expiationlogs | Free Night at the Casino

Entry tags:

Free Night at the Casino

Who: OPEN to all / mingle log
Where: Queens (the casino!)
What: Wow July sure was a month! Time to take a breather and have a night out, courtesy of Toph and Mitsuru!
Warnings: N/A

FREE NIGHT AT THE CASINO

GAMBLING

Feeling down after that space infestation made you murder some friends? Getting tempted to bury yourself in the sand at the beach so no one can ever perceive you again?

Time for a tone shift! It's a free night at the casino. For tonight only, chips mean nothing -- which means everyone gets a rack of chips when they walk in and can let loose! Entertainment, food, and drink are also free within reason. (Abuse the privilege and find out who works security here the hard way!)

Welcome to Queens, the formerly shady but now revamped and reimagined casino in the entertainment district of Aldrip. Classy and minimalist but not gaudy, it's run, staffed, and heavily patronized by Chosen. Maybe you know someone who works there, maybe someone dragged you in to lighten up for once, maybe you're just stopping by for some fun.

Appropriately, the most popular game of the night is Queen's Blood, with tables set aside purely for teaching. There's also the standard casino games available in spades -- poker, slots, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, and so forth.

AT THE CLUB

It wouldn't be a casino without alcohol, music, and dancing. There's a low-key bar for those looking to have a conversation where they can hear one another over the pleasant live jazz, and a much livelier dance floor set off to the side in a different part of the casino with a DJ playing dance music.

FIGHTING TOURNAMENT

Beneath the casino is a massive underground cavern converted into a fighting arena.

It's a bit hard to find, intentionally -- either you were personally invited by someone or you stumbled across the covert speakeasy-style entrance in a corner of the main floor, possibly from the people jostling to go in and out. The stairs go down and down until they suddenly open out into the huge room, lined in walkways to view the fight.

There's three circuits to the fighting tournament: a bracket for fighting with powers, a bracket for fighting without powers (hand-to-hand and weapons only), and a shooting competition. Toph (

fieldtrip) serves as referee for all of the above and is prepared to break up anything that goes too far. This is just for fun, folks!

Sign up in the comment below and maybe you'll even win something! Toph promises a super cool prize to the winner of each circuit!

FORTUNE TELLING

Get a free tarot reading!

It does seem like some of the glitching in Aldrip has made it maybe a little more accurate than usual lately... or maybe that's inaccurate? Feel free to have the cards have a real effect on them with a glitch!

DOG THERAPY

In one peaceful corner away from the din and bustle is a dog petting station. All manner of adorable and highly trained dogs are available for cuddles and play time.

Some of them are even up for adoption if you want to take one home!

Kakashi (

battlefieldbrat) runs and operates this station with the kind supervision of Koromaru, our local good boy.

Code by

10billionghosts.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

o1. GAMBLING

A rack of chips are settled in his hands when Hiei walks through the door, and the demon quirks his head slightly, trying to understand. Supposedly he’s meant to bet these things in order to win… more chips?

The little demon does not quite understand, drug here by one of the others from his world, and will eventually turn and offer his rack of chips to the nearest person.

“Here. I don’t want them.”

o2. FIGHTING TOURNAMENT

Throwing his name in to the mix had seemed like a no-brainer. For one, he can let off some steam (though not too much), and for two he could see what some of the fighters in Aldrip are capable of. A double win, so far as Hiei is concerned. And with much lesser stakes, considering this was not a fight to the death by any means. Much better than the Dark Tournament, though in the end, they hadn’t gotten whatever they wanted fulfilled anyway.

If he was honest, Hiei fully expected to come back dead or at least down an arm from that tournament, so alive and without a prize ended up not being so bad.

“Amatuers.” Riveting commentary from the small demon with his hands tucked in to his cape, watching everyone intently.

“If any battle falls on us, Yusuke and I will have to take care of it.”

o3. FORTUNE TELLING

Hiei doesn’t usually bother with things like fortune telling. There are all sorts in the demon world who dabble in these sorts of things… tarot reading, palm reading, even those who claim to see the future if you’re willing to pay their exorbitant prices. Hell, now that word had spread of him replacing Mukuro’s second in command there was practically a line out his door waiting to slather him in compliments and good fortunes, hoping to gain an ear or a foothold in the newly shaken up structure of Mukuro’s old structures. There he turns them away because he knows them for what the vast majority are - opportunists.

Here… well. What else was there to do? He had no interest in gambling away chips, and in fact did not understand the draw of it at all, and had some time to burn before it was his turn in the fighting ring.

He also does not understand what the cards mean as they are turned in front of him - queen of wands, three of cups, reversed nine of cups.

Talk of his fiery determination leading to gaining community and a circle of friends quickly devolves into the fire demon scowling as the fortune teller elaborates on his continued dissatifcation and lack of joy, and something about self-fulfilling prophecies before he’s swiping the cards from the table and skulking off.

“I should’ve known not to waste the time.”

o4. WILD CARD

Obligatory option for wild card - feel free to run in to Hiei anywhere and throw a curve ball at me. If you want to discuss further / plot reach out to me on plurk @ goblinrex or on the server!

