#thanks to everyone who welcomed a clueless newbie with open arms

[fistfuloflightning]

honestly, I am super proud of how the jiuyuan community has grown over the past year/two years.

when I joined, it had a decent amount of fics and some art, but it seems it really took off within the last couple years and I’m just in awe of how much love and encouragement there is in the jiuyuan community.

this is a love letter to all the jiuyuan content creators, the writers and the artists and the animators and the headcanoners and all the lurkers who are content to be our silent partners. you deserve more than you think 💕

[vegandoughnut]

PART 1: Right Meow

"Wow this is dumb" says Kitt, swinging into the passengers seat of the hauling truck. "How much did Stuff It and the gang shell out for the stupid truck and the storage rental?"

"Probably enough money to raise our checks to minimum wage" says Pradeep, turning the key and starting the truck. He fumbles with his phone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other. "Kitt. Wanna pull up the place on Google Maps?"

"Okay gimme the phone" says Kitt. "It's brick in here. Why is the AC on? Stephen must have high blood pressure. Ugh"

Pradeep turns it off immediately. "I can't stand this guy. Plus the new guy probably doesn't know how to take care of the cats or make a latte to save his life. I was supposed to finish training him"

"Was he clueless?"

"Yeah"

"Then how'd he get the job? Stephen and Boris turned down my friend and I hear she aced that interview"

"Obviously nepotism. Carl is related to Boris"

"Oh disgusting"

"Yup".

Meanwhile at Cat Cafe...

"Move that table, no, just put the chairs in the basement. Halloween is coming so we want to get into the spirit" says Stephen, fixing his thick rimmed glasses and skimming something on his work tablet. "Hey, Clark"

"Carl"

"Hey Carl, you mind helping Anekke with that lamp? Yeah that one. The shoji lamp"

"Of course"

The doors burst open, startling a few of the cats lounging and meowing on the freshly washed black-with-kitty-skulls floor cushions; Shadow dashes out of the way, startling Cinnamon and Mochi.

Kumlyun bustles in. Huffing and panting, pulling her beanie hat off her head and rushing past with her purse held close to her body. She was out of sight before Anekke could express her confusion.

Stephen disappears into his office.

"What the?" Anekke begins, tucking a loose blond strand behind her ear. "I thought she was out sick! You telling me I showed up on my day off for Kumlyun to actually come in?"

Carl could see the tomatoes growing in Anekke's cheeks.

"Hey maybe something came up..."

"No, just no. In fact. I recommend not talking to her--ow! Bon Chan!" Anekke shoos Bon Chan away. The friendly kitty scampers away and up onto the purple velvet chair by the window to lick his paws.

"Did she scratch you?" Carl asks.

"Guys! Pradeep and Kitt are back with the truck. We gotta help them carry the tables and stools inside" shouts Harper.

"They couldn't take a little longer? We were just moving the old chairs!" Says Anekke, stomping her foot.

"So extra" Kumlyun mutters as she bristles back into the cafe, setting up behind the counter and getting a tea kettle and french press ready.

"Are these doughnuts fresh?" She asks no one in particular.

"Yeah they're fresh" says Carl. Anekke grimaces at Carl.

"Those are from yesterday. But don't tell her that-- she's crazy, she'll toss them" Anekke whispers. Carl looks taken aback but nods and gets back to moving things.

The cats meow loudly and dart back and forth between the moving pieces of mismatched furniture. Salem tries to climb up onto the counter but gets swept up into Pradeep's arms for a scruff behind the ears.

Kitt rolls a hand truck with a sideways and very large dark chest on it into the cafe. It looked like something from a vampire's mansion.

"A little help here? I'm not Hercules. I'm literally skinnier than half of the people here. What the hell"

Carl rushes over to help, ever the eager newbie. Anekke rolls her eyes.

"Kumlyun, do you need help cleaning the bar?" She says with faux politeness layered on thick.

"I could use the help" replies Kumlyun, pouring everyone a mug of steaming coffee, not hiding her frown.

Anekke goes to the bar and Harper takes over the furniture arrangement from her, trailed at the heels by Rad, whose short toasty hued fur matched Harper's short toasty hued haircut.

"Nice to meet you. Sorry I didn't get around to it before. Stephen kind of just threw me onto you" Pradeep says to Carl.

"Oh, same, hi I'm Carl. Nice to meet you"

"I'm Pradeep"

"Pra.... excuse me"

"Pra-DEEP like bro that was deep. Anyway, welcome. Ever worked at a place like this before?"

