AresJoxerCupidStrife - Carrie

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12
Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23

Title: Sucked Through
Author: Carrie
Fandom: Xena/Herc
Pairing: C/S
Rating: R
Status: Complete
Archive: If you like it, you can have it. Just let me know.
Feedback: Sure. carriedemarchi@hotmail.com
Website:
Disclaimer: Not mine. =|
Notes: The second long story I've done in this fandom and it would be a bit better than the first, but I think it still sucks. Thanks to Christine for beta'ing it for me.
Summary: Strife gets lost and has to find his way home.

~ Part 1 ~

Cupid eyed his target and reached back into his quiver and pulled out an arrow. He set it against his bow and pulled it back. Watching the mortal closely, he took aim and let loose the arrow, hitting just off of where he had planned. //Damn mortals with their limbs. Can't they just stay still?//

"Pfft!" Strife appeared beside Cupid and snatched his bow away from him. "And *you're* the Archer of Love? I can shoot this thing way better than you."

Cupid grabbed it back and swung it up onto his shoulder. "Oh, yeah? Let's see you try." Cupid thought for a moment before he flashed them both to a small market place, invisible to mortal eyes of course, and handed Strife his bow and selected the correct arrow.

"Here, then. Show me."

"Alright, I will." Strife took the bow and arrow, fumbling with it for a minute before he asked, "Uhh, who am I supposed ta shoot here?"

Cupid sighed. "First of all; I'm in the House of Love so I know who I'm supposed to 'shoot'. Second, I have the appreciation for enchanted metals. Hephaestus does and he understands it a lot more than me or Dad ever could. Him being a god of it, naturally."

Cupid looked at Strife and sighed again. "Look." Cupid pointed out a young girl to his cousin. "She is supposed to fall in love and marry him," Cupid then pointed to a slightly older man across the market, "in a couple years. First, I need to initiate the crush they would have on each other."

Strife was obviously concentrating on holding the bow and arrow correctly, mimicking how he'd seen Cupid hold it.

"Strife!"

"Huh? Yeah, Cupe?" Strife looked up and asked his cousin.

"Weren't you listening?" Cupid asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I was. Just gettin' a feel for ya gear here." Strife grinned at Cupid, who still looked disbelieving. "Yeah, yeah. Shoot her and make her get tha hots for him." He said pointing at the respective mortals.

Cupid rolled his eyes and gestured for Strife to proceed with it. Strife stuck his tongue out at him and raised the bow and arrow. //Hmm, so this arrow will start a small, but ever growin', crush. Not exactly what I would need fer my own relationship.// Strife thought before taking aim on the girl. //Although, it could work.//

~

Strife flashed into his uncle' temple giggling and looking around for - *flash* - his cousin. "Gods, Strife!" Cupid laughed. "Be glad that I can fix that later."

"Hey! I -" Strife tried defending himself.

"I can't *believe* you messed that up," Cupid interrupted him. "she wasn't even *moving*. Personally, that's my problem, you know, crowded areas, people moving, all that damn hussle and bussle shit."

Strife pouted not wanting to completely show he had been bested. "So, I'm rusty with arrows. Gimme another chance?" Strife grinned.

"You - " Cupid sighed in frustration. "She only leaned down to pick something up off the merchant's table. You could have moved your aim down and hit her in the ass or the leg or something, Strife! But, nooo, you have to let it loose and hit the merchant instead. I'm not sure if Mom or I can get that off that easily either. Those particular spells are for *mortals* not inanimate objects or animals."

Strife just giggled at the love god and his ranting. "Cupe, get over it. It's just a few silly mortals."

Cupid looked at him and calmed a bit. "A pigeon? Oh, thats great, he'll be mooning up into the sky and climbing trees to get ahold of it again. You..." He continued and Strife sighed.

"...and I'll always be a better bowman than you because I've had the particular training for them my entire life. You, being on the other side of the family, had a lot of different weapons to learn and train with. Me? I had *one*. Trained to perfection to fi - " Meanwhile, Strife, getting thoroughly irritated from his cousin stating he was all out better than him, interrupted Cupid.

"Cupe!" Strife raised his hands and held Cupid's head steady, gave him a small quick kiss on the cheek. "Calm down." He lowered his hands as soon as Cupid changed his expression into startled. //Oops.// Strife thought.

Cupid's mind went blank for a minute. //He kissed me.// He shook his head and *again* continued his rant, to not draw attention.

"..fit the role as Archer of Love that I was born into. Secondly," Cupid paused to breathe in. "I ha - " And was interrupted once again.

"Are you two *still* playing these pathetic games of who's manlier than whom?" Discord sighed and raised an eyebrow mockingly at her son and nephew after she had flashed into the room and listened for a minute.

"Oh, no. We could never argue over that, Eris. We all know you're the maniliest of them all." Cupid smirked. He had successfully incited his aunt, who was currently stalking towards him. Strife, the ever quick thinking, grabbed Cupid and flashed them out of there before his mother could lunge onto her prey.

~ Part 2 ~

"Well, that was universally stupid."

Cupid glared at his cousin. "Oh, big deal. It's not like she would actually hurt me."

Strife raised his eyebrows. "She might."

Just now realizing that he has transported them into his bedroom and was laying on top of his cousin, Strife froze.

Cupid looked up at him, met eyes that equaled the feelings showing in his own, and looked away shy and uncomfortably. "Uhm..."

"Yeah..." Strife sat up and turned away from his cousin while he willed away the erection that was just begging to make an appearance before facing Cupid.

"Shit, I gotta get Bliss. So, I'll see ya tomorrow?" Cupid asked, hopefully.

"Sure." Strife made himself smile and watched Cupid do the same before flashing out.

Letting go of the smile he was holding in place Strife sighed and sat down on his bed.

~

Sweetcakes, honeycakes, fruit, nectar, milk, wine maybe, possibly cheese.

Strife blinked his eyes open, got out of bed and stretched. He then followed the wonderous smell of foods out of his room, down the hall, through this door and into the dining area.

Ah, breakfast at Ares'.

"Mornin', Unc." Strife managed to get out in between yawns.

Ares grunted acknowledgement at his nephew and continued to read the scrolls he had from his warlords that needed to be dealt with today.

Strife shrugged and scanned over the delectable foods on the table before picking up an apple, alike to the one his mother was holding. Sitting at the end of the table was Eris, peeling the skin off her apple and tossing it onto the table. "So, what's up for today, Mom?"

"Hmm." She thought as she sliced the apple in half with a very sharp knife. "Oh, maybe start that war Ares needs, a few riots here, a plague there..."

"Maybe?" Ares looked up and asked his sister.

"Yeah, alright, I'll do it. Strife can help me." She smirked at her son.

Strife rolled his eyes, took a bite out of his apple and sat back in his chair. //Yeah, like I dunno what *that* means. Poor Strife gets ta do all tha work today.//

*Flash*

Strife jumped and half choked on the bite of his apple that was now spit up onto a plate on the table. "Ew." Eris stated, glancing at Cupid before going back to her own apple. Ares looked up and nodded at his son before going back to his scrolls.

Strife cleared his throat and stood up. "Hey, Cupe."

Cupid smiled. "Hey. So, uhm..." He started before looking behind Strife to the table where his aunt and his father had stopped his work to watch them intently. "Wanna go to the library?" He asked when he looked back to his cousin.

"Uh, the library, Cupe?" Strife asked, confused.

"Yeah, Strife, the *library*." He emphasized by raising his eyebrows and nodding his head slightly towards the snoopy family members behind Strife.

"*Oh*. Alright." Strife giggled and transported them to the library.

~ Part 3 ~

"Ok, now that we're in tha *library*, now what?" Strife asked amused.

"Uhm, well..." Cupid started.

"Come on, Cupe, spit it out. There ain't anybody here." Strife urged, putting his hands on his hips and waited for his cousin to say what he wanted to say.

Cupid looked at Strife and slowly started to smile and let a small snort out as he tried to hold in his laughter. He raised a hand and covered his mouth and let himself smile.

"What?!" Strife asked, wanting to know what his cousin thought was so funny.

"Nice pajamas." Cupid stopped smiling and stifled his laughter to say and then promptly resumed laughing.

Strife's face went blank, he looked down at his blue pajamas with the fuzzy bunnies on them and broke out laughing with Cupid.

Several minutes later they collected themselves and Strife stood up straight and flashed his usual clothes on.

//Wow. I think I just saw him naked.// Cupid thought when he saw the split second before Strife's clothes were on.

"Well?" Strife asked.

"Oh. So, like... That didn't ruin anything between us last night did it?" Cupid asked, looking at the floor.

//Oh, crap. He's thinkin' about last night? I hope he's not mad about that or anythin'...// "Nah, everythin's fine." Strife answered.

Cupid looked up slowly. "Ok." He smiled and flashed out saying, "Gotta get to work, Strife. See ya later!"

