doppelgänger
"It's just a little bit of fun," the blonde shrugged, not looking in the least bit sorry for her actions. Mikuo stared at the sleeping girl in shock, still unable to accept the fact that she was wearing his face.
"Fun? To create a harpy who looks exactly like me?" he scowled. Kagamine Rin, the Goddess of War and Battle, shrugged again, managing to make the simple action look like a gesture of absolute defiance. Her twin brother Kagamine Len, the God of Harmony, stepped between them to try and defuse the situation.
"Now, now," he tried, "we all know that Rin didn't mean to cause any hurt feelings. Besides, don't you think that she is quite the lovely creature?" they all looked at the slumbering harpy. Mikuo frowned – actually, wasn't there something abnormal about her? He knew there was something missing from this girl, something that made her different – and, when she muttered something in her sleep and turned around, he realised what it was. This harpy didn't have wings. Her back was bare and smooth.
"She lacks wings. How is she to serve you?" Mikuo pointed it out upon his realisation. Rin frowned too, having evidently forgotten about that while she was creating the creature. Without her wings, the harpy looked almost…human. No doubt she still had the same vicious streak as the rest of her sisters, all harpies took after their mistress after all, but Mikuo could almost trick himself into believing that she was a mere mortal, slumbering in the presence of gods. Len looked a little uncomfortable.
"I'm sure she will be helpful even without wings, am I right, sister?" he asked. Rin didn't answer immediately, instead staring down at her creation. The harpy was naked on the ground, her eyes still closed, and Mikuo wondered if she had the same green eyes as his. Her long teal hair spilled down her back, going all the way to her hips, and her pale limbs almost glowed with pearly luminescence. She was a beautiful creature, easily one of the loveliest harpies Rin had ever made, and if it wasn't for the fact that she looked almost exactly like him, Mikuo would have thought her mesmerising.
"I will find a use for her," Rin finally sighed. "I was so excited about watching the look on Mikuo's face when he sees her that I forgot to give her wings. They're the last part, always so easy to leave out," she frowned to herself. "Anyway, Len, let us go. I have war and passions to stir," she grinned. Her twin brother just shook his head wordlessly, and the siblings both disappeared in a flash of blinding light, taking the new-born harpy away with them. Mikuo exhaled, deciding to go about his usual business.
He was the messenger of the gods and the God of Speed and Travellers, which made him extremely busy. He could already hear his irate father calling out for him, so with a snap of his fingers he sped over to heed his summons. For that moment, the harpy who looked so much like him was forgotten.
Mikuo walked through the Underworld, grimacing. He hated delivering messages to his uncle, who was so paranoid about intruders that his magic prevented any gods from just teleporting themselves into his palace, despite them all being family. Then again, they were a family full of backstabbers…
Gods were so troublesome. He sighed. Being the messenger meant that he took no sides in any war among the gods, and right now Rin and the God of Wisdom, Kagene Rei, were arguing with each other and turning the whole of Lybra into a battleground. In that sense he was glad to get out for a while, but being in the Underworld did not make him feel much better. It was a gloomy place, and if you listened hard enough you could hear the moans and wails of the mortals damned to stay here forevermore.
Well, he didn't have time to waste. He continued to pick his way through the dark, moist valley, muttering curses the whole time. The very least Teiru could do was to make a clear path through the valley so that the other gods could visit him easily, but his uncle was a complete loner and disliked having visitors so here they were. If Leon himself did not send him with a message for Teiru, Mikuo wouldn't be in here at all. Glaring at the plant roots which continued twining around his feet, he conjured up a fireball and tossed it at the plant, causing it to recoil from the heat. Kicking the stump away, he continued, looking around the Underworld valley for signs of his uncle's gloomy palace.
The palace shifted every couple of days, another measure his uncle had put to avoid entertaining the other gods. From what he could sense, the palace was among the fields of Targa today, where the souls of those who committed misdeeds in battle were sent to rot. Rin's Harpies controlled the area, sharing the territory with their male Svinn counterparts. Mikuo never understood why Rin had to make two separate species of avian humanoids – couldn't she just have made some male harpies?
