welcome to chapter three already of my most recent 'Class of the Titans' fanfiction which I like to call 'The Warrior of the Friend Zone and the Oblivious Huntress'. this chapter is based upon the fourth episode of the whole show, 'Man's Worst Enemy'. you know which one I'm talking about, right? the one where the dogs all start acting really, really weird and nearly turn on their owners. well, this episode is the last episode upon which I am basing an episode with no evidence of Archie like, liking Atlanta whatsoever. it'll be a real howler of a chapter, so enjoy. p.s. this chapter also contains a full seven-thousand-five-hundred-thirty words of storyline, give or take a comment from yours truly disguised as an author's note and hidden within the storyline, itself. the storyline doesn't include this headnote, right here, nor does it include the (mandatory) disclaimer which makes up the following paragraph after this headnote.
disclamation: I don't own the 'Class of the Titans' series in any way, shape, or form whatsoever. if I had, I would've urged the production staff to make a hey of a lot more episodes than just the two seasons of the show. the 'Class of the Titans' series is owned by Nelvana, Teletoon, ans Studio B Productions, however, and I don't even live in the same country in which the series is owned at all. I live south of Canada, far south in California. not that far south, though, since I just live in Northern California.
anyways, on with the story.
So there I was just saying a simple greeting to the other guys back in the dorm…
Yours Truly: Uh, hey, guys.
That was when Odie came up from his work desk, looking like he was ready to present something to the rest of them.
Odie: All set.
I was thoroughly confused by whatever it was that had happened within the last few hours. Then again, I had been at the movies, just chilling out and catching a flick.
Yours Truly: All set for what? What's up?
Jay came up to me, followed by Neil.
Jay: Come on. I'll tell you on the way.
I was still thoroughly confused.
Yours Truly: The way where?
It was then that I finally noticed what Odie had built; it was a dog collar with a tracking chip of some kind on its ID tag. Jay was the only one that spoke about it, though.
Jay: We'll meet you back at the dog pound after we get the girls.
Did I hear our leader right? Were we really taking Atlanta and Theresa to a dog pound, of all places, with Neil tagging along as some kind of third wheel, or rather fifth wheel since it probably would have qualified as a double date if it involved both the girls of our team?
Yours Truly: We're taking girls to a dog pound? How romantic!
Of course, I was being totally sarcastic when I called the dog pound a romantic place. There was absolutely little to nothing romantic about looking at sad, neglected dogs in cages, hoping to be adopted soon or face the back room. It also was definitely not the kind of place I had ever imagined I would go on my first date with Atlanta, or any other date with her.
On the way to get the girls from the mall, however, Jay just explained away about their true reason to suddenly bring the girls to the dog pound.
Yours Truly: So, that's why we're really bringing the girls to the dog pound. I guess I should've known this was all about our line of work instead of what I thought it was for. I'm sorry I got all accusatory.
Jay: No problem. It was just a small mistake.
I had to admit that I was a little disappointed that it would not be my first date with Atlanta, but I was also relieved that it was not going to be a date at the same time. I knew it sounded too weird to be true. I guess that my imagination just ran away with my heart.
As it turned out, Herry's granny's dog, a shih tzu that answered to the name of Pepe, ran away from her house and was recently put in quarantine with other dogs gone insanely wild at the very same dog pound to which we were bringing Atlanta and Theresa where we would meet back up with Herry and Odie afterwards.
Jay: By the way, Archie, what exactly did you think I meant by meeting up with Herry and Odie back at the dog pound after we got the girls?
With that one question, I suddenly knew that Jay was just not as willing as he sounded earlier to let go of the fact that I suddenly seemed to think differently about what he and Neil had gotten me for just before we would be bringing the girls to the dog pound. I decided to just play it off like I had already forgotten about it, myself, just like I was so desperate to.
Yours Truly: Uh, sorry, Jay. I already forgot what I thought we were taking Atlanta and Theresa to the dog pound for. You know how forgetful I can be.
Of course, I was lying through my teeth to both Jay and Neil. I still knew exactly what I had thought this excursion to the city's dog pound was about. My thoughts on it had been stuck in my head ever since I first walked into the room in which the other guys of our team all were. My opinion of what I finally realized was all a mission and just that were only so horrendously embarrassing that I just could not let them run free.
It was a good thing for me that even our fearless leader bought my explanation on quickly forgetting what I had originally thought we were bringing the girls of our team to the dog pound to do.
