This chapter has the Cullen's and the Truth about the Voices! Am I amazing or what? And it didn't take me another year to update. Man, I'm on a damn roll.
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Well, it might not be as long as the last chapter, but this one is still pretty damn impressive. I predict that this is gonna be the chapter that loses me the most readers, so have fun with that. I finally have a plot formed, instead of just writing and seeing where that leads me. And yes, the Voices are the main figures in the plot. Everyone else is a side character. Except maybe Edward, but I really can't wait to write their interactions. I promise there will be more vampire interactions next chapter though. So, I hope you enjoy this new chapter~
(Anything that you recognize is not mine.)
"Baby Bell! Baby Bell, wake up!"
"Friend of My Lady, please be gentle with My Lady!"
A force suddenly started violently shaking me. "Wake up!"
"My Lady!" Zylphia gasped in horror.
I snapped my eyes open, fully prepared to Summon Khalida or another demon, maybe a Keres, to attack Nico. I rolled out of bed, grabbed my Stygian knife out from under my pillow and had it placed against Nico's throat kneeling over him in a second. I smiled and opened my mouth to preen from my victory when I realized something.
Nico usually fights back. I stared down at the frozen body beneath me.
"An-Annabeth?" I stuttered. She gazed up at me shock coloring her features.
"She was trying to wake you for school, My Lady." Zylphia muttered helpfully. I continued to stare down at her.
"Where- Where's Nico?" I whispered brokenly.
"Nico is still gone, don't you remember?" Annabeth finally spoke up. And I did. He left. Just like that. He left me like Zeus left Leto and Poseidon left Medusa.
"Zylphia," I continued softly. "How did I get to my bed?" I carefully blocked all thoughts of where I had been. I didn't want Annabeth to know. It was my place, mine and Nico's only.
"I carried you here, My Lady." I ignored the voice in the back of my head that sounded too much like Nico for comfort that was questioning why and how she was able to stay so long with no one consciously keeping her here. I already had enough voices in my head, I don't need Nico there too.
"Baby Bell, you have five minutes before I want you on the bus and ready to go." Annabeth paused. "I would like it if you got off of me as well." She finished blankly. I squeaked (Not cutely, I don't care what Nico and Percy say otherwise) and scrambled off her and over to my dresser. I glanced at her as she stood, bushed herself off and proceeded to the door. Right before leaving my cabin, Annabeth looked at me over her shoulder. "What an interesting reaction to waking up." She commented with a smirk. I blushed as she slipped out the door and into the muggy air.
There was a moment of silence as I changed into a black shirt that had a bloody skull motif and red tinted black jeans with a pair of black combat boots. I slipped on my black leather jacket and grabbed my black backpack and deadly accessories before finally turning to Zylphia who had been waiting patiently for me to speak. "Did I get to the notch in the mirror yet?" I asked her, slowly and carefully bushing my hair, already knowing the answer, but feeling the need to ask it anyway.
"No, My Lady." She murmured. She shifted forward and snatched a black butterfly hairclip from my dresser and clipped half of my hair away from my face and gently shifted to hair on the other side of my head to cover that half of my face. "There, you look beautiful, like a Lobelia." I smiled.
"Zylphia?"
"Yes, My Lady?"
"When you inform Father of my Christmas list, add a Black Rose to it."
"But, My Lady, Black Roses to not exist. Only red, purple, maroon, white, yellow, pink, coral, peach, lavender, orange, and mixes to those colors. No black or even blue."
"I know. I want to see what he will do." I glanced at her from the mirror above my dresser. "You know a lot about flowers, Zylphia."
"I was a bouquet-est while among the living."
The room settled in silence.
"ISABELLA MARIE-ANNA DIANGELO! IF YOU MAKE ME LATE FOR OUR SECOND DAY OF SCHOOL I WILL HANG YOU FROM THE CLIMBING WALL FOR FIVE HOURS AND WATCH YOU SWEAT AND STARVE!" Annabeth's voice ripped through the camp.
"And they call me the crazy one." I muttered slumping out the door, waving lazily to the confused, sleepy, and slightly angry campers that got the treat of being woken up by Annabeth's shouting.
"Yes, she is quite loud." Zylphia stated, following me. She jumped slightly as we heard a thump, thump, thumpy-thump behind us.
"Ah, right on timmmm-" I hummed as Rosabella grabbed me by my backpack and raced into an unoccupied Shadow. Which is rather frightening to think about, I mean, what is lingering in the occupied Shadows? Demons? Ghosts? Father? A monkey wearing a polka-dot bikini while dancing to Call Me Maybe? …Perhaps.
I appeared right in front of the bus, a slightly hyperventilating Zylphia right behind me. Huh. I wonder how she went through the Shadow with me. A question for another day, it seems; Annabeth looks ready to breathe fire.
"Of course I look ready to breathe fire, Baby Bell, you're three minutes late." Annabeth seethed.
"And you want us leave here ten minutes early. So my three minutes isn't that big of a deal."
"Not to mention Kaya isn't here yet," Annabeth continued.
"Calm down, Annabeth, we're not going to be late, so don't worry."
We waited in silence for a whole minute. Annabeth finally lost her head and took a deep breath to do another threat, this time aimed at Kaya.
"Hmm, what are we waiting for?" Malcolm asked, stopping Annabeth from waking more innocent and sleepy campers. Sadly, this caused her to unleash her rage on him.
