"well, well, how the mighty have fallen", goaded Mami Watta, "with all the accolades you have collected throughout the aeons", sounding falsely sympathetic, "I mean, you saw the future. You had the power to alter the future…", "but, she was unable to see the part where she had to bind her powers", chuckled Anansi as he materialized from the dim. Anansi's presence was always conflicting, it was an aura of trepidation and absolute chaos. It was rather difficult to tell if that was really him or, just his usual theatrics.
The Maditau sat on the tetrapods that guarded the docks at the Waterfront in Cape Town. It was there that Juda died. Strangely, it was there that she felt his presence still attached to life. Lubaya had learnt from Yama that, there were stages to death. Parts of Juda Kufu were still dwelling among the living. His departure was sudden, nevertheless, she believed that he was at peace. Lubaya did see and manipulate the future, however only till the point of divergence; Juda's death that would shape the victory of all of Kemet and Alkebulan.
It was a formidable and necessary sacrifice, howbeit, Kemet upon her merits of pride to ignorance and Alkebulan or Africa, under the illusion of globalization, at a dawn to a loss of identity. The sisters and her nations would not appreciate nor fathom the sacrifice made for their resistance in absolute emancipation.
She had to give up her power, at least for the next century and watch as everything unfold in the timeline of Reality. This also meant that she was less of the being that she was, and more of a human. She could still move through space, alas, that much to none for her.
"you must be desperate to come here, Anansi", sighed Lubaya the Maditau. Her gaze still towards the Atlantic Ocean, her posture relaxed and calm as the evening breeze caressed her majestic guise. "Are we still doing the silent treatment?", bewildered Mami, "it's been at least one thousand seven hundred and fifty years. Get over it", complained Mami Watta, nevertheless, Lubaya still ignored her.
"fine, have it your way, darling", sighed Mami as she took out a heart-shaped lighter and a packet of Stuyvesant. "Anansi, you tried to turn my son against me", frowned Lubaya, however, she did not seem hurt by this. "and you saw into the future. You shaped the future which, is the current present and still, you let him die", Anansi smirked.
"and you…", she turned her head sinisterly towards Mami, "what!? The girl got on my nerves, Lubaya", Mami tried to reason. "if you head nerves…", Lubaya scolded.
Anansi sat next to her, in tune with the splendour before them. The view of the Friday evening as a multi-shade of colours adorned the evening sky was mesmerising. The sea mirrored the shades of gold as sunset took place. "it's just a sunset…", retorted Mami, "you never cease to be ignorant, Tradeswoman", spat Lubaya.
"I'm curious", Anansi chuckled, "why did you have to do all that for?", asked Anansi. "And…", he added, "you involved this charlatan", he gestured disdainfully at Mami.
"The Timeline requires order. One world cannot interfere with another. Nevertheless, Anansi, you are the exception", said the Bison as he materialized into view. "ah, yes. Son, everything with you has to do with balance", retorted Anansi.
It was simple for Anansi to live in all worlds, as long as there were practitioners of deceit and trickery, there was Anansi.
"The box bore the sins of the world. That's not really our interest…", said Mami, but she was interrupted by the Maditau, "it had the power to contain such magnitude. Anansi, can you imagine what else it can hold", she explained, "Ah… you had to respect the Timeline to grasp it", Anansi smirked. "what? Am I the only one still in the dark?", complained Mami. "Anansi, you should have cursed her into a dung beetle", sighed Lubaya, "eh? You said to bring her on board", Anansi reasoned, "touché", said Lubaya, "my lords, the box", asked the Bison.
With a snap of her fingers, Pandora's Box materialized, afloat in front of the Bison. Mami looked disdainfully at Anansi. She killed her last cigarette, and started to play with her lighter. "you know, I deserve a little respect", she complained. "Bison, the box is now in your hands. The sacrifice is made, and we have not altered the Timeline. All worlds are still in balance", Maditau ignored Mami.
"Why should we give the box to this… young and handsome fellow?", she gave Bison a wink, he, however, remained deadly solemn. "Anansi, educate this fool", Lubaya said flatly. Anansi sighed, "Bison or, Bison the Metronome of Reality and Keeper of the Timeline; the Flow of Reality in all worlds, as you should have known by now.", "so? Is he the god of the Flow of Reality?" Mami asked, "there are too many gods today. First, we accepted Tupac as the God of Hip Hop, then it was Brenda Fassi, what a darling, but, someone controls the flow of time? Isn't it His duty to do so", she added.
Anansi looked above to make sure it was still safe, "Anansi, He is merciful enough to even forgive the ignorance of this daft bimbo", Lubaya said with a dry smile. "facts, back in the day, He would open up an abyss and swallow you for just defying with His profits", Anansi shrugged.
"The Christian will never truly know how fortunate they are", Lubaya said, momentarily in thought. She recalled when she stood among the multitude as He gave His sermon of the Mystery of the One True God. He was actually talking about Himself in His sovereign form but, Mami Watta and her pack of charlatans were always around to stir confusion among the Israelites.
"I didn't say anything wrong", Mami protested. Lubaya would constantly ask herself how she convinced herself to get Mami into the team. Mami really annoyed her, mostly because throughout history they have stood on opposite sides.
"Are you not supposed to be the goddess of Feminism or something", she asked rhetorically. "Lubaya, the women chose me over you because you are too much of a man", chuckled Mami. "and you are just a demagogue… if we had taught men how to treat all equal, feminism, slavery and racism would have never existed", sighed the Maditau but she was not finished. "You would still be a sex addict, killing innocent boys and lustful men by the river", she spat.
"you talk smack, Big Man", smirked Mami. They both stood face to face with each other. "should we do something about this?", Bison asked Anansi whilst the two got into a heated argument, "son, why? This is the best part", he chuckled "Lubaya, you forget that you have no powers. You can't fight me, darling", she smiled mirthlessly. "I don't need powers to give you a good spanking, child!", Lubaya required no powers to place dominance and, her killer dreadlocks maintained her all-powerful guise.
"I believe, they have lived too long with the humans, this very ungodly", Bison whispered to Anansi, "nevertheless, it's pure godly entertainment", Anansi chuckled. Bison looked at his crystal armband, "she has arrived", he said, "who?", Anansi's attention drifted to the Bison. "The Maditau's new pawn in this saga", he replied. "If you choose to proceed with your fight, it will be catastrophic. The fight will cause Mami Watta to betray you", the Metronome foresaw the future, right there and then.
"She will join your adversaries and you will lose the beginning of what has already begun. This very moment is a Point of Divergence", he paused. "man, this guy is good", Anansi patted the Bison on the back. "we may resume this after. Your pawn has arrived, Lubaya", that was Bison's way of impeding a fight.
Two women entered the scene, one had her hands tied behind her back, she was mildly wounded. The other was Lindiwe, a Maroon of Cabo da Boa Esperança. Lindiwe bowed her head in respect in the presence of the gods before her. "The Metronome!", she bewildered at the sight of Bison. Bison smiled. He was accustomed to such emotions. He usually refrained from descending to earth, it was only due to their plan that his presence was needed.