kaisou | An angel and an angel walk into a coffee shop

An angel and an angel walk into a coffee shop

WHO: Ana and Azel
WHERE: Stardew Cafe
WHEN: Morning of March 26th
WHAT: Azel offers to show Ana fancy coffee and Ana is still lowkey sus of the newbie angel in town
WARNINGS: Ana is usually a warning herself, but nothing!

[While Ana is many things, she is at least reliable when it comes to arriving somewhere on time - besides, she is curious about this Azel. An angel that isn't an angel? Sounds more than a little odd, so she wants to see this mystery in person.

And she has at least made an attempt, or more so than usual, to look nice; already there a few minutes before the meeting time, leaning against the lamppost outside as she waits. While she's scrolling through her phone, she does glance up every so often to check if her date has arrived yet - perking up when she spots someone with a halo. Or what she assumes is the halo, it looks much different from what her kind has... and his wings are different too, resembling the wings her roomie has.

Interesting...]

Azel?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Azel has been here long enough to no longer feel antsy about going outside - none of the natives spare him a second glance, unable to notice his halo, wings, and his oddly coloured hair. He counts himself lucky that he's able to acquire clothes similar to his wardrobe back home - a collared shirt and simple vest, carrying a book in his free hand.

It's not hard to notice Ana's wings from far away, so he thinks that she must be the person he's here to meet. ]

Yeah, that's me. And you're Ana? It's nice to meet you.

[ He offers her a handshake, if she's used to that sort of thing. ]

[Her first thought when she sees Azel is that he's very... fluffy. Fluffy is a good word. It's a stark contrast to how she and even Zelos present themselves, and it prompts her to regard him curiously for a moment.

Then she beams brightly at him, not hesitating to accept the handshake - though she makes sure to keep her strength under control.]

Nice to meet you, too!

[She pulls her hand back after a moment, peeking up at his halo once more.]

Also I can already confirm my halo looks nothing like yours.

[ He glances up for a moment when she mentions his halo - not that he can see it directly, but the light it casts is always present at the edge of his vision. ]

Really? That sounds interesting. [ She could tell him about it, maybe. He notices she hasn't commented on his wings. The wings of Sankta don't really have a function other than being an identifier of their race.

But first: ] Let's go in, shall we?

[Oh, she will. But she figures asking about fifteen different questions at once wouldn't be the best idea - especially since they actually need to go into the cafe first. Once they've sat down she can start satisfying her curiosity.

For now she nods, not hesitating to lead the way in - crimson eyes peer around curiously once they step inside, it is very nice in here, though she holds back for the moment. Azel has more knowledge about this place, so she'll let him pick the table - it looks roomy and comfortable enough, so she shouldn't have to worry about anyone stepping on her wings.

Of course, while she was content to let Azel pick, she does perk up a little at spotting at table near the window.]

What about that table there?

[ Azel turns to look at Ana when she speaks - a table for two framed by a slight patch of morning sunlight, almost poetically so. ]

Yeah, it'll be nice to sit there. Did you want to try anything specific? I'll go and order. [ Since he's kind of hosting, he feels like it's more polite for Ana to sit down and wait while he gets everything sorted. Maybe a few different mini cups for a variety in taste profile... and he could pick out some sweets to go with them too. ]

[Ana takes a moment to consider that, mostly to try to wreck her brain over what kind of coffee she does want to try. Sadly her knowledge is still zilch, so she flashes Azel a grin that seems almost sheepish.]

Hmmm... Surprise me. I'll be trusting your expertise on this. [Since even if she doesn't like it, it will still be a new experience.

So with her coffee fate in Azel's hands, she goes to take a seat while he goes to order - perching a hand on her chin as she watches the passer-by's for the moment. At least they managed to get a good spot, the light of the morning sun luckily not too overbearing either.]

Alright. I won't be long.

[ Azel picks the tasting profile set, a pot of chamomile tea, some macarons, dried fruit, and a strawberry parfait. The tea is useful for cleansing the palette, though not so sweet as to completely destroy the coffee's mouthfeel, and any Sankta must have sweets at a gathering. He brings the dried fruit and tea to their table first, waiting for the baristas to get started on the coffee. ]

They'll serve the rest of the drinks in a while. For now, there's tea if you're feeling thirsty.

