The Beachside Bar

Zhalla remembered a little too late about the fact that she should've suppressed her ki a little and wasn't actually supposed to show she was the person under that helmet in particular-- Little too late to do anything about it now and it probably slipped her mind after such a long day working. The only one here sober enough to even probably remember this though would be the bartender himself no doubt. She did get a little kick out of his reaction to seeing the helmet come off though.

"'Formally' overawing? Aw what? I mean hey, I can put the helmet back on if that's what you'd prefer" There was no actual upset in her tone and it would be easy to pick up on that she was speaking in jest-- Hopefully even easy enough for the other sleepy saiyan! "I've heard some good things about here so I figured it'd be worth dropping by now that my work's turned in for the day, see what you've got on offer yanno?" He wasn't kidding either they did have a good selection here-- It was already looking like one of the better bars she'd been to from the menu alone.

"I'll take one 'ah those then! In one of your bigger glasses if you've got any" She'd give a light nod as a silent thanks to the bartender before noticing his demeanour taking a slight turn. "Oh- Nah I'm quite happy to try that pick! You're the bartender you know these drinks better then I do. I'm sure I'll find the time to try the others on here sometime later though" She hoped whatever had caused the change in posture wasn't caused by her-- Sure on the job she was hoping to scare but she wasn't actually trying to scare the kind bartender here.

Offering a confident smile of her own to the other Saiyan Zhalla would stand from her stool-- Which she hardly sat on properly to begin with thanks to her height, and would offer out a hand for Dion to shake in greeting. "Pleasure to meet ya Dion! Of course it's alright! The name's Zhalla--Uh just Zhalla's fine" If he took her hand she'd give his a firm but friendly shake, trying her best to make sure the spikes on the back of her fingerless gloves didn't catch his hand during the shake. "If you could do me a solid also-- Aside from the drink that is, but uh, keep the fact you saw me wearin' this just between you and me, yeah?" She would give a tap to the top of the helmet so he knew she was talking about it.

Zhalla would give the other saiyan a hearty laugh as he became all apologetic, giving a light wave of her hand to try and waver his nerves "I was just pokin' fun back, dont'cha worry! No harm done" She was of course not actually offended by what he'd said she had actually found it rather amusing! She'd chuckle again at his comment on her height-- He seemed to stumble over his line of conversation a little but she couldn't blame him for being nervous if he was since he had mentioned they'd only just established themselves here recently, opening up a bar like this was a big responsibility afterall.

For a few moments Zhalla would put a hand over her forehead as she stifled a laugh before eventually she couldn't hold it back and just let it go, reaching over to give the bartender a gentle punch to the shoulder. "You're funny, I like you!" She'd had various experiences when it came to bartenders-- Most of which tried to avoid her all together when she had the helmet on but this guy, despite his troubles with conversation still at least tried to do his best and that was a lot better in her opinion then the ones who just gave her her drink and then gave her looks from across the bar.

"Aw c'mon, maybe you're not as tall as I am-- I mean, most people aren't so don't sweat it but you don't lack in the second part either" She'd offer an encouraging smile to the shorter Saiyan, "I appreciate the compliment though but you don't gotta bring yourself down to talk others up, yanno?"

She was eager to try out this drink once it was ready! It was still plenty hot but that was mostly her own fault for being decked out in leather. "I dunno if I'd say the customer is always right, but our line of work is fairly uh... Different so who knows" She did appreciate that her opinion mattered just as much to him though. "Well aren't you sweet? Yanno, honestly most bars I've been to the bartenders don't tend to wanna talk to me for very long but you've been real pleasant! I can see why here was recommended"

The more nervous look on the other saiyans face when gesturing towards her helmet didn't go unnoticed this time. "Oh, I can set it down on the floor or somethin' out of ya view if that'd make you more comfortable?" She'd laugh lightly when asked about how real the skull part was. "Are you sure you want the answer to that one?"

With the drink slid on over the ginger saiyan would grin as she took hold of the glass. "Oh yeah I'm usually more around South City, don't get to visit Papaya too often! Work usually takes me out even further too but today happened to bring me around here, which was just my luck, huh?" She'd down a fair amount of the drink as Dion spoke about how they'd only just established themselves here, "'Ourselves'?" She'd ask mid-sip before taking another swig of the drink before taking another pause. "Hey, it gets easier the more you get used to being here, sure took me a short while to get used to being on this planet when I first got here, you'll get there! You've already got this place set up great" After making sure she hadn't gotten any drink moustache sitting above her top lip she'd add, "Hell if you needed any help I'd be happy to offer some? I know my way around South City mostly but-- Well if you'd like any help anyways, you seem to have things sorted out quite well here if you asked me"

