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Post by Restkastel on Aug 10, 2015 0:14:16 GMT
I had finally arrived at my destination, the large sign reading Buck'n Wild Casino very much confirming it without even having to check the map I was holding in my left hand. In my right hand was the tiny hand of my pride an joy, my son Johnathan, one of the few family members I had left in the world, just him and the person I was going to see, who I had not seen since I was a mere child myself when she left the village. For the longest time, I was quite upset with her for leaving me behind, even if it was the best decision for the village and for the family, so that she could work to support us as our own trade with the outside lands was dwindling. However, when I became a mother myself, I began to understand her own position, and I slowly started to forgive her for leaving, bit by bit. However, what really drove me here to reconcile and live with her was the loss of my husband, which left far too many bitter memories in the village and too few reasons to stay. It was then that I truly realized how she must have felt when she left. She must have wanted dearly to stay with me, but she jst couldn't bear the memories there, as there was really no place to go to escape them in such a small village. However, I would not make the same mistakes she would, and instead of leaving on my own, I brought my precious Johnathan with me. I would not leave the same marks on him that my mother left on me.
Taking a deep breath in front of the doors, I headed into building, and was immediately greeted by a cacophony of different sounds, sights, and experiences. There were so many different strange machines that I assumed were for gambling along with the traditional tables for poker and other similar games. After recovering a bit from the sensory overload of the place, I made my way to the nearest server and asked where I could go to get in touch with the owner, letting her know that I was her daughter. She immediately pointed me to an office in the back, and wished me good luck. Apparently, my mother had been talking about me to the others like she had been saying in the letters she sent every once in a while. I was glad that I was on her mind, even if she could not come back, at least.
It was not too far to the office, and I quickly walked up to the desk there, that had a cutesy sign that was written in my mother's handwriting that said, "Please ring for service, dearies~" It seems my mother had changed a little bit, though that is to be expected. It had shown a bit in the letters, her writing getting goofier over time, I guess it was sort of her way of dealing with the grief of not only losing her husband and son but being separated from her daughter. I patiently waited for her to come out, after all, she had been waiting for a long time to see me again, a little bit of waiting would not kill me. Deciding to preface who we were meeting to little Johnathan, I said "Now Johnathan, be polite. This is your Grandma you are meeting so remember to use your manners and give her plenty of respect" That said, I was not sure if I could even respect her, depending on how goofy she would be acting. We just had to wait and see. He simply nodded in response and replied with a "yes mommy" before we returned to silently waiting for my mom. |
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Post by Tulf on Aug 10, 2015 1:16:32 GMT
The blaring lights, obnoxious chimes, and tacky costumes were a wonderland all of their own – it was as if Las Vegas had taken a camping trip to the city or something; it was nothing like the usual luxurious moods of casinos outside of the iconic area. But, it seemed to have worked out just right for the Buck’n Wild Casino – the place was a bustling enterprise, albeit for its atmosphere more than its business. While originally a more down-to-earth place, its new owner had changed it into a risky parody of Mystic Kind culture; a bet that had paid off with more dividends than it had any right to. While otherwise a fairly typical flashy casino; all the staff were Mystic Kind in a range of cliché costumes to their own races, with all sorts of puns and nods towards their cultures’ icons decorating the place as a whole. It had gained popularity in a hurry – a place for Mystic Kind to relish the races rather than having to try and be human all the time in the city.
The move had been a daring one, and certainly would have seemed stupid to anyone but its owner – a polarising person, to say the least. As if the bright pink hair wasn’t bizarre as it was; she looked just as much like a joke of a Mystic Kind as the rest of her staff… except with the issue that she might be an actual one, rather than just wearing the costume. The white ten-gallon hat, cow-print chaps and denim hot pants, red bandana, and even spurred boots… suffice to say, the minotaur didn’t look like anyone to be taken seriously. That said, she still stood at a towering 6’10”, and her natural temper had shown itself on more than a few occasions at the casino – it probably wasn’t all that surprising that a minotaur could beat someone with a roulette table, but it was agreed that even by their standards it was unconventional to wield one in each hand.
