I sit there, staring at Mal.
"Bitch, what?"
Mal rolls her eyes.
"Hell, Aiden. You're in hell."
"You can't be serious. I didn't sign up to be sent to hell, motherfuckers!"
Ryan glances at Alec from the corner of her eye.
"You and Dean said she agreed to come!"
"Well I lied, Ryan. I don't know what you expect from me. You really thought I was telling the truth?"
"I mean...yes. With that look on your face...it's hard to say otherwise. You're quite convincing."
"I like to think I am."
I rub my head tiredly.
"Someone bring me back to earth before I throw a hissy fit. Or even the underworld for all I care. Hypnos jinxed me when he wished for me to burn in the fiery pits of hell. I am burning in the fiery pits of hell. Why the hell is it so hot?! And why the fuck is Althea here?! The girl can barely handle cussing."
Althea frowns.
"Not here by choice."
"You'll be fine. Both of you. Now enough of the temper tantrums, we have stuff to do."
She moves her eyes to me.
"Starting with you."
*******
Mal instructs everyone to leave the room, besides Ryan, Alec, and me.
"Okay. So this is quite simple, Aiden. You just have to be able to listen."
"I'm not deaf."
She narrows her eyes.
"Continue the sass and you will be. I'll cut off your ears and feed them to my cat."
She points at Alec.
"He's my cat."
Alec makes a face.
"Girl, what?"
"Shut up! Don't ruin everything!"
She kicks his leg with her heeled boot before turning back to me with a sort of crazed smile.
"We're destroying the world."
My eyes expand and I hold out my hand.
"But—but Mal! Alec!? I don't even know how to use my powers...how am I meant to save or destroy the world without them?!"
Mal and Alec grin before looking back at me.
"Easy. While me and Ryan work on Althea, Alec will work on you."
My face crimsons and I move my eyes away from theirs.
"Work on me?"
I feel someone behind me, and they rub their thumb up and down my arm while the other hand holds onto my waist.
"Yeah—work on you. I can teach you many things, maybe even how to fu—"
"Don't even finish that sentence, Mr. Walker. If my dad finds out Alec is dipping one's wick, he'll slaughter me."
"Dipping one's—"
"Fucking. Screwing. Doing the deed. Having—"
"I get it now...wait." I snap my head around to Mal. "We wouldn't bang each other. That's way out of line."
"Yeah right. I bet by tomorrow you guys probably fucked twice. Or at least once. Come on...a once in a lifetime experience."
"You aren't saying—?"
"Of course not, babe! I'm lesbian. Gay. Not into men. That's why I have a girlfriend and not a boyfriend. Now if you'll excuse me, me and my lovely girlfriend, Ryan, are going to go train Althea so she isn't so awkward."
Mal waves, disappearing out the door with Ryan.
As soon as she leaves things get awkward.
Oh fuck.
What if he tries to kiss me and I don't know how to kiss him back?!
Oh what am I saying?! I've kissed him twice already! He gave me a hickey! And licked my boob!
"Aido potato? What're you thinking about?"
I turn my head over my shoulder, smiling awkwardly.
"Uhh, nothing?"
I turn my head back around, staring at the table.
"Hmm...I bet you're thinking of me kissing—"
"Stop! Don't! My mind will be stained and I'll no longer be a pure child!"
Alec laughs, before standing up from the floor.
"Come closer, sweetheart. I'm not gonna eat you."
I walk closer, stopping in front of him.
I raise an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure how much I can trust that, Mr. Walker, you tend to be a bit...rough."
"Rough, huh? My little chaste girl, I don't think you could ever handle me being rough on you...now turn around."
"Huh?"
"You heard me right, turn around."
I turn around, so that I'm facing the area towards the table.
Alec's hands snake around my waist, pulling me against him.
"Now, Aiden, the first thing you do is hold out your hands. Easy."
I hold out my hands, and Alec grins.
"Great...now do me a favor and think of what you want to do."
Hmm...I want to break the chair next to the table.
"Got it."
"Awesome...now, shut your eyes, and picture yourself doing it. Picture yourself breaking that chair."
I go stiff, dropping my hands and looking at him.
"What?"
"You heard what I said."
Alec lifts my hands back up and turns my head back around.
"Focus."
"But—"
"Focus, child."
He slowly drops his hands, watching as I point my open palms towards the chair, and shut my eyes to focus.
Focus, Aiden.
All you have to do is manifest it...right? Right.
I feel a warmth spreading through my veins, and let out a yelp when a ball of something shoots from my hands, making the chair splinter into a bunch of pieces.
I stumble backwards into Alec, who steadies me by my forearms.
