Us Among the Gods

Presented by WeepingWisteria and winterwolf0100

For eons, the gods have lived in harmony with humanity and each other. The occasional rivalry was quickly put to rest by the royal court; the dead were taken care of by the Sisters of Death. All is well in Theopius Latium, home of the gods, and that wellness spreads to the Earth below.

But three gods have recently decided that's not enough for them anymore. For unknown reasons, Prince Cos, god of order, Forseti, god of law and justice, and Nidahas, goddess of freedom, have declared war on the kingdom and have withdrawn to the human world for the first time in five hundred years.

In a panic, the God Kings Aeolus and Eldoris have formed a team of the world's greatest Celestial Servants, and you have been chosen. You will travel the world with your fellow mortal employees to find the treacherous gods and bring them to justice. So get in, get out, and whatever you do, don't die. The fate of both realms depends on it.

It was three gods. All of them—

—I can't believe they would—

What's going to happen to us now?

We're all going to die.

We're going to die.

I'm not ready to die!

Raz walked down the streets of Theopius Latium, their boots crunching against the occasional loose gravel. Whispers hung in the air like smoke after a forest fire. The chatter that they were usually able to ignore clung to them, seeping into every centimeter of their brain. The fear was a heavy burden, dragging on their skin, trying to pull them into the very floor. It was a monumental weight. And this was just Theopius Latium. What happened when the rest of the world knew? When it was billions of fears and dreads and visions?

The walk to the palace, with its arches and thin towers that tried to scrape the clouds, was a lonely one. Being inside everyone's heads had an ironic way of keeping Raz away from people. It was hard to approach or strike up a conversation when they could feel the way people recoiled when they saw their face. Or the way their heads swam with anxiety over any sort of contact.

Not that Raz particularly minded the solitude. It gave them time to think. The only way to stay sane in this life of theirs was to stay grounded. The constant stream of thoughts was just that, a stream. Water that trickled from above and rolled off their face as easily as it came. Sure, their face would be damp, but it was temporary. Every individual drop of water would be washed away by the next and then the next and the next as long as the earth had thoughts and secrets.

Raz almost ran into the gates by the time they focused back on reality. They sighed. "Rough day." No one was listening, but that was fine.

It took a moment for the gatekeeper, Amir, to notice them and open the gate. He flashed Raz a smile. He should get the tattoo he wanted, even if his mother would throw a fit. She wasn't the one who got him this job.

Raz held up a hand as they walked through. The lush gardens along the walkway were nice but fell into that order that King Eldoris always fell into. It made no sense, really. While rocks were rigid, earthquakes weren't. The mountains weren't symmetrical. The ground beneath them was nothing if not messy and random. Alas, deities' personalities couldn't be found in the elements they controlled. The world was much more complicated than that.

The doors were already open, letting in a harsh, cold breeze. So King Aeolus must already know the news. That's good. Raz was not the best bearer of any news.

They could hear the sobbing before they made it to the Council Room.

"Our son, Eldoris! Our son!"

"I know. But we have to treat him like any other god now."

Raz walked into the Council Room. At the center was a slightly rectangular table. Along the far end, facing the door, the two thrones of the kings sat. King Eldoris sat on the left, stroking his husband's hair, who was the one sobbing into his hands.

The entire left side was taken up by the three chairs of the Death Sisters, Queen Anath, Queen Alexiona, and Queen Adalet. Queen Anath was the calmest of all of them, her hands folded on the table as she watched the kings. The "middle child" of the triplets, Queen Alexiona, looked furious, her eyes glaring at the wall across from her. Raz could feel the pressure building in her throat. She was close to saying something she might regret. Queen Adalet, on the other hand, looked the most sympathetic. She thought she hid her tears well, hiding her attempts to swipe them away by resting her cheek on her palm.

On the other side, there was a painfully empty chair closest to King Aeolus that sat next to Athaleigh, the only deity with no royal blood called to sit at these meetings. Her eyes were clouded over, her fingers tapping on the table as her mouth hung open. Raz took their seat beside her, thankfully furthest from the kings. They didn't put it past King Aeolus to try and grab them in his hysterical state.

"Raz." King Eldoris sighed. "You're late."

Raz hummed. "I suppose so. I had much further to travel."

King Eldoris just sighed, rubbing his nose. "How much can you tell us?"

King Aeolus practically threw himself on the table, reaching towards Raz. "Cos! Did you see Cos? Where is he? Please!" He hiccuped, the tears pooling on the table.

Raz tried not to visually lean back in their chair. "You know I can't say that, Your Majesty."

He just wailed in response. "Cos is an exception! You can't hide things about our son!"

"It's my job, your majesty." It was water. It was a stream. Down his face to the floor. "I can't."

King Aeolus rushed back to King Eldoris, hiding against his shoulder as he sobbed.

"He knows, Raz. It's just been hard." King Eldoris held his shaking husband, unconsciously rocking him back and forth. Worry wrinkled his forehead, but his eyes didn't sparkle with unshed tears. They wouldn't until late tonight when his husband finally fell asleep.

"I know." Raz smiled softly.

"What can you tell us?" Queen Alexiona glanced at them, her eye twitching as if she was daring them to say something she disagreed with.

Raz met her gaze easily. It was hard to be scared of someone you saw right through. "I can tell you what you probably already know. Nidahas, Forseti, and Prince Cos—"

King Aeolus wailed louder.

"—traveled to Earth today. Nidahas declared herself the leader of a new rebellion. She's gathering an army to declare official war on the crown. She vows to tear the palace down."

King Aeolus looked up. "So... is Cos a captive? Something to make us comply?"

Raz hesitated for a moment. The broken king looked so hopeful, eyes wide like that of a child's. Raz's gut twisted as they averted their gaze. "I'm afraid not. Prince Cos went... willingly."

King Aeolus gasped. "No. No! Why would he? He—"

"I can't tell you that. I wish I could."

"You can!" King Aeolus stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "Just open your mouth and say the words! You can speak! He's your brother! I know you hate the throne, but at least act like you love him!"

Raz sighed, not even surprised as the words washed over them. It wasn't the first time their vow of secrecy upset someone. It wouldn't be the last. "I do love him. But I have a duty to keep. Father, I will help find him. But I can't expose him to you to do so." They swallowed. Their throat was tight, but that wasn't the main concern now.

King Aeolus sagged back into his seat, his face vacant and tired. He had no response, but Raz knew enough. Fine. I don't understand why this vow is important. This is my son. You won't change your mind.

"Thank you." Raz looked at the table.

Queen Alexiona groaned. "So we might have to kill the little brat?"