Harpies were beautiful winged women filled with vicious cruelty, swooping down from the skies to cast judgement upon those who died a dishonourable death. They picked on traitors and turncoats especially. Svinns were similar to the harpies in that they had wings, but while the harpies had the wings of a giant eagle, Svinns had wings more like a bat's. Svinns tortured the souls of those who hurt or killed the vulnerable in war, like children, the ill and the elderly. Rin was the Goddess of War and Battle, but she believed in honour and righteousness, and cast aside any soldier who broke her laws.
He heard a loud shriek and looked overhead – a few seconds later, something threw itself at him from the skies and he went down with a grunt, startled by the impact. He felt cold metal against his throat and reacted without thinking – he closed his eyes and sent out a shockwave of magic, his attacker getting flung off him at the impact. Again, another reason why his uncle should really allow teleportation through his realm…he stood, looking for his mysterious attacker, and saw a winged man grimacing while he wiped black blood away from his mouth. It was one of Rin's svinns.
"How dare you?" he spat, snapping his fingers – the svinn's neck was suddenly within his grip, and Mikuo was applying more and more pressure as the panicked svinn began to struggle. "How dare a lowly beast attack one of the gods. Give me a reason why I shouldn't just run you through right now," he sneered, tightening his grip. The winged man spluttered, bat wings flapping wildly.
"You…you look…like her!" he wheezed. Mikuo blinked, abruptly letting go, and the svinn fell to the ground, choking and gasping for breath. Mikuo looked down at the svinn, waiting for an explanation, and the svinn finally looked up at him, still kneeling. "I am…deeply sorry for attacking you, God of Messengers," he said stiffly. "You greatly resemble one of the harpies who shouldn't be roaming about in the Underworld. From afar I thought she escaped, so I sought to punish her. I see now that I am wrong."
"One of the harpies?" Mikuo was intrigued. So there was one which looked like him? "Where is she? Bring me to see her," he demanded. Leon's message could wait. Something almost like incredulity flashed across the svinn's face, but he dared not refuse, and he rose from the ground and beckoned to him to follow. His bat wings spreading, the svinn took off into the skies and Mikuo followed suit, his winged sandals taking him faster than the svinn could go. In silence, they flew together until they reached the dark crags of the Underworld, where the svinns and harpies made their home.
They flew through a yawning cave entrance, deeper into the mountains. It was dark, but Mikuo had no problems flying through, and he was unafraid – being a god on good terms with their mistress gave him quite the privilege. Eventually the rocky passageway opened up into a cavern, and the two of them alighted. There were only a few other winged beasts here, and all of them looked curiously at him before continuing with whatever they were doing. Some of them were talking in small groups, and others were crossing the cavern, going towards other places. There was a noticeable divide between the two species, with harpies and svinns sticking to their own kind. Mikuo wondered why.
"This way," the svinn who had tried to attack him led him down one of the passageways branching out from the cavern. Mikuo followed, though he could hear the harpies they left behind muttering between themselves. The svinns and harpies were bound to inform their mistress about Mikuo's presence in their home. Well, he wasn't doing anything wrong, so he wasn't worried. Besides, Rin had better things than the God of Messenger's presence in the Underworld to focus on right now.
This time, the passageway seemed to extend for much longer than the previous one. Mikuo was beginning to feel suspicious. "This had better not be a trap," he warned the svinn, whose wings were flapping quickly ahead of him. The svinn looked back at him, something akin to fear on his face, and Mikuo decided that the creature didn't have the guts to do anything to him. He was a god, and it would take a whole lot more than a lowly svinn to hurt him, let alone kill him. But flying through the dark for so long was tedious. It reminded him that he was actually supposed to find his uncle…
Right as he thought about delivering the message to Teiru, the passageway opened up into another cavern, this one much smaller than the previous one. The svinn alighted on the rocky ground and Mikuo followed suit, looking around curiously. He didn't think this was the living quarters of the svinns, it was far too small – in fact, it seemed to be a bedroom of sorts, judging from the simple furnishings. "So where is this harpy?" Mikuo demanded, noting that the bedroom was empty.
In response, the svinn cupped his hands around his mouth and called out. Though Mikuo saw his mouth open, there was no sound, and he waited impatiently for something to happen, or maybe for someone to materialise. After a while, the svinn lowered his arms and turned to face him. "She will appear," he said gravely. The god scowled, but decided to linger and wait. It wasn't like he had anything better to do anyway…well, besides delivering a message, but Teiru could wait for that.
