Welcome To Myth And Legend
Finally got round to writing something for @promptsforthestrugglingauthor’s Friday Night Fights prompt! I had a lot of fun with this, so here goes! (Beginning with the prompt in bold.)
“I yearn for nothing less than adventure. However, for now I’ll take a shake and curly fries.”
“Mhmm,” Ada replied, shoveling fries into a paper bag. The customer in front of her had draped themselves over the counter, but was thankfully keeping within the marked guidelines for dramatic displays. Which thankfully saved the tip jar from yet another assault, because picking up pennies whilst said pennies were on fire was not what she had signed up for. Although really, it had been just another average Tuesday.
“£2.95,” she read off the register, and slid a green flyer next to the bright pink cup and neon yellow paper bag (why was the colour scheme here so awful?) while they fumbled for change. “Applications open to apply for some big wilderness hikes abroad. Ask for Artemis. Have a nice day.” The practised smile she gave was returned, albeit more genuinely.
***
“Welcome to Myth And Legend, what can I get you?”
She didn’t flinch when a fist came down on the counter, making sure she read the pronouns on the orange bracelet correctly, but leaning forward so he was almost breaching the washi tape- marked guidelines and growling was a little unnecessary. “Revenge against my father…” he trailed off, quickly looking at the menu above her head, “with a croissant to go, I suppose.”
Nodding in approval, she bagged a croissant and punched the numbers into the register. “Hungry work, that. 50p,” she said, grabbing a marker from her pocket. Ada scribbled a phone number on the top - black, blocky numbers with a spidery acronym written underneath. “Alternate Answers To Patricide, give ‘em a call. They’ll all relate.” The man was already pulling out his phone as he walked off, nodding his thanks in her vague direction. Or maybe in the vague direction of the tip jar. She suppressed the urge to rattle it in the next customer’s face.
***
“Welcome to Myth And Legend, what can I get you?”
As the customer in front of her breached the very obvious (and very penguin patterned) guidelines, she made a note to file a request banning ‘crying over the counter in a way that would rival any Disney Princess’. “I’m in desperate need of true love.”
She hummed sympathetically, and gestured to the display case with a pair of tongs. “Want a blueberry muffin with that?” The crying paused for a moment.
“...yes please.” Pointedly placing it within the guidelines, Ada handed them a thick pamphlet as they pocketed the muffin.
“75p. Aphrodite: Matchmaker Extraordinaire, see what she can do for you. Good luck.” They walked away, engrossed in the pamphlet, but not before depositing a few coins in the tip jar.
...Maybe she’d ask to encourage Disney Princess level displays of crying instead.
***
After solving the last customer’s plight through pastries and pamphlets in various colours, she grabbed her bag from the back so she could head home. “Gerrie, my shift’s over! You get to deal with people’s problems and serve greasy french fries now.”
Gerrie looked up from her phone, attempting to discreetly close the Ao3 tab she had open. Sweeping her hair up into a ponytail, she stood up and tucked any loose strands behind her ears. “Whatever, hand me the pamphlets,” she demanded, stifling a yawn. Ada unceremoniously dumped a box of flyers and pamphlets into her waiting hands, before making her escape into the bustling streets. As the door shut behind her, she could hear Gerrie’s drawling voice serving a customer.
“Welcome to Myth And Legend, what can I get you?”
