Rika had only removed her eyes from the woman for a second, once more studying her card, but when she had looked up once more, the fortune teller was gone. Because the last two minutes hadn't been creepy enough, apparently.
"...Hello? Are you still there?" Rika questioned the air around her. Predictably, there was no response. Awesome.
Even if she were alone, the poster girl for the Good Student archetype tried to remain as calm and composed as possible. In these kinds of situations, it was best to maintain a cool and collected head. Needless panic would only invite danger to herself. All she had to do was-
"Wh-what?!" Rika gasped, hearing disembodied words reach her ears. Despite her frantic searching, however, she was still alone.
...Hall of enlightenment? Where's that supposed to be? Rika wondered with a shiver. Not given a whole lot of time to deduce this location's... well, location, a strange clanging noise filled her ears, and with some dread, turned her head towards the probable source.
So that was a street sign hopping towards her, a circular mark plastered over what was supposed to be the speed limit. Well, that was slightly unusual. Maybe it was friendly?
Rika watched it approach with a blank look on her face, as if her consciousness had just dropped dead and left her behind to dully process the image before her. So, creepy fortune-tellers, blood-red sky, living street signs... now all she needed was a demonic cheshire cat to confirm that, yes, she had gone insane. What did she even do to deserve this?
It was only a feet away before Rika finally remembered how to move, and took a few wary steps back... then leaped back with a frightened yell as the sign suddenly collapsed with a ringing crash, as if it had intended to crush her.
Was this for real?! Was a speed sign really trying to kill her?! Why, what did she do? She couldn't even drive!
"H-hey there," Rika raised her hands in an attempt to show her lack of hostility, the Magician card still clutched in one, "look, er, Sign...kun? I'm not an enemy, I'm, uh, just lost. Please help?"
Her pleas falling on deaf ears (well, of
course it couldn't hear. Signs didn't have ears at all. How silly of Rika to think she could talk to it), the sign once more rose to a 'standing' position, practically towering over the quaking student.
It was slowly reeling back, intent on crushing her with its weight, and Rika could simply watch with wide eyes, unable to believe this was happening. This...
thing was actually going to kill her? Ha, no way... that was just...
Despite the danger, Rika's attention was diverted to the card still in her hand. For some reason, it began to calm her down a little, even when the card throbbed, pulsating with a strange energy... it was invigorating, really. And cleared Rika's mind of all fear and doubt.
Now with a small grin on her face, Rika faced the speed sign, just a second away from attacking, and spoke calmly;
"Shrouded in mystery, revelling in potential - Arcana I, the Magician!"
A pink light enveloped Rika, the sign seemingly freezing as her transformation occurred. Her school uniform was replaced by a
blatantly magical girly costume, the light dispelling almost immediately. Now on her feet, Rika gave the costume a quick glance, admiring the staff, and noticing she even had a hat now. Cool.
"...So, if this is gonna how how I think it is..." Rika pointed the heart-shaped staff at the signpost, "I'll effortlessly crush you with my newfound power, right? I, uh, really hope it play out like that, ehehe..."