Bab 27: Trial of Loretta and The End
Lucy took her lead in stride, but Leo knew how to keep what he was working on a secret. In fact, after two days, it seemed like he didn't work at all. Lucy kept to her personal forge for a full week, and Loretta was getting impatient for her new pet. She started running to me to tell them to hurry up. It was the same with Omoro. Amazing how we became the mother and father to this little girl. Loretta still hadn't said anything like that, but her actions definitely showed it.
I went to Lucy a few weeks after the challenge started, and decided to tell her what was wrong. That's when I noticed two things. She had finished multiple pets, but each one was slowly being taken apart. "What's wrong, Lucy?" I asked. "It looks like you've been done four times, but every time you've redone it." That's when I saw her, crying on the floor slowly removing another head from an automaton. "The AI, I can't do it. The rivalry pushed me into this, but I can't do it," she bawled. I couldn't stand seeing someone like that, but even worse when it's not justified. I got her on her feet, "Leo told me something you need to hear. He said that the gods aren't dealing with split personality anymore," I said. She looked shocked. "This isn't about a rivalry. It's your chance to grow past what you've been through. And Vulcan wants that for you," I told her. I looked around and waved my hands. "Mix them all together if you want. You have one week until Loretta chooses her new pet. Be ready." I walked away to the sounds of her working on the automatons once more.
After that week, Lucy and Leo agreed the best place to have Loretta choose her pet was Leo's landing spot. Both had gotten red cloths to cover their work. Well, Leo's was more like a red blanket. Loretta was in the middle, grinning from ear to ear. I was in charge of revealing each pet. Lucy was first. As I pulled off her huge red cloth, I saw she had taken my advice. Standing in front of me was a winged automaton similar to a gryphon but with the head of an lion. Lucy turned to Loretta. "It's voice activated, Loretta. Say wake up," Lucy said with a smile. Shaking a little, Loretta followed her instructions. "Wake up," she said. The automaton shook its head and walked to Loretta. It knelt down and licked her cheek. Loretta laughed. "It's a big softy," she said with a laugh. Then she looked at Leo, "But I still have one more choice. Leo, what did you make?"
Leo threw his red blanket behind him. He was holding a metal sphere the size of a basketball. Lucy held her hand to her heart. "How did you learn how to make that?!?!" she asked in pure shock. Leo smiled, "An special book left in Rome," he said. "I've made a lot of these for different reasons. This one is set up same as yours, with a little twist." He turned to Loretta, "Say what you want it to be, and I'll toss it. It'll become what you want."
Loretta looked confused. "Anything?" she asked. Leo laughed. 'Yeah, just say it," he replied. She got a mischievous grin. "Kool Aid Man!" she yelled. Leo threw it, and everyone started laughing. "I knew she would do it!' Jeremy yelled. "Dang it, I have to get you a box of snacks next time we go for supplies now. Don't I, Larry?" Skylar whined. "You guys placed bets?" I asked. Triumphantly, Larry called out his winnings. "Yup, now I get snacks from Skylar, a few comics from Beverly, and Jeremy owes me a favor later on." Omoro turned to me. "I bet something, too," she said with her own mischievous grin. "And I'm using it later today. Lucius and I will be having some alone time in a few hours. Since every one of you lost to me, we get three hours without interruption to ourselves," she announced loudly. "Nice job playing both ways, Larry," she said with a laugh.
Kool Aid Man was now fully formed, and his first words were a good ending to he discussion. "Oh yeah!" the golden hued pitcher screamed. "Loretta? Which one is better?" She was too busy having fun to answer. "I guess it's a tie," I said to Lucy and Leo. "Thought it would be," Leo confessed. "Lucy is insanely good to come this far. Even better, Dad would approve of what we have done. Giving humanity to machines, it's something he knows all too well," Leo said with a small tear going down his cheek. "Leo?" Loretta asked. "I'm naming yours after you. Thank you for giving it to me!" she said while dancing with the giant pitcher. "Thanks, I've always been known as a party animal who everyone loves!" he answered. It soon became apparent the giant, golden Kool Aid Man was great at getting parties started. Within minutes, it went from Loretta dancing with him and her other automaton, to the entire group in a conga line. Even Calypso joined in, and, as the sun set, Omoro pulled me aside.
