“I need your help, Miyo,” Came a soft, yet urgent-sounding female voice.
Without even looking up, the famous fortune-teller of Furinkan High shuffled her cards. “It’s about Ranma, right Akane?”
The youngest Tendo stood back, completely aghast. “How did you know!?”
Akane’s two friends, whom had been by her side since this whole ordeal started a month ago, were quick to start gossiping their own ideas.
“Maybe she’s the one who took him,” Yuka whispered conspiratorially as she looked over to Sayuri.
Sayuri was quick to node her head in agreement. “Akane did say there was a Tarot card found at the scene, right? Or maybe...” Sayuri tapped her chin. “She knows about everything because she’s reading out minds.
Nodding her head quickly, Yuko was quick to point out, “She IS psychic, after all.”
Now, Miyo looked up from her shuffling. Slowly, her left eyebrow rose. “I know because it’s been the talk of the school, you squawking hens.”
The sudden insult was enough to still Akane’s two cronies with shock. But still, the leader of the trio knew what needed to be done. “Miyo, please,” She started politely, something people weren’t used to hearing from the Tomboy fiancée. “This is serious.”
“I’m sure it is,” Miyo said. “A month is a long while for someone to be gone without a word to anyone...” She managed to smile cryptically. “Unless they didn’t want to be found.”
Her eyes widening, Akane slammed her hands onto Miyo’s desk and lurched forward to stare the fortune teller in the eyes. “DON’T EVEN JOKE!”
Although outwardly, she appeared as though wasn’t concerned in the slightest by Akane’s outburst, Miyo felt a little bit of sorrow for the youngest Tendo daughter. She could see the fear and desperation in her eyes. She remembered back when the disappearance started, the girl had been cursing the Pigtail martial artist out thrice an hour. Miyo could only assume that reality was starting to hit home with whom was, (arguably) the most popular girl in school.
So slowly, Miyo asked the girl, “You want me to do a reading to see what I can find out about Ranma?”
Nodding her head, Akane all but shouted in the fortune teller’s face. “YES!”
Miyo winced a little bit. Reaching into her desk, she pulled out a handkerchief before wiping her face. “Say it next time, don’t spray it.” She grumbled.
Having the decency to blush, Akane leaned back from the Tarot card reader to give her room. “Sorry, Miyo.”
“It’s... All right...” Miyo answered slowly as she put the handkerchief away. “I know how excitable you are. But I must warn you,” The girl said slowly in an even voice as to grab Akane’s attention. “This past month, I have been using my Tarot cards to try and find Ranma, and nearly every time, I set o cards I pull out are nearly identical.”
“You have!?” Akane shouted. “Why have you been trying to find Ranma?”
“Maybe she’s interested in him?” Sayuri asked curiously.
Shaking her head, Yuka disagreed. “No way. He may have a hot body, but he’s nowhere near Miyo’s type.”
Her eye twitching slightly, Miyo calmly told Akane’s two talkative friends, “No, it’s just that I’ve had others come to me about this. Ms. Kuonji has been visiting my home at least once every week since this started as to try and find out about ‘Ranchan’. And each time, it’s been almost the same reading.”
Akane asked. “What do you mean, almost?”
“Usually the same Major Arcana and Minor Arcana Court cards to represent Ranma, two common Minor Arcana Suits, and then one more Suit other which always changes on me... Showing me how his situation changes slightly every time.”
Looking at Miyo seriously, the Heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts nodded her head. “Show me.”
Nodding her head, Miyo mixed her cards once more before placing the deck flat on her school desk. “Whenever I try to look at Ranma, I always get this card first.” And with that said, the fortune teller took the top card off the deck and placed it onto the desk face up. Akane and her two friends leaned over to get a look at the card.
The image was of a gold-furred cat-headed woman dressed in fine silk toga of blue, white colors while wearing an Isis moon crown, veil, and a solar cross necklace as she stood between two pillars, marked with a B and the other with a J. In her hand, she held a scroll marked with the word Tora on it. And finally there was a black and while lotus floating on the pool by her feet which reflected a crescent moon.
“Bastet is a one card which I rarely draw,” Miyo told them seriously. “It is not traditionally used for most Eastern Tarot, but it was of the original set made by the Egyptians, the creators of this art of divination. Their style as you can see, consists of the Pillar Gods of Egypt and have slightly alternative meanings to their more modern counterparts.”
Akane blinked her eyes a bit. “Alternative to modern counterparts?” The youngest Tendo asked in confusion.
“Yes,” The fortune teller said seriously to her fellow high-school student. “You see, the card of Bast is an alternative to, or perhaps I should say the original design of the High Priestess, the second Major Arcana card of the Tarot. Therefore, it is a card of knowledge. Instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge.”
“Knowledge?” Akane asked in shock. After all, Ranma wasn’t exactly all that smart, at least in her opinion, (and that of two dozen others at least).
Nodding her head, Miyo told Akane, “Yes, Akane. As you can see, Bastet holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know in order to make a decision about a problem or a job, an investment, love, career, family, you get the idea.
“And, finally, there is, behind her throne, the curtain that leads to the deepest, most esoteric and secret knowledge; which indicates that when you get the card of Bastet, you’re going to be learning some very odd things. Very odd.”
“Hey, Miyo,” Sayuri spoke up. “I trust your powers and skills, but no offense... This sounds like complete BS.”
Yuka nodded her head. “Yeah, Ranma isn’t knowledgeable about anything!”
