Around a rickety round table, Temoshí glared at the cards in his hand like they had personally betrayed him. Across the table, Joker leaned back smugly, slamming his final card onto the wood with a theatrical flair. "Jackpot," he announced, grinning from ear to ear.
Temoshí froze, his expression twitching before erupting into a storm of exaggerated fury. "This is bull! No way you just 'randomly' got that card! You've been dealin' from a hidden deck, haven't ya?" He jabbed a trembling finger at Joker like he'd just caught him stealing candy from a baby.
Nathaniel sat quietly, cards still clutched in his hands, his face unreadable. After an uncomfortably long silence, he finally spoke, his tone as flat as a pancake. "You're the biggest cheater I've ever met."
Joker gasped, slapping the table so hard the cards jumped. "I do NOT cheat!"
Nathaniel's head tilted ever so slightly, his unimpressed expression somehow sharper now. "Sure. And I'm the Queen of the Vast Expanse."
Temoshí joined in, now pointing two fingers at Joker. "Exactly! The jester who doesn't cheat? Next, you'll tell me Yumiko plays fair at arm wrestling!"
Joker sputtered, gesturing wildly. "This is slander! Lies and slander! I won because of skill—"
Nathaniel interrupted with a deadpan delivery. "And a deck with 12 aces."
While the others were caught up in their bizarre card game, Tarot was sprawled out near the ship's railing, snoring loud enough to scare off seagulls. Judging by the grin on his face and the occasional "Mmm, peaches…" muttered in his sleep, he was clearly dreaming of a paradise where peaches flowed like rivers.
Yumiko and Elliott, meanwhile, had taken on the Herculean task of tackling the ship's interior, which looked like it hadn't seen a mop or broom since the last ice age. Aurora sat nearby at her desk, scribbling furiously into her diary, occasionally muttering things like, "Dear diary, why am I surrounded by lunatics?"
"This place is a disaster," Yumiko grumbled, balancing on a countertop and attempting to evict a particularly stubborn cobweb from the corner. "I swear, it's like this ship was sponsored by Dust Incorporated."
"At least it floats," Elliott quipped, lazily sweeping the floor with the enthusiasm of a snail on vacation. He stretched and yawned halfway through, adding, "Though if this dust is alive, we might've just made friends with an ecosystem."
The night stretched its dark veil over the horizon, with only the faint glow of scattered lanterns providing light aboard their ship. Joker rose from his seat on the bench, his sharp gaze fixed on the distant horizon. A faint shimmer caught his eye, and he strode toward the edge of the deck.
"Got news for you, folks..." Joker's voice carried a mix of curiosity and intrigue as he pointed ahead. The crew followed his gesture, their eyes locking onto a luminous island coming into view, its glow cutting through the night like a beacon.
"There," Joker announced, his voice tinged with a sly undertone. Kyora stepped closer, narrowing her eyes to focus on the growing shape.
"That's it," Kyora confirmed, her tone steady but laced with a hint of apprehension. The island loomed ever larger as their ship drew closer, revealing its vibrant and chaotic character.
"That's Casinova Island?" Temoshí asked, squinting to take in the details. His amazement was evident as he traced the shapes of towering clock towers and buildings bathed in multicolored neon. "Looks like a neon city. Flashy, busy... kinda reminds me of the Cyber Refuge, but with way more flair and a lot less tech. Those buildings look solid—stone and wood. Natural materials."
"Casinova Island," Aurora chimed in, a mix of fascination and unease in her voice. "It's famous for its casinos, gambling halls, and clock towers. The whole place feels like it's stuck in a glitzy version of the '90s. Lively, but there's something... off about it." Her eyes lingered on the glowing structures, stirring buried memories of the Cyber Refuge she'd rather forget.
Yumiko glanced at Joker as he stepped forward, his presence commanding their attention. His usual enigmatic smile spread across his face as he turned to address the crew.
"Welcome to Casinova Island," Joker began with a dramatic sweep of his arm. "The so-called paradise for the lucky, the bold, and the fools who think they can outplay the house. It's a city of lights, noise, and chaos—a place where fortunes are made and broken every second." He turned back to the island, the neon glow reflecting in his cybernetic eyes.
"Beneath the glitz and glamour, though, it's a nest of shadows. Illegal deals, high-stakes games where more than just money is wagered, and secret rooms where the real power plays are made. And see that clock tower?" Joker pointed to the tallest structure, its face illuminated by shifting lights. "That's not just for show. It's the heart of the island—counting down to their biggest gambling event of the year. But it's more than a spectacle... it's a stage. A stage where the stakes are life, death, and everything in between."
The crew fell silent, their eyes fixed on the mesmerizing yet ominous sight before them. The glow of Casinova Island pulled them in like moths to a flame, promising adventure, danger, and perhaps answers to questions they didn't even know they had.
Elliott lounged behind the group, leaning back on his palms with half-lidded eyes, his expression a mix of boredom and drowsiness. "Luck games, huh? Yeah, that sounds like a blast," he muttered sarcastically, yawning. "Spend all your money, leave with nothing but regret. Seems like the whole point of this island's existence."
Nathaniel, ever the quiet one, broke his silence with a dry comment that caught everyone off guard. "I've never been good at being lucky. If I'm honest, I should probably be depressed about it by now."
The unexpected self-deprecation left the crew momentarily speechless, though Temoshí only chuckled under his breath. His gaze returned to the glowing island ahead, scanning the towering clock tower and the swirling neon lights. Amidst the chaos, he could see hints of what made this place enticing: the thrill of the unknown, the allure of endless games, and the promises of fleeting fortunes.
