"I know what'll make you feel better," Galatea said, patting Megara's back. "We'll see what people brought for Harmonia!"
Megara nodded absently. "Sure."
"Us first!" Eurydice nudged Charis toward the couch, where Megara sat with Harmonia. "We're new friends, but we wanted to make sure you had something early on to let you know we're going to stick by you!"
Charis was holding a wooden box painted with scenes of animals in a meadow, and his plump little face was full of mixed feelings. He probably hadn't recovered from seeing Hades for the first time. Under the circumstances, Megara was impressed with the boy's fortitude.
"What do you have there?" she asked him.
"A box," Charis replied and held it out to them. "For the baby."
"I didn't know he could speak," Megara remarked.
"He was upset when we saw him before, and he's learned more than he knew since then," Eurydice explained.
"Let's see what's in there," Galatea lifted the lid of the box to reveal its contents: a set of drums in various sizes with a drumstick topped with wool.
"You don't want me to get sleep for the rest of my life, do you?" Megara drawled.
Charis furrowed his brow.
"That was a joke, honeycakes," Eurydice assured him. "The baby will bang on the drums a lot so her mama thinks it will keep her awake."
Charis scrunched up his face. "Why didn't you just say that?"
"Because she wants us to laugh," Eurydice giggled.
"Sorry, I thought it would be funny. The drums look nice."
"And she can't hit them hard enough to be annoying. Beginner woodwinds and strings are sheer agony," Orpheus said.
"Thanks for looking out, friend," Megara replied and smiled as sincerely as she could muster.
She still felt as if Hades were lurking in the shadows behind her but refused to look over her shoulder to check. Nobody here needed to know how paranoid she was.
"I think it's time for a song," Orpheus said with the certainty of a diagnosis from Asclepios. He beckoned Eurydice and Charis to a corner, leaving Harmonia's new drum set at Megara's feet.
"Who's next?" Galatea asked.
The music that filled the room soothed some of Megara's anxiety, letting her rock and bounce Harmonia along with its melody. She gazed down into that face and saw in it the same one that Hades had presented to her in a nightmare. She'd been so perfectly represented, so fully formed. But was that really their fate?
Megara's eyes misted over in time for the next person to approach with a gift.
His green, webbed feet were awkwardly jammed into sandals, so she already knew who it'd be when she looked up. Hercules's cousin Triton smiled at her, or rather, at Harmonia. "Well, I'd have liked my little cousin to be awake, but I made this for her." He unwrapped the contents of a sack woven out of seaweed so that Megara could see a necklace fashioned from iridescent shells, pearls, and sea glass.
"Wow," Medusa leaned over, amazed as Megara was but better able to express it.
"That's so unique! I've never seen anything so beautiful!" Galatea exclaimed.
"Harmonia will treasure it for the rest of her life," Megara told Triton, though she was worried her daughter might destroy something that seemed so fragile and precious. Though, looking at her, Harmonia herself seemed fragile and precious.
She loved her so much.
Why was she crying again?
"I see shells and glass like this wash up on my island all the time," Medusa said, "I never thought to turn them into jewelry. Could you show me how? I could let you look at my collection and see if there are any pieces that inspire you."
"I could show you what I've learned, and you could turn every pretty shell you find into a necklace or bracelet," Triton said. "I'm sure you'd look divine in shells."
"You should work on them together," Galatea said. "I bet the two of you could discover all kinds of techniques as a team!"
"Oh, she's right!" Triton exclaimed. "Would your snakes like little necklaces of their own? Or maybe tiny hats?"
Medusa conferred silently with her snakes. "We'd like to try that! We're right by the sea, so it would be no trouble for you to visit us any time!"
"Medusa made this harness for me," Megara said, running her hand down the back of the harness to demonstrate its quality. You could make gorgon-skin leatherwork together, too."
"I'd be fascinated to learn a new medium!" Triton exclaimed.
Megara suggested, "She could make you a whole set of armor. Once it's treated, the scales are pretty tough. That could help you down the line with your hero business."
"I would be honored if you were willing to share that with me," Triton told Medusa. "I hope to see you around at this party. You've been so gracious and pleasant!" Triton's wide, fishy smile was infectious. He left the necklace in the same box as the drums and bowed his way out so that the next person could join them.
Phil showed his face next and brought the new recruits with him. Together, they presented Harmonia with spoils from their journey in the form of a fan fashioned from the massive feathers of their slain avian foes.
Megara smiled and praised the handiwork, but her energy was flagging. How long could this continue? How many times could she smile before it wore off? She wanted to sleep more than anything, but sleep eluded her.
As her energy waned and she began to grow desperate for sleep, the only thing keeping her upright was the fear of dropping Harmonia. Her mind and bones screamed for rest and to get out of public view so she could process the return of her nemesis. Her relief arrived in the form of Hercules, smiling but seemingly troubled if his eyes were any indication.
"How're you holding up, hon?" he asked, his voice still echoing with the power of Olympus. He hadn't bothered to restrain his glow, and now he shone like polished bronze.
"Sleepy," she admitted. "But… there's still so much party…"
"That's going to be fine." He lifted her into his arms and then sat back where she'd been sitting.
"What did the Olympians tell you?" Megarion asked.
"The funniest thing happened," Hercules reflected, rocking Megara and Harmonia absently. "Rhea took power and declared that anyone could become immortal if they achieved their telos by becoming the truest embodiment of their highest self. I don't think I fully understood her, but it was something about achieving a purpose. When I became a god, it was because I became a true hero when I resurrected Meg." He punctuated that statement by kissing Megara's cheek. "But that was because it was always my destiny to be the god of heroism, and thus, I achieved my true state by embodying heroism. But it didn't work for Meg the same way because that's not her destiny. And also because my father had arbitrary laws in place that prevented it."
"So what happens now?" Galatea asked.
"What does Megara have to be?" Medusa clarified.
"We'll have to figure that out together," Hercules said, and his gaze traveled from Megara to Harmonia. "When it was me, I had a clearly defined path. It was rigid, but it was at least understandable. This time, it's so vague, I'm worried it will take so long to come up with a definitive answer that…" he bit his lip rather than voice what everyone knew he must be thinking.
"Wait, did you say Rhea… took power?" Theseus had been graciously keeping his distance to mix and mingle with the other partygoers without drawing attention to himself, but that had finally drawn him out of the shadows. "What do you mean she took power? What happened to Zeus?"
"Well…" Hercules scratched the back of his neck. "Rhea thought he needed a second chance to grow up, so she… shrank him down to toddler sized… And now she's the queen regent of Olympus."
Everyone stared at him except for Megara, who found herself in the grip of an unstoppable gale of giggles. She couldn't even articulate why this was amusing, but she was too overwhelmed and exhausted to try to contain herself long enough to find out.
Worried glances burned into her from all around the room, but Hercules supported her laughter with some light chuckles. "I know… I'm still in shock…"
"Maybe it's a good time to change the subject, then," Amphitryon said.
Alcmene and Amphitryon approached them, leading a puppy on a leash. "When I came to help deliver Megara of Harmonia, we dedicated a dog to Artemis in Harmonia's name," Alcmene said.
"She's from a litter that was born about the same time as Harmonia," Amphitryon added. "She's weaned and knows how to behave herself in a house."
"That's wonderful," Megara said through her teeth in the most measured tone possible. "I didn't realize what our lives as new parents needed was another baby to look after."
"She can grow up alongside Harmonia and be her companion," Alcmene said. "She doesn't have a name yet, either. Whatever you choose, it will reflect your gratitude to Artemis for helping defend you from malicious influences during the birth."
"Ambrosia," Hercules said with a decided authority that surprised Megara. "We ought to call her Ambrosia because that's what I intend to get for my girls." He embraced both of them tightly. "Thanks for giving my daughter a friend, Mom and Pop. I know she'll treasure the companionship."
Megara rested her head on his shoulder. She knew how important that would've been for him and chose not to reveal that wound to all present. "We should set up a spot in Harmonia's room for the dog if she's going to be Harmonia's companion."
"You're right," Hercules sighed. "For now, I think you deserve a break. Would you like to go back to bed?"
"Would I ever?" Megara gazed up at him, hopefully. "Would you bring me food then?"
"Anything you want."
"Could I keep you, too?"
"Even that."