AN- I DONT OWN NAFF ALL OKI, JUST WRITING SOMETHING FOR FUN
Im just playing around with this concept, taken some insparation from the eragon fic Zoe, and various harry potter time travel fics, if you could please leave some form of feedback as to whether its something i should carry on with it would be much apreciated, im planning if all goes well to make this a suuper long one which will receive many rewrites, ive never written anything before so imma just go with the flow and see where i end up(some stuff may be wrong/au or oc btw) -AN END
The last hour of school is always painful in my opinion, an opinion which I'm sure is shared by most teenagers, but the last hour before a school holiday was excruciatingly so. I really couldn't care less which maths papers Mr. Jukes was trying to convince the class we needed to do as revision, or whether we had any last questions before school was over. It isn't as if I was going to revise anyway, who revises for a bloody mock exam? Probably people who cared about the subjects they had chosen for their A levels. I did care about one of my subjects English, I guess that had to do with my obsession with the written word but I really could not give a flying fuck about maths or physics. I'd mainly chosen them because it wouldn't really matter if my welsh was worse than everyone else's, not that it was… that was just the way I made it seem to most people, it made them easier to deal with, people then just accepted I would talk to them in English so they didn't tend to talk to me at all, which if fine by me.
Growing up in rural north wales… well rural in comparison to the slightly less rural but still rural parts of north wales you got used to hiding who you were if you were anything less than completely normal. I guess it was a bit like one big Privet Drive, minus the owls and other cool wizardly bollocks, but here most people's cupboards under the stairs, their closets were metaphorical, hiding who they were and showing them what you want them to see.
So to most people I was Teagan an English speaking straight white girl who's only quirk was dressing a bit odd and being seemingly glued to a book or a phone (usually with a book or fanfiction open on it) all the time, and that description was mostly true, I didn't have a massive secret to hide, I wasn't a Half Blood, I didn't go to Hogwarts, I didn't even own a dragon! But of course all three of those things would be impossible anyway, but how I wished that I could be in a far away land fighting monsters of legend or a crazed Lard Dork named Tom, at least then she wouldn't be stuck here in maths not listening to the endless we droning of DrSirMrYourFuckingMajesty Jukes while staring blankly at his balding head in a vague semblance of attentiveness.
The lesson finally ended with him asking them whether they wanted English or Welsh papers to take home, or at least I thought that was what he said, I hadn't really bothered to listen, more focused on leaving than anything else. As it didn't really matter to me what language it was in I quickly stuffed my pen in to her pocket, jammed the scrap paper I'd been doodling on in to my bag, grabbed a few random papers from the desk and left without so much as a goodbye or have a nice holiday.
I really wanted to leave and I was determined to get out of there as fast as I possibly could, essentially storming out of the front doors of my school I was struck by the piercing cold winds of December, not slowing down, I pulled my leather jacket closer around me and walked out the gates to catch the bus home, glad to be leaving the hell hole of an educational establishment. Finally I could retreat in to my room for the next two weeks and not be disturbed by anything other than the continual craving for tea and the eventual need for sustenance beyond that which could be found in caffeinated drinks.
And I planned to do exactly that as soon as I got home, not even taking off my school shoes, horrible black pumps which were uncomfortable from the moment she put them on in the morning, but at the moment I couldn't care less, Quickly and with effortless efficiency only gained by endless repetition I made the biggest mug of tea I could before climbing the stairs and collapsing in to my preferred reading spot, a dark navy beanbag that was positioned right next to her book case. I realised while glancing around that the beanbag was probably the most colourful thing in my room (minus the wood floors and furniture), the walls and ceiling were white, my bed spreads varying shades of pattern less grey even my wardrobe had next to no colour in it. 3 sets of the same black skinny jeans I had on lay resting on the top shelf, a mix of black and white t shirts below that. The only colourful thing in there was my red school tie which I was 'supposed' to wear but never did.
Looking at my wardrobe I came to the decision that I probably couldn't relax while still in my school clothes and shoes, throwing on a long loose white top under my jacket and my classic pair of vans( black of course) I felt that I could finally settle down to read.
Then came the dilemma… what world to go to, which land to fall in to? I eventually settled on rereading my favourite book in the entire world, Percy Jackson and the Titans Curse. I'd read and reread the series so many times that I was sure that I could probably quote something from every single chapter from Lightning Thief all the way up too Last Olympian but Titans Curse was always my favourite one, the main reason for this being it had both Thalia Grace in and Zoe Nightshade the two hands down greatest characters ever! Thalia was the reason I dressed the way I did, though I didn't go quite as punky as Thalia the leather jacket that I practically never took off was definitely because of her, well that and the other reason.
There was after all a reason I always felt the need to escape in to my books, while its true I was fanatical about reading I also used it as a way to block out the pains of everyday life the pains of living in a part of the world so desperately normal and close minded I had to hide how I felt and who I wanted to be, I wasn't really ever happy outside of my books, and I didn't have any real friends because of that, at this point I couldn't even remember having any close friends, or anyone I could truly open up too.
