Tet strolled casually through the city of New York, hands stuffed in his coat pockets, mismatched eyes scanning the bustling streets as he took in the sights. He tried his best not to act like a wide-eyed tourist, though the city's energy made it hard not to. Cars honked, crowds bustled, and the air carried that distinct mix of street food and smog.
As he walked, his gaze shifted toward the shadows between alleyways and rooftops. There, he spotted several monsters lurking, their twisted forms hiding just beyond mortal sight. Tet's playful expression faded briefly, and his thoughts sharpened.
I best deal with those, he thought, his mismatched eyes narrowing slightly. Or else I'll run the risk of losing players. I'll wait for nightfall.
With that decided, Tet continued taking in the sights, but the novelty soon wore off. After a while, he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, letting out a small sigh and muttering, "I guess it's not that fun when you can conjure worlds into existence at will…"
Then, after a brief pause, a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Oh, I know what I can do for some fun."
Whistling casually, Tet strolled straight into the Empire State Building. Without breaking stride, he walked right past the security guard, giving him a cheerful wave as if he belonged there, and took the elevator up to Olympus.
When the elevator doors opened, Tet stepped out and was instantly greeted by a breathtaking sight—a picturesque, ancient Greek-style city built among the clouds. Gleaming marble, towering pillars, golden statues, and soft mist painted a surreal, dreamlike landscape.
Tet stretched his arms above his head, cracked his knuckles with a mischievous smirk, and muttered to himself, "Time to mess with people."
He immediately made his way to Hera's temple, whistling innocently as he worked. He plastered several giant posters of Hercules on every available wall, making sure they were placed at just the right angles to be annoying. Then, snickering, he replaced her elegant bedding with Wonder Woman-themed sheets and blankets, before hiding all of her left shoes in impossible-to-find places. Finally, as the perfect finishing touch, he dumped glitter into her underwear drawer—lots of glitter.
Not stopping there, Tet strolled over to Aphrodite's temple. With a casual flick of his fingers, he turned her entire wardrobe, dresser, and closet into living mimics, their tiny hidden mouths opening and snapping hungrily when touched. Then, picking up a can of spray paint, he scrawled "ARTEMIS RULES" across every single surface he could find in bold, obnoxious letters.
Next up was Zeus's temple. Tet replaced every statue of Zeus with perfectly sculpted statues of Liam Neeson, complete with a smug expression. Above Zeus's grand bed, he hung an enormous portrait of Disney's version of Zeus, smiling wildly with cartoonish charm. Finally, with a chuckle, he replaced all of Zeus's clothes with blue footie pajamas covered in tiny lightning bolts.
Then came Ares's temple. Tet spray-painted rainbow peace signs all over the walls, floors, and pillars. With a grin, he swapped out all of Ares's legendary weapons for Nerf blasters and foam swords, even replacing his treasured Harley-Davidson with a brightly-colored electric bicycle that had a pink basket on the front.
Heading next to Demeter's temple, Tet built a stalker-style shrine to Hades right in the middle of her room, complete with photos, candles, and ominous notes. For the finishing touch, he carefully placed a massive Hades body pillow in her bed.
Finally, Tet made his way to the throne room. There, he worked with precision, rigging Zeus's throne so that every time someone sat on it, it would let out a thunderous, echoing fart noise loud enough to shake the hall.
Just as Tet was admiring his handiwork, a soft, calm voice spoke from behind him:
"What are you doing?"
Without turning around, Tet replied casually, his tone light and playful, "I'm pranking your family."
He then turned slowly, only to find himself face-to-face with a girl who looked around twelve or thirteen. She had shoulder-length brown hair and warm brown eyes that held a gentle fire dancing within them. She wore brown hooded robes tied with a simple sash and brown leather sandals, and she stood watching him curiously, her head slightly tilted.
"I see," she said softly, her tone calm but inquisitive. "Who are you?"
Tet smiled faintly, mismatched eyes glimmering with mischief. "I'm Tet, God of Games. Who are you?"
The girl gave a polite, serene nod before replying, "I'm Hestia, Goddess of the Hearth and Home. How is it no one else has noticed you?"
Tet shrugged casually, his hands stuffed back into his coat pockets. "Because I didn't want them to."
Hestia blinked, tilting her head slightly, her gaze curious. "So why can I see you?"
Tet looked at her thoughtfully for a moment before replying with quiet honesty, "Because you're the only one here that I genuinely wish to speak to right now."