~

//Damn, maybe it's bein' around the love gods so much lately he's startin' ta rub off on me. I'd swear he *likes* me.//

//I guess it wouldn't hurt if I tried somethin' out on him. He wouldn't evah know, would he? He never knew when Psyche did it ta him. Well, that was a messy situation. This is harmless. He wouldn't get mad at me for this. What if he even *does* like me, then he and 'Dite would jus' thank me for it. It's worth a try.//

Strife finished his reasoning and flashed into Aphrodite's workshop. Making sure no one was around, he began to browse around the room.

Spying a few flasks he overlooked on the far wall he set what he was looking at down and moved over to them. Being not quite tall enough he braced his hands on the counter and leaned up onto his toes to read what they said. His hand slipped and he almost fell backwards into... whatever that gross looking white stuff was.

And what's this? A scroll with instructions for a... confidence spell? //Hmm, that might work.//

Taking the scroll back to a workbench, he set it down and read it over. Going over to find the necessary ingredients on the shelves.

There was definately something between them. Maybe a confidence spell on Cupid or himself would make one of them go through with making a move.

~ Part 4 ~

"There. Now just the last thing." He picked up a small bottle and drained its contents into the bowl with the rest of the potion. It started to bubble slightly. Strife continued to watch the bubbling get bigger and more intense. "Uh..."

Watching the bowl start to shake and threaten to tip over, Strife became frantic, not wanting to touch the bowl for fear of getting it on himself and not knowing what it was doing. For all he knew this was normal!

He jumped back when a small explosion made a mushroom cloud and started swirling around in the air. He slowly got up to observe it and saw crackling energy in the air. Getting caught up in watching the swirling colors in the air, the next explosion knocked him back. Catching himself before he hit his head, he braced himself and stood up to witness the colors develop into a big swirling vortex.

With it's increasing power, it once again knocked Strife off his balance. He stumbled and grasped at a table, knocking over a few glass jars trying to get hold of something solid to hold himself down. Without any luck in this endeavor, his hand slowly lost its measly grip and slipped, hitting his head on the table he had been working on and letting out a yelp before being sucked into, through, and the portal closing behind him.

~

"So, you think he likes you?"

"Well, I don't know. It sure seems like it. Jeez, I hope he didn't prick himself with that crush arrow the other day."

"Go ask him out or something then."

"But what if he doesn't like me and doesn't even want to hang out with me anymore!"

"And, why were you spending time with him to start with?"

"Because I like him, Mom! Duh." Cupid stated.

"Well, so just go talk to him. And stop getting so irritated when he's just playing games with you." Aphrodite insisted.

"Yeah, I guess. But what should I say fir-" Cupid was halted by his mother's raised hand and head tilted to aid her hearing down the hall. He was really getting tired of being interrupted.

"What?" Cupid asked.

"Oh, I thought I heard something." She said, making her way down the hall towards her workshop.

Reaching the door she gently pushed it open and stood in the doorway gaping, watching the last of the portal closing and then shifted her gaze at some broken glass rocking back and forth on the floor.

"Uh oh."

"What?!" Cupid asked from behind her, trying to see in the room to find out what the matter was.

~ Part 5 ~

Strife woke up near some rocks and laying over a fallen tree. "Ugh." he groaned and lifted himself up. //I musta hit my head too hard on somethin'.//

After getting his head straight and didn't feel like he was sucked into another universe, he got up. //Yeah, so, I'll just go find Unc'.// Strife thought before concentrating on his uncle and flashing himself to him.

And appearing not where he thought he would appear; Strife found himself in a temple to Love, not War. "Ugh. If Unc' is here and it smells this much like sex, I don't wanna be around."

Instead of focusing on his uncle this time, he tried for the Halls of War. Flashing out of the brightly colored temple and into a dark one. "Oh yeah. Much better."

Walking towards a table to the side of the room laden with assorted foods, Strife noticed it was a bit different. Picking a grape off of its stem from a platter on the table, "Hm. Unc' redecorated a bit while I was out." Strife said, popping the grape into his mouth and leaning back against the table.

~

Strife looked up and looked around to the sound of a door closing and Cupid staggering into the room, obviously a bit drunk. //Did I miss a party while I was passed out?// Strife thought.

"Heya, Cupie. How ya doing?" Strife asked.

Cupid looked up and squinted at Strife before reaching out to stable himself with the arm of the throne of war. Moving in front of it, he sat down.

And began to squirm.

Looking up at Strife again and focused his eyes on him. "Strife. You've changed your clothes since I last saw you." He commented.

"Well, yeah, Cupe. I usually don't wear my pajama's all day, ya know?" Strife giggled.

Cupid continued to squirm around. Materializing up a cushion in his hands he shook his head and it dissapeared. Instead, making the cushion as an addition to the entire seat of the throne. "Ah, much better."

"Uh, if Unc is plannin' on sitting there in the near future I'd undo that. I wouldn't be changin' it if I were you." Strife said, a slightly worried look on his face not wanting to think what his uncle would think about the new cushy seat of his throne.

Cupid looked up confused. "Why would the God of Love sit in the God of War's throne?" He asked.

"Good point." Strife grinned. "Get out of it then."

Cupid sobered noticably, no one tells him what to do. "Why? I *am* the God of War."

Strife's emotions crossed between confused and blank as he registered what was going on, finally deciding it was neither, he settled on worry. "Uh... " Strife began as he started backing up a bit.

Strife looked around the room, just now realizing the detail of his surroundings. The many frieze on the walls had not Ares, God of War; but Cupid. //Cupid is the God of Love, not war. He should be rumbling around in orgies not wars...// Strife thought.

"Uh... " Strife repeated himself. "Where am I?" He asked tentatively.

Cupid stood up and stalked towards him slowly. Just now realizing the huge, flexing *black* wings on Cupid's back, Strife began to get scared. He'd heard stories about this Cupid from his uncle, and they weren't too pretty.

Just reaching him, Cupid stopped and stood up straight and smiled mischievously at Strife before grabbing hold of his arm and pushed him backwards up against a pillar.

*Flash*

Cupid's head jerked around to see his ex wife. Strife just stood still fearing for his life. "Strife!?!" She exclaimed. "You divorced me for *Strife*!?"

~ Part 6 ~

*Flash*

"What?!" Strife, God of Happiness, asked as he appeared in the room and looked around. " ...is going on here?" He added.

"That's what I'd like to know." Cupid said.

Psyche pointed at the newly arrived Strife. "*Him*? *Both* of them? Where the fuck did *he* come from?" She spat out pointing at the Strife Cupid had pinned up against the pillar.

"And that's what *I'll* figure out. Goodbye, Psyche." Cupid said, glaring at her.

Psyche growled angrily and flashed out of the room.

"Now. What to do with you?" He mused. Slowly letting go his hold of Strife's arms, trusting he'd stay put.

Cupid took a few steps back and crossed one arm over his chest and held the other hand up to his chin. "Hmm." He snapped his fingers and chains descended from the ceiling in front of the pillar down to snap manacles around Strife's wrists.

Strife panicked a bit too late as they were already snapped shut before he tried to jerk away. He then tried to flash out of them, but to no avail. "You bastard! These are Hephaestian metal!"

Cupid smirked. "Correction; Morphean metal. You're in my world now, boy."

"Uhm..."

Cupid turned around at the sound and raised his eyebrows questioningly at the God still standing there.

"That's me. I mean... It looks like me. Just wearing different, slightly, clothes."

"Yes. It's Strife, God of..." Cupid turned back to face the pillar and its chained companion.

"Mischief." Strife supplied.

"Right." Cupid turned back to the God of Happiness. "Strife, God of Mischief. From the alternate universe, of course." Cupid walked back over to his throne and sat down, observing the other Gods.

"But Bliss is the God of Mischief."

"From this world, yes. From their's he should be... Well, happiness."

"Makes sense."

"Since I have no idea how you got here and I doubt you do either. I'd rather send you back than have your uncle come looking for you." Cupid said. "And assuming you're going to be here for at least a couple days, I don't want Strife to think I'm talking to him when I say your name. I'll refer to you as Mischief."

"Won't that confuse Bliss?" The God of Happiness asked.

"He's still too young to be refered to his title often. Everyone calls him Bliss, anyway. And if he notices, I'll explain." Cupid explained.

Strife, getting over a bit of the initial shock of seeing himself, even from another universe, moved up to look at Mischief.

"Well, this is creepy." Mischief giggled.

Strife added his own giggles to his double's.

"Oh, for Zeus' sake, those giggles irritated me to begin with now I have to listen to *twice* an effort of them." Cupid threw up his arms in frustration and flashed out of the room.

"Well, what crawled up his ass?" Strife asked, staring at the empty spot where Cupid had been.

Mischief grinned, but it slowly faded. "He's not gonna kill me, is he?" He asked.

"Nah, he wouldn't wanna draw that much attention from another War God." Strife turned and looked at his double once more. "Not that I want to leave you here but I gotta get back."

"S'okay. No problem." //Great.// Mischief thought sarcastically.

Strife smiled and flashed out of the room, leaving a sweet vanilla smell in his wake.

~ Part 7 ~

Cupid sighed and plopped himself down on his bed. He didn't want Mischief here. He didn't want an inter universe war to happen, which he was sure Ares would do if found out this is where his nephew was and who had him captive.

