Palace Waiting Room- Mount Olympus
Hades paced back and forth. Zeus was making him wait. Again. Things were supposed to change after the Titan War, what with that young upstart Percy forcing everyone to get along, but some things never change. He exhaled, restraining himself from blasting a nearby marble column while repressing a shiver of cold. Damn Zeus and his high elevations! Hade thought. We don't have this problem in the underworld! He scowled. Why was he doing this? He was Hades, God of the dead, savior of Manhattan and the rest of the world! Because he thought You still need the key, and unfortunately, Zeus has it. He laughed bitter at the irony. High and mighty Zeus probably didn't even realize what kind of power he had. Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting, he heard the rumble of thunder. Oh good he thought bitterly. Mr. High and Mighty lets me in. He enters the throne room. Immediately in front of him was twelve massive thrones, each one occupied. Hades rolled his eyes. "Great." He muttered. "The whole gang's here." No one acknowledged him. It seemed as though they were all trying to ignore him except for Hephaestus who looked at him with a look of utter contempt, and Athena, who was studying him with an unreadable expression on her face. "Brother Hades" Zeus began. "Are you aware of why we are here today?" as if it wasn't I who got this whole thing together, despite your best efforts to delay it. Hades thought, trying to hold back the white-hot rage. "Of course Zeus, I am aware of why we are here." "Very well then, you may present your case." Hades cleared his throat. "As all of you are aware, our recent battle with the Titans has started to wake up Gaea. She may not be fully awake yet, but she's already found a new champion. A secret weapon." Murmurs went around the room but no one spoke up. "We need a plan to defeat her before she can fully awake." "We already have a plan!" Hephaestus shouted. "Ah yes," Hades replied sarcastically, "And it's a fine plan. Assuming you don't mind the millions of casualties." Hephaestus's face reddened. "I didn't think you'd mind, seeing that you'd be the one ruling them." He said pointedly. Hade's face darkened. "I do not." He growled "need more subjects in the underworld! The mortals are doing fine enough job already! Even with Daedalus working on new routes and highways, we're still backed up for centuries! Do you have any idea the amount of overtime that's being put in?" Zeus rolled his eyes. "Alright, Alright, brother; we've all heard this before, but how is you're plan any better? Besides, this has all happened before; we know exactly what Gaea will do!" this earned a round of applause from several other Olympians. Hades collected himself and began. "It certainly is a risky plan. But Gaea isn't playing by the old rules, she has herself a new weapon, one that could destroy us all! And besides, there's another prophecy, one that I believe I have correctly interpreted-
"Yes the prophecy!" Zeus sneered. "We all know how well interpreting those go!" The Olympians murmured. They knew what he was talking about. The disastrous big three pact made to prevent the previous prophecy from happening just made things worse. "besides," Hephaestus continued "this so-called 'secret weapon' you speak of, you don't have any proof of it! You don't even know what it is!" Hades glared at Zeus. "yes, that's true." Hades said. "Ha! I knew it!" Zeus declared. "But you said you have proof- and didn't you say that whatever this threat is comes from the- ah- what did you call it? The Phantom Space? Isn't it part of the Underworld?" Hades gritted his teeth. "It's called the Ghost Zone, and it separated itself from the underworld centuries ago, after a spirit named Pariah Dark led a successful rebellion. I have no more jurisdiction there than I do in Osiris's court or the halls of Valhalla!" Hades smirked. "But, of course, you would know this if you ever bothered to get our high and mighty butt off that throne once every few centuries!" Hades paused. Why was he doing this? Sure, his arrogant brother deserved every bit of the insults hurled his way, but was this really the way to handle things? But of course, a voice in the back of his mind replied we need to show him that we can't be bossed around. That we won't stand up to his oafish bullying. Hades was starting to feel uneasy as he repressed another shiver. Where were these thoughts- "Now, brother," Zeus warned. "Keep talking like that, and I will be forced to take action." Hades vision flashed red, causing him to forget all about the voice. "Action?" He echoed incredulously, "The only time you take action is when the danger is breathing right down your neck, and even then only when you have no one else to hide behind!" Zeus's eyes glowed with electricity. "that's enough, Hades! Apologize and stand down at once or-"Or what?" hades sneered, his hand filling with a black flame. "That's enough!" a new voice chimes in. both heads swivel towards it. "I said, that's ENOUGH!" Athena roared. "all this bickering is getting us nowhere! While you two argue, our enemy is getting stronger! We need to come up with a plan! Now can the two of you act like adults or are you going to continue to bicker like children?" Zeus and Hades stare at each other for a tense moment. Finally, the electricity fades from Zeus's eyes and the fire vanishes from Hades's hand. 