Storyline

Long ago the land of Greece was rules over by a pantheon of gods and goddesses, each one with their own responsibility. The gods, despite their power and immortality, were not unlike the mortals themselves. They quarreled, they loved, they caused troubles and solved problems, and were not above meddling in the lives of others.
However, as Io prophesized, Zeus was indeed overthrown- but not by any son of his as he had assumed. When the Christ god and other such religions took over the people of their land, the gods were forgotten. Now only a small handful of mortals still worship them today, and so they must live as mortals do. However, not all the once powerful gods are content with this life, and seek to regain their power once again.
Join us, be ye god or mortal or monster, and make your own path in the stars.

Rules

1. Obey the T.O.S
2. I know it’s a tad ironic, but no godmoding. Even if you are king of the gods, you cannot just snap your fingers and get your way, everyone has limits to their ability. I will control the setting and no one else.
3. If your character is a Mary-sue and Gary-stu, or anything of that breed you won’t be accepted. Character development is the key to storyline.
4. If applying for a god, you must fill out the application form with accurate researched information. If your Hercules is the son of Zeus and Hera, you need to put away the Disney film and pick up a real book.
5. If you are playing a character you made up who is perhaps the child of a god or demi-god, it must be a reasonable god for parenting. For example, Athena never had children, or even a lover, and thus would not logically have children.
6. Keep it pg 13, kissing and suggestive flirting are fine, but don’t make this into some smutty erotica.
7. Use (( )), {{ }}, [[ ]], or even || || to surround any text that is out of character, if you are talking but not role-playing, take it to PM’s.
8. No auto- control, you play your character(s) only. If you move to hit someone, you do not say that the person automatically takes the hit; that is up to them. Additionally, you cannot avoid taking a hit more than twice in a row.
9. If you leave the RP for more than 2 weeks without notice of absence, you’ll be removed from the RP.
10. If you are rejected from the RP, deal with it. If you post here after being kicked or refused, you will be reported.
11. Do NOT post until you are accepted into the rp. To apply, PM me your character profile.

More rules may be added with annoyances, just a heads up

White list
Those who are regulars and loved

Red list
Those who have received warning and may be kicked if they break the rules again

Black list
Those banned from our rp

Characters

Note; I have only listed the main gods of Olympus here and a few others, but you can be other demigods and goddesses or even heroes of myth as long as your application form shows accurate information.
Only the Olympians will be listed here as a start, as requests for titans and other such beings arise, they too will be listed.

Olympians
Aphrodite; played by Marguerite Blakeney
Apollo; Played by skellig
Ares
Artemis; Played by Starling.Blackwood
Athena
Demeter
Dionysus; Reserved for PhoenixIllusion
Eros
Hades; Reserved for Black Phoebe
Hephaestus
Hera
Hermes; Reserved for PhoenixIllusion
Hestia
Persephone; Reserved for Black Phoebe
Poseidon
Zeus

Titans
Helios
Selene; played by Gemini
Leto

Lesser Gods
Pan
Hermaphroditus

Heroes
Heracles

Monsters
Echidna
Typhon
Cerberus
Sphinx

Given traits

• Every god is immune to human ailments and diseases and are able to heal faster than most
  
• Demigods are immune to all minor illnesses and ailments, but can fall ill of deadly diseases and are not immune to toxins.
  
• Mortals are not stronger than any god, but only the god they mainly worship can punish them.

To Apply as a God/Goddess
*= Optional

Name;
Modern Name;
Age;
Appearance; (no anime pictures please)
Realm;
Parents;

Skills
(Talents your character has that are not unique to just them, min 1 max 5)
1.
2.
3.

Faults
(What bad traits does your character have for their personality? Minimum number is equal to number of skills)

1.
2.
3.

Power(s)
(what unique powers does your character have? Min 1 max 3)
1.
2.
3.

Weaknesses
(What limits your characters powers, or sways their decisions? Minimum number is equal to the number of powers your character has)
1.
2.
3.

Bio; Include how your god/dess has transitioned into the modern world and how they are living now.
*Love Interest;
*Other;

Profiles for a Demigod/Demigoddess
*= Optional

Modern Name;
Age;
Appearance; (no anime pictures please)
Parents;

Skills
(Talents your character has that are not unique to just them, min 1 max 5)
1.
2.
3.

Faults
(What bad traits does your character have for their personality? Minimum number is equal to number of skills)

1.
2.
3.

Power(s)
(what unique powers does your character have? Min 1 max 3)
1.
2.
3.

Weaknesses
(What limits your characters powers, or sways their decisions? Minimum number is equal to the number of powers your character has)
1.
2.
3.

