Over the next few days, rumors of Terracotta's vision spread like wildfire. Terracotta knew Banana was known to talk, but she hadn't realized how big the consequences would be. The morning her mother came back, Tualang yelled at her for three hours straight about how disgraceful she was, and how she should have kept her powers to herself. "What have I been telling you all these years!?" She had shouted. "No one needs to know! Do you have any IDEA what you've done to my stature!? I knew you were just a useless, stupid dragonet with a snapped mind! What is WRONG with you!?"
What is wrong with you. Terracotta had a feeling those words would never go away, would plague her throughout the rest of her life. "I'm sorry mother!" she had said, shaking. "I was merely trying to fit in like you wanted me to."
"Well you did an AMAZING job, Terracotta!" Tualang snapped. "I'm sure weird, mental 'prophecy dragons' fit in JUST FINE, wouldn't you agree!?"
Terracotta ducked, tears streaming from underneath the lenses of her glasses. "I...you implied that I must have job, I was just..."
Tualang snorted and shook her wings out, getting ready to leave the house, probably to stop by Taproot's market to scream at him as well. "Shut your snout, girl," she said harshly. "Go 'work', if that's what you call working. I'll have no part of it. If anyone asks, tell them your my niece."
Terracotta burst into loud sobs as her mother took off from the balcony in the main room. She buried her head in her maroon and purple talons, her body shaking uncontrollably as she cried.
Eventually, Terracotta looked up to be welcomed by the sound of clumsy flapping wings, and an eye-burning purple color, signature look of Allspice.
"HELLOOO...Terra?" Allspice landed immediately, realizing Terracotta was upset. "Your face is red—were you crying? Actually, your face is always red; that's the color of your scales. Um, never mind?"
Despite her sadness, Terracotta had to laugh. "Oh wonderful dragon," she said, smiling up at her best friend. "How did I ever happen upon meeting you?"
Allspice blushed. "Yeah, I know, I'm SUPER amazing," she said grinning. "But seriously, you need to come over to the market square." Allspice beckoned hurriedly with her talon.
"Why on earth am I required for this?" Terracotta wondered out loud, reluctantly rising from her spot on the floor.
"Because!" Allspice said impatiently, lifting off from the balcony. "Your prophecy shop has a LINE, Terracotta! A line!! Like, a total, actual line! Did you hear I said a—"
"Yes, yes yes!" Terracotta cut her off, flapping gracefully into the air beside her friend. "I heard what you said." Despite her reaction, Terracotta's heart was actually pounding as they flew through the bright green trees of the Rainforest Kingdom. Could it be that Banana's prophecy made other dragons want to come? How odd. Terracotta and Allspice entered the large clearing of the RainWing market, marveling at the humongous line the stand had created. A few dragons looked quite displeased due to the fact that nobody was in the shop, and a few were grumbling to themselves, leaving the line impatiently.
"Whoa," Terracotta whispered in wonder, landing gracefully outside her stand. Allspice crashed down next to her and immediately bounced back up, brushing the dirt off her scales. "Go on!" she whispered. "Just make sure you don't...you know."
Terracotta ducked her head, entering the stand, the honeysuckle vines sweeping gently around her wings. Make sure you don't warn them about death, she thought, finishing Allspice's sentence. Even if they or their family are in mortal danger. Terracotta sighed, settling behind the upturned basket and softly calling the first dragon in.
"Hello," she said quietly to the RainWing. The dragonet standing in front of her was only about a year younger than herself, around five or so. She had pretty, dark purple scales and hints of blue here and there.
"Hello," the dragonet said, her tail twining around her feet as she sat in front of Terracotta. "I'm Crystal." she quickly handed Terracotta two scales before scurrying back into her former position, ducking her head shyly.
"I am Terracotta," Terracotta said, just before a giant vision hit her.
Crying
Sleepless nights
And a handsome dragon staring down at her, his eyes the color of charcoal.
Terracotta blinked. She was getting better at controlling her reaction to the visions—she hoped the look on her face was calm and reassuring. Apparently it wasn't. Crystal's face blanched, her eyes practically popping out of her head. "What?" she said. "What is it? What did you see?"
So much for controlling my face, Terracotta thought, annoyed. I must have looked like a startled sloth.
"The only things I see in your future are...a hoard of sleepless, starry nights, mourning for something I do not know of, and a dragon in your near future; possibly your brother? I do not know everything, no no."
Though this information wasn't necessarily wonderful, Crystal giddily sprinted out of the tent, calling someone's name as she left. When the next dragon entered, Terracotta's head thumped down into her talons. This is going to take so much energy, she thought.
After hours of receiving and dismissing customers, Terracotta headed back home and said goodnight to Allspice, settling down in her room to count the coins she had made. Terracotta herself didn't care a wit about how much she had, but she knew by experience her father would be quite interested. I wonder if my mother will love me now? She thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep, the symphony of the night seeping into her mind.
Terracotta woke to the sound of chirping birds, and the bright, warm feel of the golden sunlight on her scales. She stretched, breathing in the moist air, her green wings catching the light. She would never admit it, but suntime actually energized her beyond explanation. This is going to be a good day, she thought. I can feel it; its almost as if I'm sensing the future. My prophecy skills must be elevated this morning. Terracotta stretched her talons toward her balcony, grabbing the edge and pushing off. She let herself dive in freefall, wrapping her wings around herself tightly. As the cold wind whipped past her scales, and she rocketed closer and closer to the ground...she dove, stretching her neck out to the grass; and then released her wings, feeling the exhilarating thrill as the air gathered underneath her body and she was jerked up, five, six, ten feet into the air.
