Rori's Corner: I had to google the orders. Some people really can be quite anal about them drinks. It's cool though, I understand. And I'm on a roll! Kind of sort of based on Bon Qui Qui.
Complicated Order
magnolia starbucks
have it your way, but don't get crazy
Gray knew she was trouble the moment she stepped out of a bright yellow smart car with a pink Louis Vuitton bag hanging on her elbow and expensive Lucchese knee-high cowboy boots adorning her jean clad legs. He knew her type. He knew it too well. She had a smartphone in one hand as she texted and the other was looking in her designer bag for her keys. He deftly took this moment to alert the crew.
He lowered his head, cleared his throat, and then spoke into the intercom: "Agent G on the lookout. Be on alert, we have a Complicated Order heading our way, over."
Fzz. Cackle. Fzz.
"Agent L speaking, please clarify or provide a description."
"What's that? Over."
"I said, I want a clarification or at least a description of what this Complicated Order looks like, over."
Gray squinted, quickly jotted down mental notes, and then announced through the bluetooth, "Agent G providing clarification upon Agent L's request: the C.O is sporting LV bag, Lucchese boots, Gucci shades, and a bright-yellow-sunshine-more-dollars-than-my-life's-worth smart car. C.O is currently trying to locate her keys." He watched her struggle with her bag, her figure bent and one hand desperately searching through her designer bag, and then commented, "If C.O dips any lower, her supple and bulbous treasures might be subjected to a very public viewing."
Fzz. Fzz.
"Agent N, reporting in, over!"
"Natsu, why are you always so damn late?" five different voices groaned all at once.
"Not my fault that I got stuck in traffic!"
Gray cut through the jumble of mutters and complaints as his cobalt eyes remained at pinpoint focus on the Complicated Order, who appeared to have finally found her keys, "Silence! The C.O's diversion is lifted; she is ready to head in! Transfer over to emergency response immediately, over!"
"Roger! Agent MJ reporting to duty, over, hehe!"
"All right, Agent G is switching out and over to Agent MJ, over," Gray said quickly, bending down low on the floor behind the counter to avoid being seen by the C.O. In his place, a white-haired Mirajane stepped in with a big, friendly smile plastered over her lips. After six months of working with her, Gray had decidedly learned to not fall for that innocent, pretty face. Because underneath that innocent, pretty face lied a sinister evil.
Mirajane pressed a delicate hand down her long, snow-like hair, fixing random strands and making herself presentable. The door to the cafe was pulled open, bell chiming and signaling a customer, and she straightened her posture. A kind, innocuous, and friendly smile fell in place automatically. "Welcome to Magnolia Starbucks, what can I get you today?" she chirped.
"Hi! Um...let's see..."
Gray slumped against the counter, whispering into the intercom, "Agent MJ has commenced interaction with the Complicated Order. All parties, get ready to assist, over."
"Understood."
"Roger."
"O.K."
"Got it."
"Wait, wait, what's going on?"
"Natsu, shut up, over," multiple voices responded.
"Shh," Mirajane shushed into the mic. The voices disappeared and the intercom finally became silent. The shushing noise caused the C.O's attention to rivet from the menu screen to her.
"Is...there something wrong?"
"No, of course not," Mira denounced, waving her hands and smiling. "Do you need help in making your order?"
"Well, I was thinking of getting something new this time, but I don't know what exactly."
"Oh! How about...a hot cocoa for the cold weather?" Mira suggested.
"That does sound nice. May I have one hot cocoa in grande?"
Mira grinned. "Of course! One grande hot cocoa coming up." She thrummed the keys on the register, ringing up the beverage.
"Agent G, I thought you said it was going to be a complicated order," a voice hissed through the bluetooth.
Gray frowned. He was hardly ever wrong. When his intuition told him it was going to be a Complicated Order, it 99.99% of the time was a Complicated Order. Could this be the 0.01% of the encounters that would undermine his sixth sense? Maybe. But he wasn't giving up just yet. "Just wait it out," he muttered. Damn that Lyon, always jumping on opportunities to annoy him.
"Did you want anything else?" inquired Mira.
"Yup, actually I'm making another order."
"Sure!"
"I would like a grande chocolate chai tea blended cream frap with no whip, no cinnamon, and a half teaspoon of sugar."
Gray smirked. See? He was right. He was always right. Take that, Lyon.
There was a brief pause, and then:
"I'm sorry, we're out of chai tea at the moment," Mirajane said apologetically.
"Oh, really?"
"Unfortunately."
As if.
"Good job, Mira," several hushed voices commended excitedly, and the intercom sizzled and cackled due to the cacophony of noises. Whenever a Complicated Order was avoided, the Magnolia Starbucks crew rejoiced. This was the rule, and no one ever thought twice about it.
"Um...okay, how about..."
"A pumpkin spice latte to go with the hot cocoa?" Mira suggested smoothly.
"Actually, I think I'll just go with my regular instead."
"Oh, sure! What will it be?"
"It'll be a Venti, and I would like one pump of caramel, one pump of white mocha, two scoops of vanilla bean powder, umm, an extra ice frappuchino with two shots poured over the top, apagotto style, with caramel drizzle under and on top of the whipped cream, double cupped." A pause. "Oh, I'm sorry, should I write it down for you?"
Mira's smile slid just slightly. "Hold on a sec, let me just let the barista know," she said. "And your name, please?"
"Thanks, and my name's Lucy."
She held up the intercom close to her mouth and then said in a purposely clear voice, smiling an overly sweetened smile, "Excuse me, we have a complicated order. It's a Venti, with one pump of caramel - "
"E-eh?! Um, uhh, on second thought, c-can I just get a pumpkin spice latte instead? I'm sorry, I guess I'm not feeling up to a Venti today, aha...aha...hahah..."
Mira furrowed her brows, looking concerned. "Are you sure?"
"Y-yup!"
She proceeded to beam a sparkly, dazzling beam - perfect white teeth and all - at the nervous customer. "Okay! One cocoa and pumpkin spice coming up!"
A chorus of "Yesss...!" sounded loudly through the intercom, and the flabbergasted expression on the ex-C.O's face in response to the not very discreet celebratory whoops did nothing to deter the vibrant and sunny smile on Mirajane's face.
There was a cause for celebration in Magnolia Starbucks that day.
