thenearshore | A prayer for payout

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A prayer for payout

Who: Suzaku Kururugi and Edge
When: December 6th
Where: An casino in Tokyo
What: Edge and Suzaku go to answer a prayer.

Suzaku stood at the side of the street waiting for Edge watching the people pass by. No one noticed him of course and he was glad about that. It was something he had found from his first day, that he felt relieved that he was was unnoticed and easily forgettable on the Near Shore. He kept his eye out for Edge though he was a little early, the place had been easier to find than he had thought.

He and Edge were going to answer a prayer. Suzaku had never done such a thing before but he had agreed readily when Edge had asked him. He had been trying to find as much to do as possible this last week, feeling strange and out of place. Lady Marinette had been very kind, as had Adrien and Snake but it didn't stop him feeling slightly lost, purposless. So an opportunity to get out and do something was something he was grateful for.

Even better if that something was helping someone. He looked around again, sure that Edge would be here soon.

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"Okay! How about you be the gambler, then? While he's betting, I'll lighten his wallet or whatever, till he gets down to what he thinks is his last chip. He'll bet everything, lose, and think he's ruined, but then I'll slip back what I took and he'll have his second chance."

Ninjas were, after all, skilled thieves.

Suzaku frowned, he really didn't like this. It felt wrong even if hopefully it would lead to a good conclusion. But doing bad things for the right reasons was still doing bads things. Surely the end did not justify the means.

But as he has no alternative plans, and this was after all only a trick- they weren't going to actually steal everything this man had... It was not honourable but it would not actually cause harm.

"Alright then, I'll be the gambler. Hopefully this will work."

"All right! Now I've done some research and this game is really similar to rock-paper-scissors. You're familiar?" He can't assume, after all, no matter how basic or simple the game.

"Rock, paper, scissors?" A children's game? Suzaku looked like he was thinking for a moment before he moved his hand into a fist, then flat and then fingers like scissors.

"Like that? Then certain gestures beat the others." He thinks that's right. It seems odd to gamble on it.

"Right! Exactly! So if he doesn't notice me, I think I can influence his throws with a keen whisper at the right moment. We'll coordinate our actions, and that should let us take advantage." Not perfect, but a good start. No plan survives contact with the enemy anyway, right?

Suzaku nodded, it might work. It probably would have more of a chance at working than if the gambling had been on some other game, cards or chess. Rock, paper, scissors didn't take a lot of strategy.

At least he hoped it didn't. "Alright, are we almost there?"

He doesn't recognise the area at all, having not been to many places on the Near Shore.

Edge checked his phone real quick, then looked back up to assess the street. Between the map the phone offered and what he'd gotten from the prayer...

"There," he said, pointing into an alley where, tucked to the side of the building, a narrow staircase descended down to a basement-level door.

Suzaku followed where Edge pointed to and nodded. It didn't look like much but he guessed such places were not widely advertised and tried their best not to stand out.

He heads over there and looks at Edge. "I guess we just go right in."

It's not like many people would notice them anyways.

"All right. You first, so you can try to be the noticeable one. I'll slink in after." A little help from his own skills would render Edge downright invisible, he figures.

Suzaku nodded, being noticed was... uncomfortable but he could do it. He would have to for the plan to work.

He set off towards the door, trusting Edge to follow him.

A few people glanced his way when the door opened but their gazes quickly slipped away, back to what they were doing. He would have to try harder to be noticed and stay noticed, even if it went against his instincts.

There were tables set up for pairs of people to sit at and Suzaku went towards one that only had one occupant. He's not sure who their person was but it would look more real if he played a bit before making a beeline for that one gambler. Also it would give him the chance to understand the game.

He sat down and made sure to look the man in the eyes before greeting him. The man greets him back before Suzaku realises the real flaw in this plan. He has no money, nothing to bet with.

"Look tough," Edge murmured from behind him, utterly unnoticed by the crowd. "Not like you're aggressive, but like you'd break anyone in half who crossed you as just a business thing." That seemed to be the proper attitude, and definitely the most intimidating one. Professional sociopathy was far more difficult to placate than hot emotion and quick tempers.

Continuing with his plan of doing grossly unethical things in the service of good and virtue, he casually plucked a stack of bills from the establishment's take and passed them into Suzaku's hand from behind. It's not like this was a up-and-up establishment anyway!

It is a realy good job that Suzaku has no god to sting right now. He pauses for a second, taking in Edge's words. His eyes harden, his posture, though not bad to begin with, straightens. It makes him look older, probably a good thing as this wasn't a place full of people who would take any notice of a teenager.

He took the money feeling a burst of guilt as he did so, this was all wrong and they should be finding a better way. But Edge seemed to know what he was doing.

