The station is the destination

[Kray]

He Smirks. 'Hey. Nothing wrong with a bit of good letter writing. Might have actually made them sound, smart? refined? dignified?' But no why try for any of that when you can write in all caps and forget to space your words. He shakes his head. 'Clearly not.' In total agreement with summer queen.

Kray also blinks, stunned at what absolute garbage he had just heard. Looking to Circe when she does at him and the screen when she does. 'Okay. She isn't allowed to name children.' Does that even mean anything? is this what happens when humans are allowed to invent themselves? 'Narcissism is useful.' Exploitable. That's it. He gestures to Circe's empty coffee cup. 'Hey. Pass that over would you?' Just a little set up first. 'You'd be able to tell I reckon. She'd have put it in her post about it.' Either her righteousness or how it was totally unfair, maybe both. So he knows stereotypes at least.

Hey I know what Mordor is, but hamster dance?. 'Sorry. Outside my preview I think.' In answer to Circe being online all the time he also pulls out a phone. A cell phone (not smart) it doesn't even have a touch screen. 'Hm. Can't afford a computer so this is all I've got.' The device sits tiny in the giants hand. 'So. I know the internet exists and have used it for stuff at the library and what not.' How long would it take over sized fingers to correctly type into that thing? 'But its not somewhere I find myself often. The internet, not the library.' he shrugs. 'So I'm taking your word for a lot of this.' And he didn't have a reason to not trust her so. 'Ah. The second sound better then the first. A lot better.' If more dangerous. 'And. Sounds like people can be petty and cruel without fear of consequences.' Now that's something that shouldn't be allowed to go unchecked.

'Nice. Where you get that?' Wouldn't mind trying it. 'I had crickets, grasshoppers, less exciting insets. Yes technically scorpions are arachnids I know.' Then looking befuddled. 'Look. I can be dense and stubborn as a rock from time to time but even I don't believe a fruit can wash a car.' He also had a bad habit of taking things very literally. Not unless its one of ours but those fruits don't like modern stuff.

'Hm. I know what a speak easy is.' In theory. 'Uh.' Being given credit for an idea not entirely his own was new. 'Glad I could help you along.' Because that's all he had done at most. 'I guess that's why its called the money pipeline.' was that meant to be an economics or plumbing joke? 'Does to change anything for us?' I can't see it doing so. 'It's creative I'll say that for it.'

[Circe]

Circe inhales deeply, exhales, and gives Kray a flat look, "Very not. And nothing could make that level of stupid look better."


Circe blinks then shrugs, passing over the cup to Kray. Circe is curious as to what he is going to do. Hopefully it is amusing. Then snorts as he brings up the posting, nodding in agreement. They were probably posting something about Circe being a Karen or how they were too good for the job. Oh, there is the second one. "Zero chance on a bet against that," she laughs. "I'll let ya cook."


She was looking forward to whatever Kray is doing to the arrogant, idiotic mundy. Petty? Well, she is a Fairest. Circe never said she was NOT petty.


An old phone is a surprise. Circe has funds so she often forgets what it is for those that don't. It wasn't one of the rare bricks from before her Trip to Neverland. Those things could probably act as armor. Though given his finger size and the small scale, "Maybe look inta a senior marketed model," she suggest to Kray. "They got bigger buttons. I think the club can help ya get one if ya ne, uh, want." Technically a lie. Circe or Seraphina would be footing the bill, not some Freehold slush fund. Then she nods as the subject goes to the Internet, "Yes. Courage is not needed when there is zero risk of getting punched in the face. It is a horse that has not just left the barn, but passed the horizon." A fact she emphasizes with a wave of her hand, followed by a faux bye-bye wave. Civil conduct and the Internet were long since parted ways. "Library? That helped me figure out how ta setup my forge and some other stuff, neat place." She approves. Free knowledge is useful, but having someone to help you find it? Priceless.


As for the scorpions, Circe shrugs, "Didn't know, bugs is bugs. And it was at some festival." Circe wasn't even sure what the vendor's stall was called. Then he calls bullshit on the bullshit, "Oh ho ho ho! Ya don't fall for the infomercial quality bullshit. Good. No falling for the shake weight for you," she finds it funny. The toilet pun though? "Ha!" That gets her to bark in laughter, "Change plans? That's a pipe dream. Was already gonna search any hidden toilets we found after the last treasures," she shrugs, "Though we should keep those secrets under the lid. Don't want adventurous dinks stealing our shit."


