Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of its characters except for "the girl."
"What more do you wish to hear?" the fortuneteller inquired softly.
The girl stared at the cards. Her gaze appeared murky and disconnected. Saiou didn't like that look. It was a look of obsession.
"My father," the girl whispered. "Can you tell me if he will get well?"
Saiou sighed. He dreaded topics such as these even if the cards were never wrong in their predictions.
"This is your father now, correct?" The card he had drawn showed a man just about ready to collapse under the immensely heavy weight of ten slim rods as he trudged up a mountainside. The Ten of Wands.
The girl's eyes narrowed. "It looks like a…struggle." Her gaze met his own. "What does it mean?"
"Just what you said. Sometimes, the cards speak for themselves. Your father has been fighting long and hard against his illness." Sartorius had pointedly decided not to press about the nature of this potentially life-threatening malady.
The girl was now absently chewing her lip. "But…will he…live?" She was very obviously holding back tears.
In answer, he drew another card; squinting down at the ensuing depiction. "The Three of Wands," he observed. "Decisions will be made and alternate treatment options will be explored. Let us draw another card in the hopes that your query becomes clearer."
With a light rap, the third card lightly touched the tabletop. In spite of himself, he smiled—his expression synonymous with the golden-clad, raven-haired woman that had been painted on the card itself.
"The Nine of Pentacles. Security and success is in your father's future. You have nothing to fear."
The girl raised her head up; wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She seemed overwrought.
"Thank you," she rasped.
"Your gratitude isn't necessary. I am merely a Messenger of Fate. This result would've happened anyway; I'm merely revealing the result in advance.
"Oh." The girl's head drooped.
Saiou clasped his hands and studied the oddly halting and silent girl. Her pale face was obscured by an overwhelming ginger-colored mane. To anyone's eyes, she resembled a profoundly defeated person. However, Saiou was not one to judge. Or take interest for that matter.
Collecting the three stray Tarot cards, Saiou motioned to put away his deck. The reading was over.
"Wait."
Saiou froze. He could sense her uneasy mind. "Yes?"
"I want to learn about my love life. I want to see…if there is anyone for me in the future."
A harmless enough question. Never one to turn away a querent—within reason of course—Saiou found himself already shuffling the deck.
"What do you wish to know about in particular?"
The girl met his gaze once more; her hazel green eyes vaguely misty. "I want to know who he is or how I might recognize him."
Immediately, Saiou set down to work. The girl was a paying client after all. Indeed, this was the fourth occasion he had divined for her. He was beginning to find her presence worrisome, but then again, he suspected she just needed consolation. And company.
Nevertheless, he was a professional. He told clients the truth and nothing more.
For perhaps the hundred thousandth time in his life, Saiou flipped over a card. "This is how you will recognize your future…" His words broke off as his attention was completely taken over by the card. The card.
His old adversary, the Devil, stared up at him in all his terrible glory.
"Is there something wrong?" The girl's voice was edgy.
It had to be a mistake. Yet, no mistake could have been made. The cards never lied. Reshuffling them would have been unnecessary especially when he would only reach the exact same outcome.
Sartorius found the strength to steel himself. "The man you will become involved with will be of the unscrupulous sort. He will be overtaken by his baser instincts that could border on…evil."
The girl's mouth dropped open. "Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
A silence filled the room as the candles kept on burning. The girl was observably beside herself. Instantly, Saiou understood. She had already been of a timid nature and now he had given her reason to worry. Naturally, he felt it proper to politely elaborate.
"Of course, the Devil could also correspond to someone born under the sign of Capricorn. It's all a matter of interpretation."
"I'm a Cancer," the girl blurted out.
Saiou lost his train of thought. "Pardon?"
"My zodiac sign is Cancer the Crab. Capricorn is my opposite sign. It's the absolute worst match for me."
"I'm afraid Astrology is not my area of expertise. Will that be all?" Saiou was getting impatient. His eyes kept drifting back to that damnable card.
"Yes." The girl sounded depressed. "That's it for now."
Saiou snatched up the card that was offending his sight. She would be back. Of that he was certain.
"How much do I owe you?"
Saiou checked the clock. "Our appointment was 4:45 and it is now 5:09. Twenty-four minutes. That will be twenty-four dollars."
Mechanically, the girl threw the money on the table. If she kept this up, she'd have no funds left. But, it was not his place to lecture to a paying customer.
"Thank you again." The girl ducked her head nervously. "You have no idea how much this means to me."
"You're welcome. Have a safe journey home."
With that, the nameless girl left the room.
Author's Note: Not a big fan of Saiou but this idea was too good to pass up. I did a little research for this fic so the card and astrological information is factual. And yes, Sartorius hasn't yet turned evil in this fic.