undergrounds | Sowing the Seeds (OPEN)

A Wish Come True

The little vendor stall suited her well, Azula thought. Besides, there were always plenty of people who were fascinated by 'Eastern' culture.

Dressed as a miko, she played the part perfectly. There were little good luck charms and a place to burn incense along with a little wish.

Of course, these people had no idea that the charms would do exactly what she promised. That their wishes could come true. But that payment would be exacted.

"That's it, dear," she said with a smile, her accent much more prominent than usual. "Write your wish and what it's worth to you. The spirits don't give for free, I'm afraid." And the young woman at her booth did just that. "Now, burn it and send your wish to the gods."

Azula smiled at seeing the paper shrivel. It would be waiting for her in the Other Realm when she returned.

Fanning the Flames

[Lambeth.

It's... not what she truly likes, no. The mortal world in and of itself is dull. Too inconstant, too fragile. But there must be trouble. Because trouble gives her an excuse to act, a chance to sew discord even among the ranks of the Seelie. After all, there's a throne she wants to sit upon.

So, it's simple enough.

A werewolf here, who she reminds of the wrongs done his kind. A vampire here, who she gives a mouthful of her blood. A witch, who she points in the direction of a hunter.

Little things in the borough, day and night. Sometimes it's as simple as her being in a cafe at a certain hour of the afternoon or walking down an empty street at night.]

Wildcard

Choose your own adventure!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It would be stupid not to check out the competition. Especially when their shtick was so similar to your own. Kenzi might even learn something from whoever was running the stall.

....Except she recognized her from a tarot reading she did last month. It was pretty memorable. Well, rather, this girl was pretty memorable.

Kenzi waited patiently in line, listening in as much as she could to Azula's clientele before it was her turn.

"Ya know I can't help but feel a little ripped off."

A stall set up in a farmers market, a pretty young thing with a foreign accent selling charms and magic things? Yeah, Kenzi wasn't going to call this copyright infringement but damnit she felt really Paris Hilton here.

She might not be wearing her costume, wig, or accent. But Kenzi had a feeling this chick would know who she was.

"I don't do fortune telling," Azula says sweetly. "Little good luck charms for a minimal cost. Usually bartered." Something little, barely worth anything. But always just important enough. "And wishes, well. Wishing is all about giving in return."

To her, well. Obviously it was all very different. After all, her prices were far higher than this girl and much more elaborate.

Kenzi smiles, just barely a degree above sneering at the girl.

"Yeah, well I sell charms too, cupcake."

Kenzi sounds equally sweet, though there's a bite to it that not many might hear.

"What's the matter?"

Azula flashes a smile that shows just a bit of her teeth, as if she could bear fangs. The gleam in her eyes looked almost hungry, too.

"I thought the West liked the free market and competition."

Kenzi doesn't flinch from the smile but her brow wrinkles just a bit. She's wary of that grin.

"I'm not from the West."

She's lying, but hey. Russia is in her blood. There ain't no such thing as a free market there. What's a little lie got to do with it.

"Tell you what. I'm feeling generous. I won't tell anyone you don't have a permit and I'll take fifteen percent of your earnings to keep it that way."

She really just wants five. But she doesn't need Azula to know that.

Azula smiles, folding her hands together and leaning against her booth, chin on her hands. This girl... Well. For a mortal, she's shrewd enough. Not enough to know what she's dealing with, but a young witch can't be expected to be that smart.

"I don't make any money."

Which doesn't mean there's no arrangement to be made.

"But I could be convinced to stop dealing in charms for a small price. Not monetary."

Kenzi's smile sours at that almost instantly. Nothing in this world is free, and Kenzi has to wonder what she's getting out of this.

"What, why not?!"

The fact that she is - apparently - not interested in monetary gain, means a few things to her. She's a fae, a vampire, or just plain stupid. And Kenzi is willing to be that this girl is smart. Very smart.

"What the hell do you want?"

How did she manage to shift this into her favor.

"I have other means of payment from those who take a charm."

After all, it made what she was fairly apparent, she was sure. Still, that hardly hurt her. Especially since this girl didn't know her name.

"All I want is... Let's say twice a week... a small piece of iron or silver. The size of a euro coin or bigger. In a box or pouch or something so I don't have to touch it."

"So you're a fae." Kenzi isn't going to beat around the bush. She wants to know who she's playing with.

"Is this an official deal?"

Because she isn't sure how she feels about that.

"Yes, it is," she responds with a smile.

"I will take my charms completely off the market in exchange for small amounts of silver or iron."

It's what she needs to arrange the things she most wants. After all, there's an opportunity to be had, and someone who can provide her with means standing right in front of her.

Well, it's what Kenzi wants. Besides, what she's asking for isn't Kenzi's first born - not that she really plans on having any children.

"Okay. Why do you want something you can't touch?"

She thinks it's fair to ask.

That question just makes Azula smile a little more. After all, it's a reasonable question. Very smart, too. Not that she intends to fully answer, but. That's what being fae is for.

"Because I need it. Precisely because I can't touch it."

"Uhuh."

She is warring between two choices here: Either she lets Azula keep her booth, loses clients who keep coming back for her trinkets and charms because they swear by them to someone selling the equivalent for free, or she gives her silver and iron. And keeps the stranglehold on her market.

Kenzi heaves a sigh that sounds like settling and she nods. "Fine. How do you want it?"

"I'll still keep my stall here. After all, there's no reason not to offer wishes." They weren't fortune-telling. And they were her main area of interest anyway. "Come and see me, say, the first and fifteenth? And bring it with you in something solid."

"Plastic okay?"

Kenzi wanted to get out of here as soon as she could, mostly because Azula was starting to creep her out majorly. She didn't know that it was her survival instincts telling her that this deal was dangerous.

"Completely."

She smiles, folding her fingers together to rest her elbows on her stall and her chin on her hands.

"Pleasure working with you."

Sowing the Seeds (OPEN)

Wish

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