Observation of the Current State of Affairs [M][I]

(Flagged M for language)

Zhuyin walked to the very top of the bathhouse, the long and winding staircases doing nothing to calm him down.

He held his head high and maintained and air of composure, but his steps were heavy and smoke trailed out of his nostrils.  

The man could not believe how Akan deliberately challenged him like that, staring him down after he had warned a worker to get back into shape.  Who did that little pathetic prick think he was?  

He would talk to China about this.  Akan answered to the damned woman.

He approached her office door and straightened his clothes, making sure he was presentable.  He wasn't aware that he was smoking.  It was something he could't help.  

Zhuyin then knocked on her door, three brisk and loud distinct knocks.

Behind a grand cherry wood desk, accented with jade and gold trim, and previously owned by Manager Calabash, the current Manager sits, reviewing mountains of paperwork. Her black eyes are cold, filled with toxic ink that courses through her veins beneath parchment skin, concentrated as they review every last word scrawled out on the documents before her. Once reviewed the Manager flicks her left index finger and with the agility of the wind she signs her signature, granting the newest importation of herbal formula's into the Bathhouse. Of all the Managers her handwriting is the cleanest, regal, like the rest of her. She is the first in her position to refuse any piece of important paperwork to be handled by someone of a lower status. The written language is the most powerful.

China doesn't even blink when the sound of brisk knocking rings through her grand office, a space large enough that the knocking echoes off the walls. She had sensed the angered presence of her Administrative Manager the moment his big toe touched the first stair to her office. His anger radiates off his body, an emotion she has felt off him more than once so she isn't phased. Whatever it is it had better be important for him to be interrupting her busy schedule. Her seclusion is important to her.

"Enter Zhuyin." She says calmly, not taking her eyes away from her work, her door opening with the aid of her bountiful magic.

As the large doors opened Zhuyin stepped inside and bowed down deeply before her. To the blind eye he seemed to respect her very much. But China could sense aura's, and Zhuyin's was ugly as could be in her presence.

"Head Manager Rune" He stated her name, standing up right. The smoke was still trailing from his mouth and nose. "We need to discuss an important matter of business." On the last word he clenched his teeth, as if trying to hold back some inner disdain.

"No smoking in my room Manager Zhong, you know this," China states very calmly, her eyes never faltering away from her written work. Her voice is very smooth and connected, like the grace of a calligraphy brush sailing over fine parchment.

The Manager signs her name on one last document before looking up at him steadily, her eyes expressionless, her face unamused. She folds her elegant fingers over her desk, everything about her is well-kept and even. She does take the Administrative Manager seriously, it is her profession, but her ability to read auras tears away much of what is hidden behind his flesh and bone.

"What is the matter in question?" she asks him, her eyes and ears scanning every little thing he does or says. Being around her is like being under a microscope.

Zhuyin's eyes widened at the realization of what she was saying, and he quickly covered his mouth and nose with the palm of his hand, trying to stop it.  He really couldn't control it at all.  The Administrative Manager did feel like he was under a microscope around her, and he hated it.  That bitch.  

He dropped his hand to his side so he could speak again.

"It's about your Security Guard, Akan.  He feels he can openly challenge my authority in front of the other workers here.  He is the head of security, he works for you and me.  He should be backing up our authority and commands, not defying it.  His job is to defend our positions as we manage the workers, not the other way around.  I don't know what he's trying to do, but this establishment will crumble if our own security staff does not support us."  He says all this as calm as he can, but the smoke keeps puffing out of his body uncontrollably.  It wasn't a terribly heavy smoke, but it was visible.

The Manager's expression stays calm and collected as he shares with her his complaint. It is of Akan and the matter was trivial to say the least. Akan would be a fool to step out of line around Zhuyin, perhaps foolish enough to challenge his authority from time to time, but never anything that would put him in a position where he could lose his job. She taught him better than that.

"I agree completely," She states honestly after he finishes his rantings, the smoke adding a comical touch to the situation though China does not hint her amusement, "What is it specifically he did to defy you so unjustly?"

The auro around Zhuyin's person would have shifted upon hearing that China agree'd with him. It became softer and less inflamed. The smoke started to subside.

"I was in the kitchen. I was reprimanding a worker for doing a poor job when Akan approached me and stared me down. I told him that he ought to be somewhere else, but he continued to stare me down. It was a deliberate 'warning' of some sort on his part, as if he was defending the worker involved. It isn't tolerable in the least bit." He said, surprisingly telling the truth. Sometimes he would elaborate stories to make them appear more on his benefit, but in this instant China seemed to be on the same page as he did.

She was still a bitch though.

China nods her head as her employee speaks to show she is engaged in the conversation, one of the first rules of her trade. To her though listening to the man's complaints could be related to listening to a child whine after they had bickered with a sibling; pointless, selfish little conflicts he felt the need to share with her. It was honestly a waste of her time, time and money, money and patience. Once he has finished speaking she lets out a small breath through her nose, as to show her disappointment in Akan.

