There is someone in the vents

There’s something in the vents, you could hear the hanging plants whisper. You brought one of your hands under the table and sent the plants a simple command. You moved the hand to cover the glow it sometimes emits when you use your abilities. While the bets continued around the table, a single plant extended its stem and soon grew through the vent cover.

Soon the plant reported that it found a set of shapely legs attached to a shapely ass covered in a yellow latex catsuit. Of course the plant wouldn’t normally know such concepts as a catsuit, latex or what counts as a shapely feature but you are able to deduce from its description. The plant mentions that the human it encountered is whispering card values to someone and was doing better at telling who had what card.

You think over your options, you could reveal the cheating method now and get a good hand next round or wait for the pot to become something worthwhile to get a better win this round. You ultimately decide to wait for the pot to build up before revealing the character in the vent. From the description the plant gave you, you were pretty sure the character was Hoofer’s Alex.

“I raise,” you say, throwing 100k into the pile of chips after the flop cards were revealed. Don had folded while your dad called.

“I bet an invitation to the triple star lounge at the Lagoon,” Collins says as he puts the IOU and 30k worth of chips in the pot.

“I’m fairly sure we are all wealthy and influential enough to get our own invitation,” Hoofer scoffed. “I don’t think it's worth all that much.”

“Then how about a month-long vacation to a Risa in an untamed Star Trek world,” Collins offered as he showed the reservation on his personal device. The reservation did not have an exact start and end time, just that it needed to be finalized within the next year.

“Now that's what I’m talking about,” Hoofer said cheerfully as he put a cool 300k into the pot. Figuring that Risa would make a great honeymoon location, you put in 500k after rechecking the flop cards and seeing you had a Pair of Twos. Your plants, after telling you about the vent character, informed you that no one had a good hand. Hoofer did have a Jack and Collins a King but no one else had better than a Pair.

Collins looked at his cards before glancing at his watch. “The family will be a little pissed but I think I’ll fold,” he shrugs and folded revealing that with his Six of Clubs, he actually had a higher Pair than you did.

“Well then, now that it’s the two of us, how about a little wager?” Hoofer suggested as he leaned forward.

“What do you have in mind?” You asked but before Hoofer could respond your dad called out.

“No side bets,” he said with a slight slur in his voice as his drinks started to catch up with him.

“We know that rule was just made for dangerous side bets, after the fire walking incident,” Hoofer glared at your dad. “I just want to know the status of the Wonder Woman.”

He faced you and continued, “what would it take for you to bet or tell that info?” You look at him in contemplation and decide to be merciful.

“How about you give me your Alex from Totally Spies and I will tell you?” You offered the much older man.

“Dea–”

“No dice, it has to be a bet or else it just ruins the spirit of the poker night,” Don interjected through a basket of mozzarella sticks he was eating.

“Fine, how about I tell you if you can eat an entire bowl of Charles’ Bowsette’s Koopaland Choopa Special,” you say with a smirk. “But if you can’t finish the bowl, I get your Alex.” Your dad’s eyes got wide and he quickly sat up but fell out of his seat.

“Bring it on,” Hoofer said confidently before your dad could say anything.

“*sigh* I’ll call her to bring some up, we’re lucky she was already making some,” he brought out his com and called her. She happily agreed to bring some as few have wanted to try it.

“Hey kiddo, I didn’t realize you were here,” she says when she spotted you, despite your attempts to keep her quiet. She sets the bowl of what could vaguely be called food in front of Hoofer. “Finally decided to join one of his Poker Nights huh?”

“Hi Bowsette, I had some unresolved business with Hoofer and we decided this was the most fun way to get it out of the way,” you reply deliberately withholding the ‘Auntie’ title which she immediately caught.

“Hey! I didn’t help rai–” She snapped at you before your dad cut in.

“Hey Bowsey, can you make James here one of your margherita pizzas, I am sure he would love to try it.”

“Of course he would love…” Bowsette pauses and finally notices your expression and the atmosphere around the table. “Ooh, I see what’s happening. Yeah, I’ll get right on that.” She let out a nervous laugh and quickly made to leave quickly.

“Now hold on there,” Hoofer calls out. Your Auntie Bowsette froze with a scared expression on her face.