Plight of Persephone

Ok people, you know the score, I do not own Hercules, Disney does and even though they do not have plans for— What? They do! DAMMIT! Son of a Titan—! I knew it! I KNEW they would do a god damn live action remake! *Agent of Teal facepalms wearily* I hope none of the executives got the idea from reading this story, now that would be awkward ...I'm sorry, back too the disclaimer.. Don't worry, you do not need to have read any of my other stories to read this one and the original is NOT going anywhere, it stays here where it belongs.. I do own this version of Persephone and all other original characters and places that come up, permission and advice is always given to those who want to use them but do tell me if you use my characters so I may view and comment on your work.. Just like the original I will be basing this story around Greek myths and twisting them around just like Disney did, I will also be reworking some of the original plot lines.. Please review and let me know your thoughts.. Thank you for your time. Enjoy!

Reviews:

Sharkeygirl: It's no problem, your my most avid reviewer, it was the least I could do to show my appreciation.. And I won't give too much away..

Chapter Twenty-Two: Will They, Won't They (part one)

"I don't understand.. First you don't want to show me more, now you want me to shadow you. What's with you? Your acting weird.." Persephone frowned suspiciously as she followed the blue flamed god holding her purple clipboard with her favourite phoenix feather quill down the long stairwell towards the docks of the Styx. He was hiding something from her, that much was obvious. But what? And why? Whatever it was was obviously troubling and the imps had darted off the moment he had roused himself from his mindless staring and dismissed them to their duties. They had clearly been the ones to tell him of this disturbing piece of news and the fiery god had been oddly quiet since. This had been unnerving to her.. Hades wasn't exactly the shy and retiring kind of god from what she had seen in the last five months. He often spoke so much that Persephone wondered if he liked the sound of his own voice... Or he was so starved for attention that he was liked just talking her ear off just because she was here and willing to listen. Either way she did not like this new quiet and brooding Hades..

In response to her words the blue flamed god stopped suddenly in his tracks and turned to her so fast she wobbled on the spot in her haste not to crash into him. She felt as if she would never get used to his ever changing moods and jump-scare fast, fluid movements.

"Do you trust me?"

"Er..." His sudden question threw her and she looked perplexed as to why he would even ask this.

"Hey, it's not exactly a trick question, is it?" Hades interrupted her thought process with a kink of one eyebrow and a deadpan expression that couldn't quite hide the inner irritation and somewhat hurt look reflected in those expressive golden eyes. The latter emotion vanished quickly as he continued, "It has a very simple yes or no answer that will dictate how well I can answer your initial question, ok? Trust is the key foundation to any relationship professional, platonic or otherwise.."

"It's hard to trust you when I know your hiding something.." Persephone frowned folding her arms across her clipboard and quill, the poignant meaning of his last words completely going over her head.

"Y'know, it's things like this that will land you in tight jams in future. You really should work on those people skills, take that under advisement." He added with a slight huff before turning away from her. "And for the record I'm hiding a lot of things from you, we've only known each other five months and nine days, you'll have to be more specific with what particular thing you think I'm hiding from you." Immediately he proceeded to continue on striding down the stairs making the much younger goddess unfold her arms and swiftly follow, clipboard and quill still in hand.

"You promised you'd tell me if it was important." She continued having to keep a quick pace to keep up with him.

"I did." Hades responded in a surprisingly amiable voice considering her trust doubts. "Which clearly indicates that I obviously don't consider whatever this is as "'important''." He air-quoted as he walked downwards, rolling his yellow eyes which was unseen by her.

"Do you trust me?" Persephone sighed veering the subject, unable to argue with his logic. She had never specified that whatever he hid from her had to be important to her, he wasn't technically breaking his promise to her by withholding information.

"I believe I've already answered this question." The blue flamed god exhaled heavily stopping again and turning. He buried his frustration at her need to ask this under a light, friendly smile and extended one hand towards her as she stopped. She was a few steps behind him as her shorter legs had struggled to keep pace but she was almost the same height as him due to the steep rise of the cliff-edge the steps were on. His fingers were warm to the touch as they caressed her cheek gently, his thumb running down her bottom lip and resting on her chin a moment as he studied her face. "My answer hasn't changed." With that he let go and Persephone stood there looking stunned, her lithe white fingers going to her lips and touching the spot where his thumb had brushed her bottom lip. The tingling still there and spreading to warm the apples of her cheeks with a peachy blush.. He still trusted her..

"I want to trust you Hades.. Are you sure this is not something I can help you with?" She smiled sweetly moving her hand to grip his much, much larger hand, her dainty fingers fitting neatly inside his fingers as they automatically clasped hers. Her aura blending with the pale bluish-grey of his skin giving a pearly glow where his skin tone merged with her pure white. Her olive green eyes were gazing at him with concern and affection. She truly cared about him.. and she wanted to help. He felt a pit forming in his stomach, starting to feel bad about denying her the knowledge that Hecate was coming for her. But the truth was he had never seen Hecate as a real threat, he could handle anything that witch tried to throw at him and he didn't feel as if he needed her to get involved when this was technically his fight.

"Persephone, your a doll but this one I can handle myself.." He replied simply, his smirk softening into an actual soft smile before he lifted the hand that was still enclosed around her fingers and kissed them before letting her hand go. As he turned away he smirk returning, catching sight of her suddenly turn her blonde head with a coy look.

"Well, ok then.. But if you do change your mind the offer is always open, even after I leave.." Persephone added attempting to control her blushes with difficulties. She felt as if her skin would overheat due to the dangerously alluring scent that she could only deduce was coming from him. Whatever he had doused himself with that morning smelt incredible to her. That coupled with the undeniable truth that she had found herself becoming more and more smitten by him ever since that kiss by the Pool of Lethe. She had begun to wonder if they could possibly do it again but she had been timid thinking that he wouldn't view her in that light. He had never brought up the kiss and had been acting as if it meant nothing to him. At least, this is what she thought until today.. Now she wasn't so sure that was the case.. He was such a confusing god, just when she thought she had him figured out something always cane up that surprised her..

"Fine, I'll keep it under consideration, how's that?" Hades replied airily as the two imps and the long grey stone docks. "Now let's check in with the idiots then if the numbers are low, like I suspect they are, how's about we duck out early and I'll show ya a good time. Whadda ya think, huh, you in?"

"Am I allowed? I must have paperwork to—" She found herself cut off as Hades immediately cut through her words, the phoenix quill and clipboard Persephone had been holding vanishing into smoke at the snap of his fingers.

"Hey, remember me? Li'l ol' Lord of the Dead.. Your boss. Forget about work, we'll catch up with it later.. What's the point in the buisness lull if ya don't take advantage of it once in a while.." He continued in his jaunty drawl pulling away from her and marching over to the imps, who until this point had been lounging bored against two of the black wooden jetty posts playing cards. At least until they clocked that their flame haired boss had arrived and the cards vanished instantly as they stood with matching sheepish grins.

"We weren't doing anything.." Pain blurted out mindlessly.

"I can see that.." Hades responded sharply before instantly flashing his minions an obviously false smirk that was designed to mask his full annoyance. "I'm guessing the Soul Booth is dead then?" At least that's what Persephone assumed as she noiselessly stood at the bottom of the steps, wanting to stay out of the fireworks that were sure to come if these two didn't clock onto his mood.

"Yeh, so is Doom Service.." Panic chipped in.

"And everywhere else down here. Dead as a door nail your salaciousness.." His small round eyes able to spot Persephone purely because he was standing turned slightly in her direction whereas Panic was slightly turned away.

"Ok, good. So I just have one question.." Hades drawled before glaring, his flames turned orange faster than anyone could blink. "Is the quarterly review gonna prepare for itself?-!" Persephone merely rolled her green eyes in disbelief before closing the gap between her and Hades as the two imps began jogging on the spot in their panic to get away before diving away passed her as two fireballs cane flying for them. The youthful white-skinned goddess had to quickly sidestep to avoid being hit by the balls of fire, making her long blonde mane of hair swish as she moved.

"Heh, apologies Seph.. Little yutzes wouldn't know hard work if it bit 'em on the— Oh, look.. the boatman, heh, perfect timin'.." The fiery god chuckled before flashing Charon a wide grin as he pulled into the Styx, his long black gondola without a single passenger.

