"There you are Kyler! We were getting worried."
Kyler raced up to her waiting friends. "Sorry I'm late. Cuphead and Mugman held me up." Kyler said in a breathless voice.
Arisa raised her eyebrows. "Gave you a lecture, huh?" She teased.
Kyler smiled and shook her head. "You could say that, yeah."
They all laughed. As Kyler was preparing for the night out with her friends back at the tree house, Cuphead and Mugman were in hystarics. "You all stay together, you hear? Don't let any guys take you home. Just your friends. If there are any problems, you call us. We'll come get you right away. Actually, why don't we come with you? We can look after you girls. But you especially Kyler. You're like our sister after all, and we need to look out for you."
The Elder Kettle chuckled as he watched the whole thing from his rocking chair. "Boys, boys. Kyler will be fine. She is a very responsible young woman and is not going to be by herself. Pay them no mind Kyler. I trust you."
"Thank you Elder Kettle." Kyler gently hugged him. Then she got on her knees and embraced the brothers. "You guys have fun with your grandfather. And don't worry about me. As long as I'm with Arisa nd Leann, I'll be fine." Both boys clung to her. "Please be careful Kyler. We will die if something happens to you." Kyler assured them that everything will be fine, and she gave them each a kiss before heading out the door. Immediately, Cuphead and Mugman dashed to the window, watching Kyler until she dissapeared across the bridge that lead to the city.
"They really do care a lot about you. I'm kind of jealous." Leann said.
Kyler chortled. "We'll see how jealous you are when you have too younger brothers who are overprotective of you. Anyway, what are we standing around for? Let's get going."
"Yeah, let's." Leann said as she, Kyler, and Arisa crossed the tracks and began heading toward the cave entrance that lead to the casino.
"Um, Kyler?
"Yeah Arisa?"
"I don't mean to sound rude, but your outfit doesn't seem to...well, fit with where we're going."
"Eh?" Kyler processed what Arisa had just said. Unlike her friends, who were both wearing cute dresses (the kind one might see at a formal dinner party) and had put on makeup, Kyler was wearing a knitted orange sweater, a white knee-length skirt, and black ballet flats. Except for her small white pearl earrings, the fanciest thing about her was how she had partly pulled back her hair and a little bit of pink lipstick that she had put on. It was, in a word, modest. "Should I have worn something fancier? I'm sorry. I didn't think about that." She looked down embaressed.
Leann elbowed Arisa in the arm. "Seriously Arisa? Don't talk to Kyler like that. Who cares how she's dressed? All that matters is we're all here together to have a good time." She turned to Kyler. "Don't listen to her Kyler. I think you look beautiful."
"It's all right Leann. Maybe I should've-"
"No, Leann's right." Arisa took Kyler's hand in hers. "I'm sorry Kyler. I shouldn't have said that. It was inconsiderate. You really do look beautiful. No one can pull off the modest look like you. It's your signiture style, and it looks really good on someone as tiny as you. Forgive me?"
Kyler smiled at her friend. "Of course I do Arisa. I know you didn't mean anything by it." Kyler hugged her friend.
"Well, shall we continue?" Leann asked. The girls nodded, and they proceeded through the cave entrance.
They were not totally prepared for what was on the other side. All three girls felt an immediate wave of heat as they entered the other side of the cave. The casino was humongous. It was a grand building with marble stairs that lead to ornate doors. On the left side, there appeared to be a large courtyard with a beautiful water fountain and various benches surrounding it. On the right was a smaller building the size of an average home. It was shaped like a piece that was normally used on a game board. But what really caught the girls' attention was the name above the entrance, which was surrounded by a sinister looking figure.
"The...Devil's Casino?" Leann wondered uncertainly. "I don't remember it being referred as that in the advertisement.
Arisa smiled nervously. "Maybe it's just a play on words. You know, this section of the area is known as sin city. Right Kyler?
"Uhmm..." Kyler wasn't quite sure what to make of the scene before her. It definetly was intimidating. If they're goal is to attract customers, this definitely won't do it. She thought. She and her friends all took a deep breath and held hands tightly as they walked up the stairs and through the doors.
"23 red. Sorry sir. Better luck next time." The dealer said as proceeded to remove the losing player's chips.
The player, who happened to be a chubby purple demon, angrily slammed his hands against the Roulette table and stood up. "You cheating bastard!" He snarled. "You rigged the spinner!"
"Sir, I can assure you I did not comprimise the spinner in any way." The dealer said in a calm and rather annoyed voice. "You lost far and square."
"God damn liar! I saw you lean against it slightly as you tossed in the ball!"
