Seeing Malvyn has chosen, Mei climbs further up the stool and onto her knees to better lean across the table for Malyvn's card, the legs tipping precariously forward once more. Color blooms upon her cheeks as she flips it over and sees the Knight of Cups.

The Romantic. 

"Ah, um... soooo!" she stammers. "All the Knights are on a mission of sorts. The Knight of Cups is like a Knight in shining armor--and their mission is more... r-romantic. I-In the abstract sense! Though it can mean new opportunities of a romantic nature. But, um, well, we're not doing a l-love reading so..." Mei clears her throat--be professional, be professional, be professional. "This is a card of action. See how he holds out the cup as if in offering or bearing a message from the heart? And their helmet and boots are both winged with the horse pressing calmly forwards--all elements of this card are active in some way. You, too, must be motivated by action. It's your time to make choices and push forward by listening to your intuition and connecting with your emotions."

 She meets Malvyn's ruby eyes with her amethyst ones, but is looking through him rather than at. "Approach the future and the unknown with an open heart. A sense of excitement. Seek creative opportunities and unleash your imagination. Do not deny yourself what's beautiful about life--allow your spirit to be nourished by passion or your calling. You've been long led by your mind, (in Sylvan) [Child of the Old Ones]. It is time, now, to follow your heart." 

Mei slowly lowers back down onto her stool as her awareness returns to the Here, looking slightly confused. What did I call him?  She shakes it off and finishes, "It's a good card," her tone warm and reassuring.

Realizing what an intimate thing these readings can be, she gives them each time with their cards to consider anything else that might speak to them--for this is as much about them interpreting the meaning as it is her doing the reading themselves as their questions were kept private. Practically aglow from being in her element and connecting with each of them in such a way--their colorful threads added to the tapestry woven between them all--Mei looks between the three. 

Malvyn carefully watches Mei's use of the cards.  There are clearly a few elements of ritual involved, following established arcane rules. Things like how the cards were made, the materials. But it's not quite anything you've seen. 

You didn't feel much in picking a card. Or maybe there was a tiny something there. You think maybe it could have been some tremor working through magic.  But it wasn't you casting a spell.  It never seems Mei did either. But it seemed something must have originated from her.

Clearly you'd have no idea how to relocate what happened. But perhaps, you think, more Investigation may she'd light on what is happening.

As Mei begins to explain his card, the purple-skinned tiefling at first stares at it in disbelief, then looking up at Mei, trying to deteremine if she is making fun out of him, then back at the card, then not knowing where to look when she goes on about following his heart. Did he even have one? Emotions was certainly not something he knew anything about, not anything he had ever explored or developed while pouring through endless amounts of dusty old dark tomes back in Baldur's Gate. He couldn't quite imagine anyone less the image of a knight in shining armour, but he realized the card should not be interpreted in any literal sense. Maybe it was just saying he should allow himself to try new activities while in Strixhaven, like being an investigative reporter for the Strixhaven Star, or maybe even try his hand at painting, yes, that would certainly be the sensible interpretetion.

Malvyn slowly collects himself, his hand again going to the tome in his shoulder bag to ground and reassure himself again, then looking up at Mei and the others. "Thank you Mei, I admit I struggle a bit with what your card would mean for me but I don't doubt it will become clear in time." He says with a polite smile, but his fiery red eyes are filled with uncertainty and even anxiety over delving into emotions he had always buried, deep deep down.

"Well one thing is for sure, Mal. If these cards are telling the truth, you are going to be busy helping me stick to my work and I am going to be busy helping you keep your nose out of the books. You know, the cards could be telling all three of us to join the Playactor's Drama Guild!", Guardok says with a broad smile after Malvyn's reading.

He looks to Mei, "I know it probably doesn't work like this, but I am curious to see which card you would draw right now. What do you say?".

As he asks the question, he notices his vegetable stew and bread and his stomach starts to rumble.

"The Playactor's Drama Guild?" The purple-skinned tiefling says in surprise. Like he would voluntarily come anywhere near that obnoxious Quint-something-something walking around like a diva although he was just another first-year student, let alone sharing the same stage with that peacock pointing out to him that he didn't belong with the confident and good-looking. "I'm sure that they could do without me. Unless of course they are in dire need of another tree." He says with a wink at the kind and thoughtful genasi, hoping for Quint's sake that he wouldn't give his floor-mate any grief or he might just have to challenge the flamboyant actor out to one of those night-time duels.

As the genasi suggests Mei should read a card for herself too, Malvyn nods in agreement as he digs into his roast fowl, his sharp teeth tearing through the still slightly bloody meat.

