Dani's first encounter with her legendary half-brother didn't exactly start according to plan. The daughter of the sea led the little band of misfits across the street to the parking lot where the Prius was waiting, sneaking a glance through the window to spy who she could only assume was Percy Jackson and his wife. A thick aura of power radiated from the little car, and finally Dani swallowed the lump in her throat and knocked on the window. Percy glanced out the window once, then again to confirm he wasn't seeing things. He then furiously tapped on the blondes shoulder, who was frozen like a deer in headlights as the rest of the heroes came in from behind the car. Finally after a moment, the legendary hero rolled down his window and managed to speak. "Annabeth...you see the questing squad of misfits too right?" Percy asked, and his wife nodded. "Percy, right?" Dani asked, and the man nodded as she extended her hand. "I'm Daniella. I'm one of your half-sisters." Percy suddenly softened again and shook her hand. "So your one of dads new world-savers? You all seem very good for that job, don't you. 4 demigods, 2 hunters off to save the world." He laughed, and Amanda raised an eyebrow. "Actually, were not hunters. Just demigods." The blonde explained, and the realization shone on Percy's face. "So that's why your trying to save Artemis. Can't let mom get swallowed by a snake now can we?"
The blondes agreed, and Dani interjected. "So Percy, I'm hoping we can get a little help. Artemis and Delphi are all the way across the bay, and I can't move 6 people that far by myself." The daughter of Poseidon said. "Yeah that does seem like a pretty far swim. But I'm not really sure if I can help you kid. We've been out of the whole demigod game for a while, y'know?" Percy said. "I don't think that's what their asking Seaweed Brain." Annabeth said, nudging her husband with her elbow. "She's right. It's not a ride. We're looking for more of...a path?" Dani tried, and Percy couldn't help but laugh. "Are you serious? You ever split something as big as the bay?" The son of Poseidon asked, and Dani admitted she had not. "It's not like I can just wave my hand and Moses the problem away. It requires a lot of concentration and effort that I can't do with just me." "No but it's not just you! I can help you!" Dani insisted, and Percy thought for a moment. "I guess that would work. As long as you can make the swim across after we're done. You can't walk to the island and split the bay at the same time unless you want to pass out and drown your friends." "Thats not at all what I want." Dani said, and Percy smiled. "Perfect! Then let's get biblical!"
In a perfect world, Percy would have given Dani a week long crash course in all the things her powers could do, but demigods don't live in a perfect world so they got straight to the point. "Alright, you're gonna have about 5 minutes to make it to the island when we split the bay. So the second you see dirt, jump down and RUN." Percy instructed as he and Dani took their positions, allowing the others to prepare themselves. Lucas switched to his super speed shoes, Ashley and Amanda playfully jostled for a better starting spot, and Miles slung Roxie over his back because her legs were to short to make it. "You sure you can do it on your own tiny? I can carry both of you." Miles snickered as Amanda rolled her eyes and smirked. "Don't worry about me Bigfoot, I've dusted mountain lions a lot faster than you." The blonde said. "Alright lets do this quick and hope we don't piss off the water spirits." Percy said. And before Dani could ask what he meant, her half-brother began to split his half of the bay so she got to work. The two children of Poseidon glowed with a powerful green aura, strength radiating off them as slowly but surely the massive body of water began to separate, revealing the thin strip of land leading to the island where Artemis was held. The demigods stood in awe for a moment, only to be awakened by Dani. "What're you deaf? FUCKING RUN." The thief yelled, sending her friends leaping off the dock and sprinting across the narrow bridge the two had formed. "So what's the plan when you get there?" Percy asked, his voice straining from the effort. "We don't really have one? I think we're just improvising." Dani admitted, and the elder hero laughed. "Yeah that was my strategy a lot. Wise One was in charge of all the planning." Percy laughed and Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Would've worked better if you could follow a plan Seaweed Brain." The blonde teased. "Love you too sweetie."
