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 Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:33 pm
 Business had been slow. That was completely understandable, considering that Cirrus had closed shop for a good few months and his current housemate had prompted him to knock on the neighbours doors and ask them not to let their children play in the streets. There might have also been some ‘Keep Away’ signs. Things were different now but undoing the damage and restoring his customer base would take time. It still didn’t stop him from some disheartened moping as the afternoon rolled in, turning the sky gold and he hadn’t had even one knock on the door. La Llorona had even left for the day, doing whatever it was she did, promising not to drown anyone. It was weird to think that he trusted her to keep her promise. He wasn’t worried and was actually looking forward to her coming home because sitting in his living room waiting for work was lonely.
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Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2016 9:59 am
It was lucky for Cirrus, then, that a knock did come to his door. Dark Water had once again found herself strayed temporarily from the company of her siblings. Self appointed as their caretaker though she was, that didn't lessen the stress of keeping White Death in line, from tormenting their far more meek brother. And Gloomy Glade, too, was often a hoof-full but it such very different ways, drearier ways. She loved them dearly, of course, but sometimes she just needed a break and would sneak away to run minor errands. Today, she didn't exactly have errands to run. Most everything had been taken care of the day before but following a particularly loud squabble Dark Water needed to find a distraction that could balance things out. What better to do that than a fortune teller? At least, that was what she heard. Even if it was a fraud, she supposed it would still prove interesting. "Hello," she greeted with her small foal voice that sounded like she was trying just a little too hard to sound mature. "Are you the fortune teller?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 12:59 am
A knock at the door. Cirrus nearly fell over himself in his eagerness to open it and only just managed to compose himself and remember that he needed to come across as professional if he was going to win back his customers from Nevermore. He cracked the door open and peered out at the dark coated foal. Adorable. “Yes, yes, welcome. Please come inside.” He gave her his best smile which was almost semi-cheerful and had taken quite a bit of time in front of the mirror to master. “Take a seat.” Cirrus led her into the lounge room, indicated the couch where she could wait and bustled into the kitchen to gather his tea set. The room was nowhere near as cluttered as it had been but Cirrus was slowly filling it back up with books, pictures and quaint knickknacks. It was plush and warm and more befitting a grandmother than a sorrowful ghost of a fortune teller.
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Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2016 11:12 am
To say that Dark Water was skeptical was putting it mildly; not of fortunes or otherworldly things but of entering the pale pegasus' home entirely alone. Her eyes lingered on him a few moments longer than necessary before she took the plunge and followed him inside to the seat indicated. "Thank you," she offered politely with little hint of genuine gratitude in her voice. The decor around them both seemed out of place and entirely fitting. "What kinds of fortunes do you do?" Dark Water kept quiet that she had never had hers read before; she wasn't about to let herself get swindled due to inexperience.
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 1:34 am
Cirrus returned with a tray of tea which is set up on the coffee table, a soft smile on his face. "Oh, I have few methods but I specialize in reading tea leaves." He left the pot to brew, sitting back in his favourite chair and almost disappearing back into the mountain of fluffy pillows. "I also read the clouds. It’s possible to see signs everywhere, if you know what to look for." There was something familiar about the foal, he decided as he watched her but he couldn’t quite put his hoof on it. Perhaps she was related to an old customer. "Are you looking to learn about anything particular today?"
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Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2016 9:06 pm
A single brow raised above her low lidded eyes. Dark Water supposed she should have guessed with the tea but clouds were unexpected. "I see," she said, though her understanding left much to be desired. That would change with questions, she trusted. "What are you usually asked for?" Again, she tested the waters by refusing to stick her neck out too far. Dark Water did, however, glance toward the kitchen where the kettle was waiting to boil. "And what tea do you use? I prefer black."
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 8:32 pm
“Love,” he answered, eyelids drooping. “Work, the future, health. But mostly love.” When he’d been busy, there had always been two or three a week, blushing prettily and asking if there would be a special someone in their life. It was always nice to be able to give them a positive reading. “Loose leaf black tea. I make my own blend. I feel like it works best and the images are easier to read.” He lapsed into silence after that, getting up when the kettle was done, pouring hot water into the pot and letting it steep. He shuffled contently around the room, happy to be back to business, so pleased that LaLo had let him go back to work. Perhaps he would make them a nice dinner later. Ginger and carrot soup. When he was happy with the tea, he poured it into a teacup. “Drink it at your own pace but don’t finish it completely. Leave some at the bottom,” he instructed.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 10:55 pm
Dark Water blinked slowly, as though already bored with the prospect. Love wasn't completely alien to her but compared to things like health it did seem quite frivolous to ponder over. "I would have to agree," she said with regards to the tea. Upon his return, Dark Water did just that. She blew on it a few times before taking her first sip. It tasted better than she was expecting, but then she wasn't entirely sure what she had expected in coming here. "Thank you."That still left the matter of what she wanted him to read about her. After a few more sips, slow and careful, Dark Water asked "What about family?" If there was anything to ponder in her mind, it was how her siblings would be doing in the future that was most important.
