On Customer Service

[Nevin]

Nevin groaned and stretched out his back. The last few days had been rather tense for him - not because of any problem in particular, but rather because of his current 'employee'. Of the last five days, Ezra had come in twice to work, or rather to study and observe Nevin interacting with his customers, dealing with some of the hassles that they tried to throw at him. As the town's only Alchemist Nevin got away with a bit of heavy-handed dealings with them, as they would try to push for something or another that they wanted but didn't need - and the Alchemist would handily put them back down, not quite rudely but most definitely firmly. He had warned the white-haired construct that she might not be able to get away with the same kind of attitude towards the customers, but Nevin didn't know if the warning had taken root or not. But it had been.. strange to have someone observing him throughout the day - even in the aftermath of the Goblin assault, the people who had come in to watch him work had only stayed half an hour or so before changing out. Ezra however, had been watching him with those strange, fascinating purple eyes through the entire working hours.

If he hadn't been knowledgeable about Ezra's true state, it might have gotten awkward for him to be the subject of such intense scrutiny. He also hadn't asked what it was she was thinking while she observed him, the 'woman' still hadn't gotten a hang of social niceties so sometimes she would come out with the most unsettling (for a chaste man such as himself at least) statements, always said in the most innocuous manner. Worse, he knew she didn't mean any thing by the double entendres, but that didn't stop them from happening. At least she usually kept the statements to herself while there were customers - though she had developed the unfortunate habit of barraging him with questions and comments as soon as the shop was empty of guests.

He had already had to defuse a couple of rumors about the young woman suddenly working in his shop - at least three different people in the space of half an hour had come in, asking if there was anything more going on between them, and why had he suddenly taken on an employee when before he had seemed rather adamant against it. Careful, quick explanations of an alchemical oddity that the white-haired girl had brought to his attention had served to pacify these questions, though the townsfolk had gotten disappointed when he refused to tell them what that oddity was, saying that as the girl's discovery it was not his place to share it.

But now, six days after starting her part-time employment, today would be the first day that Nevin let her interact with customers, and vice versa. Again he had warned her that if they asked her too much, or got to be too rambunctious, she was to send them to him immediately. He knew she was probably already waiting outside of his shop, ready to begin - she always seemed to be an earlier riser than he was. He drained the last of his tea and rinsed the cup out, leaving it in the sink before he stood up, pulling on his coat and gloves, then headed towards the front. The sign was flipped around and he unlocked the door. A deep inhale, and exhale - and he opened the door.

[ArcanaFate]

Ezra had awoken before the sun had risen.

It was an old habit, one they had developed when they had lived on the farm. The elderly couple had often risen before the light had crested over their property and the Homunculi had watched many sunrises with them before beginning their day. So, when the alchemist told them to arrive 'early' on their first day, they had stayed true to the word. The night sky was barely fading when they had arrived, and after rousing the man from his rest, was told not to return for a few hours. The Homunculi had questioned Nevin's instructions, and the man could only sigh before insisting the white-haired construct go home and once again return in a few hours after 'proper sleep', whatever he meant by that.

The next few days had been a blur; they couldn't stay to observe Nevin every day as they still had to assist Nan so there had been a few gaps in their learning experience. But on this sixth day, Ezra was told that they would start their actual employment. No longer would they simply observe, but they would now be working with actual customers and interacting socially with them. Occasionally, during their observation period, villagers would come in and ask about the Homunculi's presence in the store and how odd it was that they were going to be working there when the alchemist had insisted on not hiring additional help. Nevin would often diffuse the rumors with how Ezra had an alchemical find they were studying, but felt awkward when they were then bombarded with questions and had the attention shifted onto themselves instead of the wares in the store. They would offer no answer, which would often make the villagers frustrated or more insistent on answers. They would often just go silent at that point, and wait for Nevin to distract them to stop the questions. Telling the villagers 'no' and having them continue to pester was something that the alchemist warned them about, and being able to give them a firm 'no' was a technique they would have to learn. Hopefully today they could master that art.

