Stanley asked for help: Casino Opening
Saturday (day 25)
It had finally come.
After delays, permits, advertisements, Alex getting a shapeshifter flue, and giving the dead molemen found in the bunker a proper funeral, everything was ready.
The Casino was finally ready to open!
Stan was getting ready in a dressing trailer he had rented just for the occasion. He wore his usual Mr. Mystery suit, fez, and eye patch. He then turned to his canes.
After picking up the femur cane when he was first designing his outfit, he made sure to change it every week. This was partly to keep his interest up, but also because nothing felt right to him.
Not the femur, not the black hook, not the scepter, not the cane sword, and not the tree branch he had tried whittling into shape.
The last one had also shattered when he tried putting weight onto it.
He quickly glanced at the time and bit back a curse. Only 10 minutes to curtain and he still wasn't ready. How hard was it to pick a cane?
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Stan shoved his internal turmoil down and turned to the door with a grin.
"Who is it?"
"It's your Ma Stan."
Stan let his shoulders slump in relief before walking over and opening the door to let her in.
"Hi, Ma. What brings you here? Need help getting ready for the big event?"
Caryn smiled and shook her head while holding a cardboard tube.
"Nope, I have something for you. A package just came in from Shermie for you. There was a letter attached as well."
Stan cocked an eyebrow as he took both the package and the letter from his Ma's hands. He then placed the package at his feet and read the letter.
Hi Stanley!
Boy, am I glad to be able to write to you again. You'd better either write or call back so I know you got this. If I don't hear from you at least once a week, I'm going to come up there and tattoo my number and address on your forehead.
I also wanted to help you with your "Mystery Shack" business. I know nothing about tourist traps, running a business, or how to con people. However, I have a wife with friends in the local theater industry. One of the theaters recently went bankrupt, so they auctioned off their old props. I got my hands on this neat-looking cane. I thought you could use it in your act, given that you said you're rotating between canes once a week.
Let me know how it works, and good luck bro!
Shermie Pines
PS. I plan to take my family on a road trip to see you this summer. Here is your three-month warning!
Stan handed the letter over to Ma to read while he picked up the package and removed one of the ends before sliding the cane out into his hand.
It was about the length of his arm and made of dark brown wood. The bottom of the cane had a metal tip colored brass, though Stan wasn't sure of the actual type used. The head was an 8-ball with the 8 facing forward, where it was easily visible when holding it.
Stan held it in his hands a bit before grabbing it by the 8-ball and began gesturing with it. Pretending he was showing off his trailer to an invisible crowd with the cane as the pointer.
"Having fun Stanley?"
Stan lowered the cane and turned to his ma, smiling.
"Yes, I am. This cane is perfect! I think I just found the last piece of my Mr. Mystery outfit."
As a matching smile emerged on her face, Caryn glanced at a clock in the room to check the time.
"Only seven minutes until opening. Are you ready?"
Stan tossed up his cane before grabbing it midair with the air of a professional showman and a charming smile.
"Time to start the show."
In front of the tree
A lone tree in the middle of the Gravity Falls Forest was the subject of an unusual amount of attention from an unusual crowd. Gnomes, ghosts, manotaurs, a sentient creature made of candy, gremloblins, sentient zombies, mole men, lilliputtians, clay monsters, unicorns, and more gathered in front of a simple stage.
Alex kept an eye on things happening topside while Handwitch ensured the casino remained operational for the official opening. Who had the more challenging job was up for debate.
Handwitch oversaw dozens of employees handling drinks, cleaning, running games, converting money to chips, calculating the exchange rates of dozens of potential currencies and bartered items, maintaining the equipment, security, and all the other little tasks that have to be done to keep a casino operational on opening day.
On the other hand, Alex was responsible for setting up the big top tent they rented so people with Agoraphobia could watch the show top side, manage a crowd, break up fights between board denizens, handle the snack carts serving the people up top for the event, setting up the stage, handling the special effects for Stan's show, and other unexpected things that pop up.
All that was done with Caryn's help compared to the dozens of staff working in the casino.
He nervously glanced upward to ensure the tent was still there before looking back to the two manotaurs he had been talking to.
"Look, the rules are clear. No fighting in the tent or casino. If you can't follow the rules, then you will have to leave."
"HE ATE MY JERKY!"
"HE DRANK MY SODA!"
