✩ ━━━ chapter twelve, part two, a poppy-stem and the river lethe. ❝I don't think I can overcome it.I've fallen under your hypnosis and can't forget you. The only person who can free me is you,❞

IN MOUNT OLYMPUS, NAOKI MATSUOKA GUARDED THE ENTRANCE OF THE MAIN PALACE WITH A PACK OF GROWLING HELLHOUNDS. Percy eyed the creatures warily, still remembering all those who campers who were slaughtered by the same snarling teeth. Seated on top of the largest Hellhound, Naoki looked a little pale, clutching a sword tightly. When he caught sight of the son of Poseidon, his tense posture collapsed.

"Thank God!" The older boy nearly shouted with relief, shoving his face into the Hellhound's smooth ink-black fur. "Finally, someone competent! Here, take my spot, jackass!"

Percy didn't know how to respond. He eyed Hiroki's brother wirily and asked. "Where is Lord Hypnos?"

Naoki slid off the Hellhound, patting it once to signal the creature to stay still. "No clue," he said lightly, handing Percy his word eagerly. "He told me to scream if anyone showed up, but I think he meant, like, the enemy dude. I can still scream if you want? I've been dying to do it since your shmuck face showed up at mom's store."

"Uh, no, it's fine." Percy pushed the Celestial Bronze sword back to the human. He sidestepped him, patting Naoki on the shoulder. "But scream if you need help or something,"

"I'm a music instructor, not a half-blood," Naoki told him. "I don't know what I'm doing. I will scream nonstop. All the time. The entire time, Jackson."

"You are nothing like your brother," Percy noted, steps faltering as he turned to look back him.

Naoki sent him a bitter look. "Not like I would know."

Percy tried not to grimace. He gripped the red poppy, wishing he could comfort the man. As he turned to leave, he told Naoki. "You'll see him soon,"

He ran to the throne room with new vigor, barely noticing the minor gods loitering about. Lord Hypnos stood in front of a table as deities surrounded him, pointing to the map laid in front of them. Next to him, Hisa listened to the god of sleep analytically. Looking at the two together, maybe Micah is not as inexplicable as everyone says.

"All entrances to Manhattan are guarded. With the aid of the minor gods, we are not as horribly outmatched as before." Hisa pointed out, fiercely rising to the role of Micah's mother. "However, their army is made of children. We cannot harm them."

"And we won't." Hypnos nodded firmly. The god of sleep caught sight of Percy approaching. His firm expression relaxed, alleviating as he greeted. He searched for injuries despite knowing he bears the curse of Achilles. It warmed the son of Poseidon. "Percy," the god said. "Are you alright?"

Percy nodded, looking at the map of New York City. "Yeah, I'm good. I'm guessing you know of the alliance?"

Lord Hypnos nodded; the pinpoint pupils of his eyes were nearly lost in the shimmer of gold. "Unsurprisingly, my son surpassed all expectations once more."

Hisa tilted her head back. "He is being too reckless. Was he not taught self-preservation skills after he left his mother's side? Oh, of course not!" She spoke sharply, looking at Hypnos as if it was his fault; the god's expression crooked into a pained one. "If he continues to act like this, Kronos will become suspicious of him!"

Hypnos grimaced. "The Olympians do not know his true intentions him yet. Let's pray the Titan Lord does not, either."

"If my son dies," Hisa jeered, her finger jabbing the god's shoulder. "I will curse you!"

Hypnos lowered his eyes; the deities around them quieted as the god swore. "If my son dies in this war, I will fade along with him."

Hisa stared at the god with a sea of emotion in her eyes, then nodded once. Hiroki's mother did not speak again, excusing herself to check on Naoki.

Percy recalled the absolute despair and overwhelming love in Hades' eyes as he held the body of Maria di Angelo, the desperation to protect Nico and Bianca after Zeus struck the innocent family; Percy wondered if it's a common trait of the Underworld to love so obsessively to the point where the idea of living without them is unendurable.

Raising the red poppy-stem, Percy told the god. "I don't think that will be necessary, Lord Hypnos. I promised to save him, remember?"

The god of sleep took the poppy-stem, examining with a frown. "Is it from—You met with him?"

"Only for a bit, nothing long enough. He looked fine, though, Lord Hypnos." Percy said at the god's desperate look. "He told me you would understand."

Lord Hypnos frowned, the wings erupting from his temples beating for half a beat at the time as he tried to decipher Micah's clue. "Ah," the god suddenly said. "I suppose I do,"

He was conflicted, poppy-stem held loosely. He beckoned Percy to follow him to a private section of the throne room, the other gods watching as they walked off. In privacy, Hypnos asked him. "How many deaths so far?"

