Lunch, Lunch, Baby

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"You know? When I first got here, there was a whole hell of a lot of people who were mechanically inclined." Mechanics, blacksmiths, tinkerers. "Now a days, I don't think there's anyone else who knows which end of a wrench to use."

A nod, seeing the elf talk like this instead of a near manic gun bunny made her seem more like a businesswomen, "Sorry," she says again, "I left that behind when I moved out here." Obviously when she was Taken, but when she came out here she left everything her family built up behind, even if her Uncle wanted to reintroduce her to their connections.

Her giggle gets a furrowed brow, the wisp unknowing of the joke.

"Well, in a universe where that happens all the time, it'd probably fall under it's own kind of logic and not be creepy to them. Heck, they'd probably brake out into song whenever it's time for their story, or they're back up singers or som-" Mhairi cuts her voice because all of a sudden, she realizes with a horrified sort of clarity, that this happened. This has, happened to someone. Someone who might have made their Escape, or was still happening to someone who hadn't found their freedom yet, and it would probably keep happening.

Mhairi's thoughts twist and twin, keeping her quiet as the others talk. Silently she beat herself up for even bringing up the topic.

"...uh? Oh! Yeah. We could do cooking classes. Or we could binge watch Food Network." a forced smile, trying desperately to move her mind away from her own thoughts.

Gardens? "That could be fun," or not. There were those with black thumbs, and those who didn't want to get dirty. "I'd ask you for tips," turning her gaze to the woodwalker when he says he was interested in a mundane farm, feeling better about not asking him of something that he didn't already want to do. "And having our own fresh produce...nothing beats that." she murmurs, mind turning back to the small planter her mom had, and the fresh herbs she'd grown within.

[Circe]

Circe made not comment about the recipe trading, she preferred other crafty practices then baking.

The elf laughed once more, this time at the Grimm quip for Seraphina: "I doubt 'em too Sera. Grimm sounds like a lot more real then Disney." As for their shared violence, the amusement stopped as the elf decided to ask the golden maiden a question:"I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that nut shots ain't allowed in the gym?"

Circe quirked an ear, and an eyebrow, at Mhairi's joke about wrenches. "Really? Well I suppose it depends on what you're fixing: tighting a bolt or a percussive fix."

"Fresh, produce?" It took Circe a second until she got caught up with what Mhairi meant, "Oh yeah, props to Donovan on that. The club'd have to reimburse him a little," she grinned at the farmer, "maybe a little leg work across the fence to help too?"

[Seraphina]

A smile appears again with a nod, “That’d be great! I’d love to have some recipes, test my skills in the kitchen. Though they’re probably not going to turn out all that great.” She says with a laugh. “But I guess that’s how we get better at something, keep trying it.” She says with a sip of her coffee. But from the sounds, he had it a little rough over there. She couldn’t relate, at least not on that level, hers had been one of lush and soft fabrics.

Nodding at the mention of one on the other side, “That’s a great idea! I won’t lie, I have a black thumb and you wouldn’t want me anywhere near your gardens. Well, unless the whole myth of singing to plants actually works, then defiantly call me.” She says in a joking tone. “I figured it might be a good way to bring people together, or an extra way of adding income. Maybe farmers,” or goblin, “markets for what's grown.” Was a thought.

As Mhairi talks of people breaking into song on a whim or whenever the situation called for it, her eyes drift down to look at her coffee thoughtfully. Hers wasn’t a fairy tale, but she knew all too well about being forced into song on a whim or an order. It wasn’t pleasant, maybe that’s why she disliked fairy tales and Disney?

Then Circe’s comment brings her out of her memories, grinning, “You got that right.” As Lost, they should know the horrors of those tales. Grimm got a lot of things right in her opinion. And then she shakes her head with a chuckle, “Nope, sorry. Typically, not allowed and frowned upon. Though it does come in handy in a street fight.” Wink. Not that she used that very often, or very recently, but it was always in the bag of tricks if needed.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"If food's gonna be a thing, we could get some recipes together and make a club wide recipe book. Maybe we could replace the food court, cafeteria thing with a cool restaurant. Or maybe not replace," thinking about it, "But add something to what we already have." Remembering the Rose Garden, it was a nice place, and even if Mhairi arrived after Mrs. Rosemary's...departure, the food was tasty, and the atmosphere was one she missed.

