Jackie Chan Adventures: Olympian Journey

by MultiplePersonas

Set 1 year after season 5. Jackie unleashes an entirely new magical catastrophe when he brings a Grecian urn back to San Francisco. Now the Chan clan must once again travel the globe to keep powerful magic out of the hands of evil. Can the Chans prevent the return of the Olympians and the destruction of humanity? A collaboration with Green Phantom Queen and PA2.

6. Wise Guys

MP: Much like that stray cat outside my sister's house, we just keep coming back!

PA2: I swear your analogies get odder every time...anyway, the point is we're finally here with the last part of the Athena saga!

MP: In the show this would be a two-parter, a rarity outside season finales. But there was just so much we had to include!

PA2: And so much we had to drop. But that's just the way things are, I suppose.

MP: People who say things like that are the main reason things don't change. But that's a conversation for another day. In the meantime, enjoy this here chapter!

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Jackie Chan Adventures: Olympian Journey

Chapter 6: Wise Guys

"Kasahara, I don't know how much more of this I can take," Eris whispered. The two of them were sitting down, watching Prometheus pace in front of Themis, a look of academic outrage on his face. He and Mnemosyne had started pointing out inaccuracies as soon as she was done questioning Kasahara, and they had yet to stop.

"Lady Eris, it's been approximately twenty minutes," Kasahara stated calmly. "If they don't finish soon, we can motion for-"

Eris growled, "Stop with the me-damned lawyer talk! Bad enough we're stuck here, but dealing with this on top of it? If he doesn't wrap it up soon then Nemesis is going to have to pry me off of that blowhard with her mostly dead hands!"

Nemesis didn't bother to respond to Eris's little threat except with a roll of her eyes. Clearly, this wasn't the first time she had heard something like this.

"Come on," Jade groaned, practically slumped over. "At this rate, Prometheus can just run a hole through the floor with the way he's pacing! And he's not even helping our case, just fixing theirs!"

"Be patient, Jade," said Captain Black. "I'm sure Prometheus is just buying time to develop our strategy."

"Which will mean jack squat if Uncle Jackie and Tohru are getting their butts whooped by Uncle right now, so maybe he should hurry it up!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I agree with the mortal girl," Eris growled. "I want that divine essence, and these 'corrections' are a waste of my valuable time!"

"But not mine!" Themis snarled, banging her gavel. "And not Hestia's, either. Even the most minute of details can prove the difference between your argument's success or failure, so we must have all the proper information! Furthermore, if any of you speak out of turn again, I'll hold you in contempt!"

Eris snarled and crossed her arms, and Prometheus continued.

"And finally, what they described as 'trophy hunting' is actually beneficial to the African economy, and in small, controlled circumstances in fact helps the continued existence of endangered species. Rhinoceros numbers have risen considerably in recent decades specifically because of this!" he said, all while Mnemosyne nodded in confirmation.

"Your objections are noted and sustained," Themis said with a nod. "Does the jury understand?"

Hestia had been staring off into space for a while now, but she blinked and nodded, not saying a word.

"Excellent. Now, does Divinity have any more to say on this extensive point?"

Eris gave a wicked smile. "Oh, yes," she sneered. "Your honor, I've saved the most heinous of man's atrocities for last. An invention so repugnant, so diabolical, so utterly despicable that it alone will surely convince you. I was unfortunate enough to suffer this abomination personally, and I shall tell you all about it."

The tapestry of the gods' glory shifted, and the entire court let out a gasp. Jade groaned, Prometheus slapped a hand to his forehead, and Captain Black grit his teeth in dismay.

The image was of the inside of a commercial airplane, economy class.

"These wicked humans charge a fortune for permission to travel on a cramped, disgusting tube that shoots through the sky!" Eris ranted. "They fondle you to search for weapons, which somehow includes soap, then take all day to send you into this 'plane', where you are crammed in like grapes about to be juiced."

The side of Humanity could only watch as the images shifted to show exactly what Eris described, as Hestia was left staring in a cross between disgust and confusion.

"They then spend roughly an hour on the 'tarmac', just sitting there before finally beginning the journey, whereupon you are treated to hours of recycled air, while left to near-starvation, given only tiny snacks and drinks on rare occasions. Entertainment is provided, but it is of low quality, and costs extra," Eris continued, not noticing Jade, Captain Black, and Kasahara all exchanging puzzled looks.

"When the flight is finally over, after a long descent during which your eardrums nearly explode, you are then forced to wait again on this 'tarmac' before disembarking, and, I am told, must wait even longer to retrieve your possessions, which may have even been placed aboard the wrong vessel."

The goddess finished by crossing her arms, and the tapestry went back to its original image of divine glory. Still, the court was left speechless by this display.

"Hundreds of thousands of humans, if not more, inflict this horror upon themselves every day, for there are no other high-speed methods of travel. And I have heard that the employees are treated no better than the clients. Truly, humans should be utterly ashamed of this, and yet, they simply aren't! They have just accepted it as unavoidable reality. Such wickedness cannot be allowed to stand. Thank you."

Themis nodded at this, her expression neutral. "Does Humanity have any sort of counterargument to this?" she asked.

"Not...particularly," Prometheus replied, his tone level even as he tugged on his suddenly damp collar.

"Understood," the Titaness of Justice said. "As Divinity appears to have finished, it is Humanity's turn to provide testimony."

"Very well," Prometheus said. He turned to Jade and Captain Black and shook his head. "Okay, so she's not wrong," he admitted. "But that's just one point. We can still win this." He turned back to Themis. "I call Captain Augustus Black to the stand."

Captain Black gave a confident smile and took the bench, giving a respectful nod to Themis.

"Do you swear on the River Styx to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Nemesis asked, glaring at the new witness.

"I do," Captain Black said, still smiling.

"Thank you, Captain Black," Prometheus said, smiling right back. "Now, would you please tell the court what you do for a living? And bear in mind that you are under oath."

Captain Black nodded. "I manage a covert government agency dedicated to stopping illegal and dangerous activity, both magical and non-mostly non these days," he added, cocking his head.

"So, would you say that the existence of your organization is representative of human values? That humanity values justice and morality, and polices itself for that reason?"

Captain Black's smile grew broader. "Very much so," he chuckled. "Humanity isn't perfect, obviously, but it's good enough to work to correct its mistakes."

"And has your organization seen much success?" Prometheus probed further.

"It certainly has. We have personally shut down multiple crime rings and similar organizations, banished nine demon sorcerers, sealed away nine Oni generals and their king, and consistently recovered and managed twelve divine talismans. Furthermore, we have ensured that criminal masterminds like Dr. Ashby Necrosis have never successfully activated any of their doomsday or world domination devices. While I will be the first to admit that our security in the magical department was lacking at times, our efforts were still responsible for the eventual neutralization of the Talismans and the Demon Chi," Captain Black said proudly.

"Excellent work, Captain," Prometheus said. Even Hestia and Themis seemed impressed by this testimony. "Always helps to put a face on these things," Prometheus whispered to Captain Black, who nodded again. "No further questions," he added at full volume.

Themis nodded in assent. "Divinity, your witness."

Eris approached the bench and ran a manicured hand over Captain Black's bald scalp. He frowned and shoved her hand away, glaring daggers, but she just gave a crooked-toothed smile right back.

"The prosecution will refrain from directly touching the witness," Themis said coldly, but Eris simply scoffed.

"Aw, come on, what's a little head rub between foes?" she asked. Nemesis snarled and raised her sword, and Eris backed away. "But I guess I can hold off for now. Captain Black, I have but one question to ask. If humanity is so good, then why does it require your policing?"

"Because good does not equal perfect," Captain Black said simply. "No one here is attempting to prove that humanity is without fault, but on the whole, I find that our better nature tends to shine through. In fact, it is our ability to recognize and deal with our own negative tendencies that, in my opinion, shows the nature of humanity's advancements. If we were as debauched as you have suggested, then we would have a minority, if any, of people attempting to protect the world. As it stands, we are a vast collective working together. Humanity may need policing, but humanity itself is more than capable of the task."

Jade actually applauded this speech, and Prometheus gave Captain Black an encouraging thumbs-up.

Eris, meanwhile, was less amused. "I see. Just one further question, then."

"Objection!" Jade cried. "Stenographer, please read back what Eris said, just before 'if humanity is so good'?"

Mnemosyne gave her a sideways look, but looked at her notes. "'Captain Black'," she quoted, "'I have but one question to ask'."

"I'm not on the stand here!" Eris argued, stomping her foot. She was growing red and sweaty, a clear sign of how much she hated to stand on ceremony. "I have taken no oath, and should not be bound by such rules until I do! Furthermore, the statement was not intended as a falsehood; the witness's answer merely inspired another question I had not previously considered!"

"Objection overruled," Themis agreed, banging her gavel. "Divinity may continue its questioning."

"Thank you. My question, Captain Black, is this: Do you believe that the slaying of the Olympians was justified?" Eris said coldly.

Captain Black opened his mouth, then paused. He stared at Hestia, catching her eye. A shiver ran down his spine from the cold look in her otherwise warm, welcoming eyes. He frowned, and then turned away for a deep breath. "I...I would have to say yes. As a military commander, I understand that there are times when deadly force is required, and I believe this was one of those cases. My men have, in fact, been in remarkably similar situations-a dangerous group moments away from severely harming the world and its people, usually on an enormous scale-and I stand by my decisions in these times of crisis. That said, it is not something to be celebrated or honored. The loss of life is always a tragic thing."

