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They'd found themselves at an impasse upon arriving at the casino in Altamira. On one hand, Zelos' prompting to visit had yielded another of the Devil's Arms among the items to be found at the exchange counter. On the other, it seemed forever out of their reach.
"No matter how you look at it, we can't afford to buy it outright and trying to gain the chips through legitimate gambling will more likely than not leave us without a single gald for food or beds." Raine was firmly against even trying despite the fact that leaving the toy-turned-weapon could mean never finding it again should someone else take it before they managed to return.
"Forty chips is the most we could risk buying without putting ourselves in a tricky situation, yeah?" Sheena couldn't have attempted even if she'd wanted to, two years shy of the casino's firm age restriction, but she was at least willing to help think it through. The same couldn't be said for the younger trio. Lloyd had given up trying to logic it out once math got involved and had all but dragged Colette and Genis to the theater at the prompting of 'the adults'.
Presea hadn't even left the hotel in the first place and no one could blame her.
"Fifty if we carefully budget." Regal shifted as he spoke. "Raine is correct however. Gambling is risky, especially with such a small margin of error."
In their bickering no one had noticed Zelos' suspicious silence. Or his disappearance with their gald until they heard his voice from the counter -- "I'll take fifty, thanks~"
"What do you think you're doing!?" Raine demanded, at his side in an instance as he weaved his way further into the building, his goal apparently a cluster of tables near the back. Regal and Sheena followed at a distance if only to avoid the crossfire.
Still his expression remained oddly neutral despite her rage and his voice uncharacteristically calm as he reached his goal and set the chips on one of the blackjack tables. "I'm betting fifty."
Raine was on the verge of needing to be restrained and even the dealer seemed taken aback by the statement. It had sent anyone else at the table stepping back, leaving just him standing across from her. "Ah... I'm sorry?" she ventured slowly, clearly struggling to keep her professional composure.
"I said I'm all in for the first hand." Zelos' leaned forward slightly and pushing the stack of chips forward. "Deal."
"He's not even flirting first," Sheena muttered as the dealer did so.
Two of hearts to him, queen of diamonds to herself. Seven of clubs to him, a card facedown to herself.
His composure hadn't wavered in the slightest as he tapped the table near his cards. Jack of diamonds to him. "A nineteen," Raine was gripping the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles were turning white. Zelos simply waved to the dealer.
Her facedown was flipped to reveal the three of clubs and the dealer hesitated she turned a third card over.
Nine of spades.
Zelos winked at her as his stack of chips doubled.
Raine had been forced by Sheena to retreat to the entrance after that, leaving only Regal to watch over Zelos as the game continued. He gained some ground, lost some ground, but eventually the amount of chips had doubled again to two hundred. Just fifty short of what they needed.
He inclined his head almost imperceptibly to the side before flashing a grin that had the dealer immediately on edge once more. "I'm betting fifty," he stated as he once again pushed a stack of chips forward.
Silently Regal thanked the goddess for the fact that Raine was still with Sheena.
She tensed as she dealt once more. Ace of spades. Eight of hearts.
King of hearts. Blackjack.
The dealer looked resigned as she dealt her second card. Nine of clubs. She shook her head and pushed his winnings toward him.
"Well! It's been fun, my hunny, but this is where I take my leave~" Zelos' swept up his chips and all but bounced away, leaving a small gathered crowd in awe as Regal followed him.
"What made you so certain you'd win that first hand?" Sheena asked him as they were walking out of the casino with their fifth Devil's Arm gingerly in hand.
"I wasn't!" He answered brightly, "but she thought I was, and that, my dear Sheena, was the important part. It's a mind game more than anything else."
Raine still looked half a second away from murder.