A/N: This one...this one is much longer than the last one and I'm sorry again about the shortness of the last chappie. XD Anyway,
Read, enjoy and review~!
Edited: June 2/2013
Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the obvious
Act I: Beneath The Wings
Chapter 11: Inevitable Beginning
"Not once, not twice, but three times though, that's how long it took to get past it."
Jay did not like the way Cade gave him a backpack filled with school supplies
He liked it less when the man apparently signed him up for school in secret!
So what does he do? He sulks. He will sulk until Cade brings him home.
So far…It was not working.
Cade sighed from the driver' seat looking from Jay to the road with ease. A slight frown marred the older man's face not pleased about his behavior but he could careless. He should have asked him his opinion first before signing him up to strange educational means! He hated school with passion and it wasn't the bullies that worried him, no.
It was in fact the teachers that irritated him. They always seem to want to kill him or devour him. Either way, his dislike for teachers rivals his love for sweets.
He sat at the back seat, seat-belt across his body to 'protect' him, arms crossed and glared at the passing scenery or occasionally people. "Me want home." Jay grumbled still glaring outside. Cade growled lowly, hands tightening around the wheel. The man was annoyed that much he could tell. He knew he shouldn't but it was his own fault anyway!
"We talked about this. You need education and as a bonus, you won't get bored." Cade replied gritting his teeth together. Ever since the party after his adoption, his guardian had a massive headache this morning, groaning loudly in pain cursing Drake and his stupidity. Jay wanted to call the hospital, as Felia suggested last night, but Cade said he was fine and took about a dozen pain killers. The boy wasn't sure if it was alright for him to drive. An hour later, Cade looked solemn but otherwise back to his normal self.
He sighed leaning back to the seat. "…Why yu no tell?" Jay asked, saddened eyes looking at his guardian. Cade bit his lip, looking away. "I-I…It was in a heat of decision…I'm…sorry." He said looking quite guilty. Jay felt pleased then mentally whacked himself in the head. What's wrong with him? The man already has problems concerning life. He didn't need to be an inconsiderate child unlike…before.
With a soft smile, Jay beamed at Cade warmly and chirped, "It okae."
For Cade's part, the man looked relieved shoulder slumping down as it wanes rigid. The grip on the wheel seems to lessen by a fraction then his guardian looked at him and smiled back. "School will be fine, Jay. If anything goes wrong you can just call me, okay? I put the café's number at your backpack." He explained pointing at one of the red bag's side pocket. Jay nodded, patting the pocket in understandment. He trusts Cade to take care of bullies if there is any he couldn't handle.
But he seriously doubts school all together would be fine.
Kronos did not get why Jay was reluctant to go to school as if his life depends on it.
Of course, being a kid, it was a normal reaction but the titan couldn't shake off the feeling of him being a Half-Blood. The thought had come across about thirty times that morning along with agonizing pain. However, he knows Jay isn't one of them because….well, just because he knows!
And whether it be his instincts or not, he trust that Jay isn't a demigod.
End of story.
If only he can get him to get out of the car now, the titan would feel so much better since the headache this morning. Those pain killers did absolutely nothing to ease the agony even though he took more than one. Although alcohol had no effects on him whatsoever, one of his proud 'talents', it was the agony that comes after was no exception.
They were parked just in front of the large, rectangular red and brown building with a large grass lawn, a flag pole in the middle of the blue flowers in the middle sphere where the stairs is at. Huge steel double doors looked friendly enough with the smiling 'welcome' posters on the windows. In fact, the whole school windows seem to have pasted posters or pictures of sorts.
This is, by far, the finest school Kronos found in the internet and by books and its appearance added to that conclusion.
Why was Jay so afraid then? The kid was lucky he didn't need to know how to defend yourself against another titan by using a simple broom stick!
That was torture for him.
He looks over to his charge who glare grumpily at Crysthaline Elementary, mouth pursed into a thin line showing how much he hated this school. The titan frowns at this then looks at the school carefully. The small children seem to be happily entering the building waving goodbyes to their parents or guardians. There were some who wailed and others like Jay, grumpy and looking miserable. He sighed tiredly, one arm leaning on the steering wheel while his head rest on the palm of his hand. Was he missing something?
