"What are you doing?" Nathanael asked, for the millionth time today. He had sat down beside her at the table.
Lila sighed and her grip on the quill tightened significantly as she looked up from the book she was writing in, a hard glare in her eyes. "I am calculating this week's spending," she said.
Nathanael nodded. Lila went back to writing up the notes. Nathanael looked around the room for a few seconds before glancing back at Lila "So…do you need any help?"
"No" Lila replied.
Nathanael sighed and slumped over the table. Lila glanced at him in annoyance her eyebrows furrowed together.
"Nathanael, What is your problem!?" she asked.
Nathanael looked at her with sad eyes and a pout "I'm bored!" he whined.
Lila rolled her eyes "How can you be bored! You have plenty to do!"
"Like what" Nathanael sighed.
"You could go and increase your powers," Lila said, scribbling away in the notebook.
Nathanael sat up straight and stared at Lila "I did! I'm fed up with it now!"
"Oh really…have you made any of the flowers bloom?" Lila asked.
Nathanael lowered his head and smiled sheepishly "I did…but um it didn't stay open for long"
"Hmm…I suppose you can have a short break" Lila said.
Nathanael grinned "Great, so what can I do now?"
Lila shrugged "I don't know…"
Nathanael let out a dramatic sigh and leaned back in his chair looking up at the ceiling.
"I must have made a miscalculation…" Lila said out loud.
"What?" Nathanael asked.
Lila did not reply back as she started to scribble furiously in the notebook.
Nathanael glanced at her curiously.
"No, no, no!" Lila muttered, eyes widening in horror.
Nathanael raised an eyebrow.
Lila finally looked back up at Nathanael "This is a disaster!" she shoved the notebook in Nathanael's face.
"Ah!" Nathanael said, pushing the book out of his face and wiping his sleeve over his face to remove the ink that had smudged onto his face. "What the hell, Lila!"
"You don't understand! We're doomed!" Lila shrieked, slamming the book hard on the table.
"Stop wailing and tell me what's wrong!" Nathanael said.
Lila took a breath and then starting talking fast "Because of the fact the shrine has been so inactive for long without a land God and the dwindling amount of worshippers and the rate of which we spend on food and other essentials…." She stopped for a breath before quickly continuing "Basically by next week we will have no money left!"
Nathanael's eyes widened "So what you're saying is we're broke"
Her eyes narrowed "How dare you! This shrine is in perfect condition thanks to me!" she sniffed, folding her arms.
Nathanael raised an eyebrow "What?" his eyes went round "wait, I didn't mean the shrine is broke it's a form of expression…you know what never mind"
Lila squeezed her eyes shut "What the hell are we going to do!" she placed her hands over her face.
Nathanael drew his lower lip between his teeth as he tried to think of an idea "Um…how about we hold some kind of event to encourage people to come to the shrine and so that would bring more worshippers and hopefully more money?"
Her forehead creased as she opened her deep green eyes and stared directly at Nathanael "Don't be ridiculous!" Lila sighed "That would ultimately cost us more than it would bring in"
Nathanael lowered his head "Right, sorry…it was only an idea" he muttered.
"What's all the fuss about?" Nooroo asked as he fluttered in alongside Duusu both carefully carrying a plate of cakes.
"Set that down before I tell you," Lila said.
Duusu and Nooroo did as she said and then looked at Lila with expecting eyes.
"We have no money left," she said bluntly.
Both of the Spirits mouths fell open and their eyes went round.
"N-no M-money!" Stuttered Duusu.
"How could this have happened?" Nooroo cried.
"How will I get my spa days and pay for all the expensive fruits that I have personally delivered!" Duusu wailed, sparkling tears fell from her eyes like cascading waterfalls.
"I'll tell you why-wait what did you just say!" Lila growled, her eyes burned into Duusu.
Duusu instantly stopped crying and put on a sheepish smile "I said um…how I will be such a good shrine spirit um…" she faltered off.
"Duusu have you been spending money behind our backs!" Lila said, her mouth set in a hard line.
