Don't own Naruto.
It took her an hour to reach her destination. She didn't understand why she didn't stop to rest but there was something begging her to keep on going. She heard so many things about Sunagakure, the town of gambling. (Think of Las Vegas). Hinata expected there would be men with hard eyes, women with wild laughs, an atmosphere of sex and gambling, triumph and desperation with an underlying of naughtiness.
Oh, how she wished to experience it all and write it all down. This was everything that she was not. She wanted to feel the thrill, the ripping emotions, vivid excitement. Dazed to notice the tourists, she was pushed to the side into something hard. As she looked up there was a larger than life raccoon with intricate designs all over its body. She thought it was very beautifully done. She could have sworn that its golden eyes were fixed on hers and twinkled in amusement as well as daring her to come into its lair.
Hinata stepped into the den, to be greeted by a rush of cool air and various sounds and dazzling lights. She was awed by the tile floors of blue and green geometric design, the waterfall from the stone wall flowing down into a pond filled with colorful fish, two women bickering over two necklaces the way another might consider her choices of tomatoes. As she turned around the corner, she felt her head reel in the sounds of the casino. The wave brought a rush of blood to her head.
She never gambled in her life, not with money. Money was something to be earned, saved and carefully watched. But her fingers slipped into her pocket fingering the last of her money. Something caught her eye. It stood alone, big and bright. It stood taller than she, styled with stars and moons. The handle nearly as thick as her arm and topped with a shiny red ball.
It was called Shukaku's Deal.
JACKPOT! It proclaimed in diamond-white lights that flashed on and off. Hinata stared, fascinated at the number showing within the blinking lights.
20,900,564,232
What an odd amount. Four thousand and two hundred and thirty-two yen, she thought again, fingering the money in her pocket. Maybe it was a sign.
Take a chance. Something whispered.
Don't be foolish. Her good side seemed to whisper back.
Live a little. Something seductive replied back. What are you waiting for?
"I don't know," she muttered. "And I'm tired of waiting." Hinata dug in her money.
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With his gaze scanning the tables, Sabaku Gaara scrawled his initials in a chit. The man on chair three on the hundred thousand table wasn't taking his loses well, he noted. In a casual gesture, Gaara lifted a hand to call over one of the tuxedoed security men.
"Keep an eye on him," Gaara murmured. "He's thinking of making trouble."
"Yes, sir."
Spotting trouble and dealing with it was second nature for Gaara. He was a third-generation gambler and his instincts were honed well. Gaara's grandfather, Akira Sabaku (made-up name of course), had made a fortune taking chances. Real estate was Akira's first love, and he continued to buy and sell property, to develop and preserve, to wheel and deal, though he was into his nineties.
Gaara's parents had met in a casino aboard ship. His mother had been dealing blackjack, and his father had always been a player. They'd clash and they'd clicked. Of course Akira manipulated them afterwards into marriage making sure the Sabaku line stayed in place. Shouhei Sabaku already owned the Shukaku in Suna,. Ayumi became his partner then his wife. All three children, Temari, Kankurou and himself were born knowing how to roll the dice.
He received the trust of his parents to leave the Shukaku in his hands. Temari moved away with Shikamaru a few years now and are expecting the fourth child. Kankurou is in the entertainment department and is always moving from one set to another but how he manages business and family he would never know.
Someone applauded making Gaara get out of his trance and he smiled a little as he saw it was a woman who hit twenty-one. Some would walk away winners and most wouldn't, Gaara mused. Life was a gamble, and the house always has the edge.
As a tall man, he moved through the tables easily, in a beautifully dark tailored suit that draped elegance over tough and ready muscle. His gold tinted skin and his blood red hair assuring the Sabaku's legacy in him. But his eyes were an intense aquamarine that one would think of the clear seas in the tropics.
His small smiles were quick, charming and secretive when a regular hailed him. But he kept moving without a pause. He had a bunch a papers waiting for him in the office above the action.
"Mr. Sabaku?"
He glanced over, stopping to see one of the roving cocktail waitresses moved to him.
"Yes?"
"I just came over from the slots."
The waitress shifted her tray, trying not to sigh as he gave her the full benefit of those aquamarine eyes.
"There's a woman over at the big progressive. She's a mess. Not too clean, pretty shaky. She might be on something. She's just staring at it, you know? Muttering to herself. I thought I should call security."
"I'll take a look."
"She's, well, she's kind of pathetic. Not a working girl," the waitress added. "But she's either sick or stoned."
"Thanks. I'll take care of it."
Gaara shifted directions, moving into the forest of slots rather than his private elevator. Security could handle any type of trouble that threatened the smooth operation of the casino. But it was his place, and he handled his own.
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A few feet away, Hinata fed her last 4 thousand yen into the slot. You're insane, she told herself, babying the last bill when the machine spat it back to her. You've lost your mind, her pounding heart seemed to scream as she smoothed the bill and put it back in. But, it felt soooo good to do something outrageous.
She closed her eyes and laid her hand on the shiny red ball.
And pulled.
Stars and moons revolved in front of her eyes, the colors blurring while a tune began to jingle. She felt herself smiling at the absurdity of it, as the shapes spun and spun. Almost like her own life. Spinning and spinning. When will it stop, where will it go? Hinata's smile only broadened as stars and moons started to click in place. She felt it was all worth it that she pulled the lever.
Staring constantly at the machine caused Hinata to get a bit dizzy and she began to tilt. She touched it and something cool came into contact. The world exploded.
Sirens shrieked, causing her to stumble back. Lights were dancing wildly and a war drum began to beat. Whistles, bells and people started to move and shout.
What did she do?
"Holy cow, you hit the big one."
Someone grabbed her and danced with her. She couldn't breathe and she flailed weakly trying to escape. Everyone kept pushing and pulling her, shouting words she couldn't understand. Bodies pressed her until she was against the machine.
Somebody then took her arm, as she looked up, she saw it was the devil. She made the deal and now he was here. He was either going to save her or finish her.
"I didn't mean-I only…what did I do?"
Gaara angled his head, smiled a little.
"You hit the jackpot."
He told her.
"Oh, well, then."
She fainted.