The Dreams of a Girl Named Alice

Takes place on a Friday during week 7 of beacon.

The slums of Vale are rather distasteful to most. Garbage littering the ground everywhere, muck and grime dirtying the streets, and a foul stench in the air constantly. It was a gruesome place to live but many were forced to call it home. Mostly faunus men and women and even children, homeless and unemployed, cast away from society. They all wore ragged worn out clothing and were covered with dirt and filth. Every single one of them was in a sad state but they held on if only because they were too afraid to die.

Then a lone figure appears in the middle of alleyway home carrying bags of food, mostly leftovers but much of it is personal cooking.

"Hello everyone," Cheshire greets the many homeless faunus around him. "I brought some food again. Sorry it's not much."

"Oh you're a saint my boy," one of the bums smiles at the cat eared faunus as Cheshire starts distributing the foods. As he did so, Cheshire couldn't help but look around with a quizzical look on his face.

"Say... where's Alice?"
~~~

Meanwhile, there a little girl white long blonde hair wearing a strange white bunny hat sitting alone in an alley between a cafe and a hardware store. Many people pass her by on the streets but don't even give her a second glance.

Alice sits on the cold ground, hugging her legs to her chest, her face nestled against her knees. Her stomach rumbles loudly.

"I've got to find work soon...." she murmurs to herself.

Kai walked along the sidewalk, humming a little tune quietly to herself. In her right hand, she held a little box from a bakery down the street. It swung limply by her side as she walked, simply walking, as she often did. She found herself in the 'slums' as the people of Vale called it, the place where most of the poor and unemployed lived...well, 'lived'. Kai felt horribly sorry for these people, but she could only do so much, and she had her mission to deal with as well.

As she walked, she saw a young girl with a funny little hat sitting by herself. The sight struck a heartstring in Kai, and she couldn't help but approach her. She crouched down, lowering herself to eye level with the girl, "Hey," She said, "What are you doing out here all alone?"

Walking along the shadier streets of Vale, Argent walked faster than normal, glancing behind or beside him every once in a while.  He had just come from a bar, learning of a brawl happening that night, and was checking the area. Seemed packed enough for the bets to be worth anything, he thought to himself as a swift wind blew the horrid air into his face, his coat sleeve coming up to cover his nose as he quickens his pace.

Wish it were in a better part of town though.

Passing by a cafe, he remembers that his mom had asked for help in the kitchen that morning. About to hurry once more, he stops mid-step, hands gowing down to Hima as he hears a loud growling beside him. Turnning, he finds rabbit faunus girl sat on the ground, a wolf faunus talking to her. Absentmindedly, he simply stands there, watching the show before him.

Alice looks up, a slightly displeased look on her face at first before she saw the ears on the girl's head. Her expression softens and she loosens up a bit. "I'm just.... resting that's all," she says to the wolf faunus. "I just need to find some work that's all...." Her stomach grumbles again. Her cheeks turned pink and she tries to hide her face behind her knees.

Work? We could use that. Working kitchen duty meant that they were one waiter short. They already had one faunus waitress, another couldn't hurt, though she might need some cleaning up before she got in any of their uniforms. I hope one fits though, he thinks to himself, trying to remember what sizes his mother made their spares.

Walking up to them, Agni crunching on the brittle ground, he speaks up. "Need some work? We could use an extra hand."

Hmm, I wonder where her family is, or if she has one. Kai wondered. A tiny frown appeared on her face as she heard the girl's stomach growl. She remembered the box in her hand and balanced it on her knees. She opened it, revealing a small loaf of pound cake, "Here," She said, "It isn't much, but you look hungry." Poor girl. As the boy talked, Kai placed the box down and stood, facing him, "Oh please, a girl that age shouldn't have to work for her meals!"

Alice stares at the piece of pound cake hesitantly for a while before taking it. "Thank you," she murmurs with a blush. She quickly scarfs down the piece in two bites. As the boy spoke to her she stares up at him with a displeased look.

"I don't work for shady places," she deadpanned. "Go find some one else to work at your peep show or whatever."

"Hey, words hurt kiddo. Our cafe is a fine, two and a half star, establishment. He said, obviously fake pain in his voice, his hand pressing to his chest dramatically."As for you," he said, turning to Kai. "it's fine. A little work for decent pay and a nice warm meal, prepared by yours truly." He said, sweeping his arm across his chest to his shoulder, bowing slightly. "If I could convince her, I might even get my boss to let her stay the night or something."

What a creep! Kai thought as she crossed her arms, "Yeah, over my dead body!" She said, "You might be trying to do something good, but you're coming across very badly." She said bluntly, "And your little act isn't helping either."

