::The sleep Hermes had was long and needed, but not peaceful as his thoughts and dreams were filled with his mishap and his punishment of staying in the Underworld until Zeus found Cronos. His dreams were filled of images of his wife fretting over his absense and what made them worse were picturing his own brother, Apollo, going to her and taking her in his arms to consol her. Hermes lashed out in his sleep and suddenly awoke, chasing all the images away.

He sat bolt upright and brought a trembling hand to his brow and frowned feeling he was drenched in sweat. He took his glasses off and rubbed his face, trying to get rid of the lingering thoughts and images that plagued him all night. He then blinked at his surroundings which seemed just as dark as ever. Night indeed. How could you even tell what time of day it was down here? It was always dark and gloomy in the Underworld.

Hermes groaned and put his glasses back on and rubbed the back of his aching neck. Sleeping on rocks was something he wasn't used to and besides his neck, his entire body hurt. His stomach then growled, adding to his discomfort. The little messenger sighed and shook his head. He doubted there was anything edible in this place and he was starved from not eating anything since he left for his message runs the other day. His shoulders sagged. What he wouldn't do for a big breakfast prepared by Megara right now.

Adjusting his glasses and tilting his head back slightly, Hermes sniffed the air in hopes of scenting food, but all he smelled was the damp mustiness of the place and that made him sneeze. With a heavy sigh, Hermes rubbed his nose and felt even more miserable as his stomach contracted with hunger again. He would ask Hades if there was anything to eat around here, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to dine on a bowl full of worms at this time, or any other time for that matter.

Thinking for a moment, he remembered that he swiped an apple from a vendor earlier the other day and stored it away as a delivery. With a wave of his hand the apple appeared in its golden deliciousness. Hermes smiled weakly and polished the fruit on his toga before taking a bite. The apple wasn't much, but at least it would sustain his hunger until he could find something more to eat.

Finished with his meager breakfast, Hermes tossed the core into the depths of the cave for whatever creatures occupied it as sort of a truce with them. If he would give them his scraps perhaps they in turn would not consider him their lunch. He mused at the idea and reached for his winged helmet with one hand as he smoothed out his dark blue hair with the other. Dropping his hat on his head he then reached for his Caduceus and flew up off the rock and hovered over it while smoothing out his toga. He couldn't sit in here and mope all day and the best thing he thought to do was fly around his new temporary home and see what this place was like and more importantly if he could find anything to do to while away the time as well as find something to eat.

The little messenger flew out of the cave and hovered at the entrance for a moment, unsure which direction to fly. The Underworld seemed to be nothing but endless corridors and caves which all looked the same. Shrugging to himself, he headed left towards the brightest source of light. He flew slower then normal as his eyes could not see well in the dimness of the Underworld and he knew the dark tinting of his glasses wasn't making matters any easier, but without them he couldn't see at all. On his forward flight he had close brushes with the various stalagmites that grew from the floor and he wondered briefly if anyone was foolish enough to come this way by foot as the ground seemed littered with the endless pointed things.

As he approached the light he realized that it was coming from Hades' War Room, the room he was brought to by Zeus the other day. He smiled to himself knowing that Hades would be in there and hopefully he would have the same temperment as the Hades he knew from his time and that was grouchy, but somewhat nice to the Messenger God. They were decent pals in his time, but through the years until now he just wondered if that was still true.

The door to the War Room was open slightly and Hermes flew right in without even touching the sides. Hades was by the window looking over his domain, his hands folded behind his back. Hermes watched him for a moment before glancing around the place just to see what was here and most importantly if Hades' little demon side-kicks were about. He was in no mood to deal with the imps. They flew, though not as well as he, and were quite a threat. He frowned as he remembered the hostile take over attempt many centuries ago and how the little demons thought it would be fun to take his glasses and torment him. Provided he wasn't ambushed, Hermes could deal with the two-some, but right now he had business to tend to.

