Episode 27: Twelve Good Deeds
Disclaimer: Read the beginning
A/N: Okay, so as you can see by the title that I am not writing an episode based on the series. I chose to do something a little bit more original with an event of my own. I hope you enjoy this. It required a lot of brainstorming.
Just as Nattie predicted, she overslept. She woke up to an empty bed. Thankfully Hades didn't wake her up and demanded why she sneaked into his bed last night. All he left behind was a bag of pearls with a note that said - "For the road ~ Soon to have much power, Hades."
There was something different about the way he wrote the note. It's almost seemed to be rush like he was in a hurry to get out of there. Not that she could blame him. It's not every day a pretty girl like Nattie would willingly cuddle with him in his sleep all through the night. Most women would scream and run away if he did offer. Megara would be one of the ninety-nine.
The school was almost over, just in time for astronomy class with Mr. Ptolemy. The only time that course was exciting was when Hercules opened the constellation sky for Orion, the talented hunter, to receive archery lessons. His stupid move nearly cost the country's destruction and cosmic balance. Hades attempted the idea of moving the stars to speed the Titan unleashing process. Luckily, Artemis stepped in and lent a helping hand. Two weeks after, the high just tumbled downhill.
Nattie showed up fashionably late about to enter the Prometheus Academy gates, until two guards crossed their spears, blocking her path.
The girl blinked. "Uh... excuse me, but you guys are in my way." She attempted to duck under, but her path was blocked once again.
"No tardies are allowed in, no exceptions." The guard from the right explained grumpily.
"Since when?" Nattie demanded with furrowed brows. "I come to school late all the time! No one cares!"
"That was before the new headmistress gained charge of this school," the left guard stated.
New headmistress? Since when did they announce a new headmistress? What happened to Mr. Parentheses? She must've missed it when she fell asleep in history class, Friday morning.
"Well..." Nattie began, "if you guys don't mind, I would like to speak with this... mistress." She attempted to go around the left guard, but his spear blocked her. "Oh, come on!"
"No tardies are allowed in," the right guard repeated. "No, exceptions."
"If the mistress wants to talk, she will talk as she pleases," the left guard declared.
"Until then, wait till last period is over."
"You kidding me?!" Nattie cried. From the looks on the guards' faces, they were anything but joking — not a single trace of humor.
Knowing that she couldn't do anything at this time, she gave up the fight, turning away. So she made the bozos believe.
Hiding behind a tree, she whipped out a pearl from her sack and stomped on it, imagining herself inside the building.
With a puff of smoke, she appeared in the school hallway. She couldn't help but feel the cold chills, even when the weather was warm but stuffy. The place was empty, no sound uttered.
What happened to the students? Teachers? In class, no doubt. Still, the school shouldn't be this quiet. When she arrived at school late, she usually would hear the daily squeaks of mice lurking in the lockers. The uncaring janitor's soaking wet mop was sliding the floors. Why were the halls so quiet?
She perked at the door opening, seeing the guidance counselor in sight - Mr. Parentheses. She had been meaning to talk to him about splitting the profit of his urban dictionary. He did publish her name without permission.
"Miss Camden, what are you doing out here?" he hissed. His widened eyes, the constant glance over his shoulder, the quivering lip - he was scared. Of what?
"Do you know what would happen if she sees you?"
"She?" Nattie questioned out loud. The new headmistress?
Parentheses hushed her, pulling the girl inside - specifically yanking her. She cried a set of ow's in protest, demanding answers that reached deaf ears. The guidance counselor peeked through the crack of the door, making sure no one was outside.
"Parentheses, what's going on?" Nattie demanded. Her eyes were scanning down at the change of clothing. Instead of his usual yellow and blue lining chiton, he was in a red with gold lining and shoulder sleeves. It almost reminded Nattie of Sparta's dress code.
"And why are you dressed like that?"
"Quiet! She might hear you?"
"Who?!" Nattie rolled her eyes and huffed at another set of shushes. "Really?"
Parentheses quietly closed the door, making sure no click uttered. The counselor motioned the girl to sit down across his desk.
"I'm sure you may - or may not be aware (oh, who am I kidding? You are not, or you wouldn't be stupid enough to show up fashionably late. Or maybe you are stupid enough for you are known to be impulsive)."
"Parentheses!" Nattie cut him off.
Parentheses took a couple of breaths, attempting to regain composure. "Sorry. The point I'm trying to cross is that your habits - the delays, the pranks, the talking backs - it all has to end, right now."
"Look, Parentheses, I get it. I may have been repulsive, maybe show up to class late, and I may have been the one to put the air horns inside your office for the senior prank."
"That was you?!" Parentheses demanded.
"But the point is..." Nattie remained focus on the subject at hand. "What has changed? You guys didn't seem to mind it all before. Sometimes you give me detention, and I'll be fine with it."
