Grecian Urn...

He staggered along the sidewalk toward Zeus' palace where Styx was staying and further away from his sister's garden party. He really didn't think he was drinking that much when he was watching Styx, Ate, and his father exchange words but he'd kept lifting the bottle to his lips. Truth was he would have felt a little bad for drinking all of the remains of Kia's bottle had he not felt so determined, but the more he'd drank of it the more determined he'd became to confront Styx for everything! He entered the palace...

"Styx!"

"Not at all. Not at all, niece."

She sniffed and looked down her nose at Ate.

"Simply that as a spawn of my sister, I doubt you know how to properly prepare anything, let alone how to wash your hands."

Oh, that felt good. Very, very good.

Girl? Did he seriously just refer to her as girl? She just smirked and offered a bit of a shrug.

"I do clean up nice every couple of years, I suppose. I trust you're finding everything ok?"

She was tempted to introduce herself, but didn't think it really worth the effort...

    All in all, She was rather dubious about the idea of family dinner. It wasn't that she didn't want to see people... She was rather fond of everyone she was related to. Her grandparents were quite lovely, so far as she was concerned, and she did have things she needed to discuss with certain  siblings.

    On the other hand... she had a finite, short amount of time with Morpheus, before everything got all messed up again. She wanted to be irrational, and think up all sorts of ways to avoid what was going to happen... but she voiced none of them. She wasn't even sure he'd want that, if it was possible... and wasting time on theories and ideas seemed... well, a waste.

    She paused in front of her mothers house and listened, hearing the sounds from the back, and turned to face him, offering a smile.

    "It sounds like everyone's in the back. Sure you want to go? We don't have to..."

She was in the kitchen, finishing a few final touches on dinner as she heard the door swing open.

"I know I'm not dressed yet..."

She looked up, a grin forming a she saw it was Kia, and not Eris as expected.

"Ahh... it's you. Disregard that. You early?"

“I was hoping for a nice sit down dinner…”

“Well, Eris, You are rather certifiable.”

“Cheeky. That's no way to talk to your mother."

Ate laughed, and looked at Eris. “Oh, right… like any sane person would want to figure out the seating arrangements for this dinner, if they were hoping to avoid bloodshed? We’re doing a buffet. Listen to your caterer.”

“Caterer?”

“Mmm. You’ll get my bill. You’re sure you want to unleash this sort of crazy?”

“I just want everyone to get along.”

“You invited the wrong family for that.”

Eris lifted a brow at her daughter’s retort, and shook her head. “You're a horrible daughter. So, here in the garden, you think?”

Ate glanced around her mother’s garden, and smirked as she nodded. “You’ve got what... Venus fly traps, yellow trumpets, cobra lilies, hemlock, belladonna, fox glove, white oleander… I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to dine amidst the carnivorous and poisonous, but it’s not like you can uninvite the family now, is it?”

“You’re in a foul mood.”

“Gee. Considering I’ve been shanghaied into cooking for a dinner I don’t want to be at for people I don’t want to see in a place where I’ve been officially banned… and the easiest bit since it all has been convincing Hori that Curry with Sprinkles really wasn’t the thing to make… Yeah. I’m in a mood.”

“Bah. Away with you.”

Eris shoo’ed Ate toward the kitchen, and surveyed the garden. Ate did have a point… there was a lot less that needed doing if they were going to have it out here. She manifested some bistro chairs in various groupies around the garden paths, as well as some wrought iron chairs, and watched contently as a string of Chinese paper lanterns hung themselves along the privacy hedges and over the garden. Rather then candles, each one produced an orb of darkness – her parents would be bright enough for anyone.

Along the side of the temple near the kitchens she conjured a long buffet table, then moved it toward the pool, Thwarting any plan Ate might have of hiding in the kitchen all night. If forcing your child to mingle with relatives at a family party wasn’t part of parenting, she didn’t know what was. Pleased with the way the garden looked, she moved toward the kitchen, watching as Ate did her thing.

“Need help?”

“I’m good.”

“What have you made?”

“Fried chicken, baked ziti, potato salad, ceasar salad, pasta salad, Shish kebab… plus crudités and an olive tray for starters, and for dessert, svinghi and kataifi.”

“Impressive.”

“Eh. You taught me how to make most of it…”

“Ahh.. and that school in France had nothing to do with it?” Eris smiled as she saw the look on Ate’s face. “You didn’t think I knew about that.”

“Didn’t think you’d care.”

“I pay more attention than you think.”

“Any attention is generally more than I think.”

“Am I really that horrid?”

“Eris… I have a lot of stuff to do. Won’t people be here any minute?”

“So that’s a yes.”

“No, it’s… no. You weren’t. We don’t have time for this conversation right now.”

“Your sister thinks this is a good time to bury the hatchet.”

“There is no hatchet. We’re never going to have some deep mother/daughter bond you seem to want lately.”

“But we could be friendlier. We could both probably benefit from that.”

“Probably. You’re beating around the bush about something… spit it out.”

“I’ll spit it out if you tell me why you’re in such a bitchy mood.”

“Will it get you to leave my kitchen? Fine.”

“My kitchen… but yes. Very well… Apollo’s asked me to marry him. I told him we needed to talk to family first.. especially Elpis. But I’d like it if the rest of you were ok with it.” She canted her head as she watched her eldest’s reaction, a bit surprised at the total lack of response. “ Your turn.”

“The only thing bothering me currently is the fact that I’m going to have very little time to get changed.”

Eris frowned, a bit perturbed at the reaction, or lack there of, and was about to argue it a bit when she heard something in the front of the temple, indicating someone had actually arrived on time.