Duusu had the courtesy to look guilty "I'm sorry…it was only a little bit…every so often…after all these feathers don't look good all by themselves! And a peacock has got to eat!"
Lila growled and snatched Duusu by the neck.
"Lila, Let Duusu Go!" Nathanael shouted, using sacred word binding to make sure she didn't hurt Duusu.
Lila dropped Duusu on the table as her eyes widened and her body went stiff.
Duusu's eyes were glossy as new tears threatened to spill "I'm sorry!" she cried "I'll never do anything like it again, I promise!"
Nathanael nodded "That's okay, Duusu I know you meant no harm and I'm glad for your apology but that doesn't help us gather up more money"
Lila, the word binding spell now vanished from her, cast a glare at Nathanael before returning her angry gaze to Duusu. "Yeah, so you better find us a way to get money!" she returned her gaze to Nathanael "And you! Stop using that power all the time it's annoying!" she growled as she hit him on the arm.
"Ow!" Nathanael said, rubbing his arm while glaring at the kitsune.
"Can everyone just calm for one second!" Nooroo shouted, silencing the room.
Everyone looked at him with round eyes and opened mouths
"Did the idea of you two going out and getting a job not cross your minds?" Nooroo said, a tired expression on his face. (Which translates to 'why must I live with such idiots?')
Lila's mouth snapped shut and set in a hard line. "I already have a job, thank you very much" she folded her arms.
Nathanael looked at her "And what job is that? Being an annoying pain?" he smirked.
Lila cast an annoyed look at the red-haired boy "No, it's actually looking after an incompetent land God"
Nathanael frowned.
"Stop your fighting and get searching for a job!" Nooroo demanded.
"Nathanael can do it!" Lila complained. she rose from her seat and stormed out of the room.
Nathanael sighed "I'll get to looking"
Nathanael came running into the living room grinning "Lila!" he shouted.
Lila curled up on the sofa glanced up from the book she was reading "What?" she asked.
"I got us a job!" Nathanael said.
"Why Us?" Lila asked, "Why not just you?"
Nathanael frowned "Because we'll get more money if we both get paid"
Lila sighed "I'm guessing I'll have to disguise myself again"
Nathanael nodded "Yes, sorry, but I remembered a friend of my mother's owned a restaurant so I went and asked if us two could work there for a little while and he said that he needed the help so he was more than happy to have us"
Lila nodded "I see…Nathanael, I hope you don't mind me asking but what happened to your mother?"
His smile slipped as sadness clouded his features. Lila gasped "Ah sorry you don't have to-"
Nathanael cut in "No it's okay…" he gave a weak smile "She um…died"
"Oh, I'm sorry…if it's any consolation I never even knew my parents…" Lila said.
Nathanael's eyes widened "Really…how did you-"
"I learned from a young age to fend for myself…I also learned never to trust anyone…" Lila said, a hard look in her eyes.
Nathanael's eyes widened at her words but he sensed that she didn't want to be asked about it. "So you're coming right, tomorrow to the job"
Lila sniffed "May as well, you'll end up dead otherwise if I don't" she took her gaze off Nathanael and back to the pages of her book.
Nathanael rolled his eyes and turned to walk out of the room.
"So this is it?" Lila asked, craning her neck up to read the sign of the restaurant.
Nathanael nodded and looked at Lila. It still felt weird to him seeing her without her usual fox ears or tail. To anyone else, she was just an ordinary human girl.
"Right, let's go in the faster we work the more money we make" Lila grinned.
Nathanael's eyebrows rose "Uh, Lila that isn't how things work"
"Whatever do you mean?" Lila asked, stepping up the steps to the doorway, Nathanael close behind.
"We don't earn money like that…though I suppose there are tips...but that's only if you're nice and friendly and I'd be doubtful of you being good at that" he smirked.
Lila glared "I'm a good actress, you know!"
Nathanael laughed.
"Nathanael, I see you came!" a tall man with a large build called out. He had brown hair, green eyes and a moustache.
