Logs:Havens For Those Scattered

Havens For Those Scattered
Dramatis Personae Lumin, Anahita
In Absentia	2024-05-23 "There are fewer places in this city, now, for our people. Certainly none better-known. It is where a lot of those who have been scattered check back in."
Location <NYC> 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. It’s a few days after the Aliens invaded New York, and people are slowly but surely re-emerging into the city streets. Evolve, while not at the center of the action, did receive some damages. It’s a sunny day, if maybe having some moments of cloudiness. Lumin currently stands outside the cafe, their solid stained glass form reflecting and refracting the sunlight into beams that create a brilliant spray of color along the ground, and onto the shattered glass littered near the entrance of the cafe. They hold a garbage bag in one hand, and gracefully bring their other hand from the ground through the air, guiding large floating groups of sharp glass shards into the bag. They’re intensely focused, each movement calculated, as they continue the clean up. Anahita has been sitting by the window for some time now, chatting with a pair of young people who have since taken their leave. She's wearing a soft violet blouse and a long black skirt with fawn colored boots, a scarlet pashmina draped over her shoulders and her hair hanging in loose waves of black and silver. When her tea's been refreshed she gets up and moves outside onto the patio where she does not sit but leans casually against the railing, waiting for Lumin to look up before she greets them. "You make beautiful work of what for many would be a delicate and dangerous task." Lumin pauses mid-motion at Anahita’s words, glass floating midair and staring at her for a prolonged moment. Their expression is maybe a little unsure, but then they flash a bright smile, “oh-Thank you.” They finish the motion of guiding the floating glass into the garbage bag. “I would much rather I do it than someone with ah- skin. No risks of cuts from me.” They explain, tapping their fingers together to make a soft tink tink noise. They glance at her tea, “It’s good to see the cafe still active, even with the ah…aliens. Which is not something I ever thought I’d be seriously saying.” "I never seriously believed that life is unique to Earth, but I also never seriously thought aliens would invade." Anahita turns and looks uptown, to the wide swaths of destruction carved into the tall buildings closer to the epicenter of the aforementioned invasion. "And here I was thinking nothing could surprise me anymore," she says with the air of someone who diligently seeks out surprises. "There are fewer places in this city, now, for our people. Certainly none better-known. It is where a lot of those who have been scattered check back in." Her eyes tick down to the broken glass. "And yet more of us have been scattered. I hope you were safe, during the attack." Lumin watches Anahita, eyes scanning her face, her mannerisms, before following her gaze towards the buildings uptown, and looking back to Evolve thoughtfully. "I suppose that makes sense then, that this is one of the first places I come to." They're quiet for a moment before continuing to float another hunk of shattered glass into the garbage bag, "Thankfully, I've found some places in the city where I can be safe. If I was out an about during the invasion-" They laugh, which emphasizes the odd metallic ring in their voice, "I would be among this glass right now." They bring another batch of glass in. They look at Anahita concerned, "Were you out here? When it all happened?" Anahita shakes her head. "I was in Queens, safely enough away. Though my workplace did afford me a somewhat horrifying panoramic view of the proceedings." She tips a hand at the cafe. "This is only my unofficial office. I had been getting ready to move into an apartment a few blocks up, but a ship crashed into the building." She gives a small shrug and takes a sip of her tea. "That part didn't surprise me, exactly. My name is Anahita, by the way." Lumin winces, "That's ah...That's unfortunate. I'm sorry that happened." They hesitate, "Maybe the universe saved you some hassle, maybe the apartment had mold or something." They offer, weakly. "But I imagine that doesn't make things much better." They stick out a hand, "It's nice to meet you though, Anahita. I'm Lumin." "I am well-versed at finding both abstruse philosophy and grim amusement in such things," Anahita says, lightly. "Some day I will also find a place for these weary bones to grow properly old, and when that day comes I will have a lot to unpack. But for what it's worth, I think that entire building had mold." There's enough playfulness in her tone that she sounds like she is smiling even if her expression has not much changed. She straightens up and shakes Lumin's hand. "Lumin. It is nice to meet you. I'm here quite often of an evening, and if you're ever bored enough to drop by my table there's a beverage and a story or two in it for you."