Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.

Consul of the Underworld: End of Disc 1

Chapter Six: The Trouble and Joy with Zashiki-warashi

Beta: ShadowofAxios


"We're home~!" Pyrrha declared dramatically as Alkaid's teleport deposited the couple on the lawn of the mansion not far from the town of Healdsburg in the California wine district that was their home.

"And you call me a weeb," Pyrrha's darling wife said with a roll of her eyes even as their arrival was noticed and the silver haired miscreant that was their daughter, Mina, the goddess of serial killers, teleported in front of them and threw herself at them.

"Mama! Mum! You're home!" Mina said excitedly as she gave Pyrrha a tight welcome hug before quickly pulling back to do the same for Alkaid.

"It's good to be home, Mina." Pyrrha told her daughter honestly as she reached over to pat the girl's hair as she and Alkaid hugged, just as the front door of their house slammed open and out of it rushed Gracie, Bianca and Nico.

"Sensei!/Big Sister! Miss Pyrrha/Pyrrha! Welcome home!" The trio said in what Pyrrha was sure was a well practiced chorus.

"Glad to be back." Alkaid said as she pulled away from Mina to greet the rest of their family, though she shot her siblings a slightly confused look. "Bianca, Nico, I know it's Fall, but shouldn't you be still at Camp? Father did say he wanted both of you to be Year Rounders this year so you could catch up on your training, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but Chiron made an exception for this weekend." Bianca said with a smile as she took her turn hugging Alkaid.

"Since you were scheduled to get back from Japan this weekend, he gave permission for us to come visit and celebrate your return." Nico added as Bianca let go and he took his turn.

Pyrrha would've felt a little left out that neither di Angelo sibling looked to her for a hug, but she understood. She might be Alkaid's wife and thus family but ultimately she wasn't their sister, simply their sister-in-law. Besides, it wasn't like there was a shortage of people greeting her for her to hug.

"And what about you, Gracie? Weren't you in Camp too?" Pyrrha asked Alkaid's apprentice and their foster daughter as she gave the child of Hecate a hug.

"Yeah, but I'm Sensei's apprentice and it's kinda hard being that with me being away at Camp." Gracie said with a shrug as she pulled away from Pyrrha's hug.

"We would've come to pick you up." Alkaid pointed out from where she had Mina in a half hug. "We'd need to stop by Camp soon anyways. Yes, it's Fall and our duties are greatly reduced since it's only the Year Rounders there now, but we do have things to attend to."

"Yeah, I know." Gracie said as moved to take her turn hugging Alkaid and Mina skipped over, the two of them effectively swapping hug partners. "But since Chiron was sending the di Angelos over to welcome you, he sent me too. Save you the trouble and all that."

"Makes sense," Alkaid agreed as she and Gracie hugged.

"Mum! Mama! Are we gonna be out here on the lawn forever? Let's get inside already! It's chilly outside~!" Mina whined as Alkaid and Gracie finally pulled apart.

"Well, it is Fall." Alkaid agreed with a shrug, even as she nevertheless began herding their brood of children towards the house, but not before turning to their luggage which even as they'd been exchanging welcomes had been steadily decreasing in number. "And Cappy, thank you for handling the luggage."

There was a pop and suddenly their head House Elf was standing next to the last few pieces of luggage, offering them a bow. "It is our pleasure to help, Mistress Alkaid. And on behalf of myself and the other Elves, welcome home, Mistresses."

"Thank you, Cappy." Pyrrha said on behalf of both herself and her wife. "It is good to be home."

"It really is," Alkaid agreed as they and their family walked into their house, even as Rhip, the lazy bird, finally flew out of his rookery to greet his mistress by landing on the sorceress' shoulder and rubbing his head against hers.

As the Potters entered their home however, they were unaware that the mysterious hitchhiker that Pyrrha and Alkaid picked up in Ginzan Onsen had detached from the luggage bag that it had secreted itself inside of when the House Elves had transported it into the house and had sneakily made its way into the pantry under the stairs.


"Somehow I don't think Chiron had this in mind when he sent me and Nico over to spend your first weekend back from Japan with you, Big Sister." Alkaid heard Bianca say with an amused shake of her head as the two sisters, their younger brother Nico, Pyrrha and Gracie sat comfortably atop one of the sorceress' magical platforms and watched a unlucky L.A. gang get cut to pieces by Mina in the large abandoned building that had served as said gang's base.

"Ah, but watching the sinful be cut down is always a treat." The elder sister said with a smile, watching her daughter have fun by dancing through the panicked ranks of her victims and cutting them down with graceful efficiency.

"Yeah, but I think Bianca is saying that Chiron wouldn't think so. He's weird like that." Nico said with a shrug.

"I'd say you guys were the weird ones, but since I married into the House of Hades, I don't have room to talk." Pyrrha said with a sigh before she returned to eating the tart she'd picked out of the snacks that the House Elves had prepared for them for the trip

"So you're weird by marriage." Nico remarked with a tiny smirk as he poured himself a cup of tea from the thermos that had accompanied the snacks.

"What does that make me?" Gracie asked, tilting her head curiously.

"Weird by apprenticeship?" Bianca suggested with a chuckle as she nibbled on a cookie.

"Nah, Gracie was weird before she became Big Sister's apprentice." Nico said with a shake of his head. "I think it comes with being a daughter of Hecate. Her mum is a chthonic deity like Father and that counts towards it."

"True," Gracie agreed as she went back to devouring her sandwich. It seemed Alkaid's little apprentice was hitting something of a growth spurt and as a result had been especially ravenous lately.

"I adore Gracie, so we can all be one weird family." Alkaid huffed in amusement and in the process caught sight of something below that captured her attention.

Oh! That's just adorable! Alkaid thought as she summoned a magical screen and used it to take a picture of the scene below.

"So cute! Look, it's raining blood!"

Everyone turned to look at the scene and found themselves witness to Mina giggling wildly as she literally danced in a rain of blood as dozens of her hapless victims squirted blood from the debilitating but not immediately fatal arterial wounds that she'd dealt them.

"Mina is just too cute when she's getting her murder fix! My adorable little murderer!" Alkaid gushed as she snapped photo after photo with her magic. With any potential witnesses to her magic about to become dead men, she thankfully did not need to use an analog camera to snap photos like she had in Ginzan Onsen.

"Yeah, she is." Pyrrha nodded, though sporting a thoughtful expression as she did so.

"Miss Pyrrha, something on your mind?" Gracie asked curiously, having also spotted the rather uncharacteristic look. Whilst she wasn't unintelligent by any means, Alkaid's wife wasn't exactly known for deep thoughts. She tended to be more action focused and usually let Alkaid figure things out on her behalf when needed.

"Well, just thinking about how convenient it is that Mr. T suddenly doesn't have any assignments for Mina to kill right now, just when these guys," Pyrrha said, gesturing at the dying gangsters. "Are causing trouble with the reconstruction efforts here in L.A. I mean, it's no secret, to him and his bosses at least, that Mina culls the L.A. gangers to get her murder fix when she can't do so helping the Feds execute immortals on death row."

"Well, if the news reports about the trouble these guys have been causing the reconstruction crews are to be believed, I can totally see the Feds setting it up so Mina would give them an extra good culling." Nico said with a frown. "Didn't they rob a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) supply convoy headed to one of the temporary housing camps? That was really over the top! Can't see the Feds letting that go."

"Yeah, siccing Mina on them is just them getting their just desserts." Bianca agreed. "I mean, most of L.A. is rebuilt already but that doesn't mean they can go robbing from those who still need help. It's not like everyone is back on their feet yet."

"Yeah, these gangers are despicable." Gracie said, adding her own agreement. "Then again they are gangsters, what do you expect from them?"

"Even gangsters have standards," Alkaid corrected as they all continued looking down at the massacre Mina was perpetrating below. "It's why they kept a low profile for a good long while after the disaster, but now that things are getting back to normal this group of fools must've felt it was time to show their strength."

"Well, if what I think happened is right, they made a big mistake." Pyrrha said with a shake of her head. "Idiots."

"Can't disagree with that," Alkaid said with a nod. "Though I don't think Mr. T or his bosses set this up deliberately. I actually checked up on why there haven't been any new executions recently and it turns out that there was a new law passed that means the cases of all death row cases, even those of the immortals Mina are usually tasked to kill, are being reviewed. That's why she hasn't been given any new assignments lately."

"Argh. Politics making our lives difficult again," Pyrrha said with a roll of her eyes. "I'll never know why you like it so much, 'Kaidy."

