Ok peeps, same deal third story (and it's a good one!) ok, fifth if you want to get technical about it… I don't own Disney's Hercules (unfortunately) but Persephone, Thanatos and all the other original characters and places that pop-up belong to me…

This story takes things from both the film and the series while it also contains some carrying themes from it's forerunners; Plight of Persephone & Daddy's Little Hellraiser (plus a few things from both short stories too) so read them first…

Little hint: if you haven't read it's forerunners then you will get confused because some things that have happened in past fics are coming back in this fate-filled fic..

And a little reminder… Disney twisted a lot of myths for their storylines so I have to do some minor tweaking of my own to make this work…

enjoy x


DakraixCresselia: Actually Proteus wasn't the only shape-shifting god but he was the most infamous one… his father Poseidon too was infamous for changing shape to seduce women as was his brother Zeus.. X

WikiSorcerer: Welcome to the Review Crew hun, actually haven't a scoob what your on about just assuming it was my comment of Disney calling Hermes Hercules' uncle… glad you agree but I've corrected the error for my fanfic XP

AngelOfDarkness1959: Ponder no more… the answer is here! :D

DisneyPrincess: Welcome Back hun… oooh, Disney World.. WoW, I'm super jealous, but glad you had a good holiday and are back up to speed.. X

Stella Limegood: Don't worry hun, it's not Zeus I don't think he'd even want to be Thanatos' mentor.. X

November Oradot: Proteus is to Thanatos what Milhouse is to Bart… but yeh, he's very sweet.. X


The Importance of Thanatos

Chapter Eleven:Mentor Madness

All the gods gasped as one as the owner of the voice came out of the shadows. The Fate of the Inevitable was followed by her two sisters who had the same sense of purpose that glinted in the Eye of Fate in her socket.

Hecate, who'd been invited by Persephone since she was an inhabitant of the Underworld, smirked slightly amused the appearance of these three haggard old women.

'This should be interesting..' She uttered to Demeter who happened to be standing near to her. The Goddess of Nature sighed heavily shaking her golden cornflower crown in mild despair, it seemed that like his mother before him the Fates had big plans for Thanatos..

'You..' Hades uttered stunned, then being the first to recover from the shock of the identity of this volunteer he scowled at the twisted sisters. 'Ohhh, nuh, nuh, nuh, nuh, no… you ain't getting your wrinkly old mitts on my son!' The fiery god snatched his one year old son out of his wife's grip and the flame-haired infant godling gave a slight squeak of shock at his daddy's erratic behaviour.

'Hades..' Persephone sounded in a slight reprimand, she too was not the biggest fan of the Fates but she knew better than most that once they had their minds set nothing would deter them.

'I told you he'd react this way..' Lachesis remarked casually to Atropos folding her arms. The shortest Fate only made a slight murmur of agreement.

'We know..' Clotho responded snidely, Lachesis was about to made a nasty retort when Hades flared a nasty shade of orange and continued with his rant.

'I don't want you three ladies anywhere near my boy!' Hades snarled angrily his flaming hair growing a foot as the god smouldered brutally. Hades then shoved his burning face right up towards the Fates.

'Hades!' Persephone repeated slightly more exasperated while little Thanatos just looked confused by his daddy's flare up. He'd never met these three ladies before but his father obviously didn't like them that much and it made the little godling wary, perhaps he wasn't to trust these people either..

Again Hades wasn't listening as he was already on a blazing roll.

'Although you three already know why I shouldn't be so freakin' surprised that you've decided to meddle in my life again..' The fiery god sounded slightly over-dramatic causing his wife to roll her green eyes. Hades made a look of mock-confusion and continued with his rant. 'What? The other gods just not interesting enough for ya? That it? Huh?'

'Hades, this has nothing to do with you!' Atropos spoke firmly, her gravely voice laced with the subtle tones of anger as she frowned at the fiery god.

'Hah! That's a laugh and a half!' Hades then narrowed his eyes in false amusement at his eldest sister. 'Do you do stand up Atropos? Seriously, you should consider it.. the crowd will be laughing themselves to death.' Nyx and Erebus, who had rematerialized back into the room the moment the God of Darkness had sensed their eldest three girls' presence, rolled their eyes in sync complete with a weary shake of the head, a withering sigh and a stiff fold of the arms all topped off with a frown of disapproval. This was exactly what it had been like constantly with these four under the same roof as children… a complete Tartarus to live with. Even now as middle-aged gods their behaviour was not much better. Both Nyx and Erebus were just grateful that they didn't live with either of them anymore. They both loved all their kids equally but they just didn't have the energy or patience to step in and settle disputes between them anymore.