"Home." Jay muttered dejectedly, arms tightly crossed on his chest.
Kronos groaned again burrowing his entire face to the palm while counting to ten maintaining his cool. The repetition of this conversation was getting to his nerves. "Jay, we talked about this more than ten times already!" He exclaimed with a slight glare.
The kid gave him a sad puppy face however it was not working due to the stress and agony of hangover. It was getting ridiculous. He needed education and the boy knows it! Why does he keep arguing over about it when there is nothing to change his mind? "Education is important for you. Hell you're future depends on it!" He insisted.
The boy's expression instantly melted into consideration, arms going lack and back to his side, then morphed into confusion and finally sighs. "Okae…me go." Jay grumbles out as he gives up.
Kronos would have shouted 'thank you' to the heavens, perhaps dance around in joy, but that was too cruel for the kid. He had no say about school, agrees to it though with not much choice, so the best the titan can do it is give him a boost of confidence.
…If he ever thinks of one.
He smiled at the pouting child as he tries to take out the seat belt to no avail. Jay struggled, pulling the belt with force though not noticing the red button he can press to release it. "Press the red thing." He said. The boy stops for a moment blinking then looks at the red button with a slight tint of embarrassment on his cheeks when he pressed it, the belt came off easily. Kronos chuckled taking care of his own then gets out of the car with Jay.
Maybe the kid will feel better once he sees the inside.
After Cade walked with him to the entrance, the man gave him a reassuring hug telling him everything will be fine then leaves for work. He stood there watching as the car drives further away from the school until it was a tiny dot dashing whatever hopes he had of going home. It was only when the deafening bell rang that he left with a solemn sigh. His prison days were about to start.
Outside may be clean but inside?
It was a circus.
Needlessly to say, he was more than furious of his guardian.
The school itself was actually pretty good looking considering the others he went to had plastered cheap wall pain that chips every month or broken windows every Thursday just because one of the bullies felt like it. Children filled the halls laughing, chattering or running to their own class. The hallway was paved with green marble and simple painted grey walls where tons of drawings are posted. The doors had silly decorations of their assigned numbers but were very appealing. The nice lady had assigned him to room 246 and apparently it was at the end of the building near the fire exit.
At least when a man-eater comes looking for him, he can run without having to go through the entrance.
His class consists of twenty people with a group of five in one of the multicolored round tables. The room was amazingly huge enough to have different cabinets filled with arts, toys, books, and costumes and the floor was one of those puzzle mats where you can connect each one. Dragons on strings were on the ceiling and the windows had huge smiley faces. His teacher, Ms. Alvarez, was a kind woman who in her own way cared about education but also how to have fun.
Their first task was to introduce themselves in any way they wanted to and most of them rushed to the costume cabinet.
It was so great he might believe Cade is telling the truth!
That there was nothing wrong.
But he couldn't help feel something will go wrong.
Lunch started out normal. Everyone sat anywhere they want with their friends chatting loudly but in peace. Their teacher, lovely woman by the way, was sitting by her desk eating a salad with orange juice looking at her phone smiling. Jay sat on the windowsill looking outside relaxed. Cade made him a meat sandwich and chocolate milk he got from Sarah. He ate his food in content that his teacher is not a cannibal and hasn't eaten him yet.
He was so into his own happy thoughts he didn't notice the pair of milky white eyes staring intently at him.
Hades was beyond nervous.
No, he was really really on edge that if one more bad news was told the king of underworld will explode.
Not only has he found out about the recent prophecy of a purple eyed kid who's got something to do with the elder creators but apparently, his own personal enemy decided to create two abnormal harpies and a Minotaur.
The harpies were killed by ten half-bloods just by the edge of the beach at camp.
Ten.
The Minotaur was still on the loose and now the gods are suspicious of these strange creatures because the half-bloods reported they were not normal. The aura around them was more menacing than the average, they had white soulless eyes and Hades already declared he doesn't know of such things.
He was doom.
