PREVIOUSLY...
~
CURRENTLY...
The two blondes looked down on their dark-haired sister, passed out and foaming at the mouth.
"Wow. Saphy usually only gets like that during tax time."
The taller of the two sighed and shrugged, ripping the notice up. "I'll grab the smelling salts. Opal, start brewing coffee."
"Okay, Emma. Double-strong. Three creamers."
"Make it four. And get out the sugar - the GOOD sugar."
"Alright. Want me to call and get a table at VA-11 Hall-A?"
"I know that's my usual answer to everything, but not this time. We'll have to do with this sober."
"Terrifying thought."
~
LATER...
Two women sat around the table looking at the notice that had been given to all residents of their building. Tails twitched as they considered their options, a deadline looming over them.
The tallest, Emma, tapped her temple impatiently, a large 3-ring binder labeled "Olympia Housing Regulation" sitting open next to her. "I'll start looking through and see if I can't find something, Sapphire, but I'm pretty sure they're legally allowed to give everyone the boot. I think the best I can do at this stage is get a hold placed on it, hold it back a few weeks to give myself time to find a better solution, but I'm not too confident."
The dark-haired Sapphire leaned back in her chair, letting her blue tail balance her. "What about putting all our things in storage and using a room at the office to stay in?"
Emma shook her head, her golden locks waving from the motion. "We, uh, could do that, but we'd have to not get caught doing it. We'd also have no shower, so...."
Sapphire groaned until a donut was dangled in front of her face in perfect chomping range. As she chewed, their other sister, Opal, set down steaming cups of coffee, taking a long gulp as she sat down.
"We COULD just find a new apartment in another part of town," Opal suggested. "They're not IMPOSSIBLE to find."
"A place with this much space doesn't exist at this price," Sapphire countered. "And a place at this price is going to be smaller."
"Not to mention there's nothing nowhere this close to the office," Emma added. "We'd have to fly and pay for the airspace, walk, which would take FOR EV ER, or take public transportation and never hear the end of 'such an indignity' from Lord Dad if he ever heard about it."
The three sighed and refilled their coffee...
~
EVEN LATER...
"No, we're NOT closing the firm!" Sapphire protested, slapping her hands on the table.
"I didn't say we should," Opal countered, also slapping her hands on the table. "I said we should MOVE it so that we can maintain an optimal home-to-work distance, which would SAVE us on rent monthly."
Sapphire slapped her hands on the table again. "But your proposed location is in a worse part of town! Most of our best clients wouldn't step foot into that area if only because they'd look poor! WE'D look poor!"
Opal slapped HER hands on the table again. "We ARE poor! Well, not as wealthy as our five-year plan would suggest. This might be the shake-up we need to inspire new avenues of income by appealing to a less-aristocratic customer base! Besides, you can make house calls to the big wigs if you want! It'll make them feel important to have you go to them."
"But I don't want-!"
Emma held up her hands in between her sisters. "Alright, this is getting out of hand! The table's suffered enough and, at this point, arguing about this over drinks will be, at the least, as unproductive as we are right now. Agreed?"
The other two dragons sighed and said in unison "Agreed."
"Excellent!" Emma clapped her hands together. "Jill's been trying to recreate Kobber drinks before they arrive, so let's go be supportive and try some!"
Opal and Sapphire glanced at each other as they were almost-literally dragged out the door and to their sister's favorite bar.
"At least someone's happy about the Kobbers coming."
"Oh, relax. They have rich people with money. Who knows? Maybe them coming will be a good thing."
"We'll see," Sapphire sighed. "We'll see."
