Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Okay. I haven't actually written in this fandom before, but the challenge sounded interesting, so here goes. Please forgive any huge flaws in the timeline or story up until now.
Title: Fun and Games
Author: Waiting Sky
Email: waitingsky@hotmail.comPairing: C/S J/A
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the realms of mythology and deity like producers of Xena and Hercules do.
Warnings: Slash mentioned, but nothing involved
Fun and Games
Chapter 1
Being all but dragged along behind a furious god of healing, Bliss took a moment to regret whatever spark of mischief had convinced him that chariot wheel races down on of the Olympus hills was a brilliant idea.
"But Uncle Apollo," a piping voice all but whined from beside him, "we were going to put them back. Honestly. We just didn't want to disturb you in your bedroom. You told us not to!"
`Oh yeah,' Bliss sighed to himself. `It was THAT spark of mischief.' Bliss made himself a promise to do something nasty to dad Strife some day soon. The week had started so promisingly. Daddy and dad Strife had plans somewhere in Athens that would take all their attention for a few days. Enter the ever helpful Joxer to baby-sit Bliss and his sister Recess, and Bliss was guaranteed a few days to act on a few of his plans that dad Strife's inquisitive nature had stalled.
The relaxation potion that Bliss had stolen the ingredients for had just started to simmer when his Granddad Ares had popped into the main hall. Grabbing Joxer and muttering something about interfering children and their pet bards, their favorite grandfather and Joxer had vanished. A moment of glee at the thought of no supervision had been ruined by their Uncle Apollo's appearance. Casting a disinterested glance at the now boiling mixture by Bliss's side, he had ordered Bliss to grab his sister.
Pouting at the thought of relocation, Bliss had tried to argue that he could look after himself and Recess just fine, but the contemptuous look Apollo gave him made him stutter and stop.
"Look, kid," Apollo drawled, checking his hands thoroughly and buffing his nails against his vest, "All I know is that Ares told me to keep an eye on you since no one else was free. Personally, I don't really want you in my temple, but it's not worth the hassle of moving over here instead." Casting a look of dislike at the cheery decorations of the love temple, he matched Bliss's childish scowl easily.
"Since when do you do what Uncle Ares says, anyway," Bliss challenged, seeing his plans vanishing before his eyes. He knew that Uncle Apollo and Granddad didn't like each other, so he tried to tough his way out.
Giving a snort of annoyance, Apollo reached down and picked up Bliss by his tunic, tucking the struggling god under his arm carelessly. Concentrating for a moment, he blinked them both into Recess's bedroom where the four year old was carefully building a maze of building blocks, a small pink tongue stuck out cutely to the side. Striding casually through the intricate placement of the blocks, Apollo ignored the outraged squeals and slung Recess under his other arm.
"Hey! Let us go!" Bliss bellowed, trying to sound like Uncle Ares. Apollo didn't pay any attention, jiggling the wailing goddess to stop her noise. Trying again, this time Bliss tried for his Grandma Aphrodite after she's caught him painting with her make-up. "Put us down," he roared, the shout startling Recess and causing her to cry even louder. Apollo swore loudly, then yelled at the squirming bundle.
"Will you shut-up? I have a concert recital to attend and your cacophony is ruining my ear!" Bliss didn't know what a cacophony was, but he did know that it probably wasn't good. He also knew that Uncle Apollo was jerking Recess far too hard. Outraged at the rough treatment of his sister, Bliss bit into Apollo's arm.
Bellowing in pain, Apollo dropped them both, clutching at the bite marks that marred his sun-tanned arm. Grabbing them both before they had a chance to run, he transported them to his temple. Tossing them onto a couple of couches in a gaudily decorated room, he locked the door before creating a barrier over the room to prevent them from teleporting out.
"Stay here. I'll be back after the concert, and she had better have stopped her caterwauling by then. Giving Bliss one last angry look, Apollo disappeared. Left alone with his blubbering sister, Bliss groaned. As his dad Strife would say, this was soooo not fair.
After a few minutes of fuming about the indignity of being treated like a kid when he was almost nine years old, Bliss decided he had to do something about Recess. It wasn't like he was really worried about her, she was all too good at playing up a role, but the noise was starting to become irritating, and the edge of her unhappiness was niggling at his godhood. Bliss had been designated as the God of Happiness and Joy, and although he had yet to officially gain access to his full powers and responsibilities, what he did have was telling him to make Recess happy.
Actually, getting his powers was what his experiments had been for. He couldn't be the real God of Happiness and Joy until Zeus declared him ready in front of the pantheon, but his Grandfather didn't seem to know he was grown up enough. Bliss had tried to prove he was ready, but something always went wrong, and grandfather would just pat him on the head or laugh. If he could just manage that potion...
Sighing at the adults inability to see how mature he was, Bliss got up and moved to his sisters couch. Pulling her close, he stroked her back between the black wings, just like dad would do for him. Hearing her cries quieten into little hiccups, he looked around the room for something to entertain her with. Spotting a large harp in a corner, he smiled happily. That was perfect! Recess loved all sorts of games; after all, she was going to be the Goddess of Childhood and Games. If he presented the stringed instrument as a game, it would keep her busy and cheerful for hours.
"'Cess," he whispered, peering underneath her curtain of dark hair to peek at her face. Still sniffling, she raised her head a little to look at him with teary eyes.
"What?" she asked, her voice trembling a little. Bliss smiled widely at her, bouncing a little when she hesitantly smiled back.
"Want to play a new game?" he asked brightly, pulling her of the couch and toward the tall harp. Recess frowned and bit at her lip.
"It took me ages to build my maze, `iss," she complained, throwing an angry frown at the door. Bliss grinned triumphantly. He was much more used to dealing with an angry recess than a miserable one. Dad Strife never got upset either, he'd just yell about whatever it was, disappear for a while, and then come back giggling madly. That was one of the reasons Bliss liked him so much. He was always cheerful.
Bliss reached out and strummed his fingers over the strings. Soft notes filled the air, and Recess twisted her head around to stare wide-eyed at the instrument. Bliss was bursting with pride. Joxer had started giving him lessons on a smaller version of this that he called a Lyre. Bliss thought it's name was hilarious, and kept trying to tell his Uncle Hermes about it since he was the god of thieves and liars, but couldn't stop giggling long enough to do so. Recess had been too young though, so Bliss could show her all about it now.
"Look," he told her enthusiastically, pulling his hand along the strings again. "All the strings make different notes, and then you can mix them." Plucking at a couple to demonstrate, he frowned at the lack of volume. Thinking about it, he realised that since this was bigger than Joxer's Lyre - Bliss giggled - it must need to be pulled harder. Shrugging, he grabbed the two strings in both hands, pulling them out as far as possible. Holding them taut for a moment, he let them loose at the same time. A huge harmony vibrated the harp, and the couches, and the walls, and even the floors.
Both Bliss and Recess stared at the harp for a moment as the noise moved the entire room, and then looked at each other evilly. This was fun.
