KAPPA | OH, BEWARE THE MIGHTY GOD WHO SPECIALIZES IN CHILLED BEVERAGES
Disclaimer: I do not own the Heroes of Olympus series or any of the characters. I only own the character Nerissa Jackson and her original plot lines and dialogue.
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO Rosy Fire, gia1113, NicoleR85, luckycgo, yasminasfeir1, Madhatterpotterhead, One Smart Waffle, aisleland, RavenDeathGirl0909, Elle AND Guest. THIS CHAPTER IS A BIT SHORT BUT I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER!
An idea began tickling at the base of Percy's skull at Riss' taunting words and with a single glance, he knew that his sister was thinking the same.
He was sure that it was bordering on most insane plan ever but before he could pursue it, more dolphin warriors climbed the stairs, hauling up the rest of his friends. Jason was unconscious. Judging from the new bruises on his face, he'd tried to fight. Percy tried not to grin at the way Riss made an indignant noise beside him and shuffled.
Hazel and Piper were bound hand and foot. Piper had a gag in her mouth, so apparently the dolphins had discovered she could charmspeak. Frank was the only one missing, though two of the dolphins had bee stings covering their faces. Could Frank actually turn into a swarm of bees? Percy hoped so. If he was free aboard the ship somewhere, that could be an advantage, assuming Percy could figure out how to communicate with him.
"Excellent!" Chrysaor gloated. He directed his warriors to dump Jason by the crossbows. Riss made an insulted noise as Jason's body hit the deck with a thud. Then Chrysaor examined the girls like they were Christmas presents, which made Percy grit his teeth.
"The boy is no use to me," Chrysaor said. "But we have an understanding with the witch Circe. She will buy the women—either as slaves or trainees, depending on their skill. But not you, lovely Annabeth."
"Gross."
Annabeth recoiled. "You are not taking me anywhere."
Percy's hand crept to his pocket. His pen had appeared back in his jeans. He only needed a moment's distraction to draw his sword. Maybe if he could take down Chrysaor quickly, his crew would panic.
He wished he knew something about Chrysaor's weaknesses. Usually Annabeth provided him with information like that, but apparently Chrysaor didn't have any legends, so they were both in the dark.
The golden warrior tutted. "Oh, sadly, Annabeth, you will not be staying with me. I would love that. But you and my siblings are spoken for. A certain goddess is paying a high bounty for your capture—alive, if possible, though she didn't say you had to be unharmed."
At that moment, Piper caused the disturbance they needed. She wailed so loudly it could be heard through her gag. Then she fainted against the nearest guard, knocking him over. Hazel got the idea and crumpled to the deck, kicking her legs and thrashing like she was having a fit.
Percy drew Riptide and lashed out. The blade should have gone straight through Chrysaor's neck, but the golden warrior was unbelievably fast. He dodged and parried as the dolphin warriors backed up, guarding the other captives while giving their captain room to battle. They chattered and squeaked, egging him on, and Percy got the sinking suspicion the crew was used to this sort of entertainment. They didn't feel their leader was in any sort of danger.
Percy hadn't crossed swords with an opponent like this since…well, since he'd battled the war god Ares. Chrysaor was that good. Many of Percy's powers had gotten stronger over the years, but now, too late, Percy realized that swordplay wasn't one of them.
Riss jumped away from her twin and 'older brother,' swinging the hilt of Nauticus into the nearest dolphin-man's temple. His blade flashed out towards Riss as he fell into the dolphin beside him and Riss turned quickly to dispatch of the next warrior, only to be met with a sword-point to the chest. The dolphin warrior growled and Riss glared back.
Annabeth shook her head as best as she could with a knife to her throat, "Don't!"
Riss frowned, lowering her sword. She was confused as to why Annabeth was telling her not to fight until she noticed the blood coating the hilt of her sword. The liquid was a somewhat-broken trail starting from the hole in her shoulder and dripping from her fingertips and Riss sneered. The daughter of Poseidon let the dolphin warriors grab her and drag her back over to her best friend and eyed the new wound in her shoulder.
"Oh, look, you ruined my favorite shirt." Riss glanced up as Chrysaor disarmed Percy, making Riptide fly into the sea. "Seriously? Gods, Perce, you're getting old."
Chrysaor laughed easily. He wasn't even winded. He pressed the tip of his golden sword against Percy's sternum.
"A good try," said the pirate. "But now you'll be chained and transported to Gaea's minions. They are quite eager to spill your blood and wake the goddess."
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Riss was planning something crazy.
