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'Dite's Decadent Delights, Wednesday, Early Afternoon

It was different being back in the store for a full shift. Aphrodite was looking forward to an entire day of calm, which would be a great change after having to constantly use her powers to try and hold back mobs of people from beating on crowds of other people. Things seemed to be quiet in the Middle East today, or at least as quiet as they had been recently. There was on troublespot that she, Cupid and Bliss hadn't seemed to make headway in, but if they conceded that to Ares, maybe they could save the rest. She hoped so.

Today, then, was for relaxation and recovery. She expected a few shoppers, a few people just looking, and mainly a quiet day.

She didn't expect a delivery man with a stack of boxes. 'Dite had checked, and all orders were scheduled for the next week. She frowned, looking at the manifest on the side of the box.

"Are these books?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

Curious, she turned one box so she could see the sender.

The Rapture Company -- The Key to Heaven is At Your Fingertips!

"Uh, these are not for my store."

"Says so, right here."

"But these are religious books. I didn't order them."

"Sorry, they're addressed to you." He tore off the receipt and handed it to her. "Have a nice day."

'Dite rolled her eyes as he left, then opened the manifest attached to the first box, wondering if they'd been delivered to the wrong store. "Maybe they're for the church?"

There was a letter stating that these were a sample gift for the store. There were five titles in the box, including Reaching for Heaven's Delight, Rapture: The Awakening, and Charity: the Key to Heaven by someone named Brother Joseph. "Oh, Hades. What the hell were these people thinking?"

There was no actual return address, just the name of the company, and with a sigh she realized she couldn't return it. She thought about taking it to the church but decided to look at the books first and see if they were as awful as they looked.

She opened the box, pushing Hercules away before he could grab at the wrapping paper. The first one was the book on the rapture, and she pulled it out, her lips pursing into a displeased frown.

Her mouth dropped and her eyes popped wide open. Dropping the first book, she grabbed for the second, opening Charity: The Key to Heaven to read just a few lines. Then she checked the author's name, noticing they'd left part of it off the manifest. Instead of just Brother Joseph it was Brother Joseph S. Trapon.

'Dite grinned and settled back in her chair to read. "Ooooh. Raven's gonna like these."

(Store and post are open. Expecting one, but anyone who wishes can drop in. This is the last week before 'Dite becomes an Ex-pat.)

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The message that 'Dite had left for Rinoa was a touch worrisome, to say the least. Before ... before what?

She entered the store, trying not to blush at the contents. She wasn't interested in browsing. Much. Which reminded her, she really needed to talk to Squall, about that whole ... um ... yes.

"Hi," she said, smiling as she poked her head into the store. "Sorry, I've been ... a little distracted lately."

Crazy lady in her head. It happened.

"Are you okay?"

'Dite looked up from her reading with a smile. "Rinoa, hi. Yeah, I'm okay." She stood up to give her friend a hug, then put her fists on her hips. "I talked to Raven yesterday. Who told you it was okay to go off and have adventures without me?"

Crazy lady indeed.

Rinoa blushed, and immediately began scuffing her toes on the ground.

"I wasn't ... really myself," she offered, by way of explanation. "Sorry?"

At least everyone had come back okay?

"Come on." The chairs appeared again, and 'Dite decided this time she'd just leave them there until she left. There would be other conversations soon.

"So," she said when she was comfortably settled. "Raven said you had to fight this other sorceress, and she and Jono were there to help. I'm sorry I wasn't around to be there." Her face showed her sorrow. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Rinoa bit her lip, then approached one of the chairs, carefully.

"Back in February," she said, slowly, "Squall's sister was kidnapped. So we went to rescue her, and it went badly. Really badly. We all came out of it okay, and we killed another Sorceress named Adel ... but as a result, I'm the only Sorceress of this time left. And ... and the Sorceress from the future, Ultimecia ... she had been controlling Adel, possessing her. And when I got Adel's powers ... I also inherited her."

"You're the only -- wait, you were possessed?" 'Dite looked outraged. "That's completely not fair!"

It was a talent of hers, to state the obvious.

"But, you beat her, right?"

Rinoa waved a hand in a so-so gesture.

"She tried," she explained. "I learned shielding, so I was mostly keeping her out. But it leaked through in weird ways. I got all paranoid. It ... wasn't a whole lot of fun."

Especially not the fact that Ultimecia had loathed Squall.

"Okay, so you were sorta kinda possessed? Still not fair." She waved a hand. "Come on, tell me everything's okay, you kicked her butt and sent her into the ether, and then tell me what happened." 'Dite bounced a little. "Come on, Rinoa, I'm dying here!"

She was good at exaggeration as well.

Rinoa laughed, despite herself. "Okay, okay, I'll get to the good stuff," she promised. "We went to the future, we kicked her sorry ass, and she is dead. And then time fixed itself, but Squall got stuck outside of it, because he's good at being stupid like that, so I had to go rescue him."

