"We are only falsehood, duplicity, contradiction; we both conceal and disguise ourselves from ourselves." - Blaise Pascal
Diana meditated quietly, contemplating the order of the world.
The winter solstice was soon. Another day to be wasted - her fellow Olympians had achieved nothing in the previous summer or winter solstice meeting. Nor anything in the past 5 decades' worth of meetings. Every six months, she would bring Huntresses to Olympus to dally around for a day. But ever since the aspects of each fellow Olympian had stabilized, all were more complacent than ever.
Father lazed around during the meetings, only ever bothering to start them. Poseidon seemed more tired than ever, and if the stories were right went down to the mortal world more often as of late to sire children. Some Children of the Sea had been coming out of the wetworks recently. Pluto refused to show up to Olympus anymore, claiming he was too busy trying to organize his kingdom of the ever increasing dead.
Juno had taken lead in Zeus's sloth, directing meetings (if only briefly, before allowing the bi-annual revelries to begin). Demeter just constantly bemoaned about agriculture as if it was important - why not just hunt? Hestia hadn't been seen in thirty years, and honestly many were unsure of whether she'd vanished even earlier. There'd honestly been very little fuss, beyond herself bringing up that she wasn't tending the fire as usual. Most everyone concluded she had faded. Shame, considering that she was the only aunt she ever liked.
Dionysus was always obliviously drunk as ever, languishing in his seat; Mars was perpetually distracted by projections of wars and rebellions across the globe. Especially the current conflicts in the Middle East. Hephaestus nowadays sent an automaton in his place, staying in his volcanoes to smith. Aphrodite pestered her every time she could to try and make her update her wardrobe. Hermes and Mercury merely lept in and out, running his messages. Athena kept herself preoccupied, constantly scribbling away at some device, planning or calculating something. Her own brother was less tolerable than ever, going around willy-nilly and using his literally divine looks to seduce vapid women.
That was the only reason that the Hunter group could even match her Huntresses.
Ah, what to do, what to do … when was the last time she'd actually hunted around with her followers? Good amount of years, but not worth it. The last time she had done so, the sect she'd been with had evidently preferred going into the city and noting all the attention they got from males so that they could track and kill them.
Well, she'd get to checking on them when they arrived. Now, where …
Percy finally spit out his gum in sheer amazement at the display before him.
If streams of practically white hot fire blasted into the air and rock music that was bound to attract monsters (not even going to mention the blood of huntresses beginning to permeate the air), the insane boy apparently named Leo was beginning to shoot fireworks.
Fireworks.
Thinking over it, the Huntress retreat call may not have came just because of them. They did have an essentially fresh squad to attack. Or maybe their recovering of the wounded was a greater priority than killing whoever the girl was?
"Well, considering all of this mess was done by you guys," Leo gestured around the clearing, "I'm not sure I want to fight you guys. Especially with camera footage evidence too."
The boy pulled out a small blue box from his pocket, which projected a holographic image onto the ground. While Percy was looking at it upside down, it was obviously a recording of Reyna dismembering the attackers, from … glancing over, Percy quickly located a knot in a tree which seemed to glint in the moonlight. A second later, a small drone popped out of the notch and flew to Leo.
"Hot and dangerous," the boy continued, winking at Reyna while pocketing the bot, "but still don't think you can face me and George back here."
The dragon stopped its massive display, cutting off its flamethrower to roar and them and crouch, ready to pounce into action.
"Geeeorge? Why George?" Dakota slurred from behind Percy. The eldest among the crew was almost entirely unaffected by the show, having taken it into his drunken stride and was now collecting the leftover materials their attackers had left that were still usable. There wasn't much weaponry, but he was now carrying loads of arrows and a few knives.
Leo winced noticeably.
"Yeah … um, it's a work in progress. Anyway," the boy continued undeterred, closing the image and putting the box back into a pocket, "Since I can in no way ignore the possible needs of a few cute redheads, want some help? Truce and all that?"
Meeting everyone is his group's eyes, Percy turned back to face Leo. "Sure. Gonna stay around here, or … ?"
"Nah, nah. Back to the man cave. Follow me!" Leo turned, not even bothering to watch his back. He did have a several ton dragon doing it for him, and they weren't in much condition to fight. Quickly noticing that nobody was following, he turned back around. "Oh - uhm, when you're ready."
"Perseus," turning, he caught Reyna's spear before it poked him. "Hold this for me, and I'll carry Aly."
"I can wa-" trying to get up, the redhead fell over again. "Or not."
"Lee, can you help Dakota take care of the arrows?" asked Percy.
"Sure. Let me just check if I can find any of my own over there first."
"Alright. Dakota, when you're done, ya mind carrying the silver girl?"
"S'longg as sheee ain't toooo heavy."
"So what do you guys call yourselves?"
"Rachel, all set? Aly seems propped up well … thanks, Reyna. What did you say?"
"You guys got some kind of identification name? Some patron or matron goddess?"
"What are you even talking about?" Everyone else seemed to share similar sentiments.
"Like the Thieves," thought Leo aloud. "And I know people just say Beckendorf when they talk about the Hephaestus group."
"A group name? We don't even have any group specialization, and we never needed one," piped up Lee, back from his reconnaissance.
"All back? All ready? Piggybacked? Back to base, George! Leggo then!" Leo said, sending his dragon taking off. "I'll walk with you guys."
"A mortal, a Roman and a Greek child of Apollo, a Son of Poseidon, a Son of Bacchus, and a Daughter of Bellona," Rachel listed as Dakota swigged … was that beer? Must be Coke. "What kinda name can you think of, Son of the Smith?"
"Not to mention the little girl on her shoulders, and whoever her rescuer is," interjected Reyna, "They owe us a debt, so they might stay with us."
Indeed, the toddler, as young as she was, had gotten very attached to Rachel in the span of the night, sleeping in Rachel's piggyback.
"The Crazies?" suggested Dakota, startling everyone.
"How bout 'Leo and his Ladies?'" said Reyna … no, Leo. Who else?
"Shut up, retard," said (you should really know by now), "Do we even need a name?"
"Should be up to you and Percy," said Rachel, cutting through the few rapid fire suggestions in a most tranquil manner.
"Why us?" asked Percy, trying not to stumble through the unfamiliar forest.
"You two started this," said the whimsical mortal redhead simply, her head cocked to the side curiously. If Percy had to label whatever expression that had come across the girl's face, it would have to be condescension. To the utmost degree.
"Well, then …" dallied Percy as he squirmed under everyone's attention. nearing a rather tall cliff on the opposite side of the forest they were in. No monsters had attacked them en route, likely due to the large mechanical dragon the circled above them in the air, gears creaking and groaning as the wings flapped. "How about … "
"Why do we even need a name for ourselves?" Everyone glanced at Aly, who had spoke up. "It's bloody fricken pointless!"
"Uh … how?" asked Rachel.
"What's the point of a label?" Aly argued angrily. "We'll just become bigger targets with some kinda name!"
Leo shrugged, commenting, "Whatever you say, sweetheart. Ouch, don't punch me! Just watch this!"
The boy smiled maniacally as his hand burst into flames. Everyone around him backed up, but the boy didn't seem to care as he walked up to the cliff face. Lightly, Leo put his full palm on the cliff. The very air smoldered, and a tracery of fire spread from his hands as if oil had been left trailing across the limestone wall. The lines of fire burned into and across the face of rock until they outlined an utterly massive glowing red door, which then swung open silently. The dragon swooped in above them the compound within was revealed.
"Welcome to Bunker 9." Looking back at their gaping faces, Leo smirked. "Tell you what, guys. There's an area with some bunks over here. Rest up, and I'll bring a few others tomorrow to meet. We'll talk then."
