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 Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:39 pm
Flashes of colors and shapes turned through the wheel, preparing to stop at random.
3.
3.
8.
"What the ********?!" Mikael called in frustsration, slamming his fists into the poor defenseless slot machine in front of him. How many times had this been? 10? 20? 30? "It's rigged I tell you!" He insisted, making a wide gesture towards the hunk of metal as he looked at his twin with indignation. There was honestly no way you could loose that many times in a row!
"Nother, nother!" laughed the squirming girl in Runeh's arms, her silver eyes alight with interest. It was funny how it had kept her occupied for so long. But apparently anything that matched the ADD nature of a child was entertaining to one.
Runeh only grinned at his brother with a mocking glint in his eye, "Yes, of course it's rigged. Because we all know you always win your bets, dear brother." He hoisted Riley up a bit higher, since she had been slipping, feigning innocence as Mikael branished a fist and him and showered him with a rainbow of colorful language.
When that did nothing but make Runeh more amused Mikael huffed and began to storm out of the casino. His twin followed behind him, laughing and patting his disappointed sister on the head as she reached out with small hands to the interesting machines that her brothers had been using.
"I'll prove my luck is FINE!" Mikael fumed, pointing an accusing finger at Runeh. "We'll go in here and you'll see!" he said loudly, before whirling to go into a fortune-teller's tent not far from the building's entrance.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 3:48 pm
Estelle busily arranged cards on her table, alternating palming over one to pushing aside what resembled a small pile of mouse-sized bones. She mumbled quietly under her breath, communing with some inner council. "Manny," she said suddenly, startling the girl from her place thumbing through old drawn texts, "Come, bring me my sage. I have something here that might interest you." It seemed she had not heard the noise outside the tent, which was odd considering her usual alertness. But then, Manuela did have a tendency to keep her up.
"Yes Mama," Manuela said obediently, bringing forward a small bowl full of dried crushed leaves. After handing the bowl off she pulled herself up onto a stool beside her mother, carefully arranging her rough robes before she looked to the table. Spotting the bones, she leaned forward to touch them, "What are those?" Estelle smiled, "Those are our good fortunes, a remider of mortality. At least that's what I like to think of them of." Manuela was silent, though she wasn't quiet sure what the word mortality meant. Unlike her mother though, she had heard the stirring and now looked up to the opening as the curtain moved, tugging on her mother's sleeve. "Look," she said, pointing her free hand toward the flap. Ah, she'd get to see her mother in action.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 4:13 pm
With a sweeping motion of his hand Mikael pushed back the tent flap, moving in with wide, sharp steps of a determined-or perhaps simply stubborn-man. He slammed his hands down on the table, his attitude rash and firey. He'd show Runeh, the b*****d! "Woman, I want my fortune!" he said with misguided enthusiasm, his jaw set stiffly.
Runeh, in contrast, slipping in quietly like a cat. He set his young charge down on her feet, keeping one of her small hands in his scared ones and grinned widely at the scene before him. He wouldn't be surprised if the poor fortune-teller refused to serve his brother due to his rudeness-or even kick him out. And yet he did nothing to interfear; instead he watched, mischief hidden under a pleasant expression.
Riley was quickly bored with the whole ideal. She rolled her silver eyes and swayed her body, knowing that they should see her restlessness and correct it! But of course, Mikael and Runeh were not quite as attentive or sensative as her normal watchers, Victor and Kai, so this just wasn't the case.
Sticking out her lower lip in a pout she scowled, twisting up her face. "Go PLAY!" She demanded quite loudly, yanking at Runeh's hand in order to get free.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 4:23 pm
Instead of getting upset with the man, Estelle simply picked up her smooth ivory pipe and placed it in her lips. She a soft drag before letting loose a breath of an odd herbal mix into the air, telling him simply, "Well then you ought to sit down." Manuela grinned cheerfully at the mind, marveling in her mother's ability to take things in stride. It wasn't that uncommon for someone to storm in there, and she never rose her voice. But this could only hold the little girl's attention for so long.