"Well, sure a little every now and then tends to be alright but so long as it don't become anything more then that" Placing a hand to her chin in thought as she tried to choose her words carefully in explaining the next part when it came to the part about self deprecating humour. "Become too comfortable and familiar enough with it though and it'll become a habit and tends to stop being a joke after awhile too-- starts to become just self deprecating, if that makes sense" She'd slipped so easily and quickly into the kind of mode she did when encouraging and explaining something to the kids back at the shelter that she hadn't even noticed her own change of tone until after she'd said her piece to the bartender. Once she did realize though she'd give a lightly anxious smile "I-I'm sure you're fine though aheh"

Upon being called affable the ginger saiyan would look around herself before then looking back and gesturing towards herself in a joking manner-- Though she was rather surprised to be receiving such compliments, was it just a nervous tick of his to compliment? She was pretty sure he was being genuine? "Am I? Don't often hear that one I gotta admit" Grunting disapprovingly upon hearing that the bartender didn't often get good attitudes around much often, Zhalla would clench her gloved hands into fists. "Well if ya asked me, that's rubbish to hear. But anyone stupid enough to be rude to the ones giving them food or drinks ain't worth your time either" Thumping a fist to her chest she'd give a confident grin. "I mean, if it were me in your shoes. I'd spit in their bloody drink. You've probably got more patience then me though, but it ain't hard to be kind to people let alone people making something nice for you"

"Hmm... Well" She thought on the whole talking about her own line of work thing for a bit-- In most circumstances it'd be a flat out nah since she wanted her identity to remain pretty secret but she had made the mistake of coming in with the helmet on already and he'd seen her take it off too, he already knew the connection between the helmet and the face that was underneath it. "Usually I'd say no to this but I'll answer it just this once for ya-- I hope you can keep it just between us though and that you don't think too poorly of me after it" Rubbing the back of her neck for a few moments she'd flush surprised at hearing the charity worker comment, "-- Oh gosh no-- Well... No no, maybe? Uh" She hadn't planned on telling the shelter part but he'd kinda caught her off guard there. "Ah nevermind that ahah-- I'm a Bounty Hunter! Tend to pick up contracts in bars like this one too. You're gonna have to give me another of these drinks though if you wanna know what the earnings from that go towards haha~"

Zhalla would take hold of the helmet and leant over to set it down on the floor between her boots so that it was out of Dion's sight. Laughing lightly as she sat back upright. "Touchy for me or touchy for you, Dion? I wear it on my head it's not a sore story for me but it's alright if you'd rather not hear about it too"

She'd laugh at being called 'lady' since it was a much more formal way to address her then she was used to getting. "Oh you've got a little brother too? Where abouts is he? Does he help around here too?" She'd smile hoping that the other saiyan and his brother were able to handle themselves and get more used to the area in time. "Well if you do ever need a hand with anything you're always welcome to ask! I'm sure you're right though you seem very capable and I imagine your brother is much the same"

"Oh sure!" Making a couple of friends kept at arm's length outside of her 'Gladiator' persona couldn't hurt, right? Dion had been one of the only bartenders to not avoid her like the plague once she entered the bar and overall had been very pleasant to converse with. Since she was rather used to keeping in contact with people over work related reasons the forwardness of the offer went over her head for the most part-- That being said it wasn't often she did keep in contact with people outside of bounty hunting business reasons. "I'd be more then happy to keep in touch! I mean, I know where to find you again at least but-" Slipping two fingers into one of her leather pant pockets she'd slip out a card and slide it across the bar counter to the bartender. "Suppose I can just give you one'a these for keeping in contact outside of that huh?"

While the bartender reassured her that what she said was quite alright she still wasn't so sure about it and the part he said about her sounding like a teacher made her nearly spring from her stool to deny it. "Whaaat? Me? Ahah-- I dunno whatcha talkin' about, don't think I'd be any good around kids honestly" She could feel her face getting hotter from being caught on the spot so she'd clear her throat and slump back into the stool again, rubbing the side of her face for a few moments as she glanced off to the side. "Just Zhalla's fine, you don't needa call me miss" Looking aside or not she did manage a little laugh out of that regardless.

"Yanno that's also a good point, karma does come around eventually afterall" She'd nod in agreement though she did prefer to be said karma as well. "You don't like to reckon with karma? How come?" The bounty hunter quirked a brow seemingly rather intrigued to hear what he had to say on that, given her career though it probably made sense as to why.

