So some people don't like my formatting of this story. I don't like it either but I was being threatened by multiple users for account deletion for having chunks of the book written out. So that's why there is a few words then a '...' then a few more. So before anyone else calls me "so incredibly lazy" again, realize you woulnd't have this story if it wasn't formatted this way.

Thanks

Demeter observed the children as they settled in for another chapter. They seemed to be incredibly close to each other. Which was a surprise because it was a mix of roman and Greek demigods. Historically, not getting along. She was especially surprised that the big three children all got along as well as they were.

The future must really be something if this group has come together she thinks to herself. As she starts reading, she wonders if they'll hear about more demigods from the Roman camp.

ANNABETH DOES OBEDIENCE SCHOOL

"What?" Leo asks confused.

Annabeth just smiled a little sadly. "It will explain."

Percy leaned down and whispered in her ear. "After this is all over, we'll pay him a visit."

We stood in the … You remember the plan."

There was a collection of groans around the room.

"What's wrong?" Athena asks. "Having a plan is the best option."

"Not Percy's plans." Will says. "His thought-out plans don't always work the best."

"It's the heat of the moment decisions that have saved us more than once." Clarisse confirms.

Athena just frowned but didn't say anything more.

"The plan," …Don't think negative."

"Says the biggest pessimist in the room." Thalia laughs.

"I resent that." Percy says, smiling back at her, chuckling.

"Right," she said. … in case something went wrong.

Percy started to look a little dejected but tried to hide it. Annabeth held up his hand and kissed the back of it causing him to look down on her lovingly.

A few of the others noticed the lowering mood but decided not to comment just yet.

Annabeth put her … to make me feel better.

Percy leaned back in his seat just a bit. He may feel grateful, but it also made him feel guilty at the same time. He didn't deserve the friends that he had and yet they stuck around.

Clarisse nudged him in the side as if she knew what he was thinking.

Percy looked at her and she raised her eyebrows at him. Percy gave a small smile and nodded.

I slipped the pearls back in my pocket. "Let's whup some Underworld butt."

We walked inside the DOA lobby.

Music played softly … right through their bodies.

Hades frowned. "It shouldn't look like that. It should never be full like this."

"When was the last time you checked in on Charon?" Hephaestus asked.

Hades sighed. "Apparently, it's been too long. I'll have to stop in."

The security guard's desk was a raised podium, so we had to look up at him.

He was tall and elegant, … "Your name is Chiron?"

There was silence in the room for a single second before the demigods bust out laughing. Even the gods were chuckling a bit.

"Percy no!" Travis yelled, laughing hard.

Percy just shrugged, also laughing. "Sorry I have dyslexia." He sassed back.

"Kelp head, we all know its CHARON who's in the underworld." Thalia says.

Percy smiled wide at her. "And now I'll never mess it up again!"

"There better not be an again." Hades grumbles, trying to keep his smile to himself. "Unless you're dead."

He leaned across the desk. …"Sir," I said.

"I can't believe you're actually going along with this." Nico says.

"We needed in." Percy explains. "And if that means playing along, so be it."

"It's okay Nico, we were surprised too." Grover says.

"Hey!"

He pinched the name … "Mr. Charon," I said.

"This is weird." Thalia says with a look on her face. "I want the sass back."

"Oh, just you wait, Thals." Annabeth says. "We meet our next god soon what do you expect to happen."

"Well done." He sat … Annabeth for support.

Percy felt the anxiety settle in his stomach and took a deep breath.

"We want to go the … "How did you die, then?"

"What's the explanation this time?" Leo asks. "First a circus caravan and then a child actor."

I nudged Grover ... in the bathtub."

"Grover, you are worse than Percy." Katie shakes her head.

Grover bleated. "I said the first thing that came to mind!"

"No way he'll believe this." Hades says from his seat. "There's no way."

"All three of you?" … mildly impressed.

"Is he believing this!?" Hades exclaims, sitting up straighter.

"Maybe you need someone new, brother." Poseidon teases.

Hades makes a face at that. "No."

"I don't suppose you … a seat for a few centuries."

"This is so wrong." Hades says to himself. "What is he doing?"

"Oh, but we have coins." …We were so close.

"That New York boy is kicking in." Clarisse says.

Percy nods. "It does every once in a while."

Then Charon looked … Are you dyslexic, lad?"