Queen Anath forced a laugh, loud enough to interrupt whatever insult King Aeolus was about to throw back. "Well, sister, we don't pass judgment on deeds we haven't seen the full scope of. The time will come to make that decision and the time isn't now."

Quee Alexiona growled, but fell silent, going back to glaring.

"So what now?" Queen Adalet's voice was soft, almost a whisper. She sneakily wiped her eyes one more time before hugging herself. "We have to do something."

Athaleigh gasped, her eyes clearing. "I see it! I see our answer!" She pulled a travel notebook and a pen from her pocket and started writing, quielty mumbling to herself about "syllables" and "descriptions."

"Done!" She picked up the notebook and passed it around the table. Raz didn't have to wait their turn to see what it said.

After betrayal
the gods shall gather to think
and plot their revenge

from the kings come help
a woman who can read souls
and a letterman

from the queens of death
the best reaper of souls and
the kindest judgment

from the wisest rest
the one who can see furthest
and two to help them

these seven shall face the world
they must rise as one or die

King Eldoris sighed. "How hard was it to fit the syllable counts?: He groaned. "Please take this seriously, Athaligh."

"I'm taking this very seriously!" She huffed, snatching back her notebook before it even crossed Raz's direction. "Look, it tells you everything we need to go. King Eldoris, pick your best Soul-Taker and Messenger."

Raz winced. They knew who the best were and they didn't want either of them to get caught up in this.

Athaleigh looked back at her notebook. "Uhhh, Queen Anath, pick your best reaper. Queen Alexiona, pick your best Divine Light."

"Sister Adalet, pick your best Divine Dark." Queen Anath crossed her arms.

"What?" Queen Alexiona swiveled to her "older" sister. "Adalet's Divines are all soft! They'd sooner let a Serial Killer walk free than punish anything!"

"And you train yours to send children to the worst parts of the world for lying to their parents." Queen Anath's gaze was steely. "My decision is final."

Queen Alexiona groaned. "Fine!"

Queen Adalet flushed but didn't speak up.

Athaleigh sighed. "Whatever, the prophecy didn't specify so that works. Then, we just need two extras. Whoever's missing."

"So helpful and specific, Athaleigh." King Eldoris sighed, supporting King Aeolus' weight at this point as he stared blankly into pace.

"Look, the future isn't linear! I can't tell you everything."

Raz hummed and stood up. "Well, I can see you all figuring it out. I suppose there's nothing left for me to say."

King Eldoris frowned but just nodded. "Alright, Raz. Take care, alright?" You're my child too. I know you care. I'm sorry I can't comfort you too.

Raz just smiled and bowed. "When do I not?" They closed their eyes and teleported away, popping up silently on US soil. The air was peaceful here. No one knew of the danger lurking somewhere nearby, tucked into the shadows. They would know soon. Nidahas and Forseti were a loud duo, regardless if a prince backed them.

They sighed and looked at the sky. Thunderclouds rolled into each other, a storm brewing in almost every corner of the planet. People would notice something was wrong soon, but Raz knew it would be too late to prepare.

The clang of metal was harsh and rhytmic. Softened by the furnace, the metal gave slowly to each pounding blow, flattening under the hammer as Petrus worked it into a blade. Moments like this, everything else around him faded away: all that existed was him, and the metal. Pounding, shaping, molten metal.

The heat of the workshop was barely compensated by massive overhead fans, providing the much needed ventilation for the fumes. His hands were sweating under his gloves, and his face was slick underneath his respirator. The safety goggles were sticking to his skin, and he knew he'd have an indent from them by the end of the day, as he always did.

Summers made work even warmer than usual. Petrus was used to it by now. Most of the people in the shop resented this time of year for the heat, but Petrus was just glad to be here.

Any moment he could get away from Athaligh was a blessing.

He hammered and hammered until the metal's glow began to fade. Quickly picking it back up with tongs, he stuck it back into the furnace.

Just a bit longer and he's get this into a mold. And then he'd start all over again, on an identical one. Thus was the rhythm of the shop.

Petrus stood there for a minute, watching and waiting as he turned the metal over. Slowly, its color turned a warm orange hue again. He held it there a little longer. Then he heard... something.

Recognizing the dulled sound of someone's voice shouting over many clanging hammers, Petrus winced and glanced over his shoulder. He expected it to be his supervisor - which it was - but what he wasn't expecting was the woman hovering by the entryway, lacking any and all protective gear, and in a pantsuit of all things. She was out of place among the grease and ash covered smiths, and Petrus knew before hearing that this woman was only here for one reason.

It was because of him.

His supervisor made pointed eye contact with him, indicating Petrus should finish up.

With one hand, Petrus pulled off his noise-cancelling earmuffs and let the man beside him take over, handing him the tongs. Petrus never liked the fact that his other job pulled him away from this one, but at least his coworkers were accomodating, if a little miffed when he had to disappear without much warning. Though Petrus wasn't sure what this was about, because he knew most of Athaligh's proxy, he had a feeling it was important if a messenger was getting sent for him.

He stepped out of the workshop, metting with his superior and the messenger in question who stood outside the door in the hall.

His supervisor, Mr. Hardy, was a weighty man; broad, stout, and foul-mouthed. It seemed like he was holding his tongue in front of this woman - whoemever she was - and that made Petrus all the more anxious.

Severity was only reserved for bad news.

And by the gods, he hated being the bearer of it as much as he hated being on the recieving end.

"Mr. Rikk, you're free to step out for your break now," Hardy said. "Apparently the king's sent for ya."

The king?

So it wasn't Athaligh. Hardy stepped back into the shop, leaving him with...

"My name is Jessica Thornswallow. I'm a messenger from the High Court." She adjusted her suit jacket. Not all messengers dressed to impress. He had seen several wearing hoodies and holding day old espresso. She either must be new or desperate to prove herself. "You must report to Theopius Latium immediately."

Petrus blinked.

"Immediately," he echoed. She wanted him to report to the king immediately. "Where?"

"The High Court. It's urgent. And..." She glanced into the worksop. "Sensitive."

Petrus glanced down at his dirty gloves and apron, then met her eyes once more.

"Are you providing transport?" he asked.

She nodded. "I can."

"Should I change?" he asked.

He wasn't sure how "urgent" she meant. Though he wouldn't mind some time to appear more presentable, his question had a different motive: if she said no, then that would tell him just how dire the situation was. The only reasons he could think of for why was being called upon by the king were disastrous.

And if he was being brought in, that meant Athaligh recommended him.

Which. Of course she would.

"No, we don't have time for that. If some of your gear belongs to the workshop, you have five minutes to put it away. If not, we have to go." Jessica started walking out.

