Elise: The Imperial City of Razel was a capital not of the nation but regional commerce. Located on the coast of the Razgrid Empire, it was a hub for both ships coming up along the cost both north and south as well as where roads between four major counties intersected. There were countless thousands that called the city home, both rich and poor alike. Among the nicer and more upscale places in Razel was a massive building. It looked much like a mansion as a matter of fact, though it had no gates or means of baring the unwashed masses from it. There were no guards posted outside the doors either, said doors wide open for anyone to walk inside. A large sign hung above the doorway. Elise's Emporium. Easily the most well known business in town and indeed across the empire and beyond. It was home to what many believed to be the richest woman in all the world. Elise. Inside she plied her trade, said to have something for anyone that walked through her doors. Even now she was finishing a sale. She handed a rather expensive looking blade with a jeweled hilt to a young armored woman. "I must say you are doing me a favor, sera knight. I never expected to find a rightful owner to so fine a piece as that. Took it in a few years back, however like I always say. There is something in these halls for everyone." Elise said as she took her pouch of coins and bowed her head with a smile. "Thank you, sera knight, I pray the blade serves you well in your quest. Please come again!" She said. "I will most assuredly do so, Lady Elise, the rumors of the wonders in these halls were not hollow." The tall woman bowed her own head before walking out the door. Elise waited until she was out of the shop before weighing the pouch. Oh it had the correct amount, she knew that even before it was handed to her. Simply nice to feel the fat amount of coins in her hand. "Ahhh... frees up some shelf space at last." She sighed.
Mari: Within the fine halls of Elise's Emporium a fair number of customers were wandering around. It was less a single shop and more a self-contained marketplace with bits of everything here and there. For many just looking at it was an adventure in itself, but among them was one redhead with a relaxed, easy going smile. Mari's eyes were looking over an array of beautiful and quite expensive gems with no small amount of admiration. Both at how lovely they were, but also at the amazing fact that there was no security here whatsoever. No sense of pressure at all. It made for a nice and friendly atmosphere, but it also all but demanded a thief to come in and make off with something. Elise was but one woman after all, and the gaps in her security were glaring.
"Hmm..." Stepping away from gems for a bit, the woman approached a nearby clothing area. There she found both the finest, most expensive dresses as well as thrifty, affordable shirts and trousers. Kind of an impressive variety; and she knew she was only seeing a fraction of it all. Most of the rooms in the manor were dedicated to various wares. To the point one could spend days if not weeks perusing it all. Mari herself had been wandering for over an hour before she finally grabbed a beautiful black tunic that would've revealed a lot of cleavage. Then, returning back to the gemstones, she picked up an emerald necklace and smiled. In the corner of her eye she spied a small merchant's stand opposite Elise's Emporium and trying to make money off of those that came and went. Mari suppressed a knowing chuckle and moved out, passing by a smallscale library as well as a selection of magical scrolls before finding the good shop keep herself. "Hello, I just wanted to know how much these cost." She asked with a friendly smile.
Elise: Elise tended to wander her own store most of the time at random, preferring to post up at front where she could greet customers and ask what brought them in today. Most came simply to browse and see what they could find, however it was always important to help people find exactly what they needed. Which was why she also walked the halls of the multi floored structure, available and always asking if someone needed help finding something. Mortal brains were very very slow unfortunately, made their search harder. Elise looked at the wares brought to her and responded automatically to each item in their turn. "The tunic is 3 Gold due to the fine imported velvet, the Necklace is 100 Gold, a very fine cut, if you look closely you can see a deeper blue in the core. Its a rare crystal coloration, only happens in one out of every hundred emeralds. You've an extremely fine eye for quality if you picked that one out." Elise said smoothly. 100 gold was a heft price but given the rarity that was reasonable to Elise. "Though if you don't mind my saying, I think blue would bring out your eyes more. If you are interested I could show you a selection of sapphires we have?"
Mari: "Oh? You must know your stuff to say that." Mari replied innocently. The price lined up with her own personal estimate of the two products. She gave Elise the nod and followed her, returning the emerald necklace along the way but holding onto the tunic. As they walked, she continued to note just...A little bit of everything. Elise's selection was bafflingly extensive and featured both domestic and imports for virtually anything.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are some of your most popular products and services here? I've been looking all day but it only feels like I've scratched the surface of this place."
