Grecian Urn...

"He lost his words? Did you look under the bed?"

She gave both her brothers a disbeleaving look, and led them both to a fountain in the opposite direction that Morpheus and Lethe had wandered.

"Hedy... you're such a dork. Are you sure you're an erote? There's obviously something there that's not for us to see."

She took a seat on the side of the fountain and drew her legs up under her, looking at them both as she reached her hands in the water.

"So...other than the obvious. how's things? And seriously, Andy... What was that look for?"

Hori was doing surprisingly decent in the kitchen, and while she had a lot to do, She had a few other things to take care of before this little disaster in the making that Eris was planning... or at least, one thing in particular. After making her brother swear he wouldn't add sprinkles to anything, she left him instructions on finishing the potato salad, and stated she'd be back shortly.

With a cursory glance to make sure she didn't have flour on her, She relocated herself from Greece to California, outside of the one place she knew she could find Momos. She was here way too often, really... once for a favor, once for... well, and now She had to convince him that as far as anyone else was concerned, her last visit hadn't happened. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the club, flashing Cindy a light smirk before stepping further in to search him out.

She really shouldn't be here.

The whole Helios being the Moon thing was truly beginning to suck. It was one thing to wake him up in the middle of the night for talks, when he could basically sleepwalk through his daily activities...but it was something completely different to disturb him during the day.. and hadn't she done enough of that already, since the change? And being the Moon couldn't have been as easy, what with th whole not seeing thing and the differing path. Not that whining to Helios was something she wanted to do - It would make him feel bad, and she didn't want that at all. Or worse, he'd try to fix things to make her happy, and most likely end up miserable in the process. No - if one of them was going to be out of sorts, she was determined it would be her - she was much better suited to angst and woe.

What she wanted... what she really wanted was to just curl up and have someone tell her it was going to be fine... without knowing she was adding extra worries onto someone. Her sisters were still at Apollo's, and therefore out of the question. Apollo doubly so. She wanted caring arms, total lack of judgment, and meaningless words of endearment. What she wanted was her mom.

She was gratified to see her mother sitting in her temple where she normally was, though the fact that she didn't seem to be seamlessly filling orbs with memories escaped her notice as she moved through the temple. Her mother looked as beautiful as ever, with that ethereal glow Melpomene couldn't achieve if she tried. Mnemosyne had an otherwordliness most could never reach.

She stepped over the bridge that spanned the river that flowed through her mother's home, and sank down on the marble floor beside her, leaning in to rest her head against her mother's shoulder. Mnemosyne leaned and kissed her cheek. "Hello, dear..."

"Mama."

She smiled as her mother stroked her hair, her head down causing her to miss Mnemosyne's look of confusion.

"Mama... everything's a mess. Helios is the moon and hates it and can't see, and it's so hard to remember, And he's worried about me which is absolutely ludicrous. I mean, sure, I'm causing comics every where to really suck, but it's hardly the end of the world. He's blind, and can't see, and it physically changed him... and while he's gorgeous all pale and silvery, he's miserable and I miss the shiny happy that he usually is. And I miss my sisters, but I can't go to Apollo's and I don't think I can ever forgive him. And I can't go any of my normal places, because I'll just mess everyone up, and Mama, I just don't know what to do."

She sighed deeply and lifted her head, offering Memory a plaintive look.

"Mama, tell me it's all going to be ok, please?"

"I'm sorry, child... Do I know you?"

Melpomene froze. "Oh... "

She scrambled backwards and stood, tears welling up as she stumbled her way back out of the temple. It made sense... everything was switched, memory was not memory any more, but... it just hadn't occurred to her that her mother wouldn't know her. And it just made everything that much worse. She tripped down the stairs, catching herself right before falling and ran a bit down the mountain before falling to the ground, laying on her back as she looked up, letting the tears she held in fall. It was all Apollo... She hated him.

"Well, I'd be honored for any visit... just tell me to write myself a note, and I remember better that way..."

She looked up as Andy noted his sister, and smiled in her direction, expression freezing a bit as she saw who Harmonia was with...

Morpheus. The idea that he'd be on the mountain hadn't even occured to her. It was good to see him... but weird. And she felt a sudden rise of guilt and trepidation as memories, fresh like they were just last week thanks to Mnemosyne, all came rushing to the surface.

"Oh."

She couldn't imagine she was top on his list of people to run into, considering how horrid she'd been to him. Not that it had been her fault, or really a choice. She looked back at Hedy and Andy, and smiled again.

"Your sister may have a better idea of what's going on. You may want to talk to her."

Brushing a strand of autumnal hair behind her ear, Persephone looked at the bronzed god walking beside her, his beautiful sea-blue eyes fixed on the horizon, his hand warm in her grip. She smiled.

"Stop it," Hades said, turning to look at his wife.

"What? I was just looking," she defended.

"You were admiring, Persephone."

"And why shouldn't I, hmm?" She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "It isn't every day that my husband looks like a hot young Olympian."

"You're pushing it now."

Persephone laughed and linked arms with him, resting her hand on his upper arm. "I missed you. How long are you staying?"

Not long enough. "Until Apollo's spell is reversed, then I'm going home."

"Our home?" Her eyes widened with concern. "Hades no, you can't go back. I forbid you to go back."

"Seph-"

"They took your throne! You can't just go there and take it back from them, not without starting a war or getting yourself killed or-"

"I'm Deathless."

"That isn't the point! They got rid of you once, they could do it again."

"They won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I’ve seen them. I’ve fixed it.”

She blinked. “Oh. What do you mean you’ve fixed it?”

“Hephaestus is a reluctant King, he doesn’t want the Underworld,” Hades told her. “I agreed to give him access to raw materials and he agreed to give me my crown back. A fair trade.”

Persephone narrowed her eyes. “You mean you made a deal with them?”

“I had to.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “No you didn’t. You don’t EVER have to make a deal with those usurpers.”

“Persephone…“

He reached out to brush his fingers down her arm, but she batted them away. The goddess shook her head, taking a couple of steps back.

“No, Hades, I can’t just…be okay with you working with them. Do you even remember what they did to you?! What they did to Poseidon? What they did to Zeus? If they’re giving you you’re throne, it’s only because they don’t think they have a choice!” Persephone sighed and headed back towards her mother’s retreat.

Hades huffed and began to follow her. Persephone didn’t want him to fight for his kingdom, but she also didn’t want him to negotiate for it either. He couldn’t win.

“I didn’t have a choice either,” he said, grabbing the cuff of her sleeve.

She stopped, looking down at the hand on her sleeve before meeting her husband’s gaze again.“Really? Why not? They’ve taken everything away from you. What do you have to lose?”

“You.”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Hades, really-“

“The Smith has my kingdom but Love pulls his strings. She convinced Hephaestus to return my power.” Hades let go of her sleeve and brushed his fingers across his wife’s palm. “If I’d attempted to take my kingdom back using force, what do you think they would have taken from me?”

She smiled, threading her delicate fingers through his. “You are such a softie,” Persephone told him. Hades threw his wife a look that disagreed with her assessment and she grinned at him before apologising with a long, drawn-out kiss.

“We don’t have much time before the spell is undone,” he told her, brushing his lips across her neck.

“How do you know?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

“I know.”

