Well, this chapter certainly came out later than I would've hoped. My apologies for that guys, a mixture of some writer's block and getting caught up in the festivities of Christmas and so forth. I really did want to get this out on the last day of December to close out the year, but unfortunately, I couldn't(Sorry for crushing your hopes on that, sad fan). And then I failed to get it out by the 15th despite it being on the shorter side, due to my database project beating the shit out of me for almost two weeks now before I finally completed it.
I know this sounds like an excuse, and it kind of is, but there's really not much else I can say to you guys about why this got delayed so damn much, especially considering its pretty much a filler chapter, as will be the next one before we get into the Titanomachy stuff.
Worry not though, the next chapter after this I'm projecting to actually be out at around the end of this month for certain. I've already begun writing it, as it was originally going to be part of this chapter. I didn't have the time to do that however without pushing a chapter's release out until the end of January, seeing as I have group project work taking up a good chunk of my time now. This is my remedy for that, so hope you guys don't mind. Following these two, we will officially start the Titanomachy arc that I've been looking forward to writing for some time now. Hopefully at some point in February.
Hope you can all forgive me for my tardiness yet again. Even with college work coming back into full swing, I should be able to get back to updating this and my other stories in the coming months. At least I hope I will anyway. I'll be certain to keep you all posted if something comes up on my profile page. Promise.
The Olympian God of Destruction:
Chapter 6: Thanksgivings and Freedom.
On the isle of Crete…
In what seemed to be no time at all after evaporating from the crumbling hide of the Titans stronghold, countless particles of light suddenly emerged. All of which quickly gathered and coalesced within the entrance of a cave, and less than a second later, the physical bodies of the entire group of deities reformed. The light particles they'd once been reduced to immediately fading away as the collective feet of the seven children of Kronos and Rhea, as well as the Oceanid, landed softly on the ground as though they'd all simply taken a light hop in the air. Rather than just coming off a massive drop from a mountain so large it pierced into the heavens themselves.
In fact, if it hadn't been for the immediate expressions of relief that came over most of the gathered gods that clutched on to the duo of Zeus and Metis, one wouldn't have been able to tell anything out of the ordinary had even occurred.
"Well," Poseidon started, exhaling a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding as he and the rest let go of Zeus and Metis. "that was… an experience…"
"Way to state the obvious, Poseidon." Hera scoffed with a roll of the eyes, earning an annoyed look from her younger brother that she completely ignored.
"Where are we, exactly?" Hades asked with a gruff, but polite tone as he took a glance around, as did Beerus beside him.
"We're in the cave I was raised in up to now." Zeus replied earnestly, as he saw the rest of his siblings take a look around their surroundings as well. "It may not be much, I admit, but its cloaked by a magical veil that conceals our presences, which'll make it impossible for our father to detect us."
"Cloaked by a magical veil, huh?" Beerus repeated curiously, taking a glance over at the entrance to the cave. Now that he focused a bit more, he could certainly feel some kind of protective aura that seemed to coalesce around the cave they were in. "Is that your doing?"
"No, it isn't." Metis shook her head, earning Beerus's gaze. "The magical veil of protection is Gaea's work. She alone is one of the few capable of blocking Kronos's all-seeing gaze atop his throne."
All-seeing gaze? Beerus almost snorted. There hadn't been anything 'all-seeing' about that bastard from what he'd saw. Just a pathetic old man who'd made the grave mistake of getting on his shit-list. Then again, and perhaps he might be giving her too much credit here, but Metis didn't strike him as the type to exaggerate. Especially since she'd just delivered on her word in her and Zeus getting them here.
Perhaps that meant that Kronos had a special sort of throne somewhere in that castle that allowed him such a thing? It wasn't hard for him to believe such a thing if it was the case. Not that it'll do him any good against me regardless. He can gawk down from his ivory tower at my movements all he likes. It won't save him from my wrath.
"Well, you weren't lying to us at least." Hera said matter-of-factly, giving a somewhat thankful, curt nod to Metis.
The Oceanid returned the gesture with a more relaxed smile now that they were out of the line of fire. "But of course. I would never even consider bluffing about my abilities in a situation like that."
"Nor would I." Zeus added.