"I love how the dyslexia gave you away." Hermes laughs. "And not the fact you're visibly not dead like everyone else there."

"That Percy luck is kicking in." Will nods.

"No," I said. "I'm dead."

Charon leaned forward and took a sniff. "You're not dead. I should've known.

There was a quite "Yes you should have!" from Hades' direction.

You're a godling."

"We have to get to the Underworld," I insisted.

Charon made a growling … checking their wristwatches.

Percy felt the like hair on the back of his neck was standing up. He stretched his back and neck, as if he was shaking off the feeling. The anxiety in his stomach had yet to go away.

"Leave while you can," …sound braver than I felt.

"You did." Annabeth and Grover said.

"I need to meet New York Percy." Leo says with a grin.

"We'll have a field trip." Percy says. "We can all go, see the city. It's about time we had a day off anyway."

There were noises of affirmation from all the demigods.

Demeter cleared her throat as the children started to vaguely make plans. They blushed and sat back to listen as Demeter started reading again.

Charon growled …the elevator doors.

Percy shivered again, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's a shame, too," …spill through my fingers.

From his seat, Dionysus nodded as Demeter read. The boy was smart, that was for sure.

Charon's growl changed … for such hard work."

"Boy." Hades says, staring Percy down.

Percy stared right back unflinchingly. "We needed to get passed. I'll do what I need to."

"He's gonna get himself killed." Jason says to himself. Leo, Piper, Frank, and Hazel nodded slowly next to him.

"It's how he wins wars." Nico whispers to them. "Dumb bravery and not backing down."

"Oh, you don't know …appreciation. Respect. Good pay."

Hades just glared at Percy from across the room but didn't say anything else. He kept telling himself that it hadn't happened yet and it might not if they listened to these books.

With each word, …raise while I'm talking to Hades."

"You have no fear do you?" Zeus rumbles.

"Not anymore." Percy tells him.

Poseidon looked at his son sadly. What happened to you, my son?

He sighed. "The boat's …grumbling, "Freeloaders."

"Maybe I'll sick Persephone on him." Hades says to himself. "He's always been more weary of her."

He escorted us into the … thousand years. Understand?"

"Definitely Persephone." Hades nods.

Nico, and everyone else for that matter, did not envy Charon.

He shut the doors. …I got a sudden dizzy feeling.

Percy leaned forward and put his head in his hands. The room wasn't quite spinning, but he wasn't steady either. He jumped slightly as he felt a hand on him back but relaxed when he realized it was just Annabeth.

We weren't going down … night and death and despair.

Percy took a breath and sat back up. The dizziness was slowly fading but he still didn't feel great. He couldn't tell if it was from the book or his own nervousness about where they went before Hades' palace.

He saw me looking, … see straight through to his skull.

The demigods shivered.

"That's horrible." Hazel says, trying not to think of her own time in the underworld.

Nico looked her over. "You okay?"

Hazel nodded. "For now."

"Okay."

The floor kept swaying. … management, if you ask me."

"That's so sad." Piper says.

"It really is." Hades agrees. "And it's only been getting worse. People are losing their hopes and dreams faster than ever and there's nothing that we can do about it."

Mist curled off the filthy... they were dead.

Percy closed his eyes and tried to breath steadily. That anxiety in his stomach was growing and this book was not helping.

"You okay over there?" Thalia asks carefully.

"Fine." Percy manages to get out, body tense.

Demeter looked at him and started reading again before things escalated.

Annabeth grabbed hold … somebody else was alive on this boat.

Annabeth hummed, quietly, soothingly as Percy started to calm down. That had been exactly what she was thinking while they were on the Styx.

I found myself muttering … stones-the howl of a large animal.

Percy was starting to tense back up, and he felt Annabeth doing the same next to him. They really didn't want to think about the underworld right now.

Their friends were looking at them concerned but they ignored it. If they acknowledged it right now it wasn't going to help anybody.

"Old Three-Face is hungry," … silently along in his gray robe.

"I wonder if he was a demigod." Jason says sadly.

"I didn't recognize him but that doesn't mean much." Annabeth tells him.

Charon said, "I'd wish … back across the river.

"Creepy." Leo shudders.

"It was." Grover says. "Hated it."

There were a few muted chuckles around the room but the tension was slowly growing as the demigods were reaching the end of their quest. They were going to find out what happened soon and were ready to get there.

