Chapter 4
Intermission 1:The brunch after the bloodbath.
A bloody mess this was, Quite literally.
Hlokk, The eleventh of the valkyrie had just helped the most disgusting man she'd ever met kill the greatest and kindest creature in all the heavens
And yet, It could have been worse.
She saw all the things the man, calling himself 'jack the ripper' jad gone through, Including the fact he was one big phony!
If Brunhiolde had only told her she was working with a bloodthirsty perverted James Bond!
She still would have complained, obviously But at least it'd be a much easier sell than a horrible aimless serial killer!
The third youngest of the valkyrie would make a mental note to give her biggest sister a good kick in the throat for lying to her….
But …
She would lok at 'Jack' .
"You make sure you get those wounds taken care of by the nurse ,Boy." She would say, as she flew off to her room.
Jack smith, The man who killed the true mastermind behind the deaths of five prostitutes, A friend to children in need, despite his cravings for blood.
A man who saved his country multiple times from men far worse than himself, and he was being pelted with rocks…
And unfair fate for anyone,, Hlokk knew she was a huge brat, but her sense of fairness was strong as all get out,.
If no one else would appreciate that horrible creep, She figured it fell on her to do just that.
'Damn you brunhilde!' Thought the brat among the Valkyrie, 'Curse you for making me feel sympathy for a guy like him!'
—-
After the marathon of a match that was Herakles vs Jack the ripper, A lunch break was called, A chance to buy time for some proper strategy for both side, most likely.
Afterall, With three straight losses, IT seemed apparent that the ragnarok was a doomed venture. Ares in particular was hit hard by his best friend's death, Following those of both his father and uncle…
"WE should just give it all up!" He cried out. "How many more fine gods do we need to lose to kill a race that already proved themselves to have the will to live!" Tears were flowing freely down his face.
Hermes looked solemn himself. Tempted to agree with Ares, However, he wouldn't be stating as much freely.
"Tch" Vocalized Shiva with a glare "If that's how you two are going to be, Then it's real pathetic, ya know that?"
Ares glared at the Indian god "What do you know? Through these matches you haven't lost anyone!"
Shiva put up one of his hands,one finger in the air, getting Ares to chut up in curiosity.
"I'll break their win streak, And i'll do it in a single blow too." He said teeth Teeth ready to break from how hard he was gritting down on them ."Those humans have had it lucky, But against me i'll make sure that luck isn't a factor anymore."
As the rest of the gods spoke, Loki allowed himself to be known in his usual flamboyant fashion.
"I've arrived with some alarming information~!" He started with delight.
The rest of the gods looked his way.
"You know who they're sending out next?" Asked Shiva. "Cause that's all i'm interested in."
"Oh no, nothing like that, But i have found some rather interesting things about your homeland, Including some clues on how the Valkyries have discovered their little ritual~"
Now that was some worthy information…
"Well? Spill it Loki! How did they become so strong as to let the humans contend with us?"Ares demanded, having a sense this whole time that something wasn't adding up but not being able to put his finger on it.
"Patience, MY dear Greek compatriot~" He said with a greasy smile. "See, In the land of India, There is this concept known as 'shared fate' Where in two people create a strong bond together, and grow all the more powerful for it~ But as should be obvious, The Valkyrie's ties to India are slim to none…"
"So what are you suggesting…?" Shiva asked, raising a brow.
"Oh not much, Only that we may have a traitor in our midst…" He said voice turning vicious,
The gods froze at the notion, A traitor? From India… Obviously there was a certain someone Loki was aiming his vague accusation at, As per who it was, There was only a single option.
"You're suggesting Bhudda is a betrayer?" Asked Shiva standing up. "Considering he's one of my countrymen… I'll be the one to deal with him!"
"No need," Odin spoke simply, This being one of the few times he's opened his own mouth so far."We will simply replace him on our team, "
"Replace?" Asked Ares. "If he cause the deaths of my kinsmen he deserves far worse!"
Odin looked at Ares with a stern glare. His black crow spoke in his stead.
