Difference between revisions of "Log:Cake"

11 March, 2017

"Let Them eat Cake!" (Waiting for A Stranger)

Crossroads Cafe - Restaurant

It's still afternoon, but most of the citizen are already back to their houses. Almost no one is around into the public places and those that are are wandering around as fast as they can to get to safe place. Like the Crossroads Cafe. The place is pretty empty, though. There is a young waitress in the counter lazily paging a magazine and, in the far corner, a very handsome man with bright green hair and emerald eyes. He too is reading. But he has on his hands a newspaper and in front of him, on the table, lies a mug of something steamy.

A woman appears at the cafe door, although she doesn't enter without first peering momentarily through the glass, sussing out the shop within. Apparently everything is up to snuff at first glance, as she pushes her way inside a moment later, although it would seem that subsequently even further investigation is required, with her wide-eyed gaze cast all about for a moment before finally setting for the counter. There, she greets the waitress, seems content to stay at the counter over getting a booth, and on prompting for a menu, just orders coffee with a lot of milk. Or maybe a lot of milk with some coffee. Once this arrives, she takes it in both hands and sips cautiously, blows, sips some more, and so on, working her way up to properly drinking it.

Tock totters on in, blinking his bespectacled eyes at the change from outdoor to indoor lighting, waiting for his pupils to adjust. He tosses a beaming and cheerful wave to Hazel in the kitchen, before looking about the Cafe for all and any available Waykeepers. Spying Oberon, he grins again, and ambles on over with a quick and lively step that seems to belie his seeming age. . .

Oberon lowers his newspaper when he hears the door opening not once, but twice. To both of them, he just offers polite and discreet nods of his head as to say he knows that they're Lost too. Or maybe it's just his way to say hi. A second later, he retrieves his mug and blows the steam away before sipping gently.

Tock is interested in clockwork gadgets of all kinds, and his College of Worms "Diviner’s Instrument" is based on that motif . . . (i.e. Predicting Fate via the "clockwork universe" hypothesis popular during the Victorian Era)’

Kat is sort of what would happen if the witch's black cat became the witch, complete with weird hut in the woods :D

Kat is at the counter, with a large cup of coffee that may in fact be more milk than coffee. She's fairly engrossed with it, holding the cup and sipping (lapping?) cautiously at the contents, though her ears give a bit of a flick-twitch at the sound of another arrival behind her and she glances back with what might be concern - at least until she spots who it is. There she seems to relax a little, and her skirts give a rustle that could be a tail-flick underneath, and she manages a small smile. Though not a wave, as her hands are still very much on the coffe mug.

Tock squints a fond "Hi!" to his fellow College-of-Worms 'inmate' and her cafe-au-lait, and leaves open a tacit invitation to come over to join Oberon and himself whenever she's ready / finished / satiated. He trots on over to where Oberon is seated and pulls up a chair, taptaptaptaptaptaptapping the brim of his as he waits for Oberon's acknowledgement and/or invitation to speak. Seems he's got something Important to tell Oberon!

In fact, when Tock gets closer, Oberon stands up and gestures to the other man to have a seat and offers him a smile."I know you. You're Tock, right? Please, have a seat and drink something with me, sir." His voice is gentle and warm. The Fairest waits the older man to take a seat to have a seat again. In the meanwhile, he gestures to the waitress to come over.

Somewhat like her moniker, Kat always seems a bit cautious or aloof, or maybe a mix of the both, and indeed, this means she lets her acquaintance pass with just that small greeting and lacking any immediate press to join him or attempt at overt socializing. However, she does seem rather keen toward whatever is going on, turning her head to follow the animated man over to his destination. Here, in her typical show of careful curiosity, she picks up her drink and starts over, but doesn't actually go quite as far as joining them. She picks a booth 2 down, on the other side, so she can sit with a better view to watch whatever is transpiring.

Tock graciously honors the younger man's respectful gesture, bowing his head and tipping his cap in appreciative homage, nodnodnodnodnodding his confirmation that this is, indeed, Tock-the-Librarian. He seats himself, so that Oberon can similarly follow suit, and cuts right to the chase, speaking plainly and loudly enough so that he both knows that Kat's sensitive ears will have no trouble eves-dropping on the conversation and so that she -also- knows she is welcome to do so, and/or to join in, as her whims so dictate:

Good-day and Well Met to Thee, Keeper-of-Ways!

And fair: 'Fare-Thee-Well' to those cold Winter days!

With bright Spring comes fresh News: a Stranger to town,

Might be one of _Us_! So we -must- tell the Crown!

Green eyes, oval face, a complexion most fair,

A world-wary smile, and the blackest of hair,

She came seeking maps of the town and our lands,

With tremulous Fae-Touch behind her white hands!

Oberon see the catwoman getting closer but doesn't seen to mind her approach at all. When Tock starts talking, though, he arches a brow in surprise and tries to keep track of all the information compiled in a music. Or in a poem."Hmmm..." He was going to start talking just when the waitress arrives."Do you accept tea, Tock? Their tea is really delicious." He asks to the other Lost as he takes his mug once more to sip from it briefly.

Kat tilts her head just slightly as the poetic verse is recited. There's no immediate or obvious show of recognition or familiarity, but the description nonetheless seems to interest her. A few more moments of quiet sipping and staring follow, but once she seems content that the drink isn't so overfull it might spill, she again stands and flits across the aisle and down a seat, so she's in a booth behind them, where she climbs into the seat backward and thus can look over the backrest toward their own table. "She sounds pretty. Just wants maps? Where is she? Can I meet her?"

Tock nodnodnodnodnodnodnods appreciatively at the mere -beginnings- of even a -barest hint- of a -suggestion- of the mention of tea -- evidently, he's clearly a fan!

Why Tea would be splendid! I'd gladly partake!

Allow me to buy you a slice of fresh cake?

Twas baked just this morning: it's wonderfly fine,

And drizzled with choc-o-late, oh: it's divine!

And ask what is needed to fulfill thy Pledge,

To open the Way to our Refuge in Hedge,

For travelers weary from lands far unknown,

Perhaps come to make here a home of their own?

Tock pauses, thinking a moment, and turns to Kat to answer her request for more detail regarding the Stranger:

A cautious one she, giving _nary_ a sign,

All claim to be 'Lost' did she steadfast decline,

Yet 'neath her young eyes an Old Wisdom is there,

Despite not one strand of grey locks in her hair . . .

