Dec 02 05:35:18 107 PA - Kingsdale Meets a New Face Over Cofee

From Chronicles

Dec 02 05:35:18 107 PA.

TRADEWINDS COFFEE SHOP

Not many people hanging around anywhere in the city at 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday. Most people have the good sense to stay home and sleep in. However, for whatever reason, the Kentuckian is already in Tradewinds, seated in a chair far more plush than anyone would ever have expected him to see. Only a few other people seem to be around, a number of which appear to be the always-amusing "morning-after" couples with one of- or both-parties trying to extricate themselves from the tryst without looking foolish. Gabriel is holding on to a large cup of coffee, still steaming in his hands. There's a single serving girl wandering around, wiping down tables and offering sugar and cream to those not near a fixed caffeinated-logistics location.

Bernard finds himself coming into the trade winds himself, rubbing his eyes just a bit as he looks across the coffeehouse. He gives himself a little shrug of his shoulders and starts across towards the counter.

The little jingling of the door's tinkly bell catches Gabriel's attention enough to glance over and note the newcomer. But that's all. Otherwise he seems to enjoy continuing to sit in his rather plush chair near the window, watching an increasingly-harsh early-December rain strike the plate-glass window. Makes a nice sound that probably reminds him of home, except that where he grew up, his house didn't have any glass windows. Just some thick fabric and waterproof parchment. Nevertheless, as he continues to simply hold his cup of steaming coffee, blowing across its surface, the newcomer's progress is tracked, but only because it's movement to watch.

Bernard makes it up to the counter, looking across the list of drinks available before ordering himself a breakfast tea, with a pastry of some sort. He takes the pastry and moves off to find himself an empty seat, considering his various options.

Tall, somewhat odd looking? Yeah, it's just another man here in Kingsdale. This motherfucking coffee just won't cool off. Fine, yes, Gabriel likes his favorite morning beverage black, but he doesn't enjoy it boiling. In fact, truth be told if anyone were to find out, he really prefers it at a thermal energy of tepid at best. Seeing as how apparently more people are going to be showing up, the older adventurer decides to raise that steaming mug in the air to get the new fellow's attention. "Sir! A delicatessen, a hard-core mechanic's bar, a coffee shop? If you're deciding to chase me down, I might as well give you an audience." Even through the thick drawl, it should be obvious that the statement was simply good nature for 5:30 in the morning on a Saturday in December in Kingsdale, ex-State of Missouri.

Bernard casts a glance towards the man, brow lifting up a bit, "I like to see the local sites when I first arrive in a place, get a feel for things." He explains with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "I've no clue who you are actually, but if you'd like to have a stalker, that could be arranged."

The older man yields the point. "I don't know a damn thing about you, either," comes out in a drawl directed at the other man. It's a very empty Tradewinds, and not very surprising, as it's only 5:30 in the morning on the first sleepy Saturday of December, 107 PA. The establishment is pleasantly heated, and if you love coffee and pastries, it looks and smells great. A winter storm is beginning to smack against the large glass windows. Gabriel is seated on a cushy chair, something that those who know him may find shocking. He never goes for cushy. In any case, there's a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, and he seems none too impressed with it yet. Another man, as yet un-introduced is approaching him with a pastry. They seem to have just exchanged words. The Kentuckian shrugs at the other man's comment, which didn't sound nearly as good-natured as his comment, and just goes back to blowing on his caffeinated beverage.

"Well, do you make it your business to get to know every new arrival in town? It must keep your schedule nice and busy." Bernard comments with a friendly enough smile and a slight shrug of his shoulders. He does move to sit near Gabriel, and one of the staff brings out his cup of tea. He places his pastry down on the nearby table.

The nightmare that seems to be a curse of her particular ilk and seems to have caused Sage to be awake. It is likely another reason entirely that drew her out of her house and into this kind of night. She slips into the place to get away from the weather, even if she is dressed appropriately against the elements. She undoes her jacket buttons for now as she makes her way towards the counter to order herself a hot chocolate.