Alex rolled his eyes before shifting into Manotaur's body with the Gobblewonker's head, grabbed both by the neck before hoisting them up, and shot both death glares.
"NO! FIGHTING!"
After putting the two down by slamming their heads together, he turned back to his base form before walking away.
He then glanced at a clock hung near the stage to see how long it would be before the show started.
Almost time.
After a quick look at the crowd to determine that they would behave for now, he went over to Caryn who had just come out of Stan's trailer.
"Everything ready Caryn?"
She gave him a firm nod. "Introduce him."
Alex nodded, but before he could leave, Caryn stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Just so you know, you can call me Grandma or the like if you want. I know you and Stan aren't official yet, but the offer is there."
Alex's eyes began tearing up before he could get a handle on them. HE then gave Car-Nana a quick hug before he made his way over to the stage and onto it. It was a hastily built wooden one with no guard rail, a single staircase at the back, and a rope disguised as a vine leading from the stage to a branch near the top of the tree. He then grabbed the mic and turned it on.
"HELL- hello- Hello everyone. I am Alex Heirsh, and welcome to the official reopening of the Gravity Falls casino!"
The crowd erupted into a massive roar of applause, cheering, and excitement. Alex eventually waved his hand in a "settle down" to try and quiet them before speaking again.
"Now, I know you all want to see what we have in store. However, before we open the door, we all owe someone a thank you."
He turned behind him and saw Stanley, in his complete Mr. Mystery outfit, standing at the feet of the stairs with a new 8-ball cane in hand.
"He came to this valley after spending his entire life considered a failure and rejected by everyone except his Ma. Despite that, he dropped everything when his family needed him to help them. When his brother was banished from this world after telling him to get as far away from him as possible, he still decided to dedicate himself to getting him back. Where his brother made himself an outcast in the human town, he made himself beloved by helping them. When he found his brother made enemies of an entire world and wronged them, he began to right those wrongs."
Alex was glad remembered how to remove his tear ducts and alter his nose, as it prevented him from tearing up or sniffling during his speech.
"When he found a scared kid locked in a cage of one form or another for his entire life lashing out at him, he provided a home and helped to introduce him to the outside world at his own pace.
"Now, without further ado, STANLEY MYSTERY PINES!"
Alex returned, handed the mic to a now teary-eyed Stanley, and walked off the stage.
Stan then slowly walked front and center on the stage and basked in the cheering and applause. Applause for HIM! He got some from his tours at the Shack, but it was only Mary and others who started after hearing her. This was a large crowd all applauding him because they liked him, cared about him, and accepted him.
After his brother turned his back, he thought he would never get that again.
When the crowd began to quiet on its own, Stan took a deep breath and started his speech.
"Greetings everyone! I am Stanley Pines, but you can also call me Mr. Mystery during my tours at the Mystery Shack tourist attraction. When I first came here, I was only concerned with helping my brother and repairing our relationship. When he was banished to another dimension, I looked for anything and anything I thought could help me. Eventually, I found the Crawlspace and Ford's wanted poster for his experiments, abuse, and destruction of the casino."
Stan then let out a sigh. "I know Ford has issues, but I never thought he would do something as dumb as anger multiple groups of supernatural creatures. I have given numerous explanations for why, but that is not why we are here. Today, I am finishing my plan to pay you back for all the wrong Ford did to you.
"Starting with reopening the casino!"
"YEAH!"
"HAZZAH!"
"Stanley rules!"
Stan let them cheer for a bit before speaking again.
"And that is not all! I am also here to honor my deal with Judge Mic the Strict about paying off Ford's weregild. Just see me at my booth in the casino and tell me your name. You'll get your payment if you are on the list Mic provided. If you want to be on the list and think you have a claim, talk to Mic. When I get Ford back, you can choose to refund your weregild to me and instead have Ford repay it.
"Does everyone understand?"
The crowd let out several sounds of agreement, though some were more excited than others—no prize for figuring out why.
"The casino now also has three different entrances to accommodate everyone better. This one I'm about to show you is the main entrance but has stares. If you prefer an elevator, that stump will deposit you at the bottom of these stairs. Just knock 'shave and a haircut' on the triangle moss patch on the rock next to it to turn it on. If you use the subterranean tram system, a dedicated door at the stop will deposit you at the same place as the elevator and stairs.
