A/N Ello! So, long time no see, eh? Merry belated Christmas (/whatever you celebrate at this time of year) everybody! This right here, this first chapter, is my (late) gift to EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU. No matter what time of year it is when you read it.

I promised a sequel to Aftermath and here it is! Enjoy, REVIEW, FAVORITE, FOLLOW, and all that!

I'm pretty nervous about posting this, Nico's arguing an extremely controversial topic. Just don't go attacking me if you don't agree with it. Nico is a character with his own morals and values this is simply how I think he as a character would act. You have been warned.

For this fic:
Beta: Jackbunjeekiki
A song for this fic: Numb by Linkin Park
Disclaimer: I don't own Pjo

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
Don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes
-Numb by Linkin Park

"We have already discussed this, Nico, and you know full well why I can't."

Nico brought his fists down on the council table leaving a resounding thump to echo through the chamber. An almost mutinous fire burned in his eyes as he met his father's gaze. "Why is it so hard for you to understand? THEY WERE PURE! INNOCENT!"

This particular matter had had tensions running high between the god and his newly crowned son for almost two weeks but it wasn't until now that Nico seemed to be losing control. Hades, however, maintained his indifferent mask. As unpleasant as it was for the god of the dead to have to put his son through this, he knew that it was of the utmost importance that Nico learned what the limits on his new authority and power were. It didn't matter how hard Nico argued or how many times he slammed his curled fists onto polished, wooden tables, Hades simply wouldn't budge. He simply couldn't budge. If Nico was to understand his place in the hierarchy, authority had to be used to its advantage.

"They deserve Elysium, father! These innocent children who were murdered for someone else's convenience."

"That doesn't mean they deserve Elysium, their souls can rest in Asphodel just like everyone else who showed no evil but did nothing remarkable."

"But that isn't fair! 'The Underworld is fair in its judgements', that's what you said when I was crowned. It's exactly what you told me to live by! If you can't follow that yourself-"

"Watch yourself, boy, you are dangerously close to making me angry."

"I DON'T CARE!" All around Nico a great, billowing cloud of black smoke swirled like a storm cloud. "I care about theses kids! They never got a chance to live! They never saw outside or said a single word and now they're gone! They're gone and the only life they'll have is down here. You're just too pigheaded, sadistic-"

"ENOUGH!" Hades' mask had finally cracked.

A sudden gust of force threw Nico against the back wall which he hit with a painful snapping noise. Nico slid down the obsidian wall to the floor. For a moment he was limp and seemed to all the world to be dead until a heavy breath shuddered through his body. His eyes snapped open and he let out a gasp. In that moment he knew that he should have died, he shouldn't have opened his eyes after hitting the wall. The sheer force pushed onto him should have been enough to crush him. A slight tingling ran through each and every one of his bones as the healing powers that came with his immortality sprang into action. Slowly, Nico sat himself up on his elbows. He made an attempt to glare at his father, though the shock of the impact hadn't yet faded away from his eyes.

"Out," Hades breathed, "now."

Nico was seething as he stormed through the Underworld. How could his father do this? Keep wronged souls in Asphodel when they so obviously deserved Elysium. The prince's eyes flashed with anger as he neared the mouth of the judgement pavilion. A long line of souls stretched all the way from the River Styx to the entrance of the pavilion. As Nico approached, they backed away, giving him a wide birth. He glanced around briefly, took a calming breath, and ducked inside.

Within the confines of the tented pavilion was a modern courtroom. Sat at the magistrate's bench were three men, each wearing a golden mask. At the sight of Nico, each of the shades in attendance rose and bowed deeply. He waved them off and strode to the entrance of one of the back chambers.

"My lord," said one of the judges, it was a voice Nico recognized all too well, "you cannot enter the back chamber while a trial is in session."

"There's always a trial in session, Minos. I have orders from my father so don't be offended if I don't listen to you." Throwing a smirk over his shoulder, Nico entered the chamber.

Inside was a line of filing cabinets and a large desk. He flipped through the folders in the filing cabinets as quickly as he could before continuing his search to the large desk. He finally found what he was looking for in the bottom drawer. The top file was labelled 'Preset Sentences'.

