Disclaimer: I don't own the PJO series. Rick does.
A/N: I also want to say a I very big thank you to you guys for your reviews. You know who you are.
Now, on with the story!
(Percy POV)
You know, you'd think a blind girl walking through the woods and down city streets would be a massive worry, like all the time. You know, guiding her around obstacles and stopping her from walking into things like trees and people. But she is in fact very shore footed. She takes each step with confidence, stepping over fallen logs and around trees and people with ease. It's really making me question if she's blind.
We're currently somewhere in the middle of Nevada, I think, walking through the many valleys that seem to populate this state.
"Do you see anything?" I ask Midnight, for probably the millionth time this trip. She's off running over the nearby hills, keeping an eye out for any monsters or any other threats. Yea, wild animals are still a threat. Go figure.
We ran into a mountain lion a few days ago, but Midnight scared it off quite easily.
"No, we're still clear." She replies. She doesn't really should like she's paying much attention.
"So Percy, I've been wondering. Why're we walking all the way to this place? Couldn't we have got a bus or something?" Jenna asks, stepping around a fairly large rock.
"I don't really have a great history with buses. Also, um, I… I never really considered it as an option." I reply, feeling kind of stupid. Why hadn't it thought of alternate transportation? I scratch my head feeling a little guilty.
"You were never the planner of the group where you." She remarks, avoiding a small log. I hesitate taking my next step, only for a second, but for long enough to be noticed. Even by the young blind girl.
"What's wrong?" She asks, slightly turning her head so that one of her ears is pointed towards me.
"I-It's nothing. You just made me think of someone." I reply sadly. She frowns slightly, but continues to walk next to me. We walk in silence for a few minutes before she asks.
"Who was it that I made you think of?" She asks quietly, fiddling with the hem of her scruffy shirt.
"Sh-She was my girlfriend. She was the planner of the team." I manage to choke out, looking at the ground and nearly tripping over a small rock. So even a blind girl is more coordinated than I am. Great!
"Was?" She asks, a little sorrowful.
"She died, a little under a year ago." I inform her weakly.
"I'm sorry." She says sadly, and we return to walking in silence.
(Line Break)
Over the next couple of days Jenna and I share a few stories to pass the time. I told her about the war with the Titans and the war with the Giants and Gaia, and all of the life threatening adventures I went on.
She told me about how she about how her father had been great for the first 7 or so years of her life. But when, what she now knows was by monsters, they started getting attacked. Then her father cut ties and threw her out. What a despicable man! How could he abandon his little girl like that? I was so angry, that it took both Jenna and Midnight about an hour to calm me down.
But other than that it's been pretty tedious lately. Get up, walk, eat, walk, eat, make camp and sleep. I never thought I would be wishing for a monster attack to alleviate my boredom on this trip. Yea I know it's a stupid wish to make.
We've just walked into a forest. Swapping the arduous valleys and mountains, for the slightly less arduous trees and plant life. I guess we're out of Nevada now.
"I smell something!" Midnight calls out urgently, reappearing through a bush and walking silently up to me. I stop and hold an arm out to stop Jenna, but she had already stopped walking. Is she really blind?
"What is it?" Jenna asks, her hand drifting to her knife.
"Midnight smells something." I whisper, pulling Riptide from my pocket and resting my left hand on Cyclone's hilt. We stand silently for a minute, waiting for something to happen.
"I hear something."
"I hear something." Jenna and Midnight say in unison, earning a sideways glance from Midnight and myself. How good is her hearing? After waiting for a few more second, I can just about hear the sound of someone walking through the bushes.
"Let's hide until we know what we're dealing with here." I quietly order, earning a nod from Jenna and Midnight. As quietly as I can I dive into some thick bushes that are near by with Midnight, and struggle to stifle a gasp as I look back to see where Jenna is hiding. Only to see here jumping and climbing up one of the trees with cat like grace. Seriously! Is she really blind?
