18282/A Question of Portents

A Question of Portents
Date of Scene:	11 June 2024
Location:	Tessa's Suite - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	The Black Herald has a gift, a proposition, and a question of the cards for Marie-Ange Colbert.
Cast of Characters:	Tessa, Marie-Ange Colbert

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Tessa has posed:
It was rare for Tessa to invite someone in her own stead, rather than Sebastian's. Still, she had a proposition for the red-headed woman she and Emma were both fond of, and she wanted to be certain said woman was on-board with her idea before presenting it to first Sebastian and then both Courts as a whole... well. As whole as they were at the moment, with the White Court a mess of holes and gaps that made her brain itch. So she'd sent out one of her own notecards for once. A long fanfare trumpet across the top, with a stylized T acting as the banner and boasting the the Club's emblem. She hadn't put much on it, simply "Casual attire, bring your best cards" along with a time and date.

Tessa was following her own request, foregoing her usual Club attire for a dress with Victorian elements while still being quite modern, and she had a light repast laid out for the two. Her work was finished early, and she was a few chapters deep into her second book in the list of those Doug had mentioned as favorites when she heard the chime of the door. The book was set carefully on the top of the stack, and she crossed the room with light steps to open the door.

"Ms. Colbert, perfectly on time. Come in."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie-Ange Colbert is, perhaps, one of the people that someone who didn't know better would least expect to roam the halls of the Hellfire Club. In many ways, she was as much of an innocent as one could find in the city that never sleeps, with her rather... strict and sheltered upbringing before being brought across the pond. Yet, despite the scandalous occurences that she's borne witness to on occasion during her time working for the world's elite, she generally enjoys her time spent there, and t he people she's met.

After so many years of being ridiculed for her talents, it was nice to actually be taken seriously and, indeed, earn a living doing so.

So when she got the invitation from Tessa, she was more than happy to respond. Marie was normally the type that would show up early, but having spent time with Tessa in the past she'd definitely noticed the woman's preference for clockwork precision -- so she adjusted and made the required changes, as is her way.

"Madame Fox," she greets, dipping into a low, respectful curtsy at the door. As per her usual style, she'd opted for a rather conservative, elegant dress. This is Marie-casual, at least when it involved going outside the house. "Merci beaucoup, it is good to see you again." she tells the other woman, lips curving into a fond smile as she steps in side. "How may I be of service tonight?"

As per the request, she made sure to bring her best; the very same set that she'd originally learned to read with. Not her fanciest by any means, but certainly her most trusted.

Tessa has posed:
"Have a seat," Tessa offers, gesturing towards the couch and low coffee table. "I have some questions for you, and they may require a reading or two, hence the request for you to bring your best deck with you." She grants Marie a small smile as a they sit. "But first, a gift. I do not generally feel drawn to specific imagery in the various decks, but this specific deck made me think of you and I hope it is to your liking." She hands over a small box, wrapped in silk. The outer silk is a scarf - likely not to Marie's tastes, but an acknowledgement of the woman's new roommate. Tessa was aware of the return of the Stavros girl and her strong place in Marie's life. Inside the box was another silk scarf, cream and decorated in beautiful floral blooms that happened to form space for a card at each of the cardinal points and room at the center for a more traditional three-card spread. Next to the scarf an unopened box of tarot cards waited for practiced hands to guide their use. The Moonchild Shadow edition, and the only part of this purchase Tessa had doubts about. "They are given to you in good faith and with the hopes your hands may have great success when using them as a guide," she says carefully.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie's a follower. Most comfortable following orders, whether from her cards or her superiors. So she sits down easily, smoothing out her dress as she does. "Merci... and of course," Marie has a wealth of knowledge available to her, after all, and the majority don't actually reside in her own head. Instead, they're lockeed behind the cards, secrets that... well. Not only she can read...

