-1A woman sighed, resting her forehead against a wall, eyes closed, expression annoyed. The conversation she had just had continued to flash through her mind, replaying in agonizing detail.

"I'm sorry miss, but there's just no work in massage therapy right now.

The big boom is over with that: it's moved on to electronics. All the slots are full." She openly gaped at him. "You're not serious are you? That's ridiculous!" He rubbed his temples, warily watching her outraged expression. "Please, don't blame me. It's not my fault." She calmed, still tense, but visibly cooler. She gave him a level look and he winced at the cold fury in her eyes. "But if you want, I have another proposition for you. You seem like a proper young lady who can take care of herself." She raised an eyebrow and crossed her legs, leaning back into the chair and clasping her hands in her lap. "Continue."

"You seem to be a professional woman; organized, neat. And you aren't bad on the eyes." He glanced her over and she stiffened. She chastised him with a cold glare. He shrugged. "I'm just telling it like it is. And you have plenty of experience with computers and filing, according to your resume. If I didn't know any better, I'd have said you were a secretary at one time." She gave a casual shrug. "A long time ago I helped my mother organize her home business…" Her eyes had a far away look to them, an almost sad expression. But she was back again in an instant, her professional mask on again as if it had never left. "But that was a long time ago. Times have changed."

He gave her a curious glance and continued. "I guess that's my point. I think your best bet is to attempt being a secretary at this time. There's no use for the skills you've spent the past couple of years perfecting. My advice is get a paying job, take some night classes or online classes to get a degree and some basics for being a secretary and try for that. You could go far from what I can see." His eyes glanced over her once more before she caught them and forced them to stay on hers with a strong glare.

"I see…" she said, her eyes set into a dark gaze. He shivered. Those icy blue eyes were something he wanted to be away from when they were this angry. "Well, thank you for your time and your advice Mr. Harrian. Perhaps I shall see you again." The look she gave him told him otherwise. "Perhaps. Take care now. I wish you success." She stood with a graceful movement and leaned over the desk to shake his hand. He clasped her hand, slightly unnerved by the strength of her handshake. And in an instant she had swept out of the room, taking all the breath in his lungs with her.

"Now what?" she thought, eyes tired as she walked to the elevator at the end of the hall with it's light cream carpeting and pale green walls. This was the third one this week. The third! Unbelievable! When she chose this as a career choice, she had the guarantee of a well paying, secure, comfortable living.

She had the guarantee of a heart-warming, soul-fulfilling job of making other people happy and more comfortable.

Until now, it seems.

She pressed the down button next to the elevator and awaited it's approach from the bottom floor. The polished silver doors slid open with a small 'ding' and she stepped into the brightly lit elevator box. The doors closed and the hitch and whirr of the elevator going down filled her ears.

So what could she do now? There was no use continuing to think of the anything but successful meeting only a moment ago. It would only make her angry, which she would have to find a way to work off. Unlike the comforts her profession offered, she could not afford the leisure of a relaxing massage to ease away her tensions. The only thing she could afford was the gym and the punching bag at home to take her frustrations out on.

She continued to deliberate, deep in thought as the metal doors opened once more and she stepped out into the lobby with sure, long strides. What to do, what to do? She had spent the last 6 years of her already short-enough life on this. And on what? Nothing! What a waste!She hissed as she slid into her car.

This was no good. She needed a paycheck, at the least. Something to hold her over until she could think up something else. Checking her now completely crossed out list of prospects, she tossed it into the back seat and pulled onto the street, clenching the steering wheel with tightly constrained frustration.

Oh yeah, that punching bag at home was in for it…

Hiei hissed in frustration as he sank into his comfortable black leather chair, heels propped onto his desk. Loosening the tie at his neck, his eyes fell onto the city skyline. This was the fifth one already. The fifth! What the hell was wrong with them these days! Pathetic. They just couldn't handle the pressure. They didn't even know what real pressure was!

He snarled, yanking on his tie with unnecessary force to loosen it further. What the hell would he do now? He needed a secretary. Now. He didn't have the time to take the calls himself, to schedule his meetings, to organize his paperwork. And as if he would personally make the calls to all of the insignificant people who needed it.

He glared out the window before sighing and calling his vice president.

"It's me. I need you to gather up a new line-up of possible secretaries. One that will last more than two weeks."

I hissed in pain as I taped my wrists. I overdid it. Great. Just great. What now? I collapsed onto the sofa, arms slung over the back, legs sprawled out lazily before me. My eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, my head deep in thought.

It seemed I'd need a new profession. And quick. I thought over the man from earlier. Secretary, huh? It wasn't all that bad of a decision, actually, now that I could think clearly and without the clouded resentment of being turned down again. I had traits already that tended to lend themselves well to the work required to the job.

I watched the light in the ceiling flicker in some random pattern. Was this how my life was to be? Constant for a while before flickering randomly for the last half? Constant for my first years but the moment I was alone and away from the nest, I go out?

I growled and sat up, running my fingers through my hair. I would not become that. I would succeed, one way or another. No matter what it took.