Once Mary Sue had left the tent, it was now Ardere's turn to enter. The tent was far bigger and more expansive on the inside than it was on the outside. A crystal ball, numerous lit candles, crystals, and cards floated through the space, seemingly all at random. Agatha Harkness, the elderly witch herself, was sat at a small circular table, sipping a cup of tea. In her lap, a small black cat was taking a nap, purring every now and then contentedly. "Miss Ardere, welcome to my humble little tent," Agatha Harkness said, her voice old and frail. "I must warn you, these objects are rather flammable, so do be conscious of your gifts... Now, what question burdens your soul?"
Ardere bit her lip. Of course, the fortune teller would ask questions! What was she even expecting upon entering? The only assurance in this place was that the witch indeed looked everything she would expect a fortune teller witch to be. Complete with a black cat too! A cute thing, the cat was. Ardere couldn't stop her eyes from flicking away to steal a quick peek. She felt her cheeks hot in embarrassment when the witch told her to restrain herself.
"I...am not sure why I am...here. My biggest worry before was doing a test that I didn't study for but now! Now, I'm becoming a superhero. How did it come to this?" Agatha arched an eyebrow. "Most come to me looking for answers on their futures, not their past," Agatha said. "But no matter, the cards see all. They are not limited to linear time like you and I." She decided on a simple past, present, and future spread for young Ardere. It would give her information about how things came to be, what they are, and what they might be, should Ardere not deviate her course. The cards swirled and danced in the air, until three settled, hovering in front of Ardere so she could read them -
the Page of Pentacles,
the Seven of Cups Reversed, and
the Star.
The elderly witch had the sense that something was blocked, something obscuring her sight. It did not happen very often, but from time to time, the cards were murkier to her than she would have liked. "In the past, I see opportunity - a chance at a new beginning, a fresh start - a brand new manifestation. Your acceptance here, at the Margaret Carter Institute, perhaps? Now as for your present, the Seven of Cups is all about opportunities being presented, choices that you must make, good luck and perhaps bad luck. But here, it is reversed. This card should serve as a warning to you, my dear. Chances are here, but you are limiting yourself from them. You are not taking advantage of what is in front of you."
She paused, before continuing. "As to your future, you have pulled the Star - a part of the major arcana, this card speaks of a major force in your life. Whether you pursue it or not, go willingly or kicking and screaming, the Universe has a great purpose for you. You are here learning to be a hero for a reason - a reason that is perhaps unknowable, but a reason all the same." Agatha studied Ardere's face for a moment. "... I am going to tell you a secret, Ardere, to the cards. They can only tell you what you already know to be true."
The more the witch spoke, the more prickled Ardere has felt. She had never done tarot before, much less fortune telling. She could see why her older brother is a skeptic to this activity. This all feels...coincidental.
"Which card says I burned my house down? Made my family homeless for awhile." The redhead didn't mean to feel so incensed but these revelations seemed to have an effect on her.
"Not taking advantage? The Universe?! What? Why these cards?" Agatha Harkness was no stranger to an angry student. As an educator though, she felt it was her duty to help Ardere understand - despite the hostility of her words. She had fond memories of the Scarlet Witch speaking to her in such a tone early on in their time together as well. "No card will say that you burned your house down, tarot is not so rigid - it is a fluid magic based on self-reflection," Agatha instructed. "Tarot is a mirror into the soul, not a diary entry. No card will give you concrete black and white meaning. There is no card here for homelessness, just as there is no one card that says you would be in my tent on this day," Agatha explained.
"These cards are elements of your story, themes - it is up to
you to decide their meaning. I cannot do that for you. I cannot say why these cards in particular. There's no trick here, I do not size you up when you enter my space and decide which cards will stop in front of you."
Like a lit candle pressed between wet fingers, Ardere's outburst was quickly defused, her attitude replaced by thoughtful meekness. Her silence was all that remained as the redhead looked dejectedly onto the tarot cards, processing all that she saw and heard. Her own mind a battlefield, raging whether or not to take the witch's words seriously.
