A Temporary Butler (320 views)

[Raichi]

It was no ordinary morning. The family butler had suddenly come down with a severe case of Floppy Tongue, so now they were in dire need of a replacement. Since recruiting new employees was part of their butler's job, they were now left with no choice but to recruit themselves. Of course, Tai was the first to offer his assistance in the task at hand. But with Cieko's obsession to surpass his brother he quickly jumped into the conversation to offer to do it instead.

As always, he was never satisfied. He got onto one of their uni's and rode off to town, grumbling to himself how his brother was a goody-two-shoes, mister-perfect, do-everything-righter, and that he couldn't understand how Tai could possibly enjoy doing something like recruiting a new butler! The only reason Cieko offered himself was to take some of the lime-light his brother was always shining in, but that moment was brief, and now he was stuck doing this stupid chore.

With a grumpy mumbling face he slugged through town on his horse, holding a piece of parchment in his hand that recruited for temporary employment. He was headed to the post office to have it placed it on the wall there and have a copy of it sent to Fearieland.

[Jazilyn]

"Hey look, I really appreciate everything you've done for me the passed few days. I mean, seriously, like, you have no idea how much you've helped me out," the steel-blue lupe muttered, his shoulder hunched and head slightly bowed. The hood of his green jacket had been pulled over his head, hiding his back-length, black hair; save for a few strands that had slipped from his ponytail and were draped on either side of his face. His icy-blue eyes studied his comrade intensely, waiting anxiously for her to say something.

But the draik remained too silent for his comfort, slipping a golden key into a P.O box and swinging open the small door. She pulled out a matchbox-sized brown box and handed it to the lupe, slammed the door shut, ripped out her key, and pocketed it without saying a word. Then she turned sharply on her heels, heading for the doors of Meridell's local Post Office.

"So that's it, you're just going to leave?"

"I've nothing more to say to you, Portal. If you really wanted to thank me you'd pay me. Don't ask any more favors from me, 'cause next time I won't be around." She replied harshly, staring over her shoulder with a single crimson eye; her gloved hands stuffed deep in the pockets of her long and heavy trench coat.

She was always careful to keep half of her face covered by her long, gray hair, which should have diminished her threatening appearance, and yet the lupe couldn't help the shiver that crawled up his spine as she glared at him. "Is that all you care about? Money?" But she didn't answer. "I'm sorry I don't have the lucrative income that assassination provides, but-"

He didn't even get a chance to finish before she'd rounded on him, clutching a fistful of his green hoodie and shoving him roughly against the wall of P.O boxes. "Look here..." she started, her teeth bared. But the bell for the front door, which rang whenever someone entered or exited, stopped her mid sentence, and she abruptly released her grip on the lupe.

[Raichi]

The Uni didn't speak at all, it was all part of the job description to serve as transportation only and listen to commands. Despite Cieko's distaste for the task he took upon himself, he had no haste to complete it. So obsessed with his brother that he didn't think twice about the urgency of the matter, and how his sluggishness didn't help his family at all.

Finally arriving at the post office the young Aisha climbed off the uni, the one horned male seeing himself to the grassy field beside the building. Cieko walked in with his ears down in annoyance, opening the door with so little power it wouldn't have made a sound if it weren't for the entrance bells. From a quick glance at the other customers of the post office it seemed the two were in a fit of some sort, but the small Aisha couldn't care less, having been taught to not associate with non-royals. His head came above the post office's counter, but it was by a hair or his chin wouldn't have made it. He slid the parchment onto the counter and looked up at the brown Eyrie lady who worked there with a sad frown on his face. "If you'd be so kind to deliver me a copy please"

The voice emitting from the Striped Aisha's mouth sounded much like he was suffering from a clogged nose, but this was not the case. All in all he looked rather endearing. The Eyrie lady took the scroll from the counter and headed over to the copy machine to do what was asked of her. Of course, not without reading it, and opening her beak when she returned the document and the copy of it to the customer. "So you live in one of those fancy places, how lovely, and to even be hiring a butler. You must be very spoilt to have such luxury"

Her encouraging words only worsened Cieko's irritation, his ears flopping backwards even more, not pleased in the slightest with his life. "Ours has come down with Floppy Tongue, it's only temporary..."

[Jazilyn]

The draik listened intently, a wide grin quickly usurping her features as she stared into the lupe's eyes; trouble was, she looked more like she was bearing her teeth than she was smiling at him.

The lupe's eyes widened and he shook his head vigorously while mouthing the word 'no' over and over. Didn't work, though. She grabbed his arm before he could pull away, and practically dragged him up to the counter where the aisha was standing. "Hi, excuse us, we couldn't help but overhearing that you're looking for a temporary butler? And my associate here would love to apply," she stated confidently.

Portal tried to smile, but the draik still had a tight grip on his arm, and the way he was leaning his top half toward her, yet pulling away with his lower, hinted to the fact that she might have actually been hurting him. He wasn't opposed to doing butler-type work, but she obviously didn't realize that him applying for a real job wouldn't work out very well. For starters, 'Portal' wasn't his real name; there was no record in any system for anyone by his alias. Assuming they conducted a legitimate background check, and didn't just hire him under the table, he had a feeling his past would end up biting him in the butt. "What my friend here means, is that we'd both love to hear more about the position, assuming we aren't inconveniencing you."

