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// Chapter Seventeen: Ancient Secrets Part 3 
// Story: Gods Among Us 
// by Gravitiaxis 
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You shook you head and began to think. Dodgy Trader had a point. Zeal would most likely get killed going on this quest so it was on your best interest to at least go with him and help. “Fine, if it will make you feel better I’ll go with him.”

Both Zeal and Trader began to smile. “Thank you, I owe you both for doing this for me. If the two of you can get this artifact for me, it will tremendously help my business.” Trader said clapping his hands together at the thought of how much money he would make after finding the artifact.

Zeal patted you on the back and began to chuckle. “And if we’re lucky we might have to fight some ancient monster that guards the weapon.”

You gave Zeal a disapproving stare. “Don’t jinx us, because you’re probably right about that.”

“What, you think there’s actually some big huge monster capable of killing countless people hiding within a underground temple guarding some powerful ancient staff?” You blinked a few times as you watched Zeal facepalm. “Yeah, that’s sounds likely.”

Seeing as you didn’t have much to talk about with Trader anymore, you decided to leave and head towards your other objective today. You sent Zeal back home so you could go and visit your new friend Fluttershy. You had remembered to ask her about her heritage. Among the main six she was the one held the most worldly knowledge. So she was the one to go too when you had something on your mind.

The walk from the marketplace to Fluttershy’s cottage was about a ten minute walk. You spent most of that time thinking about what you were going to talk with Fluttershy about.
As you walked along the path to her house, you noticed that she was outside talking with Angel. Apparently they were arguing about something. As you came closer to the house their voices began to become clearer. “Oh please, Angel. Won’t you you please eat your carrot?” She asked in a soothing voice that would have made even the most hardass of gods blush.

“Squeak!(No! I told you that-)” Angel stopped talking upon seeing you walk up the hill. “Squeak. (Never mind.)” Angel said, taking the carrot from Fluttershy placed by his feet.
Fluttershy let out a small giggle before she turned around and spotted you. She gave you a small smile as she picked up her basket of blankets and clothes. She began to place them on thin wires so that the hot sun could dry her clothes.

As you walked up to her you asked why she wasn't using that new machine that cleans your clothes for you. "No reason really. I just like to do things the old fashion way. Ever since Twilight became a princess she's been trying to usher Equestria into a better, more technological era." she said rubbing her shoulder. She didn't appear to like the idea of there being more technology around. "M-maybe I'm just old fashioned."
"Sometimes it's good to stay old fashioned, but there's no use in being afraid of the changing times. Sometimes change is necessary for people to move on in the world. So in the end, it might actually be good." You commented.

"Of course, but change is not always good..." She said causing you to ponder about what she was saying. As you were about to ask, she quickly switched the subject. "So what brings you here, if I may have the pleasure of asking?"

"What? I can’t drop by to say hello?" You said folding your arms.

"Oh, no. That's not what I meant, I was just- oh, you were just joking." Fluttershy let out a small sigh as you begin to chuckle.

"I'm here to ask you about something. It's kind of personal depending on how you feel on the matter."

"It's okay. Y-you can go ahead and ask me. As long as it isn't too personal." She said giving you a gentle smile.

You nodded your head and took a breath. "Last time I was here you displayed knowledge in plain sight that most mortals wouldn't have." You noticed that Fluttershy turned her eyes away from you. "I wanted to ask, if any of your parents were of divine origin." Fluttershy then let out a feeble sigh. "If you don't want to answer me then its okay. I won't hold anything against you."

" No! No... Its not that. It's just not many people ask me about my parents. I used to brag about it when I was younger but no one believed me, because I had no proof, I was often bullied and ridiculed for it." She said looking sad. Apparently her childhood was kind of horrible. "I knew eventually you were going to ask, but I don't really mind the thought of talking about it with you. I mean, my mother is the goddess of nature, Gaia. In other words, your younger sister."

"I thought as much. I can see the resemblance a bit. She used to act just like you when she was younger." You said giving Flutters a warm smile. She returned the action before looking off to your side.

"Oh, come now, I wasn't that shy." A song and bird voice said coming from beside you. Upon looking, you saw a green mare with a patch of mist covering her body. "Or maybe I was. It's hard to recall that sometimes, when you lived a few lives."

You step back in shock for couple of seconds before realizing that you should have been ready for this to happen. The gods do this all the time. "Gaia? What are you doing here?" You asked.

" I'm the goddess of Earth, Letum. Exist everywhere, I thought you would remember that, besides you said my name, so I thought I'd drop by and say hello to my favorite older brother and daughter." she said giving the two of you a small smile.

"H-hello mother." Fluttershy said, grabbing her arm in shyness.

