The Thorn Tree

Annie sat on a stool at the bar, flicking through the account book. Officially the place wasn't open yet, but she was hoping for a few job applicants today. She wore a ankle length floral print skirt and a cream blouse, her wrists and ankles heavy with bangles and beads. The columns of numbers seemed to twist before her eyes, she'd been up all night adding and re-adding, trying to make the sum of money it had cost to get this place redone smaller, it hadn't worked. She sighed and shut the book. She looked around at the unfamiliar bar, it was smarter than the lack flag, but still windowless (it was in a cellar) and with an eccentric air to it. There were faded poster framed on the walls and a mismatch of chairs and tables. She smiled, it was new but she liked it. She just hoped the customers did too.

Angelus walked up to the door of The Thorn Tree. She'll remember me right? I mean we only worked together for a few years. he thought to himself. He took a deep breath and opened the door and walked in. "Still looking for a barman?" he asked her sitting across from her. "My old boss didn't write me a letter of recommandation but I'm sure you know of her, Antoinette Dubois."

Leah, looking and sounding much like her twin Ginger, wasn't far behind Angelus, though she doubted he knew she was there. "Hello, Annie, I'm here for the waitress position," She said as she moved around Angelus. "That is if it's still open." She giggled quietly, knowing that it was. "Hey Angelus." She nodded slightly to him.

Van marched through the doors of The Thorn Tree, noting the fact that it was a cellar and smiled at the fact that she wouldn't have to work in daylight if she got the cook job. Good, won't have to worry about the damn sun hurting my eyes. She noticed she wasn't the first to arrive for a job position.

"I hope none of you are looking to be the cook, because that's got my name all over it." She grinned widely, her teeth looking razor sharp. She tipped the small hat that was perched on her head. "I'm Van. Nice ta meetcha."

Raiden stood in front of The Thorn Tree, watching curiously as the woman walked in before him. He was looking to see what fun he could have as a bartender before moving on to something else like he normally would. His scythe, which had taken the form of the suit he wore draped around his muscles comfortable. He was able to change the appearance up his scythe just as he would his own body, and it helped to fit it so that he was wearing something suitable for each occasion. In this case he needed to be dressed nicely to insure that he got the job. Following the woman inside, he was just able to hear a name from her last sentence. More than likely it was her own. But it wasn't just her. There appeared to be three other people here as well. Two who were obviously looking for a job just as he was, and another who must be the owner. Unsure of who was who he decided to make his business known to everyone."Hello, my name is Raiden Nightcross. I'm here looking to be a bartender." The words flowed from his mouth as if an angel itself had spoken them.

Annie spun when she heard Angelus's voice. It seemed friends, like enemies were hard to escape.
"Antoinette Dubois. I wouldn't trust a word she says."
She grinned and jumped up to sit on the bar.
'You're hired."
She stared at Leah as she walked in. The girl was familiar from somewhere. Oh that was it. Ginger's sister. From the time with Ivan and Frizz.
"Hi Leah. You're hired too."
The next person was a stranger, and a sharped toothed one. But she had an interesting manner.
Annie grinned at her, showing her own sharp white teeth.
'Hello Van. I'm Annie, and you are hired."
Then another stranger, and another interesting one too, with a voice like a Sidre.
"Hello Raiden. i would be delighted to take you on as well." She looked around at her new team. "Welcome, all of you, to the Thorn Tree"

Angelus smiled "I wouldn't trust her either. She's a real fit bird nice set of knockers and everything, but she was always a bit of a slag." he grinned and took a quick step back to avoid being hit by incoming objects. He looked back at the others, one of them looked like Ginger, but with less pretty hair, Leah was her name? He looked at the other two.

"Thanks Annie, I'll try not to let you down!" Leah said cheerfully. "And Angelus, I don't think it's a very good idea to patronize the boss." She said in a grave tone, though it was obvious she was just messing with him as she hopped up on a nearby bar stool and crossed her legs. "You know Ginger would have killed to work for you..." She started in a quieter tone, but she couldn't finish.

Raiden gave off a gentle smile in the direction of his new boss, before moving to take his position behind the bar counter. He allowed the palm of his hand to smoothly glide along the cool surface of the wooden counter. It felt nice beneath his skin. After taking a moment to take in his new occupation, he would look up again at the four people in the bar with him. His new co. workers."So I take it that all of you are well acquainted with one another?" Raiden excluded the woman who he'd followed in. She seemed to be quite a stranger to them just as he was.

