[SS] Friends with Benefits

If the shaman was in the wilderness he could’ve survived just fine collecting food and water for himself with ease. Unfortunately, he wasn't in the wilderness and would need to play by the rules for survival created by man not the rules of nature. To survive playing by humanity’s rules you needed money. As such performing a few tricks on the side was a small price to pay for a larger tip. He some neat tricks he could perform even without using actual magic so he wasn't really concerned about revealing his secret anymore than he already had.

“Sure, I can perform a couple of tricks for you and that friends of yours. Though I will be expecting that tip you promised after the show. I don't have enough money to do any free performance”

The boy laughed a little after saying the last part to make it seem as if he was making a small joke though in reality he was being brutally honest. In the next moment Atsa’s focus would shift from his own penniless state to the girl’s response to his question. It was truly an interesting response and she had grabbed his full attention. There was no sign of insincerity in her answer and it was easy to tell that Vita truly was fascinated by people. The shaman was seeing a whole new side of the empress he hadn't seen before. Maybe she wasn't an Anaye after all.

“People, huh? I have to agree that people are truly fascinating though I think your interest in them greatly outweighs my own. Though I guess that should’ve been obvious since you called yourself an empress. Anyone can sit on a throne but a good ruler is able to understand the feelings and thoughts of the people they govern”

Atsa himself wasn’t completely sure why he shared the last part of his statement and honestly felt foolish after saying it. Why was he giving the girl advice on something he knew nothing about? Where did he even get that line from? Why was he encouraging a girl who called herself the Empress of Rome, even though the Roman Empire died out long ago? At their point he wouldn't be surprised if the girl laughed at him after sharing that last line but after his work at the tavern it wasn't like he was ever going to see her again, right?

Ignoring all that though he was happy to see that the kitten had gone over the the adult cat. It seemed as if the kitten recognized the area and the adult cat as well. So was this where the kitten was originally but if it was how did it get out? He couldn't see any way the kitten could’ve escaped without help from an outside source. Before Atsa could continue down that train of thought his attention was grabbed by Vita’s new questions.

“As a performer I’m not really supposed to reveal the secrets behind my tricks but I can't really give you an explanation without doing that. So I guess I can make an exception this once”

Atsa had no intention of telling Vita that he had used actual magic to discover that Nikolas was allergic to cats. Instead he would just expose a different talent of his to cover the story

“Your interest is people so I am sure you realized if you pay close enough attention you can learn quite a bit about a person simply through their actions and how others act towards them. What must people don't realize is that the same thing can be said about animals”

The shaman would pause a moment before beginning his story. Hopefully the girl hadn't already concluded he was insane based on what he just said.

“For example, the reason I brought the kitten out here is because Nikolas is allergic to cats. I know this because of how his hounds reacted to the kitten when it emerged from the hedges. It's obvious that these hounds are very well trained just based on how they act and carry out their duties around the tavern. At the same time their training was definitely not done through fear since they have no problem around Nikolas or other people. So you can conclude that they don't fear Nikolas but have a high amount of respect for him and are incredibly loyal. Now since we already know they are highly trained there is no reason Dromas would be so unnecessarily aggressive to the kitten for no reason. As such I came to the conclusion that he must be defending his master. I highly doubt Nikolas has a phobia of cats so the better conclusion would be that he is allergic”

After that long explanation the whites haired had to pause to catch his breath before continuing. Yes, the boy had yet to finish his response to what had seemed like simply questions.

“I think you can tell now why I hid the kitten in my bag and kept it far away from Nikolas now, right? Now that I spoiled one of my tricks don't expect to give you the secrets to anymore. It would ruin the show you asked for”

Explaining all this to Vita remind Atsa of when his own father explained it to him. Before his father taught him magic he taught him how to look for signs in nature and in the actions of animals. The return of these memories brought about a nostalgic feeling in the boy but he shook it off since there was still work he had to do. Though something interesting seemed to be going on as Orias and the two other pups left without leaving much of an explanation. He calls? Was Nikolas calling all his hounds? But why? Reaching into the ley lines in the earth he focused his sensing on to the tavern.

Everyone was leaving simultaneously. It was incredibly strange. All the customers who had been in the tavern just moments before were leaving all at once and it didn't seem like they were leaving in a hurry. There slow pace disproved the idea that something bad was going on inside but then why was Nikolas calling his hounds back. Something was off about this whole situation and yet it felt so familiar.

A people clearing field?

The shaman’s interest was piqued and a curious light appeared in his eyes. If his guess was right, the tavern he chose for work just got much more interesting. Though if he was going to return to the tavern he was going to learn as much as possible in this garden about Nikolas before he returned. Starting with the green house.

“Now then, let's get a look at this garden shall we? I’m thinking looking at the greenhouse first”

“People, huh? I have to agree that people are truly fascinating though I think your interest in them greatly outweighs my own. Though I guess that should’ve been obvious since you called yourself an empress. Anyone can sit on a throne but a good ruler is able to understand the feelings and thoughts of the people they govern”

“Ah, indeed, indeed! That is so! To understand as much, you’re a bright one, aren’t you?”

