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Shadows in the Sand [Closed, ATTN Pitreas]

A staging-point for declarations of war and other major diplomatic events. [In character]
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Rohane Alista
Diplomat
 
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Founded: Nov 24, 2012
Scandinavian Liberal Paradise

Shadows in the Sand [Closed, ATTN Pitreas]

Postby Rohane Alista » Tue Jan 14, 2025 2:40 pm

Written with Dyste and Silverdale


Alistria and Kariya both were the types to get up early. Years of acting as bodyguards and servants both had ingrained in both a natural rhythm of being the first up on any particular day, except each other. Of course, they usually spent these early mornings cleaning and preparing what would be needed for the day, both for themselves and their charges. But not this morning. This morning they’d been called in by the ‘head maid’, both of their bosses in more than one way, for a briefing.

Mishera awaited her fellow members to enter a classic coffee room where a tray of treats awaited them. There was of course the white board close by and a number of hidden compartments for their items. Today was quite the special day for them as one big task needed to be given!

Ali was the first in, right on time. She gave the slightest of smiles as she took a seat, watching Mishera closely. Before she could speak, though, Kariya entered as well, taking her own seat with a nod. Both fell into silence, well used to the process that would be coming next.

Mishera gave a warm smile as she offered Alistria a hug. “Good to see you Ali.”

“Not in front of… thanks, mom,” Ali returned the hug with a small blush. “You had a mission briefing, right?”

“That’s correct!” Mishera flipped the board into the ‘mission briefing board’ with pinned information, papers, and photos. “You two are selected for an important mission. One I assure you that you've been so yearning for and preparing for this particular scenario. One where wit, charms, and flash of body comes to play! So listen up: you are going on an undercover gig and gather information about the Syndicate. A troublesome gang that went international.”

“... mom,” Ali's small blush grew. “You don't need to give us the sales pitch, we'll do it.”

“Syndicate, huh?... I can see why I was chosen, but,” Kariya frowned. “... no, I'll do it. We have a little bit of time before we leave, right? I… if I need to be away from Icy right now…”

“Excellent. You’ll have plenty of time to prepare. Your flight is early in the morning tomorrow.” Mishera said as she passed over a paper clip board with their tickets and other sort of information. “I arranged all the necessary details on where you’re staying and prepared a good shipment of gear that you’d need.”

“Thank you,” Kariya said, taking her packet and flipping through it. “Ah, I see. All Kariya, huh? Alright, no problem.”

Ali took her own, also looking through it with a nod. “Well… a maid business cover? That… fits, yes. Are you providing the uniforms, mom, or are we?”

“I’m sure one of your uniforms will work well enough. Unless you need some motherly recommendations.” Mishera said.

“We both have uniforms to use,” Kariya said. “Is there any more we need to know, Sensei? Or may I go start preparing?”

“That’d be all.” Mishera said.” The documents will cover other pointers and reminders.” She then looked at Ali. “Ali, this is your big mission. I’m sure you’re ready for it.”

Kariya nodded, standing and leaving Ali and Mishy in the room. Alistria frowned a little, looking at the board, then her mom. “... it would be a lie to say I'm not a little bit nervous. But I want to make you proud, mom.”

“You’ll do well. I’ve seen you refining your maid skills, and cage work is simple to pick up on.” Mishera winked. “Of course the hard part is those gangs, so you better make sure you pick up street cred there.” She patted Ali on the shoulder.

“I'm not afraid of combat or maid work,” Ali replied, standing and hugging Mishy. “... I'm ready, and I know it. But what about you? Dad? My siblings?”

Mishera embraced Ali. “My first mission was a little nerve wracking, but I knew it was my first shot and I did it well! So keep yourself straightened up to the task and go forward. Your father can be a worrywart, but he does understand how important this milestone is. Oh and Elizabeth will be jealous but she isn’t ready to embark on this mission.”

“Well, it's not my first ever mission, mom,” Ali sighed a little. “... I'll make you proud. Keep an eye on everyone while I'm gone? I've got to go get ready, too… love you.”

“No need to worry about that! I’m a super mom here!” Mishera then nodded. “I love you too and make sure to smile.”

“I'll try, mom,” Ali said, putting on a convincing enough smile, even though it seemed a little forced. She broke the hug, waving as she left the room. “Going to get ready now. I'll let you know how I'm doing, mom.”

“Okie! Let me know if you need any help.” Mishera said.

------

Kariya had returned to the room she shared with Icy, grabbing a bag and starting to quietly pack for the extended trip. Uniforms, of course, both maid and ninja. Weapons, in secret compartments, though only the ones she had a mild personal attachment too. Normal clothes, for civilian life…

“Kari?” A voice spoke up as Icy entered the room, the princess wearing a more casual sweater and skirt compared to her more formal wear. “Are you going somewhere?”

“You’re already awake?” Kariya frowned slightly, but soon moved over to hug the princess. “... unfortunately, love, yes. I’ve been given an assignment I can’t say no to. In Pitreas.”

“Oh no,” Icy groaned, “Whatever shall I do without you… I might have to ask Lucy or Julia to look after me,” she then giggled, “... I shall be fine either way, but I hope you will take care of yourself out there.”

“... hey, don’t tease, at least pretend it’s a big blow,” Kariya sighed, gently tapping Icy on the head. “I wouldn’t be going if I thought I could get out of it. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. I won’t leave you without me, much less our child… I’ll leave instructions for Lucy. And if you need someone to… keep you warm, there’s always Diana. Or Amik or Nouria, I suppose… hrm. I’ll be home ASAP, ok?”