Her eyes widened slightly at his words, and she hesitated before saying softly, "Well, that's unusual. Most find me boring… or don't even notice me."
Tet grinned faintly, leaning forward a little. "Well, most people are lame."
Hestia blinked once, then giggled softly, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "I suppose they are. Now tell me—why have I never heard of you?"
Tet leaned against one of the marble pillars lazily, mismatched eyes playful. "I'm new in town. Just arrived last night, actually."
Hestia gave him a small, warm smile. "I see… and how do you like it so far?"
Tet let out a short laugh, scratching the back of his head. "It's all right, but I got bored… so I came here to play pranks on some of the gods here."
Then Hestia sighed softly, placing a hand against her forehead, and said, "First day in town and you're already causing trouble. I'm not looking forward to what will happen when my family finds what you've done… it's going to be a headache."
Then, as if on cue, they both heard loud, furious screaming erupt from Hera's temple, followed almost immediately by an angry roar from Ares's temple that shook the air. A split second later, shouting erupted from Zeus's temple, and to top it all off, the two of them saw Aphrodite sprinting across Olympus in a torn-up, dress, shrieking at the top of her lungs as a vicious dresser mimic snapped wildly at her heels.
"ARTEMIS, YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!" Aphrodite screamed as she ran past.
Tet completely lost it. He doubled over, laughing hysterically, clutching his stomach as tears pricked the corners of his mismatched eyes. Hestia, on the other hand, immediately brought her sleeve to her mouth, trying desperately to stifle her laughter, but the soft shaking of her shoulders betrayed her amusement.
Once Tet finally calmed down, wiping a tear from his eye, he caught his breath and said with a playful grin, "Well, I'm gonna head out of here. You wanna come with? I'll buy you lunch."
Hestia blinked in surprise at the sudden offer, thinking it over for a moment before giving him a gentle smile. "Sure. I know a great place."
She then extended her hand toward the nearby hearth, and with a graceful motion, the flames roared to life, swirling around them. In an instant, both she and Tet were engulfed in shimmering fire before vanishing completely.
When the flames faded, Tet and Hestia were standing in a cozy little café, the warm scent of freshly baked bread and roasted coffee filling the air. The hearth behind them crackled softly, its golden flames casting a comfortable glow across the room.
They sat down together at a corner table and ordered lunch. As they ate, Hestia delicately sipped her drink before asking, "So, what are you planning to do?"
Tet leaned back in his chair, idly spinning a fork between his fingers, and replied casually, "Whatever I feel like, honestly. But don't worry, I don't plan to hurt anyone. I'm happiest when people have fun playing my games."
At that, Hestia relaxed completely, her shoulders easing as a soft smile curved her lips. "That's good."
Tet smirked, his mismatched eyes glinting mischievously. "Besides, if someone upsets me, I'll just prank them. And if they make me truly angry… I'll just trap them in a game and never let them out."
Hestia stopped mid-sip, staring at him blankly over the rim of her cup before calmly lowering it. After a long pause, she exhaled softly, then said flatly, "You're going to be trouble. I'll be checking in on you often."
Tet grinned brightly, leaning forward slightly. "Great! We can be friends."
Hestia sighed but couldn't hide the small, warm smile tugging at her lips as she replied softly, "Yes… we can be friends."
She then stood gracefully, brushing off her robes as she gave him one last kind smile. "It was lovely to meet you, but I must return for now. See you later."
Before Tet could respond, a burst of golden flame erupted around her, and she vanished, leaving only a faint trace of warmth in the air.
Tet leaned back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head, and chuckled softly to himself. "She's nice. I'll have fun hanging out with her. But for now… I've got things to do."
With that, Tet snapped his fingers, and his entire form was surrounded by a dazzling kaleidoscope of colors. Reality bent and twisted for a moment, and in an instant, he reappeared on a rooftop in Manhattan, the wind tousling his white hair as he gazed over the sprawling city below.
Raising one hand, Tet waved it gracefully through the air, and shimmering particles of light gathered at his fingertips. Before him, a tall, imposing warrior materialized, fully clad in the Rathian armor set and wielding the Wyvern Blade Leaf. The hunter knelt down on one knee and bowed respectfully.
Tet's mismatched eyes gleamed as he gave his command: "Search and destroy. Kill every malicious monster you come across."
Without hesitation, the hunter leaped off the rooftop, landing silently before vanishing into the city streets to begin his mission.
Tet folded his arms and watched him disappear, a satisfied smile crossing his face. "That should help keep the demigod population from plummeting." He paused, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Now… what should I do next?"