It was still so cold.

The name Percy Jackson, or any variations of it, was unofficially taboo on Vincitore Annullare. Everyone but Zavier knew his story, and what had happened to him—and everyone, including Zavier, knew why Zavier was forbidden from finding out who, what, when, where, and how.

The fact that Zavier had Shinrai Shinai was kept to only himself, Draek, Caiden and Chaos—not intentionally, they just neglected to tell anyone else. Zavier had always been one to cover up a lot anyways, so the fact that he wore even more clothing and the only skin anyone could even see was the space slightly above his nose—sometimes not even that. The white turtleneck had become a slight silvery, skin-tight, long sleeved shirt that had a mask that went over the bottom half of his face. The shadows of the hood tended to conceal the rest.

A few weeks afterward, "The Incident" happened, and everyone found out about it in one of the most horrible ways imaginable, but no one liked to talk about that at all. It put Zavier a few centuries back in his trust issues, and he'd stopped speaking as much—they all relied heavily on their Japanese lessons now, since that was Zavier's primary language.

Xanxus was unbelievably overprotective of Zavier, now—everyone was, actually. Even though he was now their Commander. It was seven centuries since they'd met him, and he'd grown on them all. Zavier spent a lot of his time gathering new soldiers, making sure they would be unfathomably loyal to Chaos—but everyone except for Zavier himself knew that any soldier he'd gathered(his words, really. He "gathered" them, yes, but to everyone else, he had saved each and every one of them from a terrible fate) would betray Chaos in an instant for him. Chaos knew this as well. And he was absolutely fine with how things were going, even if the army wasn't loyal to him, but Zavier.

Though, even after all this time, no one besides Chaos really knew anything about Zavier. Sure, they knew about who he'd been before Zavier existed. They knew about him. They knew about that hero. But they didn't know Zavier. Zavier was always so withdrawn, he always kept to himself, was wary of even those who proved time and time again to be his loyal friends.

Zavier didn't trust in the loyalty.

"Hey, Zai, whatcha doing?" Draek asked, slinging an arm over the shorter teen's shoulder. Though Zavier was wearing clothes to protect him, Draek wouldn't have burned him even if he wasn't. The only people on the list of those who wouldn't burn Zavier when in direct skin contact were Caiden, Xanxus, Draek, Chaos of course, the Second, who was fairly new, named Thalia Grace, and one of the newer additions to the ranks, a soldier who had gone by the name of Luke Castellian. He was now called Yandon Hearth, Vapor being his code name.

Code names were a must for the Soldiers of Chaos. Zavier's code name was Commander, Caiden's was Eleven, Draek's was Repteal, Xanxus was Scar. Jardonius was Indae. The rest of the Lieutenants' names went like this:

Thalia—she now went by the name Thal Gwwaemar—was called Thyme.

Izabelliae was called Avian.

Jasminta's code name was Flambe.

Nixt was called Nightcrow.

Dustin was Tech.

Giotto's code name was Decimo, and Vultri was called Le'Ire—or just "Ire," for short.

Zavier turned around and titled his head to the side slightly. "I am... waiting for Thyme and Tech to finish decoding the encrypted message one of our allies sent our way."

"Right, then, Commander, sir." Draek sent Zavier a wink, before peering over his shoulder at the large screen, curiously. "That's the whole... um, bar-code...base...thingie, right?" Zavier gave a small, almost amused smile.

Jardonius, who stood a few feet away at another counsel, snorted. "Uh-huh. And this," He wiggled a joy-stick that was grasped in his hand, "is called a lever. That." He pointed to a dashboard before him riddled with buttons and flashing bulbs of various kinds. "Is a control platform."

Draek hit him over the head and the blond boy snickered. "Yeah, yeah, I know! I'm not that stupid!"

"But you didn't deny it," Xanxus, who stood on the opposite side of Zavier and was watching the area of the Void their ship was stationed at through a large window that took up a whole entire wall, retaliated. The Corrptior native sent a smirk in the Evrasite's direction, and Draek stuck out his tongue.

"It is here." Zavier told them, as a message popped up on the screen in front of them, and the three directed their attention to the wording that Thalia and Dustin had translated. Draek crossed his arms and leaned against a small pillar that steadied the ceiling.

Zavier looked over his shoulder, casting the Evrasite a look. "Do you not have a station to man?"

Draek blushed, and scratched the back of his head as Zavier turned back to the message. Xanxus and Jardonius both sent him triumphant looks. He rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, my 'pologies. Ttyl, all." He jumped up and dashed out of the room. The soldiers who sat at the other counsels looked amused at their leaders' antics.

"That guy..." Xanxus shook his head.

"You used to be like that, too, ya know." Jardonius teased him.

Xanxus looked absolutely appalled. "What?! I so did not!" He threw out an arm and captured Zavier in a side hug, bringing him to his side. Zavier didn't even bat an eyelash, he only continued to type on the holo-keyboard before him, though he was forced to stretch out his arms to reach it now. "I'd never be so immature! I have to be a good role-model for Zaiver, right Otouto?" He looked down.

