I would like to thank Stargazer for being my first reviewer.
This takes place after the movie.
Chapter one: To receive judgement
Zeus was furious! He could not remember the last time he had been this angry. How could Hades do this? Release the titans, their ancient enemies, and try to usurp his throne? What was he thinking?
"I swear, the minute he gets out of that well……….." he growled through clenched teeth.
It had been three days since Hercules had saved Olympus and dunked Hades in the well of souls. Regardless of the fact that Olympus was saved and the titans were now touring the deep space or knowing that his mortal son was happily married to a wonderful mortal girl, Hades' betrayal had placed him in the blackest of moods.
Hera sighed deeply as she watched her husband. She was a bit annoyed with what her brother in law tried to do, but she couldn't bring herself to be angry at him. Especially after what he aid to her when he conquered Olympus for ten minutes.
Giving her swollen belly another rub, she walked up behind Zeus and massaged his shoulders.
"Now, now Zeus; lets not overreact. After all, do you remember when Poseidon, Apollo and I tried to usurp you?"
"That's different! All you did was tie me up. Hades released our oldest enemies and did a full-scale attack on Olympus," he growled. "I can't believe he would be that foolhardy. What if they had turned on him? Huh? They would have eaten him up, that's what? And how could he do this to me? I've never been so betrayed in my life."
"He probably feels the same way." Hera muttered sullenly. Zeus happened to have heard her.
"What do you meant by that?" Zeus asked, alarmed.
Hera looked at him, sadly. "Zeus, did you ever think that Hades acted in what he believed was the only way to get his revenge?"
"Revenge! Ha! I'll have you know that if he can't handle being teased by the other gods, then he is more pathetic then I thought."
"I don't think it's the lack of respect from the gods that is bothering him. Hades is too big to allow words to bother him. What I mean is…………" she found that she couldn't finish the sentence.
Zeus stared at her. He had never seen Hera look so guilty. Did she do something? And what does Hades have to do with it? Also, why was Hera defending him?
He was just about to ask when Hermes flew towards them with his usual air of cheeriness.
"Big Z, looking good as usual. And Hera, even pregnant you look dazzling, babe." Hermes grinned. He pulled out a scroll and unfolded it. He proceeded to read.
"Okay, from what my contacts had stated so far, the Underworld is a bit out of control. Dead soldiers are causing riots, demons are trying to take Hades' throne, several souls have attempted to escape and Cerberus is still missing. Oh, and Pain and Panic are throwing a party and I really should go back to it."
Zeus slapped his face and rubbed the side of his face. Of all the gods to try to take his throne, it had to be the one with one of the three most important jobs in the cosmos.
"Yes, yes! But has Hades come out yet?"
Hermes placed his fox-face on. "One of my sources tells me that a bald grey-blue god was sited climbing out of a large hole filled with very unhappy souls. The souls let him go. Apparently, they got tired of the sound of his voice."
"Who wouldn't?" a miffed Athena growled as he passed them by.
Zeus grinned evilly. He immediately disappeared to the Underworld.
When he was through with Hades, he was going to wish he wasn't immortal.
In the Underworld………..
Hades lay on his side as he tried to catch his breath. He couldn't believe how long he had been trapped. Every time he tried, the souls would pull him down and do more bodily harm to him. The only reason they had let him go this time was because he 'talked too much'.
Frankly; he didn't know whether to be grateful or insulted.
Standing up, he closed his eyes and focused. A red aura slowly spread all over his body, drying of the ectoplasm on him. As soon as that happened, his hair ignited and his body turned dark red. He then calmed down, reverting to his blue-greyish complexion. He reached up to smooth his blue hair back.
"Oh yeah, we are back in business."
Smirking, he pulled out a scroll, a feathered pen and a pair of thick black bifocals. Putting them on, he wrote his memos.
Memo one: Make sure that nothing lasting damage in the Underworld. (Paperwork must be piling.)
Memo two: Find Jerkules and make him a permanent customer in Hotel a la dead. (That was a lucky punch.)
Memo three: Find nut-Meg and do the same. (She's going to love Styx.)
Memo four: Find a very, very, very, very good excuse to Zeus as to why he shouldn't smite him. (Yeeeeesh! I'll be lucky he doesn't banish me.)
Memo five: Avoid Persephone.
He frowned at the last step. If memory served him well, spring will soon be over. Persephone will be coming in the Underworld in a few days.
Normally, Hades would be jumping for joy whenever Persephone would come to the Underworld but lately, he would avoid her like a plague, wanting nothing to do with her.
