Chapter 7: Hades Baby!

So far during Rose's stay, she had managed to...

Get Hades some vacation time

Do A LOT of paper work

Have a three headed dog think she was a goddess and

Make the minions totally hate her.

I have no idea what I did though... Shethought sadly.

Meanwhile in the underworld's "basement" Pain and Panic were stewing over their predicament.

"Hades hasn't been able to come up with a new scheme for weeks!" Grumbled Panic. "That little witch is ruining the boss' plans and running us out of a job! When was the last time we were ordered to mess with a mortal? Or even do paperwork? I can't even remember!"

"What are we gonna do Panic!" Cried Pain.

"I have an idea...," A low deceitful voice with a debonair undertone voiced.

Out from behind a pile of failed plan props, came a being neither of the minions would have suspected. Remember Hecate? Well get acquainted with one of her winged wolves, Havoc.

"What are You doing here?" Sneered Pain.

"Yeah, you're not welcome in the underworld!" Cried Panic.

"Is that any way to treat an ally?" Grinned Havoc.

"You're not welcome here." Growled Panic.

"Of course," Sighed Havoc. "I only thought that maybe you would like to get rid of that little-" He snarled, "Ginger pixie. But if you don't want to know..." Slowly he started to saunter away.

"...WAIT!" Cried the minion pair.

Havoc grinned. Perfect. "Yes?"

"What - exactly do you have in mind?" Questioned Panic suspiciously.

Havoc batted a water shooter over to the pair. "Here's my plan." He said with a grin.

Alright. All I have to do is get these scrolls to Hades and have him approve the judgments. Rose thought. As she walked down the narrow hallway to Hades' room she glanced down at the pile of paper in her arms. Just then, Pain and Panic burst from a room one door down from Hades'. Together, they carried a half full water shooter.

"You're going down lady!" Cried Pain.

"Yeah, what he said!" Shouted Panic.

"Guys? What's with the spray urn? Guys?" Rose asked, a little worried about the two imps.

"Fire when ready!" Shouted Pain.

"Firing!" Yelled Panic.

Suddenly Hades slammed through the door to his room. "What in Tartarus is going on out here!"

Suddenly there was a very wet and put out baby Lord of the Dead sitting in the middle of a pile of black chiton.

"Hades?" Screamed Rose as she knelt to the floor to get a better look at the now baby god.

Pain and Panic shot each other a quick look of horror. "Ohh NO!"

"Well, it looks like he can eat solid foods." sighed Rose as she carried the little god out of the kitchen.

"Oh man, OH MAN! Hades is gonna murder us when he gets back to normal!" Shrieked Pain.

"If he-" Started Panic.

"DON'T EVEN GO THERE!" Rose yelled. She had baby Hades resting in her arms as she started to bounce him, making the godling giggle cutely. "What did you do in the first place?"

"Uh, well, we had this idea..." Started Pain.

"We were trying to get rid of you!" Growled Panic.

"Yeah I got that." Rose quipped with a look on her face that said "Hades said they were yutzes." "So." Rose said, "How do we fix this little predicament."

"Well, last time we had to splash the affected person a second time to reverse the effects." Said Panic.

"Wait, last time? You know what, never mind. Just go get your little water shooter and spray Hades again."

"One problem." Pain said slowly.

"Let me guess. There's no more water." Rose face palmed. "All right, here's how we're gonna fix this." Grabbing the imps by the necks, Rose brought the pair up to her face. "You two are gonna go get more of this water. I'm going to stay here and watch Hades."

"Who died and made you queen of the underworld?" Quipped Panic

"Yeah! You go get the baby water!" Sneered Pain.

"I don't think you understand." Rose started menacingly, "My job is to watch Hades. And not only that, but YOU do as ISAY!" She screamed, her hair rising up to form what looked like a feminine version of Hades' furious flare-ups.

"Yes ma'am!" Cried the minion pair as they scrambled out of the dining hall.

Once the the tips of the imps' tails disappeared around the corner, Rose pulled little Hades up to her chest from where he had been resting on her hip. As she held him up to her face and rubbed noses with him, she giggled. "Now I understand why you torch 'em."

Havoc had just returned to Hecate with the news of Hades' untimely change into a toddler. Currently she was in the middle of throwing a tantrum about how her plan had failed and how stupid and useless the imps were. The second wolf, Mayhem, was curled up on a ledge overlooking the enraged witch when he thought of something interesting.

"Hecate, I think this could work to your advantage." He purred.

Hecate threw herself into her throne and ruminated on what had recently occurred. That's when it clicked.

