20th June 2005

Los Angeles

Gill's POV

I sit upon a wooden bench that overlooks a beautiful sea, a cold cookie dough ice cream in my hand. I'm wearing a dazzling gold glittered shirt with the top two buttons undone, white wide-leg jeans paired with a pair of sleek white loafers with gold detailing, and naturally I wore a gold star-shaped sunglass.

I look at the gold watch on my wrist, and then at the waterbed store close by. Urgh, when are those kids coming out? I've been waiting for like hours. Come on Percy, I can only wait for so long.

Though, I've gotta wonder. How the fuck did Procrustes get a retail location at the pier?! There are no ways waterbeds are that lucrative to get a such an amazing property. Hmm… I wonder if I can alter the deed once Percy kills good Ol' Crusty.

And speak of the devil, our favourite son of Poseidon walks outside of Crusty's Water Bed Palace, who was chatting away with Yurei, whilst clearly trying to not pay attention to Annabeth's glares of death. Judging by their expressions, and that Yurei's HP had not reduced at all, Crusty must've only been able to capture Annabeth, whilst Yurei probably phased through any bindings, though I'm pretty sure Annabeth still got stretched due to her pissed off look.

"Gill?" Percy says, as he met my eyes, "When did you get here?" The boy looks clean, and his clothes undamaged. One might be mistaken to think that he wasn't on a quest. I suppose they still made it into the Lotus Casino in this timeline. I wonder if Annabeth met Thalia and Luke in there.

"I've been here for a while." I shrug with a calm tone, before I turn to Annabeth and gave her a mocking grin, "Huh, did you get taller?"

Annabeth looked like she was about to punch me, but lucky for her, Percy interrupted her train of thought. "So, Gill, I guess we're going to the underworld now?" I nod with a grin, as I lead them towards the road. "Well, we should probably catch you up on what we've done during the-"

"Attacked on the bus by the furies, said bus got destroyed by Big Z, you then encountered Medusa who you then killed, you somehow got money for train tickets, got off at the Gateway Arch where Percy subsequently fought the Chimera though he had to escape by falling into a river where he met a Nereid sent by his father, then you met a certain God of War who Percy mouthed off to, the dude sent you off on a mini-quest which lead to You and Annabeth caught in one of Hephaestus's traps, and then once you gave the scarf back to the God of War, he gave you a ride on an animal-smuggling truck, and because of you three's morality, you lot later freed those animals. Then you guys visited a little place called the LOTUS Casino-"

"OKAY! Fine! We get it!" Annabeth shouts, probably enraged at my jab at her not noticing that the Casino was a trap. I mean, I'm pretty 99% of people would get caught up in it, but I do oh so enjoy bullying the blondie. Call it my evil deed of the day. Hey, I cure cancer for free! I should be allowed to make fun of a girl who annoys me for no inexplicable reason. "You're sooo smart and could do this entire quest all by yourself!"

I frown at the outburst, and inwardly sigh. I'm really bad at knowing the time and place on where to joke, and when to stop pushing it. Honestly, I'm just not that good at social situations. Never really had much practice for it in my previous life. I probably shouldn't have made fun of Annabeth just after she got out of a 'life and death' situation. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason I have friends in this life is because of my Charisma stat.

"…Sorry, Annabeth" I smile apologetically. Surprisingly, she looked abashed at her outburst, but said nothing. "Look, how about I treat you guys before we descend to hell." By now, we've made to the sidewalk, ignoring the numerous cars passing by us. "We'll stop by a McDonalds, maybe an ice cream parlour, and definitely get you all some new clothes." I say the last part with a slight raise of my nose.

Finally for the first time in the conversation, Yurei spoke, "What's wrong with our clothes? They're fresh and clean."

"Yeah, but it's clear the Lotus Casino doesn't have any style" I snort, rolling my eyes. Honestly, I know they were giving shit for free, but they could at least have some diversity in clothing instead of blue jeans and boring equally blue shirt. As if I was gonna let these kids meet Hades whilst looking like they were cult recruits. "If I were a god and saw you lot entering my throne room whilst wearing that, you would've been sooo smited."

"Smote." Annabeth corrects me.

"What?"

"It's smote, the past tense of smite." She explains, "Smited isn't a word."

"Ah." I nod, before repeating myself, "Well, to reiterate what I said, if I were a god, and you lot showed wearing those boring clothes, I would've smoted you where you stood." I let loose a loud whistle, much to the confusion of everyone.

"Smoted isn't-" However, the young blonde is interrupted, as a long black limousine pulls up in front of us, and the tinted window by the driver's seat pulls down, to reveal… me, wearing a black suit paired with sleek black sunglasses.

"Ah!" I say, clapping my hands with a smile, "Looks like our ride is here! Get in." I walk down and open the passenger door, and look back to my friends, ignoring their shocked faces, "Come on! We don't have all day!" As the rest get into the limo, I lie down upon a section of the curved leather sofa that made up half the passenger part of the limo, whilst the others just lounged on their sections. Naturally I made sure grab a drink from the minibar, much to the frowning of Annabeth.

Though when Percy's hand made its way to a drink, I shot a small bolt of light at his hand, nothing damaging, just small sting. "Ow!" Percy yelps, rubbing his hand, "What gives, Gill? What's wrong with a small drink."

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Perce" I snort in amusement, "Anyway, drinking's bad for someone your age. Don't wanna fuck up that liver of yours." I could practically feel the accusatory look in all three of their eyes, "Hey, don't give me that look! I'm fully aware that I have a problem. Which is precisely why I'm not letting you kids touch the stuff till you lot are old and grey." Yurei remains impassive, though he pulls out a book from Percy's blue backpack (The same one containing two items that belong to gods) and begins reading it. Meanwhile Percy just sighs in annoyance, and instead takes a bottle of water, whilst Annabeth simply pierces me with her laser-like eyes. I can sense some sort of suspicion behind them, but I'm not sure why.

Suddenly, the partition that blocked the line of sight between passenger and driver slides open, and my shadow clone asks, "Yo boss, so where do you want to go to? Are we heading straight to DOA, or do you want to stop somewhere? Preferably a clothing store?"

I could hear Percy muttering under his breath about whether his clothes were really that bad. I chuckle, as I tell my clone, "McDonalds first, then we'll stop to get some clothes."

"All right, boss."

As the limo begins to move, Yurei asks me a question, "Speaking of clothes, what's with your get-up?" I see the look of realisation as the other two finally seem to register how objectively ridiculous my outfit was.

"Yeah, did you go to some sort of Elvis Presley party?" Annabeth asks with a mocking sneer. Ah, the poor girl thought she had gotten the better of me. That she had something to hold over me. Ah, the poor, poor, foolish girl. Alas she does not know my sense of shame died when every atom of my body was eviscerated by a nuke.

"Kinda." I say truthfully, honestly a little surprised that Annabeth was pretty close to guessing correctly, "It was 70's themed party, and I went as Elvis when he died on the toilet… I had a fake toilet as part of my costume, but I think I might've dropped it when the police burst through the door, and I had to run away." They had a look of utter bewilderment on their face, so I explained further, "Yeah, so it turns out that the party was hosted by some millionaire who knew he was gonna get arrested, so apparently, he decided to go 'fuck it' and bought a shit ton of cocaine, weed, and meth for the party." Their faces turned to shock and horror, "Oh calm down! I only had a little bit of weed!" Honestly, I'm not as well versed with the devil's lettuce as I am with his drink, but I have partaken once or twice. I don't think I have much of a future as a pothead.

There is a long silence. Very long, as the 12-ish year-old children were processing the information I had given them. That is until Percy shouts, "Gill… What the fuck is your life!?"

"Hey, who's the one between the two of us that's the potential centrepiece for World War 3?" At least he had the gall to be a little abashed, "Out of all four us, Yurei is the most normal, and no offence Yurei but that's certainly saying something."

Yurei gives a faux-mournful sigh, and said with his monotonous voice, "It is simply my cross to bear." I laugh aloud at his joke. Honestly, I'm so proud of the little ghost boy. Whilst he still didn't wear his heart on his sleeve (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), he was far more open than he was when I first met him. He still doesn't like to talk about his dad or Gello, but I honestly don't blame. He'd always be the quiet kid, but Yurei's perfectly fine with that. Honestly, I hope he becomes good friends with Percy, it'll be good for the both of them.

"Hey, I'm pretty normal!" Annabeth protests, nearly spilling her can of coke. Please be more careful Annabeth! This limo is a rental, and I really don't wanna pay for cleaning fees.

I gently sight, "Annabeth, there's nothing wrong with being special. Trust me… Being normal isn't all you demigods crack it up to be." I give a vacant stare away from the pre-teens next to me, and I think of my previous life, something I hated doing. If I was forced into that life once more… If I were to wake up one day and find out this life -being Gilgamesh Ashford- was all a dream… Well, I'd probably kill myself immediately. It's messed up for me to say such a thing, but it's true. I know for a fact that I can never go back to being normal ever again, because I truly, from the deepest part of my soul, do not want to become that pathetic man once more.

…

"Gill-"

…There is a moment I remember from long ago in my old life. Where I had the chance to be extraordinary. A normal day like any other, where I had just left school. I was just a kid back then.

"Gill!"

I was walking home, phone in hand scrolling through social media, when suddenly I hear a loud honk of a horn. I ripped my eyes off my phone and then turned around, only to see a lorry skidding around the road, clearly out of control. It wasn't heading towards me; I could see that. But instead, it was heading straight into a little kid, probably only a few years younger than me at the time. The little girl was just standing there, paralysed in fear. She was just standing there.

"GILL!"

She was just standing there. Just looking at the truck hurtling towards her.

She was just standing there. As death approached.

She was just standing there.

And so was I.

I wanted to move. I wanted to save the kid. I didn't want her to die. Please, please believe me. I wanted to save her so much.

But I couldn't. My legs didn't move. There was no last second rush of determination that made me run forward. There wasn't any other person to save the girl. There wasn't any chance that the girl would be able to be saved without my intervention.

Yet I did nothing. NOTHING.

I couldn't save that girl.

I wanted to save her. So so much. I wanted to be a better person than I was.

Yet I did nothing to help save that child.

All I did was scream as her blood splattered on my face.

After that, I stopped caring about life. I merely did what was expected of me. I stopped revising or paying attention in class, I put myself in a shell in which I would distance myself from those I had called friends, even my family gave up on me. I went to university, as was expected of me, but even then, I quit halfway through my third year. After that, till the day I died, I lived off of government financial support.

All in all, my previous life was a truly joyless one of my own concoction. I wonder at quiet nights, whether if everything would've been different had I saved that girl. Had my pathetic legs moved and saved her at the risk of my life. I'd like to think so, but the realistic side of me said that I would always be a pathetic coward.

But that man was dead. Long dead. I'm Gilgamesh Ashford now. An overly extroverted, beyond gifted hero with intelligence that was beyond most scientists, and a handsome smile that outshone the sun.

If there is one thing I will carry from the life apart from memories, it is my dream and desire to never let that happen again. I'll save people no matter what, even if it risks my life. Because I cannot allow that cowardice to happen once more. Perhaps that's why I took such a fascination in the Percy Jackson books. Because Percy was a hero that I aspired to be.

