[The day had begun normally enough, although it was a very busy day being on the heels of New York Fashion Week and the Milan Fashion Week about to begin. Packages were arriving regularly, and no one noticed one extra one... until it exploded, taking out the front security desk. Moments later, a half-dozen gunmen entered and began opening fire. Aphrodite herself was able to escape unharmed, but 10 of her employees died and another two dozen injured...]

The person who would dare do this to my business, my people... It has gone too far.

[It was right at the end of their trip when Esther had been able to slip away from the rest of her group to do a little "tourist sightseeing." She couldn't quite place it, but there was a... tone? Maybe? in the back of her mind. It only got stronger, more like a vibration, as she headed out toward Ayers Rock. And then... She found it.

Well, officially speaking, she "heard" it first, and then almost tripped over the partially-buried object. Clearing away the dirt with her hands, she managed to unearth it--about the size of a dinner plate, and unlike anything she'd ever seen. Surreptitiously tucking it into her jacket, she managed to get it safely back with her...]

[Filter: JCs]
Hey, guys? Found it.

[Celeste had been eating breakfast with her roommate at dawn, chatting about nothing in particular when the sun rose over the mountain. She didn't even notice the sudden rush of power among the sudden rush of memory.

"Celeste? Celeste!"

She'd spilled her coffee and had nearly fallen face-down in her cereal bow -- her roommate had made a save to keep her upright. For that matter, she hadn't heard her name… at least not as hers.

That actually scared her. Deep down, Celeste had suspected that one reason she couldn't fully remember being Urania -- or Layla, Pacal, Viola or Estelle -- was because she was afraid of surrendering who Celeste was to some goddess. That divinity and who knew how many centuries of memories would overwrite two decades that were hers dammit.

--

She had classes, and work, and couldn't leave those. She had to tell her roommate something, since she'd seen the transformation, dammit all, but she hoped she could pass the new hair, the new clothing, the… whatever it was, aura that caused people to stare at her and notice -- as some kind of new look.

She hadn't counted on the fact it wasn't just her. The other grad students, the undergrads… even the faculty just gave her a look when she tried to explain things. She didn't get it until someone told her to log onto CNN.

"Jesus Haploid Christ," she muttered. Somehow being a god herself didn't make the oath any weirder than when she was an atheist. "Don't you guys know the meaning of the word 'subtlety'?" Evidently not -- then again, suddenly-personal memories made it clear that yeah, this was to be expected.

--

In the end, she'd just repeated the same thing: 'I'm still trying to figure this out'. Which she was. She printed off a Spiderman meme while she thought: it wasn't like there was many people around to complain about using the color printer for personal things. 'With great power, comes great responsibility.'

She'd also changed her computer wallpaper to the emblem of Barbara Gordon. Somehow 'Oracle' seemed like an appropriate theme. ]

[Chelsea felt the ground shake beneath her when she got out of bed. It was a surge of power coming off in waves as she padded on the hardwood floors toward her father's room. When he slapped open the door she suddenly felt compelled to fall to her knees. There were tears in her eyes because there was something truly magnificent about his stormy blue eyes. It comforted her and frightened her at the same time.

"Father?" she said in a shaky voice, standing once again. She expected him to slap her away, but instead his arm stood around her as if she were a Queen.

Even more amazing was the way the waters bent at his voice when they neared out of the apartment and near the harbor. It was the first time the girl could actually hear it. The ocean's voice was soft, soothing, luring like a hook to a fish. Poseidon was their net, swinging it in whatever direction he chose. It could turn cold and vicious in an an instant. It was that very surge that had the mortals frightened. The clouds overhead were dark, the ocean swirled in a sickly spiral, as if a tsunami could catastrophically collapse against the city at any moment.

Also, within that water was a call from something else immortal. Triton had an army and it was thundering against the waves.

Chelsea looked up to her father, a beam of pride over her face. He was nothing like books and statues depicted with a graying beard. He was massive in his gaze, mysterious and dark. The silhouette of a god that men feared.
 
As the rain slapped against her face, the ocean churning beneath, she whispered his name in awe.]

[That morning waking out of the barracks, Achilles felt his strength raise again. Not his mortal strength, but that of the demi-god he'd always been nestled under this mortal body for decades. Now he stood with a grace and power that none of his fellow soliders could understand. It was almost as if he glowed in the bright sun-light. His hair was golden, his skin a light bronze. The heel that Paris had used to bring him down was no longer sore or tender. It was sturdy.

