Olympic Obligation (Closed - She-Hulk)

[Ysmir]

"Hercules was never one... to refuse a lady's invitation."

---

When they stepped through the dimensional nexus on top of Mount Olympus in Greece, the world around them shifted for a brief moment and the barriers between worlds become traversable. When Hercules and his companion emerged on the other side, they were greeted with the legendary city of heroes, the seat of the Olympic Pantheon; the place Hercules had once called home, at various points in his life. It was perhaps rivaled only by the realm of Asgard in terms of its beauty and its majesty. Hercules, hands on his hips, smiled as he turned to Jennifer. He gestured out from the dimensional bridge into the heart of Olympus, which they could see in the valley below.

"Olympus welcomes you, Jade One. I told you I knew a place," he quipped with a smile.

Hercules offered his arm to the She-Hulk. As they walked down the bridge, taking the Golden Street toward the Hall of the Pantheon, the many celestial bodies in Olympus's extra-dimensional sky shined down and cast a multi faceted glow on the surrounding landscapes. He looked up to her.

"I hope it is not too, what is the word... Ostentatious?"

Herc's presence here was certainly eye-catching -- not to mention his company. The Olympians that walked the streets with them exchanged curious glances and even hushed whispers in response to the duo. Herc's love for Earth and her people was well known, as was his decision to remain there on a permanent basis and shirk his duties as the God of Strength. Zeus's acceptance of this was a controversial decision, to say the least.

And as for She-Hulk -- her exploits were known in places other than just Earth. As a member of the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and a close ally of Hercules on several occasions, Olympians held their own opinions, both good and bad, of the Gamma Green Gal herself. Time would tell if their miniature getaway to the Olympian capital would go off without a hitch.

Carefree as ever, though, Herc didn't seem too worried.

[Judi Strange]

---

---

  Stepping through, she took the hand of the being that for all intents and understanding of the word was a God. A god showing her the wonders of a land, a time long since lost at least on Earth to the sands of time. The wonder, the joy as she stepped through was obvious, her emerald eyes scanned around only drawn back form the majesty and splendor of what laid before her by the voice of Hercules himself.

“This is, incredible!” Normally words were never hard for her to find, it was after all stock in trade, but somethings were beyond human experience. A smile pulled at her lips, the warmth and majesty of the sun, the land untouched but intrusive technology was, to say the least.. refreshing.

“Not at all, sometimes a little revel and fun is good for the soul. Moments like this are a huge draw, to be delighted and amazed is something I hope to never lose, no one likes a jaded hulk.” She offered in a minor quip as she took his arm. “I know I’ve been here before, but missions and, well that sort of thing is totally different.” She spoke as they moved forward, eyes looking about taking it in, if there were any misgivings of her appearance or the like she didn’t seem to bother registering it. “Here, now I can really appreciate the sense of culture, of history. Yes, indeed you pick very good spots."

She-Hulk Theme song: Circus Britney Spears
Heroes: Magik |Captain Marvel| She-Hulk | Pixie
Villains: Spiral | Typhoid Mary | Loki | White Rabbit 

[Ysmir]

"Hercules was never one... to refuse a lady's invitation."

---

Herc couldn't help but bare a cheeky grin at Jennifer's fascination with the place he had, at various points in his long life, called home.

It was an intriguing dichotomy; where Jennifer had become so accustom to earthly vistas and views, and the technological advancements it possessed, Herc always found himself fascinated by human ingenuity and their will to survive and thrive. Perhaps it was merely a situation of... what did Stark and company always say? "The grass is always greener on the other side?"

Ha! "Greener". How ironic!

Nevertheless, he could understand her wonderment. Of his many excursions to both Olympus and Asgard, Hercules vastly preferred his own home to that of Thor's. And the food was far better, to boot.

His arm in She-Hulk's, Hercules led her down the Golden Street toward the Hall of the Pantheon and the Amphitheater.

"It gladdens me to see you so pleased," Herc said with a grin, looking upward at his slightly taller companion. "And speaking of history, culture, and the like, I was thinking of things we could do to sate our curiosity and keep us entertained whilst here! Food is always grand, of course, but the Olympic Amphitheater regularly showcases plays of drama and comedy that would bring earthly stages to tears!"

Herc chuckled, then shook his head. "Not to discredit the actors and writers of earth, of course! They are multi-talented in their own right. But Olympus is where such things were born!"

[Judi Strange]

---

---

  "How could I not be really, I'm sure you have seen how many businesses try to recreate this vibe, this feeling back home." It was not mere flattery, or congeniality. It seemed to Jennifer that be it California, New York there was a vital part of mankind's soul that yearns for this sort of thing. Vital natural existence. Even if held aloft in artisan crafts and performances, it called to someones soul like the legend of the series or pans flute. 

"All of that sounds fantastic, I would be delighted." The smile warm and in full blooms her fingers trailed up his inner arm as her free arm moved to pet his in agreement while they walked arm in arm into the splendor. "No offense taken, I'm pretty sure even the Hamilton guys would have to give it up for the masters of theatre." 

