(M) Destiny's Deck: Fate's Hand IC.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Rated M for possible mature content including sex, violence, language, graphic situations, and possible drug use.

Destiny's Deck: Fate's Hand



Play the hand dealt you by Fate.

OOC is here, but closed to new players

The air was electric with excitement and leaden with happy chatter and laughter. The Mercer Traveling Carnival was always a big hit when it came to Windy Gate in rural Massachusetts. Once a year the sleepy little town explodes with visitors and the town's coffers practically burst from hotels, and main street vendors that offer a break from the hustle and bustle of the carnival. Shows go on well into the night and most of the shops don't even close until 1 AM and the bars go until 2 every night, but no one complains much about it. How can you complain when the carnival nets nearly the whole town's yearly revenue in the four days it's open.

Tonight was the last night of the carnival and a fireworks display that rivals the Fourth of July is scheduled to go off at 10. This was usually the most popular night of the carnival and Desmond Hare would be damned if he'd miss it. Dressed in a comfortable set of sneakers, blue jeans, and a baggy black sweater over a simple white t-shirt. The red-haired man was chowing down on his fourth slice of pizza making his last circuit around the grounds. Even after four time 'round he was still finding new things with every pass. It was like the carnival was more alive tonight than it had been in the past, but he just caulked it up to all the new people coming from out of state. Finishing up his slice the young man dropped the paper plate into one of the over-flowing blue trash can and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets. A smile tip-toed across his face as he walked down one of the less crowded fairways heading for the indie shops that always managed to have the best local made items for sale and the occasional tattoo parlor. He'd been down this part of the grounds once already, but the first time he was busy watching a young couple fight as they walked past, break-up by the looks of it, then get back together all within the fifty foot walk to end of the stalls. This time he took his time and actually looked at the items, but nothing caught his eye despite the perky young ladies wearing tight tops trying to sell him stuff. As he got to the intersection a strange longing overtook him and made him look left towards the hippie shop instead of the rides on the right.

Looking down the sparsely lit avenue he walked as if in a trance. Soon a soft exotic music reached his ears and partly broke him from the spell. Following the pleasant sound he found a curious little trailer decked out in trinkets and gleaming ornaments. The music was coming from a little radio that seemed to have seen far better days, next to it's owner though it looked brand-new. Seated at a folding wooden table and shuffling a deck of strange cards was an absolutely ancient woman. He wouldn't judge her a day under one-hundred. She was dressed in black ankle length dress and purple wrap, she hadn't seemed to have noticed Desmond standing there, but her crackling voice fully broke him from the spell and he shook his head trying to remember how he got there the longing feeling still nagging at the back of his mind.

Her voice was old, but he could hear a strange power behind her dry words.
"Welcome young man, care to give an old lay the pleasure of your company?" He studied her a little before nodding and taking the seat opposite of the woman. She finished shuffling her deck and placed the stack in the exact center of her old table. Desmond was wondering if this would cost him anything when he caught the old woman's intense eyes upon him. They seemed to glow in the dim light, but the young man shrugged it off as shadowplay. Meeting her gaze he stared back, but the more he looked the more unsettled those grey eyes made him. He felt the strange longing intensify making his eyes water and forcing him to break the woman's stare and blink. As his eyes focused the deck was gone and in it's place was a face up card with the Grim Reaper clutching it's signature scythe and a lantern hanging from the blade the sickly green light making the card almost seem holographic.

Looking at the strange card the woman's withered claw of a hand pushed it closer so he could see the text at the bottom and read it outloud his voice cracking softly as if he hadn't had a drink of water in days.
"Harbinger of death and embodiment of mortality. You exist between life and death, your cold hand heralds the end. But you are locked in place and can only kill those whose time has come, from this law you cannot bend." His eyebrow quirked and he looked up at the woman.
"What kind of fortune is this?" Locking into his eyes again she answered voice sounding slightly more smooth and pleasing.
"Your destiny, keep this card close and when the time comes all will be made clear." He looked down at the strange card and took it in his hand slipping it into his pocket. There was much more he wanted to know and ask, but the spell that brought him to the trailer took over again and he moved on his way, back towards the light of the carnival slight wisps of blue light dancing around passers-by made him feel like something bad was going to happen and these people were going to die.