His soldiers found themselves following him into a magnificent roar of voices, their fists pounding against their chests chanting a name they didn't know him by. 

"Achilles. Achilles. Achilles!"

One soldier that had missed his early morning cue came outside to the chant, confused by the scene and his Leuitenant. 

"Karalis?"

"No," Achilles said, his voice serious and forceful. "I am Achilles. Son of Peleus."

Confusing as it may be, it was still a name that many a soldier knew. Achilles was the song of grief, a valiant soldier of war that throughout the ages they would always relate to.]

[Getting up before dawn was normal for Triton. No surprises there. But, as dawn broke and he could feel his immortality returning... He knew today was the day. The day to make his mark. The day to prepare an army to present to his father.

Of course, he could not demonstrate his full power on land. He needed to get to open water. He roused his housemates, though: "Get up. Now. And follow me."

"Murphy...? What gives?" one mumbled sleepily before getting a good look at the sea-prince. "...oh, holy shit... Murphy...?"

"Don't ask questions. I'll explain it shortly," Triton said crisply.

Soon, he had a whole phalanx of fraternity brothers and curious onlookers as he headed for the river where the crew team practiced. No sooner had he dived into the water, when the gills opened on the side of his neck, and his legs became a fish tail once again, to the shock of everyone.

"Many of you know me as Boden Murphy. The name my mortal mother gave me. In truth, I am more than that. I am Triton. Son of Poseidon. Prince of the Sea Kingdoms and Lieutenant of the Ocean Army," he announced, his voice carrying through the air. "The gods are alive again, and we walk among you. But not all is peaceful. War is coming. We will need to fight. My father, Poseidon, is among those returned, and he deserves to lead and win. Follow me into battle, and you will assure our victory!"

The mortals were dumbstruck, but Triton's powers were in full force. Soon, a chant rose among them: "Triton! Triton!" The sea-prince smiled. His army had been born.]

[As the sun rose over the city of Chicago, ice descended. From her tower penthouse, Winter's dominion flowed. Ice coated buildings, cars and streets. Clouds filled the sky and let loose with a blizzard unlike any the city had seen before.

There were accidents, of course. The homeless stood no chance on the street. Power lines gave out under the weight of heavy ice. Casualties of the sudden burst of Winter's power. But more care and control was asserted after an hour or so. Blizzard conditions eased to a steady, heavy snowfall that no amount of salt or plowing seemed to diminish.

Half the city was in utter darkness, even as the sun climbed higher. The other half was scrambling to patch the damage, save lives. But only she could repair what had been so easily broken in time to truly make a difference.

She ordered them to convene at City Hall, all those who's power she desired to wield. They obeyed with surprising alacrity. But, ah, they thought to trap her. Thinking her some kind of simple terrorist. She disabused that thought when she encased the SWAT team in their own, individual blocks of ice.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen. Let us get down to business." She smiled a cold wicked smile. "Who would like power restored to this city?"

In only a few short hours, she had her desired bargains struck. Power was restored to the areas that had black outs, almost like magic. Though the Weather Alert stations all continued to warn against travel, as the snow and ice showed no sign of letting up just yet. And it wasn't even noon.]

[When Ciara woke up that morning, things had started off normally enough. She wasn't even thinking about the stupid message. She just practiced with her punching bag... until she realized she was punching it with two extra hands.

She looked in the nearest mirror. She was a black woman, yes, but now her skin was LITERALLY black. Her eyes blazed, and she caught the sight of fangs when she gasped. Not to mention the two new arms. She was dressed in a leopard skin--and decidedly missing some of her favorite accessories. And fuck it if she were going to stand for that.

The necklace was in the city. Part of a traveling exhibit. Not for long. She burst into the street, not caring about the people who screamed or ran or that she had to shove out of her path. She headed straight for where the exhibit was, and smashed the case holding the necklace of skulls.

"MINE," she announced, before putting it on in front of the throngs of terrified people. She smiled to herself. She had just shaken up the entire city that had seen her. Well, Vegas was a good-sized place. More people needed their worldview changed.