The dealer let out an exasperated sigh. "Sir, if you continue to cause a scene, I will be forced to call for back up."
Infuriated, the demon grabbed the dealer's shirt and pulled him across the table. "You just try it." He balled his hand in a fist and pulled his arm back, ready to deck the poor dealer. However, he was stopped when a firm hand grabbed a hold of his wrist. The demon turned his head and grinned sheepishly when he found himself face to face with the casino's manager. "Eheh. Mr. King Dice sir. This ain't what it looks like." He said as he let go of the dealer.
King Dice raised his eybrows as he released his grip on the demon's wrist. "Oh, really? Then how about you explain to me what's really going on here?" He said cooly as he folded his arms. The other patrons at the Roulette table had gone quiet and watched with anticipation the event that was unfolding before them.
The demon shuffled his feet nervously. "Well, you see sir, the dealer here rigged the game, and I just lost all my money because of him. You're not going to let him get away with that, are ya?"
King Dice looked thoughtful. "No... I wouldn't let one of my employees get away with that. Except this is the third time this week that you told me that the game was rigged. In fact, you claim a game is rigged every time you lose. Which is quite often, I might add."
A silence fell among the crowd at the table. Some of the patrons whispered amoung themselves and began to laugh at the purple demon, who was getting flustered. "B-but sir! It really happened this time! I swear it!"
The manager gave an exasperated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his large, round purple nose with his fingers, while he placed his other hand on his hip. "Pitch, I've warned you that if you tried to pull this shit again, I would have you banned permanently. Now, I'm afraid that it looks like it has come to that."
Pitch's eyes looked like they were ready to pop out. "P-please sir! Don't through me out for good! I'll be good from now on, I promise!"
"Security!" King Dice called. One of his minions, a large floating eight ball with a wide mouth and eyes appeared out of thin air. "Kindly escort Mr. Pitch off the premises. He is banned from the casino...for life."
"Right boss." The eight ball floated toward the demon and picked him up by the back of the collar with is teeth. Pitch thrashed and yelled as he was carried away toward one of the side exits. "Come on Dice! Don't do this to me! I can't go home broke! What'll I tell my gal? I know! If-if I win all my money back, I'll never show my ugly mugg here again! I swear! Please don't throw me out! Please!" His voice grew distant and eventually died out. A brief silence followed before the patrons resumed what they were doing before all the excitement began. King Dice let out another sigh, walked over to the nearby bar, and sat down with his head in his hands.
"Rough evening sir?" The bartender asked as he fixed his boss a cocktail.
"The worst Rocco." King Dice said. "I haven't even been out of my office for an hour, and already I had to kick out five patrons, break up a drunk threesome in the men's room, and have the cleaning staff clean up after some stiff who puked in front of the elevators." Rocco shook his head in sympathy and handed King Dice the cocktail, who took it gratefully. "Thanks. Cheers." He raised his glass. "To the hope that this night can't get any worse." He groaned as he took a sip.
Rocco nodded and was about to turn his attention to cleaning the glasses when he happened to look toward the casino's entrance. A wide smile spread across his face. "You know sir, it might actually get better."
"Oh yeah?" King Dice said skeptically as he took another sip of his cocktail. "What makes you so sure about that?"
"Because three lovely gals just entered the casino. Take a gander." Rocco gestered toward the entrance, and King Dice followed his gaze. His jaw dropped. Sure enough, three beautiful young woman had just walked through the entrance. A lot of guys nearby gave wolf whistles and called out various compliments.
Rocco nudged King Dice' arm. "What do you say to that boss? Things aren't so bad after all. Those dames are pretty easy on the eyes, ain't they?
"Yeah." All three girls were lovely. But the one that really caught King Dice's attention was the smallest one of the group. The one dressed the most modest out of the three. She had to be the most beautiful woman King Dice had ever seen. Her long hair was a georgeous silver color, and her white skin was as fair and smooth as a porcelain doll. She was very petite, probably weighed less than a hundred pounds. But what King Dice liked the most about the woman were her eyes. They were a vibrant, sparkling amathyst color. So vibrant, in fact, that he wondered if they were her natural eye color.
Rocco gave his boss another nudge. "Well, what're ya waitin' for? Go pour on the charm like you always do." King Dice nodded and finished his cocktail. Then he stood up and adjusted his bow tie. "You bet I will." He said in a confident voice.
