How This Happened?!

Chapter 35 - Swap: Hestia, Hades, Persephone & Demeter

Hades would be somewhere else but here.

Probably, in her room, trying to recover a little of her lost childhood and rebellion teen years that she lost one, because she was inside her father's stomach. And two, because Zeus made him 'drew the shortest stick to take care of the Underworld'.

Such luck, uh?

By now, she would like to add a third thing to that list of reasons. And said reason is still ranting and ranting (she wonder how said reason was able to rant without losing his breath) about how bad wife she is and how she's not doing her job properly and how his son could do so much better than be trapped down with her and, blah, blah, blah.

That third reason was Demeter.

"-I mean, it's too much to ask about a little more of understanding??" Hades finally focused on whatever Demeter was complaining about her in that moment, oblivious that the rest of the presents were already annoyed with his ranting. Persephone was looking as if he wanted to strangle him, while Hestia was looking like he just got a huge migrane.

"Demeter-" Hestia tried, tried being the key word, to interrupt Demeter in a polite way, just to not being acknowledged by the beforementioned.

"And, don't get me started on how she doesn't do her job well! If she places that much interest into creating bastards around like flowers on Spring, she'd have dealt with her job-"

"OK, I think that's enough, Demeter!" Hades finally raised her voice, earning a room full of surprised and shocked males. Hestia looked like he was expecting this and was ready to support her. Demeter looked at her like he wanted to kill her for interrupting him. Persephone was looking at her like... well, she didn't know how he was looking at her. It was a little unusual.

"That's enough?" Demeter repeated, his eye acquiring a little twitch.

"Yes, Demeter! I had put on with your tantrums and critics and scolds for eons, even before Persephone joined me in the Underworld!" Hades had started a rant of her own and no one was gonna stop her "I know you have that twisted idea that my job is the worst, but let me remind you that it was your dear lover and mommy of your precious little boy, Zeus, who placed me on that job, just because he couldn't deflate your ego!!" Persephone was wisely silent, watching how his father turned purple with anger "I admit that my one mistake was taking Persephone without consent, but do you honestly believe that I'd had had a chance if I simply asked?!"

Hestia listened and nodded, knowing fully that Hades was not well appreciate within the Olympians, simply because of the trick of Zeus. Had not he chosen to be alone for eternity, he would have accepted Hades' offer to help her and be her companion. If they couldn't love each other, he'd had been content with friends.

Persephone knew that his father was a god of morals and principles, but he was behaving like a spoiled child that couldn't get his way and it was getting annoying and old. Sure, Hades made a mistake, but she didn't force him to eat the pomegranates. That was his mistake and Hades had been trying to make the best situation of a horrible one. Of course, he and his father hadn't been very helpful with her.

Before Demeter had a slightly chance to reply, the swap happened.

Hestia took the change as something natural and was the first one to welcome it. His waist became more slim and his figure, petite. The clothes that he was currently wearing were hanging a little loose, as he had lost muscles. His hair was already long, but became longer and more silky, while her eyes still maintained that fire that was characteristic of her. She quickly lifted the hood of her clothes and watched the rest of the present's change.

Persephone gasped, watching how his arms became less hairy and less muscly. His clothes were less loose than Hestia, simply for the fact that Persephone was wearing more heavy clothes and was covered from head to toe, signaling the season she was in it, in this case, winter. Her hair was quickly braided and over her shoulder, and the beard was gone, showing off her happy smile.

Demeter paid no attention to the swap, as his eyes were angrily staring at Hades. He was standing up, with his fists curled up next to his hips. The shirt that he was wearing, soon was slightly loose around his chest, though any other male could argue that she was filling the empty space quite nicely. His short hair became longer and her famous crops crown was a little crooked over her head.

Hades was paying no attention to Demeter's glare. In fact, she gave an Equidna's tail what Demeter thought of her anymore. She was so focused on herself that she almost missed the swap. She caught up with it when her long hair turned short and a little bit greasy. By then, his body was more muscular and filled than before, and he could stroke his chin and find hair on it.

"Well, I believe that was a very expected change..." Hestia sighed, looking around at her companions, all the way they were suppose to be. However, that wasn't what she was talking about "Though, I have to say, it was overdue..."

"Too long if you ask me, Hestia... I can't believe that Hecate took this long-"

"She wasn't talking about the swap, Mother, and you know it" Persephone spoke up, looking at her. Demeter looked at her daughter like if she was confused "Personally, I'm tired of you thinking you know what's best for everyone and forcing everyone to listen to your nagging and rants! You need to stop or I won't ever speak to you again!!"

The threat was enough for Demeter to actually pay attention to what Persephone was talking about. She simply didn't want to lose her, but it looked like she was gonna to, if she kept this up. Hades gave a nod and a small smile to his wife, before standing up and offering her his hand.

"Thanks for everything, Hestia..." Hades thanked his older sister, with a small bow "You are, truly, a heaven's sent..." he flattered her, before leaving with his wife, hand in hand. Hestia was slightly blushed, but took the compliment before looking at Demeter.

"Looks like your path is already laid out for you... The question is, are you gonna follow it?"