Seeing as last chapter was 3 pages and this one is 2 pages according to almighty Word; I decided to combine them so I wouldn't be cheap. I was supposed to post this tomorow anyways, so really...
Disclaimer: One disclaimer per day; see last chapter.
9
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
"Wouldn't some nice crayons be nice instead of a big, smelly hippo?" Katie tried, putting accent on 'smelly'.
Yeah, Travis was desperate. He was pulling off a lot of stunts for this kid's sake, but getting his hands on a hippo would not be one of them.
"There are crayons already." Aggie said.
"But hippos are smelly."
"But Josh is smelly too, and he lives here." Aggie said.
"Please Blackjack," Percy said. "It's for that really cute little kid. You know? That gave you, like, 10 sugar cubes the other day? The day your head was twitching and your hooves spazzing?"
Travis was nearly proud that at five years old Aggie could already do that to a grown Pegasus.
Blackjack whined.
"You know, the little one that begged me to let her brush your mane… And you really liked it when she did." Percy said. Blackjack said something else that made sense to Percy; who turned around to face Travis again. "He said no-can-do, he loves the kid, but he's not going to do it."
"But we really need this!" Travis said.
"That's what I've been telling him." Percy said.
"I've been working my butt off and being good for her 'Santa only comes if you're good' theory," Travis said. "I am not being stopped by a stubborn horse."
"He says he's not going to be convinced by a stubborn half-blood who smells like vinegar and field berry shampoo." Percy translated the last neigh.
Travis passed his hand through his hair and smelt it. Styx- that was still that obvious?
"Come on Blackjack," Travis pled. To a horse. Gosh- he better go to Elysium or something for this...
"Nope." Percy translated.
"Please."
"Nope."
"I'll give you sugar."
"Blackjack says even the Pegasi don't trust you." Percy said.
"My gods horse- just agree!" Travis said. "Wear the freaking clown nose and act like Rudolph for an hour," Travis begged. Blackjack grunted.
"He says he rather be up in braids again." Percy translated.
"I can make that happen." Travis said. "I have sisters. In the middle of the night. All is calm. You're sleeping…"
Blackjack whined.
"Stop freaking out my horse," Percy said.
"That was my final punch anyways," Travis sighed.
"Okay, there's a difference between hippos and a brother." Katie said seriously.
"Yeah- nobody asks Santa for a brother." Travis muttered. Katie shot him a look like I'm trying to work this out for you don't blow it.
"Aggie, do you think a hippo would be happy at Camp Half-Blood?" Katie asked when she returned her attention to Aggie.
"No, but I didn't think I was going to be happy at Camp Half-Blood but I am. Maybe it's the same thing for the hippo." Aggie said. Katie got up and shot Travis a 'sorry, all I can do' look.
Because when a little kid says something like that, you don't disagree with her. Especially not if you're Travis and you're lost for words.