"It's slim pickin's today boss.. Only seen three souls this morning." His deep raspy voice said in an apologetic fashion but the fiery god seemed the least bit unphased by this information as he continued to smile widely.

"Uh-huh, good, good. Say Charon, why don'tcha take five. I wanna use the boat." He drawled back and this in turn made the bony boatman throw his boss a stunned look.

"What?" The dull grey skinned skeletal thin boatman dressed in a black cape uttered looked completely bemused. He had never been asked in all his mileniums of working to just give up his boat.

"Pfft, don't act like ya didn't hear me. C'mon, gimmie the oar.." Hades frowned a little towards the boatman, the open palm he presented to Charon beckoning him with his four long bony bluish-grey fingers.

"But sir, it's my duty to row the boat, surely I can just take you and your lovely lady to wherever it is you wish to go." The skeletal boatman grinned somewhat nervously with a glance to Persephone who was watching the exchange somewhat confused. He had been doing his job flawlessly and though he knew his was pushing his luck he was still reluctant to give up his oar.

"Uh.. No. Not this time. Now I'll let this one fly since you keep your nose clean but I won't ask again.. The oar. Now!" His usually blue flames switched to orange and considering this was the first time they had ever been directed at him Charon instantly handed over the long black oar and hastily got out of the long gondola. Persephone couldn't help but flash him a sympathetic look as he looked somewhat confused as to what he was supposed to do now.

"Good choice." Hades smirked getting on board. "Hop aboard babe, I haven't shown you the water way, yet." The fiery god flashed her his most charming grin, which may have come off as slick and slimy to most others but not to the youthful looking goddess stood on the stone jetty. She moved forwards before pausing and turning to Charon who was stood with his arms folded looking somewhat sour about all this.

"I'll be sure he gives it back.." She uttered kindly as she pulled two gold coins out of her bosom and offered them to the boatman.

"That's not the issue but thanks.." Charon responded before looking at the coins confused before looking back at her. "What's that for? You ride for free.."

"Consider it compensation for the hijacking.." She added grabbing his loose-skinned bony hand and forcing the coins in it before turning towards the long gondola and allowing the blue flamed Lord of the Dead to assist her aboard.

"Ya didn't have t'do that.." Hades murmured softly in her ear when he brought her in close, his full blue lips millimetres from the side of her face, the seductive scent of him hitting her hard and making her want to go weak at the knees but she resisted.

"I know, I just wanted to.." Persephone replied with a playful smirk moving away from him and settling herself down into the boat. She had barely managed to repress a shiver at his seductive behaviour but was unsure if this was some kind of ploy because he hadn't shown any such attention to her in the last few weeks since their kiss. Still, she was intrigued to see where this was going and she had never been on a boat ride without Poseidon before. She watched him curiously as he untied the long black gondola boat from the jetty and used the oar to cast off into the Styx..

"A boat ride?" Minthe huffed from her perch in the thick leathery shrubbery near the waters edge where she was able to spy on the fiery god as he rowed with long brusque strokes while his little intern sat neatly in front. "He never took me on any boat ride!" She narrowed her hazel brown eyes and pouted jealously. This was starting to look like a date!

How could he do this now?

The little green haired nymph scowled in irritation as she pulled herself back through the shrubbery. Why would he be taking her on a date? She would be leaving soon and if Minthe knew anything about Hades it was that he could be very possessive over things he considered to be his. His own throne was the perfect example, he didn't like the Underworld but he made damn sure that Hecate wouldn't get it all the same..

What does he even see in her anyway?

Persephone only had this pale, drab and white look going on when she was out of the sun. She only had to spend an hour in the sun for her lilac tan to make a reappearance then once her mother forced her into one of those ugly loose white chitons and stupid flower crown he would soon see that she looked just like she always did. Demeter's little girl.. She still got ID'ed every time they went to clubs and bars and Persephone would just hand over her ID and giggle in amusement at the sudden look of horror when the bouncer would realise she was a goddess..

She wasn't right for him. How could he even look at a goddess that would permenantly be pubescent? It was creepy, it was wrong and it looked borderline paedophilic.. Why would the Lord of the Dead want to look like a total creeper? He would just make it so much easier for Hecate to claim Persephone had been brainwashed and raped..

