I don't own this stuff. It belongs to Rick Riordan. Anyways Review and stuff thanks!
They reached the palace gates. On them were engravings of scenes of death. Mushroom clouds, an army marching through a city firing into buildings, Justin Bieber concerts. They walked into the courtyard. It was a beautiful garden. With different gems and precious metals everywhere. "Gods, I'm going to have a heart attack with all these valuable metals." Hazel muttered. "The garden of Persephone," Blondie said. "Keep walking." "Ok, that's it," Frank declared. "Why is everyone using Greek terms." Hazel shrugged, "Maybe they live in Greece or something." "Frank shook his head, "But Percy isn't Greek, wait…" Hazel's eyes widened. "Maybe he was, and that's why all the Lares kept calling him Greacus, it would make sense." Frank nodded, warming to the idea, "So Percy's Greek?" They found themselves at the gates of the palace. 2 Skeletons were guarding it.
"You know," Grover mumbled, "I bet Hades doesn't have trouble with door-to-door salesmen." Hazel laughed, "Probably not." "Well, guys," Percy said. "I suppose we should ... knock?" A hot wind blew down the corridor, and the doors swung open. The guards stepped aside. "I guess that means entrez-vous," Blondie said timidly. The doors opened to Pluto's throne room. Frank's jaw dropped. A massive humanoid was lounging on a throne made of skulls. He was at least ten feet tall wearing black robes. If Frank and Hazel hadn't been ghosts, they probably would have collapsed saying "We're not worthy, don't kill us please." "Wait," Hazel whispered. "That doesn't look like Pluto." "What do you mean," Frank hissed back, "I mean," Hazel said," He looks different." "You are brave to come here, Son of Poseidon," Pluto said in an oily voice. "After what you have done to me, very brave indeed. Or perhaps you are simply very foolish."
"Woa," Hazel said, "Woa, Woa, Woa, Woa. Son of Poseidon?" Frank furrowed his eyebrows. "Greek god of the seas, He's now Neptune. Why is Pluto calling Percy the Son of Poseidon. Come to think about it, Why is Percy in the underworld. He looks about twelve years old, He's talking to the god of death, with 2 other preteens! This makes no sense." Hazel gasped "Oh my gods." "What?" Frank asked, bemused, "Oh my gods!" Hazel repeated again. "Percys a Greek demigod." Frank raised an eyebrow, "Wait what? How'd you get that?" Hazel rolled her eyes, "Come on, Son of Poseidon, Hades, Persephone, plus, have you ever seen anybody who looks like the other two kids at Camp Jupiter. It's obvious they know about the whole mythological thingy. Anyways what self-respecting Faun would go to the underworld? What are Greek fauns called again?" "Satyrs" Frank supplied, "Yea, Satyrs, Maybe Satyrs are more useful that Fauns."
"Please," Frank laughed, "Octavian is more useful than a Faun." Hazel rolled her eyes again. "Look it's just an idea. Remember the whole Byzantium thing from class at Camp Jupiter? Maybe there's like, a Greek settlement in the east." "Ok," Frank said disbelievingly, "That seems a little far-fetched." Hazel shrugged. "Just an idea," "Lord and Uncle, I come with two requests." Percy said stepping forward. "Heh, pretty brave." Hazel whispered. "Though calling him uncle might not be a good idea." "Lord Hades," "HAH," Hazel said, "Percy called Pluto Hades. Do they have like, split personality disorder when it comes to Roman and Greek?" "Look, sir, there can't be a war among the gods. It would be ... bad." "Really bad," Grover added helpfully. Hazel laughed, "Return Zeus's master bolt to me," I said. "Please, sir. Let me carry it to Olympus." Frank's jaw dropped. "Did he just say-" "Zeus' Master Bolt" Hazel supplied numbly, "Yup, thats what he meant it isn't what it looks like." "What?" Frank asked? "When I was giving him a tour, he looked at a statue of Jupiter holding his master bolt, he said, "That's not what it looks like." "Huh" was all Frank could say. Pluto's (Hades'?) eyes grew dangerously bright. "You dare keep up this pretense, after what you have done?" "Um ... Uncle," Percy said. "You keep saying 'after what you've done.' What exactly have I done?" The throne room shook with a tremor. Pluto- Agh- Hades bellowed, "Do you think I want war, godling?" "Well," Percy said," These guys don't look like peace activists." "Oh my gods" Hazel said between fits of giggles. Plugo, UGH, Hades growled. "You are the Lord of the Dead," Percy said carefully. "A war would expand your kingdom, right?" "A typical thing for my brothers to say! Do you think I need more subjects? Did you not see the sprawl of the Asphodel Fields?" Hades growled. "Well..." Percy started, but Hades was only getting started. "Have you any idea how much my kingdom has swollen in this past century alone, how many subdivisions I've had to open? More security ghouls," he moaned. "Traffic problems at the judgment pavilion. Double overtime for the staff. I used to be a rich god, Percy Jackson. I control all the precious metals under the earth. But my expenses!"
"Still," Frank muttered, "You'd think it'd be enough, worst comes to worst, just sell some souls over EBay."
