The last of the dinner crowd has finally left as the evening begins slipping into night.

Anisa has drawn bartending duty tonight, which all in all isn't so bad – just boring. The regulars at her father's weekly Airships game call for refills of cheap ale every so often, but otherwise she has nothing to do but keep the pots of hot water and mateh simmering, and watch her brother Benjamin clean up a spot where Bessy's newborn had a rather messy accident earlier. (Both Bessy and her children are thankfully asleep by now.)

After wiping down the counter for what feels like the thousandth time, the snow-colored Lapi sits back on a stool tucked in a corner of the bar, taking advantage of her customers' current bout of chattiness. Keeping her ears set back and pressed close to her neck, she tries to drown out the loud banter, keeping an eye on the old Chronotopian clock on the wall to signal quitting time.

A familiar if haggard-looking figure shuffles into the tavern and makes its way to the bar. Anisa easily recognizes Aaron the Apothecary, but he usually comes in with the lunch crowd. The black-and-white Lapi slumps onto a stool, brushes his black-furred ear out of his face, and says, "Gah, what a day. Can you get me a mug of your nastiest mateh, Anisa? Preferably some that's been boiling since First Ones' Day."

Anisa arches a brow at the patchwork rabbit, and after placing her book aside, gets to her feet. "Aaron? This is a first. I've never seen you in here with the late crowd." Walking over to the service window, she pours a mug of the popular – if vile – concoction, then set it in front of the other Lapi. "One of the first times I've seen you order something this strong before, either. What's the occasion?"

"A joyous occasion," the Lapi shopkeeper mutters. "Jasmine's eldest daughter, Esme, is going to give birth two weeks ahead of schedule," he says dejectedly, and has a swallow of the bitter drink, which results in an almost comical grimace. "Dagh, but this stuff is awful!" he says, before downing an even larger swallow.

The female rabbit props her elbows up on the counter, and rests her chin in her hands. "Premature? Ouch. Two of my brothers were born that way, but they turned out alright." She gives an amused look at Aaron's obvious distaste for his current drink choice. "Better be careful with that stuff. It carries a stuff penalty in the morning. And why so glum? I'm sure the baby will be fine."

The mateh does seem to be waking up the Lapi a bit more. "Oh, the baby will be fine. But Jasmine won't be able to come with me to Caroban now, and I've spent all day hitting the temporary employment agencies looking for someone that can help out on short notice," Aaron explains. "The airship leaves in just two days, and I haven't been able to find anybody that I think could deal with mages yet. All I seem to find are kids with about as much experience as this cup of mateh, or experienced people that are too ground down."

Anisa begins to wipe down the bar yet again, but stops short as her ears suddenly spring upwards in interest. "You're going to … the Caroban?" Realizing how silly she must look, the rabbit woman sheepishly smoothes her ears back down, trying to look more calm and collected. "So … what are the, uh, qualifications to go on this trip?" She eyes the old book resting on her stool.

"Well, customer service experience for one," Aaron says, and takes a cautious sip of the beverage, now that it seems it won't actually kill him. "And just common sense. Mostly it's a question of attitude, though. I need someone that can deal with mages as if they were regular people, and not be intimidated or pushed around by them. And not kiss up to them either, you know?"

"Oh, I understand perfectly." Anisa grabs her stool, and pulls it closer to the bar so she can take a seat. "I mean, mages are just people. People who can zap you, maybe, but that's nothing a few knuckles can't fix." She puts her chin back in the palm of her hand. "What's the journey for? Have to gather some ingredients?"

"Delivering some, actually," Aaron says, turning to face Anisa more. "It took me a year to fill, but I'm finally ready to deliver on a twenty-five thousand shekel order for the shell of a dragon's egg. The paperwork is going to be a nightmare, but I can handle it without Jasmine, I think. But I won't have time to meet the new batch of graduating Journeymen then, so that's what I need someone for." He takes a look at the barmaid as if finally really noticing her. "You still like to dance, don't you?"

The Lapi barmaid blinks in surprise, unprepared for this sudden question. "Y-yes, I still like to go out with my friends and dance now and then." She looks at Aaron with a curious smirk. "Why do you ask?"

Aaron sets down his mug and faces Anisa fully now. "Well, there's a big formal party thrown for the graduating Journeymen Mages. There're faculty and deans and ambassadors at it usually, but the real point in going is to meet the graduates and get invited to their parties afterwards. It's their last big blowout before they have to go into the real world and deal with paying off that whopping tuition bill. Most of them are younger than you, but they've been cooped up away from the latest fads and gossip of Rephidim for years now."

"Journeymen are the bread-and-butter of my business," Aaron explains. "I always give new graduates big discounts to get them to keep coming back, but you can't hand out coupons at a formal ball."

