Gwen hurried down the paths of the house, she picked up her skirt as she did. A long skirt trail flowing along after her, she was running.
From what exactly, she didn't know.
She just knew she had to run, she ran away from a beautiful house with a small white fence, it was perfect. But something was still wrong, it didn't felt right. She ran away, from the otherwise peaceful scene if not for the looming gray cloud starting to spread out to shield the tranquil land from the sun's rays.
There were suddenly rose bushes she past, there were no roses just the thorns. The bush of thorns was in her path, so she had ran through it, the thorns catching on her skirt tearing as she ran. She glanced down to see the floral design had chanced into thorny thorns covering the entire skirt.
Where was she, what was she doing? How did she even get here?
Gwen didn't know, she couldn't remember even.
She tugged on her skirt that got caught up with a thorn, she brushed out the thrones sticking to her skirt that were scratching her legs as she moved. She pasted trees that maybe once upon a time was bright green tree with strong branches the colour of chocolate, they were gray with dark leaves similar to the colour of dried blood. The branches looked like it was to weak to support itself let alone the leaves. It still swayed in the non-existent wind.
She stumbled away into a wall, she looked behind herself and saw she was in a house the front door opened and she saw the looming cloud following her. She didn't know how she ended into the house. She just knew she didn't opened the door and walk inside. She just ended up there. She raced up the stairs, a horrible method to get away from something. She banged onto a door that was looked, she looked around to see all the other door were open, but Gwen couldn't move herself to go into one of those rooms. She was just knew she wanted to be in that one room.
She pulled out a silver key, one that the two headed god gave her. She fumbled with it before she manage to shove it into the lock. It clicked and she shoved open the door. It was an empty stone hallway.
Gwen glanced back at the hallway behind her, it was all stone, she ran into the dark hallway. As she ran her clothing faded away to show her a pair of t-shirt and leggings along with all off her weapons she had before that.
She ran until the light of the doorway faded and it was dark. She fumbled with a flashlight suddenly in her pocket.
"Well done." She looked up to see the two faced god.
"How?" She asked, she had no memory of being there just the need to leave.
"It was a test, an illusion." He said to her. "and sadly you accomplished it." The right face of thegod sighed, before hanging her a piece of paper. "You accomplished my test by the anceint laws I have to help you." The left face mumbled something along the lines of 'Stupid laws.'
Gwen looked at the paper in her hand. There was a list of directions. Two lefts, straight, then a left and a right. Afterwards it was straight for seventeen paths and left for six paths before a right, left, left, right, straight.
"That how you get to Idaho." He said. "That's my only help" He sighed and flashed away.
She needed to go to Colorado, but alright. She looked down and decided to trust him.
.:.
Reyna was getting tired of biking. Yeah it's okay for a few hours but after two days of biking?
No.
Frank had gotten a message from Gwen along with a location yesterday. He was so relieved until he realise the locations kept randomly jumping around, since then he has kept checking his phone fro another message but to no avail. Reyna's legs were killing her, not that she would tell the others but she could tell they were tired to, judging from the gasps the boys gave out. They were all red tomatoes, Jason more than all of them since he had the most pale skin, now it was a red tanned face from being in the son for too long.
"Hey Frank." She managed out slowly down slightly for him to catch up. He gave out a puff of air to show he was listening. Reyna paused to catch her breath first before speaking. "Can't you do your animal thing and save us work and time?" She asked, slightly hopeful. Frank sighed before he nodded and slowed down even more.
She slowed down too, the others noticed this and slowed down accordingly. "Any thing wrong?" Cassie asked, with concern, she was heavily sweating too. Reyna shook her head.
"Give me a moment not to die and I'll explain." Frank said huffing between each word. When he was done catching his breath he turned to the two Roman.
"So I have Greek and Asian ancestry, and one of my ancestors is a guy named Periclymenus. Who is the grandson of Poseidon."
"Okay? So Percy's like your great uncle." Jason said, Reyna glared at him to be quiet and let Frank finished.
"He had an ability to turn into animals and living beings, generic beings so he can't turn into a Jason." Frank said, pausing slightly. "Which mean I have the same ability since somehow this DNA magic got into sex cells. Yay." He said, Reyna snorted at him.
Reyna decided to answer for him. "Basically he can turn into a giant eagle somehow and carry us faster but if we get in a situations with monsters, Frank wouldn't be able to fight, since fly supposedly is draining for him."
