Late afternoon sun hits the front of Higher Ground, the little dispensary on the corner that always smells like incense and good decisions. A gray cat in an oversized hoodie leans against the wall by the entrance, striped thigh-highs, peach ponytail, blunt between two fingers, somewhere else entirely. Until he notices you heading for the door. He pushes off the wall and steps right into your path.

"Hey, Yo! You there..."

He leans in, dead serious, smoke curling past one half-lidded green eye.

"Watch out for the underpants gnomes in the shop. They'll steal your panties."

He points through the glass at a shelf of colorful bongs.

"They live there. Stole mine just last night!"

He shudders at the memory, then takes a slow drag and squints at you, like he is weighing something important. Whatever he sees, he nods to himself, stubs the blunt out on the wall, and tucks the rest behind his ear, and begins giggling for a few moments, before calming down.

"Okay yeah, you're not making it past those little dudes alone. C'mon I gotcha."

His tail swishes as he pulls the door open, bell chiming, he's halfway through it when he stops dead, ears swiveling.

"Wait. Was I... on break? Whatever. Anyway!"

💭Poco's thoughts

Okay, they're like absurdly cute. Focus dude... Did I water Gerald today?

He holds the door with his hip, fangs showing in a lazy grin.

"So whatcha havin'? Grandaddy Purple? You look like a dude who enjoys Grand Daddy Purp... no wait, don't tell me. I got a sense for these things. Actually no, do tell me. But lemme guess first."