Driver III: Hey, wake up.
Driver III: Hey!
Bianca the Tarotist: Huh?
Driver III: We're here.
Bianca the Tarotist: Thank you.
A night of wild dancing has left Bianca utterly exhausted.
It's five in the morning, and the dawn chorus has begun. Birds flit from branch to branch, chirping to one another.
But it is not yet time for the New Age Market to awaken.
Most stalls sit empty, while a few contain people in deep meditation as they quietly make the most of the morning.
Edgardo the Masseur: Ah. Can I help you with anything, Miss?
Edgardo's words are cut short.
Edgardo the Masseur: Bianca?
Edgardo looks at her up and down.
Edgardo the Masseur: That's a pretty dress. Did you just get it?
He hesitates before continuing.
Edgardo the Masseur: Bianca, some stuff went down at the market while you were gone.
He's choosing his words carefully.
Edgardo the Masseur: Mercuria, she ...
Bianca the Tarotist: She's gone, I know. I went with her.
Edgardo the Masseur: Oh!
It's hard to tell if he's more shocked that Bianca ran into Mercuria or that she was traveling with her.
Bianca the Tarotist: I'm beat, Edgardo. Gonna crash for a while.
Bianca the Tarotist: Could you get everyone together? I have something to say.
Edgardo the Masseur: Sure, leave it to me.
Bianca drags herself back to her trailer.
She falls into a deep sleep.
In her dream, there's no pain in her feet, no sad farewells, no trivial family matters.
Only peace. An indescribable peace, like a crystal lake nestled in the boundless mountains.
Bianca wakes up. Not wanting to leave the serenity of her dream, she lies in bed with her eyes closed, reliving it in her mind.
Edgardo the Masseur: Uh. Bianca. Are you awake? Bianca?
Outside the car window, a bonfire burns gently under the night's sky.
Edgardo the Masseur: We've almost got everyone.
Bianca the Tarotist: Alright.
Bianca the Tarotist: I'll come on out in a sec.
She pulls herself out of bed, bandages up her feet, and gives the egg a pat before heading out.
As soon as Bianca shows up, she's bombarded with questions.
Maich the Peddler: You went to Fresno with Mercuria?
Dexter the Unlucky One: How's she doing?
Phoebe the Herbalist: She still looking for that necklace?
Bianca the Tarotist: Shh!
Bianca takes the necklace out and passes it to Dexter.
Dexter the Unlucky One: Th-This is ...
Dexter opens the locket, touching the little photo he knows so well.
Dexter the Unlucky One: It's back! It's back!
He flings it around his neck.
Elsewhere, at this very moment.
Skunk Salsa Restaurant.
???: Now you've lost your employee ID card, too? Your luck's been awful lately. Here, I bought this lucky keychain for you at a market today. Maybe it'll help you find it.
Foundation Employee: But, you've already given me a bunch of these keychains.
He lifts his keychain. There are more decorations than actual keys on it.
Foundation Employee: I'm not sure this'll make any difference.
???: It'll work! Come on, let's go test it out!
Foundation Employee: Huh?
Without another word, she pulls the man out of the restaurant.
Mercuria: Cash or card?
But the two walk right past her. Mercuria watches them as they go.
Mercuria: Should I use the wallet they left here to settle the bill?
Mercuria walks to their table and wipes it down.
Mercuria: Huh?
She notices a wisp of gray-white energy at her fingertips.
Mercuria: Dexter?
But the man was clearly not Dexter. Mercuria looks at the item on the table.
Mercuria: Dexter's gift keychain.
She recalls when she first met Dexter.
There was a woman waiting anxiously outside the tent that night, right after that furious man left.
Mercuria: That was her. Barbara.
Mercuria peers out the restaurant window, watching the backs of the two who just left.
Barbara is hurriedly pulling the man to the other end of the street, but the man seems to remember something. He stops her, searches himself, and insists they return to the restaurant.
The energy at Mercuria's fingertips dissipates.
