In Search of Hades

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,700]The thief watched him closely, noticing how artistic he was with his hands; explaining everything and motioning with every bend and straightening of the fingers and wrists. Shego's eyes brows lowered, getting a serious look, "That's why I keep all those people alive and miserable, instead of dead and... icky-look. I was just told by Mali to tell you to ... how did she put it."

Shego straightened out, and did as if she was holding a scepter, having a sultry look about her as she tried to imitate her new employer, " Traverse the caverns and seek out Hades. Either bring him here or order him to call out Jafar from the Pool. Tell him that I sent you. " -- The thief had amazing memory.

The moment she finished her quote, she resumed her posture, walking along Hades, with a hand resting firmly on her hip, while the other moved freely along her side, " So, yup, Buddy. Mind telling her that yourself or just giving me Jafar?" [/glow]

[Hades]

Hades chuckled again as they slunk into his office. With all the casual grace of any Olympian, he walked over to his throne and sat down, shrugging a bit at the mention of Maleficent. "Jeesh, you just keep throwin' names out from a bad partnership, don'tcha? Look, babe, I'd love to help, really, I would, but my hands are tied here!" He leaned on one side, resting his head on the knuckles of his fist while his smile crawled across his features.

"I mean, last time I dealt with that old hag, I got the short of end of the stick and the Heartless nearly had a field day, right? And every time those little critters come crawlin' around, seems I lose ground. So, meeting her's a no-go. But, that leaves you kinda empty-handed. See, I'm not in the business of LIFE, if ya get my meaning. So, what do we do about it?"

He leaned forward now, grinning as he held his hands together, entertwining his fingers save the forefingers which he pointed to Shego. "I'll tell ya what we can do about it. You like messin' people up? Hey, there's one heck of an opportunity for ya coming right up. They're firin' up the games -YET AGAIN- topside. Why don'tcha go up, play for Team Hades for a little bit, and if ya come out on top, I'll give you Jafar. Sound like a fair deal? I think so."

Hades sat back again, waving a hand through his hair. "And hey, maybe you'll dig workin' for a literal GOD instead of some looney witch? This is a one-time offer babe, take it or go back to ol' pointy-head with nothing more than an apology. Going once... going twiiice..." he tempted...

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,700]"Hrmm... Well I like messing people up." She pondered, thinking about something, "Wait wait wait- I want to find options here, is there an option to bring The Queeny a dead soul? I mean, she never mentioned bringing her the guy kaput."

The thief crossed her arms, taking a deep breath, and thinking hard on this proposition... who was Jafar to her?

"Who ever this guy is, he is worth a lot of trouble. Not even Drakken was this much trouble..."[/glow]

[Hades]

"Options??" Hades asked, blinking before sighing almost exhaustedly. He stood up and gestured a bit, walking up to Shego and putting an arm around her shoulders as he walked with her through the office. "You want options, babe, I'll give you options. Alright, Option 1, you trust papa bear here, go topside, knock some heads in the games, come back and boom, I give you what you're after no questions asked. Easy-peasy."

He walked her out of the office, up to a very high cliff which overlooked the swirling lake of the dead. He gestured down at it with one hand as he continued. "Option 2, you go after him yourself..." down below, amongst the tortured souls floating in the waters of the River Styx was the spectral form of Jafar... "But good luck with that. You'd have to be immortal to get down that deep and back without croaking. Finally, there's option 3..."

His demeanor looked dark, as if he genuinely WOULD do this... "Option 3, I kick your butt in the water and forget the whole conversation even happened. Okay? So, what's it going to be? Door number 1, Door number 2, or Door number 3?"

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,700]"The options I have blow..." She mumbled, looking down at the many souls, "I don't even KNOW what the guy looks like... so options 2 and obviously 3 are out."

Shego looked to Hades, her lips curling upward to form a grin, "Seems ta' me, Door number one's a good choice. So, these games... any head bashing?"

The thief reached down to fix her long checkered gloves; they had run down a little since her little fight with the boy, and it was only now that she noticed, " I still have to try out and see what's different about me since the costume change.." [/glow]

[Hades]

"Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!" Hades said in a far more cheerful tone, fist-pumping once to demonstrate that he was rather pleased with her choice. "You know the Colosseum, right? Who'm I kiddin' of course you know the Colosseum! What mook doesn't? Anyway, head of staff up there's a gruffy old goat called Philocsomethingorother. Convince him to let you in, and bam!"

Hades chuckled a bit, looking the woman up and down. That apprentice costume sure did a lot to erm... "enhance" her chances to get in. With a smirk, Hades added. "Shouldn't be too hard for a gal like you, huh? Once you're in the tournement, all I want you to focus on is getting to the top of the heap. I don't care who ya gotta trash to get there. And hey, casualty or two along the way is no big deal, right?" He knew she said she didn't like killing before, but hey, he's the god of death, what can you do?

"All I want you worried about is this big lughead here..." he showed her an image of Hercules, floating it above his hand so she could see. "Jerkules here is the top dog in the arena, but that's all about to change, ain't it glowgirl?" he smirked. "Beat him... and Jafar's allll yours, dead, alive, however you want him."

