• Chapter one: Constants~

    The little café was dimly lit; the soft blue light filtered onto the cold steel corridor the café resided in. Beside it other little shops started flickering to life. Inside Café Solaris an employee pressed the side of her head against the one way viewing, bombproof seal that protected the doorway, the metal clasp holding her long, silky white hair held tight in a bun clicked against the solid seeming door. Her white irises boared by the faintest of gray rings darted back and forth as she stared out. She slid her pale hand across the release button letting the dimmed doorway and windows to shine brightly. She palmed the pad a second time, allowing the osmotic doorway to open. She leaned back before she fell through, turning to look at the only person seated within the café.
    His long black hair was pulled into two ponytails resting at the base of his neck. His shoulders were bare but everything but his hands were garbed in black. His pale, white face had long black streaks dripping from his eyes and his lips and eyelids were coated in thick black ink. On his shoulder, barely visible from this angle was the strange crest of his goddess, a natural birthmark.
    His white hands curled around a delicate white teacup with a Terran design denoting Japanese cherry blossoms on the side. His black fingernails clicked together as he slide his hand around to the elegantly crafted handle. He was waiting for her to say something, his head turned ever so slightly towards her. She could barely see the thick eyelashes that ringed his purely black eyes, not a spot of white or any colour within the entire eye. She suppressed a shudder at the alien features and turned around fully face him.
    “You were right Shun, Ophiela already has her electronic dolls moving about.” She said, still awed by the esoteric man’s keen hearing.
    Shun, her employer could hear the white noise generated by the mechanical dolls the woman three stores down operated. However as the other shops started thrumming to life he would quickly shut out the noise, preferring to concentrate on the shop.
    “Ilupa, is your bondmate coming today?” He asked the Barrista as she moved behind the counter.
    She chuckled and started to nod before stopping herself and leaning against the counter. “Looks like he’ll be late again…” She sighed dejectedly. She tried to wake him and leave together but he wouldn’t have it. Every 1st he was late. On the 2nd he was better but by the time the 12th rolled around he was late again. It was a good thing that Shun lived behind the café otherwise they might not get the 13th and 14th off.
    Shun chuckled as he sipped his tea, his completely black eyes staring off in the distance. “I suppose I would die of a heart attack if he actually showed up on time on 1st.” He laughed, smiling sweetly over his ornate teacup.
    His black, talon like fingernails clicked against the Terran glass as he set it down. His long, elegant hand glided over the black collar he wore, gently touching the black gemstone in the center.
    “The tea tastes a little off today, check the filtration unit to see if the water filter has collected that strange compound again.” He ordered as he rested his elbows on the table and folded his hands so he could rest his chin on them.
    “Okay.” Ilupa said closely inspecting the unit as she punched up the filtration read out. “Yeah, that strange compound is back. I’ll rest the filter to better strain that.” She murmured, quickly altering the programming to strain for the unknown agent.
    Shun’s blackened lips pulled into a frown as he narrowed his eyes. As he tried to figure out why, after living her for two years, this anomaly has suddenly shown up.
    His thoughts were interrupted by the chiming of a bell, notifying him that a customer had passed through the door. He leaned back in his seat, already situated to greet people.
    “Hello, welcome to Café Solaris.” He greeted amiably as he stared unblinkingly forward. His gaze was slightly off the tall man standing within the doorway, whose indigo eyes were taking in little room. His azure body suit barely rippled as his chest rose and fell, the stretch material glistening as the fibers caught the light. His grayish boots clicked softly as he shifted quickly from foot to foot, dread and anticipation easily displayed on his face, although one half of his face was hidden behind a curtain of shiny silver hair.
    Ten black wrought iron tables each with four chairs circled around it sat in the little area. Pink cherry blossoms were pressed between two sheets of glass that created the table top glowed in the cascading light from the elegantly curving and twisted lamps hovered over each table, casting red, blue and purple lights over them. Both the twisted metal in the table legs and in the stems of the lamps resembled blooming flowers.
    Each table was set up according to a grid system giving the place a highly structured look. The bar in the back had two people behind it, the Barrista and another employee dutifully sweeping.
    With a nod, the silver haired man acknowledged Shun. He hesitated by the door, debating on whether or not to stay.
