Chapter 4

Well…it's December 21, 2012 and we're all still alive. Earth didn't blow up and there was no zombie apocalypse, or whatever stories people were spreading. Congrats on living past the Winter Solstice. I'm actually happy the world didn't end. It gave me a chance to post this chapter :) Shout outs go to samm10, rrfanman, crazyblueunicorn, Jordan, and Prankprincess123! You guys all guessed correctly! :) Without further wait…I present…Carol 4

Disclaimer: I disclaim PJO

Leo fell off his crate. His head hit a hammer, as if it wasn't hurting enough. The ground kept shaking and Leo was thrown underneath an old work bench. It was covered with bricks and stones, hammers and other heavy stuff. Leo wasn't surprised when the legs buckled sending everything crashing down on him. He groaned as the weight hit him. He was surprised that he didn't break any bones from the impact. Finally the ground stopped shaking. Leo pushed a pile of bricks away and crawled out from beneath the table. Standing in front of him was the fourth god of the night. He was wearing long black robes with a blood red trim. His hair was long and black, and his eyes were black and cold. He radiated fear, and he smelt of a grave yard. Leo looked carefully at his robes and saw horrible images in the folds. There were screaming faces and eyes filled with tears. In one of the folds, Leo saw a fire. He looked more carefully and saw his mother. She was trapped in the fire and her eyes were full of terror. She was screaming something and Leo could tell what it was. She was yelling his name, trying to tell him to get away. Trying to warn him, and trying to tell him goodbye. Leo stared at the image in horror, and was finally forced to look away.

"I am Hades. God of the Dead, God of Wealth, and Lord of the Underworld. Fall before me child," The god said loudly. Saying that was pointless considering that Leo was already sprawled on the floor. He tried to get up on his knees but he just fell again. He kept trying, and Hades probably got impatient so he just helped him up.

"Lord Hades," Leo said bowing his head awkwardly. He felt like he was about to collapse again.

"Today I am no longer-" the god started, but Leo stopped him.

"Allow me," he stood up and made his voice deep. "Today I am no longer Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Now I am the God of Christmas Future," Leo wasn't sure why he said it with a British accent.

"Also known as Christmas to come, but I go by future too," Hades said mildly.

"Gary," Leo blurted out.

"The snail?" Hades asked puzzled.

"First of all: no. And second of all: you watch SpongeBob?" Leo asked.

"Who doesn't? The ghosts love it; they watch it all the time! I adore the Flying Dutchman," the god said happily. Leo had never thought he would see the day when the ruthless, cruel, God of Death, would gush over SpongeBob.

"Gary is your new name. When you're the God of Death you're Hades. When you're the God of Christmas Future, you're Gary," Leo explained for the third time that night.

"I don't want a new name," the god protested.

"You're getting a new name," Leo pressed.

"I don't want a new name,"

"Too bad,"

"You dare talk to Hades like that? I am-"

"Gary," Leo finished. The god opened his mouth and then closed it again.

"Very well," Gary [Hades] said.

"Good. Now what do you want Gary?" Leo asked impatiently.

"I want to show you your future," Gary said.

Leo groaned. "Are you gonna show me what I'll look like when I'm an old man?" He asked. "Considering I live that long," he added thoughtfully.

"No, I'm going to show you what happens in a couple hours," Gary said.

"Not as interesting, but ok. So will you transport me, or use the orb?" Leo asked.

"Neither," Gary said simply. He waved his arm and 2 sleeping bags appeared on the floor. "We are going to lie down, and watch the scene from a projector pointed at the ceiling," he said. Leo shrugged.

"Aren't you going to change?" he asked bored.

"Oh piffle. Silly me, how could I forget?" he said as he spun around. His dark robes changed into a black suit with Christmas trees.

"Did you just say 'piffle'" Leo asked surprised.

"Oh piffle. It slipped out by mistake. Just replace it with a nasty word," Gary said.

"You said it again,"

"Aww. Piffle,"

"Again,"

"Why on piffle, do I keep saying piffle?"

"Two more times,"

"Shut up and watch the piffle ceiling," Gary said angrily. Leo opened his mouth to point out that he had said it again, but thought better of it. He collapsed on the sleeping bag. Literally, he actually collapsed, he was exhausted. The sleeping bag was thick and soft, and it was a wonder he didn't fall asleep as soon as his head hit it. The image on the ceiling, showed Andrew. He was walking towards the Demeter cabin, to see Lizzie. He knocked gently and the door swung open to reveal her. Her hair was starting to get frizzy again. Her eyes were red from crying.

