Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Naruto is not ours, and Greek Mythology belongs to no one.
Summary: What's a guy to do when he is in love, and his mother-in-law gets in the way? Kidnap his wife err, husband of course... (Based on the Greek Mythology of Hades and Persephone). SasuNaru.
Author's Note: This Author's note is going to be quite long, as it has come to my attention that some reviewers might not understand the reason why certain characters were chosen and cast as certain gods. So in advance, I'm apologising for the long note.
Demeter is the earth goddess and she basically represents warmth and the glory of the earth. Funny thing is I believe that Minato will fill that role better than Kushina. Some of you might not agree with me on that fact, but it is what I see. Yes, you might think that Kushina fits the role better, but the little that has been shown of Kushina, and Masashi's portrayal of her in the manga, makes me think that Minato would be a better choice. This is of course ignoring the fact that he is a male.
The various gods and goddesses could change their appearance at will. That's why sometimes when they appeared in the midst of their subject, they were not easily recognized. Zeus's age is something he could have tweaked because he is the youngest and yet the King of the gods. It makes him more regal, and would help him get the respect that is due him easier. Now, I don't believe that Fugaku would have cut it as Zeus, because of the basic detachment he possesses. Zeus might have been a lot of things, but the fact is that his attentions in regards to women show that basically sometimes he can be very fickle and moved by the emotions he is currently feeling. Something that I don't think happens with Fugaku or at least to a large extent to him, but is what Jiraiya has. Also, the fact that Zeus' actions sometimes show that he acts before he has the time to consider the consequences of his actions scream Jiraiya and not Fugaku. Still doesn't help matters that the control that Fugaku has, to me, does not seem appropriate for the king of the gods in Greek mythology.
As for Tsunade as Hera, I did not cast her as that role because I think of her and Jiraiya as a couple. Can't really say I'm a fan of that pairing actually, but Hera is a force to be reckoned with in her own right, and has a vindictive streak that stretches a mile high. And this is something that I think Tsunade will do well with.
Still my opinion of course.
The goddess of love is sometimes beautiful, vain and fickle and although she might have her moments, she is depicted as someone who is vain, gets jealous easily, especially of people whose beauty are remotely compared to her, or whose lovers she shares, and whose judgments can be rash and instantaneous. Some people will even say she likes to play and toy with people's mind and emotions. Sorry, but I see Ino in that role and not the Mizukage.
So sorry, but for those of you that believe that Tsunade should be Athena, the virgin goddess, the goddess of wisdom, and battle strategy of war, the goddess who has been prided on her control, I can't see her in that role. This is still my opinion.
Chouji likes to eat, but that does not mean that he is given to drunkenness and debauchery, which is commonly associated with Dionysus the god of wine. I chose Chouji because of his loyalty and the fact that it is only those who are close to him that see his worth and appreciate him. Others just simply write him off and that is something that the lame god and the god of fire has dealt with. Still my opinion.
Kakashi might be a slacker and like to play with people, but he still has the work ethics that make him not a suitable Hermes. Kakashi plays harmless tricks, but he still knows when to draw the limit which is not something I can say for Hermes the god who delights in tricking others.
Sai or the Killer Bee as Apollo does not agree with me. Apollo is the god of prophecy who therefore will believe quite strongly in the prediction of the fates about predestination and so on, which is basically Neji's foremost thought. Remember that it was at the temple of Apollo that the warning to Oedipus was given, and Oedipus could not escape the prophecy. Doesn't that scream Neji to you all? Also, Apollo is an athlete whose aim was quite sure as an archer. Something that Neji is also. Apollo's vindictive nature, and his ability to go to the extremes in order to get vengeance is something that can be seen also in Neji. He nearly killed Hinata at the Chuunin exams over a family feud. She was innocent just like Niobe's children were, but just like Apollo, Neji didn't really care. The fact that Killer Bee is a rapper does not necessarily make him a good choice for the god who loves music, seeing that their music taste is even way different. Also, Sai's basic ignorance of emotions make him quite emotionally stilted and Apollo's music and grace make him someone that is more connected to his emotions.
