"WET T-SHIRT CONTEST!!!" Kyle turned his face towards the commotion, only to find the recipient of this contest to be..."Nori." His eyes widened as he saw the girl he liked get completely soaked in some beverage and from the look on her face, to her great displeasure. Kyle felt a sudden rush of emotions struggling between unbridled rage and concern for Nori's well-being. Nori's well-being was his number one priority, his unbridled rage being kept in check by the bouncers already escorting the asshole who threw the drin- OW!. A sharp pain shot into his ribs as Sabine jabbed her elbow into him.

split with my friend here, so if...well, I'm planning in getting lost here once we go, so...wanna come with?"

Kyle turned to see her talking with another guy..wait when did he get here? Sabine then lifted herself up and started talking in his ear "Hey, get her! If it's the DJ you were talking about, you've got the VIP bracelet! Nothing's stopping you now!" With that she shoved him away towards the stage, and as he turned to face her she was walking off with the guy by his wrist. Damn, chemistry got her fast he guessed... Didn't matter, he needed to get to Nori, running over to the back stage he ran into a bouncer guarding the door.

"Whatchu want?" He eyed Kyle up and down

"I'm here to get backstage, I've got this VIP bracelet." He brought his wrist up showing it to him.

"Can't let you back there right now, not with what just happened onstage."

"Come on man, Nori's expecting me, she might of told you a Kyle Parker was coming?"

"Nori's expecting you? Hm... come to think of it Nori did mention a Kyle was coming...and you do got the VIP pass...alright go on back."

"Thanks man," Giving the bouncer a fist bump he was let backstage where he was immediately greeted with Nori's presence. She was toweling off with the shirt that guy had given her, might of been a friend of her's or at the very leas a coworker. Nevertheless...

"Nori!" Kyle jogged over to her concern written across his features, "Are you alright? Shit, you're clothes are soaked through...here." Kyle started unbuttoning his flannel shirt, pulling it off he moved his hand forward offering it to her. "Might be a little big, but at least its warm and dry. Physically she looked fine, just a little wet and reeking of some very strong vodka, "Fucker.... She didn't look upset with him either...more just upset in general, still he was sure she was going to have questions, rather than wait for her to ask, he owed her an explanation.

"Nori...I'm sorry I'm late, after our time at the arcade I ended up heading back to my place to grab a quick power nap, I ended up...oversleeping," here he blushed a little, he felt particularly embarrassed about oversleeping for any occasion, it was a personal pet peeve of his, "but there's no excuse for that, I'm late...really late and I'm sorry if I kept you waiting, but I wanted to at least keep my promise to you, that I'd definitely see you tonight." He smiled softly at her, he meant what he said, he did want to see her tonight, after how well they had gotten along earlier and the feelings that emerged, how could he not?

@Verdaux @Daxam @Narcotic Dollie

Zac was sure these two were a couple, but judging by how the guy was looking up at the DJ, and from how his eyes flashed with anger when the poor girl got covered in someone's drink, he was immediately sure that wasn't the case. Turning back as he hears the girl explain that she and her friend were new there, too, he sighs. He was about to walk off, thinking the two of them were going to stick together, only to hear the girl ask if he wanted to come with.

However, Zac isn't given the chance to answer, for, after she was done whispering into the guy's ear, the girl suddenly grabs his wrist and pulls Zac off toward the dance floor with a surprised yelp. Before he knew it, they were in the seething mass of dancing people, barely any room to move. What's more, the girl had begun to press her body up against his, looking up at him with a smile full of mischief and something else that was more than enough to make Zac's face flare up as bright as a tomato.

It was then she asked him to dance and he felt himself fill with dread. Sure, Zac was good with his hands, being a magician and all, but that talent didn't exactly translate to his feet. He was almost tempted to find a way off of the dance floor, not wanting to make himself look like a fool in front of a cute girl like her. However, immediately after thinking that, he felt that he would be abandoning her and that left a foul taste in his mouth. These thoughts, due to his brain being on overdrive thanks to the new situation, were processed within a couple of seconds and led to him say, "U-uh, yeah, sure..."

Looking around at the other dancers, Zac watches how they move and attempts to mimic their movements, although in a much more reserved manner. Clearing his throat, he calls out to the girl, hoping to dispel the awkwardness he was feeling, and was not used to, asking, "S-so, what's your name? I'm Zac!"

@Verdaux

(I'll just have this here for when Ana replies sometime soon :P)

---

9:07pm

'Ah, my favourite time of day... Night!' Thought a slightly miserable Ryoki feigning happiness as she was tuning in to Shine City's radio station at home, going over one of her edits. Things weren't going too well, from the looks of things. At first, the tune clicked with her, but now things were falling into disarray. She'd been at it for about three hours now. When she left the flower store, she paid a quick visit to the arcade before coming home and working on her recordings. She knew she shouldn't - it was her day off, after all. However, in the flower store earlier, she just had a moment of inspiration that seemingly played out to be the perfect song in her head. Now, she was struggling to put the chords she'd invented on paper, and struggling more-so with editing in everything. This was a recurring theme with Ryoki. It was like writer's block, but for a musician. She dubbed it: "Player's Block". It was a dumb name for an equally dumb condition.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!" She groans in exasperation as everything just seemingly fell apart. It wasn't working; it just was not working out. Perhaps that was all she could've hoped for back in that flower store; perhaps that was all she could capture in that brief moment. It was nothing more than that: a moment. Sulking with her face pressed against her desk, Ryoki sat there for awhile, before lifting her head and shutting down her computer with a sigh. She had a faint craving to play something, but at the same time she had "Gamer's Block": being unable to decide on what to play. It must be some other type of curse. The thought of depression crossed her mind, but she seriously doubted that. Bipolar, maybe.

"... Wait a minute..." She pauses. Just as she was about to go to bed, a thought crossed her mind, that thought being: 'What if I went to the shop again?' It was a ground-breaking idea! No, more than that, it was goddamn revolutionary! There was just one problem...

The store was probably closed by now... And even if it weren't, it wouldn't have her sweet, little Kaori there... Even if she was going to see her tomorrow, she didn't want to wait that long... It was simply heartbreaking!

... The thought of the young red-head blushing when they met in the flower store earlier that day brings a smile to Ryoki's face. She was a good kid, and Ryoki knew, she just knew, she was going to make some man very happy one day. It was a certainty. The girl was so irresistible, it was a wonder no guy had gone out with her before, to her knowledge. Perhaps Ryoki could take Kaori boy-hunting one day...

She bends over in order to turn off her monitor before heading to bed, though is surprised as something falls from her breast pocket and onto her desk. With the monitor turned off, she inspects this item, and discovers it was the card given to her early in the morning by the intriguing young man, Yutaro. 'The casino... Oh yeah, I did want to visit there, didn't I? I forgot all about it after the flower shop...' Ryoki inspects the card some more, before sliding it back into her pocket. 'Well, I've got leftovers... And I can always borrow daddy's account... Teehee~!' Giggling to herself, Ryoki threw on her black, woolly jumper and changed into black tracksuit pants with white strips on the sides, opting to keep the same shirt since it wouldn't be seeing much action anyways with her jumper on. Wrapping the black and yellow scarf 'round her neck, Ryoki makes sure to check over her room and makes sure everything was put away and safe in case she came home wasted, or not home at all! She'd learnt that lesson the hard way...

