At Teutenberg's, Althea is sitting in a counter reading a book she bought from the library she finished working while drinking coffee. She was having a peaceful moment when she heard a jiggling bell coming from the entrance door. She looks up and gets annoyed to see a group of thugs again from the alley. Althea giggles a bit to see them all bandaged up and bruised. Some got a black eye or swollen cheek. She glances back down at her book, paying them no mind. The customers along with the workers/staffs gives the thugs a nervous glance as the certain leader looks around until his eyes landed on a woman with a veil covering her face. He immediately gets angry as soon as he recognizes her and stomps towards Althea along with his goons. He slammed his paw against the table, creating a loud thud and bringing a lot of attention as they watch. Althea calmly looks up to him.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"You...! How dare you embarrassed me?! Yo think you're better than us?!" he sneered.

"You brought this on yourselves. You shouldn't pick on the weak. Didn't your parents taught you some manners? You're disrupting us and we're trying to eat." she explained, causing some people including the thugs to snicker.

This caused the leader to turn red in anger and raised his fist. Althea glared at him and got ready to defend herself again, gripping onto the butter knife.

"You bitch!!" he shouted.

Before he could throw a fist at her, a paw grabbed his arm, stopping him. Althea turned and was surprised to see Mordecai.

"It is unwise of you to try to hit a nice young lady." Mordecai said.

The leader glared at him.

"Huh?! Who do you think you are?! Unhand me!" he demanded.

"Apologize to her first." Mordecai insisted.

"Seriously?! No way! This bitch needs to be taught a lesson!"

Mordecai's expression turned dark as he glared at him.

"Wrong answer."

He twisted the leader's arm, causing him to yell in pain. The thugs were about to help when Mordecai turned and removed his suit jacket to reveal a gun.

"I'd be more careful if I were you."

Althea was surprised at how relaxed and unfazed he is like he has experience this before. Mordecai turned to the thug leader.

"I won't ask again. Apologize to her." he said, gripping onto his arm harder.

"Alright!! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!!" he cried out.

Satisfied, Mordecai released his arm and fixed his suit.

"I suggest you all leave or else..."

He flashes them a glare with his glasses shining with intimidation that made them quiver. The thugs helped their leader who's holding his arm before running out of the restaurant. Everyone was relieved that they're gone before going back to their own business as Mordecai sat down across Althea.

"Thanks, but you didn't have to do that. I can handle myself." she said, smiling.

"I have to. Those guys are annoying and rude. They have no respect." he said, pulling out a menu.

"Tell me, what did you do to get those guys to get mad at you? They seem to know you." he asked, ordering his food before giving the menu back to waitress.

Althea chuckles, looking embarrassed and rubs her cheek.

"How'd you know?" she asked.

Mordecai looked at her.

"From the way you talk to them, you know them as well."

"Hehe. I may or may not have gotten into a fight with them. Only because they were picking on  a poor kid yesterday." Althea explained.

Mordecai raised his eyebrow in surprise.

"You fought them? Well, that's very unexpected. How'd you do that?" he said.

"My dad took me defensive classes after finding out I was bullied on my first day of school and no one ever messed with me since then."

"Your father taught you very well."

"What about you? I can tell you had a gun. What's your secret?"

"If you must know, I'm a bootlegger and trigger-man." Mordecai said.

Althea was surprised at this new information from him and wondered if he's part of a Mafia like the Lackadaisy.

"So if I needed a trigger-man, you could be it?" she asked.

Mordecai couldn't help but smile.

"I could be him." he said.

"Really?"

"Yes, I could."

"Sorry, Morty. But I think I can handle myself. I should let you know I have single-handedly defeated all of those thugs without breaking a sweat." Althea said with a hint of smirk.

"Well, I can kill my target with just one shot in a right amount of time." Mordecai happily said.

"Wow. Wish I can see that. I'm an artist and a bartender." she added.

"Really? Kinda reminds me of an 'old friend' of mine." he said, slightly frowning at the old friend.

"Hehe. You have no idea." she giggled, unknowingly what he means by that.

"You think you can draw me since you're the artist?" he asked.

"Maybe I will when we meet again." she said.

A cup of coffee and a plate full of breakfast was served in front of Mordecai before the waitress left as the two continued on their conversation while eating and drinking.

"This is my lucky day. I arrive in this big bad city and I not only find a trigger-man, a handsome man as well." Althea said, smiling.

Mordecai couldn't help but blush as he looks into his coffee. Althea noticed it and gets worried.

"I'm sorry, you mind me saying that?" she continued.

"Not at all." he reassured her.

"How 'bout another cup of coffee?" she suggested.

