Apocalyptic New Beginnings

[stand_and_delivia]

Above ground? A haunted house attraction - and one which had done brisk business during the recent Hallowe'en season. Below? Ragnarok... A supernatural-friendly bar, for which the former provided the ideal disguise for whoever wished to attend.

Sometimes, there was an act booked. An act who would have to be introduced. Other times, like now, not so much. Which left the venue's four-armed entertainment manageress able to retire to a small booth off to one side. In one hand, a glass. In another, a chocolate biscuit. The lower pair idly shuffling cards, flipping them from one palm to the other.

It was the looming shadow which caused their owner to glance up.

"Hello, lovey," she greeted. British accent; not like most of those in Nevada. A little lower-class than one might expect of her, too. "What'll it be? Business or pleasure...?"

Comments

[valerie_vause]

Truth be told, Valerie was staring more at the biscuit that found itself nibbled away to nothing than she did the four hands that waved in an almost sad spectacle that had no doubt lost its lighthearted charm over the years. Really, two extra hands didn’t bother the blonde. In fact, in some instances, she’d quite like a spare set of her own. Rather than say that though she took a sip of her drink and eyed the woman with a gentle skepticism.

“I’m talentless.” The words were uttered with a shrug, only to register belatedly. Quickly Valerie blurted, “I mean I have talent, just not the kind worth displaying on a stage.”

With a cringe she took another sip of her drink then set it aside. Out of courtesy she ran her palms across her thighs then smiled slightly. “Palm reading it is then.” The price thing had intrigued her enough to at least give it a go. If it was bunk she’d give her ten dollars, a fair price for brief entertainment.

“Alright.” She said, placing both hands palm up on the table, “Let’s do this.”

[stand_and_delivia]

If the girl was not already doing so, this would be where the four-armed denizen would invite her to sit at the table. "Don't need your palm to tell you've got trouble with self-esteem," she observed. A small, good-natured smile being raised in Valerie's direction and the cards being slipped back into their holder.

"Let's see what we can see, hmm?"

Tempted to take another chocolate biscuit, the brunette excused herself with a muttered, "No, I mustn't... Addicted to those things, I am." Then helped to make sure Valerie's palm was spread with one set of hands, while the other trailed fingertips along the various lines and creases which were being studied. At one point, turning it over and asking for Valerie's other hand, too, so as to compare them. "Tells me different things, see," she explained. "Conscious, subconscious - that sorta' thing... Ooh. Been a big change in your life, hasn't there? Like you became a whole different person. Led to... Conflict. But it's the kind of conflict..." A frown. "It's like you thrive on it. Or the change does, somehow... Hmm."

[valerie_vause]

Valerie didn’t comment on the topic of self-esteem. It had just been a slip of the tongue, part of her cover, it wouldn’t do to announce she could decapitate a demon from fifty yards if she had the right weapon. She had talent, just not the kind that could be shown off. “I quite liked them dipped in cups of tea, milk and dark, both delicious.” Valerie nodded towards the biscuits with a small, bemused grin. In England, they had been a treat of sorts after a long day.

The gentle touch to her palms tickled, but she held herself still and watched the woman instead. Fascinated, really, to see if the woman could tell her anything. Valerie considered her skepticism healthy, but knew deep down that there were things out there with very real gifts. “I had no idea you could tell conscious and subconscious apart from my palms.”

The words were said in awe, no teasing at all as she listened to the woman. What was she… Was she talking about when she was called? Or Elfleda? Maybe this had been a bad idea after all. Yet, she couldn’t quite bring herself to take her hands back. Instead, she seemed glued in place, eyes briefly wide with surprise. “I guess there was, I suppose I did, things were… Out of my control.” The words were soft, cautious, as she chewed her lower lip, waiting for more. As far as starts went, the woman was off to a reasonable one.

[stand_and_delivia]

"Try as I might, I can't give 'em up... Not that I've reason to," Livia had grinned and went onto explain that one's hands, left and right, held different meanings and connotations. In some instances, helped with clarifying something.

The explanation went on a little bit further and, judging by the woman's mention of the event happening around about the time of the Slayer's activation, it seemed that was what she was picking up on. A smattering of other details, too... Things in early childhood and teenage years; particularly of there being a change in the relationship with her parents. Again, the calling. Enough, essentially, for it to become clear that Livia was finding things in the girl's palms. Speaking to her of how school years had generally been like and of a period where she was being trained anew, being taught fresh skills. Slayerhood, essentially. That there were a handful of others... And that things had, again, recently changed.

