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Machikane Fukukitaru had decided that today would be, as she liked to say: spectacularly auspicious.
The warm morning sun had already risen over Tracen Academy, giving it that cheerful sparkle shine that always made the Umamusume feel like anything was possible, like the day itself was a fresh omikuji slip just waiting to be unfolded.
“Heave-ho! Heave-ho~! Shi-ra-o-ki-Sa-ma-bring-me-good-for-tune-to-day~!” Fukukitaru sang to herself as she carried her homemade wooden signboard with her across the Academy courtyard.
The sign, written in bold marker and coated in a generous layer of glitter read:
FORTUNE TELLING TENT – GREAT FORTUNE GUARANTEED!*
(No refunds if your fortune is ‘normal’ today)
Alongside her, Fukukitaru’s most wonderful friend and something of a disciple, Meisho Doto was fluttered like a nervous sparrow, as she usually tended to be. Her haul consisted of all the wonderful posters the two had made advertising their services.
“Eep! S-sorry…” Doto squealed, having nearly tripped over a bench that absolutely had not been moved since yesterday.
“I-I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Fukukitaru glanced back with the intensity of a shrine miko mid-ritual, but softened instantly.
“Dotooo! No apologizing to stationary objects! That’s how they start thinking they are important!”
As if to illustrate this silly point, she jabbed her finger at the bench as if it had intruded on their sacred ceremony.
“Bench! Behave! Kyahhh!”
The bench, of course, remained bench-like, and said, and did nothing.
Doto exhaled in tiny, embarrassed puffs.
“R-right… I’ll try… I’ll try…”
Fukukitaru gently put the sign down, leaning it alongside the bench and gently held Doto, both hands on her shoulders.
“Today is a most important and fortuitous day my dear assistant!”
She pointed at where they had been setting up the tent all morning with the certainty she had when delivering her prophecies.
“Our fortunes are aligned and our spiritual power has already begun to well up around us!”
She moved behind Doto, one hand still on her shoulder as she held the other one out in front of them both.
“Just imagine it! Mun mun mun~ Our tent will draw in the lost, the confused, and those in need of comfort! Those wonderful Umamusume need our help!”
Doto nodded. “O-of course…!”
Fukukitaru nodded gravely, retrieving her sign and moving it to a proper place at the tent’s entrance.
Together, they finished the final touches on their little pop-up tent which was something resembling a half festival booth and half mystical hideout.
As always, Fukukitaru had strategically placed it near a popular student walkway where most of their fellow Umamusume would have to pass it on the way in and out of the Academy proper.
Fukukitaru stepped back and admired their work with pride. The gentle morning breeze had flowed in, tugging on the fabric walls, bringing with it the scent of the courtyard flowers mixed with all the fresh paper and marker ink from their construct.
Even the hanging charms and good luck dolls seemed to be dancing in happiness.
“Bless Shiraoki-Sama for this most wonderful display!”
And now, it was finally time for Fukukitaru to add the finishing touch inside. She ducked into the tent, humming a tune like a victory match.
“Now, I just need to put my Crystal Ball on the table and we can star-”
There was a sudden silence.
Then the sound of Fukukitaru’s soul leaving her body and slamming back into place.
“...D-D-D...Doto…”
Doto poked her head in the tent, still clutching her fliers in front of her chest like a shield.
“Y-yes?”
Fukukitaru stood behind the small table where their fortune-telling setup was arranged: lucky slips, cards, a soothing bell, a bowl of brightly colored polished stones…
...and an empty circle of dust where the Crystal Ball SHOULD have been.
Fukukitaru was already shaking in place, but soon her voice rose to a pitch normally reserved for emergencies and the discovery of extremely potent misfortune.
“THE ORB IS G-GONE!”
Doto squeaked in a way that sounded like a half-gasp and half-hiccup.
“A-Aiiee! G-gone?! Like… like missing missing?!”
Fukukitaru grabbed the edges of the cloth on the table and leaned in at the recessed absence, like she could wish the orb back into reality if she tried hard enough.
“KYAHHHHHHH!!!!! T-this can’t be! We put it right here yesterday! I saw it just last night! It was sitting right here, cradled in the velvet like it always is! I-it was shimmering with destiny… it was…”
She stopped, sniffling.
“...it was also slightly sticky because Rice-San was eating a candy apple near it and accidentally dropped it…”
Doto could sympathize, but there were bigger issues to worry about. She spun in place, panicked, eyes wide in anxiety.
