Chapter 10!
sorry it took me so long :/
i hope u like this chapter and thanks for the 100 plus reviews!
Percy Jackson isn't mine.
CHAPTER TEN
)))Lucas Charles Jackson(((
ASSEMBLING THE QUEST.
I get no sleep. In the morning, my eyes are red and bloodshot.
Gods know what Aubrey's doing right now. If she's still alive.
I feel rage still burning up my throat, behind my eyes, indicating the tears. My head aches.
My clock informs me that it's 11:24am.
I still have to tell Mom and Dad about Zeus's order. Quest. Whatever.
By the time I've taken a shower and changed, it's 11:35. No one is in the kitchen.
I go to the fridge to get orange juice, finding a note:
Morning Lucas! We just went to pick up the Zhang's at the airport. Nico and you are home. I'm not sure what he's doing.
Be back by one (at the latest). If you're awake by then. Love you and be safe.
~Mom and Dad
P.S. Don't eat my Captain Crunch! (-Dad)
I smirk at my dad's childishness, grab the orange juice, and pour a bowl of Captain Crunch.
I try to get the despair out of my head, but it doesn't help when a sulking Nico di Angelo slumps into the room. He basically falls into a chair, snatching a bowl, and helping himself to Captain Crunch.
Since we don't talk, you'd assume the silence would be awkward, but I can tell he's so deep in thought that it doesn't matter.
After I'm nearly finished with my bowl, Nico speaks up.
"I can sense that…" he hesitates. "That one of them died. A long time ago. You know, since it's the past."
He sees my look of horror and quickly continues. "But it's still weird because they don't feel as… dead as other dead people."
He just made my misery worse. "So she's gone? I lost my sister forever? No use?"
Nico looks at me with sympathy. "Look, man, I know what it's like to lose a… sister," the word was sad and distant, "but don't give up yet. Since it's time travel, there is still a chance to save her."
"You don't know that," I moaned, slumping back in my seat. "You don't know anything. Except that she's dead. Or Zach is. And then suddenly, I have to take a field trip to the Underworld."
Nico starts, then sits up straighter. "Run that by me again."
I tell him all about the note. Except for the "Luke" part.
"I'll go with you," Nico says with a sigh. "I haven't seen my dad in ages. But why does Zeus want you to go to the Underworld?"
I look away from his dark, piercing eyes. "No reason."
"Lucas!" Nico senses my discomfort and becomes demanding.
So, with reluctance, I explain the rest.
Nico stares off for a while. Doesn't say anything. Probably thinking of all the reasons he hates Luke Castellan. All the death's caused by him.
"Nico?" I say very slowly, cautiously.
"Who else is going?" he snaps.
I bite my lip. "I don't know yet.
Nico goes back into silence, and I take this as my cue to leave. I start to get up, but Nico says, "Lucas?"
I blink at his voice. It shakes slightly. Nico di Angelo… crying? Unheard of, for me. He always seemed very levelheaded, in control, and easygoing.
"Yeah?" I turn back around, curious.
"Look," he begins thoughtfully. "I lost my sister, as you know."
I nod. I can sense where he's trying to go with this.
"Aubrey's an amazing person, and so is Zach. And I know what it's like to lose someone you love that much. I'll do everything I can to get her back for you."
I blink my own tears away. "Thanks, Nico."
He nods grimly. Then he stands.
"I'll be back in a few. Getting a few supplies and saying goodbye and all that."
He disappears after clamping me on the back encouragingly.
A loud pound on the door startles me and I rush to get it, expecting my family.
"McShizzle in da house!" none other than Leo Valdez yells as he intrudes on my morning.
Maybe I should explain… Leo looks about twenty.
Why?
Because he's immortal.
The gods couldn't undo Calypso's (his wife) immortality without causing her death, so, though it took a few years, Leo convinced them to make him immortal, too.
Calypso looks around twenty, too. Leo explained that he didn't want to appear to be older than her, which is why the gods made her look a little older (that also took convincing). I mean, she's technically thousands of years old but…
So don't worry, it isn't weird that they have eight-year-old twins. Leo's actually in his forties.
Leo Valdez, same as always. And always would be. And no, I don't call him Uncle. That'd be weird, since he only looks two years older than me.