As you do.

"'Outside time'." 'Dite cocked her head. "Raven said she and Jono had been sent 'outside time'. What does that mean?"

There were many things it could mean, in her own world. Supposedly the Sovereign, who was the twin of her brother Hercules, was forever trapped in a void that would remain while time continued. Was that what Rinoa meant?

Rinoa chewed on her lower lip, searching for the right words.

"She was ending time," she said, finally. "Melting all of it together, and absorbing all of it into herself. While we were fighting her, she kept banishing people from the fight -- sending them to a little pocket that hadn't been absorbed yet. All of us but Squall were there, at the end. He finished her off, we were dumped back where we had started, and then Squall had to try to get back by himself."

"That's . . . She . . . Who . . ."

Taking a deep breath, 'Dite tried again. "That's insane. She was mad! Who in their right minds would want to absorb all of time?" She shook her head. "And I thought we had some crazy people. There are groups in my world who want the world to end, but -- to just . . . absorb everything . . . that's like -- like -- eewwwwww!"

"She was ... unhinged," Rinoa said, shuddering. "Evil. And hanging out in my mind, which is worse. But it's over, and I'm so, so, so glad it's over. I'm me again."

With perhaps some unnerving information on exactly how much power she had. That was a bit scary. She wasn't going to think about that.

"So ... all in all, not a fun adventure," she finished.

"Yeah, I'll bet. Hades." 'Dite shook her head a little. "Well, at least everyone came back safe and sound, right? Squall, and you, and Raven and Jono. Excellent." She put a hand over her heart and sighed heavily. "You know, you shouldn't scare an old lady like that. Even if I'm not old and I didn't find out till well after the fact. It's just not nice."

Rinoa shifted comfortably in her chair and laughed.

"I promise not to be invaded by any more Sorceresses from the future," she said, "or to go off chasing them down, either. How's that?"

"That's very good. Thank you." 'Dite laughed for several moments. When she calmed down, she leaned her head back on the chair, still eyeing Rinoa with a smile. "You know, you were awesome when we had to go down into that dungeon. Really."

"I ... I wasn't," she insisted, blushing again as she folded her hands in her lap. "I just ... I needed him to be okay. That was all that mattered."

If anyone could understand that, 'Dite would.

"I was glad you were helping Karla," she said. "I need to talk to her. She missed the last adventure."

And, well, she might want to ask a few questions about sex.

"What? Karla missed an adventure?" For a moment she looked shocked, then she smirked. "She does have her fair share of them, doesn't she?" Talking about Karla reminded her keenly of the whole reason she'd asked Rinoa to come to the store.

"I know you needed Squall to be okay. You love him, it's to be expected. But you did more than you think you did. You helped people stay calm, you fought when you needed to, you used your head when you had to." Her smile was bright for a moment, and then it dimmed slightly. "That's why I know you're gonna do great. Even if I'm not gonna be here to see it."

Rinoa was blushing again, but glanced up sharply at the end of that sentence.

"Not ... here?" she asked. "I don't understand. You're ... you're not leaving. Are you?"

Taking a deep breath, 'Dite nodded. "I am. I have to. There's so much going on back home, and I'm trying to stop a war, and . . . it's complicated." She shrugged. "So, I have to leave."

"A war?" Rinoa asked. "Is it dangerous? Do you need help? We could -- we could get a crew together. It's not too soon for another adventure."

Anything that might mean 'Dite could stay.

It was childish, yes, but Rinoa was usually a brat.

"No, Sweet Pea, remember, I'm a Goddess. It's not dangerous for me."

Actually, it could be, if Ares ever got his hands on her, but she wasn't going to admit that.

"And mainly it's a matter of . . . influence. And . . . restraint. We're trying to keep tempers cool, and emotions down, so no one does anything foolish." She smiled. "But thank you. It means a lot that you'd be willing to dive in and help." Her head tilted. "How'd you like to help in another way?"

"Anything," Rinoa said firmly. "What can I do? And ... you'll still visit, won't you?"

And if 'Dite thought she was getting out of here without a hug, then she was a particularly crazy Goddess.

'Dite smiled. "Of course, I'll visit. I'm leaving the store open, and Karla and Raven will still be working it. Which, brings me to how you can help."

She motioned to Hercules, who was sunning himself by the door. "Could you help watch over the store, and Herc? Just maybe come by and make sure he has food and water, and play with him a little." The Goddess sighed. 'I'm going to miss the little guy, but I can't take him with me." She looked around. "Just help keep an eye on the place? And on Karla and Raven. They get into so much trouble . . ." Her voice trailed off as she shook her head.

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'Dite's Decadent Delights, Wednesday, Early Afternoon

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