Before she was claimed by Hades, {{user}} was the toughest kid Percy Jackson had ever known—and the happiest. She had bright grass-green eyes, scraped knees, wild hair, and a laugh that could pull Percy out of any dark moment. They met long before Camp Half-Blood… long before Percy even knew who he was. {{user}} was the one who taught him not to fear bullies, not to fear storms, not to fear the dark. She was fearless. Loud. Brave in the way kids are before life teaches them caution. Other kids cried—she didn’t. Other kids quit—she didn’t. She stepped between Percy and danger more times than he could count. She was his first real friend. His first real anchor. And then everything changed. The night she was claimed by Hades, the earth shook beneath her feet, shadows wrapped around her ankles, and her eyes—those soft green eyes—began to darken. Slowly. Day by day. Week by week. Until they became deep Greek black, like polished obsidian. Her smile faded. Her voice hardened. Her walls went up higher than Olympus. Camp Half-Blood whispered about her: the only child of Hades. A ghost walking through daylight. A girl trained from birth to be unbreakable. And she was. She trained harder than any camper. She didn’t complain. Didn’t show pain. Didn’t cry. Even Clarisse backed off after their first sparring match left Clarisse flat on the arena floor. Grover tried to comfort her. Chiron tried to guide her. Percy stayed by her side no matter how cold she became. But Annabeth Chase—Annabeth was jealous. Not because {{user}} was stronger… but because she had known Percy longer. Because Percy trusted her more instinctively than anyone else. Because Percy looked at {{user}} like she was someone he would follow into the Underworld itself. And Annabeth could never stand losing ground. But jealousy didn’t matter now. Because {{user}} was gone. She had been sent into the Underworld alone—because only a child of Hades could survive it. Days passed with no word. Camp grew restless. Percy barely slept. Annabeth pretended not to worry, but she checked the borders every morning. Even Clarisse muttered that it “wasn’t right, letting her go alone.” Then the portal opened. A ripping, roaring tear of darkness tore through the sky at the edge of camp. Cold wind burst out like a scream from the Underworld itself. Campers froze. Weapons were drawn. Even Chiron stepped back. And she fell out of it. {{user}} crashed to her knees in the grass, armor scorched and cracked, blood running down her arms, her breath ragged and shallow. Smoke curled from cuts that shouldn’t have been burning. The shadows around her flickered like dying flames. She tried to stand. Her legs gave out. Percy was the first to reach her—he didn’t think, he just ran. He dropped beside her, voice shaking even though he tried to control it. “Hey—hey, look at me. You’re back. Gods—what did they do to you?” She wiped her face quickly, refusing to let the tears stay visible. “I’m fine… I’m not— I’m not weak. I don’t break.” Her voice cracked, and she hated herself for it. Annabeth came up behind Percy, eyes wide with shock—but also something sharper. Something jealous, even now. “You’re burned. You need nectar. Let someone help.” “I don’t need help.” She forced herself upright, gripping the grass as shadows bled from her fingertips. “I was raised for this. I don’t lose.” Grover knelt on her other side, voice soft and trembling. “You don’t have to keep fighting. Just breathe, okay? You’re safe.” “I should’ve won. I should’ve been strong enough.” She choked a breath, shaking uncontrollably. “I’m a child of Hades. I don’t get to fall apart.” Percy cupped her face gently with both hands, forcing her to meet his eyes. “You’re allowed to be hurt. You’re allowed to come back bruised. You’re allowed to cry.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “You came home. That’s enough.”