Complete Eastern Brisshal Mystic Oriental Love Consultation

[Alcea]

It had taken a lot of work, and some gold out of her pocket, but Sumire had managed to set up a stall in in the marketplace. Today was a pretty bustling day, and luckily there were no more brilliant inventors looking to peddle their wares. Surprisingly, there hadn't really been any hard feeling among most of the people. A few of the townsfolk had even admitted to a bit of nostalgia over the incident, scenes like that being much more common in the past. She nodded along, having been part of some of them with...

Well, putting the past behind, it was a brilliant day to get started. She had a bunch of small wooden boards, carving knives, paint brushes, ink and bowls of pure, clean spring water. The sign on her stall listed her services in bold letters:

Fortune Telling
Good Luck Charms*
Blessings
Exorcisms
*Limited Availability

Her sort of services were always more popular with either the younger or older folk. Now that she set up a proper stall, Sumire had to admit that she was curious if anything would change. It probably wouldn't but stranger things have happened. Especially now that the Travelers could freely enter TerraSphere again. Things were going to get a lot more lively in this village. She had enough funds to start traveling, already having a few destinations in mind, but there were so many new Players who didn't know what they were getting into. Sumire couldn't live with herself if she didn't at least help some of them out. Coming into this game, especially if they knew the risks, was foolish at best. Everyone had their circumstances though, and had things turned out differently, she would be diving in regardless of the risks. Clearing her head of such thoughts, she took another look around and adjusted her posture. Confidence, or at least the facsimile of it, was important for attracting customers.

 

[Solaria]

Solaria was wandering the marketplace, looking for a new sword, when she spotted it- a nice stall of possibilities! Curiosity got the best of her, and she practically ran to Sumire in a hurry. "Excuse me! Can I get my fortune told?" She wasn't one to believe whole-heartedly in the occult or astrology, but something told her this stall owner was legit.

"I wonder if I should get a stall too. I could sell potions... That'd be a good way to find the money for a better sword..." Shaking her head, she smiled at the stranger before her. "Sorry, I shouldn't be talking business like that at your business, should I? But... Do you think it'd work?"

Clasping her hands together, she pointed at a good luck charm. "Can I have one of these too? For your fee, of course. I want good luck if I'm going to make good potions."

 

[Alcea]

Already she had a customer, today really was turning out to be a great day. The girl, an elf from the ears, seemed to be an adventurer. She definitely definitely had enough energy to be one. More than one villager set out on a life of adventure only to come back a few days later, citing their inability to keep up the strenuous day to day activity. Smiling at the other girl, she said,

"Of course miss. Please wait a moment while I prepare the ritual. If you want to start a potion stall, I would recommend talking to Jonathan. He's pretty good with carpentry and I'm sure he'd be happy to give you a discount in exchange for a potion or two. I recommend setting up around the afternoon, there tends to be a lot of traffic then."

Placing down a bowl of water on top of the stall, Sumire also reached out to grab two charms. If the other girl was planning on sticking around, then a little bit of extra service here would mean a repeat customer. Then again, would she need to come back if her stall was successful? Dismissing the odd thoughts, Sumire got to work on painting the charms then handed them over.

"Here, an extra one just for you. This charm is for good luck, and the other is for business prosperity. I wish you good luck on your potion shop. Now, if you would please, look into the center of the water."

She gestured at the bowl of water on top of the stall. Pure and clear, yet somehow looking deeper than the bowl would suggest. She began to whisper and channel magic into the water, making it as reflective as a mirror. She couldn't really do it under her own power, but she could act as a conduit to the Mirror Pool. Being relatively close to the shrine definitely helped out with that.

"The eyes are the window to the soul. This ritual will allow you to see just a little more than most. What do you desire in life, miss?"

@Solaria

 

[Solaria]

Solaria was quite pleased. Not only did she get an extra charm, but she even got some sound advice! Knowing who to turn to to make the stall was especially important for Solaria. She wasn't that good at crafts and the like. She was much better at fighting, an hopefully soon at making potions.

"Ah, how much do I owe you, miss...?" It was a sudden realization- she had never asked the woman's name! "My name is Solaria. May I ask yours?" The lady was a cute girl in Solaria's mind.

When instructed to look into the water, Solaria brushed her hair back so it wouldn't fall into the liquid. She trusted the water, but didn't know enough about fortune telling to know if her hair getting in would affect a reading.

"I'm actually pretty greedy. I want to be a nurse, to help a lot of people, and... to protect my family, including one of my own..." She then remembered this was a game world. Did Sumire mean real life things, or the game? "In this world though..." She couldn't think of what she wanted easily. "I guess... I just want to protect people?"

