Mallory made her way up to Izumi and Na-rae’s office above the pachinko parlor, as prepared as she could be for her pitch. She hadn’t put on a suit or a tie or anything like that, but more care had gone into her makeup, her outfit, and her hair; and she carried a file folder and a digital tablet underneath her arm. “Hey,” she said to Na-rae and Izumi as soon as she entered, quirking a smile at them both.
Na-rae in her glasses was a rare sight. The blonde-turned-brunette took less than a moment to remove, fold, then put them away before allowing herself to fully face Mallory. Thank you, swivel seat. “Nice look... You’re not trying to sell us something, right?” There’s a crack of a grin forming at the corner of her lips while she raised a brow; along with a look over her own shoulder and a lean back in the chair. Her eyes on the entryway off to the back that went to another room, then back to Mallory. “Lisa’s sleeping.” Gesturing with a wave of the hand.
Izumi closed the computer she’d been working on at the adjacent desk and turned to smile at Mallory as well. “If you are selling something, I hope it is a new computer,” she joked, glancing at the machine she’d just been using. She chuckled and gestured to the vacant chair nearby. “Why don’t you sit down?” she offered.
Mallory grinned between Izumi and Na-rae, and for Lisa’s sake and theirs promised them, “I’ll keep my voice down.” She took the offered seat, flipped open the folder, and offered information packets to Izumi and Na-rae, containing essential information about the property she was about to pitch. “It’s about the school -- our neighborhood’s school,” she said, and flipped over her tablet and tapped the screen a few times.
A holographic image of the building appeared on the far wall, relatively shallow but still with a three-dimensional effect, with the words Kabukicho Community School Renovation Project appearing over it. Another tap, and the staining, taped glass, and other signs of age and disrepair were wiped away with a new facade, with images of children from about five to seventeen making their way in through the different entrances.
“I’ve come into a revenue stream recently, using the Tower of Earth, approximately ten thousand nobles every day by creating an array of precious gemstones and metals and selling them at ideal times. So far I’ve been hanging onto that cash so that I can commit it to this project -- renovating the school, staffing it, and reopening it for children of all ages.”
There’s a moment there that Na-rae thought Mallory had been attempting to bring up the idea of another dance. After all -- the old school had been used for a few of them in the past. She opened the packet and looked through it idly before her attention shifted to the projected images on display. She slipped out her glasses again and settled them on her face, giving the frame a soft press to ensure they were properly in place. “You know, it’s like that movie we watched... The Diamond Trade is lying about how much they have,” this to Izumi, then a look to Mallory while nodding her head. “A bunch of thieves, so it’s good you’re sticking it to them. Totally humanitarian.” Even adding a wave of her hand.
“So.. you’ll be providing the funds for all of this?” Na-rae said after a few moments -- after she looked over the packet a bit more. As if wanting confirmation to what she assumed.
“I can contribute for as long as I hold the tower,” Mallory said as she swiped to another page on the tablet, and a budget table appeared; “so the idea is that I would start contributing, and continue for as long as I hold the Tower of Earth... but the more diverse revenue we have feeding the school, the better. I’ve included mock budgets in your packets, including one with free tuition, one that is paid, and a third option that has financial assistance. Obviously the second means that we don’t have to go looking for that much more money... but it also means we’re probably counting out a lot of kids in this neighborhood.”
Izumi had watched the display with a squint of eyes and then rifled through the information packet intently. Pausing at the budget tables, she tapped a fingertip against her cheek for a moment thoughtfully. “Well, we’re already paying for school for all the Little Shrimps. If they use the proposed new school, that would offset that cost we already pay,” she remarked.
Mallory tapped the tablet again, and the amount they paid to the local Lutheran schools currently went into the budget. “That alone nearly balances the third option, though we’d have to find money for any major projects for the school. Maybe a quarterly lottery, like the one we had last fall, or something else involving gambling.”
Na-rae sat there thinking this over, then leaned over to speak low to Izumi: “Personally, I think Eri would take it better if it were free... We can do donation drives and such, but...” There’s a little so-so waggle of her hand. “I could probably talk to my cousin... Cut back some money when it comes to meals. I’m sure breakfast and lunch would be something we’d want to cover. What do you think?”
Izumi leaned in to listen, nodding her head. “There could be some substantial money saved there,” she agreed. Looking back to Mallory, she asked, “What about keeping peace in the school once it works? A lot of Little Shrimps would be attending. They can be pretty rowdy, and the sukeban and other heavenly queens wouldn’t want us doing much to alter their... nature to make them behave better with other children.”
The witch frowned at the question, though she nodded along with it. “That one’s... tricky. One idea I had was that, as much as possible, we staff the school from within the rengou-kai, former rengou-kai, and close associates like spouses or allies... and maybe the Little Shrimps will respect the hierarchy. Like they won’t break a chair over someone’s head while the sukeban is talking.” This one she had less material on, though she had identified about a dozen people she thought they could ask about teaching or contributing in other ways. “Personally, I hope to teach Latin, Mythology, or the Classics there after we open.”
She added, with an edge of a grin, “The rumor that I turn people into mushrooms hasn’t completely gone away.”
“It’s something to worry about when it comes to it...” Na-rae mused. “But we should probably let the shrimps make their own hierarchy as well. One day when our business is done here they’ll be the ones most likely taking over.. As long as no one is getting stabbed or sent to the emergency room, it should be alright.” Na-rae’s shoulders rose and fell. “I agree with the staffing though. We can offset some of the major issues that could come up if there’s enough of us in there to act as a counter-balance… Still, let the kids be kids, as long as they’re learning something.”
After listening, Izumi scratched her head and nodded. “You’re right. It’s probably manageable. The finances seem sound enough, too,” she admitted. Leaning back in her chair to stretch her arms, she added with a smile, “Plus it bothers me that we’re making those Lutheran schools rich every day. It costs a fortune to have them put up with the shrimps.”
“So if I hang onto the Tower for forty days before someone gives me the boot, that still should cover renovations and getting things started... and what we pay to the Lutheran schools right now will help a lot... but if it’s free, which is likely how the sukeban will want it,” she added with a shrug, “additional steady income still has to come from... somewhere. A lottery would be good for major projects. Can any money come from the munitions plant... the community tax... gambling...?”
Mallory looked to the two of them. This was their wheelhouse, after all.
“We do spend a little too much on weapons...” Na-rae, once again, spoke low to Izumi. A face made as well, along with a turn of her hand in gesture. “We could move around some money from the pachinko parlor and soapy’s... And Kenny, if he has his name somewhere on the building -- he’d probably donate. A lotto wouldn’t be too bad either..”
The witch tapped a few things on her tablet, swiped to a new image, and altered the text, displaying over the restored building section, The Chae Gymnasium. “Maybe I can show him a mock-up before I call Gren’s challenge.”
Izumi shook her head. “Cutting back any existing budget or its scale up is out of the question. Especially the weapon budget. Can you imagine selling that idea to Saori? She’ll say we won’t need a school if the redcaps wipe us out or something.” She imitated a gloomy expression, then laughed. “But we have surplus funds to cover the school too, as long as people don’t stop playing pachinko or buying bullets in the next year or so.”
“Yeah, with the way her fiance is out of town most of the time, she’s probably not getting any... So we’ll have to expect a gloomy Saori.” Na-rae made a face, then looked to Mallory quickly. “You don’t repeat that.” Pointed look at that. The talk of pachinko stopping or bullets not flying off the shelf though had her letting out a laugh. She just couldn’t see that happening at all -- so it was hilarious. “Mhm, we’ll be fine there.”
“No way in hell am I antagonizing Saori like that,” Mallory readily agreed. “When you get a chance, can you send me any notes you’d like to make on the first budget option? Then I’ll pass it on to Eri, and she can put it before the Heavenly Queens and they all can decide,” she added. “And next meeting,” with a glance at Na-rae, “maybe we can talk about soliciting donations at Tanabata. All it takes is one big shot from outside the neighborhood deciding to show off to really revolutionize the renovation budget.”
“I can’t think of anything you haven’t included here,” Izumi said, looking over to see if Na-rae had thought of anything.
“The donation drive is all I had and it’s covered,” Na-rae said. “I’ll bring it up at the next PPC meeting if Eri signs off on all of this... Though I have a suggestion,” she was tapping her pen while speaking, then pointed it at Mallory. “You should probably add a picture at the end of your proposal, for Eri. I usually do it when I bring up something to her, something she can relate to... Like, I don’t know, photoshopping a picture of you and her dropping a little girl off at the front of the school. It’ll get her, easy.”
Mallory colored a little at the suggestion, but smiled. “I think I have a couple ideas there,” she nodded, and collected her tablet and shut her folder, ready to make her way out. “Thanks, you two.”
((Adapted from play with Izumi and Na-rae, with thanks!))
Rise of the Wallabies
Moderators: Mallory, Eri Maeda, Patrick
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Mallory
- RoH Admin
- Posts: 921
- Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:25 pm
- Location: The Lyceum or Kabuki Street, most of the time
Re: Rise of the Wallabies
Across the street from the old school on Kabuki Street stood a small coffee stand called the Cat Nap Café. It had sliding windows and a register to one side, and was barely deep enough for the handful of tables they had squeezed in. A chalkboard took up most of the back wall, though pictures of snoozing cats -- and one of the current sukeban napping in her chair.
Mallory had arrived early for the meeting, early enough that she could claim a table for two during the morning rush. She'd pushed her latte to the middle of the table to make room for a business ledger, reviewing the Lyceum's numbers by hand.
Yuko arrived promptly on time, knowing well the location of the little coffee stand. The former sukeban was clad in casual clothes fitting her delinquent retirement, and looked cheerful and energetic as she came in and pushed her sunglasses up atop her head. She spotted and waved with a grin to Mallory -- though they hadn't met she'd certainly seen pictures of the horned witch. Her good cheer was interrupted for a moment as a moth by the picture of Eri on the chalkboard dive bombed her head, causing her to stagger to one side and issue a shrill cry of alarm. She looked around for it as she recovered her balance, dark eyes darting around the table with a wide eyed expression as she tugged uncomfortably at her shirt as if suspecting the bug had flown inside. Her smile recovered as she seemed to decide the moth was gone and went over to the table. "Hi, I'm Yuko," she announced, bowing with the same energetic manner.
Mallory smothered most of her laugh at the moth attack, laughter that Yuko cheerfully joined, but she didn't say a word until Yuko had recovered. She rose and returned the bow, what had once been an awkward gesture for her now coming very naturally after two years on Kabuki Street. "Mallory. Nice to finally meet you, Yuko."
A barista nearby waited for a break in their introductions before asking Yuko, "Nani wo nomimasuka?"
Yuko smiled at the waiter and ordered her coffee as she settled in across from Mallory. "Nice to meet you too. Sorry I hadn't gotten around to meet you sooner. I really have no excuse. Even though I live in Seaside now, I am still coming by Kabuki Street to get to the shop and to teach my fighting class."
"No, not at all. The same could be said for me. I'd meant to seek you out at Tanabata, but the evening got away from me," Mallory added with a gentle smile.
Yuko's wide grin broadened even further at the mention of Tanabata. "Oh yes, I'm glad it did get away from you. Congratulations late," she wished.
"Thank you." Mallory smiled gratefully at the congratulations, but a fortuitous coincidence Yuko had mentioned earlier had gotten her attention, and she raised her eyebrows as she continued: "I didn't realize you were teaching here in Kabukicho. At the gymnasium?" she queried, nodding her horned head to the school across the street.
Yuko nodded enthusiastically as she followed the witch's gaze over to the school. "Most of the time yes, we do the Feeding Crane teaching in the gym over there. Sometimes behind the shrine if it's nice out." When the coffee arrived, she murmured her thanks.
Mallory pulled her latte closer for another sip now that Yuko had her drink. "So, you have seen the state that the school is in. Fit enough to use for training or dances, but not in a state to reopen its doors and hold regular classes again."
The ex-delinquent held her cup and thought that over as she unconsciously glanced over at the school across from the stand once again. "Yeah. It's being maintained enough so that the condition won't deteriorate but I guess there would have to be some more renovation to have it fit for students. It's been talked about for a few years, opening it as a school again, you know? Nobody's ever gotten going with it, though."
Mallory nodded at Yuko's words, and settled her slender fingers around her coffee mug. "I recently won the Tower of Earth, a magical dueling prize... and I've been using its resources to build up money. And we've been convincing others to donate, too. With a little luck, I hope to have secured one million nobles for renovations alone by the end of Tanabata," an event she was already planning a major donation drive for.
"I spoke to Izumi and Na-rae about the numbers, and asked the sukeban," her wife, though it wouldn't do to refer to her that way right now, "and the Heavenly Queens, and they've agreed to cover the school's operating costs once it opens."
Yuko leaned forward a bit, and looked excited as she heard the news Mallory told her. She put down the coffee cup so she could clap her hands vigorously, drawing a glance from the server. The former sukeban didn't seem to notice the surprise from the worker, and looked at the witch with bright eyes. "That's great news! The shrimps won't have to go all the way over to the other school then!"
Mallory smiled at Yuko's enthusiasm. "And the money we won't have to pay to an outside school will definitely help." She lifted her coffee for another sip.
"Izumi and Na-rae made an interesting point, though. The shrimps will probably quickly establish their own hierarchy, and I'd expect nothing less from them," unable to help but grinning at the thought. "But letting the shrimps see the rengou-kai's own hierarchy in the faculty, and having faculty who understand the shrimps and came up like them, would be really good for the school."
Sipping her coffee at last, Yuko listened to Mallory and nodded once she set the cup down again. "Yes, they sure will," she agreed. "It would be good to have some of the rengou-kai. Is Na-rae going to be taking a position on the staff then?" she wondered, brushing her hand through her hair and then juggling madly to save the sunglasses she disloged from a drop. After a few fumbles she had success, and tucked them into her shirt pocket instead.
Mallory waited for the sunglasses to be secure first, hoping that she wouldn't cause Yuko to drop them when she told her, "Actually, I was hoping you'd be interested in becoming the school's principal."
Yuko blinked several times in surprise. "Me? Well, I never really had any training about education..." she mused. "Though I guess in general leadership I have some..." She looked thoughtful and a bit worried about her lack of formal training.
"You were the sukeban. You won forty-three fights in one week. You took on an entire gang by yourself. You took on Eri. They'll respect you. But, it's still going to be a learning experience for some of us," Mallory confessed. "I'd like to teach Mythology or Ancient History if there's room for it, but my own teaching experience isn't formal. I'm hoping to secure enough funding for a series of education seminars over the summer for incoming staff, maybe one or two nights a week. And I'd like to tap someone with more formal experience to be head teacher. I'd heard of two former delinquents who've been teaching at the Lutheran school..." she mused.
Yuko sipped from her cup again as she listened to Mal's thoughts. She hummed and looked down at the table by her hands. "Well, sure, I'd like to watch out for the shrimps. If I can go to some seminars, it'll be okay," she agreed with a relaxed smile. "I'll see about getting someone to watch my shop for me. It's about time I hired a manager for it anyway."
Mallory nodded, and her expression warmed as Yuko indicated her willingness. "I'd be happy to have you at the helm, Yuko. I think you'll be a great principal." She offered her right hand over the table to her, a symbolic gesture to finalize the deal.
Yuko flashed her charming grin again and reached over the table to shake the witch's hand. "Of course, I'll happily keep up the training lessons for the gym too," she added.
"I'm glad. Whatever you need, let me know," Mallory nodded, then added, "and also let me know if you think of any team names." She smiled ruefully and set her coffee down as she explained:
"Eri has her heart set on the Wallabies."
((Adapted from play with Yuko!))
Mallory had arrived early for the meeting, early enough that she could claim a table for two during the morning rush. She'd pushed her latte to the middle of the table to make room for a business ledger, reviewing the Lyceum's numbers by hand.
Yuko arrived promptly on time, knowing well the location of the little coffee stand. The former sukeban was clad in casual clothes fitting her delinquent retirement, and looked cheerful and energetic as she came in and pushed her sunglasses up atop her head. She spotted and waved with a grin to Mallory -- though they hadn't met she'd certainly seen pictures of the horned witch. Her good cheer was interrupted for a moment as a moth by the picture of Eri on the chalkboard dive bombed her head, causing her to stagger to one side and issue a shrill cry of alarm. She looked around for it as she recovered her balance, dark eyes darting around the table with a wide eyed expression as she tugged uncomfortably at her shirt as if suspecting the bug had flown inside. Her smile recovered as she seemed to decide the moth was gone and went over to the table. "Hi, I'm Yuko," she announced, bowing with the same energetic manner.
Mallory smothered most of her laugh at the moth attack, laughter that Yuko cheerfully joined, but she didn't say a word until Yuko had recovered. She rose and returned the bow, what had once been an awkward gesture for her now coming very naturally after two years on Kabuki Street. "Mallory. Nice to finally meet you, Yuko."
A barista nearby waited for a break in their introductions before asking Yuko, "Nani wo nomimasuka?"
Yuko smiled at the waiter and ordered her coffee as she settled in across from Mallory. "Nice to meet you too. Sorry I hadn't gotten around to meet you sooner. I really have no excuse. Even though I live in Seaside now, I am still coming by Kabuki Street to get to the shop and to teach my fighting class."
"No, not at all. The same could be said for me. I'd meant to seek you out at Tanabata, but the evening got away from me," Mallory added with a gentle smile.
Yuko's wide grin broadened even further at the mention of Tanabata. "Oh yes, I'm glad it did get away from you. Congratulations late," she wished.
"Thank you." Mallory smiled gratefully at the congratulations, but a fortuitous coincidence Yuko had mentioned earlier had gotten her attention, and she raised her eyebrows as she continued: "I didn't realize you were teaching here in Kabukicho. At the gymnasium?" she queried, nodding her horned head to the school across the street.
Yuko nodded enthusiastically as she followed the witch's gaze over to the school. "Most of the time yes, we do the Feeding Crane teaching in the gym over there. Sometimes behind the shrine if it's nice out." When the coffee arrived, she murmured her thanks.
Mallory pulled her latte closer for another sip now that Yuko had her drink. "So, you have seen the state that the school is in. Fit enough to use for training or dances, but not in a state to reopen its doors and hold regular classes again."
The ex-delinquent held her cup and thought that over as she unconsciously glanced over at the school across from the stand once again. "Yeah. It's being maintained enough so that the condition won't deteriorate but I guess there would have to be some more renovation to have it fit for students. It's been talked about for a few years, opening it as a school again, you know? Nobody's ever gotten going with it, though."
Mallory nodded at Yuko's words, and settled her slender fingers around her coffee mug. "I recently won the Tower of Earth, a magical dueling prize... and I've been using its resources to build up money. And we've been convincing others to donate, too. With a little luck, I hope to have secured one million nobles for renovations alone by the end of Tanabata," an event she was already planning a major donation drive for.
"I spoke to Izumi and Na-rae about the numbers, and asked the sukeban," her wife, though it wouldn't do to refer to her that way right now, "and the Heavenly Queens, and they've agreed to cover the school's operating costs once it opens."
Yuko leaned forward a bit, and looked excited as she heard the news Mallory told her. She put down the coffee cup so she could clap her hands vigorously, drawing a glance from the server. The former sukeban didn't seem to notice the surprise from the worker, and looked at the witch with bright eyes. "That's great news! The shrimps won't have to go all the way over to the other school then!"
Mallory smiled at Yuko's enthusiasm. "And the money we won't have to pay to an outside school will definitely help." She lifted her coffee for another sip.