The bed dipped and he felt light hands brush up his back, between his wings and up onto his shoulders. "This is bad, isn't it?" The hands rubbed his shoulders briefly before moving down over his chest. "No shit." Cupid replied.

Moving his hands back up to Cupid's shoulders he let his hands rest there and moved his thumbs down to rub small circles at the top of the base of the War God's wings. Just getting himself comfortable he was interrupted by a voice calling for him mentally. He tensed.

"What?" Cupid asked.

"I gotta go." He watched Cupid shrug his shoulders before bending down to kiss the base of his neck before flashing out.

Cupid sighed and spread his wings out before falling back onto the bed. Thinking over the situation he was getting himself in, a thought occured to him. Leaving Mischief chained up in his throne room might not be a good idea. An equally nasty war could start from his mistreatment of the godling. He sat up and sighed before flashing back to his throne room.

~

//Four thousand eighty two... Four thousand eighty three... Four thousand eighty four... Four thousand eighty five... Fou - // Mischief's counting of the veins in the marble had been interrupted by Cupid's flash back into the room.

Cupid glared at him from his seat on his throne before getting up and stalking over to him.

"My, you seem chipper."

"Shut up." Cupid stated and waved a hand to unlock the manacles from Mischief's wrists.

"What're ya doin'?" Mischief asked.

"You can do something for me." Cupid started, ignoring his question. "Not initiate a war between me and your War God. Follow me."

Mischief stretched his arms and jogged a few paces to catch up to Cupid. "Where we goin'?"

"To your room."

"Uh, my room?" Mischief asked, not believing what he had just heard.

Cupid stopped down a hallway in front of a door. He pushed the door open and gestured for Mischief to enter.

Mischief looked at Cupid suspiciously. He wasn't just tricking him and going to kill him, was he? Maybe this was a torture chamber? He sure as hell couldn't see inside the room to find out before he entered though. "It's *dark*."

"Oh, boo-hoo. You're from a House of War and you're scared of the dark? Wuss." Cupid taunted.

Mischief raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh, fine." Cupid gave in and exerted his power to light all the candles and braziers in the room.

Mischief looked into the room and scoped it out before he actually entered it. Finding it was as safe as it was going to get, he nodded at Cupid before entering the room and slamming the door in Cupid's face behind him.

Cupid's temper flared and he restrained himself from hurting the God of Mischief. He flashed back to his bedchamber and prepared for bed.

~ Part 8 ~

Mischief walked over to the bed arranged in the center of the far wall and sat down. He was tired. Yeah, sitting in a room tied up wasn't exactly tiring. But he was tired.

He didn't want to die. He'd almost convinced himself that Cupid wasn't going to kill him. Comprephension as to why, started to dawn on him. War. Cupid didn't want to start a war between universes. That would be rather stupid. This fact made Mischief more confident. Oh, he wouldn't be an ass and *get* himself killed. But he could stop worrying about it so much.

Making himself think was also tiring. Too much to take in for one day. He slowly crawled up the bed and under the covers, flashing his clothes off as he went. And sleep consumed him.

~

Cupid sighed. "Damnit." He swore quietly to himself. His mother still hadn't said anything about what had happened in her workshop and it had been two days already!

"Go to bed, Cupid. We'll talk about it tomorrow, Cupid. Nothing to worry about, Cupid. Pfft. How would she know? Someone was in there and did *she* go around and find out who all has been seen lately and who hasn't? No. Did I? Yes." Cupid trailed off. Strife. He hadn't been seen by any of the House of War. Or Cupid. Cupid had seen him almost every day for months now. He missed him.

Cupid sighed again and laid down in his bed hoping to get some sleep after two restless nights already.

~

Cupid was approaching a dimly lit room. Down the hallway were odd statues of what looked like a cross between his father's features and his own. Reaching the room and cautiously entering it, it lit up revealing Strife sitting at a desk looking through books.

"Strife?!" Cupid exclaimed and rushed into the room. Strife looked up after Cupid's shout and grinned wide.

"Cupid! How'd you find me?" Strife asked.

"Uh, I just walked down that hallway... I have no idea. Did you notice all the weird decorations and statues all over this place?" Cupid said turning his head side to side and upwards to look around the room. Glancing at Strife on one sweep of his head, he stopped.

"Uh... " Cupid looked shocked. "Who are you?" He asked. Looking at what he thought was Strife he didn't see Strife. He saw himself.

Strife shook his head and looked down at the book and then back up at Cupid. "What? I'm me, stupid. What are you smoking?"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind." Strife leaned back against the chair.

"What are you reading?" Cupid asked.

"Just researching. I gotta get out of here! I wanna go home, Cupe, I wanna come home." Strife pleaded.

Cupid felt a wave of need surge through him and he reached out to the fading image of Strife calling out to him.

"Strife!" Cupid called out as he sat up abruptly sweating and shaking. "What the fuck was that?!"

He rubbed his hands over his face and flashed his clothes on and flashed over to his mother's temple.

"Mom?" He asked into her sitting room and hearing his echo. Realizing what time it was in the day he thought she must still be in bed. Running to and into her bedchambers, thank the Gods she didn't have *company*. "Mom! I saw Strife!"

"Cupie... aurhm... What?" Aphrodite woke up slowly and sat up. "What?" She repeated.

"I saw Strife." Cupid breathed out trying to catch his breath.

"Where?" She woke up a bit more at the information.

~ Part 9 ~

"I dunno. In my dreams. It was fucked up. All these weird statues and shit. He was calling to me saying he wanted to come home."

"Oh, honey, you didn't see him, it was just a dream." She smoothed a hand across his cheek. //Oh, Gods, if he goes insane over this...//

"No, Mom. I really saw him, I swear it was him." Cupid stated.

"Cupie, why don't you go see Apollo later. Get him to check you out, make sure your head is working fine?" Aphrodite looked sympathetic. She knew Cupid was having a hard time these last few days. He was so sure Strife had gone missing, that he was in her workshop. Well, he *was* in her workshop. That much they knew from the power signature, but it was untraceable where he left after he was there.

Cupid sighed. "I'm serious, Mom."

~

Strife, God of Mischief, sat up in the bed with a gasp. "Oh, Cupie." He sighed. "That was damn freaky."

Getting up out of the bed and stood and stretched, flashed on his clothes and walked out of the room and... down the... hall. //Shit! It wasn't a fucking dream. I'm stuck in this stupid world.// Mischief frowned and swung a fist out at a statue of Cupid, God of War and smashed a wing off. He walked the rest of the way out to the main room in the temple.

"Ah, Mischief. You're up early." Cupid said, looking up from the table from the book he was flipping through.

"Yeah. Bad dreams. Who the fuck are your dream gods?" Mischief asked.

"Hades." Cupid answered, continuing looking through the book and opening another.

"Hades? Damn." Mischief giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Whatcha reading?"

"Looking for any possible way you could have gotten yourself here." Cupid answered, picking up a book and resting it on the table tilted up so he could sit back and read the page it was open to.

Mischief sidled up beside Cupid to look at the book and feeling oddly like he'd done this all before. His expression shifted from amused to slightly confused. "Whoa."

"What?" Cupid asked. "Can't you be quiet, I'm trying to read!"

"Nothing. That," Mischief pointed at a portion of text and a small drawing in the book. "Was in my dream last night. You, er, my world's Cupid was in it and I was sitting here beside you... And you were reading... *this* book..." He took a step back from the desk as Cupid got up and looked at him like he was about to kill Mischief.

"Uh... What?" He dared to ask.

"You saw this book in a dream? And that exact page and that part of it?" Cupid asked grabbed a hold of Mischief's shoulder and pushed him down a bit to make sure he didn't try to run.

"Y- Yeah." Mischief gulped.

"Of course!" Cupid yelled at him. "It's the Chronos Stone."

"So, I can go home?" Mischief asked hopefully.

"Let's hope so, boy." Cupid glared at him and let go of his shoulder letting him drop to the floor.

"So... Where is the Chronos Stone in this world?"

"Well, that's the problem. I, personally, don't know for sure," Cupid said frustratedly.

"Shit."

*Flash*

Strife, God of Happiness, appeared in the room and blanched when he saw Mischief. Then he was back to normal and sighed. "Damn, forgot about ya being here." He giggled.

"Any luck?" Strife asked.

"Actually, yes. The Chronos Stone." Cupid answered him before sitting down angrily in his throne and rubbing his fingers against his temples.

"Oh. Hmm." Strife said and started thinking as he walked over to Cupid and plopped down onto his lap.

Mischief snickered and tried to hold back a grin at the picture of the two in the throne.

Cupid froze and sat up rapidly pushing Strife out of his lap and onto the throne. "Mischief. I don't think I'll need to tell you again. Nothing from this temple leaves this temple. Understood?"

"Uhm. Yep." He broke out with a few giggles before he was threatened by Cupid's raised hand poised to backhand him if he continued. Mischief wisely stifled himself.

~ Part 10 ~

"Mischief." Cupid summoned.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Who is your father?"

"Uh. Well, I don't know who my father is." He said quietly.

"How can you not know who your father is?" Cupid asked angrily.

"I just don't, ok? Mom wouldn't say."

"Fine! Your mother would be Eris, correct?" Cupid asked.

"Yep. Discord."

"Discord? Hmm." Cupid thought. "Twin sister to Ares, still?" Cupid asked again.

"Yep. War."

"Their parents?"

"Zeus is the same in this world right? And Hera."

"Correct. And *their* parents and godhoods?"

"Uh," Mischief thought for a moment. "Chronos, Time. Rhea, Mother and Guardian of the Gods."

"What about Apollo and his twin?"

"'Pol? Sun, prophecy, medicine, stuff like that. Artemis is Goddess of the Hunt."

The room went quiet as Cupid's questions had stopped. Mischief tried to sit still and wait for Cupid to continue. "Uhm?" He queried.

"What?" Cupid asked.

"Why did ya wanna know all that?"

"Well," Cupid got up and started to walk casually around the room to stretch his legs and wings as they were flexing up and down. "As far as I can see everything in our worlds was the same until Zeus and the Olympian's were born."

"Gaia is the Earth Goddess. Rhea and Chronos in your world are the same as here. All godhoods are the same up until after Zeus took over and had any children, really. Same with any mortal generations after that. Hephaestus knows how or why that happened!" Cupid finished upsetting himself and sitting back down in his throne with a scowl.

"Ok. So, lets go ask him." Mischief suggested.

"Who?" Cupid asked confused.

"Heph."

"Why would we go see Hephaestus?" A still confused Cupid asked.

"Well, you said he knows how and why it happened like that. So, lets go ask him." Mischief explained.

"Aargh!" Cupid growled and let loose a fireball knocking Mischief back onto the chair he had been lounging in and tipping it over with the God bracing himself on it.

"What the fuck did I do?!" Mischief asked from the floor.

"Hephaestus is the God of the Underworld, moron!" Cupid said exasperatedly.

"Oh." Strife giggled and ducked another fireball aimed his way.

~

After Cupid had calmed down and wasn't readily attacking him. Mischief decided to talk again. "So... That means the Chronos Stone is the same as it is in my world?"

Cupid sighed. //Why can't he stop interrupting my thoughts?// "Right."

"And you don't know where it is?"

//Grr...// "Right. And I'm searching through my memories for anything that has to do with it so I can help get you the fuck out of here. Shut up."

~ Part 11 ~

"*Cough*"

Five minutes later.

"*Cough*"

Cupid sighed. "Yes, I've thought of one place where it could be. We'd just need to stop and ask someone a question or two."

"Awesome." Mischief was glad that Cupid had calmed down and wasn't about to attack him anymore. "So, it's kinda late. Are we gonna start this tomorrow?"

"Yes. Now, fuck off to bed so I can concentrate more on this without you sitting in the room being bored out of your mind annoying me with every damn thing you do."

"Hah. I feel so welcome, Cupie."

"Don't call me that."

"Alright... Cupie." Mischief sat back down on his chair which he had added a few improvements to as he'd sat there all day.

"Leave!" Cupid growled.

Mischief flashed out of the room leaving some giggles drifting in the air. Reappearing in his bedroom he sighed and sat down on the bed making it bounce.

He kept the bouncing and giggled again. He sighed. He missed Cupid. The God of War in this universe just wasn't as fun to annoy as the Love God and his Uncle in his own universe.

Crawling into bed once again to go to sleep, he felt weird. It was weird sleeping in another universe especially when there's different dream gods fucking up your dreams and playing with your emotions. He wanted to go home.

*Yawn*

He wanted to.. go... ho... *Snore*

~

Mmm. Nice warm body. *Snuggle* Nice warm body? //Uhm.// Mischief thought and opened his eyes slowly. "Uhm?"

Muscled chest, tattoo'd arm, cute nipples. They all moved when Mischief made his questioning noise.

"Uh, Strife?" Cupid asked.

Strife sat up letting the arm Cupid had over his body fall. "What the fuck is going on?"

"I have no clue." Cupid stopped to hug Strife. "You're not home yet though."

"Yeah." Strife sighed. "But we're getting there. Ya know the Chronos Stone? Cupid, the other Cupid, thinks that it should work to generate enough power itself or to boost his and mine, er, Strife's, uhm. Yeah. To get me home."

"Oh, thats, like, totally cool. I hope it's soon." Cupid said hugging his cousin again.

Strife laughed. "Yeah, you said it. It sucks ass there."

Cupid echoed Strife's laugh and slowly let go of him letting his fingers feel the skin on the Mischief God's arms, just realizing he was very naked and very attractive. //Wow.//

Strife blushed when he saw what Cupid was looking at and what he must me thinking and was about to flash clothes on when Cupid leaned forward and kissed him. //Wow.//

Strife kissed back and in his concentrating to summon up some clothes for himself, in his conflicting thoughts, he had oiled his now hard cock instead. He began to laugh into Cupid's mouth.

"What?" Cupid pulled away and sat back. "I'm s- sorry." Cupid ducked his head to hide the hurt in his eyes, but let them drift over to Strife's cock.

"Oh, Cupe. Ya didn't do anything. I just messed my head up for a second there." Strife took a hand and lifted Cupid's chin up to look at him. "Ok?"

"Yeah." Cupid said.

"As much as I'd love ta do this now. And I mean *love* to do this, I can't. Not when I know it's not real." Strife sighed and leaned forward to kiss Cupid again.

"Let's just sleep, huh?"

"Ok." Cupid smiled and lay down again and let Strife snuggle up to his chest again how he was when they first got there.

"Strife?"

"Cupe." Strife giggled.

"Come home soon."

~ Part 12 ~

Cupid woke up refreshed and rubbed his hand up and down on the... bed. The bed not containing his cousin sleeping beside him. Cupid sighed.

"Damnit."

He sat up and got out of bed flashed himself into his bathing chambers.

~

Cupid flashed into his mother's temple invisible to mortal eyes not to startle the woman who had been praying to Aphrodite about something or other and was now graced with her presence and was telling her about her problem.

Not wanting to startle the girl he slowly came into view and placed a hand on his mother's shoulder.

"Lord Cupid." The girl said, bowing her head at him.

Aphrodite turned her head and looked up at her son. "Cupie? What's up?"

"I need to talk to you."

She looked expectantly at him.

"In private."

"Right." She turned back to the girl. "Melinda, we'll continue this later. You can come back and ask my priests for me if it's urgent, 'kay?"

Aphrodite stood up and posed before flashing herself and her son back to Olympus and into the sitting room in her temple. "So, what's up?"

"Strife."

"What about him? Is he back yet?" She asked hopefully. She missed his mischief making and silly little pranks.

"He's not back yet but I saw him again. He's i-"

Aphrodite interrupted her son. "Cupie! You gotta get off this. Go see Apollo or Ace. Strife just probably got in some trouble with someone and is off letting it blow over for a while. I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"*Mom!* Really, I saw him. It's some fucked up thing. He's in the alternate universe with Cupid, God of War. With Hades as a damn dream god and fucked up statues of a cross of me and Dad in our dreams."

Cupid sat down on a low sofa with pink frills around the edges of a couple pillows, he sighed. "How in Tartarus can it be possible for me and Strife to share dreams like that when he's in another damn universe?"

Aphrodite sat and looked a bit shocked. Why didn't she believe him before? Maybe he was telling the truth and not just making it up because he missed Strife.

"Well..." Aphrodite started, gathering her thoughts. "There are a few things that have to do with, *ahem*, true love and soul mates. That might be it."

Cupid sat with a slightly slack jaw and looked at his mother. "Soul mates?" He whispered.

'Dite got up and moved over to sit beside Cupid on the couch. "Yeah, sweetie. If that upsets you, you don't have to tell Strife or anything..."

"I know." He said quietly.

"If you want more info on it you could try Hera. Or the Fates if she can't tell you anything. Maybe this was destined to happen?"

"Maybe."

~ Part 13 ~

Mischief flashed out of bed cleaning and clothing himself on the way to Cupid's war-planning-room. This wasn't a war but, *shrugs*, it involved planning, so.

"...So, jus' need to talk to Coeus and then we should be set? Up the path to that damned cave and then... He goes home?"

"Yep. Then we can have more time to ourselves again." Cupid smiled and was in the process of leaning in to kiss Strife.

*Flash*

Cupid abruptly pulled away from Strife and they both looked back down at the map Cupid had pulled out of his shelves and were just staring at it. Neither of them could think of anything to say.

"Uh. Hi?" Mischief snorted.

"Hey, Mischief." Strife said looking up from the map. "Gettin' a plan worked out here. Right, Cupie?" He nudged Cupid with his elbow.

"Uh.. Right." Cupid said flustered and looked back at the map trying to gather his thoughts.

"You two seem, uh, awfully close." Mischief said suspiciously. "I mean me and my world's 'Cupie' get along great, but we have our fights. Plus we aren't such opposites as you two are. You're like best friends or... more."

The God of Mischief watched his work unfold before him. Cupid got figety and Strife blushed. "Oh," Something clicked. "You two *are* together?! Damn."