Alkaid just shrugged and made to reply but was preempted when Mina teleported onto the magical platform, prompting her to address her daughter instead.

"All done?" She asked unnecessarily. She knew her little goddess wouldn't have joined them until she was sure all her targets had been eliminated.

"Yup~!" Mina replied cheerfully as she sat down and began fishing in the picnic basket containing the snacks for something to eat. "Now, I'm hungry. What did the Elves pack?"

"You can see for yourself." Pyrrha said with a snort as she shot Alkaid a look. The daughter of Hades rolled her eyes at her but nevertheless obliged her unspoken request and cast a number of cleaning spells over their blood drenched daughter.

"Aw~! Mum, why did you have to do that? I like being drenched in blood." Mina whined as she pulled a sandwich out of the basket and accepted a cup of tea that Nico poured for her.

"It makes you stink," Bianca said, shooting Mina a scolding look. "I, for one, don't want to have to finish our picnic sitting next to someone reeking of blood. The smell from below is more than enough. I like the stench of death as much as the next child of Hades but there's a limit to how much of a good thing there can be before it becomes a bad thing. "

"Nuh uh~! There's never too much blood!"

"Not to everyone, Mina." Nico countered, backing his sister up.

"Be considerate, Mina." Gracie urged as she finished her third sandwich.

Mina pouted but relented at the stern looks that Alkaid and Pyrrha both shot her.

"Fine~!" The little goddess said disgruntledly as she dug into her food.

"No need to be upset, Mina." Alkaid said as she reached over and patted the girl's head affectionately. "You know they're right. And a good girl does the right thing, right? And you're a good girl, aren't you, Mina?"

"Yes, Mum~!" The goddess chirped.

"Good, be a good girl and eat your food." Pyrrha ordered. "Now that you're done getting your murder fix, once we're done with the food, we can head home."

"Yes, Mama." Mina said with much less enthusiasm but nevertheless obeyed.

The other children snickered at her expense, whispering that she was so whipped, but Mina, the good girl that she was, just ignored them and focused on her meal. She was really such a wonderful child. Alkaid was so proud of her little girl!


A pleasant fifteen minutes later, Mina and the rest of their family had finally finished their picnic and teleported home. They had expected to return to their mansion looking just as they'd left it, so it was quite a shock to instead find it covered in what must have been hundreds of rolls worth of toilet paper!

"...What the fuck are we looking at?" Pyrrha demanded in a heated tone.

"Who would do this!?" Bianca gasped in unhappy surprise even as Nico and Gracie just growled angrily.

"Whoever it is, I'm gonna stabbity stab them!" Mina hissed as she materialized her deadly daggers and waved them through the air meaningfully.

Alkaid couldn't respond, all she could do was stand there in shock and watch as her House Elves worked to vanish away all the toilet paper covering her home.

Her property had been vandalized. Her sanctum had been invaded and soiled. There would be blood for this.

It would thankfully not be a promise she'd be able to keep. Though it would be one she'd keep making to herself for days to come as this was only the beginning of the pranks that would be plaguing her household.


Even after delivering her younger siblings back to Camp at the end of the weekend like their agreement with Chiron demanded, the pranks that had started with the teepee incident didn't stop. Nay, if anything, it grew worse. It soon continued with a mild case of food poisoning. One that left Alkaid, Pyrrha and Gracie running to the washroom repeatedly.

The daughter of Hades never thought she would want to die because of a mere upset stomach, but from the amount of grueling pain she'd endured in the past day? She had been forced to change her mind.

"I am so tired… Running to and fro from the toilet is exhausting!" Alkaid whimpered as she lay on her side on the large couch in their living room. "I've been to the toilet at least three times as often as I normally do today!"

"No duh, 'Kaidy." Pyrrha grumbled back, resting on a chair after another episode of her own. "And it's not helping we keep finding all the seats are put up!"

Which made no sense at all since the only boy that lived with them and used the toilet, how the House Elves handled things was not something Alkaid looked into, was Nico! And he was back at Camp right now! Yet, somehow every single blasted toilet seat in their home would always be up whenever they entered a washroom. Once left alone, they magically popped back up no matter what alignment they had been left in.

"Is it really that bad?" Mina asked curiously.

"It is," Gracie said tiredly as she walked into the room from her latest supplication to the ivory throne and collapsed into a loveseat. "You just don't know since your cheating godly constitution means you didn't get whatever bug the rest of us are suffering from."

"Hehe~ We gods are super special!"

"Gloating isn't cute." The apprentice sorceress replied with a pout.

Mina strongly retorted by sticking out her tongue.

"Sensei, is there a potion or spell that can cure this?" Gracie asked pleadingly.

"We'd need to figure out what exactly we've come down with, but yes, I'm fairly sure there is." Alkaid said with a soft groan. "I'd normally not consider it. This bug is mild-"

"This is mild?"

"Compared to something like cholera or dysentery? Yes, it is, Miss Pyrrha." Gracie agreed. "Plus outside of making us run to the toilet a lot more often than we'd like, it's not like we're in pain or suffering from any other symptoms."

Alkaid shot her apprentice a proud grin for realizing where she was going with that before continuing. "As I was saying, this bug is mild enough that I'd normally rather we just let it pass and let our bodies build up an immunity to whatever it is, but considering how shitty it's making us feel I think I'm going to make an exception."

"Please do," Pyrrha all but begged.

"To the potions lab, Sensei?" Gracie asked and Alkaid nodded as she stood.

"Yes," Alkaid agreed. "I think it's time I taught you some potion brewing anyways. We can kill two birds with one stone."

"Just make sure to get us a cure for this diarrhea!" Pyrrha hissed unhappily as she got up too. "I can't stand it anymore."

"I will, I promise." Alkaid assured her irate wife. "Why don't you go relax. Gracie and I might take a while."

Pyrrha nodded and stomped off, prompting Alkaid to turn to Mina.

"Mina dear-"

"No worries, Mum, I'll watch Mama and make sure she's okay. You can trust me!"

"I know I can." Alkaid said, offering her daughter a smile before turning to her apprentice. "Gracie, let's go."

"Yes, Sensei!" Her eager student said as she dutifully followed her as Alkaid made her way to the potions lab to brew up a cure for their stomach bug.


Whilst Alkaid and Gracie were working on the cure for their recent digestive problems, Pyrrha had taken her wife's advice to go relax and had headed off to their house's gym to do some exercise. As a daughter of Ares, physical exercise was one of the best ways she could relax. Unfortunately, it also seemed to trigger whatever in the Pit was upsetting her stomach and she'd barely managed a few sets with the weights when her stomach started churning unpleasantly.

"Argh! Not bloody now!" She cursed as she raced to the nearest bathroom.

Slamming the door open, she rushed inside. And was greeted with a sight that made her blood boil. The damned toilet seat was up again!

Normally this wouldn't be that big of a problem. As irritating as it was, it was really only a matter of a few seconds to slam the seat down so she could use it. But right now, with her precious exercise time interrupted, with the stress caused by the diarrhea that had plagued her all day and with her being on her period and the cramps being just an extra dose of terrible to an already shitty day… This last little inconvenience became the straw that broke the camel's back!

"This is just bullshit!" Pyrrha screamed as she slammed the toilet seat down angrily, using too much force in the process and inadvertently tearing it free of the fastenings that anchored it to the rest of the toilet in the process.

"What! No! Not now!" Pyrrha howled at this latest development, even as the churning in her stomach grew even more intense.

"Mama, what's wrong? Did something happen?" Mina shouted from outside the bathroom, sounding concerned.

"It's nothing Mina, I'm just-" Pyrha began only to suddenly feel the unpleasantness in her bowels reach a crescendo. "No, no, no, shit."

It was with that ironically appropriate word that Pyrrha's bowels lost the fight to hold it in.

And now I need a new pair of pants.

That potion could not come fast enough.


"When I find that prankster, I'm going to kill them!" Alkaid heard Pyrrha promise menacingly as they, Gracie and Mina were gathered in the living room once more for the former three of them to down the potion that Alkaid and Gracie brewed to settle their stomachs.

Alkaid nodded in agreement with Pyrrha's threat. She was totally on the same page. Causing her wife to soil herself was a step too far! Not that teepeeing the house wasn't already too much, but this… this deserved a most severe retribution. When they caught this prankster, their punishment would be legendary! Especially since…

"It wasn't just the toilet seats." Alkaid said, causing Pyrrha to look at her in confusion. "The prank. It wasn't just about the toilet seats. That was only the second part of it. The first was our food poisoning. It wasn't natural, we were literally poisoned. Someone fed us laxatives at some point. When brewing the potion, I had to find the right one to counter whatever was causing our diarrhea and so I scanned myself and Gracie and in the process detected the laxatives."

