OH MY GODS I FORGOT ABOUT CLARISSE! PRETEND THAT SHE HAS A HOUSE TOO, AND I CHANGED HER CLOTHES TO CAMO PANTS, BLACK TANK TOP AND GREY FLEECE JUMPER! THE OTHER PARTS SHES IS IN HER HOUSE SULKING. Sorry about not updating! Tell me if there's anything I need to clarify. I own the plot and the OCs, on with the story!
RECAP:
The old women pointed at me in perfect timing, and the dream crumbled like dust.
I woke up in a cold sweat, knowing that this dream, is the most important thing I will ever see.
I check my internal clock, and discover its 3:24pm, contrasting with the constantly moonlit room, thanks to Artemis. I stand up and stretch, cracking my neck and yawning. I go over to Edra's cave/hill sleeping area, and tap her on the shoulder blade. She slowly opens her eyes, then shaky gets to her feet. I shoo her back down.
"It's okay." I say, waving my hands at her, "You stay here and sleep. You're only about, 2 weeks old? Nod if I got it about right."
Slowly, she ends her head and sits back down, her small deer body relaxing.
"I'll just be gone to give everyone instructions to take things from the garden, and supervise. I won't be too long."
She nods once more, and falls back into a deep sleep.
I walk up the stairs, and pick a strawberry from the patch growing on this level. I jump out, onto the hidden platform of wood, and gracefully glide down to the ground, barely moving my wings. Recently, the black on my wings has started to spread, and has turned from a dull black to a shiny, oil-slick, hue, that shimmered purple, blue, and been in the light. Now, my wings were gradient from silver at the bottom, fading into the mysterious black at the top. I stroke my wings, trailing my finger down the different colours. I leap up, my bird-kid strength jumping me about two and a half meters. I flap my wings, and fly over the treetops, so I can get to the town. Land in the middle of the garden, and see people standing around the plants, hungry, but not sure whether they're allowed.
"Take what you want!" I call over the gentle murmur of the crowd, "Just don't damage the roots!"
People, reach out, and take what they want, being carful not to damage the other pets of the plant. Then, the crowd disperses, everyone having taken what they need for their dinner. I smile, and go around the garden, inspecting the plants. Small amounts of damage, nothing purposeful. I fix the damaged parts, and regrow the plants that will probably be eaten tomorrow. I walk to Percy and Annabeth's, and smile when I see them playfully arguing.
"But you're the better cook!" says Percy, mocking Annabeth by copying her stance, who waves a carrot at him,
"Yes, but I cooked last time!" she answers, jabbing a celery stick in his direction. I summon a plate from my house, and pray to the gods to make a meal out of the vegetables in tis house. The vegetables in Annabeth's hands and on he table disappear with a loud pop. Annabeth blinks, surprised, and the plate forms itself into an extremely large bowl the size of a car tire, and fills with delicious smelling minestrone soup, complete with little pieces of pasta.
"So, I'm guessing you want to know where the veggies are?" I smirk, alerting them of my presence. They give me one look, and I hold out the bowl wordlessly. Their foreheads crinkle in confusion.
" I asked the gods to make the dinner in this bowl. They did, so I suggest you sacrifice something to them." I explain.
"That plate looks like the ones at Camp." says Percy, studying it.
"It's the same type." I say, "And I think it will work. I'm going to the Flock's place, goodnight, and eat well!"
I leave their house, and head towards the Flock's. I knock on the door, and Gazzy opens it, and I wave at him. He opens the door, a little wider, but not enough for me to come in.
"Do you swear you don't have another fashion bag?" he says worriedly, "I don't think Max would be able to handle it! Nudge enjoyed that way to much."
I laugh and reassure him.
"I swear on the River Styx I don't have anything like that." I promise, and thunder rumbles. We're underwater, so it was kind of weird. He allows me in, and I call the Flock down from wherever they were. They enter the living room, eyeing me for anymore bags of clothes.
"Don't worry," says Gazzy, "She didn't bring anything this time."
"i'm actually here to make sure you guys are getting food." I say, "So are you guys getting enough? I mean, with the bird-kid appetites.."
I let my sentence trail off, as the Flock wrinkle there noses. I feel their emotions turn to hunger.
"We haven't been able to get enough." explains Max, "Iggy, who is the only decent one at cooking, can't cook enough, because we don't have enough veggies."
