Why are you Nice?

Cole wakes up several hours later and groans. He sits up and stretches. The sun had just started to rise. It's a fairly chilly morning as a layer of fog has started to settle over the area. Cole stands up and starts walking, looking for Wendell and attempting to avoid any police officers.

Downtown, where the festival was held no longer has any traffic cones and now has a few cars passing through. He's able to find a small bakery in the area he met him at. The sign above it shows a happy bear's face and text saying, "The Salty Sleeper."

Cole raises an eyebrow at it and mutters, "Huh..." he decides to stand near the front for a moment. He can see through the window that the bakery is open. A few people are sitting inside at small tables.

Cole glances around to see if Wendell is inside, making sure that if anyone looked at him he could turn away.

Luckily he sees Wendell behind the counter restocking some pretzels into the display cases. After stocking the shelves, Wendell brushes off his hands and glances up at the window. He double takes a second after seeing Cole.

Cole's eyes widen slightly as he slowly turns away. Wendell hurries to rip off his apron and hangs it up on a hook. He practically falls all over himself trying to get to the door and swings it open.

Cole lets out a quiet groan of annoyance and waits for the inevitable bombardment of questions.

Wendell closes the door behind himself and is very surprised, "You're back?!?"

Cole nods and still seems to have a slight morning voice as he turns back around to face Wendell, "Yeah, I mean I barely know anyone else here and everyone else stares at me like I'm a freak so..."

"Around here, I mean- you kind of are. But that's besides the point." Wendell looks Cole up and down, "Are you doing ok?"

Cole groans as his eyes flicker gray then back to hazel, "Gee thanks, and not really I had a run in with the police earlier because I was sleeping on a bench."

Wendell nods, "Considering how bad things are around here with thieves, that doesn't surprise me."

Cole puts his hands in his pockets, "Did you come out here just to ask me more questions? Or warn me about human skin rugs?"

"Well you obviously came back for a reason so if anything I'm here to help."

Cole playfully rolls his eyes, "I'm only here to have someone to talk to, you can go back to work if you want."

Wendell raises an eyebrow, "To socialize? Not to, idk- maybe get a place to sleep? So you aren't harrassed by the police thinking you're a lost crackhead?"

Cole sighs, "I don't need a place to sleep, not to mention I don't have any money" Cole raises an eyebrow back, curious of Wendell's motive.

Wendell folds his arms, "Well I never said anything about money now did I?"

Cole now seems suspicious, "You met me yesterday there's no way you have a place for me to sleep."

"I don't but I know a friend who would be more than happy to give you a room," Wendell grabs the door and holds it open, "Though I'm sure you might be hungry by now."

Cole starts walking towards the door, "I'm not even that hun-" He suddenly smells the aroma of fresh food from inside the building.

Cole stops walking for a second, "You know what I could eat....I could eat." He then ducks his head down to prevent people from seeing his face as he heads inside.

Wendell smiles as he watches and steps in after Cole. He heads to behind the counter, "Like I usually do for anyone from far away, your first meal is free. What'll it be?"

Cole looks around for any menu. He sees a wooden menu hanging from above with various items listed. They have a lot of coffee, cocoa, and tea. As for foods they also have about anything made with pretzel, whether it be a sandwich, dipped, or a side for a simple breakfast. Even desert options offer chocolate covered pretzels or salted caramel pretzel flavored ice cream.

Cole mutters quietly, "What the fuck is a pretzel..." then speaks up as he says, "Uh... salted pretzel?"

"The classic, I see you." Wendell nods with a grin as he dips under the counter to grab a large pretzel from the display. He sets it in a napkin and holds it out towards Cole. The pretzel itself is rather large and he can tell they are main source of the room's scent.

Cole stares at the pretzel for a couple seconds and then takes it, "Thanks..." he seems oddly confused.

Wendell nods, "Enjoy. I'm going to call that friend of mine and see if they have that room. Just don't eat the salt shakers." Wendell quickly dashes into the backroom to make a phone call.

Cole is now even more confused as he sits down on one of the barstools and awkwardly eats the pretzel.

The pretzel tastes one of a kind with a crunchy and salty exterior and a fluffy buttery interior. It screams made from scratch and definitely a form of comfort food. Cole's eyes widen slightly in amazement as he continues to awkwardly eat it.

He can barely hear Wendell talking on the phone in the other room. With a moment to take in his surrounding he notices a few picture frames hanging on the wall behind the counter. Some contain Wendell with other bear like nonferals of different sizes and shapes. Though some of the photos show a much more mountainous landscape and vibrant green trees.

Cole takes note of the pictures as he eats his pretzel.

Wendell soon returns and gives Cole a large smile, "Looks like you have a place to stay for as long as you need."

Cole looks up from eating his pretzel as he mentions, "That's... very nice of you." He still has a hint of suspicion in his voice along with confusion.

"But before you get your hopes up there are a few cons to the space. Not exactly getting free rent at a spa." Wendell gets out a few take out bags and sets them up on the counter.

Cole nods, "I'd imagine? What are the cons?" he finishes eating the pretzel and still looks slightly confused.

"Food and water there is limited and it's a good walk from town. There's no toilet but you're also with the great outdoors. Oh and with less people around you are sure to not have nearly as many robbers trying to get in at night... but that also means if someone is at your door out there they are probably out to get you and not your things."

