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Spicy: Spicy is behind the counter, wearing the net over her hair, a white apron, stained by the various food preparation, a pair of black slacks and black flat shoes, she's poking at a plate of waffles and watching for customers, there's something a little different about how the light hits the snowskin's mien now, it's almost like the snow like quality of her skin is coated with a thin layer of ice.
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: Into this steps a hyena, padding on bare feet and wearing cut off jeans and a tank top, just the basics. The net on Spicy's hair is given a quick glance, mostly as she'd need to have a fairly major one herself in the same position. Her own presence is stronger then before, the predatory aspects she carries more pronounced. This is underlined as she approaches the counter, eyeing the menu hungrily before turning dark eyes on Spicy. "I am very hungry." She announces. "And you have steak?" A twitch of her ear as she regards Spicy's own changes.
Spicy: "We got a breakfast plate with steak and eggs and some potatoes." A beat "Did you become a full carnivore?" Spicy asks, as this seems to be rather sensical given the little change she's noting on the Hyena. She hurriedly set her food aside, getting ready to get back to the kitchen to work on Laura's food.
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "I'll have to skip the potatoes." Laura offers up in answer to the question, leaning on the counter and tapping at the surface with her claws in restless fashion. "You seem different too. More.." An inhale as she sniffs the air, taking a deep look at Spicy in thought.
Spicy: "I can replace the potatoes with something else, bacon or something else." A beat "Do you have other dietary restriction?" Spicy asks with a wide grin, as she step closer to the kitchen area.
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Hm?" Laura's eyes drift off a study of Spicy's build and movements and she flashes a wide, toothy grin. "Bacon is good. I'll go for bacon. And that's me, unless you count a risk of being eaten out of house and home, but I'll hold myself back for Maddy's sake." Another sniff of the air, another sample of the scent of flowers in Spicy's mantle.
Spicy: "And yeah I've noticed my frosty exterior getting smoother, I'm not sure what to think of it." A shrug of her shoulder. "I guess that's what I get for gallivanting at the market and in the other side." she looks to the kitchen. "Be right back, working on your order." and then Spicy gets into the kitchen
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Would you want to trade for answers and glimpses?" Laura calls out. "Might find me safer than a Hob at the market!" She hefts herself onto a stool, glancing about to take in the current feel of the diner.
Spicy: "I'm not sure what you're offering here?" Spicy speaks a little louder through the door to the kitchen as she works, expertly so, on Laura's order. "I'm not quite at the level where I just know what everyone can do or what's possible." she takes a plate after a moment and seem to be arranging the meal on it. "How do you like your bacon?"
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Fairly rare." Comes Laura's answer, before she nods, gesturing as she speaks. "If you have a question or something you want more information about, such as the changes you're experiencing, I might be able to find it for you."
Spicy: "By what method? Is that a contract? Or do you know where to look?" Spicy is clearly intrigued by the answer and moves about rapidly, she bump her head against one of dangling pots on the wall, wincing a little there, she tries to pretend she's not bothered by it, but there's a wince there for a moment. She comes out of the kitchen afterward.
The steak is fairly rare too, the bacon look soft, the eggs are seasoned slightly, the presentation is quite nice too. She set the food in front of Laura. "And there we go!" (exceptional result meal! It's real good!)
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "I know where to look." Laura answers, flashing Spicy another wide smile. "Now that smells good." She stabs a piece of bacon with a claw, eating it in one hungry gulp. "Tastes good too." Another bite before she speaks up more. "I feel like I should challenge to some sort of bake off.. mm." A quiet rasp of a laugh before she gestures at Spicy. "I've a secret or two of my own, but I think I might be able to find you some answers, if you are looking for them."
Spicy: Spicy sits on the other side of the counter and finishes the last few bites of her own food. "I'd like that, but I also would like to maybe swap some recipe, I got a book that got some recipe for Hedgefruit things I could crack open for you." she chuckles. "Baking's not my strongest suit in cooking yet, but I feel like I have a chance." a roll of her shoulders.
"As for finding answers, I'm not sure what kind of questions I have yet, to be honest. I know I'm half-planning for a dream dive in my head, because I'm getting some..." a beat. "Particularly bothersome artblock and It feels too odd and specific to be mundane." she points to the plate. "I tried arranging the plate to make a face and I couldn't even do that."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "If you visited the market, you made deals. What did you promise?" Laura's eyes gleam hungrily. "I've not tried cooking with Hedgefruit, that's a thing I'm keen to take a run at." Her eyes move to the plate, than back to Spicy. "Goblins can trade in anything." She notes in a slightly worried tone.
