AN: I don't own PJO or HoO. Sorry that it's been awhile since I've updated, I've been busy. Please review or favorite/follow! And don't forget to tell all your friends!
Diary pages of Jamie di Angelo-Solace
The waiting room of DOA recording studios gave me the creeps. Hard plastic chairs sat along the walls, and in each one was a ghost. They all hovered a bit above their chairs, looking melancholy. A few murmured to each other, or would stand up and wander around for a bit before sitting back down, looking confused. But something about them seemed wrong-like they were afraid of something. They glanced at the elevator door at the end of the room like they were scared some terrible monster was about to burst out of it.
Sitting at a desk on the other end of the room was a large man in an Italian suit.
Mira, who was still looking a little queasy, silently moved closer to Theo and I. She scanned the ghosts, eyes wide. Theo's hand tightened on his spear, and Fred looked uneasy. As for me, I was just hoping the guy in the suit wasn't who I thought he was.
When my dads told me about the Greek myths, Padre always spun tales about Charon, the incompetent and greedy guard of the Underworld. Dad would roll his eyes and smile, and Padre would cackle about Italian suits and easy listening channels. And in the tourist's guide to the Underworld I had taken from the camp store, it had said that Charon kept souls who "couldn't pay" out of the Underworld. Whatever that meant.
"Mr. Charon?" I asked, striding forward ahead of my friends. I was the leader of this quest; I had to take charge. "You are Charon, aren't you?"
"My name is not-oh. You said it right. That's never happened before." The man said, going from annoyed to confused in less then three seconds. "Yes, I am Charon."
"My name is Jamie. I'm on a quest to help Hades. You need to let my friends and I into the Underworld."
Charon sized me up. "Why should I? Can you pay?"
I glanced at the others. We had money, but I didn't like this guy. I wasn't about to give him anything. I had a better idea.
I pulled the Stygian Dagger out from my hoodie pocket and unsheathed it, holding the blade at Charon's throat. "I think you had better let us in."
"I'd do as she says." Fred advised, appearing next to me. "She's wanted for murder in several states!"
"And she's an arsonist!" Tay chirped, catching on.
"Totally insane!" Theo added helpfully.
"You know she's nuts-I mean look at her clothes!" Fred finished.
I glared at him, knowing cheeks were turning a little red. "What's wrong with my clothes?"
"Nothing, I mean-" Fred spluttered, turning red, too.
"Hey!" Charon rumbled. Fred and I jumped and turned back to him. "What's wrong with kids these days? Can't even threaten people properly."
"Just let us in, baldy." I hissed, tightening my grip on the dagger. "Or I'll ruin that fancy suit of yours!"
"Not the suit!" Charon whimpered. "Go ahead. I've got a full load anyways. And the Underworld could use some aid lately. In, in." He pointed to the door of the elevator, and we went in. He followed us into the cramped elevator (which was already partially full of sad-looking ghosts) and closed the door behind us.
The elevator trundled down for what felt like forever, and terrible music played from the ceiling. I shifted uncomfortably. Fred offered a smile, but I glared at him and fixed my eyes on the door of the elevator.
"You've succeeded in pissing her off." Theo mumbled. "Congrats."
"Hush, you two." Tay swatted both boys on their shoulders. She glanced at their ghosts. "Be respectful of the dead. This is a one-way ticket for them."
"It may be for you as well." Charon leered. His face sent shivers up my spine.
I was glad when the elevator door finally opened and we stepped out into the Underworld.
It was just as I had seen in my dream when I had spoken to Morpheus. Far to the left was Elysium, glowing and emitting warm light. Down the middle was Asphodel, packed with wandering ghosts. And to the right was the fires of the fields of Punishment.
But there was something different about it. Red acidic clouds gathered over the hordes of ghosts. The light of Elysium was dimmed, and there was a tension in the air that made me instantly anxious.
Then I saw why; there were monsters. Hordes of them. I spotted drakons, chimeras, hydras, gorgons, the minotaur, the sphinx, the Nemean lion, and others. Ghosts gave them a wide berth. As I watched, one of hydra's heads lunged for the spirit of an old man and devoured it. The man's ghost exploded in gray mist and was gone.
"Oh my gods." Tay murmured. "Did you guys see that?"
"Yeah." Theo nodded. "We have to talk to Hades."
Charon shoved the ghosts towards the three lines: two EZ death lines, and another that led to a gold platform with a panel of judges sitting around it.
"Which one do we take?" Fred asked.
As I was currently ignoring him, I just pointed to EZ death. "That's moving fastest."
"Um… guys?" Mira looked worried about something. "Isn't there supposed to be a big dog guarding the Underworld? Cerebus, I think?"
"Hey, you're right." Theo said, suddenly looking nervous. "Where is he?"
"Oh, he's not here." Charon said, stepping back into his elevator. I jumped. I had thought he was already gone. "Hades has him guarding Elysium, now. Doesn't want those… urchins muddying up the place." He sneered at the monsters roaming Asphodel. "Now get going. And if Hades asked, you threatened my life not my suit."
Then he closed the door of the elevator and left us alone.
"Okay." Tay said. "Anyone else getting bad vibes from this?"
"No, Tay," I rolled my eyes, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's just you."
We walked to the EZ death line and pushed through the ranks of ghosts. We ducked around the metal detector and hurried into Asphodel. The ghosts avoided us, but I think they could sense the stygian iron dagger in my pocket. We walked easily past the spirits of the dead. A couple glanced at us, but none of them seemed to be able to concentrate. Like they had forgotten their time among the living.
