500th Time Reborn, A World Only Known By Women: The Karma System

I stepped through the door and saw Aries sitting on a couch near a fireplace. She had her legs up and over a cushion, looking up at the flames as if they were her only source of comfort.

"Aries," I said softly, and she looked up in surprise before scowling. "Can we talk?"

I could feel the animosity coming off the Zodiac Goddess in waves, and I could almost taste the hate in her look. The hateful glare was so intense that it had become palpable.

It was clear that she had been drinking for a while from her red cheek and The Cup of Ever Flowing Wine in the end table beside her. This was only going to make her harder to deal with, but I could provoke her easier when she was like this.

"I have nothing to say to you, Ophiuchus. You are the champion, as usual, so just leave me be!" She snapped and then picked up her wine glass and drank deeply from it.

Aries was in a foul mood, and I wasn't sure how to handle it without her shutting down completely and kicking me off her island. The envy she had for me was clear, and that meant that I needed to choose my words carefully. "I'm sorry you feel like this," I said, and then stepped closer to her. I reached out to touch her shoulder and then looked her in the eyes. "But this isn't about me; this is about you and what you want from life."

She snorted and slapped my hand away. "I need no pity from you, Cat God. Fate has already chosen my path! Go see your Cancer and fuck her, but leave me be."

I let out a loud sigh, but I didn't move away. "You are right; this isn't about Fate or me. It is about you, Aries. I am the one that beat you, and Fate is a cruel little shit, but what are you going to do about it?" I asked, talking with my hands. "You can either stay here, like this, and continue to blame everyone and everything else for your problems, or you can take this opportunity that has been given to you and do something with it."

Aries looked away and then back at me, her eyes full of confusion and frustration. "What kind of opportunity?" She asked, and I gave her a small smile.

"I am here, and we can spar. I know you are dying to hit me or something, so let's go out in the arena. I will stay like this, and we can have a good little session. If you don't want to talk, fine. Let's go duke it out then," I suggested.

"Will you play fair?" Aries asked with suspicion, and I nodded.

"Sure, but no weapons. I will enhance your speed and strength to match me. Then if you beat me, then you win, got it?" I asked, and Aries narrowed her eyes.

"That is fine, but this doesn't make any sense. What are you doing this for?" She asked, and I shrugged.

"Just so we are clear, I didn't come here on purpose, I was sent here again. Then I talked to Piccolo after getting a single card that said Karma on it. After that, I figured you needed something to hit after everything that has happened. I get why you are mad and down, but sitting here isn't changing anything," I said, and Aries got up.

"Are you sure you don't just want to go mess around with your lover?" Aries sneered, but I opened a portal behind her to the arena and raised my palm to her.

"For someone that doesn't want to talk, you sure have a lot to say," I said as I layered some spells onto her to enhance the Zodiac Goddess to my basic strength, then I blasted her through the portal with a blast of wind.

I followed her, and as soon as I got in, I heard her yell. "You make me so mad, Ophiuchus! That's why we can never get along; you piss me off so much!"

I watched with a smile as she got up. I had never said I was going to pull any punches or let her win. The important thing was to let her vent some stress that seemed to be building up.

"That is why we are here," I said calmly, and then I started to circle her. "Let's go. Let all that anger out, and stop taking it out on those around you."

Aries looked at me with a mixture of shock and surprise but then stepped into the center of the arena, getting into position. We ran around each other for a while, dodging attacks and feinting strikes.

Then Aries came in close, dodging my strikes, and tried to kick me, but I blocked it by lifting my knee up. She gritted her teeth and threw a punch at me, but I caught it easily this time.

"Good, you have improved since we last fought. Let's see how you fair this time," I said, and then threw her away from me, only to catch her by her arm before she could hit the ground. "You have something to prove. Go ahead and prove it."

Aries's facial expression changed, and then she went back to attacking me ferociously, but I was able to match her blow for blow. We kept going until, eventually, Aries dropped to her knees in exhaustion, but then I renewed her strength.

"Come, stop fucking around and cool off. Get out of your head, and stop thinking about Cesta! She is gone, and thinking it to death isn't doing anyone any good! Fucking hit me!" I roared, and Aries lost it.

She screamed and threw punch after punch, but eventually, she slowed down and then burst into tears. I stopped her fist before one could connect and then hugged her tight. I had knew this break was going to come at some point, and that was why I was pushing her.