Gods, I hate when my thoughts go through this charade. Where I remember myself from my previous life, only to remind myself that he's dead, and Gilgamesh-

I'm interrupted from my thoughts by a blast of water slamming into my face. I sputter out some of the water that had made its way into my mouth. I get up from my lying position, sitting up straight and looking down at my wet clothes. Luckily, I could use my Heliokinesis to dry myself off.

I glare at Percy who raised his hands in innocence, "It wasn't me!" He says earnestly. I turn my head, and glare at Annabeth, who was holding two empty bottles, and had an unashamed grin.

After asking her why she did that, all she said was "You weren't answering to your name. You should be thanking me, any second longer you would've gone comatose." I sigh. Though that's definitely not how comas work, but it was probably good that she did. When I think so deeply about those times, I practically become a statue.

I look at Annabeth, and frown. That girl also had blonde hair.

8 Minutes Later…

Annabeth's POV

If there was one way to describe Gilgamesh Ashford, I would have to say that…

He's an asshole.

Gill is one of the most arrogant, obnoxious, rude, self-centred, and insufferable people I've ever met. He's so full of himself that he probably thinks the sun rises just to see him smile. His ego is so inflated it could float away if it weren't weighed down by his own ignorance. He's the kind of person who would interrupt a funeral to talk about his weekend plans. If there were an Olympic event for being a jerk, he'd not only win gold but demand they create a new platinum medal just for him. Then he'd sell it for millions after gloating about it. Honestly, even a mirror would cringe if it had to reflect his personality.

And yet, apart from Luke and Thalia, there's nobody I trust more in this world. Because I know if my life was in danger, Gill would be there to save me… Only to make some crappy one-liner. But he'd save me regardless.

I'll never forget when I first saw him. By then, Thalia and Luke talked about him so much, I figured that he was some sort of king of heroes. Like the second coming of Hercules. After all, he sacrificed himself to save Thalia, Luke and Halcyon from those Leucrota they said were Halcyon's prison guards.

And then, he was there when we running to Camp Halfblood. He stood upon the hill, like the fates had guided him there. And though I was inside some weird clock creature (I still haven't gotten a straight answer out of Gill about what it was), I could still see him plunge a sword into one of the furies, with such ease.

But he shone the most when with just his palms, he created a ball of pure fire. The warm glow of the miniature sun showed the determination on his face. The azure lightning that Thalia shot at Gill looked like flickering blue cape. The sheer heat of the flames singed the grass below us, yet Gill stood there unfazed by all the pain hitting his nerves, and heat of the miniature sun melting him.

Though I pray that he never finds out I feel this, I have no choice but to admit that well… He looked like a hero at that moment. Brash and annoying as he may be, I have to admit that out of everyone I know, Gill is probably the closest to earning the title of hero.

And yet, that hero was sitting in front of me, scarfing down three Big Macs like it was nothing. It almost made me want to put my Happy Meal aside… Almost. But damn these fries are nice. Hmm… we should totally get one at Camp! Maybe Chiron will let me design the building. Ooh, I can imagine it now! I'd incorporate the golden arches in the-

"Annabeth, hurry up!" Gill says in between bites, much to my annoyance. In public, he always acts somewhat more refined, yet when he's with us, he eats like a starved man. According to Percy, he ate as if her was the President during lunch, back at that Nancy Academy. "We're on a time crunch, y'know."

I roll my eyes, "Oh please. You're the one who wants us to stop and get new clothes. What are new clothes meant to? Scare H- The God of the Underworld to death?" Damn, I nearly slipped up there. Percy's been rubbing off on me. Anyway, the moment I disparaged Gill's desire to outfit us, he gave me a shocked and horrified look, to which I could only roll my eyes, "What? You think just because I'm a girl, I have to care about clothes and looking pretty?" Bad enough that it's hard to get boys to take my word seriously as a girl, I also have to fight the idea that I'm ditzy idiot because of my annoying blonde hair.

In response Gill gasps in offence, though it's over dramatized to the point where it's clear he's just joking. "Annabeth Chase!" He says with an admonishing tone, "I'm all about breaking gender barriers, but I'll have you know there are far more peaceful ways of doing so than your actions!"

I couldn't help but smile at his behaviour. Sure, I was a little annoyed earlier at how he made fun of me for falling for the Lotus Casino trap, but something about him… it's like it's impossible to stay mad at him. Huh… did he always have that amulet? It looks so beautiful, that there's no way that Gill, despite all his dubiously earned money, could've bought it. I just hope he hasn't done anything to get the CIA on us. From what Percy told us that Gill had done at the museum where Percy killed Alecto, I wouldn't be surprised if Gill had stolen it from some Art Museum, and now has Interpol after his butt.

"-And anyway, Annabeth," Oh? Gill was still talking. Huh, I don't think he's even realised that Percy, Yurei, and I had ignored most of his impassioned speech. "We won't be getting such any clothes! We'll be wearing… suits!"

…

"Hey, did he just say suits?" Percy asks, looking at Yurei and I with bewilderment. And I have to agree with his confusion. There's no way Gill would really make us go the Palace of Hades, and potentially fight in suits, right?

Of course we will. It's Gill.

I hope he doesn't make me wear a dress. Otherwise, I might have to find a way to kill him. Maybe Uranium in his breakfast will work?

30 Minutes Later…

Ok, I'll admit it. Gill has some pretty good taste.

