Hey all sorry for the lateness I'll be posting another chapter later on pretty soon, I'm almost done with it. It's probably a tad longer than normal and a lot happens in it of importance I hope you enjoy! ANYWAY thanks for waiting patiently and please READ! REVIEW! COMMENT! WHATEVER! SHARE WITH PEOPLE IF YOU LIKE IT! THANKS AGAIN!

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Chapter Six: Trekking

Percy

You know, I was really starting to get annoyed with the whole damsel in distress act that I'd been forced into. Like dude, totally not okay. I was sick, not trapped in a fucking tower waving a snotty tissue out a window leading dudes into death traps, screaming: "Help me! Help me!". I was not a damsel and I was not in distress...Got it?!

Okay I take that back. I was in distress, this whole situation was just distressing, I mean thinking about my impending and probable death would do that to ya, but I still wasn't a damsel. Last time I checked I still had my wonderfully sexy man parts. Or at least I hoped I still did, considering I'd lost feeling in my lower half, I just wasn't too sure anymore. Hmmm. Yeah...that couldn't be good; I should probably mention that to the one carrying me, but no, that would just add to the whole race against time syndrome I'm sure Nico installed into them. Ah the sassy bitch, he totally worked the girl into helping. The dude was really crafty and underhanded in how he dealt with people. A total manipulator. Not that I'm complaining of course. Beats hanging off his scrawny neck.

Speaking of the poor fucked over souls, I wasn't sure which was worse, being carried on the back by a kid who was half my freaking size and looked like he should be doing some studious middle school thing or being carried in the arms of a fucking neanderthal who, let's face it, would probably just as likely crush me in those large ass logs he calls arms then gently carry me through a field of pansies with a delicate leaping trot. Oh god that's a hilarious image. I mean have you seen those things? I swore they were freaking tree trunks! I couldn't believe Nico had the balls enough to actually mess with him!

Though...granted...it was freaking hilarious.

I had no idea he could pull off a southern belle so well.

He probably would've made a good actor if the world hadn't end.

Oh well, nothing more to be done about that ya know? What's done is done. Gotta smile and shrug it off. Just keep swimming. Or walking. Or running. Or in my case coughing. The only upside to having slept a little was that I wasn't quite as delusional anymore. Or maybe I was and I was in fact in of some sorta wonky ass hallucination. Though I sincerely doubted I could imagine this man into existance. Like I said. Dude he was a fucking neanderthal. His muscles had muscles. Again, Nico was a fucking idiot!

Though Sadie didn't seem too bad.

She kind of gave off this weird motherly hard ass vibe...which I guess kind of was the definition of a mother right? Like tough love? Love with fury? Love with the balls to know when to reprimand your children? Yeah, she definitely gave off those vibes. I'd be scared to come between her and her kid. I bet she'd be feral.

You never wanted to get in the way an overprotective mom, no telling what they'd do.

Probably something that would end with someone dead. Scary thought right?

How the heck had she ended up with Carter? That one seemed to wanna remain a mystery to me. I mean on the one hand there were the accents. Sadie sounded like foreigner and Carter sounded like a country kinda guy. Then there was the fact that Sadie just seemed so much more...controlled, then Carter. Well if that shooting earlier was anything to go by. It was just curious ya know? I just wanted to know. Seemed like it would be a cool story.

Hmm...speaking of the mystery impervious child, why the heck weren't they asking him anything? Like you know...about the whole impervious to all things that really ought to kill a guy but for whatever reason doesn't?! It was crazy. And I wanted to know why. If there was nothing more I could do then I'd get at least some answers! Maybe they were just like me and figuring it best not to ask? Maybe they all saw the killer that rested beneath the surface?

Hmm...maybe he wasn't a killer. Maybe he was just...really dark...and emo...and depressing...and sassy. But maybe he was? Would it really bother me if he had killed anyone? I don't think it should, I'd killed stuff before. Things had to change, you know, morally, now that the world as we knew it was gone. Like I said you couldn't remain the same if you remained here. So...so what if he'd kill some people. It was cool. He was on my side, ya know?

But that look. The look of someone used to killing. That...That I think un-nerved me. The sadness I saw in what he felt that he had to do.

I worried he wouldn't remain sane.

But hey! That's too depressing, gotta lighten up. No one likes a downer!