"Hi, Mr Dupain" Nathanael smiled.
Mr Dupain laughed "I told you before you can call me Tom"
Nathanael gave a sheepish smile "Oh, right, Sorry"
"Nothing to be Sorry for," Tom said. Then his eyes landed on Lila "Oh, and who's this? Your girlfriend?"
Nathanael's and Lila's faces went the exact same shade as red and their eyes widened.
"I'm not his girlfriend!"
"She's not my girlfriend!"
Tom's eyes widened at their reaction but before he could say anything his daughter, Marinette came into the conversation.
"Is it okay if I head off now, Papa?"
Tom looked towards her and smiled "Of course, I have two keen workers here now"
Marinette looked and smiled "Hi, you're Nathanael, Right? We go to school together I think"
"Um yeah," he said as he ducked his head.
Marinette nodded and then looked at Lila "Oh I don't think we met before, I'm Marinette"
"I'm Lila" Lila replied.
"Well, It was nice meeting you Lila but I gotta run or Alya will be complaining at me for being late…again" Marinette laughed and then gave her dad a quick hug "Bye, Papa!" she said before rushing off.
"Right, so shall we get you two started," Tom asked with a smile.
Nathanael and Lila nodded.
"Right, so here are your uniforms," Tom said, handing them each a uniform "so once you get changed you can get started" Tom smiled and then went away to prepare the restaurant for opening with the help of his wife
"You didn't say I had to wear a uniform!" Lila Complained.
Nathanael looked at her with a glare "Just go put it on and be quiet" he turned and headed to the boy's bathroom.
Lila sighed and headed to the girl's bathroom to change.
Lila's uniform consisted of a red kimono style top and a pair of black trousers and then finally a black apron that tied around her waist it had a small white doodle design of various foods across the front.
Lila quickly changed and then folded the clothes she had already been wearing, picking up the clothes she walked out and saw Nathanael had already changed into the uniform and was talking to Tom.
His uniform was quite similar to Lila's only it was a male cut instead of a female.
As Lila walked up to them Tom finished chatting with Nathanael and walked off.
"Nathanael, where should I put these clothes?" Lila asked.
Nathanael looked towards her "Oh, I put mine in the store-room c'mon I'll show you"
Lila nodded and followed the boy.
Nathanael led Lila towards the back of the shop and into a storeroom. It was mostly filled with crates of food and had shelves along the wall containing jars of spices, jams and other stuff.
"You can put them on top of mine on that chair over there," Nathanael said, pointing towards the corner where a chair sat alone in the dark.
Nathanael looked towards Lila and saw she was frozen in place, her eyes darted about surveying the place and despite the fact, her fox ears had been made invisible Nathanael could sense that they were alert and searching for any noise.
"Lila, is everything okay?"
Lila blinked out of her phase and looked at Nathanael with a fake smile "Yeah, of course…I'll just go and leave my clothes over there, you can head on I'll catch up"
Nathanael raised an eyebrow but decided not to say anything about her weirder than usual behaviour. "It's okay, I'll wait on you…Tom said something about the door accidentally locking sometimes so it's best if you don't go in here alone"
"Did he now" Lila muttered as she walked over to the chair, the floorboards still creaking despite her light footsteps.
"Huh?" Nathanael raised an eyebrow. "Did you say something?"
Lila placed her clothes on top of Nathanael's pile before turning to Nathanael with a smile "No, I said nothing at all" she quickly walked back up to Nathanael "Now let us leave, we do not want to leave Tom waiting too long" she pushed Nathanael out the door before he could say another word.
Nathanael caught Lila glancing over her shoulder suspiciously at the empty storeroom but she quickly turned attention away when she caught Nathanael looking. Nathanael had been about to ask her if there was something she wasn't telling him but then the customers started coming in and Nathanael and Lila were rushed off their feet showing customers to tables, taking orders and bringing out said orders.
Finally, during the evening the traffic of customers started to slow down and Nathanael had been about to go get Lila to ask her about her weird behaviour earlier in the day but he couldn't see her about.