Suddenly, a girl fell from the ceiling, landing with a soft thump on the bed. There were dark bruises all over her pale skin, and her long teal hair – hair the exact same colour as his – spilled over the bedsheet. She didn't seem to be conscious. The svinn shuffled from foot to foot, looking almost nervous. "There she is," he explained. "May I leave now, God of Messengers?" now he sounded shifty. But Mikuo wanted him out of the room anyway. He wished to take a closer look at the girl.
A harpy? But she had no wings… "You're dismissed," he waved his hand, and the svinn darted out of the room quicker than the eye could see. Mikuo slowly approached the bed, staring at the girl – she was lying face down on the thin mattress, and he knew his eyes were not tricking him – here was a harpy without wings! But that stirred up old memories…it was almost as though he had seen this before…
He got close, and suddenly the girl's hand latched out, grabbing on to his arm. Mikuo froze, startled, and he felt her sharp talons digging into his skin. Abruptly he shook her off – it was easy, she was clearly weak and exhausted – and she lifted her head, staring at him with hatred in her bright green eyes. Those eyes widened in surprise when they took him in, and she parted her lips as though wishing to say something, but no voice came out. Mikuo looked warily at her. "I mean you no harm," he stated.
The girl shook her head. He could see dark circles beneath her eyes, and her face was pallid. Again, she parted her lips, but no voice came out. She raised her hands, frustrated, and did something with them – he stared, and realised that she was miming drinking out of a bowl. He waved his hand and conjured up a flask of water, which she snatched and drank greedily, looking better with every gulp she took. When she was done, she tossed the flask onto the ground, now watching him carefully.
He broke the silence first. "What are you?" he asked. She flinched. "You are a harpy, yet you have no wings. And why are you in this room? Why do you…look like me?" he tilted his head, studying her. It was really quite a mystery. The girl withdrew from him slightly, shifting across the bed. He noticed that she was wearing little more than rags, a dark grey sheath that was ripped to shreds, as though it had been torn apart by claws. Her skin was littered with purple and yellow bruises, and her lips were bleeding a little, now that he was close enough to notice that. She looked like she had been tortured.
"I am a harpy," she answered, evidently able to speak after quenching her thirst. Her voice was high-pitched and cracked, hoarse with disuse. "I was born without wings. I do not know why. I am in this room because the svinns use me as entertainment. I do not know why I look like you," her gaze met his, then her green eyes flitted away quickly, not daring to stare for too long. "But I know you are a god. You smell of power," she added. "Are you the god of messengers?" she had noticed his sandals.
"Yes, I am," he responded, wondering about what to ask next. "Why are you kept with the svinns rather than with the harpies, then?" he finally spoke up. The girl exhaled, her shoulders slumping in what seemed to be resignation. The more time he spent here, the more aware he became of just how small and miserable this room was. Perhaps she was a prisoner…but that didn't make any sense.
"The harpies have no use for what is useless," her tone was flat. "Without wings, there is little I can do. Our mistress gave orders to the harpies not to hurt me or use me for entertainment, but she also forgot that we share a home with the svinns, who were given no such order. So here I am, a prisoner in my own home, a toy to the men who run this area," she let out a small, humourless laugh.
"Why do you not call out for Rin?" Mikuo continued to ask. He wasn't sure if the wingless harpy was offended by his questioning or not, but if she was she made no sign of that. Instead, she curled up into a ball on the bed, rocking back and forth slightly. Mikuo thought that she looked truly pitiful.
"She cannot hear me, here in the Underworld. You are a god. You should know that the Underworld is sealed to the other gods," her voice was soft. "She can only hear me if I fly to the surface, and as we all know, I cannot fly," she gestured to her back, which was smooth and unlined, no sign of wings anywhere. "Besides, I have grown accustomed to my situation," she added. "I loathe the svinns, and I fantasise about gouging their eyes out with my talons every second I am conscious, but I am used to their ways. They keep me weak so that I cannot attack them," she admitted. Mikuo frowned.
