Handholding! Yay!

"Powers are so individualized. I can't really do big  impressive things. And I can't hold things in place. I push them, and they move. If I want to hold something up it's more juggling than holding. And expensive."

"So it is more like throwing things? You can add telekinetic force to a throw. Or add it to something that is not already moving." 

Sara has been standing all evening. Would Wendy care to move to one of the nearby tables? Sara will tug gently towards one of those, rather than interrupting the conversation to ask. 

"Yeah, you could conceptualize it as throwing pretty easy. I can push other things, or push myself - I can moonjump or break my fall - if I'm paying attention. Uh, and I can psychic shield a lil bit. I'm completely new but I'm gonna go to, like, a gun range, and see if I can be my own sci-fi railgun."

Table is fine by her.

"That is very cool," she nudges a couple chairs closer together with her foot, then sits in one. "Em, I manifested a little under two years ago. I tried dungeon...ing..." She shrugs the word off, "At first. I was not very suited to it. I use my stonesense most, now. Companies hire me to survey for valuable materials." 

Sue takes a neighboring seat. "Oh, that's cool! There's only like three places where they mine some stuff that's in everything, like cobalt. Or neodymium. I'd have to look it up."

"There are a lot of things mined in Québec! Some rare earth minerals, in fact, em... Dysprosium, I think? And of course there are less rare things, like diamonds and gold." 

"Hehehe. Less rare things, like gold. I mean, I know it's true, just funny."

She covers a smile, "There is a lot of gold in Québec, but also yes. Gold is a silly metal, I think. We put so much value on it, just because it shines." 

"Historically at least, yes. There are some industrial uses... But um. ...You don't do dungeons anymore, huh? I'm not sure if I'm going to. The government people said I'd probably be okay at it, but... Dangerous. And, er, maybe I'll explain the other thing later. I was thinking I could do construction stuff, maybe. Haven't really investigated the possibilities..."

She nods firmly, "If you are not sure, you should take time to decide. Get training," she suggests, "Hand-to-hand and firearms, combat training. What to do in dangerous situations. Power training. Then you will be ready to make an informed decision, and be more prepared."

She pauses, then shrugs, "I wouldn't want to start doing dungeons just now, anyway. The Confluence will be soon." 

"The- Oh. Oh." Frown. "...Mmh. Hrm. Does seem bad. But also when combat espers are most needed? And doing, like, two dungeons during the confluence is more than zero, save someone. I mean, I know it's kind of stupid but I'd feel guilty not even trying."

Sara squeezes her hand, "I understand. I expect to be called in for some, if there are victims, or a core underground. Speaking of," she lifts her purse onto the table, digging into it one-handed and coming up with a pen and card.  

"We should trade phone numbers," she scratches down her number on the back of the card, since it only has her agent's number by default. "Do you live here? My home is Québec City." 

"Yeah. I live in the suburbs, but close enough to call it 'Chicago' for most purposes."

Number: Exchanged.

"I don't have an agent or an agency yet. I'm not sure how much to, like... Trust? Them? They only want a healthy, happy esper in as much as that produces money. I'm - uh - the system hasn't been great to me."

She nods! "I know what you mean. But, most agencies aren't stupid enough to treat their espers badly. It still helps to have someone with legal knowledge look over any contracts. I could give you my lawyer's phone number? He specializes in Esper matters. Though," she notes, "He is Canadian." 

"...Maybe yeah. At least they'd know an American lawyer to ask, maybe... Gosh, guiding feels really nice. Sorry, I'm pretty distracted by it."

"It does! This is the best compatibility I have had, it feels so nice, even at zero," which she hit a little while ago, now.

"Should I stonesense, a little? I think you still have some backlash. Oh, or I could show you how my carving works?" She reaches into her bag again, this time retrieving a stone the size of her palm. 

"I'm preeeetty close to zero too? If you want to, it'd be neat! I can practice my pen balancing a bit more so we both zero at the same time."

"Um, do you want to - like - have whole arm contact?" It feels different to offer that when it feels THIS GOOD. Wendy is keenly aware that she is Slightly Bent(tm).

