Meaning to Pants on Fire

After the whole carving our initials into the tree, Annabeth and I spent the day on the beach with Tyson and Grover. We completely ignored Hercules and most of the other heroes. A few of them were really snotty and didn't want to deal with us.

In the morning, Deadalus woke all of us up. We were sleeping around the campfire that apparently never went out in the cave. Annabeth, who liked sleeping in more than I did, snuggled into me and tried to ignore Deadalus's voice calling out for us to hurry.

"Come on," I whispered, pulling Annabeth up with me as I went to sit up straight. She groaned a bit and her hair, which had come out of its ponytail, fell in front of her face. My arm was wrapped around her waist and I tried my best to make her stand. Annabeth was completely leaning on me.

Slowly waking up, Annabeth didn't exactly move from my grasp but she started taking on more of her weight so I wasn't about to tumble over. Not that Annabeth was heavy and fat but it was difficult having her stand without falling over.

"Good, you're up. Hades wants to see you now," Deadalus lit a torch from the never dying fire and began to walk down one of the tunnels. I trusted his sense of direction of he lived in a place like the Labyrinth for centuries.

"I'm scared," Tyson whispered as the walls of the caves started turning into black obsidian, rocks that were carved like skulls. A few skeletons were dancing as we passed them, reminding me of my dreams. I didn't have one last night, I wondered why.

"Me too," Grover whimpered as a skeleton reached out to trying and grab him by the horn. Jumping in fright, Grover stood closer to me and Annabeth who followed Deadalus. It wasn't long of a trip before we stood in front of a dark black throne on which Hades sat. He looked just as he had the last time. His shirt read, "No Bark, All Bite" which I found appropriate.

"Percy Jackson, step forward." Sometimes, I get tired of gods and goddesses doing this to me, making me stand in front of them as they picked away at me with tiny insults and challenges. "You have impressed me much since your last adventure to the Underworld. I hope you remember it fondly." He gave me a twisted smile. I guess that was a joke because I couldn't forget it.

"Hades," I bowed in front of him to show respect and then stood straight to stare up at him. All Gods, in normal size, were about twelve feet tall which can be pretty intimidating. "What would you like to speak to me about?" I figured I would be polite because he hadn't threatened to kill me yet and he had invited me here. I was a guest, not an enemy, at the moment.

"My son, Nico, has gone missing and I fear a fate worse than death may have happened to him. I understand you are on a quest. I merely inform you to keep a look out for him and to not completely trust him until you are sure he is still his normal self." Nico? What had he gotten himself into this time? I figured he would return to the Underworld where he felt so at home.

"As for your quest, for gratitude for all that you've done, although I really hate to do this, I'll provide you with these." He snapped his fingers and four metal bracelets formed. They were like Super Woman's special bracelets that deflected bullets. One was floating in front of each individual in my group; Tyson, Grover, Annabeth and I.

"What exactly are they?" I asked. Hades glared as if I had stepped out of line with the question. I was just curious is all. He didn't have to take it as an insult but Gods always did jump the gun on things.

"Communicators, they'll keep in contact as long as you were them and no matter how far apart you are. I thought you might need them after you got separated." Hades was drumming his fingers on the arm rest of his chair.

"Thank you Hades, and I will look for Nico. I will help him as well too." I wasn't truly doing this for Hades. I was going this for Nico, who was a good kid deep down even though his dad was the ruler of the Underworld.

"Don't be thankful, I'm not doing this because I care for you Percy Jackson but because in a few days, you will determine the fate of my world and I would very much like you alive in order to make the right decision." Hades wasn't necessarily for saving Olympus for all I knew. In the prophecy, it stated that I could destroy Olympus too so technically, Hades could've been working for the Titans for all I knew. "Now, travel through this passage here and you will find yourselves in the old Olympus where most of the monsters of the Labyrinth of congregated."

A fire doorframe appeared next to us. We all slipped on our bracelets and I turned to stare at Deadalus, "I'm glad you're happy." He gave me a smile and waved it off. Icarus came into view, with his new, never fail wings, strapped onto his small back. He was so young. Deadalus waved and then I turned to Hades, "I appreciate this God of the Dead. I owe you one." That gave Hades a wide grin.

"Who first?" Tyson asked, sounding a bit scared of the fire door even though the flames couldn't hurt him being a Cyclops after all. I think it was the thought of what laid on the other side that frightened him the most.

"Well," I stepped forward, "Down the Rabbit Hole…again." Then, I let the flames engulf me, and as burning as it was, I wasn't actually in pain. I was numb as the flames licked at me and then, I was being pulled into the center and exiting through another part of the fire that I hadn't realized was there before.

My feet hit solid ground and I stood there still feeling the warmth as Tyson, Grover, and then Annabeth appeared beside me. I gave a smile, "Well, we're at the old Olympus." I stared at the large mountain that reached up towards the sky. We were in a completely different part of the world. I wondered if I should've asked for passports too.

"Ugh, Percy?" Annabeth's voice was a bit curious and scared at the same time.

"What?" I turned to face her and check out surroundings. We didn't seem to be in any danger.

"Your pants are on fire," she pointed towards the flames on the right side of my shorts. Panicking I began the whole Stop-Drop-and-Roll which actually turned out to work. I had always thought it was a lie before. When I stood up there was a clear burn in my shorts and I shook my head because of my stupidity.

That's when I heard a monstrous cry and reached for Riptide, my burnt shorts only present in my mind as a nasty smell.