Mercuria: Looks like Dexter got his necklace.
Mercuria: Oh, the power's gone.
An out-of-control car rushes past where Barbara was moments before. It veers off the road and collides with a wall.
If it hadn't been for the man's return for his wallet, Barbara's fate would have been sealed.
Mercuria: Perfect timing.
Mercuria heads over to the phone and makes an emergency call.
Barbara sits paralyzed with fear on the ground. The man helps her up and walks her back to the restaurant.
Foundation Employee: Sorry.
The man enters with Barbara. She's shaking like a leaf.
Foundation Employee: Can I get a hot chocolate? She's scared stiff.
Barbara: sob
Barbara's eyes are wide. She stares firmly at her feet, horrified by what would have happened if she'd taken one more step.
Mercuria: Alright.
The man guides her back to her seat.
Sirens blare in the street. The blue and red lights of the police car illuminate the chaos of the figures outside.
Mercuria brings a cup of hot chocolate to Barbara.
Mercuria: Relax. You're safe now.
Mercuria gently strokes Barbara's head.
Under Mercuria's soothing touch, Barbara's breathing steadies, and her face loses its look of terror.
Foundation Employee: Oh! An arcanist with a healing skill!
Mercuria gives him a nod.
Foundation Employee: Ha! Did that car crash just burn through all my bad luck?
The man trembles as he picks up his wallet from the table, pulls out a business card, and hands it to Mercuria.
Foundation Employee: Have you heard of the St. Pavlov Foundation?
Foundation Employee: We're in need of an arcanist healer. You would be of great use to us.
Mercuria: …
The group lingers on the story of Bianca and Mercuria's unexpected journey.
Maich the Peddler: So you'll have a chick soon?
Phoebe the Herbalist: Are you gonna use it for your tarot readings?
Cooper the Healer: Oh, a journey ...
Cooper is leaning back with her eyes closed. She seems to be lost in some kind of fantasy.
Dexter the Unlucky One: So, Mercuria's working as a waitress at a place called Skunk Salsa Restaurant?
Bianca the Tarotist: Yes.
Dexter stands up excitedly, touching the necklace around his neck.
Dexter the Unlucky One: Maybe, maybe I should go thank her in person!
Edgardo the Masseur: Go for it!
Maich the Peddler: Go on!
Everyone encourages him.
Edgardo the Masseur: You're not a walking jinx anymore now that you've got your necklace back! You'll bring no harm.
Cooper the Healer: Won't have to offer curse services anymore, either.
Maich the Peddler: You might want to think about changing your keychains, too. No one would want them even if you paid them.
Dexter the Unlucky One: Oh!
Dexter looks hurt.
Dexter the Unlucky One: Believe me, these were the pick of the bunch.
There's a gentle collective jeer, followed by a break into other conversation.
Edgardo the Masseur: So, Bianca ...?
He asks in a low voice.
Edgardo the Masseur: You gonna keep coming to these meetups?
Bianca the Tarotist: Of course. As soon as I solve my dad's problem.
Edgardo the Masseur: How do you plan to do that?
Bianca the Tarotist: I registered him for a support group for alcoholics. It's filled with people who've been through the same—unemployment, getting laid off, feeling aimless ...
Bianca the Tarotist: I think it'll be good for him.
Bianca the Tarotist: Hey. Edgardo.
Something occurs to her. She puts her hand on Edgardo's shoulder.
Bianca the Tarotist: We all know you're a good guy, and I don't mean any offense, but maybe ... Well, I was thinking ...
Bianca is trying to choose her words carefully.
Bianca the Tarotist: Maybe ... When they left, did Soraya tell you where they were going?
Edgardo the Masseur: Of course! I'll tell you all about it later.
He gives Bianca a pat on the shoulder before going back to his guitar.
Edgardo the Masseur: ♪"Oh-oh, who could say no to a night like this?"♪
I hope that every night from now on ...
Can be just like tonight.