Bio;
*Love Interest;
*Other;

Profiles for a Mortal
*= Optional

Name;
Age;
Appearance; (no anime pictures please)

Skills
(Talents your character has that are not unique to just them, min 1 max 5)
1.
2.
3.

Faults
(What bad traits does your character have for their personality? Minimum number is equal to number of skills)

1.
2.
3.

Power(s)
(what unique powers does your character have? Min 1 max 3)
1.
2.
3.

Weaknesses
(What limits your characters powers, or sways their decisions? Minimum number is equal to the number of powers your character has)
1.
2.
3.

Bio;
*Love Interest;
*Other;

Accepted Profiles

Name; Artemis
Alias; Chandra Woods
Age; 29
Appearance;

Realm; The Goddess of the hunt, a goddess of the moon, queen of female individuality and independence, virginity, wildlife, sisterhood and mid-wives.
Parents; Zues and Leto

Skills
1. Archery; can use a bow very well
2. Equestrian; can ride horses
3. Skinning and Leatherworking; can skin and animals hide and make it into leather
4. Tracker; she can track animals and even people
5. Wilderness Survivor; can live off the land easily

Faults
1. Selfish; she has a tendency to prioritize herself over others
2. Promiscuous; she tends to hop from one lover to the next very quickly
3. Sexist; she hates men and assumes them to be useless and stupid and expects the woman to take care of everything
4. Stubborn; she always feels she is right
5. Temper; she can loose her cool quickly

Power(s)
1. Beast tongue; she can talk to animals
2. Transformation; she can change people into animals and visa versa
3. Swift; she can run very fast and has the ability to match the speed of an animal enough to run alongside it for as long as the animal can run

Weaknesses
1. Need for moonlight; She cannot use her power of swiftness without moonlight touching her, and her power of transformation cannot hold without moonlight unless she can see and focus on what it is she is changed to hold it in its changed form
2. Soft spot; the well being and love of animals and pretty young girls tends to be high up on her priority list
3. Womanizer; she tends to be easily distracted by pretty young women

Bio;
Artemis’ had a much more graceful fall from power, as her worshippers more often stayed with her. Somehow, she was always able to keep at the very least 10 or so followers with her. She adapted to the changing world rather well, though her style of life did face quite the conflict as the world grew more ‘modern’, and so for quite some time had to hide her people from the world. She did so by founding a school for girls in the 1940’s, and they have grown quite nicely since then.

Love Interest; She has not found herself able to fall in love since she lost her Callisto back in the ancient times. However, she believes she may have found a new Callisto, who can help her forget about the past and focus on the future.

Other; Her Hind’s golden fur has leeched to white, allowing them to seem more natural in the world. She keeps them in special habitat around the woods of her school, land protected by the government (and her dogs). She has 13 hunting dogs, Seven female dogs, six male.

Name; Apollo
Modern Name; Ray Hawksley
Age; 29
Appearance;

http://x-journal.net/Wiki/images/4/45/Bobby.jpg

Realm; God of Prophecy and Truth, a God of the Sun, Olympian patron of music and the Nine Muses, and God of Medicines and Plagues.
Parents; Zeus and Leto

Skills
1. Poetry and the spoken word
2. Archery
3. Music, both instrumental and vocal
4. Farming- Exceptionally good with domesticated animals, but not with wild animals
5. Medicine-Gifted at healing (not magical, just instinctive)

Faults
1. Tactless in the sense that he often doesn’t realize how his words can upset people, he is often honest to the point of carelessness.
2. Flighty, will often commit to an idea, but not follow through
3. Careless in his actions as well as words-when he isn’t focused he barely considers consequences for actions
4. Flashy, a bit of a show-off, especially with his lovers.
5. Overly sensitive in terms of art, cannot take criticism gracefully.

Power
1. Oracle- Ability to bestow the gift of prophecy, knowledge of all prophecy
2. Plague- Can inflict plague on cities using charmed arrows

Weaknesses
1. Indecisive- When it comes to a major decision (involving people’s lives) he finds it difficult to take sides either way.
2. Has a tendency to over-complicate matters; sees meaning in the mundane, which can be a strength, but mostly he’s simply over-dramatic.

Bio; Being as easy-going as he is, and being the god of prophecy, Apollo anticipated that the age of the Gods would come to an end, and his followers would fade away. The hardest part for him was the slaying of the last Pythia, his final Oracle at Delphi. For the first time since the Trojan War, Apollo took a stand against the Christian Roman in the next civil war. But he couldn’t follow through with his defeat; there were too many Roman Christians he once knew who were seduced by the Christ God. It is his greatest regret.
Apollo now moves around society gracefully, wandering wherever his arts take him. Right now he lives under the alias Ray Hawksley. He works as a solo artist, and has a small, but dedicated fan following for his two CD releases. The music industry is peppered with his records under different aliases. Right now he prefers to stay under the radar. He works as an archery instructor when he’s not playing shows or out dancing.

