They got it all. Crowds of students and locals who heard rumors about this disaster try to push the limits on the police tape. Abulances hand out shock blankets and a fire truck roared up, but no one has a clue as to what is going on.
Except for the ten people no one was really noticing.
Will throws his unemployed arms up, "I am not working as the school nurse because of your mess!" he insists.
"I'm way past having to be a guidance counselor!"
"A simple construction dude could fix that!"
"Yeah, they can't afford me! My designs are too classy."
"Well, I've already gotten stuck there, so whatever," Nico adds on.
"I feel like Nico and I might be the best experienced to help her, so maybe I can offer self-defense classes for the "traumatized" especially," Hazel notes.
"Anyone of us could teach that class!"
"When it comes to battle strategies," Percy notes, "I usually follow the girl with genius as her ability."
Annabeth swats him on the arm, "Hey! That's not how it works. Anyway, we still aren't sure what is going on. Two separate seemingly low-level monster attacks. Both times at the pool. Evidence points to something up with Merissa Allen. I say it's an all hands on deck situation. Percy and I can't raise any red flags to the school. I'm still not sure what the kids think of our sword fighting skills.
The entire wing of the building is destroyed, it's a perfect opportunity for Leo and Calypso to slide in on the contract. Will and Piper can help the students with all sorts of things. The only people who seem to be thinking at all were Hazel and di Angelo."
"I don't even get a name!" Nico pinches his face.
She doesn't get to answer before she collapses. Jason barely catches her, but no one is standing near Merissa.
"What did you do!" Percy runs over to Will who is taking care of the girls.
"Whatever that thing was, it poisoned both of them. I gotta check you out too, man."
"You gave them both ambrosia? What if she was a human?"
Okay, okay, spoiler alert, I just can't help myself, but the topic of conversation may not still be as sound asleep as the boys believe.
"Then we'd be having a very different conversation," Will quips.
"Because she would be incinerated from the inside out! This is one of my best swimmers.
I know her. She has trouble in school, but she goes home and helps her little brother out with his homework every day. This girl could break her leg and would still be swimming. Were you this careless in the hospital?" Percy is huffing for air by the time he finishes. It hits close to home, her story can feel a lot like his own.
"Why are we having an argument about a hypothetical thing that didn't happen? Okay? She was gonna has this wicked slash up her arm that I was ready to do stiches on, but I didn't get a chance. Now, look." Percy leans over. The scar already looks days old.
He gabs a finger in his blond friend's face, "This conversation is not done. How is this possible? Merissa just turned seventeen, man. She obviously has no idea what she is. And I haven't heard any mutters about Hades or Pluto being up to anything. Eerubus? How is she even alive?" He steps back and closes his eyes. "We figure it out. That's what we do. How's Annabeth doing?"
Remember, Merissa is laying there, scared out of her mind. She peeks out in time to see Percy crouching over Annabeth. Will has wandered away to grab something and he doesn't know anyone is listening.
"I'm sorry, wise girl. I should have never joked that it was a freak thing on Monday. You were right and I knew you were worried. Will says you'll be fine when you wake up. So hurry up and wake up, baby. I can't do this without you. I don't know what happened today, we've been through worse, but I got so scared. I love you far past the 600th floor."
Seeing him like that, some of the fear in Merissa weakens. Villains or people in the mafia aren't usually that loving, right?
Some of the group wanders over. "I got us tempory gigs at least," Leo says, gesturing to him and Calypso.
"Wow," Percy responds, dazed, "That was fast. I meant like later this week-"
"Piper helped."
Piper waves. "We got you, Annabeth, Leo, Calypso, and me working shifts at the school. I doubt Jason and Frank are going to wiggle in. We'll be fine. Plus, I've got Chrion on speed dial." They all nod in agreement.
Percy starts to. But, he can't stop nodding because suddenly he is so tired. The ground starts closing in on his face very quickly.
Merissa sits straight up, "Coach Jackson!" They should really be focused on their injured friend, but no one breathes for a second.
They all stare at a very-possible human.
Will rushes over and takes his pulse. "He is such an idiot. His heartbeat is racing like crazy. I told him I needed to check him out!"
