By the time she heard knocking at the door, Fiona was all set and ready, with most of the meal prep ready. She had put on a pair of cozy stretchy leggings and a knit sweater, which was proving quite cozy when she opened the kitchen window, to let in the fall breeze. An errant orange leaf blew in, and Tucker batted at it with keen interest, before taking off.
She smoothed her hair and headed to the door, where she was greeted by bouncy Bonnie, gentlemanly Greg, and Darla, standing a tad above them and grinning with dagger teeth. She did remind her of a shark, though her golden eyes were brimming with a glint of life. She gave each of them a hug in turn, and beckoned them in. “So, I got a few things, and–”
Darla instantly pushed to the forefront, to the kitchen, and took a deep whiff of air. “Alright, I can tell you’ve done one thing wrong,” she stated with a calm voice. “You started the sauce without me. I am shocked, Fiona.”
She stammered in response. “Well, the sauce does need time to reduce down–”
Darla broke out in a mighty grin, and gave a waggle of her hand. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. Oh, but my goodness, this place is quaint! This can’t be cheap!”
“From what I know of Miss Swiftheart’s finances, it is priced well below what Granny could charge for it. I think her landlord has a soft spot for redheads,” Greg said with a bit of wit that she wrinkled her nose at.
“Bah, let’s not talk about apartments; all you need to know is that it’s cozy, and it’s fun! Let’s talk about food! Darla, you’ve been to Jarl’s, and had the noodle bowl?” Fiona queried.
“Girl, I had that, and tried to replicate it at home. Still working on it, I think Jarl has a secret recipe in his broth,” she stated with passion, fists held to the air. “Damn lizard chef won’t give me his secrets!”
“Shame, I don’t know it either, though I gave him the basics for the idea. But I held a couple of things in reserve.” Fiona showed Darla the dough, which was already laid flat. “So, this is egg, flour, and just a tiny bit of seasoning. All you need to do is boil in water for a few minutes. I have a separate filling I've prepared."
“Oh, my. Hope your planet doesn’t plan on stealing you back, I might have to pick your brain for some ideas!” Darla declared as she showed off with a flourish of knife skills, and cut up a loaf of fresh bread. “Now, what is that sauce? I smell…hmm…might be a tomatillo, and some other seasonings, and maybe…what meat is that?”
“Sausage? From a boar,” she added hastily. “Pretty cheap to get, but also immensely rewarding, if seasoned and cooked well. It absorbs the flavors of the sauce, too. I seasoned it earlier to get the flavor to soak in.”
“I thought her class was ‘merchant of fortune’, not ‘jack of all trades’,” Bonnie quipped before sauntering over, nose testing the air, and letting out a squee. Fiona tried not to laugh at the sound, because it was quite high-pitched. “Well goodness, that smells so good! Where’d you learn this?”
“Well, short version? A lot of stuff is the same here as it is on Earth, and some things, not so much. The tomatillos are sort of like the tomatoes on earth, but they’re a little spicy. I had to cut it with a little bit of cream to cut the heat, and the seasoning profile is a bit off, but–” She trailed off when Bonnie tried a bit from a spoon sitting on the side, and she made a satisfied trill.
“I’m licensing you, girl! Jarl’s not gonna get exclusives on all the recipes you bring here!” she stated with resolve. Darla leaned in and grinned.
“Not if I get to her, first.”
“Oh, it’s on, coffee girl. You’re lucky you’re as cute as you are good at making beverages, I’ll go easy on you,” Bonnie cooed with a wink.
“Aye, hey guys, not a competition we still need to finish making it,” Fiona interjected while trying not to smile like an idiot. “Greg, your opinion?”
“I offer those only when I’m on the clock,” he replied stiffly. He looked so uncomfortable in his casual clothes–as if a pair of slacks and a vest and button shirt were his natural dress state! She needed to get this guy a hoodie to get cozy in, and relax. Bonnie, too. He tried the sauce, and frowned. “Hmm. A hint of more salt, I think. But, this is otherwise well balanced. Proof that a chef class is not needed to cook."
