When Paths Diverge

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Disclaimer: Chapter 1

"Are you, are you

Coming to the tree

Where dead man called out
For his love to flee
Strange things did happen here
No stranger would it be
If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree."

- By James Newton Howard, Mockingjay Part 1

The job was easy.

Keep Demeter occupied.

Of course, Hades hadn't exactly specified how they could do it. He never was one for distinct details on how the job gets done so long as the job does get done. From there, Pain and Panic were left with the conundrum to figure out how they should accomplish such a feat, but the latter was more than happy to bring up the Old Kronos Stone as his first suggestion.

Pain, never really the one to have bright ideas between the two of them, went along with his brother's fool-proof plan. It made Panic happy anyway as he hummed the Kronos Stone song, and when Thanatos stumbled across them unpacking the stone from the basement. The thin teal imp was more than happy to give the spiel on the stone in song format.

What they had forgotten as they revealed the stone to the curious psychopomp was that Thanatos was in fact a god, and was soon sent off to dreamland at the sight of the glowing green stone.

"Well," Pain had commented, "At least we know it still works."

From there after putting the stone in a convenient travel size container and waking up the snoozing godling, the three of them set off to take care of their respective posts. Thanatos with his sister and Pain and Panic with Persephone's mother.

There shouldn't be any problems. One peek at the stone and Demeter would be in snoozeville, but Panic is as panic does.

One look inside the small little cottage that Demeter and Persephone resided in, the two imps found their intended target conveniently inside.

The residence had two small rooms, and they were looking through what they guessed was Demeter's room since the aforementioned deity was sitting at a desk reading through a neatly piled assortment of scrolls. After reading each scroll, the agriculture goddess would start writing things down on a separate scroll, compiling a list of all the city states and their annual output for the Harvest.

"It looks like she's busy," Panic commented. "Maybe we should wait until she's-" It was at this moment that the teal imp looked to his left only to find his corpulent brother gone and the stone with him.

"Pain!" Panic hissed without meaning to, and transfigured into a hawk to pick up the snake Pain had turned into while he dragged the stone behind him.

With his claws extended, Panic dipped down to pick up the pink python, but somehow, maybe it was the flapping of his wings, or maybe it was the strangled cry Pain released as he began to choke him; something alerted Demeter to their presence.

The large pear-shaped goddess turned around to investigate the noises coming from behind her but could do nothing as her eyes skirted to the glowing stone. Whatever she may have said or done was lost to all as she was suddenly filled with the need to get some much needed shut-eye even if it meant right there on her floor mere inches away from her bed, and collapsed where she stood.

Pain and Panic found themselves slipping back into their normal skins as they stopped their wrestling and stared at the unconscious body of Demeter.

"Well, that was easy," Pain wheezed between his tired breaths.

"She was going to be preoccupied for a while, we didn't have to do anything until she was done!" Panic gestured to the wooden desk that was actually a tree growing on its side.

"But we can snoop now," Pain grinned wickedly. His thumb jerked at the little cupboard underneath the tree that could only be seen from their height. It was hidden in plain sight, but judging by its position deep within the desk it was obviously hiding something important.

Panic's face split into an equally malicious grin, but a harrowing thought crossed the teal imp's mind, making his face turn into a deep frown. "This is Miss Persephone's home, though, if she were to find out we-"

"You mean if she finds out we did."

Panic shot his brother a deadpan look instead of his usual look of glee. "Gee, where have I heard that one before."

Still, the two of them had curiosity that could rival Pandora's when they were together and coincidentally they were ever rarely apart. Today was no different. So they did what they did best and pried open the hidden cabinet and their leering grins turned into confusion as they found even more scrolls hidden inside.

"There's just more paperwork." Pain hastily reached inside and plucked out one such scroll. "Man, what is it with god's and paperwork?"

"Oh let me see," Panic snatched the scroll from Pain's grasp and found himself reading through it. "Well, I never took Demeter for the girly type," he gestured to the loopy handwriting that decorated the doodles of various plants, many of which he didn't recognize.

"Or the nerdy type too," Pain gazed over his brother's shoulder, finding himself drawn to the attention to details of the drawings from the side profiles to the many plant parts and long-winded names that was way too fancy for him to understand. "I mean, uh, what's a gene? A chromosome? Is that a new plant? Or what?"

"Wait a second," Panic snatched a scroll from the top of the desk and compared it with the one in Pain's hands. The one on the desk was written almost immaculately and made in separate strokes that left well defined spaces between the words instead of the tiny little gaps, the other scrolls had.* "I don't think this was written by the same person."

The two of them suddenly came to the same conclusion at the same precise moment.

