The Pact

Chapter 12: Manipulation With Mint Chip Ice Cream

Equus POV:

Thankfully I woke up in Spring. Finally, a coherent thought that wasn't riddled with confusion and overwhelming emotion.

I missed Kyon being here; he tended to help with this somehow. Maybe the seasons favored him, so they made the job of looking after me easier. I wasn't sure. I sat up and stretched. Then noticing that last night when I went to bed as Summer, I threw on My Little Pony pajamas. I changed back into my all-black outfit.

I walked out of my room and into the kitchen down the hall to the right. The kitchen was a nice size. There were dark gray tiled floors and dark oak cupboards littering the walls. The silver fridge was double-doored with a freezer underneath, one you had to pull out like a drawer. The counters were covered in light gray square tile. The only place without tile on the counter was the four-burner stove. The dark styled kitchen was complete with a dishwasher, oven, and pantry off to the side.

I had around fifty minutes to convince Chaos to send me to wherever Kyon had gone. Fifty minutes and then I have to wait until Spring shows up again.

I entered the kitchen and pulled out the mint chip ice cream. Chaos was weak around this ice cream. Now all I had to do was negotiate.

I walked into Chaos' office to find her sitting at her desk. The office was a good size; a massive oak wood desk and nice CEO chair were straight across from the door. The floor was covered in soft black carpet and a small cat rug near the door. The office had a few random monitors, a dark oak bookshelf with books in all kinds of languages, and random chairs were strewn about.

At the moment, Chaos was a tall, elegant gray-haired woman. Her posture was perfect as she drank Earl Grey tea. But when she saw me with the mint chip ice cream, Chaos's form changed to a nine-year-old boy with unruly hair. Running up to me, he tugged me to the seat beside him, which he made appear instantly, and I opened the ice cream.

"So Chaos, what are you up to?" I asked randomly, appearing to start a small conversation. I was fully aware the ice cream had 73% of his attention; meaning, he was more likely to slip up.

"Oh, you know, work, making sure the planets go round." he was already stuffing his small face, barely even noticing that I was eating small spoonfuls from the tub.

"Like the one Kyon is on?" a nod. I grinned; this was a bit too easy.

"Which one are you focused on now?" I made myself appear nonchalant, as if this was a normal conversation, and I wasn't trying to get anything out of it. As if I was purely curious and didn't really care about the answers.

"Earth," I froze a bit as I struggled to keep my thoughts straight. That was unexpected, though not surprising. Earth was the main reason my seasons were all wacky. He could be trying to figure out how to fix them. But if Chaos was focused on the planet that was causing all my woes, where was Kyon? Was he also trying to help fix my phenomenon? Or was Chaos distracting him so they could work on that issue more efficiently? It wouldn't hurt to ask; that was why I was here in the first place.

"Is that where Kyon is working?" Chaos shoveled three large spoonfuls of ice cream into his mouth and his face melted in happiness. I ate a few bites waiting for his answer. His eyes glazed over a bit.

"Yea, he says I don't give useful information, so I'm trying to show him up" I chuckled at that. I don't know if that was what Kyon was aiming to do, but either way, it's a win-win situation.

Then I froze as the words sunk in. Kyon was on Earth. Why was he on Earth? It probably had something to do with me. I kept a smile plastered on my face as I beat myself up. Why was I always the issue? Every time!

"Hey, Chaos?" there was a "Hmm?" as he shoveled more of the tub into his mouth, not bothering to use words as most of his attention was focused solely on the tub of treats.

"Can I visit a different planet?" I inquired and received a small nod. So far, so good, now I just had to drop the bomb on where I wanted to go.

"Which one?" he asked, spoon in his mouth as he looked at me. Wide purple eyes met mine as he tried to figure out the answer.

"Earth," I said casually. Chaos blanched, his pale skin reduced to the color of paper. I almost wanted to laugh at his surprise. But I didn't when it looked like Chaos was about to drop his spoon full of ice cream from the shock.

"Nope, sorry, no can do. Literally any planet besides Earth," Chaos said quickly, the ice cream haze wearing off but still shoveling the last bite into his mouth. Chaos crossed his small arms and looked away, not giving me a chance to use any form of puppy eyes.

"Why not?"

"Kyon told me that he'd literally kill me if I let you go to Earth," Chaos said with a shudder, to which I chuckled at. I never truly understood how Chaos was so terrified of Kyon; he always took the doggo's threats to heart.

"You think Kyon can kill you?" I asked incredulously, putting my hand over my mouth to hide my smile.

"No, but I know he'll find a way," I laughed as Chaos looked at me, confused.

"What's so funny? You're literally asking me to do something I know will get me to fade." he huffed and swiveled his chair away from me, causing me to laugh harder at his playfulness.

"I'm laughing because I realized your right. Kyon would find a way to kill you. He has a one-track mind like that" I managed to get out before calming down.

"But seriously, I need to get down there. I saw the prophecy, I am literally fated to be on Earth at some point, better sooner rather than later," I reasoned. Chaos sighed as he swiveled back towards me, his small legs crossed.

Chaos tapped his small chin and then, without looking, ate another bite of ice cream. "Fated, huh? Maybe I could use the excuse that the Fates made me take you down. Then boom, he can't blame me, and you get to Earth."

I was practically glowing at the idea. I smiled widely, "It's a deal; I'll make sure that I'm all set to go. When are we leaving? I have probably twenty minutes left in Spring," I rushed, looking at the small clock on the wall.

"We leave next time you turn into Spring, so you can explain and get Kyon off my back," Chaos said with a small chuckle. I smiled at him and then left the tub of mint ice cream with him.

I walked back down the hall, passing the kitchen and entering my room. It was medium-sized, a twin-sized bed with blue comforters, black hardboard floors, a weirdly shaped TV across from the bed, and a nightstand made from dark oak.

I locked the door behind me and followed the same procedure from a few hours ago; lock the door, cuff myself down, turn Finding Nemo on loop, and have plenty of chocolate nearby. I checked my cuffs to make sure they were secure around my ankles before handcuffing my wrists together.

I hated not having control, but I didn't want to take any chances with all the insane emotional and mind shit going on. The first day Kyon left, I got lost outside the palace because I was searching for Nemo. Of course, Nemo wasn't on Chaos' home planet, but I disregarded that information and still searched frantically for him during my Fall, Summer, and Winter seasons. For some reason, all the primordials thought it was important I find that clownfish.

Anyway, ever since then, I've locked myself in my room and cuffed myself down. I didn't want to wander off the face of the planet for no reason.

I laid down on my bed and watched the beginning of Finding Nemo, prepared for whatever season gripped me next.