"Sure," she pushes the sleeve of her sweater (dark red, tight knit) up, fastening it in place with a convenient button just above her elbow. 

The extended skin contact feels equally nice, just in more places now. Sara leans her weight into Wendy, a little, as the fingers of her free hand sink slowly into the stone on the table. 

Yay leaning! And skin contact that feels Magically Nice! It's really neat!

She peers closely at the stone.

"...Can you, mm, do stuff with crystal structures? Turn broken gems into pretty ones?"

"Yes," she picks the stone up, now, turning it over to reveal some flecks of dark blue. "There is sapphire in this. Not very much, or very quality. It was scrap stone, not worth prying the gems out." 

She picks one of the flecks out, carefully prying it up with a nail. Its mottled surface glints in the light at certain angles as she turns it.

"Fixing broken gems is hard, though. Not for my power, but... Getting it perfect is difficult." 

"Cooool." She grips Sara's hand a bit tighter for a moment. "I was starting to get used to it, like, yeah espers exist, yeah backlash sucks, but once in a while I just get... Wow, that these sorts of things are possible is just amazing... I wanna find some industry where pushing on something you can't normally touch is vitally important for some reason. I'm sure there's something..."

"Definitely." She squeezes back, as her other hand carefully rolls the fleck of gemstone between her fingers, slowly forming it into a bead.

"I think- uranium, maybe? Or other hazardous materials. Or, something too delicate to touch. Can you push things through glass or plastic?" 

"I can push anything I - define? Even if I can't actually see it. I tried working through cameras and it was, like, I could miss, doing perspectives like that was weird and difficult, but it feels, um, amenable to practice. And yes, I can push things I can see behind glass and plastic. Hazmat seems plausible. Bit complicated by how I can only push things away from me. But like, fingertip to fingertip if my arms are outstretched so I can juggle stuff if I'm careful. I don't get any sensory feedback except backlash going up, unless I'm resisting psychic stuff."

"Perhaps you could work with animals? If you can push living things? The ability to ward off a dangerous creature without a weapon would be valuable there." 

A pinch and a roll gives the bead a slight point. A moment of effort (Wendy will notice her backlash accumulating faster then) sees a hole form through its sides. 

Sara pulls a string of more multi-coloured beads out of her purse, and strings this new one onto it, before examining her rock for the next piece of corundum. 

"It's way more backlash to push living things. Er, humans who aren't me, and lab mice, at least. I can push on clothes though. We did it during the government testing thingy. And I can punch holes in things by pushing on tiny parts."

Huh, is she doing craftwork?  At a meetup?  They must have some decent compatibility.  Who's the other girl, I've seen that hair b- oh, that's Wendy, I'm glad she's found someone compatible.  She's doing all that with her power?  I wish I had that kind of fine control no, you're being stupid, you have a live-saving power.   "Good afternoon, Wendy."  Time smiles at the new girl.  "That looks really interesting, do you mind if I watch?"

She looks up at him, her fingers pausing with another chunk of sapphire between them, a paler one this time. 

"...I guess so?"

Some of her general annoyance from earlier has melted away. It's hard to stay that way when being guided this well. 

"It's a really cool demo! Makes me want to try learning to make things. Arts and crafts..."

She holds up a fancy cracker, peering at it... And punches a neat little square hole in it with four thin lines of force. A piece of cracker falls out with a tiny spray of cracker crumbs.

"...Uh... Tim, Sara and I are really compatible. It's kinda distracting. But do you maybe also want to check between each other, you two?"

"Thank you very much."  Okay, she didn't sound thrilled?  But she looks like she's having a good time, maybe that's just the guiding.  Do I stand?  If I pull up a chair, is that intruding too much?  Maybe I'll just wait Wendy's talking.  "Oh!  Congratulations."  It's not weird to be jealous, but it will be weird if you act on that jealousy GET OUT OF YOUR HEAD AND SIT DOWN.  Tim will split the difference between sitting and standing and sit on the edge of his seat.  Fistbump for Sara?  "It's good to meet you, Sara."

