Justin
A marvel of divine horticulture, the Ceres Greenhouse is a colossal structure where gods and nature deities conduct experiments in plant growth, crossbreeding, and cultivation. This greenhouse produces a variety of enchanted crops, showcasing the pinnacle of agricultural innovation under Demeter's guidance.
Joseph
The sun was beginning to set as the humidity in the greenhouse felt at its all time high. The fogged windows showed the hard work that was blooming inside. Plants of all sorts of oddities found hiatus in the cool mist that covered their leaves in a light embrace. Demeter had spent hours in the greenhouse, her hands and clothes covered in dirt and compost. She had no care for gloves, no fear of getting dirty and the real threat of reaction left to the plants that were being harbored in a special place within the greenhouse, away from all the rest. 

She wiped her brow with the back of her arm and sat back on her heels. The onslaught of herbs each in their designated containers looked beautiful, their petals perky in the goddesses presence, thankful to her for their new home. She lifted the case off of the floor and laid it softly on the empty table before adjusting the misters to their correct positions. 

She had come to the nursery to relieve her mind after the events that had unfolded at the gala and after. The evil that had seeped from every pore of the lounge had put a soft damper on the mind. Her daughter's potential death; the result of Hades' unwavering ego in a gods fight. He had refused to take action, refused to interfere and what did it get him besides a threat on not his life but Persephones. Part of her wondered if he would make a stand now or if he would scurry back into the underworld with her daughter as if nothing happened. 

Demeter took a deep breath to calm the nerves and anger that began to rebuild from the small thought. 'She did not die. She is still alive.' The simple reminder had been said various times since that night. She had wanted to take her anger out on not only the soulless crusaders but on Hades himself. But she held strong. Instead she found solace in her work, cultivating and planting seeds. 

She walked towards the built in sink, taking off her dirty apron and hanging it before washing her hands. The blue jeans she was wearing w

Ere now covered in dirt but her green button up top was still pristine, the sleeves rolled to almost perfection up past her elbows. Perfection was always something she strived towards while in the company of many and while in her own space she had the freedom to roll in the dirt and look like a mess - but somehow she had always found compromise between the two. 

She looked up at the small mirror that hung in the greenhouse, the rust slowly formed over her reflection. The bags had begun to bloom under her eyes and the wrinkles had begun to form over her skin. Letting age grace her skin was something she hadn't let happen in a long time but as she felt the weight of trepidation over her, she had accepted it. With a sigh, she turned from the mirror and walked towards the exit of the greenhouse, the sun now far past the edge of the horizon.
Elias
As Demeter made her leave, she would notice the flourish and proud plants within the Greenhouse begin to almost shiver, even recoil in some fashion. Their movements suggested something put them at unease, a presence in the room that wasn't her own, but rather something else. Something Foreign to the land. Of course, Demeter wouldn't be stupid. The shade within the greenhouse had seemingly duplicated and expanded to an unnatural amount, like something had made the room itself darken further than what it should usually be. There was many Gods that could do such a thing, twist and command the darkness to their will, but there was only one who used it in such a way:

*Erebus.*

If the Motherly figure turned to look back upon her Greenhouse, she would see the cloaked and shadowed figure standing where she had just previously been working. The edges and trims of his cloak trailed and flowed in an unnatural form, black misty embers flowed off of him and dissipated as he stood where he was. His orange eyes weren't present, but Demeter knew that his gaze was on her. Did he hide his facial feature because of the battle with Hades? Or because Demeter was technically the enemy? Whatever the reason, Erebus kept his face hidden for now, a black shroud darkening the space from just behind his hood.

"Demeter. I came... To **Talk**."

He sounded unsure. Was it about him being here? Or the fact of this meeting itself? Whatever the case may be; Erebus felt more out of place than ever. He never did pay visits to Olympus or anywhere for that matter, but whenever he did step out of his void he always made sure to provide himself with a sense of duty. A Serious, mind set, eyes focused, no nonsense aura... And here? It seemed to waver.
Joseph
She wasn't far from the door when the darkness descended across her feet as if in waves, the aberrant shadows like she had only seen a few times before. Demeter wasn't used by company, especially company from the underworld. She straightened her back, an all knowing feeling slowly creeping up her spine, and slowly turned to the hooded figure. Although she couldn't see his face, he was still utterly recognizable. 

"Erebus, what a pleasure." The slight sarcasm was hinted at but she wasn't sure if he would pick up on it. She never knew how to read the god. His presence was always alarming, his menacing demeanor the perfect example as to why he wasn't deemed approachable despite his beautiful wife and mass of children. 

She studied him. His voice gave off an aire of uncertainty that she could only imagine was a rarity for him. Her eyes left him, knowing now why she felt the unease in the pit of her stomach. She turned back out the door and waved for him to follow. "Please, follow me. We can take a walk and talk. You are draining the life from my plants." 

She stepped out of the greenhouse and left the door open for him. Standing outside waiting for him to follow and furthermore to speak. She was curious what his business was here. His travels were not usually top side. She where she thought his loyalties were held was thrown to the wind at the gala when she mistakenly called Hades his King. A god of the underworld with no loyalties was both an asset and a danger.
Elias
Sensing her distrust, unease, and sarcasm all wrapped into one bow that represented Demeter in the moment, Erebus could do little but roll his eyes at her 'pleasure' upon seeing him. Having not else to do but follow her beckoning, He let her comment on draining her plants slide, not wanting to aggravate the Goddess. The last thing he needed to fall upon him was her reluctance and refusal to hear what he had to say.

