Αναβολή των Αργοναυτών!

by lazyfrogofjustice

The world needs heroes, but of what kind? The Modern, the classical, or just the casualties of a recent end-of-the-world scenario that included Greek Gods and Heroes? Whatever the case, they sure are here and breathing, wishing to take the world in a new direction completely...

16. Changing Tides Part 3

Changing Tides 1.3

"Now that looks absolutely wonderful. I've had my fair share of Soufflé back in the day but with how creative these new ones look I feel like they already qualify as cakes!" the Admiral or Drake as she called herself said across him with the table they shared in a quieter spot of the party. The catering staff was still active on where they were as there were a handful of pairs joining them seeking to have a much more relaxed atmosphere compared to what was happening inside.

The woman right across him was very engrossed with her food and drink, not in a ravenous way, but rather in a strangely ornate and fanciful set of motions that indicated she grew from a very wealthy family despite her rugged looks when she was in her hero persona. She even tipped the waitress that was serving them as she smiled dearly by meeting his eyes while she took a bite out of her Soufflé.

She then moaned in appreciation as she wiped her lips.

"That was bloody good. You should try it actually, might make this little talk of ours, comfortable you see." She playfully teased as she leaned forward with an elbow on the table, her infamous bust while relatively covered modestly in her dress was still clear to his eyes. It was not flirting per se, but Butcher knew that she was relishing in his very clearly visible discomfort.

"No thanks, might grow meself a pair of tits too." He replied with a snark as she grinned.

"You're probably the first person in a long time to make that joke, but no… my babies are the real deal, and no amount of eating has inflated them one-bit, good sir." She snarked back as he frowned. His discomfort rising to a surreal amount as this woman was clearly playing around with him after he was ruined over a very amateurish mistake.

One that he had been cursing himself for the whole night.

"Nothing to say, mister? Or are you simply amazed by being in the presence of one such as I?" she then began laughing to herself as he watched. "I'm joking, I'm not one of those stupid high-class sods that have so much self-importance. I do have an ego though, somethin' so big that I'm very much proud of and I am very, very respectful of people that are gutsy, and you are pretty brave for even attempting something…"

She grinned in delight as she took another spoonful.

"… out in the open…"

Then another.

"… in front of a lot of people…

Then she took a sip of her drink as Butcher's discomfort reached a boiling point.

"…and basically exposing yourself should one stupid muppet accidentally see you with what you're doing to that poor pretty lady you were spiking the drink with."

"And?" he spitefully said.

"Well, I guess my first question is, what the hell was your plan there? What were you gonna do if one person did see you? What could you even achieve knowing that the entire party is heavily guarded and populated by a rather hefty number of enhanced individuals that could end you with just a simple flick of their fingers?"

She had a point. She made too much sense with those questions.

Though stubborn as he was, Butcher came up with the same excuse he always said to Raynor, Mallory, and his old OIC back in the day in his service.

"I always think of something."

The moment he said that there was a small window of silence, with the muffled music of the dance inside being the primary slew of sounds as the woman stared at him. Expecting to be ridiculed, screamed at, or flat-out laughed at for how admittedly stupid that excuse was, he certainly did not expect when the woman simply smiled with a tinge of admiration in her storm-blue eyes.

A small, impressed giggle was what he got and strangely, it was not because of pity for him, nor did she seemingly belittle his stupid excuse.

"I see. I highly expected a stupid idiot who had all the plans in his head. Very proud, very astute, and very loyal to the art of espionage who fucking folds the single moment their plan gets ruined. I've met a lot of them lately actually, pitiful boys and gals that think they can run past my watchful eyes. They make the title of assassins and spies get a bad name due to how easy they are in thinking they're better than the people they're spying with."

Butcher immediately understood quickly why this woman was in the gala in the first place.

He mentally cursed himself now that he was here and given the very small chance of him getting away unscathed, or fuck it, alive… he was now very concerned and afraid of what would happen next.

Yet, the atmosphere this woman exuded was not of a torturer nor of a person that was about to enact some form of delusional justice on him, but that of a friendly, albeit flirty companion that was genuinely enjoying his discomfort and company in a very strange yet vague way.

"But enough of them, I'm here for you… and clearly, I'm very much mistaken about what I expected. If anything, my expectations were all solidly blown aside and replaced with something I am very much happy about." She proudly said as she laughed with good will before she called the waitress again to get them a full bottle each.

Butcher watched in a confused manner as the conversation took a turn that he did not expect it to. The Admiral was a well-renowned figure, especially in the regions of the world that she frequently showed in, if Lancer was the overall favorite heroine that most of the world admired, then the Admiral was a woman that a good majority of the countries she touched loved the most due to the variety of feats in her name and the general energetic and lovable atmosphere that she exuded in her cavalier attitude.

She was dangerous of course, very dangerous despite being without her infamous ship that shot beams of light that like every trinket Olympia possessed, was on the wish list of every defense department and military organization around the world, despite hearing that they would have been impossible, or impractical at first glance.

"And that is?" he asked, afraid of the answer.

"You're like me." She said with a full grin while Butcher stared.

"I… I don't follow." He said with all honesty as she giggled.

"It's simple. You're a doer not just a plain old planner that gets shit done. You don't care about any sort of contingency unless that contingency involves something you are actually interested in. You're the stubborn kind of coot that doesn't take no for an answer and just rides with the waves whenever things get bad." She then smiled as bit by bit; Butcher was starting to realize that she had hit all the points in regards to him as every sentence brokered a memory that he was very familiar with. She then took another sip of her drink, emptying it before pouring another with the bottle she ordered recently. "Lastly, you're the sort of person that looks death in the eye and doesn't ever blink, even if it's assured that you are going to kick the bucket, you don't give a shit regardless."

She then leaned back, relishing in the small victory of how his face seemed to turn into an ever-present frown with how she described, essentially what he was as a person.

Were these Olympia fuckers psychic? With Jason first, and now this woman…

"Am I warm with that mister? Or should I continue?"

His face then turned into anger. Anger with all the teasing. Anger that he was seemingly put into a stupid microscope by these people, even if they were right. It was an absolute breach in his personal space, and he couldn't care less if any of the consequences resulted in him getting hurt or worse.

"Get… to the fucking point, woman." He stressed.

"Oho… that attitude too. Maybe not so much like me, but certainly something close. Albeit very abrasive." She once again teased, not in a passively flirtatious way anymore though unbothered by his anger. "Impossible to you is just a word, right? It's just a fancy word describing a goal that to any normal man is unreachable. Even if to some people, that goal comes off as idiotic. I've certainly been called that in my life many times, but I've proven everybody wrong and you're certainly on that path, you just haven't reached the goal yet, but are determined to."

She then nodded, mostly to herself as she looked at Butcher.

"You've earned yourself my respect good sir. So, cheers!" she suddenly said with a grin as she raised her glass, leaving a still confused Butcher who kept staring at her. "Well, aren't you going to join me?"

"Is this all a joke to you?" he asked.

Her cheerful demeanor suddenly turned into a confused expression. Then into a small hint of wounded pride and anger at him for daring to even say that. "Don't go there, I warn you. I've already stated the reasons for my respect for you clearly and none of that was in essence, a 'joke'." Her expression then turned friendly again. "...so do me a favor and accept my gratitude, because I have always been a terrible liar, so you can count on me being honest a hundred and ten times always."

He did not believe that one bit but given her very honest attitude so far barring her role in security, Butcher at the very least acknowledged her words at least. Especially since her ire was summoned briefly and that tiny little expression awakened a sort of intimidation within him that made him sweat a nervous bit for a few seconds. The relatively harmless, beautiful, and dangerous woman had him feeling nervous compared to literally all the kinds of Supes he had seen closely or even face to face.

Not even Homelander elicited that kind of intimidation, but most of Olympia's Supes did.

Raising his glass, Butcher tested the waters if her words were of any merit at all.

Hidden agendas were a thing, and despite her being genuine enough through body language and history. A question still remained if she was supposedly just a jolly-loving lass that sailed the seas that can't lie for shit, so he still kept his suspicions up against her.

As their glasses clinked, her mood then returned back to normal.

"There you go… now, was that so hard?" she asked teasingly as she took another spoonful of her dish to finish it all up. "By the Queen, this is absolutely delicious. You need to try it."

Suddenly in the background, a good deal of howls and cheers could be heard, Butcher paid no attention to it as the center of his fear was still in front of him. Though the sounds of the main party getting louder indicated all sorts of things that he would most likely pay attention to, alas he couldn't.

"What's your plan with me? We've sat here, you being jollier than a drunk cunt on a payday, and I still don't fucking know what the hell it is that you want out of me. I don't think talking applies to that, yeah? Because if that's the case then you're a poor conversationalist so far."

"How am I a poor conversationalist? I've been very clear since we first started, it's you who's been forcing yourself to act all uncomfortable and queasy when I've been nothing but a good sport ever since we started. I haven't lied to you one bit and frankly, you being far too suspicious and paranoid is probably the reason you haven't ever achieved your goal yet." She explained with a shrug as he looked at her.

"Well… if we're being fair like that, lass, then you would be prudent to know that I'm just a normal man, compared to you. Whatever the fuck you and Olympia's cunts are. So of course, I'll be concerned. Imagine negotiating with a trigger-happy moron knowing that he can just aim that gun at me and end it all. So, I apologize if I came off as nervous. I mean who wouldn't?" He snarked with a bit of levity back in a challenging notion as she grinned at his response, seemingly joyful at his change in tone.

"That's true!" she readily admitted as she laughed out loud. "Though if I'd have been a normal pretty face with a nice set of tits and a lovely ass, what would you have done then?"

"Fuck you, you're not even a pretty face to begin with. That scar fucking ruins the image." He said as he downed his glass to empty. "… and I'm sure you already got me psyched up on what I'd do." He conceded as she hummed at his words.

