6The Cottontail Cafe was finally open for business!
The Cottontail Cafe also had less than 10 customers in their first two weeks.
The Cottontail Cafe was a fluffy bunny themed Ghost Town...
A lone cafe owner sat at one of the empty tables in the small dining area drumming her fingers against the tabletop, lost in thought. Her eyes drifted from the custom faux Buneary fluff stools, to the large bunny motif decorations hanging on the walls, and back down to her caramel skin-toned fingers.
Bonni desperately needed an idea to get the traffic flowing through her doors before she was faced with a swift notice of closure. It had been her dream to start her own cafe since she had her first taste of coffee at her family's diner.
It was disgusting.
The day she spat out that putrid brown liquid was that fateful day she made up her mind to abandon the family diner business and make her own cafe with MUCH better coffee! From that point forward she threw herself into her training and studies in preparation of becoming the top cafe gourmet this side of region had ever seen. There wasn't a coffee bean Bonni couldn't identify. Her brews were famous among her peers in her high school Home Ec class! As well as that, there was ONLY one incident where someone she served had gotten gravely ill.
Basically, she was a master of her craft.
But being a master didn't matter if no one was around to partake in your products.
Bonni continued mumbling and grumbling to herself at the table, fingers picking up speed as her frustration grew by the second. Her foot began tapping against the polished, hardwood floor slowly before ramping up to outright stomping.
"GAAH!" she raised a fist in the air and was about to demolish this innocent table before being abruptly stopped by smaller, fluff covered arm.
Bonni, calming down from her sudden rage, sighed and relaxed her fist. "Sorry, Momo..." She turned to face the Lopunny who was looking at her in mild exasperation. "I saved nearly every penny I had for 10 years to get our dream going here..." Bonni sighed and reached a hand out to stroke the Pokemon's head. "But somehow I never thought that a lack of customers would be the main roadblock."
Momo quickly leapt onto the table and struck a confident pose as if to instill her trainer with hope. No point in giving up yet!
Bonni, understanding what the bunny was going for, clenched a fist in a spark of determination.
"You're right! We'll just have to keep trying til we drop dead!" Bonni took this opportunity to hop onto the table as well, striking her own confident strong-arm pose. "There is no way in hell I'll let my dream of providing actually decent coffee to everyone fade away pathetically! I'll-"
*crack*
The table underneath the two gave way and sent them tumbling to the ground.
"I'll... clean that up..." Bonni finished, laying among the debris in defeat.
Later that morning, Bonni and Momo were prancing around outside the cafe while holding oddly shaped wooden signs. Bonni had used the broken tabletop pieces to fashion them into eye catching advertisement boards.
"Come experience Floaroma Town's finest cafe! Pokemon eat for half off!" Bonni called out.
The Cottontail Cafe wasn't exactly in the middle of nowhere but was located on the outer fringes. Not much foot traffic in that area but the duo were quick to accost anyone who happened to stroll by. Bonni would approach the civilian with a bright smile and urge them to come inside while Momo would let her dexterity shine, twirling her sign like a professional and putting street dancers to shame. It wasn't the grandest sight, but it definitely grabbed attention.
After half an hour of giving it all they got, an older gentleman finally relented and agreed to stop by with his Breloom.
"You won't regret it sir!" Bonni jumped into the air with glee and bounded back into the cafe, leading her new customers to their seats with her light brown twintails bouncing behind her.
Momo remained outside for the time being, pulling in more customers. A Machop sauntered by, and after catching a glimpse of the bunny waving her sign and hips, immediately became struck with love. After a quick "freshening up" session of cleaning excess dirt off and breath checks, the Pokemon swooced on in and gave the sultry bunny his finest finger guns.
"Machaa~"
Momo didn't stop twirling for a moment, ignoring the gray Pokemon altogether.
Machop cleared his throat and went for a different approach. He ran off into the meadow and returned soon enough carrying a bundle of pink flowers in his sweaty palms and a single rose in his teeth. Presenting his haul and giving his best eyebrow waggle, Machop was sure she'd be head over heels for him...
If not for the fact that Momo continued ignoring him. It seemed like she was spinning the sign faster and more aggressively even in attempt to block him out of her mind.
