The Toppings Bar

[PatInTheHat]

Image Credit: Ameh

Equally as important as the ice cream flavour one chooses is the toppings that one puts upon it. A good topping or two can make or break a personal sundae, so once you've picked your poison flavour, the toppings bar is the next logical stop on the road to ice cream nirvana! The setup is rather impressive and can seem intimidating at first, but don't fret. This magical machine is easy enough to operate, given a moment and some patience.

A series of medium-sized glass tubes containing any topping one could dream of (and some nobody would dare to) hover precariously over a long, shiny tray that is inset into the countertop. At any given time this tray can be found with any myriad of missed toppings mixed together inside of it; the more adventurous customers sometimes choose to pick up the small scooper that can be found at its edge & scoop their toppings from those that did not land on someone else's ice cream. If you'd prefer to make your own choices, however, merely say your decided-upon topping or toppings to the machine, and it will release a small amount of it into the corkscrew spun glass chutes. Watch carefully and make sure to position your ice cream in the right place, because all of the chutes merge together into one to drop your tasting ice cream additives onto your bowl or cone!

The machine is magical and will clear itself of any topping residue between customers, so you needn't worry about getting sticky caramel sauce or the lingered tastes of meat chunks if the person before you made some decisions you don't agree with. However, if you should find that help is necessary, another tap bell can be found at the end of the counter to summon the shopkeeper or assistant.

[Callie]

"You're quite welcome, Daisy." They were both good girls. Although, Emmalyn got a raised eyebrow from Lexi, but one that was in good humor.

"Well, tough! I wanna give you girls something for helping. Not as a payment, but a gift. Because you both deserve it." Naturally, the fact neither of them expected it, made Lexi want to all the more. She was a staunch believer that good acts deserved kindness in return. So much of the world as a whole seemed to be the exact opposite of that, leading to a proverb about it, "No good deed goes unpunished." She couldn't change the world, not by a long shot. But Lexi could change her little bubble of the world.

"Oh, good. I'm not the only one seeing it! Was worried I was going a bit loopy there for a moment." She chuckled to herself. "Hey, Isley? Want me to leave the Merlin? You can put it on display and use to draw more customers!" Well, it's what they do in the states, at least.

[Ginevra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birchwoodmom

[COLOR="Navy"]She continued working with Daisy to clean up the sticky mess, still covered in toppings herself. She was actually having a good time. It felt good to do something helpful and productive and she always loved serving others. "Miss Isley it is." Her caramel covered smile was bright and a few chunks of candy fell from her hair, which made her giggle. "Would you be willing to use your cleaning spell and take care of my clothes? I'm still a bit nervous about using spells on myself."

Daisy turned towards Emmalyn. "I'd be only too happy to clean your clothes for you, Em," Daisy replied as she aimed her wand at Emmalyn's clothes, moving her wand in an up-and-down motion as she performed a simple but effective non-verbal cleaning charm.

"There you go. How's that?"

[Suziella]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie

A few quick cleaning spells got most of the topping off of her, the deeper stuff, she'd need potions for, and the clothes, well, Victoria will have to work so magic there. Get it? Work some magic....nevermind. "There, now I shouldn't track anything into my shop while I run over there really quick. I shall return!" Lexi spun and disappeared out the door. She needed to adjust her "back in _ minutes" sign to account for helping Isley clean up, and while there grab skin and hair cleansing potions for everyone.

Lexi was back a few minutes later with a Madame Primpernelle's shop bag filled with potions. Those will be given out after the mess was clean. No sense giving them out just yet. "You girls really are angels for sticking around to help," Lexi said as she pulled out her wand and silently cleared away a large blobby gathering of hard coated chocolate candy, gummy bears, and cookie dough. Lexi had a feeling Isley was getting their names so she could show her appreciation, but that didn't mean Lexi couldn't show her own as well. The girl's were helping out a friend and fellow shopkeeper after all.

Next time you girls come into Madame Primpernelle's I'll let you both have a potion of your choice free."

Lexi waved her wand again, vanishing a glob of...well, something. Without it the surrounding globs seemed to combine to form... "Huh. Anyone else seeing Merlin in this section here?" Because she definitely was.

"Thank you, Lexi!" Isley called out as the woman left the shop. She knew Lexi would be back but she wanted to thank her again anyway. The help she had offered was just too kind, and she really appreciated it.

When the other woman came back Isley gave her a big smile, especially at the freebies she was giving to the girls. It was so kind of her and she really didn't have to do that.

