She came waddling up the lane, attracting many stares from passersby. Black flyaway hair framed her face. She wore a shapeless black dress and smelt of herbs and cat. She slumped something awful, and no wonder! An awing amount of jewelry hung about her, jangling bracelets, brassy earrings, shell necklaces, beaded necklaces, all manner of necklaces!
In a croaking voice she called out, "Fortunes! Fortunes told for one dalla!"
Usagi and Makoto lifted their heads as one from their lawn chairs.
"A fortuneteller!"
Makoto took off her sunglasses as if to make certain that what she was seeing was real. "Weird. What's she doing here?"
"Well, there's that carnival here. She's probably part of it. Oh, let's wave her over," Usagi insisted, hopping up and running to her front gate. Groaning about having to abandon the delicious spot, Makoto joined her friend, who was already letting the fortune teller in.
---
"Don't you need to be in a darkened room to do this?" Makoto said as the fortune teller seated herself in her lawn chair. She looked up sharply from Usagi to the brunette who seemed skeptical about the whole thing.
"That's for when you has crystal ball, silly girl! You friend's palm dark-in-the-glow?" she demanded. And the woman whapped Makoto's own palm for good measure.
"Ow!"
Usagi tried to stifle a laugh as she offered her palm. "Don't mind Makoto. Here you go."
The woman immediately set to work, peering over Usagi's palm. "Hmm, yes, yes. So clear, so crystal."
"What?" Usagi asked.
"It say that you have long life. Long, long, long--"
"Yeah okay, we get it," interrupted Makoto. "Ouch, would you stop hitting me!"
The woman went on, ignoring Makoto. "You be successful. And in love! Love great for you!"
"Yes, go on," Usagi said in a hushed voice. "Who will love me?"
"Mmm, he very handsome. Tall, dark, sexy, blue eyes, black hair."
With each word Usagi took a sharper breath, eyes wide and sparkling. "Oh, are you sure?"
The fortuneteller smiled, revealing gaps in her teeth. "Positive."
Usagi brought her hand to her mouth, looking as if a dream she had never dared to hope for was slowly unfolding into reality. Then she quickly extended her palm again, urging the fortuneteller to go on.
The fortune teller squinted hard at the proffered hand. "I no see one dalla."
"Oh, oops, I forgot. Makoto do you have--" she stopped when she saw the brunette's dark face, "--never mind, I think I have a dalla, er dollar, inside. Please, don't go away," Usagi called back, as she seemed to skip into the house.
"What was with the hitting thing, huh?"
"I was getting into character," the fortuneteller sniffed. Her voice seemed to be much clearer and lighter than before, and her bright blue eyes no longer squinted at Makoto. "But did you see her face when I talked about Mamoru loving her? She was practically floating out of her seat."
Makoto nodded slowly as she sat down. "Yeah, you were right. Usagi is totally gone on him. But would ya quit smirking at me? Those blackened teeth creep me out."
"First gimme one dalla."
"Oh, shut up."
I'm really not sure if this one is any good but it was fun to write!