Cassie and Jason nodded. "So can we ditch the bikes?" Jason asked grinning. Frank nodded and Jason got off his bike and rubbed his aching thighs. "Thank you Frank!" He yelled, he and Cassie looked at him like he should become a giant eagle in any second.
"Could you please turn around for a second I don't like people staring at me." Frank coughed, Jason and Cassie nodded and turned around. Frank quickly turned in to an eagle and cawed at Jason.
"Whoa." Jason said walking around Frank like he was an art piece, he had one hand on his chin as he circled Frank. Frank cawed at Jason, wiggling his talons menacingly, Jason backed up, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. Reyna was already piling the backpacks on Frank's feathery back.
"I always thought your feathers would be softer." Cassie said running her hands over his giant back. Once they were snugly on Frank's back he took off, it was a shaky beginning before Frank started to speed up.
"The down is soft the feather is harder." Reyna yelled over the wind, Jason and Cassie gripped the Frank's feather tightly, their knuckles were white. Frank cawed and slowed down, making Jason lessen his hold on Frank, Cassie if anything increase her hold.
After a few minute Jason released his hold and instead just placed his hands lightly on Frank, Cassie had also lessen her hold, by a bit.
It was a mostly peaceful journey except for the fact that birds seem to creepily follow Frank like he was the master of birds, which wouldn't be surprising since he like 14 meters tall. They were in Central Nevada by the time Frank started to drop toward the ground. Which was around ten or so hours. Reyna didn't blame him, if she had to be flapping her arms carrying three people for that many hours she would drop.
"Frank." Reyna scolded slapping his giant eagle head, Frank continued to drop to the ground. "Frank!" She yelled loudly, but he was half asleep so Reyna did what she had to do, she grabbed one of his feather and pulled. Hard.
Frank jerked upright and started to flapping his wings in an attempt to stay upright. It kind of work since he was upright. Jason had almost called off though because he had just rested his hands on Frank. Frank cawed at him in apology and lowed to the ground. They landed in a random, kind of empty street, a few mortal jumped back and gave Frank space. Reyna had no idea what they saw. A flock of bird, humans with parashoots or a helicopter? Mist is a weird thing.
She got off dragging a bunch of stuff with her. Cassie immediately jumped to the ground while Jason who saw what Reyna was doing slid off of Frank with the leftover bags. Frank quickly turned back and promptly fell to the ground. He was already asleep.
"Tired eh?" Jason said to Frank. Frank shuffles slightly on the ground.
"Eh?" He mumbled. Jason quickly started to lugged Frank over, while Cassie and Reyna had the bags. Jason was awkward, having to slowly half lug, half drag Frank over to a spot for him to rest. They rested him on a bench and laid his bags between his legs, they shouldered their stuff, before turning to Jason.
"Let's get food." Reyna said, Frank was to stay behind. While they were talking they didn't notice the fainted ping of Frank's phone.
.:.
(This wasn't that needed.)
Thalia was sitting in the Camp Elysium cabin which is a weird name when you think about camp Elysium cabin? Why couldn't it be a less weird sounding Cabin name? Any way Thalia was sitting next to Annabeth who was swiping through pictures of what is supposedly Jason.
Annabeth apparently hacked into Frank, Gwen and Reyna's phones. At the moment they were looking through Frank's phone since Gwen was MIA and Reyna didn't usually take pictures other than of scenery. Annabeth came across a blonde boy and Thalia gave a small gasp at the blonde boy that was her brother. He has the same shade of blue that matched her own eyes. He even has the small scar on his lip from trying to eat a stapler when he was two.
Thalia traced her finger over his scar, from Annabeth's phone that she swiped from her when she saw it. "He looked so different yet the same." Thalia breathed. "He used to be so energetic kind of like a cross between Nico and Leo." She paused to imagine it.
Annabeth gave a snort and looked at Thalia. "Getting into a bunch of trouble?" She asked, Thalia shook her head.
"No he was an angel with other people then at the house it was a tiny devil with me." Thalia sighed thinking of a tiny two year old, running around with a stapler, naked, twice. Good times.
She sighed and gave back Annabeth's phone. "I gotta go, the hunters don't know I'm at Camp Half-blood. Again why is the camp's name so offensive? Should Thalia be offended by that?
