Athena's in the Loop

"Wise choice, *boy*," the Devil said, back in his original form. Athena began to stir. At least she was still alive. "Don't hurt anyone else. I'll cooperate," Jon said. He smiled. "As I thought you would. You're the kind of person that cares more about others than yourself. I knew you couldn't stand by while others were being tormented." "Okay, you've won. You can stop gloating." "Oh, I haven't won *yet*. I still want your soul." "Well, you can't have it. Whatever you do to me, I won't use the stone." He walked towards Jon, placing one of his gloved hands on his shoulder. "We'll see about that." Then he disappeared. Jon heard a groaning behind him and saw that Athena was waking up. He bent down to help her to her feet. "Are you okay?" She stood up, then collapsed into a nearby chair. "I just feel a little ... oh my goddess, what am I *wearing*?" "It's kind of hard to explain." She looked up at Jon. "The Devil did it to me. Didn't he?" "I ... uh ..." "You don't have to say. I know about the deal you made. I overheard you talking to him." Jon looked around, thinking that the Devil was going to come back and punish him for telling someone else. But then he figured that the Devil *wouldn't* come back. Athena overheard them talking. Jon didn't actually *tell her* anything. Perhaps it was a loophole in the Devil's "rules". But, of course, the Devil liked to adjust the rules, so maybe he was taking just as much of a risk. Either way, he was glad to have someone besides himself and Karyn who knew what was going on.