Spring And The Underworld Don't Match

After a few months, the snow started to melt and it started getting warmer. Spring was upon us and that meant Demeter kids going wild with plants everywhere. A younger boy had given me a pot with seven small yellow flowers in it. I had to give it to Juniper because I knew it would die with me.

"That was so sweet of him." Juniper smiled as I handed it to her. She was wearing a Camp Half-Blood shirt, torn jeans and yellow shoes. Her hair was up in a braid and she had a small bit of eyeliner on.

"Plants aren't really... my thing," I said. "Also, when did you start wearing makeup?"

"A little bit ago, I just thought it would look nice."

"Well, I think you look nice without makeup."

"You're only sayin' that 'cause I'm your girlfriend."

"No, really you look great without makeup, Sunshine. Now, I need to go see Percy and question him about my dad." I started to turn.

Juniper grabbed my hand. "Thank's Peck." She planted a small kiss on my cheek.

"Of course, Sunshine." I smiled.

She let my hand go and I ran off to cabin three, Poseidon's cabin. I waited in the shadows until a boy with dark hair, sea-green eyes, jeans, a camp T-shirt and blue shoes stepped outside.

"Took you long enough, Jackson." I stepped out of the shadows.

Percy un-capped his pen and it turned into a sword, he pointed it at me.

"Nice, um, can you tell me about my dad?" I asked.

"What do you want to know? About how he kidnapped my mom or how he thought I stole the Helm of Darkness or something else?" Percy asked capping his sword, Anaklusmos in Greek, Riptide in English.

"Do you think he'd let kids stay in his realm for a while?" I asked.

"Maybe."

"Maybe? Percy, this is a yes or no question."

"I don't know, Peck, maybe he would maybe he wouldn't."

"Alright, fine I'll go with maybe. Perhaps dad would visit me or I could go visit him. Hey Percy, do you know an entrance to the Underworld?"

"Um, yeah on the Hollywood sign, on the "H" you'll find some Ancient Greek text."

"Thanks." I turned and walked back to the Apollo cabin.

"So, did you find anything about your dad?" Juniper asked when she came out from behind me and walked with me.

"Yep, how to get to the Underworld." I smiled.

"You're planning on going there, aren't you?"

"Probably? I don't know, but I just want to look for someone."

"Who?"

"No one important just someone."

"Alright, but if you go to the Underworld you need to understand it's dangerous down there."

"I know, I know."

"Peck, if you suddenly disappear I will Iris-call you no matter what, you know that right?"

"I know, Sunshine."

"Good." Juniper stopped and looked down at me.

I looked up at her with a soft smile. "You don't have to worry about me all the time."

"I'll always worry about you." Juniper pulled me close, hugging me tightly. "Because I love you."

A soft chuckled escaped me and I kissed her.

***

It was shortly after dinner I decided to try to reach out to my dad. I sat on my bed, alone in the Hermes cabin in complete silence. I took several deep breaths and closed my eyes. After several minutes of concetrating I gave up, I couldn't stay still and it was driving me nuts. I blinked and a single tear ran down my cheek dropping onto my jeans.

"Nico, where in Hades are you?" I whispered then it hit me. A feeling, I felt something burst in me and I looked around for the darkest place in the cabin. I found it and focused on my dad, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. After a few seconds everything was quiet and I opened my eyes. My knees felt weak and I felt like I was about to throw up so, I rested my arm on the wall.

A God was speaking to a Goddess, well, not really talking, it seemed more like arguing. The God was dressed in dark robes and the Goddess wore a floral dress of some sort.

Around me were dark walls and were those skeletons in armor? It was a dark room with two thrones against one of the walls. One throne was made of bones and the other was made of flowers, my eyes widened.

"I'm in the Underworld?" I said loud enough for the arguing God and Goddess to hear. I recognized both of them, Hades and Demeter, there was a third Goddess, Persephone too. They glanced over and Hades narrowed his eyes.

"A Demigod? But how is it here?" Demeter blinked at me.

"Wow, three Gods, I've never been in the same room with three Gods. Uh, hi, I'm Peck." I said nervously. "Um, I'm looking for someone."

"Who?" Demeter asked.

"Uh, someone that looks like me, except as a boy. Um, his name's Nico, Nico di Angelo. My half-brother? I don't really know how family works." I shrugged.

"Why would he be here? And how did you get here?" Demeter's eyes narrowed.

"Oh! Right, let's start over, shall we? I'm Peck Glen and-" I pointed at Hades. "Hades is my dad. I'm in search of my half-brother, his son, who disappeared several months ago."