Gracie nodded and picked up the explanation. "They wanted to make us use the toilet more so we'd notice the seats and get annoyed."

"I'm gonna double kill that prankster!"

"I'm with you there, Py." Alkaid said as Gracie nodded her own agreement. "But we need to find them first. To that end, I think it's time we started a proper investigation to do just that."

"Good idea," Pyrrha said with a nod, eager for vengeance. "Where do we begin?"

"Simple. With those who prepare our food of course." Alkaid said with a frown as she raised her voice. "Cappy!"

"We are here, Mistresses." Cappy said in an uncharacteristically disjointed way, a sure sign of his unease and irritation, as he and the entire mansion's House Elf staff teleported in to stand before Alkaid and her family. "And we knows why you summoned us."

"Then could you please explain how you think the prankster got past your food safety practices?" Alkaid asked. "I'm not blaming you, mind, I'm just looking for clues."

"Ta be honest, Mistress Alkiad, wes don't know the hows and whens." Cappy fretted, nearly looking ready to burst into tears. Thankfully he showed his masterful professionalism and quickly gathered his wits and gestured to the others.

"Me's have an idea though." Missy said, looking thoughtful.

"Go ahead, Missy." Alkaid said, nodding at the Elf encouragingly.

"Me's and Pinky were prepping the meals. We's observe all the safety rules. So's it can't's be spiked durings the cooking." Missy explained. "So's what's if the food got spiked before?"

"You're saying you think someone contaminated the ingredients even before you started cooking them?" Alkaid asked and received a nod in confirmation.

"And me's thinks that the prankster watch us cook." Pinky added. "To make's sure we didn't spoil whatever she spiked food with."

"Why do you say that?" Pyrrha asked the other Elf.

"I's hear giggling when cooking. Sound like tiny bells. Sweet and soft."

"Missy, did you hear it too?" Alkaid asked.

"No's, Mistress Alkaid." Missy said with a shake of her head. "That's whys I didn't believe Pinky when she mentioned it. But's if it's were's soft…"

"You might've missed it." Gracie concluded.

"It's not just Pinky that's heard that giggling." Reggie, one of the male Elves who mainly served as the mansion's handyman, added. "Me's heard it too. But it's so soft that I's thought I was just's imagining things."

This was met by similar stories from most of the other Elves too.

Alkaid frowned at what she was hearing. Based on what the Elves had told her, there was definitely something that had infiltrated her home and was responsible for all the recent pranks. But sadly, nothing that was said gave her any clue as to what it was.

"Okay, thank you, everyone." Alkaid said after a moment of processing her House Elves' testimonies. "You can go back to work now."

The Elves all gave her a bow before popping away and returning to the tasks that they so enjoyed throughout the house.

"Mina, you're a goddess," Alkaid said suddenly, as she suddenly remembered the fact, having honestly forgotten that Mina was anything other than her daughter. Something that she often did unless her nature as a goddess reared its head. "That means you have a degree of omniscience. Any clue on who the prankster is?"

Mina's eyes widened at the question and she looked around her nervously, a clear tell that she was hiding something.

"Mina, you know, don't you?" Pyrrha said, looking at their daughter accusingly.

"Yes…" Mina confessed in a small voice.

"Tell us!" Pyrrha demanded, looking sternly at the young goddess.

Mina frowned and started fidgeting in her seat but shook her head. "Not yet."

"'Not yet'?" Alkaid asked, prompting her daughter to nod. "You have a reason to not tell us?"

Mina nodded.

"What is it?"

Before Mina could answer, there was suddenly a loud sound of tumbling from the kitchen.

Exchanging a look, Alkaid, Pyrrha, Mina and Gracie raced over to the kitchen. As they arrived, they found one of the larger kitchen cabinets open and dozens of golf balls pouring out of it from a box full of them that had been rigged up to start disgorging its contents when the cabinet's doors were opened. All whilst Cappy, Missy and Pinky looked on in dismay.

"Another prank," Pyrrha hissed in irritation even as Mina giggled in amusement, though the little goddess reined herself in as Alkaid shot her a displeased look.

A look that had the young goddess looking worried and shuffling in place

"Cappy, do you need help?" Gracie asked kindly, clearly feeling bad that this prankster was making more work for their faithful House Elves.

"Nay, Missus Gracie," Cappy assured her. "We have things under control. Mistresses can go relax. Dinner will be ready soon."

Alkaid frowned but knew that arguing with Cappy and the Elves was futile. They would never allow their masters to assist them with what they saw as their work if they could help it.

"Then we'll leave you to it, Cappy." She said in resignation as she began escorting her family out of the kitchen and back towards the living room.

And as she did, she shot a look towards Mina and asked. "Mina, are you still going to cover for the prankster?"

"Yes? It's all in good fun, Mum."

"Me shitting my pants is not 'in good fun', Mina!" Pyrrha hissed, not looking pleased as she crossed her arms.

"But you weren't hurt!" Mina pointed out, pouting.

The redhead growled, looking frustrated. "I'll give you that, but whatever other pranks this little invader comes up with, none of them better cross that line again! I mean it!"

Mina gulped and furiously nodded her head. "I'll make sure of it, Mama! I promise!"

"You better," Alkaid warned, soft and firm. "In the meantime, I'll work towards figuring out who or what this prankster is."

"And I'll help." Gracie piped up.

"I expected as much." Alkaid replied, offering her apprentice a soft smile.

"Between the two of you, I'm sure we'll catch the prankster in no time." Pyrrha said confidently.

Alkaid just smiled politely.

I certainly hope so.


"Sensei! Miss Pyrrha!" Gracie screamed in dismay as the otherwise naked daughter of Hecate rushed out of her room wrapped in a towel as she raced into the guest room across the hall from it, dripping water all the way and with her long chestnut brown hair a bright purple, sticky mess.

"Gracie? What happened?" Gracie heard Sensei ask as she caught the older demigoddess slam the door of her home office open and race after her as the younger demigoddess ran into the guest room's ensuite bathroom, tore off her towel and scrambled into the shower.

"I was taking a shower and got hit by another prank!" Gracie hissed as she turned on the shower, completely ignoring how she was naked in front of Sensei, who as her mentor, foster mother and the main parental figure she'd known since her father had abandoned her at Camp was not someone who she had to hide anything from, letting water attempt to wash out whatever had got into her hair.

"Here, let me help." Alkaid said with a frown.

"Yes, please." Gracie begged as she struggled to wash whatever had got into her hair out of it.

Why wasn't it coming out!? She lamented as it just refused to come out!

Offering her apprentice a comforting smile, Sensei walked over, squirted some shampoo from the bottle in the nook built into the shower booth into her hand, and prepared to help wash Gracie's hair only to suddenly pause and frown.

"'Kaidy?" Miss Pyrrha, Gracie's other parental figure, asked as she stepped into the bathroom. "Why did you pause like that?"

"This isn't shampoo." Sensei said with a frown as the 'shampoo' was surrounded by a magical aura for a moment. "It's baby oil."

Gracie let out an almost despairing whine at that.

"No need to be upset, Gracie." Mina said as she teleported in with a bottle of shampoo. "Here, use this! It's real shampoo, I promise!"

"Thank you, Mina!" Gracie said earnestly as Sensei washed off the baby oil on her hands and took the fresh bottle of shampoo before immediately using it to begin helping Gracie wash her hair.

"Mina, any more bathroom pranks that we should be wary of?" Miss Pyrrha asked, her arms crossed and glaring at her daughter.

"Uh… Don't use the tap over there? It's been taped up so it'll squirt anyone who uses it." Mina admitted. "Or use that toilet either. Warming muscle rub has been spread on the seat."

"You sure you aren't the one who is behind the pranks, Mina?" Sensei said to her daughter accusingly with narrowed eyes. "You seem to know a lot about them."

"No, not me." Mina said with a firm shake of her head, looking more like a fretting puppy than a goddess right now. "I can swear on the St-"

"No, don't." Miss Pyrrha said before the goddess could make a Stygian Oath. "Don't swear on the Styx for something this trivial. We believe you. Though, are you still unwilling to tell us who is responsible?"

Gracie shot Mina a pleading look and the goddess looked conflicted but after a long moment nevertheless shook her head. "No, just a little while more."

Gracie, Sensei and Miss Pyrrha all frowned but despite looking even more conflicted, Mina just shook her head and teleported away, leaving Gracie to handle the consequences of the latest prank with Sensei and Miss Pyrrha.

