March open

[inthenameofhades]

Who: Zagreus and you!
When: After the Eplum event
Where: Horizon (& Zagreus's Domain specifically)
What: Zagreus finally visits Horizon
Warnings: NA

Immediately upon his arrival to Horizon, Zagreus's appearance had altered to align much more closely to how he appeared at home: red and black exomis adorned with three canine skulls on one shoulder, a belt made of more skulls, arms adorned with golden bands. And around his head a crown of fiery, ever-burning laurels. The only difference was the now the symbol of the Chariot had been etched into the metal greaves he wore above his fiery feet.

Driven by the compulsion to create, he had also swiftly begun construction of his Domain: a space for which the most immediately notable feature was the river of blood surrounding it. Perhaps you will dare to attempt to cross it.

[[ooc: Starters will be in the comments below! And if you would like a custom prompt, feel free to poke me at blueflowers!]]

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Wildcard!

[inthenameofhades]

Zagreus's Domain, while no larger than anyone else's, nonetheless contained a multitudes of rooms. So perhaps while you are here, you will admire the Great Hall, or have a drink in the Lounge. You might gaze upon the many portraits in the Portrait Gallery, or the array of weapons within the Courtyard.

Or you might just poke around through all of Zagreus's stuff in his room. That's always an option, too.

[[OOC: For full descriptions of all these locations, see here!]]

this weirdo is snooping in his room lmk if this isn't okay!

[thedreamer]

All apologies to whomever this room belongs, but of course, the Doctor can't always help himself in the best of times, certainly not the worst of times. Granted, this isn't exactly the worst of times — far from it — but things have definitely gone a bit sideways. Off kilter. Not as they should be. He's the curious sort by nature and it's only increased tenfold by recent events, so he's poking around different places in the Horizon with slightly less restraint than his usual only-sort-of-middling restraint.

He never intends to be rude or cross boundaries and barge into places he's not been invited, it's just...well, him. He doesn't quite fit in amongst most. Which is why, this particular day, he stumbles into someone's domain and what looks to be a fun room indeed, and doesn't immediately leave, but rather, examines everything closer.

He talks to himself at times, too. Old habit.

As he examines the decor and the posters hanging up, he remarks, "Dionysus, oh, lovely chap! Well, one assumes, all things considered. And Aphrodite — ah, a theme."

Of course, that was quite obvious by now, given the other adornments he's seen here.

It is always okay for the Doctor to snoop! :P

[inthenameofhades]

Perhaps if Zagreus had been out in the Great Hall, or even the Lounge, he would have noticed his new visitor. But instead he'd been out in the Courtyard - too far from the entrance to realise anyone had come in.

But he was close enough to hear the sound of a voice coming from his room.

"Ah..." he says, blinking awkwardly at the Doctor after darting into the room. He's not entirely unfamiliar with having unexpected guests here. But usually, they're people he actually knows. "I'm sorry mate, I don't believe we've met?"

And Zagreus himself - the Doctor may notice - also continues the theme. A red and black exomis, a style of tunic common in Ancient Greece. Skulls on his shoulder, his belt, his greaves. A wreath of burning laurels upon his head. And feet that burn red hot, leaving embers behind where he steps.

excellent :3

[thedreamer]

"An absolute pity we haven't, wouldn't you say?" The Doctor would, in any case. He loves meeting everyone. How much they enjoy the same in reverse is always an adventure, can't predict. Keeps life interesting, at least, from his perspective.

"Good thing I showed up when I did, now we needn't go a moment more without knowing one another. I'm the Doctor, very good to meet you, colon insert name here." He says this with a cheerful smile while actually saying insert name here out loud, briefly folding his hands together behind his back as he gets a full look at the other man. And when he does, the Doctor's hands come out from behind his back quickly and he makes a few vague and uncoordinated hand gestures at him, almost like he's framing him and taking a mental picture. "Well, you're fully on brand here, aren't you? Excellent. If I'm getting my mythologies correct, and of course I am, you've a perfect replica of the Underworld here. Cozy!"

He's not being facetious, either, he's fascinated. Then again, it doesn't take much with this one.

[inthenameofhades]

That is...a lot of words spoken very quickly, and in a very short period of time.

"...You wouldn't happen to be related to Hermes, would you?" he says, having been immediately reminded of the fast-talking god. In fact, it's a good thing Zagreus is used to Hermes, or he might have struggled to keep up.

"But it's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor. The Doctor?" Zagreus was not entirely sure whether the definite article was required, there. "Anyway - I'm Zagreus."

