Warning!!: this chapter contains flashbacks that includes graphic description of Rape, Murder, Assault, Harrasment, and other things that may trigger your trauma.Angelica's somewhat backstory should not be read if it may bring back any harmful memories.(I express my condolences if you may have witnessed any of the things above, or had experienced them yourself, or knew someone who had. )

••••

~{the ground floor of the De Rosè building, 2000.}~

••••

Aion didn't know what to feel, but at the same time, they knew exactly what they felt. Gratitude. Happiness. Glee. Their eyes softened and their mouth curved into a content grin.

"You came." They breathed. Then Aion noticed another figure beside the golden blond boy. Red hair and brown eyes. Aion raised a curious eyebrow. "Who's this? Is he your friend, Lee?" They did notice that his friend was clearly older than Lee, but that doesn't matter.

"Yep,"Lee smiled and somehow, he seemed to let out a slight golden glow. "This is Adair Ashbirk."

As Adair waved, Aion smiled brightly. "Hi!" They tilted their head. "What color are my eyes, Adair?"

The older man blinked at the obvious Italian accent from the child when they said his name. Then narrowed the distance between his eyelids. "Dark green. "He said, as the colors in the child's eyes seemed to show the vivid dance of leaves in rough winds.

Aion hummed, not disapproving nor agreeing. "Will you hang out with me, Lee?" They asked, hope and expectation, low.

"Why of course." Lee accepted easily. "What do you do for fun?"

Jumping from their hanging chair, Aion happily offered multiple suggestions. "Well, I usually watch TV, but I think i have some games. Oh, or maybe I could-"

The son of Apollo smiled, following the almost giddy child. He decided the demigod business could wait, he needed to make sure this lonely kid has company.

••••

"Hey, Aion, what do you know about the greek gods?" Lee eventually asked after an hour of keeping them company.

The colorful eyed child paused, thinking. "You mean like Aphrodite, Hercules, and Hades?"

An interesting choice for examples, Lee noted. "Well, yeah. "

"Mama talks about Aphrodite many times." They simply said before turning back their attention to the puzzle in front of them on the marble floor.

Ah. That makes sense.

Lee leaned to the satyr next to him that's eating a donut that was provided by one of Aion's maids. He whispered, "they're an Aphrodite kid."

Adair whispered back, "Obviously. "

The son of Apollo made a 'hmph' sound, returning to face the obvious child of Aphrodite. "Aion, remember the griffin that chased after us?"

They looked up from their puzzle in interest. "Yeah, it was trying to eat us, right?"

"Uh.." Lee started. "Yes, that was a monster from Greek mythology. They really like to eat people like us, so‐"

Aion frowned. "What do you mean by people like us? Demigods? "

Oops, Lee thought. "More-or-less, yeah."

His satyr just gave him a deadpan look, and sighed while shaking his head.

Demigods…."I'm like Hercules?"

Godsdamnit, Hercules. "Yeah, but anyways. Because monsters want to eat and hurt us, we have to train at camp so we can defend ourselves from them and not run away." Lee explained.

"Hm," Aion titled their head. "Camp? You mean like those summer camps on TV!" They said excitedly.

Adair and Lee found themselves nodding along. "Uh, yeah! Like summer camp, but that's just for people like us."

"Demigods?" Aion repeated. And their new friends nodded, Aion grinned. "I wanna go there. You'll be there too, right?"

Lee smiled. "Yeah, there's also a lot of people that would love to be friends with you too, Aion."

But slowly, Aion's smile faded, and they slumped. "Mama wouldn't let me. She….doesn't want me outside." The child knew forever.

This time, Adair was the one that spoke up. "Don't worry, kid. We'll convince her. Your grandpa seemed to be a better choice." He grabbed something from his pocket. A business card? "Here,"

Aion studied the paper card in their hand. They frowned, then looked up. "Adair, I can't read this."

"Yeah, dyslexia. We tend to have those." Lee told them.

The supposed child of Aphrodite hummed. "Then what does it say?"

Adair pointed at something that looked like Addy adbitch, and said, "this is my name; A-D-A-I-R A-S-H-B-I-R-K. "Then pointed below easher (Whatever that is). "while this is Camp Half-Blood, the place where you guys train."