"Have those muscles of yours stopped the flow of Oxygen to your brain? The only one to have the power to kill Bhudda is lord Odin, and killing him outright without a trial would be little more than pointless deicide!"
Ares wasn't the only one looking disappointed… And here Loki was so eager to draw some blood! Still, he knew it was best to not get on his uncle's bad side. For now he would keep it at the back of his wee little head….
But, Unbeknownst to the gods in what was once Zues' room, There was a certain masked someone was listening in…
Regardless of what the eldest of the nordic gods felt, The lucky god of war saw an opportunity to act on his burning grudge.
—-
Elsewhere in the heavens, sat the human competitors who had already survived their ordeals, Around a small picnick table as they picked away at their food.
Who knew the heavens had a food court?
Adam would sniff away at various food items, Unfamiliar with most of them. Never having tasted anything mor complicated than a roasted animal of one persuasion or another,
"Mmm." He hummed observing a slice of apple pie with cheddar on Jack's plate. "That smells gross." Spoke the first man bluntly.
The killer would look annoyedly at his ancestor.
"It's not on your plate sir, There's no need to comment on something you won't be eating." He spoke with his usual dignified tone, " Honestly, were it not for your position as the first parent in history I would ask if you were raised with any manners."
"To be fair" Sasaki would speak, still recovering from his injuries. "I would hardly call murder a polite thing to do." He would joke.
Adam would look at Kojiro's plate and then back to jack's
Not one single bite of it looked appetizing,
Adam would shift around his shoulder, he didn't like this cast constricting his movement, he knew that Reigenlief said it was to aid in his recovery but it felt so cramped…
Then again, he supposed he should be thankful it was only a busted arm, Had it not been for that stranger in their captain's inner circle he would have been a goner…
"Papa!" He would hear a loud shout from his younger son his thoughts would melt away as her turned to the young man with a smile "I'm so glad you're okay!" He approached with Cain and Eve.
"Yeah, You really had us worried old timer!" Cain spoke with a smirk. "And here i was thinking i'd have to hop in there and drag you out!"
"Sorry to make you worried." Adam spoke softly,
Eve shook her head, Smiling. "You're alive, That's all that matters…"
Jack would watch the family, Curiously, The colors of their souls shining radiantly with love and affection for one another. He couldn't help but to feel a tinge of envy the love this man and woman had for their children, But he would keep quiet on it… Those kinds of vulnerabilities weren't something he could show…
His attempts to appear cool and collected would catch the attention of Adam's dear wife.
"Ah! You! " She said with a wide smile" You did wonderfully as well!" said the first woman practically pouncing onto him getting him into a hug and leaving him utterly bewildered.
"...You needn't hide your true colors, " He spoke. "You cannot deny that you are as scared of me as the rest." And indeed there was a small tinge of fear from her, She was in the stands watching that fight as well. After all, And she had heard from Heimdall what this man had done…But…
"Just like how Adam is the father of every single human, Whether they're good, bad or in between… I'm your mama, So no matter what bad things you did I'm proud of you for giving your all fighting for our sake!" he detected not an ounce of insincerity from that, Despite the low tinge of unease…
If nothing else, Jack had to admit being praised for once was at the very least… Pleasant.
"I will take your sincere praise then, Lady eve." he spoke politely
Adam gave a smile, He really did love his wife, Her pure, sincere nature… Above everything it was that kindness he wanted to protect most.
"Sasakiiiiii!" Came the loud, and emotional shout of a warrior renowned far and wide for his talent and ferocity as a swordsman.
"Ah! Musashi! How long it's been!" Kojiro responded. With a loud harty laugh. "An honor my old friend!"
Miyamoto Musashi, Second under the sun, had tears and snot rolling down his face. "That display! The way you had evaded and defended against those blades of water and! It was magnificent!"
"Bah, No need to offer this old coot such praise, It was thanks to you and all my other wise teachers who earned me that victory."