“Yes.. do change first. I’m going to see who’s here. Yell if you need anything…”

She swept out of the kitchen, leaving Ate to finish whatever it was she was doing with various bowls and trays, making her way to the main hall, a smirk growing slowly across her lips. Oh, her parents were going to just love this… she knew it.

"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?"

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.

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?"

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."

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...

With the meeting over, Hades disappeared from Mount Othrys, returning to Olympus where he'd been before the pull. He crossed the courtyard with a swift gait, heading for Zeus' temple. It wasn't like his brother really needed it now.

And if there was anyone was left inside...tough. He had more right to be there than they did. Besides, where else could he go? His Underworld was no longer his, and even if it had been, he couldn't stay. Not as long as he was God of the Living.

Hades didn't want to think of what had happened to his other titles.

Pushing the doors open, he headed inside, trying to get his bearings as he wandered wide, opulent corridors with marble floors. He missed having an Underworld.

Finding a semi-decent (in his view) sitting area, Hades threw himself down on an upholstered chair and began to reflect on his...rather ineloquent comeback.

It was an insistent tug that pulled at those old enough to remember... the strongest felt to those closest to Othrys. Rhea had felt it days ago, pulling her out of the reclusive home she'd kept herself in since the rise of her children. It was an insistent tug that pulled at those old enough to remember... the strongest felt to those closest to Othrys. Rhea had felt it days ago, pulling her out of the reclusive home she'd kept herself in since the rise of her children.

She knew, you see... she knew something was coming, and it could only be him. She'd been waiting... though the portents and omens all pointed to doom... doom for someone, at least. It tugged at them, this force, like a magnet pulling back those that would remember, who'd understand what this meant... and what it could mean for the future.

( Othrys looked like liked the shadowed forbearer of Olympus that it was... decrepit, run down.... a mountain of temples sitting in ruins. One would expect more of the flora and fauna to have taken it back, but there was something that kept out all but the most stubborn, as if Gaia kept this place the way it was, so much a she was able. )

Shortly after Thanatos had left for his meeting, Styx had grown restless. She'd tried drinking more wine, reading a book and just relaxing, but nothing worked. Her skin began to feel tight and flushed. Clothes suddenly seemed to be a hindrance. There was no doubt in her mind what was happening to her. She’d been married, she knew what desire was, but this, however was just unacceptable to her. There was a time and place and this was not it!

When the temple began to feel stale, she opened the door for some air and the sight that greeted her, made her recoil in shock. The shades wrapped around one another, copulating in a mad rush like the human animals they once were. She shut the door before they spotted her and flocked around her again. It seemed she wasn't just love, she was lust and it was affecting everything around her. She began to pace, excess energy radiating from her like sunshine. Suddenly, the desire that had been building in her came to a head, creating a fire that desperately needed to be banked. She needed to get out of here.

There wasn’t a set place that she wanted to go, she just knew she was looking for something specific, so she focused on that and teleported out of her temple, unwilling to walk anywhere near the shades. The world stopped spinning and she found herself outside a random packed college bar.

“Perfect.”

A blink and she was dressed in the tightest black dress possible. It didn’t matter that she couldn’t sit in it, it wasn’t going to be on long. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and immediately all conversation stopped as every hormone in the room jumped to attention. Surveying her prey, she walked up to a table of able bodied, attractive young men and women, and pointed to three of the boys and one of the girls.

“I’ll take you four.” Chairs scraped back faster than melting ice on a hot day, as the ones she’d pointed to moved to stand, following her as she moved away towards the bartender. He was an overweight, middle aged man and running her fingers along his jaw line, Styx whispered in his ear her request. He nodded and pointed towards a door on the other side of the bar. “Lovely. Thank you.”

She turned and looked at the captive crowd, “You have fun while we’re away, alright?” As soon as she and the four she’d chosen entered the office, the crowd outside began to pair up and soon a full on orgy was in effect. The shades, it seemed, weren’t the only ones affected by Styx tonight.

...

Several hours later, Styx looked at the four exhausted college students. She’d thought young mortals had better stamina then that. A sigh. Well, at least she didn’t feel like a over extended balloon ready to pop any more. Leaving the room, she made a quick stop in the bathroom to make sure she was presentable. Engaging in a fivesome on a desk was one thing and perfectly alright, but looking like she’d been in one? Unacceptable.

Outside the office, the bar crowd slept off their orgy soundly and she worked her way around the bodies scattered this way and that. It was time she paid a visit to Olympus, and let her displeasure at this situation be known. Without a backwards glance at the mortals sleeping behind her, she left the bar and teleported to the mountain. She had every intention of first seeing her children, and then finding out what, if anything the meeting had uncovered.

Being the god of death, usually, Thanatos had no problem traveling to and fro the Underworld.

It was usually as easy as willing himself there.

However, now that he was not quite himself? He kept running into a strange force upon teleportion that blocked him from the simple usual entrance. This meant that he had to take the long way into the Underworld through the portal at Lake Avernus, which was never in the same place twice, but always in the vicinity of the crater.

Pulling his hood over his head he was careful to avoid the shades on the riverbank which usually kept a safe distance from him by default, as he arrived on the craggy riverbank step that laid the path to his sister's front door. He hurried along the path and finally found himself at Styx's door and knocked.

He left Kratos with the strictest of instructions not to let anyone save himself into Zeus' temple. Bia and Nike were likewise told not to leave the temple. He wanted, in some manner, to give the appearance of holding the fort. Assuming, that was, that Zeus was still alive.

That was what drove him to the depth of the Underworld, seeking out his mother in a manner. He was not rushed in the affair, taking his time to inspect what the depths of darkness had become in the absence of a King. He wanted power, with so much of it roaming free, he felt he deserved power...

But he would need support as well.