After returning to the country, Tops was already waiting in Joy's Headquarters for some time for Swap to come in, as he wanted to show him some of the tricks and tactics that he learned during his late visit to southern Europe. He got into a convo with Tyki_Mikk, who told him about everything that had happened in the past weeks. After Tops spoke a bit of the tricks he learned on his trip, Tyki suddenly had to leave to 'a meeting'. Luckily enough Sara was still there, and Tops explained her some basics about gambling. At the moment Swap came in, Sara left, carrying all her savings, saying she would create her own luck.  

Tops poured Swap a drink and explained how the technique he usually used himself apparently is named the Martingale Strategy, he told Swap that he was considering the d'Alembert Strategy, with tempered increases of betting amounts, or maybe even the Contre d'Alambert, to play a bit safer from now on. I found out there also is a system called Masse Égale, but I assume that is only for people that can't cope with any pressure.. Tops smiled at Swap and stood up.
The only other option I consider is Paroli.. Doubling winnings and then tempering the stakes again when up..

Swap gave Tops a fishhook eyebrow

I know it is not like me.. But let's go and try it!

As they were about to enter the casino, Tyki_Mikk just stepped out onto the streets with an angry look upon his face..

OK.. so let's say we leave the tactics for next time and go all in instead? Tops looked at Swap and accidentally lost all his possesions before Swap could answer. As he walked back out, leaving Sara and Vela at the winning tables as Guru diced as if he was making music.

He joined Brom at the sidewalk in front of the casino, both staring at their pocket linnen..

We will have our time again, Brom.. Tops sighed

Brom was stood on the side walk when Tops had walked up to him and say "We will have our time again"

Thinking to himself only 10 minutes earlier he had clawed back his losses but not wanting to break even he had risked it all and lost, this was often the problem, the need to win and excel at what he was doing be it at the dice or in the life he had choose to lead ever since he had been found abandoned all those years ago...Brom had not felt like this for a long time.

Turning to Tops Perhaps the dice has to stop and I should stick to the horses at least in part I can control the outcome of those, Now time to get a Drink before i work on getting this loss back, Anywhere good near by you know off? 

The only place I usually drink is the edge of the dice table, Tops answered Brom when he suggested to celebrate being poor for a short period of time..

Whores? Tops laughed

I don't see how that could bring you any profits, Brom..

As Brom's look turned slightly awkward, Tops repeated Brom's word in his own mind.. Then added

Oh.. Horses.. sorry! I am not sure.. Controlling outcome sounds positive to me, though! Let me buy you a drink at the nearest bar to hear you out about that plan.. Tops said as he put his hand on Brom's back, as they went looking for the nearest bar

Around me, I could hear the claps and chatter coming from the fellow players. I had found myself in a casino that night, subjecting myself to the potential wins or losses.

However, this wasn't particuarly something I'd delve into since gambling was.. well.. a foreign language to me. I come into these places and often forget that I don't even know what I'm doing. With a slightly frustrated groan, I politely excused myself from the winning tables and acknowledged Sara on my way out. The lavish suits and dangerously beautiful evening gowns whizzed past me as their eager faces told me they were ready to give the casino their all. I shook my head. That could never be me. I was always on my tip toes about these things, and I would leave it to the professionals. 

As I massaged my wristbones in an attempt to relieve myself of the muscle tension in that area, I caught sight of Tops and Brom just outside the casino, looking like they were lamenting. That quickly changed though because then I suddenly overheard the word 'whores' slipping from Tops lips. My eyebrows quirked up as I took my hand off my wrist, feeling a little more satisfied with the released tension. 

For some reason, approaching Brom and Tops made me a little nervous. I was never one to just come up to people and magically spark a conversation, but I guess the gods gave me a little burst of confidence to break the silence first. I braced myself for the encounter, takinga deep breath and raising my left hand to wipe away a loose strand of hair from my face. Clearing my throat, I began. "Whores you say? Count me in!" I exclaimed as my cheeks turned a rosy red. It was probably out of anxiousness that I blurted that out, but it seemed to earn a few chuckles. Their faces were contorted expressions, showing that they were on the verge of having a laugh attack but also just weirded the heck out. 

I would probably be just as freaked to be honest, if I witnessed myself from an outside perspective. 

This is why I would usually stray from social interaction, but apparently now we were heading to a club just a few minutes walk from the casino that we all had just exited. I skipped along, trailing behind them more like it, so I decided to quicken my pace to catch up. "Slow down you damn mongoloids." Shock entered my mind as I sputtered so mindlessly. Putting my hand up to my mouth, eyes wideneing and cursing myself silently for teasing them like that. As I quickly apologised for the minor inconvenience with my seemingly vulgar language, we suddenly stopped in our tracks and looked up at the sign that was now before us. 

"Charlie's Angels?" My jaw dropped almost to the floor, turning my head to the direction of Tops and Brom. I came to a realization that they really weren't joking, and we were going to enter a stripclub, one of the few places I feared- only because I felt so tight and stuffy in these crowded places. Men who would bore their eyes into women flashing those... blobs of fat on their chests and making flirty remarks. Nope. I couldn't. 

