[[[[[[MONROE'S NOTES: Everyone tells their Awakening stories! I think this is a marvelous little log demonstrating everyone's excellent RP abilities.]]]]]] Monroe sticks his head into the doorway of the BBC - only Monroe could make this a graceful motion - he speaks to someone inside a moment, then emerges, shaking his head slightly, headed for Starbucks. Angel is sitting on the edge of the old fountian, just hanging out. Monroe grins at Angel and heads into Starbucks as if he were expected there. You open the door and enter the coffee shop, and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills your nostrils. Starbucks Coffee(#1651RJMs) Welcome to Starbucks Coffee Shop: commercial powerhouse in the gourmet coffee industry. This place looks akin to every other Starbuck's in the nation, but still manages to retain a comfortable charm. Perhaps it's the synthetic earth tones that cover every surface, or maybe it's the eerily trendy staff..or maybe it's just the comforting smell of warm coffees, mochas and pastries filling this place from wall to wall. A tall evergreen counter takes up the back wall, surmounted by cookie jars and coffee flavored candies. Behind it is a long menu of products and prices printed on burnt orange slats. But if you don't think a 'grande brazillian blend mocha with a shot of val and a loganberry scone' sounds all that good, stick with the orange juice. A narrow black bar is bolted to the exterior of the seating area with pretty and uncomfortable iron barstools, but you can get a good view out the wide windows from these seats. More comfortable chairs circle the black tables atop brick red tiles. It's hard to sit or leave without those chairs making some awkward noise along the floor. But the constant swish and gurgle of the espresso machines covers up most noises, lending each table a surprising amount of privacy. Contents: Willow Alec Desiree(#2190PXJKc) Obvious exits: Out Monroe drifts in at his usual stately pace, satchel at his side, folder under his arm. Desiree moves over to the both, flashing Alec a quick and somewhat secretive grin. Willow is sitting across from Desiree and Alec - her hand is somewhat lightly placed on the seat next to her - which of course, is promptly raised and set on the table when she sees Monroe. And beams at him. Alec adjusts his tie a bit nervously, but manages return the grin as he, too, sits down. "Ah! Monroe, hello1" Desiree smiles as Monroe comes in and waves. Monroe says easily, "Good evening, Alec. Ladies." He sits gracefully down in the spot reserved. You go over to join Willow. You sit at Booth 3. Booth 3. Seated at Booth 4, Willow leans across and kisses his cheek swiftly. "Hi." she says, and just grins a little, and then pays a great deal of attention to her butterscotch milkshake, extra whipped cream. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe blushes slightly. "Hello." he murmurs, laying his folder down and putting his satchel down next to the table. Seated at Booth 4, Alec chuckles quietly, but can't suppress a cheery grin, "Well, then, Monroe... how's the machine coming?" Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks over at his folder. "What's that?" she chirps. Desiree smiles and sips her coffee before stating, "This is a pleasant surprise. At least now I'm not solely responsible for dragging poor Alec away from grading papers." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says easily, "Well. Very well, in fact. I've completed the first part and am now reducing the complexity of the system to eliminate the remaining inefficiencies. I'm hoping it will be as simple in design as the nature of its purpose." He indicates the folder. "Our plans." he answers Willow, showing her. Monroe's drawings are exact, to scale, clearly done with straightedges and compasses and rulers. Alec's are not. Alec blinks a few times, looking voer at Desiree, "Oh! I almost forgot! I left them at the other table!" Hurriedly he stands and moves over to the huge shelf of papers on the other table. Unfortunately, as he heads back with a smile of victory on his lips, he trips and falls flat on his face with a thump. On a good note, the papers remained in a relatively ordered pile. "Ouch." Seated at Booth 4, Willow peers over, her nose wrinkling a little in thought. "It looks nice and accurate." she says, utilizing the older definition of nice: scrupulously exact. She smiles at Monroe, and then blinks at Alec. Willow says "Oh, my...are you alright, Alec?" Monroe winces sympathetically and extends a long arm downwards to help him to his feet. "Steadily, sir." he says easily. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods to Willow. "My thanks. I only hope the device is as accurate." Desiree blinks. "You okay? You really should be more careful." she observes soberly. Alec stands, taking Monroe's offered hand while rubbing his nose ruefully, "Yes, yes... I'm fine, thank you. Just tripped, that's all. Anyway..." He hefts the papers onto the table as he retakes his seat, "Sorry about that." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe turns slightly to Willow, closing his folder again. "Did you find anything more about the nature of the book Johnson found for you?" Seated at Booth 4, Desiree looks at Willow now and raises an eyebrow. Seated at Booth 4, Willow says immediatly, "Not as of yet, I.." she looks sheepish, "Was well, too busy reading it." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe replies to Willow. "Oh - that is what I meant. I have done some work in tracing the books. Fortunately we have several vector spaces to work in and it should be an elementary exercise to identify the previous owner." Seated at Booth 4, Alec's brows arch, "Indeed? Interesting. I can see why you've been taken with the text. Are the Talismans listed famous? Or simply a general list of those that are created?" Seated at Booth 4, Willow considers, "They're almost like schematics - mostly unique Talismans, but not anything you know, of Great Mystical Import." she then adds, "I'm not through it yet, though. There might be stuff in there I haven't gotten to." Seated at Booth 4, Alec beams brightly. Schemata is one thing he understands, "Oh, I see. Interesting." Seated at Booth 4, Desiree glances at her watch and blinks. "Ahh, Christ...i'm sorry, I gotta get home. i'm expecting my agent to call in about 15 minutes." Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks alarmed. "Be well." Desiree stands from Booth 3. Booth 3. Desiree has departed. Desiree heads to the door with a slightly frantic waves over her shoulder. Desiree walks out the door. Desiree has left. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says easily to Alec, "It is in a language unknown to us, alas." He grins. "But the *call number* of the book that hid it was not. What is the old phrase? As within, so without?" Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks suprised. "It actually had a DD number?" Seated at Booth 4, Alec glances after Desiree's sudden departure with a curious look on his face before turning back with a grin, "I believe that is the phase, yes." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods to Willow. "The false books did." Bardon comes in from outside, the door easing closed behind him. Bardon has arrived. Bardon glances around as he arrives, a wry grin quirking at the corners of his lips. "What a ...co-incidence, meeting you all here. Mind if I join you?" Monroe says mildly, "Not at all...please do." He sips his black mug of black coffee. Alec glances over as Bardon enters and beams brightly, "Please! The more the merrier!" Willow smiles up at Bardon, twirling the whipped cream of her butterscotch shake with a finger. "Hi, Bardon. Take a load off.' Bardon walks up to the counter, snagging the waitress' attention and order the worlds largest muggachino before moving to join the impromptu gathering. "So, any major crisis happening...or are we actually just relaxing a bit?" Monroe says in his easy, cadenced way, "There is always a crisis somewhere, happening to someone." Willow smiles. "No major cataclysms in Larson, though." Bardon accepts his caffeine-fix with a smile, taking a sip before speaking further. "Well, that's a relief." Alec grins and gestures to a large shelf of papers next to him, "Well... you could call this a crisis, of sorts. Papers to be graded... the bane of teachers everywhere." Willow tsks at Alec. "That's what kiss-ups are for, Alec. I should know, I got conned into grading papers all the time for my profs." Monroe sorta half-glances at Willow like he doesn't know what she's talking about. Bardon snorts softly at Willow's comment, adjusting the strap of his didge to avoid being garotted. "Ahh, school....I'm reminded why I never finished university." Alec chuckles quietly, "Indeed... hmm... a student assistant... I should look into that. Thank you, Willow! I'll do some research on who the new vict-er-lucky student will be!" Angel comes in from outside, the door easing closed behind her. Angel has arrived. Willow smiles a little bit, and prudently doesn't answer - since she's not certain how far she can tease without sounding rude. Bardon sits at Booth 3. Booth 3. Bardon joins you. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe ahs, understanding. "I've heard 'kissup' before, but in a different context." Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks, and of course, does the Willow thing. "What context?" Seated at Booth 4, Alec arches a brow at Monroe, "What contect would that be?" Seated at Booth 4, Bardon snorts with suppressed laughter. "No comment." he manages to say without spilling his coffee. Bardon laughs quietly at a comment from one of his companions. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says easily, "Well, when I was with the Ecstatics in San Francisco, there were two people...I never got their Tradition...who visited to interrogate me. It was a regular occurrence at first. One would always ask the questions and the other would, approximately once an hour, compliment the first on how well everything was going. Eventually one of my hosts called the second a 'kiss up'. Must they always be students, or will any kind of assistant do?" Seated at Booth 4, Alec beams brightly, "I think it refers to any subordinate, really." Seated at Booth 4, Willow grins. "Usually the students are the ones who are most eager to please 0 especially if it's the difference between borderlines on a B or and A." Seated at Booth 4, Bardon nods his head in agreement with Willow. "I think the lady's got it best, Monroe." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe hmms. "Ahh! A sycophant." he says. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe murmurs, to Willow, like there's nobody else at the table, "My thanks." Seated at Booth 4, Willow smiles at him. "Anytime." Seated at Booth 4, Alec nods enthusiastically, "Indeed! An excellent synonymn, I think." Seated at Booth 4, Bardon purses his lips. "Y'know, I don't think bartenders are entitled to have a suckup working for them...Hmm. Shame." Seated at Booth 4, Alec adjusts his glasses, "Oh! Do you have a subordinate under you, Bardon?" Seated at Booth 4, Willow says "Bardon and his wife own the Storm Front on the edge of town." Seated at Booth 4, Alec ahs, "I see... so it's a joint venture, then, yes?" Seated at Booth 4, Bardon shakes his head. "Nope." he replies in response to Alec's question. "Unfortunately." Seated at Booth 4, Bardon then nods at Alec's _second_ statement. "Pretty much a joint venture, yeah." Angel slumps in her booth, looking more and more depressed. Seated at Booth 4, Willow says "What about the guy behind the counter, and that younger one - what's his name, William?"" Seated at Booth 4, Monroe listens politely, sipping his coffee and sitting gracefully upright, but says nothing. Long distance to Willow: Monroe touches her leg with his hand, just once, and briefly. Maybe dresses might not be such a bad idea after all. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon chuckles dryly at Willow. "You mean Clint...he was working there well before I showed up. He's practically a part of the furniture. As for William...I suppose he counts, though he just does odd-jobs." Seated at Booth 4, Alec scratches his head absently, "The place the you are propietor of has a long history, then, I take it?" Seated at Booth 4, Bardon nods. "Oh yeah...the Tavern's been around a long time, although there was a period there that it was closed up." Seated at Booth 4, Alec arches his brows curiously, "Oh, really? Closed for what reason, my I ask? There simply wasn't anyone willing to buy the building after the orginal owner left?" Seated at Booth 4, Willow scoots a little bit closer to Monroe, still sipping her shake. Anton comes in from outside, the door easing closed behind him. Anton has arrived. Angel is sitting alone, slumped on a booth, looking bored and rather depressed. Monroe is sitting rather close to Willow, across from Bardon and Alec, chatting with them about something, though he keeps mostly quiet. Anton walks into Starbucks and sighs deeply, almost in a sort of relief. No matter, he continues on in, slowly, surverying the restaurant. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon shrugs slightly. "To be honest I'm not sure. It had re-opened by the time I moved into Larson>" Seated at Booth 4, Willow offers Monroe some of her shake. "Did Jade own it then?" Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods, confirming Bardon's statment. "I think I am the only one who did not take over a previous financial endeavour. Of course, mine is probably old enough to more than make up for it." he says easily. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon shakes his head once more. "Nope, a lady named Celine O'Ryan used to own it." Seated at Booth 4, Willow oh's. "Well when did you two get it?" From afar, Willow edges said leg so that it's pressed up to his. She'll think about the skirt thing. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon takes a sip of his coffee before continuing, his lips pursing as he works out the time. "About a year and a half ago." he replies, glancing around to ensure that none are close enough to hear except for those at this table. "A few months before my Awakening." Seated at Booth 4, Alec raises his brows and leans forward, switching to a conspiratorial whisper, "You know... it's funny you should mention Awakenings... Desiree and I were having a discussion on that ourselves." Seated at Booth 4, Willow pauses a minute. "Here, let me." she softly chants, under her breath - Awareness tingles for those present, and then she says, "Talking in normal tones won't be heard, but if you get loud, it'll trickle." she nods and gestures for folks to continue. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe sips his coffee and regards Alec and Bardon politely. But he doesn't volunteer anything. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon gives Alec a curious look. "What was the upshot of the conversation, if I may ask?" Seated at Booth 4, Alec smiles brightly at Willow, "Thank you my dear Doctor. As I was saying, Desiree and I were discussing our respective Awakenings and we noted something peculiar. Disregarding semantics and ... ahem... the method of Awakening, our two ways were very similar. Not only that, but the way we felt about the world before being Awakened was similar. I'm curious as to weather all Magi have similar experiences." Seated at Booth 4, Willow notes quietly, "Well, if people don't have particularly intimate recourses concering the event, I don't mind sharing stories." Seated at Booth 4, Bardon allows himself a faint chuckle. "I don't mind...if nobody minds a bit of a horror story." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe stares into his empty coffee mug for a moment. "I have no objections." he murmurs softly, before laying the mug down on the table with a tiny, even 'click'. Seated at Booth 4, Willow remarks, "This feels like some bizarre game of Truth or Dare. Who's first?" she looks around. Seated at Booth 4, Alec smiles wryly, "Good... well, then... since I am the one who instituted this line of inquiry, shoulg speak first?" Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says softly, "That seems equitable." Seated at Booth 4, Willow gestures, "You have the floor, Professor." she smiles. She looks to Monroe sidelong, a moment. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon waits quietly for Alec to tell his tale, taking a sip from his coffee. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe is oddly (or perhaps not, considering the topic) introspective, staring at his thick-fingered hands laced evenly and still before him on the folder. Seated at Booth 4, Willows fingers slowly creep near, and then rest on Monroes, with a tenativeness that seems to indicate she expects them to be shrugged off. Seated at Booth 4, Alec chuckles softly, "Thank you, Doctor Rosenburg." Taking a deep breath, Alec begins, "My time before being Awakened was fairly normal. I went to school, watched television... the basic Sleeper things. However, I had always felt that something about the universe was just plain /wrong/. Nothing felt right... I felt as though something was fundementally wrong with the universe and no one would tell me what it was. I dissmissed it as perfectly ordinary paranoia... then, at the age of fourteen, I Awakened. I felt as if my brain were suddenly, and for the first time, working the way it should. Everything made sense, finally. In essence, it was an immense feeling of clearity... as if a veil had been suddenly lifted out from in front of my eyes. Not too long after, I met my Mentor." He pauses, "I suppose my story is very... mundane compared to most, but... the two things that Desiree and I shared was the feeling that everything was simply wrong and the feeling of clearity." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe doesn't shrug it off, and his face does soften a little, though his eyes are still far away, in years, or miles, or both. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon nods his head slowly as Alec completes his tale. "Well, unless there are any objections I suppose I'll go next?" Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods slightly, but it's not clear whether he's confirming that this was his own experience, or just indicating that he understand's Alec's. He turns his gaze from Alec to Willow, for just a moment, and he's back again, back from whatever place or time he was staring into. But it is only for a moment and then he nods to Bardon. Seated at Booth 4, Willow nods her approval, forcing her attention away from the man next to her to give Bardon her complete focus. Seated at Booth 4, Alec smiles politely and nods, settling back, "Please do." Anton comes in from outside, the door easing closed behind him. Anton has arrived. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon takes a sip of his coffee before beginning. "I was your average rebel kid I suppose. Dropped out of college, acted, waited on table...just wandered around the country. Anyway, the basic feeling you're talking about was definitely there, Alec...something was just *missing*. I tried Wicca, Buddhism...you name it. Nothing fit. Then...well, I started getting hints that there was more to the world than what I knew. Things came to a head when these ... creatures attacked me one night. Big nasty mutated bastards with claws, they were. Well as you can imagine I had no real way to defend myself so I did a good job of bleeding. I damn near died...when suddenly something seemed to *click*. Next thing I knew I found myself in the Umbra where the bad guys had some Banes running backup. I still can't remember what I did, but by the time the nasties had stepped over the Banes were all toast. They freaked and ran...and I collapsed. Luckily Spark, my mentor, noticed the whole thing and showed up or I'd have never made it. Took nearly a month of serious magickal healing to bring me back to normal." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe can't follow the jargon, but he appears to get the gist. Anton walks into the the coffeeshop, looking rather tensed. He stands poised at the door for a moment, then softens a little , looking relieved. Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks to Monroe. "Shall I?" she offers gently, "Or would you like to?" Angel is still slumped in her booth, not doing anything. Seated at Booth 4, Alec hmms nodding slowly, appearing more and more thoughtfull by the minute. Bardon appears deep in thought as he leans back, taking a sip from his coffee. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods to Willow. "Go ahead." he says easily. The four people at the table seem to be carrying on an intent conversation, though it must be rather hushed, since not alot of sound seems to be carrying from that table. Angel looks at the people who seem to think they're being FBI bugged and restrains herself from throwing a salt shaker. Instead she looks up, counting cracks in the ceiling. Not unlike sex. Monroe looks less intent, for the record, than he looks spaced-out. Too much coffee maybe? Anton blinks, a bit confused at the hush-hush group. Must be planning world domination or something. Better not interfere. instead he casually walks over to where Angel is sitting and asks, as if it's the most normal thing in the world, "Mind if I sit here?" Angel's eyes flick up without her face moving and she gestures to the empty booth, "Go ahead." Seated at Booth 4, Willow considers. "My grandfather as I've explained was a member of House Quaesitor, and he'd hoped I'd follow in his footsteps. But as Fate would have it, I found myself at Larson University at fourteen with heavy credit loads and a rather unusual lady as my mentor. She got me through the haze that was an adolescent trying to act like and could already think like an adult - but the classes kept piling on, and between that and my own forays into hedge magick, it ended up in me going almost for a week or more without sleep before finals, full of junk food, my head swimming with symbols and languages and words and then around 3 AM one night, I just sort of...snapped Awake. Seated at Booth 4, Willow says "Luckily, Mrs. Beasley was there waiting, and brought me into Shaea. Which is fine, because I'd have been a really stuffy Quaesitor." Anton slides into the booth, facing out, one foot on the floor under the table and one knee bent, foot on his seat. He calls the waitress over and orders a coffee. Angel eyes Anton and the first smile anyone's seen on her in days comes. Not that big, but a smile nonetheless. She offers, belatedly, "Hi." Seated at Booth 4, Alec nods, smiling wryly, "I can't, for the life of me, imagine you as 'stuffy'." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe again, doesn't follow the jargon, but even through the haze of his distracted distance, can't help but smile at her final comment, whatever the heck it meant. Seated at Booth 4, Willow shrugs a little. "That's it. I came Awake sprawled on the floor of the Rare Book room amidst a pile of books, junk food wrappers, and empty styrofoam cups." she smiles a little. "Thank you." she says shyly. Anton gives her a glancing nod in greeting with a bit of a smirk...not a real obvious one though. "Hey." He thanks the waitress as she brings his coffee. Seated at Booth 4, Bardon restrains soft laughter, giving Willow a wry grin. "An interesting mental image." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe twists the coffee mug before him to face straight across, perfectly perpendicular to the edge of the table, exactly in the center of the table, picking at a small dried droplet on the rim for just a moment, gathering his thoughts. It's almost like an obsessive-compulsive's version of feng shui, everything squarely arranged and precisely organized. Maybe it helps calm him a little, for he looks up and actually seems his old self again. Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks to him, as if she's about to say he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to... Seated at Booth 4, Monroe speaks suddenly, just before Willow opens her mouth. "I'm sorry that my story does not fit your theory." he says, nodding slightly to Alec. "I wasn't searching for anything. I was a rather rude and complacent man. I was well-off financially from my share in my brother's business. Several well-established young ladies of Society Hill regularly vied for my attention. I had a good hand, and a steady eye and a knack for the design of clockworks. I could have looked forward to a long and fruitful life. Or I could have had my face blown off somewhere along the Rappahannock during the war. But that life was closed to me - and forever." He tilts his head. "They visited me - there were four of them. They did not offer, nor negotiate, nor cajole, wheedle, threaten or speak. They just *did* the deed. It was like being plunged in ice, the whole terrible and beautiful mechanism laid bare before me, but gone before I could suck the breath back into my lungs." He pauses, his hands trembling a little. But then they calm. "And afterwards there was no clarity, no added clarity at all. I had become no wiser, no more intelligent, no more attractive or stronger. I was the same man I was before. If anything, I knew less. I am very sorry, Alec. My Awakening was *nothing* compared to what came afterwards." Seated at Booth 4, Willow looks absolutely ashen, staring at the man next to her like she's not sure if she wants to hug him, cry, or maybe throw a nice big fireball at someone miles and years back and away. Seated at Booth 4, Alec hmms quietly, pondering, "Interesting." He shifts slightly in his seat, looking like he wants to add something, but restraining himself. Suddenly, he cracks a wide grin, "Well, then. That was an interesting excursion. Thank you all for indulging a foolish Scientist." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says, softly, "Fortunately, there was no chance that I would be abandoned, go irretrievably mad, or fall to a Nephandus. That certainty was bought with a terrible price, and we all carried the scars of it in our hearts." He nods to Alec. "I am pleased to assist you - and I do not think your question foolish at all." Liu-Shen comes in from outside, the door easing closed behind her. Liu-Shen has arrived. Seated at Booth 4, Willow doesn't seem to have anything to add, but does (Oh, the shock!) scoot a bit closer to Monroe, and rest her head on his shoulder. And sips her shake. The busy afternoon brings in Ms. Xhu to Starbuck's as she walks downtown. A bag over her shoulder and a long coat over her clothes. Liu-Shen says "Ok..cut that ... busy very late evening :)" [Mage] Willow says, "Liu, there's a Forces effect happening by our table - dampening sound so we can discuss magely type things w/o worrying about being overheard. So your spider senses may tingle a whee bit. ;>" [Mage] Liu-Shen says, "Got it, thanx :)" Seated at Booth 4, Alec grins a bit brighter, "Well, thank you, Monroe. Actually, I'm rather relieved there doesn't appear to be any real correlation between pre-Awakened experiences. All just coincidence." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe blinks a little. He didn't know she was that close. He turns red, which is probably better than the pale tint he took when telling his story. But he doesn't push her away, he just grins uncomfortably. "Don't discard it quite so quickly. I think you may be on to something. The three of you described one thing, and I something quite different. Perhaps that is indicative of the differences in function between our respective quintessential beings. Avatars, I think is the mystical term." Seated at Booth 4, Alec pauses, frowning somewhat, "Oh... yes. That's possible, I suppose. Maybe I should engage in some research regarding it, then..." Seated at Booth 4, Willow starts to lift her head, and inch away. She doesn't seem to mind respecting his space. She chuckles, "Have you ever had conversations with your Avatars?" she asks them. "Mine is absolutely maddening." Seated at Booth 4, Alec blinks a few times, "Conversations...? Well... not that I recall." He blushes slightly and looks sheepish, "I... talk to myself sometimes, though. Does that count?" Angel grins, "Its late evening." Seated at Booth 4, Willow says solemnly, "All the smart people do, Alec. Sometimes there's just no one as intelligent in the room to have a conversation with." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says easily, "It sounds of the sort of thing that Paradigma might poll." to Alec, then looks slightly to Willow, like 'where's she going?' But he only says: "I do not know that I have one that I call, uh, *mine*, so to speak. I've never heard it speak at all - it only significates." Seated at Booth 4, Willow goes back to where she was. Head on shoulder. That sort of thing. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe laughs a little at Alec's reply. "Perhaps it does count, then." he says with a grin. Willow looks up - her head's kind of angled cause it's on Monroe's shoulder, but she smiles up at Liu-Shen and gestures her over in invitation. The older, Chinese woman after a few minutes up getting some tea from the server, peers around and squints her eyes at something. Then she begins to step over to Willow's table after she is gestured over, a serendipitous smile on her face. Liu-Shen sits at Booth 3. Booth 3. Liu-Shen joins you. Angel's eyes flick to the table again and she snorts, "My God. I thought PDA's went out when you were a teenager." Seated at Booth 4, Willow offers some of her milk shake absently to Monroe again. After all, you haven't lived since you've had a butterscotch milkshake. Seated at Booth 4, Alec scratches his head, offering a lopsided grin, "Well, that's certainly true..." He looks over at Liu-Shen and offers as good a bow as he can without standing, "Hello, again." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe tries a sip, and turns his head slightly, nodding to her in thanks. If he knows he's lived now, his enthusiasm is underwhelming. Anton casts Angel a quick glancing grin and adds, not too softly. "Shhh! Shut up, they might start making out." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe hears Angel's remarks and asks the table. "What's a peedy-ay? The air is heavy with colloquialism tonight." Angel's snicker is barely audible, but its there. "I'm so anti-affection today." Seated at Booth 4, Willow seems satisfied, moreso that he's underwhelmed. More for her! She smiles at Liu-Shen and says in English, "How have you been?" she colors faintly, and seems reluctant to tell him. Seated at Booth 4, Liu-Shen takes a seat and peers around, catching the tail end of that conversation and just smiles, then looks to Willow, "Quite well. I have been spending most of mytime helping out at the Temple's soup kitchen the last couple ofweeks. And everyone else is well?" looking around the table. Angel laughs hard enough to slip off her seat (not hard, given her current position) at something Anton says. Liu-Shen sits down at the other table with the others, seemingly accepted and speaking with Willow. Seated at Booth 4, Alec smiles brightly and nods in response to Liu-Shen's query, "Oh, yes, indeed! Thank you." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe nods slightly. "I am very well." he says, apparently having completely recovered from the telling of his tale earlier. Anton orders a refill on his coffee. Seated at Booth 4, Willow smiles. "I'm well, thank you. Do you think it would be possible for me to have some means of contacting you? We occaisionally have informal gatherings on the fly, and I'd like to be able to invite you when they happen." Seated at Booth 4, Looks for a moment at the others, and seemingly is uncomfortable a moment. "I may be found at the Temple if you need me..." She seems hesitant, glancing again at the men, "I've never been one for ... informal meetings, Willow. But..." In perhaps a reaction to being uncomfortable, she slips her hair up, and pins it with her brooch, "... I'd rather not." Seated at Booth 4, Willow says gently, "Well, at least I'd like to be able to let you know, so at least you have the option." she smiles amiably at the older woman. "I can always trot by, or in a real fix, send one of my friendly messenger spirits." Seated at Booth 4, Bardon appears to escape from his reverie, noting with evident surprise the arrival of Liu in the interim. "Oh...sorry about that, folks. One of the perils of livig half-way in the spirit world, I'm afraid." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says, as helpfully as he can, "Oh, you might get one of those...cunning little devices. you know, like a telephone line number except you press in the digits of the number or the message you want to send..." Seated at Booth 4, Monroe says "A....cellphone?" Seated at Booth 4, Liu-Shen looks over to Monroe with something like an acidic look at his condescending words, but she does do "wicked" very well. Seated at Booth 4, Monroe isn't being condescending, or if he is, he's doing a very good job of sticking with his guilelessly helpful guise. In fact, he blushes right down to his collar when she glares wickedly at him and murmurs something about it not being a cellphone. Seated at Booth 4, Willow says something to Liu-Shen quietly in Mandarin. Seated at Booth 4, Alec hmms and nods, appearently oblivious to the Look Liu-Shen is giving Monroe, "Yes, indeed. A cellphone would probally be best." He grins laughing softly, "You could paint it red and it'd be like the batphone!" Angel grabs her stuff and leaves the table. As she heads to the door, she pauses at the FBI-bugged table and grins, "Don't mind me and my rudeness. I despise the world and love and you're happy and I'm not. Have a nice day." [Mage] Manifest Destiny! Monroe says, "ROFLs, scaring his roomie." [Mage] Manifest Destiny! Monroe says, "Alec, yer gonna kill me someday." Seated at Booth 4, Liu-Shen puts her hand over to Monroe's and pats a couple of times almost sympathetically after Willow speaks to her in Mandarin. She then responds in kind... Seated at Booth 4, Monroe blushes still further at this treatment and looks between the two women, clearly not understanding at all. Bardon has disconnected. Seated at Booth 4, Willow smiles at Liu-Shen, quite pleased to have sorted a potential nasty mess out. She then darts a look at Monroe and explains, "The temple is a sacred place, and it would not be unusual for it not to have a phone and certain other amenities. I'm not sure about Liu-Shen's temple in specific, but it wouldn't be unusual." Seated at Booth 4, Alec blinks a few times, "Really...? Seems... ineffiecent..." He then shrugs, adjusting his glasses, "Well, to each his or her own, I suppose." Seated at Booth 4, Liu-Shen looks to Willow again and smiles, blinking slowly before looking to Alec, "We do in fact have a phone, and a web page ..." She sorta shrugs that off almost as if it were silly, "The younger monks have many new ideas." Seated at Booth 4, Willow seems content to let Alec and Liu-Shen converse - she finishes her shake and does the companionable silence thing with the man next to her. It's like she's having a bout of affectionate adolescent response today.