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With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

Coup Data (part 24)
28th October 2012
12:22 GMT +3


Hephaestaean grips Zeus's wrists, trusting in his armour to survive anything less than a concerted effort. The turquoise gun comes around, only for a lightning bolt to disintegrate it.

Zeus grins a rictus, shouting to be heard over his own winds. "I have you now!"

"No."

The remaining mechadendrites lunge for Zeus's forehead wound, and

Sapping.

dig.

Ares frowns as his father's forehead bulges, then takes a firmer grip on the hammer and marches towards Hephaestaean with it raised high. "If I have to do this myself, then-"

Hephaestaean releases Zeus's forearms and punches him in the chest, knocking him back as his head bleeds even more freely.

"-I expect-"

Ares swings at Hephaestaean's exposed back, striking-.

The hammer stops in the air, Ares barely keeping his grip as it does.

"-to-. What?"

"Cursed Oathbreakers, your honour's in pawn,"

"I hoped that I'd meet you here, Ares." Hephaestaean turns away from where Zeus is clasping his forehead to face Ares. "Did you really think that I'd forget what you can do? That isn't just a weapon; it's an engineering tool. Almost anything can be used destructively, but that doesn't make my forge hammer into a weapon of war."

He holds out his right hand, and with a small flare of electrical activity the hammer flies to him.

Detected.

I look-. I watch a small fly crawl between Zeus's fingers and take wing, launching itself towards me.

Thought.

I just hope that she remembers how to be a person as well as a fly.

"And worthless the vows you have made,"

Ares grabs his sword and shield as Hephaestaean swings at him. Ares is easily able to turn aside the head of the hammer with his shield, but can only stare as the shield begins to rust away from the point of impact.

"Things built-" Hephaestaean swings again and Ares steps towards him, catching the haft of the hammer on the rim of his flaking shield. The blow is stopped but now the decay is even faster. "-by the hand-" Ares stabs at the cleft in Hephaestaean's chest plate, only for the sword to be intercepted from the side by a mechadendrite. "-of man or god."

The fly hovers in the air next to me and

Actualisation.

shimmers, shifting into a humanoid woman in her middle years, wearing what appears to be a leather and fur mini-dress. Rather than look as confused as I assumed that a woman in her position would look, she's focused on her surroundings immediately.

Which means that she gets to see Ares's sword crumble to rust as Zeus pulls himself upright, wiping the blood from his eyes.

Ares stares at the bladeless hilt-

"That-."

-as Hephaestaean's hammer comes around in a full swing and smashes him in the side of the head, sending him crashing to the ground!

There's a quiet groan, then Ares lies still.

Preparation over Passion.

"Yaagh!"

Zeus charges Hephaestaean from behind, wind blades coating his hands once more. But he's just rushing right in, not evading or flying. Hephaestaean raises his hammer and jabs with the butt of the haft right in Zeus's forehead wound.

"Gah!"

Zeus staggers back as Hephaestaean advances, head of his hammer hitting Zeus in the ribs, stomach, arm and face. I nod in satisfaction as Zeus's nose is flattened across his face, but otherwise remain silent as Zeus finally collapses to the ground. He's conscious but insensible.

"Justice shall see you where others have gone,
Delivered to those you betrayed."

"Hm." Hephaestaean plants the butt on his hammer on the floor and with his left hand and two tentacle mechadendrites explores the cut in his chest. "Reasonable. I'll improve it for next time."

Metis takes a few steps towards him, more curious than cautious.

"What are you?"

"I'm a god infused with the power of a nascent titan. I am Hephaestaean, God of Technology and Artifice. And you are Metis." He gestures to the door. "You are free to leave or remain as you choose. Your daughter Athena is looking forward to the opportunity to get to know you properly."

"I will stay."

Hephaestaean nods, then marches up to Zeus and grabs him by the neck with his left hand.

"Nygh."

