Tses felt an unusual warmth in her chest, a feeling that almost twisted to her lungs, making it feel difficult to breathe for a moment. She was quick to compose that feeling, thankfully, and it was gone before Willow had returned. Something about Chrys continued to catch her off guard, fulfilling a longing she had abandoned long ago. She had wished to be wanted for so long, for someone to be proud of her, treat her as worth keeping. It was a name, a profession, but Chrys acted like she had done so much.

"I learned what was useful. I...I didn't feel I was doing anything terribly unique at the time." Tses didn't blush, but there was something childlike in the way she moved her head.

Then, they were back to the task on hand: bar-tending. Tses ignored the rush of anxiety that rose once, but then it faded with determination. Tses was well trained in handling frightening situations, whether it was something like breaking into a building, or learning to pour a drink correctly. If this was the mission, she just needed to fall back on those years of relying on her instincts.

"I will do my best to learn quickly," was all she could say. She hoped Willow was patient, and also hoped her own frustrations would hold back.

The other promise, that send a shiver through her spine. Not that the idea of learning was enticing in any way, but the reassuring contact and idea that Tses could do something to please Chrys. Keep me... her mind continued to beg. Whatever it took, she wanted to keep Chrys facing her this way. She did not want to disappoint and lose what she had gained.

Self-confidence was not something easy to teach and Tses was prone to being uncertain of herself. She knew she had faith in her trained abilities, but she doubted her capacity to learn. From what Chrys had seen, that was an underrated skill. While not everyone could walk around with the self-assurance of Chrysanthemum, she did still want her pet project to believe she could do anything.

Chrys was not the only one with impressive subordinates. Jayda had struck her own gold finding Willow. Having someone with a near-photographic memory to recall the Syndicate membership was helpful, but having that same person inhabit multiple bodies with the same shared consciousness? Invaluable.

”Well, Artemis, you can consider today your first day under the employment of The Atlantis Club.” And The Syndicate, it went without saying. ”You will be shadowing Willow tonight while I meet with someone in the back offices.”

Leaving Tses alone, Chrysanthemum wanted to be certain her orders were clear. ”If Willow asks you to do something, you’ll do it, but otherwise just observe. I know people are not your favorite thing, but do your best to smile. I’ll be returning to spend some time ogling you at the bar when my meeting is done, so feel free to use that as a pick-me-up,” she suggested playfully.

Chrysanthemum placed two fingers against Tses’s cheek and traced them from her cheekbone down to her jawline. ”And please, only start a fight if Willow tells you there’s a problem we need addressed.” Satisfied with her instructions, Chrys kissed that cheek and whispered, ”Make me proud, my moonstone,” before heading to her meeting with the Boss.

There was a bit of pressure left by Chrys with the instructions to obey Willow. Tses felt this was one of the biggest hurdles to earning her place with the Syndicate. It was one thing to rest on her existing abilities, and another to rise to the challenge of gaining new skills. Plus, she was left to do all this outside her normal comfort of outfit. She needed to think of this as a mission, as serious as picking a lock, hacking a file. She spent enough time doing what she wanted, it was time to be serious.

The kiss left much to be wanted and Tses tried to keep her heart from lurching as Chrys left. Tses let her focus go to her trainer, and she was led back to be familiarized with the supplies.

The basics all felt like a lot to absorb. There were spirits and mixers, garnishes and flavors. The expectations on how much to pour, how to measure a pour, counting bubbles, counting shots. But Tses stayed focused. Willow had to correct her a few times when she reached for the wrong item ("Whisky, not rum", "that still needs more cola"), but after letting her try a few simple tasks herself, Willow seemed content with the progress.

As things got busier, there was more for Willow the handle, and Tses had to stay back further to keep out of the way. It was a bit inspiring to see how quickly she could accomplish things, all while having a smile on her face. Tses never used to like the idea of customer service. That fake, outward happiness just to make someone else feel good. Now, she was seeing a different side to it, a use for charm. Violence could give you one result, but a smile...you had power in that ability as well.

"Hey, why don't you stop standing around and pour a f***ing drink! Or are you too dumb to take orders?"

Willow hesitated with her current pour, and Tses felt a knife of anger sink into her throat. Do your best to smile. Tses could not smile to that insult. She would much rather punch him in his stupid nose and make him regret crossing her. Breathe. She needed to be able to handle this. How would Chrys handle such a situation?

"Are you too stupid to talk too? Get me a drink!"

A nearby patron tried to talk him down, but the man was belligerent. He took a swing at the other customer, and that was enough. Willow was about to step in, but Tses moved forward first.

