Episode 2 (Aurora Season 1)

My heart is beating out of control, but I haven't lost all my wits.

Not just yet, anyway.

MC: "This has to be a mistake."

MC: "There's no way my parents were involved in secret underground gambling rings!"

(Even just saying it out loud feels ridiculous!)

(Surely Aurora can see that, too?)

But she doesn't move, sprawled comfotably across my lap.

A frown tugs at the corners of her lips.

Aurora: "Oh, but they were, kid."

Aurora: "I never forget a face."

Her thumb rubs over my cheek.

Aurora: "You're just as pretty as your mom."

I turn my head aside, swallowing nervously.

MC: "But if you hate them so much, then why bother saving me from the other gang?"

Aurora: "How should I know?"

Aurora: "That was Chance's call."

Aurora: "I was expecting him to return with your parents, not you."

A. I can't help you.

B. I don't have any money.

C. I have nothing to do with this!

---

B. I don't have any money.

I shake my head quickly.

MC: "I'm not rich."

MC: "I can barely afford to pay rent each month."

MC: "There's no way I can pay you back!"

---

The door opens again and I freeze, realizing how this must look from the outside.

My blood rushes to my face.

(What's going to happen if the gang thinks Aurora is just in here messing around?)

There's a loud sigh.

Chance: "Aurora, get off the  girl and come over here."

Aurora doesn't tear her gaze away from me, a serene and patient smile on her face.

Aurora: "I'm working."

Chance: "Don't make me repeat myself."

A flash of irritation.

I can sense a conflict of wills,

Aurora struggling between following the order or sticking to her own plan.

When she finally decides, she leans down and winks at me.

Aurora: "If you can't take me to yur parents, you'll have to come up with the money yourself."

Aurora: "Like it or not, you're involved now."

Chance: "Aurora."

Aurora sighs.

Weight lifts off of me, bringing relief as she strides over to Chance and the open door.

He gestures for her to come closer and they step outside, speaking in low whispers.

(Now that they're distracted...)

There's no other exits except that one door.

I eye the pair of them critically, standing just outside the door frame.

(Maybe if I run really fast...?)

MC: "..."

(Agh, there's no way!)

(They're both so much bigger than me!)

Before I have time to think of another plan, Aurora returns to me.

She seems lighter than before, back to her syrupy-sweet persona.

Aurora: "You look tired, sweetie."

(Is this a trap?)

(Is she inviting me to sleep with the fishes or something?)

MC: "A little."

Aurora: "Poor thing."

Aurora: "Well, you can stay here for the night."

I open my mouth to object but she beats me to it with a rebuttal ready.

Aurora: "Think carefully before you reject my protection."

Aurora: "We're not the only gang after your parents, obviously."

Vividly, I remember the way it felt to stare down the barrel of a gun.

(They keep telling me they're protecting me.)

(But what if that other gang was working for Chance?)

Chance: "Where is she sleeping?"

Aurora: "In my part of the house, of course."

Aurora: "Come along, dear."

Aurora nods her head to the open door and begins to leave.

Startled, I realize I'm meant to follow.

(Well, it's not like I have any choice...)

And I don't like the way Chance is staring at me, eyes narrowed and arms crossed.

As I trot behind Aurora, I expect to climb up a set of stairs.

But instead she leads me to an elevator, and takes us up to another floor.

Aurora: "Nice place, huh?"

I keep quiet at the sheer scope of wealth being paraded in front of me.

I wonder how much money my parents must have stolen for it to matter to people like this.

The glittering scene does little to distract me,

but I can't help but be surprised when Aurora leads me to my room.

(Calling it a room is doing it injustice, actually.)

MC: "This looks more like a master bedroom than a guest room."

Aurora laughs under her breath.

There's another bar set up in a corner,

framed by abstract paintings of nude women and cityscapes.

Aurora seems fond of abstract art in general--

it flanks every corner of the room, and she even has one installed right next to a huge bed.

Aurora: "Make yourself comfortable."

Aurora: "mi casa es tu casa."

(Wait a second...)

Aurora sighs in relief as she loosens her tie.

I glance around, looking for another doorway.

MC: "This isn't the guest room?"

Aurora: "It's my room."

(So that's why she meant by 'her part' of the house?!)

(I had assumed she meant like a whole wing or something.)

MC: "Is there a, um, couch, or..."

I spot a few uncomfortable-looking loveseats, barely big enough to perch on.

Aurora: "You picked me to be your watchdog."

Auora: "That means you bunk with me."

MC: "But there's only one bed!"

Aurora laughs, and I realize she isn't stopping with just her jacket.

In just a moment, she's stripped down to her underwear.

Aurora: "It's big enough for the both of us to stretch out."

Aurora: "See?"

She flops onto the bed, stretching out sinuously to demonstrate.

In the low lamp light, something glints on her navel.

A black spade on a silver ring.

Pillowing her hands behind her head, Aurora gives me a knowing smile.

Aurora: "Give it a try."

I set a palm on the mattress, surprised at how soft it is...

and how exhausted I am.

(I might pass out whether I want to or not.)

Aurora: "Don't worry. I won't bite unless you want me to."

A. Consider it.

B. Shut this down.

---

B. Shut this down.

MC: "I don't."