"And you both have our gratitude for that." Hestia smiled warmly, getting a nod of agreement from Demeter beside her. "And speaking of gratitude," She began, her smile broadening as she looked over at her twin brother and quickly made over to him in a few short strides. Her gait catching Beerus's attention right as her breath was close enough to tickle his skin, as she slinked her arms around the taller man's waist in a loving embrace. The top of her head barely reaching up to his chin as she rested her face against his broad chest. "more than anything else, brother, I truly appreciate all the effort you went through to get us out of there. We all do."
Beerus blinked as he was taken mildly by surprise with the affectionate act, though he quickly recovered from it. Any awkwardness he may have felt still getting quickly washed away by Hestia's comforting aura that blanketed over him yet again, and by extension the rest of their little abode to a lesser extent. The same pleasant feeling that had come over him the first time she'd done this resurging, and he welcomed it with open arms.
"She's right, you know." Demeter added, briefly catching Beerus's eye as she flashed him a warm, thankful smile. "Our escape was only possible because of you. You're our saviour, Beerus, and for getting us out of that horrible place, I can't thank you enough."
Heh, saviour huh? Beerus chuckled. I've never been called that one before. He'd been called many things in the past, and sparsely little of them were pleasant outside of his former station as the god of destruction. Most done behind his back when the mortals of his previous universe thought he wasn't listening.
He had to admit, being complimented like that earnestly without the typical fear he'd come to expect back in his halcyon days in Universe 7 was a rather nice change from what he'd gotten used to prior.
"Only possible because of him?" Zeus couldn't help but feel a small bit of annoyance at that statement. After all, he and Metis were seconds away from getting Kronos to drink that specially brewed potion, which would've had the Titan Lord puking his siblings out within no time had his brother chosen not to do what he did. Given the distraction this would've caused, their escape under that plan would've very well been much less stressful than it had ended up being, even if their escape from the castle would've taken longer.
Metis, he could tell just from a glance, was irked by that statement as well given the effort she'd gone to in order to brew a magical potion strong enough to debilitate even Kronos, and in mapping out all the routes of the castle for escape. Regardless, she seemed to let it go quick without a word, seeing as they had all gotten out either way at the end of the day.
Zeus chose to do the same in this instance despite that irking him. After all, they had indeed all gotten away from the Titan's lair without any serious harm, which had been the point of his and Metis excursion in the first place. How it went down mattered little so long as they did. Now wasn't the time to be petty. He could ponder on how his eldest brother had managed to do what should've been impossible by amassing such power while trapped inside their father later.
They had time to relax right now. It'd be unwise not to take it.
"It's fine." Beerus inevitable replied to both his sisters with a grin, willingly circling his own arms around Hestia as he basked in the warmth and content that his twin somehow managed to exude so infectiously and effortlessly. A far cry from the initial awkwardness he'd held when they'd first properly interacted several weeks ago in the pit of Kronos's revolting stomach. His remaining annoyance at not being able to get immediate vengeance upon the Titan Lord abating as well rather swiftly. "I merely did as I said I was going to do." He said as he patted the shorter goddess's head with more outward affection than he'd ever shown for another person in his previous universe without making up an excuse for it or having an ulterior motive to go along with it.
"And I always had faith that you would keep your promise to us." Hestia replied, snuggling a little closer into him, enough to press her impressively sized bust against his front, squishing her breasts down in the process within her tunic. Her head turned to look up at him then, with her glowing orbs shining radiantly with happiness and a beaming smile to go with it, before she leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.
Beerus's smile morphed into a smirk as he looked down at her, letting his ego rise for a moment as they continued to hold each other. "But of course you did, Hestia. It is unwise to doubt me, after all. Only a fool would, and you are clearly the furthest thing from a fool."
Just then, Beerus felt a strong hand on his shoulder, bringing his attention to the side as he saw his favourite little brother Hades grinning at him.
"You have my gratitude as well, brother." He said earnestly, as a slightly more feral, toothy smile graced his features. "Not just for getting us out of our father's innards, but also causing that bastard as much pain as you could for all of us on the way out."
"Not a problem, Hades." Beerus's grin also took on a similar feral edge in response. "That buffoon deserved it and so much more for the slight he made against us." And he'd get so much more just punishment as soon as he got his hands on him again!
"You can say that again." Poseidon nodded affirmatively. "By the way…" He started before looking away somewhat sheepishly when Beerus gazed over at him. "I probably should've done this sooner, but I'm sorry for doubting you before, back when we were still trapped in there, I mean."
"Eh, it's alright." Beerus waved him off as he and Hestia finally separated from their hug. "Water under the bridge now, far as I'm concerned since you've seen the error of your ways."
