The Daily Commute

Posted on Mon 11th Mar, 2019 @ 12:35am by

436 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Tram Station near St. Joan's School for Girls
Timeline: MD 1, 16:15

The Human girl Aiko MacBeth and her Lamian friend Yucholl Engrl were part of a crowd of girls. All of them wore dark blue blazers with a patch on the left side of the chest depicting a coat of arms -- a pair of gold fleurs-de-lis flanking a silver sword which in turn held up a golden crown. Most of the girls wore a pleated skirt which either matched the blazer, or displayed the school's tartan of blue, silver, and gold; some wore trousers, or other garments better suited to their anatomy.

The school day over, extra-circular club activities done, the girls were drifting away from the school grounds. "Do you want to stop for crepes?" Yucholl asked, her eye caught by the pedaltrike with a food cart that had set up outside the ramp to the tram station. A few schoolgirls were already gathered around, waiting their turn.

Aiko pushed back her sleeve, revealing her data bracelet. She thumbed quickly through the menu, found her credit balance, and then nodded. "Okay, sure."

"No, no," Yucholl countered. "My treat!"

Aiko shook her head. "You bought the stuffed buns at lunchtime. I'm reasonably certain it's my turn to buy."

"Awww!" Yucholl wailed in mock distress. "But how will you know you're my number one galpal if I don't shower you with lavish gifts? Sweets for the sweet!"

"If anpan and crepes are your idea of lavish presents, you may need to re-calibrate your scales," Aiko teased, joining the line.

"But I don't think we're at the jewelry stage, yet!" Yucholl protested.

"Isn't there anything in between food and jewelry?"

Yucholl made a thoughtful sound, tilting her head to the side and putting a finger to the corner of her lips. "Do you like stuffed animals?"

Aiko was saved from answering as they arrived at the front of the line. "I'll have peach, I believe."

"Strawberry and chocolate, please!" Yucholl said.

The cart-wrangler, who had blue skin and four arms, nodded with a smile. "One peach, one strawberry-chocolate, coming right up!" His hands were already busy, pouring the batter onto the grill block, closing it, flipping it, opening, sliding crepes out. His right pair of arms rolled one of the crepes, wrapped it in thin paper, then filled it with creme and peach preserves; the left did the same, but the filling was strawberry preserves with chocolate drizzled generously over the top.

Aiko and Yucholl both reached for the cart's payment PADD, but Yucholl got there first, smacking her thumb up against the screen. She stuck her tongue out at Aiko. "Mmmm!"

"Yeah, yeah," Aiko groused. "Promises, promises."

 

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