In his lifetime, Tommy has worn a wide variety of clothes in different styles and colors. The only trait they all had in common was that they weren't new. Each one was a hand-me-down from a foster sibling, both the girls and the boys. Anything that could be discarded was placed in Tommy's hands, and he was told to do with it as he pleased. If he threw it away, he would have to walk around naked and suffer the consequences of public indecency. If he did wear the clothes, he risked shame and perhaps even physical torment from people with biases. Tommy, as any person with the will to live will agree, found a way to survive. Once he learned how to sew, he put those skills to practical use immediately. Although he couldn't turn cotton to silk, Tommy could, at least, make some clothes that didn't look like they were constantly falling apart.

Even after Tommy started working for Madeleine, he didn't get new clothes. Like his life in foster care, Tommy got the scraps. If someone canceled their order and it fit Tommy well enough, Madeleine gave it to him. Most of Tommy's current favorite clothes, including his hoodie, were taken from a pile that the other tailors have created with the unsalvageable clothes or the unwanted scraps. Tommy is free to browse the pile, to take what he wants and do with it as he pleases. Although Tommy doesn't like still getting hand-me-downs, he isn't one to scoff in the face of something that makes his life easier. Tommy takes what he wants from the pile, and he leaves it at that.

Tommy has never taken a suit from the pile before. He's always seen one near the bottom, some maroon-colored, old-fashioned outfit that was rejected because of how uncultured it was. Tommy took that very same suit. His nose wrinkled together both at the dusty smell and the odd sleeves. Tommy had to hurry to fix the suit as best as he could, but he still looked like he was going to a renaissance faire when he looked in the mirror. Tommy sighed, shifting the long coat around his body. He had the passing thought that Ravager would like this outfit, but that thought got pushed away as soon as he leaped from the window.

Now, Tommy stands in front of one of the largest buildings on the entire island, both in height and width. It is built like an upside-down 'T' with one central tower stretching into two outstretching wings. The entire building is made from a glistening white stone that refracts the golden lights splashing across the surface from multi-colored, slow-moving spotlights. The interior is shining with yellowish orange light, making the entire tower look like it's been set on fire by a divine flame. Thousands of voices spill out from each open window and open door, screams of delight and laughter crescendoing. Like an undercurrent, a song blares out from the main floor, quick-footed like a rabbit, and the vague impression of slot machines dip and fall with each passing second, following along the noises of the humans. In blaring neon, two words curve and loop in tubing, dancing in shades of blue and gold, to name this building Las Nevadas.

While it may not definitely be the longest or widest or tallest building on the island, it is the largest gambling house on the entire island. Along with a large casino boasting hundreds of different games people can win money by playing, Las Nevadas' central tower are layers of hotel suites. There is a kitchen producing food 24/7, delivering exquisite dishes to the gamblers and the people in the suites. There is a large theater in the back for all manner of entertainment from theatrical productions to comedy shows to ones showcasing magic. In the back, an olympic-sized pool stretches out with hot tubs lining it on both sides for anyone that wants to relax in the water. Las Nevadas is popular for many reasons, and these accommodations are only scratching the surface.

Tommy, for his part, has never been to Las Nevadas before. He's never had the money to gamble or to stay. He's never had the time to swim or watch a show. His belly is content with the convenience store food and the food trucks. Tommy has never had the urge to drink or gamble. Las Nevadas was never able to offer him anything... before now, that is.

Tommy takes in a huge breath, joining the crowd of people walking into the building. They smell of alcohol, and they laugh at the wind blowing around them. Tommy chuckles awkwardly. One guy looks over at Tommy curiously, but his eyes are completely glazed over. He smiles widely at Tommy, throwing an arm over Tommy's shoulder. He completely drags Tommy into the group, practically shoving him in the middle. Tommy nearly retches as the alcoholic smell. The man with his arm over Tommy's shoulder laughs, pressing his knuckles into Tommy's side. Tommy slaps his hand away, but this causes the man to giggle like a child. A woman part of the group looks over her friend's shoulder, and she points at Tommy. The man gives her a half-shrug, and she starts laughing at his incredulous expression. She reaches a hand over, and Tommy gives her a high-five for reasons beyond his sober mind.