Most everyone had went to bed, having found bunks cut into the rock and setting up sleeping bags. Leo had pointed out where the restroom was being going into a different tunnel which had closed off behind him so they couldn't follow. At least there was no way to close off their little alcove. But Rachel wandered, exploring the vast hangar. 'Name Pending' had hunkered down and shut himself down, so she had the area to herself. She was content to page through blueprints of ages past and picking through piles of machinery. At least until she heard a slight disturbance from the resting area.
Returning, the redhead found the unknown huntress waking up.
The girl had completely lost her silver glow, though Rachel was unsure as to when the light had faded. Her hair did seem to be genuinely white to the roots, and her fluttering eyes did show her irises to in fact be red. Definitely odd genes - never had the clear-sighted mortal seen those physical traits on a demigod.
Her not obviously muscled but still strong body was as slim and lean as she had previously seen, but woundless. Looked like the bit of godly food they'd forced the girl to ingest earlier had some effect. It looked strange - pale skin accented dozens of tears in her completely silver clothing ensemble. Even the moccasins were silver. Looks like it hadn't been the glow that affected her clothing color. Shame. No fashion sense at all.
Rachel leaned down to look at the shoes better, but froze as an arrow tip found its way under her chin. Listening carefully, she heard the metal of the girl's odd sword rasping against the stone of the cave. Finally looking, Rachel tried to deduce where the arrow had come from. The girl hadn't had a quiver despite carrying a powerful recurve bow, so they'd assumed she'd ran out of ammunition. "My apologies."
The arrow retracted away from her throat. "No, my apologies. I had forgotten the Hunt had ceased chasing their prey."
Spasming, the girl dropped the arrow. Her quick action seemed to have overstretched some sore muscle that the huntress had in her upper body. She fell back to the sleeping bag she'd been set upon and whimpered slightly, likely because of the feeling of her muscles screaming in pain at her. Unfrazzled, Rachel knelt beside her and pulled out a flask.
"Nectar?" Receiving a sharp look, then a nod, the redhead propped up the girl's head to help her consume the drink. Soon enough, the girl relaxed. "You must have been running for your muscles to seize up like that just from some rest."
"I have been. Now, if I may know one of the names of my saviors?"
"Rachel Elizabeth Dare. Yours is?"
The resting girl before her chose her following words carefully. "My name … my name is Anna di Notte. Where is Julia?"
Rachel smiled and replied, "So that's her name? She's in the bunk behind you. I think she likes Oreo and Perry."
Edging out to peer behind her, Anna spotted Julia cuddling a stuffed panda and platypus.
"When are you from?"
"I am a product of the Roman era," the girl said groggily.
"Who's your favorite Harry Potter character?"
Tilting her head, now in confusion, Anna answered, "Remus Lupin. Are you mortal?"
A wider smile this time, and the rally was, "Yes. Would you like a bandage for that cut?"
"What wound?" the girl asked, moving her hands to prop herself up. In doing so, she accidentally placed her hand on top of the arrowhead of the arrow she'd dropped earlier, and yelped as it cut slightly into her right hand.
Rachel watched as Anna looked down in surprise, and the small laceration oozed out a drop of blood. Rachel was far more interested in the wound that what would be strictly considered mentally healthy. "That one."
"Um … yes. Why are you watching so closely? Is it silver?" asked Anna nervously, clucking her tongue.
"Oh, not silver. Looks perfectly normal. Why'd you leave the Huntresses?" No, the object Rachel was toying with in her hand was silver.
"That's a long story." The albino was looking at the thing curiously. Too soon.
"Tomorrow, with everyone else. Decide on whether you want to stay with us. But for now, you should sleep," With that, Rachel tucked away the silver item and left Anna to ponder.
"Wake up! Wake up!"
A small boy ran through their cavern before dashing back out, leaving only a puff of dust and a mass of confusion behind him.
Then he poked his head back around a corner. "And don't go outside!"
And then he was gone again.
Percy groaned, and wrenched himself to the side. Freed from Aly's - Taia's - Alytaia's - good lord, trying to address her now was just weird. Though Alytaia has a nice lyrical movement to it. Freed from Taia's grip, he fell from the nook in the wall and onto the floor. "Styx!"
Mumbling, the redhead merely drew the sleeping bag they'd been on closer to herself, before turning to face the wall. Well, she probably wasn't gonna be ready any time soon. Dakota, on the other hand, snapped up from his bunk, ramrod straight. The boy's hand flashed to his legs, patting various pockets before pulling out and downing a good number of icebreakers. Lee was already up and practicing stringing and unstringing his bow. Reyna was doing her usual series of morning stretches, and Rachel was …
Where was Rachel?
Another small child popped out of the wall behind him and dashed off after the boy.
Oh, yes. The girls they had saved. Yawning, Percy got up and turned around, smoothing out his wrinkled clothing. The albino girl was simply laying on top of the sheets they had laid out, staring at the ceiling. "Need any help with anything?"
The girl's eyes pinpointed on his with unnerving accuracy, and her face soured.
"I guess you don't."
Rachel popped out from the same nook the toddler had burst from. "Oh, pooey, Anna. Play nice with him."
The newcomer's face softened, if only minutely. "My apologies. Reflex."
Lee trotted out in the center of the pack. They'd grabbed all their things, as few as they were, then headed towards a clamor of noise not too far away.
He carefully picked out the details of the surroundings. A reactor in the corner. Several passageways, some completely blocked, some with safety cones placed in front of them. Catwalks above, with reinforced pipes crossing about. A fairly large open space, where scrapes on the floor were plentiful. Nearer the back, the series of partitions of which some were restrooms, but another a dining area judging by the smell of food wafting out.
"Hey guys! Sorry, don't have enough food for you guys. Gotta restock food next stop," cried Leo from behind a cooking counter. "I'm done cooking, though, so if you have stuff, feel free to use the stove!"
The Son of Hephaestus pulled off a set of bacons and eggs and placed them at a small table, where four others sat. "And also, don't have any other tables so only got room for a few of you guys. Sorry about that."
There was a pretty girl with long black hair, blue eyes regarding them contemptuously. A bony black boy who was dressed spartan. And two munchkins, gorging away at the food without even the slightest hint of manners.
"Introductions! This is Silena, that's Bobby, and the boy here is my half-brother Harley. And a believe this midget is yours?"
"Leo!" warned Silena sharply.
"Fine, this child?"
Rachel merely motioned for Aly's bag and took it, heading to the kitchenette.
"Alrighty then. I'm Lee," began the archer, before pointing out everyone else as they sank down to sit along the partition. "That's Rachel cooking. Dakota. Aly. Percy. Reyna. And, uh…"
"The old lady is Anna, and the midget is Julia," spoke up Rachel, not even glancing up from the cereal boxes she was pulling out. "Have any milk?"
"Mini-fridge is by your feet to the right," stated Bobby, simply matter-of-fact over Leo's question of 'why can she call them midgets and I can't?'
"Shut up, Leo. Now, why are you guys here?" said Silena harshly.
"Leo just invited us in for a night," shrugged Percy, "Ask him."
The Son of the Sea gently nudged Aly, ensuring she was awake before handing her a bowl of cereal. Lee accepted his own, digging in and watching the show.
"Why the hell did you bring them here?"
"Why not? You're the one that's always talking about recruiting more people!"
"How do you know they weren't just going to attack us?"
"We decided on a truce! Anyways, it's not like anyone can track us anyways!"
"Without your dragon, they outnumber us!"
"Well, George is here, so there should be no problems!"
This was going to take a while.
"You guys can deal with negotiations," Lee muttered, done with breakfast. He stood up and left, and the argument behind him continued without even registering his disappearance.
"Don't go outside if you don't want to get left behind!" called out Bobby.
Things calmed down. Bobby eventually left to monitor the two rambunctious children. Dakota also trickled away, leaving the rest to sit on the around the table.
"So who are you people?" asked Silena pointedly, "And what do you bring to the table?"
Those were the eyes of a snake, Reyna decided. But the pretty girl didn't seem to be as dangerous as a few of their own resident vipers.
"Don't have a collective name," drawled Aly, "But we are hella damn skilled."
"You can say that again," said Leo, drumming his fingers on the table.
"Shut up, Leo. Specifics?" interrogated Silena.
"Just let me show you the recording, Princess." The boy pulled out the same device from yesterday night, and Reyna witnessed her own attack from a different point of view. Several points of view, actually.
Hm. Right … right there, a misstep. If she'd angled herself better, she could've downed that Huntress five seconds earlier. Then she probably could've gotten the one over there … hopefully she could see that later. For now the priority was to analyze the unfamiliar.
Silena's mouth was steadily gaping out more and more, and her hand had fallen to her thigh. She had a weapon, probably a knife. Reyna drew her own, just in case - more subtly.
Leo was unrolling a line of solder from a pouch of his belt, and a pinprick of a flame atop one of his fingers was manipulating the soft metal to weld something together. He wasn't interested in the footage, but that was likely because he'd watched it while tracking them down. He didn't seem concerned that he'd invited in some very dangerous people, though. But he had a permanent weapon literally at his very fingertips constantly ready to use. Did it have a limit?
And the new girl - Anna, was it? - Reyna couldn't read her at all. No emotions. No movements but a slight narrowing of the eyes to focus on the footage. She had her bow, but did take off the string from it, so the bow wasn't magically resistant to sustained stress. No evidence of wherever she stored her arrows, though … curious.
The sword was still at her hip. From what she caught in the peripherals of her vision yesterday, Anna could cast some sort of silver sorcery from that blade. Did she have the blade only because of its powers, then, or was that natural? No other Huntress had done so, so rather the girl was a partial sorceress or the blade had magical properties. Only the latter would explain the clunky shape, although it might also be Anna's preference.
The recording finished. Leo pocketed the device.
"You guys took down how much of the Huntresses?!" Silena essentially screamed, jumping back from the table and brandishing her knife before her.
"Calm down, idiot, unless you want to be the one to break the truce," spat Aly.
"Wait wait. Who're the Huntresses?"
The table collectively looked at Leo.
"Are you retarded?" asked Aly incredulously. Reyna thought the same.
"Hey, I don't go out much!" Leo defended himself.
"Anyway, Silena? No point to that. We're not going to attack unless you start something, so don't," tossed out Rachel airily as she stacked up used bowls. "Percy?"
The boy next to her rolled her eyes and pushed out from the table. Stumbling over to the sink in the kitchen, he turned on the faucet before gesturing at the water. The liquid picked up the bowls and ran over them, cleansing the dishware before going down the drain.
At seeing Percy's casual use of his powers, Silena seemed to panic more. Perhaps the film hadn't identified him as the origin of the earthquake?
"Well, Silena looks like she's going to hyperventilate, so let me just pull her out to calm her down," snarked Leo. "To finish up - let's just work together, shall we? You guys could use a base, we could use more manpower."
"Seems good," commented Percy, returning to the table and extending his hand to Leo.
Leo stood up and spat in his hand before offering it. Percy merely raised his eyebrows before spitting in his own and shaking.
"Well, I'm going to pull her away now. For you, luv." The Son of Hephaestus dropped the metal bit he'd worked with in front of Reyna. A flower., with the slightest bit of saliva dripping off of it. She brought up her knife to eye level, and Leo hurriedly dragged Silena away without comment.
Percy wiped his hand on a napkin as he sat back down. "That leaves you, Anna … ?"
"Anna di Notte," the girl said, still impassive.
"Et irrumabo quis es?"
Reyna glanced at Aly. Vulgar, maybe, but the same question was again on her mind.
The girl in question responded to the coarse language. "I am a Huntress."
They waited for her to continue, but all they heard was two young children screaming in the not too far distance.
"My ass," Aly said, "No way you're still one after last night."
"And?" prompted Rachel, "We deserve more information than just that."
"You trust this boy?" asked the albino, not even having the decency to look at Percy.
Reyna winced in his place. Aly laughed humorlessly. Rachel leaned in to scrutinize Anna's eyes, before simply getting up and leaving.
"Look at me in the eyes, and call me a boy," said Percy drily.
Anna turned to him, ready to speak and berate Percy - but then their eyes met. And for the first time that day, Anna faltered.
What she saw was green eyes that were on the verge of swallowing the world with their intensity. Venomous, earth shattering, and … disapproving.
Even the gods didn't have that sort of resolve anymore.
"Call any of us children. If you can. I dare you," scoffed the Son of the Sea, before kicking back his seat and leaving.
Aly just laughed again, this time with mirth, calling out an obscenity before following her companion out.
It was now just Reyna and Anna.
A toy centaur, oblivious to the tension that had just built up, ran through. Launching small bronze arrows, each pinned down flies before it charged on. Two children then blasted by, still screaming and laughing.
"I suppose, as a … quasi-immortal, di Notte," drawled Reyna, "among others, you must have forgotten how mortals truly are."
She left quietly, unlike the others that had stormed away. At the entrance, she stopped. "If you're staying, get ready to cough up whatever you're hiding. Also, insult any of my allies, male or not? I will sacrifice your entrails to Artemis so she knows someone's already killed you for her."
Anna, truly on her own now, snickered inaudibly. Oh, the irony.
"Ever built a snowman?"
She stopped. "Why are you back?"
"The same reason you are still here."
"And why would you presume to know my reasoning?" retorted Anna.
"What makes you think I'm referring to your reasons?"
Oh, Father above this ginger was annoying. "Please stop distracting me. I have other things to consider right now."
"Really? Were you not planning on going out?"
"It would be a lot more pleasant since you wouldn't be there."
"But you aren't even certain of what's out there."
Ah … yes, that was the crux of it. Millennia of settling into a routine, and now things were spiraling out of control. "And what would you know?"
"I am certain, that by your very nature, you aren't prepared for whatever's changed." Her finger twitched. Skata, that was enough of a giveaway. "Are you going to leave Julia?"
Skata.
"Are you going to abandon Julia like you did with the rest of the Huntresses? You can hardly take her away. Things didn't seem to be going so well before you got our help, and it's unlikely you'll find help next time."
Skata, skata, skata.
"Yep, you're staying," said Rachel, sliding back into a seat, "So have you built a snowman?"
Anna facepalmed.
"Nah, too feminist. A snowwoman?"
Anna smashed her head into the table.
"Sooooo … whyyy can't wee goooo out?" asked Dakota.
"Look at that display," directed Bobby simply. He gestured to his left at the wall by the exit, still keeping an eye on the rambunctious children (who were now at a welding station).
"Annnnd that is?" asked Dakota again, taking a closer look. There was a green tracery of a U.S. map, and dots of light emitted from maybe a dozen places across the board.
"A map. What else do you think it is?" snarked Bobby, heading over to Harley and Julia to quickly pull them back right before whatever object they were playing with detonated.
Dakota ignored the noises, regarding the map closer. There was a dot by Long Island that was glowing brighter than every other dot. Four readings, equally spaced out below the map. One was the time - 8:27, handy. The next was some kind of celestial object display, showing when it would be day or night. The one after read CAMP HALF-BLOOD, whatever that was supposed to mean. And finally, the last one simply said AWAITING.
"Theeen what does thhee under stuffs meean?" Even as he watched, the last display suddenly flickered, and the word ARRIVED replaced it. "Whyy did it just change?"
"Oh. It's an early one today. You're fine for going outside now. Ask someone else for the details, I've got to get groceries." Bobby stated, jumping onto a motorbike. Clicking on a garage opener at the handles, the door swept open, upwards instead of sideways like the previous night. The engine roared, and the boy flew out of the bunker.