Bianca slammed open the door. "I think I got it." She said holding a hades figurine. It wasn't Nico's. Bianca haven't rested since she found the note of his. She was traveling all across North America looking for her brother, usual Piper and Annabeth would come with her, but she recently disappeared for a few hours.
"What?" Thalia and Annabeth looked at her expectingly.
"Nico left with little to none stuff, so he must have went to C.E. (Camp Elysium) for a supply refill." Bianca said "So I went there and I found a his bed there messed up, along with a bed next to mine." She paused.
"So Nico and at least someone else has been to the camp." Annabeth said.
"So I checked the other cabins and only two other beds have been messed up. Percy's and a Apollo or Apollo (Looks weird writing it down, but meant the Roman and Greek Apollo's) camper apparently." Bianca said, Annabeth and Thalia pipped up that the name Percy. "Leo's bed wasn't messed up," Bianca said sadly.
"We all know Leo never makes his bed." Annabeth said, Bianca and Thalia nodded.
"There's some good news I went to Sally and found her and Paul so I had to go to Fredrick and he is just bad at keeping secrets." Bianca said excitedly. "Percy and Leo are alive but separated, Percy has to do something with Nico and two others but he didn't tell me anything else." She frowned.
Annabeth and Thalia nodded. "That's good news." Annabeth said before she paused. "Couldn't you just teleport directly to the cabin and not slam open the door?" She asked.
"Yeah but I got excited and forgot." Bianca said slightly embarrassed. She shook her head. "Fredrick didn't tell me where they were going said they just left randomly." She said.
Annabeth gave her a pat on the back. "Don't worry we'll find them soon." Bianca nodded sadly and sat down on her bed.
.:.
Octavian had probably groaned at least seven times in the last thirty minutes and Percy was already annoyed at the first groan. Someone also faced the same problem and unlike Percy he voiced his opinion. "Can you please stop groaning!" Nico snapped. "I know you're bored but really?" Percy and Hazel both nodded in agreement.
It was one of the most wasted thirty minutes of their life. The only ticket cashier available was a clear sighted mortal and she didn't seem to fall for the mist. "Nice try son, but I got age on my side for that." She crackled at them, her egg yellow teeth scarring their poor demigod eyes.
"Seems like it's against you," Percy heard Octavian mumbled and he wholeheartedly agreed with him. The lady said she had at least four decades to help not double that amount!
"Please." Percy just outrighted begged. She smiled at him like she was enjoying his embarrassment. Octavian snapped.
"Look unless you are low on time and you are basically walking to certain death at least a dozen times this year, you got nothing to empathize with us," He snapped at her, she opened her mouth and a groan came out.
"Not until the gods give me a sign." She said crossing her arms. Percy nudged Nico, who gave a small nodded barely noticeable, the cashier didn't notice it. Nico lowered the temperature and the lady looked around and rubbed her arms where goosebumps formed.
"Fine alright." She conceited, before she started typing on her computers and handed them four first class tickets. Octavian took them and passed them to Percy since he was taller and the cashier box was purposely made so that only people who are six foot could talk comfortably. Octavian just so happen to be tall since he had a two years advantage than Percy, but it is actually 1 year and seven months.
They finally walked to the train going from Vancouver to Alaska, it was actually a train that was meant to entertain guests but... they deserved three days off slow relaxation for a death trip right? Percy slung a bag on his shoulder, it swung and hit his backpack. He had to carry his bag for Hazel who was not used to lifting any weight for basically several decades.
Getting one the train pretty easy, there was no clear sighted mortals so no repeats of cashier lady.
Percy dumped all the backpacks that he had to carry on the ground before he slid them to the wall. He went over to the wall where there were as two large panel on the wall. He lifted up the clip and the mattress came down and laid there, two small chains held the mattress up. They already decided that Nico and Hazel would share a room and Percy had to share with Octavain. Poor Percy having to deal with Octavian.
Percy left his room to see Nico trying to drag away Hazel. "Let's go to the snack bar I'm starving." Nico said, tugging on her arms, Hazel was trying to get back in her room.
"I want some shut eye!" She said trying to reclaim her arm.
"But we haven't eaten since breakfast." Nico whined.
"I haven't eaten since last night," Hazel shot back, she manage to reclaim her arm and went inside her cabin.
"I'll get lunch with you," Percy offered Nico grinned and nodded, they were about to leave when Octavian popped his head out.