“Mm. How do you suggest we spend the little time we have?”

Hades kissed her neck. “I think you know.”

She did. “What about my mother?”

“She’ll get over it,” he purred, pressing his lips to her jaw. “I’m not abducting you.”

Persephone smiled. “This time.”

Having concluded the issue of getting his kingdom back, Hades left his brother’s palace to seek out Death. It took him longer than expected, but eventually he found Thanatos, who was more than willing to take Hades to Demeter’s retreat as long as he could return in time for Eris’ dinner party.

Hades didn’t ask.

He dismissed Death once he’d reached his sister’s desert hideaway, ignoring a squeaky voiced nymph that was trying to tell him he shouldn’t be there. Hades walked past the creature and approached Demeter’s temporary home where another nymph reluctantly granted him entry. He was shown to a sitting area to wait while the nymph tracked down her mistresses.

Hades followed after the nymph, passing her in long strides as she shouted at him to stop. Another attendant joined in and attempted to block his path, but he pushed her aside and continued his search. As the two of them chased after Hades, pulling at his coat, a third attendant scurried off to find Demeter.

Persephone heard the commotion. Turning away from her attendant, she half-ran down the wide corridors of her mother’s temple, past a nymph who was trying to tell her about an unruly guest.

Out of all the Gods above and below, who would disrespect Demeter in her own home?

She came to a dead halt as she turned the corner. There was her answer. There was no chill in the air, no pale skin, no dark eyes, but it was still her Hades. Persephone smiled, her eyes filmy, and rushed to greet him.

He caught her and swept her up off the ground, spinning her in a circle. Persephone’s cool fingers stroked the back of his neck as warm tears coursed down her cheeks. “I thought you were gone,” she sobbed. “I thought they’d gotten rid of you, I thought you were gone.”

Hades put her down and shook his head silently, wrapping his arms around Persephone in a tight embrace. She pressed her face against his chest, tears soaking into his clothes as his fingers combed through her hair.

She looked up him, running her hand up his cheek. Hades nuzzled her palm and she turned his face to hers, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Hades returned the kiss and let his hands fall to Persephone’s waist.

Demeter’s frail form came upon the sight in the corridor and she groaned. The couple, whose mouths were busy reacquainting themselves, ignored her presence as though she wasn’t there. The goddess huffed and turned her back on her daughter’s…emotional reunion with her husband. Unfortunately, it was too late to throw him out now.

She stood in the doorway of the bedroom, head tilted a bit to the side in mild confusion at the sight in front of her. The last thing she'd expected on returning to her mother's house was Mr. King of Dreams himself... curled up asleep. She had to admit though... he looked cute like that.

She moved closer to the bed, and sat down on the edge, watching him, as if it was going to explain his presence, or wake him... and when that failed, she reached and shook his shoulder. He was here, at her mother's... her mother was not... and maybe he knew why. She couldn't even remember why she'd come to Dite's home in the first place, but the lack of the goddess and another in her place was a bit strange.

"Hey. Rise and shine."

"You'd think he'd have held onto it better then. I'm sure he does appreciate your... support, dear. I have nothing against the Smith, but I do think Hades better suited... though to be fair, I remember when Hades was green."

She glanced toward Reb with a frown, sue she just misheard Styx.

"What do you mean, Cronus is back?"

Thanatos and Selene finished their dinner at the nice Italian restaurant they'd stumbled across on the Las Vegas strip and then departed it afterwards to find a roller coaster.

Thanatos had never sat down in a mortal place to have dinner before, and it had been as interesting to him as he had found public libraries and museums. Other then on those rare occasions that people died while in the middle of eating a meal and he had allowed curiosity to get the best of him, Death had not really had a dish among mortals before. The first time he had buttered toast and jam had been back in 1984 when a man named Harold had died in that familiar diner his niece Ruin liked to work in from time to time. He had lifted a piece of toast spread with strawberry jam from the plate. Having never paid for things like food and drink, it had slipped his mind that usually these things costed something and so he was slightly embarrassed when Selene had to pay.

As they walked, "Where is the best roller coaster in Las Vegas?"

He couldn't believe Hedylogos hadn't went this long before, the course of a few days, without copulating. Really.

Lethe on the other hand was going in the other direction. Months or years? Really. There were ways of getting around that. Maybe she just didn't remember?

It wasn't fair that she wouldn't remember the conversation."But why? Why do you have to forget? How do you ever love someone if you don't remember their face or name?"

Because everyone in his opinion deserved the chance to fall in love, even if it was just puppy love.

The world felt right again. Oh, Styx knew it wasn't going to last, but while it was still coursing through her veins, she was going to take advantage.

She knocked on her sister's door with the firm knowledge that Thanatos wasn't going to be able to stand after she was done with him.

And she was so looking forward to it.

Three hours, four chocolate dipped apples the size of her head, five boxes of chocolates bagged for keeping her busy while she was away from home and an entire emergency chocolate stash completely re-stocked later, Psyche returned to Anteros' house.

Opening the door a notch, she peaked her head in. "Hello?"

No one answered.

She opened the door wider and looking around realized that Anteros probably had yet to return from his trip with Aphrodite, which meant she had the house to herself. Setting her bags on her bed, she took the time to explore the house a little more without anyone looking over her shoulder. It was a pretty house, she could see why Anteros had chosen it. There was evidence of his roommate, and Psyche wondered when she would meet her, or if she even would.

After she found Adonis in the backyard, she decided to finally hit up that beautiful beach she'd seen. It would be a great place to just let her mind work out some of her issues. Changing into something a little more sunny beach appropriate, she headed out with Adonis to walk along the water.

After they had finished their meal, she had brought them both back to Olympus, conversing quietly as they moved from her temple towards that formerly of Zeus, not that far a distance. She didn't want to be having this conversation already, really... but the Eros situation had shifted her opinion on an appropriate time line for change. Her arm slid through Anteros' as they walked, and she smiled absently at him.

"I do appreciate your serving as distraction. Hopefully it will be no trouble."

She doubted there would be much trouble at all... no matter what his power, he was a charming man, And she didn't think Styx so petty as to visit assumed sins of a parent on a child... though she'd not put it past her, really. She paused as they reached the entrance to Zeus' home, and looked up at him.

"Ready, then?"

Something was wrong.

Something was CLEARLY wrong.

He hadn't been laid in two days. TWO DAYS. That was a veritable dry spell for him. Nothing he said worked on ANYONE! This had to stop!

Spotting a sexy brunette making eyes at him from across the party he was attending, Hedylogos made his way across the room, giving her a beautiful smile as he approached.

"Well, hello there."

"Hi." Oh, wasn't that cute, she blushed a little at his attention. This was going to be cake.

"I'm Hedy, and I want to see your lips wrapped around my cock."

The drink left her glass so fast he didn't even see it coming and he stood there dripping, mouth wide open as she stalked away with a disgusted look on her face.

Oh. My. Gods.

I'm BROKEN!

Quickly he left the party and transported straight to Olympus and to his fathers home. He would know what was wrong!

"Daddy? Are you home? I'm BROKEN!" His voice echoed around the temple hall and the break in it could be clearly heard.

She glanced around the dark gothic building, smiling at the memories the place brought to her... this the ground zero of a recent alter boy scandal. Sure, the man had left the cloth and was probably far from the city... but this church had offered her a lot of fun. It was only fitting, really, that it was here she came for answers.