//Well, if such opposites like these can come together I guess there's a bigger chance for me and Cupe than I ever thought.// Mischief thought. //Plus with that situation last night, I think he'd really go for it.//

Almost before he could finish his thought's a blade was at his throat. "You tell anyone and I'll kill you. I *will* change that room into a torture chamber and you *will* serve me and be tortured every night. Again, anything in this temple *stays* in this temple." Cupid threatened.

Mischief swallowed slowly not wanting to extend his throat any closer to that sharper than Tartarus edge of Cupid's sword than he had to. "Yeah." He agreed.

Cupid flashed out of the room again. //Ugh. I'll be back in a few minutes.// Cupid mentally told Strife after he flashed out, clearing the confused/hurt look off of his face.

"So, uh. You two are together?" Mischief asked the Happiness God.

"Yeah," Strife smiled. "But don't tell anyone, ok? Other's might use it against Cupie."

"Nah, I won't."

Silence in the room for a minute before Strife then gestured to the map on the table and explained what Cupid had been saying about what they had to get done to get Mischief home.

"So, that shouldn't be too hard." Mischief said.

*Flash*

They turned around to see Cupid sitting in a chair visibly more calm than he was when he left.

"Welcome back." Mischief said and smirked.

Cupid sneered at him.

"So, if you need the power that the Chronos Stone has, wouldn't getting the rest of the pantheon together to generate enough work just as well?"

Cupid exhaled the deep breath he had taken. "Well, I don't want the rest of the pantheon involved. Nosy bastards. Simple as that. A few people might already know if Psyche has told anyone or if she even registered that there were two of you." He gestured at the identical Gods in front of him. "And anyone that I tell. I also don't want them in any of my business than they already are."

Mischief nodded. "So, when do we start this?"

"I just need to talk to someone first and then we should be good to go."

"Awesome. We goin' now?" Mischief asked.

Cupid sighed. "Now is as good a time as any. Strife?"

"Yeah," He looked up from more of the maps and gathered them up for the trip. "I'm ready."

"Ok, let's go then." Cupid said as he flashed them all out of the room and off Olympus.

Faint laughter started from a dark corner of the temple. Psyche shimmered the shield she was behind down and smirked to herself. Flashing up a copy of the map and, having been evesdropping, the knowledge of where Cupid was going.

"Oh, you'll pay, Cupid." She said as she transported herself down to create some discord for the boys on their journey.

~ Part 14 ~

Cupid, Strife and Mischief reappeared a little ways down a small trail leading up to a house. "We're going there. Come on." Cupid said starting up the path.

"Uh, why do we have to walk? Couldn't we have just popped in right in front of the door?" Strife whined.

"Because it's not polite. Normally, I wouldn't give a shit but you do not be rude to a Titan."

"Right." Strife said and followed Cupid.

"Ok, so why are we going to see a Titan? Wouldn't he just blast us to Tartarus? If the war between the Olympians and Titans was the same here as it was back home, that's what I'd think would happen, right?" Mischief didn't understand fully what was going on, yet.

Cupid stopped, turned around and stalked back a few steps to face Mischief. "Your Titans are in Tartarus, yes?"

"Uh huh."

"Ours aren't. Why do you think your's are so nasty towards you?" Cupid tilted his head, waiting for the answer.

"'Cause they're in Tartarus?"

Straightening out his body he nodded slightly at Mischief and started up the path again. He wasn't mad, he knew neither of the God's accompanying him didn't quite know what was going on.

Strife knew Cupid well enough to just follow and that everything, or as much as he needed to know, would be explained later.

Mischief didn't know him at all. So, he couldn't very well get mad at him for not knowing how he operated, could he?

//Well, damn. I'll just keep my mouth shut 'til I *know* I'm gonna get outta here.// Mischief thought as he followed the others cautiously up to the house.

Cupid knocked on the door and stood back waiting for it to be answered.

Coeus, sensing the power force of an Olympian near by and closing in on him, stopped what he was doing and listened. There was a moment of silence before a knock at his door.

Making his way towards the door and opening it he saw two of his great, great nephews. "Cupid, Strife. What brings you two here?" He asked Cupid, extending his arm.

Cupid grasped the Titan's hand and shook it well in greeting. "Coeus, Uncle, I have a few questions to ask you."

Coeus stepped back and gestured for them to continue into his house. "You are welcome to ask. Come in and sit."

Cupid nodded at his Uncle and continued into the house and sat down at the table and Strife followed him.

Coeus stood straight and looked at Strife. He frowned and looked back to the door where Mischief was standing, unsure of whether to go in or not.

"Mischief!" Cupid yelled. "Get in here."

Mischief tentatively moved through the doorway eyeing Coeus as he did and not turning his back on him as he turned and walked backwards to where Strife and Cupid were already sitting.

Cupid stood quickly and smacked him on the back of the head and retook his seat swiftly.

"What is this?" Coeus asked after shutting the door and gesturing to the two almost identical Gods.

"This," Cupid looked pointedly at Mischief. "Is what I've come to ask your help with."

"Oh?" Coeus asked as he sat down again. "Go on."

"This is Strife, God of Mischief. You can address him as Mischief to avoid confusion. He is stuck here, hopefully temporarily," He shot Mischief a glare. "And needs to get back to his own universe. I've deduced that we can accomplish this with the aid of the Chronos Stone." Cupid explained.

While Cupid was explaining, Mischief leaned down to Strife's ear. "Who's this?" Mischief asked quietly, slightly mocking Coeus' earlier question.

Mischief stiffened at the glare Cupid gave him while he was telling his plan to the Titan.

"Coeus, Titan of Intelligence." Strife whispered back to Mischief quickly. "He'll know where the stone is."

Mischief leaned back up and crossed his arms and listened to the conversation.

Strife turned back to Cupid and gave him an apologetic look.

Cupid's features softened and he faultered in his speech to Coeus.

Coeus saw this and looked from Cupid to the other two Gods and back.

"War?" Coeus asked, drawing Cupid's attention again.

"Yes. So, I've come to ask you for confirmation of the whereabouts of the Chronos Stone."

"It would be where it has been since the battle. Since you are here in my home I'm going to guess you already knew where it was and indeed only need my confirmation. It would be in the cave in the center of the mountain." Coeus said.

Cupid stood up and motioned for the others to come with him out of the house.

"Thank you, uncle." Cupid nodded at Coeus and they started down the path towards the base of the mountain.

"War God?" Coeus called after them and Cupid turned. "Remember the rules of this mountain, it would be a shame to lose such another fine God up there."

Coeus waved them off and closed the door behind him. Cupid turned back around and continued walking down the path.

~ Part 14 ~

And once again, Strife followed his cousin and Mischief opened his mouth. "Uh, so why are we still walking? And what was all that 'rules of the mountain' shit?"

Cupid thought if he was only going to be interrupted time and time again, he might as well walk and talk at the same time. "The path starting about twenty paces ahead is enchanted. It puts a damper on our powers so we can't use them."

"Uh huh." Mischief processed the information. "And?"

Cupid rolled his eyes for no one in particular. "And, one of the oldest Olympians lost her mind by trying to get to any Titan treasures that are in the cave. The caves and most of the mountain are engulfed with a negative energy to Olympians, a small exertion of power would disorientate you for a while. But a medium to big surge of power would come straight back at you and drive you more and more insane each time you did it, until you'd finally die. I guess the first time you can't think straight enough to *not* do it again."

"Cool. I mean, if it didn't happen to me." Mischief giggled. "Oh, and you guys." He added.

Strife laughed. "Who was the Goddess again?"

"God*dess*?" Mischief asked. "Damn, all the women in the family are smart as Tartarus. I wouldn't think that any of them would be dumb enough to go and do something like that."

Cupid stopped and turned around, screw walking and talking when he was annoyed. "Don't you ever insult my family." Cupid scowled and went back to walking up the path.

"Wasn't it Athena?" Strife asked, ignoring the other two and wanting his question answered.

"No. Hestia."

"Hestia? Damn. What's she the Goddess of here?" Mischief asked.

"Madness, naturally. She was only very young, before she was permenantly asigned a godhood."

Mischief giggled and stayed quiet for a while as they walked before he spotted something up ahead on the road.

"Yeah," Strife added. "She actually made off with a few things from the caves before it fried her insane."

"Like what?" Cupid asked. He didn't remember that.

"Oh, I dunno. I thought you'd know, cause I don't remember." Strife giggled quietly.

"Oh." Cupid said and turned to Mischief, who was tapping on his shoulder. "What?" He asked, irritated.

"Uh, there's some, uh, bandits? Up ahead there." Mischief pointed over Cupid's shoulder up the path and around a bend at three men standing there.

~

Cupid, God of Love, appeared in his grandmother's temple, he spied her at her desk working on some scroll or other. "Grandmother?"

Hera looked from her work and up at Cupid. "Grandson. What can I do for you? It's not often you come to see me."

"Uhm, I was just wondering some things about marriages and *cough* soulmates and stuff like that."

