Lalatina's eyes opened to find that she was in her bed in their party's mansion, her head pounding, and all of her senses were at their max. She felt as if she was hearing, seeing, touching, and smelling everything for the first time. She felt... Invincible. "Hello, Darkness my old friend." The melodic voice of the faux-goddess entered Lalatina's ear. "I see you had pleasing dreams." She spoke as if mocking her fellow party member.
Groaning, Lalatina covered her head with her bedding, trying to ignore the annoyance in the room. Her enhanced senses did not last, as Lalatina was well aware of the other woman's scent. "What do you mean, Aqua?"
There were a great many things that Aqua meant by her statement, but the one that concerned her most was that one of the followers of her junior had become a dream demon, a succubus to be exact, and it was a truly concerning sight. She did not care for what anyone outside of her champion did but this, this was crossing the line. Her mind was set on punishing her for what she considered a betrayal from the crusader, but looking at Lalatina she felt that they were the same in a way. With a grin, she would answer the newly crowned demi-human. "How does it feel to become a champion to the goddess of victory Belldonna? You wouldn't change away from Eris before. Why did you do it now? What changed? Did you not want to become a member of Axis like my dear Kazuma? Was it the fanatics? What made you throw away your humanity?"
Though she found Aqua's voice to be sweet as honey, the combo of questions was grating, to say the least. Lalatina uncovered herself staring a hole in Aqua. All the answers to her questions all led to one answer. "You..." Lalatina said with her now crimson eyes looking over Aqua in her sleepwear.
"Huh?"
Lalatina didn't blame Aqua per se but the constant reminders that Aqua had changed to better herself but she hadn't was all that it took, she would have been happy for them in any other circumstance but this wasn't any other. She had the body that he desired, she was the one with his trust, and she was the one in the lead... But Kazuma was taken by this witch pretending to be an archpriest, no she can't think like that. "Are you truly a Goddess? Are you truly the Goddess Aqua." Lalatina asked as a long slender tail coming to a heart-shaped tip rested on her lap.
"No..." Aqua frowned, she saw herself in a far different light than what the Axis Cult saw her as. In a few words, Kazuma Satou brought out a change not so different to Darkness. She was corrupted by him, and to her admission for the better. The Axis Cult instilled in her the qualifications of a person that she should have buried a long time ago, in all meanings of the words the new her hated the old Aqua. Seeing that Darkness was confused she explained further. "I am a Goddess named Aqua, I am not the Goddess Aqua..." She visibly gagged on her own name. "Her image is not mine, those fanatics are not my followers, they pray to a false idol, and as far as I am concerned Kazuma is my only follower... My only child. So no I am a Goddess, not that crappy idiot."
Her eyes burned with an intensity that was foreign to the Aqua she knew, she was telling the truth or what she believed to be true and Lalatina could not deny her that. "Is that so..."
Aqua could tell that Darkness did not believe her, despite her witnessing her resurrect someone while winning an argument with the attending Goddess as that idiot, Darkness still thinks that that idiot was blowing hot air. "Yes it is so... I am an Archpriest with holy magic so powerful that I injured a demon general, I have the undead flocking to me for salvation like no other Archpriest in existence, and I was accurate in what God you follow from just looking. How am I not a Celestial." She spoke, crossing her arms.
Lalatina had to admit that the logic was sound but something in her did not want to believe it no matter how true it was, what even was she? "..." Lalatina bit her lip without saying another word.
"Why did you say that you became a dream demon because of me?" Lalatina was brought out of her thoughts by the question Aqua posed. "What did I do to make you throw away your humanity?" Looking at Aqua you could see that she was pissed, more angry than she has ever let on before. "Why would you think it's a good idea to do so?"
Lalatina was genuine in her fear of Aqua at that moment, she knew how much Aqua hated the undead, she had her friend Chris to warn her to stay away, but the hold Darkness had and her feelings for Kazuma were too much to bear. So what if she is no longer human, she is a woman who can make her own decisions, and she has the Goddess of Victory at her side. "You took Kazuma away..." A moment of silence took over before Lalatina continued. "You took Kazuma away from me, you took the only person that made me whole, you took my very reason for existing. Do you know how much it hurts? Do you know how much I had to suffer while you had me fooled? Do you know what it took for me to get up day after day to improve myself only to be the same person the next day?... It hurts... I hate it... It hurts. Why do I have to suffer? Why can't it go away? Every time I find something that gives me purpose it is taken away... Why? Why? Why?" Lalatina shouted at a straight-faced Aqua.
Aqua took a moment to process her fellow party member's words before laughing, moments passed and Aqua showed no signs of stopping. After a few moments, Aqua stopped, caressing the other woman's cheek as she gave her answer. "You humans can be amusing... Kazuma has no interest in me as an exclusive lover... Didn't you hear me earlier? The boy is my champion... Nothing less and nothing more, he uses me as a personal relief station, and in turn, he saved me from my other self. So what's seventy years to a Goddess." She grinned showing all of her teeth. "I had thought that you had given in to your own vices like that mage, I am glad you haven't." Aqua placed a pendant in the shape of a bullet in Darkness' hands bringing their heads together. "I permit you to take my child as your lover child of Belldonna, as the woman he cares most for in this world I will see fit that you are always protected. Take this as a gift of my sincerity." Aqua said, gripping the back of Darkness' head.
