10336/Just dropped by to say hi

Just dropped by to say hi
Date of Scene:	06 December 2019
Location:	Lobby, Hyperion Hotel
Synopsis:	Buffy drops by the Hyperion to say 'Hi' to Angel, and runs into a familiar rival..Again..
Cast of Characters:	Buffy Summers, Angel, Cheetah

---

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers hadn't dropped by to see Angel in a really really long time. And maybe it was best that way, but since she happened to be in town, she may as well drop by and say hi, see if he's heard anything about the Master. She'd only visited the Hyperion once, briefly and is still quite awed at the majesty of this ancient building as she climbs the front steps and opens the grand double doors to step inside. "I mean, I could have thought of better places to turn into a business office but I suppose beggars cant be choosers." she smirks as she peers around at the open and airy lobby.

Angel has posed:
Angel's settled in a chair behind the desk, two kittens sharing the desk. Which means, no work for Angel. Not that he had much work going on AI wise. Instead, cat caring. Because....these kitties had turned up courttesy of one British vampire. And, oh yeah, Fred had started a Youtube channel and got famous. Great. So Angel was caring for them. Little food and water bowls by the desk. Litter tray in the corner (and no freaking way Angel was cleaning that out. That fell to Fred....because Angel's got more respect than to clean out cat dung), and a dozen kittens around the Hyperion. Angel gets up seeing Buffy, the kittens wondering if she'll play with them. They're doing that kitten thing of pretending to be asleep. Still, Angel looks to Buffy and stays quiet (for the moment), oh he'll get to his emotions in a minute. Right now there's a kitten nipping at fingers for pets.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers arches a brow as she sees Angel sitting at the desk. Not doing work. Just...Playing with kitties? "Umm...Soo you're running a pet shop now or something? I mean, I didn't even think they let pets into hotels, usually. Of course this isn't technically a hotel, is it? Just like, a...Supernatural headquarters for...." she laughs and shakes her head, going off on some tangent or other. "Um..So..How are you doing, Angel? It's been a while. I was just.." she shrugs, stepping towards the desk, reaching out a hand to one of the kittens. "Just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by and say hi."

Cheetah has posed:
Barbara-Ann Minerva steps gracefully through the double-doors of the hotel with a shopping back over her wrist and a cell-phone on her ear. She is in mid-conversation, "...simply unacceptable! Alopecia isn't one of the known side-effects. Send this to the lawyers. See to it they bury those people in paperwork." Minerva pauses in the lobby not far from the Angel's desk and casts her gaze about. Then, still on the phone, she cranes her head toward Angel, "Bar?" She's looking for booze; how unexpected.

Angel has posed:
Angel looks to Buffy then Minerva. as he gets up. The kittens are pleased with a new hand to play with, though....Angel getting up gets them to do that cat thing of swish their little tails. Though Angel's leading the way to a bar. That looks like it's out of the art deco 30s. Shaking his head, Angel slides behind it, little paws racing to keep up with him, as muffled swears are heard, Angel letting the cats run up and down the bar. It rarely gets used...so.....

"You're here?" Angel asks Buffy, then glances around. "What brings you here?"

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers's smile fades almost as quickly as it sprung up on her face. And she folds her arms, looking a bit annoyed now at his less than warm welcome. But hey, this is Angel, and he was always a little wanting on bedside manners. Especially after they split. "Well gee, I was kinda hoping for, 'Hi Buffy! It's so good to see you again, I really missed you.' But I guess I was being a little too optimistic." she rolls her eyes.

"Okaaay, fine. I wasn't just 'here to see you'. I mean, why on earth would I drop by on a social call to see the former love of my life? Actually, I was wondering if you'd heard any recent rumours about The Master rising from the grave..Again.."

So there. Totally business related!

And then the door swings open and another woman steps in. She arches a brow at her and smirks, "I don't think this is a bar anymore, or a hotel. More like a..Private Investigations? I mean, do you serve drinks and accomodate people on the side now? I mean, this totally IS a hotel, or it WAS. Once. Ugh, I'm so confused."

Cheetah has posed:
No bar? Then why the devil is Minerva even he--there is a silent sigh of relief as Angel, like Moses, leads poor Barbara out of the desert. And to the bar.

A self-satisfied smirk starts to wrap its way around Barbara's lips as she turns to give Buffy a nasty retort. When Minerva actually takes the time to *look* at Buffy it takes everything she has not to do a double-take. The blonde girl? AGAIN!?! Okay...be cool. Be cool.

"It appears I'm in luck after all." Barbara says as pleasantly as she can manage. Then, to the person on the other end of the phone, "I'll call you back." She hangs up and the phone vanishes into a heretofore unseen handbag slung over her shoulder.

