I'm Dreaming of the Life I Once Loved

[occultigen]

Who: Meridiana (occultigen) and YOU!
Where: Goldenrod City
When: Anytime during the month of February!
Summary: What do you get when you cross a Victorian-era seeress with a pack of tarot cards? There's one easy way to find out...
Rating: PG!
Log:

[It's not particularly nice out these days, but at the very least it's not snowing most of the time and the weather's usually above freezing, and even on the worse days of the month, with the benefit of a couple of Fire-type Pokemon (and a few who happen to know Sunny Day) it's not altogether difficult to keep warm in spite of the chill in the air.

Which is why, at various times during the month of February, you might just see Meridiana bundled up and sitting at one of the outdoor tables of a cafe in Goldenrod, facing the street and playing with a pack of tarot cards. Every so often, she'll make a face and shake her head at a card she turns up; most of the time, though, she's shifting and arranging them with practiced and familiar ease. She's done this sort of reading before, in a similar way, and made a little bit of money at it and helped give passerby some guidance into their circumstances and futures, so all in all it's a reasonable enough way of passing the time on a quiet afternoon.

On days when she's out, she's got a little handmade sign up to advertise her business (which her Tropius is helpfully displaying for her), so if you happen to be passing by and would like to sit and have your fortune told — or even just stop by to chat a while — feel free to pause and say hello!]


[OOC: Okay, so! This is an open log for people in Goldenrod who'd like to stop in and interact with Meridiana, either just to hang out or to use her fortune-telling as a hook! As a standard disclaimer, I am not anywhere close to being an expert at this myself, so I'll be using this website for any readings she's asked to give and just going with whatever it returns; if you'd prefer to handwave something or for character/plot reasons would prefer to have her give your character a specifically-tailored prediction or result (that is, specific cards, a particular overall meaning, whatever), feel free to let me know and we can swing it that way as well! And of course, you're not obligated to ask for one; you're just as welcome to chat and hang out with her instead!

This log is good for the entire month of February, so please give me a rough date of when a thread is taking place on your starter, along with anything else I might need to know before we get rolling!]

Comments

[callbacks]

[Man, she's cute.]

No, not yet. Olivine sounds familiar, though. I think one of my friends lives there? What's it like, is it nice.

[occultigen]

Oh, it's very pretty! There's a magnificent beach, I had my first fashion show there. It was a very lovely time.

[callbacks]

Oh, you do fashion shows? I mean, 'course you do, you're real pret--pretty fashionable.

[HELP]

Uh, that is. S-so do you mean the kind of shows where you design the fashion or wear it? That was my question. [F U CK.]

[occultigen]

Oh, I design them! It's not the done thing, I've found, to walk in one's own show — but I was there for it, of course, and oversaw everything. Really, it was quite fun!

[She pushes her hair back out of her face, looking genuinely pleased with herself; she'd been professional and courteous with the cards earlier, but now she looks legitimately animated as she talks.]

Mm, but what an undertaking to put together! I had to sew everything, of course, and then style it, and find models to wear it, and then arrange for the site of the parade and the music and lights, and get everyone there...goodness, it keeps one busy! But I enjoyed it, and I think everyone had great fun, for a first show.

[callbacks]

Whoa.

[She sews her own clothes? Witchcraft.]

That's wicked impressive. I'm impressed. Do you make your own stuff, too? Like, what you're wearing, is that yours?

[occultigen]

Not these in particular, no; these are boughten. I'm flattered you think so, though!

[But she digs in the pocket of her coat and brings out her Gear, and after a brief flurry of button-pushing she brings up a set of pictures on the screen, which she turns to show him one by one.]

There! These are the photographs we took during the show; it was a Pokemon-themed line, as you can see.

[The final one, however, is not one of the models; it's Meridiana herself at the show, in a very overtly Tropius-styled gown and looking delighted at the outcome of her efforts.]

[callbacks]

[He scoots his chair in to see, and Wiglaf peers over the scarf, too, even if he's not sure what exactly is going on. Dave makes appreciative noises for a couple of the outfits, and his interest is clearly genuine. This is really cool.]

These are sick as hell, wow. --I mean, cool. Really cool. [FUCK HE'S GOING TO HELL oh well. He clears his throat and hopes she's not too offended.] The second one was Kirlia, right? I really liked the blue dress, too, and the number with the vest. You're really good at this.

[occultigen]

Mm, the blue dress was the very first one I did! I liked the thought of a Dragonair, but as a dress — very sleek and elegant, rather than bustled with petticoats.

[Amazing what a year and a half surrounded by modern fashion will do for your opinions.]

And yes! That one was Kirlia, and my friend Mr. Banjou wore the Talonflame outfit — those were real feathers, on the hat, I took them from my own Talonflame, Ava.

[callbacks]

[Dave smiles a tiny smile and puts his chin in his hand.]

Geez, got the authentic touch down and everything. This seems like a lot more fun than all the battling and junk. Like, way more productive, too, you can't really take a battle home or anything but here you get a whole boss outfit for your troubles.

[occultigen]

Mmhmm, I like it that way. Really, I'm...not much for battling and whatnot, so having something else to keep me occupied is much better, honestly.

[Honestly, from the looks of Bananamom, Meridiana's the one being taken care of by her Pokemon, and not the other way around.]

[callbacks]

[Well, Dave's only got his babies with him right now, but if Wart were around to compare notes...]

Are there lots of people who do that? Decide not to fight, and like. Do something else with their team.

[occultigen]

I'm not sure, really. But I think so — which is to say, I've not seen an overabundance of either extreme, to be honest.

[She shrugs slightly.]

I think most people just try their best to live, and to find an arrangement that fits them. Just as some people think of very little save for getting back home, and others, like me...well. We're more than happy to seek to make this place our home, instead.

[callbacks]

[Dave's expression flickers slightly, like his mouth isn't sure which shape it wants to make, but he eventually settles on a smile, more wan than what came before, but honest, too, in its way.]

Yeah. It's nice here, huh.

[He looks down a moment so he can readjust his scarf, much to Wiglaf's soft dismay. Hey, he was warm in there!]

I think I like it here best so far. Houston, it's a pretty big city, and this place is the closest I've gotten to familiar in a long while. It the same for you?