Three days have passed by since the events of the incident in the Portland Art Gallery. The curator had since given compensation to Yuuko being a small bonsai that he had for five years. There was also minor assistance to the local police force that is still looking for the remaining members of the ritual that failed. It was a busy week end for August at the shop. Now, it is his day off.
Now, August is in a metro bus with Markus, who also has a day off from work. It was a particularly crowded bus, this made August slightly irritated but tried to keep his composure for Markus whom is sitting next to him. He observes the people around him. Disconnected, distant, toxic, soulless; there are plenty of adjectives that fill his head for people whenever he's out and about, being crowded in such a tight space especially. As much as he hated the bus, parking was hard to come by in Portland and he unfortunately had the misfortune of not being able to park close to where the planned meeting is supposed to take place.
He sighs and leans his head back to the back cushion of the seat wishing to get comfortable for the ride and shutting his eyes to hopefully take his focus away from the people around him. For a short while it worked but he eventually couldn't help but feel eyes on him and opens his brown eyes to see that he, or more specifically Markus, was being watched. Across from them, a stranger was looking at Markus in disgust, August wasn't entirely sure if the person was a he or a she. All he saw was someone dressed in combination of rainbows and blacks on top of having more piercings than he could count with hair that is brightly colored like a rainbow in contrast to Markus' black and purple long sleeves and August's navy blue and gold short sleeves. He looks at this person then looks at Markus and notices why the stranger was glaring at Markus who was shyly looking away from the one across the bus. August could definitely see that Markus' anxiety was kicking in and August glared at the person across the bus. He could clearly see that this stranger's eyes had a distinct crazed look to them.
"What are you looking at?" August barked at the stranger across the bus.
What happened next, August was not prepared for as the person stood up and was about to lunge at Markus with their fists and feet. August stood between Markus and the now assaulting stranger and proceeded to throw a few swings at the person. Then a brawl ensued in the bus that now had no choice but to stop. In the midst of the brawl, August realized that the person he was trading blows with was a woman beneath the rainbows and blacks. The two traded obscenities in the middle of the fight that only lasted a surreal slow two minutes with August seeing nothing but red with fury. The fight was short lived, August and Markus were kicked off the bus with the offending woman staying on the bus blowing a victory raspberry at August.
"Screw off! Who needs you anyway?!" August curses at the shrinking bus as he shook his fist.
"August, you've went and done it again." Markus scolded August.
"Why are you giving me crap? That lady was about to drop kick you straight on your menards for sitting in a position you were comfortable with." August retorted. "I couldn't just sit there and do nothing."
"Still though that doesn't give you a reason to-" Markus protested but was cut off by August.
"Defend you?" August snorted. "Good enough for me. Someone had to teach scumbag a lesson."
Markus sighs; it wasn't getting through to August. He changes the subject but his nerves and anxiety were kicking in. "S-so how far along do we have left on f-foot?" Markus stutters with shot nerves.
August looks at Markus and couldn't help but feel bad for making a scene on the incident. Regardless, he didn't want to see Markus hurt. "Surprisingly, we actually don't have that much further to go on foot." August answers Markus. "It's about a five to ten minute walk to the Chinese Garden. They got tea there and that's actually where she'll meet us."
"T-tea… that would be lovely." Said Markus, he was slowly calming down.
The two of them now go on their way to the Chinese Garden to meet up with August's boss.
Meanwhile, at the teas hop of the Chinese Garden, Yuuko sits at a table patiently waiting for August and his friend to arrive. She is dressed in a red and black Chinese Cheongsam style shirt with a cherry blossom adorning the front. Her long hair streams behind her. Her long legs wear black jeans that seem to seamlessly go along with the shirt she is wearing as there appears to be petals of the cherry blossom traveling down. Yuuko's elegant black high heels shined in the sunlight that beams into the teashop. To anyone passing by, she would have looked like a model.
Yuuko took her flip phone out of her pocket and looks at the time. She hummed, and she puts her old phone back. It was Twelve-thirty in the afternoon, and she was at the tea shop for roughly fifteen minutes. She closes her red eyes and her ears open up, taking in the ambient sounds in the surrounding area around her. The drip of water the drops from the leaf, the sounds of the tea cups gently being lifted up and landing on the tables around her, the sounds of chatter, the sounds of cricket and cicadas, the sound of the wind chime's song as it is blown by the slow breeze, and the slow breeze itself. To most, it is simply noise. To Yuuko, it is a symphony of ambiance playing in her ears. Her breathing slow and deep, through the nose, relaxed.