‘Brighter than that bird of yours, at least’… Those words went unsaid, spoken in the voice of the heart only, but despite that quip the praise was genuine. The cat Atsa had set free was the last thing on her mind; even apart from its inferior cuteness, she held very little interest in why he had smuggled it in or its circumstances. It was Atsa himself that she was interested in. This coincidental meeting was an unexpected bonus in her ensorcellment of Nikolas, and she had every intent of making the most of it. And him bringing up such a thing of his own volition was a very positive sign, indeed.

It was only too bad that Atsa was so talented at crushing her good moods.

He’s not going to give up his secrets that easily, hm?

Agreeing so easily to the request and branding himself a performer likely meant that he was confident in his ability to pass himself off as one, should he not genuinely be one, or that his poker face was actually make better than he’d shown so far. And not being one to doubt her own abilities, Vita leaned toward the former of the two.

“I think you can tell now why I hid the kitten in my bag and kept it far away from Nikolas now, right? Now that I spoiled one of my tricks don't expect to give you the secrets to anymore. It would ruin the show you asked for”

And on top of that, he’d managed to worm his way out of explaining how he knew the dog’s name. While avoiding it like that did indeed deepen the possibility of his being a magician (though she was admittedly rather sure of it by this point, regardless), it still frustrated her to think that she’d been out maneuvered, even if only temporarily.

”That’s not even the good one, though. Cheapskate.”

Pouting, she responding in such a way as to make her displeasure clearly known, previous joy already dissipated. As she did so, however, she noticed the dogs leaving, and her gaze was drawn to the same location as Atsa. And so her pout deepened.

The signs were clear. With how people were leaving in mass at rapid speed, but without any indication of coordination, it could only be a people clearing field. Most likely set up by the owner of the tavern. The jig was up; the game over. Not only would it become immediately clear if Atsa was a magician or not, her own identity as such would be made clear as well. An incredible disappointment; Nikolas would have to be punished for this.

“Now then, let's get a look at this garden shall we? I’m thinking looking at the greenhouse first”

But for now, she would simply to make the most of the short time she had left before the truth became apparent, even if it were mere moments.

“Very well. Even without this place being as impressive as it is, if you’re to be an employee here, it only makes sense for you to learn the grounds.”

She finished her statement an open sigh of resignation and moved on towards the warehouse. Given the  timing, it could easily be misconstrued for disappointment over his not explaining the true mystery, but in truth she didn’t care much if he connected it with the field at this point.

Not willing to wait for Atsa to catch up if he dallied, she picked up the pace without turning back. Hopefully, their exploration would lead them to something to make up for this disappointing turn of events.

More than likely he was just going to give a stern talking to...either that or take her order. After all, despite it being a base for a member of Necessarius, it was a bar. There was no way that following his puppy into a restricted area would be a cause for punishment, right?

“Then again, there was the shattered picture frame.”

But, that was the puppy’s doing.

“There was also the people clearing field.”

…

Whatever the case, she had no real reason to fear as she made her way out of the bathroom after having finished washing her hands. Probably.

Putting any worrying thoughts behind her, she walked over to the bar and sat herself down on a barstool closest to where the kitchen entrance was. She just needed to wait for whatever absurd future may be thrown at her.

She could only hope she didn’t have to wait for too long.

Nikolas had returned to the bar and placed something carefully under the bar. He looked at the girl with a stern expression before taking a cigarette out. It was clear from careful observation that his hand was trembling not from fear but from the lack of indulging in his craving. Done by merely putting the unlit cigarette in his mouth and pretending to smoke it. "It was about time for a smoking break, though now that everyone is gone the usual rules of society don't exactly apply." Nikolas said as the other hounds had all arrived, there they were even Theron and Argo together had encircled Sara's position.

"It's a lockdown so watch the perimeter. Orias remain with me along with Theron." Nikolas had ordered them who all went imminently to follow through as Argo dropped Theron towards Orias, the old dog kept the young one close and remained to lie on the floor while keeping the puppy under control. The others would spread out across the perimeter of the tavern's legal boundaries to keep an out for intruders.

It was at this moment that Nikolas had confronted Sara. "Look, since it's your first incident I'm not going to punish you. Just promise me you would get permission next time before you intrude where you don't belong." Nikolas decided to give her the benefit of doubt and revealed under the bar which he originally hid was some packaged sandwiches that Vita ordered for her and herself. Yet there was a notable lack of drink.

"So what are you having? I have more than just alcohol here and while I pour what you like why not tell me about yourself? Speak freely."


The garden at first glance was average, for something that seemed like a personal project it didn't give off any strange vibe. Even having checked the Greenhouse, it had looked like any other, with potted plants for various vegetables. There were many strawberries, tomatoes, even some unique Eggplant, Cucumber and chilli pepper. Beneath the benches that held them up were tools and even a sack of fertiliser.

At the end was another door which was locked and barred entry to another section of the greenhouse. Looking through the door, you could see more plants. Some of them were exotic and not widely know, some looked like weeds to the untrained eye, and there were even wild mushrooms. One one of the counter was also a book which was hard to read, but it had some handwriting in it.

Looking further and out of the greenhouse revealed another secret area which even had a driveway for a Jeep.

