((From NetSquare))
Machman, Aera, and Vector walked through the portal and appeared in the busy CyberCafe. A "host" prog immediately noticed their arrival and zipped towards them. The prog had the cafe logo printed in several locations on its calming blue body.
"Hello! Welcome to the NetopiaNet CyberCafe! Would you like a table?"
Mach nodded. "Yes, a table for 3, please." The Prog noted all members for the table were present, and quickly replied. "Certainly. This way, please!"
Mach, Aera, and Vector walked behind the prog, and noted how many Navis were gathered around their drinks. Many were just NormalNavis idly chit-chatting, while others were discussing business. It was quite the social hub, with Navis of all shapes and sizes either in groups or just sitting alone. They approached an empty table with four floating chairs. The prog stood next to the table and turned back to the group.
"Here we are, please have a seat. A waiter will be with you shortly."
Machman nodded, and the prog cheerfully zipped off to greet the next customer. As Aera approached the table, both Mach and Vector reached out and pulled a chair away from the table to seat her. They realized what they were doing, causing Vector to look away and Mach to chuckle. Aera looked around, wondering what was going on, then smiled as she saw both Vector and Mach scooting her chair in for her, each with a hand on the back of the chair.
"Wow, I have 2 gentlemen to push my chair in, I feel like royalty!" *giggle* Her playful, and quite sarcastic comment prompted more chuckles from Mach, but the sarcasm was sort of lost on Vector. He stood up, slightly more proud of himself for being recognized for his politeness. They both took chairs on either side, and sat down. It was only a few moments until a NormalNavi, dressed in an apron with the CyberCafe's symbol emblazoned on the front, walked up to the table.
"Hello, could I interest you with something to drink?" The waiter looked over to Aera first.
"Hi, could I get a Freckled Lemonade please?" He made a little note on a small screen on his forearm, then turned to Mach and Vector. "I'll have a Skyrish Coffee, please."
The waiter glanced over to Vector, who's red eye moved between Aera and Mach. Mach realized it was just his first time, and spoke up for him. "It's his first time here, anything you would recommend?" The waiter looked Vector over, and hummed as he seemed to mull through the different items on the menu. "Hmm... a first timer. Well, if you want something sweet, I'd go with a lemonade or soda, and if you want something a little bitter, I'd go with a Skyrish Coffee, or the Booster Latte." Vector wasn't too sure, since he'd never had a drink before, let alone experience "sweet" or "bitter." The names were also strange to him, and he was at a loss for words.
"How about we go with the Booster Latte? We'll let him try our drinks as well, and see what he likes," Mach suggested, which prompted the waiter to jot down the order."Very good sir, so that'll be 1 Booster Latte, a Skyrish Coffee, and a Freckled Lemonade. I'll be back in a moment." As he left the table, he flashed a wink in Aera's direction. Aera saw his gesture, and so did Mach. Aera smiled as Mach raised an eyebrow. Vector didn't see the wink, so he sat there quietly.
"So, where do you think we should go next?"
"Well, we could go back to Yumland, Yoka, or SciLabs again, but I kind of want to go somewhere new."
Mazer's voice chimed in. [Well, we haven't been to DenTech before. How about we go there?] Mach was about to reply, but the waiter had returned with a tray of drinks. He held the tray in one hand as he started to hand out the ordered drinks. "A Freckled Lemonade for the lovely lady,"
He placed a tall glass of lemonade, which was pink and had strawberry slices floating amongst the ice. The glass was slightly foggy from the condensation on the outside. The glass was on top of a napkin, which stuck to the bottom due to the condensation. A little transparent-through stirrer extended to the bottom of the glass, and had the NetCafe logo on top. "Thank you!"
He then gave Machman his coffee, which was served in a white mug on a saucer, and had whipped cream on the surface of the almond-colored liquid. Vector's latte was in a clear cup, and had streaks of black and deep brown, with a peculiar red powder sprinkled on top.
"Thanks."
"Thank you, sir."
"No problem, let me know if you need anything, okay?" The Navi walked away, and Aera immediately sipped her lemonade and smiled. "Mmm... sweet as always." Machman lifted his mug to his face mask, and tilted the mug back. Somehow the liquid passed through the mask, as if it wasn't even there. Mach raised his eyebrows as he put the mug down. "Now that's good. They were right about that kick, too."
Vector eyed his drink curiously, and watched how Mach and Aera sampled their drinks. He wrapped his "fingers" around the cup and lifted it towards his face. As the cup approached his head, some of the metal plates that formed his head slid out of place to create a triangular slot where his mouth would be. Both Mach and Aera watched closely as the SP, made entirely out of metal plates, took a large swig of his drink. Vector's hand paused, and he moved the drink away from his face as the plates on his head slid back into place, effectively closing his "mouth". "... this sensation... I... I like it. Is this normal?"
Vector looked at Aera and Mach, wondering if he did something strange or odd. Aera smiled, and Mach's eyes flashed slightly in amusement. "So you like yours too! We must be lucky to get a drink we love the first time we came here." Machman tried to understand the physics behind what had transpired, but he didn't bother as he gestured towards his drink. "Want to try mine? I'd like to see how a Booster Latte tastes." Vector gently slid his cup across the table towards Mach, careful not to tip it over.
"Of course, sire. I too am interested in your drink." Mach slid his drink, saucer and all, over to Vector's waiting hand. Vector examined the handle on the mug as Mach took a sip of Vector's drink. "Wow, now I know why they call it a Booster Latte. It's chocolaty, but hits you like a wall. Want to give it a try, Aera?"
