Hey guys! okay, this was sort unexpected, but I forgot to post one more chap yesterday. oops!

replies:

SketchedDS2023: I replied in the reviews. It's nice to know you like my story.

kb2118: thank you for your honesty. I will be honest as well, I haven't watched Toy Story since childhood so I don't know Andy. However, there is a reason why I chose Andy for her name. It'll be later during the stories when everything comes out. Glad you find the story though!

Andy POV

I knew what I was doing. I was sending sweet Nico to almost a certain fate that may be worse than death. Gosh, I was cruel. Nico knew if we met any monster besides my pups, I would not lift a hand. Does that make me evil? I did warn him. Still, I will help in other ways that hopefully will not kill the boy. The sweet dear is so cute, so hopeful he could convince me to go with him. I was touched, I admit, but really, a son of Hades bringing back a girl from Tartarus? I have heard tales from vengeful monsters about how paranoid he was. If I were to go with him, Zeus would try to kill me and Chaos would interfere. Nico was right, I would never risk 7 billion lives. I do not understand the purpose of living but others do and I wouldn't risk that. I may not care but others do. Can I really do that to them? People, who do everything they can to live a new day? I do not fear death but I'm sure they do. So yeah.

I led the son of Hades towards the heart of Tartarus. "My pups have told me of what you have done, Nico," I said. I'm afraid it was rather robotic in his ears, but it was the warmest tone I could muster. Since I had been mute for like 3 years, I think it's good that I'm striking up a conversation. "Oh?" He asked warily. For someone who had been so interested in learning about my past, he has been rather tight-lipped. I honestly didn't care. My story was hardly a secret but he, I'm sure still has secrets.

"Yes. If you were to storm in there like that, you would die instantly." I breezed past him, frowning when he stopped walking. "Do you want to die? I can sense Oceanus behind us. None of my pups but there are empousai and cyclops with him and that bane of Hephaestus, Mimas. They won't kill me, I'm still too valuable, Chaos knows why, but you? They would do so eagerly while I go get myself some tasty steak." That got Nico moving immediately. "What do you mean by your previous sentence? Will you take me to Ak- I mean the goddess of misery?"

"Akhlys? Yes. She loves me for my pain. Tell me every time she sees me, she can hear me screaming. I don't mind, she loves me too much to kill me." He frowns. It looks like it was meant to be on his face with his goth look and pale skin. "You don't care much about the inhabitants of Tartarus despite them all torturing you for like what? 13 years?"

"Please. As if I'd let them. No, it was only 11 years. Physically." I grew sad at that. My steps slowed and a rare frown appeared on my face. Nico seemed shocked he saw any expression besides bland. I wasn't numb, I just didn't care. "What do you mean physically?"

"Kronos is the titan of time for a reason." Tears seared and blinded my vision. I hate thinking of my past with him and the Titans. It was before the Giants found out about me. I can still remember the first scar they gave me. After that, it was a blur. "His powers work perfectly fine in Tartarus and are weakened above. That's why you didn't have to experience it. He liked to slow my time down so instead of suffering for 11 years, it was doubled. At least, that's what it felt like to me." Nico hesitantly placed his hand on my shoulder. The shadows that surround him bring out a shiver from me. I wasn't used to the cold. It was comforting, oddly enough. "I am so sorry, Andy. You didn't deserve what they did to you."

"All you know is what they did to me, sweet Nico. Have you ever bothered asking yourself what I have done?" I retorted sharply. I was so done with his sympathy. It wasn't anything I was used to. It brought out weird feelings that had my body react weirdly.

"Anything you have done is because of what the titans have done to you. I do not blame you." He may not blame me. But as a son of Hades, he most likely has seen some of the ghosts that were the product of my crimes.

"Just go," I said, irritated. It is a weird feeling to have. No monster brought it out. What made Nico so special?

We walked in silence as I took in my surroundings, watching for trouble. While I will not fight, I will not lead him straight into danger. Prodido feels heavy, the closer we reach the Doors. I unclipped my sword, swinging it around. I hate restlessness. I shouldn't have made the promise of not fighting. Yet I am not one to take back my words. Nico was almost green as he stared at the horrors. "I can cover it if you wish," I said nonchalantly. "One of my talents is controlling Mist. I can cover your vision."

