Dennis was a young man in his twenties. Things were going.. relatively okay- money wise. He had just got a home and moved into this area and was now exploring things. Still he was.. troubled. Something kept on bothering him and it was a stupid thing to be told. He didn’t want to dwell on it but it always came at him like an itch that wouldn’t let go.
“I need a drink,” he decided. He saw a somewhat out of place bar. Catching the name it said ‘The Secret’. He had a bit of a laugh at that. Strange name to call a bar really. He opened the door and was perhaps a bit surprised by how dark the corners were. Still what he saw was bright and welcoming. He walked up to the bar.
“Hello friend,” Bill the Bartender said still polishing a glass.
“Hi there- nice bar,” Dennis glanced about.
“Oh it get’s better the more of it you see,” Bill chuckled looking somehow at the reflections of the new patron’s eyes. Poor fellow… no magical sense, a mundane dimension lacking any awareness of what lies beyond… The bar had adjusted to his expectations so that everything was relatively ‘normal’. No doubt he wouldn’t be able to see the fairy sitting happily on the bar as she drank from a small thimble.
“It… uh...” Dennis looked about. An odd light by the stool but also a painting caught his eye. Some kind of angel? There were also other creatures around it, centaurs… harpies… it looked magestic. “Who painted that?” He asked in awe of it.
“I did,” said Bill. “Or one could say it painted me,” he chuckled. “So what will it be friend?”
“Oh, uh.. what drinks do you have?”
“Pretty much everything,” Bill explained.
Dennis shrugged. “Just a coke if you got one...” he decided to play it safe.
Bill poured out the leaver and the sparkling liquid arrived into a glass. Dennis smiled at that. “How much?”
“Heh… first one is free friend,” He explained. “Though the second drink will cost you a story- if you come back.”
Dennis took in the drink. He felt a strange sensation and it was like the bar became a bit ‘brighter’. He saw a strange glow on one of the bar stools. He had to blink a few times staring. “Huh- what the- a- fairy?”
“Hey to you too!” The fairy smiled with a wave.
Dennis stared at her blue hair, and tiny frame. She was dressed in what looked like a blue bell flower that matched her hair curiously with odd sparks of light. Her wings were like those of an insect. Her bare legs crossed. Slightly odd and out of place were a set of high healed shoes.
Bill leaned in closer. “I guess the Secret has decided you can handle seeing a fairy. Do be nice to her though.”
Dennis was still staring and looked at his drink again. “I’ve not been drugged have I?”
Bill chuckled. “Well now, that would be quite a trick. This girl is called Cherri. She’s a real sweetheart.”
The fairy smiled and bowed in mid air before Dennis. “Charmed. No I’m not a drug halucination. Honestly Bill, why does the inn bring people from such a strange place...”
Bill shrugged. “I suppose because he might want something…”
Dennis looked in some annoyance. He looked between them and at the odd shadows of the bar. Things started to come into clarity. He could see.. people. Yet sometimes he saw the odd swift of a limb that didn’t look human. A set of talons under a table… a swaying tail that looked to belong on a lion… It was getting overwhelming.
The fairy flew in front of Dennis and slapped his cheek. “calm down.” Somehow it had the same crack of sound as if she had a hand the same normal sized as a human.
Bill sighed. “Take it easy there, it’s clearly overwleming. Let me guess, only humans on your world eh?”
Dennis rubbed his cheek. “Yeah.. where… where am I… I’m not on Earth am I...”
“Yes and no,” Bill smiled. “You’re in the secret.. the biggest secret. Everything comes here eventually, and everything leaves eventually.. they tell their story and go. Though dear Cherri here has an awful lot of stories to tell.”
“Immortality does that,” Cherri nodded with a laugh.
Dennis took another drink. “So- magic is real.” As he made this assertion more things became aparrent. He saw wizard hats and robes that would normally be associated with witches. One group seemed to be playing cards around a crystal ball.
“Yep.” Cherri nodded.
“Demons… angels… gods?”
At once Dennis saw the strangest of things. His eyes couldn’t quite comprehend it. Strange creatures made of what had to be pure energy mascarading as life. Spirits of rage and lust, or other base instincts of humanity...
Bill nodded. “I think you’ve seen enough to get the gist of it.”
Dennis had to look away. He shuddered. “i’m not dead am I?”
Bill laughed again. “Dead? No. Though consider your life changed. Ah to be in your position, to bring a piece of this to your world… you could become a king of all kings, rulling as some immortal emperor or some such- eh but I digress.”
“Why am I here?” Dennis wondered… though he suspected he knew…
“You wanted something. Something only magic can provide…” Cherri whispered. “The rules of this bar allow you to petition one person here to give you access to such magic. You can wait here until you find the right person, or just go and risk never finding the bar again.”
“Can .. you give me magic?” He asked the fairy. She seemed friendly.
“Sure. You want me to give you a green thumb? Flowers to grow in your garden? I can also let you talk to bees.”
Dennis slumped his shoulders. “I- I was hoping for something a bit more useful...”
Cherri lifted an eyebrow at that. “Urgh, humans...” she shook her head. “Magic is quite specific. If you want a certain thing, you need to go to the entitiy that presides over that thing. I’m pretty good at nature stuff but that’s about it.”
“So if I wanted to bring someone back from the dead...”
