Zack wriggled in the cushioned chair situated in front of the large mirror. The uncomfortable button down shirt clung too closely to his body and the itchy sweater vest he was forced to wear over it made the Second Class make small whines every few moments.
How was he supposed to spend the next two weeks sitting in a room filled with nothing but stupid books all day? How do you even be a librarian? Zack whined loudly, beginning to bounce aggressively as his nerves began to consume his senses.
A peppy knocking snapped Zack out of his agitated daze.
"Hey, we're ready to talk to you all!" Kay's head popped into his dressing room as the words spurred him into action.
"Finally!" Zack said as he charged forward and out into the hall. Kay must have already moved to another room because by the time the young SOLDIER stepped out of the door, the girl was gone.
The Second Class bounded down the hall and into the center set of Cirque De Shinra. Once he reached the mangled set, his eyes landed upon his little chocobo haired buddy dressed in his new black suit.
"CLOUD! You look so adorable!" Squishing the boy against his chest, Zack continued to fuss over the small blonde.
"Would ya shut yer trap! It's too early fer this!" Zack almost fell over as his sapphire eyes settled on the airship pilot. His usual attire had been traded in for a large gold chain with a sideways baseball cap, along with a pair of jeans that were barely kept on his hips and a tattered white wife beater.
"You look like you're about to mug someone." A certain blonde snorted as he strutted into the room.
"Hey Rufus! So, uh, are you supposed to be a biker or something?" Zack asked, still holding Cloud against his chest despite the little blonde's protest. Rufus tugged at the black leather vest zipped completely up his chest.
"NO YOU MORON! I am being forced to work for Avalanche." The young man gritted out the last word through clenched teeth.
"It can't be any worse then being a priest yo!" Reno's voice wrung out through the area. The redhead had traded his navy suit in for a set of white robes and a rather large wooden staff.
"All of you shut up! Nothing is worse then being forced to work for Shinra!" Tifa's voice sounded pinched and annoyed as she slumped into the room.
"It won't be that bad Tifa." Cloud's voice was muffled by Zack's chest, the Second Class refusing to release the younger boy.
"Oh get a room you two…" Tifa teased, watching Zack hold the cadet tighter against his chest.
Minutes passed as the rest of the cast slowly made their ways into the room.
"Ok, the only person we're missing is Genesis." Kunsel's voice sounded from the center of the room. After a moment of everyone looking around and Zack calling out to auburn haired male, all eyes returned to the two responsible for this entire charade.
"Don't look at me, I didn't pick the jobs." Kunsel held his hands up in a surrendering gesture. The elusive SOLDIER turned his attention towards the younger girl sitting in one of the many destroyed chairs. The girl sat there, fiddling with what looked like a calculator.
"What are you doing yo?" Reno questioned, straining to see what the girl was messing up now.
"I'm programming all of your cell phones!"
"Our phones are programmed." Vincent's monotone voice rose from the back of the room.
"I tweaked some things. This will make your jobs easier. Or more difficult. One of those. I'll go get Genesis." With that final remark, the girl jogged out of the room and down the hall.
A moment of silence followed, broken by the Tsviet leader, "I say we all rise against her before she does significant damage."
"I concur with that." Hojo said, shifting to adjust his jean overalls and straw hat.
Nanaki spoke from where he lay on the carpet, "You all only feel this way because she is making you do something different."
"Shuddap ya got no room to say anything today yo. You got a good job" Reno grumbled, pulling a silver flask out of his robe and twisting the cap off. Just as the fiery haired male put the top to his lips, a small book flew through the air and smacked the redhead in the head.
"YOU'RE A PREIST YOU CAN'T DRINK!" All eyes turned to face the girl who had thrown said book, as well as the SOLDIER Commander she drug behind her. Jaws dropped as the Crimson Commander was pulled into the room and situated in an open chair.