Hades groaned softly as he sat back the silver stone chair. He was inside a dark barely lit room and a huge green book opened in front of him. Spells of different kinds mocked him of his pain knowing that he was too late. The god did found the irritating shadow however the enemy concealed itself within earth's core meaning if he wanted that thing dead, he will have to kill the world. To extract it without murdering the world was nearly impossible.
That's why he's doom to die.
To remove the shadow from the core, Hades needs tremendous power in both magic and the person's own energy. Otherwise he might end up feeding the thing more power than to excerpt it!
A loud bang echoed in the room as his whole face smacked upon the wooden table. He winced slightly and wondered if he can remove the already growing red spot on his forehead before he leaves. With an annoyed sigh, the god stood up grabbing his black fur coat and white scarf then left through the shadows to the human world.
Bright white snow immediately greeted him and he almost smiled at the coldness of winter though he can barely feel it. He emerged out of an alleyway in front of the park just like last time. He had no destination in mind just wanting to relax without worrying about the shadow or the other gods. Maybe he should go try out some more human food. That 'beef teriyaki' from two days ago was delicious!
Where could he eat?
Hades glanced around in thought, smiling a little as the situation seemed funny. Here he was an immortal god disguised as a human trying to find a good eating establishment. He considered this his 'sanctuary' time being who he is as a mortal. If the others would found out, they would surely laugh and get suspicious especially with the recent abnormality. This was his only escape from reality.
"Come, come and enjoy our new pastries, freshly bake and in good price!"
The god stopped his musing and looked ahead of him were people huddled around the shouting woman wearing a green slim jacket. She was wearing a grey beanie with blonde hair sticking out at the front and sides. On her right hand was a megaphone poised near her mouth, a huge pastry-filled diagram was plastered behind her. It looks like the woman was advertising for the café building behind her. He walked towards the crowd and listened.
"Strawberry cheesecake with a free choice drinks for $4.99!" She shouted waving towards the people across the street to come here.
The food on the diagram looked amazingly good that Hades found his stomach quietly grumbling in protest wondering why wasn't he in there yet. He gulped pocketing his hands feeling the leftover money crumpled at the bottom.
I hope I have enough, he thought pleading the Fates not to tamper with his luck.
Swiftly dodging the people he moved fluidly through the crowds and opened the door with ease. Warm air rushed through his face like sudden wind. He moved to the side letting the others enter standing there bathing in the heat.
Ah, that was more like it.
Despite not being able to feel the biting cold, he did not like having to stay at a freezing environment for long.
His eyes roamed around the café wondering if there was a single table opening though he wasn't having any luck. Hades, after a good solid ten minute of looking, was about to leave dejectedly when a familiar voice called out.
"Samuel?"
He turns around mildly surprised at someone calling his human name only to face that man again. A small smile appeared on his face remembering his encounter with Cade Solstice. The man in front of him was wearing a white apron with the store logo on it, a coffee mug with a circle around it, and holding an empty tray. A raised eyebrow was directed at him in question. "Are you here to eat or for the wanted sign?" Cade asked straight to the point. Hades was baffled for a moment wondering what wanted sign he was talking about.
He was going to regret not noticing the woman from outside coming back in.
Cade rolled his eyes as he yelped in shock when two hands suddenly slap down his shoulder. He spun around facing an eerie smiling woman looking at him evilly. Hades stared at her with huge wide eyes wanting to get away from her grip.
"Of course he's here for the job! Why wouldn't he?" She loudly replied for him, her tone lacing with authority and challenge. The god was afraid to speak for a moment and stood there staring. The older man sighed tiredly as he rubs his temples. "Samuel…You picked a bad timing coming in here." He tells him with sympathy.
Wait...what is going on?
He…he didn't…Cade wasn't implying…
Could he?!
Hades snaps back in attention and whipped his head back at Cade to the creepy woman. "What do you mean?" He asked almost afraid of the answer. If the woman wasn't happy before, she was now a beaming sun. This was not happening. It must be all a bad frightening dream, yes!
"Congratulations Mr. Samuel! You are now an employee of Salvus Café!"
…It was happening.
