Seven

For some reason, Raoul had managed to convince a reluctant Iason to leave his darkened domain, and the Pet whom Katze seemed relieved to watch over. It was utterly difficult, as the other Blondie only confirmed that he no longer was capable of trusting after what had happened, at the onslaught of his own confusion, but then here they were now, in Raoul's unmarked vehicle, flying smoothly over the sleepless Capital.

Iason was dressed in his signature clothes, eyes shaded as Raoul had chosen to shade his own. They reached their destination in less than half of the hour.

Raoul parked on what seemed like a personal aeroport, protruding from the side of a penthouse palace somewhere with Iason immediately questioning, "Where is this? What is all this?"

He could smell water and realized that the Ocean was but a short distance away. Also, that the space itself had its own water features that his keen ears could hear gurgling, splashing, falling, then still into pools...

"Eos Tower Two," Raoul responded matter-of-factly. "Come in..."

The other urged Iason to stare down from a large balcony connecting to the private port and adorning the space, and managed to point out all the relevant areas of the house, though it still apparently was undergoing construction with the working droids set about to put this and that resplendent furnishing or vegetation in place.

There was a parade of boxes and fine antique. A chandelier that would be as grand-or more-as the one hung in Midas being assembled in its centre. Although right now, there was still nothing but apparent darkness here, only a scattering of smaller lights in areas where the construction was being concentrated upon.

This was not a project he had been part of or had seen the plans of. He had not taken into research what had become of Tanagura in his absence, but in estimates, Iason guessed it to be roughly perhaps just two or three quarters of the year old. Eos Tower Two was it? Why had they built a second?

"Does it please you? Is it a palace worthy of the Tanagura Blondie? It has all you'll ever need: three floors, a large private garden with several baths and pools-"

"Why here?" Iason stood still, like a statue, mind already hypothesizing the answer, without openly stating it however.

"Because this is going to be your new home. The Council has decided to move you here. Eos One no longer has capable security to protect you and your affairs."

Iason's brows furrowed, "I didn't request any of this," and that statement marked the beginning of Raoul's quest to convince him to return to their fold.

"Tanagura needs you."

"So this was what it was? A trip to lure me to the System again?" an unexpected flair of emotion, notwithstanding, quickly sealed and kept at bay.

"But it's the truth. Can't you see? The Council will do everything in its power to have you return!"

"Why?!" Iason's suddenly raised voice shattered the silence, sliced it like a blade, making even the Droids stop, pause, processing then resuming their construction as they were programmed to, in a steady pace.

Iason gripped the railing. Raoul sighed, and moved to stand beside him, "No one knew of your return or how. We were mindful to keep it a secret. Yet you know how walls seem to have ears here in Tanagura. Rumours of you have now spread like wildfire..."

"Then must it be necessary to heed social pressure?"

Raoul smiled at that response. It was so like the reaction he had when he was brushing off the rumours about his mongrel Pet.

"If you're wondering, most of those boxes are gifts from the higher classes and the privileged, among others. Not only for you. Everyone is likely to be expecting Riki to return so they sent gifts for him as well.

"Can't you see it?"

He actually can. Riki. Once again strolling about in this massive palace, scowling at him or casting a snide remark that he loved to argue with or quell down with ardent kisses and uncaring thrusts until they were no more than little moans. The thought almost made him cry.

"And if I choose not to Raoul? What would you do? What would happen?"

Raoul looked at him straight, "You won't."

"What makes you so certain? What if I want no part in all this?" he gestured, tired. "What if I chose to be somewhere else other than Tanagura? A place where there are no masters, no pets, just two people?"

Raoul leaned in the same way Iason had found the rail and sighed once more, "I understand why you feel so faithless. But you of all of us know that you do not belong anywhere else but here. Neither does Riki. Not any more."

"What does Tanagura care of a Pet? Why do you care of a pet? Weren't you the one who didn't agree with him in the first place?" Iason shook his head. "Riki never belonged anywhere his heart didn't fall into. And Tanagura was never his home, never since the beginning.."

That was true. Society here was cruel especially to a mongrel and a Pet no less. Raoul even had a hand in shattering the simplest of delusions Riki had that got him by. But then right now, it was out of the question. What Raoul felt and thought was to be of no use to his purpose. He trod more carefully.

