She had just aetherstepped to her company hall, a light growl escaping her throat as she materialized in familiar territory. Why was that blasted cat so determined to pester her? So heated were her thoughts that she nearly didn't notice the mailbox notifying her of a new package. She paused long enough to retrieve and examine the small box briefly before choosing that inside was the better place to open it. Keroa had barely made it to the front porch before a shifting of the air behind her, and an all too familiar, if unwelcome voice addressed her.
"Well, that was well done. Though I'm not sure why you insisted on all the lights and noise..."
She knew that voice just about anywhere, and it grated on her nerves that he knew where she lived well enough to freely teleport to her doorstep. Her only response to him now was to open the door and cry out, "Halone's fury you are stubborn!"
She had already learned that trying to verbally convince the man to leave was near impossible. She would have to ignore him and hope he went away on his own. She turned to glance over her shoulder, knowing already that he followed her, just in time to see him tilt his head in a childish manner.
"Oh come now woman, if I meant you harm don't you think I would have done it by now? Anyway what's in the box?"
 "I haven't heard that one before." she said with sarcasm venomously dripping from her lips. She took a moment to look at the parcel in her hand, and offered a noncommittal shrug as an answer to his inquiry as she headed to her open office. She was thankful for the half mask, though she was sure it did nothing to hide the irritated frown that had set itself upon her lips. At least she could take solace in the fact that he'd never seen her face. At least not in it's entirety. Her jaw, sure, but that's all he got.
 As she settled in behind her desk, Gunther plopped himself down on the nearby couch, leaning over to peer at her as he spoke. "You know... I do feel bad not rewarding you somehow. It was quite a bit of work you did to get my friend back in order. You sure theirs nothing you'd like? I'm pretty handy as it so happens."
Behind that mask, her eyes rolled oh so far into the back of her head. She wanted nothing from this man other than for him to leave her be! She hadn't accepted that job for payment, no she'd accepted that job because that was the whole reason the company was founded. Arky founded the company, and the hall to aid those in need, and offer them a safe haven should they require it.
 Of course Kero had her qualms with the idea of simply letting strangers move in and wander about as they please. but there was the paper work, and background checks. He had set it up to keep everyone safe. And she was determined to see his will done in his absence. Even if she loathed the idea of forcing herself to meet new people, mingle and 'play nice', as he had put it so many moons ago.
 she let him speak as she inspected her parcel. A plain box, secured with a simple string to keep its contents secure. without much ceremony she removed the string and opened the box, plucking up the red stone within. As she inspected the stone, she sighed heavily.
"You want to know what I really want?" Came her bitter question as she laid the gemstone onto her desk to pluck the accompanying note.
"If the request doesn't involve me getting out, never coming back, or leaving you alone, then please, do tell."
Keroa scoffed, unfolding the paper. "I want Arky to come home."
"Any idea where he went?" He asked in a curious tone.
"Your guess is as good as mine." came her flat response.
"Well, that leaves a lot of terrain open to search. Do you know why he left? And please keep in mind that the more I know, the better chance I'll have the man."
"He's trading." she replied, flipping the note over to its backside. Wait, who sent this note? "Practicing his mercantile expertise and sending money home." Her tone quickly went from annoyed to annoyed confusion. Who were the "Sisters of the Red lotus?" she asked out loud, the question echoed by her unwanted company.
"Sisters of the red lotus?"
Keroa realized she'd messed up by thinking aloud, and with no better recourse for the moment, read the note aloud. "Dearest friend, In the spirit of Starlight we are distributing blessings of prosperity to all. Please accept this gemstone and think of it as a token of good fortune." her lip scrunched off to one side. "Signed Sisters of the Red Lotus."
"... That's weird. Heard of them before, not much mind you, just a few words here, a passing thought there. Can't say I know their purpose, but I didn't think they were goldsmiths with a penchant for charity... Mind if I have a look at that stone?"
Keroa sat back in her chair, arms crossed, one hand bent upward at the wrists to give him a "whatever" signal. She avoided looking his way but kept his figure in her line of sight. "Never heard of 'em." She watched as he picked up the stone and began to examine it. She tried to will her tail to still as its tip had been flicking nonstop since she'd sat down.
 "... slightly aetheric in nature, but i'm not sure what its purpose may be. Might just have a small enchantment on it to keep it shiny for all I know. In any case, on first examination its a rock, but your the experts, and its your stone." puts it back on the table, "Though their is an old saying, 'Beware Garleans bringing gifts." Pretty sure the saying applies here loosely.
 Keroa appeared the very image of a teenager being told what she thought she already knew, arms crossed, gaze off to the side, her wrist tilted upwards once more in dismissal. "Beats me how they know I like Saffrons, must be a lucky guess. I'll put it with that damned ring that Duskwight elezen gave me."
Gunther pressed her more for details on Arky, and promised her to have information on him in two days. he wasn't going to take no for an answer, so she gave him the bare minimum he asked for. She wasn't going to trust him with anything else, especially after the mention of his 'network'. Finally he relented; "Anyway, i'll have the birds flying with that alert before I turn in tonight. Speaking of which, i'll be heading back to my office. Despite your constantly refreshing and upbeat personality, I am feeling a tad tired. Have a pleasant evening. I'll contact you when I've found your Arky fellow."
Keroa nodded and with that lovely tone of sarcasm she offered her farewell, "Good luck." a small wave to accompany the sentiment. She heard gunther chuckle before he vanished as silently as he appeared. Show off. Keroa stood then, and made her way to the small desk across from her office, and true to her word she placed the flat stone in the drawer.
