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Anneliese Kiel: Having finished her classes for the day, Annie's stopping by Maddy's to grab a bite to eat before her shift at Vertigo later. The Nymph's dressed fairly casually, today: knee-length denim skirt and a white teeshirt reading "There's One In Every Minyan", with the "One" being rainbow striped. Not spotting anyone present before her, she grabs a seat in her usual booth, placing her satchel on the seat next to her.
Petra Fichette: Petrabirb had heard about Maddy's and been meaning to check it out for a while. With a bit of spare time after work, today was the day! She was dressed casually in a cheerful yellow halter top that let her wings move freely, shorts, and 6" platform sandals. Her bird-like talons curled over the from edge of the shoes as if it was a branch. She glanced around the diner curiously, eyes bright with interest, and then beelined for Annie's table. "Hey Annie! Mind if I join you?"
Anneliese Kiel: "No, go ahead. What have you been up to, Petra?" Annie smiles at her fellow Spring, gesturing to the other side of the booth in invitation. "How are plans to head up to Old Iron as an embassy going?"
Petra Fichette: "I'm a bad planner," she admitted. "But I'm not going via the Hedge. That'd be a great recipe to get lost. I mean last time I went to the Hedge just for fruit, I got separated from everyone." She picked up the menu and grinned a little. "Waffles. I need the biggest one."
Anneliese Kiel: "Sounds like a bad time," Annie nods. "Luckily it is not too far Ironside, at least with modern transport methods. Do you know anyone up there to contact, so you can find where their Freehold is based?" Beat. "Want any recommendations on what kind of waffles to get?"
Petra Fichette: "Let's focus on the waffles." She chuckled. "Someone has to know where the freehold there is, right? "
Anneliese Kiel: "I would hope so, anyway." Annie grins at her. "As for the waffles, my personal favourite is the cobbler, though I have heard good things about the tiramisu or green tea."
Petra Fichette: "Strawberry... Do they have strawberry? With syrup and real cream? That's... That's how my mom used to make them."
Anneliese Kiel: "I am not sure, but you can certainly ask. The worst that can happen is they say no, right?" Annie flags down a server, then, requesting her usual omelette with potatoes and a glass of water.
Petra Fichette: She relaxed slightly, and put in her order. "You know, when I heard about this place I thought there'd be more... Interesting people?"
Anneliese Kiel: Annie pouts at Petra, then. "Are you saying I am not interesting enough for you?"
Petra Fichette: Petra grinned. "Well sure, but you're not a wizard. I kinda wanted to see some magic."
Anneliese Kiel: Annie chuckles, then. "Fair enough. Come here more often, though, you are sure to run into one eventually."
Petra Fichette: "Yeah, ive been meaning to come for a while now but... It's hard for me to go new places sometimes?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: Speak of a wizard and he shall appear, it seemed, as while the two ladies talked Jeremiah made his way into the diner via the portal, dressed much more casually than the last time Petra had seen him in jeans, t-shirt and a pair of chunky black glasses. A quick scan of the room made him stop mid-step as he spotted the smol birb and her companion, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. "Evening."
Anneliese Kiel: "Well, the first step is acknowledging that you have a problem, so congratulations on that." Annie cuts off there, glancing at Jeremiah. "Hey, Jay. How have you been?"
Petra Fichette: Petra smiled up at Jay, looking him over curiously before rolling her eyes at Annie. "I don't have a problem- hello, stranger."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Keeping busy, same as always." He replied with a smile, giving the girls a nod. "Nice seeing you not behind the bar for a change, and nice seeing you again in general. Petra, right?"
Petra Fichette: "That's right! You're the guy from the jazz club! So you're here eh?"
Anneliese Kiel: "Are you sure? The way you were talking certainly implies you have one." Annie grins at Petra, then, before returning her attention to Jeremiah. "What brings you here today? Just looking for a bite to eat, or?" And then back to Petra. "Jazz club?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "That was the idea, yeah. Mind if I join you?" He waited for a yea or nay before doing so, of course, nodding to Petra with a smirk as he leaned against the counter. "We ran into each other at a jazz performance a week or so ago. Speaking of, Rhapsody still hasn't got a hold of me yet for her performance work..."
Petra Fichette: Petra kicked Annie's foot. She want going to argue about any problems that may or may not exist here in front of Jay. She arched an eyebrow at him. "Do a trick and you can join us," she said with a grin. "I'm her friend, not her business manager. If she wants to work for you, she'll be in touch."
Anneliese Kiel: Annie grins at Petra again, but doesn't say anything. "Feel free. I will not demand that you do a trick for us, though."