"Boys, I think it's time we paid the underworld a visit." She grinned.

"Hades? Hades! Come out, come out, where ever you are!" Called Rose as she walked around the grounds of the palace. "Hmmm, I wonder where heeeeeee- Got ya!" She cried as she grabbed a giggling Hades. Laughing, Rose twirled the little god around and brought him to her chest in a hug. "Why can't you always be this adorable?" Hades let out a big yawn and curled into Roses' embrace. "Tired from all that running around, are you?" Giggled Rose. "Guess it's time for a nap!"

Deciding it might be best to use her room instead of Hades', Rose walked up to her bed and promptly realized it was way to big for a toddler. "Guess a few adjustments need to be made..." Rose took four of her full sized pillows from the head of her bed and boxed in the godling so that he didn't roll of the bed in his sleep. Then, she took a corner of the comforter and covered up the little guy to keep away the chill of that part of the underworld palace. After all the work was done, Hades was fast asleep in his makeshift bed. Without thinking, Rose reached out a hand and brushed a piece of blue flame away from the little gods face. It's cool! Come to think of it his body temp is really low too... She thought with a hint of astonishment. Putting the thought aside for later, she smiled softly down at the godlings' sweet face and yawned. Maybe I'll take a nap too... Rose thought as she curled up next to the immortal. Soon, both extraordinary beings were fast asleep. Neither of them knowing the danger that had entered through the front door.

"Hmm, looks cleaner than normal. Maybe I should hire the pixie to do the house work once I rule." Mumbled Hecate as she walked down the labyrinth of hallways towards Roses' room. Soon she was at the teens door and as she opened it she saw the little pair curled up on the bed. "Now isn't that cute." Hecate crooned mockingly.

"Adorable." Sneered Havoc.

"Just precious." Chimed in Mayhem.

"I'd hate to ruin the moment...Oh well. Havoc! Mayhem! Get going! We have to get to the Titans pit and get rid of the flaming brat as fast as possible." Ordered Hecate quickly.

The flying wolves grabbed the baby as quickly as they could without waking him or the shifter sleeping next to him and took off through an open window. There was no stopping Hecate now. Well, there wouldn't have been, if they had known that an angry female shapeshifter with raging maternal instincts makes an overprotective mother bear look like it's trying to give her cubs away. Yeah, lets just say this is gonna get messy.

Pain and Panic were just walking through the front door of the underworld palace when a blood curdling scream of anguish ripped through the underworld.

"Hey, did that sound like Rose to you?" Asked Pain.

Panic paled, "Uh-Oh..." As the minion pair ran to the open door of Roses' room they were run over by the truck sized wolves that Rose called family. As Dark Heart rushed forward to try and console the little woman he was hammered with scent of of unshed tears, infant and... feathers?

"He's gone!" Wailed Rose. "Someone took him! WHERE'S MY BABY!"

"Shhhh Sister, hush now. Tell me what's going on. What baby?" Crooned Dark Heart softly into the distraught teens mind.

"Hades was in an infant form due to an accident with some water from the Spring of Canathus! I put him down for a nap right there and fell asleep next to him, but when I woke up he was GONE! Dark Heart, even if he's a god he's still a baby! If someone wanted to hurt him it would be all together too easy! We have to find him!" Rose rushed out.

"We'll find the god Rose. Your distress is will only hurt others right now." Dark Heart tried to console. "Moon Shadow, Blood Moon, Light Mind, take the scent on the bed and find the start of the trail. Bright Night, Star Bringer, Dawn Song, find out more about this scent of winged wolf. The trait cannot be too common." Ordered the black wolf.

"What is goin on here!" Screeched Pain.

"We got the water, where's the boss?" Squeaked Panic in worry.

"We've got a problem. Hades's gone! Someone took him." Explained Rose.

"WHAT!" Shrieked the imps.

"Apparently a winged wolf took him. The pack is trying to get an idea of what we're up against."

"Winged wolves!" Cried Pain.

"Havoc and Mayhem!" Screamed Panic.

"OHH-NO!"

Rose grabbed both the imps and squeezed their throats till they were sputtering. "Explain. NOW!" Roared Rose.

"They're Hecate's minions! They were the ones that gave us the idea to use the water in the first place!" Coughed out Panic.

"Yeah, Hecate's been trying to take out Hades for eons. She wants to rule the underworld!" Sputtered Pain.

The queen of the shapeshifters dumped the two imps unceremoniously onto the floor and strolled purposely toward the door. "Dark Heart, get the pack together."

"May I ask why, Sister?" Asked Dark Heart.

Rose slowly turned back to the group and gave them a look that could make a Titan run for the pit. "We're going witch hunting."