Fed up with her staunch rejection, Machop dropped his gifts and angrily demanded he be given attention. Who did she think she was? Too good to even acknowledge someone? Machop took a threatening step forward and-
*krrck*
Momo had frozen in place with two halves of the signboard in each hand, having ripped it in half out of sheer annoyance. With cold, unfeeling eyes she turned toward the alarmed Machop and made a motion with her head as if to say, "Get. Lost."
And suddenly, there was no more Machop. Despite having a base speed of 35, he sure could flee.
Momo immediately returned to her dancing, spinning both sign halves expertly.
Back inside, Bonni was finishing up two orders of her signature latte topped with steamed milk Buneary art for her customers.
"And there! Two lattes on the way out!" She made her way from the kitchen to the dining room where the gentleman and his Pokemon awaited their order. The man seemed rather uncomfortable, feeling out of his element amidst the cutesy, fluff themed decor. Opposite of him the Breloom was having the time of his life spinning in his stool and enjoying the comfortable fur beneath him. Bonni approached the table and set down the two Pokeball themed mugs.
"Please enjoy! Let me know if you need anything else!" she exclaimed, delivering a smile that could blind a man.
"Yes of course, Thank y- Good heavens! This Buneary is dead!" the gentleman shouted, recoiling at the art topping the latte. The art in question sure resembled a Buneary's cheery, grinning face... If you squinted hard enough and tilted your head at the right angle.
To the average eye it looked more like a ghastly rabbit on death's door sobbing bitter tears with a droopy, large frown to match.
"I thought this cafe was bunny themed, not ghost Pokemon themed!" the man continued, sliding his mug away.
"Ahh..." Bonni laughed nervously. "I apologize sincerely! Usually my Lopunny, Momo, takes care of the art for me. I'm not so great with my hands. She made those signs we were using outside actually!"
"I see..." the gentleman said, coming to terms with the vast amount of regret welling up inside him for bothering with this place. "In any case, what do you think Breloom? Oh!"
Turning around to his partner Pokemon he noticed Breloom had already downed his entire mug. Breloom cried out in happiness, and looked expectantly at Bonni as if to ask for another serving.
"You enjoyed it then, huh? I guess the art didn't matter to you at all!" He chuckled. After staring at his own mug for a few seconds longer he pulled it towards him once more and took a small sip.
His eyes flew open in surprise. "This is absolutely delicious!" After taking another, larger gulp he turned towards the cafe owner. "Allow me to apologize for my rude outburst earlier. You may not be the best artist but I'd love to start coming by every now and again for your special brew."
Bonni beamed in delight in response to the praise, thanking the man for his generosity.
Afterwards the gentleman ordered one more cup for his partner before finishing his own and taking his leave, leaving a decent tip behind on the table.
As soon as the door shut behind them, Bonni tossed her serving platter into the air and started pounding the air in victory. "Yesssss! Haha! I knew people would begin to understand my masterful work! I'm the best! I'm the- Wah!"
Bonni ended her victory routine abruptly after realizing she had been being watched from the door.
A sole Lilligant with a tiny red pouch slung over her shoulder was gazing at her from the partially open front door, expressionless.
Turning red from embarrassment, Bonni collected herself and greeted her new customer, ushering them inside.
"Hello there! Sorry about all that... Where's your trainer?"
The Lilligant waddled inside, but with no one else following them like there usually would be. Being a Pokemon based cafe, they certainly had dishes specially made for Pokemon... But normally they'd always be accompanied by a human-who's-able-to-pay-cash-money type presence. Not like Pokemon carry money with them. What kinda cafe would cater to solely Pokemon anyway? A cafe can't subsist off something like acorns or whatever.
Preposterous.
Bonni sighed and deduced that this Lilligant was probably just a local Wild Pokemon.
"Sorry, girl. We don't really allow Wild Pokemon to roam free in the cafe but if you ever come back with a trainer I'd be happy to serve you!"
The Lilligant stared blankly up at girl and pointed to the large menu hanging overhead above the bar area at the front of the shop. More specifically, it was pointing at the image of "Lilligant Tea".
"You saw your face on the teapot and want to try, huh?" Bonni giggled. "If you somehow had the money for it I could help you out but Pokemon don't often hold onto money do... they..."
Bonni's voice trailed off as the Lilligant reached into the pouch at her side and pulled out a few crisp Pokedollars, holding them out to her.
