It was a calm day when Khonshu left the apartment and just was heading to his current gig. He got in touch with Zeke the other day and got a newspaper delivery job. When he finished, the newspaper supplier was impressed as how fast Khonshu was and asked that he return the next day. So now he is returning to the distribution office of the Daily Bugle. He suspects that they only like him since they don't need to pay the insurance, taxes and required benefits of a regular worker. And they can fire Khonshu anytime, but currently the distributor guy is rather pleasant, probably just glad that Khonshu finished daily quota on time, without dying from random attacks.
By the time he delivered his last paper, he heard a commotion. Like stuff being thrown everywhere and a few blasts.
Khonshu walked down the streets and saw that the Avengers have just defeated the culprits. The Moon God would usually think it's the usual mobsters or thugs who got their hands on illegal alien technology (and Khonshu needs to look into that soon), but when he passed by the scene, he saw a group of people in uniforms he doesn't recognize. Khonshu then learned it is another terrorist group who call themselves as AIM.
Ugh.. It's bad enough that Hydra is still active, why is there another group now?
The god thought as he passed by the wreckage, but he kept his distance to avoid any debris or getting caught in the fire. Khonshu is very familiar with the usual Avengers members such as Captain America, Iron man and Thor. But he didn't see them, all he saw are what looks to be young teens. Khonshu did a double take, stopping for a while to look at them before he realized that he is staring.
Since when are young children allowed to fight? He thought. Khonshu doubts that SHIELD or even Steve Rogers allow young teenagers to be fighting. Unless it is actually normal here.
Khonshu quickly took a a glance at these teenagers. His photographic memory allowing him to memorize their features and clothes but it's too fast for him to get their faces.
He sees one is wearing blue, another looks like a young version of Hulk for some reason, another is wearing a red cape and a girl of Latin American descent.
This world continues to surprise me more and more, he though once more as he walk further. After 3 minutes though, Khonshu passed a few blocks when he felt a burst of energy from the scene he just left. Energy he is very familiar with, but for the wrong reasons.
He quickly turned around, and can see what looks like drones rise to the sky, then a large burst of red colored light.
I know this. He said as he watches the red light destroy the drones, but more rise, this time they are flying in a circle formation. After a second, they started glowing with electrical energy, ready to blast something before something hit one of the drones. The rest are blur and too fast for the naked eye to see.
The god though, is now concerned on what is happening so he quickly ran towards an alley. Making sure that it is hidden enough that no one can see him. He than leaned back and closed his eyes, allowing his senses to expand to the sky. Then he zoomed in on the location of the fight.
In his mind, the child god can see growing fight now. All of the drones are now cackling with reserved electrical energy and the young heroes are trying to keep them from releasing it to the citizens. Though Khonshu is looking specifically at the one with the red cape. His first thought was to Wanda and how oddly similar their energy is, but then Khonshu realized there is a huge difference. It is not as corrupted as when he last saw the woman in his world.
Khonshu continued to watch the fight until it finally ended. Most of the drones are destroyed but the heroes are looking around for some that survived. Though they are now talking to each other.
Then the teen with the red cape looked around, as if it is looking for something. Khonshu still can't hear anything, but he can see that the teen is talking to his friend, and they are now looking around even though the god knows that no one is spying on them. Except for him.
Khonshu quickly stopped his vision, returning his eyes back to the ground. It dawned to him that the one in the red cape can sense him in a way.
Just like Wanda...curiouser and curiouser. Khonshu smirked a little at this, finding this more intriguing. Though this only made more questions for the child god. Khonshu left the alley once he is done, trying to look as discreet as he can.
I wonder if Wanda has a cousin, maybe a long lost relative who was also experimented on by Hydra.
He asked himself as he walked back to the now ended fight but stopped so there is 1 block between him and the site. He can sense that some of the teens are leaving but 2 remained. Khonshu can see them talking to the police officers, and the 3 people in yellow suites tied up behind them.
The god also decided that he will need to be even more careful now since someone can sense his eyes. Or he will need to improve his powers to be undetected like before, he recalls coming across one but he will once again, have to search his long forgotten memory.
Around him are people running around, some are calling for their friends, or just complaining about their destroyed car.
"My insurance needs a month before it can be used. How am I going to explain this to my wife?!" someone yelled across the street.
Back on the wreckage, Khonshu can see that the police are still talking to the teens. Khonshu then enhanced his eyes to take a closer look. He can see that it is just the Latin American girl.
