Chapter Text
The Netherworld, circa 1556 AD
Juno didn’t smile at the black scrying mirror on her desk, but she did keep an expression of professional neutrality. It was hard not to grin though. She had a big fish on the hook, and reeling it in was pathetically easy. “The service I offer is discreet and foolproof, but is a one time use only. Out, then back in, with no one the wiser, not even the Principalities will know. I guarantee it. Any further trips require further negotiations.”
There was a grumbling response. The sound made her desk vibrate, but left her unfazed except to make sure her inkwell didn’t jiggle its way off the table. A living human’s brain would explode like the chemical soaked sponge it was if they heard the voice, but that was to be expected from stupidly constructed meatsacks. To her, it was just annoying. She curled her lip at the mirror. “Threats will get you nowhere, and in fact just increased the price by three times. Some mortals might call you a god, but I am the queen of this realm, and right now the only way you can leave yours is by waiting another hundred centuries for the stars to line up just right, or by paying my price.”
There was a heavy silence, then a grumbled agreement. Through the irritation, she could hear excitement. She pasted on her best smile, trying not to let her glee show through. “Agreed.”
Opening a drawer, Juno reached into a hidden pocket dimension and withdrew a key. It was a pretty thing, even she had to admit. The shaft was black shadows twined together, the head in the shape of a scarab and striped with moonstone. The bit was the most striking part; an eight pointed star made of red opal, or the magical equivalent of that earthly stone. She displayed it to the mirror. “You unlock the door, step through, and shut it behind you. You have three days and three nights maximum on Earth before the key is used up. Midnight of the third night, unlock the door and return, or stay there and let the warriors of light and dark turn you into shish kabob for the Morning Star’s dinner table.”
In answer, a slip of paper came through the scrying mirror. She snatched it up, filed it away somewhere safe, then dropped the key through the mirror. “Pleasure doing business with you.” Waving a clawed hand across the mirror, she dismissed the magic and sat back in her chair. It was going to be a very bad day to be mortal in Ming China. The thought made her smile. She wondered how many humans would choose to take their own lives rather than suffer through the aftermath. Multitudes, she was willing to bet. How marvelous. She would be paid twice, first in favors and then again with an influx of workers, which in turn would increase her power.
After a moment’s indulgence to savor the victory, she opened the drawer again and took a closer look at the contents. What she saw almost completely destroyed her good mood.
She only had a handful of keys left.
“Dammit,” she muttered, slamming the drawer shut. She’d known this time would come eventually. It was time to track down her good for nothing spawn. Well, not good for nothing. She glanced at the drawer again. It had been good for one thing at least. Maybe she should’ve stopped it from running away that last time, but it had been so much of a hassle to keep the purple-haired freak in line, she’d been glad to get rid of it. But now, well… the stupid brat had been running wild long enough. Now it was older and, presumably, stronger, she wouldn’t have to be so careful about pulling magic out. Maybe, if she was lucky, the process would turn it pliable and silent, and she could get another worker out of it.
Her scrying mirror flashed. Another customer so soon? Maybe she could get whoever this was to find the brat for her as payment. She flicked the mirror to activate it. “This is Queen Juno of the Netherworld.”
JUNO. YOU DISAPPOINT ME.
Immediately, she found herself on her knees, as the weight of the being’s displeasure fell upon her. "W-Why? What have I done wrong?"
CAN YOU NOT GUESS? NO? WELL, IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I FOUND YOUR PRECIOUS CHILD LANGUISHING IN THE NEITHERWORLD.
Oh shit. Juno coughed, trying for casual. “It's- He’s visiting. That’s all. He has friends there. I couldn't k-keep him locked up forever, could I?”
YOU LIE.
Boiling rage reached through the mirror to wrap around her like a giant hand and squeeze. Blood began dripping from her nose, mouth, ears, and eyes. The glass began to crack, barely able to contain even a portion of the being's fury.
YOU FORGET YOURSELF, JUNO. I GAVE YOU RULE OVER THE NETHERWORLD. I ALLOWED YOU TO LOCK THE SECRET DOORS BETWEEN IT AND THE OTHER WORLDS. I AGREED TO STAY IN THE NEITHERWORLD, TO WATCH FROM THIS SIDE AND TO GIVE PAY TO THE RUSE. ALL THIS I DID TO SAFEGUARD THE CHILD AND HIS POWER. HIS GIFT IS NOT FOR THE USE OF THE UNWORTHY, SO I WAS DISPLEASED TO LEARN OF YOUR LITTLE… DEALS.
