6289/Finding Drive-Thru in Midtown

Finding Drive-Thru in Midtown
Date of Scene:	21 May 2021
Location:	Somewhere in NYC. Searching. Hoping.
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Xi'An Coy Manh, Nico Minoru

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Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
MOOD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6kj8BjIVvE

After guiding Nico Minoru out of the New York Public Library and promising to take her on a journey into mystery, an uncanny place, and a realm where she can crash for a while and not... like... starve or have to wash herself in the water fountain, Shan had taken Nico to the first waystation on the trip to her destiny:

A nearby parking garage!

The 10-year-old Subaru hatchback is reasonably comfortable and well kept, although Nico may alertly detect the subtle signs of regular habitation by young people around the age bracket between 10 and 12 years old. Mostly in the backseat. Front seat is OK.

"While we were walking, I multitasked a little," Shan says. "Is White Castle alright for you? We can get a diner or something, but this way you don't have to keep getting up and down..."

REVERSE! FIRST GEAR! DESCENT!

Behold the terror and the excitement of Xi'an Coy Manh's *adequate and defensive driving*.

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico's floating on cloud nine, and not like, floating across the parking garage. 'cause she can do that. She's magic.

Nico's all too familiar with that very specific damp, cold, dim atmosphere of parking garage, and it makes her hug her arms a little more snugly around her borrowed library book. Her eyes dart a little more quickly, she's not in 'I've had real bad times in parking garages' mode, but she's definitely in 'I've had to kick some butts in a parking garage' mode.

Which is a pretty hardcore whiplash to the land of 'Awww, look at that Subaru! It's so mom-ly!'. Hardcore enough that she might squee a little before she realizes the signs of genuine -youthful- youth! She knows kids. She knows Molly Hayes, who is totes magotes a kid. She's got the cute hats to prove it.

And so as Nico closes in on the front passenger door, her eyebrows perk, "Oh! Yeah, White Castle's great! I mean, like, those little burgers are -magic-."

Nico Minoru is out of spell phrases the Staff of One will accept to summon sliders. She's also secretly afraid she's running out of burrito styles.

And then she's biting back the desire to howl like a banshee! This driving style isn't Mad Max, but that might only be because she didn't wear any spikes today. "I'll paaaaaaay yoooou baaaack!!!" It's probably not a threat about summoning her new friend onto a roller coaster. It's probably about the burgers in their future.

Probably.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"Hah! Well, I like them too," Shan says, as she pulls out. The traffic in Manhattan, though notable, is not completely unbelievable at this hour, but...

Stoplight.

"We'll have to kind of make a great loop to get to Brooklyn, of course, but I know the way. Can you search for this on your phone? I know it's up on... one-oh-somethingth, but entire cultures live in that kind of a space. We don't want to get terminally lost." Consulting the oracle of Google would reveal: East 103rd Street

"I suppose this isn't the best place to do a reading, even if there is a little room on the dashboard there," Shan muses. "Do you have a particular Tarot deck you like to use? I once knew someone who made their own, I thought that sounded like a whole lot of work."

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico rummages around and pulls out her phone, fiddling quickly with the skill and instinct of youth combined with electronics. Which is to say she only checks Twitter -twice- before she's got the adress in hand, "Oh! That's alright... I mean, like, I really appreciate you doing all this. We can totally do the reading here I guess... if you really want. I mean, we can do it after the burgers too."

She glances sidelong with a little grin, "I mean, maybe you won't get as good an outcome if you're hungry! The spirits are ~mysterious~."

She looks a touch pensive for a moment, "Oh, no, it's just one I picked up at some little gift shop a few months back. I tend to lose them every now and then, so I've never really been attached to one."

Also she's totally heard that there are -legit- magical ones out there, and she has enough hocus pocus going on to not want to tempt fate and summon a demon on some poor guy just dropping her a couple bucks during his commute.

But she figures she won't get into that. Why freak out this perfectly lovely woman who's being beyond nice to her?

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"Will it tempt the spirits if I get two?" Shan asks, as the light turns green and she proceeds down one avenue block aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand

Red light!

Welcome to Manhattan!

She clicks on the turn signal as she waits patiently. A dogwalker crosses in front of them. "That makes sense. It must be a pain. They're bigger than regular card decks, right? Oh - do you do regular card tricks, too?"

Maybe this is bait. She saw the logo of the bird site reflected in Nico's eyes. Or the window. Either or.

"Mostly I don't have any podcasts in English, and you've been quite charming so far. If you're tired, of course, it's no trouble."

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico snorts out softly, "It might! I mean, I usually claim it'll tempt the spirits if you don't get -one-, but that's usually when I'm craving a coffee and I'm like five cents away from being able to afford a cup and a proper tip."

She sighs and shakes her head slowly... or she's just watching the dog.

"Not relaly, I mean, I can do a few really -really- simple ones, I try not to do close up magic stuff, it's... more mime-y than gothy and all."

She clicks her tongue, dark eyebrows lifting up, "Oh, have I? I just figured I was being less charming more... uhh... what is it that a lost puppy is? You know, one of the scraggly ones you see in the rain and all?"

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
dog

dog!!

"Well, that's a form of charming," Shan says. "And I wouldn't say you're wrong, either, but you know, you can be right about something, but not completely right. Anyway, hm: What do people usually ask for, in these readings?"

