diviningtime

[diviningtime]

Lilia pulled a face, frowning as she watched the girl start pulling things out of her bag like a magician's performance, not exactly sure what she was expecting her to ask, but suspecting she wouldn't like it.

Lilia glanced over the journal with wary disapproval before eventually taking it reluctantly, already regretting being dragged into whatever this was.

"That's not the way it works. The future isn't some fixed point in time you can look at on command," she protested. "There's too much of it, and it's moving. If you want me to find what you're looking for, I'll need more details."

Tannis dropped her over used bag on the table and began to dig through it. She pulled out a photo of her family, closed her eyes and then set it aside. Next she pulled out a journal. "I have things I want to do," she said handing it over. "I need to know if I got the time to do it. And if you can, I have someone i need you to find. But start with what you can tell me about the future."

[diviningtime]

"Mother is less complicated than 'ex'," Lilia emphasised pointedly. While the origin of Nick's birth and his creation was more than a little unique, that duality was a part of who he was. Rio was his other parent, but for Agatha, Rio was complicated feelings and unpleasant reminders of her own technical mortality. It was a feeling Lilia could understand intimately.

"So it's a murder pit," Lilia concluded drily, only half joking, as she rolled her eyes in an expression that said 'typical'. Satanic witches.

"Agatha never wants to talk about anything that isn't about irritating someone else," Lilia commented succinctly, giving a small sigh as she mulled over their options. "Unless we trick her...." she mused aloud

"I know this, Rio is my mother too after all." He knows more than anyone how complicated his parents relationship is. "According to Sabrina its got soil from Caine's garden with Abel's blood in it, and that's how it works with bringing people back." He tells Lilia's. He honestly doesn't blame her, but he's glad she's around. "I think you're right, but how are you going to get her to admit it though. You know her, unless she wants to actually talk about it, she'll just keep it bottled."

[diviningtime]

WHICH TRAGIC CHARACTER FROM ANCIENT GREEK LITERATURE ARE YOU?

antigone

you are antigone, from the theban plays by sophocles. you are bold, unwavering in your morals and your passion, an unstoppable force of nature. but when you go head-to-head with an immovable object, your ideals can lead you to self-destruction. you are stubbornly resilient and fearless to a fault, and aren't afraid to stand alone in the face of death. antigone, in your quest for justice, don't forget: you are allowed to step back, to love life a little, to be young once more before soldiering on to the very very end. be selfish in your fierceness, just once.

Tagged by: @auntiezelda Tagging: @warrewell @agentsterling @couldvestarked @billyktothemax @thecavclry (agatha) and anyone else who sees this!

[diviningtime]

"So is this a copy or is it the original?" Lilia asked frankly, not feeling confident about touching that ominous corner-stain until she knew for certain.

Briefly raising an eyebrow at Billy and his decision to bring her the map, Lilia returned her focus to the details.

"And bringing it to me wouldn't be because it's all in Italian, would it?" she asked with a knowing smirk as her eyes skimmed the tiny script.

"From a book, I got it online," Billy explained with a smile. He sat down with some eagerness, pulling the chair in with him. "I mean, most stuff I got online was total crap, but, some of it was real. If my spellbook was, then, maybe something else. So I poked around in some of my notes, found you this."

[diviningtime]

Lilia frowned as she listened to Wanda.

"Then what did you think you were?" While she knew what it was like to not understand your own powers or not know where they'd come from, she'd never heard of any witch who hadn't known that that was exactly what they were. There'd been plenty of witches who had tried to ignore it, deny it, suppress it, but in complete ignorance of it?

"The government people," Lilia surmised, assuming those were the ones who had been 'breaking through'. She had glimpsed their trucks and marked tents at the time and made an active decision to keep a wide berth. Lilia didn't trust government bodies, especially the kind that were showing an interest in magic.

"I know you didn't mean to hurt people," she assured Wanda. Lilia could See a woman in grief and she could See denial, a wilful desire to not accept or see certain things because it was too painful, preferring fiction to reality. And she could See the damage Wanda's magic had done regardless, though the nature of chaos magic meant that her Sight struggled to show her the details.

"Except for Agatha," she added, having Seen that too, when Agatha had walked into her shop. "You did mean to hurt her. By taking her agency, trapping her in a delusion."

"I never knew that I was a witch until Agatha told me," Wanda spoke. She had always just thought that her magic had just come from the mind stone. That it had been a mutation of some sort. She'd never thought of herself as a witch. It had just been a power, something with the mind stone that had just granted her the telekinetic powers as well as the mind reading and mind control.

She thought about the question. She wasn't entirely sure of the exact moment. She had been in such a bliss when the magic had given her Vision back, and that the town had just become somewhere that had been like a paradise for her.

