A moment I know many of you have waited for is about to happen! I hope you like my version of Percy bathing in the Styx, and after this one there is one more chapter in this fic and then the Last Olympian shall be starting so I hope you're all looking forward to that. It should be good :). Anyway please please let me know what you all think.

Percy had been to the Underworld before- neither of her trips had been fun- but they'd worked out well enough in the end. This time Percy wasn't sure it would end so well though- this time she was doing something even more dangerous than the last times.

She'd also shadow travelled before- more times than she could count- but it was different shadow travelling with Hades she had to admit- with Nico it felt like some crazy pitch black roller coaster, but when Hades grabbed her arm and pulled her through the shadows Percy had to admit that it was a much smoother ride, and faster too. One moment they were on the path outside of Percy's home and the next she was in the Underworld, she blinked rapidly- her eyes wide as she looked around, and sure enough they were by the banks of a River- she'd never actually seen it up close before but she knew where she was.

"The Styx."

"Yes." Hades voice was serious, and Percy stared at it- they were surrounded by the familiar black volcanic sand and craggy rocks. This part of the river was secluded, and Percy swallowed hard as she stared into it.

The River Styx's current swirled with strange objects—broken toys, ripped-up college diplomas, wilted homecoming corsages—all the dreams people had thrown away as they'd passed from life into death. Looking at the black water, Percy could think of about three million places she'd rather swim.

And somehow she knew that this River wasn't one she'd be able to control, not like the Lethe. It was a frightening thought- and she felt Hades hand on her shoulder, squeezing slightly an uncommonly comforting gesture from the god.

"I have to swim in there." it was a statement, but still Percy's voice was almost uncertain. "I honestly don't think there's anywhere I've wanted to swim less, and I've swam in the Lethe."

"You yourself made this choice." Hades voice was low. "I will wait and guard you but I will not be able to do any more. It has to be your choice Persephone, and you must do
it yourself."

"I know." Percy admitted softly, "But that doesn't mean I can't be scared, right?"

"I would be concerned if you weren't scared." Hades shook his head, "Tell me Persephone. Will you do it?"

"Yes." Percy nodded, "I'm terrified but yeah, yeah I'm going to do this." she straightened up, moving to run and leap in- after all the less time she took doing it the less time she had to build up the fear, right?

"No!" Hades grabbed her arm before she could break into a run as she'd been planning on doing, "You cannot just leap in. You must prepare yourself first or the Styx will destroy you. It will burn away your body and soul. No you must be careful-"

"Right-" Percy faltered, "I thought I just needed mom's blessing. What- what do I have to do to prepare myself then?"

"You much ancho-" Hades paused, raising an eyebrow looking at a spot behind Percy, and Percy turned around quickly as a respectful voice said-

"Lord Hades. I was half expecting you to return after you questioned me before."

And for a second Percy was willing to admit that she thought the figure- the ghost in front of them was Ares, because he looked exactly like the god of war—tall and buff, with a cruel scarred face and closely shaved black hair. He wore a white tunic and bronze armor. He held a plumed war helm under his arm. But his eyes were human—pale green like a shallow sea—and a bloody arrow stuck out of his left calf, just above the ankle.

Percy felt her eyes widen in surprise as she stared at him- and she might not always be the brightest but it didn't take a genius to figure out just who the figure was. "Achilles. You're Achilles."

"Yes." the ghost nodded at Percy. "I told Lord Hades about other one. I warned him not to follow my path. Must I now warn you too?"

"I know." Percy swallowed hard, "I was the one who asked Lord Hades to find out if Alabaster had bathed in the Styx."

"The boy refused to listen to my arguments. He was beyond all reason-"

"Yeah that sounds like him." Percy huffed, "He's like that. Was like that. He's..." she shrugged, "I don't even know honestly."

"Do you plan on following his lead."

"I have to." Percy shook her head, "The last guy who came here. I need to face him soon, and the only chance I have is to bathe in the Styx too otherwise I'll be deal in less than five seconds- well, worse than dead."

"Find another way. Child I urge you to rethink this. It will make you powerful. But it will also make you weak. Your prowess in combat will be beyond any mortal's, but your weaknesses, your failings will increase as well."

"You mean I'll have a bad heel?" Percy couldn't help but ask. "Couldn't I just, like, wear something besides sandals? No offense."

He stared down at his bloody foot. "The heel is only my physical weakness, demigod. My mother, Thetis, held me there when she dipped me in the Styx. What really killed me was my own arrogance. Beware! Turn back!"

He meant it. Percy could hear the regret and bitterness in his voice. He was trying to save her from a terrible fate- but Percy had known what she was doing when she'd contacted Hades hadn't she- and she noticed that he'd taken a step back, leaving her to speak to Achilles, though there was a glint in his eyes- he was curious as to how this would go, she was sure of it.

"Thanks for the advice." Percy said after a long moment, "I appreciate it. Really I do. But- apparently the fate of the worlds on my shoulders and I'd rather not have to fight Kronos without at least some defence against him and the only thing that might at least give me a chance is the invulnerability I'll get from bathing in the Styx so I have to do this."