Unfortunately for Hailey, Mrs Smith was not currently in her office – though her presence was close at hand all the same. A series of shrieks alongside the familiar thump of buckshot rung out to the upstairs room where the younger minotaur waited, followed swiftly by a familiar voice. ”If yer gonna go on the shoot, ya best be willing to pull in your horns! Now quit tryin’ to make a mash on my folks and scram!” shouted the lady in question; followed by a thunder of swinging doors – well, one couldn’t argue with her effectiveness.
Thankfully, the servers were a bit used to this sort of display and soon Hailey was met with her mother; albeit currently reloading a particularly flamboyant looking shotgun as she entered the office. But, it was a short-lived peace as the taller minotaur ended up with a familiar rush – horns first, hooves thundering, eyes a glow with feral fury… well, maybe not so much the last part as the charge ended with a lightning fast hug… ”Showing up right on time; my daughter’s still a real someone to ride the river with! It’s grand to catch ya again, champ!”
Should the steer be at all taken off-guard by her parent, she’d end up with a familiar noogie as soon as the hug ended – she might not be as tall as her daughter, but Maria Smith was certainly still built like a bull. ”Aw, sorry if I made ya wait! There was a real flannel mouth downstairs, but he woke up the wrong passenger – all’s well with your old mom.” cheered the minotaur, giving her daughter a friendly punch on the shoulder – only to be immediately distracted by her other guest. ”Now lookie here! This’d be little John, eh? You’re looking mighty fine, mister! Here, do an old girl a favour and carry this for a bit.” remarked the lady, giving the boy a ruffle of his hair before handing him the oversized gun she’d been toting with such pride.
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Post by Restkastel on Aug 10, 2015 2:42:17 GMT
As expected, my mother was as incomprehensible as usual, her strange behavior and vocabulary making it so that I could only get the general gist of what she was saying to me. I had figured this would be the case given the way her letters had been getting lately, but I had hoped that it was simply her being goofy in the letters. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and her behavior was also unacceptable, especially giving a gun to my four year old! I quickly took the gun from Johnathan, telling him that he could handle things like this when he got older, shooting a glare at my mom to show her that it was NOT acceptable to give my kid a gun. "It is nice to see you as well, mother," I said, breezing over the issue, as it would not do to make a fuss in front of Johnathan, the less pleasant things could be saved for after he was in bed. "How have you been doing lately, I haven't seen you since you left ten years ago, and letters can only tell so much," I said, my tone of voice perfectly pleasant, but carrying deeper meaning. I might have mostly forgiven her for leaving, but I couldn't completely, not yet. Not until she apologized for leaving me alone all those years.
She had definitely surprised me with her entrance, and had it not been for my bigger stature and being ready for such a thing given her personality, she probably would have toppled me over. I of course returned the hug, putting on my best friendly act since Johnathan was in the room, and it wouldn't do for him to see his mommy and grandma fighting. I decided to get a bit of clarification on what she was doing before though, what was she saying and why did I hear shotgun shots. "Uhm, I don't get it. Could you explain that again, maybe a bit slower and in simpler terms, I'm not sure what you meant by "Flannel mouth" though I think I know what the other part means, and why did I hear gunshots. I hope nobody was injured." I said, giving my mom a bit of an evil eye, I didn't want a nasty surprise when I was walking Johnathan around and have to explain why the man on the floor wasn't moving. He was too young to experience death, it was something nobody should have to experience until they are far older, and hopefully not more than absolutely necessary. "Also, I hate to impose, but is there anyone around you would trust to little Johnathan here? I need to have a serious discussion with you," I said, glancing at little Johnathan, who just kept staring at the gun in my hands, with a little too much curiosity for my liking. I had to make sure he didn't end up like the other men in my life, I would have him live a good long life, that was for sure. "Circumstances have...changed since the last time I wrote to you, Ma," I said, giving her a serious look, I didn't want her to try to deflect this, not now. |
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Post by Tulf on Aug 10, 2015 3:10:16 GMT
While glad to have gotten a greeting from her daughter, the glare and general bitterness directed at her didn’t seem to even show up on Maria’s radar; beyond a bemused glance. ”I missed you, hon! You should have swung by sometime earlier. Our doors are always open to family, of course!” cheered the lady as she swung around her desk; sitting down on its corner to address Hailey with a chipper smile – it seemed the subtext was utterly lost on her. ”Things have been pretty smooth this month! We’re getting pretty popular with the vamps ‘specially lately. It’s a funny thing; I thought they all had a stick up their asses.”
