Rabbit Hole Carnival: Predict.

“I know.” Renee replied. “Trying to enjoy the fish right now.”

“Dear I—” Cel’s mother began. 

“Mom.” Cel said. “We all know, but if she is not gonna tell what are we gonna do about it?”

“It’s like when I formed the Occultic Five. Or when Nick took me in, and just let me fall asleep on the coach.”

“When did Renee learn, dear?” Cel’s mother asked.

“I think she had it the moment Nick took her in, but it might have been the moment she ended up performing for Valtenti himself. From what she tells me.”

 “She did what now?” Cel’s mother asked.

“Perform where no one else could.” Valtenti said. “We would have canceled the show had she not shown herself. “

“Valtenti!” Renee said, and hugged him. “What are you doing here?”

“We have a show.” Valtenti replied. “A certain bartender has made this a rather popular spot.”

“Is that so?” Renee asked. “Well let’s hope she continues to do so.”

“Hardly a need for hope, it seems.” Cel replied. “Considering mom’s been getting more clients for similar reasons.”

A male broke down and just cried. There in the middle of the aquarium. Most people slowly backed off , but Renee walked right up to him, and offered him a hand.

“Sorry… Probably just ruined everyone’s good time.” He replied.

“Bertender, sweetheart. And a rather good one or so I was just told.” Renee chuckled. “Funny how fast you get used to the lost… especially when you were once one.”

Cel and Valtenti stop the security guard.  Valtenti spoke “Everything is fine, my good sir. If you would be so kind as to let the other know that gentlemen over there does not need to show a ticket?”

“Renee. Renee Shem.” Renee said, as she helped him up.

“Kyson.” Kyson Replied. “Um… why?”

“You see that little swimmer over there?” Renee asked, and pointed.

“That clown fish with no friends? What about them?” Kyson asked.

“He doesn’t have no friends.”  Renee replied, and tapped the glass. “Bottle? Where is Jar?”A seahorse swam up as if on queue. “There you are.”

“You and partnerships, Renee.” Cel replied, as she walked and joined in. “I don’t know what annoys me more. That fact that you’re this good at it, or the fact that no one bothered to stop repressing you. I mean what if…”

“I think about that a fair bit too, Cel.” Renee said. “I think about the day you found one random girl curled in a ball in the one safe hallway.”
---

As they should on the sidelines, Cel's mother commentented. “She always talked about that place.”
“Did she now?” Valtenti asked.

“It never goes anywhere. It’s an old hallway. With a staircase leading up to the the janitor’s closet.”
---

“Nice little spot right under the stairs.” Cel said, talking to Renee and Kyson. “No one was ever gonna be there, but I kept checking anyway.”

“Why?” Kyson asked.

“Because Kyson,” Renee replied. “Because they called her crazy right up until she found hiding in there. Then crazy became wildly accurate predicts.”

“Someone is definitely going to hide there, and you are all going to regret that day you left them behind.” Cel said. “Did know her non-binary gender at the time, but still. Funny how that works when it chooses and needs too.”

“Funny indeed.” Renee replied