Dusk had always been Yvette's favorite time of day. The sun was setting swiftly: a flame of red against the sea. The boom of surf and the sound of cars driving past the sidewalk intermingled with the ever-present cry of gulls as they scavenged for food left by tourists.

It's nice to be a tourist, the brunette girl thought to herself. Her pale face had a touch of sun to go along with the smattering of freckles that went from the bridge of her nose to below her eyes. A large black raven was perched on her shoulder.

"POPCORN!" The raven demanded.

"Not now Cole," Yvette sighed.

The residual heat of the summer sun was still reflecting from the pavement, but there was a cooling breeze from the sea as the girl walked along the seawall that separated the sidewalk from the beach.

Dressed in a classy skirt, sandals, and a plain white blouse, the girl pondered what she wanted to do next. It had been a long time since she had ventured out of her small, landlocked hometown of Norm Alton: Her father being chief of police and a widower didn't leave a lot of time for vacations.

Her father was currently visiting an old friend of his, and - knowing how much those two could gab on and on about 'the old days' - Yvette had taken her leave towards the beachfront area with only Cole to accompany her.

She wasn't worried for her safety - she was a witch, after all.

Lights were beginning to twinkle around the various beachside attractions. What did she want to do? She looked towards the docks where merfolk merchants would often peddle their wares with surface dwellers. Her foe friend Estrella had dared her to buy a clamshell bra, even though merfolk didn't actually wear such things.

...Seaweed wraps were the norm in this day and age, if they even bothered at all.

Along the beach, families were still lounging on the sands as the sails of sailboats glided past the horizon. Further down the lights of the boardwalk glimmered, Yvette could make out a ferris wheel, and other rides. Seemed fun.

The smell of funnel cakes, fried food, popcorn, and cotton candy assailed her nostrils. Her feet thumped across the boards. Carnival music trundled in the air from a carousel mixed with screams of excitement from the other carnival rides.

"Come one! Come all!" A satyr working a game booth called. "Step right up, knock over the bottles for a swanky prize!"

There were loud POPs from the shooting gallery as patrons tried their luck with small-caliber rifles. Neon lights advertised a dark ride next to a pinball and billiards hall where the ding of pinball tables could be heard. Then there were the various novelty shops.

"POPCORN!" Cole insisted again.

"Ugh, fine you greedy familiar," Yvette sighed.

Yvette bought a bag of popcorn from a reptile vendor and shared her bag with the raven.

"Satisfied?" Yvette asked.

Cole didn't answer as he stuffed his beak, his large black head disappearing completely into the bag.

"You're greedier than a seagull," the teen girl scolded.

Yvette kept exploring the boardwalk when she paused when she realized someone was speaking to her directly.

"Come to me, traveler!" A voice behind her announced in a mysterious tone.

Yvette turned and scrutinized what seemed to be a human woman in a fancy blue-and-white dress standing outside her booth. Her skin was a light brown and she had a colorful scarf tied around her head full of dark hair along with arms adorned with various bangles. A cow's tail twitched behind her: A huldra.

The witch smirked at the sign by the booth:

"Fortune Teller."

The young witch conjured a ball of light in her hand. "You realize I am a witch, yes?"

The fortune teller smirked as she conjured a ball of light of her own. "I assure you I am quite adept at divinations. I just couldn't resist an aura like yours."

Yvette folded her arms. "Or my wallet."

"So blunt," the huldra said, dissipating her orb. "It's a living after all. Won't you be a dear and let me read your fortune?"

The teen sighed, "I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

The huldra beamed and pulled back the curtain into the dark interior of her tent: her domain.

"After you."

Yvette filed past and sat down on a surprisingly comfortable chair, the scent of incense was heavy within. The huldra swished past Yvette and sat opposite her, a crystal ball between them.

"Now, my dear. What is it in particular you wish to know? Matters of the heart? Riches? The future?"

Yvette shrugged and said, "I'm not sure," while the familiar on her shoulder stared longingly into the sparkly blue orb.

The huldra drummed her painted fingernails on the table and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

"Then I shall just see what I can read."

The huldra shut her eyes and held her hands over the crystal ball, magic flowed from her fingers between the crystal and her.

"Now, my dear, add your energy to mine." Yvette held out her hands and concentrated. She had dabbled at divination in school, but it wasn't her strong suit.

"Mmm..." The huldra muttered. "I can see things in the mist. You are curious, always curious. You want to know the answer to everything that doesn't seem to have an answer."

Yvette frowned. "Well. Yes, I do have a reputation as something of a sleuth in my hometown."

The huldra sighed. "Yes, that explains much. Your father is an officer of the law, your mother a powerful witch... oh, my apologies: she's no longer among the living."

Yvette sighed. "You're accurate so far."

"You are driven to find the truth, no matter the cost. Oh, my dear: be wary, I can see dark forces moving against you in the future. I can see... pain. There are some answers you're going to wish you did not find."

Yvette was intrigued. "What... what do I find?"

The huldra woman leaned forward and strained. "It is... unclear. There are forces clouding that part of the future with a dark fog... But I do see your pain on the other side of it..."

Yvette rolled her eyes, but played along. "I'd rather be hurt than not know the truth,"

"The quest for answers is common in both the mage and the detective - You are both, but..." The huldra squeezed her eyes tight in concentration. "Oh my dear, you don't know what hurdles you have before you! Even upon finding answers, you will never be satisfied! There will always be something else you must unravel, another mystery, another case. This will keep driving you till the very end!"

Yvette broke contact and the Huldra pulled her hands away from the crystal, the two slumped in their chairs as the cost of magic hit them. A short rest and Yvette sat up and shelled out a few bills.

"Thanks, I guess," Yvette said, unsure of the little adventure they shared.

"It's not all lonely and dark," the huldra whispered. "There are good things before you too. But remember things will be worse before they get better - and happiness must be earned."

"I'll keep that in mind," Yvette nodded as she stepped out into the dazzling sunlight as the boardwalk festivities, sounds, and smells enveloped her again.

Just how true the divinations were was always a tricky subject. The future was always in motion: never set in stone. Yvette would just have to do her best with whatever she faced. For now she intended to enjoy herself.

"Let's get a photo together Cole!" Yvette suggested. "Then I want a malt."

For now, the future looked bright.

"MALT, MALT!" Cole demanded.

"You're never satisfied either." Yvette huffed at the raven.

So, this short story ends here...

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