Terracotta cried out in happiness, gathering stares from nearby RainWings—but she couldn't care less. "WOOH!" she yelled, swooping around a tall Redwood. "I am extremely invigorated this magnificent morning!" she beamed at a dragon hanging dumbfounded out of her hammock. "Hello!" she called, letting the dragon's future flash by in an instant.
Terracotta aimed herself towards the village square. Today will work out, she thought. She landed happily outside her stand, darting inside quickly...only to find the first customer already waiting patiently for her.
"Hello my dear dragon!" Terracotta announced, her talons fluttering excitedly.
"Hi...?" The customer said nervously, looking around the tiny, homemade shack doubtfully. They had purple and blue scales with hints of black, and it seemed as if they were recently in a battle—scars and cuts covered their delicate RainWing body. "Are you going to read my future?" they asked uncertainly, as if they knew their fate would hold nothing good.
"Oh yes, oh yes, yes yes!" Terracotta giggled, her tail flicking around the grassy floor in excitement.
The dragon, who later announced themself as Vyn was a hard customer to get behind. Terracotta actually had to reach for their future, grasping to it with the tendrils of her mind. I've never tried this before, she thought. But why is their future...so...slippery? Suddenly Terracotta had a firm hold on a vision.
Dark whispers, grey rain coming down in torrents as a dragon's eyes flashed white in a flicker of lightning.
A blue tail, slithering through the wet grass, the plants behind it shriveling up in fear.
And a lost trinket, a piece of jewelry that was priceless beyond comprehension.
Terracotta opened her eyes, her pupils and iris' turning a milky, marble white as they did sometimes when she was speaking a cryptic prophecy.
"The wind that snatches treasures lost,
Follow and caress it you must not.
The bridge that leads to the open sea,
Will swallow you whole in misery.
A dragon, dark, brooding and cold,
Comes to steal your very soul."
Terracotta blinked, taking in the dragonet's horrified face. "I'm sorry about that, yes yes!" she chirped. "What exactly did I say? I always black out when uttering abstruse prognoses."
Vyn swallowed. "I...I better go," she said, walking halfway out of the stand entrance. "I really don't—I really don't need any cryptic death-prophecies this morning." She tried to smile, and Terracotta could see that she was trying her very best not to hurt her feelings.
"Oh..." Terracotta said, frowning. "Alright then! I shall see you some other time if Fate wills it, yes yes." She waved the dragonet out of the shop and settled contently in her place, brightening a little. It couldn't have been that bad, she thought. At least she wasn't like Banana! Terracotta giggled wildly to herself as her next customer walked in. She looked up, still tittering quietly, to see a slender, handsome RainWing with bright orange and green scales, his blue eyes sparkling attractively in the dim light of the shop.
"Oh hi!" Terracotta said, waving giddily at the spot across from her. "Sit! Sit! I have loads of oracular prophecies to hand out this fine morning!" Terracotta giggled so hard at this, she fell over, her wings vibrating with her amusement. The dragon looked quite handsomely confused as he helped her up, sitting down where Terracotta had gestured to. "Hello," he said smiling, his brows still knitted in slight amusement. "Nice to meet you...?"
Terracotta tilted her head. "Why did you trail off?" she said. "I'm sure you know what your name is, unless you're as dumb as a toucan." she looked at the dragon with bewilderment.
"No—I was asking you what your...It's like a way of...ah, never mind," he blushed, looking down at his talons as Terracotta continued to stare at him oddly. "I'm Tangerine," he said. "What's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Terracotta," Terracotta stated, matter-of-factly. "Terra-cotta, a type of fired clay, typically of a brownish-red color and unglazed, used as a building material and in clay modeling." She swayed back and forth happily, reciting a few recent prophecies in her head.
Tangerine watched her with curiosity, a swirl of bright pink flashing across his scales. "Nice to meet you, Terracotta," he said.
"Nice to meet you as well, Tangerine!" Terracotta said. "A small citrus fruit with a loose skin, especially one of a variety with deep orange-red skin." she recited, closing her eyes gayly. "Alright, let us focus on your imminent future," she said, suddenly growing serious. She squeezed her eyes shut further, the bridge of her gold glasses digging into her snout.
Laughing.
A long, happy flight over the rainforest canopy.
A pair of bright violet eyes, filling with delight.
Terracotta stared at Tangerine. That's not what I thought it was, was it? She immediately dismissed the thought. Just get on with the explaining, she scolded herself. "Um," she said, trying to think of a way to put the short vision into words. "You will be extremely exhilarated with life not too long from now."
Tangerine smiled. "Is that all?" he asked kindly.
Terracotta nodded hastily. "That's all, yep yep." she fluttered her wings nervously. Tangerine inclined his head. "Alright," he said, dropping his two scales into the money box; plus two more, Terracotta noticed with bewilderment. Tangerine looked at Terracotta closely, tipping his head. "Do you...remember me from when that yellow dragon left your shop?" he blushed again. "I was walking by with a crate of fruit." This was making him more and more embarrassed by the second, Terracotta could tell. But she didn't stop him. It was fun to watch. "You know...I think you saw me?" Tangerine shook his head, red-faced. "You know what. I'm not even sure what I'm talking about anyways—"
"Yes, I remember," Terracotta said finally. In fact, she thought herself stupid for not remembering sooner. She envisioned the look of pity Tangerine had gave her as he passed by on that dreadful day. "You were shouldering quite the burden of brightly colored fruits."
Tangerine looked relieved that she had remembered him. "Oh...well, I guess I'd better get going," he said, his tail swishing nervously.
Terracotta blinked. "Yes, I suppose you must," she said, her heart panging a little, which was quite a foreign feeling. Maybe I'll ask Allspice what it means, she thought. Terracotta straightened, watching as Tangerine left the shop, yellow honeysuckles sweeping gracefully around his beautiful, orange scales. "Bye," Terracotta whispered, but he had already gone.