Oberon listens Tock talking carefully and then turns to the waitress."Tea and a slice of your best chocolate cake. Better. Three. One to each of us." He says to the young girl making a gesture with his head to say that the three are those around. When she's finally gone, he turns and picks the description of the strange girl."Well. I didn't meet anyone with those features, sorry, Librarian. But if she's not pledge to the Freehold, we totally should keep an eye out for her. Just in case." He then pauses for a second to make sure the waitress is far enough not to hear their conversation."Did you give her the maps?"

After that flurry of queries, Kat returns focus to her drink, sipping a bit more at it as more information is given, even as Toc's answers are turned toward her directly. It's the very last couplet that seems to catch her attention most, however, and she finally lifts a hand from her mug to touch idly at her own dark hair, running her fingers down through it, then idly repeating the gesture a few times, as if suddenly caught up in a bit of self-grooming. "I don't e- well, time can be strange. So... can we meet her? Or where is she remaining, if she wishes these things to be delivered to her? Perhaps I could do a reading, though I'm sure you've already considered the signs."

Tock peers up and down continuously, monitoring with care and keen interest the preparation, approach, and consumption of Tea. . . To Oberon, he answers:

I gave her a guidebook: My own, to be sure!

We'll soon have a clue if her heart may be pure . . .

All art that I make bears a link to my Soul

A link we can follow, if that be your goal?

To Kat, Tock continues, explaining that the Stranger may well be on her way to this very Cafe!:

I told her of -this- place, and urged her to Trust,

As all of we Lost will soon learn that we -must- . . .

In common our refuge, in refuge our strength,

But *Test* first -before- trust of any great length!

Oberon once more trying to keep track of the poem and when the Librarian stops talking, he glances at Kat for a second."Oh. Well. I think we should order one more mug of tea, then." He comments."I can talk to her, sure. But I didn't sign the contract of Truth and Lies. But I'm pretty decent and reading people's emotions. I can, I think, sense if she's up to no good regarding our kind." He offers.

First surprised, Kat's expression then moves between excitement and concern at the thought of this person coming here. Still, a quick sequence of small head-bobs enunciates her silent agreement with the basic premise set forward. Trust, but verify might have worked for the Cold War, but she definitely prefers it in the opposite order! "If you wish, I will look at things unseen." Or maybe she'll just give this new arrival a good, thorough sniffing.

Tock beams and nodnodnodnodnods appreciatively at Oberon's offer to interview the Stranger when she stops by:

Why that would do nicely! I'm sure that'd be best!

One can't be too cautious: it's wisest to Test!

A foreigner might be an agent of woe:

A slave to the Gentry! It's best that we Know!

Tock likewise turns and wink-nod-winks to Kat, fully trusting her to use her own keen awareness (nose and ears included!) to likewise contribute to what we'd know about this out-of-town Stranger!

Checking again if the waitress is in listening reach, Oberon lowers his voice just a tone as he turns to the catwoman."Well. If you can see into the Tapestry if she mean any harm to us that would be a good tool, ma'am." He says to her. Then, he turns to Tock. "I can check with the other Waykeepers if you want."

"I can see what is to be seen. Sometimes more, sometimes less, that is not up to me," Kat declares, taking her own turn at being cryptic, though less poetic about it. "The past, the future too, but all of that is always far less certain." She shrugs, and then sips again at her mostly-milk. "But things intentionally hidden are the most easily revealed."

Tock nodnodnodnodnods to Oberon's final suggestion, shrugging alternate shoulders in a way that indicates he thinks it surely couldn't hurt:

T'would likely be prudent to check with them, Aye,

Or have them perchance to "just wander on by"

An opportune moment, a word here and there,

An ounce of precaution spares many a care!

Tock's "Important Business" now happily concluded thereby, he relaxes into heartfelt enjoyment of Tea and of cake and turns his full attention to Kat's description. Always and everywhen the lifelong Student, he eagerly awaits any and all information his fellow College of Worms colleague and fellow Fate - aficionado might care to expound upon or share!

As if she could sense the tenseness fading away the waitress comes with the three slices of cake and the mug of tea. All delivered to their proper targets, she gives all of them a shy smile and heads again to the counter where she was cleaning some glasses."Well. When I get back to the Wayhouse, I'll let Ava knows this girl's description." He says to close the subject. Then, he sips calmly once more as to let the matter dissipates. Then, he turns to Kat and smiles to her."I think we were not introduced properly. I'm Oberon of the Spring Court. Waykeeper recruit. Nice to meet you. If you're one of the newcomers, I'm available to answer you your questions and give you directions to the right people."

"Oh, not new..." Kat answers Oberon, looking off in a gesture that could be taken as shy or simply guarded. "I've lived in the area... a while, even have a place. But maybe I'm not always the most sociable of neighbor." Which explains why it takes her a few moments to actually realize that she might introduce herself. "Katherine, or just Kat for short." GET IT?! "Of Autumn. Tock and I are colleagues of a sort..." As cake has arrived, she also quite happily helps herself to a piece, bringing it near her precious milk for a nibble. Because cake.

Tock sits back and relaxes as he adopts a somewhat more reserved mien and comports himself more quietly, sipping softly from his tea and munching slowly at the slice of cake in front of him, giving Kat a ready audience, "all ears" for anything and/or everything Kat might want to share about her research and/or discoveries, now that he's completed what is rightful and proper vis-a-vis the House of the Way-keepers.

"Colleagues, right." Oberon murmurs and grins sweetly."I think that I'm the newer one here, then. Sorry for assuming you were new, Kat." He says. Oberon, a Flowering with bright green hair is sitting in the far table in the room. Tock, the Librarian is sitting in front of him and Kat, the catwoman (GET IT?!) is perched on a booth close to them. Each one of them has a mug and a slice of chocolate cake and they seen to be having a good time chatting calmly.

Ian opens the door and makes his way inside, drifting into the familiar surroundings. He's fairly well known in the area, having lived here for all of his life, and being that guy, that guy who is the leader of the hippie commune. They say it's a cult. Golden eyes slip over those gathered, and he smiles, a friendly and open sort of smile to anyone who happens to glance in his direction before he begins to make his way over toward a table, sliding into a chair and reaching for a menu with green-stained fingers.