Love Interest; Recently broke up with Ciara, a 20 year old punk rocker that he charmed while doing some underground work with a band. The experience left him slightly chastened, as Ciara was more spirited and headstrong than any woman (or nymph) he had dated before. She criticized him and mocked his skills rather than approached him with the puppy love he usually gets from his groupies. Their relationship was fiery and passionate. They were very much alike, but when Ray’s underground punk band started to drift, so did she. Ciara left him and quit town shortly after. Though he doesn’t miss her seriously, her criticisms of him linger in his mind. He started working in archery after their breakup to keep his mind off dating until he figured himself out.

Other; Has been seeking a new Oracle, as he is finding it increasingly difficult to focus on prophecy and interpret.

Name; Aphrodite
Modern Name; Chrisnele Leigh Davidson
Age; 25
Appearance;
Realm; The Goddess of Love, Beauty, Sexuality, Prostitution, and sometimes fertility/reproduction. Also known as the protectress of sailors.
Parents; Uranus, or Zeus and Dione

Skills
1. Excellent swimmer – she was born of the water, of course!
2. She isn’t a war goddess, per se, but she can definitely fight (as the patron goddess of Corinth).
3. Being able to attract attention due to her demeanor. Because of this, she is also very photogenic.

Faults
1. Mood swings – she is quite temperate and her personality goes hot and cold, without warning.
2. Temper – Really, she is a female, and as a goddess, this can flare further than any normal mortal.
3. Falling in love with many men resulted in her unwanted marriage to Hephaestus.

Power(s)
1. Granting beauty and invincible charms to others.
2. Magical girdle - This garment has the property of causing men (and gods) to fall hopelessly in love with whoever is wearing it.
3. Obviously, she is the goddess of love, who excites passion in the hearts of gods and men, and by this power rules over all the living creation.

Weaknesses
1. Hunger for attention. She wants people to adore her endlessly so she can gain her power back.
2. Her vanity. Straight up.
3. Men. Definitely men. Their attractiveness sometimes makes her forget that she must be the one to entice them, not the other way around!

Bio; It seems like forever and a day since she lived on Mount Olympus. Her children have not been reborn in this world, leaving her as a very lonely mother. As the Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Sexuality, she has no qualms in taking lovers. She is also the patron goddess of Corinth, Cythera, and Cyprus. As a younger Aphrodite (she always had the form of an adult, though), she had a tendency to cry to her mother, Dione, whenever she was slighted. In the modern days, her way of adapting to the new world was to do something that involved something she knew. The end result was becoming a model who lives in a posh, upscale neighborhood. She doesn’t eat food at home (a penthouse apartment) or keep her kitchen stocked. Being invited out to dinner night after night, her dates don’t dare let her pick up the tab and they spend a grotesque amount of money on her (this she really enjoys)! She loves being under the spotlight, under the flashes of cameras, and being the talk of the town. Her motto is, “there is no such thing as bad publicity.” Being on the cover of several hundred titles of magazines, the walls of her apartment are lined with her Vogue-esque photographs, generating sales for herself and the publishing companies who want this “It Girl’s” image. Ever still the goddess of sexuality, she always carries around a romance novel and wants to write one (possibly her autobiography), though it would be impossible to do so.

*Love Interest; For now, as she is the Goddess of Love, she certainly doesn’t waste her time not dating; in fact, she has many suitors, but hasn’t found one true love yet. Her lovers range from Psyche, Ares and Adonis, to many others, though, as punishment for her wanton ways, she was also married to Hephaestus (and does not love him) by her brother, Zeus.

Name; Selene
Modern Name; Gemini Starr
Age; 19
Appearance;
Realm; goddess of the moon,month and night,goddess of lunacy,all-nourishing dew, and childbirth,
'Selene was the patron of the feminine. She was believed to have the power to ease childbirth and inspire love.' source-eHow by google and theoi.com
Parents;Hyperion and Theia.

Skills
(Talents your character has that are not unique to just them, min 1 max 5)
1.nurturing-good with plants and animals
2.equestrian-rides horses
3.grace-very gracefull,able to dance and run swiftly without falling or getting hurt ect.

Faults
(What bad traits does your character have for their personality? Minimum number is equal to number of skills)

1.jealous-doesn't like to be challenged
2.tempermental-very easily angered,a temper not to be rekoned with.
3.romantic-gives her heart away easily.

