Free Night at the Casino

[fieldtrip]

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.

Comments

[jaganshi]

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."

[thenicerone]

"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."

[jaganshi]

"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.

[thenicerone]

"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."

[jaganshi]

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.."

[thenicerone]

"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...?"

[jaganshi]

"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... "

[thenicerone]

"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.

[jaganshi]

"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."

[thenicerone]

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.

[jaganshi]

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.”

[thenicerone]

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?"

[jaganshi]

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.”

[thenicerone]

"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?

[jaganshi]

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."

[thenicerone]

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?"

[jaganshi]

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.

[thenicerone]

"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."

[jaganshi]

"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."

[thenicerone]

At least he gave her an answer, it was better than nothing. Cheap as meat skewers were, she just happy to provide him with something that she earned! With a smile on her face, she gave a nod to herself before pointing toward another machine.

"How about that one? Or perhaps we can play one of those card games I've been seeing?"

She said before gesturing toward one of the open tables. "I wouldn't mind giving it a try if you are." Because she just wants to get to know Hiei better!

[jaganshi]

"Do you know anything about card games?" Hiei's been in the room when there have been card games played, but was generally taking a nap or .. doing anything other than playing the card game. Yukina by far stands a better chance at knowing how to play them simply by being around the Kuwabaras.

Agreeing with her thought process is easy enough - they aren't winning here so no use in being stubborn and losing all of their free in the first place chips.

"If you have we stand a better chance is all."

[thenicerone]

She didn't know much about them. Outside of the card games she has seen from Kazuma and Yusuke, there wasn't much else she knew. Still, she wanted to give it a try and see if she could win something.

"I have seen Kazuma and his sister play poker before. I've seen them play...I think the name is called Blackjack?"

But then again, she only seen it in passing. "What about you? What other card games do you know?"

[jaganshi]

"Poker and blackjack..." Two of the options here, at least. It's better odds than if they'd gone with the card games that he knows, which equals up to exactly zero card games. He's heard them be played, but that was a little different than actually being there and knowing the rules.

Hiei balks for a moment as she asks him which he knows, and then he sighs.

"I don't know... any."

[thenicerone]

It was then Yukina found herself at a loss of what to do. She didn't know how many things Hiei knew about the human world nor was she aware of how many games he knew too. For a moment, there was some silence before looking downward.

"...Do you want me to teach you how to play before we go to the table?"

[jaganshi]

Did he want her to teach him? He almost feels bad that she has to teach him things like this, but it wasn't like he's actually all that interested in knowing them. Kurama no doubt knew how to play them too, but he hadn't thought it was all that important to ask him about it. Maybe.. soon he will ask him. Or watch the next time he plays.

For the time being..

"I think I might be able to figure it out if I watch a round or two..." Maybe. He won't be counting cards or anything, but he could at least figure out th ebasic rules.