Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief
Chapter Ten: We Sweep Vegas
"I'll read," Frank said quickly.
Annabeth's POV
Ares was waiting for us at the diner's parking lot, leaning carelessly on his bike and looking bored. Our arrival was punctuated with a sharp whistle as Ares' head snapped up like it was on a spring, his arm already extended as his shield whirled into it with a thump like a discus. Andi, because Gods who else could it have been, had her most innocent look plastered firmly on her face while Percy looked slightly constipated as small bits of strangled laughter escaped.
Idiots! How reckless can they be? I seethed as I reluctantly walked alongside the two absolutely suicidally idiotic children of the Big Three.
"That...Yeah, actually, that sums all of us up pretty accurately." Hermes nodded.
His siblings did not argue.
Attacking the war god? Do they want to make him our enemy? Do they want this already impossible quest to become even harder? Shooting a cursory glance at a nervous Grover, I gave him as reassuring a smile as I could muster. Well, at least Grover still has some sense of self-preservation.
Ares raised an eyebrow. "And that was?"
The daughter of Zeus just gave him a blindingly fake smile. "Why, dearest big brother, I was merely playing Frisbee with your shield. Percy and his butterfingers failed to catch it."
"You overshot it." Percy mock-argued.
"Semantics."
Right! Now toy with the god who could kill us on a whim. I groused, but kept my tongue in check. All things considered, anything I might say was liable to make the situation worse.
Ares just laughed. "Cute. Really cute."
"Well, I do try." Andi assured the god.
"Still," the war god said, shooting the group an appraising glance, "you didn't get yourselves killed."
"Shame."
"Ares, would you like another plate?"
"...I'll be g-good..."
"You knew it was a trap," Percy accused, a frown on his face.
"It's a Trap!"
"Apollo, I swear if you ever scream that again in my presence, I will castrate you." Artemis warned severely.
"...Yes sis."
Duh, why did you think he sent us there in the first place, Seaweed Brain! I snapped in the safety of mind. I did not appreciate how the son of Poseidon had shut me down in my entirely justified scolding of his precious cousin back at that accursed theme park. Stating the obvious like this is one of the reasons everyone thinks you're an idiot.
Ares gave the boy a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled blacksmith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. Sucks that someone blew out the cameras before things got really good, bet it would have been funny as hell." He sighed while he spun the shield in the air like pizza dough. It changed form, melting into a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.
"Darn those imploding statues." The child of the sky snapped her fingers with a pout. "What will the smith god think of next?"
The war god snickered at that. "Good job on that by the way." Ares praised. "Nice moves, midget."
Andi preened under the praise. Personally, I just felt disgusted. You were willing to let Percy and me die just so you could show off some moves!
"I sense some lingering hostility." Leo mused while he stroked his non-existing beard.
"Yeah. Just a bit." Annabeth grumbled.
"Well, what do we have here?" He asked suddenly, holding Andi's keychain between two fingers as it hung in the air and spun gently in the hot breeze.
Andi's hand went to her hip, feeling her weapon missing and glowered at the war god. "That's mine." She told him. "Give it back. Now."
"Shut up," he brushed her off as it turned into a bow. "Damn, I thought I recognized that weapon of yours. But seeing it in person, I'm sure now. This is the real deal. Didn't think I'd see this old thing again." He whistled, admiring it.
"You've seen it before?" I couldn't help but ask the war god curiously.
"Oh yeah, the cripple made this for the old man. It was supposed to be a godly symbol, but he didn't want it, so it was never blessed to be one. It clashed with his almighty image with the Master Bolt, he said. Originally, he was supposed to shoot lightning with this beauty." Ares said, admiring it like some diehard gun enthusiast. "Made of white oak from the old man's personal tree, and you see these blue veins?" He asked them, "Carved with excess power from the Master Bolt, it allowed it to hold together to shoot the lightning. Grip made from leftover scraps of Amaltheia's hide after Aegis was made. And finally wind rope, since no other string could hold the lightning right and it could be used to cut also since it's razor thin."
"If you can recognize the make of a bow and the use of its string, and you're not a craftsman...You might be a redneck." Hermes drawled in a high-pitched and slightly off-putting voice.
"Git – r – done." Ares returned with a smirk.
Great. Yet another thing to boost her ego. The blonde thought to herself sarcastically. Like she needs it. If her head gets anymore swollen, it'd explode.
"No legend to its name, no hero ever used it." He mused and turned to Andi, staring at her with those wraparound shades he was wearing. "Must have been gathering dust for centuries, and now you get it?" He cracked a grin. "Seems the old man's got a new little favorite."
If she's Zeus' new favorite then we're doomed.
"Wow, Annie."
"Shut up, Thalia. I'm so not in the mood."
The god swung the bow, making the sword form appear.
"Huh, this is new." He hummed with intrigue. He swung it around a few times and frowned in disapproval. "Too small."
"Compensation." Andi said, disguising her words with a cough.
She really is trying to get us killed, isn't she?
"I hope she is." Ares grinned.
The war god glared at his half-sister, while she just smiled innocently back. He spun the xiphos and it changed back into the keychain as he tossed it to Andi, who caught it.
"Try not to lose that thing midget, it would be a real shame," he said to her with a distinctly shark-like grin.
"See that truck over there?" The god pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas."
The eighteen-wheeler had a sign on the back, which the demigods could read only because it was reverse-printed white on black, a good combination for dyslexia: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.
"You're kidding." Percy muttered.
Ares snapped his fingers. The back door of the truck unlatched. "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."
He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to Percy.
"And there's the big problem..." Percy groaned.
"Surprising how you never decided to open it before then." Hermes mused.
Ares rubbed his head. "Eh, head's a bit foggy, but I think there was a...what'cha call it, a spell or curse or sumthin."
"An influence to not look until the right time," Athena said.
"Yeah, sure."
Inside were fresh clothes for all of them, twenty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, and a bag of Double Stuffed Oreos.
Percy said, "I don't want your lousy—"
Idiot! You don't reject a god's gift! I screamed mentally as I started to speak. That complete fool was going to get us stranded here!
"...Very accurate."
"Oh, you would say that!" Poseidon snarled at his rival.
"Poseidon, Athena, we're reading." Rhea reminded the two.
Thankfully, someone beat me to it.
"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving Percy his best red-alert warning look. "Thanks a lot."
Thank Olympus for Grover!
The son of the sea just gritted his teeth and reluctantly slung the backpack over his shoulder as he looked back at the diner, which had only a couple of customers now. The waitress who'd served them dinner was watching nervously out the window, like she was afraid Ares might hurt them. She dragged the fry cook out from the kitchen to see. She said something to him. He nodded, held up a little disposable camera and snapped a picture of the group.
"Percy's a paparazzi magnet." Piper snickered.
"Shut up, it sucks…" Percy pouted.
Looks like we'll be in the papers again tomorrow. Annabeth lamented. Best get out of here quick.
"You owe me one more thing," the black haired boy told Ares, trying to keep his voice level. "You promised me information about my mother."
This, I was not expecting. I suppose, with what had happened back at Waterland, that getting information from Ares about Percy's mother had slipped my mind.
"You sure you can handle the news?" He kick-started his motorcycle. "She's not dead."
Percy visibly grew unsteady at the news. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she was taken away from the Minotaur before she could die. She was turned into a shower of gold, right? That's metamorphosis. Not death. She's being kept."
"Kept. Why?"
"Hostage."
"Classic." Ares grinned in approval at his uncle.
Hades grimaced in return. Rhea looked over her shoulder at him and his grimace became more profound.
Andi frowned. "This is not good."
As much as I dislike admitting it, Andi's right.
"Midget's right. You take somebody to control somebody else."
"Nobody's controlling me." Percy argued.
Ares snorted. "And you guys call me stupid."
"You are stupid." Athena said dryly.
"...Yeah, but I'm an Olympian."
"Not by my vote." Athena grumbled.
Ares laughed. "Oh yeah? See you around, kid."
Percy balled his fists up. "You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a guy who runs from cupid statues."
Behind his sunglasses, fire glowed. "We'll meet again, Percy Jackson. Next time you're in a fight, watch your back."
"...That was dumb." Frank mumbled. He looked over at Percy. "How are you still alive?"
"Luck." Annabeth said before Percy could open his mouth. "A whole lot of luck and overpowered Big Three blood."
