Trying to catch up on time, you take some shortcuts through a few smaller streets.
Just as you arrive at the end of one street that’s supposed to open up into a large square, you find your path blocked by a large, unwieldy tent dotted with stars and crescent shapes.
You’re not the only person impatiently waiting for the path to clear.
Unfortunately, the only person struggling with the tent is a girl that can’t be much older than her mid-teens.
Every time she raises one side of the tent, some kind of support inside topples over and the other side collapses again.
People around you are getting visibly angry.
You sigh. Why do you keep doing this…
“Good afternoon,” you say, stepping closer, “Do you need some help?”
A silver-haired girl with strange eyes looks over her shoulder.
She’s wearing long, flowing robes with covered by a dark cloak with a hood.
As she looks over her shoulder, the support she had been trying to raise topples over, “Ah,” she says.
The wooden support clatters to the ground.
The silver-haired girl stares at it briefly, then ignores it, looking back at you.
The girl strikes a pose, covering half her face with a hand.
“Though the whims of fate are mine to observe,” she cries, “My palace of divination’s state is sorely lacking. I will accept your help!”
Outward you smile, inward you groan.
You help the girl and though both of you are short, with a little teamwork you manage to get the tent situated.
With the stars and crescent shapes decorating the outside fabric of the tent, It looks like some kind of place where budget fortune telling happens.
“Hmpf!” says the girl, leaning in as she presses a hand against her upper chest, “Rejoice, mortal for Lady Tomiju of the House of Seven Crystals has blessed you with the opportunity to shed some light on the unknowable darkness of your existence!”
IT IS a place where budget fortune telling happens.
That would make the silver-haired girl the fortune teller, no?
“Ahaha…” you say, scratching the bridge of your nose, “I should really…”
“Come!” shouts the girl, both hands pointing towards the dark tent, “Enter my domain and I will reveal the patterns hidden within your life’s tapestry! Their meaning as clear as the day the gods wove it using the threads of fate!”
Uwaaa….
Your head swivels left and right. People are totally staring.
Those that were impatient have already moved on, the rest are enjoying the show.
They’re all perfectly fine with you monopolizing this strange individual.
You have to get out of this somehow.
“For a small of fee of only fifty dollars I will dispel the mists shrouding your potential!” continues the fortune teller girl.
“Eh, fifty?” you say, “That’s a little…”
“Forty,” replies the fortune teller instantly.
“I don’t know…”
“Thirty,”
“I…” you try.
“Twenty,”
“It’s just that…”
“How much you got?” asks the fortune teller.
Is this a way out?
“I’m sorry,” you say, “But I didn’t bring any paper money…”
The fortune-teller huffs.
“It can’t be helped,” says the fortune-teller in the tones of somebody doing you a massive favour, her chin resting in the space between index finger and thumb, nodding sagely, “This, too, is fate! You helped me and thus I shall help you!”
She also mumbles something under her breath about the importance of marketing.
…Some of the people in the crowd are pulling out their phone to record the exchange.
“By channelling the intricate energies hidden with the cosmos, I sha--” manages the girl before you interrupt.
“Yes, yes,” you say, ushering the girl into her tent, “I’ll be in your care!”
“Eh?” says the girl, but quickly adjusts, “Leave it to me!”
The last thing you need is a video on the internet of you and this girl.
What if somebody recognizes you as Kaiba’s manager…
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Everything else aside, the inside of the tent actually captures that fortune teller vibe.
A closer look reveals that it is little more than painted illustrations on the tent’s cloth, a wooden table with cushions serving as seats on either side, and some battery-powered mood lighting.
Both you and the fortune-teller girl take your respective places at the table.
[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/992ea64b-41e6-4faa-8410-3cd176797351.jpg]
“As a tool to guide me in this, I shall rely on the crafts of western mysticism,” says the fortune teller as she points towards a deck of cards.
Western mysticism? Those are just tarot cards, aren’t they?
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Makes you wonder if people in the west add things like ‘Eastern' or ‘Oriental’ to things to make them seem more authentic.
“I am the mystic known as Tomiju Aya,” says the fortune-teller, “Have you visited a fortune-teller before?”
“Hmm,” you say, thinking back, “Maybe during high school? It’s been a long time though, I can’t remember much…”
“My~, that’s quite alright though,” says Tomiju, her face is one of kindness and compassion, but you notice she pumps her fist underneath the table in glee, “I’ll explain.”
You nod your head, “Thanks, I’ll be in your care.”
Fortune-teller Tomiju reaches for one of the decks of Tarot cards, shuffling them.
“You ask a question for fate to answer and then we’ll draw three cards, these represent the past, present, and future. I am nothing more than fate’s instrument in this, laying out the cards and diving their meaning.” explains Tomiju, “Each card has a certain meaning and it might change depending on whether the card face points towards me or you, but you can leave all that to me.”
You glance at the deck of cards.
There’s quite a pile of these.
And each of those has their own meaning and adjusted meaning?
“That seems like a lot of information to retain,” you say.
“Hmpf,” says fortune-teller Tomiju, somewhat smug, “When you submerge yourself in the mystic arts and divination like I do then such knowledge becomes part of you before long. Ingrained in your very being.”
That makes sense.
Still impressive though.
“Let’s start, shall we?” says fortune teller Tomiju, “What question would you place before the cosmos?”
Well, you could at least humour her a bit to give the crowd outside some time to disperse.
> Decision
> >1 - Ask her about what the universe has in store for you in regard to your love life.
> >2 - Will you find success as an idol manager?
