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Shamash looked troubled, and at least as tired as a god could possibly be.

"From one god of justice to another," Anubis told him, "You look like you're guilty about something."

The sumerian jumped and gave his jackal-eared Egyptian co-worker a startled look.

"I brewed you tea the way you like it," said Anubis, "So don't try to lie to me. You screwed up."

"We're all in grave danger, Anubis," Shamash confessed piteously. "They - the black suits - have Abbot."

It took Anubis a moment to comprehend just what that meant, but when the meaning hit him he became just as panicked as Shamash.

"This could ruin everything"

In the time since then, Anubis had taken the liberty of using his referee powers to summon every player he could find to Seasons despite the late hour. Now it was merely a matter of waiting for them to show up.

It was late, and the lioness aspects of Bast would have her control over Sarah. She shivered as she sneaked out into the night once more, even though now she was very clumsy and very loud doing her business. “Well, they brought it upon themselves, since they wanted to lie to me.” She mused hotly, still furious over the fact that they had lied about her, told her that she was a boy for so many years.

But you knew the truth, Kitten. The lioness hissed soothingly, trying to raise more anger inside the godling.

“I thought you weren't supposed to show up for a while.” Sarah snapped back, the golden rim of her eyes giving off a demonic glow as Bast's plan worked, even if she was aiming it at the wrong person.

Now now, Kitten. There will be plenty of enemies to bark at... You should save your feelings for the battle that's close at hand.

The girl let out a low growling noise, feeling defeated already. Her tail was making swift strokes across the pavement in response, making the tuft of the accursed thing look more like a mop than an actual tail; and of course, the smell that was now following her, the good smell. She liked the idea of having a pleasant scent, but she hated the fact that as soon as she stepped outside, an platoon of cats started to follow her. “Ugh, can't you turn that part of my power off?” Sarah asked the lioness before hissing at the followers.

No, that's their instinct. Thanks to my motherly aspects, they think you are their mother.

“Great.” She mumbled in her mind upon reaching the street in which the flower shop was located. “Maybe they'll end up like me and leave me the ******** alone.”

Upon reaching the shop, she instantly turned the handle of the door and let herself in, since she was too pissed off at the following cats to notice if anything strange would come up if she opened the door. Driving off some of the felines with a well-needed kick in the side before slamming the door shut, she looked around the room. Her new ears and tail twitched.

"Oh, a storm is threat'ning, my very life today... If I don't- get some shelter... Oh yeah, I'm-a gonna fade away..." Writ sang softly to himself. The Stones' spinning guitar rifts whirled through his head as he walked down Middling. He pulled his poncho closer to him. He had fought monsters and villains, but something as simple as the cold streets of Middling was no match for the godling.

"War Children.... It's just a shot a-way... It's just a shot a-way..."

He really needed some shelter, the fire escape he called a home wasn't cutting it nowadays. Even though Coyote's realm warmed him, his body still felt the full effects of winter. He was pretty sure that a finger was going to break off if he didn't do anything.

An even more ancient voice sliced through the old music like a knife, Go to Seasons.

Writ's ears went up at the voice, Coyote? It sure didn't sound like him.

The god woke up from his slumber, Eh?'

You didn't tell me to go to Seasons just now, did you?

The voice again, same message, more urgent.

No, that would be Anubis. Coyote yawned, I know that bark anywhere. This can't be good.

Well, yeah, I figured.

Just like last time. Coyote's voice had a hint of excitement, Something's happening.

***

Writ opened the door to Seasons, careful not to step on the army of cats that had barricaded themselves at the door. He eagerly stepped into the inviting heat of the shop. The godling moaned with relief and walked in.

Writ looked at the trio that were inside. Fish, Ciro, and the strange and slightly feminine looking Ray were all there. Writ couldn't help but feel some Deja Vu.

"Well, this is an odd party, isn't it?"

Silently stretching Maria stood up from her place on the docks, and at the same time pushed a few locks of her let down hair behind her ear, taking note not to step on Reki who had curled up next to her and now was climbing into her side bag, as if saying, “Are you ready to go yet?”

Since moving into downers she had made it one of her few pass times in life now to stop by the docks on dark nights, and look up at the sky full of stars and other celestial objects. It also gave her an excuse to come out from the shadows and actually enjoy an evening every so often, without nagging from Inazami only friendly chatting. However, tonight it had only been her and another weird voice that she could not seem to place. Inazami had left her and informed her that she had other matters to attend to for a bit that she would mention to Maria when she got back.

Standing up she silently turned on her heels, and pulled the hood of her black jacket back on over her head. Bending down she picked up her bag as she took one last look at the stars as they reflected off the harbor’s water. Then there she was heading back toward a place she had not been for a while now: Seasons. There was only one weird thing about tonight’s summons and that it was not from the usual Persy, but from what she guessed as being the other brains of the operation Anubis. She now believed it was true that Persy had really left Seasons for the winter.

Walking silently, she made her way toward Seasons, taking a few short cuts through some of the alleyways here and there. Staying in them for the most part to try and keep some of the cool air off of her already frozen skin, and to remain in the shadows away from the few lights that lit up some of the areas. As she kept walking, she kept her eyes open for any kind of danger that may linger around any corner, because for some odd reason tonight she felt like there was something more out there, something dangerous.

Upon arriving in the front of the shop Maria emerged from the alley across the street and swiftly made her way through the open street toward the doors of Seasons. Opening the door she peered from beneath her hood at the store and the other Godlings that were there already: Ciro, Fish, Writ, and a few others she had not met before. This told her everything she needed to know, and that was that something had already happened. Walking in she found herself an area toward the back of the shop that had shadows lingering around and waited for further instruction.

