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Balthazar Blake is beginning to wonder if the bar is stalking him. He cannot seem to turn around in Dave's underground study space / apprentice training area without finding another doorway. After going about his business five times, he's decided to see if there wasn't something urgent he was needed for.

It helps that he feels he could use a break. He hopes, fervently, that when the attack comes, Dave does not need to defend himself with plasma bolts. It will not end well, if Dave's current ability is any indicator.

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It's all right. Rae will make up for Balthazar's varying shades of brown with her bright sky-blue sweater, deep purple corduroy pants and bright red sneakers.

Rae looks up and smiles, seeing him. "Oh, I suppose there could be special pricing in your case." ~~$5.00 each!~~

That earns a raised eyebrow as he sits, making himself comfortable.

And as he sends a waitrat after coffee. A lot of coffee. In a very big mug.

With unlimited refills.

He's fairly sure Merlin was absolutely insane to take on three.

Rae smiles at his look. He's agreed to help her. She feeds people for much less than that.

A plate with two large, moist cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven, is set before him.

"How've you been?"

"Increasingly thankful that you do not have the same problem with plasma bolts as young Dave." He grumbles, though it is very very hard to grumble when inhaling the scent of all that lovely cinnamon roll-ness.

Maybe Dave just needs to learn to cook?

"You look better." Blunt is good! Right?

"I feel better, too," she says, taking a cinnamon roll for herself. "Got some sleep after Kyoko took her turn babysitting Terry, which helped a lot."

"So Dave has some other issue with them than being unable to hit the broad side of a barn?"

Yeah, aim hadn't been her strong point. A lot of practice went into that.

"In between attempts to kill himself and me, he has nearly brought the city street down on our heads, nearly ruptured the city sewer system, and knocked out a local power converter. In short, he is a hazard to society. I ought to be ashamed."

He's not.

He's just tired of catching and redirecting stray shots.

"Okay, now I feel much better about how I did with them," she says, smiling slightly as she eats a bite of her cinnamon roll.

"As you should." He agrees, placidly. Sunshine should learn now that it's never good when he's calm. "Though we should work on your blocking skills."

"Probably, yeah." She's been getting that intimation, from her encounters with him. It probably shows in the wary look she gives him, and how she just happens to put down her cinnamon roll to leave her hands free.

Just in case (Curse the rejuvenating power of cinnamon rolls!)

"..." He blinks at her, the picture of innocence.

Which is not to say he's not giggling like a nine-year-old on the inside.

"You're so suspcious."

"This is you we're talking about," she says, as though to remind him.

Of the sudden lightning storm.
Of the moving furniture.
Of the baseballs.
Etc.
Etc.
She could go on.

Clearly, she is exaggerating. He has only always been helpful.

Truly.

"The security team would think I was attacking you if I started throwing plasma bolts in here."

"I don't know how far out of my way I'd go to dissuade them of that idea," she replies, smiling.

"That would, of course, be your decision entirely." Balthazar agrees, polishing off his first cinnamon roll, and graciously accepting the mug of coffee from the waitrat. "As it would be my decision just how painful the next training session would be."

"It would've been your decision to 'attack' me in the bar, in the first place," she smiles. "What if I can't get Security to believe that you weren't really attacking me?"

Hey, it could happen! >_>

"Well. I know you enjoyed that little place in New York..." Bribery when training apprentices? Why yes. It's a longstanding practice.

The meaning behind the look she gives him is very clear - just as clear as what he's trying to do, in fact.

"Since they're in season, I've been experimenting with making those pumpkin pancakes we had..."

Two can play at that game.

"Excellent." His voice is warm, as is his voice when he stands. "So I should get this round of training over with as quickly as possible so you can get back to your baking?"

Yes, he's taking the remaining cinnamon roll with him. And the coffee. He can multitask.

She grins, shaking her head wryly.

"I'm up for it if you are," Rae replies, standing to leave the tray of cinnamon rolls with the Bar.

He chuckles, ignoring the way the rats scold - they were looking forward to the break Sunshine selling sweets affords.

"You say that so eagerly." He observes, wondering how long that will last.

"Should I not?" she asks, heading towards the door. "I've still got a lot to learn."

... Now that doesn't sound quite right. He follows her out, sipping his coffee. The center of the circle lights up as he approaches, but the rest stays dark. Idly he waves her forward, while he sets his plate on the rocky outcropping that has served so many purposes.

"Seems you have a newfound love of learning - any reason behind that?" He isn't quite egotistical enough to believe that he has anything to do with it.

As she takes her place inside the circle, Rae shrugs as though to say "it's nothing," but the smile that was on her face earlier is gone.

In an inspirational movie this is the moment when the powerful mentor pauses, and there's a meaningful heart-to-heart moment, completely with tears and uplifting music.

This is not an inspirational movie.

This is the moment when Balthazar starts building a plasma bolt.

She remembers (as she bets Balthazar does) what happened last time she was actually hit by a plasma bolt. She still has her knife, the necklace-scar and sunlight-web set into her skin, and the amber ring on its cord about her neck.

Nevertheless, she's not here to be complacent in what protections she already has. The moment after Balthazar starts building a plasma bolt, she's pulling up a shield.