"I knew that the town had been under my power when the outside world tried breaking through. But, it took longer for me to realise that it was hurting people. It wasn't until Agatha revealed herself to have been a witch as well and I heard everything that the towns people were feeling. I never intended to hurt anyone."

[diviningtime]

"No, you're not," Lilia insisted, her eyes seeing something beyond what was right in front of her. "She might have created you for it, timed every part, but it's her, not you, that's in competition."

Lilia could See a mother orchestrating the creation of a particular child, her mind focused on beating someone else the entire time. Her personal project like an exam she wanted to pass first.

"You're worried," Lilia realised aloud, pulling back a little as it came to her. "You don't know what she's going to do to you next."

"We're born in competition," Harper complained. It wasn't his fault his mom had been feuding internally with his father since they both skipped second grade, and it wasn't his fault that Tony Stark fueled the fire by never acknowledging it. He glared at his hands, forcing the chips to waver and bring his skin back.

He didn't want to say it, but it did sort of feel like his mom might be right. Like, Mrs. Calderu was zero for two. He wanted to believe in spark and shine, with the gods like Thor roaming around and blasting lightning, but maybe mom really had it all down. He was supposed to be too old for this.

[diviningtime]

Lilia didn't think many people would believe it possible for Death Herself to have such emotions playing across her face, but the original green witch was as much about life as death, and Lilia could See that elements of both had been in Her relationship with Agatha.

"Three of Swords," Lilia volunteered. "Agatha's heart is pierced with pain over everything that happened, but she's the only one who can remove those blades. If she chooses to. It's going to take time."

Rio still cared for Agatha. Still loved her. She'd never had someone that she loved so much before but Agatha and Nicky had been the two people that she would have done anything for. She hated having to take their son. She had wished that she could have taken that back if she had been granted it.

"I don't think she quite feels the same. I don't blame her. I'd never blame her for that."

[diviningtime]

TFW you learn the wine you drank was poisoned.

[diviningtime]

Lilia let out a scoff of a laugh. "Well, that's obvious." And she didn't know why she was surprised; all of them were prone to acting before they thought, if they managed to think things through at all. Sabrina and Agatha might be vastly different in personality, but in causing chaos without thought, they were definitely well matched.

Pursing her lips, Lilia thought on the situation and what could be done to fix it. Because it did need fixing.

"You need to get it out of you. And not in bits," she added, gesturing in the direction of the recent slip. "And not recklessly. You need a vessel."

Agatha jumped at Lilia's snap, causing more magic to slip out. She's not surprised though that she's the only one to be getting lectured right now, but then again what else is new. Everything was always her fault. "We weren't thinking, but I also though I would be fine and could handle this." She didn't think she'd get caught. She wrong, so wrong. "I know that now, Lilia."

[diviningtime]

If she hadn't already known this woman was a complete fraud, and part of the problem that stereotyped and dismissed clairvoyancy as well as witches, the woman thinking she was a sceptic would have been a clear indicator.

"The psychic?" Lilia repeated back in question, frowning as she tried to recall what Vivienne was explaining. "I remember coming here... with you..." She remembered Vivi daring her, dragging her into the shop essentially, telling her it would be fun, but the psychic had been such a fraud it had been more irritating than entertaining.

Gauging where they were in the reading, Lilia looked down at the cards. Seven of Swords. It was in the wrong place. Just like everything else in this shop.

"You collect things that you think look authentic but because you don't actually know what you're looking for, most of the time they're fake," Lilia explained, shifting in her seat to turn to Vivienne directly. "But she has a box, it's small, engraved. It's on one of these shelves. It's just like everything else with your family; nothing is ever coincidence. You chose this particular fraud for a reason."

"Fraud?" The woman made an effort to look shocked and affronted. "I am a fifth generation psychic"

"Says the woman who put the Seven of Swords for 'what will they share'," Lilia cut back with a scoff of a laugh, unable to help herself.

“ I said some Latin, alright? ” She retorted with a giggle, having no doubts that Lilia would be eager to test out her knowledge. “ I can understand more or less what you're saying, but don't expect me to hold a real time conversation yet.. ” Adding that, she smirked. One day she'll surprise Lilia with Italian good enough to hold a conversation, but she'll still expect to be humbled.

Sometimes the girl cast side glances at her friend, which only ended in her withholding the laughter. Even when Lilia remained silent, at least tried to, her face said it all. 

“ Non-beli…? ” A quiet and definitely impressed whistle was her only reaction to the woman's words. In her mind Lilia could be called many things, but this was nowhere on the list, to be frank, she wouldn't even dare to speak to Lilia like that. First, because it wasn't true, and second, because she had - in contrary to what Lilia seemed to believe -  one last drop of common sense left.

