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

Reader mode
Mr Zoat said:
"You ate your first wife and kept her trapped in you head for thousands of years. You literally threw Hephaestus off a mountain so hard that his leg got crushed and you played away from home so often that the Goddess of Marriage divorced you, the rest of your family says 'Hm, Zeus'. Doctor Sandsmark, I apologise for this inconvenience."
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And that's the short list of shitty things he's done. OL proves himself a better man than me, because if Zeus talked shit to my face right after that entire last arc, on top of saying in no uncertain terms he has no plans to make himself useful, I'd've had the Ophidian just eat the bastard. I'm sure Heph would understand, and it's not like you couldn't just make a new weather god if you put your mind to it.
 
Brainwasher-Boy said:
And that's the short list of shitty things he's done. OL proves himself a better man than me, because if Zeus talked shit to my face right after that entire last arc, on top of saying in no uncertain terms he has no plans to make himself useful, I'd've had the Ophidian just eat the bastard. I'm sure Heph would understand, and it's not like you couldn't just make a new weather god if you put your mind to it.
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Killing Zeus would have all sorts of unpredictable effects on the everything. If Paul wanted to be vindictive he would imprisoned Zeus somewhere say with a eagle to eat his liver.
 
Brainwasher-Boy said:
I'm sure Heph would understand
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"Paul, where is my father?"

"Ah, well, you see, some unforeseen consequences popped up, so I was talking to him about how it could be fixed. Short story shorter, Zeus Zeus-ed and so I fed him to my primordial space snake."

"Gods dammit, how am I supposed to get back at him if he's dead?!"

"Er, the best revenge is letting go?"

"Oh, fuck off. You, of all people, did NOT just say that to me."
 
Mr Zoat said:
"My mother is leaving her grove. She very seldom does-. I should go and see what she wants."

Between Hera and Aphrodite…

"I think I can guess."
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Huh… Hades and Persephone were probably the most stable, healthy marriage in Greek mythology. Definitely among the Olympians. The whole kidnapping thing is pretty vague due to linguistic reasons, with it being reasonably argued that she was only kidnapped from Demeter's perspective, the page describing the pomegranate thing was ripped (possibly shattered?) before getting to the actual details of what, specifically, it did and Persephone's degree of knowledge and agency in the process. She got homesick but they figured out a commuting schedule, she likes his dog and every myth they appear in together has them very friendly to and protective of each other. Even in the marriage myth, Hades is never narratively portrayed as the bad guy, Zeus is, and mostly for not telling Demeter and immediately deflecting responsibility.
 
So Zeus was the Boss who just stopped handing out tasks one day while everyone still has to come into the office.

After a time of discontent people relaxed and found hobbies to fill the time.

Now suddenly Hephesteaen is in office and is planning great things and expecting people to pull their weight.

Yeah, I can see that causing problems.


As for Zeus: if he would get of his kiester I could, ironically, see him become a god of electricity or even clean energy, though I don't think his pride would allow that.

Also: Can we get a scene with Hera being all the proud mom and gushing, pretty please? :D
 
Mr Zoat said:
28th October 2012
07:22 GMT -7

"-daughter's getting up in a few minutes-."

Helena Sandsmark cuts herself off as she spots me flying in. Zeus appears to have acquired jeans and a shirt from somewhere, and his wounds are less obvious than they were a few hours ago. She's currently standing outside of her house and very clearly not happy that he's here.
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Ah, I see. Zeus went running to the last woman he 'knew' (in the biblical sense, if you know what I mean) in hopes of finding succour. No doubt hoping to leech off her bank account and hoping his attentions dazzle her enough to not care?

Why is he here? He's clearly spent time on Earth in the modern era; one of the products of that time is currently sleeping in her room upstairs. So it's not as if he needs someone to explain now money works or anything like that. Similarly, he must have somewhere to live.

I land a short distance away from Cassandra's parents.
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Ah, yes, I'd rather forgotten about that. Wonder if Ploutos sets up identities for visiting Olympian avatars, or of they have another agent to do it?

"Doctor Sandsmark. Zeus."

"Hephaestus's bard." Zeus stares at me with a look of contempt. "Here to narrative my life in verse? Let me pay you your worth."
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Oh, no payment necessary, Sparky. Just seeing your frustrated face is payment enough. :p

He reaches into my pocket, and tosses me… Half a copper coin. An old British halfpenny, if I'm any judge.

"Half a coin to match your wits. Too kind."
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...Maybe he does need a refresher on modern money.

"Paul, why is he here?"

"I don't know. He's not on Olympus because he got overthrown by Hephaestaean, but I don't know why he's here."
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And I don't expect him to be experiencing any parental feelings towards Cassie. Maybe hoping to step in as the 'wise old mentor' and set her on the path to being a proper hero (and maybe facing down the 'wicked' Hephaestaean one day.) :rolleyes: Seems the sort of short-sighted plan he'd make without Metis.

