The House of Hades

Chapter 19: Frank

Introducing...drumroll please...the first Frank chapter!

____________________________________________________________________________

Chapter 19: Frank

Frank had faced down a lot of terrifying monsters, including gryphons, gorgons, and giant cannibals who wanted him as their main course for dinner, but a giant sea serpent that wanted to take him to Gaea? That was new.

As the serpent lifted him into the air, Frank tried his hardest to transform, but it didn't work. Maybe when he was panicking so much it felt like his heart was beating its way out of his chest, it was harder to do.

The serpent laughed, a horrible, gurgling laugh that made the hairs on the back of Frank's head stand up.

"Sssay good bye to your friends, ssson of Mars,"

"Not happening," Boomed a voice that unfortunately, Frank recognized.

There was a flash of golden light, and the serpent released Frank with a shriek. The moment it let go of him, Frank felt like a huge weight had been taken of his shoulders, and he was able to transform into an eagle and fly back to the Argo II before he hit the water. He squinted up at the serpent, which was hovering in the air, writhing and hissing. Floating in front of it, wearing a full length red duster, even though it was the middle of summer, and an evil grin, was Mars. God of war, carnage, arrogance (in Frank's opinion), oh, and Frank's dad.

"Dad, what are you doing her?" Frank asked in amazement.

"Only saving your butt," Mars sneered. Frank gaped. Okay, sure Mars was arrogant. And cruel. And irritating. And...well the point was, he had always, to some extent, been reined in. This Mars was, for lack of a better word, cranky. His face wore a permanent scowl, and he kept throwing loathsome looks at everyone from Leo, to Frank himself. Maybe it had to do with the Greek-Roman schizophrenia thing going on.

"What are you looking at?" Mars snapped at Frank, who was frowning up at Mars, tying to detect the reason for his sudden change in personality. Before Frank could answer, he realized the serpent seemed to have regained it's courage, and it lunged at Mars.

"Dad, look out!" Frank yelled. Mars turned slowly on the spot, and gazed with a kind of bewilderment at the giant serpent.

"What're you still hanging around here for?"

The serpent replied by hissing furiously and baring its fangs at Mars, who flicked his hand, almost absently. Next thing the serpent knew, it got a mouthful of celestial bronze javelins. Frank winced in sympathy for it. That is, until it spat some kind of green poison right at him. He jumped back quickly and looked at the smoking sizzling hole where he had been standing seconds before. Mars sighed, and flicked his hand again. This time, a huge spear the size of a skyscraper appeared and impaled the serpent in the throat. The serpent was gone before it could give another hiss.

Mars floated down to the deck.

"Dad," Frank said, running to him, "what are you doing here?"

Mars scratched his chin and looked absentmindedly at him, "Oh...um..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours later, Frank still didn't know why Mars had suddenly decided to pay them a visit. For one thing, he kept wincing, and clutching his head, as well as dropping off in mid-sentence and forgetting what they had been talking about two seconds before. It was hard to have a serious discussion with a god, when the god in question couldn't remember what they were discussing.

"Look, Mars, are you here to help us? Because otherwise, you might as well get out," Frank said, starting to get irritated.

Mars nodded his head, surveying him, "I see you're developing an attitude, kid. Good, there may be hope for you yet. As for your question..." Mars's hand suddenly jerked and the knife he had been toying with flew across the table, landing inches from Hazel's hand. She yelled, and pushed her chair back several feet. Mars blinked, and shook his head, "What was your question again?" Frank sighed. They weren't getting anywhere.

"Okay, forget about - " he began, but Mars interrupted.

"Oh yeah, you asked me why I was here! Well, punk, the truth is, I really don't know. I was lounging in Olympus, watching the movie, The Bloody Spartan, and suddenly I got this feeling, like I needed to help you. Next thing I knew, I was face to face with Mr. Ugly Snake,"

"That must mean you're supposed to help us get rid of Pelorus!" Hazel put in suddenly, "I mean, Pelorus was the bane of Mars. If Mars worked with us to bring down Pelorus, and the rest of Gaea's army guarding the Doors of Death..."

"Oh, sure," Mars said, his eyes glittering dangerously, "Ask a Roman god to form in Greece. Very well thought out," He raised his hands in mock applause. Hazel flushed, and looked embarrassed.

"Why can't your Greek form, Ares, help us then?" Frank asked desperately, trying help Jason.

Mars clutched his head.

"Do not mention my Greek form," he said dangerously, " unless you want to be incinerated on the spot. It's okay for gods like Bacchus, who barely changed at all, but me and Ares? We're as different as can be! He's more...uncooperative, for one thing. Do you know how hard it was to form here? And splitting headaches all day... even Aphrodite - I mean Venus - I mean, well, even she's been telling me I'm being too cranky."

"Yeah, we noticed too," Leo muttered, loud enough for Frank to hear.

Mars pulled out another knife, and started spinning it around in his hand, "Look, kid, I'm sorry, but I'm next to useless right now. Every move I make, Ares is in my head, disagreeing with me...it's been driving me crazy. Fight a battle with Pelorus of all people? No way. Not unless this stupid schizophreznia stopped. And anyways, I don't fight my kids' battles. Find some other god to do your dirty work,"

He got up, and was just about to stride away, when Frank lunged forwards and stopped him.

"Look, Mars," he said, thinking fast, "If you can't help us, can't you give us some advice, or...something?"

Mars stared at Frank, "A thousand," he said flatly, " that's how many monsters are guarding the Doors of Death. Find an army, a way to defeat them all. Prove you're worthy to fight alongside me, and maybe I'll rethink it," Mars smirked, "And if you're stumped already, I'll give you a hint. He holds the answer," Mars pointed a finger at Nico.

"See ya, punk, " he said, winking, " and remember the book I gave you. Now, I suggest you get up to the deck. Jason should be arriving any minute now, "and with that, he strode out of the room. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Okay, *sighs dramatically*, that's over with. Mars/Ares really is a peice of work.

Anyways, was that chapter okay? I wasn't sure if it was a good chappie or not...