"Kalli, dear, could you fetch a new bag of beans from the back?" a white haired cat speaks to the barista, "Dark roast, please."
"Yes ma'am." the girl replies.
The cat continues to take orders behind the counter of the shop. Addressing a decent line of customers. No one seemed to wonder why, or how the feline was talking. Perhaps, it's normal.
Kalli makes her way into the stock room, and browses labels carefully until she lays eyes on the dark roast shelf. She's quickly met with dust, cobwebs, and emptiness. They're all out of the beans on the lower shelves. Her eyes then slowly pan upwards, towards the top shelf. With her small five foot stature, there was no way she would be able to reach them from here.
"Ugh. If only Leila's tall ass was working today…"
She looks around, pondering what she could use to stand on. Something that could give her just enough boost to reach that shelf. Normally, in this situation she'd just use her shadow magic. It was just the fact that Fina – the fluffy white cat that also happens to be her boss – looks down upon staff using special abilities in the workplace.
"... She won't know if I just do it really quick."
On one hand at her side, her fingers bend and twist in an odd fashion. As this happens, shadows collect beneath the back of dark roast, and build up into multiple shadowy tendrils. Like an ominous conveyor belt, they motion the bag along the self until it drops off and into Kalli's hands. She struggles to catch it with her small frame, but she stops the bag just before it touches the ground.
"Gotcha!" she celebrates with a whisper.
However, her celebration is short-lived once she hears the low tapping of paws approaching her. The little boss, Fina, was coming to check on her just at the most incriminating moment. Her tail curls slowly around her backside, and her ears fold back slightly in disappointment.
"My, my," she purrs, "I thought I told you guys to try and refrain from magic assistance while working. Especially after last month."
"I know, I know," Kalli replies with a let down sigh, "It was just this one time, I promise! The bag was too high."
Fina struts over, examining the shelf, "I see. We'll have to put in an order for a new batch."
Fina leaps up onto Kalli's shoulder as she sets down the bag. Immediately, Kalli takes out her notepad and a small black pen. Decorated with spooky little trinkets and stickers.
"Should we order anything else?"
Fina's eyes comb through the inventory, "Put down an order of angel brew, and two batches of the light roast."
Kalli nods as she scribbles down the information with shaky handwriting.
"Oh, by the way," Kalli looks down at Fina, "I'm sorry, again…"
The cat tilts her head, "For?"
"Last month… I didn't mean to make shadow demons come out of everyone's cups," she sighs, "I was still figuring things out."
"Oh sweetheart, don't worry," Fina's fluffy tail drops against Kalli's back, gently brushing her, "We all make mistakes sometimes."
Kalli nods, and puts away her notepad. With a small grunt, she picks up the bag of beans and makes her way out of the stock room with Fina sticking to her shoulder.
. . .
"Do a three-sixty for me." Leila says, with a straight face and focused eyes.
"What!?" Elenore stands defensively, trying on a tight cultural dress, "You sound like a creepy old man!"
"You're the one making it creepy," Leila replies, "I just want to make sure it fits you well. What if I spend the money and you don't like it?"
Admittedly, she found a bit of comedy in the way Elenore was acting so anxious. Getting so worked up over a fitting session in a clothing store. Leila could tell the girl hasn't done this in a while, if ever in her nineteen years of living.
"Well -" Elenore looks awkwardly at the ground, "... Whatever."
She performs a stiff, nervous turn around. Quickly turning back to face Leila as soon as she possibly could. She absolutely hated this process, it made the teen feel incredibly vulnerable. It wasn't the fact she cared about Leila much, but she instinctively glanced around the shop, making sure no freaks were trying to stare at her.
"Woah!Her ass is practically ripping the seams!" Leila's eyes widened, "... Yeah, no. I don't think the style fits you," she says.
Quickly, Elenore disappears behind the changing curtain. Leila could hear an intense sigh of relief from the other side.
"This is so lame," Elenore says, "How much longer do we have to do this?"
Leila chuckles, "If you want, just change into your normal clothes, and bring out everything you liked."
After a bit of rustling is heard behind the curtain, and shortly after Elenore steps out in her old, ratty clothes. Under one arm, she held a few poorly folded outfits. She scratches her messy brown hair, avoiding any awkward eye contact with Leila.
"Is that all, hun?" she asks Elenore, "We're going to need to take you to the stylist next."
Leila stands up and stretches. With a relaxed sigh, she checks her pocket briefly to make sure all her gold was still there. Not to be stereotypical of Elenore, just naturally cautious. She nods with reassurance, and motions Elenore to follow her to the front of the store with a small smile.
As they walk, Leila hears a short inaudible whisper behind her. She turns back towards Elenore with a curious expression. Her hair flowed freely in the air like a pale blue gas, as she rested a hand on her hip.
"I'm sorry," she says, "Did you ask something?"
"... Why?" Elenore mumbles, "Why are you doing this for me?"
Leila smiles, "Is it strange for a lady to want to help someone out?"
"No, it's just… I'm nothing but a criminal," Elenore stops walking, and stares at the ground, "I stole, ran, attacked you. Those are things I've been doing my whole life."
"So?" she asks calmly.
"I don't get it. Do you do this for every street rat you meet?" a pause, "Why me? What's so special about me that makes you want to do this?"
Leila sighs, turning to face Elenore completely, "Alright, I'll be honest. You remind me of an old friend of mine, a really close one."
Elenore looks up at her.
"She was kind hearted, level headed, and a very good leader," Leila continues, "It hurt me to see you living the way you do, Elenore. She would've helped you in that situation, too."
"Oh yeah?" Elenore grunts, "Well, I'm none of that. Don't waste your time."
She shoves the bunch of clothes into Leila's arms, and walks past her, out of the store's exit. Leila watches silently as she does so, with sorrowful eyes. The cashier at the front register seemed a bit confused.
"This girl is going to be quite the task," Leila says to herself, as she sets the clothes down on the counter.
Outside, Elenore pulls her hood over her head and shoves her hands in her pockets. Her eyes scan the people around her, as she subconsciously assumed they were all judgmental of her. That is how all the upper class Angelus citizens think, in her mind at least.
"I refuse to accept some hand-me-down pity from some snobby ghost chick." Elenore thinks to herself, with a bitter expression, "I'll keep living my own way, I don't need stupid charity -!"
She blindly bumps into someone as she glances over her shoulder. Their floral scented perfume was familiar. She takes a few steps back and realizes the individual is Leila, this time holding a bag full of clothes in her hand. Elenore pauses, her eyes locked on Leila's oddly calm expression.
Leila motions the bag towards her.
"Here." she says, "Oh, and give me that hairbow so I can buy that too."
"... What?" Elenore replies, "What hairbow?"
"The one you stole. Don't think I didn't notice."
Elenore shifts uncomfortably, "Ugh, you get on my nerves."
She snatches the bag of clothes from Leila, and reaches into her pocket. She then hands the lady a long, silky red hairbow. Guilt weighs down her gaze, and she avoids eye contact once more.
Leila smiles warmly, "You stay put, okay? After I come back with this, I'll take you to the hair salon."
Elenore grits her teeth with a stubborn look on her face. However, she does nod in agreement.
"Sure, whatever," the girl leans her back against the outside wall of the store.