Goddess • Ben Beast

4

6/6/24

Classes were a bore for sure. Persephone wasn't interested in the history of pirates, or animal charming 101, she was ready to get to the more applied topics. If Auradon prep had any.

That afternoon, she found herself perched on a bench outside, nose in a book about the Greek gods, and legends.

She'd met Hades once, he'd dropped into her hideout for her 16th birthday. He'd told her happy birthday, that he was proud of her (for what she had no idea), and gave her a choker with a blue Crystal pendant. She'd gone off on him for abandoning her and Mal, stating that a piece of jewelry wouldn't fix 16 years of absence. But he'd insisted that the necklace was important and she should never lose it. Something about the way he'd said it was so convincing...

"Those kids are trouble."

Her thoughts were interrupted by Chad Charming, complaining to Ben as he watched Mal and Evie at their lockers.

"Come on, Chad. Give them a chance."

Ben insisted as Evie walked away, and Mal began touching up her spray paint work on her locker.

"Oh. No offense, Bennybear, but you're just too trusting. Look, I know your mom fell in love with a big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. But with my mom, the evil fairy was just the evil fairy. That girl's mother."

Persephone scowled at Audrey, disliking her more and more, every time she opened her mouth.

"I think you're wrong about them. I'll see you later. Hey!"

Persephone continued to watch as Ben chatted Mal up about an art class, and she blew him off to chase after Jane of all people.

Ben looked disappointed and aimless for a second, then he caught sight of the blonde twin.

"Hey!"

Persephone smiled awkwardly.

"How's it going?"

Ben asked jogging up, and plopping down on the bench next to her.

"Good I guess."

Ben's mouth curved into a lovably amused smile.

"Well that's good, how are your classes?"

Persephone shrugged.

"They're classes, haven't heard anything that really interests me yet. The topics bore me... Hey I heard you telling Mal about an art class, is there like a music room or something here?"

Ben's face lit up, and Persephone couldn't help smiling at his eagerness.

"Yes. Absolutely. Do you want me to show you?"

"Um, yeah okay, let me just mark my page."

Persephone tore a scrap of paper from her notebook, and tucked it into her book.

"Greek gods eh?"

Ben asked as she stowed the book in her bag.

"Um yeah, I just find them interesting I guess. Zeus wasn't part of your dads accords right? The gods still rule in Olympus."

She said as they stood, and Ben began leading her in the direction of the music room.

"Right yeah, the Olympian's decided to stay out of things with the mortal realm. Zeus agreed for Hades to be banished to the isle, as sort of a blessing for my dads plans for Auradon."

"Hmm."

Persephone dwelled on that.

All of the other gods were still free and roaming outside of Auradon, while her father toiled away on the isle. She wondered who was handling things in the underworld with Hades gone.

"Well this is the music room, the band practices here twice a week but other than that it doesn't really get much use."

Ben lead her into a large room.

It had chairs across platforms for the band to sit on, and dozens upon dozens of instruments.

"What do you play?"

Ben asked watching her as she took in the room.

"Well instruments are hard to come by on the isle, so I actually had a makeshift drum set I pulled together from some scraps."

She admitted, not sure why she felt embarrassed by it. Probably because this was her second time opening up to Ben about how little she had on the isle. It made her feel vulnerable, and she didn't want his pity.

"We'll there's a full set over there, you're welcome to play it anytime the band doesn't need it."

"Uhm thanks."

The word felt foreign on her tongue, nobody said it on the isle.

Auradon was certainly going to take some adjusting to.

Persephone sat in chemistry class next to Evie the next day, growing irritable as she swooned over Chad Charming.

"Any chance he's in line for a throne? Anywhere in line?"

Evie asked Doug (who sat on her left) dreamily.

Doug looked at her disbelievingly.

"Chad. Prince Charming, Jr. Cinderella's son. Chad inherited the charm, but not a lot of there there, know what I mean?"

Persephone snickered offering Doug a fist bump of approval, which he awkwardly returned as they surveyed Chads blank face. He did look dumb as rocks.

She scribbled down notes as Evie said something else to Doug, which apparently caught Mr. Deley's attention.

"Evie. Perhaps this is just review for you. So tell me, what is the average atomic weight of silver?"

The blue haired girl froze, but quickly regained her composure.

"Atomic weight? Uh, well, not very much. I mean, It's an atom, right?"

Persephone scowled at Evie. Mr. Deley looked unimpressed, motioning for Evie to join him at the chalk board.

Evie rolled her eyes, but strode confidently to the front of the classroom, accepting a piece of chalk from Mr. Deley. Persephone didn't miss the magic mirror in her hand.

"Let's see. How do I find the average atomic weight of silver? That would be 106.905 times .5200, plus 108.905 times .4800, which, Mr. Deley, would give us 107.9 amu."

Persephone couldn't help a small smirk at the teachers shocked face.

"Amu?"

Doug whispered to her curiously. She simply shrugged in response.

"I forget. Always a mistake to underestimate..."

"A villain?"

Evie flipped her hair dramatically.

"Don't make it again."

Chad passed Evie a note as she strutted back to their desk.

Persephone read it over her shoulder.

Bleachers? 3 pm.

She cringed as Evie gave Chad a thrilled nod.

Doug didn't seem all too pleased either.

😁