"Izumi and Na-rae made an interesting point, though. The shrimps will probably quickly establish their own hierarchy, and I'd expect nothing less from them," unable to help but grinning at the thought. "But letting the shrimps see the rengou-kai's own hierarchy in the faculty, and having faculty who understand the shrimps and came up like them, would be really good for the school."
Sipping her coffee at last, Yuko listened to Mallory and nodded once she set the cup down again. "Yes, they sure will," she agreed. "It would be good to have some of the rengou-kai. Is Na-rae going to be taking a position on the staff then?" she wondered, brushing her hand through her hair and then juggling madly to save the sunglasses she disloged from a drop. After a few fumbles she had success, and tucked them into her shirt pocket instead.
Mallory waited for the sunglasses to be secure first, hoping that she wouldn't cause Yuko to drop them when she told her, "Actually, I was hoping you'd be interested in becoming the school's principal."
Yuko blinked several times in surprise. "Me? Well, I never really had any training about education..." she mused. "Though I guess in general leadership I have some..." She looked thoughtful and a bit worried about her lack of formal training.
"You were the sukeban. You won forty-three fights in one week. You took on an entire gang by yourself. You took on Eri. They'll respect you. But, it's still going to be a learning experience for some of us," Mallory confessed. "I'd like to teach Mythology or Ancient History if there's room for it, but my own teaching experience isn't formal. I'm hoping to secure enough funding for a series of education seminars over the summer for incoming staff, maybe one or two nights a week. And I'd like to tap someone with more formal experience to be head teacher. I'd heard of two former delinquents who've been teaching at the Lutheran school..." she mused.
Yuko sipped from her cup again as she listened to Mal's thoughts. She hummed and looked down at the table by her hands. "Well, sure, I'd like to watch out for the shrimps. If I can go to some seminars, it'll be okay," she agreed with a relaxed smile. "I'll see about getting someone to watch my shop for me. It's about time I hired a manager for it anyway."
Mallory nodded, and her expression warmed as Yuko indicated her willingness. "I'd be happy to have you at the helm, Yuko. I think you'll be a great principal." She offered her right hand over the table to her, a symbolic gesture to finalize the deal.
Yuko flashed her charming grin again and reached over the table to shake the witch's hand. "Of course, I'll happily keep up the training lessons for the gym too," she added.
"I'm glad. Whatever you need, let me know," Mallory nodded, then added, "and also let me know if you think of any team names." She smiled ruefully and set her coffee down as she explained:
"Eri has her heart set on the Wallabies."
((Adapted from play with Yuko!))
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Mallory
- RoH Admin
- Posts: 921
- Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:25 pm
- Location: The Lyceum or Kabuki Street, most of the time
Re: Rise of the Wallabies
Mallory waited for Pharlen in City Square, sitting in the lap of one of the faceless marble statues in the grassy roundabout. As usual, the witch did not spend any time waiting idly, busying herself with a binder of budgets, blueprints, and educational materials that was becoming increasingly cluttered.
There would be more clutter, but fortunately, there would soon be a relief of the clutter. Pharlen stepped up, almost sloppy in her usual Timelord uniform, carrying a briefcase rather than her clipboard. She grinned easily and thumped down nearby, adjusting her glasses and looking over the contents of her binder.
“Ah, nothing like bureaucracy to inspire a true loathing of paperwork.”
Mallory laughed at Pharlen’s greeting, and flipped back to one of the early pages, what appeared to be a master budget. “It’s more planning than regulations... but I still hate it.”
As they settled in together, she pointed out a few items in the budget: “So we have a revenue stream for covering operating costs... It’s the renovations and equipment purchases that worry me.” She peeked over at Pharlen, raising her eyebrows as she added, “Between two and three million to do this right. So far, we’ve banked four hundred thousand, and based on the resources I’ve been drawing from the Towers of Earth and Fire (thanks to Andrea), I might double that over the next three weeks. Beyond that?”
The witch shrugged helplessly. “I could lose the Tower, and with it, twenty thousand daily towards reno.”
“You’ll need a stable income,” Pharlen agreed, looking over the papers reproducing like bunnies under Mallory’s hands. She popped open her briefcase and handed over a sturdy older laptop, which appeared to have been recently renovated, and no longer ran on its batteries.
“The government of RhyDin will pay this amount of gold,” indicating a document on the screen, “or equivalent currency for each enrolled child, which should cover paying your teachers and supplies. That’s yearly, so you’ll have to budget that across the year. Staff and any land use will need to be covered.” Leaning over, she tapped at the laptop to switch tasks, bringing up a simple but powerful budgeting application.
“The other thing is that it will pay a priest or priestess a considerable amount to bless and purify the school grounds. I have no idea why it has the clause, but, there is nothing that says that the priest or priestess can’t charge a walloping lot for their services and then donate the money to the school.”
Mallory squinted at the numbers at first, murmuring as she did the mental math on what they would save on teachers and school supplies. “So what we’ve been setting aside for those costs, we can instead afford to borrow for renovations and use that money to pay it off over the next school year...”
She cut a sly look over at Pharlen. “I don’t suppose there’s ever been a million-noble cleansing, has there.”
“Actually…” Pharlen handed over an aged sheet of paper. Some decade or more prior, an enterprising Catholic nun was paid a million and change for a wholesale cleansing of a city block which later became a school. “So, you are not out of line.”
Pharlen took out her own phone and scrolled to make the notation. Fortunately for the school, Pharlen was American. She liked saying ‘dollars.’ Her staff were all RhyDinian, and always made the necessary corrections.
“A million dollars is it. That will go to the priestess Hana… Is it Sasake Hana or Hana Sasake? My Japanese is very weak unless I use my translator.”
“Um.” Mallory’s eyes were wide and disbelieving as she stared at the sheet, then the screen. “Um, it’d be Hana Sasaki, with an i, for paperwork in Common. I...” She turned to look Pharlen in the eyes: “This is a million nobles, not dollars. Are you sure? You can do this?”
“Easily,” Pharlen replied with a wry smile, turning her phone to show the budgeting sheet she was working from, “Taxes aren’t terribly high around here, but between the very rich supporting so many causes and the fact that there isn’t always anyone authorizing projects…”
The city was scarcely hurting, in other words.
“This particular fund just sits there, too, accumulating year after year. There hasn’t been anyone asking after it, here’s a good way to let people know it exists. But, you will have to demonstrate that it has been purified and cleansed,” she added with a soft laugh. “Not too difficult, we’ll just make Dillon walk across it and if he bursts into flames, we’re good.”
The witch’s own laugh burst through a wave of tears that had been building steadily through Pharlen's words, both hands clasped over her mouth to try to control a gasping sob. She managed a nod after a long moment, and wiped her eyes as she said, “Yes. Yes, we’ll um... we’ll go through the cleansing ritual this afternoon, and I’ll walk through with my Sight, and... make sure it’s been purified,” she sniffled.
“Perfect,” Pharlen smiled easily at Mallory and then chuckled softly, pretending for the moment not to see any tears. “After that, you’ll just need to make sure you’ve got a steady income to pay for the staff and land use. As long as it’s a public school, it’s not taxed. Also, on that laptop, I’ve had a few lesson plans and mission statements from some Californian schools loaded in. There’s one from Des’ old school, it specialized in brilliant children who are also dangerous. That might suit the area. They are very creative in educating, so the kids are always having fun with learning.”
It took effort for Mallory to compose herself, settling in to check a few more items on the laptop. Still sniffling every now and again. “Yeah... we can use that, definitely. I scheduled an education seminar for incoming staff on Friday, I’ll review these materials and bring them up then.”
Thank you just didn’t seem to cut it, but maybe the earnest look in her eyes lent it more weight when she said it: “Thank you, Pharlen.”
“You’re welcome. You do a lot for this city that goes under the radar. This is another thing that shouldn’t go under the radar,” she responded with a warm smile, tipping her glasses to look clearly at Mallory. “One last thing. I would like to meet with the Queens of Heaven to propose that they re-open the old garrison in Kabuki street to make up an official policing force.”
“I think they kind of have?” Mallory mused, considering the proposal. “I believe that’s where Aya quarters and trains the shinsengumi, which is a special police force. I’ll let them know, though, so they can set up a meeting to talk about it,” she nodded, finally passing the laptop back to Pharlen.
She shook her head and handed it back to Mallory.
“That’s for the school. Just have whoever is involved connect to it, it’ll act as a server. We improved it,” she grinned with a wink. “Now I have to go and deal with a few issues in Russia, this will be fun.” Explaining why she was in her ‘work’ clothing, at any rate. She pulled the clipboard of the briefcase and stood, leaning to offer a hug to Mallory.
“In bocca al lupo.”
“Crepi il lupo,” Mallory wished her warmly as she gave her a squeeze, and watched as the Timelord departed. As soon as she was gone, the witch dug out her phone to make some calls.
It was going to be a very busy day.
((Adapted from play with Pharlen! Always a pleasure!))
There would be more clutter, but fortunately, there would soon be a relief of the clutter. Pharlen stepped up, almost sloppy in her usual Timelord uniform, carrying a briefcase rather than her clipboard. She grinned easily and thumped down nearby, adjusting her glasses and looking over the contents of her binder.
“Ah, nothing like bureaucracy to inspire a true loathing of paperwork.”
Mallory laughed at Pharlen’s greeting, and flipped back to one of the early pages, what appeared to be a master budget. “It’s more planning than regulations... but I still hate it.”
As they settled in together, she pointed out a few items in the budget: “So we have a revenue stream for covering operating costs... It’s the renovations and equipment purchases that worry me.” She peeked over at Pharlen, raising her eyebrows as she added, “Between two and three million to do this right. So far, we’ve banked four hundred thousand, and based on the resources I’ve been drawing from the Towers of Earth and Fire (thanks to Andrea), I might double that over the next three weeks. Beyond that?”
The witch shrugged helplessly. “I could lose the Tower, and with it, twenty thousand daily towards reno.”