"What are we waiting for? What are we waiting for?! We're waiting for that lazy daughter of Artemis! She is going to make us late, which in turn will stress me out! And I'll have you know that I am already stressed out! Why am I already stressed out?! Nico left suddenly yesterday, so now we have to take care of Isabella, who is mentally unstable at the thought of her dear big brother abandoning her! She is an inch from that dangerous line that we struggle to keep her from and she's acting like a freaking doll, reacting to nothing and looking around with that damnable blank look in her eyes! When I next see Nico, I am going to shove a dory so far up his-"
"Oh, you guys have been looking for me?" I glanced down the aisle of the bus to see Kaya sticking her head out from under a random seat. Annabeth turned red.
"Where, in the name of your Mother, have you been?!"
"Exploring." I could hear the capital 'e' and smiled a little. Zylphia glanced at me then focused on Kaya.
"And why didn't you tell us that you were here…exploring?" Annabeth seethed.
"Because it's funny when you scream." Kaya stated. I closed my eyes and smiled, humored by my friend's sense of humor. I slowly shuffled over to the seat that Nico had sat in yesterday. I placed my backpack down and listened with half an ear to Annabeth and Kaya's conversation.
"You think this is funny?" Annabeth twitched. I blinked; apparently the rumors about Annabeth not being a morning person were true. Thank Caer Ibormeith, I would have had to plan her death for when I ruled the world if she was one of those…disgusting beings. A twisted smile fell upon my lips. All morning people will burn under my foot and I will get to sleep till noon. When I rule the world, that is.
"What was that that you said about our precious Ghost Whisperer abandoning La-La?" Kaya asked, completely ignoring Annabeth's question.
I noticed Percy signal to Argus to move as I laid myself down. The bus started to head towards the school, but Annabeth barely noticed.
"They got in a fight." Annabeth stated stiffly, not glancing over to my seat. Everyone on the bus was paying close attention to Annabeth's words now. I shifted forward little by little.
"Oh?" Kaya's eyebrows furrowed. "About what, exactly?"
"Nico's promises and Baby Bell's unconcern for her own life." Annabeth allowed. Obviously, she is not comfortable revealing this information that was not hers to give. And yet, I cannot muster up to effort to care.
"We all knew that." Kaya commented nonchalantly. I paused. "Nico told us that himself. She does not care for herself; give her a reason to continue, he said. And she did, she made friends and had fun. And he has the balls to reverse all the effort we put into making her an actual person with opinions? Find me some Crocodile Shears. I have a runaway boy to de-masculinize." I practically heard the males on the bus shiver. Kaya was pissed, and, like her mother, very vengeful. I'm sure that they are all remembering the Torture Techniques and Devices 101 class that Chiron had Nico, Annabeth, Clarisse, some Nemesis children, and I teach to the teenagers of Camp Half-Blood two months ago. Oh, I still remember how white their faces became. Especially when I asked if anyone wanted to volunteer and help me demonstrate a couple of them. But, alas, no one ever did.
"Ah, I don't think that Sable will be happy if you did that, right, Sable?" Percy laughed nervously, throwing a sideways glance over to my seat. He blinked when he saw no one there, only a black backpack. Annabeth sighed.
"Baby Bell…"
"Hm?" I hummed, popping my head out from a seat in front of Kaya, absentmindedly shoving the fuzzy feeling away in favor of some fun. She gave a startled squeak, before blushing when I peeked over at her in amusement.
"It seems that Bella is not as despondent as we had thought. Just in case though, make sure that there is always at least one set of eyes on her, she might just be in denial right now." Zylphia scoffed from her spot in the seat I was laying under, clearly mildly annoyed at the fact that they were talking about me as if I was not right in front of them.
"As if I would let you out of my sight, My Lady."
"But Zylphia, she doesn't know that you're still here." I commented. She just huffed.
I rolled my eyes and turned to Kaya, who eyed me for a moment before grinning wickedly. "Ankle grabbing?"
I nodded. "Penny Hunting?" She grinned.
"On the count of three….GO!"
I went up, she went left.
The bus stopped. I pouted while Kaya started swearing up a storm. In Ayoreo, with a little Bo thrown in there as well. I really need to ask her to teach me some. I can just imagine what I would get away with if I insulted people in nearly extinct languages. But, that does take the fun out of it if the person you're insulting has no idea what you are saying.
"Alright, we arrived two minutes early." Annabeth stated. "Everyone, go to your first period class in groups. Baby Bell, you're with Percy and I. Move out." We all shuffled off the bus, Kaya and I taking an extra moment to slide back to our seats and grab our supplies before exiting. While marching to the third building, Kaya lingering with me due to her first class being in the building next to mine, I noticed something that was different. Today, there were three extra cars in the lot, three very expensive cars that I vaguely remember hearing the Hephaestus Cabin beg and drool over and the Hermes Cabin twinkle about. I can just imagine Travis, Connor, Jake, and Alex noticing and informing their siblings, then joining together to steal those three cars. Annabeth shot a look at me as I moved to point Travis and Alex in the right direction so that I could sit back and watch the destruction. I ignored her look. She ignored my pranking challenge yesterday, which means that I'm stepping it up.
This is what you get for pretending I'm not there as you talk about me. Annabeth's eyes widened as I chucked a random pebble I found in my jacket at the back of Travis's head as he moved to enter the fourth building. Revenge will be mine! I crackled mentally at Annabeth. She glared at me, her jaw clenching and unclenching erratically.
Travis turned and noticed the silver Volvo, red Convertible, and white Jeep Wrangler. A mischievous grin spread across his face as I could practically hear the evil plan fall into place in his devious little mind. As long as I get one of those cars and some amusement while Nico is away, I have no problem. I strutted into English, plans and plots blooming in my mind, Annabeth and Percy glowering behind me. All of this stopped once I noticed what I had been ignoring.
