SALTWATER SCOURGE.

The moment he revealed the judgement card, Magilou broke into ━totally professional━ laughter. Oh, this reading was going to be good, she could already tell. It didn’t even need any manipulations on her part.

“So much for your good fortune, bone-boy.”  She tapped the card once for emphasis. “The first card drawn describes your current situation. Looks like for you, it’s a time to evaluate your past mistakes, to make a little less foolish decisions in the future. Oh, and on that note…”

“Feel free to keep staring at me like that, but I’ll charge you 100 Dust extra for every second that you do.” Magilou made a quick hand sign, silently signalling Bienfu to take count. That new accounting knowledge he accumulated would find some use at last.

“Well then,” Magilou shuffled the deck and held it out to her foolish client once more. “Draw four more cards, then hand them to me. Let’s see how exactly you’ll be judged in the future, shall we?”

❛  ah, that is a little unfair, my teller of fortune.  you’re looking rather cute now, how can i resist━━  ❜   

contrary to the so-called reading, lady luck still seems to smile upon him to grant him such a boon.  though, against these sudden extra fees, it feels more like a test of wits and temptations.  foolish choices?  yes, perhaps he should not have given in so easily.  but the satin locks of hair over her eye are worth it and enough to make his cheeks flare like an embarrassed school girl.  

rider can’t help but flick several glances between the woman and the deck of cards.  100 dust per second is quite steep.  though the currency is digital, he could feel a hole burning into his vest.

Badou stops and looks at this guy. Is he assuming he’s a pirate because of the eyepatch? Or just asking who he thinks is a local? He can’t tell. He seems curious, at the very least. 

“Could be. But I hear there are some things down there that’ll come after you if you stay around there too long. Davey Jones’ hemorrhoids or something, I dunno.”

The redhead, while also curious, hasn’t prepared enough to check it out. Something about possibly drowning or getting eaten by something just doesn’t sit well with him.

❛  hmm, is that so ?  ❜   he hums absentmindedly, a little disappointed while scanning the crowd.  his interest begins to wane at the crude remarks, but more so at the fact that he had higher hopes for this young man.  that will need to be rectified. 

“I see… So you think girls are cuter when you can’t see their eyes. That’s…unconventional.” No, it’s weird. “But I still prefer my hair as it is…”

“But… why? Even if it’s only one eye, it would still affect one’s field of vision…”

“But…isn’t that really impractical? You can’t see much with your eyes covered by hair, after all…”

“Um…. what are ‘mekakure girls’?”

Leaving Magilou speechless was an achievement barely anyone ever pulled off, but that certainly did it. Of course, she wasn’t unfamiliar with lines like these, yet usually, no one would direct such words at her. But never mind that. Whatever this guy was planning, it wouldn’t work.

“The cards then.” Magilou shuffled the deck without further delay, though not all too orderly. Some of the cards even slipped out of her hands, by accident, of course. And entirely coincidentally, they all landed face-up in front of this… weirdo.

“Oops, my bad,” Magilou didn’t sound sorry at all. “Oh, but would you look at that. The cards already tell a story.” There was the number 0, The Fool; then the number 1, The Magician; completed by number 13, Death.

“Looks like the fool bothered the wrong magician and died. How tragic. ━ Fortunately, that was merely an accident and not your story, right?” She gathered the dropped cards and began shuffling once more, properly this time, then held the fanned out deck in front of Mr Fool. “Well then, pick a card.”

he surveys the scattered cards languidly, his expression waning from its seemingly permanent smile into something flatter.  they mean nothing to him in their set, outside of having patterns that are pleasing to the eye.  but when strung together to tell a story well within possibility?  it’s hard to believe this was purely accidental.  

best to move onto lighter topics.

❛  ... so, that’s a no?  damn.  ❜    his voice wasn’t one of frustration, but it flirted with the idea.  it is impossible to miss the small interested glances sent at the curl of her hair.  being so tentatively set between green eyes, and just a touch away from being perfect ━ how could he not be? 

It had been quite some time since The Boss found himself in the Golden Dawn casino—not having much of a reason to gamble his earnings away on the off chance he managed to strike it big. Yet as a man who was very familiar with the whole notion of vice and what it can do to others, he knew how difficult it was to ignore the allure of a building such as this.

