World Tree MUSH

    Today is the day. The final notes after the given tasks directed all to this location. The Calico Desert is vast, and the oasis home to only a small town. It does have a bus stop with connections to Zuzu City and Pelican Town, among others, and a vine of its own. The building they're directed to is the cornerstone of the settlement, a store named the Oasis. The hexagonal building has purple walls, with the ground floor serving as a store dealing in a variety of goods. Today there's a sale on ice cream and couches.

    In the back, there's a bouncer standing in front of a staircase. Above which is a simple sign 'Members Only.' Showing the message allows passage, leading to a modestly sized but fully featured Casino, with the only immediate peculiarity being that the games require QiCoin to play rather than chips. A machine is available to buy and sell QiCoin, with prices varying. A store that sells prices is also available, mostly selling art and other memorability, along with other more curious nick-nacks, all prices in QiCoin.

    There's people playing the slot machines, one person is blatantly (and incompetently) counting cards at a blackjack table. Two are playing roulette. And so on. It's not busy, but being a members only casino that's not to be expected.

    If anyone here is this Mysterious Qi, they're not looking up from their game when people come in.

    Magilou is an interesting person to have gotten an invitation to a casino for several reasons, high among which are that she's skilled with both magical illusions and with sleight of hand, she has absolutely no morals that would prevent her from cheating or stealing, and perhaps most damningly, she has no actual money to lose. Still, she'd gotten the invitation, done the tasks out of a curious sort of boredom, and managed to scam her way into bus tickets to get here.

    Before heading into the Casino, she'd taken a nap on one of the couches for sale, with her feet up on it and everything.

    Once she's chased off from there, or after she's had a good enough nap, she'll make her way to the staircase, showing her message and coming into the main room. "...Huh. Wonder if they're looking for a stage show?" That, at least, would have been a good reason to call in the wicked witch.

    "Wind the mechanical box... place a raven feather in anothe box... put some Artichokes in the Grand Master's pantry... and then give God a silver piece..." she sighs, shaking her head as she finally approaches the bouncer and shows her copy of the message. "And I thought the Maestro was eccentric."

    She takes a step or two into the casino, doffing her hood and looking around. Her Shinki peeks out of the hood as well, moving to perch on the assassin's shoulder.

    Right so a strange letter showed up on the doorstep of Rebecca's apartment and she had to go through a bunch of weird hoops and kill about 500 skeletons to get to this point. But with that out of the way and 500 skeletons made double-dead, she hopped a bus to the Calico Desert, leaned back in her seat, and took a nap for most of the ride.
    So once she does arrive at the building in question and somehow manages to get past the bouncer without starting three fights, the diminutive solo stuffs her hands in the pockets of her samurai jacket and scans the crowd with a hard to read expression.
    That's when she hits up the QiCoin machine and trades some eddies for game cred, sits down at the blackjack table, and kicks her feet up.
    "Deal me in."

    Weird letters aren't new to Dante. He follows the directions, and when he gets there he recognizes Rebecca. "Hey, choom." He greets with a grin. "Ain't seen you in a bit. How's business?" He nods to the dealer, ordering up a whiskey and two shotglasses, one to share the drink with Rebecca.

    Luke made it! He was confused about why someone deemed him worthy of such a message, but he was never one to back out of something like this. He enjoyed such puzzles and challenges, he had to wonder who would hired those trainers to hold the final hints of the puzzle. All in all, he actually enjoyed the challenge, and thus, finally made his way past the guardian into this mysterious place that seems to be a... casino... with special tokens that can be redeemed for unique prices... he feels he has seen at least one similar place before, and apparently that one also had something relatively shady hidden within. He goes as far as peruse the potential prizes one can trade.

    Qi seems perfectly happy to be late to his own meeting. Rebecca has time for several rounds before the bad card counter is backed off by security, and soon after the man who sent the invitation makes an appearance, and what an appearance he has. Pale blue skin, purple-tinted glasses, and clothes and fedora that are made of some fabric the colour of the night sky, complete with glimmering stars. There's magic to those clothes, though it's subtle. He walks from a door that wasn't there until moments before it opened, and he takes a seat at the blackjack table, taking the place of the dealer.