Bill and Cherri got silent at that one. Bill’s voice became a hushed tone. “You eh.. sure you want to deal with the kind of folk who could arrange that for you?” he asked simply. “They do exist… but take heed that great power comes at a price. Many of these beings started like you and me.. but they moved on. They accepted themselves as the very forces they represent. If you talk to the forces of Death.. be assured they will demand a high price.”
Dennis glanced about sheepishly. “Okay.. yeah… there is something I want- but- uh… that is there is.. someone I want. Someone I love…”
Cherri smiled. “Ah! Now we’re moving onto safer ground. Well I think one of those witches playing cards might be able to help. One’s a fortune teller, she can probably twist fate to get you a date-”
“No I mean- the thing is… the girl I love...” He pauses a moment unsure how to explain it. “… she doesn’t exist.”
Bill looked impasively glancing a moment to the fairy. “Hm, well… do you still want this girl, knowing she doens’t exist?”
Dennis was surprised at the question. He thought they would laugh at him. “...yes. I want her...”
Cherri whistled. “Hm, well.. two options then. A succubus demon, or maybe a witch- a pretty damn powerful witch at that. Granting life is a pretty difficult thing-”
Dennis raised a hand at that. “She wouldn’t have to- I mean- she is alive. She’s just.. she’s like a work of art.”
“Ah...” Bill nodded. “Now -that- I can understand very easily,’ He nodded. “Venus once brought a statue to life for someone but.. alas.. she hasn’t been here in some time.”
“She is a goddess she can come in whenever she wants,” Cherri sighed. “I hope I do see her someday.”
“Venus? Really?” Dennis gasped. “Could I get Venus to.. to do this for me?”
“Getting her attention is a bit tricky,” said Bill. “Have you done anything in your life worthy to the goddess of Love?”
“… well..”
“Be honest!” Cherri waved her little fingers in the air.
“No.. I guess not.” Dennis sighed. “So what are my options?”
“Infinite and finite,” said Cherri.
Bill pointed into a dark shadow. “If you are serious.. seek that lady out. In the corner… she’s the.. ‘cheapest’ who ‘might’ give you what you want. I don’t know what her price will be but from what I know of her, she won’t kill you.”
Cheri scoffed at that. “As if that is really useful...”
Dennis nodded. “I’m ready….” He slowly walked towards the table.
Dennis wasn’t sure what to expect. It certainly wasn’t this though. The creautre before him was oddly dimunative. Like a tiny imp. There were small horns on her head, and she seemed to be rolling a die. She had red skin, and small bat-like wings. She seemed to be relaxing and almost ‘floating’ in the air. Small breasts and delicate features showed her to be clearly a woman even if she was only three feet tall. A spaded tail wiggled behind her and she wore a black strapless dress. “Well hello there!” She smiled welcoming Dennis to her table. “Come my dear, sit.. sit.. so, what are you after from the Discount Demon store eh?”
Dennis gulped. “I uh- look- I do want something but I don’t want to sell my soul for it.”
The demon flutered up to Dennis with an amusing smile. “Call me Ashi. don’t worry, I’m not like those ‘bigger’ demons. I’m actually half human you know. Half a lot of other things too! Probably half angel in there somewhere hehe.” She gave a light giggle. “So what kind of magic power are you after?”
Dennis sighed. “I want to bring.. a work of art to life.. so we could be together.”
“Oh that’s a rare one indeed!” Asha giggled. “The Venus spell of life. Sure, I happen to have ‘aquired’ that spell from the good Lady Goddess...” she gestured as a piece of paper appeared on her hand. “So here’s my guarantee. This will bring her to life- but- I can’t turn her human. So if she’s a statue she’ll remain a statue…”
“Oh.. well.. that’s okay,’ Dennis gave a soft grin. “I just want her alive.. to be with...”
Ashi nodeed. “perfect. Sorry got to be honest with these things you know. I mean sure, the gods and demons could give you more but I am working on a budget here...” She placed the paper down. “Stick this paper on the work of art and she’ll be brought to life. No further changes. Simple, elegant and pretty damn cheap!”
“How much is this going to cost...” Dennis gulped.
“Well let’s see.. first of all, access to your dimension of origin for a full year- though this might be subject to the treaties so we’ll go into that later you need not worry about it. Mostly the part for you is... a favour.”
“A favour?” Dennis lifted his eyes at that. “Just.. a favour?”
“Yep. You have to do something within 24 hours of it being asked. What I can promise is that it wont be beyond your.. physical abilities.” Asha seemed to really giggle at that. Her tail waving behind.
“I don’t want to do anything illegal though!” Dennis protested.
“Fine I’ll add that in-” she made a few quick notes on the contract. “Nothing.. illegal.. nothing beyond physical ability… any other stipulations?”
“Um.. nothing that will cost a lot of money...”
Asha nodded and wrote some more. “No problem. We’ll make sure any expenses you incur will be paid for in whatever currency you use. So, do we have a deal?” she gestured to the paper and it rose up in the air between them. “Take it if you agree… but remember, there is no going back after…”
...”Deal” Dennis took the paper. He looked at the strange words briefly.. folded it and placed it inside his pocket.
“Another happily satisfied customer of the discount demon!” Asha smiled happily. “May you have many fun years together!”
