[GLKnight] Getting With The Goddesses

[bruh123]

This shit is amazing, keep going man, even if it stops being some muscle stuff like what's normally on this board, continue it somewhere else like d e v i a n t a r t, I'd still read it

[GLKnight]

This shit is amazing, keep going man, even if it stops being some muscle stuff like what's normally on this board, continue it somewhere else like d e v i a n t a r t, I'd still read it

When I started out, I wanted it to not quite be like everything else on here. I wanted the set-up to be a group of girls who happen to be goddesses having to go up against more savvy people in The Ascension Game. It's the old "Indie Spirit Vs. Those Willing To Play The System's Game" kind of underdog story, except more in line with "y'all motherfuckers don't know who you're fucking with" type payout.

Sadly, due to the story being a slow burn inspired by comic formatting, it's taken this far to get to the part where all six of them are barely realizing what they're having to deal with by agreeing to play The Game. And I've yet to start really getting into backstories, barely scratching Layla's story and the specific circumstances needed for someone to be invited to Ascend.

But the invite wrinkle will be broached soon, followed by at least one of The Goddesses' history before she "joined the band", in more than one way.

[jstans]

Yeah, GL, this is an amazing story. I love the detail in it and the fact that the characters aren't monsters - well, not immoral monsters at least.

[GLKnight]

Within the tumultuous nimbus of of the Gravity Well, Mayra was keeping an eye on Layla, worried for her friend's safety as she continued to increase the amount of weight around her to exercise. The sweat slipped immediately from her body from the immense pressure that wrapped around the teal haired singer, screaming in frustration and pain as she lifted the free weights in her hands.

"Layla," Mayra shouted. "You have to stop! If you keep at it, you're going to hurt yourself before the show tomorrow night!"

Layla threw the weights to the ground, sinking in loudly as she screamed once more, hunched over as she began to cry for the fifth time that day.

"It's MY FAULT," she screamed, the pain obvious in her voice and eyes. "Brandon nearly DIED because of us! Because of ME! I nearly lost him again! I... I don't..."

Layla fell to her knees as she wept, deflated and feeling powerless. Mayra quickly went to her bandmate's side, sick with worry as she finally say Layla breaking down. For all of her bravado, Mayra knew the one thing Layla di Scalzi truly was at her core was finally being aired out.

Layla was a frightened, genuinely kind soul within the body of a powerhouse who was still coming to terms with her own past.

"Hey, it'll be alright," Mayra told her, putting her hand on physically imposing singer's shoulder. "Brandon's not dead, alright? You got to him in time!"

"The second time," Layla said, rubbing her eyes as the tears and snot dripped down from her face.

Mayra's ears pricked up at Layla's words.

"Wait, what do you mean by "second time", Layla?"
____________________________________________________________________

Entering the house, Shaushka and Alma saw that Brandon was sitting up on the couch as Yori sat in front of him.

"You shouldn't be up yet," the bountiful beauty said, rushing over to her Acolyte's side to check on him.

"I'm okay," Brandon told her, trying to assuage her worries. "Just a bit weak and tired."

Shaushka turned towards Alma, now in full on doctor mode.

"Could you get him some water, please? And maybe a snack?"

Alma gave a half-hearted salute as she sashayed back into the kitchen.

"Will I be okay?", Brandon asked as Shaushka looked him over.

"You'll be fine. You will feel bit of increased sensitivity to things like bumps and temperature for the next few days. But nothing long lasting. It's a good thing Yori carried you here."

"That must have been awkward," he said to the smallest of the Goddesses. "Carrying a fully grown man all that way."

"If I'm being honest," she said, looking at him with a smirk. "I was fourteen feet tall, had horns and tusks and much, MUCH more fully grown than you at the time."

"Really?"

"Shaushka, turn on the lights please?"

Moving towards the wall, Shaushka flicked on the lights as Yori took off her hoodie. And Brandon's jaw dropped. Now that she was topless, he saw the deep blue coloring spread across her stomach, chest, shoulders and upper arms, and the incredible muscle size and definition she still had even hours after her transformation that stood in stark contrast to the rest of her. Then Brandon's mind clicked on the details.

"So, being called an Oni isn't necessarily a nickname for you, is it?"

"Yeah," Yori replied as she slipped her hoodie back on. "My domain is Judgment and Justice. I have access to The Black Torii, the gate to Jigoku, because by all rights I am both a Goddess AND a Demon."

With a stealth befitting her, Alma quietly hands Brandon a tuna sandwich and a glass of milk before laying on the couch and placing her head on his lap.

"When someone is picked to take part in The Ascension Game," Alma spoke. "We are given a choice: choose to commit an action, and that choice effects what our domain is."

Yori stood up and begins to pace the room.

"When I was chosen, it was at the end of a terrible life for me. I was... I was taken as a child and... used..."

"Oh my God," Brandon muttered, his heart breaking for Yori at her words. He went to put his food down, but Yori put her hand up, telling him to wait.

"I was... 13 when I was given the choice to ascend. I had finally had enough and lashed out. The men who... took me? They... They realized that I was broken. They said I was a feral dog. And you know what happens to feral dogs..."

Putting her fingers to her head, she showed herself getting put down.

"Before I even knew it, the bullet went through my head and they left me to die. And I was, honestly. But then I saw this shimmering figure, wrapped in pure white. It asked me, "If you were given the opportunity to move beyond this mortal form, what would your first action be? But my first thoughts were not about getting vengeance. Instead, It was to save the other girls they had. I wanted to make sure they would no longer be hurt, then I thought about stopping the people who murdered me once and for all."

"And that's when her domain locked in," Shaushka said.