"Mm," she will reluctantly let go of Wendy for just a moment so she can bump his fist with her own and then- 

"Eh?" That's not as good as Wendy but it's pretty good! How has she found two people more compatible than Luc at the same mixer. "Are you a new awakening, too?" Perhaps the world is making it up to her all at once. 

Whoah.  This is like Sinkhole!  "Yes'm.  Just a few months ago.  Compatibility's pretty good here, as well.  Er.  Do you want some guiding while you're doing that?"  She's already getting guiding.  "More guiding, that is?"

"Are you and Wendy compatible too? We could make a triangle," she actually giggles, a little, quickly covering it with a hand and a cough. 

"You will have to hold my wrist, though," she notes, "Or I will not be able to make beads."

"Yay! I was kind of worried I wouldn't find anyone. And you two seem like sane, reasonable people, too. Lucky."

"It was pretty slim pickings back home."  Well, except for one.  "I don't mind holding your, er, wrist."  Tim will suit actions to words and get comfy.  If only we could set up a hospital room here, that would be so convenient.  So much potential, wasted.  On the other hand, would it really be that worth it?  Not for anything long-term, I guess.  Ugh.  Tim's looking a little downcast for someone getting double-guided.

She gets more from Sara than Tim. Her compatibility with Tim, though better than with Theo, is kind of paling in comparison to Sara and to a lesser extent... The other guy, Dan or something, she isn't about to take the business card out right now.

She leans up against Sara a bit again.

"Today has been kind of anxious-making."

-oh, she retakes Wendy's hand, too. Her fingers go back to absently rolling one of the hardest stones in the world into a bead, while she basks in the feeling.

"Yes." The success does make the earlier worry seem to melt away some, though.

"I am not very sane, when backlashed," she warns them, then. Her tone doesn't quite match the seriousness of the words. 

"Yeah, it's been a - challenge.  This is my first real mixer.  My backlash isn't much of anything, really, I just get tired.  I lucked out, I suppose."

"Itchy and needing to be squeezed, for me. ... Getting into a which backlash sucks most contest sounds stupid so I'm not gonna do that."

"I lose the contest, save us all some time.  Unless I pass out in a dungeon or something."

"I thought about doing, like, underwater stuff. It'd go well with my backlash, the pressure diving suit. But I don't know that telekinesis is particularly in demand for... Underwater internet cables? Or whatever?"

She would cover the smile on her face, except both her hands are occupied. 

"I, eh, hyperventilate. I feel as though the air is poison and I must get higher to find fresh air. When it is bad enough I simply keep climbing." 

"So I think I could not guide you underwater," she warns, "But we could meet on the surface." 

"Wait, aren't backlashes supposed to be the opposite of each other?  I kind of get Wendy's and mine, but how are you and I this compatible?"  Who the hell designed this system, anyway?

She shrugs! "Perhaps, something about falling asleep? Exhaustion... Weight?" Backlashes are strange. Compatibility is sometimes stranger. 

Wendy is maybe falling asleep a little. It's been a long four days, and a long seven days before that, and this level of guiding is nice.

Tim definitely notices the girl starting to doze.  "She must be jet-lagged or something.  Poor thing.  That honestly sounds like a terrible backlash, I'm sorry you have to go through that.  And for a whole week..."  How does literally anyone survive Hell Week?

"Thank you," he gets a small, wry smile, "It was not fun." 

Sara shifts her weight a little to let Wendy lean on her more and use her shoulder as a pillow. 

"She said she was very new. It must not be long since her hellweek. I was sedated for much of mine, but that is not actually very restful, anyway."

And in French, under her breath, "Particularly when I kept waking up to fight the nurses." 

Tim freezes.  "Quite."

Oh.

She flushes, "I guess that's what I get for assuming no one speaks French," she laughs, sheepish, "But, you too? I thought you were asleep?" 

"Maman sent me up to summer camp in Quebec every summer, I had little choice.  I was asleep, but I didn't quite understand my power at the time, and caused some property damage.  Thankfully, the only lasting harm was to my pride and a few pieces of furniture."

