Dear Secrets, Please Fly Quietly

15) Restored

Hades left me at Olympus, after briefly explaining why I was there. Zeus was shocked to hear I had died, as were most of the other Olympians. They had been paying so much attention to the heatwave, only Aphrodite, Athena, and Ares had noticed. This made me feel very important in their lives and I made sure they knew exactly how important that made me feel.

Once Hades had left, someone shouted that the temperature was rising again. I was promptly turned invisible. Aphrodite ran straight through me, my form wavering slightly at the disruption. I will never get used to that cold, but hot feeling.  Fed up, I growled for a few seconds as the anger built before I finally barked at the top of my voice. "ZEUS!"

Everyone froze, some in impossible midair poses. Show-offs. "I've a bone to pick with you, father." I sneered. With narrowed eyes, I crossed my arms and clenched my jaw. "I believe you have something that belongs to me." I jabbed my thumb into my chest. "Specifically, part of my body. You ripped off. In the middle. OF AN ALLEY!"

Zeus looked around at everyone but me. "You need to chill, boy. I can kill you."

I laughed out loud, stumbling backward a bit. When I found my voice again, I wiped my eyes, still giggling. "In case you haven't noticed," I paused, holding in the laughter. "I'M ALREADY DEAD!!" I burst out in another laughing fit. "You can't kill me! I'm already dead!" The two phrases quickly turned into a short song. After it ended, I calmed down.

Everyone stared at me like I was drunk and on drugs and sleep-deprived all at the same time.

After some time for the tension to get awkward, I shuffled my feet on the ground. "So," I mused quietly. "can I have my primary wings now? The big ones that go on my back?" I had to add the extra adjectives so they couldn't say 'You already have your wings, Hermes.'

Zeus, who had remained emotionless and nonchalant the entire time I had been there, remained emotionless and nonchalant. "No. 1) We have bigger problems now, which, 2) you caused. And 3), you're dead. Who's to say you could even use the wings anyway?"

I pouted like a child. "Why does everybody use that as a reason?! Regardless, I can fix that little problem we have with a certain sun god, called Apollo." I ended with a hint of pride, knowing I had their attention.

"Oh, really?" Zeus mused, arching an eyebrow.

I nodded with a brilliant smile. Almost sadly, I added. "But, If I was to solve this 'issue', I need one, little, tiny thing." I held my fingers together to indicate just how small the thing was.

"What's your plan?" Athena asked. Leave it to the goddess of battle strategy to stick her nose in my business.

"None of your business." I stated with my hands on my hips, enjoying the few moments of superiority. To Zeus, I said, "So, can I go fix this or what?"

"What's your plan?" he asked, knowing I wouldn't repeat what I had to Athena.

My expression remained neutral, though inwardly I smiled. "Promise on the River Styx you'll give me what I request and I'll tell you my plan."

He agreed, thinking we were both bound. I made my demands, which consisted of resurrection and then immortality, my primary wings, and my symbol of power. Also force Hades to pay me a dollar per soul I brought to the Underworld, and restore all previous jobs and titles. That way, there was no loopholes and I would be restored to everything I once was. Quickly, he realized the trick, but by then it was too late. He had to comply.

Before Zeus could say anything, I cut him off. "And the 'promise on the River Styx' thing was only for you, not me. So do all I ask or suffer the wrath of the Fates." I added in an ominous tone. It did the trick, and I smiled smugly in success.

First things first, I was resurrected. There was much light, I felt my body come into existence once again. I don't really know how to describe it. I could feel again, breath again (something I hadn't realized I had stopped), and generally be again. With a bitter growl, Zeus handed me my staff. I hugged George and Martha tightly, even though I couldn't bring them to life. Yet. That was coming next.

I braced myself. Apollo had once recounted how becoming a god felt after he had been mortal for a while. He described as excruciating pain that basically extracted all the mortal blood from your body. At the same time, ichor replaced it so you didn't die. Physical flaws were also done away with, unless it was part of your character. Apollo used the example of Artemis and her entire body. He earned a silver arrow in the chest for that.

Turns out, he was right, and I was actually grateful that process was over. Breathlessly, I remained on all fours for a good ten seconds in silence. The Olympians wondered if I was dead, and someone remarked 'You idiot, he's breathing.' I had forgotten I had telepathy and a myriad of other abilities I rediscovered almost all at once. The three missing wings on my feet reappeared as well, and I felt ache on my back where my other wings attach.

With no external movement, I brought George and Martha to life. After typical 'haven't-seen-you-in-forever' chatter, I stood and turned myself to face Zeus expectantly. "My wings." I demanded curtly.

Zeus opened his hand and a pair of white wings materialized, hovering above it but not flapping. They were linked together with Celestial bronze chains. Zeus snapped with his other hand and the chains dissolved. My wings raced over to me and, in the same way as the other sets, reattached themselves to my back.

I was still for exactly five seconds, silently exuberant about the familiar weight and the quiet ruffling or flapping sound them made when I moved them. After that five seconds, I crouched, looking up, before rocketing upward. I zoomed 7 loops around the throne in the record time of ten and a half seconds. I felt invincible!

So, of course, somebody had to go and kill the mood. I was sprinting in and out between the thrones when Ares, that punk, called out, "Run, ADHD, run!" as I blurred past him. Offended, I skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into Aphrodite. I whirled around, livid. How dare he refer to that disorder as though it was my name? As though it was the reason I could outrun sound itself? I was ready to kill him. But then I decided to do something better. He was immortal so killing him wasn't really an option anyway.

I stomped over, and Ares balled up his fists, preparing himself for a fight. I cracked my knuckles, which Ares complained that that was his thing. I did it again, in a more relaxed manner behind my back. The pop was still audible. Ares growled, and we began to circle each other. When we had returned to our original positions, I declared that circling thing officially stupid and told Ares I hoped all his kids get ADHD. "It's a wonderful disorder!" I said happily, as though I was advertising it.

After he heard that bit about his children, Ares rushed toward me. I sidestepped, allowing him to rush past me. I let him miss me a few more times until he was infuriated. Angry fighting is irrational fighting. When he ran toward me for the fourth time, I faked a punch, which he fell for, and instead kicked him between the legs as hard as I could without breaking any bones.

Needless to say, Ares went down and started crying in pain. While he was curled up in the fetal position, I leaned down and a whispered in his ear. "Oh, sorry. Looks like you won't be having any kids. At least they can't get ADHD!" I had planned the whole thing just so I could deliver that line.

"Hermes, stop- injuring... Ares." Zeus said, almost sympathetically. Almost. "Now did you actually come up with a plan or were you just trying to make me give you stuff?"

"My wings are not just 'stuff'." I gasped. "George, Martha, are they just 'stuff' to you? Wow, Zeus. That's cold."

He rolled his eyes. "What's cold is not out there, and it's supposed to be." He pointed out a window. "So you going to fix it or what?"

I nodded and, after a few practices, teleported away. It was time.