[Nero]

Nero hated dropping by the shop.

Aside from how explicitly out of the way it was from the restaurant, he didn't like the fragrance that the four walls of the apothecary practically breathed and could swear that one day, he was just going to die of poison for breathing it in. If his relatives from the Fae Forest heard of his thoughts, though, he was pretty sure they were just going to shake their heads at him. He'd met the owner a couple of times already and knew that he was a sidhe like he was...kind of. With that history in mind, then it should follow that he, for his heritage, should be used to this smell, as well, but he wasn't. Every single time he entered the shop, he would scrunch his nose up and wrinkle his brows and frown and leave it feeling like a human-sized mildew.

This time, he knew, was no different. The moment he pushed the door open, the breeze of poison coated his entire being and all three actions passed his face in a second as he closed the door behind him and started towards the counter. His steps were slow, low in their thuds as he slipped out a crumpled piece of note from his pocket and straightened it to the best of his capabilities...and failed immensely.

But no matter, he was already leaning against the countertop by the time he gave up caring and this time, he looked around the space for anything to call attention with. Sometimes, people should really just place a huge bell smack dab in the middle of the place and be done with it.

[Ionia]

“Buggerin' Hel!!” The sound came through the purple curtains in the back wall, so at least somebody was present. “Stupid harpy,” Nia whispered as she licked the blood off her knuckle--a damn feather had left an inch-long gash on her hand. She glared at the dishevelled stymphalian that lay on her kitchen table. Part of the poor bird hung limply off the edge, and its wings were stripped of its metal, which now lay within an open wooden box.

If the sidhe of the house knew what resided in his kitchen, he would have thrown a fit. Luckily for Ionia, Trent wasn't here, so she'd leave the stymphalian for now. Tossing the last feather into the box, Nia swept up the box and strode to the storefront.

If Nero hated the smell of the shop, he'd better keep all thoughts and expressions to himself. There were worse sights and smells in Elysia, such as rotting flesh and blood and the stink of Hellspawn. Nia would have said this to Nero if she'd an inkling about the thoughts behind his expression. But she wasn't a mind reader, and when she stepped through the door with a wooden box in her hand, she gave him a slight nod and strode to the innermost area behind the counter. She wasn't sure how long he'd been here, but since he hadn't called for anybody, she figured the man wouldn't mind waiting a little longer. Setting the box on the counter, Ionia opened a desk drawer and pulled out a roll of gauze to bandage her bleeding hand. Yeah, there was plenty of jademine to spare, but only *cheefles* would use healing potions for an injury like this.

Almost as an afterthought, she nodded toward the crumpled paper in the man's hands. “Looking for something?” She doubted that this one was looking for her, but Trent wasn't here. She wouldn't be able to explain the details of anything, but she knew enough of the basics to stand in for him.

[Nero]

Nero popped up a brow. Nice customer service right there...

“Surprisingly,” he said anyway to answer as he straightened up from leaning over the counter and sliding the battered piece of paper closer to her and leaving it there for her to pick up should she feel like it. Never seen this one around but maybe she was a new hire -- judging from the blood in her hand. “I need Blue Willow Tea and Tammish Flower, thirty packs each. It's for the restaurant.” Does she know what that is? “Trent should have it in the books.”

And this was the part where Nero would just stand around and wait, he knew. It was too bad that the place hadn't thought about leaving room for a couch for guests and customers but he supposed that service really just wasn't on some people's list of priorities, this one included. Anyway, he was content to just rest his elbows on top of the counter and read the ancient language that was marked on the slices of paper up the wall and...

He sniffled. Now, Nero knew that this shop already stunk on first step but for having gone here for a number of times already, he was familiar with its ordinary perfume and knew it to be something...old and painful to the nose but this new one coming in reminded him of rotten fruit basking out in the summer sun.

“Is there a dead body in there?” he spat out.

[Ionia]

Really, why write it down if there were only two items to buy?

