No one's POV:
-

Geno's eyesocket widened up as he stared at Hades bewildered and surprised.

"... What?" He lowered head as he comprehended what he had hear. A few seconds later he raised it again to look at the Wraith.

"So he has never told you a single thing of his old days..." Hades said. "... What did he tell you? What icon did that man prevent to show to the family he has made? To you? What story did he narrate?"

"... First he was a fisherman. Then he made ties with smuggling. Those before meeting mom..." Geno said quietly.

"And what did he tell you about himself aside any of that?" Hades insisted.

"... A simple life with his parents and adoptive brother, whom I actually met outside the borders of Lisbon... I-... don't recall anything else..." At this point Geno was chewing his words from his inability to say anything else noteworthy.

"A fisherman? Next a smuggler? And nothing else... So he was feeding you lies and showing the icon of somebody with no relation to his past." There the Wraith rolled eyesockets. "Then again it was reasonable for him to hide who he used to be, leave from the Kingdom of Aragon and change name, he was on the run aftera-."

"On the run?!" Geno yelped. "... Why-?! What did he do... Who was he really?! What was my dad like?!" Hades stared at the siren silently for a few seconds, recollecting his thoughts, then he started talking.

"... Eugene was a madman. That's how I'd describe him if I had to use just one word. Using more words, he was a defiant, way too confident skeleton, brave and bold to the point of almost foolishness and ignorance, excited in an exaggerating manner which to me was almost repellent..." The more he described in such way Stephan-Eugene and with such apathetic face, making it look like he was condemning him was causing Geno little by little annoyance. At least until Hades nailed his look again at the siren stably. "... and one of the very few I've ever come to consider as a real friend."

Geno's eyesocket perked up.

"You really were friends with my dad!" He gasped as he momentarily grinned. "How did you meet?!" He asked and Reaper seemed to pretty much ask the same with the way he was staring at his father. Probably none of his parents had ever tell him this story.

"Ηilarious story actually. He was hired to assasinate me."

"WHAT?!" The 2 small skeletons and Alejandro yelled at the same time, Geno the loudest.

"My dad was a-..." Geno didn't complete his sentence. He stared at Hades waiting to hear him talking.

"... 1498. I was married to Persephone for 2 years then. I woke up one night feeling that something was off in the air and proceeded to search around the whole house to make sure everything was in order. I had sensed movement, which was enough to wake me up from my slumber, but I couldn't locate who. And soon enough I found myself unable locate to where was the movement. But soon enough it found me first. I was almost caught off guard and evaded the attack done from behind. When I turned to face my opponent it didn't take for them too long to keep attacking me, with just a little knife. Most I could do was keep evading and summon chains, despite my nature was urging me to kill already."

"Oh boy." Geno mumbled.

"No matter how many times I tried to hold down my offender with chains, their reflexes were extremely fast, their flexibility outstanding. As for the physical abilities, they were holding on against my magical powers. Impressively, my opponent could break free from my core control magic, their will being strong enough. Our duel was of a few minutes, until the moment I had finally managed to unarm and threaten them with my scythe. I had expected them to finally feel threatened, understand already the danger trying to take me on. Instead, soon enough, I was going to be the one being the most in danger. They raised head to look at me straight in the eyesockets and tell me in the most arrogant manner possible that they knew the secret of my condition and what would happen if I killed."

"Woooah." The siren did quietly.

"Before I could even ask myself how and when had they found out, in just a few movements my opponent exploited my moment of being off guard, stopped being threatened by my scythe, grabbed another knife previously attached to their leg and stabbed me on the wrist."

"Nooo way." Reaper did.

"In all my years existing to the living, aside my own parents very few had ever managed to draw blood from me. Soon after, in my next attempt to use magic, I never made it. The knife was soaked in anti-magical elixir, which then prevented me from avoiding another stab, on my shoulder this time."

"Did he call that story hilarious a while ago???" Geno thought bewildered and triggered as he stared at Hades, who didn't seem agitated at all remembering such moments, rather thrilled and ecstatic. "Sorry, Sir." He interrupted. "How is that story supposed to be hilarious? You describe a moment of nearly facing death! Almost caused by my dad!"

"Not for the fact that somebody was finally skilled enough to pose actual threat to me. No." Hades shook head left and right. "But for his next reactions of what happened next. The intruder might had gained knowledge of my vulnerability. But he hadn't taken into account one thing, which until the moment it occured I hadn't expect it to happen either."

"And what was that Sir?" Alejandro asked.

"The 4 women of the family stepping up."

"Oooh!" The puppy did then wagging his tail faster.

"Just as me and my opponent were staring at each other and he was taking position ready for another attack, it was then when out of nowhere Reaper's sisters appeared and stood between me and him. That stopped him and he looked at us uncertain of what to do. The triplets started threatening him to get out of the house and give up on his attempt to kill me."

"Awe, steppin' up for their step-dad." Geno said almost ready to smile widely, but seeing the Wraith staring at him intensively, almost as if glaring, he looked at him confused. "What?!" He asked raising hands in the air in defence. A few seconds later Hades closed eyesockets as he cleared his throat.

"... I knew I had allowed them myself to address me as their father if they wanted. Still, everytime they would do so, even as of that moment they were defending me, I had never managed to completely get used to it, that they simply would call me that so easily. Anyways, the offender started trying to convince them to be the ones getting out of the way, threatening them too, that he had nothing to fear because they couldn't kill him, no one in the family of the Renrinks could kill. He even went as far as trying to insult me, stating that hiding behind women was pure cowardness. Even then, before I could even think about saying anything, Athena went ahead to say that quite clearly, her and her sisters had stepped up to defend me themselves, on their own accord and will, they didn't need me to ask... And then some other things about family and that each member should be up and ready to protect the other in need."

The way the Wraith had said that last sentence after the short pause sounded slightly indifferent and dismissing, or as if not remembering well what was said. However before that he had shown clearly that for a few seconds, recalling those moments and words from the past showed to slightly affect him, almost breaking his serious expression and character.