Then he can hear the sound of the police siren in the distance, indicating more authorities are on their way to arrest the AIM agents, or whatever they are called. Though the child god doubts that it will last, he guesses that the agents will be broken out in a few weeks. Or a couple of months if their leaders have spare henchman.
He turned around to leave the scene again, seeing that everything is over. When his enhanced senses picked up a faint cry.
Khonshu stopped and listened again, tilting his head like what a bird would do. Then he turned to his right. Across the street is a dilapidated and abandoned house with a hole in the front. He calmly walked inside, noting that it seems to have been abandoned for decades. The floor tiles are missing, there's dust and old cardboard boxes everywhere. He then paused again, listening for that faint cry.
And he heard it deeper this time. So he walked further in, ducking from the broken beams that fell from the ceiling until he came across what looked like a courtyard.
Though it's a far cry from the court yards in those design magazines. What is infront of him looks more like a setting of a horror film. There are overgrown grasses everywhere, rusty and bent metal chairs and a side of a wall have collapsed. There is very little light coming from the open space above and on the center is a very old, very gnarly dead tree.
Khonshu ignored all of this and looked around. Trying to pinpoint where that cry is from. He moved to his left, to what looks like a pile of old boxes.
He lifted a flap, and right there, squatting while facing the wall, is a little girl. Compared to the old and dusty state of the court yard. The little girl looks clean with very little dust on her. She is wearing a bright and frilly yellow dress and is clearly shaken with fear.
Khonshu slowly lifted the cardboard flat more, very carefully so he wouldn't scare her. Then he said, "Hello there."
Immediately the girl turned around to see who called her, she spun her head so fast that her twin pigtails went airborn for a few seconds. When she saw Khonshu looking at her, she quickly backed up until her back hit the brick wall behind her. She realized that she was trapped, and it only made her even more scared.
"I won't hurt you." Khonshu said, trying to make his voice as gentle as possible but it came out more like an order. The girl didn't move, or look convinced.
"That's what they say...but you're a stranger, and you stink!" She said and clutched her teddy bear even more tightly.
Khonshu just looked annoyed at her last comment. "I do not smell little one. I washed regularly." he said proudly, though if he is being honest, regularly for him, actually means three times a week.
"Yes you do." The little girl insists, with more confidence now, like she forgot that she was supposed to fear the strange boy talking to her. "You smell like those cheap bottles that have stuff that hurts animals. My mommy told me that it is evil and makes you smell bad."
Now Khonshu have no idea what she is saying.
Since when is hygiene preference a way to measure if one is evil? That sounds rather flawed, problematic and will cause even more harm than good.
He thought at the little girl's logic. And he is a bit offended at how his very bright purple penguin body wash is being insulted.
"I'll have you know Purple Pingu smells great and never harmed any one." he said, referring to the mascot of the purple penguin shampoo and soap he used.
The girl though, is adamant about her logic. "Nu-uh" she said. "Those are bad for you, you should use the one my mommy use. It smells like real oranges that never hurt monkeys."
Now Khonshu is both annoyed and confused at this. But all he get from her, is that the little girls still think he smells bad. And that it hurts monkeys?
He internally sighs and is having second thoughts on coming. But he reminded himself that she was crying earlier.
"Let's just forget about my soap for now. Why are you crying little one?" He said, trying to change the subject. The little red-head with pigtails is testing his patience, but the child god tells himself that he needs to stay focused.
Now the girl looks down, almost in shame. Then she looks like she is about to again but stopped herself, schooling her face to a stubborn pout and said, "I wasn't crying."
The moon god just raises an eye brow at the lie, "Very well then, you just happen to be here. So where are your parents?" He asked.
"They are coming." the little girl answered, though she sounds like she is mostly trying to convince herself. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers and stay until they find me." she said. The boy god can tell that the little girl is now doubting it, he can feel the sliver of fear in the little girl's heart. But for now he learned to just play along with it.
"I'm sure they will, but this place is really deep and hidden. Are you sure your parents will find you here?" he asked. Khonshu waited until the little girl answered but it was mostly her insisting that her parents come.
"You look rather lonely though, mind if I take a seat?" he said and moved to sit beside her. The ground looks like it have dried rat feces but he has slept on worst.
The little girl now looks a bit disgusted at this, but she didn't move away. Instead she just squatted next to the boy.
After a while, Khonshu started asking questions about the Teddy Bear. Eva is quick to answer, more cheerfully even. She tells the tale of how she was given the chance to pick a teddy bear on her 7th birthday. And that her father gave her the yellow dress she is wearing.