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:14 pm
“Family,” Cirrus repeated the word and nodded, slow, ponderous. “Of course. Family is important. They will often appear in a reading, though it’s rarely specific.” He watched her drink and when it looked like she was getting closer to the bottom of the cup he continued his instructions. “Think hard about you want to get out of this reading, then swirl the contents around the cup three times and carefully pour the liquid out onto the saucer.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2016 11:41 pm
"Very important." Perhaps even the most important. With a slow nod, Dark Water did as she was instructed. The swirling, she found, was a little mesmerizing and it was a good thing Cirrus had given her a strict number of times to do so or she might have overshot it. Once the dregs were poured, she set the cup aside and returned attentively to her seat. To her, it just looked like a mess.
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:12 am
“Very good.” He picked up the cup, where during the swirling tea leaves had gotten stuck to the sides. “Now I’ll just...” Cirrus trailed off, leaning back into his cushions and studying the cup. He turned it around in his hooves, muttering to himself. “Arc, bat,” he frowned, “dagger and arrow pointing towards the handle, oh dear.” With each symbol he identified, his heart sunk. This was really an utterly terrible reading, especially for a young filly. “And elephant.” He sighed, at least that last one was okay. Cirrus finally looked at Dark Water with a worried frown. “I, well, this is-” He debated with himself, whether he should just come up with a nice lie but the thought didn’t last for long. He couldn’t do that. The best he could do was give her everything he knew, so she could be prepared for the future. it wasn’t always good news, that was simply part of his job. “This isn’t good. I’m very sorry. The danger and arrow paired together means that your family will bring you a lot of pain, the bat is sickness and trouble at home, the arc is upside down which means you can’t avoid it but the elephant suggests that you have the strength and endurance to get through it all.” He offered a wobbly smile of commiseration.
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2016 12:52 am
For all of Cirrus' mumbling and studying, Dark Water remained quiet and pensive. She scrutinized the older phony's every reaction with a blank face; in fact, no real emotion had been shown since she walked in and the pegasus' reaction being clearly negative did not change that pattern. "Sickness and pain..." Dark Water repeated, her eyes on the cup. There were many possibilities that came to mind from those descriptions alone. She could see Gloomy Glade taken ill and herself both volunteered and obligated with his care, for their dear sister White Death would be unsuitable in such a position and no one else trustworthy. She could picture the pale filly bringing torment upon their ailing brother for being in an even weaker state than usual, bullying the sick child into further submission. Her family, in point of fact, was quite dysfunctional... but they were all she had. She was all they had, too. "I'll take the elephant under deeper consideration," she assured with utmost seriousness. The arc meant little to her, as it seemed obvious -- that was the state of affairs, wasn't it, inevitable trouble. Therefor, the elephant was the true bearer of knowledge here and yet, in her heart, she knew that already to be true. Perhaps she was merely stubborn but Dark Water refused to let it deter her. "I appreciate your honesty."
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 12:31 am
“Please do,” Cirrus sighed. She was taking it all remarkably well and he had hope that she would not only weather the storm but come out stronger on the other side. The elephant was there, steady and bold, an unmistakable force. He could see everything that it represented in the strong lines of her face. Already so grown up and yet still so young.“You will stick by your family,” he said. It was almost a question but not quite; there was no weakness of the heart in this girl and he was already certain of her answer. Surely there would be many others out there who would be willing to give up their family to escape future agony but Cirrus couldn’t ever imagine taking that road. Once you had committed yourself, to your work, your family, your friends, it was your duty to stick with it. Loyal until the end. “Would you like another cup?” He asked. “Just to drink? With sugar and cream this time, if you like.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 14, 2016 3:52 pm
The assurance was welcomed and yet, at the same time, made Dark Water reflect further. All three of them, for as long as they could remember, were the only things they had. No mother, no father, no other family, no caretakers -- and they were all so adamant, at least she and her sister were, that even if somephony tried to generously whisk them away that they would refuse. They didn't need anyone else to take care of them, they just needed each other... ...and still, they were not without their disagreements. Their upsets. For the life of her, Dark Water couldn't understand why their sister poked at what shouldn't be and why their brother so dreadfully did nothing to stand up for himself. It was taxing to work as their mediator, as their guardian, and as inseparable as they were now it would only continue as time went on. Unavoidable trouble at home, sickness and pain -- even in the face of their fate, Dark Water could see no future without them. She may have been trapped with them but, for better or worse, they were trapped with her too. "Please," she answered calmly despite her whirling thoughts. Her expression had scarcely changed since she set foot in the door. "Plain suits me fine. Thank you."
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2016 1:08 am
Her face wasn’t giving anything away but there were many emotions and thoughts brewing behind her stoic gaze. Cirrus wouldn’t pry. He’d given her all that he could. At least now she could prepare herself for the future and would be ready to face it. The Pegasus poured her a new cup, this time straining the tea leaves first. "Sit, enjoy. There’s no rush." Then he poured himself a cup too and settled back into his cushions with a soft smile. She was welcome as long as she liked and he would offer the simple comfort of both company and silence.
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