I looked around for the umpteenth time, checking to make sure everything was in place. The chairs were perfect with the center table right in the middle, the curtains were perfect, the snacks...! I forgot the snacks! Panicking I ran over to the kitchen and ran out carrying a variety of snacks from crackers to sweets and arranged them as nicely as possible on the table. 

　　Just then, the doorbell rang and I realized i had run out of time. My first big interview and I was going to blow it!

　　Mustering up some courage, I ran to the door, paused for a second to calm myself and check my suit, then opened the door with a bright smile.

　　“Welcome!” I greeted and stopped when I saw who it was.

　　“Will you buy a box of cookies?” the little girl-scout asked looking up at me with those sweet, adorable brown marshmallow eyes... Which had no effect on me.

　　Any other day I would have slammed the door in her face but I was working on my karma points for that day, so i smiled, bought the sugary delight and shooed her off my front yard.

　　As I was setting down the cookies on the table, another doorbell caught my attention and I ran to the door excited... Only to meet another scout. Gritting my teeth, i pulled out a ten dollar bill, gave it to the tyke and hurried her off my yard. 

　　It seemed either Karma was toying with me or the young girls of this generation had developed killer business instinct, because I had four more cookie calls before I lost my patience.

　　When the doorbell rang for the seventh time, I was angry, pissed and frustrated. Which was why I yelled, “No more!” when I opened the door and immediately regretted it because standing there was Rex staring blankly at me like I had lost it.

　　Standing at 186cm and wearing his trademark all-black outfit, he is a really tall intimidating guy; never mind he is younger than I am. Anyway, for those who don’t know him, he is a pale skinned, pretty white haired boy from a realm called Elysium. If you want to know more about his story, read “Shinigami Rex.” 

　　“Uh, I can come in right?” Rex asked and I did a double take as I stepped aside and let him in. “Nice place,” he complimented as he walked around, inspecting it. The dude had absolutely no sense of privacy.

　　“The chairs are right there,” I said motioning to the living room where I had painstakingly arranged the furniture for the interview. 

　　“Uh-huh,” he replied as he jumped on the sofa facing my TV. 

　　“N-not there,” I pointed out, but if he heard me, he showed no signs of it.

　　Another ring at the door drew my attention away from the rude guy and I saw a pretty blue haired girl standing at the door. Her long hair had been tied into a ponytail with a red string, and she wore a white no-sleeve hoody on a red shirt and black pants.

　　“Um, are you lost, little gir-!” A direct punch to my stomach cut off my sentence and I doubled over in pain. 

　　“Don’t ever call me a girl,” Sora said angrily as he walked past me without another word and grabbed a sweet from the tray. 

　　Sora is a sky-blue haired sixteen year old ‘boy’ from way off in the future. The selfish prick stole a ship worth billions from the government to start his journey, with the ambition of being the world’s greatest pirate... How original -_-

　　“Move aside,” a deep voice said and I looked up from my hunched position and saw Suzuki Mato glaring down at me. Not much is known about the dark-haired boy except he spends most of his time virtual gaming. A real addition to the society.

　　“Sure,” I said as I shuffled out of his way. He was still wearing his school uniform and white hoody on top. I suddenly felt overdressed by their collective casualness.

　　Mato walked past me and sat on a different sofa from Rex, also choosing to ignore the chairs and table I had spent so long preparing.

　　As an aspiring professional, I could not let this bring me down though, and after dusting myself off and taking several deep breaths, I joined them in the living room. 

　　“Welc-”

　　A series of annoying incessant doorbell rings interrupted me and I walked angrily to the the door and flung it open ready to chew out whoever was on the other side.

　　“Hello there,” a dark haired boy greeted, clearly revealing his fangs for me to see. 

　　“Wh-what are you doing here Dmitri?” I asked the vampire in front of me. Again for those who do not know, Dmitri is Rex’s best friend, the vampire... Enough said.

　　Unlike the others, he actually wore a tailor fit monkey suit piece, and had a nice hat on. It was odd and terrifying seeing a well dressed vampire at my doorstep but I guess i should have known i would eventually interview a vampire, given my choice of work.