Yori nodded at her friend's words.

"I watched as this black smoke floated out of the figure, moving in a way like it was alive. Then it entered me. It went into my lungs, and I gasped. I was alive! But then I felt the smoke filtering through me, filling me. I changed that night. It didn't hurt, but it wasn't pleasant either. It was like the smoke was replacing my flesh. I could feel myself growing, changing. I felt horns piercing through my skin, my teeth growing. My bones grew thicker, heavier, stronger. I grew stronger. And I cackled with pleasure. That night, 30 children were found alive, all of them under the legal age of consent and 12 of them pregnant, and the bodies of 14 men including 2 politicians were found in a room, all in one mangled heap. Along with the files and information to bring down another forty people prominent figures in Japan at the time."

"Because of her choice," Shaushka added. "She was changed into who she is now. All of us are. We're made into the adults you see before you. Some get older. Others, younger. All of our bodies are made to highlight our domains in some way. The only one of us we have no clue about is Layla. Her domain is frankly unknown. But we can all agree she is actually ASTOUNDINLY powerful to a degree we are unsure of."

"In my case," Yori continues. "It made me 21, gave me a deceptive body and is allowing me to feel like the kid I was denied my whole life. I love playing with the girls and you've honestly become one of my best friends, Brandon. I don't know what I would have done if we were too late."

"I'm glad you did. And I bet Layla feels the same way."
________________________________________________________

"Layla," Mayra sternly spoke to her friend. "Tell me what you mean by "a second time"?"

Layla's tears began to slow as she wiped them away, the roar of the nimbus around them fading as the Gravity Well loosened its hold on them.

"You promise you won't get mad?", Layla asked, defeated. "And promise not to tell the others?"

Mayra parked herself in front of Layla, and rose the horns.

"I promise on the soul of Rock & Roll," she told her front woman, smiling to calm her fears.

"On the soul of Rock & Roll," Layla parroted, raising the horns in kind.

"Layla, what's going on between you and Brandon?"

Layla closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"He's why I'm in The Ascension Game. In order to get him back, I had to move beyond my mortality to bring him back from the dead."

[jstans]

..........

TWIST!

[GLKnight]

By the time Shelly Veston had been escorted back to her home on the outskirts of the city, she knew that she was in big trouble. Not only had The Goddesses somehow beaten the Artificial Men, not only had they gotten to the college in record time, but she failed to do the one thing she was explicitly told she had to do.

And the fact that the stupid little Japanese schoolgirl slut turned into a gigantic ugly beast to not only force the Artificial Woman to give up Brandon before she could order the damn thing to rip his head off, but did it to her bot before she could in some grand twist of irony definitely set in that she was, in a word, promptly FUCKED when her Goddess saw her next time.

"We have arrived, Madame Veston."

Turning her eyes towards the robot at the wheel, Shelly took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. Needing to vent a little, she leaned into the driver side window, reached into the back of the robot's shirt by its neck and pressed a button.

"Digital destruction sequence initiated."

"There," Shelly said, a satisfied smirk on her face. "You go bye bye cause you failed, not me."

As she walked towards her front door, a burst of pink digital light enveloped the car behind her, consuming most of the vehicle and its occupants with a roar before quickly collapsing in on itself. Leaving behind the exhaust pipe, the front axle and front tires to fall onto the pavement with a clatter. Taking another deep breath, Shelly steadied her nerves before walking into her home.

The second her shoe touched the floor, the living room filled with a bright neon pink light. Shelly knew she was in for it.

"YOU FAILED ME, MICHELLE."

Quickly, Shelly went to her knees, begging and pleading.

"Please, my Goddess," she cried. "Please! I didn't know they would get there that quickly! Nor how strong they were! Please, forgive me!"

The Digital Eye that filled the room focused in on Shelly's pathetic supplication. The voice of the Eye sighed, knowing that she would continue to do so even if she were to ignore her wishes.

"Get up," she grumbled, annoyed at Shelly's display.

Quickly hopping to her feet and smoothing out her clothes, Shelly quickly moved towards the Digital Eye with a look of immense relief and happiness.

"Thank you," she chattered. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank y-"

"ENOUGH! Go get changed and something to eat. We must prepare for tomorrow."

Shelly immediately became cowed by the sheer presence her Goddess projected. Bowing her head, she breathed in sharply, knowing that she was still in hot water.

"Yes, my Goddess."

As she ran off to her bedroom, Shelly noticed the woman behind the Eye. Every time she saw her Goddess in the flesh, it took her breath away. "Perfect beyond perfect, the aesthetic made correct", as her Goddess put it. As soon as her bedroom door shut, The Digital Eye turned off, leaving the woman behind the Eye in the living room alone. Turning towards a nearby mirror, she looked at herself in rapt attention.

Wide eyes, incredibly full lips, large and impossibly spherical breasts, a tight and toned body. She knew this is what all those surgeries were leading up to. All those hours being obsessed with her looks. All the people she had used and abused on her climb up the Social Media ladder.

"Waste not, want not, Milla. You didn't want to become a Goddess, but I did! And I'm not going to waste a chance like this! I'm gonna miss you, babe. With you gone, The Little Scarlings are done. But Shelly de Palma is just starting to rise!"

[GLKnight]

SURPRISE! SURPRISE! I'll be updating this story on my ARTsite what for DEVIANTS, so check the GLKing account over there if you don't see something here.

