dreamcrystals | 1 Bottle of Rum

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1 Bottle of Rum | Journal Text

Sender: Husk
To: Everyone
Subject: New Casino

So. Last month happened, didn't it? I didn't go into any of your weird-ass mirrors, but I've heard a lot of whispers around town that that shit wasn't all that fun. Last month, despite some setbacks dealing with a couple clones here and there, I had been building the first and best casino this town has to offer: Revved Up!

Now, I know what you're all thinking. The fuck are you gonna bet with if money ain't around? I've discussed it with a few people and came up with what I think is a solid solution.

Everyone will bet favors. Denominations will be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 10.

So come on down to enjoy some slots, roulette tables, poker, blackjack, or craps! Just look for that old unused leprechaun bank in the markets and rev yourself up!

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And what sorts of favors would be acceptable as currency in this establishment of yours? I do hope you have a limit to what you allow people to gamble away or I can see this fast becoming a source of strife here. Otherwise it does seem a fine idea, I suppose even if I myself have trouble seeing the appeal of it. People do need some fun now and again to put their mind off of their day to day troubles.

What favors are depends on who wins the pot. If you got a problem with someone's favor, then that's on them and you should talk to them about it. I run the casino, I don't fucking babysit people.

And don't worry about any douchebag causes trouble in my casino, I can handle it. I ran a casino before, in hell, so I can definitely handle whatever the fuck is thrown my way.

Exactly! Casinos are fun. I've only been here for a month and I haven't really seen any establishments for entertainment or socializing. It's not money you're betting on anyway! Why not try it?

Still, it's always good to set some limits to these things. A lot of people have a tendency to push things to far if no one sets up proper boundaries beforehand.

That's good to hear. If you ever need a helping hand in dealing with any future troublemakers feel free to send a messaged my way. I am not entirely unfamiliar with handling such situations myself.

I've never been much inclined to gamble, truthfully. Never had much time for it either. Though I might visit simply to see what you have built and what people think about it. I think it might do many some good to have some harmless fun, for it is true we don't have much in the way of recreation here. But then, I do live in the Wildlands. So I might just not know if we do...

[A few moments go by before there's a response.]

Sheesh. Yeah, there does at least need to be some hard limits. Gotta remember this town ain't Hell. Any and all favors that lead to new Deals or Contracts or anything mimicking or imitating them are automatically forfeited, along any favors that genuinely make a person uncomfortable. And it has to be genuine discomfort, not just someone bullshitting just because they don't feel like doing the favors. I'll post a "Hard Rules" plaque near the entrance that I can update if anything else comes up in the future.

I'll keep your offer to help in consideration if the imps I've found here need a little assistance. But once you stop by, I could teach you how to play a few variants of Poker and Blackjack.

Exactly! A couple of healthy boundaries is all that is really needed, yes? Just to make sure no one takes things to far and it all stays as good fun for everyone. It serves the double purpose of making people want to come back to play more than just the once as well.

I'm always happy to lend a hand if it's needed. I think I would like that. I might not be much of a gambler but I do like learning new things.

Running a casino in hell is a little bit different than running one in the living world. You're allowed to be way more violent and people will still come. I won't do that here, so keep your britches on. I know what I'm doing.

When you come, I think I'll teach you a little Texas Hold'em. It's my favorite way to play.

[Sorry. Husk ain't gonna teach you over the scroll. You're not getting it THAT easily.]

Living world...? Were you dead as well before you came to this place, then? I'm not sure if I should feel grieved or relieved about not being the only one to be so.

I'll look forward to it, and if you wish I might teach you one or two of the games my own people favor. I do know a few of them since my brothers always badgered me to play them.

[He would not wish it otherwise. It would suck all the joy out of it for him if he were to learn it in such an impersonal way.]

I'm a sinner demon, same as Alastor. Died at age 74, been in hell for around 50. What's your afterlife like?

Hmm, I'll see if any games you have to share is interesting enough.