Gabriel allows his friend to approach the counter un-accosted for the time being, though he does wave his mug in her direction. Whether or not she notices of course, is up for the cosmos to decide. To the other man, "Well, I was a new guy once. Still am. But I try to do good deeds, you know. Offer a helping hand where I can." Apparently his coffee has finally cooled down to sipping temperature. He sips.. his face freezes as people tend to do when tasting a new beverage... and then it passes, his face perking up. Apparently the drink is palatable. The older man may stick out to newcomers as being both an older man, and with a thick drawl unlikely to have ever been heard before. "Where you from, friend?"

What better way to enjoy the falling snow and cold wind than to sit in a warm building with a piping hot drink? Leonard can think of few alternatives, and the coffee shop is the most convenient. He slips inside briskly to leave as much of the chill outside as possible.

Bernard shrugs his shoulders just a touch, "Well, I come from a little town near the city of New Camelot, of course." he says in response to Gabriel's question, "But I've been around many places over my years though."

Sage doesn't seem to be too interested in the place beyond a casual glance before she gets the hot chocolate into her hands. She blows lightly on the surface to cool a little bit enough for a sip. Then she turns to consider the place once more. As she notices a friendly face or two, she offers a small wave. Although, she seems to pause as she considers whether to approach Leonard or Gabriel.

The Kentuckian smiles and waves his mug in Leonard's direction as he enters the establishment, but as with Sage, allows this early-morning coffee enthusiast to approach the counter without interruption. He mouths a "hello" to Sage, but as the new fellow is in his immediate area, it would be rude to ignore him, and Gabriel is nothing if not polite. "New Camelot? Never heard of that one outside fairy tales and book by Mark Twain. 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.' Love that book. I'll bend your ear and interrogate you in just a moment. My name's Gabriel, but everybody just calls me Gabriel." Perhaps the amusing emphasis that people don't abbreviate his name is a subtle hint. His mug shifts hands, and an arm is extended toward the new man in friendship.

Leonard heads for the counter, the great furnishing which helps to provide hot caffeine. He waves a hand to Gabriel and Sage to return their greetings. "Hello. Is everyone enjoying the cold?" Leonard is smiling, probably enjoying the cold, himself. Now that he's not in it.

"Well, you're not too far off actually, Gabriel." Bernard says, "The Demon Mrrlyn's recreated his old empire, that I suspect your fairytale's based off of." He says with a shrug, "Even with an Arr'thu and his Knights. Or, so I've been told." He says with a little smirk. "I'm Bernard, a pleasure."

It seems that her position near the counter will help Sage out as Leonard approaches. "Hey Leonard..." She greets the man, "Perhaps this might be a good time to speak about a couple things considering how quiet it is here... unless you'd prefer to drop by my place sometime." She comments before she turns her attention to the two men at the table.

Gabriel's smile widens as he can't help but overhear Sage's voice in the coffee shop, whose ambient noise is broken only by the occasional gurgle of the espresso machine. His mug is raised in his off-hand, and he says, "Miss Sage, you're quite popular these days, I'd like to speak with you when you're available. But I won't trouble you now." Leonard is acknowledge with a polite smile, and "Good morning, Leonard." His attention turns to the new fellow, Bernard, apparently. The older adventurer's smile is broad and toothy. "Well hell, is there nothing in this world that *isn't* totally fucking out of place? Camelot? Why not?" He pauses to sip at his black coffee. "So, Bernard. Come from the age of me being 'overpaid, oversexed, and over here' or is that past your time?"

Leonard smiles a smidge or three wider at Sage. "Am I allowed to agree with both? Coffee is usually better with good company, but I won't turn down one invitation for the other." He pauses to place his order, and then looks again to her. "I'm all ears, so to speak." Other than the acknowledgments, he leaves Gabriel and company to their conversation for now.

"What's so strange to think that an ancient demon re-awoke with the return of magic and rebuilt his old kingdom?" Bernard asks with a little shrug of his shoulder, "And I'm afraid I don't know the reference." He adds.

It seems to be a combination of factors that have made Sage a little more popular these days, but she tries not to dwell on the negative. At the comment from Gabriel, she looks over with faint amusement. "And, you may be chief amount those vying for some of my time." She muses before she glances back to Leonard to offer a faint smile. She inclines her head, "I will be expecting you to drop by... whether its just for business or not is up to you." She comments before taking another sip, before leaning towards the slightly shorter man. She uses her free hand to be able to whisper softly into the other man's ears.