It was an odd conversation from the outside. Toilets, speak easies, hidden treasure. Sounds like something out of a novel. Or a junking reality show.

[Kray]

Kray moves his own cup to one side to make space for something. 'Uh. If only.' He moves his position just enough to use his broad back to obscure his hands and part of the table from the counter. 'Stupid won't be so appealing to as people if it couldn't look good.' But he had learnt better, the importance of being knowledgeable. He flips Circe's empty cup raises it slightly then brings it own swiftly but without force onto the obscured part of the table. 'Shame, would have been an easy win for me.' With continued forced delicacy he maneuverers the cup onto a napkin in such a way as to keep maximum contact with the table at all times. 'Now hold this down.' There are some real nasty ones in this part of the world. 'While I go get someone to remove, the deadly spider.' The grin of menace sits very naturally on the monstrous face.

His phone had been placed on the table so he could set up the little hoax and he leaves it there, not something that seems to overly concern him. 'Ah. I'll have a look.' He said it, but lacked committal. Before shaking his head making the dangling lichens dance and sackcloth scarecrows sway. 'No. Thanks but no. I pay my own way for personal stuff.' Learnt the hard way, don't accept hand outs. 'Nothing against anyone, just how I prefer it.' Less debts the better, live within my means. 'Just be careful feeding me at social events.' They didn't count as personal. 'I can put away a lot.'

Grunting. 'Hm. Excuse me if this sounds uneducated.' Because it almost certainty would be. 'But I know viruses are thing, surely the internet equivariant of a punch to the face?' He had seen Circe get the low down on this place with ease when she sat down. So there must be something surely.

Eyes turn to the summer queen. before back to the upturned cup. 'Huh. You got a forge, neat.' Now those were rare even in my day. 'That must have been some effort to get running. Hobby or more professional?' Clear interest in the unusual nature of the topic.

The barrage of puns takes him a moment to sort through the meanings. Then shrugs. 'Ha. When someone offers you a, deal, to good to be true. Beware the hidden hooks.' You never get more then you give and often less. 'Working with ,deals, is a skill of mine.' A skill I'm pretty good at. 'They can have the shit. Means we can have the rest.' A chortle escapes him despite best attempts to be serious.

[Circe]

"Ya can only take so many sucker bets before ya learn not to," she chides Kray. Then smirks, "Like betting against Rocky. At that point, making mistakes ain't learning," she laughs at the memory of Dirty Work. Chevy Chase, such an underrated actor. Circe blinks as he tells her to hold it down? She at first though drink it? Then the next words from Kray got her to give a feral smile, "Of course. The spider is so sca~ary," and she follows his instruction.


She was the Fairest Groundskeeper, and Summer Queen of Sacramento yet she'd obey a mere Troll? If it led to a good time, damn right she would.


As for this denial of charity? Circe just nods, respecting that. "Make yer own way, I respect that John," she says with genuine approval. "Though, if ya ever want ta go fishing," that was way to put it, "I have the equipment ta catch some HUUUGE crustaceans. So ya can be shellfish about how ya eat," of course a pun with the offer. Well, she hadn't carried back a lot of the carcasses due to weight restrictions. Assault rifles are heavy.


She laughs as he brings up cyber warfare. "There is also doxing, hacking the WiFi, swatting, account hacks ta post ta ban, and other things that are often more effort than the idiots tend ta be worth," she shares with Kray. "Sure, ya can code a virus ta hit someone, buuuut after a few months the anti-virus programs can block it and ya hafta code a new one." Circe doesn't sound happy about this. Too much effort for a simple solution. Also, "More catharsis from punching them too. Kinda freaks 'em out if someone just knocks on their door, punches them, and says their post was shit."


After a moment, Circe looks up at Kray, "Am I going off on a tangent with this?" Because he didn't know Internet and didn't seem curious. Did he really need the extra details?


As for the forge, "Ironically, it wasn't too much effort ta hammer out the kinks ta make it work. Had ta cut backs some Thorns to ensure my backyard was setup ta have the room for it," she clarifies to him. Hopefully? It was part of her Hollow. "Totally a hobby though," she waves her hands, "I'm not making swords or plate armor for a living. Sometimes fence or other parts, but mostly for fun and, uh, gifts ta friends."


Did Kray know about the Hoodies? That was something for a less public venue. Certainly not here.