Jay: Well, I guess that there's nothing that we can do about it.
We finally picked up the girls at the mall. Theresa was the first of them to acknowledge us once they were outside.
Theresa: Hey, Jay.
Of course, the long-haired redhead greeted Jay in a more than friendly tone.
Theresa: What up, Archie?
She greeted me with the same tone that she probably would have greeted a close brother of hers. That was when Neil had to butt in her greetings.
Neil: Hey, what am I? Chopped liver? Where's my greeting, Theresa?
She only looked annoyed with his lack of patience towards her.
Theresa: Hello, Neil, and thank you, too, for coming to greet us on our way back from the mall.
Jay chose to just ignore his 'would-be, could-be, should-be' girlfriend's greeting towards Neil.
Jay: We'll talk about that later. Right now, there's something that needs our undivided attention.
Atlanta: Just how important is this sudden job of ours?
I answered Atlanta's question.
Yours Truly: Imagine a life or death situation and mix it together with the call of the wild.
Atlanta: Alright.
Neil took the floor from there.
Neil: It's only about a thousand times worse than that.
A little later, all seven of us were at the dog pound. Jay, Theresa, Neil, Atlanta and I were all waiting outside the place for Herry and Odie to return with his granny's dog, Pepe, in the pet carrier with the tracking collar around his throat. The little dog was going rage wild inside the carrier, and he looked pretty savage for a mere shih tzu. All of us but Neil were suddenly scared enough of the small dog to even flinch at the very sight of Pepe. Atlanta, however, was the only one to comment on the dog's psychotic behavior and appearance.
Atlanta: Geez. That's Pepe?
That was when Theresa finally felt the need to soften what was probably a blow to Herry's self-esteem as the grandson of the owner of such a dog that she sounded like she was sure would normally be a lot more tolerable to humans than he was at the time.
Theresa: The hair ribbon really softens his look.
It was then that Jay handed out small, handheld flashlights to the rest of our team with all joking put aside for the investigation towards these dogs.
Yours Truly: Do you think Cronus has anything to do with this?
Jay: I thought about it, too.
Jay had already confessed to having suspected the god of time and space of being responsible for whatever was going on with the dogs. That, however, was right before he had gone and offered the enemy, of all people, an alibi against being the cause.
Jay (continued): I don't know. Seems too small time for him.
Odie readied the tracking device on Pepe's collar.
Odie: The tracking device is all ready. Let's see where he goes.
With approval from the brains of our team to do so, our team's muscle released the small dog turned mutant canine from the carrier to follow his instincts and let them lead our team to the cause.
Odie: Let's hope he leads us to the source of the problem. Something is setting these dogs' hormones into overdrive. If we can find out what it is, maybe then we can reverse the effects.
After the explanation from Odie, we tracked Pepe's movements for a good half hour or so. Odie just continued to search for Pepe with his tracking device, while the other six of us were more than willing to search for any other dogs with the use of our flashlights.
Odie (continued): We're getting close.
Not long after Odie said those three words, however, we walked through a bush, only to encounter quite a bit of trouble in the farthest end of the woods just in time for Jay to tell Odie…
Jay: I think you can turn that off, now.
The trouble we encountered in the woods was none other than an even bigger Pepe and two other dogs gone savage. Of course, the rest of us were willing to fight the dogs since we most likely had to, but Odie just tried reason and diplomacy… on a dog, that is.
Odie: Nice doggy. I'm your friend.
Atlanta could not help but let out a slight chuckle at his trial using the diplomatic approach on a dog, of all things.
Atlanta: No! You're a squeaky toy to him.
It was then that yet another dog turned savage jumped out of the bushes and attacked Theresa, only to graze her and land on its own feet. It went in to attack her again, but she simply kicked it away from her this time. It yelped upon being kicked aside.
It was then that I saw someone help Theresa to her feet. That someone was Neil. I suppose that Theresa had hoped it was Jay who would help her get back up from the attack. She took it, anyway, most likely wanting to avoid seeming ungrateful.
I guess that whenever Neil offers us help of any kind, we might as well accept his help since the rest of us are always unsure when and/or if he'll ever offer it, again, no matter in what form it comes.
The dogs turned savage then began howling together, as though they were all expecting something even bigger to arrive… which something did from beyond the shadows of the trees. It actually looked more like three somethings, but they all had the very same look in their eyes.
That was when whatever was watching us from beyond the trees had finally shown itself. Whatever it was, it was taller than even those trees.