@Sumire

 

[Lune]

"Fortune teller?"

Well, that's new. Moonsong raised her eyebrows. It's something that she had never seen when travelling across the major cities of the land. Granted, she had never visited a village around these parts. It's fascinating to see the marketplace flourishing with traders from every part of the region. The one humble fortune-telling stall stood out being in the middle of the busier part of the market.

Now, now, she didn't believe in divination or things like that. But being in another world, where the rules are moderately different (and where magic is definitely real), Moonsong thought even that some kind of vague-ish guide will prove useful.

Speaking of which, there is already a customer being served. An elf is currently looking down at a bowl of water while having a conversation with the fortune-teller. Moonsong stood in a queue behind the elf, just enough to give them a little privacy. Thoughts appeared in her head while she waited in silence.

How does that thing work anyway? Do I just ask questions? Is the fortune teller an NPC?

 

[Kamala Graham]

"Oooh, fortunes! I love fortunes!" Kamala did small claps with her hands at the sight of the sign. She has always been fascinated with the idea of having her fortune told, the very concept of the supernatural entwined with finding out new things about herself a perfect lure if she had been a fish. As a child, she was obsessed with good luck charms, always purchasing a new trinket or two from some random vendor that spoke of how they would bring her the best of luck. Blessings were a no-brainer, too. Exorcisms, however... Blessings were a no-brainer, too!

Noticing the small sign that had sprung up from out of nowhere, Kamala gracefully took her spot after the somewhat intimidating human. She's not the one getting an exorcism, is she? She discreetly gulped, trying her best to remain in line but still keep a safe distance between them should her theory be proven correct. There were still so many things Kamala did not know about this world. Pursuing safety over curiosity can be very hard, but it seemed to her much more worth it.

Still, that doesn't mean she shouldn't strike up a chat, right? Maybe make small talk while they were in line? It would be very rude to just ignore her, even though they were most likely here for the fortune-telling and not the small talk.

"H-hello!" Kamala started, using the sweetest tone she could come up with. "How are you~? Here for the fortunes, too?"

@Moonsong @Sumire @Solaria

 

[Toko]

It had only been a few days since Toko had begun playing TerraSphere, the lepus still becoming accustomed to the setting and the flow of things... although she found herself frequenting the game whenever some free time would pop up, something that had surprised her greatly. A spare room had been rented for the time being shortly after reaching Honeyhome, not wanting to log into the middle of the wilderness whenever Nao booted up the VR at home, and today the lepus had decided she might as well explore the peaceful little town some.

After stopping by the bakery at the corner, unable to resist the alluring scent of freshly made bread, Toko had wandered without a destination around the town... until a familiar streak of blonde hair caught her attention. "@Solaria-chan...?" That had been the elf she had met on the first day, right? Quickly the last bite was shoved into her mouth, the lepus licking her fingers clean (it was amazing how quickly Nao forgot about manners and ettiquette when she was in the game) before rounding a corner to follow the path she had seen the familiar elf take.

"Ohayoo, Solaria—ah, gomen, I wasn't aware there was a stall around this part..."

She had instinctually called out to the taller elven girl as soon as her red eyes confirmed it was her friend (they were friends, right? she wasn't being too forwards about this... right?) before realizing Solaria was currently at a stall talking to whom seemed to be the merchant (@Sumire )—and also surrounded by two others present, a rather intimidating looking woman (@Moonsong) and a cute beastfolk (@Kamala Graham).

 

[Alcea]

"Of course miss @Solaria, you can call me Sumire. I think for everything, we can call it 20 gold?"

The girls response revealed a lot about her. She was definitely a Traveler, rather than a Lander. But more importantly, the desire to protect. Closing her eyes, she dove into the waters in her mind's eye. Seeing was always the easiest part, interpreting was another. In this case though, she felt that the girl was a bit of an open book. She never could really see everything, for some parts of fate were too deep for even the brightest lights on the surface to reach, but there was enough to make a reading today. Her voice shifted as she wandered across the surface of the lake, words flowing unconsciously.

"All who wander this land are destined to find both fortune and hardship in equal amounts. You possess a bright soul, and others shall be drawn to you like a moth to a flame for both reasons good and ill. When you make allies, keep them close for no person can stand against a tempest alone. However, be wary, for the drowning can easily pull others into the waters as they struggle for life."

