Hearing the creek of the secretary's door, Minerva gave a little jump in her chair. She had almost dozed off, chin resting above her breast, while sitting in the spacious waiting room.

     Stiff pain ran through her shoulders, down to the tip of her tail. A brief moment of reflection discovered that she hadn't been resting in the best possible position. Placing both hands over the purse on her lap, she pushed up with her shoulders, stretching the muscles and chasing the pain away momentarily.

    Somehow, her tail had managed to get between her bottom and the chair, pinching off the circulation, and mussing her fur. Retrieving a small brush from her purse, she bent over and delicately began brushing out the tangles and kinks from her blond tail. Then, placing it in her lap, gave it a quick massage to stop the tingling.

    'Oh poo. I hope I didn't wrinkle my suit.' Minerva checked her dress coat and blouse, making sure that there was no more than the common wrinkle. Satisfied that a crooked pleat in her skirt was the worst of her clothing worries, she placed the brush back into her little black purse, and looked at her watch.

    Turning the little wristwatch to where she could see the face over the glare from the ceiling lamps, Wakko Warner hand's pointed at the three and twelve. "Wonderful." She muttered. "I just do so love waiting three hours for an interview." (Yes, a very tacky watch, but it was a retirement gift from WB, and it held a lot of old memories.)

    She tried to keep her voice low, as so the feline secretary couldn't hear her. She had been talking to Minerva early on in the day, but had tapered off, obviously consumed by plenty of work.

    'Really, she is no better off than I am, huh?' Minerva had managed to pry the fact that she was only a tempo, and a very over worked one. Since the last secretary had quit, and the second was ill, she had all the work of both jobs to contend with.
 
    She was just a pinch shorter than Minerva, with light tan fur and a beautiful white bib, not uncommon for lady cats. Her clothing was down right old fashioned, a button at the neck blouse sporting a cameo broach and grayish black skirt that naturally went down past her knees, but yet, oh so tasteful and classy too. A dainty head of short blond hair, once combed very neatly to sit just above her eyes, now hung loosely down around them in locks, causing her to have to swat them away from time to time. Stunning blue eyes, now very tired and bloodshot around the rims, had none the less impressed Minerva greatly. 'I wonder..' She thought frowning, 'why they have such an attractive girl working books and not modeling clothing?'

    Sitting forward in her seat, she could just see around the corner, and into the temp's office. A lightly tan tail and black skirted behind it was attached to, floating back and forth was all she could see through the window. 'Hmmm" Was it Meggie she said her name was? 'must have lost something on the floor. Poor gal, probably could use a hot bath and some sleep by now. I know I sure could.' The pain had returned to her shoulders and Minerva tried to soothe it away with a strong rub.

    The company waiting room was C shaped, with the secretary office on the outside middle, and Minerva seated on the bottom tail. Pink upholstered chairs, ferns, reed plants, and pictures of thin models in glamorous outfits filled the room. 'A bit overdone if you ask me,' she thought, 'but what can you expect from a conglomerate design studio?'

    The click of the electronic locked door that separated the room from the inner offices opened, and Meggie walked out. "Uh, Miss Mink? Miss Augustine will see you now."

    Quickly standing up, she brushed a lock of blond hair from her face and straightened the pleat of her skirt. Resisting the urge to pull her compact from her purse and make sure her makeup was still intact, she followed the petite feline back into the studio offices.


    Meggie proceeded to lead Minerva deep into the bowls of the Augustine Design Company's main offices.

    Turning corridors, hallways, and passing cubicle upon cubicle full of working men and women of all species, the brain of the whole company, Vanessa Augustine, loomed ever closer.

    Minerva felt a sudden chill at the thought of seeing her. 'What!? Don’t tell me your still intimidated by ol’ Ugly Augustine, after all these years?! You are so above that Minerva. Don't forget, you out shined her in school and you still can, no contest!' For a fleeting moment, she had managed to inflate her self-esteem, and push away her doubt, but only for a moment.

    'Then why am I here begging her for a job?' She asked herself. 'This is going to be like getting your bikini line waxed. Painful, but ultimately necessary.'

