Up to now, the Temple has been remarkably quiet concerning Francisco's case… But now the summons has come: one Francisco is to report to the registration office and see an Investigator Raj at mid-day, twenty days after Harvest Tide… Which is to say, today. He was kept heels-cooling at the gate for a few minutes while his summons was verified, and then led in by a page…

Investigator Raj turns out to be a rather mousy-looking Rath'ani in a frizzly sweater, who looks up. "Ah. You must be Francisco," she says in a toneless sort of voice.

The kitsune, who is currently not putting up any kind of struggle against the page, shrugs. "I guess I am. I was just here for my daily 'check-in' and was ushered this way."

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that today, I'm afraid," Raj replies. "I see here that you're listed as having promised to find a job and begin repaying the Temple's investment in your processing as soon as possible. How many weeks has it been now?"

Pausing for a moment, the fox considers. "Probably more than a couple. I've had trouble working out the calendar system you've got here. I mean, so-many days before or after Harvest Tide or whatever. Gets a bit confusing."

Francisco adds, "But I would have had the fee sooner if it hadn't been for a few… situations."

Raj says crisply, "It has been eight weeks. By that time, you were to have begun payments on your Processing, which is accumulating interest and additional fees for the rent on your Temple-provided housing. Francisco, I sympathize with your plight as an Exile, but you must understand the Temple is not a charity organization."

Francisco grumbles about something under his breath.

"Now, the Temple does understand that, unfamiliar as you may be with Rephidim and its customs, you may have difficulties finding jobs," Raj says. She moves paperwork about. "Accordingly, until a through aptitude test for you can be scheduled, I'm going to reassign you to our Basic Full Employment plan, Francisco. You'll be assigned to general labor crews for which you will receive… " She starts quoting numbers off of a sheet of paper which she pushes across to the Exile.

"Now just a minute… Um, if you please. I _am_ currently trying to work something out… I have just entered into an business arrangement with some Countess. I'll be able to pull down earnings from that very soon," says Francisco, not too taken with the idea of manual labor.

Apparently 'General labor' offers a pay scale of twelve shekels per day. The type of labor actually performed is not described, and undoubtedly varies daily depending on whatever the Temple needs workers for.

"I'm sure you are," Raj says, looking up at Francisco neutrally. "But while you are waiting for your arrangement to come through, you may as well do something useful, don't you think? And there is always the chance that your 'business arrangement… " Her tone suggests that she thinks it rather unlikely. "May falter or perhaps take longer than you thought to repay our investment."

The Rath'ani leans forward. "There's nothing personal about this decision, Francisco. It is Temple policy to make sure that all Exiles are provided with the opportunity to repay the Temple for its generous provision of language training and orientation."

The fox scowls slightly, not impressed by what is being presented to him at all. "I would've have the stupid money if it hadn't been for one of those stupid poodles anyway… "

"Gallees, you mean?" The Rath'ani looks less than impressed in her own way. "Most of them are nobles, so I recommend that you moderate your tone with respect to them. They can be quite influential. Now, let me discuss your payment schedule, refigured to account for your expected salary from your general labor assignment. You'll be scheduled for aptitude training in a few weeks as well. Please do show up on time for that, Francisco."

Shrugging, Francisco says, "Whatever – this particular one was still a liar and a cheat."

Francisco says, "And what do you mean by aptitude training?"

Raj shows the numbers to Francisco. Assuming that he lives quite spartanly, three shekels a day will go to rent – another two to paying back rent as well. Five shekels will go to food, which would buy one actually decent meal in a restaurant but will more likely buy three meals of gruel a day and drink. This leaves two shekels left to take care of the processing fee and accumulated interest.

"Aptitude testing will measure your ability to perform basic clerical tasks and other functions that the Temple finds useful," Raj continues. "If you're exceptional with numbers and data organization, you'll likely be trained for clerical work here. Likewise, if you're especially strong and agile, the Temple will consider you for guard work." She glances at Francisco's arms a bit scornfully.

"This, of course, comes at a modest surcharge added to basic processing fee, but your increased salary will allow you to repay that sooner than you would on General Labor," the Rath'ani concludes.

