hoodoo? you do!

Dear Genghis would show Nikita a spot secluded enough for the reading. It was off to the side of the border, enough so that Olive could have some privacy. Surrounded by low-hanging tree branches, the little grove was also warm enough to sit comfortably. When the pale woman approached again, she looked up with a bright grin.

"Hello" she tipped her head "did you find the four items?" She clearly had, but it was just polite to ask! "now, what sort of reading do you want, priestess?" Considering her excitement earlier, Olive went into it with an open mind. She also probably had a question in mind, as Valeska did. The thought of her first reading in this world caused Nikki some excitement too.

@Olive 's reading

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Truly, it didn't take Olive long to find the objects that Nikita had asked for. She knew she must fetch the amethyst geode that was given to her by the sorcereress Valeska at the women's own wedding. It was endlessly faceted and endlessly beautiful, and have even blessed the woman with safe passage the night her puppies had entered the world. Then, the sylph allowed herself the freedom to seek out a singular item that was not yet in her possession — a wild country flower, having been frozen in the lateness of its prime, and not allowed to turn brown and rot. The other two items came to her on their own accord, and she knew the items when she felt the inner resonance that @Nikita had so adeptly spoken of. A tumbled hagstone found by the shores of the glacial lake, and a simple twig that had somehow been cleaved cleanly from its branch. The end of it was not splintered and frayed, as most wrenched trees were.

Somehow carrying all these items and at the same time following the masked fortune-teller's spiced scent, Olive eventually found her within an arboreal enclave. She set the items down, opening her mouth and closing it several times before she found her words to describe the guidance she sought. "I consistently tread into unfamiliar territory within my own mind...” she attempted to explain, knowing the question was more for energetic intention than Nikita's own understanding. "Sometimes I wonder if I am staying true to my dharma,” The woman sighed, not something forlorn, but something that came from inner exhaustion. "I don't know, I just wonder... am I making the right choices?”

It was a simple question, and not necessarily a request for the future. More than that, she needed affirmation of the present.

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OOC; for reference; hanged man (self), star (past), high priestess (present), the fool (future)
 

It took all of glancing at the items that Olive brought to know that the woman was seeking answers. She placed a paw on the stick first, drawn to its clean cleave. She could feel nature's ebbing flow, the destruction, and the comfort at once. "I see..." she murmured at the other's words, giving a confirming nod "I'll do my best, Priestess." Olive sought answers and confirmation. Nikki would try to help the best she could.

The stick first. "Right now, you obviously feel very uncertain" a pause "someone has changed your view of what you thought you wanted" Though unaware it was between her mate and another "sacrificing comfort may lead to a new discovery" New perspectives and all that. Her attention went to the geode "you always had a clear vision of what you wanted out of life, and change can be a bit scary at first." But it could also lead to many wonderful things.

The hagstone next. "Try to ignore the feelings of unease. This will pass if you handle a situation correctly. It's fine to delay decisions until you're sure" And now, the wildflower... A representation of nature's fickleness with keeping things the same "you'll eventually find out you did the right thing; an unexpected result will come to you, bringing joy and happiness" Nikki looked up at Olive, smiling kindly "it would seem you'll be on the right path if you stay true to your convictions. Don't change for others, even to please them."

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Olive drank in Nikita's portend like it was cool, running water and she was parched on a hot and sunny day. She had sought guidance on such things from the Gods, but they spoke almost exclusively in aphorisms and riddles. Here was a live woman, offering her practical advice drawn from the divination of her most significant objects. Objects that had come into her life in whatever way, big or small — it was no accident that Nikita was here, looking at her small array of treasures, imbuing them with intuited meaning. There were few things that Olive had respect for more, and every bit of awe was shown plainly on her face.

The words that poured forth from the Spellbinder's mouth intoxicated Olive with their truthfulness. Nothing she said sounded crazy or out of the realm of possibility. Actually, the pale mother found it very comforting to know that she was on the right path, and to not let her negative thinking and worries get her down. It was about as simple as it could be, wasn't it? Nikita's warm smile seemed to connote the subtle joy of her reading; of knowing that everything would be okay. Olive returned the endearing gesture, eyes crinkling at their corners.

Trust yourself, and don't succumb to doubt.

As Olive would eventually come to know, this would be the exact same advice given to her by Valeska. She would lean into the discomfort, and find expansiveness within. The thought puzzled Olive deeply, but at the same time, nothing had ever made more sense. She wondered if Tiberius and Kuhn would see if this way, of if they would choose to do the opposite: to sacrifice their potential, all for a small bit of comfort. "How will I know when I am sure, if everything feels so new? What types of feeling should I... pursue?" Perhaps the path would seem that much clearer, if she could find an inner resonance with it.

Olive grinned at the woman quite sheepishly, hoping she could slip in that additional question.