With that said, ON WITH THE SHOW!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On the street, The Avery seems like an old school style open hall bar with a somewhat rustic Western vibe. With two stages setup for any given show, it was always up to the bands to decide which side they wanted to play on and what time. That way, it was easier for a show to be split up and give the audience more of an opportunity to know who was playing that night. What the mortal populace did NOT know, however, was that The Avery was created by one of the Gods of the Americas, Old Man Coyote, to serve as a neutral battle ground for those in The Ascension Game. His idea was that if you separate the hall between two stages, you could get a proper assessment of whoever won by the size of the audience at each stage.

With that in mind, Coyote made sure that the rules of battle at The Avery are simple: Biggest audience wins. Every person had to be a mortal, so no stand-ins. That element had to be reinforced after a wannabe Death Goddess rose a legion of dead folk to fill up in front of her stage before she went into battle against a young man and his fiddle. Naturally, her plans, just like herself, went up in flames in front of a live audience.

Outside that, bands got unlimited drinks and food, $1000 guarantee plus part of the purse and opportunity to sell merch. Kind of basic, but enough to help bands out when they truly needed it. He may be a trickster, but Coyote cares for touring bands.

It was around 6 P.M. when the rickety and busted van of The Goddesses pulled into the side alley by The Avery. In front of the door were four men in their mid-30's and a group of five young men dressed in street wear passing a pipe between each other along the wall of the opposite building. Quickly pulling into a spot for deliveries and bands, Mayra killed the engine and all six of the competitors hopped out of the van. As soon as the other acts saw them, they quickly made their way over.

"You must be The Goddesses," one of the four men, with blonde hair, thick sideburns and a rich Central English accent, called out while holding his hand for a shake. "I'm Robin!"

Immediately, Layla took hold of his hand, shaking it firmly.

"Layla," she said, before pointing at her band. "And this is our guitarist, Mayra-"

Mighty Mayra saluted with two fingers to her brow.

"Sup?"

"...Keyboards, Shaushka-"

"Pleasure to meet you," she said, giving a little bow as she noted one of the men, which the keyboardist noted was likely the bassist, couldn't take his eyes off her chest.

"...Bassist, Yori-"

The Little Oni quickly took Robin in a big head.

"Hi hi," she cheerily chirped, lifting Robin off the ground entirely and making his eyes go wide with the ease she did it with.

"YORI," Shaushka chided her, "PUT HIM DOWN!"

With a look of embarrassment, the Japanese girl did as instructed.

"Sorry! I get carried away sometimes!"

Robin began to straighten his clothes, chuckling.

"'S alright," he said. "You're just eager, is all!"

Yori giggled, charmed by his rakish smile. Layla just rolled her eyes and continued on.

"...Our drummer, Alm-"

Without giving the buff frontwoman a chance to finish, Alma approached one of the band, a dark haired man with a light beard, and began to rub her hands on his chest. Purring as she eyed him up like a piece of meat.

"I'm Alma," she told him. "What's your name, wolf boy?"

"Carey," he said in a Liverpool accent, taking her hand. "I'm on guitar."

"Ooooh," she said, pressing herself against him. "So you DO know how to use your instrument!"

"Alma," Mayra called out. "Down, girl! Save it for AFTER the show!"

Gently pushing him away, she kissed the air in Carey's direction before turning and sauntering back to her band, making sure her prey's eyes were on her ass as she did.

"And finally," Layla said, giving Alma the stink eye. "We've got our... roadie, Brandon."

Quickly moving over to make this less awkward, their Acolyte shook everyone's hands with a "hello/how are you" that seemed polite but was really done to just hurry things along.

"Since we're doing intros," Robin said, jabbing his thumb at his band. "That's Carey, tall fellow's Mitch, and the burly boy's Sam.'

"And I take it the group over there's Garou-"

As soon as Layla looked over, she noticed that Alma had already made a move on the boys from Canada, who were eating right out of her hand with all the attention they were giving her.

"ALMA," Shaushka shouted, storming over there to retrieve their drummer, to the humiliation of the others.

"She's a wild cat," Sam said, a clear Scottish accent in his voice.

"You don't know the half of it," Brandon said, carrying a box of merch as he walked by.

"So I take it everyone's here?", Mayra asked Robin, to which the British man shook his head.

"Only one act left to show," he said. "That Shelly de Palma bird. I honestly don't know why a Barbie like that girl is playing with us, really."

"Neither do we," Yori said, carrying a full stack speaker by herself as she strolled by.

"Do you need a hand?", the lanky Mitch offered, to which Yori just shook her head.

"I got it," she shouted to him as she walked inside.

"Anyway," Carey said, shaking his head at how strange this night was turning out to be so far. "It sounds like you know this Ms. de Palma."

"She was part of a local Pop Punk band called The Little Scarlings," Shauska said, carrying her gear.

"Emphasis on was," Mayra stopped and added, an amp in one hand and Alma tucked under her other. "We recently played their last show before their lead singer died of Cancer."

"That's awful to hear," Robin said. "And now she's gone full blown Pop?"

"Apparently," Layla said, carrying both guitars and a heavy bag around her neck as she strolled by.

For the next minute, all nine men in the alley just watched as the ladies finished bringing their equipment into The Avery with ease. Making the men feel tired from just watching them. Noticing the looks on their faces, Brandon picked up the last box of merch, closing the rear door of the van and walking over to them, put his hand on Robin's shoulder.

"You think this is something," he said. "Wait till you see them play!"

Readjusting his grip on the box, the band's Acolyte continued to walk back inside. Leaving every man in the alleyway wondering what the Hell they just signed themselves up for tonight.

[GLKnight]

Once Brandon got to the Merch table, he put the bin of shirts on the ground and stretched his back. Thinking to himself that if this was a common thing for bands, he might just get as buff as one of the girls over time.

"Guess getting girly means something else with them," he laughed to himself.

"BRANDON!"

