"It's funny, you know, Watanuki."
"Funny as in 'ha-ha', Yuuko-san?"
"Not quite that."
Watanuki had gotten used to the strange woman's musings by now. Generally, he just let her talk, and attempted to take in what she had to say. He didn't mind it; there were so many strange happenings at the shop that occasionally her ramblings gave him some sort of insight. Not often, though.
He had been scrubbing the wood floors just outside of one of the shop's larger rooms. Yuuko's silhouette could be seen on the paper door, illuminated from the eerie glow of a single candle. Night had fallen an hour ago, and the fireflies were dancing in the garden already. He tossed the brush into the water bucket and leaned against one of the columns near the door.
"What's funny, Yuuko-san?" he asked, deciding to humor the woman.
"Did you know that fate tries to rewrite itself?" She answered with another question, but did not pause for an answer. "Occasionally, the dealer decides to reshuffle the deck, and deals the cards differently."
"Odd." Watanuki said noncommittally.
"While it tries to rewrite the story, it never makes it to print." She paused. "That is to say, Hitsuzen is definite. While there are substitutes to the destiny, only the pre-ordained one ever comes to pass. The alternative fate will never be known to the players, and their reality is the only one they ever see." There was a rustle of fabric, as if Yuuko had slipped her kimono off her shoulder. "Do you remember our traveler friends, Watanuki?"
Watanuki nodded, and realizing she couldn't see him, added a "Yes," for good measure.
"They had terrible misfortune some time ago, which caused the pieces to fall in a certain pattern."
There was another rustle of fabric, and the creaking of floorboards as Yuuko stood.
"But something has asked fate to re-create it. To let an alternative be known, even if it never comes to pass." She walked to the door, not that Watanuki was taking much notice. "And, we may be fortunate enough to see it." The door slid open and smacked into the wooden post opposite Watanuki with a loud CLACK. "However, I do have a concern."
"And that is?" Watanuki looked up to see Yuuko standing in the outfit he'd heard her called the "Space-Time Witch" whilst wearing. The black silk sounded like falling rain as it slid across the wood floors.
"That someone will attempt to bring it to reality to benefit themselves."