The Door of Possibilities

Janitors always have it rough.

For all the work they do, they are hardly appreciated. Who would respect anyone who cleans up garbage every day? Not the everyday person. Unless, of course, you worked in a big fancy house for a big, rich family who pays big money for you to clean up after them and happened to maybe, just maybe, wear a cute outfit to go with. But if you worked anywhere else, you’d get no praise, no recognition, just a bunch of shifts with hardly any days off inbetween and a lousy paycheck, to boot. The Planeswardens paid better than the average company and had a more appreciative boss to boot (even if he was a bit of a stickler), it still wasn’t fantastic compared to basically everything else.

Which is exactly why Hiroki, upon given a full three days off in a row after two full weeks of mess cleaning, was sleeping in as much as possible. If he slept in, that four-course meal his boss promised him would come that much sooner! Unfortunately for him, 8 hours of sleep was the limit that his body would allow, in spite of all of his efforts.

After staring at the ceiling for another hour, hoping for sleep to claim him yet again, he rolled out of bed and went into the bathroom to get a good start to his day. Shower? Check. Brushed teeth? Check! Tamed the wild beast that is his hair? Seeing how it was down to his hips, maybe it was time for a haircut. Or maybe it was just time to shove it into a ponytail, as per usual.

As he headed towards the kitchen, his phone buzzed with the intensity of a thousand bees in a jar. His heart raced as he rushed to pick it up off its charging stand on the table and answered it.

“Helloooo-”

“Sup, chucklefuck?” said the voice on the other side, casual as could be. “Put your phone back down, I’m trying to Facetime you!”

He placed it right back on its stand and saw video of a woman waving at him, surrounded by anime merch as far as the eye could see. Gunpla, anime figures and plushies… She had ‘em, though there was one in particular that caught Hiroki’s eye.

“Haruko, why do you have a body pillow of Shu Shirakawa?” Hiroki asked, trying his hardest not to pay too much attention to the details and effort put into that pillow. “And how did you get that past Mom and Dad?”

Haruko snorted, leaning back in her chair with a smirk as she replied, “Told ‘em it was a reference for a nude drawing for art class. ‘We can’t afford real male models!’ I told them. ‘This is the next best thing!’ “

Hiroki turned towards his espresso pot, thinking that maybe he didn’t have enough coffee for this. “And did they actually believe you, or did they just give in because you were gonna buy it anyway?”

“Beats me,” Haruko said with a shrug. “I mean, it’s not TOTALLY lewd or anything! I mean, his junk’s covered by a big blue bird so-”

Never was Hiroki so thankful that he wasn’t drinking coffee. Otherwise, he would have been paying some big money to fix his phone. He slammed his hands on the table, eyes wide with shock as he shouted, “His dick’s covered by WHAT now?!?”

Haruko rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen weirder, Hiro. I mean, really.” After a moment, she sighed, sliding down her seat and swooning, Hiroki taking that moment to get up and prepare some coffee. “Aaah, at long last, my husband and I are united! All I need now is some Gunpla of the Granzon and everything will be perfect!”

“Good luck with that,” Hiroki replied, grabbing some eggs out of his fridge with one hand and grabbing a clean bowl out of the sink with the other. “I think they’re about $500 for a perfect grade one, give or take.”

“Not to worry! I saved up my Christmas money just for an occasion like this!” He could certainly hear how smug she was, even if he couldn’t see her as he cracked some eggs for his soon-to-be omelette. “Soon, it’ll be mine and mine alone, and nobody can stop me! Ohohoho!”

“Well, I guess nobody can stop you from having bad tastes, but you do you, sis!”

“Says the Masaki fanboy.”

Hiroki turned towards his phone and saw Haruko blowing raspberries at him, but he shrugged it off. “You got me, but I’m not the one buying lewd body pillows of him with his junk covered by his familiars.”

Haruko sat straight up and shot him a glare as she snapped, “You would, if you had the money!”

“If I had the money, I’d buy myself some socks, some food, a Nintendo Switch…” Hiroki grinned as his sister rolled her eyes and groaned, but it was replaced with a more serious look as he said, “Really, though? I don’t think you should be spending that much money on merch. I know most of it is just saved up birthday and Christmas money, but you’ve blown through a ton of it on mobages alone.”

He was less enthused when she rolled her eyes again and huffed, “Come on, can’t a girl just treat herself every now and then? Another figure isn’t going to kill me, you know.”

“It won’t, but it wouldn’t hurt to save up for more important things, would it?”

“Bro, I’m not like you.” Hiroki flinched, shuddering as Haruko stared at him coldly. “I’m not the one saddled with student debt because you slacked off too much in high school for a scholarship. I’m not the one who had to beg mom and dad for money just to eat at a garbage pizza place every night. And I’m certainly not the one who took a stupid janitor job that doesn’t even pay that well! So don’t give me that bullshit! I’ll spend my money on whatever I damn please, thank you very much, because at least I’ve got a lucrative career in front of me!”