"The party has arrived! Your life just got better!" he announces, grinning wildly.
He is followed by Calypso, shaking her head with a smirk on her face. She wears jeans and a white, silky shirt, her caramel hair in a braid.
Behind her, she pulls the twins, Esperanza and Joey. For twins, they barely look anything alike.
Esperanza dazzles people constantly. Beautiful like her mother, with the same caramel hair, and captivating voice. Her almond eyes seem to fill with innocence at just the right moments to keep her from getting in trouble.
Joey takes more after his dad, you could say. Curly black hair a mess, with brown eyes. He almost looks like a younger twin of his dad. A cute smile light up his face a lot, dimpled cheeks visible.
But don't get me wrong, both of them have mischievous tints in their eyes that immediately make you want to check your pockets to make sure your wallet's still there.
I quickly make sure mine is.
How did they get up here so fast? (From Texas, I mean.) Well, Leo's kind of… rich? He owns a technology company called Team Leo (I wonder who owns that company).
In fact, I had a phone from there, the FirePhone 9. It didn't signal monsters (score!).
I'm surprised the company hasn't made Iron Man suits yet, considering the owner.
"So what happened?" Calypso is much more sophisticated. As her husband and kids run wildly, she sits down at the kitchen table while I start making the tea that Zach once told me she loves.
(Zach went over to their house in Texas a lot more than we did, and was closer with their family, I guess.)
"Jason was very short in explaining," she continues. "He didn't even say what was wrong. Or that something was wrong. But… he seemed… off…"
"Yeah, something's wrong," I sigh.
She immediately sat up straighter. "Oh no. Where is everyone? Are they okay? Did they–"
"No, they're just picking up the Zhang's from the airport."
Leo marches in, followed by who he often refers to as his "minions." "We could've sent a spare jet down to them."
Leo loves to talk about his money. Not like in a greedy way, but more like joke about it. He doesn't mind being rich, but he doesn't really like it much, either. He had to make money somehow, though, and it was either people buy tons of his stuff, or none of it.
"But what happened, really?" Calypso pleads, concern weaving in her voice.
Leo's face darkens immediately in a way I've never seen before. He sits down. "Where is everyone, anyway?"
I start to explain, adding in everything. I include last night, with Zeus's note, like I did for Nico.
Calypso looks heartbroken and clasps Leo's hand tightly.
Esperanza and Joey also look upset. They idolized Zach and adored Aubrey.
You probably think eight-years-olds shouldn't be hearing about this stuff, but they already knew about the demigod world (immortal parents; couldn't exactly hide that). Plus, they were immortal, too. I was pretty sure they were actually eight, appearing to grow, I guess, but I really don't know. I don't know how the whole thing works.
"I don't really know," Leo starts. "But I heard Luke was a bad guy. Like help-out-evil-Titan-lords-bad."
"He was evil," I sigh. "But in the end he came through and saved everyone."
"I thought Percy–"
"Leo!" Calypso interrupts. "You've already heard this story!" she then turns to me. "About this quest, Lucas. Are you to lead it?"
"Well, I guess so. Yeah."
"Who else is to follow you?"
"I've talked to Nico about it. So he's going."
Leo snorts. "I thought quests were just for teenagers. Isn't he a little old? What you guys need is a little bit of the Bad Boy Supreme." He points to himself proudly.
Calypso and I exchange eye rolls.
"Leo, you're not a teenager," Calypso reminds.
"At least I look like one more than Nico!" Leo pouts.
"Age isn't something you need to bring up," Calypso teases.
Leo blushes. "Sorry."
"Can we go?" Esperanza says, tossing an object from one hand to another: Leo's wallet.
"Gimme that!" Leo snatches the wallet back with a "humph!" "And no, you're too young!"
"But Daaaaaaad!" they complain.
"No," Leo insists. Calypso and I watch, amused. "And I told you guys! It's Supreme Overlord! Not 'Dad'!"
"Mommy!" Joey cries. "Supreme Overlord says we can't go on the quest!"
"Because you can't!" Leo says, then sends a pleading glance in Calypso's direction. "Right?"
"Leo, for goodness sake, they're immortal!" I laugh.
"They still can't go," Calypso says, finally adding in her opinion. "Seriously though, Lucas. Zeus wants you to visit Luke? Do your parents approve? I know for a fact that Percy and Annabeth wouldn't want you anywhere near that place."