Which wasn't really a stretch because all Jackson plans were crazy.
"Gaea may want us," she spoke up. "But I don't that even she would want to risk the wrath of our captain. He is in an exceptionally cranky mood and he would not want to appear because of the likes of you." Riss said it with such disgust that Percy was amazed that she wasn't fake-gagging as well. "Our god rules our camp and he is mighty!"
Okay. So maybe that was laying it on a bit thick but Annabeth got the message, which was enough. "Yes! Mr D! The great Dionysus!"
A ripple of uneasiness passed through the dolphin-men. One dropped his sword.
"Stand fast!" Chrysaor bellowed. "There is no god on this ship. They are trying to scare you."
"You should be scared!" Percy looked at the pirate crew with sympathy, joining in. "Dionysus will be severely cranky with you for having delayed our voyage. He will punish all of us. Didn't you notice the girls falling into the wine god's madness?"
Hazel and Piper had stopped the shaking fits. They were sitting on the deck, staring at Percy, but when he glared at them pointedly, they started hamming it up again, trembling and flopping around like fish. The dolphin-men fell over themselves trying to get away from their captives.
Riss tossed back her hair, eyeing the dolphin-man holding her. "They, too, fear the wrath of Dionysus! I, Nerissa Jackson, the voice of the gods, can hear his angry words already." Her eyes flashed bright-green for emphasis, "He vows to curse you all again for crossing him! Run, while you still can!"
"Fakes!" Chrysaor roared. "Shut up, Riss Jackson. Your camp director is not here. He was recalled to Olympus. This is common knowledge."
"Of course," Riss agreed. "But he is our god—our director! He always comes to the aid of his disciples!" The dolphin-man holding Riss immediately let her go, "If you were smart, you would fear him."
"He was," Chrysaor corrected. "Everyone knows that."
Percy gestured at the golden warrior like he'd just betrayed himself. "You see? We are doomed."
"If you don't believe us, let's check the ice chest!" Riss pointed dramatically at the chest, "Brother, open that chest!"
Percy stormed over to the magical cooler. No one tried to stop him. He knocked open the lid and rummaged through the ice. There had to be one. Please. He was rewarded with a silver-and-red can of soda. He brandished it at the dolphin warriors as if spraying them with bug repellent.
"Behold!" Percy shouted. "The god's chosen beverage. Tremble before the horror of Diet Coke!"
Riss almost dyed laughing. The dolphin-men began to panic. They were on the edge of retreat. Percy could feel it.
"The god will take your ship," Percy warned. "He will finish your transformation into dolphins, or make you insane, or transform you into insane dolphins! Your only hope is to swim away now, quickly!"
"Ridiculous!" Chrysaor's voice turned shrill. He didn't seem sure where to level his sword—at Percy or his own crew.
"Save yourselves!" Percy warned. "It is too late for us!" Then he gasped and pointed to the spot where Frank was hiding. "Oh, no! Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin!"
Nothing happened.
"I said," Percy repeated, "Frank is turning into a crazy dolphin!"
Frank stumbled out of nowhere, making a big show of grabbing his throat. "Oh, no," he said, like he was reading from a teleprompter. "I am turning into a crazy dolphin."
He began to change, his nose elongating into a snout, his skin becoming sleek and gray. He fell to the deck as a dolphin, his tail thumping against the boards.
The pirate crew disbanded in terror, chattering and clicking as they dropped their weapons, forgot the captives, ignored Chrysaor's orders, and jumped overboard. In the confusion, Annabeth moved quickly to cut the bonds on Hazel, Piper, and Coach Hedge and Riss, rather helpfully, literally threw some of the stragglers overboard.
Within seconds, Chrysaor was alone and surrounded. Percy and his friends had no weapons except for Annabeth's knife, Hedge's hooves and Riss' sword, but the murderous looks on their faces evidently convinced the golden warrior he was doomed. He backed to the edge of the rail.
"This isn't over, Jacksons," Chrysaor growled. "I will have my revenge—"
His words were cut short by Frank, who had changed his form again. An eight-hundred-pound grizzly bear can definitely break up a conversation. He sideswiped Chrysaor and raked the golden mask off his helmet. Chrysaor screamed, instantly covering his face with his arms and tumbling into the water.
They ran to the rail. Chrysaor had disappeared.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Riss cupped her hand around her ear, an innocent smile fixed on her face as she yelled into the water. "You didn't finish!"
"That was brilliant!" Annabeth kissed Percy, which made him feel a little better, and wrapped her arms around Riss in a quick hug.
"It was dramatic."
