Logs:Gravity and Other Physics-es

Gravity and Other Physics-es
Dramatis Personae Anette, Marinov, and Spencer
In Absentia	2019-03-07 '
Location Evolve Cafe - Lower East Side
Spacious and open, this coffeeshop has a somewhat industrial feel to it, grey resin floors below and exposed-beam ceilings that have been painted up in a dancing swirl of abstract whorls and starbursts, a riot of colour splashed against a white background. The walls alternate between brick and cheerfully lime-green painted wood that extends to the paneling beneath the brushed-steel countertops. There's an abundance of light, though rather than windows (which are scarce) it comes from plentiful hanging steel lamps. The walls here are home to artwork available for sale; though the roster of prints and paintings and drawings and photographs changes on a regular basis it has one thing in common -- all the artists displayed are mutants. The seating spaced around the room is spread out enough to keep the room from feeling cluttered. Black chairs, square black tables that mostly seat two or four though they're frequently pushed around and rearranged to make space for larger parties. In the back corner of the room is more comfortable seating, a few large black-corduroy sofas and armchairs with wide tables between them. There's a shelf of card and board games back here available for customers to sit and play. The chalkboard menus hanging behind the counter change frequently, always home to a wide variety of drinks (with an impressive roster of fair-trade coffees and teas largely featured) though their sandwiches and wraps and soups and snacks of the day change often. An often-changing variety of baked goods sit behind the display case at the counter halfway back in the room, and the opposite side of the counter holds a small selection of homemade ice creams. A pair of single-user bathrooms flanks the stairway in back of the cafe; at night, the thump of music can be heard from above, coming from the adjoining nightclub of the same name that sits up the stairs above the coffeehouse. Locations:** Upstairs Nightclub (UPS) Evolve is fairly crowded for a Wednesday evening, probably owing to the unseasonably frigid temperatures outside. Quite a few patrons have been nursing the same drinks or pay-what-you-want specials for quite some time now, without any harassment or even comment from the staff. Given how many people are here, it's reasonably quiet, Ryan Black's not-actually-award-winning music from 'The Fifth Season' film playing on the speaker system. One smallish boy has a light blue jumbo chalk marker in hand and is carefully writing 'Come in and be warm' (some of the letters are backwards anyway, when viewed from outside) on the front window glass, and adding a few...artistically interpreted snowflakes. Spencer is wearing a pale blue t-shirt featuring a huge red heart bracketed with yellow lightning bolts and the words 'Compassion is Invincible!', gray jeans, and black sneakers. He steps back and admires his work, nodding to himself. Off to the side but not so far back to be anti-social, Anette has made herself comfy at a small-ish table. Her leather coat hangs off the back of the chair, revealing a vintage Queen tour t-shirt, adjusted for wing holes and allowing large, feathered wings to drape loosely over her coat and chair back. A large cup of black coffee sits in front of her, still steaming, as she idly swipes through news stories on her phone. She doesn’t seem terribly invested though, as she does periodically look up to glance around and people watch the crowd, particularly the boy decorating the window. It’s a slow day. As if summoned by Spence's work being completed, Marinov steps through the front door of the cafe, muttering with disapproval about the weather outside. They start to work on the buttons of their navy pea coat, shifting their shoulder slightly to better support the book-filled messenger bag they have slung over it. When they actually take a moment to look up and take in the contents of the cafe, their eyes drift searchingly for potential places to set up. "Guess your message is already reaching the world," they comment in Spence's direction. A brief shiver passes up through their body. "I should be thankful I got a fur coat at least." "Oh hey!" Spencer waves at Marinov cheerfully. "Yeah it's just -- winter trying to get in the last word, I guess? Your fur coat is /awesome/ by the way. We got potato leek soup it's really good oh wait can you eat that? It's nondairy." He bites his lower lip, looking around. "Anyway you can sit wherever but there's kinda not a lot of space. There maybe?" Points at Anette's table. "I can like. Get you a menu and stuff!" Is there even table service tonight? Who knows! Spence has just vanished, though, so presumably there /will/ be, shortly. "You do look more built for this weather than the rest of us," Anette agrees with Marinov's fur coat comment. As soon as her table gets offered up for seating, she gives a light shrug, lifting her cup up with a talon-ed hand and taking a sip of her coffee, motioning at the empty seat opposite her with her free hand. She sets the mug down, and nods. “Yeah, I could use a men-” but the kid’s gone before she finishes and she gives a slight chuckle, leaning back against her seat. “Damn I wish I had his energy.” "I'm lactose intolerant anyways. Can't eat leeks, though," says Marinov, quickly moving to speak to Anette when Spence vanishes away, adding lightly, "I got