“You’ll need a stable income,” Pharlen agreed, looking over the papers reproducing like bunnies under Mallory’s hands. She popped open her briefcase and handed over a sturdy older laptop, which appeared to have been recently renovated, and no longer ran on its batteries.
“The government of RhyDin will pay this amount of gold,” indicating a document on the screen, “or equivalent currency for each enrolled child, which should cover paying your teachers and supplies. That’s yearly, so you’ll have to budget that across the year. Staff and any land use will need to be covered.” Leaning over, she tapped at the laptop to switch tasks, bringing up a simple but powerful budgeting application.
“The other thing is that it will pay a priest or priestess a considerable amount to bless and purify the school grounds. I have no idea why it has the clause, but, there is nothing that says that the priest or priestess can’t charge a walloping lot for their services and then donate the money to the school.”
Mallory squinted at the numbers at first, murmuring as she did the mental math on what they would save on teachers and school supplies. “So what we’ve been setting aside for those costs, we can instead afford to borrow for renovations and use that money to pay it off over the next school year...”
She cut a sly look over at Pharlen. “I don’t suppose there’s ever been a million-noble cleansing, has there.”
“Actually…” Pharlen handed over an aged sheet of paper. Some decade or more prior, an enterprising Catholic nun was paid a million and change for a wholesale cleansing of a city block which later became a school. “So, you are not out of line.”
Pharlen took out her own phone and scrolled to make the notation. Fortunately for the school, Pharlen was American. She liked saying ‘dollars.’ Her staff were all RhyDinian, and always made the necessary corrections.
“A million dollars is it. That will go to the priestess Hana… Is it Sasake Hana or Hana Sasake? My Japanese is very weak unless I use my translator.”
“Um.” Mallory’s eyes were wide and disbelieving as she stared at the sheet, then the screen. “Um, it’d be Hana Sasaki, with an i, for paperwork in Common. I...” She turned to look Pharlen in the eyes: “This is a million nobles, not dollars. Are you sure? You can do this?”
“Easily,” Pharlen replied with a wry smile, turning her phone to show the budgeting sheet she was working from, “Taxes aren’t terribly high around here, but between the very rich supporting so many causes and the fact that there isn’t always anyone authorizing projects…”
The city was scarcely hurting, in other words.
“This particular fund just sits there, too, accumulating year after year. There hasn’t been anyone asking after it, here’s a good way to let people know it exists. But, you will have to demonstrate that it has been purified and cleansed,” she added with a soft laugh. “Not too difficult, we’ll just make Dillon walk across it and if he bursts into flames, we’re good.”
The witch’s own laugh burst through a wave of tears that had been building steadily through Pharlen's words, both hands clasped over her mouth to try to control a gasping sob. She managed a nod after a long moment, and wiped her eyes as she said, “Yes. Yes, we’ll um... we’ll go through the cleansing ritual this afternoon, and I’ll walk through with my Sight, and... make sure it’s been purified,” she sniffled.
“Perfect,” Pharlen smiled easily at Mallory and then chuckled softly, pretending for the moment not to see any tears. “After that, you’ll just need to make sure you’ve got a steady income to pay for the staff and land use. As long as it’s a public school, it’s not taxed. Also, on that laptop, I’ve had a few lesson plans and mission statements from some Californian schools loaded in. There’s one from Des’ old school, it specialized in brilliant children who are also dangerous. That might suit the area. They are very creative in educating, so the kids are always having fun with learning.”
It took effort for Mallory to compose herself, settling in to check a few more items on the laptop. Still sniffling every now and again. “Yeah... we can use that, definitely. I scheduled an education seminar for incoming staff on Friday, I’ll review these materials and bring them up then.”
Thank you just didn’t seem to cut it, but maybe the earnest look in her eyes lent it more weight when she said it: “Thank you, Pharlen.”
“You’re welcome. You do a lot for this city that goes under the radar. This is another thing that shouldn’t go under the radar,” she responded with a warm smile, tipping her glasses to look clearly at Mallory. “One last thing. I would like to meet with the Queens of Heaven to propose that they re-open the old garrison in Kabuki street to make up an official policing force.”
“I think they kind of have?” Mallory mused, considering the proposal. “I believe that’s where Aya quarters and trains the shinsengumi, which is a special police force. I’ll let them know, though, so they can set up a meeting to talk about it,” she nodded, finally passing the laptop back to Pharlen.
She shook her head and handed it back to Mallory.
“That’s for the school. Just have whoever is involved connect to it, it’ll act as a server. We improved it,” she grinned with a wink. “Now I have to go and deal with a few issues in Russia, this will be fun.” Explaining why she was in her ‘work’ clothing, at any rate. She pulled the clipboard of the briefcase and stood, leaning to offer a hug to Mallory.
“In bocca al lupo.”
“Crepi il lupo,” Mallory wished her warmly as she gave her a squeeze, and watched as the Timelord departed. As soon as she was gone, the witch dug out her phone to make some calls.
It was going to be a very busy day.
((Adapted from play with Pharlen! Always a pleasure!))
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Nako Iijima
- Adventurer
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 3:59 am
- Location: where there is food
Re: Rise of the Wallabies
The day after the delivery of this letter...
The sound of the pachinko machines, as well as Nako's own TV, helped to muffle the rapid footfalls of a young delinquent climbing the stairs in her proudly worn Jordans. She turned one ear to the door, screwed up her face at the muffled music she heard through it, then wondered aloud (and louder than intended),
"Randy Newman?!"
Nako was listening in spite of the TV she was watching, her head tilting against the neck pillow she was resting on upon her bed. She let go of her piglet plush that she was holding to reach for the remote control to turn the volume down before getting up to pad barefoot over to the door. After opening it quickly and squinting curiously to see who could be knocking she declared in her cheerful tone, "There's no Randy here! You got the wrong building!"
Yui blinked and backed up to the wall at Nako's abrupt opening and answer... which made it easier for an older girl, Akane, to lay her arm across Yui's shoulders and push her out of the way so she could try to slip inside. "You're alone, perfect. We'll have the meeting up here!" she called down the stairs in her smoky voice to the gaggle of delinquents now surging up the stairs to the door.
Yui squeaked as she tried to rejoin the rising tide instead of drowning in it.
Nako's cheerful countenance briefly turned into a scowl, and her short stature barred the door for just a moment. Long enough to say, "Please, come in," and moving aside to gesture welcome to make it official. The gaggle was going to be a bit crowded, as the former storeroom made for a decent size room for the diminutive Nako but was ill suited for a large meeting. Nako herself was quick to reclaim her spot on her bed as well, not offering it to her guests for a seat.
It was rather clown-car-like, at least half a dozen delinquents spilling in, some (like Akane) quickly finding a space to slouch comfortably, others standing awkwardly here and there... and one just staring transfixed at a stuffed Piglet toy seemingly watching Monk on TV.
"I'm sorry--!" Yui began.
"She told us you know where the slave men are," Akane said, fluffing her dark, red-streaked hair a bit and adjusting the cigarette behind her ear. "And that they have treasure."
Nako didn't seem all that put out, now that she'd had her invitation extended to her fellow delinquents. She put her bare feet up again and relaxed, watching the others file in and find their places. She chuckled, amused at Yui's apology. "Well, I don't know where they are right this moment! But they aren't that hard to find and track, that's true," she acknowledged to Akane with a nod.
Akane's expression warmed. "Good! If we have your help, I'm sure this'll be really easy," a notion which notably appealed to the lazy delinquents gathered here.
Yui took the opportunity to pipe in again, "Some salaryman came from the docks and gave me a weird letter, said it had money, paid me in little silver bars to deliver it!" She whisked a jangling bag of tiny ingots from her Minny Mouse purse, but scowled with surprising fierceness for her size and age when someone tried to look too closely. "Said it was for Mrs. Maeda! I found her in the school, and she said it was two hundred grand, but she seemed really upset! She started texting and calling, talking about weird mages from out of town -- and then I got scared she caught me eavesdropping and ran out."
Nako seemed to consider for a moment, weighing her own laziness against the potential of treasure as she listened to Akane. Yui's outburst, however, caused the reclining delinquent to sit up and blink in confusion. "Wait, a salaryman? A letter with money? Does the Shinsengumi know about this yet?" she wondered. "And what's the connection to slave men and their treasure?" she asked, squinting back at Akane.
Akane was trying to get a word in edgewise, but now Yui was on a roll: "The Shinsengumi surely must know! I heard Eri gossiping at the Sunny Mart about these Wallachian mages from some other town trying to control the school with their money and upsetting her wife's peace, and that they might not take the money at all! But it's two hundred thousand, and Mallory feels really guilty, which I think makes Eri really mad at these guys," she added in a conspiratorial whisper, as if this was some great secret.
Nako's eyes were darting back and forth between the attempts of Akane and the continued roll that Yui was on. "Hm, well if it was gossip at Sunny Mart I'm sure it's gotten to the Shinsengumi then," she reasoned. She was frowning as she processed the rest of the information. "Wallachians? Never heard of 'em. Well if it got them upset, I'm sure they won't take the money... so is that how the slave men come in?" she asked, looking back to Akane. "We go out and rob their treasure to put in the money so they don't have to feel guilty about turning down the mages donation?"
Akane did finger guns at Nako and said, "You got it right!" She'd seen it on TV once. It may have gone better on TV than it did now. "They're easy to track, right? And lots of them come in from overseas at the Three Foxes' docks, where Kamaboko likes to throw leftover chum at them while her friends call them names. They come in and swagger around with their fancy whips and weird vests and perfume oil, but they have to hire sword-sellers," sellswords, "to do the work for them. And wagons to put people in, and horses to pull them, and provisions, and shelter, and," she waved her hand to indicate the list went on and on.
Yui's eyes widened, as if she only just now realized what this was all about, and stole Akane's thunder (earning herself a dangerous glare) when she piped in, "They buy it with lots of treasure! And we'll take it and tell those Wallachians to shove it!"
