THE MOMENT
"...and, I'd like a Massive Hell Tea," Rigel said. The green-haired teen completed the order for his three friends and himself. The three girls with him didn't take notice of the order; but, the stranger behind him did. It was Gary's first time visiting this coffee shop; but, he was always open to trying new things. The white and red building had a neon red sign that read: 'Sharp Cup'. He hadn't been on this side of town in a while; but, his new assignment meant he would be visiting it more often. He decided to check out the local coffee to see if it was any better than his usual spot.
The interior reminded Gary more of a hospital than a café. Everything was clean, almost sterile white except for the red accents on the tables and chairs. The fact that it was full of patrons told Gary the place had to be decent at least. He looked up at the digital menu and found the item 'Hell Tea' in one of the bottom corners with no description. He knew visiting coffeehouses was an expensive indulgence; but, it was worth it to him. However, his eyes almost bulged out when he saw the number of zeros in the price of Hell Tea. It had to be a mistake.
"All in nanos?" the young demon asked. She looked like a young woman with a dark red complexion, and a pair of folded black wings on her back. When he first entered, Gary assumed she was in costume for some reason; it wasn't until he noticed the Hell Tea that he began to wonder if she might be real. But, he prided himself on being easygoing. No one else seemed concerned she might be a real demon, so why should he be?
"Please," Rigel nodded an answer to the question that Gary didn't completely understand.
"That'll be 52000," the demon replied.
Gary was ready to walk out while wondering how a teenager had access to $52000.00 to spend on coffee. But, the well-dressed teenager pulled a small golden cube from his pocket. It was about the size of a golf ball; he gave it to the demon who accepted the cube without question. Then, Rigel stepped away from the counter to join the three girls at a red table. Gary had several questions as he stepped forward.
"What are the ingredients in Hell tea?" he asked.
"It's a peppermint bubble tea; the pearls are made of souls from Hell," the demon replied flatly. She seemed bored of answering that question.
"Uhuh," Gary nodded. He couldn't tell if she was joking or not. He also wasn't sure if he hoped she was. "What constitutes a 'soul from Hell'?" he asked.
"Uhhh," she gave him a look that was equal parts annoyance and confusion. "... it's pretty self-explanatory. Some of the souls that go through hell end up in the drink," she shrugged.
"What.... what do they taste like?" he asked. It occurred to Gary that he might be dreaming. If he wasn't, he should probably have been terrified. But, everyone was so casual; and, there was a growing line behind him.
"It's like a combination of black licorice and cinnamon candy," she replied.
"Uhhh, I'll have a small one," he said.
"Moderate Hell Tea," she replied with a nod. "You seem kind of new; we only accept nanos for Hell tea, is that okay?"
"Uhhhh," Gary remembered the golden cube the teen used. "Oh, then, never mind... what can I use cash for?"
"Nonsense!" Gary jumped in surprise as Rigel appeared next to him. "A daring soul such as yourself should experience Hell Tea at least once!" He placed a smaller golden cube on the counter in front of the demon. "Make it a Massive one for the gentleman," he said.
"Oh, I couldn't...," Gary tried to protest the teenager's kindness; but, he shook his head.
"I insist, my good fellow," Rigel replied. He gestured at the cube the demon barista picked up. "'Tis a small price to pay to help another discover new adventure."
"Thanks, I'm Gary," he offered the teen a handshake. Rigel took a firm grasp and gave it a solid, enthusiastic shake.
"A pleasure, my name is Rigel."
"Next," the demon barista spoke while staring straight at Gary. He got the hint and moved to the side with Rigel.
"Allow me to introduce our budding troupe," Rigel gestured at the three girls. "Molly," he gestured at a blonde girl with curly hair that stopped at her shoulders. She smiled and waved back. "Emily," a girl with long, straight silver hair also smiled. "And Riot," the third girl had short, spiky, bright orange hair. She nodded at Gary.
"Hi, thanks for being so kind," Gary smiled at all of them.
"That hardly requires thanks," Rigel replied. "Such is our mode of being. And, to further illustrate...," Rigel held up a transparent glass card. He offered it to Gary. "Learning how to use this will also teach you how to earn nanos for yourself. Should you enjoy the drink enough to buy it again, or any other goods you like," he waved at the shop around them. "Any business owned by Sharp Development will accept nanos."
"You're just ... giving this to me??" Gary accepted the card. He was unsure what it was until he touched it. The time lit up on the display and the red digits seemed to be floating in mid-air. He swiped up to reveal a home screen; then, immediately understood it to be an advanced smartphone. It looked more expensive than his car.
"Quite right, my good sir," Rigel chuckled and patted Gary's shoulder. "As they say, Fortune favors the bold."
"Roger?" The demon barista called out suddenly. Rigel whirled around to approach the counter and excused himself. Gary noticed four drinks of various sizes on the counter. Three of them appeared to be sugary sweet coffees; but, one was a pretty mint green liquid filled with dark glowing balls.
"Pardon me for a moment," Rigel said. "I must fetch our drinks."