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Deathkitten

I am the Deathkitten! Fear me!
9F16FA21-363E-4881-874F-D219880CF1D0.pngKana was... less than pleased that her King decided that the best thing for her to do at that moment was to be plopped onto an estate she only vaguely recognized. It was still in the Underworld, that much was sure. Her mother lived here... ish. She travelled around a lot. She looked back up, tucking teal blue hair behind her ear. Zeus was there, floating in midair with his phone in hand, looking as high and mighty as ever. She glared up at him with fierce disapproval.

Even if she decided to head back up and out, it was likely he wouldn’t allow it. It would be disrespectful... so with a short but deep sigh, she turned to the garden that lay before her.

Was this about his brother Hades? Was she about to be another girl Zeus tossed his direction? Of course. He had to be like his siblings. It wasn’t enough for Poseidon and Zeus to be major players. Hecate made him sound better than this.

She had never met the King of the Underworld, of course. He was a king and there was little reason a young, minor goddess like herself would have to even be in his presence. Perhaps she had seen him at an event, same as his brothers, but never met him.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as a massive growl shook her to her core.

Kerberos.

“Σκατά,” she eked out, grimacing at the giant three-headed dog. This was without a doubt Hades’s place. Where else would this hound be but here?

“Nice pup...,” she muttered, stepping back in hesitation as the dog approached, growling all the while. It sniffed at her, but to her relief and surprise, it seemed to deem her acceptable and didn’t rip her face off. Instead, Kerberos greeted her with his massive tongues against her face and clothes, sniffing her off her feet.

He plopped one of his heads down in her lap and pinned her there, another head continuing to attempt to lick her brains out from her ear.

“H-hey! Cut it out! You’re too heavy!” Kana yelled out, trying to squirm out to no avail, hair sticking up as she got groomed.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
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A soft sigh left him, pacing slowly around the estate's entryway area. What would this be...twelve? The twelfth goddess his brother had put against him as a would be match? If he could be left to his peace, and simply spend time to himself, he'd find that far more pleasant. But no...since Persephone had left, Zeus and anyone who would listen to him had been pairing him fruitlessly with would be brides. They respect his privacy for millenia...and then marital troubles happen and suddenly he is no longer entitled to it. Typical of Zeus...putting himself where he need not belong.

Stopping his pacing he heaved another long, slow breath. Who would it be? What would she look like? He wasn't given any information...Zeus simply showed up with these woman, plopped them in his lap, and was off again...Questions would continue to exist unless he faced this like a God, instead of cowering like a rodent. He was Hades, god of the dead and the world below...he couldn't roll over and mope. Walking towards the door and grabbing the golden handle, the bravado died on the spot. Maybe if he just stayed here, Zeus would leave him be...sink into the shadows, quite literally, and go somewhere else.

No...no, get this over with, even if it'd be more comfortable to swim in the Styx. Opening the door and pushing it shut behind him, he started further into the garden, eyes roaming over the plants which had been so tenderly cared for by...well not his hand, he didn't have a green thumb. Persephone had really cared for them...who would care for them now, he wondered? Eyes drifting over fruit trees and shrubbery, he stopped in place as he caught sight of...number twelve, he supposed, pinned by his loyal hound. Clearing his throat a bit, he spoke in his most firm voice which was...quite impressive he had to admit. "Ελα!" Making a motion towards his side, he spoke again. "Come, Kereberos. You know better than to harass a new guest..."

He regarded the new face in silence, iconic near black eyes studying her before he spoke. "I apologize...in more ways than one." As soon as he said that, he cast a glare towards his brother in silence, before continuing. "I'll attempt to be a gracious host while you are here...though I'm sure you'd rather be anywhere rather than on my estate...I am Hades though that's...redundant at this point, isn't it?" Wonderful, he already sounded full of himself by declaring his name...she knew who he was.
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
The hound whined loudly at Hades, making her ears hurt with the forceful sound. He did not want to leave his newfound friend. Sure, he was supposed to guard and stuff. He attacked a few of the other girls that came before, after all, but this one smelled nice. Kerberos made another loud growl-whine noise and headbutted Kana as if to declare her as his.

"Not much of a guard dog, huh?" she asked, looking his direction as best she could around the dog's heads, "Zeus... dropped me off. Sorry about that. Hecate - my mother - she'll probably yell at him." Kana looked back at where Zeus had been, but the King of the Gods had made his exit, leaving only the smell of ozone in his place.

