Cillyria has a minion!

Dont encourage the Dark Matter

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It was another day in the marketplace of Centropolis, the sweltering heat making it harder for the crowd of shoppers to breath and enjoy the atmosphere. Cillyria had just purchased the permit to set up shop on the corner and appeal to tourists. So what if she didn't actually have any psychic abilities? It was pretty easy to find those gullible enough and tell them what they wanted to hear. She almost felt guilty... almost.A few weeks went by in relative peacefulness. She had made quite a bit of money selling her "wares" to unsuspecting city folk, and had nary a complaint to give.... until he walked in.

This man had been coming into Cillyria's tent since she opened, but never got a reading. He just watched her work. Anytime she asked him to leave, he did so without a confrontation. In fact, he never said anything at all. That wasn't a surprise, as he was one of the unfortunates to be a citizen of the Experiment species, most specifically a number 585. Cillyria never had a problem with those of the Experiments, but they weren't exactly treated the best in the city. He was an intriguing fellow, he never went anywhere without a top hat or cane, and always wore a suit that was freshly pressed.

Cillyria wasn't really in the mood to have the visitor quietly stare at her, so she went to shoo him off. Before she got the chance, he spoke finally, his voice light and airy despite his otherwise heavy frame. "Miss Cillyria, I'm sorry to bother you but I must speak with you privately. Please close up shop and follow me." Then he left out the front of her shop. Not another word spoken, as if he actually believed she would follow him! What a loon! ...Yet her curiosity got the better of her. There had to be some reason this guy kept coming in every day. He wasn't particularly scary looking, and Cillyria supposed that if he tried any funny business she could take him.Hell, all she'd need to do is kick his cane away from him and he'd be out for the count.

She closed up her shop, still very much annoyed by the interruption in business, and followed behind him through the crowd. "I hope this is worth it, I'm losing money here" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. The man just smiled and didn't respond. The whole mysterious thing was actually irritating her quite badly, and as he rounded a corner onto an abandoned alleyway, she didn't even register just how weird the whole situation was until he raised a hand toward her. "I'm sorry miss, but you must be silent for a moment."

Cillyria had a right mind to tell him just what she thought of him telling her what to do, but before she could say anything the scene in front of her seemed to shimmy. She blinked her eyes a few times, wondering if something was wrong with her vision, before she was transported into another place. It wasn't as if real magic was something she didn't believe in. She had seen quite a few citizens who could do things others couldn't. Secretly she envied them, wishing her powers were real, but to have such magic displayed in such a way without any warning... well, it was definitely something she had not anticipated.

"Speechless, I see." He smiled in a kind way, walking toward a small table in the room and with great difficulty, sitting down. He motioned with his hand for Cillyria to take the seat opposite, and she obeyed, all hints of her earlier attitude melting away.

The room was small, but cozy. Obviously this was the gentlemans home. A warm fire was crackling pleasantly behind him, and Cillyria could smell some cooking coming from the cast iron pot hung above the fire. There was a strange feeling about this place. It seemed as if even the most vicious of creatures might find peace here, as if the whole place was pulsating it's own calming aura.

Item not found: light antique dining table

"Miss Cillyria, I'm aware of your less than reputable business, and I would never come between someone and their livelihood, no matter what, but I feel like you're owed some kind of explanation, and an apology." Cillyria turned her head to the side and raised a brow. What was this man talking about? "Apolgize? For what? I don't even know your name." The man took off his top hat and laid it on the table between them. "Mr. Wilcox, at your service. I'm here to train you in magic... real magic. You see, I must apologize that I didn't find you sooner. You all but disappeared after you left the orphanage, and your instruction was supposed to start much sooner."

Cillyria laughed and looked away. "You're crazy old man, I don't have any magic. Sure, I might play a clairvoyant to make money, but I don't actually know anything. I make it up!" She looked into his eyes incredulously, wondering if he had missed some kind of medication or something. He nodded, and snapped his fingers. A jar, filled with purple pulsing balls floated toward them and landed on the table. Cillyria couldn't really see what was inside, but it looked familiar. It reminded her of a dream she had... maybe a dream of a dream."Miss Cillyria, I know this may be difficult for you to believe, but your predictions are true, and have always been true. Why do you think business was always so good for you? Word of mouth travels fast in this city, even among the tourists. If what you said had been false, you would have been out of business long ago." Cillyria was listening, but her eyes kept glancing at the jar. Mr. Wilcox opened the lid, and dumped the balls onto the table. At first, they lay there inert. Then, slowly, they started to glow and roll toward Cillyria. She jumped, pushing her chair away from them, but they leapt up from the table of their own accord and floated next to her. She was sure she saw some of the balls blink like they had eyes!

She could feel a scream rising in her throat, but Wilcox's soothing voice carried over to her. "Don't be afraid, they're just attracted to your magic. Think of them as... pets if you will." Cillyria raised a hand and stroked one of the blinking black and purple balls. "Are these... dark matter?" She asked, aghast. She had only ever seen any Matters trailing only the most advanced of magic users. "They can't-- they won't-- I mean--"

Wilcox just smiled as if he could understand her hesitation, but his next words were even stranger. "I was supposed to be your teacher. I was supposed to take you in and teach you how to control your magic, but it was impossible at the time. A magical civil war that has since been resolved. Unfortunately, you are behind those of your age, but if you wish, we could start now. It's never too late to seize your destiny!"

Cillyria looked at the dark matter floating beside her, and then toward Wilcox. To posess the one trait that she had always envied? To find out that she had it all along? This was either a really elaborate joke, or there really was more to her than she could have ever dreamed. She hesitated, but only for a moment as a sly smile slipped across her face. "Can I keep my shop open?"