I think it over in my head, and nod.
"Come with me," I say, gesturing to them to follow. They follow, and I lead them to my house. I sit them down in the enchanted garden, and summon 7 plates down from the kitchen. One for each member of the Flock, and me. They zoom down, landing in each of the Flock's laps. They look down, a bit confused.
"Just think of what you want to eat," I say, "And it will be summoned from wherever. Also, when you're done, you can keep them."
"OMG! That is sooooo cool! Anything? 'Cause I really want to have-" Nudge is cut off by Gazzy's hand.
"Thats enough!" says Max hastily, "Just think of it in your head!"
Fang and the others except for Nudge snort, who pouts and looks down at her plate. Her plate fills with three cheese burgers, fries, nuggets, roasted sweet potato, and a meat-lovers pizza. The other's eyes widen in shock, and they look down at their own plates, thinking very hard. Max summons two Big-Macs, and a large amount of spaghetti. On the side of her plate, there is a small mountain of steaming, fresh, chocolate chip cookies. On Iggy's plate, there is sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, and a piece of buttered toast, along with baked potatoes, braised brisket, and a pile of roast pumpkin. Gazzy summons a plate of roast chicken, baked carrot and potato, three buttered rolls, and a Hawaiian pizza, (that really isn't from Hawaii). Fang receives a feast of fried rice, roast pork, assorted baked vegetables, a Caesar salad, and an egg, mayonnaise, lettuce and cheese sandwich. Angel, summons a practical vat, of onion soup and bread with cheese melted into it. She also summoned a mountain mashed potato and gravy. I choose to have mashed potato and gravy, braised brisket, and a bowl of stew, with couscous. I burnt a piece of brisket, and signalled for the others to also sacrifice something to the gods. Once they burnt a portion of their meal, we dug in.
15 minutes later, we had finished the main meal, and now moved onto dessert. I summoned a mint-chocolate chip ice-cream sandwich, with vanilla biscuits. Angel, Nudge and Gazzy, had brownies, and Iggy had apple pie. I don't know how, but he was feeding himself perfectly well. Max had another plateful of steaming cookies, sighing in happiness overtime she bit into one. Fang was having chocolate fondue, dipping strawberries, marshmallows and other fruit into the rich cocoa. Once we had finished, I summoned water jets to blast their plates clean.
"Can we really have these?" asked Max uncertainly, "We would survive, we've survived on less food."
"No, take them, I have plenty of them," I smile, "Well, I have five left, which is fine, because its only me and Edra."
At that, Nudge squealed excitedly, and started looking around.
"You have this really cool enchanted garden vibe going on, and it suits your deer. By the way, where is he? She is so cute! She's adorable like you, and I just want to hug you two and-" Gazzy had clamped his hand over her mouth, for the second time. He gave her a look, and she rolled her eyes but nodded.
"Nudge!" said Max, trying to whisper to her, forgetting about my hearing being the same as theirs, "Don't scare her!"
I laugh, and snicker. As if she could scare me. The whitecoats once wanted to see my bone and muscle structure, conveniently forgetting about anaesthetic. Oh, those were the fun times, and they had done so much worse as well.
They looked confused at my laughter.
"Nudge didn't frighten me in the least, the whitecoats did worse." I say, reassuring them. They looked shocked that I had heard.
"Guys, don't forget, she is a bird-kid as well." reminded Iggy. The others shrugged, and Angel asked me a question.
"Can we see her please?" she asked, smiling angelically at Max, then turning to me, winking, and then cocks her head the side, to ask me.
"If Orabelle says yes." answered Max. Fang just stood in the background, being the silent, fleshy, rock he always is. Nudge started to perk up, opening her most to speak, but quailed under the glare that Max gave her, and sighed in defeat. In answer to Max's compromise, I told them, only if Edra says yes.
And with that, I flew up, and hid the entrance by flying to the other side, and forcing a hole in the tree with my powers. I flew in, and closed the small hole. I trampled down the stairs, and walked into Edra's floor, and saw her prancing around the hills, and searching among the trees. I wonder what kind of magic fitted all these hills and trees in here. Artemis did a good job.
Edra approaches me, and nuzzles my hand. I stroke the velvet fur, and she makes a sort of purring noise, like a cat. I laugh, and smile at her. I'm glad I chose her, instead of the lion, or the falcon, which would have been cool, but I love Edra.
