Sequel 7
In any other case, I would be crying in joy.
Scorpios arms were around me from months of not touching, he was grinning cutely at me, giving only smiles, and he had yet to call me a stupid women.
If he wasn't dying around me, I would be really happy.
"That king did a number on you, didn't he?" My eyes overflow with tears, from a mixture of being touched by Scorpio's kindness and fear that if he didn't stop trying to show his stupid point he would either die or lose his godhood- or both for all I fucking knew.
His face falls at my tears, and clicks his tongue in annoyance as he gives a nasty look to the king. Scorp easily connected the dots.
"You bastard… You shouldn't have done that."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." The king says nonchalantly. "I left everything up to the march of time. I've just been observing peacefully. Regardless of how important you are to me, Scorpio, I cannot overlook your disrespect." At the kings calm expression Scorpio's anger explodes.
"What happened to the deal we talked about?"
"Deal?" I ask, eyeing the two. Though I'm sure I already know what it was…
"You only accepted that immoral job on the condition that I erase this human's mark. D you see, woman? He agreed to the 'dirty work' you hate so much for your sake."
"I was too late.." My knees threaten to buckle, but Scorpio holds me tight and refuses to let go, causing more sparks of pain to burn him.
"You think this is your fault? You really are presumptuous. I decided what I did of my own free will." He catches my eyes and smiles kindly again. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"Scorpio that's…" I give a watery snort, my tears finally having somewhat dried up. "Such bs." He rolls his eyes, bumping his forehead against my cutely. He hisses quietly, and I immediately lurch from his hold. This time, seeing my look, he lets me stand at his side.
"Pff. Your own free well? Don't be so full of yourself. Everything has gone as I planned from the very beginning." The king rolls his eyes at us both.
"...Your really are seriously twisted." Scorp says.
"I said that same thing!" I give a grin to Scorpio, who rolls his eyes at my sudden lax behavior.
"Our deal became invalid the moment that woman came into the heavens."
"Your majesty!"
"Don't raise your voice with me… I just thought of a more interesting form of entertainment." The king switches to a different thought mid sentence and smiles wickedly. "Scorpio. If you fall from grace, give up your godhood and become a human, I will erase this woman's mark so that you can touch her again."
"What did you say…?"
"But you can't do that, can you? The disgrace that was your human life… The terror, anger, and despair...Are you really willing to go through all that again?"
I mean, I'm pretty sure if he became a human now he'd never fall into that life again- but still. Scorpio is not mentally healed enough to go back to being a human.
"I just want Scorpio to be happy," I state quietly.
"You...uggh-" Without thinking, Scorpio reaches at and touches his fingers to mine.
"Scorp, step away from me If you keep touching me like that, your body-"
"That was nothin'."
"Oh my god," I breathe, rolling my eyes. He's being so difficult.
Scorpio isn't doing what the king wants, and I can see the high and mighty ass staring at Scorp.
"Okay Scorpio.. Let's take a trip down memory lane." My eyes snap up to the king. "Constantly covered in blood of the dregs of humanity, oppressed, seething with resentment and envy… that was your miserable past.."
"Are you fucking with me!?" I yelp, looking between the two. Scorpio is still unphased, and even gives a measly shrug as if to say 'yeah so what'. "You, for hours, went on and on about how I was selfish and wouldn't think of Scorpios true happiness- yet you're the one trying to force him to remember it all just so he'll stay with you."
"I see, you understand?"
The king has completely tuned me out at this point. Though… it's probably for the best.
"So, you'll give up on the woman and return to me?" The king's lips curl into a satisfied smile.
"Who said anything about that?" At this, both me and the king give the god bewildered looks.
"What…"
"What?"
"Your thought process is all messed up." Scorp says slowly. "I don't know why you're so fixated. This isn't like you." As if the pretty boy has been shot up with adrenaline, he moves before me and stand proudly before the truly pissed king. "I don't want to lose her. That's my answer."
