The Coffee House.

[Mistress Guendolen]

Elise clenched a hand in front of her mouth, shoulders shaking. A spluttering sound escaped. Then, abandoning all pretense of trying to hide it, she tipped her head back and laughed, long and loud. "Oh, my... and y-you say you're all cynical and act like you've got all kinds of angst.... No one who can sit here and make a face like that can be that angsty.... Your cover's blown!" She playfully shook a finger at him, still laughing a little.

[Teddy]

He smiled and sat back. "I never said I was angsty or anything. You just were thinking I was from the way I was acting. I'm better than that most of the time. 'Sides, making pretty people laugh is a joy I never got back home."

[Mistress Guendolen]

"Then I guess we both did our share of misinterpreting, huh?... And if you never get the pleasure of making someone laugh, then please, go to it. It's something everyone should get to do more often, and I'd love to see what else you have hidden up those sleeves of yours." She propped her chin on her hand again, grinning at him as she waited to see what he'd do next.

[Teddy]

"Well, I've got this trick where.. Well, I'm gonna need a playing card or something similar."

[Mistress Guendolen]

"Playing card?... Wait a minute, okay?" She pulled the large handback in front of her, undoing the latch at the front and flipping the flap over. The first thing she pulled out was a large black book, setting it down with an audible "thunk" that was reminiscent of the sound the bag made whenever she put it down.
She rummaged through the thing, pulling out a bundle of tissues, some ribbon, a compact, an assortment of other items.... Finally, arm halfway down into the thing (like many other large purses, this bag giving the impression of being much bigger on the inside than on the outside), she delved into a corner and pulled out a black velvet pouch. "Oh, wait, that's the Tarot deck, can't use those...." She dropped the pouch on the table, delved a bit more, and pulled out a smaller pouch, this one black suede. "Okay, here we go! One deck of cards." She opened the pouch and slid the contents out, consisting of a deck with a black background graced with deep cromson roses and a mock-lace white border, the edges worn a little from use. "These things make good foci, so I tend to keep some around, just in case."

[Teddy]

"All right, I'll make due with this..." Gennosuke grabbed the deck, shuffled it, then spread it out on the table. He then showed that there was nothing up his sleeves and put the deck back in the box. Then he leaned over and pulled a card out of Elise's hair. "Ooops. Forgot one."

[Mistress Guendolen]

Elise blinked, then a hand instinctively went up to the side of her head. "Huh? Where did that- huh, was that the trick? I didn't know you could do sleight-of-hand! Better hope you never become pickpocket." She adjusted the small black hairbow next to where he'd palmed the card from, watching to see if anything happened next.

[Teddy]

"It's quite easy to do sleight-of-hand if you're trained in using your dexterity to fight instead of brute strength. And yeah, that was the trick... Originally, I had thought to kiss ya and pull it out of your mouth, but I thought that would've been TOO outgoing."

[Mistress Guendolen]

Elise's mouth opened briefly, then closed again. She blinked a couple times, and a faint flush suffused her cheeks. "Uh... y-you do have a point there, we haven't really known each other that long, have we?..." The flush deepened a little, "Though- yeah, th-that would have been some impressive dexterity, indeed...." She blinked a couple more times, then shook her head, as thoug trying to shake herself out of a mental state of some variety. "But can you show me how to do this, maybe? As you no doubt guessed, I'm not exactly someone who goes in for the 'brute strength' stuff."

[Teddy]

Gennosuke grinned at Elise, then stood behind her. "Allright, the trick is to place the card in your hand and use just enough of your inner energy to keep it from sight... At least, that's what my dad does. I had to be extra sneaky and stick it to the back of my hand, then twirl it around to pull it out of your hair."

[Mistress Guendolen]

She looked up at him over her shoulder. "And- well- if you don't mind me asking, how- um- would you have done it the... other way?... Just a description will suffice!" she added quickly.

[Teddy]

"Now that one, that one would've been really tricky. I'd have had to have gotten it into my mouth by passing the deck over my face and then kissed you, slip the card out, and make it look like I pulled it from your mouth."

[Mistress Guendolen]

"Oh. I can see where that would be tricky, yes.... Mind you, if it worked it would be- you know- really effective.... But don't worry, I'm not asking for a demo or anything!" She made a hasty hand-waving gesture that was supposed to convey reassurance. "But- but for the first one- maybe I could try it?..." She quickly transferred her gaze to the deck of cards.

[Chibi MitchellTF]

Neko was still trying to get Tetsuo to move. "Come get the cookie...come here boy...It's a good cookie, it's chocolate chip..." She bites into the edge of it. "See. Good."

[Teddy]

"You can try it... I mean, they're your cards aren't they? But good luck getting it on the first try, it took me a few weeks of practice to get it down, and another month to master it."