Monday's Game

Monday grins as they wave their hands over the table between the floating chairs. There is a shimmer of light as a deck of cards appears, the backs decorated with hypnotic swirls of color. "We shall play a game, dearies, to determine the fate of the precious girl's heart. A game of negotiations, of offers and counter-offers. If you can separate fact from fancy, then perhaps you will walk away with the prize you seek. But, of course, this is my house. And they say the house always wins..."Monday slyly looks at their cards, then smirks and places one face down in front of Yazeba. "Clubs. An offer of a secret revealed, my darling witch. You've put an awful lot of effort into coming out here to get Gertrude's heart back. But what of your own? It's been so long, but I still recall exactly what I did with the dusty old thing. Wouldn't you like to know where your own heart lies, Yazeba? That is my offer to you..."

Robin can't help but notice that the Fairy's front door is quite low. They have to duck to avoid hitting their head, which they do. Unfortunately, it's also not super wide and their arm grazes against one of the hinges, causing a small scratch in Robin's upper arm which instantly leaks some lava and starts to burn the doorframe. "Oooh. Oh.. Uh oh.." The say noticing what has happened. They quickly pull out a fire-retardant handkerchief and put it out. Then hold the handkerchief against their arm to stop the bleeding.

Extra carefully, they get into the living room and sit down.

They get pretty excited when Monday offers to play a game. Robin always liked games. Though they were not particularly good at them usually. They'll have to step up their game. For Gertrude's sake!

As Monday deals the iridescent-backed cards, Yazeba narrows her eyes. "The house always wins if the deck is stacked in their favor. If we are to play this game, Monday, there must be no cheating from you. If you cheat (and I will know if you do), I will turn all your precious treasures to dust and I will make damn sure you never hold another's heart in your collection again!"

Not yet finished, she turns to her companions. "Both of you be on guard for tricks and don't forget what we came for. Any further foolishness, Gertrude, and we might never get your heart back. And Robin, don't make me regret allowing you to accompany us! Your big heart could just as easily be a liability rather than an asset. Faeries afire!"

The witch pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath, steeling herself for the coming battle of wits and will.

Gertrude is here to take matters into her own hands. Not that she’s really herself as of late. But the shadow creature likes her.

She doesn’t give Yazeba any lip, but just seems to look through her as her gaze turns to Monday.

"I’ll play your stupid game, not that my heart’s in it. It’s in your stupid jar."

She takes no pleasure in the zing. She wonders why she even came. It’s not like Monday will give back the heart.

Each of you draw cards in turn.Monday looks offended by Yazeba's acusations. "Me? A cheat? Perish the thought! I always follow the contracts I sign to the letter! It's not my fault if the other signatories don't read the agreements fully before sealing the deal!" They huff and snap their fingers, causing three more cards to float from the deck into their hand.Monday regards their cards, then a sly smile spreads across their face. They slide one card forward in front of Gertrude. "My darling. I've always wondered what you hide behind that mask of yours. I believe your face is quite lovely. I think I'd like to take it." They tap the card with a manicured nail. "Spades. Because when I say take it, I mean take it, rip it off if I must. Perhaps I'll use it as the cover to a new cookbook I'm working on..."

Robin picks up their cards, but while doing so knocks over the bowl of colorful fairy sweets that Monday has on the table. They tumble to the floor and scatter across it. In an effort to pick them back up quickly, Robin grabs a hand-full of the candies next to his foot, but they melt in their warm hand instantly. What is delivered back to the bowl is a solid clump of candy that now has all the colors.

Pretending that it completely didn't happen, they hide behind their cards. Hopefully the other are too busy exchanging threats to notice.

Robin takes their time to have a good look at the cards and try to see all the different possibilities. He knew Monday a bit from when she was still a guest at the B&B, and so they knew there was usually some kind of trick involved with Monday's actions. Perhaps, if Robin really looked hard, they could outsmart the fairy.

Gertrude flatly replies, "You can’t take my mask because it isn’t a heart, and without a heart, I have no beauty. Even if you take my mask, you will need to return my heart for me to have any beauty to reveal." Her tone suggests she doesn’t care whether she’s beautiful or not, but is simply being logical. And by fairy logic, Monday’s desire to see a beautiful face means they must return the heart.

Will they buy that? she asks herself, and answers, Meh.

In frustration at being equally matched (if not potentially overmatched) by Monday and their faerie magic, Yazeba spitefully flicks a stiletto shaped nail at the team service, causing the cups and teapot to shatter with a series of loud cracks. Now, lukewarm tea and shards of broken ceramic swirl in the air around the negotiation table. Empty hospitality was worse than no hospitality at all.

@Legendary_Sidekick

Monday cocks their head as they slide another card forward to meet Gertrude's conter-offer. "A valiant attempt, my dear. But I fear your logic is flawed, and mine is sound. Do you think I'm bluffing?"

Gert shrugs.

But something inside her tells her she should care, despite lacking a heart.

"If by Bluff you mean Lie, yes."

It does occur to her that the art of deception involves honesty. Monday was honest about many things, except what counted most. But the other option was to back down… and she didn’t come here to do that.

So why does she tense up after speaking so boldly? she wonders…

Monday's grin widens as they reveal their card. The Ace of Clubs to Gertrude's four. "Sweet summer child. I don't think you realize exactly whose house you have stumbled into," the fairy says with a sneer, snatching both cards up with a snap of their fingers.

Meanwhile, Robin and Yazeba wreak minor havoc among Monday's possessions to gather their strength.