Aera shook her head and gingerly held the sides of her drink as she sipped from a straw. "No thanks, I'll stick with my lemona..."*snrk* Aera paused mid sentence and appeared to be struggling to keep lemonade from coming out her nose.
"Aera, what's wro..." *crk* Machman saw Aera was staring in one direction, and he looked over in that vicinity, where he started to stifle laughter as well.
"What's going on? Are you alright?" Vector inquired in slight alarm. The fractal SP was wondering what was going on, completely unaware of a perfectly-formed, fluffy, white, "fu-manchu" whipped cream mustache on his face. Mazer also couldn't help but chuckle at Vector's little predicament. Vector continued to be oblivious of his mustache as Aera reached for the napkin under her glass. Before she did so, Mach reached his arm over towards her.
"Wait a minute, Aera." *heehee* "Let me at least take a picture of this first!" Aera continued to giggle as one of Mach's Overwatch drones materialized over the table, and turned it's optical sensors towards Vector. The lens of the main camera clicked, then the drone disappeared.
"What happened? Is there something on my face?" He grabbed a napkin and started to rub his face, but only managed to smear it over his armored head. Aera stood up, which immediately prompted Vector to stand up suddenly. She placed a hand on his shoulder, and gently coaxed him back down into his chair. She took the napkin from his hand and wiped the whipped cream off, and restored his armored plates to their original shine.
"Just a little whipped cream, Vector. Sorry for teasing you." Vector was a little flabbergasted to have Aera wipe his face, especially since he felt he was just a servant compared to her. "I take no offense, M'lady. Thank you... for erm... cleaning my face." Aera smiled and reached back to grab her glass of lemonade. She extended it towards him. "Don't mention it. Here, would you like to try some of mine?" Vector nodded then reached out and received the glass from Aera. "You are too kind, M'lady."
Vector took a sip of the lemonade, and a slight shiver ran from his head armor and spread to all of his limbs like a chain reaction. He looked down at the drink before he handed it back. "So this... is sweet. It's delicious." Aera smiled as she continued to sip her drink. She had finished the lemonade, and picked out some of the strawberry slices with her straw, before popping them into her mouth. "You have good taste."
Mach had almost finished his drink as well, and laughed softly during the exchange, before getting back to the subject at hand.
"Hm... Dentech sound interesting, don't you think? How about we access the rogue network there?"
"Sounds good to me, Mach. Hm? What's this?"
Aera looked down through her mostly empty glass, and could see writing on the bottom. She pulled the napkin from the bottom of the glass, and read what it said. She blushed before she slid the napkin towards Mach. "It looks like the waiter gave me his email address, and wants to know mine."
Mach read it and raised a single eyebrow again. "Well, he seems to have good taste as well, since you're the prettiest one here."
Aera giggled as she waved her hand towards him in an "oh, stop it" gesture. Mazer's voice came in through their ear pylons.
["You three ready to go? I'll deal with the drinks."]
Vector had already finished his drink as Machman downed the last of his. Vector wasn't as amused as Mach and Aera about the waiter's antics, but kept his cool. Mach and Aera nodded before the trio stood up, and begun to file out of the cafe, leaving their drinks and the payment data on the table. When they were about halfway towards the portal. Aera paused briefly.
"Oh, I forgot to take the little NetCafe stirrer with me. Stay right there, I'll be back," she explained, putting her hands up in a "hold on" gesture before turning back to their former table. Mach and Vector nodded and stood by. "Okay, we'll wait here."
She returned to the table, and retrieved the stirrer before she turned back to leave. She stopped short as she saw the waiter standing in front of her, as if he was on his way to bus their table. "Hi there, miss. Did you enjoy your drinks?" Aera smiled before responding. "Yes, they were delicious, thank you. Is it alright if I take this stirrer back with me?"
"Sure thing, babe. I'm guessing you saw your napkin, have you considered my offer?" The waiter stepped towards her as Aera responded. "Yes, I saw. I'm flattered, but I already have someone." The waiter chuckled as he continued to walk closer to Aera, and backed her into a corner made by one of the chairs and the table. "Aw, c'mon beautiful. What could I do to get your address?" As Aera's legs bumped into the back of the table, the waiter heard a mechanical click right behind him, and felt something pressing against the back of his head. It was Machman, and his buster was mere millimeters from the Navi's head. "You could back off and not bother her again, at least that's what I would do in your situation."
A flurry of sharpened metal plates surged around the Navi and collected together in front of him as Aera moved a chair out of the way and backed up a few steps. The plates reformed into Vector's humanoid frame, and with a sharpened blade pointed at the Navi's throat. "Care to consider my offer? You cease annoying my queen, and won't cleave you in twain."
The Navi decided to heed their advice, and put his hands in the air. "Okay, I'm sorry. It was unprofessional of me, I apologize for making you uncomfortable, ma'am."
Machman's buster disappeared as he dropped his hand, but Vector's blade was still fixed towards the Navi's throat. "Good answer. Vector, stand down. We are not going to start a fight in here." Vector's blade reconfigured itself into his arm and hand, and he stepped aside to allow Aera to walk by. "Yes, sire."
The three calmly walked out of the NetCafe, after each giving the Navi a glare more fierce than the last, and headed towards the portal. The entire incident lasted less than a minute, and was relatively quiet, so few, if any Navis saw what transpired. They entered the portal, and teleported back into the Netsquare
((To the NetSquare))