The large wooden doors to the mansion burst open as the son of Zeus had returned. It was a beautiful school and a large campus ideal for running and playing. Something Hercules deemed important for a growing boy. No, that was wrong the trials his young master had gone through.... it was important for a young man.

This wasn’t the first time Hercules entered the mansion, nor the second time. If fact the god was quite familiar with the school and what it meant. From meeting Sam of the frost, attempting to kidnap the healer and meeting a few of the students Hercules determined this was a supportive place, one that could help William greatly in the long run.

His master, William was often bored at his own school. Diving into magical books in hopes for new spells for healing or summoning instead of doing homework and sleeping. It was to the point the ancient Greek had to sit in a few ‘parent/teacher’ conferences. They were tedious but designed to help his young master.

Even Elizabeth thought it was a good idea to enroll William. Which was the reason the prince of power was here today. ”I have come for Sam of the Frost!” Hercules boomed into the hallways still finding it all to easy to get lost in the school. Neither Zorro nor Elizabeth were there to guide him and Hercules had faced enough labyrinths for one life time.

Hercules flexed in his tight Hawaiian shirt as he looked for someone to help him.

"We *seriously* need to update the security systems around here" Gawain grumbled, hurrying down the hallway towards the foyer. Someone had banged the doors open and was now bellowing for Sam. Did not sound like one of his ex-girlfriends, unless Sam had changed in more ways than one recently.

"Excuse me..." he skidded to a halt, looking at the large bulk of a man standing in the foyer. Thanks to the Iris roulette, today Gawain had a prehensile monkey tail twitching nervously behind him. The man looked familiar. Not personally, but Gawain had seen footage of him wreaking havoc around the Mansion.

"Um. Who are you again? And what do you want from Sam?"

”Me!?!? Do you not know? I am Hercules! Son of Zeus! Protector of mortals! Strongest of the gods! Boyfriend to Elizabeth Communicator of animals! I am sure you have heard of my trials before!” Hercules flexed during his intro. Tattoos moved across his exposed skin and a single button towards the top of his shirt broke free flying down the hallway.

”My business is with Sam and Sam alone!” the prince of power looked back to the one addressing him and the tail behind him. Was he a staff member? The man before him looked too old to be a student. Was it another teacher? Could he fight as well as Sam of the frost?

”Apologies.” the god raised his hand and offered it forward to greet the man properly. ”I forget myself. Elizabeth would not be happy if she knew I was impolite.” his demeanor softened. This place was important to Elizabeth so it was important to him as well.

”Fear not! I have bested him once already in combat and that is not the reason I am here today! I wish to enroll my master in this school!” Hercules placed his hands on his hips and flexed again.

>>"Me!?!? Do you not know? I am Hercules! Son of Zeus! Protector of mortals! Strongest of the gods! Boyfriend to Elizabeth Communicator of animals! I am sure you have heard of my trials before!”

"Wait you're dating L..." Gawain was saved by his finely honed reflexes, as the button whizzed past his head. "... that almost put an eye out" he muttered. So, the large hunk of magic body art calling himself Hercules was Liz's new beau?... Go figure.

>>”My business is with Sam and Sam alone!”

"Trust me, dude, Sam and Liz are not a th..."

>>"Apologies. I forget myself. Elizabeth would not be happy if she knew I was impolite. Fear not! I have bested him once already in combat and that is not the reason I am here today! I wish to enroll my master in this school!”

Wow, this guy was really giving 110% a 100% of the time. Gawain blinked, cautiously accepting the hand. Now he was kind of glad Sam did not make an appearance.

"Um. Okay. Well, hi. My name's Gawain Morris. I work here. So you are... seeking to enroll... whom, exactly?"

The grip was strong. It seemed Sam of the Frost wasn’t the only fighter here. Hercules made note for another time. Could this place offer a challenge to one such as he? Hercules didn’t know but knew he’d be able to test his thoughts at some point. Now was the time to enroll William, after all his master education was important. Children were the future!

”Gawain Morris...” the Son of Zues committed that to memory. It was a good memory. It had to be with how old he was. ”My young master! He is arriving to his teenage years and is a brilliant young man. Not very challenged in his current school and doesn’t get along that well with the other students. I know how important a positive learning environment can be and I have already met a few of the teachers!” his heroic pose didn’t break as he spoke.

It was then he realized he was addressing his master as such. Something Serena and a few others had tried to correct him on. William included. From what Elizabeth had told him nothing was too far out of the ordinary even if magic was a newer concept to them. ”I am the lone protector and guardian of the boy until his mother recovers from her accident. Something that seems impossible. Even your healer couldn’t help her.” the god started to tear up reliving one of his failures. His first time in this era he only managed to save William.

”I know you don’t have a magic curriculum here but the young mast- William" he caught himself and continued, ”Is a bright young man and is eager to learn. I shall find him a tutor in the mystic arts elsewhere!” it was clear Hercules had thought this out with how determined he was.