So the world was ending. It was all going upside down, wasn't it? What else would a king need a seer for?

"Please hurry!" She walked out of the shop.

Right. Petrus nodded curtly, running down to the breakroom. He quickly found his locker, stowed away his headphones, respirator, gloves, and apron, and came running back out only to find Jessica was already on the move through the building. When she said five minutes, she clearly meant five minutes until departure, and Petrus found himself sprinting through the halls and out the front room in what felt like far too dramatic a manner before he finally burst out into the parkinglot, where Jessica already had a car pulled around.

He was huffing and puffing, but hardly had a moment to catch his breath as he was waved into the back seat. Jumping in, he barely closed the door before the car pulled forward, already on its way.

He tried to catch his breath as he found his seatbelt, clumsily putting it on. Jessica sat on the other side of the backseat, stiff and focused, with her lips drawn into a severe line. The driver said nothing as he turned them out onto the main road.

For a split second, Petrus wondered if this was all a trick.

He... wasn't being kidnapped, was he?

"I'm sorry to ask this," he said. "But could I see your identification for my peace of mind?"

He really should've asked before jumping into the car. But hindsight was 20/20, and it was too late to turn back the clock.

Without looking at him, she pulled out her ID and handed it to him.

Name: Jessica Anne Thornswallow
ID NO: M34098122
Sex: Female
Born: March 8th 1998
Occuption: Messenger

Petrus flipped it over in his hands. He'd seen a few ID's in his time working under Athaligh, and he knew what they looked like for a messenger of King Latium. It was legitimate, which was assuring, but Jessica's rigidity left much to be desired.

"I assume due to the sensitivity of the matter I won't be briefed on the subject until I'm with the King in person," Petrus said, handing her ID back to her.

She took it back. "You are correct. You're not the only being summoned, so it will be easier to be briefed with the others."

The others? So, there was a team being put together, then. It was worse than he thought.

"Are their identities classified until we reach the High Court?" he asked.

"I have not been told who the others are." Jessica sighed. "I... I don't know much. I just know that it's serious and the Kings are scared."

"I see."

Petrus nodded once, but there wasn't much he could offer in the way of comfort. He himself wasn't someone who could enact change in the world: he was just a harbinger of it. Visions of the future were never set in stone, but they very often came to pass as he saw them. His purpose under Athaligh felt akin to that of a watchman. All he did was give warnings of what was to come, so that people could prepare accordingly. And for the things people could control, sometimes they could change the fates.

He just didn't see that happen as often as he wished it would. Oftentimes, people fell into their futures despite how hard they tried to escape it. It had been that way with him, from the beginning.

Resistance was just man's way of trying to exert his will. No one ever wanted to feel like their life was out of their control.

But resistance only ever increased suffering.

He supposed he should listen to his own advice: whatever this was, he needed to take it. No matter how heavy the news was to be.

He just hoped that he could bear it, and it wouldn't crush him.

The rest of the car ride fell to silence. Jessica was not a chatty character, and Petrus was not eager to engage in small-talk. The weight of the unknown filled the space between them, and words seemed unfit for the sobriety that filled the car. Petrus knew that the ride was going to be long, since the shop was further out of the city, so he settled into his seat and set his gaze out the window.

Before he forgot, he made sure to send a text to his boss, and his family, to let them know where he was. Tied up with work -- because he knew he wasn't at liberty to say much else.

Fortunately, they were understanding. Larrel was quick to reply back with a "heart."

They wound through the city, passing through the old town, the inner city, and finally into the King's estate. They passed through several layers of high security, pausing at many gates, turning down many roads, until finally they pulled up to a building Petrus had only ever seen in photos: The High Court.

On their way in, they'd driven up a hilltop. Each building they passed was tall, spindly, and reached up with columns and towers into the sky. Walls were painted white and covered in walls of moss and vines. It felt like whomever designed the estate wanted to imitate every children's tale, because the further in they drove, the more this felt like a dream.

The sky behind the High Court was a bright blue. The pale white building stood out like a shining beacon against the expanse, and the vines wrapping around the base made it seem like the building itself had been planted by the gods.

Regal columns lines the front of the building, holding up the high-pointed roof and the statues carved into its edges, picturing illustrations of the gods themselves, reaching to the sky.

Were there ever a more dramatic display of pride and self-indulgence, Petrus hadn't seen it.

Yes, the gods deserved respect for their power. But flaunting their godhood felt prideful and improper.

Respect had to be earned for their character, just as much as their innate abilities.

Althaligh had only just begun to earn his.

The car came to a stop as they pulled up to the grand array of steps leading to the double-doored entrance. The driveway was at the bottom of the incline, which meant it would be a walk for them to get in.

It was picturesque, he'd give them that. Unfortunately it was also a workout, and he could imagine it being less accessible to the eldery, among other things. But maybe they had wheelchairs for that. Ramps lined the edge of the staircase as well.

Petrus stepped out the same time as Jessica, feeling out of place among the crisp, clean-cut lawn and the spotless building in front of them.

He was still in his stained workclothes and worn-out boots. Sweat and all.

Brushing his greasy hands on his pants, he followed Jessica up the steps, working to match her hastened, long-legged pace in her anxiety-fuelled mission to get it to the door as quickly as possible.

It was too hot of a day for this, and as Petrus made it to the top, for a moment he started seeing stars.

But the dehydrated dizziness was quickly replaced by a vision.

Kaitlyn Hardy studied the man in front of her carefully. He looked, to put it quite simply, like death. It was the fashionable option, especially for this section of the land of the dead, but this one looked particularly bad, which is what had caught Kate's attention in the first place.

The man looked different from everyone in this place. When it came to the damned, especially in the realm of endless punishment, everyone seemed to wear a look of utter defeat and regret. Underneath it, Kate could quite clearly make out the hatred they all held deep within their sunken eyes. Each and every single one. They all just regretted getting caught, not their actions.

Except it wasn't really everyone. One out of every thousand or so that passed trough this wasteland filled with hatred and greed and every other horrible emotion to exist possessed something different. Acceptance. Someone who felt they truly deserved their punishment, those who genuinely regretted what they'd done and wished with every tortured breath they took to be able to repent.

Spotting this look was a difficult task. It was nearly indistinguishable after all from those who simply tried to look that way. After all, it wasn't exactly the world's best kept secret that there was a chance of repenting and being allowed to do better. Well go to a better place at any rate. The world's worst were often the best at pretending they had genuine regret. They could fool many, but not Kate.

Kate knew the look of true regret well. A little too well. After all, she'd seen it in the mirror every single morning for quite a while now. Well since the day she'd been able to afford a mirror, which now that she thought about it had been a while ago. She'd been at this job for longer than she thought.

