Don't Quit Your Day Job 4: Bet You Didn't See this Coming!
~By Meeplelard
After witnessing several humiliations in fighting, Seifer had but one thing left to do. He didn't like doing it, but it was really his only option left.
He decided to go back to being a professional advisor. Yes, his advice wasn't exactly the greatest, but considering he still helped Meflice find his true calling in cooking, and was indirectly the result of "Dragon Warrior: The Legendary Story" theatrical production that was number one in the box office for months, its hard to say he doesn't have SOME success at it. Much to his irritation.
After reaching his office and being greeted by his secretary Shiho ("Aah, Seifer, glad to see you finally gave up on getting anything more out of life! The pity cookies are on the desk." "Can it."), he decided it was best to go back to business!
Looking at his paper of appointments for the day...
"Shiho, how did everyone know I was going to be back today?"
"Betting pools. Zell Dincht won it. Blame him for being so sure, he encouraged everyone to apply for today."
"How in hell would he have known? Remind me to thrash Chickenwuss once I get done today."
"Sure, boss. You going with the submissive gear today or going to try for something a bit more up- OW! What was that?"
"Your pity cookies."
With that, he leaned back. And waited. And waited and waited and got irritated and waited and-
"Damn it! Where the hell is he? Shiho! Where's the first potential?"
"I sent him in already." Shiho replied.
"Well, I don't see him!" Seifer exclaimed. Before he could say something else...
"I'm right here!" the voice of a small child exclaimed. Seifer looked over his desk, and saw what looked like a little cloud with a face, arms, and wearing some shorts. The first thing that came to Seifer's mind...after various other things...was "oh boy, a freak; seems things are back to normal."
"Alright, take a seat..." Seifer said, shuffling through his papers looking for the name. "Mallow, of Nimbus Land, is it?"
"That's me, alright!"
"Aren't you a little...young to start working?"
"Well, my mom and dad said that if I am to grow up to be king, I need to get some early experience in the professional world. And according to our sources in Nimbus Land, we learned you're the best person to come to!"
"...why do I have the feeling that's just your way of saying 'you're the only person who does this stuff and I didn't really have a choice in the manner,'?" Seifer replied snidely before glancing over Mallow's resume. "Well... seems you're still young, your small size won't be very helpful for manual labor, and you have no experience in, like...anything, world saving aside..."
"Why are you being so mean?" Mallow questioned, a lip trembling.
"Hey, i'ts not my fault you're just a little squirt."
"I...*sniff*" Mallow at this point started crying. The result caused it to rain...inside of Seifer's office.
"WHO THE HELL TURNED ON THE SPRINKLERS?" "Wasn't me this time, Boss!"
"I...*sniff* sorry, but when I cry, it starts raining." Mallow at this pointed had calmed down.
"So you can control weather is what you're saying?"
"Somewhat, yes..."
"...well, that opens up one job offer here!" Seifer slid a wet piece of paper over to Mallow. "You can be a meteorologist."
"A...what?"
"Says here you can predict weather for people. Now, you can take it, or I can start making fun of you again." Seifer said, forgetting for a moment the ankle-high water in his office.
"A Weather Man, you say? I'll take it!" Mallow said, grabbing the paperwork and running out the door.
"Well, things are back to the way they use to be... whatever that means. Anyway, bring the next one in!" Seifer exclaimed.
In walked a young brown haired girl, holding what looked like a staff, wearing pink. Admittedly, this helps not at all in recognizing her, so we'll just flat out tell you that it's Sophia Esteed.
"So, I hear you have a job lined up for me?" she said, smiling vapidly. Seifer snorted and pulled out another document, shaking water off the plastic covering. .
"Uh, yeah, something like that. So, you've been in Outer Space according to this?"
"I have! Why does that matter?"
"Do you have any experience piloting space crafts, then?"
"None whatsoever!"
"...god damn it, well, THAT idea is out the window. So...as much as it pains me to ask this, what the hell do you like to do?"
"Oh, well, I like polishing my nails, walks in the mall, shopping, talking on the phone for hours about absolutely nothing, cooking meals like super hot ice cream and edible tire paste, feeding random chipmunks, dancing at clubs, getting... Seifer, sir, why are you hitting yourself in the head?"
"Ah, it's nothi-"
"And I also like pretty ponies and frilly dresses and..."