As the door to the shop swung open with a still-seeming-to-wake-up Nevin at the door, the Homunculi was already at the front step. A small smile hung on their face, and they were in a simple tunic and slacks, hair in a tied, almost professional braid. They made their way inside the store, only giving the man a simple, "Good morning, Sir Nevin." before making their way behind the counter and leaning over it. They did their best to keep their attention focused on the man's face, but it was plainly obvious despite not physically showing that they were excited to work.

[Nevin]

Ezra was, Nevin decided, an example of the worst kind of people that the world had to offer. As someone who typically worked later into the night, long after the rest of the townsfolk had gone to bed, Ezra was his polar opposite - except she wasn't because he doubted she even actually needed sleep aside from helping to maintain her facade. Still, as 'she' walled in, with a bright smile and a slight skip in her step, Nevin had to bite back a slight groan. In the end, she was, after all,...

"A morning person." The words slipped from his lips unintentionally, filled with exasperation as he trudged back over to the counter where she was now leaning. It would be at least another twenty minutes before he was fully capable of dealing with people - most of his regular customers at this point knew coming in in the afternoon would get them less surly service. He caught the slightly quizzical tilt of her head and sighed.

"Whoever 'raised' you apparently did not mind being awake in mornings - or you developed the habit elsewhere. Some people can operate well in the mornings, other operate better at night. I myself am in the latter category. You may want to decide which you prefer and stick to that whole here - it is more natural to be more active during a certain portion of the day and less so at another, so emulating that will help you fit in better. Just be aware that people who fall into the latter category tend to get irritated with those who are bright and chipper in the mornings." With that, weary foot steps carried him into the kitchen, where he rescued the mug from the sink and began brewing more tea. Over his shoulder he called out to her.

"Would you like any tea or juice today?" A polite offer - one he didn't know if she'd take him up on. Even as he made it though, he was keeping an eye on the door. It was only a matter of time now before the first customers of the day began to trickle in. He fully intended to let Ezra handle as much as they could, but was ready to intervene if it looked like the white haired girl was getting overwhelmed.

[ArcanaFate]

"...I 'grew up', for lack of better terms, on a farm, Sir Nevin."

Ezra frowned at the explanation, pushing back a random strand of hair that had decided to not obey. Of course Ezra was aware that humans had different sleep schedules and that could affect how they ran their businesses. Town guards worked day and night shifts, so it wasn't impossible for others to follow that sort of sleep pattern. However, the information regarding how people who enjoyed sleeping in didn't like the 'bright and chipper' personalities of the early risers. They would make note to tone down their excitement for the alchemist... if they ever got that excited. They turned to watch Nevin walk into the back room, gaze focused intently until he disappeared from sight. It would be a rather different chain of events today, as instead of getting to watch Nevin, the man instead got to watch them. A rather odd role reversal of sorts.

At the mention of a beverage, Ezra blinked and looked towards the doorway where the man had wandered into. "How about tea today, Sir Nevin? I do not need any cream or sweetener in it, as I prefer the bitter taste." They called, looking to the front door of the shop. Weren't people supposed to be coming in now? "Sir Nevin, are we expected to have many customers today or will we have little work? I am still rather curious as to what you have discovered regarding our joint research project." The Homunculi had been rather busy with Nan, so they couldn't devote a lot of time to the research. The alchemist, however, would have had much more time when the shop wasn't busy or after he had closed up for the day, so perhaps he had found new information to share? One could only hope.

The Homunculi waited for a moment, then threw out another question towards the man. "...Have you eaten breakfast, Sir Nevin? If you do not have a healthy breakfast, you will not function throughout the day very well. Lowered productivity will not do either of us any good. If you have not, I can prepare a quick meal for you. There is no substitute for proper nutrition, despite your talent in alchemy." They let out a sigh, glancing between the front door and the doorway into the kitchen. If there was time, Ezra would likely remove the man from his own kitchen and actually make him eat real food. They had no intention of letting their new mentor die due to malnutrition.

"Answer honestly. You know I can find out if you lie to me. I may be lacking in social cues, but I am not oblivious."