"This is Persephone's!" They shouted in unison.

"Then why does Demeter have 'em locked up here? Shouldn't they be in her room?" As soon as the question was out of Pain's mouth, he suddenly felt dumb for saying so.

Pain and Panic shared an uncomfortable moment of silence as they already knew the answer to that question, but chose not to acknowledge it.

So she was grounded, it happens to gods too apparently.

Panic cleared his throat after a while and began to roll up the scroll and proceeded to collect the entire stack that was fitted inside. "Well, this would make a nice gift, right? For the wedding…"

"Yeah," Pain agreed, suddenly glad that they moved on from the previous awkwardness. "Now we don't have to buy a gift!"

"That's right!" Panic cheered, more so from the fact that the conversation had shifted. "And Hades might make me Best Minion for the idea," he announced smugly at his pink compatriot.

"Don't you mean, he'll make me Best Minion for wanting to snoop around?" Pain reminded his brother.

"But it was my idea for the gift, first," Panic huffed.

"Yeah, but it was me who took Demeter out in the first place."

"The Kronos stone did that itself, you just wanted to rush things like always."

"I acted while you were just having another panic attack, Panic," Pain crossed his arms defiantly.

"Well, you're a real pain, Pain," Panic soon followed suit, copying the exact pose as his brother.

And my dear reader, there be no greater fighting words than when your adversary uses puns of your own name.

What followed next I will not divulge into excruciating detail as there are many exciting things coming your way, but what I can say is that it lasted for several hours as words turned into glares and glares turned into grappling.

Which wasn't really grappling since they knew this was still the future mother-in-law's house.

Well, as the two of them laid on their backs, having exhausted the other from all their fighting, they called truce and began to wonder when the future Mrs. Boss would arrive. They'd been here for awhile and wanted to report that everything went along swimmingly, but they guessed their Boss was having fun in the future Missus' company.

It wasn't until they heard movement outside of the cottage that the two of them sat up in attention.

"She's home!" Pain announced as he flew to the ledge of the window and peaked outside to see the slender goddess running to the house. "Hey, Panic… Something's wrong with-"

"Let's move Demeter to the bed, make it look like she's sleeping," Panic interrupted, having not listened to a word after his brother announced that Persephone was home.

Pain begrudgingly assisted his brother as the two of them began to move Demeter to her bed.

"Panic… Persephone doesn't look so good," Pain exclaimed between heaves as they successfully lifted the agriculture goddess into her bed.

"What do you…?" Panic drifted off as he heard a door slam shut.

Persephone was inside the house, but where would she head next? Her room? Her mother's?

They needed to get out of here. The last thing he wanted was for her to find them with their wedding gift for her! But what did Pain mean that she didn't look good? Was she okay? Was she hurt- had the date gone sour?

Oh, why did he live up to his name so well?

But thankfully for Panic, Pain, the more confident of the two, made a quick grab for the bag they put all of Persephone's scrolls in, and scurried to hide under the bed.

Panic soon followed suit and the two of them now cowered silently as they heard Persephone's footsteps echo louder as she drew nearer.

It wasn't until they heard a knock at the door followed by the turn of a knob that Panic realized two very essential things. One was that hiding under a bed was not a very effective way to scare a child should the need arise and instead should be done by hiding in a closet as it would give the unwilling victim a better view of whatever it was that decided to scare them, but perhaps that is a different story altogether.

Now the second, and more important thing that relates to this story was the absence of a very powerful object that could render a god completely unconscious just by its mere presence.

"Wait, where's the stone-" Panic began to cry out before Pain slapped a claw over his brother's mouth to silence him.

The door steadily creaked open and pale lilac light was soon encompassed by a sickly shade of olive. The grieving goddess at the doorway stepped unsurely into the room, her eyes briefly scanning the Kronos Stone. Persephone offered no resistance as she welcomed the warm comforting arms of sleep and collapsed onto the floor like her mother before her.

Pain and Panic were out in an instant as they rushed to Persephone's side.

"Is she alright?!" Panic cried and turned her over so that she was on her back.

That sweet heart-shaped face of hers held no worry as she laid still like a sleeping beauty high up in that tower surrounded by thorns. Even flowers were clutched to her chest, all with large round dark discs that reminded him of the sun with little spearhead petals that surrounded the center.

Still one thing marred the immaculate image as the two imps took note of the twin tear trails on her cheeks. Even her hair now that it was known to float and curl and follow behind her was stiff and lacked its usual warm enticing golden glow. Flowers that were nestled throughout her hair were blackened and ashen, adding a strange macabre look that was rarely ever associated with her.

