Chapter 1
My Life Gets a Whole Lot Harder
I glanced at the clock, 15 more minutes until History. I sighed, Math droned on and on and on. Sure, I had a pretty... Interesting.... life, and school was one of my high-points, but even with my high grades, I hated math.
"You multiply the divisor by the dividend... Oh wait, maybe it's the other way around." My math teacher paused to re-think what you were supposed to do in long division.
I rolled my eyes, I already knew how to do long division, and we learned it in 5th grade, and 6th grade wasn't exactly challenging, with dumb teachers and even more dumb students. My thoughts drifted off to History, we had been studying greek mythology, but I already knew all of it. I was in a Greek Club, and I enjoyed it greatly.
"Oh look at that, the brainiac doesn't even know." I suddenly snapped out of it, hearing the words that had haunted me since Elementary. I took a quick glance toward Christian, my semi-friend, usually, he would say some smart remark in order to stand up for me, but even he was silent.
"Well, Hel-ee, do you have the answer?" My math teacher growled, she cracked her fingers as if she was running out of patience.
"Its Hali-" I began, but she cut me off as soon as I began.
"Hali, Hel-ee, same thing!" She snapped.
"Anyway, the answer is 26, no remainder." I clenched my jaw, I hated it when she called me Hel-ee.
"Uh," My math teacher turned away and quickly punched in some numbers on a calculator. "So slow!" She grumbled. "Yes, correct."
I didn't respond, I looked at the clock. 1 more minute! The bell rang, I leaped to my feet and slipped over to Christian's side.
"Sorry." He muttered, he stared at the ground.
"It's fine!" I smiled and elbowed him, "I'm used too it."
Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Run!" He yelled, I stared at him.
"What? Run? Where?" I laughed, my smile broadened. "Sometimes I can't tell when your serious or not."
"I'm serious!" Christian looked around wildly, barking came from down the hall.
"Hide in the classroom, lock the door behind you." He was beginning to look desperate, but I didn't obey.
"No." I said firmly. "Not until I see what I'm supposed be hiding from."
A large, dark figure came around the corner, it was the shape of a dog but the size of a giant.
"Oh my go-" I was cut off as Christian shoved me out of the way as it bounded down the hall towards me.
"Take this!" He yelled, throwing me a sword as he began to shoot arrows at the monster.
I stared at the sword, not exactly knowing what to do with it. I looked up at the huge dog as it swatted Christian's arrows away. Somewhere inside I knew I was going to die, so I might as well die in honor.
I charged, not knowing how to use it, I slashed it's chest. It barked at me and lunged, it's long fangs coming too close to my neck.
I screamed as it's claw crashed down on my face, my hand immediately flew to my face, I screamed again as I saw the blood soaking my hand.
Christian had switched from arrows to spears, the spears flew through the air at amazing speed as he shot it from a bow.
The spears imbedded themselves in the monster dog's side, but it kept stalking towards me. It lunged again.
This is it. I thought and closed my eyes, and threw the sword, it was my only chance, and I knew it wasn't enough.
Nothing happened, I opened my eyes and found myself trembling. There, in front of me was a pile of sand where the dog had been. I scrambled to my feet.
Christian was grinning from beside me, "I knew it!" He bursted out. "You are one! You are one!"
I stared at him, though inside I was jumping with fear. "I... I'm... I'm what?" I asked, my voice was barely a whisper.
"One of us! Your a half-blood! You did it, you killed the hellhound!" Christian was nearly exploding with words.
"Um, a half-blood?" I asked, though I knew it was a mistake.
"A Demigod." His eyes shined like the sun, "Like me."
I backed up, "Hold up. No way, I can't... be... that. Demigod's are related to a god, I am not."
"Oh yes you are! Think about it, Hali, where's your father?" He said, the words stung me.
"Don't talk to me about that." I growled.
"Just... Just come with me, call your mom and say your leaving, and make sure to tell her your going to Camp Half-Blood. She'll know what that is." Christian tried to smile encouragingly.