The driving feeling didn't abate until he was well away from the Indie shops and back in the middle of the food stalls. He blinked a few times and spun around where he stood trying to remember how he got back here. Everything looked familiar, but not at the same time, he'd been around the Carnival around four times so everything looked familiar. But a nagging itch in his mind was telling him something was missing, looking at his grandfather's wrist watch Des noticed it was has been an hour since he last looked at the time. Moving to a bench the Collage Student sat down and tried to visualize where that hour had gone, he's had black outs like this before. But those usually required lots of alcohol and some Sorority girls, and right now he was sober and alone.
He sat for a few minutes racking his brain trying to find that lost hour, nothing came to him, but as he leaned back on the bench he felt something digging into his leg. Reaching into his pants pocket he pulled out a card and read it over flipping it back and forth trying to remember where he got it.


*The Rest of you*

Destiny's Deck

Many have visited the old woman's trailer and each has been blessed with a strange card that seems to be as familiar to them as their own hearts. You don't know why or how, but something tells them things are about to change. You keep the card close feeling a warmth from it, you think on it, you, study it, but all you know is that you don't know.

Dark Deck

While the Fortune Teller allows the people to come to her, a large frightful looking man has been hunting around the fairgrounds looking for you. You were minding your own business when he approached you and simply handed you a card, with only two words to guide you.
"Be ready." And before you can inquire further the man is gone, moving much faster than you would expect such a big man to be able to move. Leaving you with only the card to stare at and wonder after.

[Megilwen]

Kara walked into the carnival with all the flashing lights and happy, laughing people. She wore a baggy shirt and jeans and her hair looked kind of limb and dull, which matched with the sad, lost look in her eyes. She hadn't been putting much care into her look recently which was not normally for her as she was normally obsessive over her looks. She kind of wandered in an aimless manner. Having grown up here, she and her brother Kevin used to go to the carnival every year. Now it was all just a painful memory. Kevin's favorite games, his favorite rides all just reminded her of him. Maybe coming hadn't been a good idea. Even the smell of his favorite carnival food, freshly fried corn dogs was making her feel sick. She was just turning around to go back home, when she heard the sound of strange music.

Her feet took her down the row where the occult booths and stores tended to be set up. She remembered her brother and her coming down her as a joke once to get their palms read. She hadn't believed what the gaudily dressed woman had tried to tell her. Something about her succeeding at life and becoming a doctor or some equally rewarding job. Her brother had been told he'd be a pro-athlete and would play for some big sports team. Well that certainly wasn't true anymore. Despite all that, here she was walking down that same part of the carnival. Drawn by the haunting music. She ended up in front of a decorated trailer with a set of wooden steps leading down, inviting her inward toward the music. Inside, she saw a little wooden table with an old woman on one side. A deck of cards were already laid out on the table as if ready for whatever was to come next.

"Come in dear. It isn't polite to keep someone waiting." Said the woman, indicating the seat in front of her. Kara sat down across from her. "Take the top card." The woman told her and Kara did as she was told. The top card was the Lover card and showed a beautiful woman on the front. "Your destiny dear." And Kara couldn't help but snort.

"My destiny. Doubtful. It's just the card on top of the deck it has no baring on me." She however couldn't stop staring at the card.

"If you doubt it dear. Shuffle it back in the deck." The woman's voice sounded amused by Kara's doubt. Kara did as told, putting the Lover card back on the deck and reshuffling it. Finally done she sat the deck back on the table. "Take the top card." The woman directed as she had earlier and Kara drew the top card expecting a different card, only to flip it over and find the Lover card again. She stared at it in disbelief, there was no way.

"The heart hold many secrets, but you know each you see. Emotions are under your control and empathy is your weapon. Be on guard to the wiles of your own heart, because as the heart loves so too does it hurt." Kara read off the card.

"It is your Destiny." The woman repeated a knowing smile on her face. "Keep it close dear. You'll receive your answers in time. And as such, Time will heal all wounds, even those that are the deepest." Kara put the card into the pouch with her brother's rocks before standing and leaving heading back to the main part of the carnival.

