Ares and Orelia stare down at each other, neither trusting the other.

"What kind of deal?"

Ares groans, folding his arms.

"He's not my son-"

The platform Ares is standing on crumbles a little as he utters those words. Orelia gazes on at him as he stumbles with his footing.

"Whether you think of Midas as your son or not, he WILL die if you don't take action."

Ares turns back to the goddess.

"What are you on about Goldilocks?"

"As we speak, he's stuck in a coma. If he's not reconnected with his power within 24 hours, he'll stay that way and never wake up." Orelia explains.

"He may be human, but he can't live without his powers. His human side and his curse are what make Midas whole. Without the other, he's incomplete."

Ares remains silent, folding his arms and turning away. Orelia begins to lose her patience with him not answering.

"Still not convinced he's worth saving? Alright then."

The platform begins crumbling again, small pieces of debris falling into the lava pit below.

"I suppose you won't mind your son dying, your daughter and her friends being mind controlled slaves forever and John Jones living on knowing you refused to save the man he loved."

Ares growls, covering his ears.

"I know there's a part of you somewhere that still loves your little girl. Imagine how disappointed Agatha will be when you see her again and tell her that you refused to save her kids."

He eventually relents, facing her.

"UGH!!! Fine! What do you want me to do?!"

Orelia chuckles softly, glad she finally had his full attention.

"Take Midas to Remedy, his personal medical expert and occasional therapist, and explain his condition."

"Then, take him to the Cube Queen's main area of control, the Convergance at the center of the island. If you can get Midas close to the place, he may slowly wake up. Then he can try to point you in the direction you need to go."

"Then, once he has his power back, he can help take down the Queen and bring back your daughter and their friends."

Ares looks away for a moment, thinking about it. Then, he reluctantly sighs and nods.

"Fine. I'll do it... Ya happy?"

Orelia smiles.

"Wonderful."

With a huff Ares closes his eyes.

"Oh, and Ares?"

"Hm?"

"If you refuse to do this once you awaken... Not only will the island be doomed... But I will personally make sure I'm the one who drags you back down to the pit of hell where you came from."

Ares shivers slightly as a light surrounds him.

"Midas was generous enough to bring you back to life. So don't waste your second chance to make things right. Be thankful you were even given another chance..."

----------

In the morning...

Ares groans slightly, opening his eyes and staring up at the ceiling. He slips out of bed and heads downstairs. As expected, Midas was still stuck in his coma and hadn't moved all night.

He had to admit it was strange to see Midas without his signature golden hands. Ares had grown so used to it that seeing Midas without it was... unusual.

After having a quick bite to eat Ares heads upstairs and searches for Midas' diary again. Before reading the entries he noticed some phone numbers and addresses on the back of the book. He speeds through them and eventually comes across Remedy's.

'Remedy. Door No.21, Misty Meadows, Apollo Island.'

"That's where she is." He mutters. "I've gotta long way to walk."

Slipping on his black Shadow logo coat and shoes Ares heads towards Midas and sighs before hesitantly picking him up. He was quite light given his slightly short stature and the fact that Midas doesn't eat all that much. His head lies in Ares' chest, much to his discomfort.

"The sooner I get this done with the sooner I can forget this ever happened."

Keeping a close grip on Midas Ares walks through the front door, closes it with his foot and begins heading to Misty Meadows on the other side of the island.

------

*knock knock*

Remedy turns to the front door of her house and quickly puts down her cup of coffee.

"Hello? How may I help... you?"

Her eyes widen when she sees Midas unconscious in the other man's arms and missing his golden hands.

"Oh my god... Midas?! What happened to him?" She asks. "And...who are you?"

"The name's Ares. I'm..."

He sighs in defeat.

"I'm meant to be his father...but I'm the complete opposite of that." He says. "You might have heard about the Cube Queen on the island..."

Remedy lets Ares inside and sit down on the couch with Midas on his lap.

"She came by the house last night and took away my daughter Jules along with her friends and took his powers." He explains as Remedy takes Midas and puts him on a nearby doctor's bed.

"Is that why his hands aren't gold and look cold and dead?"

He nods.

Remedy sighs before turning back to the father.

"Well at least you won't have an excuse to hate him anymore, Hm?" She hums, raising an eyebrow.

Ares glances at her.

"Yeah that's right. I know it was you who put him through so much crap. There's a reason why I'm Midas' personal doctor." She sighs. "I walked past him in the Agency one day. He looked very malnourished and more paler than normal."

