A Fresh New Year PG-13 Champagne Challenge #125

[cassysj]

I do not own any recognizable characters no copyright infringement is intended.

Josef and Mick were enjoying a drink at Kostan Industries.

Mick sipped the blood as if he was sampling wine. Is this bottled blood?”

“Of course it’s not bottled. It’s agency but not bottled.”

“How many freshies do you have at home now?” Mick asked.

“Four. I had four girls retire this month. It’s a new year. I need a fresh start.”

“You don’t usually lose that many.”

“I didn’t lose them.” Josef said indignantly. “Two of them had scheduled retirement. August got a job offer in San Francisco.”

“A sexier vampire?” Mick teased.

“No. A job at a PR firm and the other girl got pregnant.”

Mick laughed. “Pregnant? I thought you kept them too busy for such things.”

Josef smiled. “Usually that’s the case. She had a long weekend in Vegas and decided it was fate’s way of telling her to settle down. I wished her well.”

His assistant Laura knocked on the door.

“Are you ready to start the interviews?”

“Sure. How are they broken down?’

“Flowers, jewels, food and miscellaneous.”

“Miscellaneous?” Mick asked.

“A combination of months and seasons.” Laura answered

Josef smiled. “Tell me the names first. If I don’t like them, I’m not meeting them.”

Laura sighed.


Rose
Daisy
Hyacinth
Heather
Tulip
Daffodil
Iris
Ivy
Poppy
Sage
Violet
Blossom

Josef laughed “Blossom should be a last name not a first.. Send me Rose, Heather and Ivy. Keep Poppy and Sage as backup but send the rest home. Next category.

Pearl
Diamond
Ruby
Sapphire
Topaz
Emerald
Aquamarine
Jewel
Jade
Amber
Coral
Crystal

He raised his hand. Amber, Aquamarine, and Emerald.

Laura was surprised. “Aquamarine?”

“I like it. Next.

Honey
Sugar
Candy
Lollipop
Lemon-drop
Marshmallow
Apple
Cinnamon
Custard
Lime
Mocha
Sherbet
Peach

“Stop! Stop! I hate peaches. I have a Tangerine, all other fruits are eliminated. Let me see Candy, Custard and Mocha. Give me miscellaneous.

January
April
May
June
August
September
Summer
Autumn
Winter

“I have a Summer. Let me meet September and Winter.”

Laura chewed her lip. “I think you’ll really like Autumn.”

“Have you tried her?”

“Yes and so have you. I ordered lunch for you one day. I think she’s worth a look.”

“All right. Swap Winter for Autumn. Start sending them in five minutes.

Mick looked stunned. “Have you even seen their headshots yet?”

“No.”

“Then how can you eliminate so many just on freshie names.”

“The name has to feel natural to me. If not it won’t work.”

Mick laughed “Because Tangerine just trips off the tongue.”

“No but Tangie does.”

“How did Tangerine make it past the interview process?” Mick asked.

“I wasn’t looking for exclusives. I was looking for party favors. When the poor child told me that was her real name, I had to give her consideration.”

“I’ll leave you to your interviews.”

“No, stay and watch. Maybe you’ll get the urge to hire some of your own.”

“No thanks. I don’t think Beth would approve.”

“Suit yourself.”

Mick left and Josef began his interviews.





Two weeks later.






Mick stopped by to visit Josef and the door was answered by a new face.

“I’m Mick St. John.”

“I was told to expect you. My name is Heather.”

“Heather it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Josef is out by the pool.”

“Thanks.

Mick saw that an aggressive game of freshie water polo was going on.

Josef smiled “Mick, how are you doing? He blew his whistle. Let me introduce you to Aquamarine and Mocha.”

“An attractive blonde and a beautiful brunette swam over and greeted Mick.

“I’d introduce you to Autumn but she is in the penalty area. You can meet her in sixty seconds.”

Mick sat down. “Penalty area?”

“She fouled Summer so she has to pay the consequences.”

“Are you sure it wasn’t the other way around and they’re picking on the new girl?” Mick asked.

Josef blew his whistle. “Time out. Heather replace Tangie. Tangie act as referee until I get back.

The vampires went inside and Josef poured Mick a drink. “Mick, we don’t talk about freshie politics. Sports are a good way for everyone to work out their aggressions. As long as no blood is shed I don’t get involved. Autumn’s nails cut Summer’s arm so I had to intervene. She’ll get a decent manicure tomorrow and everything will be fine.