"I... don't know for sure," Percy admitted, trying to block out the images of his friends getting mauled by giant Hellhounds or sliced through by enemy weapons. "So far, we're listening many as missing. We couldn't find any bodies."

Hypnos closed his eyes, raising the poppy-stem to his lips. "There are no bodies to find."

Percy's smile wavers, trying to understand. He tried to blink off the fogginess developing in his mind. "Did Hiroki pull off another miracle?"

"If I'm right," the god beamed. "The word 'miracle' is not enough to describe Hiroki's actions."

Lord Hypnos told him to wait by the entrance where Hisa and Naoki talked quietly, needing to speak with the deities in the throne room urgently. The Matsuoka family argued something, Hisa quieting her eldest son with a stern glare: Naoki grumbled, making his way to Percy. "My mom wants to know what is happening,"

Percy halted, trying to push past a dizziness spell. Micah was right, like always; the curse left him exhausted. "I don't know," he said. "I think Lord Hypnos is taking me to the Underworld. Micah—Hiroki—He—"

"Just call him whatever you want to," Naoki interrupted, exasperated.

Percy felt embarrassed. He could not think clearly around Micah's family. He wanted to ask so much—things like Hiroki's childhood, their thoughts on Hiroki's double identity, anything they could answer—it left him flustered and unable to think clearly.

"I don't want you to feel like you don't know him," Percy admitted. "To me, he is Micah."

Naoki scoffed, lightly tapping the side of his nose. "But that's the truth— He is my little brother, but I don't know who he is. To me, Hiroki is the little boy who used to cry over Zoboomafoo because he couldn't handle how cute the lemur was. Now, dad is trying to tell me that kid grew up to be a major war general trying to fight fate or some shit like that. Am I supposed to say that person is my brother?"

Lord Hypnos returned before Percy could reply. The god looked defeated; shoulders slumped with resignation, an expressive frown darkening in his features Even in the form of an adult, all his actions remained with a touch of childish charm. "I cannot leave Olympus unguarded," Hypnos said, cheeks burning gold with embarrassment. "My fellow gods have... elected me as the leader. For now,"

Percy grinned. If he trusted a god to lead with compassion, it would be Lord Hypnos.

"I would escort you to the Underworld, but my duties do not allow for it." The god continued, handing the flower back to Percy. "If my interpretation is correct, Hiroki's message is a location."

Naoki's eyebrows furrowed but he recited with ease. "Little poppy given to me, help me stay safe and free. I'll wear a little poppy as red as can be, so I can go home and rest as I please."

"Yes! Exactly that, Naoki." Hypnos praised, turning to Percy. "Ah, Hiroki's favorite nursery rhyme! In the Underworld, near the river Lethe, there's a cave hidden along. Only those with permission may see it."

Percy recalled the ink-black water of the narrow river and Persephone's bleak appearance. "I wouldn't know how to get there without you, Lord Hypnos. Last time I didn't get lost because of Persephone,"

"Perhaps I could summon Nico," the god of sleep said. "But I have a feeling he is needed more at his father's side. My brother, possibly..."

That's when Naoki dropped his sword with a loud curse, ignoring his mother's scolding as he hissed. Hypnos blinked and said, "Aha! Naoki, you can help Percy find the way to my cave!"

Naoki shook his head, a hand on his hip as he said. "Nuh-uh, I'm not going anyplace where I can get stabbed. I'm fine here! I don't even know what the Underworld looks like,"

Percy tried shooting Lord Hypnos a bewildered look, but the god pointedly ignored him. He had a feeling the god just wanted his adopted son as far away from Olympus as possible. "That's no issue!" He waved his hand. "I'll just pass you over some memories and you'll know the way without a mistake!"

The god locked eyes with Hisa. Besides her son, Hisa nodded. "I'll go with you both; afterward, we can stay in the Underworld until everything is over. I'm sure you miss Uncle Thanatos."

"Uh, not really, he is super creepy, first of all!" Lord Hypnos snapped, and Naoki stopped talking, tongue growing heavy. He blinked and said sluggishly, "Oh, he's just matching the aesthetic. Now that I know what the Underworld is like, no wonder he's like that!"

Hypnos smiled apologetically. "Percy," he called. "You were granted permission to see my realm by Hiroki after he handed you the poppy. Naoki and the Hellhounds will guide you to the river—no need to look so afraid, they were handpicked by my mother for Hiroki! They're very obedient, much like your own pet!"

Percy tried to not grimace. "I'm sure they are..."

Lord Hypnos nodded. Hisa approached the god; Percy took that as his queue to mount Naoki's Hellhound, but the older boy shook his head. "No," he tried to kick Percy off, tone bitter. "You're riding his hellhound."

