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Elliot, at least, lived full time in the area and was available for hours during the winter break between fall and spring semesters. Still, it was both a Saturday and the day after a holiday. Elliot had been kind enough to help man the New Year's Eve party for VIP members and donators, but he wasn't scheduled for that day. The system phone in Quenton's pocket alerted him that someone had entered at the front, and he came out from the cat room with dishes from a couple that were in enjoying their reservation with Mowsir and Mr. Binks. The cups were hastily put aside on the counter immediately on taking in not only the Who but the How in Isaiah's arrival. " Zähne! Here- can I help you by taking that? Tasty hush your face, you're fine."

"Can you sit comfortably? " The carrier was put onto the barrista chair with the strap over the backrest to make sure that TastyKake couldn't weightshift herself whole-off the chair and into a puddle of angry on the floor. Thankfully there were the couple of cafe tables in the front with their two small chairs a piece for early comers to wait and relax at, or for those with allergies that wanted to watch friends and loved ones inside with the cats. Quenton tried to direct Isaiah to the nearest one. He looks terrible. Not done up at all. Has he been in the hospital, then, and not a vacation?

"We've missed you a month. This doesn't look like a surprise vacation, or a rival coffee shop with better espresso or stockings. Can I bring you anything? What happened?" It was a little sad it was a Saturday, and Quenton found himself not dolled up at all as he'd come to appreciate being when meeting and bantering with this particular customer.

Quenton gave a nod to indicate socially having heard and to be going to take actions, then left the table again back to the barista stand. A moment was taken to gather out a small dish and some highest quality, freeze-dried cat venison to pass in the carrier to Tasty. Then a quick hand wash. Last, some small minutes to attend the minutiae of an exactingly pulled Flat White and the extra moments to create a practiced, decorative cat picture in the microfoam. Then Quenton returned to the cafe table and set the drink in front of Isaiah before taking the seat opposite the man. He'd already had his own drink below the counter, a chai that was safely kept in a reusable, cat-patterned, double walled glass tumbler, so he brought it along for the sake of social lubricant. People didn't like to drink or eat alone socially.

"Her singing is still very fine, I see. " She looks the better of the two of you. "So what is the mess? "

I don't think anyone in this city calls anyone else insane anymore. After the floating rabbit creatures, the mass attacks, kidnappings, the news scoops and magic...abnormal is almost the norm for 'something bad happened'. This looks like 'bad' rather than 'good' mess.

"That sounds related all to the terrorists and freedom fighters from the news. They're the reason there's so many strays in Destiny City to begin with." And unusual for them to be using actual weapons on a civilian, rather than draining you or just outright taking your starseed. Possible, though. There are the outliers- Quenton tensed and untensed his right hand, feeling the press of the bones with the tension against his own. Which of them has a scythe, and might potentially do violence for violence sake?

" I am happy to take her on foster for her happiness and your ease if you can tell me a more definite time frame than 'blows over' sometime in the next three months. Building a new place could take a long while. Some apartments don't accept pets. Ballparks, not details, though. The business of your life IS your own. It is a matter of statistics and Tasty having the best chance of being where she belongs- with you. Up to one year is still a foster, but much more than that and it's doubtful that people intend to take a pet back according to most statistics. I understand that insurance companies take time. Decisions...take time. My condolences...on a fire. That's devastating. "

"You don't have to give me answers right away. I can take her in now, and keep here at least three months before I need a more definite idea. " Become a target?

"You expect the Láthspell to continue?"

"That is a dangerous situation. Whether Mafia, Gang Wars, or Terrorists." The situation of violent division left many targets of opportunity throughout history. Destiny City was, ultimately, no different. It begged the question of whether there really was a way to get out from under it. For himself, it seemed so- there'd been no tails or Negaverse activity surrounding his living space or classes since Bischofite's direct influence was gone. It was possible that Zähne could break free of the storm clouds. It was equally possible that he'd get targeted again, and soon, and they'd finish what they'd started.

And then poor Tasty would be out her butler.

"We don't run into this exact situation often. The struggle between the two has left many people in coma, wounded, killed, destitute, or just plain running scared and abandoning everything of life here. Pets of all kinds end up homeless. The shelter we're affiliated deals with the cats of such cases. Many of our furry overlords here once belonged to someone who was local and prosperous. "

"Tasty has lost her family once. " Quenton looked over at the bag on the barista chair with the aforementioned puff smacking her snack amid her sorrow. Nothing helped a mood like eating sorrow for calories. She'd probably settle to washing herself after. "We've not directly lost any customers, as far as we know. I'd rather not ever. If there's something we can do for you, yourself, other than the foster, let us know? "

It was a little over formal, and implied more than usual that he had any direct control over the Catfé itself than just being a barista, but it was worth the extension. Zähne had been an excellent regular, and pleasant company every time he'd been around. And more- he was in trouble from the War. The responsibility to the people we protect, or whose lives we touch, doesn't really end when we take off our uniforms. Even if so many want to just have a 'normal' life then. There's no going back. Not really.

