Chapter 39: Step 3: Anger a god Pt2

"But…Lord Hades….missing, too?"

"Do not play innocent…into supporting him?"

"Not blackmailed but convinced into supporting him," Percy smirked.

Nico chuckled then added, "Him and all the Olympians."

Everyone looked at them confused.

"No! Poseidon….didn't—"

"I have said nothing….of fear is missing."

"He's right," Annabeth said. "The Olympians wouldn't have done anything."

"Hopefully that's changed," Percy said. "We've tried too at least."

"So I searched for you…..to stop you."

"What?" asked Frank confused. "Why wouldn't he try to stop you?"

"You mean didn't he try to stop them?" Carter asked. "Monsters and furies and all that."

"Just watch," Grover sighed.

"You didn't try…..But—"

"Return my helmet…army out of Hades."

Nico and Percy exchanged glances and cracked up. Jason looked at them. "What are we missing?"

"Dad can't do anything to Percy," Nico told him. "Trust me, I was there when he tried."

"What?" Annabeth said.

Percy turned red. "Nothing. You'll see."

The skeletal soldiers…..weapons ready. Percy's face hardened. He looked at Hades and opened his mouth. His eyes were swimming with defiance and though he was twelve and still had baby fat and looked little it was terrifying. "You're as bad as Zeus…..the Furies after me?"

"That and because your dad broke the oath," Thalia told him.

"I know," Percy groaned. "Can we just watch?"

"Of course."

"And…other monsters?"

"I had nothing to do with them…my kingdom so easily?"

"Easily?" scoffed Piper. Percy smirked. She had said the same thing he did.

"It was the hardest journey to the underworld I've had to take," he agreed.

"Well that's because the others were with me," Nico pointed out.

"So you think," Percy muttered. Inside he was laughing. Nico was right. He had only gone to the Underworld with Nico after that.

"Wait, how many times have you been to the Underworld?" asked Calypso.

"I don't know, three or four."

"So around the same amount of times we've been to the land of the dead," Sadie smirked. "Without being there to visit dad."

"What?" asked Nico. He wasn't sure what that meant.

"Remember, we'll have explanations for other mythology later. I guess that includes Magnus, Carter and Sadie telling us what they've been up too," Annabeth said.

"If we have time. We have to watch all of this stuff. Maybe after, or during it. Might as well with all the disruptions," Rachel said.

"Easily?"

Piper groaned. "I have to take a truth or dare or put money in the jar right?"

"Yeah," Thalia nodded.

"Jar then," Piper said pulling out her wallet. Five dollars went into a jaw now labeled Percy.

"Return my property!"

"But I don't have…came for the master bolt."

"How did you complete this quest?" Frank asked.

"Just watch."

"Which you already…..threaten me!"

"I can threaten you," Percy said.

Nico snickered again. Thalia groaned. "I'm really starting to hate this private joke of yours."

"It's not actually that funny. I mean most of it wasn't, just scary," Nico told her.

"True," Percy agreed. "But we're cool."

Nico sighed.

"But I didn't!"

"Open your….then."

Percy's face fell. His eyes widened as he took it off his shoulder with more effort than before.

"How?" Juniper squeaked.

"Just watch this time June," Grover told her. "It obviously all worked out."

Inside was a two-foot-long…..with energy. Annabeth spoke first. "Percy, how—"

"I-I don't….understand."

"None of us do," Walt said. "It was obviously a trick. Some magic. But by who?"

"Shush," Sadie glared at him.

"You heroes…..Where is it?"

"He has it back so you got it somehow," Nico said.

"Yeah."

"Wait…" Apollo said. "This is when…"

"Yes, now don't spoil it for everyone else," Annabeth told him.

"Lord Hades…..a mistake."

"Obviously," Alex said. "That's a god. He's not going to be happy about that."

"He's not happy about anything," Apollo told her.

"A mistake?" Hades roared. The skeletons aimed…..and flicked her whip. "There is no mistake….bargain for her."

"Aunt Sally!" Thalia cried.

"How'd you get her back?" Piper asked.

"Fought him," suggested Leo.

"No, he couldn't have done anything," Chris said. "Hades would kill him."

Hades loosed a ball of gold fire….her to death. Percy reached out before pulling back.

"That's horrible," Jaz yelled.

"It was," Percy said softly and sadly. Hazel gave her his hand and he pulled her into a hug. Nico was uncomfortably squashed between them. Will and Jason fell back in laughter at his face.

"Yes. I took her…..that will change."

"She's fine. And like I said he won't threaten her again," Nico said finally able to breath again.

Percy pulled the pearls out of his pocket looking between them and his mom. "Ah, the pearls…them forth, Percy Jackson."

Though Percy looked defiant and upset he reached out.

"Can you get her out with them?" asked Juniper.

"You did, didn't you?" Thalia asked. "That's how you got out."

"It's how I got out," Percy told her his tone saying the conversation was finished.

"Only three…accept my terms."

"What happened?" Hazel asked. "He let her go later or something…"

"But Percy wouldn't leave anyone behind," Will said.