Maybe her hair was off because she was asleep, Panic guessed, but he could not deny the faint familiar smell of flame- of rage, and something else added into the mix.

Pain and Panic shared a look.

Dumb as they were, they were still demons, and they knew when something bad had transpired. So when something filled anyone with pain or panic, no one would know better than them be they mortal or non. They were the experts in this field like no other.

"Do you think Hades…?" Pain started, but he could not finish his thought.

"What- what are you talking about?" Panic faltered as he began to consider the possibility, but quickly dashed the thought.

Persephone may be the epitome of sweet, but she was not one to mess with, he recalled the incident that wrapped up the Competition. Plus, their boss hadn't hurt her besides the whole lying bit. Sure, he was ruthless, but not to her so far.

"Hades would never- not with two sunsets left!" Panic was quick to remind his brother, but the idea did not leave his mind, and coincidentally, Pain's too.

Pain said nothing, a characteristic unlike him as he watched the steady rise and fall of Persephone's chest. At least she was at peace now, for however long they remained there.

She was in a great deal of emotional pain, the worst kind of pain, he noted, and he guessed Panic felt something akin to dread and fear within her based on his worried look.

"We gotta report back, and probably go pick up the kid," Pain sighed in defeat. Yet he didn't know what to dread more: Thanatos and his pestering or Hades when he decided to pulverize them for the subject of their report.

"Oh right," Panic felt himself deflate, but an idea filled him with some small degree of glee. "Too bad we still have the Kronos Stone with us."

Pain's face erupted into a slight grin at the reminder of the stone. "Yeah, too bad…"

The two imps scampered off, taking Persephone's scrolls and the stone with them, but at the last second, Panic backtracked and took one of the many flowers that Persephone had brought with her.

She wouldn't notice one gone and hopefully Hades knew the significance behind them.

Hopefully.

There was something to be admired about Hades. Yes, he was callous, ruthless, and at times he was short-tempered, but he had a certain composure that oftentimes left those who dealt with him unnerved.

He had the rare ability to rise above that canyon of emotion and skirt its edge just so he could see the whole picture instead of losing himself to things out of his control. Sure, he'd flare up, but he always composed himself right after and went ahead to take care of that detail if it went awry. Many villains who would come after him from powerful sorcerers to mistresses of evil would never match that level of composure- that ability to not completely lose himself and do something that would land him in hot water.

It was that same level of composure that the imps saw in Hades as they gave their report. That pensive, furrowing brow lost in thought while his eyes stared into the void.

Pain and Panic watched their boss briefly flare up, but he quickly returned to his normal state. Although his grip on the armrests indicated the true war brewing inside of him.

Hades said nothing as he looked at his cowering imps. He knew they were expecting some kind of outburst, but his warring thoughts prevented him from carrying out his usual routine when he received bad omens.

Despite their many flaws, though, Pain and Panic proved their usefulness. Their bumbling mannerisms often put him in some tight situations considering how they failed to take out Hercules. Yet overall they were loyal and that was a quality Hades needed in times such as these, and now it would seem they stumbled across something big.

Something too big to ignore.

Hades signaled them out of his office with a quick gesture, leaving him completely alone in his office. He found himself releasing a large sigh as he buried his long face in his hands.

He was tired.

Too tired, he thought to himself as he slumped back into his obsidian throne.

Hades had been up since dropping off Persephone and well into the night as he began to ponder his options at this point. He'd been at it for so long he could tell the sun had already arisen on the mortal plane.

Persephone, that sweet, wild goddess that pulled the rug from underneath his feet. She was becoming too much of a liability than he wished to admit. His brothers already knew his interest in her, but they didn't even know the half of it.

It's one thing to have a thing for a person an attraction, it happens to us all, but it becomes something else entirely when you are willing to jump over hurdles to keep that person in your life. He was in for the long run. Whatever it took he'd do it, lie, cheat, and deal. He couldn't do this alone anymore; not when it was her.

But what was wrong with her? Pain and Panic wouldn't make something like this up- they took their jobs and their lives far too seriously.

I mean he and Persephone had a great time. Real good time, his mouth slid into a sly grin, so what was up? A fun night like that doesn't create a depressive mood just like that, not when the heat of the moment is too fresh.

He considered going to check up on her, but she could take care of herself. One more night of being alone shouldn't be too bad. Yeah, time was of the essence, but not in the dead of night. How would that look for her? He didn't want to show her his desperation; at least not yet.

Hades opened one weary golden eye and stared down at the flower Pain and Panic had taken from the scene.

A sunflower.