“I concur. Otherwise, it’s a great effort!” Bonnie added while Darla was busy cutting the dough into small pieces, and Fiona showed her how to use a little bit of the leftover boar and a bit of filling to make small Raviolis. With a bit of egg wash, she sealed them up and placed them on top. “Hang on, how’s that work?”
“You seal up the dough wrap with just a touch of egg wash, with the filling inside. You have to boil it gently.” Fiona lit the stove with a fire wisp using a bit of her internal energy, and it got to work on heating a pot of water to a boil in short order. “You can’t cook them too long, or they fall apart. And you can’t make the dough too thick, or the outside will be cooked, but raw on the inside. Lots of variables. This was what cooking was like for me, where I grew up.”
“I love the concept. I’ve seen things like this, but typically only at high end restaurants or large estates that have dedicated staff. There is technical know-how to make these required,” Greg concluded, and jotted a note or two. “Why are you trying to run a business Fiona, when you could do this?”
“I like cooking. But, I was good at running my store. Crunching numbers, making sales. It was a small business, selling, of all things, artwork and various artisanal efforts, and also a lot of locally made produce and goods.” She stirred the sauce, and felt that flood of good memories return. “Ah, it was an experience. It was long hours, sorting logistical issues, and fighting through tough times. Maybe I look at it a little more fondly in the rearview mirror, so to speak.”
“I like my mirrors on the ceiling, to be honest,” Darla quipped. An emergent grin from her had Greg coughing to pretend he didn't hear that, and Bonnie was in stitches laughing. Fiona blushed redder than the almost-tomato sauce. “A bit much, Greg? We’re adults here.”
“Hah! According to mum, I’m still a kid,” Bonnie said between laughs. “Ah well, it’s good to see that you at least had a passion, back then!”
They continued to talk, and Bonnie broke out the wine bottle a little while later while everyone took turns in the kitchen. The room filled with the scents of freshly cooked goodness, and after a little while, they were sitting down, enjoying the meal. Everyone commented on it, and Darla said she’d have to send this idea back to her dad when she got the chance.
“So, seriously, Earth had no magic? I’ve heard of a few summonses mentioning the place, at least from the mage periodicals,” Bonnie said pointedly. “I did research it a bit when you told me. What a thing to behold! A world with no magic?”
“Yeah, and we didn’t need to stab ourselves with magical quills to get jobs,” Fiona commented dryly. She wondered if she could ask in present company what their mark looked like. Maybe it was too personal, she knew Bonnie’s of course, and Greg's.
But, six months in, she was learning things, though it wasn’t too far off from earth culture–just with magic, hereditarily assigned kingdoms, monsters, and a world shaped far differently by magical influences than an industrial revolution. She decided to ask a little more informally on this one, with Bonnie knowing the truth at least. “You gotta explain that one to me, who came up with that one?”
“Ah, mage school says that that’s been the way it's always been. I think they just used to use stone tablets before paper. Some kind of gift from the gods to fight the primal monsters–and actually build a functioning society.” Bonnie glanced her way, her expression lively and intrigued. “It's been around forever. Some people only take one class. Others…man, they could make a tapestry of their markings. I guess it depends on your choices in life, ya know?”
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“So Bonnie, I know you said you’re a mage, but, how many mages are there? Forgive me for not asking about it earlier.” She knew she specialized, so, there must be far more than one.
“All kinds,” she breathed. “Each of them has their study courses. Though you can mostly break it down into several distinct categories. I picked enchanting, because it spoke to me. I can still do general magic, like you. Everyone has a little bit, but mages have more. You could add being a mage to being a merchant,” she added with a coy smile.
“If I wanted to become a mage, it would be so I could wear one of those spiffy, wide-brimmed hats you wear,” Fiona called out, and Bonnie chuckled.
“You know, that’s just fashion, you don’t need to be a mage to wear one of those. But it has those little cutouts for my ears, and it sits all super cozy! Plus, it keeps the rain off with a repelling ward. Ugh. Have you ever seen a soaking wet kitsune?” she asked casually.
“Well, you got dunked in the pond one time by Jake,” Fiona suggested, and that pouted muzzle from Bonnie suggested it was not, in fact, as fun a time as she believed.
