River Styx - Part 3

Disclaimer: read chapter 1

Meanwhile, Daedalus opened his doors and showed Hercules a wagon that had a ram head on the front. "I prepared this war wagon for just such an emergency. Turn the crank!" Hercules ran up to the crank. Power the internal mainspring! Smash our way out of this eternal detention!"

Hercules began turning the crank.

"Teacher and student - we shall be liberated!"

"Ninety-seven... Ninety-eight... Ninety-nine..." Hercules stopped to take a breath. "Whoo! How many times do I have to crank this thing?"

"Three cranks should suffice," Daedalus answered.

Hercules widened his eyes nervously. "Uh-oh," The crank spun itself rapidly, taking the Son of Zeus with it. The wagon's wheels screeched as it sped forward, smashing through the stone wall, nearly killing the teacher.

Daedalus sat up slowly, containing track marks across his torso. "This will affect your grade!"

Hercules screamed, holding on for dear life while the wagon was causing damage. It knocked down pillars and statues. Icarus was sitting near the headless Hercules dummy in boredom. He was until the war cart charged straight at him.

"Whoa!" Icarus grasped the rod that was keeping the ram head in place. He and Hercules were riding towards the Parthenon. Their transportation came to a rough stop once they entered the sacred place.

Icarus shivered at the traumatic event, while Hercules acted the opposite when he realized where they're at.

"Alright! Athena's temple!" Hercules leaped out of the cart. "She's wise! She can help us!"

Icarus released the rod to face Hercules angrily, "You and me! Right now! You take back what you said about Dad-alus, or we're going mono-to-mono." Icarus threw a few punches, but Hercules extended a hand on Icarus' forehead to keep a distance between them.

"Icarus, can we talk about this after we save Greece from eternal doom please?" Hercules released his friend's forehead to approach the Athena statue.

Icarus ceased the punches then shrugged, "Okay. I'll take a rain check."

Hercules bowed down to the statue, "Oh, great goddess of wisdom, we summon your aid."

Icarus looked over and noticed something essential. He tapped Hercules's shoulder for his attention, "Uh... Herc."

"Yeah?" Hercules looked over and gasped. Two enlarged gods - Poseidon and Athena - were chained to a wall.

Athena chuckled nervously, "Actually, I was just about to summon your aid."

~000~000~000~

Hades and Nattie appeared in a Speedy Pita. Nattie followed Hades to a nearby table. The yellow-flamed god wasn't in the mood to wait for a hostess to seat them. He was fuming from what transpired.

"Stupid orphans!" Hades ranted. "Stupid old people!" The menu in his hand lit up on fire, not that Hades cared.

"Chill out, Hades," Nattie hid her smug behind the menu, fighting to keep her voice neutral. "Don't get all worked up because you couldn't torment those people. It's not their fault, they're having a hard-knocked life."

"Yes, it is!" Hades argued childlessly. "Those brats think their lives are hopeless because they don't have parents, and they're forced to endure manual labor! The elderly are having it rough because their families never pay them a visit! And as for that homeless guy sitting outside, did you hear what he said to me? He practically begged me to finish him off, because apparently, he is dying from 'terminal cancer'!" He air quoted and scoffed at the latter. "Can you believe that?!"

"What a travesty," she grumbled, gazing at the salad section. The Ceaser salad sounded pretty good with a light vinaigrette.

"I mean, seriously, they think they're victims. Little did they know about me. I have a full-time gig - 24/7 - non-stop - no breaks - no pay. I have a dark spacious underground and a river of dead people - I don't even like the water."

"Why?" Nattie wondered. "Because you can't swim?"

"No," Hades denied before he continued his list. "Those yutzes at the nursing home want family? They can have Zeus! Boy! I can't stand him gloating: how he's got a wife, a sun-brat for a son, respectable worshipers. Oh, and don't get me started on my father! He swallowed me when I was born!"

"Aw, you poor - poor thing," Nattie mocked. "At least you got family, unlike me and those orphans."

"Whose side are you on?" Hades challenged, not happy to hear silence at her end. "Heck, why didn't you help me?"

Nattie couldn't help but laugh, "Seriously? You wanted my help? That's not what your cocky self said when we made it to the orphanage. You said and I quote," she imitated the Lord of the Dead's voice, annoying the man, "Stay back and take some notes, babe. You might actually learn something."

His flames flickered at her imitation of his voice. "And did you?" he questioned.

"Of course... I learn to always wash my clothes with cold water. It keeps the colors intact."

Hades blinked, didn't expect to hear that response. He thought she was going to say something more meaningful.

"Alright," a waitress was brave enough to approach their table. Her Jersey accent and limbs didn't possess a tremor. She continued working as if this was normal. "What can I get ya?" she plucked the pencil from her puffy brownish-red hair to write down the order.

Nattie ordered her lunch, first - a veggie wrap with dressing and a strawberry smoothie.

"Out of ice," the waitress uttered bluntly while writing.

The girl furrowed her brows, "Since when?"

