015 ≠ ( CONSOLE | VIDEO )

[denyamenti]

[ Grouchy thief seems extra grouchy today. ]

Does anyone want a short ticket home, because apparently hiring anyone to do the Dojo's paperwork is a guaranteed way to disappear from this place.

[ He managed to lose not one, but both of his bookkeepers inside a week. ]

And why does it feel like the damned turtle has stalled?

Comments

[lesserlion]

What kind of paperwork are we talking about?

[denyamenti]

People pay to use the place, I pay people to teach them so I don't have to bother. More often than not, they end up breaking things I have to replace-- and so on.

You're one of the new ones, hm? The knight.

[ There's not exactly mocking in the way he says it, but he sounds far from enamoured. ]

[lesserlion]

Yes, that's correct.

[He's definitely noting the tone in your voice, Bakura.]

If it's merely keeping track of finances and wares, I will put my name forward to assist... Assuming you have no objections?

[denyamenti]

Not at all. I'm sure you'll fit right in.

[lesserlion]

Splendid. When should I begin?

[denyamenti]

Come by the Jade Dojo later today.

[ He'll even be nice and put in an address. ]

You can see the books that the others have left.

[lesserlion]

Very well, I shall see you some time this afternoon.

And, forgive me, we have yet to be properly introduced. Alek Reyne. A pleasure.

wanna just do action in this post, or?

[denyamenti]

Bakura.

Until then.

[ The good news is that the thief is pretty loose with timing when he gives general spans like that, so Alek can pretty much arrive whenever. ]

action was the plan!

[lesserlion]

[And so, scarcely an hour after noon, the door to the dojo will open.

It will admit the man on the video feed, but the feed barely does him justice. Standing over six foot, a strong, solid build that belies his age. He certainly doesn't look fifty name days old.

Despite this, he's only imposing when you get a good look at him. He's clad in local fashions, cheap and practical clothing in dulled grey and red.

He looks around the dojo, getting a scope of his new surroundings.]

[denyamenti]

[ By contrast, the dojo's owner blended in well with the locals, at least the human-looking ones. In Keeliai, white hair was no more or less unusual than any other colour, and he was otherwise unassuming. Certainly not the typical appearance of someone expected to run a place of fighting and strength.

But, when he notes and approaches Alek, there's still evidence in the way he carries himself. ]

I wonder how soon you would have found yourself here, on your own.

[lesserlion]

Judging by the services you offer, likely not long.

[He offers Bakura a warm smile, a warmth that doesn't quite reach his eyes. It's not intentional, but the reasoning is lost.]

I find myself growing restless if I cannot train.

[denyamenti]

[ Thankfully, personability isn't high on Bakura's list of hireable qualities. He beckons Alek past the practice areas; the dojo is busy today, particularly in the afternoon. At the back corner of the main room is an office, the door propped open. (Those who come here know better than to go snooping, when the owner seems partial to conjuring devilish fiends when crossed.

The office itself is fairly small, with only room enough for the simple desk, a bookcase, and a pair of chairs. On the opposite office wall is another door, this one closed. ]

You'll be the fourth, for doing this. Enjolras, Tim, Penny. Maybe I should be hiring a woman for this job, perhaps they'll be able to stick around longer.

[lesserlion]

That may be prudent.

[Alek replies, following Bakura, letting his eyes wander his surroundings.]

Or perhaps, more than one. As a backup?

[denyamenti]

Aa, part of the reason I hired Penny and Tim at the same time.

[ Most of the books had been here when Bakura had taken over the dojo, but he'd kept them. It makes the office is a bit cluttered, but still navigable. The thief goes to the bookcase and takes down a ledger, opening it and turning it so that Alek can see the columns.

It's pretty standard to what one would expect: income divided into two columns, the kedan paid different amounts whether they were here to be formally trained by Valdis or Gene, or whether they were here merely to use the facilities themselves. Another column for wages paid out, one for repairs and supplies for the building. There were notations in the columns in a number of languages, although likely none a Westerosi would recognize. ]

The job isn't hard. The others came once or twice a week, when it suited them. As long as the work is done, I don't care when you do it.

[lesserlion]

[Alek shifts to look at the ledger. Despite the language differences, it seems numbers were universal. And Westermen were good with numbers.]

Am I required to understand these? [He indicates the notations.] If not, this should be fairly simple.

[denyamenti]

Not especially. Everyone who's done this job has spoke a different tongue, and the turtle's magic doesn't translate writing the way it does speech. Most of these are just notes on that week's entry.

People have the option of paying per visit, or for several up front. There is one price for coming and teaching yourself, another for taking lessons under either Gene or Valdis.

[lesserlion]

I see.

[He gives the strange glyphs another glance; They're a far cry from the Common language of Westeros... Even the lost language of Valyria.]

Very well. It seems simple enough.

[denyamenti]

I don't hire people because it's difficult, waiw-neb.

You three, [ meaning Alek, Gene and Valdis ] take your pay at the end of every week. 100 juulan for them for teaching, 50 for you doing this.

[ If Alek has done any poking through the local prices, he might notice that's fairly high for wages especially for the amount of work required to keep books, considering a whole months' rent is only around 200 juulan. Either the dojo is a surprise goldmine of patronage or something off the books is happening. ]

Any questions?