Naoki reached for a necklace around his neck, bring up the hanging whistle to his lips; it made no sound, or caused any reaction among all the hellhound present. Or so he thought when one hellhound he hadn't noticed before perked up. 

It didn't resemble any hellhound Percy had seen before, its white fur shimmering prismatically with the golden light of the Mount Olympus lampposts illumined its coat, searching with its eerie yellowish-orange eyes. It wasn't small by any means, but the hellhound carried itself carefully, as close to a hunching itself a monster could get. It opened its mouth, the son of Poseidon braced himself for the horrifying bark, but no sound came out.

"Meet Susanoo-no-Mikoto, or Nono, for short." Naoki introduced. "The weakest Hellhound known to man! He is mute and blind, by the way."

Percy's mouth fell open, carefully extending a hand towards Nono. The hellhound tilted its head searchingly, nostrils searching for the direction of his scent. "He is Hiroki's?"

"Hm, Nono stays with Nyx. She refused to let anyone but her terrifying little dumpling of fright claim him," Naoki quoted drily. "That's my little brother—the shining star, excellent at everything with that damned a penchant for the helpless and the weak! Probably blew his ego up without me around to knock him down."

Percy glanced at him, picking up on the bitterness obscuring his tone but kept his attention on the white-furred hellhound. "You would get along with the other campers." He said, running a hand through the long mane to the hellhound's delight. "You sound like them when you said that,"

"He was talented at pissing people off as a kid." The human shrugged. "I'm not surprised he's unpopular."

Percy let out an annoyed hum, climbing Nono when Hisa and Hypnos returned. "Be safe," The god said, scratching Nono's ear affectionately; the hellhound nearly vibrated, beyond ecstatic as he recognized the god. "While I cannot guarantee what Hiroki has safe kept in my cave is what I assume, I'm sure it will bring you happiness regardless, Percy."

The son of Poseidon nodded, holding back a yawn. A little happiness is what he needs right now.

"We'll be off then," Hisa said. "Remember what we agreed on." She rode off without a further delay, Naoki waving lazily at the god before blowing the whistle once more. Nono perked up, tilting his head back as it let out what could've been a howl if he had the ability to.

"Lord Hypnos," Percy bowed his head, and Nono took off, following the rest of the hellhounds.

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Nobody spoked. In the Underworld, any noise outside the screams of the damned sounded out of place. Percy craned his head back, looking at the cavern ceiling; here, the reflections of the black stone remained the closest thing to a sun.

Before Micah's desertion, Percy used to secretly daydream of having one of those cliché dinners with the parents as they do in TV: helping each other look perfect, going over questions for the right answers, he imagined the nerves slowly melting as everyone settled down in a homey dining room, getting to know Micah's parents—and at the end, asking a simple question, permission for something one that would change their lives forever. Of course, Percy knew it would never happen, considering his Micah was an orphan, but the daydream always remained somewhere in his mind.

Now in the presence of Hiroki's family, Percy found himself unable to imagine that warm evening dinner with Hisa and Naoki Matsuoka. They did not fit the image of the family he pictured for someone as—as extravagant as Micah. But the small comments he has picked up of Hiroki's childhood did not match Micah, either.

Unable stomach the silence in the peak of his curiosity, Percy asked. "What does Nono's name mean?"

Naoki did not answer, leading the way up front; Hisa, however, replied after a short pause. They probably didn't know what to think of him either.

"He with the ability to help by all means. Susanoo-no-Mikoto is a Shinto deity, a Kami." She turned to him, an ironic twist to her mouth. "He is the god of the sea and storms, but he's mostly known for his wild personality. Virtuous yet capable of evil. Violence yet truthful; Yūbu no Aragami, takeku araki kokoro."

Percy didn't understand. Naoki, who he assumed was not paying attention to the conversion, translated quietly for him. "The mighty and fierce temper."

"Susano'o was the guardian of heavenly court but was banished due to his temperament." Hisa continued the story. "Once he arrived in the mortal realm, he witnessed the suffering of an elderly couple who had lost seven of their eight daughters to the dragon of the sea. In act of heroism, he saved the eighth daughter and slew the monster."

Percy stroked the blind hellhound. "A hero who wasn't a complete dick? I wonder how his story ends,"

Hisa spoke carefully, a little unsure. "He became the guardian of the Land of the Dead, but his reputation remained tainted. He became somewhat of a... Of a bad omen amongst the Shinto gods, associated with destruction and death."

"Oh," Percy mumble. He didn't want to tempt the fates by saying more.

