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Post by Circe on Jan 2, 2020 19:23:20 GMT -6
"Why do your wolves think the court is provoking them? Other than Rahal I mean." Xiaolian asked slightly confused now. They'd been squabbling about Tyrus for the last two months from what she could see, and it really wasn't going to get any better. The only thing that would likely satisfy O'Hara's pack would be to see the court bowing to their wishes, something that wasn't likely to happen.
"I mean.. I don't know a whole lot about the Court except it's pretty quiet. Even more so than the last one. This court doesn't seem interested in getting involved in the affairs of the unseen or even the mundane."
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Post by demikara on Jan 3, 2020 10:09:03 GMT -6
"A lot of small one on one things by the sounds of it. The only systemic thing has been the court is refusing to see us. There have been a couple of bar fights as well, though those are at least half caused by my wolves." He considered what else. "At least one denial of service at a vampire owned business, but I don't know all the details." It was entirely possible the wolves were acting up. Therein lied the problem. With the wolves being so on edge lately, he didn't know how much he could trust their reports of the events. Everyone was on edge and he still didn't know why.
The truth was, he was fairly certain that the wolves were a serious part of it. But he was also fairly certain that it was all quickly spiraling out of his control and there was going to be chaos in the pack sooner than he would like to admit. His grasp on them was weakening.
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Post by Circe on Jan 4, 2020 18:41:07 GMT -6
Xiaolian continued to listen to O'Hara as he explained the problems his pack was having. It all lined up nearly seamlessly with what they had learned about the mask. "I suspect that the denial of service was at the Warden's nephew's place. She mentioned that some werewolves had been skulking around there and had assaulted his counter girl." She conveniently left out the part about how that girl happened to be a half-sibling of Catherine's.
"I think the court won't meet because they don't want any drama." Xiaolian suggested as she thought for a moment. If their problem truly lay in Cedar Ridge, then why hadn't they figured out exactly where yet. She would still like to absolve O'Hara of any wrong doing, but that would be difficult. Xiaolian sensed that trouble was on the horizon for everyone, but how close and for whom she wasn't certain.
"Tell you what, I'll read your fortune right here and now. It might be of benefit to us both," It would be a easy thing, her brother used whole leaf tea in the pots and all she would have to do was ask for a new one without the filter. "My family is known to be quite adept at determining the will of Heaven anyway, besides... you look like you could use some luck." The petite woman suggested.
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Post by demikara on Jan 4, 2020 19:15:22 GMT -6
"I may need it, yes." Luck was something he found himself in desperate need of right now. The pack was getting out of control and perhaps what she saw would help him get them back under his thumb. "I would appreciate a reading." He had no talent at magic, and so was always open to something like this. Particularly given the price was so low. She was volunteering after all. "And the warden's nephews place. An arts and crafts store, isn't it? I'll talk to the pack about their behavior there, and find out the details of what happened." He had the details already of course, but he intended to hear them from the store as well.
"I don't put up with assaulting people. Especially when they're just doing their job." It was one thing in a fight. It was another entirely to assault someone while they were at work.
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Post by Circe on Jan 4, 2020 20:33:11 GMT -6
"Right..." Xiaolian commented finding it hard to believe the werewolf at all. O'Hara had been an opportunist when it came to his rise to power, and it hadn't been a kind transition. Like many societies and groups within the unseen, the were-packs were no exception to the bloody and brutal nature of change. "Yes, the nephew owns an arts and crafts store." She confirmed before plucking the filter basket out of the pot of tea and dumping the leaves back in.
"Tradition dictates that I may read yours, but I cannot read my own." Xiaolian explained as she poured the tea into his mug. "I will ask that you drain your tea to the dregs and then place the saucer over it." The procedure was fairly simple, her grandmother had taught her believing it a cunning parlor trick that might potentially bring money in on the side if ever needed for a woman. Little had she known that the family would go through such changes in the coming years since then. "After that I will shake the cup and then give you your fortune." She suspected that it wouldn't be what either of them wanted to hear.
As O'Hara drained the cup to it's dregs and placed the saucer on it's top, she took it in hand. Grasped firmly between her hands, she shook it gently before upending it and then righting it. Taking a breath for a moment, Xiaolian made the effort to put herself in the right frame of mind, a difficult prospect given that she hadn't used her divination skills in some time. "Before I reveal the cup, I want to make you aware that this it the will of the Heavens, not mine. I am only the translator." She explained before removing the delicate porcelain saucer that had been balance precariously across the top of the cup.
