Plight of Persephone

Ok people, you know the score, I do not own Hercules, Disney does and even though they have not issued plans for a live action redo, give it time. Everything else seems to be getting the treatment so I wouldn't be shocked if it happened. And since Disney aren't entertaining the idea of a remake, I decided I would. 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: Haha, yeh.. He doesn't make life easy for himself and I'm happy you like Nyx and Erebus, I love writing those two. They are so easy to write.. x

Guest: (chap1) If your not trolling me I'm really disappointed because your comment is neither funny, nor clever.. And I feel I can call you out for it cause I highly doubt you got this far with a comment like that

Destroyerman: Yeh, he got a rough deal considering he got catfished by the Fates at the start of the movie. I get the impression he had been plotting longer than then but they really sold the idea to him so I just used it as the starting point for this rewrite.. X

Chapter Nineteen: Praxidyke The Bringer of Light

The blue flamed god muttered to himself as he paced back and forth with a somewhat concerned expression as he waiting for the imps to return with news. They had just passed the winter solstice, the mortals on the surface were celebrating the twelve days of Saturnalia and he was up to his eyeballs in dead souls. Nothing new there then. This was the busiest time of year for the Lord of the Dead but there was one glaring thing that was impeding him and his minions from getting on with his job.

"Urh... Where could she have gone.." He muttered to himself before slumping down in his throne looking glum, leaning his long chin in his large bony hand. Neither he or the imps had seen Persephone in the last few days, in fact the last time that Hades had seen her was when the two of them had fallen out. She hadn't shown up for her shift the next day. When he went to the guest room he'd given her it was clear the bed hadn't even been slept in. All her home-grown cosmetics, perfumes and ointments remained in the bottles, vials and small ramekins he had given her and the hairbrush and hand-held mirror were untouched nearby. Her long abandoned short purple chiton was hanging up and the small plants she had been tending to were still sitting in damp soil pots in the wide window-sill that looked out over the Grove of Lethe.

She hadn't left the Underworld. It was winter up on the surface and she despised the cold as much as he did so she was stuck here until spring. After waiting the first few days to see if she would return of her own volitation, believing that she was just trying to out-wit him by making him worry about her. Dammit, she was succeeding! Of course, now he had snapped, unable to go on without knowing that she was safe and unharmed. That and he couldn't concentrate on the job he needed to be doing because he knew she was just off waltzing around his Underworld without a flaming escort. So today he had finally sent the imps to go and locate her and either sweet-talk her back or drag her back kicking and screaming. At this point either way was fine by him as long as she was back under his roof so he didn't have to worry about her and work could resume. His buisness was losing productivity over this.

Now here he was waiting for those two morons to return...

"Unbelievable! I'm just shocked! Shocked! I tell ya..." He ranted to himself under his breath looking irritable, removing his chin from his hand and fidgeting restlessly in his huge stone throne. "Can't concerntrate on my damn job because of one stubborn little goddess decides to do a disappearing act at the worst possible moment! If she were a minion I'd—" He broke off at the sound of small feet pattering and swivelled his head to see both Pain and Panic minus the goddess he had sent them out to collect.

"Well!" He prompted them in a loud annoyed voice when they stopped at the steps below him and just stood there looking gormless and somewhat nervous.

"We couldn't find her.." Pain replied in a timid voice as Panic, naturally tried to make himself inconspicuous next to his much larger frame.

"Oh. You couldn't find her.. That's it. I see.. That's all you gotta say about it, then fine." The blue flamed god uttered calmly before pushing himself out of his throne, towering over them now looking furious, his skin flashed through orange and into a dangerous red. This made both imps quiver in fear as his flames extended and quivered yellow. "If we don't find her then I could have a serious problem, which means you got an even bigger problem! Comprende vous? Now. Go. Find. Her! NOW!-!" He roared out, releasing his rage in a huge detonation that caused a seismic movement in the Underworld as fire exploded out of him in all directions and the imps fled from the throne room terrified.

After a moment of heavy breathing Hades slowly returned blue and moved towards the huge circular map of Greece that had a few of his heavier figurines weighing down the curling corners of the blue scroll that detailed his realm. He picked up the figurine of Persephone and gazed at it in concern, sighing heavily.

