Anti's POV

I turned back to face Dark. "You think PJ's excited to see us or just all out shocked?"

Dark shrugged before glancing out the door. He smirked as he saw PJ's dropped jaw. "Probably a mixture of both. Maybe a bit more on the side of 'What the hell?'."

I chuckled quietly and peeked my head out the door. "He isn't moving. How do we get him to come over here?"

Dark thought for a moment while I pulled my head back in and looked at him. "He might respond to us just motioning over here."

I tilted my head slightly. "If we did that, anyone could see it."

"Hey, you asked for an idea. You didn't say it had to be a good one."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm only doing this because I can't think of anything else to do and we need to save Percy."

PJ was still staring at us in shock when I peered back through the door. I gave him a small wave, to which he replied by nearly falling over. After a moment, he shook his head and smiled widely.

"He seems a bit better, just motion over here," Dark instructed.

I nodded before motioning for PJ to walk to the door. He briefly glanced back to Felix, who was rambling on about how much would change after we found his dad, before he quietly jogged over to the door.

I quickly swung the door open wide enough for Dark to yank PJ into the hallway. He let out a short yell, briefly drawing attention to the building.

When PJ spun around to face me and Dark, he let a smile cover his face again. "What are you two doing here?! Did you two break Felix out of his room? What's going on?"

I exchanged a quick glance with Dark before he replied, "We didn't break Felix out of his room. We're here to rescue Percy from the execution and we need your help."

PJ stared back at us blankly. "Wait, you two didn't break Felix out?"

I shook my head. "No, I kinda thought you did."

PJ stayed silent for a moment before answering, "It wasn't me. Someone else is either here and shouldn't be, or someone who works here is specifically disobeying Felix's dad's orders."

"We didn't see anything suspicious when we arrived," Dark replied. "I don't think anyone else broke in."

"That would mean that someone's going against Felix's dad, though. Who in their right mind would do something like that?" I asked.

PJ sighed, "I don't know, but something definitely isn't right. We can figure that out later, though. For right now, did you two say you were trying to rescue Percy?"

Dark nodded while I answered, "Yeah, we got Felix to go out there and distract everyone, but we don't know how to get Percy out of the courtyard without being caught. We thought you might be able to help us."

PJ sent us confused glances. "Can't Felix just call off the execution since he's technically the king? Why do you need my help?"

I stayed silent. I hadn't really thought about that. However, Dark had different thoughts. "We can't do that because the citizens would probably think something along the lines of Felix only breaking out of his room to stop an execution. The people would likely think that he's just going to disappear into his room again."

PJ nodded. "Alright, but what am I supposed to do? Felix is already distracting the people."

"Felix has the people facing toward Percy, though," I pointed out. "To sneak Percy out, we need the citizens, guards, and knights to face the opposite direction."

"Again, how am I supposed to help?"

"We need you to get everyone to face away from Percy and Felix," I explained. "Felix will probably catch on to what you're doing and help you out. You just have to get it started."

PJ stared at us questionably. "You want me to just go out there and do what? Bang a couple pans together? Nothing I could do would get everybody to..."

"What?" Dark inquired.

"I have an idea, but it'll either get me in trouble or fired. The good news is that everyone will definitely be looking my way."

I sent him a deadpan expression. "You aren't gonna strip or anything weird, right?"

He stared back blankly. "Of course not, but if anyone finds out I'm lying, I'm fucked."

"Then don't get caught," Dark replied. "Sounds like a pretty simple solution to me."

PJ rolled his eyes. "Whatever, but you two owe me for this."

With that, he ran out into the courtyard and snuck behind that crowd. Once he was in the very back, he exclaimed, "I have an urgent telegraph from King Felix's father!"

The crowd turned around to face PJ, leaving Felix to stare confusedly at the male. Even Percy's head lifted to watch what was happening.

As the opportunity struck, I sprinted out into the courtyard. I darted up to the gallows Percy was standing on.

Before he could yell out of joy, Dark cupped his hand over Percy's mouth. Percy rolled his eyes, but they still twinkled in a hopeful manner.

I untied his hands from the wooden beam while Dark worked to remove the rope noose from his neck. While we were at work, we listened to PJ's distraction.

"And what would that be?" Felix questioned, sounding a bit too dramatic as he walked over to PJ.

"Your father has stated that he wishes for the release of all prisoners who are currently being held in the Underworld's prison."

At this, Felix turned to face the crowd. "You see, my father wishes to force chaos upon all inhabitants of the Underworld. If the prisoners were to be set free, much death and destruction would surely ensue. We must learn to disobey my father. He no longer has rule over this world!"

The crowd cheered as Dark and I ran back to the hallway with Percy, but PJ wasn't finished. "The telegraph also mentioned that the guards should receive raises and that Sir Chris should be removed from duty."

Felix glared at PJ as indirectly as he could while one of the knights, who I assumed was Chris, yelled, "What did I ever do to him?!"

PJ smirked. "According to the telegraph, he simply wants you gone. My guess is that you're an annoying prick."

A few of the other knights chuckled while Chris looked completely taken aback. "PJ, I'm pretty sure you and King Felix's father don't think that similarly of me."

"Have you ever talked to him?" PJ retorted.

By this point, Felix had grabbed PJ's shoulder. "Thank you for delivering the telegraph. Please send one back to my father that states that I don't intend to obey any of his requests."

"He seemed pretty insistent on giving the guards a pay raise. Are you sure you won't obey any of the requests?"

Felix took a deep breath. "I will consider giving the guards pay raises. Now, would you please go and deliver this telegraph?"

PJ smirked slyly. "Why, of course, your majesty." He bowed with one arm extended outward and the other across his stomach.

"Is he allowed to do that?" Percy asked. "Be that sarcastic and throw that much shade to the king?"

"Probably not," I guessed.

Dark nodded. "I agree, but Felix and PJ seem like friends, so I don't think he'd fire him or anything."

PJ straightened back up and walked back to the door while Felix began dismissing people from the courtyard. Once PJ walked through the door, I asked, "That was your distraction?"

"You had time to get Percy out, didn't you?" He replied. "That's all that matters when it comes to distractions."

"I, for one, thought it was hilarious that not only did you likely just lie yourself into getting a raise, but also managed to single out Chris," Percy commented.

"Thanks for recognizing it." PJ smiled at Percy before looking back to me and Dark. "Where are we going now?"

I exchanged a quick glance with Dark before repeating, "We?"

"Yeah?" PJ tilted his head. "I just lied to every guard, knight, and quite a few citizens. I kind of expected you to bring me along for the ride."

Before I had a chance to reply, Felix walked into the hallway. "Damn right you'll be coming with us. Someone clearly needs to lecture you, and if that person has to be me, then so be it."

"Uh, now that you're all here, I'd like to thank you guys," Percy commented awkwardly.

"Save the 'thank you's for when you can thank everyone who helped," I replied. "We need to go find everyone else."

A/N

Ahhhh

Chris

Lmao I don't even know

Chris is Crabstickz btw

Really hope you guys aren't getting annoyed by me adding new characters almost every chapter lmfao

Anyways, BUH-BYE BROTATOS!