"Speaking of doubt." Hades suddenly began, a knowing smirk plastered on his face as he turned his sights on Hera. "Is there something you'd like to say to our brother as well, Hera?"
Hera felt her brow twitch in agitation the very second she heard his words. A frown quickly marring her beatific features as she huffed in annoyance when she caught sight of the knowing look that her younger brother was shooting her. She couldn't help but to cross her arms underneath her bosom as she narrowed her eyes defensively back at him, looking far from amused. "Are you really bringing that up now, Hades?"
"And why wouldn't I bring it up now, Hera?" Hades smirk broadened at her. His tone having some apparent smugness to it that didn't fail to immediately get on Hera's nerves. "As I recall, between you and Poseidon over here, you were the most vocal about your doubt of our eldest brother being able to get us out of that rancid pit, and put his efforts down much more than he did." He said while jutting a thumb in Poseidon's direction. "Not only did you call them futile, and basically call him a fool for thinking he could do it, you also had the gall to say that I needed to see the 'bigger picture'."
Never let it be said that Hades couldn't be somewhat petty given the circumstance. He hadn't forgotten about that condescending line his older sister had fed him before Beerus had eventually given her the demonstration that put her in her place. Now that they were away from their father safe and sound, it was about time she properly owned up to how wrong she was back then.
And he'd make certain it was in front of all of them here and now after all that nonsense she'd spouted in their father's stomach if he could!
Hera's frown had all but turned into a full-blown scowl at this point as all eyes turned to her, though given the way her divinely beautiful features contorted, it honestly looked more like a childish pout, as she looked away in annoyance. "Honestly…"
"Hmm?" Hades turned the side of his head to her as his hand cupped around his ear. "What was that?"
"Must you be this childish?"
"That doesn't sound like an apology, dear sister. We're free and away from our father and his allies now, so you don't have any more excuses for not giving our brother his due respects for saving your ass." Hades snorted, bringing his hand down from his ear as he turned to gaze over fully at her with scrutiny. "What, are you that embarrassed about him proving you wrong? Or is it just your wounded ego that's getting in the way?"
"How dare you!" Hera suddenly snapped at him with an outraged glare as her hands fell by her sides and balled into fists of anger. Her pearly white teeth baring as her lips peeled open with an even more intense scowl, as her sublimely structured, regal cheeks tinted pink.
"How dare I what? Call you out to do what you should be doing anyway?" Hades scoffed at her, completely unmoved by her quickly growing ire. "You told me you'd get to it, remember?" He reminded her of her own words from not too long ago, shortly after they'd broken out of Kronos's gut. "Well, I can't think of any time better than the present to do it, do you?"
"Hades…" Hestia muttered disapprovingly. While she may have actually been in some agreement with her brother's sentiment, she was in no way on board with him putting her on the spot like this so rudely.
"You know what, little brother? I think you're on to something there." Beerus on the other hand, was of the opposite persuasion. His own smirk matching Hades own already as his sights set on his younger, and most troublesome sibling.
"Wait what!?" Hera recoiled at Beerus's words. Her current expression of outrage being mixed in with some shock. "I thought you just said it was all water under the bridge?"
"Oh, I did. For him." Beerus also took the liberty to jut his own thumb in Poseidon's direction. "Because unlike you, he has actually apologized for his error in judgement."
That, and he hadn't been anywhere near as much of an abrasive nuisance to him as she had been. That was for damn certain!
Hera involuntarily took a step back at that, as Beerus gently manoeuvred his way around Hestia and moved closer to Hera.
Hazel eyes were forced to look up and meet amber, as the much taller of the two siblings now stood less than a foot away from Hera. His broad, muscular form looming over her much shorter, lither figure, with perhaps the smuggest, most expectant grin one could've imagined.
"Uhm, is this really necessary, brother?" Zeus asked from his position behind Beerus now. Some concern crossing his features seeing the confrontation between his two siblings and feeling as though he should attempt to come to Hera's aid a little.
Mostly because her beauty enraptured him so much that he felt the need to do so in order to try and get on her good side.
Beerus however, wasn't having any of that. "Don't think I have forgotten about what you said in that castle, Zeus." He reminded without turning around. His grin remaining in place despite his words as he kept his gaze on his baby sister's. He didn't need to look back to know that that had shut his younger brother up. "Given the circumstance, I'm willing to be gracious and let that slide just this once, but I'm warning you now, Zeus. Don't test me. You'll regret it, trust me."
