𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔－ 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏.

I 014. I

𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑺𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔

❝ color of the river ❞

   SHE EXPECTED SOMETHING MORE THAN WHAT SHE GOT. That is with the Underworld entrance. You would expect the dark open mouth of a cave with sharpened rocks hanging from the ceiling. But what she found was that is was a building made of grey bricks and glass doors.

"Well," she said, "this is disappointing."

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Why?"

"Because I expected more! You know? At least add screaming souls in the door!"

The boy chuckled, "Well maybe you can critique Hades on his designs." He said jokingly.

"Yeah, maybe I will."

DOA Recording Studios sat on Valencia Boulevard, the sign in gold which stood out against the black marble. On the door read a sign saying: NO SOLICITORS. NO LOITERING. NO LIVING. Inside the lobby the lights were on and many people were inside, a man wearing an earpiece and sunglasses sat behind the security desk at the front.

Percy looked towards them, "Okay. Remember the plan."

"The plan," Grover said. "Yeah. I love the plan."

"Sure— great," Annabeth gulped.

Ariadne narrowed in on his palm which brought out the pearls from his pocket, and she realized that he was worried. His mom was right at his fingertips, and just as she was going to make a comment about the plan, she stopped, because he needed reassurance rather than doubt.

"Hey," she said softly. He looked towards her, "It'll work. We'll get the bolt and your mom."

"It'll be fine," Annabeth told him. She nudged Grover who jumped.

"Oh right! We got this far. We'll find the master bolt and save your mom. No problem."

Percy gave them all a grateful smile before placing the pearls back into his pocket, they all walked into the lobby together.

Ariadne looked around at the people who sat in the lobby with dull faces, staring out the window or standing while in a trance. Cactuses grew in the corners, reminding her of a hand sticking out of the dirt. The seats were black leather and once again, looked like human skin. Her feet padded along the steel grey carpet while her eyes trailed along the grey walls.

Overall, it was boring. No one moved, or talked, or even breathed. Which she at first questioned before realizing everyone minus them was dead. And that made her shiver.

"Wow," she whispered to Annabeth. "This is nothing like I pictured."

The security desk was raised up, so they were forced to look up at the man who sat at it. He had bleached hair which was buzzed down military style. His skin was chocolate-brown and his eyes were covered with black sunglasses. On his body was an Italian suit that she must have been expensive, a Rose was pinned under his name rage.

Percy apparently didn't know who he was, "Your name is Chiron?" He asked after reading the name tag.

Behind the desk the man leaned forward, a sick smile on his face. "What a precious young lad, he spoke with his English accent. "Tell me, mate, do I look like a Centaur?"

"N-no." Percy stumbled.

"Sir," the man replied back smoothly.

"Sir."

He brought his name tag closer to Percy, "Can you read this, mate? It says C-H-A-R-O-N. Say it with me: CARE-ON."

"Charon," Percy repeated.

"Amazing! Now: Mr. Charon."

"Mr. Charon."

He leaned back, "Well done. I hate being confused with that old horseman. And now, how may I help you little dead ones?"

Percy glanced back at Ariadne who raised her eyebrows before looking at Annabeth who gave them a deadpanned expression. "We want to go to the Underworld."

Charon's lips twitched slightly, "Well, that's refreshing."

"Is it?"

"Straightforward and honest. No screaming. No, 'This must be a mistake, Mr. Charon.' " His eyes looked them over, "How did you die then?"

Ariadne was put on the spot, Percy pushing her forwards in hopes she could forward some acting skills. But it didn't  work like that, "Uh..." she sent her friends looks of help before looking at the man again. "We— er— we drowned!"

But her voice sounded a bit to happy and the man raised an eyebrow, Percy pulled her back and sent her 'really' look.

Grover took over, "Uh... in the— um—in the bathtub."

Annabeth and Percy looked ready to strangle them, but that's what you get when you leave the two worst improvisers to improvise, their own fault.

"All four of you?" Charon questioned.

"Yeah," Ariadne shrugged, "It was a big bath." She gave him an innocent smile as he blinked, rolling his eyes before speaking.

"I don't suppose you have coins for passage. Normally, with adults, you see, I could charge your America Express, or add the ferry price to your last cable bill. But with children... alas, you never die prepared. Supposed you'll have to take a seat for a few centuries."