Percy pouted. "Harsh, Wise Girl."
"True though." Apollo nodded.
He revved his Harley, then roared off down Delancey Street.
With the war god gone, and with no more need to rein in her temper for fear of offending him and getting them all killed, I could finally snark at Percy, "That was not smart, Seaweed Brain."
"I don't care." The boy argued.
"You don't want a god as your enemy. Especially not that god." The blonde stated to him.
"The guy set us up on purpose, we can be angry." Andi argued.
"Then don't fall for it, be—"
"Hey, guys," Grover interjected with a point, "I hate to interrupt, but ..."
He pointed towards the diner. At the register, the last two customers were paying their check, two men in identical black coveralls, with a white logo on their backs that matched the one on the KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL truck.
"If we're taking the zoo express," Grover continued, "we need to hurry."
Well, we had no better options, besides, I'd seen enough of Denver to last me several lifetimes. So we ran across the street and climbed into the back of the rig, closing the door behind us just as the men left the diner.
The first thing that hit us was the smell, like a fermenting vat of faeces and urine.
"Mm-mm. Nothin' like the smell of feces and urine in the morning!" Hermes declared.
"...That's disgusting, Hermes." Artemis glowered at her brother.
"Meh, you've smelt worse when you tracked some of those animals."
"Th-That's different!" Artemis sputtered.
"Aw, embarrassed Artemis is so cute~! Are you sure you don't want to have a fl-?"
"Finish that sentence, Aphrodite, I dare you!" Artemis hissed.
The trailer was dark inside until the witch summoned her wand light, illuminating a very sad scene. Sitting in a row of filthy metal cages were three of the most pathetic zoo animals you'd ever behold: a zebra, a male albino lion, and some antelope that I couldn't recall the species of.
Someone had thrown the lion a sack of turnips, which he obviously didn't want to eat. The zebra and the antelope had each gotten a Styrofoam tray of hamburger meat. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum, like somebody had been spitting on it in their spare time. The antelope had a stupid silver birthday balloon tied to one of his horns that read OVER THE HILL!
Apparently, nobody had wanted to get close enough to the lion to mess with him, but the poor thing was pacing around on soiled blankets, in a space way too small for him, panting from the stuffy heat of the trailer. He had flies buzzing around his pink eyes and his ribs showed through his white fur.
"This is kindness?" Grover yelled. "Humane zoo transport?"
Eyes turned to Ares. The war god shrugged.
"I thought it was funny," he said. "Ironic, y'know?"
Apollo stifled a laugh and pointedly avoided Artemis and Demeter's glares.
He probably would've gone right back outside to beat up the truckers with his reed pipes, and honestly I wasn't much different, but just then the truck's engine roared to life, the trailer started shaking, and we were forced to sit down or fall down.
The group huddled in the corner on some mildewed feed sacks, trying to ignore the smell and the heat and the flies. Grover talked to the animals in a series of goat bleats, but they just stared at him sadly. I was in favor of breaking the cages and freeing them on the spot, but Percy pointed out that it wouldn't do much good until the truck stopped moving. That and the high likelihood that they might look a lot better to the lion than those turnips.
Andi was using her magic to try and make it easier for the animals, like cleaning the pens and airing out the truck with freshening charms as Percy refilled the water bowls
"Time out!" Leo called. He pointed at the screen. "...How? Was there a hose in the truck?"
"Water bottles, Leo." Percy explained.
"...Fair enough." Leo shrugged and sat back in his seat.
and changed the mismatched food, the meat to the lion and the turnips to the zebra and the antelope.
For once she's doing something useful. I snarked, but frowned afterwards. Ok, maybe that's a little too harsh. But all this Airhead seems to know how to do is put us in unnecessary danger just so she can show off.
"...Are we sure she's not still related to Aphrodite?" Artemis asked.
"Oh, I stop to check my hair one time while we're pursued by Typhoon the first time!"
"Exactly!"
"Ladies!" Rhea interjected with a firm but kind smile. "Please, let us continue."
"Yes, Grandmother."
"Sure, Rhea."
Grover calmed the antelope down while I crept up behind him and silently cut the balloon off his horn. Andi sheared the mane off the Zebra with magic and regrew it to get all the gum out. We told Grover to promise the animals we'd help them more in the morning, then the four of us settled in for night.
Grover curled up on a turnip sack; I had opened the bag of Double Stuf Oreos and tried nibbling one before giving it up as a lost cause, after everything hunger wasn't at the forefront of my mind. Andi was eating from her bag of trail mix; while Percy muttered to himself about the fact that they were halfway to Los Angeles. Halfway to their destination. It was only June fourteenth. The solstice wasn't until the twenty-first. They could make it in plenty of time.
"You could've..." Nico trailed off.
"Shut up." The couple grumbled as the other demigods smirked or snickered.
Casting a glance at Percy, who looked an odd mixture of hopeful and resigned, I sighed."Hey," I began, "I'm sorry for freaking out back at the waterpark, Percy."
"That's okay." The boy told her.
"It's just...Spiders."
"Because of the Arachne story, right?" Percy guessed. "She got turned into a spider for challenging your mom to a weaving contest, right?"
Maybe he isn't entirely stupid after all. I mused, a touch surprised.
"...Ow." Percy grabbed his chest and pouted at his girlfriend. "That one hurt a little."
"You never fail to surprise me."
"...That hurt even more!"
"Arachne's children have been taking revenge on the children of Athena ever since. If there's a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me. I hate the creepy little things. Anyway, I owe you."
"Heh, you'd get along with my friend Ron, his older brothers turned his teddy into a spider when he was younger, he's been scared-stiff of them ever since."
"That would be horrible!" Annabeth paled rapidly.
The blue-eyed girl told the blonde.
"Horrible of them." I shook my head sympathetically while suppressing a shiver before abruptly catching myself. I had already resolved not to be so friendly to the daughter of Zeus, so to emphasize the point I shot her a glare.
"Hey! None of that. We're a team, remember?" Percy chided. The tension in the trailer was so thick I think I'd be able to cut it with my knife.
"Look Annabeth, I know you're still upset. But you've got to let what happened back at the waterpark go." Percy advised.
"She's still angry with me?" Andi asked with a surprised look.
Of course I am! It's only been a few hours, what did you expect, Airhead?!
"...She really could be a great hunter..."
"No! You can't ruin Annabeth like you did Thalia, not after all those hours I put in to pushing her and Percy in the right direction!" Aphrodite complained.
"I knew it!" Athena hissed.
"I'm not ruined!" Thalia protested.
"I do not ruin girls, you do!"
"Puh-lease." Aphrodite scoffed at Artemis' retort. "I let girls accept their feelings as the norm instead of burying them under layers of poop-sniffing grossness."
"We. Do. Not. Sniff. Excrement!" Artemis grit out.
"Sure. And I don't douse my lovers in perfume." Aphrodite smirked. "Face it, Artemis, you're the goddess of excrement sniffing."
"Aphrodite, Artemis, settle down! Now!" Hera barked as the goddess of the hunt's eyes flashed.
Artemis grit her teeth and sat back in her throne, a glare locked on the tittering goddess of love.
"Andi might have screwed up but she did save us from a bad landing in the end, that's gotta count for something." Percy continued, ignoring his cousin. "In the end, we all did good. The two of us got Ares' stupid shield and Andi and Grover saved us."
We'd thought Grover was asleep, but he mumbled from the corner, "I was pretty amazing, wasn't I?"
Percy laughed. As upset as I was, I felt my lips curl into a small smile at my satyr friend's antics. Andi smirked. "Heck yeah, Grover."
As much as I hate to admit it. Maybe he's right. Continuing to hold a grudge won't help anyone.
Admitting defeat, I pulled apart an Oreo, handing Percy half as a peace offering. He smiled at me as he accepted it. I just nodded and changed the topic. "In the Iris Message...did Luke really say nothing?"
Percy munched the cookie and was obviously thinking about how to answer. "Luke said you and he go way back. He also said Grover wouldn't fail this time. Nobody would turn into a pine tree."
In the wand light, you could see both their sad faces.
Urgh, just my luck. Of all the topics Luke had to talk to him about in the Iris Message.
"Punk was good at spreading doubt," Ares said with a nod.
"...I know that's an insult, Ares. You're not getting to me this time." Hermes grumbled.
