Chapter 10

Jason

It troubled Jason how the fate of their adventure could change in a matter of minutes. At first, the six half-bloods were nearing into the House of Hades, ready for the inevitable battle that awaited all of them. Then, it all changed with a battle against the Ismenian Serpent. Jason looked at Leo. The pale boy was proof that they had lost more from that battle than they had gained to earn peace. Even the Argo 2 was so battered up that it would not lift up off of the ground. Jason looked at their situation in disgust. The person who could fix the ship perfectly was in a physical state where he could not. Also, Nico and Jason knew nothing about the ship, other than how to drive it.

"What will we do now?" Jason said, glancing around. His question wasn't directed to anyone, but he found Nico answering him.

"Well, the Argo 2 is a ship," NIco stated. Jason was suprised to hear him talk, even if he didn't make sense.

Seeing Jason's confusion, Nico continued, "We cannot fly with the Argo 2, because of some malfunction to the engine, but it is not too battered up. We are on an island now-"

"We could sail it," Jason finished Nico's thought, finally understanding his point.

Jason was astonished. Nico had never stuck him as the logical type, nor a leader. From the beginning, Jason had felt himself hate the boy. He always seemed to be quiet and reserved. Throughout the whole time Nico was on the Argo 2, he was just relying on others. Now, a new side of the boy showed, a side that Jason had never imagined to be there.

Then Jason realized, the relationship between him and Nico was just like the relationship between Jupiter and Pluto. They were separated and hidden from eachother. Even though the both of them did talk to eachother at times, Jason had never felt a bond between him and Nico as he had with Percy and the other members of the team. He had even hated Nico at first for no reason, judging him to be different when they were the same. Both boys were powerful and leaders, no matter what anybody said.

As Jason climbed onto the boat, he looked at the other boy. Nico had dark rings under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept for days. His hair was matted down with a little blood and scars filled his body. Jason realized that he probably looked the same way. Still, there was something about Nico that seemed a little off. Nico seemed a little abnormal and Jason grimaced just looking at the boy.

"You take care of Leo and sleep," Jason responded, out of concern. "I'll steer the ship."

Nico just nodded while Jason took the wheel. He knew that the Argo 2 had gone a little off track, delaying them, because of the monsters that lurk in the Mediteranian. Jason smiled. He knew that sailing to their destination would not take long. Jason vaguely remembered Piper telling him that they were in Thebes, Greece, where the Ismenian Serpent was killed the first time.

Jason thought about Leo and his smile turned upside down. They still didn't know how bad the dragon's poison was. Jason remembered his old, peppy friend and sighed. Now, Leo was a nervous wreck, pale and close to death. Jason sighed. Realizing that you were a demigod could do a lot to a person. Leo and Piper were both proof for that. Jason remembered how cheeky Leo had been and how fragile Piper had seemed. Now, Jason would never had guessed they were the same people as before if he hadn't been with them the whole time.

Then, Jason heard a sound. His suspicions raised. Jason could put the boat in autopilot and confirm the noise. Jason stuttered. He knew that the Ismenian Serpant had destroyed the ship and he wasn't sure if autopilot would work. The red button mocked him, willing him to press it. Suddenly, Jason heard Nico scream his name. Then, Jason left the handle, pressed the button, and ran to the infirmary.

Inside, Leo was getting paler. Jason whitened at the sight of the boy. He seemed sicker than before. He looked at Nico who was shaking his head in disapproval. Jason looked at the boy in confusion. Before Nico opened his mouth, Jason saw him gulp for air.

"This is all that is left of ambroisa and nectar," Nico said softly.

Jason looked at the boy. He was holding a single bag. In the bag, there was a single bottle, the size of a fist, and three pieces of ambroisa. Jason stared at Leo, then Nico. It was evident that Leo was in pain and needed the medicine, but they needed the godly medicine for the inevitable battles to close the Doors of Death.

Then, Jason looked at the boy. He couldn't just let Leo die. Jason thought of the boy that always made the cheekiest jokes and smiled. He would not let that boy go to waste, no matter what.

"Feed him some," Jason ordered. His voice became more stern and serious.

Nico just shrugged and did what Jason said. Jason smiled at that. However, his happiness was delayed when the ship suddenly shook and stopped moving. Jason ran to the front and gulped. The controls had stopped working and the whole room was blaring red. Jason took a deep breath and, as if on command, the alarms started blaring.