But before I can say anything an Empousa comes stomping through the bushes angrily. She's quickly followed by a couple of Cyclops', a couple of Hellhounds and a Hyperborean Giant. Yes, because we definitely need an ice-breathing idiot to join the party.
"Well, where are they!" The Empousa huffs, looking around where we were standing seconds ago.
"I not know. I told to come here." One of the Cyclops' mumbles out slowly. Someone told them to come here? That's oddly specific.
"Well you said that there would be a powerful Demigod here. That's the only reason I came along with you idiots." She hisses, stamping her donkey leg angrily. Making the Cyclops flinch a little bit and take a step back. How did they know we would be coming through here? We didn't even know we were coming through here.
The Hellhounds have been silently sniffing around, completely evading my attention. Until one sticks its head through the bush I'm hiding in and is only about an inch from my face.
"Hey buddy." I say with a smile, before flicking the cap off of Riptide and stabbing the Hellhound through the neck as it extends, making it explode into dust.
"See! I tell you they be here." The Cyclops shouts with glee, swinging its metal club around dangerously. When did they start using metal clubs? I slowly stand up, holding Riptide out to my side. The Empousa smiles in glee, here eyes sparkling a little bit.
"Well hello there handsome. Why don't you come over here." She says, lacing her words heavily with charmspeak. When nothing happens, I smile a little and look at her, feeling the heat rise on my shoulder.
"Yea, that little trick isn't going to work." I grin dangerously, taking a step forward. Horror seems to pass through her eyes as she realises that her most powerful weapon just became useless.
"Well, g-get him!" She stutters out, taking a few steps back. At her command the 3 remaining Hellhounds come bounding towards me. As a streak of black Midnight explodes from the bushes and tackles one of the rhino sized dogs to the ground, snapping at its neck.
I run at one of the others, blocking a swipe of its paw with Riptide and quickly drawing and slashing Cyclone across its face, making it yelp and jump back. I pull water from my water bottle and whip it at the third Hellhound, to keep it back.
"Freeze them you blithering idiot." The Empousa screams at the Hyperborean, who had been staring off into the trees. Did he see Jenna? But he quickly turns our way. Great, just what I need.
I slowly raise my left hand with Cyclone, preparing to use my fire power. It probably won't hold off the frost for long, but enough to dive out the way. I feel the heat growing from my tattoo and down my arm, and can see it glowing faintly through my shirt.
I quickly whip the water at the Hellhounds to keep them at bay for a few seconds longer. But as the Giant finishes inhaling, it staggers slightly, a look of confusion spreading over its face. I then spot Jenna hanging onto its head, driving her knife into its neck. Her expression is blank as she slowly steps off of the now disintegrating Hyperborean, and gracefully lands with barely a sound. I'm convinced. She's not blind.
The Empousa scrambles away from the small girl, her fear growing. I turn my attention back to the Hellhounds and shoot a small plume of fire at the Hound I slashed, effectively slowly melting its face. Making it fall to the ground pawing at its face with a high pitched wail as it slowly dies, while I wrap my water around Hellhound number 3s neck and constrict. It tries to pull out of my watery grip, but with a flick of my right hand I tighten the grip and pull its head clean off.
Well I can't drink from this anymore. As I look at the golden specks floating in the water.
I turn to the two Cyclops' who aren't really looking as fazed as I would like, but they are stupid monsters, maybe they just don't understand the danger. The Empousa on the other hand looks horrified, looking from where the small pack of Hellhounds used to be and the pile of golden dust where the Hyperborean used to be.
Jenna and Midnight make their way to my sides, Jenna taking up a defensive stance and Midnight crouched low and ready to pounce, a thundering growl brewing in her throat.
"Are you sure you want to continue this?" I challenge, looking between the last 3 monsters. The Empousa doesn't hesitate and bolts as fast as her mismatched legs will carry her.
"Midnight, get her." I say mentally, not taking my eyes off the exceedingly calm Cyclops' as she takes off after the bronze-legged donkey lady.
"Jenna stay back for a bit, wait for my go." I command, walking towards the hulking beasts. The two eyes follow me with interest. Something seems off with these two. The Cyclops that did the talking shudders and twitches for a second, its eye going black.