Grover let out a mournful bray.
"I should've told you the truth from the beginning." His voice trembled. "I thought if you knew what a failure I was, you wouldn't want me along."
"You were the satyr who tried to rescue Thalia, the daughter of Zeus. Andi's older sister." Percy stated.
He nodded glumly.
"And the other two half-bloods Thalia befriended, the ones who got safely to camp..." he looked at me. "That was you and Luke, wasn't it?"
Andi was silent, closing her trail mix bag, not looking very hungry anymore.
I sighed, putting the Oreos back into the bag, largely uneaten. "Like you said, Percy, a seven-year-old half-blood wouldn't have made it very far alone. Athena guided me towards help. Thalia was twelve. Luke was fourteen. They'd both run away from home, like me. They were happy to take me with them. They were...amazing monster-fighters, even without training. We traveled north from Virginia without any real plans, fending off monsters for about two weeks before Grover found us."
"There! O'er the hill! It is him! The glorious Lord of the Wild!" Hermes declared valiantly.
"Huzzah, we are save-ed!" Apollo threw in, adding fuel to the fire.
"Grover, Grover, he's our goat, if he can't do it, jump in the moat!" Annabeth chanted, with Thalia and Percy jumping in on cue.
"...He's a pretty cool Faun," Hazel said with a nod.
"Grover's a Satyr, not a Faun." Nico corrected her.
"I was supposed to escort Thalia to camp," the goat boy took over, sniffling. "Only Thalia. I had strict orders from Chiron: don't do anything that would slow down the rescue. We knew Hades was after her, see, but I couldn't just leave Luke and Annabeth by themselves. I thought...I thought I could lead all three of them to safety. It was my fault the Kindly Ones caught up with us. I froze. I got scared on the way back to camp and took some wrong turns. If I'd just been a little quicker..."
"Stop it," I chided, for both our sakes. "No one blames you. Thalia didn't blame you either."
"Nope. I blame them." Thalia pointed her thumbs at her step-mother and uncle, who took it with stride.
"She sacrificed herself to save us," he continued miserably, paying me no mind. "Her death was my fault. The Council of Cloven Elders said so."
"Screw them." Andi told him sharply as she got up and knelt next to him, blue eyes meeting sad goat ones, "I...I can't say I know Thalia, I know I never will, to be honest; but if what I've heard is true, like Annabeth said, she wouldn't blame you, she wasn't like that. Hell, if I was in her place, I would do the same thing in a heartbeat." She told him, "I would do anything for my friends, without a second of doubt. You're one of those friends Grover, so chin up."
Yeah right. I thought to myself disbelievingly. Then why did you leave us to face a death trap without your help?
"Wow, brooding Bethy-"
"Do not call me that." Annabeth glared at Leo venomously. Percy's 'wolf stare' joined in and the son of Hephaestus swallowed.
"...A-Alright. Geez, take a joke..."
Percy nodded resolutely, and patted Grover's shoulder reassuringly. "She's right, forget those guys G-man, just because you wouldn't leave two other half-bloods behind? That's not fair."
"Percy's right," I agreed, leaving the daugther of Zeus' contribution unmentioned, I was still not happy with her. "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for you, Grover. Neither would Luke. We don't care what the council says."
Grover kept sniffling. "It's just my luck. I'm the lamest satyr ever, I find the two most powerful half-bloods of the century, Thalia and Percy. I couldn't even get them to camp right! So lame."
"You're not lame," I insisted. "You've got more courage than any satyr I've ever met. Name another one who would dare go to the Underworld. I bet Percy is really glad you're here right now."
Shooting Percy a glare, I kicked the idiot son of the sea god in the shin. Say something, stupid.
"I was going to anyway." Percy mumbled. He rubbed the phantom pain on his shin.
"Yeah," Percy agreed. "It's not luck that you found Thalia and me, Grover. You've got the biggest heart of any satyr ever. You're a natural searcher. That's why you'll be the one who finds Pan."
You could hear a deep, satisfied sigh. Percy waited for Grover to reply, but his breathing only got heavier. When the sound turned to snoring, we realized he'd fallen asleep.
"Wow, way to ruin a moment."
"You'd know, Frank." Percy mumbled in discontent. He was still a little miffed that his friend totally botched his alone time with Annabeth on the Argo.
"How does he do that?" Percy marveled as Andi got up and plopped down next to me. I really, really didn't want to deal with her right now, so scooted away a little and leaned back against the wall of the trailer. Thankfully, Andi took the hint and after a disappointed frown pulled up her hood and inched away too.
"I don't know," I mused, it was a good point, what Percy mentioned. "But that was really a nice thing you told him."
"I meant it."
"I know you did, Percy." Andi smiled from under her hood.
We rode in silence for a few miles, bumping around on the feed sacks, Andi snoring softly as she used one of the feedbags as a pillow, sleeping peacefully. Percy quietly asked me how she managed that since those bags were seriously uncomfortable to sit on, much less use as a pillow; to which I just ignored him.
With Andi out, her wand light had gone out too, so Percy took out Riptide, using its shimmering bronze as a dim light for us. The zebra munched a turnip. The lion licked the last of the hamburger meat off his lips and looked at Percy hopefully.
"I think that's a typo. Hungrily." Ares corrected with a smirk.
"Funny, Ares, very funny."
Not looking at anything in particular, I rubbed my necklace absentmindedly as I pondered the day's events.
"That pine-tree bead," the boy said suddenly. "Is that from your first year?"
Following Percy's gaze, I saw what he was staring at. Ah, that...
"Yeah," I said, going back to toying with the beads. "Every August, the counselors pick the most important event of the summer, and they paint it on that year's beads. I've got Thalia's pine tree, a Greek trireme on fire, a centaur in a prom dress — now that was a weird summer..."
"I still want to know about what really happened then," Percy said thoughtfully.
"And the college ring is your father's?"
"That's none of your—" I stopped myself, staring at the ring with a frown. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."
"You don't have to tell me."
"No...no it's okay." I sucked in a shaky breath. If I'm going to put things behind me then this is the least I can do. At least I'm not telling this to Andi.
"Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the two, a little hellion cracked her eye open." Apollo chuckled.
"Considering Andi isn't one of my legacies this go around, I'm certain that I would've ensured Percabeth had their moment alone," Aphrodite said. She winked at the flushed couple. "You can thank me later."
"My dad sent it to me folded up in a letter, two summers ago. The ring was, like, his main keepsake from Athena. He wouldn't have gotten through his doctoral program at Harvard without her...That's a long story. Anyways, he said he wanted me to have it. He apologized for being a jerk, said he loved me and missed me. He wanted me to come home and live with him."
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Yeah, well...the problem was, I believed him. I tried to go home for that school year, but my stepmom was the same as ever. She didn't want her kids put in danger by living with a freak. Monsters attacked. We argued. Monsters attacked again. We argued some more. I didn't even make it through winter break. I called Chiron and came right back to Camp Half-Blood."
"You think you'll ever try living with your dad again?"
I couldn't meet his eyes. "Please. I'm not into self-inflicted pain."
"You're definitely not an M. You are an S. Percy is the M." Apollo nodded at his sound reasoning. He hissed in pain when Artemis slapped him hard. "Ow!"
"Artemis, don't hit your brother." Rhea absently scolded. "Even if he did deserve it, it isn't nice. Use your words."
"He ignores my words." Artemis grumbled.
"Hm? Say something sis?"
"...You so did that on purpose."
"I don't even know what you're talking about."
"Twins!"
"You shouldn't give up," the water boy argued. "You should write him a letter or something."
"Thanks for the advice," I felt myself say coldly, "but my father's made his choice about who he wants to live with."
It was then that I felt my hand grasped and squeezed softly, Andi was awake, I tried to shake her off but Andi held firm. Soft grey eyes turned to meet one half-lidded electric blue eye. "If they can't see what an amazing person you are, they aren't worth it." She said adamantly and let out a heavy sigh and drifted back to sleep, snuggling back onto her turnip pillow.
"Ha! Called it!"
"Great," Artemis said lowly. "Now he'll never shut up."
Maybe she isn't so bad...
I gave the sleeping pixie a small smile as I squeezed the unresponsive hand back in thanks before I pulled my hand back.
The group passed another few miles in silence.