Sera's comment teases a smile out of Mhairi, "You know...I think, if you had a certain something, you could sing plants to life." with they wyrd anything was possible.

A nod, "Yeah, that would be interesting, and then I could uh-" she stops herself and blushes, the pink glow igniting, a slight heat emanates from it. "You remember the last time we here at a Market together?" Fell-flames flicker at Sera, and she hopes that the Nix remembered how the hob reacted to her.

Sera managed a tug of her lips, while Circe manages to started a laugh out of the wisp. "I think they're not allowed in every gym. or at least the legal ones." though Mhairi laughs, and nods along with Sera's wink. When in doubt - or in need - go for what'll hurt, and not what's most polite.

[Circe]

Keep trying until you make it? "Practice makes perfect Sera," Circe shook her head, "Eh, after ya learn the basics at least. But gardens ain't my thing. I'm a city girl at heart."


When Mhairi continued the talk about cooking, the elf's ears drooped. "Edible," she said flatly, "is probably all ya can get from me. I suppose I'm more a wrench wench, hey that alliterative," she sounded like she was perking up but her ears didn't.


When both ladies shot down Circe's query on her chosen attack, the elf let out a fake moan of sadness. Her ears were practically bouncing: "Aw, why is hitting below the belt against the rules?" Then she laughed heartily, "Oh yeah it works great on the street. Or at a bar if someone's being a jerk. Most of 'em quit after that." Circe thought for a moment then added, "Price for bad manners. Oh, speaking of manners," Circe cracked a massive smile as she looked at each of the three other present, "Do you think we have to go through the fancy utensil rules here? Ya know, proper placement of forks and everything?"

[Donovan Ackerman]

“Ain’t much of a mechanic but I know in a pinch a hammer and an awl will do the trick of wrench. Just don’t expect the screw to like it.” He fixed enough primitive farm equipment to have an idea of how to repair things. Though a plow and a fey tractor were much different than a mortal engine coil.

“Cookin’ channel’s shit,” the Woodwalker commented. “Assumin’ you got money fer all those fancy pans and paper cupcake tins. Better off if it ain’t to complex. Simple like.” He’d seen enough Martha Stewart to know most of it was out of reach for the poor homeless Lost.

“I got plenty of more practical recipes,” he said, more to Sera than others “Most from memory. You can get a cookbook. It helps. But they don’t do as good as someone’s whose experimented. Knows when the water bowls on the stove. Felt the water to flour ratio in their hands. Tested how long the bake time is. Cookin’s more than just directions. It’s feelin’ the instincts of when somethin’s done proper. You’re right though. Don’t get better less you keep tryin’. And you’d be surprised what’s edible when yer starvin’. Hunger’s always been the best spice.”

He wasn’t sure if Mhairi was excited about actual fresh vegetable or having a source of Hedge Fruit. He knew there weren’t many Rangers around right now. Which sucked but it meant more chance to be an asset to the Freehold. Such as it was.

“Well, singin’ to plants does work,” he offered hesitantly “Not sure how well it’d do here… in California.” He’d never had much success with flora that grew on song but it did exist in the Hedge “And even a Black Thumb is generally a case of not knowin’ how herbs grow.” Unless you were a literal Blightbent.

[Circe]

And it looks like the food is finally arriving, "Oooh, pie!" Circe was happy with her blueberry pie, as it looked great but then so did the steak. "Eat your meal before your desert, yada yada," she nodded to the waitress, "thanks!" And started to cut into her steak.

"It is a good trick Donovan. Screws can be a real pain, especially rusty ones," she frowned at such memories before taking a bite of steak. She blinked then shrugged. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either, "so this'd probably be a 5 star steak if I was hungry? Good to know man." She took another bite of steak, "though I prefer these kind of victuals over what hunger had me eating after Wonderland."

The talk of recipes wasn't something Circe could contribute much to. Cookbooks she'd used and her preferred "recipes" required precision for a proper product. And were inedible. Though Circe did know a few utility tricks one could pull with food. As for singing to plants she did recall a documentary she saw late one night when the Rogues couldn't sleep, "Eh, probably depends on what ya sing to the plants. I think I saw a program where tested it and like, rock and roll worked best or something."

