Chapter 155: Winter Break ‘Visit’. 2009 CE

Pluto, Thena, and Helios were walking through a small settlement in the middle of the Amazons. They were just riding a small canoe through the river itself, before arriving here. Helios could see alpacas being inside a cage, and he took a picture of it using the camera that was dangling around his neck.

As they entered the settlement calmly, with many people watching them. The people were wearing some kind of uniform, as they were wearing the same clothing.

A barn’s door suddenly opened in the middle of the settlement, a man came out, his hands on his back, walking slowly towards Pluto and his family.

“Well, well, well.” he said with a faint smile on his face. “Look who’s here.”

“Hello… Druig.” said Pluto, putting his arm to his waist. “Nice place you got here, perfect for a vacation spot.”

Druig chuckled as he shook his head in amusement. “Please, make yourselves at home.”

“That is a cool way to appear.” Helios commented, taking a picture of the scene.

Druig turned to Helios, and smiled. “You must be the new member.”

“That he is.” Pluto answered, patting Helios’s head. “Mind if we stay here for a couple of weeks? Need to beat— I mean teach the kid a lesson.”

“Wait? What do you mean beat?” Helios took a step back. “I thought we’re training, who’s beating who now?”

Druig ignored Helios’s words as he smirked. “Please, you can stay here all you want.” he walked towards Helios, examined the kid rather thoroughly. “You have a suit yet?”

“A suit?” Helios questioned. “We have a suit?”

Druig raised his brow, and looked towards Pluto.

“Hey, I never wear my suit anymore, so does Thena.” Pluto shrugged. “Didn’t need it that much.”

“Dad… you didn’t tell me that I can have a suit!” Helios’s eyes are practically shining right now.

“Yeah, well, don’t get your hopes up, it’s not a power armour.” Pluto shrugged as he patted Helios’s shoulder. “Let’s find a place to put our things first, then we’re going to the jungle to find some space.”

—

The next day, in the middle of the jungle, Helios was wearing his tracksuit for training, while Pluto, Thena, and Druig was in front of him, crossing their arms.

“Now boy, for the next couple of weeks, you will call me sir, do you understand?”

“Is this really necessary, because I–”

“Do you understand?!” Pluto shouted, making Helios flinch.

“Sir yes sir!” Helios stood straight, a bit scared as his dad is never really the shouting type.

“Good.” Pluto nodded. “There are three things we will teach you over the years, the way of men, the way of monsters, and the way of gods.”

“The what now?”

“Silence.” said Pluto sternly, making Helios gulp. “You will speak if I tell you to speak, otherwise, if you even mutter a word, I will not buy you a warhammer figure set.”

Helios’s eyes turned determined, and stood straight even more.

“Understood?”

“Yes sir!”

Pluto nodded. “Now, firstly, the way of men. You will be taught martial arts, melee weapons, ranged weapons, all of those would be taught by your mother, and your uncle Druig over here. Your mother will teach melee, and your uncle will teach ranged.”

“Ooh… he’ll be trained by Thena?” Druig chuckled as he bit an apple. “I remember you training with her on the beach… fun times… you came out bruised and traumatised, I’m looking forward to seeing the effects on your son.”

Helios’s eyes widened as he heard it, he never thought his father would suffer at the hands of his mother in terms of combat, considering he has beaten uncle Ikaris, who is honestly like Superman.

Pluto coughed. “Yeah, well, it’s different now.” he said, looking at Thena, who was smirking at him. “Well maybe not too different… anyway, next up, is the way of Monsters. You’ll be learning how to fight literal monsters, things that are bigger than you, and smaller than you.”

“Really? Monsters?” Druig questioned.

“Yeah, Deviants you know, we fought them for 7000 years, you think I won’t teach him how to fight them?” Pluto said, a bit annoyed at the interruption.

“Good point.” Druig shrugged, biting his apple once again. “Go on.”

Pluto sighed in annoyance. “You’ll be taught by me, well, more accurately these four guys.”

As Pluto said that, four golden constructs appeared behind him. Asterion, standing tall between the trees, gruffing loudly. Idemnon, appearing beside Asterion with his wise face and calm eyes. Mephia, with her lustful body and charming expression, and lastly, Smaug, hovering menacingly in the sky, the biggest of them all.

“Hello, little one.” Idemnon spoke as he slowly approached Helios, making him gulp. “Do not worry, we will take very good care of you… just like your father commanded.”

That doesn’t sound good…

“Alright, lastly, the way of gods…” Pluto continued. “You’ll learn how to avoid godly beings, the ones that can alter reality itself. The key word being avoid, not fight, you’re just going to kill yourself if you fight them. You’ll be taught by me, specifically this time, along with two other assistants.”

Pluto snapped his fingers, and beside him, appeared two strange looking constructs, one was green, another was blue, they looked to be a teenager, as tall as Druig.

“Hello~” waved the blue one.

“Sup.” said the green one.

“These two are the embodiment of Time and Space itself.” said Pluto, making Helios’s eyes widened. “This one’s Juno, and This one’s Kronos. Okay, are you ready boy?”

“Sir yes sir!”

“Good, let’s start with the way of men.”

—

Thena was now standing in front of her son rather intimidatingly as Helios shivered at her gaze.

“What are you doing here?” she questioned calmly, but her tone is just too scary for Helios.

“I- I thought we’re going to trai—”

“Wrong answer.” answered Thena. “Run around the settlement 10 times.”

“What!? I thought–”

“Make it 20.”

“Mom, don’t be too–”

“30.”

Helios finally relented with a pale face, and he followed her orders, running around the settlement 30 times.

—

Almost half a day later, Helios came back with a soaked tracksuit, and out of breath. “I- It’s thirty already…”

“Good.” Thena hummed. “Now, what are you doing here?”

“I- I’m here to train so I can protect myself… A-and you could relax… knowing that you don’t need you to protect me any longer.”

Thena smiled at the answer. “Now that’s my son. Alright, hit me.”

“C-Can I rest a bit mom, I–”

“No.” answered Thena. “Unless you want to run again.”

“NO! Okay, I’ll do it…” Helios took a deep breath. He took a sloppy stance, and tried to punch his mother, only to be face planted to the ground.

“What is that? Are you a girl or a boy? I bet Gweny could do much better.” Thena scoffed.

Helios suddenly thought that this is not going to be a fun vacation at all, and he'd much rather be with Gweny rather than here.