Spicy: "I traded for seeds, for fruits, to pay for a goblin debt and for the recipe book." Spicy comments, running her fingers through her hair now, slowly removing her net and her apron, as her shift seem to be ending. "I had to give up luck, a bit of my strength, blood, my hedge sense." a beat. "Those were temporary and I've gotten them back. I know I traded some memories away, my best meal, that one was permanent."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: A frown then, green eyes thoughtful. "Food is often about creatively, expressing ourselves. Might have gotten part of your artist side all tangled up, or maybe it's down to those memories. Goblins can be cunning and crafty in how they use words."
Spicy: "Oh, no, I had my face issues before the market." Spicy reassures Laura "I bought a few fruits to help with a dream expedition specifically to deal with it." she hangs the apron on a hook and disappear backstage for a second before re-appearing with a small duffel bag. "My face issues are from since I came back from over there" The ogress says "I think maybe there's something I forgot."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Mm." Laura stretches, thinking. "Answers aren't always good to find. Not gonna push you there." She flexes her claws. "Gotta admit that I'm debating hunting down answers of my own, still deciding." Her head cants as she finishes her food, drawing a little closer to Spicy. "Not really talked to you so much, I'm realizing."
Jeremiah Hamilton: The portal into the diner did what portals do as the pair talked, with Jeremiah making his way inside with a bit of pep in his step. The Warlock was casually dressed in jeans and a [1] grey t-shirt[/url] sporting a tri-colored snake coiling its way up the front, smiling as he gave the girls a nod. "Hey there."
Spicy: "Nice shirt." Spicy comments. "I can take your order if you need me to, the other cook is in right now." she plucks out a pad from her pocket and produce a pen from a pocket in her pants. Then her attention shift to Laura and smiles her way. "We can fix that, we got a few things in common. Like, I said, we could swap recipes." she smiles "Did you ever make a jam with the glam fruits?"
"And answer for your own questions, or for mine?"
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Huh." Laura studies Jeremiah's face with a cant of her head before she offers a raspy chuckle, nodding at him. "Hey. Yeah, nice shirt." The human appearing woman is sprawled on a bar stool, having just polished off a large plate of food. "Name's Laura." A glance back to Spicy. "Getting that feeling." She hums with a faint bite of her lip. "And, my own. I'm not sure if I'd like the answers though."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Thanks." He replied with a smile. "Just a coffee would be fine, thanks. And I'm Jay, good to meet you both." He then eyed the glance from Laura to Spicy, doing his best to get a read on the room. "I can leave you two be if I'm interrupting..."
Spicy: "We're talking about chasing some memories and information about that. It's on the weird side of things, but we can accomodate" She moves to the coffee pot and pour it into the mug and smiles toward Jay. "What do you take in your coffee, Jay. People call me Spicy."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Because you are." Laura intones to Spicy, seizing the chance for a joke. She chuckles, then shakes her head at Jay. "Nah, you're good. As she said, we're debating about memories and hunts, I guess that's a way to put it. Also recipe swapping, we're both cooks and all. And if you're here, you're okay with things being weird."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Ah...sounds interesting. We talking literal chasing, or something a little more esoteric?" He moved to take a seat at the counter, nodding to Spicy. "Heavy on the sugar, no milk, if you'd be so kind."
"Nice...I can handle the basics in the kitchen but nothing too fancy unless I cheat. Friend of mine is an amazing baker, though."
Spicy: Spicy smiles and chuckles at Laura's joke as she pours some sugar in the coffee, going for heavy as requested there. "Baking's fun, I don't do enough of it." she grins a little bit there and then goes to sit down where she was once the coffee's deliver to Jay.
"And the answer here is basically, yes. It could be both, or it could be as simple as asking someone."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Any sort of cooking, food." Laura drawls. "But the best part is when you get to eat it." Hyenas are always hungry. "And yups, could be either, could be both. The world's a tangled, messed up place. Whole lotta ways to be tracking answers down."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah thanked Spicy for the coffee and took a test sip as she got settled, nodding with approval. "I've got a major sweet tooth so it's kind of dangerous for me, but I ride my bike as often as I drive so that helps balance it out."