Kate sighed. She passed through the gate to his current punishment, the reader letting her through with a beep that Kate still maintained was a little too pleasant and demeaning to be used in a position like that. Without a word, she gestured for the man to stop doing what he was doing and come over.

The way the man approached Kate confirmed everything else she ever needed to see. Even the most skilled at pretending to be remorseful couldn't hide their glee, not from Kate. The smug satisfaction each of those morons had was as easy to see as neon green socks. It was almost laughable in some ways. The irony of it all.

This man, like the few that truly did deserve another chance walked with an entirely different air. They only did as Kate asked because they felt they had no choice, because they were ready for Kate, the big bad Divine Dark to dish out an extra punishment to them that they always felt was just around the corner. Kate gestured for the man to walk ahead of her, gesturing in the direction of the courthouse to indicate they were headed there.

Thankfully, the man seemed to understand it all without any fuss and they were soon on their way. Kate didn't bother putting the man in any additional shackles on top of the standard ones. Sure they weren't as secure, but Kate really wasn't worried about a jump attack from this one. She trusted her judgement on this rare occasion.

The two of them made their way to the one landmark that really stood out in this desolate landscape. It was always just there, visible from every point around simply from how massive it was, reminding every being of what had put them there and putting hope in the hearts of those who sought to deceive.

They were almost at their destination when they were interrupted. A younger Divine Dark, Kelly, Kate recognized from being there at the welcome party the other day had opened one of the cages presumably to check for something on the damned soul but it looked like he had managed to overpower her and was in the process of running out of the gate.

Kate sighed. Will they never learn? She gestured for her current subject to stop. The past few minutes had confirmed he was not going to be a runner so Kate trusted him for these few moments as she stepped through the cage. Besides stopping a second one running if it came to it wouldn't exactly be hard, especially out on this path.

Her voice came out tired and a little gravelly from lack of use.

"Please return to your station or I will have to use excessive force." Her voice was soft, barely louder than a whisper, but the man stopped his desperate attack on Kelly to look at her. Kelly, thankfully, had the presence of mind to quickly slip away at that slight chance and duck behind Kate as the damned seemed to weigh his options.

With a loud battle cry he charged for Kate. Kate didn't even bother to sigh at the obvious attack, her fist already swinging to meet his jaw. It made contact with a solid crack, the damned falling flat on his back instantly, another crack following.

She turned to Kelly and offered her a hand. The girl took it with a brilliant smile as she pulled herself to her feet. Kate allowed her lips to soften so her face wasn't quite so pronounced of a frown.

"Thank you Miss Kate, I'm so sorry. I just..."

Kate cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Don't be sorry. You're new. It happens all the time. To everyone. Remember. No one down here wants to be here."

Kelly nodded. "Yes, Miss Kate. Thank you again. I owe you one. I got distracted and a little complacent and I..."

Kate shook her head again. "Don't owe me one, Kelly. Do me a favor. Don't stop smiling."

Kelly frowned slightly, like she didn't fully grasp Kate's message. 'What do you mean Miss Kate?"

Kate patted her on the shoulder. "That smile on your face that rarely seems to want to leave?"

Kelly nodded. "Y..yeah? I know its a little inappriate sometimes. A few people frown on seeing it. I think some of them are subtly trying to tell me to stop like its a rule but one of those unofficial ones. I mean I try to but its..."

"No." Kate said simply.

"No?" Kelly questioned.

Kate simply shook her head again."They're wrong. Don't try to."

"Don't try to smile?" Kelly asked again.

Kate allowed her face to soften up just a little more, putting her hand. "Smile Kelly. Be yourself. Its a good thing. People need to see more smiles."

Kelly's eyes widend slightly. "Really? You think that?"

Kate couldn't help a small, genuine smile at that. "I know that. Now go be you."

Kelly stepped away, beaming smile back in place. "Can do, captain!"

Kate nodded, trying not to show too much of her actual amusement. "Sounds good!" Once Kelly was finally on her way, putting the downed damned back in chains, Kate allowed herself a slightly larger smile. She could mention this Mav. Mav would probably enjoy it, along with the new of this prisoner today. Kate would have something to talk about during their aquarium time.

She turned away after that, returning to the man still waiting patiently. Well if Kate ever needed any more proof this man deserved a rehearing that was about it. The rest of their journey to the courtroom proved to be uneventful. It passed like clockwork. Of course every single time this happened, it went ever so slightly differently but it had been long enough now that Kate was familiar with nearly everything that could happen.

It did not take long before the man was submitted the Divine Dark's on duty near the courthouse, his case explained succintly by Kate along with the fact she believed he would need to be tried again, and with a few extra things in mind this time. Kate coud never be certain if the man would actually go onto successfully repent and ascend to a happier plane but Kate knew this man wanted and would try. That was what she was looking for after all when it came to this.

The Divine Dark's on guard nodded gravely and vaguely as they always did. These two. Aloysius and Peter were some of the gruffer ones towards Kate. She had a feeling they'd both suggested she belonged in a cell at one point or other. She didn't blame them. After all, she mostly agreed, even know when on some level she felt maybe that wasn't true of her actions now. Either way, she'd stay out of their way and do her job. She would bear ill will towards something like that.

Her job for the moment done, she retreated to the little alcove she'd found in her first week here. It was quiet, calming and not too unpleasant to spend a couple of hours. By the standards of this place, it was practically paradise and gave Kate a private moment to think. She sat down in her usual spot. It was the one spot that Mav hadn't seen just yet although she'd had many thoughts now about showing her. Maybe today was the day. Perhaps after their visit to the aquarium. It felt oddly fitting.

Kate let out a small sigh. She'd think on it more in a bit. There was stll time to their scheduled meeting up time. She allowed herself to relax properly. Another day's work done. A tiny smile made its way to her lips in that moment. She had managed to help someone today. It was always a good feeling. The only time it felt justified for her to feel ever so slightly happy about herself. It was good to be able to feel that, if only for a fleeting moment, to feel that just maybe it was good that she was able to live like this now. It made her feel like less of an imposter when everyone thought she was doing good. Well she supposed it at least wasn't everyone.

Kate was jostled from her thoughts by an all too familiar breeze. There was no wind, of course, just the sound of it. Kate stood up from pure instinct, bowing her head automatically.

"At ease."

It was Queen Adalet, her voice as soft as parchment paper.

Kate lifted her head, waiting for the Queen to speak.

"Have rumors of the war reached the dead, yet?"

"I don't believe I've heard tell of a new war, milady."

