thefolder | Pick a card, any card.

Entry tags:

Pick a card, any card.

Who: Jinx and anyone who's curious
What: Tarot readings, see your future, or have a drink with a girl trying to find herself.
Where: Roaming Park
When: Monday, all day.

The day is just starting in Roaming Park and a curious new structure sitting peacefully under a tree.

Lounging in a lawn chair and thumbing through a mystery novel a Tsukaimon and at his side was a simple sign with elegantly painted words.

" Lost? Need Guidance? Seeking answers? Inquire within."

How curious are you?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That would be correct." She had to bite back a few different sarcastic retorts in favor of keeping the customer happy. "A tradition passed down to me through generations of gypsy rovers. And so I bring this tradition to you today if you wish. While I cannot tell you everything I can perhaps provide insight into events that you will encounter shortly, or insight into your self currently. Often the deeper thoughts and desires you have today can predict where you will be tomorrow." She explained softly keeping her eyes locked on the customers.

"Uh...sure, okay." Far be it from a mage to question something like fortune telling. He'd certainly done a lot stranger things that that on a daily basis.

"I'll give it a try, I guess."

"Then let us begin~" she purred and from under the table she drew a deck of cards. Nimble fingers began to shuffle them gracefully. Smooth motions manipulated the cards with ease.

"Tarot is my particular tool for these exchanges. I find the imagery of the cards to be very useful. Each one tells a story, each one has layers of clues that the subject can use to uncover their own truths." She lay the deck in front of her.

"Now, focus on a wish you have. And cut the cards. I will shuffle them once more and we will continue."

"I don't know that many people who use them, honestly." Waver watched her shuffle with clear interest before Palmon reached up to tap him on the shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be focusing like she said? Pay attention." The quiet remark brought Waver back to his senses, and with a muttered apology he tried to think of something. What did he want that these cards might have a shot at telling him?

...I want to know where to go from here.

That was really what it boiled down to. Rider had shown him how to live, to act as though every day was one's last and do everything to the fullest. The sudden arrival in this place had derailed that somewhat, but there were still matters to consider; what to properly do with his life both here and back at home.

Waver's hand hovered over the deck for a moment's hesitation before he cut the cards with a look of stern determination.

Jinx's smile never wavered as she accepted the cards back and shuffled them once more.

"And with that, we begin with a look into the past. The road you've traveled that has brought you to this place in your life." She explained beforedrawing the first card and laying it down face up, the bottom of the card pointed towards waver.

"A fine start, let me ask you, when you think of someone motherly, who or what comes to mind?"

"Motherly? I, uh-..."

Waver shifted uncomfortably; this had quickly taken a turn he didn't like at all. He'd never spoken about it, but it was only a few years ago he'd been orphaned and left generally alone in the world.

"My...mother, I guess..."

Jinx was observing him carefully and nodded gently when he answered "Of course, that's often the case but not always. It helps to be sure. This card, it is a very family oriented card. The queen herself a Matriarch. See how the flowers bloom around her feet. And this rabbit here? What do rabbits have alot of?" She teased the question before answering "Family."

Settling her gaze on Waver "What can you tell me about your family life before you came here?"

"I don't...I don't really have one." he answered haltingly, folding his arms and looking away. Palmon just stared in disbelief; didn't everyone have a family? "I've lived on my own since I was fifteen."

A pause. "S-sorry, I'm really not sure I'm comfortable talking about that."

There was a flicker of genuine sympathy on Jinx's face and she nodded softly. "You're not alone though. Not really. I myself was orphaned when I was just a toddler. Left to fend for myself. Abandoned because bad luck seemed to follow me wherever I went."

He looked sympathetic himself at that, hands fidgeting restlessly as Waver considered what he was supposed to say.

"Just because of bad luck...that's awful." Waver shook his head, trying to get back on track to avoid making her uncomfortable. "A-anyway, to answer your question my mother's probably the only figure like that I ever had. My family wasn't really, uh...too unusual, as far as I know."

"Well then it makes sense that this card would be in your past. And something about her, maybe a lesson she taught you may be informative to the other cards. Speaking of..."

She drew the next card and flipped it over revealing the next card to be a strong looking King on a throne holding an impressive sword.

"My my, an interesting couple we have here." Jinx purred thoughtfully, "But an excellent card to have for someone seeking answers. The King is logical and reserved. He doesn't let passion cloud his judgement, and he imparts his wisdom upon others. Do you have any one you would consider an authority figure in your life? A mentor or associate who's opinions and advice you respect?"

There was only ever going to be one answer to that.

"I did, just before I came here. But I'm not sure I'd ever have called him 'reserved' in any sense of the word."

"Well not all mentors are the same." She shrugged.

"So tell me about this unreserved man who you respect."

"I'm going to sound crazy, but..." Waver sighed, shaking his head before simply going ahead and saying it:

"Have you ever heard of Alexander the Great of Macedonia?"

Now that...was an interesting answer. She had to bite back a more well informed nerdy response. "One of the world...or at least my worlds, greatest leaders. A great warrior, tactician and ruler." She stated while running through a much longer list of facts she had stored in her head from her studies.

"It's the same on my world." Waver confirmed with a slight nod. "And it's a long story, but...we've met, to say the least."

It sounded crazy even to Waver--of course it'd seem unbelievable to anyone without a cursory knowledge of the Holy Grail War or even magecraft.

"He was 'authority' in a category entirely his own; the kind of person who acted exactly like he wanted to and let the rest of the world fall all over themselves trying to compensate or catch up. After a while I stopped being annoyed with it and...ended up looking up to him." In both the literal and metaphorical sense. "Nobody else ever really talked to me with respect or took the time to correct my stupid mistakes rather than mock them. So if you want me to pick some kind of mentor, there's no question it would have to be him."

"An excellent choice for a mentor." Jinx praised as she drew the last card laying it face up.

"Aha, one of my favorite cards, The High Priestess." She purred.

"The High Priestess is also known as Persephone, Isis, the Corn Maiden and Artemis. She sits at the gate before the great Mystery, as indicated by the Tree of Life in the background. She sits between the darkness and the light here and here." She explained tapping the card in various locations.

"This card represents wisdom, serenity, knowledge and understanding. She is often described as the guardian of the unconscious. She sits in front of the thin veil of awareness, which is all that separates us from our inner selves. The High Priestess knows the secret of how to access these realms. She represents spiritual enlightenment and inner illumination, divine knowledge and wisdom."

After that dump of information the pink haired girl settled her eyes on Waver's.

"It would seem to me that you have sought guidance and support in the past. You've needed a hand to hold or footsteps to follow in. But in this brave new world you've lost your way without anyone to show you the path." She explained her interpretation of the cards. "But what can you do? Your mother, your mentor, neither are here to help you right?"

The way she phrased it, it was obviously some sort of trick question.

He knew full well that it was a question with an obvious answer. Still, Waver considered the matter carefully before answering.

"You're right, they're not here. But it's not as though I've forgotten the kind of influence they had. It's just...this isn't the kind of thing I was really prepared for, y'know?"

She smiled again, in silent acknowledgment that he had answered correctly.

"The High Priestess is a card of trusting in what you know deep down. Instinct, subconsciousness, lessons and skill bestowed unto you by your mentor and mother."

Leaning forward her voice dropped so he would have to focus more.

"Now think, if you could pick the most important lessons both of them have taught you, what would they be?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Pick a card, any card.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject