+-RT-+
Well no reviews. That's okay I took a long time to bring that chapter and it basically was a travel stall. I didn't expect any. Can't say I didn't HOPE for some though. I used to work in a "See feedback time to work basis" unless I was caught up in the flow of the story, but I can't afford that with this. You reap what you sow. Anyway, forwards.
Due to lack of motivation, this chapter is long as an apology for the delay. Making it long also caused most of the delay because of said lack of motivation but meh.
General Warning: In this chapter, the caps lock button is abused. Also, If I mutilated the rich inheritor of the Big Bash's reign's name, forgive me, I told you already I am working without the benefit of the game to help me, and half the time the internet too. (In fact, I make a point not to use the net during writing. I find myself getting work calls if I do, then I gotta use the net for THAT. Oddly, if the net if off, I get no calls off schedule. Fate maybe….?)
Another touch. I find I really need to work on my happy scenes. That was extremely hard for me to write and what's worse, when done, they feel flat and un-real, and mostly sketchy. I revel too much in suspense and sorrow that's hard for me to write in the light. =/.
+~LSRA~+
Chapter Six: Consequences.
+~LSRA~+
I walked into the store. It was early, but the door was unlocked, and there she was; standing behind the counter with her hands caressing its edges. She had the same apron on, but her cream color shirt had been swapped out with a pure white one. Same rapier thin ponytail, same plaited leather belt…
She moved from behind the counter, and I made a mental amendment. Same belt, but now, where once there had been an empty sheath, there was now a full one, the dark leather of the handgrip reflecting sun as only polished leather can. Her face was set into a mask of calm, but the aura around her was off. I wasn't going to make any comment about it though, for her left hand was casually rested on the grip of that weapon, and it looked like it was used to being there.
"So…you did come back. I guess that my life is now worth no more than a bard's tale."
Her eyes rested on mine. How old was she really? The tale she told depicted herself as an airheaded weeboo…but even though she used no huge words, it was obvious she was intelligent when her eyes rested on you like that…and there was no weeboo to be found in that reflection. How many years had it been? The question slipped before I had a chance to stop it.
I was about to take it back too, the look that she gave me, but then those eyes lit up, and her face split into a smile, a real, unguarded smile. In there, I could see her as she was in her tales…
"I'm not quite as old as you might think…during the time of the story, at least where you are now, I'm about thirteen. I am eighteen now. Five years…can do a lot to you, if you let them."
She cocked her head to the side, almost letting it rest on her right shoulder in a half shrug.
"I let them."
She said that with a light tone, but she might as well have dumped some ice down my back. There was a lot of weight behind those three words…
"But enough about now…You want to know about then. That's what you came for huh?"
There was something about her voice. It was soft and light, but lilting, a kind of almost singing that caught you and took you to where she was, where the story was…
+-~1~-+
Laser fire, bright, searing; and bringing with it the smell of ozone and barbeque. Oh yes, barbeque. Louie was the main course, not that he was laying down to be roasted at the spit…
Louie panted as he raced to keep pace against a line of fire that was intent on mowing him down. No way to roll under it, no way to jump over it, and unless he could sprout wings there was no way he was going to be able to dodge it from the side…then again, if he had wings, he'd probably just fly over it. Yeah. That made more sense. Fly over it and INCOMING!
Louie almost did a barrel roll to avoid an exploding missile that went off where his head had been not three seconds before. How was he supposed to get NEAR this guy to HURT him if he kept using attack to PUSH HIM AWAY? Then again, that was probably the point…
A shaking alerted Louie to jump sideways to avoid a platform that would have fallen from under him. That was another thing. Even the FLOOR was against him! He'd always had the floor to back him up, he had a very intimate relation with the ground, since it was always there to catch him when he fell, to give him additional bruises, for him to beat his fists against…but now it was falling from underneath him!
Another laser made his mind go blank; the sheer fear of it appearing so close made him freeze. It was going to hit…but instead it started to move away from him. For gods sakes the thing was teasing him! Louie sent a flying slash at the thing in frustration, only to have the laser eat it. He gritted his teeth. He needed a melon…But he didn't know how he could even think about stuffing one of those down his throat when by the time he did he'd be hit by something, or choke.
Louie swerved to avoid another explosion and played leap frog with another laser before raising his blade and slicing through the thin air with venom. This time it hit the device, but for all the visual effect it did, he might as well have sneezed on it. His frustration was running high as he pounded heavily across the platforms, jumping when they began to shake underneath him.
His teeth still set in a grit, he managed to get in close in time to get in a few choice slashes before the thing backed off from the platforms and began its bombing run, but this time, Louie was tired of running from the attacks. He stood his ground as he bent and swerved like a tree in high wind, his blade flashing out shockwaves to detonate bombs early, his body playing limbo with the laser as it came, and when it passed, he jumped skywards slashing into the air viciously to send his shockwaves flying out in cross patterns. Finally this attack gave the device pause, just enough of pause for it to come down low enough for Louie to land and spin with vengeance etched in his eyes, his blade flashing red.
It did not bleed, it spilled crystals. But Louie had a grim smile. So. He could cut it.
He didn't have long to celebrate however, partly because he knew he probably would not get another chance. He kept pressing his attack on where it had opened up, hacking away until it rose and again moved out of his range, spitting out lasers from its hands to rake him. Again though, Louie stood his ground only jumping a little backwards when his panel began to shake.
Damn. If this one falls I'll never get close enough again.
Taking a chance, he kept hopping as it shook, and as his opponent came close again, as it began to fall, he pushed all his strength into his legs, jumping as he had never before. The feedback of energy running from his legs into his body, it was almost like a demon had seized his soul. Hand on blade, he swung his blade as he never had before, slicing the air as if to rend it, his eyes reflecting nothing but his opponent, his world had shrunk to just that. Him and the beast.
I'm so slow…too slow! It's just sitting there as if it's holding me in the air, and all I can do is swing with arms of lead! I gotta be faster than this! IT'S JUST SITTING THERE!"
To Recette, Louie's arms were nothing but flashes, her eyes would catch a flit of his sleeve here, and then a flash of his scarf there, but she was never fast enough to see his whole arm swing. He wasn't a blur like Griff could become in anger, but he still seemed inhuman as he rained down hell and breakfast on the Geddon Device…and ever so slowly, it would jerk back, delayed, hating movements, spurting crystals, flying sparks…
It's over…
Halting, grinding, spinning a broken machine that final job was to vomit up two fairies. That is what Louie wanted to see; what he deserved to see… as he felt himself fall and hit the ground. Hard. But his eyes were not so kind.
His opponent was damaged yes, but an exhausted Louie could see it was not done yet. Even as he watched the platform he stood on begun to shake. If that didn't take it down...
I don't think I have the energy for another shockwave…I can barely lift my eyes to see…and the platforms have fallen…I'm never going to be able to close the distance again…It's over. I've…lost…
A scream made him duck and roll, just in time to avoid being totally roasted by a laser he barely saw. He dimly registered that it had been his name, and that the screamer was Recette. He stopped rolling, but he didn't get up. He was too tired. His back was on fire with pain, and he remembered something from before…the lasers were too big to go under…he had rolled and taken the cooler parts of the beam in stride, but his clothes were toasted, and his back felt raw…he smelled burnt wool and knew his scarf was gone too.
His eyes sought Recette; the other girl seemed paralyzed, staring at his back. Recette however, was looking at him, with those big eyes, all watery, but her mouth was open. She was probably still screaming. He finally caught her attention, and her mouth clamped into a thin line.
Sorry Recette…looks like I couldn't save the damsel this time…
He was surprised at what she did next. Then he realized…he could see her. She was outside the barrier…she was reaching into her bag…and pulling out…was that a Tuna Shanker? How many of those had he found down here…she had three in her hands. They looked huge in them, and she was shaking like a leaf. He saw another laser coming for him. So this was it…he looked at his friend again…and saw her back in the bag, pulling out a crystal shield.
What are you doing, Recette?
"Hey! You big bully! Pick on someone your own size!"
She surprised him. Louie remembered the times he had fallen, and she had to drag him back to town, the first times he had been painfully reminded of it too, being dragged across the ground was not kind on the body…but later on he would feel it less. He had chalked it down to becoming tougher, but now he saw it was more than that…
In a moment, Recette had run to his side, and tossed the shield right into the beam. It shattered in a near instant…but she used that little time it held to push them both past it. Louie, unable to do anything but fly and then fall to the earth again, could only numbly watch. If that landing had not been on his back, he might had had enough feeling in him to be surprised, but at the moment, he was in too much pain to feel anything else.
He groaned, but was ignored as Recette, in front of him, hefted a Tuna Shanker and threw it at the crystal in the middle of the device. It made a sound like a musical note, and maybe a small chip flew off, but nothing else was evident.
