Yogan and Jackie sat in Misty's little shop.
"How are you feeling? Heh, I told you Old V's work was solid."
Yogan nodded. Jackie wasn't wrong. Thanks to Old V's expert handiwork, the only visible sign on his neck was a strip of metal about the width of an adult finger and three or four centimeters long.
What shocked Yogan the most—as someone from a more primitive era—was that in 2074, cybernetic implant surgeries required no recovery time. From one perspective, if you could afford it, humans in the 2070s could practically swap out any part of their body instantly.
Jackie was supportive of Yogan stepping into modern society but couldn't help teasing his taste.
"But come on, bro, why'd you get Old V to slap on something so plain? It looks like an unpainted stainless steel strip. You need to check out the real trendsetters on the street. Now that you've embraced modern tech, it's time your fashion sense caught up too."
Yogan disagreed. The aesthetics of the 2070s were a bit much for someone like him—a "fossil" from another time.
"You mean the folks with crazy hairstyles that look like animated mop heads from a distance? Or the ones covered head to toe in glowing tattoos and dressed like neon signs from a nightclub? I really don't get young people's style these days. Spare me, Jackie. If you're seriously suggesting I get a half-shaved head with a row of neon lights on it like a PC case, I'd rather jump off a building."
"Come on, man, you're not even older than me. Quit pretending to be some elder. This is called fashion, got it? People with that kind of look end up on the front pages of magazines. If the editors heard what you just said, they'd pay big bucks just to shut you up. And about that comment on neon mohawks—I'll pretend I didn't hear it, but don't let V hear you say that. I won't be able to save you then."
Misty sat at the counter, listening to their banter while shuffling her tarot cards.
Jackie's curiosity kicked in.
"Hey, um... Miss Misty, what are those in your hands?"
Misty smiled softly. "Just call me Misty. And in return, I'll call you Jackie. Deal?"
Jackie scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Of course, of course. Everyone calls me Jackie…"
Honestly, Jackie's behavior made Yogan cringe. He decided to step in and play the third wheel.
"Are you planning to do a tarot reading?"
Misty looked at Yogan with some surprise. "You know about tarot cards?"
"I've only heard the name. Don't really know any details."
Jackie looked equally surprised. "Bro, you've been hiding things from me!"
"Come on, I'm not that primitive."
Misty shuffled the deck again and said, "In ancient times, tarot cards were known as 'the secret cavern of nature.' Many used them to analyze situations and seek guidance for the future. So, what do you think? Want to give it a try?"
Jackie laughed. "I'll pass. I like to keep some mystery in my life. Yogan, want to try?"
Yogan looked at Misty, who was clearly eager. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Alright. Let's give it a shot."
Following Misty's instructions, he went through the motions—shuffling, cutting, and finally drawing four cards based on his intuition.
Misty arranged the drawn cards in a diamond shape on the table. "Alright, let's unveil your fate."
Yogan flipped over the card closest to him. It was The Hanged Man, upright.
"This card represents your past. The upright Hanged Man symbolizes undergoing trials, limitations in action, sacrifice, fearlessness in adversity, incorruptibility, trade-offs, learning from experience, rebirth, broad learning, and devoted love."
Next, he flipped the left card in the second row. It was The Fool, upright.
"This card stands for your present. The upright Fool represents a longing for nature, aimless wandering, a willingness to try new things, and a desire to challenge the unknown. It also means being a drifter, making reckless choices, blindly chasing dreams, rejecting convention, and embracing freedom and starting from scratch."
Then he flipped the right card in the second row. Unexpectedly, it was The Fool again—but this time, reversed.
"Wait a minute. Something's off. A tarot deck should only have one of each Major Arcana card…"
Yogan asked, "Misty, what do you think The Fool means?"
"The reversed Fool represents risky actions, pursuing possibilities, valuing dreams over material things, leaving home, trusting others too easily, and worrying about travel."
Yogan nodded. He then reached for the last card.
Misty tried to stop him. "Hold on, this reading is already invalid…"
"Well, since the cards are drawn, why not see it through?"
Yogan flipped the last card. It was The Tower. Though it landed face-up, the card seemed to move of its own accord, slipping from his fingers and sliding back into its original position horizontally.
Misty frowned. "That's not a good sign. The upright Tower represents bankruptcy, adversity, dismissal, sudden illness, catastrophic blows, major upheaval, collateral damage, shattered beliefs, self-destruction, turmoil, sudden separation, and doomed love. The reversed Tower symbolizes dire straits, internal conflict, crisis, arrogance paying the price, last stands, a sense of separation, and relationship breakdowns."
"So… what do these cards mean?"
"I'm sorry. The combination you drew is too strange. I've never encountered anything like this. I don't think I can interpret it."
Jackie patted Yogan on the shoulder with a smile. "Relax, man. Why dig so deep into your future? Isn't it better to leave a little surprise in life?"
Yogan said, "Misty said it herself—this card pattern is unprecedented. I'm just curious."
Just then, V walked out of Old V's clinic.
Jackie grumbled, "Finally! Girl, if we'd waited any longer, we'd have dozed off."
V replied, "I had to fight some corporate goon with gorilla arms. Old V wanted to run a full scan to make sure there weren't any hidden injuries. Oh, and I gave back the commission for that Johnson job. Since he's dead, we basically didn't do anything. Yogan, here's your cut. Old V already deducted your surgery bill—gave you a 40% discount too."
"Well, now I really owe Old V a big favor. I'll have to thank him properly."
Jackie said, "It's getting late. Yogan, want to crash at my place tonight? We can sort out a rental for you tomorrow."
"I couldn't impose…"
"What are you talking about? My mom's already made the bed. Plus, she's dying to meet my new friend. And you, V? Want me to drop you off too?"
V waved her hand. "No need. I'm heading to the hospital to visit Tracey."
"Alright then. Stay safe, girl."