When she was aware of where she was again, she was standing in front of the corn dog cart staring. Corn dogs were Kevin's favorite. Maybe she should get one. Kara got in line and ordered, reaching into the little pouch of rocks, where she put her money. She found not only the the money she needed, handing it to the clerk, but also a strange card that she hadn't remember being in the pouch before. She was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of a clearing throat as the man held out a corn dog to her. "Thank you." She said taking the food, while walking away distractedly looking at the card in her other hand.

[Dr. Insano]

The entire carnival seemed like it was alive. People both young and old were having fun and the usual throng of college students were walking around either sober or drunk. Even the rides were really fun and the food was actually decent. Right now Noah himself was on his fourth funnel cake and he was sure he would feel it when he got back to his home.

"You know, it's good to see you're having fun doing something than locking yourself in your room with your books." Adriana looked down at him as the two walked the Carnival looking for something else to do.

"I have to admit, this has been fun. It's at least a lot more fun than spending the night with Ben." Though he wouldn't admit it it was also nice to spend time with Adriana alone, too. It seemed like ages since the two had simply been together since they were in high school and he missed her company. It was a sad thing that college had taken up nearly all of their time but now that the semester was about to end the two could be together more often.

“Hey, Adriana, I heard that there’s a fortune teller here or something. Since I know you’re into the occult maybe you’d like to visit her before the fireworks?”

“Oh, sure! While I’m in there mind trying to find out when the fireworks will go off?” Going and trying to find the mystic Adriana left Noah by himself. He could have sworn that the show was going to start near midnight, but it was so close to it that he was sure that the carnival would make some kind of announcement. Seeing a man just a few feet away he called out to him thinking all the while, “Holy shit, this guy is a beast!”

The giant of a man made no noise as he turned around and produced what seemed to be a tarot card and shoved it into Noah’s chest, nearly knocking the small student back.
“Be ready.”

“Be ready? For what…” And with that it seemed the stranger had simply vanished into thin air, as if he was never even there. Looking down at the card he read off the inscription.

“The written word holds many secrets and nearly infinite power. Only limited by the human imagination it can raise or destroy cities and nations. But just as this power is given to those who wish to wield it, it also takes away as is the law of equivalent exchange. Be wise and read carefully.”

Footsteps behind him snapped Noah out of his trance as the familiar voice of Adriana came up. “So, did you get the time?”

“Um, yeah. Pretty sure the show is about to start. Should probably head over there quickly.” Putting the card in his pocket he made his way over to where the fireworks are supposed to be launched from.

[GelidPhantom]

Farrah was sitting in her carnival booth. It was constructed well for something knocked out in an afternoon. Then again, her and her partner, Mad Hattie McGowan, had quite a lot of experience making half tents in short amounts of time. The tent was covered in black and pink striped fabric, a banner hanging from the top with the same image she was wearing on her shirt, a tattooed 50's pin-up girl with devils horns and a tail sitting mudflap girl style. The tattooed woman winks at passerby’s, as if trying to invite them to come by the booth. Written directly to the right of the image were the words "Free Face Painting! Courtesy of Hell's Belles Tattoo and Piercing Parlor".

Currently, Farrah was working on painting a young boy's face to look like a dinosaur. While she is painting the boy's face, his parents are looking toward the back wall of the tent at the sample tattoos Farrah had framed and hung up for the adults to look at while they waited. Occasionally a spoiled teenager would come by and try to convince their parents into getting tattoos or piercings done at the salon, which often times ended up with a 'no' and an argument. Still, it didn't stop Farrah from enjoying painting the faces of those who stopped by.

"Hey boss. When are you heading back to the gypsy trailer?" A voice piped up.

That would have been Jack, Farrah's assistant. He was, in truth, a little punk when Mad Hattie and Farrah had first agreed to allow him to Apprentice at Hell's Belles, but he has had a lot of progress since then. The kid had been coming in for a few years to get his piercings and tats done. He was a lot like Hattie in the regard that he had once been a rather spoiled rich kid. The only difference is that Jack was still bumming money from his dad so he could have extras he honestly didn't need. Farrah was still trying to talk him out of it, but it would be a long battle.

His black, half shaven hair tapped his chin at its longest length. It swayed into his brown eyes as he huffed, pushing the lock out of it. He taps a paint brush to a child's cheek. This was the boy's sister, she assumed. She had insisted on being painted like a tiger, and Jack was halfway finished with her.