"So if the gods fight," Percy said quietly so as not to wake Andi, "will things line up the way they did with the Trojan War? Will it be Athena versus Poseidon?"
I leaned my head back onto one of the stacks of feed and closed my eyes; half mulling it over, and half wishing I could fall asleep, just to avoid this.
Forgive me, Mother.
"I don't know what my mom will do. I just know I'll fight next to you."
"Oh, she will." Aphrodite nodded. "Or else."
Athena gave the goddess a calculative and wary look. She didn't like the implications of that 'or else'.
"Why?"
"Because you're my friend, Seaweed Brain. Anymore stupid questions?"
I didn't hear Percy's reply, if he had any, because I was asleep before he said anything.
"Must've roofied her."
"ARES!"
"What? I wouldn't put it past him."
Andi was having a nightmare once more, and it wasn't the one about the carnivorous cake out for revenge for its fallen brethren…this time.
She looked at her wrists and ankles, they were in chains of bronze with links that were attached to a elegant, giant birdcage made of gold that was somehow suspended in mid-air in the middle of a raging storm even as the sun, somehow, remained shining. "Come on shorty, one of us has to get out of here." A female voice whispered to her.
Andi looked towards the direction of the voice and was stunned, for a moment she thought she was looking into a mirror that showed her future-self or something.
The other person had hair that was shorter, more spiked, and was wearing a black leather jacket over some kind of band tee shirt, black jeans, and black leather boots. Her wrists and ankles were chained just like Andi's were.
But, the thing that made Andi realize this person wasn't an image of herself were the cute splash of freckles across her nose.
It was then she realized who she was seeing.
This wasn't her future self.
This was Thalia.
A fellow daughter of Zeus and more importantly, her older sister.
"Hey, how's it goin'?" Thalia asked with a nonchalant wave.
Andi's heart lurched to her throat, her mouth opened and closed, as she tried to speak, but she couldn't.
Thalia gave her a confident smirk, "You deaf, baby bird?" She nudged her head at the outside of the cage. "Shouldn't you be out there, instead of being locked up here?"
The younger daughter of the sky lord wanted to go over and hug her sister but the chains didn't let her, making her angry, how dare they stop her! She screamed and suddenly the chains broke into hundreds of pieces.
She walked up to Thalia, her eyes showing her intense longing. Finally, after so long, she was seeing someone who was like her.
Her hand shakily reached out, like Thalia may have been an illusion, but deep down, she knew this wasn't, it wasn't some cruel joke from the voice in the pit. Her sister, her big sister was right in front of her.
Her head was telling her to leave, get out, now, but her heart was overcoming her logic, wanting the thing she had always dreamed of since she was small, well, smaller.
Family.
"Heartwarming." Rhea smiled sweetly.
Hestia beamed right alongside her mother.
Hera, however, looked affronted.
That was all she wanted, not some great power, not some grand legend, not immense wealth, she just wanted the one thing that the Fates seemed to enjoy taking from her.
A family. Right now, that was exactly what was before her. Even if this was a dream, she...she didn't want it to stop. When she was younger, she would dream of someone coming and taking her away from that cupboard. Some distant family, or as childish as it sounded, a prince charming.
"Will Solace, your role has been decided." Apollo decided.
Aphrodite giggled. "Oh, it's going to be magical! Windi's back and better than ever!"
Nico's eye twitched and he crossed his arms in annoyance.
Someone to just hold her and chase the nightmares of a sad childhood away. Someone to tell her it was going to be okay to let her walls, that she built so tall, down.
And the realization of all those wishes was right in front of her. Thalia's smirk turned into a smile as her own hand reached up and touched Andi's hand, "Come on," she told her, "Get out of here and fly, baby bird, the open skies are where you belong." She winked to her sister, "Not stuck here like a prisoner."
Andi bit her lip, trying to stop the tears from coming, "Come with me." She begged her, tugging the chained hand, the chains wouldn't budge, but she didn't stop trying in vain to break them. "Come with me. Please, big sister."
It was then Thalia's smile turned sad, and she clutched Andi's hand gently. "You know I can't, baby bird." Thalia replied, turning her head to gaze outside the cage, her eyes filled with some emotion Andi couldn't identify. "Never did like the flying bit myself…but you do, right?" She asked, electric blue eyes meeting once more.
Andi gave a shaky nod, not trusting her voice.
The older sister's smile brightened, "Then do me a favor and enjoy the sky enough for both of us, okay?"
"I…Y-Yes." Andi responded softly.
"Now spread those little wings and fly, simple, isn't it?"
"...This sounds really out of character for Thalia," Annabeth said.
"Yeah, why would I encourage anyone to do something stupid like that?" Thalia asked.
"It's a dream, right?" Percy began. "Maybe...it's what she hopes you're like?"
"...Oh dear gods, Percy used his brain." Nico turned and looked to his father. "You should double check the Underworld's temperature."
Hades cracked a small smile at that.
Andi's hand slipped from her sister's as she slowly stepped back, her eyes never leaving Thalia's as she got to the door of the cage. It swung open as she approached. Andi turned to see the clearing sky, the sun now shining through unimpeded by the storm. She turned to Thalia once more and bit the inside of her cheek, the pain keeping her eyes dry.
"I'll find a way to save you. I-I don't know how, or even how long it will take, but I promise, okay? I promise." She said with determination as she turned around once more before finally jumping out the cage, her last words carrying on the wind.
"I'll save you, big sister."
But she wasn't flying.
"She's falling. With style!" Apollo declared with a grin.
"Best way to fall." Hermes nodded.
She was falling. Deeper and deeper, she fell until she was covered in darkness.
As she landed soundlessly on the black ground, that cold and evil voice that she recognized from her previous dreams echoed from the depths of a great chasm before her. She turned and saw Percy, who looked surprised to see her.
Percy Jackson and Andi Potter, it cackled. Yes, the exchange went well, I see.
They were back in a dark cavern, spirits of the dead drifting around them. Unseen in the pit, the monstrous thing was speaking, but this time it wasn't addressing either of them. The numbing power of its voice seemed directed somewhere else.
And they suspect nothing? it asked.
"No, my master." Leo rasped out.
Another voice, one they could almost recognize, answered from nearby. Spinning around, they tried to see who was speaking, but couldn't see through the darkness. It had rendered the speaker invisible.
Nothing, my lord. He is as ignorant as the rest. But the girl, she is quick witted, not easy to fool, eventually she will figure out the truth.
"Was he talking about Annabeth or Andi?" Piper asked, ignoring the affronted look on her blonde friend's face.
Deception upon deception, the thing in the pit mused aloud. Excellent. But I would expect nothing less of her from who she is born of. The voice spat out with hatred, But, even if she does, it will be far too late.
Truly, my lord, said the voice, you are well named the Crooked One. But was it really necessary? I could have brought you what I stole directly—
"From right under Zeus' nose."
"Silence, Hades." Zeus grunted at his brother.
You? the monster scorned. You have already shown your limits. You would have failed me completely had I not intervened.
But, my lord—
Peace, little servant. Our six months have brought us much. Zeus' anger has grown. Poseidon has played his most desperate card. Even the King has played his own secret gambit. Now we shall use their precious pawns against them. Shortly you shall have the reward you wish, and your revenge. As soon as both items are delivered into my hands...but wait. They are here.
What? The invisible servant suddenly sounded tense. You summoned them, my lord?
No. The full force of the monster's attention was now pouring over them, freezing the demigods in place. Blast their Fathers' blood. They are too changeable, too unpredictable. The children brought themselves hither.
Impossible! the servant cried.
"Inconceivable!" Apollo declared. He grunted when he got a hard elbow from Hermes.
For a weakling such as you, perhaps, the voice mocked, its cold power turned back on the children of the sky and sea. So...you wish to dream of your quest, young half-bloods? Then I will oblige.
All of a sudden, the scene changed.
The child of the sky lord abruptly found herself dressed in elegant Greek armor, with a flourishing blood red cape clasped to her shoulders. She sat on a throne of faceless corpses as she gazed down at a destroyed floating city of white and silver. Blurred figures bowed to her as they crowned her with a solid gold laurel.
In her hand was a two foot bronze tube, which was humming with raw unearthly power at each end.
The evil voice began to laugh. Hail, the conquering heroine!
Andi screamed.
"Now that'd be an interesting twist." Ares mused.
