(no subject)

[crittersheep]

WHO: Minuet
WHERE: ???
WHEN: ???

[it's not long after Minuet hands over the staff to Blossom and agrees to join Jim Deer on his request. In fact, just as he steps into the Mist, before either Blossom or the deer can notice, a dark portal opens beneath him and sucks him in. Oops!

When he wakes up, he's in a strange place...dice and marbles float in the air, and he seems to sitting on a giant floating roulette wheel.

And staring at him is a pair of snake eye.....dice. It's a Familiar demon.]

Hmmm. Don't think you're the piece of venison they wanted, but they should have been more descriptive, heh.

Comments

[featherduster]

[ He knew there would be shenanigans. HE KNEW. ]

Sheesh. Not good enough for you, huh?

[wooliefrand]

I was expecting something. . .shinier.

But I've still got myself a gambling partner. You play?

[POOF. A pair of blue dice appear in his hand]

[featherduster]

[ says a quick tiny 'thank you' prayer to satan for not being a shiny gold shepherd statue rn ]

That all depends on the stakes.

[wooliefrand]

Hah.

[the demon's massive body slithers around the roulette, snakes eyes trained on him]

There's a bounty on yer head. Or what did the mortal punk say? Ah yes, "The Beast that Frolicks with Deer."

But you ain't much of a beast. But I wonder, why you're worth so much. . .

So a gamble for who gets to take ya back. The wolves, or those deer and sheep. Which is worth more to you?

[featherduster]

[ He holds EXTREMELY still even if his tone and expression remain carefully unbothered ]

Yeah, that bounty thing happens a lot. I wouldn't read too much into it.

Who's this punk though?

[wooliefrand]

Not in the business of taking the names of everyone who summons me.

Just in the business of games.

[he leans closer]

And so are your companions.

[the dice in his eyes distort, the dots warping into a scene. He can't make out any details, but those are most definitely the silhouettes of people in the pasture, gathered on the grass, a demon rising from the ground. . .and then it all goes red.]

[featherduster]

[ He watches the vision until it disappears, eyes briefly dropping to the dice in his hand. ]

. . . So how 'bout I pick my winning stake?

[wooliefrand]

. . .hm.

[The demons flips a coin. A large coin. It's easily twice the side of Minuet's head. Watch out as it comes CRASHING DOWN. There looks to be two sides--heads, sheep, tails, wolf

It lands heads up for sheep.]

Heh. Alright, let's hear it.

1/

[featherduster]

[ Bitch. What the fuck.

SCOOTS BACK ]

[featherduster]

. . .


. . . Can you seriously not make any decisions without your shtick . . .

3/3

[featherduster]

[ WHATEVER!!!

Straightens up. This is all Normal ]

Two things.

One -- you help me run interference on that ritual.

And two -- at least show me what this punk guy looked like. I deserve to know who's talking shit.

Re: 3/3

[wooliefrand]

. . .you want me to interfere on another's demon's turf?

[the demon stares at him

then laughs and laughs]

Now THAT'S what I like to hear! You're a high roller, I respect that, mortal. I tip my hat to you.

[he does so, and the top of the skull is just fire full of burning souls. Enjoy the brief screams before he puts the hate back on.]

I accept your terms! If I win, I'll simply collect what is owed to me from my patron. Now then.

Ready to play?

Re: 3/3

[featherduster]

[ "What the fuck does that mean exactly" a reasonable person would ask.

Thankfully he is wildly unreasonable. ]

Only if I get to blow on the dice first.

[wooliefrand]

A 'lucky' ritual for mortals, eh? There's no magical secret to gambling. . .your fate is left up to chance itself.

But if it'll make ya feel better. Go for it.

[featherduster]

Lady Luck and I have a strained history, that's all. Gotta suck up where I can.

[ He does blow on the dice tho wtf does he have to lose ]

[wooliefrand]

Heh.

Best two outta three.

[some flames flare up--and then three copies of Minuet stand before him. One smiling, one sad, one neutral in expression. They don't talk, but they mirror his movements.]

Round one. Roll higher than a five, the happy fella gets a treat, and you can ask me a question.

Roll lower, he gets his head lobbed off, and I ask you a question. Ya can't resist answering.

1/2

[featherduster]

[ WHAT DOES LOBBING THE HAPPY ONE'S HEAD OFF DO????????? ]

[featherduster]

Y'know, I can't imagine I know much of anything worth knowing about, but your call.

[ ROLLING THE DICE

]

[wooliefrand]

[nothing he has to worry about now :3

The demon laughs as the happy one--poofs! He gets an armful of donuts. He does not share them.]

Alright, you get a question, lucky chump.

[featherduster]

[ FROWNS DEEPLY

Thinks for a long moment ]

What caused this big rift between sheep and wolves? Kinda seems like it'd be less hassle for everyone if they just talked it out.

[wooliefrand]

[the roulette begins to spin]

Up there you mean? Rumor has it some sheep slaughtered the Wolf Emp's brat, and some war broke out. Typical mortal things. You fight over the smallest incidents.

