Thirty-Three

Riki took to the the lobby and waited as he was instructed, under the cover of his hood, looking down from an upper level to the main of the place below, noting the manner by which the other elites went about their daily work, always busy, always headed off somewhere withe their heads of colour which defined their place in this society.

Tanagura has always prided itself for the efficiency by which it went about almost all its labours, like the most successful of colonies, having already achieved a harmony in the way it governed everything it's accomplished and will accomplish, though admittedly, this would be the first time Riki had been able to observe such unity so closely. Only now was he able to stop and notice just how perfect this metallic utopia had been, as Jupiter had designed it, and it will stay that way under Iason's rule.

Perhaps. For he knew Tanagura had its own side of darkness and flaw. Only its aspects that were being constantly worked upon seemed to stay complete and absolute, maybe the reason why these elites worked upon them too much, because otherwise once they stopped their toil, the realm would be crumbling, this Valhalla of sort would be exposed for the true dystopia that it really was…

The Pet looked up.

As proof of Tanagura's belief in their newest god, they had now erected an epic effigy of his master on the very centre of the lobby, a gargantuan gold statue of Iason with the new robes, the longer hair, the serene, handsome face, a hand extended with its palm up which in turn held in its midst a similar version of the more powerful Positronic Brain they had up in Jupiter's Tower.

Riki for some reason could feel a kinship with the orb, the levitating iridescent Eye calling to him, the layers of the System humming in his veins…the Exclusive peered closer. Yes, this was definitely the same Eye they interface with up in the tower. He could feel it draw at him. But why was it here?

Riki pulled his hood down, freeing his hair, the chains connected to his collar rattling. The expensively refined silver gleamed.

He was aware that he has allowed himself to be decked by ornaments and fineries very much like how a pet should be dressed. He has really been changed by the year that had gone, hasn't he? Look at him now! Even the Pet Ring biting the flesh between his legs felt…normal…

He sighed. The old god had most definitely won with this transformation.

"My, this is a rare sight. If it isn't the Jewel of Jupiter..."

Riki did not even have to turn around to find out he had been accosted by Blondies, feeling their presence like unwanted poltergeists haunting the corner of his memories. He knew that voice even before he saw who they were, and as easily enough, fate be damned, the forms of both Aisha and Gideon were now walking towards him, both Adonises out of their Council robes and back to their curve-emphasizing suits and covering capes, long manes falling free.

They most always are impressive, these Blondies. Their cybernetic forms were the stuff of dreams and fiction; the way they carried themselves an envy to all other elites. They had been made ideal…but none like Iason. For Riki, there would only be Iason.

"Hello Pet," it was Aisha Rosen, whom Iason always thought to be vaguely intrigued of him, infected by not the slightest emotion that it was unnerving.

The Exclusive has hated him since the first time they met, the Blondie a quiet opposition and keen to cause some mischief during the parties Riki's attended after returning from his brief sojourn in Ceres. To make things worse, he was now in Gideon's company. How tedious.

But to say he couldn't handle them would be a misconception. Riki had always been capable of taking anyone on and, true enough, his eyes neither faltered nor flinched as he stared at the two who'd invaded his reverie.

They looked him back.

Nowadays, the Pet had been more gorgeous than anyone had remembered him and, after the Auction Party, had been seen by everyone as an inevitable fascination. He has the favour of Jupiter on his head, not to mention he still had Iason's complete and utter devotion, the concept of love still an eluding subject to these artificial beauties as they eyed him from their lofty heights.

The Pet had that determination on his person, a fire that burned brightly even now. It was so tenaciously, not to mention dangerously attractive.

Gideon smiled. "Alone again Pet?"

That shouldn't be their concern now, should it? Riki so wanted to bite back with an obvious tinge of sarcasm, but instead just silenced himself, not caring to return the smile with his own, the Eye Iason's statue was holding reacting with a slight contraction as if it too had been offended, gleaming with a pulse.

Aisha looked at Gideon. His expression seemed to say, Tread carefully.

Gideon gave him a smirk as if in response, I know.

Riki rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. He opted to deliberately ignore these two, mentally apologizing to the System and thinking that he'd perhaps go up after Iason instead.

"Whatever. Excuse me," and that was exactly what he did, though the two weren't at all through with him yet...

Having a Pet ignore them is a blow to any elite, especially a Blondie's ego. Aisha stopped Riki as the latter turned to leave, hand holding him back by the arm as the other pulled at the chain, drawing him closer.

Damn it.

Aisha was also good-looking, though more effeminate than his beloved Iason, and colder as he forced him to look into his beautifully-coloured eyes.