"Pardon," she said quietly, getting down from the stool with a little help from the table's edge. Her tail twitched slowly behind her, not so much a sign of her emotion as an unconscious habit. She hadn't seemed to notice the other two arrivals, having been distracted by the first, and said suddenly, "Eh?" as she noticed the two standing back from the table. She ambled over to them, under the watchful eye of her mother still, holding her hands to her chest as she bowed very lightly and said, "Welcome, tea?"
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 4:34 pm
Mikael gave a sour look, but sat down regardless. After all...he was the one that had come in here to get his fortune, right? He hadn't come in to fight with the woman before him, even if his visit was only due to spite and pride towards his twin. The chair felt too small or something and it took him a few moments full of grumbles before he got settled enough to address Estelle again. "So, you gonna tell me what my fortune is or whatever?" He asked impatiently. Not that he knew how this sort of thing worked...or believed in it.
Runeh offered the little girl who came up to them a crocked grin. His awkward nose, twisted from an old brake, and his marred features probably weren't very welcoming to one her age. "Nah, I'm good," he told her, and slid his gaze down to Riley with an interesting though, "Hey Ri, want some reallllly yummy stuff?" Hehe, he knew the girl would hate it. Bitter water tasting of leaves wasn't exactly something most children favored.
But Riley wasn't exactly paying much attention. She had put both of her palms against Runeh's arm and was pulling furiously, trying to get free. "Let go!" she growled, before lashing out with a kick which honestly wouldn't hurt anyone. But she felt her brother's grip slide away and gravity did the rest, pulling her backwards and sending her toppling over to knock into the other poor little girl and then dragging Riley to the floor with a THUMP!
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 5:04 pm
Estelle nodded to the grumpy sounding man, holding her pipe firmly in her mouth. There wasn't anything of substance in it, but it happened to suit a certain old habit of hers. "Is there anything particular you want to know?" She asked slyly, taking on the tone that said she knew there was something bothering him. Her hands were layed flat upon her deck of black backed cards now, shifting subtely as she moved to spread them over the table. But the noise from the front startled her and as she saw the girls tumble down she stood up, leaning over the table. "Manny," she said roughly, "If you want to play go outside, Mama can't watch you right now." In retrospect, she had been a bit short with the girl, but she had been deep in thought and had since lost it.
Manuela yelped as the other girl pulled her down, fumbling to get her arms around the girl's shoulders to keep from making so much noise. Her hands scraped on the ground as she cushioned the other's shoulder blades, and worsened slightly as she tugged them out from under Riley to face her mother. The woman's unusually harsh words brought a frown to her face, but she only nodded and said, "Yes Mama," before offering her hand to Riley. Dropping her voice to a lower tone she said to the two of them, "Maybe we should go outside. Not enough room for..." She paused to count in her head as Estelle had recently taught her, "Five people." Her words were a bit unsteady, but that was because she was just being taught proper grammar, something her mother thought very important.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 5:33 pm
"Nah, just tell me how amazing I'm going to be or whatever it is you do," Mikael said with a strug. He was tempted to say that she should just tell him how he was better then Runeh, but apparently he did have a scrap of tact. It was small, but it did seem to exist. Hearing the loud crashing sound he twisted slightly in his chair, glowering at Runeh and Riley both. "Ahhh, Runeh, take her outside if she's going to wreck the place!" It was amazing how someone so tiny could cause so much trouble. He knew that all too well-she often messed up whatever room she was staying in and he was messy so that was saying something if he was concerned.
Runeh rolled his shoulders in a shrug, barely hiding his grin. He had actually been looking forward to seeing exactly what Riley would get into this time. But it seemed they were going to play it safe and stick her outside. Bummer.
