Howdy
Neez - I forgot to mention last one… I figured that demigods get drunk slower than mortals, but dulls powers before the senses. So yeah, before i forget again
Theinvisiblereaderguy - ;)
LoverofArtemis - I think they might? Im kinda letting the story decide itself but the original plan was Pertemis
Lunas Banana - Thanks, chief. I appreciate
Anon Guest - I was leaning towards Pertemis, but feelings dont just disappear in one night. If this goes my way, its gonna be a slow burn type thing.
C3W - Leaning towards Pertemis, but there will be a bit of Percabeth until that point
Broken Bridge15 - Thanks :) Im gonna keep working at it
A diner, as it turned out, was an excellent place to reflect. Relatively comfortable booths, an endless supply of coffee and food, and the buzz of a morning rush. Waitress' with stacks of plates and food weaving between tables, dishing out meals with polite smiles. Overall, it was a ADHD dream for Percy.
He had several things to ponder now; Where could he get away? What that thing on his hand meant? Had Annabeth heard what happened? Would she blame him? Where Thalia and the hunters going to be ok? His fingers drummed a beat against the table. Well, one at a time.
Alaska was probably going to be his only real option. There, only demigods would be able to follow. Or could the gods go into Alaska? What would happen if they did? Either way, something would happen if they did, and they never had before from what he knew.
What was the thing on his hand? That was definitely something he couldn't figure out by himself, and he sure as Hades wasn't going to go to the only people who could. He was glad to be rid of the damned thing, that was certain.
Had Annabeth heard? And would she blame him? Both were a hard thing to guess. On one hand he wouldn't have to try and tell her if she already knew, but on the other it would look far worse if she did not hear from him. The idea of her thinking it was intentional, or his fault, made his stomach churn tightly. Of course he still cared about her, fights could never change that, but if she thought he did that on purpose would she care about him? His heart clenched as painfully as his stomach at the thought. He dashed the thought away to avoid that set of feelings.
Would Thalia and the Hunters be ok? He couldn't really see anything happening to them because of Olympus, and they were more than able to handle themselves, so he'd say they're good.
Now, enough contemplation. He dropped some cash on the table and wandered out of the diner. Alaska it is, but how to get there? He scanned the open town square carefully. A train was probably a no-go, considering his last experience. His stare landed on a motorcycle to his right, a sleek black with blue highlights.
A bit of guilt flashed through his gut when he walked up to it, trying to spy out the owner while maintaining a low profile. He silently thanked Piper when he recalled every step he needed. His fingers deftly fiddled with the wires by the handlebar, before the bike roared to life.
In a flash he was on the bike and practically flying West once more, wind whistling in his ears.
The route back to camp, and the subsequent turnaround to begin their hunt was completely silent, in a way that Jason wished he could ignore. Annabeth was positively fuming before they had even left Olympus, and it showed little sign of stopping. Piper had briefly attempted conversation, but that had ended shortly and harshly.
This whole situation had stirred up some rather mixed emotions in the rest of the group, as much as he could guess. Piper had been the most ardent defender for Percy, almost aggressively fighting to wait for the whole story before condemnation, with Hazel and Frank both following to a lesser degree. Leo, like himself, had been completely unsure on the matter and decided to wait till they caught up with Percy himself. Annabeth was the only one to condemn Percy at the start, something that seemed to have far more behind it than Jason knew.
Despite the varying opinion amidst them, finding Percy was the top priority. Figuring out where he was, however, was a bit trickier. Piper had used Katropis, and received warnings and a general direction in Seattle, a lead Jason would happily take in this circumstance. The almost awkward tension that took hold of the Argo II as they all split was one he was almost fearful to break.
He hoped they could get this over with quickly, that they could get the full story.
That everything would be ok.
Riding a motorcycle was a completely new experience, one that left his heart pounding like he was in the heat of battle. Every dip and turn brought a small smile to his lips. He could see why so many people liked these things.
The distance he covered was certainly nothing to scoff at, especially given each stop for more gas, crossing the open prairies of North Dakota. It was remarkable that no state troopers or police had come for him yet. The engine roared in his ears as he revved the bike further, enjoying the empty road and sunny afternoon around him.
Luckily, he had yet to come across monsters since his incident with the train. His thoughts paused for a moment, thinking on the other passengers that he had left amidst the wreckage. Guilt sat in his stomach for a couple miles before he came to a resolution. It would have only slowed him down, especially when help wouldn't be far behind. Monsters would be on his tail every second he wasted, monsters that would not care if they were mortal.
His thoughts had taken a rather negative turn, one that he couldn't say came for no reason, one that he would rather try to get rid of. He directed his thoughts at one of the best things he could, His Mom, Paul, and their last conversation.
They had spoken about having another child, a thought that made him both nervous and ecstatic. His potential brother or sister would face a world far more dangerous, either with clear sight or their association with him, a danger he wished for everything he could avoid. At the same time, a sibling! He did have Tyson, whom he guiltily had not seen in a while, but something about it just felt different.
He watched the beginnings of dusk as Apollo slowly closed the distance between the Sun and the horizon. He should probably stop somewhere for the night, at least for a portion of it.
The outskirts of Bismark, North Dakota was Percy's final rest point for the night. A small motel just off the freeway that he was able to sneak into for an easy bed.