I'm super excited for this story. I took a ton of liberties with Greek mythology...so I hope you enjoy.

Notes:
In this story, Yuno is Non-Binary, and will use they/them pronouns

WARNINGS:
By nature, Greek Mythology Be Warned that there are going to be references/allusions to R*pe/Sexual Assault and Incest. I have tried my best to not directly insinuate the incest but for those who know Greek mythology (or mythology in general) will know doubt know that Zeus is the brother of Hera and also the husband of Hera, and so forth, even if I don't mention it. This is why I have marked this story as Mature. If you are not mature enough to handle these topics, or have trauma assoicated with these topics, or if you are not old enough, please do not read this.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1: The Discontent of Kore

Something was missing in their life.

A deity of unimaginable, otherworldly, ethereal beauty tucked themselves inside of a hollowed tree that had lost its dryad. Today wasn't a good day. Their parent had gotten into another argument with the King of the Olympus, Zeus. Most days, their parent was a kind, warm nature deity but when angered, there was nothing that stopped their parent. The King was interested in them (Kore ("The Maiden"), also known as Nestis and Persephone) as a prospective partner. Their beauty rivaled that of the Love Goddess herself, so it made sense that the lustful King wanted Kore for his own.

Their parent didn't want to anger the King's wife, Hera, and the last thing Kore wanted was to be stuck with some stuck-up asshole who thought he was the greatest deity just because he fought and beat the Titans.

"Yuno, there you are," said a melodic voice.

Yuno was their private name, only several people called them it, otherwise going by their other names.

"Mimosa," said Yuno, upset that they were found already. They stepped out of their hiding spot. Mimosa was commonly known as Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth. "How'd you find me?"

"These are your favorite woods, despite William's wishes that you not venture here," said Mimosa, with a smile and a mischievous twinkle in her yellow eyes. "It's best you hide here anyway. Zeus would never venture here. It's too close to the entrance to the Underworld. And that's Hades' domain." It was a well-known fact amongst the deities that Hades and Zeus didn't get along (with the third brother Poseidon barely tolerating Zeus).

Yuno knew it. These woods were ones they and their parent William, known as Demeter, an Earth Deity, had created with great care. Yuno had been told by their parent that it had been a favor to Hades himself to have protective woods blocking the earthly entrance to the Underworld. The entrance was never stationary. In their youth, Yuno sought it out of pure curiosity, but had never managed to locate it.

"I will not have my future decided for me," said Yuno, stubbornly. They loved his parent, even if Yuno had no time to themselves. Yuno loved creating plants and greenery for the humans, the dear yet foolish ones, but the thought of being forced to copulate with Zeus against the wishes of themselves and Zeus's own wife. Yuno would rather be the Kore forever that have that choice taken away.

"William threatened to wilt all greenery on Earth if Zeus tries to be his sneaky self and trick you," said Mimosa, sighing. "That's the last thing we need. The humans would die if William did that and that's unthinkable."

Yuno hummed.

Mimosa took Yuno's hand in hers and said, "Yuno, my dearest heart, you are discontent. I've seen it. The joy you once had in creating flowers and plant life had been gone for many moons."

Opening their mouth to argue, Yuno didn't get a word in as Mimosa continued, "You cannot lie to me. I chose to mind the hearth, to guard the home, but Yuno, the only way to have your own life, you must fight for it, you must chase whatever it is you want and not worry about what others want."

Yuno smiled. "Are you telling me to run away and have an adventure? Father will have a conniption."

Mimosa let go of Yuno's hand and gave him a bright smile. "If that's what you think I told you."

"Plausible deniability," said Yuno, impressed.

"Always necessary," said Mimosa. "Now, be off with you. I have not seen you if anyone asks."

Yuno nodded. And before, they scurried off deeper into the woods, Yuno hugged Mimosa briefly. "Thank you."

Mimosa took the hug with grace and affectionate and smiled conspiratorially, stating, "I have no idea what you're speaking of, Yuno."

Stretching, Yuno stood up. They had enough of a break. They had been wandering the woods for a good long while, long enough that Yuno felt their parent searching for them using the dryads, the plants, and the flowers and the earth itself to find Yuno. Except, Yuno was just as much an Earth deity as their parent, and many dryads owed them favors for protecting them from the satyrs, so it was easy to evade detection.

It was calming wandering around the woods. Being alone and in the quiet eased the thoughts in Yuno's head.

As soon as Yuno continued their journey of no destination, it began to rain. Sighing, Yuno ran. Mud got between their toes and their green dress got soaked as Yuno searched for a place to wait out the rain.

A cave appeared and Yuno, not thinking, entered the cave.

Immediately, Yuno sensed something wrong in the cave.

"Well, well, look what the rain brought me today," cackled a feminine voice.

Yuno straightened their stance and waited to see if they were being attacked. "Who are you?"

"Who I am? Does the Kore not recognize me? Then again, it had been many moons since I enjoyed the company of Olympians. You had been just a tiny little thing, I suppose" said the person. Yuno stepped closer and saw a familiar face. The voice belonged to Lady Hecate (or Vanessa to her friends), the Goddess of Crossroads, Entrance-ways, Night, Light, Magic, Witchcraft, Knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, Ghosts, Necromancy, and Sorcery.

