[3] 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 ― p.jackson, l.valdez

006.

「006. enemies to lovers 」

THE GOLD wings were too flashy, in cherry's humble opinion. that and the fact cherry did worry for the wellbeing of the back of the goddess. gold, as cherry knew it, was very heavy. sure- she was a goddess- superstrength and whatnot, but it must have been heavy if nothing else.

another thing about the gold wings was that they were not just flashy- if she stared long enough they might burn cherry's eyes. she'd everted her eyes quickly, but not without catching sight of the goddess. her braided hair contained gold pieces funnily shaped- if cherry had to guess she'd assume they were miny laurels or something. her dark brown skin glowed and her dress was a champagne colour with gold details swirling at her belt. she looked intimidating but quite funny with the oversized wings.

"uh- lady?" leo said form next to her, "could you... y'know- close your flappers, please? my retinas are sort of burning over here."

"you're giving me a sunburn," muttered barbie with spite- pink mist already in hand, forming a bottle of moisturiser with an SPF of fifty- rushing to dab it on her nose and any vulnerable place. she continued to grumble rather quietly as she did so with percy gently taking the bottle off her so she could properly apply some sort of defence against the golden wings of sunburning doom.

"what?" nike said, her head jerking to them like a startled chicken's. "oh... my brilliant plumage-" beside her, she saw barbie make a face, "..very well. i suppose you can't die in glory if you are blinded and burned."

she tucked in her wings and the temperature dropped to a normal torturous summer's afternoon heat. cherry, once again, looked at her fiends. leo caught her eye and grinned, clearly observing the others as well. frank stood very still, sizing up the goddess. he had smartly chose not to change his backpack into his bow and quiver- as had percy (who had now handed barbie back her moisturiser and was holding riptide in pen form, clearly waiting for hostility before attacking). hazel, who seemed to be having trouble with arion, was simply trying to make sure he didn't rampage the white horses pulling nike's chariot.

nobody wanted to talk- or step forward to do so.

then again, they seemed to briefly forget barbie was with them.

she stepped forward, cleared her throat, and said in the most sweet and smooth voice cherry had ever heard, "the victory goddess, nike? we were just reading about you! it's... so interesting to learn about your... victoriousness."

"certainly so!" nike replied triumphantly, then quickly ignoring barbie's plamausing seconds later, "but the contest must be decided! you have come to determine the winner, yes?"

"winner?" frowned frank, "are you nike or victoria?"

although an innocent question- the effects seemed to be amplified in a terrible way.

the goddess clutched the sides of her head and screamed. her horses reared, cousin arion to do the same.

then, the goddess shuddered and split into two separate images, shaking back and forth in quick succession like hse couldn't decide who to be- the two images morphing together and then splitting so quickly it made cherry a little bit dizzy.

on the left, the greek version was scene. gorgeous braids (which did in fact have laurels braided into them) and a champagne dress that flowed, wings folded neatly behind her. on the right, there was a different version. she was dressed for war in a roman breastplate and greaves, her braids turned auburn as if they'd been dipped in blood- spilling from under the rim of a tall helmet. her wings were feather white here, and her dress was a deep purple. she held a staff with the roman insignia on it.