A name which is ridiculously obscure in Greek mythology - but one the Doctor is almost certainly well-read enough to know. "And you're not too far off, though I wouldn't call it a perfect replica of the Underworld. This is just the House of Hades. Or...part of it."

[thedreamer]

"Thought of trying out The a few times as a nickname, odd years back, just the, mind you, but Doctor is best. Just Doctor."

He never thinks much of his own lively stringing together of words, as it were, but he is always delighted when people manage to keep up with him. And the comparison! Brilliant.

"Could do worse, couldn't I? Hermes — dear fellow. I think! No relation, but I'm flattered. We'd have a time, wouldn't we, though I'll leave that to you for final assessment. The one with firsthand knowledge, of course," the Doctor does a little waving spinning motion with his hand towards Zagreus, to further reinforce that. "Zagreus. Oh, I know a bit about you — well, what the stories say. We all have them, don't we, stories about us? Some more known than others. Son of Persephone, and...well, Hades, given what you've done with the place. If I'm remembering the details correctly."

And of course I am, he thinks. Humble, as ever.

[inthenameofhades]

"Yes, I think you and Hermes would indeed have quite the time, and no one else would ever be able to get a single word in," Zagreus says wryly. "And...wait, really? You know stories about me?"

Usually, the response Zagreus was most familiar with this place - even if someone was familiar with his family - what more along the lines of, 'who the hell are you?' Zagreus knew very well that he was not exactly well known. "Hang on, they're not the ones Orpheus tells, are they? Blood and darkness...look, if they're the ones you know, you should know that they are not accurate, I have never been torn to shreds by the Titans and Dionysus and I are most definitely not the same god, even if that is exactly what I told him."

This is what Zagreus gets, for playing a little prank. Consequences.

[thedreamer]

"Pity we haven't met yet, I'll have to remedy that." He says this with all seriousness. Though, hang on — "Though you're absolutely wrong, you'd get at least two words in. More than that's a bit much, really, unless you've an ego."

Kidding.

"Well, that's where you come in! Tell me in your own words. First, though, bit about me — I'm a traveler through time and space, I've visited loads of worlds out there, I'll visit loads more. Many species have their stories not entirely unlike yours or even the world we happen to inhabit now. Origin stories, some all rooted in absolute truth, some a combination of myth and legend. What I know about you is a mix — in one rendering, yes, the Titans indeed ripped you to shreds and Athena brought your heart to Zeus. Bob's your uncle and you're suddenly back to life as Dionysus. Though, you've cleared that detail up! Point is, I know you, but I don't know you so I'd absolutely love to know you."

Follow the logic.

[inthenameofhades]

"A traveler through time? That's an incredible power," Zagreus says, finding that a particularly fascinating idea. The space part was less so - many gods could travel across vast amounts of space in an instant, even if it wasn't a gift Zagreus possessed. But time? He'd never heard of anyone who could travel through that.

Except in the same way everyone else did, of course.

"And...well, you know of Mother and Father already. And...this is my home. The House of Hades. I was raised here, by the goddess Nyx." He pauses, and then adds: "And Father too. I suppose he counts."

For a given value of 'raising', at least. From the way Zagreus speaks of him, he doesn't seem to think very highly of Hades's parenting. Oddly though, he doesn't mention Persephone raising him.

[thedreamer]

"We do have a grand time, my old girl and I. The TARDIS — my ship. Beautiful blue box, her and I, off on one adventure or another." There's far more he could say, and he absolutely will because (as established) he loves to talk, but he's too curious about Zagreus at the moment.

"Nyx and Hades —" Yes, he does take note of the absence of Persephone. "There's a turn — plot twist, as they say." Someone says. Somewhere. "So! Raised by Nyx, separated from your mother, Persephone? And your father — he sounds a bit like the stories I've heard."

He's certainly heard about Hades and Persephone, their story quite well known, though what Zagreus tells him has already diverged from what he knows.

[inthenameofhades]

"Your ship is a box?" Zagreus says, blinking. "That's an...unusual design. How do you sail it?"

Because if it's a ship, obviously it must sail somewhere, right? Perhaps the Doctor sails across the Sea of Chaos.

"Mother...Mother left, after I was born. She thought I'd died." Or to be more accurate, he had died. But while Zagreus was happy to talk to the Doctor, he didn't necessarily wish to say everything. Not on a first meeting. "But we were reunited recently, and she's returned to the Underworld. When she's not visiting Grandmother, that is."