"I'll probably investigate it later, Jack. I'm almoooooost," She takes a breath, then grins widely. "Done."

She spins around in the stool shes sitting in to grab the hand mirror. She promptly then spins around again, holding the mirror away from herself facing the boy.

"What do you think of that?" Farrah asks the child.

"I love it!" He says excitedly. "Wow! Mom, look! I'm a T-Rex!"

The boy roars at his mother, who looks over with a light laugh.

"That's great, dear! Do you want to wait here while your sister finishes up, or do you want to go with your father to ride some rides?" The woman asks her son.

While that conversation happens, Farrah hops up and moves over to grab some wipes. She rubs the paint off of her arms, grinning slightly as the couple and their children move off. Jack's hand reaches out for a wipe, and she gives him a few.

"Thanks, boss."
"No problem, Jack. I think I'll go see that fortune teller now."
"Alright. I'll watch the stall while you go do that. But before you go, we're running low on blue paint. Can you give me the keys to your car while I go get more?"
"Yeah. Sure. No big deal."

It really wasn't. Her car was literally parked right behind the tent. Farrah reaches into her distressed, powder blue jeans to grab her keys. To her surprise, she finds something of a new texture sitting in her pocket. Her amber-green hazel eyes cast downwards toward it. Whatever it is, it feels holographic, like the Pokemon cards she used to see kids in her school carry around when she was young. She's never owned a deck in her life. Her mother died when she was eight, and most of the money they had was spent paying off her medical bills. Her father could barely afford to feed them some weeks, let alone buy her a set of playing cards she'd outgrow in a few years.

She pulls out the card, and holds it up to the light. She is surprised to see something far more beautiful staring back at her than any animated monster battling game could ever produce. Farrah's mouth goes agape as she stares at it. It was an angelic woman holding a golden sword and staff with shoulder length brown hair. Outstretched were white wings, and her whole body seemed to glow with light. Above her seemed to be some sort of arcane or holy halo, blue in color. All of this upon a fantastically painted background of some sort of holy temple, ruin, or church.

"What are you looking at?" Jack asks, snapping her back into reality.

"I'm," Farrah pauses, studying the card as her brow furrows. "I'm not sure, honestly. I have no idea what this is."

"Does it say anything?"

That was a good question. Farrah's eyes roamed over the card again, taking in the picture once more as she feels like the woman's eyes pierce into her very soul. She forces herself to break away from it to study the rest of it. Sure enough, it has text written on it at the bottom. That was fairly standard for most Tarot decks, but the text she read certainly was too long for this to be from any sort of Tarot deck. She began to read out loud the text on the bottom of the card to her apprentice.

"The Avenger," She starts. "Bearer of light and messenger of justice. The Light gives you comfort and joy, but the Dark will bring you pain, misery, and defeat."

"What sort of card is that?" Jack asks with a quirked brow. "Maybe one of the kids that visited the stalls earlier left it here?"

"No. If that was the case I would have put it in my pocket. It looks like a fortune telling card."
"I thought you didn't see the fortune teller yet?"
"I didn't think I did, but I don't know. Wait. How long was I gone earlier?"
"About an hour."

Farrah froze for a moment, her already pale skin losing color. An hour? She could have swore that it hadn't taken that long. Come to think of it, though, when she turned away from the fortune teller's trailer it had looked a lot darker than it was supposed to. It left her scratching her head both mentally and physically. Jack just laughed at her gesture and the confused look on her face.

"I've got to go by there again later and figure this out," She tells him with a sigh.

"Why not now?" He proposes.

"I guess I shou-" She is cut off by the growling of her stomach.

"Maybe you should eat something first," Jack laughs at her.

"Alright, alright," She chuckles. "Just don't get into any trouble while I'm gone."

"No promises!" He tells her, spinning around to go to the head of the booth.

Farrah throws her keys toward Jack so he can retrieve the paint that he needed. He thanks her with a nod, and then she wanders off to go walks off after that. She starts to head to the food court, thinking as she takes steps. She didn't remember getting that card, most certainly, but she wasn't exactly going to write it off, either. Something really freaky was going on here. Still, she had this nagging feeling in the back of her head that she should probably keep the card she found close. Somewhere in her mind, a thought rung out to her "Its your destiny." It caused her to blink for a moment, and pause in her tracks. She then she shook her head, and continued on toward the food court. She smoothly slid her hand in the pocket with the card, as if she were trying to protect it. She continuously rubbed her fingers over the top of it, enjoying the feeling of warmth she got from it as she continued to walk.