"It's a really beautiful dress too little one." Khonshu said. The dress is pretty but it's just way too bright for his taste. He prefers calmer hues, with some purples and whites.
"My name is Eva, not little one. And I'm not little, You are" She said stubbornly, tired that the boy keeps calling her little one.
After a while, Eva starts to talk about what happened. She was walking with her mother when the fight happened. In the chaos, Eva dropped her teddy bear and she went back to get it.
"...and when I turned around. Mommy wasn't there anymore." Eva said sadly.
"I see, but how did you get here? This place is dark and not a very safe place for you to hide." Khonshu asked. The abandoned courtyard is full of safety hazards and the ceiling beams look like they might fall anytime.
Eva then recounts how someone tried to pull her.
"I thought it was mommy, but mommy have pretty pink nails. The one who tried to pull me have dirty looking nails. I got scared and ran. I kept running until I end up here." She said.
Khonshu stayed quite for while to process this. He recalls the attack and someone is taking advantage of the chaos. He agrees that the fight is also a great distraction since everyone are trying to get away. He recalls the time the woman, Catlyn tried to kidnap him, but it was an ordinary day. Now it seems, to Khonshu, that malicious people are changing their tactics.
Or someone simply mistaken Eva to be their daughter. Panick can cause people to make fast and unreasonable choices.. He said to himself.
Eva noticed that the boy is now quiet and she doesn't like it. She likes that Stinky , is paying attention to her.
"Hey Stinky. What are you looking at?" She said, noticing that the boy is just looking ahead. Khonshu blinked back to the present, he was busy thinking to notice Eva's annoyance.
"Nothing, just thinking." He said absent-mindly. This only annoyed Eva even more.
"Well, stop thinking Stinky. I was talking to you, and your bangs look weird." She said that last part just to annoy Khonshu.
And the god scowled at this and decides that it is time he left. "I'll just take my leave then. Good luck waiting for your mother." he said and stood up. He walked back to the entrance but way slower. Mentally counting to 3 before Eva called out to him,
"Wait.." Eva said.
As expected.. He thought. He then stopped walking. Eva stood up from where she was crouching and is standing in the middle of the court yard.
"Your not going to leave me here. Are you?" She weakly called back. Khonshu resisted the urge to smirk, instead he tried to look as neutral and a bit angry as he can.
Controlling my facial features is way more harder than I thought it would be, He said to himself. Khonshu rememberes what Zeke and Fran said about his face being way too emotive so he is trying to keep it under check as much as he can.
"If you don't want me around, then there is no reason for me to stay." He just said, trying to sound dismissive.
"You seem to be an outspoken individual for someone your age. It's quite admirable, though a little bothersome, and tiring to be around with." He said.
Eva just tilted her head a bit, not really understanding what the stinky boy said. All she understood is that he is going to leave her alone because she said he was stinky. Eva may not like how the boy smelled, but she is more afraid of being alone again. Especially since Stinky lets her talk about what she likes and never yelled at her to be quite.
"I...don't want to be alone." She said quitely, as if she is ashamed to say it out loud. It's so low that anyone would have difficulty trying to hear it, though Khonshu was able to with his still enhanced senses.
"Your not alone Eva, you have your parents. Your home and your friends."
Eva just looks mad at this, "Mommy and Daddy are not here! And they keep yelling at each other. I only have Teddy with me." She half-yelled. After that, she now looks like she is on the verge of crying again. Eva sniffed a little, but quickly slapped her cheek twice, stomping her feet repeatedly to stop herself from breaking down. She recalled what her mommy said to her
Only weak and poor people cry.
So she tried to keep the tears from falling. "I'm not weak..." She reminded to herself. But unknown to her, Eva said it outloud and Khonshu heard it.
"Who is not weak Eva?" the god asked. Curious, Khonshu walked closer and kneeled until he was eye level with the lost girl. "Are you saying that you are not strong, because you cry?" he asked again.
Eva tried hold it in but she sniffed her nose again. It took a while but Eva got her breath and said, "Mom says that poor people cry because they are weak. I am more privileged and lucky than them so I should not cry."
Ugh, these people again...
Khonshu thought internally but just answers in a neutral tone. "Eva, Rich people also cry because they are human. Poor people are also human, Crying is natural." Now the Moon god is wondering who Eva's mother is, to be teaching this.