[thedreamer]

"Well, she looks it, on the outside. Chameleon circuit!" As if this explains everything. He offers no further explanation, if only because he tends to be of the 'yes do simply keep up with my brain' sort. However, he does add, "We sail through the stars, though not with actual sails. The TARDIS shifts out of physical space, into the time vortex, and phases back in where I tell her to go."

After all these years, he still believes he has any modicum of control at all over the TARDIS.

"It'd look a bit like she disappears and then reappears somewhere else in time or space."

He's happy to talk about his travels, of course, and he does at least clue in a bit that Zagreus isn't ready or willing to tell him every detail of his life. Fine, fine! Understandable. He supposes. Even if he'd prefer hearing everything.

"A sort-of-sad story with a happy-ish ending, oh, I love those! Making up for lost time, no doubt, I'm sure. Well, before all of this —" Vague gestures with his hands. "But now you're parted again. So retract the happy ending, let's call it happy waiting, to be continued. Back — eventually — with dear old mother, sort-of-okay father, and...Grandmother, where does she rank? Demeter, is it? Lovely sort?"

[inthenameofhades]

"I...don't know what either of those words refer to," Zagreus says, owing to the distinct lack of both chameleons and circuits in the Underworld. And yet despite this, the rest of this explanation does in fact make sense to him.

"Oh, you use shifting! Well that does make sense," he says, nodding with understanding. "Your box must be quite impressive then, to be able to shift through time as well as space. Than can shift all over the world, but even he can't do that."

And knowledgeable as the Doctor is, he likely will be able to deduce that 'Than' is a reference to Thanatos - Death Incarnate himself.

"Grandmother Demeter is..." Zagreus pauses, thinking of how to word this. "She cares for me and Mother a great deal. She's shown me warmth and kindness. and I'm thankfully to have been given the chance to get to know her. But I know Mother always found her rather overbearing, and...she didn't take Mother's disappearance well. She's not someone you wish to cross."

hey cuz

[monomachy]

Despite the strange weather patterns affecting the Horizon as much as the waking world, Diana still patrols the Horizon when she finds a few hours to do so. She's dressed simply in a short, golden chiton with the emblem of The Empress stitched in matching shining gold and sandals, unaffected by any chill that hangs in the air. Whether its by the power of her will or something else remains to be seen.

It isn't long before she comes across a Domain she has yet to see--a great, opulent creation of stone and bones, all surrounded by a river of what looks like blood. She stops short on the bank of the river, eyeing the spectral hands rising from it, face contorted into a mask of incredulity.

"What in the gods' names is this place?" She asks the question to no one, but feels the need to voice it aloud anyway.

[inthenameofhades]

Fortunately, even though did not speak the question to anyone in particular, someone still heard. Soon Zagreus appears on the other side of the river, and he gives her a wide smile when he sees who it is.

"Diana! Glad you could come visit, mate," he says, friendly and apparently unbothered by the fact that he's surrounding by blood and skulls. But then, he is also wearing rather more skulls than he was previously.

"This is the House of Hades, center of the Underworld. Or at least, a recreation of it. This is my home."

[monomachy]

Relief (and an amount of understanding) spark through her when she sees Zagreus across the river. She looks at the building and the moat with new eyes; while she doesn't really see anything she could confidently call familiar, she can at least reconcile it with what she knows about the Underworld. Well, the stories she's heard, at least.

Without the appearance of any effort, she crouches slightly before leaping across the bloody river in one smooth movement, landing near Zagreus without really disturbing his Domain. She looks down at the grasping hands below once more before lifting her gaze to meet his mismatched one, a small smile curving her lips. "Well met, Zagreus. I have never been to the realm of Hades, but it is truly a joy to be able to see it through your eyes."

[inthenameofhades]

The Underworld has a certain aesthetic to maintain. And that aesthetic is: skulls. All of the skulls.

"Well then, I'll just have to show you around, won't I?" Zagreus says, giving her a smile like he's letting her in on a secret. Which...he's not. He's had all sorts of people pop up at his domain, and he hasn't done a thing to keep any of them out.

But it's a bit different, with Diana. She's family.

"That's Father's desk over there," he says, walking in further into the Great Hall. Judging by the size of the desk, Hades was positively massive - the desk is easily taller than Zagreus himself. Although it probably doesn't look quite the same in the real Underworld, as Zagreus has apparently chosen to vandalise this one with useless trinkets and something resembling a glitter bomb. "Or perhaps his throne. I suppose it's both, really."

