Demeter was in a rage.
"Where is she?"
The servants cowered in fear.
"Where is my daughter?"
Nobody said a word. Nobody dared to make a single sound.
"Useless, all of you!" Demeter howled, smashing a priceless vase to pieces on the marble floor.
"We are sorry-" one servant attempted to say.
"You're all dismissed! And don't come back until you find Persephone!"
All the servants ran off, some in search of their master's daughter, some trying to escape the wrath of a mother scorned.
"Someone or something has taken my daughter. Mark my words: be they man or beast, god or monster, when I find out who they are, they will pay. They will pay until their blood runs dry."
***
Persephone awoke to darkness. Pitch-black darkness. She tried to scream for help, but there was a gag in her mouth, and no sound came out. She tried to move her hands and feet, but they were bound to a strange wooden structure...a chair?
"Hades? Are you there?"
Only the silence answered her. It seemed that Persephone was all alone, in her despair and suffering. But every darkness has its light. A door creaked open.
***
"Who's the new visitor, Hades?" Megaera asked, side-eyeing the security camera footage of the room Persephone was trapped in.
"Has she wronged you?" Tisiphone asked, cracking her knuckles.
"Can we kill her?" Alecto added, face pressed against the computer screen, saliva almost dripping onto the keyboard.
"My classmate, no, and no." Hades said, trying to unstick Alecto's face from the computer screen.
"Then why is she here?" Megaera.
"Are you sure?" Tisiphone.
"Can we kill her?" Alecto.
"None of your business, yes, and no, Alecto, no killing!"
Hades was still attempting to remove Alecto's face from the computer screen. Megaera and Tisiphone were helping.
"Hmph. She's prettier than me."
"No fair. I want to kill her."
"Stop lying to yourself. Vengeance is necessary in life."
"Men are disgusting. She's so ugly."
"MURDER!!!"
"If she has wronged you, I will gladly lend you my hand for vengeance."
Hades had finally managed to pull Alecto from the screen, and now he was simply listening to the three girls take turns screaming at him.
"Aren't you all supernatural 'gods' or something? Don't you have better things to do than annoy me?"
The three girls looked at each other.
"Yeah..." Megaera started.
"...but..." Tisiphone continued.
"...you're our master." Alecto finished.
"So I'm supposed to believe that three random strangers who show up at my doorstep, claiming to be the 'furies' of Greek mythology, are my followers."
The furies nodded.
"Does that seem logical in any way, shape, or form to you?"
The furies nodded.
"Y'all are insane."
The furies nodded. Then they glanced at each other. And they nodded even more.
"God, what am I even supposed to do with all of you?"
"You could feed us." Tisiphone said.
"Something better than whatever you'll give her." Megaera added.
"Like steak! I like steak!" Alecto screamed, somehow perfectly into Hades' ear.
"Sure...steak..." Hades said, cupping a hand over his ringing ear.
The furies cheered and flew around the room excitedly.
***
Demeter was trying everything in her power to search for her daughter. She had stopped tending to her garden, and all the flowers had withered to dust. Soon she came upon Olympus Academy.
"Which way now?" her eyes scanned the grounds.
"Need some help?"
"Who are you?" Demeter spun around to face...
Hecate. Her old classmate.
"Oh, hello, Hecate."
"You're searching for Persephone, right? I believe I can be of some assistance."
"How? I've searched everywhere."
"It's simple, really. We must go to the one who sees everything."
***
A hand ripped the bag off of Persephone's head. Light flooded in. Blinded by the sudden glow, Persephone blinked in shock. A hand took the gag out of her mouth. When her eyes adapted to the lighting, she realized that Hades was standing there.
"Hades! I was kidnapped! Were you-"
Hades was holding the bag that had been over Persephone's head.
"Oh."
"I'm sorry. I just wanted to hang out with you."
Persephone stared at him.
"I'm really sorry. Do you want anything to eat? I'm sure you're hungry."
***
Helios was surprised by Demeter and Hecate's sudden visit. He had not been warned, and his mansion was a mess. Nonetheless he tried to be as welcoming as possible.
"To what do I owe the honor of this impromptu visit?"
"My daughter is missing."
"Oh, uh, I see. How can I help you?"
"You have cameras all over the city. You must have seen something."
"I'm very sorry about your loss. I also know how it feels to lose a child, but I'm afraid that I saw nothing."
"What-"
Hecate slowly retreated out of the room, and out of the mansion.
"I'm sorry, young master."
And she was gone.
Meanwhile...
"It is true that I saw nothing, but I am sure that none of my cameras are defective. And I can assure you that they cover every inch of this city. I do remember that a cloud of smoke obscured the view of one of my cameras in the Olympus District."
"Olympus Academy! Persephone was abducted there!"
Helios nodded.
"Perhaps you should consult your nephew."