I clenched my jaw but reluctantly nodded, I trusted him, I just hoped he was trying to the right thing. I flipped open my cellphone.
"No!" Christian snatched the phone away and threw it too the ground, he smashed it with his foot. "No phones, I'll explain later." He fished in his jean pocket and pulled out a Drachma. "Find water, make a rainbow, throw this into it, and ask-" I cut him off.
"Yeah, yeah, make an offering to Iris." I grabbed the Drachma and scrambled for the Science room. I walked inside, and looked around for Mrs. Harmon's spray bottle. I scanned the room, the sprayer sat by a plant. I began to make my way over, the sword in hand. I stopped to examine my surroundings before grabbing the bottle. I backed away, glancing around every few second.
"Die!" The scream hit me like a bowling ball, and I was the pin. I whipped around to face an ugly face, all scrunched up and wrinkly. I swung the sword at it, it swerved out of the way and sped towards me, talons first.
I swung again, slicing it's neck in half, the ugly being exploded into glittering sand, I stepped away, eyes wide. I ran out with the spray bottle in my hand.
"You finished?" Christian asked as I stepped out.
"I never started." I scowled.
"Then start now." He turned away.
I sprayed the water, creating a shimmering rainbow. I threw the Drachma in, and it dissolved into the rainbow.
"Uh, Julie Grant, please." I asked, a little untrustingly.
I could now see my mother, she was talking on the phone.
"No, please, just... I know it's for her own good... Please, Po-" My mother stopped mid-sentence as she spotted me. "Hali!" She gasped and dropped the phone.
"Hi mom." I said, and tried to smile like everything as okay.
"Why are you using...." She trailed off, "Oh, Hali! No, you can't leave!"
"I have too, I'm going to Camp Half-Blood, and I... I think I'll be back." I bit my lip, I tried to balance the sword in my hand as I talked to her, but it teetered dangerously as it tried to escape my hand.
My mom sighed, "I can't just let you leave, I need you here..."
"I'm sorry mom, but I.... I think it's best." I finished, a burning sensation passed through my eyes as I spoke.
"Your right, I know your right." She looked away, "Just make sure to stay safe, alright?"
"I'm sure Christian will take care of that." I stepped out of the image to reveal Christian standing behind me.
A smile broke on my mother's face, "Yeah, right, that makes me feel a whole lot better. You going on a perilous journey across the US with a kid I don't even know?"
I laughed, "You know him... Sort of. You saw us talking and stuff... I mean, he's a demigod, he can't mess up too bad."
"I suppose your right." My mom sighed again, a voice crackled on the phone.
"Julie? You still there?"
"Oh crap!" She muttered and rested her gaze on me again, "Stay safe, okay? I'll see you soon, alright?"
"Alright, mom. I'll keep in touch, with phones or uh... Iris Messages, or whatever. Bye... Mom." I watched her smile at me sadly.
"Bye, Hali. Stay safe!" She repeated and faded away.
I stared at the empty hallway for a moment before turning to Christian. "Let's go." My voice was firm, and full of determination.
"Uh, you might want to sheathe that sword..." He said, and took it from my hand. "Like this," He twirled it and slammed the hilt to the ground, dissolving into a small disk. "Got it?"
"Um, yeah. I guess, but what if I'm like... Trying to kill somebody with the hilt and..." My eyes clouded with trouble.
"Ah, I figured you would ask that. It only sheaths when you want it too." Christian smiled, "I should know, I designed it myself."
"Right, right. Thanks." I took the disk, not really taking any interest in the whole he designed it himself part. "We ready to go? We still have to get to New York."
Christian sighed and nodded, "Yes, we need to catch a ride." He walked through the empty corridors and to the entrance, I followed. He pushed the doors open and stepped out.
"TAXI!" He yelled, "TAXI!"
"My gosh Christian, do you have any idea how idiotic you look right now?" I couldn't help laughing at him.
He smiled, "You got a better idea?"
"Uh-huh." I walked over to the school's pay phone, and flipped open the phone book. "Bus... Bus..." I searched through the B's. I quickly dialed a number, it read Cross-Country Bus Service over the top of the number.