"It's summer, hun. What did you expect? Plus, I sold the last thirty to ten men who stopped by for a five-minute lunch, five minutes ago. They came from upgrading his Parthenon, sweating like pigs," the waitress pointed at the owner responsible for the enforced labor on the workers and prisoners. "It almost took a bucket to mop up all their puddle."

Nattie narrowed her eyes at Hades, circling her head, "Oh no, you didn't."

"Memo to me, shorten their break to one minute," Hades grumbled without care, before stating his order. "I'll take a bowl of worms."

"We don't have worms."

"Then grab a shovel and dig some, babe," Hades instructed as if the task was simple. "Bada-bing," he snapped his fingers, transfiguring the lady's pencil into a spade. "You're a server, are not you? Go fetch me some worms. Comprende?"

By the look on the waitress's face, she didn't take kindly to his treatment. Just because Hades was now the ruler of Athens, it didn't automatically guarantee him respect. Nattie opened her mouth to whisper her apology to the waitress, but the older woman didn't need it.

"Sorry, not sorry, but no."

The customers perked at the waitress's refusal. Nattie's mouth dropped, silently laughing on the inside.

"Uh... Excuse me?" Hades's expression was identical to Nattie's face. "Care to repeat that?"

"Worms are not on the menu, hon, and I'm not digging anything with these nails, I just had them done. To think that gods are supposed to look human and not eat like snakes."

Nattie gasped and covered her mouth in utter shock. Hades cocked his head and blinked, surprisingly remain blue.

"Did you just..." Hades turned to his assistant for confirmation, pointing an accusing finger at the careless server. "Did she just say..." Nattie raised her hands in surrender, biting her bottom lip to hold in the laughter. Hades peered over the waitress's poofy hair to examine the sign on top of the food joint, "This is a restaurant, right? Didn't this place receive high marks for food and customer service?"

"Not anymore," the woman yanked both menus from the table and Nattie's hand, blowing out the ongoing flame that was burning Hades's menu like a candle. "After today, this place might as well be dead. Customers can't come and eat, because they're too busy suffering (including my manager). No money, no management, no pay, no taxes equals chaos. Thank you for that, Lord Hades. Now I'm gonna return the favor by following my constitutional rights and refuse service."

"What?!" Hades flared up orange. Anybody would be scared of that, but the waitress yawned in boredom as if she had dealt with angry customers like Hades before.

"Hey, what did I do?" Nattie wondered quietly.

"You can't do that!" Hades argued, despite knowing the waitress's rights. "Don't you know who you're talking to?"

"Yes, and that's why I'm not serving you."

"That's discrimination."

"Nope, it's damnation, which this place is gonna be with you in charge. I'll give it another day before we start eating each other."

Finally, Hades seethed and growled, turning bright red and pointing the finger at her, "You're going to pay for that!"

"With what?!" the waitress challenged, matching the man's frustration. "Money that I don't have? My soul?! I've already sold it the second I started working here, and now it's gone because of you." Hades opened his mouth to make a threat, but she beat him to it. "I don't have a family to protect. You wanna fry me? Go ahead! I accept the idea that death can come my way unexpectedly, anytime. I wake every day as if today was my last, and I don't mind spending my last day, putting out that massive ego of yours, you call 'hair'!"

With that in mind, the woman grabbed a pitcher and dumped the sweet tea on Hades's head, extinguishing his flames. The god gasped at the cool liquid, his skin returned blue instantly.

"You think you had it rough, Hades. You have no idea what we, mortals, have been through!" For that, the waitress deserted the table.

Nattie watched in stunned silence. This was gold. The waitress was her new hero. She suppressed the urge to clap for the woman. Instead, she slid a napkin towards Hades who snatched it from the table without saying 'thank you'.

"Seriously, why do these people keep saying that?!" Hades demanded, wiping his face clean while unsuccessfully trying to relight his hair.

"Tough break, huh?" Nattie questioned rhetorically, earning an unamused look from the god. "Was I suppose to take note on that, too, or buy you a medal for being the most-" Before she could blink, Hades grabbed the spade and stabbed it on the table between the girl's palms.

"Oh, my gods!" The girl backed away from the table, just in the nick of time, and grasped the arms of her chair. Nattie quickly leaned forward when she felt the chair about to tip backward. Her eyes widened at the spade then at Hades, "What the hell, Hades?! Have you gone psycho?! You almost cut off my freakin' fingers!"

"Actually, Nattie, it is a tough break," his smirk unsettled the girl, "for you."

"Why me?" she demanded. The attempted amputation made her hands shake. "I didn't do anything."

"Yet, babe," he corrected, wagging a finger at her. "You didn't do anything, yet. No doubt, you'll act smart about this later. Now that our server is out of the job, you are going to serve me. Three dozens worms, babe, and don't even think about cheating by ripping them in half."

"Why am I being punished?! If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have Athens. I let you torment my friends!"

"Do you want me to hand you a gold star, Nat? Hm? Is that what you want? Or maybe a large plaque titled the 'The Biggest Backstabber of them all'? Would that satisfy your spoiled rotten self?" He snapped his fingers, cueing a steel award to drop on her hands. Nattie hunched forward and yelped by the sudden weight that matched an anvil. She abandoned the plaque on the ground, arching the back to ease the strain.