Kat is not just perched, but basically sitting in the next booth over, backwards, and talking over the seat backs. Why she hasn't simply sat down with them yet is anyone's guess. She's definitely sharing their cake! A small shrug answers Oberon's apology. "I keep to myself, a lot. But if people need something I'm happy to help." Which does align with the offer she's made regarding this newcomer. As for new arrivals, well, these set her off in much the way that Tock did earlier, ears twitching, turning somewhat notably atop her head, and both drawing a cautious glance back toward the door and causing her to sink down a bit into her booth, nearly to the point where she has to peer over the table top.

Tock smiles openly and politely shifts his chair over sideways to make room for welcoming Ian. Tock grins encouragingly in Kat's general direction (and not, it must be said, without a tiny spark of compassionate mischief). Tock then rattles off a doggerel stanza, goofing around and joking to help break the ice in order for Kat to feel most comfortable and willing to open up and share her own thoughts in front of this larger group, now including those two who are new to the conversation:

The earlybird gets the first worm, so it's said!

But nowhere and no-when have -I- ever read:

The tale of the kat that then gets that first bird!

Do tell us: It *is* a tale that should be heard!

Hazel comes out of the kitchen with menus under the crook of her chin, and both hands tying on her apron in a rush. "Gosh darn it, Ben, I only have two hands!" she calls back at one of the short-order cooks. This is true, although she is known to use them with great speed during the lunch and dinner rush. It's not her apron that she's tying on, either; this one has SHEILA stitched on where the name should be. "I'll be right with you," she calls toward whomever might have come in most recently -- Ian, whom she spots from over her awkward pose with the menus. "We've got Swedish Meatballs on Chef's Choice, Corned Beef Hash all this week, and there's triple-layer chocolate cake." Something about the way she comes in hints that Hazel was not supposed to be floor-waitressing today -- from that nametag to the rush.

Oberon glances at the entrance when the front door opens again to reveal another costumer. A brief smile is offered to the newcomer before the Flowering turns to see the staff coming from the kitchen area. She too gets a smile before the bright green haired man turns back to his group."So. Since you both are residents here you probably know more people them me. I'd like you to lead people to the Waykeepers and to the Wayhouse when possible. Ava wants to keep track of all the newcomers. Names and such things. Also offer shelter to those that doesn't have a place to live."

When Tock makes room for Ian to join the others, he looks over in that direction from where he's sat, then at Hazel as she comes bustling out, and he rises slowly, making his way over to her, and with a little smile and curious dip of his head, as though to request permission before doing so, helps her by holding the menus while she finishes with her apron, before offering them back if they were intended for another. When she seems situated, he smiles, and says in a quiet soothing voice, "No rush. I'm in no hurry." He then turns toward Tock and the others, abandoning his former seat to make his way in that direction. "Hello," he greets them all, and takes a seat where Tock made room for him.

Another small sequence of nods from Kat the cat, acknowledging Oberon's request, although the whole of the gesture is somewhat concealed by how she's now somewhat hidden beneath, or at least beside the top of her table. "I don't- well, if I meet anyone new, I will send them along," she promises. After a bit, she re-emerges from beneath the table as well, since all the new people are, well, probably less /new/ people, or at least no one that it seems necessary to hide from immediately.

Tock grins brightly as Hazel storms busily out from the kitchen, menus underchin and apron strings a-streaming:

Oh! Hazel! I _must_ say this cake is divine!

(I seem to have already eaten all mine . . . )

My compliments! And I must quite simply rave:

It's _splendid_ for -any- who choc-late may crave . . .

Here's Oberon-Fair (he of golden-bright hair),

And Kat (perched midair) with her coffee in-care.

And Ian's in-bound, so let's call for a round:

More cake all around, there's no better be found!

Hazel not only allows Ian's help, but looks terribly grateful. "I'll be right with you," she says, with the gratitude visible on her face and in her posture. She studies those already taken care of, then starts with a water pitcher in one of those never-idle hands and a coffee pot in the other. It seems she registers what Oberon says, and simply files it away without a lot of fanfare or reaction, just a certain lingering look. One that is interrupted by the rhyme. "Nothing but cake here? More coffee or water first, drinks?" she offers. There's a rhythm to the staffing, one she falls into easily.

Oberon grins to Tock. "Here. You can have mine." He says sliding his plate to the other side of the table. In fact it was still completely intact."It was a pleasure to meet you all but I need to get back to the Wayhouse. There are still a few repairs that must be done before the Spring is here." He says and turns to Hazel."Not for me, but thank you very much, ma'am." He then stands up and glances around offering smiles of kindness."Have you all a very good day. If you need me, I'm at the Wayhouse." Then, he heads out but not without paying for the teas, cafe-au-lait and the cakes. The two rounds. And he even leaves big tips.

Ian dips his head to Hazel with a smile when she seems grateful for his assistance. He's been in often enough and is familiar enough with the staff that he exchanges friendly smiles of greeting with one or two others. There's a nod of his head to Oberon as the man departs, and then his attention is to those at the table. "Cake, and coffee, would both be excellent," he agrees. He doesn't bother with the menu, seeming content to acquiesce to the orders already placed.

Tock busies his wiry, thin, energetic and always-in-motion frame quite thoroughly with a solidly appreciative shoveling of delicious chocolate cake into his clearly delighted and earnestly happy-looking face: *nom* *nom* *nom* *nom* *nom* Clearly also quite attentive to the chocolate-driven needs of his feline colleague, Tock wordlessly *slides* Oberon's "extra" piece of cake over to a point on the table directly in front of Kat. The "College of Cake" is thereby convened, as the investigative duo duly investigate the nuances of deliciousness with all due diligence.

Hooray! With that, Kat readily snatches up the piece, which requires her fully and somewhat comically leaning over the pair of seat-backs between the booths to grab it. Then, characteristically, she takes it -back- to her side to feast. For the moment, it seems, she has withdrawn from the conversation, content with cake!

Hazel shifts how she's holding her burdens, flips a coffee cup with a free hand, and pours a mug for Ian, then looks to Kat. "What about you -- top off your drink, sugar?" Hazel is an old school waitress. There's a lot of 'hon'-speak that gets thrown around at her patrons when she's serving. It's the sort of offer that's prepared to get ignored or waved off, unobtrusive; the same goes for Tock, shoveling away. "You're inhaling that," she says, both horrified and amused. "Where you gonna put it all?"

Ian watches as the pieces of cake are devoured, eyes flickering over the pair of them as they shovel down the cake, seeming at least a little bit amused. When Hazel pours him a cup of coffee, he smiles to her and says, "Thank you." Then he reaches over for a bit of cream to add to it and a little bit of sugar, but not much, perhaps only half the packet. He waits for his own piece of cake, watching as Kat heads off after consuming the one in front of her for a moment before turning his attention back toward Tock.