Security informs the others their appointment is at the blackjack table, and Qi deals everyone their cards, his open card is a king. Even if they bet nothing. Once all are seated, he opens his mouth. "It's good to finally meet ya, kids. Welcome to my exclusive clubhouse." He hands out extra cards to any who ask for a hit, and otherwise does the tasks of a dealer. Sadly, when he turns over his second card, it's an ace. "You've all got the 'spark'... that's why I invited you."

    He doesn't bother collecting any of the QiCoin, just dealing the next hand, this time he's got an open ace. "What spark? Ah... The conduit of mystery, of art... People like us have a responsibility to keep the world alive, to give folks a taste of the extraordinary." He hands out more cards again to those who ask for a hit, "You see... The world's like a bowl of rice. It's got substance, but it ain't worth nothing without a good, zesty sauce. That's where we come in." At the end, he reveals his hidden card to be a king, blackjack for the dealer once again; and once again he doesn't bother collecting any bets. "And for those who know what I mean by it, you can think of me as a fixer."

    Magilou bought no QiCoins, because Magilou has no money and no habit of actually paying for things even if she did, so she'll just sit there. Blackjack's not a game she's familiar with anyways, but she's mostly paying attention to Qi once he shows, a smirk on her own face.

    "Oh, but so many people prefer such different sauces, and so many of them are just... vile. Just what kind of a sauce are you making? My belief's always been that you just have to toss in as many ingrediants as you can and let them simmer until someone starts complaining about the smoke."

    There might be a reason Magilou's sauces are usually considered vile. Mostly by Bienfu, the only other person who regularly eats her cooking.

    "Are you needing help, ah, fixing something, then?" Magilou asks, not having looked at her own cards yet but reaching down to tap them; they become exactly identical in appearance to his blackjack, down to the suits of the cards, because Magilou doesn't actually know the rules well enough to know if there's a suit ranking involved.

    Had indeed tried to get some of those Qicoins, perhaps he'd try a slot machine, he had some luck on those, plus he wasn't sure he was old enough to participate on the other games!. He was in the middle of it, checking his pokenav for the time, when the invitation to join at the blackjack table comes. He at least had the sense not to take his pokemon out. 
     As if activated by thought, one of the pokeballs on his belt twitches, and silently, a small flash of light reveals a tiny cream cat, that scurries around, gathering loose change and small shinies for a hoard that Luke still can't find, or even figure HOW he manages to contain. Yet each time the cat uses pay day, a myriad of tokens of random places are thrown around... hopefully he will find the cat soon, or it will return on its own. For now it stalks the slot machines as sneakily as a kitten in cream colors can in a dark place.
    Luke eventually makes his way to the Blackjack table, and spots some familiar faces, waving and smiling, but keeping quiet as this person begins to 'explain'. "That's quite an interesting story... I take you... believe there is somewhere that is getting too dull and you want us to help you make interesting again?" he says, perhaps a rather simple logic, but he is young!.

    Piera sits, but doesn't seem to understand how to play... or at least doesn't engage in the game beyond the barest minimum after watching the others. "You work in the Dark, to serve the Light then." she surmises. Looking around, she takes in the others that arrived... she remembers Dante, the Demon Hunter earning a nod from the assassin in her midnight blue robes. Aquila drops onto the table, and sits down crosslegged, her own 'bodysuit' following Piera's colourscheme as she watches the interactions.

    "The Witch has the right of it, at least partially... what kind of sauce are you trying to make for this bowl of rice... to use your own metaphor, signore?"

    "Yo." Rebecca greets Dante as he settles in. "Been busy. But work is work. You get the funny letter too?" She asks the half-demon while knocking back a gulp of whiskey without even so much as flinching.
    But then Mister Qi himself enters and green-pink eyes lock on the strange man as he takes the place of the dealer.
    "A fixer's a middleman, a job broker, the guy who knows a guy who knows a guy, who hires guys like us for jobs." She explains casually to Magilou while snickering as the card counter is 86'd from the casino.
    "So. This job." She says while not bothering to ask for a hit. She can't beat that blackjack anyway. Not that Qi seems to be taking any of the bet money.
    Huh.
    "What are the deets?"