I say it flatly, not leaving any room for misintepretation, as I settle down on the edge of Aurora's mattress.

Aurora: "Aw. You're no fun..."

---

Despite her overt flirtation, the night passes without incident.

(Aurora wasn't lying when she said there was plenty of room on the bed.)

Even when I toss and turn, I don't bump into her.

Which makes it all the more surprising that I somehow migrated over to her side of the bed anyway.

(Ah! Close! Too close!)

Scooting out of bed, I look around me at Aurora's room.

MC: "A place this big doesn't have any couches?"

MC: "Yeah right."

The elevator leads me down to the main entrance,

but I wander into the living room,

where the rest of the gang is relaxing, wide awake.

Chance notices me first, looking up from a game of chess.

Chance: "Where's Rory?"

At his sharp tone, all the other men look up at me and I freeze.

Chance: "She shouldn't be letting you skulk about unattended."

Taking his turn, Irving claims one of Chance's bishops.

Irving: "I believe the term here is 'walk of shame,' gentlemen."

Cautiously, I approach them.

They all look different from last night,

most of them discarding their suits for hoodies and casual clothes.

(It makes them feel less scary, somehow.)

MC: "I wasn't skulking."

MC: "And Aurora is still asleep upstairs."

MC: "And you can stop insinuating stuff any day now."

Irving: "Well, it's a reasonable assumption."

Irving: "Some people, who will not be named,"

Irving: "make a habit of soliciting EVERY pretty woman that walks through our doors."

Chance: " isn't here for that."

Chance shuts down some of the friendly-natured banter, keeping his eyes trained on me.

(I don't think he's stopped glaring at me since I walked in.)

Chance: "Remind me to have a word with Rory about her responsibilities here."

MC: "Uh... What are her responsibilities?"

Ash: "She's our hustler."

MC: "Yeah, she told me that much."

(With her nails scratching my skin.)

An involuntary shiver rolls up my spine.

Yoshimitsu: "It's a mysterious and dangerous profession."

He grows deadly serious, and I'm immediately sucked in.

Yohsimitsu: "She trained for years to do what she does."

Yoshimitsu: "And there's no one else who can--"

Aurora: "Oh, Yoyo, stop teasing the girl."

My head twitches up at the sound of Aurora's voice.

She shoots me a wink.

Aurora: "That's my job."

Chance: "Your job is to watch over her."

Chance: "Don't make me have another talk with you, Rory."

Aurora: "It's too early to try and dislodge the stick in your butt so I'm going to ignore that."

Aurora plops down on the couch, sandwiching me between her and Yoshimitsu.

She draws her legs up underneath her, sitting criss-cross.

Aurora: "Anyway, sweetheart..."

Aurora: "I make money for the gang."

MC: "Through the black market."

Aurora: "That's right!"

Aurora: "I fence what can't be sold through normal means."

Aurora: "And I rob people blind."

Reaching into her back pocket, Aurora pulls out a deck of cards, setting it on the living room table.

(Does she really pay for this mansion just by gambling?!)

Abandoning the game of chess entirely, Chance approaches Aurora, all business.

Chance: "Speaking of which."

Chance: "How do you feel about your odds with the Ruby Heart?"

MC: "Is the Ruby Heart a big ruby you're going to steal, or...?"

Aurora: "It's a poker tournament."

Aurora: "I don't literally rob peple."

Ash: "Anymore."

Aurora: "Well, I DO have a certain unsavory reputation in my more legitimate circles..."

Irving: "Normally, she's only allowed to host tournaments."

Irving: "Not play in them."

MC: "So this is an exception."

MC: "A black market tournament."

(Like the ones my parents stole from. Allegedly.)

Aurora: "Finally, I'll be back in my element."

Aurora: "No rules!"

Aurora: "No bans against me!"

Aurora: "Real wild west shit."

Yoshimitsu: "And we'll be richer than ever before!"

There's an electric excitement in the air, the upcoming tournament overshadowing my own kidnapping.

A. How can I help?

B. What's this got to do with me?

C. So can I leave yet?

---

C. So can I leave yet?

MC: "So if you're just going to earn back all that money..."

MC: "Can't I just leave?"

---

Aurora: "The tournament isn't to make up for what your parents took."

Aurora: "I signed up for the Ruby Heart before that mess occurred."

Aurora: "Your parents are the reason you're here."

Aurora: "The sooner you remember where they vanished, the sooner I let you go."

She leans over again, smiling at me, and sounding sweet as ever.

Aurora: "But even if you don't, <MC>, I'm going to get alllllll my money back."

Aurora: "I don't care what it takes."

Reaching out with one hand, she looks ready to touch my face again.

I don't pull away, transfixed by her sweet voice.

Aurora: "Maybe I'll have you work as my servant during the tournament."

Aurora: "You can wear a cute uniform and wait on me hand and foot."

Chance clears his throat.

Freezing before she can stroke my face, she lets her hand drop to her lap,

clenching it into a fist.

Aurora: "Anyway..."

Aurora glances away, suddenly cold again.

She almost looks bored as she starts shuffling her deck of cards.

Aurora: "Let's figure out how--"

The doorbell rings, then, booming throughout the whole house.

Aurora twitches her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing.