In The Cards

Participants:

lydia_icon.gif kaylee2_icon.gif

Scene Title In The Cards
Synopsis Lydia reads the cards for Kaylee, and both learn a little bit more about each other.
Date August 29, 2010

Ichihara Bookstore

Nestled in the heart of the main street marketplace, the Ichihara Bookstore is an old and crooked structure pressed between two newer high-rise tenement buildings. The old glass windows and creaking wooden door on the shop's front give it a rustic and old-world feel. Catering to both antique books and newer prints, the narrow aisles and tall shelves are packed full of literature. A single shelf for periodicals lies near the front counter, while signage both out front by the register and in the back of the store indicates that tarot card reading is done on-site at request for ten dollars per reading.

Behind the old and weathered wooden counter that contains the register and a small stack of reserved books, a narrow wooden staircase leads upwards to a black wooden door with peeling paint, revealing red paint in narrow strips beneath, a rope crossing in front of that door hangs with a small sign that reads, "Private".


It's in the afternoon that Kaylee wakes up, suddenly, eyes snapping open and her head jerking off the counter. Immediately, the action gets a grimace. Her neck is horribly stiff from the angle and she's hosting a small headache. "Damn…" She murmurs softly, straightening on the stool.

She can hear the rustle of movement in the basement below, where Delia is dutifully cleaning, but the telepath doesn't move from her spot, she only listens to the mental murmuring of the redhead. Her expression is one of complete wonder. After what happened with the woman below, Kaylee has been left with a lot to think about.

Fingers brush through long golden lengths as she drops her gaze to the laptop that is displacing flying toasters. Instead of bringing up the work she was doing, she instead reaches out to close the lid. Elbows drop to the counter, so that she can drop her face into her hands. The action, hits her bruised cheek just right and Kaylee gives a soft hiss of pain, pressing her hand to the area, tenderly.

Lydia's ballet-flat footsteps are nearly inaudible as she climbs down the narrow stairs, announced only by the creaking underneath. Her lips curl into a smile at Kaylee and her mouth opens to speak, but her smile and words falter as the bruise comes into view. Instinctively, she shuffles closer a hand reaching out to turn the cheek more into the light and expect that patch along the girl's face.

While she was all lightness and delight at seeing the employee prior to catching sight of the bruise, that has faded into the concern that had been adopted with the absence of the blonde employee. "What happened?" It's not accusing, but it's not a tone that will be easily allayed, diverted, or otherwise distracted. Even in her rather hippie looking clothes (including a patchwork skirt sewed together from the fabric of more worn out clothes), Lydia won't be distracted in this regard. "Where have you been?"

"Funeral." Kaylee comments as her face is turn, hand dropping away, giving full view of the dark, pretty new thing. "Someone reacted badly to the death of a loved one, started ripping down photos. I tried to stop her… it was a reactionary thing." The explanation if given softly. "I know she didn't mean to do it at least."

It was simply a young woman anger at the death of her sister.

"And I was gone on an emergency." There is where Kaylee struggles the most, since she didn't mean to be gone a week, whisked away by a time traveler. At least is wasn't for something fun. "I… have no excuse why I didn't call. Bad judgment on my part." More like she got put back a week later then she was suppose to be.

She doesn't follow with promises of it never happening again, Kaylee can't make that promise… her life is so chaotic. It's something Corbin had to deal with too.

"Funeral," Lydia repeats quietly albeit skeptically. Her body language, however, returns to its neutral normalcy as her hands fall to her sides and her shoulders sink slightly. Instead of harping on the issues of the phone call she just hmmms. Small steps shuffle around the counter back towards the register.

While it's not in her nature to press, something urges it out of the sandy haired woman. "What kind of emergency?" the question isn't accusing, not coming from the painted lady, but it has an unusual edge to it. But following it comes an unuttered idea silently thought without consideration, Family emergencies are the worst…

The telepath is cornered a bit a by the question, she doesn't know the woman enough to clue her into the life she leads and what comes with it. "I… had a friend show up out of nowhere." Literally. "And drug me off." Again, literally. "He had messed up and drug me along for support." She sighs softly, it sounds lame even to her, but the truth would be exceedingly unbelievable. Her life is full of unbelievable moments.