"It seems you've forgotten your place pet," the Blondie breathed. Riki smelt pleasantly of flowers and mint and something close to heady musk. "Pets usually give their Masters some form of welcoming affection when they meet."

The mongrel scowled in definite defiance, twisting himself away from the other's grasp. "As far as I was told, I don't answer to bastards like you Aisha."

How could he forget this Blondie? The Bacchanalias and Soirees he'd attended years before had always been utterly difficult with him around, always stirring up trouble, a solemn instigator who loved to douse more fuel into any fire.

But then Riki did shut him up, the last time he was on the limelight, in the parties he had attended and performed on when he'd returned to Eos after a year's worth of absence. He'd been human then, and Iason was loathe to admit his own emotions in public, neh, even in private.

Now he returns as Jupiter's creation. At the recent Pet Auction, he'd done it again, casting all the other Blondies in an uncharacteristic quiet, had them all enthralled trying to define what they were seeing before them. And Iason was now completely vocal with what he felt, flaunted it in fact, once mentioning that the others might as well be jealous because of it…oh how his Master knew this truth!

Riki has since been aware of the effect he had on others, how his so-called animalistic allure could become the obsession of others as it had been Iason's, Guy's, Kirie's, the other members of Bison...heaven knows who else!

He had them all wrapped up in that fantasy of him. This had been the defining characteristic that the old Jupiter had banked upon, turning this special appeal into something nearly weapon-like when he made the Pet anew.

"Ah, so aware of the Laws are we now?" Aisha fixed him in place, but Riki rebelled against that. "You really just get away with mouthing off on Blondies do you? Do you find it so thrilling? Or perhaps that part of you just isn't disciplined well enough?"

At that, Riki's frown was more than just obvious. But before he could pass a hitting remark, and throw a punch following, Iason cleared his throat and quelled the argument even before it escalated.

They all turned as the majestic form of Neu-Jupiter came into the light, the superior Blondie instantly eyeing the unusual gathering. Quite a crowd.

"Gideon…Aisha…" Iason acknowledged.

Both acknowledged Neu-Jupiter with a slight bow in return, "Iason…"

"It's not good to go around picking fights," said the Master but it was directed more to the other Blondies than his Pet.

Riki did cross his arms however, "Who's picking?" and sighed simply, even as Iason pulled him closer in his signature show of public affection, a gloved hand slipping in through the cape's folds to hold the Pet by his bare waist.

"Been rather busy today?" it was Aisha who picked up the conversation.

Neu-Jupiter nodded once. "Indeed."

"The price of godhood. At least you get full perks," Gideon opted to chuckle it out but eyed Riki who returned the gesture with another deep glare. Iason sighed at that simply.

Everyone has seen his schedule, Orphe personally handled piecing it all together before posting it up for all of their benefit, and already it was booked for the next three weeks alone. As a matter of fact, he had just been informed of an impromptu task he needed to attend to immediately. That in mind, he turned to his love.

"Pet, I will need to leave early."

Well that was seemingly expected, but his Exclusive didn't like how it rang in his ears.

"That just sounded like you're going without me."

This time Iason was more than apologetic. "There had been a contamination at Eos Tower Two. It's still being seen to at the moment as Orphe had informed me."

"So that was the emergency," Aisha mused. "My Pet and Furniture were moved to Kalga with the others."

Riki looked up at Iason, immediately concerned. "Did it reach the Palace?"

Iason knew his beloved had already developed a fondness for their new home and the Furniture and was, as he figured, indeed worried.

"No. Quarantine had already been exercised.

"The elites have been evacuated and are now getting checked. The Furniture and Pets, as Aisha had said, have been taken to Kalga 84 for a similar procedure."

"What about Katrice and Kantre though? Kalga doesn't have the facilities to maintain them, do they?"

That took the other Blondies by surprise. So the Pet knew about the composition of the triplets when even they did not? Disappointingly enough, most parts of Neu-Jupiter's life was a closely guarded book, the keys to which given to very few if one wanted to split hairs about it. And these were the superior Blondie's most trusted allies...

Iason kissed his Pet on the forehead. That was smart figuring on Riki's behalf, just a bit too straightforward. There was to be no mention of Palace secrets in public, that was a general though unwritten ruling they observed. For protection purposes and the utmost safety.

"You know who has them," said Iason and need not elaborate further on the subject.

Of course. This meant Katze also took the twins into custody; he could imagine the broker coming in to tow them off. The Underground was the only place with the proper tools to examine the Trinity, the facility to manufacture them having been built there first.

The Master continued, "A mandatory maintenance is now being processed in Eos Tower Two. This includes the Summit of our Palace so I will need to attend to that."

