Though the halls of the large temple, its guardian passed morbidly through. She had a stern look on her feline face, and she appeared deep in thought as she walked along with her eyes closed. She finally came to rest at a large window that over looked the fountain. She opened her crystal blue eyes slowly and gazed out upon the serene schene.Her tail twiched and her ears flickered as the sun beat down on her face. She sighed and brushed back her long golden blonde hair.
"Just another perfect day. As always another pefect day," she moaned.
She turned around and strolled slowly over to another window directly across from her. Her floor lenght green gown ruffled as she moved. Once she had reached the window she looks upon the cherry tree clearly visible beyond it. Pink petals fell slowly like snow from the fragile looking tree. She sighed once more.
"Another day full of creations and endings, of lives and deaths that I must attend to. My existence is so mundane! Always the same tasks, the same duties, never any changes! How I do despise what I was chosen to do for all eternity! How I wish I could just get away from it all!"
The temple keeper jumped away from the window in disgust. She quickly turned and dashed out the front gate of the temple. Once she reached the marble steps she dropped to the ground and threw her glance into the sky.
"I have had so much on my mind lately. Training the Mystic Guardians has become a great hassle, thanks to that little monster. He thinks so little of me. That I don't know what it's like to be mortal. He doesn't even know... I was mortal once. It seems so long ago, now. Maybe I have gotten a little out of touch, but what's to be expected after 15,300 years?"
The feline girl laid down upon the cool marble steps. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. She remained there considering all of the issues that were causing her grief. She knew there was a solution, but she just couldn't see it. Suddenly she vaulted to her feet, her face shown with excitement.
"That's it!" shouted the girl. "The answer was so simple I can't believe I didn't see it before! I will become mortal again, for a time at least. It'll be my vacation, I have been doing such a wonderful job for so long that I surely deserve one! Living life like that again. It will be wonderful! Mortals always have variation in their lives, not to mention I can really teach Janus a lesson!"
As quickly as her ethusiasm had risen, it once again sank. The smile left her face.
"How foolish I am being. Goddesses don't get vacations, especially when they hold a job as critical as mine. I can't just abandon my station. How will beings be born while I'm gone? How will they die? The world would be in chaos! Unless I can find someone to take over my job for a short while. But who?"
The goddess dashed back into her temple and over to a small altar. She placed her right hand upon it until a bright white light shot up. She removed her hand and an image soon took form. The holographic face of an apple green weasel like creature appeared.
"Hiya Brigitte. What's up?! Must've been a 100 years since ya called me!" greeted the hologram.
"Hello, Nixel," grumbled the goddess. "Could you call someone else over? I have an important matter to deal with and I need someone responsible."
The weasel creature grew furious and looked as if he was going to start shouting. He then suddenly mellowed out, but appeared very depressed and almost at tears. Brigitte watched a few moments longer as his attitude changed once more. Her own heart sank as an almost sinster smile crossed his face.
"So I'm not good 'nuf for ya huh? Iszat what ya think? Well I got news for ya sister. I'm the only help ya got going for ya! Everyone else is busy. So it's me or nuthing!" declared Nixel.
"Don't lie to me. I know you want
to prove yourself, but this is too important"
"I'm not lying. Why'd ya think I
answered when you looked for someone 'responsible'?" insisted Nixel.
Brigitte considered the possiblities for
a moment and then grudgedily accepted that he spoke the truth. She
desperately wanted to get away from her mundane life. She couldn't
wait. She knew she had no choice but to accept his help at what ever
cost it would bring. She sighed and Nixel smiled menacingly.
He knew he had won.
"Very well. I am taking leave of
my post. I need someone to watch over the Nexxus and guide the souls
while I am away," explained Brigitte. "Would you be willing to take
over my job for a short while?"
"Heh! All right! That sounds
fun!" Sure thing I'll be right over!" exclaimed Nixel.
Within a few seconds Brigitte heard shouting
near the entrance of her Temple. She ran to the gate, but before
she could reach it she was almost knocked over by Nixel. He plowed
right through her and make himself comfortable in her home. She watched
him in disgust as he threw his few possessions onto her floor and placed
his feet upon her table.
"NIXEL!!" hollared Brigitte". "You
had better take this seriouslly or I will rip out each of your hairs when
I return! And don't put your feet on my table, you act like you were
raised in a barn!"
Nixel jumped to his feet and walked slowly
over to an enraged Brigitte.
"Easy there, sweetheart. Don't worry,
I was just getting used to your prissy little spot here. I'll do
a great job. Matter of fact I bet I will! If I do a good job,
ya gotta go on a date with me or something!" ashured Nixel.