"I guess Yipsiv's already here…" Yumiko murmured, her voice tinged with quiet resolve. Yet, even as she spoke, her weariness was impossible to ignore. She swayed slightly on her feet, her exhaustion betraying her attempts to appear composed. Temoshí noticed her condition but chose not to mention it, his gut telling him there was more to her struggle than mere fatigue.
Instead, he turned back toward the island, its vibrant glow casting strange shadows across the deck. With a thoughtful pause, he finally spoke. "I don't know why Casinova Island is so important, but if Yipsiv invited us, then there's got to be a damn good reason to take this gamble. Whatever's waiting for us there, we'll face it together. No backing down now."
As the others excitedly chattered and poured over maps and guides, Temoshí couldn't shake the uneasy feeling creeping into his chest. His eyes drifted to Yumiko, who sat apart from the group, unusually quiet. She rested her hands on her knees, her chest rising and falling with deep, measured breaths. But what struck him most were her eyes—once blazing with her unyielding spirit, they now seemed dull, her pupils nearly faded.
"Yumiko…" Temoshí murmured under his breath. Without another word, he left the others to their planning and strode toward her. The sudden sound of his boots on the deck startled Yumiko, who quickly straightened up, her face shifting into an attempt at nonchalance.
"Oh! What's up?" she began hurriedly, forcing a weak smile. "I was just, uh, thinking about what all we might find on Casinova Island! Pretty exciting, huh?" She waved her hands lightly, as if trying to dispel the tension.
Temoshí, however, wasn't buying it. He sat down across from her, his gaze unwavering as he reached out and clasped her hand. Her skin was cold—uncomfortably so. "You're freezing, Yumiko," he said softly, his brow furrowing in concern.
Yumiko instinctively pulled her hand back, cradling it close to her chest. She lowered her gaze, her voice steady but detached. "It's nothing. The night's just colder than usual, that's all," she said, a feigned lightness in her tone as she avoided his eyes.
But Temoshí wasn't so easily deterred. Leaning forward, he tried to catch her gaze, his voice firm yet gentle. "Yumiko, don't play this off. I know you better than that. Something's wrong, and I can't help if you won't tell me."
Her lips tightened, and for a moment, there was only silence. It was clear she was hiding something—but what?
"I'm being honest," Yumiko insisted, though her voice carried the weight of something unsaid. She kneaded her wrist absently, avoiding Temoshí's piercing gaze. "Maybe my body's just getting ready to catch a cold. That won't stop me, though, so don't worry about it."
Temoshí's expression tightened, frustration simmering beneath his calm demeanor. "Yumiko, I can see right through you. You're not okay, and you're not being straight with me. Even if you were about to catch a cold, it wouldn't leave you this drained or put such strain on your body. The way you're moving, the way you're holding yourself—it's like something's eating away at you. What happened back on Bloomsque Hazard? I need to know."
Yumiko hesitated, her shoulders stiffening. She pressed her lips together, refusing to meet his gaze. "Really, Tim. I'll be fine soon," she said quickly, sidestepping his concern. Before he could push further, she sprang to her feet and darted toward the cabin, her movements sharper and more frantic than usual. The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Temoshí staring after her in silence.
From the shadows, Nathaniel stepped closer, his calm demeanor unshaken as he observed the captain. "You noticed right away," Nathaniel said, his tone level but laced with quiet respect. "That's a good instinct to have, Tim—keeping an eye on your crew, especially the ones closest to you. It's important."
Temoshí turned to him, his brows furrowed, exhaling a long, heavy sigh. "You know what's going on with her, don't you, Nathaniel?" he asked, his voice low and firm. "Tell me."
Nathaniel stood silent for a moment, gazing at the cabin door where Yumiko had disappeared. Finally, he exhaled and turned to Temoshí, his tone calm but grave.
"Yeah, I know what's going on," he admitted, his voice barely above a murmur. "Back on Bloomsque Hazard, Yumiko went all in. Whatever power she used back there, it wasn't normal. It was like watching someone fight with their very soul on the line, and it came with a price. She didn't say much, but I could see it in her—every move she made looked like it hurt, like it was tearing her apart from the inside."
Temoshí's expression darkened, his fist tightening against his knee. "So, what? She's just pretending everything's fine while her body's giving out?"
Nathaniel leaned against the railing, crossing his arms with a measured look. "Because it's Yumiko. She's too damn stubborn to admit when she's hurting. She thinks she has to carry everything on her own, especially in front of you. She doesn't want to look weak—not to you, not to the crew, not to herself. Whatever happened on that island is weighing on her, but she's not ready to let anyone in yet."
Temoshí rubbed his temples, frustration boiling just under the surface. "She doesn't have to do this alone. None of us do. We're a team, a family. If she's falling apart, we need to know so we can help her."
Nathaniel's gaze didn't waver, but there was a hint of empathy in his tone. "I get it, Tim. But forcing her to talk isn't the answer. Yumiko's fighting a battle you can't see yet. If you push too hard, she'll just shut you out completely. What you need to do is give her time. Be patient. Show her she doesn't have to carry this weight alone. And until she's ready to open up? We keep an eye on her. All of us."
Temoshí let out a long breath, his frustration giving way to determination. "Fine. But I'm not letting her destroy herself. She's got a crew behind her, and whether she likes it or not, we're stepping in when the time comes."
Nathaniel gave a faint smirk, tilting his head slightly. "You changed a lot since two years ago. Just don't forget, Tim—sometimes the strongest thing you can do is let someone take their time. When Yumiko's ready, she'll come to you. Until then, we've got her back, no matter what."
To be continued...