by Fiona Price
"This isn't court, dad." Talia spoke, already fed up and exhausted. The pain didn't help.
"Yes, but there will be serious punishment, so we're doing this." William spoke, sitting down at his seat at the head of the conference room table.
"Meaghan, why don't you start us off?" William asked, though it was a rhetorical question. Meaghan recounted her night at the club after Maize left.
"That night, Talia had just finished off the bullying started by Angelina and Ariel..."
"God, I wasn't bullying her! That's such a juvenile term, I wasn't-" Talia began in her defense before she was cut off.
"TALIA! Please!" William scolded, giving her a sharp look and gesturing for Meaghan to continue with her account of the story.
"God, your so called 'friend' is such a crybaby! Every time I tell her the truth she runs off and hides and cries! Like, face me upfront for once!"
"Is that what you want, Talia? Do you do this to her, so she starts a fight with you? You're not telling her the truth, you're just spreading lies and being unnecessarily mean to her! You seem to be the only one around here who has a real problem with her. Angelina and Ariel just seem to be following your lead! You're literally just a mean girl with bad intentions for everyone who you don't see worthy to be in your presence, because you have an ego the size of the Empire State Building! You're toxic, Talia, and you're hurting my friends."
Talia, unfazed, looked to Peter. "You don't believe this, do you Spider boy?"
"Yeah, actually, I do. All you've done is give Maize shit and make her life at the compound literal hell, and you seem to be fueled only by sadism. It's bullshit, Talia. We're a team! How can we trust you to have our backs in combat when you're only looking out for yourself?" Peter spoke. "And that's the truth, Talia. What you say is the truth that you're telling Maize? That's pure malice."
Off on the side by the bar, there was a loud shattering of a glass that was immediately traced to Jordie. He was trying to keep his cool but the whole thing made him upset and he was beginning to turn a little bit green. He had squeezed his glass so hard with his attempt to stay out of conflict and places were anger resided, but he couldn't. He broke the glass in his hand, a million little shards covering the floor, his shoes and embedded in his hand. He brushed his hand off, those pieces of glass falling to the floor and he walked towards his compatriots in a fit of rage, his knuckles completely white. He was furious, and he made sure everybody knew it, too.
"Talia, you're wrong. Maize isn't a crybaby. She's a much bigger person than you are right now, but you just happened to make me really angry with what just happened. You're in trouble, Talia." Jordie spoke. Peter, seeing where this might be heading, stepped in.
"Hey, man, cool it a touch. We're really pissed but we don't want you Menoetius-ing out right here and right now. We can settle this if you need a break, maybe some fresh air." Peter spoke rationally, trying not to do or say anything that would get Jordie even more riled up than he already was.
"Don't tell me to calm down!" He nearly yelled at Peter.
"What are you going to do if you don't, huh?!" Peter rebutted, trying to get Jordie to back off. "That's right. Take a chill pill, dude. Don't get involved in this when you're about to Menoetius out." Peter advised.
"You're right," He said, walking away. "Chill pill, huh? That shouldn't be too hard to find."
"NO! Do NOT go looking for drugs from strangers!" Peter demanded, but it was too late. Jordie wasn't receptive and had already gotten his mind set on it.
"Listen up, Spider boy. You are nothing without your suit. You owe everything to my father, and you wouldn't even be here without him. You're just a kid who thinks he knows everything, and that bothers the shit out of me, okay?! I know you're trying to act righteous and stand up for your friend, but it isn't worth it. She isn't worth it, Peter. But you really aren't either; I hope you know exactly how replaceable you are! You weren't even part of the original search for the people to replace the Gods, you're like a... footnote. Nobody event thinks you're a real God, Peter. It's that simple." Talia continued, not missing a beat. She turned to Meaghan.
"Oh, poor Meaghan. Dike, huh? You always have to do what is right, don't you? I bet that's a blessing and a curse, Meaghan. Let's take me, for example. Is the right thing to do to defend your friend and then attack me for hurting her, or does that make you just as bad as me? Is the right thing to do to stand down? Gosh, it must be hard being Dike, and you’re not even completely him yet. So, what does that make you, then?"
"Talia, it's funny because you're the next Thoth, right? Yeah, most of William's power is in his suit, so how can you say that Peter's nothing without his suit? You're exactly the same as him, he's just a better person. This whole time you've spent living with us, you've only done one thing: make Maize, specifically, miserable. On my first day you came to threaten me. Talia, why can't you see that not one person is trying to take anything away from you? It wouldn't kill you to be nice, for once, if you even have that capability inside of you. Which makes me to think, how can you fight evil when you're a villain yourself? The world has a funny way of giving people what they deserve, and everyone deserves what they get. Talia, no one's going to be there for you someday. Not even us. So, who's got nothing now?!" Meaghan responded, ending the verbal argument.
Talia stood still until she delivered a solid, hard-handed slap on to Meaghan's face. Peter immediately intervened, separating the two and everything exploded from there. To accompany the broken glass, there was enough ruckus and bloodshed to get the attention of security, having them immediately thrown out. They had a hard time finding Jordie, though once they did he was eerily calm and freaked everybody out.
