Disclaimer: This is a work of fanfiction based on the PJO universe. All recognizable characters, plots, and settings are the exclusive property of Rick Riordan. I make no claim to ownership.

Acknowledgements: Thank you to my editor Athena, as well as my other betas 3CP, Fezzik, Luq707, Raven, Regress, and Yoshi89 for their incredible work on this story.

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Ace Iverson and the Fabric of Fate

By ACI100

Season I: The Veil of Reality

Chapter III: Ace's Empousai Encounter

November 11, 2004

Somewhere Above the Western United States

11:01 AM

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, all members of Ace's hockey team — as well as most other passengers onboard the aircraft gliding some thirty-thousand feet above the United States — took a moment of silence.

Ace was grateful for the pause. It gave him an excuse to wake one of his best friends, Caleb, who had been asleep beside him for most of the journey. Ace himself had been buried nose-deep in his copy of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The book was one he enjoyed, but he'd read it so many times and his eyes were so heavy that it wouldn't have been able to keep him awake much longer.

"How long have I been out?" Caleb asked as he stretched his long arms and legs.

Ace shrugged. "A few hours, maybe? I can't honestly say I've paid much attention."

"Terrible human being for it too."

"I'd like to think I'm the perfect specimen."

"Odd, because you look like hell."

That was probably true. The team had been awake since about 4:00 that morning. They'd needed to catch a flight at 7:00 from Toronto and unlike Caleb, Ace hadn't managed any sleep on the plane. ADHD was a pain in the ass. Caleb had it too, but his was less severe and he had a talent for falling asleep just about anywhere.

Ace would have envied that talent had he not despised the concept of envy so deeply. He loved flying and there was very little that rivalled the feeling of takeoff, but being confined to airplane seating was like his personal hell.

Ace tried to roll his eyes, but the effect was ruined by his yawn. "Thanks, buddy. I always appreciate your never-ending support."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for."

"That and to pass me the puck, I guess."

Now, it was Caleb's turn to roll his eyes. "I'd put you through the boards in practice tonight if we didn't have a tournament to win this weekend."

"Correction, you would try and fail to do that, making yourself look like a complete idiot instead." Ace tilted his head in mock consideration. "Make yourself look like a bigger idiot, that is."

"So sorry some of us have lives. I'm perfectly happy chilling with my girl and enjoying life while you're freezing your ass off on some rink. Who's really winning here?"

"Ask me that question again in ten years when I've gone pro and am living in a mansion, travelling North America for free, and making millions of dollars a year."

"Ah, but I'll be playing with you. You just make me look good enough to get drafted and we'll go from there."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "And why would I do that?"

"Because that way we can both retire nice and early and just enjoy life after that." Caleb smiled an enigmatic smile. "And so I can keep you entertained, of course."

Ace nodded slowly. "Good enough reason, I suppose."

Ace alternated between conversing with Caleb and thinking about the upcoming tournament as they flew nearer and nearer to Los Angeles, descending back into thick layers of cloud that would soon give way to sprawling buildings and open skies.

Ace wondered what kind of mischief the team would get up to whilst in Los Angeles. He had played hockey in America before, but never here. The team was made up of fifteen to eighteen-year-olds. Ace knew little of what to expect being a double-underager, but he was sure some of the older players had something in mind.

The plane eventually touched down on the runway and stopped moving soon after. Caleb sighed as he stood. "I am not built for these damned seats," he grumbled, reaching up to the baggage compartment and handing Ace his bag before extracting his own.

Ace stretched his arms above his head and heard the sound of his back crack. "I have no idea what you're on about," he said. "I feel as fresh as a daisy."

"It probably helps when you're about as tall as one." Ace rolled his eyes. He was of average height for his age — Caleb was just three years older and lanky at that.

The airport was a cluster of bodies that swerved into the way like a herd of inebriated drivers. Ace thought he and Caleb may have had more luck navigating through the Amazon Rainforest. Neither of them had planned to stop, but Caleb bowed into a restroom now that he realized this trek would not be swift.

"Fuck, I hate planes," came another voice from nearby. Ace looked over his shoulder and saw his other friend, Cadmus, walking towards him, grimacing as he moved.

"I love flying," said Ace, "I think I'd enjoy planes if they weren't so cramped."

"Oh, I'm fine with the flying. It's the seats and the people right on top of me. The guy beside me needed out like twice an hour."

"Yeah," said Ace, fingering the golden chain around his neck, "those people unfortunately exist."