"My name is Kana," she said, and the hound finally stood up and made his way back over to Hades. Kana pet her hair back into an orientation that obeyed gravity and stood herself up. "King Hades," she half-muttered, bowing her head respectfully at the man, "I'm sorry to be... er... I'm sorry to invade your privacy like this. I don't suppose I had much of a choice in this situation, but still. You're one of the most important people among the gods. You deserve a lot better than some minor deity like me on your property." She chuckled under her breath at her own self-burn, as though it were a joke Zeus even thought she'd be a good attempt.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
Hades watched with silent and minute aggravation at his hounds apparent inability to give the girl some space when asked, instead deciding to listen to what the girl had to say. "Yes he's been doing the 'dropping off' a lot lately...A daughter of Hectate though? Interesting...if I were her, I'd save my breath. Zeus doesn't listen to anyone but Hera, and even then it's a stretch...don't repeat that outside of my estate, for logical reasons." Which included were not limited to lighting bolts, thunder storms, and something simply ruining your day. Glancing towards where his brother had been his lips pursed into a silent frown before he dropped it, turning his attention to kana.

"It is...nice to meet you, Kana." That wasn't exactly a lie, nor the truth. He was simply accepting of the fact she was here now, so it was better to have her name. With Kerberos now back at his side he reached over, patting one of the dogs three heads. "Please don't bow...I haven't had anyone bow to me in eons, it's a display that is more of an oddity than welcoming." The only time someone bowed to him, was when they sought to barter or speak with him about something important...such as that mortal Orpheus, and his music. Bows were a simple display that in the end, meant nothing to him. "Your apology isn't needed...you really didn't have a choice. Zeus made an infamous executive decision, and now we are the ones who must deal with the situation he has created..." He fell silent for a moment, pondering her words. She was extraordinarily humble, which was...infinitely better than a braggart he supposed. The important people felt a bit hollow at the moment, but that was more so due to his importance not being enough to entitle him to privacy anymore it seemed.

"What I do or don't deserve, isn't necessarily a large concern at the time being. If you could stop belittling yourself however, it'd be nice. At the risk of sounding too 'supreme', neither of us really have the time for belittlement..." he heaved a slow sigh, rolling his head back to stare up towards the endless darkness above, before straightening up and looking at his companion. "And you...don't you have a duty, my friend? You're the one who keep the dead from leaving, where will we be if they start walking away while you're here with me?" Patting the dog on the side of the face he mustered a small smile. "Go on, I'll visit you later." With that done, he turned his attention back to Kana. "I want you to tell me what you think of me, honest. I want you to state what you honestly think of me, if I'm like my brothers, if you have preconceived notions which are certain will be true...It helps me know where I stand."
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
"People think you are cautious, controlling, powerful, and a bit of a bro like your brothers," Kana said without hesitation, glad she didn't have to bow or cow to his... magnificence or whatever. As Kerberos trotted away, she watched, "They worry you're a player like your brothers, though you also come off as a bit of a hermit, so I doubt you actually go after girls as much as Zeus makes it seem."

She bit her lower lip, teal eyes dipping to the ground, "People think you're losing it after... erm... after Persephone left and died." Kana walked up to him and glanced up to meet his black eyes. "I'm sorry to bring that up, but you asked what I thought. Though... I guess I more answered what people at large think," she said, genuine sorrow for him in her voice. It had been long enough that she never got to meet the woman. She wasn't alive when Persephone was... but she knew she was a force to be reckoned with, as beautiful as can be, kind, with one hell of a green thumb.

"I think... or at least I worry that you're like Zeus or Poseidon... but for the most part I think you're a misunderstood individual who got the short end of the stick a long time ago, and you've been doing your best ever since. Your love life hasn't made that any easier... and I imagine that all you want to do is be left alone or have some... miracle happen that... you know..." she gesticulated softly, her hands adding nothing of value to the conversation.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
Listening impassively, he unconciously stiffened at the mention of being a 'bro'. He would much rather toss himself into Tartarus then consider life as a 'bro'. But just as quickly as his stiffening came, it left, something unnoticeable unless one was searching for it. But at the mention of his wife...ex-wife, he visibly stiffened up, discomfort obvious in the way he was holding himself...and then it was gone again. Watching her approach him, he tilted his eyes a bit, studying her in silence. "I see...If I may make some things clear then. I am not a 'Bro', nor do I have a desire to be one. I do not chase women...I have never done so, nor will I ever do so. I do not seek to play games like my brother Zeus, and I will make that abundantly clear..."

He deflated just a bit, before his cool certainty was back again. "I am not losing it..." Damn, was he really coming across as some defunct deity, with the loss of his wife? Wonderful... "Do not apologize to me...I asked for the truth, you supplied me with it...I am nothing like my brothers, I assure you. For better or for worse, I am my own entity...To be honest, I do want to be left alone, that's all I've desired as of late. But as that's not happening...I'll be your host as we grow to know each other...Miracles aren't for Gods, not unless the Fates decide it's an interesting twist. As many would like to say 'We make miracles'...but that does not mean we get them."

