August 3rd, Thursday, private residence on Carnegie campus 10:42 am "So you won't be able to make it to the meeting today?" "No, sorry, and Katt's going to finish unpacking. I promise we'll make the next one." "Oh, it's all right. We all have obligations. Besides, since the team hasn't been completed yet, this will be more like an unofficial get-together. I just thought it was high time we met each other." "Sounds like a good idea. If you like, you can give me a few highlights at the try-outs later today." "Mm-hmm, I was planning on doing that anyway. Um, before I go to call the others, would you mind telling me what you have planned instead?" "You sound upset," Leena grinned. "Relax, Freya, I'm seeing somebody concerning another possible player. You know I'd never miss a meeting unless it was important. Why don't you put those resources of yours to good use and see if you can't fill in a few blanks? That way, we might get enough members to hold another session before school starts, and I guarantee I'll be there." "That sounds like a great idea! I'll get right on it! I'll try and stress it to the others as well." "Okay, I appreciate it. Sorry I couldn't make it." "Oh, don't worry," she laughed softly. "That just means less people to spend money on!" Freya's smile vanished as she hung up. Being so perky and energetic really wiped her out, but she had to keep pretending, at least until she called everyone. They needed to understand that this would be an informal affair, and that they could always rely on their manager to cheer them up, even if she felt ready to collapse. Taking a deep breath, Freya threw some pills in her mouth, washed them down, and flipped her Rolodex to the next name. You complete my fate The world unwinds inside of me You complete my fate The halo crawls away You repeat my fate Rewinding all we can You refill my place You refill my place Come and save me Come and save me You complete my fate The heavens stroll inside of me You repeat my fate Revealing who we are You refill my place You refill my place Come and save me Believe in me Drink the wine Take my hand Fill me up Believe in me Drink the wine Take my hand Let me follow "Answering the Call" "Thanks for the grub, Freya! Later!" Lauren Ofdensen was smiling as she left Chili's and wandered to her car. The meeting had gone well, she had met several fascinating and sexy women, and she even got a free meal out of it! Balancing her take-out box in one hand and her small all-purpose sack in the other (she detested purses), Lauren fished around for her cell phone, positive that she had gotten a call earlier. Sure enough, as she flipped the case open, a message reading "You missed 1 call(s) and have 1 message(s)" flickered to life, and prodding a little further, she discovered a friend of hers had tried to get in touch. Lauren sought the solitude of her car before listening to the message. "It's me. I'm probably interrupting something. I'd just like to inform you that we will be attending the same university now. You'll probably interpret this as a continuation of our so-called rivalry. Well, come what may, our relationship has been given an extension, so if you've been hoping to get rid of me, I am sorry to disappoint. Call me back so I know you're not dead." (End of messages,) came the annoying recorded voice Lauren had grown so accustomed to. (To delete this mess--) She pressed 7, trashing it, then ran through her list of missed calls. Wouldn't her friend be pissed to learn that her fiercest archrival was still alive! Prompt as always, the woman answered her phone after only one ring. "Afternoon. I presume you received my message?" "Yeah, sorry to disappoint ya! But hey, it's great we still get to go to school together. Why didn't you tell me you were going to CU?" "Mmn, no reason. I just didn't. It will take me awhile to move there, but I've already registered for classes." "Oh, so're we gonna be rivals again?" The other woman sighed deeply. "I don't know what goes through that head of yours." "That's why I'm gonna beat'cha!" "Fine, you win, you're better than me. Satisfied?" "Tsk, you're no fun. But you are taking a psych class, right?" "Yes, so we might be in the same room together. Heaven forbid." "Naw, we can be study-buddies! Oh, hey, I've got news as well. You'll never guess." Lauren smiled smugly, almost sticking her tongue out with glee. The other woman paused a moment to humor her friend. "Let's see. Does it have anything to do with baseball?" "Sadly, no, but you're close." "Then I give up." "No fun at all!" she yelled. Her friend smirked just a little. "All right, have it your way. I got into the Carnegie soccer team, through some freak chance." "You shouldn't be so surprised: you were always a very athletic girl. But