Chapter 603: Teaching The Love Goddess
Aphrodite was finally coming to terms with what she had done and she looked about as pale as someone could be.
"But... that’s... it’s too much... how could someone? It would really really hurt? Wouldn’t it? I mean... just two was... caused some pain... and two more...? Plus this thing is that big around? I mean... I couldn’t even begin..."
"When they were screaming from pain.... this is why. There was no love involved... except for maybe your own, as misguided as it was," Laz explained to her, not mashing his words. She was 800 years old after all... she should be able to deal with a least a bit of trauma he hoped.
"But... my daddy... he...."
"Look... I’m not at liberty to discuss what someone else likes or dislikes... that’s on them. But what I can say is that something like that," Laz said, pointing to the purple monster in her hands, "is something that people who enjoy this work up to. It’s not something they just... eh... stick in there? I guess that would be the best way to say it," Laz tried to explain, stumbling for the right words to say. After all, despite his innate hatred of the Emperor, he didn’t think it was right to bring that up in front of his daughter who obviously loved him, even if he was a shitty excuse for a person... er... god?
"No wonder... after these things happened... those who I... the ones I loved... they all ended up killing themselves... even the one who was a guard... I thought that maybe they would be stronger than the slaves... even if... but I never..."
Aphrodite started crying and leaned over to grab Laz’s shift, pulling herself in tight. A little taken aback, Laz couldn’t help but start rubbing her back and her head, whispering gently to her to settle her down.
’She really is like a child in some ways. It’s kind of frightening. Maybe her innocence is part of what allows her natural charm to be so strong?’ It seemed weird to Laz that a goddess of love could be so innocent and lacking on what love actually was.
’Then again, what the hell do I know about gods in the end anyway?’ Laz could only sigh with this thoughts.
"I’m sorry... this isn’t... I wasn’t trying to... I just..."
"So why am I here anyway?" Laz said, thinking it was finally time to steer this ship.
"Well... You just... made such a strong impression with your fight. And it was just... so moving to watch. I mean... You’re just so weak...well. You were, but for some reason you’re stronger now. So I just... you... Well... I got a feeling. A guide so to speak. That you would be able to... to help me to love. I mean. There were men in the past who I was attracted to, but they didn’t give me the same feeling. And... I just wanted to try to experience it close up. It’s the first time my blood has stirred for someone else... like ever. Those men in the past... they excited me a little and I am the goddess of love which means when I ascended to godhood, love was awakened as my insignia and that means I must learn all about love to be able to fight for the ancient godhood of love if I ever want to advance since all gods of certain insignia’s must fight one another to be able to fill the role when the seat goes vacant although since we are stuck here I don’t think I will ever actually have to fight but I still figured learning about love was best so that in case we do leave at some point I can fight for my own godhood against other love goddesses out there not that I know if there are any but I know there aren’t any among my brothers and sisters so I...."
Aphrodite continued to speak, but Laz had frozen up as she had just so casually spilled information about gods that he wasn’t aware about. While he wanted to dive deeper, he felt as though trying to touch on the subject could hurt him far more than help him.
"Ok. Ok... I get it. You... want to understand love? Correct?" Laz asked, stopping her rant before his head exploded.
"YES!"
"Ok. Uh... damn... how to explain it?"
"Well... when two people really love each other, they spend lots of time together, share their things and stick things in each other’s back sides?" Aphrodite tried to helpfully explain.
’You know what? While that’s not that far off... it’s also completely wrong in so many ways. I get that her dad may be a weird kind of freak... but how could her mom just... well... Hera I guess has her own problems? I wonder if they extend to this girl to?’ Laz thought to himself before speaking.
"Have you ever tried asking your mother Hera about love?" Laz posed the question.
"Well... I wanted to... but my daddy said that i can’t trust what she says since she’s jealous of my beauty..." Aphrodite said with a slight look of regret, although what that meant he didn’t know.
"Alright. Well... let’s just say you’re not wrong with your thoughts, but they are also wrong. Uh... It’s kind of hard to put into words what I want to say though..."
"You... know what love is?" Aphrodite asked, looking like she was grabbing for a life raft.
"Well... yes. I have quite a few women who I love and who love me in return," Laz said, thinking of his twelve stars along with the others in his sky.
"Oh. Well... then... I can just... I guess... if you would trust me. I can see into your memories. We can view them together so that I can see and experience all the things that you have with them. I can even feel your emotions while you watch them and how you react to the things we are seeing. How about that? It might be hard to trust me and I haven’t done anything to deserve it, but I think it could help me to understand. I mean, if you’re willing to help me," Aphrodite said, looking nervous.
’Help her. I don’t believe she is lying. And what’s more, it would be beneficial to have a goddess on your side considering what she will owe you for this,’ Kat’s voice came through Laz’s ear from the hidden seal, making him gasp in shock since it had been so long since he had heard her voice.
"Oh. I’m sorry. I know memories are private things and it wasn’t right of me to ask to just view them like that. Especially really private and personal ones," Aphrodite said, thinking that his reaction was because of her request.
"No. No. It’s not you. I’m just... remembering something from a long time ago," Laz lied, calming her down.
’She won’t be able to penetrate your mind with me here. And no, I’m not back to full strength, but it should be enough to keep you safe. Go for it,’ Kat said, encouraging him.
"Alright. Let’s give it a try," Laz said to the blonde goddess who smiled like a rising dawn in return.
"YAY! OK. So... just think of some of the times you’ve spent with your wives and I’ll be able to see those same memories. Like watching a viewing crystal of a scene. Come. Sit here. Good. Now let me just get into position," Aphrodite said, sitting in Laz’s lap as he laid against the head board.
"This is the best position for this?" Laz asked as he looked down at the slightly short goddess sitting on him. She had pulled her robe back over her after getting back up but it was barely big enough to fit around her breasts, causing them to be practically falling out every second she moved.
"Yes. Being so close to you allows me a much stronger connection, especially for feeling your emotions," Aphrodite said with a happy grin and she shook her butt, feeling the obvious bulge in his pants that he wasn’t really trying to hide. Despite her naivety, he wasn’t a buddha and couldn’t control his normal impulses when a love goddess decides to rub up against him.
’She’s right,’ Kat whispered in my ear, so I just dropped it.
"And here we go. Now just think up a few memories of your loved ones and we can experience it together!" Aphrodite said as she closed her eyes and pressed a finger against her own head before doing the same with Laz.
Unlike the world inside of himself, this world he was in now was like a giant white canvass, with nothing but blankness everywhere, a pure white world. Suddenly, Laz felt a hand on his own as the blonde goddess, Aphrodite, appeared next to him, fully naked.
"Here we are. Now you just have to recall the memory of which ever loved one you want me to see and experience," Aphrodite said, smiling.
Laz smiled back, feeling refreshed in this world as he closed his eyes and thought.
At first, he was going to picture Kennedy or Malene or Leona, or Ruby, or the Ivy sister’s, or Jill, or Celes, or Nora or Lyssa. But instead, maybe brought on by having heard her voice again after silence and worry, Laz instead thought about Kat.
Meeting her father, meeting her.
Training with her, fighting with her.
Falling for her, loving her.
Running with her.
Feeling her die in his arms.
Loss... pain... regret... sadness... anger... rage...
Moving forward.
Always one step at a time.
The twelve stars and lunar moon following his footsteps, igniting his sky.
As the walk continued, ever on.
The world of memories went dark as Laz felt his eyes snap open, only to find Aphrodite had turned her entire body to face him, straddling him now as tears streamed down her face, mirroring his own.
Even when she kissed him, the tears didn’t end.