That aura. That poisonous, beautiful aura is pouring out of this school. Practically calling demons to come and play while still repelling more common monsters. The fact that it took me so long to notice such a heavy aura was astounding. My heart dropped slightly as a thought passed through my mind. What if the more often I feel it, the weaker it is and the harder it is to feel. Never again will I feel the high that I got from the first two times that I investigated such an aura.
'Isa. I don't want you to get involved with those auras.'
My eyelids lowed. Well, Big Brother, it seems that those auras are about to get involved with me. Oops, too bad, you're not here to protect me.
Too bad, so sad
"Ah, there you are; the newbies." Mr. Mason smiled. Quickly, though, it transformed into a frown. "I do believe that there had been four of you yesterday…" I stiffened. Annabeth noticed and moved to reply. I beat her to it.
"My brother is currently ill and we are unsure of when he will be better. Hopefully by the Monday of next week." I purred. Inwardly, I blinked. It seems, that I can't hold you much longer, can I? You can feel this intoxicating aura, you want to find the person that it belongs to and rip them open with our Chains of the Damned. I can feel it. Please, wait just a little bit longer. Soon, I promise, soon.
"Sable." Percy hissed warningly. I glanced at him. Right, he knows what I'm like while…on the job. He can read the signs. Pity, now he'll just get in my way. I could attempt to kill him, but even I know that my specialty is torture, not all out fighting. Besides, Brother would be mad at me if I harmed Percy.
He is so kind to us
He is an obstacle
A useful obstacle
Don't hurt him!
Silence.
"Right." The teacher muttered. "To your seats from yesterday. Isabella, Alice will be sitting next to you, in case you were wondering." I turned and gazed unblinkingly at the bouncy girl that was sitting in the seat beside mine.
"Hello! My name's Alice, Alice Cullen, you?" She stated as I sat down.
"Isabella, Isabella DiAngelo." I bared my teeth in a sick mockery of a smile, staring my crazed eyes straight into identical ones. A purr rumbled through my chest, promising so much that I nearly shook. "I think we are going to be good friends." I stated, my fingers twitching, feeling that aura sweeping over me.
"Let's work to keep this cat in the bag."
"Yes, let's, Lis-Lis."
"Hey, Bella, is your brother okay?" AMAC questioned. A sneered flickered across my face as I turned from my new friend to my most recent annoyance, making sure to slip into a smile before he could see. Alice snickered quietly under her breath.
"Oh, he's not sick." I stated smiling.
"Is he skipping then?" Mike asked confused and bug-eyed.
"No, no, no," I answered, feeling rather sadistic today. I felt Percy and Annabeth try to glare me into submission, which would have work if I only looked behind me. "Nico is simply cleaning his toys."
"Toys?" He asked, amusement in his eyes.
"Yes, though, I hope he remembers to clean mine as well, blood is so hard to get off once it rusts."
AMAC shut up.
Alice giggled next to me. I doubt that she knows what I am, other than being just plain insane, but, it takes one to know one, after all. However, it's not hard to tell that she knows I'm not normal by any means of the word. It is also easy to see that she is not normally an insane person. Eccentric, yes. Insane, not so much. Is it my presence and overbearing insanity that has changed her, permanently or temporarily? Or has my presence forced her mind to remember a previous time, when she was still human? Questions, questions. I bet you know the answer, Inizia. Will you tell me?
A giggle was my only answer.
Though, I finally remembered where I remember that aura from. She's one of the dead, a minion with free will, so to say. An 'All-American' predator. The Solar Vampire, as we of the House of Hades likes to call them. Nothing like their Lunar Vampire cousins or their Greek Vampire ancestors. And Alice, Alice is just one of many that lurk in this little town. I can't wait for the fun to begin.
Can't wait. Can barely contain myself.
The bell rang and Alice and I parted ways, grinning at each other with winks briefly covering our crazed eyes.
"It seems that you have made more friends, Baby Bell." Annabeth spoke calmly.
"You are angry at me, Little Owl, aren't you?" I purred, gazing over at her, feeling the bubbling of words and thoughts that were not my own.
"You are losing control of yourself." She stated.
"Then send me away." I threw back. I know what I am doing. I just wish she could wait a little longer.
"I cannot." Annabeth closed her eyes in regret. I twinkled at her, chuckling softly under my breath.
"I won't kill anyone."
"You cannot make such a promise." Percy interjected as we walked calmly, as if not speaking of the death of those around us.
"You're right." Annabeth froze. "I cannot." Percy sighed, having already expected such an answer. For someone not as in the know as Annabeth is, he seems to understand the situation far better than she does.
"Is this because of Nico, usually you can go a day or two longer before cracking and that is usually a small crack, not all out hostility." Annabeth commented.
"Smart Little Owl." I cooed. Sometimes it was easy to forget how smart she is, with all the idiots that she surrounds herself with. "Big Brother's aura covers my own when we are together, which not only hides me from beings hunting me, but also mutes my emotions. Not completely of course, but enough so that my powers are slightly weaker and don't affect me as much." And he calms her, soothes her. How much longer can I hold?
"So, this is all Nico's fault?" Annabeth questioned. At my nod, she continued. "Maybe I should let Kaya have her way…" Percy twitched. "However, you seem relatively calm right now, even if you can't stop using your creepy voice." She muttered.
