[b][i]Maria Hamada[/i][/b]

"Typical," Maria Hamada said, "ghosts on my break." She then paid for some strong black tea, before saying to the staff member:

"I have a special type of powder that can scare away ghosts," and by that, she had managed to bargain for some body parts of a flower Yokai, mostly flower petals, which she had mixed with special herbal compounds to produce the aforementioned powder, enough of it to cover the entire cafe when burnt. Of course, it was not free or cheap, as the woman would later say:

"The price for me using the powder is 10,000 Yen, or failing that, some Entei fur."

She was aware that she was asking a high, perhaps extortionate price, and the mercenary knew that it probably wouldn't be paid and she might offend someone. However, there were a few newcomers to this establishment, and she wanted to establish an image, an image of a tough woman who would do all that it takes for profit. Well, profit and the continued existence of Castilian-Tagalog Alchemy, but those went hand-in-hand.

[i]You'll alienate potential future students with that attitude,[/i] part of Maria's mind thought.

[i]Then I'll just recruit from orphanages,[/i] was her mental response. [i]Either way, these people respect strength, and I'm giving it to them.[/i]