Cole shrugs, "Seems pretty nice, also... Can you tell me what kind of building this is? I can't imagine this is like a house or something."

"It's an old watch tower near the mountains. Haze Tower to be exact. No one has stayed in it awhile so it might be a bit dusty. But Rosey should be coming by soon with the keys. You'll like her, she's a hoot." Wendell continues to smile as he starts putting a pretzel sandwich in each bag along with a desert.

Cole smiles slightly, "Cool, how'd- how'd you get this place if you work at a bakery?"

"I'm good friends with a lot of people in town. I got good connections. Not to mention Rosey is the one who said it's ok for you to stay. All I did was ring her up and ask."

Cole leans in slightly as he whispers, "So do you like...want something from me?"

"What do you mean?" He tilts his head slightly.

Cole sighs, "Like a contract? Some kind of deal? Usually I'm not given something without some kind of strings attached, so what's up?"

Wendell scoffs, "There's no strings here. Just a guy helping out his friends."

Cole squints at him, "Are you sure...this bakery isn't like a drug front? Or has a secret backroom for torturing people?"

"A drug front?!? A pretzel bakery as a drug front in the heart of town?" Wendell laughs.

Cole sighs, "So no working for you? Collecting blood? Killing people? Just giving me a place to live?"

Wendell sighs, "No, I get to have another friend."

Cole leans away as he sighs, "Right... sorry." He glances around the room quickly to make sure he didn't draw any attention to himself. Anyone else in the bakery seems wrapped up in their own business.

Wendell closes up the take out bags and pushes them towards Cole, "Oh and these are yours."

Cole raises an eyebrow, "Why? Why are you being so nice?" He seems to be genuinely asking.

Wendell folds his arms and shrugs, "Like I said. I like having friends."

They hear the door to the bakery open as Wendell turns his head towards the door.

Cole sighs, "Just seems weird to me" Cole glances over at the door opening.

Walking into the bakery is a short nonferal opossum with dilated eyes and black lines across her face. She wears pastel cutesy clothing with an oversized cardigan and a stylized backpack. Her fur is mostly gray but has what looks like sprinkles and glitter stuck into it. She walks up to the side of the counter and turns to stare at Cole with a smile.

Cole slowly looks over at her, "Are you... Rosey?"

Wendell scoffs to himself before reaching behind the counter and grabbing a small bag. He puts a chocolate pretzel in it before holding it out to the small nonferal. "Rosey this is the guy I just told you about." Wendell gestures to Cole as the small nonferal takes the bag.

Rosey looks at Wendell then back at Cole before giggling, "You look like a dog got lost in the adhesives factory."

Cole takes a deep breath and mutters, "And you look like a doped up rat but you don't see me saying anything about it." Cole folds his arms and doesn't look too amused.

Rosey giggles again, "I like this guy." She reaches behind her back into the open backpack and pulls out a ring of several keys, "These are for the room. No fires, no smoke of any kind, no turning off the radio, and no glitter... they didn't like the glitter last time I brought it in."

Cole takes the keys and sighs, "Right, I'll make sure I don't break any of those rules."

Rosey nods happily, "Just keep an ear out if another tower is warning you about anything. Though I wouldn't worry too much about it. Haze tower is supposed to be empty anyways."

Wendell seems unusually happy as well, "Welp you got yourself a nice bed and somewhere to stay for awhile till you get on your feet. I'd call that a win."

Cole glances at Wendell for a moment then back at Rosey and nods, "Right, I guess now you're gonna show me where it is?"

Rosey nods, "We can head right over there now or I can give you directions if you are good at that kinda thing."

Cole taps his temple a couple times, "I'm pretty good with directions" Cole closes his right eye as he opens his GPS in preparation.

Rosey tilts her some to the side, "Are you winking at me?" Wendell leans over slightly out of curiosity.

Cole shakes his head, "No and it's a long story, just tell me the directions."

Rosey gasps, "Do you have one of those ingrown eyelashes that always pokes you in the eye?!? I met someone who knew about that, their eyes weren't itchy though. I take that back it wasn't an ingrown hair, I think they had a tear from a fight."

Wendell clears his throat to interrupt the rambling, "What she means to say is you head down this road to your right and keep going straight. You'll see a dirt path that heads into the woods and up to the lookout tower."

Cole nods and after a couple seconds opens his eyes again, "Got it, and no it's not an ingrown eyelash."

Rosey gasps again as she holds her hands close to her face. The long cardigan sleeves cover her hands. "OOO! Is it like one of those habits you developed from a line of work? Were you a gunsmith that tested the aims of guns for so long that it's a habit to close one eye?!?"

Wendell's smile seems to be struggling to stay up as Rosey rambles. He interrupts again, "Maybe you should get going so you can get settled in."

Cole heavily sighs and picks his bags up, "Well it's been nice talking to the two of you, I'm gonna go get settled in." He starts walking towards the door.

Rosey rapidly waves her arm and grins, "Enjoy the woods!!!"

Wendell calmly nods, "Don't wreck the place."

Cole playfully rolls his eyes at Wendell as he steps outside and heads for the watch tower.