”Aw, you really have missed me, eh? Can’t even keep up with our old style, geez. You should let yourself get all fired up like you used to, Hailey! You used to be a real cool cowgirl when you were a kid… when’d you get so mellow? It’s awful to see, missy.” complained the minotaur, shaking her head in disappointment. ”They grow up so fast… ah well, it can’t be helped. Maybe you’ll get more the spirit of thing as you hang about. I guess I’ll try and speak more fancy for ya in the meantime, though. Some hotshot downstairs was making a pass at some of our staff, and they weren’t appreciating it… and he wasn’t quite taking the hint neither. So, I brought some justice about! The gun’s just for show, so don’t get your horns locked over it.”
Giving a little sigh, the minotaur opened one of her desk’s drawers; taking out a rather intimidating bottle of hard whiskey and a pair of glasses, pouring herself and her daughter a drink without the thought of making an offer first. ”Oh, little John can hang with Miss Olivia. She’s a bit offish and sometimes a coffee boiler, but she’s a good lass. I’ll give her a hoy.” grumbled Maria, taking a radio mike from her waist and making the quick call – not even waiting for a response. ”So what’s the story, honey? Are you in a rough spot? You’re certainly looking thin, which is a worry… ah, don’t worry about me, mind you! I’m just all lithe for a bit of a… eh, I’ll explain it later. You look like you’re chewing a bullet.”
With a clatter of hooves, the door was met by a rather regal looking centaur girl, earning an idle wave from her assumed boss. ”Hey, Olivia, can you do me a huge favour? Take care of the little guy for a bit, would you? I know you’re a bit between hay and grass, but he seems like a good sport.” remarked Maria, earning a bit of a huff from the girl but a nod all the same; awkwardly cantering up to take Johnathon’s hand – no doubt the kid was bamboozled by the centaur, though. ”And hey, cut the best bib and tucker tomorrow! You look like you’re going out to a prom… I know your family’s greased up, but you make the rest of us look bad, hahah!”
With the boy ushered off (assuming Hailey hadn’t a word against it; though she might just be bulldozed by her mother’s attitude in the meantime); Maria took a swig of her drink – no, actually, she just downed the entire thing in one go. Definitely still a minotaur. ”So what’s got you nailed down, hon? You’re acting like someone’s playing you like a puppet… cool off, get a bit more laid back; you’re with your old girl!” chirped the lady, taking a seat opposite her daughter as she figured it might be best to be a little more professional… though with her demeanour, it just looked silly.
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Post by Restkastel on Aug 10, 2015 4:20:19 GMT
I stayed silent simply listening to what my mother said until the Centaur girl who was apparently named Olivia came to take care of Johnathan, at which point I said to him, "Be a good boy now and listen to what Miss Olivia says. If you are a good boy I will get you ice cream afterwards, okay?" He nodded furiously to affirm that he would be a good boy and I stifled a bit of a laugh and patted him on his head, keeping up a strong front until the two of them left the room, at which point I grabbed the glass of whisky that my mom had poured for me and downed the entire thing to prepare myself mentally for what I had to tell her, and organized my thoughts in my head. Deciding I needed to be markedly less sober than I was at the moment, I grabbed the whiskey bottle and took a long drag of it before starting.
"Hes gone, ma," I said, struggling to keep myself from breaking out into sobs, tears welling up in my eyes, "They're all gone Ma. My hubby, the other men from the village, they're all gone, and the village split up, and there wasn't anything I could do about it." I said, my tears building up up even more. I stopped to take a quick breath and steady myself a little. "They ran off in the middle of the night, left a note sayin they were joining the same mercenary group that took pa and big bro, and by the time we found the notes, they were long gone!" I said, slamming my fist on the table in frustration, my anger and sadness bearing down on me, not helped by the fact the liquor was starting to kick in. " And now little Johnathans gotta grow up without a father figure, and move away from the place he was born, and its all because I was too powerless and unobservant to keep my asshole of a husband from leaving!" I said, lowering my head to the table , burying my head in my hands to hide the tears streaming down my face.