"Really? I didn't think that was too much of a factor in your line of work. You and your mother usually set up the people who are in love with each other and in line to get married whether they're soulmates or not. Of course some are, but... "

"Oh. Yeah, it's not about mortals. I - It's about me." Cupid materialized a chair and sat down in front of her desk and proceeded to tell her what he had told his mother about Strife.

~ Part 16 ~

"Hmm." Was the first thing Hera had to say. "Well, Cupid, it looks like you and Strife have some deeper connection other than just cousins. And, yes, it could very well be that he is your soulmate."

Cupid sat still in wonder and confusion at what he had been told and what was running through his head since being told. "Is there any way I could know for sure?"

"Of course. If you can decipher any jibberish riddles those damned Moirae will give you, you could ask them. I'm sure your mother wouldn't have any records of the sort of the Gods, if she did your grandfather would be very upset."

"Yeah. Thanks for the help you've given me though, grandmother." Cupid got up and bowed respectively at the Queen of the Gods before flashing out of the room.

~

Psyche reappeared in a tavern at a specific table with four men sitting at it. All but one immediately stood up to greet her.

"Lady Psyche." The first man said and bowed to her, the other men standing up, following suit.

"Pandaeros," she nodded at him. "I have a job for you."

"Anything, my Lady."

"I need you to stop three men from entering a cave." She replied.

"What cave would that be?" Therron asked.

"A cave on Mount Cithaeron." She leaned back against the table behind her and waited for Pandaeros' reaction.

"Cithaeron? The cave with the Titan treasures?

"Yes," she smirked, hoping he'd be foolish enough to take on the task.

"Would we be rewarded when we finished the job?" a third man, Selagus, asked.

Psyche mock sighed. "Yes, I'm sure I can part with some small offerings."

"Greedy bitch," the fourth man said under his breath, the man still sitting.

"What was that?" Psyche turned her attention towards him.

"Oh, nothing... Lady," he spat the word out.

"Hm, well, I'll give you nothing in return for your... faithful worship, Balius."

Psyche lifted up her hand and flicked her wrist towards Balius before delicately crossing her arms. They all stared at Balius, waiting to see what happened. Nothing.

"Hah. Some powerful Goddess you ar - " Balius stopped abruptly. His neck hurt.

"Oh, Gods," Therron sighed and put a hand over his mouth.

It looked as if the man's neck was being slit from the inside. A few bystanders brave enough to stay with the Goddess of Discord in the tavern ran out, praying for their lives if they didn't please the Goddess.

Her eyes flashed an angry yellow before the slit in his neck stopped advancing just before it would kill him.

With a mildly psychotic grin on her face, Psyche uncrossed her arms and ran a finger along the slit in Balius' neck. Hearing the flesh sizzling and burning from her touch, searing the wound, she licked her lips. It would leave a half healed festering wound until he died. Sure, he'd remember her words.

"Alright," she cleared her throat. "I'm sure we can work something out, now."

"Definately, Lady Psyche." Pandaeros answered her, respectfully.

Psyche flashed them outside of the tavern and into the street. "Meet me on the path in a short while. If you're not there I'll assume you're not going and will receive no reward."

A bright flash of red sparkles and she was gone. The three remaining men stood there dazed a bit considering what to do, before noticing a dagger with a scroll attached to it lying where the Goddess had been standing.

"So, pick it up, what are you waiting for?" Selagus urged him on.

Pandaeros knelt down to pick up the dagger and slid the scroll it had pierced from it.

"It's a map. To the base of the mountain and up the path to the caves."

~ Part 17 ~

"We're gonna die." Therron stated, worriedly.

"No, we're not, it'll be best to be on her good side," Pandaeros said. "So, we're gonna do this and then we will be, right?"

"Right." Therron agreed.

Selagus stood up. "And why couldn't she do this by herself? It seems pretty easy don't you think? She could kill three men easily."

Another red flash of sparkles and they faded to reveal the Goddess of Discord. "All ready?" She smiled an evil smile.

"Yes," Pandaeros answered. "But with one question."

"Ask away."

"Who are the men we are supposed to kill?" Pandaeros asked.

"Oh," Psyche thought a moment, debating whether or not to tell them. "Lord Cupid and... Strife." She said his name distastefully.

Therron and Selagus paled. They were supposed to attack and *kill* the God of War? How was that possible?

"An-and the third?" Pandaeros asked shyly.

"You don't know him. His name is Mischief. Don't be fooled by him."

Of course she can sense they're scared shitless. //Hmm.// Psyche thought for a moment before approaching the men. "Pandaeros," she lifted a hand and brushed it across his cheek. He smiled. "Take your men up the path and await your target."

"Yes, my Lady."

She turned to the other two who had backed away noticably. "And you two," she stopped to blow a kiss at them. They smiled. "Follow along like good little boys."

Psyche turned away from them and flashed out of the clearing before the path. The men started up the trail and waited for their target.

~

Cupid scowled and kept going up the path towards the men. Reaching them he took out his sword and stood defensively before them, as did Mischief. Strife half hid behind the two ready to scream.

"Well, well," Pandaeros started. "If it isn't the God of War. Oh, and a Love God. A minor one at that."

Strife frowned at him and dared to step out from behind his protection.

"Pandaeros, long time no see. What brings you and your friends here?" Cupid asked casually. Shoving the insult to his cousin to the back of his head.

Pandaeros smirked a stupid looking smirk and charged at Cupid. The other two followed suit at Strife and Mischief. Strife, being as untrained in the art of war as he was, flashed himself up into a tree suddenly.

Mischief sliced his sword across Selagus' stomach and spun around to stab it through his lower back and stick straight out the front of him. Mischief pulled his sword from the man and let him fall to the ground in a dead slump.

Cupid had given a few nasty cuts to Pandaeros to incapacitate him and moved back far enough from reach from him to finish off the third man.

Therron could faintly feel that he was scared, that he was going to die. But, nevermind that, he kept advancing on the God of War.

He lunged forward when he thought he had a good plan of action in hurting Cupid. Not thinking he was a God and that he couldn't possibly kill him. Cupid stepped out from his way and watched him collapse on the ground.

Cupid laughed at the fool that lay before him before plunging his sword down through the man's back to his kidney, making a small hole in it before pulling his sword back out and turning away from the man.

The loss of blood or the waste products in his body would kill him. It was a much more satisfying way to kill someone, he thought.

Mischief looked at Cupid and they both approached the last man still alive. They stood towering above him as he cowered before the two.

A few seconds pass while they stare down at him, bloody and crying. Mischief raised his sword. Cupid put a hand up and stopping him.

"Huh?" Was all that Mischief could ask at the moment.

Cupid knelt down and looked into Pandaeros' eyes. He then slapped him across the face hard. "Psyche."

"Again. Huh?" Mischief repeated.

Cupid stood up and sighed. Leaving Pandaeros in a much more relieved state to find himself alive and only with injuries that will heal.

"Psyche; it's her signature on him." Cupid gestured to Pandaeros. "It looks like a confidence spell. It was messing up his mind to believe that he could even take on the God of War. Believing that he, as a mortal, had the power to kill me."

"So, why don't I just kill 'im?" Mischief asked.

"Because he's one of Psyche's best worshippers. I don't want her on my ass for a century or two just because I killed him." Cupid explained. "It'd be a much better time if I just let him live with a few scars."

Cupid gathered anything worth it from the dead or almost dead men. He'd give it to some of his mercenaries to keep them happy. He *almost* sent the gathered pile of materials to his temple when he remembered where they were. His eyes went wide and he called out, "Strife!"

Mischief looked up from scavenging more things from the other man that Cupid had missed when he called out. For a second he thought Cupid was talking to him. But then he remembered where he was and looked around for his double.

"Cupie." Strife whispered. His voice would have been barely audible to a mortal.

Mischief dropped the rope he had picked off the warrior and walked over to the tree that held his double. Cupid was already there looking for a way to get Strife down.

"Here," Mischief offered his hands out to give Cupid the leverage to reach Strife. "Step on here."

Cupid looked at him. He needed the help. It wasn't beyond him to ask for it, but it was already offered to him. Nothing to hurt his pride here it was just a bit of harmless help for... for Strife.

He placed his foot on Mischief's hands and balanced himself against the tree and set a hand on Strife's leg. "Come on, Strife. Just slip down into my arms."

Strife hesitated for a second before gently lifting himself down into Cupid's waiting, solid, comforting arms.

"Uh, this is a bit heavy, guys."

Cupid frowned for a moment before letting his other foot touch the ground and stepping off Mischief's hand.

"Hey, wait a minute. You got wings, Cupe, why didn't ya just fly up there?" Mischief asked, confused.

"It would have been too unstable for Strife. Plus he doesn't like flying. Loves the wings, but hates flying." Cupid shrugged and Strife, still in his arms, gave him a quick kiss on the side of his neck.

Being brought back to the fact that Cupid still held his lover in his arms he set him down and just then realized what he'd said about his relationship with the Love God by the smirk on Mischief's face.

It was quickly wiped off it by the impressive glare Cupid gave him before clearing his throat. "Alright, let's keep going."

Cupid looked to Strife, //Are you ok?//

//Yeah, just a bit disorientated. Wasn't thinking.//

//Ok.// Cupid responded looking Strife over.

