The Casino Of Souls

Quote from Weslockes >>

[cut with Tara]

<<Mm.>> Bee can’t quite understand just how the liquid is getting…into the creature — all they can see is the drink disappearing from the cup while the creature emits a low, pleased humming sound, akin to that of a bee. 

<<That’s a mighty fine drink, Bartender Bee. Marvelous. Now, I must be going, but I’ll come back tomorrow, perhaps?>>

 They nod, and stretch their arms. "Possibly."

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The Boogie Woogie Man quietly approaches. He's almost Bee's size. "You don't seem to be having much fun."

 Bee nods grimly, taping the bar table. "Just how it is..."

 The ferret sighs a little. "Doesn't have to be." He places some coins on the bar. "Shirley Temple, please."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The Boogie Woogie Man quietly approaches. He's almost Bee's size. "You don't seem to be having much fun."

 Bee nods grimly, taping the bar table. "Just how it is..."

 The ferret sighs a little. "Doesn't have to be." He places some coins on the bar. "Shirley Temple, please."

 They grab out a ginger ale, add the grenadine, the lime, and the cherries. They pass over it. "I hope..."

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The ferret sighs a little. "Doesn't have to be." He places some coins on the bar. "Shirley Temple, please."

 They grab out a ginger ale, add the grenadine, the lime, and the cherries. They pass over it. "I hope..."

 "Why hope? Are things getting better for you any time soon?" He sips his mocktail and smiles. "Surely there's something you can do."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The ferret sighs a little. "Doesn't have to be." He places some coins on the bar. "Shirley Temple, please."

 They grab out a ginger ale, add the grenadine, the lime, and the cherries. They pass over it. "I hope..."

 "Why hope? Are things getting better for you any time soon?" He sips his mocktail and smiles. "Surely there's something you can do."

 "Bar's my job. I don't really have anything else to do. Just stay here, watching. Can't gamble 'ere, cuz I work 'ere. So I just wait. If I leave my job- well... can't leave it."

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Why hope? Are things getting better for you any time soon?" He sips his mocktail and smiles. "Surely there's something you can do."

 "Bar's my job. I don't really have anything else to do. Just stay here, watching. Can't gamble 'ere, cuz I work 'ere. So I just wait. If I leave my job- well... can't leave it."

 "They got your soul, huh?" He chuckles. "I wouldn't let you go either. Not without a fight, anyway." He takes the marionette handle off his collar and places it on the bar. "Milk stout, if you'd be so kind."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Why hope? Are things getting better for you any time soon?" He sips his mocktail and smiles. "Surely there's something you can do."

 "Bar's my job. I don't really have anything else to do. Just stay here, watching. Can't gamble 'ere, cuz I work 'ere. So I just wait. If I leave my job- well... can't leave it."

 "They got your soul, huh?" He chuckles. "I wouldn't let you go either. Not without a fight, anyway." He takes the marionette handle off his collar and places it on the bar. "Milk stout, if you'd be so kind."

 They pour the stout, and hand it over. "Not exactly; would just lose everything without th' job."

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "They got your soul, huh?" He chuckles. "I wouldn't let you go either. Not without a fight, anyway." He takes the marionette handle off his collar and places it on the bar. "Milk stout, if you'd be so kind."

 They pour the stout, and hand it over. "Not exactly; would just lose everything without th' job."

 "Selling one's soul need not be literal, despite how easy that is down here." He takes a pull of his drink and spins the wooden X. Several shadows leap up off the floor, each resembling a different sinner Bee had seen in the Casino of Souls ages ago before they disappeared. "I've met people who have lost everything. And now you have too. But let me tell you, this world will kick you down every chance it gets. The lower you are, the harder it punches down. And you know what? It's not going to stop. The monotony, the pain, it never ends. Not until you do something about it."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "They got your soul, huh?" He chuckles. "I wouldn't let you go either. Not without a fight, anyway." He takes the marionette handle off his collar and places it on the bar. "Milk stout, if you'd be so kind."

 They pour the stout, and hand it over. "Not exactly; would just lose everything without th' job."

 "Selling one's soul need not be literal, despite how easy that is down here." He takes a pull of his drink and spins the wooden X. Several shadows leap up off the floor, each resembling a different sinner Bee had seen in the Casino of Souls ages ago before they disappeared. "I've met people who have lost everything. And now you have too. But let me tell you, this world will kick you down every chance it gets. The lower you are, the harder it punches down. And you know what? It's not going to stop. The monotony, the pain, it never ends. Not until you do something about it."

 "What can I do? Caught in a web over a pit. Could struggle out, but won't I just fall down?"

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Selling one's soul need not be literal, despite how easy that is down here." He takes a pull of his drink and spins the wooden X. Several shadows leap up off the floor, each resembling a different sinner Bee had seen in the Casino of Souls ages ago before they disappeared. "I've met people who have lost everything. And now you have too. But let me tell you, this world will kick you down every chance it gets. The lower you are, the harder it punches down. And you know what? It's not going to stop. The monotony, the pain, it never ends. Not until you do something about it."

