Hey guys, sorry it's been awhile since you've heard from me, I've been suffering terrible writer's block, I'm starting to get over that so I will be updating other things soon. This is a little idea I got while watching my favorite Disney movie! Hercules of course! It's a little reversed though, Thalia is going to be the Hercules character, trying to prove that women can be something other than housewives and mothers, and Luke is going to take the role of Megara, Aphrodite is going to be Hades, and Chiron is like Phil, it does take place in Ancient Greece, and I guarantee you will enjoy this. I don't know exactly how long it will be but I hope you guys enjoy it, maybe I'll do a couple other Disney inspired ones, I was actually considering a Little Mermaid Percabeth story. Let me know how you like it and what I could possibly add or if I should continue this, because I'm actually kind of liking this idea and I could actually see myself going a little farther. ~ Bolts and Trees :D
Thalia was sick of hearing it, girls could be heroes if they really wanted to be. She had a plan, she was going to be just as amazing as any of those stupid male heroes. She was supposedly a daughter of Zeus, however she couldn't see what he saw in her mother. Her mother was nothing but washed up and drunken all the time, she had even lost Thalia's little brother to a goddess after cursing her and yelling that she was by far more beautiful than Hera.
Thalia sighed and stood from the small garden she had planted outside she and her mother's small home, "Mother, I'm going to the Temple of Zeus!"
Thalia packed a quick bag and set off on the long journey to the Temple of Zeus from her small farming town. Her mother was most likely passed out drunk, not caring that her daughter, her young daughter of only sixteen was heading out on her own. Women never left their homes alone, they were always accompanied by a man or a boy. Thalia strapped her grandfather's sword to her waist, took one last look at the condemned looking building she had called home all her life, and then set her eyes toward the horizon and started off down the dusty dirt road.
Thalia had never really fit into that town anyway, she was different, she could do things the other girls and women couldn't do. She was extremely gifted with a sword, she one accidentally called lightning and caught an olive tree on fire, she was strong, everything from her build to her personality was different. She didn't hold her tongue like the other women, she cursed like a sailor, she didn't keep her tunics past her ankles like women were supposed to, the fabric would just get in her way. She didn't need that.
Her hair was falling out of her bun, that was one thing that her mother cared about, she wouldn't have her daughter romping around with man hair. Thalia had begged for years to be allowed to cut it to at least her shoulders but her mother would hear nothing of it. She threw her wine jug at Thalia and passed out drunk every time she asked.
The journey wasn't easy, she had to sleep in the woods, there were monsters everywhere she turned, she finally felt free. She pulled her cloak around her face and shouldered her small bag and she could see the glittering pillars of Zeus's temple glittering in the late evening sun. She didn't have long to go until she reached the temple. Her feet were sore, she was pretty sure she had blisters, and she was splattered in monster blood and the blood of the animals she had hunted for food. When she got to the temple she smiled, she had completed the first part of her journey.
She walked into the temple, torches lined the walls, and walked up to the huge statue of him, this man was apparently her father. She knelt in front of it, and muttered, "Lord Zeus, I would like your guidance to become a hero. I want to prove myself..."
Something about the atmosphere changed and a cold wind blew through the temple, it was oddly cold for the middle of the warm spell they were going through. The wind was strong enough to cause the torches to go out and then the weirdest thing happened. The statue came to life, Zeus's brooding face looked down upon her, "Thalia, my daughter."
Thalia stood frozen in fear, she had seen weird things in her life as a demigod but this was the weirdest. She swallowed her fear, "So it is true then, I am your daughter?"
The statue smiled, "You are indeed my daughter. What have you called upon me for?"
"Father, I'd like to become a hero." she said blatantly.
Her father's smile didn't once falter, "Well you need to seek out Chiron, trainer of all heroes, and train with him. I'll show you to him."
"You really believe that I can be a hero like all the men?" Thalia asked cautiously. A women being a hero simply wasn't heard of, it just wasn't done and society frowned upon a woman doing anything other than holding her tongue, weaving, and having children.
The statue frowned, "Of course I believe in you my child, I've watched over you for sixteen years and you do in fact have what it takes to become a hero as great as Hercules or Achilles."