"Something has caught my attention." I informed her. We were in sight of the U.S. History and Government room where Clarisse and Thalia were waiting.
"That aura that Nico told you not to get involved with." It was not a question.
"It's better than going on a mass killing spree. Speaking of which, I need some needles, I want to learn acupuncture." I stated, breezing by the waiting two demi-gods and flopping down in my seat.
"Ah, Ms. DiAngelo, you're feeling better today. I'm glad." I smiled at her, an honest smile. Ms. Lazio is just not someone that I can dislike, she reminds me of Lady Aunt Hestia in that right. The class went by quickly. Though I like Ms. Lazio, I didn't listen to a word she said. Instead, I spent my time tracking those delicious auras and looking around for Zylphia, who had disappeared sometime after I left the bus. I ignored Clarisse and Thalia's weird looks in favor of making it to my next class on time.
Strangely enough, I was the first to arrive at the Math classroom. Not even the teacher had arrived yet.
"My, my, what a mess you have become, Izellah, and in less than a day. Tisk, tisk."
"Khalida," I smiled. She stalked up to me and placed her hands on my checks, twisting my face in order to get a better view.
"My, my, you really have cut loose, little princess. I haven't seen you this shaken up since, well, since you first summoned me, two long years ago. Did your brother's abandonment hurt you that much, here let me fix it?" She cooed, pulling me into a hug. I leaned into the embrace, all thoughts of vengeful murder fading, even if only for this moment. A brief moment of fear crossed my mind, no one is allowed to see me this weak, no one but Nico, but sense quickly caught up. She has seen me when I was weak before, she's had more than enough chances to harm me before now. "It is rather foolish to trust a demon, little Izellah."
"I prefer the term insane." There was a pause. "Where is everyone?"
"Oh, your teacher got in a little…accident this evening. Your class is canceled; everyone just…forgot to tell you is all."
We laughed together.
"Khalida, you're the best."
"Don't tell your watcher that, she might get jealous." Khalida remarked. Slowly, we sunk to the ground so that I was curled up in-between her legs with her arms wrapped loosely around my suddenly too small form. "You really are such a small, broken child." I heard her mumble.
"Do you…do you know where Big Brother Nico went?" I asked in a small voice.
Speak, friend, or bring forth my fury
Answer
Tell us, tell me, tell her
"He went to wallow with the dead. Such a bad habit if you ask me." The Lamia stated wrinkling her nose.
"A graveyard, huh?"
"A demon graveyard."
"So, he went to throw pebbles into Tartarus." Khalida laughed at me.
"You know your brother so well."
"He is mine after all."
"Be careful with that." I glanced up at Khalida, noticing her uncharacteristic seriousness immediately. "Most people do not like to be called a possession." I opened my mouth to argue but she continued. "Higher beings and beasts are welcome to it, however, humans, mortals, consider themselves above such barbaric displays of affection. Demigods slip up on occasion, but so rarely do they ever think the same way you do about someone that is not a lover."
My eyes widened. "You mean…"
"You are the most godly, physically, mentally, and emotionally, demigod that I have ever met. The pride of a god, the honor of a god, the mindset of a god, the-"
I interrupted her comparisons. "I hate the gods."
"Do you think that the gods don't hate themselves? Or each other for that matter? Gods are gods, but you need to remember that humans were made by and from the gods."
I didn't respond. A silence enveloped the room.
Deafen me with the silence of the damned.
"I am sorry to say, Izellah, but it is time for you to go to your next class, Lunch I believe. Tell no one of this conversation, my dear, dear Izellah." She vanished into the Shadows of the empty Math room.
To hear the truth
And see the lies
They crossed their sides
And tried another life
"Why…why won't you be silent? Why do you haunt me so?" I whispered.
Around me, the bell rang.
"…for whom the bell tolls…it tolls for thee."
I cackled.
"Where were you, Isabella?" Annabeth questioned as I sat down next to Kaya, who glanced at me in concern.
"Oh, the full name. It appears, that I am in trouble." I smirked.
Tempt her, tempt that Temptress that thinks to elude us
"With Hera as my witness, if you don't calm down I will be forced to go to drastic measures."
Bark is worse than bite
My eyebrow lifted. "That's…a rather blank threat." I commented, thoroughly amused.
Annabeth's face twitched. "I know well enough to know that there are so very few things that frighten you when you're like this. Not that you're afraid of much anyway." She muttered.
Other than my freedom being withdrawn
Other than loneliness.
Not again, not again.
Mother, Father….Brother.
Decaying, abandoning filth!
Useless wastes
Dishonorable curs.
Cease you're muttering in our head, Voices of mine, please, wait a little longer. Just a little bit longer.
Distraction!
"Turtles scare me." I stated with a straight face. Everyone from camp stared at me. I blinked. "Oh, there's Alice now. I think I'll go see her." I said, noticing my new friend speaking rapidly to a group of students with the same aura with a totally freaked out face. I smiled sharply. It seems that your tampering has concerned our dear little Alice. I pulled myself out of my seat, every one of my fellow campers quiet and watching, and started to glide over to the table.
"Those are the Cullen's that I was talking to you about." I stopped and turned to stare unblinkingly at the members of the table I was just about to pass.
"Jessica." She wasn't looking at me, staring steadily at the 'Cullen's'. I glanced next to her. "Angela." I softened my voice, even if only slightly. She's good company, for a mortal. "Lauren." My voice deepened, my fingers twitched.
BURN THE EVER DAMNED WITCH!
HER FAULT!
CUT OFF HER TOES AND FEED THEM TO HER!
KICK HER PUPPY!