"This has to stop." Miss Pyrrha said with determination.

"Yes, it does. I'll double the surveillance wards." Sensei said as she and Gracie continued cleaning the mess out of her hair. "Hopefully we'll catch the culprit soon."


The next couple days saw even more pranks. The first of these saw the contents of all the cupboards in Alkaid and Pyrrha's playroom being swapped around. Which was annoying but tolerable. The other recent pranks were much less so, being that the next one saw the prankster hide away alarm clocks throughout Gracie's bedroom that kept going off at fifteen minute intervals from 3am one night. Alarm clocks that seemed endless as no matter how many Gracie disarmed or destroyed, there always seemed to be more. As a result, Alkaid's poor apprentice had ended up so sleep deprived that night that she'd slept that whole day afterwards just to recover. And that wasn't even the worst prank. That dubious honor went to the prank that Rhip, Alkaid's poor familiar, had been subjected to. The raven had woken up one day to find his bird seed and all his food suddenly invisible, which would've been a perfectly tame prank if it had ended there. But it hadn't and when Rhip had decided to go hunt to satisfy his hunger instead, he'd found the exits to his rookery were sealed by invisible barriers. Something he had only found out after flying into one at full speed and badly injuring himself in the process.

"Any luck getting Mina to reveal who the prankster is, Pyrrha?" Alkaid asked as they and Gracie sat down in the living room to discuss the pranks.

"No," Pyrrha said, shaking his head. "She's being stubborn."

"That's very odd to be honest," Gracie noted, looking away from feeding and tending to a magically healed but skittish Rhip, to look at Alkaid and Pyrrha with a frown. "Mina isn't usually so defiant to you two. She's normally a very obedient girl. Well, comparatively speaking anyways."

"That's true." Alkaid agreed. Despite being a goddess, Mina was a surprisingly obedient daughter even though she and Pyrrha were just mortals. That being the case, there had to be a reason for why she was being so obstinate about this. The question was what exactly?

"Which is why this is maddening!" Pyrrha huffed angrily.

"Is she being driven by her godly instinct telling her to keep the secret?" Alkaid suggested, more thinking aloud than making a solid proposition.

Gracie looked skeptical but Pyrrha developed a look of epiphany in response. "You think it has something to do with what Lady Marie said about our trip to Ginzan Onsen being good for our family?"

Alkaid blinked. She hadn't drawn that connection. But in hindsight, as the last case of godly meddling in their lives that they were aware of before the pranks began, there was a merit to it.

"Are you saying that the 'good thing' is our prankster and Mina is protecting it because of that?"

"Yup. It's a possibility, right?" Pyrrha questioned, suddenly unsure of her own suggestion.

"It is," Alkaid agreed. "Though if that's the case, I think Mina might be misreading what her instincts are telling her and is dragging the protection period out too long."

"That totally sounds like a mistake our daughter would make." Pyrrha said with a sigh.

"I dunno if I agree with this whole idea, Sensei, Miss Pyrrha." Gracie said with a shake of her head. "But assuming it's correct, let me play Devil's Advocate. What if Mina is correct to protect the prankster this long?"

Alkaid tapped her chin consideringly for a moment before shaking her head. "I suppose it could be the case but it's unlikely. If her godly instincts are telling her to protect the prankster so we didn't just immediately banish it because she knows we wouldn't turn out someone who's made a home in the house already, not if they're not malicious, then surely she's already given said prankster enough time to settle in."

"I mean, sure," Pyrrha nodded with a growing frown. "But if the pranks drag on like this though… it's starting to really get more bothersome than 'entertaining'. If it ever was. And if it keeps up? I think we're not going to be so welcoming to this prankster when they decide to reveal themselves. Heck, I'm not even sure we'd be welcoming now."

"Agreed, Miss Pyrrha." Gracie nodded and sighed, looking drained. "If we're right, and we aren't sure we are, then it seems that Mina really messed up."

"Indeed." "Big time." Alkaid and Pyrrha agreed.

Alkaid pushed some of her hair behind her ear with a growing frown. "We need to find this prankster soon. Hopefully it shouldn't be long now. Whilst the wards Gracie and I have set up haven't directly caught the culprit, they have been able to capture enough information to begin to build a picture of our little miscreant's magical signature."

"Damn, for real? I would have thought you'd have it by now." Pyrrha said in surprise.

Ugh, the reminder stung at how this elusive foe kept managing to evade her attempts to capture them.

"Our little prankster is very good at hiding their presence. Fret not though, I'll have their trial soon enough." Alkaid assured her wife and apprentice, her lips curled into a sinister smile.


A few days later including a couple more pranks that saw her getting covered in baby powder when someone filled the front of her hair dryer in the snow-like substance and the last couple pages of a book Pyrrha was reading mysteriously disappearing for a day, Alkaid finally captured enough of the magical signature of the prankster to allow her to track them down.

"Here? The prankster is hiding here?" Alkaid heard Pyrrha ask with a malicious, expectant smile on her face as she tapped her labrys against her shoulder as they stood next to Gracie and Mina in front of the door to the pantry under the stairs.

"This is where my tracking spells tuned to their magical signature led us to," Alkaid assured, gesturing at the magical arrow that was the manifestation of said tracking spell which was pointing firmly at the pantry door.

"Mama, you don't need your labrys, you know." Mina said, looking at Pyrrha's drawn weapon disapprovingly.

"Better to be safe than sorry, Mina." Pyrrha said dismissively.

"Gracie, are the containment wards ready?" Alkaid asked, glancing at her apprentice.

"Ready," Gracie nodded confidently. "The prankster won't be getting away without a fight."

"Mum, Gracie~! That's not necessary!" Mina whined.

"Good job, Gracie." Alkaid praised her student before addressing her daughter. "And Mina, what your Mama said, better safe than sorry."

Mina pouted unhappily but realizing she wasn't going to win this, she quieted.

"I'm opening the door now," Alkaid warned, doing a final check on her protective wards as she stepped forward to do as she said. "Pyrrha, Gracie, be prepared for anything."

"Got it, 'Kaidy!" "Yes, Sensei!"

Satisfied that her family was ready, Alkaid turned the door knob of the pantry door and finding it unlocked, pulled it open in one smooth motion.

The first thing she noticed as she peered into the room beyond was that it distinctively was not the pantry she remembered. Instead, it had been transformed into a strange but homely mix of a young girl's bedroom and pantry with a comfy looking bed, a study table, bookshelves, a dresser, and a wardrobe having been added without displacing the shelves full of canned goods, foodstuff and other things that had originally filled the pantry. These had instead been rearranged so that they and the new furniture had somehow been organically fitted into the now greatly expanded room.

Someone had clearly converted the pantry under the stairs into a bedroom. A fact that sent a strange shiver ran down her spine, as if Alkaid had just walked over her grave or something akin to it.

Shaking off the feeling, Alkaid focused on the second noteworthy thing in the pantry, a little spirit with a striking resemblance to a six year old version of herself. A spirit that was smiling happily at Alkaid and her family.

"You've found me at last!" The spirit cheered, enthusiastically jumping up and down on the spot.

"By Olympus, she's so cute!" Pyrrha gushed, looking wide eyed at the mini-Alkaid. "Was this what you looked like as a kid? You were flipping cute, babe!"

Even Gracie nodded in agreement, an amused grin on her face. Whilst Mina just looked smug.

"Ah…." Alkaid could only blink, startled and unsure what to do.

They had a spirit that had taken residence in the pantry under their stairs.

"Welcome to my treasure room!" The little spirit cheered, making Pyrrha gush more.

"It looks super comfy in there, kiddo." Pyrrha told her with a grin as she dismissed her labrys. "So you're our little prankster?"

"Yup. That's how spirits like me get our family's attention."

"Your family?" Gracie asked, having pulled out a notebook and began taking down notes.

"Yup, my kind bonds with families and we consider those we bond with as our own family." The spirit explained jubilantly. "We're defined by our families, we're just shapeless spirits before the bonding. Basically, we're only really born by bonding with our family."

"I see," Gracie said, nodding in understanding. "That explains why you look like a younger Sensei."

"So we're your family, huh?" Pyrrha asked, prompting the spirit to nod happily. "So, if you're family, how about we get you a real room of your own? I mean, one that isn't the pantry."

The little spirit shook her head, flicking her hair to and fro in the process.

"Nuh-uh! Don't wanna! Spirits like me live in storage rooms! My place is bestest!"

