A Chain of Debt (A Matou Shinji AU Quest)

[skulkidcachi90]

[x]Stick to his original intent to scout and buy goods for trade-he can buy this later if he needs to[x]Play along. There's something strange about this place

[Skull Leader]

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[x]Stick to his original intent to scout and buy goods for trade-he can buy this later if he needs to</p>
<p>
I am fine buying it but I rather at least stick to the plan for once. Plus more interested in this Divination shop.</p>
<p>
[x]Play along. There&#39;s something strange about this place</p>
<p>
Slytherin Rule #7 If you are not sure about what is going on, ACT like you do. Do not show how hopeless you feel your hand is. Play on~</p>

[alfheimwanderer]

[x]Stick to his original intent to scout and buy goods for trade-he can buy this later if he needs to
[x]Play along. There's something strange about this place

---

To say Matou Shinji was...uneasy about the situation was perhaps understating things. With the disorientation as he entered, the way the proprietress had all but melted out of the shadows, the way she was offering them tea as if it was the most natural thing in the world, expecting them to go along with it...

...well, to be honest, Matou Shinji wanted to run, to turn around and flee...

And if he hadn't been sure that the door had probably vanished behind him, that it was too late to escape the bounded field of the workshop he had inadvertently stepped into, he would have. At this point, the only option he had was to play along with what the master of this place wanted.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you," he replied, inclining his head. "Miss..."

"You may call me Vivian," the woman responded with a nod. "And you are..."

"...my name is Matou Shinji," the boy answered, knowing how dangerous it was to offer up his true name to a powerful practitioner, yet also knowing he had little in the way of choice.

"Ah, a child of the land of the rising sun," the proprietress noted, with Shinji grunting in confirmation. "You are a first year at Hogwarts, yes? When exactly was your birthday?"

Shinji offered up the information she wished, his stomach sinking as the woman smiled.

"Such innocuous bits of information, yet quite valuable all the same. But then, you already knew that, didn't you?" she asked, with Shinji nodding. She proceeded to ask these things of his companions, who answered readily, not seeming to recognize the danger they were in, or the leverage they were giving her...

'Though most practitioners can't do much with just a name and birthday, so--'

"Hm. You hide your true name, Miss Spencer," the woman commented, with the remark catching Shinji off balance. "Is that your hobby, perhaps?"

"Merely a custom when I come to a new place," Ana replied. "It would not do for others to be influenced by my reputation and not who and what it is I am."

"An interesting approach," the shopkeeper noted. "Though with your lineage, I suppose it is not without reason. All the more fascinating that your companion, Miss Moore enjoys playing on reputation, as opposed to witnessed deeds."

"There's rarely a reason not to let people believe as they will," Selina remarked, her eyes sharper than her words would suggest. "Whatever one does, whatever one says, it is up to them to interpret in the end, is it not?"

"Perhaps," the shopkeeper responded, waving them over to the couches. "You have questions. Ask."

Ask up to two questions.

[ ] Who are you?
[ ] What do you want?
[ ] What is this place?
[ ] What can do for us?
[ ] (write-in)

[Dracueri]

[x]What is this place?

[x]What can you do for us?

​I don't think she will give straight answer for what do you want.

[Skull Leader]

[X] What is this place?
[X] What can do for us?

I would think the mystery of this location is more compelling than asking what she wants. Plus it comes across as less rude. Still no wrong question.

I am just going to avoid the whole two B5 warring faction questions here (Who and want).

[alfheimwanderer]

[x]What is this place?

[x]What can you do for us?

---

Matou Shinji's first inclination was to demand answers to the traditional questions when one found oneself at another's mercy, but the words "Who are you? What do you want?!" died stillborn in his mouth, as he considered that it wouldn't do to come off as confrontational. After all, he was already within the shopkeeper's power, with no real way of opposing her (as he was not foolish enough to believe that what little he knew of witchcraft would be sufficient to counter someone who was likely an exceptionally skilled adept).

Indeed, he took his cues from the adventuress among them, noting that Selina seemed perfectly at ease, despite the perilous situation they were in.

'Given that I'm sure the shopkeeper could crush me with ease if I acted up, that might well be the best approach.'

Stay calm. Act as if nothing was wrong.

...and perhaps reality would agree with the image he projected.
"So, just what is Fortune's End, exactly?" Shinji asked, affecting a somewhat shaky smile.

"My shop, of course," the woman responded with a throaty chuckle. "A place few are favored enough to find, with those who do, invariably finding something they have sought."

"Like one of those shops which is only present for a short while, and vanishes after one leaves?" Selina questioned, receiving a slight nod.

"Something of the sort, though to be specific, the shop is always here. It has been so for centuries. Whether a seeker can thread the eye of the needle, twixt the treacherous currents of fate to reach this place - that is more difficult. Especially if one knows of its existence."
"...did you say it gets more difficult once you knew where it was?"

