5277/Teatime for a Dragon and Crowe

Teatime for a Dragon and Crowe
Date of Scene:	20 February 2021
Location:	Candle, Booke and Belle
Synopsis:	Koga Miura finds himself in the East Village looking for a hot cup of tea and an apartment. He finds the tea, and gets his fortune read.
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, Koga Miura

---

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The Candle, Booke and Belle was one of those shops that was hidden amongst the shadows of the East End, and had a sandwich board out front with an arrow pointed to its rounded-top door announcing that today's tea was called 'Sick and Thai-erd', and that Cranberry-Orange scones were back.

    Once inside, the place had its naturally mysterious aroma of dragonsblood insence and tea, not a bit of patchouli in sight -- er... scent.

    Its sole occupant at the moment was Nettie, whose gray hair was pulled behind her in a simple ponytail, and she was wearing a chunky, earth-tone green sweater over jeans on this Saturday as she cleaned out a few teapots.

    There is a radio playing some 40's erra swing.

Koga Miura has posed:
    The small hum of a motorcycle outside is the first sign of a visitor before a young man walks in. Koga's not exactly that distinctive, but he is looking around a bit before going too far in.

    It actually takes him a moment or two before he walks over towards the bar. "Um... hello? Are you open?" He asks, looking a bit skeptical on the open part.

    He even has his motorcycle helmet under one arm. Just a simple black helmet.

    "I apologize if you are not?" He says.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "If the door opens, then we are indeed open!" Nettie calls back from the sink as she sets the plain white teapots upside-down to air dry, and she wipes her hands on a clean cloth.

    She spies the motorcycle helmet, and gives a wry grin.

    "Brave are you who rides in such weather -- bit nippy outside for a motorcycle ride, innit?" she asks, her British accent coming through, not that posh and polished one, but the nicer kind, gentle and a little muddled.

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga gives a small shrug, smiling, "I come from Japan. The weather's not that bad if you bundle up for it."

    "I was hoping to find some warm tea, but the blends look unfamiliar to me."

He moves to take a seat, looking around a bit more. Mostly in curiousity. "If you do not mind my asking, this seems to be more than just a tea bar? What is it?"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And Nettie, in somewhat Antiquitated Japanese replies: "If you bundle up for the weather, however do you balance with the wind?"

    And she grins, and switches back to English. "Many of the blends are custom, and probably far more Eurocentric than I would have liked. I attended college for tea blending, bit of a hobby o' mine." she gives a grin. "An' this is the Candle, Booke and Belle, a bit of a hodgepodge of tea shop, new age apothecary an' general magical sundries shop for some of the New-Age types in the neighborhood." she smiles, looking over her blends of teas in their lined drawers.

    "What sort of profile are you looking for?"

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga's eyebrows raise in what is obviously surprise, then replies in Japanese, "The wind is my friend as much as it can be."

    He switches back to English afterwards, "Ah. Hm. Do you have any ginger or hojicha?"

    Koga looks a bit curious at the shop pieces. "New-Age? Oh, the movement reverring the old European deities? Interesting. I apologize, I am still looking to move here from Japan. My career took me here."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ginger tea I have, Hojicha? Mmm... Hoji.. Hoji..."

    Nettie climbs up on a librarian's ladder that she pulls from around the side, and begins to wheel herself around and -- "AH! Yes, I have that... Hojicha, roasted green tea leaves, yes." she states, and pulls the drawer down, taking a paper bag of it and sliding down the ladder.

    "And some New Agers follow Egyptian, ancient Chinese or even Japanese gods -- though really, they really should try to appreciate Shinto rather than hodge-podge a culture they don't understand. I spent a few years living in Japan, gained an appreciation for the old archetecture and just the general cleanliness of Japanese building. It was somewhat jarring to go home afterwards."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga smiles, "Hm. Hojicha, please. Better for the circulation, and I really do not need the caffeine... do you sell them by the bags?"

    He shakes his head, "Sometimes it is the freedom to make your own culture that attracts, but few understand the lessons of the past as something established. I hope that those following the Kami at least understand that over simply making your own."

    He looks considerate, "You do speak Japanese very well for only a few years living there."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I had lived in rural Kyushu. I didn't have much of a choice in the matter, I could either learn Japanese or have to rely on a guide book." she gives a wry smile, and looks at the bag. She purses her lips, and gives a nod. "I'll keep this opened bag, I had another of it unopened yet." she states, and she gives a little grin.

