The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 148~♫

Making a quick glance behind himself, Rigaku couldn't see anything but a stone floor. He averted his eyes forward after checking on his younger siblings.

"What do you want?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"We are sick of this waiting!" Hera roared. "I've given you the greatest gift, and you couldn't convince a mortal girl to pick you."

Aphrodite giggled. "What you expected from a book-worm? A night of passion?"

"It's not like your champion did a better job." Athena gestured to Aiyoku, and Aphrodite's face soured.

How could he cut his glorious hair? She raged like crazy, hearing snappy remarks from her sisters for days.

"You are one to talk." Aphrodite directed her gaze onto Kagetsu. "You went onto such a great length to reshape your candidate, and yet it utterly failed."

'Reshape?' Rigaku repeated the word, sensing there was more to it.

Athena turned around, ready to argue with the head of the goddesses in the middle when Hera snapped, "Silence!"

Both of them closed their mouths, postponing their argument for later. Hera waved her hand, and a whirlwind arose from the ground, revealing a platform with Freya.

"Freya-chan!" the brothers shouted, clenching their fists.

Kagetsu leaped forward, but the chain captured him once more. This time he dug his heels into the ground, but it only slowed him down. The chain remained firm, letting him go once he had returned to his original place.

'So we can't reach her no matter what we try.' Rigaku bit his lip.

"Now listen, you mortals!" Hera spoke. "You have been picked to serve us, yet you've failed to carry your duty." She flashed toward the girl with a sharp look. "Our patience is at the end. Now! And here! You shall pass the Golden Pear and prove who of us is superior!"

Athena hit the ground with the dull end of her spear, sending a wave of echoing sound all around.

Freya blocked her ears, showing her teeth.

"How ugly." Aphrodite hid her face. "How can you show your face like this?" With a smirk, she waved her hand, and Freya's burns dissipated. Her shirt almost burst as her chest enlarged at least twice, and she yelped.

The goddess giggled. "How amusing. Can't you feel the smooth surface of your skin? Can you hear your voice?"

"Hey!" Athena barked. "How dare you to give her your gift!"

Aphrodite tossed her hair, revealing her nipple for a quick moment. "It's only a demonstration. So, she can see and feel with her own hands how glorious my gift is."

Freya couldn't stop her hands from checking her body as it gained foreign curves, and her chest turned much heavier. She would need to change her entire wardrobe at this rate.

"Feast your eyes!" Aphrodite sang in her honey covered voice, and a big mirror appeared in front of Freya. It towered above the girl, despite it wasn't much taller, but it was perhaps for the thick golden border.

What the goddess of love presented was nothing compared to the final result. The girl couldn't recognize herself as her hair turned blond and her eyes blue. She would swear her chest now defied all biological limits, and the dress barely covered the minimal amount of skin.

She hugged her chest, finding it hard to touch her elbows.

Men of various ages and social standing stood around her with some kneeling in front of her. All of their eyes were on her, mesmerized by her beauty. She didn't let anybody touch her, watching in front of herself with a smug smile.

Without warning, another mirror sprung next to the first one. Iron bordered this one with dark stains as if it was rusty. Freya's nose wrinkled, recognizing the smell of burns and blood.

This scene turned darker, depicting the half-way destroyed city as if an apocalypse had struck. Among the burning cars and broken glass shards stood a girl with flaming hair.

A bat rested on her shoulder with dark stains on its top half. A biker gang's members holding metal pipes, chains, and knives circled her, launching an attack. Despite the disadvantage, the girl danced among them. None of her hits missed, and every man let out a painful cry as they had fallen.

Soon, the ground hid beneath a carpet of bloodied bodies, yet the girl remained standing without a scratch. The smirk didn't leave her face as if it was stitched.

"Do you see?" Athena spoke. "What's the use of beauty when you can't defend yourself?" She had sent a taunting wink towards her sister.

"Why being a stinking barbarian, when all the men in the world would die for you?"

The warrior goddess growled, clenching her spear.

"Both of you are so foolish," Hera said without looking at them. "Being a foot soldier or a decoration can't fulfill the deepest desire mankind had ever had."

The third mirror with a wooden frame provided perhaps the most serene scene. No blood or sex-driven men circled the red-headed girl. Only shelves of books, endless rows of golden Awards, and a place in parliament filled her life this time.

With stern eyes, she presented her speeches, meeting high standing people, and achieved unimaginable things. Men and women alike shook her hands. Children presented her gifts as she cut the ribbon, opening a new hospital, or schools in developing countries.

"With the knowledge, you can rule the entire world. Shape it as you please. No place would be too far or hidden from you. Nobody in this world has to suffer for the incompetence of their rulers." Her voice hid malice and ruthless nature. No wonder she was often behind the suffering of innocent people, who caught the eyes of her husband.

With a flash and puff, a small package landed into Freya's hands. She didn't need to unwrap the paper to see the Golden Pear. Yet she did it, checking on it. A small sigh breezed through her lips.

"Now! Choose your champion!"

The mirrors moved to her left side so she could see everybody. Freya's eyes went to the brothers. They were so close, yet separated by invisible magic. If she wanted to get out of this, she had to hand over the pear.

No more delays.

No more dreams of shared days.

No more stories before the bed.

No more smiles she could give to them.

"You can speak, you know!" Aphrodite reminded her. "Use your voice to put strings on every single man."

Athena snorted. "Voice was meant to give orders and rule! Soothing only dulls one's sense!"

These two couldn't agree on a single thing. Yet Hera wasn't any better. Her eyes narrowed, capturing her words in crystal clear form.

Freya took a deep breath.

Forming words after a long time, she said, "Test. Test. Do re mi..."

Kagetsu chuckled, but his ears perked. "What a beautiful voice."

Athena grilled him with eyes while Aphrodite giggled. Her rivaling champion had proved her gift was superior.

Freya let her head tilt left and right in a rhythm of a music only she could hear.

Taking another breath, she spoke.

And Hades threw a hell party.