I don't like that we're on Chapter 50 already. I've not done as much on Part 2 as I would've liked (I got stuck) *nervous*

To 8Ball3- Learning is good for you, you're welcome :P And don't get used to it, she hates it really XD

To An-Unnamed-Goose- I've spent the last few days between Animal Crossing and burning myself with a glue gun (and falling on the stairs and possibly spraining my ankle, but that's another problem)


Louisa took first watch that night. The trio spread themselves out around the fire. Huxley snored. Ruby fidgeted. Raijin chattered, although not always in English. Louisa sat next to Storm, the foal's head in her lap to maximise head scratches.

Her sword was ready beside her, flashing in the light of the fire. She had kept it going this long, but was on the last of their sticks now. By morning, it would die out. Every so often, she would glance at the blade, seeing her reflection stare back at her worriedly. Storm would huff, bump her chin on Louisa's leg. What's wrong? She eventually asked. Louisa shook her head, the words swishing about in her chest. She didn't want them to come up.

Storm, thankfully, didn't press. She shook her head, silently demanding more pets.

"Get- the- gold, get- the- gold!" Raijin chanted in a sleepy mumble, smiling to himself. He spread his hands. "Champion!"

He's so weird. Storm remarked. Louisa just hummed in response. Why don't you get some sleep? I can wake you if anything happens.

No. I'm OK.

You don't look OK.

I don't want to sleep.

OK. Let me know if you change your mind. Louisa didn't respond to that, rubbing at her face. Her brain told her it was time to sleep, what with it being dark, the moon, all the calls and sounds of night-time. But her body refused. Tiredness did and did not bother her now. She couldn't explain it. She just knew she didn't want to sleep.

"Mmph." Ruby was awake. She squinted around blearily, flexing her fingers. With some effort and groaning, she wriggled herself into a sitting up position, stretching and rubbing at her eyes. Louisa stoked the flames, watching her from the corner of her eye.

"Na-na-na-na-na-na, I win." Raijin stuck his tongue out, rolling onto his side.

"Weirdo." Ruby mumbled.

See, I said that. Storm said. Louisa patted her head.

Ruby looked across the fire at them. "Do you want me to take over?" Louisa shook her head. "You need to sleep."

I said that too.

"Yeah, but she can't hear you."

I think everyone should be able to hear me.

"I don't."

You're rude.

"You're rude."

"Hearing one side of your conversations is really confusing." Ruby admitted.

Don't listen then. Storm snorted at her. Louisa shushed her, smoothing down a fuzzy part of her mane. Ruby waited for Louisa to expand on Storm's musings. When nothing came, she reached for her supplies, drinking her water in small sips. "Have you been out here long?" She asked. Louisa froze mid-poke of the fire, eyes narrowing in thought.

"About two years." She replied, now only realising that herself. The incident with Mr. Greaves seemed more like a bad dream than a memory now. So much had happened since then, so much worse than him.

"Two years?" Ruby gaped. "I thought we'd been out here forever, but two years?" Louisa shrugged, face warming at her tone, irritated. "Why so long? Why didn't you go to Long Island?"

"Didn't know about it."

"Wow." Ruby's awe turned into a curious smile, leaning forward. "Bet you've fought loads of monsters." Louisa threw down her poking stick, hand shaking. Storm turned her gaze up at her, dark eyes concerned. Ruby didn't notice, still prying for information. "What have you fought? Where have you been?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"But what about-?"

"No!" Louisa raged, screwing her eyes shut. Ruby's water bottle exploded, dousing her face. Ruby spluttered, having breathed in at the wrong moment. She coughed, shaking her head. She stared at Louisa, a different form of awe now- cautious, fearful.

Her outburst had woken the other two. Raijin sat bolt upright, karate hands at the ready. Huxley clenched his fists, looking between the girls carefully. Storm sat up too, nuzzling Louisa's face reassuringly.

"Did you-?" Ruby's eyes darted between her ruined bottle and Louisa. "Did you do that?"

"Do what?" Raijin asked sleepily. "What happened?" Louisa ignored him, glaring at Ruby.