"Aiiya... Mr. O'Hara this is very.. dǎoméi de, unlucky." Xiaolian exclaimed, feigning surprise. She had expected as much, but the tea leaves only confirmed it. "I see very bad news coming from the north in the very near future."
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Post by demikara on Jan 5, 2020 15:17:19 GMT -6
"Any hint of what the bad news is?" He studied the leaves himself, but wasn't able to make heads or tails of them. Well, like she had said, there was no reading your own tea leaves. He supposed it was to be expected. though he hadn't ever been good at reading tea leaves or any sort of divination. His skills tended to lie more towards small magic. He sat back, not pleased with the news. He had rather expected it though. "Hopefully, it's nothing large. Bad news could be something small, after all." Something easily fixed like a flat tire. It would be expensive, but easily handled at least. And he had enough in savings to cover that level of emergency.
Somehow, he had a feeling it was much worse than that.
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Post by Circe on Jan 6, 2020 17:56:34 GMT -6
Xiaolian continued to frown as she studied the crossing paths across the murky horizon of the future. Nothing was ever certain, despite what Heaven willed. Mortals and immortals alike future's were always changing direction. "Unfortunately Mr. O'Hara, the tea leaves don't give me specifics. It's more so a hints and suggestions of what your current thread of life will encounter." She explained squinting further at the tea leaves. There was something there, something big but it wasn't in the mood to reveal itself to her.
Taking a delicate finger, she motioned around the rim of the cup closest to O'Hara. "This is your distant future, which is empty for now," Xiaolian then continued to motion further into the cup. "After that comes your near future... which by the indication of the arrow or dagar pointing towards the north signals danger." She added as she stared at the bottom of the cup. "The bottom is the past or present, many of the shapes I see here indicative of chaos, and very much confirms to me that you are loosing your hold over the pack." Xiaolian remarked as she set the cup back onto the table. The reading wasn't one he was going to be happy to hear. "Based on this, I believe the danger will come from your pack. There are things you can do to increase your good luck or karma as some call it, but... that depends on what you believe here."
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Post by demikara on Jan 6, 2020 18:46:41 GMT -6
"I'll have to look into that. And yes, I'm losing control. Please, keep that under your hat though, please." It was something to be anticipated. No one actually lasted as long as he did as alpha. "There are a couple of younger candidates." He would expect the danger to come from one of them. The alpha considered the options and sighed. "I can't keep up with the chaos of the pack right now. The pack needs someone who will. But I'll fight like hell to only give in to a suitable alpha."
He would likely die for it too. Death was the common outcome of a match to become the alpha. If he was lucky, he'd just be demoted, but most werewolves wouldn't put up with that for a minute, not when he could always rally. Still, the lack of a distant future was a pretty good clue of his future.
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Post by Circe on Jan 6, 2020 18:55:55 GMT -6
Xiaolian shook her head sympathetically, she wasn't going to go tell the entire Unseen what was going to happen to Cedar Ridge, but she suspected that the Dragon Court would be very interested as well as MCU. "Look, this is only shadows of what might be. I can't promise you this is what will happen, only that there's danger and you need to concentrate on that. I'll ask the Warden to come pay you a visit, I'm sure she's interested in keeping the peace." At least that's what she hoped. The warden could very well be inclined to leave this issue to Xiaolian, given that the other had few ties to anyone in the area. She truly was the neutral party once you ignored her sometimes service to the Dragon Court, and that was only thanks to Molly and Tyrus's flub.
"Let me give you my card, that way if anything happens you can reach me." She didn't say or her partner, but instead handed over a small ivory card with raised black ink. It titled her as Lt. Xiaolian Boulton, Specialist, Mythical Crimes with the star like seal of the organization, various symbols were added to denote where one fell in the organization. Wardens had the crossed keys, officers just used their respective state's or city's seal, and specialists had the Warden's seal without the keys.
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Post by demikara on Jan 6, 2020 19:01:03 GMT -6
He accepted the card. "Thank you. Allow me to pay for our meal, since you've been so gracious after I interrupted your shopping." And she had been too. She was well within her rights to have kicked him out of the store and continued shopping. Either way, it looked like their meeting had come to an end. "And it's shadows of the truth, if it makes you feel any better. I've known how my life would end since I first decided to try for alpha." It was a hazard of the position.
No head werewolf ever fell in their sleep. Instead, they were struck down by the inevitability of a fight. Still, he'd accept her aid if he needed it, though he doubted he'd survive to need it. The man considered his options and waved down the waiter so he could pay.
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