Reaching into his robe pocket, Raoul produced a small transparent screen which he showed to Iason. The latter eyed it with silent scrutiny. It was labelled as the Jupiter List, and he could only see two names in the Registry, grimacing when he read his own and under it, his mongrel's.

"This is where you belong," he pulls up Iason's file.

The Jupiter List was something like the Elite of the Elites' Elite List, containing individuals they cannot qualify into anything else other than 'special' or 'beyond'. Raoul had spearheaded its formulation yesterday. In fact, it never existed until yesterday, however, the Blondies do intend on etching it in steel and stone as an absolute they must respect all in the pursuit of getting their pivot back.

"We know of your connection to the System Iason. We had monitored you whilst you slumbered and found out ahead of time what you are now capable of," admitted his friend.

It wasn't a shock. Jupiter had spoken to Iason about it.

' The world will know who you are. '

"Listen...Tanagura has acknowledged you officially as the new Jupiter," Raoul continued. "Your power, influence, control is now limitless. You literally have the entire planet eating from the palm of your hand."

"It is superficial, all this," Iason knew that what all this would do was put him a step higher above the rest.

Even in the Class he belonged to, he would be exalted above his own colleagues and brothers. Raoul read that openly, and just as he had intended, played on whatever it was he could gamble upon. He hung on every word and sentiment...

"Without Riki? Is that what you have to say?" he need not have asked. But this was what he was waiting for, the nail to drive it all home. "Of course we have never excluded your Pet from the equation since.

"As you can see."

He pulled up Riki's file from the Jupiter List for Iason to look into. His Pet's sleeping face swam before his eyes.

"For him the Council has decided to amend the Pet Law..." Iason was speechless at the revelation, turning to his friend, not denying his reaction. "Tanagura will acknowledge Riki as your exclusive...but only if you come home.

"Home to where you belong, Iason."

--

Katze had already gone by the time Iason came home, the latter choosing to climb his path the old fashioned way through deserted floors swarmed only by Droids to where his Pet was, activating all defences at every level he summited past at the same time. The trip out left him rather tired, although his body had never been built for that before. He took his time to contemplate.

"I'm back my love..." he bent down, a curtain of golden hair, and kissed Riki gently on his lips. His mind was going back and forth a thousand different things, including the talk he'd had with Raoul earlier...

Iason had turned to his friend, a clear sense of wondering and apprehension.

"The Council knows that your Pet was made an indispensable part by Jupiter. We are aware of what he had made him. The Council therefore has thought it wise to make him a special case, and if you return, we will ascend your Pet, the one you so love, into a position befitting an elite."

Raoul has made his point, and he could see Iason thinking. He continues, "A pet the same but for you, only yours..."

Iason laced his fingers together, pressed his palms and rested his forehead there, a comparable saint, a Blondie that was perhaps still in utter disbelief. If this happens then...then Riki can be...

"Why would the Council do that?" he'd asked his friend.

"Because he is yours, plain and simple. It still eludes me why you broke everything for him, but I guess you had succeeded in pursuing your love that even Jupiter couldn't stop you. His most perfect of us all you may have been, but you did as you wanted in the end."

Was that what everyone thought? That this was his form of rebellion to their old god?

"Do you think things will return as they were once I come back?" for some reason, Iason wanted to know.

He could see Raoul's bewilderment when he threw him this question.

"What do you mean? Of course things will become normal-"

There was that stun, that surprise. A flash of midnight blue feathers and Iason revealed the secret he has been harbouring. Wings. Jupiter had granted him wings! And he wasn't the only one, as Jupiter had gifted Riki with the same as well...

The winged Blondie pursued, "Once you allow me to ascend to the space that a god like Jupiter has left, things will change. As I and Riki have changed.

"Is that a consequence the Council will still be able to accept?"

Raoul apparently was at a loss for words. He hadn't anticipated this, "Iason..."

He knew he must have had serious, even dangerous eyes when he unshaded them and looked at the other Blondie. Already Iason could see a space separating him from the rest of the other members of his Class. This was what Jupiter had intended. He wanted to cause these rifts even as he died because he was that...he was a god who wanted everything to have its own distinction.

"If I, as Jupiter, declare to be mated only to a mongrel, would you still want to have me back?"

Raoul didn't know what to say.