"I haven't told them yet," I say nervously. "I haven't got a chance."
Calypso glances at Leo. "Lucas, they're not going to let you. Not after Tartarus."
"I'm not going to Tartarus!" I protest.
"But it is close, Lucas," Calypso continues. "Now that they've lost Aubrey, they're not going to risk you."
"I could build an Argo III!" Leo jumps up happily. "All of us could go! And I could add new modifications unlike anything I've ever done! I could make giant cannons! Ooh! Ooh! And I could make it able to shrink down into a credit card. And I could–"
"Leo!" Calypso interrupts. "It's just to California. Plus, that would take months."
Leo sunk down into his seat, slipping some things out of his tool belt to fiddle with.
"I'm sorry," Calypso says, reaching over and rubbing his back soothingly. "It's just not necessary."
"No, no, I get it," Leo waves it off, though he looks a little upset.
"So, Lucas," Joey interrupts. "Who else is going?"
"Well," I muse. "Typically a quest has three or five people."
"Or seven," Leo reminds.
"And so far," I continue. "We have Nico and I. Hunter and Ella will probably want to go. And…"
"And me!" Leo finishes. "That makes five!"
"Leo…" Calypso starts.
"Come on! I only got to go on, like, three quests!" Leo complains.
"One of them, like, saved the world from total destruction."
"So does this one. Maybe. This is connected to the Seven's quest!" Leo insists.
"You're saying the Seven should go, then?"
Leo pauses. "No. I just… I don't know. I want to go. Please?!" his voice turns begging. Calypso glances at me as if saying: your quest, you make the decisions.
All eyes turn to me. "I guess so. I mean we could use–"
"The Five!" Leo yells, jumping up, joy on his face. Wow, this guy does not get out a lot. "We could ride Festus!"
Leo begins to rant. When he starts to add in mechanics, I zone out and glance at the microwave clock.
12:16.
About five minutes later, we hear shuffling outside the door and then the door opens.
"Lucas?" Dad calls.
"And Leo!" Leo chimes.
"Leo?!" at least six people respond at the same time.
One by one, everyone trickles into the living room. We all sit on the couches, after reunions and slight tears, a grim silence settles on the room.
The Zhang family, who apparently didn't know about Aubrey and Zach yet, look confused, but they sense the sadness.
And notice that Aubrey and Zach aren't there.
Ella sits up straighter. She has long, curly brown hair, gold eyes, and usually kind smile. Her smile has now vanished. "Where is Aubrey? And Zach, too?"
Hunter glances around worriedly. I know he has a crush on Aubrey, and pretty much hates Zach, but I can tell he's concerned for both of them.
Uncle Frank and Aunt Hazel's faces immediately darken.
"Lucas?" Dad turns to me. "Want to explain?"
For the millionth time, I relive the story that's causing my anguish, officially destroying any joy at the reunion of the Seven.
When I finish with the part about the quest, and read Zeus's note, Dad jumps to his feet.
"No way, Lucas! Not the Underworld!"
Mom nods. "I'm sorry, but it's just too… too close…"
I understood they had bad memories from Tartarus, but I'd never had a quest before. And for the gods' sake! They'd gone to the Underworld as twelve-year-olds!
"But–" I start to argue.
"No!" I've never seen Dad so angry. "This is not debatable!"
"It's to Elysium, Percy," a voice not belonging to any of the occupants of the room says.
Nico di Angelo has returned.
A black backpack is slung over his shoulder and he wears a hard expression. "I'm the only other demigod who's ever been to Tartarus, Percy. I understand. But Elysium is not Tartarus. It's not even near it. Lucas was given a quest. I'm going with him. Anyone else who wants to can."
"All of us? To the Underworld? That would attract a lot of attention," Mom adds in the logic.
"I was thinking… five people," I say weakly, not entirely sure if Dad and Mom are still mad.
It looks like they kind of have to agree with Nico. He suffered in Tartarus alone, and sort of got the worse experience. And he was going. But he's the son of Hades, so…
"What about me?" Ella raises her hand. "I've been training at Camp Jupiter for a while now. If we're going to the Underworld, well, that's a pretty good quest to have. Succeeding would prove honor and courage."