"I bit one of the EMTs," she admits, "They needed stitches. And I scratched up the custodian who found me. I was restrained at the hospital, I think no one there got worse than bruises." 

Besides her, but she doesn't really count. 

"I live in Québec City," she adds, "Wendy told me she lives in the suburbs here in Chicago. You?" 

"Montpelier, in Vermont.  Just a little ways south of you.  What a shame that our paths did not cross until now."  Then again, you hadn't exactly needed to look...

"I have a temporary partner at home, but he's moving away soon, and we're not very compatible, either. You and I are moreso, nevermind Wendy." 

-she sets the mostly-spherical bead on the table, reaching into her bag for another card.

"My agent," she says, setting it down between them, "I'll write my number for you on the back, later."

Tim starts to reach for Sara's card, out of habit, then processes her words.  "Would you like me to write it for you, given your current, ah, predicament?"  I really should practice more.  I'll set my phone to French later, can't escape it then. Reciprocate!  "My card as well, it has my email but I will certainly text you as soon as I can.  I wanted to put my phone number on it at first, but then Bill scolded me  for lacking an ounce of common sense."

"That would kind of defeat the purpose of an agent, yes," she ducks her head to hide her smile this time, a decent replacement for her hands. 

"And yes, thank you," she will slide him her pen, and recite a number starting with 1-418, since they're in America. 

Tim will faithfully transcribe the phone number, then immediately whip out his phone and text Sara.  'hi, this is Tim, from the meetup'.  Don't use a last name, what if the number is wrong or she gave you a dummy number just to be polite.  Bzzt bzzt.  Then Tim will abruptly realize that he could have just entered the number in his phone without writing it on the card Tim.  please. "Perhaps I still lack that ounce."

"Oh," she laughs, "But if you do, so do I," she points out as she pulls her buzzing phone from her purse. 

Yep, there's the text. She saves his number under 'Tim du Vermont', then shows him it in case something has mysteriously gone wrong. 

(Her phone case is covered in cartoon dogs. There's a dangling dog-shaped keychain attached to it, if one accepts dogs can be shaped like spheres.)

"Perhaps together, we'll amount to a teaspoon.  Tablespoon on a good day."  Oh, those are cute.  "I like the, er, the pictures."  How do you say 'sticker' in French.  I'm going to do it right now.  "My French is bit rusty, I'm afraid."  Tim will go into Menu -> Settings -> Language -> French.

"Autocollants," she tells him, "That's okay, even rusty is better than nothing. I'm not bad at English but it's kind of limiting." 

"Autocollants," Tim repeats.  "That's how I got my name, actually, they ran out of English names for me.  So I had to branch out to Spanish, and even then it took five more tries."

"I'm Menhir," which he can see on the card, "It was Evelyn's - my agent - suggestion. I couldn't think of anything that fit and wasn't silly. Or taken." 

"What is a menhir?  I do not think I know that word, in French at least."

"A standing stone. One of my minor powers is some durability. Or, endurance. If I can lift something I can hold it for as long as my backlash allows." 

"As does mine, although not perhaps in the same way.  Perhaps someday soon I will be able to show you."  Is that too forward.  No, that's what partnerships are for.

"I'd like that. Maybe we could meet, the two of us or all three of us? At least once before the Confluence, I hope, so we can work things out properly between ourselves and our agents. You have an agent, yes?" 

"Bill Moore, with - " confluence??? " - er.  Confluence?  There's one oncoming?  I have found myself preoccupied."  Tim freezes.  He's very proud of his lack of flinch reaction.  If you freeze instead of twitching, you can't accidentally break someone something.  It turns out that training yourself out of flinching can be done if you feel really guilty about breaking controllers and play a lot of jumpscare games.  Sinkhole was right about that, at least.  Or at least not wrong.

"Yes? The esper community has known for over a month, but I guess if you manifested recently you might not have seen the patterns..."

She frowns.

"It should start within the next few weeks, according to estimates." 

"I see.  In that case, I would most certainly be willing to meet and test our powers.  I believe our Sleeping Beauty to be more reluctant, I think she awakened a few days ago."  Did you really just say that, Tim.  She is an esper but she is also a potential BUSINESS PARTNER.

