My Big Fat Greek Dinner

[divasmio]

Who: The Greek Mythology-adjacent characters!
When: Before the AU event, and then perhaps after as well if we want to reuse this log for the following dinner.
Where: Apollo's Horizon
What: Apollo is hosting a feast for the family that just found each other :)
Warnings: Familial affection? Family drama? Volleyball?

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Weekly Family Dinner

Apollo is determined to make this "healthy and functional family" thing work, and Julia's family dinner idea seemed to be the perfect place to start. Once every week or so, Apollo plans to have the family over for a feast, and perhaps some games and other activities as well!

Apollo is hosting the feast in his Horizon, in a garden within the Sanctuary of Apollo overlooking the Sacred Lake.

A mouthwatering feast is spread across an ornate wooden table. Cuisine from every corner of the world is represented here, all of it hot and fresh.

One dish of note is a platter full of Sally Jackson's Blue Chocolate Chip Cookies, as well as her delicious seven-layer dip. Apollo remembers the flavor quite vividly and was able to replicate it.

There is a volleyball net set up near the lakeshore, as well as some other sports equipment piled up near the stone lions. You know, in case anyone needed ideas for after-dinner activities.

Comments

[sophos]

"Not to mention, different cultures create different calendars. It can be hard to be sure of exact dates, especially as we go further back in time." She pauses. "Suffice to say, your time was a long time ago for me. That's all we really need out of it."

There's a lot of potential for her to go off on a tangent here, and she thinks she's being very good about catching herself.

"It's not always seen as god influence. There are scientific reasons for thunderstorms as much as there are reasons Zeus gets pissed. That connection to the godly faded, especially as the culture of ancient Greece evolved and changed too. It's become a mythology rather than a reality."

[inthenameofhades]

"'Scientific reasons'...that's like philosophical reasons, isn't it?"

'Science' might not be a thing yet when Zagreus his from, but he does at least know what 'philosophy' is. And they're similar enough to each other...right?

"So mortals have come up with new explanations, then? And then they just...believe the new reasons, and not the old ones? Is that what happened?"

[sophos]

"No. Philosophy is more theoretical. Science is based on research - facts, data, and hypotheses. In the ancient world, the two were a lot more intertwined, but science explains how the world works around us without a godly influence."

Explaining modern science to an ancient Greek god of the Underworld might be a task too big for one child of Athena, but it doesn't mean she can't pretend otherwise.

"It's not like they're coming up with explanations without reasoning or logic. They discover them via specific studies. There are a lot of other reasons behind the decline of Ancient Greek hegemony, but it might end up depressing you at a party that's apparently supposed to be fun."

[inthenameofhades]

"Ah, so gods aren't facts, are we?" Zagreus says, with a faint grin of amusement. He doesn't look at all offended by the implication. And Zagreus doesn't actually know all that much about philosophy. Or this 'science'. Even if the distinction seems arbitrary to him, well, he knows he doesn't know enough to argue.

"And it's alright, you don't have to explain it all to me. I'm not sure I'd even be able to understand. I suppose it's just...very strange to me. I mean, you'd find it pretty odd if someone told you that where they come from people didn't think mortals were real, wouldn't you?"

[sophos]

She rolls her eyes, but it's not with ill intent. "They're real. You definitely don't have to argue with me on that. But science is separate from gods."

It's been much easier for her to simply accept the reality of the duality of the world that way than to really sit with it. She has other things she'd rather spend the time dissecting.

She hums with his question. "Odd, yes, but given how many different people have been summoned, I don't think I'd say it wasn't possible. It's real for them, isn't it? Even this world has different rules from our own. If we can accept that, it's easier to accept maybe there's a world where mortals aren't real. Things can be odd and true at the same time."

[inthenameofhades]

"It's very obviously possible. It just...takes a bit of getting used to, I suppose.

"Just like getting used to the fact that there's also other versions of our family. That was quite a bit of a surprise. Also very confusing. Will and I's first conversation had us talking in circles around each other. Didn't really know why so Will kept mentioning so many things that didn't fit with what I knew at all. Not until Julia told me about alternate universes."

[sophos]

"I knew this world wasn't my own almost immediately, so once I got over the whole transported across universes thing, it got easier to accept different perspectives and even different versions of the same Earth."

But that could just be the Athena in her. Annabeth pauses. "Earth is the planet we live on."

[inthenameofhades]

"You must be much more adaptable than I am," Zagreus says, with a self-deprecating smile. "Although that's probably to be expected. Mortals seem much more adaptable than gods. Demigods too, I imagine. You're not as resistant to change."

Which from the way he speaks, Zagreus evidently regards as a good thing. He knows how frustratingly difficult it can be to get gods to change. The gods might often place themselves above mortals, but this was one area where mortals had the advantage.

[sophos]

"Well. We can freely cross the boundaries between mortal and the god worlds - I think we're sort of built with adaptability to survive too."

It probably helps on her part being a daughter of Athena too - they're all always thinking, and contemplating the expanse of the universe with semi-frequency isn't exactly out of the realm of possibility for her and her siblings.

"Just... try to keep an open mind while you're here, and maybe it'll get easier for you too."

Shall we wrap up around here?

[inthenameofhades]

"I will," he promises. "Besides, I wouldn't want to miss out on everything the mortal world has to offer. Like delicious blue foods!"

sounds good 🎀

[sophos]

The blue food mention has her smiling, faintly. She doesn't have the heart to tell him right now it's a very specific part of the mortal world, but mostly because maybe she doesn't want to get into Sally Jackson right now either.

"Keep up the enthusiasm and I'm sure you'll do great."