Just about everyone there, Zeus especially, could tell that he meant every word of what he'd just said simply by the edge to his tone. And after what he'd shown today especially, no one was about to be stupid enough to say he might be bluffing.
The silver-haired deity swallowed involuntarily from the threat – no, the promise – of retribution if he continued to get on his older brother's bad side. The smarter part of him having kicked in quick to help avoid the potentially massive landmine he was threatening to stumble into. "U-Understood, brother."
"Good." The edge in Beerus's tone seemingly vanished then, satisfied for now at his most recent little brother's concession. "Now, back to the matter at hand. You said you were raised in this cave, yes?"
"U-Uh, yeah?" Zeus nodded, his divine complexion having somewhat paled over at his brother's words. And how could they not after watching the display he'd put on in the castle?
"I assume that means that your caretaker or whatever still lives here too?"
"W-Well yes, she does-"
"Then why don't you make yourself useful and fetch her for us, would you? It's quite rude to bring guests in and not introduce them, after all."
"U-Uh… right…" Zeus had to finish rather lamely, a bead of sweat falling down his temple as he looked away with some shame before, in Beerus's mind, scurrying off further into the cave.
"I'll go with him." Metis decided, quickly bounding out herself, though notably much less tense than Zeus had been. "I'll see you all again in a minute." She waved back at them, an action reciprocated by both Hestia and Demeter as she disappeared into the darker section of the cave.
And all for someone that in all reality, Beerus couldn't have given less of a shit about meeting, but at least it got rid of Zeus being a potential nuisance. At least until later. He had a feeling his youngest brother may well end up being just as annoying as Hera could be in the future, in his own way.
He could handle that later if Zeus chose to do so. For now, though, it was time to get back to getting something he actually wanted.
"Now then, Hera." Beerus began, baring his full gaze down upon his sibling expectantly, as he placed his hands on his hips. "I do believe there's something you have to say to me, no?"
Hera, for all her usual haughtiness, found herself feeling smaller underneath Beerus's gaze. Her anger having fizzled away for once within his presence alone as he looked down at her. A definite one-hundred-and-eighty degree turn from how she'd been before when they were in each other's faces prior to him having showed his strength within their former ghastly prison. She eventually found herself looking away from his unblinking eyes as her face scrunched up in mounting embarrassment, cheeks turning an even deeper shade of pink. Her hands unclenching themselves as one found purchase and gripped against her arm with some clear tension.
Beerus's grin only grew seeing her nervous response. The former destroyer god of the now erased Universe 7 taking more than a little pleasure in watching the sibling that had been his greatest source of irritation during his entrapment squirm beneath his gaze. "Well, I'm waiting Hera…"
"Ngnn! I-I…" Hera bit her lip. Still failing to meet Beerus's abundantly smug, leering gaze. She rubbed her arm as she struggled to actually say anything to him for once, now that he'd put her on the spot like this, and clearly wouldn't let her off until he got what he wanted off her.
"You what, Hera?" Hades chimed in again, crossing his arms over his chest. His smile making it clear he was taking some enjoyment in watching her squirm just as Beerus was. Simply showing her she was wrong wasn't enough. After how aggravating she'd acted before, they were both long overdue to hear her verbally admit she was wrong and be humbled. It was petty and perhaps even childish for sure, but after the tone she'd taken with them, Beerus in particular, it would be a lie to suggest that this wasn't somewhat deserved. "This shouldn't be difficult, Hera. All you're doing is apologizing and then thanking him for saving us. You already said you'd do the latter earlier, so what's the problem?"
"Well said." Beerus agreed, having it affirmed in his mind yet again that Hades was his favourite brother easily. "So, what are you waiting for Hera? Go ahead. Say it."
"Y-You…" The young goddess began tersely. "Over something so trivial…"
"Are you testing me now, woman?" Beerus narrowed his amber orbs, somewhat amused by her stubborn attitude even now, but all the same entirely unimpressed. "I know you're not incapable of this. You've certainly had no trouble running your mouth before. Although, if you'd prefer, I'd also be willing to give you another way to show you're both apologetic and thankful to me."
"And what would that be?" She asked, while still looking away from him.
If she had been looking, she would've caught the almost Cheshire cat-like expression that came over him briefly. "You can get on your hands and knees and prostrate yourself before me instead. You do that, and I'll take it as both an apology and a sign of gratitude. No words needed."
