MC Bookstore Episode Two Hundred and Twenty-Two: Magical Tea
Episode Two Hundred and Twenty-Two: Magical Tea
“I need to go work on my homework!” Indigo said, blushing, and finished off her sandwich, then took off into the air before I could respond.“You know, limiting a bookdragon’s course load isn’t going to work,” said the Cat. “That’s like asking you to limit your coffee intake.”
I suddenly felt insulted at the very suggestion, but then nodded, letting out a deep breath. “I only want her to learn her own limits. While most of the classes are self paced, a few are active, and have a certain number of classes to attend each week.”
The Cat stood, and shook his head at me. “Sable, she will have plenty of time to get her assignments done. Think about where we are located right now.”
I blushed a little as I held on to my sandwich. “I don’t know where we are right now.”
My preference was to not think about it, either.
“Exactly. She has all the time she needs to get things done before she checks in. Don’t worry about the little dragon.” The Cat padded closer to me, but his eyes were on my sandwich, which I still needed to finish. Half still sat on my plate.
“Don’t you even think about it,” I whispered, narrowing my eyes.
“I would not do anything,” he said, as he nudged my arm. “Stealing a sandwich is beneath me.”
I nodded slowly as I finished the first half and picked up the second. “If you want a second sandwich, I can make you another.”
The Cat suddenly blinked, like that idea hadn’t occurred to him, that I’d do that.
“One sandwich was fine.” He turned to face the opening to the hallway. “We should get moving if you want to take care of both customers today.”
I nodded, but didn’t rush eating my sandwich.
The Cat jumped off the island and vanished out of sight.
Sandwich, then tea. Only at that point would I be ready for customers. Plus, like the Cat said, it really wasn’t like we didn’t have time, wherever we were.
I ate my last bite, then washed my hands before heading back to the front.
Tea. I needed…
My brain stopped working as I took in the new shape of the shop.
“What is this?” asked the Cat. He didn’t glare at me, but he gave off the vibe that he definitely wanted to glare at me.
The shop was different.
Some sort of… oh my, it was a boba tea shop.
Betty sat off to my left, but against the wall was an entire cold freezer of different fruits, plus a set of blenders and already made boba. Then the machine to seal the lids.
“Boba tea…” I muttered, turning in a circle to figure out just where everything was located.
“You made me that once,” said the Cat, still glaring, but not at me. “Why is this here? This isn’t right. We should look like an old dusty shop.”
I stepped closer to the various fruits and did not know most of them. The small name tags pointed out things such as Cloud Foam and Pinch Berries. Those were not from my world, at least.
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I snagged a cup and a giant bunch of normal looking raspberries, though they were blue. I added some black tea, and blended it. To the boba cup I added a large amount of tapioca, but I didn’t touch the two bowls next to it.
While one smelled sweet, the other definitely smelled sour. The small round balls were different colors, green and pink.
I tasted my creation with a spoon before pouring it into my cup and sealing it.
“Perfection! Now, this is some tea…” I took one of the big straws and stabbed it into the center before taking a sip. I nodded three times to myself.
“Sable, this isn’t supposed to be here right now.” For once, the Cat actually looked wrong. All of his hair stood up and his back arched. His tail pointed straight up and he kept glancing at everything with a glare.
Comfortable looking couches were dotted around the room into seating areas, along with poofy chairs and small round tables. Everything looked like you could sink into them and just chill in the best way possible.
“It will be okay. Maybe we have a small stop before we do what the book says,” I added, trying to think of something to calm him down.
“It doesn’t work that way!”
The bell on the front door cut him off, as some soft music started playing in the background, filling the shop with a comfy vibe.
In walked two humanoid folks with bright pink skin and spiky hair. Both wore clothing that several of my goth college friends would be jealous of.
“I told you this shop would be here,” said one of them, poking the other in the side. “Magical boba. It only appears every so often. I gotta let everyone know!”
A bright burst of light flickered from her before vanishing.
“You didn’t need to let everyone know,” the second one muttered, before stepping around a couch and heading my way.
“Welcome to the shop. What can I get started for you?” I asked, flashing them both a smile.
“Oh, what…” his voice trailed off as he suddenly glanced over my head.
I peeked behind me and found a chalkboard that scribbled as he approached. It only gave two options. Black tea with cloud foam and pink bubbles, or black tea with both cloud foam and pinch berries, with pink bubbles.
“I’ll take both,” he said before turning to the woman with him. “I didn’t realize it forced me to pick.”
“Yeah, only two options, but they are different for each of us,” she said. Her eyes practically glowed as I got started on the drink and tossed it on the blender.
“For you?” I asked, not looking behind me.
“Pinch berry and blue tang berry, plus the green bubbles,” she read from behind me.
I scooped the pinch berries in and a sign appeared next to the blue raspberries stating that they were blue tang berries. I set that on the blender and tossed pink bubbles into his cup. Those were the sour smelling ones, and I followed that with the green in hers. Both went into the sealer, one right after another.
“Here you go,” I said as I hurried in front of the register. “That will be two dried lizards and fourteen glimmery stones…”
“This better be awesome, " he said while glaring at the girl, who just nodded encouragingly.
She took a sip first, and then suddenly the presence around her thickened. I didn’t have any other way to describe it. Now she felt magical.
His eyes widened as he dumped on the stones into a dish that appeared and set a bag next to it. Both vanished before I could touch them as the bell rang on the door.
The Cat just stared at me as I worked. Order after order came in, but no one else would enter until the drink was paid for. People could sit in the chairs or couches, but not until they paid.
“Cat, what is this?” I asked quietly as I blended two drinks.
“I don’t know,” he answered. “What does your magic say?”
I pushed out a golden wave that washed over the room. All of the pink people glowed in that same color. No strings stretched out, nothing like that, they only glowed.
Once the current patron paid, the girl from the first drink came up with a grin when the door didn’t open. She set a small velvet bag on the counter.
Everyone in the room went quiet.
“A gift, for helping us all. We will win today!” her voice rose as she spoke, and everyone cheered.
“Win what?” I asked just as she turned away.
People started to funnel out of the shop.
“The match, of course. This should push us to the top for the first time in centuries.” She smiled widely, and motioned to the bag. “I wish I could do more, but that’s all my savings. I hope we see you again!”
Then she headed out after all of the others had left.
The door locked behind her.
“Cat, what’s in the bag?” I asked, suddenly worried.