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,600]Shego grumbled, "Never thought I'd be doing something as ridiculous as this for anyone but Drakken, but- You gotta do what you gotta do....wait, did you say Hercules?"

The thief blinked once before her green eyes glanced at the image, "Gah, isn't he like- HALF a God?" -- Shego looked to Hades, knowing he was setting her up for utter failure with no gain. Her eyes narrowed, showing a little hate towards the deal, but she needed to get it done either way.

"I think once I get Jafar, I'm gunna beat him up SENSELESS for this trouble!" [/glow]

[Hades]

Hades actually laughed at her comment, crushing the image in his hand as he patted her shoulder cheerfully. "I like a girl with SPUNK!" he cheered before walking forward. "And yeah, he's HALF a god, but hey! That means the other half's mortal! And are you really gonna sit there and tell me that miss-plasmabolts is really not equal to HALF a man, huh? Fuhgeddaboutit!"

He snapped his fingers, instantly poofing them outside, near the doorway not too far from another weird looking bunch, but still out of their line of vision. "And hey, give ol' turbinhead a kick in the rump for me too when you get around to it. Now get topside before they close the brackets!" he gently pushed her towards the door. "Not that it'll matter, with your looks, ol' goat boy would probably let you in during a fight!" he chuckled...

[Shego]

[glow=green,2,600]"YA got it, Sparky." She did one of her signature salutes before rushing off, running-- she enjoyed running with her new attire, she felt so fast...so unstoppable. She would crouch forward to be more aerodynamic, and she would rest her arms back, achieving balance as she walked up the steps, skipping a few to how fast she was going. She was sure that the creatures were following her-- but she wasn't the kind to abuse of powers...yet. She rather wanted to see what she could do on her own first, before cheating.

The thief passed what seemed walking armor along the way- - not only that, she leap frogged over the boy from earlier, shoving his hoodie forward to block his field of vision, "OUT of the WAY, Kiddo~!" she chuckled, disappearing from sight on how fast she was going.[/glow]

[Gabranth]

Gabranth hearing the echoing shout from ahigh the long and twisting stair case. Hearing the voice he presumed it to be that of a young boy. Realizing this he slowly lifts himself from a guarding stance, will still unwaivering and eyes focused on the black figure. He began to climb towards this figure.

Gabranth who displays a ruthless and cruel demeaner, finds it nessesary to warn this young pup what lay ahead for him. As he climbed he shouted to the boy again from beneath his helm. "Pup, I know not your name nor do I care, my path does not fall with you. Make it known what comes at the bottom of these stairs is not a place for the living. You'll find nothing but pain and despair. Turn tail and run back if you have any sense."

[Hades]

"Heh heh... good luck... I'm pullin' for ya green girl..." Hades said in almost a perfect mirror to what he said to Gabranth not too long ago. He smirked, turning away from the doors. "Oh, and don't forget the biggest rule of all... accidents happen."

He walked towards his office, smirking. Everything was working out nice and according to plan. He just sent Gabby topside alongside Shego with the intent to have the green girl weaken Hercules enough for buckethead to finish him off, and then the two can duke it out in the final round. Whoever lost, Hades won. All without even having to lift his grimy, skeletal fingers. Sometimes... it's good to be a god... He sat on his throne, opening up a smokey screen and pulling up a bowl of crawling worms.

"On with the show..." he muttered, pulling out one and biting its head off...

[Gabranth]

Shortly after Gabranth had given warning to the boy, he turned his attention to a what he thought was a green blur.

Through the trials of war, Judge Magister's were blessed and cursed. Able to sit behind lines commanding their legions, or fighting along side them. A Judge knew who his legion could and could not stand toe to toe with. This is when the Judge themselves would step fourth. Knowing this Gabranth knew in just the few seconds, this green blur must have made a similar deal with our so called God.

Still, Gabranth had his path and his freedom back. She, like the boy wasn't a concern for him ... at least he thought.

[ximar]

"You don't need to know my name. Neither I yours. I only seek a temporary shelter to regain my strength. Do you know of such a place?"

[Gabranth]

An unlikely site, Gabranth laughed at the boys remark to find shelter. As Gabranth neared the massive gates to life, he stops in front of the boy. Towering over him like a massive steel giant. Pristine armor gleamed from the light cracking through the gates. He looks down at the boy through his helm.

Speaking with a subtle, calming tone as though a father would speak to his son. "Boy, beyond is Purgatory and Charon. This is no place for your ilk. Turn about and head back through the gates. If shelter is what you seek find it through there."

Stepping aside and walking past, as his armor clinks and clanks walking up towards the door. He stops. Hesitant due to past events of a previous life, he turns to the boy. Unsure of what this boy is, there was a strange feeling Gabranth had about him. "If you need to regain your strength, come with me. Take shelter under my blade till you do. after I shall part my way"

Gabranth turns not concerned of the boys choice one way or another, however he is a man of his word. So should the boy choose to follow.

[ximar]

Ximar weighed his options. Going out of the Underworld meant abandoning his mission, but he wasn't sure if he could trust this stranger. Abandoning his mission was not an option, so there wasn't much of a choice. "I'll stick with ya."