I'm gonna start dedicating to the first person who comments on a chapter, so dedication to the lovely @JasmineNelson567  for commentinggg. You're incredible, love!

And here is your late chapter!!!... Heheh, please don't murder me... 😁 I promise I've been a good boi! But, technically, it IS soon, so...

*whooshing sound as curtains pull away*

Chapter #3: All The Same

NICO POV

~Oh you got a fire and it's burning in the rain
Thought that it went out, but it's burning just the same
And you don't look back, not for anything
'Cause if you love someone, you love them all the same
You gotta love somebody, love them all the same
I'm trying to put it all back together.
I've got a story and I'm trying to tell it right.
I got the kerosene and a desire.
I'm trying to start a flame in the heart of the night
If you can love somebody, love them all the same
I know the memories are rushing into mind
I wanna kiss your scars tonight, baby
'Cause you gotta try
You gotta let me in
Let me in~

I woke up coughing. My lungs felt like they were on fire... I tried to gasp in some air and remember what happened. All I remembered was a dozen dark figures rushing towards me, a woman's soft icy laughter, pain rushing through my body, and then feeling lightheaded. I must have passed out from the pain, I decided. I took another deep breath and discovered my hair felt damp and was sticking to my forehead. I frowned and lifted my hand. My muscles screamed in protest, but I continued anyways. I felt my head, winced, and brought my hand back in front of my face. I peeled my eyes open and stared at my hand. My scarlet stained hand. I grimaced and groaned in pain when I tried sitting up. Schist...

Once up, my head was swirling, creating a hurricane of dizziness and pain. I brought my legs up to my chest and stuffed my face in between my knees, massaging my temples with my fingers. I was still in a cave. Captured; held prisoner. By a goddess. A goddess who plans on torturing me for abusing her 'gift' of love. This was ridiculous! Hasn't my heart had enough? When I thought this, a sharp pain passed through me. My chest felt empty, hollow, filled with darkness and shadows and pain. There was nothing left in there anymore and it was getting harder to breathe. I could practically hear my small strangled gasps echoing in my chest, confirming that indeed, my heart was broken. I felt completely and utterly empty...

My belly grumbled.

And it turned out that so did my stomach. I sighed and looked up, searching for something-- anything. I was not looking for anything in particular, just something to bring me the least bit of assurance. I had gone without food before, so that was alright. I could go a few days or so without eating anything at all. But my thirst would grow... And right now, my mouth felt as dry as a desert, and my throat was like sandpaper. Every single part of me ached, but no bones were broken, it seemed. I was still bleeding, and that was another problem. My mind was cloudy, too. Thoughts were swimming around in my mind, aimlessly, making it hard to think straight. It was probably the cause of Aphrodite and her creepy mind-twisting powers...

Wait a minute.

Powers... Hey, I have those! A small bit of hope rushed through me. I could just shadow travel my way straight out of here in the blink of an eye! With much difficulty, protests, and cries of pain, I stood. Breathing heavily, I tried to muster as much energy as I could. It didn't work. I groaned and slumped, not even considering trying once more. It was useless, I couldn't shadow travel. I didn't have enough energy in me and I was in no condition to venture into the shadows. Maybe I could try summoning some of the dead-

"I wouldn't waste any time thinking up an escape plan, demigod." A firm voice warned from behind me.

I flinched and turned around. She just pops out of nowhere, doesn't she?

"Why shouldn't I?" I decided to ask. My voice was weak and scratchy and I was about to groan at the mere sound of it. I didn't sound strong and defiant at all. Just weak and pathetic. Way to go. At least my sarcasm was easy to catch.

I figured that I should get as much information out of the goddess of love and beauty as I could. Sometimes the gods can be a bit arrogant and cocky, trying to show off and look good, but end up giving too much information to us demigods in the process. Most of the Athena children use this trick often, but I could use my mastered mystery to help cheat my way into getting Aphrodite to tell me something. Anything. All I had to do is suck up a bit and compliment her, so how hard could it possibly be?... Please tell me I didn't just jinx myself. I swear to gods...

The goddess laughed pleasantly. "Because, darling, your little powers don't work here- unfortunate for you. It's not like you have the strength to use them, anyways."

"So this... cavern, it blocks my powers?" I asked curiously.