    Still venturing around the building, the click of Meggie's heals on the neatly polished tile floor, reverberating off the walls, mixed with her own, and almost seemed to create even more of a mood. They had gone away from the busy area of the offices, and the once booming voices had begun to fade away.

    The walls were a standard pastel pink, with light blue tile, and soft colored wood for doors and moldings. 'Vanessa went all out.' Minerva sneered. 'This must have cost a bundle to have this place done in Martha Stewart paint from K-Mart.'

    She couldn't keep the force of her giggle from escaping, and Meggie paused for a moment to look at her. "Is everything all right Miss Mink?"

    "Yes." She tired to control her smile. "I'm sorry, didn't mean to interrupt."

    Meggie gave her a slight grin and continued to walk. Minerva hadn't noticed before, but she was now wearing shoes, where as, when they had first met, she was not. Modest, black pumps, that she was sure were no longer comfortable and certainly not helping her day along, covered her feline feet. It seemed to her that Vanessa didn't like the idea of her girls going around bare foot in her offices. 'Good thing I decided to wear shoes today myself.'

    Every little detail in their walk was important. From what the other workers were wearing to how the positions of the security cameras, even the office doors that were open and closed. Everything was a small piece in reflection of the company owner and head boss, Vanessa Augustine, three time Glamour cover model and current fashion icon. If Minerva was to get any intellectual hold over her, she had to make sure she knew the woman even before she met her, again. Otherwise, she would simply crush Minerva under her heel.

    The voices from before were completely gone now, and only the sound of the two girls shoes, mixed with the faint jingle of objects in Minerva's purse, could be heard.

    Most of the office doors down this hall were closed, and didn't seem to be occupied. No nameplates hung on them and all looked reasonably unused. Meggie suddenly turned her head and said, "Miss Augustine's office is right down here ma'am."
    The end of this vacant hallway was adorned with two huge mahogany doors, each neatly waxed and polished, with a plaque that stated the owner’s name in embossed gold lettering. 'Vanessa Augustine'

    'Oh ya.' Minerva thought to herself. 'I know exactly what kind of a woman she is now.' A little bit of her confidence returned. 'Perhaps, this wont be as hard as I thought.'

    Meggie knocked on one of the huge doors lightly, and then entered. This gave Minerva just enough time to give herself one more quick look over.

    Her fashionable red suit and black mini skirt fit her snugly. Loving every shapely curve, yet giving off an air of authority and business savvy confidence. The suit coat was a bit broad shouldered, making her look more intimidating, but was balanced by its low open front, that exposed the tender swell of her breast. Her button up the front blouse was a soft white, not too unlike her fur, and was complemented by black tie around her neck. Red thong high heel shoes gently wrapped around her small mink feet, allowing those who dare look a glimpse of her painted toes and silver anklets. She had also added the small black purse and silver hoop earrings that Dee Dee had so kindly gotten her from Tiffany's last year, as icing on her clothing 'cake.'
    In this game, fashion and looks were what scored points, and Minerva was confident that she could compete on any level. Her ensemble said 'sexy' and 'success' all in one breath.

    Taking the chance to check her make-up in the compact mirror, she retouched the light gloss on her lips and made sure this soft blue eye liner wasn't smudged or uneven.

     'I'm ready as I will ever be.' She closed the compact with a snap and placed it back into the purse. 'Hit me with your best shot...'

    The large door reopened, and Meggie appeared, a bit more frazzled than before. "Miss Augustine will see you now."


    As she walked into the foreboding office, Minerva noticed Meggie slink by her, not saying anything, and it would almost seem as if she were avoiding her glance. The feline quickly took off at a jog down the hall and disappeared around the corner. Her tail being the last thing seen before it slipped hurriedly out of sight. 'Hmmm, what was that about?' Minerva itched gently under her chin and then dismissing the thought. 'She must be busy.'

    Taking a step inside and closing the door behind her, Minerva was assaulted by a fury of smells. She wrinkled her nose in defense, but several incense burners placed around the room, kept on the offensive.

    Vanessa Augustine's office was spacious and almost round in shape. It jutted out of the thirty-story studio, giving a spectacular view of LA and the surrounding beach. Huge windows made up the far wall and half the ceiling, using the dyeing midday sun for light.