…
"It seems that your dear brother is missing." She commented with a leer. I twitched. "You're quite close to that handsome brother of yours. Do be careful, we don't want you to do something…scandalous." It took me a moment, but I slowly caught onto her game.
She dares…
"Are you accusing me of…?" I trailed off unable to finish my sentence. My teeth gritted.
She dares to…
She blinked innocently. "I'm not accusing you of anything."
Daughter of a barnacle bearded Lord of Worms! May her tongue be ripped out and her body devoured by maggots!
My fingers twitched. The world snapped into focus. Alice was watching me, fear and mild insanity glazing her eyes, while her table mates frantically tried to get her attention. Only one of them was watching me, his golden eyes gaining a red tint. Two table to the left of me, Envy and Mary were sitting, watching and waiting, Envy's fingers tapping the table with her fingers to the tune of 'Eye of the Tiger'. Nick and Braxton were still in line for food, idly chatting while still glancing nervously at Lauren and I. Annabeth, Percy, Thalia, Kaya, Kevin, and the rest of the camp representatives were conversing, most likely trying to find out what they should do.
However, my main focus was on Khalida, who smirked from the Shadows, watching with Zylphia, who was glaring at her.
'You are the most, physically, mentally, and emotionally, godly demi-god….'
I have my pride.
I have my honor.
I have my hate.
I have my disgust.
I have my anger.
I will show these to this pitiful mortal.
Show her the truth within the lies
Show her us
Show her true fear
Show her the monster under the bed, the shadow in the closet
My hand snapped forward.
"Ah, ah, ah, La-La." Kaya stated, hand on my elbow, causing me to freeze. "That's not very nice."
"Kaya." I growled. "You dare…"
Interfering sprite…
"I dare to stop you from angering your father, and brother for that matter?" I froze. Kaya glanced at me, eyes half lidded and a sick, twisted version of a kind smile upon her face. The onlookers were ignored. "Don't you see, La-La, that you need to calm down?"
She speaks the truth
Ignore her ignorance
Continue with the punishment, teach that mortal her place!
What will you decide to do, 'Bella'?
"Wh- What the hell is going on here?" Jessica asked shakily. Lauren watched and waited patiently. They were ignored. I swiftly jerked my arm out of her grasp. Snarling at her, I twisted around, my hair billowing behind me, and stalked over to the nearest door, which so happened to be right next to Alice's table.
"Till tomorrow, Lis-Lis." I muttered, snatching open the door and stomping out.
"That was rather childish, My Lady."
"Do not start with me, Ghost." I snarled.
"Poor little stalker, you don't just reprimand a children of the King when they are in the middle of a meltdown. You let them cause mayhem and panic until they are reasonable enough to talk to." Khalida informed Zylphia with a smirk. "Though, I must admit, a demi-goddess stare down was not the best option."
"Oh? And do you think I should have done?"
"Ignored the little witch, of course."
"I'd rather feel her intestines under my foot and her precious life-giving blood under my nails."
"My Lady!"
"If you don't want to be here, then return to my Father." I stated.
"Now, where do you think you're going?"
"To destroy a third world country, what else?'
"Ah, My Lady, you told yourself that you wouldn't do that anymore…" Zylphia muttered. I glanced at her. She looks forty now, but it's almost as if she was acting like an overprotective sixteen year old. I shook my head; such thoughts are for when I have a clear head, without all this anger, without this fuzziness.
Soon, little 'Bella', soon.
"Oh, let the girl have some fun. Well, Izellah, will you be letting me roam?"
"My Lady, you mustn't, remember how your father reacted last time?"
"The girl can make her own decisions, right, Izellah?"
"You're pressuring My Lady you filthy demon!"
"It's like having an angel on my right shoulder and a devil on my left, just like in those old cartoons." I murmured, my right eyebrows steadily twitching. Not that I need any more voices in my head.
"Oh, does that make me the devil? You're too kind, Little Princess." Khalida purred.
"I am not worthy of being considered an angel, My Lady!" Zylphia panicked.
"Father, what did I do to deserve this?" I questioned.
"Other than destroy a third world country, torture multiple demigods, kill innumerable beings, and use other pantheons? Then, nothing, I think." The Lamia commented.
"Ah, My Lady?"
"Yes, Zylphia?" I gritted out.
"Where are we?"
I glanced around. Green, green, green, and more green. Oh, and a patch of brown!
"I have no fucking idea."
"Reverting to mortals swears, you must be annoyed."
"Shut up, Khalida."
No need to be rude, she is a friend
Slap her for her insolence
Go back in that room and kill that witch!
"Oh, you're so mean to me." She pouted.
Yeah, what she said.
Be more polite.
Listen to your babysitter!
Snap her toes off and feed them to her!
"I said, shut up!"
"That's not very nice." A new voice murmured.
"A kobaloi…just what I was looking for." I smirked.
Hmm?
What are you thinking of doing?
Snap THEIR toes off and feed them to her.
"Oh? You were looking for us? What a-"
"Foolish thing for a young demi-goddess to do. We are servants of-"
"Mr.D." I cut in absentmindedly.
"The Great Party Lord Dionysius and the Great Prank Lord Hermes." One of the voices bit out angrily.
"Oh? You have pledged allegiance to Hermes as well? I was not informed of this. Maybe I need new information gatherers…" I mused.
Zylphia and Khalida twitched. "What information gatherers?" They asked in unison.
I looked at them with faux surprise. "You didn't think I do all of my research myself, did you? I have someone everywhere." I smirked. They twitched again.
