Breaking and Thinking || Hecate/Open

[Hermes]

It couldn't be said that Hermes hated his job at Camp Olympus. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He loved working with the kids at Camp Olympus. They were kind to him and they didn't make him feel... Weird. But sometimes, Hermes needed to be alone. The best place, in his opinion, was the vast open picnic area that was the dining hall.

Hermes laid out on the grass near the head table, his arms tucked behind his head and his legs propped up. He stared up at the sky as he lay there, enjoying the quiet. In the distance he could faintly hear the campers of Camp Olympus chattering, playing, sparring, and just being kids. The sounds eased his heavy heart and he smiled to himself. If the campers were enjoying themselves, some being his own children, then Hermes couldn't be doing too bad. Right? He sighed and closed his eyes as if that would rid those thoughts from his head.

The sandy blond haired God sighed again. He missed the days when all he worried about was Apollo picking on him. When he didn't have to worry about all these children ragging on him and being disappointed in him. When the only person he had to make proud was his father. It was times like these that Hermes would drag himself to the Underworld. Hades never failed to at least amuse Hermes. The God sighed again, although this time he smiled as thoughts of the Lord of the Underworld filled his head.

Hermes moved his arms from his head to hug himself around the middle instead. He rolled onto his side and smiled a bit into the grass. Maybe he'd pay a visit to his dark uncle one of these days. "You're acting like a child," Hermes chided himself, although his smile never faltered.

[Deleted]

Hecate walked through the woods a scowl on her face. She had just paid visit to a coven of very ungrateful witches, they were praising Menoh, or Gaia or some other annoying crap like that. Hecate had of course shown up of course in all her glory, kicking in doors, using her necromancy to summon the dead bodies that had long been buried around the cabin. She got to be all gloom and doom, stripping them of their powers before beginning their permanent incarceration as servants of Hades in the Underworld.

She toyed with the Wood Nymphs sending playful spirits to play with their hair and push them into the pond near by, as she stepped from behind her hiding tree she felt it; no she heard it. The faint whisper at the back of her mind as she grew near someone at a crossroad. Shifting from her Human-esque look to something much more old school Olympian she sniffed at the air.

Somehow as she had traveled she had come upon the Half-blood camp; her powers were pulsing through her, so many souls who she could touch, so many paths to be taken, or abandoned. Peeking from the edge of the woods she saw someone on the ground, walking softly her bright red hair bounced in the sunlight, ringlets forming at the ends of her hair. Only a few steps had been taken before she recognized the God and rolled her eyes, shifting easily back into the leathers she had been wearing minutes before.

Moving to the table near Hermes she crossed her legs and cleared her throat before speaking. " You do know that talking to yourself is not a good thing Hermes. Not even the fates would do that, and Zeus knows they have been bat shit bonkers for a millennium. I had hoped for better from you. After all, aren't you everyone's favorite camp director?" She said with a slight snicker to her voice.

[Hermes]

The blond god flinched in surprise when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. He coughed awkwardly and unwound his arms from around his middle, rolling over on the grass so he faced the speaker. Hermes was honestly surprised to see the goddess before him. He didn't much keep in touch with Hecate these days. Not that he ever did, but when he took a job at Camp Olympus as the activities director, Hermes' communication with the immortal was severely lacking.

"Hecate," he greeted brightly, beaming. When he heard what she had to say, however, Hermes' beam slid from his face. His stomach dropped and he gave a long sigh at her words. "Always nice to see you too," he said, his tone a bit... empty. "If talking to yourself is insane, why do we demand our children pray to us?" Hermes hummed at that. "Most of us don't even listen, so they end up talking to themselves. Is it just to mock them?"

Hermes hadn't realized his tone turned snippy until he stopped talking. He huffed, resisting the urge to apologize to Hecate. Instead, he pushed himself into a sitting position and cocked his head to the side, observing the fiery red head for a few moments. "What brings you here?" he asked politely, his tone a smidge curious as well.