She slipped into one of the wooden booths, sitting quietly on the seat as she waited. She hated to wait. She almost said as much when she finally heard the screen open, only just realizing that it probably wasn't the best way to start this thing off.

"Bless you my child."

"Hi.. umm. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been like, 5000 years since my last confession."

"It can often seem like a long time when we are away from god."

"Umm... yeah. So I just lay it out on the table, right?"

"Yes, child."

"It's only been the past week or so that has been problematic, father. I was at a homeless shelter, and helped a group of addicts fight their addiction. I talked a man out of cheating on his wife. I stopped an illegal dog fight. I kept a boy from gambling away his mother's rainy day fund. I can't even get a dieter to buy chocolate. And the sex? It's all vanilla. Missionary. Without a single ring."

"These all sound like good deeds. I am confused."

"I know they are! That's my problem!"

"I don't understand. Are you not here to confess your sins?"

"Well.. I don't know what I did for this to happen. So I must have done something wrong."

"My child... are you a member of the catholic faith? You seem to not understand the process here."

"You mean your monotheistic trinity thing? Hell no... Not at all."

"Then why are you here? All you're telling me are good deeds you've done."

"Look... can't you just tell me how many hail mary'
s to say to fix this shit?"

"But you haven't..."

"Fine. Before last week? You name it, I did it. I've fucked a priest. A nun. A crucifix. I tempted your damned lord and savior. You want details? I've gotten kids addicted to coke. I've helped bookies fix races to feed the gambling addiction. I support marketing cigarettes to kids. How many fucking hail mary's?"

She slammed her hand against the wall separating them, hearing the startled choke of the priest on the other side as he tried to figure out her words.

"I... um... 60. 60 will do fine, my child. Go in peace."

She heard the screen slide shut, and the door of the booth beside her opn quickly, closing with a bang, and waited until she heard the speedy steps fade out before she exited her own booth, going to a pew and kneeling down.

"Hail mary, full of grace, the lord is with thee. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus..."

She was going to be here for a while... And this better work.

While he rested on the softest bed he'd ever lain, dreamless and exhausted, he knew nothing. Usually when Death slept, which was rare, he still unconsciously toiled, ever so incorporeally. However, now that his true essence was misplaced he slept whole.

He didn't know how long he'd slept, but he'd slept like the dead and after he had awoken he had a name he hadn't thought of nor spoken in a very long time, not since his youth, on his lips: "Phanes. "

With a bit of a headache Thanatos didn't want to remain here in this noiseless room. He departed from his bed and dressed less restricted and more airily then he'd ever dressed. He wore a pair of thin black slacks that whose fabric was mostly made up of polyester with under four percent of it consisting of spandex. The pants were identical to a pair he'd saw a girl wearing at a club once who he had collected after she'd overdosed on a cocktail of pills. He also wore a tight black sleeveless, body fitting shirt with a sheer and shimmering crimson colored button up shirt over it and left unbuttoned. He pulled his hair back and secured it with a black band.

Perhaps it was him being accustomed to always being on the move, but it felt strange to him to be in any one place for very long without purpose. He headed downstairs...

"Worse. Honestly, I'm glad she doesn't come up here often. She absolutely hates me for no real discernible reason. There are plenty of people with a reason to dislike me, sure, but I've never done a thing to the bitch."

She grinned at Anteros, looking at Psyche as she mentioned never having Chinese.

"At least tell me it's from some hole in the wall... they make the best spring rolls. You'll like it Psyche."

About two benches down on the bleachers, Strife was lying on his side on a slab of cool metal while idly watching the most peaceful baseball game he'd ever attended. This game had been the most boring baseball game in the whole existence of the history of the sport that he thought he'd ever witnessed.

It was a bit odd, although no one seemed to know or understand how odd it was except for him. It was the bottom of the ninth inning and throughout the entire game no one had fought at all about anything; anything at all. It seemed as if everyone involved in both playing and watching the game had gathered before the game had began and had ALL agreed that there would not be under ANY condition or circumstance, any contention at all no matter what happened in the game. The coaches seemed indifferent, the players played as if Philotes had passed out bottles of the club pill called ecstasy to each and every one of them, there was a bit too much friendly bum smacking for the usually mischievous strife god's taste and no matter what happened in the game? Everyone, down to the umps and opposing players, were congratulating each other equally with praise of, "Good job."

Stranger yet was that no one had yelled anything from the stands to provoke anyone else; it, the game, had been thus far the paradigm of gentlemanly sportsmanship and polite spectatorship. It was ALL wrong.

She had returned to her home only long enough to find the note from Hori, groaning softly as she read it... how was she supposed to be finding time to cook with all this? Note in hand, she followed the directions and found her way to Vegas, navigating her way to the wedding chapel of his choice. She slipped in the back and into the seat beside him, leaning a bit into him as she listened to the minister give the vows.

She always loved weddings.

"Hey love. you...wrote?"

It seemed like it had been some time since she had had the luxury of visiting her husband's forge, and it was strange to enter it now, when nothing was going on. It was a rather desolate place, cold and dreary when it lacked the heat of the forge itself, or the spark of metal on metal.

At first she thought the place was empty, then spied Hephaestus sitting near a work bench, idly glaring at what she could only assume was once a work in progress. What was it with men and the sulking over this thing?

"Well, aren't you looking glum."

"I can not work."

"Well... luckily, no one else is doing much either, so there is little need for arrows and such."

"But there is a need to make things. And I can not do that."

"And how about your new found throne?"

"I think we both know I was not made for such things."

"So why did you do it with us?"

"You needed a Third. And I desired materials. I fooled myself into thinking it would be fine, but now..."

"Now?"

"I dislike fighting. You say Hades has escaped, and so there will be fighting."

She shrugged lightly, absently fingering a bit of filigreed metalwork that looked like it was destined for something lovely, but now forgotten. "There doesn't have to be." She leaned back against the work bench and watched him, making a point to keep her distance. She wanted to see first if he'd even need coercion.

"No fighting? That is unlikely, Aphrodite."

"There's only fighting if you want to hold on to it. You don't seem that enthralled with the Throne."

"And my other option is to just hand it back over to Hades with an apology?"

"Why not? Hephaestus... you don't want it. Why fight to keep it?"

"It is a matter of honor."

"Forget honor. Selfishness was never something you shied from."

"It is tempting. What of you and Ares?"

"What of us? We'll be fine. Ares is not my concern or yours, and I do not think I will have to fight too hard to keep my position. They may not like it much, But at the least I've shown I'm capable."

"He is my brother."

"Then help him keep what he has, Heph. I do not care. Are you going to fight for your throne or not?"

"I do not wish to. But I can hardly just hand it over with an apology."

"Forget the apology. Let me handle it. I'll even get you access to your metals or what not."

"And you think you'll get Hades to go for it?"

She just smirked lightly and pushed away from the table, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Honey... I get what I want."

"I do not think I wish details of your methodology. But it will be appreciated."

"Don't worry.. I'll take care of it. Someone needs to get things done around here."

She kissed his other cheek, then stood, moving toward the exit, leaving Hephaestus stewing over how she planned on accomplishing the task... sometimes, it was all so easy.