Elise: Elise made her way through the shop with practiced ease, she knew every section of this place and where every single item was. It wasn't hard, quite easy actually. She gestured to her selection of sapphire necklaces. She lifted up one one a silver chain with three sapphires in the shape of water droplets, two the size of a pinkie nail while the center piece was the size of thumb. "A very fine necklace. why don't you try it on? See how it looks?" Elise asked, gesturing to a mirror designed so someone could look at how they looked in the various selections of jewelry. Really just the section was an entire jewelry store in and of itself. "Hmm? My most popular products and services, well that's subjective I'd say. Some people enjoy different things. With adventurers for instance my most popular service is my scroll craft and potions. Some of the ladies enjoy some of the grooming services I have on offer. Most popular I'd say would be my masseuse service currently with the more upscale clients. Pricey, but I've never once had a bad complaint." Elise remarked. She chuckled knowingly. "Trust me, it can take many days to browse around. That's what I'm here for." She said with a dazzling smile.
Mari:" I see I see." Mari nodded and inspected the necklace up close. It was indeed an incredibly fine piece of jewelry, and quite a pricey piece her senses told her. At Elise's behest she put it on and walked over to a mirror to inspect it. "Ohh, I love it!" That was indeed true. The brilliance of the sapphires clashed wondrously with Mari's hair and really brought out her chocolate-toned eyes. Not to mention it danced just over her exposed bosom and emphasized them as well. Mari allowed a confident smile and swayed back and forth, admiring herself.
"Masseuse services and potions? Wow, you really do have everything. Probably don't have the gold to afford any kind of masseuse, though I'm sure you have only the best." The more Mari inspected this place the more certain she was about its security. There wasn't even anything magical set up. It was just...Elise and her staff. Stepping back, Mari unclasped the necklace and set it back down where Elise had pulled it from. "I'm no expert, but even I can tell I can't afford that one." A half truth, she was absolutely an expert. "Perhaps something a bit more economical?" A bit of a buffer before she went for the real prize: this necklace.
Elise: Elise took the necklace back and seemed to hesitate a moment before setting it back down. At length she led Mari to another necklace. This one was a much more simple steel chain with a lapis lazuli embedded as the centerpiece. "The steel has a minor endurance enchantment on it so it won't break no matter how hard you pull on it. That raises the price a bit, however it is vastly less than the Emerald and Sapphire, the blue color still goes quite well with you as well." She said as she handed it over. Elise laughed lightly. "I try to have a wide selection. As I've said many times before, my aim is to have something for everyone within these halls." Elise said as she went around behind Mari and clasped the necklace around her neck and looked at her in the mirror. "I'd say it is a lovely match for you, would go very nicely with that tunic you know. Of course, you know what else would go well with those? I have a lovely skirt that would match that just nicely and some very good shoes as well." Elise remarked.
Mari: "Lead the way." Mari dutifully followed and as she did her fingers slid along sapphire necklace one final time, depositing something small and unseen there before heading out to follow Elise. Towards...A much more mundane selection of jewelry, but Mari indulged her. Truth be told the lapid lazuli necklace wasn't bad, and it still went with her features. "I think we have a winner." Mari smiled and considered Elise's other offers for a moment.
"Appreciated, but I have some skirts back home in mind. Can't break the bank all at once you know. But...Oh what the hell, show me your shoes." And so she followed Elise once again, the shop keeper proving herself quite knowledgeable about what her clients might be interested in. Mari had to admit, she was a very sharp business woman. It rarely took more than an item or two before Elise hit the nail on the head. She'd only intended to buy the tunic and lapis necklace, but by the end she had a pair of shoes and even a skirt despite initially not wanting them. "I must admit, you drive a hard bargain Elise. Hard to say no to you." The redhead laughed as she set all her purchases down. "So a black tunic and skirt, a lapis lazuli necklace, and a pair of shoes with a small charisma enchantment. What's my final total gonna be?"
