[Shane's Auristic Services] The First Day

by **Shane Wallsly** on August 26th, 2014, 9:39 am

Timestamp: 31st of Summer, 514 AV

He had secured the loan and purchased the shop of his dreams. [b]Shane's Auristic Services[b] – a bit wordy but bold and clear too. He couldn't believe the Knights had allowed him to set this up. He had thought they might be a little more resistant to businesses of a magical nature but they had approved it quite easily and even loaned him most of the money to set up. Now, finally, he was going to run his own business. He was going to be in quite a bit of debt to the Knights as well but if he earned as much profit as he had generously foretold he should be out of debt within a year and then he would be making a lot of money all for himself.

As he stood before his shop on that first day he felt suddenly overwhelmed by possibility and hope. He took a deep breath and put the key in the lock of his new office/shop for the very first time. He turned, it clicked an the door swung open when he pushed it. His new office wasn't much but it was neatly furnished, quaint in it's own way and professional to the end. Norman did not stop to admire the office but rather bounded in and started sniffing about excitedly. Norman was the kind to just jump head first into everything. Shane preferred a slower, more thorough approach. Norman had natural instinct and tooth and claw to react to hidden danger with. Shane just had his wit and a teeny little touch of magic.

Shane entered his new office and closed the door behind him already considering the idea of getting a 'Open' sign for the door. He made his way over to the chair and sat himself upon it. He drummed his finger on the desk and looked around. He had some dramatically empty shelves. He'd put some books on those later. He looked up at the door. He sighed. He opened up the drawers in the desk. Nothing. He looked up at the door. He sighed. He pulled out the lockbox from below the desk. It was white with a large, secure padlock on the front. He opened it up with the key and took a peek inside. Nothing. He looked up at the door. He sighed. It was going to be a long day.

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 7:54 pm

When the door finally opened Shane launched to his feet with an overly welcoming smile and boomed “Welcome first customer to Shane's Auristic Services! I read you, so you don't have to! I'm Shane!”

The scrawny, ginger teenager just sort of looked at him. “Uh, what?” He asked his voice astoundingly high. “I-I'm just looking for Sultros blades.”

Shane sat down with a sigh giving the teenager a glower of death from his eyes. “Come in and take a seat. Maybe a little reading before your shopping, aay?” Shane tried to convince the boy.

“Uh, n-no thanks.” He told Shane his voice even higher than it had been before. “My patron needs me to do this right away. Can-Can you point me in the d-d-direction?”

Shane closed his eyes and sighed. “No. Go away.” He replied tersely. The teenager gave him a defiant look before slamming the door. Shane sighed deeply putting his head in his hands. “Well that could have went better...” He told himself.

An hour later his door opened again. Curiously he could not se any immediate signs of life. He peered over the edge of the desk. A tabby cat's curious yellow eyes peered back at him. “Meeeeeeooooooowwwww...” It complained at him.

Shane sneaked a sideways glance at Norman's sleeping frame and bent over his desk. “Hey there, little kitty cat. You here for a reading?”

The cat simply stared back at him. It looked innocent but there was some intelligence about it. Finally it answered with a quick, sharp “Meow.” Then a dark shape lifted from the earth covering the cat in shadows. “ARRRWOOOF!” Came a half menacing/half curious bark from Norman. The cat yelped as if struck and withdrew it's head letting the door slam shut with a thud.

“Normaaaan...” Shane whined. “That cat was the first creature interested in this store all day. Least we could have done was give the little creature a hug.”

Norman whined pouting and staring up at Shane with those enormous red eyes. “Oh I can't stay mad at you.” Shane told the dog petting his head and giving him a bit of a cuddle.”

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:00 pm

The next time the door opened a young gentleman appeared there. He was tall and stood with a remarkably straight bearing. “Hello my good Sir,” the gentleman spoke in airy tones “but you don't happen to be the proprietor of this establishment by any chance?”

“Uh, yes.” Shane stated timidly. He was in the process of trying to figure out what brought the strange young man to his shop. He seemed rather out of place here. “I am.” He added after a moments silence watching the young man intently.

The gentleman slipped himself fully into the room and sauntered to the chair opposite him. “Do you mind, old chap?” He asked politely.