Levity unexpected, but cleverly segued into something of the more usual banter and innuendo of Tuesdays. And a chasing thought wondering if Zähne really did have three tongue-rings. He'd noted on other occasions a glint of metal in the man's mouth when he laughed at some feline antic, and the occasional dull clickity of something touching the man's teeth when he waited near the barista stand for his drink or something gotten off the bottoms shelves.

The next words drew his attention immediately from not so subtly staring at Isaiah's mouth, though. ' directly involved ', 'doesn't go to an agent of the Negaverse'
How direct is direct? A civilian helping a senshi? related to? Older brother, cousin, uncle, lover to a Knight? Or a senshi or knight himself? Of the Mirror? Or an agent trying to get out? There are many possibilities. The only known now is a negative against the Negaverse. So what do I do with that?

"May words be no kind of omen—Tasty to come back to you and your survival through trials of that sort assured. I hope. I haven't heard of any tests of that sort. There's no equivalent criminal background check for magical mania and caped crusading. " Quenton sipped his chai, uncomfortable with how help could be offered in the unique situation of being deliberately hunted but needing to still make a living. Having a class schedule had been enough of a hassle when he'd been sure some agent would want to make use of him in leveraging Alois. "I imagine you've been spending this last month trying to figure out the angles of how to fix things. You're always so precise."

It was left open toned, like a question, or an invitation if Zähne wanted to bounce ideas of mitigating the mess off a separate party. It could also be glossed over and declined as a statement of empathy. "After spending a week on a problem, one of the last things I want to do is talk even more about it, hearing someone else go through all the basic first steps I've already thought of just so that they can get up to speed. I should take Tasty upstairs to start acclimating, and sometimes it helps to see how a pet is going to be fostered? That they'll be well cared for assuages some anxiety over the choice. "

"It would involve stairs?" Stairs do not look well for him.

' a sudden demand by the Negaverse to add Saturn knights to their possession.'
The friend involved as the byway, then, or Zähne himself a Saturn Knight. It seems so specific a want as to be madness. But other agents have had their own strange enough foibles. Why not have a 'collector' obsessive? "Spending patience for another's benefit is worth the smiles. Or yowls. "

Getting up, Quenton retrieved the Tasty-case from the chair and unlocked the dark-stained, solid oak door on the back end wall of the barista area that generally went unnoticed. "It will close on it's own and lock automatically behind you. Third floor is our destination, but there's stacked, already sanded, stained and polyurethaned pallets on the foyer of the second floor if you need a rest. "

Further comment, or advice, regarding the troubles of the Negaverse waited until the door was indeed closed and they were on their way up the flights to the tune of Tasty's People's song, "If you can mix your hours weekly at your job, irregularity and inconstancy help in avoiding or giving you enough warning to react, escape, to stalking magical or otherwise. Give clear instructions not to provide any information about you to your staff, and for them to take notes of anyone they encounter who is asking for it, or scoping your car- descriptions, dates, times. Unlisted telephone. Being with others, in public, such as having a friend do groceries with you, carpooling with others instead of taking your own, the usual increasing personal protection plans. "

"Not having anyone you don't know well into your personal space, when you get through arrangements for a new place or apartment, is another, which may be difficult for your evening job. And your tumblr audience. "

"It is a high risk game. The highest stakes known to any of those caught in it. Three years ago, nearly, Tag Swagger did a expose called 'Destiny City: A City Under Threat' that gets lip service still regarding 'Senshi' and 'Negaverse' that adds up to thin, yellow journalism to anyone who's encountered bits and pieces in the flesh. An important factor for you will be that there are a lot of people touched by it, many for the worse- losing friends and family in the crossfire. There's enough members on both sides, as well, that partnerships and small teams form. Make connections. There are people who have been doing it for at least five years, maybe more. They can probably answer at least some questions."

"Avoiding hospitals, when an injury is specific enough, is prudence. It isn't hyperbole to start defining the hunt for enemies of the Negaverse as similar to the Nuremberg Laws. A well placed doctor or nurse on either side could be sifting for injuries similar to ones reported through either group. I expect the same of police reports. "

"I've lost someone to it. I am not friendly to the 'vigilante' Negaverse. But this is a place of business and a haven by design. I intend to keep it that way. A place for the city to relax, to heal, to be creative in. As long as I can," Quenton led up the next stairwell, equally wood and old, though polished and kept up. "On such grounds, you're welcome here if you're in trouble. It isn't much, but it's a start. You sound embroiled. "

The second stair came to a small landing of polished wood and another heavy door, which opened out into a space in dark greys, neutral and green accents with stark shafts of light from high and many windows. Out one side, near the kitchen, the windows peered on the winter colours of a rooftop garden. The lines of the apartment were remodeled modern and spartan that still paid homage, or even celebrated the antique roots. Built in shelves housed books, small sculpture, and a few landscape-framed figure studies all of one man in states of thinness or outright emaciation. There was evidence of black fluff here and there, the inevitable tumbleweeds that came with hardwood and flagstone flooring.

Once the door was shut behind Isaiah, Quenton set down the carrier, crouched and released the Tasty to the new world. "She'll be more comfortable exploring with you here."