Husk (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
grumpface) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
dreamcrystals2024-04-18 09:37 pm
grumpface) wrote in dreamcrystals2024-04-18 09:37 pm
2 Bottles of Wine | Passive Dream Recording
Sender: Husk
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Alcoholism, Gambling Addiction, Allusions to Torture, Soul Deals/Slavery, Hazbin Hotel Spoilers
It wasn't wise for an Overlord like yourself to have a casino in hell that was empty or sparse. Unfortunately for you, it had been getting less and less occupied, less busy throughout the last couple of months. The House was running low on funds. You filled what little activity you cared about by drinking. A lot. You were on your ninth bottle of whiskey for the day when HE came in.
The Radio Demon. The one who had arrived all those decades ago and had began to topple Overlord after Overlord seemingly overnight. You weren't in hell yet when it had happened, but it was impossible not to hear the stories.
He sat down at the poker table you were resting your head at. You shoved all the empty bottles off when he requested a game. Just a simple game. It was a little weird with you getting his attention. When you started dealing, the question of why The Radio Demon didn't just kill you and then broadcast your screams over the radio like he did with every other Overlord he went against.
It was also occupied with another thought. There was no doubt the Radio Demon had lots of money, and you hoped that playing against him would end your unlucky streak. His preference was 5-card draw. You don't usually play it, but you were desperate to win. You needed that rush you haven't had in so long, so you didn't argue.
You lost the hand. You had a pair of threes, he had a three of a kind of twos. You lost again. You had a straight, he had a full house. You lost a third time. You had four of a kind, he had a straight flush. Getting even more desperate, you pulled more and more money out of the funds of your casino. But you just kept on losing and he just kept on winning.
You began to suspect that he was somehow cheating. Usually, this would be the point where you'd retaliate against cheaters. You'd usually have them get taken to a private room in order to have a little talk using pain and violence before throwing them out.
But you were desperate for a win.
You began to cheat back. A quick false-shuffle here, dealing seconds and bottoms in order to get the cards you wanted. You didn't give yourself any royal flush. That's usually statistically impossible and therefore the Radio Demon would definitely notice.
And yet you still lost, somehow.
Your funds had fully emptied and the Radio Demon was about to leave. You stood up and slammed your hands on the table, demanding one more game. You weren't thinking clearly at the time. You bet your soul. If you won, you'd get the Radio Demon's soul AND all of his money. If you lost... then you were his. With a handshake and a display of green demonic energy, the Deal was sealed.
You were nervous, noticably pointing at the cards in his hand, doing all sorts of calculations about probability. And... you still lost.
It was like instinct. It felt as if your heart was about to beat out of your chest. You argued with him that he only owns your soul, not your power. And somehow, after a few minutes of semantics, he had agreed to the wording. You lost your soul to save your power.
And then you immediately bet your power.
And he did the unthinkable: He quit gambling. He was done. The cruelest thing possible happened to you. You had just lost everything except for your power.
It was hours later, you realized he hadn't been cheating at all.
To: Everyone
Subject: Passive Dream Recording
Warnings: Alcoholism, Gambling Addiction, Allusions to Torture, Soul Deals/Slavery, Hazbin Hotel Spoilers
It wasn't wise for an Overlord like yourself to have a casino in hell that was empty or sparse. Unfortunately for you, it had been getting less and less occupied, less busy throughout the last couple of months. The House was running low on funds. You filled what little activity you cared about by drinking. A lot. You were on your ninth bottle of whiskey for the day when HE came in.
The Radio Demon. The one who had arrived all those decades ago and had began to topple Overlord after Overlord seemingly overnight. You weren't in hell yet when it had happened, but it was impossible not to hear the stories.
He sat down at the poker table you were resting your head at. You shoved all the empty bottles off when he requested a game. Just a simple game. It was a little weird with you getting his attention. When you started dealing, the question of why The Radio Demon didn't just kill you and then broadcast your screams over the radio like he did with every other Overlord he went against.
It was also occupied with another thought. There was no doubt the Radio Demon had lots of money, and you hoped that playing against him would end your unlucky streak. His preference was 5-card draw. You don't usually play it, but you were desperate to win. You needed that rush you haven't had in so long, so you didn't argue.
You lost the hand. You had a pair of threes, he had a three of a kind of twos. You lost again. You had a straight, he had a full house. You lost a third time. You had four of a kind, he had a straight flush. Getting even more desperate, you pulled more and more money out of the funds of your casino. But you just kept on losing and he just kept on winning.
You began to suspect that he was somehow cheating. Usually, this would be the point where you'd retaliate against cheaters. You'd usually have them get taken to a private room in order to have a little talk using pain and violence before throwing them out.
But you were desperate for a win.
You began to cheat back. A quick false-shuffle here, dealing seconds and bottoms in order to get the cards you wanted. You didn't give yourself any royal flush. That's usually statistically impossible and therefore the Radio Demon would definitely notice.
And yet you still lost, somehow.
Your funds had fully emptied and the Radio Demon was about to leave. You stood up and slammed your hands on the table, demanding one more game. You weren't thinking clearly at the time. You bet your soul. If you won, you'd get the Radio Demon's soul AND all of his money. If you lost... then you were his. With a handshake and a display of green demonic energy, the Deal was sealed.
You were nervous, noticably pointing at the cards in his hand, doing all sorts of calculations about probability. And... you still lost.
It was like instinct. It felt as if your heart was about to beat out of your chest. You argued with him that he only owns your soul, not your power. And somehow, after a few minutes of semantics, he had agreed to the wording. You lost your soul to save your power.
And then you immediately bet your power.
And he did the unthinkable: He quit gambling. He was done. The cruelest thing possible happened to you. You had just lost everything except for your power.
It was hours later, you realized he hadn't been cheating at all.