The next time they were on Pegasus, Megara sat with her arms wrapped around Hercules's waist and her thighs on either side of his. With her face pressed against his back, it didn't matter how high they flew.

"You ok back there?" he asked.

"Just peachy," Megara replied and leaned up to kiss the side of his neck.

Hercules shivered. "Theoi…" he whispered to himself.

Not too long after, they touched down at the Athenian Acropolis and stopped in front of the Parthenon. "Let me deal with the temple guards, all right?" he asked, hopping down ahead of Megara so he could help her down.

"Sure, but I'll back you up if you mess up."

"I'm grateful to have you." Hercules squeezed her hand. "We're starting to make a habit of visiting temples together."

"Maybe this is a sign about your future as a god. I could live in one of your temples and wait for you to have some time for me."

Hercules made a face. "I wouldn't want to go to Olympus without you, but… I guess we had to be in that situation. I'd be grateful knowing you'd waste all that time waiting on me."

"As long as you kept coming back, it wouldn't be wasted."

"Aww…" Hercules paused on the way up to the Parthenon and took both her hands, standing over her so he could kiss her forehead. "Has anyone ever told you how sweet you are?"

"No, because I'm only sweet to you."

"Then I'm honored."

"Hey! You there! Kids! What are you doing in the sanctuary of Athena?" one of the guards on duty called to them.

"I'm here to see my sister!" Hercules said, turning away from Megara but still holding her hand. "I'm Hercules, son of Zeus! I'm here to discuss an upcoming war with Athena! We need her help!"

"Did you bring an offering?" the guard asked.

Hercules smacked himself in the face.

"We're going to offer our services," Megara said. "Athena favors heroes, and my boyfriend is a hero."

"In training!' Hercules clarified.

"He's the most heroic high schooler who ever lived."

"Oh… thanks."

"And he's Athena's little brother, attending school in her city. I'm sure if you asked her, he's one of her favorite mortal relatives. She's going to be interested in what Hercules has to say."

The guards looked at one another, then moved their spears out of the way.

Megara kept one hand locked with his, but she also curled the other around his arm and led him up the temple stairs. She nodded to the guards and waited for them to open the door.

The colossal statue of Athena didn't wait long before it animated. Neither mortal even had to beseech her. "Before you ask," the goddess said, shrinking herself down to a close-to-mortal height, "Hercules is my favorite little brother." She smiled at him. "What can I do for you?"

"You see what's coming for Thebes," Hercules said. "The city won't survive without help. This is Meg; she's my girlfriend, and she's also a princess of Thebes."

Megara bowed her head to the goddess. "I know there's not much I can do personally, but I need to try and help my family. The few members of it who deserve my help that is."

"How curious." Athena titled her head, examining Megara's face. "You look worse for wear."

"Thanks," Megara said, then clapped her hand over her sassy mouth. "I'm sorry, I'm always being told how annoying that is, but I can't stop…"

"You meant nothing by it," Athena said. "You have already been through something at the hands of this war."

"The instigator didn't like me pointing out how this is all his fault. But I can't let him get away with destroying the city. That's why we're here."

"You'll have to pardon me for saying so, young lady, but you don't strike me as much of a warrior."

"I'm quite the opposite; you're right. But Hercules is a fighter, and I'm sure you know that by now."

"Meg's a clever tactician," Hercules said. "She's also a princess, so she's had to learn diplomacy."

"And now she's your girlfriend, so what's important to her is important to you," Athena said. "I can't avoid the war as long as Ares is set on fighting it. What is it specifically that you'd like me to do?"

"Thebes won't win this war because of Ares's curse," Hercules said. "So we have to call on him and end the curse."

"You want me to call him here?" Athena asked, scandalized by the notion.

"He doesn't have to be here, but I thought you could either help us talk to him, or we could call on you to oppose him and be Thebes's sponsor."

"Hm…" Athena pondered this while stroking the feathers of the owl perched on her shoulder. "His longstanding grudge against Thebes would certainly be an interesting way to get under his skin…" Her eyes landed on Megara. "When I call him, he might lash out at you for being a Theban princess."

"I understand," Megara said.

"I won't let him hurt her," Hercules said, and stepped in front of Megara. "Let's call on him."

Athena raised her shield. "Oh, Ares…" She called.

A cloud appeared beside the goddess, and Ares poked his gigantic red face through it. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"That Theban project of yours… I've decided to get involved after all."

