Of Divine Issues

"Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people."

- Socrates

Later on that same day, Meg and Hercules had been summoned to the palace, as king Creon had asked them to take part in planning some sort of victory feast over defending their city against the Undead army.

Sanguine Icarus had offered Cassandra having some quality time together, but Cassandra snarkily told him that she had already planned some quality time for herself, but her quality time did not include him.

So, instead Icarus had pulled out his scrolls, displaying the latest plans he had for his up-coming wax-wing models.

While he was engrossed with his work, he heard someone clearing her throat.

"Oh, hello there," Icarus sheepishly replied as he saw an image of a divinely glowing woman before him.

"You're not Hercules," the woman, obviously goddess Athena considering her helmet, pointed out.

"Nope, I am not. He's out at the moment," Icarus happily agreed.

"Aren't you… Icarus? The kid who flew too close to the sun? Apollo told me of you," Athena furrowed her brows, obviously pondering on something.

"So you have heard of me! Oh, I'm flattered. There's no such thing as bad publicity, I guess," Icarus happily replied.

"Hmph, not so sure of that. Well, it can't be helped than," Athena sighed, turning away.

"Did you have something urgent you wanted to talk to Herc about?" Icarus offered, interested in the new companion he had met.

"Well, as a matter of fact, I do. The situation on mount Olympus is… Urgent," Athena finally admitted.

"How urgent then?" Icarus asked.

"Well, on 'the brink of civil war' kind of urgent," Athena told him gravely.

"Yikes, that doesn't sound… Nice," Icarus readily agreed, grimacing at the thought.

"You could say that again. The Gods are… Discontent that Zeus didn't stop the Dead from attacking Thebes. And even before that he forbade us from interfering. And they think he has been too lenient with his brother Hades. They think he is losing his touch. There have been even some… Rumors that the Gods might demand a new ruler for themselves," Athena explored.

"That doesn't sound good at all. I'll tell Hercules what you just told me," Icarus confirmed, nodding solemnly.

"Thank you, I would appreciate that. Have good luck with your… Inventions. I do admire your father's work," Athena offered before fading away.

At first, a small smile graced Icarus' lips as he considered Athena's last remark. Then he tried to continue his work, but now his mind was less engaged with his work and more engaged on what he had just heard. Somehow his own small mortal affairs seemed less pressing at the moment.

Athena had returned just in time to attend the emergency meeting the Gods were having on the matter of attack on Thebes. And the main culprit Hades was sitting in the middle of the furious Gods. What a joyful day for Hades to be alive.

"This is outrageous! Someone should watch over Hades, twentyfour-seven!" Furious Demeter exclaimed.

"Whoa, babe! Calm your phillies! You think I need a babysitter? Besides, we're all discontent with the Big Guy here," Hades replied, finding the idea absurd and trying to steer the conversation to much more desirable direction.

From the restless mutter raising among the Gods, Hades' efforts had not been in vain. An angry glance from Zeus was enough to cut it out.

"That's not… Such a bad idea. Putting Hades under cosmic curfew, I mean," Zeus slowly agreed, rubbing his chin.

"But who would be willing to do that?" he then pondered aloud and the silence fell over the once cacophonous room.

"I could do that," a silent voice offered, attracting all the attention towards her. The speaker was the silent and serious daughter of Demeter, Persephone.

"Sephy, you can't be serious!" her mother disagreed loudly.

"Demeter, please let her speak," Hera scolded the other Goddess gently.

"Are you sure your willing to do that, child?" Zeus made sure.

"Of course. In the name of other Olympian Gods, I will keep a constant eye out or him," Persephone solemnly promised.

"I can't agree on this! My daughter cannot be punished this way!" Demeter shook her head furiously, making her daughter sigh loudly.

"So she's gonna be my babysitter? Her? Are you guys serious?" Hades deadpanned.

"You have no saying in this matter, brother! You brought this to yourself!" Zeus rumbled at him.

"What about the matter of replacing the ruler of Olympus?" Hades tried once again.

The slightly irritated but less antsy Gods looked at each other, looking more bored than anything else.

"As long as you are constantly being kept in line, I might agree to give Zeus another chance," Ares proposed. From the nodding and the muttering, most of the Gods seemed to agree.

Most, but not all. Hades was able to gather that with gleeful smirk. The information might come handy at some point.

"I'm not still happy with this proposition! We are talking about my daughter being locked in that dreary Underworld!" Demeter dramatically fussed and Hades rolled his eyes.

"Some of us have to live there. Permanently," he quietly muttered back.

"Mother, would you please stop making a scene? This was my own choice which I'm happy to make, if Zeus himself trusts me enough to take this task upon me," Persephone replied, looking eagerly at Zeus and sounding every bit as dramatic as her mother in Hades' ears.

"Very well, Demeter. I hear you. And I hear you as well, Persephone. Let's say you will stay at the Underworld for certain period of time, only half of the year? How about… The autumn and winter months?" Zeus slowly proposed.

Demeter looked like she was going to disagree, but she quickly shut her mouth after receiving a pointed look from her daughter.

"Alright then," she muttered back, looking defeated.

"The matter is settled, than. Hades will be confined to the Underworld and Persephone will see to it that he'll be doing his duty and no more scheming," Zeus confirmed.

Persephone straightened her back, looking eager as ever and Hades cursed to himself inwardly.

Well, this was going to be fun. The snotty daughter of Demeter overseeing everything he did.

Fricking yippi-kay-yey.

-A/N: Whew, there you go another chapter! Not much of our favorite pair, but important stuff nevertheless. And I don't intend on going too deeply into Hades and Persephone-stuff, but I shall be skimming on that subject.

Thanks once again for reading and shout-out to my reviewers:

- Mdm99: I'm happy to hear you enjoyed reading it, I enjoyed writing it!

- Guest: Hmm, I really like your ideas, but let's just say that you'll have to read to find out more! *wink wink*