Achilles lowered his head. "Let the gods witness I tried. Hero, if you must do this, concentrate on your mortal point. Imagine one spot of your body that will remain vulnerable. This is the point where your soul will anchor your body to the world. It will be your greatest weakness, but also your only hope. No man may be completely invulnerable. Lose sight of what keeps you mortal, and the River Styx will burn you to ashes. You will cease to exist."

Percy took a breath at that, trying to hide her nerves.

"I don't suppose you could tell me where Alabaster's mortal point is?" it would be amazing if she could find out where he chose, it'd give her more of a chance, and she needed every chance she could get after all, and she felt a niggling thought that she couldn't quite grasp yet- like she should know. Like she should be able to figure it out.

But- she shook her head, pushing away those thoughts as Achilles spoke again.

"Prepare yourself foolish girl. If you survive this or not you have sealed your doom."

"Eh." Percy gave a shrug, not wanting to show her doubts and fears. "I'm pretty much always heading towards my doom so this is nothing new."

And Achilles glared at her before vanishing.

"Wow. Real nice guy." Percy muttered the words, shaking her head as she stared at the spot he'd been standing in a moment earlier. But, well at least her talk with Achilles had, if anything, made her more determined to do it. Sure there were huge risks, but it really was the only choice. Besides, she didn't like being told what she could and couldn't do so that helped her make up her mind.

Then she stepped towards the river, pausing right by the edge of the water, not quite stepping in as she focused.

Where should her mortal spot be? She'd considered it of course, before she'd even fully decided. But she'd not made any solid decisions.

The small of her back was probably the safest point, it was small, well defended when she was wearing her armour, it would be a hard spot to hit by accident and it wasn't the type of spot that any enemies would aim for on purpose.

With that decided Percy tried to imagine a string, a bungee cord or something connecting her to the world from the small of her back, and then she stepped into the river.

Percy had known, she known that it would be unpleasant, she'd known that it would be bad but nothing could have prepared her for how it really felt- and she'd been in the middle of an exploding volcano so she liked to think that she knew a little about pain- that had been horrendous, but it wasn't a patch on stepping into the Styx.

She had planned on walking in, all heroic and courageous. But that wasn't possible, she realized that very quickly. It was like stepping into acid except it was worse, she'd never felt any pain like it. It stole her breath- she couldn't even scream, and it stole the strength from her legs- her muscles seemed to turn to jelly beneath her and she fell forward, she couldn't even throw her hands out to catch herself.

She went in face first, and she was fully submerged and she gasped automatically- and unlike her normal gifts in water she couldn't breath- it was horrible, she had never understood the panic that people felt when they drowned until this- but she could understand it now alright.

Every nerve in her body was burning, she felt like she was dissolving- and she heard familiar voices, snatches of them- her mothers, soft and comforting, Nico and Leo, laughing and telling her to stop being a wimp and to swim. And she saw faces, though they faded as soon as they appeared, Grover and Tyson were there too, so were Drew and Thalia.
She was losing the fight, losing focus from the pain, she felt as if she was melting into the water, as if her soul was being ripped from her body. She sobbed silently from the pain as more faces flashed, more voices- Annabeth and Rachel this time, she saw a flash of her girlfriends stood hand in hand, hands outstretched to try and grab her hands.

"The cord." Annabeth was rolling her eyes and laughing, "Remember your lifeline, dummy."

"C'mon, you can do better than that." Rachel had that sly grin on her lips that Percy knew usually meant she was going to be kissed until she couldn't think straight.

And Percy felt a tug in her lower back. The current still pulled at her but it wasn't carrying her away anymore, she could imagine the string in her back keeping her tied to the shore.

And then there was another face.

And of course it would be him. She adored Annabeth and Rachel, loved them both with every fibre of her being- but there was one person who would always be her anchor- the one person who had been her most constant figure. He had been her best friend her entire life, since the day she was born.

Luke was smiling down at her, a raised eyebrow and an amused look on his face as he stared down at her. "C'mon Sephie." his hand was reaching down into the water.

Percy felt the cord strengthening.

"Not all of us can breath underwater Sephie, c'mon, mom's waiting for us. You don't want to make her worry do you?"

And memories that had been slipping away came flooding back, she'd been dissolving, melting away before, but now it was like a rush, and she knew who she was.

She was Percy Jackson- and memories flooded through her mind- birthdays with shoes and swords, watching her big brother fence, joining him later, laughing as he chased her around the garden with the hose.

She remembered her first meeting with Annabeth- the cute little girl who she'd never have imagined would come to mean so much to her- she remembered the day the bolt was stolen, her fear and Luke's comfort as they'd snuggled up and watched the Little Mermaid.

That fateful school trip and the journey to camp.

She remembered Alabaster, the good and the bad- the quests, the friendships she'd formed, she remembered gaining new family- the pride she felt when she looked at Tyson, Nico and Leo, meeting Rachel at the Hoover Dam, everything rushed back and she was reaching up to take her big brothers hand- and she burst out of the river, collapsing on the sandy bank, breathing heavily.

And as she gasped for breath she realized that she'd done it.

She'd bathed in the Styx and survived.