“Yeah, if we plan on going swimming, it’s for a while. It takes forever to dry my fur. Even with a utility spell, I look like one of those fuzzy kids' dolls,” she added with a groan. “Still, it’s great to be able to run around during fall and winter with just shorts and a light shirt. Meanwhile everyone else is bundled up.”
“Okay, now I’m jealous,” Fiona counters with a grunt. “Fall is my favorite season. But I do like sweaters! And those green things fruit things–they aren’t apples, but it can be juiced down into some kind of cider that Laura has at McFly’s now. The weirdest experience is finding analogs. Some stuff is similar, but a lot of stuff isn't," Fiona concluded.
“Those seasonal fruits you mentioned are Valilios, those are mostly tart, little sweet fruits? I love the cider that Laura makes. Chefs always look for inspiration from others,:" Darla said while leaning back, after having finished the meal. “Believe it or not, I do keep my ears to the ground, looking for the next trending beverages. It’s how I stay ahead. Plus I talk to other baristas, and see what’s selling at their shops. I know this cute elf guy, with his shop by the park. He says the nobles like a more elegant cold brew. Got my little ice wisps handy for that, chilled to perfection!”
“Ooh. I like this idea,” Greg chimed in. “My mother always made a cup in the morning, even for me and my sister when we were in our early teens. It just became a routine for me. Less pleasant, were the rest of the family."
“Ah, that explains your daily patronage, guess I should be thanking them for the extra silver,” Darla smiled while tracing a finger around her wine glass, making a slow ringing sound. “Fiona, what else is going on in this emporium? You’ve got Bonnie’s shop, but what else will you be bringing in?”
“Been giving that some thought. I had some ideas. But I need connections and people. The unifying theme is to cater to mid to high-end clientele, essentially adventurers with gold burning a hole in their pocket for equipment. But long term, I do have some ideas. Something like the store I had back on earth. A more generic rollout of local goods, while still offering goods to adventurers. Right now, I need to dump this loot problem, and get these taxes off my back. Then, long-term plans kick off!”
“Pivoting markets could be risky,” Greg cautioned. “Specializing can secure a reliable clientele, long-term.”
“Yeah, true. But, I’m also very good at moving things that are not easily moved. We want a spread of clientele so that if one group is stumping, the other is booming! Diversification!” Fiona stated with enthusiasm. “We want a store that people go to as a hangout, a place that is part of the community! It’s why I put that call to Jake’s guys! People from all slices of life go join the guild! Anyway, I’m going on a tangent. So, thoughts on dinner?”
“The meal was great. I’ll take the delicious elf to go,” Darla said with a slow lick of her lips, and Bonnie nudged Fiona less than subtly. “You know who I don’t know much about? Dear little Greg here, even as often as he visits my little shop. He sits back, does his coffee meditation thing over the latest periodical, then gets to work, being Fiona’s assistant!”
“Well, we are in a busines partnership, though Miss Swiftheart is not my only client, and I still do accounting work on the side. She's just the one that requires the most one-on-one attention,” he said with a puff of his chest.
“Aw, you love me Greg,’ Fiona said while leaning on the edge of her hand, grinning at him lazily. “Tell us something we don’t know!”
“Well…hmm…” he pondered this for a few seconds and leaned into the group, eyes lit up with interest. “Alright. One little thing. I used to be an enthusiastic explorer, before I took up the trade as an analyst. That was shortly after I left home."
“Oh, spill it! It’s story time!” Bonnie perks up–and her ears, too. “Were you just like Indra Janes?”
“No, I was not. It was quite boring. It was a lot of paperwork. I found that the lifestyle did not suit me. Scribing math gave me some satisfaction, and in fact, I do bookkeeping on a few other clients. Sadly I must keep some level of discretion, as they may have a rival,” he added with a soft smile.
“Did you raid any temples of doom?” Fiona inquired. “C’mon, you make it out to be boring, but I bet it wasn't!”