Was she pouting? The shaman knew that he wasn't sharing the best of his tricks but he didn't think the girl was going to get upset because of it. He hoped that his explanation would’ve sated the girl’s curiosity or at least fascinated her but instead he was just met with disappointed. It seemed whatever he tried he just kept upsetting Vita in someway another even though he wasn't trying to.

Though why should he care? The girl had tried to get him put in a straitjacket. His anger at this should’ve smothered any feelings of pity or guilt towards Vita but the fires of his wrath had already gone out. While he still held a certain level of distrust to the empress for putting his sanity into question, he didn't have any desire for revenge. Put simply, Atsa just wasn't good at holding a grudge and watching the girl talk so passionately about people had disarmed him.

I guess she isn't an anaye after all

”Maybe I am being a bit of a cheapskate but as I said it is just to make sure it doesn't ruin the show”

Atsa hesitated and took a deep breath before continuing.

”However, since you’re an empress I’ll make an exception to the rule though there is a requirement. If you can beat me in a game of Ashbii to fifteen I’ll answer any five questions you have with complete honesty but if you lose I get to ask you five questions that you must answer truthfully. I’ll explain the rules of the game before we play but since I have a job to get back to the game will have to wait till later”

He doubted that the girl was going to like this compromised, especially since it involved a game she didn't know about, but at the very least it made it appear as if there was possibility she could get answers out of him. At the same time, it allowed him to begin taking his own initiative at revealing Vita’s identity. Up until this point he had just assumed she was just some eccentric young girl but after witnessing the activation of the clearing field an inkling of doubt began to form. It was possible that they were just outside the range of the field and that was why she wasn't affected but at the same time there was no way to guarantee that. Though her pout had seemingly seemed to increase as a reaction to the clearing field. Eccentricity was also something common in the magician population and claiming to be an Empress could definitely fall under the same category.

However, this was just a gut feeling. Atsa didn't have any real evidence that Vita was a magician so he would just push the idea to the back of the mind for now. If she gave him anymore reason to question he just needed her to agree to the rules of the game and he needed to win it. Before the shaman could continue his train of thought he found his thinking process interrupted.

“Very well. Even without this place being as impressive as it is, if you’re to be an employee here, it only makes sense for you to learn the grounds.”


In a moment Atsa would notice that the girl was already in her way to the greenhouse. It was pretty obvious she wasn't going to be waiting up for him but with Vita’s back turned he had been given the perfect opportunity. As the girl walked away he moved his hand up to his head and seemingly gave it a quick scratch, though in reality he was plugging a hair from his head. He slowly began moving to catch up to the girl but as he did so he slowly moved one of his hands towards one of his eagle’s legs and covertly tied his hair to it. It only took the shaman a quick glance to his bird to communicate what it's new mission was.

In a instant the bird took off from the shaman’s shoulder and headed back towards the tavern. While the white haired boy reached into his backpack and pulled out a single feather he had collected from his eagle in advance. In a quick motion he would put this new feather among the other two on his head and increase his pace to catch up with the girl.

”Hey! Wait for me!”

It didn't take long for them to get the the greenhouse and get inside. Though the appearance of the first room was thoroughly disappointing. However, it did remind the shaman that he still hadn't eaten yet. He could feel his stomach begin to rumbled as it prepared to let at another roar but the moment his gaze fell upon the door in the back that was locked and barred. In what seemed like an instant the shaman was at the door peeking through the window he got a glimpse of the far more interesting plants inside.

”Fascinating…”

The white haired boy turned back to look at Vita and his eyes were glowing with excited. It was almost as if he was a child who had just caught sight of their presents on Christmas morning. The hunger that had previously been plaguing him had been completely drowned by a deluge of curiosity.

”Do you happen to have any idea how we could get in here?”

As the shaman gave into his curiosity at the greenhouse his eagle dutiful carried out its duty and flew over the the tavern. With a quick motion it flew down to the front door of the tavern and pecking at it hoping to gain the attention of someone inside.

Despite the fact that Sara had been let off the hook for her little breaking and entering stint earlier, there was still something she needed to do.

“I do apologize for that.” She said with a solemn expression on her face before switching to a more jovial mask. “I’ll try and be more wary of that next time. Though I’ll pull the little puppy back before he stumbles into a restricted area next time he crashes,” she said, pointing her thumb at the, seemingly, always energetic little one.

With that out of the way, Sara took in the torrent of questions that Nikolas had asked. For the time being, there were a lot to answer. For now, she only needed to answer the minimum necessary. Any conversation could flow out of that.

“Honestly, I’m just here because Vita invited me along. I just wanted to see the sights. As for what I’ll have…” The girl pondered as she lifted her hand to her chin. “Maybe I’ll have a...no. What about...no.”

Truly, the girl must have been fickle as her preferences were changing every other second.

“I guess I’ll have some sweet tea and as for food...do you have anything without meat, seafood, or eggs?” The girl really didn’t have a chance to look at the menu so instead, she asked for the chef’s recommendations. She was an adventurous one after all.

“Actually, now that I think about it. Where did Vita end up going? And the bird guy?”

”Do you happen to have any idea how we could get in here?”

"Well, that would be a fine choice for one of five questions, wouldn't it? ...If you win, of course."

