Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Story: The Ocean's Son
Chapter 12: Voyage to Atlantis
Onboard the Trident
Annabeth's POV
I awoke the next morning, and got ready for the day ahead. Ian woke up late yesterday evening, he and Thalia talked for hours, and well let's just say that they seemed incredibly happy. Thalia was different; she seemed so much happier, even giddy, which is really strange. Love can do that to you, I should know; I was that way with Percy back when we were together as teenagers. I envied them; they were so in love, and happy. I just hoped that Percy, and I could get back to feeling that way. I showered, and changed clothes for the day. I walked to the kitchen to see Thalia and Ian sitting at the table. Ian looked so much better, his hands were still bandaged, but he was dressed in a red t-shirt and blue jeans. Thalia was feeding him oatmeal as his hands were too injured to feed himself. I watched them as Thalia teased him about her having to feed him.
"Is the little baby Ian full yet?" Thalia quipped. Ian just glared at her with fake hurt in his eyes.
"Thals, stop it, you're making me feel worse, you know that?" Ian asked. Thalia stopped teasing him, and looked up at him apologetically.
"Ian, I'm sorry." Thalia said sincerely, which was incredibly odd for her. Ian gave her a mischievous smirk.
"I know how you can make it all better." Ian said. Thalia's eyes widened in anticipation.
"How, water boy?" Thalia said.
"A kiss, lightning girl." Ian said. Thalia put down the spoon of oatmeal, their faces inching closer and closer together until their lips met in a kiss. I walked in, and cleared my throat sending the two almost falling out of their seats as they rushed to separate, their faces turning tomato red. I laughed at the two of them.
"Oh, you guys are so cute." I remarked. Thalia just gave me the death glare, but I put my hand on her shoulder, and gave her an amused smile. I saw the anger drain out of her face.
"Not funny Annie." Thalia said. Ian smiled at both of us while shaking his head.
"You know, you two really do act like sisters." Ian commented. Thalia and I gave him a warm smile.
"Well, I guess we are, we've known each other for a very long time." I said. Thalia nodded in agreement.
Ian started rubbing his hands together. "What's wrong?" I asked. Thalia just glared at Ian.
"He keeps trying to take off the bandages." Thalia stated.
"My hands itch like crazy. They're driving me nuts." Ian said as he tried not to rub his hands together.
"Ian, you're only going to make them worse, if you take off the bandages, the itching means they're healing." I stated factually. Ian sighed, and laid his hands on the table so that they were a good three feet apart.
"I know, but my ADHD is not helping things. I can't do my usual routine to help alleviate it." Ian said.
"What usual routine?" Thalia asked.
"Percy found out while in Atlantis, that we could lessen the effects of the ADHD and even the dyslexia by playing music. For whatever reason, children of Poseidon can use music to help with the ADHD and dyslexia. I really need to play the guitar, but I can't with these damn things on." Ian stated as he raised his hands in defeat.
"So that's how Percy was able to do so well in school, and in his career." I said.
"That as well as the concentration techniques that he learned from the Atlantean masters, I still haven't had a chance to go there, and study, but dad says I can go next summer. Percy has taught me some, but he says the masters are much better at teaching these techniques." Ian said. He looked off into the distance as if he was thinking of something.
"Are you in pain?" Thalia asked worriedly. Ian looked at her, and then he smiled.
"No, I just thought of Percy, I hope dad is right. I couldn't imagine not having my brother around. He's the closes friend I have." Ian said. Thalia carefully held both of Ian's bandaged hands in hers. He looked at her, and then gave her a hopeful smile.
"Don't worry water boy, old kelp head will be just fine, you wait and see." Thalia said. I looked at her hopefully as well. "You too brain." My smile brightened at one of the many nicknames that Thalia had for me. I made me a bowl of cereal, and sat down to eat.
The intercom buzzed loudly. "All passengers please report to the forward observation deck in one hour, thank you." Poseidon said over the intercom.
"I wonder what's going on." I said.
Ian looked at his watch, and his eyes grew big. "We're almost there." Ian said.
"Where?" Thalia asked. Ian smiled at both of us; it was a smile almost exactly like Percy's
"Atlantis" Ian said with a dream like look in his eyes. Thalia and I looked at each other with broad smiles on our faces. We all quickly finished eating as we rushed out of the kitchen, and hurried to the forward observation deck. We walked into the room to see, Artemis and Athena already there. The three of us bowed to the goddesses.
"I do not believe that my sister and I have met the youngest son of Poseidon." Artemis said. Ian stood in front of them with a sheepish smile on his face.
"Sorry, I guess I can't shake hands at the moment." Ian said as he raised his bandaged hands in the air. Artemis and Athena both nodded in understanding toward the young demigod. Artemis stared at Ian closely, then she shook her head, Athena seemed to recognize this gesture.
"Is there something wrong?" Athena asked Artemis. Artemis looked at her sister, then back toward Ian.
"I was just thinking how much Ian looks like Orion." Artemis said. Ian's eyes lit up at the name of his long deceased half brother.
"Dad told me the same thing." Ian said. Artemis nodded in agreement, although I could tell that his Australian accent seemed to throw off the comparison.
"So you're from Australia, which part?" Artemis asked.
