Palette's POV weeks later

Bang bang bang!

"It would be best for you to leave now!"A voice says

"Why are you even here?"Another asks sharply

I walk through the halls carefully, hearing shouts and arguing outside. I peek out, seeing Madeline, the All Seeing One and her husband, the Great One, debating with some people climbing the gates. I peek out the door as Ms. Madeline starts coming back.

"Who are they? What's going on?"I ask

"They claim to be potential suitors for you. Their families saw you on our trip to the market and thought you'd be a good fit for their kids. So they were sent to try to win you over."She says

"What?"I say, gripping my necklace

"Don't worry, we're sending them away. Hear anything from your loved ones?"She asks

I shake my head.

"We will find a way back for you."She says

I sigh, nodding.

Hours later, I lay on the bed while reading a book. I sigh, my mind trailing off elsewhere.

Gothy...I miss you...

I doze off on a page, feeling myself fall into a nice dream. Then loud pounding woke me up and I glance to the door, seeing a guard peeking in.

"You are needed out front."He says

I nod, heading out without question. I see a crowd breaking through and forming below the front steps to this wonderful home. Ms. Madeline is keeping them there with a threatening glare, nobody daring to defy her. Then she glances to me.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, Palette. They broke through and demanded you. Some even claim to know you so could you tell me if you recognize anyone here? I'll test everyone if I must."She asks

I gaze across the crowd of strangers, then recognize two faces. Peaco and Gades are hidden on separate sides of the crowds. I nervously step behind her.

"What's wrong?"She asks

"Gades is here...H-He isn't happy and will chain me again..."I tell her quietly

Right as I say that my soul turns blue and I get pulled through the crowd and feel two hands dig into my shoulders, burning me. I scream out in pain but could do nothing to get away.

"Listen here you little brat, when you are lucky enough to even live under my rule, that doesn't mean you can flee from me! My husband is a fool if he thinks that a mortal like you can be freed without causing trouble! And I will make sure you do-"He growls, his hands digging deeper

"GADES!"Peaco snaps, pushing him and trying to pry me free

The crowd turns on Gades and starts trying to pull me free or shout at him, all to no avail. Then another voice makes him freeze.

"Gades!"A familiar voice shouts

A scythe swings to Gades' neck.

"Release him. NOW!"Gothy orders

A dark shadow looms over me and I hear wings flapping. I could see by Gades and Peaco's gaze that someone was behind me and taller than me. Gades drops me within seconds and I hit the ground hard. I couldn't feel my upper body from my shoulders to my hands and I couldn't move them either. Gothy kneels beside me, gently pulling me into his lap and warm embrace.

"Pally!"He exclaims, hugging me close

"Gades, what the hell were you doing to my boy?"I hear Mr. Reaper says

I glance up, seeing Mr. Reaper as the one that was behind me. Spinning his scythe and everything.

"Your boy? So he escaped servitude from you as well?"Gades asks

"What do you mean? Servitude?! You enslaved Palette? My son's boyfriend? How dare you! What is wrong with you?!"Mr. Reaper snaps

"This twerp is a boyfriend to your son?"Gades asks

"Don't call Palette that!"Gothy snaps

"He is a good kid you idiot! Reaper, I am so sorry about him. Palette was at the wrong place at the wrong time and Gades took him to teach mortals a lesson or whatever. I tried to free him but Gades here stopped that."Peaco says

Something slips out from under my sleeve with a soft clink. Gothy picks it up, seeing that I hid away the necklace.

"What's that?"Gades asks

"The necklace from his boyfriend that he hid so you wouldn't break it."Peaco says

"Ya know, Gades, Peaco has a point. For someone who complains about the gods up above terrorizing mortals and being fools, you sure have taken a liking to both!"Mr. Reaper snaps

Then he looks at me, seeing my condition. He frowns and his eye glows a menacing blue.

"He was taken from my world under false accusations and then you find him and abuse him without stopping to question anything? Picking him off to please yourself? Oh, but if the gods up there do that to Peaco they're terrible morons! I hate hypocrites, Gades. So how about you reverse whatever you did or get lost."He growls

"And if I don't?"Gades asks

"Gades!"Peaco snaps

"Your immortality title here has no influence over me. To my job, you're just another mortal soul to collect. Don't push your luck."He warns, spinning his scythe

Gothy hugs me tightly, glaring up at Gades. His father notices and grins.

"You know what? Go ahead. Push your luck. I dare you. You'll have to face my kids and you won't like them angry."He chuckles

Peaco elbows Gades roughly at that comment.

"The Balance Protector Shino is already upset, don't anger more people."Peaco says

"Ah, so my daughter has already seen you?"He chuckles

"DAUGHTER?"The two shout

"Mhm. I have three kids. My son here deals with the innocent souls while my other son deals with the guilty souls. If you'd like, I can call him here. He's searching with Palette's cousin, so I bet they'd be glad to meet the person that was kind enough to enslave him when he was lost in your world. Lovely hospitality."He says with some sarcasm

Gades' hair went out as his face turns pale.

"Excuse me, what are you all-? Oh hey, Reaper."Ms. Madeline says

He turns to her as she approaches, her snakes slithering and hissing. By now, the crowd has fled or been turned to statues for lying to her. He smiles and they shake hands.

"Still treating Geno right and staying true to your intentions?"She asks

"You can ask my kids!"He chuckles with a nod

She giggles, then looks at me and gasps.

"Palette! Okay which one of you did this to him?"She asks

Gades gets pushed forward by Peaco.

"So sorry about my husband."Peaco sighs

"Well then your husband and I will have a nice discussion about child treatment and consequences. It will be truly splendid! Now, who might you be, little boy?"She says, glancing at Gothy

"Goth...Nobody is going to hurt Palette again! Nobody can take him!"Gothy says, hugging me closer

"Ah yes, the boyfriend. I already know that your soul is pure. You pass just like your father did. Palette, it was nice to have you here but I have some things to handle and I think it's time you return with your loved ones. Stay safe, dear."She says

"Okay, thank you Ms. Madeline."I say

"Let's go you two. You have to explain how Palette got to this point under your care."She says, dragging Gades away with Peaco following

Gothy scoops me up and with a wave of his scythe, he makes a portal and enters through it. Reaper follows through, already on a phone call and alerting everyone else. Gothy kisses me on the head and soars ahead, taking me to his home.

"I am so glad that we found you, Pally. I was so worried about you."He says, kissing me on the head

"I missed you...Gothy."I tell him

He sets me in his bed and tucks the blankets over me.

"I'll go get help to heal you! And tell your family while I'm at it! Don't go anywhere!"He says

"I can't even if I tried, Gothy."I chuckle

He zips out the door with a big smile, shutting it behind him. I smile, glancing at my necklace placed on the table beside the bed and watch it twinkle.

That was certainly....Something, huh? But it's over...Unless it isn't....

TBC