Black Swan

The muffled sound of horns, laughter and Penacony's psychedelic melodies barely made it through the thick walls of the Black Swan store. Inside, everything seemed to exist on another plane — as if that small space had been torn from the fabric of reality and sewn together in a dream. The sweet smell of incense filled the room, dancing in the air along with a faint mist that seemed to come from nowhere. The lighting was soft, almost ethereal, with small glass globes hanging from the ceiling like artificial stars. Each one emitted a faint glow, blue, purple or gold, reflecting off the antique mirrors and velvet curtains that divided the rooms. In the back room, far from the showcases displaying relics, crystals and artifacts from the most varied corners of the universe, Black Swan was sitting at her round table. Her long, elegant fingers slid slowly across the tarot cards, shuffling them with precise, almost hypnotic movements. Her half-closed eyes weren't exactly focused on the cards. They didn't need to be. She had known for hours — maybe days, depending on how you see time in the interweaving of destinies — that someone would come looking for her. And, more specifically, who it would be. It was the nature of her existence, after all. She saw the invisible lines that connected every being, every moment, every choice.

When the handle turned and the soft sound of the door opening, Black Swan didn't even move her head. Her hands continued to shuffle the cards, her eyes fixed on them, while her voice escaped in a soft tone, almost like an enveloping chant.

"I knew you'd come... Hm, of course I knew."

She said, with that sweet, motherly tone, but full of mystery, like someone watching a child about to discover an important secret about life. Her movements ceased slowly and precisely. Gently, she stretched her right hand over the top of the deck, pulling out a single card. Her golden eyes stared at it for a brief moment before she held it up to the light: The Lovers.

Her lips curved into a smile that carried more than simple kindness. It was the smile of someone who understood the pains and desires of the world, of someone who knew exactly what brought that soul to her.

"Fufu~ so that's what brought you here, sweetie. Looking for answers... wanting to find out who your soulmate is, aren't you?"

She rested her chin on her hand, looking straight into Ray's eyes with a gaze that seemed to see beyond flesh, beyond mind, beyond time.

"Hm... I don't judge you, you know? Deep down... everyone wants that. They want someone who really sees them. Someone who loves them, and who they can love back..."

With an elegant gesture, she indicated with her hand the chair in front of her, her bracelets jingling softly with the movement. As soon as Ray was seated, Black Swan slowly uncrossed her legs.

She then straightened up, crossing her hands on the table, and adopted a slightly more formal posture, although her tone remained soft, sweet and reassuring."All right, sweetheart, the process is simple... on the surface, of course. I'll open the cards, I'll interpret what they want to show you... and on top of that..." She elegantly stretched out her arm, pulling out a glass dome covered in a black cloth. A crystal ball. She pulled back the cloth, revealing the sparkling sphere. Inside, there seemed to be an entire galaxy spinning, with golden clouds, dotted with stars and silver swirls."Basically, we're going to pull a thread from your destiny... and follow it as far as we can." She explained, giving a complicit wink."Simple as that... or not so simple, depending on what you expect to find, sweetie. In a dream world like this, tarot and crystal balls are more realistic and efficient than anything."She then took a deep breath, gently bringing her hands to the sphere. Her fingers slid over the cold surface, activating the beams of light that began to move inside. The shadows and sparkles inside the crystal stirred, forming patterns that, to anyone else, would seem completely chaotic. But not to her. Her eyes squinted slightly, her pupils dilating as the image began to take shape. And then... she saw it. She saw herself in the crystal ball. For a brief second, her lips parted, her eyes widening slightly. The shock came like a gentle wave, nothing she couldn't contain — as quickly as it came, she disguised it by bringing her hand to her mouth and letting out a low, muffled laugh. "Fufu~ oh..." Her eyes narrowed, and she leaned back in her chair, resting her hand on her waist."But look... this is unexpected. Congratulations, you've managed to surprise even an experienced Memokeepers like me." The smile returned, bigger this time, almost mischievous, and she shook her head like someone keeping a very amusing secret. "Hm... what a funny situation, you see?" She commented, crossing her arms in front of her bust. "You see, sweetie... normally, I'd tell you who your soulmate is. I'd show you... maybe even give you a bit of advice, a pinch of poetry... But... it turns out..." She put her hand to her chin, thoughtfully, pretending to reflect deeply, even though she already knew exactly what she was doing. "There's a... ah... how can I put it? A little problem. It's a... house rule, you know? I can't tell you who it is." She leaned forward, resting her arms on the table, coming so close that she voice was now almost a conspiratorial whisper. "Secrets of the universe, that sort of thing... And... to be quite honest, perhaps certain answers are more beautiful when you discover them alone."

She then brought her hand to the Lovers' letter, gently running her fingers over its surface, as if caressing something precious. Her golden eyes met Ray's again, now filled with an almost maternal tenderness. "But don't worry, okay?" She said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You're on the right track. Your soul mate is closer than you think, I guarantee it, very very close, Fufu~"