"O-Of course! My pleasure!" Mei replies to Malvyn, expression falls just slightly to know she's caused him distress, though she tries to hide it behind a sip of her ale. Her Grandmother told her the cards can offer a perspective that's difficult to see until the time is right, one that conflicts with self-image and expectations--"Tarot often tells the truths we dare not tell ourselves, child."  It's to be expected their guidance could be difficult to accept. 

She's grateful, as always, for Guardok's lightheartedness. At mention of the Playactor's Guild, she can't help but take a peek around the tavern for any sign of fiery red hair. But when he suggests she draw a card, her tankard clanks back down on the table, ale swishing up and nearly over the side. "Oh! Right now? I... I could, yeah!" she replies, hiding a giggle behind her sleeve as Guardok's stomach grumbles for food. "B-But don't wait on me to eat! Please go ahead! I'll--ah. I forgot to--" she blinks and looks around the table, then waves her hand dismissively. What's the worst that could happen, drinking on an empty stomach? "Mmm, never mind! Let me just..." 

Deck reassembled, she closes her eyes and focuses on their energy and realigning them with her own. She gives them all another shuffle, a spectacle all its own as the cards seem to float from one hand to the other, then cuts the deck in three before stacking them in a different order. Shoulders rising and falling with a deep inhale, Mei gently flips the top card as she expels the breath from her lungs. 

And immediately chokes on that breath as the Ace of Cups is revealed, sputtering into a coughing fit.

Guardok watches closely as Mei shuffles the deck and chooses her own card, but his hand does slide across to his bowl of stew and he drags it over in front of himself. He dips the spoon in and takes a mouthful just as Mei turns her chosen card over.

As Mei starts to cough, he finds his mouth full, so it takes him a moment to ask, "Are you ok Mei? Have a drink, that will help. Is that.....is it not a good card?".

Mei's head bobs as she nods and takes a drink, face pink as a freshly blossomed spring carnation. "N-No no, it's not... bad," she finally croaks, avoiding eye contact as her heart beats like a hummingbird trapped in her ribcage. "But I t-think the cards are being... cheeky," she explains, aiming a narrowed glare at the deck. Stop that. "It, uh, has a lot of meanings! Though they're rather focused." Her voice gets smaller and smaller as she lists some of what the Ace of Cups symbolizes. "Creativity. Compassion. R-Relationships. Romance. Love. Fertility." She barrels onward. "But it doesn't reaaallyy answer my question, so I'll, um--later, I'll pull a few more cards for clarification."

Quickly tucking the card back into the deck and then the deck into its holster, she flushes further as a number of faces come to mind. All of those at the table. Mina. Quentillius. Some of their other floormates. Hedix. Even the dryad student that passed her by the first day. Is there a red thread tied from her finger to someone else's here, like her father's had been to her mother's? The possibility makes her heart ache as much as flutter.

She shakes her head, bun wobbling as she banishes the thought. "Ah, well! Thank you all for trusting me with that," she says, smile genuine if somewhat bashful. Taking up her mug once more, she toasts--oblivious to the fact that they're all likely mid-bite or mouthful, "To an exciting year ahead? To... seeing Guardok perform before he becomes famous! And to watching Knap get his boogie on. And to many more firsts for Malvyn!" Lower-lip bitten, she wiggles her eyebrows at the three of them, suggesting all of this should happen tonight. Their last night before the strings of fate are pulled tight and their journeys begin.

“The sun, hmmm that’s hot!?” Knap smiles enthusiastically yet his head skittered about trying to interpret the insights. Get spell that creates light, shine light on people, or something like that. His thoughts drift and Mei’s silky sylvan syllables swing him back to the moment. A problem with what? He wonders. Knap broadens his smile unsure what the last thing Mei said was. “We can work on it together” he responds in the slower Sylvan slant of his clan. “Run Free!” knap raises his Peach Fiss. 

The purple-skinned tiefling's fiery red eyes notes with some interest that Mei too draws a card from the cup series, and considering her reaction he gets the sense it is not that different from his own. He doesn't quite catch the last words as the purple-haired girl seems to fade out but he nods in agreement as she mentions compassion and relationships in particular. Mei seemed like she sincerely cared for all those around her. it was even impressive to him how easy and natural it seemed for her to see them all and make them all feel included in the group, something he would certainly struggle to do himself.

"Yes, to a moderately exciting year ahead." Malvyn chimes in with a wink while rasing his wine glass to the toast, not wanting to wish for too much of his future. It was with mixed feelings he considered the many more firsts Mei mentioned. He didn't want to be overwhelmed but so far it all had felt surprisingly well with the many firsts the tiefling had had only since he arrived at Strixhaven. He then takes another small sip of wine before continuing on with his roast fowl, feeling his energy return, feeling he could possibly do with a few more firsts tonight, glancing around quickly to see if Mina would happen to turn up, maybe he even would dare to speak to her again if she did.

