Happy Hour!

[longlonghair]

Rapunzel comes down the stairs, with an apron around her waist, and a large plastic container in her hands. She slips behind the bar, and puts the container in the fridge, and writes the specials on the board. There is quite a variety today, but she is feeling ambitious.

Today's Happy Hour Specials:

Evil Spell
Prince
Hair Raiser
Sun Shake (Non-Alcoholic)

PLUS! Jello shooters FREE to anyone willing to taste test them for me! (Adults only)

She checks her spelling, wipes her hands, and faces the bar.

"What'll it be?"

Comments

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

Nope.

Uh-uh.

Can't have it.

Sounds like a winner!*

-- ah, crud

* But -- actually, Ben has a better idea. Rather than think it, he says it: "What's in a Sun Shake?"

[longlonghair]

"It's kind of an ice cream and orange juice shake. Interested?"

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

"Yes," he says, sounding a bit more excited than he had anticipated.

[longlonghair]

"You've got it!"

She scoops ice cream into a blender, and adds the O.J.

"Are you new around here? I don't think I've seen you before."

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

Ben nods, standing on his tippy toes to get a better view over the counter.

[longlonghair]

She grins at him.

"You can have a seat on one of the stools, if you like."

She pours the shake into a tall fancy glass, and garnishes with a slice of orange.

"My name's Rapunzel, by the way."

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

After Ben maneuvers himself onto the barstool: "I'm Ben."

[longlonghair]

"Did you come into the bar by yourself, Ben?"

Another child in the bar alone. She understands it happens, but doesn't like to see it, for their own sake.

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

He nods, then, suddenly, furrows his brows. "D-did you say your name was Rapunzel?"

[longlonghair]

"That's right. Just like the fairy tale...that's me!"

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

...

...!

...!!!

But all Ben does is smile widely, his nonverbal way of saying "Neat!"

[longlonghair]

She laughs and resists the urge to ruffle his hair.

"I like to think so."

Instead, she tops off his drink with the bit left in the blender.

"Where did you come in from, Ben?"

[imthegoodguy.livejournal.com]

"From my closet."

Ruffling Ben's hair would be 2 cute and ironic considering who he will become in teh future.

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"Excuse me," calls someone from the rafters. "Is there always a happy hour here?"

[longlonghair]

It takes her a moment to locate the source of the voice.

"There's supposed to be one daily, but the times vary, depending on who's behind the bar. You're new here?"

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"I died yesterday. And I'm still trying to get my bearings. I didn't expect to be in a bar." He doesn't come down just yet.

[longlonghair]

"You died! I'm sorry to hear that! That deserves a free drink, if anything does."

She looks up questioningly.

"If you want to come down, that is."

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"The Devil told me I was due a free drink in any case. But as long you can promise me you aren't the Devil, you are on." He vanishes into the rafters.

And after climbing down some feet away, he appears at the bar. "I usually don't drink much, but I think I am due something stronger than herbal tea. Which do you recommend?"

[longlonghair]

"It's true that your first one's free. Don't tell me the devil was the first person you met here after you died!"

Good God, that's awful!

"I promise I'm not the devil...just Rapunzel. It's a pleasure to meet you. If you're not a drinker, normally, I'd suggest something easy...beer?"

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

"Beer will do. But nothing from one of those big companies. I prefer something made by people.

"And I'm Charlie." He just thinks her name is a name.

[longlonghair]

"You've got it. We've got one I like from a Microbrewery in my world."

She fetches a can, and gets out a frosty glass. She opens it in front of it and pours it with an expert hand, leaving just the right amount of head on it.

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

He picks it up and studies it. It's a fine amber color. "Salut.

"What do you mean, your world? You aren't from Earth?" No reason she should be, since Superman and one of the Hawkmen look perfectly human.

[longlonghair]

"Yes, I am, but you'll find that there are people here from all different versions of Earth. My boyfriend, Alex, is from a version that doesn't have a New York City, and New Jersey is just 'Jersey' and things like that. I'm the original Rapunzel, from the fairy tale you might have heard of, and while I live in New York City, now, I grew up in a sort of...pocket dimension, I guess you'd call it."

[52-dropoff.livejournal.com]

He sips his beer and sorts these facts. "There really are parallel worlds...and not all of them are the same. OK, that's new. I mean, I know the idea of parallel worlds, but I had the impression they were theoretical." Or at best the sort of thing you only saw manifest during crises of infinite proportion. "My world has a New York. And a Gotham, and a Chocago and a Boston and a Hub City. Does mean anything?

"And you're...a character from a fairy tale. Really?" He's not doubting, after the life he led. More like being sure.

[longlonghair]

"Alex is from Gotham! He writes for a newspaper, there. Instead of New York, they have a Metropolis. But then, I'm told there's a boy here from a Metropolis that's in Kansas, somewhere."

She grins at his reaction.

"Well, the character is based on me--I came before the story did. Sit there long enough, and you can literally watch my hair grow."