The Big Three CATS! Chapter 9

Do not own anything; au; ooc; not betaed they are lost.

The demigods and godly cats arrived at the mouth of Tartarus. They stared into the yawning mouth of hell; darkness swallowed all light. It was so dark it looked like a solid mass, if it was not for the cold breeze smelling of decay and death coming up they would have thought they could have walked upon the darkness.

"So, now what?" Thailia asked staring into the dark. 'I wish I had a glow stick or something.'

"I don't know." Nico said still feeling gloomy about leaving his family. "I can't shadow travel you down there. Dad blocked my powers from being able to shadow travel anywhere near here."

Thailia, Zeus, Poseidon and Nico all turned to look at Hades who was glaring at the pit. Feeling the eyes on him, he turned his head. The four of them noticed that Hades's hair was standing on end and a faint growling was coming from his throat.

"Can you blame me?" They had the feeling if he could he would be raising an eyebrow.

"Well….No." Zeus said and he was about to suggest they have Hades try to shadow travel them down into the abyss when something interrupted him.

"Come on dad." Percy said as he scooped Poseidon up with no warning. He stuffed he had down his shirt. "Try to hold on okay?"

Poseidon pocked his head out of his son's dark blue shirt. "What do you? OMG WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Percy had placed his foot into Tartarus and was lowering his body down the cliffs edge. Thalia and Nico stared at Percy not moving an inch to stop him or join him. Percy looked up at them sea green eyes pocking just above the rim.

"What are you guys waiting for? We'll never get anything done if we just stand here talking about what we're going to do."

The two grudging agreed the snapped up their godly parent and began the descent. They traveled down into the darkness as they traveled Thalia got even more nerves. As she got more nerves, her powers started acting up.

"What the hell was that?" Shouted Percy as a bolt of light sliced the darkness right next to him. Bright lights flashed and blinked in his eyes, for a moment he could not see. He could hear Nico groaning with pain, complaining about the splitting headache he now had.

Percy looked up at were the bolt had came from. Poseidon looked as well ready to blame Zeus, but the words died in throat. Thalia was shaking and shivering above them, she was glowing lightning flashing in her hair, sparks bolted off her skin.

Nico yelped as a bolt hit his left hand. He jerked as electricity spread through his body, his hands slipped and he fell several feet into the darkness. He couldn't scream, couldn't breath as he hurtled down away from Percy and Thalia. He saw Percy looking down at him yelling his name.

"NICO!" Percy yelled his heart stopping as Nico was swallowed by darkness. Thoughts crowded his head his baby cousin was most likely dead. Despair filled him and he heard Thalia sobbing above him. Rage crashed upon him like a tidal wave, mixing with the rage was fear for himself Thalia and despair for Nico.

"Thalia!" Percy roared a deep voice coming from his chest; it was so powerful he could feel it rumble under his skin. "Calm yourself before you kill us both!"

Thalia's eyes snapped open tears still running down her face; she had never heard Percy sound like that in all the time she knew him. She felt the earth move beneath her head. A calm wash over her as Percy yelled again.

"You're a daughter of Zeus! Act like the strong person you are!"

Thalia's eyes filled with determination, he was right they had a job to do. As she calmed down the sparks stopped flying, her tears stopped falling. However, the lighting in her hair kept going providing them with the light they needed. Thalia started to climb down or she tried to, the wall was still shaking. Below her, she could hear Poseidon telling Percy to calm down. It must have worked because the shaking stopped.

Thalia climbed down until she was right next to Percy. She turned her head the light coming from her head shining light on the tear tracks on his face.

"What's wrong?" Thalia asked, wondering what made his thick-skinned cousin cry like that.

Percy chocked, he could not get the words out, he could not breathe, and all he could do was think in turmoil. Thalia looked around blue eyes shining with confusion, "Where's Nico?" She asked, only for Percy to choke out.

"Gone."

"Gone? Gone were?" She asked dread filling her; it was one type of fear to be descending into Tartarus, a completely different fear to know one of your own was missing while you were descending into Tartarus.

"He fell." Poseidon said bluntly, he did not have time for his niece's feelings. His son was distressed and had to be calmed, however because of that bluntness he felt Zeus glaring at him.

Thalia froze, in that instance everything hurt. One of the only people who could understand her and Percy and the burden they bared. Not to mention how close they have become, it was like losing Jason all over again.

Zeus looked up at his daughter worry making his whiskers twitch. Thalia's face was red, tears were gathering once more in her eyes. Zeus was going to tell her to use the collar when a voice interrupted him.

"Why are you guys crying?"