"Oh, but we have coins." Percy said before setting four drachmas on the desk, they were from Crusty's.

Charon licked his lips, "Well, now... real drachmas. Real golden drachmas. I haven't seen these in..." He looked up from the coins, a cold look on his face. "Here, now. You couldn't read my name correctly. Are you dyslexic, lad?"

"No," Percy kept his cool. "I'm dead."

He leaned forward and sniffed the boy, "You're not dead! I should've known. You're a godling."

"Um," the brunette butted in, a mocking smile on her face. "I'd think we'd know whether we are dead or not."

"We have to get to the Underworld," Percy told him. Charon moves his glare from her to him, a growl escaping his throat.

And as if his mood affected there's, everyone else started pacing around and doing nervous habits. "Leave while you can," Charon said. "I'll just take these and forget I saw you—"

But Percy removes them from the desk before his hand could scoop them up. "No service, no trip."

The dead souls were banging on the doors of the elevator, tying for it to open as Charon glared harder.

"It's a shame too," Percy was reeling him in, if there's one thing he's good at, it was annoying someone to no end. "We had more to offer." And he shook the bag of gold coins before reaching in and letting them fall from his hand.

"Do you think so can be bought, godling? Eh... just out of curiosity, how much have you got there?"

"A lot. I bet Hades doesn't pay you well enough for such hard work."

He scoffed, "Oh, you don't know the half of it. How would you like to babysit these spirits all day? Always, 'Please, don't let me be dead' or 'Please let me across for free,' I haven't had a pay raise in three thousand years. Do you imagine suits like this come cheap."

Ariadne jumped in and stood next to Percy, "You reserve better." She said, "A little appreciation. Respect. Good pay."

With every word, Percy placed another coin on the desk, creating a stack that had Charon leaving forward in greed.

"I must say, lad, lady, you're making some sense now. Just a little."

Percy added a few more drachmas, "I could mention a pay raise while I'm talking to Hades..."

Charon sighed, "The boats almost full, anyway. I might as well add you four and be off." He stood from his chair and took the money, "Come on."

As they pushed through the crowds of spirits, they clawed at their clothes, trying to hang on. They pulled through, seeing the dead souls lips move but hearing nothing. "Freeloaders," Charon muttered.

The elevator opened to reveal spirits holding green boarding passes, two other spirits tried running in but was thrown back by the man.

"Right. Now, no one get any ideas while I'm gone," he said to the room. "And if anyone moves the dial off my easy-listening station again, I'll make sure you're here for another thousand years. Understand?"

His key card slid into a slot as the door closed, lowering the elevator. She glanced around at the bodies which she could see through, they were like milky mist in the form of humans.

Annabeth looked at the man, "What happens to the spirits waiting in the lobby?"

"Nothing."

"For how long?"

"Forever, or until I'm feeling generous."

She looked down, "Oh. That's... fair."

"Whoever said death was fair, young miss?" He told her, "Wait until it's your turn. You'll die soon enough, where you're going."

Percy shook his head, "We'll get out alive."

"Ha." Charon glanced at Ariadne with interest, "I've seen you come through here."

Her friends gave her shocked looks before she gulped, "Ah, yeah. But I was resuscitated."

He nodded, "Yes, one of the Olympians begged Hades to. Doesn't happen often, so you should feel eternally grateful, young lady."

The elevator moved forwards instead of down. She felt a bit sick as they stumbled slightly, gripping onto Percy's hand. Modern clothes were traded in for grey robes which covered the spirits, hoods covering their faces.

"I hate this," she told Percy who nodded, agreeing with her statement.

Charon's suit twisted into a black robe, hood covering his face. And once he turned to them, she could see that his eyes were black pits, voids of nothing.

"What?" He asked.

She shook her head, "Nothing."

His face was just a skeleton, but it was milky as well, allowing her to see straight through it. Percy squeezed her hand tighter as he noticed that the man's flesh was gone.

Charon glanced down at them before grunting, the floor swaying.

"I think I'm getting seasick." Grover told them.

The elevator turned into a wooden barge, Charon at the head as he poled them across. Her eyes cast down to the river below, destroyed items floating along with dead fish and melting bones.