Shaking her head, Miyo told them, “You’re wrong there. He is VERY capable with his skills in the art of fighting.” She smirked at the looks from all three girls. “Knowledge isn’t just dates, history, science, math... It covers many things, such as sociability, arts of all levels such as sculpture, painting, music, and yes, even fighting.”
That was a bit of an eye-opener for Akane and her friends, but, the youngest Tendo still had doubts about this concerning her fiancé. “Miyo... Are you SURE that card is Ranma?”
Nodding her head, Miyo told her, “Because I then draw this card...” She then chose the next card on the deck. Showing Akane the card with the image of an armored individual on the horseback holding not a lance, but a long ornamental rod. “It was the Knight of Wands.
“This card represents a young man,” Miyo told Akane seriously. “I like to think of this teen as the ‘tilting at windmills’ Knight. It represents a charismatic person, the kind of youth who never slows down, who always goes for grand gestures. This is the ‘party teen’, and we’re talking big, wild events; the kind of youth who loves adversity and seems to thrive in it, going with the flow, picking up friends and enemies as he goes. He’s popular, the center of attention, the leader who comes up with crazy ideas. On the negative side, this teen can be headstrong, bossy or a bully. A little narcissistic, he’s not always sensitive to others feelings. Don’t expect him to be reliable or on time. Fiercely loyal to his friends, and his religion whether that is sports, a philosophy or church.”
Now Yuka had to whistled. “Holy crap, that’s Ranma to a tee!”
“And it follows the Bastet card,” Miyo said. “Which if I remember from the stories going around, it WAS the card that was found where he’d last been. Meaning that my fortunes ARE looking onto Ranma.”
Akane nodded her head, but something deep within her wasn’t willing to give Ranma the, (unknowing) satisfaction of being paired with a card which was knowledge. “I’m still not sure...”
“Akane, this is the Knight of Wands. Wands are also of the element of Fire. This Represents passion. As such, in a reading it usually stands for the person’s ambition, career, creative endeavors, religion and/or philosophy. Anything a person might put their energy and soul into, such as teaching and leadership. This is something they have to do, whether you are recompensed for it or not. It is something that burns inside of the person and they need to act on it.”
Sayuri nodded her head. “Akane, I was a little disbelieving at first, but you have to admit... That card IS describing Ranma perfectly.”
Gnawing on her lower lip, Akane mumbled, “I’m not so su-”
“Phoenix Pill, Chestnut Fist, Mount Phoenix,” Miyo brought up from what she’d heard of information on Ranma, all important events of the missing person’s life that revolved around fire.
Standing there still for a moment, it was nearly a full minute before Akane responded. “...Where is he?”
Taking that as Akane admitting Ranma was indeed affiliated with the Card of Bast, Miyo took the next card, that of a single chalice on a table, the mark of an “A” at the top left and bottom right corners. “This is the Ace of Cups. The Aces tend to mean seasons and direction. In the latter case, it means Ranma is somewhere West.”
Akane nodded her head as she took that into consideration. He headed West? Why would he be west, unless...
“What else is there?” Akane asked seriously.
Miyo took the next card off the deck slowly. “As I have been getting, this card comes next when it comes to Ranma.” She placed the card on the desk before Akane. The image was that of a young man resting on a pallet, three swords above, one under him, the young man looking quite dead.
“Don’t be fooled by the image of the card,” Miyo told Akane seriously. “The Four of Swords is the ‘meditation’ card. The card advises that the person in question is in need to get away, rest, recuperate. Especially after a conflict, which is represented by the Three of Swords.”
Akane blinked her eyes. “Rest? Was he in a battle?”
The fortune teller shrugged her shoulders. “I cannot say that per se,” Miyo told Akane honestly. “The card indicates that Ranma has been facing mental or emotional stress, arguments, misunderstandings or verbal abuse, or that he’s ill or injured. A healing retreat is needed, time to clear the head, heart and soul, or just fix a damaged body. In this case, the stillness of the ‘4’ is healing and positive. A quiet, unchanging scene is needed.”
Miyo was then surprised as Akane glared at her. “What?”
“You trying to SUGGEST something!?” Akane shouted, feeling her ire grow.
The fortune teller was feeling confused. “What do you mean?”
“Do you think I’m stupid!?” Akane shouted. “Arguments, misunderstandings or verbal abuse! You’re trying to say he ran off because of me, aren’t you!?!?”
“Hold on!” Miyo spoke up forcefully. “I never said-”
“Right! Because I stopped you BEFORE you could!” Akane shouted, crossing her arms over her breasts and turning away from the woman in a huff. “Come on, Yuka! Sayuri! It’s obvious she’s trying to put the blame on me!”
Yuka nodded her head. “She did say she’d been working with Ukyo.”
Nodding her head, Sayuri, the other Yes-Woman to Akane added, “A possible red herring.”
Seeing the three girls walk away from her and leave the classroom, Miyo sighed. Shaking her head, she had to wonder about the stupidity and paranoia of her fellow man. “Well, better not let this go to waste...” She said softly as she reached for the final card. She nodded her head as she saw that, yes, this was a card she had yet to pick up. The image was that of a man in dark clothing sneaks off from a window, five sword hilts sticking out of his bag, while two more were still by the broken window.
“The Seven of Swords,” Miyo said softly. “This was the ‘Thief’ card. It implied that someone is stealing something from the person, their honor, ideas, time...
...Their life...
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(Posted Tue, 11 Apr 2006 23:41)
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