WHEN: 1943 MAR 1 ; EVENING
WHO: Atsila, Blake, Lance, Taiyang, Lily, Kyuu, Odette, Gonzo, Matteo, Naoki, Nemaine
WHAT: Fortune telling to find a fortune teller
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[16:31] Atsila "Addie" finally decided to leave the medical center for once in.... well, a long time. Her research was all encompassing but she decided that finally, she'd spend a little time looking around the city for new input or faces or perhaps ideas from the locals. Tucking a tome under her arm, Addie set off towards the center of town, where she heard something was going on tonight. A relic of the past, the old automaton like Created meandered down the streets. The crackling flame in the cradle of her head seemed to flicker and blink as she searched for the correct address.
[16:34] Blake Jermyn just crawled right straight out of the nearby dumpster, blinking groggily and picking bits of old paper out of his hair. What.... Who were all these people? He squinted, then shrugged, deciding to act like he was perfectly welcome and belonging there, rocking straight up to a chair and plopping himself down to have a seat. From there, he observed the others, noting strange and familiar faces alike, trying to draw the purpose of this gathering from his observation without ever once having to ask the question.
[16:35] Aelwyd Cyrnos scoots past Lance as she makes her way down the alley. There was no way she would normally get caught back here, but curiosity got the better of her and she peeks around at the others who had gathered. She clicks ever so softly as she moves, pale eyes taking in the crowd from the back. Her gaze immediately drawn to the created with the flame for a head, blinking slightly in shock before looking away. But that just drove her attention to Blake and she inclines her head in greeting, her smile amused as she meets his gaze.
[16:37] Naoki Sato had moved out of alarm and urgency. The presence of a particular card in the Fortune Vendor's lot had spurred him to seek out the mysterious hooded figure to no avail... and he wasn't the only one. Many had failed to find the vendor and in the wake of the appearance of other 'cards' on the streets, rumors abounded of what sort of fate had befallen the hooded figure. Sato only had one source of reliable information for such things, so he had hauled poor Nemaine out of the haunted Mercer House and through the streets to one of the alleyways by the pier, as close to the harbor was a nice... place to start looking. Only place to head was up to the floating islands or more inward, after all.
Sato's frantic movements with Nemaine had led to yet more rumors. People began whispering, news traveling of a young man having kidnapped "the fortune teller" and taken her to the alley by the pier, which led to whatever misunderstandings the human mind could make. Whatever drew them here, the people were greeted by a singular sight: a woman in black with a spread of cards and a silver-haired young man watching her intently, and an eerie stillness to the air as if the spirits that haunted most of the island were avoiding this particular area.
[16:38] Lance is here. How could he not be? Not only the fact that he was physically here and not anywhere else, but in fact the reality that the place was practically abuzz with light and life and most importantly dazzling displays of infrared that radiated off of the assembled figures (except for those once deceased, of course). He'd have to be utterly devoid of curiosity in order to not want to inspect whatever the blazes this was.
[16:43] Liu Taiyang at some point... Simply APPEARED in the back alley. He still had bits of fallen leaves and branches in his hair and littering his clothes, and there was the strong stench of alcohol to him, as if he'd been drinking the whole day.
It was not particularly far from the truth - it came with his Dao, was part and parcel of his martial arts. Still, he probably impressed no one as he staggered in, and it was unlikely most of those about would recognize him. He had yet to create a large presence for himself, though the various beggars and homeless folk, of course, always hinted at his presence on the isle.
He'd not had any connection with the fortune teller. Oh, she'd intrigued him, of course, as rumour came about to his ears and the flow of the Dao seemed to twist as he sought - but no cards had found their way to him, and he had, for the time, taken a break from his quest seeking after those with such abberances to simply reaffirm his convictions, the things which made up his Dao.
Which meant drinking and wandering aimlessly in the woods.
He did see, however, two people here who he was keeping an eye on. Kyuu. The tailor - and the other, was his name Blake...? A vagrant. Not one of his vagrants, not yet. But... With potential.
He could see, even now, the TWISTING of fate which the boy implied.
[16:44] Nemaine had not been overly concerned to be hauled out of the house that she dwelled within, she could not call it her home but it suits her needs well enough. She had weighed much less than it would seem she should as she was carried off by the young Sato. She had settled on a broken chair, quietly, waiting, her veiled face held downwards, so that no visage of her eyes are in view for those that wander in. There is a soft hmn of noise that comes from her "It seems you have drawn an interested crowd for this reading my Dear Moon, I suppose they all should come closer, those who need to be warmed, can do so, and those that wish to listen..to aid. Well that is upon them" Her raspy voice states as she carefully shuffles the cards in between her hands "Who among you wishes to cut for me...who would trust their instinct to grant us aid on our quest tonight?" She calls out, all without looking up.
[16:45] Lily O'Keefe had gotten reports of kidnapping because of *course* that showed up when Lily was scrunching her nose and trying to finish her homework at the clerk desk. So she'd dutifully huffed out a sigh and shoved away from the desk. Pausing to grab the sidearm and badge, such as it was, she made her way down towards following the reports only to show up at one of the weirdest little gathering's she'd seen yet and Lily had gone to the tea club. Rising up on her toes, she nibbled her lip once as she scanned the oddly gathered group before sliding towards at least one face that she recognized. She skirted around the construct with the flaming head - only having lived for a semester alongside technomancers kept her boggling form that until she ended up near Kyuu. "What... what is all this?" Lily said, her voice uneasy rather than anything like commanding which she probably *should* have tried for.
[16:45] Kyuu (daisylurve): Kyuu had finished with the last of his clients, sending off a couple with sketches for wedding wear. It is one his favorite things to do, creating clothing that honors such events. The day has been long and he had heard some rumors of something happening. The forture teller had been mentioned and that is really what piqued his interest. He had seen the elder before, when she had given him that card.. and it does not make sense to him that Sato might have kidnapped her. Not without some reason. And so the winsome kitsune wanders down the ally, nose twitching as he seeks out familiar scents which guide him to the correct place. Coming upon the sight of Sato clearly vibrating with energy, he offers a quiet purring sound as quiet sort of greeting then settles himself with an easy grace onto the makeshift bench beside Blake. That man gets a thoughtful look and then the fox lifts a hand to tug a bit of paper free from his hair, turning his hand to hold it out toward him should he wish to keep it.
