The Bird and the Garden 2: Restart!

Chapter 8: It Begins

"Damn it... Seventy-five lien a month for this?" He grumbled to himself.

The door to the restroom opened. Y/N perked his head up, listening carefully as two pairs of footsteps trudged slowly across the floor.

"... Looks like no one is here..."

Y/N didn't recognize the voice. It was hoarse and hushed, a touch of madness added to it and belonged to a woman.. Something told him to stay silent, an instinct buried deep within his body.

"See, no one goes down this far," another voice whispered back, this one belonging to a man. "But alas, we have matters to discuss - do we not, Fall?"

"Indeed... The Mistress is growing impatient with the infiltration..."

Y/N felt frozen in place. He suddenly had the feeling he wasn't supposed to hear this. He felt terrified, sitting in that stall on the toilet, his pants around his ankles and completely vulnerable.

"I'm working on it. I'm still forging the paperwork."

"Damnit, Watts! Hurry it up!" Fall hissed harshly. "The last thing I want is a reason for the Mistress to grow angry with me!"

"And what about me!? She'll be furious with myself too, you insolent child!"

"I don't give a flying fuck about you."

They were arguing. Y/N was wishing he was somewhere else. He doubted it would be good if he was caught. He clasped his hands together, praying someone would save him.

And that prayer was answered by the sound of the door being kicked open.

"AYO WHO IS TAKING A FAT SHIT!?"

The two voices stopped talking. Y/N recognized that voice. There was only one village idiot who was dumb enough to say such a vile and disgusting thing.

"Wha... Who the hell are you?" Fall asked. It was clear she was frustrated.

"Name is Vao Branwen, mother fucker."

Watts sounded outraged. "Vulgar brat! Haven't you any decency as a woman!?"

"Last I checked, I got a snake in my trousers," Vao laughed. Y/N could only imagine the disgust that was very likely on the faces of the strangers. Vao spoke again, this time asking a question. "Aaaanyways, either of you two lovely folks seen my brother? A buddy of mine said he went down this way and that he had been gone for a while."

"No one is in here but us," Fall replied a bit more calmly. "Sorry, but this is a private matter. Could you make yourself scarce?"

Vao just laughed. "Fuckin' idiot! Privacy doesn't matter now! You didn't even check the stalls, did you?"

"The... Stalls...?"

Footsteps approached the door, and Y/N could see a pair of heels standing outside. "Yeah, all the stalls are open except this one."

BANG BANG BANG!

Y/N nearly screamed when the door shook on its hinges, the lock straining against the force from the other side. And finally after one last slam, the door finally gave away, falling off its hinges. Vao stood in it's frame, smiling at Y/N like an idiot.

"Hiya! You done wipin'?"

"GET OUT!"

"I'll take that as a yes! Pull your pants up and let's go!"

Y/N stood up and buckled his pants back around his waist. He didn't like how Vao made eye contact with him the entire time. The katana-wielder rushed out of the bathroom, not even daring to look the strangers in the face as he made his way into the hall. Vao soon came out after.