CHAPTER 29
Uchiro was waiting for Hana and the others at Valleyrun Station as they returned from the Peakview Resort that afternoon.
"How was your vacation-slash-experiment?" he asked Hana, hugging her after she left the train.
"It was fun!" Hana exclaimed. "I learned how to ski, I did some hiking, clubbing, soaking in the hot spring... I really missed you, though."
"Same here. Skiing's not my thing, anyway."
"Hiro-sensei said it may be a few more days before they're ready to tackle the mountain. What do you want to do until then?"
Uchiro pondered that question for a few seconds. "Do you all want to visit Allsaint City? Just spend a night or two at one of the luxury hotels? Eri-sama can come too!"
"Sure! I don't think any of us have ever been there. Isn't that the city near the Welcome Center, that's supposed to be like a combination of New York and Las Vegas?"
"Yeah, it's a real fun place... I haven't been there in a while, but it's supposed to have all these Broadway musicals, casinos, all sorts of live music and so on."
"I'm all for that!" Kari chimed in. "Let's get home and get settled and then we'll meet you back here tomorrow morning."
"Now arriving at Allsaint Union Station. Please watch your step as you exit the train."
Erina, Uchiro and the Nakamuras were awestruck by the grandiose architecture of the station. "I heard this was modeled after New York's Grand Central Station," Erina remarked.
"I want to stay at one of these casino hotels!" said Kari as she browsed a tour guide booklet of Allsaint City. "There's so many cool places... the Sands, Riviera, Moulin Rouge, Maceo's Hollywood, the Balinese..."
"Maceo's Hollywood?" Hana asked curiously. "That's a bit of a weird name. What's the booklet say about it?"
"Let me see... okay, here we go... Maceo's Hollywood was started by a group of kids who perished in a Galveston, Texas orphanage when it flooded during a massive storm in 1900. When they heard of what Galveston had become fifty years later, they decided to build a casino based on testimonials from various adults who patronized the dinner clubs and gambling halls in the city. Although Sam and Rosario Maceo — the hotel's namesake — never came to this world, their notorious legacy is alive and well in this building, named after their premier establishment, the Hollywood Dinner Club. The founders of this hotel may have passed on, but their commitment to excellence and classy yet friendly service lives on today."
"Sounds like one of those high-class black-tie places. I could go for that if I found the right dress to wear."
As they walked down the busy sidewalk they happened upon a young purple-haired girl playing an acoustic guitar, with the case open on the ground and a small pile of coins and paper money inside.
"Thank you so much! For my next number, this one is simply called 'My Song'."
The five of them stayed to hear the song. When she was finished, they all clapped.
"I love it! It's so beautiful!" Kari gushed.
"Thanks! It just came to me in a dream one night. I was at a school... I think I was searching for a brother of mine... and there was a concert going on in the cafeteria. It was about to get shut down when the lead singer started singing that 'My Song', just her and her guitar, and that's when I found my brother in the audience. I couldn't hug him or even get him to notice me, though. When the singer was done, she vanished into thin air. It was a really strange dream, but I managed to remember what she sang. That song really stuck with me."
"Wow... you know I had a few dreams like that, involving a sister of mine," Hana added. "I found her, but I was like a ghost to her, she didn't even know I was there."
"I know, right? And it was much more vivid than my usual dreams."
"Well, here." Sota tossed a few coins in her guitar case. "I wish I had more, but we just got in town."
"No worries! Money ain't a thing, right? I'm just doing this because I always wanted to. Kinda adds to the street scene ambience, right?"
The five moved on, past several theaters, clubs, restaurants and shops. The Balinese casino was next down the street.
"So if money doesn't matter, I guess these casinos are here just for the experience, huh..." Kari mused.
"Yes, that's why kids can play the casino games in this world," Erina replied. "You're not ruining your life or your finances by blowing your life savings on bets. If you run out of money, just grab some more from the bank. But here, there's no cheating, or artificially bending the odds in your favor... the games are strictly played by the rules, and it's pure chance. And if you lose, all you can do is keep trying until you meet whatever goal you had. At least you get a hundred years to do it!"
