Mocha's Cafe

She awakes to a minor annoyance, a constant tapping upon her head. Along with the ever-present throbbing in her shoulder, she opens her eyes with irritation. Gazing into the deep eyes of a young animal, yet, when her brain truly processes, she realizes it’s the centipede from last night. Her first reaction is to scream, but the fogginess in her mind keeps her from doing so.

It clicks at her curiously before making a sort of satisfied noise and hopping off the bed and seemingly skipping its way through the ajar bedroom door. Its many legs gently padding against the wood floors with every move.

She later hears her boyfriend’s voice speak in a low tone, almost like he’s speaking to a young child, or a pet. Curious, she begins to shift her body to get up. The pull of her fur against a sticky thing makes her hoof travel towards her wound. Noticing that Spicey must’ve bandaged her when he woke up or something.

Groaning a little as the blood rushes to her head when she stands up, she manages to spot him in the living room after hobbling out of the hallway a little. He wasn’t looking at her, but rather at what currently curls in his lap.

Absently petting it, as he scans his gaze over and over the intricate design along the centipede’s spine, which now glows a faint dark red. The thing appears to be covered in these symbols, and Spicey was taking his time figuring out their patterns. He distinctly remembers that if this centipede was born with these designs, they definitely weren’t glowing last night.

Finally sensing her presence in front of him, he lifts his head to her. He notices that her eyes locking on the bug resting in his lap hold an expression of slight shock. Though her mouth stays straight and calm. It was a conflicting mix of emotions he’s seen yet on her. She flinches a bit in her face when it shifts in its quick nap, and begins a combination of soft clicking and purring.

“It’s cute, isn’t it?” He says softly, continuing his strokes upon its body, careful of the jutting spikes. She doesn’t reply, he doesn’t expect her to, honestly. “So,” changing the topic, “how are you feeling? No, uh, uneasiness?”

“No,” Knowing exactly what he’s referring to, “Just tired, really. That thing really scared the hell out of me..” She sighs as she reaches to unknot a strand of her brown hair. He chuckles at this commentary, “You scared the hell out of it. Besides, it’s really not all that mean when you calm it down. Kind of acts like a kitten, with how much it sleeps and does its.. Purring thing.”

She considers this, and hesitantly, she inches closer before finally sitting down on the loveseat next to him. “Will it bite me?” She gestures toward it’s large pinchers on its face, assuming they were its mouth of sort.

“Probably not.” He reassures, watching as she then hovers her hoof over its sleek body. Meekly petting it at first, feeling that it felt of something like a snake, yet not at the same time. It was armored, if only slightly, which apparently gave it its spikes.

Opening its eyes only slightly from its nap to see the owner of this unfamiliar hoof. Studying her nervous face before closing its eyes again and click-purring a little louder. Inviting her to pet it fully, like how Spicey is. She satisfyingly gave it its wanted response as she became more comfortable and was petting it with less hesitation.

Stroking it a last few times before getting up and inquiring him on if he had breakfast. His ears shifting back as he watches her start toward the kitchen, “Uh, I’m not really all that hungry, considering.. Ya know..”

The full memory of last night hitting her finally at his statement. Chuckling to herself as she grabs an apple out of their fruit bowl and taking out some peanut butter, “Oh, right. Well, don’t feel bad about it.” She says sincerely as she carefully cuts the apple into juicy slices with a steady knife. Taking a butter knife and dipping it in the jar and swiping some peanut butter upon the apple slices. Taking one and eating it in two bites.

The sound of the crunch making its head perk up. Quickly scrambling off of Spicey’s lap and making its way excitedly to her in the kitchen. Then to gaze at her intently as she works on her slices. When it spots a slice enter her mouth, it scratches at her leg gently, but quickly, with its two foremost ones.

The sudden scurry of it making Spicey join in the kitchen too and then laugh as he gestures to her snack. “I think it wants some.”

She looks from him to it still pawing at her leg, before cautiously bending to give it an apple slice. Which it takes wholeheartedly, eating it with the help of its pinchers. After eating it completely, it looks up and begs for more by making tolerable high-pitched clicks at her.

She finds it surprisingly cute as it gives her a ‘puppy face’ and she giggles, “It must be hungry. Did you feed it anything?”

“No,” He states, watching her prepare a whole separate apple just for it. Which she then feeds it its peanut butter-apple slices with one in her own mouth.

“Well, no wonder.” She coos, handing it another slice and then tenderly patting it atop its head. He smiles at her lovingly, admiring her ability to adapt to things. He’s never known her to freak out too much about ‘odd’ things, after all.