"I want my lunch," she demanded, twisting her torso.

"And you will get it," he promised, "after I get mine."

"That's not-"

"Fair?" Hades scoffed. "Funny, I don't recall anyone saying it differently." His eyes narrowed as his flames ignited on his own. He pointed at mulch and trees surrounding the cracked pillars and flowing souls. He didn't need words to command her to start digging; his yellow flames did the talking for him.

Nattie threw her head back and groaned loudly at the upcoming task. She pried the spade from the table, which now contained an indention mark. She groveled by the dirt to start digging. Meanwhile, Hades was watching in satisfaction, whipping out a martini glass and slurping a worm inside. Nattie took out her frustration on the mulch, acting like a slasher from a horror movie. If only she could amputate Hades's fingers with the spade.

~000~000~000~

Hercules tried to unchain the gods by his strength. Though, the second he had touched the chains, the poor boy got electrocuted, zapping him a few feet away back to Icarus. The boys looked up at the gods with an obvious question in mind.

"The magic chains are a courtesy of Hades," Athena explained. "You see, Hercules," she gave Poseidon a mean glare. "Somebody made a foolish deal to seize control of Athens!"

"Poseidopolis," Poseidon corrected Athena.

"And you trusted the bloomin' lord of the underworld!" Athena cried.

"But he's my bro-bro!" Poseidon whined in defense. "We'd shook on it."

Athena scoffed before she turned her attention back to the hero-in-training, "You, Hercules. You must re-route the river!"

"Me?!" Hercules pointed at himself in disbelief, standing up. "How?!"

"Give him the triton!" Athena ordered Poseidon.

"Triton? What triton?" Poseidon asked. "Oh! My triton?! Oh no!" he protested by shaking his head. "No! Never! He's just a tadpole!"

"If I may Mr. Poseidon - sir," Icarus began, looping an arm around Hercules's shoulders. "This tadpole is the one who brought the sun back to the earth, two-fisted a two-headed Cyclops, and saved the world from a pandemic." He sniffled as if the boy was about to cry, "Despite him insulting my Dadalus (I still have a raincheck to kick his high-and-mighty booty later)" Hercules rolled his eyes at that line. "My bestest-best buddy can complete this task - no problemo!"

"Thanks, Icarus," Hercules appreciated the vote of confidence. "That means a lot - whoa!" The hero widened his eyes when some kicked his keester from behind. He jumped a distance and looked around to find the culprit while rubbing his sore spot. "What the... What was that?!"

"Nailed it!" Icarus pumped a fist victoriously, after side-kicking the Son of Zeus. "Wow!" he shook his leg, happy to feel no cramp. "Nattie would be so proud!"

Hercules groaned, noting how Daedalus could be right about Nattie being a bad influence.

"Boys, focus, or I shall have my owl peck your eyes out!" Athena roared for their attention. Icarus cringed, covering his eyes instantly. The goddess of wisdom wasn't done making threats yet, next was the sea god. "Give him the triton, Poseidon, or stay chained next to me for all eternity."

Poseidon flinched at the horrid thought. A demi-god's help was better than no help at all. "It's behind the tapestry."

Hercules pulled down a curtain to reveal the weapon.

"Oh! Awesome!" Hercules took the triton then exited the temple. He called his friend to follow him, which Icarus did.

Athena sighed, alone with the god once again, "Well, as long as we are captured... care to play twenty questions?"

Poseidon groaned, but began the game anyway, "I'm... thinking of a vegetable."

"Rutabaga!"

"Oh, that's an easy one."

~000~000~000~

Nattie dug the soil to find another worm for Hades, but she still had a long way to go - twenty-seven more worms to go. Hades didn't give her a bucket so she had to rely on her fustanella to keep the worms. She constantly had to check in case one happened to escape the captivity. It was surprising to see how fast those slippery slopes could go. Nattie picked a bad day to wear white, but at least she figured out how to wash the dirt off without ripping the delicate fabric.

"Here."

Nattie jumped to see her new hero standing there and offering her a cup for the worms. Even though they were a few feet apart, Nattie could smell the alcohol in the waitress's breath. The girl accepted the peace offering, muttering her thanks before asking a direct question.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but... have you been drinking?"

"What's your point, hun?" The waitress asked. Nattie raised her hands in surrender, dropping the subject immediately. "If the world is ending soon, which it is, might as well have a drink or four."

"Four?" Nattie took note of the empty goblets stacking on top of the overflowing trashcan.

"Don't judge me," the waitress snapped, sipping her fifth cup of wine. "You of all people don't get to judge me, considering your relationship with ash-head."

Nattie ceased the dig, looking up at the woman in the corner of her eye, trying her best not to puke or blush, "He's not my boyfriend."

"I never said he was. There are friends with benefits, business partners, dysfunctional relatives-"

"Friends with benefits?! Aren't you supposed to be rated G?"

"Aren't you supposed to be working for a guy who's rated PG-13?"