~~~ . ~~~ . ~~~
"And stay outside!" Apollo thundered, stalking back inside the temple and slamming the doors.
Not long into a game of Who Can Make the Largest Noise and Move the Couches the Furthest, frantic banging at the door had indicated some of the temple staff wanted entry. Bliss had felt vaguely guilty about the VERY unhappy emotions he was receiving from outside, but it wasn't like they could open the door. Ignoring what he couldn't fix, he had quickly grown bored with the harp and searched out other things to do in the small room.
It hadn't been until he removed one of the heavier drapes that he felt he'd truly found his ideal toy. Sitting innocently in front of him was the results of one of Apollo's experimentations into instrument making. A large log hollow was covered with stretched hide. The trunk was wider than Bliss's outstretched wings, and a small tap on the surface had sent up a deep throb.
Enchanted, Bliss had tapped it a couple more times, the steady boom sounding just like a heartbeat. Looking past it, whole piles of similar constructs of varying sizes and materials littered the corner, and Bliss smiled beautifully as he winged his way to the top of the large pile. Giving an experimental hop, the resultant mix of sound had been thrilling, and he looked back once more at his first find.
Soon, a thumping echo joined the discordant thrumming of the large harp. Both of the room's couches were now capable of flight, and Bliss and Recess were both entirely involved in their own world. That was why the sudden banging of the door to reveal an extremely upset Apollo caused Bliss to falter in his leap, and land sideways into the stacks of boom noise-makers beside him. The clash of the falling heap was met by Recess's dash to help her brother, toppling the giant harp of its raised perch. Bouncing heavily of the wall, and snapping a number of its strings, the harp fell forward - right onto a fuming Apollo.
Roaring as he was forced to blast his own harp, Apollo had seized both of the children he had been so desperately prayed at to deal with, and tossed them both unceremoniously outside.
The two winged children looked at he shut door, blinking.
"Oooookay," Bliss murmured, taking Recess's hand in his. "So Uncle Apollo is a little stressed right now."
Bliss recalled Ares doing something similar when he had tried to help clean his dagger collection with his Grandma Aphrodite's face cream. She had said it was a good cleanser. His daddy had pushed his insanely laughing dad Strife out of the way, before explaining that it wasn't that Bliss had done anything wrong, just that Ares was a little stressed. Dad Strife had agreed when he could talk again, before suggesting he replace the cream with some of Uncle Ares polish, just to be fair.
Bliss had agreed that that sounded right, but his daddy had asked him not to and said that he and dad Strife would replace the cream for Grandma Aphrodite. Dad Strife had argued, but daddy had given him this look, and they'd left Bliss and the two year old Recess with King Iphicles and his son instead of Joxer or Grandma for the next few days.
Bliss was at a loss for what to do, but Recess grabbed his hand and pulled him toward a small cluster of flowers in the distance. "Pretty," she announced, urging her brother to run faster as she tried to flutter in the short bursts of flight she could manage. Willing to go along, Bliss helped her go faster as the two headed straight for the garden of Demeter's temple.
Chapter 2
Backing carefully out of the doorway, Bliss gave his Aunt Hestia as innocent an expression as he could manage, pushing Recess blindly along behind him. Noting the all too familiar look of suspicion she was sporting, he gave up the charade and grabbed his sister. Fleeing through the once vibrant garden, he single mindedly ignored the signs of earlier play.
Scattered lumps of mud from an impromptu mud fight, the still moving mass of worms that had been scooped out of the garden beds and the tufts of ground conspicuously scattered that resulted from an energetic version of hop, fly and land heavily were all hurdled. There were also a few scattered flowers from where Recess had made Bliss some decorations that he had informed here were too childish for an almost full god.
"Told you the she wouldn't believe Apollo had sent us," Recess pointed out smugly from he perch in Bliss's arms. Tiring quickly and annoyed at his sister's attitude, he dropped her to the ground. Ignoring her complaining "Hey!" he pulled her along, ducking through every hidden pathway his dad Strife had ever shown him. Fortunately, most of the gods and goddesses shielded their temples grounds, so it was unlikely they could be followed, but Bliss forgot all about possible pursuit as he spotted the small gateway he'd been looking for. Pushing through Demeter's prize vegetable patch, he ran even faster.
"Olympus is kind of dull at the moment," he confided to Recess, still keeping an excited eye on the unassuming stone arch, "Let's go play in the mortal world for a while." Recess peeked around him at the doorway and smiled widely. Bliss basked in the pure happiness that she radiated and led her anxiously toward the portal.
"Jerkules! Jerkules!" she shouted, bouncing along while fluttering her wings. Bliss winced a little. He suspected Uncle Hercules didn't enjoy the game dad Strife had taught Recess as much as he was supposed to, but once Recess got a new game into her head, it was almost impossible to get her to stop playing.
Triggering the portal, he held Recess's hand tightly and stepped in. Concentrating firmly on his uncle Hercules, Bliss giggled at the ticklish sensation of the transport. He could have used his own powers to get to the mortal realm, but daddy had blocked that after the last time he had decided to watch Auntie Xena play with some of granddads warlords. All the mortals watching had been so happy, he'd just wanted to help out. It wasn't like any of those weapons could have hurt him!
Besides, he wasn't sure if he could take Recess that far with him, and she really did have some great ideas to play with.
Recognizing the falling feeling as they both dropped out of the portal, Bliss flapped his wings energetically. This was the best part of the permanent gates; it was almost like flying really fast. Recess was laughing wildly behind him, and turning his head, he watched proudly as she caught herself easily in the small updraft. To think that the family hadn't been planing to teach her to fly for years yet. Good thing Bliss had been there to help her out. It had been so funny seeing the looks on his parents faces.
Looking around as he touched ground, Bliss noticed it was night time on the mortal realm, and that Uncles Hercules and Iolaus were rolled up in sleeping blankets. Opening his mouth to wake them, he was beaten to it as Recess miscalculated her landing.
Tumbling to the ground beside Hercules, Recess's wing brushed lightly across the sleeping man's face. Bliss was startled when the large demi-god sprang from his blankets and uttered a high-pitched squeal that sounded a lot like grandma Discord's after Recess played hide and seek with her clothing the last time she baby-sat, resulting in her having to wear one of grandma Aphrodite's dresses.
Uncle Hercules was swinging madly at the air in front of him until he tripped over his sleepy partner who was slowly starting to wake up. Iolaus yelped and grabbed at the falling hero, barely stopping him from falling into the lake by the camp.
"Hercules?" he questioned, still a little muddled. "What happened?" Hercules stopped cowering behind the hunter and gestured briskly at his sleeping roll.
"My family were making pests of themselves again, that's what." The outraged air and aggressively pointing finger deflated when he spotted Bliss and Recess, still looking confused at their uncle's actions. Iolaus followed the now drooping finger to see two vaguely familiar children with wings of black and white partially spread behind them.
