One Of The Five Have Gone all Wrong

Chapter 5 ~ Earning a Living

Since Po gave her a unexpected visit, Tigress has been setting up traps for any other unwanted guests.

Once the rope was well secured, she took a few steps back to examine her work. By the look of it, it is indeed hidden from the untrained eye. Might  say that Tigress was feeling a little bit of pride for being able to do this on her own for once.

That was the last one she thought to herself as she turned to head back to her home.

Believe it or not, setting those traps up was the best for her safety. Not that Tigress couldn't take care of herself by any means; she's a kung fu master of her own fighting style. A remarkable statement that most would laugh at until proven otherwise. Not that she cared.

Whether or not her ability to protect herself was questionable is out the window. These traps were mainly for the petty thieves and thugs that think they could do harm.

However, that didn't stop her from hearing the horror stories while growing up. Let alone being told about the very forrest she settled in. Tigress had been warn of rape and kidnapping since she could remember, and frankly, is reminded constantly every time a man tried to "put her in her place" just because she was a woman.

Either way, people told her it was ludicrous for her to move out on her own. Any men standing by would either laugh at the idea but also gave the somewhat of an opportunity, so to speak. Although she, herself couldn't help but agree that it is rather odd occurrence in this day in age.

Most women her age were already married and with children of their own. Running a house and cooking meals is a wife's duty.

Wondering what it would have been like to have been married off is becoming more common in her train of thoughts. Then again, it was the biological fathers duty to preform such acts. He would have been the one to find a suitable suitor and give her away. Whether that would be to someone she actually fell in love with or for business purposes, Tigress will never know.

It was futile to be wondering such things. So in the meantime, Tigress decided to clean. Considering the whole house was covered in a thick layer of dirt and dust only meant that this place had been vacant for a long period of time.

So Tigress went ahead and grabbed water from the river and a cloth she had gotten the other day, and began to scrub the entire house down. From all the nook and crannies to the roof  and then some.

All the while wondering why this neat little home was left forgotten. The owner even forgot they owned this place. More like he didn't want to remember.

Sliding down against the wall, she took a break. At least the better part of the morning was spent cleaning. Now all Tigress had to do is go into the nearby village and ask around to see if anyone is hiring.

Grabbing a cloak and a satchel, Tigress heads for the front door. Ironically, a short chubby pig had stopped right before knocking. He was a red cheeked pig with a brown tunic on and dark blue pants.

"Mr.Xao? What are you doing here?"

"Ah, Tigress. I was hoping you'd be home." He said, speaking in a nasally voice. "I was stopping by to tell you something but I couldn't remember if this was the place I rented out to you or if it was the one of the other two. It just doesn't look the same as the day before. What happened?"

With his small spectacles he was in awe. It didn't look brand spanking new but most definitely wasn't as ragged looking as it did previously.

"I cleaned it. It took about three or four hours but I got it to look decent."

"Color me impressed. It looks amazing." Xao complemented. Tigress isn't surprised that the elder pig seemed stunned to see the building look better compared to recent years.

"What was it you needed to tell me?"

"Oh" he said "well I'm sorry to say this but I have to let you go. You see, you haven't paid me for the month and I told you I'm very punctual about things like this that day we discussed about this."

Yes Tigress does remember. She practically begged the pig to rent the house to her. She understood that the house was a hazard but it wasn't nothing she couldn't fix if she just put her mind to it.

"What-? But- I ....I'm sure we can work something out Mr. Xao. Please."

"Well. I thought while I was walking up to the wrong house before you opened the door and with what you've explained to me, you're amazing at cleaning."

"Well of course." Tigress said "Who wants to live in a filthy house by choice?" It was a rhetorical question.

"Exactly. That is why i am offering you a deal, or bargain, so to speak."

Now this actually interested her. Well, interested her enough to keep listening to what he'd say. He often went on and on about all kinds of things. To the point that it was difficult to find an opening to cut the conversation.

"You know that my wife and I are rather old now and it's getting hard to do certain things like bending over and reaching out of our way. And you seem like a spiffy young woman still, and the amazing work you did to clean this old thing is just what I'm looking for."

"So let me get this clear. Instead of paying you money, I can pay you by cleaning your house once a month every month?"

"For the mean time until you have a steady income."

Tigress couldn't believe what she was hearing. Living in a rental for free and all she has to do is clean her landlords house for him and his wife. At least for a little while.

"You got yourself a deal Mr. Xao."

"Oh wonderful! I'll go tell Mrs. Xao, she'll be very pleased. I just know it makes her upset to see the house a mess and that she can't do anything about it. Thank you Master Tigress. I'll see you today next week?"

"It's not a problem Mr. Xao and that sounds good to me...I'll see you then. You take care now." Tigress said, waving him off.

Today has been a good day so far, She thought. But of course she'll still need to find a way to make money for all her necessities.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Two hours spent looking for a job was ridiculous. She should have found something by now.

She threw the idea of being a waitress out due to the uniforms many female workers wore; revealing and provocative. Not to mention the staring and flirting she'd get from the men that came in. So help any of them if they tried to touch her. The solution to a scenario like that is to avoid it.

On the other hand she couldn't decide if taking orders was equivalent to performing. Even though she could make more money that way, Tigress wouldn't dare stoop as low as that.

After each failure to get hired, Tigress simply leaned against a wall and thought to herself. The bustling market fading in the background as she closed her eyes. For a moment to relaxed. Until someone tapped her shoulder.

"Excuse me miss?" Looking over, she saw a young cow girl looking up at her. "Would you like to help out the orphanage for abandoned children?" It was obvious that her voice hadn't hit puberty just yet.

"Depends. Does it pay?"

The smile the girl was once wearing faded away instantly.

"It does ...but....not very well..."

That was understandable. Not a lot of people care for children that isn't their own. It's a hateful thing to say but it was the truth. Tigress use to spend all her free time at the orphanage, whenever she had any. It might not pay good but at least she had a job and it would make a difference.

"I'll take it."

The young girl smile returned just as those words left her lips. She was happy that Tigress said yes and absolutely wanted to show Tigress where it was, however, she had other responsibilities to attend to for the moment, so she gave Tigress the address instead and told her to meet her there two hours after sunrise the next day. Tigress agreed and walked back home.

"Well that went over a lot more smoothly than I could have predicted." Stretching her arms above her head, Tigress hopped into the bath and prepared for a good nights sleep.