Theresa: Whoa! What is that?
Neil: That's the reason my mother tells me to carry a change of underwear.
That was the very last thing that any one of us needed to know about Neil's life at home.
The beast we were up against looked more like a three-headed dog with a snake from somewhere behind it. The first of the heads attacked Odie and Atlanta just before she could even try to launch bolas at it. The snake that came from behind this strange and scary creature went after Herry and me.
I fell upon contact with the beast, while Herry tried to fight off the snake. Jay drew the sword from his gravitational blade and tried to help us, but his help failed, too. One of the monster dog's heads even got a lick out of him before he could pick his sword back up, and in his eyes no less.
Jay: Uh, gross!
Meanwhile with Herry and me, he still struggled against the snake that was apparently the monster dog's tail.
Herry: Three heads aren't enough? It has to have a snake for a tail? I could use a little help here, guys.
Atlanta finally got her chance to throw her bolas at the beast, while I used my stainless steel whip on the monster dog after getting back up again from my own fall when we were first attacked. Atlanta's bolas chained together the mouth on the beast's central head, and my whip managed to chop its snake of a tail clean off.
I did not know what went on in Atlanta's head after that, but she was probably as overjoyed about our weapons subduing the creature as I knew I was at the time. Our feelings of pride with ourselves did not last long, however, because only a few minutes afterwards, the creature's snake tail grew right back onto it, fangs and all.
Yours Truly: NO WAY!
Herry: You know, that's just not fair.
To make the situation even worse, the two heads on the monster dog's sides promptly removed Atlanta's bolas from the central head… by ripping them off. I could just imagine how much of a sting to her own pride that was for Atlanta just before Jay had insisted we all leave.
Jay: We better get out of here.
Neil, obviously, was the first to agree with Jay's decision.
Neil: You heard the man. Let's bolt!
Of course, Theresa thought it was the right choice at the time, too.
Theresa: Good plan!
Of course, Atlanta was faster than the rest of us, but she still ran into a sign that read 'BEWARE OF DOG' on the wrong side of the fence for our little situation. I could hear what she said about it, but just barely.
Atlanta: That's just not funny.
That was when she actually directed towards it.
Atlanta (continued): OVER HERE!
She then began climbing the fence to escape. I followed suit since I was the next to make it to the fence. After me was Jay, Odie and Neil. Theresa was flung over the fence by Herry. As for Herry, himself, he just barely escaped that monster dog's wrath with his life in tact before we all fell off to the other side of the fence into a flat below where we barely escaped the monster dog.
Theresa: That was close.
In fact, the back of Herry's shorts almost got eaten by that mutant canine.
Herry: Too close if you ask me.
Atlanta was the next to comment about our present situation with the dogs at the time.
Atlanta: Dogs are man's best friend. Yeah, right!
She had really sounded peeved with this mutant dog. Odie just shivered at the mention of even the word 'dog'.
Odie: I got enough friends, already. Thanks, anyway.
Then, Jay just told us to retreat from the fight.
Jay: Come on. Let's get outta here.
It was a smart move to say the least. We would had to have come back later after getting a better read of the situation. Luckily for all seven of us, we had the perfect source of information on such a creature.
Jay (continued): We'll just have to pay Chiron a visit.
Called it!
Later back at Olympus High School, we were at Chiron's study. We had to wake him up for it, but not one of us knew how a horseman would react to being woken up in the middle of the night. We all drew straws, and the one with the shortest straw would have to wake Chiron, the centaur, up. Unfortunately for me, the one with the shortest straw wound up being none other than yours truly. I approached Chiron's bedside, but I was real hesitant about waking the horseman up from a peaceful sleep. Luckily for me, I only had to shake him awake.
Chiron: Archie, is that you?
Yours Truly: Uh, yeah, it's me. I'm not really here to wake you up… not for the whole night, anyway. I just need some information about something we have to battle in the woods.
Chiron: It's alright, Archie, everyone. I assure you all that we can make this quick.
Neil: Really? That's it? That's all it would've taken for you to wake up, Chiron?
Chiron: You really think I'm going to let any one of you go into battle without even one bit of inside information?
Chiron showed us to his study and took out a book from the shelf behind him. The horseman then let out a slight yawn.
Chiron: Here it is.
He then headed back to his podium-like desk before opening the book.
Chiron (continued): Cerberus, the three-headed canine that stands guard at the gate of the Underworld. He permits all souls to enter, but none to return.