Even though the smell makes Tommy want to puke, he was rather lucky. Because he's near the center of the group, the guards standing outside the establishment don't glance at Tommy as they wave the party through the doors. The man holding onto Tommy lets go of him, leaping forward to lean onto his friend's back. The woman who gave Tommy a high-five grabs his hand. She spins him around as they move from the entryway room into the actual lobby. When Tommy is done spinning, the woman starts leaning back. Tommy rushes forward to grab onto her. Another member of the party whirls around as they hear something, and they sigh somberly as they catch the woman before she collapses on the ground. They glance up at Tommy, eyebrows knitting together in muted confusion. They're tipsy, not drunk, so they don't immediately put together that Tommy isn't part of the party even if they know something is wrong.

Tommy shakes his head, waving his hands in front of him. He tries saying, "I saw her falling. I just wanted to help," but with how loud the music is blaring, he isn't sure he's actually heard.

The person continues to wear a confused expression as they throw one of the woman's arms over their shoulder. They move their head in slow circles, keeping their eyes pinned on Tommy. Eventually, they loll their head to the side, staring at the blonde sideways. Tommy shoves his hands into his pockets, waiting for the verdict. They shrug like the other man did earlier, and they turn away from Tommy with the woman hanging off of them. The duo hurries over to the rest of the party lining up at the concierge's desk.

Tommy sighs in relief, but this emotion is short-lived as he looks around. The lobby has high ceiling, crystal and gold chandeliers falling down to spill warm light all across the large room. There are pillars holding up the distant roof and some of the overhangs from higher floors, and they are decorated with green and purple vines whose roots seem to disappear into the stone ground. A mosaic pattern covered in a thick layer of glass rests underneath Tommy's borrowed boots that are a size too large for him. From this distance, Tommy doesn't know what the design of the floor is, but he can tell that the concierge's desk is the very center. The picture also seems to accommodate the sitting areas with navy blue couches, chairs, and potted plants that Shelby would probably say were foreign. The lobby narrows into hallways all the edges. One hallway has a neon sign above it calling it a casino, but another hallway has a marquee that glows a pale white light to show the name of the theater.

"Sir," Someone says as they pass by. Tommy seizes up, looking over at the person walking towards him. It is a nondescript figure wearing black pants and a black vest over a dark purple shirt. They are wearing a black mask over their face with a purple spade painted in the corner. Tommy can see the gun hanging on their belt. He swallows thickly, nodding at the guard. Luckily, the guard walks past Tommy while calling the other guests 'sir' or 'madam.'

Tommy walks through the lobby. His attention switches between the other guests in their lovely finery and shiny jewelry, and the workers who seem to wear either purple spades or dark blue diamonds. Tommy doesn't know the significance of that, but he doesn't care to know as he looks up at the various signs directing him to different locations. The hallways into the casino and the theater are the most straightforward. The other hallways don't necessarily hide what is down them, but they have so many branching off paths that the signs are barely able to encompass it all. Tommy is too terrified to make a decision, so he walks past them all with thinly disguised anxiety and wonder, a mix that makes Tommy feel nauseous.

The main casino probably doesn't have what he needs, and even if it did, it's filled with too many guards for it to be a viable option for Tommy. The bar has fewer guards, but it's more tightly packed together than the casino. The pub is lively, and Tommy knows he's going to get lost within those walls. Tommy wouldn't dare try to get into the private club, though he has a sinking suspicion he might find what he wants in there. Tommy shakes his head, looking elsewhere before he makes that decision. He finds himself looking up at the lounge. Soft piano music is coming from there, and it looks dimly lit. Tommy doesn't know if he's going to find who he wants in there, but he thinks it is simultaneously a safe and good option to search first.

"Excuse me," A voice calls out. Tommy stops walking towards the lounge, looking over his shoulder. A woman is standing near him. She is wearing a domino mask like the workers, but her mask is a shade of white with a red heart painted in the corner. She is wearing a lime green dress with long sleeves and a thigh slit. She is an imposing figure, tall with honey-blonde hair and shimmering green eyes behind her mask. She has one hand on her hip, the other arm hanging loosely at her side. She's looking directly at Tommy with a kind smile on her face. "Are you okay?"

Tommy laughs off her question, though it sounds a little weak and even a touch awkward in his own ears. Tommy lets the laugh pitter off naturally, and he moves to wipe his hands on the pants of his outfit. Instead of getting upset, the woman gives Tommy a kind smile. She points her finger upward to one of the higher levels. "Are you lost? The club for teenagers is upstairs."