"I'm here because I need a reference. I need to get into a college of some sort in order to get back to Olympus, and a published Doctor of Archaeology would seem to be my best bet. A better question is: what are you doing here?"

"Captain Marvel can't transform."
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Oh, for... Looking for the easy path back to Olympus, eh?

"Who?"

"The current champion of the wizard Jebediah of Canaan. Shazam."
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I'd laugh if he was happy to be out of that little long-term pact. I mean, signing a deal like that, he might well have expected it to only last a century, maybe two, only to find out the Wizard was immortal.

"Oh. Him. Yes, it wouldn't, would it? I don't have access to my lightning, because Hephaestus has never been a fool. No one else has it, so even automatic things like my gift to Jebediah aren't working."

"How do I start it working?"
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Hmm... Maybe Phaeste can rewrite the access privileges, bypass Zeus' authorisation and let the Wizard draw on just enough to trigger the transformation spell.

"Ah, to do that you must perform an epic quest worthy of the Elysian Fields. First, enter the gateway into the Dream in Erebos, and pass into that eldritch place to retrieve a single petal from each of the strange flowers that bloom in Morpheus's own garden. Next, to Tartarus, and steal a single tear from each of the being bound there. These you will need to quench the fires which burn beneath Mount Othrys, that you may take the remaining fragments of the bones of Uranus from their vaults. Then you must travel to unto the hallowed halls of Harvard University, whereupon you may suck my cock."
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:rolleyes: Well, if you're going to be that way about it...

"You realise that Captain Marvel is the one useful thing you've done with yourself in living memory, don't you? The one thing people actually credit you for?"

"Jeb got me to sign up to that while I was merry with drink. Don't expect me to have any real attachment to the man."
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Figures. Still, at least he stuck with it, instead of trying to cheat his way out of the deal.

"I doubt that anyone here expects you to have any real attachment to anyone. What exactly do you want on this reference? I can hardly give you a character reference; we barely know each other."

"You mean you might have to lie on a reference?" He looks at her incredulously. "Do people actually tell the truth on those things?"
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Tone down the sarcasm a little, Sparky. Not exactly making the lady more interested in helping you.

"Yes!"

"What do you want?"
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Besides a tanker's worth of wine, a busload of comely wenches and the throne of Olympus back under your arse?

Zeus turns his head my way. "What?"

"What do you want in order to be helpful? You don't like me and I don't like you, but Captain Marvel respects you and does good work in your name."
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Like he cares. I get the feeling even if he does return to Olympus, he'll find himself unemployed in short order given Hephaestaean's plans.

"Ah, no, no, I think I've been discharged of all responsibilities. Captain Marvel will just have to make do."

I take a quick look at his desire network. Nothing unbearable, but… He's not going to help.
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Since some of the things he wants probably involves grievous bodily harm on you.

"Right, fine. Your lack of cooperation has been noted. Good da-."

"Hey!" Dr. Sandsmark glares at me. "Where are you going?"
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...Hmm. Just how powerful is Zeus without the lightning? Just a strong human man? Perhaps a phone call to the police is in order.

"Erebos. Hades has been nothing but helpful for as long as I've known him."

"Hm." Zeus grimaces. "Family."
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At least he takes his duty seriously, you wastrel.

"You ate your first wife and kept her trapped in you head for thousands of years. You literally threw Hephaestus off a mountain so hard that his leg got crushed and you played away from home so often that the Goddess of Marriage divorced you, the rest of your family says 'Hm, Zeus'. Doctor Sandsmark, I apologise for this inconvenience."

I raise my right hand to my forehead
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Hopefully with index and middle finger split, facing Zeus, for added insult. :cool:

and

28th October 2012
17:25 GMT +3

appear in Erebos, face to face with Zagreus's arrow.
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Again? This is starting to become a habit, OL.

"Feeling jumpy?"

"Everyone's feeling jumpy. You just overthrew Zeus."
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Because he didn't do his job properly. Hades has no fear in that department.

"Hephaestaean overthrew Zeus."

"Hephaestaean exists because of you. He asked me if I'd like to try out for the position of War God."
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Hmm... Would that be as the thrill of battle? :p Would war turn into an action movie under his reign? I doubt Zagreus would suit Savagery.

"From the way you appear to like pointing arrows at people, I'd say that you were a natural fit."

"Not really." He lowers the arrow and reduced the tension on the string. "Hm."
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Finding himself considering the upside of accepting the position?

"What?"

"I just realised that your carefully planned chaos is far scarier than Eris's habit of pulling loose threads."
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As it should be. Eris is a troll, a jackanape. OL is Chaos with purpose.