Minthe's scowl deepened as she grabbed the two pink Love Arrows she had kept buried in dirt while she was in plant form. She had to find a way to split them up before Hades played right into the hands of Hecate.. Somehow, someway she had to break them up and snag Hades for herself.. It was the only way to save him now!

She vanished out in a puff of green with a sweet smell, determined to follow them..

"They're gone!" Pain exclaimed loudly as the chubby imp rooted around behind the huge stone throne of their boss, making the long grey drape behind swish with a flurry. Getting the numbers ready for the quarterly review was much easier with Persephone handling the books. The goddess made sure to organise the daily soul intake numbers in a manner that meant all the imps had to do was follow a column of figures and plot it out on the chart scroll. She had basically done most of the hard work for them unlike Hades, who already had a heavy work schedule and not the time to really focus, only did the bare minimum and expected them to pick up the slack. Both Pain and Panic felt assured that since Persephone took real care in her work that the figures were going to be accurate which meant less flames from Hades when it came to the presentation.. And since their job was now much easier and took less effort they had turned their attention back to their plot to hook up Persephone and Hades. Time was whittling down fast and they knew things would only get tougher with her not around..

"What?" Panic yelped in shock. "They can't be gone! Let me see.." He elbowed his slightly older chubbier rose-pink twin in a vain attempt to force himself through so he could see for himself.

"I'm telling you-ahow! They're not here." Pain winced at a perticularly hard jab from his bony lithe teal brother as the stick thin imp was able to squeez himself into the tight gab between the throne and his older twin, smashing the rose-pink imp into the corner edge of the secret passageway hidden behind the throne. Only their boss and them knew about this emergency exit from the throne room as Hades had created it for dire emergencies and it lead directly out to a concealed entrance by the Pool of Lethe.

"That's impossible. I saw you put them here, who would've found them.." Panic struggled to pull himself back out, his huge bug eyes widening in fear as he hyperventilated, his tiny chest puffing so fast with every breath. "M-maybe the boss found them, I told you that was a stupid place to put them!" He rambled before flashing his chubbier denser brother a deep accusing scowl.

"No, no.. He can't have. We woulda been flamed for sure, besides this is still here.." Pain replied picking up the two pronged dikrano that the two had wedged behind there to stop him from skewering them and forcing them to transform into marshmallows and melt over one of the underground lava pits for his twisted entertainment.

"Then who took them.." Panic frowned rubbing his chin trying to think.

"Miss Persephone?" Pain interjected looking hopeful that he was right.

"Eh. I doubt it, she probably would have asked Hades about it and he clearly doesn't know about the arrows." The short skinny imp dismissed this instantly.

"Hecate?"

"Now why would Hecate want Love Arrows, she hates Hades. Why would she come crawling back to him?"

"Cause... She's desperate, sad and lonely.." Pain shrugged casually with an 'I don't know' expression.

"While that is true I don't think the boss would stoop that low.. Even when nailed with a Love Arrow." Panic uttered dismissing this again.

"Well, what about that crazy nymph that's always hanging around trying to lure the boss?" Pain suddenly spoke up after a moment of thinking. "You know the one. Green hair in a ponytail with white flowers, brown eyes acts like a stuck up brat whenever she sees us.."

"The one that the boss slept with once then regretted because she now refuses to leave him alone?" Panic fired this all out in one quick but fluid sentence, considering this nymph. They weren't completely one hundred percent on the specifics of what had made their boss bed the nymph, they had been too nervous to ask but he fully regretted it the next day as from that day onwards the river sprite had just decided to up and try and move herself into his realm. The only real conclusions they had come to was that either their boss had had too much to drink on Olympus as it had been another celebration at the time or he had headed home in a complete depression and needed some form of comfort he thought he could get from her. Either way Hades had messed up and had been paying for it ever since.

"Well, if it is her maybe Persephone will finally send her packing." Pain replied with a sadistic smile trying to imagine what horrors the goddess could unleash when provoked by that crazy nymph. "Then Hades is sure to ask her out."

"Hey, yeh.. He couldn't stop talking about how she outwitted that 'These-yutz' guy when she put him in that Chair of Forgetfulness a few weeks back. He's been head over heels for her since and if she does something nasty to his stalker he'll probably want to marry her.." Panic added as he rubbed his tiny claws together with an evil chuckle.

