"Wow… really thought they'd bounce back a bit more by now…" Hercules grimaced down at the half-reconstructed rubble that had once been his high school as Pegasus soared in a sweeping arc around it. "It's nice to see they got a new statue of Prometheus now that he's free."
"Would've been nice to give you some credit for that, but it's not bad," Phil remarked. "But it's a good thing the statue didn't look like that when you went here. You definitely would've burned the place down."
Hercules tried to laugh, but he knew Phil was right. "Let's just get in, and get out with some of my dignity. I'm surprised they haven't billed me for the repairs sooner."
"They knew you were broke, but trust me: I've heard all kinds of noise over the summer. I figured the stress would be bad for your biceps."
"Yeah, that does seem to be what most people care about these days." Hercules didn't like giving in to his bitter side, but he couldn't always help it.
"Relax. I couldn't let you stress yourself out when you had training to complete. You wanna go to Olympus, don't ya?"
"Mhmm…" Hercules guided Pegasus to land next to the tall, beak-nosed principal, Mr. Parentheses, who was flanked by a group of students all holding welcome signs. He recognized a few as underclassmen, but a new crop of first-year students crowded the courtyard. Thank the gods, there was a chance he'd get to speak with someone who didn't know him as a screwup.
"This is the most popular you've ever been at this school," Phil observed.
"No kidding. Now I just have to make sure I don't blow it." He would've liked to see Icarus, Cassandra, or both if he was greedy. But it was probably better for them to be out living their lives. He hopped off Pegasus, resigned to his fate, and forced his wince to look like a smile.
Mr. Parentheses stepped forward. "Welcome, Hercules, Spawn of Zeus! Gather around, students! Welcome our esteemed alumnus!"
Hercules scanned the group for anyone he recognized, waving awkwardly. Why was this so much easier in Thebes? "Hey… uh… glad to see the place looking so… nice."
"Yes, well, I'd wager you were, considering your role in inspiring the renovations. But we're grateful to have you back, provided you don't do any further damage."
Hercules hung his head and hunched his shoulders. He wished he could go back to sleep. Dreaming of Megara never made him feel like such a liability.
"Ah! And here's the pile of rubble formerly known as our auditorium, where you'll regale our sponsors with tales of your Hydra-slaying prowess!"
"Can't wait," Hercules muttered. He didn't need Cassandra's help to let him know he'd be saying that word all day. "I'm much less clumsy now, so I promise not to make a mess again."
"That remains to be seen."
Hercules sighed deeply as he followed the principal toward the cafeterium. He felt like he was walking toward detention. It hadn't been too long since he was a lanky, geeky loser. None of the muscle he'd packed on made him feel any less of a misfit, and maybe it never would.
In a hunt for anything that could help wipe away the humiliation, Hercules wondered how Meg would respond to his letter. She wouldn't fawn over him the way Galatea had, but maybe she'd be willing to give him some hope the next time they saw each other. He wasn't sure how often he could take the hit from her calling him her friend.
"Our fried food menu has taken the campus by storm! You're welcome to partake in some before your speech, Mighty Hercules!"
Hercules hoped his smile didn't look queasy. "Oh, uh… thanks." The nickname coming out of his former principal gave him an out-of-body feeling. Standing in a familiar place after so much had changed, he found it difficult to reconcile whether he'd ever left or if the madness at Thebes had been some surreal dream. No, he hadn't imagined Meg. She was real. The rest of it must be, too.
Something metal pelted him from above, hitting him square on the head.
"Oh, dear! It looks like my cup has fallen out of my hand!" There was no mistaking the voice of Adonis, but Hercules was reluctant to turn his head to look his way.
He stared down at the metal cup, where it had rolled to a stop at his feet. Dregs of wine clung to his hair and dripped down his face. If he threw the cup back at Adonis, it would more than leave a mark. He'd kill him in one shot. He didn't come here to kill his old bully, but would it be so bad?
"Adonis, has your tenure at summer school taught you nothing?" Mr. Parentheses squawked up at the mezzanine where Adonis had always sat.
"Summer's over," Hercules noted in tight, controlled syllables. "Why is he still here?"
"Well! After the unfortunate destruction of the majority of our campus, the King of Thrace demanded that we send his son home until the renovations were complete! So now, he's begun summer school in a slightly off-schedule schedule, which shall be completed, hopefully, at the end of autumn!"
"So… he's not going anywhere."
"Don't worry about him, Kid. He's old news, and you're every headline." Phil hopped onto the cafeteria counter. "I think before the party, I'd like to sample the whole menu."
"Phil…" Hercules muttered a warning. "You've gotta leave enough for everyone else."
"Oh, Jerkules! Bring me back a refill, will you?"
"I'm out of here!" Hercules had officially failed at looking like Adonis didn't get under his skin, but he was grown up enough to break away from the situation before it escalated.
It didn't matter where he went. He couldn't even hear Adonis over the thundering in his ears. He slammed the door and heard a disturbing crunching noise that he didn't stop to investigate as he stormed off. He ducked through the next door he saw, and found himself blinded by a ray of light.
"Careful! That door was meant to be locked for— Gadzooks! You have certainly changed, Hercules! Mag-nificently!"
Hercules didn't need his eyes to realize he'd wandered right back into shop class. He put a hand over his face. "Uh… th-thanks, Mr. Daedalus! Can you maybe turn the lights off?"