Hecate stood on a ledge out side a underground tunnel overlooking the pit that held the Titans. Her magic was holding back the massive amount of water and stressing it to it's limit. All she needed was a second though to dump the brat. Kinda cute though at this age though. She thought. Oh well. As she held the squirming child out over the prison she took a moment to take in her victory. In that split second, There was a shout from behind her.

"Give. Me. My. KID!" Rose snarled.

"Or what? You gonna slap me? Oh I'm terrified! Havoc, Mayhem, get rid of the pest!" Crowed Hecate. She turned away from the teen and back to the Titans cell eager, to destroy her only obstacle in getting her underworld throne. Suddenly the ground started to rumble and the air began to shake. Turning back to the Shifter, Hecate gulped. Behind the little girl was seven angry mist wolves. And you haven't been afraid until you've seen seven wolves bigger than tanks with teeth the length of your fore-arm looking at you. But perhaps the scariest of all was the change that the teen herself had gone through. Her hair had risen off the back of her neck and created a fiery cloud around her head and her incisors had lengthened and pointed into fearsome fangs. Roses' teeth were bared in a way that was anything but friendly and her eyes were wide with anger.

Rose let out an inhuman snarl and three of the wolves leaped away from the group and sprang into a fight with Hecate's minions. The four other wolves and Rose herself sprinted toward Hecate and the Baby with speed that would make any god need to look twice. Rose was the first to slam into the witch. In that moment, Hecate let go of baby Hades and he started to plummet toward the chasm of water.

Dark Heart raced over to the edge and swatted at the little godling, hooking his claw on the diaper and pulling Hades back to safety. Carrying the little god into the tunnel Dark Heart placed him on the floor gently. Pain and Panic were supposed to be here by now! Racing back to to the tunnel opening, Dark Heart looked over at the fight between Hecate and Rose. His little sister had managed to get her fangs into Hecate's shoulder, and from the looks of it those fangs weren't coming out anytime soon.

"That hurts you little- AHHH!" Screamed Hecate.

Rose clamped down harder on Hecate's shoulder. Just as she got a really good grip on the collar bone Hecate release the magic holding back the water. Using the brunt of her magic, Hecate managed to rip Rose off, taking a chunk of flesh with her. With a scream of rage intermingled with agony, Hecate used her magic to force Rose to the edge of the ledge. Rose was crouched in a feral position at the edge, her body posed to pounce. The demi goddess's blood dripped from her mouth as she spit out the scrap of muscle onto the ground.

The shifter chuckled, "A little more trouble than you expected, eh Hecate?"

"Shut the fuck up you little bitch!" Growled Hecate, blood pooling around her from the wound on her shoulder. "I'll get rid of you, then skin your little fur balls, and then I'll drown that flame-haired brat!" Every pause there was a shove, and Rose was backed closer to the edge.

"Die!" Sanrled Hecate. And Rose was forced off the ledge, only to grab the edge at the last second.

Suddenly a pillar of black smoke shot out at Hecate from behind, knocking her to the ground. As Rose pulled herself half way back up the ledge she was greeted with a welcome sight. Hades in all his adult glory was seething from outside the tunnel.

"HECATE!"

"Uh-oh..." Groaned Hecate "Not now!"

"Hello Hecate, anything you would like to explain!'" Flared Hades "NOW!"

Before Hades could get anymore angry Hecate poofed out and her now scared for life wolves flew away.

"It's great to have you back boss!" Called the imps as the fluttered around his head.

"Great to be back boys!" Hades replied smirking, "Now just one question." He Flared "What in the Underworld's name is going on!"

"Before we go through that, Hades, can I get a hand?" Rose called out wearily.

Hades strolled over to the shifter and dragged her up the rest of the way and back onto solid ground.

"You also might wanna change, Hun..." The women chuckled softly.

"What in the name of Tartarus!" Roared Hades. He was still in the diaper. Quickly the Lord of the Dead disappeared then reappeared in his standard black chiton.

"Can we talked about it back in the underworld? I could go for a rest on the couch..." Rose whispered.

"Fine, Fine. But don't get me wrong." Hades growled, grabbing the minions and looking them straight in the eye, "We WILL be talking about this later."

"Sure, sure." Replied Rose, smiling tiredly. She quickly fell asleep on the ground next to the God. As one of the wolves stooped to pick up the girl, Hades got in the way.

"I got 'er." He griped. "I got a feelin I owe 'er anyways."

Holly crap! So tired! I really can't imagine Hades as a cute baby. Uh Rose, he's not really your kid! :/