"Date you? Ha! I'd rather have
my teeth pulled out. I can't stand you as an aquaintance, never for
one of your silly games would I risk having to go out with you. Just
repulsive!" remarked Brigitte.
"Man ya need that vacation! Better
get outta here now before you turn ta ice!"
Nixel pushed Brigitte out of the front gate
of the temple and onto the steps. He then disappeared back inside,
leaving her on the standing there. Thrown outside of her own temple,
she wanted nothing more than to return. This couldn't happen now.
She knew that the deal was set. He would hopefully watch over the
Nexxus and perform the duties of the deity of Life while she was away.
"So its settled. I have gotten my
wish. Soon I will play my own part in the story of life, but I need
to fit my new role. I would look very odd roaming the streets with
my feline body."
Brigitte held out her hand and a green
choaker with a pale blue bell on it appeared. As she placed it around
her features began to shift from feline to human. Within a few minutes
her cat goddess form had faded away and she now appeared to be an ordinary
young lady. She ran over to the brook and peared into the pristine
waters. She was momentarily shocked by the face the looked back at
her, but soon grew to enjoy it.
"My how charming! I look so pleasant,
no one would suspect who I really am. Perfect! I'm all set
now!"
With a grand smile across her face Brigitte
ran down the marble path to the Exit of the Nexxus. She looked back
briefly at her serene homeland, and the disappeared into a luminesecent
cloud that lead to the land of the mortals.
"Your prices are too high," grumbled the peddler as he walked away.
"Yes they are but, you always come back."
"Go to Hell, Fenadeir!" snarled the peddler.
"I'll meet you there," retorted the youth.
"You sure showed him," commented
Brigitte.
The young man turned back to Brigitte.
"Sorry about that. I didn't mean
to turn my back on such a lovely lady as yourself, but I had to end that
matter. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Fenadeir Fisher, and yourself?"
informed Fenadeir.
"Brigitte... um.. just Brigitte.
Pleased to make your acquaintence," greeted Brigitte.
Fenadeir gently took hold of Brigitte's
hand. He brought it to his lips and softly kissed it. She was
shocked by this gesture. Her face turned bright red, but she wasn't
sure why. She had taken the form of an ordinary human, but does that
mean she'd fallen under the influence of their emotions. He acted
so refined and proper, qualities she found most appealing. He looked
back up and her and she smiled slightly.
"You've had a hard day, maybe I can repay
you for it. I know an Inn with a great tavern, if you want I can
take you there and you can get anything you want. Don't worry about
money, it's all settled," suggested Fenadeir.
"Oh thank you that sounds just wonderful!
Lead on!" exclaimed Brigitte.
Fenadeir led Brigitte down the streets
of Valendez to a small building. It was set on the edge of a crystal
clear pond surrounded in trees. From a wire attached to the roof
hung a sign upon which "The Five Torches" was printed in script lettering.
Fenadeir opened the large wooden door and beckoned Brigitte in. She
thanked him, and entered. He found them a table and seated her before he
sat down. They both ordered wine and nothing more. They slowly
drank their wine and conversed. Fenadeir got closer to her as they
spoke, and attemped to get more familar with her.
"I could never forget a face as fair as
yours, you aren't from around here are you?" questioned Fenadeir.
"Correct. I'm not from around here.
I'm from somewhere far off, but yet near; a place full of life, but still
dead. It's hard to explain," answered Brigitte.
"It sounds like it. So what do you
call this place?" inquired Fenadeir.
"Well... I um... what do I call it?
Well that's sorta hard to say... um..," stutterd Brigitte.
Brigitte continued to stall in a desperate
attempt to buy some time until she could come up with a proper story.
Unfortunately after several momments she realized it was hopeless.
She started laughing hysterically for a few moments and then suddenly stopped
humilated. Fenadeir watched her entire schene with a confused look
upon his face.
"What's the matter, cat got your tounge?"
joked Fenadier.
Brigitte rolled her eyes back and blushed
a bright crimson. She then dropped her head down to the table and hid her
face in her arms. Fenadier was more confused than ever. He
reached across the table and shook Brigitte slightly to see if she was
still responsive. She slowly lifted her head up and smiled reasuringly.
"Don't worry. It's nothing really..
it's just that when you said that, it reminded me... that I forgot to feed
my cat," remarked Brigitte.
"Oh... well I guess that makes sense.
Now where were we?" asked Fenadeir.
"Fenadeir! Fenadier!!" called a voice
from behind the pair. "You're supposed to be working today not chatting!
Did you think you could just leave me here to do all the work?"
Fenadeir and Brigitte turned towards the
source of this new interruption. Before them stood a chestnut haired
girl of eighteen years. Her green eyes where fixed on Fenadeir.
