Jean-Claude "Claudia" Baptiste ✦ Illusionist
Azekal Noxcis
I 'ave ze credentials｡｡｡
I 'ave a very weird family, and non it isn't ze arcane type of weird, I would be ze first it seems. My papa would be very adamant that such zings don't and I must be...how you say 'mad'. Non, 'e's ze one that is mad. Giving your daughter a boy's name, 'e obviously doesn't care about what she'd have to go zrough growing up. Bâtard! De toute façon...if it isn't obvious I'm speaking from experience when it comes to Roland, my papa, being ze foresighted bouffon zat 'e is. 'is inability to get over ze mundane was something zat drove my sister-Aurelie- and I bonkers. Ze only reason why she got such a short name was because Roland got stuck in traffic and wasn't zere when my maman 'ad her. Assez parler de ma famille!
When I was eight we went to a carnival, Roland, Maman, Aurelie and I. It was about ze closest zing I experienced to a normal family outing I'd end up experiencing, zough it was just ze start of my familial troubles. C'est drôle, ma maman used to read palms, for fun zat is...so in a way, she 'elped move fate along when she let us get our palms read. Zough Roland, would say such words are stupidly silly, I didn't zink it was silly when ze lady read my palm. Telling me zat zere's magic deep wizin my soul, wiz an ozerworldly voice no less. When I walked back to maman, she asked me what ze palm reader said...and like any child, I told 'er without a second thought. Si je suis resté elle n'aurait pas le chagrin dans son âme...
...Ze next zree years would prove to be quite interesting as my fledgling power began to manifest itself in strange ways.
Like zat one time wiz zat garçon bête, Sébastian. Ze fool was pulling on my 'air, and 'is group of friends were on ze 'lookout' for a teacher. Bastards, all of zem. I just wanted to watch ze birds in peace, but apparently zat was 'weird' for zem. Anyway, I made several futile attempts at fighting back which did absolutely nothing, and zen I felt my eyes tearing up. Zat probably caused me to fight back wiz more desperation, seeing as 'ow zose tears wouldn't be wasted on the likes of 'im. I remember repeating the mantra; Je veux juste regarder les oiseaux, to myself as I zrashed more violently when a sudden shadow appeared over me and zose...bâtards, causing Sébastian to stop 'is pulling. When I was finally able to look over my shoulder at ze figure, I realized it was our teacher. After several choice words out of 'er mouz, zey ran off to do somezing else wiz ze remaining time. After I quietly zanked 'er for 'er intervention, I sought out ze bench zat I planned on going to and promptly sat down, blinking back ze tears zat continued to zreatened my eyes. I was in for a shock when my teacher sat down next to me and pulled me into a hug, which was ze feazer zat broke ze dams...so to speak.
...Af-after I tried my unneeded tears, I was about to leave my teacher's presence-somezing about ze fact zat she doesn't need to be bozered by my sadness- when she gasped suddenly and pointed to ze ground in front of us, whispering "Regard, une raclé." I must admit zat remark caused me to giggle as a I saw a little black bird staring back at us wiz it's 'ead turned slightly, no more zan a metre away from us. It's actions brought out anozer giggle, as I watched it looking back at us while I whispered "Peut-être que c'est un corbeau." We continued watching ze beautiful bird for several minutes before I 'eard a call from my teacher, telling all ze children zat free time was over. Oddly I looked over my shoulder at 'er, seeing 'er near the door caused me to spin around quickly to find she was gone...only ze bird was staring back at me.
Several years later, I would realize zat it was just an illusion I made to get Sébastian away from me...I'm still not sure why ze illusion comforted me zough. After zat little altercation wiz 'im, ze illusions became much more frequent and it strained ze relationship wiz my papa. Zankfully Aurelie was zere when Roland wasn't, zough I wish my maman could've been. Eizer way, it came to a heated point during ze year I turned eleven. February twenty zird, zere was an odd tapping noise zat caused me to wake up, and seek it outzee disturbance. I was a little surprised to see a raven perched on ze outside of my window sill, with a rook in it's mouz. Needless to say zat was only my first encounter wiz zis 'Rook'. Yes, I named 'er Rook, she seems to quite like ze name, so zere! Like I said before, zis would only be ze first meeting wiz Rook. She began to follow me to school, back to my 'ome after school, where she'd be perched on my windowsill waiting for me. I even introduced her to some of my friends...which garnered rather mixed results.