[Ana perks up when he comes back to the table, blinking at the sweets and the tea. This is... a bit more than she was expecting, though for now she finds herself gravitating to something familiar aka the dried fruits. Nibbling on one she picked out, before peeking over at the tea.]

Ah, thanks... [She'll help herself to the tea as well then, if only to keep her hands occupied in some way.]

So, now that we're face to face, got anymore questions for me?

[Before she basically decides to barrage him with her own.]

[ Azel seems slightly surprised by her question. He wasn't really aiming to needle answers out of her, only to have a normal and polite gathering, and if she wanted to share anything, he would listen. But since she asked: ]

Ah? I suppose I am a touch curious about the 'angels' you spoke of. I don't suppose my appearance is familiar to you, other than the halo?

[ She visibly has bird wings, not the light wings that the Sankta have. ]

[His surprise is a surprise to her as well, and she cants her head slightly - sorry Azel, but she's Very not used to people wanting her company if it wasn't to ask something or there was an issue.

But that vanishes quickly, humming in response as she puts her cup down - at the very least, she's remembered a lot of the table manners her mother drilled into her as a child.]

Nope, not at all. Even your halo is different than mine... Mine is, uh, how to describe it...

[She pauses for a moment, considering. Then she reaches into her handbag, pulling out a small, well-worn sketchbook which she scribbles in for a moment. Once done, she's sketched up something resembling the halo here which she shows to Azel.]

I see...

[ That's a rather large and complex halo, and while some Sankta do have elaborate haloes, most of them don't. ]

For us, it's a unique trait of our race. The halo first appears when a Sankta speaks their first word. It can also convey visual indications of the person's emotional state.

[Now with fruit consumed, she moves onto munching on a macarons next, nodding quietly in response to his words.]

Huh, really? [Now she glances at his halo again, before peeking back at Azel.]

We really are similar but different... Like I mentioned before, halos for my kind are more of a sign of power. A lot of the full-bloodied angels have halos bigger and fancier than mine.

Full-blooded? Might I ask what that means?

[ This is getting stranger and stranger. Halos being a sign of power... there's not much that differentiates Sankta when it comes to power beyond the mundane. Shooting skills can be compared, Originium Arts proficiency can be compared, but as a race, they are only mortal. ]

Ah, right I forgot to mention. [It's time to get Weird Angel Lore.]

I'm half-angel, my mother was human and my father is an angel. Full-bloodied angels are just that, with no human blood like me. They tend to be stronger - [Much to her annoyance.] - but their true forms are pretty weird.

Human...

[ Azel frowns a little in thought. ]

I think that is where the difference lies. If we are to split hairs, I'm a human as well. There are many races on Terra, but the term 'human' is used as an umbrella term for all of them.

[Ana frowns a little now as well, humming a little as she considers this. Despite his appearance, he is right - there doesn't seem to be anything else not human about him.]

Mm, here you'll find that human refers to people who look like... Well, the natives around here. There's no distinctive characteristics and they have no abilities either.

[She takes another sip of her tea, taking a glance out the window once more.]

So then... It would probably be easier to say I'm the child of a human and an otherworldly being.

I see.

[ That makes more sense. The similarity of their appearances is probably just a coincidence. ]

I'm not too different from the natives, if you discount my racial traits. I don't have any magical capability either, so if I had to fight, I would need to do it conventionally as well.

[ Other Sankta are able to besiege a whole building with just their Arts, but he's nothing like them. ]

[It really is just a coincidence, huh? It's an odd one - a species that looks like angels but aren't anything like that - but she supposes that's just how all this different world nonsense works.]

Are there any weapons you're trained in? Some of the stuff that happens around here can get a little violent.

[Or annoying, like the faeries.]

Most of us are trained in the use of firearms. I have one for self-defense, and one for work, though my work in this place doesn't require it thankfully.

[ He can also fight bare handed but you know. That's better left as a surprise for another day. ]

I should be fine, barring any exceptional threats.