"Don't worry, Father. I don't intend to kill you." He moves his hammer so that the head of it is touching Zeus's bloodied face. "But I find the concept of a weather god who doesn't understand thermodynamics positively offensive. I cast you into exile until such time as you graduate with a Masters in Meteorology. Only then may you return to Olympus. Do you understand?"

Zeus manages a very weak nod.

"Good."

He bends, slamming Zeus into-. Through the floor, which ripples like water to allow his passage and then returns to stone.

Hephaestaean then hesitates, taking a deep breath. Then he takes off his helmet, a quiet hiss sounding as the seal is broken. His face is still recognisably his, but the oddly metallic hair is far shorter and the expression is… Sharper. Not stronger exactly, but far more focused. More determined.

He reverses the hammer and slams the head into the floor.

"By the might of my arm and the power of my soul, I declare myself Hephaestaean, King of Olympus." He looks at me and he doesn't smile. But he does give me a respectful nod. "This was a dream, once. And as for the rest…" He turns and walks towards the fallen Ares. "I dismiss you as God of Battle. I don't know who I'll replace you with… Hippolyta or Kratos, probably."

Now he smiles, and it's not a pleasant expression.

"But that means that I need to give you a new job, doesn't it? I can hardly leave you to your own devices."

He lifts the head of his hammer a little way off the ground.

"I think… God of Eunuchs."

He brings the hammer down.
 
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I look-. I watch a small fly crawl between Zeus's fingers and take wing, launching itself towards me.

Thought.

I just hope that she remembers how to be a person as well as a fly.
Heh, so Heph focused on Zeus' head to free Metis? Clever.
"Don't worry, Father. I don't intend to kill you." He moves his hammer so that the head of it is touching Zeus's bloodied face. "But I find the concept of a weather god who doesn't understand thermodynamics positively offensive. I cast you into exile until such time as you graduate with a Masters in Meteorology. Only then may you return to Olympus. Do you understand?"

Zeus manages a very weak nod.

"Good."

He bends, slamming Zeus into-. Through the floor, which ripples like water to allow his passage and then returns to stone.
Pffft, Heph basically kicking his dad out of his own house to go to school.
"But that means that I need to give you a new job, doesn't it? I can hardly leave you to your own devices."

He lifts the head of his hammer a little way off the ground.

"I think… God of Eunuchs."

He brings the hammer down.
Oh boy, I mean... not like Ares didn't have it coming, but oh man.

Will Attis be annoyed by this development?
 
"But that means that I need to give you a new job, doesn't it? I can hardly leave you to your own devices."

He lifts the head of his hammer a little way off the ground.

"I think… God of Eunuchs."

He brings the hammer down.
Ouch. But millennia of grudges and all that.
 
He brings the hammer down.

Ooof, that ending had me cringe in sympathy pain.

Do we think Zeus will actually follow through with something for once in his life, or will he just decide to coast in the background to hide his shame?

Either way, I can't wait to see the look on Wonder Woman's face when she learns about all of this :D
 
less than a concerted

'concentrated'

Zeus grins a rictus, shouting to be heard over his own winds. "I have you now!"

"No."

The remaining mechadendrites lunge for Zeus's forehead wound, and

Sapping.

dig

Metis, it's time for you to leave.

I look-. I watch a small fly crawl between Zeus's fingers and take wing, launching itself towards me.

Thought.

I just hope that she remembers how to be a person as well as a fly

Ohh, yeah, some myths had Zeus tricking her unto a shape-shifting contest and then eating her.

"Hm." Hephaestaean plants the butt on his hammer on the floor and with his left hand and two tentacle mechadendrites explores the cut in his chest.
"Reasonable. I'll improve it for next time

Add a space between them.

"Don't worry, Father. I don't intend to kill you

But there are a lot if things worse than death.

But I find the concept of a weather god who doesn't understand thermodynamics positively offensive. I cast you into exile until such time as you graduate with a Masters in Meteorology. Only then may you return to Olympus. Do you understand?"

Zeus manages a very weak nod.