Tock politely declines to stop eating cake and instead prefers to answer Hazel's enquiry my means of direct example. Tock eats cake, quite precisely, at the rate of exactly one fork-full of cake per full time-interval of precisely three exact seconds, regular as clockwork, dependable as the sun. Until there's no more cake on his plate!

"Well. More cake it is," Hazel says, underplaying her reaction to the clockwork consumption. "It's a new version of my recipe, so I'm glad it's getting such a good reception. If you decide you want something more substantial, menus are on the table." She carries on her circuit of the diner, a few more waters and coffees poured, before making her way to her dessert case and the towering cakes and crisp pies and other treats within it, and pulls out the big chocolate cake to slice. All the while, it's that pair she's watching -- the other regulars are less, shall we say, unique known quantities.

Ian is a regular in this place, often coming in quietly, having a bite to eat, and then slipping out again. Sometimes he gets strange looks because of who he is, some not particularly liking who they think he is one way or another. But for the time being he seems to quite peacefully be sitting at a table with Tock who is eating cake, precisely, at one forkful per 3 second intervals until there is no more cake. For his part, Ian has not yet received his cake, but seems to be drinking a cup of coffee, green-stained fingers raising the mug to his lips as he watches those around him with strange golden eyes. Hazel is bustling about, fetching coffee and more cake, because cake.

AJ slips on into to the cafe. She's dressed today in a barn jacket, jeans, and boots. Granted the jeans are quite tight, and the holes in them reveal fishnets beneath, it's still jeans and boots! Local girl that she is. She takes a few steps in, looking over the gathering with those keen eyes of hers, and then she spots Ian and Tock. And Ian. She stares at him for a moment, and a touch of tension crosses over her, before she beats it down and heads her way. "Hey guys," she says.

The chocolate cake is a tiered monstrosity, and when Hazel pulls it out, it looks bigger than her head; the Wizened looks like a kid trying to balance something too big for her, but manages to set it down just fine and handle the big cake knife. One piece on a plate, then another, lining them up on her tray. The chalkboard sign near her has shamrocks sketched on it that says it's corned beef and cabbage on special all week, along with swedish meatballs (not so St. Patrick's, that), and hash, and chocolate cake. She pauses, turns it to look it over, then ends up etching out the Swedish meatballs; some specials just run out. Then she's off to Ian and Tock's table, treats balanced on the tray, pausing only to give AJ room.

Tock places his fork back down on his plate with a "click" of finality, looking up at Ian across the table and over at Kat in the next booth over, observing his colleague and compatriot as she's hunched over her own sizable chocolatey hoard. Tock quietly quips to Ian:

Well, -here's- an adventure in choc-late for sure,

A bit more than one man can safely endure!

'Tis grand to have friends with a fork each to spare,

A lone diner must watch his plate well-aware!

A lurking cat's hunkering down as she prowls,

With bittersweet choc-o-late staining her jowls!

And woe to the unguarded plate of desserts . . .

Said feline can -feast- and will gorge till it hurts!

Tock turns and regards AJ with a gentle open, and welcoming smile and a polite inquiry of: "Cake?" . . . waving a wiry hand and an ably-wielded fork in the general direction of the incoming chocolate goodness headed to their table in the good company of Hostess Hazel.

Cardinal stands out like a sore thumb, all ridiculously red hair and moonglow. Even in the dark layers she wears to fight off the coldcoldcold, she's a bright spot on a bleak day. She can't help it! She's trying to. Gods, the poor thing is trying to. Look at how she skulks in behind AJ, keeping what she thinks must be a safe distance--really, it's just awkward, making it impossible to tell if she's with the fox or all on her own--until the summer's stilled by the booth with Ethan in it. Tall as the redheaded wizened is--not much, but just enough--she's able to peek over AJ's shoulder, wide brown eyes turned toward the more familiar of the two in the booth. Oh, there's a glance spared for Tock, too, the metered speech considered curiously, and another for Hazel and all that promise of tasty food. But there's an Ian. Those moon-bright eyes are just for him.

Tai lets herself in long enough after AJ and Cardinal that it is fairly clear she is not arriving with them, or anywhere else. She's wearing a thick coat to protect her against the cold, jeans, boots and a t-shirt worn beneath the coat. She pauses just inside the door, looking around before her attention catches on Hazel, a hand lifting to give her a quick wave before she starts to shed her coat.

"I'm sure that it is indeed an adventure in chocolate," Ian says in that quiet, soothing voice that has a sort of softness to it that almost seems incapable of harshness. And then Hazel is appearing with more of the cake, a slice of which he lifts a fork and snags a small piece of, lifting it to his lips and trying it. He looks thoughtful for just a moment before dipping his head and saying, "Amongst the finest of it's kind that I've had." It's then that he notices the others entering. AJ is regarded for a moment and a warm, welcoming smile is bestowed upon her, as well as those who are behind her, both Cardinal and Tai. His gaze, however, flickers back to the red bird, and he takes up another piece of cake, lifting it, as though it were a bird lure.

With someone sneaking up so poorly behind her, AJ bristles. Really, the fur on the back of her neck stands up, but you can't quite see that underneath the mess of red hair. She glares over her shoulder, and there's a flash of that Summery wrath. Hot breeze across an open field can surely be felt by those immediately near AJ as she glares at Cardinal. Probably will make AJ doubly mad when her mantle serves to warm a freezing Wizened instead of scare. But she does recognize the face. She then blows out a breath. "Hey... Cardinal," she says, the name seeming to be a struggle to say. "Hi, Hazel!" she says, with far more enthusiasm. AJ slips into a seat directly beside Tock. "Yessir, please and thank. And could I get some corned beef, Hazel?" she asks, with a sweet smile. "Hey, Tai," she adds, with a glance back. Hard to miss Tai.

"The new recipe is working? Yesssssssssssssss." Hazel's fistpump is a little funny; it's a gesture younger than she is, or at least, younger than she appears on her surface, a dorky little dance in place for Tock and Ian's praises. "Corned beef dinner? You bet, honey. What to drink?" she asks AJ, then considers silent Cardinal with pen still poised on her order pad after scribbling AJ's request. Because she's there at the table, her answer to Tai's wave is a sort of head-bobble, though Tai's arrival in particular also brings something of a look of relief to the little waitressing wizened.