"Yo yo yo!" A guy yelled from the other end of the line, "This is Telkio, from Cross-Country Bus! You need a ride? We got a ride! You need some grub? We got grub!"
"Uh, okay, nice to know. Listen, Telkio from Cross-Country Bus, I need a ride. Like, now." I said, a little annoyed by the guy already.
"Now, eh? We can send a bus like, now. But we only accept a special type of payment, Golden-" Telkio began to say.
"Golden Drachmas," I finished, "I got em', and there just sitting in my pocket... Waiting for some bus phone answer-er to take..."
"Lemme guess, Demigod?" Telkio growled, it sounded strangely like a dog,
"Uh huh. And like I said, I need a ride, like now." I repeated.
"Whose your parent then? I need a name in order to get the right bus." He said and yawned.
I was officially annoyed by the loud guy on the line, "One sec," I told Telkio and turned to Christian. "We need a god parent, like now!"
"Uh... What do you mean?"
"This guy is asking to know who our parent is so he can send the right bus!"
"Oh, say Zeus."
I turned my mouth back to the phone, "Zeus. My father is Zeus."
"Zeus, eh? Fine, fine. I'll send a bus right away." Telkio said and hung up.
I raised an eyebrow and put the phone back on the receiver. I walked over to Christian.
"Done." I said, "Oh! You got any more Drachmas? Were gonna need em'."
"Oh my gods, you expect me to be rich or something?" Christian shook his head and dug in his pocket.
"Here." He poured 8 Drachmas into my hand.
I guessed it would be enough, but I had no idea. I glanced over at the road as a bus pulled up, huge lettering shimmered across the bus that read 'Cross-Country Zeus Bus', a lightning bolt was plastered behind one of the letters.
"Our ride appears to be here." Christian walked over to the bus and began to walk up the steps. I quickly dashed after him, the Drachmas rattled in my hand.
"Pay." A slim looking man barked.
I quickly dumped the Drachmas into his hand and shuffled to the back of the bus.
Christian slid into a seat, I sat beside him.
"Destination?" The man called again.
"Camp Half-Blood." Christian called back.
The bus roared to life and took off down the road.
I sighed, and rested my head against the seat, I examined my hand for a while, which was still stained with blood, before Christian spoke.
"Your still bleeding." He said, and bent down to fumble through his backpack and pulled out a small white case.
He gently pressed gauze against the cut on my face, I winced as he took it off and patched it up.
"There." Christian put away his things and stared at the seat in front of him.
I continued to examine my hands until the man driving growled.
"Your ride stops here." He barked.
"Wait, but this isn't Camp Half-Blood." Christian said, getting to his feet.
"And you'll never get there." The man turned, revealing a seal like dog face.
"Hali... What was the guy's name that you talked too..." Christian asked nervously, taking a few steps back.
"Telkio." I responded, my eyes wide. I unsheathed my sword, it's blade glittered.
"Oh... Gods... Telkio, as in Telkine?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out a metal hackie-sack.
"Christian, this isn't the time for games." I snapped, raising my sword.
"It's not what you think." Christian yelled some ancient greek and threw the hackie-sack up, the metal ball transformed into a sword.
"Holy..." I was lost for words.
"Say hello to DeathBringer." He spat at the monster and charged, I followed, but Christian had it covered. He slashed and lunged and all those fancy tricks.
"Hali, behind him!" Christian yelled the command at me.
"How? He reaches the whole ceiling!" I yelled back.
"Water, Hali, water." He slashed again.
"Water?! What the heck am I-"
"JUST DO IT!" Christian snapped.
"Alright, alright." I muttered and looked around. I ran towards one of the seats and leaped, the springs inside of it sent me soaring across the bus. Thankfully, right over the Telkine.
One move. I reminded myself and lunged, my sword went straight through the Telkine, I prayed that I hadn't hit Christian in the process. The Telkine dissolved into sand, and disappeared.
"Nice one." Christian stood grinning in front of me.
