FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Dr. Noire enters the room. She flicks her long hair to the side before it gets caught in the door. She sits down on the chair and glances over the broken table. "I'm billing you for the table."

The interviewer flips through his notes, writing down what Noire said and then stares at her. "No way! Your own people did that."

"As a result of your questioning. Speaking of." Noire pulls out her cell phone and points it at the interviewer.

The canid's coat pocket starts smoking. He throws out the recorder as it bursts into flames and melts. "My notes!"

Noire stuffs her cell phone back into her lab coat. "I told you no recorders. You are to take notes and that's it."

The interviewer snarls and presses his pen to the notepad. "State your name and occupation."

"Dr. Noire, CEO of Noire Corp."

"Noire can't be your full name."

"As far as you're concerned, it is."

The interviewer writes down the little information he is given. "How did you come to found your lab?"

"I started fresh out of college. I got backed by Maximillion Illion, Alaski's father."

"Why is that? Why so interested in your company?"

"He saw my grades and thought I could excel in science." Dr. Noire shifts her legs, crossing the right one over the left.

"And what about Ishika? Isn't he a criminal?"

"I'm afraid that's above your pay grade."

The interviewer closes his notepad and glares at Noire. "Need I remind you that you agreed to this series of interviews."

"And as far as I understand I'm allowed to answer questions I see fit and not answer ones that might reveal company secrets, my reasons for what I do, or my past." Noire's black fox tail swishes from side to side as she repositions her legs again. "That's one strike."

"So you're harboring criminals, gotcha. Good to know that killers are okay to work at Noire Corp."

Noire scowls at the fellow fox canid. She bites her tongue to not be easily offended. She straightens her coat and clears her throat. "Ishika and I were partners in college. I only saw him by my side regardless of what happened."

"So you don't shy away from it either, killing a student."

"It was ruled an accident."

"And Ishika going away for murder?"

Noire stands up sharply but slowly sits back down. She coughs again. "That's strike two. One more and I walk."

"But the interviews would keep going?"

"Keep your questions about my company and we won't have a problem."

The interviewer flips through more pages, passing by any questions he wouldn't be able to ask. He stops after skipping through four pages. "When did you start college?"

"How is that relevant?"

"I need to know when the company started. Some would say when an idea is formed is when the dream is born."

Noire raises a brow, but smiles and nods, seeing no harm in the question. "I guess I started 19 years ago."

"Uh-huh. Isn't it curious that there's no record of you prior to twenty years ago? That you just up and appeared out of nowhere? No social security card, no license, no prior education, nothing."

"And we're done." Noire stands up and turns towards the door.

"It's a simple follow up question. Who are you, where did you come from?"

"Strike three," Noire says as she opens the door, "My past is my past and stays there!" She slams the door behind her.

The interviewer rips out the four pages of questions he prepared for Noire, bundles them up into a ball, and throws it at the door. He grumbles as he jots down what little information he gathered. "Dr. Noire, fennec fox canid. CEO of Noire Corp. Didn't exist until 20 years ago. Vague. Lots of mystery. Doesn't want to talk about the past." He stops writing and stares at the ceiling. "Fuck!"

He closes his notepad and stands up. "I wish she wasn't so damn secretive! I thought I could crack her and get some recognition, move up in the world." He sighs and rubs his forehead. "Well, I'll just focus on the next interview.

The interviewer opens the door and looks at Dr. Ishika, his next interview. He swallows but hears a ping next to the snake tile. It's Alaski replying to a message on her phone. "Alaski Illion put the phone away and come inside."