Dimensions Collide: Destiny Bond

Zuko stared at the boy sitting before him, a sense of doubt entering his mind.

"So, what exactly is your plan?" he said slowly.

John had skipped class entirely, going straight to the portals to spend yet another set of tokens to go back to the Dwarvish village. Making his way straight to Zuko's home, he knocked before entering, and they immediately began their plan of action. Of course, Prota had followed along. This was one of the days she wasn't being tutored by Sofya, but if it came to it, she might even cancel that to ensure John wouldn't get up to anything stupid.

"Gambling," John grinned. He was sitting cross-legged on one of the cushions, ignoring the steaming cup of tea before him. "It takes money to make money, right?"

"Gambling?" Zuko frowned. "I don't know about that."

"I thought you were the gambler? Briar said you go there all the time-"

"She does not understand. That casino is run by the very organization I am indebted to. When I was younger, perhaps I enjoyed such an activity, but these days, it simply does not appeal to me."

"So you were going to make payments… well, that's fine."

John dumped a pouch of gold coins onto the table. His winnings from the day prior.

"How much do you owe?" he asked again.

"A ridiculous amount. One thousand gold coins."

"One thousand-"

John made a face before quickly recomposing himself.

He'd been paid fifty gold coins for the cultist subjugation, and that alone had been more than enough to fund his living habits for many years. Hell, it'd been enough to pay for room and board for a whole year in the Town of Beginnings, and he still had about half his money left.

A night at the inn had cost one silver. John's bar and home had cost him only twenty gold. A potion was one gold. One might not think they were expensive due to how frequently Destiny used them, but John had learned that Destiny only had such an exorbitant amount due to his backing. Even then, he'd been given more than normal due to the fact that the king wanted to ensure his friend's only son remained safe.

Zuko's debt was enough to buy a thousand potions. Fifty of John's bar. Or a hundred thousand nights at an inn.

What in the world had put him in this debt?

"Let me guess," John sighed. "Your father or something lost a blacksmithing bet to these Yakuza fellows, but since he didn't want to give up on whatever he was working on, he instead pledged to give money. That money has been building interest, and you're now at the point where you can't afford to pay it off anymore."

"How did you-" Zuko started, but then shook his head. "Never mind. Yes, that is correct."

John grimaced. He didn't want to be right, but… well, tropes were tropes for a reason. If they weren't common, they wouldn't be a trope.

"What is this, uh, legendary object you were working on?"

"...that, I cannot tell you."

John nodded, shrugging. "Fine. Fair enough. Hm…"

He considered his options. The jackpot on the slot machines had a maximum payout of fifty times what you paid, but that was only in the lowest bidding options. He had a feeling that moving up in the casino would pay out far more, and it was technically possible to make everything back from gambling alone.

The only issue was that it was suspicious. If he won too much on slots, there was no way they would just let him walk out. He might not be using mana to cheat, but there was such a thing as too improbable.

There were then three options. One was to gamble honestly. This, of course, was the stupidest idea of them all. There was a reason casinos ruined lives. Despite knowing this, John wanted to go in. He wanted to gamble.

However, as Prota had kindly reminded him, he no longer had [Resets] to make up for his mistakes. And that ruled out method two, which was to cheat in cards using [Resets].

This left option three. The worst one.

And that was to play with skill.

Most forms of gambling were truly left up to chance. Sure, you could play games that had odds close to fifty-fifty when it came to winning and losing, but that wasn't going to turn a profit, especially not one large enough to pay off a thousand gold coin debt. Games like craps, roulette and baklava had no skill involved.

Card games, on the other hand, were a little different. Poker and blackjack. Two games he could turn to his will. Blackjack wasn't really a game of skill, and poker wasn't one of his stronger games.

But [Infinity] could compensate for that.

And, of course, it was possible that there were other ways to win the higher up he went.

"Alright. A thousand gold coins, huh?" he muttered.

John currently had around fifty gold coins. He just needed to increase his holdings by around fifteen thousand percent. Scooping up the coins on the table, he put them back in a pouch and stood up.

"I'll let you know how it's going in about a week."

To his surprise, though, Zuko bowed deeply, his head touching the ground.

"From the bottom of my heart, I thank you. I will always remember this."

John shook his head, grabbing the man's shoulder gently. "It's nothing. If I need a sword or something, I'll just come back to you, ok?"

Zuko raised his head, nodding.