"I didn't hit you! Score one!" I punched my fists in the air.
"Nope, not a scratch. But we need to get of here, now." He searched the bus for something we could use.
"Here." He tossed me a couple bags full of Drachmas. I grinned, "Awesome."
Christian headed for the back of the bus, and too the on-board kitchen. He searched through the cabinets and refrigerator. He dumped a whole bunch of food into a trash bag and stuffed into his Backpack.
"We set?" I asked as he returned to the front of the bus.
"Yup, and we got food AND money." He smiled and flipped a switch on the dashboard, opening the door.
I smiled and trotted down the stairs and into the busy streets.
"Crap!" I gasped and dodged cars as they whizzed past.
Christian followed not far behind, quickly sidestepping on-coming cars.
I plopped myself down on a bench next to a bus-stop. "Does that always happen?" She asked. "I mean, monsters hurling themselves in our path."
He nodded, "Yeah, it does, a lot. If you get a quest, which pretty much never happens, it'll happen all the time."
I forced a grin, "Then let's get ready to slice some monster butt." I joked, but Christian didn't laugh, he just nodded grimly.
"Aw, come on, can't take a joke?" I punched him on the shoulder in a playful manner.
Christian sighed, "Just.... Just try to act serious, all right? Your in real, real, danger right now, and if you get killed... I... It's just not a good thing." He finished.
I restrained myself from rolling my eyes as I rested my head on the back of the bench. "What time does the bus arrive?" I managed.
"5:00 PM." Christian responded, "It's only noon now, we can go take a walk." He suggested.
"What happened to the whole 'Your in real danger'?" I giggled at my own joke, though I knew he'd probably glare at me, and I was right.
He glared at me with one of those 'Your being sooooo idiotic right now that I can't believe it' looks, it always made me shiver, mostly because it seemed as if fire was leaping at his pupils, and I had always figured it was because of his eye color, amber, but I now realized that had nothing to do with it.
"Your the son of Hephaestus, God of Forges and Fire, aren't you?" I had meant for my voice to be a deadly serious, but unfortunately that's not the way it came out.
Christian laughed at my squeaky voice, "I wondered when you would figure that out, since you know... I always see you staring at my-" I cut him off,
"At your eyes." I finished, "I had no idea... I should have known!" I slapped my forehead, "I'm in the Greek Club for crying out loud!"
That just made him laugh harder, "You would have known sooner if you would have listened to what I was saying in the school!"
"Uh...." My memory was blank, apparently fighting Telkhines kills your brain, because I had no clue.
"'I designed it myself'....?" Christian said, trying to jog my memory.
"The sword!" I cried suddenly, "You designed the sword!"
A smile broke on his face, "Exactly. Now, back to that walk, you wanna go?"
I raised an eyebrow, a little confused about how he had changed the subject so quickly, but nodded. "Sure."
Christian smiled and got up, slinging the backpack over his shoulder again. He started walking in the direction of a sign that read: 'Fossil Show! Come one and all!'
I had to sprint to keep up with him.
What's he up too? I thought absentmindedly, I wasn't really interested in pondering my thoughts at the moment.
"Oh look!" Christian called with false excitement, "A fossil show! Wanna check it out?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess." I responded, slightly confused, something was wrong, and it wasn't just a joke.
He started heading towards some fossils. Perfect! Time to figure out what was up.
I unsheathed my sword, ancient greek was etched in the side with a sea green, but I didn't pay much attention, I had a Demigod to ambush.
I lunged, twirling him around and pushing him up against a brick wall, pressing my blade to his neck.
"Hey!" Christian yelped, "What's the big idea?!"
"I could ask the same!" I snapped, "What's up with the whole sarcastic-ness."
"Nothing!" He replied quickly, I could see his hand moving to his pocket out the corner of my eye. Swinging my leg up, I slapped his hand against the wall with my foot.
"Not so fast." I searched fiery gaze for some kind of hint.
