“Now this place isn’t so bad,” Ryuusei thought to himself as he strolled through the large, revolving doors at the front of the Golden Horn Hotel & Casino, navy suit and unbuttoned white shirt tailor fit to his body. Normally the white haired man had a general dislike of large crowds and crowded places, but something about how lively the place was somehow made up for the less than ideal crowd size. And less than ideal as a description barely scratched the surface of how much traffic this place was getting. Being a gambling man himself, Ryuusei was more than well-acquainted with the allure of even a simple gambling hall, let alone an extravagant display like this. It must have cost a fortune to construct this place. It certainly wasn’t there 8 years ago when he left for the capital.

Those who constructed it at least did some research into the history of their location though. “The Golden Horn” or “Kinkakku” in more traditional tongue was the name of an elite fighting force that once existed in Kumogakure. That fighting force was responsible for bringing down the second hokage Tobirama Senju and is widely considered the single greatest military unit in Kumogakure’s history. However, every known member of that group is also known to have died a violent death. Besides that, Kinkakku is the name of one of the brothers that tried to overthrow the second raikage in the middle of peace talks with Konohagakure. The same one that was reincarnated during the last great shinobi world war and sealed away by Darui. So perhaps the person who named the place didn’t factor luck into the equation when choosing. The Golden Horn they claim is a good luck charm, but that name usually doesn’t end too well.

Strolling down the long hallway at the entrance to the building, Ryuusei would eventually reach what he could only assume to be the main room. He found himself on a raised platform with a curves staircase going down each side. And at the level below was an absolutely massive room with tables, servers, flashing lights, and gamblers as far as the eye could see. Rather than immediately make his way down the stairs and into the sea of people below, the young man would walk over to the railing that overlooked the cavernous space, resting his arms on it as he took a deep breath and inspected the area.

There was only one thing about big crowds that Ryuusei enjoyed, and that was people watching. Especially at a place like this, all of the quirks and faults of people’s personalities were bound to come out. For someone who enjoys the practice of trying to understand human behavior, there was nothing quite like people watching. However, another one of Ryuusei’s habits would get in the way. He was a betting man and a betting man could only be in an area so rife with action for so long before he got the itch to play a game himself. The tables below didn’t particularly interest him at the moment though. Surely there were more interesting wagers to be made.

---

532~

"Ohonono~ It was wonderful to see you again Kiaus-kun. I'll be sure to request you again~" A woman with striking blue hair in an chic updo wearing an elegant jade green dress with a lace mask waved a small fan at her face as she smiled sultry to Yuko's henged form as a carriage rode up to the casino.

"It would be my honor milady" The woman continued her dreadful laugh, going on about how adorable Yuko was until she was finally out of sight. Then Yuko released a long sigh and dispelled her henge no jutsu, turning herself from a man to a woman. No longer was she appearing to be clad in an array of purple, red, brown armor but instead wore a formal navy dress suit with matching shorts underneath having the kiri insignia patched on the right bicep. Her legs were hardly seen being clad in over knee black leather boots similar material to her gloves. Stretching back she cracked the bones in her body with a satisfying pop then looked around before she headed back inside the casino towards the main hall.

Two large men dressed in black suits and shades stopped her and held their hands out. "ID is required for entry" Yuko felt like sighing and wanted to face palm herself.'Why do I feel like they will have an issue with this again. I've shown them my ID multiple times but they keep stopping me. . .' Instead without hesitation she took out her ID and handed it to one of the men. He inspected it before he sent an accusatory glare at her and barked. "19?!!? Oh c'mon kid this must be counterfieted. There is no way a short stack like you is my eldest's age. Really how old are you? 14 or something? Children aren't allowed here so why don't you go back to your mom or something" Yuko's blood began to boil so she tried to repeat a mantra in her head 'Keep calm, breathe, keep calm, breath' But no  he wouldn't let up "Hey girlie aren't you listening? Do I need to call child services or something"

Yuko was about to really give it to him but a firm hand stopped her. She looked up to see a handsome young man in expensive clothes with hair shimmering like gold. He smiled warmly at the guards who stood straight like flag poles and bowed to him. "My my what seems to be the matter here" The two of them looked at each other then to Yuko "It's nothing sir. We simply have a rift raft trying to get into the casino, lying about her age and all"