“W-what do we do?! S-should we tell a teacher? S-should we… do we lock the tent? S-should we… I mean… could we..”
Fukukitaru clenched her eyes, holding a hand up like a conductor silencing their orchestra.
“First,” she spoke, unusually serious, “I need to investigate this…”
Doto shook a little.
“B-but Fukukitaru-Sama! I’ve never investigated anything in my life! W-well… there was that one time where my missing socks were…”
Fukukitaru brushed past her, flying out of the tent like a hero in a drama, the quest laid out clearly, a mystery to solve.
“Listen well, Orb-Thief!” Fukukitaru proclaimed to the courtyard at large. “You may have stolen my orb of fate, but you cannot steal the truth! You are no Yatagarasu! My great god-given divinations and intuition will be your downfall! I will-”
A large gust of morning air chose that exact moment to slap the tent flap into her face.
“A-aiieee!!! F-fukukitaru-sama?!” Doto panicked.
Fukukitaru coughed, recovered her composure and pointed at the sky.
“I will let the great powers of my fortune-telling guide me to the culprit! Great fortune! Abundant fortune! SUPER FORTUNE! MUN MUN MUN!”
Doto hovered by her side, now fully outside as well. She trembled a bit with anxiety, but was determined to stick by Fukukitaru’s side and help in anyway she could without being a nuisance.
“S-so… we’re… we’re really gonna do this?”
“Absolutely!” Fukukitaru blazed.
“Our reputation is at stake! Our loyal customers will be arriving soon, and if we don’t have the Crystal Ball, we’ll be forced to… to…”
She shuddered.
“G-give reasonable and vague advice…”
Doto looked like she might faint. “N-no…!”
“Exactly!”
Fukukitaru clasped her hands in prayer and then looked around.
“Now. Let us examine the scene!”
They both circled the tent like detectives who had watched a grand total of one (1) mystery drama and decided that qualified as training. Fukukitaru crouched low, peering at the ground.
“Behold! Footprints… mun mun mun…” She murmured, mystified.
Doto leaned in. “I-I see… I see a lot of footprints too…”
“Yes.” Fukukitaru whispered, glancing back with a seriousness in her eyes.
“The thief is clever! We are at Tracen Academy! No doubt they knew they would easily be able to hide their footprints among us, the Students who all leave ours all here around the courtyard!”
Doto nodded quickly. “R-right… sorry…”
Fukukitaru sniffed the air.
“Having said that, there is somethin else…”
Doto blinked. “W-what is it?”
Fukukitaru’s gaze sharpened.
“...Glitter.”
Doto stared.
There, by one of the stakes holding the tent in place, was a faint cover of sparkly dust scattering with the breeze; like someone had walked by trailing mischief in their wake.
Fukukitaru rose slowly.
“Doto,” she said, her voice low with ominous certainty, “I know whose aura this resembles.”
Doto gulped. “W-who…?”
Fukukitaru pointed like a courtroom attorney.
“The culprit… must be no one other… than Gold Ship!”
Doto quickly looked up, and sure enough, there on the other side of the courtyard she could see Gold Ship exactly where you would expect to see a chaotic Umamusume: staring at a perfectly normal tree like it had personally insulted her.
Gold Ship spun around dramatically when she noticed them.
“Ah! The wind! The whispers! The call of destiny!” she cried, slapping a hand to her forehead dramatically. “It’s telling me to go bug collecting!”
Fukukitaru was having none of her shenanigans. She marched tight up, eyes blazing like twin stars.
“Gold Ship! Speak! Where were you before dawn?!”
Gold Ship blinked for a few seconds, then grinned with bright and dangerous delight.
“Before dawn?” she repeated, as if savoring the moment. “At dawn… I was communing with the heroic spirit of breakfast.”
Doto, very softly tilted her head.
“D-does she mean… the cafeteria…?”
Gold Ship wagged a finger. “Wrong! It means everywhere! Breakfast is state of mind!”
Fukukitaru crossed her arms. “Our Crystal Ball has been stolen.”
Gold Ship gasped so theatrically, the nearby birds almost flew off in fear.
“Stolen?! A treasure has been taken from the great people of this country?!” Gold Ship clutched her chest. “Unthinkable! Intolerable! Delicious!”
“T-that last one…” Doto frowned.
Gold Ship leaned in close, whispering very loudly. “A heist means there’s a thief. A thief means there’s a chase. A chase means there’s an adventure. And an adventure means…”
Gold Ship pointed towards the horizon, which was just the front gate of the Academy grounds and the surrounding cityscape.