She turned and looked at the rows of slot machines that were just inside the casino entrance. "There IS an exception, though... for the slots. You have the regular coins that you put in the slots, and then you have the 'supercoins'... they'll have a special rainbow-like shimmer to them. So if you get bored with all the dud combos and you want to see one of the big special jackpots right away, you just pop in a supercoin and it'll produce one for you guaranteed."
Hana peered inside. "This casino looks like it's for fancy people, too. How about we go ahead and get some more stylish clothes so we can blend in?"
Kari looked around and pointed in the other direction. "I see a Neuman-Mackus across the street, let's pop in there real quick!"
Thirty minutes later, five different people emerged from the clothing store. Sota and Uchiro wore stylish business suits, Kari was in a navy blue strapless pencil dress, Hana wore a white halter top with a gold miniskirt, and Erina went with a black velvet spaghetti-strap gown. They spent a few minutes taking selfies with their phones before parading into the Balinese casino.
"It's times like these that I wish we COULD post stuff to the living world," Hana remarked as she scrolled through her phone's pictures.
"Oh cool, they got pachinko here!" Kari trotted over to the machines. "Eri-sama, that thing you said about supercoins... would there also be 'superballs' for the pachinko games?"
"Yes, I think some of these places have the superballs," said Erina, "but if I remember correctly they still have to go in the right hole or slot for the guaranteed jackpot to work."
Kari tried several different pachinko games while Erina pulled the suitcase over to the slot machines and Uchiro spent time at the craps table, with Hana holding on to his arm.
Meanwhile Sota tried his luck at roulette. He lost a bunch of chips at first, but was slowly getting the hang of it a half-hour in. He had just scored a major win betting on the green zero when he was approached by a girl in a slinky sequined gown with bright red hair.
"You look like you're raking it in, mind if I join you?" the girl asked.
"Um... not at all!" Sota hesitantly replied. "Go right ahead... what's your name? Mine's Sota."
"I'm Yui, pleasure to meet you!" she answered.
Ten more minutes passed at the roulette wheel. Sota was suddenly losing more than he gained.
"You know what? I'm gonna move on to something else." Sota cashed out and left with Yui following him.
"So do you come here often?" Yui asked him as they went to a blackjack table.
"Not really, I live in Valleyrun... this is my first time here."
"You joining us? Place your bets now, we're about to start!" the dealer barked at Sota as he shuffled the cards.
"Yeah, sure..." Sota plunked some chips down.
Yui giggled as Sota drew to 18 and the dealer busted. "You're back to winning! Let's hope you can keep it up!"
The next two hands weren't kind to Sota, however. He busted on the first try and the dealer drew 21 on the second.
Another girl sat next to Sota. She had bright teal hair in pigtails and wore a black crop top and miniskirt. "Hey, is this table any good?"
"It's so-so if you ask me," Sota answered.
She put some chips down and joined the game. The next hand, she lost and Sota won.
"Well, lucky you!" the teal-haired girl remarked. "Hey, what's your name? I'm Kaede Yoshimoto."
"Sota Nakamura. I've been in this world maybe five-six months now."
"I died of bird flu at the age of six. I've been here maybe a month."
"I was shot in my own home by a bunch of evil guys."
"Well, aren't you a man of mystery!" Kaede laughed.
"Heh... I wish."
"Um... why you muscling in on my turf, lady?" Yui interjected.
"Hey, people, y'all still playing?" asked the dealer.
"Wait, is she with you?" Kaede asked Sota as she set more chips on the table.
"I just met her an hour ago. There's nothing going on." Sota turned to the dealer and stacked some chips in his spot. "I'll do another round."
Yui took Sota's hand. "Come on, don't be two-timing me, I'll make it worth your while!"
Sota snapped his hand back. "Whoa, hold on, ma'am, I don't even have your number or anything!"
Yui sulked. "I don't have a cell phone with me."
"Hmmm..." Kaede stared at Yui with suspicion. "Hey, Sota? I think you're pretty cool, I'll give you my number."
Yui glared back at Kaede. "That's pretty bold of you, hussy!"
"Don't try me, faker!"
"Whoa whoa whoa, girls! Please calm down already!" Sota exclaimed.
