Author's Note: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but I've been very busy with the winding down of school; we have a week and a half left, and I'm much like a headless chicken running aorund, so... I hope this will do for now, and I promise the next chapter will be more substantial. Enjoy!

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Chapter 5: Greek Mythology 101

"Curses! I lost again!" Akheilos cried.

Smugly, I laid the controller into my lap and arched back. We'd been at it forever. I had to stretch. 'Game Over' flashed repeatedly on the TV.

"You're really good," he breathed.

"I'm not a typical girly-girl," I said. "I can hold my own with videogames."

"I couldn't tell looking at you," Akheilos said sarcastically. He smirked; as much as point-toothed shark people could smirk.

I brought my knees to my stomach, wringing the bottom of my skirt between my hands. A thick line of water squeezed out. My feet were beginning to feel wrinkly in my soaked shoes. As much as I was begging to like Akheilos, this flooded room wasn't the most comfortable I'd ever been.

"You know, I can't tell a lot of things looking at you," I retorted.

Akheilos' smirk faded.

"Oh, I guess you don't know anything about me, huh?"

I shook my head.

"I didn't always look like this," he began, setting his game controller aside. I watched him, eager to hear his explanation; I knew it was coming.

"What happened?"

"I used to be mortal, just like you," he said, and scratched at his scalp. He had straight, long silver hair and wide black eyes, much like Thanatos did in his true form.

"Actually, I think I was around your age, or maybe a bit older, when it happened," he continued. "I used to be really handsome. I liked to say so, too; that I was beautiful."

I listened intently.

"But, Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty, and gods get jealous of those who rival them. So she cursed me for boasting, and now I'm a Daimon. I will be ugly for the rest of eternity," he said, solemn.

"That's so mean!" I exclaimed. "How can they be so petty?!"

"Shh!" He glanced around, clearly alarmed at my outburst. "Don't speak ill of the gods, or they'll curse you, too! They have no mercy on those who blaspheme."

I quit flapping my jaw and looked away. Three days ago I wouldn't have believed in the angry, wrathful gods of the ancient world. But now that I had physical evidence of their frivolous pet peeves gone wrong in Akheilos, I was convinced. I probably did not want to push their buttons and tempt them to turn me into a monkey or something.

"What about the gods who live in this cave?" I asked.

"Palaimon and Leukothea were once human, too."

"Really?" I gaped.

"Well, see, Zeus is famous for being unfaithful to Hera. He had the god Dionysos with a human woman named Semele. So Hera couldn't do anything to the baby he asked Hermes to hide him somewhere. Leukothea was named Ino at the time, and Semele's sister, so she agreed to take care of Dionysos. But Hera made her life hell after that. Eventually Hera drove her insane and she jumped off a cliff. Melikertes, her son, was also clasped in her arms when she jumped."

My eyes widened in horror.

"Though, the gods took pity on the two of them, and made them into gods of the sea. Melikertes is Palaimon, by the way. They took me in."

Curious. I wondered why Akheilos had to stay with them. What happened to his family? Who were they?

"And why are you here, anyway?" I asked.

Akheilos winced.

"Let's just say my mother isn't the most…Motherly person in the world nowadays."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Lamia, my mother, is now a child-murdering monster," he stated bluntly.

My stomach twisted into knots. Yeah, that would definitely do it! I kicked my feet absentmindedly, splashing in the water.

"What about you?" Akheilos asked.

"Hm?"

"What are you doing with Thanatos?"

I smirked.

"We had a chance encounter in the woods by my hotel. I got forced into being his tour guide for modern Greece. It seems he's on a vacation of some sort. Unfortunately, I don't know anything about Greece, I'm from America."

Akheilos clicked his tongue.

"Wow. That really is unfortunate. I always thought he was scary. He just looks so severe. It gives me the creeps."

I giggled.

"He-ey! I think he's nice."

Akheilos gave me an incredulous look.

"Thanatos? Nice? You have got to be kidding me!"

I waved my hands in front of me frantically.

"Don't get me wrong, he can be very scary! But I think it's more of a front, or just how he's used to appearing. If you get to know him, he can be interesting to talk to; and pleasant company! He saved me twice. He never actually smiles, but he does this thing with his mouth that's like the equivalent of a smile for him." I thought for a moment, recalling how the TV had baffled him. "Sometimes he's rather cute, and a little childlike considering how old he is. Or maybe I could say he acts like an old-timer…"

"Cute and childlike?!" Akheilos started to laugh. "Okay, now I definitely think you're crazy!"

I pouted.

"Have you ever talked to him for anything length of time? Do you even know him?!" I snapped.

"Well, no, but--"

"Then you can't say I'm crazy! Don't judge people! Thanatos has done a lot for me already, and he is really not that bad of a guy!"

