To RandomFanAuthor- MWHAHAHA, you love it ^_^
To HoO Fan- oh hell yeah, LOADS of swearing! And not many! But don't forget... Sea of Monsters.
Calypso massaged her temples with her fingertips. "Leo. She's allergic to flowers."
"I know. But she loves sunflowers. They have a whoooole section for gardening here and they let me have some!" He beamed, brandishing the bouquet.
"She's still allergic."
"Funsponge. She'll love them."
"Does she even remember she loves them?"
"Uh… she will?" Leo laughed nervously, shrugging a shoulder. They turned into the corridor of the medbay. Leo elbowed her. "You're just jealous."
"I'm not jealous." She sighed. He snickered, ready to tease. Calypso got there first, slugging him in the shoulder. "Shut up."
"Make me."
"Ooh, don't test me."
"Excuuuuse me, but what are those?" They faced forward. The Scary Doctor Lady had found them.
"Sunflowers." Leo replied simply. "Don't tell us you've not seen sunflowers before." July silently fumed at him, pushing the bouquet away.
"Lou has hayfever; get them out of here."
"No." Leo feinted to her left. She made a grab for him, cursing as he skipped behind her, laughing and blowing victorious raspberries.
"What do you see in him?"
"He has more traits than idiot, I promise."
"Hey, uuhh, July?" Leo called. "Where is she?"
"What?" July demanded. Leo stuck his head out.
"Where's Lou?" He repeated. She swore, marching forward, one long stride for two of Calypso's quick steps.
Louisa's bed was empty, unmade. Calypso felt the sheets- still warm.
"She was here ten minutes ago!" July scowled. "Bloody hell, I don't get paid enough for this."
"She can't have gone far." Calypso assured. "Leo, put those down. Let's go."
"I swear, if she's getting herself blown up or- or- I don't know, but I will be putting snakes in her stuff."
"Um, we don't have snakes."
"Then we will find some."
"Are you sure?"
"Why'd ya keep askin' me that?"
"We've had enough near-death experiences with you. I am not paid enough to manage more."
"Well, that's on you."
"How so?"
"You're a dick."
"I could just drop you."
"Point proven." Louisa smirked. Lucy-Jo seemed very tempted to not just drop her, but drop-kick her. "Are we there yet?"
"Just around this corner. And then the other end of the hall."
"I had my hopes up then."
"I know you did."
"That's why ya paused."
"That's what I paused." Lucy-Jo confirmed with a smirk. Louisa squinted at her, sidelong and disapproving. "You're a bigger pain in the arse than I am. Shut up."
"Never."
The walk down the corridor was ninety-eight percent shushing. The other two percent was swearing. Lucy-Jo punched in the code with one hand, trying to keep Louisa upright and cover her eyes while she squirmed about with the other. "The first number is one!" Louisa laughed.
"No."
"It is!"
"It's not. And even if it was, which it's not, I still wouldn't tell you."
"Mmph. I'm gonna call ya Eugena."
"Uh, why?" Lucy-Jo was not impressed her charge decided to stay quiet for once- perhaps for the first time ever. She sighed, lugging her through the door.
Neville's lab was impeccably clean and tidy. An island in the middle with a marbled top, and then counters and cabinets to match on the left and furthest walls. On the right, a whiteboard and a bulletin board split the wall in two, floor to ceiling. Both were covered in scribblings, diagrams, post-it-notes and connected with multiple colours of wool.
Lucy-Jo pulled a stool from underneath the island and helped Louisa sit. A tall, locker-size cabinet in the corner was her next target. She opened the door carefully, a green light thrumming around the edges. "I'm not touching it." She said. Louisa simply held her hand out. Quicker than Lucy-Jo could blink, the trident flew past her, a hairsbreadth from skimming her nose, and into its owner's outstretched grasp. "Show-off." Lucy-Jo muttered.
Louisa didn't hear her. The energy from her weapon flurried around her. It dispensed colour to her skin, gave her the energy to sit up straight and then to stand. She took a deep breath, eyes closed; even Lucy-Jo could smell it- so many miles inland, in her brother's windowless lab, she could smell the sea.
Louisa opened her eyes. Her hair seemed darker, but shinier, her eyes were bright and as green as ever. She smiled, setting the butt of the trident on the floor. The energy dwindled, just a soft, barely visible glow. "Mm." Lucy-Jo said. "Magic jumper cables."
"Somethin' like that."
"So, what's your idea?"
"This way."
"I'm not even going to ask how you lost her." Joel shook his head. Neville swatted his arm. "What? Lou's like that sock in the dryer that you never see again, or that Tupperware lid that just dives into the void, or my dad who-"
"They asked for help, not criticism. Or a tragic backstory."
"That's on them, they came to the wrong person."
"You're the one with all the stalker-cams." Leo reminded him.
"They're for science! And security!" Joel spun in his chair, grumbling about their rudeness and busying himself with his keyboard. "Okey dokey, peasants. L.J went to see her; fast-forward four minutes and twenty-one seconds and we've got them leaving."
"Where did they go?"
"Where did he come from, where did he go, where did he come from, Cotton-Eyed Joe."
"Stop." Neville requested, grasping Joel's shoulders and jostling him. "I can't stand that song."
"You failed as a white person." Joel congratulated. "Oh, and they're in your lab. Aaah, not so funny now someone's touching your stuff, is it?"
"Why are they in my lab?"
"What sharp, stabby, glowy thing is in your lab?"
"Oh, right."