Thankfully, I wouldn't need to get my hands on any radioactive material, since instead of a dress, I'm wearing a nice and comfy dark green suit, paired with black shirt underneath, and a dark green tie. On the jacket of the suit are designs of what look to be the outline of ferns, coloured in an almost unnoticeable green. On of the lapels is small brooch, that looks almost out place, a grey owl. The suit pants and shoes are a black, plain and unnoticeable, however they're quit snug, and frankly very unrestricting. The ensemble was really lightweight, and surprisingly light. It was like I'm wearing my pyjamas. I was worried the suit would restrict my movements, making it hard for me to use my spear and shield (both of which were collapsible and stored within the inner breast pocket of my suit), but all my worries were blown away.

Yurei wore a sleek ensemble, dark and regal, which weirdly suits the quiet boy. The jacket and trousers boast a deep, glossy black hue that seems to absorb the light around it, punctuated by thin, vertical purple pinstripes. A matching purple pocket square peeks out from the breast pocket with just the right amount of flair that was clearly Gill's idea. The suit is paired with a crisp black dress shirt underneath. The look is completed by an eye-catching purple bow tie. I think the Son of Melinoe is happy with the clothes, but honestly, I'm not sure. Gill has always been able to tell his emotions way better than me.

As for Percy, his suit reminded me of night sea, with black Its fabric is a tapestry of deep black interwoven with subtle, dark blue chevron patterns that catch the light with every movement. The lapels are sleek and satin, framing the suit in an aura of ruthlessness that seemed kind of unlike Percy's personality, but it did look good on him. Gold buttons glint on the front and cuffs, adding a touch of opulence to the ensemble. A small pen peeks out from his breast pocket, which was honestly a smart decision on Percy's part, I didn't think the Seaweed Brain had it him to do something smart like placing his hidden weapon somewhere easy to reach. Unlike Yurei, Percy's impression of his clothing was clear. He loved it, judging by his smile.

And finally, Gill, it's clear he co-ordinated our outfits with the clear intention of making him the star. Whilst our suits were dark, and somewhat subtle, his is audacious, bright, and eye-catching. With white fabric that is as smooth as a new sword's surface, whisper the luxury that Gill clearly adores, and a tie, made of a crimson cascade of colour, that knots perfectly at the collar, alongside a red vest under the ivory jacket, complementing the pocket square that peeks out like a ruby from its silken folds. I'm not sure what Gill would use the pocket square for though. Perhaps he thinks it make him look dashing.

On his face Gill wore a signature look of smugness, unfortunately it seems he knew that we liked our new outfits. Urgh, he's going to be insufferable about this for ages. "What are new clothes going to do?" He mockingly parrots my words from earlier.

Instead of getting annoyed or embarrassed like I usually do, I can only chuckle. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's the new clothes? "Fine, fine. You were right just this once" I relent. This time I did get embarrassed. I mean seriously, outright admitting I was wrong now? I blame the Seaweed Brain for it. It's crazy that he somehow managed to weasel my entire childhood trauma in less than a week even though I managed to avoid the topic at camp for the past 4 years. I guess Gill could've got me to tell him, but I think he definitely knows, since he knows how I feel about San Francisco.

I guess even Gill was surprised by me admitting that I was wrong, which is actually a relief. It was nice to know that someone like Gill could be surprised.

"Huh." He says, looking at me with his head tilted. There is a minute of uncomfortable silence, before Gill speaks once more after straightening himself. "Well, luckily, DOA Studios isn't too far from here, so we shouldn't be here for too long."

I take the moment to look outside the windows and think about that advice Percy had unwantedly given me. A letter to my dad. It's certainly… an idea. I'm not sure if I actually want to send him one. I went to their house two years ago, and I couldn't even last through the Winter Break. In their eyes, I was just a burden. And my stepmom… I didn't want to deal with her bullshit.

But it couldn't hurt to try… right?

"Hey Gill, I've worn a suit before, there's no way you found these from a normal suit shop" Percy says, still marvelling at his suit. Honestly, I really couldn't blame him. Though, it's making me a little self-conscious of my hair. Of course, it wasn't like I could voice that concern. I'd hate to sound like Gill.

"That's correct" Gill nods, "I custom ordered these from an elderly child of Athena who hid himself from society for like the last 30 years- Wait, Percy. You've worn a suit?" Oh, come on Gill! You finally say something interesting, and you get sidetracked immediately. Though, I don't really mind it too much. I know that a lot of demigods that make it past adulthood tend to have really bad lives. Sure, there are a couple lucky ones like Houdini, Shakespeare, or Harriet Tubman, but that's just it. They were lucky… well apart from Tubman, but that's not because she was a demigod.

Anyway, demigods often try to survive like normal person, once they leave Camp, and for some, they succeed for a few years… until a monster enters their life and destroys everything they love. Some go mad, and hunt monsters till their death. Others try persevering and continue to have some semblance of normality. And others… they become depressed, and recluse themselves from society.

It's really sad to think about. It makes me worried about what I'll do when I grow up. If I have the willpower to achieve my dreams. Sometimes… I'm not sure if I do. It's something I'm jealous about Gill. He seems so sure of what he wants to, and he doesn't waver at all. I guess that's something only the strong can do.

The car comes to a sudden stop, and I realise that I had ignored my surroundings for 15 minutes just to think. Gods, I hope no one at Camp finds out about this. The Athena Cabin gets enough crap about being self-absorbed, we don't people calling us airheads.

The car door opens, where Gill's… clone? Body double? Homunculus? I'm not too sure what it is. Let's just with clone. I've seen those things appear everywhere at Camp. It's actually really easy to tell if they're real Gill or not after a single conversation, but what confuses me is how on earth Gill is able to create. They should definitely not be part of the repertoire a child of Apollo can possibly access. Though to be honest, a lot of what Gill is able to do shouldn't be possible due to his parentage.