"Miss Camden, we have a new headmistress running our school now - Mistress Medea."
Nattie blinked. "Madea? As in the Madea?"
Parentheses tapped his chin, thinking what Nattie was referring. Why was the girl smiling big?
"Oh my gods!" She banged the desk, crossing her knee. "I love Tyler Perry! His creation of the grandma inspired me!"
"What? No. No! I don't know who you are referring to, Miss Camden, but our mistress is anything but a grandma (well, I don't know her age exactly. It's rude to ask, and no one seemed brave enough to try)."
Nattie pressed the argument. "But you said Madea with an a."
"No, Medea, with an e, and trust me, Miss Camden, she is not a woman to cross. You are lucky that I have saved you from her wrath!"
Nattie scoffed, leaning back against the chair, folding her arms. "Please, how bad can she be?"
Parentheses sighed sadly, resting his elbows on the table, massaging his temples.
"Oh, Miss Camden, you have no idea."
The voice didn't belong to Parentheses. It contained more authority, more feminine, and more Welsh.
Nattie perked over her shoulder to see a silhouette of a lean woman holding up what appeared to be a hook hand, dramatic thunder, and lightning on cue. It was sunny ten seconds ago. Why the theatrics? Nattie would be lying if she said she wasn't intimidated.
The woman stepped inside the office, revealing herself. Nattie was slightly relieved to see that the hook hand turned out to be a cane, though repulsed by the woman's dress and quarter size mole that stuck to her upper lip, the prick of hair in its center didn't go unnoticeable. Brown hair pinned to a bun, pointy nose; her skin color looked like she hadn't been near the sun for ages; a gloomy, grey chiton with a red shawl around the shoulders. She had the figure of Mary Poppins, but her poise and face, especially the mole, was anything but pleasant. She had the aura and intimation like Maleficent, the mistress of all evil. Nattie didn't know who she would rather face - the fire-breathing dragon or this woman's mole.
"Nat-a-lie Cam-den, I presume," the mistress greeted with a falsely sweet smile. The grey eyes analyzed Nattie as if she was fresh meat to devour with her surprisingly straight, pearly white smile.
"You..." Nattie averted her gaze from the mole, attempting to give the woman more eye contact. "You must be the new queen of this school - Madea?"
"Mistress Mee-dea," Medea barked. "Mistress Medea of Prometheus Academy for the upper class. If all goes well, I will take over the middle and lower class." She reached her hand out for a handshake. Nattie was in debate whether to shake her hand or not. She took note that the woman's round nails were perfectly aligned, better than Nattie's chipped ones. She had the urge to cover her dagger toenails that contained a chipped black nail polish.
"Children should learn that when someone introduces him or herself, the other must reciprocate."
Nattie kept her eyes down, taking the woman's hand. She winced at the sudden strength. Never underestimate petite women and their power. It got tighter to every second, up to the point it could break.
"Eye contact, please, Miss Camden. Are you legally blind?"
"No. No, I am not." Nattie forced herself to look straight in Medea's eyes, not the mole.
Medea showed off her toothy grin before abruptly releasing her hand.
"Herodotus is right about you; you are a bimbo."
Nattie stretched her hand out, attempting to regain feeling. She could've sworn she heard a crack in the metacarpals.
"Parentheses!" the man jolted at his name barked by Medea. "How was I not informed that this student arrived late?"
Parentheses was stammering out his answer. "Well, I - she - me - well-"
"Better yet! How is it that she passed the security team. They were trained to be the best. My late husband was captain of the Argonauts army. He trained them himself."
Argonauts? Nattie paused to think of the word. Argonauts? Where had she heard that word before?
"Am I to be insulted that one stupid girl passed through security - my security?! Slipping under their noses?!" Medea's frame towered over crouching Parentheses. He couldn't sink any lower due to him sitting down.
"N-No, ma'am. I mean mistress - I mean she- well-"
"Save it! You!" Before Nattie knew it, she was facing Medea's cane, pointing straight in between the eyes. She took note that they were specks of blood that stained at the tip. Did this woman hit children with it? Nattie thought her mom's wooden spoon was terrible.
"How did you get past security?" the woman demanded.
Nattie averted her gaze from the cane and the mole, clearing her throat awkwardly while shrugging her shoulders. "I-I have my ways."
Medea scoffed. "Using that line, are you? Well, you must know that I am the late wife of Jason, captain of the Argonauts."
"I don't know who that is-"
"Silence!" The curve of Medea's cane was pressing against Nattie's lips. No doubt Nattie's lip gloss would bring more color to the wooden rod. It's almost as if Medea was trying to shove the cane down Nattie's throat.
"I am the widowed wife of the military man, and I learned ways of making that tongue wag," Medea growled like a raging mutt that she was.
"You - You must know, M-Medea - mistress-" Parentheses's eyes widened when Medea faced him. "Your ways are prohibited-"
"I know what's prohibited, Parentheses! Don't tell me something I don't know!"