Dakota glanced out after him even as the two youngsters cheered and applauded at the loud noise. That … was not the forest they'd come in from yesterday night. At Long Island, the tree leaves had been a riot of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. The forest before him was essentially evergreen, even if there was a bit of color here and there.
Stepping out, he looked left. A massive face. Was that … Abraham Lincoln? He turned the other way. Theodore Roosevelt?
At the forgotten display behind him, the prick of light shining from New York had faded slightly; while another at South Dakota increased in intensity. the second to last display flickered like the other next to it, changing to read MOUNT RUSHMORE.
There he was. "Leo?"
"Yes, Gorgeous?"
Reyna closed in on him and grabbed his lapel, disregarding the danger that the dragon he was tinkering on presented. "Stop with that."
"Whoa! Ok, ok!" She let go. "I like it. Handsy."
"Ok, that's it." This time, Reyna pushed him up against the dragon's leg, forearm pressed against his throat.
"Oi, George, help me here!" The dragon flexed his neck to turn and look, before snorting and blasting smoke at Leo's face. Its eyes fluttered rapidly. "C'mon, take my side!"
The Daughter of Bellona's mind raced. Communication between the boy and the dragon, only clear avenue by blinking … she took more careful note of the automaton's eyes as they flurried again. Bit dodgy, but … yes. "Thanks, dragon."
"What? You understand him?" asked Leo incredulously.
"Morse code is so basic. Now, you're going to make something for me, Son of Hephaestus."
"Why? You're threatening me!"
The leg Leo was propped on unveiled a dozen forms of weaponry and aimed each one at the boy's face. "OK, OK, I GET THE POINT!"
Dakota went back inside. Not worth devoting any more thought to that.
Citadel.
Julia and Harley ran up to him.
"Do you have candy?" asked Julia sweetly, a few missing teeth only making her smile cuter.
The bit of ambrosia they'd given her this morning had done wonders to make her look healthier than before.
"Yeah! Yeah! Give us candy!" yelled Harley in tandem.
Remnant.
"Alright, little onesss! Tell me, ever try Tic tacs?"
"Nope!" "GIMME!"
"Whhat! Really? Here, havee some!" Digging deep into a pocket, he drew out a canister and poured some into his hand. He lowered his hand and-
"No!" Silena pulled away the two toddlers. "Don't spoil them!"
The two toddlers started tearing up. "But. But."
"Heeere, here. A bit." Dakota pushed aside and gave them both some Silena before she could react. "But whoever told you I have candy has more."
"YAY! CANDY!" the children screamed, tearing off to someplace else.
"Wha-what?" blubbered Silena. She ripped the box away from his hand. "Give me that!"
"Fine, have the rest. I got more," said Dakota nonchalantly, before turning around to amble over towards the restroom.
Dumbfounded, Silena stared after him. Then looked down at the Tic Tacs. Then looked around herself quickly, head snapping back and forth. Well … she hadn't had any Halloween candy, so …
The lid popped open.
"Headin' back to the fricken Hunters yet, Fletch?
"You know, I don't think I will anymore."
"What? Why?" Taia stopped rubbing her thumb over the edge of the knife she was holding behind her back.
"They probably think I'm dead. Might as well stay here," shrugged Lee casually, even as he dug through the armory he'd found for quivers. "More intimate here. Only was friends with a few Hunters anyways."
"Oh." Taia sheathed the knife. "I suppose you aren't half bad then."
"Really, Aly? I know a few musical tricks, but you can't hit an arrow on the backside of an elephant if it sat on you," teased Lee.
"Well I'm a better healer than you!" retaliated Taia, pulling out her knife again.
"Says who?"
"You know what? FIGHT ME, BRUH!"
"Hey! What - stop! OW!"
"Let's see just how damn well I can heal you after I pound you to bits!"
"CAAAANDY!" Two toddlers ran in and threw themselves at Lee, even as the two Children of Apollo wrestled.
The dogpile ensued for the greater part of an hour.
Percy's Journal
Entry 54 (Excerpt)
…
Harley and Julia are oddly fun to have around. It helps a lot that we don't have to teach them anything basic like potty training. And that we don't have to constantly manage them because we take turns doing so.
Silena does manage them more often than everyone else, though. She's not so bad now, since she's gotten used to us. Feel as if she's a bit on the anxious bordering on paranoid side, but that's probably a benefit.
She's from the South, joined up with Leo after her babysitting job taking care of Harley went wrong. Not much of a fighter, though charming.
Bit odd, too, seeing her drag Dakota around. Not sure why, don't really want to know.
…
A great wolf seven feet tall with red velvet fur prowled, silver eyes gleaming in the unlighted house. Lightly growling, blood dripped from a chewed off arm in her mouth. She crunched away, and swallowed the limb. The wolf ignored her pack behind her, even as they continued to devour what was once a living girl. A leftover snack. Demigods didn't survive failing her standards of strength.
She had traveled far, far from modern Roman territory to go to the Wolf House. It was only a relic of the past, now, only useful once a decade in recruitment. Now, it was a place for consulting the Lares. None were capable of remaining with the wandering Romans of the new demigod age. They were largely immobile - they were household spirits, after all. And they were now all gathered in the only building left from the previous status quo, crammed to the extreme and wandering the ruins that resembled what once was.
But it had been a mistake to come. She'd wanted confirmation. She'd achieved it. This time, she had more knowledge than before. And this time, this time, she had planned for no mistakes. But she'd already made one.
She did not fight in the front lines, but right now she was scouting deep in enemy territory. West coast. Greek lands, a sacrilegious contradiction of history long ago.
From the woods, a centaur cantered forth, bow prepared to fire.
"Lupa." Chiron, the famous teacher of warriors from Hercules to Asclepius to Achilles to Jason to Theseus to Ajax. "Why are you here?"
Have you not read the signs? Lupa's features seemed to read, Or have you missed them?
"The gods have said nothing. But … the monsters are stirring, yes. I fear the lives of the demigods I teach will be wasted," muttered the centaur, even he pranced lightly around his Roman counterpart. "But that does not explain why you are here. You are not this arrogant to presume that there would be no reparations."
Surely you cannot lead me to believe that you care so much about demigods as you once did. Even after a student tried to sacrifice you in exchange for a Titan, no less, the wolf smirked, its bloody grin full of sharp teeth. And what punishment can you dole, all by your lonesome? You are not mobilized for war.
The centaur grunted, stroking his beard. "But war will come. The balance of power has already tipped."
Lupa looked at him quizzically. What do you speak of?
"Seems as if your information web has failed you," taunted Chiron, "But I require, to some modicum, a trade."
The two began to circle each other.
I have no prisoners you would believe worth your while, growled the she-wolf, so we shall deal in information.
"Something new, if you would, my dear?"
The Thieves are moving north.
"That began last week."
The Athenians are moving to intercept.
"Simple inference, with the proper background knowledge."
The Graces have disappeared off the grid.
"Oh? Interesting."
Movement stilled. Lupa began prowling the other way, forcing Chiron to also.
Fair trade?
"Perhaps one more tidbit."
Give me something first.
"Your Western borders are soon to fall."
Important stuff, then. Chiron was honorable, so it was bound to be valuable information. Worth giving a bit more for. The Children of Poseidon have resurfaced.
"Where?"
Mideast and Northeast.
"Two places?"
One is led by the girl who was involved in Katrina. The other is the boy who has been running rampage from West to East this past year. Her snout curled, as if she were laughing. She'd heard that the latter had slipped through Chiron's fingers.
"Fair enough," replied Chiron, gritting his teeth, "To honor our deal. The Huntresses have been culled. The balance has shifted, and many others are mobilizing."