That isolation caused problems for me, problems that came in being in the form of long white ridges that horizontally ran from my wrist to my elbow, no one knew about them, not my parents, not the teachers and certainly not the acquaintances that called themselves my 'friends' in fact no one if asked could ever remember even seeing my arms, because I'd had worn the jacket so diligently for the past few years. The scars bothered me more than I would like to admit to myself; they proved to me that I wasn't happy; even though I'd convinced myself I was fine almost continually, but to be fair in that moment as I turned the first page of the book I was fine, I had done it, I'd managed to finally leave it all behind and delve once more into the creations of Rick Riordan.
Almost an hour later I could be found in the exact same position giggling to myself childishly at the fight happening between Thalia and Percy because of his idiocy in the capture the flag game, somehow these novels always brought out the childishness within me, it was probably because I had been reading them since primary school, and even though I'm now nearing the end of school I can still remember those first readings, In fairness to myself though he really was silly for not listening to Thalia, she was older than him and clearly a much better tactician. You didn't become Artemis's lieutenant for being a dunderhead. Then I had finally reached the prophecy page, the turning point of the book. One of my little quirks while reading was that I had always, always read prophesies out loud, be that 'neither will live while the other survives' or the tossing of knuckle bones in the herbalists store in Teirm, I couldn't explain why but it just felt right to me, and so when I eventually reached the prophesy I began to speak in the slow raspy tone I'd always imagined a thousand year old husk would speak and said;
Five shall go west to the goddess in chains,
One shall be lost in the land without rain,
The bane of Olympus shows the trail,
Campers and Hunters combined prevail,
The Titan's curse must one withstand,
And one shall perish by a parent's hand.
Just as I spoke the last syllable thick green smoke started to billow from within the folds of the pages, coughing I struggled to my feet and made my way to my bedroom door, the only escape from the acrid smoke which was now filling the small hideaway which was my bedroom, reaching the doorway I yanked it open and stumbled through to what I thought would be the hallway of my home, it took less than a second to realise I wasn't in Kansas anymore… the cold plastic tiles beneath my feet, the high ceilings, this was not my home, this was very definitely not my home, turning around hoping to find my small rickety bedroom door so that I might get back to where I was, instead I found a large set of heavy oak doors, from within which I could faintly detect the sound of music, curious I reached towards the large metal handle and pulled the door ajar, peering inside cautiously I soon discovered the source of the music, it was a large hall filled with teenagers dancing to an old pop song from what I thought was the early 2000's, shocked by the sudden onslaught of noise (the thick oak doors seemed to have absorbed nearly all of the sound) I stumbled back from the opening letting the doors swing closed, mercifully saving me from the blaring music and excited voices.
Taking a good look around for the first time it became apparent I was in a school of some form, the cheap flooring, the easily distinguished classroom doors, but unfortunately not a sign of the door which had brought me to this mystery school. Deciding it would be best to ask someone to try and find out where I was, or find a possible explanation to how id magically found myself travelled from my bedroom to a random school I had no memory of ever being too, approaching the door again I tentatively began to pull it open, but just as the noise once again began to flood out I found myself suddenly knocked backwards on to my arse away from the door. Looking up from my place on the floor I saw the cause of my tumble, three teens had just barged through the door in a hurry, two girls and a boy, they didn't look much younger than I did, one of the girls who had jagged black hair appeared to be fifteen going on sixteen while the other, a blond haired californiaesque seemed to be only 14. The boy who was with them couldn't have been much older than either of the girls but his face seemed more mature with signs of scruffy facial hair on his chin and cheeks, at first glance they appeared not to be that special but as I studied them for a moment longer I began to feel an odd sense of nostalgia, as if I somehow knew these three from somewhere.
Neither the blonde nor the scruffy boy seemed to notice me as they quickly ruched down the corridor but the last girl spotted me on the floor and quickly pulled me to my feet. 'Sorry about that, did you hurt yourself?' she asked looking me over for injuries, I replied awkwardly in the negative, I got my first real look at her as she checked me, she wore dark black eyeliner which only drew more attention to her eyes, not that it was needed, her electric blue eyes shone brightly from beneath her pitch hair, she was wearing a ripped up army jacket over a long tee much like I was except her shirt was a dark grey and her jacket cloth not leather, her trousers too were black but seemed to be leather not jeans as mine were, and she wore heavy black boots on her feet. Her outfit, in fact her whole appearance struck a chord within me, a sharp pang of familiarity which reached my very core.
When she was sure I was not injured she turned away and began to move after her companions, just as the blonde who had only then realised her friend was not with them called back 'Comon Thalia hurry up, who knows what he has gotten himself in to this time' the urgency and worry clear in her voice. 'I'm coming Annabeth, just making sure this girl we knocked over was okay' The girl snapped back, clearly annoyed at 'Annabeths' impatience, it was then the other boy chimed in 'Percy's in danger guys common' he said frantically in what could only be described in as a panicked bleat. The trio then hurried off down the hallway and around the corner.
