*Italicized words mean the character is viewing something happening in front of them from the past*
Chapter 10
Sleep overtook Yui as soon as her head hit the pillow. Almost instantly after she closed her eyes in slumber, her senses came alive with the faint tinkling of bells, and the immediate area began to be surrounded by colorful prisms. Was she being transported back to the past again? But what was the reason this time? From what Athena had told her, the necklace obviously had something it wanted her to know, so the Japanese girl looked onward as she began her journey.
Yui found herself walking into an expansive room with colossal columns made from alabaster, and below her feet were gleaming marbled floors. Gold and silver accents gave the area an even more opulent appearance. The view was awe inspiring and imposing at the same time. Kusanagi couldn't begin to describe the magnificence in front of her eyes, except for one word...perfection. Her eyes strayed from the lavish decor and landed upon a tiny figure sitting in the middle of the floor.
It was the most adorable baby boy! He had a head full of loose, golden curls that framed an angelic, round face with a gigantic pair of vibrant, green eyes. A baby-sized toga was draped over his little body, and the Japanese girl found herself wanting to pick the child up and cuddle him. Yet, something was wrong. Why was this baby all by himself? Yui looked around frantically. Where were his parents?!
A happy squeal turned Kusanagi's complete attention back onto the baby, who was now beginning to crawl off eagerly to the left side of the room. His body was glowing in a soft yellow color that gave him a more ethereal appearance. Yui hurried after the speedy little tot, and she came to the quick conclusion that this was no mortal baby.
This baby was none other than Apollon-san!
A thousand questions raced through her mind as she tried to keep pace with the crawling Sun God. Where was Athena-san? Where was Zeus?! How could they have left a defenseless baby by himself? She couldn't believe her new roommate would have willingly let Apollon-san out of her sight, so maybe someone else was supposed to be watching him?
Another happy squeal came from the tiny Sun God as he picked up a small, orange colored blob, and shoved it hastily into his mouth. Yui wanted to snatch the unknown object from him, but the baby was too quick. She could only hope it was food...
A few inches away was another orange blob and the baby instantly grabbed it, plopping it into his mouth once again. The teenager called out his name, but Apollon didn't acknowledge her presence, reaching for a second orange blob spaced about as far as the other one.
Yui took her chance to rush past the baby, and onto the next orange blob; her goal to pick it up before it found its way into Apollon's mouth. But her body refused to move past the tiny Sun God, as if she was not to interfere with the scene before her. Kusanagi let out a frustrated huff of air. Of course, she was viewing something that had already happened in the past.
As she looked beyond the baby deity, the teenager gasped in alarm as she viewed a trail of the orange blobs leading to a door that was slightly open. Was Apollon-san deliberately being directed there?! And what exactly were those orange things on the floor?
Apollon bounced up and down in a seated position. "Wornges! Wornges!" he chanted excitedly as he glowed even more. Soon he began to giggle, and Kusanagi found herself smiling at his actions, despite her concern about the situation.
The baby Apollon did as Yui feared, and followed the trail of orange blobs straight to the open door. He paused for a moment and peered inside the doorframe, his face lighting up in joy when he saw more of the 'treats'. Kusanagi glanced inside too, and found a pathway made of smooth stones that led downward. Sure enough, there was evenly spaced orange blobs placed upon the path.
Anxiety gripped the teenager at the thought of a little baby crawling down this pathway all by himself. What if he fell off the side? She couldn't tell for sure how high up they were, but Yui couldn't see any bottom either. Who would be so cruel to lead a child into a dangerous situation like this?
Once again, Apollon began to chant, "Wornges! Wornges!" This time, Kusanagi was able to make the connection to the Sun God's favorite food; oranges. Whoever was behind this scheme knew exactly how to snare the baby's attention.
