Help Wanted...

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Help Wanted...

Post by DoS Archive » Thu Mar 03, 2005 10:04 pm

From: kajaadair@aol.com (Kaja Adair)
Date: 08 Jan 2004 20:28:35 EST

Kaja was face down in a pile of papers and books on her desk when she heard a loud knocking at the door to Bella's. As she got up to answer the door, she could feel the book's print on her cheek, and scowled. Her luck, the person at the door would be someone with a big mouth, and the world would know that Kaja had used Contemporary Elven Hair as a pillow.
But it was after hours… who would this be, banging at her door? Tical was probably hanging out with H.W., and the other Crew members were busy with other things. She'd turned off the Open sign long ago, and was on her way towards Kitsune Stadium to train for her All-Star match when she realized that she'd forgotten to tally up this week's salon and spa earnings, which was what she was doing when she dreamt away. She checked the mirror quickly to see the damage done, and stepped back, horrified. Drool! Aaaah! She ran back to a nearby sink and splashed water on her face and dried off with a towel and looked again. The drool mark was gone, but the water did nothing for the book's marks, so she shrugged and went to the door.
No, not anyone she knew. A smallish brown haired girl, with bright blue eyes and a small, but insistent fist was doing damage to the front door's hinges. Kaja remembered that she'd rode the bike today, so no doubt, the girl knew she was here. She grabbed her billy club from behind one of the chairs, and held it behind her back with her left hand as she used the right to crack the door.

"'Ey theah… Somethin' ah can 'elp ya with?" Kaja ventured, not unkindly.

"Yeah. You Kaja Adair?" the girl replied, with no semblance of a friendly tone. Kaja slowly stepped across the crack in the doorway, ready to take a quick swipe if anything got worse than it already was.

"Who wants ta know, dahlin'?" she said slowly, letting her usual tilted grin cross her face.

"I do."
"An' 'o are you?"
"I'm Alicia Melland."
"What does Alicia Melland want with Kaja Adair?"
"Ya gonna lemme in or what?"
"Ah'm leanin' t'wards what, ta tell tha truth."
"So you're Kaja?"
"The one an' only."
"Hmm."

At that, the girl reached behind herself, and Kaja, sensing a weapon of some kind, reached out with a foot, tripped the girl so she fell backwards, and immediately dove out of the front door and placed the billy club across her throat, leaning into it. The confident look dissipated from the girl's face, and her blue eyes got wide as she looked up at Kaja.

"Wait, wait….don't kill me."
"Ah'm gonna ask ya one mo' time….wha' does Alicia Melland want with Kaja Adair?"
"I'm gonna show you..."
"Show me wha'?"
"In my pocket…can't breathe…" The girl pointed to her back pocket, which Kaja wasted no time in searching. She came up with a piece of paper, which, when unfolded, looked suspiciously like a resume. Kaja immediately let up, looking at the resume while the girl rubbed her neck and tried to catch her breath.

"Ya wanna work 'ere?"
"I did wanna work here until I got assaulted by the owner," she said indignantly, moving to get up, but Kaja, being 6 inches taller, 40 pounds heavier, and not moving an inch, made it hard for her.

"So…ya do elven, dwarf, vampire, were-cat, and faery…wait a second. 'Ow in tha 'ell do ya do faery 'air?"

"You wish for the hair to be done a certain way and the faery does it for you."

The "eureka" look came across Kaja's face as she listened, then peered closely at the girl.

"So… what are ya?"
"What am I?" she asked.
"Yeah, what…are…you?" Kaja pointed one of those long fingernails at the girl, raising a black eyebrow.
"I'm a mix."
"A mix o' wha'?"
"Human and faery."
"An ya cain't do 'uman 'air?"
"Nah. Too boring." Kaja snickered at this. "So, are you gonna let me up? "
"Ya gonna work 'ere?"
"I guess so, if you don't pounce on me again."

"Look." Kaja got off the girl, helping her dust off. "Don' come 'ere ta tha pier aftah dark when ah'm alone, bang on the door like yer tha cops, an' then 'ave an attitude wit' me when ah don't letcha in. Yer lucky ah dinna beatcha ta death."

"Yeah, I guess so. When do I start?"
"Tomorrow. Ah'm dyin' with tha calendar shoots an' plannin' mah weddin'." Ah need someone with this kind of expertise"-she shook the resume-"ta take ovah fer me from time ta time. You think you can 'andle tha'?"

"You're still getting married?"
"Wha'?" This took Kaja aback…mostly at the disgusted tone Alicia's voice took when she said it."

"You're still getting married to that meathead from the Wrecking Crew?"

"Wait wait wait wait wait. First o' all, tha' meathead's name is Ticallion. You should learn ta respect him because it's his impeccably done fade that's bringin' people ta this shop an' givin' yer smart ass a job. Second, you don' discuss mah personal business. You don' know me yet, an' ah will gleefully beat yer ass senseless if'n ya run yer mouth 'bout me an' mine, includin' Tical, any member of tha 'Crew, Stick, 'Arris, or mah girl Koyliak. Clear?"

"Crystal."
"Yeah. Now take yer salty ass 'ome an' ah'll see ya Monday."

Alicia left, and as Kaja sauntered back into the shop, she realized that she liked the girl. Spunky and presumptuous she was, but Kaja remembered being like that not too long ago, and she wanted to give the girl a shot. Plus, she had skills- if she could get a were-cat to lay down long enough to do its hair, Kaja was all for offering the service at Bella's. Their confrontation wasn't serious in Kaj's opinion… Alicia was just testing the waters, seeing how much control Kaja had over her ship. Now that they had established who was the alpha female, Kaja felt good about Alicia and about delegating some of her work. Things were looking up after all…
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