"First of all, this?" she motioned to her scar. The most noteworthy feature of her appearance. "This is a badge of honor I wear with pride. Makes me essentially a man in all but name. One that's not a cowardly bitch, but instead takes names and plunders with all the thunder and lightning of sweet, sweet bravado." She smiles at him as she takes the full bottle head-on instead of her glass and chugs it without issue. "I would never replace nor remove this part of myself at all because I earned it, name and glory all."

He found himself smirking at her for that. Respecting at the very least how she prided that feature of herself instead of the others that to even Butcher himself was more so alluring.

She then raised a finger. "…Second, I'm no psychic that reads minds but I for one know what cleaning evidence means, but even then, in a high-security party such as this, you're bound to be found out even if you tried."

"I know." He admitted bitterly. "…Though what does that mean to you if I may ask? Is there really no consequence for me at all? Or are you just happy that you met a man with good looks being one of your aforementioned prey?"

"Meh, I've seen a lot of handsome and beautiful people, conquered them too, but I already told you didn't I?" she said as she mockingly waved him away to Butcher's eye roll. "…I respect your attempt, your drive, and basically your gun-ho attitude at doing something stupid like this. Because that's all me. You remind me of myself and any sailor worthy enough to be respected by Admiral Drake is a sailor worth being friends with! Bonus if you're a fellow countryman, which you qualify."

"Worthy of being friends with, is a stretch." He said.

"But it's a stretch worth sailing for." She finished with a soft giggle as she leaned closer to him.

"So, you're going to give me a pass? All of that, without any consequence, because you like me?" he asked, ultimately curious as the woman had been confusing him to no end. So much so that any training, experience, and the like were fumbling just having a conversation with her and her strange antics.

"Of course not. You still did something pretty suspicious at a party where my boss is. I'm not giving you a pass just from that because you already have my respect."

He frowned as he tapped his glass with his fingers, nervous about what she would say next.

"Then why aren't you acting on it? You here to send me to him? Maybe even kill me the moment this party ends?" he said slowly as the woman looked at him.

"Kill you? Probably not. What good would that accomplish anyway? No, it's something more important, and you need to earn it in a bit more for both of us to get what we want."

"And what do I want, huh?" he challenged.

"Specimens, specifically blood from both Vought targets and Olympia alike."

Butcher's eyes widened as she leaned closer.

"I'm warm aren't I, Mr. William Butcher?"

"How the fuck do you know my name?" he asked as he blanched in fear. She then placed a small vial on the table, one that contained a tag with a series of letters and words he could not understand. Strapped to said tag was a small device that looked like a small storage drive.

"This is what you want right? The kind from that lady that you wanted to extract from, complete with full details of what you and your benefactors want, probably." She then pulled those items away with a smile as she grabbed the bottle again.

"It's half of what you want I know, but I can always supply the other half if you wish. You just need to humor me, Mr. Butcher, that's all I ask."

Butcher then started to realize that he was in no position to actually make a choice.

"And if I decline?" he asked.

She then tilted her head as if in question. "…well, I won't give you the package at all, that's assured. You'd probably stand up, walk away and I won't even follow you as you leave peacefully. It's unlikely you would even attempt something again, given my comrades will probably catch on to you if you did, and you'd be hard-pressed to get anybody's blood knowing that all your targets are neither drunk nor inactive so far tonight."

"I'm a real patient person." He said teasingly with a full smile.

"You think I'm the kind to fall drunk on my ass?"

He smiled again. "I can take half of my intended goal you know. I can always fish another sample some other time." It was like they were one-upping each other, both unintentionally enjoying the exchange, if only for their clashing egos to be sated.

"Yeah, sure… good luck with that. Still, you have zero options here, and I don't think you're that patient. The way I see it you have better luck taking my deal now rather than later, especially since we both have the same overall goal after all."

"And that is?"

"Taking down Vought." She stated simply as she poured them both a drink.

Butcher blinked at that new development as questions started to rise in his head. Of course, every player would wish for their rival to be supplanted but it was strange why she was so open with it, and why she was so trusting of it despite probably knowing his background.

"You're gambling with the wrong person here, Admiral." He stated.

"Au contraire, Mr. Butcher, you're the kind of person that actually takes these sorts of deals, as it is too good to pass on. We're alike after all, regardless of whoever backstabs the other first, the temptation is there. The pot of gold is just at the end of the rainbow, you're near it, you just need to grab it."

"There's literally no strings attached, huh?" he asked.

"None. Even if you don't trust my words, I can always just send these items back to your benefactors, directly. My boss won't care either way, but I know for sure you would want to relish in the fact that you owned this moment, this little leg up against Vought, regardless of how risky it is." She said as their faces were now mere inches away. Their large personalities clashed against each other and despite Butcher's own buckling under her gaze, he was standing his ground with a contemplative frown.

"What do I need to do then?" he asked, relenting.

She then laughed loudly as she leaned back, in joy and celebration as the cheering inside of the party was now at its peak as if shadowing the victory that Drake had just earned. "It's simple! Spend the night with me and just enjoy some jolly, good time. Earn your reward by partying with me and I'll make sure your troubles and tribulations will be alleviated come morning… Captain's… I mean Admiral's promise." She cheekily said as she raised a glass to him.

"That's all I need to do huh? Just fuck around with you and party?" he said as he raised his glass in amusement as the music inside reached a crescendo.

"Yeah, I didn't come here to this party to do work! I'm here to have fun and you are going to be my partner for the night."

"What about your actual partner?" Butcher asked after raising a toast together.

"He's busy with other stuff… don't mind him and just relax."

"Fuck it… ain't got nothing else to do, so why the hell not?"

"That's the spirit!" She then shouted to the waitress again to get them more food and drink as Butcher sighed, though a part of him was already enjoying how frank the woman was and how she never backed down against him at all despite all of his negativity.

Trust was still an issue for him, but given her words earlier, it seemed like he and Raynor could use this new development of what Olympia seemingly planned to do and the cynic deep inside of him was already thinking of ideas on how to best exploit that little detail to the fullest.

"I'm telling you right now, you won't regret your decision one bit. A day with me is a day for the ages." She promised as she poured him a glass, only for him to raise his hand.

"If I'm doing this, I better be beating you in something. So, give me a goddamn whole bottle."

She looked surprised at first before her grin turned very jolly but ferally challenging smile.

"Oho… Mr. Butcher thinks he can win against me in a challenge?" She then sipped her bottle and leaned forward. He suddenly began to realize that a bit of her intimidating demeanor was cast in that one sentence as the hungry, voracious, and conquering woman before him was now fully invested in his presence. "I've never been beaten in any sort of jolly sport, ever, Mr. Butcher, so you better make sure that bravado is not just for show once I do beat you."

In part, he smiled inwardly himself, if only to prove her wrong.

"What do you have in mind, as our first competition, my Lady?" he joked with an evil grin as they both laughed afterward. The music and cheering in the background died down as more claps and an energetic feeling tune came forward. The atmosphere was seemingly in line with the burgeoning challenge between them that was about to start.

"How about you suggest something first, then we'll go down from there." She said with a smile.

One that Butcher reciprocated.

It was going to be a long night…

And if William Butcher was going to get any enjoyment out of it, for the sake of his goal, the prospect of beating a Supe, an Olympain Supe, in something was going to be on the top of his list. Even if unintentionally, he was starting to like the lady for all her crazy and loud personality quirks.

Which was a start. A start of perhaps something less destructive down his path.

Time will tell.

---

MINUTES EARLIER…

Mandricardo blinked as he watched Caenis talk with the hired band that their master volunteered to provide for the gala. Normally he told him that when the invite was made in honor of Lady Atalanta, Vought would make sure to cater most of the event's necessities, but for the music, look, and aesthetic, their master kindly declined and asked for him to have personal input for them. They had refused at first, much as his master said but overall they were stonewalled when their master gave the argument that the entire gala was for Lady Atalanta's honor, and if they wished to honor her, only something worthy of her name needed to be on certain details for the event.

They relented of course, in fear of not having the event go through to not have them disastrously save face for such a blunder, but Mandricardo just found it a bit annoying and stupid that they did not even consult them one bit about this 'planned event' in the first place. He was much more vocal a bit to his master about it when they were both alone, but their master, the good man he was just said that it was fine.

The simple reason being that due to them relenting over the fact that Wodime would take over the finer details of the event's structure, was that the result was absolutely amazing. The event was created in such a way that it looked aesthetically pleasing to the point that it honored the great heritage that Lady Atalanta came from. From the lavish costumes that the waiters and waitresses wore to the dining ware the tables and the drinks had, it procured a vision that seemingly blended the ideal versions of both the old Grecian styles and a more modern tinge to it. The entire event was an ode to a period in history that even Mandricardo back then acknowledged with full amazement.

It became solidified as well by the fact that those in attendance, the people who were actually there in that part of history found the aesthetic of the gala, in their own ways, magnificent. Caenis, much to Mandricardo's observation before had found herself pleased with a gaze filled with so much emotion that if he were not as silent and observant as others in their master's roster, he would never have seen how surprised and nostalgic she was. Lady Atalanta was similarly bewildered by what she saw earlier when they walked the steps toward the entrance and was ultimately beguiled with so much happiness that she readily acknowledged it in her earlier speech. Even Lord Achilles was similarly impressed, if only through a whistle.

It was a brilliant show, one that gave another notch in Mandricardo's respect for his master above all else. The music, the lights, and how they shined upon the dancers, in this case Lord Achilles and Lady Atalanta in their motifs both Grecian and modern in appearance to their spectacular dance, elicited a very demure and captivating quality to the other pairs in the floor who were watching in awe. Their movements were in tune with the music as their pairing allowed everybody to see how remarkable they were as heroes.

Best of all, prior to the gala's start, it was revealed publicly that Lady Atalanta and Caenis' heritage were Grecian in origin. This prompted their homeland, or at least a version of their homeland in this world to be given a higher amount of praise and respect considering the two most important women in the world hailed from them. Greece's support for Olympia became impregnable as they not only formed strong attachments to his master's company, but they also helped in making this beautiful gala awe-inspiring and authentic to the very last detail. Even the musicians who were lent through Olympia's transport were the best musicians from Greece brought specifically for the event as national pride was in full swing. The celebrations and throes of honor from that country were wild the next few days when that announcement was made.

Despite this being primarily a Vought-hosted party, it was in essence, Olympia's party for Lady Atalanta. A fact that Mandricardo was sure, through sheer politics, that Vought was not taking well. Especially when they began hearing how much people cooed and were in awe of Lady Atalanta and Lord Achilles' dancing compared to the Vought heroes who were just playing second fiddle.

Mandricardo sighed as he watched the pairing in the center of the spotlight and the dance floor reach their crescendo as Lord Achilles swayed Lady Atalanta by his arms. The music, melodic and almost romantic in tone despite the two being close to siblings made Mandricardo realize that many would question what their relationship was.

Regardless, Mandricardo found it amazing that Greece had done so much just for this honor of their two heroes being publicly revealed to be hailing from their own. He began questioning himself in turn if his own countrymen would celebrate and honor his presence. Even if he was in essence, a king that was wrought with failure in the eyes of his countrymen due to how unsavory and humiliating his death had been. Compared to Caenis and Lady Atalanta, who were actual real figures that had feats and recognition to their names, history only remembered Mandricardo as a figure beaten by the husband of one of the strongest groups of knights of his time.

Would they actually celebrate him? Acknowledge him?

Or even talk about hi-

CLAP!

A heavy hand was slapped on his shoulder as Mandricardo was pulled back to the real world. His eyes widened in alertness as the lights dimmed around the party the only spotlight was on Atalanta and Achilles in their closing number. Caenis faced him with an excited grin as it seemed like she had gotten her objective done.

"Hey… we're almost up. Stop self-reflecting again, we're doing this, and I need you to get your game on." She said with a low tone as she took both his hands and they moved through the darkness of the dance floor with Mandricardo's heart beating out of his chest.

"B-But I don't even know what we're supposed to dance? We never practiced this." He said, his voice quivering on a bit of panic as she smiled, kindly this time.

"Why do we need to? If you're going to show the world that you matter Mandricardo, the best thing you need to do is take the leap of faith." The lights on Atalanta and Achilles started the dim as the music transitioned closely to something more melancholic, operatic, and poignant. Mandricardo watched Caenis through the dark who was still holding his hands squeezing his own.

"There's no time for shame tonight. If you want to be seen as Mandricardo, a hero worthy of your name, then let loose your fear and apprehension. The only thing you need to think about is to show the world, who you are…"

The entire dance room lost almost all its light. The ambient blue hue that surrounded them was the last remnant until Mandricardo felt Caenis' hands leave his own as murmurs started to arise. She looked at him, the brutish atmosphere of her usual self, fading a bit away as a much more feminine smile appeared on her face through the dim, blue-hued lights against the darkness.

Yet, there was now an aura present around her. One that had Mandricardo pause.

"Failures and transgressions of the past need not dictate who we are now… so live in the moment, be free from such memories, and be… yourself." She told him…

FWASH!

Then the main spotlight shined down on Caenis as eyes were suddenly cast on her form. Mandricardo had not noticed it earlier, but he began to understand now why Caenis wore the dresses related to the Olympians. Knowing her story, he was very much confused as he did not wish to break the private conversation between her and his master by asking him about it.

However, now he understood. Very clearly the music and the Grecian singer began singing a very lovely, operatic, and theatrical song. The symphony beckoned beauty and grace as Caenis basked in the spotlight, visibly taking a deep breath first, her face showing so many emotions of a time that Mandricardo knew about as she shoved all the tragedy, pain, and humiliation away…

Into an absolutely serene smile that had the world gripping its heart in awe.

It started slow, a building rhythm of a beautiful tune as her tresses and the silk-white quality of her Olympian dress, invoking the beauty and grace of Aphrodite, began swaying through sensually. Her body and the much more prominent feminine curves within the spotlight began moving through a rhythm like the most graceful of snakes. Her hips swayed to each beat of the building tune as she started raising her arms upward in a stroke that had men and women enraptured by the quality of her movement.

Mandricardo had heard many things and experienced many things with Caenis and the other Argonauts, but he certainly did not expect, Caenis to be the one that carried the night, forever in every person's memory as her alluring and beautiful dance began drawing attention from all the corners of the room. Even Queen Maeve, one of whom hated the existence of Caenis was awe-struck as the hero of Thessaly, the Tyrant of the Isles, had let go of herself into the dance as her smile slowly became wider.

She was free. Free to dance again in front of the world.

Free, unlike anything before with no Gods as her witness but just humanity, showing them theroots of who she once was. Showing them the simplicity, the vulnerability of an ordinary island-dwelling woman who just wanted to dance her troubles away under the moonlight, by the sea.

It made sense to him, finally why she wished to dance and why she asked their master, personally that she wanted this to happen. If only to be a final send-off to her deeply entrenched rejection of ever dancing again in front of many people as she always did back in her homeland.

At that moment, she was Caenis once more. A woman of Thessaly.

At that moment, she found peace in her dance that she no longer needed to be ashamed or afraid of. Her smile was basking in pure joy as her eyes to Mandricardo's observation began tearing up, if only for a bit.

She was confident again. Smiling amidst all of the troubles.

Smiling, to forget the pain of her tragedy.

Mandricardo also realized that's why she wanted him to tag along. For if she could wash away the perils and shame of her past. Why not him? Why not bask in this second chance that their master gave them, even if it was temporary?

Why not for just a moment, Mandricardo would free himself of some of his guilt…

His apprehension and anxiety…

To once more be proud and confident with himself?

"Hey!" she shouted out as she allowed her body to move much quicker this time, the sway of her hips becoming much more sensual and alluring as the tresses of both her hair and her dress began moving wildly. She now channeled the aura of Hestia this time as the lights flashed again, a light red glow being his spotlight as she offered her hand to him, which he quickly held while he followed her lead. She moved around him in a sensual spin, their hands still held lightly as the red and light spotlights invoked the dance that Mother Hestia and her patrons did under the guidance and warmth of her hearth. Mandricardo allowed himself to breathe deeply as the anxiety flooded away and complimented her κόρδαξ, or to its much more modern version, the τσιφτετέλι. It was a very sensual and suggestive dance but evoked a feeling of freedom in both the Grecian and Anatolian versions of it.

Mandricardo remembered it well, for he had seen in his travels people dancing to such tunes as they blessed it for their Gods. In this case, in that very moment, as Caenis enacted the beauty and marvel of Hestia as she circled him in a manner that would bring jealousy to both men and women alike, he then started moving on his own in a swift manner of claps as the music became upbeat in transition and Caenis' smile became divine.

He was a king once, long ago…

An emperor in all but name. He was adept at many parts of the political and cultural scene of his court, even down to understanding the courteous nature of how rival and neighboring countries both far and near worked. In this case, due to his very observant nature, even in his current state, Mandricardo quickly understood the sheer expression and passion in Caenis' current dance. Her κόρδαξ became much more expressive, much more emotional as she smiled and laughed as the tune became much more upbeat to symbolize himself beginning the first stages of his own homeland's dance.

One that he had many times before done to compliment foreign dignitaries and their own dances due to how freeform, and similarly expressive it was. The Grecian Band whose current state of culture was now also very diverse with all the other countries that influenced it to the modern day allowed them to understand and adapt some of the music to compensate for the transition.

A tune that allowed the light red spotlight that Caenis' danced around in her evocation of Hestia into a much brighter one as he enacted the Biyelgee. One that many of his people danced in many occasions, but for one such as his court, he had a more refined version that had elements of the many cultures he had visited in his adventures that after he transitioned from clapping…

Eyes were now equally focused on him.

As his arms started moving, complimenting Caenis' own emotionally-driven dance, the entire room felt the atmosphere change from questioning the existence of this nobody dancing with the most popular heroine in the world, to questioning who exactly this man was who was now exuding such a rich amount of charisma and awe just from his movements.

Mandricardo, at that moment, did not care. Alike Caenis, he found himself being in the spotlight, alone being free once more. He finally found a smile that he was comfortable with as he moved with purpose. He moved with the passion of a man who found adventure centuries ago.

His body was fluid. His mind was at ease and he reached for Caenis' hand, the music transitioning again as they both laid their eyes on each other. Their smiles were wide as they both laughed in enjoyment as they circled, holding hands… slowly as the upbeat rhythm became smooth.

As they circled each other like a traditional medieval dance between partners, their conjoined hands transformed into both hands touching each other's palms and the expressive and emotive dance Caenis employed transformed into something more elegant and proper.

Evoking the artistic, strategic, and symphonic qualities that Athena possessed as minimal but evocative moments complimented by her manifesting her trident while alluring those who watched in a manner that found them grow respect towards a beauty beyond her sexual characteristics from the more sensual dance earlier. The movements allowed Mandricardo to adapt, to modern eyes it would look like a pair dance that was akin to the precise, yet simple, bombastic movements of those dances but complimented by a very structured set of flows. It invoked the discipline of a militaristic yet beautiful aesthetic as Mandricardo observed the dance and recalled how his own homeland complimented the women in their eerily similar cup dance, that the Torghut's favored.

They moved together, hips swaying in a symphony, arms moving with grace and precision…

Each move showed their unity in letting go of their negative feelings as they were now both lost in their graceful song and dance.

To some, it may look romantic due to how closely the two moved with each other.