"Of course. I will be sure to forge nothing but a masterpiece for you."

~~~

"Destiny."

"Yes, sir."

The time had come for Lupin to make his request to Destiny. Student stood in front of master patiently, awaiting his orders.

"You will be staying off campus for the next few weeks."

"What- I mean, pardon, sir?"

"You don't need to be so formal, you know," Lupin sighed. "Your friend acts how he pleases, and he's still alive."

"I act like this because I believe you are someone who deserves respect, not because I believe all higher-ups should be respected. You have taught me more than I ever could've imagined. What kind of student would I be if I didn't act accordingly?"

"Ha. I wish John were more like you. Regardless, you will need to be off-campus for a few weeks. I've already arranged for your absence, and the weightings of your courses will be shifted accordingly. Of course, you should still be prepared for your tests, so the material needed will be given ahead of time."

"How about the fighting class, sir?" Destiny said hesitantly.

"Do you still think you're at the level where you need to attend every class?"

Destiny didn't answer that one.

"There is a dwarf in a village I am indebted to. One of his ancestors forged the blade I am currently using."

"A dwarf forged your blade?!"

"Yes. Their techniques- well, I suppose I shouldn't say this, but Rion isn't here. Their techniques rival those of Mystics. However, it has come to my attention that they have fallen on some… rough times. However, as I am bound by the rules of the Mystics, I cannot go myself. Therefore, I would like you to go in my place."

"I understand," Destiny nodded. "What is my role?"

"...you are surprisingly unsurprised."

"I've learned a long time ago that being confused helps no one."

"Ah." Lupin let out a small chuckle. "I have a feeling I know just which individual taught you this lesson."

The Mystic got up, leading Destiny to a blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk. He began to write in quick, clean strokes, putting together a whole web of names and places.

"The organization you'll be up against are called the Yakuza. They are based in the Dwarven capital, Dato, and run the continent's largest casino. You are to infiltrate them and do what you can to clear this man's debt."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"...that's all?"

"If you cannot do it, then I understand. This is a difficult task for a student, after all. However, I understand that this is not your first time taking on tasks meant for professionals. And, should it come to it, you may simply bring him here, and we will put him under our protection."

Destiny thought back to the Town of Beginnings. Yeah, this was nothing compared to that. But on the other hand, he'd had a lot of help back then. The help had come in strange forms, but it'd been help nonetheless.

He was stronger, now, though. Couldn't he handle it on his own?

"I understand. What is the name of the dwarf I need to assist?"

Lupin unsheathed his blade, looking at the insignia printed upon the handle. The signature of a blacksmith.

"His name is Zuko. Zuko Hi."

~~~

"S-sir. I understand you're upset, but shouldn't you quit while you're ahead?"

"No," John growled, pushing in a gold coin's worth of chips one more time. "There are no losers. Only quitters."

He was down twenty gold coins at this point. He'd been playing blackjack over and over, and while he'd won quite a few games, he'd lost more, resulting in the current deficit he was in. Still, he didn't want to quit. There was a stubborn determination that wouldn't let him stop. He would make his money back. Eventually.

"Seven, eight… shit," John cursed, looking at his cards. "Split."

The dealer nodded patiently, pushing John's cards separately, then flipping over two more cards.

Another seven and eight.

"You've gotta be shitting me."

"Apologies, sir. It looks like today is not your day."

Prota watched nervously. John had assured her that no matter what he did, he had a plan, but there were times when John had said that only to reveal that there was, in fact, no plan. He seemed confident, but then again, wasn't he always? What if he was just going to lose all his money here?

"Alright. Hit. Both of 'em."

A jack and a king. Bust on both hands.

"Aw, you'll get it next time, kiddo," a middle-aged elf said, getting up to leave the table. "Just know when to quit, alright?"

"Yeah, thanks."

John took a sip of his complimentary drink before going in for another round.

They'd been at the casino for a few hours by now. John had moved from game to game, always betting a full gold coin, never shying away, regardless of any external factors. A gambler in its most pure form, relying on nothing but luck.

"Ace King. Blackjack. Congratulations, sir."

John smiled politely as he collected his payout, but before he could go another round, the receptionist from yesterday came up to John.

"Congratulations, sir! You've unlocked access to the next floor of the casino!"

"What, the medium level stakes or whatever?"

"Correct!"

He looked up at the employee. A bandage was patched over her ear, a thick one at that.