Elise: Elise laughed easily at the end. "I try not to be pushy, simply offering suggestions for what I believe would work best for you." The red haired woman said before nodding. "The total comes out to around 50 Gold. The break down for that, 4 for the shirt, 3 for the skirt. 13 for the shoes and 30 for the necklace." All in all they all together cost less than both necklaces that Mari had been looking at. "I accept either gold or equivalent trade of course, I'm a merchant so not one to split hairs how someone wants to pay me." Elise said with a smile. "Ah, yes. You didn't happen to leave anything in the shop did you?" She asked, cocking her head to the side. "Happens frequently enough, people drop their things when browsing. Do note, if you want to go and make sure you have everything, now is a good time. I hold onto things for a few days, if no one comes to claim them they get put up on a shelf."
Mari: "The fact you aren't trying to be pushy is exactly what makes you dangerous." Mari replied with a friendly laugh of her own. "Alrighty then, 50 gold. Just a sec." She began to reach for her gold pouch when Mari's hand froze. Very subtly, but it was there.
That last note...Did Elise know? Mari was quick to dismiss it with a chuckle and began pulling out gold. Though now her eyes were focusing intently on Elise, trying to read her. "No, I don't think I did." And to be doubly sure she patted herself down. Nope, everything was here and accounted for. She mentally breathed easy. As far as she could tell Elise was none the wiser. Just a standard warning to customers no doubt.
After picking out her coins, Mari set it all down and nodded. "50 gold. It was a pleasure doing business with you Elise." And with that, Mari picked up her new purchases and stepped back. "Have a nice day."
Elise: Elise didn't need to double check the count, however her eyes did follow Mari out of the door. As the thief's back was turned there was the ever so slight denting in her eternal smile. She waved her hand as Mari walked out. "A pleasure doing business with you as well. Please do come again!" Elise called after her, her smile recovering moments later as she let out a breath through her nose. Well, tomorrow morning was going to be annoying. The redhead shook her head and looked upward at the ceiling. "Well, she has a day." She said, the clock already ticking though she knew giving them the benefit of the doubt would be quite stupid. Mortals never learned.
Mari: There was a slight weight Mari felt as she walked off, but the redhead paid little mind to it. Once she was out of that door she was officially home free and let out a nice, satisfied sigh. She walked with a confident stride alongside many other satisfied customers and turned to begin making her way back to the inn. Along the way she passed by that stand again, the brown-skinned merchant and her sharing a look before Mari walked off.
Neritha: Hours passed. Mari had more than enough time to return home, unwind, and settle with her new belongings. Her part in all this was done. It wasn't until later in the evening that the door to her room opened and in stepped the very same merchant she saw earlier that day. "Business went well. Better than I expected even." The woman said in a soft-spoken, sultry voice. As she moved quite luscious hips swayed alluringly and she set herself down opposite Mari at a table.
"Judging by that grin you were sporting earlier, I can only assume you succeeded in finding something. So let's see shall we?"
Reaching into her bosom, Neritha pulled out a small amber gem, no bigger than her fingernail. A companion to a similar gem Mari had conveniently left behind earlier that day. The two were linked, infused by Neritha's magic. So long as she had one, she could trace the other; and so...With a wave of her finger the stone appeared before her once again - And with it was none other than the Sapphire Necklace. The real benefit of this spell was anything either stone was touching could be transported as well. Both a handy escape tool and a means of getting objects away hours after the fact.
"Oh my...You may've outdone yourself this time." Neri marveled at it, her face calm but set into quite the pleased little smile.
Mari: "And that Elise lady never suspected a thing! We can retire off this one Neri!" Mari leaned back and let out the most confident of laughs.
Elise: "Can you now?" The voice was very familiar to Mari. Suddenly, both women were no longer at the inn but instead standing... right in the lobby of Elise's Emporium. The doors were closed and the candles lit as the establishment was now closed. Standing near the stairs up to the second floor, drumming her fingers along one of the railings was none other than Elise. She looked at the necklace that Neritha was holding and nodded. "Looks mighty familiar. You know its really amazing to me the amount of mortals that seem to think no guards means this place is somewhere that can be stolen from. Yet seems there is no shortage." Elise mused as she looked at both. "What have you to say for yourselves, Mari and Neritha? Aside from the usual drivel I hear about how this is a mistake since I don't make those." Elise said. Her presence... she hadn't moved from where she was standing but it felt like she was physically looming over both of them.
