bakerstreet | it's all in the cards...

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it's all in the cards...

THE TAROT MEME

This meme is pretty basic. You post in, put any specifics you'd like (or not like) in your header and entry, ???, and RP. For the prompts, however, you've got two methods for ideas.

1. LUCK OF THE DRAW! Click here to get a randomly chosen card and use it to prompt your scenario. Utilize the picture, the person in it, the colors: anything you like.

OR

2. CHOOSE YOUR PROMPT! from the list of Major Arcana:
00. The Fool - the beginning of a relationship; one character helping another to avoid a mistake they didn't notice; a character starting a new journey
01. The Magician - a character takes action; a character is putting on a performance for another
02. The High Priestess - characters met in a dream; a character is trusting their intuition and how does the other one feel about that? one character goes to another for guidance
03. The Empress - one character playing mom-friend to another; a character is pregnant
04. The Emperor - one character is playing dad-friend to another; a character is taking charge, one character is being overbearing, a character is trying to get a handle on their life
05. The Hierophant - one character is questioning the status quo; one character is questioning their values; one character is coming to another as someone who knows their business
06. The Lovers - two characters decide to get together, two characters make a choice together, two characters make choices to keep their relationship
07. The Chariot - a character is going on a trip; a character is triumphant; a character wants to GET GOING on something; a character is impatient or headstrong;
08. Strength - a character has to reach into a well of inner strength; a character has to find a work smarter instead of harder; a character has to find a way to deal with their inner conflicts
09. The Hermit - a character has been going off on their own a lot lately; a character has been feeling lonely; a character is doing something on their own and it may be a good idea but it may not
10. The Wheel of Fortune - fate has just thrown the character(s) for a loop; what goes around comes around
11. Justice - a character is facing legal trouble; a character has broken the law and has to deal with the consequences; a character is seeking justice for someone else
12. The Hanged Man - a character is going through a period of self-chosen change; a character is going through a period of reflection; a character knowingly sacrifices themselves for another character willingly
13. Death - character death; a character goes through a painful transition
14. Temperance - characters have to work together to get what they need to be done; character needs to learn moderation; a character needs to chill the hell out
15. The Devil - one character has a hold over the other; one character is bad for the other but they just can't let go; one character is hoarding something/someone even though they know they shouldn't
16. The Tower - a character has a catastrophic change in their life; a character makes a world-shattering decision; a character's whole world came tumbling down so what now?
17. The Star - a character gets their wish; a character gives another hope; a character leads another through the darkness
18. The Moon - a character is deceiving another character; a character is deceiving themselves; a character's mind is clouded; a character is going slowly mad
19. The Sun - a character is feeling GREAT; a character is here to brighten another character's day; a character is revitalized after a period of slump
20. Judgment - a reckoning is at hand for a character; a reckoning is at hand between characters; a character is transitioning from one thing into another
21. The World - a character finds that they've found their place; a character gets some peace and now wonders what's coming next

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[Evie looks up, then laughs a little.]

The stashing is from mom. You saw all the little hiding spots she has. The rest? Leverage, Grifters, Skins, and a bunch of other random shows.

[It feels logical, is what she wants to say. But, that could be the television shows that have seeped into her unconsciousness. It's not like her mom ever paid attention to what she watched, as long as she was quiet.

She's managed to render one bag completely superfluous by her quick repacking. The question of where to ditch it is solved by a garbage can nearby. Let someone dumpster diving later find it. Once she's done that, she sits back down and, with a glance around, she pulls out her mirror.]

Okay, what part of town do we want to stay in tonight?

[ Nico grins in response. It makes sense. With the amount of stuff they were able to lift from hidden stashes in Evie's mom's place, of course her friend would have practice of her own in hiding things everywhere. And the rest, she kind of guessed anyway.

Her own actions are a little slower; in the end Nico is able to find a way to reduce the number of bags she has too, one of the smaller bags following Evie's into the same garbage can - probably not the best place for it, but they'll be long gone from here soon.

She purses her lips at the question, thinking through it for a moment or two. Somewhere nice, she thinks, but not too expensive. Although in the end the most important thing is... ]

Somewhere not too far away. Traveling like this... we'll be noticeable. But we don't wanna stay too close, either.

[ Not after breaking into Evie's old house in the way they did. Getting clear is their best bet. ]

[She nods. It makes sense to want to stay close, but not too close. At least until they can do a bit of real shopping and get bags that can carry everything without looking awkward. Maybe rolling travel bags. She looks down at the mirror.]

Mirror, mirror show me please
A map with hotels we can reach with ease.

[This is better than any app. The mirror displays a map of the surrounding suburbs, before zooming out to display a dozen hotels within about five miles' radius. Some are closer to the center of the city, while others are further out, past their current location. She glances around, then tilts the mirror so Nico can see, too.]

What do you think? Back nearer everyone else, or further out? Which would be the option our parents would think we'd take?

[ Yet again, Nico is left to be amazed by the mirror, how easily Evie can pull up a picture of the surrounding area, marked as they need with different hotels. She considers the image that her friend shows her, blowing out a thoughtful breath or two as she mentally ticks through the options.

She literally just told Evie that they don't want to stay too close to the scene of their crime, but... isn't everyone's first instinct to get away as far and fast as possible? Their parents will almost surely think them to be further away than closer, right?

Trying to think like her mom is going to give her a headache. Nico frowns. ]

I know I just said we shouldn't stay too close, but... I think what they'd expect. Closer might actually be safer. I know that sounds counterproductive, but...

[Trying to think like her mom and the others reminds Evie of the guy in the Princess Bride, who tried to fake out Westley with the poisoned goblet. It just makes her head spin. She glances between Nico and the map, trying to run through the possibilities, and wishing she were better at chess.]

It doesn't sound counterproductive. Maybe we're over-thinking things.

[She looks back at her mirror and points to a hotel that's not too far, and slightly closer to the center of town.]

Magic mirror let me see
The map around the Double Tree.

[The image zooms, to the point that Evie can see street names. There's another, higher-class hotel a few blocks over. She looks back at Nico.]

That's where we get dropped off. In front of that one, then wait until the driver's gone before walking over to the cheaper place and getting a room there. Sound like a plan?

[ Evie's got a point. They could well be overthinking it. Her friend certainly isn't the only one with a spinning head; for her part Nico's pretty sure she can actually feel the beginnings of a stress headache. And admittedly, there's a small part of her already feeling defeatist about the whole thing. How do they know their parents won't be able to second-guess every move they're making, even as they try to plan around them? The thought makes her sick with anxiety.

But that's not something she wants to unload on Evie. Instead, she nods, a smile finding her lips. It's not that great a smile - her friend will probably be able to tell it's fake, but it's all she's got for now. She'll work on it. ]

Sounds good. That way if he's somehow one of theirs, he won't be able to track us further than the drop-off point.

Exactly.

[She can see how worried Nico is from how tightly she's holding her jaw as she smiles. Not that Evie's one to judge. The sooner they're tucked away in a place with walls and locks on doors, the safer she'll feel. She pulls a notebook and pen out of her purse and jots down the address of the fancy hotel, then flips the page and sketches a tiny, simple map showing her how to find the place they actually want, before she looks back at Nico.]

Now, we need that phone. Can you make the call? There's a convenience store just around the corner. I'm going to pick us up a disposable Visa, so we don't look strange trying to pay for a Lyft with cash.

[It's a risk to split up, but one that Evie can't see as anything but necessary. If both of them go, they'll need to bring all the bags. This way, Evie can bring just her purse, and look more normal. Nico can stay with the bags, where she can see everything around her, and she has her staff if there's a problem.]

[ She nods. She's not overly fond of splitting up either, but it's a necessary risk right now. Still, she fixes Evie with a stern look, eyes narrowed and lips pursed. ]

Be safe. If anything goes wrong, run, and we'll meet up again later. Got it?

[ She'll find a way to carry all the bags if she has to. Charm a stranger, memory spell, all that jazz. The most important thing in her mind right now is that Evie is safe. After all, Nico's always been able to take care of herself. (That's her excuse, anyway.)

With her piece said, Nico grabs her phone, keying in the number, and waiting for someone to pick up. ]

I'll tell them we'll need five minutes.

[The last thing she wants to do is get permanently separated, but she understands why Nico says what she does. Evie at least has the mirror; she'll be able to find Nico again if the worst happens. She nods.]

You, too. If you need to ditch things to run, do it. We'll make do.

[She nods as Nico starts dialing, and turns toward the edge of the park. She manages to keep her pace normal, though she wants to run, get the errand over with quickly and get back. But that would draw more attention, and she's trying for less.

Evie resists the urge to look back at Nico as she walks off, and then she's around the corner, no way to look back without going for the mirror. Deep, slow breaths. She knows the neighborhood, knows how the people here move and think, what draws attention and what doesn't. So when she enters the convenience store, she takes a moment or two to look around, making her way to the gift cards slowly, using the reflection in the glass doors separating the cold drinks to get a good view of the shop.

After a minute of checking out a few things - careful not to touch anything she's not planning to take with her - she makes her way to the kiosk and picks up a couple of the $50 cards. The cashier doesn't even give her a hassle as she doles out small bills, though he does run his anti-counterfeit pen across a few of them. Like her mom would stash counterfeit. She slides the cards into her purse, nodding her thanks, and heads back toward the park. Her luck seems to be holding.]

[ Permanent separation isn't even a possibility that Nico will allow herself to entertain. Temporary separation, yes, if push comes to shove. But no matter what, she'll find Evie again if it happens, or wait for Evie to find her.

(Probably the former. She doesn't want to stay still for too long.)

That's what makes this part hard, calling the Lyft and giving her location - the name of the park, the suburb - before explaining that she and her friend will be there in five minutes.

From there it's a wait of the worst kind, looking for a red sedan in the parking lot and Evie's return at the same time, and shrinking in on herself every time she sees a black car, fingers of one hand curling around one of the bag's straps, the other white-knuckled around the Staff. She's already mentally going through different incantations in her mind, too, ways to escape a bad situation without having to run and leave the majority of their bags behind her. After all, if that's the outcome after everything they've been through today...

It's with a sigh of relief that she sees Evie heading back towards her, the red sedan rolling into the parking lot in the same moment. ]

[The walk back seems longer, even though she knows that's just her mind playing tricks on her. It's because she wants to be back in the park with Nico that it feels like it's taking longer than it should. She can see her friend still at the bench, which helps loosen the knot in her stomach. She doesn't call out, though. That would not only startle Nico, but draw attention she doesn't want. Instead, she swings wide, making sure Nico can see her coming out of the corner of her eye.]

No troubles on my end. How'd it go for you? What are we looking for?

[She slides onto the bench on the opposite side of the picnic table, already reaching in to her purse to open the gift cards and make sure there's nothing else she needs to do to activate them. She keeps the packaging in her purse, even as she slides the cards over to her wallet. If someone finds the bags they've ditched, that looks like people ditching evidence. The wrappers from the cards might clue people in to looking for them, though, and that would lead them back to the corner store, and the security camera footage there. Evie has no idea, she realizes, whether the glamours Nico crafted are good on camera, or just in person.

She'll ask Nico later, once they're safely tucked away in a locked room with food and showers and relative comfort.]

Red sedan.

[ No problems, but she doesn't say that - the answer to the second question should be enough to imply the first, too. Instead, she holds out the burner phone to show Evie the license plate information that she's typed in as a reminder. Other than that, she's content to just sit and watch the other as she unpacks the cards, noting how she keeps the packaging on her too. It's still impressive to see Evie in action, and everything she's learning from her is something she can file away for later on, if they do become separated somehow. ]

Now that we know where we're going, do you think we should call Alex? Get him to bring his laptop over or something.

[ She'd really rather not see him - things there are too awkward to even think about - but he's gonna be the best person to help them with this. Probably. ]

[She nods at the description of the car, and looks over at the license plate info.]

Any sign of it yet?

[The question of Alex is an interesting one. She'd love to know what's on the flash drive Nico made from her mom's computer. The sooner they call him, the sooner they can see if there's anything useful for stopping their parents there. But, she knows there's something weird with Nico and Alex. She hasn't pressed, and Nico hasn't really offered.]

Let's wait until we're actually settled before we talk to Alex. We'll both be in better moods after we've showered and put on some clean clothing.

Nothing yet.

[ Of course, as soon as she says that, Nico spies the car pulling into the parking lot. She doesn't say anything, just indicates it with a jerk of her head, picking up as many of the bags as she started with and trusting Evie will do the same before she heads towards it.

It's with a small sigh of relief that she accepts the suggestion. It's not that she particularly cares how she looks when she sees him but... okay, she'd probably rather not look as tired and unclean as she does now.

It's complicated. Nico's face creases into a frown as she thinks about it, but true to form, she doesn't offer Evie any information. ]

Good idea. Let's focus on getting there first.