“Please.” Shane replied courteously and the gentleman sat taking off his coat before he did so and draping it over the seat.. Shane was glad he had forked out extra for padded seats. Anything less may have offended the fine gentleman's behind. He allowed himself a brief smile at the thought before deigning to bridge the gap in conversation the gentleman's sitting had created. “I am Shane Wallsly; renowned Aurist and proprietor of this fine business. What can I help you with?”

“It is nice to meet you, Mister Wallsly, but before I can accept any service from you I must ask a very vital question.” The gentleman explained not even attempting to put forward his name as Shane had just done.

“And what would that be, Mister-?” Shane let the sentence hang in the air questiongly.

He received no response to his inquiry about the name. Instead the gentleman asked his question which was “What exactly is Auristics?”

“Ah, well...” Shane began as he ran through his mind the best possible way to describe it. “Auristics is a brilliant art passed down to us mere mortals by the God, Avalis, to allow us to see deep into the heart of a person's soul. It is acknowledged far and wide as the greatest, and most benevolent, form of magic-”

“Magic?” The gentleman blanched cutting him off. The gentleman rose quickly. “I'm not interested in any magics. Sorry. Thank you. Bye.” The gentleman spluttered a cacophony of words and phrases as he hastily attempted to exit. He was almost out the door when he remembered his coat and with a final 'good day' he had retrieved it and left all before Shane could even ask him to stay.

Shane had seen a few different reactions to Auristics in his day but blind fear and a little pinch of panic was out of place among them. Who could possibly fear a magic that could not hurt you? In truth the gentleman seemed simply afraid of magic in general. Perhaps that was the result of some atrocity committed upon his persons by magic or simply ignorance. It didn't matter much. Shane had just lost another customer...

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:01 pm

His first 'customer' was a Squire who was looking for Sultros Blades. His second 'customer' was a stray cat who took flight soon after seeing Norman. His 'third' customer was a young gentleman who came in and asked him about his services but, at the sound of the word 'magic' decided it wasn't for him and quickly departed almost leaving his coat behind. Three customers and not a single golden miza had transferred between them. Maybe people didn't know about him? Maybe the prejudice against magic was just too strong in Stormhold for this business to ever become viable... Who knew? It was certainly a problem though.

He decided to take Norman out for a walk then since the dog had started to pace a little restlessly. He locked the door behind him and put up a sign saying he'd be back in about a bell. He took Norman through the long winding route he used to take in the Winter. Due to the fact his last place of employment was quite close to his new one the route was practically the same. Shane hadn't been back to the Undeniable Interests since the day he stormed out. All Dominac had been interested in was exploiting his knowledge of Auristics. The cheap old bastard wasn't even going to raise his pay. He'd been letting Dominac get away with so much from day one that the man had obviously never paused to think Shane might say no to him. Miserable old codger...

When they returned it was to fin a young woman standing in front of their door. She ore a pretty pink dress and stood at about half a head lower than him. Her hair was a golden blonde and her face was adorned with a couple of cute, little pimples. She seemed very nervous or at the very least quite shy. She was fidgeting somewhat and her cheeks were glowing a pale red.

“Good afternoon, are you waiting for me? Shane of Shane's Auristic Services, nice to meet you.” He offered his hand to her.

She looked at the hand cautiously for a moment before reaching out her own and shaking his hand. “My... My name is Isabella. I... Um, was waiting.... For you I mean.” Her voice was very soft and indeed quite timid.

“Excellent.” Shane said with a beaming smile. “Let me open the door for you then and we can all have a good sit.” He fished the key out of his pocket, thrust it into the lock and turned. Presto, the door opened and he held it open for her as she came in and then, of course, he held the chair out for her to sit. Finally he scooted round to his side of the desk, unclasped Norman from his lead and sat down into his chair. “Aah, that's the stuff. Now, how can I help you Miss?”

“Well, ummm...” She started shyly. “I, um, heard that orestics is like fortune telling.” She butchered the word pronouncing it rather like O-ree-sticks.