A pity though. Rituals were far more profitable when they got along.

[featherduster]

[ Deliberately casual ]

What's "profit" even look like to a demon, anyway? Pretty sure you weren't dealing in double dollars.

[wooliefrand]

That's more than one question, high roller.

[A spotlight on the sad Minuet now]

Roll higher than a six this time, or your pretty face meets a blade.

[featherduster]

Don't ever call me pretty again, thank you.

[ HE ROLLS



F IN THE CHAT BOYS ]

[wooliefrand]

[The sad Minuet draws his arms to himself, afraid, looking around--

Until his body is suddenly littered with knives. Too many to count.

The corpse falls to the floor, while the happy one turns away, still munching the donuts.

Actual Minuet will feel himself coughing up some blood, feeling as if he was just stabbed, but no real wounds.]

Looks like I won't need to if that's how ya plan on playin', heh.

Now I get to ask you somethin', chump.

[featherduster]

[ MILLIONS OF KNIVES, ONE MIGHT SAY!!!

He chokes and coughs a bit, before wheezing out ]

Shit... the hell did that do?

[wooliefrand]

I gamble with souls here, boy. It makes the gambler all the more desperate.

Now. . .

[the dice in its eye socket glow red, and Minuet will feel compelled to answer truly, genuinely honestly when the demon poses his next question.]

You could win it all or lose it all next round. But you bet for the lives of a few easily replaced mortals. You all come back from those rituals--even if it's not all in one piece, heh. What's the point of wasting your winnings on them?

[featherduster]

Comforting answer, sorry for asking.

[ Wiping some blood on his sleeve and straightening up ]

I'd rather keep them in one piece and prevent suffering than get "winnings" for myself.

Not a single one of them is replaceable, either.

[wooliefrand]

All mortals are replaceable. That's why they they're moral.

. . .

You speak as a being that's supposedly outlived those mortals.

[featherduster]

. . . It's true that people die and leave this world. At the same time, people will be born and enter it.

But when someone dies, there will never be another "that person." Their favorite food, the color of their eyes, the specific circumstances and people that shaped them into who they are. The way they pronounce certain words and the joke they might've told in a certain situation. That experience they had when they were fourteen, and the unique talents they nurture, and the friends who loved them.

There's no replacing that. The ones left behind will never have that person again.

[wooliefrand]

And that holds more value to you than all the riches you could desire. . .? Or immortality, or power? Hah. When you live as long as a demon, you'll see that mortals tend to repeat themselves over and over. Just a few chips among the many you could be cashing in.

That's what you're betting your soul on, you realize.

[featherduster]

I've lived long enough to know I don't want any of that.

I just want the people who're important to me to be safe.

[crittersheep]

You don't know what long is, boy. What puzzling creatures you are.

[The neutral faced Minuet stares him in the eyes, unemotive, unflinching, just. . .accepting whatever happens.

The demon snorts.]

Roll a seven or higher. Let's see if Lady Luck smiles on ya and those you love.

[featherduster]

I don't really wanna find out what 'long' is anyway.

[ He hesitates for only a second. Then rolls.

]

[crittersheep]

. . .

. . .

[throws his head back and laughs. and laughs and laughs and LAUGHS.]

[the other Minuet finally shows an expression, relief, before it fades away.

The demon brings its massive skull down to eye level with Minuet]

Ya know little mortal, you're alright. Played hard, rolled hard, as is fitting for a gamble of such merit. I suppose these connections of yours are your rabbit's foot, eh?

[featherduster]

[ (the fuck has a rabbit's foot got to do with this) ]

I wouldn't underestimate "little mortals" so much. We can be full of surprises.

[crittersheep]

You're entertaining enough, I'll give you that.

Speak you final question.

[featherduster]

[ A measured pause ]

What is the history of this place, before it became like it is now? If you can't answer, tell me who can.

[crittersheep]

Hmmm. . .

[the roulette spins, images speeding by, showing the pasture as a flourishing, sprawling kingdom, slowly being overtaken by the mist.]

This is the Hell of this realm. We demons preside over all, watching the mortals do this and that. The Holy Beasts serve to maintain order, supposedly watching over the feeble mortals above.

The world is no more unique than others. Full of peace, full of war, full of hope, full of despair. Like cycles of the moon, they come and go.

The despair now has been caused by a single mortal gambling away their life, much like you. The difference being, you got lucky. They did not.

[the spinning stops]

[it lands on an image of a Wolf]

This is who summoned me to collect that little deer friend of yours. Seems like he feels he's owed as such--the gambler that threw their life away owes him much, too.

1/2

[featherduster]

[ Hey

What the fuck ]

[featherduster]

Yeah?

And how pissed is he gonna be when you turn over nothing?

[(Anonymous)]

[a guffaw]

Who says I'm turning over nothin'? He shoulda been more specific in his requests.

The complaints of mortals who get more or less than they bargained for mean nothing to me.

[There's a rumbling above them, and the demon snorts]

Sounds like the party's getting started.

This was fun, high roller.