EINFÜHRUNG [BIRDEE]

[Alaric von der Marck]

Alaric took small notice of the books that Birdee lay on the counter. Though she had reached for some money to cover the cost - though not quite reaching it - Alaric would not have allowed her to regardless. He waved away what money she offered and pushed the books toward the pile he had already accumulated. Behind the counter, the sales clerk raised a brow at the mention of a ‘manor’, but Alaric paid it no mind.

Again, he used the nifty little plastic card he’d been told he could use and signed off on the purchase; the clerk got some help to pile all the books in sturdy canvas bags (free, she said, because they had spent so much). Alaric nodded his thanks and took the bags in hand; they were asked if they needed help out to their car, to which Alaric shook his head. It would be perfectly fine. Even if he were human he would have refused. He could handle it. As it was, he was vampire, and he had preternatural strength on his side.

”You will have to take the bike,” he said to Birdee, nodding to the two-wheeled vehicle. Alaric would handle the heavy bags; the bike, on the other hand, was relatively easy.

Once they were out of the shop and into the quiet of the shopping centre -- some shops were starting to close -- Alaric cleared his throat. He was enjoying his time with Birdee, as short as it was thus far. But there was still plenty he wished to know about her. Plenty to learn.

”What do you do to… live? Ah… to… job?” he asked. He knew there had to be a better way to phrase the question, but he didn’t want it to sound judgmental -- and knew he’d probably failed miserably. He didn’t doubt that Birdee had more money back at the cabin, he wasn’t questioning that. But the mention of money had the elder realising that not everyone just had money. Most had to work for it, and he wondered what Birdee did to earn her keep.

[Birdee]

Birdee hadn't intended on over indulging on books, or making Alaric pay for them all. She gave him a little sideways look, then cracked a smile and said, “Thanks. I owe you one.” Even if it wasn't in the form of money that she repaid him back in, Birdee would find a way. Somehow.

When she saw that he had a debit or credit card, Birdee blinked. It surprised her, really. She had one, somewhere. Not that she had the ability to use it a lot-or ever. Mostly, Birdee lived pay cheque to pay cheque, not that she was complaining. Tips was how she had extra spending money, not that she was rolling in those, given she tried to stay away from most people to avoid getting any of their life mumbo jumbo juices shoved her way.

She took the bike so that they could leave, the sound of the whirring of the wheels almost a comfort to the woman. It kept her focus at least, while they walked in silence for a few minutes. When he asked about what she did for a living, Birdee cracked a smile. She couldn't tell the whole story, but she could tell most the story. “I work at a bar. It's called Wonderland?” She said, almost asking to see if he had heard of it. “Some odd jobs here and there. Ice for the liquor, some cleaning, selling of products that come from the store above the bar.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Before that I did some waitressing, but people get a little handsy, and can be assholes, so it really didn't suit me. Plus, I'm sure my boss was skimming our tips from the tip jar.”[/b She glanced in his direction, her voice was low enough as to not draw attention to their conversation as they left the story. “What do you think you're going to do? I mean, you're sorta rocking the whole...dead, but not dead thing, but there's a lot more to life than that.” At least Birdee thought so. Besides, vampires lived forever and forever could be expensive, right?

[Alaric von der Marck]

The upturn of the tone in Birdee’s voice alerted Alaric to the vague question, to which he subtly shook his head. A bar called ‘Wonderland’—no, he hadn’t heard of it, much less been there. The only bars the elder liked to visit for any reason were those on the outskirts, those that were rundown and thus quiet, with only a few customers and the music down low. It wasn’t as clamorous, wasn’t as much of an assault on his senses. He had yet to make his way to any of the busier, more modern bars. One day, maybe – if only to test his senses, and to push them to their limit.

In the end, Alaric had to sigh. He’d got the gist, of course. Birdee worked at a bar where she did ‘odd’ jobs, and that ought to have been enough. His question was answered. But how was he going to get by in this world if he didn’t learn everything? Every nuance of every word, every meaning as it pertains to modern industry? He would answer her question first.

”I will hope to take interest in the family businesses,” he said. The idea had been lurking at the back of his mind for some time; he required purpose, and his purpose had always been the family. As self-sufficient as they all seemed, there were still things that he could do to assure their good name, and to help the progress of future generations. There were many more von der Marck out in the world, and Alaric wished to find them, to know them. He could not know them all, but he could certainly try.