why make the transition?" "I dunno," Lauren grumbled. "This old bat conned me into it. Hey, watch out for that Rosewood bitch: she'll talk you into anything if you give her the chance." "You mean the retired General, Stacie Rosewood?" There was finally a trace of surprise in the woman's voice, something even Lauren didn't hear often. "Hmm. I never imagined. That might make my tenure even more interesting. I will be arriving there today, around 3:30, so I would appreciate it if you helped me move in." Lauren shrugged haphazardly. "Sure thing. What else do I have going on? I might even introduce you to a few of my sexy new friends." "I do hope you've not done anything Quixotic yet," she sighed before bidding Lauren farewell. The redhead smirked, put her phone away, and drove out of the parking lot. "She hasn't changed at all." Soft-spoken, studious, self-effacing siren Both a proud narcissist and an insecure neurotic Breaking the mirror in and of her mind Arina Essylt Since most of the women had gotten all the important things out of the way--moving in, getting a job, registering for classes, and applying for the school soccer team--they could spend what was left of their summer vacation as they pleased. Lauren would most likely have a party in the future; Terra preferred prowling the mall in search of the latest manga and video games. Since she had only moved recently, she didn't know her way around very well, so she called Amy and Freya, who gave her a few pointers. "You like games? Hmm...what about graphic animation?" "Oh yeah! That's actually the field I wanted to get into!" "You're in luck!" Freya chirped. "The company I own is expanding, and we really need some computer graphics designers. Oh, wait--you already have a job, don't you?" "Yes, at Parody. Uh...but you know, I don't work there every day. I've got the weekends off. Would it be okay if I checked it out first?" "Sure, we'd love to have you come by! It's halfway between my house and the mall; however, it's located on a relatively new lot of land, so we aren't shoulder to shoulder with our neighbors. Don't worry, you'll find it! See you there!" "Yeah, and thanks for the directions." Terra put her cell phone away and tried getting her bearings. This mall was so different than the one she was accustomed to; everything was turned around and mixed up. Freya told her that the nearest video game store was around JC Penny's, between Aeropostle and The Golden Kernel, so she followed her nose until she was struck with the buttery aroma of popcorn. A shop labeled Game Stop was right next to it, so she stepped inside shyly, noticing how very few customers there were. She had the whole store to herself, but it also made her feel vulnerable. But then, she saw it: a diamond in the rough. "No...freaking...way!" she gasped. The only visible employee was playing a game Terra recognized all too well, one she had wanted to play for ages, but never got the chance. With her mouth still hanging open, she addressed the woman: "Is that Mother 2?" "It sure is," she answered coolly. "AKA Earthbound. I'm glad there's somebody out there who still appreciates the classics. Lately it's been nothing but advanced this and new-gen that, digital revolution crap and hi-def nonsense. Feh! All skin and no heart." "Is it for sale?" Terra asked, feeling her adrenaline rush. "Please tell me it's on sale!" "Sorry," the older woman grinned, "it's actually my copy. You're welcome to play it, but I'm not about to let it go." "Oh, please!" she begged, nearly stamping the floor. "How much do you want, really? What if money was no object?" "No object?" she grinned, rubbing her cheek. "Well, with the system and the game, I might let it go for a thousand bucks." "WHAT! That's not fair! I could get it on Ebay cheaper than that!" "Not anymore," she replied, saving her game and resetting the system. She gave Terra a controller, not wanting her to walk away broken-hearted. "Come on, give it a whirl. I gotta get back to work anyway. If there's anything you want, just ask--I mean, anything besides that." "You won't reconsider?" she whimpered. "Come on, I've never played Mother 2." "So play it, unless you're in some kinda hurry!" "But I want to take it home with me," she sighed. The employee smiled warmly, and returned behind the counter to organize her stock. "Trust me, I know exactly how you feel. Nintendo should've imported the Mother series to the DS--but while we're fantasizing, I may as well say that Sony should've released Suikoden one and two for the states. Buncha morons..." Her sour expression slowly improved, and her eyes sparkled craftily as she came up with an idea. "Okay, let's make a deal. I'll go ahead and give it to you if you can beat me at Smash Brothers Brawl." Terra