The Sun God began to glow brighter as he started crawling upon the stone pathway, snatching up orange pieces to plop into his mouth. Halfway down, he collected the fruit by the fist full, shoving them into a fold that was from the extra piece of cloth that draped over his shoulder and down the front and back of his toga. A gold sash tied around his waist kept the food from falling out. Kusanagi was amazed at the ingenuity of the little child, but she had to remember that he was a god, so convention was out the window.
At first the pathway looked endless to the teen, but the speed of the small deity had made quick time, and finally they were at the end. The baby came to a stop at the opening to a cavernous, depressive region, and positioned himself into a seated position. His gigantic eyes took in the dark surrounding all around him in wonder. This place was new and exciting!
Yui let out a relieved breath. Apollon-san had made it safely! Her alleviation was short lived as a terrifying howling sound echoed through the immediate area. Soon the dirt floor began to vibrate as if a herd of elephants were coming their way. Seeing what was racing towards them made Kusanagi wish a herd of elephants were indeed charging in their direction. It would have been much safer!
It was a massive beast with three separate heads connected to long necks that were attached to one main body. The heads resembled the Doberman Pincher dog breed, and each one had glowing red eyes with teal colored markings around them. The markings also traveled down around each of the front legs and more were near its backside. The tail was also the same color, but it looked more like a rat's than a dog's. Even the enormous, sharp nails were teal.
Three snarling jaws were snapping open and shut as the monster dog stopped in front of the baby, preparing to take a bite out of the little intruder. Yui screamed, and tried to place her body before Apollon, but once again, she was held in place, forced to watch the horrific scene unfolding before her.
Baby Apollon appeared unfazed by the vicious beast before him, digging his chubby hands into the fold of his toga, and pulling out two fist fulls of orange pieces. He lifted his arms up as high as he could, placing the fruit directly under the dog's heads. A hearty laugh broke through the air as the baby's body glowed brightly, with multicolored prisms twinkling and dancing around the child and monster.
"Puhpees! Puhpees!" the baby god said in excitement.
Stunned momentarily, the beast stared at the baby in bewilderment. The middle dog head inched closer to Apollon's fists, sniffing at what he was holding. Ears that were flattened against it's head, suddenly perked up, and a snake like tongue snuck out to take a quick taste.
Apollon let out a giddy squeal as the tongue felt ticklish against his skin. "Eat! Eat!" he told the beast, opening his hands to try and bring the food closer to their mouths. The three dog heads shared glances between each other, and encouraged by the middle head, they began to lick up the orange pieces. Once his hands were empty, the baby reached into his toga to pull out more. Eagerly the monster dog gobbled up the delicious treat.
When Apollon no longer had any orange blobs to share, Kusanagi began to fear again for the baby's safety. Would the monster now attack? Instead, the beast began to lick all over the tiny hands, eliciting delighted laughter from the deity. The middle dog head reached past the baby, and grabbed the back of Apollon's toga, lifting him up.
Yui's hands covered her mouth. Oh no! Was it going to hurt Apollon-san?! She could only watch on helpless as the monster dog turned around and went back to where it had came, taking the child with it. Suddenly, she found she could move again, and she hurried to catch up to the creature. They hadn't traveled far when the massive dog stopped, coming to rest in a small cave with an huge, woolen blanket situated in the middle of it. The baby god was dangling in the air from the mouth of the middle dog head, beaming and giggling in happiness as if it was an adventure.
The beast gently lowered the baby down onto the wooly blanket, and the three dog heads began to lick the little god all over the face and arms. Apollon laughed and squealed while Kusanagi shook in fright, noticing the numerous skeletal remains of the human variety littered around the area.
Apollon-san was still with them in the future, so this monster dog wasn't going to eat him, right? She desperately hoped that someone noticed the baby was gone and was looking for him at that moment.
The tiny Sun God let out a loud yawn, and rubbed at his eyes. The dog heads immediately stopped their licking at watched in curiosity as the baby moved against it's body. He laid his golden head against the beast's massive chest and snuggled in closer, emitting a satisfied coo as his eyes closed in slumber. The two outer dog heads laid down on either side of Apollon, while the middle head stayed upright and alert, his glowing red eyes constantly searching the immediate area.