There's a shrug. "I'm afraid that when it comes to demons, I really don't know my ass from my elbow, so to speak. All I know is that I'm really fucking tired of things trying to kill me. Things out of nightmares and stories that grandparents use to frighten their grand kids into staying in bed." Gabriel pauses in his commentary just enough to blow across his drink, then sip it again. "Shit isn't bad." Using his chin to indicate Bernard again, he asks, "Britain, right? What part are you from? As for all over the world? Let's see if I can't match you. Seen a lot of this planet, or at least what it used to be."

Leonard quirks a brow at the whispered words. "I have, but I think that you were with me in most of those cases..." He's not entirely sure how to take the comment, possibly? Not that he has anything against Sage whispering in his ear.

Bernard laughs a touch, "Oh, things aren't nearly so bad here around this city as they are everywhere else I've been." He says with a shrug of his shoulders, "And Western, I suppose." He adds in response to Gabriel's question.

Sage purses her lips as she leans back away from Leonard before nodding faintly, "We may have to do some planning at some point then." She comments, "But, that may be able to wait for a bit as I get things settled for the business ... and possibly arrange to hire on some help." She pauses for a moment as she considers something before looking over to Gabriel, "And, might you take a raincheck, Gabriel? I've thought of something that may need my attention shortly... unless you can give me an idea now and we can get into details later."

"Oh really?" Gabriel seems genuinely interested at this point, and allowing his friends to take their conversation without interference. But when Sage addresses him, the man turns his head, pleasant smile on his face. "It has to do with that job we had, oh... maybe two months ago now. Mr. Black. There have been some rather important turns of circumstance. But it's waited this long, it can wait a few more hours. Take care of your business, I'm sure that you can find me." The Kentuckian nods politely to the young woman, touching his empty right first to his forehead as if tipping his hat to a lady, and rising from his seat just enough for propriety's sake. "Have a good day, Miss Sage. Try to stay dry." His attention will likely turn back to the other fellow when the woman departs.

"We probably should discuss and make plans." Leonard nods to Sage, but it's obvious that he is working with very limited information. Hopefully the planning will give him a better idea of how he could help or arrange for some. "I'm sorry that I caught you at a bad time...Hopefully I'm not frightening you away?" Leonard tries to be humorous with it.

Bernard settles back in his seat and takes another drink from his tea as Sage and Gabriel chat with one other, content to listen for the time being to the others.

"Ah." Sage replies to the comments made by Gabriel, "I had heard something had happened but... circumstances have kept me from being able to see about getting any details." She comments, "And, I'm sure one of us can find the other." She agrees before looking over to Leonard. She offers a faint smile once more, "No worries there." She comments, "I do hope that we can have a true meeting soon so that I can elaborate on my ideas... and perhaps I should see what comes of my upcoming meeting with Nemain before deciding on what needs planning. Take care." She comments before she begins to make her way towards the exit while finishing off her hot chocolate.

Gabriel clears his throat after sipping his coffee again. "Forgive me, Bernard. Friend and a lady. Tell me your story. Regale me with your adventures of the West. I'm afraid that most of what I have to offer are only stories myself. Honestly, I really haven't been here very long - and when I say 'here' that's a very broad definition." His eyes glance over to the side as one of the other customers spills her coffee, then he returns to the conversation. Perhaps regarding his ability and desire to meet new people, he adds simply, "I'm just friendly."

"I meant Western Britain. And Europe a bit, what used to be France." Bernard says with a little shrug, "Nothing terribly exciting there. I fought a bit against some slavers from London of Splynn, then the Blood Druids of France, then I went traveling across dimensions for some time." He explains.

Leonard isn't thrilled that Sage must leave or that he is left somewhat confused. His only consolation is his hot java arriving. Caffeine makes most anything better, and he moves to find a table for himself. Leonard isn't trying to be antisocial, just enjoy his coffee.