Living in storage rooms, uses pranks to get attention, bonding to families… And we just got back from Tohoku… I think I know what kind of spirit she is.

"You're a Zashiki-warashi?" Alkaid asked, looking at the spirit for confirmation.

The happy little spirit nodded.

"Then, she is correct." Alkaid confirmed, still working on banishing the feeling she had from earlier by focusing on something else. "Best to leave her where she wishes."

"So, we just got some spirit in our house now?" Pyrrha asked Alkaid in a curious lilt.

"More like our family has got a new guardian spirit-"

"Nuh-uh!" Mina said loudly as she teleported to the spirit's side and wrapped her arms around the other girl's shoulders. "She isn't just a guardian spirit, she's based herself on Mum. That makes her my sister, doesn't it, Mum?"

"In a way, I suppose…" Alkaid hedged. Mina wasn't entirely wrong, since the Zashiki-warashi had based herself on her and was born by attaching herself to the family she'd created with Pyrrha, she was their daughter in a sense. A roundabout sense that is.

"'Kaidy, is Mina correct?" Pyrrha pressed for confirmation.

Alkaid frowned, trying to decide how to reply. Even if the Zashiki-warashi was her and Pyrrha's daughter in a sense, it was only in a sense. Whether they wanted to fully accept her as such was something they had to decide.

Do I want another daughter? Alkaid thought as she glanced between the hopeful expectant looks that Mina and the yokai were shooting her, Gracie's carefully neutral expression and Pyrrha's searching one.

"Like I said, Py, in a way." Alkaid replied to her wife's question. "But whether we accept it is up to us? What's your vote?"

"What's yours?" Pyrrha demanded.

Alkaid looked back at Mina and the Zashiki-warashi whose looks had turned pleading.

Marie-sama did say the 'good thing' from going to Ginzan Onsen would be something we'd appreciate in the long run. Alkaid thought as the looks of the two girls grew ever more pleading. Marie-sama and her lovers seemed to mean us well, I think I'll trust them. After all, it's not like having three daughters is that much more work than two.

"I vote yes," Alkaid admitted, causing Mina and the Zashiki-warashi to cheer, hugging each other and hopping on the spot happily. "Py?"

Pyrrha looked at the excited girls and she couldn't help but smile, but before she cast her vote, she turned to Gracie. "Gracie, would you be okay with this? Adding this spirit to our family?"

Gracie looked startled to be asked but quickly recovered. "I'm glad you asked, Miss Pyrrha, but this isn't a decision for me to have a vote on. She'd be you and Sensei's daughter. The decision is between you two only."

"That's not true, Gracie." Alkaid countered. "She'd be your sister. Of course you'd have a vote. We can already tell Mina's vote, but what's yours?"

"I'd vote yes, of course." Mina said unnecessarily.

Everyone ignored her and watched as Gracie turned to address the spirit. "You promise to not prank us anymore?"

"Can't," the spirit said, shaking her head. "My kind always plays pranks on our families. It's in our nature." Gracie frowned deeply at this and seeing this, the spirit hastily continued in an earnest voice. "But I can promise to tone it down. I know you didn't like the shower prank. I'm sorry about that. I was just trying to get everyone's attention, not upset you."

Gracie seemed appeased by this and nodded before turning to Pyrrha. "I vote yes. All the signs from the gods point to this spirit being a good thing for us."

"Py?" Alkaid asked her wife, who was looking contemplative whilst Mina and the Zashiki-warashi shot her twin sets of puppy dog eyes.

The daughter of Hades doubted the redhead would vote against the near consensus and Alkaid was honestly a little worried about what to do if she did, thankfully though that growing concern was unfounded.

"Like I'd vote against everyone else," Pyrrha said with a snort after a moment. "I vote yes."

Mina and her new sister cheered excitedly at this even as she, Pyrrha and Gracie looked on in amusement. She let the girls carry on for a moment before clapping her hands loudly to get their attention.

"Before we do anything else, do you have a name, little one?"

"Little one?" The frankly adorable Zashiki-warashi asked, pointing at herself.

Alkaid nodded, prompting the doppelgänger of her younger self to shake her head.

"Good, then we can name you." Pyrrha said with a grin. "Anyone with any good ideas?"

"How about 'Kura'?" Alkaid suggested with a giggle, tossing out a silly idea that seemed to pop into her head out of nowhere. She suspected divine inspiration. "It means 'treasure house' in Japanese. After all, she called her room her 'treasure room' just now."

Pyrrha and Gracie shot Alkaid unimpressed looks, but before they could voice objections, the Zashiki-warashi spoke up. "'Kura'? Hehe~ That's funny! I like it! This Zashiki-warashi accepts 'Kura' as her name!"

In response to her words, the yokai was surrounded by a light blue color aura as she sealed 'Kura' as her new name.

"Yay! Kura has a name now!" Mina cheered. "Now she can use it to swear on the Styx with Mum and Mama and properly become part of the family like I did!"

"An Oath?" Pyrrha asked in surprise and Alkaid could empathize. Making an Oath on the Styx was an extreme act and not to be taken lightly.

"Yup! We all gotta make Oaths on the Styx like we did when you adopted me! It's only fair!"

"We didn't exchange any Oaths when I became Sensei's apprentice," Gracie offered, trying, Alkaid was sure, to defuse the situation, but only managing to inflame it more.

"We didn't!?" Mina gasped. "Then we need to do those too!"

"Mina, it's not necessary. Stygian Oaths aren't to be made lightly. They're reserved only for the most important-"

"But what's more important than declaring we're a family?" Mina asked, looking genuinely confused even as Kura nodded in agreement with her.

"We gotta! We gotta!" The two girls chorused insistently.

Alkaid exchanged exasperated looks with Pyrrha and Gracie who just nodded, looking as fondly frustrated as she was. They all knew there was no getting out of this.

"Alright, alright. We'll swear on the Styx." Alkaid said in resignation as she conceded to the inevitable and was met with cheers from her two inhuman daughters.

"Guess, we might as well get started." Pyrrha said with a sigh. "I, Pyrrha Branwen-Potter, swear on the Styx that Kura Potter and Gracie Gray are my daughters."

Her Oath was met with a boom of thunder even though there was no storm outside.

"Who's next?"

"I'll do it," Gracie said, before she cleared her throat and straightened her posture before beginning her Oath. "I, Gracie Gray, daughter of Hecate, solemnly swear on the Styx that I take Pyrrha Branwen-Potter and Alkaid Potter as my mothers-" Alkaid gasped at this. She'd taken Gracie under her wing like she was her daughter since she'd accepted the younger girl as her apprentice, but to have that be rewarded like this… It left her misty eyed and filled her heart with such joy that she almost missed the rest of Gracie's Oath. "-and Mina and Kura Potter as my sisters."

"Mina, Kura, mind if one of you goes next?" Pyrrha suggested as she stepped over and pulled Alkaid into a hug, ignoring the supernatural boom caused by Gracie's Oath. "I think your Mum needs a minute."

"I'm sorry for shocking you like that, Sensei," Gracie said apologetically upon seeing the reaction her Oath had engendered. "I, uh, just said what I felt."

"No, no, no need to fret. I was simply surprised." Alkaid said as she collected herself. "Pleasantly surprised. Very pleasantly surprised."

"You sure you're okay, Mum?" Kura asked worriedly. "We can continue this later if you need some time to calm down."

"No, I'm fine. Just, um, let me do my Oath last, okay?"

"Okay, Mum." Mina nodded, looking just as worried as Kura was. "I'll go next?"

Kura nodded, prompting Mina to take her turn. "I, Mina Potter, goddess of serial killers of the Pop Culture Pantheon, swear on the Styx that Gracie Gray and Kura Potter are my sisters."

There was the customary supernatural boom but everyone ignored it and Mina turned to look at Kura expectantly. "Your turn, Kura-chan~!"

"Don't call me that," Kura said with a pout. "I might be a yokai but I was born here in the States. I'm American."

Mina just smirked at that and looked ready to tease Kura, but Gracie cleared her throat meaningfully and the two inhumans both jumped before shooting the rest of them chastised looks.

"Kura, your Oath?" Pyrrha reminded their Zashiki-warashi daughter, sounding as amused by her and Mina's antics as Alkaid was.

"Right! Sorry, Mama." Kura said sheepishly before slapping her cheeks lightly and taking a deep breath before finally beginning her Oath. "I, Kura Potter, Zashiki-warashi of the Potter family, with the Styx as my witness, hereby declare myself to be the daughter of Alkaid Potter and Pyrrha Branwen-Potter and sister to Mina Potter and Gracie Gray."

