The Smell of Anise

Leo couldn't quite believe he was looking at the same person he knew in Heaven. He was way more muscular than before. Steroids, it had to be steroids. Death as a tattoo? Harvey was too nice to have such a thing. Maybe it was one of those temporary tattoos and would wash off in two to three days. Wasn't he cold with his chest exposed? Leo had to admit he had nice abs. Why did everyone have nice abs here?

'Surprised?' Harvey grinned with arms spread wide. The guy could flap his arms to take flight at this point and Leo would have expected as much.

'Very.' Leo felt his own stomach. Soft. 'How are you here?' His mind automatically answered the question as it left his lips. 'Did you follow me?'

'Actually.' Harvey led Leo into the jewellery shop, walking through with his hands plunged into his pockets. 'I've been in bronze for a few weeks. I had a feeling the last time we met that you were headed here.' He walked by the display of the opal pendant and called out to the shopkeeper. The automaton quickly glided to the display and collected the necklace, presenting it to Harvey and Leo to have a closer look.

'Are you saying you waited for me?'

'Exactly!' Harvey's pure white smile could refract the light of the sun. 'I've always hoped you'd have your eyes opened to the colosseum. You were cool and all, but I've never seen a dude more devoted to his prayers to the big guy.' The fact that someone would do that gave Leo a small flutter in his chest.

Harvey was just too sweet of a friend. He was always like that from the day they met, which just so happened to be the Day of Judgement. They stood by one another for their trials, and Harvey even demanded of Archangel Michael himself that they live near each other. Harvey was the literal personification of loyalty. Apparently, he was a social worker in life, which made a lot of sense for the patience and kindness he exercised. This man had to be on a poster somewhere for getting into Heaven.

'What do you think? I've never met her, so I don't know what would suit her,' Harvey asked. Leo had entirely forgotten about the necklace, so it took a moment for him to realise he needed to answer.

'Yeah, she loved opal jewellery, and I liked it because it matched her eyes.' Leo lifted the necklace on the tips of his fingers. 'I always used to think they changed to match the opal she was wearing at the time, kinda like turning a kaleidoscope.' Leo opened his Key menu and prepared to ask for the pricing, but Harvey picked the piece up.

'I got this one. Consider it congratulations on making it here.' Harvey grasped the fine silver chain and gently took it from the automaton. 'Thank you for this, friend.' His voice had a sweet duplicity to it, like he was somehow harmonising with himself. A peppery scent wafted in the air. Anise. The guy was so friendly, he even treated machines kindly. He seemed to apparate a pretty blue bag and placed the necklace inside before handing it to Leo.

'Thanks, Harvey. You really sho–'

'Oh no, Leo. It's my pleasure and it's just so exciting to have you around! You can pay me back in lunch.' Harvey beckoned for Leo to follow him out the front door with a wink and a wave to the automaton. This was the sort of person Leo loved to walk through the gardens of Heaven with. How long did Harvey have to keep Heaven's Colosseum a secret just so he could keep hanging out with Leo?

The two of them arrived in an open square, paved with white gemstones that were as reflective as still water. They found a place selling kebabs, which reminded Leo that he had already eaten. He decided to get something small and keep that fact to himself.

'So, your last fight was insane! It gained so much traction that I heard even people in silver rank had it displayed in their colosseum lounges.' Harvey wolfed down his food between sentences, which seemed such a contradiction to his usual manners. Leo decided it was a bit endearing, like a child eating with their hands. They sat on a bench in the square, occasionally watching people stroll by.

Maybe it was the purchase Harvey made for him, or just the atmosphere created by a long-time friend, but Leo said, 'between you and me, I think it was rigged.'

'Fhat?' Harvey paused mid-bite, the wrap hanging against his chin.

'I found out that Zeta, the other fighter, was silver rank. She held back against me, too.' Leo lifted his untouched miniature kebab. 'I think I was set up.'

Harvey finally chewed, eyes squinting at nothing in particular. 'That's… weird. Like, they wanted you to progress faster?'

'Yeah.' Leo leaned into his chair. 'And it's like my own sponsors and friend don't care.'

'Some people don't wanna look into that sorta stuff too hard. This whole colosseum is sus, but there's no point trying to expose it when the place has been around for who knows how many Earth years. I say just take the win, as weird as it is.' Harvey scrunched up the paper bag and it dissipated like smoke. 'And hey, I got my buddy back faster. I'm not complaining.'

'True enough.' Leo still felt uncertain about it all. He could practically feel the puppet strings attached to his limbs. Harvey had a point though, at least now he had someone else he could trust with the weird stuff he found. He considered telling Harvey about the creepy lab.

'Leo, yoohoo!' Tiam came striding with half a dozen bags looped over their arm, Raphael in tow with just two.

'Oh! Come meet my new friends.' Leo turned to find Harvey already standing and staring at his Key.

'Crap. Sorry man, maybe next time.' He turned and shook Leo's hand without warning. 'A sponsor needs me to chat about my next organised fight. Maybe you can come watch it this afternoon.' Leo felt a slight deflation in his chest, but the promise of another meeting gave him a second wind.

'Alright, see you then!' Leo shook back and watched his friend leave.

'Oh, but do tell Raph I said hi.' And with that, Harvey vanished amongst the crowds.

'Who was that?' Tiam asked as they approached.

Leo felt his friends reach him, and heard Tiam, but his mind was focused elsewhere. Harvey knew about Raphael. Leo could only hope that's as far as that knowledge went.