[Raichi]

When the two suspicious figures neared Cieko felt shivers run up his spine, not used to associating with commoners, especially not those who resembled thug-like behaviour. Though when they appeared to posses the ability to speak courteously he felt reassured that they did not have any thug-like intentions. He glared up at the two taller figures, his face so perfectly gloomy he could win from a grey pet. "The position is for professionals only. If you have a Brightvale's Butler Academy certificate you're welcome to apply"

Clearly Cieko couldn't care less who took the job, as long as they met the requirements, which in this case was the certificate. If one of them wanted this job, they would have to get their hands on a fake certificate. The dreary feline just wanted this to be over soon so he could concoct more plans on how to steal his brother's happiness. That said he took the copy from the desk and walked over to the billboard, pinning it on there before returning to the same spot, and pointed at the original that was still lying there. "This one I'd like sent over to Fearieland's Employement Agency please."

The Eyrie lady nodded "but of course, that will be one neopoint please"

Cieko grabbed into his pockets to remove a fiver and put it on the counter. "Keep the change"


OOC: Cieko's text colour= "c35eeb"

[Jazilyn]

The draik didn't see getting a fake certificate as much of a problem, but as soon as she saw the aisha pay five times the amount the eyrie required and not ask for change back, another idea popped into her head. "Oh that won't be a problem," she replied with a forced smile. "You still have yours from when you did butlering ten years ago, don't you?"

Portal's brows knitted, but he caught the 'play along' look she flashed him and nodded. "Um, yeah. It's back at the house. I haven't even looked at it in years but I know exactly where it is." Of course, in the back of his mind he was wondering if 'butlering' was even a word. Now probably wasn't a good time to correct her, though.

"Even if it's expired it shouldn't be too difficult to get it renewed; since you've had one before, they shouldn't make you take the class again." She turned her attention back to the aisha, still forcing a grin, "And don't worry, he cleans up real well." Finally releasing her grip on the lupe's arm, she yanked the hood off his head.

Portal's eyes narrowed, feeling simultaneously relieved, startled, and insulted. He rubbed his elbow where she'd been grabbing, his jaw grinding furiously, but he kept his mouth shut.

"What's your address? We'll run right home and fetch it, then swing by and drop it off."

"If that's alright with you..." he continued for her, clearing his throat; manners weren't something she grasped easily. "...We don't want to inconvenience you if this is a bad time."

[Raichi]

Something was clearly fishy about the couple, but the canine was probably the only candidate that was available this early today. He didn't see the harm if the male had a certificate. "My family and I live at Castle Lane 12"

The Eyrie lady thought the two were suspicious also, but was too happy with her tip to lecture the young boy about making a possible mistake. She took the scroll and had it posted off to Fearieland.

Cieko's mood lightened a bit, perhaps this task would be over quicker than he thought, his ears lifting a little. He glared at the taller male "The sooner you're there the better your chances at getting the job. Now I must return home. Until we meet again"

He was quite the individual himself. Perhaps interesting folk attracted their own kind, Cieko's negative, uninterested attitude and polite speech making him quite the unusual figure indeed. He was so young, and yet already so troubled and conflicted, merely a shadow in the bright presence of his older brother.

Without further ado he left the post office to fetch his Uni and return home again.

[Jazilyn]

"Certainly, and thank you for the opportunity." Portal gave a slight bow as he watched the young aisha leave, but the second he was out the door, the lupe turned a sharp gaze on the draik. "Want to tell me what that was about?" he hissed.

The draik smirked, crimson gaze shifting to the eyrie who was no doubt listening in. "Tell you in a minute." She led the way out of the post office, but kept her mouth shut until they were well down the road. "That little brat's got more money than he knows what to do with," she finally replied, looking over her shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed. "You don't even have to apply for that stupid job to pay me back, all you have to do is teleport us to that address. Help me rob it, and I'll call it even."

Portal's eyes rolled, stuffing his hands in his front pocket where he'd hidden the box she'd given him. "That's your brilliant idea? Good grief, Trap, I thought you were smarter than that."

The Darigan's crimson eye narrowed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You haven't thought this through at all. For starters, I can't just teleport us there, it doesn't work that way. I have to have seen it before; get a mental picture in my mind before I can teleport. Secondly, you have no idea what kind of security features they have, how many guards they have, where they keep their money, the combination to their vaults, or anything like that. If you really wanted to rob the place, it'd be better to try to get this butler position, scout the place out, learn the routine of the guards. But don't expect me to get the job; I'm no where near qualified. I don't know the first thing about being a butler; I don't even own a suit. Hell, I don't even own a hair brush!"

He made several good points, she had to give him credit for that at least. "You know how to make a bed and cook dinner, that's all you need to know. This is going to work," she beamed, confidence seeping through at an almost obnoxious level. "I'll get started on forging a certificate for you, you go find yourself a suit... and a hairbrush... and for f***'s sake take a shower, you smell." She didn't give him any time to reply before she took off in a sprint. "Meet me back here in an hour!"

The lupe's ears flattened, blinking rapidly. "Hey! I didn't agree to this!" he called after her, but she just kept going. "I can't afford to buy a suit!" he cupped his hands over his mouth, calling after her. For a second he thought she hadn't heard him, but then she tossed something over her shoulder, and a pouch of coins landed at his feet. The lupe gave an exasperated sigh, scooping up the pouch and stuffing it in his pocket. "Girl's gunna get us both killed one day," he muttered as he turned and started in the opposite direction.