"...Would you like a table seat or a bar seat, ma'am?"
After a small delay of Bonni watching the Lilligant attempt to mount the tall barstool before hoisting them up safely, she began brewing a hot serving of tea for the flower Pokemon. Setting a cup filled with piping hot amber liquid in front of the Lilligant, Bonni leaned on the counter facing the Pokemon.
"Not to be rude or anything, but I've always been confused about how you guys eat and drink without mouths. Don't you do the whole, like, photosynthesis thing?" Bonni tilted her head in confusion.
Lilligant stared at Bonni vacantly.
"..."
"Well, okay then, good talk." Bonni turned around, leaving to clean the kitchen area.
*sluuuuuuurp* *clink*
Bonni whipped back around, gawking at the Pokemon who seemingly hadn't moved an inch but had obviously just sipped from the now half empty teacup.
Her eyes flipped back and forth between the teacup and the Lilligant's expressionless face in disbelief.
"Hey, do that again! How did you do that?"
Lilligant cocked her head to the side.
"Like, just drink again, how did you do it?" Bonni mimed taking a sip from a cup to get her point across.
Lilligant cocked her head to the other side.
"Graaah!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, did we come at an inopportune moment?"
Bonni turned her head to the front door where a short, yet refined looking young lady had just entered along with her Ribombee.
"Oh, no, I'm so sorry, I was just wrapped up in a conversation. Please take a seat wherever you'd like and i'll be right with you!" Bonni cleared her throat and bowed to the new arrivals.
"A conversation..." The young girl's eyes darted from the blank-faced Lilligant back to the cafe shop owner. "Okay then."
Bonni briefly turned back around to give Lilligant the "I'm watching you" gesture before running off to follow the girl and her tall, jet-black ponytail.
"So what can I get for you today, ma'am? If I could recommend, I think you'd enjoy our Nutty Buneary Frappe!" Bonni smiled warmly.
"Hmph! Like I'd be caught dead with such a childish looking item!"
Bonni smiled coldly.
"I'll have two cups of your finest Lilligant Tea, please make it fresh." The haughty girl snapped.
"R-Right away ma'am!" Bonni saluted and scrambled away to the kitchen to prepare the order.
10 minutes later, a slightly sweatier cafe owner made her way back over to the table where the young lady had taken to slouching over the table, chin in hand, with a scowl etched across her face.
"Slow..." the girl muttered.
"S-Sorry, I was a little frazzled..."Bonni apologized while setting a teacup and pot in front of her customer. She pulled out a smaller table and chair set and placed it on the table before setting an even smaller, Ribombee sized teacup on top. "For your Pokemon's comfort, ma'am."
"I... wasn't even aware such features existed in cafes." The girl said, her expression softening. "How about it Risalee?"
The Ribombee chirped happily from the girl's shoulder and floated over to the table set to investigate it before sitting cross-legged in the smaller chair, sipping it's tea with a content look.
"Hmmm," the young lady sipped from her own cup before setting it back down on it's plate. "It's certainly not bad, but it's lacking something... Something's off."
"Something's off, you say?" Bonni asked "Oh gosh, did I mess up the blend again and accidentally add something? Please don't get mad I'll fix it are you feeling woozy already I'll take you to the hospital please don't call the cops on me they said not to let it happen agai-"
"Quiet, you foolish woman." The girl shushed the panicking owner, "I just meant visually. The tea itself is fine but it's so drab! It's visual presence is boring. Don't you know of any way to spice it up?!"
Bonni glanced at the current tea set which was comprised of a loose leaf tea contained in a Lilligant printed clear pot and served in a teacup with a small bowl of sugar cubes. She closed her eyes, thinking deeply about the predicament.
"...Does it even matter?" Was the conclusion she came to. "This is the way most other cafes serve it, right?"
"That's exactly the issue!" The girl slammed her hands atop the table, causing the miniature tableset to jump. The Ribombee's content look and crossed legged pose didn't change despite being airborne for a moment. It seems it was used to this loud behavior from it's trainer. "You should set yourself apart from the crowd and give it your own finesse like the rest of your dishes!"
*plip*
Bonni and the young lady paused their argument and looked down at the teacup sitting on the table, more importantly at the flowerhead now floating around in it.