Living close to Shine Junction was extremely beneficial to Ryoki. For starters, it made travel extremely easy. She was lucky enough to have snagged her apartment, and was thankful she did so. She could practically walk wherever she needed to go, and the casino was no exception. Though it was one of her 'longer' walks, it really wasn't too far from home sweet home. Entering through the bustling entrance, Ryoki was greeted with the all-too-familiar lights, sounds and smells of the local casino. Though she wasn't as regular as some of the folks here, she came enough to become a 'regular', if you could call it that. Unlike most, Ryoki didn't play to win, at least not often. Though she often had a competitive edge to her, she preferred to be 'sociable' in these kinds of places, though of course if she were to be issued a challenge, Ryoki would gladly accept.

Looking around the roulette tables and slot machines, Ryoki began to wonder where her esteemed flirt-friend had gone. 'Maybe he isn't here... Perhaps today isn't his-,' she thought before spotting him out at one of the Blackjack tables, 'wait, never mind. There you are...~' She couldn't help but giggle to herself as she heads over, calming herself before she's spotted and takes a seat beside one of the men at the table - a man with with white hair, who looked rather handsome. Then again, most men in the casino were rather handsome, the dealers included, so long as they weren't drunks. 'The yin to my yang.' She thought humorously to herself.

She gives Yutaro a knowing smile -- a knowing smile that says "hello" in a devious way -- as she listens to the men make conversation for the time being, taking her seat at the table.

@Takashi@MyCatGinger

"Nori!"

The blonde stopped drying herself for a moment and looked in the direction of the voice to see Kyle trotting over to her, very clearly distressed about her current condition. She wanted to reassure him that it really wasn't a big deal and that stuff like this happened all the time when you worked at a club, but she was still a little sore at him for not texting, so she kept mum. "Are you alright? Shit, you're clothes are soaked through...here." the boy started, flicking the buttons open on his shirt quickly. Nori’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Might be a little big, but at least it’s warm and dry.”

“Woah there cowboy, you’ve got to at least buy me a drink before we can start to take our clothes off. What kind of a girl do you take me for?” She teased as she accepted the shirt, but held off on putting it on just yet. Nori crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side, clearly waiting for an explanation as to why Kyle was so late and hadn’t bothered to call or text.

So the blue eyed boy began to explain how he’d overslept and apologized profusely for being so late, blushing bright red and looking genuinely embarrassed about the whole thing. It was all very nice and made her feel like eating him alive again (What did that even say about her character? Therapy. She needed lots of therapy.), but she wasn’t quite ready to let him off the hook yet. “Hm,” Nori hummed, grabbing her purse from where it sat on a nearby table and digging out her phone before crossing back over to Kyle. The tattooed girl unlocked her home screen and passed the device to the other. “Would you put your number in here, please?” she asked with a level tone, placing her hands on Kyle’s shoulder so she could gently spin him around to face the wall.

“No peeking,” she ordered, before unceremoniously peeling off her crop top and throwing it so it landed right at his feet. “So, if you were running late, why didn’t you text me?” she asked, more out of curiosity than anger. ’At least my bra isn’t wet.’ Nori mused as she grabbed Dangermouse’s shirt and finished drying herself off. “It would have been nice. I sort of thought you were standing me up,” the blonde admitted, fiddling with the clasp on her body chain before shucking it as well, making sure it also landed at the American’s feet with a clatter. Finally dry for the most part, Nori grabbed the shirt Kyle had given her and began to arrange it so it fit more like a dress, putting her shoulders all the way through the neck hole and buttoning it around her chest, before wrapping the sleeves around her waist and making a bow.

Now dressed wearing Kyle’s shirt and her pants from earlier that night, Nori walked back over to Kyle and reached up to pat him on the shoulder. “You can look now,” she told him, before stepping back and shifting her weight from one foot to the other, waiting on his reply.
@BeastofDestiny
---

"Hm," she mused before turning away to retrieve something, she didn't look mad...but she was silent...that was usually never a good thing. “Would you put your number in here, please?” she asked with a level tone, placing her hands on Kyle’s shoulder so she could gently spin him around to face the wall.

"No peeking," Ok, good sign, if she was really mad at him, she would have kicked him out to do this. A drenched shirt unceremoniously landed at his feet and his face lit up redder than Rudolph's nose, "Jesus Mary Joseph above..." Kyle immediately turned his attention to her phone punching in his digits, both his personal and work numbers went in.

“So, if you were running late, why didn’t you text me? It would have been nice. I sort of thought you were standing me up,” he felt his heart shrivel up a little, "she thought I stood her up? Shit..." A small crystal pendant and chain fell at his feet next to the shirt with a clatter. Now he was feeling like a real ass...especially after what Nori told him about that one guy, the last thing he wanted to do was give her that impression of him. He felt a tap on his shoulder, "You can look now."

Turning to face her, he was greeted with an extremely adorable sight, she had made his flannel more form fitting, arranging it into a kind of strapless dress, "She looks really cute in that," he could feel his face flushing, but she looked like she was still expectantly waiting for an answer from him.

"About that... He scratched at his head, embarrassment welling up again, "So remember how I nearly flattened you like a pancake at the cafe earlier? Seems I have a habit of doing that, on my way here in my panic I ran into some guy, collided head on and fell flat on my butt. I had my cell in my hand at the time and I think I dropped it when I ran into the guy," thinking back he still felt pretty badly about just abandoning that guy, at least someone was there at the time so he wasn't alone. "By the time I got here and got settled in line, it was gone. At that point I was hoping to just wait outside and hoped to catch you, but I got a lucky break and someone helped me in." He'd have to thank Sabine for that again, she was extremely helpful, "Moral of the story, I'll make sure to text you before leaving my house in a panic, not after."

He wasn't sure if she'd believe him or not, but he did want to get one thing squared away, "To stand you up though...I'd have to be some kind of stupid or some kind of cruel to do that, especially after what you told me earlier." He stepped a little closer to her, he wasn't totally sure if this was gonna be too forward, but fuck it, this didn't feel like a traditional boy meets girl to begin with. Reaching for her hands, he gently took them in his, staring into those golden amber gems in her eyes, "I feel like you've been honest with me so far and I hope you feel the same about me in that regard, but if I wasn't interested in you I'd tell you from the start and if it hasn't become apparently obvious yet, I'm pretty interested in you."

He laid his feelings out and even though his heart was pounding and his face was flushed, he felt happy to have said it. Now his only hope was that she'd reciprocate those feelings, "I know I can be a bit of a block head, but if you're willing to put up with my stupidity and my absence tonight, I'd like to make up for it. I still owe you a something-anything after all."

@Narcotic Dollie

Rosanna turned off the radio after getting out of the shower, she was feeling a little confused as why the usually so peppy Nick Weston seemed to be feeling down, the song choice he chose though was awesome. Rosanna chose not to think about it too much, she stepped out of the shower just in time to hear her alarm ring, it was time to head to Club LUSH for another Saturday of wild fun and adventure. She thought about some of the guys she has her eye on lately.

Hmm, maybe I should swing by the Casino and see Yutaro at work, I bet he looks delicious in a waistcoat...hnnggg or maybe that hot red hair guy is around somewhere.....I suppose if worst comes to worst i can always count on Dnagermouse to be down for anything on a saturday night haha...oh girl its gonna be a good night.

Rosanna called a cab after getting changed into her party dress and announced on BookFace where she was going to be tonight. Upon getting into the cab she noticed her phone was ringing.....IT WAS SHOU ! he kept her number and called her! She picked up the phone with mad hurried excitement and tried to sound cool, but her voice was brimming with fangirl-esque excitement:

Hi professor.....so nice to hear from you ....<3

The bass thumped with every palpitation of his beating heart. Oliver had made it into the club, looking around and taking it all in.

