Chapter 10: A Small Hitch

Hello again everybody,

I am devishly sorry for not updating sooner. I am a rascal and I take full responsibility for that. It seems that most of the time, I update fairly periodically for a while and then relapse and don't update for a long time. Hopefully this time around, where I update fairly frequently, I can finish this story. A story that has been in the making for a few years now. I have the final pretty much planned out, and I just hope you guys like it. Anyways, please read and review. Much apologies.

-Nic Lire

Nico POV

I appeared in an isolated part of the Underworld with a silent whoosh of air. I staggered a step as a sudden sense of nausea overcame me. Shadow traveling this many times in a day tired me out. I would need some resting up to do tonight, especially considering how much I would be shadow traveling in the near future. If I had any luck here, I would most likely be shadow traveling a lot tomorrow. All in the name of Percy's big day.

This part of the Underworld was reserved for the people who had committed crimes in their previous life, but nothing serious enough to earn them eternal torment. My father had found it amusing to banish them to an isolated place to spend with other troublemakers of their severity level. He banished them here and now I was here to free them.

I glided among the number of dead aimlessly milling around. Mortals in life, they had weak minds. They would accomplish what I needed. I slowly passed my eyes around each one of them and scrutinized them closely.

That one...

I sidled up to a bigger ghost and I lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He jerked around and shrugged off my hand violently. Perfect.

He growled emphatically, "What?!"

I smiled and placed a hand on his chest and slowly started sucking his energy.

"I have a proposition for you."

"What proposition could yo-"

"Shut it. Hear me out, or you'll be worse than dead in a few minutes."

He hissed, but otherwise kept silent.

"I need ghosts to work for me. I have a construction project of a delicate nature that I need completed by tomorrow. Here are your options. If you accept, I will bring you out of this isolation so you may interact with others of your kind more freely. Hades will have no knowledge of this. You will not be penalized. Your other option is you can decline, and let me finish sucking your energy, in which case, you will be worse than you are now. What say you?"

His response was quick in coming, "I will help you, Son of Hades."

"Good. I will come collect you later."

I patted him on the shoulder and released his energy back to him. I made my way around and started repeating the offer to more ghosts. Without question, all of them accepted. I had collected around seven more ghosts when I felt a stabbing pain in my arm.

My father was calling me...

Hades POV

I pinched my forehead. That boy, was overstepping his boundaries again. I could sense that he had been talking to far too many spirits than normal. I gripped my goblet tightly, and blasted out a projection of pure dark energy. The tendril of energy would branch out until it found Nico, and then it would alert him to my bidding. He was not long in coming.

The boy appeared with a silent whoosh. When had he grown so tall? His scraggly black hair covered one eye, and the other eye was focused intently on me.

"Sup."

"Sup? Is that how you treat a Big Three God? I demand more respect and you shall address me properly."

Nico grinned, irritably, "What's hanging baldie?"

"Thank you, that's much better."

I drummed my fingertips impatiently, "Now, I have some stuff to ask yo-". A flit of fear mixed with annoyance flashed over Nico's face for the briefest second, before it passed. It had been brief, but I had noticed.

"I have some stuff to ask you." I snapped my fingers and a roll of parchment appeared. It floated towards me, slowly unraveling itself. I pointed a finger at the first line on the paper.

"What is this, son? Your statement here says that you chatted with an unspeakable about thirty minutes ago. And look here! Seven more encounters with them in about twenty-five minutes. What could you possibly want with them? You know no one's supposed to even talk to them! Explain yourself."

Nico brushed his hair impatiently. When he spoke, it came out as a long drawl.

"I needed some workers to renovate my room. It was too... dark in there. I wanted to let in some light."

I gnashed my teeth. "WE LIVE UNDERNEATH THE GROUND NICO." I controlled myself a bit. "What light, could you possibly let in?"

Nico smirked. "Hey, you captured Persephone to let in some light, didn't you? Who says only your allowed? Besides, I'm not up to anything of that sort. The mortals have come up with some new gravity bulbs."

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. Maybe it was time to retire. "You think mortals have that kind of brainpower? It was a child of Hephaestus, you moronic black idiot."

Nico smiled. "Are we done bickering over pointless stuff now? I have places to go, spirits to see."

I sighed. "Yeah, you can go. But remember, I will be checking your statements."

Nico gave a short bark. "Yeah, no worries."

He twirled on the spot and gave a short bow. "At your leave mademoiselle." He gave a short pop and then he disappeared.

Nico's POV

Bleh. That had been entirely unproductive, but at least forceful shit hadn't gone down. A god of the Big Three was sure to mess up Percy's plan. I had to be even more careful from now on. But first things first, it was time to collect my ghosts.

I appeared in the field of the unspeakables. I let loose a tendril of energy. Nothing quite like what my dad could do, but still pretty good. Come.

But not all of you, just the special eight that I picked out. I don't want all of you. That would be too much... Thanks.

They appeared in a line. Seven incredibly buff men and one massive woman.

I have chosen you eight. Come. There is work to do. Link hands.

I touched my hand to the closest one, and then shadow traveled to the work site. The ghost I had left in charge spotted me and quickly came running over. He wrung his hands. "My lord, w-w-e're a-almost done."

"When."

He spread his arms anxiously. "There's really no saying, but the day after tomorrow. I think."

I smirked. "You're in luck my friend." I clapped my hand to his shoulder reassuringly.

"I-I am?" He smiled nervously.

I spread my hands. "I brought you friends. Inform them of what's going down. I have to go."

"O-of course."

I turned around to face the new arrivals. "You take orders from this one here. He'll report any insubordination to me. You all understand?"

They all nodded their heads vigorously.

"Good. I expect it to be finished tomorrow when I get back. Understand?"

A second round of vigorous head bobbing followed.

I would be back.

So that was it, more to come later. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Obviously not my best work, but I was kind of in a rush. Anyways, everyone please read and review, and not just read. I really appreciate and enjoy the reviews. Thanks, and see you next time.

-Nic Lire