“Well, yes and no. Auristics is an ancient form of magic that allows the user to see the truth of things. For you see everything that exists has an aura and your aura is almost like your signature. It is unique and it spells out who you are. For example the aura of a rock would tell me that it is not alive, what colour it is, what it would feel like to touch, lick and even if I so wished to place my ear to it and try to hear something. Auristics doesn't let me see the future, Miss Isabella, but it does let me see the truth of things.” Shane explained without pause. He immediately regretted it, however, when he was met with a kind of blank look. He'd either lost her somewhere along the way or she'd just wanted a fortune teller and he had cheat himself out of a sale. “Do you have a specific problem, Miss Isabella?”

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:02 pm

“Well, uh, um, sort of.” She replied timidly. He was losing her.

“Alright, I tell you what I shall do. I will not charge you for this session unless you walk out of here with full satisfaction.” This seemed to relax the girl a little better. With the guarantee that the cards were on her table it was suddenly a much more beneficial idea for her. After all if he couldn't help her all she would be wasting was time. Shane would really have to impress her then if he wanted his coin.

“Okay, I accept your deal.” She replied with the barest hint of a smile. She certainly seemed much less shy. “I have been seeing this gentleman for several months now and before that I'd even known him most of my life. Only...” She paused as if unsure if she should go on. “Only, well it all happened so fast. We were out for a walk like we always do. Just a pleasant stroll in one another's company. It was all going so well and then I heard the music. A five man orchestra playing my most favourite piece in the whole world and then Richard got down onto his knees and took my hand in mine and... and... he proposed!” She almost screamed the last two words as if she were talking about the most traumatic thing in the world. She looked dangerously close to crying and her hands were fidgeting most agitatedly.

“You do not want to marry him?” Shane asked gently.

“No! Well, maybe. He's a good man. He's got a good heart and he's a respectable sort too. His family are quite well off. I know he'll be able to provide for me but... but I just don't know if I'm ready for marriage.” She was talking quickly now and her voice had went up a few octaves. “I' not ready to be a wife and as soon as I'm a wife I know he'll want me to be a mother too. Oh no, oh dear, I just couldn't handle all the responsibility and I don't even know if I'm good enough for him. He's got money, looks that mean he could have any women he wants and he is such a romantic, Mister Wallsly, you wouldn't believe it off him but it's there. Oh, it's definitely there and then there's me. I'm not exactly a beauty and I wouldn't know the first thing of how to tidy a house or cook meals or... or nurse babies or anything like that and I wouldn't want some strange lady cleaning up my house or making meals for my husband or... or looking after m-my children!” She was in full blown panicked explanation mode and Shane knew he had to calm her down fast.

“Okay, okay, Isabella.” Shane looked her right in the eyes. “It's okay now.” His words laced with hypnotic power and his eyes filled with serenity he continued “Everything is okay. You can relax now. Your problem will be solved. You will live a good life. The neccesary outcome is hidden deep within you. You know what you want to do you justr can't see it yet so caaaaalm down, relaaax, take very deeep breaths. Let your mind clear out the fog of panic and stress that constrains it. Caaaaaalm. Relaaaaaaaax. Deeeeep breaths.”

She calmed very easily. She was an excitable young girl but a little weak minded. He suspected this was a result of parenting. A 'woman does whatever her father or husband AKA suitable man in authority tells her too' mentality. Thus when it came to hypnotising her she was ready and willing to comply. One could even say women in this state wished to be controlled when their usual men weren't around. They're minds had been removed of clear, independent thought so they needed the commands of others to keep them going.

“How are you feeling now?” He asked her calmly making sure as to not include any urging or excitement in his voice that might rub off on her.

“A little better, thank you.” She replied in a quiet voice. “My father says that I'm inclined to moments of hysteria. Thanks for calming me down.”

“That's fine, Isabella.” Shane reassured. “It's part of my job. People have problems and I help them to fix that. People often get a bit over excited about their problems.” Shane had only been open for a day so of course he hadn't come into contact with any other people like her but it didn't hurt if she thought he had experience. “Here is what I am going to do, Isabella. I'll have you sit back and cl;ose your eyes. Then I will tell you to think about something. When I do I want you to picture that exactly as I tell you too. I will read your aura at this point to see what you are feeling. I do believe that deep within you the answer you want to give Richard ad the answer you know you should give to Richard are in there and if I can find it we can sort this out.”

“Okay.” She squeaked.

“Well then, let's begin.”

