The Biscuit Bandit

Barnaby was just about to dust the prize-winning, miniature porcelain teapot shaped like a particularly grumpy-looking badger when a soft whirring sound, like a particularly contented bumblebee, filled the air. He froze, duster poised mid-air. It wasn't the usual hum of his ancient refrigerator, nor the gentle sigh of the ventilation system. This was… new. And slightly unnerving.

He peered over the counter, his eyes, already accustomed to the dim, tea-scented light of ‘The Galactic Brew,’ scanning the small, cluttered space. Zorp, his unexpected, Earl Grey-loving alien guest, was hovering near the biscuit selection, a look of intense concentration on his multi-faceted face.

“Is… is everything alright, Zorp?” Barnaby asked, his voice a little higher than usual. The teacup levitation incident had been bad enough. The rogue sugar cube incident, a close second. He was beginning to suspect Zorp’s ‘assistance’ was less about helping and more about… well, escalating the chaos.