　　“Reno boy,” he said, shaking his head and patting my shoulder the way an old man does a young naive child. “Did you really think you could host a show like this without me?”

　　“Um...” How do you tell a three hundred year old vampire the big-wigs did not want him on the show, for fear of his ‘immaturity’ and tendency to flirt.

　　“I thought so,” he said with gutso as he maid his way in, fist-bumped Rex and sat next to him.

　　Resigned to the fact that Karma had decided to screw me over despite my good deeds for the little cookie monsters, I once more entered the living room where the four of them were watching a footage on the TV.

　　It was off Razznik’s fight with the hundreds of other players in his game, and one of my favorites from the footage scheduled for the interview.

　　I grabbed a chair from the center table, placed it next to Rex’s sofa, and waited for the clip to end.

　　“That was pretty slick,” Dmitri said when the clip was over, but Mato just nodded in response.

　　“Okay guys,” I called, “You know why you’re here. We have already wasted enough time as it is. Let’s get started.”

　　“You do know you have no readers right?” Dmitri joked and the three of them erupted in laughter. I could have sworn I heard Mato chuckle.

　　A vein popped in my head, but i held in my anger. I am a professional. Cannot let a couple of characters make fun of me.

　　“I know that,” I replied calmly, “I’m working on that. But let’s talk about you guys. How have you been?”

　　Sora who was sprawled on the carpet looked at me with anger. “How have I been? I don’t have a story anymore, that’s how I’ve been.”

　　“That just ain’t right,” Rex said to me, “He had a pretty strong fan-base too.”

　　“Sorry guys, I was forced on extended hiatus. Couldn’t help it,” I apologized and it sounded weak, even to me.

　　“Yeah, we know,” Dmitri said, “but you’re back now right? No more three week breaks?”

　　“I swear!” I promised. “And Space Hawk is undergoing some redesigning. I promise you’ll be back out soon enough.”

　　“Okay then,” Sora said. “How was your week, Sukki?”

　　Mato looked up with surprise at the name. 

　　“T’was prety eventful from what I read,” Dmitri said. “Brrrrrrr” he mimicked, shaking erratically, and everyone laughed; including me sadly. 

　　What can I say, the guy’s an excellent mimic.

　　“So what you think’s gonna happen to him?” Rex asked.

　　“Black suits, black unmarked van... He is definitely going to some government facility.”

　　“Seconded,” Sora said.

　　“Government facility huh?” Mato sighed. “Did i have to get Tasered?” he asked me pointedly and I raised my hands.

　　“The stories write themselves,” I cried in my defense, “I’m just the medium.”

　　“Fair enough” he said and turned to Rex. “What about you Rex-san? How did it feel finding out about Drake?”

　　“Just Rex please. Never call me Rex-san,” Rex replied. “It was terrifying,” he said honestly. “I had put someone else in mortal danger for helping me, so I felt like crap.”

　　“I assume you are going to save him then?”

　　“I hope so,” Rex replied. “I will damn well try.”

　　Rex noticed the tension in the room and cooled it down instantly, with his next question. “hear you’re having a test week this week. You prepared?” he asked me and I almost fell over from the shock.

　　“Uh, yeah. Got a few, but I’m all good. Thanks for asking.” I replied.

　　My alarm clock rang, signaling the end of the interview. We had wasted too much time in the beginning but it was only natural since it was our first run. I was actually surprised it went off without an incident.

　　“That’s it for today gentlemen. See you all next week,” I said to them and they each said their goodbyes and left.

　　I took in a deep breath, pleased with myself when the doorbell rang.

　　Wondering if one of them forgot something, i walked over to the door and opened it, and lo and behold a cookie monster was their. “Buy some -”

　　I bade her adieu and slammed the door in her face before she could finish her sentence.

　　The next morning, my car tires were all deflated and my house had both been egged and paper-rolled.

　　                        -______________________________________________-

       A/N Due to Dmitri pestering and haunting my driveway at night, i have added him to the roster for the hosts... thanks for reading and welcome to the Debauchery Tea Party where crazy meets fantasy.