WHAT was she DOING?
Probably the same thing was going through the other girl's head, for at that moment she snapped out of her paralysis and began to scream at Recette. Louie couldn't understand one word she said, and if Recette understood it, she ignored it and she raised a silver bow. She didn't load any arrows though; no she loaded a Tuna Shanker. The hell…
Pulling back as far as she could, the girl jerked forwards and gasped as the bow string ripped from her fingers as she tried to pull it further back then she could hold it. Louie felt something wet fly unto his cheek
But his eyes were on the knife. The very fast knife. It had buried itself into the crystal, and from where it struck, Louie could see light shining through. Recette pulled another Tuna Shanker and tried to load it, but yelped and dropped the bow, sucking her left hand. Giving up on that, she threw the knife right handed, succeeding in a complete miss. Gritting her teeth, she watched another laser start to charge.
Time was against her. She wasn't Louie. If that thing hit her, she'd be dust. Growling, she aimed and threw her last Shank…and hit gold. The Crystal received another chip identical to the first one, but this time, with a knife buried in it already, cracks in it widened, and the light coming from it began to flicker, shine brighter and then, to Louie's surprise, the device began to swerve.
Oh DUH! The crystal is its freaking power source! Destroy that and it goes nuts!
Grunting and hissing, Louie managed to roll unto his belly, getting his arms under him. More teeth gritting and hissing got his knees under him so he could sit on the balls of his feet.
"Tear! Tear! Come on Tear! Wake up! Teeear! Alouette! We have to call for them! Alouette! Help me!"
~+-1-+~
"Hmm? I sound corny? Well…err…hey, it was the first thing that came to my mind! Wait you're laughing now? I suppose I'm hilarious when distraught huh? Oh…you! Go ahead! Burst your gut laughing for all I care! I wanted to get Tear back! Simple and forward! She was my best friend! My big sister! ...What do you mean a fairy can't be my sister? I mean figuratively you dolt! So what if she's tiny? A fairy can still be my big sister! Hmph. You…you're lucky I've nothing else to do or I'd stop telling this story right now!
She was so red in the face and furious I instantly tried to calm down. I mean, I was enjoying the story. What's more was that I didn't want her mad at me, that rapier handle was still within range after all. Though at the moment she didn't look too disposed to using it; it looked like she had forgotten it was even there. I pushed some hair out of my face and tried to bring my amusement to a manageable level. Still I found it hilarious for this merchant in front of me to do something so stupid as to yell at a crazy monster like it was a bed her fairy friend was sleeping in.
I implored her to continue however, and after a few minutes she seemed ready to oblige me…
~+-2-+~
The trip upwards from there was as uneventful as a feather is light. I'm sure you're aware of what happens at the end of a dungeon, hmm? A large, inter-dimensional door appears. Ahh of course, what happened with tear and Arma, I get ahead of myself…
Loiue struggled up to his feet as the device in front of them all tilted insanely, a drunken marionette with half its strings cutspinning about before it fell to shatter on the ground, becoming dozens of crystals. As Louie expected, they began to rush at him, but surprised him by making a detour OVER him. They instead bowled Recette over, sending her flying backwards into Alouette, bowling her over. Louie couldn't help the mental shout of "SCORE!"…but hell be unto him if he voiced it.
Energy Crystals are attracted to the most powerful presence around them. That's why when an adventurer defeats a monster, it flies at them. Having been released from their vessels, the only remaining powerful vessel will of course be that adventurer…
But wait…Recette was always behind a barrier, so it could never fly to her…until now, when she herself had stepped out to his aid…but did that mean she was somehow…stronger than him? But she had never even lifted a weapon befor- okay, rephrase that, she had lifted them, but not in her defense…as a shop-keep to sell them…
"Me-merde…."
That one word galvanized Recette into action; she untangled herself from Alouette in time for the other girl to push her bottom, hard, in an attempt to get up herself. This almost made Recette fall backwards again, but she kept her footing to take a few shaky steps forwards. She seemed dizzy. Yeah, Louie knew that feeling. You try absorbing a dozen or so crystals full of energy and flying at you at about the same speed a rock would if thrown. If it doesn't knock you silly the first time, you're made outta steel. Not to mention the giddiness afterwards made you kinda tipsy, like having one to many at the bar.
Recette definitely looked tipsy.
"Te-Tear!"
... … … … … …
"I have been disengaged from the system. As such I will lose much of my creation abilities and will no longer be a threat to the collective as a weak link. I shall disappear from their realm."
