One of the worst days of my life began with me deciding to visit my father in the underworld. Everything started out alright, I found an empty clearing in the forest behind camp and the shadow traveling went alright. No, the worst part was when I arrived.

As usual, I had forgotten that, it being December, Persephone was there. And, as usual, I had managed to piss her off.

I exited the shadows and walked out in the worst possible place I could have ever ended up in the underworld: right in front of Hades and Persephone's thrones, which (whaddaya know?) were occupied by the aforementioned occupants.

I stood up and hastily brushed the dust off my jacket. I bowed to Hades and said, " h-hello father." Then I turned to Persephone. "Hello, stepmother."

She glared at me then she turned to Hades. "Is this the dead girl's brother?"

I turned red. It was one thing to call me Bianca's brother, but calling Bianca the 'dead girl' was too much for me to stay quiet. "The dead girl has a name!" I exploded. "You would do well to call her by it!"

Persephone looked at me like I'd just slapped Demeter. "Be quiet, insolent boy," she hissed. "I am a goddess. I can call her whatever I want."

"Hardly," I laughed. "You're the goddess of what, flowers?"

"Nico, be quiet," Hades said looking cautiously at Persephone. She sat there looking calm, though her eyes were like icicles. "Of springtime, though having a mortal mother, you must be as stupid as she was to not know that."

Whether I took out my sword first, or Hades started shouting first, I don't know. All I know is as soon as I took out my sword Persephone snapped her fingers and everything went white. At first, I thought she'd killed me, but then I heard my father shouting at her.

"…turn him back this instant!" he was saying.

"My lord Hades," she said coldly. "The boy insulted me. He should be grateful he is not dead."

Grateful? Ha! I was floating back and forth and I felt like I lost 90 pounds in one minute. But what had she turned me into…?

"Persephone, I will not have my only son be a floating dandelion for another second! Switch him back. Now," he commanded.

I was just thinking how I can make a dandelion look as I good as I did, when I heard a huff and a snap and felt myself grow heavier and heavier until I was back to normal. My eyesight gradually grew better until I could see perfectly again. I looked up and saw an empty throne and a very angry Hades. I waited for the lecture, but it never came. Instead he said in a cold voice, "Leave. Now." And vanished in a wisp of black smoke that smelled of sulfur.

I waited for something else to happen, but nothing did. I exhaled, relieved that I was back to normal. I checked my face and it felt okay. I stood and willed the shadows to take me back to camp. This was definitely something for the dead souls to remember.