"Scorpio… you…! Don't be absurd.. Are you saying you'll become a human!?"
"Hitomi, trust me and wait for me." His sudden words has my heart gripped in a tight, cold fist.
"W-What?"
"I promise. I'll never, ever let you go."
"I mean, babe, I trust you but you're doing that thing again with the words and tone that freaks me the fuck out…" He smiles, giving a tiny laugh. He turns his back to the fuming king so he can walk up to me and give a gentle hug. He then, bumps his forehead to mine, kisses it, and then turns to quietly walk towards the king.
I could stop him.
I could reason with the king.
Yet… I do trust him.
I know he'd never let go of me and I'd never let go of him.
And it may be selfish… but something inside of me tells me that if I needed to save him from those disgusting humans that had ruined him so long ago, it'd give me that power to do so.
So… I watch quietly.
Before I can even begin to overthink my decision, something like angry wind begins to rise up from the king. I stumbled back at it's suddenly pushes against me, and it forces me off my feet and I'm thrown up against a wall.
"Do you plan on using your power against me?" The King is glowing with yellow globs of fluctuating power, like the same thing I saw Scorpo have back when he had just gotten his powers and had been pissed at Leon.
"Sure. We could both attack each other at the same time… Destroy each other and be reborn as humans." The king blinks dumbly at Scorp's words, and then lets out a heinous laugh that booms loudly around the throne room.
"I don't think you're in the right mind." His words spark his power to begin flying around the room. He raises his hand, and as if half heartedly swatting a fly, lets loose a large ball of energy. Using this, though, causes the wind to die and I'm quick to take cover.
"Hitomi!"
"I'm fine!" I yell back, not sure if Scorpio hears me over the sound of his and the kings powers.
"Do you think that insignificant human is worth a god like you dying over? She's foolishly greedy, and selfish, why's she so important to you? Explain it to me. Convince me." Peeking around the large vase, I watch as the king face falls. He looks upset, sad. I was right… He really was upset that I had gotten closer to his favorite god than he had. He didn't want Scorpio to be taken from him.
Scorp snaps his fingers every time to King shoots a energy ball, and each time it goes off course and hits the walls or floors, eating away at the material.
"You still don't get it, do you..?" Scorpio loudly scoffs. "I'm not offering up my own damn life for just any human. I would never in a million year die for anyone… Other than Hitomi." His words simultaneously makes my heart bloom and sink.
Scorpio he's quick to retaliate the king's attack, and begins to throw his own energy balls back.
BOOM
The room explodes and I shield my eyes, squeezing tightly against the wall and vase. Though, realizing I could miss something, I force myself to look through the bright light. I see Scorpio, standing tall, and the king sprawled on the ground. With a silver knife glinting in his hand Scrop walks up to the king and puts his foot to the fallen gods chest.
"Tch…"
"S-Scorpio?" I slowly stand, eyes wide.
"Scorpio, you wouldn't…" The king hisses. In one hit… Scorp had cornered the king and won.
The King of all Gods.
I adored Scorp… but… There was no way he had won so easily...
"I'm serious." Scorpio says slowly, seething with quiet determination. The king looks nervous now, and it makes me frown further.
"...The games end here." The king's hand suddenly flies up and the knife Scorp is holding goes flying. The same force that sent the knife out of Scorp's hand, also throws his body against the wall.
"Scorpio!"
I was a human. Powerless in a full blown fight between gods… Yet.. My mind was scrambling to think of a way to stop it all. The king takes slowly steps to Scorpio, who had slipped down the wall to a crumpled pose on the floor, raising a glowing hand up to his face.
I slink from my spot, ready to pounce-
But the king sighs and his hand lowers.
"...If you died, it would cause problems for me, too. You are mine, and only mine… Let's bring this entertainment to a close now. If you repent now, I'll forgive you."