It was incredible, here in lay the seeds of what the entering western systems of thought sprouted from, all from roots very similar to what was on display as they moved onward. Law, Art politics- Allegories to reason, to understanding right.. here. It was, and many often cast Herc in frat boy party type, but wasn't it just part of the whole package? Why not have a good time when all of this, is in bloom all around you for all time...

It was kinda her stock in trade, doing, being as She-Hulk a person to indulge and enjoy life because, well it was fantastic, in his own way perhaps it was similar for the Lion of Olympus.

She-Hulk Theme song: Circus Britney Spears
Heroes: Magik |Captain Marvel| She-Hulk | Pixie
Villains: Spiral | Typhoid Mary | Loki | White Rabbit 

[Ysmir]

"Hercules was never one... to refuse a lady's invitation."

---

It brought him a certain measure of comfort to be here again, among who were, by all accounts, his people. Though earthborn, Hercules had certainly spent a great deal of his life walking these hallowed streets -- both as a visitor and as a member of its ruling council.

It was easy to forget, even to Herc himself, that he was god. Unless boasting or showing off for the eyes of others, he didn't really consider it much of an accomplishment. He'd worked for it, yes, unlike many others, but his heroics and many, many battles among the mortal realm of humanity held far more merit in his eyes.

As a god of the pantheon, he exchanged words and ideas. As a member of the Avengers, he fought for all life in the universe. The imbalance was clear.

Herc smiled with his arm in Jennifer's. "Ah! Hamilton! I do recall fondly when once, Ms. Van Dyne insisted that we take a brief sabbatical from our Avenger duties to go see the production live. It was a splendid affair."

As they approached the pantheon to make their presence known to the godly council there, Herc glanced up at his companion.

"You were born in the realm of California, yes?" Hercules remembered vaguely the circumstances of the She-Hulk's prior living arrangements, before her time in New York, just not the specifics. "Do you often find yourself reminiscing of home?"

[Judi Strange]

---

---

   
 She smiled an open, unguarded smile that hinted dimples. That was Janet to the tee, always grabbing you this way or that; It was very easy to see her doing that with Herc, after all she'd done something similar in clothing with Jen herself. It was one of her maddening, endearing qualities that had bonded them for life.

"I do miss it time to time, but I wonder if it's the memories of that time or Cali itself." She offered thoughtfully as the moved closed to the Pantheon. "Life was, barring a rough spot that offered the world a big green She Hulk --- Simpler." She could still savor those days. It was of course an oversimplification, Law and justice had always played a part in her life since Nick Trask and her father locked horns, but it did have its sweet bohemian ones as well.

"I go back now and then, but it's a different world. In New York I can do so much more on so many different levels." She paused to feel the warm breeze and drink in the scents, then opening her eyes she continued "No, between floating over to the Fantastic Four, to Avengers and a few others no matter how romantic or enticing California can be- and it is very in moments New York seems to be my vibe for now."

Never say never was her code, who knew what tomorrow would bring and she would be the first there to drink it all in and savor the feast of unique opportunities life seemed to serve up with regularity.

She-Hulk Theme song: Circus Britney Spears
Heroes: Magik |Captain Marvel| She-Hulk | Pixie
Villains: Spiral | Typhoid Mary | Loki | White Rabbit 

[Ysmir]

"Hercules was never one... to refuse a lady's invitation."

---

Hercules, for once, managed to keep his Olympic-sized mouth shut and simply listen to Jennifer as she relayed her thoughts and feelings on a topic Herc himself ruminated on often; home.

In a way, the God of Strength had asked the question as much out of curiosity as a desire to get opinions from others. Here he was, standing in the realm of the Gods, a place that he had once been offered a seat in to be by his father's side, as a ruler and enforcer. But he came from two worlds, and the pull of humanity hit him harder than that of his deific ancestry. Why?, he had asked himself many times before. Why was it that I, the Lion of Olympus, sought solace with mortality?

And whenever that question arose, he was reminded of his allies; ones like She-Hulk, Anthony Stark, Janet Van Dyne, Steven Rogers. The true pinnacles of humanity that showed what these relatively simple people were capable of.

Jen didn't miss her home because it changed. Herc felt much the same way.

"Aye," he responded with a nod as they walked, glancing down at the path they strolled on in reflection, "I understand, Jade One. Perhaps better than you may know. One thing it seems my father fails to understand on multiple levels is that, in the grandest of schemes, birthright and destiny are things I haven't a single use for. I much prefer to throw my lot in with those who bravery comes second-nature to; the Avengers. They are heroic and mighty not out of desire, but out of necessity, and there is something both beautiful and inspiring about such valor. Something to... learn from, I suppose."

Herc glanced up to her and smiled that trademark grin. "And of course, joining with them is what allowed me to meet you."