Herry was the first to give feedback in regards to our earlier fight with him.
Herry: You forgot about the snake, Chiron. Three heads and a huge snake for a tail.
Chiron just placed a pair of rectangular reading spectacles over his eyes as a response before telling us to…
Chiron: Oh, indeed. Watch out for that. I can't understand how Cerberus got loose.
Of course, Jay had an answer right away.
Jay: Cronus! Who else would it be?
I just nodded my head in agreement with Jay's theory, while Chiron back it up using his words… and then some.
Chiron: I agree, but even Hades has a hard time controlling Cerberus. Only cake and music can calm that savage beast.
Atlanta sounded a bit skeptical of the things the horseman mentioned, especially judging by what she said next in response to the former of Chiron's two solutions against the three-headed monster dog that was the Earth's current crisis.
Atlanta: Cake? You're joking, right?
Chiron, however, simply told her otherwise.
Chiron: Yes. Cerberus can't resist cake. It's often used to distract him, but the most effective thing is music; the music of the lyre.
Theresa suddenly looked nervous for some unknown reason.
Theresa: Uh, really?
Chiron just continued with his explanation about the use of music to calm down Cerberus.
Chiron: Yes. Orpheus, a great hero like yourselves, could play the lyre so beautifully, that no man or beast could resist it. He once used it to calm Cerberus.
Odie: But, who plays a lyre these days? It's so lame.
Theresa: I do?
We were all really shocked upon hearing that Theresa played the lyre, and Odie tried to rescue himself from any possibility of incurring Theresa's wrath for badmouthing the lyre.
Odie: Oh! Well, that's… good.
Jay, of course, had his own input on the matter.
Jay: No, that's great!
Our fearless leader probably just thought that it would simply be really helpful to the mission at hand. I guess it could help us calm down the mutant dog a little. Chiron, however, had yet another warning for us all about trying to fight against Cerberus.
Chiron: Hold on! Many believe Orpheus' lyre was enchanted. To stand before Cerberus with any other lyre would be foolish.
Jay was not ready to give up on the mission, though.
Jay: Well, where can we get Orpheus' lyre?
Chiron: In the Elysian Fields.
Odie: Where's that?
Chiron: The Underworld. The Elysian Fields is the resting place for fallen heroes like Orpheus.
I was not a bit scared of to go and get this enchanted lyre from this 'Orpheus' guy. Hang on! Did Chiron just say these Elysian Fields were in…
Yours Truly: The Underworld?
I finally realized just how scared I was to go there. Jay, however, was still fixated on taming Cerberus, no matter the risk.
Jay: But, how can we get there?
Of course, there was a way to get to the Elysian Fields. There always had to be a way to complete the mission at hand from Jay's perspective. I do not think he even cares about the possibility of risking our lives. Chiron was more than to tell us how we could get to the Elysian Fields.
Chiron: Simple. You must be a hero…
Neil swat away Cerberus' projection from Chiron's book with his right hand.
Neil: Got that covered.
Somehow, though, I just knew there was going to be a side requirement to enter the fields.
Chiron: … and you must be dead.
Called it… again!
Neil: That… sucks.
Theresa, however, seemed to have input of her own about the journey to the Underworld which Jay felt we had to take, regardless of the risk.
Theresa: I've heard about secret passageways to the Underworld.
That was when Chiron promptly closed his book in an alarmingly protective rage towards Theresa's surprise information.
Chiron: A secret they will remain. You must find another way to contain Cerberus.
Theresa approached Jay with a plan to get us into the Underworld. I just hope that it came without a need to die.
A/N: Yep! Those two are definitely made for one another.
Once we made it back to the dorm, Neil went to take a multi-hour-long shower, give or take several minutes, while the rest of us listened to Jay and Theresa's plan. We finally came up with our plan just in time for Neil to finally finish up with all that shower time. He was wearing nothing but a towel just around his torso upon rejoining us, thus eliminating my theories of him at least being shy about his whole body.
Jay: Well, we don't have many other options. If Theresa's right, we should have safe passage to the Underworld.
Neil: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hang on a sec! Didn't you guys hear the part about people never coming back from the Underworld?
Yours Truly: Don't worry about it, Neil. You're not going.
Neil then adopted a calmed expression, only for it to instantly go away the minute he learnt just what his role in our plan even was.
Herry: Yeah, you're coming with us. We need to cage Cerberus.
Jay: Odie, think you can come up with a way to do that?
Odie: Of course.
