Some ravens were pecking at the rocks on the floor, searching for breadcrumbs in front of a wooden door, which once seemed to have been of green colour. Even though it was worn out, you still could read _____'s Divinations written in a crappy cursive trying to look elegant.
It wasn't too long before a young girl slammed the door open, scaring the birds off and making them scatter away. The girl who almost destroyed what was left of the door ran past the remaining birds.
"Shit, shit, shit! Am I late?" The pink-haired girl went to look at her wristwatch, realizing she left it at home. She cursed while she kept running. "Fuck! Nevermind, I can't lose time on that. I think I still can get there on time..."
She arrived at the entrance of her favourite pub. The sound of her clairvoyance gadgets jingling in her bag. She held it tightly to avoid it being in her way while running. There, in that old stinky bar, where prostitutes, pirates and other ne'er-do-wells gathered, it was where _____ could make a living with her predictions. Not many people visited her hovel for that.
But maybe it's better if she continues the story from here.
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I opened the door to the Red Fox, and even if the clientele weren't the most distinguished, it was where you could find the majority of people who were willing to pay a stranger to tell them their fortune. It wasn't something that had everyone in awe, I had assumed that already.
"You again, lass?" The owner of the bar, a lady with a weird and extravagant hair and dress talked at the same time she exhaled the smoke of a cigar. Madame Ciggy, as they called her around here. She only had one hand. The other one was replaced by a hook, with which she held her cigars, hence the name a drunkard came up with some night.
Nonetheless, her nice attitude made up for her menacing appearance. Or so I wanted to believe if she hadn't kicked me out already for managing my business in her business. I am sure she was a lovely woman. A lovely lethal woman.
"I know deep down you love me, Mrs Ciggy." I winked cheekily. "You know, I read something good in the cards for you today."
"What a coincidence, I saw something, too; you stopped wandering around here, messing with my clientele." She joked. If I didn't know her, though, I would think she actually didn't want me to step in her store anymore. Even so, I smiled nervously and opened my bag at a table near the bar.
"When did you start with this card business, _____?" Ciggy asked.
"Mmm..." I looked up to the ceiling unconsciously. "I think it's been five months already."
"Five? Time flies, it seems as if it was yesterday when you begged that I let you work here." She laughed.
"Pff, I did not beg." I answered with less confidence than what I would've wanted. Ciggy rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, sure." She put out her cigar on the ashtray. "Then maybe I won't let you wander about anymore." Her words made you open your mouth in surprise. "Unless you give me 40% of your earnings." She joked again...or so I wanted to believe.
"When I reach my goal, I swear I will pay you back for all your gratitude." I emphasized the word all.
"With interests." She pointed at me with her index finger.
"With interests." I reassured her, laughing.
If I was not mistaken, in two months I should have enough money to sail to Fatamorgana Island. I held the necklace I was wearing: my grandad's present. I opened the locket and looked at the picture he put in there. It was my grandpa and me, smiling, looking at our left instead of the camera because we saw a boar chasing our neighbour. The memory made me laugh in silence.
My parents died with many other people in the nearest island, Magari, on a journey to try and explore it, since there were rumours that a devil fruit could be found there. They were explorers, so while they investigated with their crew, I stayed with my grandpa.
Sadly, they told us the ship was wrecked. No survivors were found. I still remember how many tears I cry. I wasn't the only one that lost their relatives on that trip, and lots of children had to go to live at the orphanage. So, I am glad I could live with my grandpa, who raised me. He was also the one who taught me everything I knew about tarot. The only difference is that I never believed in it, but at least now I could make a living out of it. The only thing I believed was this story he told me... He said that in Fatamorgana, a treasure was hidden, a big one, and no one had ever seen it. The first time he told me this story, he gave me this locket with our picture. He was such a humble man, when I asked him if he wanted to have it, he told me he didn't. He just wanted to see something as beautiful as the legends told.
