I'm just Since when is curiosity a crime? — Flora shot back.
The medium ran a hand across his face and asked (now and throughout, in the voice of a young Latina):
You for real or just bored like every other culo walking in here babbling nonsense?
That Platonic dialogue was interrupted by the shock troops of Flora's crew. First up was Campus:
Why are we in a bathroom though? My dad, who carries me around in this flak jacket — I mean, he is my flak jacket — wants to pee real bad with all these toilets around. And if I got to go too,
well… this shirt's not gonna make it. Hee- hee. The medium replied instantly:
This is a house of contemplation, bros. And only in the john can you really ponder deep stuff — souls and whatnot. Bold! Avant- garde! Sounds like a real classy art installation! — Vanna clapped her hands with Then why are you a dude? The tent sign clearly said - Madame Rufaña.- — asked the group's woke auntie. What's your problem? I can call myself whatever I want, feel however I I am Madame Rufaña, got it? I got no identity issues. Do you, Carmelita?
Not one to back down easily, Evelyn... stayed quiet. Because, as was mentioned earlier in this semi- documentary adventure, she was a kind person. A bit cranky, sure, but fundamentally kind.
In this crew, if someone dropped the mic, another would pick it up right away. Manu, ever the scholar, stepped forward:
Now look, I won't pass judgment on your field of Though I'm fully aware it's about scamming gullible folks out of their hard- earned cash.
Erm… That was probably too much editorializing, sorry. Let me ask what I came to ask: - How do you even operate here if most of your visitors don't speak your language? We were lucky to have a translator handy. But surely you have your own staff, don't you?
Dude, you need something or what? Why you grilling me? Yeah, I got a He went out for smokes like an hour ago and didn't come back yet. That's how my dad left too. Couple years ago, went out for vape juice and never came home. — Vanna said in a tone of tender solidarity, horrifying the medium. She leapt from her seat, grabbing her head:
What?! No way! My translator's my dad too! You think he ghosted me?
No big — Vanna winked cheerfully. — Losses come with gains. He left you, but you got new friends now. Come here, let me hug you, girl! We're all together and that's what matters!
The medium recoiled from the hug, her lips twitching as she tried to process this tragic revelation. Flora gently coughed and decided to change the subject. She did feel sorry for the poor witch, but she still wanted answers. Plus, everyone knows: work heals. A little magical therapy wouldn't hurt Rufaña.
Flora didn't even need to speak — a dream come true for an introvert. The medium figured it was time to begin her dark arts.
Cash comes after I do my dirty deed, y'know?
Yes, of — The director said it twice, for some reason — once to Peyota and once to Rufaña herself.
With a flourish of her hand, Rufaña signaled everyone to keep silent and not interrupt her sacred process. Then she pulled out a desk drawer and produced a thoroughly rotten banana, which she gripped with intense determination — prompting a wave of Freudian jokes from Campus, who shut up quickly after a slap upside the head from his - carrier.-
Rufaña waved her hand through the air, signaling everyone to be quiet and not to distract her from the process. Then, she pulled a rather rotten banana from a drawer and grabbed it tightly — which triggered a flood of Freudian jokes from Campus. Though he quickly shut up after getting a fatherly smack on the head from his host.
The banana, along with the medium's hand, twitched rhythmically, like she was shaking a baby rattle (or, as the little demon had just joked, doing that thing).
The medium also lit an aromatic candle, and everyone sighed with relief — finally, something that matched what they'd seen on TV. But not all were pleased. Peyota, for example, openly said: - There's already too many bros and sisters in here, I can't breathe…- But Evelyn hushed her and gave her a look that meant shut it.
Expectations were fully crushed when the medium didn't roll her eyes back, didn't go into spasms, and didn't speak in a ghostly voice. She simply set the fruit aside and clasped her hands in the universal we- need- to- talk gesture of a concerned parent. Feeling like a scolded child, Flora broke the silence and flinched at the sound of her own voice:
Do you want to say something? Yeah, girlie, thing is, I had to tune in to the ether waves and all that woo- woo crap. And fruits and veggies help me with that — they're totally awesome 'cause of their soulfulness and
Evelyn was utterly shocked.
What? Vegetables are alive? And suffer? Are you out of your mind?! Clothes aren't supposed to walk around either, they should just sit folded in a — Flora nodded toward the still, statue- like Costume (whose immobility had become the norm). .. yeah. But there's, like, a human inside. Probably. And that banana is just a banana!
Fascinating — Manu commented, without a hint of irony. And yet — the fortune- teller pointed at the fruit — it has brains. A real And this dude is upset that his hermanos suffer because of... damn, how do I even say that? You outta your mind, saying that crap? — Peyota paused mid- sentence and stormed over to the medium, grabbing her by the collar. The great mage shrieked hysterically and started blurting out words at high speed. Yeah, I still don't get it, what the hell is this cultural .. pri.. pi… pinapple? What tha hell are ya saying, you bald freak? Cultural — Manu jumped in quickly, apparently worried the fortune- teller might get decked. — Bananas are suffering due to cultural appropriation.
Peyota calmed down and resumed her role as interpreter:
They're mad dat humans dress up as fruits and veggies in those big mascot costumes, hand out flyers, lure people into stores, and stuff like that. It's total shit, boyz. Not okay. I've never thought about — Vanna whispered. — I swear, I'll start donating to every banana psychological help fund! I promise! My poor babies…
Manu hugged the sobbing girl, and Flora gave her a sympathetic look — she too felt the same heaviness in her chest. But they had to carry on — the movie wasn't going to film itself.
The fortune- teller, not wasting time, pulled out a deck of Lenormand natal cards, with anime characters on the covers. This instantly calmed the designer, who squealed:
Oh, that's Eren Yeager! Awesome! Can I see it up close? - But was silenced by a stern glare from kind- hearted Peyota.