She snorts in amusement as Kray tries to warn her about shady deals. Given her career and experience with hobgoblins, that was obvious. "I've been ta enough shady flea markets ta know ta not trust the hucksters ya find there ta make a fair deal," she assures him, though she stops herself from moving her hand from the cup. There was a gag to be had. "Nice ta have a good haggler on call though," she gives Kray some praise, "Beats bribing them with desserts."


Though maybe he misunderstood what she meant. "Oh ho ho ho, that is true. Though my concern was the crazy urban safari idiots that enter dangerous places deciding ta go all in cause treasure yo," her tone turns odd for the last two words. Certainly mocking. "Yet, if they still want ta take the shit, well, I know how ta respond ta THAT from the Evil Overlord List," she raises her free hand, finger pointed up, and gives a serene smile as she slowly nods her head. It was hard being so Italian whilst having one hand occupied. And not by coffee.

[Kray]

As the summer takes control of the cup Kray will stand but stay around the table for just a moment to make it look like they are discussing about what to do about the cup.


Shrugging. ‘Hm. Just an outcome of my own life lessons.’ He leans down to examine the cup. ‘Uh. yeah. I enjoy fishing. We can go sometime.’ Huge huh. ‘How big we talking?’ Not that mattered it was a pretty good way to get his attention.

Its not that he’s disinterested in what Circe has to say it just doesn’t mean a lot to him. ‘Uh-Huh. Yeah. Right.’ She lost him. ‘Ah. Yeah, a little, sorry.’ He begins looking around the room as if trying to spot someone or something then back to her. ‘I’m willing to learn about must anything, but it’ll take more then a tea room chat to get me up to speed I’m afraid.’ Speaking of being afraid. Eyes lock onto the barista.


He chuckles, that was a good pun he didn’t need to think abut to make sure he understood. ‘Ah. Gardening is a never-ending chore isn’t it.’ Been doing a little of my own recently. ‘Its always good to have hobbies. You’ll have to tell me later what got you into it. Bur for the moment. Excuse me.’ Rude as it might be to cut her off, they could speak more later. The scare was in the here and now.


Kray takes long strides up to the counter eating the distance.


‘Hey.’ Getting her attention. ‘Me and my friend.’ Gestures to Circe. ‘Caught a Spider in your Café.’ He works to contain the toothy grin as he leans in over the counter just enough to put a person on edge, stoke the coals of fear. ‘Shiny black, red patch on the belly.’ He lets it sit to stew for a moment. If she was an arachnophobe her mind would be racing. ‘Think it’s a widow.’ The seal of doom. ‘Someone needs to put it outside.’ And that falls on the employee. ‘Which as the best.’ Only. ‘Employee I see around seems like it falls to you.’ So, what wins your sense of being the best of your fear of a deadly spider?

frighten barista failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-02-28 10:42:38	Kray rolls 7 to frighten Barista manip 2 , intimidate 3, DV 1, PG 1 (10 Again)	6, 4, 7, 2, 5, 2, 4	failure

Was the shield of narcissism leading her to think she's to good for this? did she find some kind of backbone in the last two minutes or was it something Kray did wrong because despite the mundanely threatening appearance she would see, the attempt to manipulate a fear he thought she had and her earlier backing down of the staring match all Kray gets is an earful of screeching, abuse and obscene language. The icing on the cake of his failed attempts to deduce the true nature of her fears.

He arrives back at the table looking rather stunned.

'I don't know what happened.' That should have worked. There's no way I should need to use glamour of something so basic.

He tunes back in catch the end of next conversation topic. 'Uh. Might want to keep those deserts handy.' He appears to be having a minor crisis of identity right now. This is the part I'm supposed to be good at.

[Circe]

She smiles widely, aggressive as he asks about the crab size, "Bite yer head off man," she says in a passable imitation of Bill Murray. "Bit of a trek through the Thorns from by Backyard, but I know the way."


Circe nods as he, politely, points out she is discussing stuff he doesn't get at all. Like Seraphina talking fashion design to Circe. She knew the concept, but not a the expert level. "Fair enough. I'm a programmer, but nobody likes shop talk of stuff that ain't their shop."


On the plus side, he seems to have gotten the hints about the Hedge and her Hollow. That was good. She couldn't give full details out in public. "Yes, maintaining yer place so the hedge don't encroach is a bitch and a half," she assures him. And then he is off to trick the barista buffoon.