Annie frowned at Angelus. He was taking things a little far. Anyway, what are knockers? She glanced at the door. Huh? I don't have a door knocker. What in Mab's name can he be on about? Ahh well...
"Yes, Angelus. Mind what you say or I will demonstrate how bar stools can be used at offensive weapons."
She heard Leah next comment. The tone puzzled her a little. Was there sadness there. Had something happened to Ginger? I hope not. She was a good sweet child. A friend almost.
"Yes. We are acquainted with each other. Angelus and Leah's sister worked for me at my old place in London, but there's no need to worry. You'll soon get used to them. Getting used to me however..." she winked and slipped down from the bar.
"Let's start with a tour of the premises."

He held up his hands in surrender "Okay, boss lady." He watched her slip off the bar. God how I've missed her sense of humor. "Oh, yay tour time!." he laughed and followed Annie.

Leah noticed Annie's expression change to one of confusion then noticed her look to the door. "Uh, Annie, he's not talking about a door knocker." She whispered to Annie, so not to embarrass her in front of the others.
"Yea, and don't worry, we don't bite," She then looked over at Raiden. "Or at least I don't bite much." She winked at him, anyone that knew her knew she was messing around with him.

"Alright, can't wait to get started." Van was very excited. Her dreams were being realized. I wish it hadn't cost so much though, she thought as she briefly touched her eye patch. She shrugged the emotions away and followed everyone while the boss showed them around.

Raiden could already see himself getting along with these people for the time he saw himself here. A smirk came upon his face, then a slight charming smile as he held a conversation with his new boss."I'm sure I will be able to miss." His hands moved into his side pockets as he moved from behind the bar, his eyes now on Leah as she spoke."I suppose I should consider myself lucky."

Well why did he say knocker then? Uh! Human born! Sometimes they just confuse me.
'Right. I'll keep it swift and simple. This is the bar. And if you hadn't already sussed that then get out now." she pointed to the door.
"Now in here we have the kitchen. Henceforth your domain Van. What goes on in there is up to you. As long as good food comes out I don't ind what you do. I don't intend to set foot in there." annie shuddered at the thought of all that cold iron.
"Now down here we have the cellar." She opened a door and lead them down a short set of steps into pitch darkness. "Or the cellar of the cellar seeing as we are already underground. This is were we store... stuff" she looked back at her team. "Okay. Any questions so far?'

Angelus stepped forward "Just two. When is opening day? And do I get to keep my tenure from the Black Flag?"

"I don't have any." Leah said and glanced around at the others, wondering if they had any. "Oh, I have one, though it's more for Angelus." She said before turning her attention to him. "Please tell me you know how to make a bloody bunny." She practacly begged. Leah unlike her sister loved drinking, both alcohol and blood, where ever she could get it.

Raiden stood looking, unsure of the questions he wanted to ask about what was kept inside the room. But some things were best left a mystery."Not at all miss." He placed his hands in his pockets, and looked around again. It would take him around to get used to this place. As well as these new people.

"We open tomorrow night. Unless something goes drastically wrong, and I would like all of you there. I've been advertising around the area and I want it to be special. As for your other question, I really have no idea, what does it mean? What's tenure"

"My years of service at the Black Flag, all those benefits I got, do I get to keep them?" he asked again hoping the question was less confusing this time. But he doubted it the question was confusing to him and he asked it.

Van shook her head, not having any questions. She tilted her head and laughed at Angelus. "Ha, benefits.... You know what benefits I got at my old job?" She pointed to her eyepatch and briefly lifted it up to show a line of stitches keeping her eyelids shut. "That's not something I'd like to transfer over." She muttered obscenities under her breath and went to lean against one of the walls, wanting to cook already.

Annie waved her hand vaguely, "oh yeah. Have the lot." She paused, eyebrows knotted together, "Though i don't recall giving you any in the first place." She turned to Van, whose comment had peeked Annie's interest. "If you don't mind me asking, what was your former job?"

"Oh, you gave me plenty, like free access to the store rooms, and part ownership and all that." he thought for a moment wondering how good her memory was "And you gave me a salary of ₤800 a hour." he knew full well he was only paid half that but hey he could try. He decided then for the moment to cease and turned to Van, to listen.

Raiden just shifted his attention between everyone in the room. But of course one person stood out to him which was Van. That was quite the accident she must've had, and know like everyone else in the room he wanted to know what happened.

Annie trod sharply on Angelus's toe and whispered in his ear, "Wrong. You got free drinks and £20 an hour, which was four times what you were worth."