Solo [Mhakula Tea House] Let's get down to business

[Nasira]

8th Day of Summer, 514 AV It was just after the Noon Rest when Nasira made her way into the Mhakula Tea House, a grin on her face and a handful of coins in her pocket. It wasn't the first time she had come into this building for this very purpose, although this time, she was actually prepared. The young dancer had been meaning to do this ever since she first caught sight of Atsuya Yhavao teaching her students in the backyard, moving with the sort of innate grace that Nasira still hadn't managed to gain in years of dancing. But unfortunately, that had been two years ago, back when Nasira was a thirteen-year-old girl with no money who still lived with a neighbor. The first time she'd come in here, Guzo Yhavao had explained that Atsuya couldn't give lessons to just anyone. Lessons had a fixed price per season. The next few times she had come in here, it had been simply to remind the old man and his granddaughter that she was still interested. When it came to something that had caught her fancy, Nasira could be like a dog with a bone. She didn't give up easily. Now, nearly a year after moving out of Meiran's house, Nasira strode into the Tea House with an air of triumph. It had taken her a while, because independence was more expensive than she thought it would be and dancing didn't pay nearly as well as she might have liked (not the kind of tasteful dancing she did anyway), but after finally getting settled with an apartment and a job and enough cheap food to last a week, Nasira had saved up seven days of wages to come down here. It was time to learn to fight. The Tea House was empty at this time of day, a good number of Lhavitians still getting over the Noon Rest or sleeping in a little. Nasira had never had any trouble waking up on time. If anything, she was sure she didn't get nearly enough sleep. There were just too many things to consider, places to go, people to see. She always had something else she could be doing with her time. Guzo smiled at her from behind the counter as she walked up, and Nasira smiled back, beaming brightly. Next to him, Atsuya frowned down at her, her arms folded over her red silk dress. Nasira gave her a tentative smile as well before looking back at Guzo, taking the seat from behind the counter. She decided that both of them knew why she was here, so there was no point in beating around the bush. "I want to learn to fight," she said without preamble, resting her arms on the counter top. "I've told you before, Nasira," said Guzo. "Beginners' classes are twenty-five kina a season." "Is that so?" asked Nasira, with a grin. "Funny you should mention that." She reached into her pocket, drawing out the coins and laying them on the counter top. "Because I just so happen to have twenty-five kina." There was a pause, in which Guzo looked down at the money and Atsuya looked over at her, her arms still folded. Nasira looked at both of them, still smiling, still perched at the edge of her seat. At length, Atsuya tilted her chin upwards slightly, giving her a proud look as she turned away from Nasira. "Meet me outside in ten minutes," she said, walking away. "Let's see what you can do, dancer girl."