109 – Poko-Poko takes the plunge.

The Ork glanced around the lobby and noticed us, then walked in our direction.

The Watchers followed her.

Hanna reached our table, bowed, and greeted us, “Good morning, Your Excellency, Pokh'Orra.”

The Elf nodded.

“Sup,” I greeted back, looking at the group of Watchers. “What's with them?”

The Ork hesitated for a second. “First of all, I apologize for being so late. I was scouting the area for any... unsavory individual considering yesterday's affair when a group of Watchers noticed me.”

My eyebrows went up. “Okay...”

One of the Watchers, an Urkila Tigea, stepped forward and saluted. “Good morning, Your Excellency. Hanna Intarr was seen deactivating invisibility and walking into a crowd. I apologize for repeating information you must already know, but it's illegal to use skills that allow the user to turn invisible after certain hours. The Law permits such an act only between late evening and early morning. Since she was caught doing so outside the legal schedule, we are to issue a warning and a fine. Hanna, however, claimed she was doing so as part of activities related to a Protector.”

I nodded and turned to Hanna. “How did they catch you?”

The Ork frowned. “There's a pylon nearby,” she explained. “I was focused on other matters and didn't give them too much attention. I assumed they were patrolling the area with a similar purpose as mine.”

Well... you done fucked up, I thought with a smile, then turned to the Watcher. “I'm sure you've heard some people tried to kill me.”

The Tigea nodded with a serious face.

“Well,” I sighed. “Some things happened here and there, bla, bla, bla. I met Hanna and asked for a favor. She agreed, some things happened here and there, then we're here,” I vaguely explained. “So, yeah... Hanna's activities are related to me.”

The Watcher's eyes squinted a little.

What am I? An OPG boss? Taking advantage of my immunity to cover my underling's mistake? She's not even my underling. Not yet, at least, I thought in amusement, arching an eyebrow at the equivalent of a police officer.

“Fair enough,” the Watcher muttered., then turned to Hanna. “Apologies for taking your time, Lady Hanna.”

The Ork's eyes widened a little, and her eyebrows climber her forehead. “Uh... not at all. Sorry for taking your time, too.”

The Tigea gave us a polite nod, then turned around and left with the rest of the Watchers.

“A reasonable one,” Pokora muttered and sipped her tea.

I took my cup. “Hanna,” I called and took a sip.

The woman perked up and went down on a knee. “Yes, Your Excellency?”

“What's this fine talk? How much is it?” I inquired.

“One hundred gold coins, Your Excellency,” she replied.

Holy shit! I shouted in my mind, but kept my face cool. “I see. Please take a seat.”

Hanna nodded and did as requested.

Pokora gave Hanna a long look, then asked, “Did you see anyone?”

The Ork shook her head. “I didn't notice anyone suspicious.”

The Elf let out a long sigh. “Well, as party leader I guess security is one of my responsibilities,” she groaned.

The Scout's eyes flashed with a little surprise, then glanced in my direction. Instead of looking me in the eye, her eyes went over my chin.

I hummed. “Hanna...”

“Yes?” The woman moved her head in my general direction.

I drank some tea. “I think you're forgetting something,” I pointed out.

“Ah!” She uttered and lowered her head. “Thank you very much for getting me out of trouble!”

I slowly nodded. “That's better.”

Pokora gave me a weird look, arching an eyebrow and smirking a little.

I ignored her and addressed the Ork, “Do you drink tea?”

“I do, Your Excellency,” she replied with a nod.

I looked towards the lobby counter and gestured the concierge to come.

Hanna ordered some tea and we drank in comfortable silence.

Ten minutes later we went up the stairs and stopped in front of the apartment's door.

I stood in front of the Ork. “Hanna, please look me in the eye.”

She tightened her lips and lifted her face.

I stared into her brown eyes. “Would you like to join us?” I asked. “I should say we'll be leaving Paarjo soon... If I'm not misunderstanding, you've been looking for the Changelings for quite a while. If you want to stay and finish what you started, that's alright. I will give you recompense for what you've done for me.”

Hanna held my stare for a few seconds, then looked down. “With all due respect, Your Excellency...”

Hoh? I waited.

She kept quiet.

“Go on,” I prompted her.

“I believe the Changelings will give chase in their own way,” she pointed out. “Perhaps not as directly as previous attempts, but I doubt they'll keep still. For that reason, I wish to join Your Excellency and remove the heads of any insolent mutt we may come across, or any that would be foolish enough to bare their teeth.”