Eris smiled at these last words and turned to Mnemosyne. "Very interesting," she chuckled. "Then would Mnemosyne please present mankind's reaction to its victory?"

Mnemosyne nodded, and the tapestry of the gods' glory lit up, displaying a wild bacchanalia of soldiers and sorcerers laughing, drinking, and celebrating. They looted the halls of Mount Olympus, stealing and destroying everything they could get their hands on. Several of them were wearing dismembered body parts as necklaces. Some of the parts were particularly small.

"Thank you, Mnemosyne," Eris said as she turned back to Captain Black, who was looking noticeably disgusted. "What say you now, Captain Black?"

"...If these men were under my command, I would have them face the severest possible charges," Captain Black said. "This behavior is disrespectful, unconscionable, and morally bankrupt, and I have no intention of claiming otherwise."

"And yet these are the very humans who deemed the gods worthy of death. I suppose it's a shame they didn't have you to police them," Eris said, her voice calm but triumphant. "No further questions, your honor."

"Very well." Themis sighed. "You may return to your seats. Divinity, you may call the next witness."

"Oh, I"ve been waiting for this," Eris cackled, rubbing her hands together. "Your Honor, Divinity's next witness will be one who has overseen all of history, both divine and mortal. I call to the stand Hestia herself!"

Hestia gasped, as did Mnemosyne and Nemesis. All eyes flew to the Goddess of the Hearth.

"Objection!" Prometheus roared, slamming his hand into the table. "Hestia is serving as the jury, and thus must remain impartial! Having her serve as a witness would go against the very nature of this trial!"

"Objection!" Eris shouted back. "Hestia's value as a witness supersedes such notions! Her viewpoint is invaluable to the proceedings of this trial, and should be treated as such!"

"Order!" Themis declared, slamming her gavel multiple times. "I will have order in this courtroom!"

Eris groaned. "Oh, I hate when you say that!"

"Humanity's objection is sustained," Themis continued, paying no mind to Eris's comment. "Having a member of the jury on the witness stand would constitute a conflict of interest. We are stretching the proceedings enough by having such an opinionated juror; to do more would bring this trial to an even more abrupt end."

"What do you mean, 'even more abrupt'?" Jade asked. "Is there a bomb planted here or something?"

"Not quite that dramatic, but just as lethal. Take a look around," Themis said, gesturing at the room. The walls and floors looked faded, stray threads popping up all over the place. Parts of the room had thinned to the point where the hallway of Athena's second floor could be seen through them. Even Nemesis and the Titanesses were literally coming apart at the seams, with the bailiff already missing half of her right arm.

"The spell that has created this trial is quickly and literally unraveling," Themis said. "In but a short time, this dimension shall collapse, and us with it. If a verdict has not been reached by that time, then you will all suffer the same fate."

"What?! How is that fair?" Jade demanded. "You're going to wipe us out just because we couldn't finish your stupid trial?"

"It is not our decision to make," said Nemesis, glaring at the rapidly fraying walls. "This trial required Athena's full attention to maintain. But now Athena is focusing her power toward a new goal, and the spell is falling apart, but it is no easier to breach. Soon we shall all cease to exist. If you do not escape, you will die. And you can only escape once a verdict has been reached."

"Now, Divinity," Themis demanded, turning her head to Eris. "Do you have a final witness, or will you give the floor to Humanity?"

Eris growled and ground her pearly, mismatched teeth. "Yes, we do! I call myself to the stand!"

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"...Well that's just wonderful," Vanessa groaned, staring at the tarp. "Couldn't even get us any details!"

"Your comrade might be dead and that's what you're thinking about?!" Jackie snapped, glaring at Vanessa.

Vanessa stared back at Jackie, cocking her head. "You and I are very different people, Chan," she sighed. "For me, the mission comes first, always. Besides, he's not dead. He's just petrified."

"How can you be certain?" Tohru asked, rapping Zhixin with his knuckle.

"Because he's made of stone, you idiot!" Vanessa said, pointing to her immobile compatriot. "And everyone in the business knows at least one thing about magic: if it can be done, it can be undone. Now, let's take a lesson from the old monk and prepare for what we're up against."

The relic hunter reached into her pocket and pulled out a compact mirror, then carefully took aside the tarp and angled the reflection inward. Vanessa's eyes widened and she shook her head, but showed no fear. "Well, that's no surprise," she complained.

"Medusa?" Jackie asked.

"And a giant spider that I can only assume is Arachne," Vanessa confirmed, ignoring Tohru's shudder. "This is going to be tricky."

"Well, we have a mirror, so that's one threat down, right?" Jackie asked hopefully.

"Putting aside the fact that she can still tear us apart with her bare claws," Vanessa groaned, "this mirror is hardly going to help. Perseus had the advantage of an entire mirrored shield, while we just have this dinky compact. Plus, the whole thing only worked because Perseus found Medusa sleeping. There's no mythological precedent for how an actual fight with her would have gone."

The word "precedent" stirred up a memory in Jackie. "Well, we're going in. For Jade and Captain Black. Tohru, can you work up another spell?"

"No," Tohru replied in a disheartened voice. "We are out of olive oil. I cannot do anything without it."

Jackie sighed, and then did the only thing he could to protect himself: he tore off a piece of the wall and fashioned a pair of makeshift blindfolds, one for himself and one for Tohru, then leapt through the tarp.

"Splendid," Vanessa groaned. "Well, someone should stay behind and keep out those mummies when they get here. You up for it, Tiny?"

"Me? Why me?" Tohru asked as Vanessa took the blindfold from his hands.

"Because after all my years of looting, I've developed something of an eidetic memory. The room layout, the monsters, all of that is catalogued up here," she said, tapping her head. "So even with my eyes occupied, fighting shouldn't be an issue, while you are more than a little useless right now. And that's not even getting into the arachnophobia," she continued, wrapping a blindfold around her left eye.

"You have a point," Tohru said, sighing. "Fine, I'll sta-" he continued, before being abruptly cut off by a mass of webbing slamming into his chest. He didn't move, but the web became tightly enmeshed in his clothes. Before Vanessa could react, he was dragged into the room, screaming all the while.

"Or you can get dragged in and I can save the both of you," Vanessa groaned. "You're lucky I still need the help." Letting out an exasperated sigh, Vanessa hefted her sword in one hand and her compact in the other and stepped in.

As soon as she walked through the curtain, Vanessa was beset by the noises of frenzied combat. From her left, she heard the hissing of the vipers serving as Medusa's hair intermingled with the grunts and groans of Jackie's frantic dodging. From her right, there was the sound of Tohru's screams and the delicate sound of spider legs on silk as Arachne crept along her web.

As she listened to the sounds of battle, Vanessa thought back to the brief glimpses she had seen of the two creatures from her compact. Medusa was the height of an average woman, clad in a flowing chiton colored a stone gray. Her face was surprisingly beautiful, with clear skin and bright eyes, but that only made its placement atop a scaled serpentine body all the more horrifying. That, combined with the razor sharp claws, massive brass wings, and the tusk-like fangs emerging from her mouth, made her danger even more clear.

Arachne, meanwhile, took the appearance of a plain woman with the delicate physical structure of a weaver from the waist up, but with the body of a massive orb weaver spider underneath. A band of silk was placed over her face, hiding her eyes, but her mouth was inhumanly stretched, and a pair of spidery fangs was protruding out.

Keeping her eye firmly focused on the compact mirror, Vanessa teleported to Tohru's side, where Arachne was busy wrapping the big man in threads. "Tiny, you seriously need to shape up or ship out," she growled With one swipe of her sword, she sliced down the side of the wrappings, whereupon Tohru snapped them off with a single flex.

"Bold words for a thief," he grumbled. His eyes shut tightly, he grabbed Arachne by four of her legs and threw her aside, only for her to launch a line of silk from her mouth and come swinging back, leaping on Tohru's back, ready to bite. Tohru froze as he felt her breath on his face, but Vanessa teleported onto his back and swung one of her high heels into the spider-woman's face, sending her crashing into a padded wall.

"What's wrong, dear?" Vanessa laughed. "No spidey sense tingling?"

Simultaneously, Jackie was being forced onto the defensive, muttering, "Baddaybaddaybadday!" all the while. Listening for Medusa's strikes was difficult even normally, but the floor and walls muffled everything. He soon realized he'd have to rely on touch and smell as much as hearing, focusing his mind on the burning scent of Medusa's venom, and the light pressure that indicated the movements of Arachne's eight legs. Even worse, it would only take one swipe of her claws to tear him in half. Soon enough, he found himself cornered, but, rather than panic, he bounced off of the wall and slammed both hands on either side of the monster's head, narrowly dodging her snakes.

When he landed behind her, he kicked her between the shoulder blades, only for her to turn and lunge at him. Jackie jumped high above and ended up flying directly into Arachne, who caught him with all eight legs. She held Jackie down for Medusa to strike, but Tohru charged in, rolling like a ball and sending Jackie, Medusa, and Arachne all flying.

Vanessa took the opportunity to teleport over and swing her sword at the gorgon, but Medusa caught the blade in her claws, then wrapped her tail around Vanessa's legs, then, with the strength of two hands to Vanessa's one, sent the relic hunter's sword flying. She followed that by seizing Vanessa's compact and shattering it in her hand.

"What was that?" Tohru asked nervously.

"What do you think?" Vanessa snapped as she clenched her uncovered eye shut. "The snake just took out our eyes!"