[Yamimoon]

The caravel was as lively as it is every year. The hustle and bustle of all of the people there to enjoy themselves was something that Vincent was used to, but Susan was not as accustom to this amount of people. But she was holding her own. Since they were visiting from the next town over, and Vincent himself has been coming to this event every year since he got away from his biological parents. This was Susan’s first time to the Caravel, and she seemed to be enjoying herself.

They had already been here for about four hours, and they have hit almost all of the shops. Vincent could swear that Susan had become a shopping fiend. He has already had to carry seven loads of merchandise to the car to store them until it was time for them to go. “Now Susan you need to slow down. I know we came on the last day, but it will be here next year. So no need to get any more stuff.” Vincent said as he knew that soon the Caravels main event would be happening.

“I know! But look at all of this cute stuff. Besides I am buying some of this for you. Especially since you home is so bare!” She said as she giggled slightly. She knew how much he didn’t like clutter, but she couldn’t help herself on getting him things. “OH! lets go down here. I heard form one of the shop keepers that there is a fortune teller down this way.” She said as she grabbed Vincent’s arm to drag him along. “Come on!”

“You know that I don’t believe in any of this destiny crap! I mean no one can know what the future has in store. Besides they are all just a bunch of phonies anyway.” Vincent said as he just allowed Susan to drag him along. He believed that any man had the power to choose their future that nothing was written in stone.

“Oh get off of it, and try it for once. You never know you just might find that it isn’t just a bunch of hog wash.” She said as they both walked down the street, but suddenly Vincent stopped. “What is it?” She asked as he looked at her with a warm smile.

“Fine, but first would you go back to the Hawaiian ice stand, and get some shaved ice. Watermelon, and Passion fruit if you would. Then I will go and see the fortune teller.” He said as he saw an excited look on her face, as she then ran off to the vender. He turned to watch her go.

Then suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder, and he was forcefully turned around. Vincent looked at the Behemoth of a man with wide eyes as the man shoved a card in to Vincent’s chest. He took the card and looked at the picture. It was of a young blond man that had a suit with a top hat. The picture had piercing blue eyes much like his own with a minuet hand tattooed under it, and he carried a gold pocket watch that looked like his, but his was silver not gold. The card was familiar in a sense, and almost felt like it belonged to him.

The man spoke, “Be ready!”

But before Vincent had a chance to ask anything the man was gone. He then looked at the card again almost incanted by it, when he realized it had an inscription on it.


You know the past, control the present, and see the future. The whole stream of time is laid out before you. But as is the way with destiny, your power is limited in length and bound to the flow and unable to alter the waves of fate.

He looked at it a bit confused, but at the same time it almost made sense. Then Susan appeared beside of him, and he quickly hid the card in the book bag he was caring. “What was that?” She asked as she handed him his shaved ice.

“Oh nothing. Just something that was given to me.” He said as he began to walk to the fortune tellers Trailer. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to tell her about the card. There was something about it that he wanted to keep a secret.

They finally arrived at the trailer for the fortune teller, and Susan pushed Vincent through the front door. “Go!” was all she said in an excited voice. It was like she wanted him to be proven wrong. He shrugged his shoulders, and made his way into the inner sanctum of the mysterious woman.

As he went deeper an uneasy feeling came over him, and as he reached her the feeling only intensified. There wasn’t a sound coming from the radio, nor the woman that sat at the table. She only looked at him with a sad, but worried face. They stared at one another for a while then he got a devilish smile on his face as he turned to leave the woman’s presence.

“Well what happened?” She asked eager to hear what she had told him. Just as he came out of the trailer, with a kind smile on his face.

“Well that is between me and the fates!” Vincent said jokingly to her as he walked back to the street. Like he was going to tell her that they just stood there and stared at one another for a while. Susan wasted no time going to his side to pester him about what happened. They both continued walking away from the trailer to go and enjoy the rest of the carnival. He had a feeling that something was going to happen and it was going to happen soon.

[Yamimoon]

Double posted for some reason!

