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Title: Champion of Hades – And Stepson of Medusa

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: m/m, f/f, m/f, canon divergence, show canon elements, fluff, hurt/comfort

Main Pairing: Nico/Percy

Side Pairings: Medusa/Sally, Hades/Persephone, Bianca/Annabeth, Grover/Juniper, Charles/Silena, Chris/Clarisse

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Bianca di Angelo, Annabeth Chase, Sally Jackson, Tyson, Grover Underwood, Juniper, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beauregard, Clarisse la Rue, Chris Rodriguez, Blackjack, Mrs. O'Leary

Mythological Characters: Medusa, Hades, Persephone, Poseidon, Zerberus

Summary: Hades saved Sally from certain death at the hands of the Minotaur and he offers Percy sanctuary from Kronos. But Percy declines it, instead accepting his quest to retrieve Hades' helmet. This sets Hades up to favor Percy, to even proclaim him the Champion of Hades. And that changes the course of Percy's life significantly.

Champion of Hades

And Stepson of Medusa

Chapter 1: We All Choose Who We Make Our Monster

Percy's mom used to tell him all the stories from Greek mythology when he was small. He'd never thought much about it until he was running from the Minotaur and found himself in a camp full of demigods. Among those stories was the one of Medusa. Only that Sally had always focused on what had been done to Medusa, than what Medusa had done in return.

So when Grover, Annabeth and Percy ran into Medusa during their quest for the Master Bolt, his gut-instinct was to trust her. Besides, what was the other option? In front of them stood Medusa, behind them stood Alecto. And Medusa was offering them sanctuary; the fury was not going to dare and attack them while on Medusa's territory. So the three headed inside with her.

"These burgers are really good, uh, ma'am," Grover spoke around a mouthful.

He wasn't wrong. Medusa had decked out so much food, and it tasted so good. The only one not eating was Annabeth, who kept side-eyeing Medusa. It was a surprise that she had even just walked in with them, considering how set she was on the fact that Medusa was a monster.

"So you're not a monster. What are you then?" Percy asked softly.

She regarded him like she was pleased he would even bother asking. "A survivor."

"You must be a little more than that," Percy argued while preparing his food. "There's a Fury out there that seems terrified of you."

"Because she knows what I think of her," Medusa turned her back on them. "I don't like bullies. When one shows up on my doorstep, they end up spending a lot more time there than they planned for. The gift the gods gave me is that I cannot be bullied anymore."

"What my mother did to you wasn't a gift," Annabeth argued with a frown. "It was a curse."

Medusa scrutinized Annabeth. "You are loyal to your mother."

"Yes," Annabeth glared stubbornly.

"You stand by her."

Defiance shone in Annabeth's eyes. "Always."

"You love her?"

"Of course I do."

Percy watched the back and forth and watched how Medusa leaned back in her chair some. "So did I. Do you know the story of how I came to be this way?"

Grover was the one to speak up. "I do."

"Do you?" Medusa asked.

The three kids paused and exchanged looks, Grover growing more unsure. "...Do I?"

Medusa leaned back some, her voice soft. "Athena was everything to me. I worshiped her, I prayed to her, I made offerings… She never answered. Not even an omen to suggest she appreciated my love. I wasn't like you, sweetheart. I was you."

Annabeth flinched away ever so slightly, and Medusa continued. "I would have worshiped her that way for a lifetime. In silence. But then one day, another god came and he broke that silence."

She looked straight at Percy, and even through the veil she was wearing to prevent herself from turning anyone to stone, her gaze felt heavy on him. "Your father. The Sea God told me that he loved me. I felt as though he saw me in a way I had never felt seen before. But then Athena declared that I had embarrassed her and I needed to be punished. Not him. Me."

The gentleness, the revered tone to her voice as she had spoken of her love for Athena and the love of Poseidon, was gone, the smile on her lips had melted into an expression of disappointment and maybe frustration. This all had happened so long ago but the look on her face made it seem as though it had only just happened recently. The pain was still there like it had never healed.

"She decided that I would never be seen again by anyone who would live to tell the tale."

"This isn't what happened," Annabeth spoke with conviction, as though she had been there – as though she knew better what had happened to Medusa than Medusa. "My mother is just, always."

Percy's brows furrowed as he looked at Annabeth, looked at the despair on her face. Because Annabeth wanted – needed – to believe that her mother wasn't the bad guy in the story. Slowly, Percy turned his head to instead look at Medusa. Look for her reaction.