'Owever, zere'd be times where she didn't follow me to school or sat upon my windowsill and I realized wiz increasing fear zat zose times were growing in frequency. 'Er little disappearances came to an apex in ze middle of Decemeber where she was gone for an entire week and I came down wiz a 'orrible fever that left me bedridden for the week. Alzroughout ze fever I wanted to see my friend, Rook, but she was never zere... even worse, was ze nights. I 'ad strange dreams filled with reds and yellows, I'm sure zere was ozer colors in zat place but ze reds and yellows were the most vivid. During zese dreams, I 'ad a feeling like I was searching for somezing really important, but I couldn't place my finger on it. It was like I knew what it would be when I found it, zough zat was little comfort wizin zose accursed fever dreams. I...I zink I was a black bird in one of zem, zough zat's seems unsound.
De toute façon ze fever dreams and fever itself began to subside by ze end of ze week zough ma maman and papa made me stay in bed for ze day. Around noon zere was a tap on my window. Zinking it was Rook, I rushed out of bed and opened my window only to find a crow staring back at me. I guess it saw my puzzled expression cause it kraa-ed at me before flying to my backyard. Curiosity getting the best of me, I cautiously made my way down the stairs and into the backyard where I was met with a razer strange sight. An entire flock of crows were staring patiently at me, and in ze front was my friend, Rook, staring razer expectantly at me before looking at ze ground in front of zem-it hadn't snowed yet, but it was certainly chilly- where I saw eight oblong objects. Rook kaa-ed at me, as if to say zat ze objects were mine...which was oddly comforting. So I did what any elven year old would do, I snuck back inside and got my mozer's velvet pouch so I could collect zose objects. Unfortunately by the time I went back out and was 'alfway zrough storing ze objects, when Roland's shadow engulfed me. 'E began to demand what a murder of crows was doing in ze backyard and why ze 'ell I was out of bed, when I told 'im zat I was accepting Rook's gift he said zat was an excuse. Somezing like "Cet oiseau-Raclé-ne peut pas donner des cadeaux" and zat caused me to lash back, saying zat 'e could go to 'ell for not believing zat Rook missed me. Zat comment, couple wiz sass, earned me a slap from Roland which 'ad an odd effect on ze crows. Zey all flew at Roland as if to distract ‘im while I gathered ze rest of ze objects. Roland and I were in for a surprise when zey suddenly began pecking at Roland. I don't know why but I dropped ze pouch and tried to scare ze crows away, unfortunately ze noise from ze murder and me trying to scare zem drew ma maman and Aurelie to ze back porch where zey watched wiz subdued fear.
Despite my attempts at saving mon papa, boz parties were more zan vicious in zeir fighting. Ze altercation came to an end, with Roland crushing one of ze crows to death in 'is miserable 'and. Obviously ze stress from ze situation coupled wiz my weakened state and seeing death, zrew me over ze edge causing me to faint. I don't know 'ow long I was out, probably a couple of days from what Aurelie told me. I asked 'er if Rook and ze ozer crows were okay, and she just pointed towards my window where Rook was waiting patiently on ze sill wiz my maman velvet pouch and a feazer. I don't know what my sister was telling me as I took the items from rook, and I 'onestly didn't care since an idea began to form in my head.
Running away from my 'ome.
I don't remember much from ze nine monzs leading to my flight, zough I know ma maman and Roland began to argue which only got worse before I left. Aurelie, was about ze only rock during my stay in zose last few monzs and she was ze one, to any 'ave clue about what I was doing. C'est drôle...I 'ad a razer vivid dream ze night before I left, one about Aurelie and ma Maman. Aurelie was in a place of 'er own, a razer nice apartment perhaps in Paris or maybe Avignon. It looked as if she was tutoring someone for school, zough zat would be razer odd considering zat Aurelie looked to be in her thirties... I never pegged 'er to be a scholastic type. 'Owever, zat wasn't ze weirdest part of my dream. Zat goes to ze part that include ma maman, who appeared to be walking zrough ze park wiz a little boy and one of my old teachers. Zey were 'olding 'ands as zey followed ze little boy zroughout ze park. Zere was a moment when zey began to kiss but were interrupted by zat little boy telling zem to move faster. Somezing like "Maman! Mére! Vous êtes trop lent!" It almost seemed like a glimpse at ze future, but zat doesn't happen and would most likely wouldn't wiz ze way zings are wiz Roland.
'Owever I know my future, and zat is wiz zis...