"No thanks. That would make it more confusing." I shrugged. Suit himself.

"We are close to Akhlys. Convincing her will be your job. I do have one comment. Misery loves company. Like, a lot. Convince her with your pain. And don't lie, she will know." Nico groaned, something I realise he did a lot when he was confused. "How will I leave?" He asked suddenly. "If you press the button for twelve minutes, who's going to press it from above?" How I love his innocence. "All will come into place, sweet Nico. I can tell you that. You will not have to worry about that." He threw me a suspicious look but I brushed it off.

I breathed in the dry air of Tartarus. What would the air on Earth be like? I do not deign myself with such questions, but Nico's presence has made me question things.

"Andy?" I waved my hand a little. The name bothered me. It has never been said on someone's lips like that, curious but not asking me to do stuff. "If you had a choice, if you must make a choice, would you fight for the Gods or the Giants and Gaia?"

"How truly fascinating, sweet Nico, that you decided to use talking as a way to pass time."

"It is an important question." He said scathingly. "I'm sure it is to you. As for the question, it is quite interesting. I have never been forced to do something. Always a choice. The sins you have not heard, all of them were because I wanted an escape. This, as well, will not be forced on me. Gaia spoke to me days ago, asking me to join her. She offered the one thing she thought I wanted. Revenge."

"Did you accept?" He asked, now wary. "Well, not in the way you think. I told her I chose neutrality, as usual. She said as long as I do not side with the gods. I asked for my direct family's safety in exchange for Zeus's head. She agreed."

Now he stopped in horror. At me. "You would kill Zeus?" He gaped. I hummed. "I would do anything for the family who I have forgotten and vice versa. Zeus is just an egotistical god who I have no care of. But doing so will ensure my father's safety. My godly father. First, though, she will have to rise for me to go after Zeus. So I suppose if you want me to continue staying neutral, you must make sure Gaia will not rise." He continued walking, but slower than ever.

"Why? Why are you so invested in your family when you do not even remember them?"

Tears pricked at my eyes. A common thing that I have long learned to ignore. "Because, Son of Hades, even someone like me has a heart. And I still love them, despite not remembering. It was never their fault for my capture. I cannot blame my mother for wanting to save one child if it meant losing the other." We never spoke again for a long time.

We met some monsters. Centaurs, cyclops, empousai, and others I do not bother myself to identify. All of them, Nico killed. He was lucky I decided to bring some Phlegethon water with me after I met him.

I ended up dragging him on more than one occasion. "If you close your eyes, I will leave you here." I snarled. He gave me a sleepy smile. His arm was bleeding nonstop, it looked like he dipped his arm in blood under the light of Tartarus. "So you do care."

"I told you, Nico, you will survive. If I must, I will personally ensure it." It was a good thing I wasn't wearing any shoes. My feet were bleeding already. The rare shoes would've been destroyed. Nico's eyes closed but I purposely slapped him. "You will live, Nico. Tell me about your family. That Percy." Was that how you pronounced that name? It seemed right on my tongue. Do I know him? The world truly is small.

"It's hard to imagine you talking about Percy but alright." He sighed reluctantly. "He's the son of Poseidon. This year he is 17." The same as me then.

"He fought Kronos and he, in the end, made the choice that saved Olympus."

"He sounds like an egotistical jerk." I snapped, annoyed at Nico's admiring tone. It was so clear he had a crush. "He's not. Childish, maybe. And— ow!" He yelped as I forced his shoulder back to its position. "Continue!" I commanded. Is this how fragile I used to be?

"The first time we met, I was 10 and he was 14. My sister, Bianca, was 12. There was a manticore that kidnapped us on Atlas's orders." I have never met Atlas.

"Lady Artemis asked Bianca if she wanted to join her hunt. Bianca accepted." He said sadly. At this rate, I was getting confused. He was clearly not speaking in sequence.

"She was captured and forced to take the sky."

"Who?" I was curious. Who was so foolish to take the sky?

"Lady Artemis. They used Annabeth to convince her. Artemis wouldn't have let 'a maiden' suffer." This Annabeth was very foolish.