Turning his head towards the bar, he saw the girls getting friendly with an older gentleman. His hair long and grey, though he still retained a youthful appearance, dressed in some casual frontier style wear down to his old fashioned cowboy boots. At his side, Layla and Yori were waving him over. Rolling his shoulder to loosen up, he walked over to the crowd, noticing that everyone, including Mayra, were excited to be talking to the man in the middle of them all.

"Brandon," Layla said, looking like she couldn't contain herself. "We have a special guest tonight!"

Reaching his hand out, Brandon nodded his head towards the unknown gentleman. But as he did, something inside told him to keep his eyes locked on the man for some reason. The older gentleman's grip was strong, as a mischievous smile grew. Brandon could tell that there was something to this guy, but he didn't know what.

"This is your Acolyte," he asked the girls, his voice distant and lonely like a howl in the night. "You chose very well! He is... canny!"

"I'm sorry," Brandon said, loosening his grip by instinct. "Who might you be, sir?"

"Brandon," Mayra said, sounding like he said something wrong. "This is the OWNER of The Avery."

"It's fine," the man said, letting go of his hand. "A name is a name. Some have one. Others, many. I am lucky to have as many as I do..."

Realization dawned on Brandon at that moment, remembering a poem he had read not too long ago when the Mythology Course with Dr. Armasella began.

I am He Who Is Many/My names proliferate across the lands of man/I am Teacher/I am Fool/I am Subject/I am Lesson/I am that which you will learn as time goes on/I am Mischief/I am Terror/I am...

"You are Coyote," Brandon said, unable to hold it in any longer. "Holy shit! THE OLD MAN COYOTE?"

The old man put up his hands, shushing him as quickly as he could.

"In this place, I'm THE Avery, alright?"

Blushing, Brandon just nodded his head and shut his mouth, trying not to get overly excited.

"If you don't mind me asking," Brandon said, getting closer so he could be clearer while also growing quieter. "What are you doing here, sir?"

Coyote chuckled at the young man's innocence and respectability.

"You're not like most white men," he said, motioning to the bartender. "You know of respect and what that word means."

Reaching over, Coyote produced the drink he ordered for Brandon.

"Is that a-"

"A Gimlet," Coyote told him with a smile. "You're favorite, right? You're these beautiful ladies' Acolyte, so you get what they get."

Brandon quickly took the drink from the Old Man with a quick "thank you", knowing he shouldn't turn down a god's gift. But one sip, and he noticed something unusual.

His drink was good. REALLY good. Perfectly balanced, the gin was solid while the lime juice added a freshness to the overall taste as the sweetener undercut the citric nature interwoven into the somewhat milky looking concoction. As delightful as it is simple, the flavors played perfectly on his tongue in ways he could describe, but always found would escape him outside of-

"WOW," Brandon said, smiling like a fool as he sipped on his glass.

"I didn't know you liked the fancy stuff," Layla said, lightly pushing him.

"I like beer," he told her, lifting his glass. "But everyone has an indulgence."

"Everyone does," Coyote added. "And it's my job to know what those are. Which is why I'm the judge for the Challenge tonight."

"That's why we're here tonight!" Shaushka said, exciting the others.

"One of your places of power," Alma said, her eyes tracking Carey up on stage as he began to do setup for the show.

Mayra knew what was going to happen if she didn't keep her eyes on their drummer, stepping into her line of sight.

"Down, girl. You saw his ring."

"Just because he's married," Alma tittered. "Doesn't mean he's a one woman Alpha, Mayra."

"You know Alphas are loyal," the giant guitarist retorted, turning her attention back towards their host.

"Guess no mischief there tonight," Coyote sighed. "You Earth Goddesses know how to squash anything before it happens, don't you?"

"Part of the territory," Mayra told him.

Brandon tilted his head, curious about the conversation.

"Wait," he said, putting his glass on the bar. "Earth Goddess?"

Mayra smiled as she flexed her arm.

"Hell yeah," she said, giving her arm several slow pumps. "Specifically, a Molten Goddess."

"Like volcanoes and earthquakes?", Brandon asked, getting excited once more. Mayra just nodded her head.

"You never figured that out?"

Shaking his head, Brandon just looked at the band with a newfound interest.

"Only one I know of is Yori being a Goddess Of Judgment," he said.

"JUSTICE and Judgment," Yori said. "I just want to put that in the right order. Otherwise, I'd just be a judgmental bully, and you know how I feel about bullies."

Pointing her thumb down the line, Mayra quickly went down the line.

"Yori's a goddess of JUSTICE and Judgment," she began. "Shaushka's a goddess of life and knowledge, Alma's an animalistic goddess of the hunt, I'm an Earth goddess. And Layla's... Well, we're not sure."

Coyote's eyes grew wide as he turned towards the frontwoman.

"What?", he asked. "How can you not know what you're a goddess of, yet? That's in defiance of the Orders Of Ascension?"

"Orders of Ascension?", Brandon asked.

"The rules governing all potential gods or goddesses," Shaushka quickly told him. "Basically, Ten Commandments for godhood."

"Oversimplifying," Coyote said, annoyance in his voice. "But the fact of the matter remains! How can you be in the Ascension Game without knowing what your domains are? I should disqualify you on the spot!"

As Brandon watched Coyote laying into the face of The Goddesses, he saw Layla's bravado slowly begin to ebb. Like the light within her was beginning to dim, a star flickering in the night sky. It was like everything was in slow motion as the other girls began to argue on Layla's behalf as the badass girl he had feelings for was starting to look like she was slipping into a repentant form of despair. Thinking on his feet, Brandon came to an idea in Layla's defense.

"Do the Orders Of Ascension STATE she has to know what she represents?"

