Timothy freezes for a split-second, looking at the fist-bump instead of the handshake.  Why didn't I think of that? He bumps, resisting the urge to slap hands afterwards and - not bad?  Not amazing, but a little better than "meh".  "That's okay.  Better than my first one today."

"Fist bumps! I should have thought of that!" Does Tim seem amenable to fist bumping too?

Tim has come to shake hands bump fists and chew bubblegum.  And he's all out of bubblegum.  Bump?

Chew. Swallow. "I think it's asymmetric. I had that with someone earlier because you felt a bit higher than 'not bad' to me. Stronger than anyone else I've tried. I wanna get your number for sure. Also hi, yep, fistbumps all around? I'm Wendy."

She waggles her hand.

This is not the practice mat, you don't slap after bumping.  "Ah, that happens."  This is not another Sinkhole situation.  It's probably fine.  You can pass out your card like a functional adult.  "Here, I've gotten these printed out already - Bill's my agent, Bill Moore.  Er, William on the card."  Cards for everyone!  Drawn three at a time and handed out to everyone, even a 'meh' is a potential contact, you never know.  "His contact info and mine are both on there."

As for the bump with Simon - it's not great.  Tim has recently recalibrated his personal scale for incompatibility and this is definitely tolerable, but not...really...anything special.  It's there.  It's guiding, technically.  Tim's lips turn down slightly.  "Sorry, nothing here."  REMEMBER TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT FIRST IMPRESSION.  "I'm Tim, by the way."

Yes, bump! Simon is meh with Tim and bad-meh with Wendy. Well, most espers are meh, so that's not so surprising.

"I'm Citrus, but you can call me Simon." Smile. And yes, Simon can totally give out business cards to the two!

From his messenger bag, Simon produces business card case. It is extremely fanciful. It's a black box with maki-e and raden — lacquerware with sprinkled gold and mother of pearl inlay — of an ylang-ylang tree and its yellow drooping flowers. His business cards are more normal, though. They're off white with black sans-serif font. On the bottom right side is a stylized lemon slice, above and around it is "Citrus" in cursive font.

Simon Prevost
Food Illusionist
hello@fancifulfood.com
Agent: citrus@greatpacificespers.com

Simon accepts Tim's card and places it in his case.

Oh, okay, this is a little quick to be doing business cards already, he hasn't even shaken hands fistbumped everyone yet. He supposes he'll give out business cards to Tim and Wendy first.

"Damian, codename Helianthus. Sensor. I am pleased to meet you both."

From his coat pocket, he produces a black leather business card case with a stainless steel frame and clasp, and opens it. The interior is red velour. He takes out one of his business cards.
It's a deep violet color, with hot stamped silver foil embossing of his details, on serif font (on the left side) plus an inflorescence of heliotrope flowers (on the right), with only the edges of the flowers embossed.

Damian Ozores Ballester | Helianthus
Sensor 3

helianthus@greatpacificespers.com

Damian does the same with Tim's card as Simon.

Afterwards, he can bump. Damian is meh with Tim but with Wendy...that's good compatibility. He might say very good, though it's a little worse than the compatibility with him and Simon. Still, someone on that level is someone to know, definitely.

"I'm compatible with you," he says, smiling. "I do scent and touch, and by extension sound, based sensing. Mostly my job is to sweep dungeons to ensure that everyone kidnapped has been rescued, though I'm also capable of detecting hidden or invisible passages or creatures in general. I prefer to do the former type of work, though."

"I got no fancy cards like you three seeing as I have finished awakening like four days ago, but uhhh hi everyone. Damn, that looks expensive."

She feels like she is ruining the cards by touching them with salami fingers. She has a pen... Somewhere. Pocket, there, and writes on the back of Tim's - 'low --> medium <-- asymmetric'. And 'meh' on Simon's.

Then looks up and down Devil Mafia Guy, eyebrows raising a bit, and internally shrugs and holds out a fist as if to bump. And- Blinkblink. She nods and writes 'high' on the back of the card. That's the most compatibility she's had yet, but- Augh? Something is augh here.

"I'm a telekine. And I can psychic shield. I have like six ratings but I don't know if I'll end up doing dungeon stuff, it seems rather dangerous."

Tim is suddenly struck by a wave of keening self-awareness.  Maybe a business card case would be a good idea instead of just sticking it in my pocket.  I mean, does it matter, I just take a photo of both sides as soon as I'm away, you never know what could happen.  Thought for later, socialize now.  

Damian...not great.  "Bad compatibility here, I'm afraid."  Don't apologize this is not your fault it's your entire world's magic system. "Luck of the draw, I suppose."

Tim turns to Wendy and raises an eyebrow.  "Those are pretty rare powers, right?"  Especially taken together...Well, whatever, it's not like powers have any consistent logic at all.

Damian shrugs and smiles at Tim. "Oh well. Most esper pairs are neutral or bad."

Oh, she's new new!

Writing on a business card for one, putting a card in the pocket for another..........

"Yes, quite. It pays well, though," he says to Wendy. He smiles brightly.

"Though usually I enter dungeons when most hazards or monsters have been cleared, so it's relatively safer for me — my sensing power isn't so good for mapping them out.  It's possible that we could work together — I can detect threats from a good distance away and then call them out to you so you can use your power on them."

"I don't have a dungeon-useful power and I'm rather reluctant to wade in with Damian. But you have protective powers! Still, a telekine...you could definitely find good-paying construction work, depending on the details of your telekinesis. Not that I've researched this industry much."

