Outside of the Starbucks/Bookstore (Darah)

[Hakfu Song]

Why Do They Call it 'Tall'!?

Damn Americanized people. He wanted one of those huge cups with the caffiene.. plans for late-night reading and studying, completely destroyed, and he was out of money. Ah well.. at least the books could be read for free.

Leaning against the pillar of the bookstore, he sipped from his cappucino, grimaced, and continued drinking. Putting it away from his face, he buried his nose into a book called "American Magic". Coughing slightly, he flipped rapidly through a suggestive few pages. Some things were good, like, "How to Check for Spiked Drugs", and "Democratic and Republican Repellent Spells", but, flipping to the last page, he gave a sigh. Fake. Damn.

Looking up, he put the book into the crevice in the pillar, the air at a muggy standstill. Some people occasionally pointed at him and looked, because, he was a guy wearing robes, or, in the people's eyes, a dress, and it looked somewhat flowery..

".. Dammit, Dad..."

His left arm hung loosely at his side, as his right brought back up the 'tall' cappucino. Smacking his mouth around in disgust, he felt tempted to spit. Glaring back at those who stared at him, he felt somewhat uneasy now.. Taking another sip, he grabbed the book, and rushed back into the bookstore, determined to find something a little more interesting.

Ten minutes later, he walked out, defeated. He looked glumly at his cup, taking another drink. Bringing it back, he looked at it, suprised, one eyebrow lifted.

"This is starting to taste better."

[Darah]

Darah stood lining up at the counter behind two other people, dressed in a new brown coat she had stitched together from unwanted cloth since the rune mage she had fought with vaporised her old one. The young fourteen year old was looking at the food and beverages list put up above the counter. Her eyes were scanning for the words "ice chocolate". Darah was not really too young for coffee. It was simply that she hadn't grown up enough to like the bittersweet taste of it. Wasn't mature enough, short to say. She believed that people will automatically start loving to drink coffee when they have reached the age of about 30 or 40.

At last, her pupils caught the sight of the words she was looking for. She shifted her eyes over to the numbers beside it and her heart sank. She reached deep into her pockets and pulled out a few coins. She was a few dollars short. Those measly quarters in her hand was all she had from the day's work of begging passersby. She needed more money.

A faint cry came from the little basilisk lizard being cradled in Darah's arms. He wanted his ice chocolate and Darah was starting to get desperate to please her kid. Her eyes scanned around the area for someone who may be kind enough to lend her the two dollars which she desperately needed. She saw an asian looking man, garbbed in a pretty dress and holding a cup of coffee. Good, he must be rich enough to buy that dress and holding a cup of coffee meant this guy was 40 years old, meaning he should have a job to make him money and wouldn't mind handing out a few dollars. Darah quickly pranced her way over to the old guy and tugged on his sleeve with one hand, the other cradling the lizard.

"Excuse me, mister." She asked of him, tilting her head slightly upwards so that the man could only see her pale green chin and thin purple lips. "Do you have two dollars on you? Can I have them?"

[Hakfu Song]

Nothing to d- Whaa!?

His eyes were closed when the tugging began, the sweet little voice that sang up beside him. Huh?.. Opening his eyes slowly, taking his time, just rousing himself from his thoughts.. he first saw a pale grin chin, and then.. purple lips.

Must be a new type of gothic style.

"Uh.. yea, sure.."

Hakfu couldn't see the girl's eyes, but nodded a little, absentmindedly, his hand going through his pockets. Still deep in thought, it suddenly occured to him that all he had was a dollar and two quarters left. Crap.

"Oye... um.. sorry, but I don-"

His eyes stopped on the girl. She was completely robed in multiple pieces of cloth, made of assorted brown things, to make a makeshift robe. She was a begger. This little girl was a begger! Pity began to well up inside of Hakfu..