Peering up at Lily, Kyuu offers a mischievous smile, “Chaos?” he wagers, then gestures toward the seat beside him. “Settling in and lets fid out.”
[16:52] Odette di Benedetti 's afternoon stroll took her down by the waterfront again, the afternoon having been full of unusual events. Seemed to be something in the air here in Callisto.
It was her intent to pop into Windgrace & Windgrace, as Mister Dorian had mentioned it to her and she was curious.
Finding the shop currently closed, Odette continued on along the sidewalk when a noise drew her attention.
She peered into the alley and, seeing people, decided that a nosey was in order.
It was with a start of surprise that a few familiar faces appeared in the group, most notably Lily and Mister Kyuu near the edge, the latter settled on a bench with the former nearby.
What on Earth was going on here, she wondered, one hand drifting down over the heavy tulled skirt absently.
[16:54] Atsila "Addie" tilted her head around, as if she could focus on each face that appeared from the alleyways nearby. Someone (Lily) skirted by her and Addie dipped her head in greeting to be polite. She tucked the tome under her arm a bit tighter and shifted to the side to be out of the way. While her coworkers might be used to seeing her wandering around on a day to day basis, Addie was more than aware that she might be a bit of a strange sight out on the streets. The old automaton glanced over towards where a shrouded woman spoke. Something about Tarot cards? she'd read about them, of course, but she'd never seen them in action. Perhaps now was a good time. Moving around the crowd, Addie tucked herself into a spot near Nemaine and crouched down a little to get a better view.
[16:55] Blake Jermyn gave a friendly upnod to Aelwyd as she spotted him, grinning wide. Seemed since his stint selling bananas for the Windgraces, she'd either forgiven or forgotten, and either one was mighty fine with Blake. He also shot a bright, glittering smile towards Sato, eyes lighting up with no small amount of affection when he spotted the man, He seemed entirely rapt on the older woman next to him, not paying much mind to his surroundings. This, of course, only spurred Blake on to give him a wink and a blown kiss, knowing he'd likely be far too focused to even notice, causing Blake to snicker to himself. A bit of an affectionate prank.
He settled back, continuing to watch the others, offering a smile or nod whenever one was shown to him in return. He caught the eye of a clearly /very/ drunk man, who gave him a curiously lingering glance.... Maybe he just thought he was hot or something. Alright, Blake was into that, he'd have to hit him up later. As well a handsome blonde that... Did he know this guy? He kinda looked familiar, but he couldn't, quite, place him. All the same, he gave him a little nod and a "hey."
[16:56] mianaai: Not too many rumors made it past Matteo unnoticed; really, if he'd majored in Callistani gossip, he'd be acing all his classes. He'd heard tell of a fortune teller, which, frankly, he'd initially thought was a bit trite and not worth finding out about. When people started whispering of a KIDNAPPED fortune teller, however, now that was something to know about... and apparently half the island thought the same thing, he thought, coming upon the small crowd scattered around the alleyway, all clearly here after the same rumors as him.
[17:00] Lance is a bit lost in the post order, but understands that with a group this large it's going to be largely pbp. He approaches the inner sanctum of this alleyway, quietly inspecting those gathered as he hangs back, against walls where he is less likely to be accosted from behind. You never know though - someone might summon the Kool-aid Man or his 1940s analogue.
[17:00] Gonzo Giustizieri had been on the mainland searching under bushes for some clown's missing ball for the past couple hours, and he's about to head back to the academy when he spots a familiar face in an alleyway...and of course he's going to follow after the banana guy. He picks up a couple whispers along the way, gathering something about a fortune teller, and hey, sure, why not? He gives Blake a wave, then drops onto a bench across the way, looking at the gathered folks. If he had to guess which person was the fortune teller, it'd be...the small lady with the big hat, the small lady with the big parasol, or the guy with what looks like just a bowl full of flame for a head. Wasn't that one of Apollo's things? Flame and prophecy?
[17:07] Naoki Sato did not expect to have a crowd descend on them. He heaved an exasperated little sigh but watched intently until the old woman asked the crowd if anyone wanted to cut the deck. He lingered back at first, waiting to see if anyone else would step forward. There were faces he recognized, of course - Blake, Kyuu. Some that he knew in passing from the Academy. But by and large the apprentice's attention was on the cards. He looked up briefly at the... headless? automaton that hovered by Nemaine. Tucking his arms in a fold over his chest, he waited for her to cut the deck and turned to address the crowd.
"You all seek the hooded figure that came to this island, masked. Bearing cards with our faces as if we were known to them. So do we. This one," he nodded to Nemi, "is a Seer. She will give information that will help us locate the figure. We have only to interpret and properly deduce. Don't disturb the process, and... don't kill the hooded figure when they are found. If they're not found alive... I would very much like the body. At least at first."
[17:19] Nemaine does not seem to be very kidnapped. Not as she sits there with the young man. There is a stillness to her before she looks up. Eyes that seem to be a hazy blue stare blankly out at all of the newcomers, before she gives a nod of the head "Good. The searchers are all here. This should be more than enough" She eventually states, not appearing to actually see any of them. Turning to the being (Addie) that settles near her, the deck of cards are held out "Split this deck in half...and than hand back to me oh being of flame...Let your light shine and lead the way" After the cards are cut, each person would find a card upon their person in some fashion, though the deck in Nemi's hand does not seem any smaller
[17:23] Odette di Benedetti 's black eyes slid beyond Kyuu to the woman sat on a broken chair at the center of the collective.
As light as Odette was, this woman seemed to be a photo negative- garbed completely in black, hair as black as coal. Though, as she peered at her, Odette was consumed by the appearance of brightly colored threads warped around the small figure.
