Third Floor Common Room, Tuesday Morning

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

The problem with a first period class, Claire reflected as she started a pot of coffee, was that once it was over you were too awake to go back to sleep but it was still too early to do much of anything else.

Once the coffee was done, she sat down at a table with a mug and a deck of tarot cards -- a birthday present from her Aunt Sarah. She fiddled with them idly, half laying out cards for a reading on herself but mostly just looking at the pictures on the deck. They were beautiful illustrations, anyhow.

She wasn't in a mood for TV, but she had the radio on and tuned to a classic rock station just for the background noise.

[OOC: Open common room, yep!]

Comments

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Tarot cards," Claire said, glancing up with a slight smile. She remembered him from the play rehearsal she'd gone to. "They're supposed to tell fortunes if I can figure out how to do it."

She hadn't, yet; she was looking at the instructions sheet all but constantly as she laid cards out, and she kept getting distracted by the illustrations on the cards.

[future_sandworm]

"Slightly different from the Dune Tarot," Leto replied, "But similar in purpose, at least in that respect." His gaze moved from the cards to Claire, and he smiled back. "I apologise for my rudeness," he said. "I'm Leto Atreides."

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Claire Fisher," Claire said. "It's okay. I talked to you for like a second at a rehearsal once."

She tilted her head to the side. "What's a Dune tarot look like?"

[future_sandworm]

"Yes, you took photos!" He had seen her around school, of course. "I hope the pictures served their purpose. And the Dune tarot looks similar, but the names and symbols are different. People use it trying to predict the future." And, through that, made the visions of the truly prescient muddled. "Is that what you are trying to do?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Thanks. Jameson -- my teacher -- didn't explode with glee or anything about the photos, but it would be scary if that ever happened. I liked them."

Her hand wavered over the cards. "Kind of. I'm learning and I'm mostly just messing with them. Do you know how to do it?"

[future_sandworm]

"Then I guess they did serve their purpose," Leto replied, smiling at her. "And I know the Dune Tarot, but the symbols are not the same." He spoke with hesitation. For those with a prescient talent using the tarot might strengthen that - or the opposite. He wasn't sure, and he didn't know how strong his father's heritage was in him.

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"It seems like all the symbols on these have about six meanings," Claire noted. "And then if the card's upside down it means the exact opposite. It's confusing."

[future_sandworm]

"I believe that's why you need your intuition," Leto said. "The cards are just a tool, creating a symbolic structure." He leaned closer to look at the cards. "Will you show me?"

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Maybe that's my problem. My intuition is broken," Claire joked, scooting over and gesturing to the chair next to her.

"So supposedly you hold the question in your mind and then you lay the cards out. And, uh, I asked what was going to happen to me after graduation. So far they told me I'm the pope -- which is good, 'cause it means education -- a burning tower is my challenge, and I was an emperor in the past." A slight smile flickered over her face. "Only not literally."

[future_sandworm]

"Broken?" He gave her an amused look as he took a seat. "And be happy it wasn't literally. It will give you far more options for your future, I believe." He glanced at Claire. "If you consider that a good thing."

He reached out to pull the cards towards him. "And will you tell me their meanings?"

[Leto does indeed have prescient vision, which mean he can intuitively mention something that would be her future. Or possible future. If you like. Otherwise he'll just say whatever comes to mind]

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"I'm definitely into options," Claire said slowly. She wasn't quite sure how to take Leto, but she didn't dislike him. "And go for it. I'm just reading off the cheat sheet (http://www.psychic-mystic.com/how-to-read-tarot-cards.html)."

[Cool! Mentioning that she lives to be very old -- 102, in canon -- would be fine, but for the rest of it he can just say what he thinks of.]

[future_sandworm]

"Options," he repeated, looking at the cards. "In the past you were in control in some sense. Emotionally? Practically? As it signifies the past, we might expect that to change." He shifted his gaze to the next card. "Your life will be disrupted, likely in a painful way, but the result will possibly offer something new." He frowned. "Something is missing. There is no catalyst, unless graduation works like that." He turned to look at Claire. "You need another card."

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Okay," Claire said, almost meekly, and handed over the next card in the deck. "High priestess. That's good, right?"

[future_sandworm]

Leto looked at the card. He really wasn't sure he liked playing with this, but at the same time it was comforting. "It all depends on context," he said. "But judging from the cards, you used to be the one in control, and when you learn intuitive wisdom, or meet someone who can give you that, your world will fall apart. I'm not sure about the timeline, though. It could be now, graduation or in fifty years time." He smiled, mostly to himself. "Does it solve anything?"

[Sorry for disappearing. And for Leto being a know-it-all ;)]

[swipedthatfoot.livejournal.com]

"Not really," Claire said honestly. "I think maybe I'm not cut out for the whole fortune-telling thing. But thanks."

[No problem!]

[future_sandworm]

"I would consider that a blessing," Leto said, now smiling at Claire. "To see the future is to be trapped by it. And, as you said, you wanted options."