“WHERE IS MY DADA?”
Litvir had tried to remain calm, but they were clearly at breaking point as they bashed on the door to Epani and Ksini’s private sanctum. There was a brief hesitation while the door opened, and Elkay and Aster were both heavily trying to suggest that Litvir not force their way in, while Kohra had turned himself into a gigantic fluffy kitty to stop Litvir from breaking the door down. However, when no one answered, Aesop also knocked heavily on the door a second time.
“Hey, ladies, we got questions! Open up!”
Eventually, the door opened up, just a tad.
“We’re busy, fuck off.”
That voice belonged to Ksini, but as she tried to close the door, Litvir decided they had had enough and pushed the door wide open, ready to start making demands. However upon seeing the room itself, which made no sense what to ever, Litvir stopped in their tracks, blinking erratically.
“Oh great, not only do you piss Litvir off by stealing his dad, but now you’ve mind-fucked him…” Aesop tutted as he nudged Litvir to one side and made his way in. He, Aster and Elkay knew to never actually look at Epani’s private sanctum, to only look at the gods themselves, but Kohra hadn’t looked away in time and was struggling a little as well. “Anyway, where the fuck is Litvir’s dad, AKA the crazy fucker who helped us save the universe?”
Ksini glared at Aesop, then growled and crossed her arms. “None of your business. Fuck off.”
“We ain’t fucking off until we find Litty’s dad.”
“I just told you-” Ksini paused, feeling a tap on her shoulder. “What is it, Epani, dear?”
Epani wasn’t smiling. She had been smiling up until several moments ago. “Where is the young Time Drake?”
“In a secure location.”
“Where is Relkir Rethianos?” Epani asked.
“Like I said, in a secure location.”
“I would like you to be kind and honest, Ksini. Where is Relkir?”
“Um…”
“Please, Ksini.”
Ksini gave in. She could mess around with the lower deities, but clearly Epani’s weak time powers messed with her own because she didn’t expect Epani to go against her so quickly.
“I informed the Rethan government that Relkir was breaking the Potentially Dangerous Hidden Abilities law, and their Master of Generals has placed Relkir in quarantine for an indefinite amount of time.”
Epani thought for a moment, then grunted. “I thought you explicitly told Relkir that they could live a normal life as long as they kept their abilities secret and limited the use of them. Was Relkir not doing that?”
“They… they were doing that.”
“Were they following the rules you gave them?”
“Yes.”
“So why did you leak their status to their own government and get them locked up?” Epani asked, pretty sure that she already knew the answer.
“Because… because they were… annoying me.”
“They were annoying you?”
Ksini nodded. “They are too smart. And dangerous.”
“Are they dangerous genuinely or only if provoked?”
Ksini’s smile faded. “They are only dangerous when provoked.”
“Like how you are provoking them currently?”
That smile faded completely. “Yes.”
Epani was clearly not amused. “So you decided to ruin their life and make them miserable, make them want to react?”
“Yes…”
The Allmaker sighed, then turned to her younger deities. “Aster, you are my little god of diplomacy, can you quickly made a phone call to your contact in the Rethan government and request to speak to the General of Advisors, please?”
“But… Kyr Epani… I already tried calling dada…” Litvir stuttered.
“I know, my dear, but I want to see what the Rethans say. Aster, please do as I have requested.”
Aster shrugged, then did as he was told. However, he quickly got no answer.
“Nothing?”
“Admittedly, my contact with the Rethan government is in the Legion of Advisors…” Aster muttered. “The voice mail suggested that the entire Legion was on hold though.”
Epani sighed some more, then flicked the lure on her head. All of a sudden, a familiar face appeared.
“Missy Epani! Hello!” Nanik beamed. “Missy Ksini! Missy Elkay! Mister Aster and mister Aesop! Litvir! Hi!” Nanik paused. “MISTER KOHRA YOU ARE A BIG FLUFFY CAT! THE BIGGEST I HAVE EVER SEEN!”
“I am, yes!” Kohra purred.
“May I pet you, mister kitty Kohra?”
Epani gently patted Nanik on the head. “You can pet Kohra after you have done a job for me.”
“Oh. What job?”
Epani inspected Litvir, then grunted. “I need you to go to the Kentron and help Litvir find their dad. When they have found their dad, I need you to stay at the Kentron for 24 hours, so you can apply some D3-Amnetics to everyone present regarding the arrest of Litvir’s dad.”
“Oh…” Nanik seemed to frown briefly. “Is Litvir’s dad the nice small Rethan who helped us against mean old Kairos?”
“Yes.”
“Why were they arrested?”
“Because Ksini was angry at them and got them into trouble.”
“Oh… That is silly. But it is okay, I will do as you say! But I have request. I need a big distraction.”
“How comes?” Aesop asked. “I thought you could just magically brain-wipe people.”
“Because this thing happened over a few days, I have to put a big distraction! So that people don’t think about details!” Nanik explained. “That way, is easier to blur things. Also, it should be a nice distraction. I think it should be the giant kitty.”
Epani turned to Kohra. “Do you mind accompanying Nanik and Litvir and creating a distraction?”
Kohra shrugged. “I can do that. I’ll just announce it’s Universal Pet A Kitty Day or something.”
Epani smiled. “Alright. Litvir, please take Kohra and Nanik to the Kentron. Do not worry, your dad will be fine.”
Litvir muttered a small thank you, then backed out of the room, taking Kohra and Nanik with them. Epani then turned her attention to Elkay, Aster and Aesop.
“Thank you for keeping Litvir calm, my dears. Aster, Aesop, you may return to your duties. Elkay, please may you shadow Litvir, Nanik and Kohra? They should be fine, but I think Litvir might appreciate the secret backup.”
“No worries, Mistress Epani!” Elkay smiled. “I’ll get right on it.”
Elkay disappeared into a nearby shadow. Aster bowed then left, but Aesop eyed Ksini before he headed off.
Once the coast was clear, Epani turned to Ksini.
“You have some explaining to do. What you did was dangerous and uncalled for.”
Ksini closed her eyes and sighed. “I know…”