"I've got work coming in—"

"And I want to get into my apartment and get to work. Please, what do you say, another cup of coffee?"

Mordecai hesitates for a moment, looking at his watch. He looks back at Althea, who smiles at him.

"Alright." he sighed.

Two pots are warming behind the counter, she reaches over and refills his cup and hers. Pushes a container and pitcher towards him. They smile at each other, fix up their coffee as they add some sugar and cream. Mordecai noticed Althea added a lot more as he is.

"I see you use lots of sugar and cream. Me, too..."

Althea giggled and the two clings their cups together before drinking. The place has cleared out now, the counterman busy bussing tables laden with dishes and cups, Althea and Mordecai are still at the counter, but about to leave.

"...It's kind of a pro bono job." Mordecai explained.

"'Pro bono'. That means doing good-- Going to be doing good all your life?" Althea said.

"Kinda. I had a family and have been supporting and taking care of them ever since my father died from a stroke. Though I have done some... illegal things, but for a good reason. Which is to make as much as money as I can for my family's future." he explained with a fond smile.

"That's really nice of you. Family comes first." Althea smiled.

"Yeah... Although I... regret leaving them..." Mordecai said, ears drooping.

Althea frowned.

"Sorry. Do you miss them?"

"Very much..."

"Have you ever thought about doing what you want?"

"Not really."

 Althea rises now, Mordecai with her, leaving money for their checks as they head for the door.

 "Though I like collecting books." he continued.

"You know, if you ever think of retiring from being a trigger-man, there's always room for you to work at a library." Althea offered.

"Thanks." he said.

Althea at the door now, pauses abruptly, her eyes on Mordecai. Mordecai holds the door for Althea as they step out onto the street. She is staring at him now, he gives her a small smile, all open and vulnerable.

"So, you're going to the party tonight?" he asked with little hope.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." she nodded.

"Great. Well, see you."

"See you."

With a shy smile, Althea hurries away down the sidewalk, Mordecai watching her. Now he turns and starts off in the opposite direction. She looks back at him, then turns and walks on. He looks back at Althea as the distance between them widens, now he turns and walks on. Althea looks around once more but Mordecai is still headed in the opposite direction, his back to her. She turns the corner and continues on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Althea heads back inside Little Daisy when she sees Ivy leaning against the counter reading a newspaper with a bored look on her face. She then turned to see Rocky talking to a an orange stripped male cat.

"This is where you work?" the orange stripped cat asked.

"Yep." Mordecai replied.

"Little Daisy?"

He gestured to the cafe they're in.

"That's the name."

"You're in the band?"

"Sure am."

"Where does the band play?"

"In the... basement."

"Why?"

"Uh, better acoustics."

Althea could tell that he's lying to keep it a secret. Rocky waved to Ivy, catching her attention.

"Miss Pepper, the boy's asking an awful lotta questions. Would you kindly bring a sandwich or something I could stuff in his mouth?" he asked.

"Sure!" Ivy smiled.

"And pancakes." Rocky added.

"We don't serve pancakes in the afternoon, Rocky." Ivy frowned.

"But ...pancakes."

Althea approached them.

"Don't worry. I can help. If he wants pancakes, he can have it. Plus, there's no rules about not having pancakes as part of lunch. Let's call it... a brunch, which means breakfast-lunch." she said, heading into the kitchen behind the counter.

"Really? Is that a thing?" Ivy asked.

"Yep." Althea nodded.

"Thank you, Althea!" Rocky grinned. "Could you make me that blueberry pancake you mentioned?"

"Coming right up." Althea chuckled, bringing out some blueberries.

"Who's that?" the orange stripped cat asked.

"That's our friend Althea. If you asked why she's wearing a hat that covers her face, don't. She has... genetic disorder." Ivy explained.

"Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am." the orange stripped cat frowned, feeling ashamed.

"No problem. It's fine." Althea said, starting her cooking. "You want sandwich or pancakes, sir?"

She looked at the orange stripped cat.

"Sandwich will be fine." he replied.

She nodded and went back to work as Althea asked Ivy for some ingredients she needed. Althea sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl, then combine milk and egg in a small bowl. She stir the egg mixture into flour mixture until just combined, and stir in melted butter, then fold in blueberries. Althea sets it aside for 1 hour. Once the hour is up, she heats a lightly oiled griddle or nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Finally, she pour or scoop the batter onto the hot griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake; cook until bubbles appear on the surface, then flip and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve hot. Once the pancakes is prepared and nicely decorated, Althea hands the plates to Ivy as she served the two. Rocky appears excited to try out the new pancakes he had ever seen.