He focussed, worrying would just show and that wouldn't help them at all. But the shift in posture seemed to work, the opposite him was all of a sudden paying a bit more attention. He brought his fist up to the table, Suzaku copied, looking like he knew what he was doing even if he really didn't.

Boy does Suzaku need to lighten up, Edge figured! "I'll find our guy," he murmured, trusting his prayer partner to put on a good show while he poked through the crowd.

Suzaku nodded at Edge and focussed on the man in front of him as Edge moved off.

He quickly learned how this game went, betting was fast and games were played in rounds of three. He won a few and lost a few, it was a game based on pure luck after all.

After a few rounds he nodded at his oponent and they parted, he strode off, a bit more confident in his role, towards the next person. He wondered if Edge had had any luck yet.

As soon as he spotted Suzaku leaving, Edge lifted a hand to call his attention to a different table. This one was more crowded, a group of observers watching what appeared to be a high-stakes game between a tall, broad-shouldered man with eyes so narrow they were barely visible, and a portly gentleman already nervously dabbing at his forehead with a handkerchief as he set out several bills.

Suzaku had been aware of where Edge was, though he had been outwardly focussed on the game. At Edge's gesture he went over, looking interested in what was going on. He's not the only one so hopefully his less than stellar acting went unnoticed.

He stood near Edge, though he didn't look at him, trying not to draw attention to him at all.

One. Two. Three.

The tough man threw paper, the portly man threw rock. Around them the crowd burst into cheers; no one seemed on the loser's side, and little wonder, as he presented an uninspiring sight. His opponent seemed to agree, as he took the money off the table and then rose with only a contemptuous glance for the other man, off to find more entertaining prey.

Edge started to think that maybe he wouldn't have to work too hard to help this man lose.

No. Suzaku had found that he had been alright at the game but not brilliant, but he had a feeling that it would not be difficult to win against this man.

It was also obvious why he needed help. Suzaku felt another stab of guilt as he walked towards the table, but he kept his head up high as he sat down opposite him.

"Ready to go again?" The man startled, as if he were just noticing Suzaku, which was probably the case. It was difficult to maintain a strong enough presence to be notice. The man nodded and Suzaku's eyes flickered to Edge for the briefest second to check he was ready.

"Shall we play for the best of five?"

Edge nodded over the man's shoulder, lifting a fist to indicate Suzaku should throw rock, even as their opponent nodded. He reached into his pocket -- then froze, a look of alarm on his face as he pulled out fewer bills than he expected. Edge's plan was in full effect.

Suzaku put money on the table himself, his face serious and ready even if the look on the mans face as he pulled out his money sent another stab of guilt through him.

But it didn't stop him, they counted down. "Three, two, one."

Suzaku threw rock, the man threw scissors going even paler as he did so. Suzaku glanced at Edge again and brought out another bill, upping the stakes. The man fumbled in his pocket, bringing out another note.

So far, so good. "Rock," Edge murmured beneath his breath close to the man, the mask over his mouth keeping even the exhalation of breath in the word from tickling his ear. At the same time, he lifted his hand flat to signal Suzaku.

So far so good even if this was wrong, cheating. Suzaku threw paper and the man threw rock. Suzaku looked at the man impassively, wondering if he would up the bet or not. After all Suzaku only had to win one more throw and it was all over.

But gambling had deep claws it seemed for the man reached into his pocket again and pulled out what seemed to be his last few notes, his face was a sickly colour.

Suzaku's face was set, no mercy was coming from him. He pulled out another couple of notes himself accepting and matching the mans bet. His eyes flickered to Edge.

Good. This seemed to be having the desired effect; their 'victim' certainly looked like he was questioning his life choices right about now. "Rock," murmured Edge into the man's ear, even as he held up a hand for paper again.

Honestly, being a shinki almost made stealth too easy.

Paper. Suzaku closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening his hand flat as the man kept his closed in a fist. Paper wraps rock. Suzaku had won. The man went even paler, shook his head as if he he could not believe that such a thing would happen.

He put his hand in his pocket as if hoping there was more money there and then looked up to glare at Suzaku.

Suzaku just stared back, feeling awful. But this was the plan, he had lost everything and now they just had to... turn that into something positive. Suzaku, who never hesitated in a fight looked like he was frozen in place.

What do you say to a man who you have just led to believe they had lost everything?

Luckily, the crowd did what Suzaku couldn't -- and laughed, pointing at the fool without sympathy or slapping Suzaku on the back and crowing at how he'd taken that fool for all he had. Their victim slapped at his pockets, desperately searching for the more money he knew he had to have, even as he scrambled up to his feet.

Edge trailed out after him as he ran for the door, trusting Suzaku would free himself from the crowd easily enough.

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