“Just a moment.” Without looking at the paper, Ionia turned to the shelves and left the man to read whatever was on the wall. Clearly, he was used to waiting here. Tying the last of the bandage around her hand, she bit and tore off the remaining gauze before tossing the roll into one of the shelves. All of Trent's books were on the top shelf, so Nia quickly singled out a small blue notebook and pulled it from its corner. It was bound neatly with thick thread, and each page was neatly divided into tables for someone to write in. As she balanced the book on an elbow and forearm, she read through the most recent page when suddenly--“Is there a dead body in there?”

“Don't worry, it's not a person,” she murmured sweetly. “Or anything humanoid, if you're iffy about the naga. Its feathers cut wonderfully.” She wiggled the fingers on her injured hand. Either he had a good nose, or Nia was so used to the smell that she'd forgotten about it. She chanced a look at him and, clearly, the man did not look happy. Perhaps wisely, Nia set the book on the table and disappeared behind the counter. “Drat it, if you can smell it, then Trent's going to, too.” She muttered more to herself than to the man as she crouched by the bottom shelves. Judging from the time, Trent wouldn't return until dinner, giving Nia two hours to finish cleaning up the bird and airing out the kitchen. Ooh, if she spilled perfume in the kitchen, perhaps Trent wouldn't notice the smell at all.

She found the two packages for the Sylver Platter soon enough. Pulling them out, she stood, slid the items onto the counter and nodded at the man. “All yours. Did you need anything else?”

[Nero]

What-- there really was a dead body in there?!

Nero's jaw dropped and he gave the most perfect gape at the purple-haired woman while she moved about with her business. Really, he was imagining a huge dead rat compromised by a pitchfork or something but a body? Really, a body? He hissed out a Sylvan curseword and said, “You're crazy.” Never mind the fact that it's supposedly not some unknowing citizen but really, Nero rather thought that there are just some things you don't tell your customers -- like how the secret ingredient of their city-renowned hot and sour soup is jade snake. How else are the chunks oh so crunchy and chewy? As he'd expected though, Trent had completely nothing to do with her mess, he seemed too "mild-mannered" to be the mastermind of it.

When the packages appeared in front of him, he checked them out, firstly to make sure that there was no blood or mucus or goo on them, whatsoever, and then tore the wrapping paper open to pull up the lid and check out the goods themselves. There was no nod of affirmation or anything from him as he simply restored everything to the best that he can and snorted at the stench that had attached itself to his nose. “Seriously, the next time you kill someone, you should do it outside where it's wide and open and where you won't get caught...” Then he made a humming sound as he thought, “Well, let me think about the things the boss told me to tell you-- oh yeah,” he gestured to her as he moved his left hand to the back pocket of his pants. “You overcharged our last order. We ordered 55 boxes of Goldjelly, not 65.”

[Ionia]

“You're crazy.”

“You don't know the half of it,” she quipped lightly in response, though her grip on the packages had tightened before she let them go. It wasn't the first time that she heard it from a stranger, but customer or not, he was going to hear words and more if he kept up that surly attitude. Oh yes, she had seen the way he wrinkled his pretty-boy nose and looked at her shop as if it were a dump. What was he, a 'vari? He got their attitude down pat, and his eye color was strange enough.

By now, Nia was ready to return to her stymphalian, so she pulled out a receipt book to prepare for the transaction as the man examined his tea. According to Trent's log, the items hadn't been pre-paid. As she flipped to a new page and started scribbling, the gash on her writing hand stung in protest, but she continued writing without a wince. Hearing a sudden snort from the customer, Ionia glanced up and her jaw dropped open as he told her how to kill things properly. Her eyebrows lowered in offense as he continued about an overcharge.

Her teeth clicked as she grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the pen. “Trust me, if I killed someone, I'd still do it indoors. Where I wouldn't get caught.” Silly lofty man. “...And you didn't think to check when you paid for it?” Letting her pen fall onto the receipt book, Nia took the paper as the customer held it out. Damn Trent for not being here today. With a displeased sigh, she flipped through the logs. “Says here that somebody from your restaurant walked away with all 65 boxes of Goldjelly. Feel like returning it then?”

