Warning, this next one could be confusing, so pay attention!

Across Time and Space

2

They were a strange sight indeed.

No one expected their friendship to blossom, least of all, them. And yet, it became common to see the two friends together, bickering, insulting one another, and occasionally enjoying each other's company.

Though he rarely went out, she gladly went home to visit him during her free time, though her other companions discouraged this new found friendship. It was so unlike her, and he was so...unusual.

Unlike his other associates, he had no plans for her. Their friendship was fragile and he respected her enough to know not to meddle in her ways. Though she assisted him on occasion, he kept most of his work to himself.

As always, they met on the balcony, just after moonrise.

With an exhausted sigh, Artemis collapsed onto the low couch.

"Hey. Bring me back anything this time?" Artemis' companion inquired, polishing the golden head of an arrow.

Artemis turned. "You are incredibly selfish. Do you ever think of anybody but yourself?"

"Not if I can help it. When you're a limited edition model like me, you gotta take care of yourself. Why worry about other chumps like you, when ya come a dime a dozen? Now, what did ya bring me back from the Hunt?"

Artemis clenched her fists, ignoring her friend's last question and returning to one of the couple's most visited areas of discussion. "That infernal mortal. How dare he name his son after me!"

"And don't forget about that guy's kid." He held up two fingers. "'Artemis two-point-oh.'"

Artemis whirled around to snarl at the young man, her long auburn hair flying. He leaned away from her, ruffling his white wings. With the moon glinting off her silver eyes, it was easy to see why she was called the 'Goddess of the Hunt.' She looked almost wild herself.

"Okay, okay. Sorry. Couldn't help myself," he said, returning to his arrows.

"Well, you would think that after almost 50 years, the joke would get old Eros." Artemis leaned back on the couch and gazed across the heavens, a hand across her forehead.

The cherub snorted. "Hey, you've got it easy girlie. At least your kid's kinda cool. I mean, come on. Look at that brat Athena got stuck with, and they got her name wrong."

Artemis' lips twitched as she tried to contain a smile. "Fine, but does he have to be in love with grandchild of yours?"

Eros raised his eyebrows. "You're talking to the God of Love lady; you've got to be a little more specific."

"Holly. Holly Short."

"Riiiiiiiight," Eros said, drawing the word out. "What's so bad about them?"

"Well, it's just a shame," Artemis said. "Holly is such an impressive maiden. I was hoping that one day she might join me on the Hunt. Are you sure you've never..." she looked pointedly at Eros' golden arrows. "Even by mistake?"

Eros shook his head, storing away his bow and arrows as if to prove his innocence. "Nope. I can assure you that those two kids found each other purely by chance. However, if you'd like to give them some encouragement-"

"No!" Artemis nearly shrieked, then, regaining control, "No. I must discourage this relationship at all costs. It is unnatural."

"I don't know what you're getting your toga in a knot for. It's not like Holly has never been involved with a man before. That pretty boy namesake of yours on the other hand...maybe you should ask him to join the Hunt. He's closer to a maiden than she is."

"Eros!"

Eros laughed, his strawberry blonde curls and pot belly bouncing. "You gotta lighten up there sweetie. If you spend all eternity this stressed, you're gonna give yourself ulcers. Look at me, I've been around ages longer than you and I'm cool as a cucumber."

Artemis gave Eros a once over. Unlike other gods, who had the ability to change their form and appear in whatever shape they wanted, Eros was forever doomed to appear as a cherub, that is, a pre-pubescent boy with wings. The only thing to change about Eros over the eons was his voice, which was an unnervingly deep baritone.

"I don't know," Artemis replied slyly. "By the look of you, I'd say you'd graduated primary school."

Eros' retort was swift. "I'm sorry, who's your father? Zeus? Oh yes. I remember him. Alas, despite all my hard work, guy never got the hold of potty training did he?"

Above the gods' heads, thunder rolled threatingly across the night sky, despite the lack of clouds.

For a while, the gods were silent, Artemis contemplating some thought and Eros silently congratulating himself on his latest 'burn.'

Then,

"Are they really in love?"

Eros turned to Artemis, who, to his surprise, actually looked concerned.

"I mean," Artemis continued, still sounding unsure, "will they be happy together, or is this just some teenage infatuation?"

Eros shrugged his shoulders. "You'll have to ask Aphrodite. She's much better at gauging mortal emotions than I am. You know me. I just close my eyes, shoot, and whoever's chest my arrow pierces, it pierces."

Artemis sighed. "Well, if I have to lose such a fair maiden, she'd better be happy. I swear, if that mortal boy breaks her heart, I'll turn him into a chipmunk!"

"Well, you won't have to wait much longer."

"What do you mean?"

Eros pushed himself off the couch and fluttered to the edge of the balcony. From his robes, he pulled a gold pocket watch. He observed it for a moment, considering the seventeen spinning hands.

"Come here," he beckoned Artemis and she quickly joined her friend at the railing. Together they looked out over Olympus and the heavens, and below that: Earth, the realm of mortals.

"The story will begin to unfold in 5 days, and then he'll tell her."

"He will?" Artemis looked almost hopeful.

"Yep," Eros said, and then chuckled softly. "He'll have to go through hell first, but yeah, he'll tell her."

1000 words exactly (if you don't count the head and footnotes, that is)!

Still confused? You might want to brush up on your Greek mythology.

As you probably figured out, this scene takes place today, with the release of TAC (in Europe) 5 days away (less in Europe). Alas, being from Canada (which is not in Europe), I'll have to wait even longer to see what happens. So...in the meantime, how's about some reviews? :D