The Future in a Fortune Teller's Hands

*sigh*

That was a big sigh, Radica, what's wrong?

I was just thinking about the girl we helped the other day. More specifically, having to read a love fortune for the first time in years.

Oh yeah, she was an interesting one.

It just made we realize how inaccurate my love fortunes have become. And after I used to be so adept at them, too. I'm feeling down, Aldo.

You shouldn't beat yourself up.

I know, why don't you try training up your fortune telling skills again?

Really? Training, for my predictions?

Well, I trust your readings completely so I don't really think you need to. But if you think it might make you feel better, I'd be happy to help out.

Thank you. I appreciate your support. I think I will go back to studying and improve my predictions. Especially, love fortunes...maybe.

Sounds good. I can imagine how annoying it must be to not be able to do something you used to be good at.

That isn't just why I want to improve though...

Hm? So there's another reason you want to get better at love fortunes?

N-No! Never mind!

In that case, why don't you try making a prediction on how to improve your power?

I have tried that before. But, my predictions on how to enhance my predictions never come to fruition. Growth and self-improvement are closely linked to prosperity, you see.

Oh right... But, you know, they say that people grow after overcoming hardships.

Hardships... That just might work. If I auspicate hardships that are awaiting me in the future, then perhaps I can find something to help me.

Yeah, you're great at disaster readings after all, right? Give it a try!

A stone-paved town. The rubble of a castle. Great sword of the gatekeeper. Bean soup... Hardship awaits in the places represented by these objects. Hm? I have a feeling like I have visited a town like this before.

Really? Maybe you're thinking about Unigan?

The town from your time period? I see. Yes, if we go that far into the future, I am sure that fortune telling would have seen vast improvements. Perhaps there is some clue to how I can improve too, there.

You might be right. Unigan is a big place, I'm sure we'll be able to find somebody who knows about fortune telling.

Okay, let us proceed to Unigan then!

Here. If we match all of the symbols from my readings, we should be able to find the place we're looking for.

I'm sure you'll be able to uncover something about fortune telling here, somewhere.

But where should we start our search?

Master! Please, you must give me my reading next time!

I can only provide my oracle thrice in a day. The greater powers will not allow any more.

Aww! But you used to do way more!

Unsatisfied? Then I suggest you not rely on my fortunes then.

Nooo! Master's readings are the best! I'll come again tomorrow, I promise!

Look like that old lady is a fortune teller too. Wanna go talk to her?

The people around here seem to take her word seriously. I think I will go and talk with her.

Would you happen to be a famous fortune teller?

Oh hello, would you like your fortune told too?

Not quite. I'm a fortune teller too. I was thinking about improving my skills.

Oh is that so. What do you use for your readings?

I have always used these. The guidance from my cards has...

Hah. Cards? What an awfully antiquated way of predicting.

You won't get anyone believing that outdated nonsense these days.

A-Antiquated?! How dare you talk about my astral cards like that!

I'm afraid I can't let you get away with saying that!

Don't blame me, it's just the truth!

My rule is normally three readings a day, but I'll make an exception just for you! I'll show you what a real teller looks like!

Fine! Let's see what a "real teller" in this time is all about!

Oh just you wait! But, I don't want to cause a fuss with the people around here. Follow me to the Serena Coast!

You will be sorry if you aren't the big shot you say you are!

Radica, I hadn't noticed it before but you're kinda competitive, aren't you?

Yes, a large area like this should give me quite enough wiggle room.

I'm curious as to what it is exactly you weren't able to do in town. It must be really something.

You can bet your pointy ears on it. I think I'll start with your young friend here.

You want to read Aldo's fortune?

Exactly. I'll give my predictions, then you can give yours.

Then we can compare the results and see just who is the best fortune teller.

A tell-off, huh? As you wish.

Hohoho! Then allow me to begin. Try not to be too impressed, now!

Whoooaaa! Come forth! Power of the Great Elementals, transcending time from before time itself!

Ahah! Ready!

Runrunrunrunrunrunrun!

......

......

What?

What?!

Is...is she sprinting?

That's what I'm seeing. What does she hope to accomplish by this?

I am starting to notice a theme with you short-ears, a lot of people always in a rush for something. Don't you think?

Runrunrunrunrunrunrun!

Already?

No, there she goes again. Off somewhere else this time?

*pant* Ha... *pant* *gasp* Haha! Ready for your fate to be revealed now?!