"It blocks all demigod's powers." She answered with a smirk. "So no one has a trace of where you are. To the outside world, this cave doesn't even exist. Time is different here, too. Everything is protected; no way in, no way out."

I frowned slightly, absorbing the new information. "How did you and your minions get in and out, then?"

"I'm a goddess! I can do anything I want!" She exclaimed proudly.

I sighed internally, but smiled on the outside. "And what an incredible job you've done at capturing me. Quite impressive, if you ask me. No way to contact anyone in the outside world? Crazy good."

She smiled cockily to herself. "I am good, aren't I? It's not the first time I've locked someone up in here, you see. But last time, the boy got away from me without fully learning his lesson. So I updated the cave! Made sure that it rendered demigods useless. There might still be a flaw, but it's getting better..."

She began mumbling to herself and frowning slightly, pursing her lips. I cocked an eyebrow. A flaw, eh? Another demigod once got away from Aphrodite's little prison... Let's see if I could be Demigod Number Two.

"A flaw?" I faked surprise and scoffed. "There couldn't possibly be a flaw about this cave... That would just be really disappointing, you see. Very unworthy to have a faulty demigod trap. That's just sad..."

"There's nothing wrong with my prison!" She said desperately, flipping her multicoloured hair and huffing in aggravation. "It's the worthless demigod's fault! Not my cave. Oh no, my trap is spotless. But the demigods that I capture? Unpredictable, and I hate it! Their minds seek the help of reinforced demigods. I guess they realised that if they think hard enough about a special someone, they'd have a mind link with them. Ugh, it's so irritating! I'm supposed to be punishing them for whatever they've done to Love, but they go ahead and send a message out to the one they connect with and- pop! Here they are, dragging my prisoner away. They go and steal my stolen demigod! It's not fair, not fair at all..."

I stand there, shocked, but stay completely silent as, to my dismay, she continues to rant.

"I mean, I guess they're under the influence of Love while they're locked up in this prison, so they can't help but to think of the ones they love, but... They have no right to escape me. No right! It doesn't matter who you love; you love them all the same! No one will ever escape me again! Starting with you, death boy..."

My breathing picked up and my stomach twisted. I had to do something. Something quick. I looked at the ground beneath my feet and an idea surfaced. The cavern floor just shifted from mirror to black glass...

"Lady Aphrodite, your hair looks lovely in that colour! What would you call it?" I quickly squeaked out.

She frowned and looked down at the glass floor, trying to see her blurry reflection. "Hm... It's always a beautiful colour on me. Don't you know your colours, boy?"

I stiffened as she desperately tried to admire her reflection in the blurry black glass. "Of course! It's just that your hair changes a lot, but I liked that one specific colour on you. It was lovely. What was it? I think it was- oh! And it's gone. I'm sorry."

"It's gone? Oh... I quite like the auburn or blond on myself, maybe it was one of those? Did I have blue eyes then? Or brown?"

"Maybe green... ?" I added.

She shook her head. "No, no, no. I'm wearing a deep scarlet, so I must have had light blue eyes. Maybe auburn hair, then? Oh... I must go change. I'll ask Apollo what he thinks. He knows what colours are hot right now."

I bit my bottom lip, trying not to laugh in disbelief, relief, and at the irony of her words.

In the blink of an eye, she disappeared, blinding me with the flash of light. I took a deep breath and dropped to the cold floor again, shivering and curling into myself. I might have saved myself an immediate pummelling, but she would be back soon, I knew it. And she would bring her dark minions with her next time. At least I got some interesting information out of the goddess... Very interesting:

1. I can't use any of my inherited powers, and neither can any demigod who bothers to show up and save me.
2. This cavern prison is hidden and well protected.
3. There's no way in or out (HUGE problem there).
4. Time is irrelevant (Well dam).
5. Aphrodite and her minions have the advantage of showing up whenever they please and leaving the same way.
6. If you think of someone you possibly have a connection with, or love, you can give them a message somehow? (... I'm screwed).

I wrapped my arms around my legs and began rocking back and forth, pondering what I had discovered. I might have a way of actually getting out of here... But how would I get the message out? And to who should I try and give it to?

You know exactly who, my mind spoke.

I groaned, my migraine suddenly reappearing. Oh gods... I had to think of him, didn't I? I-I had to really  think of him. But I didn't want to! I-I couldn't! I just couldn't... Yes you can, Nico, I told myself. You're not weak. You're stronger now than you were before. Do you want to get out of here? All you have to do is concentrate on him, send him a quick message, and he'll come and rescue you. Then you won't have to think of him ever again. Never again will you have to hurt with thoughts of him.