"Where are you?"

..."I'm sorry miss, I didn't catch your name. Do you know where we are?" The bald-headed pale-blue skinned god said with confusion in his round yellow eyes, blinking innocently at the white skinned girl with long sweeping blonde hair knelt beside him. He seemed completely unaware of the fact that he was saturated in Lethe water.

"Y-you don't remember?" Persephone had asked flashing him with a pitying look and he frowned thoughtfully for a moment, watching as the young goddess' white aura extended into him, the heat of it drying him...

"No. Should I?" Hades had blinked at her before his yellow eyes...

...When Persephone had fled the House of Hades, unable to bring herself to stay in the home of a god who didn't think she had any worth, she found herself hiding out in the Groves of Purgatory. She found comfort in being surrounded by the plants and trees that she had grown as a tot. She had no memory of growing them but they felt familiar to her and that was all she wanted right now, somewhere familiar. She couldn't stop the tears still streaming down her face as she dropped herself onto the raised roots of one of her large grey cypress trees, cuddling into the natural curve of the base.

"Persephone? What are you doing out here all alone? Surely Hades told you this place is dangerous to those unfamiliar with its terrain." A familiar drawling feminine voice sounded making the young goddess look up and scowl.

"Go away Hecate. I don't want to talk to you." The blonde goddess stated trying to stiffle an sniff as she wiped her tears away smearing her make-up across her face. "Not after all the trouble you've started.."

"What trouble?" The witch asked with a convincing innocent look that was well practised.

"Don't act dumb. I know you started those rumours about Hades kidnapping me." Persephone rolled her eyes in slight irritation.

"Me? Why would I do that! Your mother asked me to watch over you and to make sure Hades was treating you with respect." Hecate continued feigning offence. "I admit I've kept my distance due to not seeing eye-to-eye with him but I still care about you.." She perched herself on the tree root next to her.

"If it wasn't you then who was it?" Persephone shot at her before exhaling heavily.

"Is there someone else down here you could have annoyed lately?" Hecate asked curiously.

"Well... Minthe, she was pretty mad when she thought Hades and I were a couple. But she apologised so I let her hibernate here." The blonde goddess said then frowned. "She's asleep now and why would she want to spread rumours about me?"

"Beings do crazy things when their in love.." The witch grinned widely, Demeter's daughter truly had no idea how mad her 'friend' was and how she was in a prime position to hear everything that had gone on between her and Hades.

"Urgh.. That's the kind of thing Aphrodite comes out with." Persephone wrinkled her nose in disgust. "If you come out with 'its better to have loved than never love at all' I'm going to hurl."

"Doesn't make it any less true." Hecate chuckled warmly, reminded of the parts of Persephone's character that she liked. She wasn't going to hurt the younger goddess, more just get her out of the way so she couldn't interfere in her coop.

"Your not helping. Isn't that what your supposed to be doing?" The blonde goddess frowned.

"Alright.. So how did Hades manage to crush your spirit?" The soft-violet skinned witch asked pulling a spider web shaped handkerchief out of a glow of blue and passing it to the much younger goddess. Persephone accepted it and wiped the running make-up off her face.

"I thought we were becoming friends then he just revealed that he doesn't see any real potential in me. I'm just some no-nothing goddess destined to fade into obscurity.. I just want to feel like I matter somewhere, is that really too much to ask?" The white-skinned goddess' frown melted into a forlorn look. Everyone else she knew had a real purpose, a divine right and domain of their own but she had always struggled to find a niche of her very own, there was nowhere that seemed to fit.

"I wouldn't take it too personally. Hades is very territorial. When another deity shows talent in the Underworld he uses it, abuses it then tries to snuff it out because he thinks they want to takeover his job. When all they really want to do is help.." The witch said with a well practised sad expression and it made Persephone frown a little.

"You mean you? But I heard you've tried to steal his throne from under him.." The goddess frowned doubtfully at her words. Was this a trick. It didn't seem like one but how could she be sure? She knew Hecate was a well-practised liar but she was also her mother's friend and she had never heard her speak about her relationship with Hades.

