Before the Beginning

Oh dear, I, I don't think this is how the story is supposed to go. Porter was supposed to stay there. At least that's what I heard. At least that's what I thought I heard. So Porter is going with the rest of them to Casino Park. I'm not sure how he'll get out of this one. After all The World and The Devil are no slouches, though they may not be the only ones there. Ahem. Back to the tale, I am sorry for my interruption. Oh wait, a small bit of information for you my dear readers: Neither The World nor The Devil are Fears in your term but rather incomplete entities. The World is the hunger for power given life by the entrapment of Strength and The Hanged Man. The Devil is unknown even to me, only the Writer and this world's personal God know. I wouldn't wish to anyway. Knowing would be a sin.

So Porter goes with a few Minor Arcana and a dozens that will not breathe long enough to even be considered. Some will die and other will not live. There really is no grand ending to this chapter is there?

"Let's play Russian Roulette with human life" The Devil muttered as she waited their arrival.

The World did not quite agree with that but his opinion did not matter they said. And the two drank to the game of ChesS.

Porter was sent to board a fairly crowded armored bus. The fact that the others had neglected was that Porter was terrified of small spaces after the long time encaged in The City with a voice of mortar and the soul of a man who's name I have forgotten. It doesn't matter. Porter was not willing to board the bus with all those other people. The Ace of Cups was not very pleased with the human it had chosen failing on the very first second. With a smile and a laugh he told Porter that they could take the other one, the very feeble, fragile one with windows partially smashed in. Porter to The Ace's surprise was quite willing to take it. Porter himself wanted to survive yes but he had to go and the crowded one was to easy to choke in. So Porter and The Ace of Cups took the broken one, much to Mercury's displeasure and Mars's amusement. Chatha didn't care if the human lived or died, after all he was taking the spotlight that he deserved away. Ambrose and Maxime thought nothing of it. They merely assumed that Porter was tech support or a magic user that focused on range. Ormr found this curious and decided that maybe the broken bus was better and volunteered to chaperon them. He was denied. Nuri found this unusual but disregarded it. Ansila tried to convince Mercury that he ought to let him on the broken bus. Mercury not knowing the intentions denied his request as well. Ageal watched the scene with peaked interest, after all no one has rode on that bus since the accident with Calalverie. The others really had no opinion on the matter, and even if they did they neglected to express them in any coherent matter.

So they set off, The Ace of Cups and Porter in the broken bus and the rest in the other. Halfway there the bus broke down in a whimpering way. The other barreled ahead without care. The broken bus was discarded on the end.

"So what now eh?" The Ace asked Porter with a tone that indicated blame.

"We walk." Porter suggested with the monotone and scratchy voice that will last a lifetime.

"No!" The Ace of Cups giggled before grabbing tightly onto Porter's wrist. "We'll get a ride! You'll have to get in a small place, kay?"

"No actually not okay. Who are you to tell me that I have to do something? I didn't ask to be here."

"Listen if you don't come with me you'll die."

"Die? I'll choke in there. Small spaces equal entrapment and death."

The Ace of Cups thought about this for a while. He thought until an idea struck like a lightning bolt from the eye of the storm. It wasn't a very good idea but it was an idea. The Ace decided he was going to comfort the hero.

"If you get trapped anywhere ever again I promise I'll shoot you in the face." The Ace supplies.

Porter stared at him for a minute before setting off on his own.

"Wait! We have to get into a car or a truck because Casino Park is where Las Vegas used to be and we're in the former Texas!" The Ace of Cups brought up.

Morgan Porter thought nothing of it.

"Can't we walk?" He asked.

By now The Ace of Cups was twitching. After all our hero has lived alone in the sixth circle of Hell for a decade, he can't remember the distance from Arizona to Texas. Be honest really, some people that haven't and live on either of those states don't.

"No Morgan, no we can not walk." The Ace of Cups smiled with that sugary sweet demeanour.

He was beginning to regret pushing Porter onto the group.

Porter blanked out for a moment.

"Is traveling in small spaces the only way to get there?" He asked.

"Actually no, I guess we could steal a motorcycle but who on Trash Heap has one of those anymore? There too expensive. And besides it's the mark of a gang, we'd get shot." The Ace mentioned.

Porter was having none of that. Sadly The Ace of Cups was correct, there would be no motorcycle for either of them. However a car did go past them. The Ace of Cups seeing this chance threw a rock at the car. It smashed through the window and hit the driver square in the face. Rather than dropping like a fly as was to be expected he stopped the car abruptly and stepped out. This man was having an awful day and thus decided to take it out on the fool that dared to pull this stunt on him. This man had black hair and purple eyes. He was of a broad built and had a mechanical arm that was the signature of an employ of Judgement. However by his fine suit it was unlikely that he worked for that man in the cusp of insanity. This man who's story is not for now stormed over towards Porter and lifted him by the collar.

"Alright you street punk, what makes you think you can get away with that?" He snarled.

"I didn't throw that at you." Porter replied.

The Ace of Cups was having none of this and slapped Porter out of this man's grasp.

"I'm sorry, I did it, we need a ride to Casino Park." The Ace said bluntly devoid of the honey and venom dripping down the false voice.

This man grumbled but he admired the audacity.

"What's your business there?" He sneered towards the two with sharpened teeth quite visible.

"We have a meeting with someone." The Ace mentioned as he was not willing to give the game away.

This greatly amused the man.

"Well then, please accept a ride from me. Clarrisa's in there but she's small. Don't mind her. Alright?" He asked.

The Ace nodded in reply before climbing into the passenger side of the car. Porter went in the back and curled up as best as he could for comfort with a small whine. The Ace sighed and tried to seem like he was ignoring it. A small girl with orange hair and large grey eyes sat beside our hero. She was very thin for her age and had a pair of orange furred cat ears where human ones ought to be.

"Hi there! I'm Clarrisa! Clarrisa is my name! My name!" The girl stated.

"Morgan Porter." Our hero replied.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"What? Yes."

"Liar. Liar. Liars tell false things to me. Okay."

The girl then stopped talking and stared out the window as if it was the solitary most fascinating thing on earth, it may have been. This man was driving as if Hell was snapping at his heels. The Ace didn't really care, far from it, after all as it was in his own interest.  He was still concerned though.

"Why are you driving so fast?" The Ace asked with his venomous honey returned.

"Because I have to get to work and get the kid back to her brother before he goes screaming down the phone at me. Now butt out." This man replied with a glance towards the girl through the rear view mirror.

The Ace of Cups decided not to bring it up again. The rest of the trip was spent in silence.

This man had every intention of pulling up literally in front of his work place, whether or not it would be alright for his guests. And he did so, and he did so. This man in the thrall of anger unlocked all the doors.

"Right everyone out! I'm late!" This man growled as he threw open the door and threw himself out.

This child climbed out and The Ace of Cups eyes grew wide as his ears were filled with the sound of shrieking.

"Great. They started without me." This man sighed.

"Well they started without me as well." This child whined.

The Ace of Cups stared out at the glowing sign above the place. The Casino at the End of the World it spelt out. He rushed into the building as fast as he could without caution. Morgan Porter followed.

"So this is where you were going ah?" This man chuckled. "Sorry to say but this is a very bad place to be at this time. If you wish to be here you'll have to wait a few hours."

Both ignored him and ran in.

"Fools. Damned fools." This man growled again.

Yes this man. The Three of Swords.

The two ran in and this is where their story begins.