Nattie and the poor guidance counselor couldn't help but jump at the woman's temper. She didn't know whose temper was worse - Hades, A-gay-man, or Maleficent?
The tension didn't ease by the silence. Both victims were waiting for the mistress to respond. She finally withdrew the cane from Nattie's mouth, but the girl's breath remains hitched. What was the military wife going to do?
"Miss Natalie Camden," Medea uttered, holding up a sealed scroll in the air. "I heard a great deal about you - from students, teachers, even Orthos Son of Echidna."
"Of course, you did," Nattie grumbled.
"Yes, they say that you have a reputation..." Her eyes trailed off to the desk, where Parentheses was stacking up tablets and scrolls. Nattie widened her eyes at how big the pile was growing. Did she have a reputation that large? Imagine everyone's reaction if they knew she worked for Hades. "A troublemaker !" BANG! "A tardiest!" BANG! "A potty mouth!" Pfft! "You were recommended by Herodotus to expel you."
"Of course, he did."
"Although, fortunately for both of us," she lowered her cane down, "I might do just that, considering your status."
"Madea..." Nattie cursed for the mispronunciation. Why did this thin women remind her of the large grandma from the movie series? "I mean, Medea - Medea!"
"What Miss Camden is trying to say, mistress," Parentheses spoke up. "(I couldn't let the girl have a word out for she might say something stupid), but Miss Camden comes from a complicated background."
Medea opened the scroll, scanning through the bio. "So it says here. You traveled from the United States - a runaway from a neglectful family." She wrinkled the paper together, narrowing her eyes at the girl. "Exactly, Miss Camden, where is this United States? My husband had spent thirty years with a band of heroes - the Argonauts - never to be seen again, pronounced dead. From all the years he spent, traveling and protecting his country, he has never set foot on an island called the United States."
"There is a country called the United States, Medea-"
"Mistress-"
"Medea, whatever!" Nattie really should keep her mouth in check. She might get expelled during senior year. She's so close. She must stay to finish, graduate before her older brother. "The United States is across the Sea of Atlas, way across the globe."
"Globe?" Medea scoffed, laughing in mockery. "My dear Natalie Camden, everyone knows that the earth is flat, not round."
Nattie huffed, not bothering to argue. "So, I have been told."
"As pitiful as your life may be, it does not excuse that," Medea gestured the record pile. "Tackling, pranking, and threatening the Prince of Thrace that you would - and I quote - 'I will cut your-"
"Hey!" Nattie straightened her posture, pointing the defense attorney finger at the mistress. "He was harassing me and my posse. Okay? I told him - over and over again - to back off, but the boy never listens!"
"Falling asleep in Herodotus's class?"
"If you were in his class, you would've brought a blanket, too."
"Received an epsilon in arithmetic."
Nattie shrugged. "The challenge of raising the grade alone is improbable. Who is going to remember pie in later life?"
"Your tardiness for this school doubled than last year."
Nattie bit her lip, not bothering to respond to that argument. Medea or Parentheses couldn't know.
Medea raised a brow. "No comment, Miss Camden?" No response. "No? I would continue on and on, but I feel like there's no need. Former Headmaster Socrates may have been hip about this until the board forced him to retire. Now I am the mistress of this school now. I could expel you, right now for such delinquency."
Nattie let out a laugh, this time it was more nerve-racking. She looked at Parentheses, pleading for back up, but the sympathy in his eyes and the silence showed that she was on her own.
"Medea - Mistress Medea, y-you can't expel me."
"And why should I not?" Medea challenged.
"Because this is senior year! My last year to spend my friends! I just turned seventeen with so much to lose!"
"Hold it!" Medea lifted a finger, silencing the girl. Nattie pressed her lips, hoping that Tyche was on her side. "You said that you just turned seventeen?"
"Yeah, back in Ἑκατομβαιών (July/August)..." Nattie declared, her tone unsure. Where was Medea going with this?
"According to your application," Medea held up a familiar scroll, "you claimed that were born a year older. You should've been eighteen. If you were lying, that would mean that you are in the wrong grade division."
Nattie's mouth dropped. She forgot. She lied on her application to be with the friends she made that first day - Hercules, Icarus, and Cassandra. Her eyes glistened at the mere thought of her psychic friend - former friend.
"Is this true, Miss Camden?!" Parentheses demanded, sounding almost horrific.
Nattie knew that she was busted, but remained calm and steady. She cleared her throat, averting the headmistress's gaze, mostly the unattractive mole.
"I-I can explain that."
"Go on," Medea folded her arms, smirking down at her student - soon to be ex-student.
"T-That application is a misprint. The truth is I was supposed to be a sophomore that year I entered, but I-I skipped a grade." Nattie nodded. "Yeah, I skipped a freaking grade! Don't students do that now?!"