She had an icy calm demeanor as she caught the man's eyes. Her irises were green, glowing on their own accord. He seemed to stop what he was doing, blinking, watching the light.

"That is enough," Tses said it in a calm but firm voice. How would Chrys act.... Her girlfriend was beautiful, but powerful. She expected obedience, she did not ask for it. Tses stood straight, and stared him down, never breaking eye contact. "You are ruining this experience for the other guests. You should leave now."

The man blinked, and stood, then walked toward the door and exited. There was no argument, no fighting. Just an odd calm. Tses was more than surprised, but she forced herself to turn, and moved to stand next to Willow again. The other woman had an odd expression on her face, as if trying to make sense of what she had seen. Tses thought it was just surprise from her not punching the man's lights out, not that this was the tip of a different iceberg her powers were reaching for.

Chrysanthemum was not just some heiress who took over her father’s company after his “untimely” demise, despite the claims of her detractors. Chrys inherited her father’s business sense, got a business degree on her own merit, and learned on the job. If it had been his choice, she would never had been his successor; he never trusted her. Thankfully, his retirement came earlier than he expected, and Chrys had positioned herself as the best person to fill his shoes.

The original deal she made with The Syndicate was made with Poseidon, but Jayda saw value in Chrys’s business sense and the vast resources she brought to the organization. They spent most of their meeting arranging distribution. There were things, like M, that they needed either moved between hub locations or out to the greater public. Expansion was thrown around as another topic, but they needed to focus on the bases of operations they were currently managing first. They only had so many Willows, sadly.

The business talk dragged on, but Chrys was engaged until things wound down and the conversation became more informal. “I was told you brought that companion of yours. Business or pleasure?”

”Oh Jayda, you know how I like to blur that line,” she joked over the rim of her wine glass.

“I trust your business decisions, but should I be concerned with your decision-making when it comes to bringing your playthings into the workspace?” It was not spoken sternly, but Chrys knew it was a legitimate question.

And she would answer accordingly. ”I want to avoid jail as much as you, Boss. She understands the operation and she’ll work her cute little ass off to do whatever needs doing.”

Jayda smiled with the confidence that came with being untouchable. They both knew s**t would have to completely hit the fan for the trouble to reach her. “Well, if that’s the case, everyone else should watch out for Syndicate’s new power couple.”

The faintest hint of pink rose on Chrys’s complexion. ”Oh, we’re not…” Chrysanthemum was unaccustomed to talking about relationships in such standard terms. She had boyfriends and girlfriends for public consumption, but they were nothing genuine. It felt odd saying her and Tses were a couple. ”She’s special, and I’m possessive.”

Her mind did drift to how her special pet project was handling her first night learning about her new cover job. She was confident Tses was capable, but she was not predisposed to such a crowded atmosphere. Chrys would find a way to reward her when they got back to the apartment. Until then, when she wrapped up her meeting with Jayda, the counselor returned to the club.

The bar Tses was stationed at was the closest to the back exit, so Chrys watched nearby as tensions seemed to rise at the bar. She could not hear from where she was, but was that oaf giving Tses trouble? The cool, collected woman glared, her blood starting to simmer. She stepped closer, ready to bring this trouble, (or maybe this man) to an end.

Except… as she got closer, the man stood and walked away when Tses commanded him to leave. Despite her… to put it generally, lack of social acumen, Tses managed to handle the matter without raising a fist. Eyes wide with surprised, Chrys found her way to the edge of the bartop and leaned across it. ”My my, someone has found her authoritative big girl voice, it seems,” she called out, looking to get Tses’s attention amidst the rest of the less important patrons. ”And here I was expecting we might have to clean that man off the walls when you were done with him. Well done, pet!”

Tses has been focused on dealing with the threat, and when it was gone, she was finally able to notice Chrys. She quickly moved to meet her, and no one seemed to dare comment on it. ”It was implied I shouldn’t be the crap out of him,” Tses admitted, and felt a small blush cross her cheeks. She loved being praised. She clung to it and drank it up like an alchoholic beverage.

”Actually....never mind.” She wanted to talk more, but felt this may not be the time for it. She wanted to say something felt...off, about the encounter. Tses generally not someone people listened to without argument. She usually had to prove she had brawn to back up her mouth. Then there was the feeling: it was similar to the small sap of energy she felt when she walked through walls. Was it mutation related? Or just a fluke.

”Can I get you anything?” she offered. Maybe she should have said that first. Had she flubbed? She wondered if she should knew what Chrys wanted already, but even if she knew, she was still learning what went in most drinks. She heard some of these orders and her brain struggled to keep up. Were they actual drinks or just a collection of celebrity names and suggestive phrases?