Bonni turned her gaze to the culprit, the Lilligant from before.
"Why are you like this?" Bonni groaned, making a motion to grab the Pokemon. The plan to chuck it straight out of the window was halted by an exclaim of delight coming from her customer.
"That's it! Do you smell that alluring scent?" The young lady scooped up her cup and inhaled the new fragrance emanating from it. "You there, little flower Pokemon, did you imbue this flower with your Sweet Scent ability? It's just the spice this tea needed to set it apart from the average! The scent draws you in and relaxes all the joints in your body turning the hot tea into a heavenly experience!" The girl continued raving about tea while the Lilligant continued pulling out pink flowerheads from it's pouch and arranging them on the teacup platter silently.
Bonni looked from the tiny green pokemon, to the young lady gabbing away to no one in particular, to the Ribombee who was still just vibing out and sighed.
"I dont really understand it," She kneeled down to eye level with Lilligant and smiled. "But thank you."
And Bonni could have sworn she saw a small happy blush form on the Pokemon's pale cheeks.
The young lady and her tiny bee partner took their leave soon after and promised to eventually find their way back, leaving an even bigger tip than the last fellow.
"That kid must be loaded, jeez." Bonni scooped up the money and brought it to the register, counting cash and tallying the numbers for the day.
While fidding with the machine she heard familiar grunts of effort coming from below the bar stool in front of her. After a herculean amount of struggling the Lilligant righted herself atop the fluffy barstool and fixed her deadpan eyes on Bonni.
"Hm? Still here?" She finished with the register and leaned across the counter, returning the gaze. "You know, we've just met but it seems you've got a potentially big part to play in my cafe now. Wanna join me? You can spruce the place up with flowers too!"
The Lilligant stared in response.
"...And also I'll pay you an actual wage."
"Lilli!" The pokemon nodded in acceptance.
Bonni sighed with a smile.
Word had spread around town about a Lopunny on the outskirts of town that was absolutely working it and by evening the cafe began receiving a moderate amount of business due to people coming to investigate. Bonni eventually pulled Momo back inside to help with cafe art and Lilligant was delivering sweet-scented flowerheads as needed while also keeping the cafe clean.
Strewn about the dining area were various customers of all sorts enjoying their drinks and meals. A middle-aged woman was enjoying her tea alongside her favored Munchlax who was happily stuffing a mound of Fluffy Buneary Pancakes into his wide mouth. Next to them sat a dark, brooding woman who sipped her latte, smiling gently at her bright and cheery Mareep who was bleating happily amidst frantic nibbling of Bonni's special Bunni Cookies, shaped to resemble Lopunny faces and balls of fluff. Near the back sat a bulkier fellow who was going over battle strategies between mouthfuls of mini rabbit-shaped pizza bites with his Primeape that was calmly sipping his hot latte and nodding along.
Bonni loved seeing people from all walks of life enjoying her cafe finally. She was so over the moon she found herself distracted and bouncing around out of glee mid-work often enough that Momo would have to sock her in the side to bring her back under control.
Lilligant, having collected a few dirty dishes, meandered back into the kitchen to dump them loudly in the sink barely below eye level. She spotted Bonni happily humming and swaying as she cooked up another order of pancakes for the Munchlax outside.
"Isn't it great Lilligant? We've gotten more people today than we have the past two weeks!" Bonni scooped Lilligant up into her arms and spun around. "Finally! My life long dream is being realized and all it took was perseverance, a few interior redecorations, some aggressive advertising, and a worrying about of debt!" Bonni giggled joyfully while the Lilligant had a fleeting moment of regret for wandering back here.
*WHOCK*
"Geh!"
Momo, who had come to check up on things delivered a solid jab to Bonni's thigh, sending the girl crumpling to the ground and flinging Lilligant up into the air.
"Lopu!" Momo began scolding the ditzy girl and pointing to the now overcooked pancakes on the stove before catching the frantic and falling Lilligant in her arms.
Lilligant's hands flew to her cheeks as she swooned.
The front entrance door swung open, having been forcefully pushed by a rather meaty arm. Connected to the arm was a muscle-bound man dressed in construction gear. "Excuse me, ma'am!" He boomed, addressing the cafe owner who was busy bowing and apologizing to her Lopunny at the time.