Zavier blinked, and looked up at him. "... I suppose." Then he turned back to his work. Xanxus began to tear up. "S-Suppose?" He mumbles. "Why does he suppose? I am too mature!"

Jardon rolled his eyes. "Mh-hm. Sometimes I feel sorry for Zai. Poor Zai, everyone gives him their utmost attention no matter what. Must get annoying sometimes."

Zavier paused in his typing, and looked up as if a sudden thought had struck him, before continuing in pending a response to the message.

Finally, Zavier decided that his response was adequate, and sent it, before turning to the others in the room. He blinked his glowing blue eyes that just caught your attention, and you never managed to get it back. They were so deep, mysterious, filled to the brim with mystery that you couldn't look away. This was one of the main reasons that Zavier kept his eyes in the shadows of his hood, among others. "Planet Xompt is in need of assistance." He told them, simply, then strode out of the room. Jardon blinked and watched as Xanxus scurried after the smaller and stronger immortal. Once the two were gone, the Lieutenant sent a grin at the soldiers working in the room. "You know, that guy used to be the almighty First Lieutenant, but now he's reduced to an loyal puppy due to the Commander's aura of adorable." Several of the soldiers looked to be trying their best to hold in snickers. He understood. They were slightly new to the positions, fresh out of training, and didn't want to be caught talking bad about their superiors. He sent them a wink anyway. "Don't you agree?"

"Jardonius!" Xanxus's voice sounded over the intercom. "I can hear you!"

Jardon's ear twitched when he heard a slight snicker escape from a nearby private, who was beginning to turn red from lack of oxygen. He put on a cheerful smile and looked up at the ceiling. "Oh? Xanxus, dear, is that you?" A choked cough from a female officer to his left. "Terribly sorry, hun, I wasn't aware you were up there! Of course, I really shouldn't be surprised—you're an angel, after all!"

He heard a thump, and turned around to see a male soldier kneeling on the ground. He was clutching his stomach and had a gloved hand pressed firmly over his mouth in and effort to smother his chuckling. The poor teen's face was beet red and his eyes were squeezed shut. Jardon grinned as he caught sight of some other soldiers going down to the floor as well. He got that—the floor was a safe haven where you could howl with unrequited hysterics and not have to worry about falling out of your chair and screwing up your work. He grinned roguishly. "Oi! Xanxus? Puppy-dog? Honey-bun!~"

Hm, that young-looking redhead seemed to be having trouble breathing...

Xanxus didn't sound happy at all. "JARDON!D-Dammit! Shut the void up!" Jardonius began to cackle, and that seemed to be it for the soldiers in the room. They rolled on the floor, trying to take in deep, much-needed gulps of air; but it was futile as the giggles just wouldn't stop coming. Jardon gave himself a pat on the back for succeeding in loosening up the newbies, before joining them.

"Jardonius." Zavier's voice sounded, then, and everyone quieted down just a little. The kid just had that effect on you. "Please stop teasing Nii-san. I understand that it is fun sometimes—" Here, everyone began to grin again as Xanxus's voice yelled out indignantly in the background. "—But it would be much appreciated if you kept the younger soldiers on task... now is not the time."

Jardon let out a breathless giggle, sitting up and reaching a hand over to the bright orange colored speaker-button. "U-understood, Commander! Though, I was just trying to get them to loosen up a bit. It's not good for them to be so void-damn tense, ya know?"

"I see. Well?"

Jardon could practically see Zavier raising an eyebrow—despite the fact no one but Chaos has seen even that part of the small teen's face. He grinned. "It worked~"

"Very good..." The tone was almost patronizing. "Do not do it again."

"Awwwww..." Jardon pouted at the ceiling as if his commander could see his puppy-dog eyes. They all heard Zavier let out a almost inaudible sigh.

"... Not during patrol."

"Ha-HA!" Jardon pumped his fist into the air, and the soldiers around him looked extremely amused. "So, like, during break and stuff?"

"Hai." You could literally hear the shrug.

"Yessss..." Jardon rubbed his hands together with a cheeky smile.

Zavier sounded as amused as an emotionless, second-most-powerful-person-in-the-universe could as he ordered them all back to work. Jardon took one look at the newer soldiers, who appeared much more relaxed in the military-like environment, and smiled triumphantly. Mission accomplished.

Teasing Xanxus had only been a bonus.

…

Sometimes, Xanxus just liked to watch Zavier. Sure, he was the little guy's self-proclaimed older brother, but that small fact of no blood-relation didn't deter him from feeling a familial tie, somehow. Zavier moved so gracefully in everything he did, everything about him was just perfect—perhaps that was what being the second most powerful being in existence meant. Perfection? But he, at times, just felt sorry for his Commander. Everyone but Zavier knew who he'd used to be, and how he came to be what he was now. In fact, Xanxus remembered small snippets of the meeting, that day.

"There's something about Zavier that I believe you all should know." Chaos began, ,when they were all together. They were slightly anxious—the last they'd seen of Zavier was when he'd disappeared with their Lord, and Draek and Caiden. The two aforementioned Lieutenants had returned with horrified and slightly dazed looks on their faces. The others wondered what had happened. Zavier hadn't come back.