The duo fell quiet, the silence only broken by the sizzling of eggs and the coffee boiling over. His heart stung with the pain of the truth inherent in those words. Haruko might have been spoiled, but she managed to get scholarships for her high grades. Last he heard, she was doing just about everything he couldn’t in school, what with her juggling several club positions, sports, classes, internships, and free time like a pro. And of course, she was in the Biochemistry field, already looking for PhD programs to jump into once she graduated. She was the golden child, the one everyone looked up to. Beloved.

And what was he? A janitor.

He was hardly paying attention to Haruko when she continued yapping about her collection and what to get next, simply smiling and nodding as he poured himself some coffee and finished his omelette with handfuls of cheese. Only by the grace of God did his phone buzz again. This time, with a note about his boss calling.

“Uh oh, boss is calling, gotta go!” he said with faux worry.

“Whaaat?” Haruko stared at him with shock before she crossed her arms. “I barely get to talk to you and NOW he decides to call? Tell him to shove off, family’s more important! Besides, who else is gonna tell me if I should get an Altiesen Gunpla after I get Granzon?”

“I can talk later, Haru! It’s not like I’m gonna die or anything! Love you, byyyye!” He hung up on her as fast as he could and answered his boss’s call with a, “Hiiii, Bossy-boss! What can I do for ya?”

“Start by not calling me that ever again,” said Boss, cold as ice. Hiroki was glad he couldn’t see his devilish grin. With a cough, Boss continued, “And would you mind a video call? I’d like to show you something.”

“As long as you’re not calling me in, sure!”

With a press of a button, Hiroki could see his boss, clear as day, with his legendary permanent scowl. He could also see the clear blue skies and the hustle and bustle of some city, several stores lined up behind the man. Maybe it was an island? Whereever it was, it certainly didn’t warrant that unhappy look on his boss’s face.

Contrary to his facial expressions, Boss sounded rather pleased as he said, “Ah, there we are. Good morning! I trust you slept well?”

“Never better!” Hiroki quirked an eyebrow, quickly plating his breakfast, taking a seat, and digging in as he looked at the locale. “Though, where are you? You’re not in another dimension, are you?”

“Ha, as if I’d need to go to another dimension to enjoy something like this,” Boss replied, forcing that scowl into an awkward grin. “No, I happen to be on Earth, enjoying a stroll in Kuwahawi proper.”

Kuwahawi. That was certainly a name he could remember clearly. A lot of Planeswardens were chattering about this ‘newfound’ island chain in the Pacific, advertised loudly by tour guides as the most beautiful place on Earth. Hiroki’s eyes widened with shock as he replied, “Wait, Boss! You’re in Kuwahawi and you didn’t invite me?! How could you?!”

“You were sleeping,” came the blunt reply. “I thought it better to leave you undisturbed. And by the way, you’re not on duty. There’s no need to call me ‘Boss’, and I’m sure you’re well aware of my name by now, hm?”

 “Okay, Eirian,” Hiroki said with a shrug. “Though I kinda think it’s awkward. I mean, you’re my boss, even if you do take me to nice restaurants and reccomend books and recipies every now and then.”

Maybe Eirian pondered it for a moment. Maybe. After a moment, though, he shot back, “You say that after you called me ‘Bossy-boss’ unironically? I’d like to believe that this is more than just a simple employer-employee relationship, much like the friendship Duer fosters with Magus. That is something I would like to foster in my employees, though most aren’t, ah… living up to my expectations.”

“Huh, I wonder why,” Hiroki said, as he thought back to all the times he was called in because someone overslept or called out or simply half-assed the job. He could sort of understand why they’d do that: he got his fair share of being yelled at by Eirian when he first started. What was different was that he worked diligently and continued to improve, while as far as he could see, most of the others just slacked off and didn’t bother giving their all.

“That is neither here nor there, however. You do recall the four course meal I’ve spoken with you about, yes?”

Hiroki took a giant bite of his omelette just in time. God knows what kind of impression he’d give Eirian if he drooled all over the table. “Yeeeess? Did you find a good place? Maybe? Possibly?”

Eirian sighed as he adjusted his spectacles and replied, “While I was able to find a restaurant, I found that they were booked until mid-June. Walking in is hardly an option: the wait times are up to an hour or more. And I hardly think you would want to wait until June for a meal.” Hiroki slumped in his seat, heart heavy from the news until his boss pointed his phone’s camera towards a small bakery behind him. “So my question is this: Would you accept my humble offerings of baked goods instead? You will still get your four course meal, late as it may be, but this may be good in the interim.”

Baked goods now, four course meal later? If he wanted baked goods, he could just go to the cafeteria and grab a whole bunch of glazed donuts. Or he could order Krispy Kreme and have it delivered… somehow.