"Yes, if they have proof that they are academically intelligent, which you lack by these grades!"
"I did well in gym class-" BANG! Nattie and Parentheses jumped from the sudden slam of the cane.
"It does not matter. You are not a senior. You weren't supposed to be a senior this year. If you aren't expelled, you would be forced to complete sophomore year and then repeat the junior year," she added with a cruel smirk.
"What?!" Nattie cried, grabbing the arm of her chair. "Repeat junior year?! Y-You can't do that!"
Parentheses raised a finger to argue. "I must say that I tried to warn Miss Camden..." He kept his mouth shut when the dagger eyes of his boss met his way.
"I can do what I want," Medea declared. "For I am right, and you are wrong. I am smart, and you are mindless, and there is nothing you can do about it."
Nattie clenched the arms of the chair. This mistress was enjoying the high horse position, almost too much. Of all the people who could talk to Nattie this way, the educator (whose job was to help students) wasn't supposed to be on the list. Medea was interpreting Nattie as an idiot. Just because she lacked the desire for school didn't mean anything. It took every ounce from Nattie not to beat the mistress with her cane.
"I would spare the teachers and the poor prince's suffering for another minute. If you are lucky - if you excelled the physical as you claimed - then I am sure that Spartan Academy will take you in. I might stop by and give them that recommendation."
Nattie's heart nearly stopped at the mere mention of that school's name. Ares made it very clear that Natalie Camden must never return to Sparta or she shall meet the ax.
"Mistress Madea, is there any way I can stay and continue as a senior?" Nattie asked with a surprisingly soft, gentle voice. A voice that Parentheses didn't expect from this troubling student. "Anything?! Please!"
Medea couldn't help but smirk victoriously at this pleading, ignoring the mispronunciation of her name. There was this student who claimed to be the queen of the school downgraded to one of her measly servants. The sight was too delicious, just how she liked it.
"Well... there is... one way, but you can't-"
"I'll do it! Whatever it is! I'll do it!" Nattie jumped again by another sudden bang.
"You dare interrupt me while I'm speaking?!"
Nattie pressed his lips together, merely shaking her head. She was wrong. This woman wasn't like Maleficent or Hecate. Medea reminded her of the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Underworld - a raging woman that craved blood on those white roses.
"As I was saying that the only way for you to remain in this school is to earn the privilege." Medea crossed the can behind her back and marched back and forth as if she was a commanding officer. "You must excel your academies with the appropriate passing grade for mid-term, show up to class on time, refrain from detention slips, and perform at least twelve good deeds with proof of signature."
Pay attention in class, ignore Adonis, camp out in homeroomium, forge a few signatures for the good deeds? Piece of cake.
Medea smirked down at Nattie as if she just read her mind. "Oh, and don't even think about forging signatures. I know your fraudulence, Miss Camden. That's why I will not only take the names but also meet the names you claimed to have helped."
Why didn't the hammer smash Nattie's skull when it had the chance?
"Wow, Mistress Medea, you wound me." But so wise not to trust the teen. Nattie huffed in defeat. "Okay, so if I do these things, then you won't expel me?"
"Of course not. But in the meantime, since you are determined to stay here by sneaking into this school, I shall allow you to join your class for detention."
"Detention?!"
Medea held up a tablet that was surprisingly written magically fast with Nattie's name and three strike boxes. The first square was checked off.
"Two more strikes, Miss Camden, and I won't have a problem showing you the boot out of my school! Now!" Medea stuck her cane towards Nattie's throat again. "Report to the gymnasium for detention! Now! Now! Now!"
Nattie didn't hesitate to grab her back and rushed out of the office. She slowed down by Medea's barked order.
"You better not be running in my hallway!"
~000~000~000~
Nattie didn't expect to see everyone in her senior class suffering detention.
Hercules, the good kid in the block, was scrubbing the pillars with a toothbrush. That better not be his toothbrush. Icarus tried his best to climb high up, but fell short, hitting his skull on the ground. Nobody bothered to check on him due to exhaustion and the goofy smile across Icarus's face. He had been through worse than a hit in the noggin. Adonis reclined to the bleachers, his servants cleaning the dirt floor with their toothbrushes.
Cassandra remained scowling and gloomy, despite the white, gold robe all the girls were forced to wear. Nattie felt like she joined a nun community. It didn't help that the sun was giving them pit stains and dripping foreheads. The boys were suffering just as much. They had to wear red chiton with a gold T-shirt underneath — something that Hades would wear but with more gloomy colors.
"Guys?" Nattie approached her friends. She offered a smile at Cassandra, who didn't bother looking her way. In fact, Cassandra walked away. Nattie called for her, but the friend ignored her.
"Nattie," Hercules greeted happily. "Man, I am glad to see you... well..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, not happy that you are joining us, and - um - have you gotten some sun today?"
Meaning did Nattie forget to put on makeup today? No.