Large crowd in the front, DJ in the back, glowsticks...Overall, an average Saturday night at Club Lush.

Although they were taking jackets, he did not leave his coat at the door. It would've been foolish for him to do so, seeing as he had some...questionable items concealed within. All legal of course, given his authority and loose jurisdiction regarding his work. The only downside to having his coat on was the fact that with all the body heat and smoke, he found himself overheating.

No matter. Holland had dealt with things more uncomfortable than heat, especially after taking two tours in Iraq.

For now, his objective was to find someone who knew who the DJ of Shine City Radio was, where lived, what places he frequented...

Everything as of now was going according to plan.

Neon lit hallways illuminated the corridors he walked down, bathing his person in a faint amethyst light.

Four rooms, all hosting a myriad of different characters, skimpy waitresses walking to and fro with trays of alcohol and booze.

At the end of the hallway, was the back door to the stage, a bouncer standing guard near the front.

Oliver was about to turn around until a voice reached his ears from the third room down on the left.

"So I tell this guy, 'Time to get a watch asshole!' Funny, right?"

Ah, it was the asshole from earlier. A man who got off on making others feel worse than he did, bringing them down to his own cynical world point of view.

Smiling, he had found the exact man he'd been looking for.

He made his way into the room, eyeing the three individuals that sat at the table, bottles of booze strewn across the table, shot glasses left half empty.

"Who the -fuck- are you?" Asshole snarled, standing up from their seat and grabbing a bottle.

"Resorting to violence before I've even started to speak?" Oliver questioned as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Get the hell out of here, fuckface!" The punk roared, their face crimson and flushed from the alcohol coursing through their veins.

"Answer a few questions, and I will." He replied, hands shoved into his pockets as he took another drag of his cigarette.

"Are you retarded or something, I guess we'll have to knock some sense into you!" Asshole swung the bottle, catching the Detective slightly off guard. Oliver barely avoided having a glass bottle colliding with his face before he stepped back, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his old police baton.

He flicked his wrist, 16 inches of stainless steel extending forth against three ill-mannered thugs.

So that was how they wanted to play it.

Oliver noticed the music was so loud, he couldn't even hear himself think. Which meant the bouncer probably wouldn't be able to hear the scuffle either...

Fine by him, but Holland never expected to have to kick someone's ass to 'Truffle Butter.'

"Come and get it." He smirked, taking a step forward and ramming his fist into the first punk that sprang at him, digging his knuckles deep into their stomach.

They recoiled, coughing up a wad of stringy saliva as they staggered backwards, before being quickly silenced as the Detective brought up his knee, smashing it against their chin.

One down. Two to go.

"You bitch!" The Asshole growled. "Mace, get this fool!"

Mace didn't exactly get far. To put it -bluntly-, he had already been smacked down by Oliver's baton the moment he turned his head.

"Never take your eyes off the opponent." Oliver turned, giving Asshole an exaggerated simper.

"H-Hey man, listen...I don't want no trouble."

"Good...Now, answer me this..."

Shou blinked up at the younger man with the dark, straight hair that emanated the airs of both classy and charming, with a slight, hardly noticeable, expression of surprise. Warmth in a casino was the last thing he expected, especially on a day as cold as that December eve. That isn't to say Shou was ever greeted coldly at the casino. On a good day for him, or a bad day for him, he had become a regular to the point of most dealers knowing him by face at least, if not name.
He let his mind linger briefly on an old friend. Junichi.
But he was nowhere to be seen. Possibly having left in the three months, slipped away from the casino wordlessly.
Junichi always loved music, though. Shou was hardly surprised.

"I..." he began, voice drifting off and him losing himself into the swift motions made by this dealer, apt at his task without a doubt. Keen, if tired, brown eyes followed his hands.
"I-I do suppose so, yes."

Here, the waitress returned, the drink glistening on the tray and much more befitting of the casino than the man to whom it belonged. He lifted it the second it was put down and brought it to his lips, taking a long drag of the tropical flavour.

Just enough of a taste to have him more openly talkative, that's for sure.

The blackjack table they sat at was relatively empty, so Shou was happy to engage in some conversation with the man.
It was not ridiculously commonplace to chitchat with the dealers, anyhow.

"I'm a professor. At the academy." he said with a little more gusto, sitting back in his chair with a slightly embarrassed expression. He looked away from the youth with a little clearing of his throat. His eyes wanted to avoid the anticipating gold ones they would be met by. Though the tone the man used was friendly, Shou was never quite comfortable with the idea that he was a man of values, teaching his students more than just biology, should they require it, and on top of that, he would gamble his money away, ever hoping for that rush that you'd feel when you'd win. The adrenaline when you were so close.
And of course, the winnings weren't bad either.

"I'm here...often." the words were still forced, but came more naturally as the conversation between the two men developed. And he finally managed to look the dealer in the eyes. "I'm more of a roulettes man, actually. Thought I would try something a little different tonight, hah."
He let out a nervous laugh, running slender, careful fingers through his silver mess of hair. "To be honest, I don't quite know the rules to blackjack just yet. Would you be so kind as to explain them to me? I'd be quite grateful..."

He was about to continue to ask the man his name, when a beautiful woman sauntered by, with a devilishly bewitching stride (and the hint of a smile that Shou caught, glancing out from the corner of his eye). She almost glided by him, yellow and black scarf streaming behind her, and the professor absently reached out to let the silky fabric's ends pass gently through his fingers. It was so subtle, she might not even have noticed it. He thought to himself how it contrasted with her demeanour so greatly, her sitting herself down and smirking at the dealer, dressed in black and white and exuding an air of absolute femme fatale.
It almost matched the feline manner in which the dealer himself moved and spoke. He could have compared the Raven haired pair to a couple of sleek black cats, and himself to a startled silver buck, the mischief of the earlier bestowed title 'fox' lost to his gambling addiction.

Maybe it wasn't all bad.
He took another sip of the drink. The vodka really gave it that kick. A summery drink in the middle of winter was always enough to lift his spirits, anyhow.

"Ah, hello, miss." he began as to not be rude, but bashfully turned his attention away from her, evidently a little caught off guard by her presence itself. Something about her personality seemed dominating and overwhelming, and she must have been the type to have men drool at her feet.
Shou was afraid he would be no exception. On his knees, blinking up at her with lovestruck, hypnotised eyes and murmuring anything and everything she'd ask of him.
Especially at how suddenly close the stools at the table now seemed.

Ah, when was the last time...

Snap out of it, Shou Matsuoka.

As much as he'd like to deny it, the professor was, after all, just a man. With wants and needs and susceptible to both lust and alcohol, the latter of which seemed to be the lesser problem.

@Takashi
@Delta44

Well, that was a complicate situation, but eventually Iruka managed to get better from the the sudden panic attack she had after bumping into the strange haired boy. Right about that time she noticed that someone had also stumbled on the same person and lost their phone in the process.

"Hey, mister... your phone!" Iruka yelled, but the boy was already way too far to listen to her meek voice. She placed the phone on her coat's pocket wondering what would be the best way to give it back to its owner, "Perhaps I should go to the police? But it would take much time. Ah, I know! There was that detective they announced over the radio, he should be able to help. Anyway..." Iruka thought, but soon enough she remembered that the two-tone haired boy was still close to her on the floor.

With great effort, Iruka extended her hand to help him get back to his feet, trembling like a scared cat because of her mild phobia. "Hey, are you hurt or something like that? I'm sorry for what happened, it was my fault." Thanks God, when she was conscious of it, Iruka could control the impulse to panic, but just for some time. Then, she bowed respectfully before saying "I'm sorry, but I got to go now. Please, be well."