'Hmm..' Hades rubbed his chin, momentarily distracted from his rant by his own words. '-can people really die from laughing?' He uttered to himself thoughtfully, mulling over this idea in his flaming cranium. 'Memo to me, memo to me.. look into that later..'

'We're not here for you, you flame-haired idiot!' Clotho snapped irritably at her adopted little brother finally losing her patience. She'd always been the Fate with the least patience, this was why she created the threads of life then passed them on to her sisters to meddle with, she just didn't have the tolerance for dealing with mortal lives..

'Hey!' Hades snapped flaring defensively again. 'Don't call me an idiot in my own temple, that's like the ultimate insult-'

'Hades..' Persephone sounded firmly grasping her husband's smouldering arm, her star-white aura glowing brightly and protecting her from being burnt. '-let's just hear them out..' Hades blinked and returned to blue before swivelling to his wife who had interrupted him. His golden eyes widened in shock at her words while Thanatos was still in his father's secure grip.

'Ya can't be serious Sephy..' Hades leaned in and hissed into his wife's ear.

'Sweetie..' The white-skinned goddess said gently. '-they've never offered to be any god's mentor before..'

'Believe me baby..' Hades drawled in a low voice. '-when these old broads wanna get involved it's never a good sign.' Persephone raised a brow at her husband.

'I know but think of the gloating prospects..' The goddess sounded in a persuasive tone causing the fiery god to kink an eyebrow intrigued by this argument.

'Gloatin' prospects?' Hades uttered with a slight smirk.

'Yes..' Persephone responded causing the three Fates to flash each other identical leers, the Queen of the Underworld could always talk her husband around. '-I mean none of Bolt Boy's kids have a Fate as a mentor…and think of the learning advantages, there's so much they could teach him..' Hades made a low noise of doubt as he thought over what his wife was saying.

'I dunno..' Hades sounded thoughtfully before his large black pupils swivelled back to the Fates. '-why do you wanna be Than's mentor?' His eyes narrowed shrewdly at Atropos.

'Like your wife said Hades, there's so much I can teach your boy..' The Fate of the Inevitable sounded in her gravely voice, complete with smug smile.

'Uh-huh..' Hades drawled looking sceptical once again.

'-things that he needs to understand if he is to be successful in the future..' Her eye narrowed deviously causing the rulers of the Underworld to blink bemused by these words.

'What do you mean 'be successful in the future'?' Persephone asked as Hades flared a brief orange, he knew those sneaky sisters of destiny were plotting something.

'Oh isn't it obvious Sephy..' Hades drawled with a condescending sneer to his three adoptive sisters.'-Than isn't even potty-trained and they're already plotting how to screw up his life..' Atropos rolled the Fates' only eye in her socket with slight exasperation.

'Actually, I just want to help him..' Her tone was deadly serious as the Fate of the Inevitable folded her arms stiffly.

'Why?' The fiery god's eyes narrowed into slits as his body swivelled slightly, shielding Thanatos protectively from the Fates as if he thought they were going to snatch his child right out of his arms.

'We have foreseen this child's coming since the day his mother was born..' Clotho spoke solemnly.

'What?' Demeter's voice cried out in shock as Hermes' jaw fell open in amazement, many other gods murmured amongst themselves as both Hades and Persephone gazed at the Fates, Atropos merely turned to the Goddess of Nature who had pushed her way to the front of the crowd looking both stunned and terrified.

'I told you that both meanings of 'Persephone' were apt for your child..' She smiled eerily at the green-skinned goddess. Demeter frowned crossly and placed her hands on her hips, however before she could even think of retorting a shell-shocked Persephone spoke.

'Wait… you were at my birth?' The white-skinned goddess sounded confused, her mother had kept that quiet.

'No dear..' Demeter replied to her daughter. '-they named you..' There was a slightly bitter edge to her voice now and if her golden-leafed corn-crown hadn't already been wilted it would have died now.

