Rise of the Guardians

Arlecchino

Chapter 05

Marcaria was out in the sun, having found her way into Hawaii. She was absolutely delighted because she was starting to get sick of the snow, cold, and dark, lonely nights.

"Thank Lune I didn't say that out loud," Marcaria muttered.

"Something about dark, lonely nights?"

Marcaria gritted her teeth. "Damn. I did say it out loud."

Momus was dressed in very little. Just a pair of skimpy swimmer's trunks that was tied just lightly enough to hang off his waist.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Marcaria asked wearily.

"It's Hawaii. Let's go swimming. I know you're wearing a bathing suit."

"Of course you do! You made me put it on!"

"Let's go, let's go, let's go! Take it off! Hey, look, a nude beach!"

"MOMUS, NO!"

It was too late as he tore toward it, undressing the one bit of clothing as she covered her eye. "Oh, god, oh, god, oh, god.."

She fumbled after him, unable to uncover her eye completely. She'd peek and shriek as various women and men walked by, young and old, fat and thin, handsome and some very disturbing. She could see his back end and remembered he liked to sleep in the nude too.

"Geez, he's so comfortable and I'm.." She stared down at her layers of summer wear. "Suppose I should take it off…"

She undressed to her bathing suit, a simple one-piece black hued swimming wear.

"Take it off! Take it off! Take it off!"

Momus was near by, chanting with obvious excitement.

And it was actually very obvious.

"MOMUS! For God's sake, put yourself down!"

He groaned and crossed his arms.

"Not that, your… augh, why am I looking?!" Marcaria turned away in angst. "Geez."

"Come on, it's a nude beach!"

"And see how much control the other men have?! Where's yours?"

"I hide nothing," He put his fists on his hips, jutting his hips.

She shrieked and tore away from him.

"Kind of feel insulted right now," Momus muttered. "But what can you do with an introvert?"

He found her, back in his shorts and carrying her outerwear. She was hiding under the shade of a series of palm trees, watching the water.

"Soothing?"

"Actually, yea. Where I was born, we had no water like this. Not even that many of streams."

She looked up at him. "Thank you for putting your shorts back on. You realize I was the only one that could see you, right?"

"No, of course not. I wanted the whole world to see me."

"But it's not seeing you!"

"You're not very smart, are you? I was being sarcastic, Prank."

"Whatever," She turned away and then turned back. "I want my clothes back."

"Give me the mask," Momus put her clothes behind him.

She shoved upward and stomped off as he followed after her. Normally, he didn't bother with trailing after her but as it was Hawaii and he absolutely loved the paradise, he was willing to do this.

Also for other various reasons that he never brought up. But he sure did enjoy teasing the Hell out of Marcaria.

She came across a beach swarming with kids. She tiptoed toward one as the little girl was in the shallow waters, not paying any attention to her friends as she watched the waters move.

Marcaria playfully splashed her, giggling like mad. The little girl perked up and turned toward her friends. "Hey, who splashed me?!" She giggled and began to splash her closest friend and in seconds, the small group was running around and having a great deal of fun.

Marcaria came across a few teens, two girls and a younger guy. The two girls were chatting off each other's ears while the younger boy, who was the little brother to one of the girls, looked like he wanted to do something but not by himself.

Marcaria kicked a beach ball to his feet as he took it in and then grinned. He turned toward the others and raised it eagerly.

For a moment, the sister was looking irritated but Marcaria tapped her shoulder, giggling as her playfulness washed over the girl and her frown melted into a smile. The three tore off, playing catch.

Marcaria grinned, crossing her arms.

"That's great but what about the adults?"

"I can't reach them. Not anymore," Marcaria didn't bother turning around.

Momus frowned. "Oh, come on, you're the spirit of the April Fools'. Go make them laugh."

