Disclaimer: I own nothing. No money has been made off this, but some fun has definitely been had. And as always, all thanks the Rick.

AN: Sorry for the short chapter all! I was going to include more but then it wouldn't have really fit with the theme and the next scene is bound to be a longer one so I decided to stop it here and split them into two chapters that are more thematically relevant to one another. As always, I want to say a massive huge thanks to everyone who takes the time to read and review! It means so much to me. I want to dedicate this chapter to some amazing reviewers: Emmafakedherdeath, Redroses92, and Tagicheartbreak. And thanks to everyone else! Please let me know what you think. :)

Tempting the Fates

Chapter Eighteen

Earth and Wisdom

Hazel

The last few days sucked.

Sucked as in they were honestly agonising. One obstruction after another had throw itself in their path and the time ticked away for the deadline. Gaea was rising and the Romans were closing in on Camp Half Blood. A civil war and a world war on tether hooks waiting for a handful of underage demigods to prove their worth.

They were the kind of harrowing that left her bone tired and and ready to be a cliche to her father's name and sleep like the dead. The rose-tinted glasses were lost somewhere along the way and Hazel wanted a few simple things: peace and quiet, a bit of rest, maybe some thanks, and some homemade gumbo (because the cornucopia never got it completely right and the cornbread just didn't compared to fried up nice like her mom used to make).

Were they closer to the doors of death? Yes, but they still didn't have an exact location of where the entrance was and with each hour passing the tension became more tangible. Everyone was becoming fretful about whether or not they would actually figure it out in time.

Hazel couldn't blame them. As the daughter of Pluto she was expected to feel them out and while she was sure they were going in the correct direction, she wasn't positive.

Was the group becoming more skilled in their own abilities and faith in one another? Yes, but each came with a price. A price that included Hazel acquiring the world's most malodorous ferret, Hazel being poisoned and then turned into a plant— really, she just hadn't been able to win that one but apparently being a daughter of Pluto made her as amiable as a drought to Triptolemus, and Hazel having to get up close and personal with the world's most fetid feet.

Sure, by the end of it she had pretty much mastered the art of mist under extreme duress but that didn't mean she was ready to go about fooling the Gods all higgledy-piggledy; it didn't work that way.

Then her father flippantly springs from the ground and spouts out the missing piece to the puzzle: the exact location of the doors of death. No hi, how are you doing, Hazel? Nice to meet you formally. How's being alive once more treating you? Things are a bit different, aren't they? Or even how's training? What about those newfound powers? Or even something normal like who is that boy and are you going to invite him to dinner? Because if you're not going to invite him for dinner he's not the type of boy that you should be seeing in the first place.

Really! Stumped and startled didn't even begin to bridge the world's weirdest father-daughter relationship.

But at least they had a direction; there was always that. Somewhere to go with the time ticking away second by second. Before he had left, though, Pluto had rested a hand on his daughter's shoulder and it had chilled her to her very core. Part of her— a very real part— felt missing or silent despite the stirring in her gut.

"Be cautious, my daughter. The Goddess you seek, she will assist you, but the abetment you request may not be what you reap." The corners of his lips turned up just slightly but the sober angle of his brow and impassive tilt of his head unsettled her further. His skin stood out against hers, so different in coloration and yet there were distinct characteristics she could see as her own. "Please remember that you are my daughter and our plight is not an easy one. In the end, you must do what is required of you above all else, no matter how wearied the heart."

Hazel nodded, solemn in her motion.

Just as quickly he'd summoned shadows to him and vanished in her wake. The dull look in the other's eyes told her they were no more aware of his brief audience than Sciron was aware of his defeat until he was chomped by his gargantuan pet turtle.

Back on the Argo II she called together everyone for a meeting. Being the centre of attention wasn't something she particularly enjoyed but she stood with renewed purpose before everyone.

"I know where we're going."

The group of teenagers— and an ageing satyre— fell silent but only for a few seconds.

"What!?"

"Where?"

"Bring it on! I'm ready to clobber some monsters. Death, hah! It doesn't scare me. Lemme at it!"

"Where exactly did you find this information?" Annabeth voiced, the last to make herself know. What excitement had been rippling through the crowd— after all, it was one of the only big breaks they'd had on the whole quest— flickered and fizzled.

Oh come on. Really?

Not that she was ashamed. Not in the least. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there were some among them who wouldn't accept her father's contribution as believable.