Stepping out of the greenhouse and standing by the Gardener, Erebus' eyes turned her now as they began to walk. She was right in her curiosity; Erebus rarely, if ever, travelled topside. His distain for the Olympians and dislike for the natural sunlight that glowed in the land cemented his disinterest in ever visiting here. Now? Times were desperate, war was looming, and the dangers were piling up. Risks must be taken, so Erebus would sacrifice what he wanted for what was needed. Lucky Olympus...

"I won't bother trying to convince you to pull out of this war. I already know why you would be set on seeing that oaf of a King fall." Erebus spoke. He knew that there was two Gods that Demeter hated out of everyone: Hades & Zeus. Although she would never kill Hades to save Persephone forever shutting herself away form her, Zeus on the other hand? Fair game for the Goddess. Erebus could never sway her to not try and be at his throat, so he wouldn't bother. He wasn't here for that, however.

"Instead... I want to talk about someone amongst your ranks. Amongst the tidebreakers..." Erebus started, turning to Demeter now. His voice had been as sinister and cold as ever. However, when he mentioned this 'someone' to her, a shift in tone came up. His voice softened, as if he wanted to speak of no ill or harm about this individual. Something was much different about Erebus now, and to Demeter? She could most likely sniff it out: He was concerned- no. *Cared* For this 'someone'.

"I want to talk to you about **Nemesis**."
Joseph
Demeter shut the door behind him and clasped it shut as she listened. He knew his audience, she had to give him credit there. He also knew her true intentions, but many did as she made them known. Her loyalty was not necessarily in Poseidon but more so in watching the brother, who stole her daughter and killed her love, fall. Poseidon knew it as well. While they also had their differences, she had chosen seemingly the lesser of three evils. She turned to the dark god, directing all of her attention to what he had to say. 

It was when *He* Turned to her that she heard the switch. The ruthlessness turned soft as he spoke. Demeter had her tendencies of cruelty and malice, but she too knew the person one could turn into at the mention of a relative, or even more so, a child. 

"Nemesis?" His daughter. A strong force that had quickly taken power in Poseidon's ranks, finding favoritism amongst those 'closest' to him. She was smart and cunning, a true danger to those on the other side and a true match to her father. She cocked her head as a sly smile fought to surface. She had a feeling she had caught on to Erebus' plans. "What, pray tell, would you like me to do with Nemesis?"
Elias
Could feel Demeter's sly smiles and judging eyes begin to wash over, poking and twisting at him for something he has never done before. Erebus had never shown care nor urgency for anyone bar Nyx. He was always that uncaring, uninterested, unfeeling God. The irony of someone like him having so many children despite his lack of seeming love for them? Talking to the Goddess who ironically had too much love for her own that it seemed to push them away? It was a tale waiting to happen. Clearing his voice silently and resuming the conversation, Erebus spoke up once more, not leaving any details out:

"Nothing. I want you to watch over her while she remains with Poseidon's ranks. With the war growing, I feel that she will be without her Mother's protective gaze due to her being banished from the Underworld. She'll be alone in this." He paused. His face was still hidden to Demeter, but she could make out the details of a man struggling to put together a sentence, or to even speak the one he had thought up. All out of place for a man of his history and stature. What was Erebus up to? After his brief pause, Erebus continued once more;

"I want you to watch over her as if she was... Your own."

And there it was. Erebus, the personification of Darkness and Shadows. A deity who had shown no compassion nor love to any deity beside his partner. A primordial who had witnessed all happen and cared for little to no one... And he was showing care for his daughter. "Obviously, this will stay between us."
Joseph
There it was. Erebus' intentions for coming topside and even more so for speaking with a goddess he most likely didn't care for. All of this for a daughter he acted as if didn't exist. A small spark of sincerity cleared the cloud of distrust that had floated over Demeter's head. This was simply a father coming to a fellow parent asking for help in protecting his own. 

The sly smile fell from her lips and instead, she bowed her head slightly looking at her clothing and quickly dusting dirt from her pants. 

"I will watch her if you also do me a favor." She knew it would be a longer shot than his favor for her, especially with his recent altercations with Hades. "I ask that you watch over Persephone. I still do not trust Hades, especially since the gala." She glanced back up at him, her uncertainty and discomfort now evident. An eye for an eye, protection for protection. "I need to know that she has protection. That little stunt was not okay and now everyone we love is in danger. I will watch your daughter on the condition that you also at least try to watch mine." 

Before, Demeter would never have thought she would find such similarities in Erebus. But the silence that sat between them was a new understanding. This moment was that of a father and a mother, not of two gods.
Elias
What was becoming of Erebus? The acting towards his children made other Gods believe he cared little for his offspring, yet he found himself traversing through the realms to be where he was, all for the sake of one of his children. Had he grown soft? Had a secret agenda? Or had he truly cared for his Spawn more than he had originally thought? Whatever it was, it had compelled him to reach out to the only other Goddess who possibly cherished her children more than Nyx.

Upon hearing that Demeter wanted a favour for Erebus to fulfil, he had no doubts it would be to return the same treatment onto her own Daughter. Persephone. Within the Underworld, only two Gods knew the Underworld like the back of their Hands; Hades and Erebus. Someone with that knowledge, and the power to even hide within another's shadow? Who better to have watching over your child? He had fully expected Demeter to ask him to do such, especially when he requested her to watch and protect Nemesis, and even more so after the Gala incident. People were already questioning if Persephone was truly safe with her Beloved.

"I'll be her shadow... She'll never walk alone." The Darkness spoke, swearing his end of the deal. Thus, the two seemed bound to their new duties: to protect the Daughter's of one another. Demeter to Nemesis. Erebus to Persephone. Never in a Millennia would he assume he'd make such a pact, especially with Demeter of all Deities.