...but she's definitely one of the best at doing it, aided by her truly unique connection to the magic that powers the tarot. "It is my honor and priviledge to re--" The mention of a gift brings arched eyebrows and slightly widened eyes; sometimes the cards of her daily readings spell her future out more... definitively than others when they opt to be more vague. Today was one of the latter days. "For me...? Madame Fox, you didn't have to..." ...but the joy in her voice signals her appreciation, and her care of inspecting and opening the package from outer scarf to inner contents compliments it. They're deliberate, graceful movements. Smooth touches, quiet inspection. Care being shown as if each piece would disentigrate with too much pressure.

The symbolism behind the gift is definitely clear, and it warms Marie's heart to be thought of so highly -- at least in her own view. Once she's finished perusing, including looking through the deck, she turns her eyes up towards Tessa. "These are truly beautiful." she tells the woman, "You honor me, Madame Fox, as I hope my services continue to do you."

Tessa has posed:
"I do not see a case where you do not, Ms. Colbert. Now, I had questions for you, and some observations as well." Tessa switches to business matters seamlessly. "I am aware you work closely with Xavier's school, and also aware of the animosity that some among our Courts have with the Professor. I generally keep myself apart from such matters, because I do consider my professional contacts with those who are not wholly human to be more important than the ideological differences we might have. If I might be blunt, at the end of the day a Sentinel or the mutant-haters that endorse them will not case which mutants they are targeting, and I do not believe they will stick to mutants either. People with that sort of devastating power tend to become the worst versions of themselves. Mutants now. Mutates. Aliens and metahumans. It will not stop until a larger power comes along and stops it, but by then I fear it will be far too late.

Tessa turns her head for a moment, sliding a partition into place to blank the emotions that had crept into her voice. "I do not want another Genosha, Ms. Colbert, so I am working to build and maintain the sort of network that can hear those rumors, investigate them, and find ways of squashing that tech before it is able to get any smarter than it already is - and it is already very frightening. That said, are you well-recovered from your own injuries? I was remiss in catching up with you after, and I apologize for that."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
There's silence from Marie as she listens with wide open ears, attention totally focused on the other woman; the only responses she gives at first are nods. Such as when Tessa mentions her work with the school. Marie was a believer in honesty when possible, and frankly?

Xavier's school was literally on her resume. She graduated from there!

Once Tessa finishes speaking, she shakes her head slightly, offering a fond smile. "You have nothing to apologize for. We all act in the ways that fate has laid out for us, even creations that do not understand it." Like the Sentinels, frightening automatons that they are. "I am made of tougher stuff than most might believe... I have recovered fully from my injuries, but I do thank you for asking." She does, honestly, seem touched by the concern shown. Growing up where and how she did, it still doesn't get old to have people care about her. It may never.

"The growing threat against our kind is... disheartening," she agrees, "Truly, I wish more thought the way that you did, could see the way you do. I have stood across the battlefield from those who, away from it, I would gladly join for a drink. We are all..." she pauses here, trying to make sure she finds the right word she's looking for. 'Human' isn't it. 'People' doesn't even quite fit. "...English is so frustrating at times. We all /have things in common/, if we look hard enough. Good to be found in the most unlikely of places, non?" she asks with a smile. She can definitely think of examples. Books she would have failed to read if she'd judged them by their covers alone.

"Genosha was a tragedy of the worst kind." ...and one of many she's foreseen. A pity that she wasn't in position to deliver warnings, then. "...and while I do not see a repeat on the horizon," yet "I am well aware that there are those who would desire nothing more." Recent events feel like proof of that, even without her precognition guiding her.

Tessa has posed:
Tessa nods her agreement. "All of that said, I do not believe your best place is on the battlefield. You are strong, more than capable of holding your own, and there are times where the other options will be too slow to arrive. Yet with your abilities... not being on the front lines is a better option. Guidance. Direction. An idea of when to press forward, and when to retreat. Ideally, knowing which battles can and should be avoided, and which ones require response. This is not an insult to or about your abilities, because in a war with something stronger and more adaptable than I can be, the battlefield is not for me, either. The knowledge of how to fight, and the willingness to step in when it is actually necessary is wise. Those of us who do not lead the charge must be able to defend ourselves well enough that we can be left."