"This body feels disgusting." The Cyclops grumbles to itself, looking at its odd limbs with disgust. Well that's new. The Cyclops looks up at me and gives me a toothy grin.
"Ah, Perseus Jackson. How nice it is to meet you, even in the degrading form." The Cyclops greets, its ugly grin growing further. I'm getting a horrible feeling about this.
"The pleasure is all mine you overgrown troll." Sarcasm dripping from my words. The other Cyclops is smiling now, looking between Jenna and me as if trying to decide whom to eat first.
"Now, now boy. No need to be insulting, I just cam for a quick chat." Its voice low and powerful. Oh, someone has possessed it. Feeling kind of stupid at my own discovery, as it took me a little too long to realise.
I hear a high pitched shriek off in the distance and smile. Midnight's finished her job.
"Ok, you want to chat. What do you want to say?" I stall, waiting for Midnight to make her way back to us. The Cyclops smiles, seemingly happy that I am going to listen to what he has to say.
"See, I knew you were a reasonable young man." The Cyclops exclaims loudly, hurting my ears a little. But I hear Jenna softly moan in pain. She really must have sensitive hearing.
"I came to make you an offer. And offer to join my mighty army, to lead that army to glory against Olympus and to destroy the Gods." The Cyclops offers. Raising its arms towards the sky as it goes along.
"We will bring a new age of darkness and rule the world." The Cyclops finishes, looking elated.
"I have just one small question. I say, taking the last few steps and now standing right in front of the Cyclops and willing my water back into my bottle. Oh Gods it smells like rotting fish.
"What may that be young one?" The possessed Cyclops asks, looking down in interest. I smile at the Cyclops and take a slow breath, drawing this out as long as I can.
"Where the fuck is your off switch!" I shout, stabbing both of my swords into its stomach. But instead of screaming in pain and falling to the ground whilst it dissolves into dust like I think it will. It instead spurts and sprays the same black blood that the Dracanaes had the other night. Well, I definitely didn't expect this shit today.
The Cyclops howls with laughter as it continues to look down at me.
"Puny boy, my minions are not so easy to kill." The Cyclops proclaims, quickly grabbing both of my wrists. This is just going from good, to fucking brilliant isn't it.
"Jenna, get away. These aren't like normal monsters, they're stronger and exceptionally harder to kill." I call over my shoulder, whilst super heating my hand. The Cyclops quickly lets go, after it smells its own hand burning. Giving me the opportunity to jump back and put some distance between us, Good. But this also gives the other Cyclops to charge at me, Bad.
The second Cyclops comes barrelling towards me, swinging its club back and forth in front of it. Wonderful. I duck under the flailing club and slash at the Cyclops leg, expecting it to have black blood as well. What I don't expect is for it to collapse and scream in pain. So only one of them is weird today. I can work with those odds.
I feel Midnight come bounding back over to us and smile.
"You two, take this one. I'll deal with the chatter box." I call out to them, sprinting past the struggling Cyclops and heading for the still smirking puppet, whose stab wounds have now healed up.
The Cyclops swings its metal club at me with surprising speed. I just about manage to block the strike by making an X with my swords, but it does still manage to drive me to my knees. I roll out of the way of the Cyclops big hand as it tries to grab me and quickly slash at the back of its hand, covering me in the disgusting black liquid again when it erupts from the wound.
I roll to my feet and take a few quick paces back, to get some breathing room. But whoever has possessed this Cyclops, is really pushing the boundaries of what a Cyclops can do and closes the distance between us in an instant. Great!
I dive out of the way of another swing and spin in the air, opening a few new deep cuts in the Cyclops side. Which inadvertently drenches me in the foul dark liquid.
"Percy are you ok?" Midnight asks, sounding a little worried. But I don't dare to look away from the Cyclops.
"Yep, its bloody peachy over here." I reply sarcastically, narrowly avoiding a jab.