"Guys, what happened?" Nattie gestured the entire gym. "Why is everyone in detention?"
"Oh!" Icarus leaped up onto his feet, a bump rise from his head up to two feet. "Mistress Medea, the new headmaster of this school? Yeah! Nobody in school was wearing the new uniforms - well, we didn't know we were supposed to, so Miss Medea's security gave us the uniforms and detention so we won't be tempted to break the dress code in the future."
"Whoa! Whoa! Medea gave you all detention so that you won't break a dress code clause?! That's crazy!"
"Phil is going to kill me," Hercules declared. "I'm supposed to be training by now."
"Yeah, but we are better than the freshman. They have to clean the bathrooms." Icarus snorted. "Suckers!"
Nattie shivered at the thought of her toothbrush cleaning off do-do.
"I'm surprised Medea let you in here," Hercules said to Nattie. "I was close to missing the gates closing. I heard if anyone is outside the closed gates is not welcomed in school that day, missing out assignments, and automatic failings to due tests or-or projects."
"I was glad that Herodotus passed my project!" Icarus showed up his alpha plus. Nattie's heart nearly stopped at the letter. An alpha plus from Herodotus was impossible, although this was a Disney show after all. Miracles can happen although Nattie couldn't say the same about the school's new headmistress.
"She teared down our comic book club!" Melampus cried while his nerdy friends nodded in dismay.
Helen sobbed into her robes with her cheerleading team. "She also says that we can't wear makeup!"
Nattie thought there was something different about Helen other than she wasn't wearing violet. The modern teen was forced to remove her newfound green dress, the maids of Rome provided her, and the guards roughly cleaned off her lip gloss and eyeliner. She was glad that Hercules thinks she was beautiful either way.
Tempest scoffed, muttering that a strong woman should never wear makeup as she scrubbed a pillar.
"Adonis, you love me without my best make up, right?" Helen asked her man hopefully.
Adonis cranked his neck up, furrowing his brows at her in confusion, "I'm sorry, dear, who are you?"
Helen chocked from the emotional clog in her throat. Her squad patted her back for comfort.
"Yeah, I figured that out," Nattie grumbled to Hercules and Icarus. "I spoke with Medea today."
"You did?!" The boys demanded in disbelief.
Nattie furrowed her brows in confusion. "You mean, you guys never met her?"
"N-No," Hercules declared honestly.
"We just heard the rumors about her," Icarus hissed. "My dadalus says that she can't be killed!"
"I heard that she is tougher than the Amazon warriors!" Tempest barked, jabbing her toothbrush at Nattie's way, "which is not true!"
Nattie crossed eyes at the dirt covered toothbrush, slowly lifting a finger to push it away from her face.
"I heard that she beats her children to death, ever since her late husband left for a piece of sheep's clothing," Cassandra grumbled.
"Whoa! That woman had kids?" Icarus asked.
Nattie blinked at the memory of Medea's bloody cane. That rumor could be correct, but she would never beat the students here with that weapon, would she? Parentheses made it clear that she couldn't.
"I heard that she is the wife of Jason, captain of the Argonauts," Hercules sighed happily. "I always thought him to be nicer. Why did he have to die? H-He - He is like a living legend."
"I thought Achilles was a living legend?" Nattie asked, recalling how Hades recruited him to separate Hercules and Phil. One of the ideas Nattie was proud to present Hades, until it all went downhill with Memnon's horrific acting, the sweet reunion between goat and hero-in-training, Achilles's groveling and offending words and actions that ticked the devil off, and Hercules almost getting killed.
Ajax snorted noises that no one understood but took his word for it.
"I heard that she is a sorceress that possessed magical powers!" Helen hissed. "Almost as powerful as the goddess of night o-or maybe a sea-witch."
Hecate or Ursula? Now Nattie knew she hated Medea now.
"I heard at nighttime," Melampus began, "that she sucks mortal blood to gain eternal youth. Exactly from issue number 37, Myklos versus the Enchantress!" Melampus showed off a scroll comic with a drawing of Icarus's favorite horned-hero versus a blonde youth with glowing red eyes. Nattie would rather have her running this school as long as she didn't have a mole the size of a quarter.
Nobody didn't respond to Melampus's ludicrous but possible accusation. Only one person made a quiet remark.
"Can't believe I dated that guy," Cassandra groaned.
"Oh yeah?!" Icarus perked in a frantic whisper. "I heard from Dadalus that she kissed a Centaur, and it died!"
Everyone was gasping and widening eyes in horror. They could almost picture it in their minds.
"Well, I heard that Mistress Medea has never accepted a bribe," Adonis chuckled, leaning back, embracing the wind from the servant's waving fan. "We'll see about that."
A security officer arrived to check in the senior class, only narrowed his eyes at Adonis not working. He yanked the fan from the servant's hand, throwing it far away over the school gym wall.
