Aug 29th, 4pm

Little Karisa nibbles on a teething ring while reaching out to the jingling keys.

"She's getting big!", Lisa compliments while holding the toy.

Her small hands keep reaching out to capture the item. Lisa lets her have it when she gets fussy.

"She will be walking right out the door one day."

"Nope", Penny jokes. "Stay small, daughter."

After wiping the drool off of her, she takes her daughter out of the chair to crawl around the baby-proofed living room. Her daughter stops at the table and places a small hand on it.

Lisa and Penny's eyes widen. Karisa rocks back and forth before pushing on her legs. Her mom and pupil clap before she falls on her butt. She doesn't cry as she tries again.

Penelope pulls out her phone to record this moment. "You can do it, little one!"

Lisa cheers while clapping.

Karisa pushes off and stands on her two feet. Her head turns to the clapping.

"That's my daughter! Papa would be so proud!"

Her tiny hands cling to the ends on the table to keep herself up as long as she can. This small act reminded Penny of her husband's spirit. That when things got tough, he pushed through. She fights back the tears that his spirit was broken. 

Karisa falls on her butt. Fussy cries for her mom. She determines she needs a nap. She brings her to her crib and plays a recording near her. Her father's gentle voice about how much he loves her on a loop. Karisa's eyelids close shut.

After putting on the Nannycam, she returns to Lisa who embraces her.

"It's okay. Let it out."

Her honey-brown eyes release her tears. "I hate this. I can feel his sorrow and I can't do much from here. His shame and guilt. I keep praying for his return but that bastard Zeus won't let him go! 

She rubs her back. "I know. I know."

Silence sits around the two mothers.

"Keep praying for him, Penny. You mentioned he could "hear" you."

"He does, but he feels awful. I want to hold him tight and let him know it's not his fault. That I love him with all my heart", she manages to whisper.

Lisa breaks the hug, but holds her hands. "He loves you too. Like Karisa, he won't give up."

A chuckle slips from her lips. "She is like him."

After comforting Penny, Lisa leaves to pick up her son from her grandparents.

Penny takes a deep breath. "Taki, just know that my spirit is with you. Use my words as the calm in your storms."

----

Mt Olympus, 12pm

The Olympian god-king dances in front of Nyx's painting. Powerful, arrogant steps to mock the goddess' attempts to stop him. As he turns, the goddess had enough. The pitch black of the canvas spikes out. Chills run down Zeus' spine from finding pieces of his curly golden locks on the floor. 

A drip to the floor accompanies it. Ichor. He clutches the back of his neck with one hand while sending the painting through a portal. 

"Once I get that mortal's powers, I will wipe you out of existence first."

He waits for his healing factor to kick in.........his blood continues to taunt him. "Damn you, Nyx."

With an electrified palm, he cauterizes the wound. The pain makes his breath hitch, but the bleeding doesn't stop. Tearing off a piece of his white tunic, he applies a makeshift bandage. The god-king storms away from the pain that won't go away.

Meanwhile....

Hephaestus rolls around to process what was told to him. His one chance to find Aphrodite is now with Demeter, leaving him with less options to try. 

Orpheus, Narcissus, and Medea would be child's play for her.

His control over weapons and metal wouldn't have any effect on the goddess attuned to nature. With a summoned orb of fire, he takes a course of action.....

---

Atlantis

The fish maiden continues to wipe down her fallen master's throne, expecting him to return one day.

"Come on, Psari, you can do better", she tells herself repeatedly.

The eel captain swims by and notices her actions. Her fins tremble from how long she's been at the same chore. 

He swims over. "Psari. Psari. Psari!"

His words grab her attention, but she continues the task. Captain Cheli pulls her back with his tail. 

A gentle embrace by him for the loss of their king. "I'm sorry."

The fish maiden's tears float upward while she turns to hug him. The loyal soldier keeps himself strong for the both of them.

"Isn't there anything we can do?", she looks up at him.

"That mortal is hard to reach, so I can't risk a life until we know for sure."

His serpentine body trembles out of instinct. He swims back with the maiden in tail.

A small fiery mountain breaks slowly through the floor. Lava flows down it with a sphere on top.

"This is Hephaestus. Who's in charge here?"

Captain Cheli lets go of Psari. "I along with several other captains. Why?"

Mixing a truth with a lie, he promises to bring Poseidon back in exchange for their help. He plans to hand Takashi over to them for safekeeping until his father needs him.

Psari hands Cheli a conch to blow through. The patterned signal summons Capt Koto along with their subordinates.

Hephaestus mentions his plan. While he goes over this, Cheli and Psari feel something is amiss. Takashi's name doesn't bring a hint of evil along with it. Almost like they helped each other before. The eel captain tries to ignore the ridiculous notion in his head, but a strong part fights back.

