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[...Ah.

He accepts the sachet, turning it over between his fingers a bit; this entire thing is admittedly so cute he's gonna die, but at the same time there's something about this that's striking him a little strangely.

He's smiling, though; it's not a bad sort of strange at all.]

Have we been worrying you? I won't say that it hasn't been a hard couple of weeks, but we don't mean to trouble you any.

[His tone remains light, though it's clear that he's not blowing her concern off, either; he brings the sachet up a bit, however, just enough to let himself catch the scent of it, breathing in deeply as he does so.]

...I think you're right, though, in thinking that this will be just the thing - I appreciate it, thank you.

Ah — I wouldn't say it's been worrisome, exactly.

[She pauses, kind of looking down into her bag and at the other few sachets still within; perhaps she'd gone a little overboard in making them, but it'd given her something to do with her hands, and the thought of being able to give her two roommates something nice...]

...Rather, it's just...it made me happy, to think that I might be able to do you both a kindness, or to make things go even the slightest bit easier for you while most all of it has been hard. You've both been so kind to me in so many ways, and often when I've been having a difficult time; I thought it was nice, that I might be able to do something to return it for once.

[Oh, honey.]

You've been very helpful to us here, you know - we've been glad to have you around.

[And so help him, if Banjou makes you ever think otherwise he's getting punched in the diaphragm again.]

Oh, um — if you'd rather a different color, I did a little variety. To help tell the sachets apart, there's pink and yellow and blue...

[Which isn't really apropos of anything, but the fact that she's actually not fixating on solely giving pleasant and appropriate responses to what's been said to her is probably an optimistic sign, all things considered.]

...oh, and I shan't like to presume, but I did bring down my cards with me, if consulting with them might set your mind at ease at all...

[He actually has to think that over for a moment; he's not entirely sure what he thinks of that sort of thing still, at least not as anything but a hobby to pass the time, but he actually has been reading that book she'd given him for Christmas and he'd be lying if he said it hadn't crossed his mind to ask.]

...If you really wouldn't mind it, I'd like that quite a bit, amore.

...You know, there's something I remember being said about fortune-tellers, back in the London I recall.

[Even as she says this, she's digging into her bag for her cards without hesitation, sort of warmly pleased at having the suggestion received so well.]

I think it was meant as a word of caution to the teller, of all things, but...it's something like, "a fortune-teller mustn't feel anything too strongly, when using her cards, lest her own feelings color them and make it come out wrong." I wonder sometimes, if that doesn't make for a sort of sad state of affairs — that perhaps the people she wishes to help most are the same ones she's least able to.

[She hesitates, a little self-conscious, but then collects herself and offers the cards.]

But I promise to do my very best for you. I'm very glad for the chance to try.

[He takes all that in, tipping his head a bit while she speaks, though if he's at all concerned by it, it isn't obvious.

He also doesn't know what to do with parts of it, but he'll worry about that later.]

...I look forward to seeing what happens, then. Do you need me to do anything in particular?

Would you like to have a specific question answered, as we did the other time? I'm happy to pull cards that might offer you some guidance.

[She pauses a bit, absently pressing her lips together as she considers.]

The other wouldn't work as well, the one I was doing for most people that day. But since then I've looked a little more into it, and I might try something a bit more complex in interpretation, if you'd rather.

I don't see why not - I'd like to see what you've come up with. Perhaps regarding the current situation Banjou-san and I have been dealing with...?

I'll simply need a little more space, then, to spread things out. It's ten cards this time, so there ought to be much more insight into specific things, if it comes out all right.

[And apparently the bedspread is going to be the ideal place for doing so, which means some shifting around in position to get comfortable with that, but —]

If you'll let me know when to stop shuffling, I'll have things set up quickly enough.

[His expression flickers a bit at the number, though he's definitely still interested in seeing where this goes; let him just...shift a bit, then, and - ]

...There.

[Let's...see what this ends up looking like.]

Very well, thank you.

[At his direction, she begins to lay out the spread —]

Eight...nine...and ten.

[— and then sort of shows him the arrangement, motioning to each segment in turn as she walks him through it.]

These two cards here are where we'll start; this upright one represents you, and the one across it is whatever problem might be facing you at the moment. Then these others surrounding it come next, and they're...influences on the situation, I suppose you might say. Things from the past and in the future, and things about yourself that you may not even realize are in play.

Then these last four, bottom to top, will offer advice about what you might do for it, knowing all that.

Ah, that's a little unsettling, isn't it? Things I may not even be aware of like that...

[It's a bit facetious, though, at least the part about it being unsettling.]

I'm ready when you are, Miss Everett.

[She reaches for the first card, then, turning it over carefully without upsetting the other.]

The card representing you...ah! It's the Emperor...

[She casts him a sort of impressed look.]

That's quite a strong card, Mr. Tsukiyama; the Emperor has implications of power and authority — and control, among other things. Representing you in this situation...and as you said, the one that you and Mr. Banjou are both facing similarly...I would think that you seem to be shouldering the most of the burden for it, or are in a position where many of the decisions about it will be coming from you. If that's the case, it's no small wonder you've been finding things trying; like an emperor, there's a great deal riding on your shoulders, isn't there?

[WHAT - ]

I...yes, that...that's entirely correct, actually...

[FUCKING HOW THOUGH]

I see! Then let's see if we can't look a little further into what might be troubling you, shall we...