I step out of the limo after Percy, and almost blushed as pedestrians whispered with their stares directed at us. I guess 4 sharply dressed people, even if they were kids, coming out of a limo and into a recording studio would definitely generate some buzz. I hope Gill's dumb taste for extravagance doesn't cause us problems.

"Alright, you know where to go after this!" Gill shouts to his clone, and the latter looked like middle-aged man now, though I could see past the mist covering its face when I squinted my eyes. Another thing I'm jealous of. Gill's control of the Mist. It's far better than any Child of Hecate's recorded, which should impossible. It definitely lends some credence to the 'Gill is a God' theory.

We follow Gill, and I quietly chat to Yurei about our suits. Speaking of Yurei, I was a little surprised that Percy had picked him for the quest. I would've thought he'd pick someone else from the Hestia Cabin, like Nashota.

Yurei and Nashota. Two people who confused me.

Yurei was quiet, and showed little emotion, though that isn't to say he doesn't feel any. Whenever he does show his feelings, then it is either on purpose or you noticed because you've around him so long. A lot of people are fascinated by him, since he came to Camp alongside Gill. We had figured that he must be extremely powerful like Gill, but whilst Yurei's little ghost trick was pretty cool useful, it still wasn't anything like Gill's abilities. But regardless, Yurei is a good person, that much I can be sure.

Nashota, on the other hand, unsettled me. She's been at camp for less than a year, and for the first few months she was prickly, cold, and a downright jerk. Then, out of nowhere, she changed completely and became a sociable and extroverted person. She was kind, and helped whenever and wherever she could. Most of the Camp believed that she had simply gotten used to camp, and accepted the reality of gods existing, something that made a few demigods depressed during their first few months. But I sometimes notice, from the corner of my eye, that Gill would stare at her with both fascination and suspicion whenever he thought no one was looking. That was enough for me to be on guard around her.

And I was right to do so, at I least I think I was.

Every so often, she'd slip up, her mask of kindness ripping open a tiny hole for me to peer through. Whenever she'd sneer at someone's back, when they turn around. Whenever she scowls when Chiron asks her to do something, after she checks no one was around. Or when she makes some sort of odd reference in a middle of a conversation that no one could understand, and she'd just wave it off as some sort of joke in a Native American tale that she knew no one would explore further into. But those odd references were what made me most wary of her. I'm not entirely sure what "rizz" or "no cap" mean, but from recognition in Gill's eyes that looked as he was frightened beyond belief, he definitely knew, and Nashota knew he knew.

There was battle within the camp that only two people participated in. Neither was taking any physical action, but rather were gauging each other with words. Normally I'd love the idea of a war fought with words and wits, but there was something… unnatural when it involved Nashota.

Every so often, she'd slip up, her mask of kindness ripping open a tiny hole for me to peer through.

And what I saw was something I could only describe as evil.

"Hey, snap out of it, Bookworm" I'm once again pulled from my thoughts by Gill, as he snaps his fingers in front of me, "My my, who knew that the children of Athena could be so… airheaded" Come on Annabeth, you can resist the urge to punch him. Gill walks away from me, and I notice that Seaweed Brain was holding a chuckle in. As if he was any better.

We walk inside the building, and I notice all the ghosts that were floating about, despondent and sad expressions on their transparent faces. I know why they all looked like that, and it was no mistake of their own. It's sad, to be denied an afterlife simply because you didn't have wallet with you. To have to wait for decades on end for the off chance that the greedy boatsman would take pity on you. It's why I always keep a spare drachma on my person, never taking it off regardless of circumstances. It's in a little pouch that I keep in my pocket, or in my hand when I'm in the shower. I'm not going to suffer like these ghosts.

I continue to follow Gill's lead, and we end up at the security guard's desk, where we meet a dark-skinned man with shaved blonde hair. He wears a suit that definitely looked a lot more expensive than the ones we're wearing, but I can see a small look of respect in his eyes as he looks up and down our apparel.

"Very nice." The man compliments in an almost British-like accent, though I could tell that it was merely the result of Greek being his first language. I already knew who this man was, and I could only hope Gill had a plan to get the Ferryman of the Styx to allow four living kids to go on his boat. "It's not often to see the dead to be dressed so… stylish."

Oh gods. This was the real reason why Gill made us wear these suits! Of course, I should've realised that there was a meaningful motive, rather that some silly reason like looking good.

"Hey, not bad yourself, my good man." Gill retorts with… an English accent? What on earth is the deal with that? And why does it sound more natural on his tongue than his normal accent. "You've got quite an exquisite taste. Armani? It's definitely Italian. I can tell by the threading." Ok, maybe Gill also got the suits because he wanted to look good.

Charon smiled a smile that looked unnatural on his face, but it isn't malicious. It's like a cat that has finally found something to play with. "Yes, indeed. Armani. How about yours my tasteful friend?"

Gill chuckles haughtily, which sounds weird from his mouth, "Why, my father had this custom made by our tailor. Unfortunately, he does not share my taste in clothing, and prefers his suits of a British-make." Gill says the last sentence mournfully, and Charon surprisingly nods like they comrades in arms. "Ah, but where are my manners! I should introduce myself; I am Gilderoy Rothschild, and these are my compatriots in death!".

Gill moves his hand towards Percy, "This is Percival Jones, the son of my father's bodyguard," I can see Percy widen his eyes in surprises, but thankfully all he says in a stoic tone is a simple greeting. I realise where Gill's going with this as he moves his hand towards Yurei, "This is Yorinobu Arasaka, heir to the Arasaka Conglomerate." I didn't have to worry about Yurei giving anything away, but I was surprised when the son of Melinoe gave a shallow bow and had the smallest smiles on his lips. Wow, he was really enjoying this. Anyway, it was my turn, as Gill moves his hand to me. "And finally, this is my fiancée, Anne-Marie Gates, whose father is CEO of Microsoft."