He strolled on over to the three young women, all of whom were taking in their surroundings in awe and whispering among one another. They stopped when King Dice came up to them and gave a polite bow. "Good evening ladies. Welcome to the Devil's Casino. My name is King Dice. I am the general manager of this establishment. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"
The young women smiled and giggled amoungst themselves. Except the smallest one. She seemed a little nervous. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Dice." The tallest one said as she extended her hand. "My is Arisa Yumiko."
"Miss Yumiko." King Dice smiled as he shook her hand.
"I'm Leann Taylor." said the other one, and King Dice shook her hand as well.
"It's a pleasure." He said in a smooth tone. He then turned his attention to the smaller woman. "And who is this lovely young lady?" He asked as he gave her a warm smile.
The woman looked down as she nervously fiddled with a strand of her hair. "K-Kyler Sharmain." She said in a soft, shy voice as she timidly reached out for a handshake as well. Instead, King Dice took a hold of it and gave it a kiss. Her soft, warm skin felt very nice against his lips.
"Kyler Sharmain." He repeated. "That is the most beautiful name I have ever heard. You must get a lot of compliments for it."
Kyler felt her cheeks burn with embaressment. "Um, not really...s-sir."
Arisa and Leann exchanged glances and giggled.
"Please. Call me King Dice. All my friends do." He said as he gave the girls a wide grin.
Arisa and Leann giggled again. Even Kyler seemed to relax a little as she joined in. "Okay...King Dice."
"So, this the first time you ladies have visited the place?" King Dice asked.
"This is our first time at a casino, period." Leann said. "In fact, we were just trying to figure out what we should do first." The other two murmered in agreement.
"Well then, as the general manager, I will be happy to give you ladies the round about on how things work around here. That is, if you don't mind me keeping you all company." King Dice said with a rather devilish grin.
All three girls looked delighted. "That would be wonderful, but wouldn't we be keeping you from your duties?" Arisa asked.
King Dice chuckled. "Believe it or not, mingling amoung the patrons, especially lovely woman, is one of my duties. In fact, it's my favorite part of the job."
"All right then. What exactly is the proper way to do things around here?" Leann asled.
"Well, I like to start my evening with a nice alcoholic beverage. Why don't we all head over to the bar? I will be happy to purchase each of you ladies a drink."
Arisa and Leann nodded enthusiastically, but Kyler, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke up. "That's very kind of you sir- I mean, King Dice, but you don't have to do that. It just doesn't seem right to have you pay for all three of us."
"Nonsense! I enjoy buying drinks for beautiful girls. I am, after all, a gentleman. So please, allow me to indulge. It's my way of welcoming you three to the casino." He gave Kyler a smile so friendly and warm, that she couldn't help but smile back.
"Well, all right then, if you really don't mind." She said.
"Shall we then?" He gestered for all three girls to follow him through the crowd of people and to the fancy bar that he was sitting at earlier. Arisa and Leann each pulled out a chair to sit in (King Dice had taken the liberty of pulling out a chair for Kyler and pushing it under her as she sat down.) The he took a seat between her and Leann and waved Rocco over.
"What can I get for ya folks?" He asked.
"Ladies, this is Rocco, the best bartender in all of Inkwell."
Rocco gave King Dice a smirk. "Aw, boss. You're makin' me blush."
King Dice laughed. "These two ladies on my left are Arisa and Leann. And this..." he said as he gestered to his right with a flourish. "This is Kyler."
"Pleasure to meet you ladies. What do ya all feel like tonight?"
"Do you have any mojitos?" Arisa asked.
"Sure do." Rocco responded.
"How about an apple martini?" Leann inquired.
"You betcha. How about you boss?"
"I'm feeling like a coke and rum at the moment. Don't want anything too heavy." He turned toward Kyler. "What about you Kyler? What's your preferance?"
Kyler furrowed her brows and again started nervously playing with a stand of her hair. "Um...well, actually King Dice. I've never actually drank alcohol before."
King Dice raised his eyebrows slightly. "You haven't?
"She had a mimosa at our graduation brunch once, and she seemed to really enjoy it." Arisa chimed in. Leann nodded in agreement.
"That so?" King Dice said, and Kyler nodded. "Well, in that case, I would recommend a Tequila Sunrise."
"Oh, good choice! Kyler would definetly love that!" Leann and Arisa said enthusiastically.
Kyler looked intrigued. "What's that?" She asked.
King Dice couldn't help but chuckle. This girl wasn't just drop dead gorgeous; she was also cute and innocent. He was definetly into her now. "Like your friends said, you will absolutely love it. It's a cocktail made of tequlia, orange juice, and grenadine syrup."
"It sounds delicious. Okay, I will have that." Kyler said to Rocco.
King Dice turned to the bartender. "You got all that Rocco?"
