[SoM] Friend and Fortune

The ruddy brown and spikey pelted puppilliar Mateo cautiously approached the fortune teller's stall. He quietly took in the decorations and noticed a faint, unfamiliar but some how comforting smell. He couldn't place it however, maybe it was just what magic smelt like? Mateo knew magic existed, and even at a glance he could tell that Stella meant no harm, but still it troubled him. The uncertainty, the mystery, and in the case of fortune telling, the hint of instrusiveness that accompanied it. However, for whatever reason, wether it was the smell, the peculiar decor or just an errant bit of whimsy, his curiousity got the best of him. Besides a simple fortune couldn’t hurt, right? What could she tell him about himself that he didn’t already know? It's not like a few minutes with this young stranger would change his life.

“Hey, uh I hear you do fortunes?” Mateo asked apprehensively, something about this seemed so silly to him, and hearing his low gruff voice ask such a frivilous question made him feel uncomfortable.

Stella happily nodded, motioning for him to sit of the embrodiered velvet cushion. “Welcome! Something makes me think a simple tarot format seems fitting for you, it's a rather straight forward set of three cards where the first card represents your past, the middle your present and the last, is symbolic of your future.”

Mateo nodded in response and sat polietly on the blue velvet cushion, noticing it was much more comfortable then he would have thought. He watched as she shuffled the cards, though there wasn't anything particularly special about her technique it still felt mystical. She paused, letting him split the deck in the middle before laying them out on soft celestial patterned tarot cloth.

"This first card represents your past" She said as she flipped over the first card, revealing the tail. Pausing for a moment to think, and observe the gruff looking fellow before her. She began, “Ahhh, the tail, the communication card, how would you say your communication has been in the past? You don’t strike me as an open book type.”

Mateo made an audible sigh, of course he’d get that card. He shook his head in response, “Not particularly fond of telling people things about myself..." This young fortune teller's soft grin put him at ease, and with a little hesitation he added, "Sort of a lone pup kind of guy, my only brother got lost when I was younger, lost my parents sorta young, never had any one else around really.”

That was an understatement, he was, until recently, essentially a hermit, living alone off the parcel of land that had been in his family for generations. He saw little reason to journey far from his home. That is, until recently, when the land had mysteriously soured, plants refusing to grow, bees moving away to more flowery fields and the trees loosing their leaves in the winter only to have them not return in the spring. He had only just last month decided to seek a new place to call home when he realized spring was not coming to his ancestral home.

“Perhaps this card is suggesting that a solitary way of life be something you leave in the past. Making connections, being open to new people and experiences, and communicating with those around you can be a rewarding experience. You will find that people can be much more than what they appear to be."

Mateo shrugged. Attempting to remain outwardly as cool and collected as always, however, inwardly, the fortune teller's tellers words pulled at something in Mateo's heart. He considered what Stella had said. Perhaps this WAS a sign to leave his solitary lifestyle behind. Others couldn’t be so bad, this Stella herself was quite charming, and she was only one of a few people he had spoke to since arriving. “I suppose that is something to consider.” He added nonchalantly.

Stella nodded and continued, not wishing to upset him but noticing the sad and contemplative look on his face. "This card represents your current situation," She turned over the middle card. “Your second card, the Land card”

She smiled and studied him again, “So, the land card can be read in a few ways, it can be indicative of a tough journey, one that usually has a happy ending, if you notice how it progresses left to right the terrain gets easier to traverse. It can also quite literally mean the land you walk on, wether it be property, or a place or the very soil itself.”

Again Mateo, winced, this was uncomfortably accurate, the soil, the idea of being on a bumpy journey, and the hope of finding a new, peaceful, place to live. “I - uh, just left my home recently, I was alone, the plants wouldn’t grow anymore and the wildlife just kind of up and left, so I did too. I’ve been looking for a new place to call home actually.” He was already taking her fortune to heart and trying to open up a bit, perhaps there was something magic about these fortunes after all.

Stella gave Mateo another warm friendly smile, “Wow, it certainly does sound like you’ve had quite the journey, but let’s see what your future has in store for you my friend!" Mateo hated to admit it, even to himself, but he liked the way Stella called him his friend, even if she probably said that to every pup.

Mateo smiled back, small, but noticeable. It felt weird after all the stress and worry of the past year. He felt comfortable and optimistic. “Yes, let us continue.”

Stella flipped over the last card, the treat card. Mateo could see her smile get noticeably wider, and even that hadn’t been her reaction when was treats ever a bad thing?

“Your future! I’m sure I don’t need to explain to you that treats are generally a good thing, but more specifically it can be a sign of an increase in wealth and prosperity, or even just a tasty snack at the end of day if you’re the type to take things very very literally.” She laughed softly at her own joke. “The Treat is a sign of a reward at the end of your journey, in your case the quest to find a new home. I think you will find a place where you fit in very soon my friend.”

“My name is Mateo actually." He said with a confident grin. "Though I don't mind being called your friend at all.” He added moments later. The fortune telling had been an unexpectedly eye opening and pleasant experience, and the fortune teller herself had, in the span of just a few minutes, given him a new perspective on magic and his very own life.

“Mateo, my friend, I’m sure you will find the perfect place. Just don’t forget to open up to those around you. You don’t have to be alone you know.” Stella said with genuine earnestness. “Talk to those around you, introduce yourself and I’m sure you will find the perfect new home.”

“Thank you miss-“

“Stella”

“Thank you miss Stella, I will take your kind words and wisdom to heart, and when I do get set up somewhere again I will be sure to bring you a special treat as well for being so kind and helpful. Your magic is truly a gift.”

“Aww, well thank you Mateo, and if you ever need a friend or fortune. You can come to me, and I will use my fortunes to help anyway that I can.”

Mateo nodded and left the fortune teller’s stall. He felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted, and looking up at the dusk sky as the sun fell behind the mountains and the stars began to twinkle, he thought, perhaps his journey for home would be over sooner than he had expected.