Everyone turned towards him, with Coyote fiercely staring him down.

"I'm sorry," he said. "What was the question?"

"The Orders Of Ascension," Brandon reiterated. "Do they SAY a god or goddess HAS to know their domain IMMEDIATELY?"

Catching everyone off guard, every divine being in the bar gave each other awkward looks. Gauging each other as if the others might possibly know the answer. Throwing her hands up, Shaushka quickly reached into her pocket.

"Gimme a second," she told everyone. Quickly tapping on her phone, she dove into her folders, pulling up a PDF on a reader app. Swiping up and down, she began to mumble as she read the document before a huge smile broke out on her face.

"NO," she proudly exclaimed. "Article 23 of the Orders Of Ascension states, AND I QUOTE! 'In the case of Questing Ascenders, the lack of knowledge about their domains shall never be held against them, as the Quest itself is a divine form of reflection and enlightenment THROUGH WHICH all trials, conflicts AND DIVINE CHALLENGES may help said Questing Deities by right of Mythic Lore Development'! End quote!"

"So wait," Layla said, seeming to get the light back in herself. "Would that technically mean that I'm a Questing Ascender?"

"Seems like it," Brandon said, rushing in to hug the buff frontwoman tightly.

"And that means you jumped the gun," Yori said, poking Coyote slightly until she remembered who she was talking to. "Um, I mean, you acted a little hasty, sir."

Scratching his head, Coyote took a deep breath and sighed, knowing the pint sized bassist was right.

"You got me there," he said, turning to Layla with her arm wrapped around Brandon's waist. "I'm sorry, Layla. It was a bit presumptuous of me to want to disqualify you unnecessarily."

Sticking his hand out, Layla could tell the Old Man was just trying to act responsibly. Letting his time in the game cloud his judgment a bit. Reaching out, Layla grabbed his hand, yanking the god to join her and her Acolyte in a hug.

"It's okay," she told him. "I know how much you care about the game, Old Man. You were just trying to protect the sanctity of the game."

"For my part," Brandon added. "I've only been hugged by goddesses and robots that strangled more than actually hugged me. So this is a bit different."

Coyote couldn't help but laugh at Brandon's comment, noting how strange the boy really was. Yet also noticing that the boy in question had something truly different than any other Acolyte he had seen yet. Patting the boy's back, he looked at the entrance and saw an old familiar face make their way into his place of power. As soon as he saw them, he knew only one thing.

If that was who he THOUGHT it was, things were about to get very, VERY interesting tonight...

[Wookey]

Another great episode

[GLKnight]

The house was packed when Robin Of Locksley started the show on stage two. An incredibly solid 90's Rock influenced act, they played through a one hour set of solid rock bangers, from the Merry Men opener that introduced each member of the band, to the raucous Phillip Of Nottingham, to the ballad Marian and the crowd pleasing Bullseye. From start to finish, an incredibly fun themed band that hid far more skill and panache than most would assume of the four men. You could even see that Old Man had a huge smile on his face as he pumped up the crowd a bit more as he MC'd the show by getting one more round of applause for the boys from Britain. As soon as the crowd died down a little bit, Layla, Mayra and the others quickly moved on stage to help the band break down their gear.


"You guys were AWESOME," Layla cheered, taking Robin into a tight, enthusiastic hug.

"Thanks," Robin replied, quickly disentangling from her powerful arms before getting to work putting his guitar away. "Honestly, there's just something about tonight that feels... magical. I think that might be why I'm just so in tune right now, you know? Like something big's gonna happen."

Layla and Mayra quickly shot each other a look, each getting a distinct feeling from his words. Like how something someone says offhandedly is sometimes more prophecy than happenstance.


"You don't say...," Mayra chimed in, quickly helping Casey prep his stack before easily picking it up with one hand and walking away.

"Holy shit," Casey gasped, watching the titanic guitarist walking with his amp and monitor like the combo weighed nothing at all, quickly stowing his guitar and scrambling to keep step behind her as Brandon watched everyone from Stage Right. Meanwhile, Alma and Yori were making quick work of breaking down Sam's drumkit in record time, leaving the burly drummer nothing to do, though he was clearly enjoying their presence all the same. And in a surprising twist, normally reserved Shaushka was standing by Mitch, each having a huge smile on their face as they seemed to be hitting it off while the gangly bassist slowly got everything ready to be put in the Green Room. As the boy's gear was finally taken offstage, the girls moved quickly to get everything ready for setup as Garou Inc. finished theirs.


"Brandon," Layla shouted out. "Can you get us some drinks? I don't want to miss Garou Inc.'s set!"

Shouting a quick "Can do!", Brandon quickly ran out from backstage, hopping down to the floor before working his way towards the bar.


"Two pitchers of Dragon's Blood and a cola for The Goddesses," Brandon told the bartender, who gave him a slight nod before getting his order. Suddenly, a voice he recognized to his right caught his attention.

"I see you didn't really take my advice, did you?"


Looking over, he saw the older lady who was working the merch table the night he met the girls standing next to him. Same blue hair, same thin and wiry build. Same hard to define presence that gave off an air of... importance? Maybe respectability? He wasn't sure how to put it into words. He immediately tried to recall her name.

"You're, uh... Emily-"

"Emmy," she corrected him as a bartender handed her a drink. "Nothing like a good Gimlet!


"I like those, too!", Brandon said, smiling.

"I know," she replied, giving him a knowing smile. "So, how's life with the girls treating you?"

"Not bad," he said, nodding his head from side to side. "Some shit's happened, both good and bad. But it's been... kind of amazing, to put it lightly."


Emmy gave him another knowing smile before taking a sip of her drink.