Ella's character was a kind person. But she was known for standing her ground and defending her honor and side of a case. She'd make an amazing lawyer. I respect her a lot.
Aunt Hazel and Uncle Frank glance at each other, then Aunt Hazel smiles at Nico. "If Nico's going, than I'm sure they'll be fine. Percy, Annabeth? You need to trust Lucas. And Nico."
"And Leo!" We all turn to him. "That's right, all! Hop on the Leo Train!"
"Wait a sec!" Nico says. "Valdez is coming?"
"Yes! Valdez is coming!" Leo snaps.
They all look at me.
"Uh, I guess Leo's coming?" I say.
Mom starts to nod. "Nico and Leo both can keep them both safe. And it's just to Elysium."
"No!" Dad is still stubborn as a mule. "And to see Luke, no less!"
Dad may have forgiven Luke, but that apparently didn't mean he wants me to sit and chat over tea with him.
"Percy, Nico–" Mom comforts, placing a hand on his knee.
"And Leo!" Leo adds.
"–is going to be there. I know you want to protect him, but he's got to start learning to be on his own."
"Annabeth!" Dad stutters. "We lost Aubrey and now we're sending off Lucas to the Underworld?!"
He gets up and all but runs from the room in anger. Mom looks slightly surprised, along with the rest of us. We didn't expect my dad to get that mad over this.
As Mom gets up and runs after him, I become lost in thought.
I understand Dad trying to be protective of us or whatever, but he should see reason. And he trusts Nico.
No… knowing my Dad, this was about Luke. Or something about Elysium. Someone he didn't want me to meet…
Was it Luke, or was it someone else?
"Lucas? Lucas!" Aunt Piper yells in order to pull me from my thoughts.
"What?"
"Can I go?" Hunter's voice is deep for a fifteen-year-old.
By the way, Hunter knew about demigods since he was thirteen. That was when his parents decided to tell him.
"Yeah," I say. "So that'll make five. Nico, Leo, Hunter, Ella, and I."
"When do you guys start?" when Aunt Piper speaks the second time, I hear how broken her voice sounds. Zach is irreplaceable, obviously, but they don't even have another child.
I smile reassuringly at her, hoping she gets the message. She returns with a weak smile and I reply, "As soon as we're ready, I guess."
"I'll call Festus!" Leo whoops, jumping to his feet.
"Oh no," we all say pretty much in unison.
He runs from the room, Joey and Esperanza trailing him.
Calypso sighs, laying back, announcing, "I give up. He is hopeless. Utterly and completely hopeless."
We all smile sympathetically.
Mom returns a few seconds later with an emotionless face. Dad doesn't follow her.
"Lucas, you should leave as soon as you can," she says.
"Where's Dad?" I reply.
She sighs. "He went for a walk. He'll be back soon, though. You guys should still start as soon as you can. There has to be some sort of deadline. And we don't know any details."
"Actually, I may know something about this," Aunt Hazel chimes in, her voice sad.
"You do?" Mom seems puzzled, a rare thing.
"Ella–" she glances at her daughter, who also looks confused. "–I mean the harpy, Ella. She doesn't say prophecies randomly, but she did the other day."
I groan. "Another prophecy? Really?!"
"Sorry," Aunt Hazel smiles sadly. "But I wrote it down, anyway."
She hands me a piece of paper and I read it, my hands shaking:
Five trudge forth into the Land of the Dead,
There, those they meet will cause their dread,
Lost, in the place of unimaginable terrors,
Only four will survive to correct the errors,
Trickster's son, again shall arise,
Only this time, he's on the gods' side.
Who the Hades is unlucky enough to get two prophecies in two days?
*raises hand* That would be me.
At least the "Trickster's Son" is on our side. Obviously Luke.
The prophecy feels like a weight on my shoulders. Only four, out of five… lost… terrors…
Why can't prophecies be straightforward? And, you know, happy?
My hands are only shaking harder.
Aunt Hazel is waiting for my response. Based on everyone else's faces, she and I are the only ones who've read it.
Her eyes flash a warning: don't read it out loud.
Hazel, being Roman, understands sacrifice. Honor. She's letting both her children go on this quest, and she's read the prophecy.
I respect that. It's one of the reasons I look up to her.