Then, Iruka took her leave only to turn back a moment later, pick a notepad and pen from one of her pockets, write her name and phone number/e-mail on it and give it to the boy "I'm Kashima Iruka, please call me if there's anything that you need after that. Sorry again, bye!" Iruka might be poor, but her parents always taught her that she shouldn't ran away from her responsibilities and she always took it to heart. If the boy got hurt in anyway, or broke anything because of her, she would find a way to pay, no matter how much time it would take.



A few minutes later...

"Now, how should I contact that detective?" Iruka wondered as she tapped the screen of her phone while walking down the streets, a bit aimlessly. That was when she thought of checking the Internet, more specifically Connectedin, since any professional worth their salt had a profile there, so it wouldn't be two hard to find him over there.

After a couple minutes searching for a detective by the name of Oliver J Holland, Iruka finally found his contact info and decided to give a call to his office. As expected, no one answered the phone at this late on the weekend, so she left a quick message "Hmm, erm... hello, this is Kashima Iruka here. Is this Mister Holland's office number? If it's, could you please call back at xxxxx-xxxx, I have possible job for you. If I'm wrong, please forgive me. Have a good night, bye."

A little time later, Iruka was passing in front of the Player's Cassino when she was inevitably attracted by the lights and luxury of the place "Sometimes I would like to be luckier, but I can't even win on the arcade... there's no way I would have any luck here." Iruka sighed deeply as she resigned herself to the barely above poverty life style that she had for the previous couple of years. However, "Huh? Wait, is it?" Iruka froze in place as she noticed a cassino attendant waving for her next to the staff entrance.

"Hey you, are you over 21?" The attendant asked as Iruka came closer.

"Yes, why?" Iruka relied skittishly.

"Oh, that's great. One of our girls got sick and we are overcrowded tonight, do you wanna a job as her replacement? It'll probably be only temporary, but the pay is great."

"A job? Are you serious, mister? Of course I want to." Iruka flared up immediately, she couldn't believe that she would finally be getting a job after so much looking around. As long as it wasn't anything too hard, she could do it, there was no way she would refuse the offer.

"Thanks God, you're my savior, the Boss was on the verge of snapping because we're low on staff. Come this way, I'll show you all you need to know." The attendant said, guiding Iruka inside the staff area. "By the way, what're your measurements?"

"Huh?" Iruka was a bit surprised at first, but in the end answered the attendant, after all this probably had something to do with her new job. Little did Iruka knew that she had just been shanghaied into quite a troublesome situation...



Sometime later...

"Wa— wait. I have to go there and talk to people, dressed like this? I can't do it, please!" Iruka said just as the attendant who scouted her slap a wad of cash on his hand casually.

"Well, you wanna the money, so you gotta do the job. You're always free to go if you want to."

Those were not very friendly terms in Iruka's opinion, though "I signed for it, so I gotta do it..." Iruka sighed, before finally stepping out of the staff area and into the cassino properly said. After being bewildered by the place's grand opulence for a few seconds. Anyway, Iruka had a job to do and tried to begin as slow as possible, to get used to it and... free herself of the embarrassment that her work outfit brought to her.

"Go— good evening, may I help you with something." Iruka said as she approached a blackjack table with a few customers (two men, one of them a dealer, and a woman) around it. And waited for any of their orders with a note pad in hand and a furious blush on her face, as she fidgeted around nervously, not knowing if she was doing what she was supposed to do right.

---

@BeastofDestiny@Dynamo Frokane@Bozo@Takashi@Delta44@MyCatGinger

"Ah, hello, miss." Spoke the man beside her, the man who had caught her attention the most so far. It was like a combination of Yutaro's looks and Kaori's modest yet seemingly innocent nature (though presumably not so innocent), blended into a style of its own. The calm and calculative type - reserved most of the time, though wasn't quite quiet, if you could call it that. It was like his actions could speak louder than his words, at least that's the impression Ryoki got from him; that's what she could gather from him given a quick study. Although, progressing further with the conversation would give her the necessary details to fully get an understanding on him...

'Ugh, I really should relax... Calm down, Ryoki. You're here to have a good time, not commence an operation on how to toy with boys.' She thought to herself, showing him a genuine, relaxed smile. Something about her demeanor seems to change then, like she'd suddenly become more passive. Despite the thoughts that were racing around furiously in her mind, Ryoki kept composed on the outside, deciding on keeping things "casual" for now and elaborating on her attitude depending on how the situation progressed.

... Which, funnily enough, was progressing towards flirting again. Seeing the man's bashful reaction, Ryoki leans in closer and takes off her jumper, revealing a plain white shirt that wasn't buttoned quite to the top. 'Guess this shirt will be seeing some action tonight... Aww, look at the poor guy! He's so shy!' She muses to herself in her head, outwardly projecting her likening of his shyness by giving Shou a devious grin as well. "Well hellooooo~," she trails, resting her head against the palm of her hand, "who do we have here? I get the faintest impression we've met before." She says that, though honestly wasn't sure. There was that vague recollection of when she performed at the end of school assembly last year -- when she first met Kaori -- and saw someone similar. Even so, it didn't matter. Ryoki always lived in the present, and today was no exception!

She was about to continue, however was distracted by a cute-sounding waitress behind her. Ryoki was going to dismiss the girl as she turned to face her, however as she laid her eyes on the bunny girl...

... her heart skipped a beat...

'H-holy crap!' Her jaw dropped, and she could feel a faint tingling in her nose. 'T-that's a... a...! A BUNNY GIRL!' Ryoki was speechless for a moment. She was bewitched. It was like looking at another Kaori, but... in a freaking bunny suit! 'I-I need to get myself one of those for Kaori...'

Stealing her thoughts back, Ryoki slaps her cheeks with her hands to wake herself up. 'Stop it, Ryoki, she's waiting! Argh, quit thinking up this stuff!' Once again, her mind was in a state of disarray, though her face showed no signs of it, carrying a calm and mature demeanor that gave the impression she was thinking. Though, her eyes were a little bit creepy, since she'd been staring at the poor girl the whole time. "I'll have a Long Island Iced Tea, if you have it, please. If not, I'll have vodka as it is." Ryoki answers with an easygoing smile that could alleviate any nerves, as she gently pats the waitress on the head and adjusts her bunny ears so they were just right. She was hoping to help calm the poor girl's nerves by giving her a gentle pat. "There you are! No need to feel embarrassed, honey, we're all adults here. Just focus on the task, not the environment, and you'll be fine. Don't think, just do."

It was pretty sound advice, though it was coming from someone who generally wasn't a good idea to take advice from. Even so, Ryoki hoped her maturity and motherly-like qualities would ease little Iruka's mind just a little bit. It always helped with Kaori, so she assumed it could be applied similarly here. It was strange, for someone who was so incredibly flirtatious to have a "mature side" that could help others when they needed it. Ryoki always claimed it was her superpower, though even she admitted it was pretty lame compared to other super powers. She'd much rather have the power to cause massive destruction or manipulate time like those Spirits from that one anime she loved so much. But alas, this was the real world, so this was probably about as cool as super powers came...

Once the others had ordered (or not) and the waitress went on her merry way, be it frightened or calmed, Ryoki turns back to the two men with a grin. "So, where were we? Ah, yes, introductions. My name is Ryoki Mochizukki, and I'm pretty good at blackjack." She says. Yutaro may be able to pick up the faint emphasis in her tone as she spoke - an indication she gave that, in a way, said "hello" on a level unheard. It was like she were saying: "Hi, I'm Ryoki, but you already knew that," but without actually saying it, all the while introducing herself to Shou in a proper and slightly playful manner. Though she never thought of it before, perhaps it was her incredible charisma that could be considered her superpower. The thought only just crossed her mind, and as she mulls it over, the thought of having the ability to charm everyone she met was certainly promising.