Genesis wore fishnet stockings with a leather mini skirt, his black and scarlet corset top hugged uncomfortably to his chest. His elbow length fingerless gloves seemed to constrict his arms movements and his black chocker necklace rubbed aggravatingly against his Adam's apple.
"Now that everyone is here we can start!" Kay clapped her hands before plopping into her chair next to Kunsel. However, all eyes remained fixed on the fuming Commander who sat with arms crossed, cerulean eyes burning with rage, and cheeks flushed from anger and embarrassment.
"You look like such a bitch!" Rufus howled with laughter, joined by Reno and Kadaj.
"Look who's talking slave." Genesis sneered, gesturing to the collar fastened around the blonde's neck.
"EVERYONE SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" Kay shouted, jumping up and stomping her foot. The voices died down and all eyes turned to the brunette just as she fell back into the chair.
"They're all yours Kun!" Kay smiled at the SOLDIER as he stood up and began to address the group,
"Basically the rules are you get fired or you kill or injure any of your clients you are subjected to whatever punishments the viewers and Kay come up with. And you don't get paid for the time you already invested."
"Wait wait wait! We are missing people! What about Cissnei!? And Scarlet! And Reeve and Cat Sith!" Elena asked, the metal of her armor clinking as she moved.
"Well, we needed assistance soooo, they're helping us! Time to start your jobs, under your seats is a list of locations and times concerning said jobs!" Kay grabbed Kunsel by his arm and pulled him out of the room.
None moved for the longest time. Zack watched everyone take on various facial expressions, from exhausted all the way to enraged.
"If you're late you lose pay!" Kay's voice said over the intercom.
"Shuddap! We're moving yo!" Reno snapped before gradually pulling himself out of the chair, followed by everyone else.
Zack groaned, and reached under his chair. Huh. That's lucky; he didn't even have to leave the Shinra Tower. He was going to be working in Shinra's Archives!
"I HATE THIS!" Rufus shouted, kicking the coffee table. The glass flew across the room to smash against the opposite wall.
"I HATE THESE PANTS TOO!" Rufus added, twisting this way and that so the leather would adjust properly.
Zack turned to Angeal, who for the most part of the morning hadn't spoken. He was dressed in casual clothing, a t-shirt and jeans, with a pair of gloves and baseball cap.
"Where do you have to work Angeal? I have to stay here, in the Shinra Archives. So I guess it's better then being forced to sit in some other stuffy library all day. And Cloud's gonna work here too! And Areith and Nanaki and Tifa! I have no idea where Sephiroth or Genesis or Lazard will be working, I feel kinda bad for them." Zack's face contorted into a sad pout.
"I am not sure where they are working either, but my briefing sheet says I work here as well."
"What?"
"Apparently Shinra has opened a flower shop on its lower level."
"That would be mine." Aerith said as she joined the two men. Zack would never get used to the sweet girl he knew wearing a TURK uniform.
"I will take good care of it Miss Gainsbourough, I give you my word." Angeal said, offering a warm smile to the girl.
"I know you will Angeal, it's not you I'm worried about." Her emerald eyes fluttered over to a certain Crimson Commander as he snarled at Rufus Shinra.
"I will make sure Genesis behaves himself in your store, don't worry." The girl smiled in relief at Angeal's words, while Zack took on a look of disbelief.
As Aerith moved to talk to a fuming Tifa, Zack addressed his mentor.
"But Angeal, Genesis is….Genesis."
Angeal sighed before nodding and moving through the crowd to intervene in the impending fight that Genesis seemed to be at the center of.
"Time to start your jobs!" Kunsel's voice rung through the room from the intercom.
Groans arose from its inhabitants as they all made their ways towards an exit.
"Game on" Zack thought as he pushed his way outside.
Yazoo had opted to remain quiet most of the morning, not due to any nervousness or anger, just simply because he had no idea what he was supposed to be doing. a dog groomer? How was he supposed to know anything about dogs or how to groom them? But compared to some of the other jobs, Yazoo counted himself as fortunate.