Also as usual I’ll thread in brackets or prose, choose your preference and I’ll go along with it.

The moment she heard that there was a casino, Yukina was curious about it. She heard so much about it back in the human world and she had seen what they do. It wasn't all too different from how demons gambled or bet on their opponents. If anything, it reminded her of the various machines Genkai would play during her spare time.

However, the moment she stepped in, she wasn't expecting a certain person to speak up.

"Um...."

She said as she looked at the chips in his hands. That was the problem, wasn't it? She had no idea how to gamble.

Hiei pauses for a moment, as if gauging why exactly Yukina is hesitant. Whether it was because the chips had come from him or something else - but then he realizes. Maybe she'd watched other people gamble, but more than likely did not actually know how to use the chips, the same as him. For a moment Hiei deflates with almost a little pout, as if annoyed that he couldn't foist this off on her so easily.

Red eyes blink as he looks at her, and then he decides to just say his guess.

"You've never actually bet before, have you?"

"No, I haven't."

Which was both awkward and understandable at the same time. She never attempted to gamble in the demon or the human world. She knew that it was meant as a form of entertainment, but she found no real value in it. As she stared at the chips once more, she started to feel a bit embarrassed to say the least.

"But I have heard and seen Genkai play something similar. Is that okay...?"

"Oh." Hiei seems more confused than concerned or annoyed, actually, frowning down at the rack of chips in Yukina's hands. He still isn't sure how the hell he's going to get rid of these, now, though it doesn't occur to him that the expression on his face might be causing Yukina any distress. Red eyes flicker back up to his sister with a little start, careful to school himself back in to neutrality.

"I don't know anything about it, so.. it'll just have to be what we go with." He's made them a team, he guesses. If they're both going to be there, they might as well, right?

"What does Genkai play?"

It was then, things got awkward. Knowing that things have calmed down, she was able to spend more time with her brother. Without anything from their world to get in the way, they could get to know one another now. Of course, as she shifted her weight to look at him and then toward somewhere else, this wasn’t how she expected things to go.

“She plays a lot of games. I believe they’re called arcades? It seems a bit similar to the machines people use for gambling.”

After all, they had to put in a coin and then they can play something. The point was to win. It shouldn’t be too different, right?

Hiei nods as she says it, knowing that he damn well doesn't know the old Master well enough to say otherwise. Between the two of them Yukina has him beaten by a long shot in that. All of that aside, if she at least had seen them before they may be able to fumble their way through this together, he thinks. With a little bit of luck (if they have any) on their side as well.

"I've seen a lot of pachinko parlors, in the human world..." He pauses, then, as if drawing back the memory of what he's seen standing outside and trying to make sense of it all.

"It is partially luck and, I think, partially whatever the ownership allows."

"Whatever the ownership allows...?"

There were a lot of things about the human world she still doesn't understand. From what Keiko and the others have told her, it was still so confusing despite them telling her. There were so many customs that she didn't know and had to get used to.

"It seems you know more about it than I do though."

"Mn." Hiei quietly agrees, trying to figure out a way to explain it to her without, in some way or another, making it sound as though he thinks she's a fool or something. He knows that Yukina is innocent and sometimes naive but the concept of making things work for them seems simple enough to understand. "I think it's fair to say that, most times, the ownership of the gambling establishment has a say in who wins and when..."

After all, they couldn't go paying out multiple big winning bets in a day thanks to a rotten turn of luck. It worked to the advantage of the ownership and the people who loved to place a fat bet, so far as he was concerned.

"I just had a lot of time to watch, while I couldn't leave the city..." And he'd had to amuse himself somehow, hadn't he?

"Between the two of us we can figure it out..." He thinks.

"I trust you."

For all Yukina knew, Hiei probably had a better understanding of how the human world works than her. She spent most of her time at Genkai's place and whenever she went out, it was usually with other people. Most of the time, it was through what she had seen in the demon world and what was going on in the television.

"From what I seen, you place the coin inside the machine, and you see if you get the same three images in a row."

That was how it was supposed to work, right? "...Or at least, I hope so."

Hiei just barely fights back telling her that she probably shouldn't - and instead takes her trust in him with this matter as somewhat of a challenge. It isn't like he's spent a lot of time betting - he doesn't see the point nor would he have the money to put behind it considering he has no money of his own and more often than not relies on Kurama and Shiori to feed him when he isn't feeling like hunting for himself.

"Oh. That's.. easier than I thought." Worth a shot, anyway. It's free money, so it isn't like they're out anything, either. Hiei waves a hand, asking Yukina to follow him toward the slots.

"If we win anything we can get some food, maybe.."

"Then let's give it a try. If we lose, we can always try again!"

But wasn't that the point? To make gambling addicting so that more people would want to waste their money? Regardless, wasting a few coins here and there wouldn't be too bad. As she looked to a nearby slot, she raised an eyebrow or two.

"Do you want to try first or should I...?"

"They did give us quite a few coins..." Enough that he thinks they should have a decent chance of winning something, even if it isn't a jackpot. If it's enough that they can get a little snack, perhaps a little something else to make Yukina happy... Hiei would be fine with it.