'Something tells me tonight is going to be a fun night, teehee~!'

@KoL@MyCatGinger@Takashi

Copen Thorsen

She seemed to be okay. Copen breathed a soft sigh of relief, glancing at his cup. Empty; that was okay. Better that way so that he wouldn't have any chance of spilling any more. He quirked a blond eyebrow at her statement; ah, she didn't? He was surprised to be honest. She was quite pretty, with those light waves framing her face. "You don't, huh?" he murmured, tilting his head. Then, more loudly-

"I'm Copen. Copen Thorsen, I haven't seen you around before," he said, in that loud voice of his. Copen didn't really have a sense of volume, really. It was one of a few reasons why not many people could stand him for too long. He glanced down at his shirt and plucked at it - it was sticking to his torso. Not the most comfortable of feelings. "I must repay you for this trouble..." He glanced across at her from his shirt, a mischievous expression coming to his face as he unconsciously leaned forward a little. "Seeing as you don't have a hot date-"

And then there was another girl. A friend of hers maybe, seeing her alone in the dark with a tall man? He couldn't blame her, friend or not. There were some creepy people in this world. He straightened again to his usual stiff posture, shaking his head. Why was this stranger offering to replace the coffee...? Oh. Maybe she had a little crush? He seemed to have hit the jackpot tonight. Copen grinned. "What sort of drink are you suggesting?" he asked, as he shrugged off his jacket and offered it to Amaya. He was suddenly glad that he'd spritzed on a bit of cologne after that long shift at work. "Here. Don't want you to get cold 'cause of my silly mistake."

@JustYui @Knight of Doom

"A professor, eh?" Yutaro mused, giving off that polite sort of impressed tone, conveying all the friendliness he could while maintaining an air of professionalism. "Smart guys like you often make a killing here, but since it's your first time playing, I'd be happy to help you out." He wasn't sure if the professor was actually was new, or if asking for rules was part of his cover, but something about his demeanor screamed "pathetically honest" so he didn't think this man knew how to count. Well, he'd just have to see how he played. "The idea of the game is to get as close to 21 as you can without going over, or 'busting.'" Technically true, but not the best way for the player to think of it; the idea was to get closer to 21 than the dealer. It was a subtle difference, but the mentality could spell the difference between a winner and a loser. "Number cards are worth face value, picture cards are worth ten, and aces can be worth either 1 or 11, whichever is better for you. I'll deal everyone two cards, but you only get to see one of mine. You can then either 'hit,' take another card, or 'stand,' stop with what you've got. If you hit and go over 21, you lose, so make sure you play smart. After all the players go, it's my turn. If your hand is closer to 21 than mine or if I bust, you win. If my hand is closer to 21 than yours, I win. If we have the same number, it's a push and nobody wins. Clear so far?"

He waited to make sure Shou was following him before continuing. "Now, there are a few additional rules, but they're all good for the player. If you are dealt an ace and a picture card in the first two cards, that's called a 'blackjack,' you win automatically, and the house pays out 3:2. Conversely, if I get a blackjack, I win automatically as well. Now, there are two special betting options. If you're feeling lucky, you can double down. After being dealt your first two cards, you can double your bet, but you will only be dealt one additional card. When you're dealt a pair of the same card," he motioned to the pair of aces Shou now had, "you have the option to split. You put down an additional bet, and the two cards are treated as separate hands. I deal one more card for each of them, and the game progresses as normal for each hand. The only difference is that you cannot double down after a split.

"That's pretty much all there is to it. The betting and payouts are a lot simpler than roulette, but unlike roulette, the outcome of the game is greatly influenced by the player's choices. Maybe this will end up being your game." Yutaro wasn't going to go as far as advising him on how to play just yet, nor was he going to tell him the blackjack mantra "always split aces and eights," but perhaps his guardian angel could help him with that. And speaking of angels...

Along came the drop-dead gorgeous Ryoki, coyly sitting down at the table as if she hadn't just asked for his number only a few hours ago. She had mentioned visiting him at the casino, but he hadn't thought she meant tonight. She seemed like the type to make men squirm a bit before giving them the sweet release of her presence. But, perhaps she wasn't quite as cruel as she seemed. Then again, with the way she was talking to the professor, perhaps she has something even more sinister in mind. His suspicions were confirmed when she settled in to her chair and revealed a shirt that left just enough to the imagination to get any man's attention. Focus, Yutaro; you're at work!

However, before he could get out his greeting, something tore the woman's attention away from both of them. No, it wasn't a hotter guy, it was one of the drink ladies dressed in a bunny suit. She was wearing the "new girl" face, a blend of embarrassment and determination that was irresistibly cute. And apparently Ryoki thought so as well. Yutaro could tell that she was mature enough to be called a woman rather than a girl, but her reaction was almost motherly. Seeing this new, nurturing side of her was certainly interesting (and damn did she like strong drinks), but before long she was brandishing her devil horns once again.

He caught on to Ryoki's subtle greeting, though he wasn't sure if she was pretending to be a stranger to torture him, or the poor professor who had no idea what he was in for with either game. Yutaro decided to play along with her for now. "Miss Mochizukki is a regular visitor," he said to Shou, a sarcastic "long time no see" buried in the tone of his voice. "Maybe she can give you a few pointers as well." Once Ryoki put her own bet on the table, he dealt her a king and a two. He'd see just how good she was at the game in due time.

@Delta44@MyCatGinger@KoL

The Asshole at the club had been helpful.

It turned out the bastard was actually a huge fan.

Nick Weston, nineteen years old...

"I wonder if he goes the academy they have down here?" Oliver wondered aloud, wiping his gloves with the handkerchief he kept in his back pocket. He really hoped blood came out of leather...

He found himself back at the lobby, his head swimming with the heavy scent of musk lingering in the air. This place really didn't cater to those older than thirty. There were too many hormones flying everywhere, not enough hard liquor, and really shitty club music. Whoever they hired to DJ in this club was fucking terrible.

Turning his attention back to the swarm of writhing bodies near the front, he saw some dude jumping around on stage without a shirt on.

How tasteless...

A loud monotonous beep rang in his ears as the pager on his waist beeped. Fumbling for it, he brought it up, and saw who it was.

Kashima Iruka

Saturday XX/15 - 9:45 PM

"Play." He spoke flatly into the gadget.

Soon enough, the voice of the woman came through on the tiny speaker.

"Hmm, erm... hello, this is Kashima Iruka here. Is this Mister Holland's office number? If it's, could you please call back at xxxxx-xxxx, I have possible job for you. If I'm wrong, please forgive me. Have a good night, bye."

Luckily the pager model he had was one of the most technologically advanced versions on the market right now. Befitting for a busy man such as himself, it allowed one to reply to phone calls via. text messages. It was a pain to type on such a tiny flip keyboard, but it would suffice. If Miss Iruka had a mobile phone, she would receive his message.

Send me the details via. fax when you have the chance. I'll handle it when I get back to my office. Have a nice weekend.

- Det. Holland

Short and concise, just the way he liked it.

A chilly December breeze greeted Holland as he left Club Lush, the Detective breathing the fresh air deeply, quickly exhaling with great satisfaction.

Now, where did I park my car?

*****

Ah, the Casino.