Nevermore Usher: Into Maddy's steps Nevermore! Their sugar-skull coat is on, over a shirt saying "Roles were made to be broken" in the agender pride colors. They glance around (and back through the door behind them), then give a little nervous smile and wave at the table. "Hello."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "A trick, huh?" Jeremiah thought on that for a moment, the metaphorical lightbulb going off just as Nevy made their way in. "Hey."
Petra Fichette: She nodded vigorously and then flashed a smile at Nevy. "Hello! Are you going to join us too?"
Anneliese Kiel: Annie returns the wave. "Hey, Nevy. Love the shirt. Come join us?"
Nevermore Usher: Nevy smiles and approaches. "Thanks - to both." They wave to Jeremiah. "Hey, Jay." They hesitate, pondering Petra. "I... don't think I've met you yet? Hi." They sketch an elaborate bow. "Nevermore Usher. At your service."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Alright, I've got something." He smirked, looking over to Nevy. "Mind vouching that my eyes are closed for this?"
Petra Fichette: "Pleasure to meet you. And while it's appreciated, I won't take you up on your offer of service." Hey eyes lit with good humor. "I'm Petra- one of Annie's friends." She rubbed her hands together. "Let's see what you've got!"
Anneliese Kiel: Annie watches Jeremiah expectantly, a small grin on her face.
Nevermore Usher: Nevermore nods. "I mean, they're not Yet. Might wanna get on that." They blep a bit.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I'm getting there..." Jeremiah chuckled before turning to face towards the kitchen, closing his eyes as promised. He then a moment to tug the pendant on the leather necklace around his neck out from under his shirt, revealing the coiled bronze serpent with a pair of topaz gems set into it for eyes, then gently rubbed the back of it for a moment as he focused. When the spell settled into place he let the pendant settle against him, still facing towards the kitchen. "Petra, if you'd be so kind as to hold up something for me. Silverware, anything."
Petra Fichette: Petra silently picked up a dessert menu card instead of the suggested silverware. "Alright, I'm holding something."
Anneliese Kiel: "It is a fork, by the way," Annie 'helps'.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy chuckles. "Okay. Your eyes are closed, oh Kreskin." They chuckle.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah smirked at the reference and the 'help', head tilting a bit like he was thinking something over while his eyes remained closed. "Dessert menu."
Petra Fichette: "No helping him," she hissed, trying not to laugh. She dug into her purse and pulled out an empty box of mints in one hand and a little pot of what appeared to be some sort of skin cream in the other. "Try again."
Anneliese Kiel: "No promises," Annie grins, taking a sip of her water.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy chuckles. "Round two..." They say in a 'mysterious video game announcer' voice.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Box of mints, some kind of lotion..." The words trailed off briefly as he motioned towards Annie with a smirk. "And you just took a drink of water."
Petra Fichette: "Bravo," Petra laughed. "Come sit then. That was cool. Was it Magician magic or Magic magic?"
Anneliese Kiel: Annie chuckles quietly, waiting for Jeremiah to answer.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy chuckles. "I don't have to prove myself," They say, mock-bragging. "I'm special."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah chuckled, opening his eyes and turning towards the trio once again. "Now that would be telling." He replied with a grin as he tucked the pendant back under his shirt, moving to claim a seat at the table. "But, if I'm here that probably answer that question, no?"
Petra Fichette: "You can do a trick too," she teased Nevy. "I just wanted to give this gentleman a hard time." Petra waved the mint box at him before realizing what she was holding and putting her things away. "Maybe. Not all cool tricks need to be supernatural in nature, even if you are here and have the ability to pull off Magic magic tricks."
Anneliese Kiel: "How are things on your side of the fence, Jay? Anything interesting you can tell us about?"
Nevermore Usher: Nevy's smile goes more strained, and they look down at the menu.
Jeremiah Hamilton: His own mood dropped a bit at that question, shaking his head. "Been better, admittedly. One of our people has been taken by the rats, and we're working on getting things together to get her and everyone else out and the issue dealt with." He then looked to Nevy. "You still working on getting everyone on the same page?"
Petra Fichette: That dropped a weight on the conversation and Petra went still. Even the arrival of the strawberry- topped waffle the size of her head didn't elicit the vocal delight it might otherwise have.