She wasn't actually underwater, but she nonetheless took a deep breath as she the magic faded and the water's surface shifted back to normal. Just an ordinary bowl of spring water. It always felt like a bit of a gamble, if she would be able to return to the surface whenever she dived but the only real way to improve was to try. Already, she could feel ideas start to form about how to improve the process for next time but cut off the train of thoughts. She still had her customer to attend to, and apparently a few others had arrived while she was distracted. Huh, today was really shaping up to be a good day.

"Sorry that things got a bit... morbid at the end. However, the waters of life are ever flowing and I hope that this session will help guide you to your heart's desire. I think that should be everything. Please, enjoy the rest of your stay and good luck with your potion stall."

Her focus was always a little shaky after using magic, something she would have to correct. With her first customer of the day finished, Sumire took a moment to compose herself before greeting the next person in line.

@Moonsong

 

[Lune]

The stall goes almost eerily silent as the fortune-teller went deeper into her divination. Whoa, this must be the real deal. While distracted by the things happening at the stall, another girl in the queue behind her strikes up a conversation by greeting her. Moonsong turned back to greet the beastfolk, who was looking a little bit shaky, probably intimidated by her looks.

Can't blame anyone, she designed her character this way with imposing features for a reason.

"Ah, hello." She replied, bowing slowly to @Kamala Graham. "I'm here just out of curiosity, but it looks like I'm going to have my fortune told for now." While having the short talk, she noticed the girl in front of her had already had her service finished. "Well, it looks like it's my turn already. Catch you later."

Wait, what was she supposed to ask again? Her eyes quickly scanned the sign on the stall.

Stepping forward towards the fortune-teller, Moonsong cleared her throat before opening her mouth. "Good afternoon, I'd like to be exorcis—, uh, to have my fortune told, please."

@Sumire

 

[Kamala Graham]

"Have fun!" Kamala bid the previously intimidating woman good tidings, a little surprised that she wasn't as threatening as she seemed to be. Perhaps it was just the Beastfolk's prejudice, having scared herself over nothing but a generalization that she should have known better than to pursue. She had the same experiences in the real world as well, people taking to her in a way just because she looked a certain way, but this world was so new to her, she couldn't even remember the similarities in experience. I need to be better. This world deserves better.

Kamala then turned to the newly arrived, a rabbit person, a Beastfolk not unlike herself, and gave them a warm smile. Beastfolks came in many forms, shapes, and sizes, as many as the animal kingdom would allow. She was based on a canine, one of the two most basic Beastfolk types, so she was pretty happy to see someone else that was different. I wonder if there'd be a turtle Beastfolk? That should be pretty amazing!

Soon, it would be her turn with the fortune teller, and she was already excited to find out what strange new things she'll get to know about herself, what strange new things about her will be revealed by the stars or whatever medium this sage uses. For now, however, she must wait patiently. And I will!

 

[Alcea]

Sumire let out a breath she didn't knew she was holding. Exorcisms tended to get messy, one way or another and she was real glad she wouldn't have to try to perform one in the middle of town. Taking a better look at her most recent client, the woman had this sort of... look to her. Like she just came out of the wilds after beating a horde of chickens to death and was looking for something to pass the time. Not wanting to disappoint her second customer, she gave her a smile and began preparing.

"Definitely, miss. Please wait just a moment as I prepare the ritual."

She replaced the bowl of water with a fresh one, making sure that no errant pieces of dirt or anything had found their way in. The last time that had happened was very unpleasant, for both her and the poor young lad who wanted to know his fortunes for wooing the baker's daughter. As it turns out, dying from a landslide wasn't what he expected to hear. It was definitely very jarring, until she noticed the speck of dirt that had managed to find its way inside of the bowl. The boy did apparently end up asking the girl out and she accepted, though Sumire didn't know how that relationship ended.

Once she was sure that nothing was in the bowl, she instructed the woman to gaze into the bowl. This time however, inspired by her session with Solaria, she didn't ask until she already channeled. Once more, the water shifted into a mirror-like surface. When @Moonsong looked into the bowl of water, she would find her own reflection and nothing else, not even the sky.

"In the pure water's mirror, a reflection of the true self. Gaze deeply unto the lake of the soul and answer, what are you fighting for?"

 

[Lune]

She pondered whether to turn back or to continue while the fortune-teller was preparing the bowl of water. The notion of knowing one's own fate could be horrifying. She reassured herself that there was going to be no harm in trying, and the real harm might only be in her wallet.

As with the previous customer, Moonsong was prompted to look at her own clear reflection on the surface of the water. After tying up her hair, she then looked downwards, to meet her own reflected fiery gaze. Then comes the question.