He was there when Apollo had offered one to Persephone two days earlier, and it never occurred to him how the sun god could create a brand new type of flower. Now being able to inspect one, any god with any sense could figure out what it really was- or who it was.

It was a nymph, or what was left of her.

Hades continued to eye the sunflower before he set it aflame and crumbled up its ashen form. He vaguely remembered hearing conversations while snooping around Persephone's woods about a nymph going missing, and it looked like she just found her.

Could that be the source of her current state? No, it was never that simple. Persephone had held the flower before and hadn't noticed it was once a nymph.

Sometimes when you messed with a god's specialty it would get unnoticed. Someone had to tell her it was a nymph, but who? Her mother? No, still involved with plants, it wouldn't have been obvious. It had to be an outsider to the growing world. Someone else had to tell her, and that left a lot of options for him to siphon through.

But why all the tears?

The nymph was basically reborn, living a more peaceful life now away from promiscuous gods. Considering Apollo had been the one to give it to Persephone, he may have been responsible for the nymph's untimely demise. Which could mean she was even more royally pissed with the god, but that would produce rage- the need for retribution; not tears.

He knew her well enough by now to know she wouldn't respond like that for a loser like Apollo, she already knew he was a jerk. She had even gone so far to ask to get back at him for trying to pin her to hold still for the love arrow.

So why?

The dread lord. of the dead pondered. He had compiled several possibilities, two of them were at the top of his mental list, and with those possibilities meant there were more things to prepare should those scenarios play out.

It was already morning topside, so he had plans to act. In an hour he'd visit Persephone. See if she accepted his offer, and if not?

Well…

Hades rose from his throne and approached the iron crown he had left on a pedestal obscured from view by a heavy black curtain. He was in too deep now to pull himself out, and he wasn't going to take no for an answer.

There was always Plan Beta.

Hades arrived without his usual dramatics. A simple snap and the dark atmosphere of the underworld was soon replaced with soft sunlight as it shone through the branches of high arching trees. The moans of the grateful dead turned into the soft breezes that carried the laughter of nymphs and the nearby babbling brooks.

Hades listened intently, hoping he'd recognize Persephone's voice, but he could not pinpoint her particular chortle. He had to find her fast because if she wasn't anywhere near here, the trees would start to decay without her around to cancel out his powers, and it would alert anyone of his presence.**

Peering around the trees, Hades stuck to the shadows, using them to his advantage as he inspected the familiar meadow he had found her hanging around so much.

A large group of naiads and dryads cooed over a fawn with its mother nowhere in sight. That would explain the giggles, Hades rolled his eyes in annoyance, but Persephone was not among the crowd that was gathered there.

Great, the only option he had at the moment was her cottage, but getting so close to Demeter's place? It was already risky being out here so long.

Hades found himself sending a silent prayer to the Fates as he materialized in the edge of the small clearing where Demeter's cottage was located. Oi, the walking, talking flower pot better not be around or he was in serious trouble.

The god glanced at the small cottage. He found himself circling the abode from his far distance in the woods as he tried to look for an open window or anything. The side that was hidden from his view when he first appeared now showed something he had not noticed before about the cottage.

It almost reminded him of a mortal's dwelling place, but the garden that was adjacent to it was too perfect, too immaculate to belong to that of a lowly mortal. It was gorgeous and every thing growing inside was everyone's ideal image of a plant. Not one dried leaf, not one hole eaten away by a pesky little caterpillar, nor weed occupied that space, and who else to tend it then that golden-haired goddess who was working away on digging a hole.

Persephone was on her knees in the middle of her mother's garden. Her wavy hair splayed out behind her, uncurling and not floating- didn't even glow. Her face was set in a serious manner and her eyes were glazed and narrowed like a wizened old woman who had seen and done everything under the sun.

Hades watched with more interest than he cared to admit as she took out the plucked sunflowers in her basket. With a small flick of her wrist the flowers sprouted roots and gently she lowered those ghost white roots into the ground. Then with deft rosy fingers she began to cover up the hole with the discarded dirt.

Hades found himself instinctually straightening his chiton and smoothing back his flame hair as he prepared to reveal his presence. Uneasiness began to worm its way in his gut as his boldness began to slowly dissipate the longer he stood there. He tried to bury his agitation, but that dark thought he had buried was beginning to rise again.

What if she says no?

Plan Beta, of course, he reminded himself, but even that did not lift his spirits. He had come up with the plan, but the implications of what would happen should it be carried out would probably jeopardize everything he'd done so far to rebuild that trust between them. It was risky, but it was the last ace up his sleeve should it fail. She'd understand though, you know once she cooled down. Then he'd explain everything to her. Or, their was the outlandish option to tell her the truth instead of making outrageous lies, but he couldn't open up that fast. Hey, he wanted to take things steady too.