After giving it a complete meal of fruits and somehow convincing it to not follow them out the front door, they head back to their work-in-progress. Spicey beginning work again on what needs repairs and Cocoa cleaning up the rest of the grime. Somehow though, it seems like the place got dirtier, but more like a tornado went through it. Things had been scattered all around like someone, or maybe a few someones, were looking very hard for something. Made complete by floor or ceiling tiles being ripped apart entirely or just thrown away like common trash.

When the couple took a gaze upon the place, they couldn’t solve the puzzle. Instead of asking questions, they just went to work again on the place. Nothing spooky to happen this time, and thus, Cocoa getting a lot more work done. Going so far as to actually repaint some of the place to give it a nice refreshing appearance.

Her boyfriend soon finishing his own duties, no longer finding anything structurally unsound, and helping with the painting. Of course, the two soon bursting into laughter when he wasn’t looking and stuck his entire hoof into the full paint bucket. Then causing a ‘paint war’ where the two flung paint droplets at each other with the use of their brush. Sometimes giving the wall a spotted look in certain areas, and of course giving each other spots, as well--or in Spicey’s case, even more spots.

It took a few more weeks before they could finally open business, as they did have to furnish the place and install the proper equipment. Soon, they found themselves standing outside of the building, which now looks brand new and inviting, admiring their hard efforts. Cocoa tenderly nuzzling her boyfriend’s side, “Looks good.”

“Sure does,” He replies, “We officially start tomorrow morning, right?”

“Yeah,” Their conversation was short, as they didn’t have much to say. They posted flyers virtually everywhere stating the grand opening of the place, which they appropriately named Mocha’s Cafe. The excitement for the event giving them a restless feeling. They turn and start down the hill toward home. Where they celebrate in their own personal and private way, like any normal couple does.

The first day of business was today, and this time Cocoa was waking her boyfriend. Telling him to wake up in the earliest hours of the morning in a sing-song voice. Yawning, he rubs at the side of his face with his hoof. Instinctually glancing out the window, where he could see through a peek in the curtains that it was still dark.

Cocoa, however, was fully awake and busy in the kitchen, singing a quiet song to the centipede that patiently watched her prepare today’s breakfast. The centipede, which they just accepted into the family, was obviously named Blackie, and had this as routine. Wake up, watch her cook, get fed, play with them, etc, etc. They never took it out much, though, and that would cause a lot of sneaking into Cocoa’s bags when she went out, but other than that it was obedient.

When Spicey saw how passionately she was flipping her pancakes he couldn’t help but smile. Going up behind her to give her a quick peck on her cheek and a small embrace. Her smile became bigger at those gestures and he soon helped himself to his own meal. Preparing it himself so she wouldn’t have to do the extra work.

Slipping the small bowl of food on the kitchen floor for Blackie, she set her own plate down at the dining table, where her boyfriend was already sitting. Cocoa cooing about how perfect she made her pancakes, making Spicey take a curious sip from his glass. “I haven’t seen you cook like that in ages, actually.”

“I’m happy,” Simply replying as she bit into a piece she cut with her fork. Purposely smiling big at him, promptly showing him her teeth all covered in the syrupy mess, making him almost spit out his drink from laughter. Laughing at his reaction, she began to just eat normally again, “We get to serve ponies coffee today.”

He smiles at the joy in her voice, this self-business thing has been on her bucket list for a long time now, ever since he met her anyway. So of course she was happy. Ensuing in their mealtime being lively this early morning, with many jokes made and cute exchanges in loving words. They even did the dishes together this time, purposely splashing soap water at each other to keep the good mood up. Blackie clicking happily at their joyous activity, hopping around their hooves with excitement.

After a quick, but playful shower together, they pack up their bags for their first day of self-employment. Spicey not needing his charm as the sun has not yet risen, and his girlfriend basking a little in the greyness and occasional early bird songs. She loves to be out and about in beautiful places, despite this being a generally smoggy city, but she’s one to see beauty in everything. He loves that quality about her, as well.

At the top of the hill, he glances over into the distance, overlooking the city. The sky becoming less grey and more full with sunrise colors. He waits a few more beats before slowly clipping the necklace about his neck just as the first rays peek over the buildings. She calls to him from inside the cafe, already unlocked with her keys.

She closes the door behind him, simultaneously putting her long brown mane up into a tight bun. At the same time, he puts his nametag on as he goes to inspect everything. Turning on the stove and oven so it’d heat up faster for when she goes to bake her sweets. In which case she will after she finishes setting up the tables and making sure the cups and plates are in their proper places, and after teaching Spicey how to use the cash register.

He may be smart in math, but how to work upfront customers and a cash register, nope. The only reason she’s not running it is because she never knows what change to give them. So she’s fine with serving and cooking. Being a seat-yourself place, they don’t need to wait tables, but if they have to, they both do that job.

