New Hire - [Arkady/Evelyn/Brent]

Around 4pm on Saturday, the Akashic would peck out a text message on his phone to Evelyn. Dressed in jeans and hooded sweatshirt with an Ohio State University logo on it, he seemed rather casual.

"Meet up with me at Arakady's gym, huh? You said you wanted to work here."

And with that, he'd lean against the wall near the door and wait. The old bear would wake up eventually.

She had a lot going through her mind, the conversation with two people who clearly showed some short of hatred towards her, some how managed to get through her mind. Keeping the black nail polish on, Evelyn toned down the black by a lot, she had on a white tank top, skinny jeans, high healed boots, and her hair coming down in soft curls along her back. Makeup wise, instead of black lip stick, she had on soft lip gloss, and brown eye shadow.

Making her way down to the gym, after having to receive the text, she gently bit on her lower lip as she makes her way towards the area that he stood.

"Hey Brent," she spoke with a soft smile to her lips as she held her hands together in front of her. Maybe everyone is right, toning down her look would keep the church people off of her back, she doesn't like knowing she had to change for people, but at least it was something.

"...you let them change you." he said quietly as she walked up. Smiling gladly, he gestured that she should come closer. Laying a hand on hers, he sought to bring her hands apart and back at her sides.

"Don't let them change you, Salem. They've got shit to say but when I walk down the street with a shakujo? Not once. Not a word. Seriously." the young man said and then gestured toward the gym.

"Maybe we learn some stillness here. You and me."

"Not quite...I only will look this way out in public, but behind closed doors is when I will wear what I want to wear, they have nothing to say about that."Smiles warmly as she allows him to move her hands down to her side.

"You're taking a big risk doing this for me, the last thing I really want is for me to be the reasoning they are after you as well..I didn't properly thank you for that."Leans in and gently hugs him before pulling away. "Thank you, just knowing I can live here in peace, does mean a lot to me. I will never allow the two of them to change who I am, what I do, and who I speak with. If they don't like it, then oh well, but I don't want to bring danger into both you and everyone else because of what I might do wrong."

A small giggle escapes from her lips while she gave a soft shake. "I would love to, after all, you are the first and so far the only one to show me such kindness within the group, let alone actually speak to me."

"A hidden lamp sheds no light, Salem. Do what you want in private and I hope that it brings you joy. But in the end? Don't hide. For real." he said with a fond and kind tone. Surprised at her embrace, he hooked his arms around her and squeezed her tight.

"Quit thinking about it. We all have the responsibility. We need to look after one another. It's the way." He answered and then released the embrace that she offered him. "You've really had no one be kind? Hard to believe. But, if I'm the first? I'm honored." he offered and pressed his hands together against his forehead.

A warm smile cross her lips while she gave a nod of her head. "You are right, I truly do hate hiding myself to make others pleased with themselves." Sighs while shaking her head. "I'm new, maybe they just like to pick on the new person." Once he released the embrace, she stared towards him and nods.

"We all do have responsibilities, but I feel as though that one female is correct. I could be the cause of the dangers brought in on you guys because I am here. Already, you are taking on a responsibility that could mean death for you, or hunted for that matter by the people of faith. Some people in the group where kind enough to help and talk, but true kindness. My whole life I have been on the run, I never got to really be shown the kindness, hospitality, let alone someone who I can actually talk to." Shakes her head while turning her attention towards the door. "Do we just go in, or await for him to answer the door?"

As if on cue, Arkadi came to the door, opening it and inviting them in. "The door was open. Come in, before you catch your death of cold."

Once they were inside, he looked over Evelyn and shook his head. "What in the hell is with that getup? You must be freezing. I didn't pull you from a burning building so you could suffer hypothermia. Or are you immune to ice as well as fire?"

He offered a fist to Brentley to pound in greeting, if he were so inclined. "Hey, my man. What it look like?"

"I am only immune to fire, but I am fine. I've dealt with worst." She spoke with a slight smile as she made her way inside of the gym. "I am pretty sure he already explained that I am in here in hopes to work at the gym?" Evelyn ask as she tilts her head off to the side.

Once her eyes had fully adjust from the light from outside to the light inside, she began to look around, taking the place in before turning her attention back towards him.