It wasn't like the immortals had any reason to be at his beloved camp. (His camp. He could have snorted.) So Hermes did have to wonder if Hecate wanted something or if she just showed up for the heck of it. Well, he wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. She never really seemed the predictable type, not like him. She was the goddess of magic, she was pretty much an enigma to him.

[Deleted]

At his words she turned a face as she grew deep in thought. His words were true enough, but for the most part she was not prayed to. "Ah, yes, but you forget my roles, dear Hermes. I am not worshiped as some are. My name isn't on the lips of most of my children. I am a vile sickness that prays on people remember? magic,and necromancy; not things that are really needed these days. However when it comes to crossroads, they are aplenty. Many seemed to be stemming from this camp, but young life, it is so taxing."

She looked out over the camp trying to see any of the children that she could sense. Of course she could no so she turned to look at Hermes again. He was one of the more handsome gods, but he could be so taxing. He always seemed to be whining about this or that, but unlike some he at least had some reasoning behind it.

"What do you thing brought me. So many young people at a crossroads. They can be on the side of light, or dark; such impressionable minds. I am merely here to observe , to take stock of the generation coming into power." She was hatching a plan, a plot of sorts, but no one could know. Her usual wicked grin planted on her face. "I also thought I would pay my children a lovely visit."

[Hermes]

Hermes wasn't sure whether he should laugh at Hecate's words or feel uncomfortable by them. She wasn't normally prayed to, at least when Hermes listened in. She seemed like a figurehead more often than not. A figurehead for things out of Hermes' comfort zone, definitely. He was a creature of the light, not of the things she practiced or people practiced in her name.

So instead of voicing his thoughts of that train, Hermes said, "You've got me there." He chuckled awkwardly. "Although..." He paused and shook his head. "Your company is always welcome, if not surprising," the god said instead. He stretched out his back and legs while Hecate stared across the camp. He let out a sigh as his muscles stretched and relaxed just how he liked them to. He sat up and rolled his shoulders, glancing at the fiery haired goddess.

Hermes frowned at her. "You're here to observe?" he clarified in a slow voice. His eyes flickered between Hecate's grin and her own eyes, trying to determine if she was telling him the truth. "Observe," he mused. When his father came to observe, he usually had business. When his uncle came to observe, it was just that. But Hecate was a wild card. If he had to, Hermes would liken her to Hades in that she had some business but there was more to it than just observing. "Well," he said, his face and posture lightening, "Feel free to observe as long as you please! Our camp is always open to family."

The blond ran his fingers through his hair absently. "So," Hermes said conversationally, not entirely sure what to say to Hecate. What could he ask? Oh have you claimed any children recently? I have, no need to ask. No, that wasn't conversation. That was forced small talk. "Have you heard from Hades recently?" And Hermes could have kicked himself. Of course he would speak his prior thoughts aloud. But there was no going back.

[Deleted]

She laughed lightly. "Well, thank you Hermes, I am so glad that you approve of my being here." She finished in a deadpan rolling her eyes. That was one thing she hated about other Olympians, they often forgot she wasn't just an Olympian, she was an Tiataness as well, she was older than many of the Gods themselves, although she had less power in some instances. Many failed to realize though, the nature of her power could often out weigh some Gods, she could interfere and even stop them if her powers would allow it, she might be a minor goddess, but she had a major attitude. She often reminded Zeus of why he helped give her powers that she had. She had stood with him when he took over, and she was growing tired of people forgetting that fact.

When he told her to observe as much as she wished she smiled. "You should best believe I shall, but I know my place. Unless I am invoked in prayer for help at a crossroads I will not interfere, however nudging some in the right direction is never really a bad thing thing now is it?"It wasn't a bad thing, it just really would depend on your definition of 'right direction'.

Hades. Of course, Hades. She sighed and ran a hand through her long hair. "Well, Hades is well..... He's Hades. I guess he is about as normal as he can be. Well, he was when I spoke to him. Well, spoke isn't the right word. I more accosted him wanting to know what he did to Persephone. She used to hound me day and night whining about him. Haven't heard from her in a while, so I assumed he did something to her."

