Bianca the Tarotist: Thanks for the ride. See ya!
Bianca and Mercuria climb out of the car.
Driver II: Happy weekend, ladies!
Bianca the Tarotist: Phew! Fresno, we finally made it.
Bianca drifts along the sidewalk like a half-deflated balloon.
Bianca the Tarotist: Gotta walk on my toes. Think I'll scream if my heels touch the ground.
Mercuria: Look, there's a restaurant right here.
Bianca the Tarotist: Guess this is our best bet. My feet are killing me.
Leaning on Mercuria and wincing from the blisters, Bianca shuffles into the restaurant on her toes.
The place isn't busy, so they're seated right away, and a server comes over to take their order.
Bianca the Tarotist: Two beef tacos, some corn chips, and ... can I grab a fortune cookie?
Server: Of course.
The server places a fortune cookie on the table before heading to the kitchen.
Mercuria gets up to follow her.
Bianca the Tarotist: Huh?
Bianca stops cracking open her fortune cookie. She watches Mercuria talking to the manager in the kitchen through the pass-through.
They seem to have struck some kind of deal. Mercuria heads back.
As soon as she sits, Bianca hits her with a flurry of questions.
Bianca the Tarotist: You know each other?
Mercuria: Just met.
Bianca the Tarotist: What were you two chatting about?
Mercuria: A job.
Bianca the Tarotist: A job?
Bianca looks around, puzzled.
Bianca the Tarotist: I don't sense anything unusual here.
Mercuria: A job as a waitress.
Bianca the Tarotist: A waitress?
Mercuria: Yeah. You should always start by getting a job when you settle in a new city.
Bianca looks incredulously at Mercuria.
Bianca the Tarotist: You're not heading back? And you're not gonna keep doing the spiritual healing thing?
Mercuria: I'll stay here for a while, just like I did when I first arrived in San Francisco. Being a spiritual healer isn't all I do. I just need to settle down first.
Bianca the Tarotist: Ah ...
In her surprise, Bianca accidentally pops open the fortune cookie.
Bianca the Tarotist: You've already made up your mind?
Mercuria nods lightly.
Bianca the Tarotist: So, what about Dexter's necklace?
Mercuria: You can bring it back.
Mercuria's reply is serene.
Bianca the Tarotist: Was this your plan from the beginning?
Mercuria nods.
Mercuria: This is how I live.
Indeed, she's a free soul.
Bianca reads the message from the fortune cookie: "You will always have true friends by your side."
Bullsh*t.
Bianca crumples it into a ball.
Bianca the Tarotist: You did give away all your stuff before you left.
Bianca the Tarotist: I should've figured you wouldn't go back.
Mercuria: But you will.
Bianca wraps her fingers around the cookie, pressing it lightly into her palm.
True friends ... What's Soraya doing now, and in which city?
Bianca the Tarotist: Me? I don't think so.
Why can't I be as free as Mercuria?
Her grip tightens.
Mercuria: Is that so?
Why didn't I just leave back then?
'Cause I couldn't do it.
Bianca the Tarotist: Yeah.
"Bianca, sweetie, come on over to Daddy."
No matter how bad I want to leave ...
When it's time to really hit the road, I just can't seem to take that step.
But for Mercuria, it seems so easy.
Bianca the Tarotist: Yes. I'm sure.
"Crack!"
Mercuria: Bianca.
Mercuria grabs Bianca's hand. Her fortune cookie has been reduced to crumbs.
Bianca the Tarotist: No. Don't cast your arcane skill on me.
What was once calming now feels like a snake ready to strike.
Bianca pulls away from Mercuria's touch. She realizes her eyes are wet with tears.
Bianca the Tarotist: I never realized how awful it is to lead a calm, uneventful life.
Mercuria's hand remains extended, but Bianca can't discern her expression through her tears.
Now that her friend is gone, Bianca finally sees how lonely and trapped she is in San Francisco.
Bianca the Tarotist: Dad ...
She resents him. The man she once admired is the very same man who's now restraining her—holding her tight in his grip.
But that's not the only reason.
Bianca the Tarotist: Soraya ...
Mercuria: Yeah, eventually you'll go back.
Bianca has calmed down.
Mercuria sits opposite, watching her idly flick corn chips on the table as her emotions dissipate.
She unapologetically snatches Mercuria's taco after finishing her own.
Mercuria: You seem to be in a better mood.
Bianca nods.
Bianca the Tarotist: Thank you. This journey's been nice. I feel like I've just woken up from a day-long hangover.
Bianca the Tarotist: I found Dexter's necklace, got a dress I love, and had a real adventure.
Bianca the Tarotist: I ... I don't think I have the nerve to start over somewhere else, Mercuria. I'm not like you.
Mercuria: It's not about nerve, Bianca. It's just how I live.
Mercuria: I was born without a home.
Mercuria: Now, may I hold your hands?
Mercuria's hand is still outstretched. She extends the other. Bianca nods and places her hands in Mercuria's.
But Bianca doesn't feel that familiar warmth in her soul. Mercuria is simply holding her hands, not casting her arcane skill.
Mercuria: Thank you for showing me that granting inner peace doesn't always help.
Bianca smirks.
Bianca the Tarotist: Since this dream is coming to an end, shall we do something to complete it?
Mercuria: What do you propose?
Bianca the Tarotist: I've never seen myself dancing in a party dress.
Mercuria: Let's go.
The two girls wander through Fresno. They pause as music hits their ears.
Busker: ♪ Hopped on the express train. ♪
Busker: ♪ With little else but a ticket in hand. ♪
The busker's song floats through the bustling streets, leading Bianca and Mercuria to its source.
His lazy, raspy voice carries the miles he has traveled.
Busker: ♪ Hopped on the express train. ♪
Strumming his time-worn guitar, he lazily leans on a pile of cardboard and plastic bags.
His fingers are stained, but they still produce a wonderful sound.
Bianca kicks off her rain boots, grabs the hem of her skirt, and dances barefoot before the singer. A small crowd starts to gather.
Busker: ♪ Might follow you, might go my own way. ♪
Mercuria can't help but join the dancing.
This will be the most beautiful scene in Fresno tonight.
Two figures, one in red and one in silver, ignoring the world around them and dancing out their zest for life.
Busker: ♪ See you next time, see you next time. ♪
Bianca the Tarotist: ♪ See you next time, see you next time. ♪
Bianca sings wholeheartedly, not wanting the night to end, not wanting this free-spirited dream to fade.
Busker: ♪ Tomorrow's gotta be better than today. ♪
She believes it. Tomorrow will be better.