"What's wrong?" Xanxus shot up from his chair and looked around wildly, as if at the action, Zavier would suddenly pop out of a hiding place. "Is he okay?" Draek and Caiden looked up worriedly, but remained silent.

Chaos sighed. "... I hope that is so..." This didn't do anything to relax them, so the Creator straightened up and looked around.

"Sir..." Caiden tentatively began, and all eyes were on the snow-haired Lieutenant. He coughed and continued. "What did Zai mean, "the person he was before he was him?""

The others exchanged confused glanced. What?

But Chaos nodded. "That's right. Centuries ago, before I'd found him, Zavier was a demigod just like any of you." This surprised them. "Of course, you all know how tragic the life of a half-god can become—" Everyone nodded, some sad. "—But Zavier's past life's existence was slightly worse than the normal situation..." They looked at one another, alarmed.

And so, Chaos began to explain to them the life of one Percy Jackson, and how, when he was very young, his mother had been stolen from him, by a peculiar demon—one Chaos felt slightly shamed to admit wasn't even supposed to be on the Planet of Earth. He went on to tell them how young Percy had grown up with the demon, and how he'd dealt with his life, and how, when he reached the age of twelve, he'd journeyed to Camp half-Blood and had received his first quest.

The story was sad, and pitiful, and along the way, most of them had forgotten that this Percy was Zavier's past life—they'd been sucked into the story. Finally, Chaos told them the end.

"This is where things took turn for the rather unfortunate." The Creator sighed, and the Lieutenants sat at the edge of their seats. "I'm sure many of you remember how you were recruited, and remember your lessons on the gods of Earth?" They nodded. "Do you remember what the River Lethe is for?"

They sat silent for a while, before a few of them put two and two together. Jasminta let out a gasp. "No! My Lord, he didn't...?"

Chaos let out another sigh and sat back. "I'm afraid so. I arrived too late to change his mind. My only hope was to make a deal with him." Everyone looked absolutely horrified.

"That's terrible..." Dustin murmured.

"That's where Zavier comes in." The Creator reminded them, and everyone sat up, before it dawned on them that the story they'd just heard—that had been shy little Zavier's past life. It was horrifying, especially to those now close to the young immortal. Draek, Jardonius, Xanxus, and Caiden were all slightly pale. "The deal I'd made with Percy, was to take charge of his new life. Percy wanted to disappear just like his mother had, mind you, so they wasn't really anything I could say to stop that—it was his choice after all. Still, Percy kept his kindness with him until the end, and agreed to my deal to ensure that whoever his soul next became would have a sound future and a better life than he'd had."

"Awww..." Izbelliea said softly. "Th-that's really sweet..." Nixt slung an arm over her friend's shoulder, blinking furiously.

Giotto sat forward. "So that's the story?"

Chaos nodded. "Somewhat. After Percy Jackson's soul emerged from the River Lethe, I used my will to bring it to me, stopping it from going back to the land of the living."

"Sooo..." Jardonius began. "So, Zai's essentially... dead?" His voice wavered.

Chaos paused, frowning. "...No. Percy Jackson is dead. Zai is a newborn soul, even now—In fact, I can safely say that Zai's soul is the youngest out of all the souls in Vincitore Annullare, baring most new recruits from the last five centuries."

"Wow." Xanxus breathed in. That meant Zai would be the baby of their group. All the more reason to protect him, viciously, from all harm to his person—and his innocence. The First clenched his hands into fists.

"But..." Vultri began. Out of all the Lieutenants, Vultri was the most child-like. His past was what kept him from understanding most things other people with normal histories would pick up after a few years. Xanxus concluded Vultri's innocence to be second to Zavier's. "Creator Chaos, if this was what you needed to tell us, why do the Eleventh and the Seventh look so horrified?"

They turned to look at Draek and Caiden, who were sitting quietly in their seats. Many frowned as they realized Draek hadn't been speaking much since the meeting started—that was one thing that should have set off their alarm bells; Draek was never quiet.

Chaos nodded. "And this is where I tell you about that. I told you that story only so you would have a small understanding about where this next thing came from, for Zavier..."

They exchanged concerned glances. What now?

Chaos had gone on to tell them about Zavier's condition, and what the Shinrai Shinai entailed for him—and the rest of them. That was when Zavier began to cover up almost completely.

And then, "The Incident" had happened. Xanxus shuddered slightly, clenching his fists. He'd never let that happen again. Ever.

Zavier turned to him, and Xanxus cast off his thoughts with a small smile. He was glad that his otouto trusted him almost as much as the boy trusted Caiden now—last time Xanxus had accidentally initiated skin contact with Zavier, he'd barely been burned. "Ne, otouto. Was the reply sent to Xompt already?"

Zavier showed absolutely no signs of having known what the older immortal was thinking, and the First let out a small sigh of slight relief.

"Hai," The Commander nodded. "This ship is headed toward their location as we speak."

"Good." Xanxus leaned back against the wall of the room. "Then we're all set."

T^T I have no idea how I'll survive when my school program takes their laptop back for the summer. I swear I'll die a horrible, painful, silent death of pure agony. Ah well, I suppose it can't be helped.

Please review and tell me what you thought!