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"Do you swear on the River Styx to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Themis asked as Eris took her seat at the witness box.

"If I must," Eris replied, rolling her eyes-literally, in her hands. She popped them back in, then conjured a puppet of herself over one of her hands, which she held out in front of her.

"Miss Eris," she said out of the corner of her mouth, in a ridiculous falsetto as she worked the puppet's mouth, "humans are quick to accuse the gods of cruelty and tyranny. Can you show us proof otherwise?"

"Certainly," Eris answered in her own voice. She gestured to the mural of godly glory, which lit up and displayed a new scene. Scenes of gods helping mortals flashed by. Hera advising Jason. Athena gifting Heracles a rattle to scare the Stymphalian birds. Hades agreeing to let Orpheus take the soul of Eurydice. Demeter before a village of farmers, helping their wheat grow. Ares giving strength to a squadron of Spartans. And, to cap it all off, an image of the gods in their palace, seated in front of a great table, about to dig into a huge banquet.

"The gods were superior to mortals in all ways," Eris continued as the images kept flashing, "but still they would bestow gifts upon them now and then. They took the time to answer some prayers. It was only when mortals got too cocky that we decided to eliminate them."

An image of mortal scholars appeared. They were hunched over scrolls and gathering ingredients.

"We saw them readying themselves to destroy us. It was them who decided that the universe wasn't big enough for both races, not us. We were only reacting to it when we made the decision to wipe them out. And, based on what I've seen, it would have been a mercy killing. The truth is, the entire race is suicidal."

"Are not!" Jade objected, glaring daggers at the depowered goddess.

"Silence!" Themis demanded, banging her gavel. "Eris, you'd better be able to support that claim!"

Eris smiled back, as if the judge could see it. "Well of course, Your Honor," she chuckled. "They have all of the warning signs. See for yourself."

She waved her hand and the image on the tapestry of the gods' glory shifted again, displaying an image of an African warlord stuffing his face while staring down upon starving masses, uncaring. "Emotional detachment…"

The tapestry shifted again, showing a large number of people on a bus, staring at their phones. "Social withdrawal…"

The image changed once more, showing an enormous collection of garbage floating in the ocean. "Not respecting your home…"

The tapestry returned to its original image, and Eris continued her speech. "The truth is, mankind wants to die. They know they've poisoned the beautiful world we've made, and don't care. Furthermore, based on their current literature and drama, ideas of the apocalypse have become very common. It's almost like they're looking forward to it. So, why not help them along? And, once they're gone, our beautiful world can return."

Themis and Hestia both stared at Eris, mouths agape. "Ah...well said, Eris," Themis admitted, breaking her stony expression for the first time. "I've never heard you speak so eloquently. You must have learned a few things in that amphora."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Eris said, smiling toward the jury box. "I hope that Auntie Hestia will keep that in mind."

She held the puppet back up and spoke in the falsetto once more. "No further questions, Your Honor."

Themis nodded in the direction of Prometheus. "Humanity, your witness!" she barked.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this!" Prometheus chuckled, rubbing his hands together. He advanced on the witness box, inviting Jade and Captain Black as well. Eris just smiled back at them, despite the cold sweat that had taken Kasahara.

"Objection!" Kasahara shouted. "Humanity is trying to intimidate the witness!"

"Overruled!" Themis shouted back. "If the witness can be intimidated by these three, then her arguments have no strength whatsoever!"

"It's fine, Kasahara," Eris said, dismissively waving her hand. "Just makes it easier to deal with them all at once. So, do you have any questions, or are you just going to glare at me all day?"

"In your testimony, you made the point that the gods used to get along better with humanity," Prometheus said. "And indeed, that was the case for a time. Not in harmony, admittedly, but like casual neighbors. Then again, you have made notable attempts to disrupt harmony, haven't you?"

"Well, duh!" Eris sneered. "I'm the Goddess of Discord!"

"Do you remember this?" Prometheus asked. The tapestry of the gods' arrogance glowed and changed to display Eris tossing a golden apple into a crowd, with three beautiful goddesses poised to catch it.

"Oh, you would bring that up, wouldn't you?" Eris pouted.

"You threw a magic apple, brainwashed three goddesses, and ended up starting the Trojan War, all because you weren't invited to a wedding!" Prometheus accused.

"And that was very rude of them!" Eris snapped. "And, for your information, the apple wasn't 'magic'! I just carved 'To the Fairest' onto it and threw it in. That fighting was all them!"

"But you knew what it would do, didn't you?" Captain Black asked, raising an eyebrow.

"...yes," Eris admitted, crossing her arms. "But the blame rests on Paris for ignoring the warnings and choosing Aphrodite. In other words, the war was a human's fault!"

"It never would have happened without divinity!" Prometheus argued.

"Neither would literally anything!" Eris snapped. "But mortals stopped thanking us ages ago!"

"Tch, and why should they thank you?" Jade demanded. "Have you ever done humanity any favors?"

"A couple," Eris said with a smile. Prometheus' eyes went wide, and Eris laughed. "Surprised you again, did I? Well, I'll let you in on something: You ever find a coin lying on the ground? That was me. I invented that. People think it was Hermes, even Hades, but it was me."

"That's your big favor for humanity?" Jade asked. "Loose change? I got a better gift from Uncle for Christmas, and he gave me socks!"

"I was spreading wealth!" Eris argued. "And come now, didn't you ever think about how strange it was? I mean, if you drop a coin, you pick it up, right? Who wouldn't? So where are these coins coming from?"

"Nobody is questioning the divine nature of coins magically appearing," Prometheus said, rolling his eyes. "But as far as boons go, it's hardly a miracle."

"I can't help it if my best creations kept getting banished to faraway lands! I invented the avocado, the okapi, the binturong, the bladderwort, the giraffe, the three-toed sloth, the kiwi - the fruit and the bird - and the pineapple! But nobody ever talks about those! They were too 'weird' and 'disturbing' to belong in a respectable place like Greece!"

"What's a binturong?" Captain Black asked.

"What's a bladderwort?" Jade asked, at the same time.

"Did you think it perhaps had something to do with the fact that you made the pineapple out of a person?" Prometheus asked, ignoring both of them.

"Oh, please! Narcissus, Hyacinthus, Adonis, their plants all got to stick around, but not mine? They were just stupid flowers made out of pretty boys! I made a fruit that bites you back, which is much more interesting, and for that it gets banished!"

"We're getting off topic," Captain Black sighed. "Answer me this: Did you kill humans en masse before they started plotting against the gods?"

Eris shrugged. "Sure. And you know who else did? Other humans. Like I said, you creatures have always been suicidal; we just joined in."

"And what about before Pandora opened the amphora? Before humanity received a concentrated dose of all their worst sins?" Captain Black continued.

"Hey, that's hardly a fair question! I made that amphora so we didn't have to wipe out humanity! Besides, it's like you said; the urn held concentrated ill, not created. All we did was take those deep dark parts of your minds, stir them up a little bit, and stuff them all together," Eris growled.

"'We'?" Jade asked, confused. "You mean it wasn't just you?"

"Of course not!" Eris replied. "Do you think I could have gotten something that complex put together alone? No, all us gods put their backs into it; collecting and distilling a single evil each, and placing it in the amphora. Zeus gave Faithlessness. Hera, Pettiness. Aphrodite, Carnal Lust. I personally placed in Destructive Insanity. Every god had a part in this!"

"Then how did Hope get in there?" Captain Black asked. "It's one thing if it was just you, but if it was every single god who was involved, surely someone would have noticed a mistake like that?"

"Believe me, I've been trying to work that out for eons!" Eris snapped, pulling at her hair. "I mean, it's not like I have a perfect…" Her head snapped over to Mnemosyne so fast that the crack echoed through the courtroom. "You! Show me who presented Hope to be placed in the amphora! Now!"

Themis banged her gavel again. "The witness will wait until the cross-examination is over!" the Titaness of Justice cried. "It is not your turn to make arguments! And if you speak that way to my stenographer again, I will hold you in contempt of court!"

"Actually, go ahead on that request," Jade said, putting a hand to her chin. "I wanna know who did that, too."

Eris smirked. "Thanks, brat! Knew you would be good for something eventually," she said.

Jade's face turned bright red as she opened her mouth to retort, only to be interrupted by a shout of "Objection!" in Kasahara's cultured voice.

"Oh come on!" Eris snapped. "What's the issue now, Kasahara?"

"That...that wasn't me," Kasahara replied, his eyes wide. "I swear it!"

"Then who…?" Eris began, only to narrow her eyes. The entire court turned to face the jury box, staring at Hestia. For the first time since Jade had met her, the Goddess of the Hearth looked uncomfortable. She was curled up, staring at her feet, and desperately trying to look small.

"The jury will refrain from erroneous objections," Themis said coldly. "And from using the voices of others. Should this incident be repeated, my bailiff will have to take...drastic action."

"But-!" Hestia began before Nemesis, moving lightning fast, jumped into the jury box and laid her sword across Hestia's throat.

"...It's all starting to come together now," Eris mused, her calm tone utterly belying the sparks emerging from her eyes. "Your Honor, I don't believe we'll need the full display after all."

"I suppose we don't," Prometheus said, his face set in a frown. "But if we could get confirmation from the stenographer?"

"Yes," Mnemosyne said, her voice quiet. "It is as you suspect."