"Now I know everyone is tired of these explanations and me stalling opening this to give Handwitch more time to get ready, so how about I just open it now?!"
"YES! OPEN IT!"
"Very well! I declare this casino OPEN!"
He then grabbed the rope on the stage and gave it a sharp pull, activating the lever on the tree, which descended deep into the earth and became a staircase.
The crowd lost their minds at the sight and began to surge towards the stairway in mass. It would have been a stampede if Alex hadn't been standing next to it to direct traffic.
Stan didn't bother with either of those and headed over to the entrance to the subterranean highway to use that entrance instead. A quick pull on the trapdoor, and he was in the station.
In front of him was a replica of the doors to the Mines of Morea, twice the size of the original. The lines glowed a pale blue light, illuminating the area around it despite lacking any other light source. A faint, ethereal song emanated from the door as if a band was behind it.
Stan walked forward towards the door without wavering, like the wall was not there. As he neared it, the wall parted before him inches from his body. As he emerged on the other side of the three-inch thick wall, it closed behind him just as seamlessly.
Stan turned, looked around the room he was in, and smiled.
As much as he missed having a dedicated bunker, the portal lab could double just as well. There were also a few others made by the subterranean creatures of the Falls in response to the Cold War.
Where the bunker once stood was a circular room for those entering the casino from the stairs, elevator, or subterranean highway to gather before entering the casino. A green carpet covered the floor with patterns of leaves, mushrooms, and branches. The walls of the room had roots crawling down, covered in glowing mushrooms to provide light. The ceiling was designed to look like the roots had cracked it while growing downwards, and the rest was covered by an intricately painted mural depicting the history of the casino. From being made by the mole men, serving the community for decades, being destroyed by Ford for a lab, being used as Alex's prison, Stan freeing him, Stan paying the molemen to rebuild it, Stan opening the new casino, and a blank space for further depictions. The center of the ceiling has a hole that continuously pours a stream of water down upon a rock formation, where it brock up and cascades down it in several smaller waterfalls between moss-covered rocks and into a small pound surrounding it in the middle of the room filled with lily pads and fish. Several small, coin-operated fish food dispensers were next to it, and benches were made to resemble logs and large rocks.
The Entrance to the casino's main floor was a similar height to the Lord of the Ring's themed door. Two giant, moss-covered statues of Stanley flanked it. Both depicted him in his Mister Mystery outfit, but while the left held a lit lantern in its left hand and the eye patch over its right eye, the other had a cane in its right hand and the eye patch over its left eye. Over this door was a cross-section of a tree with the name of the casino burned into it.
"The Good Pine."
Stan took a moment to enjoy how good it looked and noted to adjust the statue to have his new 8-ball cane before walking between the statues and examining the casino floor.
After crossing between the statues of himself, his senses were overwhelmed by the casino. He saw the slot machines' flashing lights, the intricate murals along the wall, and the images of the night sky on the ceiling twinkling down on them. He heard the clinking chips, the flutter of cards from the dealers, and the cheers of players. He smelled the cooking food, cocktails served, and natural scents pumped into the room.
With a quick look to his left and right, he saw giant pots on their sides with a wall and cage designed to look like piles of gold. The cashiers sat inside, ready to convert chips into currency or vice versa—a brochure listed the acceptable currencies and available exchange rates, which were adjusted monthly.
He moved through the crowds of excited patrons already trying out the slots, card games, sports betting, dice games, roulette wheels, drinking, and food served in the establishment. He made sure to offer congratulations to those winning, encouragement to those losing, and a charming smile to those who stopped him to talk.
Eventually, he made it through the three sections and reached the very back of the casino. In front of him was a booth made to look like a large tent with the Holy Mackerel symbol emblazoned on its sides. Hanging from two poles over the tent was a banner that read "Stanford Weregild payments and info" written in gold letters on a dark red background to match the journals. To its left was a collection of dart boards, dunk tanks, and statues charging to have things thrown at them or smashed. All were themed around Ford and Filbrick, though others could be added if the demand was high enough and it got approved by the management.
Stan looked at the massive line in front of the cage that already stretched all the entrances and smiled. He entered the tent, flipped the sign from "closed" to "open," and turned to the first customer.
"Hello, Steve. Let me check what Mic says you are owed, and I'll get it right to you."