Power(s)
(what unique powers does your character have? Min 1 max 3)
1.able to mask reality/pierce illusion
2.awaken intuition
3.spark psychic visions

Weaknesses
(What limits your characters powers, or sways their decisions? Minimum number is equal to the number of powers your character has)
1.easily swayed by emotions.
2.most powerfull during new and full moon,so least powerfull in between.
3.stubornness gets in the way of judgement.

Bio; Selene took her fall from grace hard,being already less recognized by mortals,it was dificult for her to adjust to mortal life.having loved the shepherd Endymion,she was shattered when he died,the eternal life-giving sleep bestowed upon him broken by her fall from power.she managed to adjust well,with the help of her brother helios(god of sun/day) and her sister eros(goddess of dawn) and managed to make her life in the modern world.still worshipped in wiccan and pagan rituals,she still sometimes visits the dreams of her followers,or sends one of her many children to do so.

love interest;since losing endymion,selene had no interest in men,but believes that someday she'll find love again.

other;selene often visits artimis for hunting parties and late night chats or rituals.

~ RP is now open! ~

((yay first post! lol that's the first time that's ever happened to me.))

Selene,or Gemini as she was now called,walked through the nighttime forest,enjoying the cool air on her skin. Her feet were bare,as she liked,but the undergrowth caused her no harm. It would have been suspicious,if anyone had been watching her,but there was no one around.
She stopped in the middle of a clearing,where the full moon floated directly above,lighting the woods as if it were daytime. Closing her eyes,she imagined herself driving her chariot through the sky,her tiara lighting the night. But those days were over.
She sighed and turned to a high pine tree-the highest in the clearing,and began climbing it. Once at a good hight,where she could observe and relax without being seen,she sat against the rough bark,her long,ghost pale legs hanging below her.
The wind stirred her raven hair,and her thin silver-and-black dress flowed around her legs. Sighing again,she looked up at the sky and wondered if she would see any of her brothers or sisters tonight.

((Hey Gemini, you're missing a couple hundred spaces between your punctuation and the start of your sentences XD))

A woman in a grey cloak appeared, dragging a dead buck on what looked like a small wooden chariot. With her were four of the most beautiful young girls, all between the ages of 14 and 15 about. They all wore the cloak and tunic that the woman did, but only she had a bow.

"Hey Gem, not often I see you in these parts." Artemis, now known as Chandra, or Headmistress Woods, greeted of the dark haired woman. She lowered her hood, revealing blonde hair in big loose curls, and some minor frizz here and there.

"Who is she?" one of the girls asked, a redhead with freckles all over her skin.

"A friend of mine Delia... why don't the four of you head back to the school and hang the carcass in the skinning shed?" Chandra asked with a smile.

"Yes headmistress." the girls said in unison. The tall brown haired girl took the rope that Artemis had in her hand, and the four girls kept heading north through the woods.

"Would you like me to bring you out some coffee or tea my friend?" Artemis asked. "We might even still have cocoa left; it's a tad chilly out."

((oops! i'll fix it. :sweat:))
Selene watched the girls go,a strange longing in her heart. She turned to look down at her friend.
"Cocoa would be nice.I seem to have grown fond of it... Those are students of yours,I assume?" She asked,still unable to shake off the feeling that she was missing out on something. She climbed down the tree to the loowest branch and jumped down,landing gracefully on her feet.
"Artemis,my friend...I feel as if I have missed something. I feel empty somehow...perhaps you can help me find what is gone from me that should be there." She said,as close to pleading as she would ever get,her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

((Typing it out on word processing might make it a tad easier to catch things like that, that's what I do.))

"There isn't much I can do these days I'm afraid." Artemis replied with a sigh, running her fingers through her fair hair and leading Selene to the school.

The campus was beautiful, many of the students enjoyed the gardening club. They left flowers all over, and designed the gardens with such skill it was as though they had been artists for eons.

The building was made of brown and black stone, the roof a strong green tile. It was such an old style, but had such a classy taste to it. A sign was out front that read 'Woods Private Academy for Girls'.

"I suppose I could try, but I have my doubts these days."

Moonlight dusted the red Lotus Elise as it sped across the endless highway. Taking an unusual exit down a country road, the elegant vehicle splashed in the wet gravel. The driver was somewhat less than pleased.