The fellow chuckled snidely into his palm as if he was watching a pair of clowns. "Hon~ But all I see is a lovely woman simply trying to enjoy the night" He turned to Yuko and whispered in her ear to play along as he knelt down to her then kissed her hand "I apologize my  for this unsightliness. Come and I shall make your burden gone with a night full of dreams"

The guards were shocked by this behavior even more so with Yuko's sudden change in attitude. Yuko smiled politely with eyes full of endearment, her cheeks a light shade of pink "You left me to fend for myself after the long day I've had. I'd best be reimbursed my darling"

The man grinned and picked himself up, still holding her hand "But of course. Anything for you princess" He turned to the guards while a smile so cold they could feel ice forming "This better not happen again do I make myself clear?" The frightened men shook their heads quickly "Good now let us be on our way"

Once out of sight of the bouncers, the mysterious savior parted himself from the osada whose's expression become monotone yet you can see the suspicions hidden by curiosity in her eyes. "Why did you help me-" With a finger to her lips she was hushed "I couldn't leave a fair maiden alone now could I now. And I apologize but my companions are waiting for me. Sayonara~"

And simply like a dream he disappear leaving Yuko alone. Only then did she hear the bustle activity around her. She could hear the chime of the slot machines, the balls rolling at the wheel, the cries and cheers of loss and victory around here. All of it just a moment's steps away. . .but she wasn't that compelled to join them. Sure she was a decent gambler but she only gets into the high stakes on the real fun, the game of life. So rather than betting her money away she'll take a step back and just watch the fun. Seeing the railing and a few seats beside it Yuko sat down and helped herself to the glass of champagne a waiter who was passing by handed to her, taking a small sip of it's crisp taste.

851~

Ryuusei was far too absorbed in watching the goings on down below on the gambling floor to concern himself with who or what was entering the building after him. It had been less than five minutes since he had arrived at the balcony and already the location was getting rather lively and entertaining to watch. It may have not been so much fun for the few unlucky souls that found themselves in the midst of an unlucky losing streak, but to the onlookers and the winners, times were good. One man in particular seemed to be doing very well for himself, while at the same time keeping it under wraps. Quietly he sat at the blackjack table, doing his best not to draw any attention to himself, but Ryuusei’s hawk like eyes spotted the large pile of high-value chips that had accumulated beneath him. Ryuusei also took notice of the pit boss that had begun to hover in that area, watching the man’s games. Perhaps his luck was becoming a little too good.

Ryuusei would allow his concentration on the floor to be broken for just a moment as he head the sounds of a server passing by and handing out drinks. One thing about casinos that he didn’t like was how hot it could get with all of the people that were not only all congregated in once space, but all being active, talking, and walking around. An ice cold drink would be welcomed, even if it was a watered down casino drink. He quick glance at the platter the waitress was holding would be all he needed to make a decision, since he couldn’t be bothered to have her take his order and wait around for her to come back.

Grabbing a rum and coke from the platter he thanked her casually before she continued on her way. Sitting down near him Ryuusei would notice what appeared to be a little girl drinking a glass of champagne that she had taken from the waitress. It was not long before that when the man who Ryuusei could only guess she walked in with since they were talking before, went off on his own, leaving her in the middle of the casino by herself. Needless to say, there existed a myriad of reasons as to why leaving a child alone in an adult establishment was a bad idea, prompting Ryuusei to step in and check on her. The way she was dressed gave him a bit of pause, making him believe that he may have been making an incorrect assumption, but her face looked young enough to support his observation besides simply her height. “Uhhhh, are you okay?” he began, unsure of exactly how to approach the situation, “Aren’t you a bit young to be drinking in a casino on your own? Where did that man who escorted you in here, go? He was your… father?”

