A/N Hello everyone! Greetings from the underworld. Surprisingly good internet connections down here...anyways, I'm here to share my story, of how I came to know I was a demigod with all of you. I'm not like Percy, I can't write my whole story in first person. So, I'm using third person. I'm "seeing you could say through the eyes of my brother, Nico, because it works better with the story. Later on, there might be chapters from me, but I don't know yet. Anyways, let the story commence. Happy reading, Fellow Demigods!
Roy Hughes, son of Hades.

Chapter 1- Family reunion, sphinxes and the Lord of the Dead

Nico di Angelo sighed as he travelled through the Underworld. It was his father's realm, he felt at home here, but still, it was lonely being the only child of Hades. Or, at least he thought he was the only child of Hades. He was 16 now, cold and unreadable, and still a loner. He'd had a crush on Percy Jackson, a fellow demigod and a son of Poseidon, but as far as he knew, Percy was unaware. As he was walking, thinking about these things, Alecto suddenly swooped from the sky and landed next to him. "Honey, your father wants to see you." She cackled. Nico looked up. "Why?" he asked sharply. The Fury laughed again. "He wouldn't say." She answered. Then she grabbed Nico by the shoulders and lifted him into the air, taking him to his father's palace. When they landed, Nico went straight to his father's throne room. He knelt at Hades' feet and waited until his father told him to rise. "Father, why have you called me here?" he asked.

Hades looked at his son. "Because, I have news I wish to share with you. You and Bianca were not my only children. I also had another son. He's a year younger than you. I want you to meet him." Nico couldn't mask the shock that crossed his face. "I..I have another sibling? Father why did you not tell me sooner?" Hades sighed. "Because it was not time for you to know. With the Great Prophecy, I didn't want to add to your burdens. But now it's become too unsafe to keep him in the mortal world. I need you to get him. He currently lives in Vermont."
Nico nods. "Of course I'll get him Father. What's his name? What does he look like?"
Hades smiled at his son. "His name is Roy Hughes. He has long black hair, pale skin and black eyes." He handed Nico a map. "This will lead you to him. I suggest you leave now." Taking the map, Nico nodded. "Yes Father. Should I bring him to camp Half-Blood?" Hades shook his head. "He will not be welcomed there. No, bring him here, to me. I will let him stay with me, at least until things settle down." He glanced meaningfully at the map, which Nico took to be a sign he should go. As he walked out of the palace he looked at the map. On it was a trail of red, which Nico followed. He prepared to shadow travel, knowing it might take him a while to cross whole states. But, he couldn't let his father down. Not now. So, he braced himself, and stepped into the shadows.

Three hours later, he finally made it to his goal. He was outside a school in Vermont, waiting for the final bell to ring. When it did, a living stream of kids flowed out. Nico waited for a long time, and finally, he saw the boy who had to be Roy. He was walking alone, wearing black jeans, combat boots, a cameo top and an army jacket. He was skinny, but not scrawny, and he looked like he had a bit of muscle, like he worked out, but not a lot. His messenger bag was slung across his shoulder and his black hair was long and casually ruffled. He looked...handsome, in a bad boy way. As Nico watched, three boys, all much older and taller, with more muscle surrounded him. "Hey, Hughes what's up? You forget about this morning?" the boy hung his head. "I'm sorry Robert. My mother kept me home." Robert laughed. "Awww. Mommy's boy." He shoved Roy, sending him flying backwards into the wall. He hit with a thud and fell. The boys laughed harder and began to beat him up. Roy tried to climb to his feet, fighting back, but it was no good. Finally, a passing teacher yelled at the boys to stop. Roy climbed to his feet and stumbled home, with Nico following. He wasn't quite sure how to approach this boy, or what to say to him when he did. So he hung back, and watched. Roy walked through the neighborhood, until he came to a rundown house on the end. The lawn was over grown; the house needed a fresh coat of paint and several windows were boarded up. Roy went inside and a thud sounded followed by a woman's voice. "You ungrateful bastard. You're late. Who's going to buy groceries if you don't come home on time? You're lucky I don't beat you. Now go to your room and stay there. No dinner." He heard Roy's voice. "Fine you bitch. I wouldn't eat anything you cooked anyways. You hate me so much you'd poison me just to get rid of me." There was the sound of a belt on skin, and a cry of pain. "Don't talk back to me boy."

"Fine. I'm leaving." Roy said wrenching the door open. The woman's voice called out, "you leave now, don't bother to come back! Consider yourself disowned!"
"FINE!" Roy yelled slamming the door. He stormed off, down the street. When he was out of sight his shoulders slumped and he sat down on the curb. Nico gathered his courage and walked over, sitting next to the boy. "Are you alright?" he asked. Roy looked up, his black eyes blazing with anger, but Nico suspected it was to hide the pain. "Who are you?" he asked. "Why...why do you look like me?" Smiling sadly Nico looked at the street. "This...this is going to be hard to explain. But...you know the Greek myths right? About the gods and all that?"

Roy nodded the anger died a little replaced by a look of wary caution. "Yes...what about them?" Nico sighed. This was always the hardest part. "What happened to your father?" he asked softly. Deep sadness filled Roy's eyes, mixed with bitterness and anger. "He left, as soon as I was born, abandoning me to her." He said the last word like a curse.