[Nevin]

Nevin poured two mugs of tea, pouring some of his nutrient potion into one, and brought the two mugs out to the counter where Ezra was at. He set the undosed one down by her and began sipping his mug as he frowned in thought. It was good to know that she had been acclimatized enough to think of it as growing up - whoever had crafted her had certainly done their level best to make her as human as possible. He wondered if they had had any time with their creation before... What, exactly? He would have to ask when they weren't busy or expecting customers. Speaking of which...

"It's the fifth of the week. Usually there are a few customers, but not too many. Part of the reason why I chose today for you to start interacting with them -
you shouldn't be too bored, but at the same time it should be easy enough to keep from being overwhelmed." He drummed the fingers of his empty hand against the counter as he drank more of his tea-breakfast, his fingers twitching slightly as if they were holding a graphite stick.

"As for your more personal project.
I believe I have identified another of the schools of magic. It is often considered dark, but I can assure you that it is hogwash." He was about to say what it was when the Homunculus asked him if he had eaten, and the alchemist blinked, looked down at his tea that contained his nutrient solution, and slowly lifted it up, staring into those purple eyes as he drank the brew.

"I have consumed an adequate amount of nutrients for the day, yes." He was not going to answer the accusatory look in those eyes, and slid his dark gaze towards the door, hoping a customer would come in to rescue him by distracting her.

[ArcanaFate]

Well, Nevin's kindness certainly knew no bounds.

First, he offered a nice cup of tea, the flowery scent reaching Ezra's nose before he had even set the cup down. Second, the alchemist had intentionally picked a slower day as to not have the Homunculi get overwhelmed by the villagers who might have questions outside Ezra's expertise. It was the perfect training day, so to speak. They hoped that the day would go smoothly, for both their sakes.

The discussion for the personal project perked the Homunculi up immediately, and their attention went full focus. Apparently, the alchemist had made some headway, despite how busy he could have been. The man had found out another school of magic that helped bind the Homunculi's body together, but before he could mention what it was, Ezra had asked about his eating habits. The man hesitated at the questioning, which, to be fair, might have thrown him off his train of thought, but he slowly drank his tea before answering. Something didn't feel quite right about that.

...'Consumed an adequate amount of nutrients for the day?' Why did he speak like that? It was much too formal for their usual social interactions. His gaze shifted to the door, and Ezra's brow furrowed. Between the wording and the refusal of eye contact, the similarities between Nevin's answers and the little child who had wandered in here and tried to trick the alchemist for more candy were too identical.

"Oh, is that so, Sir Nevin? What did you have for breakfast? Because if I find out you are attempting to lie to me, I will have no choice but to tie you up and teach you a lesson-" They paused as the door opened, and a gruff, older looking man stumbled in. It was clear by his clothing and build that he was one of the local miners, and Ezra gave a gentle curtsy and smile to the man.

"Greetings, sir, and welcome to Herbal Magick! Please do not hesitate to ask us any questions!" As soon as the man turned his back to look at one of the shelves, Ezra whipped their head around towards Nevin and stared at him intently, keeping their gaze locked. "We shall discuss this later."

[Nevin]

Nevin was extremely grateful that the miner, a man named Eustace, had come in when he did. This gave him a chance to try to figure out how to respond to Ezra's question. Cobalt, it was enough that he had the necessary amount of nutrients, right? It wasn't his fault that when he tried to do anything related to cooking beyond juicing things that everything ended up on fire, or just ruined. His nutrient potions got him through the meals where he couldn't get to the local tavern to get a decent meal, and that suited him just fine.

He doubted the construct would agree though, with the way she had shot him a glare before focusing on Eustace. The man was an older miner, one who apparently operated best in dark conditions, and in the well lit interior of the shop he actually had trouble seeing. He asked the white-haired girl where the Miner's Delight potion was, as his lungs had begun acting up a bit again, and Nevin watched as Ezra gently guided the man over to where the potion rested on the shelves.