'Huh?' Hades' eyes widened in shock, he didn't even know Persephone's name had dual meanings, never mind that she had actually been given her name by the Fates themselves… this information did not ease his concerns as this only made him wonder how they had been planning for Thanatos' forthcoming.

The Nature Goddess' revelation made several gods around her gasp. Hestia, Hermes and Bacchus all looked dumbfounded by the fact that she'd managed to keep this fact quiet from the Olympian council for so long.

'You named me?' Persephone stuttered in amazement looking at Atropos who nodded with a small smirk, the white-skinned goddess then rounded on her mother looking hurt. 'Mother… why didn't you tell me this before..' Demeter winced slightly guiltily.

'Your father and I were trying to protect you from the Fates…' The green-skinned goddess sounded gently. '-they had such a keen interest in you at such a young age, we were concerned..' She sounded and Persephone blinked in amazement.

'Y'know..' The Goddess of Life then sounded thoughtfully after a moment. '-that explains so much..'

'I never imagined that when they named you 'Bringer of Destruction' they were actually referring to your future son..' Demeter finished glumly.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa..' Hades sounded trying to get his head around all this new information that just seemed to be fired at him bit by bit. '-so if Sephy is 'Bringer of Destruction'-' Hades mused in a soft voice. He'd always known that 'Persephone' meant 'She of Light-Bearing Face' but this new meaning meant only one thing, the Fates had intended her name to be a heavy hint into the future. '-that would make Thanatos..' Hades twirled his wrist in an elongated manner, hoping the Fates would supply the rest.

'Death..' Clotho supplied folding her blue arms tightly across her chest.

'Doom..' Lachesis chipped in cheerfully.

'-and Destruction..' Atropos finished with an eerie smile.

'The three D's of Destiny-' Clotho added but was interrupted by her eldest sister.

'-which is why I will be mentoring Thanatos..' Atropos said. '-he needs to be schooled in the ways of Fate if he is to understand his purpose..'

'His purpose?' Persephone sounded with a slightly timid edge to her voice, almost dreading the response but already knowing it in her heart.

'God of Death..' Lachesis responded causing both Hades and Persephone to exchange a worried glance and make a low humming noise of doubt and unease.

'I guess we don't really have a choice, do we?' The young Goddess of Life uttered softly turning to her husband who frowned contemplating their only options, accept the Fates offer or refuse..

'Alright, ok, fine..' Hades sighed heavily then glared at the Fates, hating them for backing him into a tight corner. '-you win Atropos, you can mentor Thanatos but he's a part of the Underworld and nothing you, or your sisters can do will ever change that, capeesh? He will always have to answer to me..'

'Agreed..' Atropos smiled carefully, holding out her wrinkly withered hand towards Hades as if the two of them were finalizing terms on a Faustian Deal. The fiery god studied her hand warily for a moment before he too extended his large bluish-grey hand and enclosed it around hers, trying not to shudder in disgust by the feeling of her hideously aged fingers in his grip. Demeter, Hermes and Persephone all grimaced before their faces twisted in shock as a pale bluish light glowed eerily around this handshake before vanishing as Atropos and Hades let go of each other.

'You won't regret this..' Atropos sounded before all three Fates vanished into a swirling vortex. For a long moment Hades studied his own hand before looking up and uttering darkly,

'I think I already am..' Hades narrowed at the gaping darkness where the three twisted sisters had stood moments before.


Thanatos' birthday party ended not long after the Fates had left. Once all the gods had gone home Persephone put their flame-haired little godling to bed, Thanatos had been so tired that he didn't even argue he went straight to sleep as his head hit the pillow of his crib. Persephone smiled sweetly at her little baby then lent forward and kissed his cheek before ruffling his golden flames. As Persephone straightened she noticed that Mr Skelton was hanging out of the crib so she tucked the soft stuffed skeleton in beside her son, his tiny white fingers clutched him as an unconscious smile formed his lips. Persephone then sighed before vanishing in a swirl of orbs, returning to the throne room.

Hades had been pacing back and forth repeatedly with a worried look etched across every feature of his face, every so often he'd pause before running an irritable hand through his flaming hair before uttering a quiet 'oy' before pacing again.

