Chapter Text
From the player’s point of view, we open to an alleyway, on a building, a sign reads “Kent’s Amusements.” Below that is another sign, a logo of three crates with the words “The Inventory” above it in an arch. The player approaches the door and pauses before holding up a card: an invitation. The door opens, revealing an elevator, the player steps in and places the card near a reader, it beeps before glowing green. The door starts to close when suddenly…
“WAIT!” A voice calls out, it was female. The player hits the open button and the doors open again. A couple of girls in evening wear approach, out of breath. One was wearing red, her long black hair held in a ponytail, the other in blue with her brown hair short and loose. “Thanks for that” the girl in red said as she held her own invite.
A caption appears near her: Asami Sato: Avatar: The Legend of Korra.
“You must be here for the game, same here. I’m Asami, this is my girlfriend, Korra.”
“Asami…” Korra whined, blushing.
“Oh relax, they seem nice.” Asami said, “Korra’s my plus one.”
The two enter and the elevator closes. The player, Korra and Asami turn and the elevator wall is revealed to be a large TV screen.
“Welcome to the Inventory” a narrator begins as the TV shows stills and video, “Founded by Dixon Kent in 1919, the Inventory was created in response to an early draft of the 18th amendment, which would not only outlaw alcohol, but games and other amusements that could, in the legislation words, “threaten the world-renown determination and productivity of the American Workforce.””
“Really? That’s crazy.” Korra said.
“The Inventory remains a secret to only a few chosen individuals,” the recording continues, showing images of Sam and Max, Tycoo, Strongbad, Brock Samson, Heavy Weapons Guy, Claptrap, and Ashley Williams. “However, it has also expanded to the multiverse, every universe has an Inventory, that is to say; every universe has the same Inventory. Much like other locations, such as Stan’s Place, the Inventory is able to exist simultaneously in various universes. Being a place where people can relax and enjoy each other’s company through the art of gaming.”
“And win a ton of money in the process,” Asami quipped, making Korra chuckle.
The screen goes blank and Another door is revealed, opening before the three, the player exits with Asami and Korra, we see they are on the second floor of the inventory, they look down and see various tables with patrons, a bar with the bartender manning it, and a stage where a small band is playing a light jazzy tune.
“Ah, welcome, welcome,” a loud and bombastic voice rings out, the player, Asami and Korra turn to see a short man wearing a captain’s hat and maroon robes, “so nice to see new and familiar faces,” he continued as he approached Asami and Korra first, tipping his had in a gentlemanly manner. “Miss Sato and Avatar Korra, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Commodore Reginald van Winslow, retired, and I will be the host for tonight’s game,” he introduces, kissing Asami and Korra’s hands at the end.
“You’re quite the charmer, commodore,” Asami replied with a chuckle.
Winslow turns to the player, “ah, the player, how nice to see you again. It’s been over 12 years. Well, follow me please and I’ll show you to your table,” he turns and makes his way downstairs, the player, Asami and Korra follow him. As they walked, Winslow continues, “you’ll be happy to know that we’ve made some new additions to the inventory last you came around, the staff is bigger and we’ve secured sponsorships to help…raise the stakes.“
As they made it to the ground floor they pass the bar where a guy in digital blue skin, white hair and wearing a vest with a sword image in the back is talking to the bartender, which is Moxxi from borderlands. “So you gotta tell me; did Timothy ask you on that second date? Did you say yes? Has the Crimson Raiders found another vault yet?” The guy was asking.
“That sure would be telling, sugar,” Moxxi said, “but maybe a generous tip can loosen my tongue just for you,” she flirted.
“Hey, it’s all good, it’s not like I can run out of money anytime soon,” he boasted.
A caption appears near him: Parzival: Ready Player One.
“Mr. Parzival, how many times have I told you: flaunting your wealth in public is a bad idea,” Winslow said in a disagreeing tone.
“Whatever, it’s not like I’m really here,” Parzival said, then turns to Asami, Korra and the player, “oh, are they for the tournament, it’s starting?”
“Soon Mr. Parzival, soon, we’re still waiting on the others,” Winslow said.
“Alright! I call this seat.” He said as he went to a table, sitting in a chair at one of the ends, it was in an octagon shape like the others.
Asami turned to Korra, “ok, I’ll meet you at the booth when I’m done,”
“When you win, you mean,” Korra said, “good luck, Asami.”
“Thanks babe,” Asami said before kissing Korra’s cheek, making her blush as she went to the booth, Asami notices Parzival smirking, “what are you looking at?”
“Just happy for the both of you,” Parzival said, “my buddy, Aech, he was rooting for you two in season 1.”
“Oh I bet he was,” Asami commented as she sat to her seat.
“Yeah, it’s a shame that it wasn’t confirmed until the comics,” Parzival added.
“Unlike yours truly,” a new voice said, which was female. The player turns and sees a tall woman with her hair in a cubed Afro, wearing a star-shaped visor, standing by the stairs, “who even had her own wedding episode,” she finished
A caption appears near her: Garnet: Steven Universe.
“Garnet, so nice of you to arrive,” Winslow added, “I hope you had no trouble finding the place.”
“The Omni-dimension accretion nexus that surrounds this place made it a bit difficult,” Garnet said as she walked over and sat at the far end, across from Parzival, “but in another 45 second, I’ll be ready to play.”
“We’re still short one player, Garnet,” Parzival said.
“Wait for it.” Garnet said.
Asami, Parzival and Winslow look at one another before they hear a faint whistling sound, which was getting louder and louder until finally, something crashes through the roof, kicking up dust, broken glass and splintering wood. “UGH! I just had that roof replaced!” Winslow shouts.
The dust settles and in the small impact crater was a figure in green military combat armor with a rifle on his back and a pistol at his hip. The figure stands in full attention before looking around “…sorry about that.”
A caption appears near him: Master Chief John-117: Halo
As he gets up, several men in construction gear appear and begin filling the crater and fixing the hole the master chief made. “Nice entrance, chief,” Garnet said.
“You can blame Fred, he got the time wrong and I had to make the jump.” Master chief said as he sat down between Garnet and Asami. “just send me the bill after the game, commodore,”
“Very well then,” Winslow said with a sigh, “we will begin when everyone has submitted the tournament buy-in of 25,000 dollars, cash.”
The player tosses a stack of bills on the table. Garnet pulls a stack of bills from her gemstones. Master Chief opens a compartment in his armor, pulling his own stack. Asami pulls her billfold from her matching purse. Parzival opens his personal inventory and pulls his wad of bills.
“Excellent.” Winslow said, “now that everything is in order, I shall leave you five into the capable hands of our dealer.”
Suddenly the table glows and a figure is formed via a hologram: man in his early 20s with brown hair, blue eyes and a white trench coat with buckles and the monogram KC on the belt and coat neck. Parzival was the first to recognize him, “Seto Kaiba? You’re our dealer?”
“Not quite,” Kaiba began, “I’m a virtual clone of Seto Kaiba, I’m on lone from the Kaiba corporation.” The virtual Kaiba turns to the player and the others, “Alright you 3rd rate card sharks, the name of the game is Texas Hold’Em. Good luck, you’re gonna need it.” He suddenly fades away as the table generates cards, chips and the starting hands of all the players. They all look at their hands and the game begins.