"Yes, and- I think she is younger. Not that it means she is less willing, just, perhaps, less experienced? It is reasonable to want time to decide. I am nineteen," she adds, "I awoke in April two years ago. I have done some dungeons, but my primary power is stonesense, my geokinesis is not very strong, and my durability is minor, so I did not do mainly dungeons for long." 

"I can see where that would make you less - applicable?  Certain dungeons you would excel on. Not every dungeon is a cavern, though."  She mentioned her age, reciprocate.  "I am eighteen."  You sound like a golem.  Technically fulfilled the mission.  Wait, you're supposed to do the compliment sandwich but you put the compliment in the middle.  You idiot.

"Mhm. The majority of my work is surveying for mining companies, but I am still on-call for dungeons where my power would be particularly useful. But, most of the time I am studying." 

Thoughtful hum.  Maybe a bit of leaning.  Guiding is nice.  "That makes sense.  I plan to be a dungeoneer, but - did I ever explain my power?  I don't think I did to you, all of the conversations are starting to blend together."  Wait, doesn't that imply she's forgettable?  AUGH.

(Wendy stirs slightly.)

"You said something of being like my endurance, I think. It has been a long evening," she sighs, and yes, she will lean into him some as well. They are a trio of leaning dominoes, though perhaps not for long given Wendy seems to be waking.

"There is more to it, I take it?" 

"The 'brick' package, and a bit of regeneration.  I can share my powers, though they get weaker the more they're spread out.  The regeneration is only that good if the injury is very recent, on the scale of minutes.  So I hope to be a bodyguard for espers who er, counter a dungeon, and a slow healer during my downtime."

"Oh, we may even work well together, then, when they need me. I get called most often to find victims and cores in underground dungeons. Caverns and such. We might make a fair rescue team, in those circumstances." 

"I imagine we would.  And - I think everyone should be able to heal, if possible.  I try to be very aggressive about a guiding schedule, since the more guiding I get, the more people can be helped.  I don't know how that would mesh with your civilian esper work, but I imagine our agents would be able to come up with something."  You said 'civilian esper'.  You idiot.  You absolute moron.  Why are you allowed to use your words.

"Well, even if I cannot be there all the time, there is at least nothing stopping me from studying while I guide you. Besides the pleasant feeling of it, I suppose." 

She picks her partly-formed bead up off the table, twisting it between her fingers.

"Sensing is not as intensive as this is, so long as I do not try to sense too close. Luc does not come with me; you would not need to change your schedule to accommodate my surveys."  

"Mm... Sorry. I fell asleep. Um... What's up?"

"Shhh, we're okay."  This is not a sensible answer.  Why are you reassuring her.  She was asleep, not hurt.  "We're just chatting - you fell asleep, so we were a little trapped."  Half a grin to show he doesn't mean it.  "Feeling better?  You must've needed that nap."

"Y-yeah, I guess. I've been busy. And am going to be busy."

"It's okay.  We know.  Just take it one thing at a time, and you'll be alright.  Do you want to lay down somewhere, or d'you think you're up for a while longer?  I could carry you to one of the -" don't say makeout rooms " - breakout rooms."

Sara squeezes her hand, "We can both go with you. I don't think I need to meet anyone else here, after this." 

"I think I'm done meeting people... I gotta get y'all's numbers... That sounds good. We've all gotta get down to zero backlash, right?"

Sara still has a little, but only because she's been playing with beads on and off this whole time. Still, she's the one with the actual stable partner, as incompatible as they might be. 

"I am happy to sit with you both until we are all at zero," she nods, "Or longer. Talking with you has been nice."

"...I need an agent. Right? Any advice on picking?"

"Are you going to stay here? In Chicago? I would have more suggestions in Canada, though I know some here in the United States..."

"I dunno. I want to get a lotta money and never ever think about my dad again mostly? Chicago is cool but not critical."