"Now I have to come crawling to you, the woman who abandoned our family to escape her own pain, to survive. Do you know how agonizing this is?!? That I have to ask you, the woman who left me there all alone, to help me raise MY child! It gnaws at the hole left by my husband and makes it even larger, so large that I haven't even been able to eat properly recently. The only thing keeping me from total despair right now is little Johnathan, if it weren't for him I probably woulda jumped off a cliff by now!" I said, my anger fully unchecked, yelling in my mother face, evrythign being laid bare, including my innermost resentment towards her, "Why didn't you take me with you mom!!? Why did you leave me there alone, was I burder, am I still a burden?" I said, my anger burning out and just turning into more sadness, breaking down into total tears in front of my mother, unable to hold them back anymore. I didn't even care about appearances anymore, I just wanted a simple answer to a simple question, I was no longer Hailey, mother of Johnathan, I was Hailey the scared little girl who had been abandoned at the very worst time. All I wanted to know is why she had left me alone, why she had not taken me with her. That was all I wanted, a reason why everything happened the way it did.
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Post by Tulf on Aug 10, 2015 8:51:04 GMT
Tears, anger, guilt and fury – all of Hailey’s frustrations were set out before her mother, but were not met with sympathy. Her daughter’s resentment was to be expected, of course; she’d been ready for it for years. Despite her mourning and her now goofy demeanour, Maria was still a minotaur… tough as iron, and thrice as stubborn. Lowering her hat over her face for a moment, the lady leant back in her chair before finally meeting her daughter’s gaze.
A smirk.
”The other girls got here before you, y’know. I’ve heard all this already. I’d like to say ‘I told you so’, but I’m not that harsh. You’re my daughter. But, look at yourself. Crying like a damn kid – what would Johnathon think of you? Both your father and your child are watching you… and you’re acting like this.” grumbled Maria, fixed in a disapproving frown like a bitter cowboy – utterly the opposite of her energetic demeanour from before. ”You’re snarling at me for the fact that you have to ask me for help? ‘Abandoned our family to escape her own pain’? What a joke. Whose daughter are you, kid?”
”And here you are, whining about being powerless and unobservant; about being a burden; coming crawling to her mom’s feet for help; and now blowing her damn top at her own kin.” mused the lady, standing up to address her furious daughter; walking around the desk in order to round on the girl; ”You know, every one of those girls who got here before you gave me a similar sob story. And yet, you’re the one blowing your top and putting every cent of blame on yourself. What a kid.”
”…just like your father, huh? I’m proud of that…”
Turning her back on Hailey, the minotaur glanced across the various western memorabilia and other bizarre bits and pieces across the walls of her office – much like most minotaur, she certainly had that tourist-y streak… if not worse than most. ”I’m not gonna play tough and say I didn’t try and run away from my feelings. But that wasn’t just it. And it’s the same reason you’re here right now, I reckon.” remarked the ox quietly, seeming melancholy all of a sudden; ”I had to move on. I started my life from scratch here. I miss Johnny all the time, but… I can’t do anything more with him. So it’d be shitty if I just cried over him all night, or wanted revenge or some garbage like that. He would have wanted me to move on… well, if he hadn’t been such a damn idiot in the first place…”
”So you gotta do that same. It hurts, obviously. But, that’s okay. Maybe it wasn’t to be, maybe it was a bad idea to begin with, maybe he was a shithead to begin with… if they’re going marching off like cock-sure goons, then to hell with them!” snarled the minotaur; raising her voice once more and turning back to her daughter, fire in her eyes – but at least that smirk was long gone. ”We don’t need guys like them. We don’t need guys at all! Your kid sure as hell doesn’t need lessons on how to be a decent soul from a bastard that left his wife like this. So make the most of it! Your life should be in your hands, not some smartarse wannabe hero. Forget father figures and that garbage…”
”I don’t need that stuff anymore.” mumbled the lady, sitting back down in her leather chair with a bitter frown. A hateful expression… she certainly hadn’t passed on getting revenge herself. But, in this manner… perhaps it wasn’t quite revenge after all. ”You can stay here as long as you like. But you’re going to have to get over your sulking. No such thing as a crybaby Smith. Not anymore.”