Cupid looked back up to Mischief and gestured for him to carry on up the path. Mischief held up his hands, meaning he never heard a thing between the two of them and that he would just drop it.

When Mischief was a couple paces ahead of them, Cupid turned and embraced Strife in a hug. "Be more careful." He said with his head in the crook of Strife's neck.

"I will."

~ Part 18 ~

Cupid, Strife and Mischief had made it quite a ways up the path before running into any other obsticles. They were beginning to think that they would make it there without any more interruptions.

"We're being watched." Cupid said casually as he walked.

They were almost to the entrace to the caves when there was some rustling in the bushes to their left. Cupid glanced at Mischief in a way that said, 'Be ready for this,' before laying a hand on the hilt of his sword. Strife just looked scared and stayed put between the two of them.

"Should I start climbing the tree this time, now?" Strife asked quietly.

"I'd say so." Mischief responded.

The rustling in the bushes grew louder and the bushes shook more and more as the... whatever it was got closer.

Suddenly, it stopped. They stood still and waited and before they knew it out jumped their assailant. With the horns, legs and tail of a goat, and even the head. Pointed ears alert to listen and attack. Snub nose smelling the smells of his prey.

"Shit," Cupid said and glanced back at Strife, who was half way up the tree by now.

"What the fuck is that?" Mischief asked.

Cupid looked at him like he was an idiot and then remembered that he isn't from here and decided to explain quickly as the creature advanced slowly and looked curiously at them.

"It's a Pan. I'll assume you don't know what he is because he would be in Tartarus also? The Panes are woodland demons or spirits who haunt the mountains and forests of Greece." Cupid explained.

"Yeah, that sounds 'bout right."

Cupid stopped and looked at the Pan more closely, "Daphoineus?"

"Eros," the Pan stopped and regarded the War God as he stepped closer. "What brings you to this part of the mountains?"

"My own personal gain," Cupid sneered at Daphoineus.

"Uh, so, we're going to have to fight or not?" Mischief asked, confused.

"No, I wouldn't think so, hmm?" Cupid asked the Pan.

"I'd rather not," Daphoineus answered.

"Alright, then," Cupid took his hand off his sword and nodded to the Pan, "We should catch up sometime under better circumstances, Daph."

"Good plan, Lord Cupid."

Daphoineus jumped back the way he came into the bushes and ran off to do... whatever it was that he had to do, maybe he had some sheep to eat raw or something.

"'Kay, so we're not fighting anymore and we're close enough to the entrance right? We won't be stopping anymore? Well, after we get Strife out of the tree again." Mischief was very anxious to get home.

"No," Cupid said, walking to the tree Strife was in this time. "We should be good to go."

~ Part 19 ~

Psyche stood in her temple on Olympus and watching the three Gods in a scrying mirror, angered she threw it aside to smash against the cold marble floor. She was dissapointed with the men she had dispatched to try and stop them. Admittedly, it was a poor plan, but she doesn't think well under stress.

Frustrated enough already she just decided to go to the caves now instead of waiting for Cupid to be stalled any more. She flashed out of the room and reappeared in the cave filled with the treasures of the Titans.

"Hmm," She picked up a necklace made of the rarest pearls and tossed it aside. "There better be something good in here."

She came across a locked chest. Using her power she tried to open it and she just got a shock bounce back to her from it. She tried again and again, each time using more power to try and open the chest. She was getting a headache.

~

They got to the opening of the caves. Cupid looked in, "I'll go in a few feet and check it out."

Mischief nodded and they waited for Cupid to come back. It was all clear, they went ahead into the cave and made their way through a few bends in the path before it started to open up into a larger cavern.

Psyche looked up from digging through the treasures, she felt her ex husband near her. Her lip drew back in a snarl and she materialized a bag. She winced as she grabbed it out of the air and began to stuff random priceless items in it.

//Psyche.// Cupid thought. What was left of the bond between them, he could sense that she was there, too.

Cupid turned and looked to his companions. //Psyche is in the main cavern.// He said to them mentally, not wanting it to be a surprise.

//Shit.// Was heard by the three of them, orginating from Strife.

One more bend in the path and they were in the main cavern. Mischief at arms, Cupid standing his ground, and Strife trying to look like he wasn't scared.

Psyche looked up from her looting at the God of War. "Cupid," she smiled defiantly at him. "Strife." The smiled turned into a scowl. She spared a glance towards Mischief but otherwise ignoring him.

"Cupid, why are you spending your time with him?" She gestured at Strife. "Look at all this," gesturing at the various treasures in the room, "Can't you feel the power, Cupid? The Titans left this here for a reason. This is it. Join me now, dump your little boy toy, we could take over Olympus with these things!"

"Even if I wanted to take over Olympus, I would never take you as my queen." Cupid spat at the ground where Psyche stood.

"Fine," Psyche held up her hands and began to draw her own power, as well as the power emanating from the room. "I'll just kill you then."

Small orbs of glowing energy formed in her hands and the glowing spread up her arms slowly. Psyche commanded the balls to grow larger, meanwhile not noticing the glow spreading all over her body.

Pulling her arm back and readying to throw the fireball at her ex husband, instead of disengaging from her hand it absorbed into her as did the one in her other hand. Her forehead furrowed in confusion and she dropped to her knees gasping for air.

Her body pulsed with the glowing energy around her and suddenly stopped with a loud cracking sound, throwing her down on the floor. Startled by the noise the three God's had ducked down instinctively and they looked back at Psyche laying on the ground slowly getting up on her knee's again.

They straightened out their bodies and stood looking down at her. "Cupid... " She whispered and reached a frail hand up towards him before her body shattered into pieces and fell to the floor.

//Oh, Gods,// Strife thought, in shock of what he just witnessed. Remembering back to the incident with his Uncle Hercules and the man that had dropped dead from being killed in the alt - *this* universe.

Again, instinctively covering their faces to protect themselves from any potential danger from the now, apparently, dead Goddess.

"Is she dead?" Strife whispered his question as if saying something at a normal decibel would land him the same fate as the Goddess of Discord.

"Yeah." Cupid responded in a fairly louder tone. He stepped forward and nudged a piece that had shattered off his former wife. Jumping back slightly as it burst into flame, the flame catching onto the other pieces and soon incinerated the last remaining pieces of Psyche.

Strife let out a breath of relief, "So, now we look for the stone?"

"Yeah. Mischief," Cupid gestured to a corner for Mischief to look for the stone in. "Strife," he gestured to another corner. As they went in their respective directions, Cupid went in his to search for the Chronos Stone.

Mischief began to dig through the corner of the room he was closest to. Looking through the three chests there and picking through all the little things scattered across the floor in small piles.

"Cupe, it ain't here."

~ Part 20 ~

Cupid looked up from his own piles he was looking through, "It has to be."

"I don't see it over here either," Strife said. "Maybe it was destroyed with her?"

"Oh, Gods, I don't wanna be stuck here!" Mischief dropped down onto his knees.

Cupid frowned, he didn't want him to be stuck here either. Not that he didn't like him, sure he can be a bit annoying but he was an alright guy. His eyes drifted across the room and landed on the bag that Psyche had dropped. "The bag!"

Mischief looked up a bit hopeful, Strife looked up confused from his own searching. "What bag?"

"This one," Cupid had walked over to it and picked it up. He opened it up and looked inside. "I think I got it."

He pulled out a large green stone and held it out in his hand to Mischief. "This it?" he asked.

Mischief stared at it. He slowly got up off the ground and tentatively touched his finger tips to the stone. "Yeah," he said. "That's it."

Mischief smiled and grabbed the stone out of Cupid's hand and laid a kiss on it. Cupid grabbed it back and put it into a pocket. "We're not going to lose this. Let's get back and get you home."

Cupid looked around for anything he might actually want to take back with him. Shaking his head he cleared those thoughts out and said, "Come on," and started making his way back out of the caves.

~

"Fuck it, Cupid. Let's just flash back there, it can't hurt that much." Mischief whined, he really wasn't looking forward to the trek down the path of the mountain again.

Cupid turned around and sighed. "Fine. Since I'm the strongest and it'll effect me less, I'll transport us all. Come here." Strife had been following Cupid anyway so was close, Cupid pulled him closer and put an arm around his waist. Mischief walked over to them and laid a hand on Cupid's arm.

They appeared in Cupid's temple, slightly dazed, and the God of War walked quickly over to his desk after laying Strife down on a sofa. "Ah, this shouldn't be too hard."

Cupid closed the book and flashed it back to its place on the shelf. "Come on," he walked back over to Strife and fed him a bit of his own energy. It revived him quite well.

Strife, Cupid and Mischief left the temple and went out into the garden. Cupid took the stone out of his pocket and held it out at arms length and focused his power to it.

It began to glow and pulse in his hands before it started to shake and then went dull. Strife looked at Mischief and back to Cupid. "Is it gonna work?"

"Let's hope so." Mischief said hopefully.

Cupid sighed and let his arms down, "Strife? Maybe I need a more focused approach. Would you come and help me if you're up to it?"