---

492 | 1024~

He's going to fold the poor fool. She watched sadly as a man became too frighten by his fellow players, each who no doubt knew how to play the game. The lad was young for his age and carried himself with no too much confidence, no doubt new to the gambling community of this stature. The way he looked at the cards it seemed he might've played a bit but at a more lax pace with some friends in the basement of his house. The way he was unsure about his moves and the pot that was growing larger and larger by the round showed he didn't gamble on the street. He wouldn't be scared stiff otherwise and foolishly thrown himself to the wolves. But somehow the lad didn't seem like he would give up. . .why she wondered. Why would he keep-oh. She grinned as she narrowed her eyes at him. The lad carefully switched his cards around and show them, suddenly winning a large pot of 2500 ryo. A large win indeed. His competitors were outraged at this. The winner had been losing round after round or folding not long into the game but suddenly he won the largest pot at the table. They demanded his person would be searched but he simply smiled weakly saying it was alright and emptied his pockets and removed  his coat. . .and they found nothing except a few coins. She caught him grin snidely as she noticed the slight hazy air making her raise a brow in curiosity. She didn't notice it at first because of how he performed but it seemed a ninja con artist managed to worm his way into the casino. Wrenching her prying eyes from him she lost interest in the squabble. It wasn't her job to keep such folk out of the casino, especially since it seemed it was being taken cared of by a security guard. Good for him she commented to herself and left her attention elsewhere.

As her purple eyes scoured the room, looking down below the woman could no longer spot the man from earlier which was odd considering his flamboyant attitude. Hm, thinking back to their meeting he seemed to feel off somehow making her wonder if she would see him again and she hoped she wouldn't. He didn't feel hostile but the art of deception was the way of the world. Speaking of such matters, it appeared that she wasn't going to be left alone. Hadn't sipped the cooling glass of champagne she mightn't slipped a snide remark at two at the young man but it wasn't worth it. She prided herself on being a proper lady and wasn't going to give that up easily over a small matter. Seeting the glass down on an endtable she looked at him with disinterest, clearing having been asked this before. Did she honestly look that young? "For your information I'm probably older than you young man. I understand I am not the most aged in appearance but please do no make such assumptions so easily. Appearances aren't always everything" Her voice was condescending, disdained or scolding but rather informative and leveled, which mightn't been confusing if you didn't know the woman well. Yuko smiled warmly as she stopped herself from laughing and simply allowed a small amused smile to grace her lips "He doesn't looked old enough to be my father does he? If he was I'd surely wouldn't be hear answering your questions. No rather I haven't known the man for more than a few minutes as he was helping me. As you can see, people have a habit of getting riled up due to my appearance more often than I'd like to admit"

1496~

“Eh?” he began, puzzled by the young girl’s insinuation that her appearance betrayed her true age and that she was older than he. To be honest, that was entirely plausible. Ryuusei was only 19, leaving a great deal of room for a person to be older than him, although by all accounts he did not look like a teenager. For perhaps a multitude of reasons ranging from his height to the particularly stern expression he wore on his face normally, he was often mistaken for a man more advanced in age – most commonly he was assumed to be in his mid-twenties. “Appearances may not be everything, but you can hardly blame me for looking at you and being concerned. I was really only trying to make sure that you were ok, under the impression that you looked far too young to be walking around here alone. This is a casino, after all. For all the glitz and attempt at making the venue seem classy and sophisticated, this is still a place designed to prey on the vices and less… noble aspects of a person’s personality. But if it was my mistake then I suppose I owe you an apology. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

The sudden smile represented a distinct shift in how she was presenting herself, a stark contrast from the attitude she had clearly expressed just moments before. It made Ryuusei pause for a moment, ever skeptical of people, especially those who were so quickly willing and able to change up their behavior completely. It was suspicious, at the very least. “Right,” he answered, raising his right eyebrow skeptically as she spoke, “I would say that him being your father was at least believable, but hey, I also mistook you for a child, so what do I know? The comment’s intent was more so condemning a man for being so irresponsible as to leave a child on their own in a place they had no business being. But I now know that my assumption was incorrect, rendering the point largely irrelevant.”

