La'Rio walked in knee-high boots with matching zipped up white racing jacket, and body hugging white nylon pants. The ad had said to dress the part so she did, and she ended up an anime figure. She escaped the stares from behind the sunglasses, but felt the strange power of the clothing on others. She caught a glimpse of her own body-line in a store window.

She looked down into the Bamboo mini-plaza from the escalator. A sudden layered smell of grilled chicken, soy sauce, and yakisoba noodles drifted past her.

Arriving at the toy store she could see other girls also in outfits waiting in line. La'Rio had been there once before and purchased a little plastic robot, a character from an old Earth film. She took a flyer at the outside table and walked over, standing last in line. Toshiro Toyz glowed in blue neon about four feet across. There was a custom case near the back where you could buy one offs, anime figures, fan sculptures. A few in the line were whispering into each other's ears, peeking at La'Rio. She tilted her head, and let out her hip with crossed arms. She stared at them, or past them, and they into the blackness of her shades.

Rune said I'm one of those Muroshin. What did that mean really? Besides the exterior design? All of the Murushin versions will be rounded up... Danni. I will be the only one left... I got away. I got away, for now.

She turned and looked into the display window. And there, three cute tiny figurines no taller than seventeen centimeters high, had caught her attention. One on the left wore a light aqua jumpsuit with rabbit ears sticking out of it's white round head with three eyes. On the right side a teddy bear shape in a charcoal jumper had little round ears and a single antenna from it's oversized head sticking straight up. And in the middle, the one that she had connected with the most, was a wide round retro silver space helmet with an oval opening revealing a lock of light aqua hair and two large eyes. Little pink pastel circles were at the figure's cheeks. It wore a pea green jump suit and in it's left hand was a small ray gun that looked uncannily just like her Mark Twelve disintegrator.

_ _ _

"Alright Faye, I need someone here on Saturdays and Sundays, someone who will take pictures with the customers. Can you do that on the weekends?"

The store owner Toshio Shimizu wore something that looked like a doctors lab coat. His modern framed tortoise shell glasses sat loosely on his nose and his jet black hair hung in strands tucked behind his ears. He had a short black mustache and goatee. He studied something on his desk and had not yet bothered to give her full attention.

"Yes, sure, I can."

His office was full of small, tiny, mechanical arms, servos, switches and sensors. Half built undescribable knick-knacks and prototypes of cute figurines like the ones in the window lined the shelves. She wondered if he had made those three she saw at the front of the store. He finally looked up.

"Good, you look great. Kawaii... Nihon jin desu ka?"

La'Rio shook her head a puzzled look, he dipped his head slightly.

"Sorry, your eyes, you kinda look Japanese. You mixed?"

"Yes - mixed." She let out a breath trying not to sound combative.

"Actually you are perfect for this... except."

"What?"

"Like the others I have interviewed, I have to understand if your personality is suitable
for this type of work. I need someone that knows the line, does not cross it, and respects the customer no matter how awful the situation becomes. Nothing sexual. Flirty is what the business needs. Can you act? It's truly what's needed. If not, then the jobs not for you."

La'Rio stood up from the chair and stepped back. She moved her boots two feet apart. A slight smile warmed across on her face. She tilted her head back looking almost intoxicated. She raised her arms above her head and let them drop slowly while giggling and swayed there slightly. She tossed her hips in each direction then turned, flashing a moment of her cute derriere.

He giggled.

"Okay, alright not bad, where did you learn to?"

"On T.V."

"Works fine. How many outfits do you have?"

"Only one like this, I could buy more and change it up with..."

"No no, don't do that, I will buy the costumes."

"I really need a normal job too, like working in the store, a full time job. Is there anything available for..."

"Right now I need an actor at the front door. Look... to be honest with you I am struggling here for sales. I'm trying to... turn it around as they say."

He handed her an application and pen.