11641/Coffee After Collapse

Coffee After Collapse
Date of Scene:	17 June 2022
Location:	The Coffee Bean
Synopsis:	Monet and Patience meet again
Cast of Characters:	Monet St. Croix, Patience Alperen

---

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix is sitting in a coffee shop. One arm is up and over in a sling, she's in a back brace and her other arm has a crutch propped to the side of the table, with one leg done up in a heavily reinforced cast. She has a distant look in her eyes, even whiel absently sipping from a cup of coffee. What would stand out to anyone that might distantly know the girl is that it's incredibly cheap coffee. Normal coffee. There are a series of bandages over her face and her hair has been cut some.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Coffee is the universal language and fuel that New York City runs on at all hours.

When the need for a pick-me-up comes around, Patience makes her way to the nearest coffee shop. Today she wears a red pull-over hoodie. Its lower hem hangs down well past her hips to leave her with an extra measure of decency that is not offen associated with the black and gray yoga pants she also wears.

Stepping to the counter, she places her order quietly and pays. Moving aside to wait for her items to be prepared, she spares a glance around the room. Brown eyes grow large on seeing the clearly injured woman seated by herself.

Turning back to get her drink and snack, a muffin, she makes her way toward the injured woman.

"Excuse me. We, I believe, spoke at the Main Library briefly? The other day? You.. didn't seem to care for my tastes in music and quality.." she says with a wry smile.

Then she jumps back to the present, "I.. won't ask if you're currently okay, because obviusly. But I hope you're at least on the mending side of.. whatever happened."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Coffee. Alcohol. Ridiculous themed supervillains that put those in Gotham to shame. It's the type of things one just gets a distant look in their eyes and has learned to accept. Monet's coffee has long since gotten cold and her mobile hand has not touched it. The girl has not made eye contact with anything in particular in the room, just sort of gazing about distantly.

At the aproach of Patience, there's only a distant look of recognition before Patience would approach. There's none of the bristling that M might normally give (or at least no doubt the sense that one would get from her). "Ah, yes. I'm.. Sorry for being rude. And I am.." She would look down at herself. She should probably be bedridden and only moving in a wheelchair with her seeming state.

"I am on the mend." Or in extremely strong denial on it.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. "You don't need to apologize. I wasn't offended. I just felt bad that I had bothered you when I was trying, very much, to not bother anyone while I was doing my research." The best laid plans.

She looks concerned. "I'm glad that you're going to be okay." he looks puzzled about how the woman managed to even get her in this state. It isn't like the coffee shop is part of the hospital and she came down for a break from her recovery room!

Looking to the coffee, "Is there something I could get you? A fresh drink or snack? So you don't have to move any more than necessary?"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod flatly, "I hope that your research finished productively and you found what you were after." Her having not particularly thought of the girl since, having presumed that she wouldn't encounter her again.

"Forgive me, I don't think we exchanged names. I am Monet St. Croix." Her speaking it with the full French accient.

"I am fine with coffee for the moment." Cold cup. "I believe that I.. Should treat you to make amends for my interruption last time."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. "Yes. I was able to locate the books I was after. They... did not yield the details I had hoped that they would. But I wouldn't consider it an unsuccessful trip."

She looks to the cup then back. "You really don't need to do that. It's okay" she assures. A warm smile is offered, "Hello Ms St Croix. I'm Patience Alperen." She tips her head toward the empty side of the booth Monet is using. "I don't wish to be a bother. But you looked like you might like a little company. Not that we have to talk. Sometimes just having someone nearby is enough. And if not, I can easily leave you to your thoughts."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "And what in particular were you seeking to research?" A distraction mentally is welcome. "I may be able to assist some with looking for something more fitting." An open ended offer that could be taken or dismissed as it was.

"I am more than content to. I can afford it likely far mroe effectively than you can." Patience is no doubt to M's definition of 'the lower classes' so by her intonation is proper. "And I would.. Welcome the company."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen very much lives a lower class lifestyle. It isn't healthy to Jet-Set and call attention to herself with her, er, day job. She smiles, "I'm working on a.. religious thesis. I had hoped to find some insights among the older religious philosophy books there. But.. it was successful in that I know the books I need are not there. It narrows my search by, well. A lot, really." She laughs.