Nattie's breath got caught in her throat. She quickly averted her eyes back on the soil below her. How did the waitress know? What could Nattie say to convince the lady otherwise? The waitress did look like she had too much to drink. Nattie could say that she's not in her right mind, too drunk to think. She opened her mouth to say those things, but the lady merely laughed in response.

"That's what a guilty party would say. Dismiss the drunk to get away with murder. So typical."

"I didn't murder anybody!"

"Fine," the waitress rolled her eyes. "Accessory to murder - whatever."

"How did you know?" Nattie wondered.

"C'mon, girl. It's obvious. Let me guess, Hades offered you something you can't refuse, and now you're stuck between morality and self-perseverance?"

Honestly, what could Nattie say to excuse her actions? Fortunately, the waitress didn't want to hear it.

"Look, hun, I really don't care. You're just a prime example of how this world will soon become the next Hunger Games."

Nattie tensed at those words. She could feel the positivity, which wasn't much, slowly draining inside her. To think that Herodotus was the most negative person she had ever come across.

"You are a very optimistic person, you know that?" she asked rhetorically.

The waitress shrugged, "Just speaking the obvious."

"Well, you don't know anything, okay?!" Nattie snapped, standing up. "You think you're having it rough?! I'm being punished for something you didn't do," she jabbed a finger at the woman's chest, shoving her slightly. The waitress nearly lost her balance but used the trashcan for support. Neither paid mind to the knocked over contents from the overflowing garbage.

"I am covered in dirt because I have to serve him worms before I could have my lunch!" Nattie ranted while the lady chugged the rest of her wine without care. "He makes me do chores whenever I show up late for work! He locks me in my room to prevent me from butting into his business (his dead business, I might add). I have to massage him to get time off! I sometimes get panic attacks whenever the souls try to pull me out of the boat! And don't get me started about the time he burnt my flesh!"

The waitress withdrew the cup from her lips, raising a brow at the girl, "Whoa. Whoa. He burns you?"

"Yeah," Nattie showed off the faded patch on her arm. "He said it was an accident, but doesn't every other abusive boyfriend say that? He did force the imps to give me the stuff for the scarring. But it doesn't give him the right-"

"He hasn't hit you, other than that one-time accident?"

"No, just the typical name-calling - ugly, brat, backstabbing booga-booga - you get the gist. Whenever his evil plans fail, he blames me for it."

"Is he right to blame you?"

Nattie shrugged, "Fifty-fifty. But I did slap him and turn the blame on him."

"You slap him?"

Nattie grinned proudly, "More than once."

"And he lets you get away with that?"

"Well, not all the time. He simply grounds me with chores and more emotional distress. Now you see what I have to put up with?"

Judging by the waitress's face, she was far from understanding the relationship, "Has he ever forced you to do something, you don't wanna do?"

"Like what?"

"Like..." The waitress puckered her lips and made some kissing noises.

Nattie gagged on cue, understanding the woman's gesture perfectly, "Oh, gods, no! Oh, my gods - no! Thank gods, he didn't try anything like that. I mean, he does get up close and personal with me, and he did threaten to take my clothes if I said no to him-"

"Hades said those words to you exactly?"

"He said, he would make the dress (he offered) disappear. When I asked if I could keep the dress I had on previously, he laughed."

"Did he confirm it with a simple yes or no?"

"No, but you know how men are. They're pigs with a deluded imagination," Nattie quoted her mother's words. "And the most annoying thing Hades does is forgetting to knock before entering my room. A girl needs her privacy if she were to change clothes."

"You got this beautiful garment from him?" the drunk waitress pinched the girl's fabric to feel the high-quality silk fit for royalty.

"Thank you," Nattie eyed the skirt, decided to show off a little by twirling it side-to-side. "He didn't get it for me. I got the skirt myself from Forever Young."

"Aren't they expensive?"

"Not if you have his credit card."

"Hades gave you a Grecian express card?! I thought you said he didn't pay for it?!"

The girl pursed her lips at that. "Well, yeah technically, it was his card, his money," she responded in a dismissive manner. "What does it matter, anyway? Now back to what I was saying about how terrible the man treats me-"

"I'm sorry," the waitress silenced the girl by extending a hand, "can I stop you, right there?" Nattie's mouth remained open but listened to the woman. "I just wanna say that you..." her face contorted in disgust, "are an ungrateful spoiled brat!"

Nattie pinched her brows and her mouth dropped wider in disbelief, "Excuse me?"

"You're excused. You sound just as bad as him," the waitress pointed at the oblivious god of death nearby. "You think you had it rough? Give me a break!"

"I'm a spoiled brat?!" Nattie pointed at herself, making sure that they were talking about her.

The waitress nodded, "Mm-hm. That's right. All youngest children are."

"He was going to make me walk around town naked if I didn't sign his contract!" Nattie cried.

The lady scoffed, "Puh-lease. He was yanking your chain, and you know it. You're a pretty girl, and you're working for him. If he wanted to cross the line with you, he would have done so already."

She was right. Many women in the past had been sold as slaves for many kings and gods. Concubines were forced to please a man then bear his child without fail. If one refused, then it was off with her head. Nattie was lucky to walk around without a ball and chain around her foot or a collar around her neck. Although, Hades had branded her already by burning her arm. Speaking of which...