"Good."

This is...not what I was expecting.

"I dismiss you as God of Battle. I don't know who I'll replace you with… Hippolyta or Kratos, probably."

Just make sure you don't push off the latter.

"But that means that I need to give you a new job, doesn't it? I can hardly leave you to your own devices

Maybe God of Pinnatas.

He can show up for parties and children can beat him with sticks.

He lifts the head of his hammer a little way off the ground.

"I think… God of Eunuchs."

He brings the hammer down

Well...this was expected.
 
Honestly? My money is on Heph either keeping business as usual with his sham of a marriage, or take a page out of Hera's book and divorce her.
Eh. I'm just tired of this trope where the cheating wife gets away with it. And the husband focuses on the guy. It's like, you weren't married to him? And if he didn't know she was in a ship then isn't he innocent? Though that doesn't apply here obviously.
 
Does Hephestean think a knowledgeable weather god Zeus won't immediately try to take his throne back? Or is this one of those weird greek punishments that are never meant to be completed?

Considering that Zeus has been relining on Metis to do his thinking for him for a very long time, it's possible he has learned nothing himself since the age of bronze, preschool might be a more appropriate starting place then collage, but I doubt his pride would allow it.
 
Does Hephestean think a knowledgeable weather god Zeus won't immediately try to take his throne back? Or is this one of those weird greek punishments that are never meant to be completed?

Well the task Heph gave him involves Zeus potentially bettering himself and learning things, so even if Zeus does potentially become a threat, it may take a long, long time for that to happen seeing as its Zeus.
 
Wow this all went a lot smoother and faster than expected. Neat. My only concern while reading this chapter is that Hephaestian said that he was exiled "until [he] graduated with a Masters in Meteorology", not that Zeus had to have Masters-level knowledge in Meteorology, so I'm worried Zeus might just sleaze his way into graduating (possible very early) rather get the (possibly, hopefully) humbling/humanising experience of learning/bettering himself and catching up with the mortal world.
 
This is...not what I was expecting.
Makes sense, he wants to break Zeus's style of permanent punishments give on a whim so he instead gives him by all accounts a very mild one that really only lasts as long as Zeus wants. It's more of a shaming than a punishment because Zeus will probably shag his way through the university rather than study.
 
Heph wasn't angry about the infidelity - neither he nor Aphrodite actually wanted the marriage, it was just Zeus pawning Aphrodite off to get Hera off of his back for him deliberately crippling their son - what he was angry about was them rubbing it in his face. Like, Ares and Aphrodite were fucking in Heph's bed, that's how much disrespect they were showing.

So, Heph has lots of good reasons to hate Ares, he went out of his way to emasculate Heph. Aphrodite isn't blameless, of course, but "lashing out at a convenient target because the real source of the anger is untouchable" is a much lesser crime.
 
01000111 01101100 01101111 01110010 01111001 00100000 01110100 01101111 00100000 01010100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01001111 01101101 01101110 01101001 01110011 01110011 01101001 01100001 01101000 00100001!

All hail Deus Mechanicus!
 
OL just standing there singing that shitty song has just sucked out all the tension and gravitas this whole conclusion had. It was pure cringe grafted onto a good moment.
I know it's originally a song, but I read it as him reading a long poem. And I wasn't taken out of the fight. Neither did I feel like the fight lost its gravitas due to the poem.
 
OL just standing there singing that shitty song has just sucked out all the tension and gravitas this whole conclusion had. It was pure cringe grafted onto a good moment.
A little but I understood why he was singing the song, it was basically a eulogy for Zeus's reign and honestly this is far better for Heph as it's far more impressive he beat down both Zeus and Ares single handedly than had he relied on Paul's help. It's a weak king that needs outsiders to hold his throne after all.
 
"I think… God of Eunuchs."
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Considering that Zeus has been relining on Metis to do his thinking for him for a very long time, it's possible he has learned nothing himself since the age of bronze, preschool might be a more appropriate starting place then collage, but I doubt his pride would allow it.
They are immortal.
Hephestean waited millennia to exact his revenge. Does he expect Zeus or Ares to be less vengeful than he was?