So, yeah the last one, that whole issue of that kids sassyness, that...now that...that was interesting. It really could only be described as secret sass. Like the way he shook...shaked...shakes? His ass. Ass. Hahaha sassy assy. Sass-a-ss. Fuck. No. Not going down there, fevered mind is now making me a horndog. Sooo not okay. I do not approve of hormones at this moment in time. Can't I look at some roc- FUCK! Rock...leads to hard...leads to sex...leads to no. Just no. Not happening.

I coughed.

"Ya' got'cha self a problem there champ?" Carter asked glancing down at me.

"...Wh-...at...?" I rasped out. Honest. I had no idea what he was talking about. Was there a problem?

Victor gave me a look, his eyes drifting down and my gaze followed. "Oh!...D-d-dude..nope...no...problem...uh...hormones?"

Carter gave me another look but said nothing more. Oh god that was embarrassing, how didn't I feel that happen? Hmmph...I know why...I can't feel my fucking legs! Talk about awkward.

I sighed, and squirmed uncomfortably in the guys arms. In case you haven't noticed I don't really do the whole sit around and do nothing thing. It just didn't work for me. So I'm sure you can imagine just how fucking bored I was getting just laying here. I wanted to move. I wanted to help. And I really wanted to get the feeling back in my legs. It was driving me freaking ape shit!

Unfortunately I really doubted that would happen before I get back to Chiron's camp.

"Hang on ta' ya; britches kid, lil' early to be squirmin' 'round. Still got sum' hours 'till we get there."

I groaned, though whether it was from boredom or pain I didn't know. Probably an obnoxious pairing of the two.

The party of four, Carter, Sadie, Nico, and myself, made our way through the now long since empty streets of Los Angeles. It was still dark so both Sadie and Nico held flashlights in their hands, waving them around, making sure nothing was about to jump out at them or if they were about fall into some pit or whatever else could happen out here. At the moment the two of them were talking, Sadie laughing at something the short Italian had said. I chanced a glance upwards and noticed Carter's grimace.

"...Not...liking...the show?" I asked, I didn't even care that it hurt to talk at the moment I just really needed something to do. You know, besides feeling like a sack of potatoes. Or thinking about how useless I was at the moment, which granted didn't really fade away from talking to him cause I was still able to think in the time I wasn't talking...but still. I think too much. And ramble and it's an issue but oh well. I was just bored as hell. A little pain never killed anyway right?

Don't answer that question, I'd rather delude myself into thinking it was so.

"What'cha mean kid?" He grunted glancing down at me for a moment.

I gestured towards Nico and Sadie, the two had their heads close together in a I have a dirty little secret to share with you way. "...The...two...girls..." I snickered to myself at the thought of Nico as a girl. He'd probably want to kill me. He'd probably end up straddling my hips again and shoving a knife up against my throat until I'd bleed and...why was that suddenly really, really hot? Was I a masochist? Was he making me masochistic? Oh god sexy Italians shouldn't be allowed to exist if they were going to do this to me.

Anyway it wasn't very hard to change. All my imagination had to do was see him with longer hair, make him lose that damn scowl and grow some boobs. Nothing too big. That would be awkward. I wasn't even a fan of big boobs to start with. But yeah, his face was pretty feminine to start with, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch.

Carter made a face. "No, I'm not, I dun' like them gettin' long so well. Makes mah skin crawl."

I gave him a questioning glance. "Why?"

"I dun' trust 'im."

I scrunched my face. "Why...not?"

"Dun' know. Kid don't sit right with me. Got darkness in 'im that one."

I rolled my eyes. "Dude...everyone's...got something...dark...in them...You can't...judge...them...on that..." I took a breath, coughing lightly. "...No...one's still...the...s-same." I wheezed and fell silent breathing heavily. Damn that took a lot out of me. Spots were starting to pop up in my vision. Large black damnable things that I thought should've remained elsewhere, plaguing some other poor soul. Not me. I didn't deserve this. Though did anyone deserve the fates they got anymore?

I can't imagine what hell anyone of our asses could've caused to deserve this. It was worse than death.

Carter looked at me for a moment, before a faint grin crossed his face. "I like ya' kid. Lot more than that other one. Ya' got'cha self a good head on ya' shoulda's."

I grinned. "Well...I'm not...one to brag..."

"Sure kid, sure. Now shut'cha mouth. Dun need ya' dyin' 'afore ya' time, now do we?"

"Aye...aye...captain...I'd...totally...salute...ya...dude...but...can't...move...my...arms...like...at all." I coughed. "And now...I'm gonna...shut up."

"Good, that's 'nuff out of ya."

We kept up the same pace for the next couple hours, myself going in and out of sleep, cause dude, ill kid here, needa conserve mah measly strength ya know? Even if I wasn't walking, you never knew what you might need me to do. I just had to be ready. It was all I could do. All any of us could do.