"Oh goody," Francisco says dryly – neither of the presented options of extra work thrill him with joy. "So, at 2 shekels a day – how long til that makes a gold – or however long to pay it off?"

Raj says patiently, her tone staying carefully neutral, "A gold shekel is worth five thousand shekels. So, at five percent interest annual… " She figures. "Approximately eleven years."

Francisco blinks?! "Five percent? Eleven years??"

"Figures don't lie," Raj says reprovingly.

"True enough – there's mostly always a bureaucrat or clerk behind them," the fox quips.

Raj shakes her head. "I'd heard that Exiles were difficult to work with," she says with a sigh. "Francisco, please believe me, there is nothing personal in this. It is just Temple policy that a debt owed it accumulates interest. It creates an incentive for such debts to be repaid promptly. Now, you have thus far not been registered as employed in any job, and thus there is reasonable doubt that without the Temple's help, you may not be able to find a livelihood. This is for your own good."

Francisco asks, "So what happens if this business arrangement I am involved in comes off? Do I still have to do 'menial tasks'?"

"If you've found suitable employment and are able to keep up regular payments to the Temple," Raj says. "Then come back here and we'll work out a new payment plan. But I must advise you, if you fail to make your payments after that, then you may be required to again sign up for general employment and aptitude testing."

The Rath'ani pushes a form at Francisco. "Sign here, please. It certifies that you've been informed about the Basic Full Employment Plan and that you're willing to comply with the work schedule to which you'll be assigned."

Francisco says, "You know, I can't say that I would be comfortable working for your Temple. Would be a bit of a slap to my own beliefs. Now if you were to have statues of Inari or any byakko around, that might be a different story."

"Nothing personal, of course," he grins.

The Rath'ani looks at Francisco annoyedly. "These are the rules. If you are unable to pay, having elected to attempt to find employment for yourself and failed to do so, by the eighth week, you must either agree to work for general employment and such jobs as the Temple finds are suitable to your skills… " She purses her lips, not wanting to state the alternative.

The fox cocks his head slightly to one side, listening for the alternative anyway.

"Or you and all your possessions will be seized and sold for whatever recompense the Temple can gain, as a defaulter on a substantial debt owed to the Temple," Raj says firmly.

Francisco raises a paw a little in the air. "Er, did I just hear you right? My possessions and myself would be sold for … ?"

Raj nods. "Yes. Under Rephidim law, the debtor, if unable to repay a significant debt to the amount of one gold or more, is liable to be seized along with all assets thereof. If sales of such assets are insufficient to cover the debt, the debtor himself may be sold and the balance of the debt is forfeited." She makes a little paw-moue of distaste. "Such an action is quite disagreeable for all concerned of course, Francisco, but there are times when there is simply no other way that a debt can be concluded."

Frowning with renewed distaste, the fox says, "Kitsunes do not react well to being sold. In fact, that's a bit of an understatement. I'd doubt you'd even get your money back if you did."

Looking at Francisco's shirt, then away from the blinding colors, Raj purses her lips again. "I'm quite certain that's so, Francisco. And you would undoubtedly not enjoy being sold."

Francisco continues, "And since you leave me not much choice, I'll sign, but don't expect me to be working like that for you for long."

Raj nods and holds out a quill pen with which Francisco can sign the document.

"Of course, if you're that desperate for your money, you could go talk to that poodle, or Gaul or whatever, and get the couple of gold pieces he owes me," adds Francisco, taking the quill.

"I frankly doubt that any Gallee owes you so much," the Rath'ani says, her face definitely showing more of a frown behind the pasted-on officially neutral expression. She waits patiently.

The kitsune looks at the quill oddly, and scratches out a type of signature awkwardly on the paper. "I've got witnesses to back me up on this," he notes. "They've been diddled out of money by him too."

"That's interesting," Raj says boredly. "All right, report to the Temple tomorrow to receive your first work assignment, Francisco. NEXT!"

The next morning finds Francisco assigned to, woe of woes… Menial labor.

Specifically, street sweeping. A task that the supervisor suggests with a certain relish, should be more than within Francisco's abilities. So he has been assigned with several others to take care of the main street which winds through the Temple District, coiling about a series of office buildings and shops and warehouses which form 'Government Circle'.