"Bianca died." He sobbed. "Percy promised me that he would protect her but she died for them. It was unfair to her. She was only 12."

I decided not to tell him that as a part to break me, they used to kill newborns in front of me. For the first 6, I screamed and mourned for the children who didn't get to live. For the next 4, my throat was hoarse from screaming.

"Her lieutenant also died." He said, more awake now. Just a bit more…

"That's sad. I think."

"She died against her father." Is he trying to confuse me?

"I wanted to hate Percy and was bent on reviving her. I spent a year trying. But at last, when I summoned her ghost, she convinced me to move on."

"Your sister is wise. Alright, you're patched up. Get up." I said, patting his back. He reluctantly got up, grumbling about how unsympathetic I was. Where can I find sympathy here?

We set off again. Finally, I saw Akhlys's poison running past our feet. My dress is indestructible, a gift from Chaos, which meant it didn't inflame as the poison touched it. Nico was still rubbing his arm and didn't notice. I pulled him away from the trails of poison. We were so close. Yet there was one last part to pass.

"Akhlys is there. Go find her." I said, pointing. "I did my part. You do yours and don't die."

He nodded, grumbling. "I still don't understand why you help me and don't ask for anything in return."

It was likely a rhetorical question but I still answered him. "My life was ruined by the Titans. That doesn't mean yours have to as well. I will help you because back then, I hoped someone would help me as well." Right on time, the allies of Gaia appeared. Nico hurriedly raised his sword. I stepped aside lightly. "When were they here?"

"I told you they were after you. You chose to go slow, now they have caught up."

Mimas walked out from the many monsters, booming, "thank you, Rhea, for telling us you were coming here! My mother will reward you greatly for this demigod!"

"Of course," I responded as Nico got a confused look. I did tell him that they called me Rhea—another thing he decided to look past. "You told them we were going to Akhlys? You willingly helped them?"

"You were destined to fail, sweet Nico. I merely sped up the process." I walked behind him.

"That didn't mean I couldn't try." Panic set in his features. Then betrayal.

"Too late now." When he looked back, I was gone. The monsters surged. I kept silent. He couldn't escape. He was foolish to ever look for the Doors of Death. Even with my help. He wouldn't have survived. It was impossible. Doing things alone…

The boy tried. That's all I could say. Seated on a branch from a tree from the forest, I saw everything. How he tried. Alas, as much as skill could help, he couldn't have survived against hundreds of monsters along with three giants. He finally slumped down from blood loss as one cyclops bashed him. I hardly blinked but I ran over before any of them could kill him, coming in front of Mimas who was closest. They all stopped as I stood protectively over the young demigod.

"Tell your mother something for me, Mimas." I wrapped my hand around his throat and tightened. "Nico di Angelo. She, along with every single one of her children, is not allowed to kill him. Or else, it doesn't matter what agreement we had, I will immediately go to the Gods and swear loyalty to them. Got that?" Panic shone in his eyes. He knows perfectly well I couldn't kill him. Is fear ever logical? No. He gave me a little nod of his head. "You are not allowed to ever leave lasting injuries on Nico. Oh, and while you're at it, swear on the Styx none of you will ever tell him I told you this."

He was the first to swear and he wasn't the last. The ones who didn't swear, I forced them to with deep cuts, not enough to kill but enough to hurt like a bitch.

I stepped aside and let Otis and Ephialtes take his unconscious form and started dragging him away as he was covered in injuries and blood. "Do not forget what I said, twins. I mean it. I hate the mortal world but if I must, I will drag you two down and show you the same mercy that was shown to me." None, in other words. They gulped and nodded. I sighed. I knelt to him. Compassion was never something given to me, but now I give it to this young boy. I healed his injuries and cleared his blood. Then, I hid a pomegranate on him. "Take him to Rome." I waved him off, still watching his unconscious form. The last impression he had of me was me betraying him. Why am I sad? He was just a boy I decided to help in my own way. And yet he was the first one who asked me about myself. I shouldn't care. I don't. I don't care. The more I say it, the easier it comes. I stood up from the ground. From the shadows, a pair of hellhound eyes watched me.