"I don't really know how rare kinds of powers are? It's possible. I'm better at... Precision than raw force. And speed over weight. I nailed things together as part of power testing. Had an idea to be, like, my own railgun. Little steel ball bearings. But like a lot of edgy teenage ideas I have no idea how well it would work in real life. It's one thing to go, yeah, go dive in and kill the monsters! But actually doing it... Dunno."

...She doesn't like his vibe, it's just screaming 'too rich for her blood'. But for compatibility...

Tim is blissfully unaware of the vibe!  This man is being a Professional.  Wendy is being just some kid, which is understandable, he had judged her slightly at first but four days to get used to this?  She's doing fine.  "I've got the 'brick' package.  But I can also give it away, a little bit."  He reaches into his carefully-tailored suit pocket, pulls out a folded eight-inch length of quarter-inch copper rod.  Straightens it, twirls it around in his fingers for a moment, then bends it.  He puts it into a slipknot as easily as a normal person would tie a shoelace.  Maybe a little more effort for pulling the knot "through".  And it won't actually slip, of course, it's copper.  "Anyone want to try?"  Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.  Also don't do anything stupid with it, please.

He can tell that Wendy is not really feeling him but he's not sure why. They're compatible! He supposes esper compatibility is different from personality compatibility but like. You can just be professionals working together.

"Oh, that's amazing!" he says to Wendy. "Have you signed up with an agency yet? There are ones that could help with your power testing. Or you could try a gun range. I go regularly to practice with pistols — it's an important backup option for dungeon espers without direct combat powers. We could test your precision and power with small projectiles, and see what shape of projectiles are best for you. Can you do rotational force too? You could mimic rifling, with that.

...the range go to is in California, though. We live in San Francisco. Though actually, we could just go to one nearby, I can look up a good one."

"Wow!" Damian says to Tim, this time. Then he looks at Simon with a questioning look.

"I would be willing, but do you have anyone who can guide you better than us, here? I don't want to cause you to accumulate backlash.

I can share my power, though!" Are either of them interested?

"Yeah, you want a plan for debacklashing and keep the demos small for something like this I think. I'm happy to demo too. Timothy, right-? Buffs, huh... I'll press my arm against yours as long as it takes to bring it back down to zero. If I do a demo too that should increase the rate your backlash gets guided away, that's how it works, right? I can unbend that rod without touching it, maybe. -Um, no agency, they're kind of intimidating and I had to deal with family stuff. Or well, I guess technically one brought me here as a freebie, but no agent yet."

Tim hands copper off to Simon with a low-key but very pleased smile and rolls up his suitsleeve and shirtsleeve to offer to Wendy.  "That sounds like a plan, Wendy."  A person's name is the nicest thing they'll hear all day, remember it and pronounce it right and they'll be thrilled.  "You're going to be stronger than usual, obviously.  You won't hurt yourself, being a brick takes care of that, but don't stretch or you'll pop your shirt."  Or pants, or - not the time.  "And if you hurt yourself recently, you'll find yourself getting over it - I don't cut myself in the kitchen anymore, but the day before I get guiding, I make sure my classmates all hang out with me for a few minutes.  It'll take care of any wear and tear they might've accumulated.  Well, not all of it, maybe."  You're rambling, let others take a turn.  Once Simon has confirmed he understands - boop!  Simon won't feel any different, until he starts tying knots in metal.  Tim will be staring at Simon like a hawk, ready to revoke his empowerment if Simon looks like he's going to do Inadvertent Crimes against Fashion or Public Decency.

"How long does it last?" Simon asks, as he gingerly bends the copper. Wow! "What a cool power! It does regeneration too, not just strength?"

To Wendy, he says, "I get that. It's easier to switch agents than guilds but yes, better to pick right the first time.

Don't be intimidated! From what it sounds, you are a powerful esper and you have lots of negotiating power. Agents will be tripping over themselves and bending over backwards to accommodate you. You could ask for lots of things."

Yessss, this is such a cool power, it was totally worth playing Rip van Winkel for a week to be able to do this!  "Until I take it back, really.  It's more like a release when I let it out, it's like I'm keeping it myself is holding a muscle tense."  Tim will pay attention to the rest of the conversation when Simon is no longer at risk of endangering his outfit.  Safety first!

Simon will find that bending a moderately-thick copper rod will be easier than bending a coathangar.  Maybe akin to bending play-doh.

Wendy sidles over and presses her arm up against Tim's. She's wearing a t-shirt so nothing needs to be rolled up. It's a nice feeling!

"Powers are really amazing. Even with having to deal with backlash... And you're right umm- Damien. But I am so very unused to such things. I should get, like. A hug machine. -My backlash is itchy skin and wanting pressure on my skin. And I should get gun range training. I should get a lot of things, but one thing at a time."

Simon eventually ties the metal, being Very Careful not to rip his shirt. He really like this shirt! It's shocking, the strength this power gives you. It feels like what Tim did was make the metal more pliable rather than strengthen him.

"I did it!" he cheers. "I think you can take off the power, now. Thank you very much. Could I repay you by giving you an illusion of your favorite food? Or any food, really — I'll tell you if I don't know it."

"They really are," he says to Wendy. "Pacing yourself makes sense.

My power is sensing so I can't really give a demo. I suppose I could tell you what fragrance the people on the other side on the room are wearing?" He chuckles.

"Yeah, I guess not... Wow, cool buff. I bet a food illusionist needs to be, like, a professional taste tester. Have you ever had a Californian style skillet? Nasty, to me, but the kind of thing rich people seem to like sometimes. It's cheddar, potato, goat cheese, sundried tomato, and artichoke hearts. It's my go to example of glad I tried it, never eating it again."