"I got all caught up in the whole situation." She continues on, despite the frailty of the information. Kaylee had been totally caught up in the moment, shot multiple times and dying, then getting bullet dug out with a pocket knife. "Letting everyone know, totally, didn't cross my mind." She was too busy either gasping for air or passing out from pain. Leaning on the counter again, she watches Lydia cautiously, albeit a little nervously too.

"It was by far, the worst trip of my life." It's admitted with complete honesty, Kaylee rubs hands over her face again and sighs. "I got here early to try and make up on the missed time, get the inventory done."

Silence fills the room as Lydia grasps a lighter to burn lavender oil, a deep longing within her for that calming scent. As lavender fills the room, she sniffs deeply, drinking in the smell, and letting it wash over her. A side-glance is given to Kaylee and then returned to the oil pot. She shuffles away to one of the shelves and removes a book on knife throwing, one that she's been admiring for the weeks she's had this place, something alluring about the title and subject matter.

Pivoting on her heel, she returns to the counter and sets it down. "Take this one off the roster," she states plainly. "I'm keeping it." If the blonde is disappointed, she's not saying so. And clearly she's not too bent out of shape, not enough to fire the employee.

Her eyes narrow at Kaylee before she finally manages, "Call next time." Not that Lydia has been much for phones through most of her life. Her cheeks flush pale pink as she brings the book to her chest and hugs it tightly. "Has your friend worked things out?"

Clearly, Kaylee is going to have to talk to Joseph about making calls on her behalf, if she goes AWOL again anytime soon. Asking him to do that, brings on a little bit of guilt, she hates putting all that on him, but right he's the one person heavily involved in her life, currently. Mainly due to a small ball of fur that he helps her with. "I'll make sure you hear, next time."

Teeth chew lightly on her lower lip and she nods her head slowly. "And yeah… it all got worked out." There is a soft relief sigh as she opens the lid of the computer to do as asked. "Hopefully, I won't end up having to disappear like that again." Next time maybe the guy will place in the right place and she won't have the issues.

As her fingers type over the keys, she has to ask. "Taking up knife throwing?" She asks quietly, brows lifting a bit. "Remind me not to piss you off if you do." She flashes the woman a teasing smile.

A mischievous and perhaps too secretive glance is given to Kaylee at the question. "It's not a new hobby for me, actually." Her cheeks tinge pink while her fingers curl tighter around the book, regarding it with an odd weight. "I need to practice more though, I'm not very good." Her cheeks flush a little brighter while her weight shifts again — she shuffles towards the stairs to leave the book there to be taken upstairs later.

"I'll never be great at it," Not like Edgar was… her cheeks flush brighter as she's not entirely sure if she made that particular thought loud or not. Her fingers lace together and rest on the countertop, almost challenging Kaylee to ask, not that she'll say much else.

"Oh!" Kaylee returns that mischievous look with one of her own. She leans Lydia's way, propping herself on an elbow. "I heard that." Brows lift in a matter of fact look, before straightening in her seat again, teeth flashing wolfishly.

It's okay… I won't say a word. There is teasing in her tone, but honesty as well. I can't really talk, anyhow. There is a guy like that with Kaylee as well. Her head ducks down a bit, a guilty smile on her lips, as she focuses on the laptop, Oookay. The book is off the list. It's said with the finality of hitting the delete key.

"Oh!" Kaylee returns that mischievous look with one of her own. She leans Lydia's way, propping herself on an elbow. "I heard that." Brows lift in a matter of fact look, before straightening in her seat again, teeth flashing wolfishly.

"It's okay… I won't say a word." There is teasing in her tone, but honesty as well. "I can't really talk, anyhow." There is a guy like that with Kaylee as well. Her head ducks down a bit, a guilty smile on her lips, as she focuses on the laptop, "Oookay. The book is off the list." It's said with the finality of hitting the delete key.

Lydia hmmms quietly, her cheeks flushing a little redder. "If you find someone who makes you feel like you're the only person in the world that matters, that makes your heart sing even when you're not together, that makes you feel like you matter, don't lose them." While the words might be regretful, the tone is even, like she's dispensing an odd wisdom rather than experience.

"And why can't you talk?" Lydia is now the one to probe. Although, instead she arches an eyebrow. "I haven't done a reading on you yet. You work here, this one is free." Her other eyebrow arches, as if looking for a challenge.

