A/N- This was a world history class project. The teacher had us write something involving the Greek gods that was a story of how something came to be... did that make sense? And I, being an insane and rather obnoxious LM fan, came up with this.

Elyse3- The closest thing I have to a trademark food/drink is a cyber-cookie. I was gonna use chimichongas in The Inspector's New Groove, but it got deleted, as we know.

AmZ- I know Javert wouldn't do this, which is why he didn't. I don't take credit for being a well-researched Javert freak, so I'm sorry he isn't perfectly in character. I warned you in the author's note he wouldn't be.

nebulia- And this brings up questions of what else Javert had planned from the beginning... hmm... Arras?

Vest-Button- Why thank you. I was sitting around in French class wondering if there was anything else I could cross LM with... Batman just kinda popped up in my mind.

Weird Kitty- I say the whole thing's a conspiracy! I say the bishop planned it all! Wait... is that possible?

A Complicated Tale

All was not well in Paris, and Zeus was not pleased. Apollo had made a bargain with Aphrodite for the spirit of a handsome young man a year or more earlier. Instead of having any interest in love, the young man, Enjolras, thought only of war. [Teacher's Comment: "Sounds like people I know :-)"] He found fault with the government and even organized a group of other Parisian revolutionaries. They had spent their time searching for an opportunity to make a stand against the government, and their big moment had finally arrived. The last man who had any sympathy for the poor of Paris, one General Lamarque, was dead.

On his funeral day they "honored his name" in the prearranged manner – a rallying cry that reached every ear. They poor gathered in the streets and built a barricade, preparing to make a stand against the government.

Zeus watched this from Mount Olympus and frowned. He was pleased with the king of France and did not want these little revolutionaries to spoil this kingdom. He called Aphrodite and asked that she do something about this, if she could.

Aphrodite, the goddess of love and jealousy, descended upon the streets of Paris. She had already visited one of these revolutionaries, Marius Pontmercy, when she caused him to fall in love with a pretty girl called Cosette Fauchelevant. Aphrodite had also visited Cosette's father and given him more than his share of jealously for her handsome suitor. Cosette's father had planned a trip to England to escape losing his daughter, leaving Marius distraught.

Even before granting Cosette and Marius love, Aphrodite had been concerned with Marius's affairs. His neighbor, a beggar named Eponine, was madly in love with Marius and insanely jealous of his relationship with Cosette. Eponine had reminded Marius to come to the barricades assuming that all of the revolutionaries would be killed, and that she and Marius would die with them. If Eponine couldn't have Marius, no one could!

Aphrodite began to see a plan that would help to destroy all the young men (and the girl) at the barricades. She called upon Hades, lord of the dead, and explained. He, in turn, went to Apollo, god of war, and soon the plan was to be put into action. The gods and goddesses had overlooked one man – Ultime Fauchelevant, Cosette's father.

Apollo sent a gendarme over the barricade unnoticed. The man aimed his weapon at Marius. Aphrodite alerted Eponine to this and watched her put her hand across the muzzle of the piece just as the gendarme fired. The bullet passed through her hand and came out through her back. Eponine fell to the ground and dragged herself away from the fighting. Marius happened in her direction and she called to him.

"Monsieur Marius!"

At first Marius did not recognize her, but then he showed an extreme worry for her safety. "You're wounded!" he cried. "Is it very bad? Help, someone! But what are you doing here?"

Eponine explained how she had been injured. He was properly grateful. Then Eponine told Marius why she had called him over to her. "I have a letter for you in my pocket. I was asked to post it, but I didn't. I didn't want you to get it. Take your letter."

Aphrodite frowned. A letter?

Eponine said, "You know, Monsieur Marius, I think I was a bit in love with you," tried to smile, and died.

The letter was, of course, from Cosette. Suddenly Marius had something to live for. He rushed into the café that was being used as a sickroom and hurriedly wrote a response to Cosette's letter, which he sent to her home care of Eponine's little brother. Marius hoped to save the little boy from the onslaught to come at the barricades.

None of the gods or goddesses bothered to follow the letter. They did not find it important.

Apollo sent the government much strength and took many important factors of the revolution from the young men at the barricades. One of the most devout followers of the revolution, a poet called Jean Prouvaire, was killed in the first day of fighting.

Enjolras realized at this point that none of them would survive the battle. He demanded that all the men who had women or children counting on them leave at once disguised as National Guardsmen. Five men were selected to live, but Apollo only gave them four dead National Guardsmen, thus only four uniforms. The entire company was assembled watching the men decide who would stay and die with the rest when suddenly a fifth National Guard uniform landed on the pile. Ultime Fauchelevant had arrived at the barricades in his own uniform, seen the problem, and remedied it. The gods were furious.

The letter that was to be delivered go Cosette by little Gavroche was intercepted by Cosette's father outside of their home. He had read the letter and come to the barricade – for what purpose? – not even Zeus could be sure. Fauchelevant himself did not know. Cosette had never received the letter, but Gavroche, feeling that his job was done, had returned to the barricade.

Zeus demanded that someone get some history on this Fauchelevant. Hermes arrived with a file title "Jean Valjean/Madeleine/Ultime Fauchelevant." Fauchelevant was really an escaped convict, Jean Valjean, who had decided to turn over a new leaf after breaking parole and ended up becoming mayor of a small town and adopting the child of a dead whore. [Teacher's Comment: "Is this entirely appropriate for my classroom?"] Ever since he had first escaped prison, Jean Valjean had been tracked by an obsessive policeman know as Javert.

Zeus laughed aloud, much to the confusion of some of the other gods. Javert was also at the barricade, have been unmasked as a spy by the boy Gavroche in one of the few moments that Apollo had not been paying attention.

Jean Valjean had hardly settled himself at the barricade before he saved Enjolras from sniper fire. The young man, feeling indebted to the older one, asked how he might thank him. Valjean knew what to say. "Give me the spy, Javert. Let me take care of him."

"The law is inside out, the world is upside down!" Javert shouted indignantly.

Enjolras handed Valjean a musket. "This man belongs to you."

Night began to fall, and Valjean inexplicably let Javert go free. The gods let out a collective gasp. "You are free, and there are no conditions. There's nothing that I blame you for. You've done your duty – nothing more."

Javert left in a state of shock and disarray.

The next morning Apollo bragged to Zeus, "I've got the boys. Your troubles are over."

And it happened as he said. All of the revolutionaries were slaughtered – Enjolras included.

Or so the gods thought. Underneath Paris an old man carried a wounded revolutionary through the sewers, braving sludge-pits, dead ends, and even robbers. This young man was taken home to his beloved, and they were wed after he had healed.

Marius Pontmercy never forgot his friends and their noble cause.



Victor sat up in his bed. The dream had been so real! He rushed over to his desk and quickly scribbled down what he remembered of the plot. A story about les pauvres, the paupers, he thought. A story of the wretched. A story of Les Misérables...

And on Mount Olympus, Athena, goddess of art, smiled. The seed had been planted.