Word spread fast. A parrot wearing a wizard clown hat had challenged a customer to a latte duel. Soon, the café was packed.
Two steaming cups. One stage (a barrel with a plank on top). Sabel judged. The prince cheered for both sides.
The elf went first: a swirl, a froth, a sprinkle of elderflower essence.
Gasps.
Then Percival. Wings out. Coffee balanced. He fluttered above his cup, letting mystical bean dust fall from his feathers. A final touch — he dipped the ridiculous hat into the foam, then flicked it perfectly into a whipped spiral.
The crowd erupted.
Rosemary groaned. "Someone get me earplugs."
Hat Power Goes to the Bird's Head
After his victory, Percival wore the hat everywhere. He made rules like:
"All muffins must be addressed as 'Sir' before eating."
"No lies before noon. Only fibs."
"If you sigh three times in a row, you owe me a biscuit."
He renamed the café for the day: "Feather & Beans: House of Honesty and Goof."
The prince played along, wearing a fake mustache and pretending to be "Sir Bean-a-lot, knight of the burnt toast."
Sabel was... less amused. "The coffee's getting cold because the bird is making the customers do an honesty dance."
Crash, Bonk, Whoops
Eventually, during a spectacular performance of "Honest Tea Ballet" — featuring three customers, one broom, and a tray of lemon tarts — the hat slipped from Percival's head… and landed in a cup of fizzling tonic.
BOOMF!
Out puffed a cloud of cinnamon and glitter.
When it cleared, the hat was... gone.
Just a soggy tag remained: Property of BCG — May Cause Goof Overload. Not Recommended for Parrots or Kings.
Percival stood silently on the counter, ruffled and hatless.
Sabel gave him a flat stare. "Well?"
"I feel emotionally nude," whispered the parrot.
The prince laughed until he hiccuped foam.
Back to (Mostly) Normal
As evening fell, the café settled again. The prince brewed "anti-goof" chamomile. Sabel finally got to use his foam whisk. Rosemary was reading a book titled "How to Pretend Everything's Fine When It Isn't."
And Percival?
He sat on the shelf, quietly eating sunflower seeds.
"Maybe," he said, "I don't need a hat to be in charge of vibes. Maybe... the real hat was the goof we had along the way."
Everyone paused.
Then the prince asked, "Wait, did the glitter make you wise now?"
"Nope," said the parrot. "I just want another croissant."