Chocolate Dream Arrives

<<Taking from Mist Fragrance's thread that its raining..>>

Chocolate Dream looked up at the raining clouds with a touch of annoyance, "It would rain today.." She trudged along the main street, pulling a cart laden with her possessions behind her. She was glad that her cart had a canvas top that would keep her things dry. The same could not be said for the miserable, bedraggled bird perched on her rump.

"Wet! Drowned rat!" squawked the bird irritably at her. Her creamy mane had been rendered into wet strings by the rainfall as Dream looked back at him with a sad smile, "I know, Sound.. This rain is cold and wet.. but we'll be to our new home soon. I'll get a fire going as soon as we're there." She looked around at the streets that led off from the main road she has come down, "As soon as I figure out where home is.." Shrugging off the harness, she trotted to the back of the cart and wiggled under the canvas cover of her cart until only her rump stuck out. Sound waddled up her neck and mane until her head was under the canvas too so she could see what her mistress was looking at. The mare unrolled her map to try to figure out which was she was supposed to go, "Agh.. its too dark to see anything under here, Sound!"

Meanwhile, not terribly far from Chocolate's current location, Scryer was resting inside his caravan, in the back; the living space past the fortunetelling area, drinking some hot chocolate. "Mmm... What terrible weather."

Yanking her head back out from under the canvas, Dream looked around forlornly, her braided tail switching with agitation. Re-securing the canvas, she walked back to the front and shrugged back into the harness. She looked around for some sort of awning that she might be able to stop near so that she could have a dry place to consult her map.

The purple unicorn looked outside again, seeing the mare out in the rain. He walked out to the steps of his caravan, under the awning. "Miss!" His horn glowed slightly as he waved to her.

Ears perking, Dream trotted through the mud towards the stallion who'd called out, glad to see the awning he was under. She smiled sheepishly as she got close, "I picked quite the day to move, didn't I?"

Her bird, the colorful macaw on her back grumbled, "Rain rain!" As she shrugged out of the harness and got under the awning, the bird shook itself vigorously, sending a spray of water in all directions. Dream gasped in dismay, "Sound! Oh dear.. I'm sorry.." She apologized as she looked to see how much water her bird had gotten on the kind stallion.

Scryer hadn't gotten too wet; what little he had was quickly removed by his magic. "Mmm... what awful weather, yes? I greatly dislike storms like this..."

He walked inside, walking into the fortunetelling area. "Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear. What might your name be? I am Scryer." He bowed slightly. "Pleasure to meet you."

Dream took a moment to open a storage compartment towards the front of her cart, pulling out a small, white wrapped box with an iridescent green ribbon, 'Good thing I always keep a few treats here for new friends..' Following him into the fortunetelling room, she looked around with slight amazement, "Wow.. its really neat in here.." As she put her box on the table, she realized that she hadn't introduced herself, "Oh.. I'm Chocolate Dream.. thank you for letting me come out of the rain.."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Dream, and I'm glad you enjoy this space; it's supposed to be a calming room; it's where I do my readings for those who seek them. You're welcome to come back to the living space past here if you'd wish, to dry off. I'd be happy to give you a reading if you'd like, also."

"Erm.. a reading?" Dream cocked her head to the side in confusion, tapping her hooves on the entrance mat to try to get some of the mud off. She followed him into the room in the back, taking her small box with her, "Here.. this is for you."

"Oh, thank you, miss. In exchange, I will give you a reading for free." He smiled, setting the box on a table in the back room, not too far from a small fireplace. "Please feel free to warm up. And by reading... I mean a fortune." He held up his deck of cards with his magic, the blue backings not unlike the atmosphere of the fortunetelling room. "I tell fortunes with these cards."

"Fortune! Fortune!" repeated her bird, Sound, from its perch on her rump. Dream sat down across from him as Sound moved up to her shoulder and began a vigorous preening. The fire warmed her back wonderfully and she shyly brushed back some of her damp hair, "Fortune telling? Ok.. that sounds good."

"I'll do it in here, since you need to warm up." He cleared the table with his magic, shuffling the deck as well, the cards glowing with an almost ethereal light in the darker atmosphere thanks to his magic.