"Edra, the Flock want to see you, and you can choose to say yes, and go down there, or no, and stay here," I say, still stroking her fur. "Nod if you want to go, and shake your head if you want to stay here."
She thought for a minute, her emotions turning from curiosity to confusion. She finally nods her head, then slowly trots over to the stairs. She gives me a look, like saying, 'You coming or not?', then prances up the stairs. I follow her, and when we get into the level above us, I see her eating strawberries from the patch I have growing up here. I pick her up, and create another hole in the side of the room, and exit from there.
I fly down with Edra in my arms, the strong powerful flaps of my wings creating a small amount of wind. I settle on the ground, and let Edra out of my arms. Nudge and Angel, have similar looks of excitement, and rush over and start petting my small fawn. I see Max and Iggy thing to go over, but want to seem more controlled. I tell them to go pat her. They do, but only after a few minutes of deliberation. Iggy touches her softly, feeling the soft fur. Max pets her head, and looks into Edra's large brown eyes. Fang stands off to the side, looking uncomfortable, so I make a chair for him to sit on while Gazzy... Wait! Where's Gazzy?
"Max!" I exclaim, getting her attention, "Where did Gazzy go?"
Her emotions go from contentment, to anger.
"Gazzy! You sneaky little worm! Get out here where I can see you!" yells Max, angrily swiping hair out of her face. Gazzy innocently comes out from behind a tree, whistling and holding his hands behind his back.
"Gazzy!" says Angel, "What if the bomb went off! This little paradise would be ruined!"
"Gazzy," I say sternly, "Give me the bomb."
"You can't make me," he said, then quailed under my glare. I was doing the coldest, hardest, death glare I could, which would have looked pretty intimidation on a 6 year old, holding out her hand, my eyes turning into swirling pits of death, harsh seas, and lightening. He handed over the bomb, but, I just discovered another of my Zeus powers. I took the bomb in my left hand, and zapped him with the other.
"Don't make bombs anywhere near my house, garden, or pet and friend, or you will be sorry." I say, the power in my eyes lighting up my face. The others of the Flock looked stunned, until Max started laughing. Then the others joined in, except Fang, who had a faint smile, which was the equivalent of rolling around on the floor crying with laughter. Gazzy, on the other hand, was not laughing. He looked traumatised.
"A six year old, threatened Gazzy, and was terrifying!" laughed Max, "She was scary to everyone, and it wasn't even directed at us! Gazzy did as he was told, and he doesn't even do that for me!" then she seemed to realise what she said, "Gazzy, you mark my words, I will call Orabelle over if you don't behave."
He shivered, and nodded so hard I thought his head would fall off. I snorted, and smiled sweetly at the pre-teen, who gulped. I smirked and snapped my fingers, allowing a spark of fire to appear, then fade out.
"OMG! Who else thinks that if they were the same age they would be the cutest couple! Yay! Now more relationships! They would be so cute together, and they would have a wedding in Winter, and after they would go skiing in Switzerland! They cake would have mini figurines of people ice-skating, and be strawberry flavoured! Wait, then there would be a fountains for drinks to be served and you would have to get your own, and everyone there would have these cool plates Orabelle has! And speaking of these plates, can we really keep them? I mean, they would be really great to have, but you can keep them if you want to-" Gazzy had clapped his hand over Nudge's mouth with frantic eyes. The Flock was attempting to hold in their laughter, but were miserably failing. I was amused, yet didn't want to be with Gazzy in any way. Other than punching him in the face for indirectly threatening my home and pet.
"Nudge," I said gently, "Gazzy and I are just," I looked at him, studying him, "Acquaintances. Also, I scare him, and am exactly half his age. If anything, plan Max and Fang's wedding, not mine."
At this, Fang and Max went red, and mock glared at, me, and I grinned, lighting my colourful eyes with power, causing them to shudder and turn away. That will never get old.
"So, you guys should probably get back now.' I said, handing the plates to them. "Don't tell anyone where you got these plates, or everyone will be jealous. Goodnight."
They nodded at me, and flew back to their house. I picked up Edra, and floated up to the platform, and entered my humble home. I set Edra down so she could prance down to wherever she wished. I then followed her down the stairs, and down to her room. She was settling into her title nest-type sleeping arrangement, and drifted off to sleep. I smiled fondly at her sleeping form, and walked down to the kitchen, carrying mown plate, and putting it back in the cupboard.
