Darkness's Flower: Pulling It Together

Chapter 1: Anger Issues? Yeah...

Recap:

Dark mist started swirling around the room. Lilly pressed her face into my chest and I held her tight. I kissed her on the forehead. It was getting hard to see because the mist was so dark. Lilly started getting pulled away from me, screaming my name, and I couldn't do anything...

My beautiful girlfriend disappeared in swirling, black mist.

~Nico's POV~

Anger was already built up in my chest. You all know how I am. I get really upset when it comes to my feelings. My father was gone. Persephone was gone.

And most importantly, my girlfriend was gone.

I started screaming, destroying my dad's perfect throne room. I slashed things down with my sword. The darkness seemed even more dark than before. My shouting echoed through the room. Whirling wind surrounded my body and my hair whipped around.

Look, nobody takes my girlfriend. You should know this by now! She's the most important thing in my life! I would fight to the death for her! I would do absolutely anything for my girlfriend.

I was in there screaming my head off for what honestly seemed like forever. My face felt hot and I thought I might explode. I could feel my heart beating throughout my body. I'm surprised my heartbeat didn't echo in the room. The veins on my neck pulsed. The more I screamed and carried on, the warmer I got.

More dark mist filled the room, just like before. It cleared as quickly as it showed up and my father reappeared with Persephone and Lilly. Both Persephone and Lilly looked very uncomfortable.

"Lilly!" I yelled, relaxing at the speed of a bullet.

Lilly looked at me and smiled. I ran over to her and picked her up in a hug. She didn't do anything, which was weird.

"What's wrong? Father! What did you do to her?! What did you do to my Lillian?!" I demanded.

He grinned. "Nothing! You better go back to your little camp."

Something was definitely wrong with Lilly. She didn't seem like her. I looked over at Persephone. She seemed different too. There was way more hurt in her eyes than usual. She looked like she wanted to scream and just start crying harder than ever before.

"Father, can I have a moment with Persephone? Alone?" I asked.

"Sure. Whatever," he replied.

He disappeared and I went over to Persephone. I knelt down beside of her and took her hand in mine.

"Persephone, what's wrong with you?" I asked.

A tear trickled down the side of her face. "It's me, Nico. I'm not Persephone! I'm your girlfriend!"

A shock went through my body. "Lilly, but-"

"He switched our souls! He said he likes me more than Persephone! I'm trapped in her body!"

"How can I be sure?"

"You can ask me anything about us and I will give you the correct answer!"

I thought for a moment. If this was really Lilly, I needed something that only she would know. Then it came to me.

"What movie did we watch the night you got kidnapped by Khione?" I asked.

"Star Wars. And I got kidnapped early the next morning, not that night," she replied.

"Oh my gods. Why would he-"

"He likes me better! I can't get out! He now won't even let me leave for those whatever months Persephone was allowed. I'm stuck down here forever, Nico."

"Oh, Lilly. I'm so sorry! I'll get you out of this. I swear on the River Styx."

"Sorry to break your little moment, but it's time for you and Lilly to leave!" my father boomed.

"Father! Let her go! Why would you do this?!" I asked.

"She's already told you! I like her better, but I like Persephone's looks better. I simply traded their souls. At least you have Persephone as Lilly. You won't know the difference! Now, goodbye, son!"

I looked at my actual girlfriend one last time. "I'll get you back."

I was zapped out of the Underworld and landed back at camp. It was about noon and everyone was at lunch, but I collapsed.

I woke up in the infirmary with Will Solace leaning over me. He grinned.

"Hey, Nico! I haven't seen you for a while! You know, since you dumped me for that one chick," he said.

I moaned and groaned, sitting up. "Look, that happened for not even two months and I decided it wasn't right between us. And that one chick has a name."

"Yeah, well, I bet you really miss her!"

"What do you mean? She came back with me from the Underworld!"

"Oh, no. Lou Ellen!"

Lou Ellen ran into the room. "Yeah!"

"He can't remember anything. He obviously doesn't know."

"We can't tell him! He'll be crushed!"

"Yeah, I know. But is it magic? You should know. You're Hecate's daughter."

Lou Ellen gave me a sad look and spread her hands over me. "Yeah, it's deep magic. He won't know until..."

Will nodded and she disappeared. "Well, you're much better. You can get up and go see your girlfriend."

Will said girlfriend like it was a disgusting word and like it should be forbidden in his presence.

"Thank you!" I said.

I stood up and went out to find her. I made my way down through camp and passed Jason. He looked and me and his glasses flashed light in my face.

"Oh, dude!" I said.

"Sorry, bro. How ya feeling?" Jason asked.

I shrugged. "Better. I don't know what happened though. All I remember is being down in the Underworld with Lilly. We talked to my dad for a moment and that's all I know."

He gave me a sad look. "Dude. That's tough. Well, I just saw P...I mean, Lilly down in the strawberry fields."

"Thanks. Oh, how long were we gone?"

"Four days. You got back yesterday and you blacked out."

"Alright."

I went down to the strawberry fields to see my beautiful girlfriend sitting in the middle of the plants.