Chapter 647 - Malice (1/2)
”Sorry,” Nik pursed his lips after hearing how Mj's birthday ended. Well, the blessing of a goddess didn't really serve to cover her losses, the organization, the Hand, did. Right now, miraculously, Mj's mother and sister were alive but that was it, she explained. She had never been close to them for various reasons but she didn't wish them death at the hands of her father. Joining the Hand after their proclamation of reviving her sister and mother was an outrageous feat which she wouldn't have believed if not for witnessing a goddess.
”Hey, you never told me the goddess part,” Ray mumbled, snuggling up to Mj with the lady surprisingly gripping the youth's head and then throwing him away. Smiling sadly, she looked at Nik, ”What about you?” she inquired, ”Did you earn the favor of some god or goddess?” Ray did keep on pestering her about meeting Vanish, but Ray never really identified the youth. Shaking his head, Nik sighed, ”Well... in this world's term, I'm the one you would call a god's offspring. You know, popping out of women graced by a god for the night. Olympians have actually turned this into an eager tradition.” Nik referred to one of the bloody games where Anna slaughtered the Greek gods. That game was... brutal!
”What?!” Mary's brows furrowed as she looked at Nik closely, ”And you didn't tell me when we were together.”
”Well, I only knew it after a kick to the balls,” Nik replied, ”Never want to go through such enlightenment again.”
”What do you mean?” Mj unpacked the lunch she purchased and placed it in front of Ray. ”I'm sorry, I didn't know you would be here, too. I didn't bring enough.”
”No worries,” Nik smiled, ”Not that hungry. As for your question, I mean to say is that I didn't know about my identity when I was with you.”
”You two dated?” Ray inquired from the sidelines as Nik nodded with a grimace touching Mj's expression.
”Until Anna decided otherwise.”
”You do know that you dumped me, right? I've never even corrected others cause you blamed everything on me,” Nik shrugged.
”Yes, because you were being a snob. Back then and now, too.”
Nik tilted his head in confusion, ”Well, back then, maybe. But I've done nothing right now.” Nik remarked. If Mj couldn't move on from the break-up, that would be her issue, not his, so he refused to take part in the charade. After all, even Ava tried a similar thing and that bothered Nik a bit.
”Anyway,” Not giving Mj the time to refute, he looked into her green pupils eagerly, making her flinch, ”What about it? The goddess. What's her name? How did she look like? Did she bless you with something else other than the mastery of all 'mortal' weapons? Did she define 'Mortal' weapons?” Of course, Nik was interested in a goddess. He would always be interested in one. But simultaneously, he was interested in the term 'blessing'. None of the books in the library delved into the concept and even claiming to be rightful goddesses, Yu Yan, and Samya, did not have the ability to 'bless' others with skills and powers.
”Uh, mortal weapons are bladed weapons. So guns and other stuff, I am still practicing,” Mary replied after a moment of thought, not pursuing how Nik was acting like a 'snob' at the moment for he stood true, he didn't do anything. ”And... I didn't see the goddess. She called herself Scathach and um... she also granted me a title which comes with a few benefits...” her tone turned slightly sour. ”Still, who would have thought you were Vanish... did you know that the Hand is interested in you... like in a creepy manner? I've seen them reviving my family, so I know what kind of things they are into.”
Ray gasped, ”Mary! I never took you for a rule-breaker, you naughty minx. One look from your ex and you instantly betrayed the organization? Who would have known?!” Seeing Ray's exaggerated acting, Nik sighed and looked at Mary, ”Do you plan to attend school once again? Anna really misses you.”
This was the thing that confused Mj the most. By every right, Anna seduced Nik but still continued to play and hang out with Mj with the widest smile possible. At first, Mj thought that Anna was gloating but her initial impression was changed. Seeing Mj's expression, Nik smirked, ”Anna's selfish in that matter. She wants everything but also wants others to be happy. Kind of stupid if you think deeply but she managed to pull it off regardless.”
”Yeah...” Mj mumbled with a defeated look, ”I'm not going back to school. I like hunting down men and women like my father... rest, like that Matt Murdock,” she looked at Ray, ”gets handled by... him. Hey, Nik. You two seem close, too. Did you two ever...” Mary inquired with her gaze narrowed as both Ray and Nik scoffed at the same time.
”He wishes!”
”Ooh! Same time! Jink!” Ray quickly added.
”Oh...” The redhead still looked suspicious but what could Nik and Ray do. They were both appealing to the eye and well... Nik did sleep with Yar, who was an extension of Ray itself. But it was a competition back then, how could he have backed down.
”Anyway, you still owe me a date,” Nik stood up and informed Ray. Before he could refute, Nik snorted, ”You got Daniel and I introduced you to Strange and all you did was make Mj go through awkwardness right now. So, boy, you owe me one. Equally ranked at that, remember it well!” And then he looked at Mj, ”Say, you're here for a long time, right? Be sure to visit Anna cause I'm definitely telling her that you're back in the city and you don't wanna disappoint sweet Anna do you?” He smirked with a knowing grin as Mj bit her lips with an aggravated expression.