Coffee or Tea? (Top Cat)

Arianna was dressed in her usual boyish wear, her cap firmly in place upon her head as she moved down the pathways of the busy island known as Penecia Island. She moved with ease through the crowds that shifted out of her way as if she was some diseased ridden creature. The human looking creature did not mind as she kept walking with her red-head doll in her arms. She would breeze through crowds and up the sidewalks pausing at one or two shops along the way before she found herself coming to a halt in front of a small café called the “Blue Flamingo”.

Finding the name strange, the curious shadow decided to go into the place to see what it was all about.

While she was imagining birds being on the other side, to her surprise this place had nothing to do with birds at all. Quite the contrary actually. The café was a small square painted a soothing gold as small tables sat all around. A single counter rested way in the back, but there was no waiter or person there and no one came to greet her.

Looking about, the child like creature could see that there were a few people scattered about mostly alone reading or on a computer. The place seem like a good spot for isolation and also some odd smelling drinks that caught the child’s interest.

Moving further in, Arianna would drift to a small booth like table in the back and sit down, placing her doll next to her and her hat at her side. Once she was settled, she would pick up the small menu and look at it taking notes that this place seemed to have only three items available, teas, coffees, or water. There were no snacks of any kind on the list, but the girl did not mind as her eyes instead glanced over all the teas and coffees listed. Hmm, she had never really tried either drink before, so perhaps today would be her day to sample each one on the list. She certainly had the money to spare on such an adventure.

Deciding this was the task she was going to do, Arianna picked out one coffee and one tea, so when the waiter did appear out of no where to ask her order, she gave it to him easily enough getting a raised eyebrow from the other before he shrugged and went to fill the order. A few minutes later, the other came back with two steaming cups (one of tea and the other of coffee) and also one cup of water.

Placing the items neatly before her, Arianna would thank the guy and let him wander off before focusing on the items before her. She slid the water over to her doll and then moved the two cups of hot liquid before her. She smelled each taking in the bitterness and smoothness of both before she examined each with her eyes. Then with a nod, she would choose the darkest of the pair and take a sip of it.

Without anything added to the drink, the hot liquid was bitter and biting causing the shadow to blink as she took in the sensation. What a strange drink. Was she suppose to be pleased or repelled by this? Hmm...

Reaching into her side pocket, she would get her notebook and pen. She would open the small item and begin to jot down notes on her first drink before pausing to take another sip to see if the flavor and power had changed. Nope this one as bold as ever. Interesting.

Remaining involved in her experiment, she would not pay attention to her surroundings as she sampled and wrote about her drinks.

Top-Cat looked around the streets he sighed he had been pretty inactive for quite a while, the heat not seeming to bother him even though he was still walking around in a full suit and Top Hat. TC watched Double as she walked down the sidewalk. TC got up he was famished Double easily jumped up on his shoulder. TC walked looking around for a nice place to eat he has spent quite a bit of money he really didn't want to go another day without anything to at least drink. TC looked  around for the nearest place to get something to drink. TC looked at  a sign Blue Flamingo TC tried to remember if he ever worked at the Café, after a while he gave up and just shrugged and went in Double still on his shoulder the waiter was about to speak up about Double but closed his mouth when TC gave him a glare to silence him the man was about to escorted him to his seat. Top-Cat was sitting straight across from a girl who was holding a doll and scribbling on a notepad, it was none of TC's business so he decided to ignore her and waited for his order to be taken. The waiter then came up to TC and asked his order TC replied with a simple "I will have tea and my partner Double will have water thank you" Top-Cat said in his usual deep voice. Top-Cat then waited for his drinks then the waiter came back with his drinks. TC sips his tea silently and sighs in relief it tasted delicious .

TC simply drank his tea in silence enjoying the drink why Double lapped up the water TC watched Double her tails were wagging as she lapped up the water. TC took off his hat and put on the table letting the cool air in the café hit the scalp oh his head better. Top-Cat pulled out a cigarette and then pulled out a lighter the lighter wouldn't light since it was out of lighter just his TC sighed the cigarette still hanging limply from his mouth. TC pulled a matchbox out of his other pocket to see he was out of matches as well. Damn TC's bad luck was acting up today man this sucked.

Arianna continued to write about the coffee looking up briefly as an older gentleman decided to sit across from her. She didn’t mind the invasion at her table, even if the waiter looked a bit distressed at the idea. In any case, Arianna would pay the other little mind as she paused to finish off the coffee. Well, that was a rather strong drink. Now then, the tea. She would shift the empty cup away from herself and slid the tea before her flipping to a new page to begin her new entry on this stuff called green tea,

She was about to take a sip when she looked up slightly as the man across from her and his pet got their drinks. Her strange eyes would land on the strange two tailed creature that drank the water. That scent that came off of it…The pet was a shadow? But if that was so why was it with a human? Eyes would slide up to the man as he pulled out a cigarette and after failing twice to find something to light it with, he would seemingly give up as the item hung loosely between his lips. Arianna would watch him for a moment before frowning in thought as she sat back in her chair and began to search the various pockets upon her. After a moment, she produced a small box of matches that she had acquired from a different restaurant. She had meant to leave them at home, but bad habits caused her to pack them instead as she left the house.

Heh. Who knew she’d actually have to aid someone with them?

In any case, as she laid the item on the table for the guy to use, she would go back to her tea and take a sip before scribbling notes about the tea and drawing small pictures of the shadow and human nearby. For the moment, she would not speak. No…the new pair would have to do something in order to get those pale lips to part.

TC saw double sniff the air it pranced around before nudging TC's arm with its head TC then paid attention  Double usually wasn't this annoyed with something. "What is it Double?" TC asked his pet while picking up the matchbox the girl let him borrow he took a single match out he swiped it against the matchbox, and the match lit he put it up to his cigarette and his cigarette was immediately lit he wave the match out and put it in Double's empty water cup. Top-Cat simply patted Double to calm her down. "Thanks for the matches kid I appreciate it so I wonder what is it that Double is so annoyed about would you happen to know?" TC asked the young lady she was worrying Double but that was very rare to see Double this bothered by something. TC usually wouldn't be that interested by a single person unless Double either liked the person or was riled up by some person Top-Cat inhaled deeply before blowing more smoke out of his mouth. TC simply tapped his cigarette TC then waited for the young lady to say something she would make his day interesting Top-Cat simply smoked waiting for her to talk he had met a strange young  lady for that he was certain.

It appeared the strange cat creature was alerted to what she was as well. Ah good, so this one had that sort of sense too, so there was no need to play too many games with kinder spirit; however, there was the human problem now wasn't there? For whatever reason, the strange cat was allied with him and even seemed to be warning him of her not exactly normal air. A strange behavior for a shadow to betray its own kind, but it seemed like this one was quite loyal to the man with it.

Strange colored eyes would flick from the agitated creature to the man as he took the match and after using it returned the box to her with a thank you. With an emotionless gaze, the girl would simply nod as she moved a pale hand to pick up the box and pocket it once more. She went back to her writing of her tea experience, but paused when the man decided to ask her question.

Not bother one bit by the smoke or disturbance, the child like shadow would look from the creature that had been calmed by the man’s touch to the man himself. She would give the lightest of shrugs in response.

“I would have no clue what would make your pet so agitated. Maybe there is something in the air or maybe it be something else,” the girl would say in her usual soft and monotone voice before she paused and took a sip of her tea again. After a swallow, she would place the cup back down and study the man before her once more. The ball was back in the man’s court for conversation for her lips parted no more after answering.