This is the first RP thread I've made since circa. 2014, in a fairly inactive RP board. But Mama didn't raise a quitter, and if I'm left with a dead board for my hubris, so be it! The Arthro Pod is half a RP, half a character development exercise. At regular intervals, I'll post a character prompt. You can reply in a single paragraph, if you so wish, or stick around to RP with me or anyone else around. When I feel the current bout of RP has died down, or all the characters have canonically left, I'll post a new prompt. That Arthro Pod is located in the Subeta universe; any Subeta characters, in anthro or quad form, are welcome.

The Arthro Pod is a café located-- well, it depends on where you find it, really. Usually nestled in some countryside lane just a little too far away to be convenient, or rarely, in a forgotten corner of some overgrown urban park. If you ask the staff, they won't giving you a straight answer. Does it matter? The inside of this café is small, and crowded with potted plants and small trees; some of them seem to grow into the building itself. They specialize in teas; they have a menu board with a disparate variety of teas, but it seems whatever you ask for, they have it. There's a coffee machine that produces good coffee if kicked enough and with the right amount of force. Nobody has seen where they make the hot chocolate, but it's good stuff. If you ask about cakes, the staff will ask the manager, who will glare at you as though you've asked something offensive, and the staff will disappear upstairs and come back with a brand name biscuit tin and share it with you for free. (Is that allowed? It doesn't seem to matter; health and safety don't think this place exists.)

Nothing here has a price. They don't even have a till. Instead, a neat chalkboard on the counter reads:

Want a free drink? Answer this question:

With a new question inscribed every day.

How do they stay open? Who knows, but the tea's amazing, the coffee is free, the battered soft chairs are comfortably sat around old wooden tables, and the surplus of plants keeps the place warm and snug. No reason not to stop by, pick up a drink-- their takeaway cups are compostable, even the lids!-- and see how the place treats you. You might even meet someone interesting!

Two baristas-- one short bumbus, one gangly illumis, both diminutive-- staff the counter today. Their manager, a zasaba with a haughty tilt to her head, sits in the corner. Today's chalkboard reads:

Want a free drink? Answer this question: What's something you miss from your past?

"I miss Sovereign," said the illumis, with an expression of great thoughtfulness. They were leaning over the counter and watching Scholar put this finishing touches on his blackboard. "That's what I miss." Scholar, the bespectacled bumbus, hesitated. ""You spoke to Sovereign this morning, did you not?" "That's in the past now, Scholar." Scholar hesitated, started to respond, then simply nodded. "Can I have a free drink then?" Silly prompted. "My dear friend, you may have as many free drinks as you like. You work here." This was not the first time this conversation had happened. It had been a quiet morning so far, and Scholar kept his eyes on the door.

A soft shimmer resonated off the slick white scales as the sun caressed it. The being edged closer towards the shop that he had heard about from a passerby on his latest endeavor. He was on odd creature, almost hovering effortlessly across the quaint country lane.

As the doors neared he popped up and grabbed the door with a small hand with razor sharp talons. As he enters he reads the caulk pars, finding it ever so odd that an establishment would give away free drinks for such an odd question. His line of work was rarely given without the necessary means of currency.

The qrykee made his way over to the counter where the two baristas worked. Menacing eyes of rose devoid of much emotion. Qyrkee’s were oddly ominous creatures, he thought of himself. Except when in thought of his brother Rampage, a rather beastly mortiking that even put him to shame when it came to terrifying others.

L. Reich realized he had now zoned off in his mind, quickly covering ground of memories of his brother who he has not seen in some time. Only moments had passed but he found himself to professional to do this in front of strangers. That caulkboard has invoked something deep down that let him lower his guard for a moment.

”Goodmorning.” His voice had a foreign sound to it, Atleast not from these parts that he found himself in today. He awaited the response from the barista before continuing not wanting to disrupt them from their duties and other customers.

OOC; It’s been so long since I have roleplayed and I have never roleplayed this character. So bare with me. 😣

If either of the two baristas found Reich intimidating, it didn't show. Scholar placed an elbow on the table and smiled brightly, as though this were the most friendly and pleasant being he'd ever met. "And a very pleasant morning to you, my good sir," he beamed, "How might I be of assistance to you?"

”Your board.... is this correct?” Reich lifted his alabaster limb and motioned towards the chalkboard with the odd question. The bumbus looked like a friendly character and he liked that. Nothing felt more homey then the scent intermingling of teas, coffee and the sweet banter of employees with their patreons.

A glint came into Scholar's eyes. Not malevolent, but certainly brimming with curiosity and eagerness. "True as can be," he said. "It has always been my opinion that a story is worth more than a thousand bars of gold, and what better way to collect stories than to trade them for the finest of drinks?" "An' if you don't believe us, I'll make you the drink first," said Silly. Scholar nodded. "An' then if you don't want to tell the story you can just take the drink and run," Silly continued, and Scholar began to nod before stopping himself.

”That seems like an awfully good deal to me.” A chuckle escaping his white glistening lips. His rose colored eyes explored the options of drinks he could consume and he wondered which he felt was more to his liking today. Tea was always a nice subtle choice when you’re not looking for the sugary surge of coffee. But oh, did he love the taste of sickly sweet coffee on his palate.

Finally he decided and he met the gaze of the barista. ”I would say, what I miss the most.... would have to be the innocence of it all.” Taking a moment to gather the correct words into a relatable sequence. He did not want to give away too much of who he was or why he was here. Though this thought provoking, middle-of-nowhere cafe intrigued him immensely. This was a place he would frequent if he ever frequented places.

”When we are young and growing up... often we are sheltered by those we love. And if that shelter was awful or menacing it was ok and enough for us. For we did not know. Right and wrong somehow gets blurred and we allow things to not effect us the way we do when we age. When we are able to see many different surroundings, communities and beings. We must learn that life isn’t easy and that can be hard on the mind. So... that’s what I miss. When life was full of fun and innocence.”

Scholar drummed his fingers on the counter and gave this statement a few moments of respectful silence. "The innocence of youth," he said thoughtfully, "The burden of knowledge and complexity... Yes, that is a wise thing to mourn. Can we ever recreate the love and security that comes of being young?" "If you leave a sandwich in the fridge for too long, it gets moldy," added Silly. "You can scrape the mould off, but it's still bad for you. I know!" "Well!" said Scholar cheerfully, "A deal's a deal. We have more teas in the back and even more upstairs if you desire something not in the list and the coffee machine's running especially hot today, so do leave your order with my colleague here and sit wherever you like."

Reich nodded his head as the barista spoke to him. When Silly chimed in his gaze was set upon them and a chuckle followed. Moldy food was a good analogy. A much more lighthearted direction then he was going into.

“I’ll take an earl grey.”

He began to turn away but decided to engage a little more.

”Mind if I ask you the same question?”

Silly, who had turned away to engage his hands with an array of teacups and pots and leaves, did not respond. Scholar made a thoughtful noise. "What do I miss from the past," he said carefully, "What do I miss from the past... I'll tell you this. Have you ever read a book that, afterwards, made you feel like rather a different person? Something so good it changed your view on things? Often I wish I could go back and experience those things again, for the first time. But, ah, life is for making new experiences, not for longing for old ones." He gave a small bow. "Much obliged for your custom," he said warmly. "There will be a new question tomorrow."