People began to crowd them, and more cameras flashed like crackling lightning. Sean tried to keep his eyes on Mark, but the flashes were starting to blind him. He was seeing spots all over his vision. Mark never took his eyes off him, raising his hands to put on either side of Sean's face to block out the flashing. Sean put his hands on Mark's chest, feeling suddenly a little overwhelmed by the attention he was getting. All around them people began speaking all at once and some in languages that he didn't understand. Someone was shoved into Sean, causing him to stumble into Mark's chest. Mark wrapped his arms around him protectively as a group of Valkyries flew over to circle them. The crowd backed up as the Valkyries landed in a circle around them with their wings spread out. Mark kept Sean close, waving his hand to the Valkyries. The Valkyries folded their metal wings to let the crowd see them but didn't let them get any closer. Sean took shaky breaths to calm himself. Mark was so calm though.

Gesturing for the crowd to calm down with his raised hand, he told them casually. "Everyone just settle down. I'll answer any questions you have. Let's just be mindful and safe of those around us. Please?" Sean expected to hear chaos break out, only to be surprised when the crowd calmed down. Keeping Sean against his side, he pointed to a muscular woman with tusks and grey skin. She spoke in a voice deeper than any man and in a language that sounded like grunts and growls. Mark listened, then regaled to the crowd coolly. "Elites have always had feelings. We simply control them enough to keep a level head. We don't let matters of the heart interfere with our sense of Order and Justice. Think about it like this. If we were completely unfeeling... Would you really trust us with your lives? Elites were made to bridge the gap between Mother and yourselves. Have we not done that?" The Valkyries around them translated Mark's words into multiple languages. Mark waited to make sure that his words were all translated before gesturing to a human man in nice casual clothes.

The man pointed to Sean, asking aloud for everyone. "The law banded Master and Pet relations. We've upheld that law for generations! What's changed to make you think this is ok?" Mark smirked to himself, answering after the question was translated. "That law was in place before I was even in power. It was designed to stop interspecies breeding. To stop the needless deaths of infants that were mutated by incompatible genetics. If you wish to know more in that area. Please divert those questions to Elite Matthew in the Genetics department. The fact of the matter is that we have rules already in place for safe breeding of our Pets. We have rules and guidelines that Masters go through to have kids. We regulate breeding to keep that from happening. Licensed breeding has not changed. But I don't plan to breed with him... I physically can't." People around them laughed and more followed after his words were translated. Sean was impressed with Mark. People really respected him.

Mark's fingers began to stroke Sean's neck with a calm tenderness. The simple action made Sean close his eyes, his racing heart slowing as he hid his face against Mark's warm shoulder. After the translations, Mark continued on sweetly. "I'm not breaking the rules. I'm not trying to change them because they are wrong. I'm addressing a flaw. Why should a Master have to hide their feelings for their Pet? We all care for them or we wouldn't have them. We play with them. As long as breeding laws are still set in place... Why can't we be with them? Partners Eternally Together. That used to mean something more. I run the Auctions. I run the Pet Shows. I watch over everything. I've seen things and done nothing because... that was the law. I set this up today. To get everyone here. Because I'm not going to let this slip through the cracks anymore." Mark waited for the translations, then continued on in a firm but loving tone of voice. "Starting today. As Master Elite, I lift the band on Master and Pet relations. We should have the right to be happy. And this..."

Mark turned to face Sean, cupping his face in his loving hands and looking deep into his eyes as he said aloud. "This makes me happy. I love him. And if he loves me too... I'll continue to give him a good life. A happy life with me." Tears brimmed Sean's eyes. Mark's words were so powerful that he felt them to his very core. Sliding his hands up Mark's chest, he curled his fingers in his shirt to hold him and strained out through a choked-up voice. "I do love you, Mark." Mark pulled him into a long passionate kiss, causing tears to fall from Sean's closed eyes. More cameras flashed and some people cheered. After their kiss, Mark pulled away slowly as an elf man with grey skin and long braided white hair stated aloud in a smug voice. "Not to ruin your moment... But your Pet is a Slum Mongrel. A troublemaker. How can you be an Elite of the people... If your mutt is covered in the names of them." The crowd around them fell into an eerie silence.

