✗oo7

[asshooole]

video;

[The resident shitbird shifter has been relatively quiet as of late, probably recovering from the Day of Fire and appears to be lounging on the roof of Hikawa Shrine when he prods his Warp Band to a video setting. Fluff, his affectionate Sylveon, is draped all about him, and climbs to rest her head atop his as he taps the device.]

So call this a little out of left field, but is Fortune Telling an ability one can be taught?

Comments

[lunchleader]

Um...maybe? Always thought it was something only Psychic-types could do, though.

[Oh, look - it's that one Fairy-type from that mission in Sanctuary....]

[asshooole]

[....Lord, why is it you. He looks at the feed for a long minute and half-closes his eyes like a dozing cat before inhaling and sighing softly.]

I don't know much about the art or Psychic types, hence why I'm asking.

[lunchleader]

Huh...any reason why?

[Blissfully oblivious to the other's irritation...for the moment.]

[asshooole]

[He's a decent actor when it comes to potentially getting information.]

I'm a Fire/Flying type. What need do I have for understanding Psychic types?

[lunchleader]

I dunno. Maybe they can be your friend and help you learn that kind of technique?

[asshooole]

[That's a sort of unfriendly laugh of a sound.]

That's one scenario.

[lunchleader]

It's the best one. [Right shrugs nonchalantly.]

Why are you asking about it?

[asshooole]

Maybe to you.

[He sighs, shifting his weight.]

I'm helping take over a shop where it was offered.

[lunchleader]

Ohhhhh, and you wanna help? That's very nice of you!

[asshooole]

[You are such an optimist it nauseates him.]

It's less that I want to help and more that it seems prudent to continue to offer a service a shop has always offered, even under a change of management. That's how humans do things, isn't it?

[lunchleader]

Especially if it's a good thing to keep going!

[What's that? More optimism?]

Which shop is it?

[asshooole]

[This face forever.]

Etteilla.

[lunchleader]

Etteilla...I think I've been there once, this past spring...

And you're taking over? What happened to the girl that used to work there?

[asshooole]

Eiji is, but I'm slightly obligated to make sure the idiot doesn't die of boredom or get overwhelmed trying to run something. Nozomi and Eli went vacationing.

[They went on their honeymoon.]

[lunchleader]

Ohhhh, so you're both helping out! that's still a nice thing to do, even if it's just for Eiji's sake.

[asshooole]

You just have to assume that people are doing things because they're nice, don't you.

[lunchleader]

What's wrong with it? It's not like it's not true.

[asshooole]

I don't do things because they're nice. I have done things that I imagine can be viewed as "nice", but that's not why I do them. I further my own ends. If it makes people happy that is their business, not mine.

[lunchleader]

[Right seriously thought about it for a few moments.]

That does sound selfish...even if all you wanna do is spend as much time with Eiji as possible.

[asshooole]

[The plumage where his ears would be curve forward and then sharply backward, flattening against his head.]

What I do at Etteilla has very little to do with Eiji. If anything, it's so he doesn't screw up taking over Nozomi's shop.

[video]

[heartandsoul]

Um...theoretically? But why would you want to learn that--if you don't mind me asking.

[He very likely minds, but...yeesh, even with herself being a Psychic type, she's never bothered touching on that idea. It's weird.]

[video]

[asshooole]

I'm helping take over a shop. The owner used to offer Fortunes and I figured it might be pertinent for someone on staff to have a basic know-how.

[His tone is sort of drab-- he doesn't mind, it's a logical enough question, but he does seem a bit annoyed to be answering it. ...Then again when doesn't he seem annoyed.]

[video]

[heartandsoul]

Well...if it's teaching something like, how to shuffle and deal tarot cards for example, you can probably learn that from someone who knows really easily.

But as for the "writing fortunes for people to pull" thing and...actually predicting the future, I think you might need some natural ability for that. Have you asked Rei?

