[Hiko is reviewing the convos she taped last night]

The conversations at the main table are hard to follow, because it mostly
involves a lot of people, places and events which you're not familiar
with.  You do get the impression that they were mostly discussing some
sort of political crisis in Kashfa, and deflecting efforts by the Sind
Ambassador to talk about Sind.

It takes forever to go over all the conversations, and it's hard to follow
them in general without knowing who people are, or more about the politics
of the surrounding area.  A few things stand out--

1.  Several people talking in a language you don't know.

Hiko the Firechilde makes notes to talk to Travis the following day to get
information about Sind and Kashfa.

2.  Several people discussing how nice someone's ass is, although you're
not sure whose ass it is.  But it sticks in your mind, because for two
hours, they discuss nothing else.

3.  One conversation, which after three minutes is interrupted by the
repeated shriek 'Don't Spy On Me, Damn You'

4.  Someone rhythmically drumming their fingers on the table for the
entire two hours.

5.  A conversation mostly in a foreign language, but mentioning someone
named 'King'  And that's mainly what you pick up.  Plus hours and hours of
various boring personal conversations.

[Hiko the Firechilde says, "Regarding #3... could I recognize the voice?"
Kozue says, "It's your voice, oddly enough.  The conversation before hand,
you don't recognize the voices."]

Hiko the Firechilde BLINKS.

[Hiko the Firechilde says, "What was the conversation, exactly?"]

"I really like this soup."  "I think it stinks."  "Hey, Edward, why aren't
you saying anything?  Hello, Edward?"  And then the screaming starts.

Hiko the Firechilde ponders.... does that mean that someone was trying to
probe her while she was probing them?

Most likely they noticed your spell, traced it, and created a counter
spell by recording your voice pattern and tweaking it.

Hiko the Firechilde frowns, dumping that particular segment.  She sighs,
and saves only the ones in the foreign language.

Hiko the Firechilde composes a note to be sent to Travis, asking if she
can see him the next day to discuss what research he could have come up
with over a light meal between breakfast and lunch, in the library.

[And then you crash 'til the morning?]

Hiko the Firechilde falls asleep on top of the covers in a tank top and
black underwear.

[Oh, also sends note to Corrine to ask to join her for breakfast]

Your night is undisturbed, and you sleep peacefully.  In the morning,
there's five notes shoved under your door.

Hiko the Firechilde looks through the notes.

Travis and Corrine both accepted your invitations.

There's also invitations from Juri, Nanami, and Wakaba to have breakfast
with each of them respectively.

Hiko the Firechilde sends a confirmation to Travis for a light midday
snack after breakfast, declines Wakaba and Juri's invites for breakfast,
but asks to reschedule for later in the day, claiming that she had a
previous engagement with Corrine.  The note to Juri is warmer than the one
to Wakaba.

[What about Nanami?]

Hiko the Firechilde recalls what she's learned about Nanami and her part
in the Amber family tree.

Nanami is the daughter of Sakura, who tried to use her as an infant to
destroy the Pattern.  She is full sister to Makoto, Drake, King Tylor, and
Touga.  Her mother was responsible for your grandmother's death.

Hiko the Firechilde taps the invite against her teeth, also recalling that
Nanami's card came up in the trump reading.  She scribbles a quick reply,
declining breakfast, but asking for lunch.

[Righto.]

You send out the replies.

Before Corrine comes in, she racks three spells: Fire Shield, Lightning
Shield (new spell), SEP field.  Hiko closes her eyes, a headache starts to
form in having to remember court etiquette after 80 years of not needing
it.

Corrine shows up with a servant who has a trundle cart loaded with fruit,
milk, cheese, rolls, and breads for breakfast.

Corrine says, "Good morning, Hiko."

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Good morning, Auntie."  She is now dressed in a
black uniform top with purple piping and a pair of black slacks.  "Won't
you please sit down?"  The drapes in the room are still closed.

Corrine sits down.  "How are you this morning, Niece?"  Corrine cuts
herself some bread and starts spreading jam on it.

Hiko the Firechilde takes fruits and sits down in a chair to Corrine's
right.  "I have to ask you something about these cards you use.  What are
they?  How do you use them?"

Corrine says, "They're called Trumps.  Basically, Trumps either show
people, places, or things."  Corrine pauses to eat her roll, then starts
buttering another one.  "If they show people, you can use them to
communicate with the people.  If they show a thing, you can use it to grab
the thing and bring it to you.  And if they show a place, you can go to
the place."