way too many dietary restrictions." They gesture to the seat to make sure it's okay with Anette before placing their bag next to it to lay their claim on it. "I dunno how he does it. I've got high energy for like, an hour a day, and then I want to sleep for the rest of it away. I think that's because I'm, you know..." They pause and gesture at themselves, "A teenager." Spencer is back before Marinov has even finished speaking, with a menu and a glass of water. "Kitchen will try to work with just about any food allergies or sensitivities or other restrictions, just let us know. I don't /actually/ work here," he clarifies, blushing slightly. Maybe that should be obvious based on his apparent age. "My brother owns the place," this explanation seems to mostly be for Anette's benefit. "Are you good on coffee can I get you anything else?" "A cat that can't drink milk," Anette notes wryly, giving Marinov a quick nod when they motion to the empty seat. She takes another sip of her coffee as she puts her phone to sleep and sets it on the table off to the side. “I’d settle for high energy at all. At least during the day. I tend to peak at night.” As Spence returns, she settles back into her chair as Spence gives his explanations. “Your brother? Well, he seems to be doing well for himself then. I’m fine on the coffee but I think I’ll take a blueberry muffin.” Marinov's ears flick lightly at Anette's initial statement, and the tip of their tail flicks back and forth a few times. "Well, I'm not-" They pause a few moments while fidgeting with their buttons some, "Most people are lactose intolerant, and, like, almost all cats are anyways. Even if cream is fucking fantastic. It's a cruel world." Their gaze turns back over towards Spence, "I'll just be getting orange pekoe tea for now, though yeah, I really do appreciate the work the kitchen will do around all that stuff. Not a lot of places willing." "My brother, Shane -- blue shark guy, dresses /real/ dapper, about this high." Spencer holds out his hand, palm down, a couple of inches above and to the side of his own head. Then frowns. Adjusts it down so that it's just /below/ his own height. "He puts in a /lot/ of work to make this place run but it's so worth it huh? And yeah, lactose /tolerance/ is a mutation," he adds brightly. "I mean not a mutation like..." He gestures at -- his entire self. Then all of Marinov. "I guess most people just like, /deal/ with the fact that they can't digest dairy? There's so many delicious vegan substitutes though! Well not really /substitutes/ they're kind of like, a totally different thing. That's /also/ delicious. Orange pekoe, blueberry muffin, B-R-B!" And he's gone again. “Fair enough. Whatever you are, it must be hard. Dairy is delicious.” Anette takes another sip of her coffee. “I’ve noticed. I don’t have any food issues myself but it’s still nice to see a place so....accommodating. This place is almost a miracle. In several ways.” When Spencer describes his brother, Anette raises an eyebrow. “Shark boy’s your brother? I mean, I’ve never met him. Just seen him in passing. He’s...hard to miss. Fancy dresser though.” Her phone dings and she glances down to check the notification. It doesn’t seem important as she quickly closes and looks back up towards Spence. Who is already gone. “Super speed /has/ to be his thing.” "Shane's great. And his outfits are just..." Marinov just raises their hands and looks upwards in a gesture of praise. "I do really appreciate how much work goes into this place to make it feel... good." They chuckle softly and lean back when Spence vanishes, remarking to Anette, "I guess maybe, like, real super ultra speed. As far as I know, though, Spence just like... pops up places." Indeed, Spence pops back in just in time to catch the last comment. "Yeah I can go like, pretty much /anywhere/ it's awesome." He's using a tablet as an impromptu tray for several items: the blueberry muffin for Anette, a cup of tea for Marinov, and a cookie and glass of milk for himself. "Hey is it okay if I sit here? You can say no I won't feel bad!" he adds hastily. "Buuuuut I brought a tablet and we can watch cute animal videos on it!" “Sure, join us,” Anette says, taking her muffin once it’s delivered. She takes a talon and not so neatly carves a chunk of muffin out, spearing it, and popping it in her mouth. “I literally cannot say no to cute animal videos.” She takes a quick gulp of coffee, the last of it in her mug. “Being up to go anywhere /is/ really nice,” she agrees. While Marinov tries to play it cool, the perk of their ears at the prospect of cute animal videos reveals that they are on board. Still, they nod to Spence and gesture towards the nearby chair for him to sit down. "Thanks," they add as they pick up the cup of tea. "I'm unfortunately bound both by gravity and physics." They take a sip. "Or... I... guess that's just physics?" "No problem!" Spencer hops into a chair, sitting on his folded legs for more height, and turns on the tablet screen. "I saw one earlier of tiny goats headbutting things...whoa that's handy!" Presumably that last part was a commentary. Searching for said video doesn't stop him chattering. "Yeah gravity is physics but like a specific kind of physics. I'm also bound by gravity and others physics...es. Except for the teleporting I guess that kind of violates.../space-time/?" He sounds uncertain, but breaks into a bright smile when he finds what he was searching for. "Anyway but look at these tiny goats!"