Nobody's Servant 1.0

The Ulgengir District

I wake to the sound of quiet chatter, slowly raising my head. Recognition of where I am escapes me at first, but the moment of confusion is only that, and the events of yesterday fill in all at once.

Every event does, unfortunately. The sudden return of memories causes me to lurch upright, centering my weight gracelessly into the divide between the sofa cushions.

"Oh good, you're awake," Kyra says, glancing up from her tea.

Yhana, who was initially faced away, turns to look as I groggily approach. "You uh, you have something on your face," she says, tapping her own snout.

I pause for a second, reaching up to fumble at the damp scarf wrapped around my face, before pulling it off and bundling it up a little too urgently and throwing it back onto the sofa.

"...Good morning!" Wow, Merion, so natural.

Yhana chuckles a bit at that, but Kyra seems more interested in getting her caffeine fix, understandably so.

"There's a bit of breakfast left, though it might have cooled off a bit by now," Yhana says.

"Oh wonderful, thank you, I'll just... I'll just go get that." I excuse myself into the kitchen, an immediately adjacent room left open to the dining space. They've got a gas stove, fancy.

Inside, on one of the counters, is a small plate of flatbread with a leftovers omelette on top, as well as a small pot on low heat nursing the remaining bit of peanut curry. Hardly matters where you go, it's a favorite among canines, but the particular aroma of this batch makes me think of Republic cuisine; flowery cardamom and warm cinnamon, and a little bit sweeter than other kinds.

Taking a cup from the dishrack, I start to carefully pour in some of the curry, but jump and end up spilling some as I feel Yhana's hand on my shoulder.

"Nothing!" I blurt preemptively. Good job, Merion, so natural! Keep it up! My brow contorts in frustration as long as I'm faced away but I force it back into something I hope is naturally neutral.

"Hey, what was up with the... what?" Yhana asks.

"The scarf, right? It's just dusty in here, and I get stuffy easily," I lie. I wish I could tell her but I'm worried about what measures Suraokh might end up taking if she figures it out.

"If you're sick, this is the capital. You don't have to wait to get into a clinic here."

"Yeah, maybe I'll get checked out," I concede. Which I actually do plan on doing. Sort of.

"I'd better not come down with whatever you've got," she says, giving my shoulder a punch. "Feel better, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks." As she leaves the kitchen, I get back to getting myself a cup of curry, beginning to carefully pour once again.

So of course I end up spilling it when I, again, feel a hand on my shoulder. This one's metal.

"So how long you got?"

"Ah, fuck!..." I stammer, fumbling with the pot and placing it back on the burner before whirling around to face Kyra.

She's not even facing me, loading her dishes into the sink with her right arm extended all the way to me. As she lets me go, she ends up turning as well, leaning back against the edge of the sink and folding her arms.

"I was on something last night, so I need you to tell me if I imagined this one or not," she says. "After I left you alone last night, you left saliva on my hand."

"Yeah because you stuck it in my mouth," I shoot back. "Nice to meet you take two, by the way."

"Oh yeah hey, I'm Kyra," she says flatly. "Anyway, I watched it evaporate, and I may have gone in for a sniff."