Scene #8853: Bar and Grill at the Edge of Liminality

Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	The Bar and Grill at the Edge of the Multiverse is unusually busy tonight. "We're kinda full. You'll have to share a table with some other people," says the bubblegum-popping waitress on skates. "Otherwise the current wait time is..." She checks her tablet. "Yeah, you'll be waiting for error integer overflow hours." Pop goes the bubblegum. Presumably, you aren't waiting for integer overflow hours, or getting your food to go, or going somewhere else for food. You're here for a reason, and if that involves rubbing elbows with strangers, so be it! Oh, though, the table turns out to contain just Kale Hearthward. At least so far. Kale's not looking so hot right now. He doesn't look like he's had much sleep recently - the otherwise usually perky hawk is drooping a bit, with almost stereotypical dark marks under his eyes. The coffee and caffeinated soda on the table in front of him don't seem to be doing too much. He's also wearing a pair of very thick headphones - the sort sound engineers at a rock concert would wear. They're almost certainly not letting any sound into his ear holes... ... And yet, despite being almost assuredly deaf, he looks over as anyone approaches. "Oh. Hey." "Busy night, I guess. I think there's some sporting game going on, on the TV, and it's brought in the crowd." His tone indicates he hasn't been paying attention to it. "What brings you here?"
Bowser	Bowser glares at Pop. This glaring contest goes on long enough for at least three more people to slip in and out. Cut to Bowser livesay walking over to the only table in the place, bringing a single goon along with him. Bowser presses his way forward, barging people out of the way, confidence flowing out from him as a single aura, a solid uniform brick of emotion. "Heeey! It's my favorite Santa's Helper!" He looks blankly, trying to remember what Kale's name might actually be, but forgets it, and immediately forgets caring. He puts a hand on the table, pointing a big claw at him. "You don't look too good. Are you doing big work up at the North Pole?" He sits down with a whump, nearly knocking voer the whole table. He picks up a goomba, throwing him at the grill portion. "Get me some drumsticks!" He turns over to Santa's Helper, "Drumsticks?" He turns back without waiting for an answer, "Thirty drumsticks, lemon pepper!"
Madeleine Cadrasteia	Madeleine sits down in the closest thing the booth has to a back corner. "Hey," she says with a little wave. "I think there's some sporting game going on, on the TV, and it's brought in the crowd." "People come here for sports?" She sounds genuinely shocked, but a glance around confirms that all the TVs have the same fifteen-odd sweaty dudes going at it on a field of some variety. "God, I can never keep track of which sport is which, there's so many in the multiverse. This isn't squamish, right? I think the teams are too small... Anyway, I'm here because it's my last night as a free woman." She nearly winces. "For a little bit, anyway. Got a lengthy job on my docket and I'll be away from home for a whole month. Thought I'd get a proper drink in me before I'm stuck with bottled water or 'Spacers Rush'." The waitress comes by and Madeleine orders an amaretto sour and a double helping of chili cheese fries. "So, Kale, how about you? You look like roadkill. And what's with the...?" She gestures at her ear, implying the headphones Kale is wearing.
Lory Thumper	As the others start to talk, one more person pops in. She blinks in surprise, looks behind her at the door, then at the room. "What in...?" Bunny ears flick back and forth, and Lory Thumper peers about suspiciously. She's not in officer gear for once. Instead it looks like she just got done with a workout, judging by her gym clothes. Since Kale is greeting them, she shrugs lightly and heads toward him. And keeps a healthy distance between herself and the giant fire turtle. She ducks as a goomba is thrown, then peeks up over the table. "Hey. You...really shouldn't throw things or...people?..." She's unsure if a goomba is a person. "...around." she says. As Madeleine speaks up, Lory's ears perk. "A long term assignment, huh? Hope it at least pays well." she says, then looks to Kale and takes a seat at the table. "So...what happened to you?" she asks as she looks over the menu.
Stelle	This booth is getting crowded! Yet another face joins the crowd, though she comes from an odd direction. Like she was in the kitchen and is heading towards the front and somehow just ended up here. Bowser hurls the poor Goomba, and Stelle, reacting without thinking, hops, catching the poor Kuriboh like it's a flying soccer ball and she's a goalie. She lands with a hefty click of her low heeled boots, and she sets the poor creature down. "Probably shouldn't try and fly in a place this crowded," she says to it, giving it a friendly pat and then joining the table. What it does after is the Goomba's problem. Golden eyes flit to everyone at the table, only really recognizing Kale, who looks like hell. "Oh. Hi."