“I understand,” Icy gave her a hug, “... knowing Diana she will come to keep me warm even if I do not ask. As for Flurrie, she will miss you, but I will manage.”

“She’s young enough she might not even realize, or at least remember,” Kariya replied, letting herself relax slightly in Icy’s arms. “I love you, Icy. I’ll stay safe, don’t worry. If this weren’t a mission I’d just try and bring you and Flurina with. I’ll call as much as I can, though. She’ll want to hear her other mom’s voice, don’t you think?”

“I would think so, yes,” Icy agreed, “... I love you too, Kari. I know Mishy wouldn’t give you a job she thinks you couldn’t do, but that doesn’t mean you can be complacent out there. Come back to us, Kari, please.”

“Mishy and Ana,” Kariya sighed. “There was a letter from the boss in my packet. Feel free to yell at her,” the ninja added with a smile, letting go of Icy to look her in the eyes. “I will be coming back to you both. I swear it.”

“I will hold you to that,” Icy told her, “And don’t worry, she and I will have a talk later. You just focus on the mission, dear.”

“I will. Alright, I’m going to finish packing, make sure I’m ready, then spend the rest of the day with you and Flurrie. We leave tomorrow morning,” Kariya said, giving Icy a kiss and returning to her packing. “Clothes… well, I guess I should have…”

------

Alistria was much the same as Kariya, packing for her trip. With less immediate distractions, however, she found herself done sooner, taking her bags to wait near the car park for the next morning, so they wouldn’t be forgotten. With a nod, she turned, already back in uniform and intent on performing some kind of extra maid work before her trip… or at least so anyone who knew her could guess rather quickly.

“... hey,” a voice said from a corner, as Tizal was leaning against the wall. “Goin’ somewhere, sis?”

“Oh, Tiz,” Ali smiled at him, one that was clearly slightly forced. “Yes. I have a business trip to go on. One that might end up being quite long, sadly.”

“Guess that means the other maids’ll have more work to do while you’re gone,” Tiz snorted, “At least none of ‘em’ll even try to clean Koza’s room.”

“I am sure they will do a good job,” Ali's lips thinned. “You will be good, right? Study hard. Is anyone still trying to pick on you at school?”

“No, sis,” Tiz rolled his eyes, “I think after your lil’ prank last time they just try to avoid me.”

“It was a lesson,” Ali clicked her tongue. “And they deserved it. I hope you are able to make more friends, nonetheless. I'll send you more money, even while I'm away, alright? Use it for yourself or for your tiefling projects. I trust you, Tiz.”

“... thanks,” Tiz said, “... look, take care out there, kay?”

“I will,” Ali smiled again, a little bit more genuinely this time. “You'll be OK, right? While I'm gone? You didn't actually answer.”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” Tiz leaned back, “I’ll be back at school anyways in a few days. And Koza can’t mess up the castle too much while you’re away, right?”

Ali paled slightly. “... surely not. Even she wouldn't dare.”

“And I think Mom wouldn’t let her anyways,” Tiz smirked. “Any messages you want me to give to the others?”

“Tell Soey to clean up his projects when he finishes them. I don't know that the other maids will understand where everything is meant to go the way I do. And tell Gwen not to spend too much time playing guitar. She is smart, if she works hard, she will do fine in her science classes. Tell Koza… that I trust her to be a good big sister,” Ali said.

“Got it,” Tiz said, “... we’ll see if any of ‘em listen.”

“I'm sure Soey will,” Ali let out a long breath. “The others… I doubt it. Now, I should really get to work.”

“Guess so,” Tiz sighed, “See you when I see you, I guess.”

“... I'll still be here for dinner tonight,” Ali smiled at Tiz, genuine for the first time, reaching up on tiptoes to ruffle his hair. “I'll call you every single day. How about that? That way you won't get lonely, right, Tiz?”

Tiz actually squirmed a little when Ali ruffled his hair, making him seem more like he was when he was smaller than Ali. “... just make sure to not call me during class, okay? You know they don’t like it.”

“I know, I'll wait for dinner time,” Ali promised. “Don't want to make your professors upset. Not when it might make you look cooler.”

“Nice idea, but you have no idea with some of my teachers,” Tiz shuddered. “Really don’t want to make archmages mad.”

“Professor Snowtear?” Ali asked. “Hm. I will handle that… Well, at least help. Unless you don't want me to. I will be away, so it's really up to you, isn't it…” she sighed.

“... Ali.” Tiz stepped out of the shadows and placed his hand on her shoulder, “I will be fine, promise. Focus on your mission and let me worry about school.”

“... alright, Tiz,” Ali nodded. “I promise. When did you grow up so much? I still feel like you should be shorter than me! Alright, no, if I get into this we'll be here forever. I'll see you at dinner, Tiz. And I'll call you every day I can.”

“Yeah, yeah, see ya then,” Tiz said, choosing not to mention that he has been taller than Ali for almost a decade now.

Ali waved, heading down the hall again, a rare spring in her step.