Did… he just call me his fiancée?

I take a quick look at his smug face, and immediately realise what he was doing. I would bluster and fumble at being called his fiancée, and then he'd have to cover my blunder with a secondary plan, and then he'd lord it all over me. Asshole. Not today, Gill!

I settle my mind, looked at the fellow blonde with a raised eyebrow, "Well, judging by the stocks of some of your investments, I doubt I would've been your fiancé for long… Had we survived of course." Idiot blonde. He could've picked any name that wasn't Rothschild, but instead he gave me material for getting back him. Seriously, his ego is so big, he had to pick one of the richest families in the last millennium.

Gill looks at me for a few seconds, as if processing that I had not gone as he had predicted. And then he simply smiled, with his signature look of superiority that I'm sure he didn't need to act out. "That's the problem with you new-money ruffians, too focused on silly little things like stocks and liquidity. You may be rich, but you'll never be rich." I hold in any signs of laughter as I notice the utter cluelessness written on Percy's face. Honestly, he's like Golden Retriever sometimes. I can't believe anyone could think that he could've had any involvement in the theft of the Master Bolt.

Unfortunately, before I could retort, the heavily amused ferryman interrupts us. "Alright kiddos, you can have your little pre-marital spat in Asphodel. Because there's no way in Chaos you four brats are getting into Elysium." Though Charon muttered the second sentence under his breath, I'm pretty sure all four of us heard it.

"Ah, apologies my good man." Gill sighed as if he was truly sorry, "Now how shall we do this? Visa? Mastercard? Amex? Or do you prefer cheques? Please do not tell me I require that silly little device." It's honestly a little unnerving how surprisingly good Gill is at acting. It kind of makes me wonder if he acts even when interacting with us. Sometimes his smile feels a little fake. And there's something behind his eyes. Not malicious like Nashota, but rather pain. Pain that's embedded in his soul.

"It's so refreshing to meet someone who understands the importance of money." Charon spoke with a strange smile, "However, there is an order to things. Firstly, how did you little children die. Gruesomely?"

"Indeed, it was quite a torrid affair. Our families had decided to meet together for meeting in regard to a merger," Gill laments, "And us four made an executive decision to listen in on the adults. Unfortunately, most of the possible eavesdropping spots were blocked by hired security, so we came up with idea to scale the side of the mansion to gain access to a window that would overlook the meeting. I had a maid tie a rope to one of the chimneys on the roof, and we began our climb. The window was on the 5th floor, so we had quite a climb. Unfortunately, though we were close to the window, the rope ripped from the roof, and we had quite a fall. Though we died, poor Percival took the worst of it, as he was behind all three of us. His body… well let's just say it wasn't pleasant to look at."

Huh. Not a bad lie. It's abnormal but not too abnormal. I'm pretty sure I would've fallen for it were I the target of the lie.

Percy grunts, clearly having determined that his character was a quiet and stoic type.

All Charon did is laugh, "Hahahaha! You four, have got to be, the most entertaining demigods I've ever met!" At those words, my heart skipped a beat. I looked to my friends, and they too were shocked. Gill visibly paled in surprise and shock. "Hey, don't worry! Your story and acting were top notch, but there's one clear way to identify a demigod from a mortal…" The ferryman pauses for dramatic effect, it's clear he's enjoying this. "Their eyes."

"Their eyes?" Percy asks, and even I was a little confused, though Gill had a look of realisation on his face.

"That's right, Son of the Sea God," Charon answers, with a chilling tone, "Look at your friend, Yorinobu there. Look into his eyes. Tell me what you see." Percy turns to Yurei, and I do as well. The boy doesn't seem flustered at all by us looking at him directly in the eyes. When I look into those eyes, I understand what Charon meant. No mortal has eyes so deeply black. When I look into them, what I see can only be described as one thing.

"An abyss," Charon says, as if reading my mind, "Children of Cthonic gods -", I quickly whisper an explanation to Percy that Cthonic Gods are basically a term for Underworld gods, "-have eyes darker than any conceivable shade of black. A mortal may black irises, but they don't have irises that are the very concept of black." I found the new information to be fascinating, and I remember how all of the demigods at camp have such beautiful eyes. Which struck me as odd that Nashota's eyes were so… normal? I mean, yeah, I said that there was evil behind them, but in terms of colouration, they're so mortal when you compared to Gill or Percy.

When Charon finishes his explanation, Gill laughs, as if he wasn't shocked to core a few seconds ago. "Haha! I should've known that was such a dead giveaway. The only thing the books ever talked about was eyes. And I was so read to have Yurei walk through a wall." Books? Did he read some sort of informational books about demigods that I've never read? Alright, I definitely got to ask him about that later. "Alright Charon, I've got the Drachma, and I'll get your boss to give you a pay raise. What else will it take for you to let us get past that river?"

Charon stares at Gill for what feels like a couple minutes, and during that time, I get a small glimpse of what exists past his sunglasses. They were hollow, dark and deep. As expected of a child of Nyx.

"You know what, Gilderoy?" Charon says with a smirk, "I'll take you there, free of charge. You interest me. All four of you are amusing little gremlins." He takes a pause, before saying, "Actually, it would be great if you tell the boss about a pay raise. These suits are not cheap." He begins to walk to an eerie looking elevator.

