Time to Play the Game [Open]

[Jiro]

Jiro stretched slightly, back popping audibly as he put more Yen down. He let out an exaggerated groan, getting weird looks from some of the other gamblers around him. He mainly ignored them, sipping his drink. It was non-alcoholic, a type of juice. He glanced at his hand and frowned slightly. Not the way he wanted it to go, but he kept his face stoic, carefully listening to the pulsing of the other players blood. The faster it flowed, the more nervous they were. He could potentially figure out who was bluffing and who was not.

But after half a game, he got bored. He folded his cards and walked off from the table. He had a bad hand anyway, so it did not really matter. Jiro knew that he was going to lose already, so why not quit while he was ahead? He wandered through the casino before flopping down onto a barstool at the bar.

He ordered another juice, not being a fan of alcohol too much. It made him sick and dizzy. He did not like how it made him feel, like he was not in control of himself. So he sipped his juice and scanned the casino until something caught his eye. Taking his drink, he wandered over to the slot machines and sat down at one. The Chigokai put a Yen in, trying his luck with that. However, it seemed luck would not be on his side.

"Is there any game I can win?" he said out loud, but clearly talking to himself. Jiro had not been expecting an answer.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Akazukin is a rather interesting individual possessing an extremely rare doujutsu called the Tokeigan or clock eye. As much as she is aware, she is the only human to possess such a strange doujutsu. The Tokeigan only changes one of a person’s eye and is always visible. Its appearance as one could guess by the name is a clock within an eye. What is really unusual about its appearance is the fact that it is a functioning clock, which tells the correct time. The eye gives the user the ability to look into the future and temporally step into it. However the distance into future is relatively short compared to science fiction novels. Akazukin can see and travel through time on a scale of a couple of minutes. Some would find her restricted vision and travel makes the power mute, but one can do interesting things by seeing events a minute ahead of time.


Like all skills practice is the key to mastering the technique. Akazukin finds a casino would make a perfect place to train. If see wanted to she could completely clean house, but she rather not get black listed. Though she does not exactly hide her abilities, she never plays big money. She stays under the radar by making minimum bets and leaving with only a small profit.

She was going pass the slot machines as she here a man down on his luck. Normally she would leave him be, but she was filling generous today. "Sure there is follow me." She would then walk to the roulette wheel. As Akazukin divines the state of the ball will be by peering into the future, the hands of the clock within her eye spins sporadically. They spun around in different directions before finally returning back to the correct time. "Make a bid on black." If he did so he would find himself a winner. Though with this outside bid the chance were about 50-50. This bid would not yield much in the way of profit due to its lack of risk, but it would be something.

 

[Jiro]

Jiro had not been expecting an answer so when a feminine voice spoke to him, he twirled around. He forgot to stop spinning the first time and stopped after the second round. Slightly dizzy, he looked up at the woman. He wobbled slightly and bit the edge of his thumb absently as she told him to follow her. He smiled behind his thumb and followed her to one of the other games. It was one he had never played before but he figured out the gist of it once he watched some people play.

He tilted his head to the side as he put his yen on black, bidding on what the woman had told him to. The way her eye spun and then went back to the right time made him watch her curiously, a bit more intrigued by her now. But the sound of the small ball being dropped onto the wheel and the wheel spinning made him turn back to the game, momentarily forgetting the woman. It landed on 2, a black number. He smiled a bit as he collected his winnings.

Jiro turned back to the woman with the strange eyes. He moved to hug her but then hesitated. Looking into her eyes, he let out a giggle. "It's that late already?" he asked her. He did not seem to find it strange that the woman had a clock as an eye. Instead, he merely took it in stride.

He bit his lip before speaking again. "How'd ya know black would win?" he asked. He suspected it had to do with her eyes. And the more he thought about it, the more those blue eyes lit up like a child being given their favorite candy or a new toy. "Wanna go to the Poker Tournament room?" He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet. "I'll buy ya a drink too!"

