Covent Garden Flowers, Saturday

[crimson_sister]

If it hadn't been for the feelings of dread and suspicion that had overcome her during the past week, Lucille might even have appreciated some of the changes that had happened, such as the giggling children, and even the tentacles. She had come very close to attack the school teacher with an axe though, but had managed to refrain from it, not wanting to have to explain a blood-soaked dress to Tisarwat. In a way she regretted it, it might have been cathartic.

Today was a normal day though, although it seemed like her plan to kill the invading butterflies with spiders had backfired. There were no longer any butterflies with wings like staring eyes, but instead she had a shop full of fat spiders and cobweb.

What ate spiders? Birds. She should get birds. Meanwhile, she was going to clear away some of the cobweb so that customers could actually see the plants.

Lucille put a sign in the window:

Spiders for free!
Suitable for feeding your pets.

[Open!]

Comments

[what_the_shock]

"I feel like I should object on principle," Miguel said, lounging in the doorway and looking around. "Okay, no. Why are there so many spiders? Fandom?"

The answer was usually Fandom.

[crimson_sister]

"I tried to get rid of the butterflies," Lucille replied, looking up. "It worked quite well, but I am not sure they are suitable in here. Do you like spiders?"

She didn't know Miguel well enough to understand the 'object on principle'.

[what_the_shock]

Miguel raised his hand. "Spider-man. Hi. What was wrong with butterflies? I thought most people liked them. Or were they weird Fandom butterflies that are like...a foot long, or radioactive, or something?"

[crimson_sister]

"Their wings looked like eyes," Lucille replied.

It had been disturbing.

"I am afraid I don't know what it means to be a spider-man, but you are welcome to have the spiders if you like. I am sorry if butterflies are more to your taste."

For all Lucille knew he might eat them.

[what_the_shock]

Miguel snorted. "No thanks. I'm not really into any bugs. Just starting a conversation while just about everyone's down at graduation. So this is what you do when you're not partially teaching a weird-ass class?"

[crimson_sister]

"One of the things, yes."

Lucille smiled.

"The class was only to go on the trip, but I think that was true for everyone. It was worth it, especially since I was lucky to escape the accommodation. How did you find it? Japan, not the shared room."

[what_the_shock]

"Not bad," Miguel said. "Tall buildings, plenty of neon - more like home than this place is usually. What about you?"

[crimson_sister]

"Very different from where I come from," Lucille said. "Perhaps a bit too crowded, but there were some beautiful places and good tea. I even accidentally bought a lobster from a vending machine."

[what_the_shock]

"Yeah?" Miguel grinned. "I bought one on purpose and left it in my girlfriend's bed."

[crimson_sister]

"Now I wonder both why you put a lobster in her bed and how she reacted to it," Lucille said. "Unless it is customary where you are from."

She doubted it was.

[what_the_shock]

"'Why' is 'because she could've invited me as her plus one instead of me having to share a room with ten people'," Miguel said. "Not sure how she reacted, but she probably threatened to kill me, which is about as romantic as Rosa gets." He shrugged.

[crimson_sister]

"I see," Lucille said. "Did you get it from a vending machine?"

[what_the_shock]

"Yep." Miguel grinned. "I have no idea how those things work or why they decided to put lobsters in a machine, but it was fun, wasn't it?"

[crimson_sister]

"It was something I would find strange even here," Lucille replied. "I gave the lobster to Amaya, I hope she found a way to cook it."