Maybe because I wanted to hold on to something from my past, I wanted to embark on to that island and find the treasure. Then, I could show my grandfather the thing he longed for. I even surprised myself when I realized I wanted to find that treasure, even though it could be just another false tale people told their children to go to sleep. But the way he told it as if he was living it as if he could see the island when closing his eyes, hear the sound of birds, his steps on the sand... I closed the locket.
Coming back to reality, I pulled out a tablecloth for my crystal ball, my tarot cards and some jewels such as quartz, amber and amethyst. Good, now the hardest part. My eyes scanned the room for a prey, I mean, client. I saw a guy who was chugging down his third beer, accompanied by another two guys. Bingo.
"My, my, what do we have here!" I exclaimed, sitting in front of the man who had the unfriendliest face I had ever seen. And my presence seemed to made it worse. "I can see you're in the middle of a very important journey... Isn't that right, Tank?"
The man opened his eyes slightly, not wanting to show his surprise at me knowing his name.
"How do you know my name, woman?"
"Buddy, your poster is on every wall near these streets, don't let her scam you." The crewmate on his right answered before I could. The one on the left seemed to be sleeping, head on the table. Sleeping, or dead from drinking too much.
"Are you doubting my clairvoyance abilities?" I asked with an air of superiority. I had to show I was not a scammer. Even though I was. It was part of the job.
"Yes!" Tank's crewmate burped for 12 seconds. Yes, I counted them. Some horrible twelve seconds they were "Fuck your clair...cleg...lairom..."
"Clervmoran!" his mate, who started on his fourth beer, "helped" him.
"Exactly, clervmoran!"
"What did you call me, moron?" Slurred the guy on the left. Oh, he wasn't dead.
This theatre started to attract people's attention. Great, it was time.
I got up from my chair and started to walk down the corridor of tables until I was in front of the only window in the place.
"If you don't believe me..." I whispered at the same time I put a strand of hair behind my ear, my ring shining thanks to the little light that entered through the window. Damn, if I just had gotten here later, I would've missed my chance... "I curse this offence with the fury of ravens upon your corpses."
I could've sworn that half of the bar... Who am I trying to lie to? Everyone in the whole bar would've laughed at my face if a flock of ravens hadn't entered through the window at the perfect time, causing a ruckus among the people. Now their faces were either worried or concerned. Perfect.
"Boss, is this for real?" The first guy mumbled to the guy I thought was dead, flailing his arms to prevent the crows from pecking him. He only clicked his tongue, annoyed.
I snapped my fingers, stopping the erratic flight of the birds.
"Honey, can you get these filthy animals out from here?" Ciggy said while cleaning some glasses without lifting her gaze from her work. She also didn't believe in my tricks, but I was grateful she did not blow the whistle.
"Sorry Ciggy" I smiled innocently and went to the window, snapping my fingers twice in direction to the window so the birds would exit, which they did. If I was lucky, no one would've seen that I also threw the ring that attracted them in the first place. I tried to tame these birds for my schemes, but they didn't help me gratis et amore. Their participation was the result of breadcrumbs and seeds. A lot of them. But it was worth it, and I took joy in the fact that they liked shiny things so much. Wait, how the hell was Ciggy washing the glasses with a hook?
An eerie laugh brought me out of my thoughts. It was none of the last guys. Even they shuddered in front of the new addition.
"So, the little girl is not just words, huh?" A 2-meter tall man with red hair spoke. Sorry, did I say spoke? I meant roared. Hell, even I wanted to fly out of that window right now.
"Kid, it's not worth it, she is a scammer." A masked man said with a calm voice. Too calm for someone named Killer. Ah, yes, I saw their posters on the street before coming here. There is where I saw the pirate nicknamed Tank, which was a piece of helpful information. But I would have never imagined I would find two Supernovas in this place. I definitely should've been more careful.
"What if she's a devil fruit user?" A blue-dreaded pirate answered the blonde one. The latter shrugged.
