The door swung open easily inward, knocking against an old silver bell that chimed in a tiny voice announcing their arrival.
She may have stood out on the street in her traditional garb, but here she didn't seem near as strange. The first thing that made the space feel off was how empty it was. The street was packed with people looking for a place to eat and had line ups in many of the locations. Here though the only ones here to eat were Kai and Olive. The other three here worked at the cafe (which was made obvious by the fact that they all wore matching black aprons with strange blue and red designs).
The first to look up was a short, squat and strong looking girl with skin that was a dark reddish-brown colour; darker then Olive's own human skin by quite a bit. Her eyes were white and glowed. Around her neck and one ankle were gold bands. On her shoulder was a mark that pulsed at a rhythm that probably matched her heart beat. The marking was that of someone cursed.
"Oh! Welcome! Most people would have turn tail and run off by now," the girl explained in a no-nonsense tone, "sorry if you felt ignored. Please, sit where you like."
As this girl spoke the other two looked up. One had ashy skin and perfectly round, glowing blue eyes. He wore a mask, marking him an anthromorphic garudor. Glowing blue lines that sat on his stony skin pulsed a blue, steady light that did not match a heart beat (or if it did it was a very strange, slow beat). He looked willowy and shy. As if to prove this he looked away from the two who had entered, moving long white hair to shield his face from view. The second was the exact opposite.
The other girl had a scowl on her face and scar across the bridge of her nose. She sat on the table of one of the booths with crazy black hair. The hair was cut short and stuck up at crazy angles. Her shirt wore short sleeves that revealed dark, snaking black tattoos and scars of varying degrees of pink and white colouration.
Eyes the colour of a raging fire turned their heated gaze towards Olive and Kai and the girl slipped off the table with the deadly grace of a predator before turning away from both of them.
"Come on," she purred, grabbing the temple boy by the collar of his shirt. He looked grateful to be away, but terrified to be with her as the two went to a door marked "staff ONLY!"
Olive watched the scene unfold, surprised by the strange group and the strange atmosphere of the place.
"Ah... It is no trouble at all. We did not," Olive assured, quickly glancing at Kai, "Why do you say most people would turn away from here?"
To this Olive got a sort of half smile, which made the storyteller frown in confusion. Was there a story here, too?