Super Volume 2

Messing with Fate

Cleo's POV
Alex sat across from me in the restaurant, eating her salad with an innocent smile. I slumped back in the booth and held my arms crossed while I glared at her. "Are you going to say your piece or what?" I asked. "You haven't touched your drink, Cleo. I was being hospitable." Alex smiled. I grumbled to myself and sat up. Then I grabbed my drink and bit the straw as I drank it. Alex smiled in satisfaction. "Why should I try to convince you what you would never believe? Besides, I know why you called me here today, and I know where your little friend is, but I won't tell." She smirked. I dropped the straw back into the cup. "Why are you like this?" I snapped. "Because I'm a goddess, but you refuse to understand that." She said, simply. I rolled my eyes. "How can I believe you? When there are thousands of people in the world right now praying for a better life? Praying for food, for health, or just to be able to wake up tomorrow, and they are not granted that wish. How can you expect me to believe that there are a hundred gods up in heaven, and yet not one of them can help a dying soul here on Earth?" I asked. Alex was taken back. "It's not that simple. There are many gods that can help you, but there are also many planets and universes, far more than any of us. We look over all of them, not just this one, and all of the living creatures that reside in them. As much as we are gods, we are still only one person. You can't expect us to be everywhere at once." She explained. "Ha! Ok. Then kind of god are you? That can't help where help is needed? You should be glad that I don't believe you in any case, because if you really are the Fate that is the bringer of death, then that would mean you're the woman that killed my father!" I snapped. Alex stared at me for a moment. "That's why you don't believe, isn't it? You prayed for him to live." She said. My ears pointed up and I growled under my breath. "I did not kill your father. He was a drug addict, and he overdosed. I only take a life when it's at its due time. The string of life will disintegrate on its own if a person takes their own life, even if it's by accident." She explained. My ears drooped down and I pulled my tail closer to me. "I know how he died. You don't need to remind me." I whimpered. Alex sighed heavily. "If you're looking for someone to blame, then I'll take it. If that's what helps you cope." She said. "As long as I believe in you, right?" I asked, sarcastically. "You don't have to believe anything, Cleo. It's your life. I can't force you to do anything. I can only present you with the facts, and hope that you can make an informed decision." She replied. I dropped my head. "Right..." I huffed.

After a moment, she huffed a laugh. "You forgot to brush your ears." She said. My ears shot up and I reached up to touch them. "Ah! God dammit! Or- uh-" I didn't know what to say anymore. Alex shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. Come here." She gestured for me to lean forward. I hesitated, but leaned in across the table. She simply ran her hands over my ears, and the fur straightened out just like that. "There you go." She smiled. "Thanks... I'm sorry I'm being so difficult with this. I just can't believe it." I said. Alex smiled and shrugged. "Whether you believe it or not, you know that it's true, and I can work with that." She replied. "So... you'll tell me where Riley is?" I asked. She giggled. "No. I can't tell you where she is. That's too important. I can, however, tell you that she's alive and well. She's not in danger, and she has chosen to stay where she is of her own accord. You will find her again within the upcoming months, but in the meantime you mustn't try to find her. The time she spends in this place will be very important to the stream of her life. You can't take that from her." She explained. I nodded along with her. "Ok. Thank you, but why didn't you tell Retro all of this when she asked?" I asked. Alex smiled. "Because I was saving it for you." She shrugged. My ears fell back as I glared at her, and she just smiled innocently.

Lemmy's POV
Cal waited as I watched Alex talk with Cleo. "Has she told her yet?" Cal groaned. I stopped looking into the present, and turned to her. I nodded in response to her question. "She has? Great! Now can I look into future outcomes." She said. I smiled at her and gestured to the door. "You're leaving? Why? So you can see your girlfriend?" She raised an eyebrow. My face grew red. "Not my girlfriend." I mumbled. "I don't get it, Lem. You lied to us for years and never told us about Marlow. Do you know how badly I would die to have an actual conversation with you? But that random mortal gets to talk to you all the time?!" She exclaimed. I sighed heavily and just shrugged. "How great of a sister you are." Cal said, sarcastically. I glared over at her and took a deep breath. "You want me to tell mom how you lied for years about doing your duties, while you were actually out with Kai, keeping her away from the castle!?" I snapped. Cal was taken back and I huffed. "I find joy in living amongst the mortals. I'm sorry that I don't tell you enough, but I don't like talking. It distracts from what's important." I explained. Cal stared at me for a moment. "I'm sorry." She caved. I sighed and shrugged it off. Then I got up and walked out the door.

Marlow was glad to see me when I arrived. "Good news! My father put me in charge of the store all week while he's out, and I told all the employees to have the week off. He's not exploiting me!" She laughed, and I giggled with her. We walked up to her room and she sat down on her bed. "So! How are things with you?" She asked, and I rolled my eyes. "Ah. Cal up your butt again?" She asked, and I nodded. Marlow only giggled and shook her head. "I uh..." I opened my mouth and she glanced over. "I yelled at her." I admitted. Marlow sat down beside me and put her hand on my shoulder. "Are you ok?" She asked. I nodded and looked down. "I know you feel bad, but it's ok. You know she'd never be upset with you." She told me. I clenched my fists, and Marlow raised an eyebrow. "You... want her to be upset with you?" She asked. I glared down at the ground and shook my head. "Lemon, you know I'm good at reading minds, but even I can't tell what you mean." Marlow said. I groaned and stood up. "I want her to stop treating me like some charity case! Just because I don't speak up like she does, doesn't make me any less of a Fate! I don't speak because there's so much more to life! Words just get in the way! But all she sees is her shy little sister that can't do anything for herself!" I snapped. Marlow stared at me for a moment, and then stood up to face me. She took my hands in hers. Then she linked her mind with mine, and spoke without moving her lips. "I understand, but sometimes words are necessary. Not knowing how you're feeling all the time makes it easy for Cal to be frightened. You all have made an oath not to pry into each other's lives, so she can't read your mind like I can. It's not that she wants to baby you. It's that she wants to know you." She explained. I sighed and squeezed her hands. "I had higher hopes for her." I admitted. Marlow just laughed and shrugged. Then I looked up at her. "She asked if you were my girlfriend." I told her. Her eyebrows shot up, and I smiled. "You lied. Didn't you, lemon?" She smirked, and I shrugged innocently. "Maybe." I pulled her down to me and kissed her.