Selene/Neruite, Lucas and Cass arrived by the... River.
It was an odd sight. Instead of water, colors flowed through it, ever-changing. It reminded Lucas of...
"The Sun... Goddess, we... Is this causing the change to the sun? Did the sun get something from this river?"
Neruite shook her head. "Not even the gods know what happened to make the Sun like that. It is possible. Certainly this river changes people and things. It is the River of Chaos. Not a creative name, I admit, but... It doesn't change things like the Sun does."
"What do you mean?" - Asked Lucas.
"Did you ever hear of anyone dying due to the sun changes?" - Said Neruite.
Cass and Lucas shook their heads.
"That's because the Sun somehow maintains people in forms that can live. This river has no such system. You could emerge out of here a VERY powerful being. As you could emerge out of here a rock. Or dead. Or a chair. Or anything. And there are much more ways to die than to live. Life is, after all, delicate." - Said Neruite - "Which brings me to another reason why I need your help. I knew I'd need the Water of Permanence for nigh any possible idea to solve the Periphery issue. I can't teleport through the river, neither could I safely teleport into that island without knowing exactly where it is. I needed someone with wings to carry me over it and to that island."
"That island..." - Said Cass - "...if the river changes all it touches, why is it there?"
"Think Taoism. Every good has some evil, every evil some good. Every chaos has some order, too. That is where the Water of Permanence flows. It maintains that rock like that..."
"So, will it disintegrate if we get too much of the water?" - Said Lucas.
"No. More will flow. Anyways... Are you ready, Lucas?"
Lucas blushed and nodded. Cass smirked. "You know, Lucas, you're not the celeb kind of guy, but, when it comes to dealing with a goddess from your past, you react just like a fan..."
Lucas blushed. "Er, well, I..."
Neruite giggled. Lucas now saw her as the Neruite she remembered. Smallish and cute.
"Come on. Let's go, fangirl. The safer option is first me, then her. Nothing is around here, whereas I can't tell you if something is on the island. And I can defend myself."
Lucas blushed a bit more and flew her to the island, then returned for Cass and flew her.
"So, this is where the Water of Permanence is... Adequate." - Said Lucas.
The trio was looking at a perfectly round "lake" within a perfectly cubic chamber.
"You know, I was half-expecting to see a last boss or something. It's how these things usually go." - Said Lucas, well outside Cass's aura.
Selene shrugged. "This place is mostly nothingness with some forms of life that cannot be understood and can hardly be interacted with. So, it makes sense that we'd not find any. Anyways, let's get the water. Just make sure not to drink any. I have no idea what it would do to you, but it wouldn't be pretty."
Cass and Lucas nodded and proceeded to get the water in their buckets, very carefully. Selene opened a portal to her palace, and the tree stepped through. As soon as she entered, she used her powers to cleanse Lucas and Cass of any residue of the water.
"Okay." - Said Lucas, smiling - "Now what?"
"Now you get to see reality being altered and maintained..." - Selene smiled.
All over the Moon, thousands of portals opened, each covering a wide area of the Periphery. Selene began focusing, silver energy flowing around, from her and from the Moon and into those portals. The Water in the buckets followed that energy, a small dose per strand.
Lucas and Cass sat to watch it, smiling. Lucas embraced Cass gently.
"Quite a show..." - Cass smiled lightly.
From the Periphery, came a few doors, which Selene sucked into a tiny bubble. The bubble went through the floor, and into the Moon's core.
And then it was over. The portals closed, the wind stopped. The water was spent.
And so was Selene.
"Ugh..." - She fell back, and Lucas held her.
"GODDESS! Are you okay?"
"I changed reality on a HUGE scale. I just need to sleep for a few hours, Lucas..." - Neruite giggled, softly - "And stop calling me goddess already. I had set up your places on the Moon before I made this ritual. You can use it to reach home or the Angel Café. Sorry I can't quite entertain you a bit more, but I'm just a bit tired. I'll be better tomorrow. Visit when you wish, though. The door's always open..."
With that, she fell asleep on Lucas's arms.
Lucas blushed profusely.
Cass smiled lightly.
"Tuck her in and let's go."
Lucas carefully carried her to a bedroom, set her on a bed and gently covered her. She proceeded to leave the two tuna sandwiches she had bought in the Angel Café in the fridge of the place, with a handwritten note informing her goddess of it, should she want a quick snack.
"Sleep well, Neruite..." - She whispered, a sole tear of joy escaping her eye - "Sweet dreams."
Robert and Lois sat on a table in the Angel Café, watching the door.
"It's hopeless..." - Said Lois, looking away and sighing, a sense of finality dawning on her - "It's been more than two hours. They're lost forever, aren't they? Lucas and Cass are dead or worse..."
"No, we're not! I'm glad to know you care, Lois..." - Said Lucas, smirking as she entered with Cass.
Cass blushed. "Sorry about the 'entering just as you lost hope' thing. With my aura, I kinda figured we'd end up doing that. It was why we had bought those tuna sandwiches to pay later before our trip, so we'd have a promise to keep. It's the kind of thing that helps in an anime..."
"Thank God you're okay, Lucas..." - Said Robert, smiling.
Lois was a bit more emphatic.
"You had me worried sick!! What were you two thinking?!"
Lucas smiled. "Relax, Lois. We are okay. And it's thanks to you and Robert, actually. In fact, Robert, remember that whole 'saving your life' thing? Yeah, you paid it. In full. With interest. Thrice."
"What are you talking about, Lucas?"
Lucas smiled.
"I'll tell you all about it over some Guaraná Baré and a nice salmon sandwich."
Cass smiled lightly.
"Green tea and a chicken salad sandwich for me."
"Now, Robert, Baré is a great soda, I drank lots of it back in '92, when I was nine and on the run from Colombia..."
"You'll leave me wondering about the 'on the run from Colombia' part, won't you?" - Said Robert.
"Yep." - Smiled Lucas - "Oh, Lois, the salmon is..."
"Rare or even raw, I know. I should give you a KNUCKLE sandwich for doing something this crazy!" - Said Lois as she began cutting the salmon - "And you still owe me for the tuna sandwiches..."
"I love you too, Lois." - Lucas smiled - "And I would be worried about you too if you did what I did. I'm sorry about worrying you, but it was worth it, and I will make sure you get something for your troubles as well..."
"Now, Robert. I'll tell you both the story and a few plans I have with some stuff I got from there. First..."
"Oh, no. I didn't get worried sick about you just for you not to tell me the story along with Robert... She can wait five more minutes. I'll be done quickly..." - Said Lois.
Robert smiled lightly. "Very well, Lois, we wait for you..."
Lucas smirked. It was good to be back.