 "Insistent buggering sod..."
She was too irritated to think about this enigma right now. She would think on it more when she wasn't absolutely irritated.
(don't hate me. that was way longer than I thought...)
"Well, that was well done. Though I'm not sure why you insisted on all the lights and noise..."
She knew that voice just about anywhere, and it grated on her nerves that he knew where she lived well enough to freely teleport to her doorstep. Her only response to him now was to open the door and cry out, "Halone's fury you are stubborn!"
She had already learned that trying to verbally convince the man to leave was near impossible. She would have to ignore him and hope he went away on his own. She turned to glance over her shoulder, knowing already that he followed her, just in time to see him tilt his head in a childish manner.
"Oh come now woman, if I meant you harm don't you think I would have done it by now? Anyway what's in the box?"
 "I haven't heard that one before." she said with sarcasm venomously dripping from her lips. She took a moment to look at the parcel in her hand, and offered a noncommittal shrug as an answer to his inquiry as she headed to her open office. She was thankful for the half mask, though she was sure it did nothing to hide the irritated frown that had set itself upon her lips. At least she could take solace in the fact that he'd never seen her face. At least not in it's entirety. Her jaw, sure, but that's all he got.
 As she settled in behind her desk, Gunther plopped himself down on the nearby couch, leaning over to peer at her as he spoke. "You know... I do feel bad not rewarding you somehow. It was quite a bit of work you did to get my friend back in order. You sure theirs nothing you'd like? I'm pretty handy as it so happens."
Behind that mask, her eyes rolled oh so far into the back of her head. She wanted nothing from this man other than for him to leave her be! She hadn't accepted that job for payment, no she'd accepted that job because that was the whole reason the company was founded. Arky founded the company, and the hall to aid those in need, and offer them a safe haven should they require it.
 Of course Kero had her qualms with the idea of simply letting strangers move in and wander about as they please. but there was the paper work, and background checks. He had set it up to keep everyone safe. And she was determined to see his will done in his absence. Even if she loathed the idea of forcing herself to meet new people, mingle and 'play nice', as he had put it so many moons ago.
 she let him speak as she inspected her parcel. A plain box, secured with a simple string to keep its contents secure. without much ceremony she removed the string and opened the box, plucking up the red stone within. As she inspected the stone, she sighed heavily.
"You want to know what I really want?" Came her bitter question as she laid the gemstone onto her desk to pluck the accompanying note.
"If the request doesn't involve me getting out, never coming back, or leaving you alone, then please, do tell."
Keroa scoffed, unfolding the paper. "I want Arky to come home."
"Any idea where he went?" He asked in a curious tone.
"Your guess is as good as mine." came her flat response.
"Well, that leaves a lot of terrain open to search. Do you know why he left? And please keep in mind that the more I know, the better chance I'll have the man."
"He's trading." she replied, flipping the note over to its backside. Wait, who sent this note? "Practicing his mercantile expertise and sending money home." Her tone quickly went from annoyed to annoyed confusion. Who were the "Sisters of the Red lotus?" she asked out loud, the question echoed by her unwanted company.
"Sisters of the red lotus?"
Keroa realized she'd messed up by thinking aloud, and with no better recourse for the moment, read the note aloud. "Dearest friend, In the spirit of Starlight we are distributing blessings of prosperity to all. Please accept this gemstone and think of it as a token of good fortune." her lip scrunched off to one side. "Signed Sisters of the Red Lotus."
"... That's weird. Heard of them before, not much mind you, just a few words here, a passing thought there. Can't say I know their purpose, but I didn't think they were goldsmiths with a penchant for charity... Mind if I have a look at that stone?"
Keroa sat back in her chair, arms crossed, one hand bent upward at the wrists to give him a "whatever" signal. She avoided looking his way but kept his figure in her line of sight. "Never heard of 'em." She watched as he picked up the stone and began to examine it. She tried to will her tail to still as its tip had been flicking nonstop since she'd sat down.
 "... slightly aetheric in nature, but i'm not sure what its purpose may be. Might just have a small enchantment on it to keep it shiny for all I know. In any case, on first examination its a rock, but your the experts, and its your stone." puts it back on the table, "Though their is an old saying, 'Beware Garleans bringing gifts." Pretty sure the saying applies here loosely.
 Keroa appeared the very image of a teenager being told what she thought she already knew, arms crossed, gaze off to the side, her wrist tilted upwards once more in dismissal. "Beats me how they know I like Saffrons, must be a lucky guess. I'll put it with that damned ring that Duskwight elezen gave me."
Gunther pressed her more for details on Arky, and promised her to have information on him in two days. he wasn't going to take no for an answer, so she gave him the bare minimum he asked for. She wasn't going to trust him with anything else, especially after the mention of his 'network'. Finally he relented; "Anyway, i'll have the birds flying with that alert before I turn in tonight. Speaking of which, i'll be heading back to my office. Despite your constantly refreshing and upbeat personality, I am feeling a tad tired. Have a pleasant evening. I'll contact you when I've found your Arky fellow."
Keroa nodded and with that lovely tone of sarcasm she offered her farewell, "Good luck." a small wave to accompany the sentiment. She heard gunther chuckle before he vanished as silently as he appeared. Show off. Keroa stood then, and made her way to the small desk across from her office, and true to her word she placed the flat stone in the drawer.
 "Insistent buggering sod..."
She was too irritated to think about this enigma right now. She would think on it more when she wasn't absolutely irritated.
(don't hate me. that was way longer than I thought...)