    It was over decorated, almost gaudy, with expensive imported furniture, all done by modern designers, purposely placed to make navigating the room difficult. Posters from fashion shows and awards, hung on every conceivable wall space. Copies of Glamour and Cosmo were strewn all over a large circular table, and even three glass museum cases, each holding one of Marylyn Monroe's famous dresses, took up residence here. 'They must have cost a mint at auction!' Minerva thought.

    A stereo played soft music on speakers that were hidden in recesses around the room. Making the sounds fade in and out depending on where you stood.

    The Studio Owner's desk, made from the same mahogany as the doors, sat precariously in the center. Stacks of papers, each neatly organized and placed in bins, along with the occasional small trinket, covered it's surfaces. A picture frame, sporting a very handsome looking male lion, greeted guests from his small area. Yet another nameplate pronouncing 'Vanessa Augustine’ sat at the head of the desk.

     Several new design ideas hung on easels just off to the right. Some had a red 'X' at the bottom, while others had notes stuck to them. All seemed very beautiful to Minerva, and she felt a slight twinge in her breast.
    The room was a total shrine to just one person. Everything being a symbol of her business power, financial strength, and influential longevity.

    'Ewwww.' Minerva thought, walking around another ugly couch and trying not to hit her knees on it. 'And people say I'm full of myself.'

    A tall looking Corinthian leather chair, with it's back turned toward the front office doors, sat behind the desk. As she finally made her way around the last obstacle on her journey to the center of the room, Minerva could see that this chair was rocking ever so slightly, in an almost hypnotic manor.

    Jutting out from its side, like two ornately carved spires, were a pair of long, slender, midnight black woman's legs. One crossed over the other, bouncing rhythmically up and down, making the chair sway as she had seen. Stiletto heals gently taped the floor, giving each dip of the foot, a slight click off the tile.

    Slowly, the chair began to turn, bit my bit, revealing its owner. 'Oh how droll. Must we have such a dramatic entrance?'

    Finally it came to a full halt, and Vanessa Augustine appeared.

    "Minerva darling! It's been years."

    Minerva was, to say the very least, stunned beyond words. 'Ugly Augustine', the lanky, twisted intellectual, underdeveloped, bug eyed girl from grade school, was gone. In her place sat a woman, that Minerva just (and that's a BIG just there) might admit, was a rival even to her in the looks department.

    Vanessa was a sensual black Panther, with dead of night fur that covered every inch of her body. In the proper lighting, she probably could appear like a silhouette, with no visible substance except for those two radiant green eyes.

    Pools of sliver hair cascaded down her back and hugged her sloping shoulders. Framing her face, it shimmered in the last few rays of daylight.

    Her body had changed drastically as well. Her once thin, near skeletal frame, had become very muscular, and well endowed to boot. A tiny, strappy white dress squeezed her bust and hips, making quite a show of her physique.

    Silver charms hung from bangles on her tail and they jingled pleasantly as it snaked around the floor by her feet. Her claws were also painted sliver to match her hair, and she wore a metallic looking lipstick on her pouty bottom lip.

    "Please have a seat Minerva." Vanessa motioned her toward one of the many chairs.  
  
    Finding her voice again, Minerva promptly sat down and said, "Yes Vanessa, it's been a while. What? High School?" She wanted to get a few words out of the Panther before they started business. Just so she knew where she stood.

    "It was High School wasn't it dear? Oh but that was so very long ago. What brings you now to my 'humble' establishment?" She purred from between her rows of sharp teeth. 

    'Poo!' Minerva thought. 'She isn't going to give me any advantage is she? I don't like this at all.'

    She had quickly noticed that Vanessa had fixed her with a piercing stair as well as a crushing smile. It didn't waver as she talked and Minerva was getting the sinking feeling that her perspective employer knew something she didn't.

     "I'm, here for the Elite Design Artist position you advertised." Minerva retrieved a small folded piece of paper from her purse and placed it on the desk. Vanessa slunk forward, and drawing a sharp painted claw, squired the clipping and brought it closer to her face.

    The smile returned. "Oh yes... Now I remember. That's why I have your resume." She stood and, bending down, pulled a file from the bottom desk door. "Lets take a look shall we?" Her rump lifted into the air and her tail raised as well forming a little '?' shape.