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Post by Restkastel on Aug 14, 2015 7:56:19 GMT
My mother's answer to my rage at her was infuriating to say the least, Her words were not what was so maddening, in fact, she had been ready to hear such a thing, and had prepared for it, but the smirk on her face nearly caused me to jump over the table and beat her senseless, even though she was my mother. And I would have if I was not here for a favor from her, so I simply gritted my teeth and clenched my knuckles to quell the rage that was trying to overtake my senses. Her chastisement was nothing surprising, and I simply kept silent through it all, my rage ever rising. How dare she try to shame me when she herself was to blame for this. Whose fault was it that I thought like this, stuck with the issues she left me? hers. Yet she had the audacity to compare me to the other girls who showed up before, and tried to tell me that I was acting irrational. I was acting irrational? Damn right I was, it wasn't just the damn abandonment by my husband and father, it was you too mother, I wanted to scream while beating her to a pulp. At this point if I had been holding anything it would have definitely shattered from the force I was putting into my grip.
However, as my rage was about to overtake my reason, her tone changed, and she turned away, and began to take a bit of a different tone, and this time her words was far less harsh. She seemed to be scolding herself as well as me, talking about how I was probably here for the same reason she had come here many years ago, and she was mostly right. I couldn't stay in that village anymore, too many memories, too many scars. However, I had made one slight but crucially different decision. I had taken my child with me, unlike her. I understood her need to be away, I understood it very well. But I did not understand how she could leave her kid alone like that, especially now that I had one of my own. I would rather lose an arm than be separated from my little Johnathan. However, I could not find an appropriate place to ask why she had left me behind before she turned to me, with a snarl in her voice and a fire in her eyes. The words she spat out next were both advice and a dose of what she had truly thought. She told me to move on, that it might not have been right, especially since all men were cock sure goons, and that we didn't need any of them. She obviously had been more hurt than I could have imagined by leaving, sure I hated my husband for running off like he did, but I would not apply that feeling to every man ever, after all there could easily be a decent man out there, and I needed to find one of them to help show my little Johnathan how to properly behave.
She then slumped in her chair and said that I could stay as long as I wanted, as long as I stopped sulking. That was for sure, I would not allow myself to sulk and simmer in my own negative feelings, lest they become twisted like I just saw come from my mother. I would clear them from my mind, not lock them down. "Yes, I understand, Ma. Now if you don't mind telling me where I could possibly sleep, I would like to see my rooms. And if you need someone to help you toss out some scoundrel, let me know, I would be glad to help," I said, waiting for her response as to where I should bed down before leaving the room, a renewed desire to make myself better in my mind. I would not let my hatred twist me into hating all men, no matter how bad I had it with my last husband. |
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Post by Tulf on Aug 14, 2015 15:05:14 GMT
”Heh! You sure cut to the chase, huh? Not a single kind word for your old mom? Geez, maybe I should have stuck around just to teach you some manners… but you wouldn’t be much of a minotaur if you did have some fire in your heart, either.” remarked Maria wryly, seeming to recover somewhat from her own outburst – the familiar tone of a disinterested child made it hard for her to sulk too much, even after all these years apart. It seemed like her daughter hadn’t really changed a bit. ”I’m glad you get the picture, though – you ain’t sleeping on my hay without earning your stay! I didn’t raise no bunko artist, I hope.”