Mari: One moment the two were laughing in complete confidence and comfort. Then the next, in quite literally the blink of an eye, Mari and Neritha found themselves standing. And in the Emporium no less. "What the-" Elise's voice cut through the confusion and the dimly lit space, bringing both of their gazes up to where the shop keeper stood. It was still the same Elise, but something had fundamentally changed. She seemed incredibly dangerous, her presence a weight in the air.
"N-Now Elise...Surely we can work something out." Mari began with a nervous grin. As ever her first instinct was to try and talk her way out of this.
Neritha: "...Don't bother Mari." Of all people it was Neritha who cut her off. "She knows. It would seem she always knew. Even down to our names." Neri wasn't quite as good at masking her dread at the situation, the fear in her eyes a dead giveaway. Mari perhaps hadn't caught it, but she absolutely heard what Elise had called them. Mortals. Which, if that was true...The exotic mage was understandably terrified. Without any hesitation she set the necklace back down and got on her knees, inclining her head to the woman standing above them both.
"Forgive me Miss Elise." Not us, or them, but me. Neritha's selfish cowardice was as apparent as it was shameless. It was the same trait that had her crack under pressure, hence Mari's role in their dynamic. "If you can find it in your heart to let things go, we can return your possession and leave, never to return. You have my word."
Mari: The immediate turnaround from her friend caught the redhead by surprise. She blinked at Neritha. "Eh? Neri what're you talking about? We still have so many other places we wanted to hit here! Commerce Capital of Ragzid! Hello? Ringing a bell?" After a couple moments she cleared her throat, suddenly remembering the important thing here.
"A-Anyway, back on track uh...Where were we Elise?"
Elise: Elise rolled her eyes. "I believe you were about to tell me you could help damage my competitors business. If that didn't work you'd have resorted to trying to turn and run. If that hadn't work you'd have appealed to me with one of ten fake sobstory backgrounds you have. And lastly if that hadn't worked you'd have attempted violence." Elise summed up. "I can't say any of those particular options are going to go very well for you though. So I'd recommend against wasting your time." The redhead said before looking at Neri. "I see no particular reason to let go of this situation. Did you not willingly, knowingly and intentionally remove merchandise from my shop without paying for it?" Elise asked point blank. Her eyes were glowing a very bright red. As they glowed... both women found the world was slowly getting larger around them. The door to leave here getting more distant and of course, Elise more towering.
Mari: Elise's face was downright chilling without that perpetual smile of hers. Both thieves found themselves unconsciously faltering under the full weight of Elise's crimson eyes. Their minds were running rampant, but to the entity in front of them they were both playing out like predictable stories. One far more predictable than the other. Between the two Mari was much more of a standard case, especially once she realized what was happening.
"No way! Come on Neri let's get out of here!" The redhead turned and ran, her body already half its size and only getting smaller as she tried to make her way across the increasingly expansive halls.
Neritha: Neritha made no such attempts. She was smart enough to realize they would be pointless. No, if they were going to get out of this they needed a different tactic. One that didn't rely on mercy or antagonizing Elise. "W-We did but..." The dark-skinned woman was her own worst enemy in times like these. Cowardice dulled the mind in a crisis and she was very much in the midst of one. "I...We...Our uh...talents could..." Shrinking just made it all worse. Neritha was naturally quite the large woman and in more ways than one, but seeing everything get bigger made her break out into a cold sweat. She looked up, Anna with her bright red eyes resembling a deity more and more. "Exchange! Yes, that's it! Exchange!" Neritha suddenly exclaimed, more out of desperation than anything. "Your store accepts payment in the form of equivalent service no? We can pay you back for this transgression. Surely a business woman such as yourself can see the profit there. Free labor plus your prized item back!" Neri lacked the easygoing charisma of her friend. There was nothing graceful about this plea, but at least it was far more genuine.
Mari: Mari, meanwhile, now less than two feet tall, had finally managed to reach the door leading out of Elise's Emporium. Only to find the door knob a full foot above her. "Damn! Come here you!" She jumped up once and felt her fingers graze the handle. The second time she was just short. The third time she wasn't even close. Mari had made her way to the exit but was now too small to use it, and too caught in her own selfish escape plans to pay any mind to whatever was being said in the distance - Now over a hundred feet away.