Tock silently agrees, and agrees whole-heartedly. The new recipe is +indeed+ working. He can taste the layers upon layers of chocolate afterglow all the way up to the bottom of the insides of his brain. Ah, the happy. Cocoa medulla. He yawns elaborately, anticipating the bliss of an incipient food-coma, then stifles the yawn with his hand. He fist-bumps the prance-dancing Hazel half in congratulations, and half in surrender. His eyelids look heavy, his tummy looks full.

"Hey." Tai replies, offering a smile to AJ before she folds her coat over her arm. She listens for a moment to the discussion of food, and drinks and then she moves towards the kitchen, letting herself back there to stash her coat before collecting the usual accoutrements of a waitress, the pen being tucked behind her ear as she steps back out into the main room. She surveys the room, checking to see if there is anything visibly needing to be done before she slips up to Hazel's side, waiting for a moment to ask what she should do to help out.

Maybe it's the summer wind coming off of AJ, but the smile Cardinal turns toward the fox glaring at her is awfully warm, all wide-eyed sympathy. For a whole heartbeat or three. Then she's all but diving into the booth beside Ian and finding herself a fork that she might dig into the offered slice all her own. It's only after she takes a couple of hasty bites that she notices Hazel's willing to take her order. Fingers lift to sign something quick before she finds a menu, flips to the back and sets her fingertip just above 'chocolate milk' with a hopeful look turned up toward the woman. With that, the silent redbird returns to her nomming, happily oblivious to anything that might be wrong with the world.

When Cardinal divebombs the cake, it seems that the desired result has been achieved. The nettle-leafed Lost with his dark green stained fingertips regards her for a moment with a lofted eyebrow and a little half smile on his lips. He then nudges the piece a little closer to her, seeming content with the one or two bites that he takes for himself. There is coffee, after all, and he seems content to wrap long fingers around the mug and lift it for a sip. Then to Tock he says, "It seems that you are ready to slip into sated slumber. Perhaps we should see if Hazel has a pillow in back."

"Should I just eat yours?" AJ asks Tock, with a big smile. A smile that shows pointy teeth. "I mean, is that what you were offering?" She eyes Tock, she eyes his cake, she eyes Tock. She slowly starts to reach out. Nevermind that the man is quite obviously eating, and enjoying, that cake. Her eyes flick over to Cardinal. Cardinal who already has stolen cake. She debates, briefly, just waiting until the red bird is full of cake, then eating it. But then her eyes shift back, to Hazel, she's smiling again. "A coke, please. Thank you!" Pause. "I'll handle what's left of your cake, if you wanna sleep..." she says, after looking back to Tock.

Hazel favors Tai with the most genuine smile of the night. It's true she always seems happy to see patrons, especially other Lost, but the arrival of help? That's something special. "Tai, honey? Would you get the coke and the chocolate milk for the table while I go put in the dinner order? Sheila is out again." Sheila, whose apron Hazel is wearing, has been waitstaff for six months...but has become notoriously absentee. It clearly has Hazel worried, though she IS a natural worrier with long experience at anxious mom-manners.

"A coke and a chocolate milk?" Tai repeats, glancing first to AJ then Cardinal before she nods, "Of course." She replies, giving those gathered a quick smile, waiting a beat to make sure that there are no more drink orders forthcoming before she goes to fetch the drinks. There is, in her opinion, a fine art to getting the right ice to liquid ratio, and she makes double-certain that she's got the ratio correct before she brings the drinks back to the table.

Tock is of the firm opinion not only that there is nothing currently all that wrong with the world of chocolate, but also that there isn't anything all too terribly wrong with the entire rest of the world, writ large, that cannot feasibly be repaired forthwith via the prompt application of sufficiently delicious quantities of chocolate. Mmmmm; Hmmmm. That is, until he encounters a clear and present danger directed directly in the direction of that chocolate. So: AJ is a chocolate-stealer, eh? Tock regards AJ's potentially chocolate-thieving and demonstrably pointy teeth quite pointedly, and, with a poignantly pointed point of his fork, parries her effrontery point-for-point:

A nap one might find, would he be of sound mind,

To be right and most kind, 'twer 'pon choc-late he dined!

But 'twer a fey thief -feign- to offer relief:

She might well come to grief, from her errant belief!

Cardinal is half-way through her pilfered dessert when she sets her fork down to wiggle out of her coat. The current company, by their very nature, favors warmer weather, saving Hazel, which makes that outer layer feel a touch superfluous. Beneath the coat, her dark grey sweatshirt bears the words CUDDLE SEASON in black, an enthusiastic declaration despite the dull colors. Once her stripping's finished, her big brown eyes settle on Tock at his rhyming, studying the man as if she might be able to see how he works if she just stares hard enough. Or maybe she's waiting for something. It's terribly difficult to tell given how little she actually says. Which is, in total, nothing.

Hazel, for her part, doesn't fetch Tock a pillow, though she does cast one suggestion as she calls over her shoulder. "Back room has the squishy chairs. It's open if someone wants the quiet." This suggestion made, she skirts the other tables, and heads back into the kitchen, the better to cover other short-handed areas of her enterprise.

Ian watches the interplay between Tock and AJ, golden eyes flickering from one to the other and then back again. The backs of his fingers brush against the back of Cardinal's forearm, a little greeting gesture, fingers brushing like tendrils of an errant weed while he watches the conversation at hand. There's a smile for Tai when she goes off to fetch their order. Then he says to AJ, "You're welcome to some of mine," since Cardinal seems to have slowed down and it's a rather large piece.

AJ's eyes narrow at Tock, when he answers her in song. Poem? Rhyme? What is that? Still, there's a fork pointed at her, and so the little foxy thing decides a low grumble coming out of her throat is the proper response. "Fine," she says. Then she looks over, and her hand's already reaching for Card's plate when the Ian gives her leave to take it. "Oh, thanks," she says, with a smile. "Li-... Cardinal... doesn't need it, anyways," she decides, eyeing the other woman for a moment. Then the plate is in front of her, properly thiefed. and she even reaches again, to grab a fork. Even with cake (or, seemingly with cake) she looks up and around, to see where Hazel went, to quietly wonder where her food is.

With Hazel bustling off to cover more short-staffed areas, that leaves everyone at Tai's mercy. She sets the milk down next to Cardinal, then the coke goes to AJ before she pulls out straws from her apron, placing them on the table as well. "Anything else you need?" Did she forget about the food order? Not likely. Just covering her bases while she's standing next to the table.

