Charon has no clue how to deal with these very strange and slightly worrying girls lol. And uh- we get the giant puppy soon.
Replies:
Undeath9087: Charon is so confused by them, and yeah, yeah it is not gonna be a quick fix- especially since we gotta get Annabeth too lol.
Zephyr0f8: I often write platonic cuddles so you will get that lol, and you will get a Piper Percy Annabeth sandwich. And I will admit, Percy being called short by people is funny.
Guest: Percy knows why her mom married Gabe, but it still does sting for her that her bio dad didn't do something more- feelings aren't logical. And you'll see how it all goes down soon enough.
Guest: Oh yeah, if it goes wrong it would definitely end in war. 100%. It's a very fine line between them being at peace and at war.
Fugy: what about Pipercabeth? Will that make you cry?
AarBeaz: That comes up actually so I won't say- and we shall see if I am merciful or not.
Guest: You'll have to wait and see what happens- and Percy will probably be a bit shorter than that lol, we shall see.
Guest: I don't tend to do exact- but at this stage Percy is around 4ft7 or so, and Piper is around 4ft11. Annabeth, who we haven't met quite yet is like 5ft1. So there is definitely a noticeable difference lol. And it may get even bigger :)
Charon stared at them for several long moments, a look of disbelief on his face before he laughed. "You kids have nerve I'll give you that. Leave now and I might just forget about this and not report it to my boss."
"Uh, you might get in trouble for not reporting it." Percy didn't falter. "Seeing as I'm pretty sure your boss is going to want to see me."
"Uh huh. It's not happening kid."
And Percy's eyes narrowed. "You don't seem to be getting it Charon. We need to get to the Underworld and you're going to let us pass."
"And why would I do that?" the man raised an eyebrow, "Listen kids, you're funny, that's why you're still alive but-"
"I'm pretty sure Hades will have your hide if you don't take us across." Percy growled the words, slinging the backpack off her shoulders. "Given what I have in this bag."
Charon froze, and even if she couldn't see his eyes Percy could almost imagine them flicking back and forth between the backpack and Percy's face. "What's in the-"
"I mean, if you really don't want to take us across we could just turn around and head home." Percy was bluffing, but Charon wouldn't dare to call her on it she was sure of that much. .
"She'll do it." Piper remarked casually, looking almost amused as her own gaze flicked between Percy and Charon. "Percy always tries to do the right thing but if you push her..."
"You-" Charon's eyes narrowed. "Tell me what's in the backpack."
"I think you know." Percy gripped it tightly, "And I have just travelled all the way from Brooklyn to get here. I've been hunted by gods, attacked by monsters, a bunch of thugs attempted to mug me- my friend here, she just had to stab Procrustes because he had me tied up to one of his stupid beds, I am not in the mood for games Charon."
"If you're telling the truth you need to give me-"
"No." Percy gritted her teeth, "No offence to you but I am not handing this bag to anyone until I get to Hades himself." she shifted her grip, so she was holding her bag with one hand and pulling the Jackal and the Djed amulet out from underneath her shirt. "And I don't think you're going to stop me."
And it was almost comical, the way the man stopped, his eyes going wide.
"Is that-"
And Percy felt her back straightening slightly, she tilted her chin up just so. "The Jackal is the symbol of Anubis and the Djed is the symbol of Osiris. Now are you going to let us go and talk to Hades personally? Or would you rather deal with the fallout when he finds out that you turned away a child bearing the symbols of Osiris and and Anubis who is claiming to have his helm tucked away nice and safe in her backpack. It's your choice but I mean- I know what I'd choose if I was you."
"She really, really isn't bluffing." Piper's voice was very amused, "You do not want to piss her off. She doesn't give a crap about the consequences, if you piss her off she will do whatever the hell she wants. Even if it's not what she was going to do."
"I-" Charon seemed uncertain, but after several long beats he let out a low growl. "Fine. I'll take you across. Whatever happens to you after that I don't care. I'll have done my part." he shook his head, "The boats almost full anyway. I might as well add you two and be off. Come along now." and with that he was turning and taking off, and Percy smirked and she glanced at Piper, who looked like she wanted to laugh.
"You're enjoying this aren't you Percy?"
"Now Pipes however could-" Percy pressed her hand to her chest in mock offence before she cracked and snorted, "Okay, okay yes, yes I am."
Together the two girls forged after Charon. They had to push their way through the crowd of waiting spirits, who started grabbing at their clothes like the wind, their voices whispering things that Percy couldn't quite make out.
Charon didn't seem bothered. He shoved them out of the way, grumbling. "Freeloaders."
He led them to an elevator, which was already crowded with souls of the dead, each one holding a green boarding pass.
Charon grabbed two spirits who were trying to get on with them and pushed them back into the lobby.
"Right. Now, no one get any ideas while I'm gone," he announced to the waiting room. "And if anyone moves the dial off my easy-listening station again, I'll make sure you're here for another thousand years. Understand?"
He shut the doors. He put a key card into a slot in the elevator panel and they started to descend.
Percy's brows furrowed as she stared at the doors before she turned her head to look at Charon, her mind flashing back to the Roman ghosts she'd met years before. Lost, stuck waiting for a chance to move on to the afterlife.
The spirits in the lobby reminded her of them, which was why she decided to question it. "What about the guys out there?"
"Nothing," Charon said.
"For how long?"
"Forever, or until I'm feeling generous."
