The Caffeine Fighter
by Jo-Ryan Salazar
Chapter 1:
Go West!
There were three cafes in the heart of a nameless Japanese city that catered to locals and to tourists. There was the Rabbit House, owned by youthful magnate Chino Kafuu and her father Takahiro and whose notable employees included her partner-in-crime/ladyfriend Cocoa Hoto, her sister Mocha and Rize Tedeza, who also doubled as an effective security blanket to the venue. Chiya Ujimatsu's family owned the Ama Usa An Restaurant, whose green tea products (drinks, cakes, other desserts) earned distinctions domestically and internationally for many years.
And there was La Fleur de Lapin. This was a cafe whose true owner lived half a world away in Paris, was born in Qatar and owned a quiet unassuming soccer team in the city, but whose ownership truth was not revealed publicly as this would be a distraction to his own concerns in Europe. Known for its outdoor seating and iconic maid uniforms with rabbit ears, Lapin, as it was called informally, had outdoor seating and a menu with all ingredients sourced from the Schengen Area.
Until a fateful day, when the decision came to diversify its menu to make it more than just a cafe, but a restaurant whose menu looked similar to Max Brenner in terms of dessert options and savory options. Sharo had to learn how to operate machinery that created shakes, pastries, cakes, and other desserts laces with chocolate, and Belgian chocolate at that. But it wasn't so much the coffee and chocolate treats that had people flocking to Lapin. It was the most unlikeliest of dishes. It was nachos.
And these were not the nachos that were sold at ballparks or Mexican-themed restaurants. Lapin's nachos were served in large bowls and had every commonly used topping, from asadero cheese to spam to pineapple. No question, these nachos were filling.
Originally it was meant to be a shared appetizer but more and more customers, specifically the archetypal NEETs and otaku looking for a cheap thrill from Sharo, ordered them standalone and "Hotter Than Hell": as in loaded with slivers of real ghost peppers. It went well with the Lapin Granita shake, which was a house ganache of Belgian chocolate and cream blended with ice, a thrilling combination of hot and cool, spicy and sweet, naughty and nice. It was a best seller, and the long lines just for this combo alone went down two city blocks during heavy days.
As for Sharo, she could not do her work without a nice cup of coffee. Before she did her work, Sharo made sure to drink enough Bulletproof coffee to ensure she could get her shift done. The house blend at Lapin was Guatemalan beans and the cafe, having connections to Bulletproof coffee, had an agreement to sell the coffee in beverage and bean form. Other blends were also available, but the default house blend was considered to be superior in terms of performance and impact and was a favorite with the locals.
But Sharo wanted to travel. Rize was on her mind too much and she needed to get her off her mind just once by leaving the country and allowing her other co-workers to fill in for her, if only for two weeks. There were times Sharo was forced to work extra hours but the message was made clear by the owner via video-conference that the weight needed to be taken off Sharo so that she could get a change of scenery. The lustful feeling she had for Rize had to be kept aside so that she could get a feel for freedom, as fleeting it would be. Moreover, it was summer.
"(Together) We will go our way
(Together) We will leave someday
(Together) Your hand in my hand
(Together) We will make the plans
(Together) We will fly so high
(Together) Tell our friends goodbye
(Together) We will start life new
(Together) This is what we'll do .."
"Oy, these nachos are the best, brother!" said one obese customer with really thick glasses and a portly belly to her similarly rotund mate across the table and they indulged in those Hotter Than Hell Nachos and the Granitas. "I don't even know where I am, is this Tijuana?"
"I wish I was there so that the Mexican ladies would ram all over me and rock me over!" replied his buddy with a laugh and a snort.
Sharo overheard them across the dining hall and was shivering. They were the last two customers of the day, aside from the local sage Midori "Blue Mountain" Aoyama, who was quietly writing down some notes, perhaps the sequel to her best-selling novel, "The Caffeine Fighhter." Sharo went over for a look.
"Aoyama-san?"
"Hi, Sharo-chan," she said.
"Are you writing something?"
"I want to do a sequel of The Caffeine Fighter but I need to be inspired to come up with a plot. For this sequel, I want this to be based on something you do, other than being energized to be a hero through having a cup."
"That doesn't see right," she said dryly.
"You always said you wanted to travel, right?"
"I'm tired of being here, I want to go somewhere away from everyone, for once."
"Well, where do you want to go?"
"(Go west) Life is peaceful there
(Go west) Lots of open air
(Go west) To begin life new
(Go west) This is what we'll do
(Go west) Sun in winter time
(Go west) We will do just fine
(Go west) Where the skies are blue
(Go west) This and more we'll do..."
"Let's see...I had a vision last night that I was dressed in a pink magical girl outfit and cape and domino and I was on a train to Vancouver where some terrorist plot was planning to take place and they needed somebody to foil this plot before something worst than #JeSuisParis took place."