Though that didn't seem to stop Tops and Brom. I followed suit, and I took a shaky breath as the guard at the entrance gate looked me up and down. I surely didn't look like it. I probably looked like I should be going to an evening celebration for a formal afterparty more than anything else. "Heh. Hi. Yeah, I'm with these guys." 

Whores you say? Count me in!

Tops heard a soft, yet confident from behind him as a conversation magically sparked. He immediately turned around and looked a slightly blushing Vela straight in the eyes before bursting into laughter.

Vela!

Tops tried to get his laugh under control as he wanted to introduce Vela to Brom..

Vela.. this is.. Oh wait, maybe you two already met?

As he wanted to continue on the whores subject, Tops started wondering whether he may had misheard someone say horses for the second time in a matter of seconds. His smile faded as he looked at Vela.. Could she have meant horses, too.. Tops sometimes detested his own dirty mind..

Tops stretched his arm to de-crack the sleeve of the tuxedo he wore to impress Joy
 
..but thankfully, most of the time he didn't care.

Will you join us to the bar , Vela? He asked, as he noticed Brom was already heading off there to count his losses. Oh, did you bring Castielle with you to the casino? I know he likes placing a bet now and then.

But as they had nothing to bet left, they left, leaving the casino going left. After a couple of metres, and slightly more yards, they heard

Slow down you damn mongoloids!

Tops turned his head. Had Vela spotted Artie_Bucco somewhere? After looking around, his look went to Vela as he noticed she wanted to go to a strip club. She seemed to know her way there and acted a bit strange. Then came the suggestion to take the employee's entrance, as she was trying to get Brom and him in by talking to the doorwatchman, saying

Hi. Yeah, I'm with these guys

Vela! Vela! Tops could hardly get her attention as she seemed to wander off in her mind

Vela, we are going that way! Tops pointed at the bar they were heading to

The guard seemed disinterested in my statement, and looked funnily to me before pointing to Tops who was trying to get my attention.

I raised an eyebrow. "Huh?" I turned behind me, and suddenly saw his pointer finger directed to the bar just across from the strip club that I was standing in front of. 

"Huh?!" I said again, wondering why the hell he was pointing there when she thought that they wanted to go see some whores. Confused with their sudden change of mind, I shrugged and decided to play along. I left the bodyguard standing there with his arms crossed, his face like a brick wall and was minding his own business with the people lining up. 

It was a good thing that we were going somewhere else anyways. I felt slightly relieved that we didn't have to waste our lives away in that sinful society. Hopping over to Tops, I let out a dreamy sigh as I saw bar that we intended to arrive at. It was a lively place, and the street lights seemed to illuminate it more as the bright glow shone down on it. There was a couple making out with each other just outside the entrance and I kept my head down, feeling a pang of hurt in my heart that I could never imagine myself in that situation. 

But it was okay. As long as I had some good, trustworthy friends with me, I could keep myself sane. 

I couldn't help but feel sentimental all of a sudden when I turned to Tops. We were just heading into the bar, and I could hear Brom shouting something to the bartender. I flicked my long, black hair over my shoulder and pursed my lips, feeling a little shy that maybe it was too early to ask. But my faith in Tops seemed to grow everytime I saw him, and I had no reason to shy away especially because of how warm his presence made me feel. 

"We are friends, aren't we?" I bit my bottom lip as my cheeks flushed again, but I tried to keep cool as I kept my eyes locked on his. If anything, I felt some sort of platonic love towards him, and I couldn't keep the thought in my head. 

I felt nervous about asking him that, but at the same time it was kind of a release of all the paranoia I may have been feeling beforehand. This was my second encounter with Tops, the first one being extremely awkward as I couldn't look away from his drastic sense of humour. It was amusing to watch, and I would often think that he was the comedian of his mob. But then I was torn between him and Swap. They were like two peas in a pod. One couldn't be without the other, or so I thought. 

He didn't seem too worried about if we were enemies or not, which calmed me down, but I couldn't help but think that I was seen as a groupie or something. "Look, you may not see me as a girl worthy of your company, but if there's anything you need- I'm just a stripclub away. You know the one next to Charlie's Angels? And no, I don't work as the stripper, but I am a close friend with the owner, and we get into some pretty deep discussions about life. I don't talk about mine though, because like, I'm too boring for that." I blurted, as I broke eye contact and hid my rosy cheeks with my hair. With my hair covering my face, I could suddenly smell strawberry and peaches. The conditioner I had been using seemed to work wonders, and I was grateful for not going out in public and smelling like a wet mutt. 

"Anyways, what drink you having? I think Brom is having a pretty good time there already." I raised my eyebrows happily, gesturing to Brom, his lips moving at an unbeatable fast pace to the bartender behind the bench. I wondered what he was talking about, though from the veins that popped out of his neck and the metaphorical steam coming from his ears, I assumed he was rambling on about the money he lost due to his trip to the casino tonight. 

