Chapter 40

Ma mended Nico and Kiku's wounds by using the ambrosia and nectar she had been given a crash course on. The children were raving over what their Pa did, summoning an army of "green papooses" to beat the army of monsters.

"My, this stuff mends wounds like a miracle," said Ma as the wounds vanished under the nectar

Alfred kept Grace and Carrie away from the ambrosia. "It's very dangerous for ordinary people. Even demigods can't eat a lot of those"

"What happens if they do?" asked Carrie.

"They burst into flames and die". Suddenly Carrie lost interest in the magical brownies.

"Now," said Ma, "You were saying you needed something that I and my family might be able to give you to mend the spirit of America. We must think of something. What can heal a nation?"

They pondered for a while, then Laura yelped.

"I got it! America isn't just us settlers, it's the Indians, too! We need to give America something that contains a little bit of every people that lives within him, and we've got just the thing!"

"What is it, Laura?" asked Mary.

"Why remember, Carrie, when we gathered beads from that abandoned Indian settlement? We strung the beads with coins and all sorts of pretty things and made them into a necklace for Grace! It's a united symbol of the peoples of America!"

"That was a sharp insight, little half-pint!" Pa beamed. They looked for the necklace and Ma bestowed it upon Alfred's neck. All at once, it seemed a great gust of wind took hold of him, and everyone felt that whatever it was that was missing from America, was now restored.

"I can feel it. My powers and memories are fully restored!"

"We can see that," said Maria. "Your aura just got a whole lot heavier"

"I can see our next move must be to meet with Piper McLean. She's not within my borders…"

"First things first. We can't leave the Ingallses alone, unprotected," said Maria.

"Will you be taking us back to… wherever we were after we died?" asked Laura.

Nico shook his head. "As with the last war, we would prefer to keep any friendly ghosts around. Besides, you guys have come back to life and flesh. I can't deal with that handily at the moment, so I propose an alternative."

"We're listening, son," said Pa.

"There may be other spirits wandering, lost, around here. Give them shelter here. We might even be able to gather an army of ghosts to multiply our forces. Demeter will claim you anytime soon as her son, Mr. Ingalls, after you finally called her. She will bless this house and keep it safe, with enough food to feed any refugees you may take in. How does that sound?"

"We'll do it. It can only be right. We were led back to the world for a reason, I guess," said Pa.

"Will you be ok when we leave?" asked Maria.

"We have always been protected by the Father in heaven, and now even the Earth will lend its protection. We could not be safer," said Ma.

Just then, a glowing green sickle shimmered above Charles Ingalls.

"Oh, Pa!" cried Laura

"Pa's a Communist!" cried Grace. Alfred laughed.

"Well done, all of you," said a voice behind them.

When they turned around, a woman clad in green and dark brown stood by the door.

"Lady Demeter," said Nico, kneeling.

Alfred, Maria, and Kiku bowed.

Ma and the girls curtsied. "You'll forgive us if we do not kneel, madam."

"Oh, worry not. I understand, I work with so many Christian farmers in the Deep South these days, I'm thinking of converting, myself," said Demeter.

"A Greek goddess converting to Christianity?" asked Maria. "How does that even work?"

"I dunno," replied the goddess. "I believe I must ask Iris, the rainbow goddess, about it. I hear she's a practicing Buddhist these days. Even we Olympians believe there is yet something higher above us who controls the weave of fate."

Ma nodded. "The Psalms. None among the gods are like Him"

"Which means they do exist, and they are all but His servants," said Mary.

Demeter stopped herself. "But, on to the point. I have sensed the brewing war ever since I felt the crops wail in pain in Ukraine. My poor servant Katya"

"Is Katya alright?" asked Maria. Ukraine was a close friend to her.

"She is for now. I have given her my blessing. Those filthy Russian tanks are mired in the sloughs!"

"This war is far worse than the previous ones raised by the Titans, the Giants and the tyrants. There are nations rising against each other, and using magic so ancient and dangerous to wage war. We will all be destroyed, mortals, nations and gods, if we do not join forces against them"

"You've never struck me as the pre-emptive type, my lady," said Japan. "I expected maybe Athena or Artemis, or even Ares, would be the first of the Olympians to take action."

"I know," Demeter said sadly. "But after I almost lost my daughter in the war with Nero, I vowed to be more proactive with my children. They are the last bastion keeping the great green places alive."

"So you sent the green babies?" asked Pa.

"Yes, my sweet. I could not bear to lose you again. You have been given a second chance at life, your whole family, after you all lost the gamble at the frontiers. With all the new technology and science to help you, you and your family can finally beat the bet you made with Uncle Sam."

Demeter hugged him, and then Ma and the girls. Alfred broke the silence.

"Alright, where could Piper be?"

Maria scratched her chin. "If not in America, where?"

Nico blushed. "I kinda have an idea…"

They all stared at him.

"She's at her uncle's place, in Canada"

"Sweet! Who's her uncle?"

"You've heard of him. The psychopath who runs a reality TV show on his private island."

"You're frontin' me," said Maria.

Alfred shook his head in disbelief. "Piper McLean is the niece of Chris McLean?!

Demeter spoke. "I can help you, as a thanks for aiding my son and his family. Hold on, I'll make a call…"

"Who's she calling?" asked Maria.

"I hope it's Leo Valdez riding Festus. Can you imagine pulling up on China in that? Man, me and Leo, we'll be fucking (Maria covered Laura's ears) UNSTOPPABLE!"

Nico shook his head. "She's calling another demigod,"

"Who?"

"Most women marry their fathers" Nico said with a smile. "Laura Ingalls went on to marry another powerful demigod…"

"You don't mean…" Maria gasped.

"Heard you folks needed a quick ride to Canada," said a voice that made Maria's heart melt.

Alfred grinned. "Well, if it ain't the best darned horse-rider west of the Mississippi!"

Demeter smiled. "Before there was that Jackson boy, the greatest son of Poseidon in America was none other than Almanzo Wilder"

"WHAT?!" Maria and Laura screamed in unison.

"It explains his restlessness, amazing way with horses, and his rotten luck at farming" said Japan. Nico nodded. "Demeter has always had a low-key grudge against Poseidon's children for the horse incident"

"Oh, don't bring that up!" said Demeter, blushing. Ma Ingalls blushed, too, having read her mythology in her youth and knowing what the horse incident was.

Maria grinned. She wasn't the only Little House fan in the, well, house. Japan continued. "Oh, and how he survived almost drowning in a frozen lake as a child. What? I read the books, too!" Maria was smirking at Japan's little nerd outburst.

Demeter turned to Nico. "I assume your father will not mind me pulling this one back into the land of the living, too?"

"Uh, no, ma'am"

"Good. I'll settle the tab with your father when the war is over. We need all the demigods we can get"

So Alfred, Maria and Kiku hopped onto the beautiful chariot pulled by Prince and Lady, who so loved Almanzo they crossed back into the land of the living as well.

"They're always by my side. I'm grateful," said Almanzo. "Never did figure out I was the son of Poseidon in my first life. I thought I was just good with horses, is all."

They rode swiftly north, with Nico staying behind to rest with the Ingalls.