Walking down the bustling roads of the Plate, Yazoo watched the people. Just as ignorant as they had been the first time. Now, this dog grooming store should be right around…..there.
A large chrome building stood out like a sore thumb amongst the crowded city, its large pink sign with frilly ribbons and what appeared to be a poodle plastered on the front caused Yazoo's stomach to twist in a painful sort of way. This was where he was working? The middle remnant growled, he was going to have a word with Kay.
Pushing the door open, Yazoo stepped over the threshold into his own nightmare. Women were prattling on about their dog and her dog and these celebrities and their nails….Yazoo's hand twitch over Velvet Nightmare.
"You must be the new guy, my name's Candy." A red-haired girl with too many freckles stepped into Yazoo's line of vision.
"Yes." Yazoo had to force the answer out through clenched teeth. The chomping of the girl's gum was beginning to anger him beyond comprehension.
"Well, basically all you gotta do is whatever the customer asks for. This is your station. Got it?" The girl had led him to an empty table situated next to a bath tub. Was she insulting him? Of course he understood something as simple as that.
"I believe I can manage." Yazoo put as much venom into the words as possible. The girl seemed to get the message as the color drained from her face and she promptly swallowed her gum.
"I-If you n-need anything I-I'm over there." The redhead swiveled on her heel and ran back through the store. Sighing, Yazoo watched as the mindless girls proceeded to preen over the disgusting mutts.
The chiming of a bell caused Yazoo's head to snap towards the door. A plump older woman was waddling through the door with a pipsqueak of a dog tucked in her arms. She made her way to the counter and spoke with Candy before passing the dog over to her. A few moments later Candy was stood before him, placing the dog on his table.
"H-Here is the list of t-things she wants done." And….the girl was gone again. Yazoo almost smirked as he picked up the paper.
Wash in lavender shampoo
Trim nails with the frog trimmers
Add a bow to his collar and left ear
Yazoo blinked, were all dog owners this stupid? Did they all have some strange obsession with what kind of nail clippers were used on their slobbering mutts? Looking at the rat-like creature situated in front of him, Yazoo fought the urge to scowl.
First, he should find the lavender shampoo correct? Yes. He was correct. Yazoo turned to look at the shelf behind him, resisting the urge to gasp at what he saw.
Shelves upon shelves filled were lined with different types of shampoo and scented flea scrubs….what in Ifrit's nine hells?
Yazoo's eyes scanned the shelves to find the bloody lavender shampoo. Nothing. There was not a single bottle of lavender shampoo on the 15 shelves. Growling, the silver remnant stalked toward the front counter.
"Lavender shampoo seems to be missing from my inventory Candy." The words sounded like a death sentence.
The girl paled further as she responded, "W-Well, you could ask Trina." She pointed to a blonde with obvious implants.
Yazoo uttered something between a sigh and a growl as he made his way towards the girl.
"Lavender shampoo, would you happen to have any?" The words held a slight sarcastic tone as they left the remnant's lips.
"Why would I give it to you?" the blonde responded, sneering at Yazoo as she soaped up the dog in front of her.
The silver brother's blood lust made a sudden appearance as the bitch seemingly dismissed him.
Velvet Nightmare was pressed against the back of her head in an instant.
"This is why."
However, rather then turning into a sniffling mess and willfully handing over the shampoo the blonde just laughed.
"Oh?" The blonde began as she turned around, "And what would Kay say if she found out you had gone and killed one of her cast members?" Yazoo could have been knocked over with a feather as he recognized the blonde before him.
"Scarlet!?"
Author's Note: Hehe, poor Yazoo. Do you know why some characters were missing from the job list now? And I send a big KUDOS to KHGiggle for catching the missing characters before. As a prize of sorts, I would like to offer you a one-shot of your choice from these categories: Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy 7, One Piece, Devil May Cry. Also, a big THANK YOU to all of you who are being so patient with this fic. You will always get an update every weekend. So tune in next time! Sincerely, Kay.