Alright, here is the last chapter! Has it really been almost three years to get ten chapters? I need to work on my update speed. Anyway, a huge thank-you to all of you who have reviewed/favorited/followed this story for so long. Also, a special shoutout to anyone who helped me with ideas. I was really close to giving this up at one point, but thanks to those people, I found the inspiration to continue. You have my gratitude!
So stats! As of today, this story has received 52 reviews, 24 favorites, and 36 follows. You guys rock!
And one last thing- remember my little contest? Well, winners are at the bottom! I won't announce the names yet though. But more details later. For now, please enjoy the last chapter of Beneath New York. Thanks for reading!
Chapter 10.
Percy had done many strange things in his life, but pep-talking a group of five giant bats with Greek connections in a cavern beneath New York city was a first for him. Nevertheless, the bats seemed to be taking it pretty well, probably because they were practically worshiping him.
"Okay, so I'm going to use my powers—"
"The powers of Poseidon?" asked one bat in a reverent tone.
"Uh, yeah. Those ones," Percy said. "Anyway, I'm going to use them to open a hole in the ceiling, and then—"
"A hole in the rock created by a demigod?" interrupted one elderly looking bat, sounding excited. "It shall be sacred!"
"Um, sure. But anyway, I'm going to hold the water out of the way long enough for us to fly out, and then we can meet back with the others. Okay?"
"Whatever is decreed by the Son of the Sea God, we shall obey," another bat answered, and the others all fervently agreed.
"Right then," Percy said. "I think it will be safest if you are all already in the air. That way none of the water will hit you." As the bats once more echoed their assent, Percy turned to Gregor, who was trying hard not to laugh. "Not a word," he told him as they walked over to Aurora.
"Wouldn't dream of it, Flier Guy," Gregor smirked.
Rolling his eyes, Percy followed Gregor in mounting the bat. "Is everyone ready?" he asked.
Five yeses, and they took to the air.
"I'm going to need you to hold onto me," Percy told Gregor. "I've never done something quite like this before, and I need to concentrate. Keep me from falling off, okay?"
Gregor nodded, looking a little nervous.
Percy closed his eyes and reached out with his powers, trying to find the spot in the rock where the water was closest. He willed the water to swirl, to carve. It was incredibly difficult. He had never really controlled the water without being able to see what was actually happening. He ordered the water to churn, to wear at the stone. He felt it getting closer. Closer. And then, like the breaking of a rubber band that had been stretched too far, a hole opened in the ceiling and water began to pour through.
"It's too small!" Gregor shouted in his ear. "The fliers won't fit!"
Keeping his eyes closed for concentration, Percy focused the water at the edges of the hole. If possible, this kind of precision work was even more difficult, and he clenched his jaw with the effort. It was draining him quickly. He hadn't realized just how much the snake's poison had weakened him.
"It's working!" Aurora said.
"Hurry!" Gregor said. "The cavern's filling up fast."
Just when he thought that he couldn't take it anymore, Gregor hollered that it was big enough. Switching his focus, he immediately held back the water that had been pouring in, creating an upwards liquid tunnel to the surface. Opening his eyes just a little, he saw by the faint light of Gregor's dagger one of the circling bats zip upward and through, followed by the next, and then another. One more, and then Aurora was moving into place, ready to escape.
They were almost through the water tunnel when Percy's strength gave out. He lost his hold on Aurora, Gregor lost his hold on him, and, again, he found himself falling, this time toward the water below. He had just enough willpower left to keep the tunnel open long enough for Aurora and Gregor to make it out. Looking up as they cleared the water, he saw Gregor turned back to face him, illuminated by his dagger, his mouth open in a cry of disbelief. And then the water came crashing down and he closed his eyes.
A minute later, Percy opened his eyes, surprised to find that this fall had not injured him. In fact, he actually felt better, surrounded as he was by the vast expanse of water. His eyesight had come back to him underwater as well, and looking around, saw that the water had started to flow naturally along with the small stream. There was still an awful lot of water coming in from the new hole in the ceiling, but it was starting to slow a little.
Kicking his feet a little, he moved toward the hole, bursting through and up to the surface. Standing on the surface of the lake, he looked around, realized he couldn't see anything, and pulled out his sword. The bats were nowhere to be found. Spotting some light in the distance, he willed the currents to carry him along. Time to rejoin the group.
He found them gathered at the retreating water line, arguing over something. Unsure of the cause of the conflict, he slowed as he came close, allowing himself to sink back into the water so that his ears were just above the surface.
"How could you lose him?!" a female voice said. Annabeth.
"Do not speak to him like that," another female said. Luxa, referring to Gregor.
"His loss shall be mourned greatly among all the fliers," the voice of a bat purred. "We shall dedicate the drain hole to him as a monument for his sacrifice."
"Percy's Drain Hole?" Annabeth spluttered, sounding like she was about to kill something.