”Are you a teacher Gawain Morris?” Hercules asked curiously wondering what subject they taught. ”That was a strong grip. Have you bested Sam of the Frost in combat?” he asked sidetracking himself.

>>”Gawain Morris... My young master! He is arriving to his teenage years and is a brilliant young man. Not very challenged in his current school and doesn’t get along that well with the other students. I know how important a positive learning environment can be and I have already met a few of the teachers!”

Ookay, then. The glowing giant was up to date on modern education. And had a young... master. What was he, a butler? Bodyguard? God, Gawain sure hoped it was one of those two.

>>”I am the lone protector and guardian of the boy until his mother recovers from her accident. Something that seems impossible. Even your healer couldn’t help her.”

Oh, right. Doc's kidnapping.

>>”I know you don’t have a magic curriculum here but the young mast- William. Is a bright young man and is eager to learn. I shall find him a tutor in the mystic arts elsewhere!”

Wait, mystic arts?

>>”Are you a teacher Gawain Morris? That was a strong grip. Have you bested Sam of the Frost in combat?”

"I am. Sort of. And yes" he smirked "Sam trained me." And he had trained Mirror well. Still, there were more pressing topics to circle back to. "So... um. Your... William. He's not a mutant, then? He's a mystic?"

He was a teacher, well sort of. The statement was a little confusing to the powerhouse. How were you sort of a teacher? Maybe he was a substitute? Hercules’s eyebrow raised, ”Oh?” hoping the man before him would elaborate further. That was until he said he had bested Sam of the frost. The god’s biceps twinged with excitement at the thought of a worthy opponent.

”Ah! Excellent! The student has become the master then! It would be wonderful to challenge you!” he was distracted with the thought of testing his strength. ”You don’t look much stronger than Sam of the Frost” sizing up his newest challenger. Maybe the man before him was faster.

He was here for William today though.

”Not that I can tell. He specializes in magic. Healing and summoning to be exact.” Hercules flexed, showing off some of William’s work. ”A bright boy, and a hard worker! I think being around other children with gifts should be good for him!” Hercules said all too confidently. Elizabeth had encouraged William to enroll here.

>>”Ah! Excellent! The student has become the master then! It would be wonderful to challenge you! You don’t look much stronger than Sam of the Frost”

Gawain made a mental note to talk to Sam about this guy. Just to see his face when he heard about the whole 'student becomes the master' thing.

>>”Not that I can tell. He specializes in magic. Healing and summoning to be exact. A bright boy, and a hard worker! I think being around other children with gifts should be good for him!”

"Oh f*** me" Gawain muttered under his breath. Sure, William would not be the first mystic student at the Mansion... That was Kalos. But he was still not sure they were prepared for an influx of little Perry Hotter wannabes, and all that would entail. "Well, um... why don't we go talk in my office?" he decided. It was going to be a longer conversation. He turned, leading the way down the hall towards the offices.

The prince of power eyed the man before him and roared with laughter at his response, he seemed hesitant at first something the god normally would call someone on but knew that it was best to be polite in this situation. It was basically an interview. Meaning Hercules was channeling his best!

”A most excellent suggestion! I cannot wait to see the curriculum!” green eyes darted the hallways as he made note of several of the offices. One of them included was Sam. Self-defense instructor!?! The man seemed more willing to use his powers than fight him without them. It was expected though and encouraged. ”Is Elizabeth’s office around here as well? I should like to gift her flowers upon my next visit for suggesting this!”

”How long have you been part of the faculty at this school? I also heard that the school has been attacked in the past.” Hercules pulled a tree trunk of an arm across his chest and stretched envisioning a challenge.

Mirror headed to the office, and Hercules followed.

>>”Is Elizabeth’s office around here as well? I should like to gift her flowers upon my next visit for suggesting this!”

Gawain smirked, nodding. "Down the hall that way. I'm sure she'll love them." He made a mental note to talk to Liz about her... very impressive boyfriend.

>>”How long have you been part of the faculty at this school? I also heard that the school has been attacked in the past.”

"Faculty?" Mirror thought about it as he opened the office door and ushered Hercules inside. "Couple of years. But I basically grew up here. Came to the school when I was sixteen. And now my wife and kids live here too." It felt like a whole lifetime ago. Gawain busied himself in making some more space in the office littered with folders and boxes. Angua, the large Irish wolfhound poked her head in the door; even with her size, she was dwarfed by Hercules. Mirror scratched her ears. "Coffee? Tea?" he asked the man.

>>> "Down the hall that way. I'm sure she'll love them."

The demi-god squinted as he tried to study the name plates of the instructors for each office hoping to catch her name. At least he had a heading. It would be rude to storm off in search for her office. There would be time for that later. He was after all an immortal, given that his masters were alive he’d have all the time in the world. ”Excellent!”

The door to another office opened and Hercules followed in spotting a chair for him to sit in. He didn’t take it yet. It wasn’t offered and he didn’t want to be rude. ”Wonderful! I get a sense of community here. The way Sam of the frost was willing to lay down his life to fend me off our first meeting. It was.... inspiring!” the son of Zeus recounted fondly as he looked around the room looking for more to bring up in conversation.