She was furious, but yet possessed an air of rationity. Brigitte
glanced from this new girl to Fenadeir and back to girl. The three
watched each other silently for a breif while, before he spoke up.
"I hate to cut things short, Brigitte,
but I have to go. I'm supposed to be working today. Azelle,
won't give me any time off."
"Well.. you take enough breaks as it is.
Really when I told you you could become my partner I actually expected
you to work! I don't know what I was thinking!" exclaimed the
girl.
"You two... run this place?" inquired
Brigitte.
"Yeah. We became parnerers after
the Manalene Inn, my home, burned down. Well I don't really wanna
talk about that. It's been nice Brigitte. Stop by at eight.
I'll be on break then, so I'll see you then," replied Fenadeir.
"All right. I'll be here. I
can't wait!" agreed Brigitte.
Fenadier kissed Brigitte gentlely on the
cheek before he was lead away by Azelle. They said goodbye as he was taken
through the door to the staff area. Brigitte stood silently for a
moment considering what had just happened to her. She had had a delightful
time, and could hardly bear to wait for a few more hours to see him again.
She knew she had some sort of crush on this mortal boy, and he seemed attracted
to her as well. This was more than she had ever bargined for on her
vacation!
Brigitte left the Five Torches Inn on an
emotional high. She was so excited and light hearted that she couldn't
even remember the depression that had lead to her trip into the mortal
world, or the incompetent fool she had left the caretaker of her imporant
position. She glided down the streets of Valendez elegantly.
She looked in all directions, absorbing every detail of that day for future
recollection. She had only gone a quarter of a mile away from the
inn when she spotted a familar form walking a short distance in front of
her. She recognized the short, sickly looking, palid skinned child
before her. His shoulder lenght pale blue hair shown in the sunlight.
"Janus! Janus turn around!" called
Brigitte.
The blue haired boy turned around.
His blood red eyes looked searchingly through the crowd behind him.
His long pointed ears listened intently for the voices return. With
that look of confusion upon his face he truely looked his ten years.
Brigitte dashed over to him, now completely confident of his identity.
"Janus I'm so glad to see you! I've
had the most wonderful day that I simply must explain to you!" declared
Brigitte.
"Who the hell are you?!" growled
Janus.
Brigitte explained to Janus how she had
taken the form of a human to spend some time away from her goddess life.
She told him how she had met a boy named Fenadeir Fisher, and how he took
her out. She tried to express her enthusiasm in words, but she found
it was far to grand to explain. If she had been thinking more clearly
she would have noticed how odd it was for Janus to be paying attention
to her. However, she was too excited to even notice the sinster smirk
that he now bore.
"You're in love with Fish?!" exclaimed
Janus before he burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" probed Brigitte
neverously.
"You are! You actually like HIM?
What's even funnier is that you think HE likes YOU! You don't know
even know the first thing about him!" shouted Janus.
"What?! Why do you say that?!
What do you know!" screamed Brigitte.
"I know he hits on anything that moves!
Old girls, young girls, rich girls, poor girls, guys who look like girls.
As long as he thinks its female and pretty he'll try and get her!
He doesn't care about you or anything!" explained Janus.
"You're lying! You only want to make
me unhappy! I refuse to believe you! I won't listen to another
word of this!" declared Brigitte.
"Ha! Fine! It's your funeral.
Don't blame me when he runs off with someone else and leaves you in the
dirt! I'm telling you I've never seen him stay interested in someone
for more than a day!" insisted Janus. "You shouldn't feel special because
he paid attention to you. You made yourself look sorta nice, that's
the only reason he cared. Did you even watch where he was looking?"
Brigitte stormed off as Janus continued
to taunt her. She couldn't believe the things he had said!
Fenadeir seemed so nice, so sweet, he couldn't possibly be as fickle as
Janus portrayed him! Could he? She didn't know what to think,
and did not want to. All she wished to do was deny what that little
brat had told her, and continue her vacation. He was always a liar,
he never told the truth or worked seriously on anything. She continued
to convince herself that Janus's words were meaningless as she wandered
aimlessly through the streets to try and waste away the time until eight
o'clock.
Fenadeir was busy washing dishes in the
back staff room when he heard the unmistakible voice of Janus calling to
him.
"Fish! FISH!! Are you there?!"
He couldn't stand having Janus around,
he was so unpredicible. No one ever knew whether he would behave
himself or be his more typically obxious self when ever he was spotted.
He was so flip, always mouthing off to people, he digusted almost everyone
he met. On top of everything he always called Fenadeir "Fish".
It was clearly a nickname taken from his last name, Fisher, but it was
one he completely detested. No matter how many times he'd begged
Janus to stop calling him that, he never did.