The early morning finds several Creens flying overhead, a sight which normally evokes appreciation in passerbies – and curses in the street cleaning crew, all of whom know that these little flying lizards are just going to have to leave their little marks on the streets to be scrubbed clean and swept away.

Francisco, who has been up a couple of hours already doing this, is now already fed up and leans on his broom scowling and muttering oaths to certain nine-tailed kitsunes who are probably having a good laugh at him right now.

Geoffrey, a Kavi who looks like he's going to die of old age before whatever debt he has with the Temple is repaid (if ever), painfully drags a bucket of water about, soapy suds splashing around the edges.

The supervisor peeks out from a cafe where he is sipping a cup of mateh laced with xocholatl. "Work faster!" the white-furred, black-speckled Jupani calls to Geoffrey and Francisco. "People don't want to see you loafing around. They'll complain and then it'll be on my head!"

Francisco grumbles and sweeps ineffectually at a small pile of rubbish. "Hmph – kitsunes weren't meant to do things like this," he mutters.

"And I'm not leaving any blame to sit between me ears," the Jupani says with a fierce growl on his lips. "I'm going to pass it right down to you boys. You can rest on your own time!" He snorts, then goes back to watching a particularly pretty Jupani female walk by – the latter wears richer robes than did Raj, suggesting that she works in a more important department.

Geoffrey whimpers as he starts scrubbing cobblestones. "Oh the pain, oh the shame," the Kavi moans. "Get behind in me loans once, just once… I'd have paid 'em back tenfold if it hadn't been fer dat storm… "

The kitsune perks an ear a little at the Kavi, but doesn't comment.

The Kavi's sponge bumps up into the pile of debris not yet swept away from the road. "Hey! Ain't things bad 'nuff you have to make it worse?" He peers accusingly up at the fox.

A high piercing whistle follows the Jupani bureaucratess as she walks down the street, sidestepping the two street cleaners. She turns with a look of outrage upon her prim features to see the scruffy-looking supervisor.

Francisco sighs, and pushes the pile away. "Sorry. Not really used to this work thing."

The Kavi looks surprised at Francisco, then ahhhs as he suddenly understands. "You were once important – maybe Nohbakim prince – but hard times, ah, they fall upon everyone, don't they?" He starts scrubbing the cobblestones that were so recently covered.

The Jupani lady turns with a flick of her tail and a sniff of disdain as she walks down the street and away.

"Close enough," the fox replies, not in the mood to comment further.

Geoffrey says, "Once I too was very important." He leans his ferret-like head closer to Francisco as he moves on. "I had investments, I worked very hard in toy store. I had many fine clockworks, sure to sell good in Chronotopia… " He lifts his hands, throwing suds about. "Then boosh! Big storm takes ship. All gone."

Another Jupani stalks down the street, dragging a very annoyed-looking Khatta of demonic expression. "JOSH!" he yells. "This one wandered off! I told you, I don't want her in my district!"

The supervisor looks up from his pleasant daydreams. "What? Aww, Dagh!"

Francisco nods to the Kavi, still not really listening.

The bad mood in the form of a black demon-cat snarls, "Zsofi no agree to be garbage picking with trash! Clean street? Zsofi find a street she want to work on. You will be smeared into the rubbish, and the bugs will play ballroom in your brains."

Geoffrey natters about his family and how the Temple threatened to seize them if he couldn't make good on his payments. The road gets slippery with suds behind him, drying slowly under the morning sun.

Josh grunts. "Put her over with him – the new one. The guy with five tails," he says to the other supervisor. "You! FRANCISCO! Give her your broom and get a bucket. Start scrubbing!"

The kitsune looks up, and groans when he sees the demon cat. "If things couldn't get any worse… " he muses to himself.

The other Jupani grumps as he leaves the area. "Exiles! Can't live with them, can't shoot 'em… "

Another figure approaches from further down the street, heading in the direction of the Temple. This one is cloaked in full Temple robes, its cloak and cowl up, only a black nose, a bit of white muzzlefur and a fluffy white tail visible. It pauses, and by the movement of its hood seems to yawn… then heads for the cafe where the supervisor is lazing. Probably just another Jupani bureaucrat or officer, the robes make it hard to tell.