To others, it was just a passionate string of music and dance that evoked a personal set of feelings in each and every person present.

To Caenis and Mandricardo, it basically felt like two freed souls just allowing their hearts to soar in the meadows. Nothing was as important at that very moment. Both had their own soul-searching journey with each step they took away from each other as they finally found a personal equilibrium that was never there before.

There was no need for romance nor love in each other as people who watched seemed to think.

There was only appreciation for their own personal selves.

An appreciation that would allow them to be human again.

Even Atalanta and Achilles were stunned, with Atalanta while never close to Caenis still knew her backstory, so much so that she was happy for her in that moment as the danced away in a pair that charmed the rest of the night.

If Atalanta was the person honored that night, Caenis and her mysterious partner were what owned it, their part in the tale would become the most remembered as the music flourished.

Eventually, their proper, elegant dance as it appeared to the audience morphed into a much more simplistic, nearly casual style of movement as Mandricardo watched as Caenis made her trident vanish before taking his hand in a much more dominant but supportive role in the form of the Grecian Λέκα. Their hands transitioned into their entire arm as they circled each other and the music slowed down to a warm pace.

Mandricardo was astonished. Her jest for being the best dancer of Thessaly as well as a woman that some goddesses were jealous of in her prowess spoke volumes of her skill. Seeing it now, first-hand even as the awe-inducing beauty of the prior Atalanta and Achilles made him shiver, he and probably everybody else in the room had agreed that she was something else.

If he had been any younger than he was during his time as an adventurer, he would have caught her eye. Now, however, his respect for her only grew and he can now see why their master held her in high regard. As a friend, he was happy for his master, he may not have created a form of romantic inclination to Caenis, but he would not be surprised that if his master was in his place, they may have created something else.

But that was not his place to pry.

If anything, he supported it now, which made him question if it was okay at that moment for him to be her partner. Mandricardo shook his head as Caenis was still enjoying herself, and if he was a betting man, she was probably channeling Demeter with how kindly and bountiful her smaller movements were as they went on in a pair. He let her dictate the dance as some elements of it reminded him of the Tsam that some of the Buddhist parts of his homeland favored.

It was like a procession for fertility and good luck as the warm tunes in the background made the energetic movements from earlier.

She then suddenly pushed him away in a controlled shove as the white and red light that gave them the focus on the dance floor vanished as a space separated them. Then a blue, moon-light-hued dance appeared as Mandricardo now stood in the center once more.

He was now alone for a moment as Caenis transitioned into a pleasant, but rhythmic dance as she once again circled him. Far away, unknown but only to Caenis, a couple hovered in the heavens as she notched her bow against the moon. For the first time, it was pleasant to hear one of the Argonauts, in the form of Caenis owe her a favor as Orion tapped her shoulder and she let loose.

Channeling Artemis allowed the bloom and glow of the dance floor to give everything weight.

Alone, Mandricardo deeply breathed in as he performed his piece in the middle, as Caenis sedately channeled the dance she was doing at that moment.

To compliment her, he started moving in a manner that was now provocative, mirroring Caenis at the start as he allowed his entire body to breathe and move in such a way that everybody watched. The primal crescendo doubled with each second as every person now began murmuring as to who he finally was. The sheer expression of both form and grace in his final, transformative, Khasag the light of the moon that was blessed to them was magnified.

It made his final arcing moves as his hands lifted up into the air as if looking into the heavens in prayer as he found peace at that moment. He closed his eyes as he slowly arced his arms down while the music slowed down.

Then, he felt two hands being placed on his shoulders as Caenis turned him…

A motherly smile appeared on her face as she moved them once again into a pair dance.

A lovely closing tune wrapped them as Caenis performed Νησιώτικος Μπάλλος, a pair dance in some of the Grecian Isles that evoked a calling to Hera. A dance primarily done in marriages as Caenis in this matter, instead of being the woman in the pair, was the one who led them, much as how a man would lead their newly wedded wife as Mandricardo would have heard from those old stories.

They slowed down with each move in a triumphant, emotional manner as he followed on…

She then led him to swerve in a briefly downward manner without reaching the ground one final time as they finally stopped. Panting, figuratively they both smiled as Caenis transformed back to her brutish smile while Mandricardo similarly smiled back in his simple, meek manner.

Then…

Atalanta began clapping. A move that had everyone following as the entire room turned into a loud, joyous symphony of claps and cheers as Caenis lifted him up in the air while happily laughing in her normal stride. Atalanta and Achilles happily joined the two, congratulating them as Mandricardo blushed from all the praise from his comrades, his friends, and people who once doubted and ignored him.

The cheers and claps became louder as Mandricardo suddenly felt Caenis elbowing him.

She then grinned at him in a proud manner before she pointed towards their master who was standing at one of the ends of the room with a glass raised in his honor. Mandricardo froze for a moment as Wodime smiled warmly at him, and to him, it was enough.

He turned back to his partner giving him an approving and emotion-filled look as she nodded.

He was happy.

They were both happy.

Then the cheers lowered a bit as murmurs increased. Mandricardo looked confused for a moment until a new spotlight was opened up, and as he looked at Caenis, who was sporting a large, confused, and angered frown, he saw Homelander.

Homelander carrying a batch of beautiful flowers, hovering a bit in the air as he smiled at Caenis.

He then landed on the ground as Mandricardo heard Atalanta and Achilles walk away, groaning in annoyance while Caenis stood there, stunned with a shocked expression born out of hate.

Mandricardo then started to deflate, as he knew that her mood was now soured.

Before Caenis could say anything, however, Homelander did something that made every mortal in the room gasp in shock and surprise. He graciously knelt in front of her with all the smile and love he could muster and offered the batch of flowers that to Mandricardo's observation was Greek in nature.

He wanted to slap himself in the face for this… blunder.

Yet the man was absolutely smitten as Mandricardo watched the disaster unfold when he raised his head in commitment, not even caring that many people (mainly those in the upper echelons of society) saw him in this vulnerable state.

All because he was genuinely in love.

Mandricardo could only open his mouth slightly in confusion and… pity as Caenis looked frozen just in shock and pure bewilderment as those in attendance watched.

"An offer to you, my goddess." He whispered, only for her ears specifically as the world saw the most powerful man, kneel with love and devotion to his counterpart, in the eyes of many.

Dear me… what the hell is happening? Mandricardo asked himself inwardly.

Based on who was near them, many found it romantic.

Even if he, his master, and his comrades felt the opposite.

"What the fuck?" everybody heard Caenis say as that moment was probably the least thing people would remember about that night on his comrades' side.

---

"Heracles-sama… you know the orders of our master," Chiyome said as she stood by his side while the Olympia personnel tended to the boy back in the town. They were both in the middle of the forest as the rain continued its downpour.

"I am aware… but this is something I must do, lady Chiyome. I will…" he breathed in, reigning some of his anger back as Chiyome bowed her head. "…I will accept the consequences, but for now I must act."

Chiyome didn't say a word as Heracles began to step away while thunder boomed in the background as the rain started to become much more intense. His silhouette was overwhelming to the kunoichi who admitted to herself that she was fearful a bit but trusting that the man, knowing that he was kind would not hurt her.

"Please allow me to do this, Lady Chiyome. I will tell the master that you took no part." He said with care as he looked at her.

Chiyome straightened herself with a small smile of acknowledgment. "I respectfully understand Heracles-sama, may you be blessed in this endeavor. I will stay and do what I can."

He nodded with a small affirming smile before returning back to his current mood.

Heracles started walking away as Chiyome watched. Fearful and worried for what the great hero would do. She would still need to tell their master regardless, but she was genuine in her words for him.

…

The raining forest under the thundering, lightning-ridden sky made Black Noir's job less easy as his vision and perception while superior to most Supes, were far more hindered compared to who he once was. Of course, the simplicity of the mind that Black Noir possessed allowed him to be focused most of the time as he trekked through the night with light steps.

Originally, he was quickly ordered to secure the facility that held the confidential specimen away from public eyes. Black Noir had no true understanding of what the official stance was on the boy but he followed orders to the letter as it seemed like the entire operation was bereft from Homelander's eyes. Vought had been planning something with the boy that started out as much more clinical, and friendlier at first but given the strenuous screams and the rapid escape of the boy, it seemed like something had occurred that had him running away in a blind fit of rage, sorrow, and pain.

Black Noir wished to subdue the boy first before everything had spilled into chaos, but the constant, high-intensity beams complimented the rugged attempts to fly and the boy easily got away from his clutches, much to the inward annoyance of what was left of Black Noir therein. The boy was truly Homelander's spawn, and despite his efforts, he knew that any direct confrontation was going to result…

…into another…

His head shook for a bit as he kept his sights on what was present. Memories, whatever they were are merely secondary. The boy could be subdued but due to his limitations and how chaotic the boy had been, containment was now decided as moot as more and more people were dying in the nearby town and therefore due to the number of witnesses and the arrival of Olympia targets, he was ordered to disengage once word came in from Vought of the situation.

The boy was now in the enemy company's hands.

One of the targets, being a special unit, that Vought had placed a very keen eye on. The one known as Lancer was dangerous, as were many of Olympia's supes, but this one Black Noir had been specifically briefed to disengage and run away from should contact be made.

Only Stan Edgar and a few others were briefed on the reality that was this unit that Black Noir saw back in the town. This person, this monstrosity, just from the small glimpse of what he could do and defend against with minimal to no damage made Black Noir shudder. If only for that moment.

He was cautious of course, observant… and above all else meticulous to some point with how he enacted his operations. He was very cautious of Homelander and what he could do. This person… this fiend had him truly scared.

The aura he displayed trumped anything that he had ever faced or experienced.

It was superseded by no one, even…

…eve-n…

Black Noir paused in his steps. His mind was addled for a bit there as memories of a terrible event seemingly resurfaced, even if it was only images. Nobody would blame him at all with that blunder, especially when it was crucial to understanding what became the Black Noir in the first place.