    Minerva caught the gesture, only because she used it herself. It was a simple show-off flirt maneuver, but she wasn't impressed. 'I can do it better...'

    Standing again, Vanessa slapped a red folder down on top of her desk, then retook her seat.

    Minerva's fur started to tingle. She didn't like this at all. 'What is going on? What kind of game is Vanessa playing? A red folder? That's got to be some warning sign! What is she up too!?"

    The Panther had begun to look through the folder, and as she flipped up the cover, Minerva could see it had her name on it, in big black letters.

'What the....?"

    Vanessa continued, flipping page after page, and leaning her head on her arm for support. "Hmmmm." She murmured. "Well, that's not good." She closed the file and fixed Minerva with her smile again.

     She then wadded the scrap of paper with the job advertisement on it, up in her hand and tossed it with her feline accuracy, into the trash. "I'm sorry Minerva, but that position was already filled."

    Minerva gave a jump. "Wh-what? But I called this morning and it was still open! That's why I'm here!"

    Vanessa frowned with fake concern. "Oh, I feel just terrible about that. But you know how these things are. First come first serve."

    After the moment of stark shock passed Minerva felt her blood begin a slow boil.

    Vanessa drew a claw again, and started to move the red file back and forth along the desk's surface. "You know, Minerva darling, there is another job, that I think I could get you into."

    "Oh? And just what would that be?"

    "A Junior Artist Assistant."

    Minerva lurched out of her chair and onto her feet. "Oh ya right! That's just what you call the same job I applied to, only it's for non-grads, and around......" She trailed off. "half the pay."

    Again Vanessa hit her with that smile.

    "I see." Minerva scowled at her. "You didn't fill that position did you? You just want a cheaper way to get the same amount of work done. How very shrewd of you." It seemed that Vanessa has stopped looking like her old self, but certainly not stopped acting like her old self.

    She let out a hissing laugh. "Ha! Who said all blondes are airheads? Yes dear. You get the picture."

    Minerva crossed her arms and shot daggers at the Panther. "Okay then. If I get your scheme so right, why? Why not just pay me what I'm worth? You and I both know I have the ability to make waves here. So why not just play fair?"

    Yet again with her crushing smile. "My dear, I don't think you properly understand how business works. To get ahead of your competitors, you have to get the most amount of work, for the less amount of money. Besides, do you know the trouble it would cause having you're name on my designs?!"

    This comment caught the mink totally off guard. "What do you mean by that?"

    Vanessa reopened the red file and pushed it across the desk toward Minerva. "Your past dabbling in the.... Adult industry, has more or less tarnished your name dear lady. I would hate for the tarnish to infect mine."

    Seeing the photos inside the file, Minerva recoiled in disgust and horror. "You know that's not me! It's just someone with my head transposed on it!"

    Vanessa closed the file and returned it to her desk. "Actually, I do know that. Sadly, the general public does not. As far as most are concerned, you’re a used up porn model and little else. Even poor Meggie Bennett, was horrified to learn of your past immorality. I don't think she will be wanting to associate with you any more. So, that's why I'm forced to make the you the offer I did. Take it or leave it."

    Minerva grabbed up her purse and stuck her nose up at the woman behind the desk. "If it's all the same 'Ugly Augustine', I'll leave it!" She whirled on one heal and began a steady walk toward the door.

    "Minerva, may I ask you just one thing before you leave?"

    Not stopping till she got to the door, Minerva didn't even offer the other woman a glance. "What?"

    "Why do you want a job anyway? I know for a fact that you get a nice cushy check from Warner Brothers. So why do you want to work again?"

    Minerva sighed, "Duh. Do you think that's all I want to do with my life, is sit around and collect a check? I still have hopes and dreams, and plan to do all I can to get them. It's not about the money, it's about having a purpose, about wanting to create. That's why I'm still looking for a job. I've been called a lot of things, but never lazy. I don't plan on having that rumor start about me. So I'll make you a promise Vass ol' girl. I don't know how or when, but I'll make you regret this."

    To punctuate her remark, the mink slammed the large door shut on her way out, sending its nameplate clattering to the floor. Minerva stepped down on it hard with her heel, making a spider web crack form on the surface.