"Careful, baby. You got it."
"W-What was that?!"
"Your power. Electricity."
"Woah...it was blue and black! Did you see that!?"
I jump up and down, smiling brightly up at him.
Alec smiles back. Genuinely smiles.
"Good job, Aiden. Now let me demonstrate something for you. It makes your powers more powerful and also makes you look more badass."
Alec takes a step away from me, and holds out his hand.
"I just need to do something...wait a moment."
Pandora appears out of nowhere, falling from absolutely nothing.
"Ugh! What the—?!"
She looks around, standing up.
Her clothes are wrinkled, her hairs ratty, and her lipstick's smudged.
"Looks like you got yourself into some action."
"I don't want to talk about it. Alec?! Why did you teleport me?!"
"I need you as a demonstration. Stand next to me."
Pandora stands next to him, and he moves a chair with his hand next to him as well.
"Now, Aiden, since you're powerful I believe you'll be able to do this."
Alec holds both of his hands somewhat out to the side of him, as if he's lifting something.
"Focus on the energy around you, even if you need take it from someone around."
Alec smiles at me.
"Then focus. And soon enough—" Pandora lets out a small screech as she's lifted into the air along with the chair, and Alec looks back at me. "You'll lift them."
Glowing black magic levitates from his hands, and makes his bright green eyes glow. The veins underneath his eyes shine black.
He drops his hands at his sides, which also makes Pandora and the chair fall as well.
He uses his power to situate Pandora upright before she falls.
"Thank you, Pandora. Now I'll send you back to the underworld."
"Thanks, bro. I'm sure Pierce will wonder where I went."
"Pierce?!"
"Uh—nothing?"
She disappears, and I look back at Alec.
"You can't expect me to do that."
"I will. I'll turn into a cat so it'll be easier for you to lift me."
He shifts into a pretty black cat, circling around my leg once before going next to me.
"You're kind of heavy but I'll deal with it."
"No need to be scared..."
"Huh?! Where's your voice coming from?!"
"Inside you're head. When I'm an animal I can't necessarily talk to you aloud, Aiden."
I focus really hard, pouring all my energy.
My hands start to glow, and Alec the cat gets lifted off the ground easily.
Panicked, I drop my hands and watch as he falls back down, shifting back into a human before landing onto the floor with a sickening thump.
"Ow. Way to kill a cat, bitch. At least I still have eight lives left."
******
After a long while of power training it's time for combat training.
Something I know I won't be able to do for shit.
"Okay. First we have to get you in the right stance. Knees slightly bent."
He gives me a look.
"Slightly bent, Weiss! Not a fucking crouch!"
I straighten a little, and he nods.
"Good. Now right foot in front of the left. Only a little bit."
I do as he says, and he smiles.
"Great. Now get yours fists right. Thumbs on the outside, if you put them inside your fist you'll break them."
I nod, and Alec rolls his eyes.
"Oh no, Aiden. Not that! Here."
He comes closer and my eyes widen a bit as he gets back behind me, guiding my top half gently by my shoulders, not before softly gliding his hands back to my lower waist in order to situate me correctly.
"Let me just—"
He takes my wrists in his hands, situating my arms.
"If you see you have to have your fists as far away from your face as they can without stretching them too close to the opponent."
I feel his breath tickle the back of my neck, and a small shiver runs down my spine.
"Oh—okay."
I do as he said, letting out a small sigh of frustration.
Alec stands up straighter, angling my chin so I'm staring right at him.
"Hey, what happened?"
"I—oh—nothing. I just can't seem to get it."
"You're doing just fine."
He distances himself again, standing in front of me.
"Punch me."
"What?"
My eyes widen, and Alec grins.
"Easy. Just punch me, show me that you at least have a tiny bit of skill, Aiden."
"Okay..."
I throw a punch at his chest, flinching.
"I think that hurt me more than it hurt you, Alec. This is dumb...your chest is a literal rock. You won't feel anything."
"Maybe you just have to try a little harder, babe."
"Ugh. Fine."
I throw another punch, and Alec still stands there.
"Harder."
Again.
"Harder."
Again.
"Harder."
Again.
"Harder."
I get so riled up that I throw a punch that was charged with a bit of power, making him fall back.
"Got it that time, babe. Really knocked the wind out of me."
"Finally."
"Time for some more stuff."
"Oh no, Coach Walker. I've had enough for today. More than enough."
I stand up, before holding out my hand.
"One second. Turn around."
"Why?"
"Because I'm changing."
"Into what?"
"Something. This heavy jacket and this shirt with all these straps is killing me."
