After waiting for a while, Grandma Yan returned and asked Sunz to follow her while his parents waited in the living room. Just right after both of them walked into the hallway, every entrance slide shut.
Grandma Yan: Before we get going, let's see what you'll pull.
Suddenly, the wall, the floor, the ceiling, and every object in the hallway turned into card, blank white card.
Sunz: Oh wow, this is really interesting. Am I sleeping or some kind of illusion?
Grandma Yan: Well, that's for the future. For now, you like to draw the white card or *flip her hand then all of the card flip themself* the black card.
Sunz: Like the Yin and Yang.
Grandma Yan: Precisely.
Sunz walking around the endless hallway, feeling card ruffle under his feet: This doesn't matter at all, right?
Grandma Yan: Who knows, the past has been determined while the future is still unknown.
Sunz: You are just speaking facts, Grandma.
Grandma Yan: Of course, but sometimes a simple fact is all it takes to "WOW" someone.
Sunz: ok… what is my time limit in here?
Grandma Yan: I think you mean, how much time can you waste in here.
Sunz: Wow, you are good at twisting words.
Grandma Yan chuckles: Anyway, to answer your question. As long as it makes you happy with your decision.
Sunz: Hmm…
Suddenly, the cards on the floor and ceiling shuffle themselves around, creating a whirlpool movement, and unexpected company shows up.
…
Sunz: What the fuck?
Sword standing on the ceiling: What's up kid! What kind of weird game are you having?
Violet standing opposite of Sunz: Hi Sunz, sorry for intruding… whatever you're having?
Sunz: Why are you guys here? You both also suddenly awaken new powers?
Sword: New powers? What strange thing are you talking about?
Violet: Well, he got a point there... since 2 teachers.
Sword: Fair point. No new powers, but we did encounter an unfamiliar person dressed as a maid.
Sunz: Female with blonde hair and orange irises?
Sword: Precisely! You know her?
Sunz: Yes, she is my Servant and that's her words. She is a parasite living in my girlfriend's body and is making sure that I will be a faithful husband to her host.
Violet: Well, that was a close one, wasn't it?
Sunz: What was close?
Sword: We nearly fight her, and I intend on killing any intruder, but luckily for you, Violet stops both of us before anything could happen.
Sunz: Ok… wait, you can protect my mind, Sword?
Sword: No. If you messed up when fighting against a psychic, that's on you, buddy. We just accidentally encountered her in your mind, snooping around the movie theater.
Sunz: Ok, got it. But Violet, why did you stop Sword from fighting her?
Violet: She pulled out a rapier that was similar to your girlfriend's… and the technique was identical to hers.
Sunz: That is very amazing, thank you for saving her.
Violet: No problem kid. Sword was there to do his usual job, and I just provided my blacksmith skill. But saving her, that is 50 – 50 right, Sword? Since, she is as powerful as us.
Sword: That… is still a mystery since you intervened. But, nothing bad would have happened, at most, I'd have just sent them back where they came from. Anyway, the hell is going on on this side of the dreamworld.
Sunz: We can't change the subject, wait what, and what… this needs to be out of the way first. Violet just told me that my girlfriend's parasite is as strong as you two. How is that possible?
Sword: How should I know anything about someone else's condition, when I've taught millions of students and still have new abilities popping up randomly?
Violet: I'm just dead.
Sunz: I guess that's out the window. Move on then. What do you mean dreamworld?
Sword: You are sleeping, and we are here in front of you in this weird room you created. Hence dreamworld.
Sunz: I'm not sleeping, I'm here with a Fortune Teller, who was being really quiet despite me talking all this time.
Sword and Violet look at each other, then look back at Sunz: What Fortune Teller?
Sunz points at Grandma Yan: That Fortune Teller!
Sword and Violet:…
Grandma Yan: Sunz, I know I said you can take as long as you like, but stop talking to yourself in silence and focus on your current task.
Sunz turns to her: Wait? You didn't know what I said this whole time, Grandma?
Grandma Yan: I saw your lips moving, but no words were coming out. Were you talking with someone?
Sunz: Yes! You can't see them?
Grandma Yan: Your mother did say you have odd behavior. Anyway, why don't your friends also pick a card. Just to see how much influence they will have on your life.