"You don't know the half of it, Brandon."


Brandon looked at Emmy, a worried look on his face.

"I never told you my name," he said, a slight rivulet of fear worming its way up his spine and into his head.

"Second act's about to begin," Emmy told him, pointing at Stage One. "You should hurry back to the girls before the show starts."


Brandon turned his head, looking at where the girls were setting up.

"What's your deal-"


Before he knew it, she was gone. Replaced by a large bearded guy pounding his drink.


"My deal?", the man asked, defensively. "I'm just here to have a good time!"

"I'm sorry," Brandon quickly said, apologetically. "I was talking to a lady that was standing right here."

"No you weren't," the man laughed. "I've been sitting here the whole time!"

Before Brandon had a moment to think, the bartender slid a tray with the drinks and glasses in front of him.


"For The Goddesses," he said, before walking off.

Quickly apologizing once more, Brandon grabbed the tray and hurried to the stage as the girls finished their setup for their set.

[srielley]

This is a great story. I’m waiting for the next installment.

[Hello345]

It's not fairly fitting to post a YouTube link here.

I'll just leave this link here, I think it seems fairly fitting!

[GLKnight]

In true fashion of a great live show at a smaller venue, the mix of genres can be more of a draw than one thinks. With some cheesy thunderstorm sounds leading into wolf howls, the initial opening for Garou Inc. did not seem like it was going to be much. But then, with a deep reverberation and powerful bass, the beat kicked up and the audience came alive. And with shock and awe, the five man hip hop act from Quebec took control of their mics and as one pack, kicked their set into high gear.

Starting on the right foot with the song "Alpha", the track was perfectly synced to highlight every single rapper's individual style and flow. From the dominating presence of the handsome Taljean who had an emblazoned tattoo of a wolf as it came from over his shoulder and down his arm in a half sleeve, to the tall and lanky Lean and the werewolf hoodie he wore that showed off his slow and sweeping rhythm. From the short and mighty Ohm's punchy delivery to the dignified and intricate pattern of DeShawn Da Don, to the amazing speed and delivery of Max Pain. And for the next forty five minutes, the Wolf Pack of Garou Inc. dominated Stage One with a set of heavy impacts, incredible backing tracks by their producer and live DJ, Pistolero, as well as incredible stage presence that had the audience eating out of the palm of their hands. They had even invited Robin Of Locksley onto the stage for the encore, giving everybody a unique treat as the two acts freestyled together, mixing their sounds for a song and bringing the house down as the crowd chanted the names of both acts as Old Man Coyote took to the stage once more.

"GAROU INC.!" he cheered, gesturing towards the rappers to let the audience cheer for them once more before raising his arms to get them to settle down so he could continue.
 
"Now, a special announcement! We have a special surprise for everyone tonight! Now, I'm not gonna tell you what it is, just yet. But in honor of what it is, I want you all to know that because of how phenomenal all you lovely people are tonight, starting NOW, all drinks and food orders are HALF OFF!"

The crowd roared in jubilation as they began to disperse. As the girls quickly hurried back to Stage Two to finish tuning up for their set, Brandon scuttled through the crowd towards the front of Stage One where Coyote stood watching his customers.

"Wouldn't half off all orders be better at the start of the night?", he asked the god as he oversaw his bar, only to see Coyote give him a knowing smile.

"Which is a better position," Coyote replied. "A man who knows he's getting a good deal? Or a man who knows a deal is too good to be true?"

"The guy who knows it's too good to be true," Brandon immediately retorted. "That way, you can avoid it."

Coyote spryly hopped down from the stage, patting Brandon on the shoulder as he stood up.

"It's the same with gods," he said, looking the Acolyte in the eye. "Walk with me, kid. This is just between you and me, so no one will hear us."

Coyote began to move through the crowd with unnatural ease. Trying to keep up, Brandon kept having to start and stop with every passing customer as the Trickster God began to gather together empty cups and dishes and more from random tables.

"These people don't know there's an Ascension Battle tonight. And when it comes to divine matters, it's probably best if these people experience it but don't remember too much about it. There's a way the divine just... messes with regular mortals, son. Most gods know that, so they create a trapping or seeming."

"Like The Goddesses," Brandon found himself unknowingly saying, making Coyote smile and nod.

"Just like The Goddesses. What you see is their seeming. But their real selves? That's a little much for most to take. And in this battle, the girls might just slip their seeming for the REAL battle that's going to happen."

"Real battle?"

Stopping where he was, the god of the desert wind turned and looked Brandon dead in the eye. Brandon could see within his irises something stirring. The blustering of sand caught in the breeze. Deep within his pupils, he could see a little cyclone begin to form, glowing brighter as they soon took on the obvious form of the eyes of a beast. The eyes of a coyote, glowing in the moonlight, sending a little shiver down his spine.

"You didn't think they'd just be playing music," Coyote continued. "Did you? Whoever wins takes another step towards Ascension. And whoever loses..."

"They get erased from reality entirely," Brandon answered, grimly remembering the stakes he was told when he first became an Acolyte. Coyote's gaze flicked downward as he slowly nodded once more.

"So it might be best you spend time with the girls," he told Brandon, slapping him on the arm. "Otherwise, you might regret someone who never even existed in the first place. I like you, son. And that's a more harrowing Hell than I want you to ever experience."

