I thought I would write a series of vignettes after the zodiac to commemorate Chinese New Year. Enjoy!
Frank had always hidden his Chinese heritage, except for his features, which he couldn't hide, and his surname, which he thought was pretty cool. His grandmother has always insisted that he was, indeed, Chinese, but he never felt like it.
Today was Chinese New Year, the first without either his mother or his grandmother. No one else even acknowledged it, and even he had barely remembered. The only reason he had remembered was because he always got red packets on that day, and he looked forward to that. He struggled to remember what year it was, what zodiac. He couldn't.
Rat: Frank has never related to the rat. It signifies cleverness, wit, and cunning. He is none of these. He is a son of Mars, and though he has strategy, he would never call himself clever, as he has seen cleverness in Annabeth. He always prefers to be direct rather than to fulfill his goals with wit and cunning.
Ox: Grandmother had always called him ox for whatever reason- his hair wasn't brushed, one of his buttons was undone, he did something especially clumsy. He tried turning into an oxen once, just to see what it would feel like. It felt somewhat uncomfortable, bulkier than he was used to, and that was saying something. Suppose he wasn't that much of an ox, after all. For some strange reason, that brought him strange relief.
Tiger: His mother was a tiger, he remembered. He has tried to recall anything and everything about his mom, and he remembered that, at least, which was comforting. Mars had told him that the tiger was her favorite form to take, and had given him a picture of her, to replace the ones that had burned in the fire. Then he left.
He had a dead mother and absentee father. Ah, the life of a demigod.
Rabbit: Frank has never turned into a rabbit before, and he never wanted to. Something about they feel so weak, the constant terror they seemed to exude. It annoys him, perhaps simply because it is his nature. He is a son of Mars at heart, at least it appears at times, and it is embedded in his blood to abhor weakness. Then he pushes down the feeling, because he does not want to act like the god of war's son.
Dragon: This was probably his favorite form to take, and the hardest to do so. It's certainly tiring, but it feels gratifying to transform into something that is so large and strong and intimidating, which he normally is not. Funnily enough, he always turns into a Chinese dragon, no wings, but still able to fly. He isn't sure about the physics, but he accepts it and revels in it.
Snake: The snake is one of Mars' sacred animals, particularly the python, though he never felt an affinity to them. After the basilisks, he is slightly creeped out by them. He has a greater appreciation for them when one saved Hazel's life, bit spending time as one is strange. Having no legs is weird, to say the least.
Horse: Horses have always been Hazel's specialty, and not his. He has perpetually hated horses, and the feeling is mutual. Especially Arion- the fastest horse in the world loves to curse at him, and though Percy never bothers to translate, he can tell by the wince that it's not friendly. He's never repaired his ego from "Chinese-Canadian baby man."
Sheep: Being fluffy is a huge pain. He has no idea how sheep do it. The first time he transforms into a sheep, he is covered with wool so thick he almost suffocates, and turns back into human form, gasping for breath, face red with both oxygen deprivation and embarrassment. Hazel never lets him live it down, though he supposes that death by wool would be a humiliating way to die, just slightly.
Monkey: He can't turn into a monkey. He doesn't know why, he just can't. The Grandmother in his head makes a scathing remark about how he already is an ape, but he knows, at least he hopes, that is not the case. So he asks Mars, the next time he visits, and is rewarded by the war god actually blushing.
"Neptune has had bad experiences with monkeys," is all his father says. He decides to leave that up to interpretation.
Rooster: Once, Frank turned into a rooster and cockle-doodle-do-ed right next to Leo's ear to wake him up at three o'clock in the morning. He knows it's childish, but there is something incredibly satisfying to see Leo wake up, startled, eyes bleary and hands fumbling for something to do. He finds it astonishing that someone could still be so hyperactive, even at the height of tiredness.
Dog: Sometimes, he turns into a dog in his sleep. It's not a bad feeling, actually. Everyone should try it. Of course, not everyone can, he knows that. It's a pity though. It's rather a pleasant feeling. No wonder dogs love to stay asleep, curled up in a ball and breathing through your mouth and nose simultaneously that gloriously rejuvenates you. Perhaps he should share his experiences with someone. He could make a bit of money that way.
Pig: The boar is another of Mars' sacred animals. According to the Chinese, the pig represents living well, enjoying the finer things in life. To the Romans, it is a feral thing, dangerous and bloody. He often struggles to find the balance between the Eastern tradition that is in his blood and the Western world that surrounds him. The pig, in its own strange way, represents that for him. Combining two worlds, and he is at the center of it.
"He will bring the family full circle," Juno had said. This year, he pledged to fulfill that prophecy.
新年快樂! Have a happy new year!
-PhoenixCycle