They stocked the fridge with required ingredients and such yesterday, but today, Cocoa finds herself stuffing a few blood bags for her boyfriend in as well. Since this is a cafe--and the only one for a few miles--there’d be lots of ponies around. So just in case, she brought them and a few colored cups, so he can drink in public and the colored plastic would give the illusion of it being a brown soda.

This is when she began to bake the first batch of many treats. Reaching down into her bag for a hairnet, she yelps as her hoof brushes against the sleek body of Blackie. Blackie clicking at her as it wiggles itself from her bag that it snuck into. Sighing at the bug but not scolding it, it was probably just curious.

Its clicks are soft and it just studies her, hoping for a taste at the chocolate or jelly filling she filled some sweets with after they were done baking. And sometimes she would sneak a little glob of the substance to the thing, which it would happily receive. As long as it stays back with her in the kitchen, she thought it’d be fine, but eventually she would have to go out and do her job there, so she was struggling with thinking of ways to hide the centipede. Both her and her boyfriend didn’t think ponies would react too kindly if they saw it, and judging by her own reaction to it at first, they were right.

Calling Spicey over, they discuss ways to hide it, because it was too late to take it back now. They decide to keep it sleeping in the back or at least, entertained in the back. Just as they prepare a makeshift bed for it out of their bags, the bell on the door chimes. Cocoa giving her boyfriend a quick reassuring rub to his back before she goes to check who came in.

The first of many customers, apparently. This city was a good sport about grand openings, and that didn’t exclude their cafe. Ponies piling in from virtually everywhere, all making chatter about various things and admiring the once old building. Swallowing nervously, Cocoa welcomes them all in and begins to serve them in a ready time after Spicey rings them up, of course.

She can see the beads of sweat on his brow from his nervousness, and occasionally he’d gulp and adjust his curly locks when he would call ‘next’. Though, she smiles at his composure, loving the way he can keep strictly professional when he needs to be. She also appreciates how patient everyone is, as clearly only two work here. Almost all pardoning her when she apologizes for being ‘late’ with bringing out more sweets.

The coffee and beverages were easy, and Spicey was fastest with that. Seeing as how coffee making was his talent, however, of course he would be. And through this, he got more comfortable with the customers. Though, sometimes he’d have to go in the back to not only check on the centipede but to also get more coffee beans or something like that.

One time during this, it struck him as odd that Blackie was scratching at a panel on the floor, clicking furiously like it’s mad. The dark red symbols glowing a lot brighter and its back arching like it’s preparing to shoot its venomous darts. Though, when the curious unicorn took his steps closer to the bug, it shifts its gaze from the floor panel to him and clicks at him happily and goes to rub against his leg in a loving way.

“What’re you doing, you silly?” He asks it softly, like one would with a pet. Touching his hoof to the new scratch marks that the centipede embedded into the tile. Blackie seemingly forgetting its antics as it continues to click-purr and nuzzle him. Obviously, Spicey knew, something was upsetting the poor thing. Rubbing his hoof along the tile some more he realizes that it’s hollow, he could probably lift it up and discover whatever is making the centipede go nuts.

Though the bell on the counter snaps him back into focus. Sighing, he forgets the hollow panel for now, pats the bug on its head, and rushes out to do his job. Cocoa giving him a bewildering look as she sees his own perplexment. Though, she focuses on her current task at hoof, which is gathering the dirty dishes and bringing them to the sink.

Right now, however, gathering a large pile of dishes, she can only see where she is by gazing through the clear plastic cups. She almost makes it to the back when Blackie darts under her hooves in a blur, startling her and turning her around in every which way as she tries to steady the dishes and herself. Though she fails somewhat, and believes that she’s going to fall and break everything. Though, someone catches her before she falls too much, and helps steady her.

“Careful,” Definitely a man as the voice was deep and rough. After making sure the plates and such were in fact balanced, she turns to thank whomever had saved her from her clutz. Though her voice gets caught in her throat and she doesn’t make a noise as she realizes that this stallion, is very big.

He easily towers over her, and she thinks he’s even taller than Spicey--whom is the tallest pony she’s yet known. Adding his charcoal coat and black hair, it doesn’t make this guy look any more friendly. Instead of saying her thanks she manages an apology, “Oh, sorry, I-” She has to clear her throat, and subconsciously begins searching for her boyfriend in the room.

Instead, she spots Blackie’s glow from within the black tail of the man who is standing in front of her. She takes a few heartbeats to process that the centipede has taken an apparent liking to this guy. It takes her another few beats before she looks up into the piercing purple eyes of him, trying to study his face, with an obvious ‘oh shit’ expression on her own.