"Back to work!" The guard sprayed the prince's face, forcing him onto his knees with a random toothbrush at hand.
Adonis nearly chocked at the familiar blue toothbrush. "B-But that's my toothbrush." He smiled at the guard sheepishly. "Can I interest you in Thrace's finest sushi bar at the VIP section?"
"Back to work!" The guard repeated.
Adonis screeched like a girl, immediately forcing his hand and scrub the dirt off the bleachers. The senior averted the guard's gaze, returning the task at hand. Clean the dump called a gym till it shines like the top of Olympus.
"I never thought Medea would hate Adonis," Nattie grumbled, cleaning Hercules's pillar in disinterest. "She's a bitch, and he's a di-"
The entire senior class whipped their heads to Nattie's direction, shushing her in warning. Nattie didn't realize it, until someone cleared his throat behind her, alerting his presence.
"Pardon me, Miss Camden," Parantheses scribbled something in his scroll. Nattie hoped he didn't mark another strike for Nattie. How did he even grace his presence without anyone realizing? How long had he been listening?
"Were you about to say something negative about our mistress?"
Nattie paused, "Uh..."
"Because I am sure you know, speaking negatively about our mistress is a great offense, against the Prometheus Academy code number two." Everyone was curious about Medea's number one code. He flipped the scroll, to show her the highlighted rule. "The punishment is severely chosen by the offended mistress herself."
"Um, exactly how severe is the punishment?" Hercules asked nervously, placing his hands on Nattie's shoulders. "She is an educator; she can't really hurt Nat-"
"Long live, Medea!" Nattie cried, pumping her fist into the air, accidentally knocking down the Son of Zeus. He clutched his nose at the sudden pain, but no blood or bruise was present. "She is the best bitch mistress ever of all time! Right?!" Her tone and smile were all happy, but inside, she was screaming for the torture to end.
Horrific choice of words, but they sound positive.
Parentheses sighed happily. "My that is a relief. I'll leave you all to suffer now, while I report back to Mistress Medea. Good day." He disappeared in the blink of an eye.
"Since when did Mr. Parentheses become an errand boy for Medea?" Cassandra grumbled.
"I always thought that he was our headmaster," Icarus raised a brow.
Nattie raised her hands. "Thank you! I'm not the only one. Now, thanks to Medea, not only are we forced to clean, but I have to play nice."
"Surely, that won't stop you," Hercules assumed. "You're Natalie Camden."
Cassandra scoffed. "Please, nothing stops Nattie from doing anything if Zeus threatens her with a lightning bolt."
"Cassandra," Hercules scolded. He didn't miss it. The pain and hurt in his love's eyes. He wanted so much to hug her, but she wouldn't let him if he offered.
"Aww, Cassie-muffin, that's not a nice thing to say," Icarus said happily. "It's not her fault that your parents almost drowned in the River Styx, losing their teeth and eyeballs."
The words that left Icarus's mouth didn't go unnoticed by everyone else.
"You can't stay mad forever!" Icarus attempted to guilt trip her. "We are the big four - all four us. Brave, Bold, Brain, and Beauty! The pie can't be complete without its beauty."
Hercules always thought Nattie was beauty and Cassandra was the brain, but he knew Nattie would punch him if he said that to her.
"Cassandra?" Nattie whispered, hoping that her friend would look at her. 'I swear, I didn't know.'
Cassandra simply turned away, continuing the torture.
"Cassan-"
"Back to work!" a guard barked, forcing everyone to return the task at hand.
"Nattie," Hercules whispered, "you may not know this, but Cassandra is not in the mood to chat. I know that you may not like to hear this but-"
"She kicked me out," Nattie grumbled. "I know." She ignored the bug-eyed shock from her friend. "Don't ask me how I knew, I just knew."
"Where are you going to live, Nattie? Cassandra tossed your stuff at my place."
"I'll think of something. Homeroomium isn't a bad choice, considering what I have to do."
Hercules blinked, "What do you mean? Are you talking about your de-"
"No, Herc!" Nattie snapped. "Medea! She said that if I don't perform twelve good deeds and get my grades up, she is going to send me back to finish the sophomore year and repeat junior."
Nattie going back to sophomore year? Hercules couldn't believe it. This can't be happening to Nattie. First, the death curse, now this? Can't this girl get a break?
Icarus gasped, "Sophomore year? You?!"
Nattie nodded.
"B-But Nattie, can she do-do that?!" Hercules rubbed the back of his neck, "W-Why sophomore?"
Nattie sighed, looking around to make sure no one was listening. They probably were, even if they looked to be cleaning.
"I... I sort of..." Nattie cleared her throat, "lied on my application."
"What?!" Hercules and Icarus cried in shock. Nattie shushed them, but it was too late.
"Oh, poor Nattie," Adonis cooed. "The baby of this class will be held back two grades. God, she shall be missed when I leave to become King of Thrace."