Percy awoke from his nightmare to Grover nudging him with one of his hooves even as he held a hand over Andi's mouth, smothering what sounded like a scream. As the two big three children got their bearings, the satyr explained the situation in a whisper, "The truck's stopped. We think they're coming to check on the animals."
"Hide!" Annabeth hissed.
She and Andi had it easy. Annabeth just put on her magic cap and disappeared while Andi did the same by pulling on her cloak. Grover and Percy had to dive behind feed sacks and hope they looked like turnips.
"Do you know how hard it is to act like a turnip?" Percy asked with a haunted look in his eye.
"...Don't you just, I don't know, stand still?"
"Exactly, Leo."
"...Dude...How'd you manage?"
"I don't know."
The trailer doors creaked open. Sunlight and heat poured in.
"Man!" One of the truckers said, waving his hand in front of his ugly nose. "I wish I hauled appliances." He climbed inside and poured some water from a jug into the animals' dishes.
"You hot, big boy?" He mocked the lion, then splashed the rest of the bucket right in the lion's face.
The lion roared in indignation.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he yawned.
Ares chuckled. "That guy is begging to be eaten."
"Indeed." Hades mused. "Cerberus does need a new chew toy. Rasputin is starting to get gnarly."
Grover tensed, for a peace-loving herbivore, he looked downright murderous.
The trucker threw the antelope a squashed-looking Happy Meal bag. He smirked at the zebra. "How ya doin', Stripes? Least we'll be getting rid of you this stop. You like magic shows? You're gonna love this one. They're gonna saw you in half!"
The zebra, wild-eyed with fear, looked straight at Percy.
There was no sound, but as clear as day, he heard it say: Free me, lord. Please.
"Just accept Christ as your lord and savior, Hallelujah!" Hermes cried, his hands in the air.
"Hallelujah!" Apollo, Leo, Frank and Percy repeated.
The other Olympians didn't look amused. Zeus looked downright ready to smite them.
It was only Rhea's amused laughter that held the king's Master Bolt at bay.
Percy was too stunned to react.
Thankfully, not all of the questers were distracted. As suddenly, there was a loud knock, knock, knock from the side of the trailer.
"Who's there?" Leo asked.
"...So not funny, dude." Percy mumbled.
"You obviously need to learn some good Knock-Knock Jokes," Leo said with a snort.
The trucker inside with them yelled, "What do you want, Eddie?"
A voice outside — it must've been Eddie's — shouted back, "Maurice? What'd ya say?"
"What are you banging for?"
Knock, knock, knock.
Outside, Eddie yelled, "What banging?"
"All I can hear are some heavy knockers." Apollo grinned.
Artemis pursed her lips and glared at her twin.
"...Oh, c'mon! That's funny for, like, three reasons!"
"Pig."
Maurice rolled his eyes and went back outside, cursing at Eddie for being an idiot.
There was a cry of 'Stupefy' and two thuds.
A second later, Annabeth appeared next to him. She must've done the banging to get Maurice out of the trailer and Andi used her magic on the guys. Looking sympathetically at the abused animals, the blonde said, "This transport business can't be legal."
"No kidding," Grover said. He paused, as if listening. "The lion says these guys are animal smugglers!"
"…So, they're a bunch of Nerf Herders?" Apollo asked his grin plastered on his face.
"Oh, us, someone shut him up," Artemis said under her breath as she rubbed her temples.
"Hey, my puns are glorious!" Apollo stuck his nose in the air. "I work them all the time."
"...That was a good one, too," Hermes said with an approving nod while Artemis pinched the bridge of her nose.
That's right, the zebra's voice said in Percy's mind.
"We've got to free them!" Grover said.
He and Annabeth both looked at Percy, waiting for his lead. Andi meanwhile just floated the now unconscious men into the trailer, before quirking an eyebrow and joined in with the expectant stares.
Percy however was too distracted to even notice what his friends were doing. Instead he was preoccupied with trying to figure out how he could understand the zebra. It took him a moment until it hit him. Poseidon created horses didn't he? So that meant as his son he could understand them? Did a zebra count as a horse?
"Yes." Poseidon nodded.
"It's a subspecies, Percy." Annabeth explained.
"Well, yeah, I know that now!" Percy mumbled.
Open my cage, lord. Please. I'll be fine after that. The zebra pleaded.
Still oblivious to his friends' waiting on his lead, Percy grabbed Riptide and slashed the lock off the zebra's cage.
The zebra burst out. It turned to him and bowed. Thank you, lord.
"And God said unto His subject-!"
"Hermes, finish that line." Zeus snarled. "Please, by all means."
While the God of Travellers sheepishly sunk into his throne, Percy frowned in thought.
"You know," he said to the other demigods, and to the eavesdropping Olympians, "Chiron said he'd explain the whole metaphysical God thing, but he's never really gone further than that."
"Well, that, Percy, would be because they," Thalia said, pointing over her shoulder at her father and uncles, "don't like the subject."
"...That...That makes a lot of sense." Percy nodded.
Grover held up his hands and said something to the zebra in goat talk, like a blessing.
The zebra leaped into the street. There was yelling and screaming and cars honking. The questers rushed to the doors of the trailer in time to see the zebra galloping down a wide boulevard lined with hotels and casinos and neon signs. They'd just released a zebra in Las Vegas.
Taking Percy's actions as a sign, Annabeth quickly drew her dagger and cut off the lock for the antelope while Andi magicked open the lion's cage with a mutter of "Alohomora.".
As the animals rushed past him to freedom, Grover raised his hands and spoke the same goat-blessing he'd used for the zebra.
"Good luck," Percy told the antelope and the lion as they went off together into the streets.
"Smart cat. Taking lunch with him." Ares nodded.
"I'm sure that's the plan," Demeter said with a roll of her eyes.
Some tourists screamed. Most just backed off and took pictures, probably thinking it was some kind of stunt by one of the casinos.
Seeing the animals escape, Andi turned to the downed smugglers, her devious pixie-esque smile cranked up to eleven. Taking the hands of each of the guys, she used something she called a sticking charm to stick each of their hands down the other's pants. That was going to be an awkward wake up.
"Will the animals be okay?" Percy asked Grover, "I mean, Vegas is a desert."
"Don't worry," the satyr replied. "I placed a satyr's sanctuary on them."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning they'll reach the wild safely," Grover explained. "They'll find water, food, shade, whatever they need until they find a safe place to live."
"Why can't you place a blessing like that on us?" The water boy asked.
"It only works on wild animals."
"So it would only affect Percy," Thalia said with a smirk.
"...No way." Percy groaned while Annabeth laughed.
"What?" Thalia asked.
"You'll see," the daughter of Athena said with a smile on her face.
"So it would only affect Percy," Annabeth joked.
"...Wow, universally hilarious." Thalia smirked.
"Great minds think alike." Annabeth agreed.
"Annabeth…" Percy whined while the other demigods snickered.
"Makes sense." Andi playfully nodded with a giggle.
"Hey!"
"Kidding," Annabeth said, her hands held up in surrender. "Come on. Let's get out of this filthy truck."
"Aw, it wasn't that bad." Ares rolled his eyes. "Overdramatic brats."
They stumbled out into the desert afternoon. It was a hundred and ten degrees, easy, and the questers must've looked like deep-fried vagrants, but everybody was too interested in the wild animals to pay them much attention.
They passed the Monte Carlo and the MGM. The pyramids, a pirate ship, and the Statue of Liberty, which was a pretty small replica, but still made Percy homesick.
The group really didn't know what to look for. Maybe just a place to get out from the heat and cool down with a nice glass of lemonade and a good sandwich, anything really.
They must have taken a wrong turn, because they were at a dead end, standing in front of the Lotus Hotel and Casino. The entrance was a huge neon flower, the petals lighting up and blinking. No one was going in or out, but the glittering chrome doors were open, spilling out air-conditioning that smelled like flowers — lotus blossom, maybe.
The doorman smiled at them. "Hey, kids. You look tired. You want to come in and sit down?"
Andi's frame went rigid at the man, her eyes narrowing into slits as her fingers slid down to her back pocket, fingering her wand. Percy agreed with her attitude, if the last week or so had taught him anything it was to be suspicious of everything. Anybody might be a monster or a god in disguise. You just couldn't tell. But this guy was normal. One look at him, and the boy could see that. Besides, the son of Poseidon was so relieved to hear somebody who sounded sympathetic that he just nodded and said they'd love to come in.
