Puppy and Arivarea were on their way to pick up Hayune, Arivarea wanted someone with intimate knowledge of the city for this meeting. Although she had learned a lot about it there was no way she could compare with someone who’s actual job was to know a lot.

In order to bring Hayune along Arivarea needed to post a quest herself which Puppy then accepted as Hayune was of course working at the Guild and could not just leave with anyone that wanted her presence.

Arivarea’s loophole peeved the receptionist off a little bit but considering it had never happened before and there was no precedent he decided to let it happen.

“How exactly have you managed this?” asked Hayune, walking alongside Arivarea and Puppy towards Madame Hart’s office, the Ygar woman with questionable business practices.

“The power of friendship of course.” said Arivarea smugly.

“What?”

“Well, the independent farmers were trying to sell their merchandise to Madame Hart who used to have a monopoly of the city's merchants. So instead I said that I would buy their goods and become the Madame’s competition.”

“So in seven days you’ve become a merchant queen?” said Hayune ready to prostrate herself in front of her.

“I’ve become at least big enough for the Ygar hag to feel threatened by me.”

Hayune looked to Arivarea with reverence, Puppy tried to maintain his neutral expression but anyone could see he was proud of his girl.

“So why do you need Puppy and I? Shouldn’t you have brought Roh Gak or someone who knows a little bit more about the business than we do.”

“Knows more about the business?” Arivarea smirked. “Puppy has done a good job at duping you into thinking he’s not a smart doggy.”

Hayune looked at Puppy in confusion. “So why wasn’t he helping you?”

“Because he said he found it boring. I can’t very well let my man be bored now can I… Also, I needed someone reliable to make me a lot of money very quickly.”

“So you actually knew what was going on the whole time?” asked Hayune.

“The basic concept, sure. I wouldn’t be able to do what Arivarea has done though. At least not in the amount of time it took her.”

Arivarea puffed out her chest with pride. “He doubles as my guard as well, no one here can beat both me and Puppy in a fight.”

Hayune nodded her head. She was a little deflated after finding out just how powerful Arivarea had become and the fact that Puppy was tasked with completing missions purely because he couldn’t sit still long enough to help with the business. She felt her image of the mature and capable Puppy crumble a little bit.

They arrived at Madame Hart’s building, it was nestled in with the main road where most merchant’s had shops. The once half empty street was now jammed with sellers and the public had responded in kind by filling the street, afraid that the new prices were only temporary.

“Welcome, you must be Arivarea. Madame Hart is waiting for you.” said a woman with a blank smile on her face. She gestured for the trio to follow her and they ended up in a huge room that was almost filled by the largest table the three had ever seen.

“Welcome, please… Sit.” said a beastkin woman with white fur and black stripes. She was far more beast than human unlike Puppy. She had on a smart suit and eyed Arivarea with undisguised hatred.

“Thank you, you must be Madame Hart. Thank you for the invitation.” said Arivarea, a wide smile on her face.

“To think one so young has caused such a stir,” said Madame Hart. She took a seat opposite the trio, they had to raise their voice a little in order to be heard across the huge table. “I was expecting someone very different.”

“Regarding your summoning of me,” said Arivarea who was unwilling to engage in small talk with the hateful woman. “The thing is, I have no plans to stay in this city. My venture here began thanks to you and will end when you step down.”

“Step down? Child, I am the most powerful person in this city, even the governor bends to my whim. I fail to see how you are capable of making me step down.” said the old hag, though she could not deny she was curious.

“Actually, my occupation is a rogue, my specialty is stealth and subterfuge.” said Arivarea drawing a surprised reaction from the Ygar woman. “So imagine my surprise when one night I was walking home and suddenly I tripped and fell through your window and into your house. Well, I was already inside, I thought, so I might as well have a look around. Puppy, what did I find again?” she turned smugly towards Puppy. Madame Hart wore a shocked face upon hearing the casual confession of breaking into her house.

“You mean these?” he asked, after rummaging around in his backpack and pulling out a couple of creepy looking wooden dolls/

“Anne… Mary…” whimpered Madame Hart.

“No, I burned them, remember.” said Arivarea with a faux frown on her face.

“Wha…” cried Madame Hart.

“This then?”said Puppy revealing a large white dildo.

“No…” moaned Madame Hart. Her face went red with embarrassment.

“Silly Puppy, of course not.” said Arivarea again, unable to hold back a laugh.

“Ah, then you must mean these?” he said, finally taking out a variety of papers, some chains stained with dried blood and stamps that were clearly made to counterfeit official documents.

“That’s it! Thank you Puppy.” said Arivarea, the smile gone from her face, a threatening look there instead.

“How did you…?” said Madame Hart, she had just gone through a rollercoaster of emotions and was feeling particularly vulnerable. It was time to strike the final blow.

“It took us a few days but I think we managed to rescue all 16 of your hostages. We managed to prove to the governor that you had been faking your documents and that you had forced farmers and merchants into slave contracts.” said Arivarea without a hint of remorse. “Whatever phony control you used to have over this city has been torn down. I hope you understand now, Madame Hart, that regardless of whether you decide to step down or not, you will be met outside by city soldiers waiting to arrest you.”

Madame Hart was furious, she had her fists clenched so hard, her long predatory nails had pierced her palms and fresh blood leaked onto the table.

“You bitch.” she hissed. Arivarea smiled at her, she’d won.

“You fucking bitch! I’ll fucking kill you!”

“What about Anne? What about Mary?” asked Arivarea holding a knife to the wooden dolls.

“Don’t you dare fucking touch them.”

“I don’t know, you telling me not to do it really makes me want to do it.” said Arivarea, carving a shaving off of one of them.

“Fuck… Whatever, do whatever the fuck you want to Anne and Mary, just don’t touch Everest.” Madame Hart was reaching across the table in desperation now.

“What? Everest?” asked Arivarea looking at the white dildo. She couldn’t take this woman seriously anymore.

She rolled the white dildo named Everest towards the Ygar hag and got up. The servants behind Madame Hart woke up from their stupor and ran out the room.

Hayune was left similarly dumbfounded and only left after Puppy tapped her on the shoulder. Her heart was in her mouth at the beginning of the meeting but as soon as Puppy pulled at the dildo she became certain she was having a fever dream.

The trio left the room without looking towards the pathetic beastkin. She was crumpled on her chair clutching the white dildo with tears in her eyes.

The servant that had shown the trio inside was nowhere to be found either.

“I was expecting her to put up more of a fight, sorry for wasting your time Hayune.” said Arivarea with a little disappointment. Hayune just shook her head in disbelief, she just had a front row seat to the end of an era.

“Her power made her careless,” said Puppy. Although even he had to admit he was not expecting the woman responsible for what happened at Egra farm to be so feeble.

They nodded to the guards surrounding the building as they exited. Hayune was speechless, her lack of words did not seem to bother the beastkin and tree girl duo.

“What now?” asked Puppy.

“I’ve already finalised everything with Roh Gak. The business will run just fine without me so we can do what we want.” said Arivarea with a shrug.

Puppy nodded. “Then I have something in mind.” he said sliding his arm around Arivarea’s waist.

“You know, I was hoping you’d say that.” said Arivarea, putting her arm around his back.

“Um… Ca… Can I join?” asked Hayune, her face bright red.

Casualperv

I think we all know what next chapter will consist of... ;)