PERCY JACKSON/HEROES OF OLYMPUS BATTLE SCHOOL AU:

THE TALE OF MARCO DEMASCEZ, SON OF HADES

By, Gustavo High-De La Garza

CHAPTER 1

So I'm not exactly what you call "Normal". My name is Marco Demascez. I always knew I was different from the get go. But it really sunk in when my mother told me I would be going to a school called "The Camp". She said it was a school for gifted youth in Long Island, New York. So not only was she sending me to a school for freaks like me but I would have to leave Los Angeles, my home.

So I started to pack and get ready. At least I had one thing going for me. I didn't have any friends to say good bye to. The next day after a long plane ride I arrived at J.F.K. and was greeted by a scrawny kid that looked a lot like me but younger. "You must be the one I was sent to get," he said, "I'm Nico Di Angelo."

"I'm Marco. Marco Demascez," I said putting out my hand. He looked at it and turned saying, "Come Marco. It's time we get going." I grabbed my trunk and followed. When we got out to the street Nico put out his hand and asked "Hold my hand." "Wha-What?!" I asked flustered. "Just do it," he said a little annoyed. I took his hand still blushing. His hand was cold and smooth with a few calluses here and there. But then the world ripped away into darkness and I felt like I was being shoved into a garbage compacter. When I opened my eyes I was standing outside a school.

"What just happened? How did we get here so fast?" I asked clearly stunned. "Shadow travel, you can do it too. After all you're a son of Hades," Nico said and started walking towards the school, "Come with me. I'll show you to your dorm." I wasn't the least bit shocked to hear considering I was always able to manipulate shadows. To hear my father was a god wasn't a surprise anymore since he dropped in to personally claim me when I was thirteen. That's what landed me here in the first place.

When we finished the hike up the stairs to the dorm rooms Nico turned and said, "It'll be quiet in this dorm considering it's only you, me, and Hazel in the female wing.. I'll leave you to settle in. School starts in two days. And dinner's at 6 o'clock." Nico turned and melted into the shadows and disappeared. I decided to unpack before dinner and then take a nap to get rid of this jetlag as well.

Later I awoke to complete darkness. I found my alarm I set didn't go off. So I missed dinner and I was starving. I realized Nico was snoring in the bunk next to me. I wondered if they had vending machines here and thought to ask him but decided not to wake him. I grabbed my map of the campus and headed for the mess hall.

It was eerily quiet in the halls. It was almost spooky. When I finally got to the mess hall I saw a light on. I walked pushing the swinging doors open but nobody was there. "Hmm? The lights are on but nobody's here," I said to myself but shrugged it off. I walked over to the vending machines.

As soon as I got my change out I sensed something behind me. "Hi," a sort of gruff older guy's voice said. I screamed and dropped my change on the floor. I turned to see a tall handsome blonde guy with a scar on his lip smiling at me. "Don't do that! You about gave me a heart attack!" I exclaim breathing heavily. "I'm sorry," he said with that smile still across his face. Boy was he handsome. I thought to myself. "Here, let me help you pick those up," he said bending down to pick up the quarters I dropped, "By the way, my names Jason, Jason Grace." "Marco Demascez," I say as he hands me the quarters. I blush a little. "How come you weren't at dinner?" he asks. "Oh! I was asleep in the dorms because of jetlag. Plus that's why I'm at the vending machines," I say.

"Why eat junk food when I can cook you something in the kitchen?" he asked inviting me into the kitchen. I couldn't believe a cute guy was offering to cook for me. I followed a bit too eagerly than I should have. Jason started to get to work as I watched in amazement. He was fast and precise. By the end he put out a plate of cream of spinach chicken over rice with a side of veggies. "Go ahead," he says as he hands me a fork. I took a piece of the chicken and nearly died when I ate it. "Oh my god! This is really good!" I exclaim in delight. "I'm glad," he said with a warm smile on his face.

After I finished eating Jason walked me back to my dorm. Jason was about turn and leave when I grabbed the back of his shirt. "Don't go yet," I said blushing. "What's the matter?" he asked "Though we just met, I think I like you. I've never fallen so hard so fast before but…will you go out with me?!" I blurted out blushing from ear to ear.

He looked at me shocked. He scratched his head blushing. "I didn't know you were gay," he said astonished. "I'm Bi," I say. "I should've known. You're not into guys. I'm sorry," I say tears starting to form in my eyes. I turned to start up the stairs. "Now wait just a minute," he says catching my arm turning me to face him. "It was just a bit of a surprise and not that common for me. That's all. I never said I didn't like you," he says wiping a tear from my face, "In fact it's quite the opposite." He grinned and the leaned in to kiss me.