However, part of her mind was occupied with what the psychic said about her significant other. Was is a good thing or a bad thing? If Lilia had reacted the way she did, did it mean it wasn't true? This reading only sparkled her curiosity.

“ Yeah, lets continue.. ” Vivi nodded and the woman placed down the next card.

Seven of Swords.

But before the woman could explain, or Vivi ask what it meant, Lilia burst out without a warning, causing the girl to jump in her chair. Vivi's seen it a few times now, but it was always so unexpected that she couldn't help the flinch.

“ Lilia? ” She asked gently, leaning in to whisper. “ We're still at the psychic.. ” Just a reminder to not give away too much in front of the fraud. Still there was concern in her eyes, the kind of uncertainty, this could mean anything.

“ I'm sorry? ” The woman pulled back in her chair suspiciously, frown formed between her dark, thick eyebrows. “ I'm the one who had what? ”

[diviningtime]

It was true Billy's ability to read minds gave him an advantage-- enemies were a little less able to hide-- but from what she'd seen his power was as unpredictable as it could be overwhelming, and sometimes just plain non-magical preparation was needed.

Or maybe she was projecting her own life-long limitations; she had spent so many centuries trying to suppress her power, it was hard to imagine one as young as Billy just simply using it.

Pursing her lips together in thought, Lilia considered her 'line'.

"Never give anyone your full and complete name, not unless you're absolutely certain who they are," she advised pointedly. "And remember that while there's always someone less powerful than you, there's also always someone who has more." Lilia paused. "And never trust a poet."

"If they're being loud, I'll hear them coming," Billy grumbled slightly. He was slouching now, perfect posture of a perfect kid slumping out of him with his arms so petulantly tight across his chest.

Most people weren't Agatha. If they were stressed they'd come through the barriers he'd cobbled together around his mind, they'd never suspect that he could hear them. "So what, where's your line then? Where's your vigilant, but not panicked?"

[diviningtime]

"Speak for yourself," Lilia muttered, having finding Alice's generational curse enough demon for a lifetime, and she now had the scars on her shoulders to prove it. But Vivienne was right; demons were an outer fear, while the trials were about inner fears, the things you didn't want to face or even admit. What was Vivienne afraid to confront? What haunted her? Whatever it was, they would inevitably find out at her trial.

"I'm sure; I am not leaving," Lilia insisted, enunciation wrapped around every word in emphasis. "Whatever your trial is we all face it together, as a coven." And she needed to make sure Jen and Agatha didn't kill each other first.

Looking around to see that not only the leaves had turned green, but the roots of the trees too, Lilia just hoped that the overhanging threat for Vivi's trial wasn't earth collapsing on top of them all. Drowning, burning, swords dropping on their heads; it all seemed minor compared to being buried alive.

"Probably. Teen thought we were all dead when he kicked each of us off The Road," Lilia reasoned. "But hopefully we catch up to them before they get to the trial." She'd had no vision this time of how to break in if they were late, no predictions of bookshelves or secret doors; they needed to enter together. Based on how long they'd been in the tower, Lilia couldn't imagine the others had too much of a head start.

And at least the Salem Seven was no longer following behind them.

Sighing as she brushed her mud-crusted hair out of her face, Lilia turned to Vivienne as they walked, her eyes flickering over the ball of light; a magical flashlight.

"Death is something that hangs around you, isn't it?" Lilia asked, speaking half from her Sight and half from perception.

“ Somehow I'm not this eager to find out what it's gonna be… maybe a bunch of demons? — Wait, it's supposed to be fears, demons aren't scary, ummm… ” Pressing her lips together, she trailed off, wondering what 'scary' could be thrown their way as her trial. But Vivi wasn't a scared type, growing up in The Manor, being exposed to evil and fights from youngest years had made her significantly unbothered by any physical danger. Quite the contrary, she got so used to it that during a calmer time she might go looking for trouble, just to feel the adrenaline rush.

Lilia was always the wise one, at least so far. And now she was just refusing an opportunity to get out, to be safe. It made no sense to the girl. Taking a moment to watch the other witch, with all the mud she had on, probably as much as Vivi, she just had to double check. “ Are you sure? This is a way out of this madness, you could be free. ” Vivi pondered how strong Lilia's inner spine had to be to not just walk down to the station and be free. The Road gave her what she needed, a coven… or at least what will be left of the coven at the end.