As usual, supernatural thunder boomed in response to Kura's Oath but again everyone ignored it and instead turned to Alkaid expectantly.

"I, Alkaid Potter," she began, not wanting to disappoint her family. "Daughter of Hades, thusly swear on the River Styx to take Gracie Gray, child of Hecate and Kura Potter as my daughters, to love and cherish to my utmost ability."

As the magical thunder that sealed the Oath and formalized their family boomed in the background, Mina let out a happy squeal and pulling her into a hug began rubbing her cheek against Kura's. "I have a little sister to spoil now! We'll go hunting for sinners, we'll play in the park, we'll do lots and lots of pranks together!"

"W-What?! But Mina, what about me?" Gracie said as she pointed to herself and pouted most forlornly.

"Gracie, you're not my little sister, even if I'm technically older than you. You're more like a big sister since you're always reminding me how to behave and taking care of me and stuff. Besides, even if you didn't, you don't like it when I spoil you. You only like Mum spoiling you."

Gracie wrinkled her nose and agreed. "That's all very true."

"So Gracie is the big sister even though she's younger than you, Mina?" Kura asked, looking confused and curious all at once.

"Yup~!" "Unfortunately." Her sisters replied, Mina cheerfully and Gracie with resignation.

Alkaid and Pyrrha shared an amused look, before turning to watch indulgently as their children got to know the newly dubbed Kura better.

It was certainly a sight to behold for their growing family.


Knowing the Oaths would have been felt by their divine family, the very day after they'd been made, the Potter family had decided to take a trip to the Underworld so the new Potter daughters could be presented to their grandparents. Why the rush? Well, the longer they waited, the more likely Father and Mother would send Alecto to demand their presence and Alkaid very much wished to avoid her old nanny angrily showing up at her doorstep to deliver her even more angry parents' summons. Better to nip that prospect in the bud as quickly as possible, there was less likelihood of painful torment that way.

"Welcome to the Underworld. Specifically, welcome to Mother's garden in Father's Palace. '' Alkaid declared grandiosely for Gracie and Kura's benefit, it was their first time visiting, as her teleport deposited her and her family inside Persephone's Garden.

"Wow! So many creepy faces! Good thing their souls are dead now." Kura mused as she hung off Alkaid's arm, glancing around like a curious puppy and she admired the garden and looking particularly enthralled by the garden statues of petrified children, satyrs, and centaurs sporting grotesque smiles that Mother had bought from Medusa and scattered about her garden like macabre lawn gnomes.

"It's so pretty." Gracie gasped. "A little morbid, but still very beautiful."

"Agreed on both counts, Gracie." Pyrrha said with a amused chuckle as the whole family took a moment to admire the garden with its its cool and damp atmosphere courtesy of the brook wending through it and populated with luminous plants that could grow without sunlight, such as beautiful subterranean trees that glowed in the dark and white birch trees which soared into the air like frozen ghosts, along with orange blossoms that glowed neon bright in the dark. It also included skeletal trees that grew from marble basins, and flowers with blood-red and ghost white blooms. There were also poisonous scrubs and multi-colored mushrooms. And in the center of it all was an orchard of pomegranate trees, its fruit filling the whole garden with an overwhelmingly sweet tart smell. And in addition to these living things, the garden was further decorated by clumps of raw diamonds and piles of rubies as big as a human adult's fist, crystal trees and flower beds that overflowed with golden plants and gemstones and paths sculpted with rubies and topaz. Jewels that served to reflect the light from the bioluminescence of the living plants and fungi and made the whole garden appear much brighter than it really was.

"Mum~! After seeing Grammy and Grampy can we play with Cerby?" Mina asked excitedly, ignoring the garden entirely. Unsurprising since she'd been here often enough for its novelty to have long since worn off.

"Of course, we'll all play with him, dear. Though be sure to spend time with them as well, understood?" Alkaid gently instructed.

"Okay!" Mina chirped before she noticed how Kura seemed mesmerized by a patch of mushrooms that were glowing in a multitude of colors. "Kura, what's so interesting?"

"I wanna have fungus as pretty as this in my room."

"Kura, I don't think growing mushrooms in your room would be sanitary." Gracie chided.

"She could grow them in a terrarium," Mother suggested as she walked over dressed in overalls and with a ghoul servant trailing behind her carrying a tray of fresh bioluminescent fungi that she had presumably been in the middle of planting before Alkaid and her family had arrived.

"Mother, so grand to see you. Your pallor is radiant as always this time of year. It goes well with the reddish brown hair you're sporting today, the contrast is beautiful." Alkaid said in greeting as she walked forward and embraced the goddess.

"You flatterer, you," Mother snorted even as she happily returned the hug. "I'm pale as a ghost right now and I know it. I hardly look good."

"I happen to think being pale suits you." Alkaid countered smoothly as she and her mother pulled apart.

"Hello, Lady Persephone." Pyrrha greeted, offering Mother a curtsy.

"Hello Pyrrha and Olympus, there's no need to be so formal, daughter-in-law." Mother said with a chuckle. "Nice dress by the way. I'm glad to see your efforts to embrace your femininity are going well."

"I know, but manners and all, Lady Persephone. If not, Alkaid would tan my hide." Pyrrha said with a grin. "And thank you for the compliment. Gracie helped me pick it out."

"And not in a fun way, no doubt." The older goddess tittered.

Pyrrha turned a delectable shade of red.

Smirking at the response she'd gotten from Alkaid's wife, Mother turned to Gracie. "And you helped your mother pick out her dress, Gracie? You have good taste."

"Hello, Lady Persephone. Uh, it wasn't that hard." Gracie said nervously. "Miss Py- I mean Mama just showed me a few outfits and asked me which looked best. I was just honest."

"Take the compliment dear, it's easier than humility." Mother said with a smile. "And call me Grandmother or Grammy like your sister does. You're Alkaid's daughter now and that makes you my granddaughter, so it's only fitting."

Gracie blushed but nodded.

"Speaking of granddaughters… Alkaid, where have your other two girls gone?"

"There," Alkaid said with an amused grin, knowing full well her mother hadn't lost track of Kura and Mina for a second, and pointed to the two aforementioned girls as they crowded around the poor ghoul carrying the tray of fungi and looking with entranced fascination at the colorful mushrooms.

"Mina Potter, Kura Potter," Mother said, calling out to the girls in a firm voice. "Don't crowd the poor ghoul like that. You're making the poor man flustered."

"But Grammy, the pretty mushrooms!" Mina whined.

"I want some for my room!" Kura added with a pout.

"Then we can work on that later. Now come here and greet me properly." Mother chided them in a tone only a mother could. Alkaid still had much to learn on that front.

"Sorry, Grammy." The two girls chorused as they raced to give Mother a hug that the Queen of the Underworld happily returned.

"Good girls." Mother said as she released the hug and pecked both Mina and Kura on their foreheads before turning to Alkaid. "Now tickled pink at having a third grandchild to spoil so suddenly though I am, I must ask, Alkaid, will I be getting a fourth soon? You are working on conceiving with Pyrrha, correct?"

That earned blushes from the couple.

"We, um, dunno?" Pyrrha admitted. "We never really talked about it."

"Uh, m-maybe after the war?" Alkaid suggested as she tried to calm her blazing cheeks.

"I hope it's soon." Mina piped up.

"Yup," Kura agreed. "More siblings means more people to play with!"

Mother chuckled at their enthusiasm whilst shooting Gracie a questioning look.

"I believe in letting Sensei and Mama decide on their own," the chestnut haired daughter of Hecate said, offering Alkaid and Pyrrha a smile. "But I wouldn't be opposed to new siblings."

"Seems like your girls want you to have a baby, Alkaid, Pyrrha." Mother teased. "So why don't you two start working on it?"

Alkaid and Pyrrha both sputtered at that but were thankfully saved from answering when a ghoul servant came running over from the direction of the palace

"My ladies," the new arrival said as he came to a stop next to them. "Lord Hades, is asking what's the hold up?"

Alkaid and Mother sighed in sync at that, much to the amusement of everyone else there. Even the ghoul servants. Not that they cared.

"Hades has no patience." Mother said, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Not when it comes to family, and not when he doesn't have to exercise it." Alkaid added.

Mother nodded in agreement. "Shall we go? If we keep him waiting any longer, he'll probably come fetch us himself. Or worse, send Melinoe to do so."

"Mel isn't that bad," Alkaid insisted loyally in defense of her big sister even as they all began making their way towards the palace and the Throne Room where Father waited.