"You all good?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Ah, yes. Just a minor accident. It will heal quickly. Thank you for asking. Now, to access the next floor, just come this way and go up these stairs. The staff have already been alerted to your status, so there is nothing you need to do other than head on up."

John grinned, flipping her a silver chip. "Thanks. I'll see you later."

He sauntered off, Prota following like a duckling following its mother. The receptionist watched as John left, standing in front of the now-empty blackjack table.

"Still think he's suspicious?" the dealer said quietly.

"Likely just beginner's luck. I tried to explain that to the boss, but…"

"He's a stern man, that one. I'm sorry about your ear."

"It's nothing. A price to pay for my own negligence. Still, it's a little suspicious that someone wins the jackpot immediately upon entering, isn't it?"

The dealer shrugged, shuffling the cards once more. "Like I said, beginner's luck. What can you do? It was slots he won at. The boss will understand next time."

"Hm… I suppose you're right."

~~~

"Alright, new hire!"

Destiny sat stiffly on the cushion that'd been provided to him. Across from the long wooden table was apparently the boss of the Yakuza himself. The only name they knew him by was "Ryu." Whether this was a fake name or not, he wasn't sure.

He was unlike the other members he'd met. While all the Yakuza had tattoos on their bodies, this man was nowhere near the neatness of the others. His suit was loose and wrinkly, his hands adorned with jewelry, sunglasses sitting upon his face, even indoors. This man fit the role of the gangster organization he led.

He'd gone through some arduous trials to get to this spot. Showing his skill in sleight of hand and going through the trouble of detecting cheaters was something he'd never thought he'd have to do, but here he was. Thankfully, he was capable enough to get in.

"You'll start as a janitor," Ryu said simply.

"A janitor? But-"

Destiny's mouth shut itself as a blade was pointed at his throat. He hadn't even seen Ryu move. Just what kind of man were they dealing with?

"I don't take kindly to being interrupted. Understand?"

"...yes, sir."

"Good. Now, as I was saying, you'll start off as a janitor. That doesn't mean you'll stay there. Keep an eye out for trouble, do good work, and you'll move up. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, you'll be standing by my side."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Alright, get out of here. Someone will fit you for a suit, and you can start cleaning."

Destiny did as he was told. He was equipped with a black suit, the casino's dress code, and then went out and began his duties. This mainly consisted of sweeping the place and putting empty cups back at the bar, but he was also to keep an eye out for cheaters and troublemakers.

He ran into one pretty quickly.

"...John?" he frowned.

He was so stunned that he almost faltered in his movement, but he quickly regained his composure and went back to sweeping, keeping his face hidden. He had no idea why John was here, but it wouldn't do to have his cover blown. He could ask John about it once his mission was over.

For now, that mission was cleaning the floor.

~~~

"Congratulations, sir!"

John gathered his pile of chips and smiled, standing up from the table.

The second floor was far different from the first. There were still slot machines, but they no longer blared with sounds and lights. There were still tons of people, but the floor felt much quieter, more refined. Instead of rowdy music blasting out of speakers, fine instrumental music played instead. The carpeted floors were cleaner, the bars classier, and the place was just an overall finer sensation.

They'd been in the casino for a little over six hours now. He was no longer betting the maximum amount every single time. Instead, he would bet five gold coins every once in a while, staying at one gold coin for the most part.

He was still losing a lot, but he was somehow staying even. Prota wasn't sure how that was possible, but it actually seemed like John was losing less than before. More than that, though, she was starting to get bored. Since it wasn't her money at stake, and since she wasn't the one making decisions, she was really just watching someone throw their money away.

If she wanted to watch John make stupid decisions, she could do it elsewhere. It wasn't like he had a shortage of dumb things to do.

Still, she noticed that he wasn't smiling as much. The first day they'd entered the building, he'd been enjoying himself. There was a faint light dancing in his eyes every time he pulled the lever. But now, the smile on his face was once again a mask. There was no joy in his eyes when he one, no satisfaction when he made his money back.

What was going on?

"Alright. Should we try roulette for a little bit?" John sighed, standing up and stretching.

He hummed to himself, tossing a gold chip up and down as he sauntered over to the roulette table. Prota followed him nervously.

"Hello, sir. Care to play?" the attendant said with a practiced smile.

"Hm… a gold coin on red. Another on twenty-one… and then one more on green."

"Very well, sir."

John's chips were collected and moved to their designated spots, and then the ball was tossed into the spinning wheel. This time, he activated [Infinity]. He couldn't change the outcome, but that was fine. He just wanted to see what it would land on before it landed.