"But-but... but he burned me," Nattie showed off the mark, once more.

The woman rolled her eyes, tossing the goblet over her shoulder, missing the can, "That little thing? No doubt you did something to earn that." Nattie's mouth dropped in shock. She couldn't believe what she's hearing. "Your marks are nothing compared to the slaves of Egypt! They had it worse."

"He abuses me!"

"And you abuse him - both physically and verbally - only you're worse than him."

"Worse?!" Sure, Nattie had slapped him, many times before, but Hades was a man - not to mention a god. He could take a mortal's sting, just fine. At least, those marks weren't visible... physically.

"Yes!" the waitress replied. "You know he's bad, and yet you gave him your soul."

Nattie opened her mouth to argue that she didn't, but decided it's best to keep that fact to herself.

"He treated you far better than any other pig in Greece! The least you could do is get off your high-horse croup and lift a finger for him - a finger that isn't lethal for a change!"

Was Nattie hearing this from the same woman who dumped tea on Hades's head? Didn't the waitress hate Hades? Why was she attacking Nattie for not helping Hades dominate the world?

"You know what?" Nattie picked up the spade and worm cup, ready to move on to another grassy area, away from the petty witch. So much for the waitress being her hero. "I don't need to hear this! You're a drunk!"

"Maybe so, but a drunk speaks a sober mind. Besides, whoever says the truth doesn't hurt?"

Nattie folded her arms and pouted, hating those last words. How many times did she have to hear about how honesty could break a person? Was this supposed to be her eternal torment? Why couldn't she be as tough as those orphans in that cold hut of theirs?

"But you know what? It doesn't matter whether you're assisting the guy or not. From what I can tell, you stink at it. And judging by the situation we're in, he doesn't need you!"

Nattie's corner mouth twitched, and her eyes darkened, "Watch it."

"And sooner or later, " the waitress ignored the warning and continued without care, "Hades will figure that out and exchange you for someone better."

"He does need me!" Nattie snapped, stomping her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. "He does! If it wasn't for my input, he wouldn't have had Athens in the first place!" The girl stopped but slipped the truth too late. She cringed at the woman's angry face and uttered a sheepish 'oops' which resulted in a splash of wine on her front.

Nattie slapped her arms against her sides, not bothered by the red stain on her white skirt, "Really?"

"You think you had it rough, sweetie? Think again," for that the waitress stumbled into the alleyway. Nattie could hear the trip, the crash, and a cat's screech. It's clear that the waitress had enough to drink. She didn't know what she's talking about. Nattie refused to believe that she's a spoiled brat, that she was replaceable. Nobody could replace Nattie Camden.

~000~000~000~

The boys finally made it to the River Styx. Hercules jumped in the water to call out for the river goddess. The water sprouted from the river on cue and silently stared at the demi-god before him.

"Uh... Hi," Hercules greeted nervously. "B-By the power of Po-Poseidon, Lord of the Waters, whose triton I-I'm borrowing, but he said - he said it was okay-"

"Get on with it!" The River Styx bellowed in an eerie echo, startling the boys.

"O-Okay!" Hercules stammered. "Sorry, um..." He cleared his throat, masked the nerves with determination. "I command you to move!" he said fiercely, pointing his index finger at her instead of the triton. The goddess dropped back in the water, forming a wave.

"Strike the triton!" Icarus cried.

"What?..." Hercules blinked in realization. "Oh right." He hit the end of the triton against a rock, activating its magic. "Whoa!" Hercules struggled to control the powerful weapon once it hit the waves. One-touch created a hail storm, then evaporated the water into steam. The fog then solidified into ice, nearly crushing Hercules to death.

...

Hades drummed his fingers and watched the sands of hourglass pour to the other side in boredom. Seriously, how long did it take to catch thirty-six worms?

Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the sky, and Hades perked at the sudden flashing light in the distance. Hades didn't need a map to know where it took place. He could hear the souls crying for mercy. Someone was reversing the river back to its original course. Did Po-Po escape his chains? No way, Hades had made sure the chains were too powerful for a god to break free.

"Boss!"

Hades didn't bother looking at the imps waving their arms for his attention. He didn't need the imps to tell him that Hercules, Icarus, and Daedalus escaped their eternal detention. It didn't take a genius to figure out where the rebellions were at. Hades flared up orange and growled under his breath. No matter. He knew this was going to happen at some point. The waitress dumping tea on his head was just a teaser for the real deal.

Time for some godly intervention.

For that Hades disappeared in smoke.

Nattie returned to the table with exhaustion, "Okay, Hades, I have dug every corner and got sixteen worms total. It's not thirty-six, I know, but I thought, you wanted to chew some now while I get the rest..." Nattie looked around to make sure she was at the correct table. Hades was nowhere near the Speedy Pita restaurant anymore; he was gone.

"Hades?" She turned to the boys, asking what happened. Before they could explain-

"Miss Natalie?"