Shuffling through his feet, Black Noir tried to retain his balance and equilibrium again as the chatter in his earpiece began picking up. Orders were given from proxy commanders within Vought, as Stan Edgar was in the Gala, albeit in a position that was more so for symbolic reasons other than as an important factor. The older gentleman was practically impressed, annoyed, and stressed with the existence of Olympia's CEO, so much so that Black Noir himself had never seen him that way in quite a while. Even with Stillwell's current actions that drew the older man's ire.

There was simply nobody else like him as is the rest of Olympia's spawn.

Nobodies with next-to-nothing backgrounds popped up like apparitions.

As he neared the facility, Black Noir suddenly froze.

What little hairs that remained on his burnt, heavily scarred skin started to stand up as in the middle of the small clearing he was in, blanketed by tall dark trees and foliage of various kinds amidst the rain and thunder, there elicited a very subtle but vastly blood-curdling chill.

It ran down his entire spine as Black Noir slowly turned his entire body backward…

KRAKA-THOOM!

It was him.

His silhouette was revealed partially as the quick glow from the lightning streaking across the sky showed him standing there. Without his bow in hand, his lion mane-like hood flowed against the chilly air that wrapped the entire forest while thunder and lightning continued to clash. His eyes were full of wanton emotion as a small but prominent frown was directly seen from that small little glimpse.

His hands were clenched. His muscles, rippling with power that Black Noir felt from that distance as they were barely eight meters away. His entire form and stance radiated with strength and those eyes… those horribly focused eyes bore down on him as memories of a similarly terrifying man returned to his head. Black Noir's friends were seemingly incapable of manifesting around him as they too were scared against the deadly silence that came off from the man entirely.

He would not show it of course, as Black Noir detached one of the knives from his suit.

Ordinarily, he would be shaking in his boots but he maintained vigilance. Even if minute.

KRAKA-THOOM!

Another swathe of thunder and lightning graced the sky as the silence stretched onto a miserable set of seconds. Black Noir's hold on his blade was already stifling as a series of orders started to bark in his ear. The tone of said orders bordered on panic as the recording function on Black Noir's goggles allowed them to see what he saw.

They demanded him to run.

Some even demanded him to fight while they cleaned up the facility in panic…

But Black Noir knew that if he did any of those things, the man before him would have acted and he would either be dead or debilitated worse than before. He had no choice but to stay there, the knife being raised was not even needed in hindsight, for the man had already chosen him as a target regardless of who was the first person who initiated the confrontation.

KRAKA-THOOM!

"Warrior. Know that the Son of Zeus gives you courtesy." The large man simply said, his voice cutting through Black Noir like a sharp knife as if the world had shuddered just from his proclamation. "Courtesy, that admittedly, does not belong to your kind."

Black Noir threw his knife in the man's direction and he subsequently threw a smoke bomb directly beneath him. Immediately, he started running away, as fast as his legs and 'supe' biology could muster through the dense foliage and trees as the darkness of the night amidst the proliferating rain and thunder made the entire ordeal more terrifying than ever before.

As he crossed a dozen meters or so…

KRAKA-THOOM!

BRUWAASHH!

"Ugh!" Black Noir's entire back was suddenly and violently thrown into the ground with maximum force possible by an entire tree, uprooted from its base that was thrown in his direction in perfect aim. He felt many bones in his back break just from the impact as he pushed the bark away after being stuck in it, only for the dread and fear in the encounter to escalate to another level.

KRAKA-THOOM!

BRUUUUUUUUUUIISSHHH!

The ground exploded right beside him as dirt, pieces of wood, and other extremities were kicked into the air as another entire tree, uprooted from its base was thrown at him in the position of a spear. The force from the impact of the tree hitting the ground was so great that much of it shattered into large pieces and the explosive burst had thrown Black Noir away, the front of his torso and head hitting the closest still, intact tree as he fell to the ground.

"Agh!" his eyes looked up, and just seconds from his crash into the dirt, he saw the monster had jumped into the air and was about to land with his fist raised next to the ground near him.

Black Noir had no ample time to react nor jump away as his eyes, barely perceiving the action just watched the entire motion play out. As if it was in slow motion.

THROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUMMMM!

A powerful, earth-shattering explosion rang through the forest on the dark and rainy night. Shaking the town and the facility nearby and producing a powerful gust of force, the ground the monster had landed on was now left with a rather large crater. All the trees and foliage surrounding it were cleared and forced away as if a powerful bomb had exploded.

Black Noir had been jettisoned away, most of his bones already broken just from the impact as he was careening away into the air and a large portion of his suit had already been torn up. The monster watched him while he pulled out another knife from his back and stabbed it into the closest tree, the material tearing through the bark to slow his rapid descent, only for the Vought-issued weapon to snap due to all the stress as he was once again let down by his progenitor company.

He fell a good few meters down, on his side as he heard more bones crack underneath his skin.

Blood was already spat inside the confines of his suit as the smell of saliva and other various bodily fluids permeated through his addled nose underneath the mask. He stood up, hoping for some of his healing or whatever vague measure there was in his healing, to help him to get up as he felt his bones slowly re-orienting themselves back while he leaned towards the nearest tree.

KRAKA-

Black Noir's senses flared at him in alarm as soon as the initial crack of the thunder was heard up above, the man, no, the monster, moving far… far faster now than A-Train had bounded just barely a meter away from him as Black Noir forced himself to duck. The monster's elbow swiped him just inches away from his head in an arc to his left in what he assumed to be a backhand. The action terribly decapitated the tree he had leaned himself onto and just from the sheer pressure from the attack, the trees in a few meters or so shared the same fate.

Black Noir pulled out another knife from his boot and tried jamming it into the monster's neck to allow a window of distraction, only for the knife's blade to break the moment its tip even remotely touched the lion mane hood that the monster was wearing.

His eyes widened in alarm and fear as Buster Beaver appeared right next to him in horror.

"NO! PLEASE! S-STO-

THOOOOMMMM!

A foot was suddenly forced squarely into his chest as he was kicked into God knows how much force as he was thrown through rock, stone, and trees just as the lightning finished its manifestation. The entire action only took barely ten seconds, and he was now back in the dirt, in his own crater, beaten and robbed of any chance to fight back.

All his bones were mangled. Muscles were torn into shreds, especially in his upper torso, as he was now rendered motionless due to all the damage he had sustained. His healing could not keep up as the voices of Buster Beaver and the others began begging in the background. Even him, the man that had left him in this state, was gone, afraid… just as he was when they kept picking on him.

No… afraid was too generous of a word.

Terrified existentially, was probably the correct on-

KRAKA-THOOM!

He felt a hand grab his head and as he was lifted up, he was violently shoved into the closest rock. The material cracked and caved in as his broken teeth flew off his lips. The monster then grabbed what little remained of his suit on his chest and drew back its fist.

"STOP IT! H-He can't fight back anymore! C-Can't you see it?" Buster Beaver and his other friends begged as they tried to pry the monster off of him to no avail as thunder and rain cracked in the background. "You're hurting him! S-Stop! P-Please!"

But… wasn't Black Noir used to this? Wasn't eArViNg just a punching ba-

THRWACK!

Blood was ejected from his face as the punch landed.

"He didn't do anything wrong! He's been good… he's been a good pal!" thee voices in his head said as he kept blinking, his friends vanishing and appearing like apparitions, from a long, lost time. Tears trickled down his face as what even remained of his visage was now ruined to nothing.

"Please… can't you see he can't fight back ANYMORE?!" one of his friends said as eArViNg felt his foot being dragged before he was once again lifted into the air, while his tears trickled down with the rain before meeting the ground once more in a violent manner.

THROUM!

"It'll be okay… pal… it'll be okay. Y-You're not alone. We're here. R-Right guys?" Buster Beaver said, trying to cope with the loneliness as the darkness seemed to wrap eArViNg closely now.

The worst part out of all of this?

eArViNg knew the monster was holding back.

Every hit, every action, was him holding back despite the clear and overpowering rage he was exuding just from a glance.

B-But that was just his purpose, right? A tool.

An object built solely for the use of others.

What difference was this now? Knowing that he was the tool for this monster to enact his rage.

KRAKA-THOOM!

eArViNg needed to sleep. He was drowsy. Crying had been hard and taxing.

M-Maybe sleep was for the best.

Maybe, his purpose, after all, was just to die as a nobody.

…

Heracles stared back, he lowered his fist as he suddenly realized the state and quite frankly, the painful and sad nature of the man he had just beaten close to death. His eyes were still in tears, his gaze, made him remember an image that he had been exposed to most of his life in the mortal plain.

The eyes of the innocent and guilty alike, staring back at him in pure, mortal fear…

"…" he let go of the man as his breaths became labored.

…as if he was a monster.

Heracles found himself in conflict. His rage was still abundant. It poured through him like the flames of Haphaestus' forge wishing to burn down the plateau of whichever city or place there was above. Yet, seeing how helpless, feeble, and frankly, scared the man was as if he was a child, made him stop completely.

Another atrocity burned by Vought's machinations.

Another casualty in their empire of bones stacked one above the other.

Heracles was not one to spare his enemies. Even if that constant, undeniable truth brought him pain and suffering on a level unlike anything before…

But he also realized quickly that this man was merely a poor tool that Vought had exploited against them and probably many other people to keep their secrets hidden.

Frustrated, his anger could only escalate, but Heracles then understood again that this… was not his time. This was no longer his world. Things changed, and he now found it more relevant as to why his master was as cautious as he was in this new landscape.

Still, he was but a simple man and he still yearned for his anger to be sated.

Standing up, he made one last look at the man before burying his pity away knowing that he had another objective. Tempering his rage to be as controlled as it was, became taxing. Nevertheless, he would leave the man where he was, as he briefly called out to Chiyome about his location.