The diminutive revenant had seen this only one other time in all her centuries. The threads, shining with light, seemed to fasten to the woman in a way that was surely constricting, binding...and they tied her to the deck in her hands which gleamed as if lit from within;
Almost as if it were alive and sentient, and somehow conjoined to her.
Feeling drawn, Odette's footsteps pulled her closer to the edge of the gathering, now more curious than ever who this woman was.
The smaller man at the far edge of the crowd (Naoki) spoke and something in the fry of his voice drew her eyes to him.
'Hooded figure...', she thought, her fathomless black eyes sliding from the man with death clinging about him to the woman tethered to the cards.
From her vantage point, tucked against the wall of the alley as she was, those to her left were still out of view to her, and thus her attention was fixed to the woman in black. She wondered what others could possibly want to know...what would SHE want to know, if she asked?
[17:25] Lance suddenly has a card in his coat. The man blinks, not having been aware of the exact moment it appeared, but aware of it once it had. Quickly, perhaps a bit faster than the eye /wanted/ to see, he produces it, gazing over the inked cardstock with mild curiosity before raising his interests to the behatted mistress of the deck.
[17:26] Liu Taiyang || Nemaine catches Taiyang's eyes at the last moment, though, the sense of something very, VERY different about that one. There's something of a sense of kinship, in fact - there's an internalization of the Dao there, one that's powerful even to the Daoist Immortal. To put it into cultivators' language, there was a sense of some kind of Law that pervaded the fortune teller, though the TYPE of Law seemed to differ significantly from his own.
It was such an unusual sight for the deity that for a time, he forgot about both Kyuu and Blake. For just a moment, Nemaine would likely be able to tangibly feel the immortal's gaze, the kind of look that bore the weight of the Mythic Ages, before Taiyang seemed to realize that he was being rude and paused his charade of drunkenness to bow towards Nemaine, the moment passing as he breaks eye contact.
One man's voice breaks through. Cold. Clinical. Brusque. His eye turned upon Sato, though he withheld the weight of his gaze and the flow of time inherent to it. He list to it with only some interest. The rumours of the fortune teller, the twisting of the Dao - yes, it was interesting. He found the being who seemed to be weaved with it somewhat MORE interesting, though.
He glances in her direction again, more careful this time to restrain his sight while he sways on his feet, hiccuping with cheeks red with Asian flush.
He FELT the thrum go through the Dao as much as saw it, the weave suddenly quaking around every person present, his brow lifting for a moment as he looks inside his cloak for the thing he already knows is going to be there. He plucks it up, holds it up, staring and swaying as he looks upon it. It was an abstract little thing. Two crows. Lilies... Or perhaps lotuses? In a golden fount. Four... Wands? He believed the Westerners called them, of the tarot cards? And four orbs above each... Lamplights? Torch flame? It did not quite seem to be OF this Dao. It was something more alien to it... Perhaps of a Dao beside it.
It didn't matter. He simply let the implication wash over him, opened himself a bit deeper to the thrum of the world. What was it that the Westerners said of the Four of Wands...? A return home, was it...?
[17:30] Atsila "Addie" tilted her head a little as a deck of cards is offered. The flame whooshed and sputtered on her head as she inspected the cards. The time under her arm was set on her knees momentarily as her delicate metal fingers clasp the desk from the woman's hands. She did as asked, splitting the deck in half and handing it back. Why? Addie didn't know. She'd never seen a Tarot reading before. Once the deck was handed back, she lifted her tome once more, only for a Tarot card to fall out. The Lovers, it read. Addie picked it up with two fingers, holding it before the flames of her face. "Interesting." Came the crackling sputter of words from somewhere at the base of the flame. It sounded robotic almost, like a doll's voicebox with a little more tuning.
[17:31] Lily O'Keefe had given Kyuu an uncertain smile; a little half hearted flip of her lips that mostly quirked one corner. It lifted into a proper smile for Odette, showing a hint of a dimple but as soon as the pair began talking, Lily's attention was drawn. She hissed in a small breath. She might be a terrible witch but she still knew what *those* cards meant especially in skilled hands. She lifted her fingers as if to ward off a reading only to find a card flickering between her fingertips. Hesitantly, Lily turned it up only to have that smile fade as she looked at the face of the fool in her hands. "Of course," Lily sighed, running her fingertips over the edge as she took a step back towards Odette though despite herself, Lily couldn't make herself leave. "So there -is- a missing person. Just not this one. Well, I'm still here to help then. Do I.... do I give this back then or....?"
[17:32] mianaai: Matteo observed the proceedings with all the respect and gravity of a tourist, smiling slightly as Nemaine spoke. Even as he reached into his pocket and flicked out a tarot card--ten of wands, burdens, taking on too much, lack of delegation, HARDLY "his" card at any rate--he only huffed a quiet laugh.
[17:34] Blake Jermyn gave a big ol' friendly grin and a wave to good old Tony Pizza as he showed up. Man, this place was just FULL of familiar, friendly faces! Maybe he'd woken up at the right gathering after all. He cocked his head as Sato began to speak, totally blanking on his gestures of pranky affection just as he'd expected, but then his attention fixed just as raptly on him. The fortuneteller, huh? His hand crept to his breast pocket, the strange card that seemed to depict him tucked carefully away there. He'd never gotten the chance to come back for his beloved's, and now apparently the fortune teller was missing entirely? Well, shit...
As the old woman next to him spoke, Blake watched her as well, head cocking curiously as she asked the woman standing next to him to step over and SHE AIN'T GOT NO HEAD!!!! Blake only barely stopped himself from shouting that aloud, one hand raising to cover his dropped jaw. Alright. Don't stare. Don't make it weird... He tries to distract himself, only to find that suddenly, shocking easy as he discovers a card tucked behind his ear. Knight of Wands, huh? Damn shame he had no idea how tarot worked, otherwise that might have struck him as rather meaningful.