"Real nice." Percy snorted, "That makes no sense at all- they haven't done anything wrong right? Why are they stuck like that?"
"You think death is fair? They died and they can't pay for the ride, so they have to wait."
"I know death isn't fair but the fact that they can't pay doesn't mean that they should have to just wait in the lobby like that."
"Uh huh." Charon scoffed, "This isn't a charity kid-"
"Wow." Percy snorted, "I will be bringing this up with Hades-"
"Hah, I'd like to see that."
"Oh gods." Piper closed her eyes, "Percy please don't lecture the lord of the Underworld about this-"
"Piper would I be me if I didn't lecture him about something I think is wrong."
"No, no but now is so not the time for you to pick that fight."
"Maybe." Percy waved a hand, "We'll see. I do have some self restraint Pipes-" she was cut off mid sentence by a sudden dizzy feeling, and Percy instantly grabbed Piper's wrist- and Piper was grabbing at Percy's shoulder with her other hand as she steadied herself too.
They weren't going down anymore but forward.
The air turned misty. Spirits around them started changing shape. Their modern clothes flickered, turning into gray hooded robes. The floor of the elevator began swaying.
Percy blinked hard. When she opened her eyes Charon's creamy Italian suit had been replaced by a long black robe. His tortoise shell glasses were gone. Where his eyes should have been were empty sockets.
It was an eerie sight, Percy could admit that. Especially since the flesh of his face was becoming transparent, letting Percy see right through to his skull as the floor kept swaying.
"Oh this feels weird." Piper muttered the words, and Percy blinked again.
Then the elevator wasn't an elevator anymore. They were standing in a wooden barge and Charon was poling them across a dark oily river, swirling with bones, dead fish and other stranger things. Plastic dolls, crushed carnations, soggy diplomas with gilt edges.
Percy tilted her head curiously.
The prospect of crossing over the River Styx probably should have been terrifying, and for anyone else it probably would have been. Piper looked very uneasy as she peered over the edge of the barge.
But as toxic and polluted as the Styx was, it was nothing compared to the terror of walking through the Sea of Chaos, or to falling into it.
It was Piper's voice that pulled Percy out of her thoughts.
"I can't believe we're really- I mean I knew we were coming here so I know I shouldn't be surprised but- we're really crossing the River Styx. It, it's not exactly what I imagined it's so-"
"Polluted," Charon said. "For thousands of years, you humans have been throwing in everything as you come across—hopes, dreams, wishes that never came true. Irresponsible waste management, if you ask me."
Mist curled off the filthy water. Above them, almost lost in the gloom, was a ceiling of stalactites. Ahead, the far shore glimmered with greenish light, the color of poison.
"It's okay Piper." Percy's voice sounded strange, mostly because of how calm and confident she sounded.
The Greek Underworld was different from the Egyptian, obviously, but... well, there was still something about it that felt familiar, not comfortable exactly but, well, the Halls of Judgement were somewhere Percy visited very frequently. She felt almost as comfortable there as she did at home.
"I know." Piper leaned very slightly into Percy's side. "You're here. And I trust you when it comes to Underworld stuff."
"And so you should."
And Percy watched as the shoreline of the Underworld came into view. Craggy rocks and black volcanic sand stretched inland about a hundred yards to the base of a high stone wall, which marched off in either direction as far as she could see. A sound came from somewhere nearby in the green gloom, echoing off the stones—the howl of a large animal.
Percy's lips twitched knowingly. And she felt Piper's body shake very slightly as the girl pressed her hand over her mouth to force down her giggles.
"Old Three-Face is hungry." Charon said the words almost gleefully, "Back luck for you-" he turned his face to look towards them before pausing. "What's so funny?"
"Piper believes that I plan on stealing Hades pet." Percy made sure to keep her expression as calm and even as she could. She did not want to burst out into giggles- that would not look good under the circumstances.
"You-" Charon twitched, "You- you're a weird one kid. Cerberus isn't some puppy you can pet-"
"Charon, I usually have cuddles with Ammit the Devourer at least two times a month if not more. Do not challenge me on if I can pet the giant puppy."
"Please don't." Piper let out a long suffering sigh, "Because she will take it as an actual challenge. And if you challenge her she will do it just to prove that she can-"
"Piper I'm already going to pet the giant three headed puppy we have been over this. I brought toys and treats especially for him-"
"You- most people just try and get past-"
"Most people don't know how to prioritise." Percy glared at Charon, "If you think that I have come all this way to the Underworld and I am not taking the chance to fuss over Cerberus you are sorely mistaken."
"Honestly, it's more fun to let Percy do what Percy wants." Piper remarked lightly, "I mean, it's pretty much always chaotic but it's fun."
"I-" Charon just shook his head, looking thoroughly bewildered, and somewhat relieved as the bottom of the boat slid onto the black sand of the shores of the Styx. "You're not my problem anymore." And it was almost laughable how relieved he looked at that fact.
Percy and Piper let the actual dead people disembark first.
There was a woman holding a little girls hand- that made Percy's heart ache for them, they had to be a mother and daughter.
There was an old man and an old woman hobbling along arm in arm, that was less sad. They were so old and they were clearly a couple- at least they were together in death.
And there was a boy, around Percy and Piper's age staring at the ground as he shuffled along silently in his gray robe.
When it was time for Percy and Piper to step off Percy glanced back at Charon, who was openly staring at them and shaking his head.
And then she turned to look forward.
"Come on Piper. We haven't got far to go now."