The hundreds of street urchins, little Chinese kids in the slums he lived in, all begging for bread, food, anything to keep themselves alive. It was hard to deny all their eager faces, the hopelessness in their eyes, just because he didn't have any money himself. And there was still begging here.

..Dammit, he was going to regret this.

Reaching deeper, into his robes, he got out his emergency stash. Flipping open the wallet, he looked at it, as a fly came buzzing out. There was only a dollar left.

Twitch.

"I'm going to regret this..."

Picking out the dollar, he handed it to the girl, and then, putting his wallet back in, he got out the other dollar. So much for groceries. Ah well... either way, it was a no-win situation. He nodded at the girl, still unable to see her face.

"There you go.. may I ask the name whom the pretty little girl I'm giving this money away to is, though?"

He stood there, smiling, completely ignorant.

[Darah]

Pretty little girl?

Under the hood away from the old man's sight, Darah's eyebrow twitched. He may be saying pretty now, but he hasn't seen what she really looked like without her hood. Imagine the screams he'll make along with all the other people in the store if she removed her hood. Her pair of two inched horns atop her head, pale green skin with patches of scales here and there all over her body was enough to make the bravest of warriors pause for a second.

But even without seeing Darah's face, why did this man call her pretty? Was he some sort of pedophile? If anything, Darah thought this man sounded more like a pimp daddy. A poor, broke and bankrupt pimp as he said something about not having enough money after reaching into his dress pocket and fumbled his hand about it.

From deep in his robes, the old man pulled out a wallet. Darah thought that perhaps this grandpa had money after all but to her dismay, only a fly flew out when he opened it. It was rather comical to see the insect buzzing out of the wallet which symbolized being empty or in this case, poor. From the wallet, the grandpa picked out a dollar note and got an extra dollar out from his robe pocket. He then passed the money over to Darah who declined the offer although she was asking for it a few minutes ago.

"You keep it. You may probably need it more than I do..." Darah said hesitantly as she rubbed her kid's back. Gekko would just have to learn to be patient. "My name is Darah... Are you a pimp?" Darah asked aloud. She didn't like perverts. Who did?

[Hakfu Song]

Did I Not Just Say I Was Going To Regret This!?

... What was that last part?

Hakfu looked around himself. Already some people gave him a denouncing look, some women raising their noses in the air, away from him. Others looked interested at him.

Crap, don't pause. Makes it look more suspicious!

Think!

But don't pause!

Think! But don't pause!

.. A minute later they were still standing there, a spectacle to the whole store. Some snickering began to form in his throat, and suddenly erupted in a slow laughter. His voice was equally loud, perhaps a little more fake then he would've liked it.

"Hehehehahahahahahahahahahahaha.. but Laura, dear, what would your mother think? Come now, let's go buy you your treat."

The area relaxed, and everyone went back to normal, although there were some who were still a little suspicious, who eyed him warily. Crouching a little, he thanked God he was still about... two inches then this brat. This is what he gets for trying to be nice.. ah well.. He took a step closer to her, taking her hand and putting the two dollars, with the additional fifty cents in. His smile was still on, and his eyes were closed as if still in laughter, but, his voice turned to a low hiss.

"Look... kid, buy it, that thing you want. Just play along with me here, as if I'm your daddy or something. I'm no pimp.. trust me, or else, I wouldn't be wearing this crappy looking robe. Besides... Pimps are rich. I got some stuff, but not much.. consider it a gift, alrig-"

He opened his eyes. His face, so close to the girl's, suddenly saw what he appeared to be.. what the hell was tha.. uh...

...

Standing motionless before her, he let his hands drop away, his face blank for a moment. The smile came back on, and he went behind her, giving her a little nudge.

"Go on, 'Laura'.. seriously, my treat."

"..And the name's Hakfu Song.."

Russling through his robes again, he pulled out a small brown bag, and, grabbing his cappucino back from the ledge he had put it on, he popped off its lid, and dipped it in, taking a small bite. It tasted a little bitter though.. but was interesting in flavor.