"Calm down, healer boy, he'll be fine. He was probably being stubborn about it before because he didn't want to leave Annabeth's side," Leo says, "And, yes, I know it is possible to treat them right next to each other."
Piper seems to be the only person trying to connect more than one piece of this puzzle at a time. She crouches down to Merissa, but still tries to give her plenty of space, "Hi, my name is Piper McLean. This must seem so crazy to you, and I promise that we will answer all of your questions. But, all these people you see here? They are good people and you can trust us. This is my boyfriend Jason, that's Leo and Calypso, and the healer is an actual nurse, his name is Will. I work as a therapist and specialize with trauma. I also know first hand how confusing this is. Trust me, I was a field trip with a guy I thought I'd been pining for and finally gotten to kiss me, but we literally had never met before."
She stares up with wide eyes at the whole group, who has now all gathered by this point, "My name… my name is Merissa Allen. I don't know why, but I think I do trust you guys. I love Coach Jackson, he is the only reason I even have a shot for this scholoship I have my eyes on. But, where am I?"
"This is CampHalfJupiter2.0?" Leo tries.
"Get over it, Leo! That name is never going to stick." Calypso apologises, "The ten of us live here. Hopefully not forever, but it is safest for people like us. Especially since this is our first time in the mortal world and unprotected."
"People like us? First time in the mortal world? Unprotected? You mean, there are more creatures like today?" Merissa is panicking until Calypso kneels next to her and hums just enough for the girl to calm down.
"Those two are so much better at explaining this!" Leo says, pointing to the uncouncious couple.
"Yes, there are more monsters. But, there are ways to prevent them from finding us. We will teach you how to fight."
Nico and Hazel trot down the stairs, not expecting to see the crowd. Or medical supplies.
"Ooh! Fighting!" Hazel's eyes flashed before she took in the situation. "Wait, what happened? Are they dead? I will kill my father. I swear on the River of-"
"Alive!" Will yells before she can seal the promise. "They are not dead, just super unconscious. I think Percy had some pretty nasty internal injuries and maybe some bones broken, but he's Percy. And the ambrosia seems to be healing Annabeth. She was poisned. I wonder what it tastes like to her?" He spouts these facts completely nonchalantly.
Piper pats a spot on the couch next to her, "We were just about to call you guys."
"Now?" Hazel snorts, "I've been home almost all day!"
Nico turns to his sister, "Wait, I thought you we on until five tonght?"
She nods, "Mmhmm, I was. Until I got suspended. At least I hope my boss was leaning that way and I'm not actually fired. The guy totally deserved it though."
Frank, quiet until now, fails to hold in his laugh, "Again, babe? Ok, this is one of Percy's student's-"
"I still can't believe he got a job that actually requires responsibility," Leo says.
Jason coughs, "Her name is Merissa. She's a half-blood. Two monsters have targeted her. This last one was pretty nasty, but she did something with the lights."
Nico cuts in, "What kind of something? Was it like you were under a giant shadow or was the light sucked out of the room? Was there anything else?"
"And that's why we called the experts." Leo smiles and leans back in his chair.
Merissa stands up, "Are you guys, like, on something? I don't know what's happening, but I have to get home."
Sometimes you need to see it to believe it, Nico thinks. He remembers when he was first told half of these things. It's pretty easy to use shadow travel to jump right next to her.
"So-" he starts, but she cuts him off by screaming.
"Why would you think that was a good idea?" Will howls, "Sweetheart, there are calmer ways to start explaining things."
"No," she corrects, "I think I may have done something like that today. I… I dunno, I was super scared."
"You don't have to know anything just yet, sweetie," Piper says, "Jason, how about you show her one of your, er, modes of transportantion?"
Jason gives her a look, "Really?" Still not a fan of the wording, he elevates until he is a few feet off of the floor.
Merissa stares. "Okay, so magic is a thing. Do you all secretly carry swords around?"
"Yes."
"Duh."
"Yeah.
"It'd be stupid not to," Leo says, "But, mostly, I prefer to light things on fire."