Hooked by Fire

Chapter 2: Tough Love

Heidi's POV

I was currently sitting by the Styx River or as I call it the blue river which was the barrier between the Isle and the underworld. The five rivers were the only thing I liked about the underworld, that is only because of the different colors. I sat there just looking at the water that moved gracefully, as I played with the blue part of my hair. "HEIDI!" I heard someone scream. I turn my gaze from the water to the skinny teal creature running to me, "First Pain Now Panic." I grumble. "What could you possibly want Panic?" say very annoyed that my thoughts were interrupted. "Your father had been calling, and looking all over for you." Panic said completely out of breath. I rolled my eyes and sighed, "Well I haven't moved from this spot, so I guess he didn't look that hard." I snapped at Panic. Suddenly I could see fire shooting out of the main throne area. Panic ducked for cover as my father approached me. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" He yelled his face getting all red. I just smiled a fake smile at him, "I have been sitting right here," I pointed to the spot I was currently sitting at. Dad did not look amused. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING SITTING AROUND? YOU SHOULD BE OUT ON THE ISLE CAUSING MISERY AND DESTRUCTION, JUST LIKE YOUR BROTHER, I MEAN YOU DON'T SEE HADIE JUST SITTING AROUND BEING LAZY, DO YOU? NO, HE IS OUT MAKING SURE NO ONE FORGETS THE NAME HADES! My dad was now in face. "Well Hadie is better than me, you constantly remind me of that every day." I snapped back. "I TAUGHT YOU TO MAKE PEOPLE FEAR YOU! YOUR BROTHER SPENDS HIS DAY MAKING THE ISLE A BETTER AWFUL PLACE, WHILE YOU JUST HANG OUT WITH THOSE WANNABE PIRATES, I WOULD BE FINE WITH THAT, BUT YOU AREN'T EVEN THE LEADER OR EVEN SECOND IN COMMAND OF THAT MISERABLE GROUP. THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I CHOOSE HADIE TO TAKE MY PLACE AS RULER, IF I HAD CHOSEN YOU THE WHOLE UNDERWORLD WOULD FALL APART!" My father screamed belittling me. "Maybe if you spent even half the time you do with Hadie with me I could make you proud." I growled back. My father looked at me confused, "YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW TO BE EVIL WITHOUT ME HOLDING YOUR HAND, I HAVE A LOT TO TEACH YOUR BROTHER ABOUT RULING THIS PLACE!" I shifted eyes away from him. "WELL THEN TELL ME WHY YOU HAD ME IN THE FIRST PLACE? IF ALL I AM IS A LETDOWN!" I yelled back. "YOUR MOTHER SURPRISED ME WITH YOU!" Dad yelled. I just stood there not sure what to say. "I will do better, I promise." I said not looking at my father. He just huffed and stormed off. "Do not listen to him Heidi, his is just upset." Panic said walking up next to me. "How can he say that I am his flesh and blood, not to mention his only daughter." This was more common then you may think, my dad always yelled at me, he calls tough love, but to me it is just a way to remind me that I will never be like him or my brother. "Your father loves you, now sure he might not show but deep down he does." Panic said. I turned and faced the skinny creature. "Panic, how can you stand there defending my all the time? Don't you ever just want to stand up to him?" I asked. Panic was quite for a second as he thought about the question, "I have been with your father as long as I can remember, I was with there when he became the god of the underworld, I was with him when he 'met' your mother, I was at your father's side when he tried to get rid of Hercules, unfortunately I was at his side when he was banished here to the Isle, happily I was still around when Hadie and you were born, and still here I am." Panic said. "But why do you choose to sever him?" I asked sitting across from him. "Pain and I are all your father has left of his old life." Panic said. I gave Panic a smile, "Thanks Panic." I said. Panic smiled at me and hugged me again, "Never forget, even when your dad is yelling and screaming at you, he does because he loves you and cares about." I started playing with the blue part of my hair, "Then does he yell at me? Not Hadie?" I asked. Panic let out a long sigh, "He yells at you because he doesn't want you to make the same mistakes he made, and the mistakes your brother will most certainly make in the future when he rules." I was about to say something but Panic cut me off, "And before you go bashing your brother, You should know that your father is a LOT harder on Hadie then he is with you, Hadie gets yelled at every few minutes when your father is teaching him." I stood there not sure what to say, "Your brother doesn't have as easy as you think. As Panic said that he walked away. After I was sure that Panic was gone and wasn't going to come back I walked over to the Lethe River also known as the yellow river of forgetfulness, if you drink the water it will make you forget anything your heart desires. I pondered if I should just drink it and forget about my life and just start over. Deep down I knew what my dad would say, "Drinking the water is the chicken's way out, suck it up and be the villain I taught you to be." I quoted him. As his voice rang in my head, I thought about what he said about my crew, who I thought of as my friends, I might only third in command but in that crew that said something about just how evil I was. I had enough of my father for the day, I walk down the black brick road over the Styx River heading to the Isle.