Wheel of Fortune
Reading 11: XIII Death (Upright)
"Death is the only truth."
-Holly Summers, No More Heroes
A very good benefit of bonding with a Serpent-bearer was that a Serpent was capable of creating a human body for their own. It made it easier to traverse amongst other humans and, as an added bonus, whatever items the Serpent-bearer had on hand when the Serpent made the transformation. For Renenutet, this meant that she had access to Mei's tarot deck that she carried with her at all times.
She walked across an empty street, shuffling the deck with a bored look on her face. Traversing through the town reminded her of Egypt, with its desert sands and moon shining on her. She wasn't the only one who landed there—she also had the company of Wadjet and Apep who were also amused with the Ancient Egyptians, their diverse worship for deities, and their magnanimous skill in creating pyramids and obelisks. Sure, Apep did lock her up and ruled over Egypt for quite some time—something to appease his boredom, apparently—but that was the only type of entertainment the Serpents had.
After shuffling the deck for the upteemth time, Renenutet drew the top card from the deck. She grimaced—it was a skeleton dressed in black armor and riding a horse.
"XIII Death," she said. "Very funny—as if I didn't need reminders of that. If what my Serpent-bearer's memories about this card is true, then this is about change. No, to be more accurate, it's signifiying that I am about to change. I'm going to be leaving my past behind me...but I don't want to." She slipped the tarot deck into the sleeve of her cloak and clenched her fist. "I want to see Marcupo again...and it's all that damned Virgo's fault that we were separated. If I ever see her again, I'll make sure all of her descendants die slow, painful deaths."
As she finished talking, she thought she heard something in a nearby alleyway. She approached it with curiosity, seeing two human males pressed against the wall, kissing.
"Come on, Apep..." one hissed. "We're all alone while the Serpent-bearer finishes his third bowl. You know he's got a big appetite...just like I do."
"If you start necking me and drinking my blood, then I probably will have to gut you to compensate," Apep replied. "I'm sure you'd love to feel what it was like when those humans sacrificed themselves to you and Quetzalcoatl, right? My dear Serpent of Obsidian Knives...I rather not eat your organs after having my fill of ramen."
Apep? Serpent of Obsidian Knives? It can't be...unless Ophiuchus resurrected them somehow... Thoughts swarmed in Renenutet's head as she saw the two people—or as she saw them, serpents—in carnal embrace. If they were there, then that meant...
A wicked smile appeared on her lips. She was starting to hatch a devious plan.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
Mitsuko: I heard the rental company is hiring new people now...they're a little short-handed.
Yoko: Really? Where can I sign up?
Midnight: Not anyone can sign up. You have to fit a good criteria for them to get into the company. You need a specific skill that will easily wow others, and be an exceptionally good actor when it coems to the roles.
Yoko: Why's that?
Mitsuko: They're looking for people who are truly into their role and can be them for more than a few months. There are people who are requesting that they get the rentals for at most a few years and are willing to pay big money for that kind of service. It's also psychologically painful for the employee having to stay in that role for an indefinite amount of time. You have to feel sorry for them.
Mei snarled as she continued to read the three girls' gossip amongst themselves on her laptop. She hated the fact that there were people being used to crush other people's feelings for money. No, it was more of the fact that the people hiring them could do whatever they want, and the employees were all forced to do whatever. Say if the employee was to jump off a cliff. All they'd have to do was jump and that was it...job accomplished.
Even worse, Mei still hadn't heard from Renenutet. There was this feeling of dread gnawing at her stomach that was telling her that making the contract was bad news. What really made her nervous was the price: "her future". When would Renenutet collect payment? What exactly was "her future"? What would happen to her in said future?
Trying her best not to focus on those questions, Mei continued to read the next couple of messages. If only she could get to the bottom of the mystery regarding Yamada—doing so would at least give her the means to figure out the Three of Coins reading he had.
Then, a lightbulb lit up in her head. If there were positions needed for the rental company, she could easily submit a form and hire herself. She could uncover the rental company's dirty little secrets and perhaps get information regarding Yamada Tatsumori and his motivation to enact the dreaded deal with Ryusei.
Mei smiled as she typed out the information in a word document. In a few days time, she was going to be right in front of the company's nose, and they would never even notice.
0-0-0-0-0-0-
Kengo Utahoshi, if he had to be honest with himself, never thought of being in love with someone. That is, until now.
When Jiro entered his room and freed him from that horrible, soundless void, he felt like he found someone who understood his loneliness. They were both the same—they were betrayed by the same person and were given a second chance in life by the Serpent-bearer. That gave them solace to find love in one another.
"Apep..." Jiro hissed, placing another kiss on Kengo's neck. "What do you suppose we'll do tomorrow evening? I mean, we'll pretty much have that stupid, little principal under our thumb as payback for what he caused."
"I just want to make sure I don't get any migraines from everyone screaming and yelling," Kengo replied, leaning against the wall. He slid against the wall and sat down, covering his mouth to yawn. "Ugh...I hate being tired."
"But you're so adorable when you sleep," Jiro whined. "I'd go under the bedsheets and cuddle you and sing to you and..."
"Ahem," a voice interrupted. Kengo and Jiro turned their heads as a woman in a hooded grey cloak and jingling bracelets approached them. "I hope that I'm not intruding on your love time, but I hope that you two could give me some time."