His attention would immediately be drawn away from the conversation by the commotion that was continuing to escalate on the gambling floor. Apparently one of the gamblers down below was under the suspicion of cheating the house and was now being harassed and investigated by the pit boss and two security guards. By this point in time he had been escorted away from the table he had previously been winning at and was now being unofficially interrogated off to the side. It was curious that they had not yet escorted him off of the floor all together by now, considering that he had now become visibly agitated with the entire ordeal. He was displaying classic signs of escalated aggression and other patrons of the casino were now beginning to take note and turn away from their own games to watch what was unfolding off to the side. If they had any kind of proof to back up their allegations it would probably be wise to escort him to the back and confront him there instead.

---

522 | 1546~

Yuko hummed as she looked the lad over whilst eyeing her glass of champagne, watching it swirl as the few bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass as she remembered how often she has had this conversation back at the palace when she was scolded for burning someone who pushed her buttons too far."True, despite my appearance I can't expect others to be aware how late into my teen years I am" She knew all too well she could expect such. She did prefer not to socialize too often, not to say she was a loner, but she didn't have many associates outside the army and palace who knew her age and believed it "However regardless of my age, I'm not exactly absolved of churlish behaviors seeing as it still I prefer to drink in a place with few people" Looking around it was only the guards way back at the entrance, a bartender and the two of them on the loft, which made her feel a little self conscious about drinking even if it was hardly a full glass. "Or I too still get riled up when someone think I should be an academy student" Actually thinking about it, was she? Dameon might've mentioned she still needs to visit Kiri's ninja academy time from time since she pretty much was not only newish to the village but homeschooled on ninjas.

"I would hope that it isn't normal to sire children at a young age. I think the youngest I can get mistaken for is...ten years old? He looked to be around his mid-twenties so he would be in his mid teen to have had me and that is a bit frightening. Most people I know aren't ready for children at that age" However I've heard one of the swordsmen is an exception. Sort of? She never met the woman but she knew about her. She might've sired children since she was 13-14? The very thought sent shivers up her spine. They weren't in the stone age so she found it odd and improper. But some nobles still get married at a young age though its so far and in between because its so unpopular. She herself rarely saw anyone who has but perhaps since she was a shinobi herself she figured she wouldn't live too long and wanted her line to continue...?Actually thinking about it, it wasn't important.

The silence didn't last more than perhaps a few seconds since it seemed he didn't plan on leaving and neither was she. "Seeing as we've just been acquainted, my name is Milliefiore Yuko and you are...?" Nodding at him once he introduced himself she rested her head on the palm of her free hand as she took another sip of the liquid gold. "Since you haven't made it down to the floor yet either why haven't you. I personally am here to kill some time"

2003~

“Academy student?” Ryuusei thought to himself as he listened to the girl speak, taking particular note of that comment, “So she’s a shinobi then.” At least, that seemed to be the most plausible explanation he could think of. It wasn’t like it would be a completely surprising thing given the city they were in, but even so, he liked to take note of that kind of information. The traditional shinobi academies in each of the villages was the most logical option. She definitely was not from the capital’s military academy. It was much more likely that she was either of this village or a guest from one of the neighboring shinobi villages. The way she said it also gave him the impression that she either was or thought herself far from the level of an academy student. Her own admission regarding getting too easily worked up over the idea was more than proof of that.

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it normal to have a child at that young an age,” Ryuusei answered, returning his drink to his lips for just a moment to sip in between words, “But it’s not like it’s anywhere near the most outlandish of ideas that this world produces. Especially considering where we are right now. I can’t imagine the life expectancy for shinobi is particularly long. Kids in these villages aren’t really kids for very long. They often don’t have that luxury. I’m not sure that I’d necessarily say it was a good idea, but who am I to potentially tell two people old enough to put their lives on the line for their country whether or not they’re ready for children. In general I suppose I just believe that people should be left to their own devices, so long as what they’re doing is not causing harm to others. If it’s something that only really affects them, but makes them happy, well… I’ll just chalk that up as one of those things that isn’t really my business.”

“Millefiore?” he replied, “That doesn’t sound like a name from around this area. My name is Ryuusei.”