"Lady, I'm just trying to help someone out." Argent said sincerely, dropping the act. "Call it a random act of kindness or something. Softly, argent claps his hands together at his chest. "Look. The place is fine, the pay is decent, the owner's my mom, and I can even sign a restraining order if you'd like." He said. "You can come with. See it for yourself, if you you attack, I'll try not to fight back. He added, looking at Kai, a faint grin on his lips.

Alice remained silent for some time when her stomach growled again, even louder then before now that she had a little bit to eat. Trying to bury her blushing face behind her knees she mumbles, "What's the job?"

"Just need someone to wait tables while we're a little short on hands." He said, thinking of their roster back home. Mom's busy with paper work, Bill's in the kitchen with me, and Lara's waiting the tables by herself. He thought, deciding they were still lacking without their other waitress."Our cafe's nowhere near good enough that a critic'd come so anyone can handle it."

Kai looked with skepticism towards the guy, but said nothing to him. She turned to the girl, looking her in the eyes, "Sweetie, you don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable about." She said, "And I'm sure I can do something about your financial situation if you'll let me help you."

"A waitress..." Alice murmurs. "I've worked as a waitress before so-"

"You also looking for a waiter by any chance?"

The voice comes from behind Argent. Cheshire stands there with his arms crossed and an emotionless poker face. One hand was holding onto a plastic bag with empty Tupperware. He looks down at Argent with an empty expression, though his eyes clearly read "I'm watching you".

"Cheshire onii-chan?" Alice looks up with a quizzical look.

At the sound of that second part, Cheshire's ears twitched and his hand clenched the left side of his chest, though he maintains his cold poker face.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind another waiter," Cheshire says looking down at Argent. Now his eyes clearly read 'I will not let you take advantage of her you shady person'.

Well that doesn't sound friendly, Argent thought as he turned around. Facing Cheshire, he immediately notices something. Why do people always think I'm the bad guy?

"One, I'm not shady. And two, I don't take advantage of people. For your job application though, I'll see what the boss says. We normally have two waiters and two in the kitchen so one more might not hurt."

Kai looked between the girl and the newcomer, "I assume you know each other?" She asked the boy, It would make sense, seeing as she knew his name. She relaxed a little bit. She was worried that the girl was all alone on the street, but she still wasn't too pleased that these two were being roped in by this guy.

"Yes," Alice answers as Cheshire shows no signs of breaking eye contact with Argent. "He comes every other day and gives us some food."

"Well that's awful kind of him." Argent said, folding his arms as Cheshire stares him down."It's not too common that someone would want to help someone and not get drilled and interogated or something." He said, emphasis on a couple words. "Look. If she doesn't want the job," he said to Kai and Cheshire, pointing a thumb at Alice "I won't force anyone. Just trying to help someone out, is all." He added as he walked past Cheshire, onto the sidewalk, his had raised in the air, waving slightly.

"I still say he looks like a shady person," Alice deadpanned.

"You have my full agreement on that," Cheshire mumbles as he digs around his bag until he pulls out a plastic container full of fried rice. Handing it to Alice with a little spoon, she thanks him before quickly scarfing it down.

Cheshire stares at her with a sad expression. It was only then that he notices the other lady for the first time. "I'm sorry, may I ask who you might be?" Cheshire asks her courteously.

Kai glared into the boy's back as he walked away before turning to the newcomer, "Umm, Cheshire, was it?" She said, "My name's Kai Brandt, I was walking along and saw this little girl sitting all alone." She said, gesturing towards the little girl eating some rice, "I had a little extra bread from the bakery down the street, so I offered it to her. Then that guy came along acting all creepy." She shrugged, "I was just trying to help out." She said before adding, "Can I buy you two some lunch?"

"I can't possibly allow a lady to treat me to lunch," Cheshire politely declined, "But I do thank you for looking after her like that."

"Don't talk about me like I'm some kid," Alice pouted. "I'll be fine as long as I can find good work somewhere."

Kai frowned, Damn, I wish there was something more I could do. She thought, "Don't think of it as me treating you to lunch then. Think of it as...uhh, a gift...a birthday gift? Whatever, please though, I insist." Kai truly felt sorry for the girl, but she was glad that someone was trying to look after her.

Cheshire opened his mouth to decline again when he saw Alice clean the container clean of the last grain of rice. Cheshire scratched the back of his head as he looked off to the side. ".... We'll go dutch then," he said. "Where would you like to go?"

Sam had been wondering around aimlessly. Wonder if there is anything to do around here. Sam looked down the street to see a girl with a bunny hat. Are those bunny ears? Sam walked up to the group and waved hello to them. Xe had been looking for something to do. Might as well meet new people.

"Hmm..." Kai thought for a moment, Didn't I pass a little diner on the way here? She remembered, "I believe there's a diner just down the street, how about we try it out?" She said. "It can't be that bad."