"But I'm happy with my current job. Why aren't you taking it?"

"I don't particularly want to be a god."
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All those responsibilities too much for you? :p

"You were rather born the wrong person, then."

"No, I mean that I don't have any desire to be part of the kind of active pantheon that Hephaestaean wants us to become. I understand the logic of it; I'm out in the world enough to know what 'competition' is. But I like being a tour guide and hunter. Even thought hunting isn't a part of the lives of most humans any longer, there's a job that an Olympian could do… I don't want to. If anyone needs to do it, Artemis can have the job."
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Ah, it's just a wariness of change. How Human of him.

"Were you working the role under Zeus?"

"No, but he didn't care. Hephaestaean does, and I'm concerned that he might take it badly. I heard about Ares."
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No, the Ares thing was a more personal matter.

"I don't think he'll geld you for wanting to come off the civil list. Given the backlogs I'm seeing around here, I'd be more worried about what your father will say."

"I am."
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Well, good to see his father's opinion is that important to him. Filial propriety and all that.

"What do you actually get out of it, anyway?"

"Nothing. The power I get from Erebos comes from my being born here rather than being a gift from my father. The spells bound to my equipment have already been paid for and everything else is my innate power."
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So, he's rich, bored and at leisure. Maybe he needs to find a new passion. Justice, perhaps? God of Vigilantes! :V

"Can I assume that other Olympians are similarly concerned?"

"Zeus's laziness let people just drift away and do their own thing. If Hephaestaean makes an issue of things, then he…"
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And they're all sweating about having to actually do their jobs, now there's a new manager in the office. Handlewithcare's Workplace analogy seems especially apt indeed.

Zagreus jerks his head towards the west, staring with no small amount of concern.

"Something wrong?"
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And is it something that should concern everyone? Another Oceanus incident, or...

"My mother is leaving her grove. She very seldom does-. I should go and see what she wants."

Between Hera and Aphrodite…

"I think I can guess."
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Oh, dear Goddesses: Girl Talk. :p

Well, looks like Hephaestaean's declaration upon taking the throne is having some entertaining knock-on effects amongst the pantheon. I wonder how many of them will be able to find relevance in the modern age. Hopefully the Marvel family's issue can be solved with a little talk to the new king about existing agreements. Though I foresee some negotiations in Jeb's future.
 
Darko said:
Time for another divorce.
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Ummm all i want to say is in this quote here
The Froggy Ninja said:
Huh… Hades and Persephone were probably the most stable, healthy marriage in Greek mythology. Definitely among the Olympians. The whole kidnapping thing is pretty vague due to linguistic reasons, with it being reasonably argued that she was only kidnapped from Demeter's perspective, the page describing the pomegranate thing was ripped (possibly shattered?) before getting to the actual details of what, specifically, it did and Persephone's degree of knowledge and agency in the process. She got homesick but they figured out a commuting schedule, she likes his dog and every myth they appear in together has them very friendly to and protective of each other. Even in the marriage myth, Hades is never narratively portrayed as the bad guy, Zeus is, and mostly for not telling Demeter and immediately deflecting responsibility.
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Best research i can find is

Hades loves his wife and as far as the Myths go has never cheated on her,
 
The Froggy Ninja said:
Huh… Hades and Persephone were probably the most stable, healthy marriage in Greek mythology. Definitely among the Olympians. The whole kidnapping thing is pretty vague due to linguistic reasons, with it being reasonably argued that she was only kidnapped from Demeter's perspective, the page describing the pomegranate thing was ripped (possibly shattered?) before getting to the actual details of what, specifically, it did and Persephone's degree of knowledge and agency in the process. She got homesick but they figured out a commuting schedule, she likes his dog and every myth they appear in together has them very friendly to and protective of each other. Even in the marriage myth, Hades is never narratively portrayed as the bad guy, Zeus is, and mostly for not telling Demeter and immediately deflecting responsibility.
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In this story the love between the two of them seems to just come from Hades.

Hades apparently asked Zeus if he could marry her, so Zeus agreed.

Unfortunately since she wasn't consulted about it, Persephone was intimidated by Hades and wrmt along with him because she was afraid.

Their relationship in this regard hasn't improved much, with Hades loving her but Persephone does not seem to actually love him in a romantic manner.
 
Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, I see. Zeus went running to the last woman he 'knew' (in the biblical sense, if you know what I mean) in hopes of finding succour
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I doubt she's the last woman he "knew".

Chojin Patriarch said:
Ah, yes, I'd rather forgotten about that. Wonder if Ploutos sets up identities for visiting Olympian avatars, or of they have another agent to do it?
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Or maybe some other gods handle that.

We know that some gods have set up identities in the mortal world, like that Babylonian travel god, and that they're not adverse to working with beings from other mythologies, so it may work.

