Chapter Eight

~Kali~

She'd been called away to a meeting in Olympus. Just what she wanted, to be in a realm of Gods who thought themselves snobs and forgot who had created most of everything- even them. She didn't bother paying much attention to their meetings, as it mainly involved matters in Olympus. Trades, policies, the latest gossip of what Zeus took to bed last, planning who would go to the next temple visits. It all bored Kali very much. "Why am I here? It's not as if my input on Olympus is needed or even listened to."

Hera sighed and rubbed her eyes, her bunny ears flopping over. "We normally don't call you here, but a special guest requested your presence."

"Whoop dee doo, I'm honored. When is this special person supposed to get here? I'm bored out of my mind. And Zeus, next time a cow looks appealing to you, check to see if it has a dick. Cows don't have horns that you can use for handles."

Zeus crossed his arms. "At least I'm getting action."

"Bestiality doesn't count," Kali raised an eyebrow.

"It's not bestiality if I'm in an animal form.'"

Kali sighed. "You're still not an actual animal, so yes, it counts. You are so horny and sex driven that Salax is the virtue chastity next to you." A few Gods and Goddesses laughed, Persephone even high fived Kali. Demeter clapped. "Thank you."

Hera stifled her laughter with a few coughs. "Anyway, I do believe he's here now. All, stand and bow to Fatia."

'Ah shit, I fucked up.' Kali stood and bowed as the silver haired, blue eyed God walked into the room. A chilled silence followed him everywhere. 'Damn Fatia, I'm freezing now.'

"Suck it up, Kalira." Fatia sat and waved his hand for others to sit. "I have a matter to discuss with you. One that rather displeases me."

"What doesn't displease you? You're such a stuck-up snob that these guys are a gaggle of loveable babies next to you," Kali crossed her arms to warm them.

"Nyxie Aurora Delor."

Kali shook her head. "What about her? She's trying to live her life."

"It's not the life I wrote for her. Why is she with the snake? They were never meant to be! Why is she a Goddess? What the hell have you allowed to go on with your angels?"

Kali rubbed her eyes and laid on the table, looking every bit the lazy, calm Goddess she was. "Look, I gave angels free will as a foil to the puppet demons. What she chose to do is just that, her choice. You know I'll refuse to interfere. It's about time someone defied you, anyway."

"You will interfere! She is to live the life I wrote for her." Fatia twirled one of his pens on his finger. His blue claws tapped the book. Kali looked to it. That book had infinite pages and the 7 pens he held each represented a realm. Heaven, Earth, Hell, Purgatory, the Nether-realm, Ethereal, and Kinata. Like most other gods he had given up on the tragedy that Earth had become. Fatia raised an impatient eyebrow. "Do I get some sort of acknowledgement?" Kali was silent and wouldn't even look at him. He listened into the silence and heard something faint. Was she snoring? "KALIRA DELA CRUZ!!"

She bolted up, looking around quickly. "I'm up, I'm up! Oh, you're still here?"

Hera and Zeus were going around the table, taking bets as to who would give first. Kalira and Fatia always butted heads. Persephone, Apollo, Hades, Ares and Artemis took Kali's side. Hecate, Demeter, Hermes, Chronos and Helios took Fatia's side. Narcissus was too busy making kissy faces in a mirror to care, but that was Narcissus. In the end, Kali's side got richer. 

"If you refuse to intervene much longer, I'll be forced to do so myself." He stood and walked out. Everyone in the room turned to Kali, who had returned to her nap. Everybody laughed and wondered how she could do it.

~Nyxie~

I was trying to find Salax so we could talk about a name for our new kid but I couldn't find him. I decided to sit in the den and wait for him. It was a quarter to three p.m. and I wanted to lay down for a nap while I could. Motherhood meant lost sleep once a baby was around. He walked in and I tried to get him to stop.

He paused, took a deep breath and said, "Don't touch me."

I stepped back, hurt. "What's wrong?"

He paused, sighing. "I saw you with him. If you can easily lay with me while with him, you can easily lay with him while with me."

"What?!" I growled. "You're lying and we both know it."

He took a deep breath. "No, whores don't change," and he walked away.