I like this one, I nodded. “Alright, then.”

Pokora opened the door and in we went.

“... and then I had to do it,” Bonte sighed. “I stuck my arm up its ass.”

“Noo...” Alyssa cried in disgust.

“HAHAHAHA!” Yolin leaned back and hugged her stomach.

“I still have nightmares about it,” Bromisnar lamented, shaking his head.

“What did it do?” Lapia inquired while giggling.

Elena sighed and shook her head.

“Well,” Bonte began with a shrug. “It kicked back, obviously. Then it ran off, with me attached to its ass.”

I stood at the door trying to understand what I just heard.

“We're back,” Pokora announced and walked to the table.

I followed, and Hanna followed me.

After sitting down at the table, a short interview-like session took place with Hanna on the receiving end.

She answered every question thrown her way, and she gladly shared her goals of ridding the world of people who took advantage of the power vacuum left by Perculis' death and Yulianna's departure.

Elena had a proud smile on her face while listening to Hanna. The old hag was probably happy someone else referred to me as Your Excellency.

Funnily enough, I learned the collective word for Orks is Orkin.

Hanna was surprised when Yolin mentioned she went to Patuk, and a completely different conversation took place.

I stood up from the table and gave Pokora a look, then went to the living room.

The Elf followed and sat next to me.

I leaned close to her and whispered, “So, the form.”

“Right,” she whispered back.

I produced a quill and a sketchbook, then removed a page. “Okay, name?”

“Elizabeth Alexandra Mary,” Pokora chuckled.

I nodded and wrote 'Dumb bitch with no sense of humor'.

She clicked her tongue and elbowed my ribs. “There's no need to be a twat,” she quietly hissed.

I chuckled and scratched it off. “Okay.”

After a few minutes of going back and forward, we were left with this:

Name: Pokh'Orra Pez'CheSpecies: Elf (Elmari)Gender: FemaleAge: 49Likes: Archery, tea, rain, honesty, crystallized forests, hunting, animals, music.Dislikes: Unnecessary violence, spineless people, Gyk'els, the chain of command.I tolerate: Monarchs, Nobility.Offspring: None.Interested in: Yolin Makav. 50% men. 50% women.Languages: Elvish, Low Tongue, Common.My motivations are: Finding a certain group of individuals.Hobbies: Training, reading, drinking.Highest Class: Sniper (Very long-range Archer)Total Level: 890+Partners: Hopefully you.

We checked the form and nodded.

“That goal looks a bit vague,” I pointed out. “But it's alright.”

Pokora nodded. “About that... when did you tell your girlfriends you're from Earth?”

“Like, a week after I met them,” I replied. “And I'm not from Earth. I died there and was reborn here.”

“Right,” the Elf muttered, then smiled. “Thanks, Natasha.”

I gave her a smile. “Not a problem.” I folded the paper so it would frame the text, then used a legendary dagger to cut it off.

Pokora took it and nodded.

I looked at her, then at the paper, then back at her.

The big dummy wasn't moving.

“Well?” I pushed. “Go give it to her.”

“Right,” she muttered.

I waited.

She didn't move.

Fucking... I sighed. “The Royal Banquet is tomorrow,” I calmly reminded her. “And we're leaving after that's done.”

Pokora bit her lower lip, then sighed. “It's scary,” she muttered.

I nodded in understanding. “You know... when Yolin grabbed me and jumped off the cliff back in the dungeon, she said, 'On the other side of fear lies greatness'. You'd do well to think of that,” I told her.

“But...” she whispered. “If this goes wrong... I'll live five thousand years with the memory of rejection.”

“Or,” I chuckled. “You'll live five thousand years with an Oni tomboy girlfriend.”

Pokora's eyes widened, then turned to me. “You're... right...” She nodded and stood up, then walked to the table.

What? I thought in shock. That worked?!

I watched as Pokora's face grew closer in color to the Oni's skin while approaching her. She tapped her shoulder and said something.

Yolin nodded and stood up, then followed her to the Kitchen.

Pokora offered the sheet of paper with a big smile and a completely red face.

Yolin took it, read it, and smiled back.

My eyes were about to pop off my skull.

Pokora smiled, laughed, and gestured to the door.

Yolin nodded.

Both walked out!

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?” I breathed out in shock.

But a big smile soon made its way to my face.