"It's 8:53," Kengo replied, staring at the hooded person. "Now bug off."
"I didn't mean that," Reneutet chuckled and shook her head. "I wanted to know if you want to know your fate. I decide them all...or do I?"
"Listen lady," said Jiro. "While it's nice that you start preaching out prophecy and such, we're not interested. So, why don't you go to your little gypsy caravan and..."
"Don't you want to know your future together? Don't you want to know if you'll make a permanent...bond like in the days of old?"
For a moment, Jiro looked a little hesitant. Renenutet pulled out the tarot deck from her sleeves and shuffled it, waiting for his response. The only sound heard in the alleyway were cards smacking toward one another as Renenutet continued to move them around.
"I will not ask for any huge payments for this reading," she continued. "I want to know the answer of one question, and then the two of you are free to do whatever you want. That seems fair, doesn't it?"
"That's all there is to it?" Kengo asked suspiciously.
"Yes," Renenutet answered. "And since you asked that, I ask that you should be the first to draw a card." She fanned the cards out. "Go on. Pick a card that shall represent your past."
Kengo stood up and approached the fortune-teller, pulling a card before showing it to her. It was upside-down, depicting a knight on his mighty steed and a sword in hand charging into battle.
"Hmm...an inverted Knight of Swords," Renenutet mused. "It seems that you were very secretive in the past or were known to cause trouble."
"I did have some stuff to keep from people who always wanted to stick their noses into someone's business," said Kengo. He then turned to Jiro. "And you?"
"Not that I know of," Jiro replied, tilting his head. "Can we draw a card that's more relevant to our situation now?"
"Go ahead," said Renenutet. "No one's stopping you."
"Goody!" Jiro exclaimed, drawing his card near the top of his deck. He looked at his card with curiosity. "What does this mean?"
Renenutet took the card into her hands: it showed three women raising their goblets in celebration, surrounded by flowers.
"Oh," Renenutet smiled. "An upward Three of Cups means that it is time for celebration in being together. Rejoice, sweet lovers."
Jiro hugged Kengo and was about to kiss him before Renenutet cleared her throat.
"However," she said. "The two of you need to find out what your future will be. What do you see? Please, draw the fated card."
"Let's do it together, love," Jiro whispered into Kengo's ear. He took his hand into his own and placd it over the deck. "Ready?"
The two placed their hands over the top of the deck and drew the card. It was upright, depicting a man in woman wielding goblets while a winged lion head hovered above their heads.
"Oh," Renenutet giggled. "That's an upright Two of Cups. I sense the two of you creating such a close bond with one another. In conjunction with your Three of Cups, this means that you two will have a happy future together."
"We wouldn't have it any other way," said Kengo. "Thank you."
"You're quite welcome. Now," Renenutet plucked the cards from Kengo and Jiro's hands before shuffling the deck once more. "About my payment."
"We'll give you anything," said Jiro. "What is it?"
"I only want one question answered in exchance for this reading." Renenutet narrowed her eyes. "My little brother has a Serpent-bearer, doesn't he? What is his name?"
0-0-0-0-0-0
The sound of a door-bell caught Mei's attention. She looked up from her typing and went to the door. Opening it, she saw a familiar face.
"Grandpa!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the old man. "Grandpa Tenma, you're here!"
"Mei!" said Tenma, returning the hug. "You've grown so much since I last saw you. How have you been coping with your parents' death?"
"Not so well," Mei answered. "I just don't know why they were acting so mean to me. I didn't do anything bad...did I?"
"No," Tenma patted his grand-daughter's head. "You are a very sweet girl, Mei. No matter what other's say, you need to know who you are. That is the most important lesson I can teach you."
"Oh!" said Yomi, seeing Tenma and Mei talking to each other. "You've come just in time! I'm boiling a pot of tea for all of us to share."
"Thank you," said Tenma. "I'm sure that it'll be nice to have something like this to lift your spirits. This weekend, we're going to have a funeral service for my son and daughter-in-law..."
Mei watched as her grandfather walked into the dining room as she looked at the night sky. She hadn't seen the moon look so full and bright in so long—all she had been thinking out these last few days was how her life sucked. When was the last time that she appreciated such beauty?
"It's been a while since I saw a sparkling moon..." Renenutet chuckled in Mei's mind. "I think I found something that the two of us could appreciate."
Mei gasped as she saw Renenutet materialize in front of the house in her grey cloak. She saw the serpent remove the hood, revealing a mirror image of Mei's own face.
"Where have you been?" asked Mei. "What happened?"
"It's a very long story," Renenutet explained. "But I have just come back with some very interesting news."
"Like what?"
"It involves a boy," Renenutet answered. "It involves a boy and a serpent actually. The Serpent goes by the name of Ophiuchus, and the boy..."
Mei felt her heart beat fast at the word 'boy'. She was hoping that the name of the boy wasn't "Ryusei Sakuta" or worse "Yamada Tatsumori"-the last thing she needed was those two screwing up her life even more.
"Spit it out," she exclaimed. "What's the name of the boy?"
"The boy?" Renenutet smiled. "I think you know his name, Serpent-bearer. The boy is simply known as Gentaro Kisaragi."
Next time: A new day dawns for Mei as this is the same day as the Kyoto Field Trip. On this day, what will she desire? And with the new information in her hands, what does she intend to do with it?
To be continued in 12 'VIII Strength (Inverted)'