[Dnafein]

Connor weaved through the crowd, a smirk on his face as he watched the people around him. They moved without a thought that standing in their midst was a priceless artifact. Connor slipped a hand into his pocket and ran his thumb over the gem. As he did his eyes caught on a uniformed police officer moving through the crowd. The thief had no reason to believe he had been identified before he made it into the carnival, still his heartbeat jumped a little.

He walked past the officer without hesitation, and the officer didn't look at Connor twice. The thief drifted aimlessly among the aisles of games and rides. He spent a few bucks on food and drink. His feet turned down an unexpected path and he found himself standing at the door to a trailer. Frowning Connor began to turn around.

The door however had other ideas, as it swung open and an old voice called out. "Come in young man."
Connor stepped inside. The old gypsy sat behind card table. There were cards arranged in the shape of a diamond on the table. The woman motioned to the cards.

Connor stepped forward and his eyes locked onto the womans he reached out and took a card. Holding it before him he studied the image of a dark winged figure. The words across the bottom of the card burned into his mind. Warrior of shadow and bringer of chaos. Darkness is your weapon and the night brings you power. Avoid that which gives you pain and sorrow though... avoid the light.

"You have chosen your destiny, keep this card close and when the time comes all will be made clear." The old woman's words pulled the thief from his focus on the card. When he looked around, he was surprised to find himself no longer in the trailer. Connor slipped the card into his pocket, stroking the Pink Panther Diamond again.

This night had been interesting.

[Koti~]

Derrik leaned back on the bench, a cigarette resting on his lips. A thin trail of smoke snaked it's way into the air, joining the cumulative air thick with cooking smoke, puke, grease, and diesel. It amazed him at times how people could ignore the disgusting smells of a carnival in lieu of the enjoyment and fun. His eyes wandered over the various people, following the lopsided grin of an obvious drunk man, to the lewd passes from a woman dressed slightly better than a street corner whore. Even the young children, some painted up like dinosaurs and others like jungle cats, were oblivious to the underside of the carnival.

"Why do people still flock to these things?" Derrik asked himself before pulling out the cigarette, exhaling a stream of smoke to plume around him. A sigh escaped him, wondering what doledrum would befall him again, and how much longer before he had to go on air.

"Heck, maybe I'll get to report a man getting stabbed. Missed the last time due to malfunctions." Derrik spoke before taking a draw on the stick, allowing the acrid smoke to burn his lungs once again. Several people had asked him why he smoked, at least those who knew of his mental disorder. All he could tell people was the reaction others gave him, especially from those who disliked it.

Snapping back to reality, Derrik spied a rather large and brutish man heading his way, a fire in the mans eyes. Quickly his mind began to buzz, wondering what he might have done to upset a man such as this, as was the obvious war path this one was on. Derrik surmised that it had to be the local strongman, dressed as a medieval barbarian, sans the coat made from a dead bear. The first couple of guesses went to Derrik having insulted him in some way, while others figured the guy was acting as a brute for the carnival owner.

"Hey sir, I don't know why you'r-" Derrik was stalled when the man roughly shoved a card into his hands, nearly bowling him over onto the bench, the difference massive in their physical strength. Quick as he had come, the Barbarian strongman left, leaving him bewildered at the oddity.

"Huh ... probably another drunk then .." Derrik spoke before looking down at what had been placed in his hands. His eyebrow rose considerably, staring at the hauntingly beautiful woman on the front, the ghostly visage rather entrancing.

"Walker of the land of Shadows and Dreams, traveler of the realm between asleep and awake. From the soothing dream, to the most terrifying nightmares, all are at your fingertips. But be weary, for the meek are your prey, and the mighty your foe."

"Huh... strange card." Derrik spoke, eyes still locked on the card. It wasn't until the call from his cameraman did he break eye contact with the card. He pocketed the card, unable to explain why he wanted to hold onto it. He headed towards the van, snuffing out the cigarette before going to get ready for another roll, the next time slot for when the fireworks went off.

[Lady Celeste]

"You don't seriously believe this crap, do you?" Adam asked, trying to keep up with Diana as she walked further into the carnival. "Hell, who's to say the old broad wasn't involved?"

