Chapter 1: The Fortune Teller
It was sunset at the mid-eastern-themed theme park where Xiaoyu, Miharu, Alisa and Panda were walking around.
Coming across a bench the group decided to take a seat, rest their legs and watch the sunset after a long, fun day of rides and candy.
"Xiao, Panda, Alisa. Thank you all for this wonderful day you've treated me to," Miharu said.
"It's been the second time this week we've gone and done something like this."
"You're welcome, Miharu," Xiaoyu replied smiling. "I just wanted to do something special for your birthday.
Besides if I'm ever to have my own theme park I need to keep my inspiration up."
"Guys, I'm sorry to ruin the moment but my batteries are running low," Alisa apologised.
"Eh?" Miharu drew out longly. "Can't you just rub yourself up against Panda?
All that fur is bound to give off some static."
Panda, lying on the ground, turned her head and growled as she exchanged a brief but intense look with Alisa.
The girlbot looked up in front of her and said: "I don't think it would be that easy. Besides; what might people think?"
"Hey, maybe you can charge up in there," Xiaoyu said while pointing at a small tent marked 'Fortune Telling' across the path in front of them.
"Meanwhile we can have our future's read," Miharu exclaimed with enthusiasm as she bowed over.
"Sounds fun," Xiaoyu replied a bit less energetic, but energetic none-the-less.
Standing up and stretching out she turned to the others and said "Let's go."
"Yes" Alisa and Miharu replied in unison as Panda grunted.
The four entered the tent. Inside there was a round, dark and small room lit only by the intensely white crystal ball on the round table standing in the middle of it.
"I know why you're here," a seductive female voice uttered.
Sitting behind the ball was a hooded woman.
"One of you needs something... Something very important... Something vital," the woman slowly said gazing into the ball while waving her hands around it.
"One of you needs," she said urgently. "Wait, what? This can't be right," she said abruptly shifting to a surprised tone, whilst making quicker hand motions and looking more closely.
"Electricity?" she mugged almost cross-eyed.
Looking up, she took off her hood.
"Aah, it's the android girl. No wonder... How have you been, Alisa?"
"It's nice to see you again, Zafina," Alisa said bowing.
"There's an outlet in the back for the heating. Help yourself out," Zafina said.
"Thank you very much," Alisa said before rushing to the back.
"And what brings you two ladies here?" Zafina curiously questioned.
"You tell us!" Miharu bluntly blurted out.
"Could it be that you are part of the chosen ones?"
"Chosen ones?" Xiaoyu said with a sense of wonder as she put a finger to her mouth.
"Why don't I start with you?" Zafina said to Miharu.
"Come closer, take a seat."
Miharu walked over to the table, pulled the chairs from underneath it and sat down.
"Now before I give you a reading, are you okay with your friend hearing everything that we might talk about?"
"I've got no secrets I keep from Xiaoyu," Miharu said.
"Okay, then, why don't you have a seat, too, my dear?" Zafina invited.
"Mmm," Xiaoyu nodded as she went over, took another chair and sat next to her friend.
"I am skilled at Western, Indian and Chinese astrology, numerology, palm reading, tarot cards, aura reads and blood-type reading. So let me first take a picture," Zafina said pulling out a flashing camera and taking a startled Miharu's photo.
"Next I'll need some data from you. What is your full name, birth place, birth date, birth hour and blood type?"
Knowing all those things by heart Miharu quickly answered all the questions as Zafina pulled out a pair of reading glasses (the sexy librarian-type) and ticked all the info into a laptop computer.
"Now, pick three cards," Zafina said holding out the deck.
Miharu picked three cards and Zafina turned them over placing them in front of her.
"Now I'll just need to see and feel your palm," Zafina said taking Miharu's hand.
"Look at your photo, charts and numbers," she said gazing into her computer.
"A little longer... Hold on... It's coming," she said closing her eyes.
"It's!" Zafina gasped as she opened her eyes.
"This is very strange indeed."
"What's that?" Miharu questioned with burning curiosity.
"Well the truth, my dear, is that when I look into your future I see nothing."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing at all!" Zafina continued. "This could be very important."
Deeply sighing and sitting backwards into a more relaxed position she continued:
"Truly I have never had this happen before. Your charts, numbers and cards are all over the place. Same for the colors in your aura. Everything about them contradicts everything else.
The only bit of consistency I've gathered so far is that you're a party girl."
"Party girl?" Miharu questioned.
"You know the type that's very popular with the boys." Zafina clarified.
"Geez... you didn't have to be psychic to know that much," Xiaoyu thought to herself while staring at Miharu's chest. "That cleavage... is bottomless," she sighed in herself.
"It might be that these methods are too ordinary for some one as special as you," Zafina theorized.
"I will need to go deeper. Luckily I have some more intense rituals for these cases," she said taking out a kiseru and smoking it.
"I will go into a trance-like state," she said closing her eyes and inhaling.
Exhaling she breathed out an enormous cloud of smoke.
Opening her eyes, the colors of them seemed to be shifting.
"A friend in need is a friend indeed," Zafina said monotonously.
"You will aid your best friend into achieving her dreams. Your clumsiness will prove to be your greatest asset. As a shadow you might disappear and become anti-social... or too much of a party girl forsaking your friends. But you'll lead a long, anonymous life."
"That's it?" Miharu asked displeased.
"Sorry, even in my trance it was hard reading you."
"Well, at least I got something."
"My turn!" Xiaoyu said.
"All your dreams will become reality. You will save the love of your life from evil. You will accomplish this by the help of friends, acquaintances and joining me and my team."
"I will?" Xiaoyu pondered.
"You will," Zafina said.
"I will!" Xiaoyu fiercely proclaimed.
"Wait a minute. Don't you like need her data first?" Miharu asked.
"No, it's obvious. It's written all over her face," Zafina answered calmly.
"However..." she continued menacingly, "what are you prepared to do?"
"Anything! Everything! Getting Jin back is my biggest wish!" Xiaoyu cried nigh hysterically.
"Are you willing to hurt him?"
"Yes!"
"Are you willing to hurt him thoroughly?"
"Yes!"
"Pack your suitcases for long and meet me tomorrow at this adres and time for briefing. Be sure to take your friends along as well," Zafina said while scribbling onto a piece of paper and handing it over.
"Welcome to the Wreath of Bloody Flowers," Zafina smiled.