Just walk right in, it's around the back...

[ooeeooahah]

[ Downtown, Midday, open to anyone in town ]

[ One of the buildings has been getting a good bit of attention. The week has seen many things attached to the roof, or added to the alley behind the building that might have been the diner. While the exterior has not been that polished, it has been cleaned and made weather-tight. ]

[ Today, there are three additions to the windows in the front of the building. ]

[ First, the largest addition has been a chalkboard sign in the window, declaring Today's Special to be Pancakes with Fruit. ]

[ Second, there is a cardboard sign requesting volunteers for additional cooks and servers, shifts negotiable. ]

[ Third, a small, neatly hand-lettered sign notes that Dr. Ilsa Higa is available for counseling. ]

[ Inside, there are only two tables for four, but plenty of space for more. However, there are ten stools at the counter. Ilsa is behind the counter, putting away clean dishes in the shelves above the grill, generally straightening up. ]

Comments

Late Night, maybe around close, let's say?

[spitefulvitae]

[There may not be any pancakes left at this point, but Natalie is alright with that. A night out and away from house-building is a night out and away, and it's not like she could do much with the daily special.]

I think I like what you've done with the place...

[Half-smiling, she comes up to the counter and sits herself at a stool nearby Ilsa. She's dressed much less primly than usual. Her hair is tied up in a very fluffy ponytail, and she's in broken-in jeans and a dirt and paint-stained long-sleeved cotton shirt.

At least, one can only hope that the reddish-brownish stains are paint.]

Definitely time for closing the kitchen

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa smiles as she finishes washing up. ]

It won't be finished for a while, but it's a start.

[ Smiling, Ilsa asks, ] When'd you last eat, hon?

[spitefulvitae]

You can cook things, it has chairs and tables, and the roof doesn't leak, I can only assume... I like it.

[She catches Ilsa's offer, laughs, and shakes her head.] You've probably had a hard day... and I've already eaten. Though... mmn, do you have a cup to spare? Just... the cup. An empty cup.

[Let's not give Ilsa any reason to be donating blood, whether request or misunderstanding.]

[ooeeooahah]

I can spare some stoneware, sure.

[ She stands, reaching across the counter to the shelf under it, retrieving one of the thick ceramic mugs. ]

You let me know when you need something, okay?

[ Ilsa hands over the mug, and asks, ] When you were baking, was that something you liked doing, or just another thing the programming forced on you?

[spitefulvitae]

[She takes the mug, peers inside, then frowns thoughtfully at it. And in the blink of an eye, it's full of blood. Which Natalie proceeds to take a dignified sip of.]

...yes, so I can't go slaughtering drones anymore. I think this might be a valid alternative.

[She grins. She shrugs. Then she sets the mug down on the countertop, fingers still wrapped around it, to answer Ilsa's question.]

I like it well enough. I like to create. The town just seemed to have more call for me to bake things than to have me write poems or essays or whatever.

[beetlemania]

[Ted had been walking by the building in question when he had to stop and do a double-take at that sign in the window. It couldn't be, could it? Pancakes? Here, now, just after he'd been telling Booster he wanted some?

Had to be a trap. A trick of some sort.

But Ted was hungry, and he was curious, and he figured that if this was some sort of trick, he'd at least humor Booster and "fall" for it. So he'll go inside.]

You seriously have pancakes here?

[Don't mind him looking all wary around the area, he's expecting a prank of some sort at any second.]

[ooeeooahah]

Come on in!

[ Ilsa motions him to the counter. ]

I managed to bring in some supplies for the diner, finally. Buttermilk, whole wheat, or latkes - and I got blueberries, strawberries, and peaches. I'm saving some of the chocolate chips for the kids, but since you're the first in...

[ She smiles with a shrug. ]

[beetlemania]

[Well, it doesn't seem like a trap...or did that mean it was a really good trap?

...but who cares about that now? He's still hungry.]

Ah, buttermilk with blueberries would be great, if you don't mind.

[Yep, had to be the blueberries. Blue's definitely his color.]

[ooeeooahah]

Be just a few minutes, hon.

[ She ladles out the batter for a stack, ] Berries in or on them?

[beetlemania]

[Ted takes a seat at the counter.]

In 'em would be great.

[velesdonnersen]

[He's sitting at the far end of the newly constructed counter, on a spin-stool he's enjoying very much. He watches Ilsa taking care of customers. He's proud of her. She's different from Agatha -- but no less capable or formidable. He's quietly working on a project...one based on a book he encountered in the childrens' section of the library.]

It's wonderful, liebe.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She ends her coffee-refill run of the counter at his seat, eyeing the level of the sugar and creamer shakers near him. ]

What're you working on, 'bibi?

[velesdonnersen]

[He's mischievous...a luxury he didn't often have in Europa, and too rarely even in Mayfield.]

[Wicked, amused voice lowered as though to protect a secret.]

Shhhhhh! I'm making you....a donut maker! See?

[ooeeooahah]

Oh, they used to have something like that at the coffee shop around the corner from the hospital!

[ She kisses him on the forehead. ]

When you get the prototype done, let me know to add the ingredients to the grocery list.

[velesdonnersen]

[Grins.] Nutmeg. Mace. Eggs. Sugar. Baking powder.

Yes. I did go to the library, and there was a cookbook.

[emperor_cowboy]

[Oh... Well, he's done a fine job at avoiding contact with everyone up until now. He happened to glance over at one of the buildings that had gone about some changes. A small part of him wants to venture forth inside, but the majority decides just to keep walking.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ Of course, if someone is watching for you, they're likely to call after you. ]

Coffee, Hol?

[emperor_cowboy]

[He immediately froze and coughed. Clearing his throat he looked over his shoulder.]

Uh, not now. Quite good, thank ya.

[ooeeooahah]

[ She raises an eyebrow. ]

No pancakes, then?

[emperor_cowboy]

Eh... N-no, jes ate.

[It was time to make a hasty retreat.]

[afterthesky]

[Sarah Jane looks the whole establishment over]

Well that seems to be coming along nicely.

[ooeeooahah]

I know everyone is working on houses, but I figured there was bound to be some who forgot to eat until after they'd used up their pull from the aether. Care for some tea?

[afterthesky]

Tea would be lovely.

I've been helping here and there on some of the infrastructure. The thought of a house just doesn't sit right.

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa loads a tea ball with black tea, and adds hot water. ]

Thinking of an apartment building?

[afterthesky]

[Proper tea. How she's missed it.]

Yes, once I can get it organized. Too much space would just feel... wrong.