Before I could think of a joke with the variety of hair colours on that table, the captain of the crew got up and got close to my table with a sinister smile.
"Read my fortune."
Sorry, what? I didn't get out of bed thinking one of the most dangerous pirates wanted me to read his fortune. I would have gotten excited if it wasn't for the fact that, probably, he wasn't going to pay me. Or maybe the payment would be not to rip my limbs. I should hurry and grab the cards.
I sat on my chair, not knowing if I should look him in the eye or not. I think I once read that looking in the eye of a wild animal was considered as aggression... I shuffled the cards and offered him a row of them.
"Choose three." I looked up. Oh shit, I looked him in the eye. Thankfully, he didn't notice or ignored my growing worry.
He took three cards and laid them on the table with weariness, although his smirk said something different. He looked like a child that wanted to act as if he didn't like cake but, in reality, wanted to eat it whole. I forgot to mention, I had fed birds with my own hands and never have I been so scared that my fingers could be ripped off.
I took the cards and turned them around on the cloth: The Chariot, the Temperance and the Three of Cups.
"What does it mean?" He ordered, instead of asking. I did not want to keep him waiting, so I put on my role of the magic oracle.
"The Chariot and the Temperance mean a very fortunate journey... No doubt, very soon you'll find a great surprise on your journey. The thirds card confirms me that you will be successful." I said, faking I was confident. A mask that Eustass Kid's gaze took off. He bent down on the table menacingly.
"That's all? Killer was right, then..." He stretched his arms, and before he could decide to snap my neck like a little branch, the fear made me say the following words.
"Not at all," I cleared my throat since the fear made my voice two pitches higher "that's only the results... Now, the details".
I had his interest again. I was risking it all now. I had to tell him what he wanted to hear, and he had to believe me. Here goes nothing. I breathed in, knowing I would regret my next words...
"The third island... When you sail, in the third island, Fatamorgana is where the treasure awaits." Before he could ask what treasure, I changed the subject. "But don't be naïve. Nobody has ever found it. The legends say anyone who dared to enter the island would die in their search for glory.
I sensed how his ego was hurt and I was expecting him to tell me he was not like any other shitty pirate on this bar.
"You think I'm someone like them?"
Hey, I did see the future for once. Eustass pointed at the three pirates from before. I could have sworn they only nodded; they didn't even get offended. Understandable, honestly. "I have heard those stories. I'll be the first one to find that treasure" he smiled triumphantly, pointing at his chest with his thumb.
I wanted to tell him that good luck, then pick up my stuff and head home before the crows would evolve and learn to mutiny against me for not feeding them. In fact, I got up from my chair and started to organize my cards with a fake smile characteristic of a waiter on a bad day. I knew I had made a mistake when the redhead grabbed my wrist forcefully, making me throw some of the cards on the floor. My smile fell with them, showing my actual emotion right now. Fear.
"And you are going to help me find it."
Okay, I have messed up a lot of times in my life, but this is the time I regret it the most. For some reason, I thought the difficulty would dissuade him. Big mistake. Of course, this psychopath would love that dangerous idea. And the worst thing is I was involved in this dangerous idea. A part of me would have joked that this wasn't that bad. "Hey, now you don't have to wait two more months to head to Fatamorgana. Yay!". I would've preferred to wait seven more months if needed before being in a ship with these people.
I was so shocked by the situation I didn't know what to say. My answer wouldn't have changed the outcome, anyways. The last thing I saw before exiting the place were my fallen cards on the floor. All turned over except two: The Sun and the Hermit.
They mean an impostor will be unmasked.
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You guys have a crappy sketch of how Berlian looks on the top of the page ^^. But of course, you can imagine the main character however you want.
If someone's interested, I can post the character with different hairstyles (only 2 at the moment) and different eye colour (5 in total).
EDIT: rewriting to substitute the OC's name by _____ (the reader).