Iolaus frowned at his friend chidingly. "I hardly think that's any way to talk about two children, Hercules." Still giving the man disappointed glares and ignoring his stuttered excuses, he walked over to where Bliss was standing, watching fascinated as the little mortal told off his huge uncle.
"Bliss, right?" Iolaus asked, giving the young god a welcoming smile. Bliss smiled back. He'd only met Iolaus a couple of times, but he was a happy sort of mortal and Bliss's parents liked him. Besides, he was one of the few adults Bliss was almost as tall as. Nodding, he walked over to grab his sister.
"This is Recess," he introduced her politely. "She's my little sister." Iolaus smiled at the little goddess, ruffling her black hair lightly. Recess smiled at him, then turned back toward the approaching hero.
"Jerkules!" she announced happily, flinging herself at her uncle. Hercules caught her easily, careful to avoid catching at her wings. He gave Iolaus an apologetic shrug.
"I thought it was Cupid," he explained sheepishly. At Iolaus's questioning look, he blushed. "Just some family difficulties," he said casually. Bliss thought he caught him saying something about matchmaking busybodies under his breath. Understanding dawned, and he gave his uncle one of his best smirks.
Daddy and grandma spent lots of time lately talking about plans to get Hercules together with someone. Bliss didn't know who they had in mind, but dad's job didn't seem too hard. Having been raised in the temple of love, and knowing how happy relationships made people, Bliss approved. Maybe he could help out while he was here. It would be something interesting to do while on Earth.
Hercules didn't seem to notice his nephew's contemplative smile, and stood Recess back on the ground. "What are you two doing here alone?" Hercules asked in a concerned voice. Bliss ran through a number of excuses, but Recess beat him to it.
"Uncle Apollo was looking after us," she confided sweetly, leaning against their uncles leg. "But he was mean so we went to play in Auntie Hestia's garden until she caught us, and then she got mad, and so we came to play with you." Pleased that she'd managed to remember everything, Recess held out her hands to be picked up again.
'Things to do," Bliss told himself with a resigned thought, "take 'cess to see Uncle Hermes more often.' Even Bliss knew Uncle Hercules would never approve of them being here without an adult.
"Bliss, you know better than to bring yourself and your sister here without another god to look after you," Hercules scolded, "you'll have to go back to Olympus." Looking upward, Hercules called out. "CUPID!" Waiting for a minute, he looked worried when no flash appeared to deposit his nephew. As he was about to shout again, Recess tugged on his pants.
"Daddy and daddy Strife aren't around at he moment," she whispered loudly in his ear. Bliss wondered hopefully if Hercules would let them stay since he couldn't call their dads.
"Then we'll just have to take you to one of Apollo's temples," Uncle Hercules decided, although Bliss could tell he didn't want to. "There's no way he'll answer my call, so we'll have to get him to pick you up there." Uncle Hercules looked upset, but Iolaus started bouncing.
"This'll be great," he enthused happily, still smiling at Bliss. Bliss grinned back. Uncle Apollo's nearest temple was ages away. Maybe he could get Uncle Hercules and someone together for daddy and grandma before they got there. Bouncing in time with Iolaus, Bliss ignored Hercules' groan as Recess joined them in their jumping. Uncle Hercules just didn't know how great it was to have someone really love you. Bliss would help him out, and then everyone would be happy. He'd show his grandfather that he was ready to be the God of Happiness and Joy yet!
Chapter 3
Bliss was bored. More than that, Bliss was upset. Not only had he failed to detect a single smidgen of interest for any of the mortals Hercules had met, despite Bliss's best attempts, but Iolaus was giving all his attention to Recess! For the last three hours, he had been teaching her to climb trees, name animals and carrying her piggy back whenever she got tired.
Bliss had learned to climb trees years ago, and it wasn't like he didn't know all of the animals they had seen. The piggy backs were the worst things. Since Recess was younger, she got to be carried on Iolaus's shoulder like she was Hera or something. He had never been carried around like that! Guiltily, Bliss modified that to sometimes, but it shouldn't count if it was your parents.
Stalking ahead of the slow moving trio, Bliss kicked at the dirt road. It wasn't as if he really wanted to be carted around, anyway. Still casting glares back at the giggling pair, Bliss looked around for a distraction. Dismissing his Uncle who was stubbornly being unlovable, he finally decided on the forest beside the road. There had to be lots to do in there.
Cheerful again now that he had a plan, Bliss cast a few cautious glances behind him. Iolaus and Recess were still talking, and Uncle Hercules was more intent on watching his friend and niece play.
Smiling slyly, Bliss moved off the track to hide behind a tree. If he was lucky, they'd just think he'd gone to climb a tree or something. Canceling the automatic prayer for luck lest one of his relatives come snooping, he waited until the noisy group was out of sight along the road.
Smug with his success, Bliss worked his wings a few times, lifting himself a few feet above the road. He was tired of walking. Spotting tell tale signs of smoke in the distance parallel to the road, he sped off.
Almost five hours later, Bliss waltzed, literally, into Athens. That Twanky lady had helped him out with hiding his wings by giving him a large robe. She'd also done his face up just like grandma Aphrodite's. It looked really nice, and Bliss looked forward to showing her how well he'd learned.
When Bliss had started to miss Recess, his Uncle Hercules and Iolaus, she'd given him some money and skipped with him all the way to the city gates. Bliss had never met anyone who could keep up with him like that before.
Bliss had solemnly promised her heaps and heaps of happiness when he finally got his real powers. He still didn't get why she'd said she was gay enough already and not to worry, but daddy had always said mortals were hard to understand. Bliss had to agree.
It wasn't long before Bliss was getting tired. He didn't know where his Uncle Apollo's temple was, and he didn't want to use his powers to find it. At least when Uncle Hercules called Apollo there'd be someone to be a distraction. Bliss LIKED distractions.
Wandering down some of the more interesting pathways of the town, Bliss was shocked when some mortal children knocked him of his feet. "Hey!" he complained, scowling fiercely. The small group of seven skidded to a stop, ribbons twirling to the ground. Four boys and three girls surrounded the fallen godling in a concerned circle. Bliss glared at them, rubbing his sore butt. One of the boys, the tallest Bliss noticed stooped to help him up.
"Hey little girl," the boy apologised. Bliss stopped scowling to give him a confused look. `Girl? - Oh, the robe," Bliss realised. Not upset at the mistake, he forgot all about his problems and smiled brightly at the young boy. He looked only a little older than Bliss. Maybe they knew some fun games?
"I'm not a girl," he explained amenably. He was about to explain that he was a god when the boy in front off him blushed.
"I'm sorry," the boy said, looking sad. "I didn't mean to upset you, but you're wearing a dress and have makeup on and everything so I just thought…" Bliss was getting dizzy trying to make out what the boy was saying, he spoke so fast.
"It's okay!" he rushed, trying to halt the flow of words. The mortal grinned sheepishly.