I sighed deeply, shutting my eyes tightly. Here goes nothing...

I brought Percy's image to mind and my stomach gave a painful twist. I began thinking of his unruly pitch black hair sticking to his perfectly sun kissed cheek bones. His prominent jaw line and perfectly proportioned nose above thin pink lips, curved into a charming smile. His eyes... Percy's light sea-green eyes tinged with a darkish blue around his iris, sparkling in the sun with joy and amusement. His long dark eyelashes fanning out over his tan cheeks when he blinks. His orange camp t-shirt hugging his well toned torso. His athletic build, his muscular biceps and strong callused hands that I see myself reaching out to hold...

His image changed abruptly and I frowned into my thoughts. His face was scrunched up, his lips pursed and his hair messy. His forehead was creased with worry and his shoulders were hunched as his elbows rested on the railing of... the Argo II?! The image began moving and I gasped. This wasn't my imagination anymore... This was real. Percy turned around, plastering a fake smile on his face for the people in front of him. It seemed like I was the only one who seemed to notice this... Why was he so worried? Then I remembered: The message.

As he was about to open his mouth to speak to someone out of my sight, I cut in. I tried as hard as I could to try and speak to him, and only him.

"Percy." I whispered.

He clamped his mouth shut. I blinked as I watched him frown.

"Percy." I tried again.

He turned around and looked out towards me. I knew he couldn't see me and that I could only see him, but my breath hitched anyways.

He whispered back, softly, almost inaudibly. "N-Nico?"

I smiled to myself, rolling my eyes. "Yeah, Jackson, who else? Ahem, anyways... It's Aphrodite -she's got me. I'm being held prisoner and I don't know how long I'll last. I'm in a cavern somewhere, but you can't find it anywhere on a map. It's well hidden and well guarded. I don't know where..."

His eyes widened and he seemed like he was in a trance, as if he couldn't believe he was hearing my voice. I unconsciously felt my face heat up. He began frowning again.

"I'll be there as fast as I can. I've got others with me. I'll come for you, Nico. Hang in there, buddy." He whispered quickly, knowing I don't have a lot of time to waste.

My heart swelled involuntarily and I cringed slightly. Wait... He called me 'buddy'. I grit my teeth and gulped the oncoming acid.

"Thanks, Jackson. Please hurry." I said weakly, desperate to escape.

His face softened. "I'll be there, Nico. In the blink of an eye. I'll save you if it's the last thing I do."

My breathing picked up. "Percy-"

"I'm back!"

My head snapped up and a flash of light suddenly blinded me. I flinched and instinctively backed away. Right there stood Aphrodite, in a new silky red cocktail dress, her eyes blue and her hair a reddish auburn brown. My heart began picking up speed. Behind her, standing in her shadow, were the dozen dark figures. Just seeing them makes me want to crawl into a dark corner and never come out. It's what I do best. I scolded myself for being a coward. I need to at least try and fight back this time.

"Nico...?" I heard Percy's voice say worriedly one last time.

"It's time for another punishment, ghost boy. You're not getting away from me that easily." She purred in her awfully sweet voice. "Get him."

The figures were on me in seconds, towering above me, immediately overwhelming me. How could I possibly fight back?! I remembered I didn't have my sword, I didn't have my powers and I was weak from my earlier attack-- and not to mention I haven't eaten in two days! How was I going to survive this place any longer? I felt claws dig into my left forearm and I cried out as it tore my skin. I tried punching any one of the monsters, but I couldn't even touch them. I felt a foot kick into my ribs and I fell to my knees, gasping for air as a blade got me in the shoulder. I screamed as I felt fists and claws and feet pound into my bloodied body, pain coursing through my veins. My head was throbbing from a hit to the skull and I had one last thought before my consciousness failed:

Percy... Please help.

~~~

End of Chapter

Awwwwwww SNAP!!! Anyone a major Pico/Pernico/Percico fan here?! Well, I guess since you're reading this... How's everyone? Sorry I'm late, but what do you think of this chap? Frustrating, eh? 

You beautiful people are warriors, you can do this poo! Anywho- LOVE YOU, TOO! *MWAH*

~Broken Nico, Broken Feels