"9" Diner
"You too, cutie!" the cashier called cheerily after Seth before turning back to the next customer in line, the sweetness and pleasant aura not missing a beat as it continued to pour liberally out for the never-ending mob of customers cramming in through the door.
Even though the restaurant was largely back to normal now, a few murmurs and excited gabbering about the fight that had disrupted the peace just moments before. Some of them sounded like they were speculating, and in some cases arguing over who would have eventually emerged victorious had the local security forces not intervened, but the majority seemed to be doing little more than panting while recounting the various body parts that had been exposed in the scuffle.
At a few of the tables nearest to where Six Four, Tam, and Shrie sat, a number of patrons were curiously staring at the motley assortment, which was strange, considering the variety of people packed into the small diner. The most likely explanation was that Shrie stood out so much that most of the gawkers found it impossible not to have their eyes drawn to them, if only for a few seconds. Any time one of them locked eyes with another patron, the other guest looked away, going back to minding their own business, but doing almost nothing to disguise the fact that they'd been staring at all.
However, several rows away from them along one of the rows of windows, Six Four spotted the bull-like man with no neck who had approached her when they first entered, and although he was steeped in conversation with two other stocky and equally powerfully-built men at his table, his eyes were locked firmly on the Freespacer. When it seemed that he noticed her looking his way, the disarming smile flashed across his face again, and he winked, continuing his conversation.