Nako remained sitting up while the piglet continued to watch the rerun on the TV screen. She even let her neck pillow go as the plan had her interest now. "Yeah, it wouldn't be hard. You know, Izumi robbed either some slave men or pirates back when, which was part of the money that bought the Sunny Mart." From her lofty position as Izumi and Na-rae's aide-de-camp, she imparted that bit of Kabuki history. "So I guess it would be fitting to do it again to protect our neighborhood from these untrustworthy Wallachians, wouldn't it?"
There was some general murmuring and nods of agreement.
"I have a bunch of hickory clubs we stole from those fancy Watchmen in New Haven," Akane offered as she examined her nails idly.
"I spotted some funny black grenades in the armory!" Yui exclaimed.
Nako was now able to resume her relaxed pose, settling the pillow behind her head again and putting her feet up as she thought on the mission. "Izumi did her raid totally by sneaking without any fighting. But I don't know if we could manage that. Besides, beating them sounds more fun than even throwing rocks at them," she declared. "We'll take the clubs with us." One brow rose as she looked closely at Yui. "And maybe the grenades once we figure out what they do."
"I can start following those weirdos from the docks, I guess," Akane offered with a laconic roll of her shoulders as she slumped away from the wall, digging her fingers into the shallow pockets of her black jeans. "I'll text you," she said to Nako, and gave a rather lazy V for victory as she ambled out.
The other delinquents began chiming in on their part of things, such as distributing the weapons, what they would yell during the attack, and starting a group message called "NO SLAVE MEN OR WALLACHIANS ALLOWED."
By fits and starts, the ragtag group of delinquents was forming a proper plan of attack.
The sound of the pachinko machines, as well as Nako's own TV, helped to muffle the rapid footfalls of a young delinquent climbing the stairs in her proudly worn Jordans. She turned one ear to the door, screwed up her face at the muffled music she heard through it, then wondered aloud (and louder than intended),
"Randy Newman?!"
Nako was listening in spite of the TV she was watching, her head tilting against the neck pillow she was resting on upon her bed. She let go of her piglet plush that she was holding to reach for the remote control to turn the volume down before getting up to pad barefoot over to the door. After opening it quickly and squinting curiously to see who could be knocking she declared in her cheerful tone, "There's no Randy here! You got the wrong building!"
Yui blinked and backed up to the wall at Nako's abrupt opening and answer... which made it easier for an older girl, Akane, to lay her arm across Yui's shoulders and push her out of the way so she could try to slip inside. "You're alone, perfect. We'll have the meeting up here!" she called down the stairs in her smoky voice to the gaggle of delinquents now surging up the stairs to the door.
Yui squeaked as she tried to rejoin the rising tide instead of drowning in it.
Nako's cheerful countenance briefly turned into a scowl, and her short stature barred the door for just a moment. Long enough to say, "Please, come in," and moving aside to gesture welcome to make it official. The gaggle was going to be a bit crowded, as the former storeroom made for a decent size room for the diminutive Nako but was ill suited for a large meeting. Nako herself was quick to reclaim her spot on her bed as well, not offering it to her guests for a seat.
It was rather clown-car-like, at least half a dozen delinquents spilling in, some (like Akane) quickly finding a space to slouch comfortably, others standing awkwardly here and there... and one just staring transfixed at a stuffed Piglet toy seemingly watching Monk on TV.
"I'm sorry--!" Yui began.
"She told us you know where the slave men are," Akane said, fluffing her dark, red-streaked hair a bit and adjusting the cigarette behind her ear. "And that they have treasure."
Nako didn't seem all that put out, now that she'd had her invitation extended to her fellow delinquents. She put her bare feet up again and relaxed, watching the others file in and find their places. She chuckled, amused at Yui's apology. "Well, I don't know where they are right this moment! But they aren't that hard to find and track, that's true," she acknowledged to Akane with a nod.
Akane's expression warmed. "Good! If we have your help, I'm sure this'll be really easy," a notion which notably appealed to the lazy delinquents gathered here.
Yui took the opportunity to pipe in again, "Some salaryman came from the docks and gave me a weird letter, said it had money, paid me in little silver bars to deliver it!" She whisked a jangling bag of tiny ingots from her Minny Mouse purse, but scowled with surprising fierceness for her size and age when someone tried to look too closely. "Said it was for Mrs. Maeda! I found her in the school, and she said it was two hundred grand, but she seemed really upset! She started texting and calling, talking about weird mages from out of town -- and then I got scared she caught me eavesdropping and ran out."
Nako seemed to consider for a moment, weighing her own laziness against the potential of treasure as she listened to Akane. Yui's outburst, however, caused the reclining delinquent to sit up and blink in confusion. "Wait, a salaryman? A letter with money? Does the Shinsengumi know about this yet?" she wondered. "And what's the connection to slave men and their treasure?" she asked, squinting back at Akane.
Akane was trying to get a word in edgewise, but now Yui was on a roll: "The Shinsengumi surely must know! I heard Eri gossiping at the Sunny Mart about these Wallachian mages from some other town trying to control the school with their money and upsetting her wife's peace, and that they might not take the money at all! But it's two hundred thousand, and Mallory feels really guilty, which I think makes Eri really mad at these guys," she added in a conspiratorial whisper, as if this was some great secret.
Nako's eyes were darting back and forth between the attempts of Akane and the continued roll that Yui was on. "Hm, well if it was gossip at Sunny Mart I'm sure it's gotten to the Shinsengumi then," she reasoned. She was frowning as she processed the rest of the information. "Wallachians? Never heard of 'em. Well if it got them upset, I'm sure they won't take the money... so is that how the slave men come in?" she asked, looking back to Akane. "We go out and rob their treasure to put in the money so they don't have to feel guilty about turning down the mages donation?"
Akane did finger guns at Nako and said, "You got it right!" She'd seen it on TV once. It may have gone better on TV than it did now. "They're easy to track, right? And lots of them come in from overseas at the Three Foxes' docks, where Kamaboko likes to throw leftover chum at them while her friends call them names. They come in and swagger around with their fancy whips and weird vests and perfume oil, but they have to hire sword-sellers," sellswords, "to do the work for them. And wagons to put people in, and horses to pull them, and provisions, and shelter, and," she waved her hand to indicate the list went on and on.
Yui's eyes widened, as if she only just now realized what this was all about, and stole Akane's thunder (earning herself a dangerous glare) when she piped in, "They buy it with lots of treasure! And we'll take it and tell those Wallachians to shove it!"
Nako remained sitting up while the piglet continued to watch the rerun on the TV screen. She even let her neck pillow go as the plan had her interest now. "Yeah, it wouldn't be hard. You know, Izumi robbed either some slave men or pirates back when, which was part of the money that bought the Sunny Mart." From her lofty position as Izumi and Na-rae's aide-de-camp, she imparted that bit of Kabuki history. "So I guess it would be fitting to do it again to protect our neighborhood from these untrustworthy Wallachians, wouldn't it?"
There was some general murmuring and nods of agreement.
"I have a bunch of hickory clubs we stole from those fancy Watchmen in New Haven," Akane offered as she examined her nails idly.
"I spotted some funny black grenades in the armory!" Yui exclaimed.
Nako was now able to resume her relaxed pose, settling the pillow behind her head again and putting her feet up as she thought on the mission. "Izumi did her raid totally by sneaking without any fighting. But I don't know if we could manage that. Besides, beating them sounds more fun than even throwing rocks at them," she declared. "We'll take the clubs with us." One brow rose as she looked closely at Yui. "And maybe the grenades once we figure out what they do."
"I can start following those weirdos from the docks, I guess," Akane offered with a laconic roll of her shoulders as she slumped away from the wall, digging her fingers into the shallow pockets of her black jeans. "I'll text you," she said to Nako, and gave a rather lazy V for victory as she ambled out.
The other delinquents began chiming in on their part of things, such as distributing the weapons, what they would yell during the attack, and starting a group message called "NO SLAVE MEN OR WALLACHIANS ALLOWED."
By fits and starts, the ragtag group of delinquents was forming a proper plan of attack.
-
Mallory
- RoH Admin
- Posts: 921
- Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2017 9:25 pm
- Location: The Lyceum or Kabuki Street, most of the time
Re: Rise of the Wallabies
May 23rd, 2019...
It was easier for Ludovic to enter a city like RhyDin without his usual retinue.
He knew its dangerous reputation, and that there were as many beings who would kill him for his boots as there were that would do it for his choice of profession. The latter he took pains to conceal for now. He'd brought none of his serving slaves, and hid his assortment of collars and chains under a heavy canvas in the back of his cart. The ugly iron tools of his trade rattled when the draft horse stomped its hooves, impatient to be off the deck of this ship.
Ludovic gripped his leather whip until it creaked and hissed a malicious promise to the beast: "Peine." Chastened, the horse stilled again.
There was no parting him from the whip he had earned the right to carry, though it was far from his only means of protection. A fine arming sword rested on his back, ornamented with two rubies on the cross-guard but otherwise practical, and two daggers -- one short, one long -- were sheathed at his golden-threaded belt. He had jewelry in spades, rings on his fingers, a necklace and a circlet, but the combination of weapons, riches, and scars on his exposed flesh served as a dare: Go on. Take it, if you think you'll fare any better than the others.
He was a short man in a place like RhyDin, though broad and muscular as his open vest proudly showed, while the man beside him was the opposite: lean and wiry, with simple clothes, a pinched face, and eyes often squinted as if he were staring down the sights of a crossbow -- which he often was. He had been arguing with the captain of the longboat, but kept an eye on the sailors lingering nearby, and with good reason: under their seats lay two locked chests, containing not all of Ludovic's wealth but a significant part of it, an investment in increasing it twice over if the next two seasons went well.
"The price was two hundred--"
"For twenty days!" the captain argued, as the sailors behind him frowned darkly.