Hades began to pace the room and muttered softly to himself. He didn't even noticed that Hermes was in the area and he didn't even hear the little deity fly behind him, following every move. As the Lord of the Dead paced, Hermes stayed a few feet behind him, copying him. He wanted to reach out and tap Hades on the shoulder, but didn't want to startle the God and have him erupt into a wall of flame again. Normally he would have just approached Hades from the front, but the Dark Lord was so involved in his thinking and muttering Hermes doubted he'd even notice a little blue messenger in front of him.

Hades paced the room and from his posture and speed Hermes could only guess that Hades was plotting something, but as to what he didn't know or really cared. Actually, Hades was trying to figure out a foolproof way to get Hermes to lose his memory of the past quickly and how to convert him to his side and carry out his wicked deeds. However, he wasn't even sure what use he could have for the God other then just having him on his side. Hermes could be a dangerous and formidable enemy and Hades knew that very well and it enticed him greatly.

Hades moved a hand to his temple, massaging it, and tried his hardest to conjure up a scheme and getting it to go through efficiently when he heard a faint noise behind him. Flapping wings? What the? He lowered his eyebrows and frowned wondering what or who was behind him. He suddenly stopped his pacing and Hermes flew right into him. Hades' eyes widened and he clenched his teeth before whirling around and coming face to face with a surprised Messenger God.

"What...are...you...doing?" Hades asked slowly, his anger begining to boil.

"I-I errr...I was just looking for something to eat or like, someone to talk to," Hermes stammered, adjusting his purple lensed glasses and trying his best not to be afraid in front of the other God. The two of them may have been friends in the past, but this certainly wasn't the Hades he knew and it was obvious now. Granted the Dark Lord was upset about having to house Hermes until Cronos could be found, but still, he never would have acted this way in the past. Something must have happened to him along those years to make him resent the little messenger, but for the moment, Hermes wasn't concerned with that. He was more concerned in keeping Hades cool so he wouldn't end up being a new target for Hades to fling fireballs at.

Hades rolled his yellow eyes and glared at him. "Something to eat? Oy vey, do you think there's a steak house or something down here? Listen, Featherfoot, I may have to house you, but that doesn't mean you are getting the royal treatment. I know that you are oh so pampered up on Olympus and your little wifey cooks for you and stuff, but I'm not the one! You want a chick to cook for you, go fly off to Personnel and play with Belit, ok? Geez, I thought you were a loner anyway? What are you doing following me? Doesn't loner mean alone?!"

Hermes flew back slightly from the heat and small licks of flame that were already starting to radiate from Hades. So many questions, but which to answer? Then something clicked and he lowered his dark blue eyebrows. "Like, you got a Personnel office? Who's Belit? I thought that..."

"Enough! Yeesh, you don't know when to shut-up do you?" Hades glared at him some more and then backed up and began to pace the room again. Keep focused on your plan, he thought to himself. Hermes was no good to him all burned to a crisp, however he was getting more and more angry and needed to get the blue God out of his face and fast. He then stopped his pacing and a satisfied grin crossed his face. "You like music don't you?"

Hermes smiled and perked up at the mear mention of the word. "Oh man, like, do you really have to ask me something like that? Yeah, you know I dig that stuff big time!"

"Well, how's about me giving you something to play so you can leave me alone?" he asked getting a vigorous nod in reply. Hades shook his head from Hermes' reaction to the idea and sighed. Even in such a predicament the little God still found amusement and comfort in music. Hades moved his hand and a flute appeared. Ack, no way! It disappeared and an alto saxaphone took its place. He chuckled and smiled toothily, "Gee, looks like Kenny didn't need it after all, huh?"

That comment got him nothing but a blank look from Hermes and the Dark Lord rolled his eyes knowing he was wasting his material on the dolt from the past and tried for another instrument. "Hmmm...this looks promising," he commented slightly sarcastically about the violin and bow that took the saxaphone's place. "Here, why don't you go sit in the furnace and play Nero, ok?"