Juno felt panic for the first time since she’d learned she was pregnant, but this was infinitely worse. She was in danger. In real, serious danger. She was not that powerful, not in comparison to beings who had been around since before the dawn of time. This whole plan of hers, to take over the Netherworld and amass power, both politically and metaphysically, had been meant to correct that imbalance. That would all go to shit now, though.
THE BARRIER YOU PUT IN PLACE TO STOP ANYTHING SLIPPING INTO YOUR REALM IS WEAKENING, JUNO. I SUSPECT YOU DID NOT USE YOUR OWN POWER, BUT THE CHILD’S.
Terror replaced panic as the being’s voice turned silky and gentle as a spider weaving a web, each word precisely placed.
TELL ME, HOW LONG HAS HE BEEN GONE FROM YOUR SIDE, JUNO? HOW LONG HAS HE WANDERED? IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOME TIME INDEED, FOR THE CRACKS IN YOUR WALL HAVE GROWN WIDE.
More cracks zigzagged across the mirror, a shard flying free and cutting her.
I BELIEVED IN YOU, JUNO. I GAVE YOU MY TRUST, SOMETHING I HAVE GIFTED TO ONLY TWO OTHER BEINGS SINCE THE CREATION OF THE PLANET. MY HEARTS GRIEVE TO FIND MY FAITH SO MISPLACED. I AM ON MY WAY TO SEE YOU, DEAR JUNO, QUEEN OF THE NETHERWORLD, PROGENY OF BOTH DIVINE AND ELDRITCH, AND WHEN I ARRIVE, I WILL HEAR THE TRUTH, EVEN FROM LIPS AS DECEITFUL AS YOURS.
The mirror shattered, shards thin and sharp as needles exploding across the room. The presence of the one creature that truly scared her finally gone, Juno heaved herself back to her feet and wiped the blood off her skin. She was so fucked.
Or was she?
Reaching into the ether, she removed a wooden box and opened it. Inside was a stack of papers, or what looked like papers. What they were, in fact, were favors owed. Unworthy or not, they were Powers, and she could make use of them.
Juno flipped through papers, lighting a pipe and puffing on it to calm herself down. She had to be thorough about this, and she didn’t have a lot of time. There had to be a way to keep the brat away from that… eldritch anomaly, while still allowing her to suck her detestable offspring dry of magic whenever she needed. “Curse that monster,” she muttered, pulling out two sheets of IOUs. “I don’t have time—” She stopped as inspiration struck, and a smile broke out across her face, baring blood-stained teeth to the room.
A curse.
That was the answer. So simple. So perfect. Revenge dished out on so many levels, and it wouldn’t even require her to use a favor. She was its “mother,” and no curse hit harder than a mother’s curse on their child.
Selecting two papers, Juno dismissed the rest. Holding them up, she sent a burst of magic through them, lighting the hidden sigils with blue and green fire. One favor to delay the creature who sought to ruin everything, and one more favor to find the purple haired brat wherever it was and bring it to her. She’d make up some nonsense about broken rules, drain the brat of magic, reinforce the barrier around the Netherworld, and then cast her spawn into the Livingworld, unable to interact with any creature who could summon help. It wouldn't do for some other being with clout to get their claws on the brat and copy Juno's idea. With regular maintenance to insure the brat didn’t grow back enough magic to cause problems, this was a viable plan. Another thought occurred to her, this one less pleasant. A curse required an out clause, no getting around that stipulation, and it had to be something technically possible.
Well, she'd just have to chose something as close to impossible as she could get. True love's kiss? No. That was stupid, and too easy. Hell knew the pathetic idiot had never shut up about love. Juno spat to one side. No, that wouldn't do. The brat would just con some stupid human or ghost into falling for it. No, the out-clause had to be something no self-respecting demon would ever stoop to, and would keep other Powers from snatching away her golden goose.
After mulling over ideas as she shuffled paperwork, a truly devious one took shape. Yes, not even her spawn would sink so low as to consider exchanging eternity and power for a crude mortal meatsack, doomed to die in less than a century. Less than a year, if she knew anything about the obnoxious brat she'd birthed.
Sitting down at her desk, she knocked out a few files of work before she felt a quiver of energy, and a sigil written in blue flame appeared on the ceiling. A body fell through the flame and landed in front of her desk with a thud, then lurched up, desperately slapping at themselves to put out the fire.
“Well well, Lawrence,” she said, taking in a long drag on her pipe. When he whirled to face her, she blew the smoke in his disgusting gold eyes. “How horrible to see you. You’re in such deep shit, you don't even know." And then she smiled. Honestly, she really should've thought of this centuries ago.