30. Vanilla Vines

    Open to one and all, Dion’s Hair Salon was the place to unwind when things became stressful in the Atlan Empire. Located on the sunny slope of Main St in Atlan, it was the original and most popular salon which catered to all gold-bead carrying members of society, regardless of social status. Situated conveniently near the Headquarters, Dion’s Salon became the hub of cultural growth, the heart of the fashion industry and the Grand Central of gossip. Everybody was a somebody at Dion's Salon, not just the gods.

         Dell stared at his face in the mirrored wall as Dion, god of Beauty fixed his hair, he could see for himself the stress he was under; the furrows in his brow resembled a ploughed field.

         Dion was one of the younger Anunnaki gods, handsome in comparison to his older siblings, endowed with a superior flaxen hair, he let it grow long and let it hang loose around his shoulders. Dion was the god of the coveted flaxen gene and took great care of the gens that carried it. 

        Dion was also more sensitive to the energies of his siblings, he could feel Dell’s stress radiating from the chair as he combed out his fragile strands, brittle and static, a rant could be expected any moment now.

         Beside him his top stylist Mel was styling Medena's hair. In spite of a lack of flaxen genetics or godly status, Mel was Dion's Top Stylist, Atalon's favorite goddess, she was accustomed to the life the gods lived, expected to know exclusive details and was trusted with their sometimes questionable discussions that arose whilst seated in the salon chairs.

         "I don’t understand why you’re so worried" Medena could sense Dell stressing beside her even without examining his hair, she didn't need to wait for the rant or possess exclusive sensitivities, his energy was toxic. "The aribu that Aquilla has taken are garbage gens, you and I both know they can’t possibly be salvageable, so why waste your time imagining the worst?"

         Dell couldn't rely on that theory alone. "Don't you think we should at least find out?"

         "Aquilla? Train the aribu to topple Atlan? Ha-haaa! Please! Don't make me waste our time!" Medena scoffed, it was impossible in her mind. "They’d be so terrified of Aquilla they’d die of shock just seeing him, their feeble little hearts would pop! Ha-haaaa! Besides" she cackled on, "Aquilla would have no idea how to feed them! They wouldn't survive!"

         "You don't know that either."

         "You KNOW he’s eating them, there's no other explanation and why wouldn't he? Seeing as he’s gobbling up garbage gens, I think he’s doing us a huge favor in fact, don’t you, Dion?"

         Dena had joined the Vine Club the first night she arrived in Fina; the Vine Club was one of her main classes, as it was for the merchants, and she was a straight A student. Zara listened with growing wonder as she rambled on about her goals, how eventually she would be a professional Vine Goddess in Atlan, that she would become Fina Famous like Mel, requested by merchants from all over the Empire. Destined for success she enjoyed her classes very much. 

         "Why don’t you join the club too? You can make extra money, then we could go shopping together! We could go buy some new dresses, we can wear any dress we like at the night clubs!"

         "So long as it's gold" Zara reminded, irritated now by the color rules.

         "Or tangerine! You don't know how lucky you are, imagine being forced to wear blue? Ewwww! You can't buy tangerine dye over the counter you know."

         Zara hadn't forgotten about the clothes in Dena's closet. Confused already, Zara felt no desire to go, she couldn't even compete with her roommate, so why even try?

         "I don't know..."

         "Come on, it’s fun!"

         Zara was on the fence, her instinct was arguing with her inside but Dena was right. Was it alright if she simply joined for fun? No expectations? "What exactly do I have to do to join the club?"

         "You have to give one of the merchants your cherry."

         "What?" For a moment she sensed a joke, she knew what Dena was referring to, sex activities wasn't something she felt very comfortable about, nor did she want to risk any nasty repercussions.

         "Oh PUH-LEASE don't tell me you didn't know that!"

         "Oh, no, I did, it's just... I didn't think..."

         "You didn't think?"

         "No, I mean, Won’t I get... You know..."

         "Ha-haaa!" Dena laughed out loud. "Of course not" she assured. "You have to be a Breeder for that to happen! That's Historical Folk Lore Sugar Cheeks! They put birth control in the drinks these days you know!"

         "They do?"

         "Oh. My. God! Of COURSE they do!  Can you imagine if they didn’t? There wouldn’t be much of a Vine Club, ha-haaa, it would be more like a Whine Club! Ha-haaa!"

         Zara chuckled along, relieved by the news, perhaps it wasn't as complicated as she thought. "Do I have to join on my first night?" 

         "Why not?" Dena replied. "That's the point of joining, isn’t it? To join?"

         Zara thought about it, it was tempting but she couldn't go looking like she did... "Will you do my hair?"

         "Oh. My. God!" Dena gushed. "Really? You’d let me do your hair? I was like, so afraid to ask because I didn't want to insult you!" It didn’t take long to convince Zara that a makeover would suit her nicely. She lifted Zara's long locks up to frame her face. "Oh. My. God! Look how pretty you can be if you had a nice up-do?"

         Like a natural she directed the show. "Go, get in your Tangerine dress!" She flapped her hands, fanning her face, giddy with the rush of a real challenge. "Just you watch, I can even turn you into a goddess!"

         Feeling the rush and inspired by gushing new fantasies of beauty and desire, Zara put on her Tangerine dress with blossoming optimism, sat down in the chair and let her roommate work some magic. With a natural talent, Dena swept her hair into a beautiful bun and artfully pinned it to the top of her head with a set of ruby tipped porcupine quills. Then, she reached for a small golden box of makeup powders and artfully swept the powders over her features with a collection of soft brushes. All the products looked and smelled so beautiful, Dena smelled so lovely, Zara couldn’t help herself but close her eyes and let herself relax.

         Thoughts of Nolan returned… Would he be there tonight? Would he recognize her like this if he was?

         "There! Who do you think you are now?"

         Zara opened her eyes and looked into the mirror, she could hardly believe the transformation, she could hardly recognized herself! "Wow…"

         "See?" Dena spun the chair round to face her, radiant now. "Now let me give you some advice" she dropped her smile for a serious tone. "You need to seek out the right merchants at the club. You need to stick with the ones that will help you with your career. Want to be an Architectural Designer? Find yourself a merchant who's studying Architectural Design. Get it?"

         "I think so..."

         "Just ask, what is it you want and seek out whomever will give it to you! If they like your Sugar Cheeks, you got a possible trade!"

         Zara soon realized how lucky she was to have a friend like Dena.

         "The more you participate in the Vine Club, the more opportunities you’ll get, trust me." Dena continued. "It’s a give and take, so you might as well start giving right away!" 

        Zara took mental notes while Dena dusted her own face with the glittery hues, her vanilla aromas wafting by with every move was stimulating her desires to be like Dena. Everything about Dena was sweet and gorgeous, she oozed of wealth, glamour, happiness and most of all, she was smart.

         "One more thing…" Dena reached for an ornate bottle and dabbed some oil around her ears, down her neck and cleavage. "Vanilla. Merchants can't resist it once they get close. Use it to your advantage when the price is right."