Zhalla would take up the drink she'd been served before and took a couple swigs to finish the drink as she let the bartender process her answer on her job. "I don't really blame ya if you think different of me after hearin' that, I get it" The ginger saiyan would shrug lightly before running a finger along the top of her glass. "Been the only job I've managed to keep aheh" She was pleasantly surprised when he didn't seem to mind too much, he hadn't kicked her out at least so that was a plus. Smiling lightly and looking a tad more hopeful at his kind response she'd give a nod of agreement. "Yeah! I mean-- I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't also enjoy bringing in bad guys to justice and getting paid for it too but it is mostly for making ends meet"

"O-oh uh" Placing a hand to her forehead and waving the other to the bartender the saiyan bounty hunter would bite her lower lip for a few moments. "Not quite-- That was a bit of a slip of the tongue on my part. Though I suppose I wouldn't truly know I'm afraid! At least in terms of biological siblings anyway. Though I've heard... I guess you could call em rumours? That I might have a little brother of sorts. Never met him though, haven't seen my parents in years, yanno?" She went to take another sip from her glass only to remember that it was empty, even tipping the glass upside down juuust to make sure. "I don't reckon they're true though"

When it came to Dion talking about his own brother though he seemed to rather adore him which was sweet to say the least. While he was talking about him though Zhalla frowned lightly... Their names together seemed familiar but she couldn't quite recall why or from where... Well, anywho! "He sounds like a clever one, Carro huh? Well it sure sounds like you two get along great which is good to hear" Sibling bonds were some of the strongest life could offer-- Or so she heard, she wouldn't know.

"Well ain't that sweet? No no! No need to apologize, truly! It's quite alright, it's nice to hear about some good things every now and then" She'd try to reassure the bartender that it was alright to talk about his brother but the conversation quickly came around to her card. "Oh-- Well yeah, I mean given my line of work it'd become a little tedious individually writing out my contact details for every client don'tcha think?

With a finger still on top of the card shortly after sliding it across she'd give the bartending saiyan a stern look for a moment as she added, "Now, no using this for any funny business, you hear?" She'd raise a brow before eventually removing her finger and letting Dion take the card for himself. "And uh... Please don't go tellin' anyone you saw my face under that helmet, I'm totally not Gladiator, capiche?" She could afford to be a little less discrete when it came to getting jobs thanks to that alias and helmet keeping her identity separate.

"Oh-- Hey knock yourself out! I don't mind at all" She was flattered he even wanted to take the idea in the first place. "Professional? I dunno about that, aheh, I mean it gets the job done though, business cards could be good for here too especially for returning customers to refer to friends with" What would she know when it came to running a bar though? She could be wrong for all she knew and Dion seemed to have it pretty well under wraps already.

When it came to the story about her skull helmet the bounty hunter would pause for a few moments as if considering something, before piping back up again while passing her glass back across the counter to Dion. "Oh, uh sure! Though I'd love another glass if I could first? Get one more in before closing time and all that" Was she stalling on answering? Maybe a little? After that first one she did want another drink though.

Zhalla found Dion's insistence on her making a great teacher quite surprising as she wasn't exactly expecting him to further express it past the initial comment, but despite her turning down the thought of it he seemed pretty adamant on it not being brushed aside. "Didja forget the part about me being a Bounty Hunter already?" She'd chuckle lightly, her tone not snarky in the slightest actually sounding still as surprised as she felt on the matter. "Since you seem so sure of that I guess I'll keep it in mind, but I'd imagine no school would want me as a teacher aheh" She need not mention any offenses that might be on her record from her late teen years here.

When it came to his comment about kids the ginger saiyan would quirk a brow. In all fairness she couldn't really comment on this point since she did work around a number of kids at the shelter-- Not that Dion knew that part. "I reckon I'd be too scary--" She'd gesture to her own height and given how small most kids were she was sure the bartender would understand what she meant. "But you do have some points and kids are sweet, that's true" She chose not to also bring up that she'd run across a couple during bounty hunting missions as well given that, that could spark a number of conversations she'd rather not get into right now.

"Teachers deal with a lot more then just 'a few' though!" Waving a hand to brush aside Dion's followed up stammered apology the saiyan would shake her head. "Naw don't worry about it! You meant no harm so no harm done"

"Well I sure hope you're right about that" If he was right on it she had yet to see much of that good karma come her way yet... Though-- "Though I suppose the good karma to come from it is keeping more people safe overall" Without being specific aloud she was referring to the kids back at the shelter first and foremost, the everyone else it kept safe was just a bonus. As for the reasoning on why she did bounty hunting at all. "Well first of all, I'm honoured you think I'm a good person, especially since you're a real sweet one yourself. As for the reason, I assure you it's a good one, though I can't tell you it-- I've already told you too much already ready in regards to everything else aheh" Wouldn't want to accidentally get him into any unwanted trouble!

It was her turn to listen to some advice when it came to the topic of siblings-- Though she wasn't fully sure why she was getting it since she wasn't even sure if her brother was real or not yet. She was sure it was handy advice either way though and might prove useful at the shelter at some point. "Well you do seem to have a really strong bond with your brother, it'd be nice to have that but, well-" The bounty hunter shrugged lightly, "I dunno if he even exists, let alone where I could find him" So maybe the second part was somewhat untruthful, if she were to look for him the first place to look would be back on Plant where she last saw her parents of course. "Thanks for sharin' your thoughts though, and for thinkin' I deserve a shot at something like that"

Zhalla quirked a brow again seeing the bartender grab himself a drink as well, was that a normal thing for bartenders to do? She wasn't sure she'd seen any drink while working aside from maybe Buzz and a couple others who went by their own rules, but Dion's bar was far more respectful in attitude then those places were. She gladly accepted the second drink though and the compliment on the cards.