”They are, to my understanding, quite large. Some branches, they are corrupt. I want to learn, to fix what might be broken,” he said. ”Bitte, excuse me, but – I do not understand the meaning of ‘handsy’, or ‘asshole’. What is a tip? And to… skim?” he asked. If he was going to be a ‘boss’, he’d have to make sure that he was none of these things.

By this time they had reached the car. It wasn’t a large car, and they now had a bicycle. Alaric stared, wondering whether it would fit – or whether he would be riding home.

[Birdee]

Birdee was easily lost in the moment when talking to anyone-even someone who was as old as Alaric and hadn't been around for a while. “Sorry.” She said, letting out a breath of air. Not so much a sigh, but just a reminder and realization that the guy had some catching up to do. But, Birdee was more than happy to help him with that, if he wanted. She probably knew enough street slang for the entire family, while they had their ways of communicating. More proper-to be polite.

She wondered how businesses could be corrupt. She wasn't a business oriented person and may never be, but from what Birdee saw about corrupt businesses, it took a lot of effort to be corrupt and pull slick ****. More than actually doing the work. People. She only shook her head.

“So let's see.” Birdee tried to think where best to start as she listened to the spinning wheels, once again finding comfort in their repetition as they made it around, and around, and around. “Handsy might be a bit overkill. Perve? Should have seen the outfits we had to wear, though I know he did try something with Patty once and when she called him on it in a staff meeting, he fired her. Jerk.” Birdee narrowed her eyes. Patty was a pretty decent woman and worked hard.

“As for the other stuff, it means he was a jerk boss. A dick. Uhm...con artist? Like running a corrupt business almost.” That was something he would understand being he just said it. “Some jobs people give you extra money for a good job, because the money you actually get paid from your boss sucks.” Birdee explained with a shrug of her shoulders before going on. “That's called a tip.”

They had gotten outside before the rest was explained to Alaric. “And to skim means to take something off the top that you didn't really earn. So, we did the work and then he said he gets a certain cut for the house-which was for his pockets, really.” She shrugged. “But, a job is a job and I guess ten to fifteen percent isn't all that much of a loss. Better than no money at all.” Birdee offered. She might have been bitter about how her last job went, but at least she had a job and had been pretty self-sufficient.

She looked at the back of her car and then at the bike. “We might have to be creative...” She suggested, taking a step back from the blue tornado, then glanced at Alaric. “Might need to angle the front of the bike a little, but it should be able to fit.” Her voice was hopeful, but it appeared as if it would probably be more than a tight fit.

[Alaric von der Marck]

Alaric could barely keep from shaking his head; that headache was lurking at the edges of his skull, the realisation that he didn’t understand, the frustration of it. After how hard he had worked, he had hoped that conversation would come freely by now. He would have to continue to work on it.

Perv was no better, though Alaric struggled two and two together he finally succeeded – or so he assumed. Perv, short for pervert. A person of lecherous and questionable sexual morals. The revelation almost brought Alaric up short, wondering what kind of man would use people so. But had they not always existed? Alaric himself had been one of the better landowners, his farmers treated fairly and given lenience when times were hard. The thirty-years war had ravaged the land, and Alaric gave what he could to help the families who suffered most. He had a wife and children, and would never think of taking advantage of the women in his service.

Nor did he no what ‘fired’ meant, though he gleaned that it was not a good thing, and let it go.

To have described the man as corrupt was a term that Alaric could understand, and it had him nodding. ”It is still greed, and it is greed exists in more places than I like to look,” he said. ”To skim, ja, that is what I wish to stop,” he said. In some of the von der Marck branches it was how they had money for their extravagances. It was not what Alaric had planned, nor what he thought his descendants would do with their good fortune.

”If you are in need of money, then I am sure there is some way that I may help,” he offered. He didn’t say that he would outright give Birdee the money, as he was aware there were those who would see that too much as charity, and would not accept. But they might be able to reach an accord.

By now they had reached the car, and Alaric was dubious that the bike would fit. He was wary of breaking that which he had just bought.

”Perhaps I shall just ride it home…” he said, though he wondered how he would fair in the city streets.