“...RICHES.”
Fukukitaru narrowed her eyes.
“Are you involved in this in any way?!”
Gold Ship stared back with perfectly innocent eyes that absolutely did not convince anyone.
“Me? I am but a humble treasure hunter, tending to my treasure chests. I would never steal a mere orb.”
Fukukitaru’s eye twitched.
“Mere?!”
Gold Ship coughed. “I mean… precious, priceless orb! Very orb-ish.”
Doto’s hands fluttered.
“U-um… do you by chance have any glitter…?”
Gold Ship looked offended. “This isn’t glitter. This is residual stardust from my cosmic greatness.”
Fukukitaru pointed at the faint sparkles stuck stubbornly onto Gold Ship's sleeve.
Gold Ship squinted at them. “Oh. That’s… from the arts and crafts room.”
“The craft room?”
Gold Ship nodded. “I was crafting a device.”
“A-a device?!” Doto squeaked.
Gold Ship beamed, hands on her hips. “A Golshi Radar ™ to find treasures with, of course! Beep-beep.”
Fukukitaru’s eyes widened with both horror and temptation.
“...a t-t-treasure-finding device? Is it truly possible?!”
Gold Ship winked. “Wanna see it~?”
Fukukitaru inhaled then snapped her head away like she was resisting a forbidden secret.
“N-no! We don’t have time for this! Kyahhhhh!”
Gold Ship pouted. “Cowardice.”
Fukukitaru jabbed a finger toward her. “If you are hiding the orb, return it! Or you will face the wrath of the mighty Shiraoki-Sama!”
Gold Ship closed her eyes and saluted. “I swear on my honor as a majestic sea captain that I did not steal your orb.”
Doto leaned in, whispering, “C-can we trust her…?”
Gold Ship grinned wider. “Absolutely not.”
Fukukitaru’s eye twitched again.
“Move along,” she hissed, dragging Doto away before the universe could tempt them into any shenanigans involving Gold Ship for the rest of the day.
·•—–٠ ✤ ٠ —–•·
“S-so… what do we do…?” Doto looked around aimlessly.
Fukukitaru knew what she had to do.
“We need to find the thief! And it’s clear they were very sneaky and didn’t leave any clues behind!”
Fukukitaru walked back in forth in front of the tent, thinking.
“I-Is there any hope?!” Doto pleaded.
“...Perhaps!”
Fukukitaru clapped her hands together. “We fight fire with fire!”
She went into the tent, where Miss Nya had waited loyally for her return.
She fetched her deck cards from inside her.
“We shall track down the thief of our divination… using divination!” She held the cards up, triumphantly.
“R-right! It’s better if we a-at least know where t-to start looking!” Doto clenched her hands tight.
Fukukitaru sat in her chair, gazing at where her Crystal Ball should be and concentrated.
“Woiya… Haiya…” She mumbled, holding the cards out.
Doto watched intently as Fukukitaru closed her eyes, shuffling the cards and concentrating heavily.
“Oh great and blessed Shiraoki-Sama! Reveal to us the card which bears the location of the thief!”
Fukukitaru stopped and removed the top card of the deck, placing it in the empty velvet.
Slowly, opening her eyes, she gazed at the result.
The Hierophant.
“W-what does it mean…?” Doto looked for guidance.
Fukukitaru knew exactly what it meant, or at least what she thought it meant.
“Our culprit... must be in the Library!”
Fukukitaru stood up quickly, grabbing Miss Nya and throwing her onto her shoulders.
“Hurry Doto! Just because they are there now doesn’t mean they intend to stay! Kyahhh!”
“L-lead the way!!!”
Both Umamusume rushed out of the tent, the single card resting in place of the missing orb they left on the mission to recover.
·•—–٠ ✤ ٠ —–•·
The Tracen Academy library was, by design, a place of quiet contemplation frequented usually by the more academically-minded of the student body, seeing as all were athletes first and foremost.
That being said, it was a terrible place for the loud Machikane Fukukitaru, and the clumsy Meisho Doto.
The moment the door slid open, Fukukitaru froze, eyes wide like she just entered a secret chamber.
“...Mun mun mun…” she mumbled.
Doto nearly bumped into her from behind.
“S-s-sorry!” Doto squeaked instantly, hands flying up to her face. “I-I didn’t mean to-”
“Shhhh…” Fukukitaru hissed, holding a finger up to her mouth.
“This is a place of knowledge, whispers, and lurking destinies… and I’m actually kind of worried about the culprit sneaking out if they see us.”
