With Good Fortune

[sugarxkat]

((this topic is open but i'd like to keep it onexone please.))


Jaelle padded out into the busy pathway of Grimalkin. She glanced around to find herself close to the market. Her fellow felines padded around as if they didn't have enough time to finish their chores. They passed by her quickly as if she wasn't even there. Some tom slammed his shoulder into her own, and darted off as if nothing happened. Jaelle's pale fur stood as her paw slid down her face. Her ears pulled back as her tail twitched. Her toes rubbed the side of her nose before she took a stance and sighed. Her hind legs were spread before her shoulders swayed side to side. Those bright blue eyes of her closed slowly as her paws clapped in the roar of the crowd. She wasn't loud but her slow start did attract some attention. A kit paused and tugged on his mother's cloak to get her attention. He pointed toward the dancer as she started to spin. Her dark paws untied her bright scarf before she hopped over to a curious tom. Jaelle pulled back as smile as her scarf flipped behind the stranger's neck. "I can see it in your eyes. You curious little thing. Thall wants a fortune?" Jaelle yacked the scarf closer to her as he stood up, mouth agape. She chuckled then darted off with the scarf in one hand.

The tom stumbled closer as she hopped around the crowd. Her goal was to get attract as many customers as possible. The tiny kit clapped as he watched her dance around. Jaelle turned to his amusement and swirled across the gap to the little tom. She keeled down to his height and rubbed her paw into his ruff. He puffed then fixed his hair before he saw her paw extended for an invention. He smiled and took her paw to accept her invite. Jaelle pulled the kit into the crowd and danced around with him. A crowd circled around the two felines but the circle corrupted the flow of the market. The tiny kit swirled Jaelle to the side of the crowd before she bumped into someone. Jaelle stumbled back before she glanced up. A large tom in the kingdom’s uniform glared down at her. “Take yer business else wheres, female!” he hissed at her. The crowd’s clapping eased as they watched the dancer. The kit stood behind Jaelle as he gazed up to the officer. Jaelle’s eyes narrowed as she glared at the tom in uniform. She turned to lead the kit back to his worried mother. Some of the crowd started to move but as Jaelle started to pace away, the officer pushed her forward. “I said moves it!” he roared. His push sent Jaelle in the mud as chuckles raised before the chatter. She turned and spat into his face. “Why yous!” the officer growled as he wiped the spit off his face. Quickly, Jaelle stood and darted into the crowd.

[icyreflections]

Misto padded quietly through the inner city of Grimalkin. It was another day of aimless wandering with the hopeful intention of discovering an opportunity to dazzle an audience with his magic tricks and fortune telling. At his side, the black and white tomcat carried an old but well cared for violin. It was made of a beautiful red wood and its polished surface gleamed when in the direct sunlight. The violin he carried was one of his most prized possession for it was given to him mere days before his grandfather, his mentor, passed away. When he played it, Misto could swear that he could feel his grandfather’s spirit playing beside him. He brought the stringed instrument with him on the off chance that he could find a dancer who was willing to share the profits of a nice dance number and song. Too often he traveled away from his caravan on the beach where the rest of his family of nomadic gypsies resided without his violin and his forgetfulness came back to bite him. He had a better chance of finding someone to play for than perform card trick or fortunes- not many people liked to admit they believed in nonsense such as that unless they were small kits or love-struck adolescents.

This neighborhood in particular was much wealthier and better kept than the southern area that Misto was used to parading in. There, he would have had more luck with his natural talents with the cards but here, he assumed that music was his best bet to make some gold. He played the violin exceptionally well for his grandfather was remarkably talented and taught him everything he knew. Even these richer cats wouldn’t be able to turn their noses up to him- despite his tattered looking accessories. The tuxedo tom wore a fuchsia vest with golden pinstripes embroided into the fabric. The vest once was quite lovely- his mother hand stitched it herself- but because of its constant use, it was quite worn and the colors were faded and merely ghosts of the splendor they used to be. Around his waist, Misto had a mahogany scarf; he had it wrapped around his thin body several times and used it as a belt with pockets to hold his deck of cards and a small crystal dagger should he need to defend himself.

It wasn’t terribly long until his quite walk alone became busied with the commotion of the cats around him. Curiousity peaked, Misto approached the throng of felines that were clapping and gawking at some sort of interesting spector. As he dived into the crowd, careful not to step on anyone but trying to assert himself to the front despite his puny size, Misto’s heart soared- perhaps they were watching a dancer? He listened closely and could not hear and instrument playing over the noise of the crowd. Perhaps this was his chance to make some money? Maybe the dancer would let him play for her! He became excited and continued his way forward until he saw that it indeed was a dance that they were watching.

Misto smiled in awe of the how dancer’s body moved with ease. He gripped his violin in his paw and was just about to put it to his shoulder- together, the gypsies could really impress the crowd- when an officer barged in and ruined everything. Misto grew angry that he had the nerve to treat any cat the way he did- despite their rank- and wanted to give him a piece of his mind. Of course, he wouldn’t do it in a terribly destructive way. Misto was not violent and preferred a different method to make his point clear.