Steve nodded as Stan looked in the book provided to him.
"Let's see, Steve; the gnome is owed… 1,000 Thimbleberries for being locked up in a cat carrier and experimented on."
Stan then reached into a drawer next to him and filled a little bag. He then handed it to Steve, who then immediately checked it.
"Hay! These are casino chips!"
Stan nodded before pointing at the entrance. "You can exchange them for Thimbleberries or other currencies at the cashier up front."
Steve looked at Stan for a few seconds before sighing.
"Ok, that's not a bad idea you have. Thanks, Stan, and have a nice day. I think I'll pay your ax throwing a visit."
Steve headed to the booths at the side while Stan served the next person in line. This one was a mole man, but not one Stan knew on sight.
"Can I get mine in diamonds?"
Stan shrugged. "Sure, but I only have chips here. You will have to exchange them with the cashier upfront. This way I don't have to keep this booth stocked with every currency people use, the cashiers don't have to worry about keeping records about the weregild, customers don't worry about a massive line for the cashiers, and this line doesn't get slowed down by me having to search through all the currencies and counting or measuring them to provide the correct amount."
"And you can encourage people to gamble so you don't have to actually pay the weregild. Also, I can't help but notice you placed the anti-Ford games that take chips right next to the booth where people who hate Ford get chips."
Stan shrugged. "Hey, you don't HAVE to spend the chips. You can cash it in at the front and leave."
The moleman narrowed his eyes but only gave his name dryly.
After Stan paid him off, the rest of the day went smoothly.
People gave Stan their name, Stan double-checked how much they were owed and what Ford did to them, and then Stan gave them the chips. Stan was sure that some would just cash them at the cashier and walk away with their payment, but a lot would try their hand at gambling in an attempt to get even more. More likely than not, Stan would walk away from this at a profit instead of a loss.
He also considered doing this for the mole men who made the Snack Shack, but Alex put his foot down.
Stan can still remember that conversation.
Flashback
"No way, Stan!"
"Why? We are already doing the same thing for the weregild; why can't we do it for the Snack Shack workers?"
"Because the mole men that made your Snack Shack did a rush order in under a day! Despite getting the help of some Manotaurs, they still had to expose themselves to the surface several times during the work! I will not trivialize their efforts by paying them in poker chips in the middle of a casino! We will pay them in diamonds, gold, worms, American dollars, or whatever else they want to be paid in. I will not exploit them because you are greedy!"
Stan and Alex stood face to face in a staring match for several seconds before Stan cracked a smile.
"Standing up to the old man when you think he's wrong? Great job, Alex. I'll start putting together a list of currencies I can pay in and let them decide. I will also put chips on the list as a potential option."
Alex signed. "I'm fine with that."
Present Day
Stan was proud of Alex and the fine man he was becoming. Though Stan hoped he wouldn't suffer too much from his "rebellious teen" phase.
Well, speak of the devil.
"Hay Alex, what are you doing here?"
Alex shrugged and glanced at the unicorn that just picked up her poker chips before stepping aside to let a gremloblin in a top hat step forward.
"Hi, Fred. Hi Stan. I just wanted to see how this was going. Has anyone raised a fuss about this yet?"
"Only a moleman earlier, but once I explained the logic behind this, he took his payment and moved on."
Alex sighed in relief. "Good to hear. I was worried we might have a riot."
He then looked at the booths next door filled with anti-Ford and Filbrick games. "Any objection if I give them a go?"
Stan gave him a feral grin and handed him a small bag of tokens. "Here, have a few games on the house."
Fred then spoke up and held up his own bag of tokens. "Want to see who can get the highest score?"
Alex grinned as he shifted to look just like Fred as he put on matching sunglasses. "I'll keep to your form to keep things even."
The two then headed to the Ford Statue smashing booth to see who could reduce theirs to dust the fastest.
"Have fun, and don't destroy the floor! We just made this place, and I want to keep massive repairs to a minimum."
Stan chuckled as he turned back to the line.
The hours passed as he handed over bag after bag of chips to those wronged by Ford. When dinner came around, Alex returned with Caryn.
"Hi, Stan. How's it going?"
Stan looked at the line, which didn't appear to have shrunk in the slightest.
"According to the book, I am halfway done. At this rate, I should be done by my bedtime. I plan to keep this booth open for the next week, just in case." He stretched as he checked the time and handed another bag of chips to a customer. "So, what brings you two over?"