[17:35] Gonzo Giustizieri raises her eyebrows. Oh, damn. Sounds like there's been a real creep on the loose out here. Hooded guy in a mask? Nuh uh. And he's drawing people? ...well, maybe he's just an artist. They're always doing crap like that. But whatever. "Alive? Can do, boss," is the immediate response to Sato's request, before she gets distracted by the fact that a card appeared in her hand without noticing. She makes a superstitious gesture with one hand, then squints down at it. Birds wearing crowns? Wait, no, that's 3 pentacles underneath them. She glances around at all the people gathered, then back to the card, and sighs. Yeah, yeah, teamwork, basic competency, great. "Fun trick, lady." Then Matteo's laugh earns a raised eyebrow, but that's it. They got jokes in the cards now?
[17:35] Kyuu (daisylurve): Kyuu would have made room for Lily but the hesitant smile she gives him stills the motion. He blinks at her then tilts his head, wondering. Sato’s pacing is an effective distraction from thoughts of the young woman. His attention shifts to the man and then to the darkly dressed fortune teller. At least, until something on his arm distracts him. Glancing around, his golden eyes narrow until they settle on Taiyang. Though he may have been forgotten by the man, the fox stares intently at him, leaning slightly in that direction. His nostrils flair just a little and a soft hmm of sound is given flight. He glances back toward Blake and hesitates when he does not see recognition in that glance. It makes the fox blink, flush with a hint of color, then furrow his brow. Surely he hasn’t forgotten the fight..? the bite..? He gives Blake a, ‘really?!’ sort of look but then shakes his head and glances away. He may be silently deciding that Blake? Is gonna get fucked with. Maybe not tonight, but certainly in some near future. For not remembering him. This might be a spiteful fox god. He focuses his attention on Sato, eyes narrowing slightly as he talks, then glances over toward Nemi. She said she was given the card, for him. His gold tipped claws tap across the boards that he perches upon and then his attention diverts to the fire headed automaton as they are handed the cards to cut. A vision in pale hues catches his attention then and he turns his head to look directly at Odette. A winsome smile is offered her way but only for a brief span, for he takes note of an odd sensation that has him lifting a hand to his tailored vest, fingers sliding across the fabric and then dipping within to tease out a .. card? He stares down at it, startled. “Another one?” then rolls the card in the air toward Lily, “See? Chaos.” Structured Chaos.
[17:45] Naoki Sato did not seem to appreciate the card appearing where it did. He... pulled it out of his mouth, peering at it before tucking it into a pocket without a word. "I am not your boss," he said to Gonzo as the blonde addressed him. "But I need to make sure those cards aren't lost." He looked around at each of them as they discovered their cards, eyes narrowing. "...I imagine if you have been given a card, you are to keep it until the end." Did he specify what kind of end? Nawh. He circled as he waited for Nemaine to continue with her reading, reluctant to interfere with it in any way that would disrupt the outcome. Instead... he simply stopped behind Blake, gripping his head and turning it away from Addie. "...staring is rude."
[17:48] Nemaine does not seem to notice any attention on her. It's very odd, with how tightly those strings are bound around the woman in view of those with Sight, she does not seem to really feel any of them here. They are not who this reading is for. The reading is taking place, here there...and now. As each of the 'searchers' find the cards upon them, the seem to glimmer for a moment before dissolving in their hands, or on their clothing, or anything that might be touching them. There is no pain, no heat, no burning, but if one looks, there is a set of words, the words of the card imprinted there, marking them with just the faintest of words. The cut deck is retrieved and there is a bow of the head, before her mostly hidden eyes. She sways in place, but ends up leaning closer towards the automaton, who is giving off heat.
"The First Card is one of the querents...those who come searching for an answer. It is one of who...YOU all are. Not just the Moon who found me, but you who stand before m. Whether out of curiosity or ignorance, or just a need to look for some thine that you need to understand. That is the first card" She flips it over and lays out a card. It's similar in a way to the one that Gonzo had held, with a Crow standing upon a stone, with a pentacle under one talon, it's beak pecking at it, while a strand of pentacles hang over it's head. "The Eight of Pentacle is a child of skills and wishing for more. It's a new path, a new beginning. Those of you here are skilled in one way, shape, r form at something. What it is, that is up to you, but to walk the path that you go now, you will need to be open to becoming more, to learning more...open yourself to seeing what you could not have seen before... If you wish to walk this road, know that there will be things about yourselves that you might not like to come to view.
[17:57] Atsila "Addie" stood herself back up once she had finished inspecting the tarot card she'd been given... or which had appeared in her possession. It was hard to tell which was the case. As she stood up, Addie noticed the man next to her, Blake, staring for a moment. Perhaps if she had a face, she might grin. Oh, the tarot card poofed from her hand. Weird. Then 'The Lovers' appeared on the sleeve of her white shirt. "Hmm." That was ignored for the moment so she could turn back in time to hear Naoki scolding Blake about staring. "It's quite alright. I don't mind. I don't ge tout much, I know my appearance startles some." The relic bowed politely. "I am Atsila. Call me Addie. It's a pleasure to meet you all. Could perhaps one of you explain to me ... what's going on this evening?"
[17:58] Odette di Benedetti watches raptly as the deck is cut, and the woman murmurs about light shining.
She sidles a bit closer to Lily and Kyuu, a wan attempt at returning the small red-head's smile. As soon as she does, Lily hisses and peers down at a card that's suddenly appeared in her grasp. Odette can just make out The Fool on Lily's card.
Lily hisses and her dark eyes lift to her friend's face, her own expression wreathing in sympathy at what seems to be the constable witch's dismay.
Mister Kyuu looks at her, a smile curving his lovely mouth for her before his attention swerves away, and he too has found a card.
His, she cannot see, but she hears his words. Chaos.
The hairs on the back of her neck rise and Odette catches something from the periphery of her gaze and, carefully tucked under the spoke of her parasol, is a card.
A tarot card.
Shifting the brolly and tucking the stalk of it under her arms, Odette stared at the card for several heartbeats- almost afraid to pluck it free to inspect it.
She did, however, and found she had to gather the nerve to turn it over.
Several thunderous heartbeats pass before she turns the card over in her long-nailed fingertips to find...
The Sun.