"Got it. One mojita, apple martinia, coke and rum, and a Tequila Sunrise. Comin' up."
"And put it all on one tab." King Dice called after him. "I'm treating these lovely ladies."
"Right, boss." In no time flat, Rocco whipped up everyone's respective drinks and placed them in front of the correct customer. King Dice watched as Kyler's beauitful purple orbs sparkled at the gradiant yellow and red drink that sat before her.
"It's so pretty." She exclaimed. "Like a summer sunset."
Again, King Dice chuckled at her cuteness. "Just wait until you try it." He took a hold of his glass and cleared his throat. "I propose a toast. Not just to new patrons of the casino, but to new friends as well."
"I'll drink to that." Arisa said as she raised her glass.
"Same here. And also to luck being on our side as we try the games here." Leann added.
They all clinked glasses and each took a sip of their drinks. King Dice glanced at Kyler as she sipped her Taquila Sunrise. "So, what do ya think?" He asked her.
"It's really good. I like the sweet and fruity flavors."
He smiled at her. "I thought you would enjoy something like that." He noticed that Leann and Arisa were engrossed in a conversation with Rocco, so he decided to take the opportunity to talk some more to Kyler. "So, tell me about yourself. What do you do for-?"
"Excuse me sir." King Dice scowled as he was interrupted by a member of the cleaning staff. "One of the patrons here lost a bet with his buddies and now has his head stuck in a toilet." King Dice groaned as he stood up. "I'm coming. Excuse me ladies. There 's a situation that I have to attend to. Rocco, will you give me a hand? And bring a plunger."
Rocco groaned as well. "Another blockhead stuck in the toilet?"
"You guessed it." King Dice turned to the girls. "I apologize for leaving you ladies. Hopefully, this won't take too long."
"Oh, no. We understand. Hopefully, he'll be okay." Leann said.
"He'll be fine. Enjoy your drinks and have a wonderful time."
"We will. Thank you so much for the drinks."
King Dice gave a polite bow. He winked at Kyler and turned to leave.
"He seems really nice. Welcoming us and then buying us drinks. Now that's a good manager." Kyler said. She was about to take another sip of her drink when she noticed her friends staring at her with maschivous smiles on their faces. "What? Why are you guys looking at me like that?"
"Kyler, he was totally flirting with you." Arisa said.
"Um-hmmm." Leann nodded in agreement.
Kyler's entire face turned as red as the bottom color of her drink. "H-he was flirting with all of us! That's his job!"
"Uh-huh. And he just happened to give your hand a kiss when he just shook ours." Leann said.
"There was probably a bug on my hand, and he was just blowing it away!"
"And when he said you had a beautiful name?" Arisa inquired.
"Well, my name is unique. A lot of people comment on it. I know I told him otherwise, but I was just being modest."
"And let's not forget how he pulled your chair out for you." Leann added.
"That's because you guys didn't give him the chance to pull your chairs out!"
"And finally, he recommended a drink that he knew you'd like. He even asked what you thought of it." Arisa said.
"Because I don't have as much experience with alcoholic beverages as you two do! And may I remind you that you both brought up what kind of drink I might like?"
"Final verdict: he's into you!" Arisa and Leann said in unison.
Kyler was very flustered at this point. "H-he is not! Like he said, as the general manager, it is his job to make people feel welcome. Being suave and polite is part of the job description."
"Not to mention handsome." Arisa added with a sigh. Leann nodded in agreement.
Kyler rolled her eyes. "You find a guy with a die for a head handsome?"
Leann snorted. "Oh, come on Kyler! Even you have to admit that the guy is pretty good looking."
"Right? How can you not be seduced by that charming smile and his cute little mustache?" Arisa added. "And did you see his suit? Not many guys can pull off a purple tuxedo, but he sure can."
"And his eyes. Oh...my...god! He has the most gorgeous eyes." Leann swooned, and Arisa agreed with her.
Again, Kyler rolled her eyes at her friends. She just couldn't believe how they were falling all over King Dice. As welcoming as he was, she did think he was a bit over confident and a little too forward. However, she did agree with them on one thing. His eyes certainly were beautiful. She had never met anyone with eyes that were a vibrant emerald green.
She quicklly shook her head at the thought and decided to change the subject. "Well, I don't know about you guys, but I would love to check out some of the games here."