A gentle, firm hold on his shoulder, and Nevin frowned as he tried to place where he had seen similar mannerisms. He had to twist a laugh into a cough and drank some of his tea, which was now almost empty, and waved the other two off when they looked in his direction. Ezra was acting like a farmer trying to guide a willing calf to water, firmly leading it where it needed to go. The two came back over to the counter and Eustace grumped about unnecessary changes sometimes being alright, then paid and left.

As he left a small child came in, rushing up to the counter with bright eyes and a bounce in her step. She smiled big and bright up at Nevin and Ezra, showing that two of her teeth had fallen out recently. She put a few coins down on the counter and asked politely for a few strawberry candies for herself and a grape one for her brother. Nevin leaned back, content to let Ezra handle this as he tried to figure out how to answer her without lying.

[FennWenn]

Fenn clung to Daugi’s scruff for dear life as the enthusiastic direwolf bounded over Stonevale’s cobblestone streets, the wind rushing past her tangled fur and his frost-speckled skin. Since Stonevale — and Nevin — were “mildly accustomed” to Daugi after the flea incident, there was no reason to leave her behind. Besides, direwolves could be a very useful aid in the art of persuasion. Should he need it. Which he shouldn’t. But he could. A shudder ran through the young puck, from his toes to the top of his head, and he gripped his companion’s mane all the tighter. What he needed to obtain today was, well, not a typical thing for him. Or for anybody, really.

Unless maybe you were a super sneaky assassin person. But, Fenn did not consider himself a super sneaky assassin person. He was not feeling entirely comfortable about this... request. All the same, if Banri needed it, he'd deliver.

Arriving at the cozy little shop that was Herbal Magick, the wolf slowed to a scrabbling stop and wuffed with pride. Jelly-kneed and a bit dizzy from the prolonged ride, Fenn slid off her back and wobbled his way over to the door. So Nevin had replaced it after last time! Soon as his hand touched the knob, the door opened up from the inside and smacked him up the noggin, sprinkling stars across his sight. “Oh, ‘scuse me!” the girl leaving the shop apologized -- then looked up to see the direwolf looming behind him. Her eyes bugged out of her head. “Aieeeeeeeeeeee!” Fumbling with her handful of candy, she took off in the opposite direction.

Sighing, Fenn rubbed his sore head and watched her flee. You’d think she’d never seen a big mutt before.

Leaving Daugi to lounge outside the shop -- and potentially scare off anyone who might want to interrupt her tiny pup’s shopping trip -- he pushed open the door and peered inside. As always, Herbal Magick was filled with all sorts of useful potions and medications. A moment was spent admiring the shiny, pretty, colorful bottles. An atmosphere of peaceful organization permeated the shop. Yet, there was just one thing that made Fenn pause; the person behind the counter was not Nevin.

If he hadn’t been a bit prepared beforehand, Fenn might have been worried. As it was though, the puck had caught a few rumors about a new apprentice. Perhaps this silver-haired androgen staring back at him was that. They seemed a bit like a porcelain doll brought to life. Flawless skin, symmetrical features, and something funny about their eyes. It was hard to place, like their he-or-she-ness. No amount of squinting would help him discern that. Snorting, Fenn shrugged it off and let the door close with a ding of the bells. Eh. Was this curious androgen that much weirder than a thirty-year-old boy? He doubted it.

“Oh! Greetings, child, and welcome to Herbal Magick! What might you need?” they called out to him. Their tone reminded him of Banri, somehow. He couldn't place it.

Shrugging off his initial observations, Fenn bounced up to the counter with a cheeky grin. It was tempting to rib the new not-Nevin a bit. So, before even bothering to inquire about what he needed from the alchemist, rib Fenn did. HELLO! he scrawled on the counter in a frost that naturally spread outward from his touch. NEV HAVE NEW LOVER? NICE OF YOU TO HELP HIM WITH SHOP!

[ArcanaFate]

Aiding Eustace with his need for a Miner's Delight potion was simple enough. The elder man had quite the nasty cough from his time in the mines, but the Homunculi knew that the potion was a common buy in the town. A lot of the miners enjoyed the reprieve from the chest pains, and Ezra had ended up trying one of the potions as an experiment, and rather enjoyed the minty flavor it contained. The Homunculi could never understand how the brews Nevin created could be so delicious yet the man could not cook to save his life. Another thing for Ezra to fix in the man's life to make sure he could sustain himself if they ever had to separate.