"Your mother?" Nico guessed. Roy nodded. "Yeah. Stupid bitch beats me, and no one cares. At school I'm bullied and shoved around because I live in a bad house. But my mom's too lazy to work, and she drinks away all our money." Then suspicion hardened his gaze. "What does this have to do with the Greek gods?" Nico hedged an answer. "Well...what if I told you that my father was a Greek god, and yours was too?" Roy stood up. "Leave me alone. You're just here to mock me, like everyone else." He winced, and his hand went to his ribs, which must have been bruised. He almost collapsed, but Nico caught him. "Easy...you've gotten hurt. Relax." Roy sighed, but accepted Nico's help.

"You...you want to get something to eat?" Nico asked. Roy nodded. 'yeah, sure." As the two boys walked Nico looked at Roy closely. Up close he could see old scars on his face. He was very skinny, you could see his cheekbones, and his eyes looked sunken in. He walked stiffly, as if he'd broken his leg once and it hadn't healed quite right. "Roy...where will you go? Since... I mean...your mom kicked you out?"

Roy shrugged. "I usually sleep in the park. Sometimes I can get people to take me in, but, well it doesn't matter." Nico looked at him in horror. "You mean...this has happened before?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, about once a month." The two had reached a local Burger King, and Nico opened the door, escorting Roy inside. "Get whatever you want. Don't worry, I've got it covered." At least, I hope I do. He thought. Roy nodded and ordered a cheeseburger and fries. Nico got the same thing, but included a soda. He reached into his pocket, and to his relief found mortal money. He sighed in relief and paid for their meals, then led Roy to a booth and told him to wait while he picked up their food. That's when everything suddenly went sour. Just as Nico was getting their food, Roy screamed. Looking over, Nico saw a monster outside. The monster must have heard Roy, or maybe he just smelled some really tasty demigods because it jumped through the window and attacked who tried to fight it off. "Oh my gods...what is this thing?" he asked beating it with a chair. Nico got a close look and groaned. "It's a Sphinx man." He said. Roy looked at him. "Did...did you just say Sphinx? But... they're Egyptian right? Why would Greeks be getting-"He didn't get a chance to finish. The Sphinx raked its claws across Roy's chest, ripping through his shirt like paper. Roy cried out and fell back, bleeding onto the ground. Nico charged at the beast and stabbed it with his sword. The Sphinx roared once and then dissolved. Nico sheathed his sword and ran over to Roy, who was now unconscious. He cursed in Greek, and then pulled out some ambrosia he'd brought along, just in case. He force fed it to Roy, who slowly began to wake up. The cuts started mending, but the ambrosia couldn't heal them completely without risking Roy burning up. He picked up the boy, amazed and saddened at how light he was. Clearly the boy was not getting enough to eat, either at home or school. Carrying him outside, he looked down and whispered, "Father...this is an emergency. I can't shadow-travel with Roy, he's not conscious, and I don't want him to wake up and freak out. Can you please open a temporary portal to the Underworld?" The ground opened with a groan and Nico quickly descended, hearing the ground close behind him. He carried Roy all the way to the Underworld and to Hades' Palace. Hades himself was waiting for them. "Good job Nico. What happened?"

"We were attacked by a Sphinx at Burger King." Nico said shortly. He handed the boy to his father. "I tried to tell him the truth about you, but I didn't get a chance. No one will miss him, I can promise that much at least." He informed the god. Hades looked shocked. "Why do you say that? Surly his mother-?" Nico shook his head. "Him mother kicked him out. She abused him. Surly you knew that Father?" With that he turned and carried Roy into the palace, taking him up to the wing of rooms, which were never used. Hades followed him. "Nico, you have to believe me, I had no idea that his mother would turn out like that. I swear." Nico chose the room next to his and set Roy in bed. "I'll, watch him. When he wakes I'll let you know." He said. Hades took that to mean Nico was still mad at him, and didn't bother to respond, just turned and left the bedroom, walking back downstairs. Looking at the pale, thin figure lying on the obsidian bed, Nico sighed. The kid was only 15, but his life had not been great. Most of Hades' children had bad pasts, but Roy seemed to have had the worst so far. Nico only hoped Hades had meant it when he'd said he would take good care of the boy. Roy needed someone in his life. So, just in case, Nico vowed to stick around. It wouldn't be easy, but he would do it. He would be there for the kid, and help him with anything he needed. In no time he would have Roy adjusted to his new life. That was his goal. With that in mind, he quickly went to the door and asked a spirit of the dead to get him the blacksmith. When the ghost arrived he ordered another sword to be made, like his but fancier, with silver inlaid on the blade. The blacksmith nodded and vanished to get started. Nico went back ot the bed and sat down again, watching his brother sleep.
E/N. ok rereading that, I release I made Nico a total creeper. XD! I promise, he's not and in future chapters he won't be. You may have noticed I mentioned Nico's crush on Percy. Yes I love Percabeth, but for now I'm going to make this story a Nico/Percy one so, I'm sorry in advance, please don't come to the palace and try to kill me. Anyways, hope you enjoyed, review for free Cheese 'n' Weiner's! him."other son. he'king him to his father'