The demon-cat snarls and snatches the broom away from Francisco. "You scrub. You should be scrubbing the impacted grim from under Zsofi's hoof. You no even deserve to be in Zsofi presence." She slams the broom down on the ground, walking the street with it, possibly her best attempt at sweeping.

Shrugging and not particularly wanting to get into an argument with Zsofi (even though she always seems to be looking for one), Francisco lets her have the broom and looks around for another sponge.

Geoffrey stares with amazement at Zsofi's grand threats. "Are you a great lady?" he asks as he hands one of the sponges to Francisco.

A pretty red-furred Gallah waitress meets the Temple-robed figure and leads him to a table near the railing, then offers him a menu.

Taking the sponge, the fox can't help but feel a little sorry for the Kavi. He really doesn't know what he's getting himself into.

The figure glances over the menu, then speaks quietly to the Gallah, hands her a shekel, and settles back into a seat. It looks over the streetsweepers, just watching and listening, quietly.

"Yes!" She snarls at Geoffrey, at little calmer than usual at his recognition of her obvious heritage. "You are in Zsofi's presence, destroyer of kings and empires, conqueror and eater of souls. Zsofi will spare you a painful death for your insight. You will only be dragged to three winds, and will not be living when Zsofi tear out your heart."

Geoffrey sneaks a look at Francisco, eyes wide.

Francisco ooohs to himself, and shrugs with a little smile back. She's being most courteous it would seem today.

"Not like Guy Fox." The demon-cat slams her broom down, still failing to actually sweep any section of street. "Guy Fox will be fed all his tails, and salt poured in his eyes. He will drink the boiling acid and watch his stomach fall out from the inside."

The Kavi gulps. "Please! Please spare me," he whimpers. "Geoffrey has a wife and eight loving children who would be most destitute without what meager income he can get."

The Gallah smiles and nods, then walks into the cafe, her brushy tail swishing. A few moments later, she comes out with a cup that smells of pungent mateh and sets it before the robed figure.

Francisco is pretty sure that's not his preferred choice of menu, and just keeps out of the way for now.

"Children explode at Zsofi's name." She turns her black, featureless eyes on Geoffrey. "Children turn into beach-balls of skin, that spatter like exploding boil, leaving entrails dangling from trees like strangling vines."

Geoffrey gulps and looks around as if expecting to see people exploding. Then sneaks another look at Francisco, starting to have doubts.

Since he is behind the demon cat, and is fairly sure that she can't see him, Francisco shakes his head to the Kavi and mouths 'nahhh' to him.

The robed Templar nods to the Gallah waitress, a smile showing on what can be seen of his muzzle. He then lifts the cup, inhales deeply, and pushes back his hood and cowl to drink… showing a graceful, tapered muzzle and large cupped ears… a fox, actually a Keiltyn. But… a purely snow-white Keiltyn, ears, ruff, muzzle and all. His eyes close as he leans back more in his seat, sipping at the hot mateh and obviously enjoying it.

"You will see." Zsofi growls, slamming the broom down again. She seems to be uttering a continual monologue of growls and snarls that almost sound like words, and occasionally bubble up into louder exclamations. "Zsofi will get power back, Zsofi will smash this world and grind it under her hoofs. Everyone will be bleached bones stack so high floating islands will ground on them."

Geoffrey trembles more… And then catches sight of Francisco. His ears go askew, as if he's trying to decide who he believes, the Nohbakim prince or the fearsome-looking Khatta.

Francisco beckons over to the Kavi, making it look like he needs help scrubbing a particular stone, but is in reality trying to pull him away from Zsofi's torrent of insults.

The demon-cat kicks at the ground, her hooves casting a shower of blue sparks. Her repeated attempts a sweeping finally succeed in snapping the head off the broom; She throws whats left of the handle on the street.

The Kavi jumps back! "Ahhh!" He starts banging his head on the ground. "Please! Be merciful, great Zsofi! Ahh! Spare this miserable little Kavi!"

