This short little story is actually based off the Skinner in the movie not the comic... I just thought I would clarify that before we begin, so if I get things wrong about Skinner keep in mind that I'm basing him off of the movie and only the movie... anyhow, hope you enjoy! ~ A/N
He was wondering the streets again... What started out as a peaceful stroll in the city, turned into pick-pocketing spree. Yes, there were times where Skinner actually just walked but he wasn't in that kind of mood right then... Besides, its so much easier when your'e invisible...
He was about to go for another gentleman's pocket, when he spotted a woman on the sidewalk. Walking away from the exposed pocket, he walked closer to the woman. She sat on a small fold up stool while she started blankly at the ground in front of her. Her long dark wavy hair fell over her shoulders and hung lazily around the frame of her face. She wore bright colored skirts with a dark blue baggy blouse, which was embroidered with golden thread. Skinner could see the different beads and accessories just faintly glittering in her hair as he got closer to her.
"Would you like a palm reading sir?" The woman asked, looking up. This made him jump a bit, but he figured she was talking to another person and not him. Why would she be talking to you anyway you ninny! "Sir... Would you like a reading? I don't charge anything." She said, this time looking straight into Skinner's eyes. They're... gray... She's blind?
"I'm sorry, but... are you talking to me?" He asked, walking closer to her. She nods. "Yes... Well, what say you? Would you like your palm read?" She asked, putting her hand out slightly in Skinner's direction. "That depends... what will you tell me?" He asked, stopping in front of her. "That depends on what you want me to tell you... Do you want me to tell you of your future? Or your health, perhaps?" She asked, feeling for the other stool folded up next to her.
She set the stool in front of her and motioned for him to sit. "Why don't we go with my future?" He suggested, sitting down and placing his hand in her outstretched palm. "Alright..." She replied with a smile. Her fingers pressed lightly into his hand and glided across his palm. "Okay, what have we got here..." She whispered to herself, starring in the space in front of her as she searched for the lines in Skinner's palm.
She traced the line arching from near the top of his hand to the base, and pursed her lips. She traced over it again, this time with a bit more pressure. "This line here says you will live a long life..." She began, then started to trace over the lines in his thumb. "... But you very well could end your life quickly if you don't use your logic as much as your will." She added with a smirk. Skinner chuckled. "I suppose your right about that."
Her fingers moved to below his pinkie. "You will meet a woman with some form of a strange gift... over time you both will fall in love and eventually... you will get married to her." She said, her expression showing the concentration she had while she moved her fingers to the base of his index finger. "Your job saves many people... though they are never aware of it..." Her fingers moved to the center line of his palm. "... You will continue with this line of work... and your wife will be of service to this work as well..." She added as she then moved to the line below his fingers.
"You are lonely... you long for a lover and have an abundance of love to offer..." She said, her facial expression softening. Skinner looked down a bit. She can see that through a line on myhand?! Bloody hell! She moved her hand slightly away from his. "Hmm..." Skinner looked up at her, then back at his hand.
"What about this line?" He asked, guiding her finger back to his palm. She traced it over for a few seconds then finally smiled. "Ah yes... the line of success." She replied, then traced over it again. "You will have a good and steady pay, like you do now... You will also have a wonderful relationship with your wife... and..." She paused. "Hm... that's funny..."
"What?" Skinner asked, first looking at her, then looking at his hand. She traced over all the lines in his hand... then again... and again. Finally on the third time she sighed and gave a look of utter confusion. "That's strange... why am I shown in your future...?" She whispered quietly to herself. "I beg your pardon?" Skinner asked, concerned for the confusion on the woman's face. "Nothing... I mistook a slope in one of the lines for another." She said with a kind smile.
She moved her hands into her lap. "Well, I hope you like what you have in store for your future." She said with another smile. Skinner sat stunned for a minute then smiled. "Thank you... Um... If you don't mind... could I ask you something?" He asked, fidgeting because of his nervousness. "Yes I am blind..." She replied. "No, not that... how did you see me walking up to you?" He asked, studying her face. She paused for a minute, asking herself a million questions at once like: "Why is this man naked...?! Should I tell him...? Could I trust him...? Why would I be in his future...? Am I the woman with the strange gift?"
Finally, she answered. "If I told you the truth, you wouldn't believe me." She said, with a light sigh. Skinner scoffed. "Try me." She sighed again. "Alright... I can see peoples spirits... They have the basic features of the person, which allows me to somewhat visualize what they look like..." She replied. Skinner looked at her and decided to test what she said. "If that hand comes any closer to my breast, I will chop it off." She said sternly.
He shot his hand back into his lap. "Holy shit..." He whispered to himself. She smirked. "I told you you wouldn't believe me." She replied with a chuckle. A woman with some form of a strange gift... The words echoed in Skinner's head, and one question started hitting him over and over again. Could this palm reader be the one?
She shifted in her stool and cleared her throat. "Can I ask you something?" She asked a bit nervously. Skinner looked up at her and smiled. "Sure, anything at all!" He replied with a grin. She smiled a bit, then shifted again. "I'm not trying to get personal or anything, but..." She started, playing with her hands. "Go on..." Skinner encouraged. She paused. "... Why are you naked?" She finally said. If Skinner had any pigment left in his skin, he would have gone as red as a cooked lobster. His hands jumped to protect his unmentionables and he glued his eyes to the cobble stone side walk.
She laughed. "Its alright... I can't see everything..." She reassured him with a kind smile. He let out a breath and shook his head. "Thanks for the heart attack..." He replied with a smile. He sighed, thinking over the options he had for the situations at hand. At least she wasn't rude about it... she didn't bring it up till now... A little voice in the back of his head pointed out. "Well... I'm not sure how to explain that..." He started. "Well, usually it begins with someone forgetting to put on clothing." The woman replied with a chuckle. Skinner chuckled with her. "If only it was that easy... I know! Let me show you..." He said, getting up.
She cocked her head in confusion at this but watched as Skinner made his way to the middle of the street. She glanced a little ways down the road and saw the spirit of a man. He walked down the street, completely aware of his surroundings and was paying attention as to where he was going. But as he got closer to Skinner, he made no change in the direction of where he was going and walked right into him. Skinner moved out of his way a did nothing. The man brushed off his clothes and looked around. He looked straight at Skinner and it seemed as though he hadn't seen him.
The man shrugged his shoulders and continued down the road. Skinner made his way back to the woman with a smile on his face. She sat a bit stunned but smiled as well. "Mind explaining what just happened?" She said with a small laugh. Skinner chuckled. "I'm invisible, that's why he didn't see me... Thank you for the reading... I'll be sure to keep my eyes opened for this woman you told me about." Skinner replied about to turn when the little voice put a thought into his head. "I never did catch your name, did I?" He asked, turning to her again. She smiled. "Autumn... Might I ask for yours?" She replied. He smiled. "You can call me Skinner... Have a nice day... Autumn..." He replied, turning to leave. "And you as well Skinner... I hope I'll get to see you in the future..." She replied, saying the last part softly to herself as she watched his spirit walk away.
This little idea popped into my head when I was watching The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen for the 30th time :P I hoped you guys liked :) please review! and thanks for reading! ~ A / N