Nikki walks in, orders a coffee with an excessive number of espresso shots in it, and waits for Chris before heading to a table in a nice secluded corner.

Chris picks up whatever food there is and a power drink and follows Nikki to have a seat.

Sipping on her coffee and swearing as she burns her tongue. "Vittu!"
She looks across the table at Chris and asks, face slightly pained by the burning off of her precious tastebuds :"So, what did you say to Orphen that spooked him so badly?"

Chris took a drink and said, " I said; This isn't the traditional place for will to work is it? Know anyone into herbs boss?"

"I see. You've gotta work on being a little less obvious, is my guess. We're really freaked out by the tech presence."
She takes another swig of coffee, cool enough now. "Herbs, eh? Fond of living things, then?"

Chris nodded and said, "Yeah I'm big on the V for victory stuff too. That and being part of the whole weave on life. I've got a place that's like a retreat for the wayward weird folks or at least I'd like it to be,".

She mutters under her breath, "V for victory...V for victory. Oh!"
She smiles, the expression illuminating her whole face, and puts out her hand for Chris to shake. "Well, elcome, brother! I haven't been here for too long myself, and I'm fairly certain I was the only...treehugger here."

Chris returned the handshake and said,
"A pleasure to meet you Nikki.
What I did across the big pond in merry old England was deal with the bloody head cases for the most part. I own a pub there.

Needed a change. So I felt the need to come here. Set up a safe place for folks to go.

What about yourself?"

"Oh, I had a band in Oslo. We were doing pretty well, but eh, maybe it was getting stale. The real kicker was I could not rid myself of this douchebag stalker guy, he kept breaking into my house and taking my underwear and toothbrush and other things. Sine I couldn't hypnotize him into stopping, and i didn't want to kill him, I just left. If that asshole finds me here, I'll be surprised."

Chris munched on a power bar and sipped his drink then said,
"What type of music Nikki? Might have heard of you.
I was in Oslo for quite some time as well.
My teacher came from there, Hans Brewer by name.

You have a place here though?"

"Yeah, tiny place near the Burn."
Enthusiastically, she says: "I was in a blackened death metal band called Morituri. We weren't that huge, but we did well, played a couple festivals and stuff."
She screws up her face in thought. "No, can't say I ever met a Hans Brewer while I was there. But you look more like an outdoors type, whereas I stay close to the city mostly."

Chris grinned and said, "Well I like metal when I climb.
Mostly stuff like Ozzy, Priest, Maiden and such.
I've just bought a place in the suburbs here myself.

You're right though, I am the outdoors type.
Though the city has its charms as well,"

"Yeah, good old school stuff. Good for you, man. "
"So," she says, sipping on her coffee, slowly going tepid,"What brought you over to Toshi's? Taking some martial arts lesons?"

Chris grinned and said, "Well that's sort of the idea at Master Toshi's. I'm a decent enough street fighter but could use some lessons in combat.

More than that though, I wanted to be able to increase the way I perceive things. Change my outlook at different times. I've found it can make a big difference in how I see and am able to deal with things,"

"Toshi seems like a good guy, even though it seems like he might have a bit of a stick up his ass," she laughs. "Good plan, though, he can probably teach you a few things."

Chris can't help breaking into a larger grin with the stick comment and answered,"I thought the stick came with being a master.
I've never even heard of one who didn't have it. Have you?"

"Well, I only know masters from kung fu movies." She pauses and makes a dramatic "Kiiaii!" Bruce Lee noise. "But if movies are telling the truth, they certainly have a problem wooden objects up their bums."

Chris laughed and said, "I just can't see Master Toshi doing that part, honest.
I know this is going to sound like a come on but I don't see a way around it. So here's my address and cell phone number,"

He took out a pen and wrote them out.

Then he shrugged and said,
"If anyone needs help or wants to pop round for a visit then feel free,".

Nikki grins, and scribbles her phone number on a napkin. "Thanks, and here's my cell number, call me if you need help yourself. I'm usually at the Neon Burn or the White Rabbit when it's open. That's where the power center is." She winks, and finishes her coffee.
As she gets up to leave, probably heading back to a bar somewhere, she turns and says "Watch yourself out there. We stirred up the technohornets' nest not too long ago. Check the skyline." With that, she saunters out of the coffee house, making a final Bruce Lee noise and a movie-style karate chop when she reaches the door. She exits laughing into the night.

Chris waved goodbye to Nikki and finished his snack. The White Rabbit hmmm? Might be worth checking out.

Chris took his garbage to the can and his bottle to be recycled and then headed out to see what the White Rabbit was like.