"What?" Both elder demigods snapped their head toward the voice. Nico was hanging on to the rocky side, right next to Percy. Dark brown eyes glittered as he saw the shocked faces of his cousins/brother/sister figures.

"But- You- Darkness- Thalia- Lighting- Fell- Dead- HUH?" Percy stumbled; he could not get his brain and mouth to connect. Luckily, Nico understood what he wanted to ask.

"I feel and dad shadow traveled me up here."

There was a collective oh, when Poseidon snapped at Hades.

"Wait! You can shadow travel? Why the heck didn't you shadow travel all of us down there, instead of making our kids climb down a dangerous cliff?"

Hades mumbled embarrassed, "I did not know I had the power left to do that."

"Well, can you try?" Zeus asked annoyed, he did not want his daughter climbing down a cliff of doom.

"I can try, I make no guarantees though." Hades replied then focused on the shadows around them.

One moment they were near the top of the cliff, the next they were just a hop toward the bottom.

Thalia looked down and wrinkled her nose. "Ewww, what is that stuff?"

Under them waiting for the demigods to wade through it was a dark river like substance. Except it was purple, there was unidentifiable clumps of things floating down the "river", it had the consistence of sludge and it smelled bad.

"It kind of reminds me of that pokemon Grimer." Percy said looking over his shoulder at the "river".

The others did not comment on that, it could have opened a whole lot of confusion. Hades looked down from his son's shoulders; unlike Percy, the others had not shoved their dad down their shirts like a naughty five year old trying to sneak a toy.

"That would be countless monsters from all over the world reforming so they can terrorize demigods and some humans once again."

"This is what happens to monsters after they explode like a sand dune with a home made bomb under it?" Percy said blinking his eyes at his kitty uncle.

"Number one, what did you think happened to the monster after they were defeated? They just pop out of the ground like daises after a well-earned vacation? Number two, nice description and how would you know what a sand dune explosion looks like?" Hades asked eyeing Percy, trying to figure him out.

Percy blinked and looked at the ten eyes staring at him. "I pled the fifth."

Zeus opened his mouth to ask more questions.

"Dad," he looked at his daughter. "Sometimes it's better to just leave it alone."

With that, all three kids jumped into the slimy river. As soon as the water seeped into their shoes, socks and into their pants, the demigods released screams of pain. They felt their skin melting from their bone. They clenched their teeth and squeezed tear-filled eyes shut.

"If you children had waited I would have warned you that the river though harmless to immortals and monsters is extremely dangerous to demigods." Poseidon said worry setting in as his son and friends whimpered in pain.

"You have to get moving! If you stay still to long the flesh will be ripped form your bones…well faster then it will if you're moving." Hades exclaimed eyes wide, at that the demigods started moving. The godly cats moved to their children's arms, trying to offer as much comfort as they could.

With every step, the demigods noticed that the clothes on their figure seemed to be melting and falling apart at the same time. Any exposed flesh was warming, turning into a light pink that would with time turn red.

Zeus tried to transform into a bird, thinking if he could make himself large enough then he could carry them. However, he found he was stuck in his cat form.

"Why can't I transform!"

"It's the locks on this place." the gods turned to Hades, their kids listened in though they were a bit preoccupied with forcing one foot in front of the other. "All powers not born into the demigod or not godly given powers can not be used here. It is so no one can escape, at least not easily. And since our limited morphing abilities are not completely normal godly powers we can't use them."

"So why could you shadow travel?" Poseidon asked through comforting purrs.

"My powers are connected to the underworld including this place; still I don't think I have enough energy in this form to do anything."

They gods fell silent; knowing all they could do was watch as their children struggle through these deadly waters.

Time pasted and the demigods continued their track with gasps and whimpers of pain. Their skin had turned from pink to red to a darker red and now had blisters forming. It was painful and if they survived, it would probably scar.

"Look!" Zeus pointed with his tail at a small cave in the cliff side. The demigods surrounded the cave and Hades took a deep breath the sent of flowers, the sea and mountain air filled his lungs.

"Why dose that tunnel smell like our wives?" Poseidon asked feeling strangely paranoid. Like Amphitrite was going to pop out of nowhere and make him dance the hula. In a coconut bra and a grass skirt, then make Percy dress as a pretty pretty princess and make him sing "I feel pretty, so pretty~!" while dancing like a ballerina.

"It's probably where the antidote is. Let's go!" Zeus that said as he jumped from his daughters arms, the water though it stunk was warm like nice bath on a cold day.

"I don't think we should leave our kids here alone." Hades said uncomfortably glancing around at the body parts of monsters floating down the river, and eyeball that was going by blinked at him. "If monsters form and attack, they can't be killed here. Our kids will be at a disadvantage."

