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Azzo wasn't much interested in the way of retail. However, there had been a job posting in the paper that had sparked his interest. With the holiday coming up, there was a need for 'helpers' to Santa. He could totally be an elf! It might not have been a full time job or something that would last a while, but it'd be something that was more than appropriate for the season. He could find a more permanent job after Christmas, until then he'd have to hope that he could plant ideas into Grams head that she needed to move.

He gave the number in the paper a call and secured an interview. It almost seemed too good to be true but with his experience in puppetry it couldn't be all that hard of a job. He was just going to be more face to face with kid's right?

A few days later he met the hiring manager for Santa land in the mall, "You're Mr. Crowley?"

"Yes." He gave a nod as he offered his hand to the man, "Call me Azzo though."

"Ah I see, Azzo... So shall we get right into this?" The man paused as he shifted through papers, "Have a seat please, and can you fill these forms out for me?"

Azzo took the paper and read over it before he started writing. He gave his address, phone numbers that he could be reached at and he quickly provided other things that the paper requested. "Ah... there we go." He said as he offered the paper back to the man who had been waiting patiently.

"So, what makes you think you're qualified for this job?"

"Well I've done puppet shows before for kids; I have experience acting so I can play any role needed. Need Grumpy the elf? You've got it. Need me to play a happy up beat elf? I can do that too." He grinned, "I also plan on, eventually going back to college to get a degree in either acting or psychology. My Grandfather was a hypnotherapist." Azzo wasn't sure if he should actually add that last part in but he wasn't going to lie to the man.

"Hm... I see." There was some scribbling before the man gave Azzo a once over. "So what motivates you?" He asked curiously having seen what Azzo had written in response to a few questions it was more than a little intriguing.

"What motivates me?" He parroted looking a little shocked at the question. "Well... making people happy for one. I'd much rather see someone happy and able to take away a smile than to be sad and crying." There was a moment where he seemed to be considering the question further. How was the best to answer that? "I guess, you could also say I'm motivated by my past. There was an incident in which I lost a good portion of my memories for the span of a year. I don't want to see that happen to anyone else. So I do my best to try and protect my friends and family from danger, as well as strangers. I feel like it's my civic duty to help keep our city safe..." He bit the inside of his lip as he paused again thinking carefully of what he was going to say.

"You see, even if I might not be the police protecting us against these so called terrorist. I can help protect the children by strengthen their belief in Santa Claus and what he represents."

The man paused looking at Azzo, he hadn't written anything else for the moment. He seemed to be considering the options of questions he had to ask. "What do you think Santa Claus represents that can protect children?" There seemed to be an underlying question of 'are you crazy?' Granted Azzo saw that cryptic question a lot.

"Santa Claus stands for many things of course, you've heard the story of Saint Nicholas I assume? The fact he was generous enough to help those less fortunate, through his willingness to give away his entire fortune? This is something that seems to be forgotten quite often, this holiday isn't about getting what you want, it's not about the commercialized ways of the shopping and advertisement world..." He paused, "Saint Nicholas is a patron saint to many, though through the years that's less and less thought about. He is the saint of many; students, orphans, children, even prostitutes. As that's what he saved those three women from. He's a symbol of hope and in this time of turmoil, I honestly think we should play that up instead of the whole commercialized version of him."

Azzo was watching the interviewer, who finally seemed to give up. "I have no further questions. We'll call you if you get the job." He said standing up and leaving after exchanging pleasantries again. Azzo frowned as they parted; that probably didn't go as well as he'd hoped. His hands were placed behind his head as he walked around the mall thinking, pausing at a small parcel with a hiring sign in the window. Since he wasn't sure if he'd get the elf job he stuck his head into the open door. "Um... I saw you guys were hiring?"

He looked around as he saw rolls and rolls of wrapping paper and stacks of boxes. "Yes! We are hiring." A chipper young woman greeted Azzo, "Do you have any experience wrapping presents?"

There was a pause as the young man looked at who he could only assume was the shop owner. "A... little." He answered not sure if his skills were what she needed.

"Great! A little is a start, when can you start?" Apparently they were either desperate or they didn't have to go through a million people to hire someone.

"Umm... whenever? I don't have classes or anything." He answered.

"Oh? Well then come on I'll show you how we wrap. I have time to train you and the wrapping business doesn't pick up great until closer to Black Friday so we have plenty of time for you to learn!" There was another pause, "OH! Right we pay three dollars an hour plus commission in case you were wondering. So the more presents you wrap the more money you make!" The woman gave a chuckle as she picked up an empty box. "Now then let me show you how this done."