Bonni scrambled back to her feet from her kowtow position, straightening her clothes and greeting the man with a hearty grin. "What can I do for you today, sir?"
"I promised my team I'd take 'em somewhere fancy this time as a reward for their work and this place looks, uh... Different from the usual steakhouses so it works! Got any big tables?"
"Of course!" Bonni shuffled out of the kitchen and ushered the man to the back for the bigger tables.
This left Momo to hurriedly deal with the pancakes on the stove that had begun to smoke and for Lilligant to vow to ask for a pay raise later.
A short time after, the cafe had become slightly noisier with the addition of the construction worker and his three Pokemon. On the end of the table was the aforementioned worker sitting ankle-on-knee sipping his latte and basking in the waves of happiness radiating off of his partners. A Machoke diagonal to him loudly expressed his positive feelings for the Starry Napolitan Night pasta dish by grunting cheerfully while slurping up the noodles and forking the star and bunny shaped peppers and sausage. Settled into the chair across from him was a sizable Gurdurr gingerly cutting into his fluffy pancakes and taking his time eating, savoring the creamy taste. Located in a seat unusually close to his trainer was one more Pokemon, a small Machop who hadn't touched his plate of cookies and seemed to be looking around the cafe nervously. The worker failed to notice his unusual behavior as he was internally lost in thought desperately, desperately wishing he was at a steakhouse with a cold beer in his hands instead.
"How are you all enjoying your meals?" Bonni asked, prancing up to the table after finishing with another customer to check on everyone, Momo at her side holding a jug of ice water.
The table all announced their approval with their experience except for the Machop who had taken to fearfully staring at the smiling, closed-eye Lopunny.
"Lop?" Momo raised the jug of water offering to top off the Pokemon's glass. She opened one eye and stared the Pokemon, stepping forward in anticipation of a response.
The frenzied Machop took the rabbit's approach as an immediate threat to his life and stumbled out of his chair, bumping into the nearby Primeape and causing it to spill hot latte all over it's face and fur.
The Primeape sat frozen in place, annoyance welling up inside it. It's anger boiling over, it let out an ear-shattering howl of pure rage as it leapt from it's chair and delivered a devastating right hook square into the Machop's face, sending it tumbling backwards and into the wall and knocking down the large bunny decoration onto it's head.
The cafe went silent.
The middle-aged woman that had just stepped out poked her head back inside, interested in the drama.
"P-Primeape, calm down dude!" It's trainer pleaded, reaching out to control the enraged creature.
The Pokemon promptly slapped his hands away and vaulted into the air, headbutting the Trainer's chin and knocking him old colder than the temperature Bonni's blood was now running.
"Hey, where do you get off attacking my crew like that?!" The construction worker shouted, standing up and knocking his chair over. "Get him, boys!" He jabbed a finger at the Primeape, spurring Machoke and Gurdurr into action.
Machoke dove for the rampaging ape, trying to pin it's arms but Primeape easily bounced over his head and let loose a fist crackling with lightning energy at the charging Gurdurr's chest. Gurdurr cried out in pain and fell backwards into the table, flinging food and drink everywhere. It tried to pick itself up off the floor to respond to the advancing Primeape but found it's muscles spasming and an electrical current running through it's body making it hard to move.
Paralyzed.
Primeape, sensing it's enemy on the ropes rushed forward to deal another blow but felt it's feet suddenly lose track of the ground. Machoke had slid ahead with a Low Kick to halt it's assault and wasted no time following it up by leaping onto a table and vaulting high into the air, breaking the table underneath.
"Machoooo!" it let out a war cry as it descended upon the confused Primeape with a Cross Chop, creating a cloud of dust and debris on impact.
Bonni, having been frozen in a state of shock came back to her senses after hearing the table break and looked around at the damage.
"Stop it! You're destroying everything!" she shrieked, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't afford to replace two broken tables today!"
When the dust began to settle, Machoke and Primeape were locked in a battle of strength, fists to fists, Machoke's forehead grinding against Primeape's. The ape's angry eyes briefly flashed, giving a smug look before his fists grasped his opponents and used the momentum being pushed against him to turn the tables. It lifted the Superpower Pokemon off it's feet and began swinging him around in a circle rapidly before cannonballing him directly at the Gurdurr still struggling to right himself. They rolled and tumbled together, ending their painful journey against the back wall next to the already unconscious Machop, sending cracks spidering up the wall.