Neil: What is this? While I'm in the bathroom, you guys all of a sudden have a plan?
Called it… for the third time in a row for our mission!
Of course, Atlanta had a thing or two to say about the vain blonde's complaint.
Atlanta: You've been in there for hours. What happened? Catch your reflection in the mirror, again?
Being reminded of his own reflection, however, Neil just smoothed his hair with his right hand and smiled at her comment and question.
Neil: The mirror loves me. What can I say?
Theresa suddenly looked so nervous, she was even biting at her fingernails. Jay noticed this and tried to console her.
Jay: We can't just leave Cerberus out there. It'll be OK.
Theresa: I know. I'm just worried about how Persephone will react.
Yours Truly: She's the goddess of spring. How angry could she possibly get?
Theresa: You'd be surprised.
Well, those three words from Theresa about Persephone certainly threw me for a loop, for one reason or another. Persephone was Theresa's mentor, after all. I still remained firm on my 'how-angry-and-hostile-could-she-possibly-get' theory, though.
That is that I remained firm on my theory about Persephone being a total pushover until we made it to the goddess of spring's room at the school. At least, I could say that Persephone was a lot prettier than I had actually expected for any bride of Hades to be. She even turned a mere leaf into a beautiful rose as she spoke to us about our little plan to tame Cerberus, and our need for her help in our mission.
Persephone, the goddess of spring: Let me get this straight; you want me to take you to the Underworld to get Orpheus' lyre so you can tame Cerberus before all the dogs turn against mankind.
Theresa: Yeah, that's pretty much it.
That was when my 'how-angry-and-violent-could-she-possibly-get' theory went right down the toilet, because as soon as she grabbed onto the rose she made from a simple leaf, it withered straight into dust and Persephone went from pretty, kind and skin-colored to terrifying, nasty and gray in the face. I actually saw this side reaction in full effect once she turned back around to face Jay, Theresa and I. Even the scenery in her room took a turn for the scary in response to Persephone's fit of blindingly terrifying rage over our request.
Persephone, the goddess of spring: What are you, nuts?! I'm not taking you there! It is not a place for mortals to enter!
Then, just as quickly as her rage appeared, it soon vanished into thin air and Persephone was pretty once again. I was still frightened of her, though, even after she turned back to looking normal, only to continue speaking to us… funnily enough in the same calm manner as mere seconds before, this time.
Persephone, the goddess of spring (continued): Even ones as brave as yourselves. No, I'll be going to the Underworld, tonight. I'll ask Hades for help. He must know why Cerberus is loose. You should help your friends. They're going to need it.
Jay just shrugged at Theresa, while I was still shocked and scared about Persephone's mood swings. Finally, we all walked out of the goddess of spring's room.
Jay: Well, I guess that we really will just have to find another way to help the others cage and tame Cerberus.
Sure, Jay sounded real depressed about having to resort to a different way to stop Cerberus from possibly helping Cronus turn all the dogs against mankind. I, on the other hand, was more than elated to help the others with their end of our plan.
Yours Truly: Yeah, Jay's right. We should go help the others find another way to help the others deal with Cerberus. In fact, they probably need our help right about now. Come on. Let's race to them.
Theresa, however, would not let either one of us give up on Jay's plan of going after Orpheus' lyre to help the others stop Cerberus from sending all the dogs' instincts into overdrive.
Theresa: You can't just quit on our end of the plan, Jay. You remember what Chiron said about that one lyre. It wouldn't be very smart to try taming Cerberus with any other lyre.
Jay: You do make a valid point and a convincing argument, Theresa. Persephone, Chiron, and any other of the gods' permission might just be a luxury we can't afford for the mission, this time.
Yours Truly: Are you two goofy or something? What if we get caught breaking their number one rule about going to the Underworld? We could risk getting fired by the gods.
Theresa: Why are you being a scaredy cat, all of a sudden? This is so unlike you, Archie.
Jay: I thought you were all about courage, considering that Achilles, your Greek hero ancestor, was the bravest warrior in the Trojan War, along with being one of the strongest fighters in the same war.
Ah man, fun facts about Achilles' fighting in the Trojan War. They both had me.
Yours Truly: OK, fine. I guess we should try to bend the rules a little bit for the sake of this one mission.
Only half an hour later after we managed to sneak past all of the other gods on our way to find a safe passage to the Underworld, Jay, Theresa and I were on our way back to Persephone's room. Of course, I had my own little input on our end of the mission at hand.