"Sorry about that," he apologised again. "I tend to talk a lot. Mum says I didn't get it from her, and my dad was better at grunts and orders, so she doesn't know where I get it from. He's kinda like a warlord. I don't see him `cause he and mum don't get along, but it'd be nice to meet him ya know?" Bliss was positive he only understood the other boy because he was a god. He wondered how the rest of the children that were beaming at him managed.
"Ack! I'm completely forgetting my manners! My mother would kill me. My name's Evander. My mum and me are here for the festival that's coming up. It's some sort of big celebration for visiting diplomats. We're going to go see all the lords that are coming in the gates today. Wanna come? That makeup makes you look funny. Maybe you can show the girls how to put it on." The taller boy leaned close to Bliss's ear, and Bliss perked up. Secrets were the greatest.
"They don't really know how to put it on," the other boy whispered. "It's kinda scary. They look like wanna be Bacchae." Bliss jumped. His mother used to tell him bad stories about the Bacchae before she left. If teaching the girls how to do makeup like Twanky taught him would stop them, he could do that.
"Do you want to know how to do your makeup too?" Bliss offered. He didn't want his new friend to feel left out. Evander looked startled.
"Huh? Only girls…" Evander stopped. Thinking about something, and looking worriedly at Bliss, he continued slowly, "Only girls need to be shown. I can do my own." Bliss was cheered by the thought. Harmonia wasn't allowed to wear makeup until she was a heap older than Bliss. It must have been because she was a girl and needed more help. Bliss strutted along with the once again walking group. There was plenty of makeup left that Twanky had given him. Bliss would do just like daddy told him and share.
Some time later, all the other children had to go home since night was falling. They'd all done their makeup, but Bliss thought Evander's was the best. After all, the older boy was his new best friend.
Feet sore from the unusual amount of plain walking, and unable to use his wings, Bliss headed for a large building with bright lights. Lots of people were going in, so there must be something interesting to see, and he could ask someone where Apollo's temple was.
Entering after a large man, Bliss looked around the room. Bright lights were everywhere, most outside the larger number of doors. There were all sorts of colors, and Bliss snuck over to a nearby door to look more closely. Ordinary lamps had been covered with colored glass. Lifting of the light's cover, he swapped it with a nearby door's. Bliss gave them a proud look. This was much better than having two green ones in a row. Filled with excitement at the challenge presented, he snuck around chattering couples, altering the light's orders as he went.
As he reached up for a pretty blue covering, Bliss felt himself being scooped up. Startled, he twisted to see who had grabbed him. A drink- flushed face was peering nearsightedly at him, and a chest deep chortle was vibrating Bliss's entire body. "Here's a pretty little thing, then," A slightly slurred voice breathed alcoholic fumes into Bliss's face. Wrinkling his nose, Bliss decided to forgive the mortal anyway. He seemed like a cheerful guy, and was giving Bliss an almost piggyback. The man seemed to pay a little more attention to Bliss then, and his face turned surprised.
"Only a kid!" The brown eyes tracked Bliss's form a little more closely. "And a boy at that. Where's your mom, son?" Bliss felt himself being replaced gently on the floor. Peering up at the tall mortal, he shrugged lightly.
"She left when I was little," he confided, using his hand to indicate how short he had been. "I don't mind though, `cause I got dad Strife instead." The man's face went shockingly pale, and Bliss wondered if he was going to faint. Joxer did that sometimes when he babysat them. Maybe it was a mortal thing.
"D…d…," pausing the mortal tried again, "dad Strife, huh," the man finally stuttered out. Bliss nodded happily. His daddy was so famous on Earth.
"As in the God of Mischief, Strife," the man clarified. Bliss kept nodding, then tilted his head a little.
"Do you know where Uncle Apollo's temple is? He asked politely, just like daddy had taught him to if he was lost. He wasn't lost of course, it was only that he didn't know where the place he was going was.
"Yeah," the man agreed quickly. "Let's go now, all right?" Bliss agreed and followed the man closely, leaving strange sounds of outrage and the beginnings of a fist fight behind.
Before long, they were at the steps of Apollo's temple. Bliss was about to go in when he recognized the snoring man uncomfortably sprawled on the steps.
"Iolaus! Bliss shouted, bouncing joyfully onto the waking man's lap.
"Aaaargh!" Iolaus screamed, doubling up around the squirming godling. Bliss giggled. Iolaus was so fun. He could play great games even when he had just woken up.
"Iolaus!" Bliss repeated, waiting for the hunter to continue the game. Iolaus just gasped at him, and Bliss sighed. Iolaus was probably still tired from looking after Recess. His sister WAS a bit difficult sometimes.
"BLISS!" came an echoing shout from the end of the street. Speaking of his sister… Recess leapt at Bliss, her wings giving her the extra push to outrun Hercules who was chasing after her. Bliss caught her with the ease of long practice and swung her around, letting go so Iolaus could have a turn catching her. Another yell followed the blond man to the ground, Recess grasping his neck firmly while laughing hysterically.
Bliss plopped down beside them, rolling around in glee. Leaning over the twisted limbs of his Uncle's partner, he chattered away with Recess, telling her all about Evander and the nobles and the pretty house with all the lights. His Uncle Hercules sounded like he was in pain whenever he mentioned Evander or the pretty lights, but Bliss didn't sense any injury on his Uncle and so ignored it.
Recess cheered about his new friend and demanded to meet him, dismissed the arrogant mortals who nerve played any fun games, and cooed about the idea of a house with so many bright lights. Bliss promised to tale her there and let her meet Evander and the other kids.
"Not today," came his Uncles voice from above them. Bliss craned his neck to look up, and saw his Uncle with his hands on his hips and mouth in a straight line. The godling also heard him mutter `or maybe ever,' but ignored that as well. Lots of adults said things like that, but Bliss usually got around them, and his Uncle was half mortal.
Uncle Hercules reached down and plucked Recess off Iolaus, then helped the smaller man to his feet. Exchanging glances, the two men moved as one, each grabbing a bundle of godhood and marching into the temple. Bliss pouted. It seemed that demi gods were as confusing as mortals.
Chapter 4a
Being carried loudly complaining into the temple was not how Bliss had planned on being caught. Trying to remember exactly how his dad Strife's pout went, Bliss contorted his face into what he hoped was a reasonable copy. Judging from Iolaus's snorts of amusement, he'd have to work up to the 'getting Cupid to do whatever I want,' level of patheticness.
Once Bliss and Recess were seated on the alter and warned to stay put with stern looks, Hercules stood up straight and bellowed, "APOLLO!" The call echoed for a while in the tall chamber, and Bliss and Recess both winced. Recess frowned at their uncle while Bliss practiced his pout again.
When no response occurred within a few minutes, Hercules gave a heartfelt sigh. Walking tiredly to a tall urn along side one of the wall, he casually hefted it over his head, before throwing it to the ground. As the crash faded away, he quirked an eyebrow at Iolaus who casually hefted him a small statuette.
"Sometimes," Hercules confided to his smaller partner, "I think my family ignores me just so they have an excuse to redecorate fairly frequently." Iolaus smirked, while Bliss gaped at his uncle. He knew?