Tock's eyes mock-narrow in counterpointed counterpose to AJ's facial expression, but the light behind Tock's own eyes is dancing with mirth and with a matching merriment of mischief. In lieu of her throaty growl he "*tsk*tsk*tsk*'s" at her, scolding her rampant thievery, while sounding for all the world exactly like the second-hand counting down the time on an ancient episode of "60 minutes." For added emphasis and bonus humor, he waggles the fork back and forth in a "Oh no, no you don't!" motion, and shakes his head ever so slightly from side to side. Grinning. Almost bursting out in laughter.

Cardinal leans in toward Ian a little bit even as he offers up their shared slice of way-too-much cake to AJ. The snarky remark turned her way is met with a widening of her eyes and a playfully bloated expression, cheeks filling with air as her hands both settle on her utterly non-existent stomach. Really, she does need it. She needs something. That girl needs, like, seventeen sammiches. The sweatshirt she's wearing does a little to mask that, but not much. Whatever her withered, too skinny body might say about her need for chocolate cake, her gesture seems to be in agreement with AJ, suggesting that she's full to bursting. Those same hands dart up quickly when Tai delivers drinks, forming into a heart shape to express her gratitude. The heart breaks that she might claim her cup and straw, setting contentedly into her drink.

At current, a booth is occupied with Cardinal and Ian on one side, Tock and AJ on the other, all the chocolate cake on that side of the table. Tai's on the clock, making sure everyone's well-tended, which seems to generally be the case.

Wally doesn't know anyone here--and so--he grabs a seat at a booth, although he does smile towards all of the Lost he sees here. He quietly waits for a waiter or waitress, as he has some chill, at least.

AJ withdraws her stolen cake, then flashes a smile to Tai. "My corned beef?" she asks the woman. Yes, it's been, like, five minutes. But she needs to eat. She then glances back, at Tock, and blinks. Then looks to Cardinal. "You two should talk. Think you'd like each other," she says, then she forks up some cake, and stuffs a big bite into her mouth. Chew chew. Then a grumbles, and she decides to stop, so she can take of her own jacket. She wiggles out of it, and reveals an adidas tee, with the 'leaves' in a rainbow pattern. She goes back to eating.

"I'll bring it out as soon as it is done." Tai assures AJ before she gives the table a smile, starting to slip away when it seems they have everything for now. Minus the corned beef. She reaches up to pull the pen out from behind her ear as she approaches Wally, pulling out her order pad, "What can I get for you?"

Tock instantly and intuitively understands that for Cardinal to start talking, he'll have to stop talking himself. And so stop he does, thereby opening a conversational "window of opportunity" for Cardinal to explore, should she so choose, and offering a companionable silence as a low-stress alternative, should she choose-not.

Wally smiles up at Tai and says, "I'd like a pot of ginger tea and some honey, and a grilled-cheese-and-bacon sandwich. How are you?"

No matter how big the window, no matter how companionable the silence, Cardinal proves entirely disinterested in filling it with sound. She does, however, seem to take AJ's suggestion seriously in that her big brown eyes are settled expectantly on Tock.

Waiting. Tick tock tick... tock. After a moment, she begins to gesture with her fingers, the structure of the movements suggesting language rather than charades, entirely intelligible to anyone who might know American Sign Language. There's a hopeful arch of her brows as she watches to see if he understood.

AJ glances back and forth between Tock and Cardinal. Here eyes might as well be following a pendulum for a moment there. She's waiting for... something! And then Cardinal starts to sign. "Jesus Christ," she says, and gives a little laugh. There is, at least, a faint smile sent in Cardinal's direction. A for Effort. She refocuses, turning to look at Wally instead. "Sup bruh," she says to the man. "Have we met before?" she asks, seeming to vaguely recall an zappy redhead.

Ian, generally not shy to speak, seems to be content to just observe the group for the time being with his coffee, drinking it slowly, the liquid having grown a little less hot over time. He wraps both hands around the mug again and lets his gaze shift over in Wally's direction for a moment as others greet him. The smile that he gives is warm, welcoming. He even motions with his mug toward their area if Wally cares to move closer for conversation, or pull up a chair to the end of their booth.

"Ginger tea and honey?" Tai writes this down, but looks momentarily dubious, "I'm not sure if we've got anything but ice tea, or maybe some Earl Grey, but I'll check. If we don't, would the Earl Grey be alright?" She pauses, glancing towards AJ when she speaks up, tucking the order pad into the pocket of her apron. She waits just long enough for an answer from Wally about the tea before she makes her way off to hunt down tea.

Wally answers Tai, "Earl Grey is fine, absolutely. Thank you." To the foxy lady he replies, "We may well -have- met; I only was able to stay here for a week when I moved in about six months ago, before I was called away on business. My memory's not all that good, though, so: Hi! I'm Wally West. What's your name?"

"Huh. OK! Well, that explains that." thinks Tock, and so he passes a stack of index cards and his fountain pen across the table, to see if that works too. He memorizes the few ASL gestures that have come into play so far, assuming those would have to be the shorthand for "Hey does anyone here speak ASL?" or something similar. . . . well, something to look up later, at any rate!

AJ gives a laugh, just now hearing the order. Ginger tea. "He's fancy, Tai," she says, with a grin, and a flash of teeth. Her eyes shift back to Wally. "AJ Ray," she says. "Of Desrochers fame," she adds. "Also of stalk the city - and the town - to keep an eye on things fame," she adds. That last one would be what she was actually known for. "If you wanna pull up a seat, I can introduce you? I mean, relatively speaking. Ian might be able to talk to you in regular sentences."

Cardinal's eyes brighten when Tock slides over some index cards and something to write with, sinking forward just a little bit in what might be a swoon. But then she sets rather promptly to writing, the first of her little missives passed off not to Tock, but to Ian. It's the second that she slides across the table, the little note reading simply, 'Three Favorite Things.' Once that's done, she looks from AJ to Wally and Tai, considering the others curiously, but she's quick to settle her eager attention back on Tock to await his list.

Wally stands and follows AJ, saying, "Ah, I met Beau yesterday, and Dobson the day before." He says to Ian, "Are regular sentences usually a problem somehow?" And to AJ he asides, "Frankly, I'm not really that fancy; I've just got a bit of an upset stomach."