    Dante...quite frankly isn't the best at cards. Just ask Enzo about all the money Dante keeps owing him! He does however keep around, if only to poke fun at the blatantly obvious card counter. "Sucks to be you, buddy!"

    He also recognzies Mag and Piera and Luke, nodding to 'em as he pours himself and Becca some whiskey. "SUre did. Guess we all did." He eyes Qi and sips his whiskey, eyeing him curiously. "You went to a lotta trouble to get us all here, so I guess this is serious."

    "Excellent, mister Gray." Qi deals a new set of cards, this time the suit of every card appears to be QiCoin, with mister Qi on every face card. Including the Jack he's dealt himself. He hasn't seemed to have changed out the deck at all. "One of the people who I encourage some times to make life interesting has begun setting up an initial exploratory base. She doesn't need any help, but I think if people like you came and helped, it would both go faster and would be more interesting." He keeps up the pretense of the blackjack game, despite his obvious cheating. He's got blackjack again, of course. "And I'm led to believe that Joja has also planned a venture, beating them to it would be for the best. The site would lose much of its charm and zest if they were to do as they please."

    The next time he deals, the cards aren't cards at all, they're tickets to a boat chartered to depart from Zuzu City, destination unlisted. "There is one caveat, though, before we go into the question of pay. I haven't told her that I'm sending backup, and a condition of the job is that you don't mention you're there on a job to her." He pauses, and turns to look at Magilou, "Especially you. I know she wouldn't want your help."

    Piera picks up the boat ticket, slipping it into one of the pouches on her person, before lacing her fingers together atop the table. "Nothing is true, everything is permitted, signore." she replies, then reaches over to headpat her shinki, who seems to be nodding off. The little robot jolts and pouts at the assassin, before folding her arms and accepting the affection. "If you know about our order, even in the most basic of senses, you know we are known for discretion."

    Magilou hummed at that, glancing at the ticket. "I don't know why anyone wouldn't want my help. It's such a rare resource to be provided with. Is she someone who dislikes witches, then? I'm well known, among my other traits, for being an exceptionally likeable witch."

    She'll spare a look over to Piera, before adding. "I, too, am well known for my discretion, and the subtlety with which I move through the world. I'm sure whatever dislike of witches this person has can be overcome if she just gets to know me." Though she seems shockingly uninterested in the prospect of pay, for someone who is so clearly destitute.

    Luke reaches for the offered ticket as well, "What kind of help?... I mean, I guess I think I can be discreete, but am not sure I can do much on a technical things... I mean, Dynamo can work as a power source for a lot of stuff, and I can help moving heavy things but honestly... I feel I'd be... not useful in most situations..." he muses, acting as if he was unraveling some impossible mystery, "If you want to invite a high ranked pokemon trainer somewhere, I can't help thinking you expect some kind of trouble to happen there, either to rescue someone or fight someone... or something. ". Of course, he forgets that Dante is there and also getting an invitation so, he is not really making any big deductions.
    Meanwhile, the thieving little cat is now circling the change machine, and the other game tables too, trying to look adorable in order to get snacks, after gathering a number of Qicoins somehow.

    "Joja." Rebecca muses. "That's the corp Claire Claire keeps hating on. And I can see why." The solo considers, giving up on playing any actual blackjack while listening to the job details. It's not that Mister Qi is cheating... This is obviously some theatrical bullshit he must really be into to keep it up with the 21s.
    At least until he deals a boat ticket. Her brow arches.
    "Aite. I can keep my trap shut."

    "Sounds like you don't trust her to get it done herself." Dante says, and he shrugs at Luke. "Maybe it's a pride thing. Maybe it's just honor or some shit." He shrugs. Job's a job, he's not gonna argue about keeping his trap shut either.

    "It's because of a personal history between the two of you." Qi clarifies without really clarifying. "It's unsettled wilderness, mister Gray. You should expect monsters." The next cards dealt depict and briefly describe the monsters found on Ginger Island. He nods to Rebecca, "Joja is ruthless, heartless, and owns at least half the politicians of the Republic; and as such, utterly unregulated." He pauses, "And my ears and eyes suggest they're planning to get involved in Night City. Perhaps I should, too." The next round of cards is a set of debit cards, "Name your price. So long as it's reasonable, you will see these cards charged when the job's done." He turns to Dante, "She doesn't know I have an interest in the island, yet. Nor does she know of Joja's interest, and I'd prefer to keep it that way. It would be utterly boring if she went about the job with the knowledge there's a deadline. It's your job to ensure she meets the deadline without ever finding out there is one."

