Back in their natural and true states of being, Pit and Kuro headed for Viridi's temple as promised the day before. Yoshua had been in an incredibly sour mood and was taking it out on everyone around him, cursing and claiming some greater power hated him.
"Finally, he understands," Kuro had joked, but Pit's mood wasn't much better. His nightmares had returned, and Medusa had been at full strength within them. On top of that, it seemed he'd lost what trust Yoshua had put in him, wondering if Pit was really open to the message against the goddess or not. The day had been nothing short of a wreck, and he worried this meeting would only make it worse.
They arrived at the temple and passed through the open gate, Pit landing lightly on his feet with Kuro doing the same moments later. Though the red-eyed angel had his bow with him, Pit had chosen to keep his hands free. He scanned the temple to find Viridi approaching them. He dipped his head.
"Good evening, Viridi," he greeted, and she smirked as she attempted to be friendly despite the reasons behind this meeting in the first place.
"Same to you, Pit." She glanced over to Kuro behind him. "Man, you two go everywhere together, don't you?"
"No one ever said it was only between the three of us," Pit pointed out. "And besides. This is discussing the possibility of conflict. The Commander of the Skyworld Army should be around to hear it."
"Beyond that, you know about what kind of connection we have, eh, Viridi?" Kuro continued. "You got a problem with me being here?" Viridi stared at him.
"I guess not," she shrugged. "And it's not like I didn't expect you to come." She turned around and mumbled, just loud enough for Pit to hear, "Pit always has to have his shadow close by…" Judging from the anger Kuro quietly emitted, Pit guessed he'd heard the remark too. But he was thankful that his twin wasn't being openly hostile about it. If anything, Kuro had learned when an irritated outburst was appropriate and when to hold it in, even if he took it out on a few Centurion Strongarms later.
A few minutes later, a dark-colored flame came through the gate and it quickly solidified into Nemo's form. He dipped his head in greeting, but Viridi scowled at him.
"I guess that's everyone," Pit began. "Well, you both know why we're here."
"Yes," Viridi turned her glare toward him. "So, what's your plan? What are you going to do with that human?" Pit opened his mouth to reply, but hesitated. "Do you even HAVE a plan?"
"My plan depends on his actions," he answered. "I need to hear him out and decide on a course of action. Somehow, I need to convince him to listen to me and understand that," his tone quickly became accusatory, despite his best attempt to keep it level, "Not everything he's complaining about is MY fault!"
"Excuse me?" Viridi demanded. "Just what do you mean by that?"
"You're the one that's been killing their crops and making them suffer without water. You let fires ravage their homes that you spark from lightning strikes, and I know some of the illnesses they've been complaining about are your doing." Viridi glared at him.
"Someone's got to teach them a lesson!" she argued. "I can't just let them keep destroying my Earth!"
"Your Earth?" Nemo echoed. "Last I checked, we're all responsible for maintaining it. No one being, mortal or divine, can claim it as his own."
"Don't you dare even speak to me," she growled. "You shouldn't be watching out for anything! Aside from Darkness, anyway. Illegitimate Underworld ruler…"
"You've got to be kidding me," Nemo clenched his teeth. "You've said it yourself: Survival of the fittest. I happened to be more 'fit' than Hades."
"You used us all in your stupid game!" Viridi went on, and her face was quickly turning red with anger. "All because you think you've got any say in things that don't pertain to you. You're an Oracle! Act like it!"
"Okay, fine. Tell me, would you rather have Hades back?" Nemo's pale face was flushing as well. "Would you rather have him harvesting souls and claiming our world as his own?" He didn't let her answer. "I've been merely overseeing the cycle of souls. I don't use them unless I have no other choice. I don't want the Underworld to be a feared Hell. I want it to have the same respect as the Overworld or Skyworld, if possible."
"Not using them, huh?" Kuro spoke up, but Pit knew he wouldn't listen to an order to quiet himself. "Then explain the Underworld troops we've been fighting off. Where are they coming from?" Nemo's gaze turned to him.
"I told you before: Misbehaving renegades. Not everyone in the Underworld likes me either." His tone was flat, even sour.
"Uh huh." It was evident Kuro wasn't buying into his story. "Hades said himself that he wasn't even sure they had brains. They wouldn't be moving so strategically unless someone was at command."
"You'd be amazed," Nemo replied. "I've been trying to craft them to be better- quality, not quantity."
"Why?" Pit inquired. "If you just want to keep the peace, then why do you need troops at all?"
"Defense," Nemo said simply. "I trust you well enough, Pit, but I can't say the same about the goddess of Nature here."
"What are you trying to say?!" Viridi demanded. "I'm doing what I think is best for me and my Children."
"Sending them into pointless battles is what's best for them?" Kuro inquired curtly. "Sorry, but I don't see any logic there."
"A few sacrifices are necessary to more forward," Viridi answered. "I want to teach these humans a lesson before they destroy the Earth!"
"That'll get you nowhere!" Pit insisted. "All this violence isn't going to solve anything. We need to actually teach them, not just punish them. They're just going to get mad if you attack them."
"He's right," Nemo agreed. "They won't learn by wrath."
