We come to the familiar back road where I notice the path, and decide to drive my vehicle through it until reach the clearing where the run-down mansion sits.
"Here we are." I say, killing the engine and getting out.
Altair follows up behind me, taking the lead. "That was fun." He laughs.
"Glad you thought so." I smile.
"Please, go inside." Altair says, holding open the door for me.
"Thanks." I oblige, and I'm greeted by the rich, palace-like interior once again.
"Oh! It's Altair!" Ichthys comes around the corner just as Altair and I step inside the foyer.
Altair walks up to god. "I'm back, Lord Ichthys."
Ichthys eyes fall on my and an excited smile spreads across his face. "Abbey! Welcome!"
I'm caught off guard by the overjoyed greeting. "G-Good afternoon."
Ichthys comes around my side. "Scorpio hates to be kept waiting. You'd better hurry and see him." Then Ichthys places an arm around my shoulders. "Or...would you prefer to do something fun? You know, just you and me?" He whispers into my ear seductively.
My eye twitches out of irritation and just when I'm about to pinch his hand that's draped over my shoulder or grab him by the ear, someone else enters the foyer.
"Ichthys. Stop right there" Leon stands at the top of the staircase.
"Looks like someone is coming between us..." Ichthys mumbles as he backs away.
A door to an interior room opens, and the god I saw at work, the Department of Wishes, stand in the doorway. But then there's another God I see, the one with short brown hair, and seems so kind and polite.
"So you all just kinda' live here together, eh?" I say something to make this weird scene, not so weird. "Must be fun."
"Yup, we sure do." Dui, I recall his name, speaks up.
"More importantly, the guys in the heavens realized we can use our powers even here on earth, if we touch you."
The way he says 'touch you' has shivers crawl up and down my spine.
Leon continues. "Now that word's gotten out, they've decided that have to work. In other words, we need your power."
Leon walks closer, closing in on me. And his intimidating smirk has me frozen to the spot. However, someone else appears.
"Stupid lion. Quit running your mouth. Nothing you say matters. It's not like you forgot she chose me."
I look pass Leon to the voice and see Scorpio, atop of the staircase, and I never thought I'd be relieved to see him, especially interrupting what was about to happen.
"Took you long enough." Scorpio huffs.
Altair looks like he's on the verge of tears. "I-I'm sorry! You said to bring her when she finished work, so..."
"Hm? Really?" I ask, looking from Altair to Scorpio.
Scorpio looks almost embarrassed and doesn't bother to respond.
"Whaaaaat! How sweet!" Ichthys teases.
Scorpio looking disgusted, glares at Ichthys. "I could care less about 'sweet'." Then he directs his attention back to Altair. "Stupid kid, if you don't learn to watch your mouth..."
"I-I-I'm sorry!" Altair stutters, quivering in terror as he looks at Scorpio.
I become protective and step in between Altair and Scorpio, guarding the poor child. "Hey, there's no need for that." I speak, trying to sound intimidating.
"Tsk." Scorpio clicks his tongue. "Stay out of this woman."
What is wrong with these gods?!
"You've got a one-track-mind, as always. What's going to come of rushing things so much?" Leon intervenes, challenging Scorpio.
Scorpio's footsteps echo as he steps right up to Leon, looking like he's about to fly off the handle at any moment, glares at Leon.
"This woman is mine." Scorpio declares as he points at me.
I stand there astonished and I can feel my heartbeat race. 'this woman is mine'. I never would have thought I would hear those words from anyone. Ever.
"No way! I can't believe my ears, Scorpy!" Teorus pipes up.
"First you run away with her and now you think you can monopolize her?" Leon asks in a mocking tone.
"Tch..." Scorpio scowls.
Ichthys steps in between the two intense gods to break them up.
"That was a pretty bold declaration, Scorpio. What exactly did you mean by that?"
"P-pretty bold?" I squeak. "You think?!"
"And what's wrong with me saying that my own...tool belongs to me? Her power is mine. That's an undisputable fact."
"There it is." I feel myself relax as I should've realized that's what he meant, and I shouldn't be surprised.
Huedhaut, looking cool and calm steps in with his tone sounding a bit irritated. "She's a goddess. You stepped over the line with that tool comment."
"Oh, but calling me a goldfish and thinking of me as less than a pet isn't stepping over the line..." I mumble.
"If she doesn't know how to erase my sin, she's nothing more than a tool." Scorpio states clearly to everyone.
I sigh.
"Abbey. I'm sorry." Dui speaks quietly as he appears beside me. "But, this probably isn't how he really feels."
I give Dui an innocent smile.
"'Probably' being the key word, right?" Teorus smirks devilishly.
"Teo, that's enough joking around." Huedhaut warns.
"Heh, I got in trouuuuble!" Teorus laughs as he returns to the living room.
Leon sighs and rolls his eyes. "Geez. What a party pooper."
With not being in the mood to argue anymore, Leon follows Teorus, and returns to the other room as well.
"I changed my mind." Scorpio says, turning his attention towards me.
I raise an eyebrow as I wait for him to continue.
He looks at me with repulsion. "I don't need you today. Go home."
"What?" I protest.
"N-No! Lord Scorpio!" Altair whines.
Scorpio glares harshly at Altair.
"I was told everyone needs to do their jobs, even here on Earth." Altair explains, calmly.
Scorpio looking annoyed, sighs. "Get off my back."
"I can't..." Altair becomes nervous. "Lord Zyglavis gave me orders."
For some reason hearing that name startles Scorpio.
