A/N: I'm so sorry for the long delay in posting this. Spring semester is finally over so I'm attempting to update all my fics over the next few days.

Chapter summary: In which the brilliance of women solves all problems, prisoners are freed, deals are made, and exhaustion is the price.

44: The Brilliance of Women

Zeus glared at Set but it was Hera who spoke. "What do you mean my son is a fake?" she demanded.

"You're the god of motherhood," Set sniped. "You tell me."

Hera narrowed her eyes but focused on Ares standing in front of her. He seemed bewildered and out of his element, unsure of his position at the moment. But there was more, there was something else. It felt strange, foreign. It did not belong. It was not of Olympus. Ares may not be her son by birth, but he had become her son by heart. She was the goddess of motherhood. She knew her children.

"Mother?" Ares called hesitantly.

Hera knew. This was not Ares. "That is not my son," she said, her voice soft in surprise. She leveled a vicious glare at Set. "That is not my son," she said furiously. "What have you done with my boy?" she demanded.

Set had the audacity to smirk and shrug haphazardly. "Nothing," he said. "Just showed him his father's true colors and gave him the freedom to act on his urges. Isn't that right Ares?"

He waved his hand and the darkness behind the accursed Egyptian god of chaos swirled away revealing her son. This was her son, her Ares. But there was something…

"What have you done to him?" she demanded, standing and making her way down the dais towards her son.

Set sneered. "I'm offering you your son in return for Helios," he said simply. "You take from me, I take from you," his gaze hardened cruelly, "tenfold."

Hera studied Set with newfound interest. Set may be young by her standards but he knew how to deal and gain the upper hand. She was impressed despite herself. Impressed and wary. "State your price," she said.

"You have no right-"

"Oh for Cronus sake, shut up Zeus," Hera snapped, turning to her husband. "Or I swear by your father's nonexistent grave, I will hold you down and have a boulder dropped on your bloated ego."

Zeus flushed furiously and thunder boomed. "You dare-?"

"I've done it before and I'll do it again dearest," Hera quipped easily, eyes frigid with hate. "This is my son. This is my domain. Do not dare to step on my domain or I will make sure you're incapable of sticking your tiny dick in anything larger than a thumbnail for the remainder of this century and half of the next. Don't think I won't," she added with a threatening lift of her finger.

Zeus fumed but even he knew better than to cross his wife when Hera was on a mission of motherhood. He remembered Hades and Athena pushing the boulder on top of him while Hera held him down. Hera was much more powerful than she often let on. Hell indeed hath no fury like a woman scorned or a mother protecting her children.

Satisfied she had her husband under control for the time being, Hera turned back to Set and her son. She cast a hateful glance at the thing that dared wear her son's form. "Remove that abomination from my sight," she commanded.

Set shrugged and held out a playing card. "Return Cloning," he said.

The thing pretending to be her son lost all expression before vanishing in a swirl of colors and darkness which swept into the card Set held. The Egyptian god returned the card to a holster at his side and crossed his arms. "I take it, you'll be taking my deal," he said smugly.

Hera glared at him. "I demand you release my son from whatever curse you have on him," she said. "I will inspect him myself to be sure he is free. Only then will I parlay."

Set nodded and held up a hand in front of Ares' face. He snapped and Ares jolted sharply, blinking in confusion. His now clear eyes swept across the scene in front of him trying to comprehend what was going on when he noticed Hera watching him.

"Mother?" he called hesitantly.

Hera sighed. This was her son. This was her Ares. She turned her attention back to Set. "I'm listening," she said.

Ares followed his mother's gaze and blinked at Set standing next to him in shock. "You!" he gasped.

Set ignored him. "Return Helios to my protection and I'll return Ares to you," Set said.

Hera met Set's stare evenly. "What guarantee do I have that you won't trick me?" she asked shrewdly. "You are a god of chaos," she said, glancing at the Unseelie King standing nearby and grinning. "Your kind is known for being slippery."

"You have the promise of the entire Egyptian pantheon," Set said.

He turned his clear blue gaze to a shadowy person standing nearby. Hera studied the dark person who held Set's attention with interest. She could sense a power dynamic here and it interested her. Better to know your enemies and allies well. They're more predictable that way.

The darkness hiding the unknown person's form melted away revealing a young man with dark tan skin, blood red eyes, and hair that was unusual to say the least. She felt a dark power rolling off of this person like one of Poseidon's waves.

"And who might you be?" she enjoined.