It took me a second to process what had just been said, as I was still focused on the odd feelings the girl called Thalia had summoned within me, and then it clicked, Thalia, Annabeth, Percy and a scruffy curly haired bleat. I gasped in disbelief, it was impossible, entirely, incredibly, completely impossible, I must be dreaming. Almost unconsciously I pinched my arm, which had the effect of shocking my brain back to life, forgetting about everything else I moved to follow the trio, running down the corridor as quietly as I could I turned the corner just in time to see the huge doors leading to the outside world judging from the colder draft running along this new corridor swing shut, breaking in to a sprint determined not to lose them I reached the door and slipped out as inconspicuously as I could manage, wincing as the cold winter weather hit me, in a way reminiscent of how I exited my own school earlier that day I pulled my jacket closer around me. Glancing about I soon spotted them, through the snow that was slowly falling, they were jogging roughly fifty feet in front of me towards the trees at the edge of the school, leaving three very obvious tracks in the snow behind them, hugging the wall so as not to be seen I went after them and not long after they disappeared in to the woods so too did I.
Following their trail cautiously I was lead deeper in to the dense trees, they avoided the path in what I assumed was an attempt at remaining unseen, I heard a cry of 'For Zeus' from up ahead so I hurried quickly forward so that I might confirm my suspicions even more than the ominous sound of a helicopter already was, on what was about to happen, coming to the edge of a clearing I crouched down low between a bush and a tree so that I might stay hidden to watch the scene that was unfolding before me. The scruffy boy from before who I had now guessed to be Grover, was playing what sounded like a sea shanty on speed while thick green ropes were binding what could only logically be Dr Thorns legs to the ground, I remembered that he was a manticore and that the rope like weeds binding him would not hold. A fact Annabeth who had appeared out of nowhere realised as soon as Thorn reverted to his true form. Not a moment later Thorn was free and back on the attack, flinging his deadly missiles at Percy who only just managed to open his shield in time, then Grover fell and Thalia charged, remembering what was coming I quickly covered my eyes so that the blinding lights of the helicopter would not harm them, Thalia was not so lucky, swatted aside like a fly she lay unarmed on the ground, the view before me looked bleak, the heroes were outclassed and out armoured, but I knew what was coming, at the same time I thought of it the sound of their saviours blew gloriously in the night, the call of a hunting horn blowing in the woods.
From the trees above me silver bolts shot out piercing through Thorns disbelief, Percy's attempt at an attack was thwarted easily from the injured manticore as were the deadly needles sent hurtling towards the hidden shooters, masterfully intercepted by the almost inhumane aim of the immortal hunters I knew were there, and then they appeared, in all of their glory, the goddess of the hunt and her pack of insatiable teenagers, killers in their prime, Thorn tried to plead unfairness which in his position seemed slightly ridiculous, when Zoe was given permission to kill Thorn saw he would not complete his mission went for a final attack, Annabeth in defence of her friends jumped on his back and stabbed him, the hunters who had orders to kill the beast fired, causing Thorn to fall off the cliff, I watched in despair but with a sense of saddened accepting as the grey eyed girl tumbled off of the side with him, only to be awed by the girl who I knew to be Artemis transfigure the helicopter and its crew in to ravens for 'witnessing her hunt'. Her ruthlessness was unsurprising considering the assumed loss of a maiden, but her display of power was still amazing.
I watched from my hidden position as Zoe reported to Artemis before preparing to hurt Percy for his slight, the revelation of who Artemis was did not shocked neither me nor Thalia, but it did manage to render Percy speechless for the time being. In the comparable calm that followed as the half-blood world was explained to Nico and Bianca the events of the past half an hour finally caught up to me, the realness of the situation I was in suddenly and rudely barged its way in to my mind, my breathing started to quicken and it became harder to think clearly, I felt the beginnings of a panic attack starting to form and I felt the urge to run, slowly in an attempt to avoid attracting attention I turned and took a step towards the way I had come, hoping to distance myself from the group of once mythical characters in the clearing next to me, unfortunately given the threat that had just passed Zoe Nightshade was on high alert, the bush I had been hiding behind moved and rustled as I stepped back and my sneakomiter seemed to reach empty because I stepped right on to a twig that snapped loudly, had I been facing the group I would have seen Zoe spin quickly way from her glaring match with Thalia, draw her bow and aim in one fluid motion at the exact place I had been moments before, I did however hear her shout of 'Whomever is concealed in the brush, come forth with thine hands raised above you'. Wincing sharply I slowly stood and raised my shaking hands above my head and stepped backwards out in to the clearing, trying desperately to think of a way out of this situation, I turned to face what I would later find out to be my destiny.