She blinks, and years in the salons of Paris shuffle through her memory as she tries to recall what the Sun means before it comes to her:
Good fortune, happiness, joy and harmony. The dawn after the darkest of nights, breath of life. Purity.
The card evaporated from her fingertips, but not before it left a mark on her palm- A sun.
The woman in black spoke again as she turned up another card.
The Eight of Pentacles.
'Things about yourself you might not like....'
The irony was not lost on her.
[18:02] Lance raises a brow as the group are informed that cards are to be saved until the end... Immediately before the cards then disappear into the ether. Well, that's fine. Luckily, Lance has yet to develop his toxicity, and as such the card would be safe to touch. That said, perhaps a wash ought be advised. Just in case.
Two of Cups. That is the text written upon Lance's hand, and something he has literally no idea what it means. His player does though.
His attentions are drawn back as the behatted mistress begins to speak, about cards and their meanings. Something he still doesn't understand, though he does absorb the idea of having skills and not liking things. Personally, that was already the case. One does not particularly enjoy the sensation of poison burning its way through one's veins 24/7, but one does learn to close their eyes and ignore the pain for a while.
[18:05] Lily O'Keefe is still holding the fool when it vanishes, leaving her palm also with the Fool's mark. Lily sighs and rubs her hands against her pants though the mark isn't going anywhere. She gives Kyuu a curious look as his mood shifts mercurial, concern fading the trepidation in her eyes. Lily is committed to seeing this through now so she's left behind her uncertainty and is looking forward. The accuracy of the card the reader pulled is more poignantly clear than she likes. "I dunno 'bout skilled," she mutters about herself with clear doubt but quietly and more to herself than really meant as a comment. Her gaze slides to Sato as he approaches Blake, her body tensing a little bit as she does not - know - the man but she recognizes him as Dashrix's sometimes shadow and having dealt with the very tense class with her new 'classmate' earlier, she can't help but tense even if she doesn't know. him. "Lily. Lily O'Keefe," she offers to the friendly construct, her gaze meeting where she thinks where her eyes would be. "I'm a clerk for the constable. Student at the uni. Hullo." Lily's accent is distinct and Irish though not as thick as it sometimes gets when the girl gets flustered. She lifts the hand with the new writing on it, waving her hand once before she remembers the words now scribed on it and snaps it closed.
[18:05] Liu Taiyang 's curiosity of the woman only seems to grow, as not only does she not react to his lapse in etiquette but the shimmer of the card seems to vanish. He can see it lingering, though, a few words on the palm of his hand. He giggles, murmurs some drunken gibberish to himself as he thought about the nature of this little event. In this tight space, with the 'seer' there with them - certainly more than a seer, he thought, an existence that must at least have been contemporary with him, or perhaps even older.
He mused on that thought a while. He'd not met such ilk since leaving China, certainly.
"Shumfing... dolurn avout ourthelves...?" he wonders aloud. It would probably seem to the others like this guy is barely coherent and paying attention. Total senseless drunk not worth paying attention to in the slightest as he staggers around and leans against a wall.
[18:06] Blake Jermyn tucks the card away in a pocket, only to smile blithely and blankly at Kyuu when the man stares at him. He didn't... Quite... Look happy to see him. Uh oh. Did he owe this guy money or something? Oh well, at least he wasn't pursuing it now. He couldn't help his eyes sliding over towards the headless woman again, boggling at the open flame that burned there instead, only to find a familiar grip on his head, gently but firmly turning it away. Instead, he tilted his head all the way back, grinning upside-down at Sato. "Rather stare at you all day long, baby~" he said, his flirtatious tone sounding downright over the top and ludicrous in contrast to Sato's flat, deadpan demeanor.
With the card in his waistcoat pocket, Blake hadn't seen fit to notice the dissolving card, else perhaps he might have been more concerned. All the same, it left behind an indelible mark on his chest, above his heart. Perhaps something to discover and be alarmed by later on... As Nemi went on, describing the first card drawn as who was supposed to be, he reached into his pocket to have another look at it, try to divine what exactly was supposed to be so him about a knight with a wand, but when he looked, he found it already gone. Maybe he dropped it? He squirmed, trying to gently tug his head out of Sato's grasp, only to shoot a sheepish grin towards Addie. "I think it's pretty cool," he said of her flame-for-a-head, "I'm Blake." Well, she seemed like a nice enough gal, missing head or no.
He shifted again as Nemi went on, cocking his head as she described the apparent predicament they were in. Having skills, but needing more? Wasn't that just, the way life was? Despite his lackadasical appearance, Blake generally made sure he was always learning /something/, picking up or perfecting some skill or another, even if it was something entirely useless like constructing monsters out of trash. Maybe one of those would come in handy soon?
[18:09] Gonzo Giustizieri snorts when Sato actually responds. "A casual term of address, nothing more. Do not overthink it." Another snort as Blake's head gets forcibly turned, and then his focus shifts to the card that's no longer in his hand. He shakes the hand that'd been holding it, then grimaces at the words on his skin. "Hey, hey, hey, you never said anything about tattoos..." he complains under his breath, but Nemaine's words capture his attention too much to continue the halfhearted attempt at grumbling. More birds, huh. "Lady, I would not be on this island if I was not intending on learning. Opening eyes, learning skills...bring it on!" There's a firm nod at the end of the statement, and he crosses his arms, content to listen. What is there about himself /not/ to like?
[18:13] Kyuu (daisylurve): The card mets before Kyuu’s eyes, the magic of it sinking into his flesh and coloring the tips of his fingers in magical ink. He reads the word strength spelled out across the digits then narrows his golden gaze again. He has a special sort of wariness for the magic if the seers. Peering her way again, he examines the card that she produces and gently purses his lips. Sato’s presence just behind him, interacting with Blake draws a glance but it is brief and Sato is the recipient of the greater part of the look. The fox’s attention returns to the seer, waiting for the next thing to occur whilst one finger runs over the runes for strength that have marked his fingertips. “You are skilled, Lily.” Kyuu murmurs to her. “Your talents just haven’t emerged fully yet.” Its supposed to be encouraging. Soothing. But he is distracted so the tone is harder than meant to be.