"You may call me Yami," the man said, eyeing her with respect. This soothed Hera's ruffled feathers somewhat but did nothing to ease her fury. "However," the man continued, "I believe you would be more familiar with my old name, a name I bear with my partner Yugi."

He gestured to his left and the darkness retreated once more revealing a person almost identical to this Yami. The differences between the two were the skin tone, eye color, and general feel. This new person had pale skin, eyes like violets in full bloom, and felt softer.

Had Hera been younger, she would have assumed this new youth to be the weaker of the two. But she was an old and experienced goddess. This Yugi was the deceitful softness of a silk scarf wrapped around a razor sharp dagger. Out of the two, she would have to watch her steps around Yugi.

"And what name would that be?" she asked, returning her gaze to the one called Yami.

Yami grinned. "Atem, though the more common pronunciation these days would be Atum."

There was a rumble of surprise which was not confined to her own pantheon, Hera noticed with interest. She lifted an eyebrow and met Yami's gaze evenly. Atem, or Atum, was the first of the Egyptian gods. Atem was the creator of the Egyptian pantheon and, if myth held true, their ultimate destruction as well as the destruction of the world as it was before recreating it anew.

"Are you the head of your pantheon?" Hera asked calmly.

It was Yugi who replied. "We and the one you call Set are the human heads, yes."

"Human heads?" Athena asked, speaking up out of curiosity. "Implying there are others above you?"

"There are indeed," Yami said. "They are listening to us as we speak."

"Then why do they not show themselves?" Ares asked curtly.

"Because they don't speak like we do," Yugi said, giving Ares a look that was hard to interpret.

"There is one who does speak as we do," Set said. "She is the most powerful and the absolute head of our pantheon."

Hera demurred. "So," she purred. "Your leader is a woman."

"Yes," Yami replied with an answering grin.

Hera hummed, pleased with this new turn of events. She looked back at Set considering. "I will retrieve Helios for you," she said. "But I want my son back first."

"There were others who were wi-" Yami cut off when a blinding light blasted up from the ground shattering the Field Spell yanking a cry from one of the people from the Egyptian pantheon still hidden from Hera's sight by the darkness.

The light blazed, overwhelming Hera's senses. She flinched, instinctively closing her eyes and turning her away from the column of light. She only dared look back when she felt a presence similar to her own brush her mind.

There, at the very center of the light was the beautiful form of a woman. Her skin glowed radiantly, for she was the source of the pure, untainted light. Her form was tall and slender with broad shoulders. Almost every inch of her was covered in shining gold armor that shamed sunlight in its brightness. An Egyptian ankh, the symbol of immortality, rested just below her breastplate and above her waistline. A long cloth of the purest white, accented by glittering gold hung from her waist to her feet. Golden armored wings spread proudly from her back, for this goddess ruled the skies in all its vast infinity. Her headdress was that of a great gold armored collar with the double crown of Upper and Lower Egypt of old upon her head framed by a pair of golden winglets. Gold designs sparkled on pure skin just below her depthless golden eyes and upon her brow rested the Eye of Ra rested.

Endless golden eye stared into Hera's soul and the Olympian goddess of motherhood, marriage, childbirth, and women knew she had nothing to fear from this goddess. Hera may not know this woman's name, but she knew a goddess of life when she saw one. This goddess was Hera's equal, the highest and most powerful goddess of her pantheon. For this reason, Hera was allowed to look upon this goddess's radiance without fear.

Hera looked around her was fascinated to see the Egyptian pantheon no longer hidden by the darkness. In fact, except for the shadows cast by the Egyptians, there was no darkness. Not only that, but the members of the Egyptian pantheon were all bowing respectfully, heads pressed to the ground with the sole exception of the two who were Atem and Set. They were on their knees as if forced there by a force greater than their own and gazed up at the wondrous goddess of light with wide, awestruck eyes.

Their forms had changed to, Hera noticed. The three human heads of the Egyptians pantheon no longer wore clothes commonly worn by the humans of this age. Instead, they wore clothes reminiscent of the country of their pantheon's origin.

The dark half of Atem wore a long white shendyt which was pleated and gathered in the front. A dark royal purple sash tied around his waist, the excess dangling freely down over his shendyt. A gold belt clasped over the purple sash matching the gold collar, arm bands, and coronet emblazoned with the Eye of Ra. A violet cape hung freely from a golden cuff shaped like a wing on his right shoulder, draping over his bare back.

