Disclaimer: I like Rick Riordan's Characters a lot. That's why I am using them but they are not mine at all.
XII. FRANK
A couple of things happened at the same time: Jason falling in the water, Percy floating in a pond of blood, Annabeth crying in Piper's arms, Sasha running to Percy's side, and Hazel and I jumping to the water.
I became a whale to help. Hazel climbed to my back and I swam trying to not sink down, otherwise Hazel would fall of me. Hazel patted my back angrily trying to hurry me up.
Then I stopped horrified when I heard Hazel yelling "Monster". Sasha's protection must have weakened due to the intense training. I feared for Hazel's safety but I couldn't walk out of the situation.
With my whale senses, I felt the creature. It was some kind of snake like 30 feet moving in circles around all of us. Sasha was standing up weapon ready in the water expecting a flying attack, but looking in the water expecting an underwater attack.
I approached to Percy, so Hazel could pull him to my back. I felt the new weight: Percy's body. I heard to Hazel saying to me: "Frank, Percy is breathing and healing quickly. Jason is coming to us".
Jason swam and greeted me before climbing on me. "Is everybody OK?" said Jason.
"Yeah, we must get out of here" said Hazel and that was my cue to swim to the vessel. I swam as fast as I could with the bodies on me and without sinking.
"Where is the Sasha?" ask Hazel
Out of the blue, I saw Sasha swimming below me fighting the sea snake. She was like a demon. I saw her whirling around the snake leaving dark liquid behind. The snake hit her couple of times with the tail but not enough to knock her out. Finally, she swam below the snake and propelled herself up and chopped off the monster head.
I saw how the monster parts disappeared in the depths of the sea and Sasha approaching toward us. She smiled at me before taking her head out of the water.
"Young praetor, the situation?" said Sasha like the Roman commander she was once.
"Fine, Master Sasha. Percy is recovering fast. Hazel and Frank are unharmed and I was just caught off guard. Yourself?" replied Jason.
"Weak but I will live. Young praetor, One hour break… Son of war, take them to the ship. I have to raise our underwater defenses." commanded Sasha and swam down. I could have stared at her swimming but I have to get to the ship.
Jason helped Hazel to climb Percy up to the ship. I waited for a moment before becoming a bird and get up to ship for myself.
I saw Annabeth checking Percy and feeding him ambrosia and nectar. Piper was sitting next to Jason. They were watching at Percy and Annabeth. Hazel was staring at me waiting for me; therefore I became myself and hugged her tightly. Probably, all air left her lungs but I didn't care. Leo was looking around the deck for damage.
Minutes passed and Percy woke up coughing. Annabeth helped him to sit down.
"How are you? What happened? One minute you were there and then I only saw you floating in blood" asked Annabeth trying to hold her tears.
"Shhh, I'm fine, wise girl. A big snake hit me with the tail and left a spike on me. I guess everybody is fine… Where is Sasha?" said Percy.
"She said she needed to strengthen the defense after she killed the monster" I said.
"How the monster broke in?" asked Piper.
"She must have waited for the perfect opportunity for the monster to attack Jason and Percy who were weak and tired" replied Annabeth enraged.
"No, wise girl. All the training and extra effort stopping our hurricanes have taken a big toll on Sasha's concentration. She was tired enough for her barrier weakened, so the monster just got in. It wasn't deliberately" said Percy quietly.
Annabeth was even more enraged and yelled "How can you defend her? You almost died because of her"
"Annabeth, she has been protecting the ship for two days non-stop. Also she has been training me and Jason. Cut her some slack" said Percy defending Sasha. Annabeth took a deep breath and lowered her eyes. She must have swallowed her pride and drop the topic.
"Grace, are you ready to continue?" asked Percy grinning at Jason.
"Yeah, sure, we are on a break by the way. Less of one hour" replied Jason.
"Good, it could use some snack and ambrosia" said Percy standing up with the help of Annabeth. Jason, Piper, Annabeth and Percy walked into the ship. Hazel was walking too but she looked to me and asked "Are you coming?"
"In a while, I want to check out by myself the protection and if there is any damage or leaking" I said and became a seal. I jumped to the sea and I swam around the ship. There was no hole on the hull. I was relieved, so I swam as far as I could, hoping to find the protection.
Then bang. I hit an invisible wall. It was very thick and strong. It was like 200 feet of distance from the ship. I could see monsters swirling around the protection looking for a way in. I circled the perimeter checking the wall and looking for Sasha. Finally, I found her talking to dolphin inside the protection. She looked exhausted but yet giggling at the dolphin antics.
I approached to her and she just smiled at me. I saw her stare focusing at me. Probably, trying to talk to me like any other sea creature, but I couldn't understand her. Finally, she realized who I was and pointed up to the surface. She swam up and I followed her.
"Son of war. What are you doing here?" asked Sasha. She waited for my answer but I don't have a human voice and I don't talk seal. Sasha quickly got the situation and said: "Well, I need a lift. I need some rest and food"
She held herself to me and I took her to the ship. I helped her to get back on deck.
"Thank you, son of war" said Sasha smiling and drying herself before going to eat. I became myself and followed her.
At the table, Jason and Percy were eating pizza and ambrosia. Leo was telling jokes while Piper, Annabeth and Hazel were drinking the afternoon tea. That was new.
Sasha and I sat down at the table, me next to Hazel and Sasha next to her brother but away from Annabeth who was shotting daggers with her eyes at her.
"How is down there?" asked quietly Hazel at me.
"It's incredible. There is a big wall protecting us. I could see the monsters moving around looking for a hole" I said almost whispering. I wasn't hungry but I accompanied the ladies with their tea.
For the next half an hour, everything was nice and happy. Everybody laughed at Leo's jokes and Sasha told us more camp's pranks back in the day. The color returned at Sasha's cheeks as well as Percy and Jason.
The spell was broken when Sasha took a look at her pocket watch and said "Let's go. Two more hours of training and we will call it the day. Excuse us ladies and gentleman"
"We are going in a sec" said Piper sipping her tea
Sasha, Percy and Jason stood up and left us drinking tea and chatting for a couple of minutes. "We need to make a plan against her, quickly" said Annabeth giving to us a hard stare.
"Annabeth, I know that you don't like her, but this is not your fight. It's Percy's" said Piper. Annabeth was waiting for the right moment.
"Tomorrow if Percy fails, we fail" replied Annabeth.
"Hope that Percy will do it" said Hazel.
"I don't want to leave everything in hands of Percy. We must have a backup plan" said Annabeth.
"I agreed with you, Annabeth… but what?" I said and the girls looked at me in shock.
"We need to investigate. I will talk with Chiron first thing in the morning. Right now, it is night at camp" said Annabeth.
"We must be worry also if Percy wins. I saw the protection and there are at least a dozen of sea creatures around us. Once the protection is broken, we are going to be under attack" I said and everybody was quiet deep in thought.
"Leo, will the ship survive a big attack like that?" asked Hazel.
"I hope so, but I cannot assure anything. I will make get all our weapons ready. Could all of you help me to make the adjustments?" said Leo. The rest and I nodded at him.
"Ok, let's to work" said Piper.
