A/N: You know that headcanon that Nico knows the leaders of other underworlds? Ye...

'I don't know if Dionysus would allow this.'

Dad gave me a look. 'I am your parent and I allow it.'

'Fair enough.' Also, I really wanted to come.

We were in a part of the palace I hadn't been to often. 'You might notice this place feels particularly gloomy,' my dad explained. 'This is because it keeps people away.'

'Very well designed. Yet, may I ask, what kind of place are we going to that it needs that kind of protection?'

'To Hel.'

'Oh. Fun.'

'I mean Helheim.' I nodded, with my eyebrows raised. 'I felt like you should see how they rule there. I thought, maybe it's interesting, that you could learn something from it…'

'So basically take-your-child-to-work-day?'

'That's a thing?'

'I heard of it.'

Hades shrugged. 'Hm. We're here.' He pointed at a small, black door om our left.

'This leads to Helheim?'

Hades twisted the knob a few times. 'It does if I set the knob in the correct setting. Otherwise it'd lead to Duat, or to Christian Hell, or another underworld.'

'Ah.' Cool, actually.

Hades opened the door and got through. I followed.

There was yet another dark, cold hallway behind the door, yet this one seemed to be even colder and slightly less dark. Luckily, it wasn't very long.

Helheim at the same time looked a lot like Hades and not at all. It was gloomy and dark, but instead of sand, willows and affodils there were ice, rocks and pinetrees.

My dad grabbed my shoulder. 'Don't stray. Don't talk to random people. Remember that they are here because they died a dishonourable death.'

'I thought some of them died of old age…'

'Shh! That doesn't matter!'

'Okay, Okay!'

'Behave.'

I shut my mouth. We walked down a white path, which led to quite a magnificent palace. 'She should be in here,' Hades explained. 'Don't worry about Hella. She isn't scarier than Persephone.'

I stiffled a laugh while we walked inside.

We were guided into a throne room by a ghost (Not by a skeleton, like in Hades). The throne room was both huge and beautiful. Or, well, throne room. Instead of a throne there was a couch. A woman wearing a big victorian gown and a mask over half her face was draped over it.

She got up when she saw us. 'Hades... Who's this?'

'Nico. He's my son.'

'And you brought him along because?'

'I wanted him to see how Helheim is run.'

Hella shrugged. 'Okay. As long as he doesn't destroy anything.' She pushed her gown straight.

'Why did you call on me?' Dad inquired.

Hell pushed a few curls out of her face. 'Hellheims' infrastructure needs to be renewed.'

My father blinked. 'You want my help with infrastructure?'

'In recent years, Haides has gotten a wonderful new infrastructure. If you don't mind, could you enlighten me on how that happened?'

'That way. A talented architect, eh, recently died. I had him reshape the infrastructure from before, to hold back the traffic jams that used to stop the flow of recently deceased coming in...'

I zoned out and took a good look around room. It was built in a style that held the middle between baroque and Scandinavian. Just like in the Greek Underworld, there were doors running to different parts of the castle. Through little windows you could see where they went. I narrowed my eyes and tried to peak through one.

'Hadesson!'

With a start, I turned around, 'Wha… I mean, yes, your majesty?'

She studied me for a second. 'Could you go get us something to drink? There is a cooler in the back behind the door you were trying to peak through.' She pointed a gloved hand at it (I could see her bony wrist sticking out from under the glove).

I made eye-contact with my dad for a second. He nodded, which I took as a sign that it was probably safe enough to do as she asked.

I nodded, turned around and walked through the door.

As soon as it fell close behind me I was ambushed by a spirit, who grabbed my ankle. I jumped and he let go of my leg, at which point he was shoved away by another spirit.

I kept on walking, ready to fight whatever else would come at me. I saw only a few ghosts around me, but it felt like I was wading through a sea filled with them.

There was a cooler in a small kitchenette at the end of the hallway, but it certainly did not have water in it. Instead, it held a stinking brown-blackish liquid. I got three paper cups from the stack behind it. I filled two and thought for a second, before deciding I was good.

'Ghhh...' A random soul popped up next to me. They slowly stroked my leg. I almost lost all of the fluid in the cups.

'Eh...'

'Gggguhh...' they pointed at the cooler.

'You want some?' I handed them one of the cups without knowing if that was a good idea. 'Guhhh...' They downed the whole thing, deeply bowed for me and left. I waited for a few seconds. It didn't seem like anything happened.

I filled another cup and walked back to the throneroom. Dad and Hella were still talking to each other, Hella on her couch, Dad on a chair a few feet away.

'Hadesson,' Hel announced, while I handed them both a cup, 'Thanks.'

'You're welcome.'

'Your father and I have discussed the basics of the infrastructure exchange,' she told me, as if it was supposed to mean something to me.

'That is good to hear.'

She looked at me for a few seconds, before turning to Hades. 'I think we should stop here. Talk to this kid first, then we'll see.'

Hades nodded. I wondered what was going on, but I didn't ask. I could do that in a second or so.

They both drank their cups empty, after which dad and I left. I bowed to Hel, who bowed her head back to me.

My dad put his hand on my shoulder when we got back. 'What she meant is that she thinks you should do the small runs, to see if everything is going alright with the infrastructure there. She doesn't like it if other gods come into her domain.'

'She, and you, want me to… be a messenger sometimes, basically?'

'It would be handy. She prefers it and our underworld is already a mess. Yet, I only want you to do it if you feel better. It shouldn't be an extra burden.'

I began to snicker. 'I think it might be funny to see what the gods are up to sometimes.'

He shrugged. 'I will see what happens. It would be the best if it was you, for Hell at least, but I am not sure if I want it.'

'I'll hear it. I don't think it can be that bad.'

'Hm.'

'I reckon Daedelus will be going to Helheim now?'

'Yes. I think he'll sees it as a challenge.'

I nodded. 'True.'

Hades sighed. 'Perhaps you should be going back to camp now. You should eat and drink.'

'Eh, yes.' I hadn't done that in a bit. 'Okay then, see you next time!'

'Only now realise how hungry you are?'

'Yes, actually.' I gave him a hug before I ran down the corridor. For one because I was hungry, but also because I had a lot to think about.

A/N: tfw you are writing and there is this giant mosquito monster on your wall

Also it is hot in the Netherlands it shouldn't be 27 degrees in this country my north-European body can't handle that