Coyote quickly left Brandon there on the floor by Stage Two, leaving him in silence to contemplate what the stakes truly were. As he looked up at the girls, he couldn't help but smile a mournful smile. If the girls lost tonight, they would all be erased from reality. As he considered Coyote's words, it slowly dawned on him that Coyote actually told him a lot. Would he be the only one who remembered them? Everything he had gone through, every message, every moment with them? The way he felt about Layla? The kiss? EVERYTHING would be erased from existence. As he watched them tuning their instruments, he watched the way they got to business. Gave each other words of support and comfort. Gave each other some input about which string seemed out of tune or balancing levels for each other's amps and monitors. The smiles on their faces like it was just another gig and not a literal fight for their own existence.

He made up his mind right then and there. If this was the night he was going to say goodbye to the girls, then he would do it without any regrets. Looking at Layla, he knew the words he wanted to say. He hurried towards the green room, down the service hall past the fuses and storage. Running past the boys in Garou Inc. standing in the hall with a polite but curt "Sorry" as he shimmied past them. Rounding the corner just in time to run into someone standing in the middle of the hallway.

"My bad," Brandon told the man. "But I need to-"

As he looked at the face of the man he ran into, his stomach dropped as he immediately turned to flee. Barely getting out a quick "FUCK!" before being grabbed by several hands and dragged back towards where he was originally headed.
_______________________________________________________________________

With a triple kick and hitting the cymbals, the girls began their show. Everyone quickly gathered in front of Stage 2 as the girls unleashed a sonic wall that cascaded over the audience, filling the air with electrified excitement as everyone in the bar was entranced by the show. With a quick flex as the other girls continued the coursing tide of the blistering wail, Layla stepped up to the mic.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she shouted at the audience as they pressed in closer to the stage. "Welcome to Avery's! And tonight, you will see a show like no other! For we are The Goddesses! And we want you to-"

As soon as she raised her arms, the girls cut off their sonic assault. But as soon as they stopped, a frightened voice cut through the silence.

"LAYLA!!!"

Turning towards Stage 1, Layla's eyes went wide as she saw Brandon, surrounded by several Artificial Men as they had him in their clutches. All but the three holding their Acolyte raised their fists as Shelly Veston walked into view from behind them. Circling the uncanny foot soldiers before standing in front of Brandon. And with a smirk, she raised both fists into the air.

"ALL HAIL," she chanted before clapping her hands twice. Her minions did the same, clapping their hands and stomping their feet twice before raising their fists again.

"ALL HAIL!"

Digital notes began to play as a glowing pink Cybernetic Eye appeared, hovering over the stage before disappearing and reappearing with every repeat of the Artificial Men's chant. Growing brighter and strong until after the seventh repetition, the eye stayed in sight before a laser light shot down from its pupil, building the filled in outline of a curvy figure as it traced its way up. Until, having used up the last of its light, it vanished as the outline exploded in a burst of light, leaving behind Shelly De Palma in all her artificial glory, decked out in a pink latex catsuit with six inch stiletto boots. Her heavily surgically altered face decked out with pink lipstick that accentuated her DSL's, pink eyeshadow over incredibly large doe eyes that looked like they were more fitting for an anime character and long white hair that shimmered and glowed like strands of actual platinum that flowed down to her ridiculously inflated backside.

"No fucking way," Mayra uttered, saying what she knew all the other girls were thinking.

"SHELLY SENT THE CHALLENGE?!", Yori shouted.

"Layla," Shaushka shouted at her bandmate. "What are we going to do?"

But Layla had no answer, struck indecisive as her panic over Brandon being in the clutches of the ones who nearly killed him before left her frozen in fear.

"Layla," Alma shouted. "You're the leader here! Tell us what to do!"

"I don't know," Layla said, her heart and mind racing a thousand miles and hour in different direction. "I don't know! I don't know, I don't know! I DON'T-"

As she begin to go into an anxiety induced tailspin, she heard Brandon's voice once again.

"LAYLA! DON'T GIVE UP! YOU GOTTA WIN! I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT I-"

Quickly slapping him into silence, Shelly Veston turned towards Stage 2 as the crowd began to filter itself. An unknowable force seeming to pull the audience apart as if in a daze until exactly half of the total capacity of the venue stood before each act.

"Dear audience," Old Man Coyote gleefully announced over the sound system. "I promised a surprise earlier tonight, and I like to keep my promises! Because tonight, for the first time in over FORTY YEARS! We have an honest to Gods and Goddesses ASCENSION BATTLE!"

The venue erupted in cheers as they learned they would be part of what would probably be a Once In A Lifetime event: a real, high stakes Battle Of The Bands between two sets of Divine Acts for their entertainment.

"On Stage One! Formerly the Bassist for The Little Scarlings, she's going SOLO! The Goddess Of The Artificial! The Artificial Queen! Shelly De Palma!"

The crowd in front of Stage One roared at her name, chanting "All Hail" in unison despite never uttering the phrase before in their lives as Shelly turned towards the girls with a knowing and evil smile on her face.

"And on Stage Two! The Powerhouse Pantheon! The Disparate Divinities united as one! Alma! Shaushka! Yori! Mayra! And Layla! THE GODDESSES!"

Despite their half of the audience cheering them on, the girls stood dumbstruck. Looking between each other as Layla just stared at the Artificial Men as they put themselves around Brandon once more. All the while, Shelly Veston just mockingly pouted and glumly waved farewell to her.

"No..."

Mayra turned towards Layla, not sure what she was saying.

"No?"

Giving herself a moment to think about it, a sudden revelation struck her.

"Guys?" Yori called out to her bandmates, seeing what Mayra was noticing, as well. The way the air was shimmering around her. The heaviness that seemed to get stronger and stronger. The way her clothes seemed to be getting tighter on her frame.

"Not again," Layla said, louder through gritted teeth as tears began to flow.