Never once during the trip from Aphrodite's to the bed at Anteros' did Psyche even make a peep. The stress of the day had caught up to her and she was exhausted. It wasn't until several hours later that she was awoken by the sun streaming into the window near the bed she was tucked into.

Slowly, she sat up, groggy and confused. This wasn't Aphrodite's temple. The bed was comfortable and the sheets were crisp, but she'd never seen them before. Getting out of bed, she looked down and saw that she was still wearing the sweater and pants combo she'd changed into the night before, so it couldn't have been a dream. Spying a door, she poked her head out and looked around. Nope, did not look familiar at all.

Leaving the bedroom, she walked down the hall until she got to the first door she saw. She pushed it open.

"Hello?"

She just sighed, pausing outside the dor to her temple.

"Seriously, love...remind me of this if I ever decide the world needs a change that results in me having to be in charge of anything."

She shook her head and slipped back into the temple, leading Anteros back to the salon where Psyche and Morpheus were still... though it looked like one was asleep, and the other almost there. She eyed them both as she debated waking them, letting them sleep, or sending Anteros off with Psyche now, before she could argue.

Morpheus continued to walk the short distance to Dite's temple from Eros' and Psyche's place with Psyche. Off to see on the former goddess of love, the wonderful goddess of the Sea who just so happened to currently be it's Queen. He felt compelled to give her a can of Chicken of the Sea after seeing it in one of his mortal dreamer's memories. Poor Jessica Simpson couldn't figure out whether it was chicken or fish which he thought was hilarious since it was tuna.

Unfortunately giving her a can of Chicken of the Sea would mean conjuring it since he was no where near a grocery store and he was afraid since he wasn't accustomed to being a conjurer of real things that he might conjure something horrible instead of what he was aiming to conjure.

Still he swore when he got the chance he was going to send Dite a whole basket of Chicken of the Sea.

He looked at Psyche suspiciously after her inquiry about her. He abstained from answering the first question: "Yeah her. She who must not be named."

"Youse know I can't actually share the name with you? There is this whole Dreamer and Dream confidentiality clause that I actually authored in a binding contract after one of my siblings ratted someone out for something two thousand years back. It's hard enough for some deities to trust us, knowing what we know and can access."

War's temple: Section off from the dungeon.

Phobos was lying on his back against the soft red felt of his and Deimos's pool table. The image of his shirtless, lean, well toned frame lying there would have appeared seemingly serene and harmless if it weren't for what he was carelessly gazing upside down at.

There on the wall was a blood stained dart board hanging behind the pool table with something small, brown, and wriggling bound to the middle of the board. Three darts surrounded the hostage that formed the shape of a red triangle. Calmly Phobos seemed to aimlessly and effortlessly sling another dart while lying in this lethargic position in the direction of the board where within a fraction of a second after the dart was projected into the air and released from his fingers there was a shrill squeal from the mouse.

He had caught his son Thanatos in the hall on the way to an empty bedroom before he'd ended up finding Nyx downstairs where she'd told him that Styx was on the Mountain and he'd wanted to go for a visit.

"Who goes there," his voice had boomed!

Erebos had thought it might have been another one of his grandchildren passing by their mother's home which meant he might find a little bit of satisfaction in tormenting another because he was growing restless and bored with not being able to sleep.

Thanatos had paused his step and slowly turned around with a sullen expression plastered on his refined features. He really wished he could have avoided running into his father until he'd at least rested, "It's I, Thanatos, Sir."

Erebos had approached the other deity with caution and repulsion in each of his steps and observed the strange mortal look that his usually very ethereal child was donning with contempt.

He lifted a hand and had pinned thick locks of his son's hair back with his fingers so he could get a less obscured view of the face , "Ah! I see! You look---" he honestly didn't want to say "dreadful," but he didn't know how to be nice about it as his nose slightly curled.

Thanatos had frowned and looked down at his feet, "I was just going to find a bed to rest in Sir. I'm tired."

Erebos tsked, "By the looks of you, you really need it Spook."

He had jerked back his hand allowing Thanatos's hair to fall around his face as if Death was wearing an extra hood when his death robes were absent and tipped Thanatos's chin under his hand upward until Thanatos was looking at him again, "Go."

He had pulled his hand away and then turned away from his child when he impatiently stopped Thanatos' from proceeding to his bed yet again, "Wait! Spooky? Have you seen your mother?"

"She's downstairs," Thanatos had paused to answer, looking as if he was going to drop from exhaustion.

Erebos had wrung a hand toward Thanatos, "Okay. Shew! Off to bed with you."

And that is when Erebos had meet his wife downstairs and been informed that Styx was also on the Mountain.

"We must visit her at once! Did you see Thanatos? He looked terrible."

Andy thought it felt kind of weird and surreal to be back at his dad's place. After he washed the blood off his face and regretted he couldn't wash away the bruises or the experience altogether he looked around the room he'd been set up in. It was roomy enough; there was a four poster bed, a full length mirror near a balcony, a dresser with empty drawers and there was plenty of shelving in which to place various things of his liking.

He decided if he was going to be staying for awhile he needed to spice it up; make it his own.

He walked over to the empty closet and pulled back the closet's sliding door to give it a good look, viewing whether there was enough space inside for most of his things. When he turned away from it, it was full of his clothes, shoes, boxes of hats and scarfs. The drawers opened and were filled with belongings with another thought and then shut. He walked to the center of the room and conjured a computer desk and chair in what had been an empty corner as the shelves filled themselves with an assortment of things he liked: books, dvds, cds, beanie babies, and a collection of Final Fantasy dolls.

The walls were covered in framed posters. There was a Van Gogh poster of Starry Night, Warhol's 1964 Marilyn and Ingrid in a hat. Band related posters also adorned the walls; there was Placebo, London After Midnight, My Bloody Valentine, Blonde Redhead and a black and white poster of Kurt Cobain.

Andy smiled and walked outside on the balcony where he conjured a table with an umbrella and two chairs. It would be a great place to read.

She shouldn't feel guilty... She had left a note. Sure, he couldn't read it... But she knew Selene would be able to. And chances were good she'd be back before sunrise, anyhow. She just needed to go... out. Be with people. Problem was... none of her usual haunts would work. But comedy.... comedy would work.

She slipped into the comedy club rather unobtrusively, eying the stage as she waited for the next act and finding a place at a table. She took a seat, waiting for a bit while waiting for the waitress to come by. She wasn't sure how long she'd be able to handle this, really... but at least there were people to inspire...

"... We're being nice because I said so, and I'll kick your ass if you're not?"

She smirked lightly at her sister.

"She's not really dumb, just... not all there. We were in a box for a few decades, right? She was a dead snake for over 4000 years. It has to affect the brain. But she makes Neikos happy, and that's the important part, right?"

Besides... it was imperitive to her little plan... if she ever remembered to focus on her plan when talking to those involved, however knowingly... instead of choosing to forgo all rational thought like she'd been doing lately.

"Mmm... Gossip. Limos growled at the terror twins a lot. Momos slapped Aphrodite on the ass, and got his hand fireballed. A muse apparently stole Artemis' beau out from under her nose... and it seemed in retaliation, Artemis has decided to no longer be a virgin huntress. Apollo tried to pin everything on Hermes... and Eris was a groupie."