"Why am I up here? The same as you, I suppose. I enjoy a good bet as much as the next man, but I find that casino games lose their luster rather quickly. I’ve spent a good amount of time down at the tables already for the past couple of days. I made out pretty well, but to be honest the games have just become a bit stale. Same games, same odds, same dealers. It’s just not as fun as it was, if that makes any sense. I’m looking for something new to play, I guess.” Just as he finished speaking, a ruckus from down on the floor would draw his attention. As he turned towards the balcony and peered down he would see the first man he had observed continuing to win on larger bets, drawing more people to the table. “And it looks like I found it.”

---

520 | 2066~

"True if it doesn't effect me or my goals then it is of no consequence to me. Perhaps I am a bit biased in the topic of intercourse. The environment I grew up in made such behaviors to be unbecoming so it's often looked down upon but when hasn't it. For civilians, sexual intercourse before marriage is disgraceful but normal as they do not fear for their lives constantly unlike shinobi. It's as you have said: the life expectancy of shinobi is short. Rarely do we see those middle age or older who hasn't died or suffered a grievous injury. Take the former kazekage Gin for example, I've heard that she has been giving birth since she was merely 13 years old. What is more heart breaking was she lost an arm and then some meeting tragedy after tragedy. Her luck hasn't been very good. I've met children who lost their sanity to this lifestyle. So despite knowing that it is of no consequence to me because of the burdens we carry, I will still grieve for the lost innocence. It is as the saying goes 'Do not live to work but work to live' we have so little time to live as shinobi because everything we own is fragile. So fragile it can be taken from us in a mere moments, yet I don't agree with being hasty. But as you've said if it only effects them and makes them happy then who am I to judge"

She sighed not out of exhaustion or shame but simply because she knew herself was the last person to say such but just thinking about it well she could agree. Looking up she shrugged and crossed her leg over the over getting comfortable in her chair."Anyway enough of that now" she said just about when he mentioned her name, making her mood a bit better. She smiled fondly while staring at the pool of golden jewel in her glass, reminiscing how she came to claim her name, her lord's name. "Yes I suppose it wouldn't be familiar. I'm not a local as you are but rather a foreigner here to spectate the exams" Giving a small nod of acknowledgement she replied politely "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Ryuusei"

Having listened closely she nodded in agreement her glass now empty and abandoned on a table beside her "No it makes sense. I myself can agree the lack of luster from here. I have been frequenting this establishment lately but it isn't the same as it had been the first couple of times though I hardly gamble myself. I prefer something a bit more dynamic than cards and a ball pit" she chuckled at the last part. When Ryuusei turned his interest away her curiosity was piqued. She intervened "Oh?" She followed Ryuusei's gaze over to a man who was gathering a crowd "What have you found exactly?"

2506~

Ryuusei would hear Yuko recount the less spoke of aspects of the shinobi life. Low life expectancy, battle injuries, misfortunes, all the trademark symptoms of a life sworn to the never-ending tides of war. These same difficulties were present for the samurai as well, and were equally as avoided as topics of conversation. The outside world would always know nothing but the glamour and glory. Those who lived within those circles were all more than aware of the truth, however, they just chose not to speak of it. The life of a shinobi or samurai was hard, filled with strife and loss. These were realities that all seasoned warriors had long since learned to cope with. It was not something that required a great deal of thought, nor one they wanted to give much to. From a young age they were all made aware of their “occupational hazards”, some going as far as to call the fallen heroes and celebrate death in combat. Perhaps there were some who found comfort in those fairy tales, but for someone in Ryuusei’s position, there was only one thing that ever mattered: his duty.

Right now though, his eyes were trained on the man he had spotted back when he entered the casino. The gambler gave off a suspicious vibe from the very beginning, but now that he had seemingly randomly started winning so many hands in such a short amount of time, it only appeared even more so. Black jack was his game and it seemed that Ryuusei was not the only person who was taking note of the whole ordeal. The casino sheep always migrate towards the tables that are on a winning streak, but the pit boss of the casino was now hovering around that table, eventually taking a position behind the dealer and watching the man play.