Corrine says, "Basically, you pick up the card and concentrate on it."
  Corrine eats her second roll and begins slicing some fruit.  "Which
activates it.  Places and items usually can't resist Trumps, but people
can choose to not answer your call, and it's very very hard to make them
answer if they choose not to."

Hiko the Firechilde nods, thinking about how she was able to use the card
in the battle yesterday.  The unwrapping of the memories showed her that
he'd forcibly taught her how to use one, which is why she was able to yank
the blade out yesterday.

Corrine says, "When someone tries to trump you, you get a buzzing in your
head.  If you ignore it, they can't contact you. If you listen to the
buzzing and open yourself to it, the trump contact is opened."  Corrine
begins eating her sliced fruit.

Hiko the Firechilde ponders this information and says, "I was talking to
Travis, and he said that you were the person to contact regarding getting
a set of these cards.  I also recall Juri-san saying that you can draw
them, and have a lot of skill with them."  Her fruit is untouched.

Corrine says, "Yes.  It would take me a while to make you a deck, but I
certainly would be willing to."

Hiko the Firechilde takes a card from her pocket and passes it to Corrine.
It is the one of Annadil.  "Can you tell me anything about this card?"

CUT HERE, ADDING LOG FROM 8-29-00, with Phil Moyer playing Corrine.

Hiko the Firechilde takes a card from her pocket and passes it to Corrine.
It is the one of Annadil.  "Can you tell me anything about this card?"

Corrine draws in a breath as she takes the card from Hiko's hands.  "...
where did you get this from, Hiko?"  She studies the trump and the
energies that went into making it...

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Fuyutsuki-san gave it to me."

Corrine relaxes a bit.  "It's a trump of the man we faced last night...
Annadil.  But it was made by Fuyutsuki.  As far as I can tell, it isn't
rigged or a trap.  I... wouldn't advise triggering it, unless there was a
dire reason to, since it'd connect him directly with you."

Hiko the Firechilde nods, then holds her hand out to get it back.

Corrine hands it back, as if it was a live serpent, anyway.  She studies
the image of Annadil, as if to commit it to memory.

Hiko the Firechilde puts it back in her pocket, then takes another small
bite of fruit.

(Oh, we're in Hiko's room, the drapes are closed, and she's not eating
much.)

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Can you tell something about a person based
upon their trump?"

Corrine mms quietly, eating more sedately than her wont as well.  Corrine
considers this.

Corrine says, "It's... possible.  If things are hit just right, and you
don't fully initiate contact, it's possible to monitor their surface
thoughts, or spy on them.  It's risky, and depends on the strength of the
minds involved.  The trump itself can tell you nothing. *she quirks her
lips in what might be a smile* Admittedly, it can tell you how good a
painter the artist was, but that's not much help for the person depicted."

Hiko the Firechilde nods... there's so much about this new world that she
needs to know.  Hiko the Firechilde recalls how Annadil used her like a
puppet, and shrinks away from the idea of trying mental contact.

Hiko the Firechilde takes out the card again, and taps it with her
fingers.  "What do you know about him?"

Corrine mmms again, and reaches her hand across for Hiko, if she wants to
take it.  She then considers.  "Annadil?  Or Fuyutsuki?  The former I
hardly know... just from what was discussed when I read that fortune for
you, and what I saw up in the Rose Duel Arena."

Hiko the Firechilde nods again, filing information away for later.  She
recalls Mikage as knowing him, and Lady Wakabe had a run-in with him as
well.  Hiko the Firechilde's hand moves imperceptibly, then takes
Corrine's.  "I'm scared."

Corrine frowns.  "He seems to have stuck his nose into too many people's
businesses over too long a time.  I don't like it."  She looks up at the
touch, and squeezes back.  *q* "To be honest, Hiko?  I am too.  This is
getting too far out of my fields, too fast.   But somehow..."

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Yes?"

Corrine quietly says, "Somehow... somehow, we -will- get through this.
Unicorn willing, we will.  He -fled- last night when the tables were
turned, Hiko.  He's not all-powerful, no matter what he's got at his
command right now.  And we kept him from acheiving some of his goals,
considering he was hot on Werewindle.  And I haven't lived this long
without having -some- faith in my family"  She looks wry.  "Some may
wonder, but hey."

Hiko the Firechilde looks down at the card, then puts it back for good.
She takes a small bite to eat, then says, "I was reading up on the Cimbiri
wars last night.  There's something that troubles me."

Corrine quirks an eyebrow at that, curious about the change of topic.
"What is that?"