The place where Shrine City's high rollers and deadbeats gather to burn through some hard earned cash. Good cigars, strong drinks, and beautiful waitresses all awaited him here. This was indeed an establishment for gentlemen.

Ladies too.

A vibrant sea of red and gold greeted as he walked through that revolving door. Velvet carpets, ivory pillars, brass wallpaper...it was beautiful.

"Shall I take your coat, Sir?" The man at the front desk asked.

"Of course, my good man." Oliver chuckled, slipping the man a twenty dollar bill.

Slicking back his hair and rolling his shoulders, he tapped the gleaming badge that was fixated firmly on his ebony vest. And, proudly engraved upon it was: Shrine City Investigation Services Est. 1975

His utility belt swaddled his waist tightly, his equipment jingling with every step, the .38 revolver tucked securely in its holster.

Making his way to the black jack tables, his eyes widened as he gazed upon the fine looking dame talking to that bunny girl waitress.

Hm, I'd like to investigate some of that. Case Note Twenty Three: 'Baby got back.'

"I'm Copen. Copen Thorsen, I haven't seen you around before," The sticky male replied loudly. She was a bit confused as to why he was speaking so loudly, but let it slide. Now that she thought about it, she's never seen Copen either. "Oh, well it's a big city," Amaya said weakly. It's was pretty lame, but true. "I must repay you for this trouble..." The European boy leaned uncomfortably close. Amaya felt her ears light on fire. She leaned back a little, trying to look around at her surroundings, but his deep blue eyes sucked her attention back to his perfect face. She also didn't dare step back. It would have been rude and seen as running away. After what happened, the slim girl needed to accept whatever offer he made. Some people don't feel forgiven unless they did something to make up for their actions. "Seeing as you don't have a hot date-"

Suddenly a girl called out to the two of them, breaking whatever trance had befallen Amaya. She was... offering to replace his drink? It had been the last thing on the befuzzeled girl's mind, but it should have occured to her that she should have offered to do it herself. Ah, what a predicament. She was only full of disappointments tonight. "What sort of drink are you suggesting?" Copen asked, as he shrugged off his jacket and offered it to Amaya. "Here. Don't want you to get cold 'cause of my silly mistake."

"Thanks," She accepted the jacket. It was a bit large on her, but the freezing wind had started to pierce through the wet spots on her shirt, which was quite a bit of it. The jacket was a bit heavier than what the blond was used to and smelled of cologne. Wait, why was she smelling his coat? Isn't that considered creepy? However, now that she thought about it the taller male in front of her had also sustained quite a bit of spill damage. At this point, Amaya felt like more of a liablitiy rather than a decent human being. Well, at least the only way to go was up from here.

@Chicogal@JustYui

"About that...,” Kyle starts as he begins to recount the events leading up to losing his phone and being stuck outside of the club. Nori listens intently as she tries to finger comb all of the tangles out of her quickly drying hair. She was pretty sure it was frizzy beyond belief at this point. “...I'd have to be some kind of stupid or some kind of cruel to do that, especially after what you told me earlier,” the American reassures, stepping into her personal space and carefully taking her hands in his. Nori licked her lips anxiously, suddenly unsure of where this conversation is going.

"I feel like you've been honest with me so far and I hope you feel the same about me in that regard, but if I wasn't interested in you I'd tell you from the start and if it hasn't become apparently obvious yet, I'm pretty interested in you. I know I can be a bit of a block head, but if you're willing to put up with my stupidity and my absence tonight, I'd like to make up for it. I still owe you a something-anything after all."

“Oh,” she murmured, a smile spreading across her face as she looked up at Kyle’s beet red face. His confession gave her that same jittery feeling she had gotten earlier in the arcade when she wanted to throw him against anything horizontal, so she bit the inside of her cheek to tame her wayward thoughts. “I like you too,” The blonde finally admitted, untangling their hands and standing on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck to give him a hug.

Nori only lingered for a moment before pulling away, laying a quick peck on Kyle’s cheek as she went. “Right,” she huffed, clearing her throat and stepping back a little. “So, did you want to introduce me to your new friends? We could grab a drink if you wanted,” Nori suggested, grabbing her stuff from the table and walking towards the door that lead back to the club, waiting for Kyle to go ahead of her. Following close behind him, she continued, “They make really good whiskey sours here, if you like that sort of thing. Jennifer is the best bartender by far…what’s going on in here?”

In one of the private rooms on the way back to the dancefloor there were three men laid out on the ground in various states of disarray. “David,” Nori called back to the bouncer who was guarding the door they had just left out of, halting and wringing her hands apprehensively. Violence and gore didn’t bother her much in video games or movies, but seeing it in person always made her feel sick. One of the guys had a huge knot swelling up on his forehead, like someone had smacked the shit out of him with a baseball bat.

“What’s going on Nor--Aw shit man, I don’t get paid enough for this,” David, the big hulking bouncer sighed, like this was just another Saturday night, which it probably was with a job like this. “Boss, I got some assholes that done got the ever lovin’ bejesus beat out of them bleeding all over one of the red rooms,” David radioed in over the walkie talkie, rolling his eyes at the semi-conscious men. “Want I should shut her down?”

“No, you f*Stactic*king dumbass, Saturday’s our biggest day, we can’t afford to close down! What the f*cackle*oddamn hell is wrong with you!? Just call the ambulance and have them pull around back,” came Mr. Bickford’s voice over the walkie talkie.

“Rodger,” David said with a wince, before glancing back at Nori and Kyle. “We got this one handled Nori, you two go have some fun,” the hulk of a man told them with a wink. The DJ gave a watery smile and nodded, trying not to think of how the person who did this might still be somewhere in the club.

----

@BeastofDestiny

"Oh," She murmured, a sweet smile spreading across her lips, "Good reaction so far, maybe that means she likes me, like really likes me, and kind of wants to make out with me or something...or she's thinking of how amazingly hilarious its going to be when she tears into my soul about how disinterested she is in me and is only playing a game and just wanted to see me cry an-"

"I like you too," she finally admitted, Kyle's heart skipping a beat as she wrapped her arms around his neck for a hug. He bent over to accommodate for their difference in height, but wrapped his arms around her all the same. Even in this brief moment he couldn't help but notice the warmth exuding from her, how easily her tiny frame was wrapped up into his noticeably larger self, and the oddly arousing scent of vodka and sweat. His body was telling him to ravage her and fulfill her desires, but his heart was telling him he needed to back way the hell up cause 'there's just somethin' about this one'.

They released each other from the momentary embrace, Nori once again planting her lips smack on Kyle's cheek before speaking again. She wanted to meet his new friends? Oh right, Sabine and...what's his face? Last he saw, they were headed towards the mass of undulating partners, so he could only conclude that they had been assimilated into a similar state, if he saw them later he'd have to flag them down. “They make really good whiskey sours here, if you like that sort of thing. Jennifer is the best bartender by far…what’s going on in here? David!”

Kyle turned around, "What's wro- oh shit..." Laying before them in some private room were the badly beaten bodies of three individuals, one of which he recognized despite how well done in he looked. "Damn...I knew karma was a bitch, but seriously..." Oddly enough he didn't really find the scene before him to be...nearly as nauseating or uncomfortable as he thought something like this would. Looking to Nori though, she looked like she was about to lose her lunch.