"Are you sure about that, Adonis?" Hercules folded his arms, narrowing his eyes at the prince. "From what I heard, you are in danger of repeating senior year."
Adonis scoffed, "I am a prince, Hercules. You know that real celebrities always be in the middle of rumors, especially ones that are a total fabrication."
The trio rolled their eyes at that remark.
"Nattie, as a hero-in-training, I won't let Mistress Medea steal your diploma away!" Hercules declared, swinging his filthy toothbrush.
Adonis rolled his eyes. "Oh brother, here we go again with the speech."
"I will help you!" Hercules stood proud like a typical hero.
"And I will help, too!" Icarus joined Hercules in the hero pose.
Nattie wanted to comment on how cheesy and obnoxious Hercules was acting right now, but she couldn't. It wasn't because of her plan with Hades for protection. Her friends were willing to help her - two of her most loyal companions. She would've said three, but she wasn't sure about her status with Cassandra. She seemed pretty mad with her at the moment. It's clear that talking to her during detention wasn't the right time.
Back to Hercules, even after breaking his heart, leaving him there in Rome with all the gods watching, he was still willing to help her. Would he act the same if he knew her top sins?
For now, she enjoyed the fact that not everyone hated her.
"Thank you, Wonderboy," she whispered.
Hercules smiled, going back to the cute shy high schooler again, rubbing the back of his head and chuckling.
Everyone was expecting the sweet Natcules moment. The two finally getting back together. The moment quickly dispersed when Nattie returned to her duties in a frantic manner. Hercules didn't realize the reason, too little - too late.
A guard from before approached the two boys, who weren't cleaning, forcing two sacks in their hands.
"Uh..." Hercules looked at the bag in question. "What's this?"
"Heroes are not allowed to play a role in this school," the muscle man explained. "Medea's code rule #401."
"Gee, how many rules are there?" Icarus asked. "That's more than Phil's training rules, Herc!"
"Quiet! You..." the guard growled, before glaring darkly at sheepish Icarus, "and your little sidekick will be going to the stables to pick up horse poo!"
Medea's two victims and the entire senior class cried in disgust, "Ew!"
Hercules gritted his teeth, taking not that the guard only gave them a sack to pick up the poop. "Um, sir, I-I think you forgot the scooper?"
The guard burst into laughter, dreading the boys' insides. He wasn't forcing the boys to pick up poop with their hands, was he? The laughter sadly confirmed the fears. Before the boys could help Nattie, after detention, they were going to lather, rinse, and repeat - fifty times, praying to the goddess of health that they won't catch hand, foot, mouth disease.
Adonis laughed with the guard, "Hercules and Icarus picking up horse poo! My, I thought my day couldn't get any-"
"Back to work!" the guard barked. "Or you will be joining them on the stable!"
Adonis gasped, widening his eyes, quickly returning the task at hand. Scrubbing the dirty gym floor, until his toothbrush was no more.
~000~000~000~
As Hercules and Icarus were sulking in the stables, Icarus began the conversation at hand.
"Herc, you missed it!"
"Missed? Missed what?" Hercules asked in a nasal voice, pinching his nose to block the stench. "The smell?!"
"No! You and Nattie! You guys didn't talk about getting back together! Team Natcules, baby!"
"Oh," Hercules lowered his eyes down at the piece of poop a horse left over. "I-I thought about asking her, but..."
"But what? C'mon, Herc! You are helping her with Medea, death curses, and gone friendship with Cassandra - rescuing her will be a one-way ticket to the love tunnel baby!"
"Icarus, now is not-"
"When will it ever be, Herc?!" Icarus hopped on Hercules's back, making him stumble and yelp in surprise. The hero almost landed on the pile of poo face down. "With Nattie dying and all-"
Hercules shoved the boy off his back. "Icarus, that's just it! With everything that's been going on, getting back together with Nattie is impossible, right now! If she wants to talk about it, we'll talk about it, but now is not the time!"
Hercules's face softened, apologizing for the outburst. "As soon as we help Nattie with the good deeds, then maybe - maybe, I'll push the question again. I mean if Nattie is going to die - I am not saying she is, but if we somehow..." Hercules gulped, "fail; I want Nattie to know that she can love and receive love in return. I will save her."
The tender moment diminished once again, by the stable doors opening wide. The wind was blowing the stench. The sun was shining. The birds and angels were singing (specifically the muses).
"Whoa! The theatrics is awesome!" Icarus whipped up a pair of sunglasses, shielding his eyes from the sudden light.
Hercules squinted his eyes, trying to make out who it was. He recognized the right straight frame instantly, "N-Nattie?"
The girl stepped inside, coughing and gagging, covering her mouth and nose. The beautiful music ended. "Eck! Cck! Cck! Gods, what have the horses been eating?! Gods!"
"Nattie, what are you doing here? Did you - Did you volunteer to help us?"
