"Maybe we could deal with them the same way that we dealt with their precious snake." Miwah positioned her hand as if she were holding Liberator and performed the same motion that decapitated Pierce.
"If you could manage to take out the Cutthroats, then you wouldn't have to be scrounging around here in this part of the island. You could make yourselves a living from donations alone from all the grateful Farrowporters."
Tamma bobbed her head. "You know, that's not a bad idea you brought up, lad. The furs and meat business isn't quite what it used to be. I wouldn’t mind kicking my feet up for a while and just letting money flow in."
Daego stopped at the end of the hallway in between a pair of doors. He turned around, smiling as he tapped his chin with his pointer finger. "If what you ladies said is true, I'm sure there's a way that you two could make a bit of profit."
"We have more important matters to deal with now," Miwah replied. "If the Cutthroats strike first, that is one thing. But we do not have the time to act as mercenaries."
"Fine. Maybe we could discuss it later? Once you two have done everything that you need to do, that is You don't even have to take on full time mercenary jobs. The fact that you managed to eliminate one of the deadliest members of Cutthroats is worth a lot. Those ritzy folk in the upper part of town would give a hefty sum just for you to protect their garden!" With a long smile, Daego put his hand over his chest. "Of course, you'd need someone to manage your finances. As well as make sure that word of your services gets out there. A manager, if you will."
"And you'd want a cut of our earnings too, I assume?" An annoyed Tamma replied.
"It's only fair. No one should work for free."
"Can we discuss this after we find what we came her for?" Miwah interrupted with her hands over her hips. She took a look at Yalch who was floating in small circles. His antennas were twitching violently while his face had a peculiar mix of excitement and discomfort. Both her and Tamma stared for a moment, prompting Daego to do the same and look up at the ceiling as well.
"Am I missing something?" the man asked.
"What? Oh, no," Miwah replied as she took her eyes off the ghost. "Anyway. Back to what I was saying..."
"Right, right. You want to focus on why you even came here in the first place." Daego stepped to the side and opened the door the corner. "I just brought you two girls here to give you a place to rest a bit while I go get the other workers." With his hand, he gestured for the two women to enter the vacant room. Both Miwah and Tamma stood by the entrance and stuck their heads just far enough past the frame to peer inside.
The room was modestly furnished. Two beds were placed along opposite ends of the room and wedged between the floor and the corner. Towards the far side was a lone cabinet and shelf with a small window that let a tiny square of sunshine through. The natural lighting lit up the square brown rug that lay in the center of the floor.
"Two beds? One for me and one for Lug." Miwah said with excitement. She nudged Tamma in the side with her elbow. "And a rug? That means you can finally get a place to sleep for yourself!"
Tamma giggled. "All right, lass. Even I have to admit that was a good one."
"Is everything to your liking?" Daego asked. "It's not one of the classier rooms, but I'm hoping that it will do just fine as a place for you tow kick back and relax while go and round up some people that match your description."
Miwah stepped inside and moved straight towards the bed on the right. Gleefully, she jumped back and landed on the mattress. After letting out a long and exasperated sigh, she stretched out across the top of the bed. Tamma hesitantly followed, seating herself at the edge of the other bed.
"Now, you ladies stay here for a bit. I'm going to get the other workers real quick and see if they can help you out." Daego kept his hand on the door, ready to close it. Before it could shut all the way, Miwah darted up from her laying position.
"This is free, correct? Since we will not be spending the night here."
"Of course! This is just how I'm showing hospitality. There are no rules against someone waiting in an empty room for a few minutes. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be right back in no time." With that said, Daega left the room, making sure to the close the door behind him. Miwah returned to laying on her back, using her her arms as makeshift pillows. Tamma remained seated, her arms crossed as she stared out the window.
"What do you think, Yalch?" Tamma asked. She stopped peering out into the blue sky to watch Yalch continued to fly erratically throughout the room. "Are you... feeling fine?" Tamma's tone quickly became worried.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. I'm just excited. And worried. There's no doubt in mind me that another person with Potential is nearby. It's just a matter of finding them!"
"Daego said he would be right back," Miwah said from her relaxed position. "All we have to do is wait now."
"You really trust him?" Tamma queried. "That lad seems like nothing but trouble to me.'
"We are in lower Farrowport. Anyone kind enough to merely greet us is a breath of fresh air. I do not fully trust him either but following Daego around is better than roaming the area by ourselves."
"Just because he's a smooth talker and has a pretty face doesn't mean he isn't dangerous, lass. As a matter of fact, that only gives me less reason to trust him," Tamma said lowly while leaning forward in her seat. Miwah sat up, attentive to the conversation.
"Pretty face? I... I never said anything about his looks."
"No, but your eyes did. I told you that it's easy for me to tell when someone's got a bit of a crush."
"She's right, Miwah." Yalch floated down and hovered in front of Miwah's face. Her cheeks became crimson. "Alson looked the same way he saw Tamma as you do now." His thumb and the rest of his hand formed a sharp angle as place it against the bottom of his as if he were going to stroke his chin. Miwah turned away as the ghost's big round eyes stared into hers. "Actually, it's even more intense with you!"
"No. You... you do not know what you are talking about."
"I've been around for millennia, Miwah," Yalch declared. "I think I know what I'm talking about when it comes to this kind of stuff."
"That is beside the point," Miwah muttered, her eyes still away from the other two in the room.
"It's because he's part Xiwaoan, isn't it?" Tamma said with a smirk.
"What?"
"I can tell. When you live in Farrowport for as long as I have, you can get a rough idea of someone's family tree just by looking and talking with them for a few minutes. And I've got a feeling that you knew that too."
Miwah remained silent.
"Poor lass is so homesick she's falling in love with swindlers with that probably have just a single grandparent from Xiwao!"
Still flushed with embarrassment, Miwah rolled over on her bed and lay face down on the sheet. "I knew I should have held onto that Beacon of yours," she sneered with a muffled voice.
"Speaking of which, do you still have that last one?" Tamma asked. Miwah patted the side of her hip while keeping her face buried.
"Right here."
The hunter sighed. "Good. Imagine us going through all this only for you to have left the Beacon behind."
"Maybe I will hold onto it. If the other person in this inn with Protentional has a tongue as sharp as yours, it might be best to keep it for myself for the sake of my sanity."
"Now don't do that, Miwah," Yalch replied.
"If she is from this part of the island, she will most likely cause more problems than help."
"I want to at least meet her first!" Yalch cried; his hands formed together as if he were pleading.
"Remember what we said about needing a fighter?" Tamma interposed, getting up from the comfort of her seat to linger over the still-prone seamstress. "There's no other place you're going to find a lass with a fighting spirit outside of this part of town."
"Ugh. Fine." Miwah sat up straight and sighed. "I just wish Daego would hurry up so we can get this over with."
"Me too lass. I know Lug isn't too happy about all of the time that we've been apart."
"Who knows what your room looks like now."
Tamma winced. "I don't even want to think about the mess he's made."
"Hey! If this other person with Potential agrees to become a Purifier, maybe she can work something out and you can stay here instead!" Yalch exclaimed with glee. "A proper-sized room!"
"That's some wishful thinking." Tamma opened her mouth, ready to say something until a knock interrupted her statement.
"You ladies still in there?" Daego's muffled voice said from behind the door. "I've got some folks for you to meet!"
