Chapter II: Persephone takes a Field Trip and gets a new Accessory.

A/N: Some basic facts that I left out of the previous chapter's author's notes:

I know Greek Mythology better than I know myself. Yes, I am well aware that Hades, is in fact, the oldest brother. Yes, I know Hera is not Hercules' mother. Yes, Hercules should be called Herakles- his Greek name, but guess what? Disney botched this up, not me. If you're looking for actual fan fiction for Greek Mythology, may I kindly point y'all to the Miscellaneous tab on fanfic, and click Greek Mythology. Sure, you won't find such a sassy lord of the dead, but, I'm positive, you will find actual correct information on Greek myths. You're welcome.

Now, since this is Disney's Hercules, welcome back my avid readers. I so loved my reviews, and my faves, and my follows. They bring me joy. All of them. Even though it's small I'm sure it'll grow.

Anyway, for those of you questioning Persephone's *gags* girly, bubbly personality, I thought it fit, considering how Disney drew her, like gosh, flower crown, pink, blonde- but that doesn't mean she lacks the opportunity to change.

*le gasp*

Yup, it's called character development, y'all. Like, guys, she hasn't even met Hades yet.

Wait Hades hasn't even met her…

Also I did not choose Athena randomly. In the myth she was supposedly there when Persy was abducted. Ironically, she was picking flowers with her.

Who says warrior women can't be girly?

There is enough fire inside you to put all of hell to shame, but you are pretending to be water for someone who is too afraid to handle the dragons in your belly. Stop crushing the thing that makes you. Embrace the flames. Be whole again for yourself and no one else.

- Nikita Gill

Some people say that life is all about chances, hidden talents, and knowing the right people. Usually, dear reader, I would say screw them all, that's not what life is about, but since this isn't my story, we're going to have to settle for Persephone's.

Who, may I add, just so happened to have all of these things happen under a day.

That lucky turd.

You can imagine how fast the Fates were knitting. They were having a field day, but they were enjoying it! One whole month of nothing fun to write about. Just small, boring things like Hercules' wedding (which I heard was the best since Thetis and Peleus, only sans the whole Apple of Discord catastrophe).

Looking at you Eris. And you Aphrodite. And you Paris(not the city). And you Troy. And you Trojan horse. Gods, you know what? Just ignore the entirety of the Trojan Debacle. Moving on.

Then BAM! IDEA!

You can imagine exactly how bored the Fates were when they decided to spice things up with the absence of their favorite dread lord of the dead.

All three of them stood, crafting, spinning, cutting, doing their thing with mortal's and god's lives alike, when they decided, "You know what, let's go raise hell."

And that they did, dear reader, that they did.

But one of them, it was Atropos- go blame her for this story- knew if they kept doing that, they wouldn't have a job to do, much less anybody alive, so they came up with a back-up plan.

Make a hole.

No, the Fates aren't that dense, they've got this plot pre-planned, the author doesn't, but I'm positive it'll come out all right in the end.

But for the purposes of this story, let's just say Persephone conveniently found that hole on her very own island of Sicily… Which may I add led straight into the Underworld, and the goddess in question was now armed with a special little gift from Athena.

" 'Thena you didn't. Holy Hera, this is fantastic!" Persephone squealed in delight, twirling around the eight foot tall scythe.

It had been precisely less than twenty-four hours since Athena had left Kore. Yet this time around, the goddess of wisdom had a real purpose to visit her half-sister, and she was baring quite the unusual little gift.

The scythe in question was barely half a foot taller than the pink-skinned goddess, who was now laughing maniacally. The curved blade shone eerily, the sun reflecting off in perfect clarity, only slightly darker because of the nearly black blade. A thin skull connected the blade to the staff, almost reminiscent to that of Hades' insignia, if it weren't for how the skull's expression did not look raged; rather it looked like it was smirking. Almost as if it knew something that we did not.

The staff itself was straight and could easily be grasped in Persephone's thin hands, and had the added addition of a small handle sticking out a third from the end so one could properly hold it. The black Stygian metal replaced the usual wood that scythes were made out of, and was inlaid with intricate gold designs that resembled flowers of Persephone's creation, and at the very top of the staff, it ended in a point. Yet another blade, the size and shape of a spear head if the curved blade was not sufficient.

To put it bluntly, it had to be the most badass weapon ever invented.