A nod, relenting to the insistence to buy her a drink. "Well I did just get my drink. But.. perhaps a refill in a bit?" trying to compromise. For the moment she slips into the booth across from the other woman. "What... sort of music do you like? I gathered that you have a great appreciation for music from our first meeting.." she says with a smile.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would fold her arms together, "A religious thesis? If one's looking for guidance in older philosophy texts, some more targeted research is likely to yield better results. I might suggest rather than broad readings that you aim for more focused ones if you're looking to narrow your search further. Fluency in hte linguistics is important. Many of the texts will have gone through numerous translations throughout the period they have existed, and much of the intent will have changed from translation to translation. If you can find one fluent in the original language of most of them then it would help get a better idea."

Monet would go to put up some money to cover the drink. "And the classical renaissance composers. There is something relaxing knowing you are listening to music that has touched minds for centuries."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen listens as the advise is freely given. She tries to hide an amused smile behind sipping her drink and nods. "I agree. There were some quotes I had hoped to find in the books that the library has. But they weren't present in the editions they own. It's not a big deal. It's all new knowledge I didn't have before." She tugs a leg under herself, shifting to get comfortable. "Classical music is wonderful. There are times where nothing else will soothe. But I'm a bit too much of a rebel. I go for more classic rock I'm afraid."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "You'll have better results if looking for specific quotes finding them online. the editions for public access will be more recent and ones you can access freely. The older ones will often require authorization in advance to review and some level of scheduling to have access to and monitoring. And you can like what you enjoy. Music is a thing where one finds personal freedom and meaning in."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. "I appreciate the insight, Monet. You do seem to be well read as well as well.. music'd..." a pause, ".. is that even a word?" she questions of herself. Another sip of her drink. "May I ask what you do?" she wonders.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would laugh, "It is called a conossieur. One develops an appreciation for history and learning. Philsophy is an extremely important copmonent of understanding culture and change. What society prioritizes and how they think. I am a student."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen listens and smiles as she is corrected once again. "I am learning. I did not come from a family with much of a... focus on education. I have a lot of lost time to make up for." She shrugs, "But that is part of life. Bettering myself every day."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance at Patience, shifting herself just a few centimeters to ease some of the pressure from her posture. "And would it be rude of me to ask if you are comfortable elaborating on it? I understand that it is personal and not something you might wish to dos o."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. "It's... " How to put this delecately. "There is a particular line of thought going back to Peter Abelard, if not even earlier, that maintains those who chose to ascribe reasoning to their efforts to dissect religion and views held by The Church in that era, were more inclined to fall for and into heresy." She shrugs. "It's not crucial but there was a particular quote I am seeking to validate as being made by Abelard, or possibly by another abbot, Bernard of Clairvaux."