"Piece of useless wormwood. Is not fit for spitting poodles on and dangling over pit of suckerworms." Zsofi stops suddenly, hearing once more the pitiful pleadings for mercy. An almost happy expression crosses her face, or perhaps it is just a sudden absence of her usual snarl. She turns on the ancient Kavi.

Francisco coughs! to try and get the Kavi's attention again.

Kani finishes a sip and opens his eyes to listen, amused, to the demon-cat's threats. He glances at the Kavi, then stares at Francisco, as if trying to count how many tails the fox has. Sitting near the rail as he is, morning light catches in soft white head-and-ruff fur from behind and gives the fine edges a haloing glow as he watches the strange trio. He glances at the supervisor. "You have them under control?"

Gleefully the black almost-khatta showers the Kavi with more portents of his painful end. "Zsofi will kill you slowly, spreading you across the nine continents. A piece of you will be rotted off and your bones will be spread like trail of cookie crumbs, marking the way to my realm."

The supervisor, Josh, leans out of the cafe as he catches the sound of the snapping broom. "Dagh take you, Zsofi! No more horseplay," he shouts. "That broom's coming out of your pay! Now get another one and get back to work, or I'm going to send you back to sewer work!"

The Jupani yells to Geoffrey, "Go on, scrub the other side of that street! What, you want everyone to walk down one side and hold their nose while they pass the other?"

Geoffrey yipes. He looks over at Francisco and mouths, "Don't get killed," before shuffling quickly over to haul another bucket to where it's needed.

"Zsofi will drown you in your own sewer till you fill up like bloated winesack stretched with rancid vinegar." She snarls, but also looks around for a broom as ordered. "Tool was broken before by Guy Fox. Zsofi deserve steel broom, with gold inlay handle and bristles strong enough to strip through three layers of muscle."

Josh looks at Francisco and raises an eyebrow.

The kitsune grins back, and replies. "I'll try not to." He glances quickly over at the Jupani to catch his expression at the claim by Zsofi.

Francisco shrugs, and says, "You know what they say about bad workmen – always blame their tools."

"A steel broom, eh? I'll put it on the request list." The Jupani laughs uproariously and then gestures for Francisco and Zsofi to get back to work. "There's another broom over there. Use it!"

Francisco turns his head to get back to work, and finally notices the other patron in the cafe, and stops dead.

"By Inari's name," Francisco whispers. "It couldn't be… "

Geoffrey mutters to himself, "Hmm. I wonder if her name really explodes children. Maybe I could sell it as a service… 'Unwanted kids? Want to thin down the inheritor list fast? Call Geoffrey of the Secret Name… '" He scrubs energetically at the other side of the street.

Zsofi just growls and kicks the broom head down the street.

Kani sips more of his mateh and glances at the streetcleaners again, not noticing anything.

Francisco, however, remains transfixed by the white fox and remains almost motionless while he stares at him.

The broom head clatters about and thumps to the feet of a Lapi coming out of an office building. He stops and looks down puzzledly, then kicks it back.

"Zsofi not letting Guy Fox laze around and make her do all the work. Zsofi taking break too." She glares at the Jupani, and Francisco, and Geoffrey, and everyone else.

Josh sips his mateh and appears to be daydreaming… Though no one can tell when he'll wake up and notice what a poor job his crew is doing.

The white fox finally notices Francisco staring at him, and looks back with amber eyes. His ears flick slightly. {He doesn't recognize me, does he? I don't remember him… } He coughs. "Supervisor, your workers appear to be frozen. I suggest you thaw them out, hm?" He takes another drink.

Zsofi busies herself by trying to stomp the broken broomhead into the cobblestones. Her hoofs spark as she continually pounds on the wood, and it seems like she could keep this up for some time. Her monologue of quiet growls never breaks.

Taking a small gulp of the lump in his throat, Francisco slowly and carefully walks towards the white fox.

Josh blinks awake. "What?" He looks about at the sight of Francisco looking stupefied and Zsofi jumping up and down.

Kani tenses slightly. {Does he recognize me?}

Geoffrey scratches down his side as he rests his hands. "Yeah. Geoffrey the Exploder," he mutters.