Both tapestries shifted, displaying the same image; Hestia, emitting her warm, comforting glow, holding in her hands a small form, a golden butterfly that hovered just above her fingertips. As the courtroom watched, she gently worked her fingers around the shape, and it began to change. Its wings became torn and faded, and it began to flutter nervously. Its gold color dulled to an ugly bronze. Satisfied with the change to its appearance, the Hestia in the tapestries turned and handed the butterfly to a past version of Eris, one who radiated power, unlike the weakened deity who sat at the witness desk. The past Eris nodded in approval of the butterfly and placed it inside her amphora before the tapestries returned to normal.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Tohru screamed as he held Arachne by her legs, desperately trying to keep her at arm's length. The spider woman cackled and hissed as she continued to lunge. In a lucky shot, she tore off his blindfold, and in the moment before he clenched his eyes shut, he gulped at the savage face before him. Not because of how hideous she was now, but because he'd seen her before.

"Jackie!" he cried in alarm. "This woman is the receptionist! These are real people, too!"

Vanessa paused from wildly swinging her sword, frowning. "And that matters because…?"

"We can't kill them, okay?" Jackie demanded, delivering a flying kick to what he thought was Medusa. Tohru fell forward, squashing Arachne beneath his ample stomach before she thrashed and wriggled her way out, slashing her legs at the sumo. Jackie bounced off of Tohru's back and intercepted, becoming tangled in the monster's legs.

"Oh, it's so hairy!" Jackie complained as he squirmed. He got a lucky kick in to her abdomen and she recoiled, then he took the opportunity to seize her by the arms, restraining them, and climb on her back. "Can't bite me here!" he laughed.

Arachne hissed and shook, but Jackie wouldn't be moved. In a rage, she began climbing a wall, shaking herself the whole way in an attempt to throw him. Jackie clung desperately, sticky spider silk from the wall clinging to his clothes and limiting his movements. Finally, Arachne managed to wriggle free and turn her fangs on Jackie, just as his silks broke from his struggles and he fell to the floor, ironically saving him from a fatal bite.

Meanwhile, on the floor, Medusa lunged for Vanessa, but Tohru rescued the relic hunter in the nick of time by catching the gorgon in a bear hug.

"Not bad, Tiny," Vanessa said with a smirk. "Have you fought blind before?"

"Once," Tohru smiled back. He tightened his grip on Medusa, prepared to squeeze until she lost consciousness, but the snakes that made up her hair objected, snapping at the big man's arms. Their bites weren't venomous, but they were painful, and he grimaced in pain, releasing the gorgon on the spot. She raked her claws at him, but Vanessa teleported in and blocked the talons with her sword.

"This isn't working!" Jackie complained, coming to Tohru's side. "We need a plan!"

"Yes, but they won't make it easy. Furthermore, how does Arachne fight so well when she cannot even see?" Tohru asked. "The stories never tell of her being blind."

"She wasn't!" Vanessa snarled as Medusa knocked her back. "But she's a spider now. She must be using her other senses!"

What would Jade do…? Jackie wondered quietly, backflipping just in time to dodge another swipe from Arachne's leg. The spider woman took a tumble toward Medusa, but scurried up the wall before they could collide. It was a good thing he'd heard her coming. That's it!

"Keep Medusa busy and keep your ears peeled!" the archaeologist announced. "I have a plan!"

Tohru and Vanessa nodded, charging the gorgon again, each one catching Medusa by one arm and holding her down. As they did, Jackie concentrated the muscles in his throat. "Good work, you two," came his voice. Strange thing was, it came from next to Tohru, even though Jackie was clear across the room. "Let's finish her!"

The blindfolded Arachne rushed down to help her comrade, just as Jackie planned. When he heard her eight legs scuttling down, he performed a flying kick and scored a direct hit. Then, with a jab to the spider woman's solar plexus, he made her fire a long stream of ultra-sticky thread from her mouth, directly at Medusa.

"Spin her around!" Jackie ordered, and Tohru and Vanessa did. Medusa was soon cocooned in Arachne's thread up to her neck. With a chuckle, Jackie then yanked the blindfold off of Arachne's face and positioned her right in front of the gorgon. Arachne turned to stone on the spot, and Jackie finished by tying the blindfold around Medusa. "Okay," he sighed. "We're safe."

Tohru and Vanessa caught their breath as they removed their own blindfolds. "Where in the world did you learn to throw your voice, Chan?" Vanessa demanded.

"I won a few talent shows when I was Jade's age," Jackie chuckled, his voice emanating from Vanessa's sword.

Vanessa smirked. "Well, you're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

The trio tensed up as they heard the sound of footsteps. The mummy army was catching up again.

"No time to pat ourselves on the back," Vanessa said with a scowl. "Let's move! The old man can't be much further!"

Jackie's eyes fell back on the statue in the doorway. "What about Zhixin?" he asked.

"Leave him!" Vanessa said, tearing through the next door to another staircase. "He's dead weight! And also petrified!"

With a shrug, Jackie and Tohru followed suit.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"...I didn't plan for this," Prometheus said quietly. "This was her own decision."

"Sure you didn't," Eris replied sarcastically, glaring at the actual Hestia. "Honestly, I should have figured it out sooner. I can't believe that even with Prometheus imprisoned, you were still his stooge!"

"What did I just say?" Prometheus demanded.

Mnemosyne thumbed her scroll, and read aloud. "'I didn't plan for this. This was her own decision.'"

"And you honestly expect me to believe that?!" Eris snapped. "You're not on the stand; you could lie your tail off if you wanted!"

"I-You know what, forget it," Prometheus muttered, the indignation draining out of him. "Believe what you wish to believe; the actions remain the same. And it's what Hestia and Themis believe that matters to me."

"Even so," Eris snapped, "Hestia's act ruined the gods' plan and ultimately brought about their destruction! How often we hand our enemies the very means of our end," she finished with a groan.

"I'm glad you brought that up," Prometheus chuckled. "Because I have one last point to make. Eris, do you know how I came up with the spell that drained the gods' powers?"

Eris gulped. Sweat ran down her brow. "Um...not for sure…"

Prometheus' smile grew even bigger. "I adapted the very spell you used on me. The one you used before you chained me up. Except I found a way to make it even stronger thanks to the instructions left behind by a certain god. Or rather, goddess."

"Prometheus lost his powers?" Jade whispered to Captain Black.

"Most of 'em, it sounds like," Captain Black whispered back. "No wonder he relied on us."

"...Wait, what? Auntie Hecate never showed me anything like th-" Eris started to say, before her eyes widened and she slammed her hands over her mouth.

"She wouldn't have; they weren't in her spellbook," Prometheus responded. "Or at least, the copy I received wasn't. Hestia smuggled it to me; apparently, Hecate had tried to burn up the evidence in the Sacred Hearth."

"Evidence of what?" Jade asked.

"Her planned coup, of course," Prometheus replied, smirking at Eris's enraged expression. "Looks like your perfect family is hardly so perfect after all."

"No worse than your humans, you snake!" Eris shrieked. She snarled, baring her teeth.

"Objection!" Captain Black said. "Conjecture!"

"Sustained," Themis told him, banging her gavel.

At the sound of the hammer echoed through the room, Eris's eyes literally turned red, and an audible 'snap' came from her head. Shrieking like a banshee, she leapt at Prometheus, slashing her uneven nails across his face. Shocked, Prometheus fell backwards, and Nemesis grabbed the Goddess of Discord, who continued to scream and struggle.

"Lady Eris!" Kasahara cried. "Please calm yourself!"

"That's it!" Themis yelled, banging her gavel yet again. "I'm holding you in contempt of court! Nemesis, restrain her! Mnemosyne, strike her testimony from the record!"

"That will only help her!" Captain Black objected.

Themis cocked her head, then nodded. "Then let the record reflect Divinity's outburst. We must trust our jury to render judgment properly," she finished, giving a dramatic nod in Hestia's direction.

Meanwhile, Nemesis bound a shrieking Eris in rope and returned her to her stand, finishing by shoving a gag in her mouth. "Better behave yourselves," she warned, and Prometheus, Jade, Captain Black, and Kasahara all gave simultaneous nods.

"Will there be any more witnesses?" Themis demanded, ignoring Eris' thrashes. Even with her blindfold, they could feel her intense gaze upon them.

"We've pretty much won, right?" Jade asked, looking up at Prometheus. He looked a lot more tired than he had a few minutes ago, and his face was set in a frown.

The Titan of Forethought shook his head. "You'd think so, but no," he whispered back. "I know Hestia, and it's not enough to turn her against Eris. She has to want to help us, and for that she has to know that we're doing the right thing. And now we have just one witness left." The Titan lifted his head and announced, "I call Jade Chan to the witness stand!"

Jade smiled and bolted over to the box, leaping directly up and landing in the seat.

"Do you swear on the River Styx to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" Nemesis asked her.

"Tch, absolutely!" Jade declared. "And I've got plenty to say!"

"The witness will save her comments for when she is questioned," Themis warned, and Jade moved back on her seat.

"Uh, yeah. Sure," Jade responded with a guilty smile.

Prometheus began to stand, but Captain Black put a hand to his shoulder. "Let me handle this one," Captain Black chuckled. "I know her better."

Prometheus nodded, and Captain Black advanced on the witness stand. "Jade Chan, you're no stranger to protecting the world, are you?"

Jade actually laughed at this, until Themis cast a not-entirely-seen dirty look her way. "I mean, uh, yeah. Definitely. You, me, Uncle, Tohru, and Uncle Jackie have been fighting evil since the day I came to America."

"A fight in which you played no small part," Captain Black said with a smile.