Reaching out slowly, he gave the shorter woman a calm pat on the shoulder, before stepping aside out of her direct front and making a motion towards the estate building. "If you'll join me then? I try not to linger in the garden too long...It used to be a joke that I'd kill the plants if I touched them." Now he avoided the garden because it simply reminded him she was gone. He waited patiently for her to take the first few steps forward, and provided she did, he'd keep the pace towards the building, even opening the door for her. "Do you have any..questions, I suppose?" Eleven times...he'd done the QnA eleven times, and it never seemed any more enjoyable. He could only hope it went quickly.
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
Kana bit her lip, feeling guilty she had told him what others thought, though he asked. It made her feel like she was doing something wrong. The pat on her shoulder made her jump slightly, despite him being gentle and slow. It was good, she thought, that he wasn't like his brothers. He wasn't simply his title. At his request, she ventured inside, looking around with her head on a swivel.

"Questions?" she pondered, turning to look at him as she leaned against the arm of a chair, "I'm not sure. Why am I here? What is expected of me? How long am I stuck here? What happened to the other girls Zeus dragged here? Just... that common sense stuff. You as a person, if I'm to get to know you, I'd prefer to do so a bit more naturally than a series of questions. I'm simply concerned about my safety and what's expected of me."

She sighed and looked away, pausing for a long while while he answered, scanning the features of the rooms she could see from here, "Do you have any questions for me in turn? Everyone knows you, but I'm insignificant, so I suppose you might be curious about my parentage or the like?"

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
The inside of his estate was quite astounding, in a word. The entry way they stood at was dominated by a chandelier overhead, sparkling like a gem...and upon closer inspection, one would notice it was entirely white diamond in construct. Flower vases rested on pedestals along the wall, though instead of real flowers, they held shaped gems, opals, rubies, sapphires, and jade all shaped to look like flower bouquets...it seemed hades had taken full privilege of his ability for ferrokinesis and the power it held. Spaced evenly along the wall sides, between flower pot pedestals, were traditional marble columns, the feet and top engraved and shaped in appealing fashion. Further down the hall a 'hosting' area could be seen, consisting of seats and a pure silver table that spanned the length for every chair present.

At her questions, he couldn't help but heave an internal sigh...here they went again. It was always the same set, nothing new. "You are here, because Zeus is hoping you'll be a fitting match for me. You are expected to be yourself, and be honest in what you say and do. I do request you don't disrespect me in my own domain, on the same note. You are here until...I deem we are completely incompatible. The other girls were sent away, back to where they came from...they weren't killed if that was your concern." He paused for a bit...it was actually refreshing that she wanted to know him naturally, as opposed to battering him with every question in her brain. "You are in the safest place possible...even Olympus cannot boast that statement. No one comes to the land of the dead, not unless they have nothing to lose...and even then, they know better than to be hostile. As for what's expected...I simply want you to be yourself, to be honest in your words and actions...and to respect me in my own place of living." Again, he thought to the few who had come...even Hercules hadn't come rushing in, he'd asked before trying to take Kerberus...though he hadn't just handed him the beast either.

At her final question he paused for a moment before starting forward, making a motion for her to follow. "I am curious, yes. I am told nothing of those who come here....my brother simply drops them in my lap and leaves. You mentioned your mother was Hectate...who fathered you? What do you hold claim too, or do you share a claim?...Do you have a preferred meal? Anything I can bring during your stay to make it more...comfortable?" While he wasn't thrilled about this at all, nor had he been thrilled the past eleven times, he always aimed to be hospitable and at least welcoming.

Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
So she was stuck here... at least until he found her "incompatible"... what a brutish thing to endure. That, as well as the opulence of his manor, did little to convince her his words were true. If he wasn't like his brothers, then why would he keep her here at all? Why play their game?

She sighed to calm herself a little, eyes finding his, "Hecate and Dionysus. I don't really have a claim yet... understandably, I'm rather good at all manner of magic and I turn into a bit of a wild animal at a party. I don't like losing control like that, but it's rather easy for me to start enjoying myself a bit too much. I'm very good with all manner of herbs, especially poisonous plants like my mother and plants good for alcohol like my father. I can turn those around me into a wild frenzy, or I can turn them into... I don't know, ducks or something. Mostly I just use my abilities for day to day stuff. I've got no idea what claim I'd have, to be honest."

Kana smiled a little at the thought, "I don't want to be so cruel and aggressive as my Father can be. I know he's nowhere near as bad as his father was to him, but that doesn't mean I need to continue a family tradition of being an asshole. So... perhaps I can fill a role somewhere of a magical tender of parties. Someone who helps everyone get home safely - though I'd hardly stop them from drinking at the party itself. Someone they can pray to, to give them a safe journey home after a long night of blackout partying."

She chuckled at the thought, face lighting up for a moment. She was stunningly beautiful - not like Aphrodite or some such, but an exotic, mystical beauty that belied the magic that ran wild through her being. Kana met his eyes again, and she smiled, holding out her hands. In them, a tall glass formed with a sparkling white liquid inside. She offered him the glass, "I'm not as good as my father, but feel free to try some if you'd like."

