More loveliness

After stretching, Pandora looked out over Athens. It was sunny, warm, and bright, but low clouds were still scattered across the sky; it could rain at any moment. However, the sun was shining, the wind was blowing, and the birds were doing bird-like things. Pandora's face was straight, plain, and very blank, and so it remained through breakfast and the rest of the morning.

Ate and Eris drove to the Parthenon with the solid divider between them and the rest of the limousine. The passengers held rapid, whispered conversations for the entire duration of the trip, but Pandora was the only one who said nothing. Ate pulled the car off the highway, and everyone climbed out. While everyone else armed themselves with weapons from the mini-armory in the trunk or stretched and walked around the limo, Eris and Ate charged up the slope to the Parthenon. As they climbed, they held a short, bitter conversation which went like this: Ate said, "You know, it would be nice if we had jet packs," and soon they began a contest to see who could come up with the nicest thing. They reached the summit first in no time at all.

They were not, however, the first ones there: several other programs, mostly exiles, milled around the altar. They met halfway, and many of them looked furious.

"You two were supposed to bring the Merovingian," Athene, for it was definitely Athene, snapped. "And what of the kid? Pandora. Where is she?"

Eris replied coldly, "They are climbing up here. You really should learn patience."

Of course, Juno had to put in her two cents. "Listen, my dears, Athene, you especially, we must all learn patience, as you say noble Eris, and trust most importantly. Perhaps we should choose a role model?"

A dreadful thought came to her mind, and, pleased, Eris said silkily, "I'm sure that there must be one among us who could set such a marvelous example. Ah, I know just the one." Eris clapped her hands.

All of the women tittered, demanding to know whom, and the men, disgusted, moved away. They knew Eris's tricks well although they would never admit to falling for them every time.

"Girls, girls," Eris crooned, loving the attention, "if I were to tell you, it would insult all but one of you. I mustn't say!"

Juno smiled. "Oh, it's me, you know, girls."

"What do you mean, Juno?" Athene cried. "It is I. How could it be you, with that horrid display of grammatical error? Besides, this is my temple."

"How dare you?" shrieked Juno, but she was interrupted.

"Oh, I'm sure I'm she of whom you speak so fondly. To be loved by you all is to be a role model. Surely, I'm loved, after all, I am the Queen of Hearts," Aphrodite exclaimed.

Artemis said, "You're all full of yourselves. The real role model would never stoop to such pride. Thus, she is none of you."

"I suppose," Demeter intoned, "you think you aren't too prideful to be the most virtuous?"

Artemis snapped, "As a matter of fact—"

Amid the dismissals Artemis received, Iris said, "Oh hush, Artemis. Eris was probably referring to herself."

Eris gushed, shocked, "I would never!"

"You see?" said Artemis. "She did mean me."

While the other women disagreed, Nyx yawned, glaring at them. "There's always dear Psyche. She hasn't said anything."

Psyche blushed profusely, mumbling an apology.

"Oh, it's not her," Aphrodite snapped. "That girl can't breathe without turning red! She's a disgrace. She'd be a terrible role-model!"

The women continued to argue for several minutes, Eris watching with a wicked, gleeful expression. Just as the impending catfight seemed on the verge of breaking out, the Merovingian's posse began to arrive. The men nodded to each other, acknowledging each other's strength and power. Distracted by the new arrivals, the women had stopped fighting, momentarily deflating Eris's joy. That is, until she noticed Ares, standing alone and nursing his left arm.

Sultrily, she sauntered over to him, for all the world looking like a cheap hooker, and in the voice of one, she said, "Ares."

His face faltered, and he, disconcerted, stammered, "Uh. H'lo, Eris. Um."
"What did you in?"
"Huh?" he grunted.
Exasperated, Eris huffed, "Nevermind, toots."
"Toots?"
"Whatever!" She folded her arms and turned away.
"Wait," Ares said, catching her arm. "I missed you."
Eris turned back, searching his face and suddenly hugged him. "I missed you, too, Big-Dumb-and-Ugly," she replied.
"Ugly?"
"Eh… Anyways…"
Ares nodded, pretending to understand. "How's the clone?"
Eris sighed, rubbing her arm. "Oh…" she began, "she can be… you know."
"Yeah."
"The gremlin thing."
"Yeah."
"So… Did any of the others come?"
"Apollo."
"Ah, Phoebus. Crazed pyro solar regulation program exiled for frying the Sahara. What a great guy." She paused, "Is he still a frickin' paranoid schizophrenic freak?"
"Yeah."
"Brother," Eris sighed.
"Yeah?"
"Not you!" she snapped. "It's an expression. Geez."

Ares nodded, but he was confused. So, he changed the subject. Glaring in the Merovingian's direction, he declared, "I don't like you working for him."

Eris raised an eyebrow and replied, "I don't like you workin' for the system, so we're even. 'Sides, what else can I do?"

"Not work for him."

Sighing, Eris said, "Whatever." She turned and saw Apollo staring at the entrance. "Phoebus," she called, walking over.

Apollo's head snapped up, and he whipped around, looking wildly for the voice's owner; he did not relax when he saw Eris.

"Ho, Phoebus," she repeated.

Cringing, Apollo snapped, "Apollo."

"Whatever, Fire-boy," Eris said, waving him off.

"You're not spying on me?"

"No, schizoid. Why would I want to spy on you?" Eris asked, but she thought of something wicked and demanded, "Have you ­done something I should know about, Phoebus?"

"N-no."

Artemis, seeing Eris menacing her brother, yelled, "Eris, leave Apollo alone, or, so help me, I'll—"

Athene interrupted, "Everyone's here but Ate and the girl."

From somewhere in the air, Ate's voice claimed, "I'm here," before she actually appeared from behind a pillar with a tray of olive crowns. Everyone skeptically watched her place them on the altar. Feeling their gazes, Ate said quietly, "For the victor."

"Why so many?" Iris asked.

"There's a lot of us," Artemis replied.

A minute of understanding silence passed before Persephone, who had been watching the door announced, "Pandora is here."

~MnI~

This chapter was brought to you by Geometry and French classes, written Monday and Today. No, I don't pay attention. Ever.

Nicene- Oh, I'm terribly sorry this wasn't posted sooner. I actually thought I had posted this chapter. Thank you so much for reading/reviewing/giving the author compliments/etc. ^^; You get chocolate mousse pocky!

Protectress- I was having a bad day? Or maybe I'm too hard on myself... There's nothing wrong with being egotistical. Oh, and, by the way, you're right. For that, you get to have almond crush pocky. Or, if nuts don't suit you, there's always chocolate mousse. ^^

wintergirl- I totally apologize for being your worst reviewer! *sob* pocky?

Kit- have some more pocky! (do you know some people call them crackstix? i'll let you guess why ^^)

Skittles- I HEART ZOLOFT! *cough* i wonder if they make zoloft pocky? or prozac pocky? "hello, i have prozac pocky!" hahahahaha *tear* awesome. zoloft pocky for you.