"Finally, someone says it! I sealed Tarakudo in his mask, led the charge against Drago when he was 'roided up on demon chi, and even rallied the troops and fixed things when Shendu rewrote history! Jackie may do the fighting, and Uncle's got his chi magic mojo, but the J-Team's just not whole without me!"

Eris glared at this display, but she was finally quieting down. While the court's attention was on Jade, Kasahara quietly transformed a single finger into a paper blade and cut the gag covering his boss' mouth. She leaned in and whispered something in Kasahara's ear, and his eyes went wide.

"Exactly, kiddo," Captain Black agreed, placing a kindly hand on hers. "And we both know you're not gonna stop fighting evil, either."

"Tch, as if!" Jade laughed. "It's the coolest thing I've ever been a part of."

"Too true. But it's not just the big things that make you who you are. If I recall, you also rescued an innocent girl from her imprisonment in the Lotus Temple?"

"Xu Lin?" Jade replied. "Yeah, we still keep in touch."

"And you unfroze a prehistoric ice man and found him a place to live?"

Jade's smile vanished, and she took on a pensive look. "Yeah. I miss Dwayne."

"And you're always protecting kids from bullies on the schoolyard," Captain Black went on.

"That's true," Jade said, brightening back up.

"And you're forgiving, too," Captain Black continued. "After all, who was it who petitioned me to give Chow, Finn, and Ratso another chance?"

"Me!" Jade bragged. "Uh, and Uncle," she added afterward.

Captain Black chanced a glance at Hestia, whom he noticed had a broad smile of her own. Blushing slightly, Captain Black turned to Themis. "No further questions, your honor," he said.

Themis nodded. "Very well. Divinity, you may cross-examine the witness."

Kasahara nodded and got to his feet as Captain Black retreated. The thief had a wicked grin as he approached Jade. "Miss Chan," he began. He was going slowly, like a predator stalking its next meal. "I could stand here talking about how all of what was just said was the acts of only a single person, or the obvious arrogance as it was being said-and the record will show that I did, but that's not the point. Instead, I have only one question for you. One question, which, I might add, you must answer honestly, as you are under oath."

"And what's that?" Jade demanded, meeting his gaze head-on.

"Simple. Jade Chan, do you believe that you have made life better for those you love?"

"Tch," Jade snapped back. "You're kidding, right?"

Kasahara maintained his gaze, unblinking. "I most certainly am not. And that is not an answer. Tell the court: Do you believe that you have made life better for those you love? It's an important question. I suggest you think hard."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"The old man can't be far away now," Vanessa pointed out as the trio raced up the stairs. Unlike Jackie and Tohru, she was able to conserve her energy by teleporting six or so steps ahead over and over. "He's sure to be expecting us, too. Do you have a plan?"

"Jackie will find a way to steal the chi-o-matic from Sensei," Tohru replied, huffing along behind her. "Once that is done, I will improvise a spell to depower him. Unfortunately, I have no more olive oil to strengthen it, but hopefully it will still be enough."

"Don't you need a symbol of Athena?" Vanessa asked.

Tohru nodded and held up a strip of spider thread. "This should do. Athena created Arachne, after all, so it should work."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "I'm hearing a lot of assumptions there, Jumbo."

"If you have a better idea, I would like to hear it!" Jackie panted.

Vanessa shook her head at this, and the group continued onward, soon reaching the first actual door they'd encountered in Uncle's funhouse of a lair. It was carved with a mixture of Greek letters, Viking runes, and Chinese characters, all under the image of an owl whose eyes seemed to follow them.

"No going back now, Chan," Vanessa pointed out. "Are you ready?"

Jackie nodded, and Tohru threw his considerable weight against the door, bowling inward to Uncle's new base of operations. Apparently this was where he had kept most of the museum's antiquities, because many old Norse tools and weapons - everything from bowls to battle-axes - were lining the walls. The boat from earlier stood proud at the room's center, and Uncle himself (or as much himself as he could be said to be, all things considered) was hard to work at an antique loom, weaving a tapestry the size of a circus tent. He was chanting something as he worked, a mixture of Chinese, English, and Greek. Hanging at his side by a thread was the chi-o-matic.

Jackie wasted no time in rushing the old man, reaching out to snatch the device off its resting place, but, without even looking, Uncle whipped a corner of his tapestry at Jackie and caught him by the leg, tripping him. He then whipped the cloth again, untangling Jackie, then delivered a two-fingered strike so hard that Jackie was sent crashing into a wall.

"You want to survive to see Uncle's conquest of Europe?" the old man inquired. "Yes? THEN STAY OUT OF UNCLE'S WAY!"

"Conquest of Europe?" Jackie repeated as he got back to his feet, shaking his head as if to clear it. "Uncle, you cannot be serious!"

"Uncle is always serious!" Uncle snapped. "Is the only way to gain enough strength to spread Uncle's reign onward to Asia, and then the world! No battle strategy can stand against wisdom of Athena! Is only a matter of time before Uncle reigns over all from palace on Olympus! All Uncle needs is big enough magic tapestry to create out his army, and the war is nearly won!"

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Tohru asked. "I could understand using a tapestry as a portal or viewing screen, but how could it help make an army-OW!" he yelled as a hand made of tightly woven cloth delivered a two-finger strike to his head.

"Let Uncle finish!" the old man screeched. "Without tapestry, Uncle must make do with those who come inside. With tapestry, Uncle can spread his threads all over Stockholm and beyond! One more thing! Uncle can also make army themselves center of web, to turn everyone they cross into Uncle's loyal soldiers!"

"Brilliant and horrifying," Vanessa said with a chuckle. "You'd certainly be a fun one to work with."

"What?!" Jackie yelped, while Uncle merely grinned.

"Hot cha! Finally, someone with sense!" he said, rubbing his hands together. "So, do you wish to join Uncle? Uncle can offer you very good deal!"

Unable to hold back any more, Jackie threw himself at the old man again, this time with a wicked left hook, but Uncle parried and swept Jackie's legs, sending him tumbling backwards, and then grabbed his nephew by the collar, hoisting him up. Tohru stepped in, charging at his former teacher, but Uncle sidestepped him and then, as Tohru skidded to a stop, jumped ten feet in the air and landed on the giant's shoulders, tossing Jackie over his shoulder and grinding his feet into Tohru's neck.

Tohru grunted in pain as Uncle gave a sadistic grin. Uncle then backflipped off of Tohru, executed a handstand, and kicked Tohru in the butt with both feet, sending him tumbling as Uncle threw himself back to grab a spear, as well as the very shield that had started all the trouble, immediately blocking a renewed strike from his former apprentice.

"Tempting," Vanessa said, priming her sword as she ignored it all. "Eris has yet to lock me into an exclusive contract, so I'm open to pursuing other opportunities. You'll just have to make it worth my while."

"Vanessa!" Jackie gasped.

"Nothing personal, Chan," the relic hunter laughed. "It's just always better to be on the winning side. Now, old man, let's talk benefits. I have to warn you though," she continued, "I charge some cutthroat rates."

Uncle just laughed at this. "Uncle will conquer with or without you!" he howled. He lunged at her, spear ready to impale, but she teleported behind him and struck his back with the butt of her sword.

"See?" the relic hunter laughed, teleporting beside the old man. "I can be very useful."

With Uncle distracted, Jackie took the opportunity to make another dive for the chi-o-matic, but Vanessa saw it coming, teleported into his path, and planted the toe of her high heel directly into his stomach, sending him flying. "Consider that a freebie," Vanessa said with a smirk.

Uncle smiled back. "Not bad. Consider yourself hired."

Vanessa kept staring at Uncle with that sickening grin. "Actually," she said, her smile growing larger. In a flash, she teleported to the old man's side, slashed the thread that held the chi-o-matic, and zipped over to Tohru to deliver the device. "Now that I think about it, you couldn't afford me."

Enraged, Uncle charged the relic hunter, but Jackie and Vanessa met him head-on, delivering twin kicks to the old man's chest. Uncle blocked with his shield, but was still skidding back. He moved with it, though, doing a one-handed cartwheel and coming up with his spear. Jackie dove out of the way, and Vanessa teleported aside, but Uncle swept it low and spun, knocking them both off of their feet. He drove to impale his weapon into Vanessa's chest, but Jackie caught the spear from behind and saved her just in time.

"Hurry, Tohru!" Jackie yelled. "The spell!"

Tohru nodded and threw together the ingredients, then wrapped them in the spider silk. Concentrating, he held up the chi-o-matic and began to chant. "Theía Dýnami, Afíste Grígora! Theía Dýnami, Afíste Grígora!"

The chi-o-matic lit up in his hands, and a beam of light shot out, striking Uncle in the chest, but, amazingly, Uncle gave no reaction. Tohru began chanting harder, but Uncle seemed as strong as ever. The spell simply refused to absorb the godly essence.

"You will not defeat Uncle with second-rate magic like that!" Uncle laughed. Then, with astounding speed for someone so old, he batted Jackie aside with his shield, then lunged at Tohru and beaned him in the wrist with the butt of his spear. Tohru dropped the chi-o-matic and shook his aching wrist, and Uncle grabbed him by his waistband, lifted the enormous man over his head, and sent him flying across the room and into a display on Viking helmets. The heavy iron headgear fell from the display, burying Tohru under their weight.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

After Kasahara's question, the entire court went quiet. All eyes were on Jade, who had immediately drawn a breath as if to speak. But then, she paused, and a contemplative look came over her face. As the seconds passed, Kasahara's expression grew more triumphant, while Prometheus and Captain Black looked more stricken. Finally, Jade opened her mouth and said, "Okay, look. I'll be the first one to admit I'm not perfect; if I wanted I could show you a highlight reel of my biggest screw-ups-"

"As you wish," Mnemosyne said, prompting Jade to adopt a panicked expression.