Now came a mention of a new crossroads Valerie had just come to; but not one which was being chosen swiftly. That her path was still up for grabs - and that a connection, of a romantic variety, was involved. That there was also another... A woman... A woman who held power and was coming into Valerie's life - and those few like her.

"Your choice, of course, but... Well, I'm not saying don't get involved, it's just... Be careful if you do, that's all," Livia added with more of a self-aware, slightly worried expression. "I will say you've come to the right place, no matter what. Geographically, that is. You're sort of... Where you need to be, if you catch my drift? Where you can help others best, right now."

[valerie_vause]

The amount of information the woman had shared had been too staggering to be coincidental. Palm reading it seemed was a natural gift to the woman, and though Valerie had known the risks, she couldn’t help the way she sat there in silence, hearing her life reach the point she was at now. Perhaps the brightside was that she hadn’t been told that she’d die in around two weeks, which, she had subconsciously feared would happen the moment her hands had been taken and inspected.

“When you say romantic, and another woman do you mean…” Valerie’s face tinged pink but she chose to pretend it was the alcohol and nothing more. “I mean, she’s not, in the romance category, right?” Well, given that she’d never made a point of defining sexuality beyond its fluidity the question seemed curiously valid. Not that she thought she’d be randomly dating anyone else, but still. Unless she meant Elfleda, in which case, no.

Funny, being told she was where she needed to be should have brought comfort but all it brought Valerie was confusion. She’d planned on attending UNLV for years before actually getting here, and now that she made it was as if things were shifting into some sort of supernatural place. Like a puzzle that was almost complete, and she was just in time for the big reveal. Honestly, it unnerved her, but then again destiny had a cruel sense of humour when it wasn’t been so deviously twisted.

“No pressure.” She’d said with a slight grin. “I don’t know how much I can help but, well, I’m built for it so I might as well give it my all. Nothing else I really can do.” The tone was breezy as she sipped at her drink, as if she had no idea they were discussing events that would no doubt be of the supernatural variety. A slight shrug was offered afterwards as if that somehow meant it made sense.

[stand_and_delivia]

A smattering of laughter left the woman's throat as Valerie made her initial insinuation. "Only if you want it to be," she clarified with a smile. "But that weren't what I was getting at, no. It's someone else... Whether it lasts is another matter."

Listening to the girl's admission, the packet of chocolate biscuits was slid her way. "Name's Livia," the brunette offered, swallowing from a glass held in one of her hands. "Sounds like you might need one of these more than I do," she sympathised and curled Valerie's hands in, giving both a friendly squeeze. "I'm just the messenger, love... But the message is good. If you're where you can help, then you can make a difference. And maybe if you make enough of one, someone'll help make a difference for you, too, hmm? Either that or you can start gettin' paid for it... Either works, I find!"

[valerie_vause]

“Ooh. Huh…”

Valerie’s features were a rare mix of puzzlement and embarrassment. Clearly the girl wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted, now that she knew it could go either way with whoever had been mentioned. Which wasn’t to say she wanted anything at all, the mere fact that there was alleged options, that was what made her stomach churn. For someone who wanted to live life while she could, she certainly played it safe. “Well that’ll keep the future interesting, I guess.” She added with a twist if lips, somewhere between a wry grin and a cringe of uncertainty.

“Thank you.” The blonde almost gushed from the offered biscuit and the reassuring squeeze of hands. Maybe the alcohol was starting to hit her. Pale fingers snagged one but before she took a nibble she added warmly, “I’m Valerie, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Then she did nibble at the biscuit, with a happy sounding hum as she listened to Livia. Now it was her turn to laugh, and she managed to cover her mouth just in time otherwise the poor woman would have been covered in crumbs.

“I don’t think getting paid for helping will ever happen but it’s funny to think about.” Actually it would probably fall under extortion if she sidled up to strangers being attacked and requested payment for dusting the bad guy. Still, at least it made her grin. “But you know what?” She asked Livia, regarding the woman softly as she took a small bite of her treat. “If you say the message is good, then I believe you, and that’s all that really matters, right?”

[stand_and_delivia]

"Course it is!"

Well, there were the not-so-small things in life, like needing to make sure your rent was paid, but in so far as one's general direction in life went, yes, that was what mattered. At least, going by what had been read on those palms, anyway; Valerie had a future here, should she want it. Her Slayerhood's destiny. A way to make a real difference in the world.

Quite what shape that difference would ultimately take, was another matter.

"'Sides, after all this, you'll walk out this door, decide none o' this matters and keep on goin' your own way, anyhow... You'll reach where you need to go. Just a bit of fun, this is, hmm?"