Annabeth was horrified, "The River Styx. It's so..."

"Polluted," the man finished for her. "For thousands of years, you humans have been throwing in everything as you can come across— hopes, dreams, wishes that never came true. Impossible waste management, if you ask me."

She almost grabbed a picture of a girl and her parents, but the sickly green color of the river warmed her not too. Annabeth reaches for her hand, taking it with a squeeze as she also grabbed Grover's.

Ariadne looked around at the souls and almost thought she was going with them, to await their judgement in the afterlife. But she wasn't, she was still alive and on a quest with her friends. Percy noticed her look and pulled her closer, they gave each other a small smile before liking forward, they were alive. That was a good thing.

The Underworld shoreline crossed their vision, green waters crashing into the edge. Cracked rocks and black volcanic ash was spread across the land until it hit a large stone wall which ran alone the ground as far as her eyes could see.

A booming howl escaped from land, sending shivers down her body. "Old Three-Face is hungry," Charon spoke. "Bad luck for you, godlings."

He let the boat slide on the ash before the spirits got off, a mother and her young daughter holding hands, an elderly couple helping each other walk and a boy that was there age. She also saw a women walk with her head down, shuffling along with the rest of her kind.

"I'd wish you luck, mate, but there isn't any down here. Mind you, don't forget to mention my pay raise." He counted the coins and placed them in his pouch before letting them off, humming a song as he ferried back across the sickly green river.

There were three separate stations at the entrance, a black archway read: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING EREBUS. Each had a metal detector and security cameras, past them lay booths with other hooded figures like Charon.

Cerberus's howl echoed through their ears, but the dog was no where in sight. He guarded Hades's door. Spirits piled in three lines, two with signs saying: ATTENDANT ON DUTY, and the last one saying: EZ DEATH. That last was moving much quicker, pushing people through at a much faster rate than the other two.

Percy looked towards Annabeth, "What do you figure?"

"The fast line must go straight to Asphodel. No contest. They don't want to risk judgement from the court, because it might go against them."

"There's a court for dead people?" Percy asked.

Ariadne glanced over, "Yep. There are three judges. They switch around who sits on the bench. King Minos, Thomas Jefferson, Shakespeare... you know, people like that's sometimes they look at a life and decide that person needs a special reward— the Fields of Elysium. Sometimes they decide on punishment. But most people, well, they just lived." She told them, "Nothing special, good or bad. So they're sent to the Fields of Asphodel."

"And do what?"

Grover sighed, "Imagine standing in a wheat field in Kansas. Forever."

"Harsh."

"Not as harsh as that," Grover murmured. "Look." Robed figures grabbed a spirit and pulled him from the line, frisking him at a booth. "He's that preacher who made the news, remember?"

Ariadne shared a confused look with Annabeth, neither knew who he was, but growing up in camp did that to you.

Percy realized what he was talking about, "Oh, yeah." He snapped his fingers, "That dude who drove off a cliff in the police chase? What're they doing to him?"

Grover shrugged, "Special punishment from Hades. The really bad people get his personal attention as soon as they arrive. The Fur— the Kindly Ones will we up an eternal torture for him."

The demigod boy froze, "But if he's a preacher, and he believes in a different hell..."

"Who says he's seeing this place the way we're seeing it? Humans see what they want to see. They're very stubborn— er, persistent, that way."

Cerberus bowled louder than before, shaking their feet. She couldn't see him until the green mist fizzled and shimmered, and before they could split down a path, she spotted him. The dog's body could blend into its background., so only his teeth and eyes were solid.

It's eyes looked around, but Percy wasn't focused on that. "He's a Rottweiler."

Ariadne facepalmed, shaking her head while sighing.

Spirits walked around him with no fear, the ATTENDANT ON DUTY parting on either side of his body. The EZ DEATH went between his front paws and under who's belly which they could easily walk under.

"I'm starting to see him better," Percy said, "Why is that?"

Annabeth licked her lips before pursing them, "I think... I'm afraid it's because we're getting closer to being dead."

The brunette gulped, "Great. Just great."

Cerberus's middle head sniffed around, bending closer to them. "It can smell the living," she said.