Kusanagi wasn't sure how long she stood at the opening of the monster's cave, but she let out a sigh of relief when she heard the familiar voice of the God of the Underworld, Hades. He would surely make sure his little nephew got back to Mount Olympus. When he came into view, she was surprised that he still looked exactly the same then as he did now. Did he not age?
"Cerberus, what was all that noise earlier?" the Greek god asked the three headed creature. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the sleeping Sun God nestled against the creature's chest. "How?! How did he get down here?! What is he doing with you?!" Hades frantically reached out to pick up the baby, but the middle dog head let out a low growl and hovered over the golden crown of curls. Bared teeth greeted the god as he tried once again to gain control of the baby.
Furious, Hades snapped, "You dare to stop me?! I am your master!" The tip of his staff began to glow and crackle in power, expressing his displeasure.
The other two dog heads joined in, growling and barking in a quiet way so not to wake the child. Their eyes glowed in challenge as their ears began to flatten against their heads.
"What do you mean he belongs to you?!" The God of the Underworld looked at his minion, his anger being replaced by mystification. "He is Zeus' son, and also our Sun God...you can't keep him."
Growls and barks answered the god back; the monster dog still refusing to relinquish it's custody of the child.
"It doesn't matter if you found him," Hades replied, rubbing at his left temple in exasperation. "Apollon cannot stay with you. He must be brought home to Olympus."
Suddenly, an emotional, female voice echoed through the cavern, calling out for the God of the Underworld. Hades lowered his head and sighed. "Athena is coming. She will not take this well."
Yui whirled around, and immediately recognized the Goddess of Wisdom, who raced past her to get to Hades. She was a bit younger looking, like she was in her late teens, but still tall and svelte. A look of absolute panic was written on her beautiful face.
"Hades! I can't find Sunbeam anywhere, and I saw where the door to the Underworld was open! Please tell me you found him!" Athena said in a near wail, her gray eyes filling with tears.
A look of compassion overcame the god's face. "Calm yourself, Athena. Cerberus found Apollon."
Her face turning ashen, the goddess shook. "Cerberus...?" The unshed tears came rushing out like an unstoppable flood. "My poor Sunbeam!" she said between sobs. "He must've been so terrified! Did that horrible mongrel hurt him?!"
A strong hand gripped the female deity's shoulder. "Apollon is fine!" Hades spoke, gesturing towards the three headed monster. "See, he is sleeping against Cerberus and is unharmed."
Wiping at her wet eyes, Athena finally looked in the direction her uncle was pointing to. She let out a shaky breath of relief to see that indeed the Sun God was unscathed. When she tried to grab her baby brother, the monster dog growled and snapped at her hands, refusing to let her get near.
"We have a problem," the morose god explained. "Cerberus thinks Apollon belongs to him now. I have tried to get the baby myself, but even I'm not allowed to touch him."
Frowning at the three headed creature, Athena placed her index finger and thumb upon her right temple and closed her eyes in concentration. Seconds later she was done. "I told Father I found Sunbeam."
An authoritative, male voice spoke from a distance, and Yui's mouth fell open in surprise when she saw a tall man approaching. He had an impressive physical form. His perfectly shaped muscles were openly exposed underneath the shimmering gold toga that hung off his left shoulder, with white markings embellished all over his body. The face was strikingly handsome, and his long, golden locks cascaded down his back. A neat goatee along with a pencil thin mustache were set around his mouth, and a laurel of hammered gold leaves sat upon his head. He looked truly majestic.
The girl stared harder at the man. Something about him seemed very familiar... Her eyes doubled in size. OMG! This was a much younger version of Zeus! She could easily see the resemblance between father and sons. Dionysus looked like Zeus in his facial features, but Apollon inherited his father's golden hair and similar looking body markings. Both of the sons got their vibrant green eyes from Zeus as well.
"Daughter, you said Apollon had been found?" Zeus inquired, walking up to the pair. His face was filled with worry, but his voice sounded hopeful and relieved.