All the usual sights and sounds that could come across as sensory overload to a person felt almost welcoming to him. Mesmerizing even. The never ending noise of various machines screaming their distinct chimes, alongside those consistently flashing lights brought the man a feeling of excitement that had always been fairly par for the course whenever he stepped into these joints.

However, the sound of a vaguely familiar voice had broken him out of his hedonistic trance.

“ Tragic…? ” he questions before remembering what his state of mind was all those months ago.

“ Oh! Actually, I’m doing a lot better now. Decided that whole depression thing wasn’t doing me any favors, so I got over it. ” That’s definitely one way of describing it.

“ I’unno, guess I’ll just dick around and see what happens. What about you? Surprised t’ see ya back here. ”

a dark brow hitches upward as rider hums a curious tune.  is that how tender feelings are handled?  that is an interesting approach if it can be considered as such.  but it’s not as if he particularly cared, an act displayed with the rise and fall of a nonchalant shrug.  

❛  well, not that i have much of a choice.  i heed my summons.  though, this is far from what i'm accustomed to ...  ❜   it doesn’t seem to be a singularity, or a lostbelt, for that matter.  yet, servants are aplenty.  can ritsuka still be called his━ their━ master?  rider wants to make sense of the situation and find his purpose here, but many questions lie unanswered.  

Geez, all Magilou wanted was some cash (or, well, the digital version of it, anyway). But somehow, this guy was already trying to pull this conversation in a very different direction. Whether he knew it yet or not, simply running into her already attested to his far from great fortune.

“Eh, who reads palms anymore? That’s boring beginner stuff and the same every time. But if you’re that eager to donate your hand to this worthy cause…” Magilou offered both of her own hands then and an encouraging smile as a bonus. “We could do an oracle bone reading. I’ll only need some knuckles and fingertips. Got any to spare?”

“If not…” She retracted her hands then to retrieve a deck of cards from a hidden compartment in one of the books decorating her waistline. “We could always consult the cards after all. So? What’ll it be?”

rider shifts carefully in his seat, reflexively drawing in his free hand closer to his person, an act masked as his weight leans upon an elbow instead.  even as a servant, losing knuckles and fingertips is not something anyone should look forward to.  not especially for a bogus reading, for a dead man.  

❛  intriguing, but i will have to decline the first choice.  i especially need these, ❜    he says, fanning out his gloved fingers in the air.  for treasures, of course.  rider leans forward by an inch, a lilt of ( a different ) interest in his tone. 

somehow it feels like a place he knows and yet doesn’t.  there’s a weird sense of déjà vu in play, but it’s pushed away in favor of relevant interest.

❛  fufu, you there━  you seem like a capable man.  ❜   rider picks out a random passerby from the crowd, their bright hair a natural draw of attention,    ❛  while i am interested in the best attractions, do you think there are treasures hidden outside of this barrier?  as a pirate, i can’t help but wonder.  ❜

he angles his head towards the other, blue eyes narrowing as though searching for something in their expression.  a hum leaves him.  though the servant knows not where they are headed, he is in the mood for idle conversation.  rider always is.  

❛  what brings you here to the grand golden dawn casino halls?  looking to win it big, or perhaps your tastes are of the softer variety? ❜

at the sight of a wyvern, his horse begins to whine and buck against all attempts of soothing it.  no sooner does it become agitated enough to throw the servant off and gallop into the thick of the woods.  thankfully, rider has the grace to land on his feet.  but now he is missing a mode of transportation through cotes.

❛  ah, damn.  i paid a decent sum of dust for that rental horse, only for it be sent into a frenzy by a tiny wyvern,  ❜   he laments while observing the creature in question.  though small, he supposes it’s enough to frighten any animal.  and of its assumed owner?  he flicks a casual look at them with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

❛  well now, what do you have to say for yourself?  ❜

❛  hoh, you wish to tell my fortune?  ❜   and, all for a small fee.  rider hooks a hand beneath his chin and hums in thought, giving the woman in question a once over.  while the offer might appear tempting, the ploy itself seems as sketchy as its owner━  aren’t these commonly cheap tricks used to scam the desperate of their money?

his lip curls with amusement.

❛  aye, my dear lady, you hardly need to divine!  good fortune always smiles down upon me.  but i suppose there’s no harm in playing along ... ❜   he takes a seat before the witch and gives her a welcoming gesture.   ❛  should i lend you a palm, or are we consulting the cards on this fine evening? ❜