T42 - Thursday

[hernando_fuentes]

It had been a good week minus a few brief sour notes. Sparkle was well and had given him an idea to ask the store about. He arrived a little early on Thursday to do just that.

"Good morning," he said to everything in general, including the quokka. "I wondered if there was space to put an apartment in the store? I would like to move out of the hotel and it would be much convenient if I could stay here or close by."

The stock room door rattled. Hernando paused. He'd never actually been in the stock room. Hadn't needed to, every time he encountered a need, it showed up in the storefront. "You want me to go through the door?" The door rattled again.

With a small breath of trepidation and hoping not to encounter a 'man behind the curtain' scenario, Hernando opened the door and stepped in.

He returned a few minutes later wearing an entirely bemused expression on his face. He patted the counter. "You," he said sincerely, "are a very good store."

The sign rattled. He went to retrieve it and set it out.

SPECIALS
Home Hearth - Black Tea with Mulled Spices and Apple Pieces - hot or cold
Bedroom Blend - Rooibos with Chamomile, Mint, and Ginger - hot or cold
Lawn Jarts - Sencha with Peppercorns, Ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves - hot or cold

Hernando gave a small, private laugh as he placed it on the sidewalk. Point taken, store.

Description of shop is here.

[OPEN!]

Comments

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord was once again trying to acquaint himself with the island that had apparently kidnapped him, and, while he wasn't the sort to take well to a little kidnapping, he did at least accept that it was important to... well... meet the neighbors, so to speak.

And he couldn't deny that a quiet place where he could sit and watch the shore seemed like the perfect place to sit and gather his thoughts this morning.

That was why there was a large green man in leather armor with a sword on his back, making his way into the tea shop, looking faintly bemused, but mostly just resigned to this being his life now. 'Home Hearth' had sounded inviting. He could use a little inviting these days.

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando looked up and smiled a welcome, "Hello! Welcome to T42. May I get you anything?"

The quokka were playing something akin to tag while bouncing in and out amongst the tables.

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord was watching them with quiet interest for a moment, mostly just to make sure they weren't actually really large rats or something, before looking back to the man with a small smile of his own.

"Good morning," he said in a deep, pleasant drawl, giving a nod of his head. "You sell tea here? I have to admit, I don't drink tea often. What would you recommend for a man who could do with a little settling in?"

[hernando_fuentes]

The drawl was at least familiar. There were plenty of Texans who did their shopping in Mexico. "Tea and pastries, yes. Also coffee, but I do not recommend the coffee," Hernando said apologetically, "The store does not seem to understand coffee though it tries its best."

He considered the question seriously. "What sort of tea do you normally drink? Black? Green? Herbal? Do you prefer caffeinated beverages or non-caffeinated?"

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord... stood there, looking far more at a loss now than he did when he'd asked about tea in the first place. He'd understood roughly a quarter of all of that.

"... I'll just... have whatever's most popular," he settled on. And then gave what was intended to be a definitive sort of nod, but was probably more a bewildered bob of his head.

[hernando_fuentes]

Oh dear. One of those. "Let's start you out with the spiced black tea today," Hernando said calmly, "It is quite nice and takes well to sweetener. Would you like anything to eat with that?"

He set about scooping Home Hearth into a tea sac and added water from the dispenser on the far right. A red timer was flipped over for it to steep while he waited on the answer about the pastry.

"Are you one of the newcomers? I, myself, have not been here so long."

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden stepped through the door, saw Fjord there and smiled at him.

"Good to see you here. This is the place I mentioned."

She hadn't looked at the photos on the wall yet.

[built_fjord_tough]

Fjord, of course, was smiling back. There weren't enough familiar faces around here for him to not, and Seivarden had been kind enough to him thus far, after all. He bowed his head slightly.

"Seivarden," he said in greeting. "It seems like a nice place so far. They definitely know their teas."

In a way that he himself very much did not.

[1000yearstoolate]

It was decidedly odd to bring a sword to a tea house, but Seivarden wasn't going to point it out, since Fjord had otherwise been, well, not civilised, but at least pleasant company.