Alex smiled as he shifted his lower body into a solid block and asked for the next customer's name.
"We are here to make sure you are taking your dinner break. Alex will take care of the line while we have supper at your casino's restaurant." She then broke into a massive grin. "My son owns a casino with a restaurant. A massively successful casino where people literally wager diamonds. How can this get better?"
Stan smiled and pointed at the booths where people were shooting arrows at targets that looked like Filbrick. Caryn looked at it and the dozens of other games featuring making him suffer and smiled in a way that reminded Stan of a shark.
"Is there a family discount?"
Stan handed her a bag of chips. "Here you go. Want to have some fun before eating?"
Caryn took the bag while shaking her head. "How about we eat first? Those lines look incredibly long, and I don't want to wait on an empty stomach."
Stan shrugged as the two left the booth. "Ok, but there's a reason I put them right next to where people get weregild. That line won't be going down any time soon.
"Now, would you prefer the bar's snack food, the casual restaurant's quick serve, or the fancy restaurant? I'm pay-"
"Fancy food!"
Stan rolled his eyes as he guided his mother to the upscale restaurant.
As the two wound their way through the casino, Caryn immediately lost track of where they were.
"How do you find your way around so easily?"
Stan gave her a cheeky smile. "When we were making it, we ensured there were hidden clues and signs for employees to use. Certain designs on the carpets and decorations on the slot machines for example. I can give you a list later if you're interested."
Caryn shook her head as the two entered the restaurant. The entrance was designed to look like an ominous cave, with skeletons strewn around it. The carpet near it traded the leaves and sticks for small rodents, bones, and skulls. A signpost with a vulture perched on it stood next to the entrance, with the name written in dark red paint that looked like it was still dripping.
"Beware!"
The inside was made to look like a spooky cave, with the ceiling covered with animatronic bats that moved and squeaked, luminescent mushrooms providing light on every table, and sauce bottles shaped like rats and giant insects. One side of the restaurant had an unobstructed view of the sports betting area so those there could still participate.
Stan and Caryn were seated at a VIP table in a little nook separated from the rest of the restaurant with a curtain with an image of a dark cave on it.
"Wow, you really went into the theme here." Caryn then looked at the menu provided and grimaced at the choices.
"How safe are these for us?'
Stan held up his menu and showed the title.
"This is the human-safe menu, so everything on it is safe for us to eat. We also have menus that are gnome-safe, gremloblin-safe, unicorn-safe, and more. Though the Manotaurs insisted we shouldn't make one for them, they are 'too manly to be poisoned.'"
Stan rolled his eyes as he looked over his order. "If you're still worried about it or curious about what's for sale, check out the descriptions under the titles. If you still aren't sure, as the waiter.
"Also, the prices here are in chips. With the sheer number of possible currencies, using them as the base price was easier."
He then shot his Ma a massive smile. "But don't worry about the price, Ma; I'm paying for the food in my restaurant."
Both laughed at that before looking at the menu. Eventually, the water, a short bat with sown eyes, walked up.
"Hello, Mister and Madum Pine. May I get you drinks, or are you ready to order?"
Stan looked at Caryn, who shrugged before answering.
"How about the non-alcoholic version of the 'Evermead' drink? It looks interesting."
Stan nodded and added his order of non-alcoholic 'Neverwinter Nectar' as the waiter headed off to get the order.
"So, how is owning a casino?"
Stan shrugged. "I own the building, but Handwitch is running the whole thing and taking most of the profits. I plan to review the weekly earnings and select which will be used to satisfy my percentage. I plan on focusing on the human money, tickets to shows and attractions, uses of a creature's powers or services, gold, and gems or jewels in that order."
Caryn blinked in surprise. "I would have thought you would have placed gold and gems at the top."
"It's harder to explain where I got those to the IRS. It's already going to be a pain trying to figure out how to explain where my profits from the casino come from when doing taxes. As fine as I am with lying on my taxes, I don't want to do it more than I have to now that I am finally settled up with them."
Caryn looked full of understanding and pride. "I'm not sure which I am prouder of right now: you owning a successful business, you trying not to lie to help your brother, or you willingly paying taxes to stay out of trouble."