Ray Hawksley looked a typical male Apollo, with a minor difference: Ray Hawksley was the god Apollo, and every bit as powerful and flawed as the mythological deity. Blue eyes glinting with sunny mischief highlighted a handsome face that was framed by an unruly head of golden curls. His lips, which normally wore a smile to charm the bird out of the trees, was drawn in a pensive scowl. He drummed his fingers impatiently on the wheel-going out of town was not his favourite practice. The tires alone would take an hour's worth of washing, or a trip to the garage to get the stones taken out. Ray knew that wasn't what was really bothering him, but it helped to have another reason to gripe. Coming out at night always dampened his spirits, and this was no exception. But there was no better time to visit family.

The gates of the school loomed in front of him, and he winked at the woman waiting there. She blushed, remembering him in more ways than one, and promptly let the iron swing wide. Ray parked the car and simply waited on the hood. His sister would find him out soon, after all, it was her trade. Besides, after his last visit it might not be prudent to enter the school, especially at night.

The day had been relatively long. A large-scale photoshoot for a high-end magazine took up most of her day, starting from the very early morning. Thankfully (no thanking gods, as she was one of them, of course) makeup existed to make her look even more perfect. For being an immortal, her skin was flawless and pristine. But even goddesses needed touchups and Aphrodite a.k.a. Chrisnele Davidson, felt the burden of having to look perfect at all times. There was no way she allowed herself to look tired or exhausted in any way, which is how she was able to keep pushing herself forward throughout the day.

Following the photoshoot, there were some press interviews that were scheduled for weeks on end. It was a damn shame that she couldn’t have just one big press conference, but each magazine had requested to see her individually. And she had been looking forward to getting everything done so that she could just head up to one of the Skyline-esque VIP clubs that night. Unfortunately, her plans had gone to waste as the perfect ensemble of dress was stuck at the dry cleaner’s and nobody had yet picked it up for her. “A pity, that,” she murmured to herself, raspberry-rouge lips pouting in dissatisfaction

Instead, she spent a better part of the evening alone, preferring to take a stroll through the streets lined with trees that had still-green foliage. Her mink fur coat was wrapped around her body comfortably, as her stiletto heels clicked the cement of the ground. Not knowing where else to go, she wasn’t quite ready to go home for the night.

Selene sighed.
"It's a strange thing,isn't it?" She asked,admiring the gardens.
"I mean,how difficult it is sometimes to remember that we're down here. Back before we fell,i never had a feeling like this,but now...it seems to be getting worse by the day." She said in a suffering voice. Indeed,whatever she was feeling was getting worse. But how could she make it stop if she didn't know what it was?
"I certainly hope you can help me,even if it's only a talk. I need to know what this is that's plaguing me."

"You know, I'm not wise. You'd probably be better to ask Athena, but I suppose a psychological answer wouldn't help the emotional aspect of your problem." Artemis told Selene. "I think we should-" but as she spotted a familiar cloud of dust rise up by the main gates she rolled her eyes.

"Hold that thought, our conversation just lost it's privacy." she told Selene. She could see some of the girls faces in their dorm windows, looking out to see that fancy car that always brought their good news.

Artemis and her brother had an agreement. He could 'get-to-know' any of the staff he wanted to, but should he get within 5 feet of any of her girls, she would take his greatest pride from him with a sadistic pleasure.

"Hello Ray." she greeted of the handsome young man. "How has my baby brother been?"

As she waited for his answer she pulled out a cell phone, one of her new additions top the school, a favourite of hers, had insisted she get one so the two could keep in touch. She typed out and sent a text message.

'call me when you've got a spare minute' and when she clicked 'send' the name on the display read Davidson C in bold text.

Apollo offered a casual smirk when he saw his sister emerging from the woods. His amusement changed to confusion as he noticed the slender figure matching her pace. It was unusual for the old gods to be drawn to the new, even when they followed only their impulses. Considering Artemis and Selene's history, it wouldn't normally surprise him. But the three of them, drawn together at the same time-it seemed an omen.

He raised his eyebrow briefly at Artemis' greeting, "Same as always, sis. Or should I say, headmistress. Good to see you too, Gemini. New music scene's been pretty interesting. Though, I must admit, the punks are a lot more fun to go clubbing with. Anyways, passing over my life, I've got some...news, if you'd call it that."

He locked eyes with his sister, seldom serious, they now burned with urgency, "It's a prophecy. And it's critical, I can feel it. But I can't write the words. They're not...coming. Clouded from me. I thought maybe you'd be able to help."

"What is with everyone needing my help today?" Artemis asked casually, to herself mostly. "Well you two better come inside then." she turned and headed toward the front doors, but stopped and looked to her brother.

"You, better keep it in your pants this visit." she warned.

Inside was warm and toasty compared to outside. She led them to her office, one of her older students was there already, tending to the fire lit up in the fireplace.

"Leave us." Artemis ordered. The girl nodded respectfully and left with a quick pace. There were two chairs before the cypress desk, ready for everyone to get comfortable.