"It's fine." Percy gritted out. "I doubt we will be attacked by monster pulp. Just go in get the antidote and we can go home."

The gods reluctantly agreed and slipped into the hole as soon as they did a strange barrier appeared before the opening.

"W-what do you think that's for?" Gasped out Nico, he was shaking the strain of everything was becoming too much. The other two were shaking too; they could feel their legs being relentlessly attacked by the acid water. Remembering what Hades said, they began to march in place.

A short time passed as the marched in silence, which was broken when a growl that sounded behind them. The demigods turn slowly to see what seemed to be a mix match of monsters in one body. It had the head of a hellhound, the body of a hydra, the claws and wings of a dragon and it was not alone. All around was a mix match of monsters, none of their body parts they had assembled matched the only one that was a complete match was the Minitor.

The demigods had stopped matching. Their eyes dilated, breathe quickened and they tensed ready to spring. Adrenalin took over the demigods everything became sharper. The pain of their legs fades as they readied themselves for battle.

As Percy pulled out his pen, he said, "If we don't make it. I just want you two to know I love you guys."

Nico drew out his sword. "It's a good day to die."

Thalia pressed her bracelet and let Argus form, the monsters took a step back from the shield. In her other hand she summoned her spear. "We lived together, ate together, fought together…We might as well die together and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Ditto." Percy and Nico said and with that, they charged.

The gods crawled through the tight space; it did not even allow them to turn their head much less turn around. Hades was crawling in front, quite at home in this dark cramped place though he wished it were not quite as wet as it was. His fur was starting to smell like wet cat. Poseidon and Zeus however were not faring so well. Both were feeling very claustrophobic; however, Poseidon at least had the comfort of the water. Zeus was not so lucky, both brothers bore it anyway just concentrating on moving forward.

The gods froze as a clash resounded through the cave. Then a pained scream followed, then the roar of some type of monster.

"Dammit!" Hades curse, part of him was glade in this form they could not cause disasters when they cursed. "I knew this would happen."

"What should we do?" Poseidon asked his ears folding back at all the horrible possibilities running through his head.

Zeus's eyes widened with terror as he hear Percy yell, "THALIA!"

"We have to go back!"

"We can't there's no room to turn around, besides what help would we be. We are not at full power what would we do? Hiss at the enemy, while our kids are being torn apart in front of us?" Hades snapped at Zeus, "Our best bet is to find the potion so we can turn back to normal and save them. Now move! Double time!"

The gods picked up their speed and soon the straight tunnel turned into a semicircular room that branched off into three different ways. One tunnel went to the left, one to the right and one straight ahead. Zeus sniffed the air and asked, "Dose anyone smell fog?"

Poseidon took a whiff, "Yeah and a sea breeze."

"Flowers." Hades stated his eyes narrowing, "Our wives must have laid down another trap for us."

"As if being cats wasn't the best part." Zeus said sarcastically rolling his eyes; he padded over and said next to Hades with Poseidon next to him.

They were about to try the left tunnel when a scream of pain echoed from the tunnel behind them.

"Percy are you okay?" Nico's voice yelled they could hear his sword bouncing off some type of armor.

Poseidon strained his ear but he could hear no answer, only Thalia's call to protect the entrance, the movement of the kids and the monsters closing in.

"Percy." Poseidon whispered to fearful to yell he jerked around and ran toward the entered tunnel only to slam into an invisible barrier. The barrier glowed blue as it threw Poseidon onto his side.

"What mischief has those heathens wrought?" Poseidon groused as he rose from the dirt made floor. As he stood up Zeus huffed out a laugh, on one side Poseidon was brown with dirt on the other he was black with a bluish hint.

"Hey, Shakespeare just so thou know thy brother Hades has sallied off to left breach." Zeus said in a mocking tone. No matter what time or what situation there was always time to poke fun at your siblings. Zeus chuckled as he followed Hades into the tunnel.

"Shut up." Poseidon muttered as he gave chase. Only as soon as they each too three steps in all three howled in pain and surprise. Vines of different plants wrapped around them. Thorns dunged into their legs, ivy vines coiled tightly around their bellies and necks, cutting off most of their movement and their breathing. Cactus needles shot from all around digging into fur as daises were shoved into yowling mouths and noses.

They clawed their way out and spent some time picking needles out of their skin. Zeus and Poseidon sent dirty looks toward Hades.

"What, it's not like you can control you wives either."