My expression changed as he smiled, "Nice one. I guess you are a Demigod." I wanted to slap him, he was being an idiot and I was tired of it. I sheathed my sword, "Don't thank me." I growled as I stepped away.
"Why would I? I could've beaten you anyway, you don't have half the training I have." Christian smirked.
"Do me a favor, shut up." I flashed one of my deadly glares at him, but he didn't take a hint.
"Come on, we have a show to look at." Christian headed towards an exhibit that had a low hanging banner that read 'Ancient Sea Life'.
I could hear a voice in the back of my head whispering, Turn away... Turn away... I narrowed my eyes, I had heard this voice before in my dreams, but whatever it was had never spoken to me in the day. It usually told me advice, and I usually followed it, but this was Christian, how much trouble could we get into?
Okay, wait, before we go on much longer, I guess I should tell you about Christian and my history as semi-friends. We semi-met on the first day of Middle School, well... not exactly, he was in my 5th grade class in Elementary, but he said he was going to a different middle school, but apparently that didn't happen. I had sat down at lunch and was beginning to eat, when, of course, somebody knocked over my milk. It spilled ALL over the place, and nobody had the guts to be seen cleaning up with some geek, so Christian helped me out and grabbed a cloth and started soaking it up with me, and that's when we became semi-friends.
And since then, no matter how good of a student I am, I ended up getting detention with him at least once a week. Between food fights, cuss outs, and smart remarks, we had pretty much adopted the detention room as our second home.
Back to what I was telling...
I knew we had a bad trouble making history, but hey, I was about to go into an awesome underwater exhibit! I couldn't miss a chance like that!
"Check this out!" Before I knew it, Christian was heading for a huge open area with a Megladon skeleton within it.
I followed, I stood beside him, staring at the skeleton. I reached out too touch it, it's smooth bones seemed to sooth my nerves, kind of like my old Fossilized Sand-dollar necklace that I had always worn.
"Cool, huh?" He said, smiling as he also reached out to touch it.
I nodded, I started wondering what it was like back then, when Megladons were alive, and what they looked like. I grinned, I SO wanted to see this thing in action.
As soon as I thought about Megladons being alive, and how I wanted to see it in action, it's bones seemed to dissolve under my fingers into slimy, yet smooth, skin.
Christian screamed, which I would have laughed at if the extinct shark hadn't tried to kill us.
The Megladon dropped the the ground, writhing and squirming until it figured out how to inch toward us.
The group inside the Ancient Sea Life exhibit were all screaming and yelling and pouring out the doors while Christian and I faced the shark.
I unsheathed my sword, and Christian pulled out Deathbringer, instead of a sword, it turned into a spear, which I thought was odd, but I didn't have time to ask because the ancient shark lunged.
I sidestepped and slashed as it flew past me and towards a wall, but it didn't crash, it turned and faced us in midair, as if it was still in water.
"Uh, Christian, you might wanna throw that spear now." I glanced at him.
The spear dissolved into a sword, "No way, I'm using a sword against this thing!"
The shark lunged again, my sword skimmed the side of it's gills, while Christian's bounced off the end of it's tail.
"Your sword!" I yelled at him, "It doesn't work!"
Christian stared at the ground pity burned in his eyes, "I'm sorry, Hali, but you'll have to fight this battle without me."
"What?!" I screamed at him again, "I'll get killed!"
"My weapons won't hurt it, only yours will."
"Wha.... What? What do you mean? You use a sword, and I...." I trailed off, realization hitting me like a freight train.
"That's why Hali," Christian said, as if reading my thoughts, "Your father is Poseidon."
"No... No...! My father is a marine biologist- Oh my gosh, that explains... Oh no..." The shark lunged again, fortunately, it can only go one way at once, I stepped out of the way and brought down my sword as it passed, the blade went straight into the creature. Unfortunately, it would take more then that to kill this gigantically huge shark.
Christian watched, he wanted to help, I could tell by the look in his eyes that he'd give anything to be able to protect me, I was thankful that he had taken me this far, but I had to do this myself, and prove myself as not just a geek, but a Demigod.