"I can't, Mo. They're rarely sensitive like children are anymore. Hell, sometimes the kids aren't even sensitive. They're closed off, too grown up. And it's even harder to reach them when they're depressed or angry. It's ten times harder, in fact. If there was a war or some sort of dangerous fight, maybe I'd be able to make them happy for just a moment but nowadays, people are just soo… closed minded."

"So what you're saying is that you're not going to try?"

"Look, I know how to do my job and the limits it has."

"Yea but from what you say, your limits never used to be this bad. Why not take off the mask?"

"No! What is with you and the damn mask?"

"People won't see the whole picture, Prank. Come on, take it off. They can't see you anyways, right?"

Marcaria wasn't willing to take the mask off, simply because she had worn it for so long, it was second nature to her. That and even though she rarely was around mirrors, she did not want to catch her own reflection. She turned away from him, spying a baby watching her with big, bright eyes. He was in the baby carriage while the mother was gently rocking it, thinking her baby was asleep.

"You are adorable," Marcaria approached eagerly. "You remind me of my brothers. I remember when they were this tiny," She reached a finger out as the baby grasped it. The baby was laughing louder now as the mother tried to shush it into sleep.

"Now, now, dear, fall asleep. It's nap time."

"Heh, sometimes babies just don't want to listen," Marcaria didn't see Momus until it was too late, her mask taken from her as she froze as the baby's laugher cut off.

And just as quickly, his screams and cries filled the air as she staggered back from the harsh reaction to her mauling.

Tears filled her eye as the baby was lifted into the mother's arms who began to comfort her. The baby clung tightly to the mother, terrified as it looked to Marcaria with big, frightened eyes.

Marcaria watched as the mother hurriedly moved away, still comforting her little one.

Marcaria touched her ruined side gingerly. Her eye was leaking heavily as pain laced through her chest and heart.

"Give it back." Her voice was low, hoarse as she was instantly given the mask. She put it on and began to walk away from Momus, without glancing back.

He followed her, feeling like a dick but he had sort of expected that reaction from both the baby and herself. He had an idea of why the baby had reacted and while he wanted to have a full-blown conversation with the Spirit of Tomfoolery, he knew now was not the time and it might be a long while before he could do anything.

"I'm sorry."

"Shut up."

"No, Marcaria, I really am," He grasped her arm only to find her free hand striking him across the face.

"See how they react when I have it off? What they see is a monster! A MONSTER! The mask makes me look funny, silly even but no one can stand to look at this! Not even me and you'd think centuries of looking like some freak would desensitize me."

"Stop asking me to take it off. I shouldn't ever be doing that," She turned away angrily only to find her mask suddenly yanked off. "What did I just…say?"

She ended on a question as he turned and threw it far away from her. She screamed and tore after it only to be tackled by Momus.

"Why did you do that?" She sobbed out. "Get it back! Get it back!"

"No, Marcaria! You do not need to hide!"

"Of course I do, you dip shit!"

She kicked at his chest, shoving away as she managed to her feet, struggling to keep her balance as she took off in a dead run.

It was floating away in the waters as she nosedived and thrashed around. It suddenly occurred to Momus that it looked like Marcaria didn't know how to swim.

When she started to gurgle and choke, he ran into the water and swum toward her. She was floundering, struggling to her mask as he dove under her and came out with the mask in his hand. He managed to grasp Marcaria and dragged her back to the shore.

She gurgled, sputtered, and spewed out ocean water. "Oh, god, it burns! It burns!"

She spat angrily. "It's so damn salty!"

Marcaria glared at Momus. "I'm not going to thank you. You threw that on purpose!"

"Yes, but I wouldn't want you to drown."

"I could swim!"

"Seriously? Seriously!?"

"Why did you throw my mask away? It's my only security!"

"You don't need it!"

"Did you not see that baby?"

They were screaming at each other, both of them furious though for entirely different reasons.

"Marcaria. You are a beautiful.."

"Oh, shove it up your fucking ass, Mr. High and Mighty! You say all that you want and you don't have to do shit to prove it!"