When Lexi asked about a Merlin shaped section Isley turned around to look. Her eyebrows mashed together in concentration, she chuckled, and replied, "Yeah it kinda does, doesn't it." Merlin's beard, was her toppings bar machine a joker?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginevra

"It is nice to meet you officially, Isley. Can I call you by your first name? I am very happy to help a much-loved business. I always love coming here during the Summer holidays."

Daisy beamed and turned to look at Lexi. "It is no trouble at all and thank you so much for the free potion offer."

"That is perfectly fine, Daisy." Isley said with an encouraging smile. "Awe that makes me so happy to hear. I am so glad Florean's is somewhere that makes you happy." Isley worked so hard to keep her shop going and to hear someone say how much they love coming here, made her heart full to bursting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birchwoodmom

She continued working with Daisy to clean up the sticky mess, still covered in toppings herself. She was actually having a good time. It felt good to do something helpful and productive and she always loved serving others. "Miss Isley it is." Her caramel covered smile was bright and a few chunks of candy fell from her hair, which made her giggle. "Would you be willing to use your cleaning spell and take care of my clothes? I'm still a bit nervous about using spells on myself."

Isley gave the young girl a large smile. "Miss Isley is just fine with me, Miss Emmalyn." The poor girl was still covered in toppings and trying to clean. She was about to reply to Emmalyn's request when...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginevra

Daisy turned towards Emmalyn. "I'd be only too happy to clean your clothes for you, Em," Daisy replied as she aimed her wand at Emmalyn's clothes, moving her wand in an up-and-down motion as she performed a simple but effective non-verbal cleaning charm.

"There you go. How's that?"

...Daisy cleaned her up before Isley could. She smiled watching the girls interact. It had been so long she she had been able to spend time with her friends. She was definitely going to have to do that more often.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie

"You're quite welcome, Daisy." They were both good girls. Although, Emmalyn got a raised eyebrow from Lexi, but one that was in good humor.

"Well, tough! I wanna give you girls something for helping. Not as a payment, but a gift. Because you both deserve it." Naturally, the fact neither of them expected it, made Lexi want to all the more. She was a staunch believer that good acts deserved kindness in return. So much of the world as a whole seemed to be the exact opposite of that, leading to a proverb about it, "No good deed goes unpunished." She couldn't change the world, not by a long shot. But Lexi could change her little bubble of the world.

"Oh, good. I'm not the only one seeing it! Was worried I was going a bit loopy there for a moment." She chuckled to herself. "Hey, Isley? Want me to leave the Merlin? You can put it on display and use to draw more customers!" Well, it's what they do in the states, at least.

Lexi was such a sweetheart for insisting on giving them free products from her shop on top of what Isley already had planned to give them.

At the suggestion of keeping the blob of Merlin shaped goo, Isley laughed. "No, it's okay. Go ahead and magic him away. Goodbye gloppy Merlin!" She said waving with a chuckle.


Soon enough the shop was looking clean, and what was left was on the toppings bar itself, and she didn't want anyone else going near it. "Looks like we are done, ladies. Emmalyn, Daisy, wait right here." She said before dashing behind the Ice cream bar. She fiddled around with some pieces of paper the size of a business card, writing something on each of them, and when she was done, walked back over to the girls. "These are for you."

The cards had each girls name on them and said '1 Free Ice cream a day for the rest of the Summer.' She hoped that was enough, and wished she could do more.

"Lexi, free Ice cream anytime." She said with a wink.

[Lissy Longbottom]

Javi had barely had time to register what the heck had caused the candy rain before more people started to enter the shop. Everyone kept asking how they could help, and Javi had resisted the urge to snap that he didn't even know what was happening - one second he was minding his own business, the next he was about to be pelted with ice cream toppings.

AND THEN - topping EXPLOSION.

Wand still held out in front of him, Javi was attacked by flying toppings as the machine finally gave out. He finally ducked down, but the damage was done. Sticky chocolate covered his face, his hair, his BRAND NEW jumper...perfect. Just perfect.

He should have just gone HOME.

Grumbling to himself, he waved his wand over himself and cleaned himself up quickly. He looked around with a grimace and then sighed heavily. "Well, that was eventful," he muttered under his breath.

He looked up at the shopkeeper. He'd heard her mention he got free ice cream for his help, but he suddenly wasn't in the mood for it...."Do you need help with anything else?" he asked. Since he was already HERE and all. It was only polite to offer. Although shockingly, the young girls who had entered behind him had done a pretty good job of helping clean up.

Overachievers. They were probably Hufflepuffs.

[Ginevra]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suziella

Soon enough the shop was looking clean, and what was left was on the toppings bar itself, and she didn't want anyone else going near it. "Looks like we are done, ladies. Emmalyn, Daisy, wait right here." She said before dashing behind the Ice cream bar. She fiddled around with some pieces of paper the size of a business card, writing something on each of them, and when she was done, walked back over to the girls. "These are for you."

