[Open Thread]

[rigsthegame]

Character(s): Mr. Hanekoma. Open to anyone who wants to join
Content: The Paixao branch of WildKat Coffee is open for business. Feel free to stop on by!
Setting: WildKat Coffee, corner of H5
Time: Throughout the day
Warnings: None.
Note: This will be party style, so feel free to start your own threads, and Mr. H will jump into them. Also, if you

Comments

[sceadu_gemynd]

By and large, coffee was not Zexion's preferred drink; his tastes tending far more to tea than to coffee. However, every shop had it's talk and it's rumors and more importantly, its allies.

Not, of course, that he planned to go as himself. That would have been foolish beyond all belief, and so he went as 'Ian'. As disguises went, it was fairly simple - jeans and a t-shirt to make him look like the average college student. As for his far-too-recognizable hair, that was pinned neatly out of his face and hidden behind an illusion of medium-length brown hair, pulled back into a ponytail.

"Much nicer then the usual places to be found here," he mused as he stepped inside. It was more a comment to himself but if someone chose to answer, so be it.

[rigsthegame]

Unfortunately for Zexion, Hanekoma didn't exactly rely on looks to tell him everything about a person. While there was nothing wrong with the Nobodies disguise, the way his vibe resonated hollowly and out of tune with the world around him pretty much flat out told Hanekoma this boy was not what he appeared, even if he had no real way of knowing what exactly Zexion was. Although the fact that his vibe reminded Hanekoma of Michael, the man he met when he first arrived was something worth noting.

Turning with a friendly smile Hanekoma waved and said, "Well thanks Boss, I try and take pride in my work. What can I get you?"

Next to him on the counter was a sign that listed every conceivable way one could make coffee, and a couple ways that no one had probably ever heard of. Interestingly enough, the kind he wanted somehow ended up on top of the list.

[sceadu_gemynd]

Likewise, Zexion was also noticing that there was something... not quite right about Hanekoma. It was very faint, and largely hidden on the overpowering scent of coffee - one of the reasons he'd never been overfond of coffee shops - but it was still there. Not that he was simply going ask about it; that would have been rude in the extreme, not to mention hardly the way he did business. Just who and what Hanekoma was could wait.

"I'll have that one, I believe," he answered pointing to the one a line below the one he would have chosen had it not been for the oddity of a simple coffee shop in Paixao having somehow found the recipe for coffee as it had been made in Radiant garden. Oh, the option was tempting indeed, but it was a little too convenient, and so he'd take the next best option.

[rigsthegame]

Of course, even not choosing the Radiant Garden blend told Hanekoma a great deal. He knew the menu put what you wanted most at the top, and by not choosing that Zexion showed he was a lot savvier and observant than the others, and that he was of a suspicious nature. Amazing what a simple choice of coffee could tell one about a man.

"Excellent choice Boss, I'll get that right for you." A few moment's later there was a piping hot cup of coffee resting on the counter, ready for consumption.

[sceadu_gemynd]

"Please, call me Ian," he offered, before turning his attention to the cup of coffee. While he may have outranked some people in the tenuous ranking system of the Organization he wasn't precisely used to being referred to as anything other than his name (or whatever he was using instead of his real name). And in any case he'd never put as much faith in that scale as others had.

Anything else remarks would be put on temporary coffee-delay.

[rigsthegame]

"Right, got it," Hanekoma agreed amicably, though how long his decision would stick remained to be seen.

While Zexion enjoyed his coffee, Hanekoma settled into wiping down the counter, letting his customer enjoy his beverage.

[sceadu_gemynd]

Although Zexion was not, generally speaking, particularly well-versed in all things coffee even he could tell that this coffee was a step above the sort that could generally be found in the other cafes in the city. Clearly Hanekoma was a man well-versed in his chosen profession. It made sense then, that he'd be interested in restarting his business here.

"Quite a cut above what you can find elsewhere in the city," he commented after a moment or two. He meant it to refer to the coffee, but in a pinch it could also refer to the store itself, should Hanekoma choose to take it that way.

[rigsthegame]

For Hanekoma, Zexion's words were the highest of praise. If the pleased grin on his face was any indication, the Nobody had just scored major points.

"Well well, it is always refreshing to meet a man who knows good coffee. I try to be modest in most of my life, but I put so much of myself in my coffee, you'll have to forgive my little slip ups."

[sceadu_gemynd]

"If this is any indication, I don't think I could find it in my heart to fault you for that."

Not that he had a heart, but that little revelation was something he wasn't going to mention. Ian was supposed to be 'normal' after all and something like that would sound highly suspicious even here. So he'd simply refrain from mentioning it.

[rigsthegame]

Nodding with a grin, Hanekoma said, "I appreciate that boss. So, you from around these parts, or are you just passing through?"

[sceadu_gemynd]

"Merely passing through, although my stay's lasted longer than I'd like." Nor was there any real indication that he would be leaving anytime soon, although that was normal for this place.

[rigsthegame]

"That's unfortunate. It's never pleasant to be stuck in a place that has worn out its welcome. People need to keep expanding their horizons, or they get stagnant," Hanekoma mused.

[sceadu_gemynd]

"It can be an interesting place at times," Zexion commented. "But apart from that I quite agree."

It was how people reacted to the city that made it interesting. How they dealt with being on a world not their own and possibly quite thoroughly alien. How they dealt with the domes, the lumens. All quite thoroughly interesting if you asked him.

[rigsthegame]

"From what I've seen, that's very true," Hanekoma agreed. That was why he wasn't actively working to leave at this point. There were far too many things to experience and understand here. He'd leave when he was supposed to, but for now he'd just enjoy this little vacation.

[sceadu_gemynd]

There was a nod from Zexion at that. The city may not have been the safest, nor was it always the most pleasant but it was interesting.

"I imagine you'll be seeing more. People always seem to tell more to their bartenders." A slight pause and a faint smile. "Or their baristas."

[rigsthegame]

"Well, not to disparage the noble profession of bartending, but it's not hard to get people to open up to you when your business is plying liquor. Getting someone to open up over coffee, now that's a real challenge," Hanekoma grinned. "Still, thanks for the vote of confidence. Here's to hoping you're proved right."