[She's about to complain, when Nico jerks her head. Evie doesn't want to sit with the bags out in the open for long - that's inviting trouble - so she's glad the car is here. She shoulders the bags, making sure she's still got access to her purse, so she can get to her wallet.

A nod is her only reply as they reach the red sedan. The driver doesn't get out of the car, but does pop the trunk, presumably because of the bags they carry. Evie looks toward the driver's side mirror, trying to get eyes on the driver. Soccer mom type. They should be okay. She gives the woman her best smile as she plops her bag into the open trunk and opens the rear door to slip inside. When the woman goes for pleasantries, asking what they're doing, she has the lie ready.]

Stupid boyfriend. I am so done with his excuses.

[She lets the anger and frustration she's felt at being on the run slip into her voice, and the tears come easily from there. She buckles the seat belt, and shakes her head. Once Nico is in the car and buckled as well, the woman double checks the destination, then shifts the car into drive.]

[ Nico frowns as they get into the car. Evie may be acting, but she can feel the real anger and frustration behind her words; it's anger and frustration she's feeling too, along with that bone-deep weariness that seems to sink its way into everything they do. For her part, it's the tiredness that comes through, something in her smile when she reaches across the seat to take Evie's hand, squeezing it as the car pulls out of the parking lot. ]

I know. Fuck him. It's gonna be okay.

[ There's a lot of disapproval in the rear view mirror when Nico curses. She ignores it, squeezes the other's hand again. ]

We'll get you set up here for a few days and then you can come crash with me, alright? I just need time for— [ she cringes internally; somehow the first name that comes to mind is ] —for Alex to set up the spare room for you.

[ Poor choice of name or not, she can't deny that it's a good cover story. ]

[The tears had started as crocodile tears, but they are rapidly switching to very, very real ones as the car starts moving. When was the last time she could afford a good cry? Afford to show any kind of vulnerability? She looks up at Nico when her friend takes her hand, and can't pull herself together. She manages a watery smile and a slight nod. When the soccer-mom driver tells her where to find the tissues, she does the same and takes a couple. After a minute or two of working to pull herself together, she looks back over at Nico.]

Thanks. I really appreciate it. Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you.

[ It's obvious, to someone who's known Evie as long as Nico has, when the tears turn into something more real. There's not much she can do but hold onto her hand, waiting for the other girl to calm herself down again, to pull herself together. She won't begrudge her this moment, either, not when Nico's felt like breaking down a hundred times since this whole thing started.

(Has broken down, too. Just never where anyone can see.) ]

Hey, that goes both ways. [ It's strange, how they're acting and yet not at the same time. Like Evie's tears, her words are steeped in truth. ] You've had my back Goddess knows how many times. It's my turn to have yours.

[The simple contact serves to remind Evie that she isn't alone in this whole mess. It's very welcome, and after a moment, she squeezes. She's not sure she can manage to express her gratitude in words at the moment, but gestures, she can do.]

I think I'll feel better once I get settled. Check in, put my stuff away, and then find somewhere to go for dinner.

[She sniffles, and her smile's a little less watery this time. She's had a chance to let out some of her genuine emotions, but if she goes too far, she's worried that soccer mom might start asking questions.]

My treat, since you're helping me out.

[ Nico grins at that, something a little more genuine than any smile she's managed all day. Regardless of anything else that's happened... they did it. And so, technically, dinner is on Evie's mom.

Of course, though, she doesn't say that, just nudges her friend in the side. ]

I think we both know I'm not gonna say no to that offer.

[ Then, in a little bit of acting of her own, Nico catches the soccer mom's eyes in the rearview mirror, offering her a quick smile, somewhere between apologetic and grateful. ]

You will. And you know Alex won't mind if you need me to stay tonight or something.

[The nudge and the grin make Evie giggle. Message received. She also catches Nico's bit with soccer mom, and that helps her collect herself further. They can't oversell, but they also can't undersell their situation, or she'll get suspicious.]

I appreciate the offer. It has been a while since we've had a real girls' night. Better that than buying the stereotypical quart of ice cream and binging Gilmore Girls in the room all by myself after dinner.

[Not that Evie would ever watch the show, but it's in the right range of nostalgia to appeal to soccer mom's sensibilities, while not being so old that Evie thinking of it won't cause suspicion.]

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it's all in the cards...

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