Pat says "Ring ring, Sarah."
Sarah answers the phone immediately. "Hello?"
Pat says "Sarah."
Sarah says "Pat, good -" There's a momentary pause. "Morning."
Pat says "Good morning. I didn't wake you, did I?"
Sarah replies, "Only from thought. May I be of some assistance?"
Pat says "We're going to the theatre tomorrow morning."
Sarah says "Which particular we is this, of the several possible combinations?"
Pat says "Hitherby and I are here. I was planning on calling Liz as well. I need someone to acquire Shannen before then."
Sarah says "If you'll provide me with an address, I can manage that. An identity would be helpful but not necessary."
Pat gives Shannen's address, unless it's changed in the last week or three. "She's one of Novalis'."
Sarah says "I'll be glad to pick her up."
Pat says "Good. We'll be at the theatre by ten?"
Sarah says "Almost certainly."
Pat says "Very well. I'll see you then, Sarah."
Sarah says "Barring diaster, yes. Until then."
Sarah hangs up, doing her best not to look too relieved. :)
Pat hangs up, and shakes his head.
Demiurge | Pat . o 0 ( it is optimal to let someone else deal with her, definitely )
Pat nods!!
Shannen . o O ( I get no respect. )
You say "There, there, Shannen. They just don't _understand_."
Shannen nods to Demi, sniffling at Pat.
Sarah leaves a note for Liz and Daimon, with Pat's Semi-Revised Plan noted in it (at least as far as that suggested ten o'clock meeting). Mentions Shannen only insofar as that Pat asked her to pick someone up, not who or where. And heads out.
Pat . o O ( Good Sarah. Don't tell that Hellspawn NOTHING )
Demiurge imagines Shannen's coffee shop is findable enough.
Shannen is popular in the area.
Sarah drops by, at whatever odd hour of the morning she gets there, then.
Pat called an hour or so before dawn
Shannen shivers.
Pat says "So Sarah should get there in time for coffee and Essence. :)"
Sarah only stopped long enough to leave a note before leaving, so, er. Early. :)
Shannen has quite a few customers in the morning (she opens early) and is talking excitedly with one at a table by the window.
A few waitresses skirt the place. It's quite lovely - mostly stone and plants, kinda square. Lovely combination of colors. And the smells - hope you like coffee.
Sarah thus, in order as neat as she can manage (actually, she got less mussed than most, she thinks, as she was Ennui'd all the way through the corporeal combat), comes in and seeks a waitress to ask after coffee and Shannen.
The waitress smiles in a friendly manner, taking the order before pointing over to the window "Shannen's right there. I'll be right back with your coffee."
Sarah glances over to the lively conversation. She ponders interrupting it briefly, but there should be plenty of time before 10 still, so she finds herself a seat instead and waits patiently, watching for the chat to finish.
The waitress returns with the coffee, bearing a smile that would make Pat wince with pain, and then returns to her normal duties. Shannen and the man, meanwhile, have begun laughing, before he slowly stands, grinning at her and shaking his head as he makes his way to the door.
Pat winces from afar, for no visible reason.
Demiurge chuckles.
Sarah returns a smile to the waitress; then picks up the coffee and sips at it, lingering another moment before she stands and walks (with coffee) toward Shannen.
Shannen is mostly looking out the window, not really paying attention now, with a lazy smile on her face. Sounds of feet draw her attention away, to give a warm smile to Sarah, tilting her head curiously.
Sarah regards Shannen from behind her glasses, for a moment. "Good morning. I'm looking for, ah, Shannen?"
Shannen opens her mouth slightly, smile widening and motioning to the chair the man departed "Yes, please, have a seat. What can I do for you?"
Sarah sits, as indicated, and gives a relieved little smile. "My name's Sarah. A mutual friend suggested I drop by. Pat, I believe you know him?"
Shannen nods, motioning to Sarah's cup "Is your coffee alright? I just got back with a fresh batch of goumet beans." She nods, grinning then "Pat - oh, how is that dear? I hope he's at least smiling now. I keep telling him to and he just won't."
Sarah assures Shannen, "It's splendid," though her attention is clearly on the other half of the conversation. "Pat's rather busy, actually. Though - as a matter of fact, he asked me to let you know that there was something of a get-together this morning. I'm afraid it's rather short notice, but he would like you to come."