"Apollo, you first. Perhaps your foresight relates to Selene's problem as well." She walked around to behind her desk, pulled off and hung up her cloak to reveal a white halter top and long white pants that flowed to look like a skirt. She grabbed the small packet of cocoa powder from in her desk and turned her back to grab two mugs from the mantel of the fireplace.

She heard the ringing of it first, then the vibration of the object became apparent. Thinking it was a phone call, Aphrodite sighed. "Who is it this time?" she said to herself. Digging through the pockets of her thick coat, it was a easy to get lost in the fluffiness of it, even just to find a pocket. Eventually her hand made its way in and delicate fingers grasped the plastic-and-metal hybrid that was her phone.

She didn't bother buying one of those "smartphones." They never appealed to her and were way too complicated to figure out. Sticking with a standard flip-phone, Aphrodite opened it and nearly put it to her ear to start speaking when she noticed something different about the screen.

"Oh, it's just a text message," she said disappointedly. But it shouldn't have been any different. She wanted her alone time, and she had it. Clicking a few buttons, the message popped up after some dreadful phone navigation.

'call me when you've got a spare minute' it said, along with the name that was associated with the phone number. "All right, Artemis," Aphrodite sighed. "It better be for a good reason." Pressing the button to call the other girl, she placed the phone to her ear as the line started ringing.

Keeping silent, Selene followed Artemis and Apollo and sat down, uncomfortable desoite the comfort of the chair. She and Apollo never found themsekves in the same place, so it was a safe bet that whatever his prophecy was, it was not good. Listening carefully, she wondered if Artemis was right. Could Apollo's vision help with her problem? Or at least point to what might be causing it?

A ring tone could be heard from Artemis' pocket-

'There’s a place downtown where the freaks all come around-' and before it could finish she pulled the phone out, flipped it open and answered it, at the same time raising her index finger to pause Apollo, though he hadn't begun to speak just yet.

"Hey," she greeted. "If you'd like some vacation time I have a proposal for you. I know you were looking for some more followers, I have a great way to get you some. Come on down to the school and I'll let you know what it is, but in the meantime I'm low on minutes, so I'll have to talk to you again later. Bye."
Then she hung up and put the phone away. Artemis and Aphrodite were far from compatible, too many conflicting values and opinions. However as they both lost a lot of power since the fall of Olympus, they couldn't afford to hate each other, so they settled on a mutual tolerance.

"Okay go ahead." she told her brother.

Apollo gave her his best attempt at a maligned look before his brow furrowed back into thought. Though, truth be told, his mind did stray when he took a glance at the slender young woman tending the fire. He almost smiled at her invitingly, then twisted his expression into a respectful nod. It was going to be hard enough to talk his sister into this even without crossing any lines.

Settled in, when she addressed him he hesitated, wondering how to address the problem. For the moment, he was saved by a phone call, and he couldn't help giving his sister his best hipster scoff at her ringtone. Months to perfect the expression, and it was definitely worth it for this. As she finished her phone call, he made his decision.

"Thanks. Truth is, I know why I came to see you, just like I always know. It came in a dream, after about a week of clouded words and...disturbing moods," Apollo took a deep breath before continuing, "The symbols were...very clear. Nightfall, the moon at first quarter. A wolf in the forest came to rest by the sea, in the shade of a laurel bush. A dolphin arose to meet the wolf. And the wolf produced a serpent, eyes alight with mystery and mad with knowledge," he stopped, as if to continue, but was met by vaguely bemused expressions. He began to explain,

"The moon represents your parallels, right? Twinfold of the moon-I hadn't thought of that at the time. That explains the end-"He ceased musing and continued, "Back to the easy part. The wolf represents your influence, and the dolphin, mine. It's a strange form, but is has to do with the laurels. The dolphin is the form I took to enlighten the Delphians. The snake represents Pytho, the root of Pythia," Apollo locked eyes with Artemis, willing her to understand, "I think one of your girls might be the Pythia, my Oracle. So that's why I came."

Keeping his gaze deadly serious, he took a laurel branch and a elegant piece of obsidian out of his pocket. Artemis would know them both-and so would the Oracle.

Quick note about the Oracle of Apollo: she was a young priestess who channeled his prophetic abilities on Earth. Known as the Pythia, she originally resided in the temple at Delphi. Here's the Wiki for any clarification: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythia

Selene listened carefully, willing herself to understand all that Apollo was saying. It wasn't very clear to her, but what she got out of it was that he thought his Oracle had been reborn in one of Artemis's students.
"So you believe you Oracle is here? Well, i am happy that you've found her. However,that does not help with my problem. Perhaps it is just an emotional weakness..." she mused, barely able to fathom such a thing.