Witness the true power of my *pant* divination powe, blegh!

Full power sprint read! *cough* Here it comes! *cough* *splutter* Ohhh!

Wh-What are you doing?!

I get that you ran and all, but how does that help to read my fortune?

*pant* With shortness of breath, coughing, *cough* and most importantly, phlegm buildup, I am able to predict the future!

Uh-huh...

Your *splutter* fate, young man, is... *cough*

Everyday life will, blegh, happiness *cough* phew... Find its way!

Feels like I've heard that one before.

Well, at least we know why you only do three readings a day now.

That is right! It's exhausting, to be honest with you!

You call this, this joke, fortune telling? I don't sense even a smidgen of magic!

You could have at least come up with an interesting fortune. Aldo, I wouldn't believe anything this charlatan says.

Don't worry. I kinda got that the moment she started checking her drool on the ground.

Well, then! Why don't you read his fortune, if you're so good?! *cough*

Very well. Time to show you what the real thing looks like.

But there is no reason for me to read Aldo's fortune. I shall prove that you are a fraud, simple as that.

Cards of mine, answer my call!

This reading...

What did you see? Is she a fake?

...No. This woman really does have a teller's power, and a mighty one at that. She uses some kind of charm... A ring. One which contains a great power. But it became lost to her, and her use of its powers with it. Is that not so?

Heh! Oh dearie, is that your so called "real" reading, hm?

...Yes.

B-B-B-Bingooo! Everything you divined was spot-on! Actually, it was so dead on, I've got goosebumps right now! You're the real deal, I see. I've been waiting for someone like you to show up for a reeeaaally long time!

For me? Wh-What?

I've had that ring ever since I was a fresh-faced maiden setting out on my fortune-telling adventures! A special bond between the ring and I formed, and I became able to see into the mists of the future.

But, woe! I lost my precious ring and could no longer see anything.

So the whole running around reading baloney was to cover up for that?

I beg you! Help a desperate, old hag out and find my precious ring with your all-seeing seer powers!

If the ring was nearby, I'd be able to sense its aura.

But, I've walked up and down this place tirelessly, and nothing!

I see. That is terrible indeed.

If I were to lose my cards...

It makes me sick just thinking about it.

I can understand just how hard it must have been for you all this time. I will help you find your ring.

I knew you were a good egg! The best of eggs, in fact!

But how do we even begin to look for something as tiny as a ring?

I've already begun, Aldo. Just now I saw a "sea of sand" and a tower.

I have come across these images before.

Think it could be the Rucyana Sands? Come on, we'll head there right now!

Hohohoho! I'm feeling all kinds of energies from this place!

There's no mistaking it. My precious ring is somewhere in this arid desert!

Strange that it'd wind up all the way out here.

How exactly would your lost ring end up on the other side of the ocean?

It's a real bamboozler, all right. I took it off for a moment, dropped it by mistake, and, poof! It was gone.

But I do remember hearing an unusual whooshing noise, and then feeling something small scuttle past my feet!

You think whatever that thing was stole it?

I don't know. It was a tiny shadow-like entity, too fast-moving for me to get a good look at it.

After that, the aura I felt from my precious ring became fainter and fainter.

In that case, perhaps this wasn't just a simple theft.

It may just be that your ring was simply scavenged as soon as it touched the ground.

Wait. Are you saying this thing, whatever it was, might've thought that whatever's on the ground was theirs to take?

That's right. Which would mean the identity of the little dark shadow could be none other than...

Pohhhh!

I recognize that noise!

So, it WAS one of the Nopaew Clan!

Yes, but let's talk about that afterwards!

Gotcha!

Poh poh-paew!

Phew! Glad we managed to save it in time. It doesn't look hurt either.

This little one...

I can sense it! Yes, my ring's aura is so close I can almost taste it! Metaphysically, that is.

Po-paew. Po-poh?

Oh, I see.

The Nopaew Clan believe that anything on the ground is as good as theirs.

That's why when the fortune teller dropped her ring, the Nopaew simply picked it up and took it.

Hello, little one. Can I ask something of you? You have a ring that's very, uh, precious to this woman here. Would you be so kind as to return it to her?

...Koo-ku?

Please. We came all the way from Unigan looking for that ring.

Poh!

Thank you!

That was easier than I expected. The Nopaew Clan aren't usually so willing to part with their things.

I think that was its way of saying thank you for saving it from those monsters.

Poh...

Poh paew-koooooo!