David, the bouncer that let him backstage earlier came trotting over to the scene and quickly called up his boss on a walkie-talkie. The gentleman on the end of the other line sounded...pleasant. After the bouncer got off the talkie he told the two of them to head off and have some fun, fun was probably something Nori needed right about now, something to distract her from...that. "Come on," Kyle said reassuringly, reaching for her hand he squeezed it a couple of times in his before leading her away from the crime scene, and navigated as easily as he was able to across the dance floor to the bar area. Despite the fact that Nori suggested it, honestly what better way was there to forget a horrifying experience like that than to down a few shots of jaegar (or whatever your personal choice may be).

Once they reached the bar area, Kyle took in that it was noticeably quieter, he still had to raise his voice, but not nearly as high as on the dance floor. "I know I started it backwards, but how about I buy you that drink now? I heard something about a whiskey sour earlier?" He found a more cleared area at the bar for the two of them to take a seat at, he quickly scanned the area away from the bar and saw a smaller lounge area, similar to the private spaces beyond the dance floor. "How about we get our drinks and we can grab one of those tables? As for my 'new friends' I'm assuming they're among that writhing mass," he pointed towards the dance floor, "So we might get the opportunity to meet them later, I haven't really properly met them myself to be honest." He chuckled a little at that and eagerly awaited her response, along with this Jennifer girl who was supposedly the best bartender.

@Narcotic Dollie

Saturday Morning

So her name is Akane. I'll have to remember that. The conversation with Matsuoka and Red Scarf Girl Akane went pretty well. Matsuoka seemed satisfied enough with the peace offering and Akane apparently enjoys video games enough to at least observe the tournament. She's smart, she likes games, and she's really cute. Doesn't get much better than that.

When he finds himself free once more James notices that Mochavine isn't quite as busy as it was when he first arrived and decides to save Shining Kettle for another day. He orders a mocha to go and drinks it on the way home. When he arrives he forgoes lighting a candle and instead gets to work on a few days worth of mango curry. He found the recipe online early during his first year and has been making it frequently ever since. James prefers to cook for several days at once and reheat the food because it saves time. If food didn't spoil so quickly he would probably cook for a full day every few months and fill up the fridge.

James finishes cooking the curry, removes the light scarf he had tied over his nose and mouth (he learned to do that after the first time he made the spicy dish), and starts the rice cooker while he stores the extra. Meal in hand he searches through his list of things to watch and settles on a pair of movies just to pass some time until the tournament starts.

---

Saturday Night

Guess I'm a little bit early. James gives the arcade a quick once-over. It's a little more packed than usual, but fortunately not terribly so. No red scarf in sight yet, so he checks on the Mecha Saints machine and is welcomed by a leaderboard full of only two names -- 9 entries of Stratus and 11 entries of KeroKero. Whoever they are they managed to claim the top spot again. Looks like it's theirs now. They must be on cloud nine. Nothing like a small joke to soften the sting of defeat, not that James is sore. He managed to turn a completely garbage character into stiff competition, and that's enough for him.

As James returns to the tournament he spies ASS at the bottom of the Galaxian leaderboard. This again. James spends a fair amount of time trying to keep the leaderboards clean. It's like painting over graffiti, except that normal graffiti looks nice sometimes and this stuff is nothing but tasteless. Guess I'll take care of this before the tournament picks up. James pulls some tokens from his bag and starts dishing out a proper ASS-beating, so to speak. He uses his first play to watch for enemy patterns (most of which he already knows) and otherwise remind him of the feel of the game, then plays for score during his second play. It turns out to be a pretty good run thanks to a mix of luck and skill, and near the end he passes the target score. He continues to play for a little while, but he stops just below the second-lowest score and lets the game sit.

Before Ryoki arrived, Shou had patiently listened to Yutaro's explanation, and just as he felt he was closer to actually getting it, the logical man within him going to call a 'split' on his cards, her appearance set his thoughts on 'wipe'.

"Shou...Matsuoka." he felt his face heat up as she lost the jumper, and he could have sworn at that moment, maybe just one new face or two found it the perfect opportunity to suddenly decide that they actually really wanted to play Blackjack. His whole body went stiff as his eyes lingered down, painfully slowly, before shooting right back up to meet her clear blue eyes.
Like the sky. Or ice.
He brought his drink to his lips again, holding eye contact with her just long enough to try and suss out her intentions. He caught her name and that she was a 'regular' around here after all. How quaint. Though in all honesty, he never could remember having seen her before.
...even if, unbeknownst to him, she just might have.

"I don't believe so. Miss...Mochizukki. It's a pleasure."

He seemed evidently more relieved as the tension ever so slightly dissipated, at the appearance of a waitress, a different one to who brought him his Sex On The Beach. She was quite small, and in what was an adorable bunny suit that left so little, so very little to the imagination...

Mentally pinching himself, he caught a glance of her frightened expression and told himself to get a grip. She was obviously terrified. She didn't need his roving eyes to make it much worse.
"Ice." he replied coolly, his tone a little warmer in her presence, too. He even managed a smile, sans the flinching. It was coaxing and warm, as much as it could have been. He felt it his duty to ease her into what might have been a terrifying new role, and new job. "I'd just like some more ice for my drink, please."

This was not remotely true; the drink was colder than he had liked it, even, but something as simple as ice would be something she would be familiar with, and if Shou knew any better, the confusing names of some of the more famous mixed drinks might have had her confused.

For a millisecond, he was glad he hadn't asked the dark haired, trembling waitress for Sex On The Beach.
...wait.

Out of the corner of his eye, a very, very familiar face caught his attention. He immediately relaxed. Among this gathering of sleek black cats and frightened kittens, the lone silver buck was grateful for a friend.

"Hey, Ollie!" he called out, a little unsure whether the man in the heavy coat really was who he thought. It had been such a long time, after all...three, four years? Needless to say, he was grinning at this point.
He craned his neck, glancing over the crowd, leaving Ryoki and Yutaro with the young lady, and even smirking at noticing his old friend checking out the dame sitting so very close.
Old friends never change.
"Sit down, play some Blackjack. Where have you been?! Haven't seen you in ages, how have you been?"

@Takashi
@Delta44
@KoL
@Bozo

"Sabine! Nice to meet you, Zac!"

As she spoke this, she twirled and dance without a care in the world, carefree from the inhibitions of proximity to other dancers, and more importantly, Zac.

"Nice to meet you, too!" Zac replied with a cheeky grin, unable to help but feel more...excited around Sabine. No, not in the dirty sense, but his heart was slowly picking up its pace. The urge to engage and take initiative was growing stronger.

As he was looking down at the petite girl, he found himself endlessly repeating what he had thought of her just earlier, taking inventory time and again of her wispy features. Whenever she had her eyes locked with him (and that was just about constantly now), he couldn't help but feel his face flare up. Normally, Zac wasn't, or so he would've liked to think, this sheepish around people, especially girls.



He felt at a disadvantage, whatnot with the sea of dancing bodies idly going by around him. As mesmerizing as the crowd was, the dancing Sabine had kept him in this state of leeriness and enchantment.
Just gotta keep a cool head, he told himself, drilling the words vainly as the chemistry in his brain failed any and all rationalization. If I get too flustered, I'll only make myself look like an idiot.

In an all-out attempt to add to what little composure he had left, he finally popped an ice-breaker :

"So, do you work?"

Sabine raised an eyebrow as her arms flew high, bringing her t-shirt just above her navel.

"MochaVine and Snowflake. I'm not gonna lie...that was a pretty lame question, but I appreciate the effort. I'd guess this is your first time clubbing? Welcome to the party life, Zac!"

That same sultry smile pursed into a toothy grin as she smirked. Her jaded eyes...no, literally they were a pale jade color...seemed to look all around him. As for her whole face, she had this teasing smile, but it seemed she was searching...analyzing, possibly?

