What happened?
Dark, aquamarine eyes fluttered open only to snap close a moment later from the blinding sunlight flitting over her face. A groan of pain bubbled in her throat as she sat up, one hand supporting her throbbing head and rubbing to alleviate the pain. She pushed herself to her feet, holding onto the stone pillar to her left for leverage because her knees felt like jelly and she was afraid if she fell again she wouldn't get up. Abby lift her eyes to the scene in front and her-
And froze.
What lay beneath where she stood was the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. The lawns a lush, vibrant green and the flowers in full bloom. There stood a pavilion directly in the middle with stone steps leading up to it. There appeared to be someone in the pavilion but she was unable to see them, too far and too high up to make out any specific details
How in the world did she get there?
And where was Yui?
Distracted by her new friend's safety, Abby turned away from the window and ran down the hall. She needed to find Yui. Who knows what could have happened to her when they were knocked unconscious?
She found a winding staircase of stone steps, hurrying down as quickly as her feet would allow. All she could focus on was finding the purple haired lass, all other priorities being pushed to the back of her mind. She never saw the uneven step near the bottom until it was too late.
Abby's foot caught on the raised half of the step, yelping as she went stumbling for a moment. Her eyes screwed closed as she waited to hit the hard concrete again but the contact never came. She was suddenly grabbed by the waist and pulled out of her folly seconds before impact. She was pressed up against someone's chest, the stranger holding her tight and secure in their arms.
The first thing she registered was the heat. It poured off whoever had caught her in waves and enveloped her in warmth.
The second was his voice when he spoke.
"Hey! Watch where you're goin' next time, kitten. Can't have people falling down stairs every which way, ya' know."
She opened her eyes and looked up, coming face to face with a man with the brightest red hair she had ever seen and ice blue eyes. He had a sharp, pointed nose and the smile that read trouble for all those who saw it. He was handsome by anyone's standards, and she might have been a bit embarrassed by her fall if she weren't so distracted by Yui's whereabouts. So instead of relishing in the man's hold, she pushed herself away and out of his arms.
"Sorry! I'm looking for someone and I have to go!" She said quickly before running past him. She vaguely heard him calling for her to wait but she was long gone before she could figure out what it was he needed. What she needed was find Yui. If she was even here.
"Yui?" She called down another hallway. "Yui!" When she heard no response she kept going, her footsteps muffled by the carpeted floor as she ran. Halfway down one corridor she saw the purple haired girl outside near the pavilion she saw back in the room. She sighed in relief before heading towards her and the blonde man she was talking too. He was also something good on the eyes.
"Yui!" The older girl turned at hearing her name and beamed when she saw her friend.
"Abigail! I'm so glad you're alright!"
Abby slowed when she got near, flicking her eyes between Yui and the man with the long blonde hair and sea blue eyes.
"Abigail, this is Balder. Balder, Abigail."
The man smiled gently as he shook the brunette's hand. "That's a beautiful name; Abigail."
The compliment caught her off guard, forcing her to stumble over her words before finally coming up with a reply for him. She could feel the blood in her cheeks warming from embarrassment.
"U-Uh, thank you. But everyone just calls me Abby."
Balder smiled wider as he laughed gently. "Alright then, Abby!" He said. "It's a pleasure to meet both you and your friend here." He looked back over to Yui after taking her hand in his.
"She has such soft and fragile hands. Would you mind if we..stay like this for a while?" Yui looked happy to remain where they were in the garden holding hands with the handsome man and she nodded to show her consent.
Despite her notion as the third wheel, Abby was happy to stay there too, just glad to have found her friend safe and sound in this strange place. However the peace was disrupt when she suddenly heard skin slapping skin and Yui yelping. She quickly went into defensive mode, getting in front of Yui to protect her from whomever it was that hit her.
She was met with a familiar face. Blue eyes that were kind and playful just moments before were suddenly harsh and cold as the redhead from before stood in front of Balder and snarled at Yui.
"What are you doing?!"
"I didn't.." Yui tried to defend herself only for the other to ignore her and mutter something to the blonde. Something about Greeks and the place itself.
She didn't care if it was a misunderstanding, the brunette had zero tolerance for harm to her friends. Even something as simple as a little hand slap.
"Excuse me!" She huffed, gaining the redhead's surprised expression before he had a little shit eating grin.
"It's not polite to hit people! And I suggest you apologize before I make you do so!" She was baring her teeth in a snarl and she could just barely see Balder's shock in the corner of her eye. Bit her entire focus was on the redhead who bent down to look at her properly, hearing him chuckle making her blood boil.
"Oi, what a feisty little kitten you are!" He laughed. "I'd be careful, a fiery temper likes yours could get someone in an awful lot of trouble."
She was taken aback by his response before she was narrowing her eyes dangerously.
"Is that a threat?"
"A-Abby! Please, there's no need for violence if any kind!" Yui said, taking her friend by the shoulders and moving her back. "We just want to know what this place is is all."
"Oh?" The other questioned as he looked at Yui. "You're awfully curious."
The violet haired girl became flustered at the lack of personal space, stuttering out her words again. "N-No, I-"
"You want to know?" He asked, to which she quickly nodded.
Then he was leaning in to whisper in her ear quietly. "Well then...if you want to know, why not find out for yourself?"
Yui pushed him away at the answer, the man laughing at her reaction as if it were all just a joke to him.
"I'm mean! So I won't tell you." He took his friend up by the shoulders and turned to leave. "Let's go, Balder."