At one point, a woman in cat form--Seth's friend, wasn't she?--came out and asked her to stop terrorizing the citizens. Kali snorted. What good would THAT do for all these mortals? She ignored the cat, and, though she didn't hurt anyone, she did break more than a few things in her path...]

[Spring break was a lovely thing. Erato was back home in Olympia for the time being. She didn't usually get up too early, but as the sun was rising, she just felt... energized somehow. Sliding out of bed, she almost didn't notice the change in her clothing until she glanced in the mirror and gasped. A shimmering chiton. Her golden curls wreathed in red roses. So this was what the message had meant. She was a goddess once more.

She didn't know how to face her family in this, but she supposed she had no choice. Her parents gaped as she walked in for breakfast.

"Amanda..." her mother breathed softly.

Erato sighed. "It's time you knew, I guess. I'm really the reincarnated Erato. Muse of lyric love poetry and mimic imitation. Explains a lot, doesn't it?" she asked with a faint chuckle. Her parents just continued to stare at her. Erato awkwardly looked at the food in the pantry. Suddenly, cereal just didn't sound appealing.

She turned to her parents.
"There's something I need to do. I promise I'll come home again by tomorrow. Don't worry. I'm immortal today. Nothing can hurt me," she told them gently, and then headed out the door... and straight for Fort Lewis.]

[Aphrodite had been on edge for days. She knew the night of the hurricane had resulted in some likely long-term consequences, but this was one she hadn't been expecting. One that could possibly change the entire future of the race.

After days of nothing, she finally gets a test. The line is faintly blue--not truly clear if it's positive or not...]

[Phone call to Odin]

[she sounds uncharacteristically nervous]
...Erik? It's Callista. Sorry to bother you, but I had the feeling you'd rather know sooner than later. There's something I need to tell you...

[When she left the office, Aphrodite said that she was having lunch with Aldo. No one thought it too strange. On the way over, she made a slight detour to the Central Park Zoo. She used a bit of glamour to make herself seem unglamourous for the moment--just another face in the crowd that few would take undue notice in. She didn't want to be seen this time. She just needed to do the seeing.

Walking near the reptiles, she smiled. There was the snake. She was outside, luckily enough. That was all Aphrodite needed. Following Medusa with her crystal-blue eyes, never getting close enough to catch her stare, Aphrodite reached into her emotions, and found the little seed of desire the snake harbored for Apollo. Slowly, subtly, Aphrodite encouraged it. Made it rise and blossom. Another little push... Now it would grow like a weed over the next day or two, strong and quick, spreading inside Medusa, choking out virtually everything else.

Aphrodite turned, and continued on her way to her meeting. Her smile broadened. Her part in this was complete. Now, it lay in the snake's hands.]

[In times of emotional crisis, both for himself and for those closest to him, Gawain's dreams had a propensity for the vivid and bizarre. Tonight's was no exception.

He knew he had assumed the role of Ariadne ... as if she were an avatar from one of her games. Together they were wandering through a seemingly endless maze with a pitch-black floor and ceiling. Garish walls evoked the 8-bit graphics of old and contributed to the overall sense of hopelessness.

Then they heard a faint sound, a repetitive bleep straight from a video arcade. At first it seemed normal, but as the volume increased, so did the ferocity. Soon it became apparent they were hearing footsteps ... but of what? What horrible opponent was coming their way?

Suddenly around a corner came a towering minotaur. Its pixelated body, far more vivid than anything else in the maze, radiated unspeakable brutality. However, that was not the worst of it. Instead of the bovine head one would expect, there sat atop the grotesque torso a portrait, as clear as a digital photograph, of Nigel.

The minotaur emitted a maniacal laugh that shook the walls and floor beneath them ....]

[Filter: Ariadne]
Sweet Ariadne, I know this must sound strange, but are you alright? If you get this message, please call me as soon as you can.

[It wasn't the nature of the dream that came as a surprise. She was a teenaged girl, and the Muse of erotic poetry to boot--such things were bound to crop up now and then. Somehow, though, this one was different.

The man had the face of an angel--what she could see of it, anyway. It seemed he was always half-cast in darkness. She didn't recognize him really as anyone she knew, but there was a familiarity there. His voice was so sweet... His kisses so tender... The touch of his hands so gentle... She ached with disappointment when she awoke. She'd never had a dream make her feel that way before...]

So... Am I the only one having strange dreams?