snorted as she paused her game. "Are you serious? I have to warn you, I'm pretty good at that." "Well, I'm not so bad myself. You up for it?" "Sure, I've got nothing to lose." The employee looked over at Terra's purse, where a small trinket was dangling. "You could wager that Lucca keychain you got there," she pointed. Terra noticed it had gotten loose and snapped it in her palm, feeling very possessive. It was cast in the image of her favorite character from one of her favorite games; she had bought it when her family went to Vietnam a few years back to visit relatives. It had taken a lot of time, effort, and money to secure, and at first, Terra was reluctant to gamble with it. But when she realized she held her keychain with the same esteem this woman held her game in, it seemed like a fair trade, and she placed it on the Wii system. "Fine, it's a deal, but I hope you're ready to lose." "A good gamer is ready for anything," the woman replied. As the game moved to the character selection screen, she immediately went to select Pit, while Terra chose Jigglypuff, a move that usually bewildered her opponents. The reaction was no different today: "Wow, Jigglypuff, huh? You're either really good or really brave." "Maybe I'm both!" Terra crowed, feeling herself grow more extroverted again. She was always bashful and quiet around strangers, but was quick to become the life of the party around her close friends...or anyone who shared her passion. Before the match started, she felt it necessary to introduce herself to her opponent, like a true honorable warrior. "I'm Terra, by the way." Self-proclaimed champion, fueled by indomitable endurance Extroverted gamer, tomboyish and sweet Reticent on matters of love alone, broken home, doubtful heart Jennifer Andre "But most people call me Jen," she said as the match began. "So are you a gamer?" "Yeah, pretty avid, but I'm also into manga and Tae Kwon Do." "Nice! Oh, crap, that was low! I'll get you back for that, you know." "Yeah, sure," Terra giggled. But she also had to admit that Jen was good, at least as good as her, if not better. So, first there was Amy with martial arts, and now Jennifer with games: Terra now had equals in two aspects of her life, and she vaguely wondered if she would befriend this new woman in the same manner. "Say, if you're a gamer, you should come to the tournaments they hold in Parody bookstore. Do you know where that is?" "Yeah, I work there." Jen clucked her tongue as she gained a momentary advantage. "Tsk, lucky. That place is awesome. So what's your favorite game?" "Well, I really like the Star Ocean series, but recently I got into Valkyrie Profile-the PSP version, I mean." "Oh, cool. I've got the original. Heh, it's kinda stone-age now, but it's still one of the greats. You ever do any online gaming?" "Some, when I can. I fiddled around with Warcraft and Gaios for awhile." "No kidding!" Jen exclaimed as her character was thrown off the ledge. "I've been playing GAOG for awhile." Terra grinned as she moved into a fierce combo. "Oh yeah? Maybe we've met." "It's possible. I'm Sarishaun Tartarus, the bandit princess." "No...WAY!!" Terra paused her game to stare in awe. "Oh my god, you're Sarishaun?! I'm Huynh the centaur! We're partners!" "No friggin' way!!" Jen and Terra laughed and hugged each other, two online friends finally meeting in person. Something like this cannot be a coincidence: Jen thanked the divine intervention of God, while Terra chalked it up to her good karma. "God, I was wondering what happened to you! You never told me where you were moving to." "Sorry. Uh, if you want my new address, I can give it to you." "Sounds great. I was worried I wouldn't be able to send you a birthday-slash-Valentine's day card this year. Uh...so you got enrolled at Carnegie, right?" "Yeah, and their soccer team." "I've heard about that. Some of the guys that come around here tried out. I hear they're really strict about who gets in." "Uh, not so much," Terra grinned sheepishly. Jen wondered what her friend meant by that at first, but figured it out soon enough, and hugged her again. "Wow, congratulations! I guess you're moving up in the world." "Slowly but surely. Oh, the match!" "Bah, forget about it," Jen smiled as she reset the system. "I can just give you the game. I mean, I already got it on the Wii Virtual Console. There's really no point in keeping two." Terra's face was blindingly bright; her eyes were as wide as saucers, and her mouth was a great big happy grin. "Ah...are you serious? You're giving it to me free of charge?! Ohmygod, Jen, I love you!" She tackled the older woman, purring and humming happily; Jen laughed and pried her away. "Thanks, but I never said I was giving it away for free. How about a trade? Yoink!" She