Me: I did say that I make no promises. O_o
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SHOUT OUT TO: AtlantaJackson95 for being the 500th reviewer! (And 487-515th... that's almost three pages O_O) This chapter is dedicated to her.
Guest I would love to have incorporated your idea in to a chapter, but I already have all the plots for the rest of the story planned out. :\ Sorry.
This is: Pain
This is: A Nico chapter as well, because even though I love the guy, I don't write about him nearly as much as I should.
This is: A highly AU. Like, HIGHLY. And do you remember how I said that this series would be an AH series? Well they are human. But the gods always have meddled with humanity...
I don't own PJO, but I do own Melanie Foster.
Nico
Summary preview: Difference spawns Fear. Fear evokes Hate. Hate nurses Pain.
-100DIWPJ-
When I was ten years old, my sister and I escaped from our foster parents' hotel/apartment place.
"Where are we going?" I asked, as Bianca pulled my arm. She didn't even glance back, just sped up her pace.
"Away. Far, far away from this hotel. Understand?" she told me, her voice high and tensed.
I frowned, but nodded anyways. Why would Bianca want to leave? We had lived there for almost six years. I thought it was home.
Looking at the advanced cars racing by, I realized that the world had changed a lot in six years.
-100DIWPJ-
"Finally." Bianca muttered as a small, rundown and rotting motel came into view. Bianca pulled out a wallet and- wait.
"Where did you get the wallet?" I questioned, my attitude only curious and not accusing.
Bianca smirked. "That snobby guy that shoved us out of his way. It wasn't that hard. His coat pocket was wide open for anyone to take it. Besides, we need the money a lot more then he does."
A twinge of guilt played out in my stomach as I watched Bianca set us up a room. The manager didn't even bother with finding out how old she was, and just gave her the room key.
That was the day that I realized the world doesn't care about anything but self-gain.
-100DIWPJ-
"Nico, get up. The police are searching this place. We gotta go before they find us."
I blinked tiredly up at her, but got up anyways. This wasn't the first time the police had searched the residence we had been staying at after all.
Throwing what little stuff I had laying around into my book-bag, I also made sure to erase any trace I could that showed people had once lived here.
I decided to ignore the way the shadows clung to our feet as we quickly snuck out of the hellhole.
-100DIWPJ-
By the time I was eleven, I had found out that the Greek gods were real. Not only that, but that for some reason, they liked having mortal champions.
Or at least, that is what the satyr told us a few hours before he got killed after monster attack and gave him an infected wound. He had been leading us to a meeting with Lord Hades. One of us was suppose to have ended up being his champion.
We eventually found the way there ourselves one month to the day before I turned twelve, and had our meeting with Lord Hades. There were a few... test to prove that we were strong enough not to embarrass him as a champion.
I left the Underworld, having passed each test well enough to earn the title 'Champion' and the formal name of 'Death-Bringer'.
Bianca stayed, her soul waiting to be judged, while her now life-less body was burned.
-100DIWOPJ-
When I turned twelve, I was taken to the Underworld to be trained.
Hours upon hours doing nothing but learning how to weld swords, daggers, certain types of guns, and archery. Dozens of escaping monsters fell by my hand, and on my rare days off, I realized that the spirits would part when I walked by in the Asphodel fields, never meeting my gaze.
Don't get me wrong- the Underworld wasn't a terrible place to live when you have free reign like I do. It can be alluring and frightening, but it is not evil - just silent and dark. There is no sorrow in the Underworld, but there is also no joy. Outside of the palace, it is nearly silent, broken only by the skeleton guards and the faint sound of the five rivers Lethe, Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon and Styx. Of course there are the Fields of Punishment as well. The screams there never stop, but if you spend enough time there (like Hades sentenced me to once after skipping training) the screams become easy to tone out and stop bothering you.
That experience is likely why I don't fly into panic whenever I hear even what would usually be a bloodcurdling scream.
The goddess Hecate (who started calling me her favorite nephew after the third time she visited), and the god Hypnos would occasionally visit the Underworld. Hecate would be at the palace as a reward for the whole Persephone abduction (I noted that although that was the case, the two would sit and gossip for hours) and Hypnos could be found at the River Lethe or in the palace discussing world topics with Hades. A few other minor gods and goddesses wandered around, but none that would approach me. And of course, there was Thanatos.
All of Thanatos' visits, some of Hecate's, and a few of Hypnos' would get me out of training for the day.
I learned that Charon wasn't that bad of a guy to hang out with (even if he was a complainer), Thanatos was highly confusing, and that the dead would randomly walk to the river Lethe only to never been seen again. I also learned that Hades had no humor. At all. And he had a serious superiority complex that usually took over during our lessons on how to be a weapon and how to use objects in my surrounding as a weapon.
My life was not easy, or even what most people would call 'normal'. But it was something that I was comfortable with and the gods and goddesses that ruled over me eventually became used to having a mortal around again.
Hades became a respected authority figure and Persephone a sort of bizarre adopted-mother as she was the one who taught me ballroom danging, constantly worried over me, fixed my hair at random times, and who took me above ground on my days off.
All in all, the Underworld became the home I hadn't had since I was a child.
-100DIWPJ-
Almost three years after I came to live in the Underworld, I came back from visiting the Asphodel fields looking for Bianca, only to be told that she had chosen to be reborn. I had never felt more alone than at that moment of my life. Sure, I hadn't seen Bianca since I was eleven but I had never really grieved for her after I learned that I would be living in the Underworld. In the back of my mind I always imagined that she was still with me, even if I couldn't see her.
Now she would always be gone, never to remember our childhood again.
Persephone eventually got me to stop moping over it with the idea of a more pressing issue then my family (or lack-of) issues.
Hades' family issues. We had been invited to a meeting of the gods to present their champions. Basically, the gods and goddess were only there for bragging rights. Somehow I ended up meeting two people who convinced me that I would be okay.
Their names are Percy Jackson and Melanie Foster.
-100DIWPJ-
I first met Percy Jackson when I was a little over a week away from being 15. I had been left at the entrance to Olympus to find my way on my own while Hades' teleported inside, and I somehow ended up completely lost. Lost in a place with impressive architecture, sure. But still lost.
Wandering down a hallway in hopes of finds the ever elusive music, I saw a guy maybe a year or two older than me cross by the end of the hallway. The thought of him being a god floated briefly through my mind, but once you live with a god and goddess, it's kind of hard not to be able to recognize one in an instant. This was either a minor god or a champion.
"Hey!" I yelled, running now in order to catch up with him. A few seconds later and I saw his head poke around the edge of the hallway. A shocked looked crossed his face when he saw me that morphed into an amused look. I finally caught up with him while he waited patiently.