Anisa's ears slowly rise up again at the mention of the parties, her attention obviously attained. "And you need someone to go to par-, er, I mean the ball with you?" The rabbit tries to keep the eagerness out of her voice, less her reputation suffer, but doesn't achieve it very well.

"So, are you interested?" the apothecary asks. "I know you can handle yourself in a crowd and deal with, shall we say, jerks. Successful mages can afford to be arrogant, but not starting ones. And basically … yeah, I need someone who will be invited to the less formal parties that will fit in and have some fun, hand out some coupons, and note which mages aren't worth having as customers."

The barmaid grins. "If there's anything I'm a good judge at, it's over who are good and bad customers." She sits back on the stool, and crosses her arms. "I'm not too knowledgeable about magic, but I think you just found yourself a date." She gives a knowing wink to the other rabbit. "That is, if you don't mind."

Aaron grins back, and raises his mug in a toast. "Here's to not having to interview more secretaries." He takes a swallow, and grimaces again. "So you can get off for about a week? The passage is already paid for, and I've got rooms at the Palace of Spheres in Caroban. Hmmm … I'll be tied up most of the time, but I can hook you up with my cousin there who can show you around. What else… " He starts chewing on the tip of one of his ears as he thinks.

"Oh, a dress!" he says, snapping his fingers. "Spring Meadow can probably help you pick something out that's fashionable. Caroban has great tailors."

"I'll have to talk to Quinn, but if he doesn't let me off, then I'll just bug Daddy to make him do it," Anisa notes with a grin. "There are perks to being the owner's only daughter – " She cuts herself short as the registers the mention of the dress, and her face goes back to a neutral expression. "A… dress?" The barmaid rubs the back of her neck nervously. "I forgot about that part."

"Well, something nice for the formal party anyway," Aaron says. "As long as it's something you find comfortable, it should suffice. Most everyone will be wearing their best robes or uniforms."

Anisa frowns slightly, an ear flopping forward in embarrassment. She gives what in another circumstance could pass for the sigh of a condemned woman resigned to her fate, but then shrugs with a smirk. "I guess I can suffer a little bit in the name of a good party." She smoothes her ears back behind her head again. "Where is this … Spring Meadow place at? I guess I can drop by in the morning."

Aaron blinks, then grins. "Oh … Spring Meadow is my cousin Xander's girlfriend. She's an Earth Mage, I think, and will be one of those graduating. I thought she could take you to a shop on Caroban to have something made to order for you. You know, something unique. You want to stand out, after all, so that the graduates will come and talk to you."

The white rabbit mouths an "oh" in response, and hides an embarrassed blush at Aaron's words. "I feel like I stand out anytime I'm in a dress, personally. I feel like a Dromodon in a ceramics store." She smiles. "But I guess I won't be the only one. So, when do I need to meet you to get ready?"

"Just come around to my shop sometime tomorrow, so I can give you your boarding pass for the airship. It won't leave until … uh … ," Aaron trails off as he glances at the mechanical clock mounted over the fireplace, "… day after tomorrow, sometime in the morning. All the details are on the passes, and I can't remember them too clearly. If you can pack for at least three days' worth of clothes, you can pick up anything else you need once we get to Caroban. I'll make sure you've got enough expense money. Even with the new outfit, it shouldn't take more than five or six hundred shekels."

"I don't think clothes will be too much of a problem." Anisa grins. "And don't spend too much on me. It's not like we're dating or anything." She picks up the mateh pitcher and refills the mug of a rowdy Rhian, then turns back to Aaron. "But anyway, thank you for inviting me. It's been a long while since I've gotten out to do anything, especially since I was sick."

"You'll love Caroban," Aaron assures her. "It's … well, it's magical. They really let loose when they moved the College there. And I'm sure you'll be a big hit with the Journeymen, if only for the news and gossip you can bring to them." He finishes off his mug of mateh, and places a few shekels next to the empty mug. "Drat … I can finally go get some sleep, and now I'm wired. I guess I can get a head start on packing up the eggshell though. Don't forget to come by tomorrow for your ticket, Anisa!" He grins.

"I guess it is easier to do magic there, even if it is away from the bustle of Rephidim." The barmaid smiles. "I won't forget, and thanks again for inviting me." She picks the empty mug up, and puts it in a sink. "The mateh is on the house for the night, compliments of me."

Aaron grins even wider at that. "Hey, thanks!" he says, and heads for the door, turning to wave goodnight before stepping out into the street.

Anisa puts a hand on her hip, and shakes her head with a grin. "Just when I think life's boring, I get to go on a trip to be eye-candy." She grins, and wipes off the now grimy bar once again. "But still, it'll be good to get out again. It's been a while." She smiles absently, looking off in the distance, then comes back to reality long enough to smack the drunken Rhian's hooves off the bar. "Hey! Were you raised in a barn?"