snatched up Terra's keychain, twirling it on her finger. "This is the friend's discount," she announced proudly. "Are you happy with it?" Terra didn't even need to consider her answer: "Sure, as long as you guarantee everything's in working order." "I swear on Sarishaun's Hawkeye Crossbow." Terra smiled warmly and helped Jen unplug the Super Nintendo. As it was being packed away, the two reunited friends exchanged addresses and numbers, and promised to keep in touch, which was a given considering their hobby. Before Terra left the Game Stop, Jen stopped her for one last question that had been nagging in her mind. "Uh, Terra...do you think I could try out for the soccer team as well?" -- Nadia Khovansky, 19, 5'8" (1.72 m), defensive midfielder position- Kasumi Beckett was surprised she managed to book an interview with the owner of Out and About so easily, but she wasn't about to question her good fortune. She had scheduled the meeting with Odessa mostly out of curiosity: she wanted to know just what kind of place this nightclub was, and whether she would like it if she got hired. Since she wouldn't have classes or practice until later, her entire day was free, so she could devote it to this interview. Felicity offered to drive her there, but no, Kasumi didn't want to trouble her, and besides, the weather was perfect for a bike ride. As unfamiliar as she was with the new city, Kasumi would need the convenience and maneuverability of a bicycle. Odessa's directions were pretty good, though, and she made it there without incident. She noted with a smirk that there was a place to chain her bike, so she left it behind and made sure she had all her credentials. "Uh, hello," she muttered to the bouncer. The heavyset biker butch grinned back, waving a meaty hand. Kasumi decided to identify herself before her intentions were mistaken. "I'm here for a job interview with Odessa. Is she in right now?" "Yeah, her office is on the third floor. You can't miss the stairs." "Thanks." Kasumi slipped inside without fanfare; that woman's stare had discomforted her. She didn't think she would feel out of place inside the nightclub-she had worked at another gay bar before, although that one was usually filled with men-and the fact that the floor was very sparsely populated made her feel even easier. Kasumi was glad Odessa didn't schedule their meeting during peak business hours; she wasn't sure if she could "run the gauntlet" with all those feminine eyes gazing at her. "Get used to it," she murmured to herself as she spotted the stairs. "You're probably going to be working here. I sure do hope it's different from that other place." As Kasumi climbed higher, she noticed the lowest area was devoted to a large dance floor and a bar spanning from wall to wall; the second floor was a lounge, with tables, beanbag chairs, couches, booths, and lots of dark corners and cubbies where couples could seclude themselves. The highest floor was strictly for business, where Odessa reigned from on high and where her employees took their breaks. Kasumi dreaded having to hike up and down these stairs every day, but there was also an "employees only" entrance that led directly outside, which neatly removed that labor from the equation. Nice. She humbly knocked on Odessa's open door, poking her head inside and smiling at the owner. "Hi, I'm here for the interview." "Kasumi, right? Come in, make yourself at home." Odessa's office was surprisingly clean, organized, and functional, hardly a reflection of its proprietor. While she was certainly a very beautiful woman-short curly black hair crowning her head, silky-smooth brown skin, glittering eyes that hinted at the sensuality within, a healthy figure, and a smile creasing behind lavender lips-she had a reputation for being a wild nymphomaniac. At least she knew when to separate business from pleasure, though she couldn't help but stare as Kasumi made a strong entrance. "Well, we may as well get started," she sighed as they shook hands. "I hate doing it, but I've got to see all the legal shit before I hire you. Not my rules, sadly. Let's see the ol' résumé, then." Odessa skipped through it for about a minute and smiled. "Ah, I see you worked at Studs. I also see you're not quite twenty-one yet." "Almost," Kasumi squeaked. Her pulse skyrocketed, and she turned pale. She had managed to slip by the age limit in her old job by coming to an "understanding" with her supervisor, but she didn't know if Odessa would let her off so easily-or if she could call the police about this alarming indiscretion. The older woman just nodded, and gave the sheet back. "Well, unfortunately, the law also says I can't employ you until you turn twenty-one-that is, if you're just serving alcohol. If we played