She eyed Mhairi, wondering if she should ask questions about Alex. Be direct about it? Not with so many mortals about, but she could phrase it another way. Like asking: "so are you and Alex butting heads because your broke up or something?" The elf hummed in thought as she washed down some steak with coffee. Romantic troubles was about the only way she could thing to phrase that question. Which could be fun to see how Mhairi reacted.

[Mhairi Ankaa]

"Simple is what I know. Learning how to do cookies. The first batch I did were burnt to shit, but I really hope they were edible." Mhairi shakes her head, "Oh, I wasn't thinking of buy a cookbook or something like that, I just...we each have recipes we know are good, or what we do, I was thinking we could write them all down and have a club cook-er-recipe-book. Maybe do a potluck or a dinner. There's not a lot of us, but maybe it's something that should happen...." maybe trails off, remembering the last Freehold meal.

"It is," Mhairi says, fell-flame flickering, remembering when she'd dived into dumpsters to hunt and forage for whatever was edible. "I've been there. I think we all have, unless they were really, really lucky. But, Donovan, I could get you some rewards card thingies for Funderland's food court, with the stamps already done up, so you could grab food there."

Mhairi hums nodding as Donovan spoke, Mhairi would love to see how Sera's voice effected hedge fruit.

"Because....reasons...?" Mhairi shrugs as Circe asks about hitting below the belt. "Not gentlemanly?" Mhairi brows were furrowed. She didn't do gyms so she didn't know, and any fight she was in were generally for her life, so if she could get in a nut shot, she got in a nut shot.

The food arrives and Mhairi beams up at Peggy, laughing lightly as Circe goes straight for the pie. The laugh's cut off when Circe asks her last question. "Wha...? No!" she shakes her head, "That's not it at all." she give a not at all stage-shudder "When he got here he basically admitted to spying on the club before he decided he wanted to join. And I don't mean check us out to see if we were a good fit first, but like learning business secrets, and calmly admitting that he knew them....when we were getting messed with by one of Them...." which was really ask clear as she could be without saying things she shouldn't in a dinner, "They're...dead." Mhairi says firmly, but quietly. Trying to smile, but it feels wrong. In defeat she grabs her slider and starts eating.

omg! I'm soooo sorry! My alerts were being weird and I missed this entirely!

[Donovan Ackerman]

“Amen to that,” he said raising a water cup to Circe’s talk of Wonderland food and hunger. Few things compared to the scraps he’d had to eat (or make edible) from the Gentleman’s table that Donovan had received. Even just thinking about it made the arriving food look all the more succulent. Whatever was placed in front of the Woodwalker was the first to be devoured. Desert or no.

“I’ve found creepy Halloween music works best,” Donovan said between bites “Nothing like the sounds of the harvest season to bring in a good harvest.” His skill at summoning a harvest in the mortal was much diminished but he still had the contract with Eternal Autumn. He wondered if it would surprise Mhairi as much as it had the Leaden Mirror in Austin that he knew one of their clauses without having been taught.

“I get the idea of a cookbook. Just too often people take them a scripture.” He wasn’t sure what Mhairi was really suggesting. An actual book of recipes or something else with the Freehold. A history book maybe?

“Fuck gentlemanly,” he said before talking a gulp of water “If yer sparin’ in the gym you should be wearin’ a cup anyway. And if you ain’t then you should be fightin’ to win.” Springs (and even some Summers) might talk about honor, but in a real fight you shot to kill. Always.

The talk took a turn to the political. In response, Donovan dug in... to his meal. Better to remain silent at this point and man the tasty, tasty trenches. He wasn't going to risk a free meal verbally defending someone, even his King. He could do that with deeds better than words anyway.

[Seraphina]

She nods as Donovan talks about cooking. "That makes sense. I've heard that some of the best cooks cook from memory and not from recipes. But for now, I think recipes will be my best friends in attempting it." she says with a laugh, "Guess I just want to try something new and see if maybe I can become good at it. Maybe be good enough to provide some dishes for gatherings and stuff." maybe, she could try. Cause right now she didn't have much to offer the Freehold.

And then Circe asks about Alex and eyes flicker over to the Wisp, then back. She wasn't getting into politics here. Nope. Instead she sips her coffee and then cuts a piece of pancake off and makes sure there was a bunch of syrup and strawberries on it. Into her mouth it went as she continued to watch.