Chapter 8: Tairos's Trouble, Work Woes!
Tairos awoke one morning, put on his kimono, strapped his zanpakuto, Librar, to his belt, and then slipped a hand into the folds of his robe before leaving his house. His hand moved slowly at first, then rapidly flitted through the folds of the black cloth, searching desperately for some object. Finally, Tairos's hand slowed and he breathed a sigh of relief after finally withdrawing his wallet. The small, brown leather packet was embossed with the image of a frog in neon green thread on the outside surface, a symbol believed to bring someone good luck with money (Author's Note: There is a superstition in Japan that carrying the image of a frog on or in your wallet will bring you monetary prosperity). Tairos smiled as he opened the wallet, and was horrified at what he found.
"I'm...broke?" Tairos cried, his resounding scream seeming to shake the structure of the house he had just left. Tairos ran back inside to find Baiten sharpening a kitchen knife to get it ready to slice vegetables for the lunch he was about to prepare.
"Baiten! You've got to help me!" Tairos said hurriedly, rushing over to his friend.
Baiten turned slowly, turning upward to look at the face of his taller companion. "Money, again?" Baiten sighed.
"No!" Tairos started, before realizing his mistake and replying, sullenly, "yes..."
Baiten let out a long breath and put down the knife and sharpener. "What for? I don't have much as is, and I am trying to save up for..."
"You don't understand, Baiten! There's this great girl I need to show around Seireitei! I'll pay you back, I promise!"
"Like how you paid me back the last four times?" Baiten asked cynically, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, I paid you for at least two of those!"
"One, actually," Baiten answered. "The other time you are thinking of is when you paid back Jaice."
"Oh yeah," Tairos mused. "But still, you know I'm good for it!"
"Hm..." Baiten pondered, stroking his chin with his right hand as if in deep contemplation. "How about I teach you the secret to getting money."
"Oh no, this better not be some crappy joke," Tairos groaned.
"Only kind of," Baiten replied. "Three words: get a job!" Tairos stepped back, shuddering slightly. He stood silent for a few minutes, Baiten staring into his eyes with a determined glance. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Baiten asked.
"Fine..." Tairos moaned as he stepped out the doorway. "I guess I will go try to find work since my best friend isn't willing to lend me a few measly coins..." Before Tairos stepped out, he wheeled around and pulled out a sentence. "Ah ha! My trump card! I can't get a job, Baiten, because we aren't allowed out of our Squad housing except for an emergency or a mission."
"Oh, Tairos, didn't you hear?" Baiten answered. "The number of murders had drastically decreased; there used to be as many as two a day, but now they've slacked to only one a week for some reason. Accordingly, the curfew laws and restrictions have been reduced to try and return Seireitei to a better semblance of order. Therefore, there is still a curfew starting at nightfall, but now you are allowed to leave home for other reasons. Oh, and weren't you going to leave the house anyway to see this girl, rules or not?"
"Damn," Tairos grunted. "You've got me, Baiten. Well, I guess I'm off to find a job then."
"Good luck!" Baiten called after Tairos, who slammed the door on the way out, mumbling about worthless friends not loaning him anything. As Tairos left, the door to the Shinigamis' bedroom burst open and Jaice walked out.
"Trying to teach Tairos a life lesson again, Baiten?" Jaice said.
"He needs one a week, right?" Baiten replied, grinning widely. "Now, how about helping me make lunch?"
Tairos continued to groan and mumble as he walked along the streets of the 9th Division's District. He grumbled as he kicked a rock before him again and again. Eventually, he came to a shop; it was a large building, built in the Japanese style similar to that of his house. It was larger, however, and had a green cloth canopy over the entrance and many windows displaying various pieces of furniture. Tairos also noticed the reason this store would be of some value to him: a white paper sign in the window read, "Help Wanted!" in bold, red letters.
"Awesome," Tairos said, walking through the shop's oaken door. The shop seemed like a regular furniture shop: chairs, tables, stools, couches, and various other constructions were scattered about the room. There was a counter at the far end of the room behind which a gruff looking Shinigami stood; his hair was spiky and dyed green, and his face bore dozens of scars.
"What d' ya want?" The green haired Shinigami growled as he Tairos strode in.
"Hello, my name is Tairos Naix and I saw that you're in need of assistance," Tairos replied, indication the help wanted sign behind him with a wave of a thumb. "I'd like a job, please."
"Ya think ya can handle it?" The Shinigami answered, his voice dripping with scorn. "What are your credentials? Do you have a resume?"
Tairos looked puzzled before speaking. "I worked at a candy shop part-time for a few years before I became a full-time Hollow slayer."
"Ha! Selling furniture is a lot more difficult than killing Hollows," Tairos's potential employer said.
"I doubt that," Tairos answered chuckling.
