A/N: This is an AU. There is no Percabeth what-so-ever in this fic. It is all Perzoe. I am a Percabeth fan, but I enjoy shipping Percy with other people in AU fanfictions. Such as Zoe.

Disclaimer: I am a thirteen year old girl. Do I look like I could have written The Lightening Thief when I was five (The book came out in 2005)? I should think not.

Chapter 1:

A bulky man with large muscles and heavy steps entered the lush greenery also known as the Garden of the Hesperides. He saw all finds of different trees and plants, but this didn't matter to the man. He strode through the garden, head held high. A lion's fur cape was resting on his shoulders, and it flew a bit behind him as he walked. He found the edge of the Garden, where a tall gate stood. He glanced towards the sky and growled in frustration.

"Thou may not pass without defeated Ladon."

The man turned, his size slowing him considerably. In front of him, several yards back, stood a girl. The girl was beautiful, with copper skin and raven black hair that tumbled down her shoulders like a waterfall. She had volcanic black eyes that were unnerving, but nothing could scare the great hero. The girl had regal features and a slightly upturned nose. Her face had anguish and feelings for the hero written all over it, and the man knew that this could be his chance to find Ladon.

"Pray tell me, pretty one, where is Ladon? I will defeat him in thy name."

The girl's dark eyes widened in fear and she shook her head.

"I cannot tell thee. Do not face Ladon, he will destroy thee."

The man laughed and the girl blinked in confusion. He stepped closer to her until they were only a mere foot apart. The man towered over the girl, two heads taller than her. She looked up at him, and he chuckled again.

"Pretty one, show me Ladon."

Her face showed her anguish and pain.

"I cannot. I cannot betray my sisters and Lady Hera."

She looked down at her pure white Greek dress and sandals. The dress ended at her knees, showing that she was less than sixteen. If the hero had to guess, he'd guess fourteen. He cupped a hand underneath her chin and brought her head up to look at him.

"No matter. Tell me where Ladon hides, and thy may come with me."

The girl smiled, and stepped away from the man. She dropped a slender hand into a bag at her waist. She took out some golden dust and blew on it softly. The dust began to sparkle, and the girl blew it to the wind. It flew to the right, gathering more and becoming solid. It became the Tree of Immortality, with a curled dragon at the bottom. The girl stepped back, a sad smile on her face. Suddenly, four girls appeared. They all looked very similar to the first girl and were about the same age as well. One girl, a bit taller than the rest and clearly the leader, stepped forward and spat at the girl.

"Thy betrayed us! I banish thee, Zoe, to never tread these grounds again. Thy shall be stripped of thy title as a Hesperide, thy name disgraced. From this day forward, there shall be only four Hesperides, and the name Zoe the Hesperide erased from the history of the Garden. Our Lady Hera rejects you, for revealing the tree and Ladon to her enemy, the wretched hero Heracles. May he and thee leave now, or I shall wake Ladon."

Zoe cowered back, and the slight glow to her skin had paled as she lost her immortality. The taller girl spat at her again, and one of the other sisters looked at her in disgust before saying,

"We only must raise our voices and Ladon shall wake."

Another sister glared,

"May he destroy you and thy so-called lover."

The forth sister raised her voice,

"Ladon! Wake!"

The four girls disappeared and Zoe wept. Tears streamed down her copper skin and she dropped to her knees. The man, Heracles, readied his club to attack Ladon, but the girl gripped his free hand. He shook her away with ease, but, in order that he might keep up his façade, he turned to her. She stood and pulled a hairclip from her hair. She opened his hand, and he let her. She pressed the hairclip in his palm and curled his fingers over it.

"May this help thee slay Ladon."

He laughed lightly and looked down at her.

"How should this clip help me slay Ladon, pretty one?"

She swallowed and nodded,

"It will turn when the time is right. It was a gift from my mother, the sea goddess Pleione. Hopefully it will be enough. And if thy can…"

"Of course I can, pretty one. What does thee ask of me?"

"If thy can, try not to slay Ladon. If thy can, subdue him until only one head remains. He will know that thee has beaten him and allow thee access to the Tree. He will heal, and the Tree would still be protected after thee is done on thy quest."

He nodded and glanced back to where Ladon was watching, still tethered to the tree. The two stood far enough away from the Tree so that Ladon could not attack them. He stepped away from the girl, and the hairpin elongated into a glowing celestial bronze sword. He weighed it,

"A nice sword, pretty one. I usually prefer my bare hands, but this will subdue Ladon nicely. What can I call this sword?"

She nodded sadly, scared for the hero.

"It is Anaklusmos, the Riptide. It holds the power of the sea in it. Use it well."

He charged at the dragon, which lunged at him. Heracles slew Ladon, with Zoe crying in the background. The dragon disintegrated, and Heracles reached the tree. He tricked Atlas into taking an apple for him, and then tricked him under the sky again. Zoe just wiped her tears and watched in horror. Having retrieved his prize, Heracles brushed past Zoe as he left the garden.

"Wait!"

Heracles turned to see Zoe, the tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"Thy promised thy would take me with thee."

He shrugged his wide shoulders and kept walking. Zoe followed, hoping to catch up. Heracles finally turned and glared at the girl. She shrunk back, fear evident in her eyes. He growled,

"I have deeds to do, pretty one. I have no place for a girl."

He strode past her before turned, a thought coming to him.

"Actually, pretty one, I have a need for thee. Come with me."

A/N: I have the first four chapters written all ready, and I'll post them daily while writing ahead of time. I seem to function better that way. Please R&R.

-Sadie