"I told Hephaestus you would need something that you would be comfortable with, and the scythe came to mind," Athena exclaimed, keeping a good ten feet of distance between her and the excited goddess. "I know I saw the mortals using it at least once. You have used it before, right?"

"Since I could walk!" Persephone shouted, and ran to the tall shrubbery that could grow in the rocky terrain of Sicily, and easily sliced it down- shrubs, grass, rock, and an entire hill!

The shing of the scythe was the only sound it produced as the blade pierced through the land, but soon afterwards, a mini landslide rolled the damage down what remained of the hill.

"Oh yeah, baby! This is gonna be so much fun!" The blonde shouted.

"Now Persephone, calm down," Athena warned. "You only just-"

"I should name it." Kore exclaimed, ignoring Athena's advice. "I'm gonna call it… Lucinda- the dangerous."

"That's an odd name for a scythe."

"Fine, I'll call her Praxidice.* Seems right for this bad girl," Persephone smirked, curbing her enthusiasm as she rejoined Athena.

"It suits you, not the blade, but very well. It's not my decision," the grey-eyed goddess miffed, a light note of mirth in her voice. "Just remember names have power, dear."

"Do you know that, 'Thena?" Kore grinned, showing off her perfect pearly whites. "I think I recall a little baby being called "Bringer of Destruction," but hey what do I know- I'm just the goddess of innocence…" the goddess put her face into a little pout.

"You're so much more, and now you have a chance. Look here, Persephone," the goddess of wisdom put a strong grip on Kore's shoulder so she could have her entire focus on her. "I spoke to Zeus and he was quite surprised that you were interested in the job, and he is quite ecstatic that you want to move up and take charge in your life. He approves that you're not going to follow through with your mother."

"Really?" The pink-skinned goddess gave her that large starry-eyed look that would have been the epitome of adorableness had it not been for the wicked looking scythe she was clutching.

"Yes," Athena slightly grinned, releasing her hold on the goddess. "But, he cannot outright give you the job since Ares had been lobbying with Zeus for his sons to become involved, and a new contender has approached. Do you know of Echidna?"

"Yeah, mother of monsters. She's like a hundred- no two hundred- Ooooh…" Persephone suddenly realized. "I kind of see why she wants the spot."

"Indeed. She was Hades' greatest supporter. Always supplying him with an army of her brood, and she can either keep the job until he returns, or simply take it for herself. I cannot discern what she will do if either case happens, but a monster who has no compassion towards humanity would be an ill-fit for being a caretaker of the dead."

Persephone snorted. "And didn't Mr. Lord of the Dead treat the souls badly? Yeah, I'm not buying it. You guys just don't think a monster has the right to care for the souls. And being that she's the wife of Typhon doesn't sweeten the deal for youse guys up in Olympus, huh?"

Athena's eyes widened in shock, but she quickly recovered and gave her half-sister a respectful nod. "Ah, someone is looking at the politics of such issues."

"Oh please," Kore shook her head as she rolled those magenta eyes of hers, a small smile threatened to widen. "Not that hard. Gods just lack common sense."

"Well, have you thought of this one: Have you dealt with souls?"

"Nope," Kore answered truthfully. "But I have dealt with an overprotective mom. So I think a clingy shade is about the same thing, with them always hovering around, am I, right?!"

The blonde goddess nearly shouted out the pun, her face stretched in a dazzling grin at her own cleverness, but was slightly dismayed when Athena gave her "The Look." An expression the goddess had had to name because of the amount of times everyone had given her.

Her mother, her nymph friends, the Graces, her fellow goddesses, the suitors- the list goes on and on, but all of them, extending to people who had met her. It was almost depressing how everyone thought her silliness was either childish, or just down-right dim-witted- she blamed the blonde hair. Yet it was even more depressing that one of her closest friends was giving her that same look.

Kore inwardly sighed, burying her embarrassment deep down like a majority of her more "rebellious" emotions.

"But, hey, has any of the other candidates? I'm gonna stay positive on this one, and hope that all of them are just as confused."

"Well, I suppose you're right," Athena lightly put, choosing to ignore Persephone's quick change in topics. "Now, there is one small issue that Zeus did bring up, if you do get the job."

"And what's that?" Persephone asked, leaning slightly towards Athena, a sign of her curiosity.

"The subject was if Hades does return while your down there…" Athena slowly exclaimed. "You are to make sure he knows full-well that you have no intention of giving up the throne."