"I'm not part of that," Tommy shakes his head. He didn't even know Las Nevadas had a club for teenagers. He thought people would leave their children at home if they wanted to gamble. Or maybe Las Nevadas made the club for all the underage kids trying to sneak into the casino. Instead of kicking them out, they now have their own space. Tommy prefers the second option since the first one seems a little sad to him. "I'm here to see Jester."

The woman's eyes widen behind her mask. Strictly speaking, it's an open secret that Jester is the man in charge of Las Nevadas. He owns the building, the businesses, and even the people. He uses Las Nevadas to operate several less than legal businesses including smuggling and housing criminals, but he hasn't been caught because of his loyal followers and the money slipping from his hand into the hands of the Federation. Because of his unrivaled political power, no one dares to mention his name unless they want to make a deal with the devil. Earlier, Tommy thought that Las Nevadas looked like it had been set aflame by a divine flame, but everyone knows this is the closest they can get to hell while still being on earth. If that fact is true, Jester is the devil himself, sitting upon a throne of skulls and gold, collecting souls and granting wishes in the worst ways possible.

"Why would you need... him?" The woman asks, her eyes darting around them to examine how close the nearby guards or servers are. While there is a wide berth between them all, she still drops her voice into a tight whisper. She sounds a little terrified, like Tommy has actually said the name of the devil. Tommy shudders. He was told during his research of Las Nevadas that one should never utter Jester's name, but Tommy didn't think it would literally summon the rogue. If that's the case, Tommy better find a mirror to say Jester's name in front of thrice.

"I have business with the rogue," Tommy explains, deciding against using Jester's name in favor of his status. This woman is Tommy's best shot at getting to Jester at the moment, and he wouldn't want to scare her off.

The woman hums carefully. She looks around again. Her heartbeat quickens, Tommy believes, but pretty much everyone in the casino has an above average heartbeat. The woman runs a hand through her blonde hair, and Tommy notices that she's sprayed sparkles into her hair. They cover the skin of her hand as she wrings them both in front of her. In a flash of a second, she snaps her body together. She straightens her back and puts her hands together. She looks at Tommy with the composure of someone who wields more power than he does. "Come with me."

Tommy, obviously, doesn't trust this woman, but he doesn't have any other options. He could follow her, hoping he isn't being led to an early grave, or he could try tracking down Jester himself, and that would surely lead to getting maimed, if not killed.

Tommy closes his eyes for a split second, and opens them again to see the woman walking away from him. He hurries after her as she starts to open a door to an unmarked room. This leads Tommy down a furnished hallway with red walls and black carpet. Lamps exuding warm yellow light dimly light the hallway, and Tommy stares at their intricate bronze design as the woman opens a door with a keycard. The screen flashes on the keypad's screen with a red heart with a white '10' on the surface, reminding Tommy of the slot machines for some reason.

Tommy enters the room after the woman. It's a small one with more red walls and black carpet, though this one has a white trimming that seems to brighten up the space. Instead of lamps hanging from the walls, there is a compact chandelier dangling from the ceiling. On the floor, there is a velvet red couch with a coffee table right beside it. A flat-screen hangs in the corner of the room with a velvet black chair underneath it, a throw pillow with the name 'Las Nevadas' sewn into the surface sitting on the cushion in solitude. The woman gestures vaguely to the remote on the coffee table as she keeps one hand on the door. "Wait here, I'll go see if Jester is ready for his meeting with you tonight."

"Wait-" Tommy calls as the door clicks shut. "Fuck."

Tommy sinks onto the couch. He doesn't have a meeting with Jester tonight. He came here on his own without any warning. He is fairly certain that Jester doesn't even know who he is. Tommy was hoping that he would be able to convince Jester the moment he saw the rogue, but Tommy honestly doesn't even know what he was going to say. The reason he was at Las Nevadas and the reason he wants to talk to Jester is because he wants to join the man. Well, 'want' is an inaccurate word. Tommy wants the protection Jester will be able to provide him. Tommy doesn't mind healing Jester and his subordinates in exchange for this. Tommy will even quit his job at Madeleine's boutique if Jester can extend the protection to the Craft family and Wilbur's friends, Shelby and Niki. Hell, Tommy is fine with throwing Quackity, Charlie, and Jaiden into that protective circle since Wilbur seems to like them. Tommy is going to make a deal with the devil for them, and his soul aches in his chest as if it knows it will no longer belong to Tommy.