Kale Hearthward	There is indeed some manner of football game going on on the television. According to the chyron (the scorebar at the bottom of the screen) it's Game #3887 between Wyoming and Iowa, tied 24-24, next score wins. There's also something on the screen about the game having lasted for 8 and a half years, but that's probably a typo. "I'm not Santa's Helper," says Kale. "It's Kale Hearthward. And I've got - you know, whatever, if you're ordering for the table, whatever." Poor Captain Goomba. Reduced to being a gofer. And then a soccer ball? "Last night as a - oh, I think I heard something about that on the radio... a whole month, huh." Kale frowns. "I mean, do you need to go through... uh, space customs? Could you pack a bunch of those plastic sampler bottles of hard drinks, and ration them out throughout the month? Better than nothing. Might make you some friends, too." "I'm... dealing with some stuff. It's fine. I'm finding ways to deal with it." Lory gets a second glance. "Oh - the rabbit who's not from my world. Hey." "Just... dealing with some changes, I guess you could say." Stelle comes in. Kale gives her a look. "Oh. Hey. Stelle, right? The girl with the train? I mean the one that isn't the infinity train."
Bowser	The goomba gives a vague nod to Stelle. It does still have to now toddle all the way over there and try not to get stepped on. "Kale Hearthward... Kale Hearthward..." Bowser suddenly lights up, "You shot up Sarracenia's airship!" His huge hand comes down on Kale's back in a hearty friendly slap, no thought for how hard he might be slapping. "Oh! I wish I could have seen her face after you crushed her tiny little tug boat!" He lets out a loud GWA HA HA HA HA before getting conspiratorial, "Right, you aren't Santa's Helper." He winks. A turn towards Lory, then he puts an arm on the table. "Hey. I don't tell you how to be a cop. You don't tell me how to be a Big Freaking Deal, okay?" He points a finger at himself. "I'm the King of the Castle. I'm the KING. I make the rules. I run the army." He points at her. "You aren't." A grin at Madeleine, "Anything I could recruit? I'm thinking of seeing if Peach will go see Hamiliton, and I need a giant monster to help me invade the Mushroom Kingdom. I got front row tickets!"
Madeleine Cadrasteia	"I mean, do you need to go through... uh, space customs? Could you pack a bunch of those plastic sampler bottles of hard drinks, and ration them out throughout the month?" "No space customs, just a warpgate. Though I reckon they'll be searching my luggage anyway, they're a little paranoid. Not with no reason, mind, just. You know. But that's a pretty good idea, honestly. I'll have to hit up a liquor store on the way home." "I'm... dealing with some stuff. It's fine. I'm finding ways to deal with it." Madeleine's drink arrives; she takes a sip and nods approvingly. "Honestly, you look like you haven't found anything yet. Let me know if you need a hand, Paladin, and I'll be sure to charge you fairly. Though, I'm mostly good for monsters and..." She looks Kale up and down. "You don't have enough open wounds for this to be a monsters problem." "Anything I could recruit?" "Well," Madeleine pauses to think. "I did bring in an exceptionally large chupacabra to the Sweepers just the other day, might still be in their lab. Though it's more interested in goat blood than in princesses. Maybe a Nessie... does this Peach lady have waterfront property? Lake plesiosaurs are easy to bribe." "A long term assignment, huh? Hope it at least pays well." "Yeah, pay's great. Comes with perks, too. They're putting me up for free in their best hotel." She's lying through her teeth. Madeleine's food arrives. She nudges one of the fry baskets in Stelle's direction. "Hey, new blood. Or at least I haven't seen you yet. What's your deal?"
Lory Thumper	Lory looks over as Stelle catches the goomba. "Hey, nice catch!" she says, then watches the Goomba toddle off. "Huh. Guess it is." she says to herself. 'Oh - the rabbit who's not from my world. Hey.' Lory raises a paw-hand. "Hi! Lory Thumper. Nice to meet you." she says. And flinches despite herself at that huge clawwed hand landing on the table. She frowns lightly. "You're the king of -your- castle. This is not your castle." she says. Her frown increases just a bit as Bowser talks about invading with a giant monster. It really galls her when some big strong badguy is bragging and scheming right in front of her and she can't really do anything because of some extenuating circumstances. Like this being neutral ground. And to help matters, Madeleine is actually giving him ideas on monsters he could bring. Lory's expression goes deadpan and her ears go flat. She listens as Madeleine talks about the new job. She's pretty sure Mads is lying. She's had training in such areas after all. "...if you need help with a bad situation, just say blackberries." she says to Madeleine before she puts in an order for...probably the most boring thing on the menu. A fresh veggie spears platter.