"I said I didn't wanna talk about it."

"About what?" Huxley asked.

"She's been out here for two years. I was trying to ask her about it. But… but I think she made my water…" Ruby trailed off. She ending up gesturing with her hand, water leaping from her bottle and shredding the plastic of its own accord, right into her face.

"Did you do that?" Huxley pressed, squaring his shoulders as he looked Louisa over. Louisa squished her palms to her temples, a headache beginning to form. "Who are you?" He demanded. She ignored him too, Storm snorting at him to back off. A band was working itself around her chest, her headache was only getting worse. Her stomach flip-flopped with nausea.

"Are… are you OK?" A hand touched her shoulder. Louisa's eyes snapped open, thunder crashing overhead. Raijin shrieked and jumped back. Huxley and Ruby were now standing, the former catching the smaller boy and shielding him with his body.

Louisa exhaled slowly, shakily. Her hands were trembling, bile seared her throat. Cold splashed on her head and she looked up. The night sky was lost to a storm, one that hadn't been there seconds before. When the clouds broke, when the rain began to fall, the other three were drenched. Louisa and Storm remained dry.

"Oh my gods." Ruby breathed. "You're… you're…"

"Poseidon." Huxley finished for her. "You're Poseidon's kid." Louisa didn't bother to correct them, hardly hearing them. She didn't understand how or why, but the storm, her doing, was easing her headache and her sickness.

Storm huffed at her. Louisa realised her hand was on the pegasus's back. Maybe that's why she was dry too.

The fire began to hiss and sputter. The trio huddled together, shuffling away from her.

Louisa took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of the storm.

"I can help ya get ta Long Island." She said robotically. "But next time I say I don't want ta talk about it," she settled a fierce glower on them, "I don't want ta talk about it. Clear?" She got a series of nods and mumbled confirmations. "Good."


They set out after sunrise. Louisa was going to find them a road, find a sign, pinpoint them on Huxley's map and then head off. She didn't need to go to Long Island with them. She didn't want to. They weren't like her, calling her father Poseidon and not Neptune. She didn't understand the difference- and she didn't particularly care- but her gut was screaming at her to stay away, to not get involved. These demigods weren't like her. She didn't belong with them. And they most certainly did not belong with her.

Most of the morning was lost to walking. Louisa didn't mind, pressing on through the forest and listening to them struggle to keep up. Storm was at her side, the only one of them that looked back from time to time. It would have been a rather pleasant morning- brilliant sunshine, air cleared by the storm, the scent of pine trees on the breeze- had it not been for their whispering.

The entire time, they whispered. Louisa tried to ignore it, tried to blot it out, but it only brought back her headache, drilling smack-dab in the middle of her forehead. Nearing midday, it was starting to grate on her.

Poseidon's kid! I can't-

Did you see the storm?

Is that why she can talk to the pegasus?

That storm was maaaaassssiiiivveee!

Yes, we saw it too.

She's strong.

She's Poseidon's kid, what did you expect?

A mermaid.

What?

Yeah, a mermaid.

Oh my gods, you're hopeless.

Louisa grit her teeth, forging on. Storm trotted alongside her, oddly subdued this morning.

Are you OK? She asked, ears flattening. Louisa just grunted, feeding the foal an apple to distract her for a moment. She glared over her shoulder, the trio hurriedly shushing and looking around at everything except her.

A blare of a horn tugged at her ear and she faced forward. Storm glanced across at her, a bit of chewed apple on her chin. Louisa picked up the pace, scrambling up an incline. Below, a highway, cars and trucks and vans zipping about their everyday lives.

Storm nudged her elbow. There. She nodded in the right direction. Louisa leaned forward slightly, seeing a gathering of signs hung on a metal frame over the road.

"Can't read it." Louisa admitted, squinting. It was too far, the letters too small at this distance. Storm huffed, peering closer at it.

It says, 'Welcome to Ar-kan-sas.'

"Where?"

Ar-kan-sas.

"Ar-kan-sas?"

Yes.

"Do you mean Arkansas?"