She paused a moment as she watched Hades leave before reentering the room that held her son... and it seemed, only her son.

"Ahh... did Psyche leave?"

Not that she was that surprised, really... or even all that concerned. While the whole leaving when she asked them to stay thing was a tad annoying, it left her to talk to her son alone, which she appreciated. She closed the door behind her and stepped over to Anteros, curling fingers to lift his chin a bit, and leaned her brow against his for a moment.

"I'm sorry, love. Seems I'm always getting pulled away. Minor crisis... then interesting guest. But now I'm yours."

She released his chin and took a seat beside him, idly running her hands along his back as she looked at him.

Hades: Hades swept through Love's temple, a skittish attendant guiding him to a sitting area to await the arrival of his brother's replacement. Hmm. Maybe it was stereotype talking, but he'd expected something a little more...pink. This place wasn't nearly as offensive to his over-sensitive senses as he'd assumed it would be.
Aphrodite: She had just returned from putting out the fire that was her youngest child's mishap, about to return to Anteros when an attendant told her she had a guest. She was content to tell them to wait, until she was told the name of who it was that was visiting her. She nodded to the servant, ordering wine and fruit to be brought in, and instead headed to the salon he was waiting in, opening the doors quietly. "Hades..."
Hades: "Aphrodite," he said, giving her a small nod.
Hades: "Or should that be Queen?"
Aphrodite: "Have you become a denizen of the sea, Hades?"
Aphrodite: She stepped in and let the door close, offering him a curious smile. "I can't say you're an expected guest."
Hades: He smirked. "Not quite."
Hades: "I can imagine I'm not, but I'm here nonetheless."
Aphrodite: "Make yourself comfortable." She lowered herself onto one of the chaises, motioning him towards another seat. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Hades: He sat down across from her. "Business. "
Aphrodite: "Ahh... Not pleasure at all." She paused as the door opened, an attendant silently bringing in a tray of wine and fruit, waiting til they were once more alone to speak. "Why don't you lay out for me what you're here to discuss?"
Hades: "Simply that I want my kingdom returned to me. I understand why it was taken away, very clever I must say, but I would like it back."
Aphrodite: "An understandable request... But I don't have your kingdom, Hades."
Hades: "I'm aware of that. However, being...temporarily unwelcome there, I cannot make that request to its current sovereign."
Aphrodite: "Have you tried his temple here? He's probably in residence. Or are you asking me to intervene?"
Hades: "I might be."
Hades: "I have been told there was a meeting about the switch. A meeting that you held."
Aphrodite: "There was. If I was aware you were around, I would have sent an invitation."
Hades: "Isn't that the job of the sky god?"
Hades: "I don't recall Poseidon ever taking such an interest in Zeus' affairs."
Aphrodite: "Why? The sky is not the only place affected, Hades. All three realms were. And the change has affected some more than others. It seemed in the best interest of all to not quibble about responsibility, and to simply do what needed to be done. I think you'll find, Hades, if you were already unaware... I am not Poseidon."
Hades: "You aren't. And you make a good point. But since all three realms were affected, what's there to quibble over? The responsibility is shared. What did the other two regents contribute to your meeting?"
Aphrodite: "I believe that would be between myself and them, don't you? Do you think you would have done things differently, then?"
Hades: "Perhaps. If I had been in power."
Aphrodite: "Ahh.. .but were yourself and your brothers in power, would it have happened in the first place? Probably not." She smiled, reaching forward to take a bunch of grapes, plucking one lightly into her mouth and taking a moment before speaking. " So you wish your throne back... As I said, understandable. I have to admit to being a bit surprised that you're hear talking to me, and not just... planning to take it back with force. Are you looking for a non-violent return? And if so, are you thinking I will be of assistance?"
Hades: "Good point," he replied. Hades' hand dipped into the bowl and hovered over a pomegranate for a moment, then moved to pick up an apple. "I want my kingdom back, and mine alone. If I wanted all three, violence would be the better choice...but I don't. Making enemies of those presiding over the sea and the sky would only hinder me."
Hades: "I think you could be of assistance, yes. You organised the meeting on Olympus. You were the only regent on Othrys when Cronus made his return. Circumstantial, I know, but for someone who has no need to fill Zeus' shoes, you do a good job of it."
Aphrodite: "Compliments... I'll take them with pleasure, Thank you. You know your realm is currently held by my husband. I'm sure you can see the advantage there, both in me helping you, and in him keeping the throne. You say you're only interested in your own realm... how can I be sure you don't wish to then avenge your brothers?"
Hades: "At this point you can't be. Should I regain my crown, I'd still be outnumbered. While my subjects are loyal and greater in number, Olympus has more power." He turned the apple over in his fingers. "But if you want me to swear on the Styx, so be it. You can take my brothers realms with pleasure, the only thing I want is the Underworld."
Aphrodite: She laughed softly. "Styx hates me with a passion and fervor that goes far beyond the normal range of duties entrusted to a goddess of Hate. I'm sure Any oath made to me on the matter of maintaining my Crown would be fairly simple to work out of. So not to be mercenary, Hades... but what's in it for me?" She fingered another grape for a moment before sliding it into her mouth, thinking over the possibilities... with Heph in control, She had more influence to achieve her goals... With Hades in control, there'
Aphrodite: d be less to worry about. It was an interesting idea, at the least.
Hades: "Hephaestus doesn't have my influence. He may wear my crown, govern my realm and rule my subjects, but they aren't loyal to him. Styx, as you've mentioned, does hate you, but she doesn't hate me. My word goes, regardless of whether she grits her teeth over it or not. And she isn't the only one..."
Hades: "If you want to continue your reign in relative peace and concordance, restoring mine would secure that."
Aphrodite: "Do you think I didn't plan that far ahead? I'm not new to gaining influence... for myself or others. Granted, your return would make it a bit harder. And I'll admit Hephaestus is perhaps not the ruler you are. But he's not here, and you're asking me. What do I gain, Hades? If I use my influence on my spouse and convince him to relinquish something he worked for?"
Hades: "My return could make it a lot harder," he replied with a smirk. "If you want the loyalty of the Underworld, I can give it to you on a plate. You wouldn't have to win over any of my subjects. Your husband has trust on his side, but as you said, he isn't me. I can run a much tighter ship, I have done for millennia."
Hades: "I could change my mind on all of this, quite easily...but so could you. I have no guarantee that you couldn't or wouldn't remove me from power. You've done it once before, you could do it again."
Hades: "Taking that into consideration, I have no real position to challenge you once reinstated."
Aphrodite: "You're offering me logic... which I can't really refute. I don't wish to be at war with the Underworld, no matter who is the ruler. Realize, Hades... your removal wasn't personal. Just necessary at the time." She smiled lightly. "I like that you're not trying to flatter me into it. And between you and me, I think you've a much better position to rule from then Hephaestus. But I do not think he'll want to simply hand it over."
Hades: "Had you left Poseidon and I in power, we would have challenged you, there's no doubt about that. Your motivations for removing me are understandable. As for flattery, I've seen it often enough to know it's a waste of breath."
Hades: "It's a lot of power to give back. Considering the dearth of materials he has access to at this time, I cannot see why a smith would give it up with ease."
Aphrodite: "Perhaps a compromise, then. You want your throne. Hephaestus is happiest in his forge. Allow him access to the metals and materials he craves."
Aphrodite: She laughed lightly, thinking Hades was perhaps the first to ever think flattering Love was a waste of breath. "Let me offer him that, and I shall see what I can do."
Hades: Hades gave a nod. "A small price to pay for my kingdom."
Aphrodite: She nodded slowly... given her latest dealings with her lover (former lover) and her spouse, it seemed on the surface at least the best alternative... one she had already considered. She hadn't expected it to come to her so easily, however. " There are going to be changes, Hades. There will need to be. Do you think we'll be able to work together?"
Hades: "I worked with Zeus. I would be surprised if you did worse with your given lot."
Aphrodite: "I suppose not being Zeus is the one thing I have going for me... Or that Ares has going for him." She nodded again. "I will talk to Hephaestus. Offer him the mining rights, and with a bit of persuasion, I am confident I can get him to see the logic in my words. I will ask for time, however. It seems I'm quite in demand these days. But I will make it a priority."
Aphrodite: "Of course... I do not think return of your crown will get you back to your home before the switch..."
Hades: "Time is in short supply for a monarch, I'm aware."
Hades: "The god of the living has no place in the land of the dead. I noticed that on my last visit."
Aphrodite: "Thanatos is suffering the same, as I'm sure you're aware." Her smile turned a bit apologetic. "There's a solution in sight. Though I'm sure it won't be quite over then... the rest can wait until people are themselves."
Hades: "Yes, I've heard about the solution," he said, frowning a little in concern. Getting help from Cronus didn't sit well with him. The old goat had to want something in return for being able to reverse the spell. "Thanatos is also trying to figure out the mistake. Mostly for his own sanity, I suspect."
Aphrodite: "Have you? I was unaware I'd shared it fully with anyone yet. But then it's so hard to keep anything to oneself around here... everything eventually trickles through the grapevine. Once I speak to Hephaestus, where shall I find you to deliver any information I've obtained?"
Hades: "Then you should be careful who you entrust the information to. Cronus has a big mouth." And wasn't Hades well aware of that? "As for where I'll be? Try my brother's former residence."
Aphrodite: "He does indeed... But he doesn't know all that he thinks he knows. Which works just fine. Very well... give me two days. I will speak with Hephaestus."
Hades: Hades quirked a brow, but remained silent. interesting. "In that case, I believe our business is done."
Aphrodite: She unfolded her legs and stood up, Holding out her hand. "It's been interesting. And a pleasure."
Hades: "Indeed." He got to his feet and closed his hand over Love's, giving it one single, firm shake.
Aphrodite: She walked him toward the door, opening it and leading him out into the main hall. "I've kept others waiting. I trust you can find your way out. "
Hades: "I can." With that, he left Aphrodite's home, heading back towards his brother's palace.

