“Absolutely. Lead the way, friend.” Markus grinned at Akane and took her hand.
Seraphi grinned and led the pair through the empty, twisting corridors of the building. They passed door after door that bore different names in different languages, that all had some iteration of “Soul Liaison” attached to them.
“Um, Seraphi? Why are there so many, um…Soul Liaisons here?”
Seraphi chuckled. “I honestly do not know. You will need to ask your partner or his manager that question. We managers tend to be rather busy with our own departments, and have little time or energy to devote to the others.”
“Oh. That sounds sad. Do you not have family to see? When do you get to rest?”
They had come to a door that was blank and set into the end of a hallway as Akane asked her question. Seraphi turned and rested a warm hand on Akane’s cheek. “My dear Lady. You have just proven what will make you a perfect SIGN. I am glad I chose you, and I’m proud of you.”
Akane blushed and hid her face in Markus’ chest. In a small voice she said “Thank you.”
After she had regained her composure, during which Seraphi waited patiently, she cleared her throat and said, “I’m ready, sir.”
Seraphi smiled and turned the doorknob, opening the door into a stark white office that very much resembled Markus’ office. The walls were blank, with no shelves or posters. There wasn’t even the smell of fresh paint. A plain, unadorned desk sat near the rear wall. There was a simple rolling chair behind it, and nothing else of note.
“This is my office? It’s, well… Um…”
“Kinda bland?” Markus suggested with a chuckle. Akane nodded, chewing on a fingernail.
Seraphi chuckled. “Absolutely! This means that you can make it into anything you want. Would you like hanging plants? Go for it. Want Monster Girl posters everywhere? Have a ball! I doubt you’ll get many complaints about that, and if anyone does, send them to me. It’s your office.
“Now, on to the more specific aspects of your job. You are now what we call a SIGN. Your language would say Annai. What that translates to-”
“Wait. What language are we speaking?” Akane asked, her face radiating confusion.
Seraphi smiled. “Best not to think too hard about that. Suffice it to say, you are now able to comprehend anything you read or hear and respond in the same language. Just… just don’t talk to the animals with other people around. You’ll be sent to a special care ward. It’s happened. Please don’t do it.” Akane nodded and Seraphi continued.
“As I was saying, SIGN stands for “Soul Intake and General Navigation”. Or, in Japanese it is Kon Toriatsukai Oyobi Sōgō Annai-sha. What this means is you will be seeing newly arrived souls and directing them to the Soul Liaison that is best equipped to handle them in their region. All souls come through here. Well, not you, specifically, but they all follow the SIGNs. You are a guiding marker for the newly deceased. This is why I need compassionate people. These souls are confused or scared or angry or, in some cases, relieved. We need the first face they see after death to be a kind one. No matter where their afterlife takes them, we need the very first face they see to be kind and caring.”
Akane was snuggling into Markus as she listened, thankful that he was there with her. “What if they’re super angry and try to hurt me?”
“They cannot. For starters, they cannot physically reach you. There will always be a barrier in place. They may change shape or strange things may happen, but you will remain unaffected. Rest assured that there are Soul Liaisons who are quite skilled in handling them. We even have a special office that does nothing but handle wayward or lost souls, or souls with questions. Most of those are unpleasant, to say the least.
“Do you have any further questions?”
“What else is included in the package? Are there any benefits or perks for this job?”
“Markus? Would you like to field this one? The package is the same regardless of the position.”
Markus nodded and took a seat on the desk. “So, the benefits. We are immune to any and all disease. Including cancer. While we will not be able to regenerate amputated digits or limbs, we will heal at a rate that is incredibly fast. For instance, I was stabbed last night.” He lifted his shirt, displaying the scar on his side. “And you’d never know it. I broke my right hand” -he flexed his hand, rolling the knuckles- “that night, too. Still tender, but healed. Additionally, as long as we take care of ourselves, we are functionally immortal. We can choose to age as normal, if we’d like. Or, remain young and just move around every couple decades. There’s a whole process to that, apparently.
“And now the not so good part.” While Akane’s face had been more and more hopeful, it suddenly dropped.
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“Not so good? Markus? What do you mean?”
Markus held up his hands placatingly. “I don’t know what your thoughts on it are, as we’ve never really discussed it, but….you are no longer able to bear children. Whether this means that you will no longer have a period or something else, I do not know. What I do know is that it is permanent.” His voice was soft and gentle.
“You mean…? We could never have kids? No matter what we do?” Akane’s eyes brimmed with tears.