The little girl who came in next wanted candy, and showing off her missing teeth left Ezra somewhat confused. Why would someone who has already lost teeth want to eat something that would promote more teeth loss? They opened their mouth to ask, but the alchemist shook his head and they could only shrug in response. The little girl had the coin to pay for the candy, and it wasn't Ezra's decision to deny this little girl when she was being nice and buying candy for her brother too. As the little girl made her way out of the store, Ezra called out to her, "Do not forget to keep your teeth clean after ingesting the treats! Enjoy them!" They turned to Nevin for a confirmation of a job well done but only got the man with tea cup in mouth and eyes looking anywhere but the Homunculus. They sighed, slumping slightly against the counter. They thought it was a good thing. It was informative and to make sure the little one stayed safe? Why was it a bad thing?

The girl's scream as she fled from a rather large dog brought Ezra back into focus, and a small blonde child made their way to the counter. The child hadn't responded to their greeting, but instead took a finger to the counter and began writing out words onto the wood. Ezra blinked at the insinuation of being Nevin's lover, looking at the man for a long moment before letting out a small sigh. How did this child seem to know more adult topics? Calling someone your lover was a rather serious accusation, no? "I am sorry, little one. I am not Nevin's lover, as you have claimed. I am simply an apprentice for alchemy, and he is my mentor in that field of study. If I was his spouse, I assure you that the shop would look much more presentable, as would he. Never mind the fact he would be on a much healthier and much more consistent diet consisting of vegetables, proteins, and grains. But, I digress."

As Ezra spoke and kept their focus on the little Fenn, a flash of imagery appeared in the Homunculi's mind and begin to play out. They could see a small child in their arms, no more than a year in age, with pointed ears and raven-black hair. The little one's eyes were bright green, and a toothless smile shined brightly. A voice that sounded so similar to their own kept asking how their 'little dragonfly' was, and the infant would continue to respond in smiles and coos. As soon as the memory had appeared, it vanished and a single tear streaked down their cheek. The Homunculi continued speaking, apparently unaware of what had occurred. They, however, seemed to pause after their question, and their face contorted into one of pure confusion.

...Where had that come from?

They shook their head and let out a breath. "How may we assist you today?"

[Nevin]

Nevin had watched quietly as Ezra handled the two guests who had come through. Her manners were stilted, but that just made her seem older and more formal than she would otherwise come across as. Still, she handled them well enough, with a parting warning to the girl about her teeth. Nevin looked to one side, keeping the comment that it looked like the girl had had her teeth fall out as she was growing up, to himself for the moment, because he had seen movement outside the window. So as one person ran inside, Nevin's gaze was outside, on the window - and on the massive direwolf that was currently lying in the street, dozing in the sun. His eyes widened and shot to the person inside - yes, it was the boy. Fenn. Oh, this would be an interesting situation.

The Alchemist was already on his way to the counter when he heard Ezra reply, and it took a great deal of concentration not to scowl. Those Cobalt-taken rumors again, only this time he couldn't ignore them like he did when they targeted himself. The fact that they were now including Ezra was too much of a hassle. Thankfully the Homunculus shut that one down quickly, though... he did actually scowl at the denigrations against his shop. He placed one hand down firmly on the counter, leaning his weight on the arm as he leveled an irritated glare at the part time worker.

"While my appearance and my diet might be in question, dear Ezra, I would greatly thank you to not talk poorly of my shop. If it is so disreputable, you are welcome to move on." His tone was cold and forceful as he spoke. This shop took a great deal of work from the man, and the slight against it stuck in his craw like a spike of acid. He switched his gaze to the small child on the other side of the counter and managed to work a somewhat more passibly pleasant , though it was clear that the expression was strained and false. "Now, Fenn, what can we do for you? You certainly don't need more flea solution, do you?"