[Foxtrot stops prodding and says, "Schizoid woman strikes again!" to
Akemi]

Hiko the Firechilde says, "What was my father like before the wars?"

[The Tennessee Shad says, ""He was a navigator on a spice freighter,
Hiko.""]
Corrine blinks at this.  She thinks it over, chewing on a piece of fruit.
"I... to be honest, Hiko?  I didn't know him at all.  Vague reports and
information on wht he looked like at the beginning of the first Alan
war... that he was very successful as a war leader, who was more
intelligent and cunning than the usual barbarian leaders we came up
agains... but not more than that."  She sighs.  "I was shoved into Exile
right at the beginning, and didn't even come -back- until near the end of
the second, when Saionji was crushing them into rubble, and Juri had
already escaped."

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Who would I talk to about him... other than
Juri-san?"

Corrine thinks some more.  "Drake perhaps; he was in command of the armies
then... I'd heard Touga had left soon after I did in protest of my exile,
which surprised me when I heard... but he's not around -anyway-, so he's
no help."

Corrine nods more firmly.  "I think in finding out more about Ludovicus,
Drake is your best bet."

Hiko the Firechilde nods thoughtfully, a half-eaten piece of fruit in her
lap.  "What do you think of this whole situation?"

(Oh, you're making me a trump deck, too)

[Aerianne pages, "Don't worry, we'll get to that, and the Fortune-telling
lesson. :)" to you.]

Corrine washes down some of her breakfast with her juice.  "With Annadil?
That there's way too many threads and too many lives that he's meddled
with for coincedence.  Yours, Juri's, Wakaba's, Utena's, who know who
else's... this must have taken him a LONG time to set up... but now that
he's making his more overt moves, he's just as subject to outside forces
as the rest of us.  And we now -know- of him, which makes it somewhat
easier to watch out for him."

Hiko the Firechilde nods slowly.  "I think I'd like to have another
reading done, please."  She puts the card on the table.  "Using this."

Corrine nods.  "Sounds sensible.  Here, or in my rooms where I can give
you your own Trump deck?"

Hiko the Firechilde says, "Where ever would be best, Aunt."

Corrine says, "My rooms, then, I think."

Hiko the Firechilde nods, gathering her sword and placing the whole apples
in the pockets of her pants.

Corrine takes care of the rest of her breakfast, making sure things are
tidy.  "And thank you for letting me have breakfast in your room, Hiko."
She smiles slightly.

Hiko the Firechilde says, "You're welcome, Aunt."  She leads the way to
the doors.  "Shall we?"

Corrine nods and gets up.  "Yes, let's."

Corrine lets Hiko get the doors, and then starts leading the way to her
rooms in the wing of the castle that faces the sea.

Corrine reaches there, and then gets the doors to her own suite, letting
Hiko in.  The windowshades are open, revealing a view of the sea from the
side of Kolvir.  Two easels with half-completed paintings are standing up
in one corner of the room, paintings and photographs of various people
hang on the walls around the central living space.  At least one is a
1/4th photoreproduction of Juri in her Marshal of Amber regalea... it
takes a moment to recognize it's actually a photo of a -painting- of Juri,
not of Juri herself.  Small momentoes and a few toys are on the shelves.

Hiko the Firechilde looks around at the paintings, especially the
half-finished ones.

[Foxtrot stops prodding and says, "Hey... we meeting again at dinner to
receive our 'quests'?  And I'll have you know that should we get into
another fight, I think I'm gonna try and have Hiko turn tail and RUN." to
Akemi]

[USER GOT DISCONNED]

The paintings are some of the royal family... there's a painting of
Haruka, moderate size, more a head shot than anything else.  There's also
landscapes, places, people of things elsewhere in shadow.  The
half-finished ones... one is of what appears to be Miki and Madoka out in
courtyard gardens.  The other is a work-in-progress of Vash.  For some
reason, he's being depicted eating a donut.

Corrine moves over to her desk, which is set to watch the entrance to the
room, and opens one of her drawers.  She pulls it open halfway, and
reaches inside, fiddling around with something on the upper surface of the
drawer. "...know I've got a good one... ah, here."  Corrine sits up
straighter, holding a Trump Deck, slimmer than her usual set.... more akin
to the Trump Decks other members of the family own.

Hiko the Firechilde nods, sitting down at the desk, placing the Annadil
trump on it.

Corrine nods.  "Right.  This will be your Trump Deck, Hiko... I'll walk
you through the steps of another reading, but I'll do it this time around,
and with this deck.  It doesn't have as many cards as mine, but it should
hopefully serve."