A smile tugged at the corner of Nico's mouth as he exited the back chamber. Ignoring the disgruntled shuffling of the shades, he tossed the updated file onto the smooth, stone surface in front of Minos. "You might want to review the changes."

Nico would have been feeling rather pleased with himself if it hadn't been for the remaining anger he felt at the thought of his argument with Hades. The memory of their... disagreement still left a bitter taste in his mouth. The injustice of it all burned at his insides.

Even as he made his way back towards the palace, Nico could see a horde of his father's soldiers charging at him. Shit. Before he really registered what was happening, he was surrounded by skeleton soldiers. He thrust his hands out to ward them off with the bursts of power he was accustomed to possessing. A crease formed between his eyebrows, nothing had happened. His frown turned more desperate as the skeleton's advanced and he thrust his hands out again. Still, nothing happened. The guard's wrapped their bare, bone fingers around his forearms and shoulders in a vice-like grip. His struggles serving only to keep him standing as the skeletons tried to force him to his knees. One with a much larger frame than the others finally resorted to grabbing the back of his neck with one hand and squeezing until he obeyed. Nico slumped to his knees with a dull 'thump'. He had known, of course, that his plan couldn't go unnoticed for too long but this was the fastest Hades' damage control had ever arrived.

No sooner had Nico's knees hit the ground, than his father was on the scene. Towering over the prince with an air of foreboding, Hades glowered at his son and his continued attempts to activate his powers.

"Do not waste your energy," Hades spat, "your powers are capped."

Nico glared up at him, "You won't be able to do that forever. I'm eighteen and a god now."

Hades snorted derisively, "You are hardly a god. Lord of Wandering Souls, is it? Zeus does not trust you, and has given me quite a large measure of control over you for the time being." Nico looked positively venomous at the mention of his father being able to control him. The god gave him a brooding look. "I think you need to cool down before we continue this conversation." He signaled to the guards, "Take him to the dungeons."

It would, of course, have been much easier to simply vanish Nico to the cells, but he had always responded so much better to humiliation. The only way to drill anything into him was to give him a reason to squirm. Not that Hades enjoyed it, seeing his only son brought to him on his knees. The sight would only ever frustrate him more, even if it was the only way Nico would ever learn.

Hours later, in one of the many plain, stone cells, Hades had taken to lecturing his son once again. "You are exceedingly lucky that Zeus has not discovered your ignominious actions. You would have been stripped of your position immediately. How did you expect to get away from this unpunished?"

Nico sank down onto the metal cot attached to the wall and buried his face in his hands. "I don't know," his voice was muffled and he could feel his father's eyes burning into the back of his head. "I didn't really."

"Surely you can't have thought that I would not find out."

He raised his head dismally, "No, I was just so... desperate to do something. Anything."

"You can't live like that, on desperate impulses, not anymore. When you accepted your powers you accepted that."

"I know! I-I..." he ran his fingers through his hair and closed his eyes tightly.

"Perhaps I was wrong," Hades said, looking at his son pensively, "maybe you are not ready after all."

Nico's eyes snapped open again. "No! No, I am ready, really."

"It is more than being able to handle power, Nico. You clearly do not understand what it meant when you accepted the title of Prince." Nico gave his father a searching look, clearly not following. Hades sighed, "Prince, Nico, prince. It means you have superiors! Yes, in most cases you will be above Persephone, but I will have the final word. You are under me, I am under Zeus, not to mention the other gods you will be expected to show some respect to. You need to think about who you are speaking to and against when you speak."

"Thanks for the hierarchy lesson but, what exactly is happening? Am I still, you know, immortal and all that."

"For now."

"Father, please, it was a mistake and I'm sorry."

"And just how many mistakes are you going to make? I can't allow you to keep your position if you are going to consistently disobey me. The amount of power you have been granted cannot go unchecked."

"I won't, I promise."

"You need to prove that, Nico."

"What do I need to do?"

Hades paused, "There is a demigod currently living in Camp Jupiter. Bring her to the Underworld."

"Yes, father," Nico said a little sadly, as if he expected that the demigod wouldn't make it out of the meeting with his father. "Her name?"

"Bryony, Dahlia Bryony."

A/N thanks for reading! Leave me a REVIEW and don't forget to follow so you know when the next chapter is posted.