Pucca senses Izo’s quietness and lets out a soft chirp as Izo only replies by petting pucca’s fur. For once, Pucca does not complain and allows Izo to do as she pleased. The messenger quietly hums as they warp through the cosmos at a speed faster than light. Finally, after a while, the messenger suddenly says, “We’ve arrived at the champion courts located on Mount Olympus,” as the vessel comes to a smooth but sudden landing.

“Please remember to bring all items with you upon arrival. Champion courts registration are right outside of these doors. Your god will contact you soon enough. Are there any questions?” The messenger asked as he turned around to check on his passenger.

Izo having unbuckled her seatbelt says, “Thank you for the ride.”

“My pleasure,” the messenger said tipping his hat towards her.

Izo climbs out of the open door and gapes. It was a giant city floating on a cloud in the middle of space. Pucca lets out a chirp as Izo climbs out and the vessel’s door behind her smoothly closes and blasts off silently into space.

Glancing around Izo spots people, aliens, things out myths, and everything imaginable. Deciding that it was too much to take in at once, Izo makes her way forward to the giant sign that points towards a building that says, “Champion’s register here please!”

Izo heads towards the building to find a pretty young woman with green snakes for hair smiling at her. Izo carefully eyes the name tag that says, “MEDUSA.” The woman hastily says, “Oh, don’t worry about me petrifying you dearie, that only happens when I’m mad.”

Izo quietly takes a step back as Medusa even more anxiously says, “It’s a joke! I was just kidding.”

Pucca lets out a chirp as Izo says, “Right,” but doesn’t take a step closer towards Medusa.

Medusa let’s out a depressing sigh as Medusa sadly says, “Please press your hand onto this stone.”

Izo warily touches a green stone as a tablet suddenly forms on the table with a bracelet Identification. Medusa reads the bracelet and warily glances at Izo. “So, you’re HIS champion, huh? Never would have thought it,” Medusa muttered to herself.

Izo waits as Medusa hands over the formed bracelet for Izo clip around her wrist. Izo does so as Medusa says, “Your registration is now complete. Your God should send someone to pick you up soon, I believe that’s him.”

Izo glances around as Medusa points to a young man rapidly approaching her. Silky long hair, electric filled blue eyes, and fluffy pointed leopard ears and tail. Suddenly for the first time in a long time, Izo feels an unfamiliar and most uncomfortable feeling in her chest.

Izo furrows her brows and thinks to herself, “What the hell?” Shaking the strange, tension feeling off, Izo takes a step forward as the cat-eared man stares at her.

Frowning the man says, “Are you, Izo Reed?”

Before Izo answers, Izo notes the three integrated triangles on his hand that glow with the color of their faction. After a pause, Izo replies, “Yes, and you are?”

“I’m Leo,” the man answered.

Izo keeps her face straight at the very cat-like name as Pucca let’s out a chirping like laughter. Leo narrows his eyes at Pucca as Pucca innocently licks Pucca’s fur clean. Izo says, “So, where do we go now?”

Leo doesn’t reply, before turning on his feet as his tail gestures at her to follow. Izo runs after him while Medusa quietly chews on her lips. “Huh, things for sure are going to be interesting this Champion season,” Medusa remarked out loud to herself, before getting back to work as another new champion arrives.

As usual, the new champions are rather wary of Medusa. One would think that perhaps the Gods could have chosen a better welcoming spokesman. But no one else wanted the job and so the job naturally fell into the hands of the only demi-god who wanted it, Medusa.

*

Leo leads Izo to a large house in a giant tree. Izo stares at the tree manor in silence, before asking, “So, how do we get up there?”

Leo snorts and points to an elevator on the side of the tree. The silence in the elevator is awkward as the to stand in silence as the elevator goes up. Leo’s tail twitches as Pucca let’s out a chirp and gangster-like says, “Hoy, Cat-boy stop staring at my fur-.”

Izo hastily cover’s Pucca’s mouth and says, “I apologize for my stupid subordinate, I shall discipline Pucca better in the future.”

Pucca let out a fearful shiver as Izo murderously glares at Pucca as she bows her head towards Leo in apology. Pucca fur fluffs out as Pucca turns into a fluffy ball of fear. Izo straightens out as the elevator reaches the manor in the tree.

Waiting in the entrance is the pink jelly who squeals, “Mama.” The pink jelly happily nestles on top of Izo’s head as Leo stares at Izo with troubled eyes. Izo doesn’t even bother smiling, because how did one explain this strange situation in the first place?”

Odin descends smiles and says, “I see you’ve met my champion, Leo.”

Izo drily says, “Yes, we’ve met.”

Hearing Izo’s tone Odin glances at Leo who says, “If Milord doesn’t need me, I shall now depart.”

Odin gestures that is fine as he watches Leo depart with interest as he glances at Izo. With a twinkle in his eyes, Odin says, “So, did the two of you get into a fight?”

Izo frowns and says, “Of course not, it’s just that Pucca insulted him and I had to apologize.”

Odin nods hiding a smile as his eyes twinkle, twinkle. Turning toward Izo Odin says, “Well, let’s lead you to your rooms, my dear.”

Izo nods and says, “That’d be nice. But aren’t you too old to have a tree house?”

Odin snorts and says, “No man is ever too old for a tree house. And I have no tree house, I have a tree house manor!”

Izo snorts in reply but wisely doesn’t argue. Because hey not only he was a God, but he was the God who was housing her. Because frankly, Izo didn’t want to know where the Pink Jelly lived, and frankly, it couldn’t be anything good.