Sunz:… sure, I guess. *turn to Violet and Sword*
"I have no clue what is happening. Did you two hear what I said when I turned the other way?"
Sword: We didn't hear anything you said, and you didn't move at all, just started talking without sound.
Violet: Are you ok, Sunz? Not going crazy after so many things happened?
Sunz: I am 100% ok. Will you two leave if I ask?
Sword and Violet: Of course.
Sunz: Great. Then, before you two leave, can you each pick a card from anywhere and give it to me?
*reach his hand out and grab a card from what was originally a flower petal*
Sword: Ah, I see. Trying to do tarot card trick in here, hence the Fortune Teller. Don't know what you are looking for *pointing out two fingers and a card manifest between them* but good luck.
Violet: Hmm…
*draw her sword, it immediately ignites with flame, then perform a full crescent swing, burning everything in its path except for one card, which she picks up afterward*
"I'll pick this."
Sunz: You two sure are flashy. Anyway-
Violet and Sword glance at each other, then both throw their card at Sunz while he was talking.
"You are the one leaving, not us."
Sunz did not get to utter any sound as his body turned into cards, everything turned to black… and slowly his eyes started to get a glimpse of a light flickering until his vision returned to normal.
…
In front of him is a small table with a lit candle, a stack of cards, and three cards lay out next to each other. His surroundings are pitch black, only slightly lit up by the candle. He is sitting on something soft, like a pillow, with his legs crossed.
Didn't know how he got himself here, in this position. The knockout by Sword and Violet was similar to the dream knockout, so maybe he was actually dreaming. So many mysteries happened between the livingroom to whatever this room he is in. To top off all of these mysteries, Grandma Yan, the person who is supposed to read his future, is… sleeping with her head on the table.
Sunz (More fucking nonsense? What was that, and now this?) *poke her head*: Grandma? Are you sleeping?
Grandma Yan immediately jolted up. She looked tired, then started looking around, and slowly, her eyes widened, then she started slapping her face a few times to wake up: Sorry Sunz, it seems I just passed out.
Sunz: Passed out? I thought you were sleeping.
Grandma Yan: My mind and body possession technique shouldn't be this weak.
Sunz: WHAT!
Grandma Yan: Sorry, my words slip. Just forget what I said…
Sunz:…
Grandma Yan: Seems like a no… I guess *hold out her hand, her fingers get in a snapping position*
Sunz immediately recoils back and accidentally hits the nerve of his knee at the edge of the table, then starts suffering in silence while holding on to it.
Grandma Yan: You ok? *snap her finger* If you are, then let me get back to my job.
Sunz holding in the pain: Grandma, I know I shouldn't say this, but you secretly possessing my body and mind without letting me know makes you less trustworthy to me.
Grandma Yan: Don't worry too much, I mostly use it for flavor. I'm not harming anyone, plus you somehow knock me out of my technique, which is a feat I've rarely seen.
Sunz: I… don't know, even with that fact.
Grandma Yan: Well, I mostly do fortune-telling for normal people, and since you performed that feat, we might learn something good about you and your future. But, not forcing you if you don't want to. I'm not even charging your mother anything, so if you want to leave then…
*flip her hand and the whole room lit up from the light from the ceiling*
"The door is behind you."
Sunz looks around to see a very minimalist room:… (FUCK!) Fine, I'll trust you. Every risk led to an opportunity or worse.
Grandma Yan: Very well *flip her hand, and everything returned to before* please look at the table.
Sunz: Wait! Where are the cards?
Grandma Yan: They are for later. First, I need to do a ritual on you.
Sunz: What?
Grandma Yan: You know where the door is.
Sunz: I already said I trust you, ok?
On the table in front of him is a clear pot of black liquid in the center and two pieces of paper on the right and left sides of the pot.
Grandma Yan: Alright, relax, then dip one of your hands into the ink pot only up to your wrist.
Sunz: Are we doing both hands?
Grandma Yan closing her eyes: Yes.
Sunz: Ok, I'm not going to ask what this is for.
Relaxing his body to his best ability, then dipping his hand into the pot… Grandma Yan started chanting words right after one of his fingers touched the ink, which caught him off guard, but he continued to sink his hand in, only up to his wrist.