Hiko the Firechilde nods.  It seems as if she's a bit impatient, but it
doesn't show in her movements or her demeanor.

Corrine quirks an eyebrow slightly, and then starts shuffling the cards.
"The first step is shuffling the cards, of course, to randomize them... it
also gets you more in touch with them as a group.  Clear your mind of
other distractions, save the question or person you wish to do a reading
on.  Once you're ready, square up the deck, and deal out the cards in
order, one at a time.  Each location represents a certain concept, the
image on the card presents ideas for that concept, and the orientation
determines the meaning of those ideas are normal or reversed for what they
represent."

Hiko the Firechilde nods and shuffles the cards.  She's a bit wary of
touching them, but does it anyway.

[Mike pages, "Oooo, a trump scry. These are interesting..." to you.
Foxtrot stops prodding and says, "I know.  I've had one done already, want
to see how this one differs with the Annadil card thrown in." to Mike]

Corrine says, "The layout for the cards go in an extended cross, with an
extra vertical part on the right." She traces out the shape on the table:
+| "I close my eyes, and then deal them, so as to keep the question I'm
looking for uninterrupted in my mind.  Only after I open my eyes do I
interpret, and I do admit the readings are somewhat subjective, tied to
what your own feelings are on the images of the cards."

Hiko the Firechilde nods.  "What order do they go in?"

Corrine starts pointing the order and the positions for the cards, from
left to right.  "Like this -- the Distant Past, which represents origins
for the current situation, related to events long ago.  The Recent Past,
which represents recent events and influences, in the past few years to
days.  Purpose, which represents the current task or situation that needs
to be done.  Inner Secrets, which represents things hidden from view from
yourself or others.  The Near Future, which stands for immediate things to
come, either that you hope or fear.  The Far Future, which represents
long-term goals and fears and possibilities.  The vertical line cards help
refine this."

Hiko the Firechilde sets them out in order, following Corrine's lead.

Corrine points along the vertical line, from top to bottom.  "The Destiny
card -- representing an ultimate culmination for the question.  Hopes and
Fears, which reflects possibilities in the positive and negative aspects.
Other's Views, which is other people's views of the problem.  Self-Image,
which is your own perception of it, of the situation and what it
represents."

Corrine says, "And then finally, in the center, is the Heart of the Matter
-- the central card which represents the core of the issue you're
evaluating.  Atop it, crosswise is Present Conflicts, which highlights who
might be opposed to you, in a group or singly, or even a concept."

Corrine says, "And that completes the fortune.  Then you open your eyes,
and try to figure out how they apply and what they mean." She smiles
slightly.

Hiko the Firechilde finishes dealing out the cards, and looks.

Corrine looks as well, curious as to what Hiko's drawn.

Distant Past:  Juri.  Recent Past:  Fuyutsuki.  Purpose:  Royal Library.

Corrine quirks an eyebrow at these... reading onward before declaring her
evaluation.

Hiko the Firechilde smile slightly when she sees the Library one.

Inner Secrets:  Gendo Reversed.  Near Future:  Wakaba  Far Future:  Lina.

Corrine quirks her other eyebrow now, more curious.

Destiny:  Base of the Steps of Rebma, Reversed    Hopes and Fears:
Annadil  Other's Views:  The Beach, Reversed.

Corrine frowns slightly as both Rebma, Annadil, and The Beach appear in
that section of the layout... especially with the first and last reversed.

Self-Image:  Makoto, Reversed   Heart of the Matter:  Yig  Present
Conflicts:  Tylor, Reversed

Hiko the Firechilde blanches when she sees the Annadil card.  She thought
it would play a role... fears she could understand, but Hopes?

Corrine's brow furrows more, looking at the last three.  "Okay.  Hrm."

Hiko the Firechilde eyes the cards balefully.  "This doesn't look good."

Corrine says, "Okay, here's my interpretation, going from what I know of
things." She hrms again.  "Well, parts of it are."

Corrine starts pointing at the cards.  "Again, Distant Past.  Juri, as
your mother.  Recent Past: Fuyutsuki, our sage and creator of things, and
his actions.  Purpose:  The royal library... gaining knowledge, perhaps."

Corrine frowns a bit.  "Gendo, my father, your grandfather, reversed for
Inner Secrets.  Well, he always was pretty prolific, so it could represent
his kids, or it could represent powers opposed to him."  She then
lightens.  "Near Future: Wakaba, my younger sister, and a sorceress.  Far
Future: Lina, -another- of our known sorceresses, and pretty damn poweful.
So trends appear to lead in a magical direction for you."