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Pitreas
Lobbyist
 
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Founded: Sep 23, 2023
Scandinavian Liberal Paradise

Postby Pitreas » Tue Jan 14, 2025 6:58 pm

Written with Rohane Alista


Outside the capital of Pitreas, Pitrana, and then a bit further away than that (and yet a little bit more) stands the villa of the Goldennights, isolated from the business of the city, with peace and silence in multitudes. Officially, the power of Pitreas’ grand, noble families had long come and gone, but their wealth and influence still left its impact on the nation. And while some families have turned themselves into humble citizens, the Goldennights weren’t known to be that… reserved about their heritage.

“Final’y! Do these maids not know to ar’ive ahead of time?” Silvia Goldennight, sole inheritor of the Goldennight villa, rose from her chair as she heard a car pull up to their front door. “And to park in the wrong spot no less! A poor introduction!” She put on her heels and made her way to the front garden, waving dismissively at the car’s occupants. “You two! The servants park behind the villa! What will my guests think if they see this excuse for a vehicle?”

Two maids, already in black dress uniforms, had barely even left the vehicle yet, actually a fairly nice, if understated, black sedan. They could have almost been sisters; both had silver hair and yellow eyes, but one was clearly an elf and the other a human, the elf much smaller in every measure. It was her who spoke first.

“Of course, madam. Our deepest apologies. We shall move the vehicle out of sight and endeavor to keep it that way from now on,” she said, nodding slightly to the other maid, who got back behind the wheel, taking the vehicle around behind the home. The elf remained, curtseying. “An honor to make your acquaintance, Madam Goldennight.”

“Very good. At least you are well-man’ered, unlike my previous maid, who was just- Ugh! I will bother you with it later. Come along.” The woman, unfazed by the maid who was at least half a head taller than her, went back inside, barely looking back at the woman. “The quarters for servants are in the back. And no entering the upstairs without permis’ion. I had tasked the previous maid with leaving instructions before she left, I hope they will be of use to you.”

“Understood, Madam,” the elven maid agreed readily enough. “May we request permission when it is time to clean the upstairs, or should we leave it for your say so?”

“You will clean the upstairs on scheduled times, so I can practice my work in peace.” The woman nodded firmly. “You will use the servant kitchen for your own food. Ah, which you are also responsible for buying. It will be included in your payment. I do not think that leaves any questions, no?”

“Not at this time, Madam,” the elf curtsied again. The human maid rejoined them as she did, joining the motion.

“Very good. I wish for my evening meal in four hours, on the dot. Your advance payment is in an envelope in your rooms, alongside the contract. I have your names and contact information - Do not think you can do anything fun’y.” She warned them both, in blissful ignorance.

“Of course not, Madam. You shall only see and hear us when you wish to,” the elf promised, both maids staying in their curtsey as they waited for her to leave on her way.

“Very good. Only disturb me as a mat’er of urgency.” The woman frowned, leaving without as much as trading names, going up the stairs and around a corner, out of sight. “My schedule is already off due to this reception. What is a noble to do…”

The two waited for her to be gone, heading to their section in the back of the home. They soon were in the section for service staff, where they could be certain their employer would never step.

“She's a bitch. And way out here. I'm not sure we should have taken this one,” Kariya said softly.

“We need to establish a good reputation,” Ali sighed slightly, her face relaxing as she dropped her fake smile. “Now where is that note the previous maid supposedly left…”

The servant’s quarters weren’t a difficult find - The walls got paler, the portraits of long-dead somebodies ceased to look down on them, and the space as a whole got more… Narrow, less privileged. It was as if these backrooms were designed to remind the servants of their place. Before long, they found the servant’s kitchen (Which doubled as their living room, and storage, and rec room, and so on), empty of everything one couldn’t fit through the back door. The two girls were left with a kitchen counter devoid of silverware, a sofa that couldn’t satisfy a cat, and a lone table upon which was left a well-aged workmap, presumably the notes mentioned by the mansion’s owner. The pale sight left the duo with no hope for their personal accommodations.

“... this is atrocious,” Ali frowned, looking over the room. “Unacceptable. No wonder this woman can't keep help.”

“But we need to build our reputation,” Kariya reminded with no small amount of sarcasm. She headed over, taking the map and looking over it. “It could be worse. At least we're not set up in a cave. Only almost one.”

The workmap turned out to be a piece of work in itself, as Kariya started sorting through the different pages - Instructions, tables, maps, some perhaps decades old and showing it. In the dance of letters that seemed to jump from Common to Pitrean without real pattern, she started making out dates, employees, and tasks- A treasure trove of deeply useless information, she thought, before flipping the page for the month prior to their arrival, which, on close, rigorous inspection, was gone. The missing page was followed by the promised instructions, although the previous maid seemed to have left the note unsigned.

“... I have the feeling the latest maid really hated this woman,” Kariya muttered, reading the instructions as Ali checked to make sure no rodents were living in the ‘couch’.

The instructions themselves, at least, were quite useful, ranging from some cooking and maintenance instructions to the various locations where the villa ‘hid’ the cleaning tools. Nothing super in-depth was provided, though, the whole affair an afterthought to the original writer. They also conveniently left out the status of the servant’s silverware - No points for guessing where those had gone, or the glasses, or the plates…

“Speaking of, there's no utensils or anything,” Ali informed her partner after checking every drawer. “... we should check our rooms. See if there's even beds in this place.”

“I'm not going to bet for them,” Kariya sighed, setting down the notes and heading out of the common room towards the bedrooms.

