Quiet Afternoon

Safe and comfortable in her little shop, Acai watched the steady stream of people trickle down to almost nothing as the time passed. They were all on their way to their homes, ready to see their families after a long day of work. Some popped into her small store to buy a bouquet for their significant other. She saw a few faces peek in through the window, debating on whether they would purchase anything. In all, it was a quiet afternoon.

A drizzle of snow picked up momentarily, and the passerbys gave up window shopping to scurry into their warm homes. A couple stragglers had burst in, opting to wait out the small storm on the few couches that her shop sported. She didn't particularly feel the need to talk to them, they could entertain themselves, right? It had gotten a bit cold, though, and she could see that a few were struggling to keep warm. Putting on some tea, Acai neatly arranged a small party tray of snacks, putting them out for anyone feeling a bit peckish. Tea finished, she poured even amounts into little cups that she had found earlier. She blushed for a moment, a bit unsure of interacting with these people, and slowly got to work handing out refreshments and snacks. "Would you like any tea?"

Looking up absentmindedly, Acai's eyes widened at the odd disheveled appearance of the stranger she had just offered tea to. Shrugging it off, Acai nodded gracefully and poured him his drink. She added a bit more liquid to his cup, feeling that he might need the extra heat. It was quite cold out there after all. Handing out the last drink, Acai breathed a sigh of relief. Finished with her serving, Acai watched over her small group with a note of pride. She knew that they would all be leaving once the snow let up, and that this shop was no more than a check point to them. However, she couldn't help but feel a certain bond with the people that were forcibly stuck with her. She hadn't moved away from the last person she had served, and she looked at him with curiosity. This island was supposed to be filled with magical creatures and beings, but a large percent of them merely appeared to be human.

Of course, she herself appeared to be quite human, but disregarded that fact. Her friend and companion Finn chose this moment to slowly trickle back up to his rightful position on her shoulders. Acai often received many compliments on her unusual scarf, and were startled when a small pair of catlike eyes peered back at them upon closer inspection. Stroking her pet, Acai braced herself to start a conversation. " Frozen weather we are having. " That was the proper way to word it, wasn't it? Perhaps she should try again. "Many snows have been falling now. It was such a good day, too. I hope my flower don't take it badly." A mixture of broken English and a foreign accent left her confused and hoping she had said the right things. Far too often had she made a blunder, and was left unaware. "You are a student?"

Acai was almost frightened away by the confused expression. Perhaps he had been confused about what she said-- did she not make proper sense? Thoughts of what she had done incorrectly whirled around her head, making her a bit dizzy. All at once, his expression dropped into something unreadable. A slight exhale of relief, and Acai nodded enthusiastically. Student! She had heard many wonderful stories of the students that went to the local school here. "Oh! I am a new too. I come from very far, in the forest." She had spent many hours pouring over old texts, learning languages from the ancient scholars. She had learned, however, that not many people spoke with the same dictation as they used to, and had borrowed children's textbooks to ease her confusion. "Flower are only grow from good love. With love, anything can flourish."

A final nod confirmed her statement, and Acai sipped her tea cautiously. Steam was stil pouring from the top, and she narrowed her eyes as the heat hit her tongue. Shaking her head at the bitterness, she marveled at how strong natural leaves can be if you try to grow them yourself. Feeling a bit awkward and pressured to keep a good conversation going, Acai fidgeted for a moment before tearing her pet from her body. Holding the small cat-like creature out in front of her almost as an offering, Acai blinked rapidly for a moment. "Finn. He is good friend. You would like ... a touch?"

She had never heard of a Cambridge before. It sounded very mysterious, like it belonged in a novel of some sort. She hadn't had many opportunities to explore the earth, and had gone from her woodland home to these islands. She did hear of the fantastic stories of England, though. She especially wanted to go see their big red buses.
It pleased her quite a bit when her new friend petted her companion on the head. He seemed a bit tentative, but it was a start. She relaxed for a moment when he complimented her pet. "He is named Finn. He is a spotted genet." The silver and black creature responded happily to the finger on his head, and he extended his neck a to get more coverage. " I have not seen many similar to him, even in Zoo." Her genet wasn't a rare animal by any measure, but it didn't appear that many people had them on display, despite their interesting appearance.
After a moment of uncertainty, Acai retracted her pet and clutched him to her chest. "Is it cold in the England? I have not been there. I wish to go see the big bus. Big red bus."