"Food?" He said, stepping out side the door, he locked it and look at them. "Count me in, I'm hungry." Nico shrugged and started leading them down the train to the all you can eat. They barely heard Hazel muttering the words 'eager beaver.' It was kind of weird, walking down the carts and feeling the ground under you race by.
The boys quickly filled them selves up with food, Percy glaring daggers at Octvian who decided to try some salmon. Poor fish.. They quickly finished up, and Nico grabbed a handful of carrot cookies, an egg sandwich piled on the side of a plate which was stacked high with pancakes. Percy nodded approved of either the amount of pancakes or the lack of seafood, could be both.
"Haze!" Nico sang barging into her room, he balanced the plate carefully before he set it down on a small coffee table in the corner of the room, Percy and Octavian were just peaking inside the room. Nico turned to Hazel, who was leaning against the bed. "Hazel?" he asked, she was still standing up. He gently shook her shoulders slightly nothing happen. He nudged her and she started to slid closer to the ground, Percy had already stepped forward and caught the small girl.
He laid her on the bed, Nico came up to her and nudged her. "Haze?" He asked again, she was awfully pale. He looked at Percy before he sighed and sat down on the coffee table his butt hit the edge of the plate.
.:.
Gwen squinted at the light, she had tried following the instructions, and she might have miss a left somewhere, she probably miscounted the straights. She opened her eyes and saw the sun being slightly over taken by clouds, it was quite sunny. But just because it was sunny didn't mean it was war. Gwen shivered because to the temperature, it was quite cold, she whipped out her phone and tried texting Frank and Reyna. She sent them another location and a message.
Jerome, Idaho.
How did she ended up in Idaho?
She sighed and started walking. She shivered again, if they don't get here soon she might have to get a jacket, her clothes were in her backpack that got left behind. She opened her phone again and checked the date.
It's only been two day? it felt like a week in the labyrinth.
She started walking again, for a few minutes it was mostly silent except for the footsteps and mumbles of the people near her. Until the loud chime of her phone, she looked down and saw two words.
Got it.
Gwen smiled Frank and his always perfect grammar.
.:.
Frank felt the vibration of his phone but he was sleepy, well he was more half sleeping. Somehow the next timed he opened his eyes his hand was in his pocket. He stared opened his eyes and blinked slowly, his hands were wrapped around his phone so he pulled it out. He was holding his phone in front of him to check the time, but then he saw he got a message.
Gwen.
She had sent a message, Frank was wide awake now as he fumbled for the phone. He quickly opened his phone and looked at the locations there was a message. 'I was in the labyrinth.' Great Gwen give him and the others a shook and a cliffhanger, he want to know about it. He slapped himself a few times to make sure he was awake before he sent a message to Reyna, who sent back 'I Know.' To of which he sent the word 'Grammar' back at her.
Reyna thankfully brought back hot chocolate for Frank which Frank drank with the whip cream. Feeling energized he turned into a giant eagle, but it was slightly smaller. Cassie and Reyna quickly grabbed the bags and place them on Frank, while Jason who isn't that useful, tried to pet Frank.
"Caw." Frank the giant eagle said staring menacing at Jason. Jason held his hands up and slowed backed up.
"Sorry geez." Jason sadly, he looked up to see Reyna and Cassie already on Frank's back. He quickly climbed on and held on the feathers. Frank gave a warm caw before she started hopping a bit.
"Ahh!" Cassie yelled clutching hard on Frank's feathers, she preferred to be on the ground. Reyna stayed silent while Jason managed to yell.
"Wha are you doing!? Stop that ahh!" Before Frank leaped into the air spreading his wings. Reyna still remained silent, while Cassie had to re-get used to flying, if it wasn't obvious she liked the ground. Though Frank never knew about her godly heritage.
"Straight just like that for a good hour." Reyna finally spoke, Frank gave a caw in return. Reyna, and somehow Cassie and Jason took a nap while Frank flew.
Around an hour later Frank started to scan the area for browned hair girl, with her spring green eyes. Eventually Frank had to land, tired he allowed the others to get off before he transformed. He leaned on Reyna's shoulder who was obviously uncomfortable with someone touching her shoulder. Reyna pointed on a direction where Gwen's phone was.
They quickly rented or misted a mortal for a car. Cassie started driving since she is obviously the only one old enough, with Reyna in shot gun, Frank tried to stay awake but he fell asleep.