    “My friend recommended this place to me. She said to ask for Shun.” He stated softly, his dark black eyebrows pulling together as he looked at the nearly vacant café.
    “I’m Shun, I own Café Solaris.” Shun said with slightly inclination of his, his unblinking eyes still off focus. “You must be new here.”
    The silver top carefully approached, moving himself in line with the strange black eyes. He nodded, looking ready to bolt at any second.
    “May I see your hand?” Shun asked, tilting his head slightly to the side and holding his hand out to receive the others’.
    “Why?” He asked, his indigo eyes narrowing dangerously on the seated man before him.
    “I can read your palm and tell exactly what you came here for.” Shun said confidently, his hand still poised to accept the other man’s hand.
    “And if you’re wrong?” The man asked with a cynical edge to his voice.
    “Then you are lying to your self.” Shun said with a mocking smile gracing his black lips.
    “I accept that challenge.” He said with a smirk, showing off his impressive fangs.
    His slightly pink hued hand dropped into Shun’s pure white one. Shun stretched open the stranger’s hand, his finger’s lightly dancing over the line as to not accidentally claw him. After his fingers initially mapped out his palm his fingertips glowed softly and his eyes sparkled softly as he traced his hand slowly. As they reached the man’s fingertips he slowly pulled back, his eyes resuming their normal dull blankness.
    “You’ll have the Sakura-Hime Tea.” Shun stated a knowing smile gracing his lips. He sat back, one hand sliding across the table to his cup, which also appeared to be set up according to a grid system.
    “… And you know this how?” He asked suspiciously, “You didn’t happen to inspire that thought in my mind?” He stared at his hand thoroughly examining the appendage.
    “Nope, I can tell that by which hand you gave me, your pulse, the perspiration on your palm, and you heart.” Shun stated, sipping at his tea, his eyes fluttering closed.
    “You can tell my… heart?” He asked, crossing his arms juvenilely as he stared down disbelievingly at the stranger.
    “Go try the tea and I’ll explain later.” Shun said, waving his hand for him to get moving.
    “If I don’t like it, I’m telling every one what a Zorbin you are.” He threatened but stalked towards the bar.
    Shun smiled over the glass, his silent laugh rippling the faintly red tea. His talons clicked against the foreign glass as he marveled at the ancient piece. He set down the cup and leaned back.
    Ilupa was instantly by his side, her white eyes flickering over to the customer that had taken to glowering defeated by the bar as he sipped at the tea.
    “You did it again.” She said with a sigh, dropping her hand to his shoulder.
    Shun jumped at her sudden appearance his knee nearly flipping the table as he tried to quickly uncross his legs. His knuckles cracked as they separated and hooked to become claws for a brief second of shock.
    He patted his chest and stood away from the table to avoid tea dripping on him.
    “You nearly gave me a heart attack, how many times to do I have to tell you not to sneak up on me like?” He scolded in a lighthearted tone, though his body contradicted his tone, standing rigid and guarded.
    “S-sorry, Boss.” Ilupa said softly, quickly cleaning up the spilled tea before it dripped off the table. “… I’ll get you another glass.” She said and quickly scurried off.
    “Were not expecting her to come over?” The man asked as he joined Shun at the table.
    “She likes to sneak up behind me.” He said with a soft smile. “By the by, how’s the tea?” He drawled, a mocking smirk creeping onto his lips.
    “… It’s very good.” The man growled, his shoulder length hair slipping over his shoulders as he hunched over his glass.
    “I’m Shun Trillia, I hope I’ve made another regular.” He reintroduced himself, smiling toothlessly, his gaze once again slightly off.
    “I’m…” The man began but looking prolonged over his shoulder, trying to figure out if some one was distracting Shun. “Is there something going on behind me I should know about?” He asked softly, his eyes narrowing on the suspicious owner.
    “No, I just don’t like looking directly at people, I apologize if it offends you.” He said, his eyes not once waver from its spot.
    “Hmph.” The Jinyujin grunted, and held his hand out, “Well, anyway, I’m Constantine Yorik. Nice to meet you.” He said, his hand patiently waiting for Shun to take it.
    “Nice to meet you.”
    Constantine stared blankly down at the man, trying to gauge why he was ignoring his hand.
    “… Are you germaphobic?” He asked softly, retracting his hand, trying to not take it personally.