A very large and derisive grunt comes from the older man at the mention of France. "Bunch of motherfucking capitulators. You know what we should have done? Made de Gaulle the mayor of Paris, then cut the country up into portions and subletted it between ourselves and Britain." Apparently 'ourselves' refers to an unnamed country of Gabriel's origin. "You know they never even came up with a good excuse? Just tried to sweep it under the table? Then *THEY* got to sit at the fucking table as liberators!" He shakes his head side to side a few times. "Go figure. I'm sure that a Blood Druid is just a fancy word for 'pussy.'" Another sigh. His eyes then roam back up to the other man. He's quite direct. "What's a Splynn, and what do you mean by traveling dimensions?"

"Well, Nothing in France except Gargoyles and demons now days." Bernard says with a slight shrug of his shoulders, "Most of the coast is a wasteland as well. I don't know about French capitulators or anything though." He shrugs, "And Splynn is a city on Atlantis, the Splugorth slavers live there. And traveling dimensions is just that, Going into a rift and traveling to another dimension." He explains.

An eyebrow is raised. "I guess you don't mean the stone gargoyles of Notre Dame, do you. I'm sick of demons and bulletproof livestock and basically all of the shit that we both have to live with." Gabriel waves his had away to take in the world. "Wasteland? Yeah, that's pretty much how I remember it. Lot of good boys died on those coasts." His eyes seem rather distant as something runs past the back of his mind. But then, "I've seen a map in the Library that mentions this 'Atlantis' place. I'm trying to comes to grips with that. I'm still lost on what a Splugorth is. But I'll ask again - what do you mean by traveling dimensions? Far as I know, there are only three."

"There's far more then three out there." Bernard says, "I think the numbers are almost limitless really. Some have a stronger, more permanent connection with earth though, I imagine. And a Splugorth is an alien being, an extradimensional creature. Fairly rich, fairly good targets to rob, if you can handle it. They are primarily slavers, from what I've experienced."

Gabriel arches an eyebrow again, extends a hand, palm up, and wiggle his fingers together as one, as if to pull information out of the man. "Please, tell me more. What exactly do you do in an, ah... extradimension? Just another shitty world to live in, some shittier than others?" He sips once more at his happily cooling coffee.

"Whatever one wants, depending." Bernard explains, "Some dimensions are literal paradises, some hells, most somewhere in between. What you do there depends on what you yourself are inclined to do there. Me? I mostly just traveled and enjoyed myself." he explains, taking another sip from his tea. "Then I came back here to earth, and I'll likely be here for some time, until I can research the appropriate spells to start traveling again."

"Huh." Gabriel sips at his coffee again. It's fairly clear in his eyes that he doesn't really have any kind of grasp on what is being said, but neither is he pretending as if he is. For now, it just slides past, and he moves on to a subject that may be a more normal topic. "What are your plans here? Open a business? Slaughter people for money? Find a nice girl, settle down and have kids?"

"Maybe a bit of all four." Bernard says with a smile, "I'll be here until I decide to leave, and once that happens I'll find someplace else to go and live at. I'm my own master so I've a lot of freedom to decide what to do." he says, "But I'm fairly content here, for now."

"Living inside the city?" comes the question. "A lot of people think it's dangerous to live outside the walls, but I think it's all a mater of using your God-given brain to defend yourself and pick out a safe place to live in the first place." Gabriel taps his chest. "Never had any trouble yet. Renting an apartment?" The older man's eyes are looking over the other fellow's body looking for weapons and armor on board. Not blatantly obvious, but not hiding it, either.

"For now, I'm living in the city. I'll decide what I want to do once I get a feel for the place more though." Bernard says, "The city has the luxuries I want for the moment. I'm not sure the wilderness around here does."

Gabriel chuckles. "No, no. Outdoor living always gets a bad rap. My family loved it, and when you're used to it, pulling it off in combat isn't so bad either." He clears his throat quietly, cups his mug with both hands, and takes a long pull of coffee. "You a fighter, or a lover?"

"Nothing wrong with living outdoors. I've spent many nights under the stars. But I don't need to right now so I won't." Bernard says with a smile, "And I'm whatever I need to be at the time, lover, fighter, whatever. It's easiest to be flexible."

