It took approximately 492 seconds for the Sun to reach the Earth. Ina's portals to various worlds only lasted for 160 seconds. True to her word, its duration was only that long. When we got to the elevator using the last portal, I was on the verge of being discombobulated in exaggerated proportions.
The elevator was now rising near the eighth floor as I regained back my sanity.
"What did you think? Better than a Ferris Wheel?" Kiara couldn't stop jumping around. This must've been their definition of fun. A regular woman would've been happy taking an escalator rather than an elevator to go to their destination. These guys? They preferred being on the edge whenever they cross a random intersection! "That never gets old! Reactions of newcomers are so fun to look at!"
Takanashi Kiara. A purebred Phoenix born from nothing but her ashes. Eternally existent. It's already plain as bread but all the idols in Hololive were graced with defect-less features. Not one ounce of imperfection dared to flinch or bite back at them and their garments maintained unblemished. Questions sprung in my head one by one. What kind of shampoo were they using to make their hair look that good? Skincare products?
Ninomae Ina'nis was someone I couldn't figure out right now. Her tentacles reminded me of a frightening Cthulhu. I have to make a constant reminder none of the idols dress normally around here.
My suit wasn't ruined but I gelled my hair this morning to look proper. It must've reverted back to the way it was like yesterday since the air pressure inside those portals were enough to get rid of the substance.
"When a man is hesitant, do you usually just pull them in your stunts without consent?" My chest was about to leave my body, my jaw was tempted to fall down to the floor and clank away like dentures.
"You're not just any man," Ina remarked, her eyes glowing with so much power it was unfathomable. These were the girls of HoloMyth. "You're family now. What we went through is called 'family bonding'. Treasure it because all you'll see on Earth are humans and animals."
"I'd take that over aliens and weird monsters living near the damn Milky Way!" I caught my breath, sweating from head to toe, checking to make sure my legs were still connected to my waist. "I could've died!"
"You wouldn't have. You have to trust us, Clay." Kiara said.
"Mhm! And that wasn't the Milky Way! We were three-hundred thousand light years away for ten seconds!"
"Are you guys really idols?!"
Hololive really was a special place. Three-hundred thousand light years... I don't know why but I imagined a person jogging in that span. Strangely, these girls could probably do that and come back having multiple abs in different facets of their body.
"We're here." The doors of the elevator opened, a ding resounded, evaporating and getting lost in the madness. Clay Johnson's finally going to meet the idol he was supposed to assist a week ago. That was me. For some reason, my confidence began lurching itself forward again as I was determined to move out of this hellish elevator. Maybe it was the fact I'm already accustomed to arriving on time or being one with the environment. I can't describe it. It was like the nervousness in my system turned into mist and once I was doing my thing, nothing else mattered besides the objective.
My mindset comprised of doing the same thing over and over on a daily basis. Sleep, eat, work and repeat. Those rules weren't tangential. My life was composed of those three basic principles and shattering them took a whole lot. Sixteen portals were definitely enough to make me go insane and forget them completely.
Like someone encouraging me to go to school early, Kiara lightly pushed my back, shoving me out of the elevator with a smile. "You got this. Just be respectful and do what you came here to do. We'll see you by the end of the day. Hopefully."
That was what I intended from the start.
Ina waved along with her tentacles and soon, the elevator doors closed sending them to another floor.
The jitters left my body. I was back to being serious and kicking away any concerns I stored up earlier.
You got this. Just be respectful and do what you came here to do.
What was there to fear? It wasn't the end of the world except for the things that happened in those portals seconds ago. I had redeemed myself by working and getting Yagoo's attention over my consistency. If I couldn't demonstrate that here, his promotion would be a pointless doing.
Slapping my cheeks, I recall back to Yagoo's instructions leading to Mori Calliope's room. Go forward, make a sharp left and her room was at the farthest corner. The place was like a maze for any first-timer. Was I in a ward? Yagoo's directions became hazier the more I trudged through this dungeon-like floor.
If I screwed this up, I was going to kiss this job goodbye and become a bum.
"Let's see... That way or this way?" Every passageway looked identical. I wasn't about to divulge in one if it didn't lead to Mori's quarters.
While trying to find her room, I was practicing my lines on what to say to her and what to expect. Drawing from a blank canvas became easier when I repeated the words over and over. I was striding with grace and unparalleled vivaciousness already.
After getting lost for a good ten minutes, I finally could hear sound in one room being carved into reality. Fortunately, this door also happened to be farther from other doors. Someone was singing inside and I could already tell this was Mori Calliope's voice booming through the speakers.
How could I describe her voice? It was passionate laced with sophisticated word-play. Every word protruded felt new and smooth from her lips. The background music that was probably electronically generated came from a digital audio workstation. It didn't stop the realness of her voice. Some part of me didn't want to open the door and disturb her. She was on a roll with the pace she was conjuring the words, her diction overflowing with so much talent and hard work.