"Lizzie, I am so-" Andrew started.

"You promised. David offered to take me, but I turned him down. I turned him down thinking you would show up. But you didn't," Lizzie said, tears welling in her eyes.

"We can still go," Andrew offered.

"No," Lizzie said wiping away a stray tear. "It'll be too crowded by now. I'll never get through with my ankle," she said angrily. "But that won't stop you. I know where you were. You were probably getting cozy with some other girl under the mistletoe," she choked.

"Lizzie, I was never with another girl. Leo made me-"

"Just get away. I never want to see you again. You ruined my Christmas! I hate you!" Lizzie sobbed. Andrew tried to wrap his arms around her but she pushed him away. She slammed the door shut, and then the image went black.

Leo pushed his black curls away from his face. Poor Andrew. How could I have worked him so hard? He could hear the sound of his hammer working away somewhere below him. He groaned.

"Next clip is on," Gary said gently. Leo looked up and saw the two girls who had asked for the circuit board. They were standing on a huge stage, in front of a huge crowd. An enormous Christmas tree, (courtesy of the Demeter cabin), stood on one side of the stage. It was decked in ornaments and popcorn strands, but it was unlit.

Ohh, that's why they needed the circuit board. Leo groaned inwardly. The Athena girl tapped gently on the microphone.

"Um, attention," she said gently. The crowd went quiet. "Um, I know you guys were expecting a lit Christmas tree, but, um, we couldn't find the last piece of equipment needed,"

"What does that mean?" someone from the crowd yelled.

"It means we can't light up the Christmas tree, you doofus," someone else yelled.

"What do you mean we can't light the tree?" someone else shouted angrily. Other people started joining in the protests. Leo's brain was on overdrive. They don't need a triple electric circuit board. A double sided quadruple electron panel will work! Leo knew for a fact that they had one of those. He leapt up from the floor.

"You've got to let me fix this! I can let Andrew get Lizzie, and then I can give them the double sided quadruple electron panel! It's work even better than the triple electric circuit board! The only difference is that you have to add a second conductor wire, but that's easy!" Leo said excitedly. Gary looked dazed.

"Swap the triple quadruple with the double triple…" he muttered, confused.

"Just let me fix this!" Leo yelled.

"After the last clip," Gary said. Leo groaned as he sat back down on the sleeping bag. Now the image showed his friends, sitting around a fire on the beach.

"Why would Leo want to miss this?" Jason asked.

"Forget Leo. Just forget him," Frank said.

"Frank! Leo's just not big on Christmas," Piper objected.

"First he'll abandon us on Christmas, then on our birthdays. We can't trust him anymore! He could abandon us on a quest!" Frank argued.

"Leo would never do that," Hazel said.

"Sammy would never do that! Leo might," Frank persisted.

"I don't know, it doesn't sound like Leo," Percy said.

"Well, shouting at us on Christmas doesn't sound like Leo either, but it happened," Annabeth pointed out.

"Annabeth!" Piper protested.

"Exactly!" Frank said.

"Maybe your right," Percy said.

"I wouldn't know," Reyna said.

"So Annabeth, Percy, and Reyna, we all agree to forget Valdez," Frank said. That left Hazel, Jason, and Piper.

"Maybe, Leo and Sammy aren't that alike," Hazel said quietly. Jason and Piper exchanged looks.

"I guess you guys have a point," Jason said.

"Jason! Leo would never abandon us," Piper said angrily.

"Piper, either you're with us, or you aren't," Frank said. Piper looked down and nodded slowly. The image went black.

Leo was in shock. Frank had turned them against him. Sure, it was Leo's fault, but he still had a bone to pick with Frank. He cursed under his breath.

"Show me the beach," Leo said through gritted teeth. "Is it crowded yet? Does Lizzie have time?"

"There are only a few people there, but it'll get crowded in about…5 minutes," Gary said. Leo cursed.

"Gary, man, you've got to help me! Please, just, cause a distraction so Andrew can get Lizzie to the beach," Leo choked desperately, but Gary's suit was already changing into black robes. Gary was gone, Hades was here.

"That's not my style. But I may be able to send someone to help," Hades said calmly. He disappeared in a flash of black smoke.

Leo waited for the 'someone' Hades planned on sending.

Who is this back up god? Guesses welcome! The next chapter will be out soon because I want to wrap this up before Christmas, so expect it tomorrow or Sunday! Review! Happy Holidays :)