"True indeed. Matters of the mind are a specialty of mine, although I don't do that kind of deep dive unless asked. Not my place to pry, after all."
Spicy: Spicy nods. "I'm guessing you're one of the Wizards like Maddy then?" She looks vaguely toward the portals that leads to the restaurant. She writes down something on her pad. "Eating the food is great, but I work around a lot of dietary restriction and it's been helping me learn about other ways to accomplish the same goal."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Hm.." Laura cants her head, studying Jay intently. "That's good. I only let a limited number of people on the inside of my head. Learning a few things about Wizards when we bump into one another though. I'm.. ah, something of a witch, I feel. I've a few aspects of my one, one or two tied to property and far sight." A wink at Spicy. "Including me, who only eats meat."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I am, yeah." He nodded to Spicy, then looked towards Laura curiously. "Far sight...like scrying or the like?"
Spicy: "I have a Jewish vegetarian I frequently cook for, I have other jewish people on the roll I need to be aware of as well." She points to Laura. "I got carnivorous people and I got others with mystical restrictions, it's a fun challenge when I have to do a banquet."
"Well, if I'm a witch, I guess I'd be a little bit like Mcgonagall, in terms of what I can do? Most of my other tricks are like... not quite as directly a thing."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Hm, what kinda tricks?" She asks to Spicy. "Always keen to find someone with new ones up their sleeves." A laugh before she responds to Jay. "I can do that at times, mm, and also see the near past and future. That's limited, because the more time flows, the more possibilities exist."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I bet. I'm pretty adventerous when it comes to food, though, so I'll try just about anything."
"Makes sense." He nodded to Laura. "Haven't really dabbled in that side of things myself, I'll admit. Been focused more on the mental stuff and spatial relations, as it were, along with what's kind of the backstage view of what we do." He motioined towards the portal briefly as an example before continuing. "I'm going to guess that you two are with the freehold here, then?"
Spicy: "Yep, I don't think we could like, be here if we weren't if I recall what I got told about this place properly." She says with a little nod. "Oh, the kind of tricks that allow me to sneak, despite being bulky, I got the basic healing trick. I'm hoping hanging around Petra and Annie will help me learn a bit of medicine too."
"And that sounds all very complicated." A light chuckle.
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "It makes life easier." Laura notes to them both. "We know the others here are aware, more or less, of the score." A thoughtful hum. "I know one or two tricks with spatial things, but you possibly have me beat there. I'm not at all built for sneaking myself."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Mmhmm. Having a neutral place for folks to get to know each other is definitely a good thing in my book. There wasn't anything like this in LA when I was there, at least as far as I know."
"Complicated...kind of, at times." He replied with a chuckle, taking a sip of his coffee. "As I see it magic is something you should use to better the world around you and the people within it, and I do my best to use it that way. It's really easy to let what you can do go to your head if you're not careful, and if you fly too high too fast the wings can melt right off of you...or someone will do it for you."
Spicy: "I can turn into a Ruffed Grouse and honestly, it's a lousy bird to move around." A little laugh follows there, grinning brightly. "I know that's not your point, mind you, but it made me think about that." she stretches. "I do understand though, do as best you can with the skills you have."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Nice...know a few folks who lean more towards the shifting side of things. May go that way eventually myself; one particular line of study I'm on favors it." He nodded with a smirk. "Exactly. We've all been given something profound, although I know you and yours went through something horrifying in the process, but it's worth putting that to good use rather than strictly for personal gain."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: Laura nods slowly. "I think the source of your magic is different than ours. For us.. well, that's a long tangled tale and it varies from person to person. Sounds like you've the gist of it though. Learning how to manage it and develop it, and what to use it for.. that varies, mm."
Spicy: "Yeah I'm pretty new in the grand scheme of things here, so I'm still finding out what I can and can't do and what's safe or not to do." Spicy says with a nod. "I heard a lot about market, so I didn't look like a complete idiot while doing it, but some aspect of it can be really, really illogical and that's something I need to wrap my head around a bit more."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah nodded quietly to Laura. "I'm dating Polly, if you know her, and she's explained it as best as she could." A small smile crossed his features at the mention of the Elemental, soft and sweet in that 'obviously twitterpattered' sort of way. "I went through a more metaphysical rebuild than a physical one when I Awoke to what I am so I have a vague idea, but I won't claim to understand it completely."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Markets are tricky, mm." Laura grimaces. "I step really carefully around them. But you can find anything there, just about." Jay gets a thoughtful look. "I might have heard the name.. not sure I've ever met her, but I'll keep my ears to the ground. And changes, they're more than just physical, if that helps at all."