Despite her distraction as she'd marched off and entered the greenhouse, Vita had by no means missed Atsa's entreaty for a game of... Something. And likewise, as she turned about and faced the young man once more, the lack of his eagle and the presence of an extra feather in his hair did not escape her attention either.

What kind of game is this 'ashbii'? Where did he send his demon bird? The feather in his hair—was it for looks, or was it for some kind of cheat? And if it were the latter, was said mundane or magical in nature? It seemed she'd get a finale to her little game of twenty questions after all.

The fact that she could lead the boy along with his oh so obvious interest in the contents of the next room didn't hurt either, of course.

"So, what are the rules of this 'ashbii'?"

The only question now was whether his curiosity or his sense was responsibility were stronger...

Saravati Nair

Nikolas looked towards the girl sitting at the bar with slight curiosity, Nikolas though sees this part of the job it was just exciting to understand others. Doing this helps him not only understand the individual but also their motivations and depending on what they reveal, it could even help understand the nature of others that were a part of the individual's life.

His time running this establishment has taught him that much. The fact she took a moment to apologise was pleasing to see for Nikolas, but there was much more to people than the ability to apologise when they're in the wrong. Though he raised his eyebrow as she seemingly struggled with deciding her order which was rather telling.  

"Sweet tea? Hmm, and without meat, seafood and eggs? Nikolas asked though not towards Sara, though more of repeating her order to confirm for both parties. Following this, he glances towards the sandwiches he put beneath the bar and only notice one option that fit her criteria.

It was a cheese salad sandwich, and before revealing this to her, he threw a dishcloth over his shoulder and moved up the bar to prepare her beverage. He hadn't made sweet tea for some time, though it's not like he could forget the process if he even tried.

And with the sound of water being boiled marked the beginning of his preparation as he moved around the bar with such calm and precision you can tell he has done this many times. The experience of dealing with numerous customers at once had shown as he easily dealt with one order like a natural.

He would answer Sara's question about the others whereabouts as he prepared her order.

"At back near the greenhouse. It seems their curiosity has gotten the best of them." Nikolas has said who seem sort of agitated by it, though it only confirmed why he chose to work away from the United Kingdom. As it seems all Anglican church members have the habit of trespassing without permission. It was safe to say he was rather private and if he didn't know their identities, he probably would've killed them.

Nikolas having given his answer placed the packaged sandwich on top of the bar along with a glass filled with ice, with a black straw and a lemon slice. He would carefully then pour the sweet tea into the glass from a pitcher as one of the hounds would notice a visitor at the front door.

It was Argo who had been watching the front of the tavern, the hound had snuck up towards the Eagle and growled loudly towards the bird before barking. This caught Nikolas' attention immediately who expressed his annoyance. "What now?" he questioned as he left the bar and went towards the disturbance.

Atsa Tsinaajinii & Vita Vesta Caesar

Inside the greenhouse, the first room was mainly for vegetables and fruit probably for the use of the tavern food. There was fertiliser beneath the benches they were grown on and other gardening tools. It was separated well from the second room which was locked, though looking inside would see something far more interesting.

It had looked more like an Alchemy lab rather than a simple greenhouse, and with anyone who knew their stuff would recognise various rare plants and more worryingly dangerous ones. For example from observation, you would notice Nightshade, Rosary Pea and Oleander which were known to be poisonous and there were various notebooks with clear markings as if someone was working something out. The question was whether or not this was designed to create poisons or to reverse engineer them for cures.

If you looked further, you could see the other side of the greenhouse which was a parking area. With the Wrangler Sahara Jeep parked clearly in sight. Without those two immediately noticing Leon one of the hounds returned and watched them while many kittens started to climb over him.

Dread spread across Atsa’s face as he heard the girl’s response to his question. She just wasn’t going to make it easy for him was she? Vita had to be just as curious about what Nikolas was hiding behind the door as he was. Then again the girl probably wasn’t able to identify the plants that were visible through the window on the door. Poisonous plants wasn’t something he had expected to find in a tavern owner’s greenhouse.

He was certain the Empress would be more likely to help him if he told her what he had seen inside but if his growing suspicion was wrong and she wasn’t a magician then he’d only be putting her at risk. Why did this girl have to seemingly oppose him at every turn?

“I’m pretty sure that I said the game would take place after I was finished working. Considering that I haven’t even started work yet you’re rushing it a bit.”

Buying for time was the only option he could think of at this point. Ashbii was a game of chance and luck that required little to no skill. There was no guarantee that he’d be able to beat Vita and if he lost he’d be forced to choose between keeping his secret or keeping his word. It wasn’t a decision he wanted to make but Vita was relentless with her pursuit of information.

“However, I will explain the game. It’s fairly simple since its just a game of chance from my childhood but before I get to all the rules we’re going to need to get some supplies. Would you mind grabbing three sticks and a basket if you can find one?”

In all honesty Atsa was just trying to get Vita out of the greenhouse and give himself some time to figure out a plan. He would be free to use his spells as long as the girl wasn’t in the greenhouse with him, breaking in would be easy. Some part of him felt guilty for planning on vandalizing and trespassing on his new employers property but considering the man was hiding poisonous plants on his property he had to atleast investigate it. If the Empress listened to him and left the greenhouse he would once again reach into the ley lines. It would be bad if she came back just as he was using magic and connecting to the lines also revealed the fact that they were being watched.