"Hey. What are you doing here?" he asked, expression easy. But I could see the underlying tension, the way he was positioned that would make it easy for him to tackle me in a sudden attack. I moved to let my stance look casual, but still able to block if the need came.
"Party invitation." I answered curtly, a little miffed at his automatic assumption that I was dangerous. I mean, I am dangerous, but he could have at least been decent enough to not make assumptions.
"Did you find it and hope that this is some epic party or were you invited?"
"What is this, twenty questions? My patron was invited, so by extension, I was invited. Champion status and all that." I snapped.
His relaxed as soon as I mentioned having an invited patron. "Then I should probably show you the way to the ballroom. Don't look all freaked out. I'm guessing this is your first time here so your patron is either Apollo which is unlikely as he usually only takes girl champions, Ares, Hestia, or Hades. Hestia wouldn't leave you to fend for yourself, and I don't know the others well enough to know if they would or not. Oh, stop hesitating. You haven't been to an actual party before you go to an Olympus party. Trust me."
And I did, if only for the fact that I had no idea where I was going.
-100DIWPJ-
"So where do you live?" Percy asked as he steered me to a huge gated party.
"Oh you know. Hell. Despite what people think, it's actually pretty cold there most of the time." I answered flippant, eying the gates with distaste.
That earned a laugh and a pat on the back.
"I should have known. Hades' champion?" he asked, taking in my assemble. I raised my eyebrows but nodded.
"What about you? Where does Poseidon's chosen one live?" I mocked in good nature.
He shrugged as the gates opened up for us and we walked in. "Here and there. I grew up in Poseidon's palace though."
I nodded and stood at the entrance for a moment, taking it all in. The I followed the guy. As sad as it may be, he was the only person I knew well enough (aside from Hades, wherever he was) not to put me through some humiliating test.
So when we stopped by the nectar, I was extremely relieved. I hated parties with a passion, and becoming a wallflower was in my nature.
A shrill ring went off, the sound coming from the guy's book-bag. Many eyes turned our way, but no conversation was stopped, nor did the music falter. We must not have been important enough to render silence. Well, mostly. A tall blonde girl seemed to slip away from someone and started heading over.
"Poseidon is going to kill me." he muttered, taking off his book-bag and motioning for me to hold it.
"You work at a university?" I asked as the guy's- I really need to find out what his name was- open his bag showed his university sweatshirt.
"If you could call it 'work'. I'm the swim team's captain. For now, anyways. Poseidon has this thing with surprising me at random times with his presence and giving me orders to follow. Usually in some far, remote island." he explained, checking the text message and putting the phone back in his bag. I handed it back to him and his quickly threw it over his shoulders.
The tall blonde girl finally reached us and smirked. "You just completely embarrassed Lord Poseidon. I owe you one, Seaweed Brain." she told him, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Athena is never going to let him live this down. Ugh, I fail at being a champion of one of the Big Three." he sighed, then pointed at the suddenly laughing girl. "Shush, Annabeth. You may be Athena's golden girl, but I know that you don't know everything."
Annabeth raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
'Seaweed Brain' grinned triumphantly. "Like the name of Hades' champion."
Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed and she frowned before acknowledging me for the first time.
"Do you- wait. Shaw hair. Dark clothing. Lack of skin pigment. You are the champion of Hades. Cool." she said shortly, analyzing me, then turning back to Percy. "Who is he?"
"This is..." he waved his hand at me and awkwardly trailed off. I realized that he didn't know my name any more then I knew his.
"Nico." I answered shortly.
Annabeth smiled. "Well it's good to meet you, Nico. Although, I have to wonder why exactly you are with Percy." Percy. Burning question answered.
"He's a stray. Found him wondering the streets of Olympus this morning." Percy told her. I scowled.
"He is right here and able to speak, you know. And calling me a stray implies that I'm not a human, but rather an animal that you decided to keep as a pet."
Annabeth snorted. "Interesting point of view, Nico. Well Percy? What do you have to say for yourself?"
"Oh, don't go all psychiatrist on me. Or lawyer. Or whatever expensive profession you have stored in your spit-personalities that you use to make me answer things."
Annabeth laughed. "Big words. I'm so proud."
"Shut up, blondie. Just because you-" Percy broke off with an expression morph into neutral as the air around us dropped a few degrees. "Lord Hades. It's an honor." Percy told my patron with a almost-but-not-quiet hidden grimace. A hand came down on my shoulder.
"Flattery will get you no where, Storm-Bringer. Don't look so shocked; you look exactly like my brother. If I didn't know any better I would say that Poseidon broke the law the Fates gave us so long ago." Hades said, sounding completely bored.
Percy winced. "Well I grew up under his and Amphitrite's care, my lord. It is only to be expected."
I saw Hades wave his hand from the corner of my eye. "I suppose it is. Knowledge-Seeker." Hades greeted Annabeth. Annabeth gave him a tense nod that Hades returned before leading me away.
"Poseidon and Athena's champions? And here I thought you had better taste. At least they are both powerful allies." Hades mused as we got closer to a group of very powerful beings. I eyed them nervously. Judging from the looks they were giving Hades I was either going to be ignored to used as an anger outlet.
Fun.
-100DIWPJ-
"So you're the one Persephone gushes about? You know, the way she talks about you, one would think she sees you as her own son. " The goddess leaned down to whisper, "After all, she never did have children. As much as she hates your patron, they never have cheated on each other." she leaned back up and giggled. "Aren't they cute?" she exclaimed. I could only thank other godly occupants in the room that she was human sized.
I sighed. Lady Aphrodite had somehow got it in her head that I needed to be gossiped with and fussed over. Yeah, having the most beautiful woman I had ever seen pay attention to only me was a good thing at first, but seriously. I was almost 15. I didn't need to be babied.
Hades, the useless jerk that he was, was just standing back being ten feet tall and looking amused. Oh sure, be amused at my passive-aggressive torture. Jerk.
I downed what had to of been my third glass of nectar as I waited for someone to start the conversation back up.
Ares peered at me. "You're not a shrimp. That is about as good a statement I can say about you, kid. Do you even know how to fight?" Ares questioned a cruel smirk crossing his face. Aphrodite rolled her eyes but looked curious all the same.
I wanted to glare but even I knew that glaring at the god of war was a bad decision. "I grew up in the Underworld for the past four years where monsters roam free or attempt to escape. It is highly unlikely that I would be alive still if I did not know how to defend myself, Lord Ares." I said blandly. Ares narrowed his eyes.