"Hmmm..." Geno thought smirking, but didn't express anything.

"But while the triplets stepping up were a great part of what had happened that night, they weren't the greatest. There was more. And beττer. Before the offender could do anything against the 3, the floors and walls started shaking. Vines of plants appeared all over the place, avoiding to touch me and the triplets. The offender didn't have the same luck, as many of those vines went and wrapped around him. And then, there she was, walking towards us, Persephone... I had guessed she wasn't going to keep sleeping with how much noise me and my opponent had made upon our duel. But to see her so serious, it was-..."

"Scary?" Alejandro asked, trying completing the sentence Hades didn't finish.

There the Wraith suddenly threw his head back and laughed out loud, in a very creepy way, echoing around the dome of darkness. Geno shivered and he saw Reaper quite clearly showing to have been affected by the laughter, clenching his fists tightly.

"She had asked what was going on and what did the stranger want in our home. Aphrodite immediately said that he was attempting to kill me. And there, oh there, the moment she heard that and noticed the stabs on my arms, the glare she shot at the offender was dινιne." Hades' pupils inside his eyesockets glowed brighter. "It was then when she walked up to him, snatched away the mask he was wearing all this time and punched him in the face."

"WOAAAH!" Geno and Alejandro did.

"Then she grabbed the intruder by the collar of his shirt and told him in her coldest tone that if he attempted to touch me, her husband, ever again, she would make him wish she was actually able to kill him."

"Mother did and say that?!" Reaper asked. Hades inhaled deeply as he closed eyesockets.

"La meva ferotge i bella Reina..." He said quietly as he placed a hand on his chest and stayed silent for a few seconds before he exhaled with a momentarily melancholic expression. Then went cold. "... After that she proceeded to walk up to me and start healing me. Her anger had started vanishing then, her concern taking over... to see her upset caused me and the triplets to turn at the intruder and give him the nastiest of our stares. Just where he was, I proceeded to summon a Truth chain and bind him with it by the neck. I forced his memories and thoughts to be revealed. Who he was. From which family. Where he lived. Who had send him to assasinate me and why. At first he tried his best to resist revealing what I was looking for. He put up a good fight, but eventually he succumbed. I breached his mind and memories and learned everything I needed."

"And even in such... forceful way..." Geno started talking. "... what did you learn about dad?"

"Everytime the high authorities of Hispania wanted to play their political games dirty, when they wanted to be one step ahead, or get rid of someone who was a danger to their ideas, they would put big prizes for whoever could steal information from the target, or kill whoever they wanted. Even long before I was in the living, there were humans and monsters who were not just willing but extremely capable to take such offers and complete them. The ones with power, status and gold would send certain faces to spread word around the town about the prizes they were offering, which were spreading as far as to other far away towns, until certain ears were hearing about it and stepping up to show their interest."

"And-... And my dad was... one of them? He was goin' around... listening to offers... and procceeding to complete them???" Geno asked hesitant and more surprised by the second.

"I did say he was hired to assasinate me, didn't I? Yes. But those monsters who were making a living by doing the biding of the rich, far too capable and skillful, were more commonly called Morçadores."

"Morçadores... I think Edge and Red had made a mention of them..." Geno thought. "Ah yeah! One had tried to attack Edge and Alter got stabbed, defending him... Uf."

"Sharp diamonds hiding in the dirt called low class. Your father's real origins were from Getafe, near the heart of Hispania. No relation to some other town or village near the sea that could help relate him with fishermen whatsoever. In the eyes of the public he looked like your common skeleton. No extrordinary magic and such. A man willing to go around and help his fellow monsters throughtout the day, his parents' joy and pride. But exactly because of how he looked and acted he was capable to hide well the other kind of lifestyle he was leading. No one could suspect that the cheerful skeleton was actually trained in extreme melee combat, both tactical and dirty, able to use any weapon his hands would get a hold to, breach through any borders or houses without being caught, withstand and battle most types of magic. His own parents had trained him, their line consisting of Morçadores as far as their grandparents' great great grandparents."

Geno whistled.

"And I had wondered why he had so many weapons! He would never tell me. But it makes so much sense now." He nodded, still shocked, but willing to keep listening.

"Like the successful Morçadores they were, Eugene's family didn't really care most of the time of who was the target. In fact they didn't even care if they had to kill another monster. Morally good or corrupted, it didn't matter, so long as the amount of gold offered sounded great enough. Otherwise they would turn a blind eyesocket and wait for another target."

"So... dad heard word about somebody wantin' you dead and the prize sounded great enough for him to do it?"

"It wasn't any recent announcement. For years, my political and not enemies wanted to get rid of me and whoever was before me, because I had a good grasp in power, able to change minds and direct the thinking where I wanted to, both by logic and fear. My opinion and word mattered greatly and alas to whatever case or conversation I was part of, whatever I supported or preffered was most likely to pass. Countless times I had hear rumors and word about how there were prizes offered to whoever could kill me. I wasn't concerned. No one was foolish enough to go against me, no matter how big the prize was. No Morçador either was willing to risk their head to face me. Until your father."

"For how much did he accept to take you down???"

"The prize for my death with which Eugene became the first one to ever respond to was touching the 1.000.000 gold."

"Hoooly shiii..." Geno was about to swear.

"Prize which however he wanted my enemies to make it double."

"2.000.000 gold to kill you?!"

"Cheap humans, right? Well, you needed to whether be too skillful, whether too crazy to take on such mission. And Eugene was both. Once the offer was doubled, he was up for the challenge. He took his time to wander around Valencia and find information that could help him. The moment he had realised he could possibly get the upper hand with me was when he learned about Doctor Lucia Caninto."

"Aaah, great." Geno thought.