"An elderly gypsy woman hung a guy twice her size upside down from an elm tree? I don't think so." Diana snapped, not breaking her stride. "Look, I know this sounds far-fetched, but every card so far matches how each gang member died."

"That's just a coincidence." Adam argued. "Or she could've--."

"Shhh!" Diana shushed him, seeing the old woman's trailer directly ahead. The old gypsy looked up, her dark eyes focused intently on Diana.

"I knew you would come." The old lady said simply, shuffling her deck. "Come in."

Diana walked forward in silence, her own eyes finding their way to the deck of cards just as the old gypsy set them down on the table. Adam rolled his eyes, making no attempt to hide his annoyance, but followed behind Diana nonetheless.

"So..." Diana trailed off. "...you know why I'm here?"

"I do. But do you?" The old woman replied, slightly pushing the deck of cards toward Diana. "Take a card."

Diana tensed, slowly reaching to take the top card from the deck. As if dreading what she would see next, she hesitated to turn it over, but when she finally did...

---

"Wait; this isn't the right card."

"Cut!"

Ashlyn stood up, holding up the card as Reese looked over her shoulder to peek at it.

"She's right; it's some kind of fairy card." Reese said, confused. "What's that about?"

"Oh dear; I must've gotten the decks mixed up. My mistake." The gypsy woman quickly said aloud, taking another deck from under the table and stopping to skim through it. "Ah yes, here it is."

"Good." The director said, somewhat impatiently. "Alright people, let's try that again from the top; everyone get back into position."

Reese began to walk back the way he and Ashlyn had come in, but before Ashlyn could follow, the gypsy woman took her hand and motioned for her to come closer. The old woman looked more serious now than she had while filming earlier, so Ashlyn took a few tentative steps toward her.

"That card is more important to you than you think. Keep it close." The woman whispered, pointing at the fairy card. "All will be revealed soon."

Ashlyn nodded, somewhat unsure, and glanced down at the card one last time before slipping it into her pocket and walking back to join Reese.

Caretaker of nature and defender of plants. From the lowly mushroom to the mighty Oak, all plants are yours to control. But wary of the beast and flame, they will be the bane of your children, and do well to never leave the sun for long.

[Heson Shadowbane]

"Beast of the Blaze and master of healing. You sleep in coals and rise with the sun, but as water can put out the raging flame. So too can it destroy all you have gained." The old woman had flipped over a single card from the ones Sammy had selected from the deck and spread across the table. The picture upon the card had her frozen in fear, a sort of woman crawling up glowing from a pit of flames.

"Wh-wh-who's putting you up to this? This isn't funny you know!" The old lady was pressing the card into Sammy's hand, but Sammy pulled back and flung the card away. While the old woman picked the card up, Sammy started to back away towards the entrance. She was already feeling the signs of an attack happening with her breath getting short and the pain in her head.

- - - - -

"Come on, I know you are not fond of all the occult stuff Sammy, but she's good. Said I had good fortunes shining in my future and what do you know Derek asked me to go to the beach with him next weekend!" Sammy's friend Lisa was an energetic one, but through that she was one of Sammy's few real friends. She was the one that dragged Sammy along to the fair in the first place too.

Sammy rolled her eyes, putting her hands into her jacket pockets with a smile. "Fine fine, I'll go take a look at this fortune teller if it'll get you to stop nagging me about it. It's just down this row right?" Lisa gave her usual energetic nod as she gave Sammy a push on her back to get her going.

- - - - - -

She fled from the tent, gasping for air while her head pounded. She ran into someone and it took her a moment for her to realize it was Lisa that was holding her. "Hey! Sams! You alright there? You're looking very pale."

She was about to respond when the old lady from the tent came up, her head bowed. "Please forgive me child. The future isn't always perfectly clear. Had I known how you would've reacted, I would have given you another sort of fortune. Please, take these vouchers for the vendors. A sign of forgiveness from an old woman." She had a small stack of vouchers, fairbucks really, in her hands held out to Sammy.

She took a few moments to catch her breath, patting Lisa on the shoulder to have the worried look on her face go away before turning to the fortune teller. "I-it's fine. As long as someone didn't have you show such a card to me." Sammy took the stack, not noticing the card tucked away inside the stack as she put it into her jacket pocket. The old fortune teller just smiled at her before she turned back to her tent and began to walk back to it.