"Uhh, but wait a sec, that's kinda what I was trying to prevent…you going and dying on us, I mean, damsel in distress saving yah?"
Tear, however; smiled at Louie…and Arma seemed to gain a ghost of one too.
"Oh no, I am not disappearing from life as you know it. I am…going to become an individual. After all, I do…enjoy…shopping."
Recette smiled this time.
"I'll make sure the door is always open for you too!"
~+-3-+~
"I suppose that I am lost now. I betrayed my employer, you obviously don't need me to run the shop, All I really ever do is fly about and offer customer service. I…have failed my mission. I have nowhere to go. No home…"
"Don't be silly!"
"Hu-huh what?"
"I told you already Tear! You are my family. Your home is my home, and OUR home is Recettear!"
I can only stare at her, open mouthed, stunned…what…after all this, after realizing what my mission was…knowing that I was there as nothing but a slave master…that I used her...she still…after all that…
…Recette…
…You are like no human I have ever met before…
…I suppose you are right…
…I do have a home…
…Then I promise…
…Like you asked…
…I'll never leave you alone…
"…Y-yes. L-lets…Let's go home!"
…and so my days of running an item shop…continued!
"RE-CE-TTE, WAKE UP!"
"He wha?!"
~…~
I watched her happy face. She was enjoying what I was telling her.
I could end it right here, tell her that my story was at an end, and that Recette had had a happy time forever after until I decided to close shop and sell the land.
...I could lie, and let her leave with that smile on her face.
A smile…people's smiles used to be so important to me.
What is important to me now? The truth? What is right? No…I suppose what's important to me now…
Is seeing everything to its end.
~Recettear: Lemongrass Stains.
Recette bustled about her shop, wiping errant fingerprints from a dusty display case with her apron almost absent mindedly ad she listened to Louie babble about a new dungeon having been discovered. In the middle of the sea of all places…on an island of crystal…a floating island of crystal. Recette was interested yes, but only as far as a merchant would be.
A merchant who was not too particularly greedy once her bills were paid. She wasn't in debt anymore after all. All profit of Recettear went to her and Tear, and for two individuals, one a fairy who liked a simple life no less;(all a bit with a few books and being able to at least see treasure and money being used, if not necessarily to her own benefit.), that was plenty of monetary freedom to keep them occupied. Recette for her part had decided to forgo her four bubbles in place of two on one side. She was thinking of growing a ponytail. After the shop was well cared for, she would spend a small bit of her money on herself, so that she "fit the image of her shop"; to quote Tear. It would not do for Recette to continue looking like a just-scrubbed-behind-the-ears school girl while she ran Recettear, which had become a rather fine establishment over her hectic month of installment payment.
As such she had, at the very least, bought a new apron and some strange goop Tear called a "Hair care product, not that you need much of it, your father was good for one thing I suppose, your hair manages to be presentable with minimal effort."
But that was enough about her hair and her shop.
Finishing her task, Recette put her hands in the pockets of her apron, searching for her notepad. She slipped a pencil behind her left ear as she found it along with her book, and her tongue came out to peek from the side of her mouth as she flicked past pages of writing, coming to a list of dungeons on a small, hand drawn map depicting the surrounding country around the town of Pensee.
Louie continued to jabber happily about the new chance for adventure, the "Crystal Nightmare" as they were calling it. Just about any rare item imaginable was said to be inside, as already adventurers who ventured in came out with incredible finds and they claimed that they had only been to the first levels. No one knew how far down it went, for any adventurer who had gone to find out had yet to return.
Not to say they had died or anything, though it was possible, just at this point, people believed they simply just had not found the bottom yet. It had only been about a week since the last batch had marched in after all, determined not to come back until they had found the bottom…only a week.
It had been about two months since Recette had come back from the ruins, half helping, half dragging Louie and Alouette with her, two fairies crowning her head. In that time, she had busied herself with her shop and life had become…a kind of normal. She woke up, cleaned up (both herself and her house), dressed up (again; both herself and house) and finally opened up shop. Took away old or low priced stock, replaced it with new or higher priced stock, set aside bundles with orders filled, haggled, haggled and haggled some more, with a smile on her face as she waved off satisfied customers. Occasionally coming off her stool to chase a certain pink haired individual out of her shop bodily, ridiculous merchandise and prices both unwelcome.