"But why would they toy with you? What do they do, exactly?" a thought occurred to him. "Outside, I saw the harpies and svinns avoiding each other, staying to their own small groups. Does that have anything to do with…your arrangement?" he waved his hand, unsure about how to describe the harpy's situation. The girl shrugged her thin shoulders, looking entirely apathetic about his question.
"Possibly. The svinns and harpies do not like each other much," she informed him. "They only mix with each other when the situation calls for it. We are too different, you see. Svinns are half-men and half-bat, while harpies are half-women and half-eagle. We have nothing in common," she fell silent for a moment, and Mikuo waited for her to continue – he could sense that she wasn't done talking. "They use me as entertainment," she finally added, unwilling to divulge anything more.
"What kind of entertainment?" he pushed. Her head snapped up and she glared at him – he felt like he had touched a nerve, but he held his ground. He was a god with immeasurable power, and she was aware of that – after a few seconds she sighed and shook her head, looking almost irritated.
"Even for a god, you are persistent," she muttered, much to his amusement. How strange, that a lowly beast like a harpy dared to talk to him in such a manner. "Sexual entertainment, of course. I may not have wings, but I am still a harpy, and harpy women are beautiful. Without wings I cannot run away," she shot him another glare. "This exit is sealed by svinn magic. Only svinns can pass through the door, though other powerful magical beings may break the barrier if they wish. Like you, I would say," she shook her head. "Svinns are winged men, and most of all they are cruel. To them, mortal women are strange enough, but they understand that humans cannot fly. However, a harpy without wings is strange, almost exciting, to them. Half of them want to kill me and the other half is in love with me. The two halves are not mutually exclusive," it was the most she had ever spoken at one go, and when she was done she coughed, falling silent. She did not seem to wish to continue talking.
Mikuo pondered over her words for a while. This was all very interesting. He decided to ask one last question. "What is your name?" he watched her, wondering if she would bother to respond. The girl gave him a long, careful look, and he could see himself reflected in her green eyes. She really looked so much like him – Mikuo could almost remember why, where he had seen her before. It definitely had something to do with Rin and a stupid prank, but it had been centuries ago…and Mikuo had a pretty bad memory for things that went beyond a few decades. It was a side-effect of being the god of messengers. Once he was done delivering a particular message, he wiped it clean out of his mind, and the same thing applied to most of his memories. If only he could recall this particular one!
"Miku," she finally said after a while. "Hatsune Miku. At least that was what I remember my mistress calling me before she sent me to join the other harpies," she finally concluded, bowing her head. She looked defeated. Mikuo stared, shaking his head slightly. At the sound of her name, the memory came back to mind – Rin saying it was a prank, and Len had been there, and they all realised the girl had no wings…oh yes, it all came back to him now. And Rin actually named her after him, too!
"I am the messenger of the gods," he started, catching her attention, "and my name is Hatsune Mikuo. I remember you now," he said wonderingly, his gaze flitting from feature to feature. Her eyes widened in surprise at his name – perhaps she was drawing similar conclusions. Looking at her was like staring at his own reflection. "Your mistress created a harpy in my likeness because she wanted to know what I would look like as a female. She forgot to give you wings during the process," he frowned. "How careless of her…" the girl bowed her head again, uncertain about how to respond. He let out a sigh. "I can't just leave you here. You look too much like me. It tugs at my conscience – it'd be like throwing aside my own flesh-and-blood," he muttered, holding a hand out towards her.
She regarding him suspiciously. "Are you going to save me from the svinns?" she asked. Her limbs were trembling slightly, and his keen eyes picked up on that. His gaze settled on her face again, silently drinking in each feature and committing it to memory. She looked like him, but no, it wasn't precisely the same. There was a delicateness to her face that was not present in his own. A feminine version of him, yes. Larger eyes, a smaller, upturned nose and small pink lips shaped like rose petals.
He hated to admit it, but Rin had done a marvellous job with this harpy – save for the missing wings. Or he might be thinking that because she looked like him. "What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked in return, giving her an irate stare. She hesitated for a moment, but slowly she reached out a hand and placed it in his. Her hands were smaller than his and somewhat paler, and when he closed his fingers around hers and pulled her off the bed, he could feel just how light and thin she was.