I then walked to the very bottom level, and turned on the shower. This time, I would have a shower, because its quicker. The shower water rushes out in a perfect, circular, stream. I take off my clothes, and step in. I inspect the gradient on my wings, and trace my fingers down the colours. The warm water washes off the remnants of the day, and relaxes me. I start practising using my water powers. I create shapes, get myself dry, and create a whirling tornado in the bathroom. I made sure nothing was destroyed, and calmed the storm.
I need a better place to practise my powers. The guest bedroom! I turn off the shower, and use my powers to dry my self off. I walk up to my bedroom level, and open up the cupboards, to search for PJs. I finally find a nightie (Do other countries call it something else? If you don't know what it is its a sleeping dress thats really comfortable and usually a bit big.) that was blue, with a pattern of anchors and waves all over. I slipped it on over my underwear (lets be real), and headed up to the guest room. I will have to be extra quiet so that I don't wake Edra on the floor above. I walk in, and make everything disappear. I'll make it a guest bedroom if I ever allow anyone in, which is pretty unlikely. I cover the room in a case of rock, so that the wood and the outside of my home/tree wouldn't be damaged.
I'll start with weapons. I pull the axes off my bracelet, and create some targets. I start by throwing the axes, ad hit the targets every time. Not always dead-center, but if it hit a monster, they would die. I pulled the targets closer, then created more around me in a ring. I start practising with close range combat. I hit the 'monsters' in multiple parts all over the 'bodies', and once I was finished with each target, they collapsed to the ground. I practised fighting multiple at once, with just weapons, though fighting with multiple opponents, I will definitely use my powers. I decided to start using my powers, and put the targets in a ring around the room. I transformed my axes into their smaller forms, and re-attached them to the bracelet, that when I rip off, becomes a shield. I use my powers, earth, fire, water, air, metal, and ice to obliterate the targets. I don't know how to use the Hades powers, and I'm not sure what I got from Hera and Amphitrite. I don't exactly want the targets to injure me, so my regenerative power has no use outside battle. The strength and sight helps during training, and the hearing and smell will help sense enemies on the battlefield. Shapeshifting will help if I'm caught unprepared, which is unlikely due to my senses, and weapons on me at all times, but it is a possibility. It could also help if particular animals terrify another kind, or monster.
By the time I'm finished training, I'm sweaty, and kind of gross. I can't be bothered to walk down to the shower again, so I just take off my clothes and summon some water to clean me off, then wash my nightie in cold water, then leech the water out using my powers. I clean up the room, but leave the rock casing, which I will get rid of if needed. I walk down to the kitchen, and check the time. It's 10:47pm. The Flock left at 8, so ts been about an hour and a half of practise. I take out one of the plates, and summon a cookies, steaming and fresh. I burn a portion to the gods, and dig in. The cookie is perfect, with the chocolate chips melting in. I get out one of the goblets, and summon some water. I drink it, the walk down to the bathroom, and brush my teeth. I then walk up one level, and lie down on my bed, for the first time, I believe. I bring up the blanket, and relax into the softness. As I drift off, I could have sworn I heard someone say, "Aww, she so cute!" Hmm.
*dream*
My dream begins in what I believe is the Underworld. Stale air, dirty and generally unpleasant. A large cave, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling. There is a large dog, with- is that three heads!? Well, then, my dad has interesting taste in pets. I walk past him, and through a big censor thing, that looked like airport security. I walked until I say a big were shades all over these fields. The fields literally seemed to go on forever. At the end of the feeds, I saw a massive black palace. I used my wings to fly over, because I am not walking that far. When I finally got there, I found an entrance. The thing is, there were zombies standing around the door. I'm not scared of them, but they got out of my way, which was weird. I walked in, and was greeted with large thrones, with my dad, and the lady who I assume is his wife. I immediately put on the doe-eyes, and looked up at them. I do not want to get on anyones bad side. The lady's face softened slightly, but only raptor like vision would notice. Gotta try harder.
"Hello Mr Hades! Hello Miss Persephone!" I say, recalling her name from one of Percy's stories. She seemed to smile the slightest bit, probably because I knew her name. My father looked rather uncomfortable, and looked anywhere but me or his wife.
"Hello, Orabelle." said Persephone rather formally.
"Call me Bells!" I chirped happily. "Everyone calls me that!"