"I didn't say anything about you knowing how to defend yourself. I asked do you know how to fight?"
I flipped my bangs out of my face. "Of course I do. Someone has to kill the escaping monsters. I know five different forms of martial arts and I'm at least a brown belt or above in all of them. Before I lived in the Underworld, I lived on the streets of New York with my sister. That says something by itself. I can kill a hellhound with ease. Cyclops can be a little tricky, but in the end none of them have ever gotten to the River Styx and crossed over." I glanced over at Hades before adding, "Unless Hades gives me specific instructions to allow them to pass, of course. So to answer your question Lord Ares, yes I can fight."
Ares gave me a searching look before acknowledging me with a satiated nod. Aphrodite grinned.
"I see Persephone got to you about your manners. Isn't he the cutest? Oh, if I didn't already have Silena, you just may have been out of a champion, Uncle." Aphrodite teased.
"For a mortal, the boy is unusually well at his job. I just may have challenged you for sponsorship of him. I'm certain Persephone wouldn't have been to pleased if he suddenly left either." Hades responded.
Aphrodite shrugged and then winced as her gaze found Artemis'. "Anyways... I'm going to go. Oh look! Your new champion. Mark correct?" I heard her ask Ares before they walked out of my hearing range, growing absurdly tall in the process.
"Well. That was certainly..." Hades trailed off as even he wasn't able to describe what had just happened. I scowled up at him.
"It was what? A completely pointless destruction of my pride? A failed power play?" I snapped. Hades just sighed.
"Reign in your temper. It would be highly annoying if I had to prove that you weren't just a failure of a champion just because one of the more gossip-prone guest decided to spread rumors. Of course, me proving my fact could likely get you killed and I would be free to find a different champion, but like I said. Persephone would not be pleased."
"Of course. I'm sorry for your inconvenience." I replied wearily and went in search of a familiar face that was actually mortal and not some shrunk god or goddess.
Percy saw me a few seconds before I saw him and he snagged my arm. I turned and saw a concerned Annabeth by his side.
"You know, most of the time I ignore other champions. It's difficult having to deal with them, and the personalities the Olympians drill into us. But I guess I realize that while we are allowed to live on our own, you have to stay in the Underworld, don't you?" Annabeth asked. When I nodded hesitantly she continued.
"I'm pretty sure you are going to end up with social issues if you don't start spending time on Earth and not just Olympus and the Underworld. We obviously can't go visit you- the Underworld has only been breached by the living twice. But if you ever get a day off, you should come and visit us." she told me.
"You know, I just got babied by Aphrodite. I'm not a pity case despite what you may think." I told her irritation shadowing my voice.
"We don't mean it like that. Come on, you're what? Fourteen, fifteen? Your social psych could already be gone, but that doesn't mean we can't attempt to do some damage control. Besides, you're pretty cool to hang out with. And you can't honestly tell me you like living around the dead and Hades all the time." Percy interjected.
"Here is our addresses, just in case you change your mind." Annabeth told me, handing me a slip of paper.
"You do know that I rarely get a day off, right? And that when I do Persephone tends to scheduled what I do on those days."
Percy made a face. "Is she like Hera or more like Amphitrite?"
"What?"
"Is she a total bitch to you like Hera is to my friend Thalia or is she a bit of a controlling mother like Amphitrite is to me?"
"Oh. I don't know. More like Aphrodite I guess. She's like my adopted mom should have been, I guess." I answered.
"Your adopted mom?" Annabeth questioned lightly.
"Yeah. My real mom died in childbirth so me and Bi-" my voice caught on her name, and I closed my eyes in a long blink before continuing. "So me and my sister were put in the orphanage. We got adopted out fairly soon, considering that we were to be adopted as a pair or not at all. I was four when they took us to the hotel and B-Bianca was six. We left six years later on a summons from Lord Hades through a satyr." I fudged the details some but gave them the gist of my life.
I began to wonder just how much nectar I had drank if I was spilling this much of my life's story to basically strangers.
"Both of you? And since all the test are similar with only slight personal changes, that means... Gods, Nico I am so sorry." Annabeth apologized. I waved it off.
"Don't be. It wasn't your fault and even if it was, there isn't anything you could have done to change what happened. Except kill me off. And then I would probably be pissed off."
"If you say so..." she trailed off.
I nodded.
"On to lighter topics," Percy began before going off into a ramble about the music he was hearing. Of course, I was listening to Three Days Grace, and Annabeth commented on how she was hearing some classical music, but whatever.
It was a different topic and I was cool with that.
-100DIWPJ-
Escaping to Percy's while Hypnos distracted Hades, I hesitantly knocked on his door. Percy answered it, a bowl of cheerios in his left hand, and a cell phone tucked between his shoulder and cheek. He motioned for me to come in. I did so hesitantly.
"Dude. Be serious. Triton hates coming above water. There is no way that was him." Percy protested to whoever was on the phone with him. There was a muffled reply and Percy's face twisted. "I'm sure that there are a lot of Perseus' out there." Yet another muted reply and Percy's face went back to a wary smile. "Yeah, probably not with the last name Jackson. Okay, whatever. If I see the bastard I'll be sure to slam the door in his face. Now I got to go. I'll talk to you later. And thanks for the heads up." Percy told them, waited a few more seconds, then snapped the phone closed.
"Oh gods. This sucks." he sighed as he started eating his cereal again.
"What? The cereal or the Triton guy?" I questioned. Percy looked over at me like he had forgotten I was there and tilted his head before swallowing.
"It is you. Cool. I'm glad you took up the offer to escape from your insane patron and talk to a normal person once in a while." Percy teased.
I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't go so far as to call you normal. Besides, Persephone makes sure I'm alive. And Hypnos, Thanatos and Aunt Hecate visit all the time." I defended myself. Percy snorted.
"You do realize that you just made your situation sound ten times worse? I mean, living with one god is hard. Living with two growing up is stupid. Living with three, like I did when I was growing up, is highly unhealthy for your social skills, emotional responses, and lookout on life. Four is a good way to get yourself killed. Painfully. But five? Five? And calling one of them 'Aunt'? It's a miracle that you haven't completely lost your mind. And Zeus, two of them were death gods, one represents the river Lethe, one is a goddess that finds pleasure in turning people into potion ingredients, and the last is a very bitter Queen." Percy told me incredulously. I snorted.
"We are getting off topic. Are you upset with your cereal or the question of the Triton guy visiting you?"
Percy narrowed his eyes and threw his spoon at me. "It's the cereal, Nico. It's totally the cereal." Percy stood up and walked into his kitchen before continuing. "It's Triton. Before you ask, think about it. Triton lives underwater. He uses my Greek name."