The problem with either Madara or Danzo being Kronus is that the two of them are strategists. They plan well, and weigh their options. And if Kronus had done the same, he would not have met the end he did. I seriously cannot see Madara or Danzo being deceived in such a fashion as Kronus was. Sorry, but once again, my opinion.
Cerberus is a giant dog and all. I understand that. And I know why some of you might feel that Kyuubi would have been better suitable for that. But I believe that Cerberus is a dog that might have been terrifying to passengers of the underworld, but would have accorded the respect that the King of the Underworld deserves to him. Kyuubi's arrogance, I'm sorry would have ensured that he would not have given deference to Hades, something I believe Akamaru would do better.
Yes I can see Temari coming out of Zeus' head ready for battle and clad fully prepared in all she needs to protect herself. Athena is a warrior who is ever ready to protect those she loves, and I believe that Temari fits into the role very well. Also Temari is very wise as she acts as a mediator in her dealings with her brothers, especially when Gaara was still a bit mentally unstable.
Witchcraft is an art. And I believe that the person who will be able to best capture the goddess of witchcraft is the one who understands the beauty and joy of art and the one who knows the sacrifices that might be made for one's art, and that is Deidara. Also Hecate's love for dangers (which is shown clearly by her love for crossroads) and a good challenge is better suited for Deidara.
Demeter's actions, although she meant them for greater good, and all still had some negative consequences which also affected her daughter. This to some extent is similar to the actions of Minato regarding Naruto. His actions of sealing away the Kyuubi was done without much thought for the true consequences and effect on Naruto. Yes they might all know what a Jinchuuriki, will go through, but the people who do not have any demon sealed inside of them will still have no idea what it really be like. They haven't walked anywhere in their shoes.
Mythology is the interpretation of myth, and the characters I chose, I did so because I believe they are most suited for the roles I put them in, or I believe I might have more fun with them in those roles. Some of you might have your objections, and you are allowed to because this is a free world, and we are all allowed to express our opinions, but I chose my characters and I thought about it well before casting them. We will have different views about the mythology (Just like Homer and Sophocles whose re-telling of Oedipus are different and with different endings too), and this will always affect how we view things, but mythology is open to diverse interpretation, and this is my own interpretation.
Now, I realised that I forgot to cast my judges and Dionysus, and I want to use them in the story, so Asuma will be Aeacus, Anko will be Minos, and Sarutobi Sensei will be Rhadamanthus. Kakashi will be Dionysus, because I can see him as the god who likes to unwind and think about sex and good wine, but when he is to get the job done, he will do so. For those of you that are looking for Iruka, he will be a one of the shades in the underworld who will be an attendant to Naruto. Juugo and Karin will also be shades, but they will attend to Sasuke. However diamondkat12 and I are arguing about the role of Suigetsu. We don't know if we should cast him as a shade or Amphitrite (the sea goddess who is the daughter of Oceanus, and who married the sea god Poseidon). So, we will like your opinion on who you think he should be.
That said (I will try not to have an Author's note that is even half this long ever), on to chapter one.
Chapter One:
Darkness. It surrounded him, and most people thought it consumed him. Sometimes, in the darkness, when he had nothing to distract him, he wondered if it was so. Was he consumed by darkness, because he had no light? No person with warmth and laughter to drive the darkness away? The Underworld was a dark place, but it was not a place of purely evil and torment. Most people do not understand the dark, and therefore, they fill it with visions of dark and evil things. We do not like the unknown and to us, the darkness is a big unknown.
Few mortals had ever met the god of the Underworld, so most of them had no idea what he looked like. Quite frankly, Sasuke did not give a fuck about what anyone thought about him. All he cared about was doing his job and getting it done well. However, he knew he was gorgeous. Beauty, wealth, brains, and power were things he possessed. Why should he feel guilty for being perfect? Yeah. He didn't have a wife like his brothers did, but who needed those? He didn't exactly envy his siblings who were married. Marriage from what he could see was more trouble that it was worth, and he was not interested.