"Yes."

Shinji blinked, finding this tidbit, but setting it aside.

"What does your shop offer then?" he asked instead, curious as to what it could do for him.

"Knowledge of what is to come, or who one is, or items that allow one to overturn fate," the woman replied. "Though like all else, such things come at a price."

"Well, yes, that is the point of a store after all," Shinji responded glibly. "Now...that said, what sorts of things do you offer, exactly?"

The shopkeeper smiled slightly, the corners of her lips curving upwards ever so slightly.

"There's no need to simply get down to business, is there?" she asked mildly. "I, for one, have always enjoyed the chance to get to know those who come to Fortune's End, that I might be able to offer advice. Or simply recommendations."

"Yes, no sense in being too to the point, Matou," Ana spoke up, with Selina nodding. "By all means, Miss...Vivian, let us talk."

Information:
- Fortune Reading (General, Love, academics, etc)
- Advice on how to succeed in (topic of one's choice) in the next six months
- A lesson on how to brew the perfect cup of tea

Workings:
- A working which all but guarantees that one will accrue great wealth, but cuts short the time one has to enjoy it (amount of lifespan lost depends on amount of money gained relative to one's original lifespan)
- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential
- A working which improves your magical power, but makes it more difficult to learn skills to utilize that power
- A working which improves one's charisma at the expense of making it more difficult to make close friends
- A working which takes away one's worldly desires, allowing one to focus what would have been carnal passions on more cerebral pursuits
- A working which improves one's ability to see the future, at the cost of one's grounding in the present

Items:
- Ancient tarot cards, full of mystery
- Pensieve
- A vial of Felix Felicis (good for 24 hours)
- Dreaming Tea (allows one to have visions when one sleeps)
- Dreamless Sleep potion
- A vial of Mist (mist barrier, allows one to have temporary concealment from others)
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate (obscures one's fortune from being read / conceals one from magical detection)

This is not a comprehensive list, though they are the items that Vivian believes Matou will find most interesting. Prices are negotiable

[skulkidcachi90]

- A lesson on how to brew the perfect cup of tea
- Advice on how to succeed with dealing with Rin over the Summer
- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential
- A working which improves your magical power, but makes it more difficult to learn skills to utilize that power
- A working which improves one's charisma at the expense of making it more difficult to make close friends
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate
- Pensieve
- Dreaming Tea

[Skull Leader]

- A lesson on how to brew the perfect cup of tea
- Advice on how to succeed with dealing with Rin over the Summer
- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential
- A working which improves your magical power, but makes it more difficult to learn skills to utilize that power
- Four Skills targeted with the above workings. Divination, Potions, Charms and Infiltration/Stealth increase. Decrease other schools of magic
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate
- Pensieve
- Dreaming Tea

Plan here is that the two workings combine together so that we specialize in four magics to the expense of all the rest. Specialize ourselves is the name of this game. Would like to add the third working of Charisma boost BUT I am not sure we can pay for all of this and still complete our goals of making money by sticking to the plan. So let us take it out and see what this is going to cost us.

Amulet is needed because it hides us magically, good for our stealth build.
Pensieve and dream tea work well together. Review our dreams as well as our failures so that we can overcome our weaknesses.

[Dracueri]

Sl's choice plus Worldly Desire Working

[Malorius]

- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential
- A working which improves one's charisma at the expense of making it more difficult to make close friends
- A working which takes away one's worldly desires, allowing one to focus what would have been carnal passions on more cerebral pursuits

Sounds like a great set for a Phantom Thief of Hearts. Or a loan shark. Both are more than acceptable.

[alfheimwanderer]

- A lesson on how to brew the perfect cup of tea
- Advice on how to succeed with dealing with Rin over the Summer
- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential
- A working which improves your magical power, but makes it more difficult to learn skills to utilize that power
- Four Skills targeted with the above workings. Divination, Potions, Charms and Infiltration/Stealth increase. Decrease other schools of magic
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate
- Pensieve
- Dreaming Tea

---

So they talked, with Matou Shinji quickly becoming fascinated with the variety and potency of the offerings the shop had on hand. True, it was a shop that focused on Divination, and the boy had never been overly fond of others reading his fortune, believing that the only fate he had was that he made for himself, yet...there were other things that appealed to him all the same. Specific morsels of information like oh...

How to best deal with...Tohsaka over the summer, so that he might take advantage of gain an advantage in his dealings with her, or at least lose the less in the way of face and sweat.

or

How to brew the perfect cup of tea - which interested him perhaps more than it should because he was a boy from Japan, and the tea ceremony had a special place in his country's traditions (not to mention that as someone studying Divination, he thought that learning such a thing could only be helpful, since reading tea leaves was one of the more popular methods of fortune-telling).