"That was no joke, boy," The Shinigami mumbled. "Fighting a Hollow may risk your life, but it's a simple matter; you drive your zanpakuto into their mask and boom, it dies. Selling furniture requires appealing to customers, having knowledge of products, and pleasing them enough so that they buy your wares." He paused before continuing. "Don't question my knowledge. You can see the scars on my face and know that I've fought dozens of Hollows, and if you look at my hands you'll see callouses to prove that I've been building furniture for nigh two hundred years."
"If you're so skilled why do you need help at all?" Tairos asked.
"Simple," The Shinigami sighed, "faces sell better than the products do at times. When someone walks into the store and sees me, they may be somewhat frightened and thus too nervous to talk to me, causing me to lose a sale. If a 'handsome' fellow like you manned the counter and handled the sales aspect, while I built and repaired the furniture, things would be much better."
"So, you're saying I can have the job?"
"Basically, yes, but if you screw up, don't think I won't fire ya!"
"Thank you, sir..." Tairos trailed off.
"Crowe's the name, boy," The Shinigami answered. "Now I'm going t' go back and work on a chair, you stay here until closing time." Crowe indicated the counter before heading off behind a set of curtains and into the rear of the shop.
Tairos sighed and took his place behind the counter. Hours passed, and Tairos watched sullenly as crowds of Shinigami passed the store without entering. As boredom set in, he began to doodle on scraps of paper on the counter, imagining other fun things he could be doing...
"Uh...excuse me?" A voice cut through Tairos's day dream. Tairos shook his head and looked straight forward at the speaker: it was a tall Shinigami, at least a few inches taller then Tairos, with a slight tan and large, round glasses.
"Hello sir, may I help you?" Tairos said politely, finally happy to be in some contact with another person.
"Hi, my name is Cren Fjorson of the 6th Squad. I'm looking for a coffee table for my apartment," the tall Shinigami stated.
"Why didn't you say so at first?" Tairos said jovially, grabbing hold and Cren's arm. "Right this way my friend, we have an excellent selection of mahogany tables right over here."
"Uh...that may be a bit out of my price range," Cren replied.
"Then how about Redwood?" Cren shook his head. "Cedar? Oak? Pine?"
"Pine's cheap, I'll take that," Cren said.
"Are you sure you don't want to at least look at our selection?" Tairos asked.
"No, I am in a hurry. I've been drafted to help with the murder mystery investigation. My squad's captain, Byakuya, volunteered my apartment as a meeting area, so that's why I need to table."
"Ah I see," Tairos said. "Well, let me ask the manager where to find them and we'll bring a pine table out for you." With that, he retreated into the back room calling for Crowe. In seconds the two reappeared carrying a solid pine coffee table; Tairos grunted under the strain but Crowe had enough experience to be used to such a task.
"Thanks," Cren said as they placed the table on the ground. "How much is it?"
"Four hundred," Crowe said nonchalantly.
Cren fumbled in his kimono until he produced a brown leather wallet. He removed the money and paid Crowe. Then, they all stood stock still, no one seeming to go anywhere. After five full minutes had passed, Crowe spoke up.
"Shouldn't you be taking that table home, boy?"
"I thought you guys were going to carry it for me," Cren answered.
Tairos sighed. "I'll help him with it." You'd better tip me, Tairos thought as he heaved the massive piece of furniture, his arms buckling even more this time; Cren did not have strength anywhere near Crowe's, and he seemed to be lifting with even less than half his own strength.
"I...hope...your...house...is...nearby..." Tairos grunted as they headed down the street, Shinigami on either side stopping briefly to stare at them. "Nothing...to see...here...folks..."
"It isn't...to far..." Cren moaned, obviously putting in more effort than he originally had. Cren continued to mutter directions and after an hour they had reached his apartment.
"Close, huh?" Tairos grunted angrily.
"Sorry, I think we accidentally went the long way," Cren replied, rubbing the back of his head innocently.
"It's fine," Tairos answered. You idiot wasting my time and energy! I'd better get that tip!
"Well, my friends in the squad can help take it from here. By the way, if you have any information on the murder case I'd really like to know it."
"I'll tell you anything I find out," Tairos said, holding his hand forward eagerly. Again, the two stood there for several minutes, neither moving.
"Well, bye!" Cren said as some other Shinigami appeared and helped transport the table inside the building.
"Damn you Cren Fjorson!" Tairos yelled as the door slammed. A second later, it reopened and the taller bespectacled Shinigami stuck his head out.
"What did you say?"
"Oh...uh...enjoy your table!"
Character Profile: Tairos Naix
Age: Unknown (appears 22 in human years)
Height: 187.9 cm (6 feet 2 inches)
Affiliation: 9th Squad
Rank: Basic Shinigami (unseated)
Hobbies: Reading, writing, painting, drawing
Zanpakuto: Librar
Shikai: Librar takes the form of a wooden staff when released. The command to release the Shikai is "Balance." Librar allows Tairos to balance his reiatsu with that of his opponent's, making them both have the same amount of reiatsu. The staff also augments his kidou, allowing Tairos to use them close to full power without chanting, or at an even greater level of power when the commands are chanted.