"No! Mommy says it, so it is true. Everything she says is true." Eva insists. Khonshu just tilts his head to the left, before saying calmly "Well, your mother is not here now. Is she?"
Now Eva looks like she is about to cry again, but she started slapping her face. Each slap is getting harder and louder that her cheeks are now alarmingly red from it. Khonshu is now very concerned and quickly tried to stop her.
"Hey, Eva. Stop this madness. You're going to hurt yourself." he said as he tried to pull her arms down, but Eva is resisting it. Trying to get away. Khonshu knows that it is not going to work so he tried a different tactic.
"Eva, please. You're going to make your face ugly like mine, and your mother will get mad at you." He spoke. And this seems to finally get Eva to stop, but she looks even more distressed and is now crying.
Khonshu is now unsure on what to do. He looked around first, to make sure that no one is looking, then he leaned forward while he lifted his other hand to push Eva's forehead to his shoulder. The action of a hug.
This broke something in Eva as she is now crying harder, reaching and grabbing at Khonshu's shirt. Not caring it she found it dirty and stinky a few minutes ago.
The Moon god just let her cry her sadness away, not moving until Eva's tears slow down. The girl sniffed a couple of times before quitely saying, "...I wanna go home. I want my mommy."
"You'll meet her again Sweatheart. Your mother is probably worried sick about you." He said, trying to reassure her.
Though Khonshu is aware that he really don't know if Eva's mother is worried or not. He knows he sound nihilistic but he have seen mothers who have failed their role as a caring provider coughWendySpectorcough.
Eva stayed there for half a minute to collect herself, then Khonshu let her go, now sure that she have calmed down. Eva though, kept her eyes on the ground, she sniffed a bit and said, "Now you got your stink all over by dress."
Khonshu just laughts at this. He should be angry but after seeing Eva cry on him shoulder, he can't help but be reminded of himself. Strong-headed and stubborn to a fault who refuses to show any weakness.
"What, No thank you? It's not every day I let someone hug me. It fact, I would say it's a luxury that only a few mortals felt." He said in a teasing manner. Making it clear that he is joking though Eva didn't get it. She pouted at his laugh, "You're not a...a...log cherry." she said, having trouble saying that one word. "...Your poor and smell weird." She said, but she then looked down for a second. And then finally glanced up at the boy to say, quitely though, "but thank you."
The Moon god smirked at this. Eva still doesn't like that and slapped Khonshu's arm in annoyance. But the girl is too tired from crying to put too much force on it, so it feels more like an annoying bump.
Khonshu is just a bit glad that Eva is not that sad anymore. He felt a huge cloud of sadness from the girl when he walked in and it was suffocating.
It slowly dissapeared when Eva finally let herself cry. Now it feel's more open and tolerable. Like a weight have finally been lifted in Eva's heart. Still, Khonshu now have a mission and he don't want Eva to hate him too much to make it difficult, so he said politely, "Your welcome Eva." then he added, "And as an apology for getting my stink all over you. I'll help bring you to your mother."
Eva's eyes widened when he said that. "Really?" she said, but she quickly stopped it and asked suspiciously, "How would I know if you will? 2 Scary men said the same thing but Mommy told me to not go with scary strangers. Your still a stranger Stinky."
Khonsher internally groaned at that nickname.
She needs to give me another nickname, He thought annoyed at this. But Khonshu notes that it's a good thing that Eva's mother taught her some precautions and common sense to not go with strangers. He should thank Eva's mother, if he ever meet her.
"Am I that strange to you?" he asked. Eva just looks at Khonshu, trying to think of an answer. Then she said, "Not really, you look a bit borring actually. And your hair is weird. You should cut it." Eva even pointed at his forehead. Khonshu is aware that his bangs are growing too much and that it is completely covering his eyes.
Eva then waved her hand Infront of his face, "How can you see with that?" She asked.
"...I just do." Khonshu said in the most driest tone he can make before he continued, "Your mother trained you well to not go with strangers." He said, voicing out his thoughts.
Eva just looks annoyed at this comment, "I'm not dog Stinky. Dogs are trained, I'm a person."
"Yes you are" Khonshu replied. "But you are also lost. I'm not sure if your mother will find you here. And I can't just leave you, it's dangerous." He said, trying to get Eva to follow him.
Eva still looks unsure if she should trust Khonshu, but she remembered that Khonshu hugged her and let her cry on his shoulder. The moon god can also see the skeptism in Eva, so he decided that he will need to do something.