She laughs, "It's more to prove a hunch than to be any sort of revelation or break trough. I just wanted to be sure I had the facts as correct as possible, now, some twelve-hundred years later."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Ah, those that attempted to apply logic to matters of faith were heretics, as that could lean to some degree of questioning of belief. Or if not of belief, then of direction in the faith. And in turn had the possibility of disrupting the control that those whom enforced the tenets might have. And in such a thing having the correct wording is highly important. Particularly to grasp intent and and focus. A very specific thing to be sure of. Particularly when looking from different sensibilities."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles and nods. "Yes. Exactly." She laughs. "You're more than just a student, clearly. Most would just look at me and their eyes would glaze over as I explained even that much." She sips her drink. "But yes. There were a few statements I believe have been misatributed and for the sake of my own satisfaction, I'm seeking to find collaborative details. Or to debunk the matter once and for all if it comes to that. I do not have a preconceived outcome that I wish. Only to be sure I know the truth."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Yes, also one of the issues with looking at records and things lost in time. Politics, memories.. Mistranslations. One could have a rival o ra petty student some generations down the line that would misattribute something for personal grievance or amusement.."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen nods. "That is my situation, yes. But.. I am trying to track down possible sources in the States. In Manhattan in particular. There are private collectors I have contacted." She sits back, looking out the window, a far away look suddenly in her eyes as she murmurs, "... really don't want to go back to Vatacan City...." a quiet sigh.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "I can understand that. I have been there. Everything is.. Highly inefficient. Just as they have used a storage and sorting system for millenia does not mean that it operates well. It is far too.. Regimented to allow access on a timely basis."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen blinks and looks back, realizing she said that aloud. She smiles. "Yes. And the level of red tape involved.. " she shakes her head. Even as The Magdalena, allegedly with bloodline ties to their most Holy; she still has extremely limited access even with clear need. There was a reason she told them it was them, not her and broke up. As it were.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Patience, "Yes, and they have the only copies of many things. But even sumamries of their collections are so rare as to make it difficult to even know if one can ask for something that there is no knowledge of it's contents."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen nods knowingly. "Yes. That. All of that." SHe sits back heavily. Dejected. They just piss her off. She attacks her muffin now, nibbling at bits. "So yeah. That's all. Just a project with no real likelihood of ever confirming the truth. But I'm still going to try."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would go to take her hand up and over to.. IF permitted, try to rest her hand on the palm of Patience. "I am sorry. You try so much and you feel such great pain from it and yet still try and do the right thing for the truth." Looking at the girl in the eyes with understanding. And with thsoe portions of memories and thoughts coming out.. trying to sort them but in a way to not invade the girl's mind more.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen rolls her gaze back from the window as her hand is touched. She doesn't pull her hand away but in that moment she almost looks... old. The weight she carries is more than any one person should bear and yet she was never given a choice in the matter. Simply because of her bloodline.

She smiles, turning her hand to lightly squeeze at Monet's. "That is.. surprisingly insightful. And.. I can't even lie and say that you have any of it wrong..." she laughs weakly. "It's... okay. Really. I can't.. I shouldn't.. burden you with what I really do. Least of all while you're recovering from.. whatever horrible thing happened with you."

A tired smile. "But thank you. It's nice to think someone might understand some of it. The thoughts in her mind race. Not because she feels she's had them skimmed by a telepath but because of how much turmoil there is in her own head to process for herself.

And in it all, a brief, but extremely vivid image of the Spear of Longinus. The Spear of Destiny. And a whole lot of anxiety floods her mind after that. Something happened. There is a loss. an emptiness that she feels responsible for. But it was never her fault it was lost.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Patience, "there are other ways. If you need access.. Well.. Hire a reputable thief to take them. If the thief is successful then youwill have access to them, and can tell the Vatican later on you pursued the thief an were able to recover them. If the thief fails, then you can simply pass along a vague warning of it and offer your aid in helping to research htem to discover why a thief would have pursued such tones over in the first place. If they're good at their job, you'll be set either way. I can make some possible recommendations.."

Monet would shrug. "It sometimes behooves us to listen. Particularly when trying to give aid to anotehr scholar." M's hand goes up and moves to if she's allowed keep her hand in place. M does not pry in too deeply. But thsoe thoughts going up to the surface.. Are impossible to not notice. And she knows what thsoe things are. She knwos what they are.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. She doesn't pull her hand away. It is nice to have human contact once in a while. It's too easy to feel isolated and alone.

She nods slowly. "That is possible. But the level of security in Vatacan City, in the archives?" she shakes her head. "I don't need to incur any more disfavor with them. I've done enough by quitting my duties to them and going out on my own." She isn't even sure why she's admitting any of this. Maybe the pressure has just built up too much in side and it has to come out sometime.

She sighs, eyes closing as she tips her head back in the booth to try and calm her thoughts.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "That si why one has a -good- thief do it. The archives have been breached many times. Wha tis one more to the list? By reputation at least." She would smile over. It's a rare true smile from her. "And you are allowed to do things you feel -let- yoruself do better at your duties. If they do not trus tyou.. Then you can take actions to help you feel more confident in yourself."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Okay that would be the first thing Monet has said that makes Patience question her.

