Snippet #2750509

Among the bustling streets of Hayslem City, there was always something going on. Or rather, there was always multiple somethings going on. People making deals, street performers doing their act, and of course, the Rumbledrome was a major center of traffic. Bands, arena fights, parades, sports events. Even the new fast growing sport of Bashbrawl, where there was a small ball and you had to get it through an elevated hoop to score points and win. One could use their feet, legs, arms, any part of the body other then their hands, and collisions were discouraged but allowed. It was a rather entertaining sport with both adults and children.

And where there were people, there would also be others...those like street performers, but different. Focused more on the money then the entertainment. Some were just con artists, but others? They were real, and could give you your money's worth.

One such person was a child, sitting in front of a pillar by the main gate, sitting with his legs crossed and a box in front of him labeled "Fortune Telling". On the table, there was a deck of Fortune Telling cards he would use to tell fortunes. It was a rather...odd choice of proffession for the boy, given he was extremely shy and didn't communicate well all the time. Also, sometimes he seemed to talk to himself and secretly write in a journal...or at least, that was how it seemed.

"...are you sure I should do this? Cant I just, steal money or something while people are not around or looking at me...cant I curl up and sit with my knees in front of me and not like this?"

"Now now, my beloved son. This is far less dangerous, and you are really good at it! Besides, you can't steal all the time! You might get caught!"

"Oh...but you said I could take that one man's wallet..."

"Well, that man was a disciple of an enemy god that defaced my statue, so he deserved it!"

Upon hearing those words, the usual metaphorical dark cloud over Cyrus' head lifted.

"Wait, so...I hurt a man who was mean to you mama?"

"Yes yes! You did very well!"

Hearing those words, he got into a happy mood and with a fistpump, decided to try his best.

"Alright, ima do my best mother!"

With that, although one might not say he got fired up, but he notably looked somewhat less moody then before. At the very least, he felt more approachable to people. Eventually, an older man came up to him out of curiosity. And so, Cyrus' performance began.

For the record, his Fortune Telling Deck was made on Origin, and was flexible in interpretation to some degree.

"First is...the canary...could it be music and song are important to you, or perhaps...a musician or singer?"

As Cyrus spoke, the man already seemed captivated and amazed. Cyrus' Fortune Telling ability couldn't quite be called magic, but it was not a con either...it was something strange, independent. Unique.

"And the next two cards are...the coin, and the heart. The coin...could it be, that this person has two sides to them? And the heart...well, that meaning is clear. Love, lovers...or...ahh, I see. The singer is one side, the professional side. They are a professional singer or a musician. But you are falling in love with them, or are already lovers with that person's personal side..."

"Yes, yes! Thats right! That is what I want to know about!"

"Then, let us see the next three cards...about what you want to know...about what will be..."

After that, Cyrus flipped over three more cards.

"I see, so its these three. The four, the chain, and the upside down. Well...thats uhh..."

The moment he saw the four, in this context, he understood immediately what it meant and it hit a sore spot for him. His voice quieted down, and he seemed to close up a little, but he made sure to finish the fortune properly so his "mother" would be happy.

"...the four...it likely means, the one you love is pregnant...with quadrouplets. As for the chain, it goes with the upside down. Normally, the chain means you are bound to something...but the upsidedown is a reversal. Probably not for the binding, but for the usual fact the binding is often seen as negative...so a positive bind..."

Cyrus' chest began to hurt as it brought up bad memories for him, the memories of his past. About how he learned he was sold by his family for money as a slave before he was old enough to remember things, and the harsh conditions he had to live in at that time.

Sure, he was technically a street orphan right now. But, he was in far better conditions. For one thing, he was able to wear all these clothes.

"...that will be...two hundred dollars..."

"Two hundred?"

"Price for accuracy....and graduations for both..."

The man was not paying too much attention, but in truth Cyrus's last remark had no sincerity at all. The man, happy with hearing this news, gladly payed Cyrus two hundred bucks for the fortune...way more then he would usually ask for. But, Cyrus was feeling a bit bitter and down after having to read such a fortune for someone else that he never had himself. He squeezed the pillar behind him, and with a bit too much force. Luckily, his mother pointed it out before anyone noticed.

"...sorry..."

"It's fine it's fine! I am sorry you had to go through that...did I push you too far?"

"...its not your fault. You are nice and sweet. You gave me a chance, and a real job. You gave me strength. I promise I wont let you down..."

As he said that, before she could reply, another man came and approached him. He looked like a totally normal, ordinary man...but Cyrus did not quite like the feel of him. Still...he had to consider it was some lingering feelings from before, and this man was staring at him really expectingly, so he decided to put on a show and make some money while he was there at least.