Her eyes are firm on Marie. "You prefer to follow, and most importantly you recognize this in yourself. Where do you see yourself in the oncoming storm, Ms. Colbert? Not just the storm gathering outside these walls, but the internal battles that are being fought within it as well?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
There's a nod of agreement from Marie, and then a bit of a wan smile. "I do prefer to follow. Ultimately, I am an obedient servant, nothing more, nothing less." Her hand moves to rest on her newly gifted deck, bowing her head. Her allegience? Ultimately, it rests in the cards. They've broken her heart before, but she's obeyed every time. Even when it meant losing everything -- and everyone -- she loved.

Though things have changed since then. Things that make her wonder if she truly would do that again.

"...and I take no insult. When I first came to America, I was in such a state that a pebble could likely have broken my bones. Given the common fortunes of those whom I surround myself with to come to blows, I've tried to improve this... but you are right. My talents are meager on the front lines." Especially against the sentinels. Her summons are little more than distractions, and she's well aware. "...but Madame, being able to guide requires an ear willing to listen. Emotions, pride, determination... these things often get in the way of those to whom I speak, and it is in these moments where my ability to read is as ineffective as any weapon I could form against those abominations."

That tone in her voice? That's hurt. Because she's had warnings ignored before, and she's seen the fates she foretold play out exactly as she told them.

"In this storm..." she pauses for a moment, bowing her head slightly. "...my own future is cloudy, Madame Fox. I have tried to look far, but the cards decree that I have no answer for this question at this time." It's not unheard of for her, though it is a little unsettling. She tends to believe that in these cases, Fate has simply... not made up her mind. "Although..." she trails off for a moment, a bit of a smile crossing her lips. "...inside these walls, I know my words will be taken with the weight they deserve, and, if there is nothing barring me from doing so.... will continue to offer them to any interested parties." She smiles wider, here. It's a peaceful expression. "I speak not for profit, or out of fealty to any Earthly power. When it comes to the guidance I can offer, as you said... I keep myself apart from such matters. Fate chooses no sides, fate simply /is./"

Tessa has posed:
This is very much in line with what Tessa has observed of the other woman. "It is a relief that we are of like minds about these things," she replies. Something in Tessa relaxes minutely. "I do not have any of your powers, and my ability to see patterns is not as great as Mr. Ramsey's. I do believe that there is a storm coming, however, and that the sentinels will look like a children's game in comparison." Her voice is very serious as she relates this fear. "I would like to be wrong, in this instance, but I would rather over-prepare in this case than be caught unawares. Women like us cannot afford to be heads in the sand for the long-term, even if we might wish it. Your returning friend, as well."

She takes a moment to reflect, pouring them both a glass of water. "I have not spoken to Sebastian about this yet, nor anyone else, because I did not want to waste their time if you were uninterested. However, much as you follow fate, and fate does not take sides, so to do I wish for you to be a neutral party inside the Club. Should you agree, and should the Courts agree, you will be The Hellfire Oracle. No sides, no promises that tie you specifically to either Court, merely looking for the best outcomes for us as a whole. Above the petty dramas that we seek retribution for amongst each other."

Tessa sits back, and she allows some of her partitions to drop. "I am not sure how aware you truly are of the Court's inner workings, Ms. Colbert, but at the moment the White Court is not strong enough to be the push or the rival that those among the Black Court need to truly hone their skills for the world. Much as my King may not thank me for the insight, we are at our best when we are fairly evenly matched. President Luthor is a great boon to us, but it also leaves them without the firmly guiding hand they've lacked since Emma Frost left the Court. I believe we need to change that, and thought we might with Mrs. Storm-Richards, but such has not come to pass. If the pieces are not moved just so, and in the right order, then the entire house will collapse. If that happens, I believe it will be a huge detriment to us - as mutants, as meta-humans and mutates, as aliens and sovereigns - in the years to come. I would like your assistance to understand the will of Fate. What we might prevent. What must come to pass. What our consequences might be, should we label you Cassandra instead."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
The thought of the coming storm -- a threat that could make the sentinels look like toys -- puts Marie ill at ease, and for one who wears her emotions on her sleeve like she does, it's easy to tell. The mention of Doug in the same breath, once the closest thing she had to a foe and now a treasured friend like any other, doubly complicates things.