"Now then..." He closed his eyes. "Your past begins with..." He drew a card, it landing in front of her, a single wand on it, it looking normal. "The Ace of Wands... a spark or energy for a new passion. Coupled with your present..." He drew another, three coins on it, facing normally. "The Three of Pentacles; that represents honing a craft and searching for investors. Tell me, Miss Dream... are you here in this town on business?"

Dream's ears perked in surprise, "I suppose I am.. sort of.. I'm moving to Ponyville to make a start for myself away from my parents.." Sound reached up to nibble on her hairband as she looked at the cards, "I wanted to try to open a sweet stand."

"Then I suppose that would explain the box of chocolates you gave me." He smiled slightly. "I'll have to try them. Now..." Giving the cards another shuffle, he drew two more cards, both in the upright position. One had a picture of a farmer pony by a bush with seven coins on it and the other with a pony sitting before a table with nine cups. "Ah! What a good reading!" He pointed to the first one. "This is the Seven of Pentacles. It is a challenging card that tests one's patience with their business. You will likely experience difficulties in the times ahead with it." He seemed to get very into the reading. "HOWEVER!" He pointed to the other card. "If you remain steadfast and don't give up... your wish will come true. The Nine of Cups is one of the best cards in the Minor Arcana to get... it's the 'wish' card, representing emotional fulfillment occurring."

Dream looked at the cards as he translated them for her, perking her ears at what he said, "Well.. I suppose I'll just have to see." The fire had done wonders for

Sound bobbed her head from her perch on Dream's shoulder, "Good luck." Dream smiled at the bird and tilted her head to nuzzle it, "Thanks, Sound.." She looked back at Scryer, "And thank you for the reading."

Scryer smiled at her, bowing slightly. "You're very welcome, miss." He took her right forehoof and kissed the top of it, setting it down again. "I enjoyed your company. Feel free to come back if you want another reading or just a fortune." He popped one of the chocolates from the box into his mouth. "Mmm... these are very delicious..."

Looking pleased, Dream nodded, "It was wonderful to meet you too, Scryer.. if it wouldn't be too much trouble.. could you tell me which direction it is to Honeydew way? My new home is there.." She walked back out to her cart and pulled the map from under the canvas, opening it to where it showed Ponyville with an X marked in pink. Unfortunately, Scryer could tell that the map must be several years, possibly decades out of date.

"I am sorry, Miss Dream, but I only came to town recently; I don't know my way around... and you really should have a more recent map available. Mmm..." He closed his eyes, his horn glowing. "...I do believe it is close, though. As soon as the storm lets up, you should be able to tell where to go."

"Erm.. a more recent map?" she asked, looking at her map with a perplexed expression, "They said this was a good map.." Sound, who had moved back to her rump again, snickered in amusement that Dream didn't pay attention to. She looked up at the sky curiously, "I hope I will.."

"I'm not too worried. I believe that good fortune smiles on you today. For the time being, please make yourself comfortable until the storm blows over."

Chocolate Dream looked at him, bright green eyes apologetic, "I'm really sorry to impose like this... is there anything I can do for you?" She rolled up her out-of-date map and shoved it back into her cart of belongings.

"It is quite alright, Miss Dream. I've been helped countless times on my journey, so I do my best to help others who need it; that's why I enjoy my fortunetelling." He drew a card; it had a rich-looking pony giving money to a shabbier-looking pony. "The Six of Pentacles... both sides, rich and poor, give a little way and help; the rich offer and those who need accept. The giving is completely out of want." He smiled at her. "It's no trouble to me."

She flushed, although it was mostly hidden under her chocolate coat, "Well.. I hate to receive and not offer anything in return.." Sound, finishing her preening, shook herself out and fanned her wing, one long red primary feather dropped to the ground. Picking it up, Dream looked back at the decor of the Velvet room, "Here.. for you. From me and Sound."

"Why, thank you." He took it with his magic, setting it on a small table near his bed. "I'll treasure it always." He smiled at her.

Chocolate Dream headed back inside to lay down near the fire again, "So where are you from?"