"....This would be the best plan while minimizing any more losses for you. I just need their whistles", the fire god finishes.

"We need a guarantee, Lord Hephaestus", the eel captain rightfully mentions.

"On my promise to you? So be it."

Red bracelets form below the gills. Appearing on flippers and claws to solidify the promise. With the reassurance in mind, Cheli's crustacean subordinate, Astakos, returns with the engraved whistles. One with the symbols of an opened jaws of a shark. The other with six serpents. 

Passing them into the orb, the god of the fire and forge enacts his plan. Using Hestia's hearth, he appears at the bottom of the mountain near the rivers. Blowing the whistles lures the two monstrosities away from their usual spot.....

---

ROOOAAAAAR!

The startling noise makes Echo, Hippolyta, and Cadmus jump. Looking outside, their eyes widen. Harmonia's aura tells her what's going on, but she keeps the noise from entering the clam to let Takashi sleep in peace.

From 40 miles away, their enhanced sights can't ignore the giant sea worm, Charybdis, tearing up the land near Eleusis. The trio looks to help Demeter, but dead tree trunks wrap around the worm like a snake. 

It lashes out while roaring out its wrath. From its mouth, a ball spits out. The canine legs of Scylla hit the ground running to retrieve the infamous mortal. Puppies whimper while she dodges the oncoming trees. Her serpents strike through to create an opening for their host.

She enters the natural grown home of the goddess. With her eyes and scent, she scans around--

A frost-chilling blast pushes her out of the abode. Her serpents strike out at the one responsible, but the multi-colored Olympian energy holds them back. Wisps of golden, orange, green, and white restrict her and Charybdis at the same time.

With the closed hand of Demeter, the tree trunks bring the sea worm to the ground with a soft thud. Anger wasn't detected by the creatures. Another human emotion was at play. Something they didn't expect.

Through the wheat-colored eyes of Demeter, she sees the truth about them.

Scylla, a nymph who fell in love with Glaucus, but was transformed by Circe out of jealousy. 

Charybdis' life makes her heart tremble. A daughter of Poseidon who also suffered from their mutual tormentor.

Her red poppy flowers land upon the duo before wrapping them up into cocoons. Charybdis' body shrinks down without resisting the change. Cadmus, Echo, and Hippolyta no longer sense the monsters. However, two heartbeats are in their places.

Scylla stumbles to her knees. Her eyes widen from the changes. No serpents attached to her body. No grotesque dogs at her waist. Her soft hands touch the human legs she used to have. Her naked torso shivers from the autumn breeze, but the poppies wrap around her like robe. Genuine warmth from the kindness of the goddess.

Charybdis crawls out from the side. Aquamarine skin with flippers on her arms and legs. The poppies give her a robe as well. The daughter of Poseidon takes her first breath of air which almost suffocates her.

Demeter blends the auras of hot and cold air to form a cloud that pleasantly rains on her body. Charybdis catches her breath thanks to the Olympian's aid. The cloud continues to rain as she slowly makes her way to Scylla. Their lips quiver out of happiness, but regret took over for the lives they stole.

Words can't be uttered from the time they spent at that unholy place. Tears stream down their faces while Demeter walks to them. The women tremble while bowing to her. Asking with their tears to send them to the Underworld.

Her wheat-colored hands lift their faces up. A warm smile graces her face. Her multi-colored aura enters their bodies. Enough that they feel all mobility restored to their legs. They stand up without losing their balance.

"If you want, my home can be your home", her voice is softer than a fluttering feather.

The kindness helps the restored women to enter her home. Demeter stays outside after noticing a familiar wisp in the sky. The fiery wisp of his nephew, Hephaestus. Her bushy eyebrows narrow from him manipulating these women. With a frost blast, the fire freezes out of existence.

The god of fire is stunned. No trace of Takashi Watanabe and his aunt was more powerful than he realized. Tools fly out from another outburst of rage. Fighting her is out of the question. However, his obsession refuses to stay complacent.

He assembles his armor and walks into it using his strong arms. Pressing an internal button, his broken legs receive the temporary aura of his father to swell up in size. One slot empty, leaving two behind.

He stifles the pain by thinking about his beloved Aphrodite's smile. Now at 6 feet tall, he takes a few steps and smiles from the ease of walking again. With how he is, his wife will no longer deny him. One of his staff members hands him a crafted broadsword in which the length travels from head to toe.

"Master? Where are you going?"

"Stay here in case my father needs you. I will be out for a while."

With a burning hand, he touches his blade. With intent, he sees all the fires in Gaia. Ignoring the fires of the Underworld, nothing gives him a clear answer until...... 

"If I can't find you, Aphrodite, then your children must know. They will tell me."

A swing of his infernal sword teleports him to one of her many children.