They sat in silence. The only noise either could hear was the steady hum of the car as Reyna drove them back home from school. Marcus shifted uncomfortably in the heavy silence. His mum hadn't said anything to him after she'd met with the principal.

"I'm really sorry," Marcus whispered. He looked down and sucked in an anxious breath. He hadn't meant to do what he did, it was supposed to just be one hit and then the guy would have, hopefully, pissed off. But as soon as he punched the other guy, it was all over.

"I know." Reyna's face was stoic and set, eyes still glued to the road. Marcus didn't like the lack of response. He'd seen enough movies, when the kid does something bad the parent gets mad.

Heh, that rhymed. He shook his head. Focus. He looked at his mum once more before turning away.

"Are you… are you mad? I- I don't know what to feel." Marcus spoke quietly. Usually, it was him and his dad who talked about these kinds of things.

Mum didn't particularly like talking about all the "Godly Stuff", as they'd named it. Their parents had drilled into them that they don't particularly want them, him, Lisa, and Isabel, to be part of it. Dad said it wasn't as exciting and fun as they made it out to be, and that it was truly a bad thing, to want to be a demigod.

"Do you remember what happened?" Marcus jerked up at his mothers' question. Then he thought about it. He kind of remembered what happened. Marcus glanced out the window and noticed they'd pulled up at the house. Moving to grab his bag, his mothers' grip stopped him.

"Hold on, we're talking this out before you see your dad." She shifted to look at him. He did the same. "Explain to me what happened. Exactly what you remember." Marcus gulped nervously. His mum was doing that lawyer thing she always did. When one of them did something wrong she'd always wanted to know exactly what it was.

"Okay. Um- so me and Alex- you remember Alex right?" Marcus began, she nodded her head in assent. "Well, we were just, I dunno," he shrugged helplessly. "Doing nothing during lunch and Jeremy came up to us… he uh. He called Alex a slur and I punched him." Marcus finished, avoiding eye contact with his mum. Her gaze hadn't changed throughout his story. It did, however, soften.

"Marcus," she spoke quietly and calmly. Soothing him. "What you did may not have been right," he went to defend his actions but a stern look stopped him. "But it was a good thing." She took a breath before continuing.

"We do need to talk about you and fighting." Marcus nodded apprehensively. "You're strong. Stronger than any other kid, and always will be. And that's because of us."

"It's not your guys' fault though!" He jumped to defend his parents, even though he didn't know what he was defending them against. "I can- I-" he stuttered. Searching for something to say.

"Dad can show me how to control it." Reyna smiled at his desire to learn and be better.

"He could, but your father isn't the reason you bruised that boy's ribs and his ego. That's because of me." Reyna admitted slowly. "Kind of." She looked him in the eye as he stared in bafflement.

"You know who my mother is, yes?" She questioned, watching as he thought for a moment.

"Bellona, right? She's basically the female Mars?" Thunder rumbled softly above them, even with the bright blue skies and clear day. "Whoops."

"Careful," Reyna chuckled at his embarrassment. "Yes, she is the Goddess of War. And you remember how your father is able to control the oceans and storms?" Reyna glanced away as she thought. "And earthquakes," she added.

"Yeah, they're because of his dad. What're you getting at? This is really stupid, I already know all this." His eyes narrowed and Reyna noticed the small specks of red dotting his iris. She unlocked the car and stepped out.

"Come on, let's go out the back." She watched as he blinked rapidly, his eyes clearing of all other colors as he followed after her.

The backyard of the Jackson property was a spacious field of wilderness. They'd called in some favors from the Gods and been granted a modest estate as well as their promise that it would all be paid for by them. Any living expenses and healthcare, they would sort, as compensation for their tremendous deeds and duties.

"So, you were mad and lashed out at that bully?" Reyna stood opposite Marcus, a couple of feet separated the two as she held a large wooden staff. Marcus holding a similar one.

"What are- Yeah." He shrugged and leaned against the pole lazily. "I guess I was mad. Why?"

"Because you've inherited my gift. Lisa can control water, Isabel is still to be determined, but you," Reyna raised the staff and pointed at him. "You've inherited my lust for war."

"Ewwwww. Don't use that word." He felt an involuntary shiver. "That's disgusting." Marcus cringed at the implications of her sentence.

Reyna groaned and rolled her eyes. Shaking her head she settled into a loose stance.

"Oh grow up." Before becoming serious again. "Now, get angry."

"What?" Marcus blanched at the direct response.

"Get angry." She called.

"I'm not getting angry!" He insisted. His eyes slowly darkened.

"Marcus Alexander Jackson, you will get mad right now." Reyna tensed as she watched his grip stiffen on the staff. His muscles tensing and his body going rigid.

"Argh! Fine!" His eyes had completely darkened and he shot forwards.

BREAK

He regretted everything. He so regretted everything.

The second he'd charged, Reyna had wiped the floor with him. He'd never stood a chance. He'd lost his staff halfway through the fight, then he'd lost his footing so it'd turned into a grappling match. Then he'd lost the high ground, which had hurt the most considering he and his mum were about the same height.

"Are you all done now?" She was standing above him, a bottle of water in hand and staff resting in her grip.

"How the…" he took a deep breath. "Where'd the water come from?"

"Your father came in and watched, drink up." She tossed him the half-empty bottle. His arms were sore and his reactions slow, it smacked him in the face.

"Ow!"

"What do you mean 'ow'? You just got beat up by a woman and a water bottle gets that kind of reaction?" Reyna teased.

"Hey! I thought I did pretty well?!" He defended himself.

"Yeah." She hummed in agreement. "For a child."

"What the Hades?!"

"Language!"

"Argh!"