"They do. Have you decided what you're going to have? So far I've mostly tried the Indian black teas, but perhaps I'll go with a Chinese one today."

She was showing off a little bit. She had also not looked at the walls yet because, if you didn't pay attention to the claws, the claws, Fjord could easily distract her from that.

[built_fjord_tough]

"The owner of this establishment suggested a spiced black tea," Fjord replied, smiling wryly. He was trying not to look half as overwhelmed as he felt, here. "I enjoyed it, but if there's something else you recommend, I'd definitely be interested in giving it a try."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Would you like to share a pot of Yunnan tea?" Seivarden offered. "I expect Hernando has a good one."

She smiled at Fjord, trying not to think of the claws.

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando smiled warmly as Seivarden came in. "Seivarden! Welcome back! I have not seen you in ages, my friend. You have been well?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"I stepped through a portal and missed a month," Seivarden said. "Which is why I haven't been visiting sooner. This is one of my favourite... what is that?!"

She finally noticed the photos on the wall.

[hernando_fuentes]

"Oh dear! You are well, after a month in a portal?" Hernando was concerned. That did not sound pleasant.

Seivarden's tone had him blinking and trying to figure out what she was aghast at. "The new art?" he guessed, confused, "There are a few new pictures by a local photographer."

He pointed them out helpfully. "I am especially taken with that one," tea, glitter, naked hands, black gloves, "It looks much like an advert for a Broadway show."

[1000yearstoolate]

"Tea?! With bare hands?" Seivarden looked disgusted. "This is Sparkle's doing, isn't it?"

She was going to ignore the fact that Hernando actually appreciated them for now.

[Disappearance due to power cut :( ]

[mages_suck]

Seivarden had mentioned the tea shop. Fenris decided to go in and check it out. Once inside, he was a little lost. He stared at the menu, slowly trying to figure out the words. Crossing his arms over his chest, he stubbornly glared at it as if that would help the letters make sense faster.

[built_fjord_tough]

An elf?

... A grouchy elf, but an elf. Somebody not human in this very, very human world. Fjord almost looked relieved as he looked the elf's way and offered him a nod in greeting.

He was a bit lost too, but at least he could read Common.

[mages_suck]

A motion from the corner of his eye made Fenris turn. His face first tightened and then relaxed into a look of bewilderment. His scars weren't humming even a little bit. An Orc, calmly enjoying tea and a pastry. Turning in Fjord's direction, he canted his head slightly. "An Orc, but not Darkspawn. Are you common to this world?" His voice was polite enough, for all his words weren't.

[built_fjord_tough]

Darkspawn? Fjord frowned as the Elf turned to him, reminded himself that back home he'd be called a beast or worse, and then shook his head.

"Not common to this world. Not from this world. Nor am I a fiend, as much as the reputation of... of my people... might suggest otherwise."

[mages_suck]

Fenris listened and nodded once, "Nor from my world, else the reputation would be far more than a suggestion. It is good to know there are worlds out there where the mage Taint hasn't destroyed your race."

Lifting his chin in a greeting, he introduced himself, "Fenris. Also not of this world and only recently come. Under a candlemark, in fact."

[built_fjord_tough]

Mage taint?

Well, there was a story, from the sound of it. Fjord looked intrigued, if briefly, before nodding in turn.

"Fjord," he replied. "Here not even a fortnight, myself."

[hernando_fuentes]

Hernando looked up at the newcomer and beamed when he saw the pointy ears.

An elf! A real, live, honest to goodness elf in his store!

Would it be rude to take a picture? It would probably be rude. Perhaps he could ask? The look on the elf's face made him decide not to.

"Hello! Welcome to T42! May I get you anything?" he all but gushed.

[mages_suck]

Fenris eyed the beaming proprietor askance. "Tea," he answered shortly, though after a moment he added a belated, "Please."

[hernando_fuentes]

"Certainly," Hernando replied, "What kind of tea would you like? Black, green, herbal?"

[mages_suck]

"Black," Fenris chose, to match his mood.