INTENSE RIGHT TURNING! Now they are travelling across the great American wrist that is Manhattan. Across the street! This analogy is horrible! OR IS IT POIGNANT, NICO MINORU?

"I wonder sometimes if I'm going to ever find love, but that's a little heavy for Tarot reading in a car, ne c'est pas?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico snorts out and shakes her head, "Whoa whoa, I uhh... don't do readings -that- specific."

Because, you know, she's conning rubes.

"I mean, I don't want to mess with your fate or anything. Besides, you're like... totally cool. You're gonna find it. You've got a car even so you can chase it down and make sure it doesn't get away!"

Nico shifts in her seat to stare a little more pointedly and full-on at her rescuer from another night of stealth library occupation. "I mean, hey, look, you found a friend in no time flat! And I bet you weren't even looking for me or anything!"

Nico is not great at reassurance. Not great at all.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"Oh, I'm not afraid of karma," Shan says, with a certain subtle relish. "Go ahead! But thank you - that's nice of you to say. Sometimes I feel more like a dork, but I guess that's just the call of being in the 'library police,' huh?"

She explains, with a brief glance over, "I'm studying library science... I love it, but it isn't sexy. No big paydays or particle accelerators or anything. We don't even get mice."

"Well," Shan says, "that's not true, but we don't /keep/ mice."

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico snorts softly and grins lopsidedly, "Hey now, dorks are great. Cool, even. I love dorks! And library police are important. I mean, who else would protect all the books from vagabonds and the like?"

She grins and bobs her head, "And hey, the job hasn't got to be sexy. All those particle accelerators seem to do is cause -villainy-, right? No no, the library path's sexiness comes from within."

She hums softly,"Oh, and the whole like, stern 'shhh you're talking too loud' attitude."

She bobs her head and snickers softly, "Well of course you don't! They'd nibble all the books, right?" Eyebrows perk, lips spread in a wide, downright silly grin. This, apparently, is Nico relaxed.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
Vagabonds, hobos, /literature junkies.../

A streak of green light. Perhaps Karma is favoring them?

"Hmmm... I don't know about the particle accelerator thing. You just hear about the awful causes. For every guy trying to make people into dinosaurs or whatever, hundreds of people work quietly to cure cancer... it's a little unfair, isn't it?"

Her eyebrows lift. "Would you believe me if I said that the hottest argument I had ever read in an online class, was about mouse traps?"

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico muffles a little laugh and bobs her head, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense. All you hear about are the guys doing villainy, or making themselves big or turning into walking bombs or something. No one ever focuses on the minor miracles."

Tongue clicks as she eyes skeptically, one eyebrow lifted archly. "I might believe it. I mean, I'm not demanding instant proof or anything, but you can tell me about it eventually."

She narrows her eyes a little and murmurs softly, "So like, you're -really- doing all this just for a tarot reading, huh? Your place isn't like... haunted, or under threat from some shifty real estate developer who's pretending to be a ghost? I mean, I can totally deal if that's what's going on."

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"I can assure you, madamoiselle, that I am genuinely interested in what you have to offer," Shan says, as the buildings get somewhat less looming. Nico's phone says something robotic, which Shan takes in and doesn't object to. "I do have problems of this sort once in a while, but I wouldn't want to lay them on top of you."

"If this were Scooby Doo, though, which of them would you be?"

And there it looms: WHITE CASTLE. A question remains, but Shan is pulling into the drive-through lane, which is fairly full. It may be late, but it's also New York City, full of herbal enthusiasts.

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico bobs her head and grins lopsidedly, "Well, I mean, if you do need any sort of witchy goth help, other than the readings you're owed, let me know. I'm always available."

Her eyebrows perk up and she sighs out, "Fred. Totally the Fred, even if I didn't want to be. I mean, okay, my friends had -another- Fred, but he went all evil on us, so... yeah, leadership, boring responsible one... no neckerchief, thank god. But also I think Fred owned the van? So like, I kind of got short changed on that."

But then, any regrets at being responsible are washed away in the glow of the drivethru, as Nico's eyes lock on the menu, working to settle on her combo meal because she -refuses- to be the person that holds the line up.

Xi'An Coy Manh has posed:
"It's funny," Shan muses. "I would have said Fred myself. But I suppose I also feel a spiritual kinship with Velma. (Unless I'm thinking of Daphne... but Velma had the glasses, yes?)"

Forward. Nearer to destiny.

"It's funny to think of things that way," Shan keeps thinking aloud. "Anyway, what would you like?" Though she herself will be only getting a four pack of the chicken ones (diet soda, no up size), there is no judgment, even if Nico Minoru succumbs...

To the Crave.

Nico Minoru has posed:
Nico laughs softly and shakes her head, "You're definitely a Fred. Moral compass, helping those in need... bona fide car owner." She gestures grandly and grins, "But I mean, every girl wants to be a Velma. And a bit of a Daphne. We are complex creatures."

And then her eyes dart back to the menu board, "Complex creatures that wouldn't turn down a four pack with cheese, and a diet... god, whatever they've got that's lemon lime."

she nods solemnly, secure in her decision. Both in agreeing to crash at Xi'an's place, and in her order of sliders. Enough to be delicious, but not so much she's the Shaggy of the car.