"What? But isn't that the opposite of what you've been telling me?"

"Look here, dear, Hades was- is still in major, if you will excuse my choice of words- hot water."

Persephone pursed her lips in thought, wondering why Athena used that choice of words. "I don't get it."

"Never mind."

"Wait, is Hades gonna come back? What am I gonna do?! He's a god in his own turf can I-"

"Then you flash him the deed to the Underworld and tell him to shove it up his toga because the Underworld is yours now," Athena snapped, cutting her off, an annoyed frown marring her face.

"Is it though? What about the others vying for the job? Don't you think Zeus has to consider all his choices?"

"Well, yes," Athena composed herself once more. "But you're the only goddess who doesn't have a job in the cosmos, and-."

"Gee, 'Thena," Kore rolled her eyes as she attempted to cross her arms with her scythe. "Thanks for the reminder."

"I wasn't finished." Athena curtly snapped. "And Zeus is hosting a competition tomorrow."

"A competition?" Kore gasped. "Like a tournament?! How in Tartarus is Zeus gonna do that? Hello! My mom?! She's gonna stop me from participating!" Persephone shouted.

"I have a back-up plan, but right now, your mother is the only goddess who doesn't know the competition is taking place tomorrow."

Persephone raised a curious eyebrow, almost in respect, but said nothing.

"Let's just say, I am literally using up every favor people owe me for you." Athena pinched the bridge of her nose, making a mental calculation of exactly how many of those favors she had been hoping to use for herself.

"Aw, 'Thena, you really don't have to. I mean if it's not what the Fates want, so be it. I can't write destiny," the blonde goddess shrugged.

"You stop right there." Athena pointed an accusatory finger at Kore, causing the fidgety goddess to flinch back. "That attitude will get you no where. Be the Queen you want to be, don't wait for someone else to come around and put you down." Athena bellowed with such passion that Persephone felt herself shrink underneath the grey-eyed goddess' steely glare.

"Yes, ma'am," Persephone squeaked out, saluting her.

Athena raised an eyebrow, as if telling the goddess: Is that all you got?

Persephone gulped. There was no way she was going to let her get away with this. Might as well give her what she wants.

"I, PERSEPHONE, FUTURE LADY OF THE DEAD, AND GODDESS OF THE UNDERWORLD UNDERSTAND AND FULLY THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME. NOW PLEASE CONTINUE. I WISH TO KNOW ABOUT HOW TO BEAT MY FELLOW COMPETITORS!" Persephone roared, something that so shocked Athena that the goddess was having trouble not falling over.

She had no idea why she was doing so, but she realized maybe she pushed the goddess a little too much.

"How was that? Too much?" Persephone inquired sweetly, switching back to her normal, demure self.

"No- no, good-good." Athena exclaimed in a daze before her senses were knocked back. "Oh, yes, the competition… The competition! Will… Take place tomorrow. Whoever collects the most souls, delivers them to the Underworld, and keeps them there and gets them sorted into there lands will be given the job. With title, rights, and a godly position, be they god, mortal, or monster."

"Oh, okay, I can handle that, right?" Persephone prodded. "I mean that's why you got me a scythe right? It'll control the souls?"

Athena's brow furrowed into a frown. "No. Whatever gave you that idea? Scythes are for reaping a harvest not souls. I barely got Hephaestus to make you a scythe because of it's connection to Kronos."

"Well, what if it could?" Persephone inquired, her rose pink lips pursed as a thought buzzed through her mind.

"Now, you're making nonsense," Athena tsked. "It's just a godly weapon. There are no powers endowed upon it like Poseidon's trident or Hades' helm. You'd have to get someone to give you a power like that to control souls, much less teleport them."

"Oh," Persephone sighed, her shoulders sagging as she realized she had no plan for how to even collect a soul. "Sorry, I just thought something as masterfully created as this-" she held up her scythe. "- could have a power."

"No, Persephone, you'd have to get a god crazy enough to give you that power. It's just unbreakable and can can cut anything. At least that's what Hephaestus said, who knows what else he placed."

Looking up, Athena turned her attention to Apollo's chariot as it raced across the sky. Hmm, noon, she still had time to speak to Hermes concerning the "mother of all issues."