It clicked. "Poseidon's son?" I asked.
"Yeah. I grew up with that idiot. Thinks he is better than me because I'm not an immortal. At least I'm not some half-mortal. If I was then not only would he have killed me and had far too much fun in the process, he would have mocked me at every turn he had." Percy confessed.
"At the champion's party, you said that you had been under Poseidon's guardianship since you could remember. How did that happen?"
Percy's eyes flicked over to me before looking off to the side of my face.
"My mother caught the attention of Poseidon. She had the Sight."
"The-"
"You know how our patrons did something that made it to where we can see the mythological world better than we used to be able to? They enhanced our already natural Sight. That is what they call it when a mortal can see the mythological world." Percy explained before sighing and grabbing a discarded tool box.
"So anyways, my mom turns out to have the Sight but isn't a champion. Poseidon figures it out and he reassures her that she isn't insane and in fact, has a very rare gift. He offers to help her understand it- not a good choice considering that I'm pretty sure that he was going to start hooking up with her and creating an illegal demigod- but she declines. I guess he wanted to ensure a backup plan so he made her promise to contact him if she was ever with child. Just in case her offspring had the Sight as well. Anyway, Poseidon had his current champion assigned to helping her understand what the Sight was showing her."
Taking a long look at my face he said, "If you have questions, save it until the end. I'm almost done. So my mother is practically being stalked by my successor and through it all, somehow they end up getting married. I know, random right? So Poseidon, the jealous god he is, kills off his own champion. Well my mother was already pregnant with me and once I was born, Poseidon killed her off too. I think it had something to do with her rejecting him all those years ago yet getting together with his underling. So here is this child that may or may not be able to see the actual world- though considering both of his parents could, its a good chance that he will as well- and Poseidon kidnaps the child and brings to his underwater palace, and hands the child over to Amphitrite." Percy then waves a hand at himself.
"So seventeen years later, you end up with me. Wasn't that a cute story?"
I laughed. "Fairy-tale like." I mocked.
Percy shrugged. "Whatever. Now you know my pre-life story. Woooh."
"Is every champion's life as weird as ours?"
Percy thought about it for a moment. "I don't think Pollux is- wait. Dead twin. Right. Um... Luke has a crazy mother... Beckendorf's family was burned alive right before Hephaestus found him... Rachel. My friend Rachel has a normal life, if you don't count the fact that she is insanely rich. And I think that's it. Wow. We are a group of really messed up teenagers."
Wasn't that the truth?
-100DIWPJ-
I watched as Ares entered with a new champion at the Winter Solstice; it was a girl this time.
"That is the third new champion for Ares this year. Do they all just die off or quit, or what? Wait. Can we even quit?" I pointed out, tilting my head.
Annabeth laughed. "If only. No. It's like a gang or the Mafia. Once you agree to the test, you are a champion until you die or hit the forty mark. Then you have the option of dying quickly or having your entire life erased. By that point of your life, if you haven't died by then, it's a lot easier and kinder to just be killed quickly."
"Umm."
"The memory eraser... doesn't always work. Sometimes the charm is broken and you go insane, or you wake up and some guy from your past that hates you is suddenly trying to kill you for a reason you don't remember, and you can still see the world of the gods but no longer understand what going on. Not to mention that you have no history and can't really get a job anywhere without raising suspicion with the government. Besides, most of us don't have a family that we can call 'family' to go back to. Our patrons are the only family we have, a depressing as that may be." Annabeth explained a light tone of longing and sorrow in her voice.
"Oh. I'm sorry for your loss, Knowledge-Seeker." I told her, adding the formal name to give it sincerity. Even I could tell that she had lost someone to this life.
A quick glance at my face and a small, bitter smile crossed her lips. "I'm sure you are, Death-Bringer." she muttered, trying and failing for me not to hear. I resisted a scowl at the formal name I had been given so long ago and waited for her to realize that she never answered my first question.
I didn't have to wait long.
"You asked about Ares' champion, War-Bringer, correct?" She asked after a few minutes. I nodded, eyes narrowed.
"Ares is the god of war. His ideal training is giving his champion out to foreign countries as child-soldiers. This new girl, Clarrisse I believe, likely won't last long either." Annabeth laughed for a moment. "Poor thing." she mocked before patting my shoulder and walking away to mingle with other guest.
-100DIWPJ-
"What is the point of formal names if we just reuse them?" I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. We were sitting on a trampoline at Annabeth's current house, waiting for her to get back from visiting the college she was hoping to go to next year.
"You want to know why each champion is given the same formal name as the one before them, or why they have a formal name at all?" Percy asked slightly bemused.
"Both. And what they are for each champion." I told him, frustrated that even almost four years of being a champion I still didn't understand everything.
This is what happens when your patron has social issues and the other guardian doesn't care about champion politics.
"Well, I don't really know why we have them. I think it has something to do with identification. Same thing on why they never change. Like, you are Death-Bringer. I am Storm-Bringer. Annabeth is Knowledge-Seeker. One of my friends, Thalia, is Oath-Seeker. They all show you- or at least the other Olympians- exactly who the champion's patron is." he explained.
"Oath-Seeker?" I questioned.
Percy smirked. "She would hate you. Zeus is the god of Oaths. Despite the irony of that statement, it is true. You know Zeus' champion is Thalia the Oath-Seeker, Hera's is some guy named Jason, called Vengeance-Bringer. I think, but I'm not sure, that Jason and Thalia are half-siblings. It would certainly be ironic." Percy snickered. "The black and white risk taker, the older sister to the boy who only follows discipline and is golden and gray."
I decided that I could ask about those odd identifications later and motioned for Percy to continue.
"Oh, right. Um, Aphrodite's champion is a girl named Silena, the Pleasure-Seeker. I know it sounds sexual, but I think it was meant as laughter pleasure, considering that Aphrodite is sometimes called the Queen of Laughter. Anyways, Dionysus' is a guy a little older than me named Pollux, called Madness-Bringer, Hermes' is Annabeth's friend Luke, simply known as the Thief-Seeker. He's in college now we don't see him much anymore. Ah, Hestia's is a girl this time, and before you ask, no I don't know her actual name only that her formal is Hearth-Seeker. Ares' is War-Bringer. She is a complete killjoy. " Percy suddenly laughed.
