Urban Fantasy Homesteading

Notes: Now here's something a little... okay, maybe a lot experimental? It was loosely inspired by this card draw: A saturation in the form of a card reading using a divination deck that exists in-universe. (It also exists here, in that I got a bunch of cards printed off and am teaching myself meanings for them. If you're into that kind of thing, let me know, I'm happy to try reading for other people with it.) Each section starts with the the name and meaning of the position, then the name of the card drawn, the prompt associated with it, the reader's statement of interpretation to Robin, and then a brief scene illustrating what's being discussed. Probably overcomplicated. I'm posting anyway!

( What can the cards tell you, boy? )

I was about to run down to the electronics store for parts, but my new skateboard wasn’t where I’d left it by the door. I’d only had the thing for a week or two, in the hope of getting back in the habit of riding before the summer got hot.

A quick look around the apartment and I found it on the kitchen table, where Jian was apparently studying it.

I watched him poke at the wheels for a minute before interrupting. “Are you done with that?”

( Read the rest of this entry » )

Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.

For once in my life, it was Jian who found me. It was his touch that was almost desperate, his fingers reaching out for my skin. In this case, well, they mostly found gauze bandage, but I recognized it when I saw it.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why did you come here?” I meant, to me. But I gestured uselessly at the hospital room anyway, as if I thought the scenery might be what had drawn him. It wasn’t bad as hospital rooms went; I’d certainly been in worse. But the view from a bed where you’re practically tied down by IVs and other tubes is never a scenic one.

“If you would prefer me to leave, Blaser, that can be arranged.”

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Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.

I sneezed, dropping my screwdriver again and sending the tiny screws rolling across the tabletop. I sighed.

“百岁,” Jian said from the other side of the apartment.

“Sorry,” I answered automatically as I tried to gather up the screws. I just wanted to get the plate back on the robot before I managed to drop it or sneeze inside it or something and do even more damage.

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Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.

“Immortality, boy. Think about it.”

I rolled my eyes. “Why does everyone keep offering me that?”

“Because you took it, once.” I knew my own voice; I didn’t need to turn to know Norton was there.

“No, I’m pretty sure I’d remember that.”

“You wouldn’t. But I would.”

“God, I hate you and your all-knowing cryptic answers. Are you sure you’re not my externalized self-loathing?”

“Yes.” I waited for the sarcastic comment, but instead Norton turned to Taatich Ihk’al Chenek. “And you are even more of an idiot than I remember if you haven’t figured out what to offer him.”

Chenek stared at him. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“I took immortality because I had something to prove. Someone to impress. But he has something altogether different.”

“I know you like ruining my life,” I interrupted, “but could you please not encourage the evil overlord-wannabe?”

“He has someone to protect.”

“Stop helping,” I hissed.

“Who, Jian?” Chenek sniffed. “He thinks he’s going to protect the dragon?”

Norton walked past me, toward the shriveled god. “Oh, hadn’t you heard? Jian’s taken care of that pesky immortality issue.” As he paused before his next snide comment, I stepped up beside him and punched him in the side of his head.

“Stop ignoring me, jackass,” I told him. “Ignoring yourself never ends well. You taught me that.”

Norton glared at me, but Chenek was laughing now, a choking noise. “No, he didn’t. He did, didn’t he? And for you? The idiot.”

“Hey,” I complained.

“Nothing personal,” Chenek insisted. “But he has a lot of enemies who would be fighting each other just to get near him.”

“Yeah, well, anyone who wants to hurt him is going to have a hell of a fight.”

“From you? Maybe you should consider my offer, boy, it’d give you a leg up.”

I shook my head. “I don’t want immortality, and I don’t want power. As far as old enemies are concerned, we’ll worry about them as they come.”

“Maybe you’ll see me again when they come,” Chenek said, and I think he was trying to smile.

“Yeah, I hope not,” I told him, and turned to leave.

Mirrored from Jack-a-dreams.