The light shimmered off the pendant like rays of sunlight off a sun-kissed sea. Ace could somewhat make out his and Cadmus's reflection mirrored back up at him. Enough at least to see his own sky-blue eyes and bright brown hair, enough to see that expression Cadmus always wore — the one that made him look perpetually bored.

"Did you actually just find that?" Cadmus asked, gesturing towards the chain. "I don't think I've ever actually asked."

"On the way back from school one day, yeah. It was in one of the nicer neighbourhoods. I decided if someone was gonna get it, it might as well be me."

Cadmus nodded. "It's about what I'd have done."

Ace nodded, but felt uneasy. The hairs on the back of Ace's neck prickled as though someone was watching him. Slowly he turned, spotting a tall, tanned girl with ocean-blue eyes and platinum-blonde hair. If Ace had to guess, he would have said she was around seventeen or eighteen, but she was staring at him like he'd stolen something from her.

Ace had more than enough practice meeting stares like this. He'd seen enough of them from parents of older children years ago when he had bumped them off teams he was technically too young to be on. This time was different. There was something dancing in her eyes that looked vaguely amused, but she smiled at Ace and looked away before he could decide exactly what it was.

"Huh," said Caleb's voice from behind him, causing Ace to turn back around, "it seems like this hallway's gotten fifty percent uglier since I was last here."

Cadmus just sighed; this kind of banter was normal for their trio. "Hello, Caleb, how are you?"

"Oh, you know, the usual. Just trying to do my part and bathe you all in my radiance." Ace smiled thinly as he followed his two older friends, unable to shake the feeling that the girl was watching him again.

Later that day, in a hotel parking lot…

Cato pulled his truck into the hotel parking lot with an audible sigh. He had waited long enough and he was starving — it was time to bear down on the mountain of food from In-N-Out.

How Cato ate so much and remained somewhat in shape, he would never understand. His father had always quipped about how Cato used an extra ten percent of his brain and therefore burned more calories than normal men. Cato knew that was illogical, but it was a fond memory that still brought a smile to his lips.

Rejecting the job at UCLA had proven easier than Cato had expected, what with the manticore attack that still had him somewhat in shock. He had considered fleeing this god-forsaken state, but his hotel was booked for another few days and he'd completed his next week of school assignments already and had little to do back home in Georgia. Here, he could at least try and find interesting things to pass the time.

And they had In-N-Out — that had also factored into his decision. He supposed even Tartarus had its perks.

Cato slurped at the last of his milkshake as a large bus pulled into the parking lot. It appeared to be jam-packed with teenagers. Cato watched them unload their luggage and frowned. Something felt strange and unnatural. Almost like something on that bus was calling to him.

Cato frowned as he climbed from his truck and began moving towards the hotel, trying to ignore their chatter as the band of teens did likewise. The sun was unbearable here. Cato had always preferred the cold despite living in the south and sweat fell fast from his brow, streaming down his face like a salted waterfall.

He spared the group of teens a glance. Many of them surrounded a boy who looked younger than the rest. Cato couldn't see much of him through the crowd, but it was difficult to look away. There was just… a gut feeling, of sorts. Then the boy looked around his friends and met his eyes for only a heartbeat.

He must have felt Cato's stare, but the older man did not waver. This boy's eyes were a startlingly bright shade of blue and unnaturally vivid. For a moment, Cato wondered if he was another monster in disguise. That would explain the gut feeling, but it didn't seem right. Something else was at play here; he just had yet to deduce what exactly that was.

November 12, 2004

The Staples Center

10:44 PM

It was a high-energy celebration that took place in the changing room after what most of the team deemed to be an early favourite for goal of the year. Ace just tried to soak it all in. It was something that his grandfather had always urged him to do a better job of. His words rang in Ace's head now, even as his teammates whooped and celebrated like they had just won an Olympic gold medal.

"Talent and obsession may lead to success, but they don't always lead to happiness. Happiness comes from enjoying the moments that your obsession and talent bring you."

It took some time before the players showered. Even Coach Terry didn't interrupt their postgame celebrations. He was as excited as anyone.

None of them were talking about that. They were all talking about the high points of the game — every one of them giving horribly exaggerated commentaries of what had actually happened. Ace partook in this mainly with his two best friends.

"That was ridiculous!" Cadmus was saying. "When they tied it in the third… I thought we were done."

"How pissed off would you have been if you scored two goals and we still lost?" Caleb asked Ace.

Ace scowled. "I'd be pissed either way. You know how miserable I am to be around after I lose anything."

"You are a terrible loser," Cadmus agreed. "Absolutely terrible."

"As long as I'm a good winner, I'll just have to make sure it doesn't matter."

Caleb snorted. "I doubt it'll matter when you go pro. Most of them don't shut up with their whining to the media."

"I'd like to think I wouldn't do that."

"You wouldn't," Caleb agreed with a smirk. "You'd just vent to your teammates."

"Or just not say anything at all," Coach Terry said from nearby, eyeing them all intently. "That's even worse. When he's all quiet, that's how you know he's really stuck inside his head. Never a good thing for anybody's health."

"Noted, Coach," Ace said with a roll of his eyes.

"I wanted to talk to you, if you don't mind. Just about some ideas for tomorrow."

"Sure."

"You want us to wait for you?" asked Caleb.

Ace waved them off. "Don't bother. I have no clue how long this will take. Just wait for me back at the hotel, would you?"

"Yeah, sure. We'll be in our room."

The talk with Terry took less time than Ace had expected. Sometimes, the two of them would sit and discuss strategy for preposterously long periods of time. Ace enjoyed it, but there were times when the two of them became carried away. The assistant coach had said more than once they were worse than teenage girls sharing gossip and neither could deny it. Tonight was not so bad.

Terry left the room only minutes after everyone else and Ace began changing out of his gear and back into normal clothes. There was little like the feeling of taking off all the padding. Ace always felt light as the wind when he did, like he could take off and be gone in the blink of an eye.

A soft knock came from the door before he could finish. Ace paused. That was odd. Only staff members and teammates were supposed to be down here.

Ace pulled his shirt on and patted down his hair, pushing still-wet strands away from his forehead and parting it to the left. He stood still for a moment before another knock came, then he moved slowly towards the door. Whoever he had expected, a tanned blonde girl with ocean blue eyes had not been it.

"Uh… can I help you, Miss…?"

"Sofia is fine," the girl said, smiling as she stepped into the room.

A part of Ace knew that protesting was the right thing to do, but an equally large part of him thought it best to just observe the situation. She might have been older and even taller, but Ace could handle things if they got out of hand. Observing, in this case, was also… the more pleasant option.

Ace suddenly realized that he'd seen her before. She was the same blonde who had been intently studying him at LAX.

"What's your name?" Ace heard her ask. He glanced up into those sparkling eyes and felt… something. It was warm and heavy, brushing against his mind with the persistence of fatigue yet striking with the suddenness of agony. He felt his mouth open, the word 'Ace' forming on his tongue, but he caught himself. He had never been the type to give his name to strangers regardless of how charming or attractive they might have been. That was Cadmus's way of handling things, not his.

"Tom," he answered, remembering the novel he'd been rereading on the plane.

Ace recognized her expression, the look in her eyes. It was like looking back in time and seeing how she had looked in the airport all over again. "Nice to meet you, Tom. You played brilliantly; I've never seen anything like it!"

"Thank you," Ace replied, a well-practiced smile spreading across his lips. "The game went well; I was happy with it."

"You didn't quite get out of the way of that last hit, though."

Ace grimaced. That was only half true. He had voluntarily taken the hit in order to make a pass, but that hadn't made it any more pleasant. The boy who'd hit him had been twice his size and he had been moving at top speed. Ace's shoulder still throbbed even now.

"It doesn't really matter," he answered, rolling his shoulder without thinking as he spoke, "we won."

"Is it hurt?" the girl asked, eyeing his shoulder.

"No, just sore for now. It'll ease up in the next day or two. It always does."

"I'm sure I could help," she offered, taking a step forward as that same, persistent warmth prodded at Ace again.

She was standing right in front of him now. Ace didn't remember stepping forward, but he didn't remember her coming to him, either. He clamped down hard on whatever mental control he had left and tensed.

Sofia reached out a hand and rested it gently on his bad shoulder. Ace winced and tried to pull away. Her arm had snaked around him before he could and he suddenly felt himself pulled in close against her body. Ace tried to twist free but was helpless against strength that couldn't be natural. He tried again but couldn't move. It was like he was a small child again, trying to wrestle his father for all the success he was having.

Ace's leg bumped against hers and a sharp stab of pain shot up his shin.

Wait… pain? From a simple bumping of legs?

No, that wasn't right…

He felt Sofia's arms tense and knew that he had to be out of her clutches before she did whatever she had planned. He slammed his leg into hers as hard as he could — a perfectly placed inside low kick from short range. Ace grunted through gritted teeth as his shin shifted unnaturally underneath him. It took his weight, but grudgingly and not without a limp. It would slow him down, but the girl's grip had been broken and the fact Ace could move at all was an improvement.

He dove for his equipment bag, ripping the guard off one of his skates and turning to face Sofia.

Whatever glamour she had been wearing had faded. As he had suspected, her legs weren't natural at all. One resembled a donkey's and the other was made from what looked like bronze. Unnerving as her lower half might have been, it was her hair he was focused on. It flowed around her head like a crimson tornado, twisting and rearing like a blazing pit of serpents.

Ace fingered the chain around his neck. It was fortunate he had grabbed it that first day after school or he really might have thought he was going insane. It was like he'd suddenly become the protagonist of some over-the-top adventure series.

Ace ignored all of that, moving before the creature's eyes found him again and throwing his skate blade-first towards its now-flaming skull.

The creature dodged and Ace heard the sound of his skate sticking in the opposite wall, but he paid it no mind, already throwing his other skate towards where he knew she would be.

This time, she was unable to dodge, but Ace's mouth still hung open at the results. The blade did absolutely nothing. It passed straight through her skin as though it was made from smoke. His only consolation was that the skate itself slammed loudly against her skull, though Ace knew it wouldn't matter. Causing pain wasn't enough — he would need to incapacitate her and he had used his only lethal weapons to no avail.

The monster lunged at him. Ace sprang to the side and felt the scalding air burn against his face as her flaming hair missed him by inches. He waited to hear the smack as she hit the wall, but it never came. How? he wondered. She had been sailing straight towards it with so much momentum; how could anything change directions so fast?

The beast actually took the time to grin. "You're fast for a human." It smirked. "It's a shame you don't have the experience to make this game interesting."

She lunged and Ace dodged once more, but this time, the thing expected it. He screamed as one of its tendril-like hairs of fire lashed out, igniting his left sleeve. Ace threw himself to the floor and rolled, hoping to put out the fire as every nerve in his arm trembled, but it was already too late.

The demon crashed down upon him, baring fangs directly above his throat as it pinned him down. It smiled mockingly now that it knew he was hers, running a soft hand down his cheek. Ace tried to bite it, but she moved her hand away just in time and slapped him so hard that his head bounced off the floor and dark spots danced before his eyes.

Its fangs were nearing his throat when Ace's vision returned. He struggled with all his might, but it was no good. He might as well have tried to move a bear.

BANG!

The door to the dressing room slammed open and a man charged inside, snatching a spare hockey stick from the rack of them just to the left of the door and clubbing the demon over the head with a defiant snarl.

Ace felt the thing's body go limp and pushed it off of him, scrambling to his feet and trying to ignore the still throbbing pain of his shin and the tension in his burnt skin.

Ace's arm was not the only thing that burned. The new arrival must have swiped his stick through the monster's hair. Fire swirled around as smoke rose around the unknown figure, shrouding him like some kind of demon king as he held the flaming stick aloft.

The Room smouldered with the heat of two fires and Ace began to cough on the acrid smoke. He could hear thuds from the grey centre of it all, but his eyes were stinging too fiercely to see any of what was happening. If he died, he would die knowing nothing of what had killed him.

A horrible scream tore through the room, one so high and terrible that it sent a shock-like jolt up Ace's spine. One of the fires died all at once and slowly the smoke dissipated, revealing the form of Ace's saviour standing there with a few charred pieces of the stick scattered at his feet.

"Who," Ace started, "what—"

"We ain't got time," said the new arrival. "You probably don't believe me, but there are about ten somethin' or others comin' this way that'll kill both of us if we don't get up outta here quick. I can't make ya, but you should come with me."

"I don't even know who you are."

"I saved ya from that, didn't I?"

Ace hesitated, glancing from the pool of golden dust to the man in front of him. "Fair enough," he agreed, wondering if he had just signed away his life to some elaborate kidnapper. If he had, at least this one appeared human. Years of sparring would surely serve Ace better this time around if it came to that. "At least tell me who you are before we go," he demanded.

The other man grinned, letting another charred piece of stick fall from his grasp as he extended a hand. Ace almost choked on the smell of burning flesh, but the new arrival seemed hardly to notice. "Cato Anders," he said. "It's nice to meet ya."

Author's Endnote:

The initial setup is mostly over, so now, I hope you enjoy Ace and Cato's coming adventures!

Please read and review.

PS: The next chapter will be posted next Sunday, November 29th, 2020.

Thank you to my lovely Discord Editors Asmoedeus Stahl and Athena Hope for their corrections/contributions this week.