Chapter 18

"Thank you Momose-san. I really appreciate you ordering dinner for me. Sorry I took so long." Kyoko told her as they gathered their dinner dishes and straightened their room, before setting the dinner cart out for the maid service. If her ordeal with Sho hadn't been enough, she had to deal with an overzealous follower, Reino. Had she known that he was in that little café, she would have chosen another route. It just wasn't like the old times when she could go where she wanted and mortals would respect her personal space. She thought that perhaps she should start showing the magnitude of her power just to keep them in line, but wasn't that the opposite of what Zeus wanted?

Itsume shook her head. "It was nothing Kyoko-chan. Were you able to take care of that business that you had with your friend?"

Kyoko snorted and nodded. "If that's what you can call someone like that... Oh, I'm planning on soaking in the onsen. Would you like to join me?" Maybe if she took her along, she could avoid some of the adverse attention she had been garnering lately from Sho-baka.

Itsume shivered. "No sorry. I could never get used to public baths like that. I feel so exposed. Thank you for the offer though." She smiled. "You go on ahead. I need to go over my lines for tomorrow."

Kyoko nodded and gathered her things. Maybe a nice long soak would help calm her. Well, maybe next time. She sighed and shut the door.

Yes, this is what she needed after that little ordeal with Sho. Aki Shoko's legs felt like gelatin after the massage and now she was going to go for a nice long, hot soak to get her mind off of the horrible day. Her mind was just running in too many different directions with the girl she thought she knew as Kyoko-chan.

She slipped out of her yukata, scrubbed and then wrapped herself in a towel. The cool night air felt good on her freshly cleaned warm skin as she stepped out into the steam filled air. She froze when she noticed the other female already soaking.

"Oh... Kyoko-chan, I'm sorry. I... Um... I'm sorry for Sho's behavior today." She apologized as she slipped into the water.

Kyoko sighed and rolled her eyes inwardly. "It's okay. It's nothing that I'm not used to by now."

Shoko sighed. "Some men can be such little boys sometimes." She commented.

Kyoko narrowed her eyes at her. "Somehow I really don't believe that's the case. Shoko-san, he's always been spoiled and he's always been given everything he has. He has never truly had to work for anything. It's always been that way for him. Like I said, I'm used to it."

Shoko really wanted to have her curiosity sated. The more she watched the girl, the more her true form shined through in her eyes. Who was Kyoko-chan? "Kyoko-chan... Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

Kyoko looked at her warily and nodded.

"Who are you really?" She asked nervously.

Kyoko shook her head. She supposed that she had slipped one too many times around this woman and now it was coming back to haunt her in the form of this question. It was at that moment when her entire appearance changed. She was still Kyoko but her hair was much longer, as black as pitch and she practically glowed in the moonlight. Kyoko sighed. "Shoko-san... If you are not a musician... You cannot possibly begin to appreciate who I am." She stood and exited the onsen, leaving Aki Shoko in shock. She turned back to her with her index finger closely to her lips. "Shh... Let this be our little secret." She winked at her and the youthful teen-aged girl returned.

Shoko had her answer. She would wonder why she had been able to see Kyoko as she was but it was only an answer that others like Kyoko could give her. In ancient times people like she and Reino would have been brought to a temple, at an early age, to serve and live out the rest of their lives in dedication to the gods as a priestess or, the equivalent. It was a very special gift to be able to see a god or, goddess in their true form.

Shoko looked on in horror as she watched her charge pull the strange girl to his side and when the words the unusual platinum-haired singer entered her ears, she understood completely.

"She doesn't belong to Fuwa... She is a goddess that should be worshiped. She is a muse." He told his companions softly with conviction as he stroked her wet hair. "She should be draped in silk and bathed in expensive jewels. Only another god should be allowed to touch her." He sighed. "None of us are worthy." He narrowed his eyes at Sho. "Not even you."

Now Shoko understood completely. By angering this female he had shot himself in the foot long ago. "Sho! Let's go..."

Reino smirked then bowed to Kyoko. "Forgive me, most Divine One. I apologize for touching you."

Aoidḗ nodded silently and dismissed him.

"What the fuck was that?" Sho ground out after the strange singer left.

Kyoko looked back as she walked away. "You're small mind couldn't comprehend."

Shoko shook her head. "Sho... I think you need to start trying to get on her good side or, you may lose something very dear to you." She couldn't tell him what she discovered. He would never believe her. He would think she was insane. Hell, she thought she was insane. If what she believed was truly the case, she really needed to help him mend this rift between the two or, his career would sink faster than a torpedoed ocean liner.

"Pfft... She means nothing to me." He scoffed.

Shoko shook her head. "I wasn't referring to her." She commented quietly and left for their room. Maybe she could warn her next musical charge of the dangers of pissing off a goddess of the arts when Sho's career inevitably tanked. Would they even believer her?

After that little ordeal, she was amazed at her own restraint. However, she did allow Shoko to see her, and Reino was there. After what he had said and her little clues, Shoko was sure to know what she was. Oh well, I suppose I could erase their memories... She pondered. No, I refuse to be nothing again. She shivered at the dark and lonely memories.

"Kyoko-chan... I think you had a few calls while you were gone." Itsumi told her.

Kyoko nodded and thanked her, then dialed.

The call went well enough; however, Deimos was a little concerned about the news of Aki Shoko being able to see her. He didn't like that Fuwa seemed to show up everywhere she was and this Reino guy, seemed to want to get too up close and personal for his tastes.

She hoped that she didn't reveal her worry too much over what had happened. She didn't want him to have to explain the only mode of travel that would bring him to her as quickly as he desired. Something like that would definitely be noticed by mortals and Zeus alike. She took in a deep breath and then sighed quietly as she looked over at her roommate on the bed across the room. She groaned inwardly. I really need to relax or, I'm going to have no end of NGs tomorrow. She rolled over and stared out the window at the stars in the blue-black night sky. "Good night Deimos..." She whispered and drifted off to sleep.