What happened? asked Lupa, How?
"Around thirty percent of their forces were killed, twenty percent were badly injured sometime last week," recited Chiron, "Near Manhattan."
That would explain how he knew of it first. Evidently, by their meet here, their true homes were never far out of their grasp. The Huntresses would be on the warpath when they recovered, but for now things would spiral out of hand. What are the Hunters doing?
"Unknown. But the Ranch is on the move."
And if them, then so shall others, the wolf seemed to mutter as it slinked off, her pack following along. Thank you.
"To … even the odds of the games," Chiron said simply, "No fun if it isn't."
Playing fair. How sporting.
The Lares in the Wolf House behind them glowed brightly, before dispersing altogether. The teachers quickly departed.
The silhouetted figure crouched in a window on the upper floor faded away as the lights faded, before flickering momentarily due to a blue light. But as that light was consumed by the darkness, all that was left was a glowing blue triangle.
"ANNA!"
"'Lo, little one." The albino smiled, picking up the girl she'd sacrificed so much for recently. "How did you sleep?"
"Better!" cried the toddler impishly. "Call me by name!"
"Ah, stop pouting then, Jul. Want to go outside and hunt?"
"Yup!"
Anna double checked the display.
10:53. Plenty of daylight left. YOSEMITE VALLEY. ARRIVED.
Somehow the Bunker was able to move. She didn't understand the magic behind it. The logistics, however, was clear enough.
At any point during the day, when the sun was in the sky, the Bunker transported to another location. Once per day, every day, and no rhyme or reason where to. It was too risky
The amount of locations weren't fixed. Yosemite Valley hadn't been a location before today, but now it was. Over the past two weeks, they'd been at Camp Half-Blood for about half the time, for one reason or the other.
An interesting effect she'd never seen before, though admittedly she'd never been one for magics and trickery.
Well, time to track down some deer.
"Give me a damn drink."
Taia pushed Dakota, but failed to move the lazy lump from his seat at the bar of the kitchenette. After several more attempts, the large boy rose drowsily. "Hm?"
"Give me something good to drink."
The Son of Bacchus looked at her blearily, before turning his head to the fridge literally five feet away, then back at her. "Whyyy d'ya need me to do it?"
"Just get me a fricken drick, prick!" cursed Taia, finally pushing him off the seat.
Shrugging, the boy ambled over to pull out a bottle of … something. He walked back to find Taia slumped in his seat. The only seat there at the counter.
Ah well. Pulling out two cups from a cabinet, he proceeded to pour a healthy amount of dark red liquid into both before offering one to the obviously troubled girl. "Here."
He downed his and poured himself another before Taia even recognized she had a drink in her hand. She grabbed for it blindly before tilting her head back to drink some.
Eyes dilated, she coughed as she caught some of the bitter liquid in her throat. "What the hell is this swill?"
"The good stuff," Dakota said as he downed another shot.
Eyes watering, Taia sipped a little bit more. Well, it had been a good shock to her system.
"Sooo what'ssss up?"
"What makes you think there's something up, bastard?" cursed Taia, swirling the contents of her cup by jostling it around.
"To navigate a party properly, you need to know how to read people." Suddenly, Dakota's voice seemed much more clear. Whether it was because she was getting intoxicated or he had sobered up, she couldn't tell. "I've been to a few too many myself. So I've had enough experience to know when someone is lying."
"Who said anything about lying?" muttered Taia snidely.
"Hiding the truth, then," revised Dakota, "There are veneers that alcohol reveals to you, your own or others. I might not know what's behind them, but I know they're there."
"And you," he gestured at her bodily self, "are an enigma within an enigma."
"I am certain much of what I know of you is not true." He slipped the bottle back inside the fridge and placed his cup in the sink.
"Down to the names," Then he stumbled, out leaving her to nurse her drink alone.
"So how'd you get here?" asked Harley, unscrewing and rearranging machinery. "My babysitter brought me here when home blew up."
Julia sat quietly on the floor, next to Harley's feet, staring down at her feet. The young boy had his own small desk to work on his own constructions, so she was left to her own devices. "Mama didn't love me, so she said bye-bye."
Harley stopped working.
"And Papa's love hurt too much," finished Julia.
He slunk down to the ground and leaned back on the table with her. When his hand found his way into hers, she did nothing to push him away. So he squeezed it and held it tight.
She squeezed back.
"So … how's it goin, Ginger?"
Rachel didn't even bother looking up from the microscope she was using. It was supposed to be for magnifying circuits to better repair them, but she was busy using it for something else. "Well, Torch, you're going to have to find a better nickname. There are two gingers."
"How about Hot Stuff?" tried Leo, leaning back onto the table. "What's that you're looking at? Looks cool. That silver?"
"Hot Stuff? Classy, Leo, classy." Rachel pulled away and removed the object from under the microscope, slipping it into her sleeve. "Yes, it is silver."
Before he could speak, she interrupted him. "No, you may not look at it. Now, I need to prepare dinner, so unless you want to join me?"
"Sure. Could always learn other ways to cook."
They crossed the bunker without talk. It was a bit too difficult to hold a conversation anyway, considering the noise around them. Yesterday they'd arrived at Niagara Falls near the end of the day. It had also yet to move for the current day too, and there was only an hour before sunset.
The result was a variant of cabin fever. Silena and Reyna were arguing loudly about the usefulness/uselessness of makeup, the two younglings were running about, Percy and Bobby were in a heated spar, Aly was noodling away at her flute, Dakota was snoring very loudly, and even the yet to be named dragon was groaning and creaking away.
"So what are we making?" asked Leo, looking around the kitchen. He'd spent a few days expanding it since there was more people now, along with adding more tables to eat at.
"I'm planning on making a salad, since it's healthiest," Rachel answered, taking out a number of greens and components.
"Really? Just a salad?"
"We also ran out of meat after someone said they accidentally burned all the venison we had left yesterday."
"Um … oops?" Leo smiled sheepishly, ears burning. "Back to nicknames, then. How about … uh … Emeralds?"
"Yes, Percy's eyes are really quite beautiful. He's over there, want me to call him over so you can flirt with him? If you going to choke on your spit, could you please not contaminate the food while doing so? Shoo, shoo, go away now."
Percy's Journal
Entry 55
(Excerpt)
…
Bobby's pretty solid, now that I've actually gotten to know him.
He's not the most inspired guy. No, no, that's not the right way to say it. He doesn't have initiative is better. He'll do things if he's instructed to do them. Otherwise, he simply just doesn't care.
Like, he has hobbies, I guess? Talks a lot about the potential of using trained creatures in battle. He's mentioned all sorts of things, even an elephant (although I don't quite understand how he expects to find an elephant to tame anywhere).
Reyna calls him "the perfect Roman soldier." I don't think she likes talking with Bobby, but then again Bobby doesn't start any conversations unless he really needs to.
On that tangent, I still need to talk to her about whatever she wanted to talk about on the night of the Huntress attack. We've been too busy trying to adjust to Bunker 9 to have a proper conversation.
…
"MAKE ME TOYS!"
"YOU MAKE ME TOYS!"
"STOP BEING A LITTLE GIRL!"
"YOU STOP BEING A LITTLE GIRL!"
"I AM A LITTLE GIRL, STOP YELLING AT ME!"
"I - ew! YOU STOP YELLING AT ME!"
"THEN MAKE. ME. A. TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOY!"
"WHY CAN'T YOU MAKE YOUR OWN TOYS?"
"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW!"
"WHY DON'T YOU ASK HARLEY TO MAKE ONE FOR YOU?"
"BECAUSE HE WON'T!"
"WHY DON'T YOU LEARN HOW?"
"BECAUSE NO ONE LETS ME TOUCH STUFF!"