Stelle	Madeleine has just made a FRIEND FOR LIFE. Golden eyes flicker at the fry basket. Her expression flashes into what can only be called 'Greedy Raccoon' for an instant before it's just pleasant again. Before she partakes, she looks at Bowser, smug. "Rules are made to be broken, big ... turtle ... dragon ... man." She gives Kale a thumbsup. "That's me. Stelle, from the Astral Express," she affirms to the bird person (not Birdperson, completely different guy.) "It's not an infinity train, but it is pretty big! And goes through space!" Finally, she sneaks a single fry and munches on it. "My deal is...I'm a Trailblazer. An ... interstellar troubleshooter following the footsteps of," she pauses, trying to phrase something. "The footsteps of the Space God of exploration and adventure."
Kale Hearthward	> "You don't have enough open wounds for this to be a monsters problem." "Yeah." Kale nods at her. "Not a monsters problem. If you ever run into someone named Persephone Kore, and she tells you you're going to have a rough time, listen to her, okay?" > "Comes with perks, too. They're putting me up for free in their best hotel." Kale startles, and gives her a look. "They're - oh. Well, uh, that's good of them. Order some room service while you're there, then?" > "My deal is...I'm a Trailblazer." "Ohh. An explorer. Got it." "I want to hear some places you've been, then. Where this train has gone." Kale looks like he's perking up finally. "So what's the most interesting-" And then Bowser's hand comes down on Kale's back, hard. Kale's hardy enough that he won't die or be seriously injured by a friendly-intended hit, even one from someone like Bowser. It does, however, knock his headphones loose. The headphones fall - blaring loud music (that Kale couldn't possibly hear anything over) and knocking over Kale's soda - which spills out onto the table, right where the headphones landed - - and the headphones spark, make an unfortunate noise, and then go silent, with a little wisp of smoke coming from one of the earpieces. "Oh, that's-" Kale reaches up to put his hands over the ear holes on the sides of his head. "Stale winds. I'm not ready for-" Kale is now involuntarily hearing the thoughts of everyone around him.
Bowser	For some people, emotions are a spectrum that they go up and down. Maybe they are overloaded with them. Bowser's emotions work like a stop light. Confidence and joviality turn into Confidence and pride. One turns off, and the other turns on. Strangely, Bowser's emotions might be the most orderly in the multiverse, if the quickest to change. Look, rabbit. Maybe you haven't been around long enough to get this. So I'll make it easy. I'm Bowser. I'm the King Koopa. I have a fleet of ships and an army. And without those? I could hurl you like a football across the whole multiverse. But with those? I'm the Boss. "Look, rabbit. Maybe you haven't been around long enough to get this. So I'll make it easy." He jerks a bit thumb at himself. "I'm Bowser. I'm the King Koopa. I have a fleet of ships and an army. And without those? I could hurl you like a football across the whole multiverse. But with those? I'm the Boss." After sitting down back down, the goomba finally comes back with drumsticks. Oh hey, drumsticks! "OH hey, drumsticks!" He grabs one, biting clean into the bone, talking with his mouth full as he waggles the other side at Stelle. "Yea, by me." Oh yea, one of those dinosaurs? Yea, that'll be perfect for kidnapping peach! "Oh yea, one of those dinosaurs? Yea, that'll be perfect for kidnapping Peach!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imSefM4GPpE
Madeleine Cadrasteia	Madeleine's starry eyes widen for a split second at the mention of Persephone, then they narrow as her self-control catches up to her microexpressions. But she just nods at Kale's advice, almost suspiciously quiet. "...if you need help with a bad situation, just say blackberries." "W-what?" Madeleine looks genuinely confused. "No, I'm fine, everything's fine. If it were a bad situation I just wouldn't go." Kale's headphones come off. Beyond immediate concerns about whether the soda spill will spread to her side of the table, which she alleviates by passing half her stack of napkins over to Kale, Madeleine's got a lot on her mind. Dangerous psychic women are the topic of the day, between Persephone - what did she do to Kale that's got him in such a sorry state? - and a "Captain Castilian" who she is very worried about making a good impression on. And who scares Madeleine, deeply, almost as much as Sapient Heuristics's golden child does.