We went to the forest to be alone. "Lucius, I want to know if you really love me." she started. I knew this was coming. It had been in motion since Valentine's Day. "Omoro, I love you. I'm just not good in showing it. You have no problem with it. The past few years have been beautiful just being with you." She raised her eyebrow. "And when I was gone? What did you do? Did you give up, or did you keep going?"
We had reached the center of the forest. "I never gave up, I kept loving you. I arranged a special location to be built in that room. Even if you were gone, I wasn't going to just move on. After all, we've been on this journey together, it's not like I could ever see anybody like I do you." I was getting the feeling she was teasing me, but I couldn't tell.
"Hmmm..." She started, "I believe you. Even more than you know. After all, my first impression of you was a loyal, sweet guy." She turned around and I realized I had backed up against a tree without knowing. "What's that?" she said pointing above my head.
I looked up. There was something in the tree. It looked familiar. "Could that be... mistletoe?" I was confused. It wasn't even close to Christmas, so no one could buy it. Could it be natural? Or a certain goddess? Either way, Omoro took her chance. We had our first kiss in over a year. When we pulled away, I realized I had been the one to reach for Omoro rather than the other way around.
"Not good at showing it, huh?" she said with a smile. We heard music in the distance, our musician was playing a slow song. "You paid off Harry, didn't you?" I asked as I held out my hand. She had a smirk. "Took a little bit more than I thought, but worth it." We danced together, slowly. As we did, I had an idea. "Omoro, I'm going to try something. Remember those bursts I did?" She had a smile. "We're going up?" she asked. "Let's do it!" I answered. With the next step, we launched to the tops of the trees. "Just in time," I said into her ear. We looked down to see Leo leading a small group to where we were dancing seconds before. They each held a fire extinguisher, and were being lead by the fire from Lucy and Leo. "Another prank averted," I said kissing Omoro under the moonlight.
"I love you," she said. "Should we keep dancing? Or start getting away from Skylar?" she asked. "I think we're safe here," I answered her. And with that, we continued dancing with the moon watching over us. After our time was up, we headed back to the rest of the group. Everyone was having fun, the fire extinguishers becoming as close to a water gun fight as we could. Calypso even joined them, if only to watch over everyone and douse Leo as much as possible. As soon as they saw us, we were charged. Thirteen people armed with fire extinguishers aiming to douse us, until I paused them that is. Petty? Yeah, but better than getting soaked. I moved myself and Omoro, placed the group facing toward each other. Then got Omoro and I a good distance to see the fun. "Play," I said. And all thirteen were shocked to see they were aiming at each other. "Not again!" Loretta screamed. "Again?" Leo screamed. And every one of those thirteen ran out of foam with that. Leo ran to me, and Loretta ran to Omoro. Both of them smirking. They turned to the rest of the group and screamed, "GROUP HUG!!!" I wasn't fast enough. Now all fifteen of us looked like marshmallows, but felt at home.
The next day, Leo announced his plans. "Guys, I love it here. But I have my peeps waiting for me back in the US. I don't know why they don't answer me, but I sent a holo-scroll ahead to let them know I'm coming. If you guys ever want to party, send me an iris message. Because you guys are my kind of crazy. I just want to talk with Lucius before I go." Everyone had an inkling of what Leo needed, after all it happened before. "How long until you're ready?" I asked the son of Hephaestus. "Let me see, later today? Calypso's gotten her stuff ready, just need to set up Festus, and plan a route. I know it's sudden, but I have a feeling I'm needed soon. You guys get that, right?" he spoke in rapid succession, whatever was happening was big if Leo was this scared. "See me in the woods in exactly 4 hours, then. Last night was fun, but I don't want anyone to follow us this time, okay?" I turned to the entire group. Everyone nodded, I guess I was giving off that aura of power again. "Thanks, and Loretta, I have another gift for you." he said as he tossed a small remote. "Press it when I'm gone. It's a surprise." He said with a small glint in his eye. With that, the group left to their own chores and assigned classes.