After the symphony of ambiance that filled her ears, it became replaced with deafening silence to her ears. Her eyes slowly opened to her half-lidded gaze. Her red eyes were greeted with the glowing green eyes that slither about invisibly to the garden's teas hop. Attached to the green eyes was the body of a shadowy serpent that hovers in the air. The two were smiling at each other.
"Yuuko! I was not expecting to slither by to see you." The shadowy serpent said telepathically to Yuuko. Her voice sounded slow and casual, smooth and easy, a strong hiss could be heard in her words.
"Alas, it is after all Hitsuzen, Nagina." Yuuko responded telepathically to Nagina. "Feel free to stick around and keep me company. I am waiting for some friends to arrive."
"Oh, who might they be?" Nagina asks.
"My new full time employee and his friend." Yuuko responded. "I want to get to know him and his friend better."
"I see." Nagina replied. "Does your friend have a name?"
Nagina slowly surrounds Yuuko with the length of her long serpentine body that seems to practically dance around Yuuko. The serpent was curious.
"August and his friend Markus." Yuuko stated. "They should be here any minute now."
"Hmm, interesting." Said Nagina.
The shadowy serpent wraps a loose loop around Yuuko's waist and the Witch of Wishes grins amused at Nagina's teasing. "Not trying to wrap me up again are you?" Said Yuuko playfully. "Still haven't learned your lesson back in India long ago?"
Nagina winces. "Old habits tend to stick around." Nagina said. "It wasn't fun being pushed out of a tree like that. Of course, that is how we ironically met."
"Knots and everything." Yuuko telepathically said with a giggle.
Outside of the Chinese Garden's walls stood August and Markus. The garden never ceased to amaze Markus despite visiting it multiple times. To August, it was soothing just being there.
"Seems a little cliché, don't you think August?" Said Markus, inquisitive as to why they are meeting in a tea shop in the Chinese Garden.
"My boss wanted to make a statement and leave an impression, I guess." August answered.
Before August took another step into the Chinese Garden, he sees a long shadowy mass slither out of the tea shop. He recognizes the shadowy serpent from before with the stripes and face. Soon enough the set of green glowing eyes looked back at August with her maw grinning. She slithers toward August in the air while looking at Markus also. Her length now surrounds the both of them, curiously looking at the two of them. Her tongue flickers in the air; she recognizes the smell of August and Markus well. August observes all of this while petrified in fear of this serpent's potential power.
Markus looks at August, confused as to why he is standing very still and looking up. He looks up also and looks back at August. "What are you looking at August?" Markus asked. He can't see the massive snake that surrounds the both of them as to him there's nothing there.
"I-I don't know." August said as he was shuttering.
"At ease." Nagina spoke with a hiss. "I, Nagina, am not going to hurt you at all. Your friend in there thinks very highly of you."
August nods. Nagina slowly slithers off to the air with her body seemingly dancing in the sky like a kite. She had left as soon as she arrived. August was still frozen for a brief moment then snaps himself out of his fear, breathing heavily.
"Are you alright August?" Markus asked now concerned for his friend's wellbeing.
"I'm alright… you don't want to know what I saw." August said shakily.
Markus nodded in understanding. "Whatever you say." Markus replied not questioning his friend.
When August found the strength to walk again, the two of them continued to the tea shop. When August and Markus entered to find Yuuko patiently sitting at a table. Her red eyes were looking at the two of them with her warm smile on her face. August returns the smile to Yuuko with a smile of his own. Markus on the other hand was wide eyed by the sight of her, 'surely this person isn't his boss' Markus thought. The two of them sat at the table, joining Yuuko.
"Good afternoon, August." Yuuko greeted him as he took a seat at her table in the tea shop. "Didn't experience any issues on the way I hope?"
August was embarrassed, now remembering the incident in he tried to push back in his head but now has to recount the issue to why they were delayed to Yuuko. "We were delayed a bit. Took the bus to get here but ended up getting ourselves kicked off due to a scuffle I got myself in." August explained himself to Yuuko.