Swirling the drink around in her glass for a few moments she'd think on the story behind the skull and how to tell it-- Or more if she should tell it truthfully at all. "Dont'cha still gotta drive home after closin' time?" She'd look between the bartender and his drink after his hiccup-- Just how much had he already had to already be having hiccups? But she also wasn't about to leave him hanging on the story either.

Bringing the skull back up and setting it gently down atop the bar countertop she'd rest an arm on top of it as she spoke, "Well every Bounty Hunter has to have a first mission, I earnt the skull on mine, modelled it into a working helmet. It's a trophy, a symbol of sorts of the victory of my first ever bounty hunt and I've worn it ever since, partly as a reminder to myself of where I first started" A short but believable enough story, right? Zhalla knew it wasn't the fully truthful one though but that was a story for another time.

"Yeah I thought that was what you were meanin'" Zhalla rested an arm atop the counter before continuing, "But yanno track records and all that. I doubt most places would want someone like me with all that to their name to work with them, let alone work around kids" Considering the number of places that either turned her down from the get-go or fired her within the first month even before she was a bounty hunter, she wouldn't be surprised if even less places wanted to work with her now. At least, any outside of business related to bounty hunting anyway.

Raising a brow at what came from Dion next the ginger saiyan was pleasantly surprised to hear another saiyan admit to dreaming for a more quiet and carefree life as opposed to one filled with high risks. "Yanno it's not often I run into another saiyan who thinks stuff like that" She'd smile before continuing, "I do enjoy my work to an extent but I'd be lyin' if I said I didn't also think about that stuff too. I just don't really see it as also being something obtainable either, not for someone like me anyway aheh" With her drink in hand she'd take another sip before adding, "Besides, it sounds like it'd get pretty lonely if you don't have someone to settle and chill with. You'd have your brother at the very least so you'd be alright I'd imagine" For Zhalla, eventually those kids at the shelter would grow up and if she did her job right? They'd move out and find their own paths to happier lives as adults hopefully with at least comfortable wages. Maybe one of them would take over for her like she had done for Zinde. All in all though eventually things would change and they'd be gone and she'd be left to only her own devices. That didn't sound like something worth dreaming about to her.

Shrugging lightly and shaking the thought away as she stared down at her glass for a few moments before regaining her composure enough to face Dion again. Bringing back her smile she'd laugh lightly, "Really? I mean, I dunno! Most the time I've got the mask on and people's tune is often wildly different to yours right now so if this is the usual way people address customers it's new to me" She didn't quite grasp how sad that might've came across-- Or didn't seem to care on that fact as she quickly moved on from that point.

She still wasn't used to the whole nice compliments like being called 'wonderful' much but she didn't decline this one this time. Giving a light wave of her own hand in regards to the potential brother topic. "Oh don'tcha worry I'm sure you'll be the first to know if I ever do find out if he exists or not. IF it ever happens anyway. I'm sure its just a rumour someone in the bounty hunting game made up to distract me really" If he was real though she might just take Dion up on his offer for tips since she quite frankly had no idea how to handle it if he did turn out to be a real person.

"Ooohh. Clever!" No need to drive home if home is literally a staircase away! Considering Dion's state already it was probably a good thing they chose to have home so close to work too. "Can relate, I'm not a big spender myself either. Smart way to be if you asked me"

To add just a little bonus to her 'story' she'd throw in, "I didn't give myself my bounty hunter name either, it was earnt. But that's a story for another time" Before bringing her glass back to her mouth for another swig as Dion reacted to the initial story. Good thing for her that he didn't seem to mind the story itself or even really question it for that matter. She chalked that luck up mostly to the fact that he'd had a drink though. Taking the compliment on the story felt wrong to do though so she simply gave a light nod to acknowledge him as she glanced aside before having more of her drink.

"Oh yeah?" The ginger saiyan took a glance to his glass before sculling the rest of hers in one go as a sort of light playful challenge to Dion. Settling the glass down atop the counter and gently sliding it back across to the bartender. "Looks like you'll be finishing less sober on one drink then I am on two too" Laughing lightly she'd give a wave of her hand upon being asked if he could get her anything else. "Nah I think I'm good for tonight, I should be heading back home myself soon actually since it's getting late." Rising from her stool seat and picking up her skull helmet once more she'd cast another look back to Dion's glass before adding, "I reckon you could do with a good glass o' water though and a nice long rest to follow"