She began to look around angrily. "Take me home, now, Momus!"

"Fine," He grasped her arm tightly, dragging her behind him as he delved into a tiny shadow, the duo arriving in his sanctuary with ease. She yanked away from him and stormed off toward the home.

Momus gritted his teeth and started to stalk after her.

Marcaria had entered the home only to find her back pressed against the wall and Momus kissing her none too gently. She bit in fright and shoved him away. "What the Hell are you doing?"

"You want me to prove it, right? Then let me.."

"Sleep with me? I don't do it like that! I want to be in love and loved before I even think about doing.. Any of what you do without any regret or care!"

"I care very much about who I spend time with and who I sleep with. I'm very careful about it."

"Then what the Hell would you want from me? Just to prove that you think I'm beautiful? Sex won't prove anything! Just that you have a stupid itch and you need to find your own goddamn relief!"

"That's not it at all! Hey, get back here!" He shouted as she tried to walk away. "What do you want me to do?!"

"Stop telling me lies!"

"But they're not lies, you stubborn bitch! I find you extremely attractive and if I didn't speak goddamn riddles all the time and actually answered questions, you might actually believe me instead of thinking I was pulling smoke out of my ass!"

She started upstairs as he followed her. "You just don't believe me because no one else has ever told you that you're beautiful. Don't you want to be to be wanted, to be desired and needed? Because that's how I…"

He froze at that, realizing how deeply he was about to be exposed. "Fine, I'll just find some other way."

He went back down the stairs, grumbling darkly as she watched him and then stormed into her own room.

Or at least, through the door. She found herself suddenly somewhere else and it was a shock to her system.

"Well, fuck, did he open a portal or something? It's pretty here but sure as hell isn't going to get me to open my legs," Marcaria said darkly.

"Good day, little thing."

She jumped at the new voice. It was very masculine, deep, husky, with just the right amount of allure to it. The very tall, very broad shouldered man appeared, his long white hair elegant and refined, much how the rest of him was. With eyes as blue as the skies, skin as kissed by the sun, and dressed in a very bare toga and bare-footed, he was quite the sight.

"Listen, I'm getting tired of Gods right now. If you just send me back to Momus…"

"I'm afraid I won't do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't. I don't want to thus you are to stay here. I just wanted to see what he saw in you."

"Something akin to a whore, no doubt," She muttered darkly. "Wait, who the Hell are you?"

"I am the Almighty, I am the Father, I am the King of the Gods, Zeus." He bowed with a great deal of flourish. "At your service."

'Funny,' Came her thought. 'Doesn't seem like a bad guy. What's Momus's deal with him again?'

"So, why am I here?"

"Why, for me, my dear. I had to meet you, see what drew the ire-driven fool to change his ways. I thought you might be magic, for I had heard you made him laugh. Something even his mother couldn't do, with his black heart."

"He doesn't have a black heart!" Marcaria protested. "If anything, he's misunderstood. He's not a bad guy."

"He dare insult me."

"But he said what he said was true. That you sleep with anything you want to."

Zeus's smile slipped. "I see. Is that how he trained you?"

"No, it what's he said. I trust what he says, he never lies. If he can't say it, he won't say it."

"I am the Almighty, I can have what I want. He's just jealous that I can get everything that he cannot."

His hand pulled on a bang. "I don't really care for you, you're certainly not my type. But I demand an apology for his actions and if he will not give it to me, I'll just get it from you."

His hand dropped to her shoulder and she reacted, slapping him.

Only to find it had no effect whatsoever.

"What was that, a pat? Try again, honey," His smile became a leer.

"Starting to see why he doesn't like you. No one would," Marcaria reached in vain for her mask as he tossed it over his shoulder.

"That takes some getting used to. Good thing I won't have to," Zeus said cheerfully, hands grasping her forearms with inhumane power. His entire body seemed to flex and he glowed with a bright, celestial power.