Her friends nodded. Once they finished their drinks, they all got up and explored the area, trying to find any games that would catch their interest. They started off with the Craps table, which was Leann's specialty. After playing and winning a few games, they proceeded to the Roulette section. This was Arisa's game, and she managed to win a few rounds as well. Finally, the found themselves winning a few rounds of Blackjack, which just happened to be one of Kyler's favorite games. By the end of her third win, she, Leann, and Arisa have won a total of $1500, $500 for each girl.
"Damn! You ladies on are on a roll." All three girls jumped. They were so engrossed in the card game, neither one noticed that King Dice had been watching them play. "My apologies. I did not mean to startle you all."
"Oh no, that's all right. We weren't really paying attention to what was going on around us, so I'm sure anyone would have startled us. "Arisa said, and her friends chimed in agreement.
King Dice laughed. "Well, don't let me stop you ladies. A few more winnings, and you could probably buy the whole casino."
At this point, Kyler stood up. "I think I'm ready to turn in my winnings."
"So am I." Leann said.
"Right behind you guys." Arisa responded.
King Dice was dumfounded. "You ladies are throwing in the towel all ready? But you were all doing so well."
All three girls flashed him knowing smiles. "Well, you see King Dice, there's something about us that you probably don't know." Arisa said.
"This may be our first time in a casino, but we consider ourselves pretty streetsmart." Leann said.
"That's right." Kyler added. "We've lived in the city long enough to know when someone has hidden intentions."
King Dice raised an eyebrow. "Hidden intentions? I don't know what you ladies are talking about."
"Oh, I think you do Mr. Dice. Just a moment ago, you tried to encourage us to keep playing, knowing ful well that our luck would eventually run out." Arisa said.
"So as a result, we know that is our cue to take the winnings we have now, because it is not worth the risk of losing it." Leann added.
King Dice grinned and mockingly threw up his hands in defeat. "Okay, okay. You ladies got me."
They all laughed, and King Dice showed the girls where the cashier's cage was. As Arisa and Leann exchanged their winnings, Kyler took King Dice aside. "I'm sorry." She said.
King Dice had no idea what she was talking about. "For what?"
"For what my friends and I said back there. I know encouraging people to keep playing is part of your job. It's how the casino makes money, and...well, we kind of went and ruined that for you. So, I wanted to apologize."
A wide smile spread across King Dice's face. Could this girl be any more perfect? "Aw, don't apologize. In fact, I'm really impressed. Most people don't catch on that quickly. You girls are pretty smart."
Kyler blushed. "Well, Arisa and Leann are."
"Oh? You don't think you're that smart?" King Dice asked her.
Kyler shook her head vigerously. "No, no! I mean, they're both very intelligent. Arisa is a lead supervisor of the Inkwell Credit Union, and Leann teaches at the private school."
"Really? Those are impressive positions. However, I have no doubt that you are just as intelligent as they are." He said to her with a twinkle in his eye.
"Kyler, you ready to exchange your winnings? Or did you want to play some more?" Arisa asked her.
"Huh? Oh, no. I'm ready." Kyler quickly walked over to the cashier's cage and pushed her chips underneath the window. Once she recieved her cash and had tucked it safetly in her purse, the nearby band started to play a song that was sutiable for slow dancing.
"Ah, this is one of my favorite numbers to dance to." King Dice said to the girls.
Arisa and Leann exchangedc glances. They were both thinking the same thing and decided now was the time to act on it.
"Leann, do you wanna dance?" Arisa asked her friend.
"Absolutely!" Leann took Arisa's hand and they both quckly headed for the dance floor.
"Hey! Where are you two going?" Kyler called after her friends, but it was too late. Arisa and Leann were long gone and had left Kyler and King Dice alone together. She turned to King Dice, who smiled and held out his hand to her.
"Kyler, would you care to dance with me?" He asked.
Damn those two! Kyler thought to herself. Now she knew why here friends suddenly took off. She looked down and awkwardly shuffled her feet. "Um, it's not that I don't want to... I...well, I don't know how to dance."
She looked up, half expecting King Dice to be laughing at her. Instead, he was wearing a warm and understanding smile. "No worries. This is a pretty easy song to dance to. All you have to do is follow my lead."
His voice was filled with such warmth and encouragement, that Kyler just couldn't help herself. She gingerly took a hold of his hand and allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. Kyler knew one thing about slow dancing, and that was for the female dancer to place her hand on her male partner's shoulder. However, because she was so short, she basically had to stretch her arm abov her head to reach King Dice's six foot two inch frame. It was a bit awkward for her.
Chuckling, King Dice gently wrapped his hand around her wrist. "Here." He guided her hand to rest on his upper arm. "Is that more comfortable?"
"Y-yes. Thank you."Kyler's face had grown very hot at this point. She took a deep breath as King Dice took a hold of her right hand in his left, then placed his right hand on the small of her back.