"Well, I can't stay and chat," Athena announced, her focus no longer on the pink-skinned goddess before her. "I have to go make sure everything's set up for your big day. You prepare yourself for tomorrow, now. I'll be there to help along the way. After all Zeus didn't say nobody could interfere," she winked.

Persephone laughed. "And who said you don't like bending rules?"

"If a person is to write a law, Persephone, I fully expect them to make sure there isn't any room for a loop-hole. Thankfully, Zeus is the one who's behind all this. Now ta-ta, I'll pick you up bright and early to take you to-" Athena pondered for the right word as she looked around her surroundings. "-civilization. Yes. Till the morrow morn, Persephone! Oh and don't get into any trouble!" The wise goddess shouted as she disappeared in a shimmer of blue light.

Now that she was completely and utterly alone, Kore sighed, and decided to stroll around.

It didn't shock her when she found herself on the very edge of the hole where Athena and her had landed in after she, uh, body-slammed her into it.

Taking a quick look over her shoulder, Kore took a tentative step on the plant stairwell she had made yesterday. With one foot firmly planted on the stair, the goddess opened the eyes she didn't know she had closed tight and once again looked around, wondering if anyone would catch her in the act.

"It wouldn't hurt if I took a tour of my future kingdom, right?" Kore silently wondered. With these words in mind, the goddess found herself at the bottom of the stairwell.

A slow gust of wind, lightly rustled through her hair. Yes, a tunnel to the center of the earth. Tightening her resolve, Kore forced herself to walk forward into the wide gaping maw that seemed to go on forever, or was it the void?

She had yet to decide as she stepped in. A few feet in, the darkness ate her, only her godly glow provided the only light for her to see. So because of this, carnation pink light coated the dark earth that now surrounded her, guiding her better than any wisp ever would.

She'd never seen this much darkness. Even at the darkest parts of night when the moon did not appear, the stars were always there. Company. Yes, it would've been nice to have someone around.

Kore would've hugged her shoulders if she didn't have the scythe clutched between her hands. The sound of her footsteps on the dry earth, the only thing to keep her company, and the occasional little worms that fell on her.

The first one had scared the living daylights out of her- literally, for a second she had stopped glowing, but her godly powers of life started to react in response.

Bioluminescent plants started taking leaf as each step she made produced a small little growth, and soon mushrooms outlined her path, the royal purple and lilac colors soon joined. With the weak light, Kore was able to see the slimy little worm, crawling in front of her.

"Oh, you," Kore couldn't help but laugh at her own skittishness. "Alright maybe this isn't so scary."

With a completely new perspective on her journey, Persephone walked with much more confidence than when she started and resolved herself into a light jaunt. Of course, her good mood might've stayed, if the road before her wasn't several miles long.

So one can imagine that after several hours Kore grew tired of the monotony of her journey. Fear no longer sat at the pit of her stomach, nor determination, rather she felt beyond bored. Almost like all those times people talked to her, pretending to be her best friends.

Seriously, why would anyone do that? We hate each other, let the whole world know it already. Oh wait, her mother- never mind.

Oh, gods, she could hear her mother's voice right now.

"Kore, sweetie, why are you leaving Sicily? And why the Underworld?! Of all the places?! Oh, my little flower, c'mon, let's go home. You know you're not ready for anything like this. And look at you, you couldn't even get that far."

Fake mother did prove a point, though.

Where was the great entrance to the Underworld? Charon and his boat of passage? The palace shaped to look like a skull? The strange blue flames that still burned on its last life? The moans and screams of the dead? Cerberus barking?

Where was it?! Oh screw everything!

Nope, not having this, Kore shook the thoughts away, but this time she started sprinting. Picking up her long white skirt with one hand, she took off running, scythe in the other.

Her godly powers reacted with her shifting mood and no longer did any more plants start appearing, but she glowed brighter, so bright that the tunnel was enveloped in her carnation pink light.

Little worms and other such creatures, peaked their heads through to catch a glimpse of the sprinting goddess. All of them suddenly attracted to the pulsing energy of life that she gave off.

Another hour passed and finally another light glowed ahead of her. An eerie green light, but it was suddenly overtaken as grayish-blue shapes started approaching her, blocking the entrance.

Slowing down, Kore had to stop as hundreds of souls descended upon her. Half of them floated above her and then formed behind her, blocking her exit, while the other half remained in front of her, obstructing her view of the opening to the Underworld.

They surrounded her, and formed a circle around her, leaving at least a five foot radius around her.