Fascinated by the skill and speed with which the two mortals destroyed anything larger than a cup in the temple, Bliss swiveled to take in every crash and explosion. When Iolaus expertly whisked down some heavy drapes and piled them messily in a corner, Bliss snapped his fingers. Pull from an angle. Why hadn't he thought of that? Making forts for Recess would be so much easier in the future.
Recess was squirming in her seat, and Bliss could sympathise with her desires to join in. He took a moment to consider his Uncle Apollo's reaction, but tossed it aside when he thought of the waterfall he KNEW was hidden in that corner over there. Considerately helping his sister down so she wouldn't feel left out, he headed for the darkened corner with a determined glint in his eyes.
Splashing soon joined the din filling the temple, and Bliss experimented with how far his wings could fling the fruity tasting water. Red seemed a strange color for a water fountain, but it was nice to drink. When Apollo flashed into his temple, Bliss was amazed to see that he could almost picture a big swirly air of anger surrounding him. Walking over a little unsteadily, he tugged on his Uncles clothes since he was ignoring him to form a fireball. When flashing gold eyes looked down at him, Bliss smiled wobbly, and held out his arms beseechingly.
"Pig beck Unc' `Polo." He ordered, upset when his Uncle didn't immediately pick him up. "Pik Bak." Frustrated, Bliss started tugging fitfully again. Apollo scowled, but picked up his nephew clumsily to bring him up to eye level.
"We'll deal with you getting into my wine later, brat," he told Bliss, who blinked at him blearily. "First though, I deal with the other annoyance of my family." Plopping Bliss heavily on a convenient ledge, Apollo threw a fireball at Hercules. Thrilled with the shimmery light, Bliss called it to him, taking it off its course toward his uncle, and leaving it hovering in front of him.
Apollo started to say something loudly, but Uncle Hercules and Iolaus both yelled "Kids!" at him, and he cut it off. Bliss looked around for Recess. Seeing her happily enthralled with some golden knives she'd found on one of the offering tables still standing, if a little lopsided, he searched for a way down.
Large arms grabbed him ups, and Bliss tipped back to see who could pick him up so easily. Grandpa's bearded face wavered above him, and Bliss cheered even as his body slowly tipped upside down. His grandpa caught him again, and peered closely at Bliss.
"Ares?" came Joxer's worried voice from behind, and Bliss gave a backward wave at where the voice had come from. His head was spinning, so he didn't want to turn, but he also didn't want to upset Joxer.
"Is…um…what are Hercules and Apollo doing?" Bliss followed his grandpa's briefly distracted gaze, and tried to figure out why his uncles were both making strange signals at each other. Uncle Hercules would threaten Apollo with a large fist, and then Apollo would respond with weird finger movements and gestures. Both of them would start to say something before looking guiltily at Recess, and then start the funny movements again.
It was only when one of those guilty checks was to his perch that his Uncle Apollo noticed his glowering Grandfather sniffing the air above him pointedly. Paling in what Bliss thought was an enviable speed, Apollo eeped and disappeared again, leaving a confused Hercules shaking his fist at the empty air in front of him.
Jumping when he noticed the war god's arrival, Hercules actually looked embarrassed. Bliss was only vaguely interested now though. Feeling tired, he leaned back against his grandfather's large chest. Snuggling in close, he closed his eyes, falling quickly asleep.
Chapter 4b
Waking up to a shrieking Aphrodite was not a new thing for Bliss. Watching her toss his Uncle Apollo forcefully through his own temple's walls, however, was not so common. The bedraggled appearance of the sungod testified that this was not the first unplanned flight made, and a concentrated blast that threw him back out the hole as he tried to climb back in was evidence that his grandfather was still involved.
Being as quiet as he could so they wouldn't stop, Bliss pushed a sleeping Recess off one of his wings, and rolled her over to the other side of the temporary cushion pile.
Feeling much better for his brief sleep, Bliss flew over to Ares, weaving around his seated form as he tried to find some place to land. Unfortunately, Joxer was taking up most of the lap, pressed too tightly against the god for Bliss to simply land. Given that his wings were still not used to prolonged flight, as well as the slight encumbrance of slightly tattered gown, and Bliss was having trouble staying aloft. Expertly tweaking out one of his looser feathers, he ran the edge lightly along the dozing Joxer's bared arm. As soon as the mortal woke up, moving instinctively away from the ticklish feather, Bliss swooped in, wiggling into the bared inch of lap now available.
His granddad ran concerned hands over Bliss, checking for damage or fevers. During the short break, Apollo managed to clamber back inside, cloths singed and hair the most messy that Bliss had ever seen.
"See," said Apollo righteously. "I told you. I got Bacchus to bless that fountain years before he had the bad taste to get killed. Quick buzz with none of the icky hangover things." When Ares lifted his deadly expression though, Apollo lost what arrogance he'd gained and cringed again.
"Are you saying it doesn't count that you let your niece and nephew run around without supervision in the mortal word, cause enough havoc to keep discord and strife high for a year and then let Bliss get drunk while Recess played with knives because Bliss WON'T HAVE A HANGOVER?" Aphrodite built her speech to a screech, blasting Apollo into another wall again, seconds before Ares dagger flew at where he'd been standing.
Joxer stopped stroking Bliss's hair to applaud politely. Bliss mimicked him enthusiastically. Ares gently displaced them both before heading over to where Apollo lay sulking against the wall.
"Normally," the war god snarled softly, "I'd deal with this myself, but seeing as Strife and Cupid will undoubtedly want to discuss this with you, I'll leave you to explain all this to them." Ares gave Apollo another kick before turning around.
Ares obviously dismissing the sun god from his thoughts, Bliss found himself taking a tiny step back when Ares turned a slightly milder glare on him. Remembering everything he'd done that his grandfather might be upset about, Bliss figured it was time for one of Dad Strife's 'strategic retreats'. Trying to pop home, he was dismayed when he remained solidly in Apollo's temple, backed against Joxer with his granddad bearing down on him.
Resigned to dealing with whatever punishment he was going to get this time, Bliss slumped against Joxer's familiar body. Maybe his favorite babysitter would protect him?
Two hands pushing him forward however, probably meant that Joxer agreed with granddad Ares. Rats. Bliss inched his way sideways. At least if Recess was obviously in trouble too, they wouldn't get punished so badly. All the adults kept falling for that 'upset and sorry' look that she kept denying she practiced.
Whatever his granddad had planned was halted by the intervention of a certain pink clad goddess. Aphrodite stepped in the middle, hands on hips and scowling. Giving a moment's thought to ducking around her to be punished by Granddad Ares instead, he gave up when he noticed her mouth twitching. This was not good. Now would be a great time for Recess to wake up and act as a distraction.
When she continued to snore onward, Bliss promised her silently that her toys were going to pay for her lack of timing later.
"Bliss," his grandma questioned from behind grinding teeth. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" Bliss had to wonder if this was a trick question. It wasn't like they'd meant to cause trouble - most of the time, and he couldn't recall doing much that was really THAT wrong. It didn't seem that grandma Aphrodite agreed with him.