Stan laughed at that. "I know, at this point, I can probably call myself an upstanding businessman without sarcasm. Though given that one of them is a tourist trap where I tell people stories, I can't call myself an honest businessman."
Caryn slapped Stan on the shoulder. "Don't worry, neither am I. You are in good company on that front."
Their waiter then returned with their drinks.
"Here you go. Are you ready to order, or do you need some more time?"
Stan looked towards Caryn. "I'm ready, you?"
"I think so. The Tears of Selune are fish kabobs, right?" After getting a confirmation, she ordered some.
Stan nodded. "Good choice. I'll have some Ornabra."
Their waiter wrote down their orders and then headed to the kitchen—the two then took sips of their unusual drinks. Caryn found the Evermead to be smooth and aromatic, with assertive notes of clover honey and a multitude of fruits and grains she could not hope to recognize. Stan's Neverwinter Nectar had a sweet fruit-infused flavor, a buttery base, and a citrus-tinged aftertaste so rich in flavor Stan felt like he was eating dessert first.
Caryn then decided to ask Stan a question she had been wondering for a while.
"Do you plan on ever opening this up to humans? I mean more than just you, me, Shermie, and Toby Determined."
Stan rolled his eyes before holding up three fingers.
"One, we aren't sure if Toby is human or not. Most of the community will let him into their places but keep an eye on him at all times, just in case.
"Two. I plan on letting Alex in once he is old enough to gamble and drink. He should try that out where I can watch him and fully control the environment. I might also let in his mom and future spouse, depending on several factors."
"Three. The valley's denizens strongly opposed humans before Ford started making them mad. The only reason you and Shermie's wife and kid would be able to come is because I'm in the good books of everyone here. The only reason other humans would be allowed in would be if they were respected by at least one of the species."
Caryn nodded along. "Can't argue with that. What about if a human finds their way into here by accident? Or one tries to sneak in?"
"We have several plans, from making them look and smell drunk or high, making them drunk or high, and even a few memory and dream spells. Though those last ones have to be used sparingly, messing with someone's mind too much can have nasty long-term consequences, according to Handwitch."
At that point, the waiter returned with their food.
"Your dinners."
Stan and Caryn both thanked their waiter and dug in. Caryn found the kababs spicy and coated in paprika, soy sauce, and sesame seed seasoning. The side of warm rice helped the textures and flavors go down that much better. Stan's Ornabra, on the other hand, was a hearty lamb and potato stew served with a slotted spoon and a collection of flatbreads so that the eater could choose to consume it as either a burrito or a stew.
As they ate together, a comfortable silence prevailed. A few times, a short conversation about things like "What sports do they bet on?" or "What kind of merchandise are you planning on selling?" popped up.
Eventually, they finished their meal, and their waiter returned to gather their plates.
"How about some dessert?"
The two glanced at each other and shook their heads.
"I think we're good. Can you give us the check?"
The waiter nodded and handed over the check, which Stan looked over before pulling out his brochure and comparing the two. He then used the pen to do some math on the receipt before coming to a number and handing over some American dollars and chips to the waiter.
"Here you go, American dollars for the bill and chips for the tip."
He smiled as he took them. "Thanks, Stan. Have a great evening."
Caryn and Stan then stood up and headed to the tent where Alex was still paying out weregild. The line in front of him now only had 25 people in it.
"Hi, guys. How was dinner?"
Caryn smiled. "I enjoyed it. I was pleasantly surprised by how good the food was, so expect meals here on my future gift lists."
Stan nodded. "I figured, and don't forget about the bar and casual restaurant." He then turned to Alex. "You ready to swap out?"
Alex shook his head. "It's just 25 people. I can wrap this up on my own. Why don't you go home and get some sleep?"
"But-"
"Stanley Mystery Pines! You listen to Alex and march right back home and go to bed! When was the last time you got a full 8 hours of sleep?"
…
"Alright. Goodnight, Alex."
"Good night Stan."
Stan then led Caryn out of the casino. He waved at Handwitch, talking with the cashiers as he left.
When they entered the lobby, Stan decided to try out the elevator since that was the form of transportation he knew the least about compared to the others.
This side of the elevator looked like a giant maggot pocking through the side of the wall. The eyes lit up when the lift reached them, and the mouth opened sideways to show the interior. It was a large, wall-less lift, similar to a freight elevator. The only difference was that its floor looked like a tree stump.