"Hey. You think you're a hotshot, don't you?"

He deactivated his ability as someone walked up to him. The smell of alcohol was noticeable, even from here. John turned around to see a human, hair dishevelled and shirt unbuttoned.

"Throwing all that cash away? You think you're some kinda big boy, don't you? Using daddy's money to play as you want? Well, we commoners have to slave away to make what you've been spending on your own entertainment!"

John frowned. This guy wasn't making any sense. If he was on this floor, then he'd gambled at least fifty gold coins, which was no small sum in itself. On top of that, he was still gambling on this floor, which meant he intended to gamble at least more than one gold coin per play.

What in the world was he going on about?

"Come on. Show me that you deserve that money. Put your hands up, kid."

The man started swinging drunkenly, but he was so intoxicated that none of his hits really landed. Prota was just about to step in when John subtly put his hand out. He didn't want her to move. Why not?

It didn't matter. She backed off, waiting to see what would happen next.

"Alright, then," John muttered.

He stood up, loosening the scarf around his neck. Stepping in, he threw a wide right hook, but it missed completely. Prota stared in horror. How the hell had John missed like that? He wasn't the best of fighters, but he was definitely good enough that something like this shouldn't have been possible.

That mistake would cost him. John's blow had moved him even closer to the aggressor, meaning it would be pretty damn hard to miss. He took a heavy blow to the chin and staggered back, flexing his jaw.

"Shit!" John cursed, rubbing his mouth. "That hurt, you son of a bitch!"

Suddenly, a janitor came sprinting out, using his broom to knock the man off his feet. In the same motion, he knocked the man out, then picked up the body and carried it out.

"We're so sorry about that, sir," an attendant said hurriedly, rushing over.

He wasn't a healer, but he quickly made a block of ice and handed it to John, who quickly put it to his chin. It didn't actually hurt, but there was no need for anyone to know that.

"Yeah, it's fine. Don't worry about it," John mumbled through his bruised jaw.

He clenched his teeth, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

"As compensation, please accept this," the attendant said nervously.

John looked down to see the token in the man's hands. Access to the top floor.

"We aren't sure if you'll be able to use it, but please, accept this as a token of our apology."

John took the token graciously, flashing a smile at the attendant. He hadn't expected to be antagonized here, but then again, it'd worked in his favour, had it not?

Something like this wasn't something he'd question.

"Apology accepted. Have a good one."

He tossed the man a silver chip and immediately set off for the top floor.

~~~

"I heard you cleaned up a mess. Well done."

Destiny had already been recalled to the boss's office. After having dealt with the drunk man on the second floor, someone had told him that Ryu wanted to see him.

"Thank you, sir."

"It's nothing. You look like a good kid, so it looks like you'll do well here. Keep it up, and you'll see that you can get great things here. If you see someone outside, tell them to come in. Now get outta here."

Destiny nodded, bowing before heading out of Ryu's office. Halfway down the hall, he ran into a dwarf with a bandage covering her ear.

"Are you alright?" he said suddenly.

"It's nothing. I've already had someone bring up the same concern. Thank you for asking," she nodded politely, then carried on her way.

Destiny turned back, intending to say something else, but it seemed she was intent on going into the office. Oh, well. He picked up the broom he'd left near the stairs and went back down.

"So. What about that kid?" Ryu said, kicking his feet up on his table.

The female dwarf nodded in respect. "As we thought, nothing interesting, sir. He got involved in that incident with that drunk fellow, but that's all. In fact, he's lost a good amount of money already. He also appears to be quite the weak fighter. Rather incompetent, in fact, if he lost to someone as inebriated as that drunkard."

"Did you do anything about the incident?"

"Access to the top floor. Is that to your liking?"

Ryu smiled in satisfaction. "Yes. Good job."

"Thank you, sir."

Ryu's smile suddenly dropped as he leaned forward, a tired look on his face.

"See, I don't like fuck-ups. And I especially don't like it when they happen twice. Make sure… it doesn't happen again, alright? Good job this time around."

"Yes, sir."

The receptionist bowed deeply, waiting to be dismissed. Ryu waved her as one might shoo away a fly, and she immediately turned around and walked out the door. The boss didn't even pay any attention as it closed behind her, instead focusing on a set of papers on his desk.

"John Quarta… no information, huh? And yet, you're quite the idiot…"

He ripped up the papers and tossed them out his window.

"You're not worth my time."