Guardok finishes his mouthful of bread that he had dipped into the stew and raises his cider, joining in with the toast.

"To friendship and making the most of the opportunities we are given", he adds, standing on his chair so he can reach the others mugs. "I know you want me to perform Mei, and I am happy to lay down some music, but I really think it would be fun if we all sang together", he suggests with a cheeky smile and a glint in his eye.

He looks at Mei and Malvyn in particular, expecting their reactions to be less than positive, and nudges Knap with an elbow and gives a sly wink hoping to suggest he backs him up.

The purple-skinned tiefling can't help but smile at the presumptuous suggestion from the cheerful and easy-going genasi, looking between Knap and Mei before responding. "Another first then..." He says with an acknowledging nod to the purple-haired girl. "...you may regret you asked me too though." He says, not sounding too troubled by the challenge. He wasn't a trained singer by any means but he knew he had an ear for music and there had been times he had hummed along with the pretty baker's girl singing in the mornings across the street back in Baldur's Gate. The fact that he wouldn't know the song that Guardok would want them to sing could prove to be a bit of a challenge though, but the night was still young.

Mei sees that smile and glint and--in a rare flare of competitiveness that may having something to do with the arcanely-flavored liquid courage--meets it with her own. She looks to Malvyn, surprised he so easily agreed, and beams at him before glancing back up at Guardok. Brow quirked at the challenge, she also gets up to stand on the stool, wobbling atop it as she declares with more confidence than she feels, "I'll sing too!" and taps her tankard to the others.

"It's almost like we have a band. Guardok and the... Purple... er... hm. Earth, Wind, and--oh, no, I think that's already taken..." She hums into her glass as she both drinks and thinks, though comes up empty handed. "Well, we can workshop it!" she laughs.  

"Excellent", Guardok says, surprised but pleased they are all willing to give it a go. "Who knows a good song we can sing? Have you heard of the Bohemian Rhapsody perhaps?", he suggests.

He dips some more bread into his stew, scooping out some of the vegetables as well as soaking up some of the liquid, before biting off the chunk. As he chews, he looks around, "Do we even know if we can just turn up and perform here? Or do they book the entertainment?".

"I can't say I know that song Guardok, or any other song for that matter." The purple-skinned tiefling explains with a small chuckle. He wondered if this rhapsody was well-known among normal people. The word bohemian didn't reveal much, but rhapsody would suggest an instrumental composition of some kind, or so he thought. "Maybe I should simply sit this one out. And I don't know if the stage is free but maybe you should just rehearse before taking it? Although I suppose a group of first-years going up there uninvited to improvise would be a first for everyone here tonight." He adds with another chuckle.

Mei glances back at the stage then around at the other students, looking for anyone else with instruments. "Oh. That's the real question, isn't it? I'm sure Ven would know! I can go ask," she offers then slides down off her stool. The wizard grabs her ale to take along and chimes pleasantly, "Be right back," as she wanders off to find their waiter.


((Just in case it's needed, Perception: 14))

Malvyn gives Mei a nod as she leaves to find their waiter and takes the opportunity to look around the Bow's End Tavern for any faces he recognizes, curious over who else would visit the tavern on the first day of the term. "I'm curious to see what other kind of entertainment they will have here tonight." He says glancing over at Guardok and Knap, also wondering if Mae, Chara and Mellori would turn up once they had rested a while back at their dorms. 

Perception if needed: 18

Mei does not have much trouble finding Ven.  "Oh, What can I do for you?" He asks as you approach the waiter station, seeming a little surprised.

In his search, Malvyn does spot someone he recognizes - Aurora. She's sitting at a table with a few others enjoying some drinks.  You seem to recognize another girl with her, the dark-skinned one from when you first met.  You recall both of them being part of the Show Band.

Mei meets his surprise with her own surprise that he's surprised. It's a brief surprise stand-off until she remembers why she was looking for him and snaps to. "Oh! Yes! Hi, Ven! It's me, Mei! We--um, me and my floormates at the table there," she points back at their table, "were just wondering if the stage is open for use? Or if you have to book ahead to perform?" She looks up at Ven with wide, hopeful eyes. 

Guardok watches as Mei wanders off to find their server and at the same time responds to Malvyn, "I am interested as well. Perhaps seeing what goes on will give us an idea of what we can do. Perhaps we could practice something back at the dorm so we are a little more prepared".

He finishes off his bread and stew and drains the last of his cider.

"Perhaps if Mae were here, we could get away with an impromptu performance. But I am a musician rather than a singer in truth".