"Cerberus won't let us take Sunbeam. The silly beast thinks it's the owner now!" the young goddess said, giving the monster dog an irritated glare.
"Be grateful Cerberus has taken to your baby brother," Zeus admonished gently. He turned his green eyes to the three headed dog. "You have my gratitude for finding and protecting my son," he said with bow of his head. "While I realize you developed a bond with him, he also needs to fulfill his duties as a god."
The three dog heads shared a glance between each other, and answered the god with growls. They wanted the sparkly pup to stay with them!
The ruler of the Olympians smirked and nodded his head in understanding. "You have my word that you will see Apollon again. Since Athena and I still have duties to attend to at our temples, I will allow my son to stay here with you and Hades until it is almost sunset."
"Father?!" Athena protested. "Sunbeam can't stay here!"
Hades lowered his head. "I agree with Athena. This place is too dark and miserable for one so sweet and bright." A look of guilt came over his face as he glanced at his little nephew. "Besides, it is my fault the door to the Underworld came open. I must not have shut it properly when I visited Olympus earlier today. Look at the misfortune this has caused. I do not deserve the privilege of watching him. "
Yui's heart went out to her friend. He wasn't at fault! Someone deliberately led Apollon-san here! Whenever her time in the past was done, she was going to make sure that fact was known!
The younger male placed an arm gently around his brother's shoulders. "Hades, do not be so hard on yourself. Apollon adores you, and don't forget how resourceful he is. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he found a way to open the door so he could see you. He is a god of Knowledge after all."
"He could've been..."
"He wasn't," Zeus finished. "I don't see any misfortune. Apollon has even managed to win over the ferocious Hell hound, Cerberus!" The blond god looked around the immediate area. "And I don't see any darkness, only a soft glowing light, coming from a happy, sleeping child. Maybe this place could use some brightening once in a while."
Kusanagi did a double take. Was this really Zeus?! Why wasn't he all angry and upset?! The man before her was calm and understanding, not the heavy handed dictator that was the head of the academy!
"But my curse...!" Hades reminded his younger brother.
"Why not try it for today. If Apollon is truly unhappy, or something happens with him, you may call me to get him immediately."
Crossing her arms over her armor plated chest, Athena let out a resigned huff of air. "Sunbeam would be safer with you, Hades, than the 'one' who was supposed to be watching him. I would love to hear the excuse Hera comes up with this time," she said with a hint of sarcasm.
"Daughter, do not start with that!" Zeus warned in a stern tone. "She is your Queen, and she thought Apollon was asleep in his bed when she took a nap herself."
The young goddess rolled her eyes, but said nothing more, looking longingly at her baby brother. She tried once more to reach out to him, but Cerberus once again snapped at her hand.
Listening to the growls, Hades interpreted with a slight smile, "Cerberus said you cannot touch 'Sparkles' because you'll wake him."
Shaking her mane of raven hair, The Goddess of Wisdom had to grin. "Here I was envisioning Sunbeam being traumatized, but he was obviously enjoying himself enough to 'prism'." She kissed the tips of her fingers and then blew on them, sending her love to her sleeping brother. "Big Sissy will be seeing you soon."
A blaring sound rudely awoke Kusanagi from her dream, causing her to bolt upright in the bed. Rubbing at her tired eyes, the teenager was forced to acknowledge it was time to start getting ready for class. Shutting off the offending alarm clock, she let out a sigh. A part of her wanted to go running immediately to Zeus and let him know what she dreamed about, yet another part told her to wake Athena and tell her first. But the goddess also had to get ready to teach her first day of class. Did her roommate need to deal with this issue right away? What should she do?
One thing she was certain of was that someone deliberately lured Apollon-san into a dangerous situation. Who could wish harm to an innocent child?
*I saw some pictures of "Cerberus" from the game and I used that to describe him. Thanks again to all who is reading this story, reviewed and faved! Truly appreciate it!*