“Uncle! Three plates of your delicious fish fries and three plates of your famous chicken cutlets, please” Sasa ordered.

Charlot and Hemon sat on the tools placed in front of the little shop. Charlot looked indecisive and she kept looking left and right.

“Why are you fidgeting so much?” Sasa asked while she took her own seat beside them.

“Are you sure this is a good place?” Charlot asked while feeling a little unsure herself.

Sasa rolled her eyes and replied, “Yes, this is a good place! Stop looking like an upstuck bitch!”

“I am not!” Charlot quickly defended herself.

“It’s that I have never been to this side of the market before” Charlot confessed.

A young boy approached them and handed each of them a plate containing a big piece of diamond shaped fish fry and chicken cutlet wrapped in egg batter.

Sasa immediately used her hand to tear a piece of fish fry and put it in her mouth.

“Ow hot hot hot hot!” she exclaimed while blowing hot air out of her mouth.

Charlot copied Sasa and tore a small of the fish fry herself. She blew on the piece for a moment before putting it in her mouth. Her face lit up after she chewed on the piece and looked surprised.

“This is delicious!” she exclaimed.

“We told you!” Sasa replied while smiling.

Sasa put another piece of fish fry in her mouth and chewed slowly.

"Let me ask you guys a question" she continued.

"Why did you decide to become a fighter?"

Sasa looked at both of them expecting someone to start answering her question.

"I… I am not actually from the upper side of Raison as billed" Charlot was the first one to start surprising Sasa. She seemed hesitant to reveal more, but after taking a deep sigh she continued.

"My father… well he was a fighter, but he stayed an Orphan his whole career.

We lived on the outskirts, in a one room house… more like a mud hut. Life was tough, but my parents made things work somehow.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

From childhood I practised with my father in the art of spear. He taught me everything I knew, but it wasn't what I had dreamed of doing. I trained with him so that I could spend time with my father.

When I came of age, my father got sick and he was unable to earn. That's when I decided to apply what I had been taught from childhood. The only thing I knew at that point.

That's how I came into this sport" She finished.

Hemon asked, "Then why do you bill yourself from the upper side of the city?"

Charlot looked straight at him before replying, "Because it's the best way to get noticed by any family. You can train at better gyms, you can hire better teachers and you can practise with retired fighters who in turn give you valuable insights."

Hemon asked further, "Isn't it expensive living there?"

Charlot answered hesitantly," It is and winning every tournament is the only way to pay for it all."

Sasa "So you kept winning until Hemon beat you."

Charlot looked sideways towards Sasa and answered her question, "Yes. I needed that Rais to pay for a practice session with a high profile retired fighter."

Sasa suddenly had a realisation," So that's why you agreed to take part today! You really needed the Rais".

Charlot gave a slight nod of her head and closed her eyes.

Sasa gave Charlot a pat on her back with a smile.

"Cheer up! Now you have us two to look after you. We got your back."

Charlot looked surprised and asked, "But we hardly know each other and I never-"

She was cut off by Sasa from whatever she was saying.

Sasa "Now it's my turn to answer.

I just wanted to earn Rais and there are two things I'm really good at… one of which is fighting. Loved it since my mom took me to a pro tournament and ever since my parents died it is the only profession in which I can make good Rais."

Charlot kept staring at her before stating, "You're just so… simple. You would have guessed your motivation would be plain and simple greed".

Sasa smiled and stuck her tongue out before replying, "Biiiitchhh!"

Charlot rolled her eyes up and turned towards Hemon.

She asked, "And what about you, Hemon?"

Hemon finished his plate and put it beside him on the ground.

"I like living comfortably I guess and that's why I do it".

Charlot, "I should have guessed".

Sasa laughed out loud hearing that.

"And speaking of easy Rias, I had visited the Order the other day and snagged out an opportunity for me which I've decided to share with you two."

"I have no interest" voiced Charlot while putting the last of the chicken cutlet in her mouth.

"Oh… you'll be interested after hearing what I have to share. So, shut up and listen bitch!" Teased Sasa.

Sasa fished out a small paper from within her belt. She waved the paper before reading the contents out aloud for both of them to hear.

"There's lots of big words written here so I'm just giving you the gist of it.

Madam Weiser’s Beer Hall is looking for three individual fighters in Orphan class to sponsor in the upcoming Monthly Invitational, Clash of Orphans to be held in Najral Arena this year."

She folded the paper and put it back from where she had kept it. She looked at both of them expectedly and asked, “Well… what do you think?”

“Don’t you have to be invited by the Order to be a part of any Invitational?” Hemon was the first to ask.

Sasa waved her hand dismissively while replying,” Pssshhh… You don’t have to worry about that.”

She brought out another paper and held it in front of them.

“Here… this is the list of invited fighters for Clash of Orphans. Take a look at the top three names” she said.

Charlot took the paper from her and looked at it before handing it over to Hemon.

“Hey! We have all been invited” Hemon said with a smile.

“See! I don’t just do things with no logic! So… interested?” Sasa asked both of them.

“Why is he the first seeded fighter!” Charlot asked with a hint of anger.

“Because you might have won three back to back tournaments… he is actually undefeated till now in all competitions and before you ask, I have already checked with the Order. Our Hemon here has quite a winning streak going on” Sasa informed them.

Charlot looked dejected after hearing the news while Hemon just shrugged his shoulders.

“I say we visit Madam Weiser’s Beer Hall after a couple of days and get that sponsorship.” Sasa said.

Hemon gave a slight nod of his head before replying, “I won’t say no to an opportunity like that”.

“I suppose there’s no harm in checking it out” Charlot answered.

“Great! But for now… we celebrate some more!” Sasa declared while standing up.