Monday chuckles heartily. "Oh me, oh my! This moment is just too delicious not to savor." They pinch their fingers, somehow elongating the moment and holding it for a fair amount of time, savoring the imagined look on Gertrude's face behind her mask. Eventually, they let the moment go and draw some more cards.Monday reaches for the offer they made to Yazeba before the witch is able to address. "Time's up, I'm afraid, Yazeba. Where your heart is hidden, you may never know." They gesture, and the card flips over, revealing the 10 of Clubs. It then floats to a special spot around the table, forming the first part of Monday's fairy circle.

Gertrude realizes her mistake. She must address the offer… but not yet."Well played, Monday. May I have a bit more time… I will address your offer. I wish to consider the benevolence behind it."

She is careful to be vague (so she thinks), for once she is specific about the unmasking, Monday will make their move—and Gert does not have the cards to beat them! (…yet?)

It appears to Robin that Monday is really not paying much attention to them. Perhaps this is part of Yazeba's plan! they think. A perfect distraction created so that Robin can get Gertrude's heart in safe hands again. They get up amidst the chaos and slowly shuffles over to where Gertrude's heart was, atop the mantelpiece, and take it into their hands.

Robin's warm touch made the heart throb faster, as if longing for a physical body to join itself with. They tried to open the bell jar, but it's sealed shut. No easy way to get to it without breaking the glass. Damn it! Robin cursed internally. They could throw it down, but that would risk injury to the heart. No way they'd risk it. Now what could they do?

As Monday teases her with dangled offers of her own heart, Yazeba's eyes smoulder like the tip of her cigar. It was certainly a ploy to throw her off balance and Yazeba hated that it had still worked on her.

As the 10 of clubs begins forming a ring around the table, the witch realizes part of Monday's plan.

"Already the dream merchant moves ahead of us. We must pierce through their glamours before a sixth card completes the faerie ring, else they disappear into the faerie world along with Gertrude's heart!"

As Gertrude draws her cards, Monday reaches out and snatches the final one, the King of Clubs. "Why, thank you! Oh, don't look so shocked! As the holder of your Heartless Contract, I'm entitled to exercise just a bit of power over you in this game. It's all there in the fine print, dearie."

Monday's smarmy smile turns into an ugly scowl as Yazeba reveals her plan. "That's right! That is the price for challenging a fairy in their own house and losing. You found me once, so shame on you! But find me twice, and shame on me! I will not make it so easy for you next time!" They draw more cards, their hand now twelve strong.Monday's smile returns. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Robin, I haven't forgotten about you. Allow me to make you an offer now." The fairy slides forward a face down card. "Clubs. A secret for you. Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are? Smaller than the rest of your family, yet clumsy. Adrift as you search for your purpose. Your mother told you that your father was a boiler room, but I wonder if that's really the case? And so, my offer. The identity of your father. Your real father..." Their smile widens.

Robin considers Monday's offer, placing the heart in the bell jar back on the mantelpiece distractedly. They had always wanted to know more about their father. The thought of getting this information was very alluring. But with Gertrude's heart fresh in their mind, they manage to resist the temptation for now.

"Monday, I don't understand why you are doing this." They say to her. "I remember when you were at the B&B and you helped me with my cake baking. We had such a lovely time." They look Monday in the eyes. "Are you saying that you were faking all of that? It was all part of a plan to steal a heart? I can't believe that."

@TheGenerator

Monday doesn't flinch as they meet Robin's gaze. They slide a face down card forward. "Believe it or not, that's the truth. Do you think I'm bluffing?"

"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.

@TheGenerator

"Ha! I think you’re bluffing, Robin! You don’t have the killer instinct to break my things on purpose," Monday says with a sneer. They slide a face down card forward. "But I do. Do you think I’m bluffing?"

Gertrude sees the 7 in play, ten other diamonds face up, and two were sent to the box. (…unless Monday bluffed earlier, that is.)

Gertrude looks for something to destroy while patiently waiting for Robin’s turn to end.

As Robin and Monday clash in a battle of wills, Yazeba looks at the empty card draw pile. "So now the cards have been dealt and it only remains for us to meet our fates. We must be willing to do whatever it takes to recover Gertrude's heart."

Robin hesitates when Monday asks the question. They look around at their friends for guidance and notice that they don't seem worried about what's going on with Robin's card. In fact, they're just doing their own thing. That must mean that they trust Robin's actions.

"I do think you're bluffing, Monday." They say, holding onto their card to flip it over when Monday does so as well. "You know, it's not to late to just stop this."

@TheGenerator

Monday flips their card to reveal the 4 of Clubs. Robin has called their bluff!

"The hour is later than you think," Monday snarls, their glamours faltering.

"You know what?" Robin says after seeing that Monday was once again beaten. "I think you're just all talk, Monday!" They look stern. "I don't think that any of your suggested deals are worth a penny. So I'm going to suggest that you shouldn't even bother with them anymore. I for one won't believe you!" They puff out a little smoke cloud to show their heated resolve in this matter.

Gert puts forward the Queen of Diamonds.

"I am going to destroy the most beautiful thibg in this house. I’m not bluffing, but I am going to wait until the game is done."

@Legendary_Sidekick

Monday grimaces as they slide a card forward to counter Gertrude. "I won't let you do that. My power is still strong! Do you think I'm bluffing?"

"Yes," Gert says flatly.

Monday growls as they reveal their card, the 2 of Spades.

"You called me a… urine-ant, or something like that. Seems you took my action as a personal insult.""That’ll be enough of that."

By pulling out an X card Hey Kid handed out one D&D night, Gert somehow "helps" Monday not find reasons to be insulted.

After an awkward silence… "You’re welcome."

"You are both handling this quite well. An outside observer would scarcely be able to guess you are both rank amateurs at fairy negotiating," Yazeba says, allowing a small smile to quirk up at the corners of her mouth.