ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏᴜʀᴛᴇᴇɴ : ʟᴇᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴏᴍ

I finally get to have a private conversation with Grover.

Although I have to keep an eye out for Percy, I can finally talk alone with Grover. I told the ring in advance to throw Procrustes into the waterbed. Then, after trapping him, we would sneak into the Underworld. Easier said then done.

"So, you like this quest?" Grover questions. "How do you feel about Percy now?" I mean, I'm not super sure. I think we're friends now. I mean, friends usually hug and stuff. So we probably are.

"I mean, he's my friend now," I respond. "Why?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just-oh, nothing," Grover groans. I turn and look inside as my ring on Percy's finger slides off and pushes Procrustes into the bed. I pat Grover's shoulder and run in, the ring rolling back to me. It's like a pet, but I don't have to feed it.

"You okay?" I ask, sliding the piece of delicate jewelry back on my finger.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Percy replies.

"You won't save her," Procrustes retorts. "You won't be the first to try bringing someone back from the Underworld. You won't be the first to fail." He cackles.

"Listen, knucklehead, you're lucky you still have all of your body parts attached. Don't get sassy with me," I remark. The door dings as Grover peeps his head in.

"Is it over now?" Grover whisper-shouts. I smile at the satyr and nod.

~

Grover, Percy and I nervously look at the DO NOT ENTER sign on the door entrance to the Underworld.

"Are we sure this is the right way?" Percy says. I feel a little skeptical going into Hades. Going into the Underworld was definitely not on my bucket list for this year. Grover starts approaching the door and opens it. It looks like it leads to a dark basement. Grover starts coughing uncontrollably, probably trying to breathe through all of the dust.

"It's either the realm of the dead, or someone left a carton of milk in there in the 1990s," Grover remarks. I chuckle quietly and turn to my right. There's a shelf with files, but I notice a red squeaky toy resting on the top of the shelf. I pick it up, squeak it, and hand it to Grover. He squeaks it.

"Better?" I ask.

"Much," Grover replies. I tie my Converse shoes and stand back up.

"If we get into trouble..." Percy begins. "These are our tickets out." He pulls a handful of pearls out of his jean's pocket. There are five pearls. I assume the last two are for Summer and Percy's mom.

"No one's coming back until all of us are safe and sound," I reassure, looking at Percy's blue eyes.

"No one comes backkkk," Procrustes exaggerates. I glare at the doorway.

"Don't make me grab this hanger and beat your ass with it," I say, grabbing one from the coat rack and storming out of the closet. Percy and Grover start shouting and pull me back by my arms. Okay, I guess I'll beat him up later.

"We have no idea what's down there," Percy reminds. Gosh, like I needed reminding. "I just think it's safer if I'm not holding them all." I sigh and take my pearls. One for Summer and one for me. Grover takes his and Percy keeps the rest.

"Let's go get your mom," I say, lightly nudging the blondie. He fidgets with the turns and nods. I start to approach the door and walk down the dark hall.

~

I watch as Grover slams the door from the rock Percy and I are hiding behind.

"Grover, hurry up!" I exclaim. He looks around to make sure we're safe. Then, he runs to the rock we are hiding at. Everything here is dark, gloomy, and grey. The fog hides everything past the rocks like it's their protector. It's too sad for me. My mom would not approve of this place.

"Not in Kansas," Percy mumbles. I ignore him and try to see something. Anything. Does this look like Kansas, or any state in the Untied States really?

"Guys, is that who I think it is?" Grover questions nervously. He squeaks the ball. I regret giving him it.

"Grover, don't squeeze that ball again or I'll hit you," I threaten. Grover scoots away from me.

"Charon, the boatman taking new arrivals across the River Styx," Grover utters.

"Which means that over there is the main gate," I say. "Let's go. Maybe we can get there first."

"Yeah," Grover replies, standing up and squeaking the ball. We start walking, but that ball is really getting on my nerves.