"Heh, that was your reasoning, but we only agreed to the price. Not our fault you've got shit wind, or shit sails, or shit crew, or... shit everything." That caused a stir, and the wiry man seemed eager to reach for his crossbow as one of the sailors grasped a cudgel.
"Here," Ludovic grunted, and tossed a bag of coins perilously high, forcing the sailor in question to go scrambling to snatch it out of the air. "Two hundred. Let's not let them waste any more of our time, Armin. What we hunt is worth far more than that."
Armin chuckled and nodded his agreement, snapping the reins, and the horse trundled down the wide gangplank and took the cart and riders with it. They did not follow the rest of the traffic down the muddy coastal road, but turned to head into the dreary, dangerous, half-abandoned neighborhood of Three Foxes Court. They were aware of the redcaps clattering their metal-capped boots along the gutters, narrowing their eyes and baring their teeth at the interlopers, though the horse was far more worried than Armin and Ludovic.
Armin kept his crossbow tucked under one arm, while Ludovic uncoiled his whip with ease and snapped it at the creatures, driving them off with shrieks of terror. Armin laughed loudly as one of them tripped into a rubbish heap, and Ludovic joined him, clapping his right-hand man on the back as they clattered along...
...missing the quiet shuffle of feet along the rooftops as something far more patient than redcaps, and far more dangerous, looked on with keen interest.
* * * * *
It only took a few hours for Armin to locate several mercenaries with similar morals to his own, as well as two wagon drivers who looked like they'd be perfectly comfortable clubbing someone over the head if needed. All of them were crowded into what had once been a Watch station in the rotting heart of Three Foxes Court, complete with a dozen cells that stood empty -- for now.
Armin was keeping a close eye on this rabble, and a closer eye on the two chests on the table next to him that he'd just opened, revealing everyone's payment: gold and silver ingots, rolls of coins bound with parchment and twine, and a number of pouches of small gemstones.
"We'll be hunting for six months," Ludovic declared with a wild-eyed grin as he made a fist, "until the season for southern storms comes to an end and we can safely leave with our wares. Ten thousand nobles in gold and silver for each of our soldiers," he swept an arm to them, "and five thousand in gems for each of our drivers."
One of the 'soldiers' was chewing on a spongy bit of black plant matter, and spat loudly on the floor. "What's stoppin' us from guttin' you two, takin' all that right now?" There were a few dark and conspiratory looks exchanged at that, but rather unsettlingly, Armin and Ludovic smiled.
"You can try," Armin shrugged.
"Armin worked his way up to freedom from the fighting pits. I was a captain in an army that besieged and broke four cities in ten years. I've killed at least forty men. He's... lost count," Ludovic finished mildly, and Armin winked at the man who'd made the suggestion.
That seemed to settle the mercenaries. However armed they were, they didn't seem to like their odds against these two.
"Now," Ludovic began again, and stopped when he heard a boot scrape outside. The wooden shutters on one of the bar windows had been cracked open, and when he looked that way, he saw the arc of a small black cylinder with a broad white stripe sailing into the room and rattling onto the large table in the center.
It was about to roll off when it exploded with a bright flash and a deafening bang.
Ludovic, Armin, and the men they had been about to hire did not see the door burst open, blinded and stunned by the grenade, but they heard it. At least half a dozen people were charging into the room with them, and the only warning they received was a rallying (and confusing) cry of, "Fifty-four and no more!"
"Who--?" he began to ask blearily, and someone kicked him in the head and started bludgeoning him with a hickory truncheon. His weakened cries of protest were lost over the sounds of the heavy sounds of wood impacting flesh.
Few of the men were left conscious, groaning on the floor, and Ludovic could barely see out of his swollen eyes as several blurry figures hurried out, with two chests brimming with gold, silver, and gemstones in tow.
* * * * *
It was after dark Thursday night, and following an education seminar (and an impromptu meeting about the budget and securing a loan), Mallory lingered in the classroom she hoped would one day be the place where she and Safiya might teach mythology and ancient languages. All of the old furniture had been removed by now, but there was a card table and some folding chairs for their meetings, and she stood by the table with the binder and Pharlen's laptop open in front of her.
It was unclear what she was looking at, but she typed very little; mostly scrolling through pages, clicking over to new ones, and jotting down the odd note in the binder. Her flip phone resting nearby buzzed, and she sighed as she glanced over at the display.
Nako meanwhile was leading a few of the younger delinquents along the corridor outside the classroom as they ported a heavy wooden chest. The short delinquent was not doing any of the work herself, but supervising importantly from several meters ahead of the trio hauling the goods.
Mallory heard heavy footfalls and a few muffled noises of strain. She pushed up from the table slightly and called out: "...Yuko?" It didn't sound like Yuko. The cheerful ex-sukeban rarely stomped like that, nor was she in the habit of jangling around lots of metal or causing wood to groan under heavy strain.
Nako was backing up to the room's doorway now, but called over her shoulder before actually appearing around the threshold. "Mal? It's me, Nako, and I got some shrimps with me!" So informed, she headed into the room with a cheerful smile and her bounding step. The three younger delinquents hauling the chest were left to negotiate the door themselves, which they did with a few curses and banged knuckles.
"Hey Nako, I was -- just..." The witch trailed off, staring open-mouthed at the poor shrimps managing the heavy chest, and did not think to censor herself when she asked, "What the fuck is this?"
"Over here please, not on the table..." Nako directed importantly, standing on tiptoes as the shrimps brought it over. Looking over at Mallory she asked curiously, "What's happening? This? Oh, it's full of money. For the school."
Mallory jumped slightly when the chest thudded onto the floor instead, and stepped over for a curious look. "Where did you get this?" she murmured, and with a slow swipe of her fingers across her eyes, invoked her Sight. There were no serious enchantments on the chest, only a ward against scrying from afar marked by a symbol near the base, which she scratched off with a sharp fingernail for good measure.
Nako watched as the witch scratched off the symbol, speaking carefully. "Well it was Akane and Yui's idea really. We robbed some slave men of their treasure, because there will be no slave men or Wallachian mages allowed to influence our ways," she explained.
Mallory's vibrant green eyes ticked over to Nako's at that, startled by how quickly the Kabuki Street grapevine worked -- and how it changed the details. Then she used both hands to shove open the heavy wooden lid of the chest.
Within was a variety of gold and silver ingots, rolls of coins, and sacks of glittering gemstones, some of which had split open to reveal their contents during the treasure's violent removal from Ludovic's lair. "This is at least fifty thousand nobles..." She frowned as she did some mental math, then shook her horned head. "No, this is twice that."
"You know, I was hoping there'd be at least that much," Nako said, looking at the chest with an expression of relief. "Well, even though the job went smoothly and wasn't that much time to turn it around, I'm glad that it didn't end up being for too little money brought in."
"That's a fuck-ton of dollarydoos," Mallory laughed, and the words seemed to give her an idea. "Nako... Kibo... Chika... Tsuna... would you take a knee, please." She straightened up and tried to affect a more dignified air as she gestured to them with an open hand.
Nako picked up the dignified air at once and nodded happily, taking a knee right where she was. The other three delinquents looked confused for a moment but saw what Nako was up to and joined her in line without seeming too concerned.
Mallory jangled around in her back pocket, pulling out several wallaby-marked dollarydoo coins and rolling them around in her left hand. After a few moments she held a slender silver knife, marked with the image of a wallaby on the hilt. "By the power invested in me by the Court of Beltane, the incorporation papers of the Lyceum, and whatever dumbass decided either of those things qualified me to perform ceremonies..."
She tapped each of their shoulders with the blade in turn, speaking their names as she did. "I name you Knights of the Order of the Silver Wallaby, the vanguard of Kabukicho against the pernicious influence of Wallachian mages and slavers. Nako, as knight-commander," offering her the knife, "I entrust you with the task of inducting all other delinquents who helped you in this mission into the Order, and finding new knights among the delinquents most worthy of this sacred charge in the years to come."
Nako rose and the other delinquents looked at her happily. "Nice!" Chika exclaimed. Nako gave a grin and a little salute. "More jobs and titles! I'll go round up the others and knight them too," she promised, giving a jaunty little wave and saying to the other three: "Let's hurry along!"
"Good evening, brave knights," Mallory smiled after them, putting her hands on her hips as she watched them hurry out. Then she lowered her gaze to the bounty before them. "...How the hell am I supposed to deposit a treasure chest?"
((Adapted from play with Nako, with thanks!))
It was easier for Ludovic to enter a city like RhyDin without his usual retinue.
He knew its dangerous reputation, and that there were as many beings who would kill him for his boots as there were that would do it for his choice of profession. The latter he took pains to conceal for now. He'd brought none of his serving slaves, and hid his assortment of collars and chains under a heavy canvas in the back of his cart. The ugly iron tools of his trade rattled when the draft horse stomped its hooves, impatient to be off the deck of this ship.
Ludovic gripped his leather whip until it creaked and hissed a malicious promise to the beast: "Peine." Chastened, the horse stilled again.
There was no parting him from the whip he had earned the right to carry, though it was far from his only means of protection. A fine arming sword rested on his back, ornamented with two rubies on the cross-guard but otherwise practical, and two daggers -- one short, one long -- were sheathed at his golden-threaded belt. He had jewelry in spades, rings on his fingers, a necklace and a circlet, but the combination of weapons, riches, and scars on his exposed flesh served as a dare: Go on. Take it, if you think you'll fare any better than the others.
He was a short man in a place like RhyDin, though broad and muscular as his open vest proudly showed, while the man beside him was the opposite: lean and wiry, with simple clothes, a pinched face, and eyes often squinted as if he were staring down the sights of a crossbow -- which he often was. He had been arguing with the captain of the longboat, but kept an eye on the sailors lingering nearby, and with good reason: under their seats lay two locked chests, containing not all of Ludovic's wealth but a significant part of it, an investment in increasing it twice over if the next two seasons went well.
"The price was two hundred--"
"For twenty days!" the captain argued, as the sailors behind him frowned darkly.
