OC Café

Nothing is better than the sweet smell of coffee in the lunch hour. One of the OC Café's newest members, a cyan blue coated pegasus with a white mane stood behind the counter, and his cutie mark was of a wolf head howling and surrounded by snowflakes.

"What a fine day, I'm glad Doug hired me on." At the sound of the bell, he turned his head to the door.

In walked a runty earth pony, her coffee brown coat and mane well suited her choice of venue. A brown and black bonnet complemented the white highlights in her mane, and the black strap bag completed the unique style, and her cutie mark depicted pen and paper next to a coffee cup.

She walked up to the counter and gave the entire room a good look. She took particular notice in the portrait of the element bearers at the back. When the mare reached the counter she met the blue pony's eyes.

"Sorry, is this that OC café everypony is talking about?"  She swung her fringe from her eyes as she spoke. "I read about it in Equestria Daily."

"Of course; I'm Cold Roar, what will you have miss..?" Cold Roar rolled his hoof to her.

"Coffee Penstroke, and I'll have an espresso to go please." She tapped the counter impatiently.

"To go?" Cold Roar questioned. He raised his eyebrow to her as he waited for her response.

"Well yes actually, I have to get back to the Equestrian Academy before our lunch break ends."

Cold Roar poured her drink from the machine and into a paper cup, then passed it over to Coffee Penstroke.

"Wow, the Equestrian Academy; that's a pretty prestigious place. I went to Cloudsdale flight academy myself;  actually graduated last year. What year are  you in?" He watched Coffee down her entire drink in one go, then hold back a burp.

"My forth year, I'm the school journalist now. Can I get another? I guess I have time after all."

“Sure." Cold Roar prepared another drink for Coffee.

 The bell jingled and in stepped another pony. This one was a hat wearing pegasus, and familiar with the OC café . Windy took a single step in and checked about for any more familiar faces.

"Hey what happened to the sign?" Windy directed his question to no one in particular. "It’s above the door right?”

Cold Roar tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at Windy.

"I  noticed the missing sign too." Coffee Penstroke added after downing another espresso, “Or at least I didn’t see one outside.”

"Hold up, the sign is missing?" Cold Roar trotted on the spot in panic. Sweat ran down him from his sudden burst of nervous exercise. "Why didn't you say something?"

"I thought you guys were going for a minimalist style."

“What am I gonna do, I’m lucky Doug let me take my first shift alone and I somehow lost his sign.”

"Erm, did that Barrista guy let you guys sell his shining jack drink?" The pony interrupted. He still waited by the door for somepony to welcome him properly. "And where’s that Typervader guy? Tell him Windy is here.”

“Firstly, Typervader is off, and secondly, I think the missing sign is more important than your drink.” Cold Roar stopped his nervous dance and looked down at his hooves. "Sorry Windy. Doug would be disappointed if he saw me talk to customers like that."

“Well it seems you got a big problem on your hooves. I guess I’ll help you find that sign and go look for leads, this place is alright.” Before anypony could object or offer a hoof, Windy had disappeared out the door. The other two looked from each other to the door and sighed.

"Can I get another espresso?" Coffee Penstroke requested while she tapped her empty cup on the black counter.

"Are you sure you should drink that much coffee?" Cold Roar asked in a concerning tone.

"I'm fine, just get me more of the good stuff."

"Okay, but I think you might have a problem." Cold Roar went back and poured a third drink for Coffee Penstroke. When he passed it over, The door jingled and anotherpony stepped through the door.

The new unicorn stallion looked scuffed and his grey coat and black mane was dirty. His cutiemark had a black pentagon and a white minus sign at the center. As he walked he seemed to slouch, as if he held some hardships on his back.

"Hey, are those your letters in the dumpster down the road? Big wooden letters?" The pony moved up to Cold Roar at the counter.

"Really?”  Cold Roar’s trotting from earlier repeated once again, but this time in excitement.

“Are they the letters O C C A F and an accented E?"

“Yeah, they were left there by somepony, no idea who though. I can help you get them back if you want.”

“Oh that’d be great--”

Windy returned through the door again, this time with a proud grin on his face. He walked straight passed the unicorn and slammed a photo of the nearby dumpster on the counter. In it were the letters of the OC café sign.

“There’s your sign.” Windy took his hat off and placed it next to the photo.

"Oh yeah, this guy already told us.” Cold Roar pointed his hoof to the unicorn. Windy just stooped with a hint of envy in his eyes. “What was your name again?"

"Divryne, I live on the streets. Thought I'd help out and check this place out in the meantime."

"You're welcome here anytime Divryne, I'll get you a coffee on the house and then we can go get those signs."

“I love coffee.” Divryne gave Cold Roar an appreciative smile. ”Thanks sir.”

“No don’t call me ‘sir’; the name’s Cold Roar.” Cold Roar stepped back before Coffee Penstroke jumped out at him.

"Coffee!" She slammed her cup on a nearby table, to add to her demand. Her eyes twitched frantically and danced about the room.

"I guess I'll have one too, seen as you don't do alcohol." Windy said as he slumped into a seat.

"Great coffee all around, well maybe water for Coffee Penstroke."

“I want coffee!” her voice seemed more assertive than before and her eyes flared for more of her favourite beverage.

“Fine.” Cold Roar returned to his position behind the counter and poured four drinks for all of them to enjoy.