"W-What!?" Hera sputtered, taking a step back from the surprise of such a galling statement as she finally stared up at him almost gobsmacked. Eyes nearly as wide as saucers.
"Oh my!" Demeter cupped her mouth in surprise, having not expected him to suggest such a provocative action. Meanwhile, Hades let out a laugh just seeing Hera's reaction, while Poseidon just stared over in some level of awe that Beerus would actually go there, knowing how prideful she already was.
"Beerus!" Hestia called out behind him with a clearly displeased tone, as she moved forward and grabbed on to her twin's shoulder. An act that did manage to draw his gaze away from their younger sibling. "Why would you even suggest such a thing?"
"What?" Beerus merely shrugged back, looking unperturbed. "It's not like I'm asking for anything unreasonable from her, Hestia. It's a viable option if she can't bring herself to say anything to my face. Heck, if you ask me, I'd say it might get the point across even better than if she just said it."
"I-I am not prostrating myself to you!" Hera screeched in abject defiance. Her now almost shrilly voice echoing through the cave with every syllable, forcing a cringe out of everyone else there, including even Hestia despite the eldest sister's best attempt not to. Her outrage coming back full force as she glared over at her brother while balling her fists at her sides again. Though its effectiveness, if it would've had any on Beerus at all, was neutered by just how red her face had become. "There's no chance you're making me do that! None! I refuse to humiliate myself over something so-mmph!?"
The increasingly loud female deity was quickly cut off before she could finish. Her last words getting muffled into something indecipherable as Beerus decided to clamp one of his hands down over her mouth to stop her from screeching any further. His grin from before now long gone and replaced with an almost comically angry snarl.
"Damnit Hera, are you ever gonna learn when to not screech our bloody ears off!?" He yelled just as loud as she'd been, forcing another cringe out of everyone there as it bounced off the walls. "I was only messing with you, for goodness sake! I wasn't actually serious, you dolt!" Okay, that was only half true. One side of him actually did want her to do it, purely to leave that lasting image burned into her mind, so that she may hopefully be humbled by the experience.
Knowing her though, she'd probably remain just as bad. Or hell, she might actually get worse if she could hold a grudge like he could. And he had a strange gut feeling that she damn well could.
"Ugh…" She groaned into his palm, before wrapping her hand around his wrist and managing to pull his hand away just enough for her scowl to be seen as she yelled back at him. "And how was I supposed to know that, you buffoon! I can't read your mind!"
"A buffoon, huh!? Is that how you thank me for saving your ass back there? Or apologising for the amount of crap you gave me back in that bastard's stomach? You dig your heels into the ground like a damn child and insult me!?" Beerus barked back, his teeth baring in an angry glower. "You really are a piece of work, you know that?"
"Oh, don't you start!" Hera all but screamed in his face as she pushed herself closer. Uncaring of how much she was playing with fire right now as she let her own anger take hold again. "You have the nerve to call me a child while you and Hades gang up on and heckle me for a bloody thanks and apology!?"
"Oh, hear we go." Beerus rolled his eyes at such an asinine statement, with Hades mirroring it in the background. "You're so full of shit! We were egging you on because you were stalling over something simple and wasting our time!"
"Oh, give over! Wasting your time? You don't have anything else to do! And I wasn't stalling either!"
"How is calling what I asked for trivial and refusing to actually do it not stalling! Just who in the heck are you trying to fool!?"
"I never refused to do anything!" She denied vehemently. "At least not until now, because you know what? I don't care that you rescued us all, I'm not giving you a damn thing you ass!"
Beerus growled. At this point, Hera had pushed herself up on her toes and had gotten close enough for her forehead to clash against his. Damn wench had some real nerve getting up in his face like this again!
"I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You really are an ungrateful cow."
"No, I am no-"
"Oh, yes you are!" Beerus pushed his head forward against hers, forcing Hera back immediately. "Don't even try to deny it. I'm at my wits end now with your crap, Hera."
"At your wits end, huh?" She scoffed, gritting her teeth as she tried to force him back in turn, but she couldn't even get him to budge a centimetre this time. "As if to imply you even had any wit to begin with!"
"Are you forgetting already that I'm the only reason you're not still in that retched stomach?" Beerus reminded with a burning fury in his eyes. "Not to mention that had I not acted further you likely wouldn't have made it ten steps out of those idiots throne room."
Hera was far from cowed. "You punched our way out on both occasions, Beerus. Using brute power is hardly something that takes any real intelligence."