"No. I mean you were showing me the basics which I kind of get but honestly I'm kind of allergic to cats and I don't know what macarons taste like and we sell them. I don't know how to describe that to customers"

"You can eat one. I recommend the pistachio one. It's the green one, in case you needed to know"

"Gotcha"

"Do you know how to use the french press?"

"Honestly no. I've never even seen one before today. Crazy I know"

"Trust me, I know" Pradeep says with a glance to the side and a slight chuckle. Clearly annoyed.

"Can you at least operate a NutriBullet?"

"A what?"

"A high speed blender, Carl. Did Stephen show you what it looks like?"

"Oh, that thing. I have one at home. Well, my dad uses it to make green smoothies. I prefer Dunkin Donuts for breakfast"

"Interesting" Pradeep replies, walking away to help Kitt set up the purple victorian stools around one of the dark chests that served as the new decorative tables. Kitt passes Pradeep one of the spooky kitty books to Pradeep who places it on one of the other dark chest tables.

Kumlyun hands Pradeep and Carl cafe lattes in cute cat head mugs.

"Thanks so much Kumlyun. I need the caffeine" says Pradeep. "My cortisol is through the roof"

Kumlyun smiles. "So who started the rumor that I called out sick? I only said in the email that i might arrive late due to the buses acting up"

Pradeep chokes a little on his coffee. "What? Who said that?"

"Anekke said--"

Pradeep cuts Carl a look, cutting him off mid sentence. Carl gulps. Kumlyun's eyebrows furrow and she crinkles her nose in distaste.

"I should've guessed" she says before taking a long long drink of her coffee and thumping the mug down on the counter. "Look how dirty the waffle maker is. Are you kidding me?"

Carl covers his mouth to hide his chortle.

"Hey man, just, let's get those decorations up" Pradeep warns. Carl follows him.

"But I need barista training"

"We open in a few. Look, I didn't put this mess together, i wish it made more sense, but, time is ticking"

Everyone fidgets when Stephen comes striding out from his downstairs office with his travel mug and bicycle helmet.

"I'll be back. We open soon everyone so please, let's have the place looking presentable in the next.." he deliberated, checking his watch, shifting from one foot to the next. "Twenty minutes. That should be enough time to get the tables set up with the tea light pumpkins, display books... and some of the cats need to be groomed"

He goes out the door as quickly as he appeared. Kitt sucks her teeth as she sets up the corner table with pumpkin tea lights, a hard cover copy of Emily The Strange with its characteristic black cats on the cover, and a small basket of cat shaped cookies.

She goes behind the counter to start prepping the food for the first customers. Pradeep joins her.

"You were going to tell me something before we left the storage facility" he says, swirling a sugar cube in his latte, leaning against the shiny black refrigerator.

"Oh yeah" says Kitt, tying some of her burgundy dreadlocks up into a ponytail with the elastic band that was hanging from her mouth. "Stuff It Stephen gave me a verbal for describing a customer to hin as 'the Arab guy with the mustache', but didn't listen to me when I said describing somebody's hair as 'nappy' was insensitive and offensive"

"Ah, typical Stuff It. He's a virtue signaling weenie boy who thinks he knows better than hmmm staff like me, you and Kumlyun who kind of know what we're talking about in terms of being actual ethnics, but, you know, The Stephen is always right"

"Yeah. So annoying. I don't know how long I can take working here" she says, adjusting her knit scarf and putting on some cinnamon bun scented lip gloss. Pradeep inhales nonchalantly.

"Don't leave me here with Carl O'Clueless. I don't even think Boris wants to deal" says Pradeep, running a hand through his gelled-back hair that was shaved on the sides.

The two of them laugh. Kumlyun joins them, snacking on a cat eared oatmeal cookie.

"What's so funny guys?"

"Oh. Stuff It. His antics. You know" says Pradeep.

"Ugh. Yeah. Tell me about it" says Kumlyun, before taking one final big bite. "The cafe is looking good though. He can't complain about that. I have all the appliances running and the baked goods should be ready for display in 5 minutes"

"Sshhhh. Don't talk too loud. You might give Anekke a heart attack for existing" whispers Kitt. The three of them laugh.

Kitt points one caramel brown finger in the direction of the entrance door.

"Hear that? That's the stock truck. Carl has to learn how that works"

"Right. Let me go show him. Wish me luck" says Pradeep with a heavy sigh. "By the way" he turns back around on his heel before going, "are their cinnamon buns in the oven?"

"No" says Kumlyun.

Kitt bites her bottom lip and smiles slightly. "Hurry up Pradeep" she says.

TBC