Ah, that sprint! Now I remember where I got the idea to do my full power sprint readings from.

Yeah, you looked just like that... But, you've got the ring back now, so you won't have to do that anymore, right?

That's right. Here's your ring back.

Finally, my ring! *cough* Ring, oh, it's so nice to have it back. I can feel its power coursing through me once more!

I never dreamed that I would ever see my ring again! Thank you, thank you ever so much. Praise be to your seer powers!

Apart from my marvelous self, you are quite possibly the most powerful fortune teller I have ever come across!

I am definitely sensing a stronger and stronger power emanating from you now that you've reclaimed your ring.

So, you should be able to show me some of your real seer power, right?

Just leave it to me, little miss!

Is want I want to say, but, you said you wanted to brush up on your telling skills, didn't you? I honestly don't think someone of your talents needs any lessons.

But there's one kind of telling I still really struggle with!

It's... Umm... Well, you see. Love fortunes and, uh, other stuff...

Love fortunes?

Oh! Hoho! I may be old, but not senile, I get it now. Come here, little miss.

Even if you did become adept at love fortunes, it would be a waste of time.

Wh-Why's that?!

Because one's own love readings always produce false positives, that's why.

Your own desires warp the truth of the reading, you see.

You've got to be kidding me!

Hooohoho! Don't think I never tried it myself when I was a spring chicken.

To think, you've managed to get your power to this level and yet you still haven't experienced your first love! How droll!

...Meep...

Something wrong?

N-N-Nothing! Nothing at all!

Hoohoho!

But, allow me, if you will, to perform one small reading of your future.

Hooowooo... Oh! I can see it! Yes, I see clearly, now, what the future entails for you, young lady! An island that soars skyward; the base of a tower reaching into the clouds; people worshipping cards, children rejoicing.

That's what the future holds for me? People worshipping cards?

Do you think that means that people will be using cards to tell fortunes like you do, even in the future?

It would be quite amazing if they did. That would mean that my cards aren't so antiquated after all, no?

They may be considered outdated now, but there is always the possibility that they make a comeback in the future.

Welp, you really helped me out today. If you ever require my services in the future, please don't hesitate to ask!

Hey, Radica. About the results of the reading. I think I might have an idea what she was talking about.

An island that soars skyward, the base of a tower reaching into the clouds, I think she was talking about Elzion.

That is something in the future, right?

Yeah. I doubt that she'd know about Elzion. Maybe her reading really was accurate?

In that case, I think I would like to see just what this card future looks like.

Okay, let's take a trip to Elzion.

Well, we're here now.

Now what? I'm not sure who we should ask to find out about the possibility of people worshipping cards here.

Then I shall try using my powers of divination to see who we should ask.

Whoa! Are those the...

They are! That's awesome, no way!

Hm?

This is blowin' my mind! I've never even seen those cards before!

Hey, hey! What set is that from? Oh, I know! It's a pre-release premium, right?

The design is so cute! When did those come out?

I've never seen these either, but from the look of them, and the quality, I'd say they're official.

You must be a real hardcore Astralite, huh?! Wanna battle against my haste-attack deck?

Astra...lite? A haste-what? You wish to fight me? Why? Who are you people?

You don't know? But you've got those astral cards, you sure you're not just playing dumb to get out of a battle?

These are astral cards, yes. But I...

It's the hottest card game in all of Elzion!

So you've got all those super-rare cards and you don't even know about the game? Whatta waste of good cards!

A card game? Is that how those cards are used now?

This game's aesthetic is the bee's knees. A female, dark elf warrior from ancient times who does battle and stuff.

And to vanquish her foes, she uses "Astral Cards"! Incidentally, that's also the name of the game.

...Is that, me? I do use astral cards to help me in battle.

But they were never meant to be a game. They're a sacred means of clairvoyance.

Clairvoyance? You mean like...

That "full power sprint read" stuff?

F-Full power what, now?! How do you know about that?!

It's kinda all the rage right now. Look, they're even doing it over there right now!

Master! Please, you must give me my reading next time!

Very well. This is a telling tradition passed down over 800 long years. Allow the memories of the wind to guide you.

Get ready, here I go!

Runrunrunrunrunrunrun!

You see, they predict the future with shortness of breath, coughing, and most importantly, "apparently," the phlegm buildup.

......

Oh...

I guess she lost her ring again after we left, huh?

It looks that way, yes.

I can't believe that bogus method has lasted for more than 800 years.