Doto nodded rapidly, eyes beginning to tear up.
Fukukitaru took a careful step in, glancing around to see who is inside, if anyone.
“The Hierophant has guided us to the Library…”
Doto swallowed. “D-do you really think the thief would come somewhere so… so… quiet?”
“I don’t see why not.” Fukukitaru looked back.
“What better place to hide than somewhere no one else expects chaos? This isn't exactly the popular place in school…”
Zenno Rob Roy shot them a look,
Fukukitaru immediately bowed. “S-sorry! Respectful fortune whispering only... Mun mun mun…”
They crept deeper between the tall shelves, Fukukitaru clutching Miss Nya like a sacred protection relic while Doto scanned nervously from side to slide, constantly looking back over her shoulder.
Then, Fukukitaru stopped so suddenly that Doto nearly walked into her again.
“There!” Fukukitaru hushed sharply, pointing.
Doto followed her gaze and point.
Near the reference section, Twin Turbo stood, talking with another Umamusume.
And in her arms, something… round…
Something vaguely spherical.
Something that made Fukukitaru’s soul briefly leave her body again.
“K-kyah…!” Fukukitaru grabbed Doto’s sleeve. “Behold! The omen reveals itself!”
Doto squinted. “U-um… I see Turbo… a-and… Nice Nature…?”
Beside Turbo stood Nice Nature, posture relaxed in that slightly slouched, self-effacing way of hers. She was holding a thick book against her chest. And under Turbo’s arm…
A large, dark, round object hidden behind some kind of canvas bag.
Fukukitaru tensed up. “The orb!”
Doto’s heart jumped. “I-it does look… round…!”
Turbo laughed loudly, unaware she was being spiritually accused.
“Shhhhh!” Several students from around shushed her.
“Sorry…” Turbo waved.
She turned back to Nature, holding her bag to her.
“Hahahah! I’m tellin’ you, Natie, if you roll it just right-”
“KYAHHHH!!!” Fukukitaru burst forward as Doto tripped and pushed her forward.
The entire room of Umamusume flinched.
Turbo shrieked. “WAAAAH?!”
Doto panicked instantly. “I-I-I’M SORRY! F-FUKUKITARU-SAMA!!!”
Rob Roy hissed something sharp and terrifying.
Fukukitaru clapped her hands together and bowed repeatedly, nearly face-planting.
“S-sorry! Emergency destiny intervention.”
Turbo stared. “What are you two DOING?!”
Fukukitaru pointed with righteous intensity. “Twin Turbo! You stand before us holding a spherical crystal object of suspicious fortune-related shape!”
Turbo looked down at the bag she had been handing over to Nature to show.
“...Wait, that?” She blinked.
“Silence!” Fukukitaru cried. “Destiny speaks louder than words!”
Doto stepped forward, shaking. “M-maybe… maybe we should… confirm it by… looking closer…?”
She took one careful step.
Her foot caught on the edge of the carpet.
“Eep-!”
Everything happened very fast.
Doto pitched forward, arms flailing, letting out another high panicked squeak…
...and collided directly into Turbo, making her drop the bag.
THUD.
It hit the floor with a heavy, mistakable clunk.
Fukukitaru watched in sheer horror, no doubt sure her precious orb had just cracked, or worse: shattered into a thousand pieces.
Silence.
Then…
“...Ow.”
Doto lay flat on the carpet, mortified beyond comprehension.
“I-I’m s-so sorry! I tripped! I didn’t mean-!”
Turbo stared.
Nature stared.
Fukukitaru stared.
Turbo bent down and yanked the zipper aside, picking up the round object.
“...This is my bowling ball.”
Fukukitaru froze.
“...B...bowling…?”
Turbo grinned sheepishly. “Yeah! I was gonna practice later! I brought it to show Natie cause she said she’d never seen it yet! Team Canopus is gonna win this year’s academy tournament!”
Nature gave a small, awkward wave. “...Hey.”
Doto’s face went nuclear red. “I-I-I’m s-so sorry! I thought…”
Turbo burst out laughing.
“Hahahahahaha! Oh uma! You should’ve seen your faces!”
She wiped at her eyes.
“A crystal ball?! Me?!”
Fukukitaru slowly lowered her pointing hand.
“B-but… the divination said…”
Turbo leaned closer, still chuckling. “Relax broskis! No harm done! Everyone makes mistakes right? Including me!!!”
Everyone shushed them all again.
“S-sorry…” (x4)
“...Sigh...interpretations occasionally require revision…” Fukukitaru mumbled to herself.