“Well, there were a few expeditions. But documentation of failed civilizations is a lot of work. Many have not, in fact, just left giant treasure hoards lying around. Most were raided long ago. The elves had an ancient city in the forest the trees grew over in Verdask, just east of Fiefdala, and had nary a treasure. But those trees just grew up and over it. It's utterly fascinating,” he concluded.
Eventually, she along with Bonnie managed to coax a few more details out of Greg, including a fallen sky city, and even a Dwarven ruin. Those had been all mathematically forged, and highly engineered, much to his delight. But as much fun as they were having, the evening drew late, and everyone slowly got up.
“Fi, how you spending the last day before you open? Should we go over any details?” Greg asked. She shook her head and smiled confidently. Meanwhile, Tucker pinned him in his seat and proceeded to stretch out. It's like that cat could always sense the mood in the room, and Greg was his cushion.
“Nah. We should rest up, relax during the day. Everything is waiting for us, I'll do one last run tomorrow,” Fiona told him. “Bonnie, your shop, is it ready?”
“Ready as it'll ever be. You know, if you sell any fancy armor or weapons, we could make a package deal! Bundle purchases for upgrades at a discount!” she suggested.
“She's got a point. Offer the service, and tack-on become routine,” Darla said with a stretch of her well-toned arms and a toothy yawn. “I have to be up early for my shop, as it were. Some people are early birds,” she added with a smile at Greg.
“Get the work done early, and out of the way, and you'll always be ahead,” he stated with a calm veneer. “Well, I'll start a log book. I needed to track down an appraiser for the items, many in storage are assessed far too high.”
“I'll come with,” Bonnie chimed in.
“Alright, you early birds! At least let me walk you out!” Fiona led the way out the front door and down the flight of stairs, where Bonnie and Greg gave her a quick farewell before taking off down the cobblestone path.
Darla frowned when she looked at the mechanical watch on her wrist. “Ah, hells. I have the shop opening tomorrow. One problem with owning the place, eventually, I’ll have to hire someone if I want a break. I have one girl who's decent, but needs a little more training."
Darla’s tail more than gently wrapped around her as she walked her down the stairs. Fiona thought she was tall, but Darla was still a hair taller.
“So…” Fiona started off. “Did ya have fun?”
“Oh, it's been a blast. I still get funny looks on the street on occasion, the blue skin and horns thing,” she shrugged. “So, I haven't had too much of a social life. Thanks for the invite, by the way.”
“Aw, it was nothing. I've been buried with work or the guild before that, sometimes it's good to set that stuff aside for a night.” Darla’s tail uncurled and just nudged her ear, and she blushed. “Guess that thing has a mind of its own, huh?”
“It's a mood,” Darla laughed. “Though I'll be forward with ya, there's a guy I’m seeing right now, otherwise, I would be taking you home with me." She more than blushed at that. "He's decent. He's also reliable. But, when you get summoned once, you get a little defensive. I still like hanging out with you and Bonnie and Greg, you guys are a fun bunch! Whatcha think, I want us to all hang out again sometime. There's the harvest festival in a few weeks, on the weekend, out by the fields just outside the city. It's a blast, you'd have fun!” Darla proposed with enthusiasm.
Fiona did want to pout, but, she did like Darla's honesty. She wasn't sure if she knew what she wanted just yet, and her status as a bit of a flirt had been established. She did manage a smile–it was still good to have friends from all over. Plenty of sharks in the ocean--grr, enough with the puns Fiona! she reprimanded herself internally.
“Yeah, we’ll be there. See ya at the shop tomorrow. I may need another one of those frozen emperor treats,” she added while rubbing her hands together.
Darla rolled her shoulder blades and smiled. “Well, I'll be there. Catch ya soon, Fi.”
Tucker had to nudge her as she saw Darla catch up and go give Greg a scare like a land shark, complete with a musical note. She laughed heartily at that, and smiled. Maybe she had a few regrets from her old life she needed to sort out, and followed her cat back inside.
Dealing with Barry and a barrage of customers was going to be her immediate concern. There would be plenty of time for fun, eventually.
The real challenges were about to begin--running this shop, and finding a new center for her life. She hoped, that she would find it.
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Newly Broke Heroine, Volume I: End of Arc I