Yours Truly: If Odie's plan doesn't work, we're gonna need that lyre.
Theresa: Persephone said she's going to the Underworld, tonight. There must be a safe entrance somewhere in the school.
Theresa then gasped a mere second after her input of our little situation.
Theresa (continued): It's probably in her solarium.
A little later, we had watched Persephone walk through a cave which she had made simply by touching a mural with four different women on it… four different women who came to life and pulled back a curtain of some kind from each side.
Theresa: Quick! Now's our chance!
Theresa did try to be quiet about it, however, very much unlike that one time during my first night of this journey when she and Atlanta tried to corner me, thinking I was a threat. I guess it was within the other redhead to be silent and approach with caution, after all.
We all rushed towards the cave into which Persephone had walked. Theresa and I made it through past these women first. Jay, on the other hand, just had to make the time to be polite…
Jay: Heh, Excuse me.
… only to face a rather embarrassing form of sexual harassment from the four women standing guard of Persephone's cave.
Green-and-flower-haired woman: Sure. Anytime, cutie!
That was when the same woman from Persephone's mural who spoke to him slapped Jay on the butt, right before chuckling with the other three of them about it. Judging by Jay's facial expression thereafter, he did not enjoy it much.
After walking in the tunnel for a bit, I could not help but to at least ask just what Persephone had to do in the Underworld.
Yours Truly: Why does she come down here, anyway?
Theresa: She's married to Hades. She spends half her time here, half on Earth.
Of course, I knew about her being married to Hades. It was always in the Greek literature I read from time to time in place of classical poetry. I just did not think she would have had much of a reason to visit the king of the Underworld if all of the Greek Mythology stories said that her marriage to him felt more like a prison.
A while later, we made it to what looked to the three of us like a tree grove of some kind. The water even lit up and glowed all kinds of different colors.
Theresa: This must be the grove that Persephone planted.
Yours Truly: It's beautiful.
Of course, I, myself, was drawn in most of all by the statue of Persephone at the center of the grove. Theresa, Jay and I then approached one of the trees which the lights from the water shone upon from which there hung a sack of shiny gold coins. Theresa took them off of the tree.
Jay: Hmm, and my parents always told me money didn't grow on trees.
Theresa: Persephone must've left this here, and I know why. Come on. Let's hurry.
Yours Truly: So, just what reason did she have for leaving all those golden drachmas in just that one tree?
Theresa: You'll see when we get where we need to, Archie.
Once we had reached our destination, however, I did not like what I was looking at. A frightening Underworld gondola approached us with who had to be the universe's scariest gondolier ever driving the boat.
Theresa: Charon, the ferry man.
Yours Truly: Is this the only way across?
Jay: Afraid so.
I was worried that it would be our only way to reach the Elysian Fields. I was a little shaken up with fear at the very idea. Theresa got onto the gondola, anyway, and paid this Charon with the drachmas. Jay had no qualms with the three of us needing to use this boat to get to the Elysian Fields. I got on the gondola boat in between the two of them with a little more reluctance. Charon seemed to demand the whole bag of drachmas from Theresa.
Theresa: Nu-up. You'll get the rest on the way back.
I had to praise Theresa for being brave enough to negotiate with the Underworld's ferry man, of all beings, with such a firm tone. I was suddenly more scared of her than I was of Charon after her negotiation with him, though. It was nothing short of amazing when Charon agreed to Theresa's deal about when he would receive the rest of our drachmas. Still though, since he took us to the Elysian Fields anyway, who was I to complain?
Upon actually making it to the Elysian Fields, we found an empty dog chain and an open gate. Jay stood atop the chain with his right foot over one of the collars.
Jay: This must be Cerberus' chain. Cronus did this, for sure.
Theresa stood on the other side of the Elysian Fields' open gate.
Theresa: Come on, guys. Let's go.
Before Jay and I could follow her through the gate, however, I felt something, or someone, sneak up from behind me.
Jay: What's wrong?
I turned on my flashlight from before to find out that Cronus was the one behind me.
Cronus, the god of time and space: You weren't supposed to find me yet, but I do have such a hard time sitting still.
Cronus then slammed the gates closed on Theresa with just a wave of his own hand.
Theresa: Jay!
I suddenly felt like I was nothing but chopped liver to Theresa. Sure I thought of her the same way I would think of a sister, and I was pretty darn sure that the feeling was mutual from her side of our friendship, but I still would have appreciated the long-haired redhead's concern; especially when I just could not keep my imagination from running wild with images of what could have possibly been happening with Atlanta… and the other guys, that was. I absolutely, positively did not have a crush on any of my own teammates.