"Her father and previous doctor of the Renrinks at that time had died, so she had taken his place to serve. Eugene had believed that he could try and find possibly useful information about me via her. After careful planning, he had managed to break into her infirmary and read the documents concerning my health. That was how he had learned about the restrictions I had on killing. It was then when he had realised that spilling such secret out would most likely leave me completely exposed and let my enemies know that I wasn't as powerful as once. Plus, he knew that he had nothing to fear from me once he would break into my home. That, if I did care not to accidentally kill, which of course I preffered not to happen."

"Damn, my dad was clever."

"Tactical and investigative characterize the level of intelligence he had, which he rarely showed to actually possess with the personality he more often presented, all happy and bubbly and energetic in a very exaggerating manner. Eugh. Then again, he was a tricky one and deceiving, so he was way too good at that."

"So, my dad was hired by some of your enemies. What did you do that made them want you even more out of the picture and increase the prize?"

"A month before Eugene went to try and assasinate me, I was called to a meeting to discuss about some construction plans, which would have left me sleeping with open eyesockets if they weren't disrupting my wife's own plans and goals." The questions were obvious on the faces of the 3 listeners, but didn't speak and waited. "... They were talking about creating some dam on the Xúquer river that would direct the water supply closer to the town and to their crops. For easier access and all, so their servants, pardon, slaves, would take less time to bring the water back. Less time to water the crops and less time to fatten their behinds."

"Pfpfpfff!" Alejandro did as he hid behind his paws the cheerful smile he had.

"While most of the faces present to the conversation were agreeing to these construction plans, I already knew I was going to say no. My wife and her friends were studying and preserving the area near the river, making sure the flora and fauna was thriving. If the river changed direction just to satisfy the greed of those humans, I could only guess the ecosystem would die. That was what I was understanding mainly from what Persephone had described me at least. Either way if any decision was including whatever, anything related to my wife and it was bad in any way, if it was important for her, it was all I needed to make up my mind. Same as with the one which eventually caused my encounter with Eugene. And so, when it was my turn to answer if I was giving my signature and agreement to the plans, I simply told them they would get to proceed over my ashes."

"Cold." Geno commented.

"They didn't take my answer well at all of course. But as I was about to walk out, one of the present humans, had both the audacity and impatience to say, while I was still in the room, that I was letting my decisions be affected by a-..." There Hades' expression was suddenly filled with deep and silent anger with the way his pupils glowed and his aura hit harder the other 3 monsters present.

"He called mother somethin' bad?" Reaper asked as he showed to get serious like Hades. Who turned to look at his son and pronounced the words without sound. Whatever it was he said caused Reaper to lower head with clenched teeth. "Gossa mascle..." He murmured.

"To the human that had called Persephone... τhατ, I barely managed to not spill his blood once I turned around and simply told him to learn using those words to whoever really suited them, like his own wife and to keep a better eye on her and the ones she seemed wαγ τoo acquainted with."

"Oh damn." Geno mumbled.

"Drama and gossip." Alejandro commented waving his feet casually.

"And because of what had happened that day, was the reason as to why Eugene had come to kill me. I wasn't as impressed with the pettiness of my enemies as with how had your father managed get to me. Whatever defences Reaper's sisters had put up around the mansion proved to not be of any use. He had managed to sneak in the mansion and stay unnoticable despite we were seeing him everyday for a week before he attacked."

"How is that possible???" Geno asked.

"He was dressed up as a maid."

"Naaah!" The siren did then.

"8 days before the assasination attempt, 3 more maids were accepted to serve the house. Eugene was one of them, managing to keep a low profile and stay unnoticable, all while learning the routines and whereabouts of the house. And like me, no one had understood anything."

"Yeah, but how had he managed to sneak up on you on the start of your duel, when he decided to attack you? Ya said he almost caught you off guard."

"Through discipline and practice, Eugene was capable of controlling extremely well his emotions, which was helping him erase easily his aura, making him an opponent difficult to sense and spot. Almost as dangerous as me, because the shadows weren't just my friend that night but also his. Truly an extremely skillful Morçador."

"Sooo..." Geno did hesitantly. "... What happened after all this? What didja do with my dad?"

"I discussed with Persephone and the triplets. Killing wasn't welcomed in the house, yet I couldn't just let Eugene walk away without making sure he wouldn't tell anybody of what he knew about me. But in the end it was concluded that if he had an advantage against me, I had it twice. I told him that if he kept quiet and never spoke to anybody about my vulnerabilities, I wouldn't let the whole Hispania know either him and his family were Morçadores. In their 'job' they were obviously keeping their identities hidden and even when showing up to claim their reward from whoever was offering it, they were staying anonymous. Once everybody knew of what Eugene really was, the ones who had put up the prize to kill me would learn too and instead of offering him the gold, the only thing he would receive was a sword through his soul. Same as his family. Not only for when they would realise I was still alive, but simply because there was no way they would actually offer him 2.000.000 gold and that he was a fool to believe he would receive such prize."

"Fair, but yeesh."

"After telling him all that, I released Eugene and told him to never again show his face anywhere near me or my family if he didn't want to get his own in trouble. After he looked at us in surprise and disbelief, he jumped out of the nearest window."

"Ayo?!" Geno did as he threw his arms in the air.

"I watched him running away and after an hour or so we all managed to return to sleep. Well, Persephone needed more time, still being agitated by my assasination attempt... She still had the guilt. Deep down eating her from the inside, of me taking her penalty. If I hadn't done it I wouldn't be exposed to actual threats. True that because Eugene had learned of my restriction to kill he knew there wouldn't be much of a consequence going against me. But then I reminded my wife that if I hadn't taken the penalty, I wouldn't be able to change because I wouldn't want to stay in the living. And even if things were evolving so we were still both alive without having to take the penalty upon me, I didn't trust myself that I wouldn't fall back to my old ways, going around and freely killing whoever I wanted just because. With how things were then, I could only believe Eugene wasn't going to be such a fool to spill my secret, knowing that I had something against him too. A week passed after the incident where I slowly healed, all while asking to not be seen by anybody and not let anyone hear of what had happen. And barely after this, Eugene came back."