Markus sighed. He hated seeing her like this. “Correct. The most we could manage is adoption, but even that has to be done creatively. Can’t have our kids see us never die. Don’t want to outlive our children over and over, do we? From their perspective” -he motioned towards Seraphi- “it makes total sense. I don’t quite like it, but I agree that it is a necessary thing.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Akane’s heart had shattered. For as long as she could remember, she had wanted to be a mother. To have little children running around her home, laughing and playing. To watch her sons and daughters grow up to be fine men and women, to have that pride in seeing her child accomplish something.
And now? Now she would never know that joy. Now she would never know the pain of seeing your child cry over their first failed relationship, of comforting them, loving them. Teaching them how to get through the hard times without becoming bitter. She wept in Markus’ embrace.
Seraphi hated seeing his charges like this. He knew that not having children was a deal-breaker for some. “Ikeda-san?” he asked gently, once he noticed that she was beginning to come to terms with her situation.
Akane looked up, sniffling.
Seraphi sighed. “Markus is right. While you cannot bear a child of your own, you can still adopt. You have the income now to afford to do almost anything you wish. Open an orphanage. Give children the kind of loving home they deserve. So you won’t be able to spread your genetics? You can still be the mother you always wanted to be. Don’t let this get you down. And Markus was right. No more monthly cycles. That particular discomfort will never plague you again. Are there downsides to this life? Yes. Are there upsides? Also yes.
“Additionally, you can never reveal to any mortal what you do for a living. You will be terminated immediately if you do so, with a revocation of all benefits. This means that if someone sees you coming to your office, you will be terminated. No questions. You may not use your experiences here for the basis of any media production, nor may you record anything that happens here for your own personal use. We cannot let mortals know the nature of Reality.”
“What do you mean ‘if someone sees me coming to my office’? How do I even get here?”
“Best to let either Markus or your trainers show you that. From what I hear, he’s quite skilled at the process.” Seraphi gestured towards Markus
Akane looked up at Markus hopefully. “Really? I wonder what else you’re skilled at.”
Markus cleared his throat as Seraphi politely looked away, a smirk on his face. “Now. Any decorating you want to do is at your expense. You will be provided with an interface device that will let you make notes and add details to souls’ files, but nothing else. Vacations will most likely be approved at any time, but just don’t abuse it. Your trainer will go over those details. Any other questions?”
Akane looked up at Markus, who shrugged. Looking back at Seraphi, she shook her head. “No, I think I’m okay.”
Seraphi nodded, then perked up. “If you need to get in touch with me at any time, simply send a message to me on your phone. Just send a new message to my name, and I’ll get it. Don’t worry about how, just know that I will.” Akane nodded, and Seraphi turned his attention to Markus.
“Markus, can you get her home, do you think?”
He thought for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I don’t think that’ll be an issue.”
“Then I leave her in your capable hands. By the way, your office is a safe space. Markus already knows this from experience, but if you’re ever in a bad situation and are able to travel here secretly, do so. We understand that it isn’t always the case, and the rules still apply, but you’re never going to be reprimanded for coming here in your time off. For any reason. You can even lock the door, and that will prevent anyone from entering that isn’t a Primal Power. You are in charge of your office. From decorations -meaning you will foot that bill- to entry, you are in charge here. I will see you again in a few days, Ikeda-san.” With that, Seraphi closed the door, leaving the pair alone.
“I have a new job. I can’t believe that I have a new job. Markus, we don’t have to worry about anything ever again.” Akane was staring off into the distance.
“True. Especially now. Would you like to go home, Usagi-chan?”
Akane entwined her fingers in his. “Yes, Kuma-kun. Take me home.”
Markus walked to the door and concentrated on Akane’s apartment. When he felt he had it, he opened the door-
-and the pair stepped into her home. Removing their shoes at the genkan, they walked into the living room and plopped down on the couch. Akane curled up into Markus’ side, his arm draped around her and sighed contentedly.
“So, you’re off the next two days, huh?" Markus asked, getting a nod in response. “What would you like to do, then? I’m all yours tomorrow. Although, I think our friends would like to have dinner with me before I leave. In fact, I should tell the Kimura brothers. Have you said anything to Ichikawa-san?”
Akane turned beet red and shook her head. “She doesn’t know. She doesn’t even know you’re here right now.”
“Well, it’s not like she would just walk in, right?”
“No… It’s not that. I usually tell her everything. This is rather out of character for me. I’ve never really fallen for someone like I have you. She doesn’t know how I woke up next to you that first morning.”
“Would you like to wake up like that again?”
In response, Akane straddled his lap, kissing him fiercely.