It mattered little; she began to gyrate her hips before twisting around so her spine ran along his torso. Her hand snaked around to the nape of his neck as she pulled his face closer to her ear and cheek, and above all, her lips. The cobra was as tempted just as it had tempted its prey.

"And you? Got a job, or are you still trying to get to a higher diving board?"

Zac's face, still beet-red, grew more vivid when Sabine looked at him with that piercing gaze and tepid smile. She had suddenly turned around and began to dance against him, causing his hands to instinctively come to rest on her stomach and hip, while her hand wrapped around the nape of his neck as she shot back the question, loaded with a different context.

For most, they'd answer the latter.

Following a quiet chuckle, he said over the music, "Just got one today. I'm working at the Shining Kettle as something like mealtime entertainment."

Lifting his right hand (with Sabine's hand cradled into it) into their view, Zac suddenly snapped his wrist. A card suddenly appeared between her index and middle fingers : the three of clubs.

With the push of a thumb, the card seemed to fold in and spin. With another flick between his fingers, only to reveal a joker on the face instead of the three of clubs. And with a snap, the card suddenly vanished.

Sabine just had to let out a soft breath of surprise. Parlor tricks never got old with her, despite her usual stance about sleights of hands (she didn't like them as standalones).

Not that she minded. Their hands drooped back to her stomach, Zac's fingers intertwined between hers. It seemed as though the more time he spent in contact with her, the more at ease he felt. Not even her dancing, moreso the stance they were in, was enough to have bothered him now as much, anymore.

Another icebreaker.

"Do you spend all your time going to clubs," he asks, "or do you have other ways to fill your free time?"

Sabine giggled into Zac's neck as she brought her left hand over his right, before untangling her right hand to rest on his though. She was pressing his palm into her stomach. Warmth, softness, maybe snuggly if they could find the privacy, and oh-so nice...discounting the rock hard abs that had lain in wait underneath.

"Hm? Well, I used to do a bit of lifting...but here? Clubbing might be the only thing I'm still comfortable with nowadays. What...did you have something else in mind, David Blaine?"

She slid his palm over to her other hip, and let it rest for a fleeting moment before she twisted out of his reach like a tango dancer. In a flash, she was well on her way through the crowds like a fish in the sea.

Zac watched Sabine slip through the crowd as easily as if she could just phase right through the bodies barring her way. It took him a moment to process what had just happened, after which, he shook his head with a chuckle before following her.

How the hell did she make it look so easy? he pondered, forgetting to take his larger frame into consideration.

The thoughts that follow afterwards were those of him wondering why he was chasing after this girl. He barely knew her! But, it seemed that he wasn't willing to let that little fact dissuade him as he scanned the crowd for Sabine.

As a kid, Zac had always been good at those object-finding games you see all over the place, where one would have to find a well-hidden object among a sea of other items. While it was infinitely more difficult to find a person in a crowd that was constantly shifting and transforming, it took Zac only a few moments to find the retreating form of Sabine, a fleet footed sprite among the quagmire of Truffle Butter's return. Muttering apologies and the like to people as he makes his way through, behaving like a bulldozer compared to the way Sabine seemed to weave and dart through the crowd. He soon managed to catch up to her. With a chuckle, he joked, "What, am I so ugly I made you run off?"

She was halfway up the stairs, her wrist up for inspection by a heavy-set bouncer.

"No...but, I actually do have to do something first. Don't wait for me.

If we don't end up seeing each other again soon, you can drop by MochaVine before sunrise. I do a bit of baking there."

It would have come to Zac's attention that Zac was standing in front of the stairway to the VIP loft, and that Sabine was already going higher. Without even waiting for a reply, Sabine continued up to the next flight, the wisp of a girl gone just as quickly as she had come into his life.

Perhaps he might've been nothing but a distraction from her previous partner...or perhaps her offer was genuine. Whatever the case, Sabine would be busy, and it would behoove the younger man to seek other people...unless he insisted on his pursuit.

After all, a girl alone in a club isn't always the safest thing...

Zac watched Sabine head up the stairs to the VIP area and stepped forward to follow, only to feel a large hand press against his chest, stopping him. "You got a bracelet?" the security guard said as he looked down at Zac with sleepy eyes. These wild pursuits must've came around often, then.

Normally, at this point, Zac would've apologized and turned away...however, just from the short interaction he had with Sabine, Zac couldn't help but continue his pursuit, or at least let it remain a short distance away. After feigning checking his wrists, he patted his shirt and pockets before chuckling sheepishly as he said, "You know what, it looks like I lost it somewhere in the the crowds."

Before he could go on, the guard nudged Zac away, saying, "Well, then you better look for it. It's the only way you're coming in, pal."

Sighing, Zac turned around, grumbling to himself as he headed over to the tables. Sitting down, he tapped the table with one finger as his brain kicked into overclock mode.

On one hand, he could easily use his skills as a magician to somehow get a bracelet from someone...but that didn't sit right with him. So, with a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and resolved to wait. Worse comes to worse, he could just visit her at Mochavine the following morning...

---

And with that out of the way, Sabine made her way into the VIP loft, a windowless indoor balcony that oversaw the dancers within the confines of the shadows. Sultry moans and pulsing masses of darkness told Sabine that those wealthy and fearless enough had made this area a sort of public love-nest, something that Sabine was unfortunately all too familiar with in her teen years. Maybe here...Shine City didn't dare shine its lights on something that went on here.

Lavender and periwinkle lights permeated with the pungency of cannabis and nicotine vapors, bringing in the nostalgic numbing mint sensation in her nostrils and lungs. Unlike smoking, vaping was a pleasure mutual to everyone within the same room...so much easier to intake...no consent required, no questions asked.

She was feeling kinda drowsy...tired from all the dancing...the working...the talking...

Shit...why did she come up here?

"Miss, outta the way! Customers only!"

"How much for a lightweight crystal?"

"...huh?"

"...you sell crystal here, right?"

"...not primarily...I mean, we got poppy dragons...mostly. You touch that before?"

"U-um...n-not anymore. No more of that."

"You sure you don't wanna get shot up?"

"Yes!"

"It's $45 fo-"

"I mean meth!"

"Okay! Okay...shit, how long you've been on it?"

"7 counting on 8."

"What...the hell...? You don't mea-"

"Years. How much for...uh...an eighth?"

"...eighth isn't worth anything."

"Fine...fourth?"

"$25?"

"...bullshit."

"Not going any lower."

"...22.50. Not raising it."

"...know what? Just take the damn thing! I wasn't gonna use it anyway..."

Right...then there was the matter of...crush...smoke...crush. Floorboards...smack. Smack smack smack.

Smack.

Glass table...someone's got a coke line, but...eh, coke isn't that good anyway.

And...

---

Sabine, in three minutes, had went back downstairs with a nosebleed. Right as she passed the guard, she sniffed and rubbed her eyes, before asking for the restroom. With the way pointed, she began her walk, and then it hit her.





Plasma and hemoglobin dribbled off her chin and down her shirt.



She hadn't been this awake in so long...and by God was that music loud....

...so trashy...



...keep your head down...don't let anyone see...arm up, and add pressure. Flush it out when you get there...


Water...run it cold...dab...plug...squeeze.



An eternity of rushing blood came and went as the bass reverberated in her ear canal, but finally she had the guts to look up again.

With a tongue running over the caked blood, Sabine had looked no different from before. Still as pale as ever, still breathing straight...

...still normal. A person, at least.

With a sigh, she trashed the paper towel, washed her hands, and went out the door.