"I wanted to be Queen once, when I was young and beautiful like you.." The older-looking witch exhaled heavily. "When I first came here from Egypt my mother told me my talents lay in the darkest realm. So here I came, hoping to serve the new Lord of the Dead and like a fool I fell for his charms too. At first, he entertained them and I served with grace. I thought we would rule together.." Her silvery-green eyes looked far away as if reminiscing with a small smile then it faded into a hurt and angry look. "And then... it was over. He doesn't want a Queen and he isn't willing to share.. He will just use you if you let him. Don't give him that power."

"Oh. I'm sorry Hecate, I didn't realise that was the reason why you disliked him so." Persephone said with pity, feeling a horrible twist in her stomach now that she knew for sure that Hades wasn't interesting in helping her find out why she was getting prayers down here. "I know we don't always get on but I think it's pretty cool what you can concoct with my plants.." She smiled at the witch, remembering the experimentations that the Hecate had done during her time on Sicily staying with her mother when she was a girl. It was only now after hearing this tale that Persephone realised she had probably being staying with them due to being rejected by Hades and needed some support from her mother.

"Well, that's nice of you to say." The soft violet skinned witch smiled, with a naturally crooked edge to her smirk. "I wonder if Hades feels threatened by you.."

"What do you mean?" Persephone blinked.

"Well, your mother told me you grew these trees and I have seen the changes you've made by the Pool of Lethe." Hecate flashed her a wicked gleam. "I recognise your work and you realise that the Underworld has been much warmer down here since you arrived."

"Oh, I see. I didn't mean to make him uncomfortable. I don't want him thinking I'm trying to takeover 'cause I'm not." She frowned a little before suddenly turning to the older witch with a curious look. "You wouldn't know how to get to the Elysian Fields do you? I think I just want to lay low somewhere I know he won't go or think to send his imps to look for me."

"Why don't you just materialise there?" Hecate replied then found herself gripped and brought into a hug by the blonde goddess and able to smell the soft floral perfume she was wearing.

"Thank you for listening." Persephone replied softly feeling happier than she had before talking to the witch. She then vanished in a swirl of bright white orbs. Hecate then exhaled heavily after she had gone grateful that the young goddess wasn't going back to Hades and feeling a strange sense of guilt realising that since the hero plan hadn't worked she would have no choice but to go ahead with her last resort. After sitting on this information for a few days and making the Lord of the Dead squirm..

When the white-skinned goddess rematerialised she found herself squinting as the light was so bright. It took her green eyes to adjust as it had been so long since she had experienced daylight but eventually she began to focus. She appeared to be on the surface but everything looked as if it was too good to be true. The grass was too green, the waters of the river was too pure, too clean. She turned her head to the left of her and saw the shimmering barrier that separated them from the now pitch black looking darkness that she knew was the rest of the Underworld.

Had it always been that dark?

Nearby was the pomegranate bush she had grown on the day Hades had given her the tour. It was still alive...

"Praxidyke.."

"Could it be?"

"Is it she?""

"She has come at last.."

In an instant Persephone found herself surrounded by what could only be corporal dead souls who were all looking bright eyed and awed by the presence of a goddess in their realm, just as the Fates had predicted she would come.. The Bringer of Light, they're Praxidyke..

...back in present time...

"Oy, Hecate babe, whatever this is, I'm not in the mood, 'kay?" Hades drawled rubbing his temples as the witch and her pair of slobbering winged beasts arrived in his throne room.

"Oh. I'm not here for you... I was hoping to have a word with Persephone." Hecate drawled with her friendliest smile.

"Urh, she's not here right now." The blue fiery god exhaled. "And your giving me a migraine.."

"So the rumours are true?" The witch asked making her minions grin.

"Undead tongues are wagging.." Canis said miking his brother nod smiling.

"And they sure do like to talk." Lupus added brightly before both wolf minions cringed at Hades flared an angry orange in their direction as he had never liked minion back-chat and would smite them regardless of whoever they were in servitude to.

"Ignore them. I'll deal with them later." Hecate added in a friendly manner, waving her minions off. "Demeter wants me to keep an eye on her and to do that I have to see her. The rumours say that you managed to frighten her away." Her silvery green eyes spied the blue-scroll map and figures holding it open. Along with it was the figure of Persephone that looked like it had been created with care.