[18:26] mianaai: When the card disappeared--dissolved, more like--he grimaced, seeing the mark of the X of Wands etch itself into his palm. He scrubbed it against his pants, but no dice, well, great. "At least we won't lose them, eh?" He squinted at Nemaine, then around at the others. Well, this motley crew could probably do something or another. "Learning about ourselves? I thought we were learning about a missing something or another."
[18:30] Naoki Sato peered down at Blake as he flirted up at him. The words were met with a blink... then the gentle pap of a hand just sprawling atop Blake's face. "The vendor won't be found in or on me," he said definitively. His brow furrowed as he saw the title of the card on his hand, 9 of Swords printed on his skin. Stepping back and away, he furrowed his brow, looking from his hand to Nemaine. He spoke though to Addie, having heard her request for an explanation. "A creature appeared on the island with tarot cards in the likeness of various... people. And surprisingly apt readings. The cards are magical. The creature itself is strange... but has not been seen in days. We are attempting to locate it and the remaining cards it has to give." There was a pause, then he added, "If you have an issue," as Gonzo spoke up about the marking. "...I can remove the marking. Eventually. Once the vendor is found. Or the skin. Or limb, if that's preferable."
[18:37] Nemaine can vaguely hear what is going on around her. If there is any questions directed at her, she will look up and answer them, but the whole time she does not seem to see anyone that is there. She can tell their presence but she is only vaguely even here herself "On any journey, there is an aspect of learning ourselves Ten of Wands. You are all walking the path of the Fool to find an answer. Which leads us to the next card, the next aspect. What is the situation and what can be done about it. As much as the cards will allow it, I will give you what I can, but the way to find the answer...is up to you. It is not up to me" She pauses her words, hearing the cries over the markings "Those will only last until the Guide is found. They are your marks, a sign upon you. Something the cards chose so that you would be known upon the paths you must follow." Her hand reaches out, translucent talons plucking the next card and laying it on top of the one she had already played. 7 wands hang in the air, dangling above a cli with one being clutched upside down in a Crow's talons. "The Seven of Wands is a card of purpose, a fighter, someone that moves forward...but this is not that. This is the reversal. This is someone who's been pushed down. Who's been oppressed, who's been made to feel like they were weak or deficient in some way. They have decided that if Fate could not be in their favor, than Fate could be in no one's favor. So they overwhelmed what they viewed as an enemy.. and they took it where they could reverse their own Fate.....Fools" (( https://i0.wp.com/tarotbycecelia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/img_7211.jpg?resize=400,724&ssl=1 ))
[18:40] Lance blinks as more tarotspeak comes his way. To be honest, this is even going over his player's head... Mostly. Lance mostly just stares, with his eyes almost glazed as he leans against the wall. He can't make heads nor tails of this, but is willing to attempt to continue to listen.
[18:47] Atsila "Addie" nodded a bit to Blake, "Well, it's actually hot. If you were to touch it, you'd probably get burned." Meaning her fire, of course. She didn't really understand slang, calling her headlessness 'cool' just didn't make sense. "It's nice to meet you Blake." Naoki started to answer her so Addie flipped her attention, and her flame, towards the paler haired man. "A creature, you say?" Addie flipped open the tome in her hand and took a charcoal pencil from her breast pocket. Taking notes was second nature, and she didn't even look while taking them. Though one had to wonder exactly how she could 'see' to begin with. "Why do you think the markings appeared so randomly? Mine's on my sleeve. I hardly think an amputation is necessary in such a case." Addie turned back towards Nemaine as she started to explain another tarot card pull. Addie was still thoroughly confused as to what was going on with these cards, and why the whole city seemed so enraptured with it all. "What exactly are these cards?" She asked to Nemaine bending a little lower to try and 'see' under the woman's hat.
[18:48] Liu Taiyang simply listened quietly... Okay maybe not quietly, not really, he's still slurring out unintelligible gibble but, it's quiet in his head as he runs through his knowledge of Western tarot while listening to the 'seer'. ((Running bit low on energy, might be kind of low activity for a few))
[18:51] mianaai: "Oh, of course, it's always about the self-knowledge, isn't it." He was a little irritated, at least partially because although Nemaine had technically addressed him, he still felt ignored. Still, he listened as the Seer continued to explain what was shaping up to be some kind of Quest with the strangest group of people he'd ever seen. At least one guy seemed to be drunk, even. If he'd known, maybe Matteo would have pregamed, too.
[18:54] Odette di Benedetti 's head canted to one side, absorbing the reader's words as she turned over the last card.
The threads tightened from the deck to the oracle as the woman spoke about the card and Odette peered to see what it was.
The Seven of Wands.
All of these messages carried a weight to them, and it was doubtless that the message would be different for each of them. She had no idea what it could possibly mean for herself, but she knew more than anything that her presence in this alley, for this moment, was not happenstance.
The reader was simply a voice for the cards...at least that was what the small revenant thought, given what she could see.
[18:54] Gonzo Giustizieri tilts not just his head, but his entire torso as he stares at Naoki from across the way. "Huh? If there are any limbs being removed, I will be performing the amputation myself. Do not intrude on a woman's business, O.K.? You are loving to make assumptions at me." There's a sniff, a little put-on act of offense, but all in jest. Nemaine's words pull his attention again, and he drums his fingers on his leg. "So it is like a key? A nametag?" He holds his hand close to his face, scratching at the words for a second and then shrugging. "Making sense. Eh, do we want to make this hurt person feel better? Is that the trick? Or is it Fate we are wanting to aid?"
[18:55] Blake Jermyn blinked in surprise to discover a hand atop his face, then before Sato could remove it, he pressed a big, wet kiss right in the very centre of Sato's palm, much like a younger sibling licking the hand of an older one who saw fit to try and cover their mouth with it. However, he did have *some* measure of focus for the task at hand... "Did we ever find out what those cards did?" he asked, brows knitting together in concern when he thought of the one in his pocket, the one that had so clearly depicted that horrible crawlspace... However, his attention was also finally pulled to the markings that Nemi's cards had left on them all, and he peered first into his pocket, then down his shirt. "...Well shit," he said, as he spotted an elegant script on his chest declaring him to be the Knight of Wands.