His musings were broken when his nose picked up smoke. Not just any smoke, but those of his best cigars!
It finally dawned to him that he left Pain and Panic alone, unsupervised.
He wrote one more thing on his list.
Memo six: Torture, hurt, destroy, pound, eviscerate, kill and of course, wreck bodily harm on two certain #? imps.
With that written, Hades stumped into his throne room. Just as he had expected from being gone for three days, the place was a wreck. Hell-demons and lost souls were swarming the throne room, loud music was being played and he noticed that Charon and Thanatos were dancing with zombified women. He searched the area with his eyes until he spotted Pain and Panic.
They were sitting on HIS throne, smoking HIS cigars and drinking HIS limited supply of ambrosia. He slowly snuck behind them, making sure he was behind the shadows. He gave a light cough to get their attention. Pain and Panic turned around and felt their hearts stop as a pair of very familiar yellow eyes was focused on them.
"Hey, H-H-H-H-Hades, w-we were just thinking about you." Panic stuttered as he pushed back his heart, which was punching out of his chest.
"Uh, yeah, and like when were you coming out of that well?" Pain added with a weak smile.
"You mean, 'If I was coming out'." Hades corrected.
Their eyes, if possible, widened further. "You heard us?" (1)
"NO D'UHH!" He screamed as he exploded, literally.
Seconds later, the throne room was emptied out as everyone attempted to escape Hades' fiery wrath. Charon and Thanatos decided that break-time was over and went back to work. Pain and Panic, who had been in front, were reduced to ashes. When they rearranged themselves, he grabbed them by their throats.
"While I was given a new definition of Hell by my own customers, you took advantage of my absence by throwing a party! You could have, at least, sent me an invitation. And why in the name of Zeus did you invite the souls? THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE MISERABLE!" He fumed.
"We didn't. They just showed up." They wheezed.
"Oh, don't give me that! Cerberus wouldn't let anyone in or out." Hades as he gave them a squeeze.
"Cerberus is gone. He ran away yesterday." Pain gasped.
Hades dropped them in shock. Cerberus? Gone? This was bad! Not only did he love that mutt (regardless, that he was no smarter then the imps), but Cerberus was the guard dog of the Underworld. Without him, he'd lose his customers.
"Oh, that's just peachy! I expected things to get a little behind schedule but this! Can't I leave you guys in charge for even a second without this crap? AND WILL YOU STOP TREMBLING!" he raged.
Pain and Panic didn't stop trembling. They were hugging each other tightly and were as white as chalk, never mind the fact that their eyes were the size of dinner plates. Hades was just about to roast them again when he noticed that they were not looking at him.
"There's something really bad behind me, isn't here?" he asked, his face paled when they both nodded numbly. Hades slowly turned around and was face-to-face with Zeus. Thunderclouds were forming above hi head and lightning was escaping his eyes and his face held a grim smile. In his hands, he was caressing a deadly thunderbolt.
"Hey, baby brother! Beautiful day, isn't it?" Zeus grinned evilly.
"Wouldn't know. I live down south." Hades threw back. His eyes started to search for possible exits while his body tensed up for that thunderbolt.
Zeus tilted his head. "Oh really? Well, then, you and I should go topside. You could use the fresh air after being trapped in that well for so long." He offered as he advanced menacingly toward Hades.
Hades stumbled backwards to avoid his irate brother. "Sorry bro, but paperwork is piling and there seems to be some chaos around that needs to be taken care of. And even if I was on schedule, I've got a full-time gig to handle, so can't. Love to, but can't." He sprinted towards the exit only to find it blocked by Zeus, who grabbed his arm with one hand and aimed his thunderbolt at his throat with the other.
"I insist," Zeus growled. "Or do you want me to aim a little lower?" He lowered his aim just below the belt.
"I could use a break." Hades squeaked.
Zeus grinned. "Smart choice. Now put these on." He handed Hades some immortal-binding chains.
"What are these for?" He asked, still not liking this day.
"Oh, I can't have you escaping while you're on trial."
"Trial! For what!"
"Gee, where do I even begin?" Zeus rolled his eyes as he and Hades disappeared.
This was just not Hades' day.
You gotta feel bad for Hades here. You also have to wonder why Hera is feeling guilty. Did she do something to Hades that may have gotten him to release the titans and where is Cerberus? Most importantly, what happened between Hades and Persephone?
(1) At the end of the movie, when Hades fell in the well of souls, this conversation took place
Panic: He' going to be very angry when he comes out.
Pain: You mean, 'if' he comes out.
Panic: If?... If is good.