"Hi-ah!" I yelled a the Megladon and charged, I had to get at it's gills. I was gaining speed now, I could smell it's old fishy breath as I slid underneath it and swiftly changed my grip on my sword. I made a strong stab into it's underbelly. If sharks could yell, this one probably would.
I could hear the silent yet powerful cheer of Christian, "Go Hali! Go slice some monster butt!"
His familiar words filled me with strength and... pride? I sliced again as I came out, hitting it's smooth skin and skidding around to strike again. As I said before, sharks can't jerk to the side very quickly, so it gave me the perfect chance to kill.
With a, strong, heavy, powerful, relieved, amazing, and so many other things, I brought down my sword on the monsters gill, my blade went straight through, I could tell it had hit it's heart, because I could feel it's heartbeat through the sword.
The Megladon exploded into sand, and I stood there as the dust cleared, my sword still raised. I let my arm fall to my side, I stared at the spot where I had just defeated a hundred ton ancient shark.
"Hali!" Christian yelled, running over, "You did it." His gaze burned into mine like a midnight fire, I let the sword clatter to the ground as I sank to the ground and onto my knees.
He crouched beside me, "Hey, you did it." He murmured to me, "You are a true Demigod."
I could feel myself trembling, between realizing my father was a god, and defeating a monster that could've killed me if I wasn't Poseidon's daughter, I was pretty much crippled from shock.
"Your sword," Christian picked up the shimmering blade, "these greek words etched into the side, they mean OceansJoy. Yes, I did make it, but your father asked me specifically to put these words on the side, so you would always know he loved you."
"Crapy name for a sword." I muttered quietly.
He laughed, "I suppose so, I suggested TidesFury, but NOOOOOOOOOOO, it had to be OceansJoy." He looked around the empty exhibit, "We better get out before the cops get here."
"Cops?" I looked at him, my eyes had started to tear up, but I had managed to hold them back.
"Oh yeah, probably should have mentioned this, but whenever we kill monsters or make some big attack, it looks like something completely different to Mortals, our life is covered by The Mist. So, to Mortals, that whole scene probably looked like us rampaging."
I couldn't help laughing, "Uh-huh, or throwing teddy bears at everybody."
He shot me one of his 'That is soooooooo irrelevant' looks. I hated it when he made one of those looks, he had so many, it was hard to tell what look it was sometimes.
I rolled my eyes, "Alright, alright. Subway, or bus?"
"Neither." Christian responded, fishing in his pocket. He pulled out a golden Drachma and looked around for something to spray with. He scanned the room and then looked at me, and smiled.
"Woah, wait a sec, who said I could make a rainbow? I'm not the daughter of Iris." I scowled.
"No, but you are the daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea... Water makes rainbows." Christian pointed out, I also hated it when he did that.
"Fine fine." I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate on mist, and water, and good things like that. I could hear Christian gasp, but I dare not open my eyes, I was afraid I might pass out at what I see.
"Hali! You can open your eyes now." He said, tossing the Drachma into the mist as I opened my eyes.
"Awesome!" I gaped as I watched my fingers admit mist into the air.
"O Goddess Iris, please accept my offering!" Christian watched the mist for a second and then spoke again, "Chiron, Camp Half-Blood."
"Omy...." I watched as a centaur appeared running through the woods.
"Chiron!" Christian called at the image.
The centaur looked startled at first, but his expression melted into a smile. "Why, Christian! Don't scare me like that!" He laughed.
"I won't!" Christian promised and glanced at me at the same time, "Well, I have obtained the... Item... And I need two Pegasi."
"Hey!" I punched his shoulder with my other hand, "I'm right here!"
"Ah, I see..." Chiron chuckled, "I'll have some of the Apollo-"
Christian cut him off, "It'd be better if you just sent the Pegasi without the Apollo cabin, we don't want them in danger."
"And who put you in charge?" I cut in, "I mean, I think this guy is like your boss... I mean, like... uh.... I mean, you wouldn't be the oldest camper is um, what I mean."
"I am afraid your friend is right." Chiron said gently.
