showing up for work // baal

[Jackal]

x x

Kyoku de Ajia

There were certain distinct advantages to being able to turn into a giant black dragon with blades on its arms. One of them was the sheer shock value, which was sometimes fun, but Jackal mostly found that it meant she could kill more or less any wild beast that thought a forest was a safe place to live. It also meant she could chop down trees, move them around, and fashion a makeshift cart pretty easily.

All of this went to say that she'd killed several deer, cut and cleaned the meat, prepared some of it to be preserved and left some of it fresh, and was bringing it to the Fairy's Fountain. She was lucky she'd found this job, and while she hoped no one would come after her from the city, she figured she'd make the most out of whatever time she might have. She was dragging the cart by holding onto a rope that was draped over one shoulder, the "cart" essentially being several logs strapped together, on top of several other logs that were rolling along on the ground, held together by some inventive jerry-rigging involving some rope she'd purchased and some vines she'd fastened into crude versions of the former. She brought the cart around to the storehouse near the tavern and went to work, carrying the meat in herself. She would've just turned into a dragon to make it easier to carry it all, of course, but that probably wasn't wise right now.

She assumed Baal would be out to check everything over, soon enough. It was hard not to notice a hugeass cart trundling along, and he'd want to know what his supplies were going to look like. That, and she'd barely met the man until now. It'd be good to get to know what sort of person he was.

[Baal Tansley]

Ah, the nitty gritties of running a tavern. Most people only saw what was meant to be shown. A bartender with everything ready to serve his customers at a moments notice. Full kitchen, stocked booze, it seemed the only thing the bartender did outside of serve was clean those dishes. But that was during the evening and night, when the booze hounds and socialites all found themselves in the same place for the same purpose. During the day there was all sorts of maintenance to be done.

Most of which Baal had done as a kid, so it was fairly routine. Of course some things were infrequent enough that they didn't become routine, such as the special delivery of fresh game. The cart pulling around back had been easy enough to see through the windows, as well as their loyal huntress, dragging it along. Baal finished wiping down the counter from the night before, then rinsed and wrung the rag out before heading back. There was no rush; the lady was an efficient hunter, she'd be at it for some time before dwindling the supply on that cart.

Wiping his hands in a towel he stepped through the kitchen and out the back door to greet her. "Looks like you've had quite a bit of luck on the hunt," he said as he examined the stock. "I don't suppose you'd let me buy you a mule to pull the cart instead of paying you." It was a jest, of course, though there was truth behind it. The cart looked heavy and while she looked, and proved herself, perfectly capable of pulling it, it seemed entirely unnecessary for her to strain herself like that. "What was your asking price, anyway?"

[Jackal]

x x

Kyoku de Ajia

Jackal continued carrying the pierces of meat silently as Baal approached, throwing her cloak behind her shoulders so that she could comfortably work her arms. Baal knew what she looked like, of course, and today she'd donned a simple cloth shirt over her chest, as uncomfortable as it was. She figured such a thing might be necessary if she was to work in such a public place. It wasn't particularly noteworthy, just a plain white binding of cloth tied over one shoulder, but beneath her cloak, it sufficed. That, and anything more restrictive would get torn to shreds by her claws and blades.

She watched as Baal appeared. Her employer. The word felt strange to her, since she'd never really needed employment, but it had just seemed like a good idea at the time. If everything worked out, her past notoriety would vanish soon ... and no one but the most bitter of Knights remembered the incident surrounding her, anyway.

"I've been hunting a long time. And as a dragon, I can move faster than most anything through that forest. Today wasn't particularly out of the ordinary," Jackal explained, though in truth not using her Shadowfire had been peculiar. Typically, that was how she herded her prey, but she didn't think it'd be a good idea to give such meat to Baal and his patrons. The burn of shadowfire left a strange taste on meat, and though Jackal liked it, she didn't think many others would. Then she shook her head. "No. I'm stronger than I look. Pulling this thing around is no strain. Besides, mules don't like me."

Her asking price? She hadn't really thought of one. She sort of assumed Baal would just hand ehr some rupees, which she probably didn't need directly, anyway.

"Hrm ... how about room and board? I can provide for my own meals and drinking water, though somewhere to bathe wouldn't go amiss. As for being a bouncer, just pay me from the tip jar like everyone else," Jackal said. Having a place to say would be very handy, and she didn't really need that many rupees. Just enough to fund the things she needed to do.

[Baal Tansley]

Business was picking up slowly but surely and his staff listing was growing larger. Hilariously few were demanding straight-up pay, but preferred having a place to stay and food in their belly. Still, Baal couldn't argue against it. More money to invest into getting the place back to its former glory. He closed the place when he had taken over for a few weeks as maintenance was done, things were brought up to date and generally changed to function as he saw fit.

"Room and board it is. Meals will also be covered under your employment, up to two a day if you want. Just give Lucky your order and he'll tend to you enough. As for baths, we have the public bathhouse for tenants, but considering your garb I would think you'd prefer the private baths in the employee lounge. Locked doors and no crowds, seems like your cup of tea," he mused as he examined some of the meat left on the cart. Jackal seemed to have things in hand, and handling meat wouldn't exactly put him in any good shape for tending the bars when they opened.

Fewer people ordered drinks when their bartender was covered in blood.

[Jackal]

x x

Kyoku de Ajia

Jackal moved the rest of the food into the storehouse and wiped her hands, staring at the blood. She grimaced and waved them.

"I don't suppose I could wash these off somewhere? Might be best for you to bring some water or a cloth out so I don't have to drip blood all the way into the Inn," she said wryly, before adding, "Private would be best, yes. Though I can provide my own meals easily enough. I suppose every now and again it might be nice to have something a little different." Jackal was still more than a little uncomfortable at the thought of being beholden to anyone, and perhaps instinctively shied away from the full compensation Baal was offering. "The meat should all be good, I made sure nothing was spoiled or bruised or ... anything to that effect," Jackal said calmly, sitting against the edge of her cart. It had been a rather long trip.