Elise: Elise watched Mari run. "I just told you that wasn't going to work." The redhead sighed. She watched the woman dwindling more and more and pushed it out of her mind for the moment. She'd be small enough that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. However her eyes did turn toward Neri at that, lighting up slightly. "An exchange you say?" The redhead slowly tapped her foot upon the ground as Neri continued to shrink until she reached the size of no more than two inches tall around the same time that Mari did. Her booted feet shook the ground with each idle tap and Neri knew, one step was all it would take to end her life. "That is a fair offer." Elise said at length. She looked over at Mari in the distance. "Of course, your friend seems like she will need some convincing. If she doesn't agree to that I'll simply set her behind a glass case and recoup my losses with her as merchandise. And you will take the full debt I've charted out in my head. It is... considerable shall we say." Elise said. "She'd make for a rather pretty doll for some girl I think, so I'd suggest you make a decent case." Elise said. Her normal smile crossed her face as she spoke very easily and casually about such things. There was no malice at all to it, simply a statement of factual value. She seated herself down upon the stairs and lifted up an abacus, flicking beads across it idly.
Neritha: While Mari was basically miles away now and trapped by her own short-sightedness, Neritha allowed herself a moment to breathe. She'd avoided imminent death for the moment, but Elise's great booted feet were a constant reminder that death remained close. The giant redhead was unfathomably large and yet so casual about this that it only made it all the more unsettling. Fear and adrenaline had numbed Neritha's thoughts enough that the full extent of this wasn't even beginning to weigh in yet. Whatever she was going to do, she needed to do it quickly. Oh why couldn't Mari be here? Mari could spin something so much easier.
"You seem to be a very...smart woman." Neri began. "But from what our scouting revealed, you have shockingly little staff. Even if you do not need security, the appearance of such could deter criminals. O-Or perhaps additional people for your masseuse services staff. Or for potion crafting or what have you." Neri looked back, now unable to see Mari she was so far away and sighed. "My companion is good at striking up conversation and good with her hands, but not much else I'm afraid. She'd best be left providing services however you see fit. I however..."
It was nothing personal Mari, but by making you look bad Neritha could sell herself as the superior alternative. "I have experience selling wares. Magical knowledge useful in both identifying and crafting items. The intelligence and patience to learn new skills required for anything you might want. And uh...best of all - You wouldn't even need to pay us. As it would simply all go back to paying our debts anyway. Barring the need to survive, we can work however long it takes. It's just a matter of how long and what work, but for that...I suspect we can come to an agreement."
Elise: Elise looked down at the woman, spreading her legs slightly so that her boots were on either side of her as she added up the totals on her abacus. "Smart for a thief it seems. I can tell why you are the brains of your little duo." Elise remarked, her knowledge of the two rather intimate it seemed. She looked over at Mari in the distance and snapped her fingers. In a burst of light she was joining Neri at her side. "You are correct, Neri- ah, do you mind if I call you Neri or is that only for your friends?" Elise asked before continuing. "I am understaffed, hard to find decent workers that won't cut too deeply into profits. So having some extra hands would be useful. But lets see. I'm assuming you'd want the debt between you split evenly for the necklace. That necklace is worth 200,000 Gold Pieces. So 100,000 Gold to each of you. Plus, there is the matter of my time that you are currently wasting with this. We'll mark that up as another 1,000 apiece since I still need to do the final safe counts and a number of other tasks. Plus another 5,000 as that is the legal fine for theft. Tack on another 10,000 for lost product placement as I'll have to ensure the merchandise is cleaned and such and it can't be put back on the shelf until then. So we are looking at... 116,000 between the two of you. At the going rate of 3 Gold per hour as that is the national minimum wage it will take you... 38,666 years to pay off the debt in full. Of course, I'll deduct two gold pieces due to living expenses and rent so a full 116,000 years to clear you debt with me." Elise turned the abacus around to show the calculations for both to look at.
Neritha: "116,000 years?" Neri balked, the number something she was unable to even conceive it was so massive. She had no doubts that Elise could make it happen. Nothing today seemed out of the realm of possibility. Considering the massive booted feet surrounding her and Mari, the dark-skinned woman sighed. She was in no position to bargain here whatsoever and she knew it. They lived and died on Elise's whims; and so...
"Deal."
