A Day in the Life
"Ding"
The bell on the door of Icy Goods rang, indicating someone walked into the store. The blue-haired girl straightened up from organizing a pile of sweaters and looked towards the entrance.
Standing there was a little girl. Her cheeks were rosy from the cold. Her eyes were wide, looking around the shop, as if overwhelmed by all the stuff on the racks and shelves.
The blue-haired girl put down the stack of sweaters she was holding and walked towards her young customer.
"Welcome to Icy Goods, how may I help you?" she asked in her soft voice.
The little girl didn't move. It was as if she didn't hear the shopkeeper. She continued to stare at the items in the shop, looking as if she was lost.
The shopkeeper smiled to herself. She walked behind the counter and starting making hot chocolate.
Her name was Icy, the owner and shopkeeper of Icy Goods, a small shop located in the Arctic Frost. In the summer, it offered cool and refreshing desserts to Subetans who have come to get away from the heat. In the winter, it offered warm drinks and warm clothing for those who wanted a break from traversing the Polar Ice Fields or visiting Melody's Cottage.
The shop wasn't as big as the ones in Centropolis, but it was cosy. There were stacks of sweaters and blankets, rows of coats and vests, racks of boots, piles of scarves and mittens and hats, all in assortment of rainbow colours. Along one wall were some glass cages with fantastical creatures inside, for Subetans to give to their pets as minions. Part of Icy's job was to take care of those minions until they find a home.
Towards the front of the shop was a little café area, where people can sit at booths and enjoy their winter or summer treats, or just rest their legs for a bit.
As she put in the marshmallows into the hot chocolate, a fluffy white little bird, who could almost be mistaken for a marshmallow, flew by and landed on her shoulder. It cocked its head, and stared intently at the marshmallow in Icy's hand.
Icy laughed. She broke the marshmallow in half, handed half to the little bird, and slipped the other half into her pocket.
The bird's name was Puffy. She was Icy's friend and assistant, keeping her company in the cold, and sometimes lonely, Arctic Frost.
The hot chocolate done, Icy walked back to the little girl, who had made herself comfortable in a booth, and carefully placed the mug in front of her. "Careful, it's hot", she said softly.
The little girl grinned as she took her red mittens off and cupped her hands around the mug to warm them. As she blew on the hot chocolate, Puffy dove from Icy's shoulder and landed on the table in front of the little girl, carefully eyeing the marshmallows.
"Birdy!" the little girl finally spoke. She reached out and tried to touch the bird, but he easily stepped to the side, making the little girl pout.
"You have to bribe him first," said Icy as she sat down across from the little girl. She brought out the half marshmallow from her pocket, and gave it to the little girl.
The little girl carefully held out the marshmallow, and her eyes widened as Puffy carefully hopped closer, and with a quick motion, snatched the marshmallow with his beak.
"I think you can pet him now" said Icy as she stroked the little bird's head with one finger. Still in awe, the little girl copied Icy and petted the bird while he was busy eating the marshmallow.
The two sat quietly playing with the bird, until they were interrupted by the sound of the bells on the door. Icy looked up, standing at the door was a middle-aged woman, cheeks flushed from the cold. She looked around the shop, as if searching for something. Her eyes widened when she saw the two sitting at the booth.
"There you are!" she exclaimed as she walked towards the booth, sighing with relief, "I've been looking all over for you!"
The little girl jumped out of the booth and ran towards the woman.
"Mommy!" she cried as she gave her mother a hug.
The older woman looked at Icy gratefully. "Thank you for finding her. We were on our way to Melody's Cottage, I took my eyes off her for one second, and she disappeared when I turned around, " the woman explained.
Icy waved goodbye as the mother and daughter walked out the door of Icy Goods. She smiled to herself, glad to have helped someone.
It was just an ordinary day at Icy Goods. If you're ever in the Arctic Frost, whether you're visiting Melody, traversing the Polar Ice Field, sending presents, or just want to cool off, please stop by the humble shop of Icy Goods, where shopping is at its wintery finest.