"This plan might work out after all!" They both chimed together cheerfully looking instantly lighter about the whole ordeal since they would be less likely to be blamed for the Love Arrows getting into the Underworld in the first place.

"So... Should we figure out where they went?" Pain questioned his skinny teal partner curiously.

"Nah.. Let's take advantage of the fact he's not here and play ping-pong.." Panic responded summoning two paddles, a net and an eyeball out of a shimmer of green throwing his brother a smirk..

The sound of Hades' singing voice seemed to fill the carvenous Underworld as he rowed casually, guiding the long black gondola with the beautifully carved serpent head at the front. The extent of his artistic talent never failed to amaze Persephone. She had only been here five months but she was starting to recognise his style and it was obvious that he had created the figurehead serpent for the black boat. Now she was inside it she had realised it hadn't been painted but was charred black from being burnt, not painted like she had initially thought. She had no idea what technique he had used but he must have whittled the entire boat himself from a huge tree first. Most likely a hardwood tree but it was too hard to tell what kind anymore due to the whole burning process but if she were to guess she would say cypress wood would work best for it. When first in the boat she had been sat down but eventually the youthful looking goddess was stood up, holding onto the sides of the large figurehead serpent. Her long blonde hair whipping around her in the updraft as the boat as her eyes watched the banks of the Underworld pass by. They had turned from the Styx into the Acheron, the land around them a blur of soft ghostly pink, matching the two asphodels twirled into the left side of her head and ashen white poplar trees..

"Did I really grow all that?" Persephone looked amazed, having not realised the full scope of the Fields of Purgatory or 'Asphodel Fields' as the dead souls often referred to them as. It was hard for her to believe that three year old her had caused so much irrefutable damage to his realm. A guilty pit formed in her stomach, she never should have done that. He must have been so angry with her at the time and hid it well and her poor mother must have got such a berating when he handed her back..

Hades who had recently finished his crooning song blinked at her expression of wonderment that was laced with a hint of guilt.

"Oh yeh.. Yeh, that's all you.." The blue flamed god exhaled, his yellow eyes narrowing at the fields. His full blue lips twisted somewhat expressing his slight disapproval though he didn't voice it.

"I'm sorry. I have no excuse for ruining your realm like that." Persephone exhaled leaning her blonde head against the large serpent head, closing her eyes with a sad expression marring her beautiful youthful white-skinned face. "And you can't even kill it off.."

"Hehe.. Oh I tried on several occasions, believe me." Hades responded before shrugging casually. "But the sub-realm isn't entirely useless. The pollen in those asphodels confuses both mortals and dead souls, keeps them outta my flames and often delays heroes dumb enough to try comin' in from this side.."

"Really? Probably filled with something my mother disapproved of at the time.." The blonde goddess replied with a slight eye roll. She had no idea what kind of pollen these flowers could have, it had been a few millennia since she had grown them but she knew how strict her mother was when it came to surface plants. No doubt her younger self had wandered off, found this dark land and grown plants her mother had prohibited at the time. It was very like her to secretly defy like that, even then as a tot.

"Hey, I'm not complainin'.." The fiery god replied.

"But don't do it again." Persephone added with a slight smirk looking back.

"I didn't say that." Hades frowned a little as his lips pursed, not liking being second-guessed but not denying he had been thinking it.

"You didn't have to." Persephone added lightly, finding the blue god easier to read the longer she stayed in his company. He wasn't the easiest god to read, far from it but she felt that he was warming to her, letting her see more of him than she first had seen. He was a god with many, many layers and she wanted to know each and every part of him if he would allow her to. She had realised early on that everything was on his terms but she was willing to be patient with him...

Little Notes:

Hey guys, this chapter is in two parts because I realised when I over shot my deadline and only had half what I wanted as a chapter that this was going to be way, way too long.. Had no time to edit this so I hope it's decent.

Thanks to everyone who got me to 10,000 views! I have a challange planned to post tomorrow for that so look out for it..

Too tired to really explain myself as I've stayed up until 2AM with this and am bloody exhausted.. going to bed so enjoy..

Stay Tuned

A~Teal