The lighter half of Atem wore short white tunic with a blue sash tied around his waist, the excess hanging between his legs. He too wore a gold collar and golden belt. Arm bands clasped firmly over his wrists and upper arms. He wore a long purple cape which wrapped around his neck and was pinned to his left shoulder by a golden cuff identical to the one worn by Atem's dark half. He too wore a coronet of gold with the Eye of Ra resting on his forehead.

Set contrasted starkly from the two halves of Atem. His form flickered as if another person occupied the same space as he. He wore a blue tunic that split from his waist down the sides A gold sash bound a white shendyt under the blue tails from his tunic, covering his legs to his ankles. The white fabric split down the side seams from mid-thigh to his ankles for freedom of movement. The blue was perhaps a shade or so darker than Set's eyes which gleamed with an unholy light, challenging the brilliance of the shining goddess. His collar was shaped like great wings, outspread in full flight over his collarbone. Blue beans decorated the inner circle of the collar brushing Set's neck. Gold bands clasped his upper arms and spiraled up his forearms almost to his elbows. Gold cuffs clung to his shoulders as Set struggled against an invisible force attempting to pull him into a deeper bow.

Where his human counterparts knelt on both knees, Set only knelt on one knee. The other was bent as if trying to stand back up but unable to rise any further. Set's unusual blue eyes glowed fiercely, resisting the brilliant goddess's power. He was a god of chaos. This goddess may be his ultimate superior but he would never absolutely submit to her. No god of chaos was ever truly mastered by another. Chaos was something primordial, an equal and opposite reaction to order, ever present.

Because Hera was looking at him, she was the first to see Set's eyes widened in disbelief. He stretched out his hand towards the light and called out a name Hera did not recognize. But the tone was something she did know. She was a mother after all. Every mother knew the desperate cry for their child.

"Mokuba!"

Set's cry shattered the silence Hera hadn't noticed had befallen Olympus. Instantly, the brilliant goddess vanished, taking with her the pure, all-encompassing light, and the godly forms of Set and Atem. In her place was a boy no taller than her hip circled by a dazed Justice League holding the limp form of Helios the Titan. It was an unusual sight to be sure, but Hera's interest rested with the boy. The moment the light vanished, the boy burst into a smile and bolted across the expanse and leaping into Set's open arms.

The moment the boy latched himself onto Set's body, Set wrapped his arms around the small frame and buried his face in a mop messy black hair. Hera hummed thoughtfully.

"You have retrieved Helios on your own, I see," she said, startling the council. No one replied, still unnerved by the spectacle they had just witnessed. Set, however, raised his gaze to hers, te blue sparking with challenge. "Your demands have been met," Hera continued. "Helios is yours to protect until such time as he chooses to return to us, his rightful pantheon. Now, return my sin to me."

Set stood keeping one hand on the boy's shoulder and gestured for Ares to approach his mother. "As agreed," he said. "I retract my demand for vengeance."

"Then leave," Hera commanded.

"I will." He grinned like a serpent eyeing helpless prey. "After my allies' demands have been met."

"We still demand Ares be punished for interfering with our pantheon," the Tsukuyomi said, appearing generally unmoved. If his eyes were somewhat wider and sharper, then no one mentioned it.

"He will be punished," Hera said firmly. "You have my word as a goddess."

The Tsukuyomi tilted his head slightly, gazing at her quietly. The Susanoo leaned over and whispered something in his brother's ear. The Tsukuyomi blinked, turning his gaze to the Susanoo thoughtfully before nodding. "I accept your word," he said. "However, we of the Japanese pantheon here make this vow. As of now, should the one called Ares ever set foot on our land or interfere with our own again, we shall punish him as we see fit. Do you hear and understand?"

Hera nodded. "I hear and understand," she intoned.

The Tsukuyomi bowed respectfully to the Greek goddess of marriage and motherhood, ending their exchange.

"As for what has been done to my brother," Selene said, stepping forward. "I will settle for Ares being turned over to the Justice League to serve his sentence under their law for his offenses against the mortals."

Hera's eyes narrowed but she nodded in acquiescence. "That is agreeable," she said.

"Mother?!" Ares gasped, finally able to speak.

Hera held up a hand to silence him. "You wish not to be treated as a child? Then you will be treated as an adult," she said. "Adults pay for their mistakes. You are an adult, therefore you will pay for your mistakes like one." She pointed to Ares' wrists and iron shackles appeared, binding his hands. "You will go with the Justice League and serve your sentence. Hopefully, when you return, you will have learned not to interfere with other pantheons. Every action has a consequence. It's about time you learned that the hard way."