"Queensland" Ian answered. Artemis face took on a serious look.
"I know you and Thalia are together, I expect you to honor my little sister." Artemis warned, as Athena chuckled as Ian visibly gulped in fear. Then Ian's face became serious, and I saw all fear wash away from his eyes.
"I would never hurt her, I promise my lady." Ian said as his crystal blue eyes stared into the silver eyes of the goddess. Artemis face took on a look of shock, and then I realized that Ian must have looked a lot like Orion at that moment.
"I trust your word Ian." Artemis said. Ian visibly sighed in relief as he went to sit down beside Thalia. I sat next to my mom, a few minutes later, the door opened to reveal Poseidon. He walked in smiling at all of us.
"Good you're all here. Artemis, how do you feel?" Poseidon asked sincerely.
"I'm feeling better, thank you for asking uncle." Artemis said.
"Good, we should be arriving at Atlantis soon; I know that Ian is the only one of you who has seen Atlantis. We have worked hard to rebuild the city since the second titan war. Annabeth, I would have asked you to help with the reconstruction, but I knew you were busy with Olympus. Even without your assistance, I believe we've been able to rebuild it to a point beyond its previous glory, thanks to Perseus and Tyson.
"What is the city like? Are there places that are not filled with water?" I asked. Poseidon gave me an amused smile, he looked at my mother, and I could tell that she was equally curious.
"You'll see." Poseidon said as he stood up, and walked to the front of the observation room. He flipped a switch and the entire front portion of the room opened up into a one hundred eighty degree window that encompassed the entire front of the Trident. The crystal blue water started to become darker as we plunged deeper and deeper into the abyss of the ocean. Suddenly, a small beacon of light could be seen in the distance. Like a star millions of light-years away from Earth.
We moved closer and closer to the light. The light became brighter and larger as we closed. Suddenly, the light became clear, and I was able to discern its shape. It was a city, a city beyond anything I had ever seen before. The city sat on top of a massive underwater plateau. The surrounding water was dark, and if I didn't know we were underwater I would have thought this city was floating in outer space. The city was large, about twice the size of Manhattan. The most surprising thing was that the city was encased in a glass dome, the dome itself seemed rather thin, but it glowed with some type of internal energy like the dome was powered by a small sun that seemed to give it power. Inside the dome were spire like buildings made of a beautiful blue and white marble, it was a type of marble I had never seen before. The internal streets of the city were laid out in concentric circles with large internal monorails that ran on diagonal lines from the center of the city to the edges of the clear walls. These lines weren't tracks, they just looked like a single thin wire, nothing else. The technology needed to pull off such a feet of engineering and transportation was beyond anything seen on the surface or on Olympus. I looked at my mother, and her jaw was on the floor in wonder. I couldn't believe that even my mother was surprised by this place. I looked at Poseidon, and he smiled brightly, he seemed incredibly proud of his city.
The Trident came to the edge of the city's glass wall, and passed through it like it wasn't even there. The sub was no longer surrounded by water, but the boat still floated in the air, then I realized that we were engulfed in a blue aura that seemed to make us hover in the air. This kind of technology was unbelievable.
Once inside the sphere the city was lit up like it was daytime, I couldn't tell where the light originated from. The Trident moved toward the center of the city, we cleared two massive spire-like buildings to find in the center a palace like no other. It was made of the same blue and white marble, except there were four large metallic towers that were made of a brilliant emerald green metal, on the tops of the towers were sets of one hundred energy crystals that glowed with intense power. The palace itself looked like something out of a fairy tale. The Trident floated, and then lowered from the air until we landed on a large marble plaza that extended beyond the Southwest tower. "Welcome to Atlantis, and to my palace." Poseidon said.
"Lord Poseidon, this is amazing." I said. He chuckled to himself.
"I'm glad you like it my dear." Poseidon said as he looked at Artemis and Athena. They were both quiet as they looked out toward the palace.
"This city is beyond incredible." Artemis said. Athena looked at her sister, and nodded.
"Athena, you seem rather quiet." Poseidon said. Athena looked at her long time former rival.
"I never thought I would ever see this city. It is more amazing than I ever dreamed." Athena said. Poseidon smiled at her warmly.
"I'm very glad you like it. I would be happy to give the four of you a tour, while Ian and Tyson bring Percy to the healers." Poseidon said. I looked at the god of the seas with concern.
"Don't worry my dear, you'll see Percy soon, I promise." Poseidon said, as I nodded in agreement. We all followed Poseidon out the door, before I walked out I looked back to see Thalia kissing Ian goodbye, I smiled at the two of them. They broke apart, and then Thalia joined me, when she saw me smiling she gave me an annoyed glare.
"What're you smiling at brain?" Thalia asked. I elbowed her in the ribs playfully.
"It just makes me happy to see the two of you together." I said. Thalia rolled her eyes.
"Come on brain; let's move before you start wearing pink clothes and too much perfume. You're really going to turn into an Aphrodite girl." Thalia quipped. I gave her the death glare.
"You know, sometimes you're a real pain in the ass, do you know that?" I asked sarcastically. Thalia began to laugh as we hurried to catch up with the others.
AN: I know a little puff piece, but we'll have some more on the tour of Atlantis, a little action, and of course Percabeth in the next chapter.