The other two grumbled as the made their way to the right tunnel. The three looked at the darkness with caution; warily taking the first step in was Poseidon. He walked four more steps and noting happened, the sea breeze just got stronger and made him a little home sick. He turned his head and nodded to his brothers, who nodded back and one after the other followed him. They were half way down the tunnel when a roar came from ahead.

"That dose not sound good." Poseidon said, "Ya think?" Hades criticized, his ears pinning back.

"Well at least it's not Hera's trap, she would use Zeus's lighting and sap us." Poseidon snapped back before this could turn into a fight Zeus piped up.

"Bros I think we should RUN!" He yelled as water rushed from the darkness, before they could move a muscle they were swept away into the old chamber.

Once the water died down the gods except Poseidon were left sputtering.

"Are they trying to kill us?" Zeus yelled in anger.

"No, just punish us for the same thing their always mad about."

The big three growled and stumbled along, thinking with every step they were about to be sapped as they tracked through the only tunnel left. They made it to a cavern, each of them twitching a bit from hearing the sounds of their children being ceaseless attacked by monsters.

A vile that glowed purplish pink and was in the shape of a heart sat upon a flat rock, the only elevated thing in the room. Zeus took a step forward carefully; he did not want to set off a trap.

"Forget this!" Hissed Hades as he shadow traveled right next to the vile with one flick of his tail he knocked the vile into the air and let the potion rain down on all three of them.

-With the demigods-

Percy panted as he held his sword in a lose grip, his strength was gone he could barely see and the burns he suffered were worse bits of his flesh were floating off. Thalia and Nico had already fallen knocked unconscious and floated down the river face down with numerous wounds marring their flesh.

'Great, I'm going to look like a zombie when I get out of here.' Percy thought as he mustered just enough strength took block the attack of a Harpy claw. He never noticed the tentacle that shot through his stomach and tossed him into the air. As he fell bleeding to the river of acid with monsters waiting for him he saw three bright lights shooting out of the hole his dad and uncles went through then everything went black.

Percy groaned as he opened his eyes to his surprise nothing hurt, but his surrounding did not look like the underworld. For one it was completely white and it smelled like a hospital.

"Bout time you woke up kelp head." Thalia's voice sounded to his right.

He turned his head and saw Thalia and Nico sitting on the bed next to him playing a card game, both wearing white hospital gowns. They two sustained no injures, Percy sat up and stared at them.

"What happened?" He asked green eyes flickering around the room; it looks like the infirmary at Camp except more high-tech.

"Apollo told us that our dads got us out, they punished their wives…" Thalia began and Nico continued.

"Hera someplace in the form of a mouse in a pet store waiting for someone to buy her. Zeus is with holding the antidote until further notice."

Thalia picked up her cards and place one down onto a stack in front of her. "Hades banned any plants from the underworld; in fact Persephone is to stay in her wing of the castle with no beauty around her. Only coldness, darkness and her mother force feeding her cereal. Got any threes?"

"Gold fish." Nico answered and was about to continue when Thalia said, "It's Go Fish."

"What?"

"The saying it's Go Fish. Your suppose to say Go Fish not Gold fish."

"Whatever. Anyway Poseidon put his wife under house arrest and Triton is free to go where he wishes, however he is suppose to show you the way too your dad's palace anytime you want to visit. Though I think your dad might just send a servant and let him do as he pleases."

Percy blinked, "Why and what happened to our wounds?"

Thalia put down her cards and looking Percy in the eye said, "Apollo healed our wounds, however the river that gave us those burns prevented him from healing us completely he had to leave some imperfection so he left scares. Luckily it was just our legs that took that much damage and he was able to completely heal our other sunburns and wounds."

Nico let Percy see his leg; it was shiny white and looked bumpy. "Aphrodite said she's working on a cream to make our burns disappear, but I'm not sure it's kind of cool. How many demigods can say they waded down the river in Tartarus and lived?" Nico said as he ran his hand down the scars.

"So what's this about my dad letting me visit?" Percy asked after shaking his head in amusement at Nico.

"Zeus said he can't erase the old laws, if he did bad things would happen." Thalia said looking somewhat creeped out that Nico was stroking his leg.

"Bad?"

"Like titans rising, gods vanishing, world ending."

"Bad."

"Yeah, so he found a way around it." Said Nico, "He set up a rule that campers can visit Olympus once a month for educational reasons, learn more about their roots or something."

"Your dad said the same thing and want you to come down any time. That and he has odd jobs for you so it's not against the rules, if it catches on you might see Thalia carrying thunderbolts to her dad."

"Shut up, death for brains." Thalia said laughing hitting Nico on the arm.

"Sounds good." Percy smiled, things seemed to be looking up.

The End