"You can't-"

"Zeus," Hera said sharply, "I love you, but I warn you, Ares takes after you and if I have to teach you about consequences right here and now, I will. Do not test me."

The absurd sound of cackling drew the attention of everyone present, including that of Hera's very short temper. "Holly King," she said in clipped tones, "if you insist on laughing like a fool, you will be expelled from this council."

"Oh please," the Unseelie King said, waving away her words as if they were nothing but a gentle spring breeze. "You're going to dismiss us anyway so why threaten me with that? Besides, that was fun."

"Fun?" a still very shaken Green Arrow murmured, staring at the unbothered faerie disturbed.

"I like you," Dionysus said, leaning forward from his couch. He lifted his newly refilled glass of wine. "Drink with me sometime?"

Arawn chuckled. "I accept your offer. Though, I'm afraid we'll have to wait on the specifics at the moment. Punishments and consequences and all that. You understand," he said with a playful wink.

"Oh naturally," Dionysus agreed.

"Idiots," Set scoffed, his face a mask of annoyance. Hera could not help but agree with the sentiment.

"In that case," Hera said, "you're all dismissed."

Instantly, everyone present who was not an Olympian vanished from Olympus, reappearing in a glade at the base of the mountain.

"Well," said Green Lantern, the first person who dared to speak. "That was…something."

Lantern's eyes were round, filled with the memory of a goddess whose brilliance rivaled the sun at noon. The sentiment was shared with everyone present, including Ares who shuffled his feet in frustration.

"So that was Ra-Horakhty," Hawkgirl murmured, her voice soft with awe. "Her wings are blessed by the heavens."

Mokuba smiled, muffling his laughter with his hand. "Yeah," he said. "She's kind of overwhelming. But she's helpful in a pinch."

All eyes turned to Mokuba, including Kaiba's. Mokuba ignored everyone except his big brother. He gazed up at Seto's eyes and held out his hands. "Let's go home, nii-sama," he said.

Seto sighed and picked Mokuba up so small legs latched securely around his waist. He teetered slightly before righting himself, but few except for a particularly astute pair of inhuman carmine eyes noticed the slip in control.

"Dude," Jounouchi said. "Sorry to burst the bubble here, but uh… Your house was blasted bro."

Kaiba froze, then groaned. For a moment, his entire form slumped in exhaustion, then he stood tall once more, determination in his eyes. "Damn," he muttered.

"Well then," Arawn chimed in, smiling easily despite the situation. "I guess you'll be staying with me for the night."

"It wouldn't be any trouble," Pwyll said, offering a small smile in apology for Arawn's behavior. "I can guarantee you will be undisturbed for as long as you wish."

Kaiba shook his head. "I'm fine," he said.

"Actually," Yami said, "I think we'll take you up on that, if you wouldn't mind."

Pwyll nodded. "Perhaps we can help Helios as well," he said, turning his gaze to the still catatonic Titan.

Selene nodded. "I would be grateful for any help you can offer," she said.

Endymion stepped up to J'onn and held out his hands. "I'll take him," he said. "Get Ares out of here before I punch him."

Selene pressed her lips together to keep from smiling.

"Then it's settled," Arawn said. "Off with you mortals," he said, waving away the Justice League. "I can hear your friends hollering through your earpieces from here."

The superheroes had the grace to blush before preparing to leave. "You'll explain what happened later, I take it," Green Lantern said, watching the gods carefully.

"Yes, yes, whatever, now off with you," Arawn said, making a 'shoo-shoo' motion with his hands. "Just a little longer," he whispered seriously in Kaiba's ear. "Hold on a little longer."

Kaiba bit his inner cheek and straightened his stance, clutching Mokuba to him. He felt his little brother give him a curious look but ignored it in favor of watching the Justice League depart. "Kohai," he called, catching Arrow's attention. "Rest well."

"You too," Arrow said seriously. Kaiba could tell the vigilante was aware of Kaiba's exhaustion, but he was eternally grateful it wasn't broadcast to everyone. Kaiba had his pride after all.

"Now then," Arawn said. "My lords Atem," he said to Yugi and Yami, "my fellow god of chaos and brother," he said to Kaiba and Mokuba, "Selene and party," he said the Titaness and her husband, "to the Otherworld we go. The rest of you are on your own." He made a dismissive gesture and everyone he named vanished.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Bakura exclaimed. "Thanks for nothing asshole. You couldn't even give us to Egypt could you? Leaving us alone in Greece of all places. Fuck your sparkly, faerie ass."

"And you say I'm bad," Marik muttered earning him a snort from Ryou.