"What are you fighting for?"

The words echoed inside her head for a while, as she cannot find the answers to such a simple question. What does she live for? What is she fighting for? After everyone she had in life had left her, she realized that she has no dreams, no identity, and no drive. Everything is blank as if she lives only for the sake of living.

"I-I don't know, I—" She raised her head for a moment to look at the young fortune-teller as if pleading for guidance before looking back down immediately. Moonsong tried to focus back on the reflection of herself, which is now staring back with a look of concern on her face. Then, a fleeting memory of a man passed in an instant.

Moonsong exhaled.

"I guess the only thing I fight for is myself." She muttered. "I wanted to protect myself so that I won't have to go through all those things, all over again."

@Sumire

 

[Solaria]

Solaria was surprised when she heard a familiar voice. It was her first friend, Toko! "Toko! Take a look- Miss Sumire is selling all sorts of charms and fortunes!" She grinned merrily, still holding the good luck charms she received. She put them in her inventory, before asking her friend, "Do you think I should start a shop selling potions? I am an alchemist after all. It'd be a good way to make money to prepare for adventures. Plus, I'd be helping people's health by selling medicine. It'd make me a step closer to being like a nurse!"

She mulled over her fortune. It was pretty vague, which she'd partially expected- but it had some good advice in it. That she would draw people to her like moths to a flame- she really liked that part. The analogy was well portrayed. And her fortune also had a good reminder in it: to be aware others would sometimes mean her harm, or to pull her in when they themselves were drowning.

"Thank you, Miss Sumire. I'll do my best in all aspects. I wish you all the luck with your fortune telling too! I really appreciate all you've done for me."

@Toko @Sumire

 

[Alcea]

Driftwood, floating without purpose. Every piece of driftwood under the open sea has its own history, but its story shall never be known to another. The girl was someone who had been fighting all her life, that much was obvious. Perhaps she came to start anew, in an unfamiliar land. Hardly the first traveler, or Traveler, she had met. She could recognize the type, and the bits she had seen had further reinforced her ideas. The girl would seek conflict, consciously or not. Either TerraSphere would either eat her alive, or she would become a force to be reckoned with.

"There shall be many battles ahead of you, with foes both obvious and not. In this land, there is no such thing as a safe and quiet life, not for long at least. However, that is not why you are here. The strength of others will become your own. Allies to aid you, enemies to triumph over. Seek strength, the rest will follow."

That was... intense. The dive was much more tumultuous than normal. Hopefully not a sign of things to come or else she would have to close up shop early. That would be a bit of a shame, since she normally only got this amount of business over the course of a week. Shaking her head slightly to get rid of the sort of hazy feeling she always had after a deep dive, she said,

"Sorry, this reading was a little light this time. It was a little... chaotic in there. As a token of my apology, you can have this charm if you want. It represents new beginnings and triumph over adversity. I think it would be helpful for your travels. The reading costs 15 gold, the charm is on the house. Have a nice day miss."

The charm was actually meant for easy childbirth, but there was no reason to tell the woman that. It also had a bit of spiritual energy in it, not enough to actually do anything but just enough that anyone who had sensitivity to it could see that it was infused. It helped sell the whole experience, and gave people the confidence to act upon their wishes.

@Moonsong

 

[Toko]

Good luck charms, huh? In a way it reminded Toko of the omamori charms she could get when visiting temples back in Japan, though the woman couldn't say she had too much experience with them. Most temples were far from Ōgimi after all, but she had visited some of them (mostly at her grandmother's insistence) a few times before.

"Omedetoo, @Solaria-chan, those charms look super cute," she smiled at her friend as the elf rushed over, displaying the two charms received from Sumire. "And of course you should, why are you even asking this? I bet you'd be the best apothecary around in no time if you set up shop~"

By now another reading had seemingly been completed, the lepus making a conscious effort to not allow her hearing to focus too much into the words being spoken—it felt wrong, almost like snooping, to hear someone else's fortune without their consent. Her gaze turned to the caenis beastfolk who was next in line, a part of Toko wondering if she should take the chance to check her own fortune afterwards.

It probably couldn't hurt to see what Miss Sumire had to say… right?

 

[Lune]

The result of the reading was not the one she expected. Other people to whom she had told her problems all said the same thing; be patient, be at peace. But not the fortune-teller. Instead, the girl was told not to settle down, but to seek strength to push through all her battles.

