It has been a little over a couple weeks now since Kalfu has made himself a place in this new world. And from what he has experienced so far, he was quite pleased with his decision to further spread the voodoo and hoodoo ways to this realm. By sealing deals both big and small and selling his wares and services, he has begun the process of becoming the voodoo god that Bondye has charged him with becoming. But, he still had a long, long way to go. After all, becoming an all powerful god just doesn’t happen overnight…in most cases anyway.

Today, Kalfu was just spending time at his home, rocking on his front porch in his rocking chair plucking away at the strings of his banjo as the fire pit in front of him crackled and popped every now and then as he watched the fireflies dance above the water. All was peaceful and tranquil for a few hours until that familiar sound of the portal being breached reached his ears. He lifts his head to see not one, but several ponies emerging from the connected tunnel. Three wearing golden royal armor and one VERY big one with an everflowing multicolored mane and tail. And given her golden regalia, Kalfu quite summed that this was the elder sister of the Alicorn he met on Nightmare Night.

Kalfu watched the group approach as he continued to lightly strum and pluck his banjo, his glowing green eyes taking immediate notice of their swords and spears. He sighed softly to himself as he placed his instrument next to his rocking chair as he got up, making his way over to the fire pit which had a bubbling cauldron filled with fresh, hot gator stew that he had been prepared for most of the afternoon. He took the large spoon he had been using to stir the dish as he watched them get closer and closer until they stood at the part of the deck that was closest to the porch.

“Welcome to my humble abode, Princess Celestia. Never thought in a million years you’d grace my little swamp paradise with your…radiant presence.” he said with a playfully mocking manner as he flared his hands up slightly, but giving a polite bow to her nonetheless. Celestia’s brows lifted slightly at how Kalfu spoke to her. She certainly didn’t expect him to be so…casual and even playfully mocking towards her. However, this didn’t bother her one single bit. In fact, she found it quite refreshing

However, her guard didn’t find it amusing at all “You will address her highness with respect, young one! Such informality towards her will not be tolerated!” barked the knight in charge. Kalfu simply dismissed the knight with a casual handwave and took a small sample of his stew with another smaller spoon. “I don’t believe I was addressing you, ‘sir’. Keep in mind you are here on MY property. It is rather rude to bark orders at your host, when they so graciously allowed you to come into their home.” Kalfu said as he then turned his head back towards Celestia.

“While I do appreciate the visit, you need to reign your guards in a bit more, madam. Especially when they start barking orders at someone who they believe to be a child.he continued. Celetia nodded in complete agreement before stepping forward, placing a hand in front of the guard who was about to reach out toward Kalfu “You are right, young one. We are guests here after all. Besides, from what I have learned, you are quite capable of managing yourself.”.

Kalfu tilted his head curiously before responding “Oh, and what have you heard about me exactly? I haven’t exactly been here very long for much to be known about me. Or do I have your younger sister to thank for drawing your attention to me?” Kalfu asked as he took a seat back in his chair, motioning for Celestia to join him in the one across from him if she so wished. She does indeed take the seat across from him while her guards stand behind her, making herself comfortable as she nodded in response to his question “Indeed, her thoughts have been preoccupied with you and your strange yet fascinating abilities she had encountered that night. She has regaled me with every single little detail like she was a captive audience. You truly made an impression on her. And that isn’t something easily accomplished.”.

Kalfu smiled under the brim of his hat before lifting his head slightly to meet her gaze once more”I was simply showing off my services is all. I had no idea she would be so enthralled by my little parlor tricks.” he said as he attempted to undersell himself to make it seem like his abilities were mere party tricks. However, Celestia didn't buy that for a single moment. She stared at him with a knowing smile and a narrowed gaze like she could see right through him. “You truly expect me to believe that knowing about her past and present without meeting her prior is a simple little trick? I appreciate your humility, young colt. But you and I both know that isn;t a feat to consider ‘mere’.”.

Kalfu chuckled a with a returning grin before reaching under his hat and pulling out his tarot card deck “And let me guess, your curiosity has brought you to me. YOu want to experience the same kind of thrill she did. Am I correct, madam?”. When Celestia laid eyes on that deck, Kalfu could see the glint of excitement in her eyes even before she nodded multiple times. However, Kalfu wasn’;t going to be as generous as he was on his first night in this world. This was business. And he intended to collect.

“Very well then. Your cost will come to the cake slice your guard has in your pack there.” he said as he pointed it out when it wasn’t even in view. Celestia’s wings fluffed up for a moment as she slowly turned back to the very same pack then slowly back towards Kalfu with a pleading look on her face. It was clear that she REALLY didn’t want to give it up if she didn’t have to. “Is there truly nothing else you could want…? I…I’d be happy to pay you in bits…”.