[Hermes]

Hermes grinned. "It's not like you need my approval now is it, Hecate?" His tone was light as was his grin, but his eyes were weary. Hermes honestly didn't like relatives at his camp -good rarely came from immortals being there. But it wasn't like he could just snap his fingers and get her sent away. Hermes would never do that, no matter how displeased he was with a situation. And it would just be counterproductive toward everything.

"Nudging in the right direction, huh?" Hermes quoted and wondered, his grin turning to a wistful, almost sad smile. "The last time I tried that, the Fates threatened to kill George and Martha and leave me alone in the wretched business of message carrying." He shrugged and absently touched his pocket where his trusty cellphone was. "But, y'know, even those old ladies have biases." Hermes chuckled. "Between you and me, I don't think they like me." He shrugged. They could blame Apollo for his prophetic visions, which was definitely something Hermes knew they hated.

The blond felt a bit... Well, pathetic, for bringing up Hades. No one knew he had some rather curious feelings for him (except probably his stupid brother and the Fates), but with the way he tended to act when his uncle came up in conversation, people would start to talk. And when immortals got rumors started, it took centuries for them to stop.

"Persephone isn't around much I guess," Hermes mused, trying to keep the bitterness out of his tone. "She hasn't ordered anything for the garden, at any rate." Hermes smiled tightly. "But I guess if Uncle did do something to her, we'd all know by now. Lady Demeter would throw a fit. And we all know how that is." He cringed at the thought of one of Demeter's fits and shrugged.

[Deleted]

Hecate smiled brilliantly " To be true, you could most definiteltly try to do that, but I still have a few favors that I can call in" If push came to shove she could always go to Hades about it, but things being as they are, might not work out in her favor. Zeus was never a good idea to go running to. This was remindi g her of friendshups that she needed to renew.

Hecate smirked. Nothing was written jn the stars that the gods did not out there themselves, and she had told no one of her plan just ye, which meant it would be all the more fun whe her plans were brought to fruition. " They like anyone but Zeus, and thats only because he is their father. Creepy old chrones is what they are. They bring more trouble than Hades or I ever have."

She shrugged, it wasn't herjob to keep up with the Goddess. She had done her job long ago and gotten her down jnto the underworld. It had come at a price and she had won a prize; so who was she to argue about it now?

"When doesn't Demi throw a fit? Shes's really a pain in my ass." She pulled out a cigarette from her pants and summoned a burning match to light it befire taking a long drag. " I really wish someone would knocknthose pathetic princes and princess off their high horse. Like they are so much better than us. They are so blinded, but what a shock will it be when one small insignfigant thing topples them all?" She took a drag from her cigarette and shook her head softly, her outside never beraying that she was chiding heerself for almost saying too much .

[Hermes]

"They don't like me," Hermes argued. "I'm the one who-" he paused and sighed. "Well, there was a huge issue with my son all those years ago. The Fates didn't want me to interfere with the 'plans'," here, Hermes made air quotes, "and I suddenly had a huge shipment of rice cakes to deliver." The blond almost smiled at that. He'd delivered a bunch of rice cakes to some very confused cyclopes and some angry cannibal giants as well who were mad upon discovering the rice cakes didn't have meat in them.

Hermes was glad when Hecate decided to pursue the topic of Demeter rather than Persephone. He always got a bitter taste in his mouth at the mention of the goddess married to his uncle. But she had always provided him good business so it was hard for the god to say about his feelings toward that particular entity.

A smile crossed Hermes' face. "Demeter does tend to, ah, blow up a lot." He wrinkled his nose but continued to smile. He loved Demeter as he loved all of his family, even when she threw a fit like she was wont to do. Hermes' smile slid from his face, though, when Hecate spoke again. "Are you... talking about Father and my uncles?" he questioned hesitantly. "Look, after the past summers I think Father knows how valuable demigods can be. How worthwhile they are. He's not going to let us fall..." Hermes furrowed his brows and observed the red haired goddess with guarded eyes.

