High Spirits: Tap and Theater

[Scott Free]

When traversing a great distance through mystical means it is extremely easy to get disoriented, meaning that when you arrive at your destination your feet may be pointing at the cieling and you may be above a stack of barrels. Although an undignigfied crash may follow, it helps when there is no audience to see or hear the self inflicted concussion.

After dusting himself off he took in his surroundings and realized that his latest business venture was nearly completed. The dust covered tables, bar top and stage where perfect. Mikasi just need to tell the workers to add a few more cob webs in the corners.

"Harry!" he yelled out, looking around for his sectral mentor, "We need to have more cobwebs in the corners and hanging off the bar." It was not long before he heard a response,

" Damn it boy I'm only one man I can't do everything. I'll tell one of the others to do it," said Harry. if it wasn't for the floating and transparency issues Mikasi would have had a hard time telling his surrogate grandfather was a ghost. Unlike other ghosts Harry had retained his entire form. Mikasi still had not figured out why.

" Just make sure it gets done," said Mikasi as he slunk towards the back stairs to get to his room. The long range teleport had taken a lot out of him and he needed to rest. In the morning he would see about getting his cap back

[Scott Free]

Mikasi stood on the balconey which connected to his bedrrom in the second floor of High Spirits. Lounging againsts the door frame he was thinking about what he needed to do as he saw the sun begin to rise over the horizon

If you where to ask Mikasi what his favorite time of day was he would say that it was either midnight, or just before sunrise. At both times everyone else was usuaaly asleep in their beds, or were at their lowest point in terms of awareness. It was so much easier for him to decieve when they were drowsy and to slip past when tey were sleeping. Now if only he could find a trick to make it midnight or just before morning whenever he wanted.


"Well that's enough musing, time to work," he said as he sauntered towards the stairs. His clothing was the same as the day before. That's what you get when you buy in bulk from a tailor in order to save a few coins. Now if only he could get is cape back. He'd have to get around to retrieving that, but first he needed to make sure that everything was ready fro tomorrow nights grand opening.

He had to make sure the stage was finished and that there were no more rotten boards, same with the floor and walls, check that the paint was dry on the chanileer, that Harry had the cobwebs spread, and that his help hadn't moved on or floated off.

Oh well, a legitimate business may have allowed for credibility but it was just like a shackle tying him down. Mikasi decided that he would need to hire an assistant to help him run the bar. "I can figure out the details while I inspect downstairs.

[Sedaia]

Sedaia stood in the street outside the home of Mikasi Inu. It hadn't taken her long to find it. There were directions to it on page two of the morning paper. She looked up at the building, her eyes taking in the design. She knew the type of building. She read the sign proclaiming the tavern, High Spirits, Tap and Theatre. She knew that it was far too early for visitors to call, but she didn't particularly care. One would be surprised at the amount of activity present in the early morning, the city's underlay, roiling to life, as home workers, servants, and workmen trudged along in silence to begin their daily tasks.

Maybe she was being overly keen, but that was her way. Approaching the door, she knocked briskly, then waited with a smile plastered on her face.

[Sedaia]

MSN Post: Mikasi, Sedaia

As he walked down the stairs the first thing that he noticed was a rather loud knocking at the door. Figuring that it was probably a delivery Mikasi went to open the door. When he opened the door the first words out of his mouth were simply, “Oh joy."

"Yes, it is a joy to see you again so soon!" Sedaia replied in jovial tones. Pointedly hitching the cape up on her shoulders, she slipped like an eel through the doorway before Mikasi could protest. "I thought I'd come for a visit since we've become such good friends."

"Well then, I simply need to find out why such a lovely, respectable lady as your self would come a calling." Mikasi said as he closed the door, slipping in and out of a voice which dripped with sarcasm. Turning around to face his guest he pulled out a pack of his special playing cards and began shuffling them aimlessly. “Shall we cut to the chase or do you want to dance around each other for a while longer?" said Mikasi

Sedaia gazed around the room while Mikasi spoke, and then replied, "The dancing is the fun part Mikasi. I thought you would appreciate it more. You certainly seemed entertained when you tried to explode my 'lovely' face. But, if you insist..." Sedaia slipped out The Book, and moved it back and forth in the air. "This displeases me Mr. Mikasi Inu."

"Well if one who has all of her sins lay bare before her is usually displeased." Mikasi said as he tried to figure out where to bring this discussion where he would either be at an advantage or she would do little damage. "Would you join me in the theater? It's a bit nicer then this drab hall." He said as he motioned for her to follow him down the hallway.

Sedaia followed Mikasi willingly, staring at his exposed back, considering the ease at which she could slide a knife between his ribs... She resisted the temptation to erase her problems so quickly. This could be turned into gain. "Sins." Sedaia scoffed as they walked, "Is that what you think this list is, Sir? A list of my sins? Rather, I would say you show a startlingly precise knowledge of my previous business transactions. And my respected partners who tried to break... strict contracts."

Opening the door at the end of the hall and entering into the theater Mikasi turned to Sedaia and motioned for her to enter, "My lady, from the sounds of it, a deal with you is like a deal with the devil, though perhaps with even harsher penalties for violating terms of agreement."

Sedaia laughed lightly. "Yes, because the devil only tortures you forever," she said sarcastically, "Mikasi, tell me. If a patron of your tavern came in, enjoyed your showmanship, ate your food, guzzled your ale, and then refused to pay, what would you do?" As Sedaia spoke she took in the sight of the theatre. It was large and grand, quite beautiful, and the bar was located in the same room.