Riley blinked curiously at the strange girl's hand as if it were a foreign object. What had happened? She tilted her head to the side slightly, her gold locks getting her face. This other girl had helped stop her fall...well wasn't that WEIRD! No one ever stopped her falls, except for brother Kai but he tried to stop her doing EVERYTHING. It didn't really make sense. Huh.
She pushed herself to her feet, not taking the other child's hand since she really didn't...quite understand the gesture and besides, she was perfectly fine on her own. "Outside!" she agreed with a wide grin that showed her teeth. She ran around her elder brother near the tent flap and then stopped at the exit, bouncing on her toes. She looked expectantly at the other girl and Runeh, as if they were being weird and holding everything up. "Come!"
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 5:43 pm
Smiling now, she sat back down and nodded to Manuela, her bundle of necklaces jingling as she did. "Whatever you wish," she told him, palming over the deck that seemed to suit him the best, the Shadow Truth. She aligned five cards in a sort of modified cross, turning over the middle one with a flick of her wrist. "Your attitude," she told him, almost laughing when she realized how much this one fit him, "Confident, foolhardy, hot tempered and occasionally theatrical."
Manuela meanwhile, didn't seem bothered by the girl's refusal of her hand, many of the congregation didn't like to be touched after all. She was however, a little curious about the girl's odd appearence, never having seen anyone like her. "I'm sorry," she said to the older of the two as she followed them outside. "She prefers to work by herself, more natural responses from the people," she explained, going to get a red ball from a chest beside the tent. They needed something to play with afterall.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:03 pm
Riley didn't see why the girl had said she was sorry. She hadn't done anything? She wasn't being yelled at or sent to a time-out soo...she was ok. Not that Riley knew much of punishment. "It boring in here," she replied simply as if this made everything better. They were going to go play and have fun and that was all that mattered! She flitted outside, but not before Runeh got to laugh at his twin for what the fortune-teller had told him. He left reluctantly afterwards, whispering to Mikael, "Oh yes, this clearly proves your utter success brother."
Mikael scowled, his face turning a shade of red-purple that showed her prediction of his hot-tempered nature. Perhaps it was the very fact that she had said it that kept him in his seat, for he was visably fuming at his brother's comment. "Lady, what's the point of telling me stuff like that? It doesn't do anything. There's more, isn't there?" He grumbled, eyeing the cards with distaste.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 6:43 pm
Estelle couldn't help but chuckle a bit under her breath at the whispered comment, though hoped afterward that he hadn't heard it. At his question though, her smile turned sly. "Well of course there's more, if you care to hear it with an open mind." She placed her hand over the next card, hesitating for a moment before she flipped it over, "And it does a good deal more than you think. The thoughts beneath your outer shell." This card was reversed, which apparently meant something to her. "Overzealous and self destructive. Despite what you believe on the outside about being right where you want to be, you secretly feel like you're selling yourself short," she explains, tapping the card.
Manuela yelled, "Catch!" as she tossed a bright red ball to the other girl in the dim of the street lights. It was near dusk, but that didn't stop her playfullness. It was normal for them to be out here until late into the night, and she had grown into somewhat of a nightowl.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:35 pm
Mikael looked like he wasn't even really listening, leaning forward, his chin resting on his scarred palm. Weren't fortune tellers supposed to...tell your fortune? If he wanted a personality reader he wouldn't have come here. It did him no good. He had already been in a put-out mood due to the rigged slot machines-YES they were rigged, her swore it!-and all this doom and gloom about his personality was boring. Where were the predictions of wealth or good fortune or whatever? "And...?" He asked, as if what she had just told him wasn't really relavent anyway.
Riley had been running around most of the day. But that hardly meant she was out of energy. The poor girl often kept her brothers up instead of it being the other way around. So despite the setting of the sun she was on her toes, ready for action! Her reflexes snapped into motion once the ball was in the air and she took a few steps to her left, reaching out and catching the ball in both hands. She grinned widely, "Hehe!" Bending over slightly she tossed the ball back at Manuela, "Catch!"
