Playing by the Rules

Fanni Kepenyes


CHARACTERS:
ZEUS
POSEIDON
HADES
ATHENA

SCENE:
The three gods are on Olympus, watching three of their demigod children fighting.

ZEUS: It is obvious that my son will win, I am the king of the gods. I am the strongest one.

HADES: Don’t make me laugh. It is obvious that my daughter is better than any of your children.

POSEIDON: She is a girl; she can’t defeat two boys.

HADES: She is the daughter of the god of death. She can easily destroy both of them.

ZEUS: Well, if she could, she would have done it already. Whoa, do you think your son survived that blast, Poseidon?

POSEIDON: He obviously did. I bet ten drachmas that Zeus’s son will be the first to die.

ZEUS: Ten drachmas that it will be your son.

HADES: While you make bets, I will watch my daughter beat both of your sons and win without an injury.

POSEIDON: Zeus, don’t you think Hades is a bit egotistic over this? Your daughter is definitely the second to die; she might have enough power to kill Zeus’s son, but she will be exhausted after that.

ZEUS: Agreed. But she will kill your son.

POSEIDON: Wait, who is that girl?

Athena enters the scene.

ATHENA: That is my daughter. She has an alliance with Hades’ kid. They have the perfect plan to kill the other two. After all, Hades is the god of death, and I am the goddess of wisdom and strategy. Any new bets on who will win?

HADES: Told you all she is going to kill them.

POSEIDON: That is not fair. I made a bet, Hades, that your daughter would lose this fight and die. I might lose twenty drachmas.

HADES: You are worried about the money, while your son is risking his life?

POSEIDON: Well it would be sad if he died, but I have plenty of other sons to step in his place.

ATHENA: You are so insensitive.

ZEUS: That is not fair. Your daughter Athena made a perfect plan, and your daughter Hades just raised the dead. You both cheated!

HADES: Give me your twenty drachmas, Zeus, your son just died.

ZEUS: I am not giving you any money. I am the king of the gods; I am not afraid of you.

HADES: You were talking about cheating just a moment ago; what do you think you are doing now? Give me your money, or I will tell Hera that you are cheating on her again!

ZEUS: You are too scared to talk to her about it.

HADES: Watch me. Last time it didn’t end well with Hercules; that poor guy had to go through some stuff. If I talked to her, what would happen to your youngest kid, then?

ZEUS: Okay, fine, but this is the last time you get any money from me.

ATHENA: Poseidon, in your place I would try to save my son, or money.

POSEIDON: I guess I should make him just disappear from there.

HADES: You are cheating. It is forbidden; you can’t just make him disappear.

POSEIDON: Well, it is too late now.

ATHENA: But our kids still won, so you owe us twenty drachmas.

POSEIDON: That is not fair! You tricked me!

ATHENA: It is not my problem that you fell for it! Give me your money or suffer the consequences!