Before he could get the chance to look for her, Sabine Called him to wait on some customers.
"Right away, sorry!" Nathanael said, walking quickly towards them.
As the crowds of customers dwindled Lila saw her chance to go investigate. That Store-room seemed suspicious and no it wasn't just because Lila didn't like small spaces. No, it was because of the aura she had seen floating through it, a green mist that stank of evil.
Nathanael being Human and only a beginner God had not been able to notice this mist.
Lila found the person she wanted to talk to in the kitchen. "Ah, Mr Dupain can I talk to you for a second"
Tom looked up from his gaze on the Food he was chopping up "Lila, is everything okay?"
"Oh yes, everything is fine," Lila said.
Tom gave a relieved sigh "Right, so what is it you want to talk about?"
Lila paused unsure how she was going to go about this without revealing her true identity "Well, I was just wondering…You don't seem to have much staff for such a busy and popular restaurant"
Tom's eyes widened "Ah, have you been run off your feet, sorry about that…"
"Oh no, I don't mind that…" Lila bit her lip unsure how to get Information out of him without arising suspicion.
Tom sighed "I used to have another girl working here but she left…"
Lila eyes widened hoping he would give her a hint to the storeroom situation. "Why did she leave?"
"No idea," Tom said, faking a smile.
Lila narrowed her eyes. She could tell he was lying.
She started to say something "About that storeroom-"
Tom gasped and looked at Lila with round eyes "What about it!? Did something happen!?"
Lila fought back a smirk "No, no…why is there something you haven't told us?" she tilted her head.
Tom glanced away "Uh no…" he glanced back at Lila "Fine, you've obviously heard something, they quit because they were terrified of something in the storeroom…I've had a check and I can't seem to find or see anything but they said that something tried to attack them but they were in too much of a shock state to say much else"
Lila's eyes widened "I see…maybe it was a…feral cat? I heard they were increasing in numbers around here"
Tom nodded "You're probably right"
Lila smiled "Well, I better get back out there, Bye" she turned and quickly left.
'I knew it, that storeroom stank of Yokai and not the good kind' Lila thought heading back out to the main part of the restaurant. 'I need to deal with this…without alerting Nathanael that is'
Lila looked around to see where Nathanael was. He was nowhere to be seen. Fear started to appear in her eyes.
"Sabine, have you seen Nathanael?" Lila asked.
"Oh, he went looking for you, dear…I think I saw him head towards the store room" Sabina said.
Lila gasped "No!" quickly turning she ran towards the store room 'Nathanael, he's in trouble… I need to get to him'
"Lila!? Is everything okay" Sabine called after her.
Nathanael reached for the door handle of the store room, pushing it down and opening the door, which slowly opened with a creak.
He cautiously walked in to the room, the only light that came into the room was from the small narrow window up high.
"Lila, you in here?" he looked around but could not see her. He was about to turn and leave when he heard the door behind him slam shut. He gasped and quickly looked behind, he thought he saw a green blur but it was too fast to be certain.
Nathanael shook his head and went to leave, pushing the handle down and trying to open the door but it wouldn't budge open. He pushed his weight against it but it still refused to open.
"Lila! If this is some weird joke of yours it isn't funny!" Nathanael said, a nervous waver to his voice as his heart beat slowly increased.
It was quite dark in the storeroom. Nathanael looked around and his eyes widened as he saw a figure in the back of the storeroom but he wasn't sure if it as. He rubbed his eyes and looked again and saw the figure was gone.
'It's just my mind playing tricks on me…I need to get out but how? I shouldn't have come in by myself I totally forgot what Tom said about the door sticking' Nathanael thought trying to maintain calm then he heard a chilling laughter sound around him.
He wildly looked around his face turning white as he noticed a dark green ink appearing from nowhere and dripping down the walls as it slowly made its way to him.
"It's really my lucky day!" The spine chilling voice said with a laugh "Who would have though a land God-a defenceless one at that-would just walk in within my grasp!"