Anneliese Kiel: "If you need help getting them back, or healing afterward, let us know, okay?" Annie says gently. "I might not be a fighter myself, but I know people who are, and I can do healing."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy nods. "I saw that there was someone else working on it, so I've given them what I know, and I'm going to help out with coordinating things. Which... I think might be for the best. I'm a talker, but I'm not a figher or tactician." THey swallow at Annie's offer. "Thanks. I'm... Here's the number for... Anthelion? who's doing that." They give the number.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah nodded quietly, putting in an order for a coffee for the moment when the server came by with Petra's waffle. "I'll be on overwatch myself, working on finding where they are and hoping getting them out in one fell swoop. If we can get all of us working together on this I'm sure we can get it handled."
Petra Fichette: "I hope so," Petra said seriously. "If more healers are needed, Annie knows how to contact me. I'm a paramedic."
Anneliese Kiel: Annie nods, inputting Anthelion's number into her phone. "Hopefully we are not needed, but better safe than sorry, where these things are concerned."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy nods. She looks at Petra. "There are... a number of captives there. And... a lot of nasty rat spirit monster things guarding them. I... hope you won't be needed, but..." Their voice cracks on the word "hope." They don't seem to notice.
Jeremiah Hamilton: That crack didn't go unnoticed, and Jeremiah reached over to offer Nevy a hand to hold and a small if hopefully reassuring smile.
Petra Fichette: "I understand," Petra said seriously. "I'm sorry your friends were taken. Stars above, no one deserves that kind of fate."
Anneliese Kiel: Annie nods again, patting Nevy on the shoulder reassuringly. "How are things at Book's? Any interesting customers recently?" Obvious topic change is obvious.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy gives a weak chuckle. "A total Karen came in on Thursday looking for... something like a dozen copies of a romance novel for her book club. For the next day." They shake their head. "Because obviously a used bookstore is going to have bulk copies in stock."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Sounds like someone didn't plan properly." He shook his head, thanking the server as they came by with his coffee before adding a rather impressive amount of sugar to the cup. "Was it a good romance novel, at least?"
Petra Fichette: "Hey I've seen some thrift stores have entire shelves of 50 shades of Gray," Petra said with a little smirk.
Anneliese Kiel: Annie looks blank.
Nevermore Usher: Nevy looks at Annie. "50 Shades of Gray is a badly-written romance novel based on a badly-written fanfiction inspired by a poorly-written vampire romance series. Pretty much all of them are... well. I read both series so I could say I'd read them. I regret that decision."
They look at Jeremiah. "I hadn't read the novel they were looking for, so I can't speak for quality. It was one of the Harlequins, though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I read the first Shades book on a bet to see who out of a group of my friends would ragequit first. I made it about halfway through, as I recall, and that was enough for me."
Petra Fichette: "I read it too," Petra said with a grin. "It was hilarious, and there are better kinky books out there, but I figured it was an important cultural touchstone at the time. I try to keep up on such things."
Anneliese Kiel: "Ah. Sounds... not worth my time, honestly, except perhaps to boggle at how badly the author gets things wrong." Annie shrugs, taking a bite of her omelette. "If I want kinky stuff there is no end of options available."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy smirks at that. "Absolutely. But if someone starts talking about it? Now you'll know what the're referencing."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "A hate-read is the only real good reason to pick it up, honestly." He nodded to Annie, taking a sip of his coffee. "Definitely better stuff out there."
Petra Fichette: "Now that we've all established we read kinky romance novels..." Petra drawled with amusement. "Damn, this is a good waffle. What do you guys do for fun?"
Anneliese Kiel: "Make music. Play video games." Annie glances at Nevy, then smirks slightly. "Have plenty of kinky sex. Some of it with strangers I am unlikely to ever see again."
Nevermore Usher: "I read and write, watch horror movies, do art, talk to ghosts to learn their stories..." Nevy smirks and rolls their eyes. "Learn more than I need to know about my friends' sex lives..."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah was ready to reply but paused at Annie's reply, giving her a "Really?" look before chuckling. "The first two of hers, plus go to concerts and whatnot, as you know." He nodded to Petra at that.
Petra Fichette: "Well Nevy wins the prize for most interesting with the ghost talking. Horror movies are good too." Petra said brightly. "I like movies too, and books." Petra finished polishing off the enormous waffle. "And food. So. Good. But mes amies, it is unfortunately pumpkin time for me."
Anneliese Kiel: "Hey, Petra asked," Annie defends herself, entirely unrepentant. At the birb's last statement, she pauses, checking the time on her phone. "I should be going as well. Bar shift to get to. I will see you around, though."
Nevermore Usher: Nevy glances at their watch, then their eyes bug. "And my meal break went faster than I expected." They grimace. "I think I'll need to get something to go."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Yeah, should probably head out myself. Was good talking with you all, though."
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