The more Hades mulled over this new situation with the Fates the more anxious he got about it. He didn't feel comfortable with the idea of his first born son being groomed for his future 'Death' gig by those three hags. They didn't need to teach Thanatos anything, the fiery god had been 'acting God of Death' now since he'd taken command of the Underworld. Any 'on-the-job-training' Thanatos needed could be learnt from his own father.

As Hades swivelled his head around to see a swirl of orbs appeared before him, circling and forming his wife. Sighing heavily having grown weary of pacing the fiery god slumped low into his throne and Persephone perched on the armrest looking slightly concerned.

'The brat give you any trouble?' Hades sounded lightly but the white-skinned goddess shook her head.

'No… he was out like a torch.' She smirked momentarily before she looked worried once more as she studied her husband's strained features. A small smile twisted over his full blue lips before it disappeared as Hades exhaled noisily, his shoulders sagging slightly as his eyes narrowed with a downhearted glint in them.

'What's is it?' Persephone sounded softly, turning her husband's chin gently with her palm so he was now looking at her. For a moment the fiery god just looked into her wide green eyes before relenting and answering.

'I just don't like this situation with Thanatos and the Fates..' Hades frowned slightly as he thought about it. 'Why didn't I just refuse..' He pulled his chin out of his wife's hand looking slightly irritated with himself, he was Thanatos' father he could have just put his foot down and said 'no'.

'It wouldn't have made a difference sweetie..' Persephone sounded gloomily. '-they would have just found another way to get to Thanatos, at least this way we'll always be aware of what they're up to..' She smiled trying to put a positive spin on the situation. Hades mulled over his wife's words for a moment before smiling slightly.

'I suppose..' He drawled. '-but I still don't like it..' Persephone sighed slightly, leaning into her husband and resting her blonde head on his shoulder.

'I know but at least we can have some fun with them.' A wicked smirk twisted onto her lips as a girly glint of malicious glee twinkled into her eyes.

'Oh yeh?' The fiery god sounded kinking a brow intrigued by her. 'How?'

'Heh, well if Atropos wants to play mentor to our son we could always make her baby-sit him, after all Thanatos only trusts people he knows..' For a long moment Hades gazed at his wife before his own smirk twisted back onto his lips.

'Heh, yehh..' He drawled with the same kind of malicious amusement as his wife. '-the imps are always saying how baby-sitting Thanatos is a punishment from Tartarus..'

Thanatos, like all babies, wasn't keen on change and the golden-flamed little godling trusted few gods and even fewer minions. It had taken a long time for both imps and Sirens to gain the little godling's trust, even Hermes had had to work hard in the beginning to earn Thanatos' confidence… the only ones little Thanatos trusted completely were his parents and to a lesser extent his three grandparents. He was slowly getting used to some of his parents other acquaintances but he remained very shy and withdrawn in their presence. Neither Hades nor Persephone were particularly worried about their son's behaviour, they just assumed it was another trait of Hades' that Thanatos had inherited besides it was good for him to be slightly wary of the other gods… you could never be too careful around them.

One thing was for sure, the Fates would have to earn Thanatos' trust the same as everybody else if they wanted to be a part of his life..


Little Notes:

Hey Peeps, judging by the reviews left by readers I must have surprised a few of you with the mentor choice for Thanatos, fear not there's method behind my madness as this link with the Fates will become crucial as the story plays out…

Ok, definitely time to explain the reason behind Atropos being Thanatos' mentor. In Greek myth the true name for the Fates (which is the Roman name for them) is the Moirai (pronounced Mor-i), another name for Thanatos is Mors (incidentally this was the other name Hades had in mind for his son in DHL) which is the male name of the Fates, making the God of Death equal to Atropos herself, in some myths Thanatos was considered the Fates significant fourth. Moros, which is the Roman name for Thanatos, literally translates as 'Doom'… I just kind of flung 'Destruction' in there too so that he'd have some link to Persephone and there you have the 'three D's of Destiny' plus one plausible reason as to why the Fates take such an interest in Thanatos… a story idea handed to me straight out of myth, I couldn't resist.. ;p

The whole part with the Fates naming Persephone is taken and extended from P.o.P so I shouldn't have to repeat myself again..

Going to be doing a little time jumping in the next chap, this story really needs to pick up pace…

Stay tuned…

Love Ditzy X