He stood up and looked around until his eyes finally settled to the dead-looking tree in the middle of the court yard.
That will have to do. He said to himself and walked closer to the tree, gesturing Eva to follow. Eva looked doubtful but followed until both are now standing infront of the gnarled tree.
"Let me show you something." Khonshu whispered to Eva. Now this got the girl's interest, "A secret?" she asked excitedly.
Khonshu nodded, but said "Only if you promise not to tell anyone. I could be in big trouble if someone knows that I can do this." The moon god even let himself sound serious, and well, he sort-of is.
Khonshu can see that he got the little girl's attention and Eva nodded. But the moon god can also see that she is not as sincere as she thinks herself to be. So he lifted his right hand and extend his pinky finger, something he learned from his time watching humans recently. Fran also did the same thing with him and had to explain what this is. Though Khonshu does not understand the importance of this ritual only that others seam to take it seriously.
"Pinky Swear?" he asked. Then immediately, Eva looks unsure. As a young child, she takes pinky swears seriously.
I don't like keeping secrets from mommy, she thought. But she really wants to know the boy's secret. Eva stayed quite, looking at Khonshu's extended pinky finger, and looked away.
How long is this going to take, Khonshu thought.
After a few quite seconds, Eva finally made her decision and wrapped her pinky around Khonshu's. "Pinky swear." she said.
The god then stood up and turned to face the gnargled tree.
At first, it looks dead. The bark is dry, hard and flaking with no signs of life in it's thin branches.
Khonshu is closer and he can sense something. He put his hand on the bark and closed his eyes to feel the tree's soul. Searching inside, and he found it. That tiny stubborn spark that refused to be estiguished, no matter now little water or sunlight there is. Khonshu can also feel what he thinks is the shadow of the tree's life.
How it used to be surrounded with happy souls decades ago, kids and adults would gather around it. Khonshu can even smell the scent of coffee in the air as he gets a glimpse of the tree's memories. Every morning and evening it was watered and it taken care off. But slowly less and less people came until the house became devoid of life. Leaving the Tree alone.
After looking thought that, Khonshu then allowed his heka to flow to the palm of his hand. Then he pushed it towards the bark of the tree. He can feel the resistance, as it if is the tree itself is unsure and trying to push this foreign energy out.
And Khonshu sort of expected this since he is a Moon God. Tree's normally uses energy from sunlight and Khonshu gives moonlight. Moonlight will never compare to Sunlight, there's a reason crops grow during the day. But the god is not focusing on giving nourishment the old fashion way, he is not going to try and be the Sun. Like his father. Khonshu will focus on what he knows.
So he kept pushing his heka to the dying cells inside the tree. Rejuvinating it to it's youthful state before this place was abandoned. He can still feel that resistance but once most of the tree cells became healthy, it's like switch was flipped and the tree is now accepting Khonshu, sucking as much of the moon light as it can.
It is not sunlight, but it is still light nonetheless.
The tree truck is still gnarly with its flaky bark, but there is a slight pale glow under the thick bark now. Then slowly healthy leaves start to grow from the tree's crown. The leaves are also glowing, basking the gloomy courtyard in pale light.
Eva just watches, wide-eyed and full of amazement as the near dead tree is now covered in leaves that have a silver glow to it. Then once the tree is fully covered in leaves, that pale silvery glow died down until it returned to the usual green color. The courtyard also returned to it's gloomy and depressing look again, except for the healthy tree with green leaves in the middle.
"Wow, that was really cool Stinky! How did you do that?" Eva asked, excited and jumping like a puppy.
Khonshu just smiled as he said, "That is another secret."
Immediately Eva pouted in disappointment, "But we did a pinky promise. You have to tell me!" she said.
Khonshu chuckled in amusement at Eva's insistance, "Maybe next time, but for now we need to find you mommy. Unless you want to stay here forever?" He asked cheekily.
Eva quickly shook her head, "No way, this place is scary. Let's go Stinky." She said, extending her hand for Khonshu to take it. She then pulled the boy god out of the court yard, back into the abandoned building and towards the exit.
Khonshu just let Eva pull him along, he can tell that she is now looking forward to going home. But once they reached the side of the road, Khonshu pulled Eva close to him to make sure she didn't get separated again.
"Make sure you have a good grip on Teddy, Eva. We don't want him to get lost again." he said. Eva just complained that she knows and don't need the boy to remind her. But Khonshu can see her strengthen her grip on her plushie as they continue down the busy sidewalk.