“You can come out now, I know you’re there.”

Just as he called out the hound that had been watching him his attention would be brought back to the eagle he was controlling. With a simple mental command the eagle waiting at the front door would fly just out of Argo’s range as it waited for Nikolas to answer the door. With the dog barking the owner had to come now, right?

What is with these hounds?

"I refuse!"

In normal circumstances, Atsa's request was hardly anything to balk at. It was quite the temeritous course of action, but considering it was a game and a gamble they were both participating in, she would have normally have simply acquiesced to his request.

However, Vita had noted the interest he had held in the contents of the greenhouse behind the locked door. It would not do if he were to get into something so potentially interesting without her. And it was evidently clear that he was up to something... As the whiff of magic made clear.

Her own brand of people clearing field involved utilizing the concept of the genius loci, or the spirits of the land. As such, however brief and while any finer details were beyond her, him tapping into the land had not gone unnoticed.

Beyond those rather sensible reasons, though, there was also another. But no less important.

"After all... Are you positive you're all right? ...You do realize there's no one there...?"

The boy was displaying yet further signs of mental instability, after all!

“Curiosity…?”

Sara fell silent shortly after saying that word out loud. Given what she had just done not a few minutes prior and the hint of agitation that seeped through Nikolas’s words, she had a good feeling that she knew what he had meant. She was hardly socially inept, after all.

“Don’t tell me they’ve stumbled upon something they shouldn’t have as well...”

Despite the fact that she had gotten in trouble when her curiosity and her fawning over a young pup had gotten the better of her, she sure as hell didn’t wish her travel partner had done something as asinine as she did.

She shook her head.

No way. She couldn’t have.

Reassuring herself that Vita could not have done the same as her, she looked over to the bartender in charge and spoke, “Thank you.”

But, that would, in all likelihood, have been obscured by the sudden appearance of one of his hounds barking. The irritation that had once been suppressed by professional service had finally been forced out into the open by what was likely another annoyance.

With just one sentence, externalizing the pent up frustration he had kept at bay, he went outside. Sara stared down at her sandwich and drink for a bit before finally taking a deep breath and following him out.

At this point, curiosity got the better of her and she could always finish her meal when she returned anyway.

There was no doubt in Nikolas' mind about the usefulness of his hounds, though they act as remarkable tools to secure areas and see where he normally couldn't from afar they were family. In a way, you can say there were his pack and the hounds acted in that manner as one would expect.

Atsa's Eagle & Saravati Nair

Argo sat there growling intently at the Eagle, to this hound is was a flying pest that was invading its home and her master. Though it wouldn't take long for Argo's master to appear at the front with a not so amused expression.  

"Is the tavern that large for him to send his eagle instead?" Nikolas spoke knowing it wasn't meaning that something has either happened or he was up to no good. Deciding whether or not to go in the back and shoot an arrow in their backside.

"Is it always like this in London?" Nikolas asked Sara who seemed to have followed him to the front. He then gestured towards her to come closer and spoke quietly to avoid the eagle hearing.

"Could you run interference?"

Nikolas wants Sara to actively interfere with whatever the other two were planning, maybe he's overthinking it, but he felt like this eagle was serving as a distraction and just in case wanted to Sara to interfere in his place.

Vita Vesta Caesar
Atsa had foolish let his tongue slip again in front of Vita. He had been too confident in the fact that she would leave to gather the supplies that he had called out the hound too early. There wasn't any excuse to cover for his mistakes now. Why was he so awful at keeping such an important secret? He truly had come to regret investigating this greenhouse and inviting this girl to join him. If he had just left it all alone he'd be inside right now working in the restaurant though to be honest he wasn't even sure that was a safe place anymore considering the clearing field.

"There is someone else here though I can't say I'm certain they are human. There are too many scents in here to make out a proper smell."

As he said this the shaman pointed at his nose, implying that he had quite literally picked up on someone's scent. It was an awful lie but Atsa was running out of options between revealing the magic side or claiming mental insanity. Fortunately, the hound was still here so he could prove that someone was here. As long as he was right, like he was with Dromas name, he could hopeful avoid being admitted to a asylum. As such he quickly moved towards the back of the greenhouse and located the hound.

"Seems that it was a hound I was picking up on."

Nikolas Remes & Saravati Nair

As Nikolas opened the door the eagle will the eagle would lower itself so that the door was within its flight range without the need to dive. The bird still stayed just far enough away from the hound so that it could make a quick escape in case the dog attacked. With a slow and gentle motion the bird slid through the doorway and perched itself on the top of a nearby chair, with the shaman in control the eagle took the outmost caution not to scratch the chair. As Nikolas complained about Atsa sending his eagle instead of arriving himself and whispered to Sara the eagle watched unmoving.

Every word and sound being transmitted back to the shaman in the greenhouse. He couldn't hear what Nikolas had said to Sara but he had confirmed that everyone had been driven from the bar besides those two. It quickly became quite clear to the white haired boy that he was dealing with magicians(took him long enough).

Vita Vesta Caesar

After pointing out the dog the shaman suddenly seemed to become entranced as if he was watching something that was happening far away. He was simply focusing on what the eagle was seeing and hearing but for Vita it would almost appear as if the boy had suddenly been frozen in time after locating the dog. It would only last a few moments before Atsa seemed to come back to and as he did a knowing grin would spread across his face.

