ROYALTY

Diamonds

     "I must be an actual jewel, a card would be to impractical." Said usagi as she took off her shoes.

     "Well where would she hide it" said eri.

     "Well maybe it isn't an actual card to a game but maybe it is IN a game" said chishiya as he put his feet up. "Where better to hide it than a game where everyone is risking their lives."

     "But what game?" Said kuina as she sat on the bed.

     "There's a jewelry store near here" said arisu "it would be the best place to hide it in plain sight."

     "But wouldn't that be too easy...or hard...we don't even know it looks" she said as they were suddenly interrupted by the call for rides to games was made.

     "After we all get more days we'll go check it out" said chishiya as he got up and set to leave.

     They all walked downstairs to receive their group. As they were all assigned the same group they walked over to board the van as they were interrupted by niragi.

     "You know what, I'll join my favorite group of idiots for the day" he said as he pushed them all in and they sped off. "Who's the kid"

     Chishiya looked over at eri and back at niragi.

     "Newbie...we found her during the whole announcement." He said as he pulled her closer.

     "She'll stick with me" said niragi surprisingly calm. Almost so calm that it made you more nervous.

     "You can't do that" said arisu as he sat up.

     "Don't forget you don't have to come back today" said niragi as he glared him down.

     Just as he said that the van stopped at the first game. Niragi pulled eri out of the van to walk with him. Arisu looked at the rest and nodded as he also got off before the van took off to the next stop.

     "How lucky of me..I got 2 for the price of 1" said niragi as he stopped at the table and turned to arisu. Eri immediately grabbed a phone and stood by arisu.

     "Whatever" said arisu as he grabbed a phone along with niragi and waited for the game to begin.

     "GAME:LASER TAG" said the phone as laser guns were revealed to the three of them. They looked at each other as they picked up the guns and vest. They all turned the same red color with the same team name on the back.
 
   "If we're on the same team...then who's our opponents" said eri as the door was opened and a 5 minute timer began.
 
   "Them" said arisu as a group of robot   dispersed through the room.

     "Shoot them to deactivate...reach the end of the room and turn them all off...at the end of the 5 minutes anyone who isn't within the line will blow up" said niragi as he looked down at the timer on their vests.

     Eri ran first taking down anything that crossed her way. As a laser skimmed her leg she hid behind a wall. Niragi went through pretty easily and kept moving. Arisu ran to eri helped her up while still shooting. Eri limped along also shooting as she looked back and realized they reactivated after a minute.

     "Shit....run arisu!" She yelled as they both ran and jumped over boxes until she saw that niragi got hit in the back. Arisu made the line as he realised that she wasn't with him.

     "DON'T ENTER YOU'LL BE ELIMINATED INSTANTLY" she yelled as she reached niragi and helped him up. "Look at me...on my count we're going to run and your going to shoot at anything you can."

     Niragi nodded as he winced as eri held him up and they began to run. As the last 5 seconds where on the clock the jumped over a box and threw themselves at the line, making it just in time.

     "GAME PASSED: ♧JOKER♧ CARD OBTAINED" said their phones as niragi and eri panted trying to catch their breath.

     "Eri are you ok" said arisu picking her up. She nodded as she held her hand out for niragi.

     "Let's go before we miss the van" she said as he let her help him up and out to the side walk.

     "Why are you helping me" said niragi.

     "Because you're more useful alive" she said as she looked at the wound on the leg. She ripped part of her shirt and wrapped her wound as she tied up her hair.

     "Nice tattoo...what does it say" said niragi as he took off his vest.

     Eri touched the tattoo behind her ear and smiled.

     "No lies...in Chinese...I got it in remembrance for my lost brother" she said chuckling a bit.

     "Why?" Said niragi and he made a disgusted face.

     "He hated Chinese cause he could never learn it...so I tattooed no lies after he disappeared out of irony of his promise to come back." She said shaking her head.

     "What's your name again" said niragi.
 
   "Eri...satoh" she said as she looked up at him.

     "Nice to meet you..red" said niragi as he got up and walked away.

     Eri sat there and looked at arisu who was obviously upset. She sighed before getting up.

     "Why'd you help him" he said as he helped her walk back to where the van would be.

     "He's a big important person...I wouldn't be suprised if he knows where the queen of diamonds" she whispered as she continued walking. "Besides, it's easier to carry through a man than a corpse."

     Arisu chuckled at her statement as he looked at her arms.

     "How are your wrists" he said as he reached for her hand.

      She quickly pulled her hand away before chuckling.
 
    "It's still healing so just the thought of it grosses me out" she chuckled.

      "I don't know how your brother left you...you seem pretty cool 'red' " he said jockingly as they finally arrived to the van stop.