{OPEN}

[absolute_npc]

Who: Everyone/Anyone!
What: Exploring the Casino, Take 1
Where: The Entertainment District
When: after this and this

Comments

THE DOCKS ; START

[absolute_npc]

[This is the meeting place specified by Elena for those interested in exploring the casino. Time to make plans for infiltrating!

Characters can meet up here to venture in a group or simply proceed to the casino on their own, if they wish.]

[sfortunato]

[ he's a little early, which is the usual. what's unusual about this situation is that he's outside and has volunteered to interact with other people oh godmsdnsjhfjsf anyway.

he's waiting outside with his arms folded and foot tapping out of either anxiety, impatience, or a mixture of both. ]

[pteroda]

[Guess who thinks she's late!

Have a Yuuki, Shou-chan. She's running (and been running) but that's fine. What's not fine is she isn't really looking where she's going (did they all leave? Is she really that late?!)] Elena? Elena, are you still here?! [It's then she sees Shouichi ahead, which gives her a sense of relief that maybe she isn't late after all (Early, maybe!? Her expression lights up at the possibility)-]

Shouichi-s--kya!

[-but she fails to miss that rather poorly placed rock and trips, going flying right into him head on!]

approx 5:52 PM

[sfortunato]

[ it doesn't take more than a couple minutes for shouichi to begin daydreaming. in the back of his head he can hear the approaching footsteps and yuuki's voice, but he doesn't snap out of it and really register it until he's only left with a couple seconds of reaction time. ]

Wha-- [ yep, this is happening. ]

Whoa, HEY -- !

[ scenario: there is a (v. attractive) lady coming right at you at full speed. do you a. hope she'll land well on her own b. catch her, like a man of chivalry should or c. freak out and be of absolutely no help at all.

in the end, shouichi had chosen hidden option d. which was to intercept her like one might a football. the impact causes him to backpedal a couple of steps and he tightens his grip around her while hoping they both don't fall right off the dock. ]

1/2

[pteroda]

[She grabs onto him instinctively, particularly trying to get her own balance back as to not make Shouichi have to balance them both. It doesn't work that well, though, so it's all him.

And they probably would have gone off the edge of the docks normally (because we are so so cruel), but since going to the casino soaking wet isn't the best idea, we'll say Shouichi successfully prevents such a catastrophe from happening! (It's a very close call, but who's keeping score?).

Yuuki blinks when they've finally stopped, almost sure she was going to at the very least have ended up nailing Shouichi into the ground with her clumsiness. With the revelation she was wrong, she gives a big sigh of relief, peeking up at the other with a smile.]

-Wow. Nice catch. You saved us both!

[pteroda]

[-Wait. Why in the world did she just blurt that out? And not just blurt it out, why did she blurt it out as the first thing said to him?

Yuuki shakes her head, starting again. Her smile is more flustered now. How embarrassing, as if her almost sending him for a swim wasn't bad enough.]

I-I mean, I'm really so sorry about that. You're not hurt or anything, are you?

[sfortunato]

[ give him a minute to process this abrupt chain of events, please. his heart pounding so hard he can hear it between his ears, shouichi gives in to morbid curiosity and glances over his shoulder to the water behind them. (way too close for comfort and with no lifeguard on duty.) one ragged sigh later, he focuses his attention forward. ]

N-no, of course not, I -- [ he's so honestly concerned about yuuki, he doesn't even notice his face is turning red. ] What about you? Are you alright . . ? Did you trip?

[ it occurs to shouichi right about then that he probably ought to let her go. and he does, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking downward. ]

S-sorry.

[pteroda]

I'm fine, thanks to you! [All smiles here.] And...Ah heh, I think... so...

[This is where she notices him blushing, which causes her to blush, realizing just how close they actually are. Oh, talk about personal space invasion. Her blush gets even worse when he lets her go because she's also still clinging to him. It's her turn to let go and she steps back to give Shouichi some room to breathe, her coming to hug herself as she looks down as well.]

N-no, don't be! Really.

[After a moment of staring at the wood making up the dock awkwardly, Yuuki slowly glances up with a low exhale, proceeding to look around.]

...Are we the only two people here? [Aka: Was no one was around to witness the glorious display that just occurred?]

[sfortunato]

[ a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, if only to combat how silly he looks right now. honestly, someone his age ought to be more smooth when it came to situations like this, right? ]

Hah... m'just glad I could help.

[ nodding, shouichi looked at his commuicator for the time. ]

Mmhm. I got here around ten minutes ago, I think.
Unless they already went ahead?

[pteroda]

[Ten minutes. He was standing out here by himself for ten minutes? What if something came out of the water and tried to eat him? They'd never find him!]

Oh, I guess I really should have been here earlier. [To keep you company, of course, Shou-chan.]

Hmm...

[Her expression shows a bit of concern at that possibility as she takes a few steps one way, looking out across the docks as if moving might allow her to see things better.]

Do you think they did?

[sfortunato]

[ in a battle of shouichi vs water: water always wins regardless of monsters! (aka he can't swim.) he still supposes being neurotically early to things is better than being consistently late. ]

Not necessarily! I just got here early out of habit... [ if that's the case i'd have walked you here. ]

I can't really say, I've never worked with Miss Elena on a project like this before. [ because shouichi finds her terrifying. ] Perhaps you'd know better than I -- ?

1/2

[pteroda]

[...good thing they didn't fall off the docks!]

Actually... I don't really know, either.

[pteroda]

-But, Zero's... coming.

[Which means what, exactly, Yuuki?

Good question.]

I mean, I think you're right. We just must be really early. He's always on time.

[sfortunato]

Oh, right. [ zero was usually pretty proactive in these situations, after all. ]

It should still be a few minutes until the initial meeting time.
Perhaps they've uh, gotten supplies or something. [ now that his heart has stopped threatening to leap out of his throat, he's calming down just the slightest bit. ]

[pteroda]

[She's given up looking around for others now that they-at least for the time being-are going to wait for the others. Instead she's crouching down at the edge of the dock, peering at the dark water. Even in the dim lighting she still can see a reflection of herself, but other than that there seems to be little activity in the water.

The pureblood is not quite sure if that's a good or bad thing.

She smiles, though, glancing up to the sky a moment before tilting her head back to glance at Shouichi.]

Well. At least we can wait here together.

[sfortunato]

[ shouichi tries not to stare at yuuki, though at times it really can't be helped. while her personality was modest, something about her beauty was distracting. he couldn't quite put his finger on it. and while he didn't necessarily make a habit of admiring the aesthetics of other people, at times it seemed to be demanded. ]

Aa -- certainly! [ he replied a little too quickly. ]
I-I don't mind.

[ in the back of his head he wonders if she's a little different from the first time they'd met. it was possible. then again, he really wasn't in any position to judge on the topic. ]

I uh... I didn't go to the casino last time. Gamma did.
Have you been before?