"Sweetie, I've had a rather large number of prayers today. The one thing they all had in common was that both of you were involved. Some of my followers working in one of my...inns, had some issues about signaling lights. Do you remember switching all those colored glass lights around?" Given the set look on Aphrodite's face, Bliss decided against ignorance as an option.
"Um, sorta?" Since Recess wasn't living up to her part in the innocent department, Bliss tried one of his own looks. It failed. Closing her eyes, his grandma's mouth silently counted. Opening them again, her features smoothed out, and she raised one eyebrow.
"Your Dad Strife is better at that," she noted. "Take lessons." Rather offended, Bliss crossed his arms and looked away. "Anyway, since it wasn't meant to cause as much trouble as it did," She muttered, "and it caused a lot of it, that small issue of the two guys and that noblewoman is one for the scrolls," then raised her voice back to normal. "You will be helping me for at least the next two weeks. WITH supervision." Looking Bliss over critically, she reached out to run a disdainful hand over the robe.
"And just who found you that? It is simply not the in color or style, sweetie" Upset that his grandma would be so nasty about Twanky's robe, Bliss resolved to add some of her potions into the payback on Recess's toys.
Shaking herself, Aphrodite picked him up. Still angry with her, he remained stiff. "By the way, Bliss," she asked, ignoring his lack of cooperation, "A few mothers have complained about the, um, makeup and stuff that their sons are wearing, you know? They're askin' if I had anything to do with it. So, why exactly did you get them to wear dresses and makeup?" Bliss was confused. He hadn't helped the boys, they did their own.
Opening his mouth to protest, his Grandma read his answer from his mind. "Never mind," she said with a small sigh. "We'll talk about mortal gender codes later. Now about some majorly upset ladies that kept complaining `bout small flying children causing all sorts of problems whenever Hercie there was around…"
Whatever Grandma Aphrodite was about to say went unheard as two flashes of light preceded the arrival of another two gods. Cupid stood in the front, worried expression searching the room, while a concerned Strife backed him up. Bliss looked for somewhere to hide.
Chapter 4c
Strife was the first one to notice the worn God of Light slumped
against the wall. Eyes narrowing, he gave Cupids wing a light tug to
draw attention to the messy addition to the Love Temple. Catching
sight of Apollo, a confused look settled on Cupid's features, and he
headed over to help the injured god. As he was solicitously helping
the God of healing up, Strife spotted Bliss shuffling his way behind
Aphrodite.
'Uh oh,' thought Bliss depressingly. Just KNOWING that his face was
taking on a guilty caste that he could never hide. Bliss sighed in
relief when Grandma Aphrodite began telling off Cupid for helping
Apollo. Somewhere around the accusation about Bliss and Recess
wandering around on the mortal world without supervision, Cupid
pushed his uncle forcefully back to the floor.
Bliss climbed up beside his sister and waited. Hiding was one thing,
but running would probably result in Aunt Athena's responsibility
lecture again. Watching his father's bounce Uncle Apollo between them
was almost worth the trouble he'd be in later, though.
Strife soon left Cupid railing loudly at Apollo, and came over to
talk to Aphrodite. Shooting Bliss a promising glare, he worked on
getting all the details straight. Bliss would like to have thought it
was simply to fix the problems and have a complete list of grievances
against Uncle Apollo for Grandfather Zeus, but suspected it was
merely to properly assign grounding time. Walking all the time was
sooooo boring.
"So where are the intrepid Duo, anyway?" Dad Strife asked finally,
although there was less scorn than usual for when he talked about
Uncle Hercules. Every now and then he'd look over at where Cupid was
now chasing Apollo around the temple from the air, and firing arrows
at his heels. Ares was alternately throwing advice out, tripping
Apollo as he past and reassuring Joxer who seemed concerned for the
poor babysitter.
"I left them in my temple," Aphrodite answered with a shrug. "They
didn't do too bad for a demi-god and mortal trying to baby-sit the
kids, so I figured they could deal with them until you guys got
back." Strife nodded approvingly.
"We may be back, but I think it may be best to leave the brats with
them while I have my turn talking to Apollo." Bliss bounced happily.
He knew Recess didn't like Dad Strife leaving them out of the 'games'
he would go of and play, but it would be fun to have Hercules and
Iolaus on Olympus for a while. Goddesses were much better than mortal
women were when it came to matchmaking, and maybe he could find both
of them someone nice. Iolaus would make a great Uncle.
Thinking about all his single aunts, Bliss squawked when Dad Strife
scooped him up firmly, and Grandma Aphrodite picked up the waking
Recess.
"You'll be good for ya Uncle, won't ya?" Dad Strife asked. Bliss
smiled reassuringly and gave him the strongest hug he could manage.
Dad seemed cheerful about something, so a little cuteness might get
him and Recess out of trouble yet. His dad's raised eyebrow suggested
he knew what Bliss was up to, but there was no need to let a tiny
problem like that stop him.
When the four appeared in the Love Temple, it was to find the Great
Hercules, Hero of all mortals, locked in a tiny alcove set aside for
rituals, and ignoring his best friends cajoling attempts to get him
out.
"Curly?" Aphrodite questioned, blinking at the site of the diminutive
hunter waving food around the door. Iolaus turned suddenly at the
voice, dropping the plate of meat he'd been holding.
"Whoops," he commented casually, before grinning loopily at the four
surprised deities. Bliss was the first to figure it out, paling as he
remembered his little experiment earlier. Trying to maneuver out of
Dad Strife's arms unnoticed, he discovered that his Dad was
apparently skilled at containing wiggling bodies. In the end, Bliss
found himself held even tighter by a now suspicious Dad.
Aphrodite sniffed at the air a few times, trailing the faint citrus
smell to the corner. A small puddle of spilled over liquid puddled at
the base of the container holding the relaxation potion. The potions
gaseous form was smothering the temple's room.
Iolaus had gone back to trying to get at Uncle Hercules, while the
demi-god kept shouting at him desperately to go away. The blond's
suggestion that the hero come out to play with his niece and nephew
was met by something heavy hitting the door and whimpers. Bliss was
vaguely offended. He and Recess weren't THAT bad. Besides, how could
he find Uncle Hercules someone nice if he wouldn't leave the temple?
About to make a leap for the door, Bliss was caught up by Iolaus who
snatched him from Dad Strife's arms and pulled him over to the door.
"C'mon, Herc," he pleaded. "Bliss is right here, come out and play."
Approving the sentiment, Bliss joined Iolaus in banging loudly on the
door. Dad ceased his attempts to grab the godling when Hercules
protested the thought of even stepping foot into a room where Bliss
roamed free and best friends couldn't keep their hands to themselves.
Scowling at the insult to his son, Strife joined the other two in
whacking the door.