by those rules, I wouldn't be able to hire you until October 18th. But lucky for you, I'm the kind of person who'll take advantage of any loophole she can find. There's no rule saying I can't hire someone your age to perform any other task!" "So you might have something for me after all?" Kasumi whispered, feeling hopeful again. Yes, in spite of her earlier misgivings, she felt that this job would be a great success for her. After all, she had enjoyed herself more whenever Studs had their "ladies nights", and at Out and About, she would have those same opportunities every night. Not bad. "Well, it's nothing glamorous," Odessa gestured. "There's cleaning crew, bouncer-Molly's going to be moving fairly soon-accountant, inventory...hell, you could be a go-go dancer if you like." "No thanks," Kasumi grimaced. "Actually, I have some inventory and data entry experience from my job at Walden's. I could take that." Odessa smiled grimly and shook her head. "Nobody ever takes the cleaning jobs. Well, if your previous employer can vouch for you, you're good in my book. The job starts once I get the green light, so I'll call you in for orientation. Is this your schedule?" She pointed to a paragraph in Kasumi's résumé which detailed her school and soccer times. "Looks like we can work around this perfectly. I guess you'll be wanting part-time." "Yeah, if you can." "Okay... Uh, do you drive?" "No, I take my bike." "All right, then I don't have to give you a parking pass. Um, since you'll be up here most of the day, the dress code is business casual, but if I transfer you to waitress, you'll have to wear a uniform. It's, uh...kind of revealing. Will that be okay?" "Nothing I haven't done before," Kasumi muttered. Odessa grinned. "Right, right. Well, I guess that settles things on the business end. There's a fridge and a freezer in the break room for your lunch, and we also have a water cooler and a television. Most employees just go down to the dance floor for their lunch, which is fine. I'm pretty lenient on breaks, but you know...don't abuse them or anything. Any questions?" Kasumi blushed. She definitely had questions, far too many to ask right now, but settled on something general. "Um...so what's a typical day like here?" "Not as crazy as you'd think!" Odessa laughed. "It's actually pretty orderly for the most part. We're closed from 4:30 am to 4:30 pm, but we don't get any big crowds until 9:00 or so. Most of the women behave themselves, and we have a strict three-drink limit so nobody gets out of control. We don't allow any drugs or public sex-mmn, that's what houses are for-and everyone is required to wear a top and a bottom, unless it's Topless Tuesdays, of course." Kasumi's face flashed in surprise, and Odessa grinned. "Yeah, exactly. That doesn't upset you, I hope." "Uh, no, I mean, it's just women, right?" "Right. Absolutely no men allowed during business hours. If we need an electrician or a plumber, I just schedule them to come in before we open. Most people are cool with this, but there are some assholes out there, so that's why we have Molly. Any other questions?" "No, I don't think so. Uh, so when will I know if I have the job?" "I don't think you need to worry," Odessa assured her. "It's just a matter of what your previous employers have to say. I promise I'll call you once I get in touch with them." "Thanks. Take care." "You too!" Whew. Kasumi breathed a sigh of relief as she walked outside and retrieved her bike. That wasn't so hard. -- Lauren Ofdensen, 22, 5'8" (1.72 m), no position- As always, a crowd of women surged in to try their luck on the field that afternoon, and as always, Leena judged them very carefully. She could tell that most of them were amateurs like the majority of her lineup, but they also lacked the heart and the willpower that many in the team possessed. Only a few had the skills she was hoping to find, but many of these were just selfish glory-hogs, people that would disgust even Fausta. The handful that passed her most pressing requirements, unfortunately, had schedules that would greatly conflict with their training, so she was forced to let them go, hoping they would return next year. Three hours was a long time to be beset by disappointments, and when 5:00 approached, even Leena was about ready to fall apart. The worst part was that her wife was not there to support her; she was off securing a more stable job. A striking young woman with long brunette hair and dichromatic eyes approached her with a deliberate, studious pace, smiling softly at the exhausted Coach. Leena perked up a little and greeted her. The brunette then turned her focus to the field, where several players were attempting to curry the Coach's favor. She watched them carefully, tightening her mouth