Firearms, huh... I'm pretty sure I saw a gun shop around here, so there will at least be supplies if you need it.

[And then she beams at him brightly.]

And if you ever get into trouble, I can help too! I'm one of the strongest people around here.

[The best/worst kind of bodyguard...]

I'll keep that in mind, thank you.

[ He says this with a slight laugh. Before they can continue, though: the coffee has arrived. The barista lays out four small cups, each with a slightly different colour, then takes their leave. ]

Ah yes, the coffee! Each of them use a different type of bean and a different type of roasting process. Please try them as you like. [ He is totally going to explain each cup as she does... ]

[Ana beams at him brightly once more, before blinking when the coffee arrives - peering curiously at each cup. She nods at his words, glancing over them as she decides which one to try first, eventually deciding to start on one end and working her way through.

And it's an experience that, while it leaves her slightly buzzed from the caffeine, has also made her a lot more curious about coffee - especially since Azel told her about each type, happily absorbing all the information. Practically sparkling as he explains each cup, glad to know something more.

Though by the end she is munching on more sweets now since... Bitter, coffee is still so bitter...]

Those were all great, but I don't think I'm strong enough to deal with the bitterness yet...

[ That gets a small chuckle out of him. He's grateful to Ana for sitting through his mini lecture. It's rare that he gets to indulge in his hobbies like this. ]

I'll find sweeter drinks for you next time, if you'd like to come with me again.

[ Good thing he ordered the parfait in advance. She can enjoy it to wash away all the coffee taste. ]

[And she's already munching away on the parfait to clear the bitterness, only to then blink when he offers for her to do this again with him.]

Sure! I leaned a lot today, so I hope I can learn some more next time.

[Though she does feel a little, well, buzzed. Maybe she drank too much, and since her body can't regen like usual anymore...]

Though I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep later...

[ Oh yeah. Other people have a much longer caffeine retention time... oops. ]

Ahah... I'm truly sorry for that. I was too caught up in the process. Perhaps a walk would burn off some of the energy?

[ Lunchtime had quietly passed while they were sitting here, but he isn't hungry at all. ]

[A walk, huh? She doesn't hesitate to nod, stretching for a moment - maybe that will help her burn this energy off.]

Sounds good, a walk around the city should help.

[She might... be able to walk for hours though, both due to the coffee and due to her own stamina but it's fine. It's Fine.]

All right, I'll clear the table and we can go.

[ Despite his appearance, Azel does have a lot of stamina. It's required for his job.

He returns the tray and cups to the counter before heading outside. The early afternoon sun isn't too bright, so they could have a comfortable walk around the city. ]

You could show me some places you like, if you want.

[Crimson eyes blink when he clears everything up, the offer to help dying on the tip of her tongue. But he wants a tour, huh... Ana considers that for a moment, trying to think of where he could show him that doesn't involve flying.

As in true birdbrian fashion, she's rather fond of high places.]

Let's see... I'm fond of Blue Fish Park, so we can start there and make our way around the city. [Pause, then she flashes Azel another grin.]

Though I'll admit, most of the places I like are a bit out of the way.

[ Rather unfortunately for Ana, Azel cannot fly. His wings are purely decorative. ]

The park sounds great. Don't worry, I've got the stamina for a walk, and an empty schedule.

[ Coming here meant that he has to work as a freelancer instead of clocking in and out precisely during office hours. It's both a blessing and an inconvenience, especially since he's used to keeping his work-life balance rather clear. ]

[I mean she can easily carry him - ]

Alrighty, since I don't tire out easily we may be wandering around for a while.

[Even without the buzz of coffee, Ana is still a very energetic person with a lot of energy to burn - so it is very much doubtful she'll actually get tired soon.

But if it's a tour he wants, it'll be a tour he certainly gets - since with her energy levels she can easily cover the entirety of the city.]

[ Azel is a good listener, so he would definitely prefer to hear Ana talk about what she likes. Not only does it help him to understand the world, it also lets him learn more about his new friend. All in all a good experience, though he has the unfortunate habit of being distracted by roadside coffee shops or dessert stores.

Lateranians really love sweets. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

An angel and an angel walk into a coffee shop

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject