Chapter 7
Misty
The General growled at her. Making his displeasure known in the most loud, demonic way possible, his entire body vibrating.
“You are such a drama king,” Misty mumbled, using her thighs to keep him still as her fingers worked quickly on his fur. “You’re the closest thing I have to a living dummy right now. So, hush, and accept the fact that you’re currently a pretty princess.”
The General hissed, but she paid him no mind.
Misty had run into a problem.
She was a hairdresser on a planet of people covered, entirely, in fur. The problem was, they were mostly of the short furred variety. There was some variation, but not much.
But what was true was that they were covered head to toe in fur. She couldn’t focus only on people’s heads. Well, she could but it would look weird.
The cosmetologists here – who were called groomers – tended to the full body. There was a bit of a subspecialty around the groin and butt and tail region – like bikini waxers back home. Most people trimmed and tended to their own legs, and they weren’t usually seen anyway, so it didn’t matter. Professionals, therefore, primarily focused on everything above the waistline.
Currently, the kreecharma style had an emphasis on shaving their fur. Not quite perfectly bald, as that wasn’t really considered attractive. Instead, they shaved patterns into fur, allowing a 3D effect to create geometric or swirling patterns. There was occasionally some braiding for those who had an abundance of fur around the neck – a ruff – but not everyone had a ruff.
They didn’t have long hair on their heads. They did have longer, poofier hair on their tails, but tails were considered erogenous zones, and no one showed their tail in public. It would be the equivalent of Misty jamming out with her clam out. She could no more style tail fur than she could style pubic hair – technically possible, but not at all feasible, practical, or desirable.
She’d learned all the shaving and trimming techniques used on Kree in her lessons. She learned fur care, claw care, and ear care – all of which were considered part of a cosmetologist’s purview. It was interesting, and she was really intrigued by all the cool ways fur could be styled.
But Misty wasn’t satisfied with just that.
She could open her new salon here on this foreign planet and it would be different and interesting just because she was a human. People would be curious and come in because of her connections. She could rely on both of those things and she very well could have a good business on that alone. She knew she was a good hairdresser – groomer – and that would show in her work, and she would eventually build a client base here like she had on Earth.
But that wasn’t enough. She didn’t want to be just another groomer, giving the same service that every other groomer here would.
She wanted to bring her humanity to this. She wanted something of her own culture to join in on what she could offer them.
And that’s why she was practicing braids on The General. Fur wasn’t like hair. It was denser – furrier if she wanted to say the obvious. There was an overcoat and an undercoat to consider. The individual strands were different in texture, thickness, and strength. It wasn’t at all the same as working with human hair, but it was close enough that she could adapt what she knew and what she had learned to the challenge.
But she didn’t know any kreecharma well enough to ask them to let her practice on them. Therefore, The General had to be drafted. His conscientious objections were noted and ignored as she continued perfecting her new technique.
Braids weren’t really big here. There were some people with longer neck ruffs that would have small braids, usually behind their ear. They were short and simple, sometimes with a colorful bead woven into the strands or maybe a charm at the end. But that was the extent of it.
Which meant braids were an untapped market.
One that Misty was eager to dominate.
If she could just master this.
She was being careful not to pull too hard on The General’s fur. She didn’t want to damage his skin, or the skin of the people she’d eventually be doing this on, which was all the more reason for her to practice. She had done plenty of braids before. Long braids, short braids, twists, cornrows – she was good at it. But that was on human hair. This was, quite literally, an entirely different beast. She wanted this for the kreecharma. It would look excellent on their fur as like a design. She just had to get good at working with fur rather than hair.
The General eventually got tired of fighting and, with a dramatic sigh, finally let his head rest between her knees. He was definitely not purring, but he stopped hissing as she worked. And with him being still, she finally got to work without resistance.
And some time after that-
“I got it!” She laughed, eagerly braiding through The General’s fur. She couldn’t use any product, and she didn’t want it to actually stay, so the braids were quickly unraveling, but she didn’t care, because she was actually doing it!
This was going to be great for her business!
“General, you’re a real trooper!” She declared, smoothing out his fur. Now that she figured out the technique and had her plan, she didn’t need to use him as a guinea pig anymore. She released the pressure of her thighs and he growled angrily, but didn’t attempt to move away as she pet him flat again.
“Cornrows!” She declared to him, laughing. “I can do cornrows on you! Which means I can do cornrows on them . And not just on their scalps. I can do it anywhere! Imagine it, General! I could do like a whole braid design up someone’s arm. Like a tattoo! But of braids! Wouldn’t that be cool?”
The General hissed, still unmoving. Angry, but comfy, and unhappy about it, yet still completely unwilling to leave the warm cradle of her legs.
“You are your own worst enemy,” Misty told him, scratching his head as he grumbled.
With that, she got to her feet – he fell over, hissing again – and walked to her privy, going through her suite.
This place was so different now. Her taste and preferences were everywhere. Gone was the regal white and gold and red color palette, and in its place was gray and black with pops of white and neon colors. There were black lace curtains and black satin sheets. She didn’t have access to her usual witchy aesthetic here, but it had been fun to find cool décor pieces from the kreecharma and use those instead. She had just chosen whatever sparked her interest, regardless of the look Davard sent her when she did.
Lace and chains, black satin and alien skulls, glitter and gloom. It was absolutely perfect. She’d started with her bedroom, extended into her privy, then after that exploded into the hallway and was slowly taking over the entire Fellbud Manor.
She’d started slow. Not sure that she’d be allowed to change too much. That maybe they would only want her to style her own room – which was enough for her, realistically. But no one ever stopped her from doing whatever she wanted. She’d joked about taking down a wall one time and Davard had frowned before telling her it might be difficult since it was load bearing but he could try to find a way to make it happen.
She had to insist afterward, a few times, that it was fine. She didn’t actually want the wall gone. She was just trying to see what she could get away with. And the answer was, apparently, a lot.
That’s why she felt so confident claiming what appeared to be an old gardening shed and converting it into a salon. It was a space that was a bit too big to be just a shed, but when she compared it to the rest of the manor, it was the most apt description to apply.
No one tried to stop her there either. Davard even tried to help her with anything she wanted. Her whims were law around here, and everyone tried to accommodate her. They were all helpful, polite, and friendly at all times. She couldn’t really call them friends, but they were all there for her.
But she hadn’t seen hide nor fur of Tsok.
Sure, he was a VIP. He was busy. She got that. But she’d been here for weeks. Tendays! Long enough to redecorate the manor, plan her own business, and finish her online – subnet – lessons in kreecharma beauty grooming.
Yet he never came around. They never ran into each other. She didn’t even see him in passing. She quickly figured out he didn’t even live with her. He lived in a manor all the way across the property, so the likelihood of them catching each other by accident was nil. She wasn’t going to ask about him either. She refused to be the one to beg for attention. Absolutely not. She’d rather be alone than pathetic.
Why the heck had he gone through all the trouble of bringing her here? It was clear he didn’t actually want anything to do with a mate.
The only person she could ask about it was Davard, and she was not going to do that. She wasn’t going to let them think she was at all interested in him. Not when it was obvious that he wasn’t at all interested in her.
No. Instead, she was going to use all the money he was throwing at her to build her business, her brand, and her future. They didn’t care what she used it for, and she wasn’t enough of a goodie two shoes to refuse their generosity.
Or foolishness. He was acting like a sugar daddy with diabetes – he couldn’t actually enjoy any of the sugar.
Whatever. Screw him too. She was going to focus on herself.
And her new salon!
It seemed like no time at all had passed since she first landed. She’d been so busy every day, time flew by that quickly. Without any help from Tsok except the investment – which she might return if her business took off and she was feeling particularly sassy – she soon found herself standing in her brand new, fully furnished salon – Human Braids By Misty. She didn’t want to be particularly cute or fancy with the name. She was going to broadcast exactly what she was doing here, what no one else was doing on this entire planet.
The interior was a wonderful mix of alien and human. She kept her lace and chain in the décor, though she’d pulled back on it a lot for sanitation reasons. Cleaning lace and chains was difficult and she couldn’t have that stuff everywhere. It was more of an accent on the glass and stainless-steel look that dominated the room – very clean and modern. A hint of her style came through here and there, but it was otherwise bright and professional.
The main attraction was the chair in front of three angled mirrors. It was specially designed for her. She hadn’t asked for it. She’d been shopping for a comfy, high stool with wheels for herself to use around a kreecharma style grooming chair when Davard asked her exactly what she wanted. Then, after telling him what she was looking for – a place to sit while she did the braids that could move all around the client’s body – he had this made for her.
It was two chairs in one, technically. The first chair that the client sat on that could be laid down and came with a footstool and arm rests, but mostly remained still. Then, it’s pair, her stool, sat waiting beside the client chair. It looked like the kind dental assistants used, with the arm on the front to lean against. It actually hovered, allowing her to spin around her client, going up and down as she required, to place her braids wherever she needed.
Flat braids were like a drawing. A line of braids laid flat on the skin that could be made into shapes and designs. There was no hard rule regarding shape or size or placement. She could be creative with them however she wanted. Especially since hers weren’t even necessarily going to be on the head.
Since she was the only one doing this, there was only one chair. But she did have multiple stations set up. A shower in the back for her clients to wash off, a claw tending table, an ear cleaning bench. A whole host of shelves and drawers full of tools, old and new, that she’d be using.
And she already had a roster of clients for this first day!
She’d asked Davard how to put out an add. She was only one person doing an unknown service, so she didn’t expect a huge deluge of clients on day one. She needed time to build her base.
But she really underestimated her allure as a human and mate – maybe? – of the char. A position that didn’t have an equivalent on Earth but was apparently a Big Deal. She already had her appointments booked out through the next tenday. She was only going that far, and she was giving herself a lot of time with her clients, to allow herself a lot of room, time wise. In case doing this took longer than she expected. It was better that she have free time than clients be left waiting. As she got better at this, she’d be able to more accurately gauge her timing, but for now, she was only seeing three people a day.
And the first one who came in through the front was a young male. She immediately beamed, standing up from her tray table – it would float around with her stool – where she had been setting up her tools for this, her first client.
The male had a curious expression on his face as he looked around, gray fur glistening in the light with white stripes that made him seem to shine. He was wearing a loose robe in bright, spring green with pretty simple embroidery. Or maybe she was just used to the elaborate way Davard dressed.
“Welcome!” She greeted brightly, pulling his orange gaze onto her. He blinked, like he was startled, before his expression softened.
“Hello,” he said, blue gems over his nose flicking as it seemed like he was trying to sniff. “Er, I believe I have an appointment.”
“Yes. Flik, right?”
“Yeah. That’s me. It’s an honor to meet you, charina.”
“Oh, none of that.” She waved his words away. “You can just call me Misty.”
“Misty, then,” he chuckled. “Am I, er, the first one?”
“You are,” she beamed, confident and excited. Not wanting him to think she wasn’t assured in her skill by acting shy or humble. “You ready for your consultation?”
“Yeah, definitely!” He perked up. His ears literally perking up. It was so cute. He was adorable. Very much like a puppy despite his clearly feline features.
“Did you see the braid suggestions I put up on the subsite?” She asked, leading him to his chair. “Did you pick one, or do you have something in mind?”
“I really liked the wrist cuff style!” He beamed, holding up his hands. “The way they crossed and slashed across the wrists. That was so interesting! I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“And you never will anywhere else,” Misty chuckled, wiggling her hands. “I’ve been told that kreecharma hands are too big to do braids the way I can. Did you like the style on the site, or would you like to come up with your own first?”
“Can I?” He beamed, one of his teeth was gold. Which was definitely a purely cosmetic decision, because she had her teeth repaired with alien medical technology, so she knew he didn’t have to replace his tooth with a fake one.
They started out by designing the braid pattern he wanted. He ended up choosing a square pattern that was a bit more complex to do, but she wasn’t backing down from the challenge. Especially not with her first client.
After deciding on the pattern, she got started.
She began with a wash and skin inspection. Making sure she had a good, clean surface to work on. The fur was quickly dried thanks to a combination of the quick drying cleaning solution and the cool alien hair dryer that looked more like a short, squat wand. She added some styling cream as she was drying it off and, once her canvas was ready, she got to work.
Kreecharma fur wasn’t quite as dense and fluffy as cat fur, but nor was it as loose and long as human hair. It was somewhere in between.
But her decade worth of experience doing hair, including braids, and the practice she’d done on mannequins during her training assignments, meant that she very quickly found her groove.
The hovering stool was the best invention ever. She could rest her elbows and lean against the arm. It was moved by pressure she applied to the little foot stand. While she wasn’t quite used to it at first, she did quickly get comfortable with it.
The fact that Flik wanted his braids on his wrists certainly made it easier, since she just had to float in front of him and he could turn his wrists as she needed.
When she finished the last braid and sat back, she could only smile at her work. It really did look like he had tattoos. Not just because of the braids, but also in the negative space created by his skin peeking through between the braids.
He admired them excitedly, telling her how much he loved them, before making a second appointment for a couple tendays later so he could get more. He even left her a great tip before leaving.
And it turned out, she did have a lot of time between clients. But she liked that. It meant that she could fit more people into her schedule later as she got better and more comfortable.
The second client of the day was a female. She wanted braids in a floral pattern across her upper back, reaching down into a little point on her spine.
The third client was another female who asked for just a single, simple braid around one wrist, like a bracelet. She seemed nervous about the change, but when Misty finished, she was beaming at the result, proclaiming about how cute it looked.
Two very different pieces, both filled her with the same amount of satisfied pride.
And just like that, her very first day of business came to an end.
Misty returned to the manor, feeling like she was on top of the world.
Her salon was in an outbuilding that, thanks to the renovations, opened onto a street just outside of the perimeter of Tsok’s land. The city was right there. They were technically outside of it, but she could see the edges of it within walking distance if you didn’t mind stretching your legs. It was a city that was flat, but spread out over a large area. None of the buildings she saw were greater than four stories – and the four story one was the Glass Manor across the way. However, hovers and floats moved around in the air, making her think of bees hovering around a hive.
It was pretty, but she had never actually been inside it. She’d been so busy converting the manor and learning her new trade, she hadn’t gotten a chance. Later, she promised herself.
Misty’s exit was a door in the back of the salon. It let out onto a small gravel path that she walked back to the manor, a happy pep in her step.
The manor, which looked more like a witch’s mansion on the inside now, was bright and warm and quiet as she raced upstairs to her suite. She kept The General in there. He had more than enough room to play – including his own room – without her having to worry about finding him in a four story mansion.
“General!” She yelled out as she rushed into her room. The door slid open, which was a shame because she felt like it was a good occasion for a dramatic slam, but she took what she could get as The General, with a deep meow, came towards her, ready for her report. “It was a great first day! They loved the braids!”
He meowed at her, dropping onto his back and flopping over, showing his belly. It was a favorite tactic of his. A lethal trap that she had fallen for many times and would fall for many times again. Including today as she leaned over, rubbing that soft, black belly, and earning his immediate, sharp retribution in return.
She could only laugh as he stood in a huff and walked away, tail high. She watched him go, a heaviness weighing on her heart.
It was a good day. And the only person she had to share it with was The General. She supposed she could tell The Anti-General, but she didn’t think she was so far gone as to talk to her cat’s mirror image yet.
It wasn’t even just about Tsok. She didn’t have any friends at all. No one to text, to call, to celebrate with.
She forced a smile as she stood. “Friends will come with time. We don’t need him, right, General?”
He kept his back to her as he sat, cleaning his paw. Trusting her with his six as he went about the important cleansing ritual. Couldn’t let his enemies scent his approach, after all.
She’d found him as a kitten, eyes half shut, stumbling around cold and wet. Alone. Misty didn’t know what happened to his mom or any potential littermates, but he’d come stumbling towards her in the dark, mewing his little head off.
Alone, but damn determined to survive by finding the big, scary giant to be his protector. At least until he could get big enough to terrorize the world on his own.
They were both alone, but at least they had each other.
“I don’t need him,” she said again, the decision hardening inside her.
He’d left her alone all this time. Why was she even here?