It may be bad protocol to use godly powers to destroy another's
temples, but both Bliss and Strife were satisfied with manual
coercion. A disgusted sigh distracted the loud group and the vocally
supportive Recess chanting from her Grandma's arms. Grandma Aphrodite
waved them all away from the door with a wide sweep of her arm before
setting Recess down carefully on the floor. Setting her feet widely,
she pointed her finger dramatically at the closed portal. God,
godling and mortal all dove for the floor, while an oblivious goddess
of games jumped up and down.
"HERCULES! IF YOU DON"T GET OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, I WILL BE FORCED TO
DESTROY THAT DOOR TO GET AT YOU. IF I HAVE TO DO THAT TO MY OWN
TEMPLE, YOU WILL REGRET IT BUSTER!" While Bliss tried to decide if an
explosion would have done less damage than the sheer volume of
Grandma's bellow, a sheepish Hercules unbarred the door, and poked
his head around the edge.
The goddess stalked over to Hercules and pointed a finger right at
his nose. "Relax," she said firmly, pure power swelling the word
until it almost knocked the hero off his feet. Awed, Bliss watched as
his uncle shook his head a bit, before focusing intently on Iolaus.
The small blond looked worried for a second, before his cheerful
expression returned.
"Your turn to do the chasing, Hercules," he teased, jumping up from
his protective huddle on the floor and running for one of the rooms
arches. Chortling predatorily, Hercules sped off after him,
occasional cries and yips fading from through the doorway.
Walking over to where the potion's remains sat sadly, Bliss vanished
it from the temple. If Uncle Hercules could resist the potion it
wasn't right anyway. It should have taken away all his inhibitions,
and left him and Iolaus having fun. Now if he could learn that voice
thing his grandma did though, he wouldn't have to worry about messy
potions. Mentally tossing all those boring books back in his room,
Bliss headed for his Grandma to get started on some serious sucking
up.
Dad Strife was holding Recess, stroking her hair absentmindedly as
his other hand made a gesture just like Uncle Apollo could.
Practicing himself, Bliss couldn't see what all the fuss was about.
They didn't seem to do much more than make Grandma Aphrodite go red
and scowl at Bliss himself when she caught sight of him copying them.
Striding across the room toward Bliss, the determined goddess paused
and went slightly cross-eyed.
"Oh, Zeus," she swore, swiping a hand over herself to restore her
appearance to its usual immaculate self. "Why daddy dearest can't
just give them flowers like any normal suitor is beyond me." Pulling
a pile of bottles into her hand with an airy wave, she studied the
labels, tossing them haphazardly over her shoulder. Giving Bliss a
quick glare as he started to sneak away, he found himself frozen to
the spot. "Most gods would be happy with a with a glamour and roll in
the hay, but no, it has to be a love potion for the King of the Gods."
Returning to her perusal, Aphrodite failed to notice one of the
airborne vials swinging in a direct arc toward the bright flash of
light forming in the temple. As the glowing forms of Granddad Ares
and Joxer became visible, the glass container spun neatly into the
mortal's forehead, shattering into multi colored specks of light and
sending Joxer to the floor.
"Owwww," came the mournful response from the ground, Ares quickly
kneeling down to check on his lover. Aphrodite turned at the sound,
eyes widening as she took in the scene.
"Whoops?" she offered, sounding eerily like Bliss for a few seconds.
As Ares looked up with a scowl, Aphrodite squeaked again, quickly
pulling a single container out of the mass she still held, and
vanished, leaving the other vials to crash loudly on the marble floor.
Bliss smiled cheekily. Out of trouble again. Wiping his grin away
before his granddad saw, Bliss rushed over to stand beside Joxer. The
lanky mortal was sitting up with the help of the War God, dizzy but
unharmed.
Ares was shoving his fingers in front of Joxer's face, demanding he
count them. Bliss gave his granddad a funny look. He'd better ask
daddy to help granddad Ares with his math along with Bliss's lessons.
Joxer was batting the hand away, and complaining loudly that he was
Joxer the Mighty and perfectly fine. Bliss giggled. Joxer was really
fun when he started one of his Joxer the Mighty stories. Ares stood,
frowning as he looked down at the swaying mortal and snickering
godling at his feet.
"Strife," Ares ordered, beckoning to his second-in-command. "I left
Xena and the other one about to ruin my battle plans for the northern
Keling reach. You take over and stall them." Cutting of the god of
Mischief before he could protest, Ares continued. "That war needs to
happen, the area's to vulnerable to attack from the west. They can't
afford to have inexperienced fighters when that barbarian clan
finally decides to attack. Just go."
The younger god was seething at the request, but obediently put his
daughter on the ground, watching her rush to stand beside Bliss.
Giving Ares one last indignant look, he too vanished from the temple.
"That blonde ditz is going to pay," Are muttered. "You could have
been hurt. Mortals are simply too fragile." Looking torn, Ares
grimaced. "Unfortunately, I can hardly leave Bliss and Recess alone
with you in this state, and I doubt Cupid has managed to calm down
enough yet, so..." Putting his hands on his hips, Ares
bellowed, "APOLLO!"
A muted spark announced the battered god's appearance, his golden
hair uncharacteristically unkempt, and rips clearly showing where
bruises had most likely been quickly healed. Staring sullenly at the
floor, Apollo made another of those fascinating gestures. Bliss tried
it as well, but granddad stopped him quickly.
"Last chance, sun boy," Ares snarled. "Look after Bliss, Recess and
Joxer, and I may just let you off with whatever punishment Cupid and
Strife decide on. Otherwise..." Leaving his threat unfinished, Ares
disappeared.
Apollo sneered at the trio. "Let's go," he said shortly, grabbing a
hold of Bliss and Recess with one hand, while slinging an arm around
the mortal just before he fell back again. A quick surge of power had
them all in Apollo's temple once more, the hastily repaired holes
still humming with energy, while the destroyed furnishings had been
relegated to a corner.
Apollo easily let go of the squirming bundles that Bliss and Recess
had become, but he kept his arm around Joxer, giving the mortal an
evaluating glance. Giving the dazed human an appreciative leer,
Apollo tried futiley to push away the tiny hands pulling at his
tattered clothing.
"Uncle 'Pollo," Recess pouted demandingly, using more of her weight
to pull at her stubborn uncle's robe. As the distinctive sound of
ripping fabric sounded, Apollo finally looked down.
"What?" he said shortly, still casting quick looks at Joxer who had
wormed free and was spinning lazily in circles.
"I'm booored," Recess whined, still swinging dangerously at the sun
god's clothing. Wrenching himself away briskly, Apollo frowned at
both of the godlings.
"Go play somewhere outside then," he ordered, already making his way
over to where Joxer was trying to look at one of the wall fresco's,
tilting his head to the side and closing one of his eyes at
random. "Just don't come back inside. And especially keep out of the
bedroom, I do important work there." Sidling up to Joxer, Apollo led
him off through one of the arches.
Bliss was worried about Joxer, but shrugged it off. It wasn't like
Uncle Apollo would hurt him, even if it wouldn't be really stupid to
piss of granddad any more. Grabbing Recess's hand, he pulled his
sister outside, and turned to her with a sunny smile.