"Do not bother with me. I am in no mood right now." I sighed. I reached into my pocket where the Void key was. It was usually stored in the magical space where Chaos would store my gifts but I placed them in my pocket this time. To enter the space, Magic was needed. I used them all to heal Nico. Who knew it took so much to clear the shadows from a son of Hades?

My hand brushed against the cloth. My key wasn't there. I frowned. I opened it wider. No key in sight. Then… where did it go? I inadvertently let out a scream. My key. It was the one thing I truly owned. It was a treasure. My treasure. Someone stole it. Who?! Who would dare steal from me?! My eyes widened in realisation and quickly changed to hatred. That cursed son of Hades. The giants wouldn't dare risk the wrath of Chaos. I wasn't close to them a lot. Only Nico… I had to heal him multiple times thus we were always in close contact. In my haze of exhaustion, he could've easily taken it. My key!

"I hate you." I clenched my fist. "I hate you!" The poison that ran around Akhlys exploded around me as I screamed. Not in pain but in hatred. "Nico di Angelo." I smiled at the irony. Now I knew why his last name sounded familiar. Twins snuff out the Angel's breath.

"Good. Snuff him out, make him suffer. When he dies by Fate, I will go to the Underworld and reclaim my key. How dare you, Son of Hades. You dare to steal from the champion of Chaos. I will kill you. I will end you!" I spat out venomously. I cannot believe I fell for his innocence. I hate him. He will pay for this. The Titans were right. Gaia was right. Their side, at least, will not pretend around me. They have shown me their true side. I know what to expect. "Nico di Angelo. If by a miracle you do not die through this, you will perish by my hand. You get me?" I breathed. He wasn't my first mistake but he will be my last. I will never trust demigods. Never in my infinite life ever again.

"If you think this will convince me to leave Tartarus, you are sorely mistaken, *****." I spat out angrily. I will be honest, I do not know what it meant. But it was the same word Gaia used at Ouranos. I swept aside my long dress and stalked back in the direction of my hut.

Tellilah was waiting. "Telli, get me a hellhound. The one by the name of Mrs O'Leary." I snapped at the loyal pup. She whined, sensing my anger. "I'm not angry at her, sweetie. I promise you that. I am, however, furious at someone she knows." That convinced her. Tellilah licked my palm before shadow-travelling away. I growled angrily. Around 3 metres away, some telkhines screamed in agony as they burned to death. How I wish it was the son of Hades.

Nico POV

I groaned, slowly getting up. This is the second time, in what I assumed was hours, that I got knocked out while fighting against monsters. It was also the second time I woke up somewhere new. The difference is, this isn't Tartarus. I don't think it is. My instincts were never wrong, especially when it's about Underworld stuff. Tartarus is technically related to the Underworld a little.

"So the son of Hades wakes!" Someone boomed. It reminded me of an announcer's voice. My surroundings were bronze for a reason and the air felt thin. Too thin. Where am I? The last thing I recalled… was being dragged away. Green eyes, sad and reluctant as they watched me. They were Andy's. But she wasn't sad. She told them and gave them time to ambush me. She left me. Didn't even try to help. My hands clenched. I suddenly don't feel guilty about stealing her key. You'll regret it! I could hear that thought with Andy standing there, eyes blazing, hands clenched, body shaking in her rage. I couldn't help but shudder. Andy was more dangerous than Percy. Not because she had more power or experience. Not because she is the champion of the creator himself, Chaos, and the child of a god. But because she is the most unpredictable. She could win a war for our side and then kill all of us without feeling remorse as long as her family was safe. She wasn't loyal to anyone but the family she couldn't even remember. Her unpredictability could either make her a great ally or a worse enemy. By stealing her key, I'm sure it would be the latter for me.

Suddenly, the ground below me shook. I wobbled a little before falling. Suddenly I realised—it wasn't the ground but the bottom of some kind of container. It was bronze, that's why I could see such a colour. An eyeball stared at me. A giant's. I yelped, moving backwards. His hair, from what I could see, was green and had shiny coins braided in it. Something hung behind his back. A spear. Behind him was another giant. His hair was similar to the first but was darker. Purplish. Other than that, they were similar. Meaning, both were ugly.

"We have many plans for you, Son of Hades." The second one smiled maniacally.