She said this while not aware of the fact that Beerus even being able to gain the power to do those things, given what their predicament had been, should've been impossible under normal circumstances. Though even if she was, given her anger she probably still wouldn't have cared.
"Says the woman who did nothing but sit around with her thumb up her ass contributing nothing worth a damn! Don't stand here and talk to me about intelligence when all you've done is bitch and moan!"
Hera's eyes burned with a fiery fury in that moment that easily rivalled her brother's. Her teeth grinding down on themselves so hard it was a wonder they hadn't fragmented yet. To the onlookers watching on, it looked like sparks of electricity were flying between the two as they continued to butt heads. "Why you…"
"Beerus, Hera, please, you shouldn't be at each other's throats like this." Hestia said with a hand outstretched, already taking her first stride forward to be the voice of reason to her two fiery tempered siblings.
"She's right you two. There's no need for this." Demeter agreed wholeheartedly, backing up Hestia, but making no attempt to get closer and in between those two whilst they were becoming increasingly volatile.
"We're really back to this again, aren't we?" Poseidon muttered as a sweat drop fell down his temple.
"It's Hera's fault, you know. If she wasn't so stupidly stubborn, then they wouldn't be butting heads like this." Hades commented by Poseidon's side while crossing his arms, making it clear he was on Beerus's side. "She's really putting up this much of a fuss over having to apologise and thank him for what he's done. It's incredible to me just how short-tempered and abrasive she can be even now."
"I'm not so sure Beerus is all that much better in this situation, Hades." Poseidon remarked back, sagging his shoulders as he spectated on as things looked mere moments away from boiling over into a brawl. Something he was acutely aware of now that Beerus would mop the floor with her in if it did. "Those two are so alike in all the wrong ways…"
"We are nothing alike!" Poseidon flinched and stepped back nervously as the two suddenly rounded on him and bellowed that out in unison, their voices booming throughout the mountain cave. The expressions on their faces looking comically pissed off and offended by the comparison. "How dare you compare me to him/her!" They roared, forcing the young god to break out in a fearful sweat as their ire became almost solely focused on him then.
"Brother! Sister!" Hestia called out more forcefully this time, as her hands gripped on both of their shoulder's. "Please, cease your quarrelling. It isn't getting either of you anywhere!"
The instant she said this, that same calming effect of hers from before burst forth with a vengeance, with just the two of them as its sole targets this time. Both Hera and even Beerus had to widen their eyes as it crashed over them like a tidal wave, though not in any harmful way. Quite the opposite in fact. It enveloped them once more like a comforting blanket of warmth the likes of which neither had ever felt before. More potent in its influence on them than any time she'd done it prior.
The two snapped their gazes to Hestia in that instant, as all of their anger suddenly got washed up and swallowed into the abyss. The duo's formally tense bodies sagging somewhat as every part of their being relaxed. Their arms falling almost limply by their sides as Hera's face drained from the redness it had gained before.
"Come now, you two." Hestia began again, her voice coming out much softer this time. Her glowing eyes holding a softness and care to them that had both feeling somewhat guilty. "You're blowing things a bit out of proportion, don't you think?"
"B-But he started it…" Hera pointed accusingly at her brother, though with her anger having fizzled out now, the accusation came out sounding exceedingly weak. And she knew herself how weak it sounded even as she uttered it.
Started it my ass. Get over yourself. Beerus thought to himself with an annoyed look, though that vanished as soon as it arrived when Hestia passed him a glance.
"Whether he did or not is irrelevant, sister." Hestia shook her head. "The fact that you both could get so angry at one another over something like this is astonishing. We should be happy and continuing to celebrate how we're all free right now. Not ready to tear into each other the way you two were just now." She remarked none too proudly, which under her aura, was enough to actually make Hera bow her head slightly in some form of shame. Beerus meanwhile started to look and feel a bit sheepish. "It truly does sadden me you know, to watch my family row over nothing. I thought you two would've been passed this after Beerus succeeded in getting us out and away from father, but I guess not."
"W-Well, I… I…" Hera stopped herself as soon as she had to look into her older sister's eyes again, where she could see a mixture of both disappointment and dejection as well as the same concern and worry she showed last time. Whatever remaining excuse she may have tried to muster to absolve herself crumbling then and there, leaving only the shame at how she'd been acting to bare.