Bitter and already forced out of any satisfaction with his already wayward actions, Heracles continued forward as the skies continued to rain down on him as if mocking his already terrible mood. His spirit was already downcast with the bits of shame and anger that he felt while he continued.

Perhaps the only victory he would wish to gather that night to make it all worth it was to retrieve the boy's mother. Regardless of her current status. He gathered several stones from the ground as he neared the facility. His pinpoint precision articulated to its very extreme as he heard the shouts of two guardsmen atop the towers of the metal gate they had for this complex.

They barked at him and threatened him. Their weapons were aimed at him.

Yet Heracles knew that they were sweating deep down in their hearts. Fear wracked them for the little show of refined and precise force he engineered with the Vought 'supe' made them realize their biggest mistake. Even if they were not able to perceive it through the rain or through the small device they had attached to their asset, they had felt the tremors from his controlled wrath.

"I SAID GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" a bolder man said atop the tower as his comrades looked at him in fear. Heracles would give the man courtesy, unlike the scared, enhanced man he had forced nearly to death, this man was keeping his bravery as stalwart and robust as possible.

"DID YOU HEAR IT DUM-

THRWASHL!

There was no way for them to perceive nor even sense what he just did. With just a minor flick of his arm, the entire wall was cleared of all hostiles as their heads exploded into a burst of gore and blood just from him throwing the rocks he had collected. One was left alive, younger than the rest as he ran away screaming in fear while throwing his weapon away.

KRAKA-THOOM!

Heracles walked with purpose as he neared the gate while another lash of thunder and lightning just stretched across the rainy sky. The darkness parted partially as the flashes of light made the entire ordeal a lot more sinister. He was reminded of the Cretan Bull, where he wrestled the beast under the rain and thunder, accompanying said memory was a rather faint one, of another bull from a foreign land.

The nostalgia did not remove Heracles' sour mood as he placed both hands on the gate's wedges. The poor thing had no such ability to hinder him whatsoever but he acted…

BRWTHOOOOOOOUMMM!

…and nearly the entirety of the gate alongside the facility's western wall complex collapsed under the sheer strength he possessed through a light, but calculated action.

Quickly, he could murmur of panic, fear, and terror as the smoke cleared slowly.

Heracles walked through it and stood in front of a variety of people staring at him in complete awe and trepidation. Even those who had weapons on hand were shaking in their boots as they watched him stand right there in the aftermath of his action, completely unblemished and unscratched.

KRAKA-THOOM!

The recent growl of the skies made the visage of the Grecian Hero all the more intimidating as he mused himself to speak.

"Hark… humans who serve Vought. The one who stands before you desires justice for the blood of the innocent spilled tonight." His voice reverberated as if a loudspeaker had spread across the entire complex as Heracles projected an aura through letting loose some of his divinity that made the men and women before him feel his every word as if it was divine providence…

… providence of the most extreme and grave.

Heracles saw that while every person before him shuddered in pure and absolute fear, they were still at the crossroads, their instincts still not acting upon their fight or flight response.

Heavily sighing, he decided that while it was not ideal nor appropriate for this situation, he motioned both of his arms to remove the Nemean Lion's Pelt. The moment he even moved it, his untethered Divinity was unleashed.

It was like the world had just shifted.

Stricken from their mortal forms, the people of Vought found themselves prostrating, unintentionally as a thick, hazy, and aggressive aura began attacking them from all sides. Breathing began turning into an issue, muscles and bones felt as if gravity were pulling them all down to the ground, and a heavy sense of proliferating and intensive need to bow down to Heracles had enraptured their minds entirely.

Their stood a divine presence, unlike anything humans had ever felt or seen in millennia.

It was truly nothing that these men and women had ever felt, even against terrifying figures like Homelander. It was leaps and bounds staggeringly beyond what their experiences had ever trained them for. They were both terrified down to their very bones and awestruck by Heracles' presence that their minds began addled, just from being this close to him.

Coupled with the fact that the skies apparently followed the man's mood, they truly understood that someone beyond them, beyond humanity was the person they were going at odds with.

No, not a man, a God, in every sense of the word.

The Pelt dematerialized a second later as he stood there, bare and proud as any warrior would be as he faced the people of his adversaries.

"Stand in my way, and there will be consequences." He said in an ultimatum as nobody dared to say no. Walking with purpose and refined anger, Heracles simply commanded one of the guards of this facility to send him to the people in charge. Nobody questioned him as he was brought onto the workshops or labs that Heracles had briefly understood from his experiences with Medea and beings such as Circe or in some cases, even Hephaestus.

Yet seeing it at close with the many 'specimens' that the lab had, made his anger rise once more. Even the people escorting him, both willing and terrified at the same time felt it. Their sweat already overriding their soaked bodies from the rain outside due to just the aura of the man they were guiding.

Eventually, they arrived at a clinically sanitized room where people, dressed in the white 'coats' that Asclepius and his master wore with their medicinal endeavors. These people just as the men and women outside quickly followed suit by unintentionally prostrating to his presence.

All but one man.

"Oh… you are simply just magnificent." His voice reminded him of Amphitryon. His age was apparent and his eyes glowed with a measure of intrigue and obsession with how he stared at Heracles.

Heracles stared back. It was a surprise to see a human so resistant, or at least…

"You truly are divine."

…accepting of his presence at this level while his divinity flared in full. Very few were known to do that. Even Iphicles, his twin was not exempt when his true nature was revealed as bare as it was.

This man was strange. If only for his fixation, Heracles could feel it.

If every man and woman in the facility was terrified of him, Heracles in turn could feel this man's belief seep into him as if he was still a divine spirit. The man was obsessed to the degree of foolishness that he even took a few, strained steps toward him like a prophet meeting a deity for the first time.

His hand was raised before the man laughed in avid joy.

"We strived for the perfection that humanity could not deliver. For so long… Vogelbaum and I wished for that reality to be true. He gave up, his own ethics and guilt wasted on leaving the project entirely. Homelander was never perfect, in fact, he was as flawed as every other human being there was. Merely a child walking as a god… but you…"

He even sniffed the air, as if taking in his presence much to Heracles' dull stare as his fists began to clench. "…I don't know what that Wodime boy's been doing with Vought's formula. But he certainly cracked the code…" he began maniacally laughing as if he had reached nirvana.

"… he created you. Perfection incarnate. A Divine Figure in all but name. Marvelous."

BRWUWASHHL!

His fist moved at such speed that the only thing the other remnants of the room saw was just the bloody leftover of the man's body landing on the floor, headless.

Heracles breathed in and the closest woman to the man he just killed, shivered in pure fear as he relaxed back some of his divinity. It gave the inhabitants of the room a moment to breathe freely again in a normal sense as Heracles found himself kneeling towards the closest woman.

"I will harm no other man or woman tonight that does not deserve it, but I ask… if there is but a fraction of kindness left in your hearts, to where the young boy's mother is."

Nobody answered him. Heracles understood why but he gave a silent promise to the boy to return his mother under any circumstances.

"W-We... didn't know." The woman whispered in fear. "W-We were just following orders… Dr. Windstrom j-just pushed us to… w-we didn't know…" she kept repeating as Heracles' eyes widened.

"Where is she?" he simply asked, and she looked up.

"W-We didn't know… they just told us to-

"Show me." He said as politely as possible as she and two other people followed suit.

However, Heracles' greatest fear was revealed. What they showed him was merely an autopsy table filled with ash. Heracles was frozen in shock and worst of all, his worst expectations bearing fruit.

He was too late.

Too late again to do anything.

"…"

The silence stretched on for a whole minute as Heracles let the dread and horror settle in.

He recalled how the boy cried in his arms wildly as if he was the one to blame. He did not have the full picture, but seeing how this was the aftermath, a sheer amount of shame and guilt riddled him to the core. The same shame and guilt that he had been living when he was once alive.

The people near him felt his anger perspire from his form as they backed a step away from him.

"Why?" he asked with clarity and raw emotion.

"T-They wanted us to clean all the evidence as fast as possible… b-because the chaos was spilled into the t-town, we d-didn't know-

"Why… did you people relieve a young boy of his only parent?" he stressed with each word as the room seemingly darkened around him from his aura and anger. The cameras, electronics and such began fizzling out as the lights flickered in great intervals. The power that seemed to seep from his form was abrasive and overwhelming to the point that they could now hear the thunder and lightning from the outside.

"Do you people have no shame?!" he shouted firmly as the entire complex began shaking.

People from both the outside and within the complex began panicking as the storm outside raged. The woman and the two others who escorted him began curling to their feet scared for their lives as they begged and cried for mercy.

"You have families of your own. You have lives, peaceful… happy, and just as a right given to every human being. That child and his mother were no different, yet you play with their lives coldly as if they were less than human like you animals."

"W-We didn't know… p-please… p-please, w-we truly didn't know." The woman cried out as her comrades followed suit. The entire complex shook violently as the thunder and rain outside rampaged. Heracles was so filled up with his anger that he was not able to notice the environmental change happening around him.

The horrid conditions beckoning to his rage, until…

"What of those people in the town? Those whose lives you have spilled, what do they-

KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAKAAA-THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!

There was a bright, painful flash of light. The kind that Heracles had not experienced in such a long while. A loud, destructive bang resonated around him as fire and elemental forces of extraordinary and precise power were struck around him like one of the Olympians enacting divine punishment.

Heracles remained standing as he opened his eyes.

He slowly put down his arms as he saw the entire inside of the complex was now pitch black, and silent. There was nobody present anymore. Just ash and the thunderous sound of the lightning and the storm up above where clear ruptured openings began bathing him in rain. Heracles then gazed upward in defiance.

The thunder and rain continued to rage on as he quickly understood the situation.