"Well, what did you do today that got you in such a ferocious mood for pancakes anyway?" Ivy asked, placing the plate down in front of them.

"I almost singed my eyebrows off." Rocky replied proudly.

"Again?" Ivy asked.

"Whoa, again?" Althea asked with worry.

"And Freckle here watched for pigs." he continued.

Ivy looked at Freckle with interest look in her eyes.

"'Freckle', huh?" she asked.

"Calvin." he corrected her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Ivy asked.

Though she's already sitting next to him and Althea noticed how shy is and how Ivy is attempting to get close to him, much to her amusement.

"...Because you must be the cutest thing this side of the river!" she continued.

Althea snickered as Freckle holds the sandwich up to his face in embarrassment.

"Are you trying to hide?" Ivy asked, tilting her head.

"...No." he replied shyly.

"Don't mind him, Miss Pepper." Rocky said, pouring a lot of syrup on his pancakes. "He doesn't get out much... A little uncouth, you know?"

He gets a taste of the new pancakes and his eyes widened in surprise. He grins and keeps digging in while pouring a syrup on his pancakes and in his... drink, much to Althea's shock.

"He doesn't? Well you should bring him tonight down to the—"

Rocky immediately cuts Ivy off.

"NO. Uh, no. I mean, I have things to do. I'm busy tonight. Doing things."

"Oh, hm."

"Really, I should be getting him home soon. He's supposed to be—AAUGH!"

Althea gasped to see the drink was spilled onto Rocky's clothes.

"Oops." Ivy said innocently as she had tilted the cup over with a plate. "Oh, I'm sorry. Napkins are over there."

"My lucky tie!" Rocky whined.

"Let me help you, Rocky." Althea said, bringing out napkins with some water on it.

"Thanks. And thanks for that delicious pancake. It's really good."

"You're welcome."

Little did they know, Ivy handed Freckle a black clover pin and whispered something in his ear before Rocky came back.

"...Like I was saying, I should get you home. Your mother is probably getting bored without more laundry to do anyway." he said.

Freckle stared at the pin for a moment before he and Rocky left the cafe. Ivy and Althea started cleaning up the dishes before Althea heads upstairs where she sees Mitzi getting her makeup done.

"Getting ready?" she asked.

Mitzi stopped at what she was doing and smiled at her.

"Hey, dear. How's your trip?"

"Doing great, actually. What's with the dress up?"

"Tonight, Mr. Wick is bringing in special gusts to our lounge. It's our big chance to show them that Lackadaisy is the best place."

"Really? That's great. Good thing I gave Viktor all the recipes for the drinks. They'll love it. Though I'm more concerned with his... moody demeanor. He can work good, but not socially."

"I'm aware. I'll make sure he behaves himself. Why don't you join us?" Mitzi giggled.

"Actually, I can't. I'm invited to go to the party from a friend of mine." Althea said.

Mitzi looked at her in surprise.

"Oh? And where will that be?"

"Somewhere at the hotel. Don't worry. I won't be long. I like to see how that party goes. Maybe I can be able to go undercover to see how to make Lackadaisy better for more people to come next time." she explained. "Is it okay if I go? Please?"

She stared at the human girl for a moment before smiling.

"Well, you're a grown woman and you seem to know what you're doing. I don't see why not. Just be careful."

"Thank you, Ms. May."

"Let me help you get dressed. I know a perfect one for you. First, go shower."

"On it."

Althea heads into the bathroom as Mitzi goes into the closet to search for any dresses that fits her. Once her eyes landed on a certain one, she pulled it out with a grin. Before she knew it, it was already night time and the two are now ready as they leave the apartment, looking all dressed.

"Well, have fun, Althea. And be safe." Mitzi said.

"Thanks, Miss May. I will." Althea nodded.

"Oh, and before I forget. Here."

Mitzi hands her a rectangular box and Althea opens it and was surprised to see a beautiful pearl necklace choker with two matching pearl earrings.

She looks up at Mitzi in shock.

"This is..." she gasped.

"It's kinda my other gift from my love. I want you to have it."

Althea immediately shook her head and tried to hand it back to Mitzi.

"No, no. I can't do that. It's yours and—"

"Take it. It's alright. Wear this and be proud." Mitzi said, pushing the box back to Althea.

Althea stares at the jewelry for a moment and smiles and hugs her.

"Thank you."

She then pulls away and starts walking away, waving at her.

"I'll be back."

"Don't come back too late." Mitzi waved back.

Althea giggled and nodded and turned to the corner, disappearing as Mitzi heads into the Little Daisy to the underground lounge.

https://youtu.be/LXxhZtdIp5g