While negotiations continued between the three of them, Shikikan slipped away to visit the twins.

They're probably in the backstage dressing rooms.

He knocked on the door to the rooms.

"Blanc, Noir, are you in there?"

Nobody answered, so he knocked again, louder.

"Who's there?" asked Blanc.

"It's me."

The door opened and Blanc was standing, hair still dripping, but at least dressed in her bunny dress. A shower was running in an adjacent room.

"Oh, Pit Boss! We didn't expect you. Noir's in the shower."

"It's fine. I was here to solve an argument on who uses the stage room."

"I thought you were here for other reasons. We haven't seen you here for a while. Noir was wondering if that rope was a bit too much last time and that's why you haven't been around since."

"No, that was fine. I've just been buried in daily status reports for Anderson. With the Outpost getting so large, it means I need to do more paperwork, incident reports, construction forms, and other things."

She snuggled up under his arm.

"I know something else that's getting large right now..."

"Like I said, not today. I need to finish this dispute and go to sleep. Speaking of, they're probably finished by now. I gotta go. Say hi to Noir for me!"

He exited the room and went back out to the stage area. The three Nikkes didn't look happy. Noise was holding back Volume, who looked like she was about to throw hands at a stony-faced Rogue.

"What happened?"

"There is no compromise to be made. My event is running here for the client."

"You never even told us who they are!"

"That was a stipulation in the contract!"

"Why are you so defensive about this?"

"It's my fucking job to run this. So, I've asked you nicely, please leave."

Volume's right, there is something suspicious about this.

"Volume let's go. There's nothing more we can do here."

She looked at him, deflated.

"But you can't just... I mean, she can't just... But we were going to... Ugh, fine."

Noise patted her on the shoulder.

"There you go, see? We can just wait."

The two of them walked out the door. Shikikan turned back around to Rogue.

"Well, do you want to join, Highroller? Just so you know, I'm not rigging the deck for you this time. That was just because Noir wanted me to."

"No thanks. I don't really have the best luck. Or the best skill, for that matter."

"Well, if you change your mind, the door's always open."

"I just need to talk to the twins first, and I'll be out of your hair."

"Okay."

He walked back up to the stage while Rogue started to set up the roulette, blackjack, and other tables. Getting back to the door, he opened it to see Blanc and Noir... both completely naked.