[TheFightingSpirit]

So, before a do is in any way furthered, here's something a little special I've been keeping under wraps.

Every so often I'm going to be releasing a character-focused short story, and as a bonus, you guys get some nifty art work to go with it. Just for being Tokunation.

Enjoy.

Magi Short #1: Robert's Story

Shoulders hunched, Robert slid in to the restaurant kitchen through the back door. Of course the Agency had bargained for his job back. Of course. He dreaded to think what their newest lie was. If he kept his head down and did the job he was supposed to, he hoped it wouldn’t come up.

It would have been nice to know what the plan was though. How did they expect him to keep being a Ranger secret when he didn’t know the part they intended for him to play?

Ah well, he thought, hanging his jacket on a peg on his way to wash his hands, Par for the course really.

He dried off and slammed the paper towel into the bin.

His boss heard the commotion and poked his head around the door. “How are you doing, Robert?”

“Oh, I’m fine, chef,” he lied.

“Did you get that family emergency sorted out?”

Robert couldn’t tell if he believed the story or not, but either way it seemed to have passed inspection… this time. “Yeah, thanks. Sorry about the other day.”

“Don’t mention it.” He too crossed over to the skin to wash his hands. As he lathered up, he spoke once more. “Things these days are tough. My family’s all right up here, but I can’t imagine what it’s like down in Steele City. You’re a good man for dealing with shit like that and coming out the other side.”

“Thanks, man.” Robert raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You know, you’re the first person I’ve met who really gets it.”

“I’m always willing to give second chances, but…” The chef chuckled. “I’ve got to admit, your aunt makes a persuasive case.” He winked on the way past Robert. “No more cutting out on a shift without telling me though.”

o0o

Once the lunch time rush died down, Robert took his break.

If he had one good thing to say about working here, it had to be that getting one free grill of your choice. A definite perk. He supposed working wasn’t all that bad. The menu had never been difficult to cook to deadline considering half of it was pre-prepared.

To give the situation its due--being a ranger, playing into the Agency’s hand--it had forced him to think about his life. Back in Steele City he’d done little more than drift. You could only play so much football you before realised you weren’t doing anything truly productive with your time.

The kind of good that came from dodgy situations always surprised him. Life moved in mysterious ways.

The front door chimed. Robert looked up from his burger expecting to see a customer, and locked eyes with the landlady, his supposed aunt.

“What are you doing here?”

“Now, now, is that anyway to treat family?” she grinned and slid into the booth next to him. “I just thought I’d come and check in on you. Call it protecting my assets. If you don’t work, you can’t pay rent.”

“Is that why you came, huh…” Robert dropped the burger back onto his plate. His appetite deserted him.

“Look. I understand why you don’t trust me, so let me get one thing straight,” she whispered. “My only concern is your cover. Give me a reason to talk to you about it and I will. Otherwise I’ll keep well out of your business. You’re Moses’ concern, not mine.”

“That’s great. Just fine.” He stood, taking his lunch with him. “Answer me this though. Why are you here and not Mr Sanders?”

“Sanders was… a misjudgement on our behalf.”

Robert sighed. “That’s all you’re going to tell me, isn’t it.”

Her silence said it all.

“Okay, whatever. I’ve got work to do, you’ve got work to do. We done here?”

“Of course.”

As Robert neared the door to the kitchen, his ‘aunt’ spoke again. “Mr Sanders wasn’t working out, that’s all. So we got rid of him. Let that be a warning to you and your friends. Nothing you do in life makes you immune to getting fired.”

o0o

Toward the end of Robert’s shift Allison, Ken and Catherine came into to see how he was doing.

“How’s getting rehired working out for you?” Ken said, slipping into a booth with the others.

“Oh, you know, same old,” Robert said with a shrug. “Besides, it beats sitting around back home in Steele City doing nothing.”

“Nothing?” Allison raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. “Us hanging out was doing nothing?”

“You know that’s not what I meant...”

Ken shook his head and glared at his sister. “Knock it off, Al.” He turned back to Robert. “She’s just messing with you, dude.”

“Oh… I knew that.”

Catherine smiled. Even without formal training the three of them acted as a team, no doubt about that. She supposed she could have ended up lumped with a bunch of bitter enemies. Better not look a gift horse in the mouth.

“So what would you three like to do tonight?” She said.

Robert thought for a moment. When he spoke, he did so slowly but surely. “Try to take over the world, perhaps?”