19827/Barbarian Lunch

Barbarian Lunch
Date of Scene:	09 January 2025
Location:	New York cafe
Synopsis:	Alison and Conan have lunch and chitty-chat.
Cast of Characters:	Alison Blaire, Conan

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Alison Blaire has posed:
It's mid-day, around lunchtime and the small cafe is busy with sandwich orders and salads and other stuff for the people sitting around at tables or booths. Alison has her blonde hair up all professional like, and she wears a skirt and nice white blouse. Alison is seated off to the side in a booth. She tells the nice waitress that she's waiting for a friend of hers, but she leaves some menus helpfully.

Some fans still spot her and she says hello, signing an autograph before she texts a Barbarian to make sure he has the right address.

Conan has posed:
When Conan receives the text he stops and looks around, then checks his phone once again to make sure he does indeed have the right address. Rather than reply on the phone he pulls the door open and enters the cafe. He instantly spots his date and grins at her.

Today, the big man is wearing a dark gray three piece suit with a red tie and pocket square. The suit is very nice wool and tailored to the barbarian. Someone even told him not to button the bottom button on his coat. There's a wrapped present in his hands

Without hesitation he strides towards Dazzler's booth, "I have found the cafe, Alison. I would not miss this meeting for a king's ransom."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire grins and straightens up at the booth as Conan walks over. She snickers, "Don't built it up /too/ much," she explains to him and motions to the seat across from her for him to sit down, "I didn't know if you had the right address or not. Here, have a seat," she explains, "Nice tie," she comments.

Alison slides the menu across toward Conan, "The waitress said to try the Ultimate Chicken Sandwich. You've tried chicken before...right?" she asks curiously, "You must have quite a different diet than anyone else! I'll have to warn you about processed foods. I think there's an app for that," she advises.

Conan has posed:
Conan takes the offered seat, settling his bulk in smoothly and accepting the menu to take a look at it, "I have eaten many chickens." Yep. Many. "I have eaten many strange and wonderful things in my travels, but the variety of food in New York is unlike anything I could have imagined! I could eat all day for a year and still find new things to try. This is a wonderful time, much better than my own."

He touches his tie and then shrugs, "I do not like ties. They have no use other than strangling."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire smiles knowingly and nods, "Well I'm glad you like it. Now, don't eat too many cream cuffs. Or donuts. I will have my exercise guru send you a text if you want," she explains, "Are you keeping your...Barbarian regimen? Must be quite a change," she asks.

"Well you didn't have to dress up!" Alison says and smiles more, "Yes I was in the area for a meeting and I just thought this would be a good place for lunch," she explains. After the waitress comes back to the table, she puts an order for a salad for herself.

Conan has posed:
"Barbarian regimen?" Conan asks curiously, clearly lost at that remark. "Things are very different here. I haven't stolen or killed much, if that's what you're asking." He pauses, "I do need to return a sword to the museum. It's much better now than it was when I got it, sharp and oiled and ready for war!" He sounds proud of that.

"The tailor told me to wear this when I want to impress someone," the barbarian explains. "I am impressive without it, but I will take any advantage I can get."

When he looks at the waitress he says, "Ultimate Chicken Sandwich."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire motions to him and explains, "Oh I just meant...clearly it's a little easier to get by in New York. You don't need to hike, or climb mountains or kill a bunch of grizzly bears," she explains, clearly of the opinion he was really physically active.

"Your tailor?" Alison asks and then smiles at the thought of a barbarian tailor, "It's a nice suit," she comments. She types something into her phone and texts Conan some contact info about some of the people she works with for any of his questions about food, or exercise, or music, "I'm sending you some phone numbers. And don't forget, I can be a contact too," she explains. After a few more minutes of conversation, the waitress returns with Alison's salad and Conan's chicken sandwich, which has onions, and bacon, and lettuce and pickles and mushrooms.

Conan has posed:
"Yes! New York is very easy to live in," Conan says with a nod of his head. "I train every day. There is a room in the tower with many heavy things to lift and strange surfaces to run on. It took some time to learn the other machines, but I have already mastered them all. I have been told about arcades with machines to conquer. I am to go to one with Longshot and Hellboy."

"Yes," the warrior says with a smile. "I needed clothing and went to the Garment District to find a tailor. That is where I met Ted the Beetle. I was accosted and we defeated a number of villains."

As the phone numbers hit his phone the barbarian says, "I will send a text to them all to ask about processed food. And I would reach out to you as often as you would like. I have no idea of what is normal with phones other than not calling after sunset."