Musashi laughed even despite his proud and happy tears. "No need to be so humble! It was a victory well earned!" Laughed the inventor of the Niten ichi-ryu."If I may sit with you all , it would be a great honor!"
"Ah! Mama and us were just about to ask Papa the same!" Abel said cheerfully.
Jack would sit silently watching the conversation go on, Of course, he didn't mind the guests, But he could feel each of them hold some level of either fear or disgust at him,
Even his 'father' Adam kept a close eye on Jack, When the latter was around his wife and immediate children…
Ah, he supposed he shouldn't expect any better…
But then a pair of hands would cover his eyes, Soft and smelling of cheap perfume and liquor.
"Guess who?" It was a voice Jack could remember anywhere…
"Anne, IT has been some time, Hasn't it?"
"And yet you remember me~ How sweet!" Came the teasing he remembered so well.
Sasaki would look at the woman, contemplatively.
"Ah? Could even a man like you have found a lover?"
"Hah! Hardly! Though i do believe i caught him staring a couple times when he was a kid! " and spoke cheekily, pinching Jack's cheeks.
"Anne, That is quite enough." Jack said, gently swatting her hands away."She is a friend and colleague of my mother."
Ann sort of laugh only a crude cockney British woman could.
"Har! No need to be so polite about it kid! His mum an' i were whores in the same brothel… And callin' me a friend of hers is a wee bit of a stretch these days." Anne spoke with confidence. Before her face drew into a more somber smile. "S'pose if i saw the writin' on the wall a bit sooner, Ya wouldn't have ended up the way you are now, huh kid?":
Jack would turn to face his old friend… And rather than the usual drunken cheer in her soul, he found affection, and a small peng of guilt…
Jack felt… Unsure of what to feel.
"Well, Lady Anne, The past is in the past.. Nothing about it can be changed, I never blamed you, Even for a moment. "
The old hooker gave another chuckle. "'Spose you're still fond of me huh? Glad i knew ya when you were young! Might've saved my life" Jack could tell she was only joking, And so he laughed along with her.
From there the three warriors and their supporters would eat together, Though they had not become so close as to be called friends, They silently respected each other for their willingness to fight and die for the human race
As their lunch continued, they were observed from a distance by their partners in fate. From a few tables away.
—-
Reigenlief and Hrist sat watching the conversation, as a freshly bathed Hlokk arrived
"Ah, I see you two had the same idea huh?" She asked, sitting next to her sisters. "I see the sicko's made some progress already"
"Ah Sister." Reigenlief spoke neutrally. "I'm glad you made it out of that situation alive."
"Psh, There wasn't a moment that my partner wasn't in total control! You're the one who almost bit it so don't worry a dime about me!"
Hrist looked at jack.
"Speaking of your partner, It must have been quite harrowing to work with such a horrid man…" she said in concern for Hlokk, Before her other self reared her head. "If he does anything to you i'll rip him to pieces!"
"Thank you for your concern big sis, But really it wasn't so bad…"That caught the attention of both lief and Hrist."Truth is, as much of a perverted sick old man as he is, he's not actually /that/ bad?"
"Ah? Well, are you saying the notorious jack the ripper has a heart of gold hidden somewhere inside. " asked Lief pushing her glasses up.
"Even if he did, I'd still not work with him… The real one I mean." Hlokk spoke as if she delivered a major bombshell. Only to receive mild interest from her elder sister.
"Ah, So it's an imposter you worked with?" Lief asked,.
"Yup! A major phony if I ever saw one! If anything you should be thanking him as the guy who took the real jack out!"
Hrist would grunt.
"He still forced you to become his partner from what I heard from Brunhilde! Aren't you even the least bit pissed about that? I should throttle him right now!"
Hlokk huffed.
"Brunhilde is just as much to blame for lying to me as he is for doing it! Besides, like i said… He's not that bad of a person. "
"You say about the man you declared a perverted sicko." Leif states matter of factly causing Hlokk to huff.
"I mean yeah! He's nuttier than a sack of squirrel droppings! But what I mean is, He never killed someone that wasn't way worse than he was!"Hlokk finally got to explain.
