Magical Girl Mercenary For Hire – Chapter One

Chapter One

>> 2041
>> Continent: North America
>> Country: Old New York
>> City: Mega City New New York
>> 12:49am

The room past the entrance way was, unsurprisingly, another lobby. This was a very small one, though, with a long counter with a pair of secretaries behind it, and a corridor to either side. I saw some offices further in, a bunch of cubicles taking up a room, the other side just had a turn further in and a couple of doors with little placards next to them.

“Miss?” one of the secretaries said. He was a guy secretary, a big muscled guy that didn’t seem to fit into his button-up shirt very well. “Hello miss, I’m Timothy Jortfull. Security out front said that you needed our services?”

I blinked. I hadn’t said anything like that to the security guy out front. Then again, I suppose it made some sense. When you walk into a store you’re usually there to buy stuff, not to come asking for a job.

“I’m sorry, Mister Jortfull, but I think you have it wrong. It’s not your fault, I just didn’t know if that was the right entrance to take for what I’m looking for.”

Mister Jortfull stood a little taller at that. “Oh, of course. This is the entrance for customers. There’s only one other entrance. For employees. I don’t think you should come in from that one.” He smiled.

“I’m hoping that I can soon,” I said with my best idol smile.

Mister Jortfull’s smile looked a bit fixed. “If… you wish?” he said. “We’d rather that than coming in from the walls.”

I frowned. “Why would I come in through the walls? I mean, I could come in through the windows, I guess.”

“We’re on the seventy-sixth floor.”

“I know… I took the elevator here.” I shook my head. This conversation was weird, and getting weirder. “Alright, look Mister Jortless, maybe you can help me?”

“That’s what I’m here for,” he said.

“Great! I’d like one job application, please.”

“You want a job application? But our applications are online,” he said.

I sighed. “I know. I tried to fill one of these out, but I got auto-rejected. Not that your site told me. You know, it’s rude to not tell a candidate that they weren’t picked. I had to have Chys check for me.” I raised Chys up, then because she wasn’t doing anything, I wiggled one of her forelegs as if she was waving hello.

“I… we’ll look into that,” Mister Jortfull said. “So, if I understand correctly, you want to work for the Wraith Ranger Forced Reconnaissance Group?”

“That’s right,” I said.

“Okay. Yeah, sure, why not?” he said. “Would you mind giving me a moment? I think I need to kick this up the chain of command.”

I nodded, then found a bench across from the counter to sit on. Fortunately, I had Chys to play with while Mister Jortfull ran off. I wasn’t sure if it was proper office etiquette to run while indoors, but I wasn’t going to point that out. Nobody liked a snitch, or someone who whined. Or a whiney snitch. “Do you think I’ll get the job?” I asked Chys.

‘It’s very likely that you will. Whether or not you enjoy it is another matter entirely, and one which is much harder to predict. Do keep in mind what I said about contracts, however.’

“They’re not legally binding unless someone has more firepower than me,” I repeated.

‘Exactly.’

Mister Jortfull returned a few minutes later, looking more composed than when he left. He adjusted his tie and lowered the arm holding onto a tablet computer. “If you’ll follow me, ma’am, the commander will see you now.”

“The commander?” I asked as I started to follow him.

His only reply was a severe nod as he continued to escort me through the building. We crossed through the office space and into the rooms beyond that. I was surprised to discover a full on gym indoors, with a glass wall that let those in the corridor see within.

A dozen guys and girls were exercising. Then we crossed another room that looked like a range. A fairly small one, with moving animatronic model three antithesis popping in and out of cover while a couple of mercenaries took shots at them with what looked like those guns that fired little plastic pellets.