Le carnaval de miroirs
I 'ave ze attitude｡｡｡
I've changed somewhat significantly over ze course of ze four years I've been in ze circus. If ma maman were to see me, she'd most likely be cautious and I certainly can't blame 'er for being such. After what I did to Roland two years ago, zough ze bâtard deserved it. 'Owever, it'd be more zen zat. I 'ave changed more zen zat, I'm no longer ze little girl zat would seek 'er comfort when 'urt or ask 'er opinion if I was indecisive. N-non...I've grown a zick skin while I've resided wizin zis carnival. You'd pretty much 'ave too wiz people like Fiona or Demon, it's a wonder 'ow monsieur März puts up with her tricks. Despite my zickened skin, zere are still moments where I break down. Moments where ze longing for my Maman and Aurelie are too much to ignore, zough Rook should be ze only one zat knows about zis...zough somezing tells me zat isn't ze case.
Aside from zat, I've grown razer fond of daydreaming when I'm not practicing my illusions or messing wiz my tarot deck. Zere is two reasons behind such acts ze most obvious, because it's fun, and ze less obious, helping me become emotionally numb to ze people I miss. Sure some would say zat ze less obvious reason is one I shouldn't be doing, and I tell zem zat zey can go to hell in nicer terms unless zey're persistent like monsieur März. Zat is ze normal greeting 'e'll get if 'e brings up my numbing daydreams...Bâtard.
Anozer less obvious change would be my increased interest wiz ze occult, and mysticism. Zrough zis fascination I was able to discover zat ze oblong objects Rook gave me are astragalomancy bones, to say I was slightly concerned would be an understatement. I 'ad a literal argument wiz my friend about where she could've found such zings. Looking back on it, zat probably was ze wisest decision considering zat it was in front of monsieur 'Unt and Rook was able to match whatever tone I chose. It was also zis fascination zat helped me pick out tattoos adorning my arms. Geomancy is a very intricate zing apparently.
Watch me do my act｡｡｡
I still might be training my powers but I can certainly stand on my own. Maybe against one person, but it's still good enough, especially if Carlisle says so! So there, besides ze last person to actively oppose my illusions was eizer my papa or monsieur März. Ze fight wiz my papa, ended in my favour though I 'ave my doubts zat it was fair. Monsieur März on ze ozer 'and, was able to best moi after a drawn out confrontation. Bâtard!! 'E didn't even attack me, all 'e did was wear me out as if to prove a point. Somezing about endurance being a strategy-Merde! I still get angry zinking about it!
Zough...'e might 'ave a point. Non! Why couldn't 'e just help me wiz summoning? I still don't see ze point of zat fight, ozer zen to show off... L'arrêter Jean-Claude! Ceci n'est pas le temps pour cela. Le déménagement sur...I can summon small inanimate objects, zough ze biggest objects tend to be coins or rings. If I concentrate, I could probably summon a hand held item like zat clown can alzough I still don't know why 'e refuses to acknowledge it.
Anyway enough of zat...man! Zere is more zing I can do, that 'e can not. However, it's mostly for fun since divination is rarely true. Especially wiz zings like Tarot cards or geomancy, which are for giggles more then anything else...zose zere have been times, where I keep getting ze same answer from ze arcana. However ze strangest divinations I predict comes from ze bones I keep for astragalomancy. I don't even zrow them when ze portents are true. Zey usually get knocked out of mine little velvet pouch...causing them to promptly fall into a discernible prediction. Funny zing, I'm not entirely sure how I keep reading ze signs.
Bâtard= b*****d
De toute façon= In any case
Bouffon=clown
Assez parler de ma famille!=Enough talk about my family
C'est drôle=It is funny
Si je suis resté elle n'aurait pas le chagrin dans son âme...=If I remained, she would not have the pain in her soul...
garçon bête= stupid boy
Je veux juste regarder les oiseaux= I just want to look at the birds/watch the birds
Regard, une raclé= Look, a rook(chess piece)
Peut-être cela est un a corbeau freux=Maybe that one is a rook(bird)
Cet oiseau-Raclé-ne peut pas donner des cadeaux= This bird-Rook-cannot give gifts
Maman! Mére! Vous êtes trop lent!= Mommy! Mother! You are too slow!
Le carnaval de miroirs=The carnival of mirrors
Non=No
L'arrêter Jean-Claude! Ceci n'est pas le temps pour cela= Stop it Jean-Claude! This is not the time for that
le déménagement sur=moving on.