Angel has posed:
Angel's watching, while the kittens are sauntering up and down the bar and wherever they like. "This is a bar. it serves alcohol" Angel points out, as if explaining to idiots. Bufy sometimes got into that category. So did Fred...Cordy....it was almost a term of affection. Though Angel's watching the Slayer out the corner of his eye. "So you come out here to Los Altos to grill me for information?At least be polite and sit first We got the basics, and snacks" Angel nods. "And kittens. Plenty of kittens" Angel nods.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Okaaay, so it seems that Angel must have a drinking license or something too. Or was that as fake as his PI license? Who knows? He's a mysterious guy. Buffy just rolls her eyes some more at him as she watches him play barista on top of PI. She's still kinda annoyed at him.

"Noo, I came out here because I happened to be in the neighborhood and wanted to drop by and say hi. Casually asking if you'd heard any rumours was a close second." Buffy is tempted to add more fuel to the fire, but they're in company so she keeps her mouth shut. Sometimes, she really misses Spike, at least he had a sense of humour.

"Actually, since you apparently serve drinks too, might as well make me something strong while you're at it." she nods to the woman, sitting next to her at the bar. "Sooo you just came here. For a drink.." She kinda has to wonder if Angel gets much actual detective work here, or he's just a barista by day. Somehow she finds that ironically funny, and can't help but chuckle. Just a little..

Cheetah has posed:
As Minerva draws nearer to the bar the kittens seem to take an unusually keen interest. Perhaps it's just the novelty of a new potential playmate? Barbara perches happily atop a barstool (after a sufficient period spent dusting it). "Bars that serve alcohol are my favorite kind!" she chirps playfully to Buffy making some hay out Angel's earlier Slayer-directed snark. This hotel might be haunted but the only spirits she's interested in line the wall of the bar behind Angel's head: decisions, decisions.

Still ruminating on the rum, Minerva side-eyes Buffy "Aren't you a little young to be drinking?" She shoots Angel a quizzical eye. Shouldn't he be escorting this child away? To an orphanage? Far away from here?

Angel has posed:
Oh Angel's tempted. He's tempted too to pour more fuel on the fire. Instead, he behaves. For now. He gets drinks as asked. And....doesn't shoo Buffy away. Instead, he's not stopping the kittens from playing. There's just this 'Wee wil discuss this later' look in his eyes. He's hoping Chee's not mistaking it, or them, for....oh no, no, a couple. No. That's.....complicated. Still Angel srves up drinks and shakes his head at a kitten that's sniffing a rum bottle. Screw it. Angel just gives Chee the bottle. Because why not. He does though subtly point to a broom and a mop and a bucket. Message is clear. Clean up your own messes.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers narrows her eyes upon Minerva, still not recognizing her in this form. But she's kinda getting on her nerves now. "Excuse me? I'm more than old enough to drink." and with that, she produces her fake ID, sliding it over to Angel along with some money. "A Vodka and gingerale on the rocks please." she smirks, wondering if he's gonna call her on it, or be nice and let it pass. He DID invite her to relax at the bar afterall.

Cheetah has posed:
Minerva receives the rum bottle somewhat perplexed. She hadn't actually ordered it but, when in Rome, drink! More confusion as her gaze follows Angel's gesture to the mop and bucket. Whatever would she do with /that/? What does Angel take her for: middle class!?! Her expression tightens for a moment. She turns with every intention of reprimanding this uppity barkeep. Then she actually takes a second to look at him. Well. Hello, sailor.

Sorry, did Buffy say something? Minerva wasn't really paying attention. It's a recurring theme. Get used to it. Before she can ask, Barbara spies the ID and smiles to herself. She knows a fake ID when she sees one. She's used more than her share. By now, Barbara is feeling more secure: Buffy doesn't seem to recognize her. Barbara pushes the rum bottle aside, "I'll have what the young lady is having."

Angel has posed:
Angel watches Buffy, the kittens and Minerva. He shakes his head with a sigh. "If you two are going to fight, get the bleach and clean the blood up when you're done" Angel said with a look to them both. He's not going to referee a catfight. No. He's going to wake Fred up, and get Fred to do it. Because Angel isn't wanting to get involved in a fight between Bufy and a potential client, somebody who juust got awhole bottle of rum. Stil, Angel does make her drink. "Don't ask" Angel points out. "Nobody checks here anyway. Enjoy" he adds and just stays where he is. If Minerva wants to check him out....with Buffy right /there/ Angel's going to get under the bar and wait for the punching and staking to die down a bit....

