ACME cafe.

[Invader]

Invader was going through her room when she came upon a note inviting her to lunch in the cafe. The note had been left by a certain agent who happened to knock on the door, she proposed they have lunch in the cafe area. However it had slipped her mind, and she was a little annoyed with herself.

"Oh I nearly forgot about this two months ago!" She exclaimed.

She then made her way to the deserted cafe, and quickly put up a sign that read meet the laundry room ghost, and sat nearby waiting.

 

[Jade]

ACME Cafe?!?! As in a Cafeteria? Just asking!

 

[Ennai]

Ennai walked into the café after stopping to check her communicator. The buzzing was from a message sent by one Dr. Herman Nootix regarding an inquiry she had made earlier that month, but it wasn't pressing and could wait. She was on her way to meet an interesting character that she had been meaning to get acquainted with for some time now: a resident of ACME that she had met a few times before, but had yet to get a read on or even have a solid conversation with.

The cafe was slightly warmer than the cool night's air, and was completely quiet. She didn't even see a waiter at first. She briefly scanned the room as she walked before seeing a large sign on the table of a booth with "meet the laundry room ghost" scribbled on it that made her pause before continuing on towards the table. Behind the large sign, held up by a table number stand, Ennai saw the pale face of ACME's waify janitor.

"Hello, there," Ennai said, moving the sign to the wall as she sat down. "Have you ordered anything yet?"

 

[Invader]

No I have not, but I did bring some cake." She replied with a smile. "I am rather pleased to finally meet you."

With that she set a rather large dark chocolate and mint cake down. The frosting was a minty green, and had chocolate mint leaves all over it. There were two plates and forks.

"Sorry I forgot about you for a bit, and I had a bit of a run in with some people." Invader replied. "By the way you can call me Kristine, I finally have my old name back."

 

[Ennai]

No I have not, but I did bring some cake." She replied with a smile. "I am rather pleased to finally meet you."

With that she set a rather large dark chocolate and mint cake down. The frosting was a minty green, and had chocolate mint leaves all over it. There were two plates and forks.

Ennai's eyebrows raised and eyes crinkled as she broke into a smile at the homemade cake covered in green frosting and decorated with chocolate so dark it was nearly black.

"This looks wonderful." Ennai said, before noticing the 50-something year old stout server finally emerging from the back room of the cafe.

"Sorry I forgot about you for a bit, and I had a bit of a run in with some people." Invader replied. "By the way you can call me Kristine, I finally have my old name back."

"Ennai. Ennai Subrosa," she said shaking her head and waiving her hand not to worry about it as the server came up to their booth. "And I think since you made this cake the least I could do is buy us drinks," she said smiling at the no-nonsense looking woman waiting expectantly with a pen poised over her pad.

"Can I get a double shot of espresso please?"

"No problem," she said in a thick, Southern Slavic accent Ennai couldn't place.

"What would you like?" she asked looking at Kristine.

 

[Invader]

"Just a cola would be fine." She replied not really making any eye contact.

Ennai is a rather lovey name." She spoke to the person before her. "I am still getting used to this place, though it has been a bit quiet."


With that she cut a large slice for Ennai, and placed it on a plate before her. Though for some reason she was getting, a prickling feeling in her arm and glanced at her elbow. Her small friends had woken up from a nap, and seemed rather interested in the other person.


"No" she whispered. "Not here, ok, you can come out later." The crystals seemed to ignore her, and decided to creep to her wrist forming a small band around it.

 

[Ennai]

The woman sitting across Ennai was pretty quiet herself. She seemed to appreciate her personal space, and wasn't huge on strangers in general. As Ennai shifted to move the plate towards her and grab a spoon, she could see Kristine sense something, like something had brushed against her left elbow. She cocked her head, her eyes blue-grey in the warm cafe lighting watching carefully, as Kristine started talking to something that she clearly believed was there.

Ennai's eyes widened, staring stunned, her skin paling as something clear, and crystlline, and alive was moving up Kristine's arm, morphing into a bracelet around her small wrist. Ennai's felt the blood leaving her as her temperature dropped and a sense of ethereal awe enraptured her. Forgetting herself, Ennai leaned forward and asked the question anyone in her position would ask:

"What is that?" she whispered, wonder dripping from her voice.

 

[Invader]

"You....you saw them?" Kristine asked a little nervously. "Well they are friends of mine, they have taken a liking to you."

With that the crystals turned a soft golden blue, and seemed to pulsate.

 

[Ennai]

Ennai was speechless as countless questions raced through her mind. The crystals changed color and seemed warmer--almost... inviting. She realized the server was coming back, and snapped back to reality, leaning back, relaxing her body, and took a bite of her cake. She smiled at the woman who noticed a shift in the atmosphere, but couldn't seem to place it looking from Ennai to Kristine and back again.

"Perfect timing," Ennai chuckled covering her mouth full of cake. "Thanks," she said taking the saucer and espresso cup in both hands.

The woman nodded and put the cola down in front of Kristine.

"All good? Nothing else?" she said smoothing her apron.

Enna glanced at Kristine who was nervously looking away.

"No, I think we're okay for a while thank you."

The woman nodded. "I will check on you later then. Enjoy your cake," she said breaking into a small smile before leaving.

The two were quiet for a second. Finally, Ennai snorted, shaking her head, shifting more comfortably in her seat, and taking another bite of the evidently delicious cake. "Okay, but seriously..." she said gesturing with her spoon.

 

[Invader]

"You understand the idea of artificial life forms, well that is what they are." Kristine spoke glancing around. "They have been in a very deep sleep sense I came here thirteen years ago, I was stuck in a laboratory of sorts."

She then proceeded to sip some soda and work on a tiny slice of cake.

"However I met them long before ever setting foot in this world, I would be happy to tell you more in my room." She concluded. "However I ask that you tell no one of this, their lives and mine depend on it.

 

[Ennai]

Keeping a careful poker face, Ennai subdued rash of emotions threatening to bubble up to the surface, nodding her head.

"No one will hear this from me," she said soberly, looking Kristine intently in the eye. "I'll get the check."

She slid out the booth and paid for their drinks, as Kristine packed up the rest of the cake.

 

[Invader]

"Thanks, mind if we go to my room so you can get to know my friends?" She said nervously, looking around. "I promise you that they wont hurt you."

Packing up the cake , Kristine led Ennai to the room that she had taken up residence in. Once inside she shut the door and settled down in a chair in one corner, while offered her guest to sit on the bed.