"Apollo's champion is a girl named Rachel Elizabeth Dare. If you ever meet her, blurt the name out before she does. Otherwise she will say it in the introduction and I will have lost quite a lot of money. They call her Prophecy-Bringer. Almost all of Apollo's champions are the new Oracle or at least linked to the actual Oracle. Artemis has had the same champion for as long as the tradition has been going on. Her name is Zoe and I warn you now; she hates all men. Something to do with Hercules. I honestly don't understand. They call her Night-Bringer. Hephaestus' champion is obviously called Fire-Bringer and his name is Beckendorf. Really cool guy, just... don't get on his bad side. And who else?" Percy asked as he started to tick the Olympians off his fingers.
He stared at his hands for a moment then snapped. "That's right! Demeter. Her champion is a girl called Melanie Foster. Season-Bringer. And there you have it. All fourteen of them."
I nodded, taking the information in and storing it.
"You ever notice how we all look like our patrons?" Percy asked, after a few moments. I slightly reeled back in surprise but then thought it over. Percy was like a mini clone of Poseidon. Annabeth had blonde hair, but had many similar traits to Athena. Hell, I look like Hades a bit to much for my comfort. After years of only visiting a world where there was a sun (and even then, it was always winter), your skin tends to pale significantly.
"Well now that you have mentioned it..."
"Yeah. It's Olympian thing. Once they take you on as a champion, your features start to morph slightly to look like them. I was given to Poseidon at birth, hence me looking like a younger him. Annabeth has been under Athena's care since she was about fifteen. So, only four years ago. How long have you lived in the Underworld?" Percy asked.
"Since I was twelve. I'm sixteen now. So a little over four years." I told him. Percy looked mildly surprised.
"Really? Huh. I guess since you live with him it worked faster, but still... I don't know. Maybe you were just born destine to look like Hades."
I threw the first thing I could find at him. My shoe hit his shoulder.
Percy just laughed.
-100DIWPJ-
"I really do need to find new friends." I told Percy as I walked into Annabeth's house, prepared to do whatever they had planned for the day. I heard the shower going from somewhere in the house and mentally noted not to go to the bathroom until I was sure Annabeth was done showering.
Percy grinned. "So you were right! Cool. I'll have to tell Rachel that giving Lord Hades a migraine through Apollo was an excellent way of breaking you out of there. And Persephone?"
I shrugged. "It's Spring. She is visiting Demeter for a few months. Though I'm sure she will appreciate the gift later."
"Demeter, huh? How interesting." a voice said from behind me. I turned around and saw a girl maybe a year younger than me, with wheat blonde hair and a tan.
"Melanie Foster. Champion of Demeter." she told me, sticking out her hand. I shook it automatically, the manners Persephone had drilled into me showing.
"Nico di Angelo. Champion of Hades." I introduced myself and saw Percy raise his eye brows.
"Di Angelo?" he mouthed and I realized that he hadn't known my last name. Ha. I got my burning question over his name answered within the hour. He had to wait over a year. I do believe I win.
"So... you know Percy and Annabeth?" I asked. Melanie nodded, a small glint in her eyes.
"You could say that. Champion war and all that. Anyways, I just wanted to stop in and say that Demeter requires a meeting with Athena. I'll be on my way... as soon as I raid your refrigerator for something junk-food like. You have no idea how little of junk-food I'm allowed to have." Melanie told Percy and then set out to look for the kitchen.
I raised my eyebrows.
"Hey, you were the one saying that you needed more friends. So what if she is on a different side of the champion war? Annabeth and I are, and so are we. Now leave with her because I only made enough food for me and Annabeth." Percy defended.
"Wow. I'm not even here five minutes and your kicking me out? Thanks, really."
"Hush. You know that if I were to let you stay that between the three of us we wouldn't even have enough food for a light snack. And besides- Melanie isn't that bad of a person. Okay, yes, her patron hates your patron, but Demeter isn't the kind of goddess that would use mortal as her pawns. I think."
"I feel so reassured." I muttered.
Melanie walked back in, a bag of brownies in one hand, a bag of chips in the other, and a soda bottle between her teeth. Carefully grabbing the soda bottle in the same hand as the brownies, she said, "Did you just set up a blind date for me?" she asked, amusement glinting in her eyes.
"Yes. Now leave, take him with you, and I'll tell Annabeth that I was the one who raided her kitchen." Percy compromised. Melanie was silent for a moment, looking me over before grinning.
"You, Mr. di Angelo, are very luck that a younger Hades is a sexy Hades. Follow me." she said, put the soda bottle back in her mouth, handed off the bag of chips to me while she got the door and waited for me to follow her out.
I threw one last confused look back at Percy before the door swung shut in my face.
-100DIWPJ-
"So Death-Bringer, how exactly did you end up at Knowledge-Seeker's place?" Melanie asked, walking besides me. I glanced over at her and saw her eying me with curiosity.
"I got lost at the Champion Ball. Percy found me and somehow Annabeth found us when-"
"When Storm-Bringer's phone went off. I remember. How odd that it did. I know for a fact that had the gods been more careful about their affairs, Percy Jackson would likely not have even thought of having a cell phone. Monsters are attracted to technology, you see. But as we are mortals not some demigod treat, we are allowed to indulge a little more. Monsters hesitate before attacking most of us. They aren't completely mindless and suicidal, despite what many would say." Melanie theorized.
I scowled. "Demigod. I keep hearing that word, but I have absolutely no idea what it means."
Melanie raised an eyebrow. "Really? Huh. I guess you wouldn't, seeing how you spent most of your life sheltered in the Underworld under the only faithful couple of the Olympians. A demigod is a being that is half mortal and half god. There used to be a lot of them, but Fate had some premonition that the world would perish in the distant future if there was still a demigod, so they went through and killed them all. Not even Artemis' band of Hunter's was spared. After that, the Fates told the gods- all the gods and goddesses, not just the Olympians- that if any of them had a child with a mortal, they would be punished severely and the child would more than likely be born stillborn. Of course, Zeus decided to test this. He ended up in Taurus for fifty years." Melanie smirked and rolled her eyes.
"As such, none of the gods or goddesses have had a child with a mortal as far as I know. But after Zeus finally came back, the Olympians knew that they were in trouble. They used their children as a means to influence the mortal realm and didn't really know what to do without them. So they all took a tip from Hera and began to choose special mortals that could see through the Mist. And so the choosing of champion's was born." Melanie concluded.
"Huh. I wonder what that premonition was."
Melanie raised an eyebrow. "You live with multiple gods. Ask them." Melanie tilted her head and then added, "Perhaps it was some Great Prophecy that was going to end badly."
"Maybe." I replied as we passed a flower shop. "Do you want flowers?" I asked, completely unashamed of my less than romantic question. Thankfully, Melanie just looked amused and took my hand before leading me into the shop.
After a little shopping, musing over the universe, and just random banter, we decided to meet back up in a week for a second date.