"Whaaat?!"

"He was never one to heed warnings. He overcame all obstacles set around the house, bust in as if the place was unguarded, allowed me to sense him by aura and waited for me to come up to him. And all for what? Just to tell me I was right, that the ones who had hired him they never planned on giving him the gold even if he had suceeded. Just eavesdropped." Hades facepalmed, but Geno chuckled, causing the other 3 to look at him confused.

"That's so my dad. He would literally risk his life and health just for seemingly silly reasons in everybody else's view. A thing which I remember a lot from his narrations. Just... from adventures which didn't include him goin' around and murdering to be payed... Well. What didja do when he told you that?"

"About when and how he had come to conclude what he had said, was beyond me. But I didn't care to know and simply told him to get out of my house. Then he started being annoyingly persuasive, trying to stick around some more and being in the mood to keep yapping. But just the moment I was really about to grab him and throw him out of the window, was when he started telling me what I actually needed to hear: information about my political enemies' next moves. Ever since the attack I hadn't given signs of my presence to anyone or anywhere. That had most likely let everyone think I was actually dead. And I would have no idea if Eugene hadn't informed me."

"Well definitely logical that a week ago he was trynna murder you but then decides to help you."

"If I had think that your father's sudden change in behavior was absurd, I didn't sit to think about it then. Just asked him to keep talking about what was going on behind my back. In the end there was this: if in a week I didn't show up for the final decision for the dam's construction plans, they would proceed with them anyway, since I wouldn't be able to stop them anymore. Useful information, yet strange about why Eugene had told me that. At first I had think he expected a reward. Yet he had said he didn't want my gold. He simply wanted to understand something about... me."

"Now what kind of absurdity is this?" Reaper asked lowly.

"But before he could elaborate of what he meant by that, my wife and the triplets showed up once more ready to defend me, angry and annoyed that Eugene has returned. Who tried to reason with them, but seeing that they weren't staying still to listen, he jumped out of the nearest window."

"Seriously, what the heck?!" Geno yelped throwing hands in the air.

"Even so, the information he had given was useful. I told Persephone of what Eugene had revealed to me and not just me, but together with her too we went to the meeting, busted down completely any attempts of letting the construction plans of the dam to proceed and of course gave the scare of my enemies' lives, putting them in their place. A month later nothing else shocking happened. But then, Eugene returned for a third time. Again overpassinng all obstacles around the house and seeking to find me. He had returned yet again with more information about moves and plans that were happening behind my back and once more wanting for reward to learn about me."

"Okay, why though?" Geno asked.

"I let him speak. For years he had hear nothing but the nasty rumors about me. Only the last few years those had started changing. Despite in my mind I was ridiculing him for letting the 'less nasty' rumors about me to start confusing him and changing his judgment, I just waited for him to elaborate. From what was observed, the last few years the deaths had decreased around the town and that I seemed to be more calm. The other politicians were naming those changes as 'having become weaker for the sake of a woman'. Of course and those flesh bags were confusing the differences between being soft onlγ for my family and being weak..." Hades exhaled from his nose in annoyance. "... Eugene had ignored the 'less bad' rumors, didn't think much of them on his way to complete his mission, until the night he tried to assasinate me. When he saw how my family had stepped up to defend me. He couldn't understand. If I was this horrible necromancer everyone feared, had done so many terrible things in the past and had been hinted that I was behind dissapearances, how come my family, these bright and kind women, were so willing to defend me? Did they even know of what I've done? And it was then when Persephone stepped up. Her and the triplets knew of course of all atrocities I had commited, how far more evil and cruel I was before meeting them."

"Just before hm..." Reaper mumbled as he rolled his eyesockets, causing Hades to snap his head to look at him. Nothing else was heard on the next seconds and the Wraith cleared his throat to keep talking.

"... But we don't have to keep being our past and allow it to become our future too. I had done a lot of evil to the townsfolk of Valencia• and not just them. Important was however of what I chose to do next. Keep going or change manners in my own accord and will? And I chose, for the sake of the family I had, to try and leave most of my old ways behind. Obviously amongst the simple people and monsters, most of them wouldn't be able to believe that I'm trying to change. But for me, so long as my own family believed and saw my attempts to change, it was enough for me to keep trying." It was then when Reaper guffawed quite clearly, causing everyone to look at him. "Don't drown your thoughts, Reaper. Share with us what you want to express." Hades said. The necromancer grinned.

"... Nah. Keep talkin' sir."

"Seriously, what the heck is goin' on between them???" Geno thought.

"... Eugene was left bewildered and even more surprised by the answer. But he didn't say anything. He just walked away and exited the house."

"By jumping through the window again?!" Alejandro asked about to giggle.

"No, this time he left through the door. Leaving me and my wife confused about what had gotten into him to return once more to us. And against all logic, what Eugene had done already twice, was also what he would keep doing for the next few years that helped break the ice between him and my family and get along. He kept coming back and without me asking him to, he would tell me useful information. Once more, without asking for any reward, except talk to me and meet me better."

"Did you suspect he was probably trying to earn your trust, get closer to you and 'sell' information about you to your enemies?" Geno asked.

"Plenty of times, making me constantly think that Eugene had whether suddenly become way too good of a liar even for me, or after that time I read all of his thoughts and learned who he was, he learned to tolerate me better from reading any further his motives. It took me more than 2 years to finally stop suspecting him and accept that although this all seemed foolish, he was genuinely trying to get along with me and my family. That by helping me he was trying to apologise, despite I didn't ask him to. Just so long as he wasn't being a threat, I wouldn't be a threat to him and his family's secret identity as Morçadores either. And if he had information, he was free to stay around the house. Of course I was watching him closely as time passed by when he started being more comfortable around the mansion, enough to start interacting with Persephone's daughters, who of course wouldn't look at him warmly at first. The first reason being to make sure he wouldn't pose a threat to them. The second... because of how your father was acting around women."