Suddenly the dealer chimed in. "Blackjack for the ladies' man!"
Sota turned around and faced the table. He drew a queen and an ace.
"Twenty for teal hair!"
Kaede looked at her pair of kings and shrieked with joy. Yui fumed.
Sota gathered his chip haul. "I'll take my leave now, sorry for the trouble."
Walking through the gambling hall, he was sandwiched by the two bickering girls.
"Why are you still here? Back off already!"
"YOU back off, he doesn't need to be exploited by you..."
"Ugh... STOP with the arguing!"
"Wow, I leave you alone for a couple hours and you're a chick magnet!"
Sota turned around to face a grinning Uchiro and giggling Hana. He blushed.
"Sota, sweetie... why don't you ask our redhead friend where she came from?" Kaede mused.
Sota turned to Yui. "So... what is your backstory exactly?"
"I'm originally from Fortune Bay," Yui responded. "I wanted to be an actress, that's why I moved here..."
"Why don't you have a cell phone, if I may be so bold to ask?" Kaede interjected.
"I don't need one, silly bitty!"
Sota paused for a second. "Yui, no offense, but... I don't think you're my type."
"Hmph!" Yui punched Sota's arm and stormed off.
Sota was bewildered while Kaede giggled. "I knew it! She was an NPC," she remarked.
"Good eye, there," Hana chimed in. "Are you a regular at these places?"
"Yeah, when I'm not doing my dancing job," Kaede replied. "I'm a backup dancer for Aaliyah's show at the Riviera. Name's Kaede, in case you're wondering."
"I'm Hana, Sota's sister, and this is my boyfriend Uchiro. Love your hair, by the way."
"Awww, thanks! Hatsune Miku was my favorite thing ever when I was in the living world, that's who I styled my hair after."
"I wonder how many girls like Yui are in these casinos," Sota wondered aloud as he noticed Yui in the distance hitting on another gambler.
"Oh yeah, they're all over the place," Kaede replied. "Arm candy for those swingin' bachelors who always wanted to be a high roller with a chick companion. Do you know what a 'cooler' is?"
"I'm guessing you don't mean an ice chest for drinks," Uchiro opined.
"Nope! When one of these high rollers is getting too good at piling up the winnings, the casino boss may send in someone who's basically a walking bad luck charm to keep him company, and usually he ends up on a losing streak so the house can take back their cash. They're known as coolers... and I never thought they could make them in NPC form. That crazy girl you ran into may well have been a cooler NPC, Sota."
"Wow... well, thanks for jumping in when you did!"
"No prob!" Kaede grinned. "Hey, do you want my number? I'd like to keep in touch."
"Sure!" Sota pulled out his phone. "I don't know when I'll be back here, but I hope you can visit Valleyrun sometime."
"I can probably do that!" Kaede replied as she worked her phone.
"Hey, we're about to meet up at the theater showing 'Cats' a few blocks down, you two want to come with us?" Hana asked.
Sota turned to Kaede and smiled. "You want to make it a date?"
"Sure! I've got nothing else going on tonight!" Kaede answered, taking Sota's hand.
After the 'Cats' musical, Kaede went back to her apartment, and the other five stayed for a night in a luxurious suite at the Maceo's Hollywood hotel.
The next day, they did some more gambling and sightseeing.
Hana was struggling with her ice skates at the Rocafella Plaza ice rink when her phone buzzed. She glanced at her phone, put it back in her pocket and stumbled her way back to the others.
Uchiro glided in behind her. "Who was that from?" he asked Hana.
"It's Hiro-sensei. He said to meet back at the school under the statue tomorrow morning."
"Oh, wow... I guess we need to wrap this trip up, then," Erina said. "Do we want to take in one more show or something?"
Sota checked his phone. "How about we go see the Aaliyah show? The next one starts in half an hour!"
"You just want to see your girlfriend, don't you..." Kari playfully chided.
"We're not serious or anything!" Sota snapped. He then paused.
"...Though I wouldn't mind if she was."
"Let's go see the show," Hana declared. "It'll be a great way to end our vacation, and it'll be a nice surprise for our new pal."