"Percy!" The demigods, save for Annabeth and the brooding boy in question, groaned.
"I. Was. Twelve!"
"That's no excuse for falling into an obvious trap," Jason said.
"Oh, like you never fell into an obvious trap!" Percy shot back.
"I never said that-!"
"Exactly!" Percy crossed his arms and scowled. "So sick of being judged..."
"Just wait until you die, Percy Jackson." Hades chuckled.
Inside, the group took one look around, and Grover summed up all their opinions when he said, "Whoa."
The whole lobby was a giant game room. There was an indoor waterslide snaking around the glass elevator, which went straight up at least forty floors. There was a climbing wall on one side of the building, and an indoor bungee-jumping bridge. There were virtual-reality games with working laser guns. And hundreds of video games, each one the size of a widescreen TV. Basically, you name it, this place had it. There were a few other kids playing, but not that many. There would be no waiting for any of the games. There were waitresses and snack bars all around, serving every kind of food you can imagine.
"Snack foods and unhealthy sodas, eating all of that will ruin their teeth and skin..." Aphrodite curled her lip. "Disgusting!"
"Deplorable." Demeter added.
"Delicious." The goddesses looked to Hermes, who blinked innocently. "What? Haven't you ever had Cheese Bombs and Mountain Dew? The best."
"Aww yeah, game night snack galore." Apollo nodded.
"Hey!" a bellhop said. He wore a white-and-yellow Hawaiian shirt with lotus designs, shorts, and flip-flops. "Welcome to the Lotus Casino. Here's your room key."
Percy stammered, "Um, but..."
"No, no," he said, laughing. "The bill's taken care of. No extra charges, no tips. Just go on up to the top floor, room 4001. If you need anything, like extra bubbles for the hot tub, or skeet targets for the shooting range, or whatever, just call the front desk. Here are your Lotus Cash cards. They work in the restaurants and on all the games and rides."
He handed them each a green plastic credit card.
Percy knew there must be some mistake. Obviously he thought they were some millionaire's kids. Well, Andi was one but the rest of them? They were far from it. Despite this, the black-haired boy took the card anyway and said, "How much is on here?"
His eyebrows knit together. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, when does it run out of cash?"
He laughed. "Oh, you're making a joke. Hey, that's cool. Enjoy your stay."
"...Cue Admiral Ackbar meme." Leo pointed at Apollo.
The god of the arts snapped his fingers and the classic line played: "It's a Trap!"
"Thanks, God-dude."
"No problem, Leo Valdez."
They took the elevator upstairs and checked out the room. It was a suite with four separate bedrooms and a bar stocked with candy, sodas, and chips. A hotline to room service. Fluffy towels and water beds with feather pillows. A big-screen television with satellite and high-speed Internet. The balcony had its own hot tub, and sure enough, there was a skeet-shooting machine and a shotgun, so you could launch clay pigeons right out over the Las Vegas skyline and plug them with your gun. Percy didn't see how that could be legal, but he thought it was pretty cool. The view over the Strip and the desert was amazing, but with a room like this, why bother looking?
"...Because it's a cool view?" Jason asked.
"No. No it is not." Thalia grumbled.
"You only say that because of your agoraphobia..."
"Shut up, Super-dork."
"...Ouch. Feelings, Thalia."
"You'll live, Jay."
"Oh, goodness," Annabeth said. "This place is..."
"Sweet," Grover said. "Absolutely sweet."
"Shower, mine, now." Andi outright claimed before Annabeth could call dibs.
There were clothes in the closet, and they fit them. Andi frowned, thinking aloud that this was a little strange, but was still thankful along with Annabeth about clean underwear finally.
Percy threw Ares' backpack in the trashcan. Wouldn't need that anymore. When they left, he could just charge a new one at the hotel store.
"...You threw out the Master Bolt's sheath!?" Zeus raged.
"I didn't know at the time! Honest!" Percy swore as he cringed under his uncle's wrath.
"Zeus..." Rhea warned her son. "That was years ago."
"Yes, but Mother-!"
"I thought Hades' flaw was holding grudges."
"Mother!" Both Hades and Zeus complained and then glared at one another.
"Enough! Continue reading Frank Zhang." Rhea instructed and smiled at Percy when he looked at her gratefully.
Andi walked out of the shower in a towel wrapped around her petite body and was drying her hair with another one as the boys turned around and Annabeth palmed her face at the action. Completely ignoring her friends' reactions, the dark haired girl searched the closet for something to wear and eventually pulled out a tank top that had the U.K. flag wrapped around it and a pair of grey cargo shorts. She was about to change right there, in front of everyone, when a flushed Annabeth pulled her into the bathroom, chiding her about social norms. Andi just looked at her with a clueless expression on her face.
"That's a problem for future relationships."
"Shut up, Hades." Zeus grit out.
"Oh no. I'm taking all my swings all over again." Hades grinned.
The son of the sea took a shower too, which felt awesome after a week of grimy travel. He changed clothes, ate a bag of chips, drank three Cokes, and was feeling better than ever. In the back of his mind, some small problem kept nagging him. He'd shared a dream or something with Andi... They should talk about it, nah, it could wait.
Percy came out of the bedroom and found that Annabeth and Grover had also showered and changed clothes. Grover was eating potato chips to his heart's content, while Annabeth had cranked up the National Geographic Channel, and Andi was listening to some music on one of the free Ipods the room had.
"All those stations," Percy told the blonde, "and you turn on National Geographic. Are you insane?"
"At least consider MTV!" Apollo complained.
"That's not even Music Television anymore," Athena said with a scoff.
"Wha-Since when!?"
"It's your domain. Why don't you know this?"
"...I get distracted..." Apollo mumbled sheepishly as he poked his fingers together.
"It's interesting." The wise child countered.
"I feel good," Grover said. "I love this place."
Without him even realizing it, the wings sprouted out of his shoes and lifted him a foot off the ground, then back down again.
"Whoo!" Andi cheered as she began dancing to the music she was listening to. She got so into it that one of the white ear buds fell out as she grinned to the group, "I love Vegas."
"So what now?" Annabeth asked. "Sleep?"
"Sleep is for the dead, Annie."
"Says the tree princess." Nico muttered.
"No one asked you for your input, Death Breath." Thalia growled.
Grover and Percy looked at each other and grinned. They both held up their green plastic Lotus Cash cards.
"Play time," the quest leader declared.
"My, Percy, going to strip clubs at that age! With Annabeth no less!" Aphrodite tittered.
"I-We-That never happened!" Percy spluttered out.
"Don't worry, Percy," Leo said with a grin. "Your bachelor party, my bachelor party, Frank's bachelor party and Jason's bachelor party will be the only times we go to a strip club."
"No it won't." The girlfriends, and sister in Jason's case, of those present rebuffed.
Leo scoffed. "Yeah, and all of you won't go to Chip n' Dale's for your bachelorette's..."
"Oh, you must!" Aphrodite cut in over the embarrassed girls' sputtering denials. "It's so fun!"
"Aphrodite, need I get another metal sheet?" Rhea asked sternly.
"...Pooh, have some fun, Rhea."
Percy bungee-jumped the lobby five or six times, did the waterslide, snowboarded the artificial ski slope, and played virtual-reality laser tag and FBI sharpshooter. Grover was going from game to game. He really liked the reverse hunter thing - where the deer got to go out and shoot the rednecks. Annabeth played trivia games and other smarty stuff. She especially seemed to like this huge 3-D simulator game where you built your own city, and could actually see the holographic buildings rise on the display board.
Andi caught all this in passing as she herself was running around, enjoying herself with the games. She was interrupted though when she bumped into someone, falling on her bum, "Ow." Was the only thing that she and the person who ran into her could say.
"Nico!" a girl's voice cried out, "Nico, you need to watch where you're going." The girl scolded before it turned apologetic, "I am so sorry, my brother, he's really excitable." The voice rushingly explained to Andi, who finally took a good look at the girl who was currently helping her up.
"And there's Bianca...Again." Nico sighed sadly and hung his head. "That's part of why I don't like this story..."
"Hey, we're here for you, Nico." Hazel consoled her brother while the other demigods nodded alongside her. Nico gave her a small smile.