I have someone everywhere
Quiet, you'll make me miss some of the movie.
"Little Girlie-"
"Pay attention!" The two mischief demons commented.
"I need a favor from you two." I informed them, ignoring Zylphia as she paled and Khalida as she crackled.
"Oh, and why-"
"Should we do what you-"
"Say, Little Girlie?"
"My name is Princess Isabella Marie-Anna DiAngelo of The Underworld." I stated.
"Blah!" The two voices responded.
I continued as if nothing happened as Zylphia huffed in anger. "I know the Ancient Law pertaining to your kind. You are forbidden to interfere with mortal life, unless give orders by your patron."
"Last I checked, Little Girlie,"
"You're not one of our patrons. You're a girl, for one."
"Ah, but there is a loophole." Both Zylphia and Khalida paled. There was a brief pause.
Drag it out!
Say it quickly, I'm bored!
Distraction!
"Oh?"
"Yes." I didn't continue.
After a moment, they lost patience with my game. "TELL US, DEMIGOD!"
"Tsk, tsk. Ask nicely." I stated, staring at my nails with a good amount of sadistic glee. They growled. I pouted. "Oh fine, I give, I give." I paused. "As a demi-goddess and member of Camp Half-Blood, I am under Dionysius's authority. Anything I do is reflected onto him or can be seen as his will. That is the Law pertaining Champions."
"You're not the Great Lord's Champion!"
"And what is the definition of a Champion?" I asked.
"A person who does the will of their god and swears allegiance to them. The bond between Champion and God is willing and mutual. Gods usually grant their Champions with gifts, material or otherwise." Zylphia answered robotically.
"Exactly. And demi-gods swear allegiance to the Camp, kinda, which most saw as swearing allegiance to the gods as a whole. But, Dionysius is the Chief God that rules over Camp Half-Blood for now, and so it is part of his domain. We are members of his domain, and have sworn allegiance to his domain. If we accept him as our patron what does that make us?"
"The closest thing to his Champions that you can be without swearing allegiance to him or taking the Champions oath." Khalida whispered in awe. "Izellah, I did not know that you had much rational thought or strategy making while you are this angry." She stated, thoroughly impressed.
I don't, I wished to answer.
I do.
She is impressed by us. She accepts us?
She has always accepted us.
"We see." The faint mutter echoed. "What do you wish of us, Almost-Champion of our Patron?" The glee and mischief in their two voices was easily detectable.
"Why, I want you to raise Hell and cause Chaos. That is what makes me happy, after all." I grinned.
It makes me happy too
Same!
Me as well!
I don't like it!
Don't make me break off your toes and feed them to you!
"Yes, Your Majesty." They laughed, and in a gust of wind, vanished to start the pandemonium.
I wonder where they will have their fun our name, 'Bella'
"Oh, I do so hope that they live through this, they're rather useful."
"My Lady, is what you said true?" Zylphia asked hesitantly.
"Of course. Demi-gods at Camp are close to being Mr. D's Champions and no one really noticed. Just like how a god's child is close to being a god's Champion. Rather simple."
"You don't think like My Lady does, who, exactly, are you?"
And she knows this…how?
We have known her for about two day, less even!
She lies to us?
Tell her the truth of the lies we have sown, 'Bella'.
"Prima calls me her True-Self, the self that was created by her neglect and fear and worry. I am those built up emotions. I will protect the original, as that is my purpose."
"I call her Vera, meaning true in Latin and faith in Russian." Khalida commented. "The two share a brain, making it so that they know what each other are up to, but keeping an emotional distance. Isabella is nearly a faded memory, barely there. Usually it's a mix of Isabella and Vera, both being active at the same time. Isabella is cruel and cold, yet loving and kind, in her own way. Vera is funny, sarcastic, protective, and vicious. They are a dangerous pair. If they both could control it, instead of Isabella just cutting in whenever she feels like it."
"This does answer a few other questions about My Lady." Zylphia muttered.
"Now that introductions are over and done with, I think it is time I dealt with some things that have been weighing on Inizia." I stated, and myself, I added silently, knowing that there's really no point in adding it in.
"Must you keep changing names?"
Khalida sighed. "Inizia basically means beginning, little ghost. One of Vera's many names for Isabella."
I ignored her. "Zylphia, why do you act so young? How can you stabilize yourself without my help?"
The truth, make her tell us.
Break off her toes and feed them to her!
We get it with the toes already…tch, sadist
Ignore them, little Vera, reveal the truth, reveal it in the name of Prima.
"My Lady, I cannot say."
"You know the answers. Tell me."
"I cannot."
"Tell me."
"My Lady."
"TELL M-" I paused. A mental murmur echoed through my mind. "Inizia, why do you struggle, is there something wrong?" I may not mind the mental changes, or being called by Inizia's nicknames as she never present, or the voices in my head, but her interrupting me while I was protecting her is strange, especially when she does not say what is wrong, just…breathes an air of anxiousness.
"Vera, dear, is Isabella alright?" Khalida asked, glancing around the forestry for what is disturbing my Inizia.
"She is uneasy."
Prima
Prima
Prima
Prima!
"You two are acting closer than before." Zylphia commented.
I glanced at her, then around the moss covered clearing we stopped in. "That is because it is so rare for Isabella to not have half of the controls. The last times we have met were while Isabella was in varying degrees of control and Khalida mainly likes me, the outcome of Inizia's childhood abuse, the one reason we are still alive after running into her one day."
"Running into her one day?"
