Monday's Game

"I refuse to believe it!" Robin replies. "If it's true, then prove me wrong. But remember that aside from lying, you would be throwing away friendship."

Monday’s lip curls up in a sneer. They flip over their card, revealing the three of clubs! Robin has successfully called Monday’s bluff.

Gert is impressed. "Well played, Robin."She faces Monday, addressing the offer.

"Tearing my mask off would also ruin our friendship. Not that it means anything to me. No friendship does, without my heart intact."

Gert plays the 8 of spades. It’s an average card, but it’s the best she’s got.

Monday flips their card over to reveal the 7 of spades! Gertrude has seen through the fairy's offer of violence and realized that it, like Monday themself, was nothing more than glitz and glamour. Monday fumes in their seat, gritting their teeth. "Bah! You mortals are proving to be more wily than I'd anticipated," they grumble.

"Yes, that's the way! You are tearing aside their glamours. Once their true nature has been completely exposed, we will be within reach of what we came for!" the witch exclaims as her companions successfully negotiate with Monday.

When Gert had a heart, she would have forgiven Monday. But logically, he threatened to rip her mask from her face and would not let that go. If she hadn’t delayed——he certainly would have exposed her face when it is surely uglier than ever, now that Gert’s inner beauty is gone.

"And likewise, Monday, I had once thought you beautiful and underestimated your ruthlessness. You would have taken my mask and exposed my horrid face. And by horrid, I don’t speak as a bashful teenager who lacks self-confidence. My face is one that has lost its capacity to forgive. What’s worse than a scowl is a face that wears no expression at all, not even pleasure, as revenge is casually doled.

"You threatened me with violence and cackled as you took power over me. So I will do the worst I can—within the rules, mind you."

And she does it with the stroke of a pen!



"I always adored the way you fairies could transform straw into gold, or pinch a moment between your fingers, or walk atop a sunbeam. But there will be no more of that for you," she says in a tone suitable for yawning, "nor any fairy miracle of such caliber. The old me would’ve said, ‘oh, I haven’t the heart!’"

Monday’s smile is long gone now, replaced by a feral snarl. "Oh, Yazeba. Always so eager, so foolhardy. Do you remember the disaster that you wrought? The pain you caused to those who called you friends? There was a reason you sold your heart to me in the first place, and now your would-be apprentice is following in your footsteps. You should be so proud, you pompous, primped-up prude!"

They whirl on Gertrude. "And you! I gave you your greatest desire, and this is the thanks I get? Petulant, pudgy pissant!"Monday slams a card face down in front of Yazeba. "Spades. I’m sure you’ve heard the song ‘Burning Down the House.’ Perhaps it’s time for an encore performance. I offer you the pain of seeing your beloved bed and breakfast going up in flames!"

Without batting an eyelash (though, behind the mask, who can know for sure), Gert retorts, "Pitiful, Pepsi-Free pixie."

So Monday thought they could threaten Yazeba's Bed and Breakfast. Yazeba had long ago made whatever peace she could from the charred ruin of the Everyone Hostel. But that would not happen again. The residents and guests at the B&B were under her protection and that was sacred to the witch even as heartless as she is.

"Yes, you never miss an opportunity to prey upon the vulnerable, do you? Flitting about, waiting for them to stumble in a moment of weakness." Yazeba leans forward to point her cigar at the faerie. "But if you want to make threats, don't forget that I can take away what you value the most as well."

The witch flicks her wrist to send a single fiery spark from her cigar that swirls toward a perfectly sculpted black figurine on a nearby shelf. The intricately detailed carving is made of impossibly dark wood and the figure itself casts no shadow of its own, but instead absorbs the light around it. The spark settles on the figurine and immediately ignites it in purple flame. Soon, Monday's Shadow of a Friendship that Withered is gone, leaving not even a pile of ash.

@Redcroc

Monday hastily slides a card forward to counter Yazeba's rampage. "I'd stop that right now if I were you, or you won't like what I'll do in response. Do you think I'm bluffing?"

Robin hoped for this reaction from Monday, but it still came as a surprise. There was hope after all. They had found at least a small sliver of Monday's heart was still there and they were determined to reach out to it. "I knew you couldn't just fake that friendship!" He calls out to them. "You can still just stop this, Monday. We don't want to lose you as a friend."That's when they remember Monday's offer that's still on the table. The promise of information about their father. Robin swallows hard and makes fists. "I don't need to know about my dad." They say with a nervous laugh. "I mean,it's probably not true anyway, right? Haha!" They rub their head with a sheepish look on their face. Even Robin didn't believe their own words right now.

Yazeba narrows her eyes. Does she think Monday is capable of violence? Absolutely. Despite the fine clothes and smooth tongue, Yazeba has seen Monday's fangs.

Monday smirks at Yazeba, and the relic that the witch destroyed slowly begins to reconstitute itself. Soon, it is pristine once more, showing no signs of Yazeba's attempt to destroy it. "A wise decision," the fairy says.

Gert was ready to make a similar counter offer… but Yazeba’s wisdom buys time. There were three diamonds unaccounted for. If Monday had one, there are still two.

She decides to follow Yazeba’s example and play the long game.

"Calling all cards," she says. One by one, cards obediently march to Gert’s pile, until she says, "Not literally all."

Sparkling lights bob and dance around the room. "Well, now. All of the cards are on the table. Do you still think you can win? It’s not too late to bow out. Leave my home, and I promise I will never trouble the residents of guests of the Bed & Breakfast again. There need be no further pain or destruction on either side." Monday flips over the card in front of Robin, revealing the 9 of Clubs. "I’m afraid I must rescind this offer, my fiery friend, and retain the secret of your parentage." With a flick of their fingers, the card becomes the second part of the fairy circle.

Now that they had the confirmation that Monday is indeed not all bad, Robin felt it was time to take the bell jar with Gertrude's heart and ask nicely if they would open it up and return it. They turn back to the mantelpiece to pick it up, but it's not there. Somehow Monday had been able to replace it elsewhere in the house when they weren't looking.

"Where did it go?" Robin says mostly to themselves as they pat the place where it used to be, hoping that it's still there but invisible or something. Unfortunately, their clumsy hands knock over a small clock and it falls to the ground and shatters.

Monday's eyes drill into Robin's, furious that they broke that clock. Robin panics and decides to go on the offensive. Good thing Yazeba sets the best examples. "Uuuh, yeah. You heard me. Where is it? The heart. It was here a minute ago." They tell the fairy. "I'll smash more things if you don't return it." And they put down a card on the table. This time not a heart, but a diamond.