Tommy hears a clicking noise. His head snaps up to watch the door swing open. The woman from before doesn't step into the room but neither does Jester. Instead, a different woman steps into the room. She has dark brown hair with teal tips, half of it against her back with a small portion brought into a high ponytail. Underneath a domino mask with a purple spade in the corner, onyx eyes peer out. She wears a sleeveless purple top that displays an assortment of tattoos inked across her skin along with black cargo pants. A pair of wings stretch out from her back— black feathers on top, followed by a layer of purple, and ending with teal. A secret charm obscures the edges of her form, but Tommy can see the surprise and familiarity shimmer in her eyes as she stares at Tommy.

Her expression becomes extremely friendly as she walks deeper into the room. As she gets closer, Tommy falls back onto the couch. She sits on the coffee table in front of him, putting her hands on her knees and letting her wings rest comfortably against her back. Her smile seems even more genuine as she looks at him. "Hello. I'm a rogue who goes by the name Nuclocke, the Queen of Las Nevadas."

"Queen?" Tommy repeats, raising an eyebrow. He's never heard of Nuzlocke, not even in passing, but he will be the first to admit that he doesn't know that much about the superpowered world. He's becoming acquainted with the people but not familiar with everyone. Nuzlocke might have come up in his research about Las Nevadas and Jester, but Tommy doesn't remember.

"Ah, the workers of Las Nevadas have an internal ranking system based on playing cards. Jester is at the top, followed by the Ace, the King, the Queen, and the Jack. Everyone else is numbered between two and ten, depending on their clearance. They are further divided into the four suits depending on their job requirements. Spades are the guards. Diamonds are servers or manage the establishments. Hearts are entertainers and performers. Clubs are housekeeping and the cleaning staff. It's a little convoluted, so I won't bore you with more details," Nuzlocke explains to him, gesturing towards the spade in the corner of her mask. Tommy doesn't know what that means (is she the Queen of Spades? Is there only one Queen in the rankings but she's over the spades? Is this implying that she's a guard, too?).

"Why the fuck are you telling me this?" Tommy asks. In all his research, the internal ranking system of Las Nevadas didn't come up even once, not even in passing. This feels like the sort of information someone would want to keep under wraps, but Nuzlocke explains it away with a friendly smile on her face.

"I wonder," She murmurs with a soft laugh. Her earfeathers twitch slightly as she moves, and she leans forward. Her smile never wavers as she says, "Mamacita told me that you wanted to meet with Jester. Las Nevadas loves accommodating their guests, but Jester is a little busy at the moment. As a consolation, you get to talk to me."

Tommy accepts this after a moment of hesitation. If this is the best he can get, someone a few rankings down from Jester, so be it. Tommy would rather talk to Nuzlocke than no one at all. "Do you know how fucking dangerous things have become lately?"

"It's always been dangerous on this island, but yes, I can see where you are coming from. The heroes are blatantly killing. Even Las Nevadas is beginning to feel the ramifications," Nuzlocke agrees, her attention curving around to the television in the corner. Although the screen is black, Tommy can almost hear a news anchor describing the increasing crime rates, the high death toll of hybrids, and other problems that are starting to bubble to the surface. Nuzlocke looks away from the mute television, meeting Tommy's eyes again.

"How does someone get a job at Las Nevadas?" Tommy asks, shifting uncomfortably on the couch.

"There are a few ways to go about it. A high-ranking member can recommend you. You can send an application through the legal channels or the illegal ones, depending on what sort of job you want. There is also the option of making a deal with Jester, but that doesn't happen unless he's recruiting one of his playing cards," Nuzlocke explains, waving her hand around. Tommy feels a spike of hope. He just needs to convince Nuzlocke to recommend him. She gives him a wry smile like she knows what he's thinking. She reaches forward, actually booping his nose. Tommy curses, slamming his back against the back of the couch. Nuzlocke smiles at him, "And you, mister, are not getting a job here."

"And why the fuck not? Look, I can't get into the details right now, but I need protection. I have a... secret that the people around me are starting to pay for. I'm willing to work for Jester if I can get protection in return," Tommy explains, trying to keep the fact that he can heal people a secret for as long as possible. He needs to make sure that he doesn't get taken advantage of. He really needs this deal to work out for him.