Like the other godlings, Jubs made his way to Seasons. Wrapped in several layers of ragged clothes and carrying his staff, he looked like one of the wise men following the star. Except instead of a star, it was some annoying guy who had no business talking in his head.

Speaking of voices in his head, Hermes had been strangely absent. Something big was going on, that much he knew. This getting called in the middle of the night only proved it.

Running and jumping along the rooftops, he finally made it to Seasons. Since he got his new powers, it was more convienent to travel that way, as less people saw him. He jumped off the roof and glided down to the store front. Weeks of practice had resulted in a slight ability to levitate, rather than flying, as Hermes had said.

Looking almost hungrily at the cats, he opened the door and made his way in, glaring at anyone who stared at him. There were several people he knew, and an equal number that he didn't. How many more had joined? And where was the guy that called them? He didn't like it.

Anubis surveyed the band of players that had answered his call. They weren't all heroes by the classic definition, but they'd do.

"You have come here as rivals," he said. His voice demanded silence - he was in fearsome Anubis mode, the Anubis who would not mind feeding your heart to a crocodile. "But something more pressing than your play has arisen. Until it is resolved, all your rivalries and alliances are off. You are all on the same team, working towards the same goal."

"Maybe you haven't all heard about the Black Suits, but they've heard of us, and they've got two of our own."

"Maybe some of you know Vlad, playing for Fenrir. They've got him. Vlad's a newbie, and he doesn't know enough or have enough powers to be of much use to them, but they've still got him. And maybe his loss isn't a threat to us, but they've got another."

Was he staring at Ciro?

"I don't know if any of you know Gregory Abbot," said Anubis, his voice imposing but non-judgemental. "He's not an active player, but he knows more about this game than any of you, he is in some ways stronger than any of you, and he is an older, wiser, and all around better player than any of you. The blacksuits have captured him. I trust Abbot not to talk, but they have their ways."

He was definitely staring at Ciro, even as he reached behind the counter and produced a bag of spherical objects. He reached in and tossed one to each Godling. They were vegetables of some sort, and each had a face on it.

"These are talking calabash heads," explained Anubis. "I borrowed them from a friend of mine. If you speak into yours, the others will repeat what you've said to all the others. You'll need them, but be careful. They spit."

"Ciro, you take Sarah, Keeya, and Writ to Downers. Sources say the Blacksuits have a prison complex directly beneath Politics Uppers."

"Fish, you and Maria are going to go to Uppers and find your way into the Blacksuit's offices in the Central Intelligence building. Find out where they are keeping Abbot, make sure there aren't any agents in the area, and make sure that Ciro's group knows what you find out."

"Vale, Koa, Jubs," said Anubis. He turned to face the trio of boys. "I need you to go to the address on Persy's note and find out what's going on with her. Tell her you need any information she can give you on Abbot - friends, employers, where he lives. She's got it. Tell her I'll pay for it later."

"You've got to move fast. If you waste time or screw up, Vlad and Abbot could wind up dead."

“Rivals?” Sarah parroted in her mind, the only one she actually even knew in the room was Writ, who probably wouldn't even know who she is due to the changes she went through. “Eh, maybe it would be a good thing if he didn't recognize me- 'be a lot easier to explain.” She was soon snapped out of her thoughts by Bast, since it was a lot more important to listen to the instructions Anubis was given. The girl caught the vegetable, pocketing it as soon as she saw the creepy face that was splattered on it. “Only if I need it.” She mused firmly.

It was after the blindfolded man had spoken that she had recognized that there were other people in the room. She breathed softly a sigh of relief that some of the kids were worse off than she was, but still felt a little out of the loop, since she did not know who it was Anubis had mentioned. But Sarah obeyed Ciro's order, her usually pissed off and prideful demeanor replaced with that of someone who was completely serious. She knew when to cut off any bullshitting- and when two people's lives were in danger seemed like a good time to her.

The thought of Vlad being captured kept going through his mind. Those Blacksuit guys had one of his friends, and from the rumors he heard, the kid wasn't going to last very long in that jail cell. The time for hiding was over, it was time to bust out the godly powers, and start kicking some a**.

At the announcement of the teams, he grimaced.

Ciro? Apparently, Anubis was horribly misinformed. Writ looked at the god of judgment with a questioning glance. Just because rivalries were off, didn't keep anyone from biting one another's heads off.

Surprisingly, Writ didn't feel much resentment towards Ciro. Not having seen the boy since the Minotaur, and being busy with his own things, Writ hadn't had the time to think about him. He even forgot what had made them enemies in the first place. Well, okay, there was that iced coffee, but that was months ago. Then there was Crow, but she was most definitely on his side now. With all he did, Writ was confident that he won her over. So, when all was said and done, he had nothing. He was more or less indifferent about blindfold boy. It was probably the best for the current situation.

Writ may be neutral with Ciro, but some habits die hard. He leaned on the counter and crossed his arms defiantly. "You sure seem serious about this." He said to Ciro, "You don't even know who Vlad or this Abbot guy is."

Actually... Coyote began to say, but he shut his mouth, misunderstandings were always fun to watch.

"Whatever." Writ shrugged. He tossed his vegetable head and snatched it in the air, "All rivalries are off, right?" He walked over and stood next to Sarah. She smelled of Dog and Cocoa powder. A strange combination, but Writ liked it.

"You look familiar" Writ said to her, "We meet somewhere before?"