    “… Not germaphobic per se, but … Contact has never been favourable.” Shun smiled gently, his pitch black eyes softening at the corners.
    Suddenly a person flew through the osmotic doorway his pure white tresses flying wildly and his lightly outlined irises dilated. He panted his white face flushed dark gray. He bowed low to Shun, his face tweaking into a weak smile.
    “I’m sorry I’m late!” He puffed, leaning heavily on a table.
    “It’s okay, if you were ever on time on a 1st I might collapse from shock!” Shun teased, a wicked smirk gracing his black lips.
    “You’re so cruel, Boss!” The late employee cried dramatically, pretending to feel faint and cry against the table, “my boss wasn’t worried at all about me! I could have been attacked or died in my sleep and he wouldn’t have checked.” He sobbed falsely.
    “Now, now, Izano, as soon as the neighbors started complaining about your rotting flesh stinking up the sector I would have checked in on you.” Shun grinned as he waved him off nonchalantly.
    Izano pretended to sob hysterically and ran off to the kitchen his face split by a monstrous grin. Shun chuckled lightly, tapping his talons on the table as he shook his head at his strange employee.
    “I take that happens a lot…” Constantine commented dryly though he too wore a wide grin. He chuckled softly as he noticed the sweeper was clutching his sides trying not to laugh out loud.
    “Every 1st we go through the same song and dance.” Shun chuckled again, leaning back in the smooth metal chair.
    “What would you do if he was attacked?” Constantine asked, quirking an eyebrow as the Barrista clicked her boot heels loudly as she carried over a fresh tea.
    “Why, I’d kill the culprit or culprits of course.” Shun stated not trace of humour in his voice.
    Ilupa set the cup down exactly on the grid mark his previous cup had been and turned the handle out. She tapped the table with her fingernails as she stood back.
    “Do you want me to start preparing the teas or should I wait another hour?” She asked, her eyes scanning the dormant corridor beyond the osmotic door.
    Shun tilted his head slightly towards the door, a deathly silence encompassing the café. He closed his eyes, his face relaxing completely. His pale skin seemed to glow slightly as he tilted his head slowly back and forth.
    “Ixala will bless me today, I can tell.” He stated confidently, “go ahead and start the teas but wait on the coffee.” He said with a dip.
    “Will do.” She said and loudly clicked away.
    “… Ixala tells you how to manage your business?” Constantine scoffed at the idea, frowning deeply as he regarded the strange devout man.
    “No, but I did hear an exceptionally large crowd gathered down at Café Sorrate.” He said with a thin smile. “They serve mostly coffees so it would be highly irregular for some to come to teahouse for coffee when Café Sorrate must be having a special or something.” He said knowingly.
    Constantine stared at the alien before standing and poking his head out of the osmotic door to see a line of people four doors down waiting to get into the mentioned café. His face scrunched with confusion as he pulled himself back in and stared at the odd owner. His dull, unblinking, black eyes had once more picked a random spot on the wall and were staring there as his claw like fingers ran over the textured surface of the teacup.
    “How did you know?” Constantine crossed his arms over his chest; his alarm rising to what it had been when he first entered the establishment.
    “I have exceptionally good hearing.” Shun replied with a non-comitial shrug, his head tilted back ever so slightly. “Which is why it really irks me when my dearest Barrista sneaks up on me.” A sly smile crept onto his face as his head turned more fully to the bar.
    The full station PA beedled as the next period began. Constantine sighed regrettably, frowning as he looked between the seated man and the doorway.
    “How late are you open?” He asked, a hopeful tone leaking into his voice. “I only have to work one period today.”
    Shun shook his head, his face tilted a little towards him that it had earlier. “I’m sorry but ever 1st I go out for a drink. This is a dry Sector after all.” Shun said the hints of a sad smile could barely seen from Constantine’s angle.
    “I see, then maybe tomorrow.” He said and turned towards the door.” He paused at the threshold then threw over his shoulder, “the Sakura-Hime tea really hit the spot.”
    “I know.” Shun said, his tone wasn’t in any way mocking or degrading. “Have a nice period, come back soon.” He called out pleasantly and resumed sipping at his tea.
    As Constantine left he noted a group of people headed for the café, all of them grumbling about needing some especially good tea. He could help but smirk, remembering Shun’s previous predictions.