"And everyone says you're the brains." Joel rolled his eyes. "I have to do all the work around here." He got a smack upside his head, but it amused him more than anything. He flourished his hand in a dramatic spin, pointing at the sky and beaming. "To the lavatory!"
"Don't you mean laboratory?"
"Nope! I need to squeeze the lemon!" Joel shoved back from his desk, rising. Neville groaned in disgust.
"I hate that phrase!"
"You hate everything. You hater. Except me. You love me. I mean, who doesn't? It's impossible not to."
"You're remarkably fat-headed."
"Mm. Might be why my mother ran away too."
"Uh, you OK, dude?"
"Eh. Can't miss what you never had. Can I wee now? Lemons need a-squeezing!"
"No. No, that's it. I'm out."
"Love you, Nevvy!"
"Love you too, you disgusting freak of nature!"
"Right, just because you can walk on your own now, doesn't mean you have to speed ahead by a million light years."
"Not my fault ya've got short legs."
"You're the same height as me." Lucy-Jo huffed. Louisa blew a raspberry over her shoulder. "Where are you even going?"
"Lake."
"Lake?"
"Yes. Lake."
"Why?"
"I had an idea." Lucy-Jo waited for an elaboration. When none came, she tutted and hurried her gait. She clamped her hand on Louisa's shoulder, drawing herself forward and simultaneously slowing the demigod. "Hi." Louisa said.
"Hi." Lucy-Jo echoed, frowning. "Going to tell me what you're brewing?"
"No."
"Why?"
"I'm a petty lil' shit."
"Triff." Lucy-Jo sighed. She let her go and ambled along after her. Louisa reached the lake's edge half a minute before she did, although the tapping of her foot and the fidgety spinning of the trident suggested otherwise. "Right, I'm here. Whatever will you do next?"
"Might stab the grass."
"I'm not even going to question it. You do you. I'm gonna sit over there." She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. Louisa nodded, humming in agreement.
Lucy-Jo settled about twenty feet away, crossing her legs like a child. "Please don't break things!" She called out. "Boss is not happy about that giant crater you made!"
"Make it an obstacle course!" Louisa called back, aiming the prongs at the ground. "Ya'll need the exercise!"
"Naff off!"
Louisa took a deep breath, steadying her hold on the weapon. She called to mind visions of the green energy she did not understand, and then called on her father. I don't know what it is, Dad. Or how ta control it. But I don't want this. Let me do this 'n' let us go home.
She didn't not expect a response and was not surprised when she didn't get one. She raised the trident, stretching her arms above her head. She focused on the spot of earth just in front of her feet, the scent of the ocean filling her lungs as green light churned around her.
"Oh, that's not good." Leo panicked, stumbling as he hurried down the hill. His first sighting of Louisa had been the uplift of the trident. "Lou!" He called, Calypso two steps behind him and also yelling. She turned her head slightly, just for a moment, and then returned her attention to the trident.
She slammed it down, green light erupting in all directions, both from her and the weapon. They were swept from their feet in a tandem shockwave, a low chiming of thunder rumbling through their bones. The wind picked up, whistling with an ocean breeze.
Leo squinted at the sky, smarting and wincing. He struggled to sit up, looking for Calypso. She was on her hands and knees, swaying woozily and taking deep breaths. Joel and Neville were further back. Joel had tackled Neville and was now cautiously looking up from shielding the latter. Lucy-Jo was lying on the grass, as though sun-bathing, and re-considering her life choices.
The sky seemed to undulate under green ripples pulsing through the blue. They faded the further they explored. The rumbling began to calm. The gust settled. Louisa groaned, falling to her knees, still holding the trident. She lay her head on the weapon's handle, shoulders heaving as she fought to catch her breath.
Leo rose carefully, helping Calypso up. "You OK?"
"My ears are ringing!" She replied a little too loudly. "What was that?" Leo shook his head, clueless. He tucked his arm around her waist and together, they staggered over to Louisa. Calypso knelt next to her, half-tumbling, and grasping her shoulders. "Oy!" She called. "What did you do?" Louisa coughed, sitting up and smiling blearily.
"I'm good now." She said, yelling it when Calypso jabbed a finger at her ears. Louisa covered her ears with her hands, exhaling slowly. "There." She said a moment later. "Is that better?" Calypso rubbed at her ears, shaking her head side to side.
"Yes." She said. "Are you dying?"
"No."
"Good." Calypso nodded. And then she slapped her. Leo gasped- this was suddenly the best and most terrifying thing ever. Louisa worked her jaw, felt her injured cheek. Calypso jabbed a cautioning finger in her face, making her flinch. "You," she growled, "one more step out of line and I will kill you. Understood?"
"Y-yes ma'am." Louisa nodded, gaze darting to Leo. He laughed disbelievingly, hugging Calypso from behind and pulling her to him.
"What did you do, Lou?" He asked, grinning. She lowered her hand, looking up at the sky. Her focus drifted over the blue expanse and then down, taking in the trident still upright in the ground.
"I didn't wanna be out of control again. 'N' I don't… trust that." She nodded at the weapon. "So I'll leave it here. It's got a lot of power 'n' I've asked Dad if he'll set it ta protect this place."
"Like the border at Camp?"
"Um… yes?"
"And you're OK?"
"I think so. Bit hungry."
"Yeah, she's OK." Leo beamed. His hand shot out, grabbing Louisa by the arm and yanking her into a group hug. "Oh, hey, Boss does not look happy."