As I invited Tops to come to the bar with me and order something, I noticed a very familiar face at the far end of the bar counter. He looked deep in thoughts. I fixed my hair, putting it behind my shoulders before kindly asking Tops if he could just get me a harmless glass of orange juice. "I swear if you spike it I will-- spit on you." I warned, though I couldn't help but crack a smirk seconds after. My face was probably red as a tomato then. Was 'spit play' a thing these days? All I knew was that it was my specialty! 

Heading now over to the mystery man, I could hear Tops behind me chuckling with Brom. Ugh. That little rascal, but he was MY little rascal. 

As I moved closer, inviting myself to sit on the stool beside him, I suddenly gasped as I realized who it had been. "Castielle?! What's an amazing guy like you doing, sitting alone and sulking like there's no tomorrow?" I quirked, but as I saw the bland expression on his face, I knew there was something wrong. 

Deeply entrenched with the look of discomfort on his face, I pouted as I slowly adjusted my butt on the seat. I rested my chin in the palm of my hands, looking at nothing particular. I zoned out. It seemed like a good time to ask. He probably wanted me to say it. It would hurt less coming from me, maybe, since I always loved to cheer him up whenever I came in contact with his macho self. 

I looked back at him. Poor thing. He must be really bummed.

"Dice?" 

We are friends, aren't we? Vela suddenly asked him, as the whiskey was calling Tops's name from the bar where Brom already found a place..

Tops smiled

Of course! You don't see me inviting Marla Singer for a drink, do you? That thought made his mind drift off..

You know... that Swap once tried dating Marla? But she died well before he left the casino..Oh.. Swap.. Tops sighed.. Do you know Swap, Vela..? He is my yang if I am yin, and I am his yin if he is my yang.. Wait.. Nevermind that!

Then @suddenly Vela confronted him by saying he may not see her as a girl worthy of his company and Tops was left speechless for a moment,

Then he lifted an eyebrow saying
Wow, Vela! Where did that come from? And how did the thought enter your mind that I have standards at all?

Tops lived dice. Tops loved dice. Dice made Tops from broke to broker though. As he was hanging out in the casino another night, he saw LillisMolly step inside. She seemed to have some stuff to dice with but did not want to listen to Brom. Even if Brom seemed pretty confident and lucky this evening.

Tops stepped up to Lillis and whispered 5 numbers in her ear. Much to his surprise, LillisMolly now seemed confident enough to step up to the dicing table. She placed bet after bet and returned with a wide grin on her face.

5 more? Uhm.. OK..

Again, Tops gave her some number.. Again Lillis went to the table and again she returned with a smile. When she asked for more advice, Brom told her to go all-in. She refuses and looked Tops in the eyes..
Tops felt his palms get sweaty.. This was a whole new experience for him. Someone betting away on his advise. It made him nervous.. After the same thing happened once more, Tops gave LillisMolly the advise

Don't ever listen to me anymore!

He hoped she would listen to that as he gave her 5 more numbers..

Philip DeCicco made his way into the casino a wealthy man, with a wad of cash and a pocket full of dreams. He knew that this was going to go down either one or two ways; he walks out with more than he walked in with, or he's walking out with nothing. DeCicco had a typical mentality when it came to tossing dice or turning cards - that was "go big or go home".

DeCicco can be heard from around the casino, cussing and cursing at the vendors as they raked away his hard earned money - along with his dreams. "House wins". Those crushing words that made him sick to his stomach and his blood pressure sky-rocket. One day, he'll win big - and then drop dead of a heart attack; because that's just his luck.

In DeCicco's case, it's go big and go home - broke. 

I made my way into the casino. A pathetic excuse for a lady, with only a coin or two in the purse I had once stole from a pawn shop. The outcome of tonight would either go really well, or I'd hurl myself into another night of fuck-ups. I cringed slightly as I saw the poker tables, where people sat across from each other and making sure they didn't give anything away with the look of their eyes or a slight twitch of their mouth. 

My intention for being here wasn't really to play. 

I was looking for someone. Their presence would be the one I was anticipating tonight, only because there was a message that would be delivered upon request, but I wasn't sure if that could happen tonight. 

He didn't look to be anywhere in sight. 

I was starting to think my lack of awareness of the time made me lose my sense of direction. Maybe he had left already, or I had arrived too early. Questions could be asked later Mei, I thought to myself. 

I shook my head, and decided that I'd come another time. I was just about to make my way over to the casino workers at the front desk, before I was stopped short by a man whose language spit at me like hot lava. My face flushed, as I immediately wanted to apologize for bumping into him so suddenly, but too shy to say anything. 

Instead I cleared my throat in a soft manner as I watched his eyes look down on me, making me want to sink into a corner. 

"S-s-sorry.." 

I broke away from his irritated gaze, but I was comforted by the fact that maybe he was just having a bad day and needed to take it out on someone. Or maybe he took it out on the vendors?