I don't own PJO. Review and enjoy!
Chapter 8: Ajax/Percy POV
Since that last attack, everyone and everything seemed to have changed one way or another. The atmosphere became tenser. Campers would jump at every little noise, thinking an ambush has been sprung on them. Everytime the conch horn blared, all campers would stop what they were doing to listen, and make sure it's not 3 blares since that means attack. 1 blare means meals are ready while 2 blares signal the arrival of the gods. Some campers go as far as carrying a weapon with them at all times.
The thing that bothered me most was the lovesick pair. It's not their attitude but behavior and aura. Whenever Shane gets angry, his eyes would flash gold so quick only Chaos's warriors actually noticed it. Same deal with the Owl Crap. Only hers would turn into a violent shade of dark brown, a little like mud. Another thing was that when Shane talks sometimes, his voice would drop several pitches, matching a titan's. It also sounds ancient like a titan's. With Annabeth, she seems more…down to earth. Both their auras match the ones of a titan and to be specific, Kronos and Gaia's aura. Hmmm. As I studied these peculiar things, my thoughts strayed to the 1st Titan War. Then an idea formed in the back of my head. No, I thought, it can't be.
My suspicions were proven true when I sparred with the love birds in a three way duel that they challenged me into. Shane's sleeve had slipped up when raising his short as hell sword and I had a glimpse of a tattoo in the shape of a… scythe? A while later, I accidentally ripped the shoulder of her camp shirt with my sword.
"Damn you Jackson. That was the only clean…"
I didn't listen to the rest of what she was saying. On the skin there, was another tattoo. What's up with these two and tattoos, I thought. Then I saw it clearly. The tattoo was a black tree with the roots spreading everywhere. It looked familiar. I ended the duel early and knocked both of them out. As I was heading to my cabin, my brain made the connection. I grew cold. A tree. A scythe. I have been dueling with the host bodies of Kronos and Gaia. Oh f***.
~~~ Time Skip: 3 hours/Chaos Cabin ~~~
I stood from the couch. I had spent 3 hours trying to figure out this mini mystery and solve it I did. Apparently, Kronos and Gaia sent the biggest chunk of their soul out to find a suitable host. Since Annabeth and Shane's heart was so black and twisted, it wasn't hard to inhabit them. Just as I was heading to my room with my new found discovery, a knock sounded on the cabin door. I opened it to reveal a midget with black hair and glasses. "Yes?"
"Chiron asked me to tell you to come to the war room for an emergency meeting right away."
"Thank you, err..."
"Harry, son of Hecate, sir."
"Thank you Harry."
I followed him out and went to the war room. All the other counselors were already there and seated.
"Ahh yes. Percy come in and sit down." Chiron said.
"No thanks I prefer to stand. What's going on?"
"Umm… maybe it's best if I left the gods to explain."
So, the situation is bad enough to attract the gods? 14 flashes appeared and Zeus announced, "Gaia and Kronos have gathered twice as many forces and are headed this way right now."
"That's your news? Are you kidding me? Here's bigger news. You're wrong." I said.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY? YOU DARE CALL ME WRONG?" Zeus thundered.
"Yah I dare but only to the second part. Gaia and Kronos aren't coming. They are here in this camp, in this room listening to us right now. "
"How's this…"
"Possible? Well, I have noticed a number of queer things going on involving Annabeth and Shane. First, when they get mad their eyes turn gold and brown, Annabeth brown, Shane gold. Second, Annabeth seems more intoned with earth and Shane's voice would deepen to the exact pitch of Kronos's voice when he talks sometimes. Thirdly, there's a tattoo of a scythe on Shane's arm and a tree on Annabeth's shoulder." I reeled off, counting on my fingers.
Athena and Poseidon whirled around to face their offspring. "Is this true? Show us your tattoos." they said in unison.
Annabeth and Shane smirked and rolled up their sleeves. The tattoos were there just like said they were. Everyone looked at them with hate and disbelief and then gasped. Shane's eyes were liquid gold, Annabeth's earth brown. "Took you puny gods long enough." Shane sneered but it wasn't Shane's voice that came out. It was Kronos's.
"These two demigods had such black and twisted hearts, it wasn't hard to possess them." Gaia said smugly.
"Olympians, ATTACK!" Zeus cried.
"Oh no you don't." Kronos said as he froze time. Naturally only I could move around so I tried to block their path.
"Perseus Jackson. This isn't the last of us. We'll see you again sooner than you think." With that they flashed away, leaving mist in gold and brown. Time unfroze but everyone was too shocked to do anything. I broke the awkward silence.
"Ohhhhh shitttt, this is not good."