Percy decided to intervene. And though he knew that she would kill him later for it, he decided that he was going to pick on Annabeth. Willing a tendril of water to sneak up along the beach, he was amazed at the new-found ease of the task. After carving solid rock with water, everything else was easy by comparison.
Annabeth was standing with her back to the water when a tentacle of water suddenly wrapped around her waist, lifted her from her feet, and pulled her backwards into the lake. She didn't even have time to yell before she was face to face with her smirking boyfriend, being held tightly in his arms.
"Hey," he said.
She punched his shoulder.
"Ouch!" he said, letting go of her with one hand to reach up and rub it. "What was that for?"
Leaning forward, she kissed him. Pulling away, her heart was aching with relief as she looked into his eyes. "Don't ever do that to me again," she told him.
In response, he kissed her, just as the water drained enough to reveal their heads to the Underlanders on the shore.
"Percy!" Gregor yelled in shock.
Breaking away from the kiss but still holding onto Annabeth, Percy walked up on the shore. "Hey. Thanks for me from falling."
Gregor winced, but Percy laughed. "Hey, I'm just teasing. I asked mostly so I wouldn't fall off before everyone else got out anyway. And you tried, and I still did, but it's okay."
"But how did you survive?" Luxa asked, incredulous.
Percy frowned. "Wait, did I really forget to mention that I can breathe underwater?"
"Yes!" Gregor, Luxa, and the bats all chorused.
"Oops," Percy said. "Sorry."
"Well, all is well that ends well," Aurora said.
"I suppose," Luxa said, hugging her bond. She turned her head to Percy. "On behalf of the crown, I would like to thank you for saving my bond."
Percy shrugged. "No problem. Actually, Gregor did most of it. I almost died."
Luxa shot Gregor a smile, and then leaned forward and gave him a kiss. When she pulled away, Gregor looked happier than Percy had ever seen him.
"Look!" one of the other bats suddenly said. "The Garden of the Hesperides!"
Percy turned, holding up his sword before realizing that is wasn't necessary, because the landscape was now lit with a soft glow.
"Whoa," Annabeth breathed.
The receding water had revealed trees, but not just any trees. These trees were glowing with a soft light, just like Gregor's dagger.
"Trees from the Garden of the Gods," another bat said softly.
Luxa was beaming. "It's beautiful."
Percy couldn't help but agree.
The moment was interrupted by the ringing of Annabeth's cell phone. "Huh. I didn't think there'd be service down here," she said as she answered it. "Hello?"
"Who is it?" Percy asked her.
"It's your mom," she said, covering the mouthpiece. "She wants to know when we'll be back. She's invited Grace and the kids and I to stay for dinner."
Percy looked at Gregor, who shrugged and looked at Luxa. She smiled, a little sadly. "Tell her that you shall be back in half an hour," Luxa told Annabeth. Annabeth nodded, and relayed the information to Sally as Luxa talked to one of the bats, who then took off. Hanging up, Annabeth asked Percy, "So what exactly are we going to tell her when she asks how the movie was?"
Gregor grimaced. "The truth."
Percy shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. But that means that we're going to have to tell your mom about demigods."
Gregor sighed. "Yeah, I suppose. But hey, she's heard worse."
"Well, whatever you tell your mothers, you have to be home to do so," Luxa pointed out. "I already sent Selene back for Lizzie. We'll meet them at the opening."
This time, Gregor rode with Luxa on Aurora and Percy and Annabeth flew on Achilles. As they flew over the Garden, they saw the drainage hole, still steadily sucking away the water.
"Percy's Drain Hole," Annabeth smirked. "A new addition to the flier's mythology."
"Indeed," Achilles said.
Percy sighed as Annabeth tried not to laugh. "But seriously," she said, "How did you do that?"
He explained, and she began to look thoughtful. "You know, a waterjetted stone temple up on the hill would look really cool. Actually, I can't wait to get to my sketchbook. The city down here gave me all kinds of ideas!"
"This really is a neat place," Percy agreed. "I kind of hate to leave so soon."
"Oh, but you will be back, will you not?" Luxa asked, suddenly popping up next to them on Aurora. "If Grace will let Gregor and Lizzie go with you two, then you can bring them down more often! She will not have to worry, because she trusts you, and Gregor will not have to sneak away and make her worry. It is perfect!"
Gregor caught Percy's eye, smiling with a 'just go with it' look and shrugged.
Percy smiled at Luxa. "Sure. We'd love to come back."
Luxa beamed. "Excellent."
"After all," Percy said, turning to grin at Annabeth sitting behind him, "Who knew there could be so much adventure beneath New York?"
Ta-da! Wow, I'm happy that that is finished. It was fun to write. Okay, time for the winners! There are actually four of them.
Ginger 'n Spice, HuggaBugga, PercyJacksonFanaholic, and DrWhovianist will all be having one of their name suggestions used in a bonus oneshot for this story, entitled Underland Babysitting. I'm just going to post it as an additional chapter onto the end of this one, rather than its own separate oneshot. Look for it in the next couple months. Alright. Well, for the last time... Queen out!