But I feel like it's also adding more pressure to me.
Thirty minutes later, I swing my backpack over my shoulder and make sure my sword (credit card) is in my wallet, which is in my pocket. Ella and Hunter also have backpacks, and, of course, Nico has his.
Leo's not back yet.
But Dad is.
After Mom hugs me so tight I think I'm going to explode, I turn to Dad.
He normally has a smirk on his face. Or a smile. Or a look of confusion.
Today, his mouth is set in a frown. His eyes are dark and raging. But also sad.
As everyone says goodbye, Dad pulls me into the kitchen.
"Lucas, I just want to say that I do trust you," he says. "And normally, I wouldn't have a problem with this quest. Nico's with you and you're not going near the entrance to Tartarus, anyway. But…"
"Dad, it's okay to worry, you know," I tell him.
He shakes his head. "Yeah, but I'm not worried about you, see. I know you can take care of yourself, Lucas. You're not an idiot like me. You're more like you're mother in that sense."
"Then what are you talking about?"
Dad suddenly looks shaken. Slightly scared. "Lucas… I'm just afraid… that you'll see them. In Elysium."
I couldn't have been more puzzled. "What? See who? Luke?"
"No, them," Dad doesn't seem to be wanting to say this. To actually mouth out his fear. "I don't want you to see Zach and Aubrey in the Underworld. I'm afraid that that's where they'll be. I'm afraid they'll be dead."
-_-_Zachary Jason Grace_-_-
SHRIMPZILLA PAYS AN UNWANTED VISIT
I smack my head on one of the cots. Aubrey gets more luck and just rolls to her feet.
She runs over to me and pulls me up.
"Come on!" she cries, sprinting out into the hallway.
I follow her with the ship swaying from side to side. I paused. My pounding head plus the nauseating feeling of the ship swaying back and forth made my last meal rise into my throat.
One word: Gross.
"Zach, come on!" Aubrey jerks me forward, which was probably not the best idea's she's ever had.
She manages to dive out of the way as I hurl.
"That's really gross," she says, trying not to stare.
My thoughts exactly, Aubrey.
She turns and charges up the staircase, leaving me alone. Such a great friend.
The ship pitches to the side, throwing me painfully against the wall. My neck snaps to the side, and pain shoots through my body.
I've got to get on deck.
I try to hop over my ex-food and I land painfully and gracelessly.
I run up on deck. Hazel, Leo, Aubrey, and Coach Hedge are the only ones up here.
Everyone was frozen, staring across the water at something that glints in the moonlight.
It's pink. I would be laughing, but nothing else about it is funny.
Imagine a cross between a shrimp and a cockroach. Then enlarge it to the size of a Greek trireme. Pink shell? Check. Catfish tail? Check. Millipede-like legs? Check.
Its legs scraped the hull of the Argo II. I shiver and grip the side of the ship to avoid being tossed overboard.
I glance over at Aubrey in time to hear her scream.
She's looking at the monster, whose head has just emerged.
Its face was like a giant catfish with really bad nose-hair-tentacles.
I felt like throwing up again. It was disgusting, and something out of a horror movie.
Except, in movies, fictional things are special effects. Not real.
This looks pretty real to me.
"Come on, Valdez," Hedge shouts to Leo. "Take the wheel so I can get my baseball bat!"
Leo mutters something, but starts to run up the stairs to the helm.
The rest of the crew finally stumble up the stairs.
"What's going– Gah! Shrimpzilla!" Percy yells.
I clutch at the side of the ship, my stomach feels like crap.
Frank runs to Hazel.
The monster rams into the ship again.
Annabeth, Piper, and Jason tumble starboard, almost falling overboard.
Leo finally gets to the helm and starts to do something with the control panel.
"How did it get so close?" Annabeth yells, pulling herself up.
"I don't know!" Hedge shouts back.
"I'm stupid!" Leo scolds himself. "Stupid, stupid! I forgot the sonar!"
Whatever the hell that is.
The ship tilts even farther starboard.
"Sonar?" Hedge roars. "Pan's pipes, Valdez! Maybe if you hadn't been staring into Hazel's eyes, holding hands for so long–"
"What?!" Frank yells.
"It wasn't like that!" Hazel protests.