"If you think that's impressing me," Marcaria snarled only to find his tongue down her throat. She bit down hard and his forehead slammed into her, sending her into a daze as he dropped her like a ton of bricks.

Fingers rudely worked over her clothing, down to her swimwear and she was too dizzy to do anything at the moment. When fingers found her and tried to stretch her, she panicked and screamed, fingers cutting across his face as he snarled at her, no longer the handsome man but a monster.

"Don't touch me, you sick bastard!" She went animalistic, clawing and striking him only to find her pinned on her front, fingers ripping her bathing suit off her buttocks.

"MOMUS!"

"He's not going to save you, dear."

There was a sound of a massive thud and then Zeus toppled off, out for the moment.

"Not save you, my ass. I may be pissed off at her but you touch her, I kill you."

Momus stood over him as she flipped around, face red as she crossed her legs tightly.

"Is he dead?"

"Hell, no." He ignored her protests as he hefted her into his arms. His grip was tight and unforgiving as he melded into another shadow and arrived in the yard.

"Look, I wasn't doing anything to entice him. He scared the daylights out of me!"

"Of course he would. He scares everyone if he can't get his way."

He carried her all the way upstairs.

"It's really uncomfortable with your hand on my ass," Marcaria said into his shirt. She then shrieked. "Don't wiggle the fingers!"

"Just checking to see if you're ticklish."

"A while ago, was that why you warned me to fight?"

"Yes. My mother warned me and I said I wouldn't let him near you. I rebuilt the barriers and will do more of it when you're settled. No way in Hell he'll get in without going through a labyrinth with no end."

He set her down on his bed.

"I'm not in my room."

"Sorry, force of habit. Be right back." He turned away and then turned back. "Stay. I mean it. Stay."

He came in with some of her clothing. He then politely turned away.

"He has my mask."

"Well, you don't need it."

"I had that mask since I was risen. Lune gave it to me."

"I'm sorry. There'll be no way for me to get it back, Marcaria."

Her hands slowly picked up her clothing. "It's all right, I guess. You don't mind looking at me."

"I love looking at you."

She looked up in surprise at his back. She then began to redress, wiggling. She was wincing as her forearms ached deeply. Bruises were already forming as she began to feel sick.

"What's wrong?" Momus was looking over his shoulder, with a slight peek. "Marcaria?"

"Nothing," Her voice couldn't quite form as she finished dressing, her hands pulling on her shirt in panic. Her chest was on fire as she suddenly realized how close that had been of a call and remembered his rude fingers and rude tongue.

"Marcaria?"

She found herself throwing up all over his floor as she nearly fell forward. She was hurriedly taken to the bathroom where she lost everything else into the toilet.

She was sobbing half-way, frantic and still in panic mode.

"Shhh, shhh.." He rubbed her back gently. "It's all right now, you're safe now."

"He.. Oh god, he… touched me! I never felt so revolted!" She heaved on an empty stomach. "And his tongue.. Like a snake! I taste blood, though.."

"Did you bite?"

"Fuck yea, I did!" She giggled through her tears. "Oh god, he won't get to me again, will he? He's got to be pissed."

"You're safe with me."

"He made a portal through my room," She hissed.

"And I fixed the barriers to make it impossible for him to enter."

Her head rested on the toilet rim.

"I know you got dressed but I think a bath would help you."

"Shower. Cold shower."

"All right, then."

She rested against the toilet, waiting as she heard him start the water. When she realized he wasn't leaving the room, she glared at him.

"What?"

"I need you to leave."

"Yea, not happening."

"Why not?!"

Momus couldn't really answer as he shrugged at her.

She glowered as she tore off her clothing in rage and then dove into the hard-flowing water. She gave a high pitched shriek. "Holy Hell, that's cold!"

Silence then ensured.

Momus shuffled, feeling awkward. He still refused to leave the bathroom. "You all right?"

"Yea."