Stelle	Stelle munches on fries, keeping her mouth too busy to yammer. Though her eyes slide towards Bowser's drumsticks as they arrive, considering her options and skill at thievery. Oh man, these fries are really good. They don't even need ketchup. Dan Heng and Miss Himeko always get mad when I bring juk food onto the Espress, and Pom-Pom makes me scrub the table even if I don't get grease on it! I wonder how Bronya and Seele are doing. I still feel bad
Stelle	that her mom turned into a giant, Stellaron possessed monster and that we had to kill her. I should go back and say hi, but Pela will make me work in the museum... This run on train of thought is constant.
Lory Thumper	Sweet peas and carrots that music is loud! Lory winces as those headphones come off. Having super hearing does have some drawbacks. Even though they are headphones it is a bit uncomfortable. "Sweet peas and carrots! That music is loud! How were you hearing anything?" Lory says. Then winces again as those headphones spark. "Oh...that's unfortunate. They looked expensive." she says. She pulls them out of the spill to keep a fire from starting or something and puts them on another table. "Not ready for wha-" Lory starts to ask, but then Kale is covering his ear holes. She blinks a few times. "...I guess you really don't like bar sounds?" Bowser goes off about being king and her being football material and having a fleet. Wow...this guy is even louder than Kale's music. No wonder Kale could hear him. Lory's expression remains flat. "That's hardly an feat of strength. Most people could throw me like a football. I bet even these human girls could do that. And either way, you're still only the Boss of your kingdom. If you were -the- Boss, this Peach you are talking about would already be dating you, you know?" So if I read the rules right if he starts something physical some sort of space magic will kick him out of here...still pretty dangerous to poke the bear. Or the giant turtle dragon, in this case. On the other hand, being able to fly for a while could be fun. Madeleine's food arrives. Lory watches her and Stelle, and sighs softly. Fried food...so delicious...and so unhealthy. Kinda sucks watching calories all the time. Lory thinks as she nibbles on a celery stick. And why is it always potatoes? That's just even -more- calories. Couldn't they fry a carrot or a broccoli spear once in a while? I guess there are onion rings...sure, I can convince myself those have less calories. And just run a few extra laps next time. "Hey, could I get some onion rings?" Lory calls out to the waitstaff. 'W-what? No, I'm fine, everything's fine. If it were a bad situation I just wouldn't go.' Confusion. Guess she's not lying about this part at least. Must not be paying her much, though. And might be bad working conditions. Lory continues nibbling on her veggie sticks. "So, who's Persephone Kore? Is she like -the- Persephone from Greek legends? Or...?" Bowser bites through a drumstick, bone and all, and shakes it at Stelle. ...did he really just eat that bone and all? And then waggle it at Stelle? Holy mackeral...and he wonders why Peach doesn't want to date him? Are they even the same species? "Well, if you do want this Peach to say yes...you probably shouldn't kidnap her. Or threaten her kingdom. Or...you know...do any of the things you seem to be doing. I mean, I don't know her but...most princesses don't appreciate that sort of thing." Except for that really weird one...what even is up with her?
Kale Hearthward	Bowser... is at least thinking exactly what he's about to say. That's a single pipeline. It's more noise, but at least there's not any superfluous signal to sort out. ... The song's unfortunately catchy, though. Dang it. "Persephone's fine, she's nice," says Kale, trying to sort out which parts Madeleine is saying out loud versus what she's thinking. "I'm pretty sure she's nothing like Captain Castilian," he adds as he gets the spill contained with her proffered napkins. The headphones are unsalvagable, unfortunately, and merely holding hands over his earholes isn't doing anything, so Kale doesn't bother after a bit. Stelle is just... a lot. Kale tries to just simply mentally tune her out, as if she's a neighbor playing music too loudly. But Lory... ... Lory's switching from talking to thinking to talking, and unlike Bowser it's different words being thought and said. "Um - no, not from greek legend, she's from... Applied Ontology, she's nice...?" is the one thing he can grasp onto enough to answer. The waitress arrives. "Oh, they're out of nachos? Then I'll just have the burrito bowl," Kale says, before the waitress can say anything. "- Um, okay," says the waitress, taking this in stride, and then taking the other orders and heading off. Okay. Maybe this isn't so bad. Kale can do this.