Aoyama was jotting it all down. "Hmm, hmm, hmmm..."
"YOU'RE WRITING THAT ALL DOWN!?"
"Ufufu. Actually, did you want to have a seat?"
"Uh, sure, I guess it wouldn't hurt..." The caffeine effects had worn out and Sharo was back to being her shy self again. "So, what it is?"
"I have great news," Aoyama said. "I originally wanted to travel to Canada myself and head to a hotel to find some peace and quiet, also to visit my husband who holds dual citizenship and is a coach of a local foootball team over there. However, I called him and asked if I could instead have him see you instead."
"Huh?"
"My husband's name is Philippe, and he is from Montreal but moved to Vancouver when he was young. I first met Philippe when I was in college and I was visiting UBC. He's fluent in Japanese and Korean and he is a permanent resident of Japan but he is a coach and a teacher at a high school in nearby Surrey. He wants to see you. Also, his sister is a consultant that lives in Burnaby. She wants to meet you, too."
"But why?" Sharo asked. "I'm no different than anyone else..."
"There is something about you that makes you special and better than all the others I have met. You have the gift, and I have a feeling that...this story I wrote may be realized for real. Don't quote me on it, it might be a hunch, but I think you need two weeks off to visit Canada." Aoyama handed Sharo a couple of plane and train tickets.
"Oh my god...you're kidding me!"
"Nope, these are your plane and train tickets. You'll be flying to Los Angeles then taking a train to Seattle and a bus to Vancouver. To get home, just follow the steps in reverse. Oh, and here are the directions to my husband's place. You will be staying in Canada for two weeks."
"Oh, oh my...this is...this...!" Sharo's eyes were spiraling.
"And did you remember to get your passport?"
"No wonder I brought this with me without any train of thought," Sharo said, holding her blue passport book up. "I just received this yesterday and I only got this because my parents wanted me to get this done. Now I know why."
"I believe the English term for that is called 'serendipity,'" Aoyama noted.
"That's a big word for me. Whatever."
"Anyway, you're gonna be leaving in two days, so get set to take a plane over to Los Angeles. Ever been on a train before?"
"Just the local train, but not a long distance American one," Sharo said.
"You'll love riding on this train. In America, they call this the 'Coast Starlight' and it goes up and down the West Coast," Aoyama said. "The train, however, goes as far as Seattle, and you'll need to take a bus to connect to Vancouver."
"Will they allow pets? I want to bring Wild Geese along."
"As long as he can take being treated like a plush and he acts like a plush and not as a live animal, I think he'll be all right."
"Hmmmm..." She turned to Wild Geese, chewing on a hayseed, who nodded as if to say, 'Can't Wait!'" "Okay, I'll do it!"
"Wonderful. So, I'll go ahead and take my leave." Aoyama had already paid beforehand. "Have a great trip. Be sure to tell me all about it so I can do some writing! Actually, I'll ask Philippe! See you, Sharo-chan!"
"Take care, Aoyama-san," Sharo said, waving before sighing. She looked at her tickets and then looked upward. "I don't know who you are...but I will see you soon, Mr. Philippe," she whispered before retiring behind the counter to notify her boss that she would be taking her vacation break due to a business trip. The request was naturally granted.
"(Together) We will love the beach
(Together) We will learn and teach
(Together) Change our pace of life
(Together) We will work and strive
(I love you) I know you love me
(I want you) Happy and carefree
(So that's why) I have no protest
(When you say) You want to go west..."
Tippy, Chino's grandfather, was meditating on the counter next to the register. "Hmmmmmm...ooooooh...nummnmnmnmnmnnmnm..."
"What is it, father?" Takahiro asked. It was after hours, and Chiya had come in from Ama Usa An, who closed one hour earlier, to check on Chino, Cocoa, Mocha and Rize.
"Ask everything to gather around for a meeting."
"Everyone who is staff, meeting. Chiya is allowed to attend this too as this is apparently outside of matters involving the business."
"What could this be?" Chino asked.
"Maybe we're getting a raise, Chino-chan?" Cocoa asked.
"He said it had nothing to do with the cafe, but outside of it," Rize noted.
"Awwww..."
Chiya was in deep thought. "Perhaps it has something to do with...hmmm..."
Rize wanted to know. "Chiya?"
"Ahh, nothing, nothing, ahahahah..."
"Thank you very much," Tippy said, as they gathered around. Takahiro put Tippy on his head, allowing him to get the girls' attention for the first time in a while, if ever. "Now then, I have been sensing some interesting news from the Fleur de Lapin regarding one of your friends," Tippy said through Takahiro.
"Sh...Sharo-chan!?" they all exclaimed.
"Did something happen to her?" Chino asked.
"Maybe she got kidnapped on a street corner and became the centerpiece of a spitroast!" exclaimed Mocha, her lewd imaginations running wild. The others were disgusted.