The bedrooms were at least not empty, though one was more visibly used than the other, revealing more traces of the surely lovely precious occupant. At least though, Kariya spotted a small stack of papers for what looked to be a contract on each desk, next to a heavy-looking sealed envelope. Without a doubt, she’d know the mansion’s owner had come to the servant quarters to prepare these for her new maids. …And then promptly left the rooms and kitchen in its current empty state. Kariya imagined the beds to be bolted to the floor- The only reason they’d still be here.

“So she knew how empty this was and still thought it was fine to hire people with it like this?” Kariya scowled.

“... admittedly, part of me wonders if this is even legal here,” Ali added, looking through the contract. “This thing is insane. It must be at least five hundred pages…”

Luckily for them, the contract seemed to be mostly loaded with legalese, more concerned with making a grand exposition of the history of the noble family and bragging about the lands it used to control than with defining anything regarding their work. At the end of it all, the actual terms were short, almost liberating, and for a payment that almost seemed to make the ordeal worth their while (almost). The terms and conditions of the job were stated so simply, one might wonder if there is some sense of irony or self-awareness in the Lady’s head - But, far more likely, it wasn’t her who’d written the terms out at all. The hopes of the two princesses vanished into the wind.

Kariya sighed. “Do you think she would even notice if we didn't sign these?”

“Just use our aliases,” Ali whispered, pulling out her own pen, not even clothing to see if one had been left behind, and signing the contract with a fake name. Kariya borrowed the pen to do the same.

“And now… we had better check that she has any food, I guess,” Kariya grumbled, before schooling her face back into a gentle smile and leaving the servants wing.

The walk from the servants’ wing to the villa kitchen was ceremoniously, almost purposefully short, but the difference in their condition was night and day. Where the servant’s kitchen was long and visibly abandoned, the villa kitchen was in a state of disarray - No, it was a complete disaster, undone dishes loaded with poor attempts at meal-making, bags and boxes of food deliveries, and to top the feast off, several cans of food scattered across the table, unopened, the can opener stuck in the wall in what must have been a firm, beautiful throw of frustration. The whole affair was rather sad, and worse words would come to mind if not for the fact that, at least, the lady of the house had managed to open a window to let the smell out.

“This…” Ali placed a hand over her mouth. She had been training as a ninja and a maid as long as she could remember, following her mom around and copying her. And she had never seen anything even close to this bad. Her face went slightly green as she looked at the disaster zone. “Fuck.

Kariya just silently pulled out gloves, trash bags, and masks from a small hidden cubby in the room. “... this woman is going to die if we don't help her. Let's get cleaning,” she said, grabbing… something on the counter and tossing it in a trash bag.

The girls slowly but steadily got to work, a row of trash bags slowly lining themselves up. Luckily for the girls, there seemed to be a god in the mansion - If two large, automatic, barely used dishwashers could be called such a thing, which, for the occasion, felt appropriate. As the food and dishes slowly left their sight, replaced by the tables, chairs and counters that turned out to be underneath them (who knew!), smells and moods lifted. The two ‘maids’ even started to notice the singing of the lady of the house, which was a genuinely impressive thing to one’s ears and could be enjoyed, if it wasn’t for the stark contrast of the mess she left for them.

“... objectively, she's a good singer,” Ali admitted. “However, I want to silence her with… what even is this, a pie?” She lifted a plate that had been hidden under other piles of things with some kind of smashed brown potentially a pastry on it. She scraped that into a trash bag, then jumped, almost dropping the plate. “Bug!”

“Oh, of course…” Kariya groaned. She searched and found by spray, letting it a heavy breath. “You clean. I'll… kill. Can't let this get worse, or there will be an infestation.”

From upstairs, the beautiful melodies of the opera songstress continued, oblivious to the torture of the girls. Gods, she sang so pretty. If only it was enjoyable.

“I've heard better,” Kariya grumbled to herself, spraying another bug. “Gods save me. Can we quit yet?”

“No,” Ali replied, as parts of counter actually came properly into view again. “... maybe. This woman…”

“I'm not saying we should scare her into treating staff better,” Kariya grunted as she trapped a large roach in a sieve and sprayed it through the gaps. “... but…”

As the actual kitchen came into view, the girls came to a different realization of significance: What food remained in the kitchen seemed, at best, in a dubious state. Which, at least, explained the stack of delivery boxes they’d so nicely gotten rid of. But as the sun arched across the sky, dinnertime crept closer, and the next store was… Likely a while away.

“... there is not a single piece of edible food in this house,” Ali informed Kariya, her stomach letting out a small rumble of hunger. “We certainly don't have time to get to a store and back.”

“... well then,” Kariya, satisfied she'd taken care of the bugs as best she could at the moment, pulled off a glove and retrieved a phone. “... order in? Do you think Pony Eats works in Pitreas?”

A cursory glance did reveal Pony Eats had indeed set its hooves in Pitreas, no business opportunity left unseized. It would certainly be faster than figuring out and ordering ingredients, especially in a remote location like this one. Perhaps the girls could pass it off as their own cooking? Delightfully devilish.

“... burgers,” Kariya said, inputting an order, both for them and something for the lady of the house. Before she hit send she frowned. “There was meat in the fridge, right?”

“I… could hardly tell,” Ali admitted. “Everything in there was well rotten. Maybe the boxes said…”

Whatever meat was left for the girls seemed unreliable. Then again, that wasn’t something exactly exclusive to the meat. But at least, whatever happened to the meat wasn’t as bad as what happened to the vegetables. Or the fruits. Or the dairy.