"Thanks."
The girl was about 5'2, and had a lean build. She had black eyes and long silky dark hair with a splash of freckles across her nose like her own sister that when combined with her olive skin tone made her look very cute. She was dressed in a pair of Levis and a brown turtleneck with a floppy green hat to finish her outfit.
Andi brushed the imaginary dust off her shirt as the girl helped up a small boy, her brother presumably, who was shorter than Andi herself, his hair was darker than his sister's while his eyes were the same black and he shared her olive skin tone. He was wearing a pair of black shorts and a green tee shirt. Around his feet were a bunch of pictured cards, "Nico, apologize." She told him softly.
"Now sit, stay. Roll over. Beg. An-n-nd raise the dead. Can you raise the dead? Who's a good-Ow!" Leo rubbed his arm. "For being younger, you sure hit hard..."
"I fought dead people." Nico said as if that explained everything.
"Yes, Bianca. Sorry." The boy said to the daughter of Zeus, his cheeks pink for not looking where he was going.
Andi just giggled, and ruffled his messy black hair,
"Oh, c'mon, I'm practically taller than her!" Nico groaned.
"Are not."
"Shut up, Bolt Brain."
getting the boy to whine, "It's fine, I get too excited at times too. I'm Andi by the way." She introduced herself and bent down to pick up the cards, the boy soon following her, hastily collecting them, "What are these?" she asked, seeing the Greek gods printed on them.
"Mythomagic." Nico told her, his eyes shining with childish excitement, "It's about all the Greek gods and monsters and stuff." He informed her.
"Nico, I don't think—" Bianca began, groaning at her brother's newest obsession. Heck, she still didn't understand it at all.
"It's fine," Andi laughed to the older sister, "In fact, I'm half Greek." She winked to the younger boy.
"Wow, really?"
"You bet."
"Sweet, you ever wonder, if you were some demigod or something?" He asked her excitedly.
"Hit that one right on the nose, didn't you?" Piper asked with a giggle.
Nico grunted.
"Wow, you're adorable at this age," Hazel said, smiling lightly.
"Hazel!"
"Yeah, all kids are adorable pre-Emo." Thalia added.
"I am not Emo!" Nico groaned.
Andi bit her lip, she wanted to laugh; she was one, but sadly mortals couldn't know about that stuff. "I sometimes like to think I am." She informed him.
"That's cool."
Andi finished picking up the cards and looked to see the Zeus one, holding it up to the light appraisingly. "Huh, six hundred damage points with lightning bolts." Wow, you'd think it would be more with a glow stick that could shear off the top of a mountain.
"Not a glow stick." Zeus grunted.
"Yeah," Nico said, taking the cards, "I mean, Zeus is rare, but not that rare. You get him in every starter deck.
"Order now, get your own Zeus today."
"Be silent, Poseidon."
Now Hades, man, that thing is impossible to find." The boy pouted.
"If only." Hades groaned. He glowered at the demigods. "It's like a map was handed out after my nephew stopped by."
"...Uh...Weird." Percy shared a look with Annabeth.
Oh, that info had to burn her dad. She let out a small snicker, even as an interested gleam appeared in her eyes, "Wanna teach me?" she asked the boy, who looked surprised, "Never got into these kind of things before and I want to see if it's fun."
Nico nodded, "Sure," he said with a nudge of his head to one of the snack tables, "Come on." He said with the excitement of playing with someone. He rushed to the table as Bianca and Andi followed him at a more sedate pace.
"Thanks for humoring him." The older sister told her with an apologetic look.
"...Ouch." Nico frowned.
"Grover's low self-esteem got crushed after he kept losing to you," Percy said.
"Well, that's just because I'm the best at it." Nico scoffed.
Andi shook her head, "Nah, I'm genuinely interested in this game to be honest. Besides, he seems like a sweet kid."
"He is. A bit of a pain at times, but brothers tend to be." Bianca giggled softly.
As she sat down and Nico explained the rules, which weren't really that simple as she thought they would be, part of her couldn't help but be jealous of the boy. He was lucky to have his older sister. That dream with Thalia still rattled her. She wanted so desperately to help her own big sister, but she didn't know where to even start.
Ten minutes later found Andi looking at the battlefield before her in disbelief.
"And I win." Nico smiled.
"Naturally." Nico smirked.
"Wha-?"
"You should have focused more on defense." The boy explained as he collected his cards and figures.
"Again." Andi told him, her competitiveness acting up as the boy shrugged.
"Sure."
Five minutes later, and Andi again found herself defeated. This time even faster than before.
"Yeah, I'm just too pro." Nico buffed his nails on his bomber jacket while the other demigods snickered.
Frustration and anger swelling within her, Andi nibbled on her bottom lip. This ten year old was kicking her butt. Sure, she had just learned how to play, but after her first loss, she thought she had the game figured out.
"Again."
Lost.
"How?"
Lost.
"Homer's left nut!"
"D'oh!" Apollo cringed.
"Classic." Hermes snickered.
Lost.
Andi's face was pouty as she childishly glared at the impish looking Nico.
"Let's switch decks." She argued, but Nico just shrugged. Clearly thinking that it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Lost.
"He was right." Leo chuckled.
"Man, you are ruthless." Jason gaped. "Not even a pity loss for her?"
"With my ego? Please." Nico waved Jason off. "I need all the ego boosts I can get."
"You have an ego?" Percy asked.
"...God, man, just what did I see in you?"
"What!?"
"Never mind, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth rolled her eyes.
Andi was in disbelief with her mouth agape as Bianca, who was sitting near her, was silently laughing into her sleeve.
"Stupid game." Andi muttered and crossed her arms childishly and huffed, a part of her just wanted to flip the table.
"Don't mess with the best." Nico gloated.
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Easy, Grandmaster Nico."
"Grandmaster, I like that."
"It does have a nice ring to it." Nico mused with a rub of his chin.
"I've created a monster," the sister laughed, "I should have never gotten you that starter pack." She said with a shake of her head.
"Whatever." Andi said, glaring at the field, wondering what she did wrong as Nico collected all the cards and figures. A waitress dropped off some drinks and cookies and she picked one up and munched on it in irritation.
"How can you eat a cookie in irritation?" Rhea asked, frowning.
"It takes skill...and a lot of anger." Thalia joked.
"Oh, so you'd be pro at it?" Nico asked.
"Emo Kid, I will punt you back to the NES days."
"Bring it, Princess."
"Children, stop fighting." Hestia glowered at them.
"Yes, Aunt Hestia." Nico and Thalia chorused, shooting each other dark looks.
Nico's eyes turned to one of the games and turned to his sister, as if asking her if he could check it out.
"Just stay in sight." She told him in a stern tone, to which he nodded and rushed off to have fun. Bianca turned to Andi who was still pouting and laughed lightly, "It's just a game, come on." She joked to the British girl.
"I just like to win is all."
"I can tell." Mused the dark eyed girl.
Andi turned to see Nico playing and spoke, "He's really lucky."
"Hm?"
"To have you, I mean; I wish my sister was around." Andi stated aloud, her jealousy taking hold of her, for a moment she imagined Thalia with her, arguing about games and teasing each other, before shaking her head to dispel those depressing thoughts.
"I wouldn't have minded a little sister...Also wouldn't have minded having my little brother." Thalia muttered darkly.
"Thalia." Artemis frowned for the pain her new Lieutenant was in.
"I'm fine, Lady Artemis."
"Did, um, did something happen?" Bianca asked carefully to her new friend.
Andi contemplated telling her, it wasn't like she would see the girl again. Plus talking about it always did help. "She's actually my half-sister, didn't know about her until the summer started. Same dad, different mums. She's, well, she's been in a coma, you could say, for about six years now."
Bianca didn't even know what to say to that, "I'm sorry." She said, looking at Nico, imagining a similar situation in her own mind.
"Not your fault." Andi waved her concerns off.
Bianca sighed as she ran her hand through her long hair, "To be honest, sometimes I feel like I just want to be on my own," she told Andi, confiding to her as well, it just felt so easy to do so, like she could trust the British girl with anything, "I mean, I've been taking care of him for so long, I—"
"Just want to be you?"
"Exactly!"
"And you can be...for about three weeks." Nico grumbled.
"...Dude, you okay?" Percy asked.