That… and did he really deserve this? Hell, did he even deserve his four course meal? All he did was clean up a giant mess in the ballroom. All he did was his job. It was just a stupid janitor job. He didn’t build a robot or find the cure to a type of cancer or anything. He was just-

“I’ve changed my mind.” Yeah, that’s what he thought. He was hardly worth the effort. That scowl on Eirian’s face said it all. “You don’t get a choice in the matter: You need these AND a tissue box.” Hiroki stared at him, flabbergasted as his boss placed a finger on his chin and closed his eyes. “I’ve placed an undue amount of stress on you these past two weeks, and I need to reward you with more than just a bonus for your hard work. Much as I strive for immaculate floors, it should not come at the cost of tears, should it?”

Tears? Hiroki hardly noticed them streaming down his cheeks. Maybe he needed that tissue box after all. “I mean, you are a stickler, a little bit,” he replied, hastily wiping away his tears before his boss asked any more questions. “But you mean well! Don’t want the Planeswarden HQ to be a pigsty and all. B-but yeah, pastries! I’ll take a dozen or so, if you don’t mind!”

“Why would I mind? I’m offering!” Eirian snapped. “Any particular flavor? Black Mage Bakery offers some more exotic flavors. Their cucumber cookies have caught my attention… Or maybe you’d enjoy a simple glazed donut?”

“Why not one of everything so we can sample the entire store?”

Was that a grin he saw? “Only if you agree to make an honest review of the store.”

“DEAL.”

Hiroki wasn’t sure if that was a chuckle he just heard, but Eirian looked happy. Or, well, as happy as he could be. Not that it lasted too long, given that it was soon replaced with a more serious look. “Now, one other question: I have heard from Duer that you are a canidate to pilot the fabled Fenrir. Is this correct?”

He shuddered, even as he took a big gulp of coffee. “I thought that was top secret?”

“Not if it involves my employees.”

Hiroki paused, taking another bite of omelette and washing it down with coffee before he replied, “Yeah. Duer talked about it with me, and I’m honestly willing to go with it.”

“I see.” That sure was ominious, especially when followed with a long silence. Then, after thinking on it, Eirian said, “I will see to it that you are well prepared for the position, then.” When Hiroki stared at him in shock again, Eirian continued, “You are up against some of the most talented pilots in this known universe, Hiroki. And even if some of the canidates are not spectacular at such, they have uncanny abilities and magicks that will give them an edge. You are but an ordinary person in a sea of extraordinaries, a janitor amongst the crowds of soldiers, mages, priests, and whatever else the Planeswardens have hired.”

Hiroki sagged like a sack of potatos, recalling his sister’s words before his boss continued, “But in spite of such, there is something you have that most lack. Something you hardly see amongst your fellow janitors… Will. Who was it who fixed the ice cream machine after several days of research and effort? Who was it that fixed the plumbing, even as one of the bathrooms flooded with sewage spewing from one of the toilets? Who was it that cleaned that ballroom to an absolute shine, after the wild sports party the Planeswardens saw fit to host?!”

“Not I. Not your coworkers. Not the rank and file Planeswardens. You, who have toiled through Janitorial Hell, have the will! And such will will propel you to greatness!” Hiroki certainly wasn’t expecting his boss to wave his arms around and yell like a priest preaching to the church. A lot of people were starting to turn and stare at the impassioned man who was yelling at his phone, for better or worse. “There will be those who denounce such, who will look down upon you like the filth of the world! There will be many who say that you lack the skill and the knowledge, that you are hardly special, unworthy of such position! But nay, I say that as long you have the willingness to learn, to strive, to struggle, you are more than worthy! And for that reason, I will see to it that you are sufficiently prepared for the upcoming trials, so they will all be proud to call you Planeswarden!”

When Eirian finally noticed that everyone was staring at him, he cleared his throat, taking a moment to regain his composure as he said, flustered, “I, well, I simply wish to make sure you meet qualifications before you are promoted, of course. Not everyone gets the honor of such when they are merely the help. Anyway, I’ll get those pastries you requested. I will see you, ah… soon, I suppose?”

Click.

Hiroki stared at his phone a little more before he took a deep breath and got out of his seat. “Will, huh?” he said quietly, closing his eyes as he thought. “Boss said I had will… And I can’t really let him down, can I?”

With a grin, he hurried to get his green bandana and tie it around his head, then rush back to his room to turn on his desktop and get to researching. If he was going to be a robot pilot, it wouldn’t do to just sit around and wait for training. And maybe he should look into some martial arts. A Planeswarden’s job wouldn’t always take place within the cockpit of a robot, and, well.. who’d take a robot to take down a civilian threat?

His sister was right: he did screw himself out of some opportunities and ended up in a shittier position than he thought. But when some doors close, others open… sometimes in the places you’d least expect it. Like when you were a janitor.

And he was going to run through it with all he’s got with his chin up and a smile on his face.