-100DIWPJ-
"You're pretty cool, di Angelo." Melanie commented as we walked back to the hotel she was staying at.
"I could say the same about you, Foster."
I looked over at her and saw her smiling that content smile at me. I glanced at our reflected hands in the library's window, and I smiled back at her. Maybe this relationship wouldn't be a complete disaster after all.
-100DIWPJ-
It was three months later when we were walking around LA that Melanie finally asked how I had became a champion. I had known her long enough, and she was my girlfriend. It wasn't like I had any reason not to tell her when I had told Percy and Annabeth the first time I met them (even if it was under the influence of nectar).
So I took a deep breath and told her everything from how my mother had died, what I remembered of the orphanage, moving in with my adopted family, running away when I was ten, living on the streets for almost two years, and finally how Bianca had died when I had lived.
Melanie looked at me for a moment.
"You would be uncomfortable if I gave you a hug. My words of sorrow for your pain means nothing to you, since I did not know her personally. A joke would be highly inappropriate. So I will apologize for not being able to think of something that would help you through your pain."
Finally. Someone who got it.
"Apology accepted. Don't worry- I haven't found that certain happy thing yet either."
A sad smile.
-100DIWPJ-
"For someone who lives in the Underworld, you certainly hate Halloween." Melanie commented, amused at my silent torture of this ridiculous 'holiday'.
"Of course I do! Don't you see what people have done to these once feared beings? Destroyed them! Their pathetic attempts to become something terrifying usually don't even match the actual image of what they were going for due to horrible misinterpretation. They stereotype spirits and other monsters of the Underworld. And do you see how these people fear the Christian devil above any other creature? And that they fear unrealistic serial killers and zombie as a close second? Zombie's Melanie! As if Hades, Thanatos, or even myself would be careless enough to allow a dead body to regain mobility. And what is with their fascination of immortality? Don't they understand that just because you are immortal doesn't mean that you will no longer age? Sure, the beings that grant immortality usually throw in non-aging as a bonus, but they don't always go hand in hand! And why do people suddenly gain the power of gods if some creature bites them during a full moon or as a food source? The very concept that this 'holiday' is based on makes my head spin and disgust me." I ranted, uncaring of the entertained and slightly insulted looks I was receiving.*
Melanie was one of the entertained. "I am never watching a horror movie with you." she told me calmly.
"Thank gods. All the decent ones are still highly unrealistic and utterly pointless. Gods I hate Halloween."
"Now, now. Don't worry the party will be over soon, and then you will be able to return back to your home to live with the true terrors that you love so much." Melanie soothed, patting my arm.
"Good." I grumbled, glaring at a small child that winced before turning and running away. Melanie started snickering.
I was never attending Halloween in the Aboveworld again.
-100DIWPJ-
"So Hades is letting you out of lock down for the winter? That's awesome! Because Poseidon just gave me the mission to go to Long Island. Now, that probably wouldn't be a problem for you since you seem to be able to get here in Manhattan from LA in just a few minutes- it's kind of creepy by the way- but if you're going to be out all summer you should come with us. Annabeth is already there doing some project for Athena."
"Why Long Island?"
"It has the basic and/or advance training camp there. All champions have to go there at some point in their lives to prove that they are worthy of a quest. The centaur from Greek mythology named Chiron teaches us there. Sometimes Zeus punishes one of the Olympians with the task of helping the newbies. I have to go there so that Poseidon can show the other gods that I'm ready for an actual quest instead of just errands. Annabeth went last year, and that was where she met Luke. I don't think Thalia has gone yet, but that may be because Zeus is paranoid and doesn't like letting her off Olympus." Percy explained
"I'll see what I can do. Although Hades would deny it if asked, we all know Persephone has the final say in matters that pertain to what I'm doing with my life. She-" I cut off as I caught sight of Melanie. She walked up to me, waved at Percy, and slung her arm around my waist.
"What is this I hear about you leaving?" she muttered, low enough that Percy wouldn't be able to hear. I look down at her and gave her a reassuring smile.
"No worries. I'm pretty sure I won't be able to go anyways." I whispered to her and then refocused on Percy.
"Like I said, I'll see what I can do. Anyways, as you can probably see, I have plans for today, so I'll see you later. Okay?" I told him, adding the question as a habit and not an actual question. Percy nodded in acceptance before pulling a card out of his pocket. "Just in case you can come." he told me and with that we parted ways.
"Are you really going to ask?" Melanie asked as I tucked the card into my back pocket, ignoring the fancy font.
"Probably but that would be it. I mean, it's not as if Hades doesn't already know by now. He going to expect me to ask and if I don't I could be risking some minor anger from Poseidon for lying to his champion. But don't worry. Persephone doesn't like me going on long trips away from the Underworld when she is still there. She can be a bit of a mother hen at times. I guess it's because she is pretty much stuck there in the winter with only Hades and occasionally Hecate and that she just likes the company of someone else."
Melanie snorted. "Trust me, that isn't it at all. Take a good look at the three of you and then remember that she is childless. Think about it when you get home. For now, we are in New York during November. It's cold and I can see at least two Starbucks from here."
Melanie dragged me along, telling me something to do with a friend of hers from her childhood (Katlin something?) who had recently tried drugs and how she (Melanie) was curious on how it would affect her system. I gave vague answers on the stereotypical 'Drugs are bad' response, but was mostly just thinking things over.
What did she mean, 'look at the three of you'?
-100DIWPJ-
I had slipped away from one of Persephone's 'shopping' trips when I saw Melanie talking to Lady Demeter. Demeter was scowling and Melanie just looked resigned, even as she seemed to be agreeing to whatever they were talking about. I decided to wait on the sideline until they were done discussing and then use Melanie as an excuse to get me out of shopping (though the action may backfire and become some horrible meet-the-mother thing). Demeter's voice rose sharply and I could make out the words, "Finish you're assignment!" before she seemed to disintegrate.
Melanie frowned at the world. I walked up behind her and was almost close enough to cover her eyes when she spun around. Her frown increased.
"What are you doing here, di Angelo?" she demanded, folding her arms. I blinked at her harsh tone and automatically responded with one of my own.
"What do you think I'm doing? Is it no longer legal for me to wonder the streets of America?"
Melanie scowled. "You're just a freaking bastard sometimes, di Angelo."
I reeled back, surprised at her accusation. Sure, we had our fights like anyone else, but we rarely resorted to name-calling. over sarcasm "Oh, I'm bastard am I? You really want to go down that road?"
