Disclaimer in chapter 1.

CHAPTER SIX: I MEET CERBERUS AND OTHERS

"Athena Artemis, how nice to see you again." A male voice greeted as if he hadn't met someone he wanted to see for a while.

"Where am I?" I wondered as I opened my eyes to see a pale man on a bone throne and a robe that seemed to be made out of souls. "And what do you mean, again?"

"Doesn't matter now." He responded. "Welcome to the Underworld."

If this was the Underworld, then he was...

"You're Lord Hades." I stammered.

"Yes, I am." Lord Hades muttered. "Your friend, Death, should know me by something else also."

"And what is that, Lord?" I had already gotten used to calling him "Lord".

"Later, Athena, later." Hades muttered. "I'll tell you later."

"Okay, Lord." I whispered, disappointed. I turned to go see if Cerberus needed a friend since it was a while since Annabeth said she would return.

I heard Lord Hades laughing as I left.

-----

I walked from the opposite direction the souls of the dead people were going. I soon met up to where Cerberus was guarding the gate of something, looking bored. He sniffed the air just as I was only a few yards away from him. He barked happily, somehow knowing that there was a half-mortal, or a Demigod, nearby, probably thinking I was Annabeth. But still, he turned around and barked exuberantly some more, even if I wasn't Annabeth.

Somehow, I heard a voice speaking that I knew was Cerberus: Lady! It's been a long time since we seen you!

I smiled as I rubbed the three-headed dog's paw which was all I could reach. How have you been, Cerberus?

Fine, Lady. A few months ago, we met a daughter of Athena that was still alive. She was one of the few who played with us for so long! Cerberus answered.

I laughed. I have met her briefly before. She is a nice one. She wishes that she could visit you.

Why can't she, Lady? Cerberus titled all three of his heads sideways.

She is busy, Cerberus. What would you do if you had a friend that was supposedly dead or, here, alive, and then is here again?

Like you, Lady? We would be excited like we are now. Cerberus licked his lips.

Oh really? I wondered. What do you mean by that?

We haven't seen you in centuries, Lady. Cerberus explained.

Centuries? I swore I hadn't met Cerberus before now.

Yes, Lady- centuries. Cerberus repeated. Can we please play now?

Yes, Cerberus. We can. I said, laughing.

-----

After I had played with Cerberus, I had walked over to Elysium, and was now wondering around.

"Lady!" I heard a voice yell.

'Huh? Why is everyone calling me 'lady'?' I had just noticed that Cerberus had called me Lady, and now, even the souls called me Lady.

I turned around and saw Lady Persephone was walking towards me. 'Great; now even the gods and goddesses are calling me Lady.'

"Lady Persephone," I said, checking to make sure her skin wasn't pale. When it wasn't, I finally relaxed.

Lady Persephone smiled. "How are you, Lady?"

"I'm fine, Lady Persephone. And how are you?" Is it just me or am I being an echo?

"Great. How is it that you came here now?" Persephone wondered.

"Um... I was talking to my friend and then someone shot an arrow through my chest. I think it was still in me when I died." I explained.

"Dead? That can't be. Well, I'm off to visit my mother," Persephone waved and disappeared.

I remembered what parts of the year Persephone would be in the Underworld and with her mother and I found it was the right time. I sighed and went to Hades again.

-----

"Lord, is there anything I can do for you?" I inquired.

"Um, nothing now... Unless you can bring me your friend Death here, which, you being dead, is like the expression 'finding a needle in a haystack'." Hades muttered, chuckling to himself.

'We'll see about that.' I thought. I walked out of his throne room. I made an Iris-Message to Hypnos asking him if he could deliver a certain dream to Death- and surprisingly, he did it.

"Wait up!" I yelled at her.

She turned around and saw me. "Hey,"

I caught up with her "What's up, Death?"

"Athena, death isn't up- the sky is," She finished our little joke.

I was laughing but then I changed into something different- literally.

She screamed as I became clear.

"What's wrong, Death?" I wondered, my voice now ghost-like.

The scene changed completely. Instead of the front porch that was in front of her house, we were in a dark place, sorta like a cave. We were now in the Underworld- well, sorta; she wasn't.

I turned and bowed to Hades, my skin turning pale as snow, which was paler than Hades', my smile vanished.

Not knowing what to do, she bowed down at him too, figuring that if she didn't, she may be in trouble.

"You may rise." Hades said.

Death and I stood.

"Athena, it seems you have done me some good after all." He turned towards me as he spoke.

"Thank you, Lord Hades." I replied.

Death stayed quiet.

"And Death," Lord Hades turned towards her.

"Yes, Lord Hades?" She muttered, possibly scared.

"Don't be scared." He stated as if he knew she was. "I suppose you don't know why you're here, do you?"

"Um...No, Lord." Death admitted.

"Do you know what happened to your friend here?" Lord Hades wondered.

"I know that when she was supposed to come back from her trip with some others that she didn't." She quoted.

I blushed slightly, changing from my white, pale state.

Lord Hades chuckled to himself. "True, that did happen. But I suppose that you don't know how that mark got on your left hand, do you?"

She glanced down and found this: άδησ. Translation: Hades. "No, Lord. I don't know how,"

Lord Hades smirked. "I could tell you..."

"Lord!" I snapped.

He held up his hands. "Now, Athena. I was going to tell her. It seems I did that." He said the last part in a joking matter.

"Why, Lord?" Death asked.

He glanced upward. "It seems Hypnos' 'magic' is wearing off."

I waved at her. "See you later, Death."

"W-" She began. She vanished.

Hades laughed.