In the midst of his self- indulgent contemplations, he felt a feathery touch that sought his attention. Turning to Juugo, a shade, he raised an eye-brow in a silent question of "What is it?"
"Sai is here, and requests an audience with you", Juugo said.
"Tell him to come to the throne room", said Sasuke, and Juugo flitted away to do his master's bidding.
Sasuke placed his arm on the throne's arm-support, and rested his head on his hands, while waiting for Sai to come and state his business. His bearing a picture of casual arrogance. The throne he sat on was fashioned out of raw gold. Chouji definitely spared no expense in making the throne of the god of the underworld who is also the god of wealth. All the jewels of the earth are in his domain, and Chouji tried to ensure that most if not all of them were present in Sasuke's throne. To Chouji, this is the throne that befitted the god of wealth. Diamonds were placed in a structure that was like a chandelier in order to give some sort of reflected light to the room. The throne room generally gave the impression of great wealth, and Sasuke's presence added a sort of dignified feel to it.
"Greetings Lord Sasuke, I bring a message from Jiraiya, King of the gods. Jiraiya demands that you show up at the feast he is hosting on Mount Olympus three days from now. He says that he will not accept no for an answer, and he will not allow you to keep on sulking in this your dark and really creepy realm".
"I don't have to do anything he says", Sasuke replied, with a mildly bored expression on his face.
"He's not going to stop bugging you if you don't come. Besides, there will be a lot of lovely nymphs present so you can finally put that dick of yours to good use", said Sai.
A sudden decrease in the room's temperature, and shadows attempting to get permanent hold of his legs had Sai running back to the surface, as fast as his winged feet could carry him, and all the while being thankful for his winged sandals.
Every time he left the Underworld to visit Olympus, Sasuke always found himself wondering about the ineptitude of the Olympian gods and their pettiness. He had little respect for them all, especially for his younger brother Jiraiya, who was rarely responsible, and spent most of his time either pissing off his poor wife, or chasing about some unsuspecting female (or in the case of Minato, male). He often wondered if his younger brother realised the fact that his decadent behaviour nullifies the reason why he made himself look so much older. To Sasuke, it made no sense that the king of the gods made himself look like an older man, in order to gain more respect, and yet, acts like a child, thus losing most of the respect he had gained.
Sasuke took a moment to look at himself, and shook his head in bafflement. He might look young, but he knows that his title and position ensures that he does not receive any disrespect. Rather, he is feared. Everyone knows that he gets his job done, and cannot suffer fools, and they fear and respect him because of that. The humans are terrified of him because they know that they will all meet their end and come and face him in judgement in his realm.
While contemplating about the other gods, he suddenly remembers that Ino will be present at the feast. Although Sasuke was not a fan of marriage, and everyone knew that, Ino apparently found it very difficult to wrap her mind around this fact. To her, Sasuke would be her greatest work yet, and she would derive a lot of satisfaction from making Sasuke fall in love and then finally getting married.
Sasuke's thought then veer off to the annoying thought Konohamaru. Who cares if he is the god of love like his mother? That little pest had no right to attempt to shoot him with some love-inducing arrow. Hmmph, if Ino had not stepped in and grabbed the annoying pesky arrow-addicted scamp, the imp would have realised the reason why he was feared among both the gods and humans. Such an annoying, disrespectful child!
"Naruto, stop running around, and sit still", Minato shouted at his son. Minato could not understand why Naruto was so excited about the feast on Olympus. The feast was just another way for the various gods to gather, share stories of their conquests and sometimes their cruelty, and simply make merry. But, Minato was not in the mood for merry-making. Naruto just turned twelve, and he did not want his son to be influenced by the negative behaviour of the Olympian gods. He was sure that Kakashi would be there, and would have some wine with him, and those annoying scrolls with paintings and words about men and women having sex. Jiraiya, as usual would probably be chasing some nymph, Ino would probably be holding court, and trying to be the queen bee at the feast. These worries were a constant with Minato who felt that a growing child should be raised in the right environment, so that he can build a good character and become a man who tries his best to do right. This was what he envisioned for his son, and he would try his damned best to make it happen.