Thalia smiled, it was nice to have someone believe in her for the first time in her life. Zeus, her father, king of the gods, believed that she could become a great heroine. She was in shock, "Thank you father."
Zeus smiled down at his daughter, "You're destined for greatness Thalia, you truly are."
The words crashed upon Thalia like a comforting wave, her father truly did believe in her and he truly cared about her. She finally gathered her thoughts, "Where can I find Chiron?"
"Well you're going to need some transportation to get there." Zeus whistled and through the roof something landed behind Thalia. She turned to find a gorgeous pegasus standing behind. It was large and gray, Thalia meet Astor, he will be your...well steed in a way."
The horse whinnied and nudged Thalia with his nose. Thalia gulped, she had a terrible fear of heights, which was truly strange considering she's a daughter of Zeus. She carefully climbed onto the horse's back and was shot straight into the stars. Thalia could feel the wind rushing through her hair that had fell out of its bun. Her cloak billowed out behind her. She had to admit that the view was gorgeous.
They reached the island Chiron called home the next morning. Astor landed and Thalia slid off his back. She walked towards the house that sat in the middle of the beach and knocked on the door. No answer and then she heard the sound of hooves and turned to find a man with the hindquarters of a horse.
"I'm looking for Chiron." Thalia explained.
The man smiled, "Well child you've found the correct centaur."
Thalia smiled, "I've been sent by my father, Zeus. I would like to become a hero."
The centaur smiled, "Well you've come to the right place."
"You're not going to turn me away?" she asked.
The centaur chuckled, "Why would I do that child?"
"Because I'm a woman." Thalia replied looking down at her sandals.
"That shouldn't matter, you look to be a promising hero, and I will train you. However I warn you it will not be easy Thalia." the centaur smiled. She didn't remember telling him her name, how could he possibly have known her name?
"I prepared to do anything." Thalia smiled.
"Then let's get started." Chiron smiled, "We're going to have to get you into something more comfortable for training."
Thalia sighed and looked at the new clothing Chiron had set out for her; the clothing of the warriors she had heard about through stories. It was a leather skirt, a belt with a sheathe for her sword, and a leather top that Thalia had to admit hugged her body a little more than she would have liked. He had also given her a blade to cut her hair. He recommended that she cut it to at least her shoulder. Even the sandals went higher up her leg, Chiron explained that it was to better support her.
Thalia tied her sandals and then picked up the small blade Chiron had handed her. She looked at her raven hair that had grown incredibly long over the years of not being able to cut it. She grabbed the blade and slashed, a shower of raven locks fell around her feet and she looked into the bronze shield hanging on the wall. She almost didn't recognize herself, her hair framed her face and just barely grazed the top of her shoulders. Her dream was finally becoming a reality.
Thalia trained under Chiron for a years. She worked hard a proved herself, and by her seventeenth year, Thalia's skills were looking promising and Chiron was prepared to set her out into the world to prove her worth.
Thalia sat down with her dinner across from Chiron, "I'm getting way better at archery."
"You are improving." Chiron nodded, "Thalia I think it's time we sent you out to prove you're strength."
Thalia smiled at the centaur, it was nice to have someone believe in her, "You really think so?"
Chiron nodded, "We'll leave tomorrow for the mainland, there are plenty of monsters to take care of there."
Thalia was so happy that she hugged the centaur and was too excited to eat anything. She managed to get through her dinner and then ran straight to bed where she was too excited to even sleep. She walked out to where Astor was grazing and wrapped her arms around his neck, "It's finally happening Astor, I'm going to become a hero, the first woman hero."
The pegasus nickered and nuzzled his neck against Thalia who patted his muscular neck and stayed out all night, much too excited to even think about sleeping.
"How dare she!" Aphrodite bellowed. She didn't like this, women were supposed to stay quiet, become housewives, they weren't meant to become heroines. Heroines were good wives much like Penelope. Women weren't supposed to carry any form of weapon, this went against everything Aphrodite had ever built up for the image of women.
She was going to throw every curve ball at Thalia to make sure that she never became a hero. Women weren't supposed to be heroes. Aphrodite ran her hand through the image making it disappear. She wasn't going to have it, she wasn't going to have women think they could do something other than have children and get married, no, it just simply wasn't done. Women weren't meant to be heroes.
Aphrodite knew exactly how to do it.