We followed the spirits … and the Jersey Turnpike.

"Oh my gosh." Nico laughs. "I've never thought of that!"

"Now that I think about it, it is true though." Thalia says.

"How many of you have been to the underworld?" Hades asks incredulously.

The demigods just smiled at him which made Hades feel slightly uneasy. These children were different than he was used to.

There were three separate … Hades's door, was nowhere to be seen.

Hazel shivered as the underworld was getting described. She wasn't fond of the place and hearing about it was the last thing she wanted.

She smiled as Frank took her hand to comfort her.

The dead queued up … it might go against them."

"There's a court for dead people?" Leo asks. "We have to deal with court even when we're dead?"

"Unfortunately." Nico tells him.

"There's a court for dead people?"

Leo pointed at Percy. "We are one!"

"We are one!" Percy says back.

They both looked to Frank who's eyes widened. "No!"

"One of us!" Leo and Percy says together. "One of us!"

"No!" Frank says again, starting to laugh himself.

The demigods were all laughing, probably harder than they should have but it was nice to act like the kids they were from time to time.

The gods watched fondly for a few moments, maybe a few in annoyance, until Demeter cleared her throat, muttered something about cereal, and began reading again.

"Yeah. Three judges. … field in Kansas. Forever."

"We should rematch Kansas." Percy says looking at Jason.

Jason grins. "Absolutely."

"Not anytime soon kids." Thalia says. "You just almost killed each other yesterday."

"Taking a break would be preferable." Apollo joins in. "especially you Percy. These books are putting stress on your body much more quickly than they happened in the past. Taking a break from anything strenuous is probably the best idea."

Percy just sighed but nodded.

"Harsh," I said. … "Lamborghini for the Lord" went off a cliff.

"I REMEMBER HIM!" Leo says. "He was crazy!"

"I do remember something vague about that story." Piper says. "Some people are just evil."

I said, "What're they … from Hades,"

"As he deserves!" Leo yells.

Grover guessed. "The … licking her lips with anticipation.

Percy, again, took deep breaths as his anxiety took it up a notch. He hadn't realized he had been this anxious when he was younger. Was he still and just hadn't had the time to think about it?

"But if he's a preacher," I said, "and he believes in a different hell... ."

"That's a very good question." Artemis agrees. "I do wonder what other people see when they die. As obviously not everyone is part of our world. Do they come to our world?"

"Those who die but don't know us, see what they believe but it's all basically the same." Hades explains. "Heaven would be Elysium, Hell would be the fields of punishment, those who believe purgatory would see the fields of Asphodel. Those who believe in reincarnation go to the Lethe."

After a second, "That actually makes a lot of sense." Jason says. "I'd never actually thought about it before."

Hades shrugged, "Most people don't."

Grover shrugged. …tubborn-er, persistent, that way."

"I would be offended if it wasn't true." Clarisse says, almost disappointed.

We got closer to the … to say was, "He's a Rottweiler."

Leo's head tilted as if he was imagining what Cerberus looked like. "I always thought it would be like a Pitbull or something."

"I was thinking like a huge dog." Piper adds. "Like a Tibetan Mastiff."

I'd always imagined …and had three heads.

"Oh, that's terrifying." Piper shivered.

Annabeth smiled wryly. "Yeah it kind of was. And I have a feeling that's the point."

Hades conveniently looked at the ceiling. He wasn't giving away all of his secrets, of course.

The dead walked … getting closer to being dead."

"I still have no idea how you guys did this." Frank looked confused. "It's practically impossible."

"That's what I'm good at." Percy says. "Impossible and me are best friends."

Poseidon looked troubled at that statement.

The dog's middle head … quite so small. "A plan."

Percy sighed. "It wasn't a good plan."

"No seaweed brain, it wasn't." Annabeth laughed. "But it did give me my idea so it worked out okay."

"What idea?" Aphrodite asked curiously.

Annabeth just motioned for Demeter to keep reading.

We moved toward the …so loud my eyeballs rattled.

Percy closed his eyes. "Oh that's weird I don't like that."

"Can you understand … word that translates, exactly."

There were a few chuckles around the room.

"What was it?" Hermes asks.

"I really don't have a translation." Grover says. "I wish I did though it was quite funny looking back."

I took the big stick out … don't play with you much."

"That's your big plan?" Thalia asks incredulously.