"Fish! Fish! Answer me!"
Janus continued to shout for a brief time,
before he grew bored of waiting. He looked around the Tavern area
quickly, before deciding that Fenadeir must be in the staff room.
He pushed through the swinging door, disreguarding a posted notice for
all non-staff members to remain outside. He walked over to Fenadeir
and kicked him firmly in the shin. Fenadeir gazed hatefully down
at him.
"Why didn't you answer me!?" demanded
Janus.
"Because having to put up with you makes
me want to vomit," answered Fenadeir.
"I'm busy now, can't you go torment someone
else?"
"No way! No one else is hitting on
Brigitte!" retorted Janus.
Fenadeir stopped working. He realized
that Janus knew things that he did not, and wouldn't just allow it to pass.
He had to know what it was the boy knew and how he knew it.
"How do you know Brigitte?" questioned
Fenadier.
"Easy, she's my boss. She's
the Goddess of Life, the trainer of the Mystic Guardians. She's also
a cat girl," flatly remarked Janus.
Fenadeir got pale. He remembered
now that Janus had mentioned a person known as Brigitte before. She
was a cat goddess, and the judge of mortal's souls. It seemed to
fit into place with what she had told him. She had no last name,
and neither did the goddess. She was from the Nexxus, gateway to
the spirit world, definitely a place unlike any other. He had thought
she was just another helpless girl, but she wasn't even human. Janus
waited silently for all of the ideas raised by this to sink into Fenadeir's
head. He seemed to enjoy the chaos he had created, and smiled to
himself as Fenadeir stared blankly off.
"I can't believe it... she acted like another
helpless girl, but she's not even really human," commented Fenadeir.
"Yup! She's the Goddess of Life and
Death. The final judge of all mortal souls. I hope you were
nice to her," responded Janus.
"I can't believe it! I was flirting
with a cat?!" exclaimed Fenadeir.
"Hey how you feel about cats is none of
my business!" declared Janus.
"That's it!" hollared Fenadeir has he slamed
his fist into a counter. "Get outta here now and don't ever come
back! You've gone too far this time!"
Fenadeir chased Janus out of the Five Torches
Inn. He wasn't able to catch him, since Janus was by far faster than
him, but succeeded in driving him away. He didn't leave quietly,
but turned and faced the inn. He gathered all his strenght and shouted
to Fenadeir.
"You should be thanking me!!!"
Fenadeir opened the door momentarily and
cursed Janus out. He then slammed the door hard, almost ripping it
off the hinges. Janus knew he had no further business there, and
quietely walked away. He had already had his heartless fun at the
expense of two people's emotions. It was enough work for him that
day. With him gone, Fenadeir was left to contemplate the issues he
now faced alone. Brigitte would be back later and he would be expected
to say something.
Brigitte paced nerviously about the doorway
to the Five Torches Inn. She heard the clock chimes ringing off in
the distance. Eight bells. Fenadeir would come soon, unless
he had found someone else. This was the perfect chance for her to
test his interests. She waited for ten minutes with no sign of him. She
dispaired. It looked as if Janus was right, he did not care.
She couldn't dare enter that establishment to look for him, it seemed far
to undignified. She waited for another ten minute, but he did not
appear. She was just about to leave, when Fenadeir called to her.
"Brigitte"
She turned around, hopeful once more.
She dashed over to him as fast as her legs could carry her. She gave
him a hug as soon as she was close enough. She had yet to noticed
the solemn look upon his face.
"Fenadeir. You came. Janus
was wrong. You do care!" remarked Brigitte.
"We need to talk, Miss Goddess," declared
Fenadeir.
Brigitte stepped away from him. She
sank her head down for a moment and sighed, before looking into Fenadeir's
midnight blue eyes appologeticially. Her grief was evident.
She knew her identity was no longer the well kept secret she had hoped.
"Janus told you, didn't he?" asked Brigitte.
"Yes. He told me everything about
you. You're really a cat too. That's just plain weird.
I don't know even want to get into that," affirmed Fenadeir.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It's
just... well... if I had told you you wouldn't have shown me such a wonderful
time, would you have?" inquired Brigitte.
"Honestly no," answered Fenadeir.
"I mean you're not even human---"
"I know... I hear that all the time.
Good bye, Fenadeir." announced Brigitte.
Brigitte ran off before Fenadeir could
get another word in. He did not chase her, but allowed her to leave
alone. He could do no good in talking to her, since he could never
imagine what he could say to her. She had pretending to be something
she wasn't, how could he tell she wasn't pretending to be sad now?
She was a goddess, she's supposedly emotionless. He had enough of
his own thoughts to deal with, then to worry about hers.