Jason looked. The coast was too far to swim. Plus, the water never was Jason's strong suit. Fear started to rise in Jason as the boat went closer into the water. His mind got fuzzier. It was all too much for him. Jason felt the air around him getting cooler. Wind blew past him. Jason's eyes narrowed on the island and, all of a sudden, the boat dropped a little. However, Jason didn't move. He was floating in midair.

Then, he stopped. He lowered himself as he thought of Nico and Leo, then ran back to them. He couldn't leave them. Jason sighed. His mind seemed to be playing tricks with him. At first, he would do one thing, then he would remember the wrong thing at the wrong time, making it impossible to lead.

"Jason?" Nico said, implying he wanted to know what was happening.

In monotone, Jason whispered, "The controls are malfunctioning."

Nico seemed to be thinking, "Is it because you left it on autopilot?"

The son of Jupiter grimaced. He didn't want it to be his fault. However, instead of arguing, he answered, "I don't know."

Then, Jason took a deep breath and, slowly, he said, "Get Leo to the top of the ship!"

Nico lifted Leo up and followed orders. Jason started helping him, carrying one side of Leo, while Nico carried the other. The poor boy in the middle was asleep. Jason noticed that Leo stirred a little, but he did not wake up. However, by the time they reached the roof, the three were overwhelmed with water.

Jason looked down. They were not yet fully sunk or even at the point in which they should be touching water, up on the roof. Then, Jason turned his around ninety degrees. He stopped and his eyes got wide. In front of the three boys, a sea monster stood bellowing.

Then a voice erupted behind the three, "I was just trying to rest!"

Jason looked behind him and saw a familiar angry satyr. Jason gulped. He had forgotten about Coach Hedge and, by the looks of it, Nico had too. How the satyr managed to sleep during the whole trip, Jason did not know. However, the satyr was here now and Jason was glad to have an extra set of hands to destroy the monster.

"What's going on here?" Coach Hedge asked, his bat by his side.

"Later," Nico muttered to the lazy satyr, and they started fighting.

Jason looked at the scene he was in. Leo was unconscious next to them and Coach Hedge was swinging his bat aimlessly. Still, no matter what, the monster didn't seem to die. Jason repetatively electricuted the monster with lightning bolts, but nothing worked. He grimaced.

When Jason looked at Nico, he was suprised. Jason knew that, since Nico was a son of Hades, he was probably stronger on land and, to be truthful, Nico seemed as strong as Jason on the water. He fought the sea monster with all of his might. The sea monster even seemed a little faint because of all the new scars Nico was giving him. When Jason first saw Nico, he had disregarded the boy, putting him off as a wimp. Now, Jason knew that he was wrong.

The first person to go down in the battle was Coach Hedge. Somehow, the sea monster had transfered the electricity from Jason's lightning bolt, hitting the satyr. Jason heard a woman laughing in the distance. Then, behind him, a woman appeared out of thin air. She had black, frizzy hair, dimpled cheeks, braces, and wide-framed glasses. Jason glared at the girl with anger in his eyes.

"Hi Jason!" the girl smiled again.

"Jason," Nico said as the ship went closer into the water, "We have five minutes at maximum before the ship is overwhelmed by water."

That statement made the girl laugh even more.

"What is your problem?" Jason asked her, scrunching her face. He was ready to attack the lady.

"You don't recognize me?" the girl pouted a little. "You should after defeated my friend Lamia."

Then, Jason stated the one name Lamia had told him, "Keto?"

Keto snarled at the boy, "Obviously!" Then, a girl giggled a bit.

"I am out to get revenge," Keto stated, "for Lamia and for events before."

Jason just stared at Keto, not knowing what to do. Then, he heard a thump behind him. He looked and saw Nico unconsious. Jason could not do this alone. Especially with only about 2 minutes left. Jason looked to the edge of the boat. Some of the water was washing onto the roof deck already, wetting his shoes. He was hopeless.

Then, Jason heard a voice in his head, "Jump into the water and I will heal the others."

Jason grimaced, the voice seemed mean and mysterious.

Still, the boy had no choice. He stole one last glance at the scene. Then, he jumped into the water and blacked out.

In the distance, Jason could hear Keto groan in disgust.

Okay... This chapter is done. The next few chapters should be up in a couple of days. I am sorry for the late updates, but I WILL finish this story. I already have the plot worked out and everything. You guys will love it! :)

BYE until the next chapter...

Jason: Didn't you forget something?

Me: Join my Hunger Games SYOT! Meep!

Piper: *Facepalm

Me: ?

Hazel: THE DISCLAIMER!

Me: What?

Frank: You know, saying that you don't own us or anything from PJO and HOO...

Me: You just did, so I don't need to! HA!