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
At the mention of Dionysus, his internal sigh amplified ten fold...of all the parents she could have, it was the god of debauchery, parties and...madness...Wherever Zeus was, he was probably laughing like a madman, given how incompatible her father and him had been in social interaction to begin with...At least he knew Hectate and was on acceptable terms with her, hopefully it wouldn't be too painful then. He listened quietly and intently, even if on the inside his apathy intensified. This would just be another waste of time, for both of them, he was sure. At her hope to not be as bad as her father, he gave a small nod...Dionysus did have a habit of going to the extremes with his punishments and his list was...lengthy...which didn't really give him high hopes for this interaction any further.

Turning his attention towards her as he stopped in place, about half way to the main room he had been guiding her too, black eyes searched her face for a moment, taking in features and notes about her. She was good looking but still paled in comparison to the wife he had lost...just like every other. Glancing towards the glass, he accepted it in silence, raising it up before him and studying it for a moment, speaking before he took any. "I will mean no disrespect...but even your father has failed to earn much enjoyment out of me with his drinks...But your desire for a domain as a...form of safety for those who revel in the madness of social gatherings is admirable."

With all that said, he took a long sip from the glass, his hopes as low as his depression was high. He could entertain her desire for him to try it, but if Dionysus himself failed to elicit joy from him, he did not have high hopes for a simple sparkling glass. Lost in his thoughts, before he had considered it, he had downed the entire glass's contents and lowered it from his lips, handing the glass out to her in return.
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
She gave Hades a small smile. Gods above this man was depressed... "It's not very alcoholic... More of an icewine than anything," she said softly, watching him down the glass without thinking much of it. She wanted it to taste like memories, sweet ones, not some mortal drink. She had been working on it for a while, so she watched his face to see if she had any reaction. It wasn't like it would cause visual hallucinations or something, but give him the taste of sweet memories he's fond of - assuming it worked.

Kana sighed, eyeing the floor. This wasn't fair of Zeus or of Hades... to have women try to compare to some lost love? He was clearly still mourning her. She didn't even know her. Didn't know much of her. Hadn't even seen an image of her. All she knew was she was some garden lady that Demeter was super protective of. As she stared at the floor, her fingers found fabric and toyed with it softly. He looked her over. Was she... satisfactory?

1578477876298.pngShe closed her eyes tightly, turning her head away from him to pretend to look at something else. Even if she wanted to be here, which she didn't really, she could never live up to the standards of such a god... a king. When she turned back to him, she had a small smile planted on her face and an image firmly in her head. It was an image she had countless times, both waking and in dreams. A mess of red hair, petite figure. She didn't know this woman but thought she looked prettier than she did. She looked... innocent, in a way, but there was power behind her eyes.

"Here... I'll... I mean, you clearly aren't thrilled about how I look... Just..." she muttered the string of words, embarrassed and feeling like she wasn't appropriate or at all good enough, even though she didn't entirely want to be good enough. Self-appreciation was dumb. After an awkward fumbling of her hands with the words, she brought both hands up near her shoulders and snapped. A cool mist surrounding her before it dissipated as soon as it had appeared. Her appearance had changed, and though she did not recognize the woman, Hades would recognize it as the spitting image of his late wife. Persephone.

"There. I... I mean, I've dreamed about whoever this is supposed to look like. Is this... erm... is this better?"

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
Hades was silent for a moment, the drink tasting oddly...unique, though dulled, like it hadn't been perfected. The taste of pomegranate was the most prominent, and then it dulled too. In reality, this was no fault to the drink, simply his severe apathy and depression overwhelming the 'good' in the drink to it's more finite point...though for a moment, he felt a speck of happiness, a small smile tried to tug at his lips...and then it all promptly died, falling flat to the ground. "I...think I may actually have enjoyed that to some level." He could only watched in silence as she shifted in...discomfort, that was likely it. He had no one to blame but himself for that fact, no one enjoyed his gaze, many found it 'unnerving'. He raised an eyebrow in silent question at what she had planned. He had said nothing about how she looked...she had looked fine.

After her 'transformation', time seemed to stop for a brief moment for the lord of the underworld. His eyes opened wide and the wine glass fell out of his hand towards the ground, though it simply dissipated, it's conjuration ending before it could shatter...though the faux flowers made of gems actually did shatter, coming to the ground with the sound of gentle tinkling, like crystal rain hitting the ground. The entire estate shook for a moment, one of the marble columns cracking...and then it stopped, though his eyes were still wide and silent. After a moment he forced them to relax, trying to find a voice that apparently had died. "Please..." he stopped, then tried again...but the authority wouldn't creep back to his voice, and it was still soft. "Please do not do that....please, return to normality....It is a cruel torment to look at her again." He closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. In his shock he had managed to damage the entry way....what was the point in repairing it though? He had kept it so immaculate for her after all, not for himself....no, he'd have to fix it. Turning his head towards the entryway proper and opening his eyes, he made a point not to look at her, not again, not yet.