Nattie whirled around to face the dreadful woodshop teacher. For the sake of Icarus, she put on the false sincerity, greeting the man in painful, gritted teeth, "Hey, Mr. Daedalus."

"Never thought to see you here of all places, troublemaker," his eyes narrowed at the wine stain on her skirt, "and witness you illegally drinking outside of school grounds, no less."

Nattie pressed her lips in a fine line, suppressing the strong urge to scream at him.

"Thank the mighty Zeus, my son will never sit next to you at the cafeterium table ever again. Speaking of my son, have you seen him and my abnormally strong, shop student?"

"Wasn't Hercules suffering with you?"

"Yes, he was. We were both miserable, but-"

"Aha!" Pain cried, pointing a finger at the teacher. "Now we got you!" The imps leaped onto Daedalus, holding onto his lower legs.

"You're coming with us, troublemaker!" Panic cried.

"Wait until Hades gets a hold of you and Hercules!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Nattie interrupted the males to ask them a simple question. "Hercules escaped?"

"Indeed, as well as my son," Daedalus declared. All perked at a large wave in a distance, most would've mistaken it for a tidal surge. "Icarus!" the father cried worriedly to his son, despite the fact that the boy couldn't hear his father miles away.

"Forget him!" Pain snapped. "Where he's going is nothing compared to-"

"Miss Natalie, if you don't mind lending a hand."

Nattie tilted her head in the teacher's direction with confused brows. "Who me?" she pointed at herself. "Lending you my hand? How could I?"

"Miss Natalie," Daedalus called in a warning tone, the kind that could give her detention.

"Hey, you said it yourself, Daedalus. I'm a bad influence. I couldn't possibly help you," Nattie whipped out a pearl from her pocket, dropping it on the ground. "But I can lend your son a hand because we're friends."

The demons and Daedalus were confused at first until Nattie stomped on the pearl.

"Wait!" All jumped onto Nattie before she could disappear in minty smoke. She didn't miss the teacher's insult for her.

"Witch!"

...

"Hm?" Icarus pried the triton from Hercules, ignoring the 'hey' protest. "Surely, the fish-man has printed instructions on how to work this thing." Before he could examine the fork, it lit up and flew out of the boy's hands. "Hey!" now it was Icarus's turn to say the word in annoyance. Though his frustration didn't last long for he cringed at the sight of the thief. Hercules bent his knees, ready to charge at Hades again, and this time he won't miss.

"Sorry, kids," Hades pouted mockingly. "Didn't you read the fine print on this? For ages immortal," he enlarged himself, taller than the triton, "and up!"

"Oh," Icarus nodded in awe. "So the fish god did write some instructions for us. How sweet of him!"

Hades facepalmed at Icarus's IQ level, "Oy." No matter. The kid wasn't a threat to him anyway. All he could do was simply take out Hercules, no problem. For that, Hades aimed the triton at his target.

"No way, Hades!" Hercules tried the angry bull technique again. Hades merely smirked as he melted the ice, forming a big wave that conquered Hercules.

"Way, Herc!" Hades retorted with a sadistic grin as he stirred the water into a deadly whirlpool. "Time to wash your troubles down the drain!"

Hercules couldn't break the current. He swallowed and choked some water, struggling to breathe air.

"You're not getting away that easy!" Icarus cried, waving an angry fist. "I have a rain check!"

Nattie, Daedalus, and the imps appeared on the shore in tangled limbs. All quickly dispersed to assess the situation at hand.

"Icarus, no!" Daedalus cried in horror as he watched his son jump in the pool. Icarus's rescue mission quickly backfire for he had forgotten one essential detail.

"Of course I can't really swim," the boy said casually, before wildly splashing and screaming for help.

Hades smirked at the display, "By the power of the triton, I declare myself: Lord of the Waters! And hereby annex Poseidon's realm!"

"Lord of the Waters?!" Nattie cried, pinching her brows in confusion. "I thought you hated the water."

Hades paused, realizing his little minion had joined the party. How did she get here so quickly? Did she bring him his order? And who was that guy with her... Oh wait, that's Daedalus, the father of that weird kid with the gruesome red eye. How did Hades know that Daedalus was Icarus's father? It wasn't the resemblance, they didn't even look alike. Hades picked up the obvious: the excessive fatherly worry, the boy calling the man 'Dad-alus', and the shop teacher diving in without hesitation to save his boy from drowning. What a tragedy.

Hades shrugged his shoulders, casually finishing up his conversation with Nattie.

"Heh. So true. I'll give you that. Now if you excuse me, babe, I gotta go gloat," Hades snickered at the idea of rubbing the triton in his brother's face.

"Hades, not to be a party pooper or anything-"

"I'm sorry. Do you hear something?" Hades looked around as if he didn't know Nattie was talking to him. "Is that a mosquito buzzing in my ear? Where did I put that bug spray?"

Nattie folded her arms and glared angrily at him. To think he wanted the girl to lend him a hand. She was going to say if he doesn't keep his flaming ego in check, it could become his downfall. He couldn't fault her this time for not listening to her.