"Arkan-saw?" Louisa echoed, turning. Huxley had his map out, frowning at her. "Storm says it's Ar-kan-sas."

"No, it's Arkansas." He nodded. Louisa and Storm exchanged looks, agreeing it was their version with a small nod. Huxley sighed, spreading his map on the ground. "Look," he pointed, "here's Arkansas."

"Well, what's that one then? Kan-saw?"

"No, that's Kansas."

Well, that's dumb. Storm berated, nudging the map distrustfully.

"Yeah, it is dumb." Louisa agreed. Huxley ignored them, tracing his finger across the map to a funny little shape under Connecticut.

"We need to get there." He said.

"Oh cool." Raijin appraised. "Only six or seven states to go then!" He grinned, clapping sarcastically.

"Maybe eight, depending on which way we go."

"You really know how to make my day. Thanks, Hux."

"Anytime, Raij."

"Please tell me we're not walking to Long Island." Ruby complained.

"Well… can you fly?"

"No."

"Magic carpet?" Huxley continued. "Secret teleportation powers? Super speed?"

"You're not making me feel better."

"Oops."

Louisa let their bickering wash over her this time, concentrating on the map. She had to find San Francisco. Long Island wasn't for her, but somewhere in San Francisco was. Storm whickered softly, touching her nose to the map again.

Long Island was on the righthand side of the map.

San Francisco was on the left.

Practically the furthest two points on the map apart. They were arguing over how far they had to travel? Long Island looked a hell of a lot closer to Ar-kan-sas than San Francisco did.

She straightened, checking her pack. With a motion to Storm, she began to walk away.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Huxley lunged towards her, grabbing her by the arm. "Where do you think you're going?" Louisa snatched her arm free, taking two big steps away from him.

"I have my own thing."

"But Long Island is that way." He pointed somewhere off to his left. Louisa shrugged.

"I got you ta the road, like I said. Now I'm goin'."

"Just because you've been out here for two years doesn't mean you're invincible." Huxley countered. "Come to Long Island. It's safe there." Fury seared white hot in her chest, fingernails digging into her palms.

"Safe." She repeated. "Safe." He nodded. "I hate that word."

"Why?"

"Go away."

"Or what?" It was a challenge. She heard it in his tone. Taller than her, stronger than her, the literal god of strength's blood in his veins. Louisa laughed dryly, turning back to him, shedding her backpack. Storm huffed in surprise, concern. She bit Louisa's sleeve, trying to pull her away. Huxley met her gaze evenly, fists clenched. "Your luck will run out eventually."

"I don't have luck." Louisa growled. "I don't have safe."

"We all get safety, all of us. We just need to get to Long Island."

"Yeah?" Louisa gave a nod, getting one from him in response, then shook her head. "No. No. You can't tell me we all get safety. It don't work like that."

"Well, it's different for you." Huxley struggled, glancing her over apprehensively. "You're Poseidon's kid."

Lou. Storm bit her hand, a little harshly, just to get her attention. Louisa looked at the reddening bite marks on her knuckles, frowning at the pegasus. San Francisco isn't the only place. Go to Long Island. It's closer.

I ain't supposed to be there.

So? You weren't supposed to be born, but here you are. Just go to Long Island. Storm whickered softly, tucking her nose into Louisa's hand. Please. Maybe… maybe it will be safe there. Or safer. She shook herself, nudging Louisa's cheek with her snout. He's right- you can't stay out here forever. It won't last.

I can't go there.

Then get them there. They need you.

They hate me.

Then why is he trying to get you to go with them? If they hate you so much, why are they looking at you like that? Storm snorted in their direction. Louisa considered the trio, her anger turning over behind her ribs, sending hot spikes through her chest. All three of them were watching her, with varying looks of concern, brows knit, pinched frowns, Ruby looked close to tears and Raijin clung to her arm, his smile gone.

Louisa bunched her fists. She saw beyond the worry, saw the pity lurking underneath, saw they needed her more as a guide than a companion. They wouldn't get to Long Island without her. They couldn't even get clean water without her.

Storm huffed air in her face. Go with them. She encouraged. You know it's the right thing to do.