"I might," Ian agrees with AJ easily enough, then offers to Wally, "Ian Brennan." He nods toward Cardinal and says "Cardinal," then toward Tai and says, "And that is Tai. It seems that Hazel has other work to attend to at the moment, and I believe this is... Tock, was it?" Did he catch the man's name earlier. To Wally's question he says, "Cardinal doesn't speak, and Tock speaks in verse. And if you meet some of our other acquaintances you'll find silence is somewhat more common than one might expect." His own voice has a soft and soothing quality to it when he speaks. Golden eyes flicker over Wally as he comes to join them.

Ian takes the card that Cardinal passes to him and glances at it, and then to her, and he nods, just a little bit, leaning down to murmur something against her ear quietly before he straightens and returns to his coffee.

Tai doesn't have any response to the fancy comment, just a bit of a smile as she fetches things with a quiet efficiency. The corned beef is up, and she picks it up to bring it to AJ, setting it down in front of her, as well as tea for Wally before she moves off to get more coffee for Ian, and anyone else who happens to have a dwindling or chilling cup in front of them. Once the job portion of things is done she finds a nearby table to lean against, ready to leap into action if someone new walks in, but until then she loiters near the group.

AJ watches the cards, and then she can't help but lean towards Tock to read what the offered card said. Because foxes are nosey. She looks back up, to Wally. "Oh, good. I mean, hopefully good?" she asks. Then her gaze shifts, over to Ian. She flashes him a warm smile when he explains it all so much more elegantly than she ever could. And then there's food. "Ohmygod. Tai... I could kiss you on the mouth," she declares, flashing a big smile, and teeth. "I mean, seriously, if you're ever interested..." she says, entirely casually as she looks back to her food. She grabs fork, she grabs knife. Then she shoots a look to Tock, a clear warning. He will get bit if he tries to steal her food. Then she starts in on it.

Tock laughs, almost out-loud, his eyes dancing. A list of *Three* things!?! That -totally- -cripples- his *Four*-lines-to-a-Stanza iambic metre! Maybe, even, by design? Is he to -also- experience what it's like to be mute? Ha-Hah! She's -absolutely- painted him into a corner. Hm, unless . . . unless service-return of this opening volley is -also- to be considered fair play? Worth a shot. Tock scribes, with delicate precision, and the nib of his pen adds in calligraphic accoutrements to his written words as they emerge:

Bright Sun on the newly-green first-leaves of Spring.

Mechanical Sparrows, which I've taught to Sing,

Reflections of rainbow-drops over the Falls: . . .

. . . Now -back- to the Questioner: same Question calls!

Whatever Ian whispers to Cardinal has the redhead following him when he retreats, imposing herself on his personal space and wrapping her skinny arms around him as best she can within the confines of the booth, her observation of Tock momentarily forsaken. Once that initial hug is delivered, she lingers as close as the nettle-haired man permits, aiming to keep red-tressed head to shoulder as she returns her focus to Tock to see how he handles her odd number with his even meter. When the card is handed over in return, she plucks it up and pulls it close enough that both she and Ian might read it... and she shakes with silent laughter, utterly delighted with both the details and the deft handling of that hanging cadence. Holding up a single finger, she points to the guy she's snuggling. Then she pulls down a second card from the stack, reclaims the fountain pen and jots down an answer: 'Adventures. Subversion.' She takes a second to think on that before, yeah, okay. She slides that over, satisfied.

Wally takes the tea, spoons a bunch of honey in it and a dab of cream, and sips at it pleasantly. He looks at Tock, writing away, with an indulgent smile and a nod. To Ian, he comments, "Well, I'm often told I speak enough for any two people when I get going, so I think everything'll be fine. Everyone here's part of the community already?" he asks. "I'm asking because, well, I'm a bit of a waykeeper and I'm sort of anxious to catch up on the meet-and-greet and helping-new-folks bit."

Tai glances at AJ, looking briefly caught off guard by the comment. So much so that she doesn't actually say anything, just lingers to make certain that everyone has settled back into the sociableness of things. Satisfied with that she moves away from the group, starting the never ending chore of cleaning and refilling containers, making certain that things are stocked and ready to go for...all potential possibilities.

"Well, consider yourself met and greeted, at least by those of us here. I think I can safely say that the introductions were made," Ian says as he lifts up his cup. Then there is a Cardinal there, hugging him as he hugs her in return, fingertips brushing at her red tresses for just a moment. He looks over at the card as it is pushed in their direction and he nods, dipping his head when Cardinal lets him read it. There's a smile in her direction, a subtle tugging at the edges of his lips. Then he glances around the table at the others, watching AJ do her prison-yard impression regarding her food. He thanks Tai for the refresher on her coffee and asks how she has been before she begins to make her retreat, hindering her for only a moment or two from her work.

AJ's too busy with this corned beef to notice if her flirtations(?) landed. She does spare a glance at the pacing cards. Subversion. She reads it as it's written - she has good eyes, see - and those keen eyes roll. If she wasn't so busy making mouth-love to this corned beef she might have something to say. She does, at least, manage to swallow, and look back up to Wally. "Harvestwoman," she offers. "Like a Waykeeper. But I'm less welcoming to people who shouldn't fucking be here," she says. Then dives back into her food.

Tock fold-fold-fold-fold-folds away at his placemat, turning the paper advertisement for Crossroads slowly but surely this way and that, transforming it into . . . something. It's quick work, the folding the creasing, and the unfolding and refolding, and his aged fingers fly with remarkable deftness and speed as they fold new patterns and living dimensions into what was once a mute and flattened piece of background paper, lightly fork-stained with leftover chocolate on one of its corners.

Tai pauses when Ian speaks to her, surprise passing briefly across her face before she nods, offering him a smile, "I've been fine, busy...new job." Which seems to be this, judging by the light wave of her hand to indicate the diner, "You?" She glances at the others, the look broadening the question so that it does include everyone.

With the verbal component of her discussion with Tock concluded--now settled into a study of the swift workings of tendons and knuckles, the language trapped within the appended dimensions of something designed to remain flat--Cardinal sinks in comfortably against Ian, claims her chocolate milk and settles in to listening to the others' conversations while she sips that tasty drink through her straw. Her attentive gaze flits between the others, gravitating back to Tock's origami with regularity, entirely at ease playing spectator, looking rather happy, truth be told.