Turbo snorted. “Sure, sure.”
She rolled the ball back into her bag and slung it back over her shoulder. “Anyway, if you were looking for something shiny, Haru Urara was just in here earlier, running around with something sparkly! Looked kinda… crystal-y.”
Fukukitaru snapped to attention. “You have seen the orb?!”
Doto gasped. “U-Urara…?!”
Turbo shrugged. “Just tellin what I saw? Maybe she found your thing and is just lookin for the owner? She’s nice and shit like that.”
“Language!” Natie hissed.
“Sowwy…” Turbo gave swirly puppy eyes.
Fukukitaru clenched her fists in determination. “W-we have another lead! Hope isn’t gone yet!”
Doto bowed deeply to the others. “T-thank you so much…! A-and I’m really sorry for everything…”
Turbo snickered again.
“Don’t sweat it! This was fun! Good luck detectives!”
She wandered off, leaving the others behind.
Fukukitaru turned triumphantly. “Doto! Our path is clear! With Shiraoki-Sama willing, we shall recover the Orb yet!”
Doto nodded. “Y-yes!”
They hurried off on their own way, continuing the search.
Behind them, Nice Nature remained standing between the shelves.
She hadn’t laughed.
She looked down at the book clutched tightly to her chest.
“…”
·•—–٠ ✤ ٠ —–•·
It wasn't too hard to find Haru Urara. She was usually out in the open as always, humming to herself, waving at just about anyone who looked even remotely in need of any cheering up.
"Oh! Fukukitaru-chan! Doto-chan!" Urara called, rushing over with her usually happy bounce. "What are you both up to?"
Fukukitaru stared at her.
Urara looked back, smiling big and brightly.
There was no guilt there. No tension of any kind. No nervous glancing. Just… Urara.
Fukukitaru's shoulder's slumped.
"No… it couldn't have been you…" She admitted easily.
Urara blinked, confused. "Eh?"
Doto, who had braced herself for another encounter, let out a tiny, confused 'Eee?'
Fukukitaru shook her head slowly. "The signs… the aura… the feeling in my chest…"
She held her hands out, gently waving around her non-existent Orb.
"…mun mun mun… you don't carry the weight of a stolen destiny…"
Urara wasn't sure what she was talking about, but she smiled nonetheless. "Oh, that's good then!"
She smiled even brighter. "I did find something shiny earlier, though!"
Doto stiffened up. "Y-you did…?"
Urara nodded enthusiastically and pulled out of all things a small shiny plastic capsule with a toy inside, something clearly from a gatcha machine or other kind of insert a coin and get a prize game.
"I found it earlier! I was looking around to see if anyone had maybe lost it! But I couldn't find anyone so maybe it's okay to keep! It's kinda cute, isn't it?!"
Fukukitaru's ears drooped and she looked away, clearly upset with herself.
"I… I'm sorry," Fukukitaru mumbled, bowing deeply. "We accused you without cause… I deserve ALL the bad luck in the world!"
Urara didn't seem bothered at all and waved her hands. "Aww, don't be sad!!! It's okay! Mysteries are exciting!"
Doto's hands clenched at her chest. "B-but… we're out of leads now…"
For the first time that morning, it seemed neither had anything else to say.
"...sigh..." Fukukitaru shook her head.
"It doesn't make sense… mun mun mun…"
"Huh?" Urara tilted her head again.
"…The Hierophant… I really thought I read it correctly... I thought…" She trailed off.
Doto swallowed deeply, her eyes shimmering. "I-I um… maybe… we weren't meant to find it… or at least the way… we… um… thought?" She was clearly, desperately trying to be helpful.
"You can do it!" Urara interjected.
Both looked up.
"You'll find it! I believe in you!"
It was a nice thought, but they really were completely out of luck.
"We wouldn't know where to begin…" Fukukitaru sighed.
Urara thought about it, thinking of it her own way.
Well…" She thought. "If I ever lose something, I usually just retrace my steps."
Fukukitaru blinked.
"You know! Start at the very beginning! A very good place to start!" Urara beemed.
Doto looked back to Fukukitaru and shrugged.
"I-it's worth a try…"
·•—–٠ ✤ ٠ —–•·
Fukukitaru and Doto walked back towards their tent, tails between their legs. The morning sun was rising higher now. The charms on the tent fluttered weakly in the breeze, like they were dancing.
"I…I really wanted today to go well…" Doto sniffled.
Fukukitaru nodded, holding her hand. "So did I…"
She stopped suddenly. "Doto."