"Oooo. Sounds serious." Kaylee points out, before the smile falls a little. "Tho… I'm sorry to hear you lost him… I worry about that too," She doesn't voice the fact that he has this perchance to get kidnapped. "…and… I don't even think he even looks at me like that, or even could." There is a soft huff… her smile fading away. "But, I don't expect him too. He's…" There is a wistful look. "…at least ten years older and… such a good person." That last said with a heavy sigh. The looks she has says that it's clearly hard to explain, but it's also the first time she's ever spoke up about it.

The mention of a reading gets a skeptical look, "Not sure what the cards could tell me… my life is way too damn complicated." She wrinkles her nose… as the Death card embodied, Kaylee has had to deal with tarots in a way that would probably surprise Lydia.

"It was what it was, and loss is just part of life," Lydia replies quietly, her gaze falling to the counter before she reaches for the cards. Her expression finds some neutrality although it doesn't take a telepath to recognize whatever it was hasn't vanished for Lydia. Carefully she unfolds them from the shawl. "You'd be surprised what the cards can tell you. It's all about yourself and who you are. Perhaps you'll learn more about yourself than you thought possible."

Her head tilts and her eyes narrow as she drapes the shawl they'd been wrapped in over her shoulder, her fingers carefully running over that piece of fabric.

Brows furrow further with her uncertainty, "Maybe…" She murmurs softly, eyes on those card. Kaylee falls silent for a long moment. "Okay." The word said firmly, looking up to Lydia again. "Lets see if the cards can truly tell me about myself." Her chin tilts up a little as she takes the challenge. "What do I have to do?" Brows lift at the question.

The laptop's lid is shut again so that she can focus on what Lydia does. "Show me whatcha got."

At the words, Lydia shuffles the cards, prepping them for the reading, and getting them the way she wants them. "Right now? All you have to do…" she keeps shuffling — it's practiced really. She's good with cards thanks to this and, if she wanted, she could probably stack the deck. Her ability does that instead, completing the work and giving some credence and accuracy to the reading. "…is cut the deck while asking a question." Pause. "If you have one."

For the telepath it's all a gimmick, something to be tried on occasion, for amusement. She is curious to see if these cards could know anything about her. Brows furrow in thought, until the cards are held out to her.

Teeth catch lower lip and she stares at the back of the cards, willing some question to form. Hair drapes each side of her face as she struggles on what to ask, there is just too much. There is a soft huff after a moment. "I have too many questions — my existence is full of them." Kaylee grouses softly, still staring at the decorative backs. She slowly sets the cards down and licks her licks. "Okay… I guess want them to tell me who am I?" It's sounds like a simple question, but full of questions itself. There has always been that linger problem of if she is right for a certain someone, or if she really is a bad person.

The cards are halved and she looks back to Lydia, with a sheepish smile. "It's the first thing I could think of. Seems silly to ask about love and all that." Teeth flash as she grins, "That would be cliche. Since I'm sure we all want direction there."

As she acquires the cards again, Lydia pauses a moment her eyes closing gently before she chooses a five card layout this time. Five cards are laid face-down showing that broken helix printed on the back. Her eyes are closed gently as she turns the first card, the one in the centre, STRENGTH, "This is the general theme behind who you are. At your core you exude courage, some measure of self-control, and a virtue of fortitude. When the world around you falls apart, you manage to keep it together, perhaps better than you ought. Beware fighting those feelings that bubble inside you. With that strength you can take it, but that doesn't mean you should."

Brows tick up only a little at those words, Kaylee is certain what to think of it. Eyes lifting from the cards to the woman speaking, her head nods a little. "Depends on the feelings…" She murmurs, lips pulling down into a small frown. "Some feelings can be more trouble and pain then they are really worth to you… or to others."

Lydia hmmms quietly as she turns over the second card. An upright TOWER. Her lips press together as her fingertips graze the card again, considering the exact interpretation of this card for the question. "In the past conflict ruled much of your life. Whether it was the avoidance or the actual eruption of said conflict. You've had rain and disturbance, even dramatic upheaval? all with widespread repercussions." Her head tilts, however, before she adds as an afterthought, "You came out of it, or are coming out of it(?) more enlightened, strengthened which is why you have strength, isn't it?"

