Characterization Corporation

He let out a nervous chuckle, he was better with books, plants, animals, not humans.. "Well I am a scientist.. But a scientist who doesn't talk to people." He started moving up from his chair. "How about I go grab that for you, then I will answer your question." He left and slowly made his way up too the front of the desk. "Hello! Can I get white chocolate and cinnamon frappe, black silk roast. And a Chi Tea, aaaand, a slice of that yummy looking banana bread." He said with a sweet grin.

Tia rolled his eyes playfully as he settled back in his chair, wondering which of them would win a 'who talks to people less' contest. He just couldn't take his eyes off Listers hair as he went in search of the emerging shopkeep, fingers twitching as they just itched to see how soft the brunettes curls were. He offered Yvette a timid smile and a tiny wave, self consciously adjusting his skirt with the other hand.

Yvette offered a small smile at Tiand when he looked over and waved, before turning her attention to Lister's order. "Absolutely," she replied with a smile, grabbing two cups and writing down the order on each. She set them aside and then retrieved the biggest slice of banana bread she could reach, handing it over to Lister.

"You're in luck, the banana bread is very good. Will that be all? And can I get a name for the order?" she asked, her fingers already itching to mix up the drinks.

((This looks to have been intended to be fairly open... But let me know if she shouldn't be here, and I will promptly remove this.))

This place... something about it smelled good. It smelled tasty - tastier than the roots she'd scrounged up for breakfast, certainly.

A pair of chestnut brown eyes peered in through the window, and above them, a pair of furry brown ears turned forward. Inside, the child saw people, and none of them looked angry. And, oh! Joy of joys, there was food sitting upon shelves, all of it looking delicious. Some of it looked much like her mother's treats, too!

Her bushy tail waved and she hopped to the door, and made sure to pull her tail all the way in before letting the door close; she'd forgotten that too many times already. She didn't waste a moment before dashing over and pressing her face against the pastry display, wide eyes taking it all in. Finally, she looked up to the nearest person and, with a big, excited smile, asked, "Can I have some? Please-please-pleeease?"

The one most call Clock had entered slightly before Willow, taking a seat beside the pastries. When the child ran in, his eyes, veiled by the cloak that hung low over his face, followed her. When he spoke, his voice sounded slightly off, a little hollow. "Here," said the cloaked figure lounging on the chair and flipped the girl some money for her to catch. Even his hands were covered, these with dark brown leather gloves. "Buy whatever you want, just get me back the change."

The small girl caught the money easily, but stared at it uncertainly for a moment. She had seen people trading such things for other things, but she couldn't quite understand why. This stuff seemed rather useless, aside from being sort of pretty, and the things it was traded for tended to be much more interesting and useful.

Just the same, she smiled and sweetly thanked the one who had given it to her, then held it out in her hand too... maybe the woman behind the counter! She appeared to have the easiest access to the treats, after all.

"Misses lady, c'n I get treats wid'is?"

The coffee shop was quickly filling up and Yvette was pleased that this should be the case. The squirrel-tailed kid who followed behind the mysterious stranger who had chosen to take a seat beside the pastries, caught her eye quickly enough and she had to suppress a smile at the youngsters eagerness.

"Of course, you can have something." She smiled at the stranger who had given the girl some money. "You like sweet things?" There were a few fruit scones, chocolate chip muffins, and banana bread. "Which would you like?" Somehow, she didn't think that offering caffeine to the youngster would be a bright idea. Then she looked over at Clock.

"Can I get you anything, sir? Coffee? A pastry?" The money he gave the girl would more amply cover anything the furry-tailed girl or he might get.

Clock shook his head. The movement brought the hood up slightly, but only enough to reveal cloth covering the bottom half of his face as well. "I'm not one into snacks and such, but I thank you for your kind offer." He smiled under his covering, or would have if he was able.

Willow squealed and clapped, pressed her face against the display once more, and pulled her tail in close, eyes darting from one thing to the next. She finally jabbed her finger in the general direction of a blueberry scone and looked up to the woman again.

"Dat one, please!"

Nyhior pulled a hood over his spikey purple hair, pulling on his jacket's cords to make it tighter until he was sure it kept his ears hidden. He wished he could cover the alien features of his face. His race most often kept to their own kind, and he'd always felt like an ugly freak among humans. He was travelling alone, but he had a small sword sheathed at his side. He touched it briefly, drawing confidence from it, then opened the door and entered in an as nonchalantly as he could manage and with the posture he'd developed, which often made him seem about as confident as the next person entering a coffee shop. There was nothing to worry about. He was just getting a warm drink and maybe a small pastry.

Yvette nodded, offering a small smile at Clock. "If you're sure," she said. Then turned her attention onto the young girl eager for the blueberry scone. She laughed softly. "Alright, alright." She retrieved the blueberry scone, sticking it into the microwave for a minute to warm it up, and then offered it to Willow in exchange for the money. Oddly, her palms prickled as Willow took the pastry.

She returned the change, before seeing that another person had entered. "Hello, welcome to the Half Calf," she called. "Is there anything I can get you?" Wow, she was pleased by how busy they had gotten!

The girl watched excitedly as the woman grabbed the scone and -

...put it into a box? Sure, Willow knew that people often packaged food, but this box seemed much too large. And then it beeped as the woman poked it, and finally lit up with a buzz! What was happening? Why did the the delicious-looking little piece of breadstuff have to go in a box at all?