Wally says, "Thanks for the introductions, Ian, AJ." He grins a bit and then says to AJ, "Yeah, but then again, not really your job to -welcome- so much as -deter-, no?" A slight grin, and then: "I also deliver things. And messages. And the like." He passes out business cards, to everyone actually; they reference Scarlet Speed Courier Services and contain the same info as on +bbread 17/2. "So if you need anything to go from point A to point B quickly and discreetly, or you need a dispute arbitrated, that's sort of one of the reasons I'm here."

See AJ. See AJ eat. With remarkable speed, the fox manages to put away all that food. Of course as she moves, those furry ears twitch as she actively listens. She's a multi-tasker! But soon enough, she's done. She looks up, around, and then to Wally. "Deter. Welcome. I dunno. Some people like getting bit," she says, and flashes a toothy smile. She then takes the card, then shifts to shove it into a pocket. "Cool." She goes into her other pocket and pulls out some cash. "Just remembered I was supposed to pick up a shift," she declares. She lays out some cash, then quickly slips out of the booth. "Bye everyone!" she declares, leaving very little room to respond, as she's already throwing on her jacket and heading back out.

After claiming her cake earlier, Kat had made some sort of strategic retreat - perhaps just out of sight to eat her new acquisition in peace and outside the view of all the people seemingly starting to gather. Though that crowd has now grown even larger, she IS out of both cake and her coffee, so there is reason enough for the young woman to make a reappearance. Or at least, she does at the outskirts, taking a spot at a booth a couple down from where there seems to be a larger gathering, though she hunkers down slightly as some seem to be departing and thus headed back her way, so she's not too conspicuous. As if.

Tock "MmmmmhmmHmmmmhmmmHmmmmm" 's very quietly, to himself, as he works: fingers flying as the folds multiply and crenelate and the paper itself flips front to back to front to back to front to back precisely and exactly four times each and every second with his efforts. Slowly, but with a quiet, unassuming dignity, a Luck Dragon emerges: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cjx2Xjo4WsM/TcWjlMmoCpI/AAAAAAAAAo4/YlrJMFxxdTo/s1600/Amazing-Origami-01.jpg

Tock cashes out, leaving precisely $23.23 in tip on the table for the chocolate - underbellied dragon to keep watch over, slips Wally's card in his pocket, tips his cap to those gathered, drops off the last slice of cake with a Kat, and staggers off to a cocoa-induced dreamland filled with Even Yet Still More Chocolate Cake(s) of Yum.

Wally says, “That's wonderful, Tock!" looking at the origami. "Wonderful!"”

Wally finishes his tea, and says: "Thank you folks for the introduction and the time; I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you in the days to come. Be well!" With that, he pays the bill--and zips out!

Cardinal delights in the artistry of Tock's precise folding a bit more than she does in the end result, magnificent though it clearly is. She's satisfied with the end result, surely, but it hasn't the gravity that the motion of his fingers had, the stillness of the finished image not quite keeping her rapt. With the majority of the patrons peeling away, she slips from the booth, too, chocolate milk in hand, and settles herself down opposite Kat like she was expected. And then says nothing and instead just sips at her milk through her straw while staring at the other woman.

Kat was at least delivered some cake, so it seems like her re-emergence was well-timed. Obviously, the passing mechanical man is given a bright smile at this offered treat, which she makes to dig into immediately. Well, until someone invades her booth! This causes a bit of a reaction, to be sure, a quick drawing back (cake slid with her), forward pricking of her ears, and so forth. When no immediate hostility is noted, she seems to calm a little, and then fixates not so much on the woman but on her milk. And then, somewhat abruptly, "Did she ever come?"

The milk's disappearing at an unsteady pace, its descent stilled now and then when Cardinal takes a moment to actually suck in air instead of just chocolatey, milky goodness. Despite being dressed in dark hues--a dark grey sweatshirt far too big for her frame with the words CUDDLE SEASON in black, blocky letters across the front paired with jeans--she seems vibrant, bright, and not just because of the way too red hair. When Kat turns that question her way, her brows arch as if to ask a wordless question in return, but she ends up just shrugging her shoulders up high in honest answer.

Kat's expression registers what might be mild disappointment, perhaps assuming a lack of answer in the affirmative guarantees the negative. "He," and she gestures, well, the direction that probably everyone just left in, though Tock was possibly the last or best noted among the departing crowd, "said he'd met someone new, and that she might come here and we'd all meet her. Make sure she was OK. But I guess she didn't."

Cardinal gives her head a shake as further explanation of who the she in question might be is offered. She starts counting on her fingers to indicate how many people had been by since she showed up, ending in eight, pointing to Kat to make nine, and then shakes her head again, potentially indicating that not a one of all those folks matches the description provided. She does, however, set her chocolate milk down to pull out one of Wally's cards and slide it on over to the other woman, the identity of a local Waykeeper, in case one's needed.

"It wasn't anyone who just left, no," Kat will confirm, shaking her head. "I... think most of them looked familiar, or if not, they didn't look like the description he gave." But she doesn't seem too troubled by it. "I'm sure I'll get to meet her later. Or, if he needs my help he can find me easily enough." She holds up the one-sided conversation well enough, at least for a while, and doesn't seem too bothered by it. When the card is produced, it's actually the abandoned (unguarded?!) milk that gets her attention first, but her gaze flicks back to the card. After a moment, she takes it, and lifts it for a curious sniff.

Cardinal nods agreeably to Kat's assessment of the woman-who-maybe-wasn't, sufficiently unbothered by other people's business that she doesn't get much hung up on any of it. She's more interested in that look turned toward her half-empty glass when she abandons it and to the sniff paid to the messenger's card. With a curious cant of her head, she nudges the chocolate milk across the table in offering to the other woman, brows arched curiously while she watches for response.

Much like with Tock's prior gift, Kat seems quite well disposed toward offerings of foodstuffs, and the second-hand nature of this one doesn't seem to bother her. It means it's not poisoned, right? Setting down the card, she looks to the glass, back up at the soon-to-be former owner, and then back to the glass, before reaching out to draw it over with both hands. She lifts it in the same fashion, slowly, and avoiding the straw, tips the glass to level the contents nearer the rim and delicately, cautiously sips at it. Or is she actually lapping it? Either way, it seems to win approval, as she... well, keeps drinking.

Cardinal proves pleased that her gift has been accepted, but doesn't linger long enough to indulge in any sort of creepy voyeuristic pleasure. Once Kat sets to drinking, the redhead slips from the booth, rather predictably without saying a word, and then goes back to where she had been sitting to collect her coat. This is slipped on and then, without word, she's off into the frigid night, taking off on her way to wherever redbirds roam.