He grinned at the she-cat’s spirit as she spit in the officer’s face and when the two of them took off, he follow suit. The officer had no right to push her and pursued her- she was just trying to make a living. Misto hurried behind the officer, kept a pace behind him, and tugged on his arm to get his attention. “Excuse me.” He mewed politely.

The officer looked over his shoulder, still rushing for the she-cat and growled at Misto. Clearly, he thought Misto was with the she-cat dancer based on his appearance. “Not another one,” he slowed momentarily to shove Misto away so he wouldn’t loose the she-cat in the crowd. “Be gone with ye beggars.”

Misto stumbled backwards but steadied himself and stood his ground. “Excuse me,” he said more sternly, brushed off his shoulder. “But that was uncalled for. I don’t believe I was begging however- I do wonder what young lady did that was so wrong?”

The officer halted to look at Misto again; embarrassed and angry that Misto mocked him- he saw her spit on him! The nerve! He must be in line with her and is stalling for time. He approached Misto with a most unpleasant expression upon his face. However, Misto didn’t blink and held the officer’s gaze.

“You know what I think?” Misto said as the officer glared down at him for letting the she-cat slip away and for pretending she didn’t defile him in front of everyone. “I think you need some soothing music to calm your tense nerves.” With that, he quickly put his violin onto his shoulder, pressed his cheek against its wooden surface and played a soothing tune. The melody was gentle and soft but the illusion that Misto planted within the notes made the burly officer as delicate as a lamb. His min was suddenly blank and full of peaceful, dreamy thoughts. Thus was the power of Misto’s music entwined with his simple illusion powers. It wouldn’t work for long and he would be tired and hungry after he finished casting the spell but at least he managed to let the she-cat slip away and no one was hurt or arrested.

He stepped backwards, playing his violin and holding the illusion spell to distract the guard from thinking angry thoughts. When the tom judged he was a fair distance away, he silkily but abruptly ceased playing and dashed away before the officer could blink and regain his proper senses.

He dodged around the corner of a shop and slid against the wall until he sat upon the ground, panting. At least he was able to help…

[sugarxkat]

Jaelle glanced over her shoulder to see that the officer paused for another tom. That gave her just enough time to vanish. Her paws started to wipe some of the mud off. She glanced over to see a barrel by the corner of a building. Jaelle padded over and glanced over the top. A gassy smell burned her nose before she could do anything else. With a paw over her nose, she stepped away then continued to wipe the mud off. Her fur was slightly damp but she looked as if she hasn't bathed in a week. Some of the other felines on the streets kept their distance. She started to look like a disgusting beggar. Sighing, Jaelle paused to take her bag off her leg. She placed it on the ground and stuffed her scarf inside. She would have to wash it later. She strapped the bag back to her leg and kept her pace.

Her toes made circles on her tempers as she padded back. It was a shame that she attracted quite a crowd and now they're all gone. Maybe someone was still there and maybe she could have a second chance at a fortune.

The feline picked up her pace to a good jog. The other side wasn't nearly as crowded but that was to her advantage. There was no one to snake around or apologize for bumping into. But the tuxedo tom was on her mind. She had to at least thank him for stalling the officer. To the crowd, you had stay on everyone's good side. No one wants a grumpy teller walking the streets.

Her pace slowed as she started to glance around for him. Jaelle turned the corner of a shop to see the tom. "You!" Jaelle smiled and jogged towards him. "That was a nice thing you've done there. Let me give a thank-you." the female stated then bowed lightly. She stood straight and extended her paw, "Name's Jaelle. What is your's, kind sir?"

[icyreflections]

Misto sat on the cold ground behind the shop, his back propped up against the store’s side wall and his head bent backwards on the surface. His eyes looked up at the sky as he caught his breath. He didn’t understand his ability yet- all he knew was that sometimes, he could make his music make others feel a certain way when he concentrated hard enough. He also was able to use this ability when he read someone’s fortune and had to make them believe that there was good in their future rather than misery- customers didn’t care much for hearing the truth if is was grim and would pay less if they didn’t hear what they wanted to hear. Misto discovered that if he used his ability to give his customers the illusion of pleasantness, they would pay him regardless of how horrible the reading was. His body wasn’t used to the strain of magic and he didn’t even realize he was using magic- his mother was very stern when she brought him up and told him there was no magic users in their family’s linage. She was lying, of course- she and her mother (Misto’s grandmother) were both Darks and were able to easily cast spells- but Misto didn’t know this. He suspected it every now and again, but he learned not to question the unordinary and so he didn’t.

As he got his strength back, he heard a voice calling to him. His head pivoted against the wall to look in the direction of the beckoning call and grinned softly. It was the she-cat he helped run away from the officer.