Holding a hand out towards it, the column shifted back to correction and sealed it's crack, the faux flowers coming back together and going back to their vases. "How....how do you know her face so perfectly...How is it she walks through your dreams?" He went silent for a time, a minute passing before he spoke again, soft again. "Why do you see my wife?"
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
Kana teared up at his surprising response. She didn't know... why. Why his entire being had changed so dramatically. He sounded so pained, like a wounded animal. She brought her small hands up to her chest in little fists, scared and upset. For a second, it felt like she might get hurt, the shaking like some strange earthquake. She moved back a step or two, a couple of tears making it past the dam of her eyelids.

"What do you mean?" Even her voice was like hers. "What did I do wrong? I... I don't even know this woman. She's just... a face I see often in my mind." She was too unsettled to change her form back at this point, confused, fearful, and upset. He was the big scary god here, not her. He was the one who had the answers or was supposed to anyway, not her. He was... well, he was Hades himself. Powerful King of the Underworld. He sounded so hurt. So small.

She found the courage to move forward a little, eyes trying to seek his, "What do you mean, your wife?" She paused a few feet from him, "Hades..." Her voice nearly faded entirely. She swallowed and began again, "Hades, I'm... you're scaring me. Just... look at me. I don't understand what's going on. I can't change my form without focus." She reached out and touched his arm gingerly, wanting dually to comfort him and to glean some answer somehow to this situation.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
Hearing her speak seemed to be the same effect as if he'd been struck, though the effect slowly wore off...visibly at least. She didn't know....she didn't know who she looked like, who she sounded like. He wasn't sure which was more cruel...the fact she could do this, or the fact she wasn't aware of what she had truly done. His body wanted to retract from her touch, recoil and avoid her...but letting himself be overwhelmed by suck weak impulses wouldn't help the situation...if anything, it'd make it worse. He took a few deep breaths, making sure he had thoroughly fixed the entry way, before he finally spoke.

"I cannot look at you, do not ask me to do that. But I mean...that you look and sound just like Persephone. You have copied her image and her voice in it's entirety....you stand there, as if she was never gone." He fell silent for a while, unable to do much. He couldn't just...stand here like some weak being though. He couldn't just look away and hide...so he turned to face her, trying to keep his face even. "Please....focus, and turn back. I had no issues with how you looked to begin with but...you doing this...it is painful." Inwardly, he couldn't help but give an ashamed laugh. The visage of his late wife hurt him more than anything...and he had been eaten by his own father. Certainly gave him a view of his priorities, he supposed. "I would ask you to turn back...so that we can move on."
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
Kana stared at him, stunned by what he was telling her. She swallowed her confusion and distractions, closed her eyes, and forced her form to change back to normal. It took a moment, and a thought clawed it’s way into the back of her mind, foreign, I’m sorry.

She was, for certain, sorry, but it felt alien to her. Not her own voice. She cringed, a small movement at the corners of her mouth. “I...,” she started, voice wavering, “I’m sorry. I don’t know how that’s even possible... I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I have some dreams of that woman, when I choose to sleep. If not by sleep, then I might see her when I daydream,” she explained, looking to the side a little, ashamed, “She looks so kind, so small, fragile even. But she has this... power behind her gaze I cannot place.”

“I’ve never seen Persephone before... I don’t know why that dream image looks like her, but it’s... impossible.”

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
He shook his head a bit, slowly reaching a hand out and patting her on the shoulder...so much easier to speak and look at her....now that she didn't look like Persephone. "I do not know how you could have such dreams...But she was kind, you are right...everything you say and more. Please don't...do that again." He fell a bit silent again...what reason did she have to dream, of a woman she had never met? It was likely nothing...best not to get too heavily involved in such things for now. It would be easy to delve into her dreams but....hypnokinesis was intrusive, and this was likely a one off...no point in pursuing it.

"It...is impossible, yes...Come, we can go sit. We've been standing in the entry way like lost souls this entire time..." And with that said he started back towards the main room, decorated with soft furniture, the large pure silver table, and more vases and faux flowers, and yet another larger chandelier. "Can I get you something to eat...or drink?" He offered calmly, his nerve seeming to have come back to him. "I apologize for that....I just did not expect that. If there is anything I can get you, let me know...I'd like to make up for the shock of earlier." In truth, he was simply eager to make as much distance from the past situation and now, trying to put event after event between then, and now.

Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
She followed him blindly, biting her lip the whole way. She felt she had hurt him so dearly. His outer shell of this strong being was hollow. At his request of not doing so again, she nodded a little, almost imperceptible. They headed to the main room, he offered her to sit, so she sat. She squeezed the tip of her left thumb with the thumb and pointer finger of her right hand. Nervous. She was suddenly so nervous. She felt like she was a tiny ant, an infinitesimal creature that shouldn't waste time being looked at. She wanted to cry again, and despite her best efforts, tears welled up in her eyes again.

"It's fine," she murmured, eyes moving up to meet his slowly, "She speaks in my dreams. Shows me things. It's most often a blur though... bits of scenes. She looks mournful, confused, in pain. I've seen her with chains shackling her to someone, where she gets pulled back into a green mess of plants. Either she wears this... purple-pink... pomegranate color dress, or she is naked. When she is naked, she looks even more pained. Bruises on her sides, her thighs. Part of a handprint on her arm... like she was... abused or something."