I folded my arms over my chest crossly, and pouted my lips. I felt like a little kid throwing a tantrum. Akheilos chuckled.

"I think you like him."

"Of course I like him! He's been nice to me, and--"

"No, I mean you like him. Like him. You know." He nudged me with his elbow and winked.

My face went hot, and I hid it behind my hands.

"I knew it." He gave a firm nod. "Thanatos is very lucky, if he isn't too dense to notice. I'm sure he'd be happy; if he can even let himself be happy, that is."

"Why do you say that?" I managed to ask.

"Can't you tell? He's--"

We were interrupted. Leukothea stood at the entrance of the chamber. I expected her to be standing in the water, but instead she was literally standing on top of it as though it were the most natural thing in the world. She had her hands folded neatly in front of her, and I flushed as she gave me a small smile. Had she overhead our conversation?

"You charge has returned from his trip," she announced, quirking a pale brow. "He seems impatient that the two of you should leave. He wanted to fetch you himself, but I told him I would do it. He's standing in the hall."

She gestured.

"Oh, okay." I rose from the sofa. I wanted to see Thanatos, but I would be sad to leave who I'd hoped was now my friend.

"Akheilos, thank you for talking to me." I gave an awkward bow that nearly made me fall over.

He grinned. His sharp teeth flashed, but not in a frightening way.

"Don't mention it. Will you come to visit me us again?"

I smiled.

"If I can come back, I will. Bye!"

I waded through the water, and followed Leukothea.

Thanatos waited at the center of the entrance hall, scowling. He tapped his foot, most likely impatient to be done with it all and carry me off again. The moment he spotted me, he rushed forward to meet me.

"There you are. Come. Time is short."

"Shouldn't we say goodbye?"

"I have said my farewells. Come now."

He pivoted and headed towards the exit, and though I was about to protest, I trotted after him afraid to be left behind. We emerged into the sunlight, and I was almost blinded by the brightness of it. I had been in a flooded cave for a while, after all…

Just as we got onto the rocks, Thanatos lifted his gaze, black eyes fixed on the sky. I followed his gaze, and gawked. Another rather young-looking, handsome guy, except one who was floating in the air, smirked down at us. He had exceptionally white teeth, short wavy brown hair, a helmet with wings on it, and a matching gold staff. He wore a blue tunic, and winged sandals. What really stood out were his Ray Ban sunglasses. They just didn't make any sense in comparison to the rest of him.

"What's this?" he piped.

Thanatos did not say anything.

"What are you doing here?" the youth asked.

"I had business to take care of," Thanatos stated, in a monotone.

I hid behind Thanatos, hoping the god (as I'm sure he was a god) would not notice me.

"And what are you doing here?" Thanatos countered.

The god shrugged.

"I'm the messenger. It's what I do."

"It is just as well. I sought to contact you anyhow, Hermes."

Hermes, I guess, blinked.

"You wanted to contact me? Ha!" He threw back his head in a laugh.

"That is something new! Why?"

Thanatos hesitated, and then he stepped away from me. Hermes' eyes moved from him to me. He stared at me for a moment, not saying a word. Then all of the sudden he started cracking up.

"HAHAH! Thanatos and… AHAHAHA! A MORTAL—HAHA-GIRL!"

He flew up a few feet, doubled over in pangs of laughter.

I was beet red by then. I glanced at Thanatos. A low, guttural sound was emanating from him. Then, a crackle; the rocks beneath his feet were beginning to give way as he clenched his fists. I became alarmed.

"Thanatos, the rocks!" I hissed.

I pulled him from his angered state, and detecting what his discontent was doing to the rocks under us, he tried to calm himself. He seemed either flustered or embarrassed that he allowed himself to react in such a way without perceiving it.

"I need," he addressed Hermes, "…To borrow your sandals."

"My sandals?" Hermes, whose laughter had died down, did chuckle at that.

"Yes."

Hermes tapped a finger against his cheek thoughtfully.

"All right. I shall lend them to you, but you owe me. You will know how to repay me when the time comes," he said.

Thanatos gave a curt nod.

Hermes drew close to us, still hovering about a foot above the rocks. He bent and undid his sandals, then tossed the pair to Thanatos. Thanatos caught them deftly.

"See you around, god of death," Hermes said, and his feet became planting firmly upon the ground. I supposed he couldn't fly without the sandals. He left, strolling leisurely down the cavern opening.

Thanatos sighed and beckoned to me.

"Come. I will take you to the top of the cliff, and then I will explain to you how you may use these sandals."

"Do you think I will be able to handle them?" I asked, uncertain.

"Certainly. There is nothing to them."