After 5 minutes of exertion, the rest of the demigods managed to claw their way on to the island where Artemis and Delphi were held. The separated ocean quickly crashed down behind them as the siblings of the sea god let it return to its usual position. The crew collectively flopped down as they watched Dani lean back on the hood of her half-brothers car and try not to pass out. "We're all here right? Nobodies hanging out on the bottom of the bay?" Lucas asked, and a quick check affirmed that everyone had made it. Miles smirked as he watched the younger hunter knock the sand out her shoes. "I totally beat you by the way." He sighed as Amanda rolled her eyes. "Sure you did hotshot." The younger blonde giggled, flicking a stray piece of seaweed off her sneakers as the others watched Dani hug her half-brother and take a swan dive into the bay. After a moment Lucas stood up and stretched. "Alright, while we wait for the mermaid to pop up I'm gonna go do a little scouting. Wanna help Tiny?" The thief asked, hauling Amanda to her feet. "Might as well. Don't start the fun without us." The shapeshifter said as she morphed into a mountain lion with Lucas favoring an eagle. "That goes you two boneheads. The most important part of a surprise attack is the first part." Ashley said as her anthropomorphic sister gave the best "get off my back I know" look Miles had ever seen a mountain lion give. "Don't look at me like that!" The older blonde groaned as the shapeshifters took off just in time for Dani to arrive sporting a new addition to her sisters necklace. "Look at me late to everything." The blonde chuckled, pushing her hair back as she strode ashore. "Uh what's with the charm?" Miles asked, gesturing to the small emerald trident now hanging next to the moon pendant. "Oh it was weird. Percy gave it to me. He said that it could help me solve the problem and that when it happened I would be a total badass. Didn't explain what it did but maybe it's one of those it's the thought that counts kinda things." She shrugged. "Oh yeah I'm sure thoughts and prayers will do us a lot of good killing a thousand foot long talking snake." Ashley snickered. "Well I thought it was nice." Daniella insisted. "So what exactly is our plan to kill this thing?" Roxie asked as she stood up and joined her friends. "Well of our friendly sea splitter had come along I'd say we just drop the ocean on him but that doesn't seem smart with just Dani." Miles said as the others agreed. As they discussed the best way to rescue Artemis and Delphi, Dani couldn't help but feel like something was watching. She turned to find Misty peering at her from the surf. "Hey you. Where have you been?" The blonde said as the water spirit rose out of the waves. "You've been traveling across lots of landlocked places. It's hard to be a water spirit where there isn't any water." Misty said dismissively as if the physics of the summonabilty Of water spirits should be obvious. "So what are you doing here now?" Dani asked. "Helping. Your friend has the right idea about dropping the ocean on Python." Misty assured her. "Yeah maybe with Percy still here. I couldn't split it on my own and I can't do it now." The thief bemoaned as Misty rolled her eyes. "Well not on your own. But with the Jewel of the Sea wont even break a sweat." The water spirit said, only to realize Dani was oblivious. "Your necklace. When Lord Poseidon said Prince Percy could offer help he didn't just mean getting you here." The blonde raised an eyebrow, rightfully skeptical. "Try it." The water spirit prodded, stepping to one side and gesturing at the bay. "Alright." Dani said, lifting her hand and concentrating. The small trident glowed with energy, and the bay split effortlessly. The demigods were awestruck as Dani shaped and manipulated the sea without breaking a sweat, creating a ferocious spiral of water that left a crater in the bay when it touched down that seemed to go on forever. Even when she let the bay settle back Dani could feel a bone chilling cold wash over the island from the hole. "What is that?" The blonde asked as Misty stepped away from the crater. "A pathway to Tartarus. If you lure Python into that hole he'll be dragged straight into the depths. No one can escape from Tartarus unless an Olympian releases them. And no one is planning on letting that overgrown worm out." Misty snickered. "Wait how did he get out if no one can escape without a god?" Dani asked as the water spirit paused. "Uh...I'm not sure." The sea angel admitted as the cold continued to leak out of the crater. "Well then. I guess as long as he goes back it doesn't matter." The blonde shrugged, turning to her friends. "Alright here's the plan-" Dani began, only to be interrupted by a bloodcurdling scream from the woods. The heroes whipped around as Ashley froze in fear. "Amanda?" The blonde whimpered as suddenly footsteps came pounding towards them. "GUYYYYYYYSSSSS!" Lucas yelled as he came scrambling out of the woods cradling the younger hunter in his arms until they spilled onto the beach. The heroes rushed to their friends, Lucas missing a shoe and sporting shred marks across his shirt and Amanda curled into a ball sobbing. "AMANDA!" Ashley cries as she bear hugged her terrified sister, rocking her gently as Miles dragged the assassin to his feet. "What the hell happened?!" The athlete demanded as Lucas caught his breath, sheer terror in his eyes. "It was the scariest thing I've ever seen. Their just hanging there and their screaming and they change and it looked like my mom and my grandpa and Joe and Angel and Hailey and you guys!" Lucas yelled without any context. "What did?" Dani asked. "They fucking grabbed me and they stole my shoe and they grabbed Amanda and they just kept screaming and yelling at her!" "Who did?!" Roxie pleaded as Amanda finally spoke. "I-It's not my fault! It's not my fault! I promise it's not my fault!" The younger blonde managed through her tears as her sister held her close. "That's all they kept saying. 'It's your fault, all your fault'" Lucas explained. "WHO?" The demigods exclaimed at one, prompting Lucas to point a shaky finger into the forest. "Bodies. Dozens of them. Hanging from the trees. Screaming. Changing. We can't go in there again."