"Well it seems we are all out of time. I really should be getting back to work, especially after I sent my bird to the front door. Don't want to make the new boss anymore angry at me than he probably already is. We'll play the game later"

With that the boy would quickly make his way out the door and begin heading back to the tavern. He knew there wasn't any work awaiting him there but he did know Nikolas wasn't happy about him sending his bird. You simply don't mess with the man growing poisonous plants unless you absolutely have to. Regardless of any complaints Vita gave the boy would continue moving forward. He was curious to see just what the bar owner had whispered to Vita's companion.

Those words were all Sara needed to let a look of disappointment wash over her face. She may not have met Vita before, but she was well aware of the fact that the girl was a trouble maker. It was something that showed way too well in her eyes and her demeanor. Despite that, Sara still hoped.

Hoped that the girl had enough sense to not do something stupid (or at least more stupid than what she had done).

Clearly, there was no upper limit to how much hopes could be dashed.

“Will do.” There was no point in masking it. The tone, her face, the sigh that came afterwards—each one demonstrated a palpable disappointment that permeated every pore of her body.

So, she rushed back in and through the empty bar while simultaneously weaving around tables. She couldn’t incur more damage on the place, after all.

Even though she wasn’t augmented by magic, she zipped through the bar with not a single problem. So, it didn’t take long before she had Atsa and Vita were finally in her sights.

And disappointment finally took over her sense of reason.

“WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS--”

From a crouch mid-run, she leaped straight into the air. The girl had not applied any spells or donned any spiritual items. She was running on pure human capability.

Such was the wonder of never skipping leg day.

“DOOOOOOIIIIING?!”

With that shout, her foot planted straight into Vita’s back before transferring all momentum onto the self-proclaimed empress and propelling her into what stood before her.

As Sara landed a foot behind where Vita was, she heard the sound of cracking and shattering coming from beyond.

Probably not the best choice she’d made.

…

Definitely not.

Vita had crashed through the second door, while it was locked, it wasn't the strongest door since the surroundings were basically glass panels. So the force Sara used was more than enough to send Vita straight through shattering the surrounding glass and causing a bigger mess one could imagine.

A glass was everywhere, the door had struck hard against the shelves and sent plants flying everywhere there was even the rattling of small bottles but thankfully they weren't broken or this would've been an even more terrifying result. Maybe kicking someone straight through the door wasn't the best decision, but not long after it happened the dogs surrounded the area responding to the noise.

Though without the others realising distracted by the scene and noise, Nikolas had stood behind them overlooking the damage. There was no doubt he had all the reason to be angry, these people who in theory and basically strangers have caused damage to his property. But the man seems more disappointed than furious with what just happened.

This wasn't exactly the interface he wanted but it solved the problem at its core by taking out the biggest troublemaker.

As Vita laid on top of the door, clearly out of commission which gave Nikolas time to approach to solve the situation in his own way.

"Not exactly what I desired, but you know it makes this easier." Nikolas spoke towards Sara as he tapped her on the shoulder as he passed. He then looks towards the fallen girl known as Vita with a disappointed expression and knelt down to look at the bottles that rattled earlier.

They were bottles of poisons and mixtures created from plants, so if they had broken from what just transpired Vita maybe dead right now. They weren't all lethal though, one was actually a sleeping-mixture to put people out of commission. Nikolas had intended to use this upon the biggest troublemaker and Sara had basically made this trouble easier.

Taking the sleeping mixture and then lifting Vita over his shoulder, the Bartender turned towards the other two.

"I shall put her upstairs in one of the room, and keep her them until she gets picked up. For now, why don't you both introduce yourselves to each other already? You both work for the same Church." Nikolas said who started to walk past them with the unconscious Vita On his shoulders.

As he passed you could hear him complaining about the secrecy between members and that his greenhouse wouldn't be damaged if they knew they were bloody collogues in the first place. Some of the dogs had followed them but some remained to guard the area.

The kittens had escaped to the little door on the other side of the garden and while Nikolas hadn't seemed to react to them. You could tell if you paid enough attention, the eyes were going bloodshot and would've been worse if he remained any longer.

"Just heading back to the-"

The shaman never got around to finish his sentence as he froze in awe and terror of what happened next. He had just been trying to leave to avoid getting himself into a dangerous situation yet despite his best effort it seems the danger had finally found him. Fortunately for him, the current 'danger' was targeting the Empress and yet Atsa's body still cringed with sympathy pains as he watched the poor girl get dropkicked. While Vita had been a pest, the shaman didn't think she deserved a fate this cruel.

However, Atsa's focus on the two girls could only last so long before his attention was brought to the chaos occurring all throughout the greenhouse. Plants fell and the shelves shook from the impact of Vita getting kicked through the door. Despite the fact that his goal of getting into the second room of the greenhouse had been achieved the shaman could only stare in shock with an opened mouth. This was definitely not going to end well for them. This greenhouse belonged to a magician that had been growing poisonous plants and as this realization came to Atsa he slowly broke into a fearful sweat.

I'm too young to die! I don't want to be poisoned or fed to hounds!

