cymophobia | percy jackson

𝑥𝑥𝑖

If Percy had 5 cents for every time he thought Ash was leading him to the place after death, he'd only have 10 cents, but it's weird that it happened twice, right? The daughter of Thanatos was first off the boat and the others followed; she was the de facto leader of this quest now. She still held hands with the little boy, helping him disembark and pointing him forwards with a gentle smile.

Percy's gaze followed where her finger was indicating. A huge black archway that read NOW ENTERING EREBUS loomed through the mist. Underneath it was what kind of looked like a toll station; three entrances and three booths with metal detectors. Two of them were marked ATTENDANT ON DUTY, the other said EZ DEATH. That line was going the fastest.

"So, uh, where do we go now?" He asked.

"First stop: the fields of me," Ash said, sweeping her arm in front of her dramatically.

"What?" Percy was bewildered.

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "The Fields of Asphodel. It's where people who didn't live particularly good or particularly bad lives go."

"And do what?"

"Imagine standing in a wheatfield in Kansas. Forever." Grover said.

"Harsh," Percy muttered.

"Not as harsh as the Fields of Punishment," Ash pointed out.

She motioned them forwards. As they got closer to the gates, Percy realized the faint howling that had been going on since they arrived was getting louder. Then suddenly, out of the mist, a huge shadowy form appeared. Cerberus.

Percy's jaw dropped. "He's a Rottweiler."

Ash gave him a weird look. "What, did you think he'd be a poodle?"

The dead walked right past him like it was no big deal. Percy thought a three-headed dog the size of a woolly mammoth was a pretty big deal.

"I'm starting to see him better," he muttered as they approached. "Why is that?"

"Means you're closer to death," Ash replied cheerfully.

"Right," Annabeth said in a small voice.

The dog's middle head craned toward them, sniffing and growling.

"He can smell the living," Ash said in what could be considered a proud-mother voice.

"So do we, like, have a plan?" Percy asked, trying his best to seem like he wasn't scared out of his wits.

"Go straight under, through the EZ DEATH line. I'll meet you on the other side." Ash told them.

"But--"

Before he could finish his sentence, she shot up into the air.

"Cerrrbyyyyy!" She sing-songed, flying up to his middle head. "I'm home!" (AN: exact same vibes as kylie going storrrmiiii lmaoo)

The dog's entire demeanor changed. Each head began to bark happily, converging on the middle to try and nuzzle into Ash. She was giggling while petting him and the three others couldn't help but gape up at the discongruent sight.

"What are you waiting for?" She called down to them. "Go!"

Percy, Grover, and Annabeth walked briskly under the creature's belly, nearly getting smacked straight to the Underworld for real by his wagging tail. With a few more head pats and coos of "good boy," Ash joined them. Immediately Cerberus started whining, turning a 180 and accidentally crushing a couple of ghosts to look after her.

"I'll be back soon, okay?" She waved, and then pouted, looking regretful. "We don't play with him nearly enough. Come on guys, let's go before his separation anxiety really kicks in."