Timing and interpreting the data. She'll have to be aware of repeating patterns in her readings. Could the reason for the cloudiness in her future be more severe than even she could have anticipated?

"Agreed." Marie replies, her tone quiet. "We have responsibilities that must be carried out, be they pleasant or not." Often times, hers are not. As for the friend that Tessa speaks of, there's a soft laugh that escapes her lips. "She is a force of nature, Madame Fox. When it comes to my prophecies, there has only been one time when I have been /wrong./ Not that I had misinterpreted, but that the course of fate was so fiercely shifted that none could have predicted it. She caused this shift through willpower alone." Pause. "But, if what she wishes is to keep her head in the sand, I will allow this of her. Sometimes there is no better course of action than to enjoy the time one has left."

Marie's been there, before. She's had moments that she thought might have spelled the end, because fate would not tell her the answer... only to enjoy what she had. She has no regrets of those moments, either.

As the offer is brought up, her posture shows her interest. Straightening, and leaning towards the other woman. Even lifting her arm to rest elbow on table, chin in palm. "You know what you ask me for, oui?" she asks, watching the woman carefully. "I speak truth when I speak. If I were to do a reading for someone, only to determine that my life will end by their hands... I would be obligated to tell them so, and that I am aware of this fact -- and I would continue to do this. I will allow no filters... when I read, I am a conduit of the will of Fate herself, to the person I am reading for." Emma knows this first-hand. Marie successfully predicted her capture and torture by Sinister. This, too, broke Marie's heart. The right questions weren't asked to /stop/ it, so she had to see it in her cards, and see it again in reality. "...but if accepting this offer allows me to remain truly neutral -- should the Courts agree -- I will most certainly agree."

How aware is she? "I see glimpses." she admits. "I cannot provide specific details of what I have seen -- such are sacred between my clients and myself -- but I have a... understanding, of sorts, of the wars fought within these walls." She respects it. A weapon unused and uncared for will rust and be worthless when it's needed. "I think I see, indeed, how I can best benefit the Club -- and the Court, and I am more than willing to do so. For as long as you listen, I will speak. I will gladly answer any amount of questions you can think of, move the veil aside and show the results of moves that you may be pondering. Such is my honor and my priviledge as the one who /can./"

Then, a particularly satisfied smile.

"You know your history." History, not mythology.

Tessa has posed:
She gives the redhead a genuine smile. "You may call me Tessa when we are not in public, Ms. Colbert. Knowledge is power, and though in many ways I am what others think of me - Sebastian Shaw's ever efficient assistant, loyal to the very end of the world itself - I am also more than that. Much like you are one of Fate's Conduits, and yet wholly yourself. I cannot offer the Court as a whole, but I can offer you Tessa Fox. Sage as well. I will listen to what Fate whispers into your ears and endeavor to find the best questions to prevent disaster. I will assist in moving the pieces where we need them to be for success. I will hold any secrets you deem worthy of entrusting to me until it is time for them to be released." Tessa pauses for a minute, and takes a deep breath. "This includes keeping secrets from Sebastian, when I must." There is something heavy in her eyes as she says it, but this - it is too important. "Sometimes our knowledge means we do what we must, even when we know it will break some part of us."

She has always kept secrets. She does not typically keep many of them from Sebastian, not important ones. But she will, if Fate thinks he will be an impediment, and she will work him around as she always has.

Resolute, she nods. "I have one question for the cards tonight, Ms. Colbert. Will adding Victor von Doom to the Court be a boon?"