Sunz (Ugh! So cold and weird. Is it wiggling? What kind of fuck up Fortune Teller did you find, Mom!)
…
Grandma Yan stops chanting: You can remove your hand now.
Sunz: Remove it? But the ink will get everywhere.
Grandma Yan: Don't worry, also it's my house, so my problem.
Sunz: ok? *slowly remove his hand and see* wait. Did my skin absorb it?
Grandma Yan: Please put your hand on the paper of the same side.
Sunz: Sure.
Right after he put his hand on the paper, Grandma Yan started chanting again, and suddenly the ink slowly wiggled out of his skin and onto the paper. When he lifted his hand away, there was the word 记忆 engraved on the paper, and nothing was on his hand.
"Memory? Why did that come out of my hand?"
Grandma Yan: You understand what that word means?
Sunz: Yes… (FUCK! Now I have to explain how I understand Chinese despite never learning anything.)
Grandma Yan: Strange, your mother never told me that you were taught Chinese, let alone learning about the culture. That's for later, now your other hand.
…
After the ritual, the same letter was drained from Sunz's other hand.
Grandma Yan: Hmm… have you been trying to remember something?
Sunz: Yes? Something wrong? Does that word have more meaning than just memories?
Grandma Yan: No. not at all. The ritual is to see what has been on your mind recently. For me, when it comes to fortune telling, I need to know everything to give you the best reading. People always come to me with a reason in mind, but there's always something lurking in the background.
*both papers suddenly levitate in the air*
"So, did you solve what was lurking in your mind?"
Sunz: Yes, I think so. Do you want to do the ritual again to see if there is anything else?
Grandma Yan smiled at him: Silly kid, I just take the surface-level information from you. The one that is deep in your heart, that's for you to solve.
Sunz: Ok, I think I understand most of that.
Grandma Yan: People fully understand a saying when a specific situation happens… but since you have already solved your problems. *snap finger*
The two pieces of paper burst into flame, then the pot suddenly spilled the ink on the table, and all of that also burst into flame.
Sunz (So hot? Is it real or just some kind of mind possession she did before?)
After a few seconds, the flame disappeared, and a stack of cards appeared where the tip of the flame was, dropping onto the table, then three cards from before appeared right after the stack hit the table.
Grandma Yan: Let's see your fortune and… your friends' fortune too. Please flip any one of the three cards in front of you.
Sunz: ok, here I go. *touch the card on the far left, and it's immediately disintegrated into dust* Is that normal?
Grandma Yan: Hmm, seem like you did have friends join our session. The other two, then.
Sunz: Ok then. *touch the card on the far right, and it flips normally to reveal*
"Red? What does it mean?"
*hold up the card, then it suddenly starts dripping a red liquid*
"Ew ew ew!"
Sunz tossed the card away, but it froze mid-air when his fingers stopped touching it.
Grandma Yan: Please don't dirty this room.
The card gently levitates down onto the table and slowly oozes the red liquid. Sunz wipes the red liquid on the tip of his fingers onto his pants, then takes a sniff at his fingers.
Sunz: This, smells like blood… sorry. Should I flip the last card?
Grandma Yan: Are you guaranteed that the last card is yours?
Sunz: No, not at all.
Grandma Yan: Then go ahead.
Sunz flips the last card… just to see the same card: Uhh, this is normal to the other two, right?
Grandma Yan: Fortune can never be the same, so flip it again.
Sunz flips the same card again, nothing changes… again… again… again.
"Grandma, is this really fortune-telling? Feel like I'm trying to cheat fate."
Grandma Yan: Then draw a card from this pile, probably an error from my side.
Sunz: How does that make sense in fortune telling? *draw the card and flip it* same thing…
Grandma Yan: Great, so now we know that is your card and the other two are your friends.
Sunz: You already know what was going on, didn't you?
Grandma Yan: I've been doing this for half a century, so yes.
"The dust card, it reflected someone's journey ending, not by age, not by their circumstances, but by themselves. Satisfied with their journey and left with nothing, they end their life and let the wind carry them forward."
"The blood-soaked card, symbolizes the effect someone left on the world. Since blood is what flows out of the card, it means the person is dead, and the impact they left on the world is still there until this day."
"But, you should already know how fortune-telling goes. Made up lies that connected to the circumstances to create the truth."
