Let's (learn how to) make a deal

[pennyloafer]

Louie was kind of nervous about all of this. He was learning how to make deals from a literal demon from hell, why shouldn't he have concerns? But hey, there weren't many who'd teach him better, and honestly? He thought Alastor seemed pretty cool. He got over the top a lot, sure, but the guy knew what he was doing. He was definitely a sharpie.

And speaking of sharpies, Louie was certain Uncle Scrooge was aware of what was going on. And so one thing he wasn't worried about was getting caught by him, grabbing the old-fashioned radio from Scrooge's study and bringing it into a closet of an unused room in the manor... Look, Scrooge might get this and be cool about it, but the rest of his family? H'boy.

Louie set the radio down carefully, then pulled down a coat to sit on, himself. "Alright, Alastor, I'm ready."

Comments

[lonelysmiles]

"Wonderful!" The speakers glowed red, the shadows of the closet deepening for a moment. "Let's start with something easy: What's the most important part of a deal?"

Scrooge was well aware of Alastor tutoring Louie in deal-making, deciding to let it happen. It wasn't a bad thing for him to learn how literal demons made deals. However, he'd set strict rules for Alastor. Teaching him about them was one thing, making a bid for Louie or anyone else's soul was off-limits.

[pennyloafer]

Oh, okay, this was a simple one! Louie answers with a relaxed smile.

"Easy, you want to make sure you're getting enough out of it. It's got to be a beneficial deal."

[lonelysmiles]

"You're close, my fine feathered friend, but what you're missing is the key point in how to strengthen your end of the bargain."

In the little pocket dimension of the radio, Alastor got up from his lounging position to slowly dance.

"A deal is like a tango with both parties attempting to lead. To be successful, one must make sure they are able to control the deal by giving at least the illusion that they themselves don't need to make the deal, that they're humoring the other party in the unlikely event that other party might be able to get what they want with less effort than their original plans."

He summoned a mirror to look at his smile. "The opening volley starts before the very first words: presentation. I would always greet my potential contractees with a smile and was very careful in how I stood and what my hands were doing. Your uncle does much the same with a wide variety of faces that he employs depending on the situation: a pleasant but distant smile, clearly purely polite interest, and even obvious boredom. Your 'war face' can set your opponent off-balance before the very first word because it can make them reconsider their original offer.

"For example, if I'd manifested myself out of this radio on our first meeting, you would've immediately been on high alert, carefully considering every word you said to me lest I manage to finagle your soul away from you. By staying in my radio and speaking to you through less intimidating means, you're more relaxed around me."

[pennyloafer]

Louie frowned with a shudder at the idea of truly seeing Alastor manifested. He couldn't say there wasn't a little curiosity as well, but the idea mostly sent chills down his spine. But the idea here was to focus on the lesson, of course.

"Okay, I see what you're saying. Presenting yourself the right way is important, sure, but... How do I do that now? I'm just a kid."

[lonelysmiles]

"I admit it's quite a challenge when it comes to youth. Age and experience has a bit more weight than youth and enthusiasm in deal-making. It's one reason why many give up since you need the experience to draw in potential contractees but you need contractees to get experience."

Alastor sat back down on his bed, crossing one leg over the other.

"But there are four traits that will prompt a potential contractee to take a risk when you're just starting out. Three are optional and in most cases take time to accumulate: wealth, connections, and power. Power covers a variety of things: magical power, physical strength, influence, and so on. But the one that is critical to a successful Deal Maker is integrity. When a Deal Maker gives their word, it's as good as gold if not better. This means that no lies are given."

He sat back on his hands.

"Now that may sound contradictory given I earlier said that one must at least give the illusion that the Deal Maker can obtain what they want without making the deal. However, that doesn't require lying. There are always ways to finagle what you want from others even if it means taking on a lesser deal that may not be as advantageous to you as a stepping stone to get closer to what you actually want. For example, making a small deal with Person A to become acquainted with their associate, Person B, who has what you really want. The illusion you're projecting is that you're already working on a plan -- if not already have one in place -- to get what you want without having to go through the person you're currently negotiating with. Tell the truth but your wording and presentation allows the person you're negotiating with to come to their own conclusions. The sharper ones will ask for clarification on points they find important; the less sharp will be struggling against their own assumptions and not want to clarify for fear of looking like they're easy prey."