The pair slipped through the empty halls like two school children skipping class. Apollo followed close in Vatra's shadow, his steps as quiet as hers, head on a swivel to keep watch behind them. Vatra stopped to peer around every corner. She inched forward slowly before rushing ahead, holding back a giggle of excitement.

Why did she feel so childish all of a sudden?

Grasping at the last corner to where she'd left the others to sweat away their worries, Vatra heard the shuffling of steps leaving the heavy doors to the bath. Her fingers slipped away. She pushed Apollo against the wall behind her, unable to hold back the laugh that she'd been forcing down into her belly. The breathy chuckle forced its way out of her nose, disguised under the heavy thud of Apollo's body against the wall.

The god laughed, too. Despite the fact their attempt to remain quiet and stealthy had failed, they both chose to find humor in their fiasco.

Vatra clapped a hand to her mouth and tried to hold back another laugh as the footsteps grew closer. Whoever was going to find them would happen upon them one way another, and she wasn't one to run with her tail between her legs. She turned to face the figures as they rounded the corner.

Favor fell in Vatra's lap for once. It was her crew that had emerged from the baths and wandered over to find the source of the noise. Still with her palm over her mouth, Vatra regarded them with a wave of her free hand, as if they were kings and queens entering a great hall.

Hisato raised a brow. "Are you okay?" he asked, forcing the question out after appearing to collect his thoughts from the befuddling sight in front of him.

"Quite." Vatra dropped her hand down to her side and clasped both her hands together in front of her. "We were actually coming to find you."

"Yeah, that's actually where I got a bit more confused when we walked over here." Enyalius said as he scratched his chin. He pointed at Apollo. "I thought you died on Earth."

Apollo slipped from behind Vatra. He had a grin on his face that matched the same cocky attitude Enyalius always flashed around.

It wasn't unusual for powerful gods to puff out their chest like two alpha dogs meeting for the first time. Vatra was used to showboating, but she was hoping that was all it was. Showing off; hot headed gods under the influence of Ares' power.

Clicking his tongue, Apollo adjusted the fabric of his himation draped over his shoulder. The tension he'd thrown into the air cooled instantly. "Sorry to disappoint. I'd come to reconnect with an old friend, and Vatra insisted I... mingle." He hung over the last word, forcing it out like he choked on it.

Vatra slapped Apollo on the arm. "I promised him wine to come say hello."

"I didn't know you were friends with Apollo," Enyalius stated, taking no heed to lower his voice.

"Did someone say wine?" Fulgora pushed her way past Geb and Set, arms swinging wide. She nearly swept Apollo up in her arms and ushered the god down the hall. "I know the best wine around here."

The two figures were a muddle of whispers and laughs as they shuffled and bumped down the hallway. Fulgora was a stranger to no one, although her path must have crossed with Apollo at some point on Earth. She was without a doubt reminiscing on old stories the two shared, daring adventures or scandalous escapades. There was never a dull tale out of the goddess' mouth. She'd lived lifetimes, and hadn't wasted a moment. Apollo was much the same.

"Why am I not surprised she's already found the wine?" Hisato turned to watch the god and goddess disappear down the hall.

Vatra's words were hollow in her throat. Her fingers were outstretched in the open air. Where once she had a hold on Apollo, she now slowly curled her fingers into a fist and let her arm fall to her side. 

"Well," Vatra said, not letting the quick departure of the two change her plan, "I say we join them."

"Did you not hear me?" Enyalius stepped in front of Vatra. "I didn't know you were friends with him."

Waving the god off like a fly, Vatra barely missed Enyalius' nose with her fingertips. "Do I have to list all my friends to you?"

"Considering you don't have many, I don't think it would take long. The list of gods you trust should be even shorter," Enyalius retorted.

Vatra narrowed her gaze at Enyalius. "Jealous?"

"Concerned," Enyalius stated.

"As am I," Set warned. "The sun god is not one to be trusted, Captain."

"I get a bad feeling in my gut when you call me that," Vatra groaned. She shuffled back a step from Enyalius and looked to Hisato for assurance.

