Chapter 19: Wheel of Fortune
The words were bleeding into each other. She had reread the same paragraph about ten times, at this rate.
She rubbed her eyes, sighing.
The conversation downstairs had fallen quiet. She had decided to stay upstairs in her room and keep doing her research. Two documentaries and five files later…
She had nothing, except deciding that no matter what, her theory still stood.
Uuuugh… I need to get my thoughts in order…
Natsuki closed her computer, setting it back in the storage drawer under her bed. She pulled out two books - one leatherbound, the other, depicting a colorful array of monsters and… something wrapped in cloth.
Natsuki looked around before selecting a candle from the storage. This was full of her personal supplies. Some she had inherited, some she had gotten on her own.
She rifled through the drawer, her eyes narrowing in annoyance as one object was missing.
"Oh you have to be kidding me. Where the heck is my lighter!?"
Knock knock!
Uuuugh…
"Come in! Make it quick!"
The door opened, revealing a shock of wild hair as one very baffled spirit peered his head in.
"What are you doing?"
Natsuki glared, pointing at him.
"YOU! Where is my lighter!?"
Yami crossed his arms.
"Well that's not a nice way to greet someone."
Natsuki held her hand out. The room's temperature went down for a moment as he saw a spark in her eyes, stray hairs sticking up above her head as static formed around her.
"Where is it?"
Yami walked over to her, running his hand through her hair, whispering a spell under his breath. After a moment, the temperature around them returned to normal, as she rubbed her head.
"What just…?"
"Just needed to calm down a jackal pup." He eyed the array of things spread out on her bed. "What are you doing?"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"I swear it."
That was a display of power… Hm, so she does have her own magic… Probably has no idea she's even using it.
Yami sat on the edge of her bed, gesturing for her to continue.
She crossed her arms.
"My. Lighter."
"Okay, okay. I'm not saying I have it." He dug through his pockets, producing one. He wasn't sure where he had even gotten it, if he had to be honest. He looked at the design - a simple sticker with a star.
Natsuki's jaw dropped before swiping it out of his hand, lighting the candle on her nightstand.
"You are unbelievable. I knew you had it!"
"I didn't know it was YOURs to be fair."
She held up her hands, taking a deep breath.
"You know what? I don't wanna have this argument. Not even gonna question a spirit like you… Besides, I think you've had enough crap for today."
Yami kept quiet, observing as she unfolded the cloth. It was black and had embroidered designs in the shapes of cards, creating a grid pattern. Inside was a deck of cards with a hexagram design on the back.
"Whenever I'm not sure of my own thoughts, I read cards. I'm still learning… I'm not as good at it as Sera is but I know my way around it." Natsuki explained, keeping her voice quiet. "These are cute ones too. They're themed to Duel Monster cards." She pulled one card, holding it up.
He didn't dare try to take it, only leaned forward to look at it better.
It depicted Black Magician Girl holding two goblets in her hands. Her eyes were closed as she appeared to be pouring out water into a pond she floated above.
"That's the two of cups design. Cute right?"
"Very… She reminds me of you."
Natsuki smiled sheepishly, shaking her head.
"Nah…" She reshuffled the deck. "... I don't even know what I'm doing. You and Yugi are the leaders in this. I'm just… me."
Yami frowned.
"Are you okay?"
She shrugged.
"Felt like I upset you earlier. I'm sorry about that stuff."
"The whole "Maybe you were murdered" thing?"
"Yeah… I saw how scared you were trying to talk to Dad. I was gonna go downstairs but… I just couldn't interrupt that. You needed him."
She laid out six cards, keeping them face down.
Yami shrugged.
"I don't know if I was so it was a fair idea. I wasn't upset with that if that's what you're worried about." He eyed the cards curiously.
"Do you remember any divination from your day?"
"If there's anything I'd know, I wouldn't remember. Do you think…?"
Natsuki smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Sure. What do you wanna know?"
Yami hummed in thought.
"I'm not sure. There's so much on my mind…"
"Well, these can help. Wanna just go as is?"
He nodded.
She fell quiet, flipping each card face up.
Five magicians' wands, scattered on a tomb's floor… one cracked in two.
His heart sank.
"NO!"
Deep breaths… Open your mind…
The Black Magician holding a single goblet, his eyes closed, his face serene. There was a golden glow coming from the cup.