He took a deep breath and tried to draw his mind away from her words. "Sometimes family is... Difficult," he appeased. "And Father and Uncle Poseidon may seem pigheaded and 'holier than thou', but c'mon now Hecate. Family is stupid. You can't go contemplating their demise for being stupid family."

[Deleted]

Hecate smiled. Do not feel.bad on that one. I am the Mother of Circe and Lamia, pretty sure most of the world has hated me at one point or another for that. Althoug, I like to think that my children are some of the most gifted there are. Although that is just my pride speaking."

Her children were noqt reallynsomething that most would boast about, may had found themselves in trouble at the hands od the Gods, or had faced the Olympians siding with Kronos. She sighed deeply, a few of her younger children now resided at Camp Halfblood and one that she was aware of at Camp Olympus. She never pretended to be mother of the year but at leastgetting to know them would never hurt.

Hecate held out her hands and shrugged a little. " I can only tell you what my dremas have been. The Oracle could give me no answers either, but I sense a storm brewing, It could be fro. the discord of the mortal.world that I feel this sens of resurgance, but someones gaining power." Inside she snickered. She loved feeding peoples paranoia almost as much as she loved showing off.

[Hermes]

Hermes pursed his lips. "Well, yes," he agreed hesitantly, "but I'm the Messenger God. No one's supposed to hate me, only mildly dislike my service before I got a tablet." He huffed slightly and shrugged. "Your kids are weird," he said blandly. "But y'know, I love your demigods. They bring such life and vibrance to my camp," there it was again, his camp, "that I can't hate you. Even when you speak in such riddles." Hermes gave the red haired woman an affectionate smile.

His face turned stormy, though, when Hecate told him she sensed that there was a storm brewing. That set him ill at ease. They'd just come out of a dark period; Kronos had barely fallen... And now Hecate sensed something else about to happen? Hermes could have screamed. He could have gone to the Fates and demanded an explanation. He could have shook the foundations of Camp Olympus with his anger.

And so, Hermes took a deep breath. "That's troublesome," he said softly, leaning forward so his knees were pressed to his chest and his hands were fiddling with his shoes. "That's incredibly troublesome... I hope your dreams have been misleading. We can't..." He took another deep breath. "My father can't... He won't..." Hermes dropped his head so he was looking at his shoes. "I hope you're joking."

[Deleted]

Hecate grinned wickedly. " Any stand outs in the bunch? One who is mkre annoying, demanind, or a trouble maker in the bunch." She asked that because theybare the traits she her self was most known for. Even zeus had told her she was annoying, although Eris took the cake in most to be honest, the goddess of diacord coulsn't hold a candle to Hecate.

" I only wish I was old friend. Don't put too much into it though Remember the black olague. It thought it was the titans escaping it sending people after me... lt turned out to be a plauge."

[Hermes]

Hermes wrinkled his nose. "Now, Hecate," he warned lightly, "you can't ask me that question! That'd be uncool of me to answer." He couldn't help but smile, though, before saying, "There is one of your daughters I find rather... exceptional. Kassi Hargrave. Do what you will with that, but you didn't hear it from me." He beamed at the red head and laid back on the grass, rolling onto his side so he faced the stunning goddess.

The blond let out a light laugh. "You're right. Maybe something will happen, but maybe it won't be so bad that ambrosia can't fix it..." He trailed off and sighed. "Whatever it is, I hope I don't have to be involved."

[Deleted]

She beamed at Hermes. " Well, I am glad to know that not all my children are total evil viscious psychos. Calypso is still causing issues where ever she goes, and I am telling you Lamia is just asking Zeus to hurt her. One of these days Pow! Whack! and off she will be mo more than a lovely, lonely star. " Shaking her head she sighed a little.

" Perhapa, but we can only wait and see. I had nightmares for months before the sinking of Titankc. So many people at a crossroads,.it pulls me causes the dreams."