"No, no, come on!" she moaned as the tapestries started glowing. "I wasn't serious!"

"Maybe so, but the stenographer has deemed it necessary to show the court the details," Themis said, staring at Jade sternly, in spite of the blindfold. "Unless you have an objection to seeing your deeds laid bare."

"Lighten up, lady," Jade muttered under her breath. "And just because I know I've messed up doesn't mean I want to relive it," she continued in a louder tone.

"And yet, here we are," Themis said as the tapestries finally settled on images. Each piece of cloth now was essentially a collage, showing four different scenes. The first picture on the left tapestry was Jade Chan, staring aghast at a pile of stone fragments that looked like they may have once been a statue of a tall, bearded man, and next to that Jade watching as that same statue, now repaired, suddenly transformed into flesh and blood. Then there one showing Jade floating above the ground, wearing a cape and surrounded by twelve stylistic depictions of animals, while the last showed Captain Black presenting an array of stone tablets to a group of unimpressed men in suits.

The right tapestry, meanwhile, first displayed Jade standing by a school drinking fountain, a demonic image freshly tattooed on her ankle, before showing a monstrous blue version of Jade with red eyes and fangs, dressed all in black and surrounded by ninjas. The next one showed Jade at what looked like a school fair, standing by an animal pen containing nine animals of different sizes, while the final picture had those same animals rampaging around the fairgrounds, all while Jackie looked at Jade with a disappointed expression.

"What...is this?" Eris asked, looking at the crowded display of images with glittering eyes. "It's so jumbled, I love it!"

Jade rested her head on the witness stand. "Like I said, highlight reel."

"Might I ask what each of these represent?" Kasahara asked.

"Lightning round? Broke a statue then brought it to life, stole Talisman powers to goof off, became demon queen because of peer pressure, and risked losing cosmic power to the forces of darkness because I missed a homework assignment. Clear enough for you?" Jade growled.

"Yes it does," Kasahara sneered. "That said, while I do enjoy seeing you at your lowest, I fail to see how this answers the question I posed earlier. Unless you're trying to tell me that you know you made life worse for those you care about."

Jade glared at him and swallowed. "I'm trying to say that I don't know," she admitted. "I can't. I like to think I'm good, but I'm not perfect. Trouble tends to follow me...usually cuz I give it a private invitation. But one thing I do know is that every jam I've gotten us into, I've helped to get us out. I can't say if the good outweighs the bad; heck, I don't even know if I break even. All I can say is that I'll never stop trying to help the people I love. And really, can you ask for more?"

Kasahara seethed at this response and shook his head, his eyes narrowed in anger. Turning away from Jade's smug grin, he mumbled, "No further questions." As he walked back to Eris, he failed to notice Hestia's thoughtful expression.

"Very well," Themis said. "Witness, you are excused." Jade nodded and returned to Humanity's table. "Both parties may now make their closing statements. Divinity, you may begin."

Kasahara sneered, but stepped forward with his usual dignity. "Lady of the jury," he began, looking Hestia in the eye, "it is my belief that the single greatest crime in existence is the miscarriage of justice. We have provided substantial proof that humans not only stripped the gods of their powers, but also ruthlessly slaughtered them. What's more, we have seen how humans have been proceeding to systematically destroy the world over the centuries since this vile act, squandering the opportunities that existed even in the face of such horror. These crimes against the gods, against nature, and against existence itself cannot be allowed to stand. Thank you."

"Also, commercial airlines!" Eris shouted, and Nemesis smacked her in the back of the head.

"Strike that from the record!" Themis ordered.

"With pleasure," Mnemosyne mumbled, scratching it out.

"Humanity," Themis announced. "Your closing arguments?"

As she spoke, though, the courtroom began to blur. Colors faded, and Themis, Mnemosyne, and Nemesis all unraveled even further. They still stood strong, but the change was very noticeable. Even more noticeable, though, was what happened to the walls of the courtroom; they grew transparent, and through them the defendants could see Jackie, Vanessa, and Tohru in Uncle's lair, the old man throttling the three without breaking a sweat. Jackie and Vanessa were facing him down, and even had a decent rhythm going, but he was dodging every strike, countering with his shield and spear. Tohru had the chi-o-matic, but somehow his attempted spell failed, and he was thrown into a display of Viking helmets. Eris looked pleased at this site, Kasahara perturbed, and Jade and Captain Black were absolutely terrified for their friends. Prometheus, however, simply stared calmly at the scene, his expression neutral.

"Jackie! Big T!" Jade cried, watching as Jackie seized a bowl from the wall and tossed it along the ground in Uncle's path. Uncle tripped, but righted himself with the spear and continued on, ready to impale his nephew. To the viewers' surprise, Vanessa saved him, teleporting over to him and pulling him aside just in time.

"They need our help!" Captain Black yelled. Angered, he turned to Themis. "Let us out right now!" he demanded. "You can deliver your verdict later!"

"Not a chance," Themis told him, shaking her head. "Athena's concentration is being broken. Our world is unraveling. There is no later for us, and this verdict has been a long time coming. Now, do you have a closing argument or not?"

"Just say something!" Jade hissed. "The sooner you say something, the sooner we can get out and help them!"

Captain Black glared and shook his head. "No!" he announced. "I've gone along with this farce long enough! My closing argument is not to give one! Let the evidence speak for itself; I refuse to submit to the will of the gods!" He turned over to Hestia, his cheeks flushing. "Deliver whatever verdict you see fit," he sighed, "but I have friends who need my help."

"Both sides have made their final statements," Themis said, frowning at the outburst. "The jury will now deliberate."

Hestia sat in silence, deep in thought, and Jade and Captain Black nearly stopped breathing from the tension, both in and out of the courtroom. Tohru had managed to extricate himself from underneath the heavy helmets, and was attempting his spell again, to no avail. Jackie and Vanessa provided cover, but Uncle batted them aside. Vanessa moved in, going sword-to-spear with the old man, covering for her lack of range with her teleportation powers, but Uncle's boost in intelligence had him predicting her every move, leaving no openings.

Desperate, Jackie grabbed a pair of shields and banged them together like cymbals, hoping to distract the old man, but Uncle spun and knocked them out of Jackie's hands, slashing Vanessa's coat along the way.

"How can you be so calm?" Captain Black demanded, staring at Prometheus' expression. "The fate of the world is at stake here!"

"I know," Prometheus replied, his voice even. "But I am calm because I have faith. Your friends will overcome this foe. After all, I have already provided them with everything they need."

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"Why didn't the spell work?!" Vanessa demanded, desperately trying to block Uncle's onslaught.

"No olive oil!" Jackie told her, intercepting one of Uncle's strikes with a carved-bone flute from a nearby display. "Without it, the spell isn't strong enough!"

"It's not just that!" Tohru added. "It still should have done something, even if it didn't work completely! The spider silk must not be a symbol!"

"But Athena created spiders!" Jackie argued, catching Uncle's spear with the flute and trying to outmuscle him. Vanessa joined him from the side.

"And Tiny created a bum spell!" Vanessa snarled, gesturing to Tohru behind her. "That doesn't mean he's putting it on his resume! Just like when Athena created-" Her eyes flew to Jackie's hands, and she smiled.

"Surrender!" Uncle roared, bearing down on them with a wicked smile as he pressed them to the floor with godly strength. "Yield and Uncle promises to make your end quick and painless!"

Jackie and Vanessa tucked and rolled behind the old man again, but he just smiled as the sound of footsteps filled the air. Cloth mummies began filing into the room, each one carrying a Viking weapon.

"Think fast, Chan!" Vanessa ordered. Her hand flew out and grabbed the flute, and she brought it to her mouth, blowing random notes. The sound was atrocious, but nobody seemed more pained than Uncle.

"Ai-yah! Woman mocks Uncle with failed creation?" he growled, slamming his hands over his ears. Jackie and Tohru took the opportunity to start bowling over mummies. "You will regret this!"

"Jackie, what else was sacred to Athena?" Tohru demanded as the mummies flew at them. "What were her symbols?"

"Um, the owl," he said, kicking one mummy into another and stealing its shield to bash another, "the snake..." Pausing for a moment, he threw the shield on the ground and jumped onto it, stealing a spear from another mummy and spinning around, weapon out to push them away. "And...olives!"

"Right, of course!" Tohru gasped. "Olive oil can solve everything!"

"Fantastic!" Vanessa added sarcastically, in between notes. "Let's just run to the supermarket and get some - oh, right! We're trapped here!" As she spoke, Uncle was flying at her in a rage, and she could barely avoid him, even with teleportation. Every second, he was closing in, and the mummies had them surrounded.

As she dodged one of Uncle's lunges, though, his robe bounced a little with extra weight, which didn't escape Tohru's notice. "Sensei had a jar of olives in his jacket!" he realized.

"Do you think it's still there?" Jackie asked. "His clothes did go through a radical transformation."

"Definitely!" Vanessa interjected. "When I became Zeus, I had my wallet in my pocket, and it was left untouched. We just need someone to grab it off him!"