Spicy: "Oh she's a very rainbow colored gal." Spicy nods "She sings and has a band and stuff, I hung around her a little bit a while ago." She nods and drink from a water bottle. "Fun to be around!"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Yeah...we met playing together in the park and hit it off really well." The smile remained as he thought on that particular day. "I haven't seen the full rainbow effect yet but I look forward to it."
"So I've noticed. Both she and Annie have given me the rundown on some of the things that can trip you guys up, and I've been careful since about stepping on those particular landmines."
Laura 'Hyena' Walker: "Then I look forward to meeting her myself." Laura grins broadly with a nod. "And good, mm. I'm trying to learn, glad to see others are too." She stands, stretching a little restlessly.
Spicy: "Have a good time, Laura, we'll swap some recipes soon!" Spicy grins and waves after taking payment for Laura's food. "And I appreciate the considerations about the landmines."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Have a good one." Jeremiah nodded to Laura as she made way to head out, then looked back towards Spicy. "It's the least I can do, and I'm happy to do it."
Spicy: She chuckles. "I'm happy you got that chance with one of us. That does means there's a level of trust." Spicy mentions and crosses her arms, shivering a little bit.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "I'm glad she gave me the chance too. It's been a while since I clicked with someone like that." He smiled at that, although the shiver led to a quiet look of concern. "You good?"
Spicy: "Yeah, I've been experiencing some unexpected stuff for a little bit. Me being cold is... really strange, since I'm litterally like..." she looks down, only seeing her mien. "Made of frost and ice."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Ah...yeah, that does sound odd." He frowned a touch, looking Spicy over. "That part of what you were talking about looking into when I came in?"
Rieko Sato: The door-portal (the doortal, if you will) sounds, and in walks Rieko. To those who can pierce her mask: a four-horned oni with off-white hair, red skin, and demonic eyes. To those who cannot? Rieko is a young, physically fit Japanese woman in her mid-to-late 20's with her white hair pulled back into a high ponytail.
Oh yeah, and she's also wearing a cowboy hat and carrying a fucking sword. She swings by the bar to pick up her to-go order, and begins to munch on it without paying much attention to her surroundings...
Spicy: "Oh hey there cowgirl." Dropping the order for Rieko on the counter, having gabbing it from the to go section near the kitchen, Spicy is apprently the waitress at this time."Hope you're doing well?"
"No, it's a different thing, I'm pretty sure I can piece together why I have this weird little change here, but what I'm looking into is a weirdly specific artblock." a little chuckle. "Which I suspect has to do with something not fun in my dreams."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah looked towards the portal as Rieko made her way in, eyeing the sword curiously for a moment before giving her a nod. "Hey there."
"Ah...gotcha. I might be able to give a hand there if you'd like, unless you'd rather to keep that with you and yours."
Rieko Sato: "Oh, hey Spicy!" Rieko offers a broad grin -- which, for Spicy, shows off her mouthful of glittering golden fangs -- despite the huge bite of food she just took. Rieko's not the most graceful, to be honest. "I'm not going to lie, I was only barely paying attention and I thought you were that other blue chick for a second. Don't you usually work in the kitchen?" She continues to munch quietly as Jeremiah talks. "What're you working on that you need a hand with?" There's a half-second, and then she shifts the to-go container into her opposite hand before offering Jeremiah a hand-shake. "Eko, by the by."
Spicy: "Oh basically, planning on a dive in my dreams to explore a weirdly specific Artblock that I don't trust to be normal, basically." She explains "Yes, but the next shift came in earlier and I'm entertaining the clientele." a little chuckle.
"I don't know if you could help with it, but then again, I don't know how your thing works." she says to Jay.
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Which the clientele appreciates." Jeremiah replied with a smirk, then turned to Rieko and took the offered hand for a handshake. "Jay, pleasure."
"Not sure that we go in the same way but I can dreamwalk, so I might be able to help. Up to you, though; we did just meet, after all."