Naoki laughed then. "Yeah, but Hiroki named Nono after Susanoo from Naruto. He just had a crush on Sasuke Uchiha,"

As the hellhounds jumped over pools of lava and zigzagged across volcanic rocks, Percy tried to picture a Micah who cried over puppet lemurs and experienced normal childhood things like crushing on fictional characters. 

"We're here," Naoki announced, stopping in a familiar field; Percy looked at the dark river in front of them, the current fast as ink-black water surged through a gorge of volcanic rock. Last time he was here, he was with Bianca, Nico, and Micah. He hadn't noticed the field of poppies thirty feet across the riverbanks, but now he did.

"Good luck getting across without touching the water, it's the river of forgetfulness," Naoki told Percy. The son of Poseidon wanted to reassure them, but he knew if he opened his mouth, he might end up confessing of Micah's history with the river. He didn't know if Hypnos told them yet.

"I know the way," he said, jumping off Nono's back. The Matsuoka family said farewell without question, but Nono stumped his large paws with agitation.

Hisa turned back when she realized, a scowl forming as she said. "Nono, let's go." But the hellhound refused to follow them, mouth open in its attempt to howl. His sightless eyes set across the Lethe, growing restless.

"He's probably waiting for Percy to cross," Naoki offered. Percy didn't agree, staring at Nono's frantic trembles with wonder.

"Are you worried for me, Nono?" Percy asked. "Okay, I'll be careful then you can go."

He motioned for them to move back and tried to remember what he had done last time he commanded the River Lethe. Taking a deep breath, Percy raised his arms, as if lifting—with his movement, the river rose along. The black water molded to his command, flowing up and then down again in a great arc. Unlike last time, he did not struggle.

When the river parted into a passageway, the son of Poseidon faced the Matsuoka family. "I got it,"

Naoki rolled his eyes, muttering angrily. "I seriously hate demigods."

Percy walked past the empty riverbanks, nearly slipping on the mud but made his way through quickly. On the other side of the Lethe, the smell of citrusy and sweet cherry blossoms nearly drove him to his knees with the overwhelming need to sleep.

Nono did not calm down.

"If he can get past safely, keep him for now." Hisa decided, shaking her head. "Naoki, let's go. Thanatos is waiting for us,"

Percy blinked a few times to clear his vision, nodding as he concentrated on keeping the water arched above. However, Nono, as if he could understand, suddenly launched his way across the river, landing a few feet past him with ease.

"What was the point of me parting the river for you, then?" Percy asked the hellhound. Nono didn't respond, giant teeth gently getting a hold of his pants and forcing him up.

Percy followed him, yawning as the poppy fields grew denser. "Alright, alright..." He didn't know long they walked for, time blending away with fatigue. Nono guided him to the mouth of a cave, his attempts to howl making Percy feel a mixture of sad fondness.

Hiroki's bedtime story is accurate. In front of him, the Hypnos' cave seemed endless, absolute darkness that seemed like nothing. Belated, Percy realized he could not hear, either. Percy outstretched a finger towards the nothingness of the cave entrance, a little hesitant but with Nono's stumping of approval, he touched the darkness. Around him, the red poppies dissolved away and when he blinked, what he saw was utterly and completely nothing. He could no longer feel his hand, or the rapid beating of his heart, or the way Nono barred his teeth.

Dazed, Percy tried to remove his finger when, out of the dark, a hand appeared. Calloused fingers wrapped around his wrist. By the time Percy's mind caught up with his hand, he was tugged into the void

He crashed to solid ground; a burst of disorienting light forced his eyes shut, and when he opened them again, it felt like arriving at Elysium—Warm lighting cast the cave, the soothing hymns of healing reached his ears and removing the aches from his body.

Sitting up, Percy tried not to gasp at the sight of dozens of assumed-dead campers being treated by wing-creatures and gentle-faced deities.

In front of him, Michael Yew grinned at him. "Percy, you're not going to believe what happened."

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ! ! !

tyeah hi michael nice seeing you again buds!! u werent gonna die on me were you???of course no i made it so obvious u were gonna be okay  also more importantly  welcome to best boy in the world Susanoo-no-Mikoto aka nono aka CUTEST puppy in the world. and yeah hiroki used to crush on sasuke whats new nothing at all

on Naoki: he is a really bitter, really silly boy. I was going to make really wholesome, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed out of character. I hope I can get across his mixed feelings on his little brother properly without him looking like a dick. He just feels like the second-best to Hiroki and like everyone cares for about his little brother than they do for him (and to be honest, it truly is like that.) He used to be a little bully to Hiroki, but Hiroki was also a little dickish, so it's fine.

the painting used at the start of the chapter is Susanoo-no-Mikoto Defeats the Evil Spirits (1868) by an unknown artist!

thoughts on the chapter are always appreciated thank u thank u