Then we get terrified, like children waking in the dark, we don't know where we are.

[moralitypolice]

( Bonnie, bag in hand at her side, holds the door open this time. She sighs, looking wistfully off at Danny, sullen, in the backseat. )

I wish I could make it all better, like I could undo it all, or, go back and prevent it altogether. Too many of us have no parents. No living family.

( She sighs.

From Danny's seat if or when he looks back, Bonnie and Isaac continue their discussion. Scott texts Isaac, so he pulls his phone out, eyes down quickly.

A couple approaches from the south, arm in arm. The guy in glasses leans in whispering something that makes the girl laugh. As they separate to move around Bonnie, everything happens quickly. The brunette girl brandishes a stun gun landing a blow to Isaac's side. Out of the leather jacket, the man reveals what looks to be something dark colored, with a flat bottom. He drops it. From the car, he can see a spell attempted, Bonnie's lips moving but nothing happening. She tries struggling, but the woman whacks her on the back of the back sending her down. The man quickly pulls out a pair of iron handcuffs the woman waves away, not now, and as fast as it happens, a bright yellow taxi pulls up.

Three others, including one dressed as a taxi-driver throw Bonnie and Isaac into the trunk. When everyone is inside the car, the driver puts down a black device on the top of the cab quickly, puts on a pair of leather gloves, climbs inside the cab and speeds off.

Bonnie's bag, and the contents within including her phone lie on the sidewalk next to Isaac's dropped phone.

The driver in Danny's car starts the ignition, this is probably protocol. )

Comments

[undermyfeet]

[Danny nods. Yeah, they definitely have more experience than he does, and part of him is grateful. Maybe they won't look to him for too much.]

Then we'll work together, yeah? Teamwork?

[jockwitch]

Yeah. Yes. Let's work as a team.

( In... close proximity. )

[undermyfeet]

[She nods, before glancing over to Hope and Josie, actually looping them into the conversation.]

William is going to try and track down the hunters we let go, and see if we can get more information from the higher ups.

[Josie nods. "You think they'll be able to take us to Bonnie and Isaac?"]

Maybe. Or maybe we'll just be able to get more information about how the hunters are operating.

[jockwitch]

( "Well, we know they ARE operating," Hope says, sighing.

They know that. )

And are they here for Aunt Bonnie or you, or, both.

[undermyfeet]

Probably both. But they seem to know more about the solstice than I do, so whatever they know I want to find out.

[The downside of not being groomed as an heir is that you're not prepared to handle that power when it's thrust upon you.]

[jockwitch]

( "The solstice brings its' own power. Events like that, they're usually big. And magic-packed."

She'd bank on that being a part of this, just not why. )

Celestial events.

[undermyfeet]

Yeah.

[He rubs the back of his neck.]

I was never supposed to be in charge, you know? My dad never told me if there were any rituals or what they meant. I want to know what the hunters know.

[jockwitch]

( "You're not practicing?", Hope asks, glancing at Josie. Josie had her time with her magic and the coin she imbued it with.

Lizzie waits, curious, too. But, he did that magic to find Hope and Josie. )

[undermyfeet]

No, I practice. It's just more ...

[How to explain this.]

We don't write anything down. It's all taught, parent to child. My mom taught me a lot, but I wasn't supposed to inherit anything, so there's stuff my sister got that I didn't.

[jockwitch]

We never know everything. There was magic Hope knew that we didn't, and she had family grimoires.

( Which occurs to her... she looks at Josie. )

Should we ask Mom?

[undermyfeet]

[Josie shrugs. "Might be worth a shot. Though ... maybe don't tell her about the hunters? Dad will send Uncle Stefan to come pick us up and that will be the end of vacation."

Danny raises an eyebrow.]

This isn't the end of vacation?

[jockwitch]

You think hunters will stop us. Dude, we had mind controlling slugs and they didn't stop our talent show. Nor Puck with Salvatore the musical. Or the leprechaun.

( Remember the leprechaun, guys? )

[undermyfeet]

[He just nods slowly as he takes that information in.]

And this happened to you at school?

[jockwitch]

There was a mud pit. Fictional creatures existed and were erased from existence. He fathered a muppet.

( Is that helpful? )

[undermyfeet]

[His eyes narrow.]

I understand what all those words mean individually, but together they make no sense.

[jockwitch]

( "Normally, I'd say, that's Lizzie-speak, but, try living it."

She holds a hand out, not now, Hope. )

Regardless, it's literally unexplainable. Big clay monster.

[undermyfeet]

Fun. Maybe you'll have to give me all the details later.

[He does not have any cool stories about monsters, only trauma. But he would like to listen.

Josie decides to get them back on track. "Do you want to call Mom, or should I?"]

[jockwitch]

I'll do it. You get guilt voice when it's mom you're lying to and not dad.

( What, it's true. Not self conscious in the least, she pulls out her phone and finds her mom's contact, tapping the icon. She taps the speaker button next. )

[saveslives]

[Jo answers the phone immediately, because it's her daughter. But at the same time, she's a little confused because it's late in Mystic Falls, so it must be even later in Prague.]

Hey, sweetie. Everything okay?

[jockwitch]

( She exchanges looks with her sister, because, right, time zones. But, time is of the essence as her dad would say. )

Hey, mom. Yeah. We're just - not sleeping tonight. We heard the moon was supposed to do this cool thing and we're staying up to watch it. ( A natural 20 sells this lie like butter. )

[saveslives]

How cool of the moon.

[She does sell that lie very well, and given the twins' unconventional high school experiences, she doesn't question it that much.]

I don't think you called to tell me about the moon though.

[jockwitch]

I didn't call about the moon, you just asked about the moon.

( Lying once is easy, but when the parental detector pivots, lying twice is not, she looks to Josie then holding the phone out. )

Josie and I were --

[saveslives]

[Josie waves her hand because no that does not sound like a good idea. There's lots of dramatic silent gesturing as they have a silent twin debate over who's going to talk to their mom and Jo sighs.]

If someone doesn't speak, I'm going to start thinking something's actually wrong.

[jockwitch]

( Fine, Hope speaks, she steps forward.

"Nothing's wrong, Mrs. Saltzman. Just two girls who are debating about the power of the solstice and have a bet going, one of them is trying to impress a cute of age witch and the other ended our date early because of the moon." (14)

Also, sorry Lizzie and Josie and Danny for that secondhand embarrassment.

Ever the constitution to handle mortal embarrassment, Lizzie glares at Hope and speaks up. )

I said that the solstice has to carry some greater power, like the prison world and the eclipse and Josie thinks it's just touristy crap. And yeah, there's the moon. ( Another waste of a natural 20 )

[saveslives]

[You all are lucky that Jo isn't there to bore into all of you with her mom stare, but for now she's not hearing anything that pings too many bells.]

Well, there are a lot of rituals that come with the Solstice. It just depends what kind of traditions you follow.