Queen Adalet hummed. "I suppose there's some solace in that." She stared out over her realm for a moment before turning back to Kate. "The deities Nidahas, Forseti, and... Prince Cos have withdrawn to the mortal realm and declared war on Theopius Latium."

Kate did her best to stifle that gasp that produced. "It appears you've had a taxing morning milady."

"My morning is the last thing on my mind." She laced her fingers together. "The God Council had an emergency meeting today and Athaligh left me with some instructions."

Kate bowed. "I believe I can safely assume your presence here means I'm going to be required for some of those instructions."

Queen Adalet nodded. "Come with me, child."

Kate bowed. "Of course, milady."

She gestured Kate to follow her as she began to walk towards the ever-looming courthouse on the edge of the horizon. Kate walked with her, staying a step behind so that she wasn't beside her Queen. "Athaligh told the council to devise a team of six to aid in the war effort."

"That would be quite the team."

"I'm giving you the task of joining it."

Kate tried not to gasp again. She failed this time. "I...I... I would be incredibly honored milady. But. Would there not be many others far more qualified?"

"No." Queen Adalet turned her head to lock at Kate, her silver hair catching the artificial light of Hell like fresh dimes. "If I believed there to be someone better, I would not be speaking to you."

Kate bowed again. "I thank you for this honor then milady. I will do my very best to honor the trust you have in me."

Queen Adalet's eyes seemed to sparkle at that. "I know."

Kate managed to bow lower. She shouldn't be allowed to feel so proud at such a declaration. She hardly deserved it but she couldn't help it. Being chosen by someone Kate looked up to so much just left her with no choice but to feel a little pride.

"At ease. I'm sure your Soul-Taker is waiting."

Kate straightened again. "I expect nothing less."

Queen Adalet nodded and continued walking, leading Kate to the courthouse. Kate followed along waiting to see what else the Queen would have to say.

"Do you have any idea what your job might be?"

"If I would be so bold as to assume I might say it has to do with distinguishing between the souls that truly repent and the ones who would lie. It is the only skill I can imagine me having an edge over anyone else."

"It is my assumption that you are correct." Queen Adalet sighed. "My soul tells me that you will meet someone who has simply been misguided. It is your job to ensure they are not judged the same as those who led them astray."

"I will remember that milady."

"Thank you. I know you will make it so."

"Thank you for your faith in me milady."

Queen Adalet didn't say anything else until the pair arrived at the courthouse. "There you go. Your Soul-Taker is in the lobby."

Kate bowed. "Will I be seeing you again before I get sent off milady?"

"It's doubtful."

"In that case, I wish you good health in these times of war milady."

"The realm of death is always booming during war. It would be... saddening to see you not at your station to manage it."

Kate choked up slightly at that. She always did when Adalet not so subtly indicated that Kate's work was appreciated and may be missed.

"I... will return milady." She nodded as firmly as she could. She believed in that. It would be a lie to say she believed in her deserving to live in just yet, but the number of people for whom she ought to live on was rapidly going up from zero. Too rapidly.

"I..will appreciate that." With that, Queen Adalet snapped her fingers and simply evaporated, leaving Kate all alone and trying not to cry. Adalet was too kind to her sometimes. Then there was Mav. Urgh. Why couldn't everyone politely hate her like Peter did?

Kate let out a soft sigh. A war. Gods against gods. That could only ever end in quite a large boom during war. That was the one thing that had always bugged Kate about this job. It was good to be able to help those who were wronged and misguided to find a better life but it was almost sickening that the more things Kate had to, the more it meant unfortunate souls had to die young living a horrible life because they'd been born without the option to do otherwise. It was a sad reality.

In a way it made perfect sense. Kate would only ever be able to thrive in a job like that. Of course she could only provide good in a land where her very job being successful cursed it more anyway. Because anything else and Kate would certainly be doing the cursing by herself. Anything she touched ended up cursed after all. Right? Right?

Kate sighed to herself and began the long trek back to the lobby. It was where she was supposed to meet Mav. What would Mav think of this? Would Mav hate her for leaving? Was that a good thing? She checked the time.

It was less than half an hour now until the two of them had to meet up. At this rate, if she was slow enough to reach the lobby and Mav was a little early like she sometimes could be, Mav would be at the lobby. She mulled it over for a moment, stopping on the side of the road, unsure where to go to next.

Finally, realizing thinking would only keep the soul taker and Mav waiting in the end, Kate sighed and got back on the road. Walking a little slower than she normally would, but at a decent pace nonetheless she began the walk.

The roar of the crowd was deafening. The dressing room tent was at least a hundred feet from the main canopy, but still, the shouts and pounding of feet rattled the row of vanity mirrors and sent someone's forgotten compact cascading to the floor to a crash.
Her hand slipped, an off-kilter line of kohl disturbing the symmetry of her makeup.

"Damn. I don't wanna have to redo this." She raised her eyebrows. At least we've got a good crowd.

It was rare that afternoon shows attracted so much attention, but with the summer fair in its first weekend, you'd be hard-pressed to find an empty seat.

Marcus had been overjoyed to get this contract; three months of steady work for circus performers is rarer than an innocent soul in the Realm of Endless Punishment.
Mav had been overjoyed that Marcus was overjoyed because he tended taking out any other emotion on his rather helpless employees.

She glanced longingly at her sheathed throwing knives. Just once Mav would love to see Marcus try intimidating her right after a show, before she had to pack all of them away. One would think the man might at least hesitate before yelling at a Reaper.
Her brow furrowed. If only the rest of my coworkers could ignore that fact so easily.

Can you really blame them? Be honest. You can't expect them to just move on after what happened.

"Well. That's not really what I want to be thinking about right now, thanks." Mav caught her own eyes in the mirror. "It's not like I killed him myself. I was just doing my job." It struck her how strange it was to be arguing with herself in an empty tent.
Whatever. It's an empty tent anyway.

Still, a mixture of shame and bitterness twisted in her chest as her eyes flitted over the empty seat next to her. A few weeks ago, Rhea would have been sitting there, talking faster than even Mav could keep up with about some dangerous, never-before-seen tightrope trick she was working on.
Gary and Leonidas would be rehearsing their routine in the corner, bickering silently about whether to start with the mirroring skit or the box escape. They could have easily just talked aloud, but the brothers had strict rules when it came to miming; once the makeup was on, not a word could be said.
Carmina would perch on the vanity table and try out new jokes on Victor as he fussed over whether not the wax on his mustache was melting.

The room would buzz with energy, the intangible feeling of unity lending it an almost golden hue. They were her family, and they had been since she first joined Marcus's Myriad Marvels. They would forgive her for Amadeus. They would come around. They had to.