Yuuko frowned and tisked. "It's such a pity to hear that August. Next time, try to keep yourselves out of trouble, around people in public at least." Yuuko said. Then her attention has turned to Markus who is looking at her, with eyes wide seemingly still trying to process her beauty. Her half lidded red eyes were now on his dark brown eyes. A smile now appears on her face again. "I don't believe we've met. I am Yuuko Ichihara. What's your name?"
Markus was still wide eyed. 'She's so breathtakingly beautiful.' Markus thought in his head. He scrunches his eyes shut and opens them multiple times to snap himself out of his stupor. "Sorry about that. My name's Markus Kipling. Before you say anything, I am, along with my family, are related to Rudyard Kipling." Markus stated.
"Oh, so like the author of the books?" Yuuko asked. She became intrigued by this connection.
"Yeah, that's him." Markus replied.
"Interesting." Yuuko said. Then she looks at August. "You practically have a celebrity for a friend August."
August chuckles. "Well, I guess you can put it that way Yuuko." August says.
Markus blushes, this wasn't the first time he was commented on regarding his relation to Rudyard but it still makes him feel small in such large shoes to fill.
"I'll get some tea for the three of us." August said as he stood up.
Yuuko nods and has her red eyes on Markus smiling at him. This made Markus momentarily mesmerized again before snapping out of it. "I'm gonna go with August. I realize he isn't thinking about snacks." Markus said, trying to keep his composure as he stood up also and go to August in line.
Yuuko then reaches her bag and has a book in hand and quietly begins to read, keeping herself occupied as she waits for them to come back to the table.
August notices Markus tagging along with him in the line. "She made you nervous?" He asks Markus.
"Not so much nervous as I just wasn't sure on what to say to her." Markus replies as he points to August and Yuuko. "Are you sure you two are not dating?"
"W-what? No!" August said as he shook his head vigorously. His eyes were wide and his cheeks were red. "I work for her."
"Oh come on now August. You've landed a good one with her. She's beautiful and you know what she really cares for you." Markus said as he was grinning toothily. "Your boss looks like a fashion model."
"I just work for Yuuko." August protested as he was looking away but also looking at Yuuko who is reading a book. "Plus her store is very weird."
"Oh? But it seems she has invited us for tea in this place of all places instead of a Starbucks. Now tell me, what kind of boss does that for their employees, hmmm?" Markus teased. He notices August is looking right at Yuuko and looks back at August. "You like her."
"I told you, she wanted to leave an impression on you." August said then realizes he was looking at Yuuko for too long and turns his attention to Markus. "Plus, it's nothing like that, I swear on me mum!"
"Oh, like you didn't try to get an idea of what's beneath all the clothes on her?" Markus continues teasing. That question made August turn very red and he turns his head slowly away from Markus. It dawned on Markus now that August did exactly that at one point. "You have!"
"Neither c-confirm n-nor d-deny!" August stuttered. "Man I really wish I c-could explain this b-better to you."
"Explain what?" Markus asked, now putting his hand on his ear to listen. "Your secret is safe with me."
August finally having enough of the teasing decides to get it over with and just flat out tell him. Fortunately, all he had to do was whisper it to him. "Yuuko Ichihara is…" He looks around, looks at Yuuko, then back to Markus to whisper. "the Witch of Wishes."
This made Markus freeze up in shock. He isn't actually sure if he should be scared or impressed that August is working for her; maybe even have her as his boon. It took a slow fifteen seconds for Markus to finally say something quietly. "Are you serious?"
"Yes." August replies.
"But how?" Markus asks, now genuinely interested in how August met her in the first place.
"You remember the day I got fired due to jackass taking up management at my old work place. She offered me a job at her place in exchange of a wish I want granted." August said.
"Are you wishing for revenge?" Markus said in silent horror.
"Nothing like that." August replies. "As a matter of fact, meeting the urban legend face to face basically made me forget why I was pissed at Jimmy in the first place."
Markus nods in understanding. "But… what exactly did you wish for?"
"This world to be better, I just wanted things to make sense again." August said.
This gave Markus pause to that statement of August's wish. "Do you really think she is capable of doing that for you?" Markus asks in disbelief.