Hermes smiled as he reached for the instrument and began to look it over. Certainly, he would have prefered his keyboards or even a piano, but he was in a pinch and beggars can't be chosers. He looked up at Hades appreciatively, "Like, thanks, man. I really dig this and hope you like my music too."

Hades' bluish flamed hair flashed a bright orange and he snarled, "No! You go play someplace else! I gave you that so you'd leave me alone, got it? I don't want to see you or hear you, Featherfoot."

Hermes glared at him and nodded once. "Man, alright. Like, I know when I'm not wanted." Clutching the violin to his chest, the little Messenger God began a slow, mocking flight out of the room. Hades rolled his eyes angrily and a small ball of fire appeared in his hand. Taking careful aim, he flung it at Hermes' behind and hit him with it. Hermes flew about five more feet into the air as the back end of his toga caught fire and burning his blue skin beneath it. He yelped in pain and surprise and hurridly flew from the area to extinguish his flaming behind.

Hades began to laugh so hard his sides began to hurt. He clutched them and laughed harder as the image of Hermes flying away with his back end on fire kept appearing in his mind. "Oh man, that has to be the funniest thing around! Geez, maybe it won't be so bad after all in keeping him down here! The little geek is good for something after all!" He calmed down slightly and ran a hand through the blue flame of hair on his head. "Ok ok, I'm cool. Too bad Hermes' butt ain't!"

Hermes hovered in the middle of a corridor and smacked at the smoking fabric behind him. He grumbled angrily and shook his head. He only wished he had more powers then what he did, but all he could do is make flowers appear and that was not a big deal for his own brother, Apollo, could do that as well. He glared back towards the direction of the War Room some distance off and cussed lightly under his breath. Heartless moron. With a defeated sigh, the blue God slowly flew from where he was and tried to find some nice place to sit and play the violin Hades gave to him.

As he searched the Underworld, the words of "Personnel Office" echoed in his mind. Since when did Hades have hired help? Although Hermes would love to scope out the place and this Belit person whoever she was, he wasn't in the mood to fuss with some nutty winged female demon equivalent to Pain and Panic...at least that is what he was assuming Belit was. Right now, however, he just wanted to get some music going and hopefully soothe his still frazzled nerves. He also didn't want to be too far from anyplace just in case today was the day Zeus would return with Cronos.

Hermes paused and yawned widely, stretched, then used his Caduceus to scratch his back. His shoulders sagged slightly and he looked around where he hovered. To his right was a small rock and a cavern behind it going off to only Zeus knows where. He sighed and landed on the cold, damp rock and set his Caduceus on his lap feeling this was as good a spot as any to play. Hermes looked over the violin and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. It may not have been his keyboards, but it was an instrument and music was something he just about thrived on.

As suddenly as the smile appeared, it quickly vanished as thoughts of his keyboards swarmed his mind and dissolved into the image of his lovely wife's face. How he longed for her. He was never gone like this from her and he could just imagine the pain and confusion she was feeling from his absense. "Oh Megs, like, I am so sorry," he whispered and squeezed shut his eyes hoping to block out the painful images.

Absently, Hermes lifted up the violin to his chin and slowly dragged the bow across the strings bringing much needed music into the vast empty chambers of the Underworld. However, his tune was not the typical joyous and upbeat songs he usually played. Instead, the song was a sad and mournful one reflecting of the pain in his heart and soul.

The blue god closed his eyes and concentrated on the music and his fingers moving expertly across the slightly worn strings. In a matter of moments, Hermes became absorbed in his music and all else seemed to vanish. No longer was he stuck in time or the Underworld and no longer was he cold, hungry and miserable, yearning for his Megara. Right now all he knew was the music he was creating and for now that was good enough.

He continued to play and the sounds wafted through the darkness creating an eerie addition to the scene, but Hermes didn't notice. In fact, he didn't notice or care about anything right now and down in the Underworld that was not a wise thing to do. If Hermes would have stayed alert and aware of his surroundings he would have noticed three pairs of red eyes glowing in the cavern behind him and he would have heard the deep menacing growl that echoed over the sad notes of his violin.::