"You've made several suits for the Syndicate," Nuzlocke counters. Tommy's eyebrows furrow together. While he does know that Las Nevadas and the Syndicate aren't together, he knows that they are allies. Half of Las Nevadas' smuggling is because of Phantasm, and he's certain the Syndicate has a room in the hotel like every other supervillain worth their weight in salt.

"I make suits for everyone. I'm making a suit for the vigilante Pulverize right this fucking minute," Tommy tries.

"And that's good. That's amazing. But at the end of the day, Phantasm has laid his claim," Nuzlocke shakes her head, showing that she isn't saying this because Las Nevadas and the Syndicate have had a falling out recently. She's saying this because it probably looks like Tommy is with the Syndicate.

"That's bullshit. Phantasm was the one to encourage me to interact with more people. On top of that, the Syndicate is one of the groups I need protection from!" Tommy argues, leaning forward to plead with Nuzlocke.

She sighs, her wings shaking behind her like they're getting rid of dust. "Look, I feel bad for you. I know this isn't much, but I'm willing to make a deal with you. Las Nevadas is the realm of contracts, after all. I want a suit. In exchange, I can provide you with Queen-level protection. It might not be what you wanted, but it's better than selling your soul to Jester."

Tommy narrows his eyes. He has a feeling this is the best he's going to get, and Tommy doesn't know any bargaining skills. "Fine."

"Thank you for making the smart choice," Nuzlocke tells him, sounding genuinely relieved and proud. She reaches into one of the pockets of her cargo pants. She pulls out a playing card made from thin metal. While there is a spade in the corners of the card, the woman on the cover is a stylized rendition of Nuzlocke with a golden crown sitting on top of her head and a bouquet of hummingbirds behind her. She slips the card into Tommy's hand. "Think of this like a VIP card. It will get you places within the casino, and if you need help outside, Jester's minions will recognize the card and assist you as well as they can."

"Why are you going so far for me?" Tommy asks, flipping the card over in his hands to stare at the mirrored images.

"Why, indeed," Nuzlocke hums to herself. She leans back onto her arms, staring up at the ceiling. "I respect Phantasm, even admire him at times, so I'm willing to listen to him. I also really respect Azrael, so I don't want to cross anyone in the Syndicate. The deal itself is because I wanted to. I see something in you that is worth looking at for longer. Plus, I really want a cool suit."

"I'm almost finished with Ravager's suit. I also have Pulverize and maybe Azrael's suits to do," Tommy reminds her, trying to maintain certain expectations for this exchange.

"I'm willing to wait... I'm also willing to personally escort you out," Nuzlocke tells him, reaching forward to rub his shoulder comfortingly. She raises to her feet, waiting for Tommy to follow behind her. She opens the door for him, and Tommy gives her an awkward smile. Nuzlocke takes the charge. When they enter the lobby, Tommy feels several pairs of eyes fall onto them. Nuzlocke smiles proudly, her eyes narrowing like a bird of prey as she glances over at the other spades in the lobby.

"Did you sell your soul to Jester?" Tommy whispers absentmindedly, meeting the eyes of a few spades as they head towards the doors across the floor.

"Aw, that's so sweet. I'm touched by your concern," Nuzlocke tells him. She smiles at him once, but as she looks away, her face turns a touch more solemn. "But it's unnecessary. There are a few reasons people come to Las Nevadas. Even fewer reasons why people choose to work with Jester. There are only two reasons why someone would rise the ranks like I did: love and revenge. I'm part of the latter category. I'm willing to do whatever Jester needs me to do because all of this is ultimately in service to my personal goal. I have a blood vendetta against the heroes— against the Federation, too."

"Good luck with that. I hope the suit I make you helps you out," Tommy agrees. While he doesn't really want the heroes to die, he does wish them gone every day of his life, even before his powers manifested. He's even angrier at them now for not trying to save Wilbur, but that's neither here nor there. Tommy will help the people working against the heroes even if he doesn't put a bounty on their heads himself.

Nuzlocke wears a smile. It isn't anything like the friendly one she had earlier. It is a dangerous one, predatory, ready to tear into skin and devour flesh. Even with the secret charm, madness glitters in her eyes. "I hope so, too."