Mari: Mari, meanwhile, was not quite so quick to surrender. "Whoa whoa whoa! A hundred thousand years? Are you fucking kidding me?! No. I don't care if you know some magic to make it possible or not lady, that's way too long for one single crummy necklace. Plus charging rent like that? C'mon, isn't there a way to lower the cost or something?" The full gravity of the situation didn't seem to yet register for the smaller redhead. She was focused on Elise's nearby boot, then up at the abacus. The thief had zero intention on spending such an absurd amount of time slaving away for Elise like this, but she could at least see Neri had saved their lives.
"Surely there's gotta be a way to lower the rent. I mean, we'll basically be working for you for free."
Elise: Elise looked at Neri and held her hand over her. Before the smaller woman appeared a scroll and ink with a quill. On the scroll was a flawlessly written out contract basically stating that she was agreeing to work as a wageslave for Elise for a full 116,000 years. That time could be extended or subtracted from based on if she gained more debt or bought more of it off. She was also giving her a room and would be supplying her meals at the cost of two gold off of her pay. Elise then turned her eyes over to Mari and nodded slowly. "There is indeed a way, it would basically completely eliminate you rent and living expense costs and allow you to gain the full 3 Gold per hour, but uh... are you sure you want to do that?" She asked. "I mean, makes no different to me, I get the money, but I just want to be sure you are okay with that." Elise stated.
Neritha: Desperate as she was, Neritha still gave the contract a quick once over. By all accounts it was a shockingly normal job agreement. The pay wasn't stellar but it allowed for rent, food, time off. It was just...a job. For 116,000 years. Neritha reached for the quill and for the first time showed some hesitation. Her eyes were on Elise and Mari both. Watching the scene play out most curiously.
Mari: "Of course." Mari nodded without any hesitation. "If I can make more money and get out of this sooner then why the heck wouldn't I? Let's do this Elise." Much like her friend, Mari just wanted this to be over. What separated them was that degree of caution.
Elise: Elise sighed and a contract appeared before Mari. "Now you may want to read that carefully before signing..."
Mari: Mari of course hastily signed without bothering to read it.
Neritha: After seeing that, and the subtle warnings Elise was giving Mari, Neri felt a bit more confident about her choice. The woman took the quill and wrote her name down in a fine script. "It's done."
Now, out of a sense of curiosity and while the ink dried, she looked over at Mari's contract. A very, very different one. Even a casual glance revealed some troubling information. "...Mari you fool." Was all Neritha could say.
Mari: The redhead looked between the two and blinked. "...What?"
Elise: Elise sighed. "Well that is that I suppose." Elise snapped her fingers and both contracts vanished, filed away somewhere by Elise. "Welcome aboard Elise's Emporium." She said with a very broad smile, the same one Mari had seen just hours before when she had been a paying customer. "Not to worry, I have a full training program to make sure you both provide excellent customer service with a smile." The redhead said at length. She looked at Neri and the brown haired woman glowed for a moment before she was restored to her normal size. Mari however was left between the two towering giants. "Your training will be a little more indepth since you are big enough to handle actual being a shop representative." Elise said before looking at Mari below. "Fortunately we just have an opening with the masseuses that became available today, so you'll be placed there. Its fairly easy work and you are big enough that it will be very easy. Ah, I might also have you handle the shoe section of the shop some days as well, I've needed a good saleswoman and you have the personality for it I'd say." Elise said at length. It was very apparent after a few minutes, Mari wasn't being restored to her normal size.
Mari: Mari had the biggest smile as she saw her friend get returned to normal, Neri soon looming every bit as much of a goliath as Elise herself. It was most impressive, but Mari closed her eyes and eagerly awaited the moment she would be grown as well - A moment that never came. Mari waited and waited as Elise's booming voice explained the next steps, but when her eyes opened again she was still but a mere insect on the floor.
"Hey! What the heck! Stop messing around and return me to normal! What do you think you're doing?!" Mari was about to go on, but she was silenced by none other than the stomp of her own friend.