Kalfu watched her as she slowly took the triple chocolate layered cake with buttercream icing out of her pack. She looked down at the tasty treat with nearly tear filled eyes like a child was being asked to hand over their toy. A glowing skeletal hand appeared in front of Celestia at this point, making a ‘give it up’ motion before waiting until Celestia closed her eyes tightly as she thrusted the plate out, the hand taking the plate from her and disappearing into a puff of green fire.

Kalfu could see the veins on the foreheads of the knights bulging in anger as they watched him effectively nearly reduce their princess to tears. Celestia folded her arms with a rather adorable pouty face as she watched Kalfu shuffle and flair his cards about. While she looked upset at him, she was beaming with excitement on the inside “You didn’t charge anything for Lulu when she came to see you…” she mumbled in her pouty tone.

Once he had finished showing off his card skills to her, he fans out the deck and holds it out to her “Three card, madam. No more, no less.” he said as he waited for her to pick them. Once she had done so, the rest of the deck vanished in fire before he took the three cards back and placed them in front of himself face down in mid air. “Lets see what kind of life you have been leading, princess. I will keep it to knowledge you don’t wish to have spread; however, do not fear.” he said as he leaned forward with a wink before lifting up the first card.

“Aaah, I see you started a school for magically gifted unicorns. This appears to have been going on for a while now. I get the feeling that you are doing this for more than just spreading your knowledge to those who’d use it to better themselves…” he said as that card disappeared before he lifted the middle one.”As I thought. You are favoring one young unicorn specifically. A unicorn of extreme magical potential. You have her in Ponyville exploring…friendship[? A rather specific item for her to be researching. Her name is…Twilight Sparkle, I believe. She is going to be counting on your continued support throughout her journey.”.

It was down to that final card now. Kalfu picked it up as he gazed upon it, slowly twirling it around in his fingers to reveal what the future had in store, the card covering one of his eyes “I see chaos. I see discord and malice in your future, princess. I recommend that you take caution and watch for any signs of these things heading your way. For if they affect you, they will affect your whole kingdom.”. The card has a distorted landscape with checkered ground and pink rain clouds. While Kalfu didn’t understand it himself, Celestia felt her heart freeze up and her muscles tense up. And Kalfu could see this happening as she felt the soul inside the alicorn shover.

All was quiet for a few minutes before Kalfu broke the silence. He stood back up and made his way over to the cauldron before taking a large ladle and a bowl before pouring some of the stew into the bowl and offered it Celestia with a light smile “While the transaction is complete, I’d be a horrible host if I didn’t offer you a bowl of my famous gator stew. Though…I took the meat out for you. As I don;t think your kind indulge in meat. So, it is pretty much a veggie stew now.” he said as he waited for her to take it. She hesitated for a moment. Not because she wasn’t grateful for the free meal. But, because of what he had revealed to her on that last card. His abilities were truly something to marvel…

“Eat up, princess. I promise you once you get a tummy full of that stew, you will feel better.” he said before making his own bowl, then returning to sit across from her before sighing softly as he could still see the troubled expression on her face. “Listen, my dear. That isn’t a definite outcome. That is just one of the many branches that was revealed to me. If it is one thing I learned, it is that the future has infinite possibilities. So don;t let it bring you down. Now, eat.” he said before he began to eat his own bowl of food.

After eating her fill, Celestia stood up and gave Kalfu a deep bow with a weak smile “Thank you..for the meal and for the reading. You may have done more for my kingdom than you think, young one. May I get your name? It seems rather disrespectful to address you as ‘young one’.”. Kalfu stood up and removed his hat with a bow “I am Kalfu, also known as the Voodoo King. You may simply call me Kalfu if that is what you wish.”. While Celestia had so many more questions to ask this strange being, she knew she had to go at this point and tell her sister what she had just learned from him.

“Very well then, I shall call you Kalfu from here on then. Thank you for your services and the warm meal. I must be off now. Take care of yourself.” she said as she nodded to her guards before they departed the way they came. As they journeyed back to Canterlot, Celestia could hear her guards bad mouthing Kalfu, calling him a fraud and a charlatan quietly behind her back. But the alicorn knew better than to believe them. The things he pointed out without hesitation, especially in the future. They very well could happen again. And she needed to be ready.

After they had left, Kalfu made the plate of cake reappear in his hand along with a fork before he began to eat it. He blinked a few times before closing his eyes slowly with a delighted “mmmmh..” as he savored the sweet “I can see why she was struggling so so much to part with this. This cake is absolutely divine…” he said as he sat down in front of his fire pit once more to relax and enjoy his treat.

That's right. I went there. I had him take the thing she loved the most! :p

May the darkness grant you peace.