"It doesn't matter!" Piper interrupts. "Jason, can you call some lightning?"
He shakes his head.
"Zach? What about you?"
I look over at Piper. She looks at me expectantly.
I look around. Despite the giant monster, all eyes but Aubrey's and Leo's are on me.
I shake my head. I told Percy earlier that the lightning wasn't mine, but I'm also too tired anyway. I might actually dissolve into nothing.
"Percy! Aubrey!" Annabeth turns. "Can you talk to that thing? Do you know what it is?"
Aubrey was still frozen, staring overboard, the rail clenched in her death grip.
Percy shakes his head, perplexed. "Maybe it's just curious about the ship. Maybe –"
Suddenly, kind of all at once, the monster decided it wanted a hug.
One of the tendrils (from his nose!) slams into Percy and he takes an unplanned trip down the stairs.
Another wraps around Piper's legs and drags her, screaming, towards the rail.
Quite a few more wrap around the rest of the ship.
"Nose-hair attack!" screams Hedge. Dam! He took my line!
Hedge starts to smack the tendrils with his baseball bat, though it doesn't do much.
Jason tries to free Piper, but he's still slower than normal, I can tell.
Annabeth brings out her knife in a flash. Frank pulls out his bow. They both do their best, but only serve to annoy the monster.
Me? Frozen. It's like watching a 3D movie, but wetter and much louder and more realistic.
And in all honesty, I have no clue what to do.
Maybe I should just go: "Hey, shrimp-breath!" then charge. But honestly, I have no idea what I'd do after that.
I can hear yelling in the background, but suddenly, Aubrey flashes back into my mind.
Oh no.
I look around, frantic. I see Frank get smacked overboard, and I hear Hazel scream.
But I'm completely frozen again because I watch in horror as Aubrey makes her way over to where Frank fell overboard.
I realize what she's trying to do moments before she does it.
"AUBREY!" I scream so loud I hurt my own ears.
She glances at me and I catch the smile she flashes at me before she jumps overboard.
I'm pretty sure I scream as loud as Hazel did.
She is a *bleep*-ing idiot. Why, why, why?!
Sure, she can breathe under water and all that crap, but there's also a sea monster down there!
In my panic, I didn't notice that the monster had caught Leo and Hazel, and that they were rising in the air.
I jump out of the way of a tendril and watch in horror as the monster trembles, then screeches, dropping them.
They fell into the water.
I glance around as the monster begins to retreat back into the sea.
"Guys–" I start to say.
Because of my amazing luck, a retreating nose-hair-tendril smacks into me, knocking me out.
~~~Aubrey Sally Jackson~~~
MY DEATH IS APPARENTLY NEAR
I don't really know what I'm doing when I dive overboard.
I see Frank go over. My mind realizes: without Frank, Hunter couldn't exist.
I run to the side, searching.
"AUBREY!" even with the noise, I hear Zach clear as day. I throw him a hopeful smile and dive overboard.
Yeah, I'm stupid.
Stupid, stupid, stupid as crap.
Descendant of Poseidon or not, I can't see a thing.
The water is frothing with bubbles, and I'm as good as blind.
A tendril shoots towards me and I dodge… barely.
Frank, Frank, Frank.
I close my eyes. Possibly a mistake, but I try and sense him in the water.
Or hear him.
Whether it's Frank or not, I hear a scream to my left, so I spin and start swimming.
My hand wraps around a cold arm. I shiver, but don't let go.
I break above the surface of the water and glance around.
I shriek as a tendril lashes out towards us and I dive under.
I feel relieved for about a second before I realize I left Frank up there.
Cursing myself in many different ways with words my parents probably don't want me to know, I swim back up and find him again.
The waves lap against the ship's side, which is way closer than is safe.
I glance to the other side.
Oh my gods.
We're about to get sandwiched between the ship and the monster.
I panic, in the simplest terms.
I look up in time to see the monster tremble, then howl loudly.
I frown as it lets go of two objects, both falling towards us.
I scream as one of them lands directly on top of me.
Leo.
And yah, I black out.
When I wake, I'm clearly underwater. I float upright and look around the room.
About the size of a two-car garage, the room has a green-blue glow. The ceiling is covered in moss and the floor with sea urchins. A giant shell covers the only obvious exit.