"If he needed too he would, but he'll always find a way to save the most people he can," Leo said remembering his own death.

Percy looked down regretting ever having to make any choices like that with Zoe, Luke, Beckendorf, Bob, Damasen, Bianca, Leo and his mother. All of those people he had left behind to die.

Percy turned to his friends. "We were ….set up."

"Yes, but….in the pit—"

"I don't know….to ask."

"You're really suicidal," Magnus looked at him with a new respect.

Sam scoffed. "And you aren't?"

"Touché."

"Decide, boy!"

"Percy….him the bolt."

"I know that."

"Leave me….on your mom."

"No!" Juniper yelled. "You stupid, silly satyr. That's ridiculous."

"I'm a satyr Juniper," Grover smiled. "I made that choice. It'll explain."

"No!"

"I'm a satyr…..the best way."

"Just because you'll be a flower doesn't mean you should die," Annabeth said.

"Look who's talking," Grover said.

"Guys it was an impossible choice," Percy told them grimly. "I'm just lucky I had friends like you there."

There was a pause for a moment then Leo spoke up. "I wonder what Coach Hedge would reincarnate as."

"If they really existed I'd say a whomping willow," Frank rubbed the back of his head. The seven exchanged glances and then burst into laughter. Several of the Greeks and Romans joined in leaving the confused Egyptians and Norse behind.

"No. You two go on…..to go down fighting."

"You're ridiculous," Clarisse scoffed. "And a hypocrite. This is Hades, you can't fight him."

Nico laughed again and it got louder as Percy said, "You can actually."

"Will you two stop being so cryptic?" requested Will.

"Sorry," Percy grinned. "No spoilers."

"It was brave of Annabeth nonetheless," Reyna noted. "I would expect nothing less from a warrior like her."

Annabeth nodded in an exchange of respect.

"No way…..behind."

"Think again….boy."

"Stop it….of you!" Percy looked at them both then held out the pearls. "I know what…..take these."

He pushed pearls into both of their hands. Their faces fell. Grover looked like he wanted to cry. Annabeth was dramatically pale. "But, Percy…."

"You can't do that!" yelled Jaz.

"Better me than them," Percy shrugged.

"But then…"

"Not saying that's what I did," Percy told her.

He turned to face Sally. "I'm sorry….find a way."

Hades smile dropped. He looked at Percy confused, "godling?"

"I was right," Leo said. "Percy does what he can to save the most people he can. No doubt he'll eventually find a way to save everyone else he left."

"I'll try," Percy said sadly.

"I'll find your helmet…..pay raise."

"And you had to go and ruin it," groaned Piper.

"Hey, I promised," Percy smirked.

"Do not defy me—"

"Percy kind of defies everything, and everyone," Rachel said.

"True," Carter whispered and Sadie nodded hearing it.

Percy ignored him and continued. "And it wouldn't hurt to play….rubber balls."

Several people snickered at the image of Hades playing ball with Cerberus.

"Percy Jackson…will not—"

"Now, guys!"

They smashed the pearls at their feet. Nothing happened.

"Destroy them!" Skeletons rushed forward. Furies lunged with flaming whips. Just as the skeletons opened fire…off the ground. Annabeth and Grover followed as bullets sprang off the pearls bubbles. Hades screamed in rage.

"Look up….to crash!"

"Not with that kind of magic," Zia said. "Whatever enchantment is on those pearls it was quite powerful."

"I'd really like to be able to do that," Hazel muttered.

Nearby Hearth was looking at his runestones contemplating.

"How do you….these things?"

"I don't…you do!"

They screamed and now they were no long rising through the rock but through the water. They were rising to the surface.

"That has got to be one of the coolest things I've ever seen," Magnus muttered. "And I've seen a lot of stuff."

"Yeah, so you keep saying. But I won that bet," Annabeth reminded him.

"Still, it's super useful. I wish we could have had that," Sadie told Carter.

"Would have come in handy the few times Bes almost drowned with us. Actually all of Percy's powers would," Carter said.

"There are spells to allow you to breath under water for a few minutes, not more," Walt reminded them.

"Yeah. Too bad," Sadie groaned.

"I guess I can take you guys some time with an air bubble," Percy told them.

"Still, I think that it is powerful and beautiful magic," Calypso said.

"What belongs to the sea will always return to the sea," Percy quoted grinning widely. "Can't stop it."

"Kind of wish we could have," Grover groaned.

They exploded on the surface. Percy grabbed Grover and swam him to a life buoy. Then did the same with Annabeth. A shark, a great white, over ten feet long was looking at them.

"That shark doesn't look as nice or cute as the others," Piper said nervously.

"The shark will not hurt Percy or his friends. They know who he is," Tyson assured her. "He will be nice."

"Beat it," Percy said.

"Percy will not be nice," said Tyson said.

"Hey!" Percy nudged him where he was sitting on the floor in front of him. Tyson laughed.

In front of them there was smoke rising. Percy's face turned even grimmer as he looked toward the shore.