"I went with my third pick because I could meet one of the owners in person.  But let's get you someplace more comfortable, your neck won't thank you in the morning if you keep leaning like that.  Er.  Not that you're not comfy, Sara."  Augh.  Why are you commenting on her comfiness.  Is that even a word?  "Want me to carry you to the breakout room?  You still look pretty dead."  WORD CHOICE, TIMOTHY.  WHY.

"I mean, I can walk."

She will stand and stretch actually. Pouting a bit.

"Right, sorry, I just.  Um."  how do we recover, you need to make it not about her, if you make it about her she takes it personally.  "I like being able to relax a little, you know?  Not using my power is like keeping my fist clenched all day. I like having an excuse."  Yes, true and accurate and it's a great save.  Tim will rise as well, stretching a bit theatrically.

Wendy won't take her hand away, though, surely?

Sara will pack up her things one-handed, and then she will stand, swing her bag over her shoulder, and reach to take Tim's hand, too, now that she isn't occupied with bead-making. 

"I suppose you could pick me up? My backlash would love to see me a little further above the ground," she is joking, but only partly. 

She started to, but quickly stopped.

"Um. No that makes sense. I wouldn't mind I guess. Might be nice."

Blushinggg

Okay, yes, it worked.  I think.  Does Wendy look less upset, I can't tell.  Nothing ventured nothing gained, if I say my offer was only for Wendy then Wendy knows it's about her SAY SOMETHING wait I can't show favoritism, I don't want to alienate one of them.  Okay, it's fine SAY SOMETHING IT'S BEEN FIVE SECONDS..  "Sounds good to me.  Wendy, if you want to get on my left?  And Sara, on my right?  Just sit on my forearms, it won't be a problem as long as you promise to guide it off afterwards."  Tim will kneel down and offer his arms as seats.

She does a glance at Sara. Something about this is deeply amusing underneath the blush??

please just get on or say you're good, kneeling like this is just embarassing

Sara catches her eye in return, and then she smothers a giggle with her freed palm. The silliness of the situation doesn't stop her from doing as asked, though.

On his forearm, she sits, letting go of Wendy (aw) finally to set her hand on his shoulder for balance. 

Sames, sames~

And up Timothy stands.  He is incredibly normal, and he is going to wander off to a makeout BREAKOUT room.  With two girls on his arms.  Literally on his arms.  As one does, when one is a normal human being.  At least I'm getting my blush under control, why did we even evolve such a stupid reflex?  It's worse than the startle reflex, at least jumping like THAT makes sense, sort of..  "Mind your heads, ladies, the doorframes are a bit low for your new height."

Sara will duck! Her hair gets all in Tim's face about this.

"Oh- désolée-" 

(A number of people turn to watch them pass on the way to the breakout rooms. A pair over by the unusued piano wolf-whistle in tandem, to the amusement of much of the surrounding crowd.)

Tim doesn't even blink.  Fun fact, enhanced durability protects the naked MK1 human eyeball from hair!  Tim has experienced this before, with his previous partner.  It's possible that she did it deliberately.  Who can say?  "I'm used to it, it's quite alright."  Wait.  Why are you even remotely bringing up a previous partner.  "Er.  Your hair.  I mean.  Not the, er, commentary."  

Wendy ducks too far over in the other direction and does a look at the cat-callers and- whoops, that was way too far a lean - her backlash ticks up noticeably to Tim as she suddenly jerks back upright-

Sara takes her hand to steady her - and also incidentally begins helping with some of that backlash - while pushing her hair out of everyones' faces. 

"Don't they have anything better to do," she grumbles, rolling her eyes. 

Tim has practiced carrying people before, it's one of the easiest things to do and it's not even dangerous if you can reinforce your partner.  Tim has a reflex: Drop the person slightly, so they're not on his arm anymore, then squish the person against his side, vice-style.  Wendy Kenson is now carefully squished.  Tim doesn't even think twice about it, he practiced carrying his partner while doing medical work* for a full twelve man-hours, because what else are you going to do?  His power is purely passive, there's no skill to using it.  "Easy there, ma'am, I've got you.  You won't fall, and if you do fall I'll protect you, you won't even break a nail."  Okay good that you can follow the script but you don't need to treat her like a scared civilian.