"I hope you can walk," he patted the top of her head, smoothing down the teal locks. Even her hair felt like his, every strand as fine and soft. "As you know, even the gods cannot teleport out of Teiru's dark Underworld. And I still have business here, so you may have to follow me for a while," he paused. "But before we leave, tell me – out of all the svinns who toyed with you, which one was the most vicious?"
The girl narrowed her eyes. "The leader's second-in-command," she answered. "A foul man with little pity for anyone he deems weaker than him. Harpies and Svinns are made from the viciousness our mistress cast aside – she is honour and bravery in war, while we are the dark sides to battle. We are the cruelty she discarded, and some of us are more wicked than the others," he could see her flexing her fingers. Her fingernails sharpened into dark talons. "If only one svinn is to be punished, it'll be him."
Mikuo nodded, then passed his hands over her head, running them down to her neck. His hands glowed with a faint light, and as he watched the harpy's skin flushed with colour, the dark bruises noticeably fading. The harpy gasped, her hair fluttering in a wind felt only by her, and by the time Mikuo let go she looked much better than she did before. "I am not the God of Healing," he smiled, "but I am the messenger god and I'm known as a jack-of-all-trades. I may not be able to help you recover completely, but I certainly can heal you enough for you to get out of here without my assistance."
She looked over herself, staring at her long limbs with wonder in her green eyes. It pleased him, to see her looking healthy and energetic. "Thank you," she breathed. "You are not my master, but I am in your debt, God of Messengers," she knelt on one knee, lowering her head in deference. He bade her rise, and she did so excitedly, bloodlust in her gaze. "I will show you a shortcut out of this cave. It will take us past the main room where most of the svinns dwell. The svinn I spoke of is certain to be there. If it does not take up too much of your time, will you accompany me there, God of Messengers?"
He inclined his head. "Lead the way," he answered. The harpy nodded and darted over to the other side of the room, to the bare rock wall. There was a long crack right down the centre, which he felt certain was a hidden door. She felt carefully along the surface, and there was a sudden 'click' sound. The rock wall slowly rumbled open, the two halves of the wall pulling apart and disappearing into the sides. Mikuo could feel the presence of foreign magic here, and remembered what the harpy said about the exit being protected by svinn spells. It shouldn't be any problem for him to bypass.
He concentrated for a moment, the harpy watching him carefully, and clapped once – the barrier shattered, and just like that they were able to go through. The girl looked ecstatic. "My good fortune to look like you then, even if I don't have wings," she glanced at him for a moment, then darted away into the gaping darkness beyond. Mikuo followed suit, and the two of them began to crawl through the tunnel. He could feel the ground sloping upwards, and wondered where they would end up.
Suddenly, the girl before him stopped. "We are near the exit of the tunnel," she whispered, "but it would be unwise to come out if there are many svinns present. Is it possible for you to sense how many there are outside?" she pressed herself against the wall, making space for him to pass by her. He could hear her breathing, filled with excitement and rage. Years and years of pent-up fury burned within her – the harpies were not called bloodthirsty for nothing. It suited them, to be the immortal punishers of sinners in the Underworld. He closed his eyes, letting his consciousness reach out.
"Only three, and two are weak," he finally told her. Even in the darkness her green eyes glowed. "If we want to go, now would be a good time," he continued. The girl barely finished listening to him before she shot out of the tunnel into the complex. He followed at a slower pace, wondering what she would do to the svinns. When he emerged from the passageway, he saw that one of the winged men was already lying dead on the ground, his throat ripped out, while the other weak one was fleeing from the complex, screaming in terror. The flightless harpy was facing down the third svinn, the strong one – probably the second-in-command whom she was talking about earlier.
Mikuo hung back. This was not his fight to interfere in. The unfortunate svinn was panting, his bat wings flapping as they kept him up in the air, out of reach – one of the wings dangled by a mere tendon, having almost been torn out by sharp talons. The harpy was standing on the ground and screeching in fury, rage in her eyes. She looked wild and strong, the complete opposite of the weak, dishevelled girl he first saw in the room. Mikuo felt almost proud. It wasn't like he advocated for violence or anything – he was, after all, a neutral god – but it was nice to see how powerful his mirror image was.