Her eyes lit up when it at last was handed to her, and it was warm. Perhaps it was some sort of miniature oven thing, then, one that required no wood and produced its own flame.

She didn't think too much on it, though. Once with treat was in Willow's paws, not much of anything else mattered. She promptly took an enormous bite, chewed at it a bit, and spat a few crumbs as she cheerily thanked the woman. Then, scone in one hand and the leftover money clenched in the other, Willow dashed back to the man who'd helped her with the trade. Unless he managed to somehow avoid the nimble child, he would be getting a big hug with his thanks.

The man was caught by surprise when the little girl hugged him. His attention had been on the newcomer who, like him, seemed to be hiding a few features. Now he hoped his own metal features did not hurt the girl as she collided with him in a hug. Clock didn't put his arms down, he wasn't really sure what to do.

"You're welcome," he said simply.

Nyhior watched the little girl hug the mysterious man near the pastries. It may have been hypocritical, but he kept a distance from that mysetiour figure. Seeing the excited little girl changed something in his facial expression in the direction of a smile, but the difference was very subtle.

He walked in the direction of the counter, but stayed back, looking at the menu on the wall behind the beautiful lady who seemed to be the only worker, and stared at the hot drinks section for a few minutes, trying to convert the symbols into sounds that played in his head, eventually forming some recognizable names for beverages. He then walked with purpose towards the beautiful lady behind the counter.

Willow hadn't expected the nice man who helped her to be... so much like a tree. It only made her want to get to know him all the more, though.

Once she released him, she dropped the remaining money on the table and climbed into a nearby seat. Rather than let her legs dangle, she pulled them up, resting her feet on the edge of the chair with her knees almost to her chin. Her tail wrapped around her like a blanket, and as she munched away on her scone, she began rapidly saying, "Hi! I'm Willow! Yer not soft 's most. You a tree? Or ya got fancy armor? You sound funny, too. Yer body don't go thump-thump like most. I had a friend 'at din't go thump-thump too, bu' he din't do any body noise. I think 'e might'a been a big toy d'ough, 'cause he was patchy 'n cold, too. But lookie, he helped me do d'is good!"

She held one hand out over her knees and tail, and a little flame sparked to life in her palm.

((I love how you play Willow, I would just like to let you know!))

Silence was all the man returned for a bit. He was not used to this, not at all. He tried to keep up with the girl, and an eye on the one who seemed to now be keeping his distance at the same time. "I am not a tree," said the man quickly, ignoring the second part. Clock was trying to keep up but this girl was speaking way too quickly for him.

Then her hand held fire and he quit trying to listen and just watched. "What are you?" He asked curiously. A blue glow was slightly more visible from under the hood.

((Thanks. ^^ She's a blast to play.))

The fire vanished, and the child tilted her head curiously. She swallowed the bit in her mouth, then said, "I'm a squirrel, a'course. See?" Willow twitched her ears and offered up her tail as proof. "Ain'tcha ever seen a squirrel?"

Her tail returned to its previous blanket status, and with a fresh bite in her mouth, she continued, "Momma did say people 'r more used ta li'l squirrels, though. An' she's a witch, so I am too! She's a lot better magic-y, d'ough."

Willow paused to swallow and take yet another bite, then leaned forward. "An' you? Why ya got a clicky instead a' thump-thump? An' what's da blue light? An' why ya not soft?"

She leaned in a little closer, eyes wider than ever. "Are you one-a dem knights 'at rescue denzels 'n stuff?"

Yvette was fighting back a smile and failing as the young squirrel girl animatedly engaged the more serene gentleman in a conversation. She couldn't help but eavesdrop on their conversation, her eyes going a little round when she saw the fire in the girl's hand. So long as they didn't burn the shop down, she wasn't going to complain about a little magic...after all, she herself had some. At least the squirrel-girl had some good luck heading her way.

Then the mysterious newcomer was approaching the front and Yvette offered a smile at him. "Hello sir, you've come at a good time--seems everyone is here today. What can I get you? A coffee? A pastry, perhaps?" If he looked close enough, he'd see her nametag on the right side of her smock.

Clock raised a metaphorical brow, since he didn't really have any. "I have never met a squirrel with powers of a witch before," he explained to the little one before him. "I have indeed seen many things in my time, but you are actually fairly unique." Again, he would have smiled at her if he could, it reflected in his voice in stead.

When the girl leaned closer and asked the exact question he was hoping to avoid, he let out a small sigh. "I'm not a knight," he told her in a whisper. Then, turning his back to those at the counter, he pulled up his sleeve to reveal a metal-worked arm. It actually hardly resembled an arm. "I'm unique too," he said in the same hushed tone, then let the sleeve slide back down and tucked it under his leather glove.

Somehow, impossibly, the child's eyes widened even further at the sight of the man's arm, and she clapped her hands tight over her mouth. It wasn't that she was at all concerned by his reveal, however, but that she had picked up on his conspiratorial manner. When she removed her hand from her face, Willow was clearly smiling.

"I's pretty," she said, much quieter now than she had previously been. It wasn't exactly inconspicuous, though. "Is ya like dat all o'er? Why ya' hide it like dat?"