“She can eat meat tonight, then,” Kariya pressed the order button, leaving a large bonus as well. “And if she doesn't like it, I quit. It'll be here in about forty five minutes.”

“We had best go clean ourselves,” Ali groaned. “... did we even have baths? Or at least showers?”

If the servant bathroom was as empty and abandoned as the kitchen, then at least, this time, that’d be a good thing. Unless the previous workers took the toilet seat with them, or the water didn’t run, or… Could they not sneak in one of the several mansion bathrooms instead? Like, are they sure-sure?

“We had best check,” Kariya said, throwing away the gloves and mask she had worn, heading back for the servants quarters, Ali hot on her heels. At least they could both be certain they had their own shampoo and soap this time.

As they found their way into the bathroom, which took a moment, as the door wasn’t any different from any other in the hall, the girls breathed a sigh of relief as the bathroom was… Simply insanely pale and abandoned. Probably solely because the sink and toilet were too much effort to take on the previous maid’s way out. The water even ran, like water was supposed to, from the taps, which shouldn’t be a noteworthy achievement, but here they were.

“Alright. Quick ones, we've only got… thirty minutes left,” Kariya said, leaving the room.

Between them, the girls managed to take almost the entire thirty minutes, and their hair was still slightly damp, but Kariya was out front, ready to intercept the food, while Alistria made sure there was at least enough china and silverware to make it look like a proper meal to a stuck up, clueless, sheltered rich woman.

The girls’ time ran out as the singing faded, minutes later followed by small steps down the stairs. “Out of water in the practice room. Ugh, I knew I should have done the new maids in the morning, now the upstairs is all dusty. How is a lady sup’osed to live like this?” She spotted one of the maids, still clueless to their names, in the kitchen. “You! Is my din’er ready yet?”

“Almost, Madam. Would you like me to escort you to the dining room, or would you prefer to wait there for it to arrive?” Ali asked, a fake but convincing smile on her face.

“Oh, do escort me. My previous workers had no such politeness. Ah, what a step up.” The woman gave an approving nod. “I will see you compensated for such man’ers. Very well done.”

“As you say, Madam,” Ali kept the fake smile on her face, sending Kariya a quick message without even needing to look where her phone was, then left the kitchen. Luckily, it had been easy enough to memorize the maps left for the two, and Ali soon had Silvia in the dining room, pulling out a chair at the head of the table for her. “The chair is yours, Madam.”

“Examplatory. I hope the other maid, the human girl, is as well-behaved as you.” The lady nodded. “And the food? You did clean the kitchen beforehand, did you not? I will not stand for my din’er to be produced in that… Pile.”

Ali's smile almost wavered. Almost. “Yes, Madam. We have worked very hard to ensure the kitchen is sanitary. We will surely continue to do so.”

A moment later, a different door to the dining room opened, Kariya pushing in a small cart, a plate and cover on it. She removed the cover, revealing a still hot burger, staged around some potato fries, with a glass of wine. “Madam. Your meal is ready. We will need to acquire more food so that we may offer you a varied menu posthaste,” the human also smiled, just as fake as Ali's.

“You need to acquire more food? Did I not give you enough advance payment?” The woman asked, slicing a potato fry in two with her fork and knife. “Hm, this tastes familiar. My previous maid must have left fine instructions, if you can replicate her work so well. …I do not recall if she served me such dishes, but she must have. You seem quite skil’ed in the kitchen, you both.”

“Food for you, Madam,” Kariya clarified. Her eye twitched as she watched a fry get eaten with a fork and knife. “We do our best, Madam.”

“Food for me? Ah, the quality stores must have gone up in price. Again.” The lady mumbled, as if she could place a guess to the pricing of the food in front of her, let alone a proper grocery trip. “It only gets worse by the year, you know. We used to be respected. Goldennights like us, we could snap our fingers and they would come running to our service. Now, I need to be toured around the country for a living, putting on these shows. It is a chore, let me tell you. You girls have it easy.” Another potato fry went in two with the cleanest cut of a knife.

Kariya glanced at Ali, who subtly shook her head. The elf took over then. “Of course, Madam. You must work truly hard. Of course, I am sure you are also beloved by the people for it.”

“Oh, my singing fills halls, it does.” The woman said proudly as she started picking the burger apart, separating the buns from the meat and vegetables. “And the ap’lause, oh, you would not believe. It is a chore, but I final’y get recognized on the street again. It seems people final’y respect our house again, thanks to my ef’orts. If only my family saw it like that.”

“Your family, Madam?” Ali asked. “Will we need to prepare to serve others than you?”

“No, no.” The woman brushed the idea off. “They left of their own volition. In fact, if they do show up, turn them around. If they do not want to put the ef’ort in, they do not get to live here, simple as that. Weird folks they can be, following all the new hype. Can not respect a tradition if their life depended on it.”

“As you say, Madam,” Ali nodded.

Kariya seemed to have blanked out the entire conversation so far, finding her zen in order to not yell at her ‘employer’ for pulling the burger apart. She didn't say anything, but it was a good thing she was behind Silvia because her face read murder for several moments before she smoothed it out.

The lettuce leaves went first, before the woman started slicing the meat into pieces. “...How does one eat those bread buns? They are decorative, are they not? Such an unsatisfying part of the meal, I say. I do not understand why they add them at all. To make us hard-working folk pay more, I am sure. Ridiculous, do you not agree?”

Kariya's eyes opened as wide as they could.

