"Antiquated," a scratching voice rasped, causing even Huitzilopochtli to flinch away.
"Whoa," Cupid said, shaking his head. "Come on, here, we're looking for a challenge for the kid, not the hero! If we let you get involved--"
"Oh," Shiva rasped, smiling widely, "I have more of a right to bid in this contest than any of you piddling war gods. You wish to challenge your hero? No, you wish to unburden yourselves of great investitures of old energy patterns, hoping to clear out your stores subtly."
All of the war gods stiffened, except for Bishamon, who looked at them appraisingly. "Are you serious?" he asked, the wheel of fire spinning to a stop behind him as he looked across his fellow gods of battle. "Come on! You offered those weak ideas because you're trying to unload challenges you made for heroes that didn't cut it way back in the day?"
"What's your excuse?" Tyr shot back.
Bishamon schooled himself, and shook his head. "Nevermind," he sighed. "What justification do you have for bidding, Shiva?"
"The girl," he said, grinning. "The girl is mine, for she can destroy all. And this is her challenge, is it not?"
"Please," Ares sniffed, though not without keeping both eyes on Shiva's many arms, "her protector's already beaten an Ashura."
"A war can be won with a backrub?" Shiva asked. "Truly, I think that we would be better served by my own machinations if this is all war gods can muster. And that one had only the merest glimmering of a true Ashura's power." The war gods looked about ready to challenge Shiva, and then he added, "My suggestion would be to make our hero face Armageddon. The destruction of all he knows and loves."
"Erm," Hachiman noised. "Motion to come up with better challenges noted," he said. "Round two, gentlemen? And Tyr and Ares?"
"Aright, I'm a thinkin," Tyr muttered. "I got me several spare Jotun. Mighty ice-titans what can crush a mortal with a fingertip!"
"The materials are at hand," Ares mused. "Those Joketsuzoku. It would be a small matter to bring the wrath of their neighboring village down upon him. Pin-Ke and Lin-Ke could be prodded to avenge he who stole their village's water supply, if it became known who was responsible for their wells drying up. Their entire village would be quite ... formidable."
"Nahual," Huitzilopochtli ground out. "Sorcerers and shapeshifters."
Hachiman considered for a moment, and then sighed. "I've got nothing," he said, shrugging. Turning to Bishamon, he said, "Up to you, Boss."
"Hmm," Bishamon mused. "Nothing for it, then," he decided. "You want a war god to show you what we've got, Shiva? I'll go fight him myself."
A moment of stunned silence ... and then the voting begins again, now with Shiva standing in for Hachiman.
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(Posted Sun, 17 Jul 2005 06:51)
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