Spending her free time replenishing store stock at the market, or diving into a dungeon with her friends. Never pushing too hard for her need was no longer desperate. Laughing, playing, and watching the children not so much younger than her race around the square while she tried to avoid them with her bags. She had thought that her time of fear was over…
But now…this. The Crystal Nightmare. Its name laughed at her in her own "lead" from her pencil, dully shining on the notepad. The words awoke an irrational fear in her. Something told her…something told her this dungeon would start something…it would end the peace.
But still, when Louie said that he wanted to make up a team of his own and chase into it…she smiled.
Smiled and shoved the irrational fear down into the pit of her stomach.
"You mean like Alouette does? She always has an army of villagers with her when she goes into a dungeon…"
"Yeah! I mean…why not? You could do it even! You're an established merchant at the guild, there are a lot of adventurers who you've never even seen before who would love to try and give you their card! …and a lot of un-carded ones too…I mean um…what ranking do you have as a merchant?"
"Huh? Wait, you know about merchant levels Loiue?"
Louie rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Err, well I don't know about them all no, but I do know they exist, and the adventurer's guild has a rule that any merchant above the rank of ten can hire a team of adventurers, of course, they would have to be able to afford all of their combined fees. I mean, ever since you paid me to go into those Ruins to rescue Arma, I've realized that Alouette isn't the only merchant that could afford that kind of trip!"
Louie continued to rub his head while Recette focused on smoothing out her apron, but his mind wasn't as at a loss for words as his mouth was. While he rubbed it, his head had the audacity to spout a comment in his mind.
"…and I'd rather travel under Recette as a team than listen to that kid boss me around…even with her ball of greed flying around…it's better than the other ball of greed…Prime was it? Sheesh…"
"I mean if you don't want to you don't have too, I just would really like to go, and you're the first merchant I gave my card too!"
Recette smiled at him as he continued to ramble. She was about to answer him when a woman came up to her with a request for something sweet for her daughter. Recette went to the vending machine she was using as a cooler behind her counter and asked if a candied apple would do, and closed the deal right in time for Louie's ramble to finish.
"So how about it?"
Sighing, Recette adjusted herself in her stool before answering Louie.
"I don't see why not. I've never handled a team of adventurers before though. I guess I'd handle all of your items combined? Would I just let you do your own thing and just catch what you all pick up or…"
Louie held up a gloved hand.
"When I've traveled with Alouette and her company of adventurers, she usually would have a team of five. One of them picked up the items, she err…never carried any of her own merchandise anywhere. As far as I can tell, she kinda directed each of the four to a direction, and they would take that position around her. We would walk in a group and each of the four had a corner…"
Recette's mouth twisted up at this suggestion. It seemed so…complicated. Most monsters that Recette encountered could be handled one on one by her friends, but she supposed since Alouette generally picked a mass of villagers to walk with her and not people who had to make a life out of adventuring, her strategy worked fine. Recette would come up with her own though. She was not so much a fan of following Alouette's bossy example.
+-~4~-+
"Ahh. Recette Lemongrass. Come to hire an adventurer have you? Maybe take a stroll into the one everyone has been talking about? The Crystal Nightmare? The Guild recommends that you hire a-"
Recette interrupted the man with a sneeze. Not that she did it on purpose, it just happened. Sniffing lightly and shaking her head to rid it of figurative cobwebs, she hefted her pack a little higher unto her shoulders and took a glance around the familiar room.
The Adventurers Guild was built very much like a train station, that is to say, lots of open meeting space before a counter of staff who could point you in one direction or another, and along the walls, hallways leading to quarters or meeting rooms, and doors leading to staircases. The whole place was made of a warm colored brick, except the floor which was largely water smoothed rock. In one corner, a kind of lounge was situated, with a roaring fireplace during the cold nights. All in all it was a very earthy feel. Recette nodded, interrupting the man yet again in his mostly-ignored speech.
"I'm doing something different today guild coordinator. I'm looking to hire a team of adventurers for a multi-day trip."
The other's face instantly arranged into a smile, and a twinkle came into his eye. Ahh, finally, she was looking to give him some good money today!
"Ahh! May I suggest looking into teams already registered and waiting? I can show you a list of very capable individuals that already have established teams, they know each other well and trust each other in battle, you can count on them to perform! For the regular finder's fee of course, I can link you with a perfect match-"
Feeling herself being increasingly rude, Recette called the man from his tirade again, smiling as best she could while refusing the offer. He instantly deflated.
"Err, no mister coordinator. I'd actually like to create my own team from individual adventurers. I'm prepared to pay their combined fees."