“Well, Madam, I am of the impression that the masses eat them with their hands. Like some sort of sandwich type meal,” Ali said. “Of course, that would be beneath you. I'm the future I will ensure you do not have unneeded additions to your food such as that.”

“With hands?” The woman spoke appalled. “The depths some people sink to. The stains it would leave! Tell me they wear gloves, at least. What a ridiculous display of glut’ony.”

“No, Madam, but they do at least clean their hands after,” Ali said, subtly bumping Kariya.

“What a roundabout way to stay clean.” The lady shook her head. “So convoluted, I may never understand it. Make sure never to scoop to their level. A lady should have man’ers- Refined ones. Me, twice so, of course.”

“Of course, Madam. We are well trained and will not hurt your reputation,” Ali said with a small smirk. “Please, do not worry. We will act properly for every situation.”

“I am most pleased to hear that.” The woman nodded as the meal was finished, leaving two empty burger buns on her plate. She took her wine, calmly inspecting it, seeming satisfied. “It is so dif’icult to find good servants nowadays. All snark, no work. If you need a raise to stay around, do inform me. I would hate to see you whisked away and start this sil’y job process all over again.”

“I am certain that money is not something we will need more of,” Kariya finally spoke again her tone even and lacking all of the killing intent it could have had. “But we will be sure to let you know if we should need your assistance, Madam, though we will endeavor not to ever place such burden on you.”

“Ah, very practiced, very good.” The woman nodded. “And here I thought all com’on peasants were driven by money. It seems you two are trained well indeed.” She sipped her wine, standing up. “I will be in my quarters, then. Do know you can be called upon, but I shall be at rest for now. Dismis’ed.” She made an attempt to clap her hands, remembered she was holding wine, then simply waved them off. “Go… Do what servants do in their free time, while you have it.”

“Of course, Madam. Rest well,” Ali said, putting the dishes back on Kariya's cart, the two leaving Silvia behind.

Kariya was quick to dispose of the buns, pulling their food out of a bread box, getting right to eating. “I can't believe her,” the Rohanian grumbled. “Not only is she stuck up, she has no idea what she's doing. Yeah, she can sing, but I bet her family left because she was only ever rude to them.”

“Kari,” Ali warned, her ear twitching. She ate quickly, then nodded to the servant quarters. “Let's just try and get sleep tonight. I get the feeling we're going to need at least a week to truly get this place up to any kind of par. Let's try not to get fired, at least. Running errands is a good cover for going into the city…”

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Rohane Alista
Diplomat
 
Posts: 568
Founded: Nov 24, 2012
Scandinavian Liberal Paradise

Postby Rohane Alista » Wed Jan 22, 2025 2:54 am

Written with Pitreas


The later the night got, the busier the Pitranan streets got, and Lucio’s Lovelife in the Samath district was one of the places to be. Between the music and bodies was a lively bar, fresh with the freshest gossip and riddles - More false than true, as a good story was as good of a payment as money for the bartender. The man himself was wishing for extra hands as he stood behind the bar, trading the dishes for orders and the orders for tales, a smile remaining on his face as sweat trickled down. “...If only the aircon worked today…” The man muttered, visibly out of breath.

“It ain't a dance club without everyone sweatin’ it up, barman,” a human girl approached, an easy smile on her face as her silver jewelry sounds were drowned out by the music. Even in this crowd, though, her tight, short, and backless golden dress was definitely designed to catch attention. In this case, the attention of the drinks man. “What can you make? Can I get a screwie?”

“Good thing I’m not dancing.” The man smiled as he got to work, grabbing a clean glass. “Rocks and an island?”

“Nah! Just the drink!” The girl leaned on the bar. “So, like, you're totally stuck back here, huh? That's gotta suck! If you, like, wanna chat or dance I'm totes down!”

“I don’t know if you’re familiar with the term.” The man forced a grin. “But the bartender’s job is to tend the bar. Don’t worry, whoever you hit off with is sure to be a lucky one. What’s the payment?” The man asked, sliding her the bright orange drink as requested.

“Uh, money?” The girl said. “But, I mean… just cause you're stuck here doesn't mean you can't talk! And I totally need a break from dancing!” She giggled, sipping her drink and fishing out some cash to pay him with. “OK, uh… oooh, you can totes tell me the hot gossip, right? Right?”

“I can trade it. Welcome to Samath.” The bartender laughed. “You must be new here. Try it out, don’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

“Aww, but I wanna know the truth,” the girl pouted. “Like, the gossip is so much more fun when it's true, y'know? Or at least could be!”

“Gossip’s no good if you are certain of it.” The man raised an eyebrow. “Well, in that case, that will be six Vers, please.”

“Isn't that, like… totes pricy?” The girl replied, though she paid it easily. “... ok, like, it has to be at least maybe true! The gossip, I mean! Like… oh! You know uh… the big singer girl, what's her name… you know, blonde, short, big rabbit ears?”

“Big singer…” The man frowned. “Goldennight? The opera woman? I heard she performed in the city last week.” He wasn’t sure if this was true, but it was hardly harmful to the discussion.

“Yeah! Her!” The girl nodded and giggled. “OK, so like, I have friends who like, have friends, right? And they told me her entire staff quit! And she, like, had to hire foreign maids!”

“All of them? And you’d think it’d pay well enough to keep anyone on.” The man poured a fresh drink for a different customer. “How bad can it be?”

