[hr][center][h3][u][b][Stoneworks - Erling Manor][/b][/u][/h3][/center][hr]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"So... how much of the Greek Mythology that I learned is real?"[/color][/b] Yue asked with a note of excitement.  Archer laughed as they slowly strolled the edge of the garden, passing a Bonsai tree shaped like a looming giant.

[b][color=#c45302]"Much of it is [i]greatly exaggerated[/i],"[/color][/b] he answered.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"That doesn't sound very magical to me,"[/color][/b] Yue replied with a bit of a pout.  

[b][color=#c45302]"Oh are we disappointed?"[/color][/b] Archer laughed.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"You can't just tell me 'Magic is Real' and then backpedal and say Myths and Legends aren't true,"[/color][/b] she teased.  They had reached the farthest part of the garden from the house and Yue sat down on the tall wall encircling a pond several meters below, swinging her feet.  Archer lowered himself next to her.

[b][color=#c45302]"'Exaggerated' does not mean 'untrue,'"[/color][/b] laughed Archer.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Oh!  Don't you have a brother?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"Apollo is a terminally irresponsible frat-boy, and [i]she[/i] is my sister this go around,"[/color][/b] he grinned, taking a drag on his cigarette.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Does that happen a lot?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"No, for the most part we get to choose,"[/color][/b] he answered, amused at Yue's child-like curiosity.  [b][color=#c45302]"I uh... I [i]arranged[/i] for this to happen as a prank after Apollo and I got into a fight.  We made up later and I forgot all about it, then years later I wake up in my newest incarnation to a rude surprise.  Hermes thinks its great fun, but most of the others tiptoe around her like she's made of glass which is... hilarious to me,"[/color][/b] he chuckled.  Yue was blowing a string of smoke rings when she erupted into laughter.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"I'm sorry,"[/color][/b] she snorted, covering her mouth.

[b][color=#c45302]"Oh don't be, we're [i]all[/i] hilariously fucked up."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Zeus and Hera?"[/color][/b] 

[b][color=#c45302]"Marriage counseling, and lots and lots of therapy.  He's still a slut, but he's getting better."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Oh!  Hades and Persephone?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"You mean 'Emo Boy' and his rebellious Goth wife?  They're [i]so[/i] cute together... Last year at the Halloween party they came as Morticia and Gomez Addams; Hades was Morticia.  It was great.  Demeter [i]still[/i] tries to frame it like he kidnapped her at every family gathering and let me tell you: if there was any of [i]that[/i] happening 'Thena would have murdered the lot of them,"[/color][/b] he revealed, rolling his eyes.  [b][color=#c45302]"Wait, are you going to keep going until we run the whole pantheon?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Maybe...?"[/color][/b] She grinned, blowing smoke at him.  [b][color=#CE2B95]"Actually, tell me why the lore of Final Odyssey matches so closely to all this magic stuff,"[/color][/b] Yue asked, with a note of amusement.

[b][color=#c45302]"Oh that's Hypnos' doing.  He's one of the principal partners of the company that owns the game, and also their lead creative director.  It's kind of our secret project,"[/color][/b] he explained, leaning back on his hands.  [b][color=#c45302]"He's been using it like a pseudo-outreach program to identify at-risk Awakened or potential awakened.  I helped with the funding, and also keeping it from the rest of the more 'conservative' pantheon members."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"I [i]knew[/i] it!"[/color][/b] 

[b][color=#c45302]"Hey whatever happened to 'no magic talk?'"[/color][/b]  Archer teased, with an amused grin.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Nuh uh, honey, this is [i]family gossip[/i].  It's completely different,"[/color][/b] she giggled.