“Something interesting,” Ryuusei answered Yuko, motioning with his hand for her to approach the railing as he looked down at the table, “He’s counting cards. And he’s making it too obvious, which is why he’s now starting to get harassed by casino employees. Do you think it is a coincidence that he now has waitresses in his face every two seconds just to get denied over and over again, or that big guy in the suit just happening to be forcing the most awkward conversation you could imagine? That’s the first line of defense when dealing with card counters. They want to distract him, mess up his count. This one seems pretty disciplined though. I don’t think he’ll crack under the pressure just yet. So what do you say? You said you were looking for something more interesting than betting on cards, right? Why don’t we bet on people instead. Nothing more unpredictable than mankind after all.”

Ryuusei would then reach into his pocket and pull out a single chip, sliding it across the marble bannister so that it sat directly between them. “He wins his next hand. I’ll bet the man has some fight left in him.”

---

515 | 2581~

Interesting? What's so interesting? She wondered as she slide off her comfy chair to stand besides the white haired local near the railing which she barely was able to see across. The lack of visual made her almost pout in frustration but she didn't want to sit on the railing either when she was wearing a dressy suit regardless of the spandex short she had underneath. Therefore she was only left with one option. Looking back she picked up a lavish footrest by her previous seating and plotted it down besides Ryuusei then proceeded to stand on top of it so she was now up to the man's height more or less so now she could see the entire floor without the bars hindering her as they had done so before. She followed his bemused gaze riddle with calculation and intrigue to a certain table. As she had seen before someone else was also making trouble once more here.

Taking note of Ryuusei's observation she did a bit of here own mentally agreeing and listing him off as she went. Truly the man was counting the cards but in an obvious fashion with such vigor but his gaze was wary and his shoulder tense. He was trying his best to keep going and not get distracted but his left ear reddened slightly every time he'd get a waitress in his face. Or how he lightly pressed his lips together, licking their centers. This tell was different then directly biting the lip or slathering them with his moist tongue completely or chewing inside his cheek or quirking the corner of his mouth.Heh, he managed to last so long in this but I doubt it will last long She didn't see him going too far. He was attracting others and already a guard was whispering to his pal about how suspicious he looked. The dealer feigned ignorance and his movement with the cards slowly became quicker and more graceful but it was a hardly a noticeable action to the untrained eye. If anything the man was close to saying something he shouldn't or backing out and painting a larger target on his back.

She figured it would be wise not to count himself out but rather not act so tense but rather dispirited as if he made a mistake and lost track, 'realizing' he could lose and begin to do more average then wait awhile till nearing the end to make a comeback as if he was scaling a wall.Crossing her arms over her chest and leaning on the railing she tsked softly but kept a careful gaze as she made her conclusion "He doesn't seem disciplined but rather skittish. He has been doing well so far but from the look of his eyes he can't go on for too long before he hangs a noose around his neck" Chuckling she twirled the chip he slide to her in her hand, sliding across her fingers like a wave "Betting on people, making there lives a game. I wouldn't have taken you for cruel Ryuusei-san. But I can't deny this is an interesting game so to say" Pulling herself off the railing Yuko pulled two chips out of the sleeve of her jacket sliding them to the middle meeting Ryuusei's chip. "Very well, I bet he will try his luck some more and get close to winning till the waitress come back more forceful than before and he finally cracks."

3098~

“Cruel?” Ryuusei replied back curiously, turning his attention away from the floor and towards Yuko, “How do you figure this is cruel? He would have been doing it with or without us being here today. I’m forcing him to count cards no more than I’m forcing you to participate in this little game. When you get into a business like that, you go in knowing that you’re assuming all of the risk. Since he’s putting himself out there like that, why not have a little fun at his expense. It isn’t like our game will cost him anything, right? What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