"Charon wants a pay raise," Percy blurted. "Bad idea," Hazel said. "Don't get me started on Charon!" Hades yelled. "He's been impossible ever since he discovered Italian suits! Problems everywhere, and I've got to handle all of them personally. The commute time alone from the palace to the gates is enough to drive me insane! And the dead just keep arriving. No, godling. I need no help getting subjects! I did not ask for this war." "But you took Zeus's master bolt." Percy said. "Lies!" More rumbling. Hades rose from his throne, towering to the height of a telephone pole. "Your father may fool Zeus, boy, but I am not so stupid. I see his plan." "His plan?" "You were the thief on the winter solstice," he said. "Your father thought to keep you his little secret. He directed you into the throne room on Olympus, You took the master bolt and my helm. Had I not sent my Fury to discover you at Yancy Academy, Poseidon might have succeeded in hiding his scheme to start a war. But now you have been forced into the open. You will be exposed as Poseidon's thief, and I will have my helm back!" "Rude," Frank said, whistling, "Sending a Fury after a twelve year old? Not cool." Hazel nodded staring at Hades. "But ..." Blondie spoke. "Lord Hades, your helm of darkness is missing, too?" "Do not play innocent with me, girl. You and the satyr-" "HAH Satyr," Hazel said triumphantly, "have been helping this hero—coming here to threaten me in Poseidon's name, no doubt—to bring me an ultimatum. Does Poseidon think I can be blackmailed into supporting him?" "No!" Percy said. "Poseidon didn't—I didn't—" "I have said nothing of the helm's disappearance," Hades snarled, "because I had no illusions that anyone on Olympus would offer me the slightest justice, the slightest help. I can ill afford for word to get out that my most powerful weapon of fear is missing. So I searched for you myself, and when it was clear you were coming to me to deliver your threat, I did not try to stop you." "You didn't try to stop us? But—" "Return my helm now, or I will stop death," Hades threatened. "That is my counterproposal. I will open the earth and have the dead pour back into the world. I will make your lands a nightmare. And you, Percy Jackson—your skeleton will lead my army out of Hades." "Nice counter-proposal" Frank said, "I wonder how much being Pluto's army leading skeleton would pay." Hazel rolled her eyes, "Oh shut up," she hissed. The skeleton soldiers all stepped forward, raising swords, cocking guns, pulling back bowstrings.
"You're as bad as Zeus," Percy said. "You think I stole from you? That's why you sent the Furies after me?" "Of course," Hades said. "And the other monsters?" "I had nothing to do with them. I wanted no quick death for you—I wanted you brought before me alive so you might face every torture in the Fields of Punishment. Why do you think I let you enter my kingdom so easily?" "Easily!?" Hazel said, "entering the underworld… Easy, Very easy." "Easily?" Percy shouted. "Return my property!" "But I don't have your helm. I came for the master bolt." "Which you already possess!" Hades shouted. "You came here with it, little fool, thinking you could you threaten me!" "But I didn't!" "Open your pack, then." Percy's face showed a multitude of emotions, Confusion, fear, comprehension, realization, then anger. Percy leaned down and unzipped the pack. Inside was a cylinder of bronze sparking on each end."Percy," Annabeth said. "How—" "I—I don't know. I don't understand." "You heroes are always the same," Hades said. "Your pride makes you foolish, thinking you could bring such a weapon before me. I did not ask for Zeus's master bolt, but since it is here, you will yield it to me. I am sure it will make an excellent bargaining tool. And now ... my helm. Where is it?" "Lord Hades, wait," Percy said. "This is all a mistake." "A mistake?" Hades roared. The skeletons aimed at Percy's face. The three furies flew down perching on Hades' throne. "There is no mistake," Hades said. "I know why you have come—I know the real reason you brought the bolt. You came to bargain for her." Hades loosed a ball of gold fire from his palm. It exploded on the steps in front of Percy. "Who," Hazel said, confused. "His mom maybe?" Frank asked, completely bemused. "Yes," Hades said with satisfaction. "I took her. I knew, Percy Jackson, that you would come to bargain with me eventually. Return my helm, and perhaps I will let her go. She is not dead, you know. Not yet. But if you displease me, that will change." "Ah, the pearls," Hades said "Yes, my brother and his little tricks. Bring them forth, Percy Jackson." "What pearls," Hazel asked. "Only three," Hades said. "What a shame. You do realize each only protects a single person. Try to take your mother," "Oh my gods, Hades sucks!" Frank said, "He took Percy's mother?!" "then, little godling" Hades continued, " And which of your friends will you leave behind to spend eternity with me? Go on. Choose. Or give me the backpack and accept my terms." Percy looked at Annabeth and Grover. Their faces were grim.
"We were tricked," He told them. "Set up." "Yes, but why?" Blondie asked. "And the voice in the pit—" "I don't know yet," Percy replied "But I intend to ask." "Decide, boy!" Hades yelled. "Percy." Grover put his hand on his shoulder. "You can't give him the bolt," "I know that." "Leave me here," he said. "Use the third pearl on your mom." "No!" "I'm a satyr," Grover said. "We don't have souls like humans do. He can torture me until I die, but he won't get me forever. I'll just be reincarnated as a flower or something. It's the best way." "No." Blondie drew her bronze knife. "You two go on. Grover, you have to protect Percy. You have to get your searcher's license and start your quest for Pan."Pam?" Frank asked, "Like the cooking spray?"
"Get his mom out of here. I'll cover you. I plan to go down fighting." "No way," Grover said. "I'm staying behind." "Think again, goat boy," Blondie said. "Stop it, both of you!" Percy yelled. He looked down at the pearls. "I know what to do," Percy said. "Take these." He handed them each a pearl. Blondie said, "But, Percy ..." Percy turned towards his mother. "I'm sorry," He told her. "I'll be back. I'll find a way." The smug look on Hades's face faded. He said, "Godling ... ?" "I'll find your helm, Uncle," Percy told him. "I'll return it. Remember about Charon's pay raise." "Do not defy me—" "And it wouldn't hurt to play with Cerberus once in a while. He likes red rubber balls." "Where did that come from?" Frank asked. "Maybe the depressed Cerberus?" Hazel guessed. "Percy Jackson, you will not—" Percy shouted, "Now, guys!" Hades shouted, "DESTROY THEM" And Percy, Goat boy, and Blondie, smashed the pearls at their feet.