He didn’t know if he could stand yet but he didn’t want to appear rude, so the tuxedo tomcat heavily hoisted himself up and faced the she-cat. He leaned against the wall for support and though he was still a little tired from casting the spell he didn’t understand, his kindly expression didn’t falter. At his feet laid his violin and as the tip of the cat’s tail slowly swayed back and forth, it softly brushed against the instrument’s strings.

“Hello there, Jaelle,” Misto purred in a delicate and kind voice as he dipped his head in greeting. Normally he would have also bowed but he was afraid that he would topple over if he tried. His head was just beginning to clear but he didn’t want to overdue it. Instead, he reached out for her paw and kissed in gently with a soft smile and bright brown eyes that glinted as he replied, “the pleasure was all mine. I couldn’t let that dreadful officer cage a graceful and free-spirited dancer, such as yourself. It would be like trapping a songbird and clipping its wings and breaking its beak so it would never have the chance to fly nor sign again. No, I couldn’t bear that. You were only doing what needed to be done.” He shook his head at the thought.

“Sir,” he chuckled, “never been called that before. I am Misto the Magician. You might have heard of me- my family lives in the caravan on the beach. I read fortunes and perform card tricks.” He glanced downwards at his violin, “and you should be well aware of that,” he indicated the instrument with his tail. “I play for my sisters and cousins- they are dancers too.”

[sugarxkat]

((i'm sorry if it's not much.. i'm trying to come up with a plot now.))

Jaelle glanced away and blushed a bit, "Oh my, now aren't you the sweetest." She giggled then pulled her paw away slowly. "I am not some song bird but I really do appropriate the compliment." The feline pushed her tuff away and tried to rub some mud off of her fur.

"The name definitely rings the bell.." Jaelle chuckled then slapped her knees, "Ha, so you're the other fortune teller. I have wondered where you've been. " She shook her head and chuckled a bit more. "Now we definitely have to keep in touch. We can help each other out. Us tellers have to stick together, you know."

She glanced down as his tail flickered to the violin. "Well now, you must be a good player to help get the officer off my tail. You know, we should perform together. You play with your sisters so why not me?" Jaelle added. "Oh, am I talk'n too much? My apologies, Misto. I am just too excited. It's been a while since I have talked to another performer."

Jaelle let out a smile with a sigh. She leaned against the wall and noticed that some of other cats were staring at them. "Hmm.. maybe we should find another place to talk." Jaelle suggested as her right paw scratched the back of her head. To her appearance to other cats could make or break her income. For as last resort she would work at a tavern or as a maid.

[icyreflections]

Misto chuckled at the other cat’s reaction to his title. He certainly wasn’t expecting the enthusiasm- he just assumed that she would faintly recognize him at the most. “Ah dear me,” the tom-cat sighed with a smile and twinkling eyes, “I didn’t realize how closely connected we were. Your marvelous reaction flatters me, my dear.” He nodded his head cordially.

In response to her wonderings of his location he meowed in a far-off tone as he glanced out of the alley and into the streets of the city, “oh, I have been here and there. I go where ever I feel I can make some money.” He grinned mischievously at the she-cat and winked, “I am sure you are no stranger to such occasion, eh? It certainly is a delight to have this opportunity to meet someone else who can relate me and my family.” He looked down at the violin and once again, he chuckled at the she-cat’s excitable tone. “I do not mind- in fact, I would love to play for you sometime. Music is a gift that should be shared with everyone and I would be more than happy to coordinate a song and dance number between the two of us- it is like you said, after all, we must stick together.”

He continued to lean against the wall but his head was beginning to clear and he regained his strength and senses. He panted softly and slowly now that he had a moment to rest and someone to speak with that occupied his attention so he was distracted from brooding over the energy he lost while serenading the bad-tempered guard. At Jaelle’s observational remark, Misto turned his head once more towards the street and noticed that the cats who walked by happened to turn their heads in their direction. A look of surprise, curiosity, and uncertainty were all morphed together into a rather strange-looking expression on the passer-byers’ faces. Misto didn’t blame Jaelle for wanting to leave, he didn’t particularly care for the way the other cats looked at them- of course, had Jaelle kept the situation to herself, he wouldn’t have noticed or cared as much. Taking a deep soothing breath to accelerate the rejuvenation process, Misto relaxed his muscles- trying to somehow mentally force himself to access the meditative state he entered while entranced by his violin’s restful music- and lifted himself to his paws and pushed off against the side of the building he once propped against. He grabbed his bow and violin from the ground and managed to fiddle both items into his left front paw and with his right; he hovered behind the small of Jaelle’s back. “Shall we retire then? Let us take a walk and on the way we can decide where we’d like to go.”

He thought fondly of the beach where his family’s caravan was situated by doubted that she would like to talk privately there- especially with his sisters and cousins giggling at him from afar. He was the youngest of his family, and his older siblings would just love to watch him make a fool of himself. Perhaps Jaelle knew of a better, more secluded place; for quite frankly, Misto’s sole areas of solitude were the sea and forest.