I never quite got to that part of it, honestly. I arrived here right after I, well... after I died. But my people's afterlife is not really that big of a mystery either. We either go to the Hall's of Waiting to heal and eventually return to life again or refuse the Call and linger as housless spirits in the place of our death. I'm not quite sure what choice I would have made, I fear.

They can be quite tricky, some of them but I'll endavour not to make them seem dull.

[Oops, looks like the two got so distracted from the casino conversation, Husk has inadvertently entered Bartender Mode™.]

And what if you get to choose now? Which one would you pick?

[Maedhros contemplates briefly about whether or not he should awnser that, but decides since the man asked he'll be truthfull.]

Now that my mind is no longer so clouded by pain and grief, and I can think of things beyond just myself, I think I would heed the Call. It would be unfair of me to cause more grief to my family by letting my spirit linger to be slowly chipped away at by the world until it is a cold unfeeling thing that barely remembers it's old self.

[Husk raises an eyebrow, but it's not like Maedhros can see it.]

I'm up for lending an ear. What happened to cause you to nearly stay a spirit? Or we can talk about something else.

[Always give someone an out if they don't want to talk about it. That's one thing he learned as a bartender.]

I swore an oath I shouldn't have, one I couldn't take back or break once I started to realize just what it was I had signed up for. I did terrible things in the name of that oath, unforgivable things, and then... once I'd finaly fulfilled it, as much as I ever could, it turned out to have been in vain all along. The very actions I'd taken to fulfill it had made me unable to even hold my father's heirlooms anymore. It burned me... not only my flesh but my spirit as well. I wanted complete destruction, in truth, but if I could not have that a slow chipping away of everything I am sounded like it would be a good enough substitute...

And, well... the centuries of war inbetween all that certainly didn't help much either, I suppose.

That must've been rough, feeling that way like there's no way you could ever recover. It's good that you pulled yourself up from rock bottom, but not everyone has the ability to do the same.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, I already had a bit of experience in pulling myself up from rock bottom. So this time I at least had some inkling about what I needed to do in order to do so. But I am very thankful that my mind is much clearer in this place, I don't believe I was altogether sane by the end of it back home.

I wish I could say everyone could do it... but I've seen too much in my life to believe the world is so kind a place, and I am very sorry for it.

Edited 2024-04-07 18:52 (UTC)

[...a casino? Even without any money to be bet, Yato can hear the clink of coins in his ears. As someone who's already looking to trade services, this seems like a fun way of doing it.]

Ya got any pachinko games in there?

Pachinko? Never really played it. But I've heard of it. It's what those Japanese people like, right? Maybe I can add in a handful of mechanical pachinko somewhere around the casino.

You got it! If you do that you'll get my business for sure! I can't resist me a game of pachinko after a hard day's work.

[...Be prepared to owe a lot of favors to the house.]

You got it. I'll look forward to seeing you there. 20 pachinko balls per 1 favor, does that sound fair?

[Sounds fair to Husk.]

[There's a sucker born every minute, including one right now.]

Works for me! I'm just excited about being able to play again! It's been months since the last time I was able to visit a pachinko parlor.

I better work quick, then. Can't exactly keep a lpoyal customer waiting.

[This is already going over very well! Yato can't see it, but Husk is actually grinning widely. He hasn't felt this way since he was an Overlord.]

You know where the bank used to be or do you need directions?

Hehe damn right! You'll see me there every week, for sure!

[Depending on just how much trouble he gets himself into gambling, he may have to make it every other week...]

I'm familiar with the location, so no worries there.

I've never gambled before, but... uhm... How would you gamble favors away...? Would you just give favors to other people if you lose?

Newbie, huh? The way money usually works in gambling is that you hand in a specific amount of money at the table you're at and you get the equivalent in chips. But since there ain't any currency here, we'll just start everyone off with 5 of each denomination. Though you can earn them by working at the casino, but I've got imps for that. No need to worry about it.

Then when you want to bet, you take as many chips you're willing to bet from your own pile and put it in front of you, same as everyone else if they don't fold. That's the pot. And whoever has the highest value hand wins the entire pot. You follow?