…and of course in doing so she makes sure they get their own full fees, and all the guild gets is the listing fees! This merchant…always trying to cut out the establishment and giving the adventurer full share! It is US who keep them organized! If only she was more like that fine heir to the Big Bash…that girl has true vision, and an ample wallet to realize it!
Smiling nonetheless, the coordinator led Recette to the lounge, where many an adventurer waiting for work milled about as they spent their hours hoping or busing themselves. Recette instantly recognized Louie staring off from across the table at an adventurer she didn't know, doing, of all things, arm-wrestling.
No one was winning.
Edan relaxed next to Louie, watching him struggle while on the other side, Nagi sat on the floor, examining her spear edge. A bit apart from them, Calliou sat at a table pouring over a book Recette recognized as one he had bought two days ago from her store. He was more than half way done with it…and it wasn't a short book.
While his eyes moved across the page, he muttered under his breath, as if practicing spell-work. Across from him on another chair, Chame lounged while she tossed her knife up in the air, catching it only to toss it up again. Tielle was standing in the middle of the room next to a human adventurer Recette did not know aiming with a dart at a circular board another man was holding. Her dart jerked and danced with the man's movement and she threw it, she scored a bulls-eye, even as he had tried to jump aside.
Two young men sat on the floor, bent over a map and conversing. Again, these two adventurers Recette had never seen, however, near them by the fireplace and watching its empty, dark mouth, stood Arma. She couldn't find Griff, but then again, she doubted he would be here this early in the day.
"Well Madam, take your pick, these adventurers have no allotted teams… they are the "free agents" you are looking for."
As he said this, most of the rooms' occupants turned towards his voice. They were used to doing that. He was the one who brought them prospective clients. They paid him a lodging fee and s finder's fee for that after all. Louie's face lit up once he saw who the prospective "client" was. The coordinator took control again however with a cough. Recette cast him a glance.
"A moment if you please. You have not said how many adventurers you wish to enlist for this team, for where and how long… I'd also like to know if you wish to register the team you are creating as an enlisted one or as a temporary…"
Thrown a bit for a loop, Recette stared at him for a few seconds while her mind whirred. How many, where to were easy enough questions, it was the how long and the enlisted bit that tripped her. First things first however…he eyes roved the room, found Louie, moved on, found Tielle, moved once more and found Calliou…and an idea formed into her head. She ran with it, and saw from the surprise in the coordinators face that she had chosen right.
"I'd like to make it enlisted. Private enlisted if that's possible. I'm looking to create a team of four for an unknown amount of time; probably a long time…ehh…I'm planning on taking them to "The Crystal Nightmare."
Louie looked more excited with every word, in fact, he was so pumped, he managed to slam down his opponent in a burst of energy. He hardly noticed this feat however. Edan did though, and he began laughing at the other mans shocked face. Calliou too, was paying attention, but his excitement was more masked, he still had his nose in his book, but anyone looking close would see his eyes were not on the pages. The two men previously hovering over their map had incredulous looks on their faces.
This girl wanted to hire how many people? For how long? And to where?
"Of...Of course. I suppose you mean private listing by meaning this particular combination of adventurers can only work as a team when hired by yourself? You are aware that if any three of the four you wish to do this too are hired and are not under any contract to yourself that they can accept, and thus leave you without a team if you come looking? You are also aware that if you wish to register another team and this team is available you cannot legally do so? Once you make a team private, whenever you hire a team and they are available, you MUST hire them and them alone…"
She didn't know all of that, but she shrugged it off mentally. If she ever hired another team, she couldn't imagine objecting to working with her friends again if they were willing, ready and able. She aimed a smile at him and lifted her shoulders in a shrug.
"I don't find a problem with any of that sir. I'd be glad if they were able to find work when I don't need them, and if they are all there and I hire a team again, I can't imagine objecting to hiring them if they are able and willing to work."
So…she CAN have vision when she wants too. Huh, she's unwilling to pay an enlistment fee for a registered team, but instead is willing to pay for a registration fee for a brand new team and a private one at that…
"Well madam, if you just point out whom you would like we can get started..."
+~-E-~+
Huh, I planned on making this longer than what it turned out to be. But after that line it just seemed like a nice place to end, and I felt unwilling to stick more into this one chapter. I don't know what it is, but much of this chapter seems sparse to me, which is funny because I just said I was unwilling to put more.
In a stupid mood~Finalage.