When the sandwich arrives Conan thanks the waitress and picks the food up. He looks at it, takes a deep inhalation in through his nose, then grunts and takes a mighty chomp!

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire chuckles Conan's unique antics as he just takes a huge bite of the large chicken sandwich. "Just my fitness guru would know about processed food," she explains, "Seems like you've made a lot of friends and contacts," she adds.

Alison eats a little bit of her salad in front of her, "Oh I've had no sightings of any wizards by the way. But my security team is going to help me with another problem while we keep an eye out for this wizard's influence. I actually wouldn't know the first place to look for a wizard anyway. Is there anything you'd like to do about him? If he's still out there, that is?" she wonders.

Conan has posed:
"I will just ask them about that," Conan says between bites. "I have met many people here that I consider friends and allies. This is a good place, with warriors who fight for what they feel to be right. People live easily here. I seldom see anyone, even beggars, going hungry."

"No wizard sightings?" The Barbarian asks. "Good. They are best slain or avoided. If Kulan Gath is out there I will find him and chop him into one hundred pieces. I will then have one hundred riders leave the city in one hundred directions and throw those pieces of Kulan Gath in the first sizeable body of water they find."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire hmms at this chopping plan, nodding in agreement, "Right, chop him up and throw him away," she repeats, as she considers it, maybe thinking Conan is not being literal. He is being super metaphoric and so she smiles, impressed with this.

"Well there's still /some/ people who are disadvantaged. That's why I was thought of doing more charity stuff. We gave a million dollars away from the 'We Are One World' album sales. It was great," she explains to him, "The album is still selling so we're still doing concerts."

Conan has posed:
"You are good to help people that way," Conan declares seriously. "Were I king of this land there would be no people on the streets. There is plenty for everyone in New York. I can smell all the food that is thrown in the alleys."

"I'm glad that you are still doing concerts! I had an excellent time at roller skating."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire has some more of her salad and nods to what Conan says then smiles, "Yeah I mean, it's true. There's tons of food thrown out every day," she agrees, "And you don't have to be a singer to help out," she adds and shrugs.

"Yeah it was cool right?!" Alison says and grins, excited that Conan has mentioned roller skating and seems interested in her concert, "Yeah we contracted with a local sports arena and they supplied all the skating surfaces we used. Pretty good deal. Someone on my team knew this local business," she explains, "Oh by the way, I've been wondering what the Barbarian Workout is like. It must be intense! Yeah, you should market that," she suggests amusedly.

Conan has posed:
"Cool." Yep. That's Conan's reply to the question. "I have decided to be a hero and help people even though there is no reward. I would have the people of New York know that Conan of Cimmeria is here to protect them. And to sell them phones."

"Would you like me to show you how I exercise here?" The barbarian asks curiously. "I have no mountains to climb and bulls to wrestle, nor are there soldiers to train with or tax collectors to murder and rob."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire hmms to what Conan comments, "Not everybody's like that," she suggests about being heroic like Conan. She smiles at him, perhaps respecting his approach.

Alison considers his question a moment as if its a dare and the nods, "Yes, I think I would be interested," she explains and then smiles, "If only for my curiosity. Is that alright?" she asks.

Conan has posed:
Conan smiles at Alison, "I would help you sate your curiosity. I can demonstrate my ability to conquer all of the machines."

"If I am to live in this place I would have people look upon me with admiration rather than fear or loathing. I have seen the way they look at gods and heroes and I will be among them."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire hmms and nods, "Yes well you're right about that but even Superman sometimes has trouble with people relations. Yeah if you ever need an agent, just call my team, they'll help you out with that," she explains helpfully. She smiles.

"All the machines? Well usually I don't use /all/ of them," Alison muses, and finishes her salad, putting her fork down, "Okay, I'll text you and we can meet up at your gym sometime."

Conan has posed:
"I will contact you and your people," Conan replies with a smile of his own.

"It will be a good experience. I wish to go to something called free running, as well. That may be a new endeavor for me."

Alison Blaire has posed:
Alison Blaire peers at him amusedly, "Free running? Around the city?" she wonders, "You probably should check if they have a free running course available," she explains and then smiles, nodding at his ambition to free run almost immediately.

"So thanks for lunch," Alison says and then smiles, "It was great. We'll have to do it again sometime. Don't forget about what I said and text me or my team if you need anything."

Conan has posed:
"I will try the course first," Conan says. "Professional instruction is the best way to learn something quickly."

"You're welcome," the barbarian says simply as he smiles at his friend. "It was very good. I look forward to our next meeting, Alison."