.:.
(Still on the POV of Frank)
He felt someone shook his shoulder, he was too drowsy so he swatted at the person's hand. "Frank the car's gas is empty and Gwen is only a few blocks way." Reyna's voice hit his ear and Frank bolted upward.
"How long as it been?" He yawned getting out of the car dragging the bags out with him.
"Only two hours." Reyna said. "You can't even fly in a straight line we ended up in Wickahoney which is around 2 and a half hours from Jerome." Reyna said jogging up to Jason and Cassie who were in front of them. She turned to a random man on the street.
"Here, get yourself on your feet," she tossed him the keys and pointed to the old gray car that was worth at least a few grand. The man nodded thankfully at her, as she passed him. Cassie had Frank's phone on her hand she passed it over to him where he tilted it slight to where Gwen was.
They started jogging for a few blocked until they saw a browned hair girl crossing the streets in a slow jog Frank immediately recognized it as Gwen. He ran come and gave her a hug which caught her off guard.
"Frank?" She squeaked. Reyna and the others came over to them to either give her hug or in Reyna's case a pat on the shoulder and a nod.
"What happened?" He said handing her backpack, she took it and grabbed a light jacket. Slinging the bag around her she held her hand. Her face was red probably from jogging for two hours straight.
"Later, do you have a ride?" She asked sipping on a bottle of water. Frank shook his head.
"We can beg?" Jason suggested, Gwen smiled at Jason.
"Thanks for the idea but it will take to long, so how about you entertain them?" She said, she turned to Frank. "Frank turn into a monkey." Frank looked at her weird. "Trust me I got a plan."
So about ten minutes later they gathered a sizeable audience around a two dozen people who were laughing and watching Frank who was forced, wait that's a harsh word, made to be an acrobat. He jumped around hoops and grinned at children.
"You can take pictures with Frank the monkey, $5 only." Reyna said, Frank gave a frowned as he looked at her upside down he was doing a hand stand. So about two hour later, Frank was tired, and was pretty famous, with a long line of a dozen people for picture.
"Only three more," Cassie called, "Frank is only a child and needs his sleep to be a big monkey." Who knew Cassie was so good with words? Frank forced through three photos with kids who pocked his faces and squealed at his skin.
After the crowd broke up, Gwen started counting money and Frank finally turned back. "I hate you," he gasped his hand land over his head as he blocked the light of the sun, he was pretty sweaty too, from being forced to do acrobatics and gymnastics.
"Shh it worked, we got enough for a travel bus to Denver." Gwen sad before she squished her noes. "Geez you stink." She handed him a rag and a spray bottle and pointed at a public washroom. Frank grumbled taking the items. He came back five minutes to Gwen and Jason gone.
"Where's Gwen... and Cassie?" Frank asked.
"Get tickets," Reyna said not looking at him as she packed some of her things.
Frank sighed. "Sometimes I think you don't appreciate myself enough." He said dramatically, Jason snorted at him. He gave him a pat on the back before Reyna elbowed him in his stomach.
"Are you jealous?" Jason said slings an arm over Reyna's shoulders. She turned slightly pink and glared at him.
"What drugs are you on?" She asked. Frank laughed at Jason's expression.
Jason opened his mouth but Frank answered for him. "All of them." Jason glared at Frank before he turned his head somewhere. Frank tilted his head to see Gwen and Cassie walking back with grins on their faces.
"You manage to get it?" Frank asked, Reyna answer for him.
"Why do you think they are grinning are for?" She said, Cassie flashed him a smile.
"Let's get this show on the road!"
So if you don't notice this is a shorter chapter for this story.
I got a PM asking how this story would work, as in would I create a different story for HoO? Nope, I just planning making this super long, so there is going to be a lot of words. I think I'm going to go between Roman's and Greeks like one chapter is Greeks which is Leo and Calypso, and Percy, Vee, Nico and Hazel. Next one is the Greeks hopefully I actually follow through.
So, I'm just going to leave the rest of Camp Elysium who aren't on either quests to be left alone in the dark about Percy and co's quest, but I want to progress them a bit like Nico more like the Nico in Cannon, but not that much. I have no idea about Bianca though, I know in Cannon she would have been in Hunters of Artemis and well Dead, but in this story she's not so.. What do you think her personality should be like.
WOrds: 4,666 Date: July 15th, 2017 Beta: ClaceSupporter123