Destination Destiny

Chapter 3: One Truth, One Soothsayer

Toad, Toadette, and Mario wander the streets of Sarasaland, looking for the whereabouts of Princess Daisy or Princess Peach. That small piece of information had seemed to be nowhere to be found. At least here, in Sarassaland, it was not.

"This is hopeless," Toad pouted, "There is no one left to ask. No one knows where they are!"

"He's right..." Toadette pouted as well, slouching against a wall.

"Come on, you two! Be a little optimistic..." Mario told them. Neither was listening.

"It is the princesses of which you seek?" sound an old, raspy voice from behind Toadette, making her jump a little.

"Your destiny is not as you wish, my dear boy," said the old man to Mario.

"You mean we'll never find the princesses?" Mario asked the old man.

"I never said that," he told him.

"Why should we listen to you?" Toad asked him suspiciously, "What are you, some sort of fortune teller?"

"Indeed, I am a soothsayer." he told them. Toad and Toadette both raised one eyebrow in disbelief.

"How do we know you're not some kind of phony trying to take our money?" Toad asked him.

"I do not wish to be paid for my services," the soothsayer continued, "I can prove this to you all."

Toadette's look looked a little more convinced than Toad's now.

"Alright, then. How about it?" Toad tried to sound as if he were challenging him.

"You were yesterday hit by a fruit stand," he told Toad, then looked over to Toadette, "You are a gardener at Princess Peach's Castle. Yesterday, your flowers were trampled over by a man older than I am," then he looked over to Mario, "You are an Italian plumber who rescues women and collects money."

Toad busted into laughter.

"But, it is the truth." the soothsayer said over Toad's ballistic laughing.

Mario glared at the soothsayer with hate in his eyes.

"Okay, so you got all of that stuff right, but it's still hard to believe..." Toadette said with a careful look.

"No matter," said the soothsayer, "Don't believe me. You'll regret it."

As he began to turn, Toad immediately stopped laughing, and then shouted, "WAIT!"

Toadette rolled her eyes once more at Toad's superstitousness.

"Can you tell me about my fortune?" Toad asked him, digging in his pocket for the fortune the Asian Toad, Kyoko, had given him, "Oh drat!" He shouted, "I forgot that I ripped it and tossed it away yesterday!"

"No matter for that either, I believe I have exactly what you're looking for. Please, step into my room."

None of them had noticed this, but they were standing next to a doorway that was occupied by beads instead of a door. The soothsayer walked through the beads, followed by Mario, Toad, and Toadette. Mario still looked angry about the old man's insult, but still said nothing.

The room was draped with dark, purple curtains, which seemed to engulf the room with a creepy feeling. In the center was a round, wooden table with four wooden chairs assorted around it.

They took each a seat, and looked around at each other, until the old man took a seat, opening his hand, revealing a slip of paper ripped in half, "I believe this is the fortune in which you are talking about?"

Toad took the pieces and put them together, reading the words aloud, "'Unfortunately, today will not be your day. You will lose someone dear, and have an accident involving a fruit stand.' Yes, I think this is it." Toad said.

"Wait, read the back!" Mario shouted.

Toad flipped the parchment over, reading it aloud, "'You're doomed.' I don't think this is mine..."

"Toad... I think that's Luigi's fortune..." Toadette said cautiously.

"Please, Toadette. Fortune cookies are a joke." Mario told her, "This is a waste of time. "You're doomed"? What kind of fortune says that?"

"You're right, let's get out of here," Toadette replied, standing up after Mario, "You coming, Toad?"

"You guys go ahead. I'll meet you at the castle." he replied.

The soothsayer waited until Mario and Toadette exited the room to mutter, "Fools..." he quickly turned back to Toad, "They don't know anything about the future, but you, my friend, will."

Toad looked upwards. Floating above them was a little creature. It was about the size of a golf ball, and had a grayish tint. It is huge, but cute blue eyes beamed down at him.

"This is Yera, my time traveling friend," the old man said.

Toad remained silent as the small ball floated around the soothsayer's head, illuminating blue sparkles as it danced.

"Yera is now seeing the present, seeing as its eyes are blue, but when they are red, they see the future, and when green, they see the past." the soothsayer explained, as Yera began to dance around Toad's head, "Only those whose destiny is dark can speak to him. I cannot."

Yera floated towards Toad's ear. It sound like a chipmunk was laughing in his ear, "Apparently neither can I." Toad finally said.

"That is a good thing." the old man said almost immediately, "Anyway; Yera's eyes can project your memory, so let's see that fortune."

Yera's eyes glow green, as did the sparkles floating behind him. Along the table, a picture began to form. It looked like a reflection in rippling water. The picture was of the slip of paper Toad chased into a fruit stand.

"It says the same thing as this fortune," the soothsayer said, until the slip flipped over, "'But the road ahead is looking bright.' Okay, so it's not a duplicate."

Toad raised his eyebrow.

"Well, the whole thing is quite obvious." the old man went on, "Your accident, the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom..."

"And my future is bright?" Toad looked suddenly uninterested.

"Exactly."

"I'm outta here." Toad glared at the man, and stood up, walking out the room.

"Come again soon!" He shouted through the beads.

"Whatever..." Toad muttered, heading back to the castle.

Back at Sarasaland Castle...

"I think that's everything..." Luigi had one suitcase full of his green "L" caps, his overalls, and his green shirts. In the other suitcase were super mushrooms, starmen, fire flowers, feathers, and anything else he could fit in it.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" a tiny voice asked as a small ball illuminating blue sparkles floated in through the window, and hovered by Luigi.

"No, Yera, you can't come. The guy told me not to let you be seen by anyone." Luigi replied. Luigi did not quite understand why the soothsayer had told him to keep Yera out of sight. Besides, what harm would it do if someone did see Yera? 'Well, better safe than sorry.' he always thought when that question came to mind.

Yera gave a slight "Hmph" and zoomed out of the room.

Luigi silently picked up his green suitcases, and headed down the spiral staircase, "That thing isn't as cute as it appears to be."

"Talking to yourself, Luigi?" Toadette and Mario were at the bottom of the stairs.

"Er-- Sorry. Where's Toad?" he asked the other two.

"Talking to some looney sooth-sayer..." Mario replied, crossing his arms.

Luigi's eyes widened as he saw Yera floating into the room with a whistle floating next to him.

"Uh, why don't you two go back to the ship while I finish packing?" Luigi said, looking slightly panicked. He had just lied to his friends, seeing as he obviously had just packed, and he was holding his suitcases. Mario and Toadette did not seem to think of it.

"Sure... I'll-a get it running." Mario and Toadette walked out the door, as Yera dropped the whistle to the floor.

"Let's get one thing straight, Luigi." Yera said coldly, "Either I go with you, or I expose myself to your friends."

Luigi sighed, "Fine, you can come. Just don't get me in any trouble."

Yera smiled triumphantly, and disappeared into Luigi's pocket.

Luigi exited the Sarasaland Castle, walking along the path of bright daisies dancing in the playful wind. Eventually, he ran into Toad, who had just about the same expression as he did.

"I'm ready to get out of here," said Toad.

"You have no idea..." Luigi replied.

Ahead of them, Princess Peach's private cruiser grew clearly into view.