Kana shook her head like she was trying to dispell cobwebs, "Hers was the first form I managed to take outside of my own. My mother looked as though she had seen a ghost."

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
All he could do is watch her in silence, taking a seat beside her on the surprisingly soft furniture, something that seemed out of place for an estate in the underworld. Watching tears well in her eyes he felt...sad wasn't the right word, he had only felt sad a very few times in his existence, and it took more than tears to move him. But with that said...he was supposed to be hospitable. He was not lording over her soul, he was hosting her in his estate...so he could at least attempt to seem like he truly cared. "Do not...don't cry. You have done nothing to warrant your tears."

He fell silent as she explained what she had seen in her dreams, confusion eating at his core for a brief moment. What could even be the meaning of such dreams, and did they have meaning? He could obviously pry her mind, just as he could as Hypnos or Morpheus but...no, no that'd be wrong, and his own curiosity wasn't right to rifle through someones mind, someone who had done him no wrong and earned no wrong in turn. "I see....I'm not sure what such dreams could mean, but I do not think they bode well news for my late wife...it is not fair for me to ask you to ponder them however....I can only imagine Hectates shock, though it isn't unwarranted...in a way, she had seen a ghost, hadn't she?"

He rested back against the furniture, covering black eyes with a hand as he shut them. A new topic...he needed a new topic, something besides this. If he wanted for his depression to eat him alive, he could do it himself, he didn't need the torment of dreams of his wife to help him in that manner. He had to force such thoughts away, lest they consume him...and the more he pondered on them, the deeper into sadness he would grow. That wasn't fair to this girl for one matter..and for another, it'd only give Zeus and the rest more reason to toss more his way, like one tosses bones to a starving dog, hoping one is the one he will take. "Please I'd...like to speak about something else. Anything else for that matter. Pick anything you can conceive. Ask me about anything but...this topic is not one I want to speak on...not for lengths."
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
Kana rubbed the tears from her eyes. She hadn't told many about these dreams. "Her soul isn't in the Isle of the Blessed, Elysium, the Mourning Fields, the Asphodel Meadows, or gods forbid Tartarus. She's not anywhere, I think she's... she's... she..." she couldn't find the words, not knowing how she knew that information or why she bothered to say it. The Underworld wasn't her domain. She never went near the various places mortal souls were held. She didn't know who's in what location or who was anywhere else in the Underworld. That was stupid for her to say, even if she felt it true. She hoped he wouldn't question her further. Her brows furrowed... she didn't have an answer if he did. She sighed and swallowed hard, "Sorry."

She looked to him, to his hand over his eyes. What could she ask him about? What other topic was there in her mind now? None... but she had to come up with something that wasn't the haunting image of a redheaded goddess in pain. A goddess she had never met, that was dead before she was born.

She bit her lip, pulling the corner into her mouth. Ah. That was a topic she had an interest in. She sighed loudly and looked at the ceiling as she began to speak again, "I've heard you're a bookworm. Do you have a personal library here?" She loved books, loved the knowledge held within them. Perhaps he had some old magic tomes, or maybe maps!

"I love cartography... and of course mage books as well. Really, I love pretty much any sort of written knowledge. It's all interesting, all knowledge to learn."

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
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He nodded slowly, pulling his hand from his face and sitting up, resting his arms on his legs in leaning fashion. "She's nowhere, I know...The judges said she never arrived... Kharon says he never moved her across Styx or Akheron...Even my loyal Kerberous has not seen her, and nothing escapes his gaze...She simply....ceased to be." He trailed off, staring into nothing at all. A thought brushed through his brain, albeit quite quickly and with no intention to stop...how did she know such things? Hectate resided here of course, and she may how the underworld operates, but she wouldn't know in full entirety where a soul was or where it had gone. And just like it came, it sprinted down the halls of his mind, either to return later like a page with letters for his lord, or never to be seen again. At her next question he seemed to perk up, if only a bit. "...Yes, one could call me a bookworm. I have a personal library, and I'd be willing to show you. I have made an effort to keep every work I can get my hands on...maps, tomes of spells and magic, great epics and poems, even more modern works....I even have a section on botany, if that has any interest to you."

He straightened up a bit more, turning his gaze towards one of the long leading halls of the estate. "I haven't had much time to read or spend to myself...I have been to busy hosting guests and being...social." In truth, his library may as well have been an entirely separate building from his estate, every fathomable work he could gather placed onto shelves for storage and reading...in fact, when he thought about it, hectate may actually have a tome or two on loan. "If you...get a chance, ask your mother if she ever returned those two books I lent her, if you could...." He slowly moved to stand up, offering her a hand. "With that said...the library then?"

Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
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She actually smiled, laughed at his comment about her mother and books lent out to her. "Sounds like her," she said, happy the mood had changed, happy she didn't make him sad anymore. Kana took his hand and stood, "Sounds like a great plan, and I'll make sure to ask my mother if she's returned your books. I imagine the answer is no, she's slow to return things like that. She likes to savor books."

After she removed her hand from his, she focused on walking to the library. This whole estate was impressive... if a bit much. So many minerals, crystals, gems. It was... pretty, in a way, though. "I do like botany," she said, smiling a mote, "I'm decent with plants. I'm no dryad, but I consider myself to have a good green thumb."

Once they made their way to the library, she perked up, clasping her hands together in excitement at the sheer magnitude of it all. Her mouth open a centimeter, lips parted as she stared in awe. Her focus came back to her, and her head darted to look at Hades, a big smile on her face, "What's your favorite section? Your favorite genres? Oh, please show me!" She moved in front of him excitedly, a big smile on her face, hands still clasped, and big teal eyes looking up at his eyes with earnest. Her eyes flashed dark for a second, just like those of Persephone when she felt strong emotion. Or, via myth, was simply in the Underworld. She was, after all, a goddess. She could change her appearance as she liked.

This oddity seemed to cause a bit of a headache, though she was unaware of the quick-change her eyes made, and she winced a little. Aïdōneús... the word echoed in her head, and she turned away from him, clearing her throat. "Sorry. I got a little headache just then. I guess I moved too quick. Anyway! Where do we start?"

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
He couldn't help but let out a small sigh...of course he wasn't going to get those books back for another hundred years at least, but it couldn't hurt to ask at any rate. Walking with her through faux flower lined halls and mural painted walls he could only slowly nod as she spoke. "I'm...not well off when it comes to it myself...for obvious reasons." He brought himself to a stop at the massive library, something that had no right to exist in such scale, and truly seemed to warrant it's own estate at the point it was getting. Walls lined high and long with books, some old as the god himself, though in worse condition.

Eyes darting towards the shorter woman who jumped in front of him, his eyes widened for a brief moment at her eyes shifting color to his wife's tone, though she was...completely unaware of what she had done. Had he imagined it?...No, she had a headache now, was it unintentional then? But...what was the meaning behind it? This woman brought more questions than answers, all in the span of the day. Hearing her voice once again, he was snapped from his internal thoughts, eyes turning towards the walls of books. "Sorry...you're fine, I hope the headache subsides...My entire section...my favorite genre...?" He trailed off, eyes scanning it all. "...We can start here, since you asked. I keep my favorite section closest to the entrance."

Making a motion of 'please follow', he led the way towards the closest bookshelf, just as expansive as the countless others. "These ones...aren't organized, I have their places committed to memory by now." Books such as 'your pet and you', 'beasts of myth', and 'the complete animal encyclopedia' were intermingled with famous titles such as 'gone with the wind', 'pride and prejudice', 'The princess bride', and 'The Notebook'....the entire bookshelf was dominated by romance novels and books on animals of all sorts, from floor to ceiling. "This is my favorite section...and my favorite genre's. If you want to look any anything, name a genre or author, and I likely have them somewhere in this library....there has not existed a library that is as expansive as this, so there should be...something."

Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
"Romance?" she asked with a grin, turning back to look at him once she was at the bookcase, "I imagine that's gotten you a little bit of teasing from your brothers now and then." Kana looked through the books, finding it a little unpleasant that they were unorganized, but it did add a strange sense of adventure to it. She was eager to find something she'd like. She found one book titled The Goddess Test, and she smirked back at Hades, amused. It wasn't surprising he'd enjoy such a little romance book. It touched his situation. What other romance books could she find, or... ooo~ A book on dogs and dog breeds. She grabbed that one and flicked through it for a moment, smiling at a picture of a Samoyed, then a picture of a Leonberger.

"I love dogs," she muttered, half to herself, "They're such amazing creatures. They're so loyal and so caring."

She set the book back in its spot on the shelf and moved on. After a few moments, she was out of that aisle and down another, totally in her own little world now, smiling away. A spine caught her eye down one aisle, and without thinking, she teleported in a puff of smoke to it. This happened a few times until she found herself lost and away from Hades. Sure, she was just reading the spines of books, but she was making a mental note on the ones she wanted to grab for later. A book on mythical creatures, a few romance novels, a book on recipes, a book on Zeus from the perspective of Ares. Lots of interesting stuff! It wasn't her fault she got... totally and completely distracted and ran off from her host... noooo... not at all.

Her cheeks felt hot when she realized it. Whoops. Oh well. Nothing to do about it now but keep on wandering. He'd find her eventually. He was part of the reason she was stuck here anyway, so... a little bit of worry would probably be warranted. Though... as she thought about it, brushing her fingers against book spines, she wasn't sure he actually wanted her here at all. That he wanted to try at all. He seemed so depressed... and that little scene earlier really showed it.