Somehow, the fabric walls of the dressing room felt closer, the space smaller without the Marvels. It was strange.

Back to the task at hand, Mav. You'll be late.

She jumped. Her timeslot was in five minutes and she still hadn't changed into her costume.

Grumbling, Mav struggled to pull on the fitted leather pants as the heavy material stuck to her skin with moisture.

"You'd think if it had to be hot, it could at least be dry. I'm not built for humidity."
She cursed, fumbling with the bronze, gearlike buttons that lined the outside of her pant legs starting almost at her hip. She wound a cord back and forth to tie them down, zipping up her tall heeled boots as she went. Those, Mav would not mind going without.

You have to admit they look wicked. You can't be that blind.

Mav snorted, not sure she agreed. She did like the shirt though. It was a thin black cotton, loose and flowy, with long, billowing sleeves and ruffles from the neck to just below her chest. She spun around in the mirror, struck a few poses, and buckled on her knife belt.

Not too shabby, Mav, not too shabby. Add a cloak and you could sneak around on rooftops serving justice to the dregs of society.

Mav rolled her eyes. "Add a mask and I could challenge you To The Pain for all your clever remarks."

Another tremendous shout rang through the air. That would be Laurel doing her feint fall from the aerial silks. A crowd favorite for sure, although Mav would have bet good money the first time it happened wasn't an accident. Laurel had....potential as an aerialist, but she lacked a fundamental understanding of the storytelling involved--

That's not exactly kind. That's not exactly the sort of thing someone who keeps friends would think. And we're keeping friends, right? Right?

An annoyed smile tugged at her lips, "I wouldn't call Laurel my friend. But point taken."

She grabbed her coiled whip from the waiting hook and pushed through the entrance of her tent. Light flooded into the dressing room, bathing it in white. Mav cursed, raising an arm to her eyes.

It was a gorgeous day. The sky was a brilliant, jewel blue dotted with cotton candy clouds. Canopies in every color imaginable huddled across the field, their flags snapping in the wind. Out here, the intensity of the heat eased, a gracious breeze sweeping through the thoroughfare. Mav ground her teeth, eyebrows furrowing, and began to weave through the crowds to the main tent.

Something stopped her in the middle of the fair grounds.

People milled about, laughing and enjoying the absolute perfection of the day. A boy, maybe three or four years old, was perched on his father's shoulders, clutching a yellow balloon in his pudgy little hands. A pair of teenage girls sat at a nearby bench, picking at their soft pretzels, too busy talking to actually eat them. Carousel music floated from a bend to the right and Mav could just make out the top of the ferris wheel glinting at the opposite end of the carnival.

It was like a painting. Today was the sort of thing that you try to freeze and keep in your mind to look back at, but when you finally try to recall the image, the edges have blurred and spilled into a mirage of tastes and colors and sounds.
All you can remember with any certainty is that you were happy.

Maverick closed her eyes, breathing in slowly.

The tension in her shoulders eased as the familiar smells of popcorn and freshly cut grass washed over her. Everything was alright.
She was about to throw knives around, light a whip on fire for roaring audiences, and then go to the aquarium and this new fusion restaurant with Kate. It was, quite literally, the perfect day.

So why was she so wound up? All day she'd felt like something awful was going to happen, like the air around her was holding its breath, steadying itself for some great blow.

But nothing was wrong.

Mav released the breath, trying her best to send the doubts along with it. She laughed at herself, at the softly dissipating knot of anger that had curled itself in her chest all day and strode the rest of the way to the main canopy.

She slipped in through the backstage entrance, making her way past props desperately in need of a new coat of paint and the cages where the animals were kept. She frowned at that.

She and most of the other company members had been pushing to get them better conditions before, but in the chaos after the incident, most of their plans had fallen through.

I should probably bring that up again. A twinge of dread wound its way into her throat at the thought of confronting everyone with a sort of favor. It can wait for tomorrow.

Mav was startled out of her reverie as she turned the corner. Gary, Leo, Carmina, and Rhea stood a circle like they used to with her, laughing. The corners of her mouth twitched upwards, anticipating a greeting.

The laughter abruptly stopped. Four pairs of eyes bored into her, accusing her.

Blood rushed to her face and Mav felt the ground sway a little beneath her. She drew a short breath, preparing to offer some word of apology, but Carmina whipped away before she could, her long auburn ponytail swinging behind her with disdain.

Can hair swish with disdain, Mav?

Mav ignored his quip this time, her mouth suddenly painfully dry as her friends marched after Carmina. Rhea lingered for a millisecond, her tiny mouth pursed almost apologetically.

"You're gonna be late to your set." She said, eyes resting on Mav with a hint of pity, then turned and followed the rest of them.

Maverick closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the prickling that swelled behind them.
It was quiet for a moment.

Jamie. She's right. You'll be late.

His voice urged her gently to action, and she unclipped her whip, walking to the ring entrance with purpose.

Maverick got the opposite of stage fright. Before every show, this intense calm would fall over her, blanketing everything that bothered her outside of the circus. It was quiet; just her, and the crowd, and her weapons.

She vaguely heard Marcus's bellowing baritone egging the crowd into a frenzy. Maverick walked through the steps; Gasoline? Set. Knives? Sharpened. Targets? Placed.

Everything was as it should be. Marcus gave one final shout, announching her, "And now, the weapons master of our fine establishment; the Flame Singer, the Bloodletter, the Reaper of Shadows--"

Maverick cringed a little at the last one. Marcus wasn't supposed to bring up her other job at shows anymore. It was weird, and Mav had never really appreciated it anyway. But now it was just salt in the wound.

"the Eighth Marvel of Marcus's Myriad Marvels, Maverrrrrick Thunder!"

Mav raced out from backstage, swinging her whip in a wide figure eight above her head. With the other hand, she tossed a gleaming knife at the top of Marcus's shiny bald head, pinning the apple he balanced there to a waiting target.

The audience burst into ferocious cheers. Maverick smiled, the soundwave rolling over her like a torrent of rain. This was why she joined the circus. She dove into her routine.

It went quickly after that. She hit a series of targets, juggled knives for a while, did some whip tricks with an audience member, lit the whip on fire, danced around the ring, and tormented Marcus as much as she thought she could get away with. Then Rhea had her tightrope, the new horse gymnastics guy did his thing, and they did the finale.

Afterwards, Mav bolted back to the dressing room to change out of her costume. She pulled it off in record time, sweeping her scattered makeup into a bag and throwing on her normal clothes. She dabbed at the remaining face paint and brushed through her hair, thanking the gods she'd decided on keeping it short. Mav gave herself a once over in the mirror, making sure her hair fell nicely, and there wasn't too much soot on her hands, then ran out of the dressing room.