[monomachy]

For her part, Diana actually looks excited at the prospect of seeing the Underworld as Zagreus knows it. The Amazons didn't have much information on what it actually looked like--that, or they were unwilling to share it with Diana when she was studying their history as a child. Either way, she's happy to rectify this gap in her knowledge.

She follows him in, looking all around her and tilting her head back to even look at the ceiling, not wanting to miss anything, even the desk. She stares up at it, and something twinges in her heart at the sight of how big it is. "The Amazons always spoke of how much larger the gods were than mortals. I thought it was an exaggeration, meant to emphasize their power, but it seems they were being literal."

[inthenameofhades]

"Oh yes, most gods are quite large. Though most aren't anywhere near Father's height. He and his brothers do tower quite significantly over everybody else," Zagreus says, looking up at the throne. But then he looks back at Diana, with a faintly sheepish expression.

"I'm afraid I'm...on the short side, as gods go." A fact he was evidently somewhat insecure about, judging by his current body language. Zagreus was only on the taller side of things when you compared him to mortals.

[monomachy]

Diana imagines a Zeus tall enough to sit at that desk, and it's difficult for her to wrap her mind around, having never seen him outside of sculptures and other artwork. But her attention returns to Zagreus at the change in his tone and stance, and her brows raise slightly. She looks at him for another moment, and then her lips quirk upwards in a smile.

"Then I suppose I am, too." Diana, too, is tall among mortals (especially mortal women, she's discovered), but it had never occurred to her that she should be larger because of her divine heritage. "But it does make it easier to walk among mortals, which I enjoy." She adds with a bit of a laugh: "And I've never had trouble getting anything down off high shelves, so I think I'm tall enough."

[inthenameofhades]

"I suppose that is true!" Zagreus says, chuckling softly. "I guess I just...haven't done a lot of walking among mortals until I came here, so that didn't really occur to me. Here's to not holding ourselves to unrealistic expectations that we could never actually hope to meet!"

And it's at this point that Zagreus starts walking towards away from the giant throne, and the Great Hall, towards the East Wing.

"But, to continue with the tour...there's something I really, really want to show you," he says.

[monomachy]

She grins at him, glad she's been able to cheer him, even a little. "If you ever have questions about how to interact with mortals, feel free to ask me. I spent a long time studying them, and I have lived among the mortals here for a short time." Just two years, which is nothing to her (to them), but she knows it could be considered a long time for someone who isn't immortal.

She follows him towards the East Wing, curiosity clear in her tone. "And what is that?"

[inthenameofhades]

"I'll have to think of which questions to ask," Zagreus says, laughing.

And then he leads her into the East Wing - and into the gallery. All around them are portraits of the gods, and of Zagreus's friends and family.

And it's towards one picture in particular, that he leads Diana to - a group portrait, of all the gods of Olympus.

"This is our family," he says.

[monomachy]

Diana doesn't know what she expects Zagreus to show her, but it certainly isn't this. The only images she's ever seen of the gods are in art and sculptures, worn with age which made it difficult to really parse any fine details. But here are these portraits, the plaques beneath them finally putting faces to names--at least, the faces of Zagreus' gods.

The family portrait makes her stop short, and she stares at it for a long, silent while. She sees a glimpse of thunderbolts, and purposely looks at each other face before finally finding the painted eyes of the King of the Gods. Zeus doesn't look very similar to what little she's seen of him, but that means little in this moment; he is, in some world, alive. They all are. And it is a comfort.

She raises a hand as if to touch her father's face, but stops short, hand stagnant in the air as if she's afraid it will disappear at her touch. Tears have welled and fallen down her face, but she doesn't notice, doesn't seem embarrassed by it. When she finally finds her voice to speak, it's thick.

"Thank you for showing me this." Her tone is an impossible mix of grief and joy, and she can't really parse which is stronger right now. Truly, gratitude is foremost in her heart right now, and she's choosing to focus on that feeling.

[inthenameofhades]

If she wanted to touch, Zagreus would not object. He was here to share his family - their family. He wouldn't begrudge Diana that connection, not ever.

"Of course," he says softly, keeping his voice gently. He can see how much this is affecting her, and he wants to respect that. Give her the space to grieve, and feel, and take everything in. "I wanted to have something, to remember the people important to me. The people that I love. Whenever I miss them...I can come here and remember.

"And...I wanted to share them with you too. I don't have a way for you to meet them personally. I can't give you that. But I can share my memories with you."