Melanie's face flushed with embarrassment. "This right here is why I could never let myself actually be attached to you, Nico. You like to pull secrets out of thin air that you know would have the most damage. You don't care what happens to others when you are determined to get something, and then you continuously verbally attack those you find lower than yourself. You have absolutely no respect for your patron, y-"
"Shut. Up. You have no idea how much I respect my patron, his wife, and their friends. Don't you dare say that I don't. And what the Hades are you talking about, 'attached'?" I snapped, my anger swirling. Melanie sneered.
"Attached, Nico. It means to care for one. If I'm not attached to you, then obviously I don't care about you." And with those last words she lunged forward with a dagger she pulled out of her jacket sleeve.
I jumped backwards, making Melanie miss. She looked at where I had been a moment ago then to where she was now and her face twisted in frustration. I backed up a bit more as Melanie recovered. Before she could attempt to murder me again, someone grabbed her arms.
"Nico! Are you okay?" Persephone asked, her voice higher than normal, completely ignoring the struggling girl in her hands.
"Of course, Lady Persephone." At my words Melanie stiffened and dropped her dagger. Persephone seemed to notice her and spun her around so that she could see her. Persephone analyzed her for a moment then nodded.
"You are my mother's little pawn, are you not?" she asked, a grim look on her face. Melanie nodded, not meeting her eyes. Persephone pursed her lips and then sighed. "Okay then. Go report to my mother that you failed. And be sure to tell her that if she ever sends you or anyone else out to try and harm Nico I will personally rip them to shreds and then send the body parts back to her? Am I understood?"
Melanie paled. "Y-yes Ma'am." she whispered. Persephone let her go.
"Oh, and one more thing," Persephone said before reaching out and slapping Melanie across the face. Hard. Melanie cried out and put both of her hands on the right side of her face.
"That was for leading my son on, you little slut." Persephone finished before grabbing me by my shoulders and leading me away. I allowed it, completely silent the entire way home.
-100DIWPJ-
"You are telling me that my sister- you're mother- Demeter tried to have my champion killed?" Hades asked in disbelief.
"Yes. She had her champion- a Melanie Foster- enter a false romantic relationship with Nico. I'm assuming it was to get his guard down, but it might have been just to tear you two down a bit by having someone you trusted betray you like that. Thankfully, Nico talked to me long enough to confirm that while Melanie gave up quite a few of her patron's secrets, Nico kept your secrets. He said it was something to do with not wanting to lose your respect and trust. Nico slipped away today and by the time I found him, all I saw was someone trying to kill my favorite mortal. I did not kill her out of consideration of my mother, but next time I will not hesitate to destroy her or anyone else Demeter may send." Persephone summarized.
I sat in front of Hades' throne, not interrupting her, not adding any detail. Somewhere between the long walk back to one of the entrances of the Underworld and the meeting with Hades, what happened to day had finally sunk in. The girl that I almost allowed myself to loved tried to kill me. Persephone defended me like I was her own child. Lady Demeter wanted me dead.
I could feel Hades' stare on my back. He began to stand, and I immediately did as well, moving to get out of his way.
Hades turned me to where I could see both him and Persephone as they stood side by side, both in their human form. Hades was studying me with his black, soul sucking eyes, while Persephone was glancing between the two of us, her eye color changing at a constant speed.
Looking at the both of them standing beside each other, I finally understood what Melanie had been talking about when she said "Look at the three of you and remember that Persephone is childless." Hell, even Percy had commented on my strong resemblance to Hades, despite me only living with my patron for a little over four years. I looked very much like a younger Hades, though my face structure was oddly like Persephone's. From the outside, someone who knew nothing about us would naturally assume that we were a family.
Persephone viewed me as the son she never had. The thought was bittersweet, because I knew I would never live to be over forty, and she would only end up childless again.
"Are you going to be okay?" Hades' voice broke through my thoughts and I started slightly.
"Of course, Lord Hades. She is only a girl. I will be fine." I recovered and winced when I saw Persephone's eyes soften as she looked at me.
"I am going to put that to the test. I want you to tell me everything you learned on Demeter from that Foster girl." Hades' warned. I blinked, recalling information I had stored out of habit more than anything, and listed it off, utterly indifferent. I used indifference as a mask to cover up the pain and anger I was currently going through even though I was certain my patron and Persephone didn't fall for it.
When I was done, Hades looked satisfied. "Excellent. You did well Nico. Why don't you... take the rest of the week off?" Hades suggested and Persephone threw him a small smile while I looked on, stunned.
"I- thank you."
"Don't mention it. Now get out. I have business to attend to." Ah, there was the Hades the world knew and disliked. I gave the two gods before me a quick bow before returning to my room.
I was not expecting to see an Iris Message there, nor prepared to see Melanie's face. Just as I was preparing to slash through the connection, she spoke up.
"Nico, please listen to me! It's important. We need to talk about what happened today." Melanie pleaded. I closed my eyes.
"You tried to kill me. That's pretty much it."
"Nico, please. Just let me explain." I made the mistake of opening my eyes and looking at Melanie's haunted face. I sighed.
"Where and when?"
-100DIWPJ-
We both decided it would be safer to meet in a public place two days later. Out of everywhere we could have gone, she chose the damn library where I had decided that I actually liked her. As we awkwardly met behind a counter and the portable wall, I noticed that she kept her right hand in her jacket pocket the entire time. She looked terrible. Her eyes were bloodshot, skin drawn and pale, hair tangled. I noted the way her veins were raised slightly and wondered if she had finally given into Katelin's attempts to get her to try drugs.
"I thought I could trust you." So she was bitter and upset over something. I wonder what- wait. Hades had been talking about using the secrets I had given him soon. It seems that he didn't waste any time at all. And Demeter seemed to have put two and two together if you took Melanie's appearance into account.
Okay, so yes I took all her dirty little secrets and gave them to Hades, therefore putting her in disfavor, but honestly. She was trying to kill me secretly anyway. At the moment, the only I regretted was not killing her for her attempted murder and taking Percy up on his offer to travel with him to Long Island.
I laughed, albeit mockingly. "Melanie, haven't you got with the program yet? Trust is the most stupidest thing a person can give to a minion of Hades. It's what we do. We betray others and hold impressive grudges."
I was not prepared when she pulled out a gun and aimed it at me. From the smug look on her face, she had known I wouldn't be.
"You know, out of the seven sins, the level of hell that is most terrifying and carries the most agony is the level for those who betray." she told me in that still hurt yet patronizing tone of her's that I had finally come to realized she used only when she wasn't able to have something.
"Then I guess it's a good thing I've lived there for years." I countered, unnerved by the gun pointed at me. I decided to switch topics.