 "What can I do? Caught in a web over a pit. Could struggle out, but won't I just fall down?"

 "But what if you don't fall? What if you fly?"

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Selling one's soul need not be literal, despite how easy that is down here." He takes a pull of his drink and spins the wooden X. Several shadows leap up off the floor, each resembling a different sinner Bee had seen in the Casino of Souls ages ago before they disappeared. "I've met people who have lost everything. And now you have too. But let me tell you, this world will kick you down every chance it gets. The lower you are, the harder it punches down. And you know what? It's not going to stop. The monotony, the pain, it never ends. Not until you do something about it."

 "What can I do? Caught in a web over a pit. Could struggle out, but won't I just fall down?"

 "But what if you don't fall? What if you fly?"

 "How could I?"

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "But what if you don't fall? What if you fly?"

 "How could I?"

 "Does it matter? Hope only matters if you back it up with action. If you're suffering anyway, why fear the fall? No matter what happens, the pain will be over, and you'll be free."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "But what if you don't fall? What if you fly?"

 "How could I?"

 "Does it matter? Hope only matters if you back it up with action. If you're suffering anyway, why fear the fall? No matter what happens, the pain will be over, and you'll be free."

 "But is freedom worth all I have? Money, a place to stay, food?"

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Does it matter? Hope only matters if you back it up with action. If you're suffering anyway, why fear the fall? No matter what happens, the pain will be over, and you'll be free."

 "But is freedom worth all I have? Money, a place to stay, food?"

 The smaller giant interlaces his fingers and grins. "My name is Mr. Boogie Woogie, and my job is to help people. People who would fall by the wayside without assistance. Food, housing, and jobs just so happen to be my strong suits. And it just so happens that I've set up shop here for the time being."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Does it matter? Hope only matters if you back it up with action. If you're suffering anyway, why fear the fall? No matter what happens, the pain will be over, and you'll be free."

 "But is freedom worth all I have? Money, a place to stay, food?"

 The smaller giant interlaces his fingers and grins. "My name is Mr. Boogie Woogie, and my job is to help people. People who would fall by the wayside without assistance. Food, housing, and jobs just so happen to be my strong suits. And it just so happens that I've set up shop here for the time being."

 Bee nods, considering for a moment. "I thank you." Bee holds out a massive paw to shake.

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The smaller giant interlaces his fingers and grins. "My name is Mr. Boogie Woogie, and my job is to help people. People who would fall by the wayside without assistance. Food, housing, and jobs just so happen to be my strong suits. And it just so happens that I've set up shop here for the time being."

 Bee nods, considering for a moment. "I thank you." Bee holds out a massive paw to shake.

 Woogie gives a firm pawshake without any hesitation. "You still want to work in mixology, or would you prefer something new?"

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 The smaller giant interlaces his fingers and grins. "My name is Mr. Boogie Woogie, and my job is to help people. People who would fall by the wayside without assistance. Food, housing, and jobs just so happen to be my strong suits. And it just so happens that I've set up shop here for the time being."

 Bee nods, considering for a moment. "I thank you." Bee holds out a massive paw to shake.

 Woogie gives a firm pawshake without any hesitation. "You still want to work in mixology, or would you prefer something new?"

 "Was a bartender in life. I would prefer to still work in it. Thanks." Bee nods again.

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 Woogie gives a firm pawshake without any hesitation. "You still want to work in mixology, or would you prefer something new?"

 "Was a bartender in life. I would prefer to still work in it. Thanks." Bee nods again.

 The ferret nods back. "I'll be waiting in my office outside for when you're ready to take the next step in your afterlife."

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from tarasque2897 >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 Woogie gives a firm pawshake without any hesitation. "You still want to work in mixology, or would you prefer something new?"

 "Was a bartender in life. I would prefer to still work in it. Thanks." Bee nods again.

 The ferret nods back. "I'll be waiting in my office outside for when you're ready to take the next step in your afterlife."

 Bee waves to Mr. Woogie, and stares up to the ceiling, and lays their paws on the table

*GTG*

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

Quote from Fry_Doodles >>

Quote from Baalzeboop >>

 "Then you will earn it back, piecemeal." He places a paw on the shade's hand and... actually manages to touch it. "Those without souls are worth nothing here. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. What can you do?"

 the shade's eyes--yes, you're sure those are its eyes--close. For a moment, nothing happens.
Then, a strange sensation begins to prickle the ferret's paw. Cold? Heat? It's unclear, until it isn't. The sensation solidifies into a white-hot, bubbling pain in your hands, your arms, your face, everywhere! But as soon as it arrived, it's gone, with nothing left behind.
"That's all I can remember. The pain."

 He cringes and slams his fist against the table, clearly trying not to respond to the pain but failing miserably.

He takes some deep breaths and runs his fingers through his hair. "Well. That's not very helpful. Perhaps I can give you a job shoveling coal."

 The shade lets out a soft, disappointed gurgle, bowing its head. Then, it seems stricken with an idea, perking up immediately and holding out cupped hands, which slowly fill with some sort of unidentifiable green acid, which they hold out to you expectently