"What would you like to do, 'Cess?" he offered, then going along
willingly as she headed for Uncle Apollo's stables.
Chapter 4d
Bliss made a decision. Everything was definitely Recess's fault since
she had been the one to decide she was bored playing wit the sun
steeds, and wanted to race the chariot wheels down the hill.
Attempting to draw his outraged dignity around him as his Uncle
Apollo dragged him to grandfather Zeus's temple, Bliss found that
righteous indignation did not work very well with trying to keep up
with an outraged god. Finally giving up, he stuck his tongue out at
Apollo's oblivious back, and added his Uncle's hair rollers to the
things he needed to damage in revenge. Add that to Recess's toys for,
um, well, whatever she did, and Grandma Aphrodite's potions, Bliss
was going to be busy. Maybe he could use all three at once? Intrigued
by what he could do with all three items, Bliss almost failed to
realise they were being dragged into grandfather Zeus's office.
Firmly pushed into one of the lounges scattered in the room, Bliss
and Recess both winced and covered their ears as Apollo screamed for
Zeus.
It was not Zeus, but Grandma Aphrodite that appeared, however. Her
initial expression of concern faded as she noticed Apollo, Bliss and
Recess in the office. Anger flushed her face a rosy pink, and it was
only the prompt arrival of Zeus that forestalled her diatribe against
Apollo.
"Now Aphrodite," Zeus murmured conciliatory. "You know how Ares gets,
and Denea would hardly have appreciated being approached by a
scorched god, now would she? Eve none of your potions - effective as
they are - most likely wouldn't have smoothed over that small
indiscretion. If it weren't for the pride of the Olympians, of course
I would have let you hide from Ares behind me. Maybe if you just
talked to Ares. Perhaps in his temple, after you get Denea to have a
sip of another of those lovely potions, hmmm?"
Apollo, who had ducked behind a prominent pillar with Aphrodite's
arrival, started to look amused. The look fell off his face as
Aphrodite turned to give him a slit-eyed glare. Suddenly smiling
charmingly, the goddess of love hooked an arm through her father's
and led him to sit down.
"Daddy," Aphrodite minced coyly, "I don't really have any of that
potion left. With all the festivals lately, and Ares constantly
getting Strife to do so much work that Cupid feels the need to help,
I've been too rushed to make much potion. I still made you some, but
since Ares made you drop it, there isn't any left, not even for
Cupid's arrows." Zeus paled, and almost collapsed completely onto his
seat.
"But...but...Denea..." Zeus stammered.
"Now, daddy," Aphrodite soothed, stroking the king's arm lightly. "If
I just had some help, I could make you lots of the potion." Aphrodite
giggled, looking down demurely.
Determination hardened Zeus's face, and he turned to Apollo. "What is
it, Apollo," he ordered briskly, standing up. "I've got things to do,
gods to blackma...convince." Apollo tried to wave of his issue,
motioning subtly for Bliss and Recess to leave. Recess just smiled,
and wriggled a little in her seat. This was a fun new game. Bliss
wanted to ask about Joxer, so he stayed put as well.
Zeus noticed his two youngest members of the pantheon, and was torn
between finding out why they were here, and finding an assistant for
Aphrodite. Ares really should pay for the destruction of what little
potion Zeus had held. A break from his war obsession should be just
the thing.
As if summoned by name, Ares appeared in the now crowded office,
anger vibrating off him in waves. Pointing a finger at Aphrodite
menacingly, he managed to ground out a "later," but it was Apollo
upon whom he focussed his full fury.
"Where," he asked quietly, "is Joxer? Seeing as he's not at the
temple where I gave you SPECIFIC instructions to look after him."
Apollo tried for a hasty retreat, but Zeus had erected a barrier,
curious as to where this was going.
"Joxer?" Apollo repeated, confused for a moment. An eager expression
soon replaced the confusion, and Ares immediately drew his sword,
heading for his distracted brother.
Bliss ran over to Grandfather Zeus and tugged at his hand.
"Why aren't you stopping them?" he pleaded, distressed at the very
Unhappy emotions flying from his family. Zeus looked back solemnly,
before shaking his head.
"This isn't something I have a right to judge, Bliss," he explained
quietly. "Not even I can take responsibility for every action of my
children. That is why so many gods and roles exist. Still," he added
thoughtfully, "that doesn't mean I can't make my wishes known."
Apparently pleased with this deduction, he gestured imperiously to
Aphrodite.
"Fix them," Zeus ordered shortly. Bliss somehow didn't think that the
red color on Grandma Aphrodite's face suited her pink dress.
Zeus must have agreed, because he hastily handed Grandma Aphrodite a
small sword and backed away speedily. After looking thoughtfully from
the sword to Grandfather Zeus and then back again, the blonde goddess
gave an inelegant snort before tossing the blade away to vanish in
mid-air.
"Men," Bliss heard her mutter before she stalked over to the
periphery of the circle that Ares was chasing Apollo in. Lost for a
moment, Aphrodite made a couple of aborted gestures toward grabbing
one of the gods as they went past before elegantly hiking up her
dress and placing a small foot directly in their path.
Bliss and Recess both grinned happily at their Uncle and Granddad
tumbling head over heals into one of the many pillars in the room.
This being yelled at by Grandfather Zeus wasn't turning out as boring
as Bliss had thought. It got even better when both Apollo and Ares
accused each other of tripping them up and started to roll around
fighting on the floor.
Grandma Aphrodite smacked her forehead and started thumping her head
lightly against a small patch of wall that she materialised floating
in the air in front of her.
"Fine," Aphrodite said calmly, banishing the wall. "If you won't
listen to me, I'll let Joxie deal with you." Disappearing in a flash,
she returned seconds later with a dazed looking Joxer hanging off her
arm.
"Really, Ares, if you had just traced him before going after Apollo…"
The sound of Joxer's confused moans drew the attention of both the
combatants, and Bliss was thrilled when the two tried separately to
crawl over to the swaying mortal, while tripping the other god up.
Usually his family never deigned to play like mortals, and Bliss idly
set a small mirror up to capture the moment, exactly like Dad Strife
had shown him.
Granddad Ares lost his advantage when he froze, sniffing in the
direction of his lover. A dawning expression of understanding gave
way to fury, and he ceased trying to reach Joxer, wrapping up Apollo
in hastily summoned rope to buy him time. In the few seconds of peace
he had before Apollo squirmed very professionally out of his bonds,
Ares gave Aphrodite a meaningful if menacing look.
Confused, Aphrodite peered closely at the mortal using her to keep
himself upright, and her eyes widened when she found the problem. It
was a little spooky the way her eyes instantly swiveled to pin Bliss
where he stood, and not even the happy feelings of Recess were enough
to banish the tiny shiver that laid his feathers flat. The only thing
that Bliss could think, was to wonder how in the world Grandma
Aphrodite knew it was him.