we built this city on broken glass

It was decidedly rare, in any sense, for the often irritable stallion to venture away from the Inner Sanctum cafe during the late afternoon. It had become a habit, of sorts, for the man to linger within that cozy interior as Alexander served those last few patrons and begun closing up that store until they were the only two left within it and those nightly training sessions could begin. This afternoon however, the idle conversation of two women discussing some sort of pastry had captured his attention. The mention of a new bakery prompting some measure of curiosity in the man. Alexander would hardly begin to closer for another hour in the least. Frost content to make use of that time to wander away from his usual haunt and further down the street in search of this proverbial pastry making palace.It was hardly difficult to find that bakery. His sense of smell decidedly advanced enough to locate the very store from which that sweetness emanated. It was a small shop and yet those windows were still lined with tables and chairs all the same, a small smattering of people occupying a few of those better seats and yet Frost paid them little attention as he stepped into the little store.

He was near notorious for his own sweet tooth. Half the city having come to recognise his weakness for any sort of sweet treat, even Raven had attempted to bribe him with her own baking. A part of him unwilling to admit it had certainly made him a little more inclined to hear what the woman had to say- if only because he had been unwilling to leave those treats uneaten. This was surely the place Tetradore had gotten those cupcakes he'd brought him from. He had enjoyed those. Feeding his equine appetite, despite his relatively small human size, was a near constant chore as it was. His violet gaze, near hidden beneath that forelock of snowy white hair, easily roved over that interior. Frost eyeing that collection of pastry and cake before his gaze slid silently on to the woman behind the counter. Another Were. He could smell her from here. A part of him mildly intrigued in that fellow member of his species and yet his features gave away no true indication of interest in any sense. His facade portraying that ever unchanging look of apathy as it so often did.

His attention returned to that case before him, Frost eyeing those apple and citrus tarts, his features frowning slightly at that price listed beside them. They were hardly expensive by any stretch of the imagination and yet he was so very...adverse to paying for things. Not when he could get them for free and yet that woman behind the counter was entirely sure to make a wretched scene over it. This was hardly his territory, not like the Inner Sanctum was. The staff and management here unlikely to bend to his will so easily. How very tiresome that was and yet- how easily navigated in turn. That affinity was summoned with a ready easy. The door to that store opened a moment later as a rather frazzled looking mother clutching the hand off a truly irritable young girl wandered in, Frost turning to offer them an almost curious glance as they headed for the counter. The Mother released the girls hand then before proceeding to make an order for two loaves of bread- the very kind that would require the girl behind the counter to turn around to select from those racks. Frost taking that opportunity to pluck a single tart from that display case before him. That entire treat demolished in no more than a few bites. The stallion affording the Counter Girl a cursory glance over his shoulder to assure himself she was still busy with the woman. The taste was decidedly pleasing. His attention shifted then toward an apple pie. He could smell that from here. That golden brown pastry topped with sweet sugar more alluring then he cared to admit. How foolish it was that a warhorse could be so distracted by a pastry and yet- that equine part of himself so disliked to be refused.

The little girl had wandered away from her mother and towards those shelves of meringues on the opposite side of the store to Frost himself. The stallion already entirely aware of just what the little urchin intended to do, her grubby fingers reaching for a meringue as she stood up on tiptoes to reach it- only to stumble as she did, sending the entire tray crashing to the ground as several other patrons turned to watch and the Counter Woman no doubt rushed over to rescue her produce. Frost taking that moment to pluck the entire pie from the case, a fork snatched from the nearest table before the stallion proceeded to lean against the glass top counter, that pie resting before him as he nonchalantly dipped that fork into that sweet filling. His violet gaze lingering on the entertainment before him as he made little effort to hide his pilfering of this treat. After all, he could hardly consume an entire pie in a few bites. This one was better savoured. The staff surely far to busy with the howling girl and her irate mother to bother about the white-haired man on the far side quietly eating his pie.

Truly he wondered how long it would take the other Were to realise she had been fooled. The girl and her Mother hardly real in any sense. The pair no more than illusions crafted from his own magic to create those distractions. There was no real child. No real woman. No real mess to be cleaned up and yet his illusory magic was more than powerful enough to make it appear as if that scene was entirely real. He dipped the fork neatly into the pie was more, his figure continuing to lean against that counter as he enjoyed another bite, his lip quirking slightly as if some part of him found that scene before him almost....amusing. Perhaps he did. That little girl attempting to evade her mother now before breaking out into a terribly loud chorus off Row Row Row Your Boat. Frost quite content to hum along with her.

FrosT