"You meaaan..."

"A little bit of a womanizer. Cajoler in his old days. To put it more mildly, he was getting along a lot better with women." Geno facepalmed.

"Damnit dad!"

"I first saw these behaviors with the maids around the house. After his first 3 visits, on the next 2 he had caused them to almost drool when they would mention him in their gossip."

"Woooaaah!"

"Thankfully he was just staying on flirting, or if he was doing anything else, he was doing those when not in the mansion. Though a common behavior for monsters who haven't met their other half to get a little too brave and open with other ones, that is an inner motive trying to find with who they're going to be bind. The soul 'searches' for compatibility with another. Though annoying to see the maids daydreaming from Eugene's 'charm', the only times I was making sure he wouldn't get too open and chill was around the triplets and obνιoυslγ Persephone, or else it wouldn't take for me much to make his death look like a νerγ convincing accident."

"Br." Geno did.

"At least until he assured and convinced me that even if he wanted to he wouldn't dare be open with the triplets and he wasn't messing with married women. Not as loose as I had think of him at first. When he would address Persephone he was staying serious. Eventually I stopped breathing over his nape when he was near my wife."

"And... aside comin' over to your house and willingly share information about your enemies, how else did you 2 eventually strengthened your friendship bond?"

"When not talking about my enemies, we would often come in conflict about how we were seeing things, or how we were behaving around certain situations. I would call immaturity and lack of discipline his carefree and energetic behavior and actions. He would call my seriousness and abstinence from doing spontaneous things or break my comfort zone as 'being a grandpa' and ironically to 'just live a little'."

In that moment Geno fought very hard to not laugh. Until he looked at Alejandro, who was on the verge of bursting from laughter and looked back at the small skeleton.

geno and alejandro be like:

Hades rolled his eyesockets.

"You are definitely your father's son." He commented.

"Give-... Hahdhd... An example of how your personalities-... rjdksjjans- CONTRADICT!" Geno tried to speak between the laughter, which at this point seemed to be more from nerves and he couldn't easily stop it. Hades waited for a few more seconds until Geno could make his laughter die down enough.

"... When Eugene managed to gain enough of the whole family's trust, especially mine too, when I would be away from the mansion for business, we would hang out. Against my plans though. Somehow, that cøcκrøαch, would always be able to find me and I had tried plenty of times to avoid him."

"Heeey!" Geno did, complaining for the characterism cockroach.

"Eugh... Part of my business, or rather when I was having time to kill, was to wander amongst the peasants with different appearance and observe. For dear afterlife's sake, Eugene would always, 'by luck', be on the same place as me and stick by my side like a leech. Even though I was trying to keep my aura low, he could still recognise me by it. After all as he claimed, he was trained to track down whoever he wanted. And so, as we would wander around, everytime he would notice something interesting for him and point out facts about it, he was also finding topics for us to argue. He also had the nerve to 'scold' me about how I was treating my surroundings. Everytime some woman would approach him in a flirty mood because he would flirt first, the moment I stared at her she was turning around to leave."

"Bruh." Geno did.

"He would complain that I was ruining his 'moments' by driving away... 'the chicks' as he called the women and that it wouldn't kill me or anybody to smile. And one day I finally told him that my smile might not kill anybody, but it certainly gives nightmares. I showed what I meant the very next moment when another woman approached us, way too 'willing' to talk with Eugene. I smiled and unnecessary to say that for a turtle monster she ran away fast."

"Dnsjaodijaw!" Geno and Alejandro did while Reaper just grinned wide for a moment before going back to being serious.

"Didn't you smile enough in your existence? Eugene had asked me. Bold of you to assume I was ever allowed to smile and shown how to, I told him."

"Ooof." Alejandro did.

"Then Eugene dared to counter that arguement by telling me he had seen me smiling genuinely in a non-forced way around my wife and that I was saying excuses. Even so, I smile only when I see Persephone, she's the only one who gives me reason to do that and makes me feel real joy... Used to..." Momentarily Hades seemed to look down with a very lost expression before shaking his head left and right and clearing his throat. "... And to counter his countering I told him that I don't go around messing with other women giving them the wrong message, preferring loyalty." Hades looked up thoughtful for a moment. "... He had nothing to respond then. He kind of answered me on another time we had hung out. He had insisted for us to go to some tavern and drink."

"No way he convinced ya!" Geno yelped about to start laughing again.

"Obviously I didn't want to confine myself amongst other peasants. But Eugene had become so annoying preaching me to go, I decided to follow after him so he would stop yapping at once and get any more of the surroundings' attention. Satisfied he had convinced me, he then proceeded to tell me his usual catchphrase dedicated to me: Live a little grandpa. We're in town, not in some rich house, amongst other rich and pompous people. We entered, sat on a table and I got to witness just how unhinged taverns were, especially the customers when they hit way too many drinks. About 20 minutes later I found myself watching Eugene as he couldn't even count everytime I would show him how many fingers I was holding in the air. I hadn't gotten drunk, since I wouldn't deign drink much from the dirty and adulterated drinks served. It was one and only time I accepted to enter a tavern and I and Eugene just had to get ourselves in a big fight that broke in the building."

"A fight! Who won?!" Alejandro asked wagging his tail faster.