Since Maize had left long before they did, the six of them had to climb into the SUV and go home all together, the car ride over an hour long. They had continued arguing on their way out of the club as they were being manhandled by security and then temporarily banned from the club, and still arguing when they got into the car, but for some reason, it all kind of died suddenly and they all were deafeningly silent. Meaghan was behind the wheel and got them home safely, but she never wanted to have to experience a car ride like that ever again.
She pulled into the parking lot around the side of the compound where the initiates were able to park their personal cars, and they all filed out of the vehicle, the doors the only things that made noise. The outdoor floodlights were shining a bright white glow on all of them, and their faces were completely exposed to each other. Meaghan whispered, knowing that the rest of them were all too drunk to understand or remember the events of the night,
"Look at us, guys. We're supposed to be the Gods, but we all hate each other. We can't save anybody else if we can't even save ourselves. I'm so disappointed in us."
Everyone agreed on the inside, even Talia. She knew that there was something very wrong, and she knew that she was at the head of it, but her feelings were her feelings and she didn't know how to right her mistakes. She truly didn't like the group all that much, but they had to find a way to surpass it so they could work together, because they were a capsized ship with an SOS call nobody was responding to.
They all shuffled inside the compound, waving their security cards in the general vicinity of the reader plate because everyone except Meaghan was too impaired to really get it right.
Jason spoke up at the wrong moment, his voice chiming in with too much volume and no sense to read the energy between them.
"Well, you six are home quite late, if I do say so myself."
"Shut up, Jason, now is not the time." Peter spoke, cranky.
"I see, Mr. Lannigan. Goodnight, then." Jason answered, the tension between the group raised even more.
They all took the elevator together since someone would end up falling on the stairs, but the elevator would jumble them around with the motion. They picked their battle and squeezed into one elevator even though the last thing they wanted to do was be together. They were tense, but they were don
e with fighting for the night. They had faced a harsh reality about themselves as a group, and that alone was enough to put them down.
Knowing that they couldn't sit alone in their rooms and create a magical solution by themselves without talking to the group, they still tried. They created a better version of themselves in their head and were able to get some sleep that night, content and waiting for the storm to finally pass.
They all recounted the night in a similar way, but the other girls admitted they had a hard time remembering what they said or what had occurred. After they were finished they all sat together in silence, their eyes secretly on William who had his elbows resting on the arms of his chair and his fingers intertwined, his eyes thoughtful.
"You guys need a therapist." Townsend spoke after coming to an answer. They saw it on his face, but were a little shocked by his response. William sensed it too.
"I'm serious, guys. Obviously there is a lot of emotion between all of you, so we're going to start some group therapy. Meaghan had it right, you can't save anyone if you can't even get yourselves together. I am sorry, though. When I put this project together I knew it would be different and difficult to pull teenagers from their lives and force them to live together and work together, but I didn't expect it to ever be this bad. I'm sorry you don't get along, but there is nobody else that can pull this off but all of you. So far, we've had individual training between you and your hero, but we're going to start training as a group. We can't just send you off into battle and have you guys never have worked a mission together. That's the next stage we were moving into anyway after Christmas, but I think I'm going to jumpstart that. Maize will be in Asgard for parts of this, but she will have to do all the things all of you are going to have to do. You can all go, you're dismissed." he finished. Peter stood up first, clearing his throat and addressing the group.
"Well, I'll be seeing you all in therapy."
A New Ruler is Born
♦️
Meaghan had been thinking about what Talia said in the club the other night, and as much as she hated to admit it, Talia was right. Meaghan might have all the qualities and morals to be Dike, but she can't possibly take Dike's place in her current state. She was a simple human, not an ancient goddess, like Dike. She was sure it would be part of her plan eventually, but the thought was weighing on her heavily. It put her down, she was sure Maize was having a hell of a time in Asgard, and she would surely come back as a Norse god with abilities like flying or super strength. She felt discouraged.
What she didn't know was that Dike already had it all planned out. It just happened to occur at the same time Meaghan was yearning for an upgrade in her training, or at least some more exposure to what Dike really was. Dike shot her a text saying to meet him in the basement instead of the gym for one of their training sessions, and Meaghan was slightly nervous but otherwise excited, she knew that something new was coming her way and she couldn't wait to find out what it would be.
She got up and put on a white t-shirt and dark wash jeans, tossing her hair back into a ponytail and slipping on her sneakers. She deviated from her normal routine and for the first time since she had arrived, headed down to the basement. When the doors opened she was greeted with a brightly lit but industrial room that hosted the on-site hospital, Dike standing against the wall right in front of the doors. They accidentally wore the same outfit, Dike noticing and trying to hide his smile. Meaghan stepped off the elevator and towards him, Meaghan’s curiosity getting the best of her.
"Hey, Dike, what are we doing in the basement? I thought this was just all hospital."
"Ah, I've got some tricks up my sleeve. Follow me, we're going to the Vault."