The spirit shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know a lot about him. Do you trust Apollo?" Hisato questioned Vatra, ignoring the heavy glares from the others. The gods around him weren't going to influence his position.

"It's convenient timing for him to show up," Revna added.

"He had a reason," Vatra explained. "The Mórrigan sent him to call for peace. They want a second chance."

Enyalius scoffed. "The Mórrigan?" He practically laughed out his words. "Where was that marble statue of a god hiding when we were at the hall of gods? I would have seen him."

"You all really think I would fall for a trap like this? As untrusting of the gods as I am?" Vatra folded her arms. "Even so, if he were lying to me, I would kill Apollo myself. I've known him longer than I've known almost all of you. It doesn't come easy to me to just say something like that," she stated.

The smile faded from Enyalius' lips. "I take it back, I am jealous."

Everyone looked at the god with raised brows. Vatra's jaw slacked open.

"Your stubborn defense of this god is infuriating. You would stab me in the chest without a second thought." He sighed, arms falling at his side in defeat. "Fine, let's all go find a way to convince Vatra that Apollo is a traitorous bastard that deserves his end." Enyalius spun on his heel, almost too eager.

Nat shook her head. "You gods are always trying to pick fights with one another. I'm always so surprised there's any of you left."

"I distinctly remember you trying to kill us when we met you," Enyalius snapped, looking over his shoulder at Nat. "Now, aren't you all going to come with me, or are you just going to stand there in the hall?"

Vatra sighed and started off after Enyalius, though she wished it wasn't the war god leading them after Apollo. Maybe she could have thought of a better way to start the introduction. It had barely been five minutes and she'd already managed to let her crew turn into a mob with hypothetical pitchforks.

"Is anyone ever going to let go of that?" Nat said, cupping her hands around her mouth to dramatize her point. "It's not like any of you died." She folded her arms tightly across her chest and sighed.

"I did, actually," Vatra said, slowing down in step beside the spirit.

Nat looked over at Vatra and hesitated, laughing only when she saw that Vatra had been smiling. "Right. I forgot about that."

"In a way, it brought us all together though, didn't it? Most of us wouldn't have become a crew had you not completely betrayed us," Enyalius said matter-of-factly.

"Sure, I suppose so." Nat cocked her head to the side, curls bouncing with her expressive movement.

"In the same vein we could thank Hephaestus for bringing us all together as a crew. It was on his ship that we all met," Vatra said.

"Wasn't it on a planet after the ship crashed?" Geb corrected. He waved his fingers, sparks igniting from them. "I fondly remember a storm above our heads."

Vatra pursed her lips together. "Hmm. I guess you did come in to save our asses, didn't you?"

Geb closed his fist tightly, the sparks cracking loudly like dozens of fingers snapping all at the same time. He grinned at Vatra. "Always. Just as we are trying to save you now from this-"

"Oh, gods." Vatra stomped ahead. "The only god you have to help me with right now is Ares. I can handle Apollo if I need to."

"You won't admit you're blinded?" Enyalius pressed.

"By what?" Vatra snapped.

"Nostalgia. Have you even seen Apollo since Earth was destroyed?" Enyalius strode quickly, stopping Vatra in her path before she turned the last corner toward the dining hall.

Vatra straightened her shoulders. "Oh, grow up. I'm not a child holding on to the past. I have you guys. I'm trying to get Spyro back. That's all I need," she said, enunciating each word clearly.

Enyalius' jaw clenched. His gaze shifted to the others still standing behind Vatra. "You would really kill him if you felt like he was here for another purpose?"

"Without hesitation," Vatra stated. She relaxed back, sinking lower than the god when she saw a hint of worry in his eyes. "Oh, don't be so concerned, Enyalius. I'm a feared godkiller, remember? I haven't lost my touch just because I've been around you guys."

Vatra meant every word she'd said. Why, then, did her crew not believe her?

What the hell does a godkiller have to do around here to bring back the fear in gods?  Have I gone too soft?