(no subject)

[trustmybase]

[A bathroom mirror comes slightly into focus, a faint reflection visible. Once the steam clears, it becomes clear it's Marti, though she's full dressed and seems to only be about to brush her teeth when she notices.]

No.

[Darkness. In community time, it seems like only a few seconds but when it turns back on, Marti is on the couch, books in her lap. Something causes her to look up. Immediately, the books drop as she moves to turn it off. ]

I'm losing to a computer. Great, just the boost I need.

[Black again. Next time, seconds later again, she appears, this time standing in front of it.]

Okay, so, I'm being stalked by a pushy computer who wants to play therapist. So, here's for the sharing and caring...

I have the cheerleader audition today. It's normal to be nervous, right? Right. People are nervous. [She begins to pace.] Especially when something as big as a scholarship is on the line. By the way, thanks again Wanda.

[A deep breath and then she stops.] So, I shared. Your turn. Any tips for a girl who's about to try out for the cheerleading for the first time at a college level?

Alcohol's not an option.

Comments

[trustmybase]

... What do you do? For fun, I mean.

[symbolofhappiness]

Eh? Well... I go into town sometimes. It's not a big town, but it can be exciting in its own way. Most of the times I stay home and read.

[trustmybase]

Nothing modern. [Or she would have heard of cheerleaders.]

Guess that's one way to relax, but I don't think it would help nerves.

[symbolofhappiness]

I guess not, no. It can be a bit boring here, but that's what I have the community for.

No, it probably wouldn't. You know, if you want, I could tell your fortune. About your audition, I mean.

[trustmybase]

Fortune? Not a big believer in magic.

[symbolofhappiness]

Hm, are you sure? I've been told I'm very accurate. Actually, it's my job.

[trustmybase]

That's what all of them say while scamming people out of money. No offense.

[She sighs. Maybe after seeing real magic, maybe it's more ridiculous not to play along.]

Maybe. I don't believe it, but anything to take my mind off this.

[symbolofhappiness]

Hm, perhaps. I like to think I'm different. Most of the time I don't even charge people.

Alright then. Give me a moment. [Setsuna takes a tarot deck from her pocket and starts shuffling it. Then, she pulls three cards out of the deck and flips them over on the table. Once that's done, she smiles.] Hm, it shows that if you try your hardest and don't give up, you will succeed in your goal. That's a pretty good fortune.

[trustmybase]

Isn't that generic fortune telling? It sounds like those little motivational posters. "Hang in there until Friday". Or something.

...But hey, motivation. I'll take motivation.

[symbolofhappiness]

It can come off that way sometimes, I'll admit. But it's often more specific than you'd think. For example, this wasn't a normal, general reading, but one specifically about your audition. So the goal here refers to only that, nothing else. [Setsuna picks up one of the cards and holds it up. It's the Wheel of Fortune card.] You're pretty lucky to get this card, too. It means 'success' and 'good luck'.

I hope I was able to help, even if only a little.

[trustmybase]

I could use some of both.

Marti Perkins.

[symbolofhappiness]

Setsuna Higashi. It's very nice to meet you.

[trustmybase]

Setsuna. Got it. [So many less American names here.] So, business must be kind of slow if you don't go out.

[symbolofhappiness]

We - that is, me and my housemates - operate inside our own house. It's fairly big, so we could easily spare a room for fortune telling. But it's in the middle of the forest, so it's very secluded, which means we don't get all that many visitors.

Still, we get enough people to keep going. We have a good reputation for being accurate.

[trustmybase]

Need an extra? If I fail this audition, I'll be looking for a new job. I can...clean crystal balls or something.

[She doesn't sound very serious.]

[symbolofhappiness]

[Setsuna laughs softly.] Hah, I don't think you'll fail. Besides, we only have one crystal ball.

Though I'm almost tempted to replace Hayato with you. His predictions can be a little... well, useless.

[trustmybase]

"Useless"? Wrong?

[symbolofhappiness]

More like not even predictions at all, a lot of the time. Just the other day someone came in for a love fortune and he just started giving advice on his own, no predictions or anything.

It wasn't even good advice...

[trustmybase]

But advice can help, right? If you believe this stuff, it can be a confidence boost but advice can actually help.

...Not so much for bad advice.

[symbolofhappiness]

Yes, that's true. And don't get me wrong, I don't mind if he gives advice [yes she does] , I just wish he would do his actual job, too.

He... probably means well. Hayato is just not the smartest person.

[trustmybase]

Can he? By your standards?

[symbolofhappiness]

I don't know. Probably not. But he doesn't even try, really. Honestly, of the three of us, I'm the only one who takes the fortune telling seriously.

[trustmybase]

It's not something a lot of people believe in. In this place, I can't rule it out, but it still seems like a scam.

...From most people. A free reading can't really scam.

[symbolofhappiness]

I don't really blame you for thinking that. Even here, a lot of my customers come more for the spectacle than because they actually believe in fortune telling. Sometimes they change their minds, sometimes they don't.

It might be my job, but I don't tell fortunes because of the money. I just like doing it.

[trustmybase]

If you don't charge for it, how do you make your money?