Sean looked over this dark elf, seeing the rich looking suit on him. Unlike the others around him, he looked far higher in wealth. The dark elf dusted off his deep purple gothic looking suit, he then adjusted his monocle, before pointing his long black cane at Mark and addressing to the crowd. "Are we just going to ignore what his Pet has done? Valhalla has always run smoothly the way it is. We change this... What's next? Are you telling us that we can't take a Pet unless we want to fall in love with it? What's this mutt got our Elite smoking?" The dark elf put his cane down to lean on it, his deep purple eyes narrowed on Mark as he confidently stated out in a long smug drawl. "Or as it happens... A little birdie told me that you plan to have us all take in aggressive Slum Dogs of our own. So. Tell us... Why is your brother locking away Slum Dogs? Is it because he knows the truth about them?" Sean glanced between Mark and the dark elf; he didn't understand what he meant. The dark elf grinned devilishly, adding in a louder voice. "After all, your timing is perfect Elite Mark! Trying to save your Mutt from a life locked inside a container. How poetic!"

Sean blinked, asking Mark softly. "Mark, what does he mean?" The dark elf answered before Mark got a word out, stating out for all. "Some of you might not know either. So, let me tell you a little story." The dark elf jumped up onto a nearby stone table, hefting his cane as he regaled. "A long time ago, humans ruled earth. But they are not the humans we know in Valhalla today. No. These people were just like the Slum Dogs. Violent. Warmongering. Rapists." Sean shivered as the dark elf looked directly at him to say the last one. Then he continued on pleasantly. "Divided and greedy things. Craving territory and power. They slaughtered each other worse than animals. They bombed each other. Destroyed the world. We rebuilt it. And upon years of study... We figured it all out. See these primal humans. These Slum Dogs that just refuse to die... They are born with a defect. Ask Elite Matthew... Ask him about the Serial Killer genes born into the males of every Slum Dog!" The crowd all gasped and stepped back more from Sean.

The dark elf pointed at Sean, snapping out loud. "Don't believe me? His fucking skin bares the names of those he got killed! I even have hospital reports from Masters that had this mutt attack their Pets. Along with dozens of eyewitnesses! And it gets better! Not only was that Mutt born from an illegal breeding between a Master and Pet... Ironic... But He's NEVER been tested for the genes!" The crowd began to chat and whisper amongst themselves. Mark hefted a deep sigh, growling under his breath. "Good play, Mother... Sending this blowhard to corner me..." Sean shivered a little, asking Mark in disbelief. "Mark... Is that true...?" Mark's eyes softened when he looked at him, nodding to him subtly. It wasn't subtle enough though because the dark elf laughed out loudly. "SEE! HE ADMITS IT! Years of no real crime in Valhalla and he drags THAT thing through her gates! Now look what he's trying to do! These mutts need to be contained! Locked up! We can't trust them!"

Mark pulled Sean behind him, projecting loud enough to make the crowd fall silent. "We were talking about the law. NOT Sean." The dark elf shrugged, curtly retorting. "Fine! Change the law. People like that. But your Pet doesn't belong here! He belongs with his own murdering and raping kind. We've all seen him enjoying them on the news." Sean felt sick. Mark straightened himself up more, retorting straight back without flinching. "How much did Mother pay your news station? Say one more word like that about him and I'll remove every cent she gave you and donate it to the lowest news station. And before you say that I can't... remember who the FUCK YOU'RE TALKING TO!" The dark elf shrank into a crouch on the table as everyone went into a dead silence. Mark took a second to calm himself, then told the crowd. "Look. What he says is the truth. But before you condemn my Pet, let me tell you something. Take a look around you. How many races do you see? A few years ago, we were just as divided. We still have crime and wars." Mark shrugged, saying bluntly. "Valhalla is supposed to be a paradise... but just outside our gates is a hell like you've never known. In the past, we condemned them to live like that... They are that way not just because of their genes but because that's how they are told to survive!"