Madeleine Cadrasteia	"Persephone's fine, she's nice." "She's-" Don't tell them how she makes me feel things I thought were lost to me. Don't tell them that. Especially don't think about him. I'm here to enjoy myself, aren't I? "She's very powerful, in ways that I'm pretty normal. It's like hanging out with a giant. How could I be sure the giant wouldn't step on me? Even if it were just an accident I'd still be a smear on the floor. She's like that, but with... brain... stuff. For all my strength my mind isn't that different from the average Sally or Joe. She builds space stations with her mind. How can any of my interactions with psychics be safe?" Surely they can't be as safe as Phony wants me to think they are. "I'm pretty sure she's nothing like Captain Castilian." Was Kale there for meeting the Captain? How does he know her? He must've been there. I should pay more attention to who's around on missions like that. Kale probably thinks I'm an idiot for forgetting, ugh. "Right, but only because Phony's more pleasant, right? And because she has everything she asks for. She just doesn't have any good reasons to play hardball yet. Take away something she needs, she'll kill to get it back. Anyone would."
Bowser	Bowser gives a push of the plate towards Stelle. "For the whole table!" Angry starts to radiate off Bowser like a heat as he slowly turns to fully face her once again. His eyes set, "Yea? Next time I see you in the multiverse rabbit, I'm going to pound you into a pancake." He slaps both of his hands on the table. "And if that don't do it for ya, I'm going to conquer your little town and turn it into Bowser land and take Princess Peach on the ferris wheel," He stands up, making the table tilt, "AND PROPOSE TO HER!"
Stelle	This is the first true showing of Stelle's true nature. She is a gremlin. A little goblin who craves delicious food and shiny things and hitting bad people with a bat. The instant Bowser pushes the plate in her direction, Stelle already has a drumstick in her hand. Which is good, because all of this stuff is kind of beyond her, except the King of Koopa's threats. Those make her frown, but she still eats free food. A Trailblazer, like a college student, does not look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to free food. Though, from the sounds of it, this Persephone lady could be an Aeon.
Kale Hearthward	"I don't think you're an idiot," says Kale reflexively to Madeleine. And then he realizes that this was thought, not said. Oops. "I mean, uh, in general. No, I mean - I think, your mind stuff is pretty strong and you shouldn't put yourself down about that." Kale leans away from Bowser as he radiates anger. "Hey - calm down, man. We're all..." Not friends. "Coworkers?" Not coworkers. "I mean, we're all... people, here." "What's an Aeon?" he can't help but ask Stelle.
Lory Thumper	Lory's ears perk and she stares at Kale for a few moments after his interaction with the waitress. That waitress had onion rings, so Lory is now nibbling on one of those. How did he do that? Are they just always out of nachos here? Does this guy come here that often? Is he psychic or something? "Hey, how...how did you know they were out of nachos?" she asks, her detective mind always working. Bowser starts to heat up, and Lory's eyes widen a bit. Okay...might have pushed a bit too much. But, apologizing to a guy like this...arrogant, drunk on power, thinks he is some god's gift to the universe...not sure I can do that. But then, I don't want to be responsible for Mammalopolis being razed and turned into some villain theme park. And a terrible one by the sounds of it. "...well...good luck?" she says a bit nervously while trying to sound sincere to Bowser. You'll need it if you think that would actually work. The bunny just nibbles on her onion rings after that. He would never be able to catch me, but still getting in a fight over something like this...ugh this really is harder without a precint or even a squad to back me up. This guy really needs to be taken down. With the conversation turning toward Persephone, Lory just keeps quiet for now. And really tries not to stare metaphorical laser eyes at Bowser.
Stelle	Stelle is asked a direct question. She starts to answer. "Mph Aemph ish," she says with her mouth full of (presumably) chicken. She pauses to finish chewing and swallows. She doesn't even look embarrassed. "An Aeon is ... sort of a Space God, but not? They used to be people, but walked their Paths so completely that they ascended into something Else. Something not human, embodying and promoting their Path." The capital letters are audible. "That's...the basics. Mister Welt knows more. Maybe I could have him teach people about them?"