Nattie held her nose, speaking in a nasal voice, "Would you believe me if I said yes?"
Hercules paused, "I-I hope so."
"Well, don't," Nattie snapped. "After you left, Cassandra decided to be a big mouth, and claim that I always let you get in trouble for stuff I did! Seriously, guys, did I ever do that to y'all?"
Icarus opened his mouth to speak, but Nattie didn't want to hear it.
"Don't answer that! Well, when I was about to give her a piece of my mind, the stupid guard sent me down here."
"Sorry," Hercules grumbled.
Nattie scoffed, "It's fine. If I have to choose between picking up shit or witness my so-called friend giving the cold shoulder?" Nattie pulled up a handkerchief from her bra, "I'll choose this."
Hercules widened his eyes at the cloth. "Whoa, Nattie, where did you get that?"
Icarus noticed some stitching underneath it, peeking to read it. "Ma-Ma-dee-ya."
Nattie smirked. "I swiped the cloth from her when she threatened to shove her cane down my throat. Now it has to pick shit!"
Icarus cheered and high-fived Nattie.
Hercules would've scolded her about stealing, but at this moment, in this poo of a situation, he was glad that his love's hands wouldn't have to suffer directly.
Natalie Camden was the brain of the big four - he loved her for it.
Meanwhile, the muses were lurking behind a cow's head, watching the entire scene while swaying their hips to the beat.
"Shoo-we!" Thalia fanned her hand across her face. "I can't believe that mean witch is forcing our boy Herc to pick up poo with his bare hands."
"At least, he is picking poo with Nattie!" Terpsichore spun happily but gagged at the cow poo that hit her nose. "Eck!" It took a moment for her to gain composure. She pumped a fist in the air, declaring, "Go Team Natcules!"
"Speaking of Nattie, poor girl, with the Fates sharpening their scissors for her thread of life," Melpomene sighed, "if only she knew that's not the worst of it."
"Oh yes!" Terpsichore agreed. "Enemies are gunning for her dead! Especially the one that no one would see coming-"
The muses shushed Terpsichore.
"Shut your mouth!" Calliope scolded.
"What?" Terpsichore shrugged. "I didn't give the ending away! I didn't get that far anyway!"
"You better quit reading," Thalia pointed a finger at her muse friend, "or else the readers won't have anything surprising to read at all, especially me!"
"Alright!" Terpsichore raised her hands defensively. "I won't tell them the part when Hercules ask Nattie to be his homecoming date. Meanwhile, the mean Madea will try to cancel the dance because of some stupid rivalry with the Trojans!"
The muses and the viewers out there were looking at Terpsichore in horror. The dancing muse didn't realize what she said until she stopped spinning.
"Oops," Terpsichore smiled sheepishly. "Spoiler alert."
Behind the cow's head, oblivious to the trio picking poop, the muses were yelling, cursing, and beating their inspiration companion for her stupidity.
A/N: Okay, so there is a new villain in this season. I own the interpretation of Medea (with the voice I imagine either Cate Blanchett, Kathy Bates, or Pam Ferris) but not the name or the mythology itself. According to her story, she is a cold lady who did kill her brother, chopping him and throwing the pieces at sea. She conspired Pelias's daughters to cut him to pieces. She also kills her children to get back at Jason for leaving her for some king's daughter. Luckily, the woman won't be making any killing in this story. She is an educator, after all.
Sorry Hattie fans for not including Hades in this chapter. I probably won't include him much in the next few episodes. I like to focus on Hercules and Nattie's relationship for a little bit more.
So what do you think of Terpsichore's spoiler at the end? Someone should confiscate the script from her. So here is the question. Will Nattie say yes? She might have to if it could guarantee her protection. Will she admit her true feelings for Hercules? Stay tuned.
So I began playing Kingdom Hearts 3 game, and honestly, I liked KH2 better. Don't get me wrong the graphics, the characters, the mini-games, the worlds are amazing - not to mention bringing back Hercules's world. However, I wish they didn't have to make Sora so annoying. I know heroes make sacrifices to save the ones they love, but sometimes heroes need to gain power and brain - something that Sora lacks sometimes. Also, you get to play Riku and Aqua, but what about Kairi or maybe Axel? I bet some nickels that players would like to play as those two characters, right? I hardly got to see Kairi in fighting action much! Also, the boss fights weren't so tough (except one, but I won't tell you who). What happened to Sephiroth or Cloud? That's just me being nitpicking, otherwise, the game is great and brought me to tears. Maybe I like KH2 better because Sora wasn't much annoying and my favorite worlds were included like Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Steamboat Willie, and Hercules. If you guys played the Kingdom Hearts series, feel free to tell me your favorite game, world, moment, or character in the game and why? I would love to hear yall's opinion about it.
Now back to the story, thank you guys so much for taking the time to read, comment, vote and/or add this story to your reading list. You guys rock!