A-heh heh heh... Glad I'm back? I'm so sorry this took so long. I know, I suck. But I had some major re-writing to do, it just wasn't coming along and my liberally-altered Kagome had an out-of-character moment so bad that my beta was all, WTFck? And seeing as how much I've kinda changed Kagsy in the first place, I think that's really saying something.
I've decided: Susan is supposed to be Kagura and I was going to put Kagura's name in there somewhere so people know but I decided not to because I like her name as it is, and well, I just wanted to let you know so you all had perspective. I love you, guys.
Kagome tugged on the sleeves of her blazer as she stood on the sidewalk outside World Axis Management Corp.
The building she was so used to seeing empty and dark was bright and bustling – maybe not as much as on a weekday, but there were definitely people in some of those rooms. Sometimes a face would peer out through the glass, looking down, as if gauging the distance to the sidewalk and the velocity with which they would hit the concrete. They were probably trying to figure out if they'd be able to continue walking (or even limping) away after landing.
Kagome followed the man – Jaken – in through the front doors. A desk attendant she was unfamiliar with waved them through without bothering to check their identification. They got in the elevator and when it pinged to let them know they'd reached the top floor, they stepped out.
People were bustling all around, talking to each other over cubicle walls and speaking in short, terse sentences over the phone. A man shouldered his way past Kagome, near slamming her into the wall. Only the quick thinking of our heroine's very own hands saved her nose from a crushing blow.
"Come along, peasant!"
Kagome rolled her eyes at the beige wall.
"Did you seriously just call me a peasant?" she demanded of the short man walking down the row of cubicles.
"You are of lowly status, wench! You are as unimportant as anyone else!"
This he shouted at the top of his lungs as he waddled, never looking back. A few people glared at him from their desks and one pantomimed wringing his neck.
Kagome followed at a slower pace, not wanting to be associated with such a strange, rude, little man.
"Sit here!" The man pointed to a desk outside of the beautiful, heavy, wooden double doors Kagome recognized as her new boss'.
As she sat down, Kagome wondered if everything the ugly man said ended in the equivalent of an exclamation point.
The desk was standard for an office secretary, she supposed, maybe a bit nicer. Wood like the doors, a computer in the corner, supplies lined orderly, a couch across the way – presumably for any visitors… Oh look! Highlighters! Pretty colors…
"Nice picture," a wry voice commented. "Looks like a neon sign threw up."
Kagome looked up from the drawing of a purple flower replete with pink stem, yellow center and green clouds. "Why, thank you," she said, smiling up at the woman on leaned on her desk. "I'm quite particular to the piece myself, though I will admit it's reminiscent of my earlier works. From time to time I like to dwell in my nostalgia."
The woman laughed. "What nostalgia? Early nineties?"
Kagome cocked her head to the side. "How old do you think I am?" she wondered aloud.
"Twenty… twenty-one, tops." The woman waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "You're no where near as old as I am, at least."
"Thirty-two?"
"I didn't tell you to guess!" the woman reprimanded, her brown eyebrow rising.
Kagome stuck out her right hand. "I'm Kagome."
"Susan Kriffold." The woman returned the gesture. "I'm the senior CIO, in charge of managing technologies and computers. I take it you're the new part-time?"
Kagome nodded.
Susan moved her head back in the sudden manner of one used to having loose hair to flip. Her earrings jangled against her neck, drawing attention to the little stones and delicate metalwork.
"Ooh," Kagome leaned forward on her forearms. "Those are nice earrings."
Susan sat on the edge of the desk and took off one of her earrings. "You like?" she asked, offering it to Kagome.
Kagome inspected it, turning it over in her palm. "Very nice." she said appreciatively. "Bet they cost a fortune."
"You have no idea," Susan nodded, taking back the earring. "But when you make as much money as me, splurging on earrings isn't as bad an idea as it used to be."
The door to the office opened and the squat man, Jaken, reappeared.
"You!" he screeched to Susan, who merely looked bored. "You were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago! My master expects efficiency from those he grants employment!"
Susan stood slowly and walked towards the short man. "If Sesshoumaru were that pissed, I'd already be feeling the flames, squirt. Why don't you quit your yapping?"
Jaken sputtered. "Insolent-"
Susan turned back to Kagome and winked. "I'll be out before you know it. I'll talk to you sometime."
"Bye!" Kagome waved cheerfully.
The door closed behind Susan with a thud and a click, leaving Jaken and Kagome to themselves.
Jaken turned, grumbling to himself, swatting at the front of his suit. "What are you looking at?" he squawked at Kagome, causing her to jump in her seat.
Fifteen minutes (and many additions to the regurgitation of a flower) later, Susan reemerged carrying a large set of files in a cardboard box.
"So this is your fault," she accused, setting the box down on Kagome's desk.
Jaken leapt up at Susan's appearance and hurried into the office, shutting the door behind him. Kagome looked from the box of papers to Susan's face.
"What do you mean?"