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:02 pm

Isabella lay back in the chair and closed her eyes. Shane couldn't help but notice that the way she was sitting was causing her ample bosom to push out. For a moment Shane was an average teenage boy and could not do anything but stare. Then, of course, he snapped out of it. Shane had always been a bit strange like that. Women and the idea of sex were merely fleeting moments of observation or thought. He had went to a brothel in Spring and, instead of breaking his virginity, he ended up listening to the story of her mother and father and leaving. The story seemed like reward enough for his coin.

He closed his eyes because now was time for the highlight of the show. It was time to see the world in full colour. He summoned up the power from deep within and let it grant him the True Sight. He opened his eyes and, as usual, the world was alive with colours. His drab office was practically a tropical paradise of colour. He focussed on to Isabella. Her colours were rippling a little bit changing quite often between three distinct colours; yellow, orange and a kind of dark blue. He imagined one of them would be nerves, one excitement and perhaps the other was fear.

“Okay, doing great. Now I want you to think about someone you love but not Richard. Pick anyone from your past or present as long as you can still picture the love you had for them.” Shane instructed her.

“Mhmm...” she replied quietly in deep concentration. Her aura didn't seem to change much. The yellow flared up a bit. Nerves or fear, most likely. Then came a new colour. It was white but just the absence of colour but the radiant kind of white that one would associate with ascended beings or the Ukalas. It was a saintly, serene white. This must be love, he wagered. Such a thing was important to her. The emotions that are important to people, Shane had noticed, always took on the firmest colours. The greater quality ones so to speak. It wasn't a plain colour or a brown colour but a radiant, even mildly twinkling white. Love was something she held in extreme regard.

“That's wonderful, who are you thinking about?” The moment he asked the question the yellow flared up and consumed all of the white. It had to be fear but what was she so afraid of. Had she loved someone her parents wouldn't have approved of in the past perhaps?

“Somebody... Somebody that I used to know.” She evaded the question and her aura shook from it. Now there was a new colour. It was a dark crimson colour. Was it anger? Was she angry at him for asking? Or maybe it was guilt. Her body didn't seem to be betraying any of the normal hints that someone was enraged but by the size of the now dominating dark crimson she should be showing something. She was sweating a lot and fidgeting again though. There was only one explanation left for it. It was guilt. Raw, unexpressed guilt. This girl had a secret that was important to her. A secret that she wouldn't want to get out. Shane didn't know what it could be and doubted it had any significance except to the people the secret involved. If he had to take a guess he would say she once had a secret lover.

“You're losing your calm, Isabella. [i]You have to remain caaaalm, remember? Caaaaalm, relaaaaaax, deeep breaths, remember? Say it with me; caaaaalm, relaaaax, deeeep breaths. Good good.” Shane trilled rhythmically. The dark crimson was slowly ebbing away. So were the other colours. Eventually most of her aura was a dull gray. She was calm. She wasn't feeling particularly serene but she was calm. Now, for the next step...

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:03 pm

“Now I want you to think about Richard.” He instructed. “Think of nothing else. Just Richard. Not your role or responsibilities. Pretend that nothing exists except for you and Richard. Focus on how that would feel, how that would be. Embrace it fully.”

At first there was more of that yellow and a bit of blue but no dark crimson. Then a pretty purple colour came in. It was somewhat opaque and shiny like a gem. It was quite beautiful and it seemed to Shane that it was happiness for her. Happiness; so she was happy with Richard but there was no love. At least there was no love yet. Where was the love?

Moments passed and there was more purple but not a hint of that radiant white. He made her happy. She had mentioned they had known each other for a while before he had started courting her. Shane was starting to bring up a picture now. An idea of what might be going on. They were friends and he had perhaps always wanted to be more than that but she was caught up in whatever that other thing was; an illicit love affair of some kind, he guessed; but that stopped and he started courting her. She didn't mind because they had been long time friends. She fooled herself into thinking this was better for her just because it was safe. She couldn't really get hurt by this man because she knew he loved her too much to ever endanger their relationship. However, now that he had proposed to her he was asking to step it up. To make their 'safe' relationship official and permanent which was, as one might expect, scaring the living Void out of her. She cared too much about love to let a relationship without it rule her life so she was stuck in quite a conundrum indeed.