Beerus wasn't faring much better. Like the last time he and Hera had been arguing before Hestia broke them up, with her presence and words alone, she was able to make him regret his behaviour.
"I'm sorry, dear sister." Hera finally said, as she looked toward the ground. Not unlike how a child would when forced to admit wrongdoing but were unable to look their parent in the eye out of shame. "It looks as though I've allowed myself to become too heated yet again. I should know better."
That at least, you and I both agree on. Beerus thought in agreement, but decided not to voice it at the moment, as Hera turned her gaze up to him again.
"And as for you, brother. I'm…" She paused for a moment, as though what she was about to say was a genuine struggle for her. Eventually though, she let out a sigh as she looked away again, before continuing. "I'm sorry for how I just acted towards you. I was being unnecessarily difficult towards you without a good reason."
"Hmm… I suppose I may have gone a little overboard as well." He begrudgingly admitted when Hestia passed him her concerned glance once more. That was about as far as he went though. He may have felt bad for causing Hestia distress over his behaviour again, but he sure as hell wasn't sharing that same feeling towards Hera. She would get no apology from him. If anything, she was the one who still needed to-
"With that said, I'll retract what I said before. Much as it pains me to admit it, you're right."
"Huh?" Beerus stared in open surprise for once at his nuisance of a younger sister. Had she actually just said what he thought she said?
Hera's cheeks blushed once again in embarrassment, and had it not been for Hestia's comforting aura, she probably would've stopped there like she had a few minutes ago. "You were right, Beerus. Like everyone else here, I owe you my thanks for rescuing us." She then made a move that Beerus, in the short time he'd known her, never would've actually expected of her to initiate given how she usually was.
She stepped toward him and, putting her general bitchiness to the side, she spread her arms out before circling them around his waist. Her breasts pressing against his front from within her own tunic as she hugged herself up against him and rested her head against the crook of his shoulder. Her face turned to the side as she clenched her eyes shut in heightened embarrassment. Not wanting to look up at his face to see how he reacted as her own lit up like a furnace at what she was doing.
It may not have felt the same as what Hestia had given. Nor was it the prostration he'd half seriously asked for, but the gesture in and of itself spoke volumes, as it made him stiffen from the contact.
"Please… accept my most sincere gratitude for all that you've done for us, brother." She said earnestly, casting her pride away with some serious effort for the first time in her short life. "N-Not to mention my apologies as well for all the hassle I gave you back in our father's stomach. I never should've doubted you…"
"Well, I'll be damned…" Hades muttered as he crossed his arms over his broad chest, whilst looking on in disbelief. "She's actually showing humility? Well, colour me surprised…"
"No kidding…" Poseidon remarked as both he and Demeter nodded in agreement, just as taken aback as he was. The former of which still sweating a little from when his older siblings had turned their ire on him.
Beerus meanwhile, looked utterly dumbfounded as he stared down at who had been the most antagonistic toward him. The same person who'd been bitching her ass off at him up until a moment ago, being nothing less than the total cow he'd come to see her as for the most part.
And now she was hugging him closely while giving him exactly what he'd asked for? Even with Hestia's assistance in mind, that was still quite the jarring one-eighty-degree turn compared to her normal attitude.
Idly, he noted that Hestia had let go of them both at some point, and even her calming effect seemed to have sizzled out for some reason. He looked to his twin in that moment and saw that she had taken a step back from them and was smiling again, clearly happy with this turn of events.
Turning his sights back to his younger sibling, he found himself not being quite sure how to respond to Hera actually being somewhat affectionate and not… well… a bitch. After a few seconds that seemed to drag on, he awkwardly decided to slowly circle his own arms around his typically aggravating sister and returned the gesture. He could feel her stiffen up like he had as he awkwardly hugged her back, but she made no attempt to move away or complain, for once. She merely just sighed again and sagged against him.
As the seconds dragged on, the hug steadily became more relaxed and natural. This fact alone was enough to surprise Beerus inwardly. Huh, this is starting to feel… kind of pleasant actually. Pleasant, up until now, was certainly not a word he would have used to describe any interaction with Hera. There was no denying that that was how this felt though.
Now if only she could've been like this from the beginning instead of being up his ass like she'd been, he might've actually enjoyed her company. Definitely not to the same degree as Hestia, but it would've been a sore sight better than how they'd actually been.
No one dared say a word in the moment. All of them, including Hades, choosing to silently watch the only wholesome act they'd ever seen between the two most short-tempered of them all. Likely because most of them knew this change of pace wasn't likely to stick.