Leif would take that into consideration.
"Even if that's true, and considering you saw the inner workings of his mind and soul, Plus the fact that you are far too blunt and honest, i'm quite sure it is, He's still little more than a junky searching for a high of someone else's fear. " She surmised before smirking smugly. "Meanwhile, My partner fought almost to his last breath to save his children, Including the ones who don't deserve that kind of paternal affection. That got Hlokk growling.
"You saying mine doesn't?" She asked. "Not only was a basically a secret police who took on the worst of the worst, But he also saved the british empire so many times it's hard to count!"
Hrist would peer between the two as they argued. Having become her fearful self again.
"Girls, please! There's no reason to argue and compare!, All of our partners in fate fought hard for the sake of everyone! And if they fight again we'll be there to support them." She said taking on the role of mediator."... That said… If my partner's prime was just a few years younger i believe i might have fancied him~" she said blushing, Getting the other two to likewise turn red.
"Gah! What'd you say to make me feel like this! It's fross!" Hlokk spoke sourly.
Leif placed a hand on her warm cheek.
"... to have a man as loyal to wife and family as Adam is…"
Hrist would continue her train of thought.
"Come to think of it… Tying your fate to another's… binding together heart and soul…"
"Don't you say it rHist! Don't you dare!" Hlokk warned, Ready to deck her older sister. But her words did not stop the elder Valkyrie..
"It's… Kind of like a marriage isn't it?"
One of Hlokk's prominent canine teeth chipped from the pressure at which she was gritting them as Reigenlief's glasses fogged up profusely at the mention of marriage.
Hlokk would give an aggravated growl.
"Change of subject! What do you two think of big sister Hilde's inner circle?"
"Inner circle?" Hrist asked, scratching her cheek.
"I believe she means the two fighters of ours that Brunhilde's been having council her through her matchmaking decisions. "
"Ah, I see…" Hrist said, before her face contorted to one of rage. " That Cu chulainn… If he lays a finger on either…."
Leif nodded at those words.
"I concur." Leif spoke calmly. "His desires outweigh those of any of the other gods and their vices combined… to say nothing of the mortals."
"Ahhh, you mean that pretty boy? I can't say I know what you two mean, I think i was still in diapers when he was still a mortal ."
"He was a man who cheated on his wife constantly, with woman after woman while she stayed loyally at his side."Hrist said with a growl.
"And to get that wife he tore his soon-to-be father in law's castle to the ground Killing everyone therein."
"He killed his best friend in the defense of a measly cow!" Hrist finished her and Leif's shared rant
Hlokk took it all in and thought for a moment. He sounded like a real piece of work but…
"Yet Brunhilde trusts him completely?" She asked. "I don't mean to accuse you of lying, but you ain't giving me the whole picture! I can tell!"
The two Valkyrie would look at each other, Hlokk had them found out.
"Well… I suppose his wife was Genuinely fine with his affairs…as long as she had his heart to herself…"
"And it was his friend who tried to steal the bull in the first place."
"And the father in law sent Cu-chulainn off on a quest to get him killed."
They went on in the same order as before.
Hrist would sigh.
"The fact is, He's a heartbreaker among heartbreakers… And though Brunhilde's not looking, Little Goll is so naive!"Hrist said with a calm matronly concern.
"Someone like her could easily be won over with his charms. Used up and tossed away. "Leif concluded.
Taking all this into consideration Hlokk would think.
"Don't you think it'd be better to warn goll about this guy than seeth about it from a distance? Hell he seems like a pretty nice guy even! We just have to make sure he knows Goll is off limits!"
The other Valkyrie would look at eachother,... Hlokk had a point, A perverted gluttonous battle hungry creature the hound was. But he wasn't an unreasonable person.
"How is it that the youngest person at this table has to be the most mature! " Hlokk berated her sisters, Sighing. "We'll have to do so in between matches!"
The other two would Nod along, And continue eating. However, Sasaki would approach Hrist.