"Hello my dear daughter. How have you been doing lately? It's been quite some time since we last seen each other." Gaia asked in a motherly tone not heard from her in a long time.

"I-I've been doing good, mother. I've been taking care of the animals just like you expect me too." Angel nodded his head as he began to flex his little rabbit muscles. 

"Judging by how little Angel's been doing lately, I say you're telling the truth." Gaia said picking Angel up and scratching him behind the ears. He must have really liked this because his legs began to tap against her hand. "So have you been considering my offer Fluttershy? I don't have many children that I can ask to take this favor of." she said with a certain seriousness that told you that she was asking Fluttershy to do something serious for her.

Fluttershy I began to fidget more. "I-I have mother, its just that I don't think that I would make a good earth mother." Fluttershy said weakly.

"Nonsense! You would make a marvelous Earthmother. It's in your genes." Gaia stated. "Literally."

Barely understanding what she was saying, you decide to jump into the conversation. "Wait Gaia? You're not talking about-"

Gaia nodded her head. “I'm nearing the end of my incarnation." She said with no visible sadness or uneasyness. She appeared to have accepted this ordeal why many other gods and goddesses would have tried to prevent it. It must have been by her own choice. 
"You look fine to me. There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with you." You said frantically.

Gaia closed her eyes and began to think. She snapped her fingers and glanced around you to watch it as all time around you began to slowly freeze to a halt. This was much like how your younger sister Delirium did when you two were in the library the other day. "No, there's nothing wrong with me, but I'm just tired Letum. I'm just very, very tired.” She said shaking her head. "Aren't you tired Letum? You have to be; you're older and have done so much more than me. You're older than all of us."

"Yes, I am. I am tired Gaia. So tired, that at times the weight and stress becomes almost too hard to bear, but I keep going. If I could reincarnate, I would do it right now and let someone else take my job, but I can't. Not yet. I have so much I can still do, as you do too. Don't place that burden on your daughter Gaia. We both know that the stress can sometimes be overwhelming. Especially if she's not ready yet." You said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I guess I can keep going for a little bit longer, besides I wouldn't want to leave you all by yourself, now would I?" Gaia said giving you a small smile. The smile was sincere, but held something else behind it. You watched as she slowly grabbed you and pulled you into a deep hug. "I've missed you…” She whispered into your ear. “We all missed you so much.” She said holding you tighter.

You wanted to do the same to her, but something held you back. Was she truly being sincere? Or was she just trying to play you, just like she did all those years ago.
Gaia was one of your ex-wife. Your second to be exact. Her nickname is the Earthmother, she controls almost all laws of nature. She's the one who created all life in the universe, and deals life where you deal death. While not as powerful as you are, she is still not to be trifled with, her anger causes earthquakes and her tears causes floods. As long as you still walk under her domain, her earth, you were under her mercy, especially now due to how weak you were.

Gaia is smart, but doesn't like to be outsmarted. Your marriage lasted for a few million years, but shortly after, she changed into her second incarnation. You never found out why she changed incarnations, but afterwards she changed. She was no longer the goddess that you fell in love with.

She became more deceitful and sneaky. She told more lies and began to cheat on you with the younger gods. This eventually lead to your divorce.

You didn't know whether or not you still love Gaia the way you used to. Too much time had passed and you didn't know if she was truly being serious with you.

So out of fear you lightly pushed her away, trying not to show any real change of emotion. "Relax Earthmother. I'm not going anywhere, anytime soon." You said with as much truthfulness emotion as you could muster.

Seeing as you didn't make any move on her. She gave you a small smile as she backed away. "I'll hold you to your word." She gave you a small wink before turning around once more and walking away. "I have to go now. If you ever need my help with anything, just call my name. I'm always listening." She said disappearing into mist, which dissipated into the air allowing time to flow regularly. "I'll make sure to call Ladius, so that the two of you can talk with each other. From what I've heard, he's missed you ever so much." You chuckled with yourself as you imagined the chat you were going to have with your grandson.

Fluttershy gasped as she began to move again. "M-mom? Where did she go?"
"She...uh, went back to work." You said scratching the back of your neck.
Fluttershy nodded her head, most likely understanding why. "Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea? Its about to rain soon."

You look up at the sky for a few seconds as the faint sound of thunder clouds begin to rumble off in the distance. The small pitter patter of rain soon began to become more audible. You gasped as a small amount of rain began to touch you, it felt warm and nice. You turned around and looked at Fluttershy. "I would very much like that." You said inciting a small smile from the young demigod.

"Oh good!" Fluttershy said almost yelling out. "Come on in, I'll warm us up a pot."
As Fluttershy walked into her house along with Angel. You took your time. "Rain huh... Gaia, are you crying?" you asked no one. You looked up at the sky once more before walking into Fluttershy's house.