And that was it. It might sound so little to other people, but to her, she understood what needs to be done. As she noticed the fortune-teller shaking her head around, Moonsong asked with worry in her tone "Are you alright?" It seems that the earlier reading process was quite taxing. Dispersing her worry, the fortune-teller apologized and offered her free a charm. "Ah. My gratitude, Miss...?" Moonsong realized she hasn't got the fortune-teller's name yet.

After counting exactly fifteen pieces of gold coin and putting them on the stall, the girl with the newfound resolution nodded to @Sumire. "Really, thank you. I will come here again." She gripped the charm tight.

New beginnings, huh? Looks like it's high time that I step up for myself.

Walking back to the back of the queue, she motioned to @Kamala Graham that it was her turn now. "Looks like my fate was in my hands all along. Good luck with your fortune." She grinned.

 

[Kamala Graham]

Kamala gave the friendly woman a warm smile of her own, sincerely glad that she was able to find something new or at least realize something that she hadn't before about herself. It was one of the things that excited her about fortune-telling. Some may look down on it, but at the end of the day, it was the person whose fortune had been told that would truly know the benefits to them and them alone. With an added wave, she bid the same woman farewell and good luck. "Thank you! I hope you enjoyed your future! Good luck with your fate!"

She then took a few steps toward the fortune teller and waited to get her attention. Kamala was beyond excited to experience the deed, especially in this new world, but she still respected other people's space and pace. Until she was called or gestured to approach for her turn, she dared not defy the fortune teller's way of doing things. Everyone had their methods. She respected them all to the best of her abilities. All right, it's my turn. I wonder what MY future holds!

@Moonsong @Sumire

 

[Harukami]

Harukami was surprised to see a stall selling fortunes and good luck charms. It reminded her of her home, which wasn't far from a small shrine that sold similar tokens and services. Running to it, she called out quietly, "May I be after the cute beastkin?"

She smiled to herself, glad she hadn't stuttered or stumbled over her words. At least for the moment. Her new request was a bit haphazard. "I-I'd like a f-fortune and, um, two-" She paused, remembering her sister wasn't in this world. "Um, a fortune and o-one charm, please..."

A soft sigh escaped her. "S-Sorry. I'm really nervous at times like this..." She squirmed slightly, trying to let her nervous energy out. "A-Also sorry, miss, um..." She glanced to the beastkin, a person she didn't know well, and stated to her, "I-I don't mean to interrupt your time or make you uneasy with my words. I know s-some people don't like being called cute, after all..."

@Sumire @Kamala Graham

 

[Alcea]

"Ah, I'm fine, don't worry. You can call me Sumire, miss Moonsong. May we meet again someday, I wish you luck in your travels."

With her second customer of the day done, Sumire blinked. The fact that there was an actual queue for her stall hadn't really sunk in until now. It was a pretty surreal feeling. Just two, maybe three more to go and she would call it a day. Divination magic wasn't super reliable at the best of times, doing it while tired would be a recipe for disaster. Still, Sumire wasn't a complete beginner to magic, she had built up a decent amount of magical stamina and control over the years. Now if only she had the speed to back it up... When the newest person in the line spoke up, she responded,

"Of course miss. I'll be with you in just a few moments."

She gestured towards @Kamala Graham to step up, since it was her turn. Just from a quick look, Sumire could tell that she was barely slightly taller than the woman and felt vindicated in her choice to make her avatar slightly taller than her previous-

She got to work on replacing the bowl of water once again. Cleaning all the water and equipment for the rituals performed today would definitely be massive undertaking, but it would give her an excuse to not come to town for a bit. Dealing with all this on a day to day basis would be exhausting. Definitely had to give it up to the regular store owners who could make it work.

 

[Kamala Graham]

Kamala blushed when someone referred to her as cute. It was sudden and unexpected, but she appreciated it all the same. She wondered right then and there the last time she was referred to as such, but could only remember a faint memory from when she was just a little girl, forgetting all those other times random men in the streets did the same. Those didn't count for obvious reasons. Turning to the nervous newcomer, she simply flashed her a warm smile and even added a brief bow. "Oh, it's all right! That's so sweet of you to say."

From the corner of her eye, however, she noticed the fortune teller gesture towards her and quickly bid her new friend goodbye. "Looks like it's my turn. You won't have to wait for long, but I best not keep my fortune waiting!"

With pep in her step, Kamala went to do just that, get on with her turn and not keep the fortune teller waiting.

"Hello! How are you today? I'd like to catch a glimpse of what the future could hold for me please!" She sang the words as she spoke them. To some, it would be nauseating to hear, but Kamala hoped this world had more accepting folks.

@Sumire @Harukami