"I don't know." August admitted but he finally wears a smile. "But, I trust her."
Markus nods, he was still worried about August but sees that he seems happy with it. "Are you sure she didn't hypnotize you or something. Her eyes just drew me in like moth to a fire."
August chuckles. "You too, eh? Bear with me, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her the first time I saw her. I am still trying not to get super mesmerized by her. Even just glancing at Yuuko it sort makes me feel strangely relaxed." August explained.
"Ok good, I thought I was the only one trying not to feel like a buffoon staring at her." Markus said with relief.
The two of them finally get to the register and order the tea and snacks. Then they return to rejoin Yuuko at the table to have their hot tea.
"So Markus, I have heard you make cakes for a living." Yuuko asks Markus as she sips her tea. She was interested in knowing about his life.
"I do in fact make cake for a bakery." Markus stated proudly. "Wedding cakes, graduation cakes, birthday cakes; you name it. All custom made by me with a bit of help."
Yuuko smiles, she is intrigued by this. "Do you make cake on the side as well outside of work?" Yuuko asks.
Markus nods. "Yeah, that isn't all that I do for hobbies." Said Markus. "I do a bit of writing on the side."
"Fascinating." Yuuko said, and then her eyes turned to August. "Are there things you do for fun, any hobbies you do too?"
August thought for a moment. There weren't too many hobbies that he took up. Nearly every single one of the hobbies he had tried, he lost interest in. He knows he did things growing up but he seemed to have done less and less as if his motivation to do things for his own leisure seemed to have died as he got older.
"Didn't you draw all the time when you were younger?" Markus asked August. "I know you have a folder full of your sketches somewhere."
August nods. "I have. My skill may be a bit rusty though. I haven't drawn anything in a while." He said.
"A Picasso I see." Yuuko commented on August being an artist.
"More like Amano to be exact." August chuckles. "At least that's what some people that saw my sketches commented on at least."
"As in Yoshitaka Amano?" Yuuko asks.
"Yeah, like him." August replied, nodding. He now wonders if Yuuko does anything on her spare time for her leisure and not just drink alcohol all the time and grant wishes to people. "What do you do then Yuuko? I know I worked for you for a few days now and I haven't seen you do anything much for yourself, granted I was too engrossed in the job that I might not have been paying attention."
"You'd surprised to know that I do quite a bit of things on my spare time." Yuuko stated. "Let's see… I do puzzles, chess, badminton, baseball, cosplay, juggling, read books and manga and poetry, knitting, checkers, Chinese checkers, dance exercises, karaoke, Black Jack and Poker, Domino stacking, dress up, Dungeons and Dragons, and of course… partying and drinking." Yuuko finishes off the list of hobbies and lets out a big breath and is wearing a toothy grin on her face.
All the while Yuuko listed off the hobbies she did, August's and Markus' jaws dropped as if they hit the floor by the time she reached the second to last hobby. August had shut his mouth with a slight grimace when she mentions 'partying and drinking' in the end of the list of hobbies she said to them.
"Of course, it had to end at drinking." August said stoically while a small laugh escaped his lips.
Markus looks at August and looks at Yuuko. "Very interesting list of things you do for hobbies, Yuuko." Markus comments.
Yuuko nods as she leans in towards both Markus and August. "That's not even the half of what I do to keep myself occupied."
"That bored eh?" August asks while pondering what else Yuuko does.
"More trying to have fun than bored to say the least." Yuuko replies to August as she looks at him. "Tonight, the five of us are going to have so much fun."
Confused by this, August raises a brow. "The five of us?"
"The Mokonas will be coming along with us." Yuuko said. "My, they do more than sit around and look cute you know August."
Markus tilted his head also confused. "What's a Mokona?"
"You'll meet them. You'll find that they are quite cute." Yuuko says to Markus sweetly.
"I suppose I should have Nina tag along with us then if we're going out tonight if that's alright with you Yuuko?" Markus asks.
Yuuko nods. "The more the merrier. Six it is!" Yuuko cheered.
August has a small smile creep up on his face to this thought. He has a good feeling about the coming time he and Markus will be having with Yuuko and the Mokonas.
The three of them stood from their table and have left the Chinese Garden to make their way in the city; for fun, for laughs, and lots and lots of alcohol.
