Dualism

[Carthrat]

Red shakes his head. "Well, don't worry about it," he says, quickly. "I'm just in a rush, you know, so I wasn't looking around."

[Liddo-kun]

My mind more focused on catching the train rather than catching Red's words, I can only spare him hurried replies that I hoped sounded like acknowledgment or apologies or something resembling coherency.  If I had a moment for reflection, I'm sure that I could admit with a clear conscience that I was being rude, but it was the FIRST day on the job!  Being late just wasn't a fashionable option.

I resolved that should I see him again I would attempt to be more sociable, civil, and polite.

If I remember.

For now though, it was a matter of putting one foot in front of the next and keeping myself from falling.

Legs, don't fail me now!

[Carthrat]

Your legs comply with your wishes and do not act in a traitorous fashion, allowing you to easily navigate the..ground.. and board the train when it arrives.

You are instantly reminded of why you like Australian trains- even if they're less frequent, they're also less crowded than you're used to. (You notice Red get on a different carraige, at that note.)

A short while later you arrive at Central station- only a short walk from work. Across from the eastern exit (which you have to take) is the State Library, which seems oddly out of place- most of the archtecture around you is very modern, and very slick- you're in business and shopping territory, and cars are whizzing everywhere, as are pedestrians. The Library, however, is older- gothic pillars and walls and statues and the like. The building has a nice lawn in front of it, the middle of which is divided by some stairs leading up to the main entrance. A few people are sitting on some benches, reading newspapers.

One of the statues, in the centre of the stairwell is of a man, wearing an old-fashioned suit of some kind- waistcoat, bowler hat, moustaches, and the like. He's painted entirely black, with a couple of people gathered around him.

The streets aren't terribly busy, so you don't have much trouble making your way to your newfound job.

As it were.

The AXA building is one of the taller ones here. The blue-and-white logo (a blue square with AXA written in white, slantly letters to one side) is everywhere; on the doors, the walls, the floors, and on billboards. The automatic doors slide open at your approach, showing you a simple yet elegant foyer, strangely similar to your apartment; a bank of central elevators, a small cafe to one side, and a receptionist desk towards the other.

[Liddo-kun]

It was odd how often I was crossing paths with Red.  If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was being followed or something.  I forced down that oddly discomforting musing with a shake of my head and exited the train without dallying once stopped.

The short walk does wonders to push aside my illogical worries and the splendid sight of the library was tempting.  If I wasn't in a rush to get to work, I'd definitely take the time to browse the selections and camp out in the shade with a good book.

But alas, work beckoned.  It would have to wait, for now.

On entering, I walk up to the receptionist and try to carry as cheery a demeanor as possible.  "Hello, I'm here to see Kyle..." I pause, digging for my note then frowning at not having a last name.  "I don't seem to have a last name, but it's for the new position orientation.  Can I go right on up or should I wait?"

[Carthrat]

"Ah, you must be Ms. Matsuda," replies the receptionist- a very.. bland-looking woman, with an equally bland voice. You can't help but peer over the desk as you talk to her- everything is perfectly in order; a cup is being used to hold pens and pencils, her computer is humming away, neatly piled stacks of paper...

"Yes, Kyle is expecting you. Go right on up."

[Liddo-kun]

I give her a short thank you as I made my way to the elevator and the 12th floor.  Pressing the button for up, I waited, which gave me time to reflect on the receptionist's neat and organized desk.

I hope they don't expect me to be like that... I mumbled worriedly.  Not that I was a messy girl, but I was far from what I just witnessed.  Not having an office job like this prior on my work experience was helping to ensure that my overactive imagination was going to be conjuring up all manners of phantom worries in my nervous state.

I took deep calming breaths to steady myself, staring at the descending elevator indicator to occupy my mind.

Come on Seina, get it together!  I mentally ordered.

[Carthrat]

The elevator takes some time to get to you, descending as it does from floor 40.

Code Select Expand

Glass, water that isn't water, food that isn't eaten, numerals: XL

Eventually, though, it reaches you, and with a light 'Ting!' the doors slide open, revealing.. the interior of an elevator, as you'd expect. You have to punch numbers in on an electric keypad, like a calculator interface, instead of the long rows of buttons that were in your apartment building.

The elevator starts to head up...

...and shortly reaches floor 12. Heading out, you find yourself in a fairly relaxing environment- some classical music is playing softly in the background, featuring soft pianos and bells.

The elevator leads into a corridor that extends in both directions. One seems to lead to several (closed) offices, whereas the other leads to a sitting room of some kind- purple couches, red chairs, and a muted television, showing some childrens program. You can see a clock, too- you're ten minutes early.

[Liddo-kun]

It was odd, the snippets of conversation I seemed to pick up.  Water that isn't water?  XL?

Pushing the thought to the side, I compose myself, going into my best semblance of "professional mode".  I head for the waiting room, hoping to catch sight of a secretary or receptionist of some sort.  If nothing else I'd at least have a place to sit down, I figured with a mental shrug.

[Carthrat]

There is a secretary, or at least an approximation of one. You see her when you enter the sitting room proper.

She's.. breathtaking, even to another woman. She's absolutely perfect in every way; smooth facial features, long, blonde hair, lucious red lips, shining with a coat of lipstick, and a modest shirt, which nonetheless seems to promise more than it hides.

Could make a girl a little jealous.

[Liddo-kun]

I initially keep silent for fear that the butterflies in my stomach would take the chance to flutter out.  The need to speak out eventually wins over though.  "Ah... um..." I manage, clumsily trying to coax the words to make the treacherous journey from brain to mouth.

This is so embarassing... I mentally whine.

"So there you are on time," I tell her, then promptly smack my face with my palm at the mental gaffe.

Noooo!  That's not what I meant!  Well... at least I didn't stutter....  I wanted to cry, or find a way to restart the day.

I tried again.  "I have an appointment with..."

Shit!  What was his name?  Bill?  Bob?  Joe?  ...Kevin?

I whip out the sheet of paper then quickly locate the name.  "Kyle, regarding the new position."  I take a deep breath to steady my nerves before hanging my head shamefully.  "I'm sorry, I'm usually not like this...."

[Carthrat]

The woman looks at you for a moment. It's not really a stare, or a "You're such a dork" look. It's not even a flat look. It's just a very neutral expression.

"Ah. Seina Matsuda," she says, calmly. "Kyle will see you shortly. He is just dealing with a client at the moment. Would you like anything to drink?"

[Liddo-kun]

"Some water, if it's not a bother," I ask, hoping it would steady my nerves after the embarassing showing in front of the woman.  A deep breath to soothe helps towards that some.

[Carthrat]

"Certainly, Ms. Seina," replies the woman, pronouncing it Say-Nuh, a slight accent pushing through the foreign (to her) name. The woman stands, and gracefully walks to a water cool, soon returning with a white, plastic cup that somehow seems out of place.

"It has a slight lemon taste to it."

[Liddo-kun]

"Thank you," I tell her, accepting the cup with a smile.

A slight lemon taste?  Interesting bottled water feature, I idly note, taking a cautious sip to feel out the taste before drinking the rest.

[Carthrat]

Tastes like water.

With lemon. A little bitter, but overall, quite nice.

The drink seems to settle something inside you. It's the sharpest thing you've tasted all day, and it feels good. Suddenly, you realise with absolute conviction that you can speak perfect English, if the need arises.

Code Select Expand

"...you..." (transmission static) "..suda? (bleeeeeep) break-"

"Kyle will see you now," says the woman, gesturing to a door you didn't notice before. "Please, go right in."