"Inizia was in that house for almost thirteen years, and never did her Father, our Father, ever find her. Who do you think told him of her location? Khalida ran into Isabella, saw me, realized that she could not feast on me properly and left to inform Father of our location. She left out our condition, I noticed." I informed our precious ghostly companion.
"I do have to get my kicks somehow, dear. Now, what is wrong with Isabella?"
"She is shifting into power."
"Oh, she has rarely ever been in total control. I do believe that the last time was when the two of us met."
"And that was after a decade of her letting me take the reins or having us share this body."
"I do have a question."
"Yes, Ghost." I growled. Isabella shifted again in the back of my mind, humming something softly.
"Are you the only one created? Are there only two 'forms' of the Princess?"
I laughed. Khalida actually looked interested. "No, there are more. I have never met them, but they whisper often. There might be hundreds, but only Inizia would know, and even when she has partial control, she doesn't do much. A tweak here and a side comment there. It makes me think she believes that she is playing a game of some sort. I'm rather surprised I still had only partial control for so long after Nico left, it is usually only when he is around that she decides to intervene. "
Khalida sighed, though not knowing this before, she looked beyond bored. "I would appreciate it if you would pick one thing to call Isabella and stick with it. You're confusing your poor stalker."
"Stalker? You dare call me a stalker, young lady? If I am a stalker, what does that make you, I do wonder!?"
Khalida smirked. "A loyal dog, of course."
"At least I am following my Lord." Zylphia snapped.
"Oh, so it was Father that sent you." I commented. I should have known.
There is a rustling in the air!
The rivers sing with tears
Hear, Vera, the whispering of the wind
Listen, Vera, to the truths hidden within
Isabella, Inizia, Prima, what are you feeling?
A giggle was my answer.
"Isabella is excited about something." I informed Khalida.
"Those auras, the Solar Vampires, perhaps?"
"Now that you mention it, she has been fidgeting a lot more than usual since we felt them. But they're just more monsters, why do they capture her attention?"
"If I didn't know any better, I would say that she had the more influence today. Usually you're less blatantly bloodthirsty."
"Oh no, you're definitely right."
"Aren't I always?"
"If someone can tell me what is going on, that would be much appreciated!" Zylphia interrupted.
"Isabella, the soul born to this body, my creator, my Inizia, and my Prima is shifting, much more than normal. She is excited. The last time she was this excited was when Annabeth entered our mind and she decided to play with her. Of course, some of the other…personalities, I guess you could call us…jumped into control during the confusion."
"I'm starting to think that you're more trouble than your worth, My Lady. But I must ask one more question."
"Ask away, someone will come to get us eventually."
"If Isabella is the original, then why did she create the rest of you?"
Khalida and I shared glances. That was a very personal question. Isabella chimed in.
Trust in me, just in me
Shut your eyes and trust in me
You can sleep safe and sound
Knowing I am around
Slip into silent slumber
I sighed. Zylphia suddenly thought of another question, forgetting about her previous one, thankfully. "How will I know who is in control?"
"I don't see how that is important or necessary information. But other than our personalities when fully in control, the easiest way to tell who has the most influence is if we're cruel and teasing. That's usually Isabella. That's the best way."
"Oh, what is she singing right now?" Khalida asked, noticing and recognizing the twitching of my eye as Isabella doing something annoying.
"A Disney song. Again."
"I thought you said that she doesn't act up often."
"There is a different between acting up, AKA squirming around, and whispering to me. A big difference." Isabella giggled; a warbled sound that echoed and harmonized with multiple other laughs.
"They really are excited."
"It's not often that your brother leaves you." Khalida reminded me, picking at her nails. "Darn, I really don't like this color. Vera, dear, what should I change it to?" She pouted.
I glanced at her nails, which she had painted black sometime between the last time we saw each other about thirty minutes ago and now.
Red
Purple
Blue
White
Pink
My eye twitched. And people wonder why I'm insane. Though, something big must be going on. Something's up, they have been speaking very often for the last few days, far more often than usual. Something that excites Isabella. Something that will threaten My Prima.
A twig snapped.
"You need to calm, the fuck, down, Vera. For Isabella to have gained so much control is despicable." Kaya spat as she walked out of the foliage.
"Now, I am very confused. Are you confused?" Zylphia asked Khalida.
"I still want to know what color I should paint my nails."
"Friend Kaya, daughter of Artemis, this is none of your concern."
"None of my concern, you say? I am your friend, and the friend of the other personalities that reside in that body, of course it is my concern."
"If it is none of my brother's concern, then it is none of yours either."
"So, Miss Kaya knows of Vera, Lady Isabella, and the others?"
"Knows? Kaya is the only one who can tell who is who, my dear Ghost. She knows which is in control at what time and she knows the names for each of them. Though, for some reason, she refuses to tell us how many of them there are…" Khalida mused, flicking some paint off her thumb nail.
"It is none of your brother's concern, because he's an ass. For Isabella to be that close to the surface, something must be wrong."
"Miss Kaya, do you have something against Lady Isabella?"
"Something against Isabella? Yeah, actually. She's bat-shit insane."
"And how would you know, I doubt you have ever met her." Zylphia defended.
"Inizia is, in fact, ill in the mind. If she was not, how would I have been created?" Zylphia froze, her mouth having opened in retaliation. It snapped shut with a click. "Isabella is not well, as such, she created me, or us, to act in her place. She uses us from a corner in her mind as she hides from reality. She is unwell." I stated monotonously. I was created for the sole purpose of replacing my creator in reality while she watched.