I don't know what to feel at this point. The fact I was working for an amazing person or being a creep breathing on her door and listening to her sing. I wasn't a song junkie but her 'Live Again' song was pleasant to listen to in real life. How did I know what song it was? Every person who works for the business had these songs blaring throughout the office as an aesthetic so it must've been hardwired into me already.
It seemed like Mori didn't know when to stop because when she finished one song, she'd jump to the next one without remorse or hesitation.
The fumbling of pages could be heard inside and her uttering the words over and over made me feel disgusted about myself. She was rehearsing an A Capella version of one of her songs 'End of a Life'. I could hear scribbles here and there too since the music died down temporarily.
Calli works hard. Too hard. Her personal assistants all quit because they couldn't keep her in check. More like, she wouldn't let them because they held her back.
What was I doing outside the building earlier? Was I going to really vomit and become anxious? I already made a ton of noise when I entered this place and even acted out-of-character by being so panicky and weird. It wasn't like me.
Shaking my head, I finally gather courage and a stronger resolve to knock on the door.
No more acting like a coward, Clay.
Mori Calliope beat me to it however. As I was about to make contact with the door with my fingers, she swung it open without the door whistling.
Just like the profile in her folders, she had pink hair cascading down near her waist but her outfit was a no-sleeve top with a skull on the center covered her chest, black sweatpants with a red lineament horizontally placed on the left thigh and black sneakers with streaks of red and white.
"Who are you?" The flaming and vehement voice that blessed every lyric I had been listening to for minutes now transformed into one of urgency and inquiry. She even looked to be glaring at me.
"Forgive me for eavesdropping on you. I heard you sing and I just wanted to listen. I'm Clay Johnson. You must be Mori Calliope." I wasn't sure if this was a good start. I just hope she doesn't misinterpret my tone as anything but cordial.
"What happened to your hair? Big electric fan hit you on the way here?"
"Nah, I just took a voyage to multiple universes if that makes sense," I commented, holding my hair in place."
"... Huh?" How is a woman capable to make one word sound like an earthquake?
"Long story. Can I come in?"
"If it's about business, then sure." Like an engine reversing, she came out of the room and pushed me back to a reasonable degree without using much of her strength. I bumped against the wall behind me and my balance became unstable before it returned. "On second thought, you're not who I think you are, are you?"
"You know any other Clay Johnson?" I said passively, making sure that I wasn't going to break down at the sight of her approaching me like a tiger would a deer.
One step. Two steps. Three steps. Soon, her body was close to mine, her eyes sizing me up as my back was against the wall.
"A bit of an introduction, don't you thi-"
Her palm slammed against the wall right next to my head, her other hand placed on her waist. I wasn't going to let something like this scare me. I knew she was all-powerful. Beyond that of a human or something even greater. I've only seen guys try to be scary in prison. There were some who were born that way.
Yagoo was right. I needed to do research.
I didn't realize she was this beautiful up close.
"Mori Calliope. If you're the new guy planning to be my personal assistant, I'm telling you I got it covered." She could sing what she said and it'd knock me off my feet. "You can tell the boss I'm doing great and there's no need for useless water boys to provide me advice I've heard a million times before, especially ones who can't keep their hair in check. I already have a manager too so I don't need another one assisting me."
But I was working right now. I didn't intend to dance along with what she says. Mori might never need anyone's help. She was already at a high level in every aspect but she might not be used to things being recommended to her.
"Whether you like it or not, I was sent here by him to accommodate your other needs." I looked her in the eye, noticing her pupils were seething with an aura that was inhuman. "You might be able to jump so high and go anywhere without using cars or airplanes but I'm only here to eliminate other activities you should not be doing all the time."
She fought the urge to sigh. "Good point... I know you mean well. You're doing this for work but I really-"
"0 hours of sleep." I interrupted her.
"What?"
"Death has to sleep sometimes too," I got past her, going inside her room and inspecting the interior design.
"H-hey! You can't just-"
The room didn't even look like a place you can sleep in. It was an actual recording studio.
Microphone stands were assembled near external equipment right beside the volume range cube. I could faintly see traces of fingerprints by the handle signifying it'd been used more than a hundred times. It had the usual. The control room was where the effects and the like took place for enhancing the quality of the music being produced, it was at the dead center of the area.
Three huge monitors conjugated along the upper walls. I didn't have much knowledge when it came to musical expertise but I knew enough to know that a lot of buttons on a big table meant a big deal for musicians and singers. It was best not to mess with it.
Mori Calliope didn't make an effort to throw me out the room and settled herself on the sofa by the door, crossing her legs and her arms spread out. She didn't communicate or anything, just stared at me as I gazed at the room that was her solace. She must've written a lot of things here before I even worked at Cover Corporation.
There were tons of music sheets and papers scattered on the floor. I took one and read the verses she came up with on the spot.