Edited 2024-04-07 05:15 (UTC)

( She thinks she understands... It doesn't seem like her type of thing. She's never had very good luck. )

Oh, uhm -- so, it's like a big game, huh? I think it sounds fun if we aren't betting with money... but, how does it work favors...? Do they all end up doing something to help someone else if they lose?

The favors are whatever the person that wins them determines. Nothing big like making a Contract or anything that would endanger someone, though. More like errands like bringing in groceries or some shit like that.

[Sorry, Madoka, but Husk only has your name, not your age.]

That's good! But... I don't think all contracts are all that bad, either...

But, then... why would someone play a game if it meant endangering someone, though? It's kind of scary to think about...

Know your contract. Where I'm from, Contracts with Devil Deals usually are about ownership of someone's soul.

Some people are dumb as shit and others are just douchebags. If someone asks you for a favor and you're legitimately uncomfortable with it, then that favor is null and void.

What? Uhm -- I'm sorry! I had no idea! I know that there are stories like that, but I didn't know that it was really in some worlds...

The contracts at home... the one that I made -- it was in exchange for something really wonderful. I-It was nothing like that at all.

... But, I do think that... it's better to say no if you're not very comfortable doing a favor. I was always told that it's best to be as honest as possible, you know?

You shouldn't have to worry about contracts or Deals for souls. The only sinner demons here are Me and Alastor.

What exactly are the contracts your familiar with? What are the terns of them?

[This Madoka person just seems really naïve.]

( She pauses before responding. If there's one thing she's learned, it's that you can't really judge a book by its cover. This person-- doesn't seem all that mean, demon or no. )

You're a demon...? I had no idea of that, either... But, uhm -- you know? I met an angel here, too... The both of you are a lot different than the stories I've read.

Well -- ... back at home... my friends and I-- a wish was granted, and in return... we're able to help a lot of people.

[Angel, huh?]

If that angel is who I think it is, I've talked to him. Seems like he needs more buddies.

Was your wish being able to help a lot of people, or was it something the wish giver told you to do?

You think so? It's a little sad to think that someone out here could feel lonely...

Oh, no. I made the wish wanting to help someone, but... the wish was anything that we wanted to choose.

[This just reeks of prime Yato bait...]

There's no way that one's debt would happen to fall upon their roommates and such, right?

Edited 2024-04-10 05:11 (UTC)

No, it's per person, not per group.

That is a relief to hear. What sort of favors are you going to be using as payment?

That's up to whoever wins the favors. There's rules in place for nothing life-threatening or boundary-pushing, but to give a few examples, the favors could be something like getting groceries or helping clean something up or try to find a lost item or some shit like that.

[ Last month sure did happen. What's with this world and messed up mirrors? Maybe Yato had the right idea about getting rid of them.

But that's not what's on Malon's mind when she reads Husk's message. Nor is it about the money thing (although she was thinking it, it's true). No, it's Husk's apparent talent for business that catches her attention. ]

Hold on, back up a sec. How did you just set up a whole casino like it was nothing? Doesn't it take, you know, more work than that to start a business?

Hey, I took nearly all last month setting things up, even with the distractions of those mirror clones running around. Plus I had some help with the abandoned bank being there for me to use.

[ He says "all month" as though that's a long time. Doesn't it usually take way longer to start a business? Malon's never started one herself before now, but it's been suspiciously easy and that makes her feel like she's doing something wrong. ]

Yeah, speaking of the bank, how did you get it? Did you have to buy it from someone or did you just walk in and decide it was yours?

[ Never mind her other question of "why is there even a bank in a place with no currency." ]

It was abandoned. No one was using it.

Weird. I thought it'd be harder than that.

I'm trying to start my own place here and I figured I'd need to buy some kind of permit or something, because that's what my dad had to do back home when he started his ranch. I tried asking the tapirs where I'm supposed to do that and they had no idea what I was talking about.

As far as I can tell, there ain't no government here. You're best bet is probably takin' over some empty buildin'.

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1 Bottle of Rum | Journal Text

Sender: Maedhros

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Sender: Yato

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Sender: Madoka

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Sender: Kazuma 兆麻

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