Meanwhile…
It hadn't taken long for Zeus with Metis in tow to make their way through the mountain's cave. The two having walked in relative silence for the most part. The only sound that seemed to pass by having been the distant shouts that echoed throughout the cave from where they'd been.
"It seems as if those two have finally calmed down now." She noted upon no longer hearing the echoing outbursts of Beerus and Hera.
"I certainly hope so." Zeus replied with some hint of relief as they made their way down further. "With the way that was going, I was beginning to worry they might actually start coming to blows…" He shuddered at the thought of his impossibly beautiful sister tangoing with his eldest brother after what he'd witnessed Beerus do back at the Titans lair. Something like that would only end ugly for her, and just thinking about that possibility made him cringe.
"You should be more worried about your own relationship with him, Zeus. Not his and Hera's. Because as of now, you've hardly done anything to endear yourself to him." Zeus's soon-to-be-spouse remarked matter-of-factly, earning a groan from him.
"I'm aware of that, Metis. I kind of got the message loud and clear when he warned me not to test him." And to be honest, Zeus didn't really blame him for having a low opinion of him. The more he thought about it, if he was in Beerus's place, he wouldn't have been impressed either.
He'd made an awful first impression that Beerus had let slide but was certain to not forget. He'd have to try and rectify that in the future and get in his older brother's good graces. It wouldn't do to have a schism amongst his own family and himself, after all. It was paramount that he gained Beerus's favour at some point, because if he didn't… well, he didn't even want to think about what the consequences of that would be for him going forward.
"Well, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you then that you'll need to get on much better terms with him?" She was met with a grunt of affirmation. "Good. I can do what I can to help you with that, if you want?"
"That would be appreciated." Zeus nodded at her thankfully, glad for the offered assistance. He had a feeling he was going to need it. "For now, though, let's just focus on finding Amaltheia." He said before turning his attention back to their path fully. "She wasn't sleeping in her usual spot inside the cave, and we haven't found her in here so far."
"You think she might be outside this time?"
"I can assure you I'm not." The two heard from a number of paces ahead of them, causing them to both stop. The owner of the voice, Amaltheia herself, stepping into view from the relative darkness ahead that thankfully wasn't pitch black no matter how far one walked within the cave. Another benefit given by Gaea's magical veil.
The naked goat nymph smiled at the two. Looking more than relieved at the sight of them. "I see that you two made it back, and from the racket we could just about make out from up top, I can only assume you both succeeded in your quest."
Zeus smiled sheepishly right back at his surrogate mother. "Ah. Well, yeah..." The goal at the end of the day was still to get them out of there to safety and freedom. Which they had done by aiding them in getting here. They just did nowhere near as much of the heavy lifting as they thought they would've. They both knew who was responsible for that.
"Wait…" Zeus's mind then registered the fact that Amaltheia had just said 'we' instead of 'I'.
Before Zeus could utter another word, before his and Metis eyes, another woman with a strong maternal aura walked into view beside the goat nymph. Her brown tunic wrapped around her, with her unmistakable turret crown atop her head, and silky brown hair done up in a neat bun.
Even though he had not seen her since his birth, Zeus wasn't about to forget who this woman was any point soon.
A happy smile found its way to Metis lips as she eyed the all too familiar Titaness. "It is good to see you again, Lady Rhea."
"And to you both, as well." Rhea replied back with a nod and a radiant smile etched on to her indescribably beautiful face. Tears of joy already beginning to well in her eyes as she laid her gaze on the last of her seven children.
And the first of them all that she'd finally be reunited with today.
AND CUT!
That's the end of this one. The rest of this little down time is coming real soon, and then, we're gonna get the Titanomachy stuff revved up in February all things going well. There's sure to be plenty of action once that finally starts up, and I'm looking forward to writing it.
Hope you all got some form of enjoyment out of this slice-of-life chapter. The one after this will mainly be the reunion between mother and children, and a good bit of banter as Rhea finds out what actually went down in Kronos's castle etc. Something tells me she isn't quite ready to learn that her eldest baby boy somehow managed to punch his way out of Kronos and then his castle with brute force, lol.
Anyways, see you guys again around the end of the month, and I mean it this time. It won't be a 10K+ monster of a chapter like most, if not all the Titanomachy centred chapters are going to be. It'll be about the length of this one, potentially shorter. So it won't be of much difficulty to handle.