Lost: Gathering
Coco stared up at Hades, the Greek God of the Underworld, as he swayed gently back and forth, his body alternately seeming to give off light or suck it right out of the air. After her magic lessons with Mrs. Ruby and her experience with the Dreamtime, Coco had studied up on various mythos on the off chance they had more reality to them than the modern world believed...and on the off chance she'd encounter them. Of all the Greek Gods, she knew Hades was the most...reasonable of the lot. He made his rules and he played by them, he put his duty before his desires, he didn't screw around with mortals or sleep around with them, and if he gave his word he stuck by it. To her lights, if she was to encounter one of the Greek Gods, he was the best one to encounter.
Then again, he was also the God of the Afterlife, and when he did hold grudges he tended to wait until you were firmly in his domain before doing something about it, at which point you had all of eternity to regret crossing him...and he could be fiendishly creative when it came to said punishments. Not only that, of all the Gods he was one who had the least remorse when it came to his firm decisions. While he was the most fair and even-handed of the Greek Gods...it was with a cold-blooded practicality. He didn't get emotional when it came to his dealings with mortals...at least, not until after he wedded Persephone and his love for her led him to understand such things better. She was the one that brought out his mercy.
And this was a young Hades. He hadn't fallen for Persephone yet, hadn't wed her by whatever myth about that would prove accurate, and hadn't come to empathize with mortals yet. Not only that, Wadj-Wer's comment about the Young Gods 'growing out' of the attitudes they showed in the myths...suggested the possibility that a young Hades hadn't 'grown into' such an attitude, and might still be in the 'cruel, callous, self-centered' phase the other gods were stuck in for the entirety of their myths and legends.
"Issss thisss what passsesss for mannersss in the Birth Landssss now?" Hades asked coldly. "You have my name...but I lack yoursss..."
Coco swallowed nervously. Whatever happened, she dare not cross this god. "Forgive me, Lord Hades," she offered meekly. "I have heard of you before, and realizing I was actually in your presence...unseated my reason for a time. I am Coco Pommel Cooper-Fox-"
"Ahhh..." Hades interrupted, his eyes lighting up briefly in interest. "I wondered when your path and mine would crosssss. How fortuitousss that it isss sssso ssssoon. What bringsss you to our landssss, young one?"
Coco did her best to calm herself. Well, so far so good, she thought silently. He's interested. Clearing her throat, she spoke up. "I come at the behest of Wadjet, to retrieve Adamantine and Orichalcum Ore, in order to forge weapons to slay a Fell God. I..." She hesitated. What she would say next was greatly daring, and likely a little too far...but if she didn't say it, she might be too late from searching or get in trouble. "...I understand you might know of where I might find the first?"
"You are correct," Hades confirmed. "The Adamantine minessss are in my territory, under my direct control. The material issss required for the Gatessss."
Coco couldn't prevent herself from swallowing nervously again. This next part would be especially hazardous, for reasons completely unrelated to the prior questions. "Might I prevail upon you to part with some?" she asked hopefully.
"That dependsss..." Hades allowed thoughtfully. "What'ssss in it for me?"
Coco blinked in surprise. While she had expected that Hades would want some form of compensation or reparation for granting her access to his resources, she hadn't expected him to be so...blunt about it. "If...if Seft is not stopped, Set could awaken...and Apep could be unleashed. Wouldn't that...destroy this land as well?"
"Not my problem," Hades allowed. "The Gatesss will be completed well before then, which will make the Land of the Dead a sssseparate layer of exisssstence, one unaffected by the dessstruction of thissss world. I merely need sssslip in and watch the fireworkssss." He lowered his head to stoop over Coco. "And no, I don't care about the other Godssss here. My ssssiblingsss are all undergrown assssessss who think reality revolvesss around them. I couldn't give two shedssss about what happensss to them. And even if Apep is unleashed, Wadjet will sssurvive to guard the next River of Time and Divine River, to mother the next ssset of Godsss...and she'sss the only God of the Birth Landsss I know, let alone care about."
Coco felt herself pale under her coat, despite how pale her coat already made her appear. "I...I see..." she stammered out.
"But it mattersss to you if thissss world endsss..." Hades hissed out smugly. "And you need the Adamantine to prevent it. Sssso the quessstion becomesss...how far are you willing to go to get it? What issss the sssalvation of thisss world and your family worth to you?" His smile turned...lascivious.
Coco cleared her throat and swallowed. Dealing with Greek Gods, she had half expected something like this. She had hoped she would be able to avoid it, or find a way around it...but she'd already decided what she would say if she couldn't. "...Lord Hades...I offer you whatever you desire of me in exchange for what I need for my quest. But name it, and...if it is within my power, I shall give it freely."
Hades' smile widened. "I dessssire..."
The tip of his tail swung up and around, depositing a book in front of Coco. On the front cover was an image of Sly, his cane hooked around a power line above the dark Paris streets as he slid down it like a zip line, with Coco hooked onto a red band around his leg by her own cane.
"...your autograph."