and tapping her fingers against her hand. "The one in red thinks of nothing but the moment," she murmured softly. "She is focused like a blade, but she will cut down those in her path. The one in blue jeans is afraid she will be rejected, and focuses more on perfection than accomplishment. She is trying too hard. I like the one with a baggy shirt. She is very accomplished and knows exactly what she is doing. There is a happy hope in her eyes that will not be crushed if you leave her out. If I were you, Coach Leena, I would select her. As for the others, I believe you have your own instincts to listen to." The soft smile returned, and the mysterious woman bowed. "Um...okay...well, I can see how right you are, but I'm not sure how you could tell. Have you been playing sports that long?" "No, not at all. It's more of a pastime for me. I don't really have any talent for it. But reading people is not hard if you look for the signs, and I've always had a particular gift. Look, see: that one is destructive. She thinks only of herself. See how she darts around pursuing the ball, thinking only of her fame? That one over there is far too inattentive. She has many troubling thoughts. How pitiful: I really only like one person here." "Who are you?" Leena demanded. Blue and green eyes sparkled. "A friend of one of your players. When I learned of her inclusion, I came here to witness the spectacle and offer my support. I'm not very athletic, Coach Leena, but if you'd like, I can fill in as the team psychologist. It's fine if you don't need me, of course-I just thought I'd offer my services." "And a valuable service it would be," she noted jovially, thinking about Alice, Nadia, and Felicity. "You know, when I was coaching the Stanton all-girls school, we had a few psychologists helping the team out, and it seemed to work pretty well. I suppose you could join the team-providing you give me your name." "Arina Georgette Essylt. I prefer not to shake hands." "I understand. Uh, so, you say you've played before, right?" "Yes, but not for long, and I wasn't particularly good." "I'm just asking in case I need to use you as a reserve. Let's see if we can't squeeze one more player in before the day's over. Andre, front and center!" Jennifer had been having so much fun that she forgot she was being monitored. She jogged over breathlessly, glowing and beautiful, not caring whether she made it or not. Unlike so many others who came to try-outs, she didn't base her self-worth on inclusion or status, but by how much love she invested in something, and how much fun she had with others. Of course, when she heard that she had made the cut, she was quite overjoyed, but only for all the right reasons. Arina smiled at her; she liked Jen already. But that was not quite the end. Right around 5:30, when Leena dismissed everyone and started to pack up, a shadow fell over her and she looked to see which latecomer had arrived. She wasn't in the mood to judge anybody, and didn't exactly look forward to coming back tomorrow for another tribulation. But the instant she saw who was towering over her, standing still and quiet as a post, her face lit up and she grinned. "Well hello there! You must be Alice Hawthorne! Goodness, you really are tall! Sit down, sit down, make yourself comfortable!" "No thanks," murmured the giantess, "I won't be long. It looks like you've had a busy day." "Ugh, yeah, three hours of watching wannabe stars scurry around fighting each other. I swear, I must've landed in one of those awful reality shows. Did you just get here?" Alice shook her head, her dyed-black hair shivering. "Uh...to tell you the truth...I've sort of been watching everything. I, uh, wanted to see what things were like." "Oh? So what do you think?" Alice smiled feebly, hunching over to make herself appear smaller. At 6'4" (1.93 meters), this was hard for any woman to do, but Alice was a diagnosed schizophrenic; she seemed destined to draw people's stares. "It's nice." "So would it be too forward of me to ask if you've come to a decision yet?" "No," she answered, shaking her head again. "I've definitely made my choice." Leena was kind enough to wait for the answer; she didn't want to put any more pressure on her delicate psyche. Alice needed those few seconds of peace to finally come to terms with her real desires. I probably won't make any friends, or help win any games, or do anything that's worth meriting. I doubt if I'll even be able to get anything out of this. But if I want a cure...if I want to be normal again...I have to try, don't I? "Coach Leena," she announced in a firm voice, "I want to join the Carnegie soccer team!" The older woman smiled and shook her hand. "Welcome aboard."
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