”At the moment, we’re in a bit of trouble with staff… while there’s certainly Mystic Kind around, and they certainly like my establishment; a lot of folks like to stir up trouble – especially after too much who-hit-john. So a bouncer would certainly be welcome, if you’re up for a rumble now and then!” chirped the minotaur, hopping back up to her feet with revitalised energy; although she then seemed to quickly cool off again. ”Mm, it’s got me right stumped. We don’t get nary a single male staff member keen on working here… hell, we hardly get any male customers! Well, aside from the occasional mudsill like that fella from earlier, at least…”
Giving an idle shrug, Maria gave her daughter a pat on the rump to get her attention again and began heading out the door; seeming to move far faster than her pace ought to suggest. ”But anyhow, I bet you wanna see the bounty before the job! We don’t have any fantastic rooms here, I’m afraid – the hotels near here are probably a better bet. But, while you’re still a little down on your luck, you can bunk in my guest room. I live here myself, but that’s just so I can sleep with my hand on my shotgun beside the safe.” explained the bovine as she trotted along the upper floor’s hallway once again; leaving a clopping noise in her wake despite her boots. ”…T-That was a joke, by the way. I just sleep in my own room here.”
Hailey was soon lead to another room; barely noticeable at the end of the hallway – the interior wasn’t much more notable. Although built to a larger scale out of respect for the Mystic Kind that usual ended up bunking there if they ran into trouble, it certainly wasn’t grandiose… just a bed, wardrobe and desk, really. ”It’s not much, but it’s mostly just in case someone needs to stay overnight… like when Olivia gets smashed.” grumbled Maria, sounding like there was a story behind that explanation; ”It’s all yours for now. Just warn me if you’re bringing a boyfriend home, harr harr. And give me a hoy if your son needs anything too, I guess.”
Seeming satisfied, Maria began to leave Hailey to her room; only to turn back around again – one could just about see the light bulb above her head with how expressive she always was, frankly. ”Breakfast’s at seven in the morning, lunch is at one at noon, and dinner’s at six thirty in the evening – work really starts at five, but we have a few folks who don’t have dinner here who start early instead. Every month, me and the other minotaur take bets on who can come out the heaviest at the end of the month – just like home, heheh; and it makes for a good joke for the customers… hence why I’m so lithe and bland right now. So, you should join in while you’re in town! You’re just in time, too. Or, are you trying to play all thin to get all those vampire boys…?”
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Post by Restkastel on Jan 30, 2016 20:21:45 GMT
I would follow my mom, who would be taking about a variety of issues, though I mostly would be barely paying attention. I was a bit mentally and emotionally exhausted from having come here and dealt with my mother for the first time in a long time. The alcohol in my system wasn't helping either. So I mostly gave her vague replies to show that I was indeed listening, but most of it and the humor just kind of went over my head. I wasn't exactly in the mood to deal with her strange sense of humor at the moment after all.
She led me through the corridors and to a room with the bare essentials, a bed, a closet, and I believed that I noticed a washroom across the hall. She admitted it was sparse, and that the local hotel was likely a better bet, but I could stay here for now. It was fine, better than some of the houses around where we lived after all. Some of the older places didn't have running water or indoor bathrooms, after all. I sort of ignored my both a bit and moved over and sat down on it.
She mentioned some sort of weight contest, like what we did back home. That was rather nostalgic, competing against the other girls to see how big we could get each month. That was always fun, and it was something that would be nice to do again for sure. She made a comment about how small I was compared to normal, and even made a joke about it, but it honestly wasn't something I wanted to deal with right now, so I decided to finally respond to see if I couldn't get her to leave.
"Yeah, I understand mom. I'll be around for all the meals, and count me in. Though I don't think I want a moving corpse as a lover. I don't even know if they function properly. I'll see you later, right now I need a nap," I said, implying to my mom she should be leaving. When she finally left, I would lay back on the bed and sigh. Why had I come to my mom of all people? Wouldn't it have been much easier to just have started over somewhere else? Perhaps I just wanted Johnathan to have as much family in his life as possible, that probably was it. I didn't want to cripple him for life socially by being around his mother and nobody else.
Things were probably going to be a bit rocky to start with, but I know that I can't just give up. Too much is riding on this, I'm a mother. If it was just my future on the line, it would probably have been different, but I have my son to take care of as well. I had to make this work, no matter how poorly I got along with my mom, I couldn't let my grudges keep him from being happy and knowing his grandmother after all.
As I thought about things like this, I slipped into a deep sleep, confident that when I woke up, I would be out of this funk.
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