"Holy shit," Alma said, realizing that she was seeing a side of her frontwoman she had never seen before. A side that NONE of them except Yori had ever seen before. For she had seen it back when they had saved Brandon the other day. She knew this pressure, this presence, this power.

Layla Di Scalzi was, once again, put into a place of absolute fury. And as her rage began to build, Shelly De Palma began to laugh.

"All according to plan," she thought to herself as she lifted her hand. Cuing the music and getting the Ascension Battle under way.

[Wookey]

Can’t wait till next chapter

[GLKnight]

As a lightshow began and the bass started thumping, the audience became more enamored as the Plastic Diva commanded the venue. But as the beats pounded out in an entrancing tone and the rest of The Goddesses argued about what to do, Yori's ears were turned towards the battle, listening to the song Shelly was performing. And as soon as the main chord progressions started to play, stark realization struck her.

"That's our song," she screamed. "SHE'S PLAYING ONE OF OUR SONGS!"

Sharing quick looks between each other, the others stopped their freak out to listen to what Yori was screaming about.

I am your Goddess, baby
I need your supplication

"NO FUCKING WAY," Shaushka shouted, joining everyone else at the front of the stage as the audience in front of Stage One slowly started filtering to Shelly's side.

I am your source of pleasure
On all occasions

"It's slightly rewritten," Mayra said, pushing her sunglasses up. "But it's definitely Worship Me!"

Never mind what they are gonna say
I know that you want to please me
In every way

"Puta's getting the claws," Alma said, throwing her hand down and letting her feral side show.

WORSHIP ME
Cause you know you want to
WORSHIP ME
Cause it's the best thing for you

"You're the frontwoman," Yori shouted, placing her hand on Layla's shoulder. "Tell us what... to do..."

The five ladies on Stage One watched as the room seemed to shimmer, then suddenly grow larger as a haze covered the venue. The distance between the stages became an expanse, enlarging into a field which was completely covered with scores of Artificial Men at the Plastic Diva's command, larger and more powerful looking than what they had faced before. The viewers of the show pushed to the sides as giant Hellenistic Pillars arose out of the floor, lining the boundaries upon which they all realized the battle truly lay. And at the far end stood a robotic looking woman, bordering between full automaton meant for war and sex doll, standing several feet taller than normal. And as she cackled in a digital glee, in her grip rested Brandon. Their Acolyte held hostage in the mechanized monstrosity's hand.

Shelly De Palma, for all her wants, could not hide her true self as she let her seeming slip. Revealing her godly form to all in attendance.

"Wow," Shaushka said, looking like she had just smelled a rancid fart. "THAT is her divine form?"

"It looks like something a perverted otaku would create," Yori said, trying to stifle a laugh and failing.

"You gotta hand it to her," Mayra said, slinging her guitar in front of her. "She knows what she wants to look like."

Alma hissed and growled, letting herself feel the feral side of her essence.

"PUTA!"

Walking up to her band mate, Shaushka gently put her hand on the buff punk's shoulder and looked her in the eye.

"Layla! We need you to make a decision! What are we gonna do?"

As she looked over the field, the head of the pantheon of ladies looked over at Shelly as the Artificial Queen held the man she loved, the man she sacrificed her mortality for, in her hand.  She could feel the hammering in her chest, hear the pounding in her ears. She took a deep breath and realized that NOW was the moment. No more holding back.

"If it's a war she wants," Layla said, swinging her guitar to the ready position. "Then that's what she's gonna fucking get!"

With that, Layla began to strum the first chords, fast and loud as the other girls got into position.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," Layla screamed into the mic as The Goddesses blared out their opening salvo of sonic fury. "TONIGHT, YOU'RE HERE TO BE PART OF A BATTLE FOR THE AGES! THE ASCENSION GAME HAS BEGUN! THE ARTIFICIAL VERSUS THE REAL! WE ARE THE SOUND! WE ARE THE FURY! WE ARE THE GODDESSES!"

As The Goddesses' opening cut short, the music from Stage Two stopped as well as everyone turned their attention towards Stage One. Layla, however, kept her eyes glued down field. Glaring at Shelly's Divine Form with utter malice, she took a deep breath.

"NOW GIVE ME BACK MY ACOLYTE, YOU BITCH!"

With that, Layla picked up the pace on the guitar as all five ladies in the band let their Divine forms slip. Leaping into the fray as their mortal forms were left behind as they played Muscle Machine.

Shelly De Palma grew frightened at the collective power each of the women exhibited in their Divine Forms. From the light and wind of the Fertile Crescent that comprised to the gigantic monstrous power of Yori's Oni form. From the ferocious and feral Panther goddess that Alma had become, to the awe-inspiring tectonic like flow of magma and stone that Mountainous Mayra had taken on. All four would have been enough to scare the Artificial Queen. But it was when she saw Layla di Scalzi, the powerhouse punk frontwoman of The Goddesses smashing first into the fray, she grew truly terrified. For unlike the others, she was nothing but a gigantic outline, undefined but far more frightening than the rest. For within her outline was fury and strength, a chaotic storm the likes of which she had never seen before. A storm that was now proceeding to tear through her forces, uninhibited by the constraints of either mortality or concern,

But what no one else had noticed was that Old Man Coyote, having joined the sidelines to watch the battle, was nearly shitting his pants at the level of power Layla was displaying. For he knew the EXACT path Layla was meant to be on.

"Holy shit," he whispered to himself before running to his office, terrified beyond all measure. All he knew was that he had to let The Divine Council know. Quickly ripping out his cellphone, he slammed the door closed so he could notify the people who oversaw The Ascension Game. He had to warn them.

A new Creation God had just been revealed. And she was one of an absolutely terrifying magnitude that hadn't been seen since Yahweh had arrived.