I flip him around to face the wall, beginning to undress myself.
******
(ALEC'S POV)
It wouldn't hurt to turn around for a quick second, right? Right.
Don't blame me...I'm a teenage boy. I mean...a grown man because I'm 19 but there's still teen in that.
I turn around, my eyes expanding a little.
Holy shit.
Even though she's facing away from me, I can see her pull of the jacket she usually wears, which indeed exposes the real shape of her body.
She begins to pull off her shirt when I decide to turn back around.
I grin to myself.
I already know she has big boobs.
********
(AIDEN'S POV)
When I turn back around Alec is still facing the wall, and I narrow my eyes.
"You weren't looking at the wall the whole time, were you?"
"Of course I was! I was just—"
His eyes expand, before they rake up and down my body twice.
"What happened to the clothes part?"
"I told you the shirt was uncomfortable. I'm sticking with the bra. You'll be fine."
I bend down, picking up my shirt and jacket before placing them down on the table..
"This will work." I smirk at Alec. "Don't get too distracted."
******
After some more time of "personal trainer Alec" training me, we hear a knock at the door.
"Hello?"
Ryan opens the door, seeing me laying flat on the floor and Alec smoking in the corner.
"First of all, stop smoking. You're going to get lung cancer. Second of all, Aiden, get your ass off the floor because there's a meeting in the main room."
I move my head lazily to look at her.
"Main what?"
"Main room. It's a meeting about our plan. So if you'd like to have any clue what's going on, I'd come now. You know Mal, Alec. She hates when people are late. She'll send you to Lucifer who won't be as nice."
My eyebrows furrow.
"Nice? Mal is a she devil. Lucifer must be godawful."
I stand up, and Alec waves his hand in dismissal.
"I'll be there in a bit. I'm going to finish my smoke."
"Don't pollute down here like you do everywhere with that shit. It ain't cool to be a druggie."
"Says you. There's nothing special about you besides the fact that you're related to me and you're dating Lucifer's daughter. Which isn't even that cool."
Ryan rolls her eyes before taking my arm, dragging me from the room without another word.
I zip up my jacket that I put back on, turning my head to look at Ryan who looks exhausted.
"You good?"
"Fine, Aiden. No need to worry about me."
"You sure though? Ever since I met you you've seen out of it."
"I am, if I'm being honest. It's hard to keep up with all of them. Especially Voice and her group of literal shadows."
"What do they do?"
"Something called Whelve and Seek."
"Whelve and Seek?"
"Yes. It's some sort of murder game where you try not to die. Or get injured. You hide in the dark and try not to get found by Voice, Silence, Inferno, or Phantom. I lose every time they make me play it...but it's not my fault they're basically invisible. At one point you start to—"
"Ryan! Where have you been?"
Ryan jumps, before frowning at Dean.
"I had to get Aiden and Alec."
"Yet I only see Aiden."
I cross my arms over my chest.
"Alec wants to...finish his smoke."
"Typical Alec. Get in."
He opens the door and I sit down on the small bench.
*******
After a long time of Dean and Mal speaking on and on about some sort of introduction, I feel someone sit next to me.
"Hey."
I hear a low voice, and turn my head to be face to face with Alec.
"Oh, hey. Where the hell did you go?"
"Be a little more quiet, babe."
He kicks my shin with a devious smirk and I let out a small yelp, giving him a look from the corner of my eye as everyone looks at us.
"Is there something going on...?"
"No. I just thought there was a bug on my leg."
I say to Ryan, who rolls her eyes.
"Yeah right. Dirty children."
I glare at Alec from the corner of my eye, discreetly elbowing him.
"You're late, you know that?! Where the hell have you been?! And where's Althea?"
Alec shrugs.
"I don't know."
"You two weren't fooling around, were you?"
"Definitely not, sweetheart. I'm a player but that's not for me. I just had to tell her something, she left the room and I don't know where she went after that."
"Alright, Alec..."
"That's what I thought. But your lips are looking tempting, darling..."
He gently bites my earlobe, and my eyes widen.
"You better quit playing with me, dickhead. I'm not joking."
"Or what?"
He grins, trailing his hand up my thigh when I squeeze his wrist tightly.
"I won't be so nice on you later."
Alec smiles mischievously.
"I'm so scared."
I return the same sly grin.
"You should be. I'll fry your ass with my lightning powers."
"On second thought...I'll stop playing with you...for now at least. It's fun to watch you squirm."
I stare at him.
"You're really starting to freak me out."
"Don't be scared, Aido potato."
"Please stop. That nickname makes my ears bleed."
"Fine. My precious little love bug."
I cringe.