Back in reality, or as close to reality as mine and the others' lives in New Olympia actually was, Jay and I both made a sprint for the gate in desperation to help Theresa get free.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Theresa, here's the deal; bring me the lyre, and I won't hurt your friends.
Cronus might have saved himself from Theresa's wrath, but Jay and I were ready, willing, and more than able to fight the evil god of time.
Jay: Hurry! Go get the lyre!
Theresa rushed off to the Elysian Fields, while Jay and I tried to distract Cronus to the best of our power. We both steadied our weapons against him.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Why don't you two sit down, hmm? I offered her a deal that I wouldn't hurt you while she was gone. Don't make me break my promise.
Jay: Since when do you care about being a god of your word, Cronus? You've always broken every promise you've ever made.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Well, isn't it just unfortunate you seem to think that of me, Jay. You two have only been fighting against me for a few weeks.
Yours Truly: Save it, Cronus. The only thing from a battle you ever want is to kill everyone. It drips from everything you've ever done.
Cronus, the god of time and space: While I hate the rudeness in your tone, Archie, I suppose that you are telling nothing short of the truth. It's really quite unfortunate, especially for me, but I actually had such high hopes in playing the pacifist for once, or at least for this one part of my plan.
Jay: Sorry, Cronus, but I, for one, think you were way off base for this newfound surprise want of yours.
Cronus, the god of time and space: It's too bad you feel that way, because if you attempt to attack me, it won't matter what I promised Theresa. I will fight back in retaliation. So, please, sit down and take a break for a bit, why don't you?
Jay suddenly sheathed the sword on his gravitational blade back into the scabbard.
Yours Truly: What are you doing, Jay?
Jay just sighed before answering my question.
Jay: Yielding until Theresa gets back with the lyre.
With that notion in mind, I also drew back my Hephaestus whip, and the two of us decided to just have a little chat with Cronus, of all gods. He used one of his sickles to file his nails the same way we would have normally expected from Neil.
A/N: honestly, there had been times in the series when even Neil came out as humble next to Cronus, even in the last episode just before the two-parter finale, surprisingly.
Cronus, the god of time and space: So, did you like my new pet, Cerberus? I guess he's not what you'd call a 'people-dog'.
A/N: not trying to make this all about me, but I have a cat, and boy is she a 'people-cat'. this entire chapter's storyline is one of the many reasons why I'm a cat person. all right, back to the story.
Cronus, the god of time and space (continued): But when man's best friend becomes his worst nightmare…
Cronus then stood back up as he just continued on.
Cronus, the god of time and space (continued): … the world will be in the chaotic state I so enjoy. Of course, the only way to control the beast is with the lyre of that lovesick fool, Orpheus.
Yours Truly: Why didn't you just go get the lyre, yourself?
Cronus, the god of time and space: Well, there are people in there that don't like me very much.
Seriously? That was why Cronus did not just get this Orpheus guy's lyre from him on his own? We felt the same way about Cronus as all of those people.
Jay: We don't like you very much, either.
Could not have said it better, myself. Theresa finally made it to the other side of the gate only a second after Jay told Cronus that we did not like him that much, ourselves.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Ah, about time.
The gates to the Elysian Fields opened back up for Theresa to finally rejoin Jay and me. Charon showed up just in time, too.
Jay: Come on. Let's go.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Oh, uh, excuse me, Jay. Uh, yeah, we had a deal. Theresa, be a dear and hand me the lyre.
Jay, however, was not willing to let her give it to Cronus.
Jay: Get in the boat and wait for us.
Cronus was so angry with Jay, he tsked at him.
Cronus, the god of time and space: This is very disappointing, Jay.
Jay: We never had a deal, Cronus.
It was a harsh reminder that Cronus struck the bargain with Theresa, not the other way around, and the god of time and space did not seem to take it very well. With it, however, came the time to finally begin fighting Cronus for real. Jay brandished the sword of his gravitational blade, while I readied my Hephaestus whip for action. Jay struggled to fight against Cronus even with his gravitational blade, but I managed to separate Cronus from his sickle.
Yours Truly: Let's see what you can do without this.
After I managed to capture his weapon, however, Cronus teleported his sickle right back into his hand.
Cronus, the god of time and space: Let's not.