"What else was I supposed to do!?" Percy exclaims. "I figured he's a big dog, might as well treat him like one."

"Dude." Jason says, shaking his head smiling.

Percy just huffed, also smiling, and leaned back in his seat.

"GROWWWLLLL!" …ker-sploosh in the River Styx.

"Oh my gosh." Thalia groans, putting her head in her hands.

"Well that didn't go as planned." Clarisse says. "As per usual."

"It was fine in the end." Percy defends.

"To no help of yours Percy." Grover laughs. "It was Annabeth."

Cerberus glared at me, … that... well ... he's hungry."

"Well that's not good." Nico says.

"Wait!" Annabeth …Uh-oh, I thought.

Uh-oh was also going through most peoples minds.

"Five seconds," Grover said. …Cerberus looked as stunned as we were.

Again, so did most people in the room.

"You're brave, girl." Hades says to her.

"Thank you." Annabeth says. "Like Percy said, he really is just a big dog."

All three of his heads …like the air let out of tires.

"What happens to those spirits?" Hazel asks, others nodding along in their own curiosity.

"They'll reform when he stands back up." Hades tells her. "No harm comes to them."

Annabeth said, "Good boy…in half, at Annabeth's feet.

"I cannot believe." Hades grumbles. "A red rubber ball. That's all it takes. Three headed dog, beaten by a rubber ball."

Everyone was muffling their chuckles as Hades ranted to himself. It was quite entertaining if they said so.

"Good boy." She picked up … I inched forward warily.

"Now we know how she gets Percy to listen." Thalia laughs.

"Hey!"

"Percy."

"…"

"See!"

Cerberus started to growl…. Don't tell him to sit again.

There were a few chuckles.

"At least you'd really be in the underworld then." Hermes says.

We made it through. …joined us at the metal detector.

A few of the demigods who remembered Percy's comment about the metal detector at the beginning, looked to him.

Apollo looked at Percy thoughtfully. Was there some way he had prophetic vision? It was coming up frequently. He looked to Poseidon and was watching him. They nodded to each other. They were going to have to have a talk it seemed.

"How did you do that?" … mouths. Annabeth stopped.

"Do you guys ever go back?" Piper asks.

Annabeth sighs sadly. "We wanted to but there was never time after this quest."

She turned to face … turned to us. "Let's go."

"We'll have to talk to our Hades but I'm sure we could figure it out." Percy tells Annabeth who was looking sad at the promise she couldn't keep.

Nico snorted. "I'll just sneak you in. I like Cerberus enough to risk it."

Hades looked slightly affronted at that but didn't try and dissuade them.

Grover and I pushed … possessions! Magic detected!"

"Kelp head." Thalia looked to him. "You really did predict the future."

Percy looked thoughtful. "I had never realized."

Will looked at Percy curiously now too. Some of his siblings had a similar ability. Was it possible Percy was given a gift he was unaware of?

Cerberus started to bark. … what have we learned today?"

"Don't use sticks to try and get passed Cerberus?" Connor suggests.

Percy snorts as Demeter reads the next line.

"That three-headed dogs prefer red rubber balls over sticks?"

"You all really need to stop thinking like me." Percy says. "No one has patience for two of me."

"Accurate." Clarisse teases, lightly punching him in the shoulder.

"No," Grover told me. "…longing for his new friend.

"That's the end." Demeter says, closing the book.

"I cannot see this ending well." Artemis says, looking at the book. "So much has to happen in a matter of hours for this quest."

"That's usually how all our quests go." Annabeth says.

"We can back that up." Frank says, motioning to Hazel. "We went on one with him and it was like that too."

Clarisse and Thalia nodded along as they had also been on quests with Percy.

"How many of you have been on quests with Percy?" Poseidon asks curiously.

Everyone but the Stolls, Katie, and Will raised their hands.

Apollo frowned. There hadn't been quest prophecies in a few years. Now for there to be so many in such a short time span. Something big was going on in the future.

"Who next?" Demeter asks, still holding the book.

"I'll read." Will volunteers, taking the book as Demeter passed it along. He flipped through it. "We could finish it today, there's only three more chapters. Do we want to read them all then have lunch? Or one more, lunch, then finish this afternoon?"

"Let's have lunch after this next one." Percy says voice tight, remembering what happened next.

Annabeth paled as she also remembered.

Will looked at them for a moment before nodding and beginning the next chapter.