"What did you just do?"

Atsa wasn't even completely aware that he had asked this question. The thoughts inside his head were simply slipping out. The white haired boy almost jumped into the air when he suddenly haired the bar owner's voice behind him. If someone looked closely they would be able to tell that Atsa had turned a bit pale. The color only returned to his face after Nikolas revealed that they were all part of the same Church. At the very least it meant that bar owner was far less likely to kill him and it also meant all his early worries were no longer a problem.

"Well I feel pretty stupid now. Didn't even think about the fact that we all could've been members of the Church. I just have to be thankful I wasn't the target of that kick."

As the bar owner left the shaman attempted starting a conversation but after what he just witnessed part of him just wanted to get out of the girl's kicking range.

Subsequent events ended up proving that assertion of hers to be absolute questions. Poor decisions had been made. From Atsa’s sudden question to which she only replied with a confused stare to the tap on her shoulder she had received from Nikolas, she had quickly figured out that her decision to dropkick the offender had been less than okay. Even if he had said that she made things easier, there was something off about things deviating from the desirable that made a shiver run down her spine.

As Nikolas left to carry the sleeping cutie, Sara slowly stared back at the damage she had wrought upon the greenhouse before hearing Atsa finally speaking up.

After turning to face him, he finished his own words so she took the opportunity to speak...or stutter up.

“Uh, yeah.” Her eyes seemed to embody a quantity that seemed to stand at the halfway point between glazed and vacant.

“Honestly, you were weird enough that I should have figured it out when I saw you.” She could have been less blunt, but...eh. Sometimes bluntness was necessary or at least more highly called for.

“I’m Saravati Nair, by the way.” She held her hand out, still keeping that same expression that only seemed to amplify and externalize her feelings of disappointment.“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Nikolas had taken Vita inside and despite the urge to lock her into the freezer, he would be civil by taking her to the rooms upstairs. Laying her on the bed, the bartender would open the bottle containing the sleeping-mixture and use it on the young girl. While she was knocked out already, there was no certainty she would stay put for a certain period of time.

From tests made by Nikolas creating this sleeping-mixture, the victim would remain unconscious for at least 12 hours. This would give Nikolas much needed peace from what was clearly the most troublesome of the group. He would then leave the room quickly, locking the door as he left.

Making his way downstairs he thought about the purpose why they were here. While it wasn't exactly planned in this manner, the bartender had made arrangements for them to at least past the area. The point of this was clear enough, that Nikolas had been warned that eventually, he would have to partner with either one of them in the future for a mission. And the only request he made, in turn, was to meet them prior to any official mission was given to them.

So there arrival here at the tavern was no mistake or coincidence. It was safe to say though, that he wasn't entirely impressed with them. And he should just kick them back to England and get on with its own tasks.

Yet it was requested of him to make this work and so he decided to give them a chance. Returning to the bar inside, he would wait for them as he prepared for the customer rush at happy hour.

"Weird, huh"

The shaman let out a small laugh as he heard the first impression he had given the girl. He couldn't deny the fact that his actions made him look incredibly suspicious. If he wasn't a magician then he was definitely the kind of person you'd expect to find in an insane asylum somewhere. Talking to animals and plants was definitely not something normal people did. Though he doubted carrying around a pet eagle into a restaurant was normal behavior either.

"I guess that is to be expected. It seems I really have to work on keeping my identity a secret when I am out in public. I think I almost got myself sent to an asylum this time. Hahaha!"

The carefree grin had returned to the white haired boy's face as he laughed at his previous misfortunes. While he was still incredibly nervous what the bar owner had in store for him, he felt showing that feared probably wouldn't be the most comforting thing for the girl who just destroyed Nikolas' greenhouse. There was also the fact that to deal with them his boss had gotten rid of all his customers using a clearing field. They truly had really messed up his business day.

"Talking to the hounds out in the open was definitely my first mistake. It's just a bit difficult to resist when I hear their voices the same way you can hear me."

Atsa listened as the girl introduced herself. Now that he knew they were both members of the same church he was relieved that this time he wouldn't have to work around giving direct answers like he did with Vita. There wasn't really anything he had to hide at this point.

"My name's Atsa Tsinaajinii and its a pleasure to meet you as well Saravati. Now then I think we should probably find Nikolas and see what fate awaits us."

“To be fair, it was only Vita who tried to send you to an asylum.” Trying to bring a bit of solace to the boy, Sara placed all of the responsibility onto Vita, subsequently throwing her under the bus. There were worse things she could do, but it seemed fitting. “From what I’ve learned after traveling with her, she’s not the most...savory individual. So, don’t worry too much about your...ummm...gifts? Yes. That’ll do. I’m pretty sure most people would be more likely to avoid your weirdness than try to get involved.”

Was that supposed to be comforting? Sara saw no reason to question that. She was sure it had served its purpose regardless of whether he actually felt any relief from her words or not.

After finally listening to his introduction, she just had one thing to say.

“You may be putting that more dramatically than it actually needs to be,” she said, brandishing a smile and waving an outstretched index finger.

“Though, that’s probably for the best.”

With that, she opened the doors she had zoomed through before and walked back into the bar, hoping to find Nikolas (and hoping her new...acquaintance would follow).