That was when a hoard of zombie-like ghosts came from the gate, and as ironic as I found it, the zombies were only there to attack Cronus. Interestingly enough, they were led by a perfectly normal-looking man in his own toga with blonde tendrils on his head.
Blonde man: Go, save yourselves, and save my beloved.
Jay: Beloved?
I would have told Jay to just ignore the guy who was calling Theresa his 'beloved', but then again I did not really want to. So, we both just followed our friend who the blonde guy seemed to mistake for his 'beloved' onto the boat with Charon.
Once we got back onto Charon's gondola, Jay finally had just enough confidence to ask Theresa…
Jay: What's with the 'beloved' business?
Theresa decided to tease him a little bit about it, at first, though.
Theresa: You're not jealous, are you, Jay?
Oh, I would say our fearless leader was definitely jealous, alright.
Jay: Who was that guy even who called you by that kinda name, Theresa?
I suppose that Jay did not get the joke. It was either that or he flat out refused to get it.
Theresa: OK, fine. It was just Orpheus. Apparently, he sorta mistook me for his long-lost wife, Eurydice. I guess he'd kinda been without her for so long in the Elysian Fields, it caused him to start hallucinating her image into the next woman who would go to visit him.
Jay just smacked his forehead with his hand.
Jay: You have gotta be kidding me. That guy was Orpheus?
Yours Truly: Cronus did call the guy lovesick.
I shivered as a disturbing thought about Orpheus came over me.
Yours Truly (continued): Promise me, Jay, that you will never turn into that.
Theresa: How do we know that you can practice what you preach when you meet a nice girl, Archie?
Great! Just great! I finally realized that what I had requested of Jay at the time demanded I return the favor and never turn into that Orpheus guy, myself.
Jay: She's right, you know. You wouldn't wanna come off as a hypocrite when it finally happens to you, would ya?
There was only one real problem with what Jay and Theresa were both asking of me; that kind of thing already had happened to me, even at that point in our journey to defeat Cronus. I knew enough about love to know that it always had a way of striking without warning.
Once we made it back out of the Underworld and rejoined the others, we could see them basically struggling against Cerberus. Theresa plucked at Orpheus' lyre and played a lullaby just for Cerberus. That was when something, or actually someone, flashed into the midst of the others' fight against Cerberus. He wore a toga and had somewhat blue skin. He looked slightly familiar.
Theresa: Hades?
That was Hades? Persephone's man was here? I guess he finally decided to come and help with Cerberus. He had a serious-looking expression on his face. I could only imagine how unnervingly scary he would be compared to even his own bride, Persephone. He was supposed to be one of the evil gods, after all. That is that, he was an evil god according to all of the Greek mythology record books.
That was when my impression of Hades being an evil god completely blew up in my face, particularly with the kind of voice he spat out from just beyond his lips. It sounded far too girly and flamboyant to belong to a ruler of the dead.
Hades, the god of the Underworld: Oh, poor puppy, look at you!
Oh, Hades was unnerving to the brain, alright… just not in the sense of actually being scary. He was even a complete one-eighty of what I had always imagined the god of the Underworld to be.
That was when Hades finally returned Cerberus to his chained leash as he continued to speak.
Hades, the god of the Underworld (continued): He's really more of an indoor dog. He shouldn't be out like this. He gets so excited. Thank you. I'm glad he's not hurt.
Hades was glad that Cerberus was not hurt? His 'puppy' tried to hurt our friends. Finally, the god of the Underworld offered Theresa to bring Orpheus back his lyre.
Hades, the god of the Underworld (continued): Why don't I take that back for you?
Theresa: Sorry.
The god of the Underworld then made his own comment about what Theresa did in the Elysian Fields with the fallen hero who mistook her for his woman not long after she handed the guy's lyre to the king of the Underworld.
Hades, the god of the Underworld: I heard you made quite an impression on dear Orpheus.
Hades then chuckled up a storm, while I saw Jay react to what Hades had said about Theresa.
Hades, the god of the Underworld (continued): Let's go home now, puppy.
Hades then flashed himself and his guard dog back to the Underworld. We all heard a voice call out to us afterwards.
Voice: Guys, what happened?
It was Odie. He was lying on the ground underneath a bulldog, so Herry removed the animal. Then, Odie got up from being knocked out earlier.
Odie: Where's Cerberus?
Atlanta: You didn't hit him with that, did you?
Neil: NO. Did you, uh, want me to?
Odie just glared at the both of them.