Makes sense, he wants to break Zeus's style of permanent punishments give on a whim so he instead gives him by all accounts a very mild one that really only lasts as long as Zeus wants. It's more of a shaming than a punishment because Zeus will probably shag his way through the university rather than study.
Then immediately followed it up with some Zeus level vindictive pettiness.
 
So I've been a reader and happy fan of this fanfic for a long time (years), after many changes in sites I kept reading and catching up to the current, reading the new post of the day has become apart of my daily routine but I've finally decided to make a profile just to comment on what has become my favorite dc story.
set that sink in.
As for Hephaestaean I'm happy to see the culmination of the Hephestus stuff and really Olympus though I want to see more I wanna see the changing of the old guard in Olympus and if another Titan of Tecnology is possible (multiple cultures multiple titans) imaging first emerging from the Dreaming to the sight of a brother the first Titan of technology having fused with some old god.
will this Titan merging become a way for gods to seek power and change the statues quo in many Pantheons?
so many questions.
 
Yep Zeus and Ares got what they deserved. All hail omnissah.may his reign be eternal. Tho seriously am i the only one that Poseidon or apho
 
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Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

They are immortal.
Hephestean waited millennia to exact his revenge. Does he expect Zeus or Ares to be less vengeful than he was?

Then immediately followed it up with some Zeus level vindictive pettiness.
He's expecting Zeus to come back and get beaten again - he mentioned improving the hammer for next time
 
Yep Zeus and Ares got what they deserved. All hail omnissah.may his reign be eternal. Tho seriously am i the only one that Poseidon or apho starts some new shit to get power

I can potentially see Poseidon trying something, but he may decide to stay away, seeing as Heph managed to beat both his brother and his nephew with relative ease.

Aphrodire may try something, but probably nothing like a coup, just causing some minor problems.
 
28th October 2012
12:22 GMT +3


Hephaestaean grips Zeus's wrists, trusting in his armour to survive anything less than a concerted effort. The turquoise gun comes around, only for a lightning bolt to disintegrate it.

Zeus grins a rictus, shouting to be heard over his own winds. "I have you now!"
Counting his swans before they hatch, I see. As if destroying a single weapon will slow down the God of Technology? I half expect him to jettison the damaged limb and teleport a fresh one into place... It would drive home the message of implacable advancement.

"No."

The remaining mechadendrites lunge for Zeus's forehead wound, and
I picture him saying that in a bored, dismissive tone. Like the outcome is already known, it's just a matter of the program running and Zeus realising he's done.

Ooh, impromptu brain surgery. But you're focusing on the wrong head. You know he doesn't do much thinking with that one. :p

Ares frowns as his father's forehead bulges, then takes a firmer grip on the hammer and marches towards Hephaestus with it raised high. "If I have to do this myself, then-"

Hephaestaean releases Zeus's forearms and punches him in the chest, knocking him back as his head bleeds even more freely.
And that is the move of someone who's already won. Hasty, but I bet his predictive systems can see Zeus' possible responses.

"-I expect-"

Areas swings at Hephaestaean's exposed back, striking-.
Really, Ares? He has a dozen arms. You don't think some of them are on defensive watch?

The hammer stops in the air, Ares barely keeping his grip as it does.

"-to-. What?"
Ha, built-in kinetic control system? So, can it wield itself if Phaeste commands it to?

"Cursed Oathbreakers, your honour's in pawn,"

"I hoped that I'd meet you here, Ares." Hephaestaean turns away from where Zeus is clasping his forehead to face Ares. "Did you really think that I'd forget what you can do? That isn't just a weapon, it's an engineering tool. Almost anything can be used destructively, but that doesn't make my forge hammer into a weapon of war."
...An interesting loophole, but if Hephaestean is stronger than Ares, than his domain is dominant here.