 

[Ryu Hime]

The man looks straight into her eye and mentions how late it was. She pulls out a pocket mirror and she stares at her reflection. Despite it being in her eye she cannot view without something to cast a reflection. “Indeed it is.” She finds no insult in people mentioning the time around her, though he might find it funny how she checks it.

“If it wasn’t for the Zero, the odds would be fifty-fifty. It was a safe bet.” She of coarse was not going to openly admit to looking into the future like this while still inside the casino. She would rather not get kicked out. The man’s next to lines were a real turn off for Akazukin. “I don’t play poker.” That was a lie for she loves poker, but training comes first. Akazukin’s eyes only allows her to look a couple of minutes into the future and poker is not that quick of a game and thus it made a poor sport for training her abilities. “And I’m afraid I cannot partake,” she says with an annoyed tone. Many would consider her morals bestial, but it was the ways her parents taught her. Members of the Inugami family did not eat food they did not kill and prepare themselves. Drinks other than water was also included in this; she would have to make it herself to drink it.

Akazukin really hopes he does not press the matter for she really did not feel like explaining her family traditions. Desperate to keep him away from that topic she speaks up, “I prefer this game, but if cards is more your thing black jack is alright with me.” At least with black jack she can see whether or not it is a good idea to hit.

 

[Jiro]

He had to do a double-take when he noticed that the woman had pulled out a pocket mirror to look at the time. Well, at least she would always be on time to things. The thought amused him and he beamed widely. It was late, but he was not tired. No, he was running off adrenaline. Actually, he was not sure when he slept. He tended to pass out instead of actually sleep.

At her logic, he just let out a simple "huh..." in fascination. It was not the type of game that he would like to play though. He could not be able to sense an inanimate object's blood. He frowned a bit as she rejected his offer, but it was more of a pout than any actual anger. But he quickly brushed it off, smiling widely again. "Okay!" This woman was strange, but he found that he did not mind too much. She seemed nice enough.

Soon, however, the woman mentioned playing Black Jack. He shrugged. "We can play this," he finally decided. Maybe she has a way of finding out how to win this game like I have a way of playing cards... The thought flickered through his head so he decided the best method would be to play the game she liked.

Jiro sat back down again. "Which one should I do now?" he asked, glancing back at her before making his bid. He watched the eye carefully this time. "Oh, my name's Jiro," he finally said, deciding he should probably introduce himself to the woman who was helping him win money. He ran a hand through his blonde hair as he waited for where to put his next bid.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Akazukin guides him to an empty table. “Instead of playing against a dealer, let’s play against each other.” She pulls a deck of cards from her pouch though it seems larger than a normal deck. “I would like to gauge your abilities with one deck of cards before move to tables with dealer, which uses several.” One could count cards rather easily compared to five shuffled together. Taking the cards out of the box she then begins removing cards from it. The cards she removed had some interesting pictures on them. She then deals him two cards; one face up and the other faced down. She does the same thing for herself. Jiro would probably not recognize the suits his cards were in for his face up card was the Knight of Swords. “Knights are consider Jacks in this game. Swords and Wands are black." This was no normal deck of play cards, but a deck of tarot cards. Normally such cards were used to tell a person’s future but it can be used in this way as well. She then lets out a small laugh, "Perhaps we should call this Black Kinght instead." Jiro’s face down card was the five of coins. While Akazukin was showing a two of cups. Akazukin places a couple of chips in the center of the table. “Toss in your chips and we will begin.”

 

[Jiro]

Jiro followed her like a puppy following its owner outside. If he had a tail, it would be wagging in that moment. Sitting down, he looked at the cards she had pulled out. Biting the edge of his thumb again, he giggled softly as he watched her curiously. "My abilities don't work for games like this," he told her quietly, to avoid being overheard. "But I'd be willing to try..."

The cards were fascinating, but he did not understand them. He had seen some when he was with Akkuma, but had never seen them used at all. He was sure they were kept for research and not actually what they were used for. They're powerful... He did not know where that thought came from, but he could tell that the cards had meaning and were used for more than just card games.

