In which we have a bewildered Hades, a Percy who actually feels sorry for him- and more!
Replies:
Undeath9087: He's so used to being treated poorly, and he's just so confused when Percy's just like 'Dude, I don't want anything for returning your stolen property. It's called doing the right thing.' She's definitely not a normal hero. And Hades likes that fact.
Guest: By that it literally just meant that Hades was the first Greek one she'd met. She's met Egyptian immortals, but Hades is Piper's first Greek immortal. Percy's was Rhea.
Guest: Ah but will Hades tell her that? I mean he will, just not yet. He actually likes her, he doesn't want to get into all that yet.
Guest: The House of Life didn't used to hunt down gods and lock them up- so Hades does know about it. He just doesn't know what they started doing when Iskander took over.
rage2091: I mean, you're not wrong, but Percy won't exactly hold the helm and not give it to him until he says yes so that's not the sort of thing he means lol. And she's super confused as to why he expects her to make demands.
Drizzle: Very true.
Guest: Hades is very aware, and it will come up actually lol.
Guest: They would be entertaining.
Guest: I mean, it would be funny.
Percy blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion as she tilted her head, "What do you mean?" she asked after a moment. "What do you mean what do I want from you in return?"
"I mean-" Hades watched her carefully, "What do you want in return for giving me back my Helm. I assume you do want something? Yes?"
"Uh, not really." Percy said slowly, "I mean, I don't think there's much you could give me that I really want. I don't need a reward or anything if that's what you're talking about."
"She really doesn't." Piper remarked, a fond smile on her lips. "Might sound crazy to you but Percy does what's right because it's right not just for rewards."
Hades' gaze flicked between them both, clearly taking in their words before his back straightened. "I think perhaps we should continue this discussion in my palace." his voice was somewhat bewildered. And that made Percy frown slightly.
Was he really so used to people treating him poorly that he assumed they must have some kind of ulterior motive for returning his stolen property to him? But then, the Greeks did view the afterlife differently from the Egyptians. Osiris was much more respected, much less feared than Hades.
"Sure." she decided, glancing at Piper, who gave her a small nod of agreement. "Lead the way then Lord Hades."
And so the two girls followed the god of the Underworld past the security lines, spirits and guards watching curiously- and some with fear, as they walked, but then they probably didn't often get personal visits from Hades himself.
Percy frowned as they did start walking, glancing back when she heard Cerberus letting out a wounded whine.
Hades must have noticed because he sighed loudly, "If you don't cause too much trouble for me I may approve of you visiting him again-"
"Yes!" Percy punched the air as Piper let out bright loud laughter.
"Oh no. Lord Hades you don't realise what you've done." she was grinning. "You'll never get rid of her now."
"I better be able to." Hades let out a slight huff, shaking his head. "Do not make me regret that girl."
"I certainly will." Percy gave him a crooked grin- but there was more of a bounce in her step. And she did slow slightly as they passed the Fields of Asphodel, a curious look on her face.
The fields were black grass, trampled by eons of dead feet. A warm, moist wind blew like the breath of a swamp. Black trees grew in clumps here and there. It was kind of eerie- there were millions of people, milling around aimlessly, their voices whispering strangely.
The spirits all backed away as they passed though, whispers fading slightly, turning awed as they watched Hades.
And they moved past Elysium, towards the Fields of Punishment, past the judgement pavilion, which glowed and smoked in the distance, a vast, cracked wasteland with rivers of lava and minefields and miles of barbed wire separating the different torture areas.
Percy decided against lingering on that. Oh the people undoubtedly deserved their punishments but it still wasn't pleasant to watch, so Percy's gaze moved on, towards the other side of the judgement pavilion, where she could see a small valley surrounded by walls—a gated community, which seemed to be the only happy part of the Underworld. Beyond the security gate were neighbourhoods of beautiful houses from every time period in history, Roman villas and medieval castles and Victorian mansions. Silver and gold flowers bloomed on the lawns. The grass rippled in rainbow colors. Percy could even hear laughter and smell barbecue cooking.
That had to be Elysium.
And in the middle of that valley was a glittering blue lake, with three small islands like a vacation resort in the Bahamas. The Isles of the Blessed, for people who had chosen to be reborn three times, and three times achieved Elysium.
Percy tilted her head as she stared at it, and then she felt Piper bumping her shoulder gently. "Hey, earth to Percy, are you in there?"
"I- yeah." Percy shook herself slightly. "I was just thinking."
"Thinking what?" Piper looked curious, "It's not like you to get so distracted-" she paused, "I just realised what I said and yeah, yeah you're right." because she could see the look Percy was aiming at her and she was clearly trying to force down her own laughter.
"If you must know-" Percy's gaze flicked back to Elysium. "I was wondering what'll happen when I die. I mean, even ignoring-" her hand drifted up to her neck, fingers brushing over the scar, "Well ignoring the other complications."
"You are a strange case." that was Hades voice- and Percy turned her gaze back to him.
He looked thoughtful, like he was considering the problem. "I admit I'm not sure where you'll go when you do pass. I imagine I'd have to discuss that with your father. He'll undoubtedly want you with him but as a Greek Demigod you also have a place here."
"Maybe I could travel between." Percy snickered, "Part time here part time there."
And Hades twitched slightly, "I am definitely going to need to discus this with your father. I admit it will be nice to speak to another god who respects my duties."
"Everyone should respect you." Percy's voice was serious, "You're one of the most important gods- your role is insanely important. Besides from what I know of the myths you're actually more reasonable than most of them- even my father isn't always as reasonable as you are."