After entering the lift, the doors closed behind them, and the lift began to rise.
"How much did you spend on this decorating?"
"Not as much as you think. With so many people wanting the casino back, lots of people got me the materials for the Mole men to use at a discount. Add in the equipment donated by my casino-owning friend to settle a debt, and the whole thing should be paid off by the end of next month."
At that point, their tree stump finished raising upward, settling into the top of the tree stump Stan had pointed out earlier. Looking around, the two marveled at how quiet and dark it was compared to the casino below them.
Caryn looked over at the tree containing the staircase with a concerned expression.
"How do you expect people to continuously use that without revealing its location? Even if it is in the middle of the forest and far from the trails, someone will notice it if it keeps being used."
Stan smiled and pointed to a large circle of stones around the clearing holding the tree and stump.
"The unicorns use something similar to this on their grove. With the help of a few other magically inclined people, we were able to set up this circle that would prevent any person who didn't know about them from seeing or hearing the tree or elevator outside the circle. A contingent of gnomes is also being paid to ward away humans, just in case. This place should be safe from human intrusion for a while."
Caryn hummed as the two stepped off the stump and towards the stone circle.
"Neat. Do you think you can do something similar to keep Filbrick out?"
Stan rolled his eyes. "No, Ma. This would only work on people that don't know what's inside the circle. Since Filbrick knows about the valley and that we are here, there is little we could do beyond the options I mentioned earlier. Honestly, he isn't worth the trouble right now."
Caryn nodded, and the two continued their walk through the forest, enjoying the sounds of the night as the sky lit their way, full of stars and empty of clouds and light pollution.
Eventually, they reached the Mystery Shack. Stan stopped to look at it with a great big smile on his face. Ma continued walking forward for a bit before stopping and turning around to look at what was holding him up.
"Hay Stan, are you coming?"
Stan just continued to look at the Shack and his ma with a slight tear in his eye (from a bug that flew into it) as he answered.
"I'm just happy to be home."
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Wow, 6100 words long. This is the longest chapter I have written. Special thanks to my family for suggesting "Good Pine" for the casino. After getting that, the rest of this came together.
The food came from the Dungeon and Dragon cookbooks, while the DND Adventure "Turn of Fortune's Wheel" helped me with the casino's layout and payment system. The paying-in poker chips in the back of the casino came from an episode of "Lie to Me" I saw a while ago, it just seemed too good to NOT use here with Stan.
My page will include a map of the casino I made and a more detailed explanation of its layout and decoration in the new $5 Worldbuilding Ideas tier.
This will be the last chapter. This isn't me saying I will be giving up on this concept, but this IS me saying I didn't execute it well here. I did this without an outline or a solid timeline. Everything in these chapters took place in under a month, so you can see how it can feel rushed. With this being the end of the year, it seemed a good time to end it.
I will continue to try to figure out how to do this better, but if anyone else wants to take a crack at anything in this work, please go ahead. Just be sure to credit me with the ideas if they are original here.
Thank you all for following along with this, my first serious attempt at a long-form, multi-chapter serialized story instead of a collection of one-shots.
If your intrested, the next story will be a novilization of the amazing fan game "Pinesquest 2." Please take a look at the game and my story.
Starting January 3rd, I'll be starting my New Year's resolution of posting one-chapter 2k or longer a week for the same story all year. I already have 27 chapters prewritten, so let's see how it goes.
I have a if you want to support me and my New Year's resolution. This is also being posted on , AO3, and Tumbler.
1$: get early access to the fanfic info dumps, I'll post them up to a month ahead of DevientArt as I make them.
$3: Get early access to my fanfics a week before I post them on FanFiction, AO3, or Tumbler.
$5: Exclusive Worldbuilding content. For December, you'll get a map of the casino Stan is making and a list of all the Caeser Cipher's decoded.
Remove all the spaces from the URLs to get them to work.
: : / / w w w . user?u=10132890
. c o m : : / / w w w . s/14051718/1/luz–appreciation–week–2022–from–1228248
AO3: : / / works/52823413/chapters/133608991
Tumbler: : / / w w w . blog/brianedner
I am also doing fanfic info dumps, like wiki articles that go one episode at a time, with some compilations at the end on specific topics sorted by episode.
Fanfic info dumps here: : / / w w w . 1228248/gallery