"Pluto appeared before me. After Sciron fell and the massive tortus thing swallowed him… he came to congratulate me. My powers have grown, he could feel them. But he also brought a warning and help." Dark eyes scanned the crowd— they weren't as adamantine as Nico's but she knew there was a strength there that had grown with every obstacle she had faced since boarding the Argo II.

"We must go on this quest for Styx, just as Piper said, and she will help Percy and Nico." Hazel locked eyes with the daughter of Athena, brown fixing blue, and did not falter. "She will help them, but the help she will provide may not be everything that we hope. And so we cannot interfere. Something is going to go wrong and… and it will be up to me, then. I'm not sure what but something big will become my responsibility."

"Why is he getting involved all of a sudden? He's never shown you any favour."

The words cut through Hazel's resolve like acid. As soon as they left Annabeth's mouth, the older half blood wilted.

She opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by Piper. "Be quiet, Annabeth!" She fumed, the look in her eyes cold and distance. The blonde clamped her hand over her mouth looking equally fearful of Aphrodite's daughter and remorseful to Pluto's daughter. There were apologies in her blue eyes when they sought out Hazel's but she was surged with cold rage, a temper inherited from her godly parent, a source she'd not previously tapped.

"Whatever you may think of him, he doesn't want Gaea to wake. And he certainly doesn't want to see the world brought to its knees. I know some of you don't have much respect for death but there is a natural order to things that you cannot mess with, and he is the definition and overseer of this order. Now I'm not saying he's going to win any father of the year awards but we will find the doors in Epirus."

"Epirus… isn't that—"

"Yes. In the temple to Hades, the Necromanteion. The doors have been tethered there."

"Wow, they have a really lame sense of humour. I'm just saying. Wow, big surprise! They could have changed it up a little. But… I mean… she is like the earth mother. Guess her humour is a little dry." Leo paused.

Coach Hedge bleated. Everyone else just gaped at him.

"Fine, whatever. At least the goat man gets it."

"I got it, too." Frank clapped the other boy on the shoulder and gave a smile. It managed to look more menacing without meaning but the extra bulk his father had blessed him with was still a little startling— even to Hazel.

Leo withered but attempted a grin in return.

"So that's where we're heading." The Roman demigod, motioned for Leo who immediately understood and climbed up to the mast and set their course.

Jumping down from the box she'd been using as her podium, she gravitated to her boyfriend and slipped her hand into his much larger one. The strength in the muscles beneath his skin was different, but she found new appreciation for the safety she always felt when she was with him.

"Epirus via Croatia. Man, if only we got frequently flyer miles. Maybe the big guy could hook us up." Leo waggled his eyebrows at his friend.

"Yeah, lemme have a quick chat. I'm sure we could hook that up." Jason rolled his eyes but the smile on his face was bright.

"There's just one last thing," Piper chimed in. Looking between her friends, she shrugged a shoulder. Apparently there was just one last thing they hadn't really thought of and she was about to be the bearer of the news.

"Not all of us can go after the sceptre in Croatia. We're going to need to decide who goes."

"Rock, paper, scissor?" Frank offered.

"Straws?"

"When I was just a young satyre, we would arm wrestle with a bed of nails on either side of us. Let's just say winner got glory and loser," he made a swift motion with one finger slicing across his neck.

Piper's eyes were huge as she stared at him mouth open. How she could still be remotely surprised by any of the things that left his mouth, Hazel didn't know. She'd only known him for a fraction of the time and she'd come to accept it.

"Yeah… let's not try that. I think we all need to be as close to 100% as possible. Doors of death and all."

Coach Hedge waved his hand like this was an acceptable answer but still grumbled about the poor constitution of today's demigods— it was a wonder the world hadn't crumbled already.

"I'll go." Annabeth volunteered immediately. "If it's going to help Percy…"

"And Nico," Hazel bit back. "I'm going as well."

The air between them was palpable but the daughter of Wisdom conceded. She wasn't completely oblivious that it might have something to do with the proximity of Piper as she put distance between them as soon as she realised how close they were standing.

"Considering he's my sort-of sibling, I think I should go. After all, children of love and all that." Piper volunteered. "Maybe we can reach some kind of mutual understanding. And this feels like an all girls trip."

"I don't know… I'm sure Jason really wants to go. It's all those goopy feeling and puppy dog eyes," Leo tease.

"Careful or I'll tell you all about my goopy feelings. At length. In complete detail."

Leo's eyes widened and he threw his hands up as if to shield himself. "Nooo! Anything but that! Please, pluck out my eyes. B-but please… no feelings!"

The boy's grinned letting whatever tension present just seconds before drift away.

Hazel knew exactly how they were feeling: they finally had a plan.