TwoFold

Chapter 2- The Oracle

Anisa squealed, clapping her hands like an excited seal. "You need a big life change! This is perfect!"

Emmy nodded, apprehensive about whether the big change was good or not.

"So, your hidden influence is The Sun. It's a good card for this, don't look so anxious," Verina smiled up at Emmy, calming her nerves. "It's usually a card of good fortune. Again, it's forward movement but more connected to joy and optimism. If it hasn't already, something good will happen soon to get the ball moving for you in a profound way. This could be love or even business success, but it will bring joy to your life."

Love. That was the one thing she had been thinking about manifesting during the Night of the Witches. Was this a sign she was going in the right direction?

"This next card in the center represents you. Your actions and influence greatly affect the outcome of all this, and that's especially true in this reading because this is where your second major arcana lies. You and the hidden influence are the biggest players in what's to come. Additional outside influence will occur, but what YOU choose to do will have some of the biggest overall effects. Your card is The Empress. It's typically a very maternal influence if you're hoping to start a family."

"I'm not. I'm not even dating at the moment."

"It can be any sort of creation, then. Romance, art, life, your career... The Querent as The Empress means you will create something, and it will transform your plans going forward. It's one of the biggest, most important things in your forward movement. Think of it as a true metamorphosis. It means you're growing, and that growth will majorly impact what's to come for you. You should be sure to nurture that."

"Growth. Okay. Growth is good."

"Growth IS good. Make sure to keep that mindset. Not all change is bad, and you will experience much of it soon. The attitude of others is what your next card represents. This is the Seven of Swords. Having the number seven come up in a seven-card reading normally indicates safety and security, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. Or, if it does, it means there are multiple different outside opinions regarding what's to come."

Emmy had always been drawn to the number seven herself, her coven of seven being the perfect example. It had always been her lucky number.

"Looking at the reading as a whole, this is where it starts to feel like you might be up against some challenges. You have a lot of swords in your reading, which isn't a bad thing, but it means you'll have some major decisions to make and challenges to overcome. This card looks like a potential betrayal. Someone is being strategic and trying to get away with something. You might trust someone you shouldn't, or someone in your life has an agenda that doesn't align with yours."

Anisa was much less excitable about that card, but Emmy expected as much. The world's full of untrustworthy people. If deceit was the worst that came her way, she could overcome that.

"Only two cards left, and this is the second seven card. This card represents obstacles and what you should do to get the best outcome of the situation. We've got the Seven of Wands here. This is a card of protection and perseverance. You need to stand your ground and protect what's yours. The obstacle could be that you will be unprepared or that someone might surprise you. Do your best to protect what's important to you, and you will likely have a favorable outcome."

"With all the witches in your life, I don't think protection will be much of a problem," Anisa commented, grabbing Emmaline's hand in solidarity. They've always protected each other. That was the one constant in their lives.

"I said you'll likely have a favorable outcome because of your last card here. This is the two of cups. This is the power when two people come together, a partnership that will be strong and balanced. That kind of power will easily overcome any obstacles that come your way, so everything is looking in your favor. To sum it all up, expect some major changes to come your way. Some good and bad things will happen, so be careful who you trust, but stay true to yourself, create, protect yourself and those you love, and you will be successful. Do you have any questions for me?"

Anisa nudged Emmaline, who sighed at her pushy but well-meaning friend.

"She wants me to ask about tonight. I wanted to try and manifest love in my circle. It's the one thing in my life that's missing, and with the veil being so thin and the energy being stronger, I thought it would be a good time for that. Based on what you read, what do you think?"

Verina hummed as she sat back and thought it over. "Your reading was fascinating to me. If you're expecting a big change, maybe that's the one you'll find. If that's the case, good luck to you because it looks like a bumpy ride," her laugh tinkled as she shook her head. "But overall, I think you should follow your heart here. Your intuition will guide you in the best way for you."

Emmaline smiled just as the bell for the shop door jingled in the background.

"Oh! More customers! It was lovely seeing you girls. Let me know if you need anything else!" Verina chirped. She muttered a quick prayer and broke the circle Casimira cast at the beginning, sprinting through the curtain to the front to help her new customers.

"Well, dang, girl! Sounds like you've got some big things coming your way!" Anisa teased, trying to break some of the heaviness from the end of the reading.

"Would you mind taking some advice from an old woman?" Casimira interrupted with a wrinkled smile on her face. She was probably in her mid-60s, had long, cascading hair, and the most prominent cornflower blue eyes. Emmy had never met her, though she'd been with the coven for several years. Knowing the woman probably had more experience than both of them combined, Emmaline nodded with a smile for her to continue.

"Be careful with manifesting love. Remember that, to be like the goddess, we must strive to be whole unto ourselves. When the veil is thin, sometimes it's best to just relax and receive, not try and influence what's to come. It may not work in your favor."

"Ahhh, the Dianic influence strikes again. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of being strong and independent on my own, and I've done pretty well with that so far, but even the goddess had a god in her corner."

"Hmm. Another pollutant, if you ask me. Just remember, you can be complete all on your own. The love you seek can come from within, too," Casimira patted Emmy's shoulder as she walked past.

"She means well. She just wants you to be happy all on your own and not rely on someone else for that," Anisa sighed as she gathered up their bags and walked towards the exit.

"I know. Maybe she's right, though. I could still manifest tonight, but it doesn't HAVE to be for love. The main goal is to feel complete, right? To find that missing piece that I've been looking for. I guess I don't know for sure that love is what would fill that hole. So instead, I manifest completion in and of itself, finding that part of me that I'm missing, whatever it may be."

"And if it's love, all the better!" Anisa replied, tossing her highlighted hair with enough sass to put even the biggest divas to shame.

As the girls went their separate ways, they mentally prepared for their night to come. The veil was getting thinner with each minute that passed, and as it did, the anticipation for what was to come heightened.

☽☼~~~∞☾✩☽∞~~~☼☾

A/N

This is a Hobi fanfic, but all the members will make an appearance! That being said, who are your BTS wreckers? Hobi might be my bias, but my wreckers are EVERYONE ELSE. How do you NOT just adore all of them?