"Did you say… Entertainment?" Scorpio growled. "Cut the crap." Breathing heavily, Scorpio stands up, one arm hanging limp at his side. "Forgive me? I don't need your damned forgiveness."
The king doesn't move, and I frown.
This guy has had multiple chances to finish Scorpio off… over and over… Yet he won't. He can't. He reminds me..
He reminds me of my mom.
When I was little, and wanted to start boxing at my father's request, she'd became so furious- I thought she hated me because of it. Yet… she never punished me. Later I know it was because she loved me so much… she didn't want to me have have the need to use boxing to protect myself- she didn't want me to have a life where I'd ever have to use it.
She loved me more than anything.
Just.. Like the King loves Scorp more than anything. Like a mother to her child.
But the mother was destroying the throne room, and maybe even the entirety of heaven with the power her ass is leaking.
I go to move even closer, but bleach blonde catches the corner of my eyes. Looking over, I see my own reflection in a large mirror I hadn't seen until now, and notice that the dark black tattoo-like mark on my collar bone has faded significantly. "The sin of corrupting a god". You know… After all this is over, I think I'm going to get "the sin of corrupting a god" tattoo on my chest. That'll be a fun one to explain.
Wait- but why was it fading? Was it because Scorp was becoming more focused or determined or something? As I stare at the mark, my hesitation suddenly disappears and I feel.. Determination flood my veins. I feel the want- no… the need to protect. Also- I'm really pissed.
...I could sense Scorpio's feelings through the mark. Why? I'm not sure, specially since I couldn't back with it was fully there I had been staring at it for fucking hours while Scorp had up and vanished.
But, not complaining.
"I'll let you make the final decision.. Human." I jump, my eyes snapping away from my own and meeting the gods look that had now centered on me. "Only one life can be saved. Who will you save, yourself or Sc-?"
"Scorpio." His name is out of my lips before the King could even finish. "King, you could've asked me the first day I met the asshole, or the day he became sick because he hadn't been eating, or the day he took a knife instead of me. Plus… I'm the one who interrupted the first time, and was marked.
"Hitomi… Quit being so selfish." Scorpio gives me a look.
"Oh my god!" I throw my arms out. "I'm selfish if I try to come and save you from killing a god, I'm selfish if I want to spend time with you, I'm selfish if I want to love you, I'm selfish if I come and chew out a god for being an ass to you- you know what! Yes! I'm selfish! If it has to do with you, Scorp, I'm selfish! So selfish that even the Queen of gods noticed!"
"My own two hands- my power will settle all of this," Scorp snaps back "I overcame my whole past to be with you."
"And so did I!" I shout, frowning heavily. "You know I did… And I know you did." He stares straight at me, but gives a small understanding nod.
"Think about what you're saying. If you're reborn as a human after this, the two of you will be alive at totally different times… Are you still sure…?" The god sounds defeated.
"I'm sure." Scorp then smiles sweetly. "For some reason, there's not a doubt in my mind that I'll find you. No matter how many times I'm reborn, I know I'll always seek you out, Hitomi."
"You better come and find me, idiot…"
A disturbing smile slaps itself across the king's face in the crumbling throne room.
"Hah… How foolish… But I suppose it can't be helped if Scorpio feels this strongly. I will grant your wish."
Woah wait.
Wasn't really super serious about being okay with watching Scorp die before me.
"I will extinguish your life as you have asked."
"No!" I scream, taking off in a full blown sprint. The King ignores me, and turns his palm to Scorp and releases a blast of energy.
For a second, the world before my eyes is enveloped in a white light, but I dive through it. My hands touch Scorpio, and then my chest, and then I'm wrapped in his startled warmth.
"If you're going to take Scorpio's life, take mine too!"
"Hitomi!" Scorp yells. He pushes at my arms, but he's surprised at my strength.
"You go on about how you'll never let go!" I snap, holding him tight. "I refuse to ever let you leave my side again. You're stuck with me, dumbass!"