”Sixteen? A rebellious age I’m sure. That was when I decided to search for my father!” he recalled fondly. ”And you have a children here? Tell me please! How old? Names?” he asked eagerly.

Hercules’s green eyes focused as the dog entered the room. It was massive. Not Hellhound big nor the three headed dog big but still a large best friend. One Hercules immediately started to gush over. ”And this is!?!?” he walked over and crouched down still towering over the other two in the room and offered a hand with little to no fear of the large four legged beast. His close groaned and stretched with each movement, ”I adore dogs!”

”Tea would be lovely! Thank you!”

Sense of community. They had that. Gawain smiled, knowing that Sam would indeed lay down his life for the students if he had to. It was a good sign that Hercules appreciated that.

>>”Sixteen? A rebellious age I’m sure. That was when I decided to search for my father! And you have a children here? Tell me please! How old? Names?”

"I have two kids. A teenager and a two-year-old. I am not sure which one is more difficult" Gawain grinned. Then, before he could add more, Angua made an appearance and distracted the guest. The large man seemed delighted to meet her.

>>”And this is!?!? I adore dogs!”

"This is Angua. She's mine... but she pretty much belongs to all of the school now" Gawain smiled, getting started on heating water for the tea and laying out cups and assorted tea things. Once Hercules was done scratching the dog, he could take a seat and get his drink.

"So... you are saying, you are the guardian of a boy who would like to go to this school, and he's a mystic" he summarized, taking a seat himself. "Are you... also a mystic?"

”Two children? An even number! Excellent!” Hercules made note of Gawain Morris having two children. He didn’t press for names for he was still a stranger after all and given the history fo the school he understood. ”I’m told there is a terrible two’s and a terrible teens. Both of which are rewarding.” he didn’t have kids but he had masters and sometimes those masters had children. Often his duties included caring for the masters offspring when the parents were busy. Though those were centuries ago...

Massive hands deep in fur now that the giant dog allowed Hercules to pet the loyal creature.

”Aungua. But of course, you are. Good girl!” he looked up to Gawain and questioned, ”I’m sure she is best friends with Zorro! He too is a wonderful boy.” Hercules reflected cherishing the memories he already had with Elizabeth’s dog.

”I shall continue to pet you at a later date. I’m sure we will see more of each other.” Hercules said giving Angua one last pet before standing upright and sitting in the seat offered to him.

”William, would not like to go to this school however he is no longer challenged by the private one he is in now. All he does is study, I wish for him to be in a safer place surrounded by those who would spark his curiosity. In fact he doesn’t know I am here starting the process. I wanted to start the process before I tell him. Elizabeth said he’d be a good fit in this school.”

”Aye, he is a mystic.” Hercules was waiting for more of a reaction when he confirmed it then added, ”Of sorts. I’m a god. Son of Zues king of Olympus.”

>>"Two children? An even number! Excellent! I’m told there is a terrible two’s and a terrible teens. Both of which are rewarding.”

"That they are" Gawain smirked, shaking his head. This fellow seemed easily excitable. There was something off about him, but then again who was normal in a place like this?

>>”William, would not like to go to this school however he is no longer challenged by the private one he is in now. All he does is study, I wish for him to be in a safer place surrounded by those who would spark his curiosity. In fact he doesn’t know I am here starting the process. I wanted to start the process before I tell him. Elizabeth said he’d be a good fit in this school.”

Gawain tilted his head. A teen mystic who didn't even want to go here, coming anyway just out of curiosity... that sounded weird. And potentially disastrous. But if Elizabeth thought he might be a good fit... Well. Gawain had his doubts anyway. And he wondered who exactly this man was, to bring a kind here without him knowing.

>>”Aye, he is a mystic. Of sorts. I’m a god. Son of Zues king of Olympus.”

...

What.

Gawain did a double take, looking at the man. "... for real?"

Okay so he was either crazy, or... an actual god. Given that suddenly magic was real, both were equally possible.

”I am.” Hercules nodded his head. He had already given an introduction. Maybe he should have listed his trials during the introduction. Did he need another? The prince of power debated ripping off his shirt and pointing out all his exploits that shifted across his body. Should he have glowed?

Sipping his tea, ”I am Hercules. Son of Zues. Protector of mortals. Champion of justice. Slayer of tians and strongest amongst the gods.” he repeated again calmly taking a sip of his tea. His hands dwarfed the cup he was sipping from.

”Shall I show my exploits? Recite my trials? Lift a bus?” he asked chuckling. ”I’ve grown accustomed to this reaction.” he started to glow in his seat and flexed one arm, the one that wasn’t holding the cup full of tea.

Eyeing his arm, ”Ah, this is the time I battled a Kraken.” a creature with more than a dozen tentacles shifted across his bicep to the backside of his arm, glyphs and sigils took its place before he killed the glow. ”Shall I summon my club as further proof?” Hercules asked curiously sipping his tea once again.