The Jupani takes a deep breath.

The look in Francisco's eyes does appear to be one of recognition, yet also of respect and fear. He continues to get closer to the fox in the cafe.

Zsofi, destroy of civilizations, scourge of nations, anvil of undoing and overlady of decay, demonstrates her vast powers in the painfully slow destruction of the broom's bristlebrush head.

Kani's chair scrapes on the cafe's flagstones as he pushes it back a bit… and then sits straighter, staring at Francisco. "Can I help you?"

"GET BACK TO WORK!" the supervisor bellows, so loudly that the glass almost seems to shiver in the windows of the cafe behind him.

"Zsofi not working till Guy Fox working." The demon-cat points at the awe-struck kitsune.

Geoffrey jumps three feet in the air! He takes a quick look at Josh's thunderous expression, then starts working twice as fast as before, one sponge in each hand and another in his tailtip.

The kitsune is oblivious to the order, and kneels down on one knee in front of the fox. "I exist only to serve Inari, and her messengers. Tell me, oh byakko, what is our goddess' bidding?" The words Francisco speaks sound formal, and obviously have religious significance to him.

"Zsofi not working till she gets an apology like that." She folds her arms.

Josh grimaces at the fascinated fox, and then stalks off to the side…

Kani rolls his eyes and flattens his ears, then sighs. He opens his muzzle, closes it, then opens it again. "Look… Nohbakhim, whoever you are, I'm sure you're… loyal, yes, but I just got out of a meeting I didn't want to go to, with daytime-loving bureaucrats who can't wait till a decent time of night to tell me things I already knew, I have to do some paperwork before I can sleep, and I really, _really_ want to enjoy my mateh. So… " He pauses again. "Your… goddess wants you to go back to work for now, okay?"

Francisco glances up slightly at the face of the white fox for just a brief moment, but in that moment, the kitsune looks utterly crestfallen like his whole world has just fallen in upon itself. His expression conveys in a split second confusion, sadness and resignment, before he gets back up and walks back to where he dropped his sponge.

The demon-cat drags a hoof along the ground, leaving a sparking blue trail. It is a sound like nails on slate. "Zsofi still waiting for Guy Fox begging for merciful forgiveness."

Josh stands there with a bucket about to be hurled onto Francisco. He pauses. Then uses it on Zsofi instead, slinging it sideways in a gout of dirty, sudsy water. "I DON'T CARE! Get your kitty rear BACK to WORK or there's more there that came from!"

The kitsune completely ignores both Josh and Zsofi, and instead goes back to dutifully scrubbing the street.

Zsofi's continual sub-vocal growl stops. She stands there, her fur and clothes soaked against her body. Little white specks cover her, and the dirty water drips in a puddle all around. It is quiet, except for the pattering of water. After a moment, she starts growling again. "Zsofi will get out of this, then Zsofi will destroy everything."

Several Zelaks walk through on patrol. They rasp their mandibles in thoughtful contemplation of whether any crime is taking place, then move on.

"That's nice," Josh grunts. He shoves the other broom in her hands and sends her back to work, then slumps back into a chair. "Merciful First Ones… why me?"

Kani watches the gray five-tailed fox turn around. And of course he's not without emotion himself, even if he's grouchy about meetings. He pauses for a second, then calls out. "Hey… Five-tails? That work's not forever. Just do well, be patient, and you'll be okay." He manages a small wink, then turns back to his mateh again.

Perking his ears a little, Francisco manages to smile back before continuing his scrubbing.

Zsofi starts slamming the broom against the street again, still growling, just not very loudly.

Kani manages a smile back, then orders another cup of mateh. He might be an efficient Templar, but he's not one to smash someone's hopes, not when he can see how much they might mean to someone. At least he tries not to. It's just that someday people will learn that a grouchy, tired Keiltyn can be almost as bad as Zsofi. Especially if you bother them while they're having their mateh.

Geoffrey sighs to himself a little, then mutters, "Geoffrey the Exploder. Hmm." He flips a sponge in one hand and then cheerfully sets back to work, like the others on his crew, dreaming of the days when things will be better. Much, much better.