"But stay back, this one isn't like the other monsters. It's being controlled by someone and has received some weird power." I tell her as I quickly jab Riptide into its for arm, making the Cyclops drop its club.
"Come now Percy, we really don't need to fight. Join me." The Cyclops says, so casually you wouldn't think that we were fighting. I duck under a swipe from its hand and run at a tree.
"Not today ass hat." I say, jumping up the tree and running a few steps further up and then springing towards the Cyclops. I quickly sheath Cyclone and ignite my left arm and shoulder. I grab the Cyclops face in my now fiery left hand and urge the flames to move to my palm, burning the Cyclops face.
The smell of charred flesh fills my nostrils as the Cyclops starts to scream. I then drive Riptide through the side of its head, causing more of the black sludge to spray on me, this sucks! I quickly jump off of the Cyclops as it starts to melt.
"You are going to regret this day boy." The Cyclops yells.
"A tip for the future, don't try and kill the guy you're trying to recruit you fuckwit." I hiss back, turning and walking back towards Jenna and Midnight.
(Chiron POV)
I'm sitting on the porch in my wheelchair, when a misty screen appears to my left and reveals an image of a very rugged and tired Percy.
"Percy my boy, you look horrible." I exclaim, leaning forward in my chair. He just grins that lopsided grin and pushes a hand through his long black hair.
"Yea, had a rough day. Ran into some interesting monsters, but it's all good, we're nearly at Camp Jupiter now." He replies with an up beat tone. He looks like he's doing a lot better now. I give him a warm smile and lean back in my chair.
"So how's Jason doing at Camp?" He asks, pouring some water over his head.
"He's fitting in very well. I think Katie has all but adopted him as her little brother, he is making fast friends and he is actually a very powerful son of Demeter." I inform him, watching his smile grow.
"That's good to hear." He says happily. Oh yes, I must ask about Midnight.
"I hear you've found yourself a new companion in the form of a wolf." I say, waiting for him to explain. He just smiles shyly and calls for her. A giant black wolf come loping over to him and licks his face before looking into the watery screen. Oh my Gods, that is one of Artemis' wolves!
"Percy! T-that's one of Artemis' wolves, how did you come by it." I ask in disbelief. Percy just looks down at the wolf lovingly and rests his head against hers for a second.
"Well it's kind of an interesting story and I don't really have enough time to tell it." Percy says, looking around for a second.
"Anyway, the last thing I want to tell you is that I have found a new Demigod. She's Roman and a daughter of Bellona I think." He starts, I just nod for him to continue. It's good he found another one.
"Well the thing is… She's blind. But she can still fight and stuff, and doesn't really trip over anything." He adds as a small girl walks into frame carrying a small pile of sticks.
"I just wanted to ask if you've ever seen anything like this before." He asks quietly. A blind Demigod, not in all my years have I seen one. How did she survive? I keep the shook off of my face as I reply. That is a remarkable feat for a lone child.
"I don't believe I have Percy, but I am sure that Reyna will be happy to have a new sister." I return with a smile. He just shrugs his shoulders and smile.
"Yea I didn't think so, just thought I would check. And yea, I bet she'll be shocked and happy." He says. He turns for a second and seems to answer a question that the girl has asked.
"Anyway, that's about it. We'll be getting to Camp Jupiter in the next few days. I'll call you when I get there and settle in, Bye Chiron" He finishes.
"Goodbye my boy." I quickly reply before he swipes his hand through the image.
A wolf of Artemis? That boy never ceases to amaze me. I smile at myself and look out over Camp. Campers are running around happily, going between their activities without a worry. I hope they are ready when the next war comes by. For I feel it will be by far the worst one yet. I wipe a lone tear off of my cheek and steel myself as I climb out of my wheelchair and head towards the archery range for my next lesson. All I can do is prepare them for when the war comes.
Did Percy's eyes look a little odd?
A/N: Here's the next one, and I managed to get it done 2 hours earlier than usual. I hope you like it. You know the drill
Also I'm looking for a new game to play on my Xbox. So if any of you have a suggestion, swing it my way.