As much confidence as Chrys could have in Tses, there was still certainly risk to putting her around people in a service role. It could be a good experience; not necessarily a sink or swim learning environment, but a safe immersion with close guidance. If Tses could handle this, she would prove it here.

So far, she succeeded. In fact, Chrys expected a minor confrontation, so Tses was doing better than anticipated. She would fulfill the role of a bouncer soon enough in addition to her job as a bartender, but there was no rush to get those lovely knuckles scuffed or bloodied. ”Color me impressed. I know you’re good at following instructions, but it isn’t easy to resist the urge to punch a douchebag.”

While it was fun being a distraction, Tses did have a job to do, and she offered to do it for Chrys. ”A gin martini, love.” That should be a simple enough order for day one. She wanted to encourage Tses to succeed, and little wins beget greater wins.

”So, were you surprised? Finding out the kinds of enterprises your mistress has her hands in so deeply?” Chrysanthemum recalled their youth with a cheshire grin. ”A step up from raiding a convenience store in a domino mask, I suppose? Meanwhile, I always knew my favorite pet was a bit of a delinquent.” That was clear in their early time together, which revolved around stealing more often than most friendships.

Chrys ordered a drink, and Tses was relieved it was one should could manage. Having to pause and ask for help would have put a damper on things, especially when Tses tried so hard to keep Chrys happy. While she worked, Chrys spoke, and Tses considered what was being said.

"Surprised? I mean, you owned the store I tried to steal from. I guess I knew you were involved pretty deep in something, but the actual organization is maybe what I might not have expected? I mean, I would have thought you would steal better if that were the case," Tses risked teasing Chrys, given that the domino mask had come up, and heck, that situation had been a bit comical. Chrys was not all cool and collected when they had first met. Heck, those days they were both a bit of a hot mess.

Tses handed her the drink, a lingering smile on her mouth. "I guess the flip side is you knew I was a delinquent, but not that I could listen to orders so well. I just needed someone I wanted to listen to."

Watching Tses make a drink, focusing less on the drink and more on the beautiful woman making it. If Tses or anyone at the bar saw the way Chrysanthemum watched her, they would clearly see her undressing the bartender with her eyes. It was easy to do when she was the one who dressed her in the first place.

Sharing things with Tses was becoming a habit, but sharing the truth of her operations was a big step of trust. "First of all, my father, hell have his f*cked up soul, was the one who owned the store. I was still just a broken brat running around back then," she reminded Tses. She had not gone deep into what made her such a shattered psyche, but Tses had been given glimpses of the trauma Chrys had to work from. "Rest assured, my skills in empire-building and mischief-making have improved as I got my head more squarely on my shoulders." Yep; she was definitely the picture of mental health these days.

Chrysanthemum sipped the drink and hummed, pleased with Tses's work. They really had learned a lot over the last few years and now they were sharing those lessons with one another. "You really are quite the diligent little pet, aren't you? If I want to keep the loyalty of a marvel like you, I have to be the kind of Mistress you deserve." She set her glass on the bar and leaned in to murmer low, "After you wrap up tonight, whatever you'd like, I will make it happen. I just want to treat my princess tonight." Of course, Chrysanthemum had her appetites and Tses would fulfill them if she was up for it, but Chrys knew that was not Tses's priority. After a successful night like this, a good pet deserved the reward she wanted.

And maybe Chrys just wanted to make Tses smile.

Tses was pleased Chrys was telling her things. The more trust was exchanged, the less anxiety she felt. Sometimes, she still worried Chrys would stop finding her useful and move on. Tses worked hard to learn the drinks tonight to maintain that interest. She was clinging to a sensation of being wanted, and the more she felt that, the harder she tried to keep it.

Feeling Chrys admire her was intoxicating. She resisted affection so much in the past, but now it had become something she found herself craving. It didn't matter if any of the other patrons looked her way, only one set of eyes were wanted. "I am impressed with everything I've seen here tonight. As much as I enjoyed spending time with you before, I am more than happy to follow someone as capable now." Tses wasn't used to shelling out compliments, but she meant them. It was an effort for her to put thoughts into words, while Chrys had the advantage there. She watched the drink be tasted, and was glad it met approval.

Tses felt a shiver down her spine as Chrys leaned close. It was hard not to be distracted by the promise that followed. Tses felt a bit of excitement show, and already knew what she wanted. "Let me be useful to you. I'm sure we can find a few things to do that meet that." Tses decided. Then she returned to work, knowing they would have a full night ahead of them.