The sun was low in the sky, casting rich oranges and pinks on the clouds floating above. A soft evening breeze carried the sharp smell of salt water through the faire, and Mav could see streetlights winking on in the city below them. This year's festivities were on a sloping meadowed hill just on the outskirts of the city, offering them a gorgeous view of the surrounding valley. Off in the distance, you could just see the skyscrapers at the city center glinting in the fading daylight. Beyond those, the rich blue of the ocean stretched farther than Mav could see, dwarfing whatever attempt the architects had made at reaching the sky.

Mav found her baby right where she left her. The gleaming silver motorcycle Mav lovingly referred to as Steed had been with her ever since she got her license. Steed was thoroughly polished, and Mav thought she looked as new as the day she bought her.

You and that stupid bike are going to kill someone someday.

"Shut up. Steed and I are very careful." She smirked, lowering her voice surreptitiously, "And even if we did kill someone, at least we could guide them safely where they need to be."

Right. Because everyone wants to be introduced to the afterlife and possibly hell by the person who ran them over on a motorcycle.

"You're no fun. Besides, if I end up taking them to hell, how bad could it possibly be that I ran them over? I'd be doing the world a favor."

That's a reallyyy interesting way for a Reaper to think. Plus, you wouldn't know they were going to hell until you got to the courthouse. And you don't exactly cope well with guilt.

Mav sighed, a smile pulling at the sides of her mouth. "Whatever. We're gonna be late to pick up Kate."

She hopped on Steed, revved her engine and sped off down the road, a cloud of dust flying up behind her. The air was crisp now, and the sun continued creeping steadily towards the horizon. The hills quickly melted into the residential homes of the city's suburbs and then into the bustle of the inner city. Mav slowed down in the busier streets, cruising down the familiar way to the shining marble office building that held the entrace to the Underworld. Kate was supposed to meet her in the lobby just before sundown so they could head to the aquarium.

Mav pulled up to her usual spot just outside the marble building, kicking out Steed's stand, and hopping off her. She stood on the pristine curb, staring up at the building before her.

It was old, but well-maintained, carved out of heavy white marble blocks. It was about six stories high, the top story still illuminated by the sun while the bottom five were shrouded in shadow from the bank across the street. People moved in and out of the rapidly revolving gold doors at the base of the building, bustling with great energy wherever they needed to be.

Mav noted vaguely that she hadn't had any Reaping jobs today, which was odd. Normally she had at least two. A frown crept across her face. Hopefully she wouldn't get an influx of work during the aquarium outing. That would not be ideal. She burst into a fast walk, subconsciously hoping to outrun the news of a job before it ruined her evening.

Mav slipped into the lobby, straightening her spine and hunting down imaginary pieces of dust on her jacket. She looked down at her ensemble; it was a little nicer than usual. Mav thanked her morning self for remembering to pack something good to change into- she'd been rushing to get away from the Marvels that she hadn't even thought about what she was throwing on.

She wore her normal leather riding jacket, a dusty blue tanktop that matched her eyes pretty well, a pair of well fitted jeans, and tall black boots. That's enough of an aquarium vibe right?

What's an aquarium vibe?

That pesky little voice poked her amusedly. Mav sighed, raising her eyebrows, not dignifying him with an answer. She walked through the lobby, and plopped down in one of many very expensive armchairs. Each copse of armchairs were arranged in a quartet; two across from one another and a dark oak table in the middle, covered in magazines. Mav glanced around the lobby, searching for Kate. No luck yet.

Maybe she stood you up. Probably saw your outfit from afar and decided it wasn't enough of an aquarium vibe for her.

"You're an idiot, did you know that?" Mav muttered, a reluctant smile slipping on to her face.

Maybe I am, but she's still not heree--

"Mav! Helloo!" It was a familiar voice.

Mav jumped a foot in the air, "Kate! You scared me!" She stood up from her armchair to face Kate with an apologetic smile, brushing more imaginary dust off her jacket. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Kate had on her usual soft smile of greeting although she looked a little bit worried about something. More so than usual. "I have."

"Oh, that's on me then, I was a little distracted from today, sorry. Are you ready to go?" Mav nodded at the revolving doors, "If we're feeling really adventurous, we can attempt a merry-go-round. I've always wondered how fast those things can go. That probably wouldn't get my Reaping license revoked, right?" Mav grinned, raising her eyebrows. She searched Kate's face, wondering if the worry was the sort that should be addressed or distracted from.

Addressed.

Mav pursed her lips at the intrusion. "Are you okay?"

"U..uhh. Uhhh." Kate faltered. "A l..little."

"A little?" Mav cocked her head, eyes twinkling, aware that she probably shouldn't joke right now, but, "A little revoked or you're a little okay?"

"A..well. Soul taker. War." Kate said like that explained everything.

The smile on Mav's face faded in an instant. "What? There's a war? And a soultaker? Are you being summoned somewhere for a war?" Suddenly that feeling of something ominous on the horizon made a little more sense. But a war?

"Yes. That's an good way to put it." Kate nodded.

"When do you leave? Who's fighting the war? Is this like an enlistment situation, or a recruited situation? Are you going alone?" Mav stepped forward, voice pitching a little higher with confusion and worry.

"Uhh." Kate seemed to think on that for a moment. "Now. The gods. Recruitment. No. I just got told 20 minutes ago."

Someone cleared a throat behind them. "E-Excuse me, ladies?"

Mav whipped around, to find a... Soul-Taker? As per custom, they were wearing their cloak, but it seemed to swallow them. If Mav didn't know that the required age to be Celestial Servant was at least eighteen, she wouldn't have guessed the Soul-Taker was older than twelve. She could barely see their face under their hood, only their mouth visible. "I... um..." They cleared their throat. "You can do this, Roxy," they whispered. "Um. I'm here to take your souls to the Kings!" They saluted, knocking off their hood in the process, revealing their big amber eyes, squinted in concentration.

Mav looked at the child-- Soul-Taker-- person. She looked at Kate. She looked back at the Soul-Taker. "Um. Hi! Souls... plural? Me and Kate? At the same time? Is that allowed?"

"I have two hands! I was told it was a.dis... distint possibility." Roxy nodded again. "So, I can do it!"

"Oh! Okay. Cool. Are we going now?"

"Apparently we are," Kate said frowning, like the together thing was news to her.

Mav glanced at her, wondering for a moment if she was disappointed they were both summoned.

That's unlikely because Kate likes you. You're friends.

She brushed him off. "So, are we leaving now now? Like, there's not enough time for a pit stop at the aquarium?"