Pretending to ponder his response Mikasi gave his reply, "There are quite a few ways for me to deal with that, one would be to call the town guard and have them drag him off, the other would be for me to take him out back after closing and essentially beat him within an inch of his life, throw him in my water torture trap until he agrees to pay, or if I'm feeling really spiteful I'll just turn my hired help on them."

Sedaia chased her questions around in her mind and corralled them away for later, foraging ahead with her point. "Precisely. Your first method? Retribution. Your second? Brutally forced compensation. The last? A punishment I believe. You would drag out of him what was rightfully yours. Had our hypothetical bill evader been some worse offender, like the dead men and women listed in this little book, I doubt your method would have, ultimately, differed much from what you call my 'sins'."

"My dear, if I remember correctly I never once condemned your actions," Mikasi began,” The only problem was you were unable to take someone like me into account."

Sedaia moved to the nearest seat. She slowly removed Mikasi's cape from her shoulders, draping it over an arm. She lowered herself into the chair with a lady's grace and looked up at the tall half breed. "There is nothing I am unable to do, Mikasi," she said dangerously, "remember that." She let her words linger in a brief moment of silence, and then filled it before Mikasi could reply, "But I'll ignore your latter comment in favor of the previous one. You do not condemn my actions. So why the book? Why bring me such a thing, knowing my policies? Are you working for the guard? Mocking me? Or are you stupid, Mikasi Inu?"

Mikasi couldn't help but burst out laughing, “The guard! Most of them are just waiting for an excuse to throw me into a padded room. Mocking you, not so much, and stupid, well Harry always said I have more balls then brains!" Taking his legs off the table Mikasi leaned forwards and asked in more serious voice, "Do you believe what the papers say about me?"

"What part? Ghost chattering maniac, or magic faking charlatan?"

"Well here's the thing, I don't fake magic, I think my slipping out of your oh so illustrious Shadow Den proves I have enough tricks up my sleeve to keep anyone guessing, and as for ghost chattering maniac, how do you think I found out about all of those skeletons? You usually don't leave survivors. Which means one of two: one is that I have been shadowing you for years and know every intimate detail about your secretive life, the other being that I can draw on your former..... clients and business partners themselves for information. Now please, tell me what you think is more disturbing!"

Sedaia grinned widely, "I never said I believed anything in the newspaper Mikasi, I simply asked what you meant," she said innocently, "And since I know you have not shadowed me, ever, I will choose neither to believe not disbelieve your offered alternative." She avoided the question he had asked directly. "But to cut to the chase, Mikasi; I like your style. I believe a partnership between us could prove mutually beneficial. May I offer you a job?"

Mikasi's ears perked up at this. If he worked for Sedaia that meant he might be able to draw in more business for the bar and have some extra opportunities for side work. "Milady all I have to say is that as long as I don't wake up with my throat slit ear to ear, and have my cloak returned then I would march on the gates of hell itself if you paid me enough."

Sedaia dropped Mikasi's cloak onto the table in offering. "I would like to hire you as an... espionage consultant. But of course, everyone else would know that you are Madame RaMort's ‘spiritual advisor’. There would be some requirements in the area of loyalty, of course, but the pay is good..."

Well, Mikasi was in favor of this arrangement, though he had to wonder why she wanted his official title to be spiritual advisor. Hell maybe the new boss didn't care about public opinion, "Money’s money, I don't care how I get it. Though if you could help bring some business for the grand opening, I wouldn't be opposed to other business going on in the back rooms."

"Excellent. But we will not need a base of operations here yet. I will gladly see what I can do for you in the area of attracting business... But for now, since you are being so cooperative, I believe I have an immediate task for you." Sedaia paused and tossed a large, fat coin purse on the table, which landed with a satisfying 'clink'. "How good are you are finding people?"

Reaching over to grab the coin purse Mikasi simply said," Just tell me if they've put anyone in the morgue and I'll tell you an estimate on how long it will take."

Sedaia frowned and considered the sentence. "Have you heard of Dark-Eyes?"

“Dark Eyes! Well then, this was going to be interesting, "I'm getting hazard pay for this?"

"You will be receiving exactly what I believe you are due. Those fifty gold coins in that purse, and that again, doubled, when you find him. Hazard pay inclusive, I would say sir, but if you are so inept that he catches you, I will be more than charitable enough to pay for your funeral. So, can I trust you with this task? Can I put faith in your silence, if not yet your loyalty?"

Mikasi had to chuckle at that one, “Sedaia if you think I'm that easy to kill just remember that I can have hundreds of eyes and ears searching the city, and remember I even slipped through your fingers once. Though I may have been a bit heavy handed with the gun powder."
Humph Sedaia's brain humphed. But her mouth said, "Good. Find him. And if he can’t be found, find anything and everything about him that you can. Use those eyes and ears for me. I reward my allies well..." She smiled, "Ah! But I have one more thing to ask of you before I go-"

"Meaning?"

The Book was added to the growing pile on the table. "Burn this. Right now. I want to see." Sedaia said.

Grabbing the book Mikasi flung it into the air, and had a small ball of fire in his palm before flinging it into the book, reducing it to ash. "I hope that is to your satisfaction. And remember, I'm always adding to my bag of tricks."

Sedaia laughed at the abruptness to which her task had been carried out. "Thank you Mr. Mikasi. I will see you later today, for a report. Won't you show me to the door?"

Standing up and moving to pull out her chair for her Mikasi says to her, "Remember milady I'm always on the clock."

With that, Sedaia left the residence, of Mikasi, Inu.