"Good. Now we're going to have to get a little bit closer. Like this." He said as he pulled her closer to him.
Kyler felt as if her heart was about to pound out of her chest. She never danced with a guy before, let alone someone as suave as King Dice. She swallowed and started to follow his lead like he mentioned.
"That's it. Move your hips and feet from side to side. Don't think of what you need to do next. Just relax and let the music guide you. Good! That's very good!" King Dice encouraged her as they began to dance.
Kyler loosened her grip on King Dice's hand, and she begain to relax as she continued to follow his lead. She was actually having a really good time. "I don't know what I got so worked up for. This is easy." She said with a grin.
"See? You don't know what you're capable of until you actually try. And you just happen to be a very good dancer." King Dice complimented her.
Kyler gave a shy giggle. "Thank you. It's helps that I have a good teacher."
"Aw, you're just too sweet." King Dice gushed. "Actually, I always seem to do my best when I have a very pretty girl to dance with."
Kyler turned so red that King Dice was surprised there wasn't steam coming out of her ears. "I-I'm not pretty."
"Are you kidding? You're definitely the prettiest girl here. Any guy would be falling over himself just to dance with you." King Dice said.
This was all a bit too much for Kyler. She decided to change the subject. "Back at the bar, wasn't there something you were going to ask me before you had to leave?"
"Ah, yes. I was wondering what you do for living?" King Dice decided to welcome the change of subject. Up until now, he had worked pretty hard to get Kyler more comfortable with him, and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her off. He was starting to understand that he had to approach her slowly.
"Well, I'm one of the lead pharmacists at Inkwell General." Kyler responded.
King Dice could not hide his amazement. "Seriously? A lead pharmacist?"
"Um-hmm." Kyler nodded bashfully.
"If you don't mind my asking Kyler, how old are you?" King Dice asked her.
"I'll be turning twenty on December 3rd." Kyler told him.
King Dice whistled. "Only nineteen years old, and already you have one of the top paying jobs on the island. How'd you do that?"
"Well, I graduated from high school when I was twelve. Then I graduated from college when I was sixteen. I was accepted in Pharmacy School the following year and finished up when I was seventeen. I managed to pass the Pharmacist Exam on my first try. And the hospital was so impressed with my academic accomplishments, they hired me on the spot as a technician upon my completion of Pharmacy School. From there, I just kind of worked my way up, and now here I am." She stopped suddenly. "I - I'm sorry. I'm bragging. That's not very lady like of me. Please forgive me.
"No, no. I asked you after all. And from what you're saying, it sounds like you worked really hard to get that position. In my opinoin, you've earned the right to brag about your accomplishments."
"That's very kind of you to say." Kyler said softly.
"Well, I meant every word." King Dice said.
Kyler smiled. He really was very nice. Maybe she passed judgement a little too quickly. As they continued to dance, King Dice started to sing along. Kyler was mesmerized by his singing voice. It was smooth and controlled, and he struck every note perfectly. She had to admit, she did find it alluring. "Wow. You sing beautifully." She complimented.
King Dice chuckled. "Thanks. It's something I really enjoy doing. Do you sing?"
Kyler gave a bashful giggle. "Kind of. Leann, Arisa and I will sometimes go out and do karaoke together. It's a lot of fun."
"I bet you have the voice of an angel." King Dice said.
Once again, Kyler blushed. "Oh, I don't know about that."
King Dice looked thougtful. "You know, my stage manager is currently holding auditions for a lead female singer to perform in the casino's theater. It's not a full time gig, so it shouldn't interfere with your job."
Kyler's eyes widen. "Oh, I don't know. I'm not a professional."
King Dice looked at her longingly. "Will you at least consider it?"
Kyler thought for a moment. "Um...well... all right. If you really think I have what takes."
King Dice gave her the same warm smile. "I'm sure you do."
They continued to dance in silence. King Dice felt like he was a very lucky man to have such a beauitful woman as his dance partner. He only knew Kyler for a few hours, but he really liked her. As the song started to come to an end, he closed his eyes and imagined Kyler resting her head against his chest as he nuzzled her soft hair...
"Ahhh!" He snapped out of his daydream as Kyler gave a yelp when she suddenly tripped over something on the floor. She would've fallen if he hadn't reacted quckly and caught ahold of her. "Woah, careful! You okay?"
Kyler gave him a sheepish grin. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. I must've tripped over a loose chip or something."
King Dice nodded. "As long as you're okay."