The father listens closely as Remedy takes a stethoscope and puts it near Midas' chest.

"I offered to get him something from the kitchen. He agreed and we sat and talked for a moment. Within time, during a mental breakdown, he accidentally let out his secrets of how you treated him as a kid, telling him that 'food is a reward' and how he nearly starved to death on occasion."

Ares rubs his arms.

"That day I promised to not tell anyone what he told me, and in return he boosted my pay and I became his personal doctor/therapist."

She turns back to Ares.

"How could you do that to him? Starve him, abuse him mentally, emotionally and physically. That's not how a father should treat their child." She says to him. "And because he's gay you think he's even more of a disappointment to-"

"I KNOW!!" Ares yells.

Remedy and Ares look at each other in silence.

"...I know. I'm a terrible father who treats his son like the scum of the earth. And now I'm having to pay for everything I've done." Ares sighs, folding his arms and looking down. "Karma's a bitch as they say..."

Ares hugs his arms, feeling a heavy weight within his chest for the first time in his life. What was the feeling though?

Guilt? Regret? Sadness? All three?

He didn't know.

"Well...at least you're trying to make things right." Remedy sighs.

She takes off the stethoscope and puts it down.

"Okay. While it looks like he's not breathing, I do hear a really faint heartbeat. But it's not that fast. Whatever you're gonna do to save him, you better do it quickly."

Ares nods before coughing into his hand, quite violently. He sighs and removes his hand and looks down at it.

There was specs of blood.

"Hey, Remedy was it?"

"Mhm."

"Could you quickly do a check-up on me?"

"..sure."

----------

An hour or so later...

Ares had long since left Remedy's place, carrying Midas in his arms once again. The news he got back from her after the check-up was...not good. But he didn't let it phase him. It wasn't important right now.

He had to upend his side of Orelia's bargain and bring Midas back to life, even if the two of them would never see eye to eye. Ares glances down at him.

"Hang in there... I'll... figure out how to get you back... somehow..."

He chuckles slightly.

"That John Jones fella will kill me otherwise... and I don't fancy dying too early... again..."

He glances down at Midas again. He seemed at peace, his soft combed black hair flowing in the wind slightly. His hands had slowly gained more cracked outlines overnight. Ares sighs before coughing violently again, covering his mouth.

More specs of blood lands in his hand.

He shakes it off and continues to make his way towards the center of the island. Ares is in fear and awe at the sight of the Convergance. It was beautiful to look at, but it was a place where reality was falling apart slowly but surely.

"This must be the place that goddess mentioned." He mutters.

As he gets closer Ares feels Midas shift in his arms slightly. He stops and looks down at him. Midas' eyes slowly open, he sees Ares and gasps, clutching his chest. His father flinches, dropping him.

"M, are you-"

Midas doesn't respond, struggling to breathe. Then he notices his hands and begins to shiver.

"What- N-No...where...w-where's my power?!" He breathes, still clutching his chest. "W-What happened?!"

"M calm down. The Cube Queen stole your powers and you fell into a coma, b-but I'm trying to help you.."

Midas struggles to his feet.

"No! I don't need your help- A-Ahh!"

As soon as he stands Midas falls back on to his stomach shaking violently. Ares kneels to his side.

"Midas, without your power you're gonna die."

"N-No. I don't need your help! G-Get away from me!-"

You can barely stand as it is. Let me-"

"WHY ARE YOU HELPING ME?!"

Ares falls silent, watching his son shiver uncontrollably.

"You've never cared about me and my safety. And now I'm knocking on death's door you suddenly care about me?!"

Midas groans in pain, clutching his chest and breathing heavily. Ares sighs, putting a hand on his head. He flinches.

"Listen... I don't like you and you don't like me..." He says. "But if I don't get you back together with your powers... there's a lot of people who will miss you... mostly your sister and that Jonesy..."

Midas looks up at his father and tries to get up. But it's no use. He was drained of his powers and energy. He couldn't stand or move. Ares swiftly picks him up though, causing him to look up at him.

"We may not see eye to eye...but as much as I hate to admit it, you the only one who can save your friends and your sister... plus your..."

Ares coughs loudly while saying the word 'boyfriend'.

"... he'll kill me if you suddenly dropped dead."

Midas' lips curls into a small smile despite the discomfort in his expression and the pain in his chest. His breathing wavers, gripping his shirt.

"C'mon. Let's find where the Cube Queen's hiding your souls."

-----------