"Okay, Bells," she amended, "I had Hypnos drag your dreamscape to the Underworld, so I could see what you are like. I also, was asked by my terrible husband," Hades flinched, and was about to interrupt, but was cut off by a glare from his wife, "To adopt you, so you would be an even more powerful half-blood. I agreed, as long as you would be my champion. Is that okay?"
"Of course!" I exclaimed, "Now I have more parents!"
"I Persephone, adopt this child, Orabelle, to be a child of Spring!"
"I accept." I say, knowing the procedure after the first time. Now I'm her child! I run up to her, and hug her legs, since she was in her giant form, and that was I could reach. She looked surprised, then reached down, and picked me up, sitting me on her lap, and shrinking her and her throne down to human size. She gave me a tender hug, and must have felt my wings, because she pulled back.
"Whats that on your back?" she asked, cocking her head to the side, and screwing her eyebrows together.
"Those are my wings!" I say, and summon sharp metal to slice holes in the back. I then slip my wings through th holes, and display my gradient wings, the black to silver.
"How did you get wings?" she asked thoroughly confused.
"I was tricked into going to a recombinant DNA testing facility, called the School, and they injected bird DNA into me. So, they tested us for our abilities, which was usually painful." I wouldn't usually tell people everything, but I felt the urge to be honest with my mother and patron. She looked horrified.
"Do they exist now?" she asked, steel in her voice.
I shook my head, "I destroyed it by sinking it underground and crushing it. Only one scientist got away."
"Hades, are all their souls in the Fields of Punishment?" asked my newest mother.
Hades blanched, and shook his head slightly.
"Some of them didn't go for judging, they went straight to Asphodel, because they knew they wouldn't get through."
"I want those souls hunted down, and brought before me. Right. Now." demanded Persephone.
The zombie guards rushed off, more taking their place.
"Orabelle, you have the power to make plants healthier, conjure and create new flowers, and bring light, that is the suns rays in Spring. You must leave my champion, you do not want to see what comes next."
"Bye mum!" I smiled, and gave her one last huge.
"Good bye, child." she put her hands on my shoulders, and the dream faded, leaving me with the image of zombie guards dragging in terrified shades.
*end of dream*
I wake up, and see that I'm in my bedroom. I check my internal clock. It's 5:38am. Ugh. Far too early. I transform into a sloth, and go back to sleep.
*dream*
I dream again, that I'm in the Underworld. But this time, its in a far nicer place. There is trees, and fountains, and the air is less stale. In front of me, is my mother, and an unknown man.
"Mum?" I asked hopefully.
"Orabelle!" she said, and smiled. I reached out to hug her, and I just passed through her. My eyes welled up with tears as I tried again and again to touch her.
"Orabelle," she said "Its okay. This is real. But, the contraption can't summon you down. Just your consciousness."
At least its happening. I dried my tears and smiled at her. I miss her so much. In the past two years, I haven't had time to be sad.
"Hi mum." I say, "And, um so I was kidnapped two weeks after you... left."
Her expression turned stony. "Who are they, and what did they do to you? Are you hurt?"
"Well, my DNA is now 2% bird, which gave me wings, and some powers." I said, "And don't worry, they're dead, and Hades is putting their souls into Punishment."
"Good." she said approvingly, "And I brought you here to wish you happy birthday for the times I missed. Happy Birthday, darling."
"Thanks mum, and can you visit me every night?"
She shook her head sadly. "I can only visit you every so often, which I have chosen to be every birthday. I can only visit a little, because the isn't strictly allowed, but Hades turns a blind eye to mothers who died when their children were young. Just as long as we don't do it much."
"1 minute." warns the man.
My mother turns frantic.
"Orabelle, your birthday is the 14th of July. Today is the 12th of May, so exactly 4 weeks. I will love you always, and never forget that. Everything you do, I will be proud. As much as I love you, I hope you don't join me. I love you so so much, and have courage, you have tough times ahead. Your future is sort of murky, and even we dead can't tell what will happen."
"15 seconds." said the man.
"Mum I love you, and don't ever forget me. I really missed you these years, and have fun down here."
"5, 4, 3..."
"I love you." she whispered, smiling faintly."
"I love you too."
"1!"
The dream faded."
*end of dream*
I awoke with tears running down my face, and my pillow damp.
So please review! Its really gratifying to know that people enjoy your story, so please tell me of you do!