Part 36
"I was wondering", Cana said while they walked down a hallway.
"Wondering what?" Fortuna asked calmly.
"Since you got no stomach… what do you eat and do you need to use the bathroom like at all?"
"Cana!" Lucy hissed. "That's personal!"
"What? She's got no stomach just a wheel!"
Fortuna chuckled as she watched the two of them bicker about her as if she wasn't even there. Truth was that Fortuna did eat but not the kind of food that you or I would eat. No she fed on people's choices. In every situation during every day we make multiple choices. Those choices always leave a choice we did not make and those discarded choices is what gives Fortuna strength. Picture that you are at a crossroads and must choose between going right or left. Let's say that you choose to go right. Then the choice to go left and all choices you'd have to do down that path will no longer be valid. Those choices are what Fortuna feeds on. She draws her strength from the many opportunities the future holds, choices that are discarded. Choices that are no longer needed. That is what she feeds from and that's what gives her strength.
"I do eat", she said and cut through their argument. "Only I do not eat in the way that you do. However, I do believe this is an argument you shall have to settle at another date. Because right now I need the two of you prepared to fight the enemy instead."
"What enemies?" Lucy asked then noticed that Fortuna's eyes sparkled a little.
"When we turn that corner we will run into a man who speaks nonsense and looks strange", she said and pointed. "If we instead continue on we shall meet him in ten minutes." She pointed at a door. "If we go through that door we will not encounter him at all but instead ten like him." She pointed behind her. "And if we go that way we will be caught in a fight between my brother, your friends and a horde of disgusting roosters." The two wizards stared at her in confusion. "I see the future girls, all futures."
"What do you mean all futures", Lucy asked and stopped walking. Cana did as well.
"There isn't just one future girls", Fortuna explained. "Everything we do in the here and now results in different futures. Let's say that you are standing at a crossroads. One path goes forward, one goes right, one forward and then there is the path behind you. Standing there I can see all that happens no matter which path you choose. However, if you say choose the left there is multiple futures down that path as well."
"So you can see everything that happens or could happen in the future?" Lucy asked. "Really?"
"Lucy I am the goddess of Luck, Foresight and Fortune", Fortuna said calmly. "That is what I do."
"Explain one thing to me though", Cana said. "You said you made my deck." She held out the cards.
"Well not yours specifically", Fortuna explained and held out her own deck. Cana and Lucy could feel the power pulsating from it. "But I made the first deck ever created. Mankind tried to copy its power but have so far not been successful. I have seen what your cards can do Cana they are, and I say this without malice, weak in comparison to my deck. Perhaps you want a comparison?"
"Yes", Cana said and pulled out a card from her deck.
"Ah… the Tower", Fortuna said. "Pulled in an upright position", she pulled her own Tower out. "It could mean: woe; misery; disgusting circumstances; loss; non-predictable circumstances. Pulled out reversed it basically tells the same things, only a little weaker. But adds on the meaning of tyranny, capture and repression."
"So?" Lucy asked.
"What can you do with your card Cana?" Fortuna asked.
"Not much, but if I combine it with Lightning and Lovers it causes a strong lightning attack", Cana explained proudly. Fortuna scoffed. "What?"
"Watch and learn Cana", she said and held out her card. "Tower!" chains flew out from everywhere and so did long vines filled with thorns. Lucy and Cana pressed close to Fortuna to avoid them. Fortuna smirked and then Lucy and Cana stared as the shadows around them started squirming and screaming in misery. They could see the shadows take the shape of humans. They had no faces, they only wore masks. Their whole bodies were black and they wore no clothes. There was no way of telling if the shapes were male or female. Fortuna looked at the card spinning in her hand and crushed it. In front of them a tall blue-skinned figure appeared. He had long and matted hair, black. On his forehead was a symbol of the Third Eye. On his head was a half-moon. There were some ashes on his body. He wore just a loincloth made of tiger-skin, but his most prominent feature was his four arms. In one hand he held a trident, in another a sword, in the third a ring and in the fourth a drum.
"Shiva my darling can you destroy these Shadows for us please?" Fortuna asked. "I will give you some help." With that she pulled out a golden key. "Aries!"
Lucy and Cana gaped as Lucy's Spirit appeared beside this Shiva. However, there was something strange about her. She was not as timid as usual. She stood tall and took a fighting stance.
"Aries is actually linked to the Emperor and dares to show herself to him", Fortuna whispers. "But her compliment arcana is the Tower and that brings out the best in her. Now kiddies play nicely."
"Yes mother", Shiva and Aries replied and charged the Shadows. Fortuna took Cana's hand and dragged her and Lucy with her down a hallway, leaving the fighting behind them. While they walked Lucy was about to ask about their enemies, but as always Fortuna knew it would come so she replied beforehand. She told them that these were sides of the human soul which managed to manifest itself due to the King of Shadows' own emotions running wild and his powers doing the same. The Shadows took this opportunity to take solid form and chase after every living being around. The ones they had seen were called Jealousy and Fortuna wished with all her heart to spare the two of them from those Shadows. They were the worst of them all and they could easily consume the two girls. Fortuna used her powers to guide them through hallways to avoid those Shadows. At times, it was not possible and when that happened she let Cana and Lucy use their powers. Fortuna just watched them and only cut in when she felt it was necessary.
They kept moving at a good pace, but all of a sudden Fortuna stopped and put a hand to her forehead. Cana noticed that she had stopped and turned around.
"Fortuna come on!" she called but the Mountain King just looked at her.
"I cannot go with you", she said.
"What!?"
"Things will take a turn for the worst, I need to warn Amaterasu", she said. "I need to bring them all together."
"But we need to find Freed!" Cana screamed.
"No you do not. He has already been found or will be in a little bit. What you need to do is get out of this castle, get Lucy and your other friends with you."
"Why?" Lucy asked and moved closer.
"I see all futures and they all lead to one thing", Fortuna said. "The Abyss Break Spell is being cast. If you come with me the castle and everyone in it will be destroyed. Erza, Mirajane, Levy and my sister are making their way up the mountain. Nemesis is unconscious. Hades is fighting alongside Gray and Bickslow. Nyx, Laxus and the Twin Dragons are holding the city square but Nyx will be needed here. Oberon has his hands full. I need you to guide everyone out of here Cana."
"Me!?" Cana yelled. "I can't do that! Sure I can tell the future when I use all my cards during a calm setting but-" she was cut short when Fortuna held out a golden deck to her. "No! Nu uh! No no no no! I can't take your deck!"
"Borrow it", Fortuna said and put her hands on Cana's cheeks. "I see a bright future for you." She leaned their foreheads together. "Borrow some of my power and lead everyone out of here." Cana felt a warm sensation fill her. "But Cana I also have a little fortune just for you: I see trees of green, red roses too, I see them bloom for him and you and what a wonderful world that would be. I see skies of blue and clouds of white. The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night and I think to myself what a wonderful world. I see friends shaking hands, saying 'how do you do' when really they are saying 'I love you'. Now take my cards and do what you do best, kick some ass."
Cana was about to say something back but Fortuna was already gone. Cana blinked and then felt Lucy pull on her hand.
"Cana come on we need to go", she said. Cana nodded. Lucy started down a corridor but Cana grabbed her shoulder.
"Not that way unless you want to get squashed by some roof", Cana said and hurried down another hallway. She saw different futures in front of her eyes and smirked. "I could get used to this."
Yes I borrowed the lyrics from What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. I just couldn't help myself ;)
Please review ^^ that makes me happy.