[SE] light and life

Djodie wasn't exactly the praying type. But desperate times calls for desperate measures. As she had left the apartment, Amigo had almost forced himself out to go with her. Djodie had been a bit surprised, but was fine with it. She needed to spend a bit more time with the pokémon anyway.
So they were roaming the streets of Sanctum, on her way towards the tree that symbolised the centre of the city.

Djodie was dressed in a simple jeans and shirt, with a large scarf draped around her form. It was warm enough to go without a coat, but whenever the sun disappeared behind the clouds, Djodie tended to shiver from the wind. The scarf was the perfect in-between. Her red hair forced into a bun, her blue eyes big as she layed her gaze on the tree. Suddenly she was very aware of the fact that she didn't really know - just - how. The cat-dog at her feet seemed to feel her hesitation and looked up at Djodie. Amigo blinked a few times before looking at the tree, and back at her. As if he wanted to tell her to just go. Djodie sighed, stepped closer to the tree and sank through her knees, placing a hand on the stem.

"I'm - not really sure how this is done - but - I wanted to thank you for everything you've done," Almost everyone knew the history of the tree. "I pray for..." Djodie's mind seemed to switch in the moment. She sighed, "No, I pray for sunny weather, beautifull skies, and long lasting memories." She pulled her hand from the tree and rose slowly, looking at the Amigou by her side and nodding slowly. She walked on, around the tree, as she suddenly heared a whisper and froze, as the other rose to her feet and Djodie feared she had interrupted the other's prayer.
"I - I'm so sorry,"

Just as she finished her prayer and noticed the other on the other side of the tree, something shifted in the atmosphere. Djodie couldn't lay a finger on what it was, but the Amigou reacted to it as well. It was if a presence of something someone caused the bristling of the leaves, the gust of wind.
The energy that flowed trough the girl's veins. With a gasp she had retracted her hand from the bark of the tree. Amigo pushed his little head against her legs, as if he wanted to try and reassure her. Djodie drew in a breath and closed her eyes for a second before opening them again.

It was like she saw the world for the first time. The colors of the tree, the grass, their surroundings. As if she had never noticed them before. Pulled back to reality, the woman still standing before her, asking if she was okay - what she had apologised for.
Djodie didn't even remember, but she noticed the look on the woman's face, she had noticed the shift in atmosphere as well.
"What - what just happened?"

To add to the growing chaos, Amigo the Amigou at her side, began to glow. The same glow which she recognised from Duster - he was evolving. The Amigou seemed a little shocked as well, looking at her as if he wanted her approval.
A bit off guard, the redhead nodded, and after a few seconds, a larger, doglike pokémon stood before her.
Oh. Duster isn't gonna like this.

Drawn back out of her thoughts when the woman asked her once more, if everything was okay, and Djodie needed a few seconds to form a response.
"Yes, I was afraid I had interrupted you in your prayer." Djodie tried to explain calmly. But her chest was rising wildly as she almost felt out of breath.

"I'm sorry - There was... I felt something strange - with the tree - and now Amigo..." Djodie exhaled slowly, trying to ground herself again, as she tried to calm down and look at the pokémon before her. It was a large, lean dog, and for some reason, she felt more pulled towards it then before.

The woman calmly assured her there was no need to apologise. Funny, that was a phrase she heared quite often. Djodie couldn't tear her eyes off the dog that was sitting in front of her. His lean body looking like it was meant to be, this was meant to be his form. The emotional - almost spiritual connection that seemed to be tugging to something inside Djodie. She couldn't place it, but also realised that she didn't feel fear towards it.
As if the fear only came out of the reaction she had - kind off - thought herself. And that, whatever just happened, seemed to calm her down.

Djodie focussed on the woman when she started talking again, asking her if she'd like a cup of tea, and that her shop was just around the corner. "Yes, actually, that is really kind of you." Djodie answered greatfully. "What kind of shop do you own?"

Divination. Really? Whatever it was that had just flooded her veins, it surely had a sense of humor, bringing this all together. The affinity, the evolution of Amigo, the fact that she had stumbled across this woman out of all the possibilities.
Djodie didn't believe in coincidences. Not anymore.

Djodie followed the woman as they started walking towards her shop, while she nodded slighly as she took in her words. The redhead looked up at the wooden head of Xerneas above the shop's entrance.
"My name's Djodie." She smiled, finally finding her calmth a little, and followed the woman inside.

Djodie felt like she'd walked through a portal when she set foot inside the shop. The scent of lavender subtly weaving in the air, sealing them off from the chaos that had been the outside. Amigo pressed his head shortly against Djodie's leg, feeling the more relaxed state the girl was in.

Shaelyn asked about her tea preference, as she gestured for her to take a seat at the table. "Something sweet and fruity will do, thank you." Djodie answered, as she didn't want to pin out a specific kind of tea with the risk that Shaelyn might not have it. The redhead took a seat at the table, the large dog sitting next to her as he lay his head to rest on her lap.

Djodie heared the familiar sound of a kettle boiling water, as Shaelyn asked her another question. If she had cards read. Djodie chuckled at the memory. "I have. Twice, actually. With more or less the same message. I've tried to follow it up, though." If she had succeeded, that had to be seen. It was too soon for her to tell.

Shaelyn chuckled lightly on Djodie's choice of tea and replied with a soft remark that made Djodie smile. As she asked her about experience with card readings, the woman prepared the tea while Djodie answered.

Djodie's eyes lingered on the teapot when Shaelyn brought it to the table, with matching cups. She began pouring and handed one of the cups over to Djodie. The redhead accepted it carefully - to not burn her hands, and placed the cup in front of herself. As the scent lingered in front of her, she couldn't really place it.
She was still looking at the teapot when the woman asked her how the readings had worked out for her.

"Difficult." Djodie answered with a chuckle. She blew softly in her tea while gathering her thoughts. "Both the readings had told me that there was an unhealthy situation going on. I just wasn't ready to see it at the time."

The woman responded on her words with a warm, understanding smile. Explaining that it could be quite challenging to accept that, despite promises of change, some people simply follow through.
Djodie looked at the woman with large eyes as she let the words sink in. What, how? Was the whole situation written on her forhead?

She encircled the cup with her hands as she casted her eyes down, simply needing a moment to let it sink in, when the other's words brought her back to the present.
Djodie blew out some air over the tea before taking a sip. It was quite a... remarkable flavor.

"Peace... Well, I don't know yet. I'm starting to accept that the decision I made was for the better, yeah. I believe I'll get there in the end." Her eyes still rested on a spot on the table, as she felt like, somewhere in her mind, a connection was made. That she indeed did make the right decision. That it was good she chose herself for once.

Djodie smiled softly as Shaelyn spoke. With another sip of tea she nodded, acknowledging the woman's words. She wasn't exactly sure yet if that would count for her, though.

The woman steered the conversation in another way, asking her if something happened before her pokémon evolved. Amigo still sat beside her, his head resting on her lap.
"I'm not sure..." Djodie started. "It felt like a sort of energy raced through me. Everything seems... different. The sun is brighter, the plants seem more fibrant, flowers seem to be radiating, and -" Djodie tilted her head towards the dog. "He feels so familiar..." She couldn't push it on imagination anymore. The connection, but also the increased colors. But for some reason, it didn't fully click for Djodie.

She sipped her tea as Amigo lifted his head, looking at her. As if he was waiting for her to tie the knots in her head, put the pieces together.