He gave in and peeked in on her, seeing her sitting on the bottom of the tub, curled tightly. It took a moment before he had delved into the cold, clad in nothing as he wrapped arms around her.

"You're fine."

She sniffled and dropped her gaze. "Mo…"

"Yes?" His voice was gentle.

"Where the HELL ARE YOUR PANTS?!"

"I don't like heavy clothing."

"That's no excuse!" She whipped her head up to glare at him. "At least you're not boasting." She muttered.

He turned the water off. "How the Hell can I boast in this cold?"

Momus helped her out of the shower and threw a towel in her face. "I'll be outside."

Momus winced once outside, unable to fully control his body. He swore and danced around to find some sort of control, not wanting to freak out Marcaria. He may be a representative of a God but he was also a man.

And one who got a full look of a naked woman. His head was thudding against the wall when she walked out in her clothes.

She winced at the sight of the floor. "Sorry. Want me to clean that up? Um… why are you doing that and why aren't you dressed?"

"I'm comfortable in my skin. That and I'm sort of distracted. No, you don't have to clean that up," Momus butted in, waving a hand and watching it disappear.

"That's not fair."

"Look, my realm, my rules. I do things as quickly as possible."

He was hovering over her unintentionally.

"Umm… you're a little close," She told his feet.

His hand rubbed his nape as she walked around him.

"I'm going to bed early," She kept her gaze on the floor. "Thank you, Momus."

Momus sighed as he fell back on the bed. "Well, sleep will be good."

It was late when he felt movement and heard the sound of shuffling. He was poked in his shoulder anxiously.

"Mo! Mo!"

"What?" Momus asked groggily. He automatically lifted the blanket. "Come.. On.."

He wheezed on that last word, arms wrapped tightly around his chest.

He was thoroughly engulfed in her grasp, her ribs pressed against his side, knees against his thigh and one free arm across his chest with the other one still trying to find its place.

It took some maneuvering before they found a way to lay together where Momus didn't feel like a trapped animal and Marcaria had the comfort of a warm body.

When morning came, Marcaria awoke as if there had been no terrifying event. Until she found that she was wrapped gently in strong arms and recognized Momus's scent up close. She shifted and managed to turn around to feel him pull back and sit up with a yawn.

"Sorry."

"For what? Best night I ever had."

Her gaze made him suddenly snicker. "No, Prank, nothing happened. I just slept well and judging by your snoring, so did you."

Her face turned red as she sat up. The blanket fell away from his body, revealing that again, she'd slept with him naked.

"You always sleep like that?"

"Always. Clothing can be restrictive."

"I don't see much of a response," Marcaria's voice was low. "Not that I'm complaining or anything.."

Fingers grasped her wrist as she half-slunk out.

"Give me a chance and I could show you a response."

Marcaria looked up at him. "For what price?"

He looked confused. "For me."

"What?" Now she was confused.

Momus didn't say anything and she realized he couldn't really say why or what.

She smiled suddenly and leaned over to give him a soft and swift peck on the lips. "You're adorable."

"Wait a minute, you're the one here who's the virgin! Don't you dare act like that in front of me, all demure and coy and shit.. .hey, are you listening?"

His indignant cries fell on deaf ears as she cheerfully hopped out of the room, giggling like a fool.

He settled back and then smirked, a little smug.

It then hit him. "Barriers, nobody's going to get in." He stood up. "First, bathroom."

He walked awkwardly toward it. "It was just a single damn kiss. Why am I this fucking hard?"

"Oh, right, I'm not exactly getting what I want… well, can't really say that, that's a lie as I am getting what I want."

He stopped just out of the bathroom. "Fuck. What's going on with me?"

He remembered his mother and her words that just because they were made by stories, didn't tether them to the legends. They were essentially living and they could change.

"Never thought I'd want to change," He realized this. He was just so used to being a dick all the time that he didn't realize he could be nice.

Well, for certain people. He wasn't going to change completely. He generally liked how he was when he wasn't hurting people's feelings or heads.