Let's just say the demigods have been in the new dimension for two days, sleeping in a room on the second floor, just in case I've forgotten to mention it at some point.
Annabeth noticed something. Damian looked at Violet the same way Leo looked at Louisa. Louisa, being Louisa, hadn't really noticed Leo's loving and sometimes lingering stares, but Annabeth had and she was sure Percy had too on several occasions. Violet, unlike Louisa, noticed Damian's looks. It didn't take being a child of Aphrodite to realise the attraction was strong between Damian and Violet, but there seemed to be a set of problems. Damian was most likely being a typical male, hiding his feelings, despite remaining at Violet's side throughout most of the remainder of the day. Violet had some sort of problem, but Annabeth couldn't tell what.
After spending the day with Alfie, Jo and Daisy, the demigods were exhausted but in high spirits. They had sparred with each other, although without weapons- according to Jo and Daisy, Alfie wasn't allowed even though he knew how to fight with a wide range of weapons. Alfie managed to take Louisa down, but she settled the score in the next round. They also learnt how to make and conceal new traps and pranks from Alfie. Jo managed to teach Louisa how to make a delicious apple pie without setting fire to something. Alfie taught Percy and Louisa a few new skateboarding skills, which was entertaining to watch and even better with the large bowl of sweet popcorn Daisy had made.
Annabeth had also noticed the sparks flying between Alfie and Jo, but they were open with their feelings, having started dating nearly three years ago. Alfie had been fifteen a week ago and Jo's birthday was in another two months or less.
Alfie followed Jo almost everywhere unless his attention had been highly diverted. Jo didn't seem to mind, always shining a smile at him. Alfie would often hug her randomly too, saying she was now 'kidnapped' and that there was a high ransom of bacon sandwiches and chocolate cake.
It was later that night that the demigods discovered another side to Alfie.
They had been having a pillow fight when someone hurried past their door. Leo had ventured outside in time to see Damian jumping from their floor to the ground floor- a good fifteen feet drop. A faint yelling could be heard from somewhere on the ground floor.
"Leo, what's goin' on?" Louisa asked, ignoring the pillow fight Percy and Annabeth kept up behind her.
"I don't know. Should we check it out?" Louisa looked over her shoulder as Annabeth tackled Percy and they both fell to the ground.
"Oy! Flirt later, alright? Somethin's goin' on downstairs." Annabeth was on her feet first, Percy throwing his pillow at her as a final attack.
Downstairs, they found the source of the yelling emitting from the teenage Lizardians' room. By the time they reached the door, the yells had stopped and all they could hear was soothing talking.
Three of the demigods remained hesitant. Louisa, obviously, wasn't one of them and she barged forward.
It was Alfie who had been yelling. Violet sat with him, her arms around him. She was rocking him like she would a small child, talking to him softly. Damian was talking to Daisy and Jo in hushed tones.
"What's goin' on?" Louisa asked. Violet looked round as Alfie buried his face in her shoulder. Before he had though, Annabeth had seen the fear in his otherwise cheeky eyes.
"Alfie had a nightmare." Violet said simply. Annabeth had a feeling that there was more to it than that. She caught Percy from asking further questions, much to his annoyance. If the mutants were going to tell them something, they could tell them in their own time.
"Then Vi came in." Jo finished, her eyes flicking worriedly to her boyfriend. Ever since he got back… he had clung to his mother like a young toddler. Alfie didn't seem to notice so they tried hard not to point it out. Violet's mothering helped him stay calm as well.
Alfie didn't seem himself when everyone showed up for breakfast. The demigods spotted some new faces. Either side of Michael were two people who could have been his siblings- a brother and a sister. His brother was an older version of him with a scar running from his chin, across his cheek and to under his eye, but he seemed friendly. Michael's apparent sister, her dark brown hair falling in soft curls to her shoulders. Her blue eyes were warmer than her brothers', yet they were curious as she studied the demigods.
Daisy's father, the one who had called her a 'good medic in training' (first chapter, forgot to mention his name). He properly introduced himself as Finoe. Mother Lizard sat opposite Finoe, near Michael and his siblings. Damian sat on Violet's right while Alfie sat on his mother's left. Violet had to take his fork from him, as he was trying to reach around Jo and poke his cousin with it.
Annabeth noticed everyone at the table had knives except for Alfie. He had perked up a bit since his nightmare last night, but he didn't seem the crazy and childish mutant they had first met.
Say what you like about mutants, but they knew how to fry bacon and eggs. The twins were big fans of the bacon. Alfie was too, judging by the amount of bacon sandwiches he helped himself to.
After breakfast, the demigods sat in the library. Annabeth was intently reading an Ancient Greek translation of a book on mutant history while Leo, Louisa and Percy built a towering book column. The books in this library were countless, shelves reaching up to the high ceiling and lining the entire surface space of all four walls, broken by the door and the grand fireplace with the dark mahogany mantelpiece on the east wall. Around the room were round, square and rectangle tables, with mismatched chairs. In one corner, there was a cluster of brightly coloured bean bags. Annabeth saw a collection of comic and fiction books in that corner.
The book tower collapsed, making the three builders laugh. Annabeth glared at them.
"Sorry, Wise-girl." Percy said apologetically, holding his hands up in innocence. Annabeth rolled her eyes.
"Go and read the comics, guys."
"Comics?" Louisa was suddenly interested. "Where?" Annabeth pointed, not looking up from the text. Mutant history was even more violent and bloodier than human history- even worse than demigod history. "Heh, sweet." Louisa had been successfully distracted.
"Leo, why don't you try and find an Ancient Greek translation on mutant mechanics?" Leo looked around the immense library, giving a low whistle.
"How about no?" Annabeth raised her eyebrows slightly. Percy nudged Leo. "Um, I mean, yes your highness." Leo bowed at the waist, right arm around his stomach and holding his left arm out to the side.
"Thank-you." Annabeth said, silently pleased at the 'your highness' name.
Percy came and sat next to her.
And he tried to distract her from her reading.
This resulted in Annabeth smacking him with the thick leather cover of the book. Percy stuck his bottom lip out as he rubbed at his arm.
"What are you reading?" He asked.
"It's on mutant history."
"Any good?"
"Very violent. Lou would approve if she could be bothered to read it." Annabeth and Percy looked over at Louisa. She hadn't paid them any attention, completely engrossed in a Batman comic. "She's such a child."
"Would you have her any other way?" Percy asked.
"Mm…" Annabeth hummed indecisively. "I don't know…"
The door opened. Leo looked round and saw Violet, Michael and his currently nameless siblings walking in. Violet grinned at him.
"Looking for anything specific?" She asked.
"Annabeth told me to find an Ancient Greek copy on something to do with mutant technology." Violet looked at Michael's sister, who appeared deep in thought.
"Oh, near the comics." Leo's heart thudded. That gave him the chance to sit with Louisa.
"Thanks."
"Wait! Come back!" Violet laughed. "And bring Lou." Leo called to Louisa. She shot him an annoyed look before returning to her comic book. "Lou!" He called again.
"What?"
"Vi wants to talk to us."
"I'm readin'. Leave a memo." Violet held her hand out and Louisa's comic vanished, only to appear in Violet's hand a second later. "Dude!" Louisa protested.
"Want it, come get it." Violet teased childishly. Louisa slouched in the beanbag and folded her arms stubbornly. Violet laughed. "You won't get the comic back unless you come over here and listen to us."
"What if I don't wanna?"
"My comic then." Violet said simply. Louisa pulled a face but got to her feet. Leo waited until she was at his side, but he noticed she was dragging her feet stubbornly. He elbowed her, only to be elbowed back.
"Right, what could be so important that ya had ta take me away from Batman kickin' Two-face's ass?" Violet flicked through the comic before reaching Louisa's page.
"Oh, Batman-"
"No spoilers!" Louisa said, reaching for her comic. Had Violet been a normal human, she would have lost that comic book.
But Violet was faster than Louisa, which left the demigod slightly awed.
"Anyway," Michael cleared his throat pointedly, glaring at Violet who had charmed Louisa's comic into floating five feet above their heads. Percy and Leo were staring up at it in amazement. "I had an idea."
"Better be worth takin' me away from Batman…" Louisa grumbled, folding her arms sulkily. Michael smiled and made to talk again when Louisa cut across. "Who are they?" She asked, nodding at Michael's siblings.
"I'm Michelle." His sister smiled kindly.
"I'm Kunaje." The brother stated simply.
"Normal name, normal name, mutant name. Go figure." Louisa said. Leo rolled his eyes and she glared at him. Leo held his hands up instantly in surrender. "What's ya idea, brainbox?" She asked Michael.
"You four go to school with Alfie, Jo and Daisy."
A look passed between the Poseidon twins. Annabeth and Leo knew that look all too well. And they hated it.
Percy was polite, keeping his thoughts to himself and just nodding. Louisa didn't have the same policies.