Coco stared at the book, her eyes and jaw widening as she struggled to comprehend what just happened. She then looked from the book to Hades and back again, before looking back up at Hades. "Uh...?"
"I wassss a mossst obedient child while being reared by Wadjet," Hades explained softly. "Well behaved and curiousss...I asssked her about her dutiesss, about time...she looked through time for bedtime sssstoriesss for me. Yoursss was alwaysss my favorite. Such gentle compassion, fierce loyalty, ssstaunch moralsss...and hidden within, the dephtssss of cruelty. I will have to come up with punishmentsss for thossse whossse sssoulsss are weighed down by ssssin...and yoursss were fiendishly clever. Given Clock-La her dream, only for it to be an eternal nightmare...dropping Contessssa to the Golemsss where she thought she would die brutally...only to leave her trapped in their grassssp asss she did not know if or when they would begin the torment, ssso that she welcomesss imprisssonment by mere mortalsss once freed..." He let out a hiss of excitement. "Insssspiring...mortals are ssso much more...creative than Godssss..."
Coco continued to stare up at him as she flipped the book open. "You...you made me think...you let me think...you wanted..."
Hades' grin widened even further. "Asss you sssaid in Parisss...it isss important to know thessse thingsss about ourssselvesss...about how far one will go in the right circumssstancesss..."
"You..." Coco struggled against what she was about to say for fear of giving offense, even as she signed the book. "You utter troll!"
"Deliberately misssrepresssenting myssself to force unexpected and entertaining reactionsss from othersss that reveal more of them than I?" Hades asked teasingly. "Quite a fun way of being, I should ssssay. I am csssertain one of my manifessstationsss will fully embrace that." As he turned, for a brief moment a different Hades was superimposed onto him, a human-shaped one filled with dark purples, bright greens, and a cape that flowed like blood or miasma. Then the serpent was back. "Come...I have both Adamantine and Orichalcum sssstoresss. I shall even give you a little extra of each, as a treat for your little robot friend since he likes eating unique metalssss."
Breathing a sigh of relief and shaking her head in bemused exasperation, Coco followed Hades into the woods towards his domain. She knew now she was safe with him...physically, anyway. No telling what mental state she'd be in if he kept this up, though.
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Hades is brilliant. And as Coco says, a troll.
At least this leg isn t difficult. Hades really is a chill guy.
Hmmm, perhaps Rainbow Dash would best be able to explain my feelings regarding this latest chapter.
Well, he certainly surprised the Hell out of her.
i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/004/128/BRILLIANT_.jpg
8700455
...You just couldn't resist, could you?
Though, to be honest, I love this representation of Hades. It reminds of the variations used by Disney and in the Kid Icarus: Uprising, only with a snake form in tandem. Very well-crafted dialogue, as well–makes me grin as I read.
Of all the Greek Gods, Hades is one of the few that gets a bad rap despite not doing half the stuff the other Gods did.
8700446
All intents and purposes, he's the only dude who was typically doing his job and not bothering anyone. He even gave an actual chance to one human and only told him, "Hey, don't look behind you, otherwise you don't get what you want." And the human ends up screwing himself over.
I have to admit... watching Disney's Hercules did not give me this impression for Hades.
8700477
I blame Disney.
8700506
he keeps his deals. Twists things to benefit himself but overall a man of his word.
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/vampirediaries/images/a/a9/I-see-what-you-did-there.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160224212016
Gotta say that I too loved this representation of Hades! Heck it reminded me of a kids books series about the greek gods wherein Hades decides he's going to tell the real story of what went on in the myths and actually does a good job of using source material safe for kids and making for an entertaining read! I really whis I could remember what that series was called/who wrote it!
My only question is which version is it that appears here?
I just can't figure it out!
8700471
Nope, I couldn't. Also couldn't resist the chance to beat someone else to the PUNch.
8700554
Kid Icarus: Uprising version.
8700575
Thank you! And again great story! ...Wait is Coco about to meet Cerberus!?
You really had me going here. Love how you portrayed Hades here.
8700519
Too true. Disney appears to have tracked the Greek Pantheon from the perspective of a Christian, where the man ruling the representation of hell (closest thing at least) as the bad guy and the guy in charge of heaven (or at least a cloud-filled paradise) as the good. It is quite the detraction from the far too human Greek gods.
8700707
Heh, pretty sure you would've gotten struck by lightning for that comment if they were real.
Coco met her biggest fan! That is amazing!
8700557 That's one pun Emtu more to go to make it three. Good to see I wasn't the soul one to think of that.
Definitely one of the better ways to sign off a chapter.
Tats are you on a trolling kick atm? Also that was great I almost wondered if we were going to have another loop with gods/titans closing like happened with Pinkie. Though I can't help but wonder if Coco will have a spot in Tartarus waiting for her as a valued employee of Hades(given it doesn't actually become ruled by the titan of the same name like normal)
Sly: "...Coco, what's with that mark on your forehead?"
Coco: "Facepalmed. A lot. I've got a fanboy in the god of death, so that's good...I think..."