I went straight to the woods. I needed to be alone, even if last night Omoro and I said what our hearts wanted, I still didn't feel okay with anything related to making it public. I held my feelings back for years, and this was my problem because of it. I summoned Interitus. "If my story started with this blade of destruction, what would happen if I changed? After all, the day I received this blade was the day my original family, and now I have had a second one for a year." I said out loud. Then, I heard a rustling, like a soft breeze was blowing through the woods. "My son, you think I do not see your travels?" a voice said. It wasn't from any one place, more like the air itself was speaking. "You're Saturn? How do you keep coming back?!" I screamed. "The foolish demigods... they didn't destroy me properly," the voice answered cackling. "That blade was my gift... just like your armor... and now it shall fulfill it's purpose!" the voice conitnued, as Saturn's essence started to funnel toward Interitus. The blade began glowing, not normally, but with an golden glow. I screamed, Interitus had gotten insanely hot. It started to even steam. "Quite a fitting name... Interitus... because that's all that will be left... ruins." the voice of Saturn emanated from the blade. "What is this?!?!" Saturn's tone had changed. "You never fulfilled... the purpose.... of this blade?" Saturn screamed. I realized what Interitus had been. It was like the armor, Interitus was supposed to be used against Olympus at Mt Tamalpais. That way if Saturn lost, he'd come back anyway.
"No, because I made my peace with Olympus, Father. I have my new family now. A family of both half-gods and half-titans." As I said this, Leo called out from nearby. "Hey! Lucius! You ready to talk?" he yelled. "Leo! Get over here! I need your flame!" I answered him. "Leo?!?! As in Valdez?! Mother's death was caused by him!" Saturn screamed. Good thing Leo could hear Saturn, he sent up a huge amount of flame to the blade. "Lucius! What is that?" Leo said while throwing more flames. "My dad, Saturn, he was going to use Interitus to come back. Now he's trapped. Just destroy the blade!" I yell back.
Both Leo and I do our best, but we can't destroy the blade. "You fools! This blade is made from three different metals. Making it nigh invincible!" Saturn screamed while cackling. "Wait, you said you had an Underworld kid, right?" Leo asks me. "Yeah, maybe you, me, Calypso, and Beverly together will work. As in immortal, Underworld, half-titan, and half-god." Leo pulled out a second remote, "Good thing I made multiple copies." He pressed the button and the entire PA system went nuts saying "All Da Ladies Love Leo!!!" on repeat. "It was a final farewell," Leo says sheepishly. Calypso comes running, ready to chew out Leo from the looks of it. She sees the blade, then immediately runs back. She doesn't return with Beverly, though. Omoro is brought instead. "Lucius!" Omoro says while running to me. "Calypso says that blade has to be stopped now!" Leo and Calypso both are arguing in the background, but my focus is on Omoro. "If we don't make it, I want you to know something," I tell her. "I've always loved you. Since that day you fought the Hyperborean, I loved you. Day one of our journey." Leo looks at us, points at Omoro and himself, then to the blade. "Leo needs you to nova the blade. Interitus has to be atomized. I will be with you the whole way." The four of us hold hands, me and Calypso on the left and right ends, with Leo and Omoro in the middle. "Time to supernova guys! Flame on!" Leo screams as he lights himself fully on fire while Omoro channels the flame at the blade. Both intensifying the strength and increasing the amount with her own abilities.
