lesterzeppelin | mask or menace

That's fine, Lester. Whatever you can do.

I've been asking around about the spirits in Jeopardy. Somebody told me that in their world, oracles answering to Apollo are usually consulted on things like this. Made me wonder if you might have some insight on our local ghosts.

My Oracles? Really?

[ he's trying hard not to sound skeptical, but he can't remember a time where people have consulted any of his spirits on ghosts. Consulting the spirits to become a vessel for the Oracle, sure. Consulting the spirits to learn the future, which would then drive one insane if they followed the rules incorrectly, also sure.

Talking to the dead, though... communing with those who have passed beyond this realm... that's more Hades' realm than his. ]

That's news to me. [ he pauses, ] I can try, but if someone's crossed the threshold of life, they're beyond my domain. We might have to bring someone like Nico di Angelo on board, if you know of him?

I know him. Talked to him before, about the Fates. He's linked to the underworld somehow, right?

Right. I don't remember how open he is about his abilities, but since he's also a son of Hades... he can commune with spirits.

I'm just also thinking... if people consult oracles, they're probably wanting to know if the ghosts will disappear in the future. If we're looking at prophecy, then I can try. [ He doesn't think he can do it; after all, he's mortal. He can't tap into his full power - but for Jacob, he'd be willing to give up even the last bit of his essence in trying. ] If we're talking direct communication, we'll want to ask Nico.

What angle do you want to try first?

Communication, definitely. First thing I want to establish is what most of these spirits want. If we tried to help them pass on, would they be grateful? Or would they have a problem with that?

I just want to make sure this situation won't pose a threat to people in Jeopardy.

Right. In that case, I think Nico would be way more useful.

[ He's honored, really, that Boss would want him. As far as Apollo knows, his power has never extended into the realm of the beyond - but maybe there's something in what Jacob said. ]

You've reminded me, though... I've never tried to see if my Oracles exist in this world. If the Fates do, then we've got a pretty decent chance of them roaming around.

All right. I'll give him a call next.

[And maybe touch base with Circe again to make sure he didn't misunderstand what she told him.]

Native oracles? You think that's possible?

Why not? We have the Fates running around – the spirit of Delphi, or Trophonius, or even Dodona wouldn't be far-fetched. [ he pronounces them the way Circe does, with an accent that hasn't been spoken in millennia, but if he's aware of it, he doesn't indicate it. ] I checked the Empire State Building, so Olympus isn't here, but I hadn't bothered to look for anything else. It could be a fool's errand. I just won't know until I try.

Oh, and uh - when you call Nico, you don't have to hide anything. He's from my world. He knows who I am.

Got it. Thanks for the heads up.

I'm pretty sure the Fates are a special case... whatever they are. They're the same beings that were involved in the other universe imPorts came from, before it was destroyed. In a way, they're as foreign to this place as we are.

Yeah, I remember hearing something about that.

[ Lester should pay more attention to the history of this world, but truthfully, he zones out if it's not focused on him. #formergodproblems. ]

It still makes me think, since they were native to the last universe... what's native to this one? Even if it's not my Pantheon, this world has to have some kind of god or goddess roaming around, [ beat ] and I refuse to believe it's the "web mistress" or whatever they call her.

No one ever mentioned the Web Mistress before Jeopardy appeared last year. I think she's as foreign as we are.

What makes you think there has to be a god here?

Because gods are how mortals make sense of the universe.

[ A few months ago, Apollo might've answered this differently, drawing upon his greatness and the mere fact that his stories survived universes. People sill named theaters after him on this Earth; space missions invoked his name; and a superhero named himself after him. He feels like a universal constant.

But this... no, this is more important than him. ]

Sure, my pantheon doesn't exist, and the web mistress is from wherever the heck she belongs. Yet every culture - on Earth, at least - has a power greater than them. The Greeks had Helios, the Romans had me. The Japanese had Amaterasu. The Hindus, Surya. The Nordic peoples, Sól, the Egyptians with Ra and Horus, with and so on. There's something universal about taking phenomenons bigger than you and pinning that on a god, or gods, or something with power.

So... I don't know, Boss. I could be wrong, but if this Earth is as close to mine as it feels, there has to be someone out there.

I know every culture has gods. Even most aliens have them, where I'm from. But there's a difference between having a story and having a real, living entity up there who affects the world.

I never saw anything to make me believe there were gods where I'm from. Even though there were plenty of stories and temples to them.

Well, yeah. [ matter of fact, like he's stating a truth more than an opinion: ] Most gods don't show themselves to anyone but the super devout. Or you know, period.

It's a weird paradox because we're sustained by belief. As long as people believe in us - and I mean really, truly believe - then we'll be around for as long as they have us.

But, again, I won't know until I look, or worse, [ and his voice grows light, almost teasing: ] those 'real, living entities' decide to join the party.

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