Okay, that catches Kaylee off guard and it shows in her expression. Though it quickly becomes guarded. "Okay." She says the word softly, letting it draw out in her uncertainty. "I— have had a lot of that. Though" I don't feel stronger— or— I don't think I do. I'm.. " More cautious, scared… There is so many things the young woman could say there.

"…conflicted. Though… there is a lot I'm… less skittish about. However, your right." Kaylee looks up at the woman, a small smile on her lips. "I've come out of a lot of is enlightened." She learned a lot about herself in the fight against the Nightmare man. Learned a lot from her running from Adam. All stuff that's changed her. She's stronger, she just doesn't always see it that way.

The third card is turned, followed by the fourth. The HIEROPHANT. "I'm not sure if you're religious, but the cards indicate that in the future you'll be guided by some religious authority. Or perhaps something ritualistic. You seek good knowledge and wisdom and I believe you will find it." The fourth card is then regarded, "The reason you asked the question?" the fourth card, The FOOL, "is because you're amidst a new beginning, something is changing and you're still unsure who you are amongst it all." Her gaze flits from the card to Kaylee and then back to that fourth card.

"I—" Kaylee starts, but words fail her as she reaches out to touch the Hierophant card. "There… is someone in my life guiding me now. He's a pastor." She murmurs softly, nail hooking under the card to pick it up. The young woman wants to put so much more meaning into that, then simple guidance. "He's part of the reason I am who I am and where I am in my life."

A glance goes to Lydia and her cheek turn a touch pink and she sheepishly puts the card down. "Okay… so the cards seem to know me… to a point. Though it's more like somethings are changing. Some of it cause of the guidance of…" Kaylee touches the Hierophant card again.

"Though it feels like I'm holding my breath anymore, waiting for the next bad thing to happen." A smile tugs up the corners of her mouth at a though. "Would be nice for something to happen… something…" Her eyes lift from the card to Lydia and her head shakes back and forth. "…just… something." It's hard to know what that something is. Of course, with everything in the young woman's life poised at the edge, waiting for something to push it over. If could be anything.

"I think in uncertainty it's difficult for people to ever really understand whether they can relax." Lydia, included. Her lips press together in concern as her eyebrows furrow. She can bring little comfort in this regard. Her cheeks flush brightly.

With one card left she glances between the other women before flipping it. The HANGED MAN. Curiously, her eyes narrow, "Your entire situation could quite literally be turned on its head. I wouldn't breathe easy, but perhaps there's some respite coming, albeit somewhat distantly?" Her nose wrinkles after reading the card.

"Probably when I'm dead." The words said flatly, with a touch of bitterness. However, she then sounds rather whistful as she says, "Would be nice to have a respite while I'm living, tho." Kaylee does grin though, head shaking a little. "If it is coming however, it better not be too distantly." She only has til November if her vision says anything about her.

"I… should ask Lydia. Did you get hit with a vision in June?" Kaylee lifts a hand and shakes her head. "Don't have to tell me if you did, I'm…. just curious." She gives the woman a small smile. "I know a lot of people did and some had good ones… other bad."

"A vision?" Lydia's eyebrows furrow tightly together while she collects the cards. She slides the scarf from her shoulder and folds the cards within it, protecting them in their fabric casing once again. Her lips twitch a little and her head shakes. "No. No vision for me." She was drifting at the time, looking for her family amidst the chaos of life.

"Did you?" her eyes close slowly as she sighs. "I'm sure the rest will come before you pass from this world — " to whatever lies beyond. But she doesn't say that much. Swallowing hard, Lydia's fingers drum against the countertop. "The future is never written in stone. Sometimes it comes and others it changes. It has to change just by looking at it, that's the nature of understanding the future."

"I did…" Kaylee affirms with a small nod of her head. A thump from below reminds Kaylee of Delia's presence. "Delia did too. In fact, I was in it." There is a soft sigh, fingers rubbing against her forehead. "It… was an interesting discovery." She doesn't explain how she found out tho. "Makes me wonder who else out there had me in their visions." A small rueful smile touches her lips, as maybe her possible killer had a vision as well.

"I know… that just knowing the future will change in it some way, but… will the reason's behind it change?" Kaylee doesn't know where she'll be shot, possible the Lighthouse for all she knows. Her fingers run along the edge of the counter, eyes following the movement. "I know people out there that will do their damnest to change what happened, but not sure it'll be enough. I still feel like I need to be prepared for it to happen."