Yukina then asks if he wants to try first, and Hiei.. well. Rapidly shakes his head 'no.'

His luck is not the one that they should be relying on, not by a long shot in his own opinion.

"No. Your luck is probably better... "

"What makes you think so?"

Not that she was trying to push her brother into it. She was curious on why she thought his luck was bad. In her mind, her luck was the same as his. She didn't know anything about gambling, nor did she know what to expect.

"I can give it a try first if you want." She said before making her way toward a slot machine. However, she stopped as she looked at Hiei. Almost as if she was giving him a chance to say something.

"I think I've used most of it up, lately." Surviving the dark tournament, taming the dragon, making it through Mukuro's 'training'... he could make the list but he doesn't feel like Yukina would be very pleased with him if he did. He simply gestures for Yukina to take the lead instead, trailing behind her as she headed toward the slot machine she wanted.

"Sure.." Hiei gestures for her to go ahead again, insistent.

"Might as well."

She didn't need to explain further. She knew of what he went through, and she didn't want him to relive those memories. Instead, she gave a small nod before placing the coin and attempting to pull the lever down. With the spinning rows of colorful fruits coming down, she stared with anticipation to see what would happen.

As it started to slow down....?

"Um...did I lose?" Because all the images didn't match up at all.

Hiei watches the proceedings with a little bit of curious wonder. He hasn’t really had a reason, before, to even attempt anything like this. There was no point in spending time just pulling the handle on the machine and, of course, he wasn’t about to start carrying human money in order to be able to play either.

All the lights and sounds of it would likely grow out quickly to Hiei’s sensitive hearing, but for now it’s fine enough.

Instead his brows furrow as he watches the symbols settle out…

Yeah, maybe Yukina’s luck isn’t great either. Hiei hums a little sound that means no, but since it’s free money and all -

“Yes, I think so. Try one more.”

As she pulls down the lever once more, the sound and the lights played before them. With each image spinning, she had to wonder just how long humans could play something like this without getting bored. While she could see the appeal of it, there was only so much one can play.

When the images finally settle, there seemed to be three matching one. The sound got louder and the lights got brighter before some coins fell before them. Blinking at Hiei and then back at the slot machine, she raised an eyebrow or two.

"Um...I think I won." Pause. "Do you want anything with the money I got?"

Hiei watches with more attention this time, as if trying to dissect an enemy’s technique while watching the machine spin. This isn’t that complicated of course, but the naturally competitive side of Hiei wants to win. Even if it’s by silly chance he’ll prefer it to a loss.

The final picture slides in to place for a win and Hiei blinks owlishly as if surprised.

Coins drop and for a moment it’s all a little bit too much for his senses, but it all calms down quickly enough.

“How much did it even give us?” Hiei asks, more reflexively than anything else before he catches himself.

“They’re your winnings so you should decide anyway.”

"It gave us about 5 dollars, I think?"

But then again, she never gambled before. Who was she to judge how much money she got? Looking at the coins, she counted them to make sure she got the accurate amount. Even then, she tilted her head to the side before looking at Hiei.

"But what if I decided I want to give you something."

Could you say no to her?

Hiei's mouth opens, as if he intends to tell her that she doesn't have to give him anything, or something else... but then he stops. For a moment he seems as though he's sucking his teeth, thinking about what the hell he's going to say to that. If she wants to he can't really stop her, but at the same time -

"We should play more, before we spend anything." Stick with him here, Yukina -

"Then there is more to spend. For you, too."

Somewhere, in the back of her mind, she had to wonder just why he wasn't letting her be a good sibling. All she wanted was to treat her brother and yet, here he was, being stubborn. For a split second, she wondered what else she could say before giving a small nod.

"Then okay..."

However, before she puts in another coin, she gave a pause or two.

"If we do get enough, what do you want?"

Damn it Yukina. He takes a moment when she isn't looking at him to scowl, of course displeased that she will not think of herself before she thinks of him. Even if he didn't have the money to buy something.. well. He is the one who said he wanted to get back to his various crimes, simply making a snack or something disappear was not something that he was wholly against.

Eventually, he schools himself back into a careful neutrality, though he does give an obvious sigh as she sort of forces his hand to answer.

"A snack." There, is that an acceptable answer? He'd ask but this is Yukina, not Kurama.

"Such as...?"

Because two can play this game. If he was going to be vague, Yukina was going to try her best to get some answers. However, as she pulled down the lever, she could see that she lost once more. With the sound buzzing through, she gave a small sigh.

"Since I'm not too sure if we can get anymore coins."

"I don't know." He isn't all that picky, really, but he's trying to think of something relatively cheap. He doesn't want to take all the winnings and leave nothing for Yukina, after all.

"Maybe a meat skewer." Of some variety, he doesn't really care if he's honest. A little snack was a little snack regardless of the meat type or quality. He could hardly afford to be picky when he would rather that the money be spent on something that Yukina wanted anyway. "There's a whole tray of the coins, anyway."

A little pause as he thinks it over. "Or we could switch machines."

Free Night at the Casino

Hiei | Open

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