"Noooo!" The construction worker pounded his hard hat angrily, seeing all 3 of his Pokemon in dire straits.
The Primape leapt onto a chair and howled in victory, beating on it's hairy chest and taking pride in demolishing 4 opponents back to back. It was so consumed in it's grand triumph it didn't notice the Lopunny sneaking up on him. It gripped the top of the Primeape's head with enough force to snap it out of it's rage and cry out in pain.
Momo had enough of watching the fruitless battle and seeing her trainer in distress, tears rolling down her cheeks.
It had pushed Momo to her breaking point.
Using the grip she had on the Primeape's head she ripped him off the chair and slammed him back into it, bursting the furniture into shards and splinters and dazing the Pig Monkey.
Machop had woken up just in time after being tended to by his fretting trainer to witness Momo delivering an onslaught of Mega Kick after Mega Kick into Primeape's round body, akin to a Pro Soccer player juggling a ball with their feet.
"Alright Momo, give him the finishing blow! Teach him what it means to smash up our cafe!" Bonni instructed, her voice dripping with bloodlust.
Momo, giving a nod of approval and kicking the Pokemon high into the air one last time, began focusing all her energy and emotions into her fist and released it when the Primeape fell back into range. The Lopunny's fist sunk into it's face comically and sent him rocketing through the back wall, opening up a large, circular hole above the Machop's head.
Machop's hands flew to his cheeks as he swooned.
"We're very sorry ma'am..." The Primeape's trainer and the construction worker placed their foreheads against the ground begging for forgiveness from Momo, who had her hands on her hips and was tapping her foot impatiently. Behind the two trainers their Pokemon followed suit, paying respect.
"You know I'm... the actual owner right?" Bonni stood to the side, dejectedly. Lilligant patted her arm out of pity.
"Well any case, apologies are appreciated but..." She looked to the enormous and numerous cracks and holes littering the back cafe wall. "I don't really have the money to fix this!" Bonni hands flew to her head, pulling at her twintails in frustration.
"Don't worry about it!" The construction worker rose to his feet and addressed the girl about to scalp herself. "Seeing as I'm partly to blame, I'll take responsibility. If you'd like I can pull some strings and see about fixing up your cafe, maybe even more than that if you desire."
"Lemme chip in as well! I've got some winnings from a local tournament that could help cover the costs." The bulky Primeape trainer chimed in as he briefly struggled to stand back on his feet. "It was my poor handling that let my Pokemon run rampant in this joint, anyway."
"I can't say no to those offers!" Bonni replied happily, releasing the deathgrip on her hair.
The three of them sat at one of the few nearby, unbroken tables to hash out the basic details while Momo and Lilligant busied themselves cleaning up the debris and closing the cafe down for the night. Primeape and the construction worker's pokemon did their best to help as well but while keeping a wide berth from Momo.
It was twilight when talks concluded and Bonni waved the two gentleman off. She sighed and sat on the top step leading into the building, gazing up at the evening sky. Her light hazel eyes jumping between the stars that dotted the horizon above as she reviewed her day. Things certainly ended in an explosion but Bonni was proud of the progress she had made.
Behind her the door creaked open and two small creatures made their way out to sit on the steps on either side of her. Momo held out a latte she'd made for the weary girl as if to congratulate her on surviving an eventful day.
Bonni smiled and gave the rabbit a few pats before taking the cup and thanking her.
"We can't really afford to close down just yet so tomorrow morning we'll be right back at it!" she declared as if to psyche herself up. "We'll have to drape some curtains around that wall though... M-Maybe no one will notice until we've got the new cafe section built in."
Momo and Lilligant both shook their heads, denying that grand delusion.
"Yeah whatever, it'll be fine." Bonni pouted as she sipped her latte.
Beside her, Lilligant scooted closer and laid her head on the girl's shoulder.
"Look at you! Already become attached to me have you? I could totally grab a Pokeball and we can make this official you kn-"
Lilligant outstretched her hand, demanding her day's pay and cutting her off.
"Yeah yeah, I'll go get my purse..." Bonni said defeatedly, hanging her head.