"The gods want you to believe that, that they are infallible. But they only want what all bullies want. They want us to blame ourselves for their own shortcomings."

Percy swallowed hard as her words resonated with every single interaction with anything godly he had had since all of this had started. All his life, his father hadn't bothered to claim him, to speak to him, to care. Only when Poseidon needed him to go retrieve the Master Bolt, to clear Poseidon's name, did he claim Percy. Dionysus had seen a boy who'd just lost his mother, who was lost and confused and alone, and played a prank on Percy, pretended to be Percy's dad just for his own gain. He was just a child – him and Annabeth both were – but here they were, risking their lives because of the whims of the gods. How was that different than the bullies who pushed him around.

"That is not what happened," Annabeth took a step forward, glaring. "And you are a liar."

Well, that was going spectacularly well. They were in Medusa's house and she kept antagonizing their host, who was currently granting them sanctuary, who could, if she wanted, turn them to stone with one look. She might be clever, but she sucked at diplomacy. Percy turned toward Medusa, watching her reaction carefully. Watching to see if they needed to defend themselves after all. What little of her smile had been left was gone now as she regarded Annabeth with something close to a sneer but closer to acceptance. She looked resigned. Like she knew arguing with a daughter of Athena was a pointless task, like this was the outcome she had expected – but still had hoped for a different one. She heaved a sigh and turned her head toward the kitchen.

"Something's burning," Medusa got up from the table and walked away. "Would you give me a hand in the kitchen? I think lunch is ready."

Percy instinctively knew she had spoken to him and he got up with little reluctance. He couldn't believe her to have ill intentions toward them. Otherwise, they would already be statues. Now she left the room and they could just run away, if they wanted to. Still, Percy turned toward Annabeth, looking at her, and she shook her head. Untrusting. Unbelieving. Percy stood and followed Medusa.

"She's not usually like that," was the first thing Percy said when he entered the kitchen, pausing for a moment as he amended the truth. "I mean, a little bit, she is, but that was… a lot."

Having the need to apologize for Annabeth, try to explain her behavior. Because deep down, he just knew Medusa wasn't wrong. If for no other reason, because it was her story. And Percy, he knew what it felt like to not be believed. All his life, people didn't believe him, told him that things he knew had happened in a certain way hadn't actually been that way. There were no winged horses there, he was just seeing things. What happened hadn't really happened. But… it had. And it hurt not to be believed, it hurt to have other people think they knew his experiences better than him.

/break\

The son of Poseidon was sweet. Naive, maybe. But not in a dumb way. In a way that spoke of deep belief in others. Wanting to see the best in everyone. A quality Medusa found herself yearning for.

"You need to be careful," Medusa spoke softly, her back to him.

"Annabeth is just very, uh, opinionated-"

"Not her," Medusa interrupted him. "The gods. You are… kind. They use kindness. Until none is left and until you have given everything for them and there will be nothing left of you."

She turned around to face him, the casserole in her hands. He looked confused, but there was a spark of recognition. Surely the child sent onto a life-threatening quest was aware enough to understand this risk, and understand that the gods had put him into harm's way.

When these three children had arrived at her doorstep, she had to admit she first thought they would make a wonderful addition to her statue garden. A son of Poseidon and a daughter of Athena, how befitting for her. But then this boy looked at her with his eyes of ocean and innocence and put his trust into her, in a way nobody had in centuries. Even before she had been able to speak any truths, he had convinced his friends to enter her house. Because his mother had told him Medusa's story. In a way that made this child look at her not as a monster. It left Medusa intrigued about the boy's mother, what kind of gentle soul she was.

He had listened to her. Had listened to her story. Had not doubted her. Now, his little companion, the loud-mouthed daughter of Athena, Medusa would have easily turned to stone if she had come here alone. But she had come and brought the boy, the son of… No, Poseidon didn't deserve it.

"What is your mother's name?" Medusa asked.

"Sally," Percy perked up, eyes shining with love and pride. "Sally Jackson. Uh, I'm Percy."

A soft smile played on her lips. "Percy, son of Sally Jackson. Come, dinner will get cold."

The child perked up even more when she called him the son of Sally Jackson. He loved his mother dearly. And though Medusa didn't know the woman, judging by the values she had taught her son, the kindness, mercy and the ability to listen first before acting, Medusa thought this love was earned and well-placed. Percy shook himself out of it and grabbed something else to carry over to the dining room, where the little satyr was still happily munching and the little daughter of Athena was still grumpily glaring. She was entirely coasting on the good will Percy had gained, truly.