"What?"
The air within the temple was cool and still, the soft light of candles flickering on the walls. Aqua stood at the center, wearing her usual confident smirk, her blue hair cascading over her shoulders. She crossed her arms, eyes gleaming with amusement as she waited. Moments later, Eris soft spoken, gentle, and composed, stepped into view. The stark contrast between the two goddesses was palpable.
Aqua, corrupted by her time with Kazuma, was more assertive and bitter, while Eris, pure and compassionate, had a peaceful aura that filled the room. Both had gathered to discuss the recent, troubling changes in their mutual friend, Lalatina...Darkness, the crusader.
Aqua raised an eyebrow as Eris approached. "I see you got my message. I was wondering if you'd come."
Eris nodded softly, her silver hair gently swaying as she moved closer. "I had to. Darkness… Lalatina… she's changed. Her soul feels different, Aqua. I'm worried about her."
Aqua chuckled darkly. "Worried? You should be. She's no longer the human crusader you once knew. She threw that away, for power, for desire, and maybe for something else. You've noticed, haven't you? The way her eyes look, crimson, demonic. She's become a champion of Belldonna now, a dream demon."
Eris' eyes widened, sorrow flashing across her face. "A demon? Darkness… I didn't realize it had gone that far. Why would she throw away her humanity for this? I knew she was suffering, but I thought she'd find her strength again through perseverance, not by losing herself to a darker path."
Aqua leaned back against a pillar, her grin unfading. "It's simple, really. She's doing it for Kazuma. She thinks she's lost him to me, that I've stolen him away." She laughed, a cruel edge in her voice. "As if Kazuma's mine in that way. But that's what drove her to make the pact. She saw no other way to stand beside him as something more… something powerful."
Eris frowned deeply. "That's not who Lalatina is. She's strong because of her conviction, not because of her form or some power she gains from a dark pact. I don't understand how you can be so casual about this, Aqua. She's your friend too."
Aqua shrugged, her nonchalance making Eris wince. "Friend? Sure, I like her. She's a stubborn, masochistic pain, but that's what makes her fun. But she's no longer the person I'm responsible for, Eris." Aqua's eyes flashed with something sharp, almost predatory. "Besides, I see a lot of myself in her now, you know? A woman who doesn't want to live under anyone's shadow."
Eris shook her head, her hands clasping together as if in silent prayer. "But she doesn't need to live in anyone's shadow. Kazuma doesn't see her that way. He cares for her... he cares for all of us. You've changed, Aqua. The woman I knew would have tried to stop this."
Aqua's smile vanished for a moment, and she met Eris' eyes with a cold, piercing gaze. "I have changed. Kazuma changed me, Eris. I'm not that old, clueless goddess who let mortals run wild. I've embraced a new way, one that allows me to have control, to make sure those I care about don't get taken from me. Darkness made her choice, and I respect it. Besides…" She uncrossed her arms and stepped forward, leaning close to Eris, "If you don't want her getting deeper into this mess, maybe you should step in."
Eris blinked, her breath catching slightly. "What do you mean?"
Aqua grinned again, the familiar edge of manipulation returning. "You're Chris, right? Kazuma doesn't know, but I do. You've been tagging along with him in secret. You could keep an eye on her yourself. Join the party full-time, under your real name or not. Keep Darkness from diving headfirst into whatever hell she's walking toward."
Eris hesitated, her gaze faltering. She hadn't considered fully revealing herself to Kazuma, even though she wanted to protect her friends. Being in the mortal world as Chris had given her a sense of freedom and purpose, but joining Kazuma's party meant exposing herself and her divinity in ways she hadn't intended.
Seeing her hesitation, Aqua stepped even closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Or… if you don't want to do that, I can keep an eye on her. I've already offered her my protection. After all, I'm a goddess too, and far more suited for dealing with demons and undead than you are, don't you think?"
Eris' eyes widened at Aqua's words. "You… you want to protect her?"
Aqua straightened up, her expression softening, though the cold edge remained. "She's part of our group, isn't she? And as long as she's important to Kazuma, she's important to me. But let's be clear, I'm offering this out of necessity. If you won't take responsibility for what's happening, I will."
Eris' heart pounded in her chest. Darkness, her dear friend, had fallen into something darker than she could have imagined. Aqua's offer, however strange and manipulative, was still a form of protection. But could she trust Aqua, knowing how much she had changed? Or should she step in herself, as Chris, and watch over Darkness and the others directly?
After a long moment, Eris finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "I won't abandon her. But I can't reveal myself as Eris just yet. I'll stay close to them, as Chris… for now. If anything happens that I can't stop, I'll rely on you, Aqua. But promise me... you won't let her fall any deeper."
Aqua smirked, extending a hand to seal the agreement. "Deal. You take the light, I'll take the dark. Together, we'll make sure Lalatina doesn't destroy herself."
Eris took Aqua's hand, her heart heavy but resolved. As their hands parted, she could feel the weight of the choice they had made.