"Nobody won." Hades facepalmed. "We just survived, especially me who managed not to get touched directly by anybody. Some other drunk monsters were looking around trying to pick a fight with somebody and they chose me and Eugene, who responded to their mood to fight. Uronically it was because they had tried to insult my mother, but instead of me getting offended, Eugene did. It hadn't taken long for everyone in the tavern to start throwing hands to one another. And it was in a time like that where I took time to observe something else in which me and Eugene were completely different: fighting preferances. I've always prefered magic and weapons when in combat. But your father was more into melee..." The Wraith said as he looked at Geno. "... And although drunk beyond belief, much to my impression Eugene could still fight. Slightly uncoordinated but even though getting a few hits, he would deliver his own hard and sharply, all while laughing boldly and turning to look at me to constantly remind me to 'live a little'. After many minutes of fighting I had enough and decided that we had to get out of the tavern. I simply slowed down time, grabbed Eugene, who was at the moment having another monster pinned down and punching him in the face and we managed to escape. Until I could drag your father far away enough, he wouldn't stop laughing loudly and annoyingly, saying about how amazing we were back there. Just the moment I had enough with him, he suddenly became quiet and looked at me directly. Then started talking again and in his drunk state making remarks about me. About how he sticks around me still in worry and concern about me exposing his secret of being a Morçador. Yet also about how much there was more to me than just what the rest of the world was seeing on the surface."

"What did he realise?" Geno asked.

"That I can really be a grandpa sometimes." Of course Hades' 3 listeners snickered for a few seconds before they went back on waiting. "... Yet at the same time, much to my surprise and concern about just how drunk and out of his mind he was, he talked about how he admired me..." The Wraith took a sour expression for a moment. "... Specifically about how despite what I showed in front of everyone, with my family I was somebody completely different."

"Your eyesockets most of the time show you so damn strict and arrogant and pompous and a bit of an *sshole. But it baffles me when in those same eyesockets I see nothing but gentleness and love when Lady Persephone is around. Here, right here! He-! *hic* Now that I mentioned her I saw your eyesockets softening. I'm not drunk enough not to see clearly your expression! *hic* Just how in love are you with her hombre? Is it what drove you to *hic* sacrifice part of your deadly nature? Is it really that great what you feel that it was worth it for you to do this for her? And she looks completely smitten with you too! *hic* Truly, even though you've done so many terrible things, you still seem to have done something right for you to earn the love of such a woman. You're a lucky son of a- *hic* lucky Hadey. *hic* Will I ever get to feel whatever it is you feel? Is it better than alcohol? Or gold? Or all women in the world? Or the love your very own parents give you? Waaait, nooo, definitely for you it is much better. *hic* For me? Would it feel better? Hmmm... I think... I like what you have going on. I'd like it to someday find somebody which I can dedicate myself to. If you managed that, why not me too? Somebody who will make my soul go craaazy yet give me peace! *hic* Isn't that what you described once happening in your soul? So long as the other genuinely loves me back I will stay by their side only amd forever... Hey and maybe *hic* have a bunch of babies! Heheeeeeh... *hic*. But Eros ain't for everyone. Some never find it. Well, if that happens and I stay single... I'll still be hanging around chicks I guess, searching to fulfill the void in my soul!"

Hades had gotten so deep into remembering those words years ago from Eugene, he couldn't hear Geno trying to snap him out of his thoughts.

"Sir? Sir? Afterlife calls Sir Hades?!"

Slowly Hades raised head to look at Geno.

"... Maybe he was annoying often. But me and your father definitely had moments where we were suddenly just... being fine. Where it didn't feel at all as if we were interacting just to make sure we wouldn't try to expose each other. Times where I wasn't allowing him around me just to have him tell me information I needed against my enemies. And when we weren't feeling like that, we were open to admit and learn things from one another."

"Like?" Geno asked with his attention fully focused as always.

"... From me, Eugene learned a bit more what it means to be responsible. He also picked a bit of noble mannerisms, which became useful to other kind of missions we would both take part. So many adventures I could describe with us 2, about secretly sabotaging my enemies... As for me, I suppose I learned a little bit of social cues amongst the peasants, not to stay serious constantly, be more free to have fun, as much as I can handle and... hmmm, one or two interesting ways of courting my wife."

"Ήμουν ΤΌΣΟ σίγουρος..." Reaper commented.

"Heheh~" Geno and Alejandro did at the same time. But then the half-siren slowly got serious. He looked at Hades quietly, seeing in his expression that his narration would soon take a more sad turn. After all, there was one thing needed to be answered and the Wraith had briefly mentioned...

Why did Eugene leave eventually from his home?

"... This unlikely friendship, as back as after our second encounter, lasted for 5 years..." Hades kept narrating. "... and eventually we stopped thinking that we were blackmailing each other. Our first encounter was a memory with which we would entertain ourselves. The triplets were completely friendly with him and Persephone had forgiven him for almost killing me. Many times in fact we had allowed him to stay in my house to eat with us, not only when he had to share information. It was... more than fine having him around. Then there came 1503. Near the end of the year he came to my mansion in a hurry. Agitated. He told me he was leaving from the land. Urgently. He didn't know how, or who, but his identity had been betrayed. Someone had revealed to the wrong ears that he was a Morçador. Not just him, his whole family too was in danger."

"Who?!"

"Didn't ever learn. He didn't know either. But he was certain I hadn't say anything, he trusted me. Satisfying feeling to know he had that trust in me. He informed me anyways that he had to leave and completely change everything about himself. I had offered to help him get away in secret and quietly to another land. But he had refused. We bid each other farewell, briefly saying his last goodbye to the rest of my family. And I never saw him again."

"Didn't he tell you where he went?"

"No. Though the only thing I knew for certain was that he had survived. I let a year pass before I decided to search for him in the monster afterlife. When I didn't find him, I knew, wherever he was, he was alive and most likely well."

"That's great." Geno did with a proud expression.

"Though I had found his father."

"Yikes." Geno did then.

"And a year later his mother, dying from her Grief."

"Bruh..." Geno then thought for a moment. "... Didja ever try to look for him? In the living I mean."

"No. And I believe it was better. Your father was wanted everywhere in Hispania, even in France. If we tried to find each other, I wouldn't just risk his safety, I'd risk being seen and associated with him..." Hades replied, then looked down as he recollected more of his thoughts. "... Well. 2 years after Eugene's escape my first son was born..." Geno could have sworn he heard Reaper guffawing again. "... and the years passed by... tolerable enough. Then the downfall started, which my son has certainly narrated you until a certain point."