"Heh, that was your reasoning, but we only agreed to the price. Not our fault you've got shit wind, or shit sails, or shit crew, or... shit everything." That caused a stir, and the wiry man seemed eager to reach for his crossbow as one of the sailors grasped a cudgel.
"Here," Ludovic grunted, and tossed a bag of coins perilously high, forcing the sailor in question to go scrambling to snatch it out of the air. "Two hundred. Let's not let them waste any more of our time, Armin. What we hunt is worth far more than that."
Armin chuckled and nodded his agreement, snapping the reins, and the horse trundled down the wide gangplank and took the cart and riders with it. They did not follow the rest of the traffic down the muddy coastal road, but turned to head into the dreary, dangerous, half-abandoned neighborhood of Three Foxes Court. They were aware of the redcaps clattering their metal-capped boots along the gutters, narrowing their eyes and baring their teeth at the interlopers, though the horse was far more worried than Armin and Ludovic.
Armin kept his crossbow tucked under one arm, while Ludovic uncoiled his whip with ease and snapped it at the creatures, driving them off with shrieks of terror. Armin laughed loudly as one of them tripped into a rubbish heap, and Ludovic joined him, clapping his right-hand man on the back as they clattered along...
...missing the quiet shuffle of feet along the rooftops as something far more patient than redcaps, and far more dangerous, looked on with keen interest.
* * * * *
It only took a few hours for Armin to locate several mercenaries with similar morals to his own, as well as two wagon drivers who looked like they'd be perfectly comfortable clubbing someone over the head if needed. All of them were crowded into what had once been a Watch station in the rotting heart of Three Foxes Court, complete with a dozen cells that stood empty -- for now.
Armin was keeping a close eye on this rabble, and a closer eye on the two chests on the table next to him that he'd just opened, revealing everyone's payment: gold and silver ingots, rolls of coins bound with parchment and twine, and a number of pouches of small gemstones.
"We'll be hunting for six months," Ludovic declared with a wild-eyed grin as he made a fist, "until the season for southern storms comes to an end and we can safely leave with our wares. Ten thousand nobles in gold and silver for each of our soldiers," he swept an arm to them, "and five thousand in gems for each of our drivers."
One of the 'soldiers' was chewing on a spongy bit of black plant matter, and spat loudly on the floor. "What's stoppin' us from guttin' you two, takin' all that right now?" There were a few dark and conspiratory looks exchanged at that, but rather unsettlingly, Armin and Ludovic smiled.
"You can try," Armin shrugged.
"Armin worked his way up to freedom from the fighting pits. I was a captain in an army that besieged and broke four cities in ten years. I've killed at least forty men. He's... lost count," Ludovic finished mildly, and Armin winked at the man who'd made the suggestion.
That seemed to settle the mercenaries. However armed they were, they didn't seem to like their odds against these two.
"Now," Ludovic began again, and stopped when he heard a boot scrape outside. The wooden shutters on one of the bar windows had been cracked open, and when he looked that way, he saw the arc of a small black cylinder with a broad white stripe sailing into the room and rattling onto the large table in the center.
It was about to roll off when it exploded with a bright flash and a deafening bang.
Ludovic, Armin, and the men they had been about to hire did not see the door burst open, blinded and stunned by the grenade, but they heard it. At least half a dozen people were charging into the room with them, and the only warning they received was a rallying (and confusing) cry of, "Fifty-four and no more!"
"Who--?" he began to ask blearily, and someone kicked him in the head and started bludgeoning him with a hickory truncheon. His weakened cries of protest were lost over the sounds of the heavy sounds of wood impacting flesh.
Few of the men were left conscious, groaning on the floor, and Ludovic could barely see out of his swollen eyes as several blurry figures hurried out, with two chests brimming with gold, silver, and gemstones in tow.
* * * * *
It was after dark Thursday night, and following an education seminar (and an impromptu meeting about the budget and securing a loan), Mallory lingered in the classroom she hoped would one day be the place where she and Safiya might teach mythology and ancient languages. All of the old furniture had been removed by now, but there was a card table and some folding chairs for their meetings, and she stood by the table with the binder and Pharlen's laptop open in front of her.
It was unclear what she was looking at, but she typed very little; mostly scrolling through pages, clicking over to new ones, and jotting down the odd note in the binder. Her flip phone resting nearby buzzed, and she sighed as she glanced over at the display.
Nako meanwhile was leading a few of the younger delinquents along the corridor outside the classroom as they ported a heavy wooden chest. The short delinquent was not doing any of the work herself, but supervising importantly from several meters ahead of the trio hauling the goods.
Mallory heard heavy footfalls and a few muffled noises of strain. She pushed up from the table slightly and called out: "...Yuko?" It didn't sound like Yuko. The cheerful ex-sukeban rarely stomped like that, nor was she in the habit of jangling around lots of metal or causing wood to groan under heavy strain.
Nako was backing up to the room's doorway now, but called over her shoulder before actually appearing around the threshold. "Mal? It's me, Nako, and I got some shrimps with me!" So informed, she headed into the room with a cheerful smile and her bounding step. The three younger delinquents hauling the chest were left to negotiate the door themselves, which they did with a few curses and banged knuckles.
"Hey Nako, I was -- just..." The witch trailed off, staring open-mouthed at the poor shrimps managing the heavy chest, and did not think to censor herself when she asked, "What the fuck is this?"
"Over here please, not on the table..." Nako directed importantly, standing on tiptoes as the shrimps brought it over. Looking over at Mallory she asked curiously, "What's happening? This? Oh, it's full of money. For the school."
Mallory jumped slightly when the chest thudded onto the floor instead, and stepped over for a curious look. "Where did you get this?" she murmured, and with a slow swipe of her fingers across her eyes, invoked her Sight. There were no serious enchantments on the chest, only a ward against scrying from afar marked by a symbol near the base, which she scratched off with a sharp fingernail for good measure.
Nako watched as the witch scratched off the symbol, speaking carefully. "Well it was Akane and Yui's idea really. We robbed some slave men of their treasure, because there will be no slave men or Wallachian mages allowed to influence our ways," she explained.
Mallory's vibrant green eyes ticked over to Nako's at that, startled by how quickly the Kabuki Street grapevine worked -- and how it changed the details. Then she used both hands to shove open the heavy wooden lid of the chest.
Within was a variety of gold and silver ingots, rolls of coins, and sacks of glittering gemstones, some of which had split open to reveal their contents during the treasure's violent removal from Ludovic's lair. "This is at least fifty thousand nobles..." She frowned as she did some mental math, then shook her horned head. "No, this is twice that."
"You know, I was hoping there'd be at least that much," Nako said, looking at the chest with an expression of relief. "Well, even though the job went smoothly and wasn't that much time to turn it around, I'm glad that it didn't end up being for too little money brought in."
"That's a fuck-ton of dollarydoos," Mallory laughed, and the words seemed to give her an idea. "Nako... Kibo... Chika... Tsuna... would you take a knee, please." She straightened up and tried to affect a more dignified air as she gestured to them with an open hand.
Nako picked up the dignified air at once and nodded happily, taking a knee right where she was. The other three delinquents looked confused for a moment but saw what Nako was up to and joined her in line without seeming too concerned.
Mallory jangled around in her back pocket, pulling out several wallaby-marked dollarydoo coins and rolling them around in her left hand. After a few moments she held a slender silver knife, marked with the image of a wallaby on the hilt. "By the power invested in me by the Court of Beltane, the incorporation papers of the Lyceum, and whatever dumbass decided either of those things qualified me to perform ceremonies..."
She tapped each of their shoulders with the blade in turn, speaking their names as she did. "I name you Knights of the Order of the Silver Wallaby, the vanguard of Kabukicho against the pernicious influence of Wallachian mages and slavers. Nako, as knight-commander," offering her the knife, "I entrust you with the task of inducting all other delinquents who helped you in this mission into the Order, and finding new knights among the delinquents most worthy of this sacred charge in the years to come."
Nako rose and the other delinquents looked at her happily. "Nice!" Chika exclaimed. Nako gave a grin and a little salute. "More jobs and titles! I'll go round up the others and knight them too," she promised, giving a jaunty little wave and saying to the other three: "Let's hurry along!"
"Good evening, brave knights," Mallory smiled after them, putting her hands on her hips as she watched them hurry out. Then she lowered her gaze to the bounty before them. "...How the hell am I supposed to deposit a treasure chest?"
((Adapted from play with Nako, with thanks!))
-
Mallory
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- Location: The Lyceum or Kabuki Street, most of the time
Re: Rise of the Wallabies
May 24th, 2019 - Seaside Baronial Manor.
Jewell poured two glasses of the pomegranate colored drink from the condensation slicked glass pitcher before handing one off to Mallory and carrying her own back to one of the lounge chairs shaded by an umbrella. She didn't sprawl out on it again (that was how Mallory had found her), choosing to sit perched on the side, bare feet planted on the cool patio tiles. The sounds from the Endless Summer Seaside Party were faint but still carried occasionally on the passing breeze that stirred the flower petals and leaves of the courtyard garden of the Seaside Baronial Manor. "I know I'm not supposedly going to have respite in this place, but it's been pretty good this week at least."
Mallory sat on the edge of the chair next to hers, wrapping both hands around the glass, enjoying the cool sensation on her skin. There was a perfect stillness and steadiness to her fingers that she was beginning to notice, perhaps a side effect of no longer having a heartbeat. "That's good to hear," she said, and looked over at Jewell. "Hopefully it'll be quiet until this weekend, at least." The first of June was coming up, and with it, the possibility of future challenges -- for both of them. "I'm pretty sure of it now... I'm not taking the Volokhovs' money. The only decision is whether I let it sit in an account and rot, or take it out, wrap it up in a bow, and send it back to them with a note to kindly fuck off."