Thanatos hurried down the stone stair descending from Zeus's palace, fleeing from Hades and Styx and the nasty mental images his mind had conjured up in their presences. He still did not understand why this bothered him so, but he felt sort of ill to his stomach over it nonetheless.

He felt back inside of his coat's pocket, gaining some comfort as his fingers grazed the cool glass like surface of the memory orb within. He needed to watch this, write down what was seen and heard from observing it and learn from it. He was glad he'd not tried to do this while in the company of those he had just left. It would give him something to do, distract him from undesirable thoughts and feelings.

Before long they would all be back to their natural selves at the New Moon as Aphrodite had stated. A return to indifference toward things like love and sex would make him stout hearted again, as opposed to this wilting flower he'd suddenly found himself.

He continued on the way to Eris's temple and halfway there stopped to observe some wildflowers that were freely growing outside of any one deities property on Olympus. Briefly he wondered if Eris would like some freshly picked flowers to put in one of her vases and proceeded to pluck a few of them, finding it quaintly satisfying to spare a few growing there.

Fifteen minutes later he opened a door and walked inside of Eris's temple when he immediately noticed some grotesque monstrosity of a sculpture that he recognized from his childhood. He idly wondered what that was doing here and how he could have missed it the last time he was there?

However, feing strangely sleepy from his walk from Zeus's temple to this one he did not concern himself with it. He proceeded to look for an empty vase for the blue irises and red poppies, filling the vase halfway with water before arranging the flowers in the vase that he left on the kitchen table.

He wandered into a dim sitting room where he soon found himself curled up on one of the sofas and sound asleep on his side with a blanket of his thick hair falling over his closed eyes.

Hori did his messenger thing. He went to Strife and Limos and told them about the party. Limos, as expected, scoffed and said no...before looking thoughtful for a moment and saying 'yes' instead. And with that Limos had agreed to catch up to all the siblings that Hori was likely to never survive, not that Famine seemed concerned for his brother's welfare. It seemed more like he had something up his sleeve.

Ate hadn't been home when Hori came by, thus he had left a note. Telling her he was looking for her. Smiling.

And that was how he ended up in Vegas, leaning back in a pew, with his feet balanced gracefully on the seats before him. The couple was taking their vows, making oaths to always be with each other and yet the groom kept stealing glances back at Hori.

To have and to hold, till death do us part.

And then eyes of desire boring down. Closest gay? Or was it that Hori's...er...whatever, was just pulling at that potential? Or was it just speeding up the inevitable. Curious.

So he waited, making sure the fellow knew exactly where he was as he watched couple after couple make oaths that they ran away to break almost immediately.

"Hi," a voice said in his ear. "You waited..."

Glancing back, Hori looked at the guy through long locks of hair, his fingerless-gloved hands resting gently over his stomach.

"For you? Oh yes...I was waiting for you. Just for you." He smiled before sweeping up to his feet and looking at the guy. "Just married and already cheating. Amirable."

The guy started to explain it all away as he followed Hori to the lift, and then as they went up and up, he kept talking. Eventually he stopped, and tried reaching out to touch the god. But Hori ignored him, leading the way to a room that he'd 'acquired' magically. then he lef the way out onto the balcony....

Smiling.

By the time the police and the ambulance picked up the pieces of the newly wed Groom, Hori was standing on the ledge of a different hotel, looking down at the scene. There was something about the fool's death that was unsatisfying. But he couldn't name what it was.

She left the Underworld the same way she had come, transporting herself from the courtyard to her temple, directly back into her temple, making her way quickly through the halls back toward her chambers, both surprised and impressed with herself for not running into any others on her way back. She smiled as she spied the still sleeping form of Apollo in her bed, and moved to sit on the edge of the matress, fingers lightly stroking across the smooth skin of his shoulder.

She shucked her shoes, curling lightly beside him as she waited for him to awake.

There was nothing in all of Olympus that would have kept Psyche at Aphrodite's temple while she was gone. No way was she sticking around to not only be alone with Anteros...again, but then with both of them. Ten minutes was quite enough of that.

She had planned on going to Peitho's, but something in her drove her home instead. Once there she looked around and realized that she didn't want to be there. Not alone at least, anymore.

Concentrating as hard as she could she focused on her husband wherever he was.

