Risa

Taking the lead, Gale walked through the boisterous room like it was normal, leading Alice towards the fireplace.

Gale sat down and told Alice: "Sit down and do it just like you did outside. Just try listening in and memorize what seems important, we can talk about them later in detail.

Since it's your first time, it's okay if you don't find anything of importance. There is someone we can talk with in a few minutes, but until then you should still try your best."

"Ok."

Alice sat down in front of the fireplace with crossed legs and started shut off her senses one by one. First her sight, then the sense of smell and taste, and lastly her sense of touch.

At first, all that she could make out was a jumbled mess. Then she heard an especially loud voice and concentrated on it.

"What, Barchinelliy has gone bankrupt? Shit, they always paid well."

This wasn't it.

"You sure it wasn't just a slightly larger Wyvern? Hahaha, a Dragon, what bullshit!"

"Those asshole nobles! What 'traditional faction'? How is it better for our country? If we go to war it's not them but us who have to fight!"

At that moment, Alice heard something that seemed to be of more interest.

"Those homeless shits are really getting ahead of themselves! The guards should just drive all those fuckers out of the city already!"

"Hmm? What happened?"

"Last month they broke my roof and table, this time one of those fuckers stole my purse! I'm still eating on the floor!"

"You probably just lost it somewhere, wouldn't be the first time. And I think that it's pretty good the way it is right now. No matter what you do, some of the cockroaches will always survive. Right now they are all busy fighting each other, so they won't bother us as much. But if half get driven out, the remaining ones will go wild, and then we will have the same situation as back then.

Guards chasing them all over the city and no week will pass by without running into the corpse of some unlucky kid."

"Yeah, yeah, I know! But it was definitely one of those fuckers who stole my money!"

Hearing that, Alice took a quick look at the man who said that. The man had really been unlucky, at first Alice had broken his roof, and now she realized that it had also been her who stole his money two days ago.

It was hard not to remember that man, even if there were many mutants in Harborton, not many had scales growing all over their arms and face. In her mind, Alice apologized silently to this man, if the situation ever arose, she would try to avoid making this man her target.

After trying to listen in on some other people, Alice still couldn't find anything that seemed of importance. She still didn't have much experience, so she couldn't really tell what could have an influence on the situation and how.

A few moments later, Gale tapped her on the shoulder and said: "Let's go, she should have a moment for us right now.", after which he turned around and crossed the room.

Alice hurriedly followed him. The music had ended a few moments ago and the beautiful lady who played it was just coming down from the stage. To Alice surprise, it was exactly her who Gale seemed to walk towards.

...

"Oh, Gale it's you. I thought already that one of you would come to me soon, and it seems like you brought someone new with you? Is that perhaps the infamous red demon?"

"I... My name is Alice! I think your music was really wonderful!", although she couldn't really tell why, but Alice couldn't help but be nervous in front of this beautiful and talented musician.

"Thanks, which of my songs did you like the most, Alice?", the woman smiled a dazzling smile.

"Wait wait wait, you said Alice is the red demon? Isn't that person supposed to be some highly dangerous criminal?", Gale asked, flabbergasted.

"Hahaha, those are just exaggerations. But it's true that it escalated a little too much. So, which one was your favorite song?", the woman asked Alice again

Alice didn't have to think much to answer that question: "The third last I think it was."

"You mean the one I was playing when you came in? Why that one?"

"Yes, that's the one I mean! I don't really know how to say it, all of them were beautiful, but that one was also very fun, but somehow, sad, maybe and a little... lonely? Also, it felt somehow special, different from the other songs.", Alice stammered, trying to put her thoughts into words.

"Not bad! Not bad at all! You may have quite a bit of talent for music! You know, that might be interesting, so I wouldn't mind to teach you a little bit if you want, how about it?"

"Wha... Ah... Eh... I-I don't...", this was all going way to fast for Alice, and she was completely overwhelmed. She had never expected to be told to have a talent for music and she expected even less that the woman whose name she didn't even know yet would want to teach her, so she suddenly started to panic, not able to bring out a straight sentence.

"Tsk, arent you lucky! Of course, you take that offer!", Gale said.

"But I have to help with the terri..."

Gale cut her off: "Hey, this might be your chance to get off of the streets! I will get angry if you don't take this chance. And even if you can't help us as much anymore, we managed without you for a long time, so it won't be a problem at all!"

Alice always thought that she had to do her very best to not disappoint the others and to get properly accepted in the group. When she had joined the group, Alex had said that they were like a family, but now she thought that, maybe, she had underestimated the meaning behind the word.

"In that case, please, teach me! I will do my best!"

"Oh, isn't there someone motivated now?! 'You know what I realized just now? I haven't even told you my name yet! My name is Ristaria, but everyone just calls me Risa."