Zyglavis...what the hell is with these names?
"I 've got no choice then..." Scorpio scoffs. "Come, woman. I have to work."
I stand there, not willing to budge, with my arms crossed, scowling at him.
"What's your problem? Hurry." Scorpio barks the order.
I can't believe this guy! If he thinks I'm just going to listen to him, he's got another thing coming.
"No." I say, as turning my back. "In fact, you made it pretty clear that you didn't need me so I'm going home. I have better things to do—"
Scorpio grips my arm, stopping me from leaving. "Don't be stupid, and do as I say. Now come." He growls.
"Hey! Let go!" I shout.
Scorpio starts dragging me along, without another word, but his hold on my arm tightens.
"Urgh. Fine!" I shout as I then begrudgingly follow Scorpio downstairs.
Probably couldn't leave without this guy using more force than he already uses. Even though he can't use his powers without touching me, I don't want to risk it either way.
I'm led into a dimly lit room. The source of light is coming from a beautiful fountain that sits in the middle of the room.
"Whoa..." My voice echoes in the spacious room.
Altair who followed speaks up. "It's the reflecting pool. Lord Scorpio uses the reflecting pool to observe humans. It's his job to punish evil at its very root."
I take note of that as I find it actually intriguing.
Up ahead, I see Scorpio's cold eyes focusing in on the water, then he calls me to his side. "Come." He gestures me with his hand.
Cautiously I walk up beside him, and gaze into the water. As I do, the water is like a T.V screen. What I see, looks to be a politician trying to force his way across a car-filled street.
I rub my eyes to make sure I'm actually seeing this before saying anything. "Whoa...is this for real?" I say in disbelief as the image on the water doesn't go away.
Altair leans over to looking angrily into the water. "Even looking at the list, there's no doubt about this man."
Scorpio nods. "Mmm..."
I raise an eyebrow, not entirely sure at what they mean.
And again, Scorpio grabs me roughly by the arm, and snaps his fingers. At his snap the politician grabs his chest and doubles over in pain, dropping his briefcase. However, the briefcase opens in the middle of the road, sending bunches of cash to scatter and blow away as the man lies unconscious on the pavement. There's then a car, and the driver swerving to avoid being blinded by the storm of cash, setting a collision course for the man's collapsed body.
"H-hey! He's going to get hit!" My eyes widen as I'm unprepared for what I'm about to witness.
I automatically step away, releasing from Scorpio's grip, and the image disappears from the surface of the water.
"S-sorry..." I mumble, then look at Scorpio. "But...what was that? What did you do?" I ask.
"Just my job." He responds, nonchalantly
I step back up next to Scorpio, taking a deep breath. "So...that's what you mean by punish evil. Your job as a god of the department of Punishments." I clarify.
"That piece of shit's misappropriation of funds, embezzlement, and money laundering led numerous people to commit suicide. Don't you think he deserves to be punished?" Scorpio spits the words out as if their poison.
I look at him in his cold grey eyes, and he looks as if he has a good guess on what I'm about to say.
"I do think he deserves to be punished." I say, turning to look back into the sparkling water.
"You do?" Scorpio looks surprised.
"Yeah..." I pause for a brief moment to quickly think about what I'm about to say next. "Even though he did such terrible things which led people to commit suicide...those people were selfish to think that was the way out. They could have found another way, have the support of their family...or friends? Even if they didn't have anyone there's always a way out...." I feel myself being taken to a dark place, a certain time in the past that has me feeling numb to core. I breath sharply. "Instead...they let this piece of shit win. But I'm not saying it's NOT sad as to what happened to those people though. They didn't deserve that." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear as I continue. "Besides, doing what you did, I hope it didn't kill him."
"What?" Scorpio, stills looks at me surprised.
"Yeah, I hope it petrified him so badly that it makes him decide to turn over a new leaf."
"Turned over a new leaf?" Scorpio then chuckles. "Pft...don't make me laugh. He's probably in the street now, frantically trying to pick up that money."
"Lady Abbey." Altair looking worrisome, comes to my side.
"Humans are filth. Every last one of them." Scorpio declares.
I don't take offense to those words, as I stand there in silence.
"They would all do terrible things for money, fame, or power."
I still don't say anything, only bite my bottom lip.
Scorpio doesn't hold back as he continues. "To be perfectly clear, I hate all humans... and that includes you."
He grabs my again, and points to the reflecting pool. The water ripples, changing to show the scene from before. And just as Scorpio called it, the politician is shouting while scrambling around trying to pick up the money. While people run into the street to pick up the scattered money.
Even I can't help but look at the scene in disgust.
"Sickening. What do you have to say now, stupid woman? See how cruel, greedy, and selfish humans are." Scorpio is yelling at this point.
I explode. "Fine, you're right! So, you're a god, punish those people! kill that man then! Give him what he deserves!" I shove Scorpio away as I yell. "His punishment is long overdue anyways! Speaking of which where were you when all those people killed themselves? They needed someone like you, but, where were you?!" And with that I storm out of the room.
I exit the room, catching my breath as I try to calm myself down, but my thoughts continue to echo in my mind, expressing my anger. This is so messed up! Why did I completely loose it in there, I got to get a grip and leave my personal feelings out of this.
This guy just pisses me off, saying he hates all humans, yet he's a god who watches over humans?! UGH!
And he says that includes me. Well, if he wants to hate me, fine! I hate him just as much! Why should I care, I don't care!
Yet for some reason,I can't help but feel a little disheartened. Something in me is bothered by hishurtful words.ine-Sk