"Stay back!" Persephone threatened, and held out the scythe to show that she meant business. She turned around slowly making sure that none of the shades tried to attack her, but after only two rotations, the goddess noticed something.

They weren't attacking her. They weren't even moving, they were just staring. Rather it looked like they were trying to figure out something about her.

Persephone cleared her throat and straightened herself out, resting the scythe now held in her right hand. "Um… Hi! Ugh, can I help you?" She inquired in a loud voice that still oozed with sweetness.

The shades opened their mouths but it was like listening to the twittering of bats. None of it made any sense to her!

"Oh, um… Sorry-" She smiled meekly at them, as she took a couple steps toward the opening that, finally, was the Underworld. "But I need to pass, kapiche?"

When the souls in front of her started to part, Persephone took this as a good sign and pressed onward.

"Alrighty, thanks for letting me through. Toodles…"

And finally after several hours of her journey she was finally here!

Oh, mother why did you have to take away my teleportation powers?!

She could practically hear Athena laughing, reminding her of why she did so.

It was still totally worth it… All fourteen times…

"Well, here I am." Persephone announced to the Underworld. "Wow it's just as dead as I thought," the goddess slapped her hand over her mouth at her own little pun.

Oh, wait no one was round to snap at her for that… Maybe this place wasn't so bad after all.

"Alrighty, first on the agenda… Hmm, I wish I had a note-" Before she could finish her sentence, her scythe transformed into a slab of stone covered with a thin layer of white clay, and her scythe had transformed into a small pick for writing in the clay.^

"Oh, that'll work…" Persephone quipped and started writing down a list. "Ok, step one: Tour around. Step two: Interact and speak with the locals- cool. Wow that's the end of the list… Why did I even write this?"

"Oh well." Now knowing that the scythe could transform, Persephone meshed the tablet and stylus together and suddenly transfigured back into its original form.

"Do any of youse guys, know the way?" The goddess turned around, looking at the shades who now followed her path from a distance of twenty feet.

When their mouths opened up, the sounds of bats was once again emitted, leaving Persephone to smile awkwardly.

"Okaaaaay…. Thanks. Maybe you could point, or lead the way…" When none of them moved, Persephone sighed, and continued on her way. "Cool, thanks guy- oh my gosh! Wait! You two, come back here!"

Taking off in a run again, Persephone chased the two pairs of eyes that had been spying on her. They had taken off as soon as she had noticed them, and now watched as two worms, one fat, the other skinny raced away from her.

They would have dived into the black sand had it not been for the large curved blade that was thrown right into their path. The shock was enough to make the two worms configure back into their original forms. Both of them were imps by the looks of them, but one was a fat pink and the other a thin teal.

The two of them were screaming bloody murder as they had no clue where the scythe had come from and how easily they were blocked from escaping.

"Ha!" Persephone came up behind the two still screaming imps, her hands placed triumphantly on her hips. Something about watching the two of them writhe was almost funny.

Pain and Panic were not screaming as loudly as before, now that the scythe wasn't coming down to decapitate them, and it wasn't Kronos who was wielding it as they beheld the reflection of a beautiful goddess in the blade.

Sharing a look, the two imps slowly turned around, to find Kore.

Though their expression was a little awestruck seeing a living, radiant goddess right in front of them. Something felt off about the tall, willowy blonde that was clad in a tattered white chiton.

The hem of her once flowing chiton was ripped from her running, revealing her shapely carnation pink skin. Black sand and dirt stuck onto the edges of what was now the hem and the tousled wavy yellow locks of her hair were a bit on the frizzy side with her flower headdress missing, but all it did was add to her divine beauty, for she truly was something to behold.

"Who- who?" Both of the imps sputtered out, trying to come up with a coherent thought.

"Hi," the goddess waved confidently at the two awestruck imps. "I'm Kore, future lady of the dead. Hi, how ya doing?"

A/N: I am so sorry I thought I was gonna have them meet, but the chapter got too long.

*Praxidice means she who deals penalties, it was an epithet of Persephone, I thought it fit for her scythe.

^The Romans, but also the Greeks, used little tablets covered with wax to write things down, and I needed something a little less permanent that Persy could use for that scene.

Do you like Persephone's weapon of choice? Anything you particularly liked? Anybody catch that Brave reference? Tell me about it in the comments.

Till then please fave, follow, and/or review!

Angel of H-d out!