[PRP] Plucking Giant Chickens

[Shaddaling]

“I can leave if I’m bothering you,” Lex offered, leaning back against the wall. “Or, could tell your fortune… it one of the things I’m good at.” The coins had a weight, a sound, a personality and he enjoyed unraveling the I-ching and hexagrams for others.

He didn’t want to pry into that bomb, he had prodded but he had not expected that response. Running away was different then homeless. He had never been homeless; even now he still had a home. He would never return for longer than a day or two. Lex would not bring anything down on his mother and sister.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"If you were bothering me that much I would tell you," Nikki replied though there was a hint of irritation in her voice.

"And I don't believe in such superstitions," she continued matter-of-factly, not taking her eyes off her task.

She wasn't ashamed of her past, it was what it was. So she had no trouble talking about it. Whether it made someone else uncomfortable though, that was their problem.  

[Shaddaling]

"How do you know it is all superstition?" Lex replied, leaning back and let the irritation roll off him. "Part of it is simple manipulation of a given variable. I Ching has 64 hexagrams made of six lines. Each line is decided on a representation of numbers ranging from 6 to 9, depending on a coin toss or bamboo sticks."

He had done it before, controlling the toss of the coins to give the fortune others had sought.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Nikki paused and turned to Lex with an unimpressed look. "When you put it like that it sounds like a scam based on math."

She then went back to what she was doing.

"Besides, I believe in making my own destiny through my own choices. No offense but I don't need someone to tell me what to do with my future."  

[Shaddaling]

Lex laughed, warm and deep. He wasn't insulted, he had used it in scamming, fingers flipping and flicking coins to get the result that the questioner wanted because they didn't want the truth, they wanted reassurance.

"It is... payment for reassurance, a little acting and nimble finger. Not all of it... the rest is aura and guidance." He liked the feel of the coins, the way the metal bit into his hand and the warmth as he flipped them over and over.

"No offense taken. Just an offer."  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Fair enough," Nikki replied. "If I ever feel the need to have someone guess my future, I'll look you up."

With that she pulled a few more feathers out and took a step back with a sigh. "There, that should do it."

Darkfeather folded his wings back, looking a bit awkward with his flight feathers missing. She hated to do it but it needed to be done.  

[Shaddaling]

"Or a pedi or manicure... I do those as well." Lex tipped his head, looking over the Pidgeot. "This just makes me miss my Crobat. Less feathers but flight... " He missed flying and Howlback was a sassy bat.

His sassy bat.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Folding her arms across her chest, she turned back to him with a cocked brow. "Really."

It wasn't every day you met a guy who did fortunes, let alone nails.

"Now that I could agree to."  

[Shaddaling]

“Nails or the Crobat? If nails, I only have three shades of polish with me, lost a bit in the move but you can’t go wrong with the basics.” Clear nude and soft pink and fire engine red for those that wanted a sassier look. “Welcome to bring your own… and first is free, I charge for other visits.”  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Nails," she clarified. "I already have a Crobat in the making."

Darkfeather watched this young man like a hawk. His red eyes keenly focused on Lex as he looked at him in return.

Nikki though took a moment to inspect her nails, the rest of her hands covered in fingerless gloves. It had been some time since she had her nails done.  

[Shaddaling]

"Nails then, first time is free. 15 dollars if you bring your own polish, 20 if you don't for a Mani or Pedi, 40 for both afterwards." Lex paused, thinking. "Got time now, or we can do it tomorrow if you want."  

[BlackPidgeot]

She mentally took note of the prices, which weren't bad, provided that he did a good job. Nikki smirked a little.

"I'm off so I have time right now, but nail polish wasn't exactly a priority when we were evacuating so I'll leave the color to your judgement."  

[Shaddaling]

"Red then." Lex started to roll up his sleeves, heading towards the door. "I'll do it in my room of sorts... all my things are there. And Glit." The snivy would behave and he could use the company.  

[BlackPidgeot]

"Perfect, that will match the uniform," Nikki said as she followed Lex. Darkfeather likewise followed her. After all he wasn't going to take his eyes off her while she was with this strange person.  

[Shaddaling]

Lex hummed, making his way to the trainee barracks for men, or the room they got pushed into. He walked inside and headed to slowly waking snivy and this things. "Lets see..."

He dug through the battered suitcase, pulling out the equipment and polish for the manicure. Dior Rouge 999 was his all time favorite bold popping red.