The cards had each girls name on them and said '1 Free Ice cream a day for the rest of the Summer.' She hoped that was enough, and wished she could do more.

"Lexi, free Ice cream anytime." She said with a wink.

Once the cleaning was done, Daisy looked around the store with a satisfied smile on her features. When Isley told the two Hufflepuffs to wait where they were, Daisy was a bit curious but did what she was asked. When Isley came back, she had two little cards with her. Daisy and Emmalyn each received one which Daisy realised as she looked down, was a gift card. "Wow! Thank you so much, Isley!"

[Callie]

Lexi beamed, grinning. "You're gonna make me fat with a reward like that," she said, laughing. Not that she was going to turn down free ice cream. Nuh-uh. That just wasn't Lexi.

And now that everything was cleaned again, it was time for them to clean themselves up. Lexi grabbed the bag she'd brought from her own shop, and passed to decent sized potion bottles to everyone. One for their hair and one for their skin.

Speaking of her shop..."I really should be getting back to my own shop...but I'll be back later to check on you Isley." In case any other mishaps happened she might need help with.

[Suziella]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lissy Longbottom

Javi had barely had time to register what the heck had caused the candy rain before more people started to enter the shop. Everyone kept asking how they could help, and Javi had resisted the urge to snap that he didn't even know what was happening - one second he was minding his own business, the next he was about to be pelted with ice cream toppings.

AND THEN - topping EXPLOSION.

Wand still held out in front of him, Javi was attacked by flying toppings as the machine finally gave out. He finally ducked down, but the damage was done. Sticky chocolate covered his face, his hair, his BRAND NEW jumper...perfect. Just perfect.

He should have just gone HOME.

Grumbling to himself, he waved his wand over himself and cleaned himself up quickly. He looked around with a grimace and then sighed heavily. "Well, that was eventful," he muttered under his breath.

He looked up at the shopkeeper. He'd heard her mention he got free ice cream for his help, but he suddenly wasn't in the mood for it...."Do you need help with anything else?" he asked. Since he was already HERE and all. It was only polite to offer. Although shockingly, the young girls who had entered behind him had done a pretty good job of helping clean up.

Overachievers. They were probably Hufflepuffs.

In all the...excitement, Isley had kind of forgotten that the gentleman that had stopped the toppings in the first place was still there....but she could see why. He had kinda been in shock since the explosion. At least he had cleaned himself off. She should have done that before cleaning the shop. "Oh, gosh, sir. I am really, so incredibly sorry." With a flick of her wand a piece of paper and a quill came flying over to her. She caught them with ease, and quickly wrote out a coupon for him as well.

She had seen him in here before with a child and wanted to make sure that they both were taken care of. She wrote '2 Free Ice creams everyday for the rest of the year.' Yes, it was more than the two young ladies had gotten, but they would be at Hogwarts soon and the girl that he brought in was way younger. "Here, for your troubles. We don't need anything else, but thank you so much for your help. Did you need anything for the road? I can make you up some Ice cream to go really easily." The worry crease between her eyebrows deepened.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ginevra

Once the cleaning was done, Daisy looked around the store with a satisfied smile on her features. When Isley told the two Hufflepuffs to wait where they were, Daisy was a bit curious but did what she was asked. When Isley came back, she had two little cards with her. Daisy and Emmalyn each received one which Daisy realised as she looked down, was a gift card. "Wow! Thank you so much, Isley!"

Isley smile at the older of the two girls. "You are so very welcome Daisy. I can't tell you how much I appreciate yours and Emmalyn's help. It won't be forgotten." She pat the girl on the shoulder before continuing to clean things around the broken toppings machine. This was going to be a long day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Callie

Lexi beamed, grinning. "You're gonna make me fat with a reward like that," she said, laughing. Not that she was going to turn down free ice cream. Nuh-uh. That just wasn't Lexi.

And now that everything was cleaned again, it was time for them to clean themselves up. Lexi grabbed the bag she'd brought from her own shop, and passed to decent sized potion bottles to everyone. One for their hair and one for their skin.

Speaking of her shop..."I really should be getting back to my own shop...but I'll be back later to check on you Isley." In case any other mishaps happened she might need help with.

Isley chuckled, "I would never do such a thing." She said with a knowing grin. Lexi loved ice cream and she knew the other woman would take up a freebie as often as she could.

Isley nodded at the other woman. "Thank you so much, again, Lexi. I appreciate you so very much. See you soon." She said with a wink and a wave. She knew she wouldnt have handled this half as well had Lexi not been here to help out.