"But that's okay," Grover shivered. "Because we have a plan."

Annabeth nodded, a nervous look on her face. "Right. A plan."

Percy whispered to Grover as the dog barked loudly, "Can you understand it?"

"Oh yeah. I can understand it."

"What's it saying?"

"I don't think humans have a four-letter word that translates, exactly."

As they walked closer Percy dug through his bag, he pulled out a snapped bedpost that they had gotten from Crusty's. He held it up towards the dog, attempting to have a wide smile on his face.

"Hey, Big Fella. I bet they don't play with you much."

The dog growled loudly.

"Good boy," Percy said with a weak and terrified tone.

He waved the post as one of the dog's heads followed, the others stayed staring at the boy. The post propelled out into the darkness once he threw it, but a loud splash signaled that it ended up in the river.

Cerberus gave him a hard glare, Ariadne sighed and she kissed her teeth. "Well, any other ideas, Big Fella?"

"Yeah, why don't you figure something out!"

"How about, we're gonna die thanks to your well thought out plan."

He gave her a sarcastic laugh, "Thank you! Just what I needed; a useless comment."

"Um," Grover stopped them. "Percy?"

"Yeah?" He asked.

" I just thought you'd want to know

"Yeah

"Cerberus? He's saying we've got ten seconds to pray to the god of our choice. After that... well... he's hungry."

Annabeth rummaged through her bag, "Wait!"

"Five seconds. Do we run now...?"

The blonde pulled out a red rubber ball that said: WATERLAND, DENVER, CO. It was the size of a grapefruit, and she held it high in the air before marching up to Cerberus. They tried stopping her but she kept going, "See the ball?" She shouted, "You want the ball, Cerberus? Sit?"

All three heads tilted to the left, surprised at her actions. "Sit!" Annabeth yelled once again.

Cerberus sat down, crushing spirits underneath his body. He didn't think of the blonde as a biscuit, instead as a master. "Good boy!"

She threw it up towards him, the middle head catching it in his mouth. The other two heads snapped for it, trying to get a bite of it. "Drop it!"

The heads whimpered, the ball stuck between two of the middle head's teeth. He set it down with a bite taken out of it and covered in slobber.

"Good boy," she looked at her friends. "Go now. EZ DEATH line— it's faster."

"But—" Ariadne started.

"Now!" She yelled, which the brunette narrowed her eyes at.

They turned away, walking slowly before Cerberus growled. "Stay! If you want the ball, stay!"

"What about you?" Percy asked her.

"I know what I'm doing, Percy. At least, I'm pretty sure..."

"I'll stay with you," the brunette said.

Annabeth gave her a glare, "Go. Now!" She ordered and the dog whimpered.

Ariadne huffed, "I may be a bitch, but I'm not that type." She whispered to Percy and Grover.

All three passed under the dog, praying they would make it out alive. And once they did, Grover looked ready to faint in happiness.

"Good dog!" Annabeth told him. She held the tattered ball in her hand, one more throw would be its last. And so she threw it and walked under the dog as the heads fought over the toy.

Percy gave her a grin, "How did you do that?"

Annabeth looked down, tears in her eyes. "Obedience school. When I was little, at my dad's house, we had a Doberman..."

"Never mind that," Grover cut in, "Come on!"

When they walked to the line, a whimper sounded behind them. Annabeth looked over her shoulder to see Cerberus with red pieces at his feet. His tail wagged while he tilted his heads.

Annabeth looked ready to cry, "Good boy." Her voice shook, and Ariadne almost gave her a big hug, but she was still looking at the dog. "I'll bring you another ball soon. Would you like that?"

He made a sound like he would.

"Good dog. I'll come and visit you soon. I-I promise." She spun around, blinking the tears away. "Let's go."

As they passed through the metal detector, it lit up red and sirens screamed. "Unauthorized possessions! Magic detected!"

Cerberus barked after them, most of it sounded melancholy, wishing for the blonde to turn back with a ball in hand.

Ariadne tried not to watch as Annabeth leg a tear fall, and she shook away her sadness, ignoring the twist in her gut as she felt a cold chill sweep over her body.

authors note:
Next chapter is the Hades one.
We're almost done with lightning thief and I'm so excited!

Love you guys!