Aion tilted their head. "You don't?"

The satyr shook their head, and took off their cap. Aion's eyes widened. "You have horns!"

The older 'man' grinned. "Heh," amused by the younger child. "I'm not a demigod, kid. I'm a satyr, half-man, half goat."

"Satyr?" Aion repeated. "Goat-man." They cheerfully added.

Lee snickered. "Mr. Goat-man."

Adair just sighed. Kids these days. So easy to make fun of the lone satyr.

••••

Again, if you have any triggers on Rape, dead bodies, funerals, murder, grief, please prepare yourself, or read this carefully.

~{the old De Rosè mansion, Ai De Rosè's room, 1990, December 16th}~

••••

"Angelica, are you sure this dress looks good on me?" The oldest sister asked, examining her own reflection.

Her little sister laughed. "You look good in everything, Ai." She reassured, pushing her sister's body light to the door. "Come on, it's the girls night out with your old friends from school. You can't be late. "

"I know," Ai sighed. "But what if I look too different? I'm thirty years old now!"

"Isn't that the reason you ordered a dress similar to the one you wore to prom?" Angelica raised an eyebrow at her sister's pointless reasoning. "And besides, even if your former schoolmates don't recognize you, your best friend will."

She saw Ai's lips quirk to a safe smile. "Oh, yes. Alice would, she constantly recognized me, even if I wore a silly clown outfit."

Angelica couldn't help but smile as well. When her sister smiles, she always charms others with just the energy of her grin. "See? That's my cheerful sister. Now go~" she pulled Ai's hand outside. Angelica winked, waving. "Have fun clubbing with your girlies, sis!"

••••

"What do you mean you let some random creep take Ai away, Alice?!" Angelica yelled frantically at the older woman that would've been beautiful with her dark skin and curls, but at this moment, she looked shaken, messed up, near in tears.

"I'm sorry, Angelica!" Alice cried out, begging for forgiveness. "I didn't think sooner. I was drunk, I wasn't thinking clearly."

The younger girl looked at her in disgust. "I don't care about your excuses. My sister's missing because of you!" She then turned to the other girls. "And all of you! You should've protected each other!!"

Her big sister's 'friends' looked down in shame, one of them already crying. How dare she cry when Ai was the one in danger, Angelica thought angrily.

Alice spoke up. "I'm sure Ai will be fine, Angelica. We jut have to find her that's all." She said, but unsureness was heard by everyone there.

"Ugh, fine!" Angelica finally said, but not letting this go. "All of you, help me find my sister, use everything from your staff, company, bribes, I don't care!" And then, she broke down. "Bring my beloved sister back to me.."

Alice and the rest of them quickly called their respective families, requesting help from lawyers, police, government officials, and manpower.

••••

Empty Hazel eyes stared blankly at the photos of her sister's struggles in front of her. She, meeting the one in charge of finding her Sister, sat in the chair opposite of an officer that doesn't deserve for their name to be remembered, for he failed to save her sister in time.

"I'm, once again, sorry, Miss De Rosè. We were too late, your sister died from choking. "

Angelica stayed silent. Her father answered for her. "Choking what, officer?" She could think of a reason for her papi to stay respectful, Ciro De Rosè was a kind and patient man that respects all attempts, fruitful or pointless.

"Her assaulter—"

"Rapist." She corrected, finally looking up. The officer flinched at the girl's glare. "That scum of the earth is her rapist. The one that killed her. Don't you dare, lower what he'd done."

The policeman coughed uncomfortably. "Yes, her rapist tried to insist on having sex with Ai. And because Ai' didn't consent to it, she tried to leave. " Angelica's father's hold on her hand tightened. "Ai was a fighter, she fought when her rapist was starting to be forceful–"

"He was already forceful!!" Angelica cut off again, now standing up, but not fully, for her father was still holding her hand. "The moment he insisted on having my sister follow him, he was already harassing her!"

"Sweetheart," Ciro regrettably tried to calm his daughter, even though he felt the same anger and resentment. "I know," he looked at the officer, nodding. "We know, darling. Just hear him first. "

His youngest(now, only daughter) looked at him in disbelief, but sat down, crossing her arms and legs, looking away from the officer.