He listens as Nemi draws the next card, describes a person who's been shackled by the cruelties of fate, dragging down those around them into doom as well. Was that supposed to be this missing fortune teller? or ALL of them? Concerning, either way. A small smile at Addie as she distracted him from these more grave concerns, and he nodded. "Yeah, fire tends to do that," he said with a soft chuckle, looking back to Sato with a grin. "You can't have my sweet new tattoo," he teased.
[18:59] Kyuu (daisylurve): Kyuu lifts his fingers to his mouth and tastes his fingertips, curious about the residue of the magic that was left. He then glances aside to the flame headed robot as Sato fills them in. He then glances aside at Odette, and then around at the others, talking in their reactions to what has been said and shown to them. He then returns his focus back to Nemi, waiting. The mention of loosing body parts doesn’t seem to disturb him though his stomach chooses /that/ moment to growl. He gently nibbles his lip, lifts a hand to rest upon the upper panes of his stomach, then leans to the side to curl a leg beneath him. A glance is given toward Gonzo and he wonders innocently, “You like to cut people up?”
[19:00] Lily O'Keefe tipped her head to the side, considering the words. "Seven of Wands? Like with weight hanging above? So, like a shackled in the pits of Tartarus thing?" Lily offered, clearly thinking outloud and mostly for herself. Kyuu and Odette already knew that Lily was someone who talked... a lot.Whether she was nervous or just thinking. "I 'unno. My nan always said that she considered the seven o' wands reversed to be a sign to not go hang out at the cliffs cuz you risked a rock to th' noggin but she just might have wanted us kids t'not go play near the ragged edges. There were these caves y'see, that people would go, uh, neck in but the water would rush in an fill 'em less you knew it real.... real well."
[19:02] brotatoe salad (jackson.burckhardt) is offline.
[19:11] Naoki Sato gave Gonzo a look. Whatever he was about to say was cut off soundly by the growl of Kyuu's stomach but any comment THERE was broken off by Lily's rambling about cliffs. Sato stared at her for a long moment then began recounting the cards and their meanings in his mind. "...a child of skills... seekers like us, or laborers?" He turned towards the docks, where dockworkers and tradesmen milled at all hours of the day in waxing and waning number. Lily's words had him chewing his lip thoughtfully and after a moment he turned to her. "There are cliffs. There are... places. Pushed down by the surf during higher tides. It could be worth a look, scouring the caves and grottos along the beach." He paused there, waiting for Nemaine to draw the last card.
[19:13] Nemaine would shiver as the flames get closer to her, giving off that blanket of warmth that old joints need. She makes a considering noise in her throat at the Question "The cards are a 'What If'. They are predictions and qualifiers of things that might be, or become. They show one truths on themselves, or reiterated things that many already know. Each of you received a card, a...name tag as someone stated. They are meant for something to hold onto. Something that calls to a piece of yourself on the path you will be walking. Accept it or not, that is not on me to decide for any of you" She answers in that same raspy low voice. She can feel the attention from Taiyang and Odette staring upon her, and the strings in those with Sight grow tighter around her, slipping about her neck like a noose, closing off words that might have been spoken, but are not allowed to be. She gives a vague shrug of the shoulders at Gonzo's next question, but has no response for him. "Your nan gave a fair warning, for many reverses will drag you down...and the wands will keep you staked in that ground, having given up...waiting for the water to come spilling inward, and let you fade away. " There is a silence afterwards, her body jolting as those invisible ties move her hand, and lay upon the final card "Usually this would be a card of the future, a card to show you the path to take...but this read does not determine the future. You all see a road...but this is what the advice the cards can give you. You've learned the who is searching, the what of the circumstance...and now you learn the how of the journey" Jaggedly her hand flips the last card over to lay upon the rest. A Crow stands upon a rock with a city that looks awfully familiar in a blurred fashion behind it. Balanced on it's head is a pentacle, each wing holds one, and the final it stands upon. "The Four of Pentacles asks for a price to be paid. There are routes to be taken, paths to be walked...but to get there, to find them you will each need to sacrifice something. Balance must be met. For you to take something from where it lies, you must first give up something. You must first pay the ferryman, to travel that river to your final result" (( 4 of Pentacles - https://i0.wp.com/tarotbycecelia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/img_8202-1.jpg?resize=400,752&ssl=1 ))
[19:20] Odette di Benedetti dragged her black gaze from the reader. It was hard to see someone so beholden and, despite her own desire to watch that radiantly alive deck work through the puppet by the illuminated threads, she began to feel...uncomfortable.
It was almost voyeuristic in nature, seeing what she did of how the reader worked.
Her attention swerved to Kyuu as his stomach growled. Surely the idea of dismemberment wasn't making him hungry? Though...she found her sustenance in similar fashion. To each his own, she surmised.
To Lily, she'd turn and listen to the younger woman chatter about the ragged edges and caves and rocks to the noggin.
"I think it's all in what you make of them, my friend.", she murmured in her customary velvet rasp, one hand darting out to pat Lily's arm in what she hoped was comfort.
The last card was drawn, and with it the end of the story.
For now.
Another Pentacle, a four this time.
Balance. Exchange. Caution against materialism.
Her brain felt...fogged. Heavy with information that needed some puzzling out.
Dark eyes slid across the reader and the sentient deck once more before she'd nod to Kyuu, then Lily, her glance skirting the man beside her friend before she leaned in to Lily once more.
"I must go. But tea, soon. Please?".
On a heel, she'd pivot toward the alley's mouth...
[19:20] Liu Taiyang tilted his head, swaying. He SAW those strings tighten, as if to choke out whatever influence was trying to spill out of the woman's mouth, something that said 'all must happen as it should'. He looks down at the mark on his hand and smirks. How far a deviance from the Dao, then, was this thing on his hand?
He sways, gurgles something in a singsong tone about 'shackrifises... fer tha fairyman... paddlen uhWAY o' tha Yangtsche..."
