The Juggernaut Club: Part 9

In Bilgewater, The Juggernaut club has been ushered into a shady room by Twisted Fate and Graves. Graves points at a plaque on the right-most wall near the entrance.

: First of all, please look at the sign to your right and follow the house rules.

HOUSE RULES

1. Please leave your valuables under your seat.

2. No sneaking peeks at other player's cards.

3. The Winner IS the winner, and there is no disputing that fact.

4. Failure to follow these rules will result in shotgun-guided conduct correction.

: Understand? Now let's get this game on.

: So who's gonna be the poor sod that tries to play me at cards of ya'll?

Darius turns to Udyr

: You're up, Udyr.

Udyr nods, and takes his seat at the table, directly across from Twisted Fate.

: Time to deal.

In Demacia, Garen slowly regains consciousness. He finds he's tied up to a witness stand inside a Demacian Court-room!

: Oh... my head... huh!?

He looks around the room, and sees Jarvan IV, Fiora, Quinn and Xin sitting on the jury stand. Or, in the case of Xin, sitting in a wheelchair, in a full body-cast, with only his eyes and fingers visible and capable of movement. Galio is seated in the Bailiff’s chair, while the Judge's seat is, at the moment, empty.

Xin is staring with great anger at Garen, and although you can't see it, his mouth is surely set in an angry frown. Garen just smiles sarcastically in response.

: ALL RISE FOR THE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS DEMACIAN COURT OF JUSTICE!

Everyone, except Garen and Xin, for obvious reasons, stand up.

All (Except Garen and Xin): Demacia, now and forever!

They sit back down.

: THANK YOU, THE HONOURABLE JUDGE POPPY PRESIDES!

Poppy walks into the room, dressed in a Judge's robe, and sits at the appropriate place. Her huge hammer acts as her gavel, and she points at Garen with one hand, while she slams it down with the other hand.

: GUILTY! I sentence you to-

: Wait! We haven't heard any witnesses yet!

: What's the point? All suspects are Guilty, period! Otherwise, they wouldn't be suspects, now would they?

: Poppy DOES have a point. I mean, how else can we get Justice to work so well around here?

: Muffled yelling

: See? That's the only testimony we need to hear! Xin says Garen trashed the Royal Palace and all those buildings because he's sore about losing his Juggernaut Club membership. So...

Garen tries to extend a hand in defiance.

: Wait, I'm not gonna get a chance to defend myself!? And what about Quinn!? He looks at her Why haven't you said anything yet!?

Quinn just twiddles her thumbs, smiling

: Xin paid you off, didn't he? While I was out cold thanks to little miss Overzealous over here!

: And that adds MORE to your sentence for insulting the Judge! As well as one of the Jury!

: Oh, he's definitely guilty now.

: Yup! Crown of Stone, guilty, done deal!

She slams her hammer/gavel.

Everyone except Garen cheers and run up, lift his seat up and start carrying him outside.

: AND YOU GUYS HAVE THE GALL TO WONDER WHY I LIKE SPENDING MORE TIME IN NOXUS THAN HERE!

They set him in the center of a circle outside the courthouse.

: Any last words before we send you on your way to Targon?

: Angry mumbling

: What was that?

: I'm a Juggernaut, and that means a lot! The official motto of the Juggernaut Club!

: OK, Bye now~

Poppy ults, sending Garen, and the witness stand he's tied to, flying in the direction of Mount Targon.

Lux comes running up to the courthouse.

: I'm here, I'm here! I'm gonna prove my big brother innocent!

: Muffled mumbling

: Too late!

: He's already been sentenced and dealt with!

: What!? You executed him!?

: Nooo, we wouldn't do something as mean as that to the Might of Demacia! We just sentenced him to the Crown of Stone, and sent him on his way, thanks to the Hammer Express!

She pats her hammer happily.

: But that's worse!

Everyone else: Yeah~ It's great, right?

Back in Bilgewater, Jhin is looking around, trying to find the Juggernaut club, since he was tailing them in hopes of getting a ride home with them. He walks up to the entrance of a pub.

: Where'd they go? I knew they were looking for a boat to go to Ionia with. Maybe they stopped for drinks in here.

Gangplank stumbles out of the door, crashing into Jhin and knocking him over. He had been drinking to celebrate his victory in the breath-holding contest with Miss Fortune.

: Huh?

Jhin tries to cover his nose with his hands, but because of his mask, he can't reach it.

: Oh my Nagakabouros, you smell vile!

Gangplank, being drunk, the remark doesn't register in his mind. He just grabs Jhin by the shirt collar.

: Hey... you're the person Illaoi wants me to take to Ionia, right?

: What?

To Be Continued...