"What.. is... happening?!?!" Saturn screams as the blade begins to melt from the tip. "Keep it up! Princess of Potty Sludge was tougher than this!" Leo screams with a laugh. The blade reaches halfway when Omoro starts to waver. I catch her, and realize this is her first major use of her abilities in months. I turn her face toward mine. "I know you can do it," I say as I kiss her. As I do, her powers pick up in strength again. Even going beyond what they were at first. After another few minutes, the hilt is all that remains. We continue melting, since any piece left behind is an cause for concern. Even if Saturn shut up. Once it's all gone, Omoro faints. "You did good, Omoro. Very good," I say as I set her down to rest.
I turn to the two people before me. Both of them risked their lives this time, and I'm glad I met them. "Leo, thanks for the help. And what did you want to tell me?" Even after the full draining experience I just went through, I wanted to know.
"I want you to know a few things that I learned during my time on the Argo II. Something each of my friends told me, and how it applies to you here."
"Without a heart, power is useless. A good friend is the image of that."
"If you have a weakness, don't force yourself into those positions. Let others help you. Working with six other demigods is always a good thing. You have twelve. So that's double."
"Sometimes the sky isn't the limit, because you can always do more. You saw that firsthand today."
"Even an advantage doesn't mean you'll be perfect for a situation. Long story for that, but I've heard it firsthand."
"Sometimes change is good, it means you're growing. My favorite dolphin and goldfish taught me that." I was confused, but he kept going.
"Your treasure isn't always gold, jewels, or other things. But that doesn't matter, because it's your treasure."
"And finally, my advice is don't stick to being normal. Be crazy because it makes life worth it. Every crazy moment is worth a thousand moments that are normal. Because I'd rather be crazy and heading to Elysium then normal and on my way to Asphodel." He smiled.
"Well, me and Calypso are going to leave in one hour. We need a shower, and I need to change the phrase on the party button for Loretta." With that, they left to do what they needed. I stayed behind with Omoro, just watching her sleep like when we started our journey. I started to sing to pass the time. The song was older, but it was how I felt when I first met her and I was feeling nostalgic.
"The lights go out all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive but I feel like I've died
And all that's left is to accept that it's over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm but I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away
After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain
My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get through the day
When life before is only a memory
I'll wonder why God lets me walk through this place
And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how you've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames
After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain
Here I am at the end of me
Tryin' to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This night's been so long
I cling to Your promise
There will be a dawn
After all this has passed, I still will remain
After I've cried my last, there'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today, someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain."
Omoro woke up. "I forgot you liked those songs. Always a paradox, huh?" She sat up. I had barely sung a few minutes, but already I was crying. "What else are we?" I asked her. "Alive, in love, and perfect for each other," she answered. And I heard music again. This time it was a love song. "You didn't pay Harry again, did you?" I asked. She turned around looking for where the music came from. We found a button a few feet away with a not saying, "for you". Leo was giving us another dance. We slow danced, and as we finished, we heard a roar and clapping. Festus was ready to leave. We ran to the others, and arrived just as Leo got on the bronze dragon. He waved at me and Omoro, then launched off. Loretta didn't waste time pressing the button. Every PA system started going off again, only this time it was imitating the ending to Looney Tunes.
"Not a bad way to leave," I said. And I turned to Omoro, and kissed her. Everyone around us cheered. Once again, Larry had bets set up. Sadly, his previous win was dwarfed by this loss. At that moment, I didn't care. Because as the Son of Time, I still had all the time in the world. And as the patron of my family, I choose what to do with that time.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Gilbert_Enriquez
Gilbert_Enriquez This is the end for now. Don't worry, it's not done. I've got a few one shot chapters set up for certain days. But I'm on vacation until 2021. I have college classes, work, and a lot of stuff coming up soon, so leaving you guys hanging was not in the plan. If you want to see more theories like in my Animation Theory compilation, check out SaberSenpai Productions on YouTube. I will also be doing storytimes on there alongside AMVS tied to memories. Thank you for all your support since day one!
Status Power Mingguan
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