> >3 - Ask what fate has in store for Chigusa Iki
> >4 - Ask what fate has in store for Kaiba Aoi
> >5 - Ask what fate has in store for Enatsu Mari
> >6 - Write-in
>
> Winner
> >1 - Ask her about what the universe has in store for you in regard to your love life.
re’s a lot of things you can talk about as there’s always something to worry about.
However, as the lunch with Yoshimura is still fresh on your mind, you gravitate towards the age-old classic that people have been asking fortune tellers for centuries.
[green]“How about relationships and stuff?”[/green] you say, [green]“Will I be able to find somebody?”[/green]
Why couldn’t the fortune teller be some wizened, old granny?
Now you have to chat about love with a teenager…
Fortune-teller Tomiju smirks, [green]“Fufufu~,”[/green] she says, her face slowly going red, [green]“I suppose y-you’re at that age. It can’t be helped…”[/green]
She shuffles the Tarot deck once more.
[https://assets.legendkeeper.com/9ac8f71c-027c-4af9-bc1f-382399895033.jpg]
“Draw three cards!” she shouts, “Take hold of your destiny with thine own hands!”
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> A Tarot Deck has 78 cards each of which has a meaning.
> When the cards are drawn, placed face down, and then revealed the “picture” (or face) will point towards either the fortune teller or the customer.
> The underlying meaning of the card changes depending on which way it points.
>
> With 78 cards which all have two possible states (facing away/facing towards) we end up with a simple flat list of 156 options.
>
> Need three rolls, make sure to mention which one you are rolling for. One person per roll, please.
>
> The Past
> Need one 1d156 roll.
> Rolled 154 (1d156)
>
>
>
>
>
> The Present
> Need one 1d156 roll.
> Rolled 84 (1d156)
>
>
>
>
>
> The Future
> Need one 1d156 roll.
> Rolled 119 (1d156)
>
>
>
>
The three cards are laid out.
The fortune teller laughs, “Kukuku~” she says, “And so destiny reveals itself…”
Even though you’re just going along with things, you feel yourself getting nervous.
“Regarding love in times gone past, the before-days…” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, as she flips over the card, “Facing you is The High Priestess.”
“Facing me?” you say, “Is that good?”
“Often,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, “Though it largely depends on the eye that sees it.”
“Caught between the pillars of establishment and strength, masculine and feminine, good and evil, positive and negative. The fate of the High Priestess is that of a mediator. Forever torn between the above and under, residing in the in-between. You’ve led a life where you cater to others but forget yourself. Her facing you is much like a confrontation. It’s time to stop thinking and start feeling. In the past you’ve closed yourself off, it’s time to open up.”
Fortune-teller Tomiju reaches for the card and slider it towards you, “There was love in your past that you weren’t aware of or didn’t accept. These individuals will surface again, be ready and open when they do. A storm of emotions may stir under a calm visage.”
“Ooooo,” you say, “You almost sound like the real deal!”
“Hah!?” says Fortune-teller Tomiju as she presses a hand against her chest, “I am the real deal!”
You nod, “I see, I see,” you say, “What about the other cards?”
Fortune-teller Tomiju grumbles, “Don’t take my cosmic might lightly!” she says, then turns another card.
“For love in the present…,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, “Facing you is the Eight of Pentacles!“
The image on the card displays a young man dedicated entirely to his craft.
Fortune-teller Tomiju clears her throat a little, “Eight of Pentacles is a card of commitment and hard work. You need to work hard to achieve what you desire. Be proactive. Love is also hard work, don’t forget that. With effort and persistence, you will achieve what you desire!”
You lean in the little, “Do the cards really say that?”
Fortune-teller Tomiju folds her arms, looking a little smug, “Well, something like that.”
“Now the future…” says Fortune-teller Tomiju with a menacing tone.
You swallow as her hand reaches for the card.
“Facing you is the Ace of Cups,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju.
The card shows some kind of chalice being offered by a hand sprouting from the clouds.
Sparkling water rests in the cup. It’s an offer of soothing nourishment.
“The Ace of Cups is one the best possible cards to get for a love reading,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, “It signifies new relationships, blossoming feelings, and deeper levels of intimacy. The soil is plentiful, the stage is set, and the planets align in your favour. All you have to do is cast aside your reservations and drink deep. It heralds a new beginning, but only if you’re brave enough to take it.”
Honestly. Fortune readings sure are great, aren’t they?
“What would it have meant if it was facing away from me?” you ask.
“Solitude, darkness, emptiness, emotional loss, suffering, and continued despair at being unloved,” replies Fortune-teller Tomiju bluntly.
“Uwaa…” you say.
“But, rejoice, for that is not the fate that destiny brands you with,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju as she collects the cards, “All-in-all, I’d say love is very much a possibility for you, but you need to put yourself first at times, stop overthinking and just do stuff, and be more open.”
Well, if she says it without the air of mysticism then it just sounds like general life advice.
“Can I ask another question?” you say.
“Twenty-five bucks,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, holding her arms.
You wilt a bit, “Ah, but I didn’t bring any money.”
Fortune-teller Tomiju pulls out her phone, tapping away at it, “You can add me on Line and then you can LinePay me twenty-five. Easy.”
Dang, this girl is really on top of things.
“Extensive use of my mystical powers causes their energies to reverberate through the unseen realms,” says Fortune-teller Tomiju, “I may have time for one more question for I fear enemies may show if I linger.”
> Decision
>
> >1 - Ask another question (Pay Tomiju $25 through LinePay.)
> >2 - No. You should get going.
>
> Winner
> >3 - Ask what fate has in store for Kaiba Aoi