"WHY DON'T-"
"GIVE! ME! A! TOY!"
"FINE! HERE! A LOW POWERED LASER!"
"Thank you!"
Julia scampered off, now armed and dangerous.
Lee eyed down the length of the arrow he was trying to whittle. The bend in the shaft was off, so it seemed like this would be a slight waste of wood. He dropped it, and it fell 40 feet past his swinging legs to land in the pile that had built up.
The catwalks were his domain. While the others had eventually drifted off to establish themselves in other places, he'd prefered the area above. There it was quieter, and he had much more space to set up his practice range.
The range that Anna was now using. He hadn't had the guts to say anything when she'd climbed up and began practicing earlier, and she didn't say a word to him either.
She hadn't spoken a word to any male explicitly. Not once, at least from what he'd seen.
"ZAP!" Julia also had yet to point her laser up in the day since she'd acquired it, so that was a bonus. "ZAP!"
Below him, a particularly louder scream echoed out. Maybe someone would finally do something about the homicidal toddler running around?
" $#&! LEO, SO HELP ME MARS, I WILL TEAR OFF YOUR ARM!"
Yep. Just a matter of time.
"Hide me. Please."
Dakota turned around fully, but saw no one. Then he merely moved his head to see, and saw Leo using his body as protection. The mechanic must have moved around behind him.
Circles. Mirrors. Tribute.
"Yooou flirted with heeer, and then you giiive a laser a fiiive year old." The zapping had ceased, but the phantom remnants of rushed movement reverberated in the chamber. "Sooo I'm gonnna hide."
"Take me with you!" pleaded Leo, clutching the back of Dakota's sweater.
"Annnn-na's up there."
Maiden. Huntress.
"Nevermind." The mechanic avoided Anna to his best ability since he'd learned exactly what the Huntresses were.
Ah well. Shrugging, Dakota dragged himself up the rungs of the ladder.
"Mommy," whimpered Leo behind him. Vaguely, the Son of Bacchus heard the boy under him scamper off.
Reaching the top, he looked back down. He nearly fell off as he swooned, but soon refocused on a figure gesturing at him from the floor. Reyna, asking for directions in sign language. The Roman dialect variant of ASL.
Hunt.
She was asking where the target went. Huh. From the curse word, he'd thought it was Aly that was chasing down Leo. Oh well. He swept his arm in the general direction Leo had headed off to.
Then his attention snapped back to his closer vicinity as he dodged an arrow. Nearly cutting into an ear, his instinctual movement had prevented his injury and instead let the projectile embed into the bullseye of the target behind him.
Looking across the way, he located its sender and treaded silently over to her.
At Anna's contemptuous refusal to look at him, he merely cocked his head. There was no way a Huntress couldn't see him there, and nothing could pressure him to do something he hadn't intended.
For some time, even as the chase below continued, he followed her as she continued moving targets. When the archer finished up using the arrows in her quiver, she left to retrieve them. He calmly circled the other way, and at the center target offered her the arrows he'd collected in one hand.
Impasse.
They stood resolute, before Anna ripped the arsenal out of his hands testily. "I didn't need your help."
Before she could stalk away, he pulled out one more arrow from behind his back. He examined her quizzically. "That'sss not the point."
"Then what is?" she countered, returning to snatch away the remaining arrow away.
"You should knowww," he responded, carefully looking into her eyes. The red tinge in her irises had completely disappeared, and now seemed more yellowy. It certainly had a very strange effect on the overall metallic silvery color. "Why does one Hunt in groups?"
The albino scoffed. "I rejected that notion long ago."
"How longg? Decccades? Centuries?" asked Dakota.
"A millennium and a half," clarified Anna, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Collapse.
"The fall…" whispered the Son of Bacchus. He'd drilled that into his memory - the end of the empire, which had lasted a millennium itself. Three times longer than the Greek civilization - something to be proud of. For a time.
What had Rachel told him she had said? A … a product of the Roman era.
"I hunt alone. Now leave before-"
"That must suck," he interrupted. And before Anna could respond, Dakota fell off the catwalks (onto a mechanical dragon [safely]).
"Percy, what's your favorite flower?"
The boy stopped putting up his clothes to dry to answer her directly. "Rachel, this is your last question for the week. Ok?"
"Oh, phooey. Let me ask a different one then." Rachel looked down from the scenery she'd been painting. It was simple - a sun glowing from behind a mountain by the bay, covered by a lovely spring bloom.
Percy sighed. Well, as long as he wouldn't have to answer another 50 until another time. "Fine, now what is it?"
"Do you think you are obligated to do things because you must or because you choose to?"
The Son of Poseidon frowned. What? "Can I just answer another ten easier questions?"
"Nope" bubbled Rachel, cleaning her brush.
Percy groaned.
Percy's Journal
Entry 56
(Excerpt)
…
Dakota decided to teach sex ed to the boys for some reason. Even Harley. I'm scarred for life. I haven't asked Aly yet, but I don't think Rachel teaching the girls went any smoother.
…
"Thanks, Perseus," Reyna whispered, Shivering, she did her best to cover her mouth before nearly coughing out her lungs.
The boy ceased 'cooking' to help Reyna, rubbing her back until her convulsions ceased. "It's nothing" yawn, "just soup."
Reyna sniffled. "It's like 2 am. Just let *cough *cough … me be grateful."
Everything was just a bit fuzzy. She wasn't even sure she was really sitting there with Percy. It just didn't seem real … there was that constant buzzing noise, and the chicken noodle soup that Percy was warming up just smelled heavenly.
"Never did get to finish that talk," Percy said tiredly, pouring out the soup from the cooking pot, "But don't think you're in any state to."
Her hearing was always clear, even in the din of battle. She mostly ate for substance, not for the taste. And she definitely wasn't blushing because Percy had heard her stumbling about and came out to help her. Nor because he'd practically carried her over to the kitchen and brought a blanket to cover her and warm her up.
She looked up from the spoonful she just scooped. At least she didn't need him to feed her. That would have been too embarrassing. She did her best to glare at Percy, who was dozing in his seat across from her. "This never *sniff happened, ok?"
"Mk," murmured Percy, definitely about to fall asleep. "Lemme just …"
He wandered away momentarily, and Reyna contentedly sipped away at the bowl of broth. Soon enough, he came back with a box of kleenex. "Gotta get back to Taia before she wakes up. Feel" yawn, "better, mhm?"
The kind boy embraced her from behind. His warmth was tangible from even under the thick layers of covers. And his face was definitely too close to hers - she could feel her frazzled, unbraided hair being brushed away by the movement of his head by her shoulder.
She wasn't sure if she shirked away or nuzzled into the hand that ruffled the top of head.
But she was certain that she'd prefer Percy to stay with her rather than Aly.
Wait, who was Taia?
"Before coming here, I'd lived in a maze of horrors. There was always this one particular section that I'm come by, over and over," began Bobby, "A skeleton. Next to it, a six-pack of glass bottles, full of white dust. The first time it had been scary. Before I escaped, it was a comforting sight. If I saw it, I knew where I was."
Rachel listened attentively. It was just the two of them, eating at lunch at a diner. Some others had also went out, for one reason or the other, but they'd paired up to work together to get more food for the pantry. She'd started her questions, and Bobby always answered promptly. Directly and simply, giving no more than what was asked.
She'd asked how he'd gotten to the Bunker. Something she didn't know.
"One day I was being chased, by mortals. Mortals, of all things." Bobby paused for water.
"How did you know?"
"They were shooting at me. Using guns. I got shot in the leg, there's a scar here." He pulled up his jeans, exposing an off color indent in his leg. "I forgot how long they chased me. I forgot how long I'd been down there. Not that it mattered, anyway."
"One day, I finally found a way out. Crawled out from under a pile of boulders that looked like a pile of shit. Leo's dragon found me. Now I'm here."