Balder whined out a bit before the redhead looked over his shoulder and aimed his grin at the brunette.
"Learn to control that temper, kitten! Not that I mind, of coarse! You're adorable when you're mad!" He belted out another laugh as he dug in his pocket and flicked a small piece of candy to Yui. "Here!"
Yui caught the candy, arching an eyebrow as to why he would give her such a thing. "Huh?"
Before she could question it more, the candy grew triple it's size and exploded in a big pink cloud with a loud pop, leaving both girls coughing in it's suffocating contents.
When it cleared the men were nowhere to be found.
"They disappeared?" Abby asked, looking around. Her friend's answer was cut off by a low ringing voice in her head.
Yui Kusanagi. Abigail Mckenzie.
"That voice!" Yui gasped, having have heard it as well. "I heard it back then!"
She never had time to explain before her necklace began glowing brightly, just like back in the storehouse. Both girls were enveloped in the bright flash, their visions whitening out for a second or two before they reappeared in front of huge wooden doors to some kind of office.
Enter Yui Kusanagi and Abigail McKenzie.
They looked at each other out of fear before Yui took hold of one of the handles and pushed the door open, her boots echoing on the floor as they walked in. That same voice from before echoed in the space from the older gentleman in the chair across them.
"Thank you for coming, you two. I've been waiting for you. Come here."
As if their legs had minds of their own, the girls slowly padded across the floor towards the blonde man sitting against the windows in shadows. Who was he? And how did he know their names?
"Did you bring us here?" Yui asked.
"Yes."
"Who are you?"
Finally he stood to his full height, easily towering over the girls even on the steps before him. In his hand be held a staff with a gold and silver piece adorning it.
"My name is Zeus. I am the god who rules the Heavens."
"Zeus?" Abby asked. "But...those are just..myths. Aren't they?"
"Myths?" The God chuckled deeply, looking at the young girl with bright golden eyed filled with amusement. "Does this place seem like a myth, Abigail? Did any of the gods you met seem like myths?"
"N-No, It's just...I've never met a god before...is all."
He lift his staff and let it pound against the floor, his entire being glowing brightly and changing until a child stood before them, two shocked sounds escaping the girls.
"Changing my form is a simple matter," He said, his voice lighter and younger. "Shall I call down thunder as well? Or have I proven myself?"
"Th-Th-That's alright!" Yui said, waving her hands wildly. "We believe you!"
He nodded with a small little smile before his demeanor changed to one of seriousness.
"Yui Kusanagi. I summoned you here to play a part in my plan."
"Your plan?"
"Since ancient times, Gods have been beings that must both love humanity and be worshipped by them. However, the connection between the heavens, ruled by gods, and the human realm had grown lamentably weak."
He had begun walking down the steps and behind a pillar, reappearing as he was before he changed to a child.
"At this rate, a terrible future is inevitable. That is why I have brought together the gods who struggle the most with their connection to humanity, to educate them."
"Educate?"
"Yes. You have already met five of them." He waved his staff towards the ceiling and bellowed. "Behold!"
Holographic images appeared before them, scene of the gods at their own times.
"The Norse gods Balder and Loki."
Abby huffed and decided not to pay attention to them. At least to one of them anyway.
"The Japanese gods Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. The Greek god Hades." He looked to the girls now. "What are humans? What is love? By making them understand these things, a terrible future can be avoided. That is why I created this school. This Academy of the Gods."
He pointed his staff to her. "Yui Kusanagi, you will learn alongside them, and teach them about humanity."
"You can't be serious!" Yui gasped. "You practically kidnap us, and now this?"
"You do not decide. I do."
"That's tyrannical! I can't do that!"
"I shall not release you from this world until you have fulfilled my plan," Zeus said, ignoring Yui's glare.
"I still don't think I can do it! Excuse me!" She stormed past him and out the doors, her anger making her forget her friend there with the Greek god who turned his attention on her then.
"As for you," He spoke softer this time, looking her over before continuing. "I brought you here to learn as well. In your short life you have forgotten what it means to love. Never in all my years have I seen a young heart so broken and filled with such gate for the world around her. You, Abigail, must remember what it means to find joy in the company of others."
He was not sure what it was that he was expecting from her, but the harsh frown that graced her pretty face was not it.
"That's easy for you to say being an all powerful God! You can have everything you want with the snap of your fingers! Why should I try to love? Everyone I love has been taken from me all my life! Why should I learn to love again?"
He was silent for a while, looking at the small human before him with curious eyes. She had an aura of anger and morose around her that has shadowed her in her early years. Such a fragile soul hardened by hate and cruel times. He sent out his heart to the girl.
"Yes. I know, Abigail. I know about your mother and father." This aroused a look of shock out of the girl, aquamarine eyes widening with a gasp.
"H-How could you? How could you possibly know what happened?!"
"The largest spike of sadness drew my attention to you that day. I know about what happened, as well as how you got your scar." He looked to her arm which she quickly hid from his view despite both her arms being covered.
"S-Screw you! How dare you bring that up! Don't ever speak to me again!" She snapped, tears in her eyes before she ran from the room. She had to fight back the painful memories coming back to mind, pushing them back down behind the locks she kept them under. It was better to hide the pain than face it. Facing it meant she was still too weak.
She found herself back in the gardens, collapsing under a tree and pushing the palms of her hands up against her eyes, the leather of her gloves rough against her eyelids but she couldn't care. She was busy fighting off the memory of fear and pain.
And fire.