Vanessa had been a friend of Demeter/William (who else would have taught Vanessa about herbs and poisonous plants?), until Vanessa angered Hera, Athena and Artemis for some perceived slight. Vanessa disappeared from the halls of Olympus. Vanessa was a beautiful goddess. Pink hair and eyes, very little clothes (and very little shame), Vanessa had a bad reputation, but Yuno remembered her being nothing but kind.

Not being stupid, Yuno realized something important. They stated, "Lord Hades gave you refuge."

Vanessa smiled widely and clapped her gloved hands together. "Correct, my dear Kore!"

Yuno's narrowed. This was the elusive entrance to the Underworld that they had searched for in their youth.

"Places are often found when you aren't looking," said Vanessa, vaguely. "Be warned, little Kore, the Underworld is no place for a being like you, one full of life. Once the rain stops, leave. Go home to William. Make flowers. Play with the dryads. And learn to live with a life as a beautiful deity."

Scowling, Yuno said, "A fair warning."

Vanessa shrugged nonchalantly.

"YUNO!"

Yuno's head turned towards the voice of their parent William. "Father?" (Some days, Yuno called their parent "Mother," depending on their parent's mood).

Their parent kept yelling Yuno's name. Yuno felt dread build up in their chest. They didn't want to go back. They didn't want to go back to expectations and to being threatened with mating with Zeus, to a life where they didn't make their own choices. Yuno really loved their parent, but their parent was just always there and always had an opinion.

Turning to say something to Vanessa, Yuno found himself alone in the dark, lifeless cave. Vanessa left.

"YUNO, RETURN TO ME!"

And for the first time in their life, Yuno ignored the call. They ran deeper into the cave and didn't stop.

They ran until Yuno felt the light disappear from behind them as the exit closed. And Yuno realized they were trapped on their choosing on the path to the Underworld.

So, Yuno kept walking downward.

~to be continued

Notes:

As always I like hearing from you all.

Here's the list of who's who in this Greek Mythology AU:
Asta as Hades, God and King of the Underworld, etc.
Yuno as Persephone/Kore/Nestis
Finral as Charon
Zora as Thanatos/Death
Zara as Tartarus
Grey as Achlys/Death-Mist, Misery and Sadness, co-Head of the Keres
Luck as Ceuthonymus, Head of the Daimon
Noelle as Angelos, daughter of Zeus and Hera, who pissed off her mother to the point that she had ran away to the one place she'd be safe
Vanessa as Hecate, goddess of crossroads, entrance-ways, night, light, magic, witchcraft, knowledge of herbs and poisonous plants, ghosts, necromancy, and sorcery
Gordon as Hypnos/Sleep
Secre as Nemesis/Retribution
Charmy as Philotes/Affection
Gauche as Apate/Deceit
Henry as Oizys /Distress
Magna as Moros/Doom
Langris as Momus/Blame
Theresa as Geras/Aging
Dorothy as Oneiroi/Dreams
Klaus as Rhadamanthus, Judge of the Dead
Letoile as Aeacus, Judge of the Dead
Kaiser as Minos, Judge of the Dead
Sol, Borja, and Wainsley as Erinyes/Furies
Patri as Eris/Strife
En as Eurynomos, Daimon of rotting corpses
Reve, Charla, and Kivn as Moriae/The Fates
Fana as Nyx
Mars as Erebus
Mariella is the top Kere; Sally, Akimo, Finesse, Marie, Rebecca, Risacca as Keres/Death Spirits
Rill, Kahono and Kiato as Lampads, underworld nymphs, under the control of Hecate
The Devils from BC as Daimon, underworld spirits

Olympians/Titans-
Dante and Zenon as Zeus
Vanica as Hera
Mimosa as Hestia
Lolopechka as Poseidon + Spirit Guardians as Part of Poseidon's Underwater Court
William as Demeter
Puli as Aphrodite
Leopold as Eos
Fuegoleon as Helios
Mereoleona as Selene
Charlotte as Athena
Jack as Ares
Solid as Apollo
Nebra as Artemis
Lumiere as Hephaistos
Sekke as Hebe
Fragil as Eileithyia
Yami as Dionysus
Kirsch as Hermes
Damnatio as Dike
Augustus as Aergia
Catherine as Minthe
Tetia as Gaia
Licht as Ouranos
Fanzell as Cronus
Dominante as Rhea
Acier as Leto, mother of Nozel, Solid, Nebra and Noelle* (Noelle and Nozel are her children but part of pissing off Hera, she was forced to give two of her children up to be raised as Zeus and Hera's children)
The Witch Queen as Asteria, mother of Vanessa
Julius as Metis, parent of Charlotte
Lily as Pistis, personification of good faith, trust and reliability
Undine as Tethys, goddess of fresh water
Sylph as Zephyrus, goddess of the west wind
Orsi as Glaukos, god of fisherman
Owen as Paean, physician of the gods
Marx as Iris, goddess of the rainbow and messenger
Neige as Eros, god of love and sex
Nozel as Acrasgas, son of Zeus