For some time, the two sat there, finishing their meal. Eventually, Rachel asked another question. "How'd you end up there though?"
"I was captured and forced to play in a gladiator tournament. Some monsters …"
Percy's Journal
Entry 57
(Excerpt)
…
Leo isn't particularly smart, for all his skills in mechanics. This week, he's given Julia a paintball gun, water bombs, and even a rocket powered race-car.
On the days Reyna was sick, Silena helped to beat him up. He's lucky Lee is willing to patch him up, because Taia isn't happy with him either.
…
Sizzle. "Oh hello there, beautiful."
Even if Anna was a Huntress, she was looking really depressed as of late - and it was Leo's job as a smooth gentleman to help her out of her funk. Even the sweet little tyke known as Julia had noticed, and asked him to help.
Not really sure why she asked him of all people, but since she'd offered to help name the dragon, the price was definitely worth the cost.
The girl kept skinning the rabbits she'd caught. "Another flirtatious word out of your mouth, and I will dislocate your arm. Again."
Maybe not? Leo winced as he recalled his limb being yanked out of its socket. "Ah. Ok. Thanks for the warning, luv."
"…"
Shit.
POP.
"HEPHAESTUS'S HAMMER, OW!"
"Dakota. Dakota! Wake up!"
Deflecting a swatting arm, Reyna did her best to wake the napping boy from his nightmare as he slept on the floor of the Bunker's cargo bay. The tossing and turning made it rather difficult to rouse him.
"Hmmm? Ave, Praetor!" The petite girl froze as the boy snapped awake and launched an immediate Roman-esque salute. No, the exact variant that the Romans used.
"Not funny," she sniped, "That camp is behind me."
Dakota's eyes were blank, but locked on hers. "But it nevers leaves you."
"Noww if you'll exxxccuse me, I need a drink." The boy rose and stumbled away.
"Percy! Come over here!" called Rachel. "Do you have any gum left?"
Percy pat his pockets to check before answering. "Yeah. Why?"
"Taia's in your guys' room right now, digging through her bag. She ran out without noticing, so you better give some to her and go out and get some more before she cracks."
He hurried over to the sleeping quarters, stepping into his and Aly's room to the side. It wasn't large, but seemed smaller because of the bedding and mattresses strewn across most of it. Part of the mess was because Taia was tearing away at the bedsheets looking for her 'fix,' but for the most part it was because of their odd sleeping arrangement.
She didn't trust anyone else to room with her (and there were only so many rooms for everyone - if Lee hadn't chosen to sleep in the catwalks, there wouldn't have been enough space for everyone). There had been a little trouble stealing mattresses, but then they'd killed some guy named Procrustes. Now there was a semi-elaborate setup of multiple mattresses and blankets and pillows so that they could crash in multitudes of ways, separate or not.
"Hey hey hey. Calm down. Here." His ally's blubbering slowed as he seized her shoulders, forcing her to realize he was there. He handed her the half full pack, and she quickly fished out a piece to put in her mouth.
Like she was sighing, the tension in Taia's body slipped away, and she hugged Percy tightly. The movement caused them to topple over, landing on a mattress decorated with a polka dot esque dinosaur pattern on it. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou," she blabbed over and over.
"You've been alright lately?" Percy pat the back of her head, stroking and brushing the ginger hairs. Even though they'd felt things were settled in for a while already, it was still busy. Fighting off monsters or demigods nearly every time they'd gone out, from The Valley of Fire to Lake Superior, dealing with and leading the others, there was little time for real, personal talk that wasn't impeded by exhausted minds. "Never got a chance to say sorry about sharing your name, so - sorry."
"Things are … fine. We're alive. We've got other people with us. We've got food and water. Life goes on. Just tiring." The girl sighed, before rolling off him to lay besides him. "And it's ok. I was thinking about fricken sharing it anyways. Just gotta make other ones then."
"Other ones?" Percy looked at Aly curiously.
"Names have power, Percy. You've said it a few times yourself. They might be less powerful today, but they still have their … effects. Anyways, I tracked down the person who'd shared my name. Reyna. When'd you tell her?"
Puzzled, Percy scratched his head. "Don't remember telling her."
"What? Didn't share it to her in some way to get on her good side?" teased Taia.
The Son of the Sea was only even more confused. "Why would I want to get on her good side? Why would I need to, beyond the obvious?"
Taia raised a single eyebrow. "Beyond the obvious? You can be so stupid sometimes."
A bell tone sounded. "There's that damned shift - c'mon, let's go get more gum. But first -"
Taia spit out her gum, a piece of thoroughly disgusting rubbery material now that she'd chewed her way through the flavor. Instead of disposing it in the trash can in the corner, she promptly wadded it into Percy's hair. "Now we're cool."
She cackled on her way out as Percy desperately pawed at the gunk in his hair.
Percy's Journal
Entry 58
(Excerpt)
…
Outside of fighting a few hellbeasts, got to talk to Reyna two days ago. She said that I could forget about the thing she'd wanted to talk about. I tried to push on the topic a little, but she just clammed up and looked at me very aggravatingly, so I dropped it.
…
"Um, Rachel?"
"Yes?"
Silena tapped her foot, looking around at the mess in the kitchen and dining area. "What exactly is this stuff?"
"Um … I tried to making a dessert. It was supposed to be ice cream, but then some mousse and jello mixed together somewhere along the line, and then frozen with the help of some kinda freeze ray Leo pulled out."
"Popsicle!" exclaimed Harley, running to Silena to hug her. The girl quickly held him away at an arm's length to keep him from smearing his sticky self on her clothes.
Unfortunately she failed to keep Julia from doing the same. "JULIA!"
Anna crouched, sensing someone behind her. Footfalls, definitely of a human being. One that had no wilderness training.
A leaf crunched. Seven o'clock.
Without warning, her bow was aimed steadfastly, nocked with an arrow that had dropped from her sleeve. "Why are you here?"
Silena edged around the woods, coming more fully into view. "Must you keep that arrow at my face? I'm not an enemy."
Undeterred, Anna repeated her question. "Why are you here?"
Here, being the woods where she'd encountered the others in the first place. She could still see the remnants of their battle - scars and gouges in the trees, the calamitic mess of torn earth, even a few discolored stains here and there. The autumn leaves had fallen, so it had taken effort to uncover some of their tracks.
The final straw.
The Greeks had been powerful. Objectively, the Romans were more powerful. Ancient Greece was more a disorganized mess than anything else, despite the great philosophers coming from that period. Rome had conquered them easily. But Greece has eventually subverted Rome. The Greek-like Byzantines outlasted the fall of the Roman empire.
"To talk. Now if you would put that down?" Silena cleared some space to lean on a small boulder that had been unearthed by Percy's powers weeks ago.
"What of?" asked Anna warily. She shot the arrow into the ground, letting the accumulated tension in the bowstring release. Despite her strength and the bow's properties, it wouldn't do to form bad habits.
"Why were you with the Huntresses?"
"To remain virginal. To avoid the company of boys. To Hunt. To have companions."
"Yet you've already denied one."
"Yes." She no longer truly had fellows. Not in centuries.
"Why do you despise males so much?"
"They exist." Every male she'd known had been atrocious before the Hunt. The few that had ever gained her respect had lost it soon enough.
"No sob story? No betrayal of love, attempted rape, anything?" Silena asked incredulously.
"Not personally." Not to her.
"Are you against even trying?"
"I have no reason to seek the company of one."
"Are you against one seeking yours?"
That was a thought. "None have."
Her family and more specifically her oaf of a brother didn't count.
"But are you against it?"
When Anna didn't give a reply, Silena tromped her way back through fallen leaves.