"Hey there you two. Have a good dance?" Arisa and Leann, who've been watching Kyler and King Dice dance the whole time, came walking on over. The song had ended, and everyone was clapping for the band.
Kyler grinned at her friends, and they started to engage in a cheery conversation. In the meantime, King Dice found the cause of Kyler's sudden fall. He cursed under his breath as he saw one of his minions, Mr. Weezy, grinning slyly up at him. No doubt the perverted cigar was trying to catch a peek up her skirt. "Hey boss." He wheezed. "Just in case you're wondering, she's wearing- oof!" His sentance was cut short as King Dice stomped on him with his foot.
Kyler gave King Dice a curious glance. " Is something wrong?" She asked him.
He gave her a rather goofy grin. "Ahaha! Everything's fine! Just got something stuck on the bottom of my shoe." He decided it was best not to mention his minion's mischievous antics.
Bzzt! Bzzt! Kyler reached into her purse to pull out her buzzing phone. She took a look at the screen and her face fell. "Bad news?" King Dice asked her.
"You might say that." Kyler looked at her friends, who all had the same downcast looks.
"Is it time all ready?" Arisa whined.
"Looks like it." Leann agreed.
King Dice caught onto the situation quickly. "You ladies aren't leaving, are you?"
Kyler gave him a sad smile. "I'm afraid so. We all have to spend tomorrow getting ready for work." Leann and Arisa agreed in disappointed tones.
King DIce nodded. "I understand. Gotta pay those bills, you know. Well, let me at least escort you ladies to the entrance.
The girls thanked him, and they all started heading back to the entrance. Along the way, they ran into Rocco. "Time for you gals to head home already?"
They all nodded and said their goodbyes, but before they could continue, Roccos stopped Leann and slipped a piece of paper in her hand. He whispered something in her ear, and she blushed. Kyler and Arisa looked at each other in surprise and covered their mouths as they giggled. Along with King Dice, they walked out of the casino, down the stairs, and back on the other side of the cave entrance.
"If you don't mind my asking, how do you ladies plan to get home?" King Dice asked the girls.
"We always hail a taxi. The Uber app has become our best friend." Kyler told him as she held up her phone.
KJng Dice scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, I think I have a better idea." Before either girl could respond, he put his fingers into his mouth and gave a shrill whistle. Immediately, a long, cartoonish limo with eyes for headlights and a mouth for a bumper came zipping around the corner and came to a screetching halt. "This speedster is Max. He'll be happy to take you ladies home, wontcha pal?"
Max showed his lights along all three girls. "Hubba hubba! You bet I will boss!" He said as he swung one of his back doors open. "Hop on in ladies!"
Arisa, Leann, and Kyler thanked King Dice for his service and piled into the limo. Kyler was the last one in, and as she sat down on the comfortable leather seats, King Dice took a hold of her hand. His green eyes met her violet ones. "Kyler, will I be seeing you again soon?"
Kyler was struggling to find her words because her friends were giggling like crazy. "Ah...ah...y-yes. Yes, I had a really good time, and...I'd really like to come back here...and maybe dance with you again." She said that last part so softly that King Dice had to lean closer to hear her.
He smiled at her. "I'm really happy to here that. I can't wait to see you again." He kissed her hand, closed the door, and patted the top of the limo. "Alright Max. Drive carefully now. I want these ladies to get home safe and sound."
"You got it, boss." Following his boss's instructions, Max carefully drove over the train tracks, and Kind Dice watched as the limo dissapeared out of site. As soon as Max was gone, he got a sudden whiff of sulfer and felt an immense wave of heat. He knew his boss, the owner of the casino, had just materialized behind him.
"So, Rocco tells me there was a girl here that you have been drooling over all night. I was wondering if I could meet her?"
King Dice sighed. "Sorry boss. You just missed her."
"Damn. From what Roccos says, she's a real looker."
"You have no idea." King Dice told him. "I've been with a lot of girls, but Kyler...she's the most beautiful, the most pure gal I've ever met. She's almost too good to be true.
His boss gave an evil chuckle. "Well, how's about you and me sit down for a cigar, and you tell me all about her..."
Elder Kettle was sitting at the coffee table enjoying a game of Solitair. He looked up and chuckled in Cuphead's and Mugman's direction, who were both pacing nervously near the front door. "Now boys. I'm sure she'll be home soon. Why don't you come join your old grandfather for a game?"
Both boys shook their heads vigerously. "She was supposed to be home two minutes ago." Cuphead said, and his brother nodded in agreement.
"Maybe we should go look for her. What if something happend to her? What if something happened to Arisa and Leann, and she's out there all by herself?" Mugman said worryingly.
