III. Percy

Being in Tartarus, thought Percy, was like fighting Kronos. It didn't matter if you knew what you had to do- you could never get down to accomplishing it. For one, your opponent was so much more skillful than you, had so many tricks up his sleeves, even thinking about trying to outsmart him was downright delirious. Also, time down there seemed to slow as if the pit were in charge of it- waiting for even five seconds do pass was tiresome, let alone days. Percy had held the sky on his shoulders, as well as a goddess; he had battled monsters of all kinds, not to mention Titans; he had convinced two enemy river spirits to play nice (and play along) and he had cleaned up a whole stable full of cannibal horse dung. And yet, never had he felt so drained, never had he done anything half as energy-consuming than just being there, in a really, really deep hole.

Not even listening to Octavian was worse than this.

It seemed impossible for it to be any worse, but Percy knew that even then he was lucky – he wasn't alone (he had, incidentally, the best companion he could ask for); if it were so, he'd be a thousand times as depressed as he was now, and if he was up there – which was how he and Annabeth now referred to "the real world" – and his girlfriend down here, he's be so worried out of his mind he'd probably find his way to Caronte and get him to row Percy across the Styx as he had years before.

Not that he wasn't worried – he was kind of mad thinking about his other friends, Camp Half-Blood, Camp Jupiter, the quest, Gaea, his mother, the might-be end of the world, and who would be America's Next Top Model. He'd never watched it, though – he was really just going nuts.

Day and night (though they couldn't tell them apart, so they just guessed, really), Percy and Annabeth wandered about Tartarus with nothing but the faint glow of what little weapons they had as guide. It sucked – fighting a different monster every other hour, each weirder-looking (and smelling) than the previous one. They had absolutely no grasp on their whereabouts, or where they were heading – they just walked, and jogged, and sometimes ran from the monsters they'd rather not encounter, never turning left nor right, just moving forward as long as they could. Then they'd settle down, quietly going over their somewhat mediocre inventory. One would watch while the other slept, then switch, then get up again, take the smallest possible bit of ambrosia just to keep their systems running, and begin exploring again.

Sometimes they'd talk, but not much, since none had anything in mind other than their situation, and their loved ones', and neither would benefit from any of those topics. Mostly they'd just hold hands so tight their knuckles turned white and their palms were sore at the end of the "day", and that desperate clinging to each other was about as far as communication between them went.

On the first two days or so, Percy had tried cracking a joke here and there, but soon enough realized "What's a monster's favorite game? Hydra and seek" wasn't going to cut through the somber mood, especially since they could run into a hydra anytime, and there wouldn't be anywhere to hide.

At the moment, they were making camp – actually, just lying on the uneven stone floor – and trying to figure who was less tired so they could take first watch.

"I can do it, Annabeth", said Percy. "You should get some rest. I reckon that empousa gave you a really hard time".

"No, Percy. You took first watch last night", sighed Annabeth. "And you got pretty banged up too, what with us running into that telekhine". Percy was about to argue, but she continued. "I mean it, Seaweed Brain. Sleep for once, will you? You'll need your strength if we want to go on, you know, living."

Percy smiled weakly. "I don't suppose I could ever talk you out of anything". He gave her a quick kiss and extended Riptide toward her. "It gives out more light than yours", he said.

Annabeth shrugged and took it. "G' night, Perce", tiredly.

Percy's dream started off like reality - he was in the pit, lying down, with Annabeth glancing around nervously beside him. His eyes were open, and his breath uneven, unlike the average sleeping person, but his girlfriend didn't seem to notice that.

He felt a shudder run through his body as if there was an earthquake and the pit made strange rumbling noises. When all was still again, Percy realised Annabeth had turned to face him- but it wasn't her. Her grey eyes were closed, and when she spoke, it was with Gaea's voice.

"I have even more power here, Jackson. Try not to irritate me, or I'll send my best after you and your little girlfriend. Not that I won't do that, eventually", she smirked - it was so wrong, so completely wrong, to see that arrogant smirk in Annabeth's lips, teasing him. "But I guess you two lovebirds would prefer dying later rather than sooner, so you can spend more time together in this lovely place".

The dream dissolved, and now Percy was falling, waving his arms like crazy, trying to grasp the clouds as if they could offer handhold. Finally, he landed with a louck crack! on the deserted deck of the Argo II. Making a face (even though it was a dream, it still hurt), he got up and headed for the cabins. His footsteps echoed loudly as he went down the stairs, but as soon as he stepped off them, everything was eerily silent. Strange, that.

He opened every door in his way, but still found not a soul. Just as he turned to go look elsewhere, he heard someone coming downstairs and sighed in relief, noticing it was Hazel. The good feeling didn't last, however- she, too, had her eyes closed, and spoke with Gaea's voice.

She said, "I'll get your friends, Jackson".

Jason and Coach Hedge appeared, eyes closed. "I'll sacrifice two and make you watch, then I'll let my guards do as they please with the others as you stand by, unable to save them", the three said in unison. It was three times as terrifyng, as if there were three Gaeas threatening him (one was bad enough).

They were followed by Frank. "You will regret ever raising a finger against me, demigod".

Percy saw Piper at the top of the stairs. " I may not have your cooperation, but I can put you through a whole lot of pain", and she opened her eyes, and there were none; Percy was used to gods having burning flames where their eyes should be- but now there was nothing. Just pitch-black darkness, and yet, it emanated such fury, such hate, that it obscured Percy's vision, drowning him in anger, and he felt himself go limp.

He was falling again- except not as fast, and in total darkness. I fell into her eyes, Percy thought. I really did.

He landed softly this time, five feet away from the hunched figure of a girl surrounded by black, save for a silver bow discarded beside her. She was crying, it seemed, and a sob shook her shoulders once in a while. Percy noticed her blakc hair, cut in a peculiar yet utterly familiar way, but he didn't really register what he was seeing until she looked up at him, eletric blue eyes wide, and shouted, "Percy!", in a scared tone.

Percy didn't know where the voice came from, but he recognized it (he'd been hearing it way too much since the beginning of this dream) as it whispered in his ear like the wind rustling leaves of grass.

"I've already got one...". Percy shivered.

He kept looking at Thalia, and she kept screaming his name, her voice slowly changing into one he'd grown even more accostumed to hearing this past few days.

Earthquake again, and Percy woke with Annabeth shaking his shoulders violently. "Percy, wake up!"

It took him about two seconds to realize the reason behind her distress. Lucky thing he'd been looking down, because just as he heard the hiss of the snakes in her hair, he recognized Aunt Em's clothes as she towered above them both. Percy shut his eyes tight as his hand automatically went to his jeans pocket.