"Grover, I'll hold onto that ball for you," I offer. He kneels down and hands it to me. I clutch it and start walking again.

The embarrassment I feel as we cut through thousands of people waiting to get into the Underworld is through the roof. Percy tried to reassure Grover and I into thinking it's okay. I don't feel very convinced.

"You know, you should really spend some time in the city with me," Percy offers. "I think you'd learn a lot." I nod as we stop in front of a man with a dark hood. Charon.

"You're not dead," Charon states. Well, no shit.

"I mean...we're all dying...to some extent," Percy rambles, stopping in between his sentence. Charon sighs.

"And you didn't pay to cross," Charon groans, walking away from us.

"Woah, we can pay! Relax!" I exclaim, elbowing Grover to pull out the Drachmas.

"Here. Drachmas, just take...take, uh, just, you know, take them all," Percy offers, trying to get them into his hands. Charon blows a light whistle, giving me flashbacks to my P.E. classes.

"You can buy a new whistle," Percy recommends. Growling comes from something. I can't see anything, but I know it's after us. Charon smirks as loud noises erupt. We start slowly back up and then running. A gargantuan dog, Cerberus, is chasing after us. The three headed creature picks up Grover.

"Grover!" Percy exclaims.

"Percy, that way!" I shout, pointing a direction that will confuse Cerberus. We make a sudden turn and hear Cerberus collapse to the ground. I run back and hop on Cerberus. Here's the plan. If I make Cerberus content, then I can free Grover and run away after. I rub the dog and watch as he lowers down to rest. The three heads lay on each other to go to sleep. Grover is finally spit out. His hair is extremely messy, filled with slobber and everything. It's gross.

"Uhm, hello?! I can't tame him any longer!" I yell, still petting Cerberus.

"Can you fly us up there with your shoes?" Percy asks Grover. Grover looks up as I continue to comfort Cerberus.

"You got this!" I cheer. I just wanna get down. "One atta time. Take Percy first." I carefully watch as Grover flies Percy up. My foot slides off of the rope and I dangle. One of the heads turn to look at me like I disturbed its peace.

"Serena!" Percy shouts. I search my pocket for the rubber ball and throw it up in the air. If Percy doesn't catch it, I'll be dead soon. I hear a light squeak and Cerberus jumps up. I lunge off and grab hold of a pillar. Percy reaches for my hand and I take it. It pulls me up slowly and Grover reaches his hand out, too. I grab his hand and use it to finish pulling me up. I take the ball from Percy's hand.

"Excuse me," I say, walking in between the two guys. I squeak the ball and throw it into the River Styx. I watch as Cerberus jumps into the river to play with the ball. The dog trouts around to find it.

"That was really...I mean, how did you," Grover utters.

"Used to dog sit with my dad whenever he was home. Was rare, but I still have those tricks up my sleeve," I explain. I wish my dad was here to see me improve. Then, maybe, he would let me dog sit whenever I wanted.

"Oh wow," Percy starts. "Look at that." I turn around to see what the blondie is looking at.

"Hades's palace. That's where he'll be keeping the mast bolt. And Summer," I note.

"And your mom," Grover adds. "Oh no." I turn to look at Grover instead of Percy.

"What?" Percy and I ask.

"My pearl. I lost the pearl," Grover explains. "I think it's...it's in the dog." My eyes widen. I have to fight Cerberus again?

"What are we gonna do?" Percy asks frantically.

"I don't know. But if we don't move, it won't matter. C'mon," I reply. We start walking down the hill, brewing up a plan to figure out what to do with Grover's missing pearl.

~

The Fields of Asphodel. The place where souls get tied up due to regret. In life, I've regretted a lot of things. Not saying bye to my few friends before going to Camp Half Blood, not appreciating my dad as much, and not making a lot of friends. But here's something just between you and me. I am truly regretting being mean to campers. Just bothering them. I feel like that it's too late to get rid of my regret. I don't know how long I have until I'll become one of them. We trudge through the fields.