The harpy quickly scaled the walls of the cave, her sharp talons allowing her to grip the tiny cracks in the rock. The svinn continued to hold himself aloft in the air, though his broken wing seemed to make that a struggle. He clearly did not believe that the harpy could reach him, but if the girl was anything like Mikuo himself, then he ought to expect the unexpected…the girl turned, baring her sharp teeth at the svinn, before she flung herself away from the wall and flew through the air.
It seemed almost like she wouldn't make it as the svinn flapped his wing, trying to go further up into the air, but she desperately reached out an arm and managed to latch on to the svinn's bare foot. The man screamed, trying to shake her off, but her talons dug deep into his flesh and she held on tight, trying to scramble up his body. Her weight was too much for the single wing to carry, and they began to drop from the air, both parties shrieking in fury at each other. Mikuo continued to watch.
Aware that the commotion would no doubt attract the attention of other svinns, he looked around for the other entrances and sealed them with his magic, content to let the two creatures battle it out. He already could guess who would win, anyway. The harpy and svinn crashed onto the ground, Miku using the man as a cushion against the blow, before she wrapped her hand around the svinn's neck and smiled. It was the sweetest, most tender smile Mikuo had ever seen on anyone's face.
But there was cruelty in her gaze, and he almost missed what she whispered to the svinn. "You took away my freedom. So I will take your eyes."
"Master Len, God of Harmony," Miku knelt deferentially upon seeing the blond god, who stared at Mikuo in shock, gaze flitting between the two of them. Mikuo just shrugged. He decided to bring his mirror image back to Lybra – what else could he do? He couldn't just leave her in the Underworld.
"Why do you have a wingless harpy with you?" Len asked, nodding at the harpy and indicating for her to rise. Mikuo raised an eyebrow as she followed his command, still keeping her head bowed. He did not know that Len had any influence over his twin sister's underlings. It had to be a privilege of being on good terms with your sibling. Len and Rin were quite possibly the only twins in Lybra who actually got along with each other. "The one who looks so much like you…I remember you. You are Miku."
"Yes, Master," she answered, her tone clipped. She did not seem to particularly enjoy the sound of her name, come to think of it. Mikuo had never really referred to her by her name, at least not yet. Oh well, all the better if she didn't like her name. It'd make things easier for him. "The messenger god rescued me from the svinns," she added, "so I am forever in his debt. But thinking of how to explain the situation to my mistress…it troubles me," she stated, keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.
Len chuckled. "Oh, you don't need to fret," he answered surprisingly easily. "Come here, I'll take you to her," the god's blue eyes darted to Mikuo again, filled with curiosity, but he placed his arm around the girl's shoulders and led her down the corridor to where Rin's room in the heavens was. Mikuo followed them, though he doubted that the goddess was even in her chambers. Rin was a maniac when she was arguing with one of the other gods, and Rei was a difficult opponent to face in battle.
"Len, have Rin and Rei come to a truce?" he called, looking around Lybra. He wasn't sure how much time he had spent in the Underworld, time usually passed…differently there. It could have been a few seconds; it could have been a few decades. He wasn't entirely sure. Len glanced back at Mikuo, something like concern in his eyes, but he nodded anyway. Mikuo exhaled in relief. Well, he honestly didn't care what the terms of the truce were as long as Rin and Rei stopped tearing Lybra apart.
They came to Rin's chamber. "Sister," Len raised his voice, "you have a visitor," he knocked on the large wooden door, which was carved with scenes of battle and bloodshed. Mikuo grimaced, looking at the carvings, but his mirror image stared hungrily at the scene – a harpy, through and through. There was a moment of complete silence, then suddenly the door was flung open and the Goddess of War and Battle stood there, anger in her blue eyes. The rage faded when she saw the harpy, and she looked up at the two gods, giving them quizzical looks. Len shrugged. "Mikuo returned with her."
"You abducted one of my harpies?" Rin began, stepping forward aggressively, but the girl blocked the goddess's way to him, much to Mikuo's relief. The goddess withdrew in shock, tilting her head to watch the harpy, and for the first time she seemed to notice her resemblance to Mikuo himself. Recognition sparked in her eyes. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded, staring at him.