Shannen ohs, looking thoughtful for a second before nodding "Well, sure." She smiles brightly again "Just let me.." She stands and speaks loudly, in the direction of one of the waitresses "Wendy, keep my baby safe - I'm going out." and sits down again "Where to?"
Sarah sips a little more coffee. "Do you like opera?"
Shannen nods, chuckling "The opera! .. yes, I wanted to go. Has Pat arranged tickets or such?"
Sarah says "I honestly don't know. But we're to meet there, by ten o'clock."
Shannen ohs softly and checks her watch "Well, I suppose earlier is better - so we can examine the place better. Got a car?"
Sarah says "Not a helpful one, but I think we can manage."
Shannen grins "Great. It's nice to meet you, too." She rises slowly "Stop by anytime. Let's go."
Sarah pauses to finish her coffee, probably more quickly than it deserves, and to count out payment and tip.
Pat gasps! You do not do the coffee justice! Where's that flaming sword...
Demiurge restrains Pat. Down boy.
Pat twitches.
Shannen pauses for a second, feeling this strange urge to bring coffee along, but resists and makes her way to the door, going slow/fast enough for Sarah "Whom do you work for and all those standard questions?" She winks, suppressing a giggle with one hand.
Sarah answers, "I restore old books, actually." She smiles, and gets the door for Shannen. "When I'm not out on errands."
Shannen grins "Cool." She pauses at the door, taking a deep sniff "I love the smell of the place, and thank you." before stepping outside.
Sarah asks Shannen, while walking, "Has Pat caught you up on the recent goings-on, at all?"
Shannen nods her head - she hasn't stopped smiling since you saw her "Sure did. Mostly. I know that there's some major un-happy presence in the area." She sighs a little and her smile changes to a little bit sad "And that Hitherby and someone else ran into trouble. An odd violin player as well."
Sarah offers Shannen her hand. "Well. I'm afraid I'm the someone else who was with Hitherby. Are you up to date on the various factions involved?"
Shannen takes Sarah's hand, her smile brightening "Thank you. Yes, he did." She sticks out her tongue and makes a silly face "I don't like it at all."
Sarah replies, "I rather doubt that anyone involved is particularly happy. The Comedians are injured, the Game's lost its cover, and we have to deal with it all."
Shannen nods slowly and looks thoughtful, her smile getting rather vague. "I wonder why the opera and the violinist. Oh .. do you know if there's some kind of celestial significance for the opera house?"
Sarah replies, "Other than that we're all interested in it, no, I don't particularly know."
Shannen ohs softly, nodding as her smile gets more concrete. "Could you tell me about this odd music?"
Sarah says "I'm afraid I don't really know. I did hear something, but we were rather more interested in, ah, our specific purpose for being there."
Shannen nods, sighing for a second "Should have brought coffee." and then smiles again. "You two did great, though. Hitherby told me about it."
Sarah replies, "Hitherby did great," with a small smile of her own. "I'm afraid I wasn't a great deal of help. Ah, well, perhaps we'll be able to remedy that."
Shannen smiles "Any help you do is still help. Perhaps we will, but I hope things are much more peaceful this time. I'd really like it if nothing bad happened.."
Sarah answers, "I'd like it too, but in this case, it doesn't seem too terribly likely. The Comedians have been making a habit of asking questions later."
Shannen nods slightly "Yeah, I've heard. Well, gotta try." She smiles again "Who knows, right?"
Sarah says "Every reasonable chance. Yes."
Shannen grins "Yeah. Exactly." She pauses for a second "What kind of books do you work with?"
Sarah replies, "Old ones," and gives a touch of a smile back. "I was an archivist before I came to Maryland."
Shannen smiles. "Archivist. Great. Oh, can you recommend any interesting books? My reading list has gotten really light lately."
Sarah pauses in the conversation for a moment, blinking at Shannen through her glasses. "All books are interesting," she answers.
Shannen pauses for a second, a faint blush "Well, umm .." She blushes a little more. "What do you read? Besides everything?" with a wink.
Sarah gives Shannen a politely blank look. "Pardon?"
Shannen smiles, shaking her head "Nevermind. How did you meet Pat?"
Sarah says "Probably the same way you did. It's his business to know everyone, isn't it?"
Pat, Elohite of Social Registers.
Sarah, Cherub of Little Clue. :)
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