"You will have to clarify with me, he was challenging your authority by looking at you? I know Akan can be... Eerie at times Manager Zhong, but I can assure you that my head of security would not be one to challenge a superior in such a childish manner. Nevertheless, if you felt threatened by his presence I can have a word with him to avert his eyes," she speaks calmly, both defending her head of security and offering a trivial solution to his trivial problem.

"I can't comprehend why he would feel the need to act in such a manner Manager Zhong... Would you have any ideas as to why he would act defensive?" China questions, her expressionless eyes searching his answer to see how logical his response would be.

"He wasn't just looking at me he was sending me a warning." Zhuyin snapped, not liking her tone. He typically didn't let his tongue be sharp like that, but he was getting annoyed.

What did she mean by asking him why Akan would be defensive!? As if there could be a proper reason for someone to disrespect his superior like that! If Zhuyin ever challenged China in the same way, no matter what the reason, he knew she wouldn't dismiss it or let it pass.

He knew better than anyone how corrupted the bathhouse was. He was able to crawl to the top, but he knew that for whatever reason, China always had Akan's back. They were probably lovers or something disgusting like that.

The smoke started to seep out of his nose and mouth again, but he tried to re-calm down. He had never snapped at her like that before.

Such a sharp response to her questions like that made his superior's brow arch, the other furrowing. His defensiveness was revealing more about the situation to China than the man could possibly realize. A small child realize his fault pushing forward only what he knew he could defend himself with rather than replying to the true subject in question.

Zhong's attitude was beginning to annoy his superior, but she was not about to let it get the best of her. The only thing that truly revealed her a small portion of her emotions was her furrowed brow.

"I wasn't asking you to point fingers Manager Zhong. I expect you to be able to handle situations yourself in a calm, dignified fashion. You waste my time when you come here telling me a coworker gave you a funny look. If you cannot handle these situations on your own without coming to me with such complaints your entire career comes into question," her tone is sharp and serious, but her anger is far from surfacing, her ability to stay calm is intimidating unto itself.

"I will have a word with the head of security myself, but as a grown man I expect you to be able to handle a situation like this yourself. Is that understood?" She questions, wanting him to know his place.

Was this bitch even listening to him?!

"Head Manager Rune, you're not understanding what I'm saying." He said, trying to remain calm but the annoyance and anger was flickering in his eyes, and mostly likely causing his aura to be very chaotic.

"I tried to assert myself and he continues to challenge me. It's not just a funny look." He explained again. Oh how he'd love to defy her authority the same way Akan defied his. See how much she would like it.

"Manager Zhong," She speaks, her tone still calm and steady though she looks a bit more annoyed than when he first stepped into her office, "I gave you a clear response to your conflict and stated I would have a word with my head of security. While I agree it is inappropriate for him to 'challenge' you in such a fashion you continue to berate me when you could have handled this situation entirely on your own."

She doesn't move a muscle other than to speak.

"If there are any more issues with the head of security I expect you to work it out in a civil and dignified fashion. If not then you will both report to me. Am I clear?" She questions, though her tone suggest he had better comply with her.

This was what happened when you let a women be in charge.  She was completely stupid.  She wasn't even listening to what he was saying. It was like talking to a brick wall.  A very dense brick wall.  Or maybe she was listening and she was just too idiotic to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth.

And yet she belittles him by asking if he understand her.  Of course he doesn't understand her.  Women weren't meant to be understood, stupid fucking bitches.  

How the fuck did she get in charge?  Just how the fuck?  

"Yes Ma'am."  He said, a long trail of smoke slithering out of his mouth with the word.  He moved not a muscle on his face but the slight twitch of his mouth as he stared at her one final time, his eyes narrowing in on her in detest.

His aura reeked of loathing and seething distaste for her, she could feel it all around the room. Internally she sighs at the thought of having to open windows to air it all out.

But she is not pleased at his attitude, written in his eyes, oozing out of his mouth in the form of smoke; he cannot hide that from her. She would not tolerate these hostilities between them, but at the moment he would have to smolder in his distaste. Much work had to be done.

"You are dismissed," she states calmly, raising her chin slightly to as to showcase her authority.

As soon as she said he was dismissed he was gone. He closed the door behind him and ground his teeth.

He was beyond infuriated. He hated China. He hated her so much. More than he hated Akan. Oh what he would do to see both of them suffer.

He made his way down to the 6th floor, looking for a new garden worker. Someone who's face he didn't recognize, a new hire. He set his eyes on a girl with long ebony hair and white fragile skin. Perfect.

He narrowed his eyes again and swept in, taking the girl to his room without receiving any protest from her.

He fucked her, making sure to do it from behind so all he could see was her long black hair and shivering pale back. He pulled her hair as he rammed into her, listening to her moans and pretending it was China he was on top of.

He was over her. He had control of her.

And that felt so good.

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(( Meanwhile Azzie is sitting her feeling all gross and writhing around at having to type her horrible character's thoughts and actions aldkafsdlfkaf ))