The sun began to come up and nothing was looking familiar. Everything just looked gray and dead and old and abandoned. Everything looked the same. Where the hell was Nico taking us, I mean the kid only looked at my map like once for like thirty seconds. The kids bound to need more than one look right? Was he lost? Was he one of those, I'm a manly man guys and I don't need directions guy?

I hoped not.

Though I couldn't complain. That was pretty much me on a daily basis. It's kinda how I got stuck in this situation to start with. Ah the wonders of age. With age comes experience and wisdom or some crap right? If so I couldn't wait till I was fucking ancient. Maybe then I'd finally know something. Wouldn't have to get stuck in this shit anymore. It was totally over-rated.

Over the past few hours the group had gone quiet, Nico was all business, and kept glancing back at me, his face gettting more solemn with ever look. I don't think he had the capability to look worried on his face, just serious. Ah the kid cared. Sadie would put a hand on his shoulder and he'd offer her a weak smile. Gosh what were they mother and son? Hadn't known each other like four hours? Seemed kinda ridiculous. God I hated being the realist in the group.

Awkward shadows were cast, throwing my already fucked vision into utter hell, the sunlight making new forms in the shadows. Tall giants. Watchful shadows. Slithering snakes. Everything and Anything.

My condition had only gotten worse. The numbness had spread from my legs to my chest and the tips of my fingers. A tease. A fake telling. I was slowly dying. Was there even a point in trying? Would I be able to be saved even if we made it? Or is it already too late? It's sad, they want me to fail. They probably want me to crumble. That would be one less mouth to feed. One less fucker to worry about. Sure they'd mourn for a little bit, but did any of them really expect to find me after a day? Would anyone be looking?

I wondered if Grover had stopped searching. I wondered if he was missing me. I wondered if the apocalypse had changed even that much in the boy who'd been my friend all my life. Now that would be a horrible irony. Dying believing one would come when no one was. And no one cared. I wondered if they'd taken even that need inside him and warped it into something else. Some form of rage in which they had to take it out on.

I wondered if the Animate had arrived.

If so what could we possibly do to survive?

"Hey kid," Carter tapped my head with his finger.

"Huh? Wha-?"

"Ya' recognize anythin'?"

I shook my head. "No."

He sighed. "Great."

Nico walked over with a frown on his face. "I need to change your mask."

"Kay."

Carter glared down at the black haired youth. "So how much farther huh?"

Nico grabbed took off my mask. "Not very. Shouldn't take more than an hour."

Carter grunted in response.

"How...do...you...even know...where you're going?" I gasped out

Nico put the other mask over my face. "I memorized it. Now shut up, this air's not good for you." He flipped the switch. "Come on."

He walked back up to Sadie and Carter let out a sigh. "Hope that kid knows what he' doin' for yo' sake."

"I'm...sure...he does."

"Kid, you trust too easy."

I grinned. "So...I've...been...told."

The tan man shook his head. "Go to sleep kid."

"Nah...I'd rather...stay awake."

"Suit'cha self."

Silence fell over the group again. We continued to trek through the now almost full sunlight. The heat was starting to build again and I could feel sweat pooling on all of my muscles. The sun wasn't even past the skyscrapers yet and it was ridiculously hot. Just another wonderful perk to being alive in world of death. Time was ticking by. I felt the lack of sleep start to hit me. Full forced tiredness slipped through me. Pulling my eyes closed. I fought the urge off. If I was being honest I was beyond scared of what would happen if I'd fall asleep. My hands and legs and elbows had all gone numb. If I fell asleep I wasn't sure I'd wake up again.

I gulped. How much longer did I have? I kept expecting to see my body crumbling to dust or turning into stone or some other ridiculous thing but all I saw was flesh. Well technically I just saw my jumpsuit but still. You get the point. My body was turning to lead. Infection had definetly set in. In just a day my life had gone from hell to inferno. My life was slipping away. I was at death's doorstep. But I was unafraid.

My eyes began drooping

But I was unafraid.

I was unafraid.

I was unafra-

Beeeeeeeeeep! A loud wailing split my ears and my eyes shot open. What the fuck was that? I glanced around as I heard the sound again. Everyone had stopped, everyone tensed.

"W-what is that?" Sadie came jogging over, Nico behind her.

The Italian pointed at my wrist. "It's that."

"...Wha...?" I looked down. My mind was slow. I was supposed to know what this was.