"What in the actual fuck, Snake?!" I was stunned. What the hell was he talking about? I hadn't slept with Erys at all. Yeah, we were working together but that was it. I felt something cold on my face, touching it to find tears. I ran to the table and buried my head, trying not to cry. What the fuck was with that? Why had he said that? I composed myself and went into his room. I opened the door to see him holding his head while sitting on his bed. "Explain your words, liar."

"I'm not a liar. By your definition, you're a whore."

I took a deep breath, still keeping in mind Crystalis. "You know I've not slept with anyone but you since we got together. You know I can tell when you're lying. Why the hell would you insist I'm a whore?"

He couldn't look at me. "As you said, a whore is someone who is in a relationship and steps out of it. You've done that, so that makes you a whore."

"Why are you doing this? I, I…" I choked passed the tears. "I love you."

"You're a fool to love me. I'll never change. I'll just be on this ride until I find someone else who gives me enjoyment."

"W-what? I…you..." I turned and ran into my room. What was his deal?! I knew he was lying and he knew that I knew. What was he doing? Why? I even finally told him that I love him and he just threw it out. He had no idea how long it had taken me to accept that I loved him. Why was he acting like this?

"Sissy, don't cry. I'm sure he's just having a bad day," Crystalis

poofed up next to me.

"That doesn't mean he should take it out on me!"

"That's true. Hey, just march over to him and remind him of how much he loves you!"

 I sighed and wiped my eyes. "You're right." I took a few moments to compose myself before I went back to his room. This time, I followed his lead and threw the door open, making it clear I was pissed off. "I don't know what your malfunction is today, but I'm not the one to take it out on. We have a name to think about for our child."

Salax looked to me, his expression and even energy carefully guarded. "How do I know that child is mine?"

I fell to my knees. "How could you…"

"I've been with whores before, it's an easy question to ask."

I gasped, feeling crushed. Scrambling for words the only thing I could spit back was, "I hate you!!" I turned and ran out, slamming his door behind me. I didn't stop running until I couldn't run anymore. My legs and feet were numb when I finally stopped. I had stopped in some remote part of Hell. "How symbolic. I'm lost, inside and out."

~Ally~

She had gone exploring Hell. It was much more interesting than Heaven. Caves and hidden passages were everywhere. She headed back to the castle, and stopped when she touched the doorknob. She felt someone's depression and heartbreak, but whose? She walked in and sat at the table, Len and Ver chatting amongst themselves. "Hey Len, do you think you could help me? I have no idea what my powers are aside from empathy."

Len shrugged. "Why not? I'm in a lull." He turned to her. "Give me your hand, we'll see what you can do." Ally gave him her hand. "Hm, let's see. It seems your powers were locked when you were an infant, perhaps by the trauma of being orphaned. It can happen. Easy enough to undo." He rubbed his index and middle finger on her palm. "Ah, there we go. Let's see, telekinesis and empathy. Nice."

"How do I use the psychic powers?"

Len pointed to a glass on the table. "Focus on this glass. Imagine that your telekinesis is an invisible hand. Reach out with your powers and lift it."

Ally stared at the glass, her brow furrowing as she concentrated. "Neh!" The glass barely moved. "Aw, that was lame!"

"It takes practice!" Ver happily wagged his tail. "I know you can do it, Ally."

Ally smiled. "Thanks, Pup. Has anyone seen my mom? I wanted to talk to her about something."

"I saw her run out of Sal's room, and she was both pissed and crying," Zane sighed. "I think they argued about something."

Len and Ally exchanged glances, standing at the same time. She was first to his room. "Sal, where did my mom go?" She opened the door, seeing a wreck. "Holy shit, what happened here?"

"Nothing to worry about. She left my room a while ago."

Len glared. "Why did Zane say she left here crying?"

Sal flinched. "She was crying? Ah shit… We had an argument and her emotions got weird. She's still pregnant so her hormones are going crazy and all. "

Len stood the dresser up. "What was the argument that created this?"

"Well, this mess isn't from that. This is from me trying to find something that I now forgot about because you distracted me."

"You're lying," Ally crossed her arms.

"You're just like your mom," Salax chuckled. "But I'm not. We argued, I tried to find a thing, made a mess. End of story." Sal sighed, not knowing he had made Nyxie cry.

Len groaned. "Crystalis, can you tell us anything?"

"It's Sal's fault and now she got lost." Her voice echoed faintly.

Len and Ally glared at Sal.

"Shit."