Beyond that, was... that woman... was she really his wife? His Persephone? It scared her that she didn't understand what was going on. There was a voice... or... maybe a thought in her head that felt foreign. It was hers, there was no one else there, but it was like she didn't recognize it. It was that woman. That woman's voice. Every thought from her... She cursed her mother silently for it. It was probably something to do with her. She knew the wife, and magic was strange.

Kana swallowed her fear and turned down another aisle. This one led to a door that seemed to lead back outside. She couldn't say no to a mysterious door! That would just be silly of her! She grinned, feeling a little explorative and ready for some stress relief. Today was already stressful. She clasped her hand over the handle of the door and slipped through.

On the other side sat an orchard of trees that felt... magical in their vibrancy. This whole area felt so alive, filled with energy and love. Each tree was cared for, blossoming, beautiful. She found herself smiling as she touched the bark of one nearest to her. This was the best place she could have ended up. This felt like home. It didn't take her long before she was tucked behind one of the trees, leaning up against its trunk with her eyes closed, just taking in nature. She felt like she had done this a thousand times before. It was relaxing and wonderful.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 
At her jest of him getting teased by his siblings for his interest bi books, he simply gave a small shrug. "It doesn't really bother me...Zeus has worse habits than romance novels, he has no room to comment." Watching her gaze flick from one of the books towards him with a smirk, he could only give another small shrug...though when her attention just as quickly jumped to a book on dog breeds and she gave her murmured comment, a small smile tried to grace his lips before it died on the doorsteps, his lips only upturning for a brief moment before returning to it's neutrality. "They are, yes..."

Watching her wander off to further investigate, he let his attention shift back towards the book shelves before him...he could allow her to wander, it's not like she had anywhere to go....and it's not like he wouldn't always know where she was. Pulling one of the encyclopedias free, he began to page through it calmly, black eyes scanning a page before it was turned, and the process repeated. Though as a portion of his brain registered what he read, another part of it geared around this young goddess in his domain, her very existence compelling unanswered questions from him.

Why did she dream of Persephone? Why had her eyes shifted to the exact color tone that still lived in his memory? Why...why...why, so many why's and not enough how's or explanations. Would Hectate have answers, if he spoke to her? Dionysus certainly wouldn't, unless he was asking for a good punch recipe...No, there was no point in following these thoughts, not now, perhaps not ever. Kana would come and more than likely go...not because he spited the girl, but because there was little chance he would ever find someone like his lost love again.

Eyes lifting from the pages of his book towards the bookshelf, a tickling sensation at the back of his mind let him know where Kana had gone...into one of Persephones personal gardens, out of the library...wherever she was, so long as she was in his domain, he could feel her...though it was infinitely easier if she was on the estate. Slowly shelving the book back into it's place, he started through the library before he found himself at the same door she had gone through...opening it himself and heading through.

"I see you found a garden..." he commented, stepping further into it and closing the door behind him. "If you'd like, I can let you rest here, and you can simply call for me when you're ready to reconvene. I have already put you through a good deal of...excitement, today."
Deathkitten Deathkitten
 
Kana was already more or less dozing off by the time Hades made his way around to her. She looked up at him, smiling a little, “Sure. Honestly a nap sounds great right now. This... situation... whatever we want to call it, it’s stressful and crazy. This garden grove is the opposite of all of that. It feels calming beyond belief.”

She thought for a second and made a soft “mm” noise, before slipping down so she was laying, “You can check out my dreams if you want. It clearly has something to do with you, and I wouldn’t find it rude or intrusive or whatever if you wanted to try to make sense of it. Just... wake me up in a couple hours please?”

Her eyes drifted closed once he left her be, and it wasn’t long before she found herself asleep.

Her dreams were always strange. I mean, she was a goddess, what could she expect but strange dreams? This one was of the same vein as so many others she had had about the mystery woman. It felt... a little more vivid though, perhaps. More pointed.

The woman, who she now knew was Persephone, looked terrified. She hid in a cupboard... closet? She was starkly naked, a bruise dotting her body here and there, all in locations that could be hidden with clothing. She had tears streaming down her face, shaking through and through. Her petite form begged for help.

Outside the box Persephone was in, she couldn’t see who was there but there was a massive angry BANG of a fist on wood, followed by the voice of a man. He slurred and cursed and called her horrible names, told her that when he found her, he was going to do... less than savory things to her.

At this point Persephone was sobbing, but she couldn’t make a sound or else he’d find her. Her hand was cupped to her mouth, trying to stifle the noise her sobbing breaths produced. This ended up being to no avail, and the drunken man’s hand tore open the door of the dark safe haven. She could only see his arm, but his hand grabbed hers and tugged her out with force. She screamed, a horrible sound, and the scene suddenly changed.

Now it was Persephone, still naked and exposed, but alone in a spotlight. She was surrounded by vast darkness, and simply held herself. Through sobbing breaths she whispered, “Aïdōneús,” Hades’s old, perhaps even his first name.

ManofManyRoles ManofManyRoles
 

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