Chojin Patriarch
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And as (I assume) the eldest child, he's probably got the most insight into their relationship and whether it can be salvaged, or if a scorched-earth approach is better. Or perhaps have some alternative angle to look at the 'problem' from.30th October 2012
06:10 GMT +3
"So, your mother spoke to me."
Zagreus nods, awkwardly. "I imagine that she spoke to you about a divorce."
Which was kind of expected. Besides the traditional distance a Hellenic man would have in terms of child-rearing, Hades would be well aware of how she felt..."Yes, she did. I want to ask you how you feel about it."
He shrugs unhappily. "I don't remember how old I was when I realised that… My parent's relationship wasn't right. It was a long time before Father had his revelation about how he could make something of Erebos. Mother… She wasn't ever cold towards me, or to Macaria or Melinoë. But Father spent a lot of time… Away from where she brought us up."
To be fair, that is an impressive feat. She would be well aware of the difficulty in cultivation here."I was mostly wondering about their relationship now."
"Father hopes that she could get interested in the gardens the awakened shades have created."
Well, that didn't go as planned, then. And I can't help imagine this playing out with the chibi designs of Overly Sarcastic Productions, and it makes it even more heartbreaking..."Is she?"
"She.. was, a little. She just left whenever Father was there, and… Since he was justifiably proud of what his people had achieved with his aid and he wanted to share it with her, he was always there in the hope that she'd suddenly come around."
It's that bad, then, if even the children agree on that. I wonder what the daughters would have to say?"Zagreus, I'm being asked to make a decision about something I know very little about. Is there..? Do you think, any chance that your mother-."
"No. Honestly, I… Think that Father should have divorced her centuries ago. At this point they're just making one another miserable."
Because of the insult that would imply to Zeus, of course. Big Dick Sparky getting his way again."Has your mother given any indication as to what she would look for in a husband if she were unattached?"
"Ah-. No. That… The Gods of Olympus don't have no-fault divorce. If one party wrongs the other, things get settled in the wronged party's favour. She might have ended up being down here full time if she'd.. done anything-."
No, that wouldn't help. As far as OL knows, the mechanics of time wouldn't allow that kind of easy tweaking. Never mind the paradox involved."No, no, I meant, in theory. I'm trying to work out whether or not she might have accepted your father as her husband if they'd had a better introduction."
"Do.. you.. have a time machine?"
Not if OL has his way. I mean, he just said 'he' changed the way time works. Surprised Zagreus didn't give him more than a 'is he serious?' pause. Or is he just assuming OL is using dramatic hyperbole?"No, and that wouldn't work anyway. I changed the way time travel works so that it generates parallel timelines if you change anything significant. I was thinking, what would happen if we dosed them with the waters of the Lethe?"
"The whole.. point of the Lethe is to erase memories prior to rebirth. They would be mental infants. I.. don't.. think that's a good solution."
Well... Remember Hecate's little water park?"How about a reduced dose?"
"What, exactly, are you trying to do?"
Also, would she consider that anyway? If she has any thoughts on the nature of, well, herself... She's defined herself for thousands of years as 'Hades' reluctant wife'. Can she even imagine what she might be without that weight having driven her?"Ideally, I'd want to remove every memory she had to interacting with him, and let him woo her from a clean slate. Obviously, she would have to agree to that in order for it to happen."
"She would forget Melinoë and Macaria. And me."
But there's still the byproducts. That stuff can't just have disappeared, after all."That's why I'm hoping that it's possible to narrow the effect. Hecate's people have been working with it."
"They were making it into normal water, not anything else."
Mostly memories she's unhappy about, but yes. Would she want to take the risk of waking up as a whole other person? Who knows, besides her?"But that still required them to understand how it works. And if they don't know how to do it, we could ask Mnemosyne and Metis to chip in."
"You're still talking about erasing thousands of years worth of memories."
...In the Hellenic regions, at least. And really, That can't really take up that much of her time... Maybe if she follows Hera's example, she could become a gardening show host?"What is Persephone's contribution to human civilisation?"
"She increases plant vitality and fertility during spring."
No, no, I'm sure he just means that without her, the Hellenes might have had more difficulty in farming the region..."But she isn't the reason for it. Plants would still grow without her."
His expression hardens. "I don't appreciate you implying that my mother has wasted her life."
...Maybe? The problem is, we only keep hearing about Hades' part in things. Maybe if he actually tried to press Persephone about this, he'd really find out how she feels..."Normally I'd say that if the person doing it was happy then they weren't wasting it even if they didn't help anyone else. But from the sounds of things she isn't."
He gestures towards the orchard with his right hand. "Do you think that Erebos would be this verdant if Father wasn't trying to impress her?"
Okay, now you're getting somewhere, OL. Stop thinking of this as a problem to be solved, and start thinking of it as 'What does Persephone want? Will getting it make her happy?'"I'm not talking about rewriting history, I'm talking about rewriting-. Honestly, yes, because he was trying to create the most perfect kingdom ever having been influenced by Enlightenment European ideas, which would probably have included leisure gardens, but we're getting off the point. An objective valuation of Persephone's life isn't relevant. The fact that she's not happy and wants a change is."
He hesitates for a moment.
If he did, he would have tried it centuries ago, though. Unless he was afraid of Zeus' response."Yes."
"Do you have a better idea? Because if you do I'll be extremely happy to consider it."
...How could he not know?"I just don't think that their relationship can be fixed."
"Do you know how to convince your father of that fact?"
Usually it's the Gods giving out impossible quests to Mortals, not the other way around..."I think he knows. I think-. He.. must."
"Just get him to say it, then I can talk to Hephaestaean and we can get the divorce formalised. Off you go."
Now, let's not all get lost in discussing what they could have done better, we've beaten that dead horse into glue.Zagreus's doesn't move. After a few second, his face starts to fall.
"'Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.'"
I know it hurts to have to acknowledge that, but watch your words."Yep. He loves her, despite her never returning that affection. He has done for millennia, even during his worse times. He isn't going too change now, because there isn't any.. further level of rejection she would go to. What could have changed today that might make him rethink?"
"Nothing, curse you."
And OL has another moment of 'Well, finally! If people would just ask that first, we could save so much time and effort!'"What are you cursing me for? My personal life is very simple."
"What do you want me to do?"
He's going to do Science! to magic things."Talk to your parents about what's happening, and ask what they'd be willing to consider regarding extreme measures at marriage counselling. This isn't going away and there's no point in putting it off any further."
"And what will you do?"
At least someone is going to ask her about her opinion on things. Or Hecate will tell OL 'No, it doesn't work that way, you stupid man.' and he'll have to find some other mad plan."I'm going to talk to Hecate and Company about what can be achieved with the water of the Lethe. And reassure her about the rehabilitation of the Titans and a dozen other things. I suggest talking to your mother first, as she'll want the reassurance that something is actually happening."
"I agree. I will speak with you tomorrow."
Honestly, at this point... Erasing her memory wouldn't fix this. Or at least, not hers alone. What would the outcome be, I wonder, if both Persephone and Hades undergoing this - still theoretical, mind - process, and see if they can both start with a fresh slate in their existence? But then, what happens to their personalities? Both have them have been shaped by this issue over millennia. Would they still be the people they are now if it had never happened? Food for thought, and for discussion?