He looked at the Knight of Swords as it was placed in front of him. He listened to the rules as she spoke. "Black Knight," he repeated to assure her that he understood. How fitting... He looked at the face up card and then placed a couple chips on the table, matching the woman's bid.

After another moment of analyzing, he took a deep breath. He hated this. He could not even tell if he was making a good bid or not. He soon looked up at her after a moment. It was hard to tell what to so without being able to feel the blood pulsing through her veins. But he waited for her to make the first move.

 

[Ryu Hime]

These cards were a thing of her past; it was a gift given to her back when she was traveling around with a caravan of gypsies. Akazukin had a thirst to see even further into the future and one of the girls was willing to teach her the art of tarot. Akazukin was never really good and her predictions were often quite off. She looks at the face-up card given to herself and a slight color of crimson tints her cheeks. The two of cups meant romantic love and marriage. Akazukin then looks at his card. The Knight of Swords, a fast-thinking man. Perhaps this person is good at thinking on his feet.

“Abilities won’t work you say?” She wonders what type of skills he has. Well he did not like games of pure chance like roulette so good at probability is likely out. He likes long games like poker. Poker deals with a lot of bluffing so perhaps he is a good liar. No that talent can be used here too, especially with his face-up card. With a ten point card showing he seems like he has quite the strong hand without even hitting. A good liar could easily get an opponent to potentially bust thinking it was the only way. Perhaps it was the other way around; instead of good at telling lies, maybe he is good at recognizing them.

Once again the hands of the clock within her eye spins sporadically as she looks into the future. They spun around in different directions before finally returning back to the correct time. “I’ll take a hit.” See as it was safe to take a card without busting, she places the top card of deck the next to her face up card. It was the Three of Wands. She remembers that the two of cups also means a partnership and this card means teamwork. Perhaps the cards were trying to tell her to work with this man. She laughs at the idea. She looks at the man and asks, “Shall I hit you or are you staying with what you got?”

 

[Jiro]

Jiro was not really too thrilled to try to play this game, but he could make it work. He had to make it work. He had no clue exactly what the tarot cards meant, but the Black Knight was truly fitting for him in a symbolic way. He was no hero, but he also was not a bad guy either. In fact, one might even call him an Anti-Hero. But when he looked at the woman again, he noticed her blush as she looked down at her card. If must have meaning then. Interesting. Although he did not ask what that meant. He needed the training after all and if he offended her, she might just get up and leave him to his own devices.

He nodded at her question. "I can feel blood," he explained. They were alone at their table. The nearest people were too far away to overhear them. "The more nervous or excited a person is, the faster their blood travels to their heart. Makes it easy to see who's bluffin' and who has a good hand."

As he finished talking, he watched her eye spin and then return to the time. It clicked to him then, exactly why she wanted to play this game. She had five. He was unsure of what he had besides the Knight which counted as ten. And he knew she knew what other card he had. Jiro thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"I'll stay with what I got..." It was a risk, but one that was worth it. A grin soon formed over his face and he had an idea then. If she wanted to play Blackjack, he figured how it would work. She would determine which cards they had and which card was next and he would just listen to her bloodflow to know what to do next. It would be complicated, but no one would ever know.

 

[Ryu Hime]

“Feel blood?” Ah so he was using his bloodline abilities to cheat at the games he played. Probably not a recommended thing to do here in this particular casino. “So you like to train your abilities at casinos?” Not like she could judge, because that is exactly why she was here. However her abilities were different and it only seems logical for her to train at a casino with her abilities. “Don’t think because you told me your trick that I will give you mine.” Though let’s be honest with her eye it was pretty much obvious what she was doing.

Jiro decided to stay. Akazukin bets his face down is a ten pointer or something high. She can only look so far into the future so it was pointless to check. If that was the case she would have to hit. Looking at the deck of cards the hands of the clock within her eye went wild. She bites her lip in frustration for the next card was the Queen of Cups. That would cause her to bust. “I’ll stay as well.” She flips her face down card to show a King of Swords. “My total is fifteen.” She was sure that she had lost, but little did she know that she actually tied.