He holds out his right hand, and with a small flare of electrical activity the hammer flies to him.

Detected.
Oh-ho, OL was looking for something? Well, who could he possibly be watching for, hmm?

I look-. I watch a small fly crawl between Zeus's fingers and take wing, launching itself towards me.

Thought.
Not the first time something has sprung from Zeus' brow at the hands of Hephaestus. :D

I just hope that she remembers how to be a person as well as a fly.

"And worthless the vows you have made,"
And with that, a chunk of Zeus' power is gone. Along with what wisdom he did not naturally possess.

Ares grabs his sword and shield as Hephaestaean swings at him. Ares is easily able to turn aside the head of the hammer with his shield, but can only stare as the shield begins to rust away from the point of impact.

"Things built-" Hephaestaean swings again and Ares steps towards him, catching the half of the hammer on the rim of his flaking shield. The blow is stopped but now the decay is even faster. "-by the hand-" Ares stabs at the cleft in Hephaestaean's chest plate, only for the sword to be intercepted from the side my a mechadendrite. "-of man or god."
Heh. Looks like he commands even more power over metal now, able to corrode it as easily as he forges it.

The fly hovers in the air next to me and

Actualisation.

shimmers, shifting into a humanoid woman in her middle years, wearing what appears to be a leather and fur mini-dress. Rather than look as confused as I assumed that a woman in her position would look, she's focused on her surroundings immediately.
Benefit of Divine Wisdom, I take it. Or she was fully aware of what was happening while inside Zeus. Which means she had a front-row seat to all his little seductions. :confused: Urgh.

Which means that she gets to see Ares's sword crumble to rust as Zeus pulls himself upright, wiping the blood from his eyes.

Ares stares at the bladeless hilt-
Your domain is depreciated, Savagery. Enjoy your imminent retirement.

"That-."

-as Hephaestus's hammer comes around in a full swing and smashes him in the side of the head, sending him crashing to the ground!
I picture a huge grin on Phaeste's face, as he connected with that hit. First the bull, then the unfaithful cow.

There's a quiet groan, then Ares lies still.

Preparation over Passion.
Athena's aid, no doubt. And a huge 'take that' to Ares.

"Yaagh!"

Zeus charges Hephaestus from behind, wind blades coating his hands once more. But he's just rushing right in, not evading or flying. Hephaestus raise his hammer and jabs with the butt of the haft right in Zeus's forehead wound.
Right in the kisser. That won't make the splitting headache any more fun. :p

"Gah!"

Zeus staggers back as Hephaestaean advances, head of his hammer hitting Zeus in the ribs, stomach, arm and face. I nod in satisfaction as Zeus's nose is flattened across his face, but otherwise remain silent as Zeus finally collapses to the ground. He's conscious but insensible.
And now I'm picturing a ring of little harpies fluttering about his head, waving their bare breasts at him. :D

"Justice shall see you where others have gone,
Delivered to those you betrayed."

"Hm." Hephaestaean plants the butt on his hammer on the floor and with his left hand and two tentacle mechadendrites explores the cut in his chest. "Reasonable. I'll improve it for next time."
Because there's almost certainly going to be someone dumb enough to try it. Or as Blade put it: "Some muddafuckas always tryin' to iceskate uphill..."

Metis takes a few steps towards him, more curious than cautious.

"What are you?"
Heh. A double surprise. I doubt Hephaestus existed before her little experience in Vore Fetish, and Humanity was probably still barely capable of smelting bronze...

"I'm a god infused with the power of a nascent titan. I am Hephaestaean, God of Technology and Artifice. And you are Metis." He gestures to the door. "You are free to leave or remain as you choose. Your daughter Athena is looking forwards to the opportunity to get to know you properly."

"I will stay."
If only to see Zeus get a long-deserved comeuppance, eh?

Hephaestaean nods, then marches up to Zeus and grabs him by the neck with his left hand.