"We can't ignore this," Grover reminds. Gods, I don't want to think of it.

"Stop," Percy groans.

"It's just math," Grover explains. "The three of us, plus your mom and Summer, is five people, and only four pearls. Someone is staying behind and it should really be me." We stop for a moment.

"It wasn't your fault. And even if it were, you're not getting left behind," Percy says. "Period."

"After we get the bolt and stop this war, you guys are leaving," Percy continues. "With my mom and Summer."

"What about you?" Grover questions. Percy starts walking again, ignoring the satyr. "Wait, wait, wait, Percy. What about you?"

Percy sighs as he walks. "Quests aren't linear, right? I'll figure something out..."

One of the souls scare Percy. "Sorry," he apologizes.

"They can't hear you," I remark.

"They?" Grover wonders.

"This is Asphodel. Learned about it in 4th grade," I explain. "Souls here are bound by regret and stuff. Haunted by choices they made in life...or they didn't make." I chew on my nails as I lift up one of the soul's skirts. Roots attach them to the ground. In the distance, a mighty roar erupts the Underworld. Cerberus is coming back for us. I see the boys to start to run. I try to move my left leg. It won't move. I look down to see my biggest fear set upon me.

"Serena!" One of the boys shout, but I can barely hear it. I can't tell if they are that distant or if my head is blocking out all of the sounds. Everything looks fuzzy.

"Guys!" I scream, trying to jump. I bend down and tug on the rope, trying to break it. It won't budge. The two guys come running toward me to help.

"We've got a problem here." Percy tries to break the rope himself, but it won't be any help. "I've already tried, Percy. It won't fucking move." I'm scared and angry and upset and depressed and hungry. I just want it all to end.

"How did this happen?" Percy asks, still tugging on the roots.

"It's some kind of regret, right?" Grover inquires. "But what would you have to regret?" Silence fills the three of us.

"I'll be fine," I say. "These will help. You think I can get Summer if I use this one, too?"

"You can do and get anything if you try hard enough, Serie," Percy reminds. I lightly chuckle.

"Okay, no time for flirting!" Grover exclaims. I huff at him.

"Okay, go! I'll be fine. I trust your dad. Save your mom," I say. The two guys not their heads and start to run off. I take a deep breath and clutch onto the pearls. "Hold on, Summer. We're going back to Montauk." I drop the two pearls and they shatter. Shimmery lights flood my vision, until I'm collapsed on a beach. I slowly open my eyes and shift uncomfortably. The sand is all over my hair, along with in my mouth. I spit it out as I sit up. I turn around to see a blond, blue eyed girl with smeared mascara. She tugs on her black shorts and pulls down her golden t-shirt.

"Summer?" I say, making it sound more like a question. She looks at me confused.

"Summer? Only my family calls me Summer. I'm Maisia, Maisia Madison."

~

𝔄/𝔫 - 𝔬𝔪𝔤 2 𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔩𝔢𝔣𝔱?! 𝔒𝔯 𝔪𝔞𝔶𝔟𝔢 3, 𝔫𝔬𝔱 𝔰𝔲𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔢𝔱. 𝔄𝔫𝔶𝔴𝔞𝔶, 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔨𝔰 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔲𝔭𝔭𝔬𝔯𝔱 𝔬𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨. 𝔗𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔦𝔰 𝔞 𝔰𝔢𝔮𝔲𝔢𝔩 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔟𝔞𝔰𝔢𝔡 𝔬𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔟𝔬𝔬𝔨𝔰, 𝔟𝔲𝔱 ℑ'𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔯𝔶 𝔱𝔬 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔱 𝔰𝔬 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔩𝔬𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔯𝔱𝔢𝔯 𝔞𝔪𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔭𝔱𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔦𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢𝔰 𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔢. 𝔒𝔨𝔞𝔶, 𝔟𝔶𝔢!

𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔨𝔰 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 🫶