No matter the distractions and the true function of this place, it was still a place of business and the Bartender noticed that time was slowly ticking onwards. It was true he had activated a people clearing field, something built into the structure of this establishment, but it still doesn't deter from the fact his place needs to pay for itself.

It wouldn't be long until the dinner rush would arrive at least upon disabling the field.

Upon thinking there he would see the distractions arrive and throwing a cloth over his shoulder he places two plates back onto the bar.

"Two sandwiches and I refreshed your beverage." Nikolas spoke having presented them both with food, though one on with a prepared beverage he would get the animal whisper a glass of water. "Don't worry about financial compensation for it, because you're going to help me with the dinner rush." Nikolas said with a rather passive-aggressive tone. "Consider it compensation for the trouble that has been caused and of course the free food." Nikolas said knowing he hired Atsa to be entertainment, though it seems more fitting he would actually help with service.

"Though don't just consider this as a financial commitment, see this as some sort of training. As you might not know, there is a chance we all may be given the same mission in the future and rather going into blindly with a team you know nothing about this will give us some practice. You know teamwork. So are you both up to it? Working in customer service?"

The boy was sure if he was more relieved or more concern by Sara's comments on Vita. Was the self proclaimed Empress really like this all the time? There was no one for the shaman check the information, considering the girl was unconscious somewhere, so after a small nod of acknowledgment he stopped thinking about his former antagonist.

Atsa followed Sara through the door of the bar where Nikolas was waiting for them. To his surprise the white haired boy found food waiting for him on the bar. It seemed in the course of the chaos that had just happened he had forgotten why he had originally come here in the first place. Food. It only took him a moment for him to get to the bar and take a seat in front of his sandwich.

"Sounds good to me."

The shaman had completely missed the passive aggression in the bartender's voice. He was too busy eating his sandwich. It was so nice to have food in his system again.Though as he enjoyed his sandwich he contemplated the work he was going to be put into. Customer service was definitely not something he had done before. Well he had to at least give it a try, right? Nikolas seemed to think it could help with teamwork as well.

"I've never worked in customer service but I guess there's no fun in not trying something. I'll give it a shot."

It was at that very moment that she knew that she had screwed up. Her unusually rash decision to alleviate the situation via dropkick had clearly backfired. By this point, she had clearly come to terms with that reality.

On the bright side, assisting with the dinner rush was probably not the most severe punishment Nikolas could have given. Clearly, there was some mercy in the man whose hospitality she and Vita had trampled on.

“I guess that’s fine.”

Sara scratched her head and acquiesced to Nikolas, averting her eyes in the meanwhile.

On the other hand…

It’s a new experience. Could be interesting.

Perhaps it was too simple-minded, but she was no averse to being so. She just needed to treat it as a new experience. It would grate on her far more slowly than if she didn’t. So, after a deep breath, she tapped a fist onto her chest and gave a smile.

“I’m down for it~”

That’s the spirit, young girl.

Nikolas gave a hint of a smile upon hearing the answers given to him and seemed to have relaxed in his stance as he muttered under his breath trying to motivate his next step. He worked very efficiently, not relying on his eyes to know the location of the objects he wanted and this made it so that no movement was wasted.

It wouldn't be long for Nikolas to finish what he was doing and poured himself a glass of Vodka, it wasn't a large amount and just a small drink to stiffen his resolve to carry on with the evening. He would place his drink on the bar and took out some paper from below the others eyesight along with a pen. Nikolas then glanced towards his guests anxiously before speaking up once more.

"Alright, I think we should treat this as some sort of interview. Though you already got the job, it would be good to understand what you both capable of doing. You know like domestic skills, cooking maybe? Hows your cleaning? As its clear social conversation may need to be worked on for you both. Since being able to talk with customers is one of the important parts of customer service. And not to be evasive as magicians tend to be with the general public. Of course, don't reveal your secrets just be open with them in conversation." Nikolas tried to explain what he would expect of them when interacting with customers. He would be sure to choose his words carefully as he would explain, that acting warm and friendly help keep customers returning.

"Also don't be afraid to ask me anything, since we're working together."

"Domestic skills? Ummmm, I'm not really sure. I mean if I had to guess I'd say my primary skill is tracking but that doesn't really help here."

The shaman paused for a few moment trying to conjure up some idea of a skill he had that could help in the current situation. Cleaning wasn't really an option, Atsa was naturally a disorganized mess. There was no telling where the poor bartender stuff would end up if it was left in the shaman's hands. Nothing in particular was really coming to the boy's mind.

Sure he had said he had agreed to working in the customer service but now that he was here what could he actually bring to the table. The white hair boy was clueless until he thought about the examples the bartender had given. He had survived in the wilderness before by catching animals and collecting plants to feed himself. He had learned a bit of cooking from that, it wasn't much but maybe it could work.

"I know a bit of cooking from living out in the woods. I mean I know it isn't much but at the very least it is something."

Maybe Atsa wasn't the best suited to this kind of work but he was stilling going to give it his best. He owed Nikolas for forgiving all the chaos that had happened so far and for giving him a job opportunity when he desperately needed one. However, the most important thing the shaman had to pay him back for was the food. It truly was a good feeling to finally have something in his system.