Percy's Journal
Entry 58
(Excerpt)
…
That's all I can write. This is the last page, because Lee and Leo decided they wanted to have a paper airplane contest because we'd been stuck inside. Then Harley joined in. Then Dakota. Then just about everyone else. The only reason why they didn't use this page is because there's writing on the other side.
So I need another journal.
"It's time, right? Season seem to be right."
"Almost. It's a shade away. I'll … I'm … I'm sorry."
"No worries. I believed you when you told me back then, and I still believe you now."
"Doesn't change that I'm not happy with what I see."
"I know."
"I'll miss you when …"
"Hey, hey. There's a bit of time. And I'll find you in the next life."
Silver flashed.
A narrow stone walkway floated on air above the expansive city of Manhattan at the height of a flying airplane. White marble steps twisted and turned up an unmoving cloud into the sky. At its end was the peak of a mountain, its summit covered with unmelting snow. It seemed rooted in the cloud, and clinging to the sides of the mountain were tens if not hundreds of multileveled palaces and mansions. Decorations varied, columned porticos, gilded terraces, and bronze braziers glowing with the day. Crazily winding roads led here and there, and at the peak, the largest palace shone against the snow. Gardens were perched here and there, flowering shrubs of reds and whites and trees of oak and maple seeming to almost fall off the steep slopes. An outdoor market was completely filled by a riot of color, an amphitheater was carved deeply into the mountain rock, and a racing arena and a coliseum on the other side. An Ancient Greek city that did not lay in ruins, but resting above one of the most prosperous cities of a new age.
The population was no less awe striking. Beautiful nymphs picked olives from their gardens, sellers on the street yelled out offers for ambrosia kebob. New weapon sales here, mock replicas of the famous magical items there. The Nine Muses were tuning their instruments for street concert, which many minor gods and goddesses seemed to be waiting for. Everything glittered white and silver, or were vibrant in their own right. It was almost as if a gay pride march had littered their signature colors across the streets. It was more festive than a mortal Halloween, Christmas, and New Year's combined.
After all, it was the day that the Olympians congregated. They needed to be together to fight the darkness - the day lasted the shortest out of the entire year. The massive palace looked as cheerful as the rest of the mountain, clean and glimmering. However, it didn't sound the same.
I should visit Pluto, resolved a goddess in the guise of an old woman, tending a fire. He hasn't attended any meetings for so long. And he's always so terribly lonely at this time of the year, without his wife. A loud riff blared, and atrocious singing rang equally loudly. It wasn't that the singing was bad, just far too overpoweringly sweet. And he's the only person who isn't remarkably stupid.
Elder siblings had to stick together. With that, she tottered into the flames and disappeared.
Moments later, the Olympians arrived.
Twelve thrones were arranged in a parabolic arch, under a ceiling that mimicked the sky above. They curved around the enormous fire crackling in the central hearth pit, of which the crone had tended.
At the head, the very largest, was a simple throne of solid platinum with a few etchings of lightning upon the sides. The occupant sitting in it, however, was far more sophisticated. A well-trimmed beard of marbled gray and black hair framed a proud, handsome, and grim face. The very air crackled around the being and smelled distinctly of ozone.
To the king of the god's right sat a god of clear familial relation, but dressed far more lax in beach clothing and sitting in a ship captain's chair. Black leather, and a custom built-in holster for a fishing pole.
Continuing down, a mech of a large misshapen cripple whose grimy features were alight with flame sat upon a huge mechanical massage chair, which was embedded with a mess of bronze, silver, and gold gears.
Next was a booth, at which two twins seemed to be operating a telegram machine. One was tapping away messages that did not seem to be in Morse code, while the other was transcribing something down from whatever he was hearing.
Past that, a man sat on a pure gold seat playing a lyre rather loudly to entertain himself as they waited for his sister's arrival.
Finally, capping off the right arc was a throne comprised of chrome and leather, and the armrests seemed to consist of impossibly large human skulls. A man with glowing eyes hidden behind dark shades sat cleaning his fingernails of what suspiciously looked like dried blood, using a knife that seemed to be hidden from underneath a cross between that of an army soldier's uniform and hoodlum biker's leather.
At the king's left was a silver haired stern faced lady dressed in a rich royal blue dress, cloaked by goat's skin atop the shoulders, watching the proceedings.
A rich green robed dark-haired goddess on her left sat on a throne woven of branches from many different trees, calmly eating what looked to be raisin corn flakes.
Already looking conspicuous further on, a drunk sleeping male on the female side lay atop leopard skins, oblivious to the noise. His head was cradled by the vines that comprised his grand chair, which gave fruit to grapes, strawberries, and cans of Diet Pepsi.
An intense stormy gray eyed woman peered deeply into a laptop as she typed away at what looked like a high-schooler's desk, with the table holding up her device, legs crossed underneath an elegant white dress.
A throne of silver sat opposite of its gold counterpart, feeling extremely empty compared to everyone else's chairs of power.
Once again at the end, a woman whose features never seemed definite yet was definitely that of ideal beauty laid upon a couch, seemingly modeling for invisible photographers in a dress that seemed to morph along with her facial features.
All seemed fairly fine. Zeus was lazing about, waiting for his favorite daughter to return from her late hunts. Juno surveyed everyone else, watching for anything she could nitpick upon (thereby constantly criticizing Poseidon's attire). The Sea God seemed to be fishing into some portal, occasionally pulling out sea dragons, whale sharks, and even a polar bear. The mech in place of god of smithing was clinking away unresponsively; Hermes and Mercury managed messages at Mach 5; and Mars now playing a rather violent video game on a side television screen. Demeter still eating at corn flakes; Bacchus somehow had flipped in his chair, head at the foot rest, upside down like a leopard; Athena typing what looked like Matrix code; and Aphrodite now seemed to be sinking into some sauna.
Artemis did not show up.
Anna's Take on the Author Notes
Hm? No Lee this time around?
I got too lazy to write him. He's just average, beyond skill with a bow. No character that I want to play around with to make pop.
Fair enough.
In other things, Leo was planned to be the 10th member to join the group, but I changed him to 9 to fit Bunker 9, and Cabin 9. Fun with numbers and all that.
If you counted Julia and I as in the group. And all the new people, too.
Well, it a) makes more sense that way and b) was easier not to have to continually add people or I feel the growth part of the story would be too long.
Like last time?
Last time went topsy turvy and lost all semblance of following a proper arc.
But this time chapters are more willy nilly and don't exactly mesh.
Mhm. Not gonna rewrite it anymore though. The only reason I rewrote this one last time is because I didn't do justice to character traits.
Seems like a bit of wasted effort if not appreciated.
There are weak points to everything you aren't willing to devote to full time. But the character building this time around might be slightly skewed due to the faster tempo of events in the chapters. Either way, I wanted to bring in the majority of the set in faster.
Mhm hm.
Otherwise, we wouldn't quite get to the romance, hm? Need all the setup.
Yes … very much looking forward to that. Especially with you suddenly just seeming to pull Taia and Reyna into it.
What?
Percy's not that much of a catch.
Hey, I would think spending almost a year full time with someone of the opposite sex as a pubescent teenager would develop some feelings. Didn't quite devote enough to it, though, to be honest. But obviously Alytaia didn't quite reciprocate fully.
Fine. What about Reyna then?
I'm trying to keep that part honest to the books. Both cases, she was lonely, found Percy's power/ability to be attractive (or a good aspect for a possible relationship). In this case, there's even no bad history between them - it's good this time.
Fair enough.
But I'm aiming for Artemis, so … well got to her this chapter.
Feh. We'll see about that.
Updates will now be (hopefully) at the end of every month. Title origin, Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas.
Alternate Title: LOL at Lulls
Favorite, follow, review. Updated 6/24/15. Edited 7/15/15. Rehauled 7/28/16