"It was desperate," Percy corrected. "And we need to get rid of this pirate trireme."
"Burn it?" Annabeth asked.
Percy looked at the Diet Coke in his hand. "No. I've got another idea."
"Is it a bad one?"
"When do I ever have good ones?"
"Good point, Perce."
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It took them longer than Percy wanted. As they worked, he kept glancing at the sea, waiting for Chrysaor and his pirate dolphins to return, but they didn't.
"Oh my gods, Percy," Riss finally grumbled. "Please, stop worrying so much."
Percy stuck his tongue out. "Shut up, Neri. I didn't see you completely calm when Jason was unconscious."
Riss turned to Jason and mumbled something about drowning her brother under her breath. She tended to Jason's wounds with gentle fingers but he wasn't as badly hurt as he looked. Mostly he was just ashamed that he'd gotten overpowered again. Leo got back on his feet, thanks to a little nectar.
They returned all their own supplies to the proper places and tidied up from the invasion while Coach Hedge had a field day on the enemy ship, breaking everything he could find with his baseball bat. When he was done, Percy loaded the enemy's weapons back on the pirate ship. Their storeroom was full of treasure, but Percy insisted that they touch none of it.
"I can sense about six million dollars' worth of gold aboard," Hazel said. "Plus diamonds, rubies—"
"Six m-million?" Frank stammered. "Canadian dollars or American?"
"Leave it," Percy said. "It's part of the tribute."
"Tribute?" Hazel asked.
"Oh." Piper nodded. "Kansas."
Jason grinned. He'd been there too when they'd met the wine god. "Crazy. But I like it."
"I don't," Riss grumbled, agreeing with Frank's dollar-sign eyes. "And it's not because I'm a jobless teenage girl with an eye for all things shiny."
Finally Percy went aboard the pirate ship and opened the flood valves. He asked Leo to drill a few extra holes in the bottom of the hull with his power tools, and Leo was happy to oblige.
The crew of the Argo II assembled at the rail and cut the grappling lines. Piper brought out her new horn of plenty and, on Percy's direction, willed it to spew Diet Coke, which came out with the strength of a fire hose, dousing the enemy deck. Percy thought it would take hours, but the ship sank remarkably fast, filling with Diet Coke and seawater.
Riss extended her hands, willing the ship to float away from the Argo II and it began to glow bright-green. The Jackson girl's summons made the air smell like the summer and grapes.
"Dionysus," Percy called, holding up Chrysaor's golden mask. "Or Bacchus—whatever. You made this victory possible, even if you weren't here. Your enemies trembled at your name…or your Diet Coke, or something. So, yeah, thank you." The words were hard to get out, but Percy managed not to gag. "We give this ship to you as tribute. We hope you like it."
"Six million in gold," Leo muttered. "He'd better like it."
"Shh," Hazel scolded. "Precious metal isn't all that great. Believe me."
Percy threw the golden mask aboard the vessel, which was now sinking even faster , brown fizzy liquid spewing out the trireme's oar slots and bubbling from the cargo hold, turning the sea frothy brown.
The enemy ship was swamped by a tidal wave at a flick of Riss' wrist. She looked to where the ship disappeared, "All that gold…"
Leo steered the Argo II away as the pirate vessel disappeared underwater.
"Isn't that polluting?" Piper asked.
"I wouldn't worry," Jason told her. "If Bacchus likes it, the ship should vanish."
Percy didn't know if that would happen, but he felt like he'd done all he could. He had no faith that Dionysus would hear them or care, much less help them in their battle against the twin giants, but he had to try. As the Argo II headed east into the fog, Percy decided at least one good thing had come out of his sword fight with Chrysaor. He was feeling humble—even humble enough to pay tribute to the wine dude.
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After their bout with the pirates, they decided to fly the rest of the way to Rome. Jason insisted he was well enough to take sentry duty, along with Riss and Coach Hedge, who was still so charged with adrenaline that every time the ship hit turbulence, he swung his bat and yelled, "Die!"
They had a couple of hours before daybreak, so Jason suggested Percy try to get a few more hours of sleep.
"It's fine, man," Jason said. "Give somebody else a chance to save the ship, huh?"
Percy agreed, disappearing below-decks, and Riss kept her sea-green eyes on his retreating form. Her teeth pulled at her bottom lip and her fingers drilled at her side, the small crinkle reappearing between her brows.
Jason walked quietly behind his girlfriend, looping his arms around her waist. The son of Jupiter ran his lips over Riss' neck, "You didn't get hurt too bad, did you?"