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers narrows her eyes at Angel, quite shocked "What?! Who said anything about a fight? Do you really think I'm that trigger happy? Seriously!?" dammit Angel..She mutters something under her breath, tapping her foot impatiently as she waits for her drink. Glancing over at Minerva, she shrugs and smiles rather defiantly, grabbing back her ID card.

"Soooo. what else have you been up to lately, besides adopting cats?" she asks between thirsty sips of her drink.

Cheetah has posed:
Fight? What?!? "Why, we've never even met before. Ever." Minerva quickly moves a finger indicating herself and Buffy. Leaning over to the Slayer she follows up with a conspiratorial whisper, "I think he's had a few too many." There. Tracks covered. Smooth. A kitten leans up to lap at Barbara's fingers with a pink tongue.

Angel has posed:
Angel shakes his head. "You forgot my senses, ladies?" he asks and looks tothem. "I got your drinks, so I'll answer your questions now. No, nothing on the Master rising, and what's your deal, phone lady?" he asks, glancing to Minerva for a moment, "Kittens like you" he observes, getting himselff a rum, too. It's untouched though, well, for now.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Buffy Summers rolls her eyes. She knows he has enhanced hearing, better than her own even, perhaps. "Don't you know it's impolite to eavesdrop?" She's not sure if that's information he really wants a total stranger who could be a *Cat demon* for all he knows, to know. And so she doesn't exactly explain it to Minerva. "Oh. I see. That was..." not very helpful. "Well. Keep your eyes and ears sharp. There have been rumours of his return. And I don't think they're to be taken lightly.." she sighs tiredly, chugging down the rest of her drink, "Can I get another? Wow, this is pretty good, Angel. I'm surprised. didn't know you mixed drinks on the side.." but he IS hundreds of years old, sooo..

Cheetah has posed:
Cat demon? What? Why would you even..? That's not a thing. Let's just move on. There's nothing to see here. Minerva sips her drink daintily, content to toy with the kitten and pretend she isn't listening (and can't hear) what the other two are trying to say discreetly. Who is this Master character? She has "friends" with and interest in oddball information like this. It's good to be in the know.

To Angel, "Animals love me." Well, cats mostly.

Angel has posed:
Angel is for once on the same page as Buffy. And nods to her, though he too doubts cat demons are, well, real. No way. No way catt demons are real. Nope. No. Still though Angel looks to Buffy, looking quietly to her.

Buffy Summers has posed:
Annnd, suddenly everyone's looking at Buffy. She rolls her eyes, wondering if people can read her mind too, trying to beckon one of the cats to herself. "Oh, that's kinda cool. I've always thought cats were kinda antisocial, petty, backstabbing, two-faced, nasty little things.." she is SO not talking about a certain cat demon, dammit! "But these guys are sooo much cuter than that nasty Cat Demon bitch..Let's hope they stay cute!" dammit, she said it!

"Anyway, Angel, please do keep an eye out for the Master. I suppose he'll be coming after me more than you, but he might try to get to you to get to me first.." she frowns, thinking that over. It's not like Angel and her are still...But the Master probably doesn't know that. "So far, he sent a starved, tortured vamp after me with a message from the Master, and hypnotized a businessman into shooting himself after delivering me a warning. I don't think this is a joke. I suppose I should warn Spike too, if I can find him...Have you seen him lately?"

Why, she almost sounds like she misses him..

Cheetah has posed:
Minerva knows were Spike has been. Does she ever. That naughty little bounder. Buffy might want to wash him in bleach if and when he ever does re-appear. She smiles deviously over the brim of her glass. Now who's antisocial, petty, backstabbing, two-faced, and nasty? Oh. Wait. Time to go? Time to go.

Barbara polishes off her drink with one final gulp. Experience has taught her never outstay her welcome. She rubs the nearest kitten. "Thanks for the drink. I may have to come back here...sometime." The pause seems needless, serving only to give Minerva enough time to give Angel a knowing look. Buffy gets a desultory glance. Bad penny; stay lost. Barbara slips off her stool and strolls toward the exit, shopping bag in hand.

Angel has posed:
Angel laughs, "Yes, you said it. Pay up" Angel nods though as he watches Minerva depart, he's muttering under his breath. Not quite to Britvamp levels of creativity, but....he's venting his anger in quiet muttered words. They're not directed at Buffy, not this time. Minerva's the object of Angel's annoyance. And....curiosity.Now the drinks are done, Angel just....leaves the kittens to it, the door's open, the can come back when they want, and there's no way they can open bottles either. Angel's made sure of it, as his footsteps fade from the bar.