8700477
Disney's bastardization of Greek Myth via Hercules is a cause. Also the whole issue of people assuming that since Hades ruled over the Greek equivalent of Hell he is effectively the devil. Sad really, I always liked Hades the most out of the Greek Pantheon.
How does he know know of her if this is basically the beginning of the earth civilization timeline?
Ahh, that makes sense.
Coco loses her sanity and Deik-bek gets a present where is the justice in this world.
Granted she could have trolled him back by just writing something silly with a P.S of "don't troll a master" depending on how much attention he was paying
8701012
You don't break faith with the one Greek God known for keeping his word. That's just stupid.
Magic - Coco
Laughter - Murray
Honesty - Carmelita
Generosity - Bentley
Kindness - Sly
Loyalty - Clockwerk/Diek-Beck
Magic - No problem is too great with the help of friends.
Admittedly, I'm having a hard time tying this to Coco, as she seems to be a pony that would rather act on her own if given the choice. She'll work with friends, happily even, but has a tendency to go off on her own if she is pressed for time. Kinda reminds me of Twilight, now that I think about it...
Laughter - The greatest joy, the greatest hope, you can give a friend is a smile.
Murray, Easily, he is the heart of the Cooper Gang, acting goofy to alleviate depression or sadness. However, like any representation of Laughter, he has a limit. And when that limit is hit, he goes off the deep end. But that's one reason friendship is so great. Friends will pull you back from that madness.
Honesty - Be true to your friends, and they will help you be true to yourself.
Carmelita's entire history is a story of denying the truth of her feelings for Sly until she was faced with the idea of losing him. After that, she relies on her friends in the Cooper Gang to help her make sure she never makes that mistake again.
Generosity - A gift is sometimes the best way to make a friend feel better.
Bentley is a good candidate for Generosity because he has given a great deal of himself to the Cooper Gang, figuratively and literally, and did so all in the name of a friendship so strong that it encroaches on brotherhood.
Kindness - See the good in everyone, and help your friends see it in themselves.
Sly has had many opportunities to make his enemies hate him forever, and probably even had justifiable reason to do so at times, but instead he turns most of those enemies into staunch allies with nothing more than the kindness to sit and listen to their stories.
Loyalty - It's not the sides you choose, but the friends you make that matter.
It's still unclear to me whether or not this is actually Clockwerk we're dealing with, or some kind of echo of him. Regardless, that kind of hate would turn even echoes into horrible enemies. But by choosing to care for Coco, by choosing friendship, he took the first step towards becoming a firm member of the Cooper Gang, and becoming a good candidate for Loyalty.
You know Tats... I want to see you have one of these Epilogues showing characters either temporarily making use of the Elements of Harmony, or maybe acting as a sort of amplifier when the true bearers use the Elements. You know, more possible bearers nearby amplifying the power of the Elements.
I just have this imagine of Uncle, Sweetie, Scootaloo, Applebloom, Jade, and Tohru standing next to the Mane 6 and amplifying the Elements as they're used.
8700554
That would be the myth-o-mania series. Thems were fun books.
So Hades is a Brony... cool. I bet he tortures all the Brony haters by reading them all of Tats' stories. I can also see him and Persephone (What species would she be BTW???) cuddling together and reading Pony fics and Persephone being jealous he got to meet Coco.
8701649
You sir I thank! Have a tonne of virtual cookies!
So did anyone get the Magic: The Gathering joke I made with my first comment on this or should I just stop making jokes altogether?
Yeah, I really should have seen coming that Hades would be okay to deal with. Past the whole LORD OF THE DEAD thing, he's a pretty fair and chill guy. Heck, he named his dog Spot!
Seriously, look it up.
That autograph thing... Was that a Saints Row 4 reference?
Definitely threw me for a loop. Spotted the word lasciviously and my mind wandered off.
8700506
Yeah, that movie basicly swaped the rolls of Hades and Hera.
8700446
Hades does trolling on 2fort as well. He has a backroom filled with catbots.
Hades as a troll is hilarious, hehehe, this was great, nicely fone
8704692
No kidding
Well... That was easy.
8701685
No, that would be too likely to convert them, and then they would enjoy the punishment. He would just read them the worst pony fanfics around, tailors to their specific hang-ups for the most cruelty possible.
8707775 You're right, he'd read them the bad ones... or the never finished ones that have been languishing for years.
8708092
Wow, talk about an unexpected response. Mainly because I don't even remember the comment
8707722
Okay then
I often wonder what would happen if Hades got in a fight with Lucifer.
Dealer of the Dead vs Edgy Goatboy.
I'm sorry, but is that a PRINT COPY of this fic? Lucky bastard...
If I was Coco, I'm not sure if I should be proud or scared at this admission.
I've had this stance for the longest time, but this passage just solidified it. Hades is best Greek God.
Nice "You Can't Spell Slaughter Without Laughter" reference.
Tatsurou is Coco Pommel, next time I see Coco Pommel, I'll shout Tatsurou at my TV
Nice way of using the coverart.
That was a very trollish move, but a good one. He is a fun character (but then, he always was, even in Christian history -- no one is ever tempted to evil by things that aren't nice...)
Also, I see that's the reference.