Shane sat back in his chair blinking away the Auristics. He clasped his fingers together in front of his face. He felt quite smug with himself. He'd worked it out. First customer was a success! Well, he was getting away from himself there. He still had to solve this problem for her. He doubted merely telling her he had worked out what the real problem was would sate her. She already knew the real problem. Yes, she was a lot more aware of it than other people might be with their inner most issues. How did he know that? Because he knew how important love was to her. She was thinking about this other fellow day and night and twice as much since Richard had proposed.

“I've worked out the real issue, Isabella-” Shane told her. This made her eyes open hurriedly in alarm. She sat up, inched closer in her seat. “But I think you already know.”

“I don't know-” She began but Shane gave her such a piercing glare that she stopped.

“You don't love him, do you?” Shane said simply.

“I...” She began as if to instantly disagree with him and proclaim her love for Richard above all things but she couldn't go on. “I don't know.” She relented instead.

“Love is important to you, Isabella. I can see this in your heart. You will never be happy without it. It's just too important.” He tried to explain to her. “For some love is an added extra, for others love is a fictional idea but to you love is what you require. You need to to nourish and invigorate you. It was the strongest emotion within you bar one other. Do you know what that other emotion was?”

“It was...” She leaned forward across the table “It was guilt wasn't it?” She whispered conspiratorially.

Shane put his hand on her shoulder and attempted to soften his expression. “It is. Guilt seems to follow your love around and I think you know why.” She nodded sitting upright again. “It's this other fellow. Some other man that you loved, is that right?”

She looked... confused for a moment and then she smiled. “You've been right about everything. I can't believe you tripped up on the biggest detail.” She giggled despite the nervous tension in the air. “It's a girl.” She finally responded in a quiet voice. “I... I like other girls.” She repeated a little louder and a bit more bolder.

by **Shane Wallsly** on October 26th, 2014, 8:03 pm

Shane saw all the pieces fit themselves together now. She liked girls. It seemed so obvious now. “Earlier, when I asked you to think of someone you loved, did you think of a particular woman?” He asked extremely curious now that Isabella was being more open.

“Just... Just the one but she's always been the one to me.” She smiled one of the first genuine smiles he'd seen from her since she entered his office. “But I can't see her any more. I can't make a life with her. It's not right. My father wouldn't like it. I'd be shamed and disowned and we'd have to live on the streets and beg for food. I couldn't live that life!” She was definitely starting to get excited again.

“Okay, caaaaaaalm. Relaaaaaax. Deeeeep breaths, okay? Let's do it together.” He instructed her to join in while imposing a gentle, relaxed feeling within her. When she was sufficiently calm Shane decided to try out something he hadn't tried before. A piercing thought. A hypnotic technique that makes the target suddenly think whatever you wish them too. “Okay, so your thoughts are clear. Your mind is open. What do you think?” And just as he asked her that question he buzzed the thought straight into her mind.

“I can't live without love.” She spoke the thought as it came to her. “Oh my, it's true.” She suddenly stood. “I must... I need to go.” She spoke anxiously but firmly. She turned to the door. Made a step and then paused. Her head inched to the side and her hand fell into her purse. “Thank you, Mr. Wallsly. You really did show me the truth inside.” She deposited a handful of coins on the desk and moved to leave.

“That's alright, miss.” Shane called after her. “I was just doing my job.” The words weren't true. He'd done more than he was truly qualified to do. He'd set that girl on a path knowing only minimal details but the circumstances surrounding it. By the Gods Shane had never seen Hypnotism work out so well. Although he rejoiced for himself he felt it was truly a sad thing. The girl had clearly never grown a will of her own. She wouldn't have had the bravado to ever admit what she really felt had Shane never come along. Shane knew it wasn't because she was a woman. Women were strong; just as strong as men; but any person having their duties thrust upon them by family and society all the way through their life could not avoid becoming weak willed. Truly such people were slaves. Shane just hoped that her love and the woman she did love would keep her strong lest she bent unto the will of men once again.

Shane deposited the coins into the lockbox. A lot of money for a lot of nothing really. He could tell already this job as going to be interesting...

by **Archailist** on November 16th, 2014, 7:58 pm

Shane :

Notes :

Was I a little too nuts in my grading?
If you've got concerns, just call me.

Placeholder [Shane's Auristic Services] The First Day