Chapter Twenty-One: In Order to Avoid Misfortune…

THE CLASS WAS BUZZING WITH CURIOUS AND EXCITEMENT as everyone was talking about the same thing. Like normal, Akari was not invested in knowing what they were gushing over, since she figured it was something stupid and/or uninteresting. Though fate(or the authors) had other plans for her. Apparently there was some sort of new attraction that had come into town. A fortune teller or psychics like that wasn't interesting to Akari and honestly didn't wanna hear about it. Why would she when her best friend can do it for real? Sure, Saiki isn't exactly a fortune-teller but he can see the future to some degree. Either way, Akari doesn't care about knowing something like the future. What would she do with that knowledge? She doesn't see an advantage for her with something like knowing her fortune. Sure, knowing what's unknown can be interesting, but when it's something like the future, she'd rather not know. Besides, who knows if it's true or not? Well, Saiki would know, but still.

It seemed like every student had gone to the new fortune-teller. A girl asked Yumehara Chiyo, "Did you go to the fortune-teller, Chiyo?"

"It was great!" She exclaimed, "She said that after my break up, I would find a new boyfriend!"

Outside, her ex was getting asked the same question by his friend, "Takeru, how did it go with the fortune-teller?"

"It was great." He cheered happily, "She said I would get back together with Chiyo."

Akari was in her normal place, sitting on Saiki's desk as they observed the class. She watched her classmates all gossip and gush about the new exciting thing. Though the two of them were nowhere near interested. Saiki blinked, "Well, someone's fortune is off."

'Obviously, the fortune-teller is just telling them what they want to hear.' Akari rolled her eyes. Going to see a fortune-teller means, in Akari's opinion, that they were going to lie to the people to come in to make them happy and make money. She couldn't care less about this "fortune-teller" and who went to see her. People can do what they want and believe what they want. She just wouldn't go to one for trivial things. So hopefully she could avoid it at all cost. Oh, how naive she is.

Kaido slid over to the pair as he laughed at how childish he found all the gossiping was, "How foolish. Fortune-tellers are just a bunch of frauds pretending to know the future."

Finding himself agreeing with Kaido, Saiki nodded his head, "We normally don't have the same opinion." Honestly, there aren't any moments in time that he would ever agree with the eighth-grade minded boy. It's quite surprising.

"Forget that." Kaido suddenly turned very serious, "I need to talk to you about something important. Come with me. Did you notice something strange in this town?" Obviously, this had something to do with his Jet-Black Wings persona. What exactly it is they aren't sure, but it'll be stupid none the less.

Saiki just stared at him, "Now, you are a fraud pretending to know something. Can't you ask anyone else?"

Akari took it to translate for Saiki, to try and seem a bit nicer. "No thank you Kaido, we can't today."

Kadio jumped at the girl's soft voice. Unsurprisingly not noticing her sitting right in front of him. He embarrassedly scratched the back of his neck, "Ah! Right, okay Watanabe." The disappointed boy said as he mopped away at the rejection of his friends. It was somewhat sad to Akari to see him mope like that, but it wasn't like she wanted to go out on his little 

Nendo then came up to them, "Pal! Gal pal! Did you hear about the fortune-speaker?"

"It's fortune-teller." Saiki corrected, "I'm already sick of it."

"We can buy the comic book on Thursday…" Though Saiki nor Akari were paying attention to Nendo as he started to ramble.

Saiki sighed, "That is bad."

Akari shook her head. 'Why do I have a feeling that something is going to happen.' Oh, Akari, your feeling is more than right.

---

The pair of super-powered teens were walking through the city, just minding their own business. Saiki had wanted to head out for some food, and of course Akari had tagged along. They were most likely gonna head for their favorite cafe and get their regular snacks. After all they do this just about everyday after school. It's their own little ritual that they rarely diverge from. They may not be the most normal people, or have the most normal lives, but things like these give them the perfect illusion of normalcy. Where they could sit in the same booth at the same cafe, order the same food and enjoy some peace and quiet. Now doesn't that just sound average and normal! In my opinion, that sounds boring, but to each their own.

Though before they could enjoy their time together, they came upon a large group of people standing on the sidewalk. They were all in line waiting for something, obviously. "Is this where the fortune-teller is?" Saiki said as they stared at the long line. It appeared that the fortune-teller was popular beyond just their school. 

Akari pursed her lips, 'There's more people here than I thought.'

Some random girl asked her friend, "How was it, Kiyomi?"

The girl squealed, "Listen! I am fated to be with Kento Yamazaki!"