Rieko Sato: Rieko quirks an eyebrow at Jay, giving him an appraising once-over, and then a little nod. "If you want backup, Ziv is a pretty accomplished onieromancer." Rieko shovels a bite of food into her fanged maw. "Alternatively, I could maybe help, too. If you want. I've known you a little bit longer than "just meeting" after all." She sticks out her tongue.
Spicy: "I'll consider it, Jay, might be good to have a different set of eyes, I'll poke around our stuff to know if your dream stuff is the same or can be compatible." Spicy says with a bright smile. "Oh, good, that would make for a very mermaidy trip in my head, where I'm sure It won't be super cold and dark." she chuckles.
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah smirked at Rieko's comment, giving Spicy a nod. "Sounds good." He took a moment to pull a business card case from his pocket and offered her one of the cards within, the info for a cafe called The Green Room in Spring Gardens, along with a hand-written number on the back. "Let me know either way."
He then looked back to Rieko. "I'm an associate of Aaron's, if that helps the 'what are you?' question. He's been staying with my cadre while he gets things straightened out."
Rieko Sato: "Ahh, okay." Rieko offers a long, slow nod in recognition. "Aaron is my metamour. He is a delightful man, and I appreciate him very much." A beat passes, and she turns to Spicy again. "That means Jay is probably a wizard. Or Jewish. Or... gay? Or... all three?" She pauses for a minute, thinking back to how Jay phrased it. "No, wait. He said Cadre. That means Wizard."
Bless her buff, stupid heart. Rieko tries so hard.
Spicy: "He's a ... pan Wizard? Is that what the shirt means?" Spicy points to the colored version of a snake on his shirt. "Also Jay is dating Polly, if you remember her." A shrug of her shoulder. "I don't think I met Aaron, myself."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "It does, yeah. So, one and a half out of three." Jeremiah nodded with a smile. "And agreed, he's good people."
Rieko Sato: Rieko stops to blink at the t-shirt. "Huh, okay I guess that is what that means, isn't it!" Rieko shrugs as she keeps eating, but sings the next line to the tune of that old Meat Loaf song. "Well. Two outta three ain't bad." A beat. "Thanks for giving him a place to stay. I'm sure you heard about the trouble, and Ziv and I... can't really let him stay with us for Reasons. I'm glad he's got backup, though."
Spicy: "Yeah, plus if your baker friend can be around to cook." She looks over at Rieko and then back to Jay. "Would I need to break some face over the situation, because I got a giant fuck off sword I can bring to the table."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "A big part of what our cadre does is offering support to the community at large, so we were more than happy to help." He gave another small nod. "Proud Boys being Proud Boys is the short version. He didn't want to put the other people who live near him at risk by him being there."
Rieko Sato: "Aaron is a bleeding heart, and -- much to my chagrin -- he'd prefer to solve this problem without the use of giant fuck off swords." Rieko offers a little smirk as she hooks a thumb at the odachi on her back. "... but I appreciate the offer, Spicy. It means a lot that you'd volunteer."
Spicy: "Oh yeah, giant fuck off swords is definitely off the table, It would draw way too much of the cop's attention. It's... not a normal thing." A little chuckle. "I have normal sized swords to help with that."
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Also the hydra issue of if you take down a couple there's always some other jackass to step in." Jeremiah shook his head, a frown on his face. "I've offered to help with the block party that he has in mind to bolster the neighborhood's morale, and hopefully that'll help in some way."
Rieko Sato: "I think it's more mercy than they deserve, but what do I know?" Rieko offers a little shrug, and then polishes off the last bite of her food. "I should probably get going here in a few, but it was nice seeing and meeting y'all both. Maybe I'll even see you around -- like at that block party, maybe?"
Spicy: "Yeah we can be like, security." She chuckles and waves when Rieko seems to be ready to leave. "Do you know when and where?"
Jeremiah Hamilton: "Good meeting you too." Jeremiah nodded, lifting his coffee cup in a small salute. "Don't know yet on the when. Far as I know he's still working on that."
Spicy: "Alright!" Spicy disappears in the back area and comes back out with a hoodie in her arms. "My shift is ending soon and I might be liking the idea of running a bit before getting home, if you want to join or something, provide some background music."
Jeremiah Hamilton: Jeremiah thought on that a moment before smirking, giving a nod. "Sure, why not." He polished off his coffee and stood, leaving the money for said drink on the counter. "Shall we?"
Spicy: "We shall!"
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