"I think I understand...is there anything else the cards say?" The Eight of Cups floated down next to the other three cards. Agatha had already shifted into a teaching mindset, so she decided to offer some insight as to what had happened there, mechanistically speaking at least. "This card we've just pulled is an advice card - meant to illuminate a reading. It is usually done if some aspect of it is not clear to you. A word of caution, though - the more advice cards you draw, the more they can actually begin to obscure what you wish to make clear."
"This card, the Eight of Cups, is a melancholic one. Do you see the hiker, wandering off into the unknown late at night? She is leaving behind her cups - her relationships, essentially - and heading towards sharp rocks. Something painful awaits her. She does not look back. She is confident in her steps. Sometimes, the things that hurt us are exactly what we need in order to move forward," Agatha explained. "What does this card say to you, Ardere? What advice is being given here?"
"That I'm alone?" Ardere said with a heavy sigh, her mind drifting back to her parents, her brother, and the friends she left behind.
"I need to let go?" "Are you truly alone - here, at a brand new school? Are there not dozens of students outside, all of them scared and anxious, looking for connection - perhaps friendship?" Agatha offered. "Let go of your pain, Ardere. Engage with what is in front of you. Let go and blossom into the person you were always meant to be."
"Let go?" The student spoke as if the words were foreign to her.
"Is it possible to do just that? After everything I have done?" Agatha chuckled lightly. "My dear, you are only human - a mutant, yes, but still human. Almost every Avenger has a dark past that they have struggled to overcome. But you are also a child - a child who is still learning and growing. There is nothing you can break that we cannot fix. And nothing already broken could mar you forever."
"Oh." Ardere could only say. She simply stared dumbfounded at the cards, the table, the cat, and back to the fortune teller. Her mind becoming a daze from the weight of her answers. The redhead finally understanding the options before her and though her brother would ridicule her until the End Times, she opted to listen to the tarot cards.
"Thank you...for telling me this." Ardere bowed before the witch before awkwardly leaving her seat.
"I can only tell you what you already know," Agatha said with a slight smile. "Before you go, I have something for you. I have been giving little items to each person who has come to see me, hopefully to aid you on your way. It is the least I can do as a former teacher at this school." She paused for a moment, thinking over what would help Ardere to let go of her fear and self hatred, to help her blossom and grow.
An unusual choice then crossed her mind. She rose and opened up her drawer, before pulling out a glass jar. Inside, there was a flickering ball of light. "This is a will-o'-the-wisp," Agatha said. "Mortals have often mistaken them for bad omens, leading travelers to their dooms... But that is not their purpose. A will-o'-the-wisp will lead you to what you need most. When your need is great, release the wisp from the jar and follow her." Agatha then handed the jar to Ardere. "Please, take it."
Both entralled and intimidated, Ardere held her hands the jar. She could only gaze in awe at the sight of the will o wisp. A mythical entity now manifest in physicsl form. A gift without measure.
"Is it really right for me to have this?" She asked, her doubts still buried in her mind.
"Why would it not be?" Agatha countered.
Ardere couldn't come up with an answer. Her eyes simply returned to staring back at the jar as her finger traced over the glass barrier and cap. A million other thoughts ran through her mind, all imagining the kind of scenarios that would warrant the will o wisp.
"Will it come back to me?" the student asked, looking up at the fortune teller again.
"No, child - the wisp is meant to be free," Agatha explained. "Once it has helped you, you will never see it again."
"Oh, alright then." Ardere sighed, almost sorrowful that she'll never experience something so special again. The thought of her parents losing their minds trying to comprehend this creature did bring some joy to her mind.
"But thank you still." With that said, the redhead turned around to leave the tent. She'll be sure to remember to label the cap with her name on it.
"Take care, child."
- Cowrite with the GM
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