It finally hit me. "Com...Link!"

Nico's eyes widened and he tapped the blinking button on my wrist. The wailing stopped immediately.

"-at do you mean? No I'm not goin back yet man! He can't be dead yet!" It was Grover he was arguing with someone on what looked like a cruiser, well we called it that, it was more of a truck with the back cut out of it and some guns welded with it. One of the few vehicles we had that still worked thanks to Leo's handyman skills. If there was one thing he was good at besides blowing stuff up and playing with fire it was messing with machines. He was the one in charge of all the repairs to the main air purifier we used so we didn't have to use masks all the time. It ran on Adamantium. See why we need so much now? That contraption takes a lot of energy, ya know?

"Look I'm just saying, it's been over twenty four hours, there's no way he's alive dude." I rolled my eyes, Jason. Of course it would be Jason. That meant Leo was probably with them. The two boys were virtually inseparable, I guess a lot like how Grover and I were, but thats neither here nor there. I guess it came in handy when it came to making teams though. We never had to worry about who'd be with us. If I went Grover went if Grover went I went. Same with Jason and Leo. If you got one you got the other. Handy little fact ya know?

I coughed. "Sorry...to disappoint you then..."

The two boys on screen turned around and a third curly unruly haired brunette with a slightly manic grin and wild eyes popped on screen from the side. Leo. "Percy!" They exclaimed simultaneously. Yes indeed. I was christ incarnate. From the dead I shall rise. Bow before me peasants!

"Dude you're alive?!" Jason proclaimed.

"I don't know if I'm touched or offended." I snarked back at Jason's tone. It was almost like he wished I was dead. I know total mood lightner.

"How the heck did that happen?" Leo asked a totally calculating scientific look passing on his face. Who couldn't resist an anomoly right?

"Dude you look like hell." Grover said with a grin.

"And...you...look...like a...ray...of...sunshine." I retorted with a grin.

Sadie looked confused. "Who...are you talking too?" She placed a hand on my forehead...which granted was already hot so doing that proved nothing.

"Oh...yeah..." They couldn't see the image I saw in my goggles. I weakly tapped my wrist and the image projected itself outward.

"Whoa! Who the heck are they?" Grover asked.

"We could ask ya' da' same question kiddo." Carter said.

Grover gulped and chuckled nervously. "Soo, yeah. Where the hell are ya."

"Can't...you...track...my...signal...if you're...linking me..."

"Oh...Oh yeah, duh." Grover glanced at Leo who nodded and ran off the screen.

"Anyway..." I coughed and Grover's expression turned to one of worry. "This is...Sadie...Nico...and Carter...they saved my life." I said gesturing to each of them in turn.

"Cool, thanks guys, for watchin' out for him, I'm sure he's been a real ass."

"Shut...up..."

"Got his position! He's almost back to camp!" Leo shouted from off screen.

Jason clapped his hands. "Okay. Sweet! Well then let's turn this sucker 'round and see if we can catch up to them, while they keep walkin back to camp. If we reach 'em we can give them a lift the rest of the way."

Grover rolled his eyes and nodded mouthing "help me". I snickered at the screen and shook my head mouthing back "He's all yours dude."

"Well then. Let's move out!" Jason said standing tall and running his hand through his hair. I scoffed, as if he'd be a super hero. Talk about ego.

"Cya soon dude!" Grover said with a smile.

"Don't die on us!" Leo called from the drivers seat.

"I'll...try..." I replied

"Good!" And with that the link went dead.

The four of us were silent for a moment, before a grin spread out on my face. "Well...looks like...I'm gonna...live."

Sadie smiled and Carter patted my shoulder. Nico made a face and turned around. "Come on. Let's not waste anymore time then." He said before swiftly walking away.

I shot Sadie a confused glance and she just rolled her eyes following after him.

God that kid was more volatile than a bull with a flaming rod up its ass.

Oh crap, now that southern speech was affecting me too.

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A/N: So what did ya think? Lol this chapter's been done for like 3 days I just haven't gotten round to posting it for whatever reason sorry D: So yeah like I said before you'll be getting a kinda big chapter next it'll hopefully make up for the lateness here lol. And yah what do you think of the characters? You like them? Anything else you wanna tell me? Is the pacing still okay? Too fast? Too slow? Anything confusing? Blah blah blah. Also yeah this chap was a pain to write its like 1k words shorter than normal cause I just got sick of it. Percy can't do shiz right now so his perspective was really REALLY boring to write. I hope you all like it though D; ANYWAY UNTIL A COUPLE HOURS!