"That's even worse. Stick with sweetheart."
"Okay, okay, sweetheart."
"Thank you. Now shut up! We need to know what they're saying!"
"Fine."
"That's what I thought. Now Shh!"
We turn back to Mal and Dean who are at the front of the room, just as the door opens and someone comes running in.
"I'm here! I'm here!"
Mal smacks her forehead.
"Althea?! Where have you been for the past hour and a half?!"
"Lost!" She looks nervous. "Your dad told me where to go though."
"Of course he did. He loves to make people nervous...I can tell you are."
"Don't remind me."
She hurries up the steps, plopping down next to me.
She gives Alec some sort of look before looking back at Mal who smiles.
"Great. Now that we're done with the shenanigans I'll continue. As you know, this scheme is called Project Revelation. Here we plan to take over both the human realm, and capture a certain someone who goes by the name of Hazel in order to open the portal between life and death to get all the ghouls and monsters we'll need. And saying our new member, Aiden Weiss, has a certain connection with Bailey Weiss and Hades himself, we'll need her as a huge part in this."
Mal moves her eyes to mine.
"Your mother is currently trapped in Echo Lake. That is where all of the dead people are. You are going to have to go in there and get her, so we can bring her back to life. If we do so we'll know the exact way to Faith's Temple in Louisiana which is exactly where the heart of Zeus lives."
"The heart of Zeus?!"
Althea looks extremely panicked and Mal motions for her to calm down.
"No harm is being done to Zen or his family as long as they don't get involved. Which means you can't go and blabber your little mouth off to other people. You're staying here in hell until we're sure you won't go to other people."
"Where's me in all of this?"
Mal snaps her head towards Alec.
"Oh don't worry, child. I have a big role for you. You and Althea are going to Hazel. You have to make sure she gets back without dying. I would send Althea alone but the girl is incapable. I trust you enough. And Aiden, once you get the information from your mom you have to convince Hades to give you half of his powers."
"What?! Why?!"
"Because it's important. We need you to be able to defend yourself and the rest of us when we get to the last and final step."
"Which is?"
I say, and we all look at Mal and Dean expectantly.
"It's simple..." Dean says, and Mal smiles creepily.
"Sacrifice the soul of the moon to the gods for ultimate power."
******
(ALTHEA'S POV)
Two hours earlier...
"Okay, Althea. You seem pretty fine to us. Just make sure you don't freak out, okay? If we ever do anything. That's the only thing I'm concerned about."
I nod at Mal.
"Okay. Can I go to the bathroom?"
"No need to ask. Go on."
As soon as I exit the room I realize I have no idea where I'm going.
Too late to go back.
My mind wanders off to where Harley and the others could possibly be, and the fact that everything is going wrong.
I can't contact my mom or any of the other gods anymore so that makes it even worse.
I venture down the halls, coming across a door with a bathroom sign on it.
That wasn't that hard.
I open the door, and as soon as I do I get yanked into a stall, my eyes widening.
"What the heck are you doing?! This is the girl's bathroom!"
"Hmm...no one cares."
I snap my eyes on his, blinking.
"There's no way for you to benefit from coming into the woman's restroom, Al."
"Call me that again and see what happens. Disgusting."
I cross my arms over my chest, mimicking his position.
"Alright, Al."
He throws a lighter at my head and I jump, watching as it falls into the toilet.
"Ouch! That's pollution!"
"Pollution my ass, Miss Environmental."
"Please tell me what you're doing! You're making me nervous."
"Then my goal was met, Althea."
I stare at him.
"I actually have to go to the bathroom, so if you'd like to leave that'd be helpful."
"Well I actually have to tell you something, princess."
"Can it wait?"
"No."
I roll my eyes.
"Ugh fine. What is it?!"
He grins.
"Great. We here have a plan, you guys aren't here for no reason."
"And...?"
"And that reason is darker than you think, Thea."
His eyes glide from the side to mine.
"It's simple. A vile of blood from the first descendant of Athena, and a vile of blood from the first descendant of Hades."
"Which means what?! Aiden? Me?"
"You, yes. But Aiden? No."
I look vacantly into his green eyes.
"What do you mean no?! Does that mean—"
"That Aiden isn't Hades's only child? Only daughter?"
A grin spreads across his face as I nod eagerly.
"Yes. She was only the fifth of five. Macaria, Melinoe, Zagreus, Aiden, and then another little human girl."
"Alec...what're you hinting at?!"
Alec grins.
"Easy. The girl on earth we're going to get is Hades's daughter."
My eyes widen as he looks at me slyly.
"I'm talking about Hazel Russo."
*******