They were trapped. Worst of all, they were separated. That’s what they get for seeking help from the gods.
Uma personally knew going to them would be a bad idea. If Poseidon cared about his kids, he wouldn’t have let her grow up on the Isle. She assumed the gods were self-serving and lazy. She even told Mal her idea was stupid, and what did that do? Nothing! Instead, it only made Mal even more sure that the only way to defeat Hades was to go to the gods.
Uma should’ve stayed behind. Maybe then she wouldn’t be stuck in a dark room awaiting what the gods called ‘A Test of Character.’ In response to their plea for help, the gods divided their party, and that was the last thing Uma remembered before awaking in a pitch black room.
Suddenly, the room changed. The black had turned into a beautiful Greek garden, filled with statues and dimly lit by the clear, starry night sky. It was so serene. Uma almost wanted to sit down and relax, but she knew better. This was supposed to be a test, so she had to be ready for a fight.
She reached for her sword, but it wasn’t there. She looked down and found that her whole pirate attire was gone, and in it’s place was a teal toga-style dress. Uma pulled it up a little to find leather sandals where her heeled boots should have been. She raised her hands to her head and found that, not only was her hat gone, but her braids were undone and her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. She whined in frustration and stomped her feet like a child. Do you know how long it takes to put your hair into a ton a little braids? A long ass time!
Uma shook her head, clearing the momentarily irrelevant distraction from her mind. Then, she started walking around, inspecting the garden while remaining alert. The statues were all freakishly life-like. She passed five statues of pleasant looking women when she suddenly heard excited whispers.
“Ladies, we have our mission.”
“Oh my goodness! It’s Poseidon’s granddaughter!”
“Alright, time to do our thing.”
Uma whipped around to find the five statues smiling wide at her. It was–in a word–creepy.
“What the–“ Uma started, but the tall statue with high hair cut her off.
“We are the Muses!” She announced with a broad gesture to her companions.
“Goddesses of the Arts and Proclaimers of Heroes,” said another Muse with a scroll.
“Pass your test, and you’re free to go to your friends,” said a third muse with a frowning mask in her hand. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll proclaim you a hero one day.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” Uma scoffed doubtfully. “I’m no hero.”
“You–you’re not?” The tall Muses stammered, confusion taking over her concrete features.
“Nope,” Uma replied, popping the P and crossing her arms over her chest.
“But you came to the gods for help,” the tall Muse recalled. “Doesn’t that mean you’re trying to save Auradon?”
“It might seem that way,” Uma told them. “But I’m not here for Auradon.“
“Well then, no offense sweetie,” said a short, plump muse. “But why are you here?”
“That’s a great question,” Uma said with a fake smile, sarcasm dripping off her voice. “I too would also like to know the answer to that. I would also like to know where exactly here is.”
“Wow, we got a sassy one,” the plump muse stated.
Uma rolled her eyes. “Look, if you Muses ain’t gonna help me, then I’ll find my own way out of here.” She turned to leave, but her foot kicked something metal. The object clanged into view, and Uma looked down at it with wide eyes. It was a shining, shiver hook.
She snatched it from the ground and whirled around to the Muses. “Where’d you get this?” She demanded.
“Oh that?” The tall muse shrugged, “Dionysus dropped it off. It must’ve belonged to the boy he’s testing.”
“Dionysus?!” Uma exclaimed incredulously, her blood boiling, “As in the God of Madness?!”
“And wine!” The plump muse shouted in excitement.
Uma ignored her a forced out a deep breath through her nose. Knowing her wild, off-kilter friend was with the God of Madness terrified her. She didn’t want to find Harry trapped in his mind when she got out of that garden. She had to get to him.
Uma gave each and every one of them a menacing glare as she spoke with gradually fading restraint. “Tell me where he is or I swear to you I will smash you’re statues to bits and remodel them into your gravestones!”
The Muses weren’t daunted by her threats. In fact, realization and newfound interest overtook all of their stony expression. They started to walk off of their pedestal, talking successive of one another.
“Actually, why don’t you tell us about this ‘he?’”
“Anybody special to you?”
“Uh,” Uma blanked, not knowing what brought about this sudden change of demeanor. They were slowly surrounding her. She didn’t want to give them the advantage of knowing a potential weakness, so she simply told them, “He’s a partner of mine.”
“Romantically?”
“What?” Uma asked in disbelief, her face growing warm at the idea of her first mate being more than a first mate. “No! He’s just a friend.”
“Is he a handsome fellow?”
“Strong as the seas?”
“Steady as a mountain?”
“Eyes like twinkling stars?”
“I–I guess so,” Uma stuttered, not sure where any of this was going.
“Have you known him long?” Asked the muse with a scroll.
“Sure,” Uma replied, almost like a question.
“Is he sweet on you?” Asked the muse with Bantu knots in her hair.
Her brained became flooded with memories of all the times Harry got down on one knee and whispered her name, or threatened someone who challenged her, or took her hand in his and gently kissed it.
“Maybe,” was he terse reply.
“C’mon now, Honey,” the plump muse chastise her friend, nudging her in the side with her elbow. “The real question is if she’s sweet on him.”
“Tha–that’s not important!” Uma almost shouted, her voice cracking.
“It’s okay, Sugah,” the tall Muse encouraged sweetly, and Uma gave her a skeptical look. Her aura seemed so calming, yet Uma had only found their questions thus far to be intrusive and stressful. There was a brief moment of silence before the muse told her, “You can say you’re in love.”
“Wha–No! No way!” Uma declared with finality, though she was far more flustered than before, “I won’t say I’m in love!”
And just like that, the Muses were silent. Uma thought she may have gotten through to them.
Until, out of no where, a harp started playing.
The lovely and inviting tune made Uma want to scream and run away.
Why me?
@chanora lol u got me thinking XD
shanastoryteller