My semi-friend looked a little let down by Chiron and my words.
"But, you have a point. I'll just give the Pegasi the directions and off they go."
Christian's face lit up, "Great!"
"Woah, wait another sec, you mean a Pegasus? Like... The big flying horses?" My eyes widened.
"I'm afraid so, young Demigod." Chiron smiled, "Well, off with you two! The Pegasi will know where you are."
Christian nodded, "Bye, Chiron!"
Chiron waved as he shattered the image with his hand.
"I guess we should head...." I trailed off, I had no idea where we should head.
"Away from here." Christian finished my sentence for me and headed for the exit, I sheathed OceansJoy, I had forgotten all about the sword.
We stepped into the sunlight, I gasped, the SWAT team had gathered around.
"Oh gods..." Christian swallowed uneasily, "Uh, you got any ideas?"
I was pleased by his question, but I didn't really pay attention to the feelings, because nerves bounces around inside me. "Um, run?"
"Good idea." And with that, we ran. I had unsheathed OceansJoy again, and though bullets were spiraling towards us, Christian had turned DeathBringer into a shield and was blocking them, while I slashed through the army.
I hadn't realized I wasn't killing anybody till we were half way too getting out of the barricade.
"Uh, Christian!" I yelled at him through the noises of battle, "I'm not getting to far with fending them off!"
"I know!" He yelled back, "Your sword isn't steel, it's celestial bronze! It won't hurt mortals like it does monsters."
"Oh." Was all I could say, mostly because another round of SWAT came barreling towards us, I ended slapping them to the ground with the hilt of my sword while Christian knocked others down with his shield and held off bullets.
"Were not doing too well, are we?" I called to him again.
"Nope." He responded and kicked somebody's leg out from under them, and sent them tumbling onto the asphalt.
So much for shields, if only my sword was steel! An idea struck me like lightning.
"That's it!" I said aloud, "Christian, let them close in on us!"
"What?! Are you crazy?!" He yelled at me.
"No, I'm a genius." I grinned, "Fountain." I mouthed too him.
"Oh!" He smiled and stopped knocking SWAT to the ground and focused on blocking bullets.
I concentrated on the fountain, I imagined the water leaping out of the fountain and crashing down on the SWAT team.
And so it did, I could feel the water rising and crashing down, I immediately grabbed onto Christian as I opened my eyes.
Christian stared at me with those burning eyes, a thankful fire flickered within them.
I smiled, and pulled him toward the surface. My head popped out of the current, following by Christians. He gasped for air, while I watched him with a calm expression.
"Cool." He managed at last.
I laughed, "Come on, we need to find a safe, dry, hidden place to stay." I began to pull him to dry ground with ease.
I looked back at all the limp bodies that showered the ground, a twinge of guilt burned in my stomach, but I tried to ignore it.
We headed for the park, hey, don't blame me, Christian came up with it.
"Park's are shady in places, sunny in places, and they have fountains with water," Christian was explaining to me as we made our way toward the park.
"yet we are protected by the mist VERY well there, and when the Pegasi come, it will look like cops riding around on horses, probably." He finished.
"Uh-huh." I responded, I didn't really pay much attention to him. "So, uh, Christian, why the heck did you drag me to an Ancient Sea Fossil exhibit?!" I suddenly felt like yelling at him, he knew I could have gotten killed in there, but yet he refused to give up.
He stared at the ground, "I'm sorry Hali, but I had to know for sure."
"And knowing for sure involved getting me killed?!" Now I was yelling, I was thankful that I didn't die, but I seriously didn't want to get killed.
"But you didn't!" Christian snapped back, "I wouldn't have risked it if I didn't believe you could defeat it!"
My green gaze flashed, "I thought you were supposed to get to this whack-job camp safely, but apparently that didn't turn out too well." I shouted and stormed away into the park.
"Hali, wait!" Christian ran after me, "I didn't mean for you to be in danger!" "Yeah right!" I hissed back, "And you didn't mean for the SWAT team to come, and you didn't mean for the Telkhines to come, and you didn't mean for that stupid Hellhound to attack us!" As my anger grew, the water in the fountain rose until it was towering over us.