Corrine says, "Destiny: ... Rebma, reversed.  Mmm.  That one I'm unsure
of.  These are the steps that lead down to Rebma, the city under the sea
which is a reflection of our own, or vicea-versa, which could be why it's
reversed.  Dealing with reflections."

Hiko the Firechilde smiles at the comments about the sorcery, looks
puzzled as she wonders about the reflections issue.

Corrine says, "Hopes and Fears:  Annadil."  She purses her lips.  "Given
your past dealings with him... I can definitely tell you fear him, and I
think we all do in some way... but we also -hope- that we'll find him and
make him pay for all he's done to the family.  Believe me, if I could get
within range without him frying my mind or body, I'd want to introduce him
to my fists..." She shakes her head. "But anyway."

Corrine says, "The Beach, reversed, for Other's Views.  Hm.  Well, this
Beach where a lot of my generation has vacation places to get away from it
all and relax, to escape stress.  Reversed, however, probably means other
folks intend to make your life difficult very soon."

Hiko the Firechilde sighs... she should have known that there would be
trouble.

Corrine says, "Self-Image : my younger brother by Sakura, Makoto, but
reversed.  Well, Makoto's a pretty outgoing and personable guy, and has
lots of duties.... reversed would mean being more hermit-like and not
worrying about those social aspects.  He also has a tendency to pull
pranks," she rolls her eyes, "Which I don't think you do."

Hiko the Firechilde blinks at the mention of Self-Image...

Corrine says, "The Heart of the Matter : ... hm.  That's Yig, the
Worldtree, the Pillar of Heaven."

Hiko the Firechilde nods...

Corrine taps her lips with her fingertips.  "That's the boundary between
Amber and Chaos... halfway between the two realms.  Balancing both.
There's supposedly a giant flying unicorn and a big serpent guarding it,
and there's a giant man who hangs from the tree, and nobody knows exactly
WHY he's there."

(The answer my friend is swaying in the wind... ^_^)

Corrine says, "Knowledge, power, masochistic tendencies?" She shrugs.
"Who knows.  But it's roughly in the middle, so it's perhaps good for a
metaphor for dealing with Balance, or preventing it from being upset."

Corrine says, "And then finally... Present Conflicts.  Our Good King
Tylor, but reversed.  Well, if he's had any kids -I- haven't heard it yet.
So that's not likely.  Perhaps representing his opposite number in the
Courts of Chaos, but everything we know about -them- are rumor or
hearsay."

Corrine takes a deep breath.  "And that's... pretty much it for that
reading, I think.  Unless you have any thoughts, Hiko."

Hiko the Firechilde looks at the cards one more time, then shakes her
head.  "No... I don't have any more questions."  She looks at the deck.
"When will my deck be ready?"

Corrine smiles.  "Right now.  This one is yours, Hiko."  She considers.
"I might even have a spare case in here..."  Corrine starts checking
drawers, rummaging a bit, shifting stuff within as she searches.

Corrine shrugs.  "We've got wood, and... wood.  Both in stylish polished
wood, with Unicorns on 'em.  Take your pick." She sits up, and offers two
empty cases, both velvet lined, suitable for a standard-sized Trump Deck.
One's mahogany, the other walnut.  They're both much smaller than
Corrine's big trump case that she wears on her hip, even now.

Hiko the Firechilde takes the mahogany one, and as she does, the clock
strikes.  "Oh... I've got to meet Travis in the Royal Library..."  She
smiles.  "There's that part of the scry at least."

Corrine smiles.  "Right.  Well, good luck, Hiko.  Scoop the cards up, and
stick them in the case, and that'll do it.  And if you get in a jam, don't
hesitate to Trump me up if you feel the need, okay?" She gets up.  "And
take care?"

Hiko the Firechilde gathers up the cards and puts them in the case.  She
executes an intricate sweeping bow.  "Thank you, Aunt Corrine."  Hiko then
leaves for her next appointment.


Day 893
Talked to Nice Lady Corrine.  She doesn't know anything about Bastard.
She showed me what these cards do.  I have a nice box now to keep them in.
I don't think they'll protect me.

She told my fortune.  It told me about a Beach, and how my life is about
to become more difficult.  It was hard not to laugh.  It told me about
Annadil and how he is my hope and my fear.  It was hard not to run.

I can't run now.  Not until I find out what he wants with me, and how I
can escape.

I almost wish I'd never come here.