*if you can call 'stay within thirty feet of ten people 'work' anyway.  It's really not exciting to Tim.

! That squish maneuver is NICE in ways that are, only sort of related to the guiding,,,, She mutters something approving about it.

Sara is not usually very giggly but this continues to be a silly situation. Thus: giggles. 

"You look very cozy, Wendy." 

"Yeah... Uh, cuddlesome stuff is nice. And the squishing is good for my backlash." And a cute strong boy is HOLDING her.

"Happy to be of service.  Here we are, the Tim Train is arriving at its destination."  Tim kicks the door shut behind him and turns the lock with his knee.  "And time to disembark, ladies!"  Spurred on by a rare moment of self-confidence, he playfully pretends to dump both girls on the unusually large sofa.  "You said you wanted to be squished, right?"  Tim flops onto the sofa, dangling his legs across Wendy's lap.  "Feel free to grab an ankle.  My backlash isn't that bad, but even a little bit makes me wish I could have a coffee."

"Eep!" She catches herself with a laugh, and then cuddles up against Wendy's side. "We can both squish you," she says, wrapping an arm over her shoulders. 

"Yay! Just - um - let me get my phone and an arm free so I can browse for an agent..."

There.

"This is nice..."

"Oh!" 

Sara will dig out her lawyer's number, and pass that on. 

That done, they can spend the rest of the evening chatting, guiding, and whatever else they feel like getting up to, as far as Sara is concerned. Goal achieved! 

Tim has officially been sidelined for the duration of the meetup.  Pleasantly so.  While guiding and/or squishing his two(!!!) new potential business partners, he performs his maintenance routine: After Action Reports.

ACTION ITEMS

1: Tinfoil bites???  Unpleasant, reserve regen time.
2: Pregnancy actress, Lyra, look up shows, IMDB.  Brittles things, good match.  Ring?  Married?  Convo landmines, avoid.
3: Counterweight, Zay, Say?? spelling??  Backlash???  civvy esper, on contract.  Looks annoyed, all bark(so far??)
4: Partner: Jay, teleport?  Rhyming scheme, why, find out backlash, civvy esper, some combat
5: Partner/Brother/??? Ly - name scheme, why???  Pendragon, British?  Look up later, backlash?
6: Reconsider firm handshake vs. risk of 'tinfoiling', don't freak out next time
7: Wendy - make sure good agent, talk to Bill.  Give her an hour of his time to go over hiring process.  Do NOT pressure her or I will quit, Bill.  Brainstorm good codename.  Outsource that?
8: Sara - set up partnership, charter plane.  Cost:Benefit check for plane on standby?
9: Confluence coming.  Work on power training.  Get in healing as much as possible, won't be around long.
10: Discuss boundaries w/both.
11: Confluence coming, professional partners for non-dungeon downtime.  As many as I can.  If it's a confluence, money literally doesn't matter.  Speedo/sauna time.
12: Call Sinkhole A/N: This item was deleted after consideration.

NOTES FOR FUTURE

1: Lyra - Winnipeg contract, good match - teleporter, nice.  Jay friend/partner, OK compat.
2: BETTER SOCIAL NOISES.  should be ACTION but meh
3: Less 'um'.  lmao.  lol.  NGMI.
4: Practice card retrieval. when card in hand.  Not as necessary, new partner(I hope???)
5: Copper strand, reconsider for future.  Cool idea, not a hit yet.  UPDATE: Huge hit!  Possibly bring more, 1/person not viable.  Cool souvenir if not shared.
6: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, DO NOT BULLSEYE ON PARTNER.  Acknowledge others!!  Don't cut!
7: Squish Wendy.
8: Practice takedowns, immobilizes.  Don't rely on pain compliance, backlashed espers won't feel pain.  Armlocks/shoulderlocks, no fingers/wrist.  Leg possibly?  Blood choke likely to traumatize, avoid.
9: Practice introductions.  New pro. partners, practice on them?  Ugh.  Might be out of pro. partners local.  Worth checking Quebec?  But if in Q, have Sara.