I shuddered. I never wanted to forget my life-that was terrible. I felt bad for the wandering spirits around us. They couldn't even fight back against the monsters that were devouring them like potato chips.
Fred had noticed the shudder. "You okay?"
He gave me a pout with his big green eyes, and it was hard to stay mad at him. Somehow, though, I still managed it.
"I'm fine." I snapped, speeding up.
"I'm sorry for what I said," Fred said, easily matching my pace. "I didn't mean it."
"Oh, really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Um, yeah. You look… I mean…." Fred turned red. "You look nice."
I turned red as well. "Thanks."
Behind us, Theo pretended to gag and Mira stifled giggles. Tay, surprisingly, looked furious. I didn't understand why, but Fred hadn't even noticed. We fell into silence as we skirted around another clump of monsters.
Finally the palace of Hades seemed to be growing closer. I realized that I might run into my dad, Morpheus, in real life here. I would at least get to see the beautiful arches of Horn and Ivory again. I was surprised that I was looking forward to it. And I wanted to try sending a dream, the way Morpheus had told me I could, but I knew there was no time. The dead needed help, and soon.
"We're almost there." Tay sighed.
We all tried to shush her, but among the silence of the dead her sigh sounded loud.
"Demigods!" Something behind us screeched. "Get them!" It was part metal part goat part flaming cheerleader lady, and made me want to puke. I had my bow in my hand in a moment, but then I saw the crowd of other monsters surging forward as well.
"We can't take them!" Mira said, looking like she was trying not to panic.
"Anyone have a plan?" Fred asked hopefully, drawing his sword.
"I have one." Theo nodded. "RUN!"
And then we ran.
We ran as fast as we could for Hades's palace, a small army of monsters on our heels. We shoved past ghosts and dodged around other monsters heading towards us. Fred slashed the wing of a Harpy that swooped down towards Mira. I shot a boar-like creature that was charging towards us from the direction of the palace. Tay smashed a hydra's head in the face.
The palace was getting closer, but the monsters were gaining. We dove through past the portcullis and into the gardens, the black gate lowering behind us.
For one beautiful moment I thought we were safe. Then Theo yelled, "Where's Mira?"
She had tripped almost twenty yards back, and sprawled on the ground. She scrambled to her feet and was making a bolt for the doors, but she winced with every step. I was already running back towards the lowering portcullis.
"No!" Fred shouted. He shoved me back and rolled under the portcullis just before it closed, leaping to his feet again. I stared from my position on my butt in the dirt as he raced towards Mira. He nearly ran into her, and had her piggy-back style on his back in a moment. He was coming back towards us, but the monsters were close on his heels.
"Run, Fred!" Tay screamed.
"Come on, man!" Theo yelled.
I drew my bow and balanced on my knees. My arrows flew through the gaps in the metal portcullis and made two monsters explode in golden dust.
Mira was shouting something as Fred ran. "The portcullis! Raise the portcullis!"
I realized what she was saying. With the portcullis down, they would be caught on the palace doorstep. Tay and Theo scrambled towards a large wooden wheel built into the obsidian wall that surrounded the garden. They turned it desperately while I shot arrow after arrow towards the monsters on my friends heels. Fred was starting to slow down, looking exhausted.
"Frederick Chase-Jackson, don't you dare die!" I screamed, surprised at how raw my voice sounded. Fred's eyes fixed on me, and he put on one last burst of speed. He and Mira dove under the portcullis, which Tay and Theo quickly started trying to lower.
The monsters had only been ten feet behind them, and slammed into the black metal just as it closed. They yelled in fury and frustration, but they weren't getting in.
"Yes!" Tay cheered. She stuck her tongue out at the furious monsters. "Take that, uglies! We rule! Yeah!" She high-fived Mira and Theo, but Fred and I were busy staring at each other.
"Nice job, Barnacle Brain." I muttered. Then I remembered that I was mad at him for shoving me. "But what was that about? Why did you shove me? I can do anything a guy can do!"
Fred looked embarrassed. "It was dangerous… and I know you can. And Mira is fine. And I am very very sorry and please don't shoot me."
I wanted to be mad, but he had saved Mira, who was practically my little sister. I grumbled for a minute, then finally snapped, "Fine. Thanks. Whatever."
"Can we get going?" Tay asked, looking annoyed again. Why, when just a moment before she had been whooping it up? I would never understand Tay-we were polar opposites. "Not that your flourishing romance isn't adorable, but-"
"Hey!" Fred and I yelled at the same time. Then both went red.
Theo laughed and grabbed my arm to pull me up. "Can I be best man for the wedding?"
"I want to be flowergirl!" Mira giggled.
"What color frosting do you want on the cake?"
"Ooh, can there be dancing?"
I refused to look at Fred. Normally I wouldn't found some way to shut my friends up, but teasing Fred and I (who were just friends, thank you) seemed to be cheering them up. Mira had to lean on Tay a little as we walked through the ghostly garden to the palace, but otherwise everyone seemed fine. And Tay, who looked just as annoyed by Theo and Mira's jokes as Fred and I were.
But we were alive. And that's good enough for me.
AN: thanks for reading! I want thoughts on the Jamie/Fred pairing that I'm thinking about. What would their ship name be? Suggestions welcome! Please leave them in the reviews, and don't forget to favorite/follow.