"I'm afraid it's u-urgent. Very, I would say. No time for the fish." Roxy took a deep breath, her face turning red. "Sorry. I would suggest finding a place to l-lay down."

Mav nodded, a little embarrassed. Was she seriously asking to go to the aquarium when there was a war between THE GODS going on? What is going on with me?

"Ookay." She looked around the lobby. Were we supposed to lay down in the middle of the entrance to the Underworld? Mav glanced at Kate to see what she was thinking.

Kate was looking a little torn. "Don't be sorry Roxy." She cautiously patted Roxy on the shoulder. "Sorry Mav. I uhh. I really wanted to go. I really did. But. Yeah. This happened. A..at least. We're both going. I was worried it was just me. The Queen didn't tell me about you, only that six people would be chosen."

"The aquarium can wait." Mav waved off the apology. "And only six people?" She grew a little somber. "They all must be pretty powerful for the gods to depend on them. And we're counted among them."

She bit her lip, "That's a pretty big deal. And I know we're in a rush, but I don't know if it's safe to just lay down right here in the lobby to the Underworld." Mav shot a glance at Roxy to see if that was what they had in mind. "My house is like a five minute drive from here. We can crash there, if that's not too long."

Roxy nodded. "S-seems acceptable. How do we g-get there?"

A wide grin split across Mav's face. "We can take Steed." She sized up Roxy and Kate.
"We can probably all fit."

Kate nodded quickly, looking a tiny bit excited in fact if Mav was looking closely. The Soul Taker looked a tiny bit confused.

"St-teed? Like a horse?"

"She's definitely horse-powered." Mav's eyes glinted mischieviously, and she gestured for the two to follow her through the lobby and out the revolvling doors.

The sun was almost completely set now, and just a tiny bit of orange peeked out from the sea.

You should hurry.

Mav nodded and spun around proudly as they approached the shining silver vehicle. "This, my friends, is Steed. She is my pride and joy."

“Um… that doesn’t seem like… a-a three person t-transportation.” Roxy pointed out.

"So one might think. But..." Mav hopped off the curb and circled to the other side of Steed. She unlocked a special compartment, and pulled a compact seat and third wheel out of the inner workings of the motorcycle. Mav wiped her hands on her pants and stood up.

"Ta da! A sidecar!"

“Oh! Do you have… th- enough helmets for everyone?” Roxy nudged the side car with her foot, checking how stable it was. It didn't move, and seemed to support their weight with no issue.

Mav nodded, lifting the lid to the crate on the left side of Steed, and pulling out two helmets. One was a shiny black with a flame decal on the right side.
Mav felt blood rush to her face. "I, uh, picked it out when I was a lot younger."
The other helmet was a shimmering jewel blue, with a sea turtle sticker in the center front. Mav hesitated, looking up at Kate.

"I figured since you always hitch a ride, you might want your own helmet. It's aquarium themed." She grinned a little self consciously.

Kate gasped. "F..for m..me? My o-own. You. Me. Helmet. Bike. Motorcyles. Motors go in a cycle." She looked like her brain was slowly rebooting.

"Yep. It's all yours. I figured you wouldn't want to ride around with a flame decal on your head constantly." Mav laughed, and held the glittering helmet out for Kate to take. "I hope you like it. I wasn't sure which shade of blue. Or if you liked sea turtles."

"I." She took it gingerly, like it was a priceless glass sculpture that could shatter if she held it too tightly. "Th-thank you. So much. So much. Perfect. Its p-perfect."

Mav flushed again. "I'm glad you like it." She turned to Roxy, and held out the flame decal helmet somewhat apologetically. "I hope this fits. Either way, it should work for five minutes. As long as you're good with that."

"Thanks!" She put it on. It looked a little oversized, but she didn't seem to mind.

"Great! Let's get going then." Mav hopped on the front of Steed, waiting to kick up the stand until Kate and Roxy got situated.

Kate slowly got on first, used to this at this point as she slid into what was rapdily becoming her usual spot. Roxy was a little more awkward but managed to get herself into the sidecar relatively securely.

"Alright, hold on!" Mav revved the engine, and they were off. They sped down the streets, the light above rapidly fading. It was cool and peaceful, and difficult for Mav to imagine that above them, a war was brewing.

They made good time, pulling into Mav's tiny driveway. She hopped off, opened the side crate for Kate and Roxy to deposit their helmets in, and led them up a set of small steps through a disorganized but well cared for garden. There were marigolds everywhere, interspersed between various vegetables and herbs. The house itself was modest, painted a robin's egg blue. It had two rectangular windows in the front, and a circular one up top. Lacy white curtains hung in all three. It was cozy, and clearly loved.

Mav fumbled with the keys then unlocked the door. She gestured for the two to follow her in.
"Well. Here's my house! I'd offer you a cup of lemonade but I think we should get going."

She pulled off her boots at the front door, and flopped down on the sagging orange couch that sat under the front windows. It was enough for two people to stretch out on, maybe a little less than ten feet across.

Kate hummed quietly. "I think that works."

Roxy smiled. "This the place?" She put her hood back on, hiding her eyes.

Mav nodded. "Yep. Nobody should bother us here."

Kate nodded in agreement.

“G-Good! Then lay down. Get C-C- ready.” Roxy rolled up her sleeves.

Mav tucked her arms beneath her head and stared up at the ceiling. She actually didn't remember much from the last time she was Soul-Taken. It got sort of overshadowed by the whole being in Theopius Latium thing. All she remembered is that it wasn't painful.

Roxy approached the still Kate. “Just breathe.” She took a deep breath herself. “Just like you practiced, Roxy.” She put a hand over Kate’s chest. At first nothing happened, but then Kate’s chest started to glow a bright white. Slowly, achingly slowly, Roxy pulled her hand away from Kate’s chest, a bright white orb emerging, so bright it hurt to look at. Once it was fully out, Kate went completely limp. Roxy looked at the orb for a while before smiling. “T-That’s sweet.” She set it gently on the coffee table. “Your turn!”

Mav paled a little at the sight of her friend's soul just sitting there on the coffee table where they'd shared takeout and watched movies and done puzzles. Just sitting there.

Mav smiled a little nervously at Roxy and closed her eyes.

“Don’t worry. I don’t remember your first time, but it won’t h-hurt.” Roxy’s hands settled on her chest and she felt lighter. She felt her world get fuzzy and her body full of static as Roxy’s hand pulled away. Before she could react to the feeling of being soulless, she was unconscious, drifting through the endless, but soft void.

A tiny voice echoed in her mind in those last few moments.

Does the aquarium vibe have enough overlap with the High-Court-of-the-Gods vibe?

"Idiot."