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 2:45 pm
Estelle was truthfully a little put off by the man's apparent disinterest, but as long as he paid her she wouldn't judge him. Hopefully his next card would get his attention. She flipped the next, then held it up to him, showing the image of a woman in the ocean, "Open your heart to the simple pleasures in life. Don't make everything so complex," she advised, "You will likely run into an old friend, don't try and push for change, remember the past."
Manuela hiked her skirts up a bit as she ran, nearly tripping on the cobblestone as she leapt to catch the ball. She managed to grab it clumsily in the air, barely keeping her footing as she hit the ground running. She doubled back to Riley, now bearing a wide grin. "You're good! Try this!" With that she threw the ball into the air and kicked it, no so much hard as high. That would make it a littler harder to see where it was going to land for sure.
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 5:00 pm
Mikael laugheed, grinning a little for the first time. "WELL, since I already do that I suppose it's good advice," he agreed, leaning back in his chair. Enjoy the simple pleasures in life? Mm...he already did much of what he deemed "simple pleasures" much to Victor's disapproval. Gambling only being one of many. Her second comment, however, caused him to muse for a moment. Old friend eh? "Well, that's probably a good warning...I can't pull any old friends off the top of my head that would enjoy seeing me again. Maybe I can avoid them." Most of his friendships had been fleeting, for life had always centered around his brothers-most of all his twin, who was the closest companion he could ever have.
Riley's "ears" twitched attentively, her sharp eyes following the ball's movements. She reacted quickly, as always, but did not attempt to catch the ball. Monkey see, monkey do after all. Instead it bounced once and then the sparrow-girl made strong swing at it with her leg. She made contact with the ball, but instead of kicking it high like Manuela, it went forward and in a more rapid movement instead of the lofty lift it had gained before. It crashed into the side of the tend with a muffled thud. Riley clapped her hands happily, smiling from ear to ear, "WHOAH! Hehe!" She had kicked a little before with her brothers, but they had been more mild and short...they hadn't encouraged her to attempt anything bigger. Who knew how fun it could be!
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 6:03 pm
Estelle nodded silenty, hovering her hand over another card. "This one tells how people see you, and most often how they respond to you. Many of my customers don't like what it tells them," she warned, only faintly stirring at the sound of something hitting the heavy velvet of the tent. Her dark eyes glistened in the low light as she took a chance to look directly at him, trying to discern whether this was his true self or a facade. It was difficult to tell sometimes.
Manuela cheered along with the other girl, glad that she hadn't had to try to dodge the ball as it sliced through the air. She was at first a little worried that her mother would come out and yell, but when she didn't she loosened up. "How about another game," she suggested, reaching into the chest for something a little less destructive, "I have jacks, and spinning tops."
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Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 6:14 pm
With Mikael, however, it was what you see is what you get. He was a little too shallow and self-centered to really put on any kind of mask or performance. His brother, on the other hand, was quite the opposite. But Mikael was raw emotion and flaring personality. There really wasn't a whole lot to figure out. Estelle had it easy, for she had gotten the more open twin. "Like I care what other people think," Mikael snorted, shaking his head. Well...maybe he cared what the ladies thought. Couldn't disappoint them now, could he? Heheh! But that was an entirely different matter.
Riley stuck out her lower lip in a pout, wrinking her nose a little. But she liked destructive things! They were lots of fun! Not that she tried to destroy anything on purprose. It just seemed...to happen when she was around. Yeah. "I like ball better," she said bluntly, looking unwilling to switch games.
"Afraid you'll loose Riley?" laughed Runeh with a twinkle in his eye.
Riley's small brows furrowed and she glared at her brother. "No!" she cried, before turning and rushing over to Manuela, a look of pure determination on her face. "How play?" she asked in a passionate tone.
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