And tries to do something to scare the woman. They may have underestimated how arrogant the mundy idiot is. But the woman was just too arrogant to care. Well, that was that then. The screeching includes a lot of self-important aggrandizing, something about being too busy to deal with peasant work? Really? The idiot called it peasant work? Circe was fairly certain real mortal royals didn't even say that anymore.

Circe had been arrogant enough to mouth off at a Keeper, got her abducted. The Fairest thought that was the height of arrogance, 10/10. Now? Circe is convinced this idiot barista is dropping her pride back then down to a 4, maybe even a 3.5.


As for her explosion and his return, well she just plays with it. "Well, ya might have been right. But we may have underestimated not only her arrogance, but her stupidty too." She sighs with disappointment. The freakout would've been fun to see. Oh well, she shrugs. "I have a Plan B.W e'd hafta leave after it. Because, if she don't want ta toss the spider, Plan B is smash spider and run. Ya good fer it?"

[Kray]

Look of interest. Maybe I should bite ... No, not that. The thought regarding how to solve the Barista problem coming unbidden and resolutely pushed down. 'Ah. Now that does sound like a meal.' A bit of walking even through the hedge isn't a point of contention for the Ogre. 'If you'll have me, I would be very happy to take you up on that fishing trip some time.' A little magical fishing trip, definitely.

He shrugs. 'Uh. I enjoy talking with you.' True the sovereign seemed a decent sort. 'I just struggle to follow along with tech talk is all.' So have little to add. 'Maybe I'll learn one day.' Will probabaly have to.

He nods. She had gone along with his plan and it failed. Now it was her turn to try and he'd support. 'Oh. I'm good for it.' He finishes his own cup, he'd payed for it after all. 'I'll follow your lead.' As she said before. No cameras.

[Circe]

"Excellent," she cheers up at having a fishing partner. Or porter. "Carrying it away before the things with big teeth show up will be eaiser with more hands," Kray will note no humor or sarcasm. She is genuinely certain it will be easier. Which is true. He was probably better at cracking limbs off then her. Or able to toss one into a big wheel barrow. Cart? Maybe a cart.


She wasn't offended by his ignorance. The Ogre likely knew some things she didn't too. Wisdom. And then he gives the go ahead. She clears her throat. And coughs as she pockets her phone. Her accent changes from warm Italian to Jersey Shore.


"Whadda ya mean she ain't taking care of the spider?" She asks Kray. Circe blows a raspberry, "Fine then. We got ta Plan B. With," she leans down to grab her suitcase, "No," she lifts it high above her, "Risk," and pulls her hand away from the cup. Which she slams down the suitcase upon. Hard. The table makes a unhealthy sound.


Everyone is staring at her. Including the idiot barista in mid-text whilst she should have been preparing some icey drink. Circe is amused to see the phone slip from the barista's grasp with a ploink as it falls into the drink. "What?" She barks at the cafe, "The employee wasn't going to deal with it. An I do not have the time to deal with it," she snaps her fingers in a classical Jersey Shore fashion. She hated those cliched morons, but it was useful trait. "So, I took care of it."


She gets up from the table, looking at the suitcase and brushing it down. "Better not have any spider guts on this," still in the Jersey Shore accent. "Shit service, I say we bounce buddy," she looks to Kray and then nods to the exit.


The barista slowly stops gawking as she realizes something is missing. Her phone. It fell into the drink. She shrieks in panic, emptying it out onto the counter, splashing a customer. Whom the barista insults after they complain. Was her ego bigger than the planet?

So long as Kray doesn't do something else, Circe will join him in leaving.

[Kray]

He nods, aware of where his strengths lie ... well he was before today ... but no one can take away that he can carry like a pack mule. 'Uh. Just drop a time and place.' He'd clear his plans for a fishing trip. 'The bigger fish edible to?' Bigger teeth might make for better practice.

Ah I see. The accent he slips into is East end of London. 'I mean all the bitch did was make a Box of toys she didn't seem to care that she could Cop a flower pot for letting it Yet to be.' Standing back to watch the summer queen obliterate the cup and anything that might have been underneath. The noise of the table tempts him to give it a solid kick and finish the job. But this is her show now. So he is happy to keep the spotlight on her.

Looking around and catching the attention of a few others waiting for trains or pick ups, he was very big after all. 'Agreed. This kind of service is how employees find themselves Short of a sheet.' Maybe I shouldn't have gone for my old town talk. At least it generally sounds angry.

And he leaves with Circe, slamming the door so the glass pane cracks.

That took some turns, and was a blast thank you very much