Nathanael's eyes rounded in fear 'Lila…where are you!' he thought pressing himself against the door. Too scared to call out.
"Once I feast on your power they'll be nothing anybody can do to stop me!"
Nathanael gasped as the ink grabbed him covering his arms as it dragged him in further and slowly started to cover his whole body.
"Ah, delicious" the voice said as the ink twisted itself around Nathanael "I feel stronger already"
Nathanael struggled and tried to break out of its hold but it was too strong. He gasped for air and that was when the Ink started to travel inside, choking him. 'No, I won't let it!' Nathanael thought as he felt his body drain from power and become weak. Nathanael's eyes fluttered as he started losing conscience. Just as Nathanael was giving up hope a light broke through as a hand reached in through the toxic ink and grabbed Nathanael by the collar pulling him free from its grasp. Nathanael gasped as air finally made its way back into his lungs.
"L-Lila!" he cried, as his eyelids drooped, weakness getting to him as he slowly closed them. Lila wrapped her arms around Nathanael as she hugged him close. Landing just outside the door of the store-room. The ink now lay lifeless on the floor. Lila snarled "You putrid wretch" she slowly stood up still holding Nathanael who was now unconscious "Come on out! I'll rip you to pieces!" Despite Lila's taunts the ink still lay lifeless, angering Lila as her nose crinkled in annoyance.
'Damn it, where did it go? Did it grow by feasting on Nathanael's power?' Thinking of the boy, she glanced down at the red head who she was carrying bridal style in her arms. Her eyes filled with concern. 'I suppose I better make sure he is alright before I worry about destroying that tainted yokai' Quickly she turned and headed to the Main part of the restaurant. When she came up Sabine saw her carrying Nathanael and gasped "Whatever happened!?" Lila carefully lay Nathanael across the sofa seating near one of the tables. "He fell and hit his head" Lila lied.
"Oh, the poor dear!" Sabine cried "Should we take him to the doctors?" she asked.
Lila shrugged and then glanced over her shoulder to the door that leads down to the storeroom. Eyes hardening as she thought: 'I can't leave here, I need to deal with that…infestation, who knows when it might attack again, now its feasted on some of Nathanael's power it'll be harder to fight off'
Lila's attention then returned to Nathanael, her gaze softened as it filled with concern for him 'But I can't leave him…not while he's this weakened… it was thoughtless of me to leave him alone I'm meant to protect him and now look…I'm pathetic'
Then Nathanael's eyes fluttered open and he started to cough. Lila instantly rushed to his side. Kneeling near him. She helped him sit up and gently rubbed his back.
Sabine gave a relieved sigh when she saw him awake and well. "I'll just go and close up, you keep an eye on him Lila" she rushed off to close up the restaurant.
He looked towards her and Lila saw tears shimmering in his eyes "L-Lila" he croaked out.
Lila's eyes went round and she stroked Nathanael's cheek, wiping away his tears. "It's okay, Nathanael, your safe now, I promise"
Nathanael nodded and then he hugged Lila. Lila froze not used to showing affection but then she slowly hugged him back.
"W-what was that Thing?" Nathanael asked, breaking away from the hug.
Lila gave a half-smile "You needn't worry about that, I'll deal with that horrid creature"
She stood up to go when Nathanael caught her wrist, she turned to look at him raising an eyebrow.
"You can't…what if you get hurt!" he said, eyes filling with fresh tears.
Lila smiled "Don't worry about me, I'm kind of a professional at this stuff" she winked at him before walking off.
Nathanael let go of her wrist and watched her walk off, a small blush in his cheeks 'Why does my face feel so warm?'
Lila walked briskly to the Storeroom and her eyes widened when she saw the ink had vanished. Her eyes narrowed as she walked inside "Well come on then, Not going to show yourself now are you?" she laughed "Oh not quite the brave one now, are we?" Her brows drew together as she glanced around with a glare. Slamming the door shut with a loud thud. Lila slowly walked over to the chair where her clothes were. A smirk playing on her face. She reached for her clothes and lying under her folded Kimono was her golden orange fan. She took it in her hands.