All the Vought personnel were dead.

Reduced to ash by lightning that Heracles was very familiar with.

He then grabbed the closest object, a large machine, and threw it into the air angrily with such strength that it was thrown far off into the atmosphere.

KRAKA-THOOM!

The thunder and lightning raged back at him as if it were a response as he had failed again.

He had achieved nothing with this little endeavor.

Nothing with all of them dead and the boy's mother no longer part of the mortal realm.

"URGH!"

THOOM!

The entire complex shook as he buried his fist into the floor. His rage was completely gone now, with guilt being what remained.

"Heracles-sama, are you alright? What happened?" Chiyome inquired with worry.

"Relay to master the warning. I'm…"

He heavily sighed before continuing. "…I'm afraid I made a grave mistake."

KRAKA-THOOM!

The youngest of the Κρονίδης had pre-emptively announced their presence back into the modern world.

…And Heracles' rage and actions were the catalyst.

---

In the middle of the sea between Santorini and Arcesine, a hum was heard.

Theseus jumped off his position as he was talking to some of Olympia's personnel with the undergoing dig. As he ran down the complex, there was some alarm with the current personnel present in the complex as the area they were in shook.

Theseus quickly joined Odysseus and Edison as they were talking over the new readings from the machines they were using. They too were gravely disturbed.

"Did you feel it?" Theseus said as both his comrades looked at him.

"Yes. There was a spike in the energy reserves sector of what we presume to be one of the ship's main power generators. The spike's not as remarkable as the very feeble feedback we continuously had before but the jump is still astronomical until it plateaued again." Edison relayed.

"What was our initial theory and expectation for the rate this specific part of the collective was to go back online?" Odysseus asked.

"Eight months from now… maybe a year. This is quite the jump on the timeline." Edison said as the meters went back to normal.

"Have the Dioscuri called for any status on their charge?" Theseus asked.

"They reported back that everything was normal. The old man is merely pleased." Odysseus said with a frown. "I believe preparations have to be moved up the timetable, otherwise developments such as this serve as a warning to our present complacency."

"We need to double down on the cloaking we have in the dig sites." Theseus decided as the others nodded in affirmation. They would have to speak to their master about this soon.

---

"Father, have you perchance heard about this news?" Mordred said as she just finished eating her meal at the dining table of the local Olympia Headquarters in Salisbury, England.

Artoria Pendragon Alter, King of the Storms merely raised an eyebrow as she just inhaled another thick piece of meat from the various food the staff had served for them. She then wiped her lips succinctly and respectfully as she stretched her hand to her son.

Mordred quickly handed the tablet she was using (after being strangely obsessed and focused on it ever since their master taught her about phones and gadgets) and watched as her father's stoic expression turned into intrigue.

"Get your feet off the table…" Artoria said as Mordred followed while the Olympia staff serving them brought forth some sweets. "…Hm. Are we sure this little girl is not a Vought-enhanced specimen?"

"I don't know…. Do you want us to check it?"

Artoria handed the device back as she began pulling the tub of ice cream to her.

"We'll go by dawn. The report is quite disturbing and unusual for it to be a Vought specimen."

"Won't the locals in Finland question our arrival though? Especially since this one has the appearance of a little girl. Haven't you just finished a little disagreement there, Father?"

Artoria frowned, her son was right. The small, diplomatic incident was a stain on her record, though at the same time, it was a misunderstanding on both sides. Thankfully, it was resolved amicably with even their master benefiting from the exchange.

With a huff and an inward sigh, she relented.

"I'll inform the master of our troubles. Regardless, we need to investigate."

"Understood, Father," Mordred said as she returned to her tablet.

"Oh… Mordred. One more thing."

"Y-Yes?"

"If you deliberately use a tablet again while we're eating, I will snap that thing in half on your head. Manners need to be shown, especially to our esteemed, human comrades, and I don't want to tarnish our name just because you're acting rebellious." Artoria said as she ate another spoonful of her ice cream.

"B-but I use it for important stuff!"

"Game of Thrones is not an example of 'important stuff', plus, don't you hate that gibberish excuse of a show?"

---

"You disagree, about a more official handling of superhumans?" Victoria Neuman said as the table she and Wodime shared seemed to be much more populated now compared to before due to all of the 'commotion' in the party. With the little show that Homelander had orchestrated, Wodime found himself a bit stiffer than normal.

Everything was still going his way, but the developments with Heracles and the news he had been getting from his comrades across the world were making him, disturbed, for lack of a better word.

Yet, at the same time the course of the plan tonight was still going on smoothly.

With Tesla having spoken to most of the Federal Government's secret delegation with his energy program, and Atalanta becoming a beacon that many charitable investors and business partners to be connected with, everything was going Kirschtaria Wodime's way…

Except for the very vital news, of what the gift his mysterious benefactor had enacted that night.

It was already a gamble to summon the son of Zeus in hindsight and that connection was exploited right as the great hero was going through a very tough, emotional time. Theseus was correct that the timetable had to be moved and his frontward efforts with Vought had to be concluded faster than expected.

He moved his gaze back to his dear friend, Mandricardo and Caenis who angrily shoved the flowers into the Mongolian Emperor's arms. Her temper while oozing out from her strained expression was very much clear, especially with how Vought's golden child was still waving in her direction while he spoke with his comrades.

Funnily enough, the slap she gave him was hard enough that it made every person in attendance blink in shock and surprise after his declaration. Yet the imbecile still took it as a gift, which is why she was now guzzling a healthy dose of alcohol at Atalanta's side. Her gaze at him earlier spoke trouble on his behalf as he sighed inwardly, knowing that the personal talk was going to be colorful.

He was just thankful that Caenis had not started a fight, otherwise, he was sure to intervene, one way or the other. With the issue of Heracles' actions, provoking another fight in this tense situation was going to be problematic for some of their plans.

Especially, with how he was dealing with convincing Victoria Neuman.

"Still listening to me? Or are you avoiding the question, Mr. Kirsch?" Victoria Neuman asked with a bit of perplexity given that she was rather enjoying their little debate the entirety of the night and she was starting to like him in some manner.

"I am… though I believe my stance on that is rather firm already." He replied with a warm smile to which she huffed with in response. "An official handling is on paper, the correct way of dealing with such things, especially with the sociopolitical context of the current modern world."

"And?" she prompted, hoping for him to continue.

"…but I don't marginally believe that superhumans as a whole if we broaden the term to all individuals with special abilities, to be beholden to a higher authority such as the United States."

"Oh? And why is that, specifically Mr. Kirsch? I know that a good man such as yourself is aware of the proclivities and dare I say it, flaws that these beings have."

"I do… a bit too well actually." He admitted, much to the surprise of Victoria, who was expecting him to defend his charges. "… but my point still stands. A higher authority despite the constitutional structure of it all with various parties ratifying what needs to be done on a daily basis, is still biased and prone to the interests and liabilities that their homeland entails. The United States is, frankly, not an impartial country and has its own interests in dealing with international affairs as well as the affairs of its own in-country."

"And other countries are not? I'd argue the United States has enough grounds, at the very least in a diplomatic and historical context if we debate semantics." Victoria challenged.

"I never specified it to be just the United States, no country is without their own biases and interests and I find it very strange that you of all people are defending the US government, knowing the flaws that each person touts daily in the evening news. Even if we do talk semantics about that topic, the United States is just as equal to both their allies and enemies abroad if we are going to discuss a perfect system of controlling enhanced individuals. Which in this case, is practically moot."

"So, you agree to the concept, but not the execution for it to be a realistic, doable scenario?" she asked, thinking about it herself as she sipped and finished her drink. "I'm sad to say, I can't argue that at all, but the problem still stands, we are basically living in a world where Gods are walking amongst men, literally and the day will come when someone walks up to a proverbial stage, filled with ambition and an ego so large that they would declare it's their time to lead."

Her voice began to change into concern. "Aren't you scared about that?"

"That's always a possibility, Murphy's law always applies in every given scenario regardless of the numbers being tuned to success. Yet, at the same time whether they are within the authority of the state or free from it, that's also a possibility given how temptation and power work."

"True." She agreed as Wodime looked at her before gesturing to Homelander and Wodime's own comrades.

"Giving them to the authority of the state complicates things, politically and ethically, speaking. Those under the authority of their country can use said individuals as weapons of war, soldiers, or in worse case scenarios, WMDs of the most extreme kind. One that can challenge another world power and subjugate them due to the inability to fight back. No, I do not agree with the overall power of the state being the main holder of beings such as Homelander entirely. Given the tense nature of diplomatic and ideological relations each world power has, I believe introducing heroes into proper authority would just blow that powder keg into something worse. Maybe an equilibrium can be maintained in the future, but the United Nations as it stands today is merely just a formality forum, one that any strong enough world power can deny or outright refuse."

"But leaving it in the hands of something like Vought… is? Or no, the better question would be, leaving so much power in the hands of someone like you, is more appropriate in your eyes?" Victoria asked, genuinely wishing to hear his answer as Wodime bit his own lip to the loaded question.

"Believe me, Ms. Neuman, I am very much flawed. If you knew me first-hand you might have been the very first person to reject my leadership over Olympia."

He sighed before looking at her straight in the face.

"… I too have skeletons in my closet. Far more than any person perhaps in this room, but if there's any truth to any word I speak or any trust that can be gathered in any considerable form, then you may perhaps lean onto my goal of actually achieving a form of peace for this world. Peace for the betterment of all, even if such a dream is basically an impossibility, you can never doubt my drive to attain it."

She smiled at him, with an actual sense of approval and support.

"To a better world then." She raised her glass to a toast.

He reciprocated with his own as they emptied their glasses.

"Let me guess, Mr. Kirsch, you already knew my intentions before we even spoke, yes?"