    "I think some who decided to incorperate the Kami did so for asthetic reasons and not that they want to try and espose some of their qualities. The same way that some invoke the Norse Aesir and also insist that the Avenger Thor is not the *actual* Thor. Some gymnastics may be involved here." she jokes.

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga rolls his eyes, "That is an interesting idea. I do not think it matters in that case, because we do not know the truth. I would like to see what happens if the Avenger Thor met some Thor worshippers. Just to see the reactions."

    "Hm. Do you have time to brew some of the hojicha? I do not mind paying for the bag and a cup of it as well. Despite being bundled, it is still... ah... how did you put it? Nippy outside?" Koga smiles.

    "Oh, and do you know of any good apartments or homes for sale in the area?" He asks, looking to the window for a moment.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Ah, but someone's Truth is another's interpretation of the same." the gray-haired young woman replies wryly, turning her gem-like gaze to Koga before she sets about brewing the tea, and then ascends the ladder to get the unopened bag.

    "Hm. None that I would recomend. Housing in New York is quite pricy, especially on the island. What is your price range?" she inquires out of curiosity as she purses her lips, eyeballing Koga a moment as she writes up a receipt.

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga smiles a little, "Up there a bit. I'm Miura Koga." He pauses, then facepalms. "Oops... Koga Miura. Crazy western conventions. I do racing for a living, so I have a pretty decent paycheck."

    "Also a lot of savings." He looks a bit curious, then huhs. "Oh, didn't New Age have some sort of fortune telling? I always wanted to try that."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "What? They don't have fortune telling in Japan?" Nettie replies, and she comes down with a waxed-over paper bag, sealed and stamped with the tea.

    "Well. The best thing to do is to try to connect to the landlords yourself, don't waste time on a broker, they just take up more money than they're worth and there's no gaunrtee you'll have an apartment." she gives a soft hum a moment. "All in all, if you're making a decent living racing, you're probably in better condition than I am to find apartments."

    She jabs a thumb at the wall. "Mine's behind there."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga smiles, "They do. But different styles, different ideas." He looks considerate, "There are a variety of fortune telling methods, and they have always interested me a little. To see what they do, what can be told of them."

    Koga looks thoughtful, "I may do that on the apartments. I still have my home in Japan, but like I said the career and some business here has me looking around the city, and some other places as well."

    He reaches around to a wallet in his front pocket, pulling out more than enough bills and passing them over. "Keep the change. Best conversation I have had since coming here, and helpful advice, too."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The woman gives a pursed lip look at the bills, then quietly pockets them.

    And then she takes out a bag, made of dark velvet, and sets it down to the side.

    She turns, and returns to Koga a cup of tea, in a deep, earthernware cup with a plum tree branch in blossom painted on it.

    She then withdraws from the velvet bag a deck of cards, and begins to shuffle them mindfully, her lips pursing a moment as she looks back to Koga.

    "I prefer tarot cards and tea reading to crystal balls in my case. I could do a reading for you, if you like."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga blinks, "Um... sure? Didn't expect you to be one."

    Koga looks at the cards thoughtfully as he takes a sip of the tea. "Mm. I suppose it could not hurt. What do you need me to do?"

    "Might I ask your name before we start?" He questions.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I work in a tea and apothecary that stocks magic books and crystals. If I couldn't read tea leaves I should be ashamed of myself." she jokes, and then she gives a small smile.

    "Annette Crowe, at your service, Mr. Miura." she smiles. "And really, all you need to do is sit there and enjoy the tea."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga laughs, "That would be a tragedy." He sips at the tea.

    "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Crowe. And I do appreciate the tea. A little taste of home is always welcome when on the road or away from it." He nods at the bag, smiling.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And so, Nettie draws cards. They look aged, the images on the card stock slightly yellowed as she cuts the deck, and then starts arranging. The first card? A knight, of some sort, holding a long sword, astride a red horse in mid gallop.

    "Ah, a young man in search of adventure, or traveling towards something new and exciting. That's you." she gives a wry grin. She flips another card to cross it. A card with eight staves alight, the ocean in the background. Her lips purse, and she flips another card.

