What is entertainment. There has to be a trick to it, so why does it take so many different forms? For some it is going out and traveling the world, seeing new things being out there amongst the creations of the divine. For others they collect something, knowledge, wisdom, human souls, or something else dry and uninteresting. Then there are the socialites, who get a kick out of these little get togethers or watching/creating their little romances. That last is definately not me, still it's probably impolite to be completely inattentive.

"...and then, Gottfrid simply sat there and watched over her. Sounds a little creepy, I know, but if you could have heard his thoughts. Well, it's probably still a little..."

Nope. Honestly, a decade ago she made some new race called vampires, and now she is abducting young men left and right. I wouldn't be surprised if every kingdom on her world isn't ruled by some young Adonis, just so that she can essentially channel surf looking for drama. Well, Hades can take whats-her-name and her reverse harem of princes. At least it might be entertaining watching what hap...Why is she looking at me? She's waiting too. Do I...do I need to talk?

"Ah, sorry, what was that?"

Naturally her face shifted on realizing my inattentiveness, the eyes, and mouth shifting from animated inquiry to...pity.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Here I was talking all about my world with it's bravery, adventure and romance. All this time you had to listen to me prattle on when your own world doesn't even have magic. *sigh* I heard they don't even really have any nobility, just random commoners calling themselves celebrities. I must have seemed terribly insensitive."

...Forget Hades. I want this one's eternal fate left entirely to me. How does one deliver lasting torment to a social butterfly as empty-headed as the cacoon they left. Solitude? Public humiliation? The first is beyond my power, and the second beyond my ability sadly. Cursed divine rules shackling anything but a war of words. She is completely untouchable to me, doesn't mean I don't want to take her pity and serve it to her with a side of pain at the least oportunity.

Play nice for now. "Don't worry about it, I amuse myself less with the mortals of my world and more with their creations. Our world may be restrictive, but if anything limiting their potential has freed the imagination of mortals on our world. It's fascinating, we are beings with the ability to create anything, but with that horrifyingly open horizon we fall back on what is familiar. Don't get me wrong many humans do to, but some feel shackled to the familiar and seek escape into those unexplored lands. I do believe that one of your previous favorite races was first imagined on my world. Some illdesigned bloodsucking parasite as I recall?" Nice enough.

Maybe too nice. Her pity flickered to irritation for just a moment. Too short to ease my frustration. "Yes vampires. I did experiment with that idea."

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

"Ah right, vampires, that's the word. It's all coming back to me, civil wars, riots, mobs, fire. Lots of fire. I heard that they had acquired a taste for priests or anyone even remotely holy. How adolescent, rebelling against their parent."

"Rebelling, well, you're the expert, Father. You've neglected your children so much they don't even know your gender. Small wonder they are starting to confuse their own and imagine new ones."

Centuries ago that would hurt. Now though I have a bit of a thicker skin. Smiting for every offense got boring, so I stopped Cursing, they kept cursing, and I didn't come to any harm whatsoever. Now it's rather more live and let live. 

Then inspiration struck. That beautiful moment of perfect order amidst chaos. Two or more thoughts in the back of your mind clicking together like the last edge piece of a jigsaw puzzle to make that perfect frame, or a mathematic proof, tying together what you suspected and what you know. I can't even tell which thoughts fused to be honest. 'The way she handles reincarnation is overdone.' 'I want to go back and watch Youview' maybe it was even imagining her with her antiquated worldview trying to live the citylife. 

I can't throw her into my world, but one of her people on the other hand, she owes me. The thought brings a smile to my lips, which widens at her wariness "Yes, imagination. Funny thing, with a little imagination even a lowly stick could become a sword, the mighty brought low, or the most boring of ideas can breathe with new life."

"...The last time you smiled like that the next young man you sent me was convinced we had met face to face, and I had promised myself to him if he would rid my world of demonic taint."

I shrug "Well, he was certainly driven. Plus the dramatic irony spiced it up for me a little."

She narrowed her eyes, seeming to internally debate then sighs. "You and your obsession with entertainment...do I even want to hear it?"

My smile softens just a little. "Relax, what I have in mind is more a challenge then anything else. I was thinking I would give a try at transplant reincarnation. With my own personal twist of course, just to make it actually entertaining. I'll just need one individual from your world of my choosing. Although to be perfectly honest, for best effect it will have to be someone moderately important." She seems reluctant. "Of course, if your reluctant, I might have to consider an embargo on idealistic young men, don't worry I won't take back any of the 'heroes' you presently have, they should last you, until they get stabbed. Who is your money on? turncoats, adversary, jilted lover perhaps?"

"Fine, if that's the case let's make it a competition. We both start at the same time. I get free choice of anyone I like on your world. You can't hold anyone back for any reason. We'll get a few pantheons to judge for us. A mix of your allies and mine to ensure impartiality. The most entertaining in 70 years wins."

"The stakes?"

"Public anouncement of the other's superiority."

Okay, it may not seem like much but when your a god, nothing physical matters. Entire worlds could be lost on stakes, and new ones can simply be created. Not that I would part with Earth and risk another world creating it's own internet. Still, my pride against her public standing. Seems fair to me. 

My smile widens a little bit "Well, you're the one who escalated this. Let's see who you've got."