[She flips over the second card, returning it to its crosswise position.]

...Justice. It is a decision that's weighing on you, then; from the looks of things, a very significant one. Even though Justice is a positive card of sorts, being about truth and fairness, this position in the spread is meant to illustrate the challenge you're facing. Perhaps you're caught up in not knowing what might be the right decision, or...well, put more obviously, what might be the just one. Perhaps you're concerned that you're not the proper person to be making the decision, despite being the Emperor who must, or perhaps it's a fear that you can't be fair in making it somehow — and it's too important a decision to have it come out a poor one.

...It's something like that. The nature of the decision is why I'm in the first card's position in the first place - Banjou-san isn't in any sort of state to be impartial about it, so I'm handling it for now despite both of us knowing that I'm not any better off.

[She offers him her best attempt at a reassuring smile.]

It seems we're doing all right so far, then. I'll do the next two at once; one will see if we can't pin down the roots of what might've led to the problem, and the other will suggest what might be the next step on the path you're traveling right now. Perhaps not a solution outright, but...what to expect, at least.

[She turns over the card to the left.]

I'm sure this one is merely something you already know, but...mm, with the Queen of Swords in this position — that's a card of objectivity and thought. That is, it wasn't hasty decisions that led you up to this point; rather, you've always had a firm and reasoned perspective on things. I think that's reassuring, really. You've done the best you can, and acted within your beliefs; perhaps it may not seem that way, given the difficulties of the problem, but you've been...consistent and reasoned, in your way. Perhaps this one is intended to shed more light on the next?

[And, mulling on that, she turns the fourth card over.]

...Oh, it's the Fool.

[...]

I wonder. You had him in your reading before, as well, didn't you?

[Something strange seems to hit him, a bit, when she moves to turn over the card to the left; while he knows the cards can't give specifics on the situation, there are quite a few that point to "and by the way you fucked up everything," and whether he believes that to be true or not (he doesn't), he can certainly see where the situation can be read that way, and -

...and what she did get is a little confusing, but you know what, he's willing to roll with it.

...The fourth is also a bit confusing, um.]

Yes, I did - is that an issue?

No, not at all; it's simply something to ponder on, I think. When the same card shows up again and again for the same person, it's often worth dwelling on a little further. Just twice isn't much of anything, though, so let's see.

[She eyes the spread as a whole, absently moving her fingers over the cards from left to right as she considers.]

Well, the Fool is about new beginnings and fresh starts, and also about having faith in yourself when it comes to making choices. So...here in the past, a firm set of beliefs have brought you to this point, sitting in authority as the Emperor with a pressing decision to be made — but now, perhaps, those same beliefs are failing you. You can't simply rely on them to make your decision as you did in the past, though perhaps your intuitions tell you to. Perhaps you can tell that following those beliefs would cause the decision to become unjust in some way. I think the root of your problem is that you want to make it the same way you would've in the past, but because of your present circumstances, you know somehow that might not be the right decision.

[She lightly taps the Fool.]

I think the Fool is here to remind you that sometimes what's needed is...faith. That's not to say you ought to make a hasty decision, not at all! But...I think, it may be that the right decision to make is one for which you can't easily reason out the outcome, and that's frightening. So perhaps these two cards are here to remind you about the need for balance when making this decision. You ought to use them both wisely — the methods of your past, but also the freshness and new opportunities that might be in the future or even surrounding you now.

...I understand, then.

[And he does, even if his understanding pretty much comes out to "but that is going to end really poorly, though" and "Meridiana this is a trainwreck" and just a lot of "but I don't want to"; let's...see the rest, maybe?

God, if anyone had told him he'd be putting so much stock in a bunch of cards back home he'd have thought they were insane.]

The others are...more influencing factors, I think you said?

Mmhmm! Above and below; I suppose you might say these are your conscious and unconscious goals in the situation. So, consciously, it seems your goal is...

[She flips over the upper card, revealing the Eight of Cups, reversed.]

...Er. To...not make the decision at all, it seems. You'd really be happiest to just avoid the entire situation entirely if you could, wouldn't you? You'd sooner see it simply go away than act on it, if you could.

[...OKAY THAT IS JUST FUCKING UNCANNY WHAT THE HELL]

...Well...

[fuck everything oh my god]

...While unconsciously, your feelings are more that...

[Undaunted, she turns over the lower card — the Sun.]

...you merely want a simple resolution to the whole matter, it seems. That's very understandable, I think; for such a complicated decision, it's natural to long for a simple answer, and moreover one that leaves everyone happy in the end. And perhaps to a greater extent, I think it's not a fear of making the decision that's causing you to want to run away from it; rather, it's that you're longing for a situation that's happy, and as you don't see any way of getting it by making the choice.

[She offers him a sympathetic look.]

It would be nice to simply find a way to live contentedly ever after, wouldn't it.

...I've known since the situation arose that there isn't going to be an easy solution for it. A good amount of this is also reliant on the actions of other people, if I make the decision in the way that I suspect I should - I have no control over the outcome once the decision is made, should it go that way, and I don't...tend to care for it very much when situations become unpredictable like that.

[...]

This isn't going to end well no matter what decision is made; I'm entirely aware of that much already. So it doesn't...follow, for me to willingly choose an option where I have no control over any of it. Does that make sense?

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