[video]

[asshooole]

[He scrunches his eyebrows together.]

I don't really figure myself the "writing fortunes" type, to begin with. No one would buy them because they'd get sick of being told they should stop speaking according to some divine prophet that doesn't actually exist.

[A beat.]

Not specifically, no.

[video] sorry for the uber lateness, feel free to ignore

[heartandsoul]

...[Yes, that actually made her snicker.]

Maybe it'd make them stop being nosy about their own future, at least.

[She shrugs.]

I don't have any perception of the future myself, despite being Psychic type, but I know Rei has plenty of it. She'd be able to help you a lot, that's what I think.

[video] it's all good!!

[asshooole]

[He chuffs, actually seeming amused by that.]

You would think.

Seeing as I live with her, she probably won't have much of a choice.

[Ankh you wipe that shit-eating grin off your face.]

[faithfulflame]

[Well, don't mind if a certain priestess leaps up onto the roof casually nearby.]

You want to learn fortune telling? Why?

[asshooole]

[Okay, he's a little surprised.]

Savior, Rei. Warn a bird next time.

[Settling back from where he'd puffed up in alarm.]

Eiji and I took over Etteilla.

[faithfulflame]

[She laughs and settles down beside him.]

Savior? Getting religious are you?

[asshooole]

[The plumage where his ears would be flatten against his head in scolded annoyance.]

No. It's just caught on because other people say it.

[faithfulflame]

[She laughs again, this time more cheerfully.]

Well, what kind of fortune telling are you wanting to learn? Tarot?

[asshooole]

[Frowns thoughtfully and nods, shrugging one shoulder.]

I'm not sure to what extent Nozomi did fortunes but I know she did have an affinity for cards. Tarot might be a good place to start.

[faithfulflame]

Tarot is something I know how to do. I'll start teaching you, if you want. But...we have to get you a deck first.

[asshooole]

[He looks vaguely interested.]

Mm. And there's something about letting a deck choose you or some... spiritual something or other, right?

[faithfulflame]

Yes. You can't just buy one. It has to come into your possession by a means outside your control.

In other words, I'll see if I can find one for you.

[asshooole]

[Squinting.]

Does me telling you I want to learn and you getting one for me really count as "means outside my control"?

[faithfulflame]

You're not picking the deck, so yes.

[She flashes a cheeky grin.]

In fact, I think I know the one I'll get you.

[asshooole]

[The plumage now pins itself against his head facing downward in a look of dread.]

...Now might be a good time for me to become religious.

[faithfulflame]

No, I promise, I'm not going to get you anything weird, okay?

[asshooole]

[Fluff trills from where she's piling herself atop his head and he pillows his cheek on his prosthetic.]

I'm so convinced.

[But he does offer a very brief grin.]

[faithfulflame]

It's not like I'm giving you a choice.

[Her eyes flash with mirth.]

How's everything going with your hand? Adjusting enough?

[asshooole]

[He rolls his eyes, and then moves his face off of the hand, looking it over and rolling his wrist, wiggling his fingers.]

As good as one could hope, I guess. It's been much easier to adjust to than the wing when I shift.

[faithfulflame]

I...can't really imagine.

[Unfortunately. Or fortunately, depending on how you wanna see things.]

[asshooole]

[A shrug of one shoulder.]

There's no need to. Just trust me when I say there's a reason I don't shift much anymore.

[He sounds put out about it, but not as much as one might expect.]

[faithfulflame]

Fair enough.

[She leans back on her hands, a single flame flickering in the air in front of her, not unlike a candle.]

At least you can still make fire.

[asshooole]

[He smiles crookedly, looking away and giving her little flame a friend.]

Yeah.

[faithfulflame]

[Her flame swirls and wraps around his, shifting colors to a blackish purple.]

Good.

[asshooole]

[His own flares green at the ends, like his prosthetic, and he rolls his eyes.]

Show off.