Training and talking

The rest of the day is pretty simple, as that was the only interview scheduled for the day. Edward takes the time to cover some of the policies and procedures you’ll run into. You have to admit, you’re impressed by the amount of work the AWIO does to check in on potential sponsors. Edward explains that early on there were some very unfortunate incidents with abusive sponsors, and that they’ve gotten much better at avoiding that situation now.

He also reminds you that quite a few of the girls are rather naïve, and overly trusting. Usually that’s not an issue, but there’s always someone out there willing to take advantage of that naivety. That’s why the AWIO prefers sponsors who have, for lack of a better way to put it, a sad or depressing past. People who have been hurt, or having a run of bad luck, who will treat the girls well.

With that in mind, you and Edward go through some sponsor applications, and he helps you identify red flags. Things like a history of domestic **** are simple, and usually filtered out by the system, but every application is checked by hand as well, looking for anything that was missed. Edward explains that some things simply require a more in depth interview. Nonviolent crime, **** and ****, even a large number of ex-spouses, these are examples he gives of things that don’t necessarily disqualify someone, but they will face increased scrutiny.

By the end, you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility that you’ve been handed, but Edward assures you that it’ll all work out fine. And he reminds you that if you’re ever in doubt, there’s plenty of people around who can help. All you need to do is ask.

After all that, he tells you to go home and relax, and that tomorrow is a big day. Home visits are a big part of the job, and probably the most interesting. You start to head for the door, when another advisor stops you, and lets you know that one of the girls wanted to speak with you. When you ask what it’s about, they just shrug. Apparently it’s a private discussion, which is odd since it’s your first real day here. They give you directions, and you head off to find out what’s going on.

When you arrive at the room you are directed to, you open the door and are surprised to see the manticore girl from yesterday, looking nervous as she sits at a small table. As you walk in, she smiles sheepishly. You walk over and sit down across from her, and look at her curiously as she seems to gather herself.

After a moment, those pink eyes meet yours, and she speaks. “Hi…I wanted to speak with you privately. I hope it’s not a bother…”

Her soft voice is at odds with her intimidating appearance. You smile at her. “Not at all. What can I help you with?”

She looks down at her hands. “Well…my name is Sirona. And I saw the way you looked at me, so I asked around about you. Some of the girls who work at the cafe told me about you.”

You chuckle. “It’s nice to be recognized.”

Sirona blushes. “Yeah…anyway, they told me about your family. Mazzy, Ellie, Dakota and Kenna. I wanted to know…are you done?”

You raise an eyebrow. “Done?”

She bites her lip nervously before answering. “Done adding girls to your…harem.”

You smile. “I think family was a better word. And from what Mazzy tells me, no, I’m not.”

Sirona looks at you, seemingly startled. “Mazzy makes the decisions? But she’s not…I mean, she’s a…”

You nod. “Mazzy is kind of in charge. I’m not sure how it happened, but I don’t mind. She’s smart, probably smarter than me. And I love and trust her completely.”

Sirona blushes again. “I…see. So, my next question is…do you think I’m pretty?”

She looks at you, her eyes worried. “I mean, I don’t look like other monster girls. I have this weird tail, and my arms are furry, and I have wings, and…”

You interrupt her. “Sirona, you’re very pretty. There’s a reason I was staring yesterday, and I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

She shakes her head. “No! I mean…no, it’s fine. I just…I’m weird, I don’t fit in, it doesn’t make sense that someone like you…”

You reach out and put your hand on hers to stop her. She gasps, but doesn’t pull away. The fur on her arm is incredibly soft, and you feel her trembling slightly at your touch.

“Sirona, hush. You’re beautiful, and I can tell you’re a nice person on top of that. Now, are you asking if I want you to join us?”

Blushing furiously now, and just nods. Her pink eyes are wide, and you can see a mixture of worry and hope there. “I can’t give you an answer right now. I need to talk to the others first. But let’s just leave it at, I’m definitely interested.”

For the first time, a small smile appears on the manticore girl’s face. “Really? You’re not just messing with me?”

You shake your head. “I wouldn’t do that. I will talk to the girls tonight. You should know, though, that we don’t really have room right this second. We only have two bedrooms for five of us, it’s a bit crowded.”

She nods. “I don’t mind! I could sleep on the couch, or on a blanket. I don’t need much…”

You chuckle. “Calm down. If it comes to that, we’ll figure it out. But for now, just be patient, ok?”

Sirona takes a deep breath. “Ok. Thank you for listening to me.”

You smile. “Of course. And don’t be surprised if Mazzy pays you a visit tomorrow.”

Sirona nods. “Ok. I hope she likes me…”

You chuckle. “I have no doubt that she will. I should get going, will you be ok?”

Sirona gives you a small smile again.