“I can’t believe you found four exclusives based on names.”

“It wasn’t based on names alone. The names just got them in the door. Then they had to dazzle me with their style, flair and taste.”

“What flavors are they?”

“AB positive, B Negative, A negative, O negative.”

“So are all types are represented?

“Yes.”

“Did that play a part in the interview process?” Mick asked.

“Not really. If I like the taste of the girl the type is secondary but I am pleased to be fully stocked again.

Mick shook his head. “I’m sure you are."

[AggieVamp]

Cute, cute, cute! I can't WAIT to see the new girls! (thought I remember Autumn..can't remember if we saw her though)

And I at some of those names! Some parents are just warped!! Lollipop? Marshmallow?? Custard??
(I know - Gwenneth Paltrow named her daughter Apple..but REALLY people! THINK when you name your children!)

Karen

[allegrita]

I love your freshie names!

Josef knows what he likes, and it obviously works out well for him. But I kinda wish Mick had stuck around to see the interviews...

Water polo is an excellent way to work out aggressions, but boy, if the girls play the way my son's high school water polo team played, blood will definitely be shed!

[jen]

This is absolutely delightful!

Can't help but think Josef may have missed some real gems...ahem, well, gems, fruits, seasons, months...by not meeting each girl.

I suppose that he has his reasons and has done this enough to develop his own screening technique.

Thank you!

Jenna

[francis]

Josef definitely has taste, even when his process is kind of curious. I love that Mick is the one helping us understand by being there and asking questions. Water polo is definitely a fun way to get aggressions out of the way.

[choccyterri]

Honey, I loved, this! I can hear him speaking... He he, and I love the way that Josef speaks I really enjoyed the way he chose his freshies... what to me might seem like such a random thing. Well, to him there's a perfectly clear reason. I love that.
Thank you honey...x

[cassysj]

Aggie - We have not "seen" Autumn yet but I'm looking for her. My mother always said when you name a child imagine them being CEO of a corporation and how would that name sound. Imagine someone introducing themselves. "I'm Custard Collins, Chief Financial Officer of Chase Bank" She said you could give any middle name you wanted even call them somthing like Custard but leave the child the legal option to a "normal" name. For the record my mother named her children James, Madeline, and Carol

Alle - These girls have to get noticed. Charles has a sweet tooth a name like Honey, Sugar or Candy might really work for him.

It would have been nice to have Mick but the eyerolling would have distracted the girls.

Josef knows there is jealousy when new girls come in so everyone needs an outlet.


jen - Thank you. Josef may have missed out on the next "Tangie" screening this way but after four centuries you have to have a system.

francis - Mick is amazed because he can understand personality being important and blood type but the name elmination just shocks him. But Josef gets a lot of resumes, if he saw everyone he'd never get any work done.

choccyterri - Josef is my favorite Moonlight character. Thank you for saying you can "hear" him that's quite a compliment. J always knows what he is doing.

[Lucy]

they say names are important....now we know why!

[darkstarrising]

This is wonderful, Carol I love the 'logic'....it just sounds like something Josef would do. He has his own system, which Mick finds odd, but it works for him. Not only that, but when he explains it to Mick, he makes it sound so rational that it actually begins to make sense to his friend. You've captured Josef perfectly!!

[Lilly]

This is great , Carol! I love how arbitrary Josef is. He's had enough experience to know what he wants -- and what he doesn't want to deal with. And I don't think any of us could picture him maintaining his cool while calling for "Marshmallow."

At least he didn't eliminate any "flower" named Lily...

[cassysj]

Lucy - I guess Josef doesn't believe in a rose by any other name.

DSR - Thank you. It makes perfect sense to Josef and he'll have you convinced if you give him half a chance.

Lilly - Marshmallow does not work. I could never have a Lily eliminated.

[Lilly]

I could never have a Lily eliminated.

[Moonlighter]

Oh my goodness -- Freshies named Marshmallow and Lollipop had me cracking up! Josef's seemingly random interview style seems crazy to everyone else, but it's his decision in the end that matters, so if it works for him, so be it. It was nice of Laura to suggest he might prefer Autumn to Winter though. (And how did she get her job and what category does her name fall into? LOL!!)

Cute Cassy!

[cassysj]

Josef always knows what he is doing but Lollipop and Marshmellow should rethink their names.

[jen]

Cassie

Just reread this and it totally sounds like something Josef would do.

Few can dehumanize people so effectively with style and flare. Must be a gift.

Thank you

Jenna