First Meeting

The bells rang as the door to the tea shop opened. The faint fragrances of different teas filled their senses. Tickling their noses and beckoning them to come into their cozy abode. It was a quaint little shop. Small but ornate decor was placed around the area with care. Walking into the little shop was always a breathtaking moment. Well, it would’ve been more breathtaking if Epimetheus wasn’t busy glaring at his two friends. Yingheld and Sandrei could feel his piercing glare aimed at their backs.

Yingheld's sweat dropped as he recalled the incident. To be fair, Theus boldly told him that he wasn’t afraid of ghosts at all, and Yingheld really wanted to learn how to skateboard and then explore the house with his buddy. He really didn’t expect the furniture to start flying around and for Theus to be so shaken up by it. He remembered the look on his friend's face. Eyes wide open but not seeing anything. A body that was shaking even harder than the possessed objects that were being thrown at them. His body curled up in a defensive position. Yingheld shook his head to get rid of the image. What was done, was done. All he could do was treat his friend to a drink at their favorite tea shop as an apology. Sandrei ended up coming along as well. She didn’t say much, but he could tell that Sandrei was also concerned about Theus. Not that she would admit out loud though. They eventually found themselves a table and told Theus to go ahead and sit down while Yingheld and Sandrei would order.

Theus sat down and watched his friends go order. It ended up being an ordeal as Sandrei decided to start fighting with the employee while Yingheld tried to calm her down. He blankly stared at them until something caught the corner of his eye, or rather, someone.

There, sitting by themself, was a beautiful frankenhound. With a serene expression on their face, they sipped their cup of tea very elegantly. Theus didn’t know what it was exactly that drew him towards this stranger, but he couldn’t but want to talk to them. Glancing back at his friends who were still at the counter, Theus subtly stared at them before gathering his courage. He stood up and shyly scuttled his way to the stranger who glanced up as he made his way towards them. An awkward silence rang out for a brief moment before Theus glanced down and noticed what kind of tea they were drinking. It was buckwheat tea. He had a fond attachment to buckwheat tea. Faint memories that brought him happiness. He relived them through this tea. With something to focus on, he pointed at the tea and started talking.

It was a pleasant talk. The stranger introduced themself as Anesidore and the two fell into an easy chat. They quickly bonded as they started talking about teas and the calming effects it had on the body and mind. It was the kind of talk that was a little hard to find as the world seemed to become more and more busy. It was a talk that seemed befitting at 4am in the morning. Night was gone, but morning had not quite come yet. Most of the people in the area were still asleep and thus there was little activity. A peaceful moment in a busy world. The more they talked, the more they could feel a connection forming.

Theus shared with them the hopes and dreams he had of being a rapper. Anesidore’s eyes lit up when the word “dream” was mentioned. They nodded in understanding as Theus spoke about how there was a time where his dream was being suffocated. It was only vaguely mentioned, but they could tell that it was once a very serious matter to him. In return, they talked about how their dream was to help others protect their dreams. They shared their fear of nightmares, briefly making a statement that related to them being one. It was done very lightly though. The two felt a connection to each other, but weren’t quite ready to delve in so deeply.

A loud noise disrupted them. Turning to the source, they saw Yingheld running over, expertly dodging the tables and chairs in the way. Sandrei followed calmly behind the energetic exorcist. Seeing his friends come over, he stood up and started introducing him to his new acquaintance. It was a bit awkward, but not unpleasant. Kind of like being awake at 4am in the morning, which all of them were. Of course, by the time they were enjoying the drinks and snacks, it was almost 5am. The tiniest hints of sunlight were beginning to appear in the dark sky. A new friend, on a new day.