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A valid question, to be frank. "Any path can seem dark, with no light to guide the way" Nikki muses "I believe you are a strong and capable woman, Lady Olive. You are a fighter" And she didn't need the fortune to tell her this "and fighting against any doubts and disbeliefs... Is a fact of life. You just need to overcome and persist. Know it is right when you want to fight for it. Emotions can be misleading and also a protective shell. Know it is good when you feel the power from your decisions flow into you. It will not be a dark light." Newness, aside, Olive would see she did the right thing by feeling rightness from it.

"There is nothing wrong" she added "with doubting and fixing mistakes. Nobody is perfect. You may trip a few times, but you'll skin your knee and get up stronger for it. So, if someone pulls you down... You can fall to that knee, refusing to break" She paused, allowing her words to sink in "something worth fighting for shows you the true way forward. If you were to give up... Was it the right path to take after all? There is a difference between saving yourself and giving up" She smiled kindly at the pale woman "trust in your connections. They will help lead the way. Do not let them shove you forward, go at your own pace."

Because Olive didn't need anyone to tell her how to feel, or how to act. It wasn't right or wrong, but acceptance of things beyond one's control. Learning to live with what happened, or was going to happen. Becoming positive about it and leaving negativity behind.

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Overcome and persist.

Honestly, these were two things that Olive wasn’t innately skilled at. She had a windy constitution, and was prone to change and effervescence. If Olive didn’t almost always have a new and evolving project, she felt stagnant. Though being a mother had certainly given her a foundational learning in these qualities, her children made it easy because they, themselves, were always changing.

What the masked fortune-teller told her, was a different power altogether; the power to stay, and see things through.

Nikita reminded her of her mother. Brigid had a knack for divination.The woman was feisty, always reading meanings into the most minute occurrences of haute and happenstance. Her mother never attempted to foretell future events but instead spoke in sweeping aphorisms and applicable advice, whatever her own energy and source-connection inspired her to say and do.

Olive, herself, felt more like a receptacle for whatever the Gods bade of her. There was little she could scry from looking at objects, but she knew how to imbue them with energy and activate them in the ways she saw fit. Olive and Esra attempted to embody and honor the Gods through love and devotion, and for her dedication, they granted her a certain level of sight. For Seers such as Nikita and Brigid, it seemed to be far more innate.

Thinking more about Nikita’s words, Olive wondered how many times she might have to fall and skin her knees. How many times would this new adventure with Tiberius require her to pick herself up, again? Almost foolishly, she had imagined the matter to be concluded. Though it was an uncomfortable thought, the reality was that she might come up on several hurdles, or perhaps the same hurdle several times.

Overcome and persist.

Olive heaved a sigh, dropping her gaze to look downwards at her small array of items, silently thanking them for this realization. In her conversations with the Gods, they had spoken wildly to her about potential and dharma. Never once had they given her practical advice, such at this. It thrilled her, in a way, to think that there might be yet be storms to come — and that she would have the chance to conquer them. At least life would never be boring again.

She looked back up to Nikita. Tools need their witch, to be useful to anyone. “Well,” she concluded with a nod, salmon-pink tongue slipping over each lip in turn. “I suppose that is not the worst fortune to receive.” She leaned back on her haunches as if relaxed, finding peace in known that Nikita’s advice was not something more akin to 'RUN'.

The Gods had seemed to steward Nikita right to her doorstep (or was that Genghis?), so Olive help this reading in high regard. The Priestess was silent for a moment, attempting to commit such prophecy to memory. “Your words are incredibly insightful, especially where matters of the heart are concerned.” she said finally, quietly, revealing a small glimpse of what had vexed her so.

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She had an inkling it was a romantic fortune being asked, though Nikki was going to admit to Olive she had no idea it'd turn out that way. "Matters of the heart?" She stifled a loud giggle, coming out as an amused snort "I could not say... I have no partner, past or current" A true vagabond with no attachments to call her own. Almost sad "I merely like to think I am... sensitive, to the ways of others. To what they need to hear at the moment." She shrugged lightly.

If Lady Olive needed to hear them, she was glad to have at least helped that way. Her curly tail wagged behind her. "I don't like to pry into others' lives. It ruins my neutral stance and fuddles up fortunes. If I know too much, then someone can say I am biased. Corrupted. Even compromised" She smiled uneasily "that is why I like giving fortunes to those I do not know well." If she had to give one to a dear friend, she would decline unhappily. Nikki could even admit she may be biased toward them.

She would want to give them good ones because she cared so deeply about them. It didn't work that way. Fate was not discriminating. It was absolute neutrality. Fair. "Though I am sorry you felt the need to rely on my words for clarity" Nikki began after a heavy pause "wouldn't it be easier to speak to a friend directly? I am... afraid I cannot do more for you, Lady Olive." Her ears fell flat against her skull, and she looked forlorn. Unable to help another? Madness. But Olive was a pack wolf. She was a stray.

It was not fair to anyone, to push into each's lives. Things were different on each side.

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