"The Vault?" She asked, trotting next to Dike. He took long strides, but she almost equally matched them.
"You've never once wondered where we keep all our cool Gods stuff?" She smiled. Meaghan knew she was up to something, and her heart raced a little bit.
The basement was more extensive than she ever thought it would be, it had winding corridors of steel and concrete and was a maze and a fortress all at the same time. She didn't know where she was going but she put her full trust in Dike and followed his lead, going wherever he went. Eventually they stopped at, well, a vault. The hallway ended to reveal a large, fortified steel door with a big crank that was like the vaults at banks, and Dike swiped his ID card, put in a code and did a retinal scan, just to gain access. The heavy lock thudded, and the door was opened for them, and Meaghan saw every single piece of Gods equipment and technology that had ever been created and used, ever. She was astounded; she spent so much time looking at all the pieces that she had stopped in her tracks and didn't follow Dike, and he laughed. The wonder in her eyes made her blush, and as she smiled, Dike smiled. he let her have a few moments before reaching out for her hand and guiding her to exactly what he wanted her to see.
In a back corner of the Vault, all of Dike's past, present and some future gear resided. Meaghan tried to keep her jaw from gaping open amongst it all. Dike let her revel in it, deciding to keep quiet about her entire section for a few more moments. Dike eventually spoke first.
"I brought you down here today for a few reasons, Meaghan. I know that Talia was making fun of you, saying that you're just human and haven't got any special powers. I also wanted to shake training up a little, since you've demonstrated that you're very capable and a quick learner, so you deserved a little treat. So, I wanted to show you your future, what you've got waiting for you, but some of these things you won't have to wait for, because today, I'm going to introduce you to Betty."
"Betty?" She asked.
"The shield." She clarified, taking it off of the wall, smiling at it while dusting off the surface. "Made of Diuranium, the strongest and most rare metalloid in the world. It's treated me very well over the years. We've been through a lot, Betty and me. I have some very fond memories of us together," She spoke as if the shield was her girlfriend.
"And now it's yours." Dike finished, extending it out to Meaghan.
"No fucking way, Dike!" Meaghan exclaimed as she took the shield.
"Oh, it's heavier than I thought it would be!" She noticed as she took it, but she soon discovered the shield’s unique balance while Dike helped her with the appropriate grip. He stood behind her and guided her arm into the straps, helping her with her stance. He was making the final touches with her arm as he dropped one hand to her hip with a light, barely their touch, guiding her until she was in the right position.
"How does that feel?" he asked, his question sending Meaghan into a screaming internal monologue, trying to decode what exactly he meant. It was only a few seconds before he clarified, taking a step back and coming around to stand in front of her. She didn't understand the feelings behind it all, but she never wanted Dike to take his hand off her hip.
"It's not as heavy now, is it? It's all about how you stand and how you hold it to give you the biggest advantage. Betty is an extension of yourself, you two kind of have to work in harmony. It'll take some getting used to, but from now on we'll be working with her. Try it out, block me with her and try defending with your other hand." Dike explained, and Meaghan attempted to do what he asked. It felt weird and different, but at the same time it felt natural. It really was an extension of herself. It made her feel empowered.
She was exhilarated. Dike knew this and saw the sparkle in her eye, and once again didn't doubt that she was, in fact, the one. Dike, and his soulmate.
**********
Meanwhile, in Asgard, Maize was having the same kind of shock and bewilderment that Meaghan had upon entering the Vault, and Thor had much of the same response Dike did.
"What the FUCK, this is ASGARD?!" Maize excitedly screeched, glad she was feeling excited instead of feeling the crippling weight of immense panic and anxiety.
"Maize! Language!" Thor boomed.
"You sound like Dike! But I'm sorry, this is just... I don't have any words, Thor." She said, breathlessly, hoisting he
rself up on the wall with her arms and leaning out, trying to take it in all at once.
"I'm glad you love it, because this land is just as much yours as it is mine. You will be spending a lot of time here so do not worry about not knowing everything immediately. Over time you will know everyone and everything, and it will become a second nature to you. Let this first trip be educational, calm and I daresay entertaining. I want Asgard to feel like your home, because it is. I want it to leave a good impression on you, Maize. Enjoy it."
"Believe me, I will!" She spoke, listening to him completely but not once looking at him. She was busy feeling the stones and the pillars and looking up at the intricate architecture of the buildings and the ceilings, admiring it all.
"I hate to interrupt this, but we have to get you into some normal attire, Maize."
"What's wrong with my outfit now?" She asked. Thor sighed.
"Putting it simply, my people don't know what leggings are or what Nike is, and you look... odd. Follow me and we will get you properly dressed." He spoke, leading her through the palace and to the garment room where she was dressed in a gold-toned dress and a rich blue cloak paired with sturdy but light lace-up sandals that were tied up her calves. Thor himself also traded his Earthly clothing for his standard uniform; some armor and a shiny black layered cloak instead of his velvet, drape-like cape. Upon seeing Maize's clothing transformation, Thor seemed satisfied.