Riss shook her head immediately and craned her neck to press a kiss to Jason's lips. She pulled away after a beat and huffed, tossing her head back to flop against Jason's shoulder. Weariness tugged at her senses and Riss was fighting off the voices in her head—Dana Stevens, daughter of Apollo. Trenton Locard, son of—
"I'm okay. Just a small wound that's already healed." Water swirled up around Riss' hand and slid elegantly across the bruises on Jason's face. The Jackson girl tilted her head, "Better?"
"Definitely."
"Good."
Jason pressed his lips back to Riss' for a few, precious moments before tugging her to stand by the edge of the deck and watch the darkening ocean. "You know…I adore you too."
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The knock on Percy's door was what woke him from his nightmarish sleep and Jason poked his head in. The bruises on his face were completely gone, thanks to Riss' powers and his blue eyes glittered with excitement.
"Hey, man," he said. "We're descending over Rome. You really should see this. Neri hasn't stopped jumping up and down."
Briefly, Percy wondered when Riss had become more than just Riss to Jason (the upgrade to 'Neri' was slightly disarming) and the Jackson boy became slightly more attuned to the stunning smile Jason received from his girlfriend the second he reappeared on the deck, Percy beside him.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Riss asked breathlessly, head swiveling back around to stare at the view.
Percy had to agree that his sister was right. The sky was brilliant blue, as if the stormy weather had never happened. The sun rose over the distant hills, so everything below them shone and sparkled like the entire city of Rome had just come out of the car wash.
Percy had seen big cities before. He was from New York, after all. But the sheer vastness of Rome grabbed him by the throat and made it hard to breathe. The city seemed to have no regard for the limits of geography. It spread through hills and valleys, jumped over the Tiber with dozens of bridges, and just kept sprawling to the horizon. Streets and alleys zigzagged with no rhyme or reason through quilts of neighborhoods. Glass office buildings stood next to excavation sites. A cathedral stood next to a line of Roman columns, which stood next to a modern soccer stadium.
In some neighborhoods, old stucco villas with red-tiled roofs crowded the cobblestone streets, so that if Percy concentrated just on those areas, he could imagine he was back in ancient times. Everywhere he looked, there were wide piazzas and traffic-clogged streets. Parks cut across the city with a crazy collection of palm trees, pines, junipers, and olive trees, as if Rome couldn't decide what part of the world it belonged to—or maybe it just believed all the world still belonged to Rome.
Riss kept her eyes locked on Rome. She had always appreciated the ancient cities—the beauty that had existed before the metal and the electrical signals zipping everywhere. The daughter of Poseidon blamed Annabeth for most of her obsession but she was thankful for the daughter of Athena's input in her obsession. Mainly because of the way Jason was staring at her—with a mixture of adoration and bewilderment that made her head fuzz and her cheeks a brilliant shade of red.
"We're setting down in that park," Leo announced, pointing to a wide green space dotted with palm trees. "Let's hope the Mist makes us look like a large pigeon or something."
"I'd settle with a small plane," Riss scoffed in response. "Wish Thalia was here."
Jason shot her a look of confusion, which Riss waved away once she saw the look of absolute agreement on Percy's face. The Argo II set down in the grassy field and the oars retracted.
The noise of traffic was all around them, but the park itself was peaceful and deserted. To their left, a green lawn sloped toward a line of woods. An old villa nestled in the shade of some weird-looking pine trees with thin curvy trunks that shot up thirty or forty feet, then sprouted into puffy canopies.
Riss made sarcastic jazz-hands once she saw the trees. "Poofy…"
To their right, snaking along the top of a hill, was a long brick wall with notches at the top for archers. To the north, about a mile away through the folds of the city, the top of the Colosseum rose above the rooftops, looking just like it did in travel photos.
Jason pointed to the base of the archers' wall, where steps led down into some kind of tunnel.
"I think I know where we are," he said. "That's the Tomb of the Scipios."
Percy frowned. "Scipio…Reyna's pegasus?"
"Yes, Perce," Riss deadpanned, "that is a tomb belonging to a very-much alive horse. Scipio as in the noble family, idiot."
The son of Poseidon made a face at his sister, only half-listening to Annabeth's comment about how amazing Rome was as Riss made an equally weird face in retaliation.
Jason nodded. "I've studied maps of Rome before. I've always wanted to come here, but…"
Nobody bothered finishing that sentence.
Riss clapped her hands. "Well, as much as I'd like to nerd-out with Annie and be a total romantic with my darling boyfriend—when in Rome and all that jazz—we have shit to do. Nico has until sunset and Rome has…about that much time too."