The Kentuckian sets his mug aside and readjusts himself in the plush chair. "Unfortunately, this world seems pretty fucked in the way of flexibility, Bernard. Haven't seen much since I got here save for a whole lot of dying." He taps the odd, long-barreled pistol at his side. "I grew up where a person could walk down the street and the worst thing you had to worry about was, well... not much. I guess if you were in the city, some Irish or Italian guy with an attitude would pick a fight with you. But unless you were a known criminal, no one got popped." Gabriel can't seem to find his comfort zone in the chair for some reason. "How about you? Good childhood?"

"Then why'd you come here?" Bernard asks curiously, brow lifting up a little bit as he looks over your way, "And I had a childhood, yeah, everyone has. It was good, and bad the same as anyone." He says, finishing off his tea.

Gabriel allows the vague description of childhood to slide past. Everyone is entitled to their privacy, after all. "I don't know how I got here, and I still don't know where 'here' is, other than a bastardized version of the state of Missouri. Believe me, if I knew then what I know now, I would have resigned my commission and quit the Company before being sent to Bangor for the fucking Montana. I'd love to be home, but unless you know how to turn back time, I guess that isn't going to happen, now is it." A small smile crosses his face as he raises a finger upward. "I go to sleep next to my wife every night, and I pray for her every morning. All I can hope for is that His Plan is for me to bring some good to this place."

"I'm afraid you're out of luck. You can only go forward, no traveling backwards." Bernard says with a slight shrug of his shoulders. So you're from an earlier time, hmm?" he asks curiously, brow raising a little. "What was the circumstance around your travel?"

"Excuse me? H.G. Wells seemed to think that traveling back in time was possible. It just wasn't a very good idea, or at least, it was a waste of time, because everything that had to happen would work itself out anyway, no matter what you tried to do to change it." Gabriel seems fairly settled with his concept of temporal mechanics. "Of course, going into the future sucked pretty hard, too. The human race didn't do so well for itself." Then he just shrugs and responds to the final question with, "I don't know. The Montana testbed was at sea out of Bangor, my men and I were aboard for security. The scientists and techies fired something up, there was a horrific, high pitched noise that practically made me fucking puke, blue flash... and, well, now I'm here." He pauses and adds, "There was a lot of dying after we landed here. Montana was busted. I'm the only one left out of 2,500 men under my care, so I basically failed my fucking mission." His eyes droop to the floor, and his voice is slow, with a more vacant drawl than usual. "My Natasha took one in the back about five feet from safety. She was CIA, too." The last bit probably isn't much of explanation to just about anyone still living.

"Well, I'm telling you that it doesn't work that way. You can look backwards, but you can only go forwards." Bernard says, "And it sounds like you opened some sort of rift." He says with a shrug, "I can understand the frustration, but you'll come to terms with things eventually, I'm sure."

Gabriel shrugs. "Well... what's the point of going forward in time? Just means that you're going to throw yourself into new shit that you aren't prepared for. Might as well stay where you are and make the best of it. At least you know what you're facing." His mug is retrieved and sipped from. The older man waves his hand to indicate that Kingsdale is the upcoming subject. "From what I understand, this was my future and now is my present. Like I said before, I'd be much happier to be home. Assuming that this really is my world, and not some fucked up... dimension, as you say... I guess the shit really hit the fan sometime back. But I doubt it would have been in my lifetime, or my children's lifetime, or their children's lifetime."

"Part of being a traveler is not knowing what you're throwing yourself into, but still having the ability to adapt to it. Perhaps you don't." Bernard says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Home is where you make it whether it's in Kingsdale, or on some pleasure world in one of the three galaxies." He says with a laugh. "But if you have no ambition or drive than you can settle for what you have right now as well."

It's the last bit that makes the man chuckle, one of those chuckles that obviously touches the soul in a polite but firm, "You have no idea" kind of way. Gabriel rises to his feet slowly, his mug only half empty. "Don't worry, Bernard, you haven't driven me away. Whole reason I was up so damn early is that I have a job today that's really damn early. Hope to catch you around, you're entertaining." Gabriel hesitates, then quickly adds, "I mean that as a compliment."

"Indeed, good luck with your job than." Bernard says, "And no offense taken." He adds before reaching for his previously untouched pastry and lifting it up to take a bite from it.

Gabriel dips his head as he opens the door. "Have a good day." Then he's out into the rain that is covering the sky that isn't even glowing yet.