The Blondies watched Riki frown, but held at his sudden disappointment, "There goes our plans for dinner then?"

Iason chuckled. "I'm in a bind as it is Pet," before he pulled Riki to arch up to him.

Barriers of clothing between them notwithstanding, the heat was apparent, the Master's hands snaking around his lover's back as he kissed the Pet's offered lips tenderly.

Gideon looked hard at that. Aisha in turn looked at Gideon with much suspicion…The former was becoming a bit queer lately, he noticed. But then who was not? Everyone was intrigued.

All this sublime show on the lovers' behalf affected everyone. Even while it was yet to be confirmed in the past, it had tugged at all elites with such influence, it made everyone's head ache.

One knew emotions cannot be quantified, and as such, they had been programmed to suppress it. Yet here was an enigma in the bunch of perfect beings, Iason Mink, who feared not the emotions he had let amok in himself, and was even rewarded the Neu-Jupitership for his rebellion to the norms.

"I don't want you to contract anything thus it's unthinkable for me to take you with me," Iason spoke coolly when the kiss broke, but held the Pet in the circle of his arms still, regardless of who was looking. "I can't let you roam as without Katron or the Twins I won't even trust the safest of war bots with you.

"I definitely am not considering leaving you up in Jupiter's Tower or my office as I know it will bore you. You may get…ideas," said the Master, the Pet chuckling, imagining what he meant by that 'get ideas', Iason running affectionate fingers through his hair.

"Then where am I supposed to go? Just take me with you already."

Iason sighed. He really wanted to grant that plea but he wouldn't risk it. Orphe warned that it might have been another attempt at terrorism. The fact it got through to Eos Two of all places, even if it was just a surface breach: this they still have to investigate deeper upon. But what would he do with Riki until then?

Gideon was the one who supplied a better idea. "We can take him," he suggested.

Aisha visibly gaped. "We are?"

"Come on Aisha. We have nothing else to do this afternoon. Besides, Iason said it himself, he won't trust just anyone with Riki.

"He can trust us," and he smiled at the Pet, the latter somehow finding it hard to believe what he was hearing, immediately raising quite a number of red flags.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about this," Riki protested.

Gideon seemed enthusiastic, "We know your Pet has not seen all of Tanagura. Or…" he smiled indicatively at Aisha, tossing a hint that the other understood with a narrowing of his eyes. On the contrary, they did have plans for the evening, but Gideon seemed to want to insist on this impromptu pet-sitting, "…we can bring him on a personalized tour of Midas if he wants.

"What say you Iason?"

Aisha sighed reluctantly.

"I think we can handle your Pet if that's what you're worried about" the other Blondie eventually gave, but shaking his head at Gideon as if saying you owe me for this, throwing one of his best, most confident expressions at the superior Blondie. Albeit that was genuine nonchalance.

The three fell into calculative silence as if to mentally discuss the matter. Riki had a bad feeling about it. He protested again, "Don't tell me you agree?"

Too late. Iason had already decided. He sincerely apologized.

"It's just for the time being. But worry not...you will be back in my arms by tonight," he said.

And to pacify Riki's other qualms, he took him into his arms again but, this time, bent to kiss his beloved on the neck as he loosened the collar of the hood, showing the other two the delicious little reactions he could pull out of his lover, biting hard enough to make the Pet stutter, leaving a necessary mark in an obvious spot as if for good measure, kissing over it.

Riki closed his eyes and allowed it, a soft cry escaping his lips, his fingers grasping unconsciously at his Blondie's robes. This was the way by which Iason often got him to agree on things, well, more of surrender.

It was too patronizing that it was annoying. Deliciously patronizing but annoying. He stopped Iason with a hand.

"Just don't take too long," came the Pet's reply, eyes alight with a certain hunger even as his brows furrowed.

The expression on Iason's face gave the promise that he'll satisfy that, but for now, a short parting was in order.

With that he fastened the cape back into place, smoothing the covering, taking Riki by the chain of his leash and his hand, leading him over where Gideon and Aisha had been waiting and ogling though discreetly.

He was serious when he looked at one then the other Blondie, an icy frost in his persona as he next handed the chain over to Gideon, reminiscent of his notorious Ice Noble.

"Not a scratch," came his warning. He meant that.

Gideon merely smiled, "Of course" looking down on the silver in his hand then at the beautiful but upset Pet on the other end of it, thinking this to be the most mirthful of opportunities. This will surely be a most interesting night...

The fresh love bite was prominent, a red mark that asserted Iason's ownership definitely. Aisha continued to have his reservations, that things might happen as they have already begun.