"Uuuh... yeah." Geno nodded, eyesocketing for a fleeing moment Reaper.

"Make sure you put details when you get to the next 'act' of your adventures." Hades said as he looked at Reaper, who smiled forcefully and clenched his fists.

"... Sure. Whatever..."

Geno got even more concerned, seeing how Reaper seemed ready at any second to burst. With Hades' presence, it really did look like the small necromancer wasn't at ease. Thankfully the Wraith turned his attention at Geno.

"... 9 years passed ever since Eugene run away. And it was then when me and my son first encountered you, as a little fragile baby. And maybe I prefered you dead then, but after I sat alone and thought about it, I realised that you felt familiar. Just by the aura. And since then, I would often think about you, not just because my son would preach me. Who was that seemingly lucky skeleton baby, with such sickly body yet energetic and vivid aura? And about a year after the first encounter, you fell in the afterlife again. Once more struggling and pathetically screaming in pain, this time your eyesocket being melted."

"Aaah, yeah. I was told when I was 8 months old my 'socket had deformed." Geno nodded.

"And before I could even think once more about ending your suffering and offer mercy, the voices I had hear then, preventing me from killing you reached me once more. Most I did was hold you close so you wouldn't have to suffer from the cold too, always making sure I didn't have direct contact with you. I waited to see if you were going to die. Much to my impression, after some łøŋg hours of screaming and almost cracking my ear holes, you dissapeared in white light. That repeated 4 more times. You were falling in here, suffering, I would hold you, then you would go back to the living, everytime making me rethink and doubt what I knew about monsters defying death."

"Damn." Geno, Reaper and Alejandro did at the same time.

"The 7th time you came here however, it was different. You weren't in pain, but you seemed lost. When you looked at me you didn't seem to know who I was, despite from our 4th encounter and after you could remember me. Suddenly you were looking at me confused. Then you asked me if I was your father." Hades was seen clearly shivering as he said that.

"Oh. I know why..." Geno said lowly as he lowered head and hugged his knees. "At 7 years it was when me and my brothers were abandoned. We were fed Lithe and forgot about almost everything, our parents too." Reaper stared at the smaller with perked up eyesockets.

"Makes sense. Even so, we simply sticked together until you just told me you had to be back to your brothers. And just like that, you dissapeared and returned to the living. 7 more times of falling in here and keeping you company passed. On the 14th time you returned, you were severely injured."

Trauma hit Geno as he recalled that cursed night, the fires, her...

"Geno?" Alejandro asked concerned as Geno hid his face between his legs.

"Yes. The afterlife shivers hearing about it. The time the Night Ship attacked Hondarribia, took the lives of so many and left you severely scarred for life..." Hades paused seeing how Reaper was glaring at him, signing him to stop feeding the trauma. He huffed. "... It was then that I believed more than any other time you weren't going to make it. You stayed uncoscious for long and I waited. Against all odds, you returned to the living. That time was the one where the voices that had prevented me from ending you were revealed to be of Fate and Destiny. It was revealed to me what was so special about you, what were you needed for... and what truly is it that makes you defy death to this day. And no, it was never Fate and Destiny." That last sentence caused the 2 other skeletons to look at him curious and confused. Alejandro simply smiled, showing to already know the reasons behind everything.

"Wait, so I ain't dead yet because of my mission???" Geno asked with perked up eyesocket.

"Whaaat?! Of course not!" The puppy yipped. "When do we tell him Mister Hades?! When? When?!"

"Soon, little assistant." Hades replied. "And even though you know what is my real name, you may use it only when nobody else hears us. Like right now." He waved his hand to show the dome of darkness.

"Yes Sir!" Alejandro agreed. Clearly Geno was ready to keep asking further questions. But he kept quiet, looking at Hades more focused.

"It became my knowledge then that you, young Geno, were destined to whether save the living from the mermaids or die trying, taking all other living beings together with you, aside the mermaids. I also know about the Prophecy that talks about the journey you must take. And most importantly..." Hades leaned slightly forward. "... I can share the knowledge of what you must do to win the Loner sirens without even fighting."

"And how do you know that?" Reaper asked raising brow.

"I didn't know anything until a while back." Hades turned to look at Geno. "... You saw me consuming the essences. The same thing I did with your father. In reality, what I did was to put them in time out..." From somewhere up his sleeve, the Wraith pulled out a long chain.

Attached to the links were small vials with white light inside them. He unattached one of them, looked at it silently for a few seconds and then made the little object roll towards Geno. The siren picked up the vial and looked at it closely. Upon closer inspection he could see the figure of a monster sleeping, hugging itself tightly. His eyesocket perked up as he looked at Hades.

"Is this... my dad???"

"Asleep and unable to cause any more harm around here. I do this with all essences that have been corrupted by the Lady of the Night Ship. It's all I can do for them to stop their suffering and not let them keep serving her. On their time out, their corruption ceases. But I can't let them free, let them roam around here as if nothing happened. That Lady seems to target and capture specific essences, for the abilities and skills they once had. If I let them free, they will most likely be found and captured again. Like what you asked me to do for your father. Do you understand now?" Hades asked calmly as he nailed his look at Geno.

"... Alright." The smol nodded, then looked again at the vial containing his dad's essence. He gently clenched it in his hand and looked again at the Wraith. "... But still, you didn't answer Reaper's question. How do you know about what must he done to win the Loners?"

"With every essence I consume and claim, I also gain their knowledge. It's not any different for Eugene. I saw everything from what he had learned from his own wife. And now that I possess such knowledge, in order for you to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and risk pissing them off, I will have to share it with you."

"But?"

3 heads turned to look at Reaper's direction, who had his eyesockets nailed at Hades, focused and intensive.