"Eros? I've had an extremely bad couple of days. Anteros yelled at me in front of everyone. Morpheus annoyed me enough that I yelled at him, and according to Anteros, I'll probably have bad dreams forever now. I've had a headache the size of Olympus and you have been no where to be found. If you don't come home right now? I'm leaving. I'm taking myself off to visit all those places I've been dreaming about for forever. I don't care if you're hate or wrath or whatever. Just come home. You have a hour before I go."

With that she began to clean up the temple and pack some essentials.

Apollo was asleep, and it was really no wonder... he'd had a rough day, and a rather active night. A lovely, incredible active night. And for some reason, she was unable to sleep...though she was content to blame this on her parents for now. She had committed to this party, and had told Hori she'd take care of everything here... And it seemed like there was no time like the present.

She could feel various people in her temple, and threw a ward up around her chambers to keep them from entering - last thing she needed was her father coming in and finding Apollo there while she was gone. Making sure she was looking her best (She'd need every bit of confidence boost she could conjure) she teleported out of her temple, to a courtyard in the Underworld. It had been..... eons since she'd been there, and it took a few moments for her to get her bearings. And her courage. She could probably have gotten Thanatos to do this... but he hadn't been back to her temple yet.. maybe he knew who was there.

Once she got a hold of a sense of direction, she made her way a short walk toward her brother's temple, finding the place mostly unchanged since she'd last been here. She almost walked right in, forgetting for a second that her days of free access were most likely over long long ago. Instead she knocked, waiting impatiently until the door was opened, offering a simple smile.

"Eris to see Momos..."

With luck, she'd have this over with before Apollo awoke....

Dusk hit and Selene sighed in relief. This long, long day was finally finished.

She guided her horses home and began the process of stabling them, cherishing the time she had with them after being away from them for so long throughout the day.

Cooed words were whispered to them as she brushed them down and prepared them for night.

It was good to finally be home.

Demeter had deserted her temple on Olympus. Persephone was not to be found there either.

Demeter may have preferred to go somewhere desolate and barren to spare life and not hinder the regrowth that spring ushered in. Thanatos searched a few different such places on earth before he finally found her in an oddly flourishing desert where he was greeted by a desert nymph who was cursing the day she saw Famine. She was none to friendly to Thanatos either, demanding to know who else was going to come into her desert home bringing so much of the green of life? He assured her he was not there to touch or change anything and that he'd came to give a message to Demeter's daughter Persephone. The nymph lead him to rock formation that with a little bit of imagination upon viewing it resembled Demeter's temple on Olympus. It was there he saw Queen Persephone sitting at what looked like a stone picnic table outside of the temple.

He approached her and kneeled, taking her offered hand, "Fair lady, I bring you good tidings. Lord Hades lives and has plans to restore the two of you to your thrones. He has bid me to tell you that when the time comes he will send for you."

After relaying Hades' message he did not stay long feeling uncomfortable when Demeter joined the two of them at the outdoors table, but returned to Olympus with the token Persephone had bid him to bring back to Hades.

He entered the temple...

( Hades And Cronus Chit Chat )

( Read more... )

                A swirl of smoke rose lazily, drifting up towards the ceiling.  Cronus, laying down flat on the bed, watched the wisp deteriorate, his thoughts wandering.  “I’d forgotten so much, but I never thought I’d forgotten this…”  He smiled wanly.  His wife, Rhea, made a small sound, almost mouse-like, in agreement.  She was next to him, lying on her stomach, her right arm cast limply across his bare chest.  He could feel she was cold.

“There is great unrest on Zeus’ mountain, darling.  Our children, it seems, have been at war.  Aphrodite herself told me so.”  Cronus took another drag on his cigarette; a newly acquired habit picked up on a recent trip to the land of the mortals.  He tapped the white stick gently, causing the growing ash to tumble to the floor.  “Evidently Apollo’s been a naughty boy, casting spells.  Mother always told me of the danger of casting spells.  Gaia was the only one who ever seemed to get them right, as you well know…”  Not turning to look at her, his right hand came to rest on her forearm, stroking it idly.  His fingers were still slick and wet.

“I have the spell, read it carefully.  It is a powerful thing, obviously not one Apollo wrote himself.  Our children are at a loss to repair the damage.  Even Aphrodite is flummoxed, but I know how to fix it.  I couldn’t have hoped for a better way back into their good graces.”

Rhea murmured something barely intelligible.  “No dear, I’ve no designs on their little mountain.  Othrys is my home – it always has been.  No, I’ve something else entirely in mind.”  He licked his lips, a slight tingling hint of sweet copper his reward.  “They need my guidance now, more than ever.  I will give it to them.”

The wet, warm sheets had begun to get stiff and cold.  Cronus gently slid Rhea’s arm off his chest and got up, sticking the cigarette into the corner of his mouth.  Rivulets of crimson ran languidly down the edge of the bed, collecting in tiny pools.  He was careful to avoid stepping in the congealing fluid as he reached for his robe.  “Much time has passed, too much.  I wish I could have been here for you, all those years alone on this mountain. “  He turned to look at Rhea, her back rising in a shallow, rhythmic fashion, tracts of her skin purple and masticated.  He smiled, menacing glint lighting up his eyes.  “But don’t worry.  I’ll not be leaving you again.”

Cronus tied his robe and left the room.  He would give her a few days to recuperate.

 

The desert had been excellent. Better than excellent! It was green and refreshing and simply...jovial. He'd done all he could with it, a nymph launching herself at him screaming when she finally caught up to him.

Demeter was displeased, and that fact right there was enough to make his day a few centuries over.

Deciding to return to New York, he cursed under his breath when realizing that his Blackberry was currently perched on Hori's bedside table. And little Horikins was bound to not think of bringing it to him, thus Limos was forced to return to his mother's home. But upon entering he noticed something...odd.

"What the hell is that?" He muttered allowed, walking past the statue. Shaking his head he mounted the stairs lightly, before noticing the brightness coming out of one of rooms. "Natural sunlamp....or....the Sun come to visit?" Though why his mother would have a Titan in her home was beyond him.

( Family reunions all of the place.... Cronus and Aphrodite. )

Anteros with Adonis on a lead, parted from Flidais' beautiful Bantry Bay manor where he had stayed a few days after Ate had left he and Flidais. He wished he wouldn't have worried the entire time, but he had put it off long enough and stopped off at two shops in London to pick up a gift for his mother before winding up back on Olympus.

He carry a plastic shopping bag from Dolce & Gabbana that had a box of silver diamond strapped heels accompanying a second box that just so happened to be a box of Lindt assorted truffles.


Adonis had never been on Mount Olympus before and was pulling at his lead somewhat overwhelmed by the newness of the place. "No, no...This way. My mum's temple is this way."

Gods.. .She was really starting to hate this forced vacation. Sure, technically, she could work, but honestly she knew fuckall about good, wholesome decisions when it came to love or attraction... Or anything else for that matter as evidenced by her recent actions. She was ruin, not salvation. Her new plan, since working had proven a bust and her soaps were unwatchable (she knew it was bad the moment she started hoping for relationships to work out, and seemed to lose her taste fro the convoluted and contrived goings on of her favourite town of Salem...) was to sit in the hot tub for the next... year or so, or until she was back to normal.