“OK so like…” the girl did a drunken impression of trying to make sure they weren't overheard before shrugging. “According to my friend, her friend said the singer girl is totally useless and a bitch. Like, she can't even open a can! And, like, so, she would yell at people about seeing them unless she, like, called them herself!”

“A can? Like a food can? That’s hardly believable.” The man raised an eyebrow. “But then again, who am I to judge?”

“Hey man, I'm just, like, trading goss! It's just what I heard, ok?” The girl pouted, taking a seat at the bar. “But I totes believe, my friend is super honest. Like, kinda a drag if she doesn't love your outfit or whatever…”

“She sounds picky, but truthful. You’ve got good friends.” The man smiled. “Well, that’s Vers and a story. Do you want a second drink?”

“No, I want gossip,” the girl huffed. “God's, you're like, hot, but kinda silly, huh?... not that, like, that's bad. Mmm.”

“Gossip, hm.” The man frowned. “Let’s see what I’ve heard today. What kind of talk are you interested in?”

“Oooh, something totally, like, exciting,” her eyes sparkled. “Like… I dunno… fights or like, gangsters! You know? That stuff is so scary but so, like, exciting!... you know, as gossip. I think real gangsters might, like, be too scary…”

“Huh.” The man shrugged, passing a glass along. “I heard a delivery of Lupita’s disappeared from a cargo train this morning. Wines, cigars, the good stuff. Either someone tonight is getting very rich or very wasted.” He laughed the matter off.

“Whoah! Isn't she, like, the um… booze queen?” The lady asked, then gasped. “Oh. My. Gods! I should totes tell you, like, my name! You can call me Calli!”

“That’s her! …Though no one calls her that.” The man laughed. “It’s not uncommon for her deliveries to go missing, considering her value. But usually you can find them back by following the trail of drunkards. Apparently - Though the story is getting dated - They didn’t find this one yet.”

“Well, I mean, it's been like… a day, right?” Calli giggled. “I bet they find a bunch of drunks soon!... so, um, yeah,” she fished a phone out of a small purse, sending a text or two. “Like… when're you off?”

“I’m here all night. The stories only get better the longer you wait.” The man shook his head. “Do take care to be wary around drunks. They’re not necessarily fun to manage.”

“Awww,” Callie pouted. “Can I, like, at least get your name?”

“Lucio, of course. Lucky, and the one and only.” He raised an eyebrow. “Do you see anyone else behind this bar? I do it with pride.”

“Oh my gods, you're the, like, owner? That's soooo hot,” Callie giggled. “Can I, like, keep talking with you? You're so cool! My friends are totes off doing whatever, and like, you know the fun stuff! Um… I don't think I have more good goss… unless you like, want stuff about not Pitreas!”

“Oh, I don’t know if my tentacles go that far. Why not come back some other time?” He laughed, passing her a glass of water. “Shouldn’t you be on your way, Callie? I think you’ve got people waiting for you.”

“Like, not really… but I guess I can leave you alone… sorry! I'll, like, see you later!” She didn't touch the water, getting off the seat and heading back to the dance floor.

“Sure you will!” He put the tactical glass of water away. “You really can’t tell with some people. What a mess…”

------

Away from the bright lights of the night life, on darker roofs, a phone buzzed. The owner pulled it out and checked, just a short text. “Booze hit t/ morn. Police can't find. Chk maybes.”

“Not too much, but,” the woman with the phone pulled on her mask, looking something up online. A Lupita's shipment had indeed been hit that morning, and police seemed to have no leads yet. She put the phone away in a hidden pocket of her clothes after silencing it, going over the mental map she had of the city, before heading for the warehouse district across the roofs.

A dove took off as she landed on the edge of a roof, a high spot perfect for overseeing the square. It was as quiet as expected, most laborers having long called it a day, only the occasional security walking about. Not all buildings appeared equally quiet, though: Some were dark, others lit up, though often curtained to protect their contents and staff. The bird landed on an opposite roof, curiously looking at the woman that it got chased off by.

“Shh,” the woman held a finger to her lips, looking at the bird. She was well aware that jumping across roofs in all black would look suspicious, after all. She had a job to do, though, and switched her attention back to the warehouses, focusing first on those that all showed life. She eliminated as many as possible ahead of time; some her elven ears could hear the discussions inside, some weren't as concealed as they thought. A few, though, would require closer inspection as she jumped across.

The dove took off again, not entertaining the woman’s cat-and-mouseplay as it built up distance. The people inside, though, remained blissfully unaware. Someone else, though, a fancy-looking man, dressed in dark colours, was making a big show of crossing into the street inconspicuously, looking over his shoulder as he was talking on the phone. He stopped in front of one of the buildings, looking at his watch in anticipation.

The most obvious possible person ever, at least the woman observing him from a nearby roof thought so. She got a little closer, but stuck to the shadows, content to observe for now, seeing if she could hear his conversation.

The boy was just putting away his phone as the lights of the building started failing. With a deep breath, he headed inside, taking gloves from his back pocket and running them across the lock, the door opening with a click to allow access, before he disappeared from sight.

“... very suspicious,” the woman softly whispered to herself, jumping across to the roof of the building he'd just entered. Unlike him, she was looking for a hatch, sunlight, or even second floor door, a slightly less obvious way in of some kind.

The other side of the building did have a balcony, one distressed man currently in the process of putting out a cigarette to figure out what was happening inside. The door was slightly ajar, though probably not for long.

