I win I get a necklace." Spoke the teacher as he dealt the cards. He completed the act with great finesse and skill.

Delia looked at her cards and began ordering them from lowest to highest as she looked for combinations. Bugger, no twos! thought Delia as she continued ordering.

Delia looked over her hand and could not believe her luck. This was the worst possible hand she could have imagined. It took all of her will power not to express it on her face.

She had a variety of low cards, but was always one off a combination like a straight or a flush, and her highest pair was a six. Her highest card was the queen of spades. She had the three of diamonds, which allowed her to start though. She looked again through her hand and noticed three other threes. A full house! Her luck was changing slightly.

"I'd wish you good luck, but since it's a competition I would rather keep my luck to myself. Nothing personal." Spoke the teacher. He smiled at Delia and Delia smiled back.

"Good luck." Spoke Delia.

Delia placed down on the table a pair of sixes and the three threes and waited for the teacher to play.

Seraph was fairly impressed by Delia's ability to mask her expression upon seeing her hand. He knew full well just how bad it was. By comparison his own hand was amazing, than again, considering just what he held that wasn't surprising. He knew full well that he could win in a couple of moves, and so he did.

Her opening, her one five card combo, was countered by four sevens and the three of clubs, four of a kind beating her full house. With that done his hand was left with the eight most powerful cards in the game, the four twos and the four aces. She might suspect cheating, and so Seraph fully intended to offer her another game, this time she could shuffle and deal. Hopefully that would make sure she mentally ruled out him cheating, and would have no option but to assume he was simply getting very lucky hands.

Seraph smiled to himself as he placed down his cards. One by one he let them drop from lowest to highest, and he watched her face as she slowly realised she had lost, her hand demolished.

Probably shouldn't have wished me luck. It seems I now have a necklace. Up for playing again? I'll even throw the necklace into the pot in addition to getting out of detention early. Of course you will need to come up with something as well if you want to continue.

As he spoke Seraph gathered up the cards and offered the deck to Delia to shuffle and deal. After all, it was physically impossible for him to cheat or rig the deck when he never touched the cards until they were already dealt.

Delia watched as the teacher placed down his four of a kind. Obviously having nothing better, Delia passed as the teacher precoded to place down the four aces, one after another, then the four twos, one after another, until the two of spades lay neatly at the top of the pile. Delia's poker face slipped slightly.

He must have cheated Thought Delia. How could someone have such a good hand? With twenty six cards out of the game, what were the odds of those cards all being in the game, let alone resting with one person!

The teacher gathered the pile of cards and the spare cards that weren't used and pushed them towards Delia. Delia pushed over the necklace.

"Probably shouldn't have wished me luck. It seems I now have a necklace. Up for playing again? I'll even throw the necklace into the pot in addition to getting out of detention early. Of course you will need to come up with something as well if you want to continue."

"We shall continue. I always break even." replied Delia. Delia reached into her bag and pulled out an ornate axe handle.

"When I came to the school, they requested that any weapons be given. They would be given back when I leave. I had a number of francisca, a Germanic throwing axe that had a tenancy to bounce if it hit the ground. I had a rather ornate one too. When I had to give it up, I only gave the axe head. If you win, you get the handle and you can claim the head when I leave. The francisca was worth more than the necklace by far, and held greater sentimental value too.

Delia placed the eight cards from her last hand with the cards in front of her and squared the deck. She skilfully performed a ripple shuffle before cutting the deck several times. With equal skill to the teacher, Delia flicked the cards across the table. When Delia picked up her hand, she was not very amused. It wasn't as bad as before, but still couldn't be considered "good".

Delia was given five pairs, 3 (no three of diamonds this time, perhaps the teacher has it?), 4, 6, 8 and 10. She was given a five, a Jack and a Queen. Her highest card, a queen of diamonds! And if only two cards were different, she would have two straights. No flushes. Delia kept the positive side in mind as she maintained her poker face.

Seraph simply smiled as he caught the cards, the spell he cast changing the face values to suit what he wanted them to be. He had no intention, nor did he ever have an intention, of being fair, or giving Delia any sort of chance of victory. This time he made her hand a little bit better, but his own was still a lot better.

He did indeed start with the 3 of diamonds, which would allow him to go first. He also had all four 7s, a flush made up of a 3,4,6,8 and 10 all in spades, a pair of kings and a jack of diamonds. He opened with a five card combination of the 3 and the 7s, and when Delia was unable to respond and had to pass he placed down his flush, followed by the pair of kings, and finally the jack. He had won this game without Delia being able to play a single card.

So now I have an axe ... or at least the hilt of it until you leave. If I throw that also into the pot up to continue? Well assuming you have something else you can wager.

Delia watched as the cards fell. He couldn't have cheated, for she had shuffled and cut the deck many times! How could someone have such luck? Now she was stuck here for just under seven hours and would leave without her necklace and francisca handle.

"So now I have an axe ... or at least the hilt of it until you leave. If I throw that also into the pot up to continue? Well asuming you have something else you can wager." The teacher spoke calmly.

Delia searched her bag for something, anything that could be waged. Nothing of any value was found. She thought about what she once did for making money... no, that's what got her here in the first place. It was abomination. No returning to that. Unless the teacher knew of something she could offer, she would have to just cop the punishment.

Delia sat up in the chair again.

"I'd always break even, always. But now, I've nothing left to offer. I have no money on me, and those were the only things of value I was allowed to keep. Unless you want something I own that I don't know I have, or you want some form of service, we'll have to end it here and now." Replied Delia.

Some form of service? Did you have something in mind? You looked like you were considering something ... are you really prepared to admit that you just gave up two things and had a chance to regain them all, as well as the reason you were betting them, and you passed without exploring every possible option? Seraph smiled, his eyes looking into Delia's, daring her to continue, no matter the cost. After all, that sort of luck couldn't continue, the chance of him getting such an overwhelming hand three times in a row was astronomical, almost impossible. If Delia was any sort of card player she would know that.

And I don't think I'm one of your regular teachers, so unless you happen to get me as the monitor for another detention this is going to be your one and only chance of winning these back. He tapped the axe hilt and the necklace, letting that sink in. If she did truly believe that she always broke even she would have to keep playing now, there wouldn't be a second chance to win her things back later.

"Some form of service? Did you have something in mind? You looked like you were considering something ... are you really prepared to admit that you just gave up two things and had a chance to regain them all, as well as the reason you were betting them, and you passed without exploring every possible option?"

"And I don't think I'm one of your regular teachers, so unless you happen to get me as the monitor for another detention this is going to be your one and only chance of winning these back."

The teacher tapped the axe hilt and necklace, burning Delia. How was it possible to get such hands twice in a row? Not only was there an extremely low probability, but it took all the skill out of the game.

Delia considered her options. There were a number of things she could do. She could offer to... iron the man's clothes for a week. She could offer to cook. Yes, there were many other alternatives to something which wouldn't even be considered by the teacher.

"Sir, how much do you pay for washing and ironing of your clothes?" Asked Delia.