'Very well, daughter." He turns back to Hades. "You may proceed." Hades had to keep himself from lunging at his brother. He took a deep breath and continued. "As I was saying, I may not know what has been taken, but I do know that it is extremely dangerous. We need to take action. I need the key." The other Olympians glanced at each other nervously. Finally, Athena spoke up. "If the ghost zone is as independent and hostile as you claim, then how do you know something has been stolen from there?" Hades smirked. "I may not be the god of wisdom, but I still have a few tricks up my sleeves. I've had a spy in the ghost zone for centuries." Hephaestus snorted. "Some spy!" he exclaimed "in there for centuries and she can't even tell you what's been stolen." Hades face reddened. "The ghost zone isn't so straight forward, especially when Clockwork is involved." "Clockwork?" Hephaestus asked "Isn't he-" Hades looked down. "Yes. Clockwork is a protector of the ghost zone and part of my early experiments." "Your experiments?" Hephaestus. Hades rolled his eyes. "Fine then, Our experiments. "experiments?" Zeus asked, puzzled. I don't recall you performing any experiments, Hades." Hades sneered. "The amount of things you don't recall could fill an entire library full of books!" for a moment it seemed like they were going to fight, but then they continued. "As I was saying, Clockwork was a part of an experiment of... ours…. back before the ghost zone had permanently declared its independence from the Underworld. We took something from each of us. One of clockworks time controlling medallions. Stygian iron… and…" Hades paused. "And what, brother? Zeus asked, having a feeling he knew exactly where this was going. "A small scrap piece of Krono's original scythe." The room exploded. "QUIET!" Zeus shouted. Everyone was silent. "Now brother," Zeus growled. "How, exactly, did you get your hands on a piece of our father's original weapon? We destroyed it centuries ago!" Hades held his ground. "Many things wind up in the Underworld, not just souls." He replied. "I am the god of wealth, after all. I don't know if it chipped of during battle, or if it freed itself when we destroyed Father, but either way, I had my hands on it. Hephaestus then forged these items together into a key." "A key." Zeus repeated. "Yes a key. A key that can open a door to any point in time and space." "I see." Zeus muttered. "And why did you make this key?
Hades shrugged. "Why not? A weapon like that could have come in... Handy." Another ripple of murmurs went through the room. "If that is the case, then why are you here? It sounds like you have everything you need." Hades grimaced. "Not quite. You see… I wasn't quite upfront with Hephaestus about my intentions. And when he found out, he and Clockwork devised a plan. Believing that no one should have this power, they created a vault and sealed it in here. This vault can only be opened by consensus of all twelve Olympians." Zeus looked at Hephaestus, who nodded in confirmation. "That may be, but why would we allow you to wield so much power?" "Because," Hephaestus interrupted, "Clockwork and I designed a failsafe into it. It can only be used three times before dissolving into a powder so fine that not even I could piece it back together." A moment of silence passes then Zeus speaks. "If we do allow you to move forward with your plan, how will you get them all together?" Hades smiled. "I already have a plan." "Oooh, is it to take the leaders, wipe their memories and mix them all up in the hope they learn to get along before kill each other?" Hera asked. "NO!" Everyone shouted at the same time. Zeus rolled his eyes. "We've been over this. That plan is stupid and we're not going to do it!" Everyone agreed. "I thought it would work." Hera muttered. "Anyway, as I was saying," Hades continued "my plan is already in place. All I need is the key." Another moment of silence. "Very well. We shall vote on it. All opposed to Hades's plan raise your hand." Zeus raised his hand. He sighed. "And all for Hades's plan raise your hand." Everyone else raised their hands, including Hades. Zeus shook his head. "Very well brother. We will try your way first. The Olympians stood up and joined hands, forming a circle. Hephaestus began chanting, and as he did, a bronze column shot up from the ground, shooting up about twelve feet in the air. A portion of the top crumbled, revealing an ornately carved stone box, which dissolved, revealing a key. It was five inches long, black as midnight. It seemed to radiate pure power. Hades went to retrieve it. "Well as fun as this has been," he said sarcastically. "I've got to go save the world. Again" As he walked out he heard Zeus call out to him. "I'll be watching you. You will fail, and when you do, I'll be there to put my plan into action." Without even turning around, Hades called back "Bring. It. On." Hades continued walking, hoping he didn't sound stressed. His plan wasn't quite as polished as he had made it sound. He still needed to get them all together before Gaea's forces could get to them. He'd beam them all together in a heartbeat if he could, but the Fates were adamant about one thing: No direct interference. He smiled. He knew two demigods that were up to the task- that is if they didn't kill each other first.