[Nero]

“Whoever that is is a moron,” Nero spat out as if that was going to excuse the errors in the transaction and anyway, whoever it was it wasn't him and if it wasn't him, then clearly, it was a moron.

He threw his right hand towards her, sleeve sliding up a little to reveal a peek of his accessory, and was careful to retrieve it without banging his bithium bracelet on the counter. He'd banged it a couple of times before, especially when he was angry, and he wasn't sure how much more it could take. And Dardanos is a long way off. Damn. “Point is that, you charged us 65 but we only ordered and got 55. I don't know how under Hel that happened and I don't know how you're going to settle this either but I'm pretty sure we'd want our ζ100 back, that's all I know.” Because seriously, he doesn't have time to deal with this taroch crap. Though in the first place, he shouldn't be. Damn him for being the only man free to saunter into this Xanth-forbidden hell house during this particular time of the day!

[Ionia]

She didn't flinch when he threw a hand over the counter as he spoke, but her hands clenched unvoluntarily, which caused her wound to burn from the motion. That only worsened her mood, so she narrowed her eyes upon the moron who thought he was entitled to everything--the moron. Yeah, he was the moron, right now. Paper crumpled in her hand, and Nia glanced at it impatiently. It was the paper that he'd given her, but it was just the old receipt, so she tossed it back on the counter.

Brows furrowing, she tilted her mouth to the side in a grimace and spun the log so the text faced outside. She jabbed her finger onto the log book, where somebody had signed next to the order for 65 Goldrush Jellies for the Sylver Platter. “See here?” Nia leaned forward and said in her best nice-person voice---the one she used before she punched somebody in the face. Her feathers were fluffing up from her annoyance, and she rustled them slightly. With another poke at the paper, she circled her finger around the 65 and then pointed at the signature. “Your friend over here signed for sixty-five boxes. Dunno how you ended up with fifty-five, but it's none of my concern.” Trent would have cared, probably, but bully for him since he's not here. No way was she going to give the money. Her finger slid lower down the page, “Now pay up for your tea and sign here.”

[Nero]

Nero glared at the name that was signed so prettily in its indicated space. “Caddis, that blundering idiot,” he muttered under his breath. Words were going to have to be said although really, if Nero hadn't been the one who had to deal with this crazy woman, he wouldn't have cared. In his mind, he could already imagine the look on that baby's face while he approached him in his place by the kitchen -- except the kitchen had fire in it and for what he was, Nero was discouraged to spend much of his temper in the kitchen.

Maybe he would actually do everyone a favor and just call Caddis out. Depending on what happens with this crazy woman.

Nero snarled under his breath. “Some friend you are. First you soil Trent's shop, then you trick Trent's customers. Pretty awesome if you ask me. Anyway, let's make it simple: just give me those 10 Goldjelly and then we're square.” It was clear in his body language that he wasn't going to make a move to sign his name unless he got what he wanted.

[Ionia]

Insult her shop, insult her work, insult her character--the glint in her eye was the only warning before Nia slammed her fist on the counter and leaned until she was only a foot-or-so away from the vlareon's face. “You don't know trickery if it bit you in the ass,” she hissed.

How dare he accuse her of pulling Trent down. How dare he demand something of her. The imbecile--they owed him nothing! Her face tilted down as she glared at him.

“You're not getting it.” A practical person might have tried negotiating, but she was done. With her bandaged hand, she reached for a pen and jabbed it toward his chest. Today was a horrible day, and all she wanted was to get rid of the corpse that had cut her, and then go outside to kill something else. “Now sign.” The last word had been said with a growl and a rustle of her wings as her temper flared. Hel's fire, the sooner this man got out of here, the better. Or did he really want to start something? Pretty face or no, she was tempted to punch his jaw.

[Nero]

Nero had had to step back twice in a span of five minutes, first when the crazy woman shoved her face to his direction (what was wrong with her?!), second when she tried to kill him by the pen she held. He glared at it as if it was Caddis, but he crossed his arms and kept his palms against his sleeved arms. As if this witch could force him to her will.