"No, I didn't mean for any of that too happen!" Christian looked slightly panicked as he glanced at the tall water. "Part of being a Demigod means being in danger, fighting monsters, and putting others first."
"Oh, and taking me into an Ancient Sea Life exhibit and telling me that I had to fight it alone is putting others first?!" As my voice rose, the water rose.
"Please, Hali, just calm down. I made a mistake, everyone does." He responded gently.
"No! Don't act like some whack kindergarten teacher! You want me dead, your eyes give it away." I disappeared into the water, daring Christian to follow.
"My gods Hali," He dove into the funnel.
"My gods Christian," I mimicked, "You don't have the guts to kill me, that's why you have others to do the job."
"No! Just, listen. Sure, I'm a little jealous, it's been dozens of years since the last Poseidon kid, and I had always hoped it was me until Hephaestus claimed me. I've never been the underdog, I'm always the person everybody looks up too, and for once I don't want that! And now I think I can have that, with you being Poseidon's daughter, kid of the Big Three, everyone will look up too you!"
Heck, I wanted to slap Christian to Olympus at the moment, but I refrained. "Oh, so you think I want to be looked up too?!" "Yes." His tone was even, "You've always been the geek, Hali, and now you can be the leader, like you said you wanted."
I couldn't help brightening up, he had remembered my wish to be a leader in something, anything at all, but my anger covered it, "I'd rather stay as a geek then be known as some whack-kid."
"For the sake of gods, stop using the word whack!" Christian laughed, "The Pegasi should be here."
"Who said I wanted to go?"
"Please Hali, we need you." Christian's fiery gaze searched my sea green one.
"Fine." I scowled and we popped out of the funnel of water and into the daylight, I sent the water back to the fountains.
"Oh my gods," He gasped, "Duck!"
I didn't trust him, but I ducked, bullets whizzed over our heads.
"WHAT THE HECK?!" I screamed at him, "LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I LISTEN TO YOU, WE GET SHOT AT BY THE-"
"Hali, SHUT UP." Christian hissed at me, "Police."
"Again?" I muttered, and crouched beside him behind a bush.
"We have to get away, we need the Pegasi, like now." He looked at me expectantly.
"What?" I stared back.
"Poseidon created horses, so his children-" I cut him off.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll try, but don't expect anything." I closed my eyes and focused, I was trusting Christian not to get me killed.
"Uh... Pegasus?" I said aloud, not sure what to call them.
Yo yo yo! Sup? I'm Jinx. A voice whinnied in my head.
My names is not Pegasus, Another snorted, It's Yundy.
I couldn't help giggling at Yundy's name. "Nice, listen, where are you guys? We need you now!"
Swoopin' down, prepare for boarding! Jinx responded.
"Thanks." I smiled too Christian, "They're landing."
A grey Pegasus and a brown Pegasus landed behind them.
"Great!" Christian grinned and leaped onto the brown one, Yundy.
I hauled myself up onto the grey one, he was obviously Jinx, and we took off too the skies, bullets still flying by as we took flight.
"Awesomeness." I yelled to Christian as we soared above the clouds.
Christian nodded, "Tell the Pegasi too fly lower."
I raised an eyebrow but nodded, "Uh, guys, can you fly below the clouds?"
Sure thing. Yundy and Jinx responded at the same time and dipped down.
I sighed as we started heading for the ground.
"Were almost to Camp Half-Blood!" Christian called, sounding delighted by the fact we were almost there.
"Uh-huh." I sighed and looked down, we started to skim the ground, dirt flying in our faces.
"THIS IS SUICIDE!" I yelled to Christian as the Pegasi stumbled a couple paces before coming to a stop.
"Not really." He responded, and jumped off Yundy, I jumped off of Jinx.
"Thanks." I told the two Pegasi before following.
We entered the 'whack'-job camp through a large opening, we had entered Camp Half-Blood.