"I am in his debt, Mistress," the harpy knelt here as well, hanging her head. The goddess did not say anything, and Miku continued. "He saved me from the abuse of the svinns in the Underworld. I have tried praying for help, but you could not hear me…" she hesitated. "The svinns were amused by the presence of a flightless harpy. For centuries I was used as a toy. Sometimes, I wondered why you created me – if the only purpose you ever intended for me was to be an outlet for their aggression," she admitted, her voice becoming very small. It was the first time Mikuo had seen her so nervous.
Well, then again Rin was her patron goddess. Rin stiffened. "The svinns?" she said slowly, slanting her gaze over to her brother as she said the word. Mikuo observed the God of Harmony and noticed that he seemed a little uncomfortable at the mention of the winged males. "I will punish them for what they did to you, my child," Rin leant down, tilting the harpy's chin so that the teal haired girl was forced to look at her. The goddess's blue eyes crackled with energy. "But you are right, you are in Mikuo's debt," she bared her teeth in his direction, and Mikuo frowned back at her. What was she thinking? "I do not trust him fully…the messenger god has sired many children with mortals in the past," she added dryly, and he blinked. Was that really her main concern? "Are you not afraid?"
Miku looked at him too, her green eyes unreadable. Fiery energy still simmered in her gaze, a raw passion that was not present in his own eyes. That, he decided, was the main difference between him and his doppelganger. She was still young and angry, while he had grown jaded with the passage of time. "I am not afraid," she answered, and though she still looked deferential, her clear voice rang with obvious defiance. Rin nodded, exchanging yet another look with Len. Len looked a little nervous.
What was the God of Harmony thinking about? "Very well. By your request and my authority, I release you from my service," as Rin spoke the words, a strong wind seemed to swirl around the two women, lifting their hair – the air sizzled with magic. "You are to serve the God of Messengers for as long as he deems fit, until your debt to him is repaid. Then, child, you return to me," Rin placed her hand over the harpy's head and both women closed their eyes. Mikuo and Len simply watched.
A few seconds later the winds died down and Miku rose from the floor, inclining her head towards her former mistress. "Thank you," she said simply. Rin nodded, before she turned to Mikuo and gave him a deathly glare – the teal haired god was suddenly tempted to hide behind her twin brother.
"Do anything to make her suffer, and you will feel my wrath," the goddess declared, and Mikuo knew she meant every word. He nodded – he didn't have any ill intentions anyway, not towards a girl who looked so much like himself – and Rin swept back into her room, beckoning to her brother to come along with her. Len followed unhappily – his reluctance was written all over his face – and then the large door to the chamber swung shut, leaving Mikuo and Miku alone in the hallway of the gods.
"Well," he spoke to his new servant, "follow me. I have many errands to run. Being the messenger god is tiring, and it'd be useful to have an extra set of hands…although you can't fly," he stared at her and she sighed, avoiding his gaze. He relented. "You may not have wings, but you might well prove yourself useful in other ways," he beckoned to her, and she followed him down the hall. "For example, like what your dear former mistress said, my siring of children. Not a task, but a burden rather – I have so many that I can't respond to all of them at once. So you will take my place," he explained.
The harpy sighed again, louder this time. "How many children do you have?" she asked, as though she was dreading the answer. Mikuo paused and thought for a while, and in the end he shrugged – he really didn't have any idea, actually. And besides, his number was nothing compared to his father's. Or to Luki's, the womanising God of Mischief. Or maybe even to Len's? He knew Len had plenty of demigod children as well. Which was actually rather shocking, given his relatively mild personality.
"That's not important," he snapped his fingers, and the double doors at the end of the hallway flew open, allowing him to enter the realm of Lybra proper. "Just know that you need to do this job. Do it well, for my reputation hinges upon it. And oh, since I don't actually go around creating servants like Rin, I don't have any sleeping quarters for you and I don't exactly want to put you together with the nymphs either," he shook his head. "They are very…frivolous. So for now, you'll share a room with me until I finally decide upon where to place you," he smiled, noticing her stiffen. "Are you nervous, Miku?"
She jumped at the sound of her name, but held his stare. Something almost like a smirk curved her rose petal lips. "To spend a night with you?" she answered. "I have lasted centuries alone in the Underworld, tolerating everything the svinns ever did to me," the smirk disappeared as her lips twisted, becoming a snarl. Her green eyes blazed. "There is no longer anything for me to be afraid of."