    "You had a deep seated tragedy in your past," she states, a heart peirced by three swords on the card "... something that weighs on you still." she flips another card. A man in a black cloak looks over three spilled cups, and another atop, showing a man in front of scrolls with magical symbols on it. "Which you're hiding, trying to keep it from the world." she purses her lips a moment, and then flips another card. This card was plain to see. A knight carrying a flag with a five-petaled rose, the helmet open to show its skull. The horse itself is pale, its head bowing low -- but the card, opposed to the others, is in reverse.

    "There was a personal transformation before you left Japan." she considers a moment, and then flips four cards in quick order. The Fool, a young person dancing too close to a cliff, the Magician, who has a staff, a sword, a pentacle and a cup on a table in front of him, a card with a wheel on it showing fire, wind, water and stones floating, and finally, at the top, an aged and yellow sun, with a smiling face.

    "Huh... that's... curious."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga blinks a few times. He stares at them and listens as he enjoys the tea. At least until the personal transformation. That causes him to choke a bit. She happened to say it right whenever he was taking another sip. It takes a moment or two before he looks at her, "What is?"

    Perhaps he's much more shocked at the accuracy than anything else. He eyes the cards, then her. "Well... you hit the personality right... and... uh... the rest." He does look slightly unerved about the details so far, granted anyone can dig that up probably about him if they're thorough enough.

    He does lean a bit closer to look at the final cards. "If you say I'm going to get into some big arguement with my sponsors or something, I'm going to be annoyed until it happens."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Well, this is your journey." she states, and she motions, "From inexperience to experienced, with so many changes made along the way. It... just doesn't make much sense that you have so many transformations in one go. Personally related." she puzzled, and then she motions to the sun.

    "However, this is the card of general 'all will be well'. That you are right where you need to be in the future." she smiles.

    "So, I would wager that the loss of someone close to you has caused you to be something of a thrill seaker, a bon vivant. You never feel quite settled down no matter where you go, in spite of so many twists and unexpected turns in your life. You experienced some sort of personal transformation before you left Japan, crossing over the sea --" she points out the second card "That's this card here, over You. Travel." Nettie explains, and then she laces her fingers and sets her chin atop them.

    "But, these readings only scratch the surface. You will be sucsessful, though there will be times your world will turn upside-down." she motions to the Wheel of Fortune. "But in the end, it will be okay."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga looks very thoughtful on that. "Well... I did have a lot happen. Enough I took a career break before coming over here." He rubs the back of his head, more in what looks like embarrassment. "It was a personal illness sort of thing. Really changed my outlook on the thrill seeking. I still do, but I try to do it in a way that doesn't hurt others mostly."

    "Like doing stunts on a motorcycle... but that I'm in the right place makes me interested." He hums as he sips at his tea, then looks at her, "Does this count as my world being turned upside-down? I really didn't expect to meet someone so... accurate or able to tell fortunes like this."

    He shakes his head, "If so, I guess that old proverb about living in interesting times is applying to me now."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "All times have been interesting. There is always something going awry." she makes a gentle joke, and she gathers her cards again. "I don't think this is the event the cards are talking about, after all, I'm just a tea-blender with a shop and a deck of cards," she goes to stand and tuck the cards away "... much like you're just a motorcycle racer on a house hunt."

Koga Miura has posed:
    Koga smiles a little. "Just racer. I do drive cars as well. I just prefer the motorcycle usually. Cars while fast... well... nothing beats the feeling of the wind and a wrong move could land you out of a race or in the hospital at times."

    Blowing on the tea a little, he finishes the cup and sets it down. "Thank you again. I should get back to doing my apartment hunting." He stands, giving a bow towards her, "Preferably before it gets more chilly out there."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Yes... there's nothing like the wind in your hair when you're zipping about." she gives a wry smile, and a nod of her head. "Please visit me again, Mr. Miura. You are a welcome guest in my shop." she smiles, and pushes the bagged tea towards him.

Koga Miura has posed:
    "I will, Ms. Crowe. See you around." He picks up the tea bag, turning and heading back out. The tea bag going into a pocket as he goes. Koga's definitely not afraid of the wind at least!

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And Nettie looks out as Koga makes his exit, then takes his cup, turns it over on the saucer and turns it counter-clockwise.

    She then looks into the up, and gives a soft 'mm' sound, looks at the closing door, and then promptly turns.

    "Curious... very curious."