"Maybe we should call the police." Cuphead added.
"Good idea." Mugman said. "We can file a missing person's report-" He stopped as he, Cuphead, and Elder Kettle saw a pair of headlights shine through the front window. Both brothers immediately ran toward the window and looked outside. "Golly!" They both exclaimed.
"What is it.? Elder Kettle asked them.
"There's a limo out there! And gee wilickers! Kyler's getting out!"
"Are Arisa and Leann with her?" Their grandfather inquired as he joined them at the window.
"Yeah! They're all in there!" All three watched as Kyler waved goodbye to her friends and headed toward the front door. The minute she walked through, she was nearly knocked off her feet as Cuphead and Mugman jumped on her and hugged her tightly.
"Kyler! You're late! We were so worried about you!"
"H-hey you guys. Sorry, but Max ran into som traffic along the way."
Both brothers jumped off Kyler and looked at her curiously. "Max?"
"He's the limo that King Dice set up to take me, Arisa, and Leann home."
"King Dice?"
"The manager of the casino. He was kind enough to give us a tour of the place and made sure we had a good time."
Cuphead and Mugman suddenly looked suspcious. "He spent the whole time with you guys?"
"Well, not exactly. There were other duties he had to attend to." Kyler told them.
"So, were you and this King Dice ever alone together? Or were Arisa and Leann with you the whole time?" Kyler knew an interrogation was coming, so she had to figure out a way to keep Cuphead and Mugman from freaking out about the thought of a guy flirting with her.
"Here, why don't we all sit down and have a hot cup of apple cider, and I'll explain how it works at this casino."
After retrieving their drinks, all four residents of the tree house sat down at the coffee table, and Kyler told them everything about her and her friends' evening. Well, almost everything. She chose to leave out how King Dice seemed particularly fond of her, and that they had danced together. Thankfully, Cuphead and Mugman seemed more interested in the games the girls had played and if they had won anything.
"So, how much did you win?" They asked her.
"We each won $500, so a total of $1500." Kyler said proudly as she sipped her cider.
The brothers' eyes were as big as saucers. "Wow! What are you gonna do with all that dough?"
Kyler's vibrant eyes twinkled. "Well, let's just say I know two guys who just may be getting those new butterfly nets they have been eyeing for their birthday."
Cuphead's and Mugman's smiles were so big, they looked two big for their faces. "Hot dawg Kyler! Ya mean it?"
"I said maybe." Kyler teased.
"Boo, you're mean." Both brothers playfully stuck their tongues out at Kyler, who stuck out her's in return.
Elder Kettle, who had been listening silently the whole time, chuckled. "All right everyone. It's pretty late. We should all be heading to bed." Both brothers and Kyler glanced at the nearby grandfather clock. Sure enough, it was nearly midnight.
"Oh, okay." Both boys sighed in dissapointment. They got out of their chairs and gave Elder Kettle a hug, then they went to give Kyler one as well. "Night Kyler. We're glad you had a good time."
"Good night Cuphead and Mugman. And thank you, I did." Kyler gave each of them a kiss, and she and Elder Kettle watched as the brothers dissapeared upstairs and into their room. She stood up and gathered her's and the brother's cups. "Are you finished with your cup?" She asked Elder Kettle.
"I am, thank you dear. Let me help you with the dishes." Kyler nodded and they both headed into the kitchen. As they washed the mugs, Elder Kettle glanced at Kyler. "I know you didn't say so, but it seems to me that King Dice has taken a liking to you."
Kyler sighed. There was no hiding anything from Elder Kettle. "Yes, it seems he has. He was paying extra attention to me, we danced, and he was constently giving me compliments."
Elder Kettle nodded. "What do you think of him?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. He's very handsome and quite a gentleman. And suave and sophistacted. He also has a good sense of style. He seems very nice." A suddent thought occured to her. "Elder Kettle. Is there something about him I should know?"
The elderly kettle was quiet for a moment, as if he needed time to collect his thoughts. Finally, he spoke up. "Kyler, when you and your friends first saw the casino, did you happen to notice what it was called?"
"Yes." Kyler nodded. "The Devil's Casino. Arisa said it was probably just a play on words."
Elder Kettle shook his head. "I'm afraid it isn't my dear. There is more truth in those words than you might think."
Kyler looked at Cuphead's and Mugman's grandfather with fear in her eyes. "What are you saying?" She asked in a trembling voice.
He placed his hand on hers. "Kyler...that casino is owned by the Devil himself. And King Dice is not just his general manager. He is his right-hand man."