Once she had stopped talking, he breathed out with relief. "Phew. Thank gods. It's gone. Can't afford itchy bites on me. Now, where's Poseidon? Po-Po?" Hades teleported back to Athena's temple, couldn't resist showing off to his brother.

Nattie squatted as she watched the whirlpool. No sign of Hercules or the father and son anywhere. Could they be really dead? Nattie couldn't help but feel responsible for not one but three souls. Her eyes teared up at the worst-case scenario. She didn't kill them physically but her stupid idea created this whole mess. The waitress was right. Nattie was a bratty accessory to murder.

The imps reacted the opposite, high-fiving and chest-bumping each other. As they were performing a victory dance, multiple splashes and gasps were made. Nattie perked at the sight of the soaking-wet three. They coughing while climbing a dead tree's root back to shore.

"Hey!" Pain complained. "That's cheating!"

"Yeah," Panic agreed as he and Pain tried to push Daedalus back in the water with all their strength. "You were supposed to be dead."

Daedalus wasn't amused for he grabbed hold of the imps by their horns and threw them far away from here. Both Nattie and Hercules were impressed by the man's strength.

"They were getting on my last nerve," Daedalus grumbled.

Nattie scoffed, "Tell me about it."

"Icarus!"

Daedalus and Nattie followed Hercules's voice and noticed Icarus lying there, unresponsive. Both joined Hercules to examine Icarus.

"C'mon! Icarus!" Daedalus shook the boy. "Wake up! Wake up!"

"C'mon," Nattie patted his face, tears resumed down her face. "Not again! Don't sleep on us again."

"Again?!" Daedalus demanded, no doubt, assuming Nattie had something to do with Icarus's eternal sleep episode.

"Not now!" Nattie snapped, placing an ear over Icarus's face to feel any signs of breathing. She looked down at his unmoving chest. He wasn't breathing. She placed her fingers on his wrist to feel for his pulse. She was relieved to feel a rhythm. He's still alive but needed air. Fortunately, Nattie's mother was a nurse. She had taught her children how to perform CPR.

"What are you doing?" Daedalus was exasperated to see Nattie tilting the boy's chin and opening his mouth. "What are you doing to my son?! Get away from him!"

"Relax, Mr. Daedalus!" Hercules snapped. "Nattie's mom is a nurse. She helps doctors cure sick people."

"Who?" Daedalus gagged and shoved Nattie away when her lips nearly touched his son. How disgusting. "Get him off him! My son doesn't need to catch your alcohol disease breath!"

That's it. That was the straw.

"Dude, get off me and shut the hell up!" Nattie had never thought to say that to a teacher. She didn't mean to let the words slip out, but a part of her considered this a dream come true. Both Hercules and Daedalus were dumbstruck by her quote, speechless to rebuttal or say 'excuse me?'. Nattie could almost laugh at that, but not right now.

"Move it," Nattie resumed her tasks to give Icarus two airful, rescue breaths. This time Daedalus didn't protest, too busy praying to the gods while shaking his boy's hand. Hercules did as Nattie asked and watched for chest rises, whispering his faith that Icarus was going to make it. Icarus was a survivor. He flew too close to the sun and lived to tell the tale.

"C'mon, Icarus!" Hercules motivated his sleeping friend. "We need you! You gotta wake up! If you do, I promise I won't offend your dad again! I won't say another hurtful thing about his stupid class!"

"My what?" Now it was Hercules's turn to receiving the fatherly scolding glare from Daedalus.

"Not now," Hercules had attitude, but his tone was a lot softer than Nattie's swearing one. "Please, Icarus! I'm sorry," he apologized in begging fashion, still watching Nattie putting air into Icarus's lungs. "Really, really sorry! Please, Icarus! Get up! Think about your dad! Think about your friends! Think about Cassandra!"

Nattie jolted back at the taste of dirt water and vomit. Icarus rolled on his stomach to cough out the water from his lungs. Meanwhile, Nattie crawled towards the whirlpool to spit out Icarus's excretion.

"Cassipoo?" Icarus called on his back, a goofy smile stretched across his face. "Is that you, my guardian angel?"

"Icarus!" Daedalus hugged his boy tight but quickly loosened his grip when Icarus was gagging for air. Hercules wiped the sweat from his brow, breathing with ease. He couldn't help but glance over to Nattie who dunked her head in the water.

"Nattie!" Hercules rushed to her side and pulled her upright by the shoulders. He tilted his head to avoid the wet slaps of her curls. She gasped and shivered at the cold water dripping her skin.

"Nattie, what are you doing?" Hercules exasperated.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Nattie challenged. Hercules paused to think, but she didn't bother to hear it. "I'm rinsing his puke outta my mouth!" she spat in the water, once more.

"Nattie, you've saved Icarus," Hercules grinned, lifting her arm victoriously. "You're a hero!"

The girl couldn't help but puke once more, ignoring the disgusting looks from the hero-in-training. If being a hero had left her a bitter taste in her mouth, then she didn't want the title. To think it was supposed the villains who should suffer more than the heroes.

"C'mon, Nattie," Hercules helped Nattie on her feet. "Let's save Athens."