The man would never make it back inside, a weight landing directly on his skull solving the issue of his consciousness for him remarkably quickly. This gave the ninja ample time to tie up his hands and feet, then poke her own head into the gap, holding the door open to take a quick look and listen.

“Fuck happened to the lights?” A Pitrean man cursed at his hired crew. “If our safe house is compromised, I’m killing y’all to catch the rat. Check the doors, get moving.” A hint of nervousness escaped his facade as he glanced at some of the boxes that littered the floor. “And prepare an escape route. Fuck this job.”

The ninja took the chance to sneak in, keeping the door up top open with a small block. Luckily for her, she didn’t need the lights as much as the gangsters did, her eyes adjusting rapidly and already able to see in the near dark as it was. She perched on a railing, seeing if she could spot the man from earlier as she pulled two small balls out of a pouch on her hip.

One of the crew shouted something unintelligible from downstairs, causing his boss to walk to the stairs. “And you did not LOCK the fucking DOOR?” He shouted. “Get us out of here now! Is Anton still on that fucking cig?” He turned, walking straight for the balcony.

Which was when the small bombs were thrown. They dropped down, the ninja shielding her eyes already as they exploded into blindingly bright light just above the first floor.

The man screamed, falling to the floor and rubbing his eyes. “Bright fucking- What was that? Who?” He blinked, looking around, or making an attempt to, watching blurs of black dance in front of his eyes.

The downstairs started getting noisier, a whole different conflict erupting on the staircase, a body tumbling down the hardwood, and then a second. “Whoever’s in there, give yourself up!” A boy shouted, running for the ninja’s room.

She allowed herself a little snort, perching on the railing and then jumping off. She didn't head for the floor, though, not yet, grabbing the beams across the roof and using them to swing along until she was right where she wanted to be. Gravity would be her aragon as she let go, dropping her knee directly into the stomach of the man who was still blinded as she landed.

“You think you-” Just as the man was about to scramble up, all air left his lungs - And the slightest bit of food his stomach - collapsing onto the floor with glazed eyes, The door swung open, the boy spotted earlier outside bursting in, put on edge by the display before him, unsure which of the two he should now be paying attention to. “...Name?” He warned the woman, flashing the steel marbles he clutched between his fingers, some of them showing signs of blood.

She didn't respond, at least not with words, seizing the momentum instead by flinging another small orb his way. This one wasn't a bright flash, but burst into a red cloud of smoke that by smell alone was definitely some version of pepper spray.

He tried to push the small orb away, sprinting towards the ninja with a hand over his mouth, but only found air where the woman stood. He turned and ran for the balcony, if not to find the girl, then for air, slamming the door open as he gasped for air and looked around. “Who-”

A thin rope wrapped around his neck from above. It wasn't tight, allowing him to breathe, but it would obviously take only moments to change that situation. A woman's voice, surprisingly soft sounding for the situation, came from above him. “Don't move. Tell me why you came here.”

“We tagged the cargo.” The boy quickly responded, feeling the rope around his neck. “All that was left was to apprehend them. And you?”

“Tracking leads,” the woman responded. Though, really, she didn't sound that old, anyways. “Who do you work for?”

“...You first.” The boy looked up, watching the woman stare him down. “It is still illegal to break into a warehouse, even one for stolen goods, you know. You’re on camera, get down.”

A balcony away, a dove was all-too-curiously watching the engagement, head tilted in curiosity.

“I think not,” the voice replied, applying just enough pressure to remind Zahid that he wasn't really in control. “And your cameras will not help you the way you think.”

As she spoke, a kunai pierced through the dove, a moment later another person landing on that roof. Unlike the one controlling Zahid at the moment, she was flashy, besides her face hidden behind a full mask, wearing a shiny golden dress that was dangerously short. “Let's not waste time,” she called softly.

“Tell me who you work for,” the voice demanded of Zahid again, another little bit of pressure on his throat.

The dove fell, a mechanical crash coming from two stories down as the drone’s remains hit the pavement. Zahid’s breathing intensified, only barely able to watch the other trespasser in the corner of his eyes, the rope burning the skin around his neck ever so slightly. “...Pitreas.” He finally mumbled, closing his eyes. “Don’t think… You’ll get out of here… Ow…”

“Police? Federal?” The voice followed up, the pressure lightening again.

“Only kinda.” He responded, a kunai - The same one that pierced the dove - Shooting up from below the balcony, the boy yanking his head to the side as the blade tore through the rope. He made a sprint and leapt off the balcony, falling both stories and landing on the hood of a driving car, the rope still around his neck. “Fuck- Go!” He shouted as the car sped up.

“Let them go,” the first ninja caught the kunai, jumping across to join the other. Both watched as the car sped off, the first handing the kunai back over. Then she pulled up a small screen, a beeping light on it as the car sped off. “... I don't believe he noticed the spell I sent through the rope.”

“Thanks, Rim. You’re incredible as usual.” As the warehouse left their sight, he gestured at the girl to slow down a bit, then carefully climbed into the passenger seat, and started clawing at the rope. “...Do we have a knife?”

“There are tools that should suffice for slicing purposes in the medical kit.” The girl spoke plainly, eyes on the road. “Make sure to get checked for ropeburn tomorrow morning, prince Zahid.”

“...Right, thanks.” He nodded, opening the case and cutting the rope off his neck. “Don’t worry, I can already tell I’ve got it. Ouch…”


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