Introductions

“Are you hungry?”  Ari asked Arkonel as she held the door for him.  He stepped into her house and shook his head.

“No, I don’t eat much.”  Arkonel said.  Truth be told, he hadn’t eaten human food in at least a century.  The gods didn’t exactly need solid food to maintain them.

“You sure?  I’m going to make some pancakes.  Considering we met twenty minutes ago, I’m thinking it will feel weird if I have you watch me eat.”

“But you have cats watch you eat all the time, don’t you?”  He asked her, realizing too late that he hadn’t been introduced to her three cats, Shadow, Java and Harley.

“Um…yeah.  How’d you know I had more than one?  This is Harley.”  Ari reached up on the counter and pulled Harley into her arms.  “Do you want to pet her?”

“Sure.”  Arkonel agreed and reached out his hand.  He heard Harley’s grumbling in his mind and tried to hold back a smile as he scratched her head. Demi-god or demon, there’s not much of a distinction, is there, Arkonel.  If you try to touch me without her, I’ll take your face off.  Harley meowed sweetly at him and he felt her purring underneath his hand.  He gently removed his hand, and thought back at the cat.  Now now, Harley, my father is a very powerful being.  If I succeed in this job, he might just make me king of the kitties.  Suck up while you can, darling.

“I saw the cat toys.  And the picture.” Arkonel saved his own ass, noticing the picture of the two humans and three cats framed, next to the kitchen doorway.  Ari looked up, startled.

“I didn’t even know mom hung that back up.  You’re really observant.”

“Some people think so.”  Arkonel said.  “Careful.”  He said, reaching over to catch the pan she had accidentally pushed over the edge of the counter.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”  Arkonel said.  He glanced around the rest of the visible area.  It was different seeing things through human eyes instead of his normal eyes.  He could change easily and maintain his form, but he really wanted to experience what being a human was like.  That way, if he wanted to cause trouble later, he could fully understand how the human perceived things.

His normal eyes could detect things that humans hadn’t even thought about – energy patterns and emotion patterns.  It was hell in Olympus – everyone saw what everyone else was feeling.  But, it saved a lot of what caused human warfare and arguments.  Miscommunication was something he was very fond of – its what drove his adventures.

“So…this is kind of awkward.”  Ari commented as she poured her pancake mix in the pan.

“Really?  I didn’t think so.” Arkonel said.  “I’m making sure you don’t kill yourself on the food and you’re attempting to eat.”

“But we don’t know each other.”

“Well I doubt we’d get to know each other very well if we’ve only known each other for an hour of our lives.”  Arkonel said simply.

“How old are you?” Ari asked him.

“I am…older than you.”  He said.

“I figured.  But you can’t be more than a year or two older.  What, nineteen? Twenty?”

“Twenty.  And you’re…seventeen?”  He guessed wrong purposely.  He knew exactly how old she was.  She was born on March 27, and was eighteen.  Considering it was the beginning of July, she had a while to go before she turned nineteen.

“Eighteen.  Why, do I look seventeen?”

“No.  I just assumed that anyone as beautiful as you would be illegal.”

“So…you’re really a stalker who wants to rape me?”  She asked him, her dark eyes twinkling.

“Well, I can’t rape the willing.”

“I’m not willing.”

“But you would be.”

“My mother’s in the house.”  Was her only retort.  She met his eyes and pointed to a cupboard with her free hand.  “Can you hand me a plate from in there?”

“Yes ma’am.”  He said.  He walked over and opened the cupboard.  She likes you, you know.  Too bad you’re a god.  Arkonel heard Harley comment from her perch on the counter next to his hand.

“Your cat is very…interesting.  You said you had two more?” Arkonel asked, reaching for the plate and bringing it out for her.

“Yeah.  Harley is the one that we have to watch around visitors.  She tends to scratch.”  Arkonel watched in amusement as Harley flexed her claws at him. You know it won’t hurt if you try it.  Arkonel told the cat.  “She must like you.”  Ari concluded.

“She must.” Arkonel agreed as he tried to ignore the cat’s protest echoing in his non-earthbound ears.

“Are you sure you don’t want any?  I made extra mix.”