"Nor should they be. The price is worth looking on point" Gill grins, though I notice that it falls when he looks at the lobby. At the despondent ghosts.

"Ha, I knew I like you, kiddo." Charon says, before turning back to see Gill frowning. "Come on, I don't got all day." Suddenly, a heavy looking pouch is thrown at Charon, though the ferryman catches it with ease. "Hey, what's the deal Gilde-" However, he stops midsentence when he opens the pouch.

"100 Drachma, enough for everyone in this lobby. Keep the change." I notice Gill's voice was little colder than usual. It makes sense if the 'Reincarnated Hero' theory is true. He probably understands what it was to be like them.

"Huh. Looks like it'll be a busy day." Charon mutters, staring at the golden coins as he walks towards the elevators.

I stare at Gill as he listlessly follows the ferryman, and I notice that the real ghosts in the lobby were looking at Gill as if he were a god. This is why I will trust Gill despite his… Gill-ness. Because at the end of day, he'll help people when he can, despite the personal cost. You can't help but admire that about him. I just wish he was less of a jerk. Jeez, I've probably thought that a billion times by now.

As we stand inside the elevator, spirits crowding around all of us, Charon places a keycard into a slot in the elevator panel and we begin to descend.

"What happens to the spirits that'll come after those in the lobby?" Percy asks. I can only look at him with pity of his ignorance. Normally I'd berate him for such an easy question, but I guess that lobby took a lot out of me.

"Nothing," Charon said.

"For how long?"

"Forever, or until I'm feeling generous."

"Oh," he says. "That's… not fair."

Charon raised an eyebrow. "Death isn't fair, young man"

"Then why can't we make it fair." Gill says for the first time since we entered the lift. His voice is cold, and serious, a far cry from what it usually is. It's a little unsettling. "Let's be real Charon, you don't need this money, you don't need to ferry souls across the Styx when bridge will do, and you don't need to keep souls without money waiting for centuries upon centuries."

Suddenly, the air turned misty. Spirits around me started changing shape from modern people to grey cloaked creatures, and the elevator began to go forward, transforming into a boat, swaying back and forth upon the Styx.

Charon's creamy Italian suit had been replaced by a long black tattered robe. His sunglasses were gone, revealing empty sockets—like Ares's eyes, except Charon's were totally dark, full of night and death and despair. The entities face melted off, revealing the pale ebony skull, and a furious aura of darkness radiated off of him.

"You and those lost souls in the lobby are lucky, Gilgamesh, that you had paid before insulting me." The ferryman growled, though Gill remains unfazed. I grip tightly to the rim of the boat, deathly afraid of what was before me. Yurei and Percy copy the action, both fearful.

"You're angry because I'm telling the truth." Gill says, unwavering. "The only reason you do this is because of old men regaling stories thousands of years ago, warped and changed from even older stories. Even when you don't have to follow those rules from those times, even though you don't have to follow the commands of Hades for you are being that is far older than he could image, you continue to act like this for you relish those times of Ancient Greece, back at the height of your worship. You are so deathly afraid of fading, that you purposefully cause others to suffer."

The boat begins to rattle a shake, and the spirits arounds crouch down, hands over the hood of their robes. I see Percy glancing at Gill, clearly unsettled by the sudden seriousness in Gill, and the deepness of his conversation with Charon.

Charon's gaze shifts from Gill to Percy to Yurei and I, his dark eyes narrowing in anger. "You presume much, demigod," he hisses, in a voice as ancient as the river he rows upon everyday. "You think you understand the balance of life and death? The delicate threads that hold the cosmos together?"

"Maybe not," Gill replies, stepping forward, face to face with ferryman, "But I know a coward when I see one. You're sitting here, collecting meaningless gold, torturing spirits for eternity, while this world slowly crumbles. You're not just afraid Charon, you're depressed. The suits mean nothing to you, they're just a way to hide yourself from the world. But believe me, you can change, this system can change, this world can change."

The boat shuddered, as if even the river itself recoiled at Gill's words. Charon's empty gaze bore into him, and for a moment, I thought the ferryman might strike him down with a single sweep of his bony hand. But then, something shifted.

A deep, weary sigh escaped from within Charon's skeletal form, a sound that seemed to echo across the Styx, bouncing off the misty banks. The oppressive aura of death that had been swirling around us slowly receded, and the boat's swaying stilled. The spirits crouched around us cautiously began to straighten up, their forms flickering between the old and new.

"You speak boldly, Gilgamesh," Charon rasped. "Perhaps too boldly. But you are not entirely wrong."

Percy looked at Charon in shock, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. I was equally stunned. Charon… agreeing with a demigod? It seemed impossible, but there was a hint of something ancient in the ferryman's voice, something beyond anger or duty. It sounded like… exhaustion? It reminds me of Chiron, when he would talk for a long period of time. Sadness mixed with the tone of an old man.

"The Drachma, the rituals, the endless ferrying of souls, it's all I've known. I have ferried hundreds of millions of souls, entire kingdoms at once, heroes who fought till their last breath. And even then, I continue to row this boat." Charon stopped rowing the boat with his oar, but the boat continues to move, "I am bound to this duty. Not by honour or pay, but simply because I must. Death isn't fair, not even too me"

There is a long silence, and Gill just looks at the Ferryman, and Charon looks back. And suddenly, a loud thud and the boat stops. We had reached the shore. As if their cloaks were on fire, the souls around us jumped off the boat and run far away. Yurei, Percy, and I also get off the boat, stepping onto the black sands, but we wait for Gill, who was still looking at Charon.

A minute later, Gill jumps off, and walks to us, but he raises his hand and waves to Charon, though Gill doesn't turn around, and says, "The tides of change are approaching, Ferryman of the Styx, make sure to row safely upon them." I turn to where Charon and the boat were, but they had disappeared.