Nattie didn't say anything, only followed her friend's lead, joining Icarus and Daedalus. Their wacky grins had never left their faces. Icarus leaped into Nattie's arms, hugging her tightly and thanking her for saving him. Daedalus and Nattie exchanged glances in silence. Daedalus was torn between facts and assumptions. He believed her to be the bad guy, but now... he wasn't so sure anymore. Nattie knew this but didn't bother to press for that deserving 'thank you'. Now wasn't the time for sweet sentiments. Hercules was right. It's time to save Athens from eternal doom.

"What do we do now?!" Hercules asked helplessly, pacing back and forth. "Without the triton, I have to move a mountain to divert that river."

"Hercules, did you forget?" Nattie offered, hearing silence in return. "You're a demi-god, Herc! Duh!"

"Oh - Oh yeah. That's right!" Hercules facepalmed. "Be right back!"

Minutes later, he had found a huge rock to re-route the river's course. However, the demi-god was struggling to lift it. After many grunts and strains, he gave up.

"It's too heavy!" he concluded. "I can't lift it!"

"How can you not lift it?!" Nattie demanded in shock. "You have super strength! You've carried a sun for crying out loud!"

"I would like to see you try and lift this thing, Nat," he challenged.

"I would, but I've already done my part of the hero gig. Now, it's your turn."

Hercules scoffed and folded his arms, "Heroism isn't about taking turns or-or keeping score."

"No, but I'm still tasting Icarus's spit."

"Guys, c'mon! The answer's so obvious!" Icarus was rolling his eyes and resting his head on Daedalus's lap. Nattie did advise the boy to go to the hospital right away, but Icarus wanted to stick around. He was the loyal sidekick after all.

"What?!" Hercules asked anxiously. "W-W-What is it?"

"The answer is sublimely simple," Daedalus smirked, lifting a finger. "Say it with me!"

Hercules paused, then snapped his fingers as he recalled the answer from Daedalus's tutoring session, "The lever!"

"I have gone too much travail to see my students in action. And now here I am," he gestured at Hercules, "ready to witness the improbable becoming unstoppable! Proceed, shop student!"

Hercules saluted, "Yes sir!"

The modern girl followed suit, "I better get an alpha plus for this."

"Beta minus," Daedalus offered.

"Alpha."

"Beta, and I'll let you be friends with Icarus again."

"Done," Nattie declared. They sealed the deal with a firm handshake, only to shake and wipe the germ off their hands when neither one was looking.

"Now that's what I like to see!" Icarus leaped onto his feet with a grin on his face. "Fences made. Bridges built."

"And a lever crafted out of available materials," Daedalus added.

"Guys!" Natalie cried impatiently. "Seriously, we don't have all day! Let's just make the lever already!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Hercules lifted a smaller rock that was easier to lift, placing it a few feet away from them. Icarus was impressed by how well Hercules knew the three parts. They even recited a line to remember.

"Give me a fulcrum high enough!" Icarus started.

"A lever long enough!" Hercules grunted as he tore a dead tree from its root, laying it on the base.

"A place to stand!" Daedalus declared, pumping his fist in the air.

Nattie watched as she scraped the dirt off her nails. Yes, Nattie didn't contribute to this project considering the heavy lifting, but she did supervise with Icarus. Plus saving a teacher's son should award her extra credit.

Hercules jogged to one end of the tree and pushed it down, lifting the heavy rock off a cliff. It fell in the river, blocking the path in Greece.

Hercules returned to the group and said in panting breaths, "Sublimely simple!"

Daedalus awarded the demi-god by kissing him on the nose, silently finishing up Archimedes's rhyme. Hercules squeezed his eyes shut and jolted his head away from Daedalus, wiping the wet mark with his chiton.

"As I said... No good deed goes unpunished," Nattie turned away and stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Yuck!"

Fortunately for the people in Greece, the Underworld spell was broken. Cracked temples mended together. Hades's statues reversed back to original designs. Souls and skeletons were no longer haunting Athens. Students and adults alike were free from their undeserving punishments.

...

Little did one god knew, his deserving punishment was coming.

Back in Athena's temple, Hades jabbed the triton at Poseidon, who sucked his belly to avoid the sharp contact.

"Hey, Po-Po, you just lost your domain, your triton, and - hey - a battle of wits with your baby brother! So what are you going to do next?"

The temple returned to normal. Athena and Poseidon broke free from their chains. Poseidon snatched the triton, reversing its aim at Hades.

"Whoops," Hades slowly backed away and laughed nervously. "Okay, a little snag in the take-over-the-big-brother's-domain-plan. So hey, easy come! Easy go! Bada-Boom! Bada-Bing! It's just business right?! No hard feelings? Eh... I mean come on! Blood is thicker than water, am I right, Po-Po?"

Poseidon stepped closer to beat up his baby brother. Athena shielded her eyes, before leaving Greece in smirking satisfaction.

"Hey, Po-Po! Watch the hair! Watch the hair! Ow!"

...

"And so..." Bob finished the tale, "Once again, Hercules and the Modern Girl saved the city-state of Athens. Nattie was allowed to be friends with Icarus again, and Hercules passed Shop Class... barely."