    "Sounds like a corp alright." Rebecca mutters as Qi explains the power and reach of Joja, before sighing.
    "Shoulda known they'd take an interest in NC sometime. I've been seeing those stupid soda machines popping up all over the place."
    "Aite, aite, I'll keep on the hush about the job. Twenty grand. With hazard pay."

    ?Dante nods. "Obvious we got monsters ahead of us, but any intel on exactly what kind? Just so we're prepared." He asks as he pours another shot. Yeah he's seen a few of their machines around town. Their branding is infectious, like a cancer. Checking his cards, he quirks a brow. Oh. There's already some monster intel on it. And also debit cards!

    "Twenty grand, and hazard, like Becca's. I think we're all about good getting the same payment."

    The boy nods, perhaps th at just makes sense. "Well if that is the case, guess I can be useful, even if not sure it is the same kind of monsters as mine." he says, and rubs his chin a bit. He looks back at Dante for a moment, then back at his card. He wants to sound smart, but he has no clue what to ask for such a job!

Luke Gray seems to get hit for inspiration on what to say tha tmight sound somewhat profesional, "I want..." he ponders a number, "10 grand, for my college fund." he says, yes, that sounds smart. He doesn't wonder to ask 10 grand 'what' currency.

    The witch will blink. "A personal history? I can't imagine why anyone would have anything personal against me. I'm the very soul of diplomacy and kindness, of course." She's too busy with the protest to worry too much about the card, glancing at it. "I don't know that they'd take this anywhere I'd care to spend it, but thank you I suppose." She'll state, folding her arms under her chest. "Can you just give me some good old fashioned food or a place to sleep or something like that, instead? Or maybe weapons? Weapons is a very traditional reward."

    "Done." Qi agrees, "You'll find the hazard pay on the cards before you step on the boats." He picks up the regular playing cards, dealing Magilou a One of Swords, "Come by when the job is done and I'll have a weapon for you. If there's no more questions, I will be on my way. If you need me, I can typically be found here while it's open. If not, just leave a message with the staff." And he's through the door, which turns back into a seamless wall behind him.

    "Sweet." Dante stows the card in his wallet, before he knocks back another shot of whiskey for the road. "Alright, let's do this." He grins to Luke. "Call it a college fund, junior. You'll be a Pokemon professor in no time!" He gives the kid a clap on the back, before he takes his leave for the boats. He'll be studying up on the local monster wildlife, did Qi seriously have to print these on playing cards?

    Off goes Mister Qi.
    "No questions here." Job's a job, and this seems pretty simple enough.
    So Rebecca helps herself to another shot of whiskey before standing up and stuffing her oversized mitts in her pockets, ready to head for the door and Zuzu City.

Luke Gray seems he picked a good idea!, he also takes the card and smiles to Dante. "Thanks, not sure if that is my end goal but perhaps I should work that direction, after I finish getting the pokemon championship." he gets up and takes some of the cards with him, why not!. He follows Dante, that guy is so cool and seems to know what to do!. As he makes his way out, he hears a familiar, loud meow behind him, and finds a familiar small cat watching the roulette table and making a show of trying to bat the ball. Of course, it is not stupid enough to actually get in the way, it is just adorable, and ends up getting a few random snacks from some of the more friendly players. 
    "What in Arceus name..." Luke mumbles, rushing to the table and picking the small kitten, "Why are you so heavy?". A few Qicoins fall down, as well as some roulette chips... wait, how did it get those?. Luke quickly stashes the thieving cat and tries to rush his way out before someone tries to stop him, or make him pay for any damages, or even worse, someone realizes the cat stole from t hem.

    "Okay." Magilou will say, even though she in absolutely no way needs a weapon. She'll stand up and head out the door, and probably actually follow through and show up when the time comes to get on a boat and go to help out. She's not going to worry to much about it, regardless, just because there's someone who hates her who might be involved!