She flipped up another, a circle depicting different runes and symbols. In the middle, showed a small magician, summoning magic. Natsuki smiled wryly at this one, giggling a little.
"What?"
"Oh, just be patient. I'm almost done."
Four kuribohs carrying stars and bumping into one another. Three magicians, their wands raised towards the sky as orbs filled with stars soared above their heads.
The final card, showed something… different.
It showed a warrior… a Pharaoh, struggling to stand, his head low, the area around him a battlefield, five swords scattered around him.
Natsuki flipped open one of the books beside her, opening up the notebooks as well. She made a few notes, humming in thought.
She looked up at Yami… smiling at the curious look on his face.
He was puzzled, trying to make sense of what he was seeing… trying to make sense out of what Natsuki saw.
"Alright, so… I'm gonna have to be honest here. The cards are being pretty brutal."
She sat up straight, her gaze gentle.
"Now, these can't predict your future 100%. Things happen but it's up to you to make those choices. Okay?"
"Okay…?"
Natsuki nodded, clearing her throat.
"The first card, the Five of Wands, shows you falling off track with your current goal. Your mind is clouded with fear and worry…"
Yami grimaced.
"Sorry, after learning about a certain punishment for being worried about that."
"Well, the card is telling you, you need to refocus and not even entertain it. Your talk with Dad today I hope helped a little?"
He suddenly found the candle on her nightstand, very interesting.
"Yami!"
"Okay, okay…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm still not 100% sure… I have my job, I know it quite well - I need to take down Zorc and ensure the world is safe - I'm just… hoping I'm not the one who put it in danger…"
"Well, you're not…" She looked down at her cards. "These things have helped me through a lot… "
"Like?"
"..." She flipped her deck's guidebook to the front, showing him a bit of writing under the cover page's logo. "This deck used to be my Mom's."
Yami frowned.
"Nat…"
"I picked up readings to be closer to her. They helped me when I felt like I was starting to forget her voice." Natsuki sighed shakily. "I know how it feels to forget… Not major stuff like my name but… Yami, I sometimes forget what her voice even sounded like. If it wasn't for videos and old messages, I wouldn't… I wouldn't know my own mom if she was right in front of me…"
She didn't look up, wiping at her eyes.
"So, I wanna help. I don't wanna just sit by… Maybe this is a bit for me too…"
"Natsuki, I had…. I had no idea…"
She looked up, giving him a serious look.
"I'm gonna skip ahead, okay? These cards tell a story… your story. You can't get bogged down in worrying about whether or not you were a good king or whether or not you're one of those disgusting-"
"Nat!"
"You've never been close enough to one! Either way, you can't let this bog you down and I can see it in your eyes. You're scared, you're not going to like the truth that's only yours to tell. You're scared of… facing yourself."
His jaw dropped open.
Knew it… Happens every time…
"This card especially…" She held up the one depicting a ritual. "The Wheel of Fortune signifies fate… and how we can define our own fate. Right now, right in this moment of time, you can decide where you're going to go. Where WE go, in terms of defeating our foe. No one else can decide that. Whatever was in the past, is the past - you have to fight for your future and your past too. This… is your truth… What you do with it, is on you and only you."
Yami looked down at the cards, then back to her.
"... Who gave you the right to shame me with a bunch of cards?"
She cracked a smile, giggling, as she started to clean up.
"Yugi said that too…"
"What did his reveal?"
"... None of your business." She winked.
"Okay, no, no you cannot just end that there. You just…"
Natsuki stashed her things in the drawer, sliding it back under her bed. She let out a squeal when Yami lifted her up into a hug.
"Yami…?"
"Nat… I'm sorry I worried you… and I'm sorry that you've had to deal with all of that."
Natsuki hugged him tightly, burying her face.
"Yugi… I think I'm forgetting her…"
"What!?"
"I… I can't remember her voice…"
I'm so sorry, Mom…
Yami stroked her hair, humming softly.
"Can you stay here? Just for a little while?"
"Sure thing… Anything for you, Little Jackal Pup."
Natsuki yawned a little, huddling closer.
Yami brought her blanket up around her, leaning back against the headboard. He supposed he would be here for a while.
So… this is what he meant when he said "drive for awhile"...
He looked down at Natsuki, smiling softly.
"I promise… I won't lose my way so easily…"
Choose my own fate huh?
He chuckled.
What a novel concept.