We begin to walk, following a beaten down path. There is a very long silence, the tension thick in the air. I quietly look at the underworld. I truly hope this will be the first and second-to-last time I come here as Annabeth Chase. I guess I'm just optimistic, thinking I'll get to Elysium and reincarnate. At the very least, I'm not getting into the Fields of Punishment. Some of those tortures I saw there. Terrifying.

Finally, the silence is broken, with Gill laughing, "Hahaha! That was pretty fun! We should totally do that again sometime!" Everyone pauses, but then we join in on the laughter (Well, Yurei just subtly smiles).

"As you wish, Young Master Rothschild." Yurei jokes in his monotone voice, "Would you like to schedule before or after the board meeting." Once again, we laugh at his joke.

"Hey, you two, when's the wedding?" Percy asks, putting his arms around the both of us, "I hear it's gonna be the event of the century."

"Ha ha." I drawl, with a roll of my eyes, though I couldn't help but smile, "It's gonna be one hell of headline when journalists find out that bride ran away from the altar."

"Not if I run first" Gill says with a laugh, before raising his palm, as if to stop us, "Looks like Gods Best Friend is up ahead, I'll deal with him." Gill slips out of Percy's reach, and walks to the giant, growling beast known as Cerberus.

"Uh shouldn't we help him?" Percy asks me, his hand reaching towards his pen.

"There's no need, I already know he's going to solve this." I respond, much to Percy's confusion, "Ever heard of Orpheus?" However, before I could continue, a truly beautiful melody met my ears, and an amazing sound of harp strings are played.

(Hades - Good Riddance (Orpheus Solo) (Just search it on Youtube))

Farewell
To all the earthly remains

No burdens
No further debts to be paid

I see Gill approaching the giant three-headed Rottweiler, gently strumming the harp. The aggression in the Underworld's guardian fades away immediately, gently swaying to the music.

Atlas
Can rest his weary bones
The weight of the world
All falls away
In time

Percy falls to the ground, lying down on the black soil. I look at the expression of relief on his face and realise just how much stress he was going through. I can't imagine what it must be like, to have your mom's life in danger and World War 3 a possibility depending on your actions. It makes me feel guilty, because I've treating this quest as a way to prove myself. Meanwhile, Gill and Percy are doing it help people.

Is it really worth trade away my humanity just to prove myself to mom?

I look to Gill, who looks like an angel as he sits next to Cerberus.

No. It'll never be worth it.

Goodbye
To all the plans that we made

No contracts
I'm free to do as I may

No hunger
No sleep except to dream
Mild and warm
Safe from all harm

Calm

There's something on my face. I raise my hands to my face, and I feel a wetness. I'm… crying?

Good riddance
To all the thieves
To all the fools that stifled me
They've come and gone
And passed me by
Good riddance
To all

The last eyes of Cerberus close, a look of uncharacteristic peace on all three heads.

The tears coming down from my face won't stop, but at same time, I've never been more at peace.

I've met gods before. I've seen things most people never will. And yet, when I watch Gill play, when I see the music affecting the very Underworld, when I see Percy truly relax for the first time for a while, and when I see the huge, unrelenting smile on Yurei's face, it feels as I truly seen the beauty this world has to offer.

Farewell
To all the earthly remains

No burdens
No further debts to be paid

Flowers bloom from black soil, every petal coloured in luminescent white.

All I can hear is the beautiful song. It's as if the entire Underworld decided to be quiet just this song could be heard in its full glory.

Atlas
Can rest his weary bones
The weight of the world
All falls away
In time

Gill gets up from ground, quietly walking towards us. A large and warm smile graces his face, "How about we take a small break before continuing?" He suggests, to which we nod.

I follow Percy's lead and lie down on the black soil. I hear Gill strumming the harp, though there is no lyrics this time, and it is just as beautiful.

The tears had finally stopped, and a smile is on my face instead.

I am so unbelievably happy I went on this quest. Otherwise, I wouldn't have heard that beautiful song.

"Hey, Gill?" I call, getting my friend's attention, "Thanks"

A moment passes, and Gill smiles.

Author's Notes: Done. I know, I know. It's been a long while. But uh, life finds a way… to fuck me over.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.

Just so everyone knows, just because of the fiancée joke doesn't mean that I've decided on Annabeth X Gill ship, though I am leaning towards it. Right now, they have no romantic attraction each other AT ALL. They were just joking around.

I hope you're all okay with a majority of this chapter being in Annabeth's POV. I know for the last few chapters, there's been a little less Gamer elements, but I wanted to use Annabeth's POV to explore how everyone sees Gill.

I'd love to hear your opinion on this, and am curious if you'd like to see more POV like this.

Next chapter is going to be pretty important, and I really hope to do it justice.

Below are images on what everyone's suits roughly look like (replace dot with . and remove all spaces) (or got to my AO3 for the link and go the chapter 34 there):

Percy's Clothes: tinyurl dot com /2p8mvs6x

Annabeth's Clothes: tinyurl dot com /5yjzy5hx

Yurei's Clothes: tinyurl dot com /42zysrns

Gill's Clothes: tinyurl dot com /yc2p8ur9

Here are Gill's stats:

Name: Gilgamesh Ashford
Age: 12
Level: 86
Title: Apollo Cabin Councillor

HP: 18190/18190
MP: 26098/26098

Stats
Strength: 1000
Agility: 1000
Endurance: 1000
Charisma: 1285 (5140 with Necklace of Nimue)
Intelligence: 950
Willpower: 900
Luck: 1000

Stat Points: 0