Something that sounded like glass slid out of a slot, and the light eased off Hercules's face.
He cautiously uncovered his face to reveal a massive crystal on a wheeled cart, surrounded by multiple disks of colored glass.
"I should've known if anyone would wander in here, it would be you. You've stumbled upon my newest idea to contain the Minotaur!"
"You don't think at this point the labyrinth is too inhumane?" Hercules asked. "I mean, I've fought the guy a few times, but he has feelings, too. He's even claustrophobic."
"As long as the gods have sentenced him to the labyrinth, that's where he will stay," Daedalus said. "I'm sure you, with your in-credible strength, will understand that such forces require containment and control!"
Hercules attempted to shrink his posture down until he didn't look so massive. "I guess. So what's up with Icarus these days?"
"He's living in the mountains near Delphi, using the altitude to test the tensile strength of his new wing models!"
Hercules cringed. "I really hope he knows what he's doing… Wait. You said Delphi. Isn't that where Cassandra…?"
"Don't think about it too hard. Anyway, I'm not worried. The boy has an excellent intellect, and the sort of determination you only get from having a best friend who frequently encouraged him."
"Oh, that's… so great." Maybe not for Cassandra. "Well, I hope once I've really established my career I can reach out to him and he'll come see me. It's weird being out there with no friends aside from Phil and Pegasus. I was just getting used to having friends, and then we all split up."
"Friendships like that are meant to be rekindled." Daedalus put a hand on Hercules's shoulder and led him toward the door. "And as for you, young hero, funds are meant to be raised! Now! Get out there and remind everyone that greatness begins at Prometheus Academy!"
Phil and Pegasus were waiting for him outside the workshop. "There you are! Let's get you to the auditorium! You got a big audience waitin' for you!"
"Ok, ok," Hercules climbed onto Pegasus. "Let's get through today, then maybe we can go back to Thebes early. I'm already sick of being here."
Besides, there might be a letter waiting for him.
It was a short flight to the auditorium, and he could've walked, but Adonis had yet to discover the power of flight for himself. As long as he was in the sky, Hercules knew he could cool down and maintain at least some of his sanity.
They touched down backstage of the auditorium, just in time to see Adonis carried by on his palanquin by four of his servants. Hercules shot him his best Hydra-slayer snarl and stomped behind the scenes.
To his surprise, he recognized every member of a small cluster of dignitaries. There stood Pericles, flanked by City-State Trooper Chipacles, Theseus, and–
"Galatea?" he asked, staggering where he stood.
"Oh, hello, Hercules! Good to see you again!" Undeterred by the awkwardness of the situation, Galatea broke away from the group. She hadn't changed much since the day Aphrodite gave her free will, but Hercules had studiously avoided her since then. She was almost a stranger, so why did she approach him so comfortably? "I told Theseus it would be great to come out and support you, so now we've brought half the dignitaries in Attica to your fundraiser! Congratulations on your popularity spike, it's been great to hear good news about you for a change!"
"Uh… thank you. You said you… told Theseus?"
Theseus walked up to join Hercules and Galatea, sliding an arm about her waist. "It's wonderful to see you again, Hercules. Galatea always speaks highly of you. We met a few months ago, and were surprised we both knew you. I love a girl with a bold personality."
"Ah… yep. Yeah, me… me, too." Hercules's face was burning, but as long as Icarus and Cassandra weren't there to rat him out for his selfish teenage corner cutting, he might get out of this situation with some dignity.
"It was curious that Galatea made it through life without any family to speak of. It must have something to do with her fresh perspectives and upbeat attitude. As Prince of Attica, it's been just those perspectives that make her a wonderful addition at court."
Something flashed through Galatea's eyes, either amusement or the urge to call him out. He wished he was better at reading into expressions, it might give him a chance to save himself from looking so inept.
"Mr. Pericles will speak first," City-State Trooper Chipacles informed Hercules. "Then Theseus, and finally you. Don't screw it up."
"I'll try," Hercules promised. Why did he feel like a criminal every time the trooper talked to him? He hung his head and folded his hands behind his back.
"I'm sure you'll do wonderfully," Theseus said. "You've always had interesting perspectives. I can't wait to hear your speech." He offered Galatea his arm, and they both walked toward the stage after Pericles.
How was Hercules going to follow up two speeches from guys who talked for a living when he'd spent all his speech writing time on his letter to Meg?
He was going to bomb.
Pericles gave a short, folksy speech and references the relationship between Prince Theseus who's taken over running the majority of Attica and Athens which he protects as a democracy.
Hercules rested his head against the wall, hoping eventually it'd stop spinning. Somehow, he had to make something up, get through it without stammering, and also not hurl something at Adonis for booing him.
Theseus went onstage to thank the local Athenian and Attican aristocrats for coming to the school to celebrate an alumnus and reinvigorate the school.
He had nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Hey… I'm glad I found you before it was too late."
Hercules jumped at the soft voice. He'd been so focused on the speech he hadn't written that a hooded figure had crept up on him.
"Remember me?" Medusa pulled her hood back from her face, showing off her heart-shaped glasses and the twist of snakes that all bobbed around her face.
"Me-Medusa! How'd you — where've you been?"
"On an island, with a couple of my sisters. We're all in town to see you, but… My sisters don't like you and… it kinda looks like Athens needs a hero."