Kaalaa Baunaa

Bindi. A traditional cosmetic marking commonly seen adorning the foreheads of Indian women. Gracious hosts will also place the bindi on the foreheads of distant travelers. The mark is more of a blessing than a vanity. The bright red may be derived from slightly toxic mineral sulfates.

The first choice of professional athletes, this leotard is made from premium fabric for a smooth, form-fitting feel.

Plenty of perforations add the finishing touch. As one respondent put it, "This thing makes my every move more perfect than the last."

Painted stars along the arm radiate a strange arcane aura.

She claims the body-warding designs come from old Vedic techniques, but we must state that inscribing arrays onto the body is dangerous—especially one that looks like it could summon an eclipse.

An old and simple windbreaker of unknown brand and a color that you'll have trouble trying to find a match for. Though the fashionistas tend to frown at it, this fabric has a comfortable texture and first rate material. A pragmatist would find it hard to refuse.

A roll of affordable and reliable sports tape, designed for straightforward and effective functionality.

It fits the minimalist approach of a certain interviewee: "Hey, as long as it works, right?"

A sheer robe woven with stars and eclipsed suns, as soft as nightfall, and far from a traditional design.

She generously offers to explain the imagery: a prophecy of a future where the sun is extinguished and a new blue star ascends to take its place. The writer doesn't believe in prophecy, but her calm expression as she describes it is nonetheless unsettling.

An accessory to a large telescope. This device would hardly provide any actual observational function on its own and is a bit too cumbersome as a piece of decor. But it serves perfectly as a memento.

Silver powder infused with shimmering elements, meeting the anti-slip needs of all athletes while adding an extra layer of pizzazz for the audience.

Its name is a beautiful wish for athletes to return home triumphant.

Earrings symbolizing sunlight, their connecting chains illustrating the process of eclipse.

She shared the legend of Rahu, the Asura who chases and devours sun and moon. Modern astronomy dismisses invisible star-beings affecting celestial bodies—but the world often answers in unexpected ways.

Unlike western astrology, Vedic Astrology seldom focuses on humanity's self understanding. Instead, this form of Astrology attempts to avoid all "phenomena" that obscure their vision and go straight to the nature of human soul. This board is like an instruction manual with detailed records of the ratio of joy to sorrows and the angle of fated paths.

Humans are strange creatures. They are always curious about the unknown destiny, yet would attempt to fight it once it is revealed to them. Fortunately, the calamities resulting from the vain struggles are also recorded within this manual.

Young children have yet to understand the true meaning behind "disappointment". The abstract lines taken out of the board are just as cryptic as the insults and rejection from the male classmates of the same age. But the foster parents are too kind, to the point that no one else would give her a more tolerable place to stay, even if she wants to find a temporary place to stay away.

But what else could she do??

After returning home from the hall of astrology, the eleven year old girl climbed up to the roof and looked upon the sparkling empyrean.

The manual may be prophetically accurate, but—to hell with it, she thought to herself. She chose not to believe in whatever it said.

Rearing a child is not an easy task.

Vaquini gently lifted her sari skirt and hurried down the soft, muddy road.

It was a beautiful and smart looking baby and extended its tiny hand from the cozy blanket under the sky adorned with the stars and moon. It wasn't a good time, and neither was it a good place. Being an abandoned child was probably the least painful element of these endless tragedies. But they chose to take her tiny hand and protect her with their embraces.

"You should discipline her," the young teacher was full of worry, "She injured Daz and Rael and almost kicked them off the observatory. I'm not picking on her, but this is the third time this week..."

"Really? Maybe we should ask the two rascals what they said to her to get beat up three times a week."

"...wha...?"

"My daughter has solved the problem with her unique methods. You should be grateful that she has saved you the trouble of lecturing those scamps, Mister Pakash."

What a joke, she had personally overseen her education in martial arts! Vaquini pauses mid-stride despite her fury. She lets go of the small hand she has been holding onto so tightly and angrily rummages about in her pocket by the entrance for her key.

In the corner of her eye, she caught the silhouette of the girl attempting to fish her astrolabe out of her bag.

She is a pretty and intelligent child, in whose veins run the distinctive blood of arcanists. She had been sent to her, with the swaddling that contained her destiny.

"Look, Mother!" Yet now, the girl holds up her astrolabe, the back of which her destiny has been inscribed. This has been completely covered up by a dark doodle of a celestial body.

... Who cares. The ghost of a smile hovers about Vaquini's lips as she mutters to herself and puts the key to the keyhole to twist it gently. This was their child... and that was all that mattered.

Pandora Wilson: Not all interviewees are as punctual as you. At least they rarely show up neither early nor late, just on time.

Kaalaa Baunaa: Punctuality is very beneficial to my work... I believe you could say the same of yourself.

Pandora Wilson: Indeed.

Pandora Wilson: So, was this interview something you expected?

Kaalaa Baunaa: I had a feeling about it.

Pandora Wilson: Have you tried changing all of this? For example, getting up and leaving this room, like you're throwing off the shackles of Fate.

Kaalaa Baunaa: ... Fate is not subjective. Divination was not created so we could turn our faces from Fate.

Pandora Wilson: So do you believe Fate is objective?

Kaalaa Baunaa: As objective as astrology.

Kaalaa Baunaa: For one can only accept an outcome if one knows what led to it.