"You want us to go ta school?"
"Just a suggestion."
"Are you nuts? School's shit."
"It's a school with mutants, humans and half-mutants in. A bit different from your all human schools."
"It's still a school."
"So?"
"I hate school." Percy nodded in agreement. "Percy's been kicked outta, like, hundreds," Michael scoffed. Louisa glowered at him. Violet gave a soft chuckle and Michael's siblings smiled, "'N' I don't like teachers. 'N' there's work 'n' homework. School's way too much effort."
"You sound like Violet." Michael told her.
"That a good thing?" Louisa didn't sound impressed.
"Damn good thing." Violet said. "Should be an award or something."
"Mmm, no. What should be an award would be Louisa's approved, 'cos if ya get that then ya know ya doin' good."
The conversation was broken up by Daisy running into the library.
"Vi, something's up with Alfie!"
"What's he doing?"
"He's just sitting on the floor and staring at the wall." Daisy paused, wringing her hands nervously. Violet moved towards her and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Daisy's nervousness slowly faded and she relaxed. "We can't get him to talk, Vi. It's like he can't hear us." Violet sighed, before looking back at the others.
"Lou, catch." The comic book fell from the sky. Louisa simply held her hand out to the left and the comic book landed on it. "Nice."
"Vi?" Daisy said.
"I'm going, I'm going." Violet left, Daisy hurrying to keep up with her.
"What's up with Alfie?" Annabeth asked Michael and his siblings, placing a bookmark on her page. The three siblings exchanged deciding glances.
"You'll have to get Vi to tell you that one."
"Oh… OK." The demigods shared a quick look before leaving the room, Louisa chucking the comic book next to Annabeth's book.
Alfie was sitting on the floor and staring at the wall with glassy and slightly scared eyes.
"Is he OK?" Leo asked. No-one answered.
Violet carefully pulled Alfie to his feet. He didn't notice, not even when he put him on his bed.
"Alfie?" She said kindly, sitting in front of him and taking his hands in hers. Alfie stared at her blankly. "What's the matter?" Alfie studied her gaze for a few seconds, as if trying to remember who she was.
Then he started talking.
But he wasn't talking in English.
It was clear that Violet wasn't following, but she was good at pretending she was.
Leo knew what Alfie was saying.
"He's speaking Spanish." Violet looked at him, a glimmer of relief in her eyes. "He can speak Spanish right?"
"He can speak, read and write every language naturally, except Mutacolian." Violet said, a hint of pride in her tone.
"What's that?"
"Language of the mutants." Daisy replied.
"Can you translate?" Violet asked Leo.
"I can try." Violet made to get up so Leo could take her seat, but Alfie grabbed her hand in both of his. He said something in a rush, his eyes wide, startled and pleading. "He's asking for you to stay." Violet sat back down and wrapped her arms around her son. Alfie curled up to her and carried on speaking fluently in Spanish. Leo translated as best he could, but Alfie spoke so quickly, he missed some parts.
What Leo did translate didn't make sense to the demigods: "Underwater… both of them are being dragged down… plants… moving plants… sea and bits of plant raining down… She," Alfie faltered and Leo did the same. Alfie shook his head and finished off speaking in a quieter voice, "She was in my arms…" Then Alfie fell silent, closing his eyes and burying his face in his mother's shoulder.
Leo felt uneasy. Everyone's eyes were flicking from him to the mother and son and back again. He felt the need to break the tension. "What was that about?" He asked carefully. Violet looked up at him and mouthed, "I'll explain in a minute."
Five minutes had passed in an almost uncomfortable silence, the time dragging into what felt like hours. Finally, Violet gently lowered Alfie against the pillows and they all saw he was asleep.
Violet waved them all out of the room and closed the door behind them with a soft click.
Leo repeated his question, but then wished he hadn't at the sight of pain flaring over the mutants' expressions. None of them spoke, Jo and Daisy looking at Violet for guidance. Violet's eyes were fixed on the floor as she gathered her thoughts and emotions. Annabeth noticed a war going on in the green-brown depths of Violet's eyes, a war between anger, sadness, guilt and pain. Throughout the eternal war, Violet's expression remained thoughtful. Annabeth realised Violet must have been covering up her feelings for years, bottling them up so no-one would worry. Annabeth recognised Violet's cover-up of emotions as Annabeth often did the same thing.
So, what do you all think is going on with the mutants?
Review please! :D This chapter is nearly seven pages long! Be grateful! :P