At that exact moment, Uncle brought his spear down on Vanessa's flute, jarring it from her hands and sending it crashing to the floor in pieces. "Ah! Finally Uncle can destroy you in peace!"

Uncle's moves, already ferocious, became five times as intense now that he was left without distraction. What was more, every move he made was accompanied by a razor-thin thread, slowly surrounding the relic hunter in a cage of wire. Vanessa was assaulted so fast, she couldn't even think to teleport, and soon she was so hemmed in by thread that she could barely move for fear of losing a limb. Soon she dropped her sword, not having the room to use it amongst the razor wire.

With a victorious grin, Uncle swiped her feet, knocked her into the air with his shield, and was about to impale her with his spear when Jackie tackled the old man from behind. Vanessa quickly landed on her feet, the threads slackening around her, but before she could take advantage of them, Uncle made a quick movement with his head. In an instant, the razor-sharp threads flattened out and meshed together, securing Vanessa in a tight net.

Uncle's head spun around 180 degrees like an owl's. "You think you can oppose Uncle?" Uncle demanded of Jackie, taking a stance before his attack. "Uncle taught you everything you know!"

Jackie flipped, somersaulted, tumbled, and flew, desperately dodging Uncle's weapon as he tried to close in on his esteemed elder and reach into what was once his coat pocket. Tohru tried to help, running at him, but was held off by a wall of mummies who, with their combined strength, pinned him to the ground.

With one more vicious strike to Jackie's chest, Uncle sent his nephew crumpling to the floor.

"No more meddling!" the old man declared, holding up his spear for the finishing blow. "Any last words?"

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"Please, Jackie!" Jade begged, staring hopelessly at her uncle through the frayed threads as the dimension unraveled around her. "Think of something!"

"It's no good," Eris said, grinning madly. "The old man has won, and there's not a thing you can do about it!"

"I don't see what you're so happy about," Captain Black said with a frown. "Him keeping the power still means you lose the challenge. Not that that matters, since we're all about to be destroyed anyway," he added, looking up at the constantly growing holes surrounding them.

"Oh please, what do you take me for? Diminished or not, I'm still a goddess; I can keep my minion and I snug as bugs while this place falls apart, then walk right out and nab Athena's essence just like that!" Eris replied, snapping her fingers. "Face it, Prometheus; you're as good as beat!"

Prometheus scowled at the goddess, and turned to Hestia as Nemesis, Mnemosyne, and Themis looked on. "Hestia, please!" he begged. "You need to declare a verdict! I know you don't like to decide who lives and dies, but this is for the greater good!"

"I...I can't!" Hestia wailed. "No one here deserves death!"

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Desperate, Jackie's mind flew to the same question he'd asked himself not long ago: What would Jade do?

His mind flew into overdrive, but ultimately, only one, very strange and absolutely crazy idea came to him.

This is a long shot, but it's all I've got! "Yes, actually," he finally said. "Uncle...you were always the smartest of us, and now have all the knowledge of Athena at your disposal. Can you answer just one tiny little question for me?"

"Ha!" Uncle snorted, baring his teeth. "Finally someone appreciates Uncle's wisdom! Uncle knows everything; always has, and always will! Now, what is your question?"

Jackie closed his eyes and took a deep breath. This was it.

"You said you taught me everything I know," he began. "But that only applies to martial arts, not to magic! I've been watching you work your magic potions and heard you talk about ingredients, but now...now I've been conflicted.

"So tell me, Uncle. When it comes to magic ingredients...which is more important for life: Garlic, or olive oil?"

(And if Jade could hear this, she'd either be amazed at Uncle Jackie's wit or questioning why he'd ask that of all things)

Uncle brayed, a wide grin coming over his face. "You are truly foolish if you do not know that answer! As, Uncle has always said, 'most important ingredient in magic, in food, in health, has always been ga-'"

Suddenly, the old man's eye twitched. His smile disappeared, and he whipped his head to the side. "Olive oil must be-" His head whipped again. "Garlic is superi-"

To Jackie's fright, Uncle began to fly into convulsions, his head spinning around on his shoulders as he argued with himself on the merits of different food additives. Jackie hesitated for only a moment, though, and brought himself to lunge at the old man and reach into his robes.

"Ugh!" Jackie shuddered as his hand disappeared into the folds. It felt like nothing so much as sticking his hand in a gigantic spider web, with coarse and sticky threads impeding his reach at every turn. However, within a few seconds, he felt his hand close around a familiar jar-shaped object. "Tohru, catch!" he cried, tearing it out of the robe and tossing it through the air at the mountain of a man, who was buried under a troop of mummies.

Tohru grunted and struggled, and, with a rush of adrenaline, burst free of Uncle's minions, catching the jar in his massive hand. Wrinkling his nose at the strands of silk still clinging to the lid, he quickly, he twisted open the jar and threw in his remaining spell components. Once they were mixed in, he drizzled it over the chi-o-matic, held it above his head, and began chanting. "Theía Dýnami, Afíste Grígora! Theía Dýnami, Afíste Grígora!"

Once more, the chi-o-matic lit up and spun, but this time it began emitting noise, Tohru's chant seemingly echoing from within the device's containment jar. Uncle, still arguing with himself, abruptly stopped and snapped his head 180 degrees, glaring at Tohru.

"No, no! Uncle will not be stopped here!" Uncle shouted, turning his body around to match his head. However, before he could move, his arms and legs were caught in an iron-hard grip.

"Don't let up, Tiny! Finish the job!" Vanessa snapped, her limbs securely laced around Uncle's, keeping him from moving even a finger. As Tohru continued chanting, another beam of energy flew out and struck Uncle in the chest. This time, though, it held strong rather than fading, turning a gentle gray color. Uncle cried out in pain, thrashing and writhing in Vanessa's grip, but it was no use. Before long, Uncle was restored to his normal self, while the chi-o-matic's containment jar was filled with a sharp gray light.

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"Enough is enough!" Themis shouted, slamming down her gavel. She and her two associates were so frayed that they looked more like torn dolls than mystical beings. "If the jury does not declare a verdict immediately, I will have no choice but to declare this a mistrial!"

"Which means you let everyone go?" Jade asked hopefully, beaming up at the titaness.

"I'm afraid not," Nemesis said, grinning as she hefted her sword. "It means that I finally get to do my job. Your Honor?"

Themis nodded. "Proceed, bailiff," she replied, her expression stern. "And seeing as Divinity has already been held in contempt, you may begin there."

"With pleasure!" Nemesis laughed as she turned to face Eris and Kasahara, flourishing her massive blade with a single hand. In response, Kasahara stepped in front of Eris, his body shifting to his paper samurai form, still with his own head.

"To destroy Lady Eris, you shall have to go through me!" Kasahara declared. "And I will make you work for it."

"Oh, how difficult it will be to cut through a man made of paper!" Nemesis howled. Baring her teeth, she swung her sword back, making as if to chop Kasahara clean in half. However, as the thief tensed to receive the blow, Nemesis suddenly stopped short.

"Bailiff?" Themis asked, turning her blindfolded face in the goddess's direction. "Why have you stopped?"

"...Figures," Nemesis muttered, closing her eyes. "The fun always ends a moment too soon." The words had no sooner left her lips when she collapsed to the ground, unraveling into a torrent of black thread before flying through one of the holes in the courtroom.

"Yahoo! We waited them out!" Jade cheered as the courtroom began to destabilize even more, walls separating from walls to reveal only blank space.

"Fools!" Themis screamed as she and Mnemosyne unraveled. "You have left justice unserved! You will live to regret this!"

A few seconds later, they were gone. The courtroom followed suit, as did the bindings on Eris, leaving them floating in the void.

"So...what now?" Captain Black asked, only to be immediately answered by a sudden explosion. The five were sent hurtling outward, and found themselves crashing to the hardwood floor of the museum.

"Huh? Where'd Uncle's palace go?" Jade asked, looking around.

"You're not quick on the uptake, are you kid?" Eris groaned, resting a hand on her head. "The courtroom breaking should've dumped us all into null-space. If we're here, it means-"

"Jade!" came a voice from behind them. She quickly turned, only to get swept up in a hug by Tohru. Standing next to him were a relieved Jackie, a despondent Uncle, and an extremely annoyed-looking Vanessa, holding her wrists to her chest. All around them were some very confused-looking museum guests.

"What happened?" Kasahara asked, staring at his companion.

"Desperate times called for desperate measures," Vanessa told him. "Also, got any ice? Pretty sure my wrists are broken."

"The old man was that tough?" Eris asked, casting a side eye at Uncle.

"You have no idea what 'a piece of Uncle' can do," Vanessa growled, shaking her head. "But that was just the left one. The right one was-"

Before she could finish, Jackie approached the relic hunter and clapped a hand on her shoulder. "You know, Vanessa, you helped us a lot today. You might consider joining Section 13," he said, casting a glance at Captain Black.

Captain Black was confused, but quickly added, "We have full dental, and every Thursday is Donut Day."

"...Tiny over there just broke my other wrist when I tried to nab the gadget," Vanessa said incredulously, "and you decide now's the best time for a sales pitch?"

Before Jackie or Captain Black could reply, Jade noticed something. "Hey, where's Hestia?" she asked. Indeed, the goddess was nowhere to be found.

"I guess she decided to stay out of it after all," Eris said with a sigh.

"What? But we got the power!" Jackie shouted, looking at the gray glow inside the chi-o-matic.

"But that was before we confronted her with hours of courtroom drama and secret dredging," Prometheus said, frowning. "She couldn't choose a side when our lives were depending on it; it wouldn't be too surprising if she decided that neutrality was the way to go."