"How about this? When I see her next I will tell her you were askin' about her.." Hades turned his stern gaze back to the witch slowly darkening to a seething red skin tone. "Now, unless your lookin' for a new burn hole in that chiton.. get out!"

"The Lord of Darkness must be angry with his minions again.." The soft silvery voice of the minty skinned winged nymph with light silvery blonde hair said as the green grassy ground beneath her shook. This seismic activity had made her two sisters as well as the young white-skinned goddess with long flowing golden blonde hair turn their collective eyes to the barrier separating them from the rest of the dark gloomy Underworld. Upon arriving here three days ago Persephone had found herself in the company of the three Sirens, who she discovered didn't hibernate but took refuge down here where the temperatures mimicked summer on the surface.. They were delighted by her presence and kindly dispersed the flock of good souls that had crowded her, wanting a glimpse of this new goddess in their home realm. They had shown her around and been keeping her company in a realm that was the opposite of the rest of the Underworld. It was bright, happy and perpetually daylight.. At this moment they were relaxing with fruit in a gazebo while the three Sirens were painting her nails with a dark polish, combing her long hair and chatting amibly like they had been friends for years not days..

"Must be.." Persephone responded with a solemn nod trying to ignore that hollow pit in her stomach wondering if part of it had been about her running off three days ago. She then turned to the identical three nymph girls with white feathery wings looking curiously. "But I still don't understand something. You told me on my first day here that the Fates said your Queen would come and you've been waiting every winter in the hopes of serving her. Why do you think that was me?" As she spoke the slim fingers of the Siren behind her wound another pink-striped asphodel in her long blonde hair so it sat neatly behind her ear, pinning back the pesky bang that liked to flop across her face.

"Because the Fates told us a goddess would come. And your the only one who's ever come here.." Tele grinned as she finished combing Persephone's golden blonde hair and sat back beside her.

"We've been waiting so long for you to come. We couldn't believe it was you. Imagine, Demeter's daughter the Queen of the Underwor—" Molpe, the Siren that had been sitting on Persephone's other side and had just finished painting her nails a deep mauve colour. She was silenced by scowling middle sister Raidne who clamped both hands over her mouth.

"What?" Persephone gave a start almost choking on the grape she had been eating. "But Hecate said Hades won't share his realm.."

"Hades only rules half the Underworld. The Elysian Fields and the Isles of the Blessed have no ruler yet.." Tele added and this made Persephone frown.

"I thought Zeus—" The youthful looking goddess started.

"He only holds the deeds. He never comes here. The Fates said only a goddess can rule these lands, he's probably waiting for one to reveal herself as ruler." Raidne answered with a confident grin.

"But I can't rule. I wouldn't even know how!" The white skinned goddess looked somewhat panicked.

"You've been interning under Hades. Right?" Molpe asked tilting her head curiously.

"Well, yeh.. But he's only taught me the basics and he refuses to teach me how to judge souls.." Persephone frowned still somewhat annoyed about that but no longer upset about it like she was when she first arrived.

"But that's all you need. The three judges on Doom service already do the rest.." Tele looked excited gripping her hands with an excited look.

"I don't know... I-I probably should be getting back to Hades. I still owe him three months of interning." The white-skinned goddess responded unsurely getting to her feet and looking around the rest of the wide expanse of fields. Their were souls of children here playing together and looking joyful. She had never seen children in her time looking after Underworld souls but this made sense now, of course they were all here. The adults were either relaxing or harvesting the bountiful crops that never waned. There were women and men here too, not all of them heroes which had been surprising. She hadn't realised that more than just heroes could access this realm, she'd been taught this place was just for heroes. Perhaps Zeus didn't really understand this place after all..

Many of the souls near her waved cheerfully to her. It had taken some time to convince them that they didn't need to exalt her presence, she didn't feel deserving and their constant praise of her beauty and grace was uncomfortable.

"Will you think about returning near spring? The workload lessens then and we would be honoured to see you again." Raidne said gripping her fingers as her sister let go.

