“So.”
“So.”
Elkay remained standing, despite the empty seat in front of him. He watched as Phovos sat behind her desk, shaking bits of paper and sorting things out. Unlike the last time they had met, Phovos wasn’t heavily armoured and was wearing rather casual workwear. Elkay on the other hand was wearing his fanciest plating and stomach wrap. Or rather, the fanciest stuff he had left that was clean.
“You were supposed to be interviewing me for a job.”
“Oh yeah.”
“You cancelled our meeting yesterday.”
“Yeah. I was busy. Sorry about that.”
Elkay sighed. “It is fine. Can you tell me more about this job you wished to offer me?”
Phovos stopped what she was doing, putting the paper to one side and pulling out a few more, newer sheets of paper.
“Yes. The job…”
Elkay resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Yes, what about it?”
“I don’t think it’d suit you.”
“Please, Phovos, I would appreciate it if you didn’t mess me around.”
“Yeah but…” Phovos trailed off. “It’s either a guard duty job or an arena job. You’re way above a guard duty job and you’re… you’re also kinda above arena work. Like, you need a fancy, important job. An office one.”
“I think you are misunderstanding the situation, Phovos…” Elkay sighed, not sure how to explain. “You do… know what is going on with my life, yes?”
“Yeah, you’re supposed to be dead and all that.”
“It is not just that though… I am restarting my life in every way. I am not Elkay Theanon any more. I am just some… some vok, trying to survive.”
Phovos blinked, not sure what to say. “So… you don’t want an office job?”
“I just need a job to be able to pay my rent.”
“Yeah but…” Phovos clearly didn’t seem to understand. “I mean, I can give you any job you want. I could just pay all your rent forever.”
“Why though? Why do you wish to do these things? Why are you… attempting to smother me? You are treating me more like a small child and less like the powerful being that I am.”
“Formerly were. Because you’re not powerful any more. You’ve gone squishy. And it’s why I don’t want you to do any arena jobs in your current state.”
Elkay sighed. “That is… fair. But I still don’t understand, what are your intentions?”
Phovos glanced at the chair in front of her, gesturing for Elkay to sit down. Elkay did as requested, patiently waiting for an answer. The Raptor leaned forward, scowling slightly.
“I’ll be blunt. I need to keep an eye on you. You’re not capable of doing a gladiator job right now because you’re both still in recovery mode and you have unpredictable abilities. I don’t want you in an office job because I need you fit and healthy. But a guard job will be unfulfilling for you…”
“I would be perfectly fine with a guard job!” Elkay interrupted. “I just want a job, something to keep myself occupied and keep a roof above my head. That is all I want! Is all of this because I am a Kiniseon being?”
“Yes.”
“But why?”
“You have no idea how powerful you could be.”
Elkay tutted. “I am a former High General, I led over 2 billion beings…”
“Different sort of power. Political power is nice… but god-like power is better…” Phovos leaned forward some more. “We are something else, little Elkay. We are the closest thing there is to immortality. One Kiniseon is strong. Two together? Who knows what could happen?”
Elkay sighed, then tutted some more. “I get that, Phovos. But could you please just get me a job?”
The Raptor closed her eyes, snorting through her nostrils. “Fine. Fine. You’ll be working as a bodyguard for Lokmahro as he does his business, as well as for any visiting diplomats or foreign advisers. Nine ‘til five, every day aside from weekends…” Phovos grunted a little, pushing a sheet of paper, a work contract, towards Elkay for him to read. “I do feel like you are missing the bigger picture here.”
“I understand what you are telling me, Phovos…” Elkay mused. “I understand completely. But I need to get myself settled first. Once I am comfortable, then we can explore all these… possibilities.”
Phovos suddenly snatched the contract away from Elkay, scribbled something on it, then handed it back. “Alright. Change of plan. You work four days a week. Monday to Thursday. You have Friday and Saturday off. Sunday, you work for me, and we do training together. Simple stuff at first, but there is a lot we need to cover.”
Elkay reread the contract, sighed, then signed his name on it.
“So we are in agreement?”
“We are.”
“Good!” Phovos beamed as she leaped up from her desk. “See you on Sunday!”