"Good riddance to bad rubbish, that's what I say!" Eris scoffed. "After what she pulled with the amphora, she'll be lucky if I leave her to tend her stupid fireplace! But more importantly, Kashara! Snatch that device!"

The fold-up man transformed fully into a paper samurai and lunged at Tohru, preparing to seize the chi-o-matic in his pointed hands. However, before he could, a booted heel slammed into his foot, pinning him in place.

"No. We're done here today," Vanessa said, glaring at Origami.

Eris looked Vanessa over, giving a smug sneer. "Vanessa," she said, "don't tell me you're identifying with your captors? You've developed...I don't know...some sort of syndrome!"

"Insubordination! Betrayal!" Kasahara raged, his head returning to normal.

"Reason," Vanessa bit out. "I'm down my arms," she continued, folding her arms across her chest to emphasize, "you're exhausted, and Eris can only take us so far. We fight, we lose, we get locked up. Or we leave, we move on, we get 'em next time. I doubt they're in any position to stop us if we just walk out."

"That's what you thi-" Jade began, leaping down from Tohru's arms, only to fall face-first into the ground, her legs giving out from under her. "...On second thought, I'mma sit this one out," she continued, her voice muffled by the marble floor.

"Not happening, Vanessa," Jackie said, entering a stance. "Hestia or not, we're not letting you three get away."

"He's right. Besides," Captain Black added, "I'm still fighting fit."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Eh, worth a shot. Honestly, I was just buying time anyway."

"I'm going to regret asking, but for what?" Tohru grumbled.

"To get this," Vanessa replied, uncrossing her arms. Held in between her thumb and middle finger were two tiny glass cymbals, which she brought together with a deft movement. Immediately, the entire Chan Clan was knocked to the ground by an intense wave of sound blasting into their ears.

"Wait, what the-?" Kasahara asked as Vanessa helped him up.

"I'm a relic hunter; you really think I wouldn't have a few artifacts on me just in case?" she snarked.

"Then why the Hades didn't you use that earlier?!" Eris snapped.

"Because after one use-" Vanessa began, only to wince as the cymbals shattered into pieces, leaving bleeding streaks on her fingers, "-that happens. Stolen artifacts; you get what you pay for. Anyway, we need to leave now before it wears off."

Eris glared at Vanessa for a moment, growling audibly, before throwing her hands up. "Fine, whatever! At least Hestia's out of the picture. Take us out!"

Vanessa nodded and, with an odd sound, the three villains vanished., As soon as they left, the sound faded, leaving the exhausted Chan Clan to get to their feet. From the windows, they could see the villains reappearing, jumping onto Eris' chariot, and taking off.

"...so, uh…" said one tourist, an overweight man in a very ugly red sweater. "Would anybody care to explain what's going on?"

"Not really," Prometheus sighed. "Let's just get out of here."

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The ride home was smooth, but quiet. Nobody seemed willing to talk for quite some time, especially not Uncle, who kept staring at his feet. It wasn't until they'd arrived in Section 13's hangar that Jade broke the silence. "Oh, come on, guys!" she cried, getting to her feet. "Sure, Hestia just bailed, and Eris got away, but we got the power and we saved Uncle! That's good, right?"

"One power is insufficient," Prometheus sighed as the group began the walk to the cafeteria. "It's the ones afterward that matter. Without Hestia, we can't fix the amphora or locate future powers. We were lucky to be near Eris when Athena's activated. I can try to talk to her again, but with all she's heard, I'm not liking my chances…"

"Look on the bright side," Jade said. "At least she's not helping Eris."

"Probably," Jackie pointed out. "For all we know, she met them at their hideout."

"Jackie," Captain Black groaned, "sometimes we don't need the full details. And that's coming from the head of an espionage division."

"...Uncle is sorry for behavior," Uncle said quietly. "Should have thought more before grabbing shield."

"Do not blame yourself, Sensei," Tohru said, resting a hand on Uncle's shoulder. "We've all fallen sway to the lure of dark magic."

Without a word, Prometheus delivered a two-fingered strike to Tohru's forehead. "Not dark magic!" he snapped. "Divine magic!"

"My mistake," Tohru said, rubbing his head.

"One more thing!" Prometheus continued, looking at Uncle, "He's not wrong. Don't beat yourself up over it. You're a very wise man, but you're still human. The gods got wrapped up in their power, and most of them began with the best of intentions. If it happened to them, it can happen to anyone."

"...You think Uncle is wise?" Uncle asked, confused.

"I think Uncle is stubborn and annoying, actually," Prometheus muttered, "but I can't deny you've got some skills. Maybe just get outside of your own head once in a while and actually listen. I had to learn that lesson the hard way."

"I just wish I could've been there to help you guys," Jade lamented. "I woulda given those mummies a lesson in the ancient art of butt-whoop."

"Jade, from what I have heard, you may have saved us all," Jackie chuckled. "Do you think Themis would have stopped at just five victims? If Uncle had kept the power, it only would have gotten worse from there. But you argued, you fought, and you bought yourself the time you needed."

"Well done, Agent Jade," Captain Black said with a wink.

"Yes, it was very impressive testimony," came a familiar voice. The entire group looked up, and gasped. Hestia was seated at a cafeteria table, slicing up a peach pie, and she wasn't alone. Sitting around her were a tall, broad-shouldered man with a greenish tinge to his skin, a pale redheaded man with a beakish nose, and a short Chinese man with orange sunglasses. All three of them were digging into their own slices of pie.

"Hey, guys," the biggest man, Ratso, said, greeting them with a wave. "Your friend arrived back ahead of you."

Captain Black closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, not sure whether to reprimand Ratso for digging into pie or sigh in relief at the fact that he called Hestia a "friend". "A stranger without ID just walks in and serves pie, and you do nothing but sit down and enjoy it?"

"We're not security guards!" the Chinese man, Chow, snapped.

"She just walked out of a giant bonfire! What'd you expect us to do?" the redhead, Finn, added.

"And," Ratso pointed out, "it was really good pie! Come on, have some!"

Hestia laughed at this. "Oh, Ratso. That's so sweet of you. But yes, I always bring a host gift. And this time, I have another." She reached behind her back and pulled out a familiar clay urn, now fully restored.

"Pie and magic!" Jade cheered. "I'm so in!"

The group all sat down and tucked in to pie, save for Prometheus, who gave Hestia a bit of a side-eye. "So, does this mean that you were convinced after all?" he asked.

"Not quite, I'm afraid," Hestia replied, smiling sadly. "Choosing between the world and family is all but impossible. But you did succeed in my challenge, and I'm happy to honor that. Besides, with all that was stirred up in that trial, I think I'll be the last person Eris wants to see."

"Well, whatever the circumstances, we're grateful for your help," Captain Black said, giving a nod of the head to the goddess and trying to hide his blush.

"Thank you," Hestia said. "However, I'm afraid that I do have some conditions for my assistance."

Captain Black choked on his pie. His face visibly cooled down as he turned to properly faced Hestia. "What exactly do you mean by 'conditions'?" he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

"Not as bad as you're thinking," Hestia answered. "After all, it'd be rather hypocritical of me to enforce divine rule over you all. Just an old-fashioned deal when it comes to godly assistance. I'll stay with you and provide moral support, education, and training. I'll even protect this place so Eris can't just barge in. But I refuse to fight, so when it comes to retrieving the powers, you're on your own."

"Reasonable enough," Prometheus said, finally reaching for the urn. "Besides, I can take care of any divine combat-"

"Oh no you don't!" Hestia objected, pulling the amphora away. "You're following these rules, too! No direct interference, otherwise I go back to Olympus. Understood?"

"Okay, okay!" Prometheus relented, raising his arms. "I get the picture. Besides, this bunch has accomplished great things before, and will accomplish even greater things with our guidance."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Jade said sarcastically.

"In any case, good to have you aboard, Hestia," Captain Black said, his voice returning to normal. He shook her hand, and became red all over again. "If you have any, uh, questions, or need anything at all, I'd...I'd be happy to help."

Hestia gave a friendly laugh back. "I just might take you up on that," she said, causing Captain Black to blush even more fiercely.

"Yeah, this is great and all," Jade said. "But I just can't shake the feeling that we're forgetting something..."

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Crouching within his hiding place of a broom closet in a Swedish herring hatchery, an old Chinese monk who had recently advanced up America's Most Wanted list made an important phone call.

"Yes, hello? Scandinavian Airlines? I'd like to book a one-way ticket to San Francisco. Ugh...coach," he groaned. "Ancient wisdom: The calf breaks a leg, and the herd takes off without him."

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PA2: And that's a wrap! One power and one ally gained, several uncomfortable truths revealed! Seems like a good deal to me.

MP: Are we talking about the chapter or your last family reunion?

PA2: Hardy-har. That being said, no time to rest on our laurels. MP, let them know what they'll be in for next time, please?

MP: In a minute. As usual, shout-out to Green Phantom Queen, who added a few lines to the chapter when she had a chance, and whom we wish the best. Still recommending people check out her works.

PA2: You're a good friend, man.

MP: Thanks. Well, next chapter the race for the godly essence is truly on, and this time the Chan Clan will be down a member! "Hera Apparent" is coming soon!

PA2: Look forward to it! Also, if you liked the chapters, feel free to show your appreciation with faves, follows, and most especially reviews! We love hearing feedback, so please let us know what you thought! Take care!