Well, at least the emotional, being vulnerable part… heh, Hades thought with a sly grin.

That seemed to pull him out of his brooding as the brush around him began to get less dense the more he approached her. He found himself inching toward the light, ready to make his presence known, but she had already seen him.

Persephone stopped him with a single look.

Call it a change in the winds or the charge of energy that increased in the air, but something didn't sit well with the way she was looking at him. The way her face twisted as it fluctuated between melancholy to fear to rage was quick, but it froze any and all the confidence in his gait, forcing him to remain immobile where he stood.

"Sweetness?" He heard himself call out unsurely. Hades momentarily disappeared only to reappear by the edge of her mother's garden. "Hey, how you-"

"No," was all she proclaimed with a steady voice. Persephone had risen to her feet and her violet eyes were calm and cold, holding none of the previous warmth she had given him yesterday. Yet anyone could note that pained look she gave him before she turned away, walking briskly back to the front of her house.

Hades felt himself go rigid, and that included the smoke tendrils at his feet. The briefest pang erupted somewhere that people would consider the heart cavity, but he somehow found that calm bravado take hold of him. "Persephone, sweetness, did I miss something?" he reappeared beside her as she opened her front door.

Still Persephone paid no mind to him even as his hand reached out to grab her arm, but one of the vines on her door reached out and slapped it away.

Hades flinched back at the offending vine, more from surprise than any actual pain. In fact it looked like the thick vine suffered more as it began to burn and crumble away.

"You heard my answer," Persephone now stood inside of her cottage, standing at the doorway with one hand ready to close the door.

"Oh," Hades found himself backtracking as he realized what she was talking about. "Of course, of course, Elysium," his mouth already faster than any of his thoughts. "Why, is there a problem with it? I'm sure we can consider a compromise to make the deal even sweeter for you, my sweet. Now, come on name your complaints. I can be a reasonable god, and hey, I kind of am the head honcho down there so pulling strings, I can do that, no problemo," he found himself slipping back to his dealing ways as his fear grew.

When Persephone remained silent, just giving him that pained look of- was that despair?

"Come on," Hades extended his hand, his voice faltering in a desperate manner. He was practically begging her at this point. "Name your price."

A stray tear managed to escape from one of Persephone's eyes before she quickly swiped it away. "You can't offer me something that was never yours to give, Hades," she intoned bitterly.

Hades felt his eye twitch and his flames recede. A flurry of curses and unmentionable phrases began to explode within his mind

Oh gods, she knew.

How much, he didn't know, and frankly he didn't feel he was prepared to know the answer to that question at this moment.

"Good-bye Hades. Please, don't come back," and this time she actually meant it.

"Persephone," Hades found himself returning her cold gaze with one of his own. That unblinking, dangerous look that made any mortal and even some gods shiver in fear. "Don't make this harder than it has to be," he lowly warned.

Persephone shook her head. "If you really cared," she began to close the door. "You would accept my decision."

The door closed shut, and the vines spread across the door began to increase and thicken as it locked the spring goddess within its grasp.

Leaving the dread lord of the dead standing there just as shocked as when Hercules escaped the Phlegethon with the soul of his beloved. Yet this time around, there was no one to throw him into its depths. No, words achieved what Hercules couldn't do with his fist.

Simple words had left him speechless. Anyone who knew him understood that as an impressive feat, in itself, but just like how Hercules had spurred him on the path of revenge so too did Persephone's words spring him into action.

It's hard to break habits, dear reader, but more so than any other are the bad ones.

And for Hades as he stormed off to his dark Underworld, there was only one method he knew best. The one method that had never did him wrong in his eyes. This time around we shall call it Plan Beta.

But as it turns out he wasn't the only one who had the same idea.

*I'm throwing shade at the Romans. Latin class was the worst in HS having to try to read their writings when they don't believe in spaces. It still irks me to this day, and I felt it appropriate for Persy. Yes, Greeks did it too, but I don't understand Greek.

** I found a book of Hercules art in my university's library, and long story short it never clicked for me that after the fight with Nessus, when Meg goes to the side of the woods that was all withered and decayed, that it wasn't always that way. I just assumed Hades liked to hang out in spoopy places like that one cemetery, but the artists in the book explained it was symbolic how his godly presence had caused the area he was in to decay. It's why when he took over Olympus for 5 seconds that his throne looked like it belonged to the Underworld. I just figured since Persy's the opposite of withering, they'd just cancel each other out like a proton and an electron creating a stable ion.

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