The Greek Gods and the Apocalypse

Chapter 23 (Edited)

This morning Shimmer requested to see me out of the blue. It was early morning and breakfast had not even been served yet. I heard a knock at the door so I proceeded to answer it. A weaponsmaster making his rounds handed me a note from Shimmer and then went about his patrols. I dressed and went right to Shimmer's barracks.

Shimmer and I's discussion began rather mundanely but escalated quickly. You could have pushed me over with a feather when Shimmer told me the rest of her memories had been unveiled and she had traveled to Mt Olympus late last night.

"Before last night I thought all of my memories had been restored. I had no idea there were any other memories to unveil. The information I had already received seemed in line with everyone else's in Community," Shimmer explained.

"When I arrived on Mt Olympus my parents confirmed I was a goddess not a demigod like the rest of you. I am, in fact, the daughter of Zeus and Hera. My name is not even Shimmer. It is Hebe. I am the goddess of youth, eternal youth, and the cupbearer of the gods. For centuries I have literally served the gods and goddesses the nectar that ensures they remain immortal."

This is a lot to process. I am just sitting across from her trying to take it all in. Community being a home for demigods seems normal now that our memories have been restored. Living amongst the nymphs is even becoming normalized. However, realizing our leader, the person we depend on the most and have for a hundred years is a divine being, a goddess, is a lot to absorb even for me.

Shimmer I mean Hebe notices my shock and says, "Aurora is everything okay?"

"Umm, not really. I do not even know what to call you. I have known you as Shimmer ever since I met you and now you are telling me your name is Hebe. I had accepted you were a demigod when I accepted I was a demigod but now you are telling me you are a goddess. Am I still your protégé? I find it hard to believe a goddess needs a protégé. What could I bring to the table that you could not decide for yourself? I am just lost at the moment. This information changes everything in my eyes."

"It doesn't have to change anything about our relationship, Aurora. When my parents met with me on Mt Olympus last night they gave me a choice. I could remain here and lead the children of the gods to victory or I could return to Mt Olympus and take over my old job as cupbearer to the gods. Let me tell you it was an easy decision. I have never been needed for anything on Mt Olympus but to bring ambrosia, wine, youth elixirs, or a god or goddess' favorite snack to them. All while they looked down on Earth like humans used to watch television programs on Saturday night. Just watching their favorite humans or demigods go through the motions of life like they were watching a sitcom not like they were watching people make decisions that could mean life or death for them and others."

"No thank-you. Someone else can draw Ares's bath and dress him. I am sure my mother, Hera, can find someone else to prepare her chariot for her. My tasks for the gods are no more than the things a waitress or attendant would have done for a rich human before the apocalypse. As long as the gods and goddess's cups are full at TV time and their elixirs are served so they never grow old they will never notice I am gone. Unless, of course, they are watching the 'Community channel' that night for their entertainment."

"I feel like I belong here in Community, like what I do matters, like I have a life. Other people respect me, care about me, listen to me when I speak. Back home I am just a servant for the higher gods. I do not understand why that is. My brothers Ares and Hephaestus play major parts in the lives of mortals and the divine alike. We share the same parents but not the same high-status roles. I have no understanding of why that is but this is my high-status role and I intend to see it through. I care about the residents of Community. They are all my family and I will not abandon my family."