"I thought we came here to talk about you almost killing me."
"Oh, grow up. I didn't even scratch you. And you know, last night I really wanted to talk thing over. But now, after facing Demeter's wrath? The time for talking things through is over."
A quick shifting of her wrist was all the warning I got as Melanie shot the gun. I didn't even have time to think of an escape let alone proceed with one.
The gun had been aimed straight at my heart but in that split second I had enough time to move slightly to where she only ended up hitting the right side of my chest instead of my heart.
I wondered if this meant that she had literally torn out a piece of me before deciding that was way to teen-angst even for me and I could always ponder the metaphorical and physical meanings of it later.
I knew I should be screaming in pain or some other cliche act of horror, (and with the white-hot pain that was searing through my chest I would likely either pass out or die soon) but instead a choked gurgle sound escaped my lips as Melanie walked away and shot a lighting wire, skillfully dodging the sudden rush of people coming to my aid, panicking, or trying to stop her from leaving.
I watched as a woman who was clearly in her late forties, early fifties tried to tell me something even as her words slurred together into senseless noise as my semi-consciousness descended into that awful death-bringing darkness.
-100DIWPJ-
Hades sighed as he looked down at me. I defiantly glared up at him. I mean, come on. He was sitting on a throne. A Gothic, sinister throne, sure. But it was still a throne put there for the sole purpose of showing the Underworld just who was in control. Or for this instance, to mock his pseudo-son. I suppose I should be thankful that he wasn't standing up and making my self-worth feel like even more of an ant with him towering over me at 10 feet tall, but I wasn't. I never did respond well to authority.
"What do you want me to do exactly? Give you back your life?" Hades sneered, his voice echoing off the dark stone walls. Taking the stone walls, the Gothic throne, and how the only light came from random candle's placed around the room, I was going with the theory that he had a serious love of all things creepy.
Of course, I was wearing the whole emo/goth look with the shaw hair to match, so I had absolutely no room to talk.
I shrugged. "That would certainly be helpful if I was actually dead, but moot point considering I'm still breathing. Sort of. I think. Possibly bleeding to death as we speak."
Hades just rolled his eyes. "You had so much potential. You were my champion for a reason, little mortal. It's all been wasted now. And for what? A fight with a angered girl?" Scorn and disgust were readily available in his voice as the shadows of the room swirled with his ever-growing irritation.
"Pretty much."
Hades glared for a moment before apparently deciding to let the matter go. "So be it. Leave. Go haunt someone else with your free time before Thanatos or Charon calls your soul back to the Underworld for judgment. The Roman demigods seem rather fond of ghost."
"I hate Italy."
Hades actually laughed at that, his mood switching instantly. "You are Italian, di Angelo. Are you condemning your own homeland?"
"Yes."
The amused look never faded from Hades' face even as I felt him force my lingering spirit somewhere else.
-100DIWPJ-
I woke up to the sound of people screaming, crying, and just general chaos. The library I had met with Melanie in was now filled with a noticeable fog. Shifting to get a better look at what was going on, I realized what a terrible idea that would be. But instead of searing hot pain running through me, I felt nothing. Looking down at my chest, I found out why. What was suppose to be a gaping wound in my heart was smooth and unblemished. Not even a scar to show how much damage I had been through.
The fire I could now see was beginning to burn the counter by my feet, on the other hand, was something I should probably avoid. I scooted backwards with my elbows, jumped up, stood still for a second to let the dizziness pass, and began to scan the area for some sort of exit that didn't involve the flaming door or breaking down a strong oak bookcase that had fallen in front of the emergency escape exit. I pressed my t-shirt over my nose and mouth before seeing a glint of glass. The window.
Okay, so there was one escape option. Consequence of using this escape option? The fresh oxygen could very well fuel the flames enough for them to make something explode and kill what few people who weren't already burning alive or passed out from too much smoke inhalation.
Speaking of smoke inhalation... I scrunched my nose up and held back a cough that would likely kill me with the large gasps that would follow it. The window as looking better and better.
Risking it, I grabbed a slightly burned dictionary on my way over and threw it at the window, using my foot to kick out the rest of the glass. As expected, the fire suddenly leaped up, scorching the walls even more and what few people that hadn't been screaming suddenly started. Opps. Ah well, someone else's life for my life, right?
Ignoring the glass digging into my hands and the screaming citizens, I hefted myself up, and basically threw myself out the window, into the street below.
Thank Hades for one-story buildings.
Rolling to break the impact some, I jumped up and took a deep breath of air. I let my lungs fix themselves before I started running blindly, desperate to get anywhere that was away from all the smoke.
Take care, di Angelo. Use this chance well. Not many people amuse me. Not all that do are gifted. Don't fail me again.
"I would give you my word, but as you likely already know, my word is nothing more then a string of syllables that causes mass confusion when events don't line up with what those listening expected."
Faint laughter rung through my mind, as I finally stopped running, only to find myself leaned against the brick wall of what seemed to be a Catholic church. Oh irony, how you and karma must conspire to make my life horrible and confusing. I took comfort from the fact that I knew Persephone was furious and would likely hunt Melanie down before she even got back to Demeter's protection.
I shook my head, not ready to go down that train of thought and reached in my back pocket. I took out the Camp Half-Blood's advertisement card that I had kept with me for just a gut feeling. Glancing over the number to see if they were still legible, I nodded in satisfaction.
That phone number would come in handy these next few days.
-100DIWPJ-
Me: O_O It's so long...
Thoughts? I honestly want to know if you liked it or not. I myself, did not. But that is my opinion and is largely based on the fact that I have been writing this for over a month and I'm sick of looking over it.
It's so utterly AU it isn't even really PJO anymore. Oh well. I'm sorry if this seemed rushed, but I have been writing it for so long that I just wanted this chapter DONE. Over. Finished. Whatever lets me stop writing it.
There are a few blurry spots that have contradicting myths (such as if Persephone ever did have children or not) but I decided to go with the most agreed upon myth. And most myths do say that although Persephone hated Hades, she was faithful. Almost all myths say that Hades was faithful to her as well. Its cute (or at least, as cute at Ancient Greek Mythology can be...) and something you don't really see in Greek mythology, so I went with it.
*I kept thinking of Death the Kid ranting about this to Liz and Patti or even Maka. I giggled the entire time.
I noticed that the FF managers took out some of the words in almost every drabble and quite a few page breaks. Hence the sudden use of middle -100DIWPJ- instead of page breaks. Very sorry if you read through this for the first time and saw what are now glaring mistakes. They will be fixed. Eventually.
Next Chapter: Through the Fire
~ Anna/ Booklover98