Mark looked around at everyone, continuing on in a gentle tone. "We teach our children the reasons for our laws. We teach them to be good people. Imagine your kids growing up on dark streets without that... their only comfort laying in groups. A gang that could be destroyed by a more powerful one tomorrow. My brother, Elite Matthias, has been cutting food supplies from them. He's given up on them! I WILL NOT! How many of the humans in Valhalla have watched their young children get taken away because of these genes? Babies torn from loving parents because of something they couldn't help being born with. But instead of growing up with us... We threw them out! And now you want to punish them for the only way they know how to live! Those are YOUR SONS OUT THERE!" A few human women in the crowd bowed their heads with broken hearted expressions. No one said a thing for a long time. Until the dark elf piped up in a cool tone of voice. "A fine speech to be sure. But I have one last question for you, Elite Mark."

Mark puffed his chest up, leveling his voice out to a polite one as he said. "What is it, Damodar?" Damodar dropped down off the stone table, shrugging as he said in his confident drawl. "You didn't deny that the serial killer genes exist. The facts have proven that is does. The crimes and wars you claim we still have... YOU have settled peacefully since taking power. The only real crime and threats come from the Slums attacking our shipments and our people." Mark rolled his eyes, growling out. "Get to your question, Damodar." Damodar smirked, stating aloud. "Alright. Do you have any proof that these Slum Dogs can be... rehabilitated? And please don't use your Pet as an example... After everything I've said about him... It won't help your cause." Mark clenched his jaw, before saying with less confidence. "I don't know. That's Elite Matthew's area." Damodar shrugged, telling the others. "It's funny. Elite Matthew recently got a damnable Slum Dog himself... A test subject? Well... If that's the case... Shouldn't your Pet be with the other Slum Dogs until the experiment is confirmed by Elite Matthew? Since... it's not your area to handle him."

Mark lifted his chin, boldly snapping back. "Sean is apart of the experiment with me. And I think you'll find I can handle more than most. I'm the safest person he can be with." Damodar pointed his cane at Mark, sneering out sternly. "People still got hurt when you were around him though, didn't they? What you mean is that he is safe around YOU. If your emotions don't interfere with your judgment, then surely you see why he needs to be locked up until this 'experiment' is proven to work. Or where you lying to cover something else?" Sean licked his dry lips. Damodar was backing Mark into a corner. Whoever gave him his information had informed him well. Staring longer at Damodar, Sean's jaw dropped a little. Damodar's monocle was tinted a deep purple like his eyes, but Sean could faintly see words being typed out on it. Everything he was saying was coming from somewhere or someone else. Mark looked at the crowd, before sighing. Lifting his chin, he told them all calmly. "He was never tested. And clearly Mother is leading up to this. So fine. You win, Mother. I'll test him publicly. If he doesn't have the genes, this argument to contain him is invalid and pointless."

Damodar leaned more on his cane, sneering out with a devilish grin. "And if he does?" Mark intertwined his fingers with Sean. Sean could feel Mark's hand shaking. Sean could tell Mark was reluctant to say anything. Squeezing Mark's hand, Sean stepped out from behind Mark to say aloud. "Then they can contain me." Everyone gasped and took more pictures. Mark jerked his head to look at Sean with wide eyes, but Sean told him sweetly. "They won't stop unless one of use takes the fall. If I go down... I'm not taking you with me. You're all I have to lose." Mark pulled him into a hug, covering Sean's face to keep the cameras from catching him crying. Moments later, the lights in Valhalla turned back on as power restored itself. By his ear, Mark discreetly uttered out too low for the others to hear. "Mother is not going to make this easy on me. But I'm not giving up, Sean. I'll make them hear me. I'm not going to let her win this." To Be Continued...