"So you suspect that there is something off about what I'm saying?" The Wraith asked.

"How can there not be when it's you who has what we were searchin' for in the first place?"

Clearly, the atmosphere inside the dome of darkness had grown much thicker in tension.

"Don't confuse the past with what's needed to be done on the present. Don't delve into our family issues and make them the topic right now, when it's not. Has this land already messed with your head just enough to mention-?"

"But who talked about family issues!" Reaper threw his arms in the air with a fake grin. "You don't need to be family for me not to trust you. Just because it's simply you! Whatever you have to say, it is you who wants to speak and it's enough for me to know that I won't sit around to listen."

"So you refuse the help I can offer."

"So long as we're away from you, I couldn't care less."

"Hold up!" Geno tried to protest.

"I recall allowing you to express all complaints you had about me. You've lost the allowance a løng while now." Hades' eyesockets daggered.

"Oh, I'm sorry! But last I checked Sir, family bonds don't matter for the likes of us. We're 2 gentlemen who happened to bump into each other, nothin' more and nothin' less." Reaper stood up, the stiching Hades had done on him succesful on keeping him together. "... Thanks for wasting our time with your narrations of old buddy relationships and such."

"Under my dome, time stops." Hades stated bored.

"Reeeally! Now excuse us, we're leavin'."

WOAH WOAH WOAH!

"Wait what?!" Geno yelped. Reaper walked close to him and offered his left hand for the smaller to stand up.

"Get up." He said coldly and emotionlessly.

"But the answers-!"

"I'd hear the answers from anyone but him."

"So this much your detest for me has grown?" Hades was heard asking calmly. Geno watched Reaper's head literally twitching for a moment. "So much that you got dissapointed to know it's me who can help."

Reaper laughed.

"Goτ αnγ beττer joκes τhαn τhιs one?" He asked.

"So you are not going to sit around and listen to what I can offe-."

"Ŋøτ a second longer Sir."

"You and Geno need answers. Push your hatred for me aside, drown your egoism and don't act like a chιłd Charo-."

The magical dagger that got conjured in Reaper's hand and was sharply thrown at Hades, who grabbed it chilly inches away from his face, caused both Geno and Alejandro to flinch by how fast everything happened.

"ĮT'§. R Ə Æ Þ Ə R. ÆŊÐ ÐŒŊ'T ¥ØU ƁƏ ÆÐRƏ§§IŊG MƏ Ƨ I£ I'M ÆŊ¥THIŊG ÆCTUÆŁŁ¥ IMÞØRTÆŊT TØ ¥ØU! 'Mγ søŋ' τhιs, 'Mγ søŋ' τhατ! Ɓłəh ɓłəh ɓłəh! ¥øυ'νə łøsτ løŋg ægø τhə 'ÞrIvIłƏđGə' øf cæłłιŋ' mə τhα-!"

And then it was Hades' turn to snap.

Fast like lightning and in the blink of an eye, he stood up and grabbed Reaper tightly by his left wrist, towering over him and staring with a terrifying expression. The small deadly skeleton turned to look at the taller with daggered eyesockets and clenched teeth, both filled with anger. But then he dared to try turn around and walk away, flicking his arm in an attempt to escape Hades' grip.

"¥øυ τυrŋ τø fαcə mə ɓœγ αŋđ αđrəss mə α s γ ø υ s h ø υ ł ɗ." The Wraith said, his voice pulsating in rage.

"Ør ωhæτ §ιr?" Reaper snapped head to face Hades again. "Łæsτ I rəməmɓər γœυ'rə τhə œŋə ωhø ɲəνər ωæŋτəđ mə ærøυŋđ. I'm æcτυæłłγ đøιŋg υs ɓøτh α fæνør rιghτ ŋøω æŋđ rəmøνιŋg mγsəłf sø γøυ cæŋ κəəþ chœκιɲg ιŋ γœυr øωŋ mιsərγ."

"¥œυ. Ærə mγ søŋ."

"Æ łιττłə łατə γα rəməmɓərəđ τhæτ, đøŋτchæ τhιŋκ-?" Reaper spat sarcastically, only to suddenly gasp quietly as Hades had increased his grip on the smaller's wrist. Geno stood up, snapping out of his first shock, ready to try and do something.

"§ταγ. Ðøωŋ."

His courage left him in a second when Hades snapped head to look at him.

"Eeek..."

"¥œυ..." The Wraith looked again at Reaper as he leaned closer to his face, more threatening and ominous. "... Ŋøτhιŋg ωιłł əνər chæŋgə τhæτ, ŋø mæττər hοω mυch γoυ hæτə mə før ωhæτ I'νə đøŋə. ¥øυ, ærə mγ søŋ. ¥øυ ærə þærτ øf mə. I æm γøυr fæτhər..." Hades seemed almost ready to snap even more. And while Geno wasn't prepared for it, despite just watching, Reaper glared even more intensively at the taller, as if waiting exactly for the outburst, which... never came.

Hades closed eyesockets and let go of Reaper's wrist. He stood up normally, slowly stepped back and sat down. Geno looked at him uncertain of what his next move would be.

"Uuuh..."

"... And it is why it is not just my duty but also responsibility to give my aid on Geno's journey." Hades' look stopped at Geno. "... For the sake of an old friend..." He stared at Reaper. "... because you've been intertwined in this prophecy and what you will hear is going to help overcome what is to come. Hate me all you want. But sit down and listen if you want to know how to defend yourself and whoever you care about."

The 2 small skeletons stared at each other, communicating silently if they both agreed or not to stay. Eventually, Reaper looked at his wrist where Hades had grabbed him. A bright and obvious bruise was there now.

"Tch..." He did sarcastically.

But he proceeded to walk towards Geno and sit next to him.

10170 words.

oh boy! drama!

popcorn? *offers to 🫵🏽*

hope you enjoyed. comment lots and lots of comments around the chapter and vote ☺️