I am the manry-est of men!

"Hmm... If I had to describe the Golden Saucer in one word, I would say... gaudy. As in... take the Honeybee Inn down in Sector Seven, multiply it times five, make it ten times as big, and make it child-friendly. It's pretty much a candy-colored nightmare," she said before shuddering. "I lived up in the Corel Mountains. Things have been kinda desolate around there since the reactor was shut down and the mines dried up. Let's see... When I was moving here to Midgar, I passed through Costa Del Sol and Junon a couple times. Costa Del Sol was like the Gold Saucer on the water, and Junon was like Midgar on the water.

"I've never been to Wutai, but I've heard that's where my dad was from. Everyone said that's where I get my straight black hair and my reflexes, but I wouldn't know. He died in a mining accident a few months after I was born. I can't even remember his face..." she trailed off.

"Mimi, new guy, order up!" came the voice of the chef. "Ah, I'll get our food," Mimi said before quickly excusing herself to retrieve their meals. She was smiling happily when she returned. "Alright, absolutely delicious! Dig in before the engine heads come over to steal a bite!"

I am the manry-est of men!

She laughed at his enthusiasm and said, "Don't eat too fast or you might bite your fingers off!" She started to tuck into her burger at a more sedated pace than the light-haired youth, still chuckling. It had been a while since she'd been able to sit down and have greasy Continent food with someone who actually enjoyed it. The Wutaian folk in her neighborhood were horrified when she'd brought fried cheese nuggets to the first neighborhood potluck she'd attended. From then on, she stuck to bringing dumplings she'd learned to make while working at the Gold Saucer.

She smiled at the memory and told her new friend about the experience. When she finished recanting her story she said, "Man, you should've seen the looks on their faces. You'd have thought I'd spit on their ancestors' graves or something. I think they knew I meant well, though, since they let me come back the next week and haven't held it against me."

I am the manry-est of men!

She grinned and shook his hand vigorously. "Nah, I've just been really lucky. My experiences are nothing compared to those of mister Tseng. He's been all across the globe and then some. Compared to him, my world is small. But ya know, maybe we'll both see the world someday," she said before munching on some of her cheesy fried leeks. Suddenly, an idea struck her. "You wanna come to the next potluck? It's not really Wutai, but it sure seems close to it. Plus, the food we have there is pretty healthy, so I'm sure whoever has you on that strict diet of yours won't complain too much," she offered.

I am the manry-est of men!

She finished up her meal and sighed in happiness. Her fingers were greasy and cheesy now, but she was full and happy. She had been filing away all the little things Kareno had said about himself, but didn't want to bring it up right away. She knew better than to potentially get on even a junior Turk's bad side, especially before scoping out their abilities. She would ask him about things in due time.

"Alright, this is going to be awesome! The next one is the day after tomorrow. It's customary to bring something with you to share. For you, I would suggest... maybe some rice noodles and soy sauce?" she suggested. She didn't know if he could cook at all, but it was pretty hard to mess up noodles. She wouldn't want another disaster like with her cheese nuggets, either. That would be mortifying.

I am the manry-est of men!

She blinked a couple times, slightly surprised, and laughed. "Well then, a'right! It sounds like this week is going to be great!" she shouted as the waiter came by with the bill. She dropped some gil on the collection plate and looked at her PHS to check the time. "Holy chocobo, it's almost nine-thirty! You think you can make it to the station from here? I'm gonna have to get home before my landlady locks me out."

I am the manry-est of men!

Once back at her apartment, Mimi apologized to her landlady in Wutaian and quickly prepared for bed. She was sure to lay out her suit for the next day before setting her alarm and going to bed. After all, she'd promised Tseng that she'd be in his office by six in the morning. This gave her approximately six hours before she would wake up to face her second day of preliminary Turk screening.

It irked her that the Turk application process had intensified since she'd first heard about it. Really, two years of intern work before you were even allowed to take the first examination? Then, if you passed the exam in the eighty-fifth percentile or above, you faced three years shadowing a Junior Turk, then another examination. If you were lucky enough to be ranked in the ninetieth percentile or above on that examination, you could consider yourself a Junior Turk with a partner. After five years of that, you could apply for the final examination. If your application for the final exam was accepted, then you would be put through the dreaded Turk Field Test. If you passed that test, you were acknowledged as a fully-fledged Turk. If not... a letter of condolences and a single white lily was sent to your family.

I am the manry-est of men!

It seemed all too soon that Mimi's alarm clock started playing Corel swing jazz and her day began. She yawned and stretched, grumbling about extreme job requirements and making half-hearted threats to play horrible pranks on Tseng. She shut off her alarm and wandered into the bathroom for a quick shower.

After that, her routine picked up considerably. In no time at all, she was dressed, had eaten a light breakfast, and was climbing the support tower near her apartment up to the Plate. She could still hear her neighbors gossiping about how odd she was for not riding the train like everyone else. She was used to it now after several months, though. Did Kareno take the train? Mimi wondered this as she went through the tunnels in the Plate, kicking away Hedgehog Pies when they got close.

She checked her PHS when she got up onto the Plate where her climbing gear was stored and saw that it was almost five o'clock. That gave her fifteen minutes to get to the building and forty-five minutes to scale it and get to Tseng's office with fresh coffee from the break room for him before the night shift ended and Tseng arrived.

I am the manry-est of men!

It didn't take Mimi very long to infiltrate the building, but getting around the night guards getting ready for the day shift to take over was a different story. She had nearly been caught several times before she made it to the break room where a few other Turk interns and recruits were also busy doing things for the Senior Turks. She poured out the coffee that was left in the pot, washed it, and made fresh to take to Tseng. It simply wouldn't do to bring him stale coffee, not when it was ultimately up to him who became a Turk and who didn't.

Her escapades from the break room to Tseng's office were nerve-wracking since she was not only avoiding the security guards, but trying to not spill the hot coffee with her as well. The locks on his office door were a tricky obstacle, but she managed to get in, close the door, and place his coffee on his desk without incident with five minutes to spare... and then his desk phone rang and startled her, causing her to yelp in surprise and fall backwards into one of the head Turk's bookcases. Several books fell out and hit her on the head, shoulders, and back. She groaned in pain and annoyance as Tseng's voicemail picked up, glaring at the infernal contraption and waiting for whoever it was to start speaking so she could put them on her shit list.

I am the manry-est of men!

After hearing the message, Mimi couldn't bring herself to be angry with her new friend. "He's being bullied? That doesn't seem right... who would want to pick on someone like him?" she thought idly as she began putting away the books that she'd knocked down. Tseng arrived just as she was putting the last book on the shelf and said, "Miss Walker, I would advise against touching my personal belongings." She flinched and bowed to the Turk Commander, saying, "I apologize, sir. It will not happen again."

Tseng sighed and sat down at his desk. He booted up his computer and sipped his coffee, assessing it as he would her. "Warm without being too hot, robust flavor without being overpowering, four creamers, two sugars, and stirred until thoroughly combined. I congratulate you on preparing an acceptable cup of coffee," he said in an uninterested tone. He listened to his voicemail messages and scowled slightly at the machine.

"Your assignment today, miss Walker, is to retrieve the completed documents you distributed yesterday. You are to bring them to the president's office on the top floor and then report back to me. I expect this task should take you until I leave for lunch. If you have not returned by then, I will assume that you have deserted your post and will not be returning," said the Wutaian as he took out her file and made some notes in it. "However, if you do return in the allotted time, I will have another assignment for you. You are dismissed. Happy hunting, little one."

She bowed to Tseng and exited the office, feeling safe to use the elevators now that the day had begun and regular employees were beginning to arrive. Tseng, after she had left, picked up his phone and called Kareno.

I am the manry-est of men!

"I received your message when I arrived a few moments ago. While I appreciate that you are willing to work in your no doubt pitiful condition, I would rather not have you hold back our progress for today. I have spoken to your temporary partner, miss Walker, and will have her drop by your quarters in the ShinRa housing later if she completes her other assignment. Do you have any questions?" the Turk commander asked smoothly. He was already marking the sick day in Kareno's file, making a mental not that the young man had only two left before a pay cut.

I am the manry-est of men!

"Perhaps I did not make myself clear. You are not required to report in today. However, if you wish, I can send some of your father's incomplete paperwork with miss Mimi later. As for your curiosity about bathroom mirrors, I believe most home decorating stores and several hardware stores carry them," he responded with an arched brow. It was an odd change of pace to have underlings so eager to work.

I am the manry-est of men!

Tseng hummed in acknowledgement. "Very well. I will leave you to it, then," Tseng said before hanging up. He pulled up the security footage of Mimi's morning escapades and traces of a smile tugged at his usually stoic expression. The girl certainly was excitable, but at least she knew how to make a decent cup of coffee and could sneak around without getting caught.

Meanwhile, Mimi herself was visiting the department heads to retrieve the paperwork she needed for Rufus. She had visited the Science Department already since that was where she'd had the most trouble the day before. She barely made it out of there without being made into a test subject. "I don't know why they don't just set up a volunteer program for that kind of thing," she mused as she descended another flight of stairs, this time watching for tripwires and the like. She wasn't about to end up looking like a hot mess again, not if she could help it.

I am the manry-est of men!

After nearly four hours of traipsing about the ShinRa complex, Mimi was finally on her way to the president's office on the top floor. Ever since the Meteor incident, Mimi had heard several conflicting views about President Rufus ShinRa. Some said the man was a saint. Others said he was as cold and ruthless as the demon that spawned him. This would be her first time meeting him in person, and alone to boot, so she was understandably nervous. She took a breath to steady herself and knocked on the large office door with the ShinRa company logo on it.

I am the manry-est of men!

Mimi entered the office and closed the door behind her. Her heels made no noise on the carpet as she approached the dark wooden desk of one of the most powerful men on the planet. Even with the large stack of papers in her arms, she managed to bow courteously to her boss and said, "I apologize for disturbing you, sir, but Commander Tseng asked me to collect these forms from the department heads and deliver them to you before lunch."

I am the manry-est of men!

She carefully placed the stack of papers on the president's desk and said, "Tseng instructed me to simply retrieve them, deliver them to you, and report back to his office, sir." She offered a small smile, happy in the knowledge that she would be reporting back to Tseng before the appointed time... that is, if the Turk Commander hadn't decided to take an early lunch...

I am the manry-est of men!

"Thank you, sir. Erm, I know it probably won't mean much coming from a newbie recruit like me, but I wish you a pleasant day," Mimi said and quickly left the blonde's office.

It took her all of two minutes to get from the Company President's office down to the Turk Commander's office on the floor below, and Tseng was almost to the door when she knocked on it. She was surprised when he opened the door himself and said, "Ah, so you've managed to meet your deadline. As promised, I have another assignment for you. It would seem that Kareno was unable to report in this morning. Your new assignment is to go to his domicile and retrieve some paperwork he has been tasked with completing. I will send his address to your cell phone, and you will have until tomorrow morning to complete this task. I expect both the paperwork and a cup of coffee on my desk when I arrive tomorrow. You are dismissed."

With that, the Wutaian man passed her by and clocked out on his way to lunch. Mimi sighed in relief that she'd made it there on time. A few recruits who had seen and heard the exchange shared looks of sympathy, bitterness, and amusement. "Man, sucks that you got Tseng as your Senior Operative," said a recruit under Elena's command.

I am the manry-est of men!

"I'm picking up some more paperwork," she said as her phone buzzed at the arrival of a text message. It was Tseng giving her Kareno's address. "And that would be my cue to get going. Say, what's the quickest way to the ShinRa Housing Complex from here?" she asked the other recruits.

I am the manry-est of men!

It didn't take Mimi long to find the building since there was a big sign saying 'ShinRa Employee Housing' right out front. Her ID badge was checked at the door, and her phone and butterfly knife were taken and put into a storage bin. "You'll get 'em back when you leave, short stack," said one of the guards. She was directed to the floor where Kareno was staying and given a plastic wristband like she was being admitted to a hospital or going to a concert. There were no stairs, so she had to take the elevator up to the correct floor.

I am the manry-est of men!

When the elevator reached her floor, Mimi stepped out and looked around. She took a few steps down the hall, but then stopped... she had forgotten to get Kareno's address out of her phone. She didn't want to go back down to the front desk, so she called out to someone who was walking down the hall. "Excuse me! I'm sorry to bother you, but would you happen to know where Kareno lives? I had the address in my phone, but I had to leave it down at the front desk and forgot to write it down," she said in an embarrassed tone.

I am the manry-est of men!

She accepted the bag curiously and said, "Umm, sure. Thank you." She gave the woman a polite bow and went to Kareno's front door. "He is a little strange, but I don't see why anyone wouldn't like him," she thought as she walked. She buzzed the doorbell and said, "Hey, Kareno, it's Mimi. Are you in?" She looked in the bag and smiled when she saw a couple containers of food. They were still warm, too.