Artemis was quiet and sitll for a moment. Then, she stood and walked to the window, leaning against the rim and looking out onto the moonlit courtyard.

"I'm sorry." she told him. "But if one of my girls is your oracle, I cannot subject her to that life. I fear her being put in danger, from herself and others, and I worry that she could become a target from those who wish to remain blissfully ignorant."

It was a hard decision to make, she loved her brother and her girls... but at the same time, she could recall many prophets who had suffered for their 'gift'.

"I can't help either one of you right now." she said quickly. "Please leave." she wanted to be alone all of a sudden, and she learned when she was young that it was best to obey your innermost feelings.

Apollo's eyes burned like solar flares at her words but he swallowed his anger. The certainty of prophecy left him no doubt as to what he needed to do. And the prophecy would be given, no matter what the cost. Some things were too big to be left unsaid. He nodded to his sister, trying to keep the disappointment out of his voice,

"Alright. I hope you'll reconsider. I haven't felt anything this big since the 1960s, and I've never missed a prophecy," the uncertainty strained his voice, "It's important, and if don't know..." Ray let his hand drop, "Just, think about what's at stake. Good evening, or morning. To you both"

He left her still staring at the window, her face not meeting his. As he stepped through the cool empty halls he fingered the volcanic glass lovingly. Slipping the talismen in a small leather pouch, he regarded the trees outside the gate carefully. The sun broke out over the horizon, illuminating a strong and mournful willow. His eyes flickered to green and he clambered upwards, to the topmost branches. There he hung his best hope, and he gazed over the school, silent with regret. He hoped Artemis would forgive him. But these words were already written.

Sliding down the trunk, he stole a glance at the fading moon. Crescent waxing. It would be another couple of days before it was found. Apollo started the sleek vehicle and sped off back to the city. The Cabalone Club expected him tomorrow, and Ray Hawksley was not going to disappoint.

Her jaw dropped, and her eyebrows furrowed as the line had cut itself off abruptly, with no chance for Aphrodite to get a word in edgewise. "Well," she started, flipping the phone closed and trying to get the damned item back into her pocket, "That was quite rude, Artemis." She stood in place, wondering why the other goddess would give her this proposal of getting new followers. Besides the many fans she already had while her face was plastered on every magazine, there were those who knew who she really was.

And so, she was left with the decision of whether or not to head down to Artemis' school. Now that was a place to garner followers. But what could she, Aphrodite, the goddess of love to in order to obtain followers? She began to walk a few steps forward, then realized the school was way too far for walking distance, especially in her shoes. She didn't want them ruined, of course, and it wasn't like she would end up getting blisters. It was just really deemed inconvenient for her.

Sighing, she batted her blue eyes upwards to the sky, smirking sarcastically, having to bring her phone out again. Dialing another number, she folded one arm into the arm that held the phone to her ear.

"Yes, Bryce? I'm at Hawkins Park. I'll need a ride, please." A pause as the speaker on the other line replied. "Yes. Thank you." Flipping the phone closed, she rocked back and forth on her heels, until she spotted an empty bench off the corner of her eye to go sit there.

((gonna pretend Selene left already))

It was when the silence was at it's worst, that a girl quietly slipped into the room.

"Is... is this a bad time?" she asked. Hair, red as fire, eyes blue as the sea... freckled and fair, and more beautiful than any other girls in the school. To Artemis anyway...

"I don't know... I guess." Artemis replied, not moving from her window. The girl approached and wrapped her arms around her lady's, leaning that red-head of hers on Artemis' shoulder.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?" she asked.

"You know there is. But for now I need you to return to your dorm and sleep for the night. You have your mid-terms tomorrow Carine."

"Okay." the girl replied, a bit dissapointed as she hurried out.

((sorry!!!))
Selene got up and left as she was asked, knowing that Artemis was best left alone at such times. As dawn quickly approached, she watched Apollo speed away in his expensive car. She sighed and left the grounds, going back to where she had entered the woods. There she found her own car still waiting. Unlike some of the others, Selene saw no need for an expensive or fancy car, and had quickly fallen in love with her emerald green Volkswagon bug. Her only displeasure was that it wasn't a convertible, but it did have a moon roof. She got in, started it, and drove off towards her house in a seperate part of the woods. Perhaps she could talk to Aphrodite about her problem. The two of them were not best friends, but they got along to a certain degree.