Jewell shook her head, "Let it sit in an account and rot. Not to tell you what you should or shouldn't do... but why burn that bridge so openly?" She smiled faintly, "As much as I love telling people to fuck off, it's asking for trouble here I think. Unless that's what you want."
Mallory snorted. "Yeah... you're probably right. I guess it depends on how badly they need it." She let herself lean back a little and relax, and lifted the glass for a slow sip. "Fuck, we needed it. I wanted to have a two-million budget lined up by the time construction starts, but even after some last-minute help from the delinquents..." The witch raised her eyebrows. Clearly there was a story for another time there. "...we'll likely be about one-twenty short. Which would mean taking out a loan for that amount."
"Nah, they don't need that money. They wouldn't have sent it to you, knowing they might never see it again, if they didn't have it to spare." At least that's how Jewell would have operated. She grinned at the allusion to the delinquent antics but did not ask. Mallory was not here for story-time, though maybe if Sapphire got her to come over for dinner this weekend she'd get to hear it (along with the blue haired girl's raucous laughter). "Taking out a loan or..." she swirled the ice in her cup, watching it instead of the witch to remove some of the pressure if that was, in fact, what Mallory had come to talk to her about.
"If you have that kind of money at hand and you're willing to part with it, we'd be happy to have it," Mallory said with a laugh. But that was quite a sum. She had been moving up RhyDin's social ladder long enough to begin to distinguish between millionaires and multimillionaires. Jewell struck her as the former. "But I saw Kids of Summer undertake projects that size and larger while I oversaw it. If donors in Little Elfhame were sold on this..."
Jewell's smile was a bit enigmatic, "Not necessary. I mean, if you want even more, I can definitely use my influence with some of the others around here who are sitting on spare change, but I can personally cover the one-twenty." Although she had been foolish in many ways, The Empress had at least invested wisely when there had been a steady stream of money coming to her from Faerie, and she had not limited herself to one type of business either: shipping services, warehouse storage space, a hotel, a bar, apartment buildings, and restaurants were just the more legal ventures she had poured her fortune into over the last decade. "Do I get my name on the building for $300k?"
"A cornerstone," Mallory said with a merry laugh, "for being a part of the foundation of the school." She raised her glass to Jewell's, the brightness and warmth in her expression lingering with her surprise at the sídhe's means and generosity. "Do you know the headmasters for the schools near Little Elfhame? Oaken Hall and Riverwind?"
"Better than Jewell's Gymnasium, I guess," she laughed. There was something satisfying in being able to make the people she loved happy. Jewell raised her glass to Mallory's in return before taking a sip, running through the staff members at the two schools. "Riverwind just got a new headmaster; we haven't met yet. But I know the headmistress of Oaken Hall. Stern woman. Don't think she'll want to chip in any coins for a school that might be competition even if it is across town a bit, Mal," she remarked dryly.
Mallory gave a soft chuckle at that and shook her horned head gently. "Not what I had in mind. I'd have to talk to our principal, Yuko, and the Heavenly Queens first... but what about a student exchange program, and field trips? A lot of denizens of Kabuki Street don't leave the neighborhood much, it'd be good to learn about other people... and I think it'd be good for Little Elfhame, too. Money can build a lot of good will... but so does being seen as normal, by getting to do ordinary things together."
Jewell shrugged, "Makes sense to me. She might be interested for it. Madam Thistlewhip does a lot of work preparing students to live in the wider world. A lot of her kids are first generation RhyDin with parents fleeing from Faerie. Or they're halfies, living a life knowing they're not quite welcome at grandma's house in the Lands. Might be good all over."
"I think we can make it work," Mallory agreed, and took a long drink. Another thought struck her, with another moment of absolute stillness while the ice settled in her glass. "A welcoming place... more welcoming than St. Martin's ever was. That's why I wanted to build it," she murmured.
Jewell nodded slowly, lounging back and swinging her legs up onto the chaise as she offered thoughtfully, "Welcoming and safe. Everyone needs someplace that's safe to be themselves. Especially kids." The faerie blinked a moment, as if surprised by what she had said, and then laughed, "I mean... I guess. Not that I really have any expertise or experience with kids."
Mallory's stillness deepened for a moment longer as she studied Jewell... then her lips curved into a smile. "No... I've seen you take care of Sapphire. That counts." She tipped her glass back again for a sip, and shifted to relax in the lounge chair, under the shade of the umbrella. "She counts."
((Adapted from play with Jewell, with thanks!))
Jewell poured two glasses of the pomegranate colored drink from the condensation slicked glass pitcher before handing one off to Mallory and carrying her own back to one of the lounge chairs shaded by an umbrella. She didn't sprawl out on it again (that was how Mallory had found her), choosing to sit perched on the side, bare feet planted on the cool patio tiles. The sounds from the Endless Summer Seaside Party were faint but still carried occasionally on the passing breeze that stirred the flower petals and leaves of the courtyard garden of the Seaside Baronial Manor. "I know I'm not supposedly going to have respite in this place, but it's been pretty good this week at least."
Mallory sat on the edge of the chair next to hers, wrapping both hands around the glass, enjoying the cool sensation on her skin. There was a perfect stillness and steadiness to her fingers that she was beginning to notice, perhaps a side effect of no longer having a heartbeat. "That's good to hear," she said, and looked over at Jewell. "Hopefully it'll be quiet until this weekend, at least." The first of June was coming up, and with it, the possibility of future challenges -- for both of them. "I'm pretty sure of it now... I'm not taking the Volokhovs' money. The only decision is whether I let it sit in an account and rot, or take it out, wrap it up in a bow, and send it back to them with a note to kindly fuck off."
Jewell shook her head, "Let it sit in an account and rot. Not to tell you what you should or shouldn't do... but why burn that bridge so openly?" She smiled faintly, "As much as I love telling people to fuck off, it's asking for trouble here I think. Unless that's what you want."
Mallory snorted. "Yeah... you're probably right. I guess it depends on how badly they need it." She let herself lean back a little and relax, and lifted the glass for a slow sip. "Fuck, we needed it. I wanted to have a two-million budget lined up by the time construction starts, but even after some last-minute help from the delinquents..." The witch raised her eyebrows. Clearly there was a story for another time there. "...we'll likely be about one-twenty short. Which would mean taking out a loan for that amount."
"Nah, they don't need that money. They wouldn't have sent it to you, knowing they might never see it again, if they didn't have it to spare." At least that's how Jewell would have operated. She grinned at the allusion to the delinquent antics but did not ask. Mallory was not here for story-time, though maybe if Sapphire got her to come over for dinner this weekend she'd get to hear it (along with the blue haired girl's raucous laughter). "Taking out a loan or..." she swirled the ice in her cup, watching it instead of the witch to remove some of the pressure if that was, in fact, what Mallory had come to talk to her about.
"If you have that kind of money at hand and you're willing to part with it, we'd be happy to have it," Mallory said with a laugh. But that was quite a sum. She had been moving up RhyDin's social ladder long enough to begin to distinguish between millionaires and multimillionaires. Jewell struck her as the former. "But I saw Kids of Summer undertake projects that size and larger while I oversaw it. If donors in Little Elfhame were sold on this..."
Jewell's smile was a bit enigmatic, "Not necessary. I mean, if you want even more, I can definitely use my influence with some of the others around here who are sitting on spare change, but I can personally cover the one-twenty." Although she had been foolish in many ways, The Empress had at least invested wisely when there had been a steady stream of money coming to her from Faerie, and she had not limited herself to one type of business either: shipping services, warehouse storage space, a hotel, a bar, apartment buildings, and restaurants were just the more legal ventures she had poured her fortune into over the last decade. "Do I get my name on the building for $300k?"
"A cornerstone," Mallory said with a merry laugh, "for being a part of the foundation of the school." She raised her glass to Jewell's, the brightness and warmth in her expression lingering with her surprise at the sídhe's means and generosity. "Do you know the headmasters for the schools near Little Elfhame? Oaken Hall and Riverwind?"
"Better than Jewell's Gymnasium, I guess," she laughed. There was something satisfying in being able to make the people she loved happy. Jewell raised her glass to Mallory's in return before taking a sip, running through the staff members at the two schools. "Riverwind just got a new headmaster; we haven't met yet. But I know the headmistress of Oaken Hall. Stern woman. Don't think she'll want to chip in any coins for a school that might be competition even if it is across town a bit, Mal," she remarked dryly.
Mallory gave a soft chuckle at that and shook her horned head gently. "Not what I had in mind. I'd have to talk to our principal, Yuko, and the Heavenly Queens first... but what about a student exchange program, and field trips? A lot of denizens of Kabuki Street don't leave the neighborhood much, it'd be good to learn about other people... and I think it'd be good for Little Elfhame, too. Money can build a lot of good will... but so does being seen as normal, by getting to do ordinary things together."
Jewell shrugged, "Makes sense to me. She might be interested for it. Madam Thistlewhip does a lot of work preparing students to live in the wider world. A lot of her kids are first generation RhyDin with parents fleeing from Faerie. Or they're halfies, living a life knowing they're not quite welcome at grandma's house in the Lands. Might be good all over."
"I think we can make it work," Mallory agreed, and took a long drink. Another thought struck her, with another moment of absolute stillness while the ice settled in her glass. "A welcoming place... more welcoming than St. Martin's ever was. That's why I wanted to build it," she murmured.
Jewell nodded slowly, lounging back and swinging her legs up onto the chaise as she offered thoughtfully, "Welcoming and safe. Everyone needs someplace that's safe to be themselves. Especially kids." The faerie blinked a moment, as if surprised by what she had said, and then laughed, "I mean... I guess. Not that I really have any expertise or experience with kids."
Mallory's stillness deepened for a moment longer as she studied Jewell... then her lips curved into a smile. "No... I've seen you take care of Sapphire. That counts." She tipped her glass back again for a sip, and shifted to relax in the lounge chair, under the shade of the umbrella. "She counts."
((Adapted from play with Jewell, with thanks!))
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