He smiled at her, confirming her point with a single glance. "I can neither confirm nor deny that, but perhaps I just wanted to make the connection between us, genuine in some form. Hopefully, I was not a bore at all in our conversation."

"No, absolutely not. You're probably the most interesting person I've ever met in my life, even besides our lengthy debates, I believe we can make this relationship, work." She offered, her expression now teasing as he huffed with a grin.

"You will support my actions in Congress then? Ms. Neuman?"

"With what you're doing? Probably… I won't give any promises."

"Oh… allow me to change your mind then to make it official." He said as he stood up, much to Victoria Neuman's surprise, Wodime began walking to the podium of the gala while the busy party was still ongoing. Quickly, the personnel working at the party had noticed his signal and they began preparing him for his little announcement just as the spotlight, used in the dance earlier was now shining on him. People quickly looked in his direction as Victoria Neuman watched.

Wodime placed his glass on the podium as the entire crowd mostly became silent, eagerly waiting for him to speak as he smiled at them all. The spotlight, blessed by Artemis gave a weighty aura and sense of wonder to the speaker as Wodime began what many consider to be the most important highlight of the night.

"Good evening…" he politely said as many followed suit with their own greets and some cheers with clapping. "… beautiful night that we are all having, I don't plan to pause it any further, but firstly, I would like to thank Vought, specifically Stan Edgar for hosting this evening for our wonderful Archer."

A plethora of claps and cheers howled as a spotlight was shined on the servant while she bowed.

"I believe I must also thank my dear friend and partner of Lancer, Mandricardo as a highlight of this night. Not only were the dances magnificent, but it's truly something I'm proud of, to see the smiles on your faces after being thrust into hard work for so long. So, please a round of applause to the people I mentioned, as well as the Grecian Government and their fellow men and women who made this night as amazing as it was behind the scenes."

A loud series of claps and cheers followed suit as Wodime watched Neuman enthusiastically cheer while Mandricardo merely blushed heavily with a thankful smile while Caenis tended to him. He laughed lightly as well with the bright and happy energy of the event while he saw Stan Edgar and his compatriots tersely clap in his direction.

His smile grew wider at that observation as he raised his hands up to calm the audience down.

"However, as bountiful and successful as this night is, we must all remember that this is for the love and devotion of international peace and prosperity that our beloved Archer champions with all her heart. We, at Olympia… as a show of charity wish to announce that following this bright and lovely ideal, is to reveal to the public and the world the groundbreaking achievement that my partner, Caster, and many of our esteemed doctors within the global community of doctors and scientists the existence of Ambrosia."

A series of claps followed as Stan Edgar stared at him with a frustrated but deeply disappointed look, if only to themselves. Even Homelander looked confused but slowly recognized the gravity of the speech as Wodime now smiled at them in victory.

"Ambrosia is the placeholder term for the miraculous medicine that will in theory, practically cure and immunize every man, woman, and child from diseases known to man except for some of the most extreme. No longer would vaccines be a priority for future generations. No longer would infectious diseases, even some of the moderately worst parts of the world that attack our poorest sectors be forced to endure such calamities head-on without support. This is why I am deeply thankful to all our partners for this endeavor because just as this announcement is made, a peer review process of the methods allowing this drug to be a reality is now being shared…

With each sentence it was like a wildfire, people began clapping loudly and cheerfully as Wodime's political opponents slowly began frowning deeply as the display was in all intents and purposes, rubbing salt on everybody's wounds.

"… and with our negotiations to be posted and publicly shared with the United States and eventually, the United Nations, Ambrosia will be freely distributed without charge nor recompense for all pharmaceutical and medicinal companies worldwide. Ushering a brighter, healthier world tomorrow."

The rampant joy was now apparent as even the highest snobs of society were taking it all in despite their inward opinions.

Wodime had to raise his hands again to calm the audience as they all cheered.

"Not only that, but another announcement, chiefly on the topic of energy, I would like to introduce the research of my good friend, Tesla on his breakthrough of renewable, sustainable, clean energy that will transform the industry overnight."

Another spotlight flashed onto the man who bowed in attendance as cheers racked his form.

Wodime continued on, displaying some details over their announcements as the rest of the business and political world began to realize, that change was in fact happening, and they were witnessing it first-hand, whether they liked it or not.

"…" Stan Edgar expressed with a hum as at the other end of the party, Homelander merely smiled as he looked at Wodime with inward disdain.

As the cheers continued, Wodime found himself happy with his final bombshell as he once again looked at Victoria Neuman's way. The woman smiling at him, though appearing very discomforted as the man of the hour, the ghost that brought about change, had once again beat them all…

Without even a visible trace of effort in their eyes.

"Thank you." He said as he began walking and waving away, promising the world finer details of his announcement by the morrow as he smiled.

More work was to come, and the dangers were escalating by the day.

Wodime just hoped they were ready once the dominoes began to start falling apart.

---

Finishing his business, Wodime flushed the toilet as he got out of the stall.

Washing his hands, it was there he saw Stan Edgar minding his own business in the men's bathroom. It was quiet and tense but common to Wodime's experience.

"You've put on quite a show, I must say." The man said with a voice as proper and respectful as possible as he zipped his pants and walked towards the sink close enough to his. Their eyes met in the mirror as Wodime kept his neutral expression up.

"Theatrics are always useful in matters like this, otherwise nobody listens." He replied.

"Indeed." Stan Edgar agreed as he began wiping his hands with the hand towels. "Though your little act has basically put every single pharmaceutical company out of business, and… I'm not very sure what I think about that if we're being honest. Most hospitals and doctors practically hate you now, I reckon."

"I'm sure you can bounce back, chief of all things, Vought is profitable without the pharmaceutical leaning." Wodime clicked his tongue as he began wiping his hands too. "Even then, I do have offers for those who would lose their jobs. The drug is merely a stabilizing agent to keep humanity from being affected by the minor and moderate-strength diseases, while the worst ones are still up for research."

Stan Edgar huffed with a small laugh. "I reckon that little snippet won't take too long, especially with your efforts and pace. In fact, I've started to accept that impossible is just something that doesn't exist in your portfolio… doesn't it?"

Wodime shrugs.

"To live the day where I see a nobody literally change the world. If I was still naïve I would have bought it wholeheartedly, but I guess I won't lecture you on the consequences of these announcements you made. I believe you already know what they are."

"Yes," Wodime admitted, knowing that he now had a lot of work on his hands.

"Very impressive, Mr. Wodime. I would have loved you to be part of Vought had we discovered you first, but that is now a fantasy… one that I know will never bear fruit. You've already beaten us in almost all aspects, what I wonder now…"

The man turned to him and met Wodime face to face. "…is what's next?"

"I am no clairvoyant, Mr. Edgar, but I am the hopeful sort, as stupid as it sounds to you people."

"You very well are… I do wish you good luck on that front, Mr. Wodime. For every star that burns bright always fizzles out, in some form. It may be Vought's turn now to be that way, but yours is still heading in that direction and I hope one day we can have this conversation again and we'll just smile at each other's misery."

Wodime merely grins. "We'll see."

The man walks away quietly while fixing his suit as Wodime is left to himself.

He exits the men's room and walks towards Mandricardo and Caenis, hoping to join them as the party resumes its normal pace after all the chaos and zealous joy.

There, he was now faced with another dilemma, as he greeted Caenis happily, only for her to walk away angrily with a bottle in hand. Awkwardly, he looks at Mandricardo who is still carrying the flowers. An unmistakable expression was on his friend's face.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Wodime asked.

"It appears so, master… though I believe you two should sort this out alone together."

"Hopefully, she isn't too mad, I was to congratulate her on the dance."

"I think she's uh… well…" Mandricardo paused as he realized what the tone his master was using as he looked at Wodime and then to Caenis. He realized deep down that the two were clueless as to what he was subtly referring to.

"I don't mean to be disrespectful master, but I believe that talk needs to happen now." He stressed as Wodime's eyes widened in surprise at his recommendation.

"Is it really that bad?"

Mandricardo shrugs as his friend sighs.

"Yes, you're right, as a friend, I should talk go talk to her."

Inwardly Mandricardo sighed. "Yes, as a friend."

Their master may have been very adept at what he was good at, but for matters such as that, he came lacking.

Still, with Drake on the loose in a wild drunken haze with her acquired partner…

And the night being as successful as it was, Wodime and Mandricardo found themselves smiling in content, despite the problems that they would face come morning and the next few days.

Olympia still had work to do…

---

Cited Material:

Cordax & Tsifteteli (κόρδαξ & τσιφτετέλι)

Styan, J. L. (1982) "Drama, Dance and Music, edited by James Redmond," Comparative Drama: Vol. 16: Iss. 4, Article 6.

Stavrou Karayanni, Stavros. (2004). Dancing Fear and Desire: Race, Sexuality and Imperial Politics in Middle Eastern Dance.

Video of Tsifteteli in action:

/heXSxUf1TxE?si=yX87E9gDIYMH7bRZ

Mongolian Biyelgee and Torghut variation

Marsh, Peter K. (2004). Horse-Head Fiddle and the Cosmopolitan Reimagination of Mongolia.

Pegg, Carole (2003) Mongolian Music, Dance, and Oral Narrative: Recovering Performance Traditions (with audio CD)

Video of Mongolian Biyelgee in action:

watch?v=yAfUZ81E42I&t=219s&pp=ygUSbW9uZ29saWFuIGJpeWVsZ2Vl

watch?v=2eZyDB4FAQk&pp=ygUSbW9uZ29saWFuIGJpeWVsZ2Vl

Nisiotikos Ballos and Leka (Νησιώτικος Μπάλλος & Λέκα)

Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus

βαλλίζω, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus

"μπάλος", Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής, ed. Institute of Manolis Triantafyllidis

Video of Nisiotikos Ballos and Leka in action:

watch?v=YuaxA8EsFvI

/42437589