It sounds like nonsense repetition of the thing that Nemi was saying, as if he was contemplating none of it, taking none of it any more seriously than you'd expect from a beggar drunk out of his damned mind. He knocks his hat into the side of a wall, knocking it askew. "Ehehehe..."
He readjusts it clumsily, still humming to himself. He also, begins to stumble out towards the exit of the alley. He probably knocks into a few people as he does so, in fact - Gonzo, then Matteo, each time grumbling out a drunken, "'Scuse me..." followed by a belch halfway to the exit.
[19:25] Gonzo Giustizieri makes a face at Sato, mimicking his Look, then gets distracted by Kyuu's question. The fox also gets a strange look, but this one's...just kind of uncomprehending, like someone asking her why water is wet. "When did I say 'like'? I do not feel strongly one way or the other. I am simply the most qualified," she shrugs. However, when Nemi mentions a 'what if', she scowls, and then when the not-quite-there strings clip off Nemi's words, the scowl turns stony for a second before she shakes it off. The rest of the performance is watched impassively, and when the card is revealed, the words on her hand are given another look. "Two coins is traditional for the ferryman, no? I will stock my purse."
[19:26] Atsila "Addie" glanced back over to Blake for a moment, her head tilted off to the side. "Yes, it does. Perhaps don't try and stick your hand in my flame, that would be a poor method for removing your new tarot card tattoo. Though, I hardly recommend any form of amputation unless absolutely necessary." Turning back to the shrouded woman, her head tilted the other way. If a flame could look annoyed, then perhaps Addie's did just then. "Well, that's not a sufficient clarifying answer to my question." Can fire sigh? Probably not, but Addie did. "But I suppose I had no intentions of finding a mystical card this evening anyway, so it's not like I lost anything by accepting it." Addie snapped the tome shut and tucked it under her arm. "Thank you for the information." Turning on her heel, the relic made her way out of the alleyway.
[19:27] Lily O'Keefe frowned at the last card, tapping her finger against the edge of her chin before she blinked once at Naoki, "Oh, sure, there's a bunch in most places. We end up haulin' a drunk outta the bay that holed up in one down here fer too long and high tide washed it out. Only the grotto is really 'stable'. But it's a warren down there." She lifted her shoulders. "Constables usually ask Ol Jack to go get things down there cuz they don't care if he lives or dies like right prats." She turned towards Odette and bobbed her hand, lifting up her palm. "Soon." Lily promised. "I'd like that a whole lot. You be safe."
[19:27] Kyuu (daisylurve): Innocent. Kyuu is innocent. Anyone’s stomach might growl at odd moments. Right? Right. He slants up to meet Odette’s gaze with that ever so innocent look but a little smile twitches his lips. There is more to this than appears. Gonzo’s answer earns her a tilt of his head and then a brief nod. Most people do not feast on others. Kyuu knows this. That is what is normal. Yep. When Nemi speaks, what she says makes sense to the fox. Nothing is ever gained without a cost, even if you are not the one to pay the piper. He stirs and glamoured tails fan out behind him, spreading in a half circle that emit a heat that some are familiar with. Others have conveniently forgotten. He nods at the pale lady as she turns to go then rises from his seat. He pauses to look over toward Sato. “Send me a note if you want my assistance.” He then shifts a glance toward Liu Taiyang and then begins to purposely pace after him.
[19:28] Blake Jermyn seemed to grow a bit antsier as the fortune teller spoke of prices to be paid, sacrifices to be made to bring this journey to completion. And now here was the part where he wondered, did he *really* want to get involved in this? It probably wasn't too late to just, wish the rest of them good luck, keep the new tattoo, and be on his way. He barely knew the fortune vendor, didn't really have to get involved in the hunt for them. Hell, the only thing they truly had of importance was....
"Frizzle's card," he sighed, murmuring the words under his breath, realized there actually *was* a reason to see this through to the end. He was about to turn to Sato again, see if he knew what had become of the card at least, if not its dealer, before Taiyang began to drunkenly stumble through the crowd for an exit, prompting a giggle from the extremely distractable young man. Oh, this guy was GREAT... He waved to Addie as she went to depart as well. "Alright, I'll remember that, and come to you if I got any top secret letter that need burning," he said with a light, airy laugh.
[19:47] Naoki Sato shook his head. The last card was not a pleasant one and the added information from their local constabulary representative was not terribly comforting. "Enough," he said and walked to the Seer. "Come. I need to see the cliffs. Unstable or not... the proper cavern should be found." He crouched to put a shoulder and an arm around the psychopomp's waist, hefting her onto a shoulder as if she had little say on where they were going next. "I'll mark the cavern," he said simply for the rest of the group. "...I'd suggest coming prepared to get wet." Sato waited for little else, a lingering glance at Kyuu and Blake, ending on the latter. "We'll find the card," he said after considering him for a quiet moment. Then he was walking off. Hopefully Nemaine had gotten a good grip on her deck of cards before being swept up and away.
[19:51] Nemaine does not fight at all as Sato picks her up. Nemaine sighs and shakes head softly before she just goes still. The deck of cards is left on the chair, but as they move away...the deck shimmers and vanishes.
[19:54] Gonzo Giustizieri rolls his eyes. "Are you kidding? I am always prepared to get wet." He hops up off the bench, tapping a foot. "Caves? We will be needing lights..." With that, he wanders off, scratching his head. Time to get building, maybe. Or like, make goggles. Or something. He's got time to figure it out.
[19:55] Blake Jermyn glanced over at Sato and gulped. Of COURSE that was the card that was missing. Of COURSE it had to be the only one that mattered to him. He cursed himself for not taking it when he saw it in order to keep it safe, letting the one that depicted himself vanish into the ether instead for who knew what sinister purpose. Well, only one thing to do now: Find a swimsuit that wasn't one of those ridiculous striped jumpsuit things. Sighing, he rose from the bench, and rather than departing like the rest, simply made for the nearby dumpster, collapsing onto the filthy mattress inside.
((TBC in Part 2))