Neritha: "What's going on, Mari, is you've signed your rights away." Neritha boomed. She was a large woman even at the same size, but now she was positively gargantuan. Her dark skin was on full display with great curves that made her resemble a living, bountiful mountain than a person. Flawlessly rounded toes flexed within her sandal as Neri took a step forward, the ground quaking enough to force Mari onto her back. "I only skimmed, but your contract stated that to mitigate the costs of your stay your size has been revoked until your employment has ended. Barring any adjustments your bosses may wish to make. Which would of course mean Miss Elise and...Well...Me I suppose." She allowed herself a bit of a smile on that note. "I must admit, I'm feeling much better about my choice now that I see where you ended up. Thank you Elise." Her face was totally lost beyond her ample chest, Neri's voice seemingly coming from nowhere like a deity's.
"She always did have a problem with leaping without thinking." The dark-skinned woman remarked with a sigh. She lifted one of her feet up by its heel and shifted the dirty sole over Mari herself, lowering it ever so slowly so as to give the woman time to escape. Which she very narrowly did and the shockwave knocked her right into Elise's boot tip.
"The contracts are also final and non-negotiable. If you break it you break your employment and then...Well I believe our new boss said you'd make a good doll." Neri said at length with a shrug. A part of her felt bad, but ultimately it wasn't her problem.
Elise: Elise was actually about a head shorter than Neri at her full height but didn't seem to mind. She watched the smaller woman collide with her boot. "Ah, on that note I should show you where you'll both be staying. Its late so training can start tomorrow. I believe in hands on training." Elise said. The foot behind Mari shifted, massive toes flexing inside the boot as Elise bent over and started undoing her laces. She tugged her bare foot free from it and then reached down to pluck Mari up. "As stated in your contract you will be given a boot." Elise said simply as Mari tumbled down into the darkness of the boot. The redhead shook it slightly to get the thief to roll to the toe section before slowly slipping her foot back in. Pale flawless toes came for her tiny form, bowling her over as Elise forced Mari to lay under the row of her toes. The redhead then tightened and laced her boot back up. It was cramped, Mari unable to move at all, simply pinned under Elise's foot with any screams unable to be heard. Elise looked up at Neri and gestured up the stairs. "Funnily enough you are my only normal sized employee. Everyone takes the small route for some reason despite my efforts." Elise remarked as she walked, her toes mashing down upon Mari but not killing her. She felt every step Elise took, guiding her friend up the stairs. She opened the door to a very decently sized room. It had a nice Queen mattress, a closet, a window, a desk and all in all looked a step up from an inn room. "This'll be your room, Neri, also you can drop the Miss Elise, makes me sound old. Just Elise, or Eli if you prefer." She said with her broad smile.
Mari: Once Neri had effectively dumbed it down for her, Mari's visage went pale and she began to back away from the two titans. "T-That's not fair! You didn't mention anything about keeping me small! And living in a...Wait, boot?!" The tiny figure turned to run. It was just at two inches tall she was getting nowhere fast and Eli's fingers quite easily caught her. The gigantic redhead remained as casual and upfront as ever, lazily dropping Mari into the hot, humid realm of her boot. The damp insole made her retch and she managed to look up just in time to see Elise pull it away, Mari unable to even see her tormentor as she shook the boot. This sent Mari flying up into the finely woven leather and back down into the insole, rolling along until she was inside the little divot imprint of a toe. Only then did Elise seem to put it back on, and no amount of screams of panic would save Mari from her face.
Soft, yet powerful pale skin completely crushed the woman with what felt like enough pressure to kill, but it did not. All Mari could do was scream and decry how unfair it all was, earning little more than further steps and a mouthful of foot.
Neritha: Neri, meanwhile, despite watching her partner get so effectively dominated and degraded, had a content smile. "I won't lie, a part of me has wanted to do something like that for a while." She joked and proceeded to follow after Elise, quite happy she was the one walking and not in the boot. "Most people are shortsighted I find. They go for what seems like the easiest way but it very rarely is. That's as true in life as it is in thievery. You don't need to worry though. I'm also smart enough to know not to try and break my word." Things only got better when she was shown to her room.
"Thank you Eli. Likewise you can just call me Neri. And, if I may say, don't be afraid to call on my services to attend to other employees like you're attending Mari right now. As much as I might not like being put to work, while I'm here I may as well do my best no?" Dots were already beginning to connect in the dark-skinned woman's mind. Immortality. Free lodging. Meals. A nice room. Days off. And an entire staff the size of insects. Perhaps this wasn't so bad after all.