Doto glanced up, softly. "Y-yes…?"
"…Do you see that…?"
At the tent, someone was there.
A familiar figure was crouching low, moving carefully and glancing around like she hoped the world wasn't paying attention to her.
Nice Nature.
She froze when she noticed them.
"O-oh…!"
Fukukitaru inhaled sharply. "Nature!"
Nature flinched like she'd been caught stealing cookies from the jar, which essentially in a way she did. "I-I can explain!"
Doto's heart skipped. "N-Nature-San…?"
Nature hesitates, then slowly held out her hands. Cradled carefully between a glittery cloth was…
…The Crystal Ball.
Fukukitaru sighed in relief. "Y-you had it…" she whispered.
Nature's shoulder's slumped in complete defeat.
"Y-yeah…"
She bowed deeply, sincerely, almost folding in on herself. "I-I'm… really, really sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble, really! I just… I just thought I could borrow it a little while."
Doto peered closer. "B-borrow it…?"
Nature nodded, clutching the orb tighter. "I wasn't planning on keeping it! Honest! I just…"
She sighed.
"I… needed to know."
Her voice wavered. "I… I keep trying… and trying… and it feels like everyone else is moving forward when I'm stick wondering what am I doing wrong…"
She laughed weakly.
"I thought… if your crystal ball really sees the truth… maybe I could see for myself…"
She looked down at the book she had held in the library. It was a book about Mystical Topics, the kind of read Fukukitaru would sift though.
"I… didn't know what I was doing. It was a stupid idea… I should have just asked…"
It was quiet, only the gently sound of the tent flapping in the dying breeze could be heard.
Fukukitaru was quiet.
And then, she smiled. Not a dramatic smile, but a gentle and warm one, much like Urara's. She stepped forward.
"Oh Nature… tsk tsk tsk~"
She held her hand out, and Nature quickly returned the Orb, Fukukitaru gave it a good wipe-down and set it back gently in its velvet cradle where it belonged.
Fukukitaru placed a hand over Nature's, warm and steady, turning it over and rubbing her thumb against her open palm.
"Listen well, because this is actually really important." Fukukitaru said, oddly serious.
Nature perked up.
"I say this as someone who listens to destiny every day…" She tapped her chest lightly. "Divination is… a guide… a mirror, and sometimes… just a comfort." She chucked. "But… it is not the soul."
Nature's eyes shimmered intensely.
"The thing that carries you forward," Fukukitaru spoke, firm but kind, "is your own determination. Shiraoki-Sama says that effort is important! The strong will to stand back up and try again…"
She glanced back at Doto.
"…even when fate is quiet…"
"…"
Nature swallowed hard. "…You really think so?"
"I know so." Fukukitaru responded without a moment's hesitation.
Doto wiped her eyes, smiling brightly for the first time all day.
Nature let out a shaky laugh. "…Wow. Guess I didn't need the crystal ball after all."
Fukukitaru winked. "Precisely! Though next time, please ask before borrowing sacred artifacts. Mun mun mun~"
Nature bowed again, deeply. "I will… I promise."
She smiled, a new wave of relief on her face.
Fukukitaru beamed. "That'll be 3,000 yen!"
Nature stared, blinking. "E-eh?"
Fukukitaru closed her eyes, waving her hand, chuckling.
"I just gave you a fortune reading! We ain't running a charity here!"
Nature sighed. "F-fair enough, hah…"
·•—–٠ ✤ ٠ —–•·
The Crystal Ball was gently cleaned, polished, and returned to its rightful place.
Doto straightened the sign, stepping back and admiring her work.
Fukukitaru rang the little bell.
“We’re finally open! Kyahhh!”
And just then, the tent flap rustled.
“Heyyy~!” Came a bright, relaxed voice. “Is this where I get my fortune read?”
Fukukitaru and Doto looked up together.
Standing there, hands in her pockets was Mejiro Palmer.
Fukukitaru motioned for her to sit down. “Please! Sit!”
The Crystal Ball gleamed.
“What is it you are here for…?” Fukukitaru gently glanced down at the orb, smiling and then bounced back up.
“W-well… you see, gosh this is rather embarrassing...”
“I-it’s fine…! Take your time!” Doto added.
“Well, the thing is, I’ve been trying to perform up to my family’s expectations like my family’s star Umamusume, Mejiro McQueen…”
Palmer sat forward, looking up.
“I’ve been working hard so I can enter a big race like the Tenno Sho too, but… I just can’t seem to get any attention…”