"When her rapist was trying to restrict Ai's movements, she struggled, hitting and kicking the man. But unfortunately, it seemed as though the rapist had enough, and killed her by choking her. "

Angelica's hands trembled, reaching to one of the photos of her sister's body. There were tear lines on her cheeks, bruising and wounds were visible on her neck. "Why did she have to die in pain?" Angelica remembered clearly the topic of her sister's choice if they had to leave the world.

( "if you could choose how to die, how would you?" Angelica wondered.

Ai hummed. "Well, if could choose, I would want to die with soo much anesthesia so I won't feel pain." Then she smiled. "But how I would die is probably from old age, with our children, grandchildren, with you, beside me on my deathbed, so I can see your pretty face when I pass to the Underworld, hell, heaven, to nothingness, to rebirth, anything." )

Silence. Then a sigh. "The man, I'm so, so sorry to speak this, used her body even after she died."

Disgust was clearly felt in the air of the room. Ciro struggled to resist spitting out 'fucking bastard'.

Angelica turned to look at her father. "Let me see her body, Papi." She demanded.

Sadly, her father shook his head, not wanting his poor daughter to meet his older one's body that has no life. "no, dear Angelica."

His daughter's form shook in frustration. "I need her to see me! She–she, Ai wanted to see me in her last moments. At least let her have this, Father!!"

"No, Angelica. " The father of a dead daughter and a broken one denied. "However, you should be the one that arranges her funeral," he knows that Ai told her little sister everything. He took the chance that she also told Angelica how she preferred her body to return to nature.

••••

Two sisters. Two girls. Only five years in their age difference. Two young girls, aged six and eleven when their kind mother passed. Two young girls, always together, always giggling the gossip from each of their schools. Two women, always sharing their experiences with love. For the oldest, gender doesn't matter, she loves all. For the youngest, girls had always been prettier, had always been kinder, had always been thoughtful. Women were respectful, Women knew boundaries. Unlike the men that would whistle unmannerly, the men that would approach random women and expect to be treated like a king, very unlike the men that hurt—killed her sister. The youngest didn't need to say, 'come out of the closet', her older, observant sister always knew, always knew the way Angelica would see a pretty classmate, and say, "I really want to be friends with her."

And she'll laugh, Ai will always laugh, smile, and say, "you'll be great friends with her." Until Angelica finally realized she didn't just want to be friends, she wanted to love her pretty classmate, she wanted to kiss the gorgeous celebrity on one of the billboards, she wanted to date the little crushes she had on 'nice girls'. And Ai laughed. "So you finally found out."

In this frustratingly warm afternoon, in the days after her sister's, only one woman stood. Angelica stood in the full cemetery, the cemetery full of Angelica's acquaintances, former friends, past lovers, Ai's horrible so-called friends, beside Ai's so called 'bestfriend'. She stood, right in front of the place of earth that her sister's ashes were buried.

She stood alone now, not bothering to take mind of the existing guest for her sister's funeral, of Alice's presence that had gone, and was replaced by an unfamiliar woman.

She didn't care how the woman beside her knelt down, and placed a pure gold coin on Ai's grave. "...now she'll be able to get judgement. I'm sure such a kind sister of a beautiful woman would be gratefully accepted by Elysium."

Angelica frowned at the woman's enchanting voice. She turned her head, and gasped. The woman smiled and as cliché as it sounds, it made her heart beat faster, her stomach filled with butterflies, and her broken state of mind seemed to fix itself, even if just Slightly.

"What's your name, Darling?" Angelica was graced with hearing the most beautiful woman, person, being she had ever seen, and she thought that was her sister.

"Angelica, " she breathed, eyes rounded.

The gorgeous woman smiled brighter, bringing out a hand. "Let me accompany you in your mourning, lovely Angelica. "

As the 25 year old woman accepted her invitation, she was reminded of a goddess that her older sister used to tell her. The way the woman's hair seemed to change each time she blinked, the way her eyes had Ai's exact shade of green, inherited from their mother. The way her skin was fair but dark was the same time. It should've been impossible. And for some reason, Angelica blurted out, "are you Aphrodite?"

And the goddess simply shrugged elegantly, almost bringing her smile into a smirk.

"Was it that obvious?"