Granted when it concerned the travel god, he didn't really have much choice since both of the beings he dealt with could have probably killed him with just a thought, and Zeus probably can't do that.

Chojin Patriarch said:
And I don't expect him to be experiencing any parental feelings towards Cassie. Maybe hoping to step in as the 'wise old mentor' and set her on the path to being a proper hero (and maybe facing down the 'wicked' Hephaestaean one day.) :rolleyes: Seems the sort of short-sighted plan he'd make without Metis
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I can see him doing this.

Though maybe one way he can make himself useful would be to give lessons on the more metaphysical aspects of Cassandra's powers.

Chojin Patriarch said:
I'd laugh if he was happy to be out of that little long-term pact. I mean, signing a deal like that, he might well have expected it to only last a century, maybe two, only to find out the Wizard was immortal
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He probably knew about Jebediah's immortality.

Maybe the didn't care since it was a small investment of power on his part or because the Wizard could only give it to one person.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Besides a tanker's worth of wine, a busload of comely wenches and the throne of Olympus back under your arse?
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Don't forget the comely lads.

Chojin Patriarch said:
Like he cares. I get the feeling even if he does return to Olympus, he'll find himself unemployed in short order given Hephaestaean's plans.
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Unless he starts running those weather control devices.

Chojin Patriarch said:
So, he's rich, bored and at leisure. Maybe he needs to find a new passion. Justice, perhaps? God of Vigilantes! :V
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Well he is associated with hunting and mysteries, so maybe he can bless people to be very good at solving mysteries and make them superb hunters.
 
Vaermina said:
Still not explaining how Hephaestus just randomly gained the ability to de-power Zeus.
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It's soft magic. How can Zeus eat people whole? How.. How any of the bullshit Greek gods do? Hephaestean overpowered Zeus, and thus got to do a random nonsense thing, very much like a Marvel Thor scenario.
 
The Froggy Ninja said:
Huh… Hades and Persephone were probably the most stable, healthy marriage in Greek mythology. Definitely among the Olympians. The whole kidnapping thing is pretty vague due to linguistic reasons, with it being reasonably argued that she was only kidnapped from Demeter's perspective, the page describing the pomegranate thing was ripped (possibly shattered?) before getting to the actual details of what, specifically, it did and Persephone's degree of knowledge and agency in the process. She got homesick but they figured out a commuting schedule, she likes his dog and every myth they appear in together has them very friendly to and protective of each other. Even in the marriage myth, Hades is never narratively portrayed as the bad guy, Zeus is, and mostly for not telling Demeter and immediately deflecting responsibility.
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The Froggy Ninja said:
And, perhaps more relevantly, the feeling seems to be mutual. It's kind of glossed over in that video but Persephone has had her own moments of "don't mess with my spouse".
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SOOOOooooooOOO! Hades' feelings from X years ago when the marriage fiasco happened lines up with your words. But time has passed. And the Persephone in Mr Zoat's story did not warm up to Hades. She likely respects him, but has not been romantically involved with him for a long time. We can speculate (similar to Hephaestus's leg) that Persephone has stayed with him since to avoid countering the will of Zeus (which was "marry Hades"). Of course her obligation to stay down on the underworld each year could have consequences if her relationship with Demeter changes suddenly.

In this story Persephone's situation affecting Demeter's feelings is not the sole cause of winter like it was in myths. There are other gods responsible as well as inertia and the default laws of physics which contribute to the seasons. But Demeter spending time with an active Persphone year-round could still have minor consequences.


Is Jupiter an option? Could he replace Zeus for Billy?
 
Sockmonkey said:
It's a little sad to see OL make one of the classic mistakes. Specifically the one where most revolutions fail because nobody had a coherent plan for what to do if they win.
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To be fair, his main goal was getting Diana out of Tartarus as soon as possible. As such, there wasn't much time to form a cohesive plan for overthrowing Zeus or the aftermath of doing so. Also, Mr Zoat, how many Greek and Roman gods are now wary of interacting with OL after he helped in Zeus being overthrown?
 
Intensely curious to see how the Amazons are about all this. Engaging Zeus and actually replacing him is a major faux pas, but Paul did it for Diana and Heph replacing Zeus as King is on balance better as Heph is far more friendly and approachable.

Wondering how jazzed Io is about the change in management.
 
hance1986 said:
Intensely curious to see how the Amazons are about all this. Engaging Zeus and actually replacing him is a major faux pas, but Paul did it for Diana and Heph replacing Zeus as King is on balance better as Heph is far more friendly and approachable.

Wondering how jazzed Io is about the change in management.
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The Amazons also hate Ares so Paul helping Hephestean humiliate and geld him will probably put them in his favor.
 
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