Percy shook himself out of his daze. "You're right. Annabeth…did you zero in on that spot from your bronze map?"
Her gray eyes turned extra thunderstorm dark. "Yes," she said carefully. "It's on the Tiber River. I think I can find it, but I should—"
"Take me along," Percy finished. "Yeah, you're right."
Annabeth glared daggers at him. "That's not—"
"Safe," he supplied. "One demigod walking through Rome alone. I'll go with you as far as the Tiber. We can use that letter of introduction, hopefully meet the river god Tiberinus. Maybe he can give you some help or advice. Then you can go on alone from there."
They had a silent staring contest, but Percy didn't back down. Riss wanted to say in a sing-song voice awkward but she knew that if—when—she was having issues with Jason, she hated to be interrupted or told that she was being stupid. Percy's stubbornness, paired with the manners Sally Jackson had drilled into them both, would ensure that Percy would not back down against Annabeth's whole you can't come with position.
"Fine," Annabeth muttered. "Hazel, now that we're in Rome, do you think you can pinpoint Nico's location?"
Hazel blinked, as if coming out of a trance from watching the Percy/Annabeth Show. "Um…hopefully, if I get close enough. I'll have to walk around the city. Frank, would you come with me?"
Frank beamed. "Absolutely."
"And, uh…Leo," Hazel added. "It might be a good idea if you came along too. The fish-centaurs said we'd need your help with something mechanical."
"Yeah," Leo said, "no problem."
Frank's smile turned into something more like Chrysaor's mask. Riss stepped on his foot and shot him a look, one that Frank understood completely: there is nothing to worry about, so stop it, Frank.
Piper drew her knife and set it on the rail. "Jason, Riss and I can watch the ship for now. I'll see what Katoptris can show me. But, Hazel, if you guys get a fix on Nico's location, don't go in there by yourselves. Come back and get us. It'll take all of us to fight the giants."
She didn't say the obvious: even all of them together wouldn't be enough, unless they had a god on their side.
Riss seemed to realize something. "Sorry but I'll be in Rome too. I need to hunt down a few gods' temples." She raised a hand before anyone could tell her how dangerous it was. "I know…but I need to speak to a few people. They can help with an issue I'm having."
The Jackson twins exchanged a knowing look, one that didn't go unnoticed by the others.
"Good idea," Percy said finally, cutting in before anyone could ask what Riss meant. "How about we plan to meet back here at…what?"
"Three this afternoon?" Jason suggested. "That's probably the latest we could rendezvous and still hope to fight the giants and save Nico. If something happens to change the plan, try to send an Iris-message."
The others nodded in agreement, but Percy noticed several of them glancing at Annabeth. Another thing no one wanted to say: Annabeth would be on a different schedule. She might be back at three, or much later, or never. But she would be on her own, searching for the Athena Parthenos.
Coach Hedge grunted. "That'll give me time to eat the coconuts—I mean dig the coconuts out of our hull. Percy, Annabeth…I don't like you two going off on your own. Just remember: behave. If I hear about any funny business, I will ground you until the Styx freezes over."
"We'll be back soon," Percy promised. He looked around at his friends, trying not to feel like this was the last time they'd ever be together. "Good luck, everyone."
Leo lowered the gangplank, and Percy and Annabeth were first off the ship after both of them gave Riss a tight hug.
Riss tried to shake off the terrible foreboding feeling in her chest and pecked Jason's lips before she was casually walking down the gangplank and disappearing into the beautiful city of Rome.
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Riss heaved out a breath as she stopped in front of the Tempio di Giove Capitolino.
The Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus.
On any regular occurrence, Riss would dry-heave and make faces at the very possibility of stepping into Zeus'—Jupiter's, whatever—temple. Despite her boyfriend being the son of Jupiter, Riss could never see herself liking the god.
But still, here she was. After a sixteen minute walk, Riss had arrived at her not-so-desired location and was trying to breathe like a normal human being.
The temple was gorgeous—all ancient pillars and beautiful history. Capitoline Hill was simply stunning and Riss could see herself living in the city. Preferably with the entire crew of the Argo II, her parents and the demigods of Camp Half-Blood.
Riss stepped into the temple and huffed out a sigh. She sat down, crossing her legs and closing her eyes. "Well, I don't have any male, pure-white animals to sacrifice but I hope you'll speak with me anyway. I really need help."
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New chapter! This story will be a bit shorter than Atlantic, I think. I also decided that this series will only be three books long and that House of Hades will be skipped entirely.
Please review!
~ Raven