"What? No! No, let me have this!" he whined. "I've hated that place since it was founded. You've got to let me–" Then he noticed Hercules and smiled. "Whoa! Sport! It's good to see you! Hey! Do you want to help me sack a city?"

"Not a chance, Ares. I'm here to protect that city."

Ares grimaced. "No fair teaming up on me like that! Who do you have to be such a spoil-sport, Sport?"

"I'm training to be a hero," Hercules reminded him. "We don't do innocent bloodshed. We all know there's only one guy who actually deserves getting hit with a war like this."

"What're you talking about?" Ares barked.

Megara stepped up. "Prince Polynikes and King Eteocles are treating Thebes like a toy they refuse to share. The rest of Thebes doesn't deserve to suffer for their selfishness."

"Oh, yeah? And who are you? Why do you care? You're not another one of those hero types, are you?"

"She's a princess," Hercules announced with pride. "Can't you tell by how gorgeous she is?"

Ares looked Megara up and down. "You look kind of familiar!"

"We've never spoken," Megara said.

"No, wait! I know you because all you Thebans look the same!" Ares hopped through the clouds and brandished his sword in Megara's direction. "You'll do! One of you has to be a sacrifice to make up for my Hydra! Why not you?"

"Back off, Ares!" Hercules said, stepping between them. "She's my girlfriend!"

"So that's what this is about? You want to stop my war just because you want to hit that?" Ares pouted and then gave Megara another once-over. "Actually, I get it."

"Stop ogling the mortal teenager!" Athena scolded him. "We should compromise. You can have a duel, not an all-out war."

"And when Polynikes and Eteocles duel, that will be the blood sacrifice you always wanted," Megara said. "It'll be two warriors descended from Cadmus out on the field of battle. You can have whichever one you want. Take both if that's what it takes. But then we could all move on with our lives. Thebes could be something other than an eternal failure."

"Blood? Family drama? Mutual rage?" Ares pondered this while stroking his beard. "You know, I think I like you."

"She's very likable," Hercules said. "So it's agreed? You'll make them fight each other to protect everyone else?"

"I can't make them do anything, but I can talk to Polynikes. He's beseeched me twice a day for months. I'm sure he's about to call me back any minute now."

"Let me back, Eteocles, then," Athena said. "If he loses, you can say you stuck it to me."

Ares perked up at that. "Really?"

"That's right," Athena said solemnly. "Let's end this petty nonsense once and for all."

Ares continued to pout at them. "You're offering me a much less bloody battle. Why can't you just let me have this?"

"Think of it this way," Megara said, her eyes wide as if she had disturbing news. That got the god's attention. "Most of the fighters on the Theban side are…" she paused, then when she spoke again, it was in a whisper, "... actors."

"No!" Ares reeled back in horror.

"I'm afraid so. We've gone so long knowing we can't win a war that our young men don't even become soldiers. Now, we only study the arts. And… I beg your pardon, but which of the gods is most commonly associated with arts?"

"Apollo!" Ares shuddered. "And…" He glared at Athena. "What? Are you saying Thebes belongs to them, and the only reason they won't fight is because of me?"

"We all wish you supported us," Megara sighed. "But we know that you'd never do it, so we have to ask Athena for help instead."

"Now, hold on just a mortal minute! I don't have any worshippers in Thebes?"

"No, but don't you hate us?" Megara asked in her most innocent voice.

"That's a whole city-state that doesn't give me offerings!" Ares gasped, "How dare you?"

"I'm afraid to say it, but we're all afraid of you. But I think today we could change all of that. Don't you?"

"You bet I do!" Ares puffed himself up and stomped around the sanctuary. "No temple! No worshippers! In a major city like that… Think of the armies I could raise! I've got to go at once!" He created the cloud again and half-stepped through. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"Go look at Thebes. All the little boys who are being recruited are begging to be spared and clinging to the walls to keep from going. Is that how you like it?"

Ares hopped through the clouds, grumbling something unintelligible.

"You two handled him with great poise," Athena said. "Now, it looks as if you're ready for war, Hercules, but Megara, I have a question."

Megara turned her full attention to the goddess, even though she'd just lived through her nightmares of speaking to Ares. She'd never thought it would go so well. "I'll answer whatever it is."

"Do you have armor of your own?"

Megara wanted to laugh, but this would sound like mockery to a goddess, wouldn't it?" "Not even the decorative kind."

"I see," Athena said. "My next question is: would you like some for the upcoming battle?"