Saiki shrugged his shoulders slightly, "If they enjoy it, I suppose it is harmless." That's true, what harm did this bring them? As long as he and Akari didn't get dragged into it, then it wasn't going to affect them. Though the pink-haired teen then noticed an ill-disguised boy in the line as well. Really, a mask and sunglasses is not going to hide who he was. "That is Kaido. What is he doing here?" He heard Kaido's thoughts about being here just to make sure Dark Reunion wasn't bothering this fortune-teller or something. "Excuses. The fortune-telling seems suspicious."

Another girl came running out of the building while exclaiming, "She said I can date Kendo Yamazaki!"

"Kento Yamazaki is cheating on you."

The fortune-teller then called out, "Next in line, please come in." Of course, the next person was Kaido. This was going to be a doozy. 

Turning himself invisible Saiki decided to follow him in, "Let me observe this."

'I've got to see this too.' Akari allowed herself to turn completely into a shadow that melted onto the ground. She slithered across the ground behind Saiki as they entered the room. She wanted to be able to blend in even more and not be perceived at all. So if anyone really paid attention, they would just see sharp yellow eyes within the inky darkness.

So Kaido walked into the room with his invisible stalkers watching as he was greeted by the fortune-teller. She is an older woman with some heavy make-up, long brown hair and wearing a purple cloak. The atmosphere that she created in this room is certainly on the nose for a fortune-teller. Is it too much? Maybe but no ones gonna think too much about it. Besides, it must add to the mystery about her and her work. 

"Welcome to the house of fortune-telling." She said to Kaido, "Please sit."

Kaido even seemed a bit suspicious of it, "Okay."

Saiki took in their surroundings, "She got the atmosphere right." Hey, we said that already!

"Nice to meet you." She said, "I am Clairvoyance Mikiko."

"That name alone is suspicious."

"How may I help you?"

Kaido shuffled slightly in his seat, "Well, I'm not here for some advice…"

Saiki read his mind and was nearly impressed, "Looks like he's not sure about her, too."

'So maybe he isn't as naive as we thought.' Akari's haunting voice said hopefully. 

Though that sentamiet was lost when the fortune-teller reeled in Kaido by saying, "What's this? You have a very different aura from other people."

Kaido gasped, "What?" She truly was real if she could sense that!

She continued to ham it up, "You're not normal. Do you have any special skills?"

Both Saiki and Akari sighed, and now she hooked him with her ruse. "It's over for him. You overreacted. She can tell what you want to hear."

"You are struggling with a problem, right?" Mikiko asked.

Kaido was in shock that she knew that, "How do you know that?"

Saiki shook his head, "People without problems don't come here."

"Let me guess." Mikiko started to ramble, "Romantic problems are very common, but that is not your problem. Your studies or future is not what you're worried about either. It's your friends and relationships…" Kaido gasped out dramatically at her "guess" about his problems. "That's it! You are having problems with your friends or relationships."

Kaido appeared to be more than amazed by her. "How could you tell?"

'He's as easy to read as a book.' Akari commented boredly. Yea, she tolerates Kaido and accepts him to be a friend, but she can admit that he's very stupid.

He then started to go on about his delusions, "That's right. I have problems. There are things in this world that only I have seen. I learned of this secret organization."

Mikiko played along with him, "I know how you feel."

"I'm used to struggling. But at times, I ponder. It's a lonely path. I don't have anyone whom I can call a companion."

Behind all of his delusion and fantasy, the fortune-teller could tell what the issue is, "You are talking a lot, but basically…"

Saiki summed it up, "He can't make friends."

"You're looking for someone who would understand you." She said wisely, "To do so, you must understand them first."

Her words surprised both Akari and Saiki who were sure that she would just spout out some spiritual ruse to "help" him. Perhaps she was providing some actual advice.

"That is actually good advice." Saiki said, "I misjudged her a little."

She then slid a box across the table, "Look at this."

'A necklace?' Akari asked with her yellow eyes narrowing. She already knew what was going to happen here.

"You should wear this necklace." It was a silver necklace that honestly looked super cheap.

"What is this?" Kaido wondered.

Mikiko nodded happily, "If you wear this, you will make 100 friends, including Kento Yamazaki."

Saiki was more than confused about Mikiko's obsession, "Did she just memorize Kento Yamazaki's name?"

"I can give you this necklace for ¥30,000."

Kaido gasped in shock, "It's ¥30,000?"

"Ridiculous." Saiki rolled his eyes.

Akari snapped, 'Only an idiot would buy that.'