"My lady… I appologize for interrupting your meal, But i've got a bad feeling i wish to look into."
"Ah! " Hrist got up and gave a curtsy. "Of course =, My partner!" She said, walking off with him ,despite her half finished food.
—-
Brunhilde sat with her compatriots within her room, Dining on licorice pies and cow's milk. While the rest had foods more accommodating to their personal tastes.
Goll remained silent, Despite her proximity to Cu chulainn, Unable to eat with the knots in her belly.
She wanted to ask. But… Aagh! This feeling stuff was so complicated! No wonder Brunhilde decided not to have them!
No matter what she tried, In the same room as Cu she was a massive dork!
Vrunhilde would break the silence.
"Goll!"
"Hm?"
"You look troubled…" She wanted to treat carefully. With the hound in the room, But she didn't want her sister to just flounder in silence.
Goll would glare at Brunhilde. Her thoughts are clear. 'You didn't want me to say this stuff in front of him' She thought as she directed her eyes at Cu.
Brunhilde would take a breath in through her nose. Understanding Goll perfectly. She really did want to help out here.
Fionn would look at the girl. And speak out.
"You know… Goll, given the fighters we have… You may not need to enter. After all, The hound has more than enough divine weapons to hold his own."
"!" Goll looked a bit confused. And she was…
She was absolutely smitten with this dumb guy! And because of that she got the notion that maybe… They would partner up…
But the thought of going out, And potentially even dying… It was harrowing… And now Fionn was here trying to make her speak her mind! She had to make her decision , and quickly!
"I already decided i'd be joining!"She spoke without fully thinking it through. "I-, I mean… Even if Cu has all the divine weapons in the world, What kind of Valkyrie would i be if i didn't risk my life out there like my sisters!... S-so." She turned to Cu Chulainn and took a deep breath."When the time comes! I- I really want to!-"
"Sure thing! "
"I know you're probably going to-." She realized what he said. "Huh?"
"You want to be my Volundr, My partner in fate… " Cu spoke calmly "It'd be an honor."
Both Brunhilde and Goll were shocked.
Surely with his love lost to him and all that grief he went through… Brunhilde was stunned.
"But… If my life should ever be in grave peril. I want you to cut your connection with me, If you don't i'll do so myself." He spoke firmly…
While Goll was confused, Brunhilde was annoyed with him.
'He says that as though he plans on dying!' She thought. 'He's not an idiot! He knows exactly how Goll feels! Is he just trying to humor her? '
Fionn was similarly annoyed.
'All this drama about a crush between two people who barely know each other… ' he was aggravated with the whole oreal, Certainly… 'hopefully it just runs it's course…'
Goll's next words would shake the room Despite the annoyance.
"Then… I want to practice! Here and now!" She spoke with more conviction than ever. "I want to be a treasure you won't have to let go of! I'll carry my weight no matter what!"
Breunhilde was shocked to hear her sister say something with such conviction…
It almost reminded her of herself and…
No.
She would not be thinking of that, Not here, not now. And not ever again.
The hound would open his mouth to protest, But then he paused… The girl had such stern conviction.
Ah…
Those were the same eyes.
The eyes he could never say no to.
"Very well. " he offered her his hand, But before she could grab onto it. He stood, Along side Fionn.
"Huh?"
Cu would glare down at her. Though he wasn't angry.
"I'm sorry, this'll have to wait, " He spoke. As he and Fionn left, The latter parted with a nod, as Cu chulainn passed him a sword
"W-wait!" Goll said, Ready to give chase. As she was caught by the shoulder, Quickly the girl would turn to her sister.
"They've fought a battle… They'll be back in no ?"
"But…" Goll looked at Brunhilde. "If they're going to fight, shouldn't we…?" She asked, Genuinely wanting to help.
her big sister who shook her head.
"They'll be fine. But we need to talk. "
"What about?"
"A lot… Sit down."
And so, The two spoke for the remainder of their break.
A/N: Sorry for my dumb filler and shippy bullshit, I write for pure self indulgence.