"Which was hard enough to get you to understand," Kuro grumbled. "Took Pit kicking your butt for you to understand."
"I wasn't completely destroying the humans," the lord of the Underworld replied defensively. "I would have brought them back, unlike Hades or you, Viridi."
"They've become scum!" she hissed. "What's the point of keeping them around anymore? The world's better off without them!"
"What part of 'humans are the closest to the gods' don't you understand?" Pit said harshly. "They're quick to grow, and I know they can learn. They'll be capable of great things if they move in the right direction."
"But they're not GOING in the right direction!" Viridi pointed out. "They're too busy destroying the earth and each other. Not to mention slandering us. If they're so close to us, why don't they act like it?"
"You don't give them a chance!" the god of Light replied. "You push them away, punish them without explaining why, and refuse to help them along."
"I hate to ask, but would they even listen?" Nemo wondered. "I can't help but wonder if they're already too far off. I'm willing to give them a chance, but you have to show me results, Pit, evidence that they're capable of change."
"I know that," Pit said curtly. "I'm trying."
"Your 'trying' is pointless!" Viridi insisted. "Sure, one may listen to you, but others won't. Or they'll just want to fight you. Then someone'll come to your defense, and they'll be at war! I'm not going to watch another pointless fight between them. I'll sooner wipe them from the face of the Earth!"
"And yet you hate me for my actions?" Nemo glared at her. "So you'll do the exact same thing I did, but-"
"No, just the humans," Viridi clarified. "I'm not going to completely destroy everything!"
"I did what I thought was necessary," Nemo clenched his jaw. "All or nothing, Viridi. If you go after the humans, I'll be stepping in to stop you."
"So will I," Pit agreed. "But, Nemo, don't forget: If you go after the humans again, I'm coming after you!"
"One thing at a time," Nemo told him, and Pit's anger got the better of him. "First, we have to make sure they won't just be wiped out."
"Oh, what, so I wear down my troops and you have more souls to use?!" he accused. "I'll be busy fighting and you'll 'step in' every now and again. But I'll be doing all the work as usual, and then what? You hoard souls until you've got enough for some ultimate weapon?"
"When did I ever say that?!" Nemo demanded. "I'm trying to HELP you, Pit! I'm not Hades! I'm not going to waste souls senselessly! I respect them, unlike him."
"I know all too well that you're good at saying anything with a straight face," Pit growled. "If you care so much about souls, why did you nearly let Lady Palutena's be destroyed?"
"That was as much your fault as it was mine!" Nemo reminded him. "You think you can just play the valiant hero again, saving your precious goddess? You're the one that-"
"SHUT UP!" Kuro erupted, effectively silencing the three gods. He was fuming, fists clenched, jaw locked, face red, and his eyes burned. "All three of you. Shut. Up. Pit, seriously. You all need to stop picking fights. You want the humans to learn? I keep saying it, but no one wants to listen: Practice what you preach!" He paused, panting. "How can you criticize them for fighting when you yourselves can't seem to keep the peace for more than a few years? Are you any better than them?" Once his shock subsided, guilt crashed over the blue-eyed angel. He sighed and looked down.
"He's right," he said, his voice soft. "Nemo, I'm sorry. I hope you'll accept my apologies and forgive me for my anger. I didn't mean a lot of that."
"Apology accepted," Nemo nodded. "I know you and I still aren't on the greatest terms. But," he turned back toward Viridi. "You. Speaking as an Oracle, not as the lord of the Underworld, I've witnessed your actions time and time again. You can't just wipe out the humans with no intention of helping them." Viridi glared at him, though her immediate rage had subsided.
"Whatever," she said flatly. "Fine, Pit. You want to do something about that human, do it. But if you fail, then I won't hold back."
"I understand," he nodded. "And I have no intention of failing. I believe that I can restore his faith." Viridi simply stared at him.
"Great. Go do that, then. All of you, out of my temple before I get mad!" Pit turned to his companion, and they both headed for the gate as Nemo returned to his flame-like form. Once they took to the air, Pit let out a heavy sigh.
"Thanks for that," he said to his brother, who turned and looked at him.
"I just said what had to be said," he grumbled. "Like I've been saying for thirty years or so. I never expected YOU to be picking fights, though."
"My anger got the best of me, I guess," he admitted. "That was my fault." He sighed again. "I'm not sure if we just managed to avoid all out conflict or just delay it."
"I don't know either," Kuro shrugged. "But I think it's going to depend on how you handle Yoshua. If you manage to get that out of the way, then that should appease Viridi for some amount of time. And it'll seal your bargain with Nemo, won't it?"
"It should," Pit agreed. "At least, I certainly hope so. But…" He paused. "I'm still not convinced by his story about his troops. There's something he's not telling us, and I don't think it's because he's plotting something."
"He said there are even things in the Underworld that don't like him," Kuro recalled. "Maybe that's got something to do with it."
"Maybe," Pit frowned. "But loyalty down there seems to be shaky at best. I doubt anyone would get so worked up about Hades that they'd steal his troops. And besides, they would have struck already- it's been years."
"Perhaps we should pay a visit down there sometime soon," Kuro suggested.
"That may be an idea," Pit nodded. "But first, we need to deal with Yoshua."