"Naruto, be of good behaviour at the feast, and please try your best to not call Tsunade 'old woman'. I don't want her to get angry at you again".
Naruto glanced up at his father with his huge blue eyes, smiled at him and said "Of course father. I would be at my best behaviour".
Minato however was not fooled by his son's act.
The party was in full swing when Sasuke made his appearance. As usual, he was dressed in his black robes. He managed to look distinguished and gorgeous even with his outfit which compared to others would have been quite plain, except for the fact that he only used the best materials to make his clothes. He might not have flaunted his wealth, but he liked to see to his own comfort, and his clothes were meant to be comfortable.
A sudden feeling of someone watching his back had him suddenly turning around, and catching the arrow that had been aimed at him. A glare at the imp who had not yet learnt his lesson was not enough to stop the child, as with a speech of "Love must triumph at the very end", Konohamaru launched another arrow, which Sasuke still caught. Sasuke then moved towards the boy, but the sudden appearance of Ino who came and whisked her child away prevented him from meting out a suitable punishment.
Sasuke decided to lean back against one of the pillars, and watch the proceedings from his corner in the room. It was at this corner he reclined when Minato arrived with the little boy Naruto. Sasuke looked at Naruto again, as the child seemed quite bigger than the last time he had seen him. The sound of a laughter that seemed to fill the entire palace of Jiraiya, and brought a surge of warmth to Sasuke filled the air, as Naruto ran towards Tsunade and shouted quite clearly for all to hear "Hello Tsunade 'old woman'".
Sasuke felt his lips twitch, and Tsunade shouted at Naruto not to call her that, and the two of them engaged in a sort of affectionate banter. He lifted a hand in greeting to Minato, who did the same, and who then proceeded to sit at a corner of the room.
The appearance of Jiraiya who was pulling at his clothes, and made Sasuke think that he was probably somewhere playing with some nymphs, had the gods all moving to the table that had been set for the feast. Sasuke suddenly found himself beside the child Naruto; as they sat down to enjoy the feast.
To Sasuke's amazement, Naruto ate like a boy that had not eaten before, and had a very healthy appetite. A question from Hinata, had Sasuke turning, and when he turned to his food again, part of his meat was gone. He answered another question from Tsunade, and when he looked at his food again, half of his food was gone, while Naruto was eating studiously, and keeping his gaze fixed on his meal. This amused the god of the Underworld, who smiled at the boy and gave him more of his food.
After they had finished the meal, Sasuke, went over to the pillar he had earlier claimed as his spot, and watched the gods play together, with a look of boredom on his face, until someone bumped into him. He looked down, and saw a head with blond hair and eyes of a brilliant blue looking up at him, with a smile on his face.
Naruto had wondered about his uncle Sasuke, and why he always stayed alone and looked bored. He figured that he needed some company, and that was why he always looked so alone. "Why are you always frowning"? Naruto asked.
"Because I don't feel like smiling", Sasuke replied.
"But why?" Naruto asked again.
"Hnn", Sasuke said, as he decided that the boy was starting to bug him.
"Why the Hnn reply, Uncle Sasuke?" Naruto asked.
"Because you are bugging me, you little brat", Sasuke said.
"I am not a brat, bastard, I am a god, and I shall grow up to be a powerful one. Just wait and see", Naruto said with a look of anger on his face.
"Well then, when you are all grown up, how about I come and see for myself how much of an adult you are by then", Sasuke answered.
"You will see, I will show you", Naruto said, as he kicked him in the shin, and ran away to his father.
"You little brat", Sasuke said, as he hopped on one leg.
AN: Well, I've learnt through this that for now, I would never attempt to describe anything, as I suck at descriptions, and diamondkat12, is not that good at it either.
Well, don't forget to review.