The horses were bathed in bright sunlight, the four pulling that enormous mobile home. Their hooves stomped hard on the ground, hot air spewing from their mouths, a warning that the current state of affairs was about to change.
—Are you really asking for that? That's strange. I asked for something else.
—Swap! I've answered your questions. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do with the samples taken from your Aix.
"Human, I'm not Mamoru's pet, he's mine. You say you're against your sister, but you have the same outlook when it comes to experiments. The difference between her and you is that I feel you're much more cunning and dangerous."
—So, let's get to the main course. All the information I have about the origins of the Echidnas, with a little information about who I really am. Seasoned with the training you need to do to awaken your true Dual Memory and Shizuko's too.
Mamoru hesitated a moment, considered the strange situation he was about to experience, and accepted. He closed his eyes, which became deep-set when he opened them. He removed Mary's hand from his face, gritted his teeth until his canines turned into snake fangs, and bit Mary's arm, releasing a toxin into Mary's bloodstream.
"Could you get me that backpack behind you?" Mamoru passed the object to Mary. "It'll take a while for the antibodies to kick in, then. Ask me anything you want."
— What are your drinks made of?
"Amélia asked what replaces alcohol. It's my blood. Not my blood itself, but the mixture of it with the ambrosia of the Echidnas. I asked you to bite, because the Echidnas also create a type of ambrosia. Even the non-snake ones."
— Where did these Echidnas come from?
They are the offspring of the dragon that protects the ivy garden. Ladon was killed by Hercules because she was actually feeding on the orchard's ambrosia, becoming an extremely dangerous creature to the gods. After the war, Apollo discovered that she had offspring, but they were dormant, so he found a way to awaken them. After many attempts, he discovered that they could possess the dead.
—But why do they have dead bodies?
—Okay. Wait a minute, Mamoru, I'll show you something cool.
Mary opened the small backpack in front of her, pulling out a syringe of some sort—perhaps because of its appearance, a type of blood-drawing device. It was a stone with a point in the middle, which, when touched by Mary's arm, pierced it, quickly drawing blood. She took another item from the backpack, which she attached to the stone, which in the blink of an eye separated the blood into red and gold.
— Do you know what these things are and what I did?
— Of course. This stone must be some kind of ancient syringe, and the item you attached to it is some kind of centrifuge. The golden liquid is plasma, a vital element for nutrition. Can you answer my questions now?
"No, let's see Marengo. He's my plasma taster before I turn it into a drink. The room is right there."
Mamoru's chest was a knot, a bit angry at not having his answers, eager to know more about Mary, and strangely feeling good around that woman. She stood out so much, not for her height, beauty, or power. But rather for the cold that touched him, and it didn't bring back bad memories, not even the amount of blood, since it didn't make him feel ill. The sensation he felt was a reminder that his future wouldn't be the same as his past.
They left the room and went towards another room.
"It looks great. How long ago did you start cutting your hair? I think Mamoru will laugh at me a little, but I don't care. Bangs are still in."
"I started back home combing horses' manes. I did Mary's braids myself. I love learning new things, so I started cutting hair and styling my hair, but Mary liked the results and became a bartender at the beauty salon. I barely have any clients, but that doesn't make me sad. Today I have you."
"Come here." Shizuko patted the young, black-haired man on the back. "Since you're so happy, could you tell me your real reason for wandering around town? Were you looking for Giants?"
"We're out of Echidnas to make the drinks, so I've been looking around. I'm sure a Giant will show up at some point. Business has been bad lately, and the release of the Giants has been excellent for finding raw materials. They'll probably smell the dead Echidnas and come looking."
"I'm liking you and your wife more and more. One hand washes the other. I really want to become a true Moira with Mamoru, with your help and Mary's. The question is, what will be the price of the round?"
The horses stamped their hooves hard on the ground, neighed a little, bizarrely bared their teeth, and saliva dripped onto the ground. As a group of people approached the bar, little Daisy smiled sarcastically. "I'll show you who the eunuch is. Mother and sir, move away, Echidnas are coming to attack." The freezer opened, Daisy placed her hand on Count Cascão's chest, removing an egg, which she swallowed.
"Brother, you can rest your body, like that of a trapped Prometheus; it will no longer be your home. Do you remember the battles we fought together? They will be forgotten now, for there will be many more to come."
— Thank you, brother. I know we will see each other when I free all the giants from the hands of Apollo and rule the world alongside men.
The voice echoed and was scattered by the wind like the body that turned to dust. In little Daisy's hands a long sword appeared.