Prologue

Driving back to the Central district should have been a time of relief. It meant that we were going back to friendly territory - the place held by City PD. The good guys on the good team. We had a package of potential contraband and evidence of unsavory actions that could incriminate the Queenpin Gura too, so we should have had one hell of a homecoming.

However, Gura's threat yanked my chains. She wanted us to deliver this package without opening it, she said. She'd know if we turned it over to City PD, she said. Having that short-stacked Queenpin walk all over us, even in Central, made me feel uneasy.

Who's the snitch in City PD? Which Uniform or Suit is getting paid off in cans of Lemon Shark brand fruit salad? Who's the slippery snake who's playing both sides?

I had my guesses, but I couldn't tell for sure. I could sniff a snake from a mile away, after all.

And she smelled like a snake.

Probably.

Not that I'd know what a snake smells like.

But I do know this. I know that the new kid and I are close to getting Gura's trust. We just had to brave whatever this Mother Earth Cafe had in store for us. If we aren't careful, the coffee beans aren't gonna be the only things that'll get ground and roasted.

…

"Excellent monologue, senpai! " Kiara cheered happily.

"You think so?" Ame raised her brow, "I thought it was pretty standard."

"I like the coffee roast part!" The rookie explained, "It made me chuckle a bit."

"You're too easy to please."

Kiara shook her head, "Nah. You're just pretty good at putting words together, hehe. I think it's a talent!"

"First time anyone's praised my inner thoughts." Ame snickered.

While the two plainclothes detectives chattered on, Ame drove the car towards Green Park Crescent. She parked the car a block away from the Mother Earth Cafe, near one of the gamewell telephones.

"Hold on, Kiara. I need to cover my bases with this place." Ame explained, "A supplier of the Shrimps gang this close to City PD HQ doesn't sit well with me."

"Roger that!" Kiara saluted obediently.

Ame nodded and went over to the gamewell telephone. She took the handset off the hook and waited for the tone.

"Operator, give me City PD Forensics."

" City PD Forensics? Not dispatch? " The operator answered on the other end, bewildered by the request.

"Trust me, lady, if I give you my badge numbers, you'll route it to Forensics anyways. Might as well save time here."

The operator sighed audibly and asked, " And who am I talking with, exactly? "

"Watson, badge 7-3-3-1."

" The problem child. " The operator let her honest thoughts spill through.

"If I wanted someone to insult me, I'd talk to Gawr Gura. Or Detective Ouro."

The operator sighed again. She then spoke with the most halfhearted, lukewarm tones that Ame ever heard, " Putting you through now… "

This time around, Ame didn't have to wait long for someone to answer.

" Doctor Ninomae. City PD Forensics. " A tired, grumbling voice reached Ame's ear.

"You sound sleepier than the last time we talked." Ame teased, "You didn't take a nap, did you?"

" I was taking a nap until an angry operator patched you through. " Ina answered, " And I'm still waiting on that instant coffee you promised. "

When Ame was speaking with Ina, Kiara hovered over Ame and the telephone and squawked, "KIKIRIKI!"

Ina nearly had a panic attack on the other end of the line while Ame nearly drew her non-existent gun.

"What the hell are you doing, kiddo?" Ame scowled at Kiara.

"I've been told that the Phoenix's greeting can wake people up!" Kiara explained.

" Probably because it's so loud. " Ina spoke to Ame through the telephone.

"Did Doctor Ninomae say something?" Kiara asked innocently.

"Nothing. Just some medical mumbo jumbo." Ame covered up Ina's remark.

An audible yawn reached Ame's ears, followed by a faint whisper from Ina, " How can I… haaaaaaaaaaah… help, detective? "

"I need all the information you have about a Mother Nature Cafe on Green Park Crescent." Ame answered, "History, violations, anything you can find."

" Just a moment please. " Ina excused herself.

Ame heard Ina getting off of her seat, muttering something about the size of her butt, before she slammed a heavy phonebook down onto her desk. Ina seemed to flip through some pages before she spoke to Ame again.

" The Mother Nature Cafe. Address is 11 Green Park Crescent, Unit C. " Ina spoke like she was reading through the book, " That place has changed hands quite a few times in the past few years. The current establishment has been there for about a year. The current owner is a Ms. Fauna Ceres. "

"Fauna Ceres?" Ame furrowed her brow, "Isn't that the one who bakes the cakes that Chief Enma and Detective Ouro buy for the station?"

" They're one and the same. Ms. Ceres has a lot of businesses in the City: South, North and Central. " Ina confirmed, " But her establishments tend to have a history of expired business permits. Delayed health and safety inspections are common too. "

"Sounds like someone who likes to cut corners… and play both sides." Ame grumbled

" Yeah, I'd be careful about dealing with Ms. Ceres if I were you. " Ina suggested, " But, now that I think about it, why are you asking about the Mother Nature Cafe? "

"Oh, I was just curious." Ame tried to play dumb, "I was thinking of buying some of that instant coffee I promised you on the way back to HQ."

" Ame… I know that tone of yours. " Ina tested with a suspicious voice, " Don't tell me you're doing some sort of errand - or fetch quest - for the Shrimps gang? "

"Of course not." Ame rushed to answer, "Anyways, I've gotta go, Ina. Talk to you later."

" Ame, wait…! "

Ame hung up the phone and walked away from the gamewell.

"So, what did Ina- senpai say?" Kiara asked curiously.

"Ina said that we're dealing with someone who gets around the law a lot. She knows how to get around violations and still sell cakes to City PD." Ame explained, "She knows how to deal with cops, so we're gonna have to be extra careful not to blow our cover."

"Hmm…" Kiara rubbed her chin, "I guess that means we're gonna have to really act like customers, huh?"

"Yeah." Ame agreed, "We'll have to patronize her business. Whatever it is she does in this joint."

"I hope it's not something too bad." Kiara shriveled up.

"You gotta be ready for anything, kid." Ame lectured, "This city is twisted. The people who live here long enough become just as crooked."

"And what about you, senpai ? Are you crooked too?"

Ame paused. Then, she snickered, "Maybe a little less crooked than most people."

"That means I can trust you." Kiara smiled, "I'll follow your lead this time, senpai. "

With that, Ame and Kiara walked over to the front door of the Mother Nature Cafe. They opened the door and stepped inside the cafe.

The pleasant aroma of coffee, paired with relaxing scents of pleasant oils and flowers reached the noses of the plainclothes detectives. Then, seated listlessly behind the counter was a beautiful lady with long green hair adorned with flowers. Moreover, the lady had Kirin horns sprouting from the top of her head.

"Customers!?" The lady piped up, almost like she had been drawn out of a daydream. She turned to Ame and Kiara and gasped, "There really are customers! And they're awfully pretty too."

The lady stood up from her seat behind the counter and revealed the clothes that she was wearing: a beautiful yet provocative maid attire that made Ame's and Kiara's imaginations go wild. She stood up straight and gave the two customers a servantile bow. Then, she spoke with a voice that was as smooth as silk.

"Welcome to the Mother Nature Cafe - the finest maid cafe in the entire city. How may I serve you, dear go-shu-jin-sa-ma~! "

…

Queenpins

You Have A License For That?

…

To Be Continued