"Pull just a little further back...now release! That's it!" Ray grinned at the ten young girls who stood eagerly surveying their targets. Some just slightly off the mark, some lying on the floor, and others driven into the protective foam wall. A single perfect bullseye resided in the middle target, "Nice shot, Janet. Watch her, girls. Keep shooting, and remember, don't cross the line."

As the ten year old's friends clustered around her to ask for pointers or sulked jealously and continued to shoot badly, Apollo reveled in the morning sun. Its beams over the gym reminded him of optimism, new beginnings. He was lost in composing stanzas to a poem when a slender young woman appeared beside him, calling;

"Kirsten, elbow straight!"

He turned his best 2000-watt smile on and greeted his co-worker. Suzanna was a dark-haired beauty with bold green eyes and a sharp wit. He'd been scoping her out for a week or so now, ever since she started at the Robin School of Archery.

"They're doing well, aren't they? Janet just pulled a perfect shot," he mused.

"Oh really?" her voice was musical, inviting, "I always knew she had talent. How're you this morning, Ray?"

"Sunny as the dawn, and twice as bright," he winked at her. Same as always, "What about you?"

"I'm feeling kind of sunny myself, today, actually."

"Really?" he raised his eyebrows suggestively, "How would you feel about coffee at Sunshine Joe's?"

"With you?" Ray was unusually tense for a moment while she kept him hanging, "I'd love to. Bows down, girls!"

Radiant again, he hurried forward to help retrieve the arrows. He'd started teaching archery to get his mind off women-but that was before Suzanna started working there. She was feisty, but mysterious. Not to mention gorgeous. Nothing wrong with a little diversion, he thought as he watched her bending to retrieve the arrows, then looked away quickly. It was shaping up to be a beautiful day.

"Does she know what a whore you really are?" a voice jokingly asked. Artemis was standing there, arms crossed and a shy smile on her face as she looked at her brother. "I think we should talk. In private."

There was a group of girls with her, all of them about 13 or so. There to practice their archery it seemed. However to ray, it would be very clear that the girls being there was just an exscuse.

Apollo was surprised by his sister's sudden arrival, not to mention a little nervous. It was normal for her to bring girls around once every couple of months, unusual for her to want to talk to him alone. He gave her a playful smirk as he gathered the arrows.

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her. Besides, look who's talking," Apollo flashed a conspiratorial grin. They were twins, after all, different as night and day but still the same in many ways. Though he slept around, he knew she was far from committed in her relationships, "I bet you'll like this one. I'll introduce you."

He called Suzanna over to explain the situation, "This is my sister, Chandra Woods, headmistress of a school not far from here. Sometimes she brings students to practice in the ranges here. They're more than competent, they can probably give you a hand."

"Pleasure to meet you. You must be speaking of the Woods Private Academy for Girls. I had a friend who once attended, an excellent school from what I've heard," she gave Artemis a courteous yet soft handshake. Looking between the two of them, she sensed something amiss, "I can outfit your students with bows and braces, follow me, girls!"

Perceptive and mysterious. Suzanna was a perfect catch, all right, he mouthed a thanks to her as she took off headed off with the girls. He led Artemis into a small office for privacy, and then got down to business.

"Alright, you've got it. What is it you wanted to talk about?" he sounded cool, aloof. Even though he wouldn't admit it, her decision to deny his Oracle did sting a bit.

The limousine arrived some fifteen to twenty minutes later, stopping in front of Aphrodite. From the drivers’ side, a man in a chauffeur-like uniform stepped out and around to open the door for the fallen Goddess. “Good evening to you, madam,” he greeted. “Oh, Bryce, it’s been an exhausting day. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I know I should have left word that I was going to be late.” She situated herself into the seat, but held a steady hand on the passenger door before Bryce could close it.

“Artemis left me a message, so I called her. Though I don’t particularly like her, I’ll need you to drive me to her school. It’s on the other side of town, so you see why I couldn’t just bally well up and walk there.” Bryce nodded. “Very well, madame. But if I may be so bold, you and Artemis don’t usually get along. Don’t you think this could be some sort of trap?” he asked her. Through her vanity, Aphrodite was not on good terms with many of her fellow female Goddesses, especially since she was tempted to take their mates every now and then. It was just part of her nature. It couldn’t be helped.

“That is why you are escorting me. Would I be calling anyone else had the situation not be something of this measure?” It was a rhetorical question. Without saying another word, she released her hold on the door and tucked her legs into the car, looking forward, signifying that she was ready to go.

“Of course not, my lady. It is an honor,” Bryce simply replied. He closed her door, and then went round the front to enter his part of the vehicle. He started the car, already knowing the way to the school since he knew these roads like the back of his hand. Driving at a normal speed, he wasn’t sure whether or not Aphrodite was in some hurry to get to the school.