Brent would walk in behind them and, when offered, respond to Arkady's offered dap with a knock of his own fist. At once, almost automatically, he squatted down to take off his shoes and socks. His hoodie followed, revealing a long-sleeved cotton athletic shirt. Once they were removed and held in one hand, he'd come back to standing and stretch his arms overhead.

"Remind me to bring a pizza next time, for breaking into the villain's lair." he said with a grin, moving to set his effects somewhere they wouldn't be in the way before doing his own looking around the gym.

"Yeah, I texted you the other day. When someone's looking for a place to put down roots, why not get 'em a job? Someone has to handle yoga, right?" he asked and stepped lively until he reached the laying athletic mats. A look crossed his face like nostalgia, and he extended a foot to press on the surface. Much softer than the tatami mats.

It was your average hole-in-the-wall shopping center dojo, of sorts. Next to the small trophy case of his students' was a big red flag with hammer and sickle, om the other wall an American flag. At some point this place must have been a Chinese restaurant, because it smelled like greasy fried rice and other unhealthy deliciousness. A rice paper partition in the back led to a smaller room where he likely made his bed and stored supplies.

The Ruskie stroked his beard and pretended to look contemplative. "I like pizza. Chinese is better. Shogun of Defiance? I don't hate the sound of that. Поцелуй меня в обратное."

His head shook, considering jobs. He found a nice round pillar near the wall painted with a thick, course material that he used to scratch his back as he addressed Evelyn again. "Unless you have some prior experience teaching, we may have to spend a while showing you the ropes, first. Don't worry, it will be exhausting and difficult. But you will sleep like you've never slept before, and your every meal will be like ambrosia. And when Brentley leaves I can give you your Super Secret Hollow One Decoder Ring." He gave a friendly wink to the girl.

"In all truth and honesty, I have no experience."She spoke while biting on her lower lip,she used to do yoga to help clear her thoughts, but when it came to teaching, that is a different story. "I do know yoga enough to teach it, I used to do it every morning, but I have no experience in the proper way to teach it to someone."

"Chinese and pizza both sound absolute amazing at this moment, but first I want to learn everything from the two of you."

"Super Secret Hollow One Decorder Ring?" Evelyn asked, with a slight arch in her eyebrow wondering exactly what that means before giving a shake of her head. "So when shall we begin?"

Brent would pause and turn about, aiming a finger at himself in a questioning manner. "Me? Teach? Oh, no no. You're all backwards on that one. I'm no kind of teacher in the world. Maybe someday." he said and then stepped onto the mat before sinking to his knees in seiza. His feet folded behind him and his hips sank into an apparently comfortable position. In a little pattering rhythm, he brought his fists down lightly on his thighs as if to beat the tension out of his leg muscles.

"Gawd, it's all about the Chinese food... The shitty Americanized versions." he offered and laughed, stretching his arms out in front of him in a long span and bending low like he was bowing before some invisible master. The posture was a blend of a stretch and a compacted warm-up. It seemed like he'd done it a thousand times before. When he spoke next, it was muffled by the way that his face was pressed to the mat.

"I think he's looking to start right away, Salem. Take those shoes off."

Shrugs "alright, then it seems like it will be just the two of us."She spoke as she bends forward and began to unzip her high healed boots before slipping them off and makes her way to stand next to Arkady.

"Well, unless you can find a way to travel to China to order the Chinese food, Americanized version is all we have." She spoke while looking towards Brent before turning her attention back towards Arkady.

"Ready, when ever you are."

Arkadi stretched as they spoke, encouraging Evelyn to follow along. "You'll regret it if you don't."

Hearing that she knew at least the basics, he guided them through a number of position, including the Half Crow, to the Lifted Half Crow, showing a number of poses like Cat, Cow, and Boat as well. Ending of course with some cool-down positions. "You're going to want to encourage people when you're teaching the lessons. Positive reinforcement is necessary. They will lose heart if all you do is rebuke them. At least at the beginning stages."

After they'd had a decent lesson, evaluating her talent at Yoga itself and giving the basics on how to teach others, he dropped into seiza himself. "So. That's a start."

"Americanized is the best, bar-none." he said with a smile and then rose to his feet as Arkady started to walk them through a session of the art. It seemed very early on that Brent was almost completely unacquainted with Yoga, but was limber enough to not fall behind in the initial lesson. He had no doubt that Evelyn would keep up, as well. Nothing like fleeing for months to keep a person lithe.

