The Perk, Monday Morning

[1000yearstoolate]

It hadn't been the best of weekends for Seivarden, what with missing out on a large order at the flower shop due to cultural reasons, and yet another movie night with Amaya being cancelled.

"You actually managed to do this right this time?"

The barista gave her a friendly smile. Seivarden had almost been looking forward to the usual argument.

"I'll have an apple pie as well."

She found a table by the window and took a seat, then slowly sipped her tea, glancing out at passers by.

[Open]

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[weirderthanthou]

The weekend had been quiet. Uneventful. Jesse had gotten to settle into her apartment.

Which mostly meant staring at a dead phone, and then reminding herself that staring at dead objects... was exactly what had resulted in that big red smear on the floor in the cell with the refrigerator. Proof that I really need to start getting out of the house again.

So here she was, walking into the local coffee place. Familiar ground, for the most part. "Hi," she said to the barista, smiling a little. "I'd like just a big, big cup of coffee, this morning."

"Don't we all?" the barista chuckled.

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden turned her head and looked at the person by the counter. Not someone she recognised, so maybe someone new? She took a sip from her cup.

[weirderthanthou]

As the barista moved to make her order, Jesse glanced over her shoulder to see who else was there. Might as well get to know more of the locals. It's a small town. I know how they work.

"Hi," she called out to the man at the door. "Hope you're having a good morning."

I was never good at this.

[1000yearstoolate]

"I am, thank you."

She smiled a little. "And you two. I haven't seen you here before. New here?"

Getting to know the new people never hurt.

[weirderthanthou]

"Casually appeared out of nowhere on the causeway a week ago," Jesse confirmed. "I hear that's common."

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden snorted.

"It happened to me a couple of years ago."

No, Seivarden, you have no memories of where and how you stepped through the portal.

"I still can't go back."

She gestured at the seat opposite her. "Have a seat if you like."

[weirderthanthou]

"As soon as I have my coffee, I'll be there," Jesse said, still smiling reflexively. "I'm Jesse, by the way. The new mayor."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Seivarden Vendaai. So you're the new mayor. I never met the previous one."

That was probably a good thing.

[weirderthanthou]

"Most people didn't," Jesse said, and this wry smile was a little more genuine. "I hear she was kind of a... battleaxe."

She took her coffee from the barista. "Can I call you Seivarden, or do you prefer Mr. Vendaai?"

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden looked clearly amused. "Seivarden is fine. I don't think anyone has used that title for me. It wouldn't make sense where I'm from."

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse didn't even blink. She walked to his table and asked, with genuine interest, "Why not?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"Because the idea of dividing people according to gender is ridiculous," she said, then made a gesture with her hand. "I know it's really important here. Should I assume you're female?"

Strangely enough the 'look for the boobs' advice usually worked.

"I can't always tell."

[weirderthanthou]

"I'm female," Jesse confirmed, pulling up a chair. "Should I take from that I shouldn't assume you're male?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"Among Radchaai that question is irrelevant," Seivarden said, still amused. "Biologically we're like other humans though, if that's what you're asking."

This was known to anyone in her universe who had any contact with the Radchaai, of course.

"And, since I know this is important here, in languages with gendered pronouns Radchaai use the female ones."

[weirderthanthou]

"Sorry," Jesse said, taking a sip from her cup. "So does that mean you don't do 'miss' or 'misses' either?" she checked.

[1000yearstoolate]

"Just ignore titles," Seivarden said. "Back home it used to be 'Captain' but I can't really claim that anymore."

Only Amaya called her that.

[weirderthanthou]

Jesse made an amused noise. "Trust me, I like things better without titles," she said wryly, "So please never call me 'mayor' anything."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Good to know," Seivarden said. She took a sip from her tea.

"How is the coffee? I understand it's usually acceptable here."

[weirderthanthou]

"It's... coffee?" Jesse offered. "I'm not really an expert. I'm used to the coffee machines at work, and that stuff keeps you awake, but that's about it."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Oh," Seivarden said. "I'm just asking because it took them a while to learn how to make acceptable tea."

The barista pretended not to hear.

[weirderthanthou]

"...There's a difference?"

Oh, Jesse.

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden looked somewhere in between horrified and insulted.

"Yes. Yes there is."

She sipped her tea, pointedly.

[weirderthanthou]

Wow. That one goes deep.

"Okay," Jesse said, "I apologize on behalf of the island...?"

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden made a gesture with her hand. "Almost no one on the island understands the importance of tea."

She was still judging you, Jesse.

[weirderthanthou]

As a former service industry employee, Jesse was judging you back, Seivarden. She just wasn't as inclined to let you know.

"I guess it's a cultural thing," she said.

[1000yearstoolate]

"Oh, it is," Seivarden said. "It's been taking a while to get people not to use teabags."

Did it say something about how far Seivarden had come that she didn't go on a rant about this, but instead asked:

"So where are you from?"

[weirderthanthou]

"A town called Ordinary in Wisconsin, originally," Jesse said. "I've been living in Wyoming for a while, but I was on my way to move to New York when I got... waylaid."

A pause. "Those are all American states, since you're not from around here."

[1000yearstoolate]

"I've been to New York," Seivarden said. "What do you mean by waylaid?"

[weirderthanthou]

"I mean I was walking around in a building in Manhattan and I suddenly found myself in Maryland?"

I know, I know, I don't think I have to make everything sound as boring here as I did somewhere else. But it's in me now. The habit.

[1000yearstoolate]

"Oh," Seivarden said. "Well, that happens. And now you're the mayor here?"

[weirderthanthou]

"According to my frazzled assistant who showed up .5 seconds after I appeared, yes," Jesse said. "I'm... not sure how it works, but my name seems to be on all the paperwork."

[1000yearstoolate]

"So at least you have a job," Seivarden said. "I assume people have told you about the weird things that happen regularly?"

[weirderthanthou]

"Oh, I had them beat," Jesse said brightly. "Nina had me read up on everything the second I got here. Apparently there's a binder."

A pause.

"It's... sizable."

[1000yearstoolate]

"I can imagine."

Seivarden dug into her apple pie.

"I ended up with a flower shop. Being mayor sounds a bit more challenging."

[weirderthanthou]

"From what I understand it's mostly paperwork and managing a thrice-a-year invasion schedule," Jesse said.

Was her tone dry or just matter-of-fact? Even she didn't know.

[1000yearstoolate]

"If you put it like that it doesn't sound mor demanding than most jobs here," Seivarden said. "Maybe you should get yourself a hobby."

That last part was sarcastic. She remembered people telling her that when she first got here.

[weirderthanthou]

"Maybe my new hobby is talking to people with strong opinions about tea," Jesse said, and this time, it was definitely dry.

[1000yearstoolate]

"Since I know of only one other person on the island with strong opinions about tea that won't keep you busy," Seivarden said, equally dryly, before taking a sip from her cup.

[weirderthanthou]

"I'm sure I'll figure it out," Jesse said, and sipped her coffee. "Any complaints the mayor's office needs to handle?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"Not that I know of," Seivarden said. "But I'm sure there are. Unless your predecessor scared them off."

Jesse had mentioned battleaxe.

"But seriously, despite all the weird things happening, I wouldn't count on your job keeping you busy."