"You only say that because she adores you and pampers you, Alkaid." Mother said with a shake of her head.

"Well, I am here, aren't I?" Alkaid said with a smirk.

Mother rolled her eyes at her for that. "Yes, you are, dear. And I'm happy that you are."

Alkaid offered her mother a happy smile at that.


Entering into the throne room of his palace, Alkaid found her Father seated on his huge black onyx throne decorated with many carved skulls on top of the dais at the end of the expansive chamber. He looked as good as he always did, looking tall, imposing and muscular with albino white skin, intense black eyes, and shoulder-length black hair, the bangs of which covered most of his forehead. Standing just below the dais and to his right was Alkaid's eldest sister, Melinoe with pale Caucsian skin, which was something of a departure from her usual albino skin, and the same black hair like Alkaid and their Father. Next to her and fidgeting nervously whilst clutching a supportive hand offered to her by Melinoe was Alkaid's other older sister, Makaria, who was sporting Father's albino white skin and a head of long, snow white hair.

So it's just family today? Alkaid thought as she noted the absence of the other members of Father's court. I guess Father wants to keep things private.

"Meeting his new granddaughters for the first time? Of course he would. He can debut them to his court at a later date." Mother said with a chuckle before giving Alkaid's shoulder a squeeze before walking ahead to take her seat atop her onyx throne decorated by carvings of a myriad of blooming flowers.

"Father, Mother, dearest Sisters, may I introduce you to Kura Potter. The newest member of our household?"

"Hi." Kura chirped, glued to Alkaid's side as she looked around the throne room. Probably thinking of what little pranks she could pull here.

Alkaid would have to dissuade her of such notions later. Throne room pranks never went well. Gods did not appreciate anything that might harm their thrones, one of their greatest symbols of power, and Father was no exception to that.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, little one. I am your grandfather, Hades." Father greeted the Zashiki-warashi with a warm smile he reserved only for family though it faded quickly and he became stern. "But fair warning, no pranks in the throne room. And keep any other pranks you might play whilst down here in the Underworld tame. Remember your promise to your mothers and sisters."

Kura gulped and nodded her head fearfully.

"F-Father, you're scaring her." Makaria spoke up, shooting Father a cross look which for her was a sign of deep disapproval.

"She is a Zashiki-warashi. Pranks are in her nature. The warning is necessary." Father grumbled.

"Yes, dear, but it need not have been so harsh." Mother said with an exasperated shake of her head. "I can tell that Kura is a good girl, she'll behave. You didn't need to scare her like that."

"Yeah, Dad, you were just being mean."

Desperate for support as he was being ganged up on by everyone, Father shot Alkaid a pleading look but she just shot him a dispassionate look as she patted a frightened Kura's back comfortingly. He had scared her daughter with his overly harsh tone. He deserved getting picked on for it.

Seeing he was not getting any support, Father huffed in annoyance and sank back into his throne looking miserable. Something that had Mother, Alkaid and her sisters all rolling their eyes at him.

"Sorry about Father being mean, Kura. He can't help himself." Makaria said as she turned to offer Kura a brilliant smile. "And welcome to the family. I'm your Auntie Makaria."

"Hello, Auntie Makaria." Kura replied with a tentative smile of her own.

"Nice to meet you, kiddo." Melione said, offering Kura a welcoming wave that Kura returned before turning to Alkaid with an exasperated look. "But Little Sis, are you forgetting something?"

Alkaid was about to reply by pointing out she was taking things one step at a time, but Pyrrha just preempted her with a sigh.

"Nah. 'Kaidy just thought introducing Kura first made more sense since she's new. It's not like you all haven't met Gracie before."

Gracie offered a tiny wave.

"That's fair, I suppose." Melinoe allowed.

Pyrrha and Melinoe getting along!? Has the sun frozen over!? Alkaid couldn't help but think, only for her sister to roll her eyes and respond to her unspoken thoughts, which she must've read, telepathically.

You're married to and have three kids with her now, Al. I'm not stupid. I know you and her are serious. Of course I'd start making an effort to get along better with her. The goddess of ghosts replied, sounding exasperated that Alkaid would think otherwise. If for no other reason than I won't hear the end of it from Mother to try if I didn't. Doesn't mean I still don't think you could've done better though.

Maybe, but Pyrrha is who I want. She completes me.

Melinoe's reply was a gagging sound that filled Alkaid's mind but which just had her smiling at her sister with amusement as she replied. Thank you, Sister.

Anything for you, Little Sis.

Whilst Alkaid was distracted with her telepathic conversation with her sister, Pyrrha had stepped forward and gently pushed Gracie forward as she did before she declared. "Lord Hades, Lady Persephone, Lady Melinoe, Lady Makaria, I present you with our newly adopted daughter, Gracie Gray."

"Congratulations on being formally accepted into the family, Gracie." Father said as graciously as his sulking allowed, causing his wife and daughters to once more roll their eyes at him.

"Thank you, Lo-"

"Call me Grandfather," Father corrected Gracie mid-curtsy. "You are Alkaid's daughter now, it is only right."

"Yes, like I said in the garden, you're our granddaughter now. There is no need for formality between us." Mother added, offering Gracie an encouraging smile.

"Thank you, Grandfather, Grandmother." Gracie said with a sheepish smile.

Mother pouted at that. "Grandmother? Why not call me Grammy like your sisters do?"

Gracie looked panicked but Melinoe just snorted and cut in. "'Cos she's more mentally mature? Grammy is okay for the kiddos, but look at her Mum, her tits are growing in already." Gracie blushed crimson at the mention of her growing bust and Pyrrha quickly gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze even as Melinoe continued speaking. "You think a girl her age would call their grandmother something that childish?"

"I suppose," Mother conceded, sounding disappointed nonetheless. "And Mel, please don't be so crass when talking about your nieces'. Impressionable ears, dear."

"Bah! They've heard worse."

"Maybe, Sister, but that doesn't mean you should add to it." Makaria said, shooting Melinoe her equivalent of a glare, which amounted to little more than an unhappy look.

"Yes, Mel, please don't." Alkaid added firmly. She loved her sister to bits but that did not mean she'd allow her to corrupt her precious daughters with her foul language.

"Especially not when you're talking about our daughters' growing bodies, Lady Melinoe." Pyrrha said warningly.

"And now I'm Dad apparently." Melinoe whined as everyone ganged up on her.

"Ha!" Father laughed, looking greatly amused, before he stood from his throne. "But now that the formal introductions are done and the Ancient Laws are satisfied that I've accepted your girls into the House of Hades, Melinoe, Makaria-"

Before Father could even finish, in an unexpected turn of events, Makaria teleported away from Melinoe's side and next to Alkaid and Kura. And before Alkaid could turn to her, her sister had pulled Kura from her side and into a tight hug.

"Yay! I've been waiting to do this since Alkaid adopted her. I finally have a niece to spoil rotten!" Makaria cheered as she gushed over Kura, who despite her surprise promptly returned the hug. The spirit just loved getting positive attention.

"Ehem!" Mina pouted, hands to her side as her cheeks were puffed up with a glare aimed at her aunt.

"I mean, you're my niece too, but you're super scary in that cute sort of way. You gel more with Auntie Mel than me, sweetie." Makaria said, shooting Melinoe a look.

Alkaid's eldest sister looked like a doe in headlights at that, especially as Mina spun towards her expectantly.

"Huh? Oh, uh, maybe we can hang out sometime?" Melinoe said hesitantly, shifting a bit and crossing her arms. Trying to go for the cool aunt vibe no doubt. "We could make, um, ghosts together. Family bonding and shit."

"I like making ghosts! Especially in horrible ways!" "Mina gushed gleefully. "But you promise? You've never taken me out before, Auntie Mellie…"

"She promises, sweetie." Mother promised on her daughter's behalf. "Right, Mellie?"

"We seriously gotta use that here?" The goddess of ghosts complained, her pale skin turning to her usual deathly white-blue pallor for a moment. "But sure, yeah. When we got the time, Squirt."

Mina cheered, hands in the air with youthful jubilation before scampering over to hash out details with a reluctant Melinoe.

"Do I get an aunt to spoil me as well, Sensei?" Gracie asked, small giggles hidden behind her hand.

"No, sadly the quota has been met. Unless Father and Mother wish to sire a new addition to the House." She jested and looked to her parents amusingly, who rolled their eyes.

"Three daughters are enough." Mother chimed pleasantly as her Father sagged.

"I need an immortal son." Father said, rubbing his face, looking playfully haggard. "If only Zagreus hadn't been reincarnated as Dionysus."

