Hi, Tesh here. Yep I'm still writing. I recently got a job, and the idea of Hakkana getting a job too popped into my head. We can say that this happens before Hakkana gets the letter from Moonlit Dragon... This will be a series of short chappies as I get more ideas from my own adventures at my job, so I'm not sure how long it will be yet. There's one “Phantasy” ref in here, so the usual disclaimer. See if you can guess the name of the department store where I work. :P One more thing- the names of the characters are not the names of real people I work with for their privacy. Let me know of any mistakes or bad grammar, ok? Enjoy! -Tesh : )

We join Hakkana Ember as she joins the ranks of employed high school students...

Working Girl

Episode 1- Burt

“Man... I need money,” Hakkana Ember groaned, as she glanced into her blue leather wallet, which held a meager five dollars. She didn't have enough for a school lunch at Whoburn High. Whose big idea was it to make a tiny slice of pizza and a soda $6.50? Since she didn't have enough, the raven-haired girl bought a popsicle. Yes, the epitome of a healthy meal.

“Hey, Rin,” Hakkana greeted her brown-haired friend as she sat at their usual table. Riny returned the greeting.

“How's your job?” Hakkana asked.

“The usual. Kids always take out the art supplies and leave 'em all over the floor.” Riny made a face, making Hakkana laugh.

“I need a job...,” Hakkana said grumpily, licking her frozen treat. “AIR TV volume 1 just came out, and I so want it...”

“Well, Bohl's is hiring now... You should check it out.”

“The department store near my house?” Hakkana grinned. “Thanks for tip.”

The rest of Hakkana's friends arrived, and they immediately began to talk and joke.

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The large Bohl's department store right around the corner from Hakkana and Sissy's apartment loomed nearer as Hakkana rode her blue mountain bike there. When she arrived, she chained her bicycle to a pole and entered.

Merchandise was piled wall to wall in aisles upon aisles in the cavernous space. Shoppers walked around lazily with their purchases clutched in their hands. Little kids ran wild while their mothers scolded them. Colorful manikins showcased the latest fashions- from wild patterns to subdued colors. The softly played background music provided a soothing sound for the shoppers. Clothes, shoes, electronics, housewares... You could get lost in here, Hakkana thought.

Employees bustled to and fro towards different departments. Hakkana stopped a middle-aged woman. “Excuse me? Are you hiring?”

“Yes we are,” she replied. “Head over to the Customer Service desk.”

“Thanks!”

As she walked there, Hakkana heard the loud speaker: “Bohl's in Whoburn is now hiring. See the Customer Service desk today for more information on joining our great team.”

“Hello!” Hakkana called, looking around. The Customer Service desk was unmanned.

“What, what? My shift's almost over...,” a grumpy voice said. The person attached to the voice stepped forward.

“J-Jason?”

“Eh?” Her boyfriend looked up, and his green eyes widened. “Kana! What're you doing here?”

“Lookin' for a job. I didn't know you worked here.”

Jason nodded. “Yeah. I forgot to tell you that we're hiring. We're shorthanded here.”

“Sweet.”

Jason handed her a form. “Here's the application. Fill it out when you have the chance. You can hand it in in person or mail it.”

“Thanks a lot.” She smiled.

Jason squeezed her hand. “No prob.”

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“Lessee...,” Hakkana mumbled as she lounged on her bed that evening, her black locks covering her blue eyes, and her tail twitching as she pored over the application. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes impatiently and tapped her pen on her teeth. “When can I work...?”

She pondered, thinking over her schedule. School from 8 to 1:30 weekdays, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday martial arts right after school till 5, and church on Sunday. So... She could work Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday nights. Hakkana scribbled down the days and times that she could work with a flourish. Then she grabbed her math textbook with a sigh and started her homework.

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The very next day, the unemployed teen delivered her application at Bohl's in person. She wanted to make a good impression, so she wore dress pants that she usually wore to church, a three-quarter-length blouse, and a ribbon at the end of her long braid. As she handed it to the lady behind the Customer Service desk, someone said, “Wait, wait!” They both turned.

A portly man with graying hair, ears, and tail bustled toward them. His neatly pressed suit and crisp tie clearly meant that he was the manager. Sure enough, when he came closer Hakkana saw a “Manager” badge on the black lanyard around his neck.

He shook her hand vigorously, smiling widely. “Hello, hello, my name's Burt! Jason Barrett told me about you. How are you? Do you have a job already? You go to Whoburn High, correct?”

“Er...,” Hakkana said. Her hand was starting to hurt, and she didn't know which question to answer first. “Uhm, no, I don't have a job.”

“Excellent, excellent! Welcome to Bohl's!”

“Er...,” Hakkana said again, “I'm hired? Now?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Er,” she said yet again, surprised. “T-Thank you, sir.”

“No, no, call me Burt! Come with me!”

Burt clamped his hands on Hakkana's shoulders and steered her through an employee entrance, which turned out to be the offices.

“So, so? When can you start?”

“W-Well... I wrote it in my ap-”

“Of course, of course!” Burt boomed, waving his hands in the air. “But, but, we need workers asap!”

“O-Okay, sure.” Hakkana's said uncertainly as Burt led her to a chair and plopped a pile of paperwork in front of her.

“All right, all right! Just sign here and here and here! Yes, yes, that's right. Ha-kane-ah?”

“Ha-kah-nah.”

“That's a nice name, young man.” Burt's grin widened if it were possible, his eyes over bright.

Hakkana scowled. “I am a girl.”

“What, what? Oh my! I apologize, I apologize, young lady.” Burt laughed loudly, causing Hakkana to blink confusedly. What the...?

“Welcome, welcome to Bohl's once again. You'll love it here!”

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“...And get this,” Hakkana said that evening, while eating dinner with Seraph Avalon. “He hired me on the spot!”

“That's good! Now you can get me a discount on clothes,” Seraph replied.

“Sissy!”

Seraph laughed. “Kidding!”

Hakkana stirred her hot chocolate with an amused expression on her face. “He's weird though, and creepy. You should've seen him.” She put on a deeper voice than her own and said, “Welcome, welcome!” Sissy laughed again.

The teen rested a hand on her face, and said, “At least I have a job now. The pay's pretty good too. Better than my last job at Mama Gino's.” Hakkana frowned- she never wanted to work at a restaurant again, even though she had gotten free pizza.

“I have orientation tomorrow, and right after that I start,” she continued.

“Good luck,” Seraph said, smiling as she took a bite of pizza from which they had ironically bought from Mama Gino's. “You'll do great.”

“Thanks, I hope so.”