Nodding in agreement with the bit of wisdom that the larger man dispensed, he'd stretch his arms overhead in their cool-down and then roll his shoulders. "Come on, man. Where's the demonstration? New student and all, you gotta be wrecking bricks or something to show that you've got the goods. Right?" he asked in half jest. It was the sort of good-natured needling that martial arts instructors no doubt endured often.

Letting his arms drop, he looked around the gym once more and knew that there was purpose here. Even in the trashy surroundings of the city, a person could build a little stillness. Now that, for a change, made him glad.

(( I ain't done with this scene! XD ))

Allowing her body to move as she guide into a half crow then soon into a downward dog. The feeling of her muscles relaxing, yet still giving off the tension with how she was moving, caused her to let out a small breath. With how much running she had been doing within her life span, she could feel how much of a difference it is from the amount of Yoga she had done, to the how much she hasn't been doing.

When the Yoga lessons came to an end, she came to a siting position with her legs underneath her, and the palm of her hands resting on her thighs. "I cannot believe its been this long since I last did Yoga, there is so much I no longer can do the way I used to."Lightly cracks her neck before looking towards Brentley.

"Chinese food is actually starting to sound really good right now."

"Chinese food always sounds good. That's why that stuff is so popular. Drunk, hungry, bored? Chinese food. For real." he said with a smile as he rolled about so that he could be settled securely on his backside rather than remaining in corpse pose.

"Taito's gonna freak if we don't bring him some, though."

A warm smile cross her lips as a soft giggle was let out. "Well then, we must bring him some!"She spoke with a slight nod of her head.

The bear man takes a kneeling position, his back straight and hands on his knees. He closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths as the two talk. "Brentley, let me ask you something. Are you as attached to your sense of self as you appear to be? You seem to be a man who screams to the world of his existence. 'I am Brentley Moore. I am no wizard. I am Brentley Moore. I am a hero. I am Brentley Moore. I am humble, for I work a simple job at a simple convenience store.' The three of us, we are each other. One wonders if that needs reminding sometimes."

Looking to the young woman, "'I am Evelyn. I am a witch. I am Evelyn. Fire does not burn me. I am Evelyn. My family is cursed.' You have much to learn, yet. Not as Ms. Hemmingway, but as the universe experiencing itself."

He raises himself to his feet. "We will get the Dreamspeaker Master some Chinese. I know of a place that has authentic menu. Do you think he wants the American stuff?"

Brent takes a moment, and then nods his head. "Yeah, I'm so attached to my sense of self. It's better than losing it. Trust me... If I lose that? I'm going to be in a bad way. And I know that much. If any of us start to lose a grip on the boundaries that make us who we are? We're going to get sick." he answered, but moved to his feet as well before shaking himself out.

"Oh, he wants that greezy shit. For real."

Hearing what he had to say, Evelyn lets out a small breath that she held the whole time and gave a nod of her head. He was right, about the whole thing. She had much to learn, from the universe, from everything, and doing it alone was not the great option, but knowing that she could do it with the three of them made it a lot better. "You are right about that..."She spoke softly before looking towards the two.

"Then lets go get take out and head on over to Dream speaker Master place."

Certainly no Mr. Moneybags like Dorian Munther, Arkadi still offered to pick up dinner when they did reach the Chinese place. His own order was staggering. Chicken wings in garlic sauce, barbecue spare ribs, beef teriyaki, spicy wanton, fried dumplings, and for his entree, the General Tso's Triple with chicken shrimp and scallops. Extra spicy. He orders the Dragon and Phoenix for Taito, and a 2-liter to wash it all down. Despite neither of them speaking English as a first language, some truths are universal.

Once they'd delivered their offering and the foodening has begun, he opens the dialogue once again. "So I'm guessing you are no Buddhist, Brentley. The second noble truth; pain is caused by ‘tanha’. Our cravings, our attachments. Our selfishness."

There wasn't a happiness in his face when the question was asked, and he set down his chopsticks with a slow sort of motion. Clearly, it irked him to be guessed after. But, he blew out his breath and lifted his shoulders.

"I'm a Buddhist. I'm not perfect at it, though. I'm not ready to let go. Go easy on me, okay?"