"Nygh."
Mechadendrites are fun, but sometimes, you just got to choke a bitch. :V

"Don't worry, Father. I don't intend to kill you." He moves his hammer so that the head of it is touching Zeus's bloodied face. "But I find the concept of a weather god who doesn't understand thermodynamics positively offensive. I cast you into exile until such time as you graduate with a Masters in Meteorology. Only then may you return to Olympus. Do you understand?"

Zeus manages a very weak nod.
Oooh, there's a challenge. Does anyone picture Zeus, without the intelligence buffs Metis provided, being able to complete high school, never mind a college course?

"Good."

He bends, slamming Zeus into-. Through the floor, which ripples like water to allow his passage and then returns to stone.
And soundly evicted from the pocket dimension. Hopefully a couple of kilometres up, so he has time to think about how much the stop at the end is going to hurt. :D

Hephaestaean then hesitates, taking a deep breath. Then he takes off his helmet, a quiet hiss sounding as the seal is broken. His face is still recognisably his, but the oddly metallic hair is far shorter and the expression is… Sharper. Not stronger exactly, but far more focused. More determined.

He reverses the hammer and slams the head into the floor.
...Not sharper... Honed. Polished. Refined.

"By the might of my arm and the power of my soul, I declare myself Hephaestaean, King of Olympus." He looks at me and he doesn't smile. But he does give me a respectful nod. "This was a dream, once. And as for the rest…" He turns and walks towards the fallen Ares. "I dismiss you as God of Battle. I don't know who I'll replace you with… Hippolyta or Kratos, probably."

Now he smiles, and it's not a pleasant expression.
Kratos is probably the better option. Hippolyta's busy with Themyscira, after all.

"But that means that I need to give you a new job, doesn't it? I can hardly leave you to your own devices."

He lifts the head of his hammer a little way off the ground.
Oooh, Ares isn't going to enjoy this demotion...

"I think… God of Eunuchs."

He brings the hammer down.
:eek: ...Ow. Though... I could see Ares adapting that into gaining the Godhood of Involuntary Celibacy. His primary worshippers? :V Angry internet jackasses! It's a perfect match.

And so the coup is done. :oops: Along with Ares' love life. Now, to see the reactions of the denizens of Olympus, and perhaps a happy meeting between a mother and daughter. And oddly, I didn't see OL's little poetic interjections as an annoyance. More as an accompaniment. Like having a bard singing during an exhibition pankration match at a classical party. Or as Iron Man once put it: "Some phat beats to beat my buddy's daddy's ass to." :D


Areas swings at Hephaestaean's exposed back, striking-.
Ares swings at Hephaestaean's exposed back, striking-.
...intercepted from the side my a mechadendrite.
...intercepted from the side by a mechadendrite.
 
All hail Deus ex Machina! The only one acceptable, actually!

I was expecting for the Illustres to run some interferance so Ares couldn't try to sucker punch our boy Heph, but I guess the new King didn't need the help. Technology is good at multitasking, I suppose.

I personally ignored the Illustres' singing, cause anytime it happens it takes me out of a scene completely. I know it's his quirk but same way I can't stand singing in most disney movies (and it's the reason why I don't watch them) I wouldn't be able to stand somebody doing it in real live; and if I'm immersing myself in the story then that's what I imagine, the Illustres just randomly singing some quaint, soliloquy like poem and that's just immersion breaking. So, again, I ignore it completely and have done the same before, even with the Renegade, and nothing of value was lost.
 
Good news, everyone! Ares' temple on Themyscira is getting rebuilt. It will include a large number of works based on Ares' latest battle.

I'm glad Paul didn't have to intervene. I approve of the song/poem and think its content will help sway Themyscirans to Paul's side through the upcoming disruption.
 
Ouch. Will he do sth to Aph? Cause this feels if he only punshes him for the cheating.

Everyone expected aph to cheat though, even Heph, it's literally her nature. It's the scorpion and the frog, you can't blame someone for something you knew it was gonna do.
 

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