*snap her finger*
The dust, blood, and cards all drew to each other within seconds to clear the table clean of anything.
"So, are you ready for your Fortune Telling? The Fortune Telling that won't be interrupted by anyone, your friends, your family, and your emotions. And, do you trust the future the cards lay before you?"
Sunz:… No! I'm not that superstitious.
Grandma Yan:…
Sunz:… I won't say yes, and the door is right there.
Grandma Yan: So? It's your future, I can show you how it will become, and you messed up the path leading to that future is your problem.
Sunz: Then why were you being all quiet and judgy?
Grandma Yan: I'm old, but I have years of entertainment, just trying to see what I should perform in this situation.
Sunz rolls his eyes: How serious is your Fortune Telling anyway? It seems to have taken quite the fall after everything that happened before that sentence of yours.
Grandma Yan: 100% serious and 100% entertaining.
Sunz: Ok! Let's get to it.
Grandma Yan reached out to the air, then suddenly held something thick between her palm and slammed it down onto the table with immense force. Then she lifts up her hand to reveal the same deck of cards from before, showing a proud expression on her face.
"Let's Read Your Future!"
Sunz (I'll play along.) draw the top card with great confidence… only to see: It… It's the same as before.
*slam his face on the table*
"Grandma, I know I said I'm not superstitious, but this feels demoralizing."
Grandma Yan: Let me see. *draw the top card* show me my present!
*reveal the other side of the card which shows… 70s-80s*
"It's different this time."
Sunz: Wait what!? *lift up his head to see the card*
"It's show… your age?"
Grandma Yan: See, my fortune-telling skill is always correct, even on how I don't care about my age. Take this as a souvenir *hold the card toward Sunz*
Sunz sighs: Fine, I guess.
When he reached out to grab the card, right after touching… it's flipped back to being his previous card.
"Well, no souvenir for me… also, you know what is going on, don't you?"
Grandma Yan: Of course. Remember, I am Professional. Now, keep drawing until you see anything different.
Sunz: Sure, *sigh* I guess.
…
…
After drawing through the whole stack of cards, every single card is identical, and both front and back match each other. Cards are lying on top of each other in an unorganized pile.
Sunz tosses the last card on top of the pile: Well, all of them are the same.
Grandma Yan: They sure are.
*swipe her hand across the table and all of the cards were immediately organized across the table, covering it*
Sunz: So, I guess. What does my future entail?
Grandma Yan smiles: Do you know about Yin and Yang?
Right after she said that, the cards on the table started flickering between the colors black and white.
Sunz crossing his arms: Not really, they just symbolize the harmony and balance… mostly that.
Grandma Yan: That is the normal study, but for me, they represent Past and Future, can't have one without the other. You *all of the cards stay black* have the Yin but no Yang. Compared to our last session, you still have both.
Sunz: Woah, sorry, but please stop for a moment. I heard that you couldn't even see my future back then, due to me being indecisive. How is this different?
Grandma Yan: You catch on quick! Yes, I can't see your future back then and now. But now, your past also can't be seen.
Sunz confused: What?... That makes no sense, like at all. I remember everything from my past.
Grandma Yan: I know, your situation is also something I've never seen before. The past you remember is just a memory, not your actual past.
Sunz: That… makes no sense. Sorry, I just repeat myself.
Grandma Yan: Don't worry, in this circumstance, it's bound to happen. First, all of your memories of the past are true, that's for sure. The thing about memories is that they can be altered from the truth. Fake memories can make you believe the fake past is your past. Is that simple enough?
Sunz: Yes, but what with the Yin and Yang stuff?
(The information about memory being fake and real is simple enough after spending so many hours on those types of games. The degeneracy actually being useful is scary.)
Grandma Yan: Their role is acting as a representation symbol for talking. The only useful role they play here is to identify the victims.
Sunz: Fuck! Are you saying I'm connected to someone because Yin Yang goes together?
Grandma Yan: Correct… you are the Yin, while the Yang *all of the cards turn white* is her.
Sunz: What?!
All of the white cards slowly reflecting like a big mirror, and inside the reflection is the familiar face of Grace.
Grandma Yan: You seem very surprised. You know who she is?
Sunz: She… ugh, I have to say it or else she will kill me. That's my Wife.