♣ FOURTH ♣

[mechaeonical]

[ Not far from a series of stalls selling cotton candy stands a new addition to the circus. It's a coin-operated fortune-telling machine of the kind usually inhabited by cackling animatronic caricatures of old gypsy women. This time, the occupant is just as robotic, but looks rather different than those gypsy witches. It's Aigis in the glass case,

Comments

Action-ish~

[neverberid]

[Nimueh wanders the circus, taking in the sights. The mechanical card reader immediately catches her interest. How could a machine possibly be able to tap into the power of the Old Religion?

Out of curiosity, she puts in two Reds.]

[mechaeonical]

[As the coins rattle into the machine, the flashing pattern of its lights changes, and Aigis's attention abruptly snaps to Nimueh.]

Welcome, seeker of fate. Please introduce yourself so I may begin your reading.

[neverberid]

[Nimueh hesitates. Should she give her true name? She looks around. That should be safe. No one she knows is around. She speaks quietly, just loud enough for the machine to hear.]

Nimueh.

1/2

[mechaeonical]

Let us begin, Nimueh.

[Her hands twitch across the table in front of her and shuffle the cards until they blur. Finally, she lays down five cards in front of her.]

Your reading will describe your mind, body, and soul, as well as the force that drives all three of them.

Action!

[ann_withane]

[Anne wanders the carnival, devouring in the sights, sounds, smells, even textures of the place. It is a veritable feast for the senses.

She sees Aigis and claps her hands in glee. A tarot card reading! How romantic! She quickly puts in two Reds.]

[mechaeonical]

[Aigis's reaction to and greeting of Anne is identical to her last.]

Welcome, seeker of fate. Please introduce yourself so I may begin your reading.

[ann_withane]

Anne Shirley. Anne is spelled with an e.

[mechaeonical]

Then we will begin, Anne who is spelled with an e.

[Moving stiffly, she shuffles the cards on the table before her.]

Your reading will describe your past, present, and future, as well as the influences that guide it.

[misterblackbird]

[A pause in his performances, Cain is wandering the rest of the circus.]

I've never been one to put much faith in this sort of thing.

[But it reminds him of his sister. ... A pause. ... And in go two Reds.]

[mechaeonical]

[Aigis's sales pitch shudders to a halt, and her attention focuses on Cain.]

Welcome, seeker of fate. Please introduce yourself so I may begin your reading.

[misterblackbird]

Cain Hargreaves.

And I wonder what you'll tell me.

[mechaeonical]

Then we will begin, Cain.

[She shuffles the deck with jerky motions.]

The cards will describe your past, present, and future, as well as an influence over them.

action;

[soulofocean]

[Umi was having a blast with the giant fair the place had turned into, despite she disapproved of the lame tents and had hated clowns since childhood. If only ALL curses could be that fun... Even for a broke girl, most of the shows were free to see! Now she eyed the fortune telling machine with curiosity.] Hey, that looks neat. She's pretty. Seems so real...

[She stared and listened to the advertising, making a face at the cost.] Two reds. Awwwk... Wish I had them! Geez, it sucks to be broke!

...But wait. I swear I had a couple of those left for a snack. [She checked her pockets and produced a couple of candies and some coins. Fortunately these included the two reds. In they went into the machine.] Yesss! Okay, here goes nothing. It's not like I can do a lot with these anyway.

action;

[mechaeonical]

Two Reds is a very small sum. I assure you, you will receive full value for your purchase.

[The lights shift and change, and Aigis abruptly focuses on Umi as the coins rattle down.]

Welcome, seeker of fate. Please introduce yourself so I may begin your reading.

action;

[soulofocean]

Uh, I didn't mean to sound stingy! [Boy, the machine can even hold small conversations. Umi stares back, starting a little when those eyes focus on her. But she recovers fast.]

My name's Umi! Ryuuzaki Umi.

action; 1/2

[mechaeonical]

We will now begin, Umi.

[Her hands blur jerkily in front of her as she shuffles the deck.]

Your reading will describe your present situation, a problem that confronts you, and one possible path to solving it, as well as the forces that influence the matter.

[denyinurgod]

[Setsuna's eyes wander around the circus grounds while waiting for Lockon, who told him to wait while he went to somewhere-exactly what Lockon had been up to he didn't know-curious despite himself. It's the first time he's ever been to a circus just to be there, without a mission to accomplish in mind, and it hadn't been entirely a bad thing. If he knew what peace was like, this would probably be it.

The mechanical voice catches his attention, and he finds himself walking towards the strange machine. He blinks and eyes the cards on the table for a while with an inquisitive look, but doesn't do anything else.]

[mechaeonical]

[Aigis's sales pitch comes to a close once more. This time, though, instead of simply repeating it, she turns her attention to Setsuna.]

Do you wish to have your fortune read?

[denyinurgod]

Ah...

[Setsuna glances up at the robot. Fortune?

He doesn't quite believe in fortunes, or destiny, or whatever else it is termed. The future is something people make for themselves. Still, there is the nagging feeling at the back of his mind, the what if: What if he could alter the future the rest of his comrades had already seen? One false decision, and everything could turn out differently. Will he continue to bring about the end of the war, or will he fail? And his answer, will he ever find it? The path towards mutual understanding (does he even know where he is going anymore?). His eyes move back to the cards on the table.

Regardless of its truth, it wouldn't hurt, right?

He fishes out two reds from his pocket and drops them inside the slot.]

[mechaeonical]

[Lights flash on within the machine.]

Welcome, seeker of fate. Please introduce yourself so I may begin your reading.