Frank floats in a meditation position, his face grumpy. Leo floats near the floor, quite unconscious.
"Hey, are you okay?" I ask Frank.
I'm kind of wondering if we're dead. This isn't exactly how I imagined afterlife.
Frank opens his eyes. "Yeah. You?" he sounds ticked off. Undoubtedly with Valdez.
I nod, looking around.
"Hazel told me you dived in to save me," Frank says. "Why would you do that?"
"Daughter of Percy Jackson, remember? Breathing underwater skills?"
Frank gives a weak smile. "I know that. But it was still dangerous. And you don't know me."
I turn and look at him. I cock my head to the side. "Actually, I do know you. In the future, remember?"
"Wait, really? You… uh… do?"
I nod then give a watery (ugh, sorry: pun alert) smile. "Yeah. And I– um –know your son. He's one of my best friends."
Frank looks a mix of prideful, embarrassed, confused, and sad. "I have a son? Really?"
"Yeah," I nod. "His name is–"
"Okay!" Leo asks. "What in the name of Zeus's teddy bear are we talking about? Frank has a freaking son?"
I swear on Zeus's teddy bear that Frank and I look like we're kids caught with our hands in the candy bowl.
Leo smirks. "Zhang, are you a playa?"
"Uh, no," Frank suddenly looks angry.
"Then what are we talking about?" Leo looks at me. "And what does daughter of Percy Jackson mean? Is that some kind of expression where you come from? I heard the guy's pretty famous."
"Uh," I glance frantically at Frank. "Uh…"
Leo looks back and forth between us. Then he gives a mischievous smile. "Come on, guys. You hiding something?"
"I swear, Valdez, if–" Frank starts.
"No, wait!" I interrupt. Both boys look at me.
I sigh. I'm kind of reluctant to tell Leo, but if I didn't, I'd just end up embarrassing Frank. So then I tell the story.
When we're done, Leo just kind of stares at me.
Then he smirks. "You're not really how I imagine Percy's kid. You're more Annabeth-y. Except for the pizza-eating skills."
"Annabeth is my mother," I sigh.
"I can't wait to tell them," Leo starts rubbing his hands together and cackling.
"Um, no Leo, you can't do that," I interrupt.
"Why not Mrs. Jackson?"
"Actually, I'm not married."
"Why not Miss Jackson?"
"Because if you do, I will spill all of your dirty little secrets."
Leo's grin wavers a little. "Uh, what?"
I thank the gods for Calypso and the shopping trips she used to take me on, where she told me many a tale about Leo's embarrassing life.
I laugh at his face. "Your wife informed me of the time you wet your pants in the third grade. And the makeover the Aphrodite cabin gave you. And–"
"Okay, first of all, what?" Leo cuts me off.
Frank also looks completely astounded. "Who in the name of Mars would be stupid enough to marry Leo?"
"Hey!" Leo defends. Then he turns to me. "How do you–"
"It doesn't matter. Don't tell anyone about this or else."
Leo looks like he wants to protest.
I turn to Frank. "So once in the fifth grade, Leo was–"
"Okay, okay!" Leo growls. "I get it." Then he looks around, puzzled. "Wait, hold on. Where are we? Where is everyone else?"
"Everyone?" Frank grumbles. "I don't know. As far as I can tell it's only you, me, Aubrey, and Hazel down here. The fish-horse guys took Hazel about an hour ago, leaving me with you guys."
He glares at Leo.
Leo seems to remember something, and pats his waist for his tool belt… that isn't there.
"They searched us. Took anything that could be a weapon," Frank says it like it's obvious.
"Wait… who?" I ask.
"Yeah!" Leo chimes in. "Who are these fish-horse…?"
"Fish-horse guys," Frank fills in, though that doesn't really help much. "They must have grabbed us when we fell in the ocean and dragged us… wherever this is."
"The shrimp monster," Leo gasps. "The Argo II– is the ship okay?"
"I don't know," Frank says darkly. "The others might be in trouble or hurt, or- or worse. But I guess you care more about your ship than your friends."
Leo looks taken aback.
I feel like I should interject, but it's also none of my business. Against my better judgment, I turn and swim a slight distance away.