Until everything was back to normal. It wasn't that she was avoiding things, really... just staying well out of the way. In the hot tub, with nothing to do, she had all the time in the world to be annoyed at herself for recent behaviour. She couldn't bring herself to regret anything... far from it, really.. but a part of her might have perhaps regretted that it was doomed to be only a momentary blip on her radar of control. If she thought about it, she realized the analogy really didn't fit, but... thinking was not what hot tubs and wine were for.

What annoyed her, really... was the idea of wanting it to be more. Or just wanting moer in geneneral, and wasn't that just proof that she was best off staying away from such things? She knew they weren't for her. Had always known that. And really, did it matter? One roll in the hay did not equal potential... whatever. Besides, it was Momos she was thinking about (Why was she doing that?) and he was one of the biggest skirt chasers she knew. He got what he wanted, right? And so had she. She'd done as promised and stayed until breakfast time (Or the time normal people who didn't spend all night out and about ate breakfast) so why was she feeling guilt over the whole thing? She sincerely doubted he was caring one way or the other.

Bah... she was annoying herself Just thinking about how annoying it all was.

Anteros was away, Adonis was with him... She had an entire house to herself and two bottles of wine. If she had her way, she wasn't leaving the hot tub for anything.

She didn't like the bed.

It wasn't a bad bed, as far as she could tell, but it wasn't her bed, and so it just wasn't working the way it should It didn't help that she was nocturnal by nature... but as much as the brightness was disturbing during waking hours, it made it impossible to sleep... as well as something inside her insisting Day needed to be Diurnal. Normally, she had the comforting blanket of Reb's darkness to make daytime palatable and sleep possible, but that wasn't possible now. Not that she blamed him, of course... that lay firmly on the shoulders of Apollo.

It also didn't help that she had other thoughts trawling through her brain that refused to cease. She had known, of course, Eris and Reb would fight. Had expected it, and even looked forward to it. Eris had been born ornery and argumentative, and Reb had always taken a perverse pleasure in baiting her. It hadn't always been so malicious... She remembered her youngest as a mostly pleasant child. Still, the idea that Eris apparently was still hooked on Apollo (And what had he done to make it that way?) was disturbing, as was this talk of abandonment and giving up on her... It was preposterous. Eris had been the one to leave for Olympus, and no one had ever understood that choice. She may try to avoid certain children (thank goodness Hemera and Aither were the self-sufficient types) but she had never abandoned a single one of them. Perhaps Eris was just a needier child? She wasn't sure there was anything to be done about it at that point.

And nothing was changing the fact that she did not like the bed.

She was quiet as she slid out, moving to a chair that sat near the window... where there was night. Her night. And darkness... at least a mild form of it. Sleep didn't seem to be coming... She wasn't sure what fate must have befallen Hypnos. She was going to be particularly displeased if all the hoopla everyone was going on about was going to permanently affect her and hers...

Hori waited standing wide-eyed and silent as he mouthed silent protest to his grandfather's harsh words to Eris. And then her own confession? His heart sank a little as he frowned, looking on to his mother silently for a long moment. Waiting for his grandparents to leave.

"I don't think you messed everything up." He said quietly after a while, moving closer to his mother with a sympathetic smile. "And I don't think Sunshine is all that arrogant. Not when it comes to you..." Hori did have a knack for hearing a lie in someone's words, and that was something he had never heard from Apollo's lips. At least with Moms concerned.

Reaching out, Oath took his mother's hand and squeezed it lightly. "Ate, Gramps, Grams, everyone out there that wasn't around here, they don't really know." Alright, so Ate did, but still...this was about cheering Moms up. "They didn't get to see it all, did they?"

For a moment, Hori wished he could make his Grandparents really understand. Not that it was going to happen. Mortals thought changing a sixty year old's mind was heard...try sixty billion year olds.

Eris smirked as Kia left... Naked hula dancing? Not very likely. Luckily, there was little to no chance of that being required. She did look forward showing Apollo her newest bit of art... he was fond of art. She was worried about him, that she hadn't heard from him yet. Still, she was unwilling to go to his temple, knowing he'd know where to find her. She could only hope that if he was hurt, she'd come here, and not go to his sisters. There was little to do but wait.

Sighing lightly she took a seat on a chaise, fighting the automatic urge to take a nap. It was funny... she actually was starting to miss the idea ofpeople being around.

Hermes awoke with a start, Peitho stirring a little beside him as the Messenger god frowned. There was something in the air that he had not expected, but he could not name it either. It was...discomforting though. Sliding out of his bed, he felt more refreshed, but still slow. How could a god be turned on his head like that? Heh. Hekate, he imagined, had leant her hand to the who mess in some fashion or another, though he was not the one to go pointing fingers.

Dressing, he moved out into the cool night air and sat on his temple steps. So quiet, so different. In all his life he had never thought to unseat his father from his kingdom, but now he sat in a world he had, truly, helped change. And while the idea of change should have hardly been regretted by him, a god who stood at the very forefront of change itself, he was plagued deep within by private misgivings. A private guilt.

His father was gone, and his mother was still as private as ever. His brother was insane, Ares was...Ares, and his other siblings were simply...not themselves, or not there. There was a loneliness that settled about the messenger god, one that made him grieve for a father he had turned his back against.

Was loyal to a fault ever really loyal to begin with? And Apollo had done the very thing that Hermes himself should have done, they should have been reversed in their places.

Or maybe he was letting the recent events just get to him far too much.

Melpomene woke, finding herself alone, the spot next to her cold. It didn't seem late enough for Helios to be gone long enough for the bed to cool, but she assumed it had to do wwith being in a new location... time was different. Or felt different. Or something. And no doubt his sleep wasn't the best. It was a strange thing, really, to wake up in a place that wasn't Olympus, yet was still a temple... it wasn't like sleeping on the mortal plane, but it still felt different. Maybe it was the lack of siblings near by... For all that she often grumbled about her sisters, the lack of them near by was a bit overwhelming. She missed the knowledge of their everpresent proximity, which was strange... it rarely bothered her normally. It might have just been the whole... Apollo thing that was getting to her.

She slid out of bed, finding it a bit pathetic even for her to give into the urge to just stay in bed all night. The room around her made her smile... stuff everywhere. Everywhere. She set the room to clean itself, finding the need for at least a few paths and a lack of dust. She was still in her clothes from the dat before, sleep having only lasted a few hours, and made her way to more common areas of the temple, trying to remain quiet... Selene was most likely sleeping, if she were anything like her brother. She didn't feel right exploring the temple, as it wasn't her home... And Helios hadn't said it was ok. The idea of working was a joke... even if she was feeling the whole inspiring comedy vibe What they were inspiring these days was crap. She didn't have most of her stuff... or any of her stuff, and felt trepedatious about returning for it.
In short, she had no idea what to do with herself.

She stepped out into the courtyard in front of the temple, finding herself a bench to sit on and conjured up a sketchpad and some charcoal. It was quiet, it was still... she'd manage to distract herself somehow.

She offered her mother an injured look, one that was wasted on the older goddess asshe moved past them into the temple. She turned her attention to Strife, a brow raised in curiosity... still not sure what to think of what they just witnessed.

"We;;.. that rules out going home for a while. If she's going to see Daddy, chances are I'll be homeless by tomorrow. It'll go Kaboom..."

She leaned in, arm hugging around his waist as she grinned suddenly.

"Global thermonuclear war? Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta..."