It was near the end when she said "Trying on clothes" somewhere in all that rambling that an idea sparked in Seifer to shut her up.
"Fashion Designer it is." Seifer said, grabbing another sheet and signing the forms.
"And destroying corrupt souls with the power of the Mo-...wait, what was that?"
"Let me rephrase that. You're going to be a fashion designer, whether you like it or not, there's no other options, shut up get out of my damn office good -day-."
Sophia was speechless. It is unknown as to whether it was out of excitement or just plain awe at Seifer being...well, Seifer. Either way, she didn't really have much of a choice but to accept the paper work and walk out of the room.
"In fairness, Seifer, you did ask a teenage school girl what she liked to do; did you really expect anything less?" Shiho said seemingly chuckling at Seifer's pain at the same time. "Why, when I was young..."
"Yeah, yeah, just send in the next person."
"Um, yeah, about him...well, he got a bit out of hand, so I had to deal with him in...unique methods."
"Don't tell me you..."
"Oh, no! I just merely mean I had security detain him in the closest object possible...which is to say, he got stuffed in a barrel. and kicked out of here."
"Uh-huh...does this exempt me from doing his paper work, then?" Seifer asked in a wistful tone.
"No."
"Goddamn it! So what did he do exactly that made him get kicked out like that?"
"Tried to gamble with the two previous appointments, and generally annoying them at the same time...and actually brought his weapon with him as well."
"Gambling you say? Well, let's sentence him to doing nothing but that, then! Professional gambler... Ronfar's Casino... okay, signed. Shiho, make sure you send these forms to his house, and make it clear we won't accept no for an answer...what was his name again?"
"Alonso, and it doesn't matter that he's apparently good with ships, does it?"
"Nope! Not at all! Just send in the last appointment, so we can get this day over with." Seifer said, seemingly tired.
"Aha! But you fail to realize that, due to God's power, I am already here!" shouted the voice of an old man.
"...what the hell? Yes, I know you're in this building; if you weren't, you'd be late for the appointment." said Seifer.
"Don't mind him, Seifer; this guy likes to ramble about his 'God' and all that. Just suck it up." Shiho said.
Seifer sighed, and motioned for him to come in. Entered was a bald priest with white facial hair, wearing a purple robe.
"So...your name is Habaruku, is it...and you can transform into some weird octopus thing?" Seifer asked with a slight scowl, looking at the resume.
"This is all the will of our God! Give yourself to the power of St. Eva and you will be saved!"
"I'm far beyond saving at this point, so not even going to try. And besides, didn't that religion die out a while ago?"
"Well, most of our churches did suffer from Kaiser Dragon related terrorist acts...and then we were (rightfully) accused of being the cause of most of the demons in our world, thus scaring off most of our followers. Oh, and my God decided to get a new disciple in some guy who calls himself the Space Pope. Other than that, no, we're still going strong!"
"...that was a simple yes or no answer, damn it! I didn't ask for your ROMANTIC (if you can call it that) life story."
"But there is far more to be gained by the power of God, young one, why don't you consider it?"
"Well, I have been considering one thing..." Seifer said, seemingly thinking for once in his life.
"And what might that be, heathen?"
"Well, you're good at religious propaganda, it seems, to make a clearly evil being seem so popular, would you say?"
"THE GOD OF ST. EVA IS ABSOLUTE! DO NOT MOCK HIM!"
"...yeah, this job is perfect. Listen up, what you're going to do is going to take this form, go to Nanjo Studios, and do what you always did, except on live public broadcasts."
"Are you saying the word of God isn't good enough for cable, even basic?" The priest seemed affronted.
"That's exactly what I'm saying! Now, you can take it, or I can make arrangements to have some draconic security deal with you." Seifer grinned a bit.
"... ah... Your offer intrigues me! My God is happy to oblige! I will take you up on this and become the greatest priest on television!"
"Yeah, yeah, good." Seifer handed the documents over. "Now just get out of my office already, damn it!"
Seifer let out one last sigh, having finally finished a days work...for all that he didn't really do much but argue with a few people. So the question is, as it always shall be...
WHO IS THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR JOBS?
-Predicting weather is easy when you control it. Mallow is a success!
-Sophia knows popularity, so her designs naturally win the day.
-Alonso finally succeeds at gambling since he has nothing to lose!
-Televangelists are the ultimate scammers. Habaruku's in his element.
-They all fail miserably. A long vacation has not been good for Seifer.