"Onee-chan, stop thinking evil things about Sharo-chan, she's pure!" Cocoa complained.
"You've got a great work ethic, but your dirty mind offsets that," Rize retorted.
"Sorry," Mocha pouted.
"Anyway," Tippy went on, "It looks like Sharo will be traveling somewhere."
"Traveling!?" exclaimed the others.
"Where is she going?" asked Rize. "Hawaii?"
"England?" asked Cocoa.
"Come on everyone, we all know she's bound to have a wild time drinking French press in the south of France," Chiya replied.
"Really?' Rize blinked.
"I'm just saying, French things turn Sharo on, you know. I mean, I don't know if this is true but the people say a really rich owner of a soccer team in Paris has an ownership stake of Fleur de Lapin, so you never know."
"But you said South of France. That's Marseille and Nice, working class cities."
"Actually, Marseille is the working-class city, Nice is on the Riviera," Chino corrected.
Chiya got laid out with her kimino on but her pride in tatters. "Ara..."
"Actually," said Tippy, "Sharo-chan...will visit...Canada."
"CANADA!?" exclaimed the girls.
"That came out of left field," Chino said.
"Why would she visit Canada during the summer?" asked Rize. "Does she have someone to see?"
"Maybe she wants to do rock-climbing or swimming so that she can finally swim," Chiya said.
"Or maybe watch a soccer game," said Cocoa.
"Yeah, because our is not good enough for Sharo," Rize said. "Does she even watch soccer?" Then it clicked. Go West by the Village People was playing in her head. "Never mind, I figure she is watching too much of it on the monitors they now installed over there."
"Oil money, the type of yen I wish our place had," Chino said.
"Well, I would but our place doesn't need to be a sports bar," Chiya said. "Maybe I'll ask."
"Anyway, Sharo will be heading for Canada in a few days," Tippy said.
"Do you want us to see her off?" asked Mocha.
"On the contrary, you will do something far different. Allow to bring her in...enter, Ms. Aoyama."
"Aoyama-san!" exclaimed the girls.
"Good evening, everybody," said Aoyama, walking in to greet them. "Listen, I know you have been working real hard this summer, but I think it's time that all of you take a break and do some traveling of your own."
"(I know that) there are many ways
(to live there) in the sun or shade.
(Together) we will find a place
(to settle] down and live with space
(without the) busy pace back east,
(the hustling), rustling of the feet,
(I know I'm) ready to leave too,
(so this is) what we're going to do,
(Go west) Life is peaceful there.
(Go west) Lots of open air.
(Go west) To begin life new.
(Go west) This is what we'll do.
(Go west) Sun in winter time.
(Go west) We will do just fine.
(Go west) Where the skies are blue.
(Go west) This and more we'll do.
(Go west) Life is peaceful there.
(Go west) Lots of open air.
(Go west) To begin life new.
(Go west) This is what we'll do..."
"We're going on holiday too?" asked Chino, who put Anko on her head, smiling.
"Yes, you are," Aoyama said, handing the five girls some ticket packages and iteneraries in color-coded folders with their faces on it.
"Whoa," said Mocha. "What's this?"
"Mocha. I will have you take care of the girls as the liaison. They will be visiting Vancouver at the same time as Sharo-chan, but I want them to just keep an eye on Sharo but don't let her know she's being watched."
"Oh, so we're playing a little spy game on our trip to Canada," Cocoa said. "So much fun!"
"Ah, that reminds me, my brothers Roderic and Todd live in Vancouver and are students at UBC. They moved from Colmar eight years ago, from what I remember, and missed seeing me. I think it's time, Cocoa-chan, that you and I reunited with them."
"Really? Wow..." Cocoa said.
"They are fluent in Japanese, English, and both varieties of French since they spent time in Quebec City for a few years. You'll love them. They love sports and football. And even though they are from Colmar like you and me, they are PSG fans."
"How about that?" Aoyama said. "Everything seems to be connected."
"(Go west) together together we'll gone our way
(Go west) together together you lead me the way
(Go west) you begin life new
(Go west) this is what will do ..."
"I can't wait to see Roddy and Toddy again," said Cocoa. "Where are they residing?"
"Point Grey, off-campus housing in Vancouver, but where they live, they can accomodate guests as they do a bed-and-breakfast thing on the side," Mocha said. "I will tell them that I am coming to visit and I'll be bring you guys."
"Please take good care of us, Mocha-san," Rize said. "I'll do anything you say, just to make sure Sharo is all right."
"You really do care much about the Caffeine Fighter, do you?" Aoyama said to Rize.
"Besides," she said as a shaded look was one her face, her chin lifted, "I have plans."
Chino was concerned as the other girls chatted amongst themselves of their new adventure. "This won't end well."
END CHAPTER 1