Eyes open. Her voice quiet. "I don't question my abilities. I know what I can do. I question if it is worth it. If there is value to being manipulated as a tool for The Church." SHe draws her hand back now, pulling into herself. "I question if anything I do will truly make a change. I understand my role. My... purpose. And I know the power in word - and in blood - of my... heritage. It is very real. But it doesn't lessen the burden."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over, "I'm not saying you need to question them. Not yourself or your faith. But you are allowed to do things for your own self confidence. Questioning is healthy. So is unsurety. But you can do things for yourself to help make you feel surer in your own abilities."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen frowns. "For having just met. you seem to think you know a lot about what is best for me, or about things I didn't actually tell you about." And now she's eyeing the woman with guarded eyes. Her mental defenses, mortal as they are, are up. Her fight or flight instincts have just kicked in and Monet could probably heear her breath rate increasing. "Who /are/ you.." she asks sharply.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shake her head, "I apologie, I do not." She would flatten her features, "I.. Just spent much of my life basing it around expectations. And what was required of me. I.. Thought I read such impressions of yourself. Forgive me." She would sigh, "I am Monet St. Croix. Or if you wish my full name, I am Monet Yvette Clarisse Maria Therese St. Croix. I attend Professor Xavier's school for the gifted in Westchester."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen just looks at her. It takes a moment for the turmoil to slowly ease. She relaxes. There have been too many keen on befriending her but with ulterior motives. To get at her, or get access to the abilities her heritage afforded. It was hard to konw who was sincere or otherwise.

She nods. "I've.. heard of the school. But not much else I'm afraid. I'm.. sorry. I had no right to snap at you. I know.. you're only trying to help."

She pauses. "Thank you."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shake her head, "It is fine. I do much the same myself often. It is a.. Habit that I must work at to improve myself." She would let her hand relax. "You are dutiful and seek to better yourself, and no matter what it is you must be under incredible strain. The best I can offer is to do things to help improve your own self confidence and assurance. To do things which will make you feel better in your own capabilities."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen listens. She won't argue with the woman. She's only just met her. "You're... a hard person to understand. Monet Yvette Clarisse Maria Therese St. Croix.." she muses quietly. "There is more to you than you let on. But it isn't my place to pry."

Looking to the woman she replies, "You have a hard exterior. But you aren't as cold as you project." It's her turn to make observations. Even cursory ones. "Thank you."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would smile, "Thank you. And I am.. Glad to have met you, Patience Alperen. I would.. Appreciate, if you are interested in it as well spending some time with you as your.. Studies permit, and perhaps for the two of us to try to get ot know one another?" This is offered with surprising timidness, for all M seemed self assured.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen smiles. "I don't have many I could call friends, Monet." She pauses to look at her for la long moment, "But.. I would like to think that you are on the way to becoming one of them. I would like that if it were to happen." She dared to reach over, sensing the timidity in the woman of a sudden, touching the other's hand in reassurance.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would go to squeeze the hand over when it was given to her over and then tentatively go to lean in and give a gentle kiss to the cheek of Patience. "I think it might be good for us both to get to know one another more."

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen might be flushing. Just a little. She smiles. "They say every stranger has skills that we do not. And that we should learn from them." She hides her blush behind a sip of her now cool coffee. "I think I would like to learn more about you." She looks to Monet and then away shyly. Is she sure what she's asking, exactly? Not in the slightest. But she has no friends. And that is more terrifying than putting herself out there, vulnerable to someone else who might hurt her. Though she does not sense that is the intention here.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "You have shared your fears and thoughts with me. I can with you." She would close her eyes, "It is.. Difficult. But you have given me trust, and I feel I should do the same with you." If permitted her fingers entwining with those of the warrior nun.

Patience Alperen has posed:
Patience Alperen looks over, feeling vulnerable still. But she doesn't pull her hand away, fingers twining together lightly. "I... don't think I know what this means.." She looks to their hands. "But I think we can figure it out. As friends first?" She squeezes that hand. Whatever that gesture is, time will certainly tell.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would squeeze it back, "Yes, that sounds good. And let's enjoy our coffee.. Properly warmed this time? And since you aske,d you canc over the next round for both of us."