The women of the House of Hades rolled their eyes as one. They've heard that complaint often enough. Unlike the rest of them, Father had never gotten over the fact that his only son with Mother, Zagreus, had after being killed by one of the Titans' revenge schemes after the First Titanomachy, had his essence stolen by Zeus, Father's words, and was reincarnated as Dionysus. Nevermind that said reincarnation was done under the auspices of the Fates and was entirely outside the control of even the King of Olympus. Instead, as befit his nature, it had become one of the many slights against him that Father held Zeus and Olympus in general responsible for.

Thankfully, the old hurt had mostly faded now and he was able to joke about it. Though Alkaid did not miss Mother placing a comforting hand on Father's shoulder at the mention of their lost son.

Turning away from the private scene between her parents, Alkaid addressed Gracie, continuing where she left off before the interruption. "However, I can speak with your godly mother. Mayhaps she could spare some time to give you private lessons when we visit the Underworld."

The daughter of magic's eyes lit up gleefully at the idea.

"Of course I can spare time for my daughter," a voice said sweetly as there was a crackle of flame as a portal of Mist appeared in the throne room that allowed Lady Hecate, twin torches in hand, to step through it.

Taking on an appearance that sported emerald eyes, glossy black hair that reached her lower back and adorned in an elegant black dress. The goddess of magic certainly knew how to make a dramatic entrance and look fabulous while doing so.

"Mother?" Gracie gasped as her birth mother walked towards her, her torches transforming into Mist and dissipating as she did, leaving her hands empty and allowing her to wrap her daughter in a hug.

One that Gracie hesitantly returned. Alkaid understood. It must be intensely awkward for her apprentice and adopted daughter. She'd just been adopted and now her birth mother who she'd barely even known shows up and was being openly affectionate? Gracie must be feeling so confused.

"You are lucky your new sister can mitigate the effects of the Labyrinth." Lady Hecate said, stroking Gracie's hair soothingly. "Walking into that Pit damned place? Folly. Foolishness of the highest order."

"Yes, but Mina drives me crazy in other ways." Gracie quipped as she pulled back from the hug. "She and Kura both."

"True, but that is the way of siblings. Speaking of that, I worry for your other siblings." Hecate said, causing Gracie to frown for a moment at this, before her eyes widened in realization. "I hope you can be a rallying point for them in the coming days. A means to break away from my more ambitious children with jaded world views. The young can still be pardoned. At least, I've been lobbying the Council to show that leniency when the war is done."

Gracie just nodded halfheartedly and Hecate frowned before sighing.

"Apologies. I see now, daughter." Hecate said, sounding sad. "I see, you've chosen a new path haven't you, dear?"

Gracie nodded and stepped away from Hecate and towards Alkaid and Pyrrha so that they were both flanking her. Instinctively, Alkaid and Pyrrha both looped an arm over their daughter's shoulders.

Hecate looked misty eyed, but smiled nonetheless.

"I understand, Gracie." She said, as she stepped forward and kissed her daughter's forehead. "This is Alabaster's fault. His actions are what drove you away."

"He is no brother of mine, Mother. Nor are any of my former brothers and sisters who follow him." Gracie confirmed even as her shoulders shivered as she undoubtedly recalled some of the horrors that the older son of Hecate's decision to side with the Titans had forced her to witness and endure.

"That is your choice, dear. You have my blessing for whatever path you choose to walk." Hecate said with a nod before finally turning her attention away from Gracie, who was left teary eyed at her birth mother's blessing of her choice, to address Father and Mother who had stood nearby expectantly as she spoke with her daughter.

"Lord Hades, Persephone, apologies for the intrusion. I sensed my daughter was visiting and decided to stop by to speak with her."

"Think nothing of it, Hecate. You are always welcome in my home, old friend." Mother greeted the other goddess with a hug.

"Yes, Hecate, you are a family friend. You are always welcome." Father added. "Though are you sure it is wise of you to be here? Will this not affect the neutral stance you have been maintaining so far?"

"Hardly," Hecate said with a shake of her head as she and Mother separated. "I'll just stop by Othrys later to have tea with Circe. That should even things out nicely."

"That works I suppose." Mother said, consideringly. "Though I can't imagine such a visit will be pleasant. The Titans will almost certainly pressure you to join them."

"Undoubtedly," Hecate said with a sigh. "Honestly, with how heavy handed their recent attempts have been, you'd think they're losing this war. They reek of desperation."

"Are they? Losing, I mean?" Alkaid asked, hopefully.

"They certainly think so," Hecate said with a shrug. "But then again this war was always an uphill battle for them just as the First Titanomachy was one for the gods. The reigning power is not easily overthrown and thanks to you and your wife, the gods have mended many strained relationships that would otherwise have lent the Titans mighty allies. That said, one should not assume the outcome until the ink is dry."

Alkaid nodded, frowning worriedly.

"You worry too much, Alkaid." Mother chided. "Have faith in our ultimate victory and do your best in the meantime."

"Indeed," Father said, echoing the sentiment, before turning to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, where did you learn to be so formal? I did not expect such a tone from you when you introduced Gracie earlier."

Pyrrha blushed at this. "Uh, I practiced beforehand. Alkaid explained how the Ancient Laws would need you to formally accept Gracie and Kura into the House of Hades. I know you were informal when you did it for Mina, but considering the circumstances back then that was understandable. This time, we were pretty sure you'd want it to be at least a little more formal. And I didn't want to screw that up for my daughters, so I did some research."

"Why not just leave it to Sensei, Mama?" Gracie asked, surprised by the lengths Pyrrha had gone.

Pyrrha shrugged. "I can't leave everything to 'Kaidy, Gracie. Besides, I'll need to be the one to do it when we do it for my Dad anyways."

"That might be more difficult than you think." Father said with a frown. "Ares rarely recognizes his legacies. He might Claim all of his half-bloods, but he is notorious for his lack of affection towards them, much less towards their children."

"Oh, I know." Pyrrha said with a sigh. "And I know it's an uphill battle to get him to accept the girls as his granddaughters. He's not even done so formally for Mina yet. But I've still gotta try. My girls deserve it."

Gracie, the only one of their daughters within earshot to hear Pyrrha at the moment, smiled brilliantly at that and engulfed her in a tight hug as everyone else looked on indulgently.

The family moment was cut short though when there was a knock on the closed throne room doors.

"What is it?" Father hissed, irritated at the interruption.

"My lord, the lunch that Lady Persephone asked to be prepared is ready." A ghoul servant replied from the other side of the heavy Stygian Iron doors.

Father looked at Mother inquiringly at that.

"What? Did you think I wouldn't have a meal ready to celebrate my new granddaughters?" Mother asked with a roll of her eyes before she clapped her hands to gather the attention of Melinoe, Makaria, Mina and Kura who had been busy talking in their pairs whilst the others chatted. "Alright everyone, it's time for lunch. We can keep talking over something to eat. So let's head to the dining room now."

This was met with agreement from everyone and soon the gathered members of the newly expanded House of Hades and their guest, Hecate, began making their way to the palace's dining room, chatting happily all the while.

It was truly a fine family day, in Alkaid's admittedly biased judgment.


Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!

And so, the littlest rascal of the Potter family has been invited into the fold! Yes, a house spirit from Japan tagged along and brought with her all kinds of innocent mischief. Hope you enjoyed it, plus her looking like a mini-Alkaid was just too good of a thing to pass up!

Nameless: Indeed. By the way, some might think some of the pranks went beyond mere mischief and entered into the realm of actual maliciousness. There might be some truth to that, but to be fair to Kura, she's pretty much a baby. She was getting the hang of what is considered good fun and what's going too far.

And we have most of the whole family together. Some call outs to the Hades game. That was a fun little nugget to toss in. Hecate does some mom stuff, but while Gracie still loves her mom, she has her own family to cherish now.

Nameless: Yeah, and after what she endured following Alabaster… Remember that the monsters that he allied his siblings with liked eating half-bloods and "doing things" to little girls… Gracie might not have been a victim to their depredations but she definitely saw it. Taking that into account, I think you can imagine why she's so strongly disassociated herself from her fellow children of Hecate.

On another note about Gracie, you might have noticed that she's not as loopy as in the last Book. This is because more time has passed and the effects of the Labyrinth have faded. Plus Mina is a positive influence. But that doesn't mean she's cured. Far from it. She just has a better handle on it. When she does let it loose though… Well, fun things happen. An unhinged mystiokinetic? Can you imagine the insanity they can unleash? Lovecraft country inbound, anyone?

E4E: You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!