"There's nothing wrong with preparing," Lydia agrees as she glances up at the ceiling like the answer is written there among the stippling. Her tongue runs over her lips before she sighs wistfully. Her arms are pulled around her body into a hug before she hmms yet again. "There's more going on than we can imagine and everything is in flux. Perhaps these people will be successful but perhaps not. Be prepared for both. If it's a worst-case scenario than do what you can to prepare. Everyday a person should live without regret." To Lydia the worst case isn't death, it's imprisonment. To die would be far less tragic than to spend life in a cage.

There's a silence that comes over Lydia while her features pull downward. With a sigh she nods. "There are things to be concerned about and things to look out for." Her darks eyes flit towards Kaylee now, "Like registration." Her breath comes out in a whisper.

There is a wince at the mention of registration, giving the woman a sympathetic look. "That is luckily something I don't have to worry about anymore." She isn't bragging about it, Kaylee's gaze dropping to the counter. "Course, I lied on mine, but I have an ability that allows me to." Her head tilts a bit to one side in thought. "And the way Telepath's are treated, is pretty bad."

She wishes she had a way to help the woman, but the time for registration is looming. Her jaw clenches a bit in thought.

"Speaking of change… Not to change the subject or anything" Kaylee's head turns just a little towards the other woman, so she can glance at her out of the corner of her eye. "When… and if you get that tattoo pallor going. I'm kind of wanting to get one." She looks at Lydia fully now, brows lifting a little. "If… your willing? I mean… I've never had one, I might chicken out last minute, but… at the moment…" She smile a bit, glancing to one side she says, "I kinda want one."

"I will be fine. I'm not…" she points to her head with a tight lipped smile. "Or. That powerful. I'm just… me." Lydia tugs on the bottom of her shirt before shifting her weight. She manages a tight-lipped, and somewhat strained smile, "I am willing. When you are ready and we have things set up, it would be my pleasure to give you a tattoo." Perhaps on the house. She doesn't say as much, however, she just the idea sit in her own thoughts unuttered.

"Where would you want it? I give you a warning though. They are rather addicting. You get one, you will likely want more as long as the pain isn't unbearable for you." Her smile grows a little more, that strain continuing to pull on her features.

Smile pulling up on one side of her mouth, Kaylee look almost embarrassed. "I… haven't completely decide, but… I'm thinking my lower back." A hand moves around to press against that popular tattoo spot on her back, as she leans forward. "I know they call it, when you get a tattoo there, but… I'm not sure it would work anywhere else, with what I want."

At least the telepath isn't prompted to tell what she wants, a smile on her lips. "I want a black snake with a red eye, loosely coiled around a red apple. Trust me when I say, it has a lot of meaning too me." She has no idea, what others will think of it, her cheeks coloring a bit at the fact, Joseph might not appreciate it… but then she has to remember that he'll probably never see it.

"Well there's always the back of your neck if you want the world to see," Lydia replies smoothly. "If we make it small enough, it should fit. And you have long hair so you could hide it if you wanted." Her lips tighten into another smile. "Tattoos are good to help commemorate things in life." Her smile relaxes some as she glances at the book on the stairs. "I should go put that away. When we get everything set up and you decide, let me know." With that, and another flicker of a smile, Lydia vanishes upstairs with the book in tow.

There is a wrinkle of her nose at the thought of a tattoo on the back of her neck, but she does say, "I'll think on it and let you know." Kaylee watches Lydia head back upstairs and then hazards a look at the cards again. Leaning over she hazards a glance up the stairs, teeth biting her lip lightly.

A cautious hand reaches out to pick up the deck. Fingers search through the cards quickly and two cards are pulled out. Putting the rest aside, Kaylee holds the two cards. DEATH and HIEROPHANT. She holds them together, brows furrowing.

It's like night and day looking at them. Dark and Light. Or… in her mind. Much like the people thet represent. Brows tilt up suddenly and she drops the cards back on the counter face down. They seem to different to be allowed to be together. Sighing softly, Kaylee reaches for the laptop, pulling it close.

There is too much work Kaylee still needs to catch up on, rather then fawning over 'what if's' that may never happen.


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