The woman had clearly made up her mind and trying to persuade her to save herself seemed rather pointless. Come to think of it, would a Sicilian witch that's almost half a millenia old be easily persuaded to change her mind? “ I'd love company. ”

Finally taking a look down at her feet, as muddy as they were, she noticed something that wasn't there before. “ The leaves are green… ” Kicking some in the air, just to feel a familiar sensation underneath her feet, she started walking forward, casting a quick look back over her shoulder at the metro station one last time. 

“ Do you think they think we died? ”

The further they walked, the darker and colder it got. Sky above now almost completely black and faint moonlight cast shadow on the path from nearby trees. Vivi opened her palm, creating a small ball of energy, emitting a low constant buzz and rotating quickly. It produced unbelievably bright light. Her fingers wrapped around it as if she held a snow globe.

[diviningtime]

Blinking out of what she could See, Lilia looked down at his hands, frowning a little in confusion as she gently turned his hands over, and saw the lines of scars there. Lilia's fingertips were warm, her touch gentle, as she traced the marks.

She hadn't made a mistake; what she'd Seen had been completely accurate. Lilia cleared her throat a little, forcing herself to smile in an effort at reassurance.

"I guess I must have," she pretended, before her eyes were drawn to the trick they performed. Invisibility. She knew the mother was planning other things. "You're in competition. She's putting you in competition."

He thought about it and then nodded. It would make it easier, and he could just say yes or no. If she got something too detailed, then —? His mom's mind would be blown!

Harper leaned forward, and frowned. "Can't you just tell that from the scars?"

He flexed his hand a bit, and the chips activated, his hand fading out of visibility up to his wrists. "They still glitch though, it'll take a bit before they're perfect."

[diviningtime]

Exit Plan: Water slide

[diviningtime]

"A personal journey?" Lilia suggested, shrugging slightly, thinking the most obvious and easiest answer might the right one. After all, none of them had been the same person at the end of The Road as they had at the beginning.

Lilia listened, nodding slightly in consideration and privately glad that SATs weren't something she'd ever had to deal with.

"No one should want to be Mother Teresa," Lilia interjected, a deep frown lining her brow, her lips twisted into barely contained disapproval. But if the church was good at one thing it was spinning a story. And attacking witches.

"Agatha?" Lilia let out a bark of a laugh, smirking in amusement. "Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think they mean for you to write about a multiple-murderer. Even if she can be charismatic." And, despite Lilia's initial resistance, her sister in the craft regardless.

"What about your 'amnesia'?" Lilia suggested, her brown eyes searching him. "You've had to build a life in three years. You might not be able to share the real reason, but you can write about the experience, everything you've worked through."

Billy snorted hard, and leaned back. "Sure, I could use it as a metaphor, but then what's the metaphor gonna be? I'd need to know what the hell it is they think I'm writing about at that point.

"My SAT Prep Tutor had a whole lecture, you know? About the essays and how they're important and alllllll the stupid things people write about." He trailed off. The big moments in peoples lives, she said, fishing trips with dad, sleep away camp in elementary school, fights with mom. He couldn't remember any camps, or camping. Three years wasn't a lot to fill a bank up with essay topics. "She said, the most popular essay topic is write about someone who inspires you to be you, and then everyone picks Malala or Mother Teresa or Alan Turing, and then the admissions people just want to admit them instead of the student, so she said write about someone bad and how they inspire you to be better, and my first thought was Agatha, and the poison, and the lies."

He flexed his hand a bit, the pain long since gone. "Can't exactly write about that, either."

He smiled. "I guess you're right. The magic needed to soak in and marinate to make the door."

[diviningtime]

"No, I'm going to read your past," Lilia told him, gesturing with a look to the left palm she held in her hand. "Makes it easier for you to tell me if I'm wrong," she added, almost mocking, before turning her gaze to his palm. She ran her fingers over the lines, gently tracing them, but stopped when he made the comment about his mother.

"In my experience a high IQ doesn't mean the person is wise," she countered tightly and then there was a flash of something. Her Sight. But no; that couldn't be right. Who would do that to a child? Lilia looked up in shock. "She uses you for experiments. Implants."

"So, you tell me the future, and I figure out how we get there?" He asked. His fingers adjusted slightly, while the chips in his fingertips didn't hurt anymore, it was pretty rare that someone other than his mom inspected them. "My mom's IQ is higher, what if she figures it out better when I'm home?"

[diviningtime]

"The left palm is your past, the experiences that have marked your life so far, while the right holds your future," she explained. "If I'm just lying to idiots, I'm sure your high IQ will see right through it."

Harper leaned forward and stretched out his hand, palm side up. Most of the surgical scars were on the back going down from his wrist to the beds of his fingernails, though it had been a long time, so he didn't pay it much mind. "What do you look for?"