“No, thank you.  I don’t eat much.”  Arkonel repeated his earlier statement.  That’s an understatement. The cat scoffed.  Maybe Zeus will make you the god of liars.

“So, how much do you know about the pre-Christian culture in Greece?  Seeing as you lived there?”  Ari asked him as she flipped her final pancake onto her plate and shut off the stove.

“Well, I know quite a bit about the gods.”  Arkonel said, smiling.  He directed his next thought to the cat as Ari motioned for him to sit down.  She can almost hear us, you know.  We just influenced her thoughts.  She is blessed by many things.

And you got sent here as punishment.  Shame.  I rather enjoy the humans.  Especially this one.  The cat said.  She jumped quietly down from the counter and padded over to start rubbing against his legs.  Unless you plan to start a relationship with her, you better back off a little bit.  She’s thinking you’re available.

Maybe I am, cat.  Who knows.  I’ve never gone against my urges before.  Arkonel reached down and scratched Harley’s head.  Call your sisters.  I’d love to meet them.

“Really?  I know a lot about the Greek Gods, too.”  Ari said in between bites.  “I’m actually a witch, and the greek gods are my chosen pantheon.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed.”  Arkonel said, smiling amiably.  If only she knew that I knew, she’d probably get angry at me.  Like it was my fault.

It was your fault.  Do I need to remind you what you did?  Harley asked him, batting his hand playfully.

I know what I did.  I gave that man the truth.  The fact that he killed the wrong person was not my fault.  Stop talking to your gods, woman.  Its bad for you.

“Do you think I’m joking?”  Ari’s voice broke his concentration.  He shook his head in denial.

“No, of course not.  I was just getting a little too absorbed petting your little kitty.  She has such nice and soft fur.”

“I don’t know why she likes you.  She hates everyone else.”

“I just have that charm, I guess.”  Arkonel said.  “So which is your favorite god?”

“I’m not really sure.  It’s dangerous to choose favorites.  You start to act like that god and the gods aren’t perfect.”

“If you had a choice?”  Arkonel asked.

“I’m not sure.  Probably Apollo for a god, and Artemis for a goddess.”

“So you like the twins.  Good choice.”  Arkonel said, smiling.  He knew the twins well.  His brother and sister.  They accepted him, but they didn’t necessarily approve of his doings.  Especially his sister – he had deflowered a few of her followers over the years.

“What about you?”

“Well, I personally enjoy the company of Dionysus and Artemis, but my loyalty lies with Zeus and Hera, as dysfunctional as they may be.”  Arkonel said.  He was treading on thin water himself, choosing favorites.  Being the bastard son of  Zeus by some unknown female did nothing to increase his status in his step-mother’s eyes.  By the time he was born though, Hera had stopped caring about her husband’s infidelities.

“The company of?”

“Well, yes.  I love the outdoors, so both of them fit.  And alcohol – yum.”

“I hate it.”  Ari said in between bites.

“Have you ever had true Greek wine?”

Ari shook her head and Arkonel was suddenly distracted as a new cat – Shadow – leaped up on his lap, claws extended.

“Hi, kitty.  What’s your name?”  Arkonel asked out loud and reached down to scratch Shadow’s ears.

“That’s Shadow.  They really like you.”

“I’d call it a tough love situation.  Even if they haven’t mauled me yet, they’re thinking about it.”  Arkonel laughed, trying to get Shadow to talk a little slower so he could understand her.

I’m not going to take her away from you, silly cat.  You’re the youngest, aren’t you.  Relax.  Zeus sent me to watch her.

Right.  Sure.  I know what you are.  Shadow purred.  I’m going to kill you while you sleep.

“This cat is a little predator, isn’t she?”  Arkonel asked, grinning as the feline batted at his free hand.

“Yeah, but she means no harm.”  Ari said to Arkonel.  “She’s the youngest.”

“I can tell, and I haven’t even met the other one.” Arkonel said absentmindedly as he finished mind-laughing at Shadow.  Silly cat.  You better tread carefully feline, I may become king of the kitties.
 ---
Previous Chapter: Morning’s Ritual
Next Chapter: Easy Laughter
Home: Go To Title Page