“If I sign that, it means we're in agreement over something which, clearly, we aren't,” he stated rather simply. “Tea bag's all fine and well, sure, but I'm not signing that until you deduct ζ100 from our account or hand over those--” goddess-damned “--Goldjelly, anyway.” Because Caddis looked like he was going to need all ten of them right here, right now. “Where under Hel is Trent, anyway? What time's he coming back?”

The stench of the gigantic dead rat still surrounded the already bizarre-smelling shop and the stench was making it harder for him to think. If the sidhe had been around instead of this deranged assistant, though, Nero could see more hope in the situation as the guy could actually talk as opposed to demanding. But as it is, he had no idea where this conversation was going to go -- only that he was right and that this day would have to end now.

[Ionia]

“NO, damnit!!”

Her mind roared, and Nia's suddenly wanted to wrap her fingers around the man's neck and shake some sense into his dense skull. Why wouldn't he get it? If anyone was at fault it was that Caddie guy! In fact, her wings were already bleeding shadows before she reined in her temper with loathing. After a pause, Nia tossed the pen to the side with a huff, placed a hand on the counter, and leaned backward. Don't cause trouble, Nia, he's just a blockhead.

“Trent.” That was the only word that she managed to say neutrally. She had closed her expression, but the steely glint in her eyes were still evident as she moved a hand to tighten her bandages---as if the hand had not just been balled into a fist. “Next town over, but he'll be back in an hour or two.”

She could feel the wound split and bleed from the pressure that she was putting on it, but that was good because it kept her mind off of other impulses. Still, her voice shook again with the hint of temper as she continued, “What, you want to wait for him? I don't have time for that.” She sent a glance toward the kitchen. Damn it, she really hoped he wouldn't stay.

[Nero]

Nero parted his lips in mild shock and he lifted his hands a bit, rose-shaded bracelets peeking under his black sleeves. “What, and do I look like I've got time for this nonsense?” He cussed under his breath after as he glared at the innocent packages sitting innocently on the innocent counter. He was almost tempted to just snatch the things and leave the shop (and then maybe burn it to the ground except he shouldn't be) but he at least had a sense of decency to understand how normal people just...don't do that no matter how crazy their assisting personnel is. Oh yes, he did notice that dark aura just a while ago and that was just rude.

Snarling under his breath, he gestured to the skotados for something. “Give me a pen and paper.” "And don't talk while you're at it," he wanted to add.

[Ionia]

Dark wings twitched irritably. Her eyes were drawn to the reddish accessories on his wrist and the burn marks on his flesh, but she categorized that as something unimportant---for now---and switched her stare back to the dratted customer. He looked like many things to her, and it was only his promise of leaving that made her hold her tongue. But at his abrupt command and arrogant gesture, she let out an anyeli curse as she reached for a pen and notepad.

“Gladly,” she hissed, and slapped the items onto the counter in a manner that told the opposite. Then, she purposefully ignored the man as she reached for the box on the counter. Tucking her wings against her back, she turned and opened one of the many drawers in the wall. Metal clattered as Nia dumped the feathers with the rest of their kind, and with two successive thumps, she shut the drawer and slid the empty box onto a higher shelf.

When she turned back to the counter, she hoped the man would be done.

[Nero]

Nero was shaking his head, lips tight, a snarl threatening to come out as he snatched the pen off the counter and scratched it -- almost literally -- on the paper he was offered. If there was one thing good about being raised with a classy handwriting, it was that even if he was scribbling carelessly through his note, his letters still appeared generally legible and nice.

Trent,

Call me whenever you get this note. Trade wasn't done. Will bring a friend. We need to talk.

N

He never wrote down even a character of his surname in his letters.

Nero folded the note once and doodled Trent's name on the exposed flap before he slid it towards the witch, dropping the pen consequently after. “Give that to Trent and keep my orders. I'll be coming back for it after,” was his curt instruction as he spun round his heels jammed his hands inside his pants pockets.

He didn't look behind him as he pulled the door open and hauled it close. Something could have fallen off the door if it hung there but damn Nero if he was going to bother! Already, he was thinking of how to shut everyone up when questions are asked.

OOC: Nero Seaglade has left the thread.