So Kaido was more than willing to cough up some money for it, "I'll buy it."

Akari sighed, 'Of course he will.' Why did she even think that he might not buy the ridiculous necklace? 

Saiki turned around and was more than ready to leave the poor boy by himself, "I can't waste my time with this idiot." He motioned for Akari to follow him and she had half the mind to follow him out, but she also wanted to make sure that Kaido was okay.

"Tell me one thing." Akari and Saiki paused as Kaido asked, "Will this necklace make Saiki my friend?"

Akari glanced over at Saiki's stoic expression. A part of her wished that Saiki opened up a bit more to make some friends. Granted, no matter what he did people just forced him into friendships whether he liked it or not. However, she does think that it would be good for him to make friends himself. There were plenty of people who wanted to be friends with him. Sure, some of them are annoying, but if he opens up a bit more he can pick his good friends easily.

Mikiko was more than willing to agree to that, "If you wear it, even Saiki will call you his pal."

Saiki scoffed, "Why would I do that?" Yea, it's absurd to imagine him doing that! I mean, he would never be that happy towards anyone… well, almost anyone.

So Kiaido was more than happy to pay for the necklace and use it to get friends, "I'll take it!" So he took the necklace and excitedly skipped out of the 

"What an easy target." The fortune teller scoffed, "Secret organization? What an idiot! Next in line, please come in."

Akari's blood started to boil at the way the woman quite happily celebrated how she tricked Kaido. The boy may be naive and a bit stupid, but he's still her friend. She would be damned if she let someone like this take advantage of her friends. Sure the woman can do what she wants and Akari wouldn't care about them. Though the moment she starts doing this to people she's friends with, that's when things make her upset. That anger started to show as her shadows started to spread across the floor and walls, enveloping everything in its inky darkness.

Noticing the darkness, Mikiko watched as the room became deathly still and an inky black mass started to form in the middle of the room. Sharp yellow eyes appeared from within the inky mass. They were narrowed into slits, the malice that this supernatural being was feeling permeated off of it, which caused Mikiko to scream. Akari was more than happy to scare the pants off this fraud. What a sadist!

Outside, unknowing to the horror that Akari was causing, Kaido walked down the sidewalk with his newest "mystical" item. No doubt it'll get him tons of friends! He just can't wait for it. Though it'll be such a hassle to have to remember all of their names. Oh well, the price of having too many friends.

"Kaido!" The fortune-teller shouted as she came running down the sidewalk towards him, "I'm returning your money! I never thought that you were telling the truth!" She appeared to be extremely frightened, especially after what she had been subjected to. Akari certainly did a number to her. So she gave back the money and started to sprint away, most likely to leave the country.

Kaido was in shock, "What about the necklace?"

"Take it!" She called out over her shoulder, "I bought it for ¥500."

"What?"

Behind him, Saiki watched as the fortune-teller ran for her life. He gazed at the shadows that were moving towards him through his glasses. The boy narrowed his eyes slightly at them, "You know, you're quite scary when you want to be."

Akari reformed herself into her normal form and shrugged her shoulders, 'Well, I consider Kaido a friend. I don't want people to take advantage of my friends.' Isn't that a true friend? She wants to make sure that they are safe or something like that. The fortune-teller went too far, so Akari had to rectify it.

Saiki just stared at her and shook his head. Why she considered him to be a good friend, he doesn't know. He explained, "I don't want him to think that we'll become friends because of that necklace. Don't rely on charms. Learn how to make friends on your own."

'Even if you don't want him to think that you'll be friends, you do help them out.'

Saiki just about sneered at the sentiment, "I don't help him."

Akari glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. A small smirk graced her lips as she said, 'Hm, sure you don't.'

She knows for a fact that Saiki could just turn his head the other way and not get involved. However, time and time again Saiki has been helping people out! It's been happening more recently, which Akari isn't sure why now it's happening, but it's more than pleasant. Akari likes seeing Saiki do good things for other people. It just means that he could make those connections that he's been avoiding for so long. Sure, she doesn't like people all that much either, but she doesn't want Saiki to miss out on something like friendships or any other relationships.

As they were talking, a sudden Nendo appeared! "Pal! Gal pal! The little guy is here too!" He stared at his friends with a large stupid smile, now more than happy to find his friends here.

Kaido stared at the necklace in wonder, "I knew this necklace was special." No, that's not the necklace at work, that's just pure coincidence plus the author's sadism to put their main characters in unfavorable situations.

Saiki just about sneered at Nendo, "You wasted our hard work."