"Gods, Cupie, of course I will," Strife said as he stepped over to Cupid and put his hands around the Chronos Stone as Cupid's were.

The stone started glowing once again and crackles of energy began to bolt off of it into the aither, ripping a small hole in it.

The hole grew into a multi-color swirling vortex, drawing up a wind around into itself. It crackled and Mischief was too eager to get home he ran to it and jumped into the air to be swept into the portal and back home.

He closed his eyes and felt himself falling. He felt peaceful for about five seconds before he smacked hard into the ground under him. He opened his eyes and rolled over. "Shit."

The portal had collapsed and closed in on itself. So, Strife, God of Mischief, was still stuck in an alternate universe.

~ Part 21 ~

Strife sighed. "Let's try again." Cupid nodded and they started the process over again.

The portal began drawing energy to itself again, and in turn it drew the King of the God's to investigate such a massive power outlet. Zeus stood in shock at the gaping hole in the aither, watching and waiting to see what his grandson was doing, he crossed his arms.

Aphrodite, furious at her husband for leaving her in the middle of a discussion, flashed out to where he had gone off to. She too stood in awe of the swirling vortex.

One by one, major deities of the pantheon began to appear at the war temple on Olympus to satisfy their own curiousity as to what was making such a disturbance in their realm.

Ares and Eris appeared, fashionably late, and Eris had to restrain her twin from calling out and interrupting the, obviously, important procedure in play to find out what was going on.

Eris then saw her son, with Cupid, and she smiled. "I told you those two would end up together, and I didn't have anything to do with it." She nudged Ares and whispered to him.

"But what if he hurts him?" Ares asked.

"He won't." Eris replied

~

//Just a little more, Strife.// Cupid mentally said to Strife. Cupid could feel him steady himself and focus his power on the portal.

Said portal was a mass of mixed colors, briefly taking hold of two main ones; black and purple. Briefly. They needed it to *stay* focused so that Mischief didn't end up in some third alternate universe. Who knew where the other regions of the portal led to.

The colors held on to black and purple and Mischief looked to Cupid for assurance that they were going to stay that way. Cupid was too focused to notice the look Mischief was giving him.

Mischief counted to thirty at a moderate pace before looking back to Cupid. He was noticably less tense than he was previously, he took that as a good sign and waved his goodbye's to the two God's stressfully holding the portal open.

He ran towards the portal and jumped into the air. The portal took care of the rest and sucked him into and through it's energy. Cupid relaxed and Strife did the same. The portal slowly closed itself and left nothing but a chilled wind swirling around the Gods.

"Did it work?" Strife whispered his question to Cupid, who was standing behind him with his arms still frozen in place along side Strife's on the Chronos Stone.

"I hope so." Cupid replied before feeling Strife's body go lax. He dropped the stone, which immediately caught Apollo's eye. Being the God of Thieves, naturally, he was quick and nonchalant. So he thought, //No problem,// and began to plan out a way to snatch it off the ground without anyone noticing.

Cupid caught Strife's body in his arms and steadied him on his feet again. Strife turned around and smiled at Cupid before stepping forward to hug him. Cupid tensed for a moment when he realized what Strife had done.

//Ah, fuck it.// Cupid thought and hugged Strife back, much to the shock of the rest of the pantheon who've gathered behind them.

As soon as the portal had closed Zeus was about to start on his way over to Cupid and Strife when Ares' arm was held across his path.

"Don't be mad, Daddy. They weren't doing any harm, and they'll tell us all about what happened later." Ares started. "Didn't you wonder why we had so much peace?"

"Or how the populace of Greece was advancing in their economics or agriculture?" Eris added. "Communities being, like, well organized and stuff or war's that would be helpful to their developement as a civilization."

His twin offspring gestured to the hugging couple standing just a few feet away from them, oblivious to the conversation being held. Zeus looked shocked. He'd never thought of that before or even bothered to look at the status of the country he presided over before jumping to conclusions. He sighed. "I guess you're right."

Ares smiled and hugged his father and then his sister. Then pulled them both in for a group hug.

"Yes, well. Ares? Go tell them I'll want to speak to them after everything is settled again."

~ Part 22 ~

"Ares! Get down here and bring your penis extention!" Eris shouted up into the air.

In a flash of red light the God of War appeared, "Discord, the Sword of Power is the symbol of my godhood. It is *not* a 'penis extention'."

"You were taking too long!" She exclaimed, "My son is *stuck* there, who knows what sort of trouble he's into."

"Well, I was coming. You think this expedition would be led by anyone other than the God of War? Even if you are the next closest to the position, you'd still have things to learn, dear sister."

Suddenly, a gap in the aither began to open slowly, drawing everyones attention. Zeus, feeling the disturbance and not wanting to be left out of the action, flashed into the clearing they were preparing to use for the opening of the portal. "WHO STARTED IT WITHOUT ME, er, MY PERMISSION?" his voice boomed out.

Just then the portal changed colors to black and purple and steadied on them while a body was roughly thrown out of the swirling portal.

"*Strife*!" Cupid screamed out and jumped down from the boulder he had been sitting on waiting for his grandfather to get back with the Chronos Stone. He pushed his way past a few Gods and Goddesses.

"Aaughh," Strife groaned as he was flipped over onto his back and his head rested in a nice comfy lap. "Cupe?" he asked, out of breath.

"Yeah," Cupid scooped his cousin up in his arms and flash him out of the clearing and into his bedroom in his temple. He laid him down gently on the bed.

He sat down beside the God of Mischief and flashed a cool, wet cloth in to wipe the dirt from his face. Ares, followed by his twin and all the major dieties that were planning on going through the portal appeared in the room.

Ares walked to the bed and sat down on the opposite side of Strife. "Hey," Ares set a hand on his nephew's shoulder.

~

Cupid and Strife appeared in a flash in Cupid's bedroom. "Well, that was... interesting." Cupid commented.

His grandfather had spent an hour bitching at him for not telling him about any of his plans, not just about the thing with Mischief. *Every* plan he ever made. *Cupid* was the War God here, not Zeus.

He could make and break his own plans as he wished. Everything ultimately was approved or dissaproved by Zeus of course, not that he had any idea what was good or bad, the only thing that happened to matter to him was what he thought was right.

"Yeah," Strife sat down on the bed and motioned for Cupid to join him, "Come here."

Cupid sluggishly walked over to the bed. He was exhausted from all that he'd done that day; the fights the walking and, most of all, holding the portal open.

"I'm pooped." Cupid said as he plopped down onto the bed on his stomach.

"I know somethin' that'll make ya feel better." Strife said as he reached his hands around Cupid's waist to the front of his pants.

"Oh? What's that?" Cupid obligingly lifted his hips up to let Strife get the laces undone and to slide his pants off his hips.

Strife quickly undid the laces and had a few quick gropes at Cupid's cock before he pulled his pants off his hips down to his knees. He smoothed his hands over Cupid's ass admiring the bronzed skin.

He reluctantly took his hands off Cupid's ass to undo the laces on his own pants. Getting a bit too frustrated when he came across a knot in them he flashed his clothes off, leaving himself naked.

"Mmm," Cupid hummed and turned over onto his back before grabbing onto Strife and flipped himself on top of the God of Happiness.

"Oooh," Strife said excitedly before giggling.

"Now here's a way I can stop the giggles without losing my temper," Cupid leaned down and pressed his lips against Strife's.

~ Part 23 ~

"You ok?" Ares asked, shaking his nephew's shoulder to get his attention.

"Yeah," Strife managed to get out. "Sleep would be good though."

"Alright," Ares nodded and flashed out of the room.

Eris stood a few feet away from the bed looking down at her son. He looked back at her and blinked, waiting for what she looked like she might say. She gave a tense smile and flashed out following her brother.

"Well, young Mischief, we shall have to talk about this later. You do need your rest," Zeus said and gestured to the rest of the pantheon that they had no place here, and in a cluster they dissappeared from the room.

"So," Cupid started. "Are you really ok? I was... worried."

"Yeah, I'll be ok," Strife sat up. "Uhm, Cupe?"

"What?"

"When's the last time you saw Psyche?"

Cupid winced at the mention of his ex wife, "I, uh, haven't seen her for quite some time. Last I heard from Mom she was screwing around with some mortal."

"Well, wouldn't he be surprised when she drops dead in his lap." Strife grinned.

"What?" Cupid asked confused.

"Never mind," Strife smiled and sat up more so that he wasn't propping himself up on his arms. He wrapped one around Cupid's neck and pulled him down to kiss him.

Cupid blushed, "What was that for?"

"Oh, nothin'," Strife said and flashed his clothes off.

"Strife!" Cupid exclaimed and kept his eyes fixed on Strife's face.

"Yes?" Strife asked grinning.

"We need to talk about some stuff before we... " Cupid trailed off and out of the corner of his eye he couldn't help looking down farther at Strife's cock.

"Cupe, anything we could possibly have to talk about can wait until after we fuck. This is real now and I don't want to lose the chance at it," Strife pulled Cupid down for another kiss and Cupid gave in and flash his own clothes away.

The End.

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