The grin on his face would betray any attempt to mask his amusement at the whole situation, including the joking accusation of being cruel. “And besides,” he continued, turning his attention back down to the gambling floor once more, “You didn’t seem to have any objections. Should I take that as a cue that you are just as ‘cruel’ as you think I am? Because if not, maybe this game isn’t for you. If that were the case, perhaps you would find dolls to be more up your alley.” He knew that she had already agreed to play the game, but games always were more fun when the players were personally invested. He wondered exactly how she would respond to the obvious jab at the age mix up from earlier. Ryuusei was hoping that she had a penchant to be as competitive as she was defensive about her age. Having her really buy into the game would only make it more entertaining. After all, winning is only part of the fun.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself though,” Ryuusei interjected, believing now an appropriate time to discuss the terms on which the game would be played, “Trying his luck some more and eventually cracking isn’t something we can measure to make sound bets. One hand at time is how the game will be played. The rules are simple enough, make a prediction on what happens in the next hand. Get it right and you win the round, get it wrong and you lose. If we’re both wrong, we restart on the next hand. Simple enough?”

Before forgetting, he would glance down at the chip she was now twirling in her hand purposefully, mindful that it was the one that he had placed down as his wager. “But obviously you can’t play for free. I made a wager, now it’s your turn.”

---

430 | 3011~

"Oh, how'd you know I like dolls. Being so cruel as I am, I like to have control of something. Isn't that what we all crave. Something to manipulate, a pawn. But then again it isn't what it's cracked up to be. Life graces up with the pleasure of unpredictable instances, the high stakes. A gambler such as yourself should understand no? People like us have the same chances as a normal civilian off the street. We all hold the cards but there is no set dealer, an interchangeable game" Grinning she twirled the chips that she placed between them beside his own."Of course Ryuusei-san, I know how bets work. I don't intend to play when I lose nothing. Rather-" The pause was abrupt but not unfounded. But rather a hand, a familar one at that was placed gently on her shoulder turning her around "Sir" It was hard, to stand up to the man she reverse more than any one, to not bow on her knees, to pry her eyes away from him but she was ordered to. She was not to make the man more special than he was supposed to. He was a guardian, a father figure if you stretched it a bit but nothing more at least not supposed to. But she was a decent actress so her features did not seemed strained. . .hopefully. She smiled kindly as her eyes widened in surprise "I was not aware of your arrival. It is good to see you"

The man adjusted his glasses that glinted in the light and tucked a stray piece of pale brown hair behind his ear. He was dressed in a humbling but expensive kimono perfectly suitable for this establishment considering he just came from a business meeting. His guard stood only a few feet away watching them or rather Ryuusei intently and a simple watchful eye on Yuko with a sense of familiarity."It has been some time hasn't it my child? Meeting you here was an accident but not an unwelcome one. I have some business here in Kumo and I planned to stop by especially since you last letter was rather alarming"

Yuko had the decency to look embarrassed, her cheeks fathering a light dusting of pink and she tenderly bit the corner of her lower lip "My apologies, times were trying after the incident while I was recuperating" she gestured to the bandage that could hardly be seen as she pull her collar to the side. "But the damage isn't extensive" Humming softly he shook his head and waved dismissively "No matter, we have plenty of time to discuss it further. Meanwhile why don't you introduce me to your friend here? Millefiore Hibari, Yuko's guardian nice to meet you" He smiled warmly at Ryuusei with closed eyes his aura calm, welcoming and disarming.

Yuko turned to the white haired male "This is Ryuusei-san, I just met him a moment ago. He's a local around here" she informed. Her master grinned cheekily "I see, perhaps you can show me around sometime Ryuusei. It's been awhile so things have changed. I know that this casino was definitely not here before. It looks stunning by the way" Looking around in awe whistle softly before he ruffled Yuko's hair. "Anyway since you're here why don't I take you out to dinner Yuko? We haven't had a family dinner since you've moved away" She nodded and he clapped in happiness. "Wonderful, I know just the place" Yuko bowed her head a bit towards Ryuusei then turned to his master's side."I apologize for leaving so abruptly but as you can see something has popped up. I would however like to speak with you again. If you ever wish to converse you'll see me around. Good evening" Her master's guard began to get up from his seat as the pair were walking away "Nice meeting you Ryuusei and have a good night. Come now Yuko we have much to discuss" Hopefully no one noticed her shiver at the last word

3704~
Trained:
Boil Release: Boiling Touch Technique [2700/2700] *quick learner
END E2-D [525/525]
REA E3-D [300/300]
[EXIT]