 

[Jiro]

Jiro nodded as she repeated what he had said. But then her next question made him shake his head. "Only this one..." An almost feral smirk crossed his lips. Of course, Akkuma probably knew about how he trained here and would take of it in private. He was not going to tell her his affiliation though. But then she said she was not going to tell him hers. "I kinda figured it out already."

Jiro stayed and when the woman flipped her card, he laughed. He flipped his own as well. "Fifteen," he replied. "We're tied." The blonde looked at Akazukin then, meeting her eyes once more. "You wanna play again or should we play Roulette? Or maybe an actual Black Jack game?" He lowered his voice. "Maybe we could work out an arrangement then split the money."

 

[Ryu Hime]

Akazukin was not really surprised that he figured it out on his own, because she does not really hide her powers very well. She was surprised that she tied with him however. She honestly did not see that coming, which is why she likes to gamble. Jiro asks about playing other games and then makes a suggestion in a low voice. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Akazukin taps her finger to her head right next to the eye with a clock in it. If she recalls right the first words he said to her was him mentioning how late it was. Well it was even later now. “I believe it is a little late to be doing any excessive gambling. Besides I don’t come here just to play the games.” In the floor above the one they were currently at, there were rooms with beds. She gives a seductive smile, “I plan to get myself a nice soft bed and a warm body to accompany me tonight.” She was doing her best to make it sound sexual when in reality her plans was far from it. Nightmares have plagued her for many a night and she find comfort in another’s embrace during her sleep. It was something she feels embarrassed about but knows this place would honor her request and keep it secret.

 

[Jiro]

Jiro was in shock that he had tied with someone who could see the future. It made him feel a bit better about himself if he was honest with himself, which he usually never was. However, their game seemed to have ended because of the late hour. When Akazukin mentioned the time, he nodded and bit his lip. "Ahh, right..." He forgot how fast time seemed to pass in a casino. It was all part of the allure, after all. One lost track of time in a casino, but it was all a crafty ploy to make the patrons spend more money.

Soon, the woman seemed to be propositioning him. He looked up at her, a bit shocked, blue eyes wide. "I...I have a room here if you're interested," he told her. He had never invited someone up to the room where he was staying before. But that was usually because he was too busy roaming the streets and going to their houses, mainly to kill them after the deed was done. The blonde did what he needed in order to survive. The Red Lights was a harsh enviroment and he was adapting perfectly.

Sure, it was stupid but Akkuma already knew where he was, so it would not be that much of a problem. It also did not help that he had been putting his food on the older male's tab. Not that it was a big bill or anything. It was actually a rather small bill. But still, getting someone else involved was rather risky.

 

[Ryu Hime]

Akazukin’s face becomes completely crimson, “You are quite sweet for the offer. It is nice to know that I am attractive enough to be considered.” Akazukin has met quite a lot of people that finds her eye rather creepy or find her to be nothing more than a tool. “However unless you are packing a pair of breasts under that shirt, I do not think you are quite my type.” Akazukin was not going to flat out decline him, but rather make it seem she has different interests. Besides if he had a room here, he might see her later coming out of one of the rooms upstairs with another woman.

A waitress then comes to the table and addresses Akazukin, “Excuse me madam, the room you requested has been prepared and is ready for you.” Akazukin gives a yawn and gets up from her seat. After saying fare-well to Jiro she follows the waitress to her room.

(Left Topic)

 

[Jiro]

Jiro saw her blush and then he was rejected. Well, it was a polite rejection mainly caused because he was not exactly her type. He let out a soft laugh. "Oh..." he said. "I'm sorry. I thought..." He shook his head. It was embarrassing to explain.

The Shinobi watched a waitress walk over to their table and tell the woman that her room was ready. He nodded in acknowledgement and said his goodbyes to her before making his way to his room. Well, this was an interesting night...

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