Susan flipped her head again, jewelry jangling, as she rested her hands on her hips.
"You broke Sesshoumaru's computer. You know, I'm not his personal techie. My job isn't to just sit around and fix his junk." Susan narrowed her eyes at the girl sitting in front of her. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be stuck re-programming every inch of information he has on file into a hard drive so he has access to all the company's accounts. Not to mention all the stupid personal touches he likes. Special firewalls and codes that make it nigh impossible to log-in without specific DNA samples-"
"He uses DNA samples to log-in?" Kagome asked with bright eyes. "Like he has to prick his finger or something?"
Susan regarded Kagome for a moment before sighing. "No, he just runs the pad of his finger over a scanner built into the computer – it's not that uncommon these days." She sighed again and ruffled Kagome's hair. "I can't stay mad at you, you cutie. And I've only just met you."
"Well, I am adorable," Kagome agreed, beaming. "But you don't really have to do all that programming do you? Will you have to work overtime?"
"Nah," Susan waved. "I'll just dump it on some poor underling. But woe be to him should he fail to fill all of Sesshoumaru's requirements exactly."
And so Susan lifted up her box again and walked away on low-heeled, purposeful shoes. Kagome watched her go, noticing how people moved out of her way from what seemed a healthy dose of fear.
"Wench! My master wishes to see you now! Hurry!"
Kagome groaned as she pushed herself heavily from her desk. Walking past the glaring Jaken, Kagome entered the spacious office, site to the unfortunate events that led to her forced employment and inconvenient debt.
Mr. Takamatsu sat at his desk, not writing or reading or looking out the window, but staring at her. Again, the usual energy Kagome suffered from fled her at the force of his gaze. Those eyes… it was unnerving. Shouldn't they be brown, if he was Japanese? That's what his name suggested, and the exotic slant of his eyes and high cheekbones hinted at Asian ancestry but the coloring of his eyes and hair were off. Not to mention, his build (while by no means bulky) was less thin and more lean.
And she wasn't sure, but she remembered him being sorta tall. Like, definitely hitting over six feet.
Not, of course, that such a height was impossible for an Asian guy to reach, just look at that basketball guy, Yao something…
But then again, maybe he had mixed ancestry. Maybe his mother was of European descent like her mom. It would explain the height and the more aquiline nose and…
Okay, whatever! This wasn't something she should be dwelling on! Who cared if her new employer was Asian, white or alien?
Shaking her head, Kagome focused on Mr. Takamatsu.
"Are you finished?" he drawled.
"Huh?" was her eloquent inquiry.
"I expect you will commit yourself to the work I give you." He didn't move at all. He just sat there. Staring. Kagome waited for him to blink.
"You're fortunate to be awarded such a position – I expect you to treat it thus."
"Wait a minute," Kagome interrupted. "You think this is a reward? Like I should go around thinking this is the best thing to ever happen to me?"
The man remained stoic.
Kagome's hands moved to her hips.
"Okay, let's get one thing straight, guy. This," Kagome gestured to herself, to Mr. Takamatsu, and the surrounding office. "This is not what I want to be doing on a Saturday. I want to be asleep like the sane people do. I don't wanna be here. But!" Kagome raised a finger at his narrowed eyes. "I will do my best.
"I'm not a secretary, Mr. Takamatsu." Kagome lowered her hand and softened her voice. "I'm not so great at typing or remembering things or anything that's going to do me any good once I graduate. But I'm willing to try. I'll do my best. If I mess up, I won't let it stop me – I just won't do it again." ("I hope…" she muttered under her breath.)
Takamatsu raised an eyebrow, and blinked in a way that could only be called "subtle".
"But you gotta recognize that, Mr. Takamatsu. You can't expect me to be A-grade beef when I'm lean chicken."
And with that ridiculous analogy, she ended her speech.
To the complete silence of the room.
Mr. Takamatsu continued to stare at her, his face as unreadable as a piece of lumber. Kagome fidgeted and shifted her weight to one foot. She could swear whole days passed before he spoke.
Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice.
"You will do well to remember who is the one in debt and who is not." Mr. Takamatsu still did not move as he spoke. His voice was as even as his gaze and Kagome was still not sure if he'd blinked yet. "By the mere fact you are still in possession of a job in this company and are permitted the chance to work off your debt – rather than my suing you for wanton destruction and preach of personal conduct contracts – shows my infinite generosity."
The words were correct (technically) but the tone irked.
"I won't be like that Jaken guy," Kagome warned. "He's a freaky little fellow, and I refuse."
Mr. Takamatsu blinked slowly and deliberately. "That would be a relief, Ms Higurashi, not a disappointment."
Kagome had to think that one over before she understood.
Fighting back a smile, she clasped her palms together in front of her and gave a small bow with her head.
"What can I do for you today, Mr. Takamatsu?"
I know, and I was going to write insanely large chapters but, again, I suck. I hope you enjoyed it, if not, let me know so I can fix it. Seriously. I want teh feedback, good or bad or bored.
Much love.