"I don't think that now is the time to talk about how messed up this situation is." Kaya snapped. "Annabeth sent me to get you. You're in trouble."
"For attacking a mortal?" I asked.
"No, actually. I think Annabeth actually knows about Isabella and the others. And you."
"If she didn't I would actually be concerned, Inizia did play with her for a while, after all."
"Will someone please tell me what color I should paint my nails?" Khalida pouted.
"Red." I stated absentmindedly. The world froze.
"What did you say?" Khalida questioned. My eyes widened.
"Red." My mouth opened without my consent. "I said red."
"Isabella?"
"No, she's still Vera." Kaya murmured. "But how…how is she speaking…."
"What? What has frightened you?" Zylphia asked hesitantly.
"Her voice…it's not…" Kaya's voice shook.
"Interesting." Khalida's smile turned predatory. "You are aware and awake I see, Little Isabella. Though why you have slipped control of the vocal cords only is rather strange, if I do say so myself, especially since Vera is still in total control right now." There was no panic, no fear.
"A lamia, a ghost, and a forbidden demigod, what interesting company you do keep, Vera."
I took control for a second. "W-Why?" I managed to croak out. Why is she taking control of just my voice? Why is she interfering? Why is she talking about things that she already knows as if she was just discovering it?
"Because something interesting has happened. Vampires. Vampires are just so….interesting. Don't you think so too, Vera?" I was incapable of borrowing my mouth, her mouth, back. "I got bored, I was thinking of letting either Bambinesca or myself out for a bit to liven things up. But then, then we, you and I, Vera, came across that aura. I calmed myself, thinking that life was looking up. A day goes by and Big Brother-" Isabella's, Inizia's, strong voice cracked for a second, before she recomposed herself. "Big Brother left. I was angry. How dare he leave us, how dare he leave me. It was because of that little mortal girl. I calmed myself a little though, Bambinesca made sure of that. I pulled out my control, only letting my influence stay and let you run free, Vera. But the only interesting thing you did was attack that girl with a little influence from me and sent the kobaloi to distract the demigods. As such, I decided to intervene. So, how is my life?"
"You have had a wonderful time at the new Camp so far, Little Isabella, bantering and watching." Khalida answered. "Oh, and thank you for the recommendation, I do believe that red will serve me well, it is such a pretty color."
"Khalida. It has been far too long."
"A year since your creation last summoned me and a year and thirty days since we met. Yes, it has been a while. But, you forget, that I am immortal, a year flies by quickly."
"Then let us hope, then, that these next few months are full of entertainment for you. Enough to last you a century or two. Vera," Isabella started, her voice lowered an octave from a creepy giggle of a voice to a monotone "It should be known that I am Copia, a copy of Isabella." There was a shocked silence; even Khalida had not seen that coming. "She is too weak still to do more than influence you and take partial control. So she made me to speak for her, just this once. I will fade into memory after this. However, Our Prima wished for me to tell you, Vera, something important."
"Something…that she couldn't tell Vera herself?" The concept was new to me. And to Kaya if her question was anything to go by. If Isabella, My Inizia, wanted me to know something, she either shows me a memory relevant and watch me struggle or she intervenes slightly and tells me a hint, as she likes to watch me suffer like that. Almost like it would take more effort to just tell me directly. Never has she spoken to me through one of my Sisters instead.
"She wanted you to know that she won't delete you." I furrowed my brows, feeling control return to me completely as Copia faded from existence. I already knew that. Our creator can choose who is in power, even if we can force each other out. I know that she can 'kill' us, and I assume the others, however many that there are, know this to. It is instinctual knowledge.
"What. The. Fuck." Kaya was the first to speak. "Did you know that Isabella could do that?"
"No one really knows what Little Isabella is capable of." Khalida smirked. "For all we know, each of her 'other selves' has a different aspect of her power or maybe she can choose each to have any power in the world and that Vera is the identification of a daughter of Hades and Isabella is really a daughter of the Fates or Chaos."
"…What. The. Fuck." Kaya and I stated. "Are you trying to give her insane ideas?!" Kaya continued.
"Oh, Little Isabella, don't think too hard on what I just said." Khalida halfheartedly voiced.
"That's like telling a kid that candy tastes good, giving them candy, and then telling them not to eat it. IT DOESN'T WORK!" Kaya shouted.
Ring around
The Rosie
This darkness
It knows me
Ashes, ashes
We all go
DOWN!
Ahhahahahaha!
"Dammit, she thought about it." I sighed. "Kaya, I did not know that Isabella was capable was throwing one of my Sisters into control while I was still in control, but think of it like when we share but with two Others instead of an Other and the Creator."
"The fact that she made one just to tell you that is concerning. However, we are late and the bus is still waiting for us."
"Yes, however…" Zylphia tried to interject.
"Khalida."
"Yes, Izellah?" I blinked. I hadn't noticed that Inizia had slipped a thread of control back into this body. Not there is much when there is a Switch; it's only the personality and sometimes the voice that is different between me and my Sisters. From what Nico has told me in the past, not knowing what was happening but seeing it anyway, my voice becomes a little lighter, though not bubbly like Inizia's and my eyes go from chocolate brown to mahogany. The final difference is my attitude. Instead of protective, I become possessive. Instead of kind, I become nice. Small changes, but noticeable.
I sighed.
Time to face the music.
I agree with Vera and Kaya. What. The. Fuck.
I don't even know anymore. This story has completely escaped me and I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Sigh. The woes of being a writer. If there are any questions, ask me and I'll answer as long as it doesn't ruin any future surprises. Trust me; even I'm a little confused.