"You could think about this place. If you do chose to rule, we would be honoured to be in your employ. We would do anything you wished, you need only ask.." Molpe completed this plea with a neat curtesy, lifting the edges of her pale blue chiton as she lowered herself. Her two sisters stepped back and repeated the gesture with dutiful smiles.

"You've all been very kind but I wouldn't even know where to begin.." Persephone said and all the Sirens looked at each other and shared a smile.

"Begin with the prayers.." They chorused together and their words echoed the words of Atropos who had advised Hades to teach her how to hone prayers. Since arriving in these fields the voices had ceased completely almost as if they had been seated by her mere presence.

"The souls here have been praying to their ruler. For what we're unsure but we know that she will answer them when she is ready to accept her mantle.." Tele said clasping her hands together.

"Right.." Persephone replied with an unsure frown. The voices had been asking for answers and for another chance at life. She knew how to soothe and reassure frightened and confused souls, she was well practised at that from the Soul Booth and had offered the few souls mitigation that had come to her here seeking it. Both the Sirens and souls seemed to think that was enough to proclaim her Praxidyke, Lady of the Dead.. But she couldn't help but feel as if this was an unearned title. She needed to go back and face Hades. At least she could confirm that this was indeed where the prayers were coming from.

If only she knew how to let them get another chance at life, then maybe she would feel more like she deserved this position.

"Would one of you show me how to return to the domain of Hades?" She added politely and immediately all three Sirens gasped out.

"I will!" They all trilled together with matching vapid smiles and delighted expressions.

The sound of soft footsteps made Hades growl in irritation. The nerve of that witch.. She dared to come back after he had sent her away. His flames slowly burned orange as his fists curled tightly and tinged orange as he barely restrained himself from summoning fie in his palms.

"Really, Hecate are you trying to—" The fiery god spun around, his flaming hair disappearing in shock as he found himself face to face with the goddess he had had his minions searching for for the past few days. "Persephone..." He breathed out as relief loosened his heart which had been feeling oddly tight and constricted since her absence.

"Hades.." The goddess said looking somewhat nervous. "I'm sorry I was gone so long—" She was stopped from speaking as a long pale blue-greyish finger pressed against her lips as Hades blue flames returned along with his wide leering smirk.

"I probably had a hand in that." The Lord of the Dead uttered softly trying to ignore the fact that she felt as soft as she did by the Pool of Lethe when they'd kissed. "For what it's worth I don't think you can't handle anything about this job but your are just an intern, not a full member of staff. As such there are certain aspects of this job that for your protection, and mine, that you can't see.."

"That's fair, I guess." Persephone smiled, it wasn't what she had hoped for but she understood his reason behind it. He didn't just think she was worthless after all..

"Now, we have to talk about the fact that you owe me three days of work." Hades straightened with a back to business expression, removing his hand from her and flashing her a serious look. "I've had a serious dip in productivity in your absence and I'll need you to put in some overtime to help me get it back on track."

"Sure, anything to help.." She then winked with a girlish smirk. "Does this mean someone has missed me?"

"Remind me why I hired you and I'll give you the answer then." Hades flashed a wicked grin back although Persephone could see the answer shining back at her in his large round pupils..

Little Notes:

Hey guys, sorry this chapter is a little shorter than usual. I just wanted to explore Hecate a little more. Her hatred for Hades was never really explained in the series but I wanted to put it into context a bit more. While I don't doubt that Hecate is a disgruntled employee or ex-employee, I also wanted to make her a jilted lover. I feel this makes her bitterness all the more real and her motives sharper. I know in myths she was a confidant of Persephone and served as her advisor but this is based on how Disney chose to depict her, I'm just working around the confines they set out. Minthe too is a jilted lover but unlike Hecate who probably had a short-lived relationship with Hades in his youth the naiad was a one time thing, she just misread his intentions for what they were.

The Elysian Fields only came up once in the Hercules series ' the Driving Test' and it did seem a bit bizarre that Hades would be shut off from something that was his in myth but here Zeus isn't to be blamed, though Hades my feel that's the case. In this story the Fates closed it off until the rightful goddess came to claim it. More details will come of this later..

Stay tuned for more soon..

A~Teal