Mistakes

Camouflages and Plans

Frankly, Leo wasn't surprised at all when Percy and Charon were on a first name basis. Percy Jackson had done so many things and had so many bizarre experiences, it only made sense that friends with the Ferryman of Hades was one of those things.

"Are you actually dead this time?" Charon asked once he noticed Percy walking through the doors. The ferryman had merely giving Percy a glance and went back to his work.

Percy shook his head. "Unfortunately no, but I wouldn't worry too much I'll be here before you know it."

Charon haughtily raised his head and rolled his eyes slightly. "I look forward to the day that I won't have to deal with you anymore. Do you have any money? I'll take anything at this point but it better be good Percy Jackson."

Percy pulled a bag of what Leo assumed to be drachmas and placed them on Charon's desk. "That should be enough to keep this quiet right?"

Charon shook his head, but didn't look up. "Not telling my boss about how three of the perfect seven have attempted to sneak into his underworld and steal his secret weapon? Right, I would except I already did." Charon didn't wait for the shocked expressions on the men's faces. "Please take your seat promptly and quickly, do not make any attempts to get out of the ferry until we have reached a complete stop, or do I don't really care, and enjoy your stay in the Underworld." He gestured blindly to the ferry that had just arrived in the darkness next to Charon's desk.

Leo shook his head in disbelief. "Why not? After you, Spark-plug"

__

Sammy didn't exactly know what his part in the plan for world domination or whatever Hades was planning, and the not-knowing was leaving him feeling pretty helpless and useless. Of course, he was only 9 and had no real skills yet, and he spent half of his days missing his father, but Sammy wanted to feel important too.

One day, Sammy was sitting around the underworld playing fetch with Hades' big dog, when he felt someone stand over him casting a shadow over his thin body. Sammy braced himself for the inevitable chill that also paraded his body when Hades came near the boy, yet it didn't come. Sammy blinked attempting to focus on the person standing over him. Noticing his struggle, the person moved and sat down next to him.

"I'm Persephone." The person, a beautiful woman, spoke. Her voice was warming and flowery. Sammy smiled gently for the first time since he got here.

"Sammy," Sammy introduced himself carefully. Where had this beautiful woman come from and what was she doing in such a terrible place?

"I've heard a lot about you," Sammy felt her voice float over him calming him like the he had always imagined the voice of a mother to do. "You need to be careful, My husband is clever, while he may not show it all the time, I have no doubts that your father is on his way here, but my husband will find a way for you stay even if you are rescued. He will have his key."

Sammy shook his head, feeling the chill he had expected earlier. He didn't like 'his key'. Sammy wasn't a key, he was a 9 year old boy who just wanted to be with his father again. "What does that mean Persephone?"

Persephone smiled sadly at him, causing Sammy's heart to break. "My husband tricked me into eating a pomegranate seed, food of the underworld, and therefore I was forced to stay here for part of the year every year. Hades needs you to succeed, I don't doubt that he will do irrational and insane things to get you to be here when he needs you."

"So you're saying that I shouldn't eat any pomegranate seeds?" Sammy asked puzzled. Persephone laughed sweetly.

"My dear Sammy, just beware, beware of my husband." With that she got up and left leaving Sammy alone with a excited three headed dog and too many things to think about than any nine year old should have to think about.

It had been weeks since that encounter, and Sammy had only seen Persephone a few times. He didn't know anything about Persephone and he was really wishing he was more prepared on what the heck was going on in this world, that may be one thing that he wished his dad had done differently.

Sammy was currently walking to the Hades' library. He had been there a few times and while it wasn't the happiest or the best in the world, Sammy was bored and needed something to do to pass the time. This time, however, Sammy had a mission. He was hoping to discover something that would give him information on his apparently messed up family.

Unfortunately, Sammy didn't even get halfway from his room to the library when the warning sounds went off. Hades suddenly stormed by, only stopping to look at Sammy for a moment, before walking past with furious pace. Sammy looked around confused. In the movies, alarms went off when someone broke into some place they weren't supposed to be. The question was, though, how does one break into the Underworld?"

---

Breaking into the Underworld was way easier than Leo was expecting it be. Then again, anything was easier than expected when your partners are Jason Grace and Percy Jackson. They exited the ferry and Percy began to walk towards the entrance as if he ruled the place. Jason and Leo just followed him blindly, hoping that Percy wasn't going to get them into a life-threatening situation like he usually did.

The three of them were following the Wall of Erebos until they came to the world's largest, scariest, evilest dog Leo had ever seen. Leo froze feeling slightly terrified at that. Of course, Percy would walk them straight up to the evil dog of the underworld.

"Percy, how are we going to get over that?" Leo asked Percy, who had continued forward. Percy turned abruptly and looked at Leo and shrugged. Leo frowned.

"Dang, Leo. Fatherhood's changed you." Percy joked and walked back. "Don't worry about it, I've got my own Hellhound, remember?"

Leo nodded, not feeling any comfort. He was so close Sammy and really didn't want death to stop that right now. "Just call your hell hound and get us in,"

Percy nodded and pulled a white whistle out of his pocket and blew it. Leo frowned when he didn't hear anything. The last thing, Leo wanted to was play Percy's games right now.

"Perc-"

Leo's statement was interrupted by Mrs. O'Leary rampaging into the pathway they were on. Cerebus noted her and quickly left from his guarding duties to greet her. Leo's jaw grew slack as he watched a 'Percy Plan' actually succeed.

"We might want to go now, before Cerebus realizes we're here." Percy responded quickly gesturing for Jason and Leo to follow him into the the Land of the Dead.

---

Sammy hadn't really moved from his spot since the alarms went off. He was only a nine year old boy, he had no idea what to do and truthfully, Sammy was pretty scared. People around him were panicking and Sammy had knew clue what was going on. Fortunately, just as Sammy was about to burst into a melting ball of tears, Hades returned.

"Sammy, son." Hades responded, placing his cold hand on Sammy's back and guiding him to a room in the hall. "You must be freaking out,"

Sammy nodded mutely. Hades gestured for Sammy to sit down on one of the beds. Sammy complied, feeling better just from the attention that he was getting.

"I'm going to get you some food, and you're going to sit right here until I figure this all out alright?" Hades told Sammy, his voice mockingly kind. Yet, Sammy didn't even care.

Hades left the room and soon a Fury returned with a round purple fruit. Sammy took it kindly just glad to have something to distract him. As Sammy bit into the fruit, he was overwhelmed with an unfamiliar taste. It didn't taste bad, just different. He wasn't sure he had ever had this.

"What is this?" Sammy questioned.

The Fury gave Sammy an odd look, but responded with all the kindness that the demon could muster. "Why a pomegranate, of course."