Teach me Maestro Monkee

[Circe]

Circe's condo is in a relatively safe middle class neighborhood. So, it shouldn't give Sonja any trouble reaching her domicile on foot. Actually, it is a little safer than average for the current times. Seems taht someone has been jumping back againt would be muggers, stealing their illegal guns too no less.


It is like, they're avoiding the neighborhood now. Something the Summer Queen is quite aware of.


As for the spread she provided to entice, Circe had little choice given the rush job of afternoon to evening. What she could make in the time was limited and something would have to give. The primary answer? Focus on dessert. Not enough to make a banana creme pie? Throw in some chocolate and peanut butter cups for a tasty treat.


Brownie's Boon worked on some things, but when the recipe said bake for 30 minutes it didn't speed it up magically to 15. Probably because the machine doing it, not Circe. If Sonja had goon with see you in an hour, Circe would've been stuck with Eggs Woodhouse.


Appetizers were some quick options too, something she figured was nice, plus the lazy option of a vegetable plate that was just raw. All this done whilst her air fryer does its work on the main dish.


Now, it was just a matter of the guest of honor, teacher Sonja Wu .

[Sonnie Wu]

Circe's buzzer went off. Thankfully, Sonnie got the condo number correct and didn't bother any of the Summer Queen's neighbors.

She glanced about the street, noting it was a nicer place than her own neighborhood. Nicer building, too. Sometimes she thought about moving to a better location, but she liked her apartment. It was a safe little den.

The Beast had just been there, in fact. After work, she went home for a shower and change of clothes. Also, to feed and walk Fugly. Now she was here, clean and smelling good.

And hungry.

[Circe]

With the buzzer sounding, Circe has to get two last things out. The main dish in the air fryer stills has a few minutes. The distraction dish of hot garlic knots was ready though. So she puts it onto the dining room table, next to the tongs and butter, drops her oven mit onto the table too. Then heads through the living room to the front door.


The smell of garlic bread and fish follows after her.


Is Sonja expected the door to open to Circe in her suit, armor, gown, or mad scientist lab coat then she is disappointed. Circe is wearing sweats. "Sonja!" She looks down at her feet, left and right, no Fugly. Good and bad. "Welcome, come on it," Circe steps aside to let the Beast enter her abode. "Foods in the dining room, ya can probably smell the way if ya don't remember where it is."


Sonja has been here before. That, and it is a straight shot through the living room.

[Sonnie Wu]

Could she smell all the good food? Of course!

Did she want to float to the kitchen like a cartoon character, with the visible aroma physically pulling her by her nostrils? Naturally!

Could she actually do that? Hell no. Defying gravity was not in her skill set. So far.

The Beast smiled as Circe opened the door, "Helloooooo! 'Tis I! Thank you, thank you!" With a laugh, she spun into the Fairest's home. "I vaguely recall!" It had been a few years, and Sonnie sometimes had memory issues. Still, she made her way to the living room without a problem.

She eyed the various foodstuffs already presented with some surprise, "Wow, you went all out here."

[Circe]

She closes the door with a smirk as food still tames the not-so-savage Beast it seems. "Yer welcome ta be here Sonnie," she follows the bouncing monkey.


"No I didn't," she declares defensively. "That would require a couple days of work and marinades. And I only had left a little bit of giant," and the ding of the air fryer cuts her off, "Ah, right, we can eat and talk. What do ya want to drink?"


She walks through the living room, then the dining room to grab her oven mitts, and back to the kitchen. She shouts back, "Fizzy water, fizzy caffeine, fizzy alcohol, regular water, caffe?!"


It will be a couple of minutes before the returns with the main dish. Salmon with lemon and parmesan stuffed with rainbow colored crab meat. From the Hedge kind of rainbow crab meat. Circe is playing host, so Sonja has the pick of options.

[Sonnie Wu]

"Giant what?" she asked curiously.

Sonnie sat down while Circe went to the kitchen, and managed to control herself so as to not devour the appetizers before the blue elf returned. She only ate a few.

"Fizzy caffeine, please!" was her choice of beverage.

The Beast was duly impressed with the main dish, "Salmon? Yum!" She applauded a little.

[Circe]

"Huh?" She pauses as Sonja's question registers eventually. "Oh, giant enemy rainbow crab-shrimp. Just claw meat. I could only carry back one."


And if she'd had a backpack, it wouldn't have even been that. Thing was big.


Circe returns to retrieve the San Pelegrino sodas, not decaf. One each to go with the fish, chosen for flavor that didn't contradict. The Summer Queen's craft in kitchen wasn't bad, thank you very much. "Feel free to eat it shell-fishly, or un so consider the claw meat has been freed from the carapace."


Then she sits down to eat with Sonja. After a few minutes of eating, she will bring up her question. "So, first of all. I am happy ta have time with you again Sonja. We need to do more stuff. Cause more trouble for others."

Because all work and no play went badly for Jack Nicholson.


That was not the major issue. "Second, and more priority. Monkey magic. I've questions about the whole shape shifting thing. Practicals and learning if the practicals are on the out. Don't want them going in. In practical is useless, they're an exterior thing," she runs a little far with that joke. "Are ya willing to answer questions about it?"

[Sonnie Wu]

"You hunted a giant crab? That sounds awesome!" Sonnie nodded, then looked thoughtful, "It wasn't endangered, was it?" Could Hedge Beasts even be endangered? Who knows?

Regardless, she munched on the salmon and hedge crab, making yum sounds. "Trouble making is fun!" she said when her mouth was clear.

An eyebrow quirked up in curiosity as Circe talked about the shapeshifting. "I mean, sure. I don't mind talking about it."

[Circe]

"Giant ENEMY crab," Circe insists upon using the meme phrase. "And I did attack the weak spot for massive damage! To my cleaning bill," Sonja will see Circe deflate as she says the last sentence. It had stunk. "It fought me Sonnie," she puffs back up, "It was most certainly in danger, to the point of death."


She digs in as well. Figs, crabby fish, and raw veggies. Dessert was for AFTER the meal when at the dinner table. Old habits. The Hedge crab meat was a good combination with the cheeses, spices, and salmon. She'd have to try to get more Hedge crab meat. "Probably not. Kray has agreed to an expedition, but still need things. Crew, winch, and a big enough cart to haul back more than a few claws."


For a big group worth of crab meat, they'd need a big cart.


The raw veggies added a crunch to the meal, which broke the theme. But Circe wasn't anal about food. Food was fuel for troublemaking. Unless it is Italian.


Circe smiles in relief as Sonja is willing to talk. That was good. She pauses in the eating. "Eccellente Sonnie. First question, the clothes and stuff disappear when you switch right? Comes back after you switch back? None of that 1950s shifting where your clothes get left behind. It comes with you right? If yes, do ya have any idea what is the limit on it? Mostly do to the amusement of dropping down on somebody with full riot gear and AK is quite different than bikini and pistol."


And there was an image. "Depending on how much ya can carry, might be useful for work instead of just Groundskeeper stuff. Or fun."

[Sonnie Wu]

Crab could be expensive stuff. Not as expensive as lobster, but it was still usually out of Sonnie's price range. Free hedge crab was something she was going to take advantage of. More of it was crammed into her maw, with her usual Bestial lack of table manners.

"Ummph," she had to take a moment to swallow before speaking, "Clothes meld into the animal form, yeah. Small stuff you got on you, too. Your phone and such, you know? Nothing big or bulky, though. Like, you're not gonna be sneaking a rocket launcher in somewhere by turning into a rat or whatever."