"Eat, you all have a very long journey ahead of you," Medusa urged them.

Percy sat down again and him and his satyr friend were quick and eager to dive in like starved children. The only noises were chewing and the occasional compliment from Percy and – Grover, the satyr's name was. Medusa smiled to herself as she watched the children. It was rare that anyone chose to walk past her doorstep, most ended up in her garden already. Especially demigods, because those always attacked first and asked questions never. But this was… nice. It filled Medusa with a sense of longing that she hadn't known she was still capable of. Her home, filled with warmth and laughter and someone else. Her smile tightened a little at that, knowing the bright demigod was going to leave again. There was an awkward stretch of silence when the children finished their meal – and Grover wrapped up some left-overs, sneaking them into his backpack.

"Well then, I think you have to get going," Medusa stood first. "If I understand this right, you're not just… on a quest for the gods, are you, son of Sally Jackson?"

"I, yes, we're going to save my mom from the underworld."

Utter devotion and conviction in his voice. Medusa's smile widened just a little. No, this boy was indeed not following the gods' quest, he was following his own heart. She thought she could condone this much more than previous demigods. She thought Sally Jackson may be worth saving.

"You showed me mercy and understanding in a way I don't receive often, Percy Jackson," Medusa regarded the boy. "I will reward your behavior. I will grand you a boon. Pack however much food you wish and leave in five minutes."

"The Fury-" Percy argued.

Medusa turned her back on them and only then took off her veiled hat before heading toward the door. "Won't be a problem anymore in five minutes."

/break\

Percy and Annabeth stood at the window, watching as Medusa turned Alecto into stone with one look, while Grover greedily packed up provisions for them all. There was a strange sense of vindication in Percy at having been right to trust Medusa. See, my mom was right! She isn't a monster, was screaming in his head, but he had the sense not to say it aloud to Annabeth. The girl already looked annoyed enough at having been wrong.

"Grover," Annabeth hissed. "Are you quite done? You know we also have to carry it."

Grover paused and looked from the overstuffed bags to Annabeth and Percy with a very sheepish look on his face. Percy huffed out a laugh as he went ahead to take one of the backpacks from Grover. Exchanging one last look with Annabeth – who still had an edge of distrust and doubt in her eyes, like she expected to still get backstabbed – Percy headed to the door. When the three of them left the house, Medusa was just in the middle of straightening her veil properly.

"Not the prettiest of my statues," Medusa mused as she regarded Alecto. "But it will do."

"T… Thank you," Percy looked at her, trying to convey just how grateful he was. "This… is the first time someone's actually… helping. Not just standing by."

"I feel like that should tell you all you need to know," Medusa offered the most twisted smile to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful, Percy Jackson. Not all who look like monsters actually are. And not all who look like heroes are good."

He laughed softly at that, startling her. "My mom used to say something similar."

Medusa tilted her head at his words. "Your mother sounds like a very interesting woman. When you saved her, come and see me again, I think I'd like to meet her."

Percy blinked a couple of times, but he nodded. Sure. She'd just saved them a whole lot of trouble. And his mom would probably totally freak at meeting the Medusa. A grin spread over his lips at that thought. The thought of his mom being back, being safe, of them sharing Medusa's burgers and laughing and he could tell her all about this horrible, weird, fantastic adventure. He couldn't wait for all of this to be over and for life to get… not normal, because it would never be normal again, but less direct dangerous, maybe? He just wanted his mom back.

"Sure thing," Percy grinned at her. "Thank you, for your help."

"Be cafe out there, son of Sally Jackson," was the last thing Medusa said as the three headed off. "This world is dangerous and I would hate to see my mercy go to waste as you die regardless."

Author's note: I hadn't started a new multichapter PJO fic with the foresight that MAYBE, the show will give me something that really inspires me. Medusa's introduction was the first to inspire me to the Medusally oneshot, but Hades' introduction hit me SO HARD, I absolutely needed this Hades in combination with Nicercy - with number one shipper Hades

I LOVE show!Medusa and I think the show did her dirty by giving her this amazing set-up and then STILL killing her. No, she should have gotten to live, so she will in this fic. The entire first scene of this chapter, until the first "break", is taken directly from episode 3, because I really did love that scene; after the "break", we went off-script, and we're going to stay there from hereon out, Medusa's and Hades' involvement are going to make this canon divergent of both show and books! ;)