He was rather surprised, however, to learn that the shop also offered workings which could alter his fate - something he was slightly leery of, though not enough to discard the notion of obtaining one or two such out of hand. After all, being able to improve the rate at which he learned could be a major boon, as could a working which improved the amount of magical power he had available...even if there was a price to pay for those.

"Could I possibly combine two of the workings?" the boy asked.

"Learning speed and magical power, I assume?" the woman who'd asked to be called Vivian inquired.

"...how did you know?"

"They are the most popular of the workings to combine, judging by those who have come here in the past," the shopkeeper replied mildly. "I assume you have some idea of what you want each to focus on - that you don't simply want want a general increase in learning rate or magical power?"

"I would like to boost both the rate at which I learn Divination, Potions, Charms and skills related to stealth as well as the effectiveness of such skills," the boy answered, having something of an idea of what he would like. "I don't mind if everything else related to...my more magical skills suffers."

"Is that all? That's simple enough," the shopkeeper noted with a shrug. "And you also wanted an Amulet of Shadowed Fate, a Pensieve, and some Dreaming Tea. How much Tea, if I might ask?"

[ ] A week's supply
[ ] A month's supply
[ ] A year's supply
[ ] (write-in)

[skulkidcachi90]

[X] 3 month supply

[Dracueri]

[x]​3 month supply

[Skull Leader]

[X] 3 month supply

Let's not go insane here people. We have still have to pay for all of this stuff AND buy potions for profit. We have to pay for all of this stuff.

I rather not start another large debt that we have to work years to pay off.

[Malorius]

[x] A month's supply

Don't feel too strongly about it, so I'll be conservative.

[alfheimwanderer]

So then...the price tag..

- A lesson on how to brew the perfect cup of tea - 20 Galleons
- Advice on how to succeed with dealing with Rin over the Summer - 50 Galleons
- A working which allows one to learn much more quickly (2x normal pace), but cuts away between a third to half of one's potential - 1500 Galleons
- A working which improves your magical power, but makes it more difficult to learn skills to utilize that power - 1500 Galleons
- A working which improves one's charisma at the expense of making it more difficult to make close friends - 1000 Galleons
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate - 150 Galleons
- Pensieve - 100 Galleons
- Dreaming Tea (3 months supply = 3x90) = 270 Galleons

Total: 4590 Galleons


Fortunately, there are things you may pay with other than currency, such as...

A favor for the future (enforced by geas, may be triggered at any time by the proprietor remotely): worth 500 Galleons, may be taken 3x
A Year of lifespan: worth 50 Galleons each, may be taken 50x
Knowledge of Matou Arts: worth 1000 Galleons
Capacity to love: 750 Galleons
Ability to enjoy physical pleasure: 1500 Galleons
Happiest memory: 1000 Galleons
Memories of the days before you met your...sister: 500 Galleons

Other things may be proposed as payment, and will be given a valuation. Prices and valuations are somewhat negotiable.

[Daiki]

Here's what I would go with personally;

Items
- Ancient Tarot (750)
- Amulet of Shadowed Fate (150)

Services
Learning Speed Up / Potential Down (1500)
Magic Up / Slower Mastery (1500)
Charisma Up / Friendship Down (1000)

I would have the pensieve and dreaming tea as optional, depending if we can afford them with the listed stuff below.

And how I would pay for it; (in order of sacrifice)

- Muggle money left
- Matou Knowledge
- Capacity to Love (if we're going anti-friends might as well go all out)
- Favors (x2 or x3 depending on total cost above)
- Lifespan (until we reach the proper amount)

[skulkidcachi90]

[x] Accept her deal but take out the working of charisma.
That would be a total: 3590 Galleons.
Bargain the price of the stuff he can offer as a paid.
Offer his happiest memory for 1150 galleons
His Memories of the days before you met your...sister: 550 Galleons
The knowledge of Matou Arts: worth 1300 Galleons (this one Is unique knowledge that only two persons would know).
Also ask her to increase the price of A Year of his lifespan from 50 to 65 and if accept offer 9 years of His lifespan as paid for the money he need to purchase everything he choose.

[Dracueri]

-Knowledge of Matou Arts: worth 1000G
-Favors 3x: 1500G
-Genetic sample of last true Matou: 666G
-Life span: 400G for 8 years
Total is 3566 out of 3590: Owe 24 Galleons

The cost of 3 rituals was lowered to 3000G. We have option to buyback favour with money in the future. We owe 24 Galleons which we can pay out of pocket or increase limit of lifespan paid to have extra money for shopping. Don't think it is possible to waive small amount left since we already got 3 rituals for decent price.

[skulkidcachi90]

-Knowledge of Matou Arts: worth 1000G
-Favors 3x: 1500G
-Genetic sample of last true Matou: 666G
-Life span: 400G for 8 years
Total is 3566 out of 3590: Owe 24 Galleons

Ok I change to that.