The Bar

0.5

"Hi, I'm Tori." The brunette introduced herself once seated, extending her hand to be shaken.

Even if the mother was well aware of her name since Dinah had just addressed her when she waltzed in, it was a part of her etiquette to introduce herself.

"Normani." The brunette's smooth voice rang in Tori's ears as she reciprocated the handshake, retreating her hand shortly after to take another bite of her food.

Nala continued to munch on her food while Tori let her hazel eyes bounce between the mother and daughter. Intaking a steady breath, Tori leans forward on the wooden table before clamping her hands together.

"So Nala—" She calls but is cut off by the youth.

"Yep?" Nala asked, popping a greasy fry in her mouth.

"You can see them huh?" Tori decided to cut straight to the point.

As a detective, she had an understanding that children had a minimal attention span furthermore, there would be no point in beating around the bush with the child.

"The big scary monster things? Yep." Nala nods her head a single time.

"Big scary monster?" Normani questioned.

The mother's imagination posthaste, assuming that the whole altercation was a mere gag but she could note from the strangers' demeanor in front of herself; this was not a joke.

"Are you aware of Greek Mythology?" Dinah decided to speak up, their eyes locking with a hint of familiarity washing over both their eyes but yet again had vanished just as expeditiously.

"Quite." Normani rose an eyebrow.

"Well we are essentially Demi-Gods. Being half mortal we vowed to protect this realm from the Gods and Goddesses." Tori spoke for Dinah, averting Normani's eye back onto her and Nala's face lights up.

"That's so cool, you're like superheroes." She whispered, trying to match the natural hush of Tori's tone.

"This is a joke right?" The mother laughs to herself, aching to believe that this must be small portions of a sick dream that she must be envisioning.

"I wish it was." Dinah, lets out a breath of air before placing the cigarette wedged behind the back of her ear and between her lips.

Nala then scowls at the action, waving her finger at the fire fighter to not abuse the cancer stick.

"No smokey." She complained resulting in Dinah to huff, although obeying to the girl's demands making Tori chuckle.

It was blatant that the fire eater had grown a soft spot for the child, Normani had analyzed ever since the unexpected day the hero saved her child and Tori was sure to realize such as well.

"Back to the pivotal point of this meeting, are you aware of whom Nala other parent may be?" Tori questioned the mother.

"No I am not, why would they be of importance?" Normani crossed her arms.

'A bit defensive,' Tori eyes darted to Normani's sudden shift. 'A bit of a touchy topic?' She continued to analyze, something that Dinah noticed so she nudged her companion.

"Well, if Nala is able to see what we are able to see then Nala is a Demi-God." Tori snapped, not out of anger, rather withdrawing to reality as if her mind had wandered elsewhere.

"You're kidding." Normani jaw gaped open, the thoughts unable to formulate the words she had just heard.

"She is not." Tori sighs, pulling out a pen to then fiddle with.

"Woah, so I have cool powers?" Nala face beams with enthusiasm and curiosity in contradiction to her mother whom displayed a more wariness and perturbance.

"Maybe, you are already abnormally rapid." Dinah leaned forward on the table as well.

"Hermes?" Tori wondered.

"Eh, Hermes has a type." Dinah took one of Normani's fries making the receptionist swat her hand away.

"We'll just have to wait and see what her power is when they kick in. But right now, it is not safe for her here." Tori looks at her watch.

"Because of those monster things?" Normani questioned, catching Tori's gaze.

"Yes and no, Hades is the one sending them which means that he is the real problem. I'll talk to him while Dinah protects you both." Tori now stood, clicking her pen causing it to summon a book.

"Woah." Nala mouthed gaped.

"What does he want with Nala?" Normani ignored the daughter's attention being drawn to whatever was in the air.

"Simple, to kill her. She is a bastard Demi-God, no offense." Tori stated.

"None taken." Nala tries to poke the book but Tori swats her hand away.

"I have to go, getting in and out of the underworld is no easy task. In the mean time I would suggest you to stay close to Dinah." She closes her book and takes out her sunglasses from her pocket.

"Good luck." Dinah held out her cigarette.

"You as well." Tori took it, slipping the writing utensil into the fire fighter's hand.

Tori smoothly slides the cancer stick into her suit pocket then made her way out of the cafe after bidding one final goodbye.

"Will she be living with us Mommy?" Nala swung her feet, sipping her drink after finishing her food.

"Well it would be better to stay at my fire place." Dinah ran a hand through her curly hair.

"You live in the fire station?" Nala's face lights up, sparking with interest.

"Not the one I work, but an abandoned one. It's to ensure that my name isn't seen in any big and known records. I have been a live for over centuries." Dinah threw down a few twenty dollar bills onto the wooden table and steadily rose to her feet.

Nala gazes at her mother with pleading brown eyes and Normani unwillingly crumbles to her daughter, evaluating that she really needed to start denying some of her daughter's wishes.

"Fine, let's check it out." The mother sigh, and Dinah stuffed her hands in her pants pockets.

"Follow me, I know a shortcut." She nodded her head.

The group of three carried off outside and to a secluded area where they were sure to be undetectable. Dinah, after analyzing her scenery once more, snares Nala by the collar of her beige shirt then wrapped Normani with her arm by her waist achieving a blush from the woman. In a flash, they zips into Dinah's fireplace home receiving a mix response from her guest; praise and scolding.