"Don't you think we're a little old to be playing hide and seek?" Lila said as she removed some of her illusion magic letting her true kitsune self show. Then she felt something on her leg. She looked down to see the ink slowly wrapping itself around her. She grinned. 'Finally, I haven't had a good fight in ages!"
Nathanael sat at the table staring at the glass of water Sabine had got him. She had asked him where Lila was and he had anxiously replied that she had gone to change back to her usual clothes. He bit his lip while he thought 'I shouldn't have let her go face that thing alone…it's ruthless…Lila mightn't be able to handle it…' He put his hands over his face 'But she told me not to worry…argh! Why does trouble follow me wherever I go lately?" He slowly stood up 'I need to go and make sure she's all right, after all, I am the land God it's my responsibility to get rid of these…creatures' Nathanael set off down towards the store-room. He reached it and saw the door was closed, he slowly reached for the door handle when he heard a loud crash.
He stepped back, eyes rounding. Then he heard Lila's shout "How dare you mock me! I'll rip that smirk right off your face" There was another loud crash and Nathanael's face went pale. 'Maybe I should just leave her to it'
He winced as he heard a loud bang and Lila laugh "There's no way you'll escape now, you pathetic creature"
'Wait is she going to kill it, I should stop her…but then again it did try to kill me or whatever…' Nathanael took a deep breath and slowly reached to open the door when it opened and nearly hit him in the face. He stepped back and blinked in shock. Lila stood there holding both their clothes in her arms. She looked at Nathanael with round eyes.
"Oh, Nathanael, did you come to get your clothes?" she asked "Here" she held out his pile to him. He slowly took them while trying to look over her shoulder into the storeroom. It was immaculate, but how? She had just been fighting whatever kind of creature in there.
"Uh, Lila how is the storeroom so tidy, I heard the crashes," Nathanael said.
"What crashes?" Lila tilted her head a little.
Nathanael raised an eyebrow "Um, where is the…err, creature?"
Lila raised an eyebrow "What creature? What are you going on about?" Lila said faking ignorance.
Nathanael frowned "But, You said and um…stop messing with my mind!"
Lila's eyes widened "Nathanael, I think that bang to the head you got is worse than I thought" she pushed him around and away from the store "Go and get dressed we better get you back home before you faint or something"
"But I didn't bang my head!" Nathanael complained. He cast one last glare at Lila before stomping away to get changed.
Lila started to smirk when Nathanael was out of sight. 'He's so easy to mess with it, it's actually funny!" She then walked off to change back into her normal clothes.
Lila walked in behind Nathanael and collapsed on the sofa "I'm exhausted" she complained. An orange shimmer appeared over her as she removed the Illusion from her body, her tail and fox ears once again appearing. "Pretending to be a human is awfully annoying too!"
Nathanael rolled his eyes and nudged her to make room for him. She sat up straight to let him sit down.
Duusu and Nooroo flew into the room.
"Welcome back, Lady Lila and Lord Nathanael!" Duusu said, flying down and resting on the arm of the sofa.
"Yes, Welcome back…now, how did it go did you make lots of money?" Nooroo asked.
"I wouldn't say we made lots of money," Nathanael said.
"Which is a disgrace! I could have made more money by…I don't know…robbing a bank!" Lila said.
Nathanael frowned at her "We are not robbing a bank!"
"Obviously, it was only a…metaphor, Anyway I'm away to bed," Lila said, she stood up and walked off.
"She's got the right idea, I'm also exhausted" Nathanael said.
Duusu and Nooroo nodded "Yes, it is quite late, Lord Nathanael" Nooroo said.
He fluttered alongside Nathanael as he walked off to his room.
Duusu watched them go off and thought with wide eyes 'I wonder if I can risk going into Lila's bed…its always so warm but she might still be mad' she ruffled her feathers 'Oh well its worth the risk!" she flew off towards Lila's room.