So be advised the street's full of surprises
Must be surprising I'm just surmising
I'm just grinding deadbeats never mind me
Flying out to Cali rising amazing ebulliently skyrocketing
Blazing in like an inferno, no need to infer, no!
I guarantee ya there'll be nothing to save ya
From the scythe that takes away your sight
Close my eyes for one day and the bargain hunters keep screaming
Have to serve a dish and take their cents out crying
"You were singing End of A Life earlier." I faced her, crouching down and gathering the papers together. "I'm sure you've heard this a million times before but you're really good." I stacked and placed them on a desk. "You think you can make ten more of these within a day? The lyrics, I mean."
"Whatever you're planning, I'm not going to make you my personal assistant. It's... a little hard and all that." She scratched her face, laying down even further into the sofa. "Have you talked to anyone in your work why I don't want anyone taking care of my supposedly trivial matters?"
"I can make an oath if you want," I knelt before her, causing her to jolt and sit upright on the sofa. "Your previous assistants may have quit but I won't until my duty is over. I'm not here to obstruct you from your dreams or who you are as an individual. My job is to take care of your other priorities in life while you focus on your status being an idol for your fans. I do not care how fast you are in finishing them. I will finish them as well and have you enjoy your job more comfortably."
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine and healthy. I'm not stressed or whatever..." She flexed her arms, a bored expression on her face. "You know what I'm tempted to do right now though?"
"Create songs and spend time with your fans online?" I thought out loud.
"Those too but thank your lucky stars idols can't harm humans intentionally abiding by the contract..." She made a veiny fist.
Well, that got me shitting bricks but my stone-face must've been plastered on for too long it forgot other emotions.
"My former assistants have been annoying in the past. They didn't know what I wanted even if I told them beforehand I required them less. They kept trying and trying until they figured out they can't do anything for me. They had quit before even trying even harder. Now, tell me,"
Her fingers felt soft yet it could dismember me in seconds. They traced underneath my chin as she gazed at me with a distance I never knew was possible between me and a woman. "What can you really do for me, Clay Johnson? You think you can handle my private matters outside of business? Can I really call you my personal assistant?"
"I organize where you're supposed to perform, schedule them and do your chores. I'll do it then. I don't see why I should quit when I'm working for a beauty. Not all guys can enjoy this."
"Ho? So you're only after my looks?" She placed her other fist on her cheek with the elbow perched on her knees. Her cleavage wasn't such a blur from this angle. Looking at her face, I endured and resisted getting a nosebleed. Prison helped a lot with discipline, I suppose.
"I'm afraid you can't get any work done getting so distracted, Johnny boy." She stroke my jaw with a purpose and I wasn't going to lose to her. "
I stood up and got away from her hold. My masculine nature screamed at me for being an idiot, retracting from the touch of a half-angel half-demon but I wasn't here to cause scandals. I was here to do my work and be damn proud of it.
"I'll work starting today. Just give me a list of things I need to do for you and I'll do it."
She shrugged her shoulders, standing up from the sofa. "Alright, you seem determined. Fine, fine, do what you want. Here." She tossed me her phone. I caught it in the air with my heart almost dropping dead. The phone looked expensive. "I have another phone detailing my activities when I'm not performing so don't worry about breaking that one."
"Guh..." I exhaled. What the hell, that scared me. I could've paid a fine if this thing broke.
"That phone in your hands has all the things I do whenever I catch breaks which are short. All the technicalities, even the minor stuff is typed in the little notepad app." She kept going on and on. "Also, don't lecture me on what to eat and what not to eat. I know what I'm doing with that and about that 0 hours of sleep... I don't need sleep. Just handle the stuff on that phone and I'll rethink my decision to keep you if you do a good job."
"... Got it. Though I wish you'd still slee-"
Her eyes became fiery. "N-never mind. If you don't experience exhaustion. I guess there's no reason to do so."
"We're all good now? You can leave and do your job."
"What are you going to be doing today?" I asked.
"What else? Back to work. Go, go, shoo. Report back to me when you're done."
She closed the door on me.
Have a clear head, Clay. Multiple assistants quit in the past. You should understand by now Mori Calliope is not easy to work with. I have to at least empathize. She's used to her assistants giving up on her.
"You can do this... Phew..." I slapped my forehead. I didn't get out of jail to screw around, after all.
I began reading the things she had to do on the phone.
Mommy Reaper's List of Activities
- Inform Death about my present circumstances (If busy, entrust this to Kiara)
- Get rid of any unnatural organisms in the Underworld (Have Watson join me for better insight)
- Book a flight to Athens (do not use your powers to travel. Damn Kiara)
- Buy whole grains, vegetables, and a lot of protein on these dates! XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX
- Call the Council of Death for a meeting regarding the Underworld's overhaul.
- Obliterate three fake Cerberus posing as guardians of the Underworld. (Gura and Ina will love it)
I lowered my head down, sighing heavily.
"... I can do this..."