Hades let out a slight laugh- it was barely even an exhale but it was there. "A child of Poseidon showing me the respect I deserve. I never thought I'd see the day." he gave a sidelong glance, "Clearly your step fa-"
"My dad." Percy cut him off, "He is my dad. Poseidon is my father but Julius Kane, the eye of Osiris, he is my dad. He raised me since I was like, five years old, he loved me like I was one of his own." her voice was fierce, "And I know-I know you didn't mean anything by calling him my step father. But my step father was an abusive asshole-" she saw Piper's eyes widen in surprise- which made sense she never talked about Gabe these days, "Who- who hopefully is dead in a ditch by now. Julius Kane is my dad." she swallowed hard, "Even if he's not around so much as he used to be and even if he's not always perfect and he makes mistakes. He is my dad."
There was a long moment of silence and Hades stared at her, a soft gleam in his eyes. "Of course. I apologise for my mistake. I was just saying that clearly your dad had a strong influence on you."
"That and my mom." Percy remarked, "I won't lie I'm probably not as respectful to gods in general as your average demigod- you guys have different relationships than we magicians have with the Egyptian gods but, I mean, I was raised to judge people on how they are not on what the rest of the world decides to believe."
"If more people thought the way you did perhaps... but it doesn't matter." Hades sighed heavily- and his palace was within view now- and it was pretty impressive Percy could admit that.
The outer walls of the fortress glittered black, and the two-story-tall bronze gates stood wide open, clearly waiting for it's master-and Percy couldn't help but notice the three figures high above, circling the parapets.
Piper followed her gaze and blinked, "Are they-"
"Uh-" Percy shifted slightly from foot to foot, "Lord Hades did you-"
"Send my furies to retrieve my Helm? Yes. I was annoyed when they reported that they'd lost track of it after it reappeared after so long."
"Huh." Percy blinked, "Should I apologise-"
"We shall see. I will want a full explanation of everything that has happened." he eyed Percy curiously, "But that will wait until we have more privacy," they reached the bronze gates- which were engraved with scenes of death. Some were from modern times—an atomic bomb exploding over a city, a trench filled with gas mask-wearing soldiers, a line of African famine victims waiting with empty bowls—but all of them looked as if they'd been etched into the bronze thousands of years ago.
Percy snorted, "You're really leaning into the death and despair aesthetic huh?" and Hades gave her a look.
"You know, if a normal demigod asked me that I would probably curse them-"
"Yeah but I'm no normal demigod." Percy declared, "I'm practically an Underworld kid y'know?"
"Yes, it seems so." Hades shook his head and they kept moving, heading through a courtyard with was filled with multicolored mushrooms, poisonous shrubs, and weird luminous plants which grew without sunlight. Precious jewels made up for the lack of flowers, piles of rubies as big as Percy's fist, clumps of raw diamonds. Standing here and there were statues—children, satyrs, and centaurs—all smiling grotesquely. Percy felt uncomfortable at the sight of those, for a reason she couldn't quite put her finger on.
In the center of the garden was an orchard of pomegranate trees, their orange blooms neon bright in the dark. Percy slowed again- there was a tart smell that filled the air, the smell of the pomegranates- it made you want a taste.
"Is this-" Piper's voice was hesitant, "Is this Persephone's garden?"
"Yes." Hades nodded. "Yes it is. My wife has full control over these gardens."
"Heh." Percy couldn't help the laugh. "Does that mean I can claim it too?" she paused at the look Hades gave her. "Everyone calls me Percy unless I'm in trouble but my full name is Persephone Ariadne."
And Hades did laugh at that. "Your mother chose your name I presume."
"Yep. She chose Persephone because she was one of the few women in mythology who ended up happy, and Ariadne because she deserved better than Theseus and she got it in the end."
"Oh my nephew would approve of you." Hades shook his head as they moved on, walking up the steps of the palace, between black columns, through a black marble portico, and into the house of Hades. The entry hall had a polished bronze floor, which seemed to boil in the reflected torchlight. There was no ceiling, just the cavern roof, far above.
Every side doorway was guarded by a skeleton in military gear. Some wore Greek armor, some British redcoat uniforms, some camouflage with tattered American flags on the shoulders. They carried spears or muskets or M-16s. None of them bothered the three of them, but their hollow eye sockets followed them as they walked down the hall, toward the big set of doors at the opposite end. They all nodded their heads as Hades passed, clearly a sign of respect if Percy was any judge.
The two skeletons guarding the big doors stepped aside as they approached, and the doors swung open on their own.
And Percy's breath caught as she looked around.
She was standing in a vast throne room with black marble walls and bronze floors. The empty, throne was made from human bones fused together.
Percy swallowed hard at the sight, and Hades moved away from them, walking towards the empty throne- lowering himself onto it, gesturing for them both to approach.
Percy glanced at Piper, who managed a half hearted little shrug.
Together they approached the throne, and Hades looked down at them. "Well now children. I think it's time for you to show me what you brought for me."
And Percy nodded, making short work of opening up the back pack, pulling out the smaller backpack, and opening that up.
Then she carefully pulled the bronze Helm out from inside of it, handing the bag over to Piper as she stepped closer to the throne, holding it up towards Hades.
"My uncle." She gave a determined smile, "Your helm."
And Hades reached down, carefully taking his Helm from her hands, and there was a look of pure relief on his face.
"I thank you niece. Now, I know you told me how you came across it. But I wish to hear your tale again. Every detail of it if you will."
"Of course uncle." Percy took a deep breath, "But I don't think you'll like some of it."