Chapter Text
A sheep amongst Circe’s vast amount of animals would sneakily lift a piece of fence open and squeeze out
It wandered off unnoticed by the nymphs as it had managed to get the bell around it’s neck off with the help of a fence post and a lot of pulling
The sheep couldn’t help but dwell on odd memories now that it was alone
Memories of violence
Memories of fear
Memories of regret
But most importantly
Memories of Love
‘Penelope…
Who was she…
And why did she seem so special?..
So special that even thinking of her makes my heart swell with admiration and sadness’
The sheep bleated a sigh and continued to move forward deeper into the woods and away from the others
🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🐏🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲
It has been a while since they left
The morning sky turned to a deeper blue over time
The sheep wandered through the woods before feeling their legs buckle as they are scooped up by a mysterious figure
‘Hermes..’ the sheep’s mind supplied, yet it didn’t seem to know how it knew that
“My my, what a predicament you seemed to have gotten yourself into”
He grinned widely whilst tilting his head to the side
The sheep could not see his eyes yet felt a calculating gaze set upon it
“ you’re quite adorable this way huh. Less prickly swinging around that sword that’s for sure” he mused while jostling the sheep in his grasp
It was almost comical since the God didn’t have a great build and looked more flimsy compared to the sheep which was by no means small or light
Yet he practically held it as if it were a lamb
“Welp I think you’ve had enough time in the barns, don’t you think Odysseus?” He grinned as he stared at the sheep who perked up at the familiar name
With a simple blink of his eye the sheep in his grasp poofed back into a man before Hermes gingerly dropped him onto the ground and with a snap of his fingers his clothes returned alongside the transformation
———————————————————————
Odysseus layed face flat on the ground with his limbs spayed out on the ground
He had…so many things in his mind as every memory and thought became clear
It was like being hit by that boar all over again
‘How long have I been out..
oh Gods Penelope must be so worried right now…
What about the crew?
What in the world was Eurylochus doing all this time-
Wait-‘
Hermes lightly poked the mortal with his foot
Immediately Odysseus’ head shot up as he uttered the name
“Eurylochus..”
“ oh I see your awake now. Had fun breathing the dirt dear?”
Hermes teased whilst bending down to get unnaturally close to Odysseus’ face
Odysseus, ignoring how the Hades Hermes managed to get so close to his face without even being on the ground, shook his head with a huff and stood up…
-Before immediately feeling unbalanced and falling on his ass with a yelp (that sounded oddly more like a bleat than a human noise)
“What the-“
He looked down at his legs
Immediately his eyes widened and he thrust his hands in front of himself to see that they too, were no longer human
What was once a hand with fingers covered in skin was now a fluff covered hand with hoofs replacing the tips of his fingers
He still had his thumb (thank the Gods)
Looking over at his legs he noted that they looked similar to his hands except the 5 toes were entirely replaced with just 2 hooves with an additional hoof even being on where his heel used to be
He experimentally brushed a ‘hand’ over the fluff on his leg and felt that his sense of touch was muffled with the hoofed fingers and fluff that covered his palms
“What?..”
“ ah I see you noticed the changes”
Hermes replies offhandly, causing Odysseus to whip his head towards the Trickster
He attempted to get up before stumbling onto the ground once again
Either way he glared at the God “ is this some sort of joke? Change me back to normal!”
Hermes looked at the mortal before laughing
The man looked at the God with increasing agitation…and worry
‘Was this a punishment for failing with the moly..?’
“Answer me!” He pressed
Hermes’ laughter calmed to a hum as he wiped a tear from the corner of his shadow covered eye
“I did.”
Odysseus’ anger turned to confusion as he tilted his head to the side subconsciously
“You see, transformation is a very finicky thing, even for me God of transformation”
He lifts into the air and circles around Odysseus
“You guys are like paper” he said whilst taking two leafs from the mortal’s hair and turning them into paper with a flick of his wrist
“ when a god transforms something alive into something else they’re like folded paper”
He folds a paper
“So if I were to turn you into a rooster I could undo it with no lasting effects!” He said as he reverted the paper back to normal
He then picks up the other paper and folds it before holding it closer to Odysseus
“This is you” he says whilst lightly shaking the paper
Odysseus narrowed his eyes
“Pffft, don’t give me that look” he stifled a giggle
“anyways, unlike the last paper, it was Circe who changed you, so-“
He unfolds the paper manually this time
“ when I, not Circe, undoes the transformation..”
He gestures to the visible fold still within the paper
“ there are lasting effects..” Odysseus murmurs, his brows furrowed at the discovery
Hermes gives him the finger guns
“Exactly“ he flicks his wrist and the papers turn back to leafs which flutter onto the ground, one more folded than the other
“ so Circe can turn me back to normal then?..”
Hermes just stares with a smile
“…”
“…”
“Anyways! Here’s your second chance at turning your crew back to normal!”
Hermes produces another Moly from his palm
“This time, don’t stall with searching and talking! Just fight!” He grinned before patting Odysseus’ head like one would a child…
(Or an animal…)
And then with a gush of wind Hermes was gone
Leaving Odysseus by himself with so many thoughts, so many regrets, and so many questions
But also with the opportunity to plan
He grips the moly in his hand
He won’t fail again