"Yeah. Just peachy." Nico snorted. "No, Percy, I don't think I'll ever be 'okay'. I'm passable for the moment. It's just...this brings up all sorts of memories and its hard to let them lie."
"...Oh..."
No one knew what to say to that, so the story continued.
A pensive look appeared on Andi's face at that admission and she looked at the other girl with her blue orbs, "But, who is Bianca?" She asked, sounding philosophical.
"…I don't know." The twelve year old said, her brows knitted together, "But, I want to find out one day."
"You know, I wonder who Andi is at times too." The black haired girl told her, "I have so many titles, but people don't see the real me at times." She sighed out, even more so now with who her father is.
Expectations were always something that came with her in the magical world, but now? Those expectations felt even heavier as a demigoddess and she wondered if they would crush her one day.
"Maybe we can both find out some day." The dark eyed girl told her with a small smile.
Andi gave her a beaming one in return, "I'd like that." She honestly would.
"...Hello, what's this?" Leo perked up.
"No." Thalia and Nico shared a surprised look at their agreement before settling another glare on Leo.
"C'mon, it'll be fun..."
"No."
"Think about it, two warring fathers-!"
"Leo." Jason cut in.
"What?" Leo asked. Jason pointed behind him and Leo turned to see Hades and Zeus looking at Leo intently. "Ah...Yeah...Shutting up."
They chatted a bit more until Nico came back to them, telling them that a cake buffet had just opened at one of the hotel's restaurants.
It was cake, which was always a wondrous gift to mankind.
"Only if it's blue." Percy said firmly.
"Good luck keeping that out of your kids, Annabeth." Piper joked.
"That's-You – So not funny, Piper!" Annabeth hissed with red cheeks.
"Bianca?" Nico asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes, Nico?" Bianca said, looking just as wide eyed.
"Where does it all go?" he asked in whispered awe as Andi ate cake with both great speed and elegance with her fork and knife and napkin.
"I-I don't know." She answered, feeling a little jealous since it looked like Andi wasn't even gaining a pound! This despite having finished five full sized cakes!
How is that even possible?!
"Zeus is a glutton."
"I am not!" Zeus glared at Hades.
"She likely got it from her grandfather," Poseidon said. His sisters and elder brother scowled at the thought while Zeus grimaced.
"I could believe that." Rhea nodded.
"How did you eat all that?" Nico asked in awe.
Andi just blinked at him, "It's cake." She said as if that was the answer to everything.
The boy was about to say something when he was interrupted by a voice calling out, "Andi!"
The daughter of Zeus put a forkful of cake into her mouth and as she turned to face Percy swallowed, "Oh hey, Percy!" she smiled as he ran up to her, "Hey, these are my new friends—" but he cut her off.
"Yeah, hey, whatever." He said very quickly, and quite rudely she noted, as he didn't even bother to look at them. "Andi, quest, underworld, World War III. We need to leave." He told her.
"But cake." She said, holding it in front of him, he slapped it out of her hands as Andi watched in horror as it fell to the floor.
"...Oh gods, I have to watch this again?" Percy groaned.
"Suffer, Prissy." Ares grinned.
"Forget the stupid cake!" He told her as she smacked him across the face. And this wasn't some open palm slap. This was a knuckle rapping against his jaw pimping backhand that sent him stumbling a foot or two, "Ow!" He shouted, holding his probably bruising jaw.
Andi looked livid, "You, you," she muttered darkly as her bangs curtained her eyes, "Jerk-off!" she shouted as she glowered, a breeze picking up despite them being indoors, "How could you do that to pure innocent cake!"
Percy blinked at her and then grinned, "Cake is stupid."
Andi was stunned silent, "Take that back Jackson, and I may give you a quick death." She told him menacingly.
"Your butt looks big, had too much cake?" He mocked her.
"Oh, Percy..." Aphrodite covered her eyes. "And Percabeth was going so smoothly!"
"That's – Other me!" Percy groaned.
Andi twisted around to look at her booty. It looked perfectly fine thank you very much! She turned back to glare at him, "Last words?" she asked him as her hands were encased in a miniature cyclone, getting Bianca and Nico to just stare at her.
"Can you do that when you get angry?" Nico asked his sister in a fearful whisper.
His sister gulped, "No."
"Oh, good."
"She'd probably raise the dead to chase after you," Hazel said. "Or pelt you with gems. Or jump scare you with shadows. Or-"
"Hazel, stop before you give yourself ideas." Nico grumbled.
"Catch me if you can." Percy told her with a grin, before he ran off to where Annabeth was getting Grover, so they could get out of this freaky place.
"Jackson!" She roared. "Get back here!" She demanded while giving chase, but returned a second later. "See ya guys, got to go kill my idiot of a cousin, peace out." She finished with a wink and disappeared.
The siblings were quiet, just standing there watching the whole scene until Nico spoke up, "I like her. She's funny."
"Yeah." Bianca laughed, before ushering her brother back to their room. The elder di Angelo hoped to see her new friend again someday, it was nice to talk about stuff with someone like Andi.
"And perhaps more..." Leo trailed off.
"No! Windi for life!" Apollo proclaimed with a fist thrust in the air.
Nico and Thalia scowled, both for different reasons.
After catching up with Percy, who was dancing around a table with her so as not to get hit as he explained that people check in, but never leave. Something he'd figured out when he met some people from the 1970s.
She forgave him then, but still punched him in the arm for badmouthing cake and her perfectly fine rump. They met up with Grover and Annabeth as they headed to the exit.
The Lotus bellhop hurried up to them. "Well, now, are you ready for your platinum cards?"
"We're leaving," Percy told him.
"Such a shame," the bellhop said, "We just added an entire new floor full of games for platinum-card members."
He held out the cards, and the kids wanted one, really they did. But if they took one, they might never leave.
"Like that's a bad thing?" Hermes grinned. "Makeshift immortality."
Grover reached for the card, but Annabeth yanked his arm back before he could grab hold of one and said, "No, thanks."
Andi walked up to the bellhop as Percy tried to pull her back. The man held out the card with a smile, but his face twisted into pain as Andi gave him a hard kick to the junk, there was the distinct sound of a pop too. Poor dude.
"Ohh..." The males in the room gained looks of horror and crossed their legs.
"How dare you use pure innocent cake against me you soulless heathen." She spat at him and walked over his downed body, deliberately walking her way up his spine, chin in the air with a huff.
"For shame, Hades." Hestia frowned.
"Whatever." Hades rolled his eyes.
They walked toward the door, and as they did, the smell of the food and the sounds of the games seemed to get more and more inviting. It was tempting, but they pressed on.
It took a great deal of effort, but eventually they burst through the doors of the Lotus Casino and suddenly as if some force that had been restraining them had released its hold, they found themselves running down the sidewalk, putting as much distance between them and the Lotus as possible. It felt like afternoon, about the same time of day they'd gone into the casino, but something was wrong. The weather had completely changed. It was stormy, with heat lightning flashing out in the desert. That hadn't been what the weather was like when they got to Vegas.
Ares' backpack was slung over Percy's shoulder, which was odd, because he was sure he'd thrown it in the trash can in room 4001, but at the moment he had other problems to worry about.
"Yes, his uncle would've been very upset had he not been the son of the sea god," Hades said with a smirk. "Everything goes back, doesn't it Poseidon?"
"You insult me, Hades. I know a pollution joke when I hear one," Poseidon said with a frown while Percy blinked.
"Wait, is that why it returned to me?"
"It was likely jinxed to return to you," Poseidon said quickly before his brother got the wrong idea.
The stink eye Zeus leveled on him didn't help in the slightest.
The son of the sea ran to the nearest newspaper stand and read the year first. He loudly thanked the gods that it was still the same year but quickly paled when he noticed something else.
"It could've very well been sixty years later, gosh darn it."
"Leo, I swear-!" Hazel started.
"What if they didn't have chicken nuggets?" Frank asked.
"Frank!"
"What? That's a legitimate question!"
Curious herself, Andi peered over his shoulder to check out the date. It was June Twentieth.
They had been in the Lotus Casino for five days.
Which meant that now, they had only one day left until the summer solstice. One day to complete the quest to stop WWIII from happening.
Andi peered over his shoulder, "Well, it's official. I'm never coming back to Vegas. Ever."
Stupid evil casinos.
"They're not evil!" Hermes protested.