I listen in as Leo explains about a flashback, then tells a story about some guy named Sammy. I zone out a little, since I don't really understand a lot of it, but when Leo suddenly lit entirely on fire, I shriek, reeling backwards.
I probably should help him, but how the heck am I supposed to do that? I mean fire and water don't mix.
Well, they shouldn't be mixing, anyway.
"Leo!" Frank accuses, hugging the far wall in an attempt to get away.
Leo closes his eyes and the fire flickers out.
When his eyes open, Frank's hold on the wall loosens slightly. "You're… you're okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the assist. Wait a sec. Aubrey? You alright?"
My eyes were wide and I gaped at him in horror, shock, and confusion. "You're not dead?" my voice squeaks.
"Not today, Miss Jackson," Leo smirks. "Burning is a son of Hephaestus thing."
"Uh huh," I'm still staring.
"What happened?" Frank asks Leo.
"Clever magic," Leo says. "There's a thin layer of oxygen around us, like an extra skin. Must be self-regenerating. That's how we're breathing and saying dry. The oxygen gave the fire fuel– except the fire also suffocated me."
"I really don't…" Frank gulps. "I don't like that fire summoning thing you do."
I stare down at my arms. A thin layer of air? Did I have one, too, even though I can breathe underwater? I inspect my finger for a layer of air, which is probably stupid but whatever.
The door… I mean shell… rolls open.
A really, really weird-looking dude stands there. Waist up, he was a sort of normal-looking dude, on the skinny side and a dagger in his belt. His skin, however, was green. Like, actually green.
Not something you see every day.
He had brown hair and a beard, and then he had a pair of lobster claws for horns.
Waist down, he had the forelegs of a blue-green horse, but toward the back, it morphed into a long fish tail of about ten feet.
I'm just looking at him, blinking repeatedly, trying to comprehend what I'm seeing.
"I am Bythos," he says. "I will interrogate Frank Zhang." His firm voice dares us to argue.
"Why did you capture us?" Leo demands. "Where's Hazel?"
Bythos narrows his eyes. "You, Leo Valdez, you will go with my brother." He turns to me. "And you, Aubrey Jackson. You will stay here."
I'm shoved back in and I yelp "Hey!" in protest.
I'm again trapped in the room.
I must've fallen asleep or something, because when the shell is pushed aside again, I jump awake.
Bythos stands there, looking solemn. "Aubrey Jackson, I come with a warning. You must be careful, for your life is soon drawing to an end."
I blink, before that sinks in. "Wait, what?!" I shake my head. "No, no, no, I don't want to die. Please, please, how can I stop it?"
"I am not an oracle, Aubrey," he says sternly. "I can only sense your future is one of pain. You must be careful is all I can say. Now come, rejoin with your friends."
I swim out behind him, but I feel as if he's cut my tongue out. I have no words, and his words echo in my head.
Drawing to an end…
Pain…
He hadn't said much, but it didn't matter. He seems so sure of my demise.
But… all demigods are constantly in danger, right? It could be some figure of speech or something… right?
"Aubrey!" Hazel cries suddenly and throws her arms around me.
I hug her back, surprised.
"Aubrey Jackson, you should be honored," Bythos tells me. "We typically do not interact with Poseidon's descendants." I pull away from Hazel and look at him.
Hazel glances nervously at Leo, then at me.
"He already knows about my family, Hazel," I explain.
"But you're also descended from the goddess of wisdom, and wisdom is something we value," he continues.
I glance around at the scene. Frank stands off to the side, Leo holds a basket of brownies surrounded by a bubble of air. They all have their weapons (and tool belts) back. Hazel returns to Frank's side.
"You don't value water?" I ask Bythos.
Bythos laughs. "The sea politics are complicated. This has already been explained to your companions. They will fill you in. And do not worry about the sea creatures in Atlanta. We shall do our best to free them."
I nod gratefully.
"Aubrey Jackson, remember my warning," Bythos says, handing me back my sword.
The blood drains from my face, making me feel light-headed. This time, I nod only in recognition.
Bythos produces four small pink pearls from his saddlebags, throwing one at each of us.
Shimmering bubbles of energy form around us and we rocket towards to surface.
i hope this doesn't count as a cliffy ^^
review if u got a few seconds :)
I really WILL try to update soon! U haven't seen the last of me!
sorry for any mistakes
love u all!