Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
The Ever Twisting Wind: Of Monsters and Titans
Chapter Five: The Sheep Who Sheared Me
Beta: ShadowofAxios
Polyphemus' Island was something out of a Caribbean postcard. "It had green fields, tropical fruit trees and white beaches. It was actually two rocky islands with high plateaus that was separated by a deep chasm that had a rope bridge across it. In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that led up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was a massive oak tree. Something gold glittered in its branches.
It was quite obviously the Golden Fleece. Even from the distance, Andi could feel its power. It seemed like it could heal anything, even Thalia's poisoned tree. Maybe even her paralysis.
The picturesque image was broken however by the figure on the plateau without a path down to the beaches. Thanks to her superhuman sight, Andi could see that it was a Cyclops - Polyphemus probably - and he looked furious. Which explained why he was busy tossing boulders the size of houses across the plateau.
"Get back here Nobody!" His rotten and cruel voice bellowed with fury.
"Think that's our cyclops?" Clarisse asked dryly.
Andi just wrung her ear with her finger. "Yeah, I think so."
"Who do you think is Nobody?" Clarisse asked idly even as she drew the spear she'd gotten from the Battle-Cano.
"Percy?" Andi asked, hope in her eyes.
Clarisse just snorted. "Not unless he learned how to turn himself invisible."
"So Bethy too?"
"Maybe." Clarisse admitted grudgingly.
"Or a random monster that decided to pick a fight with Polyphemus." GLaDOS chimed in, uncaringly. "Not like that's uncommon. He's not the most well-liked neighbor."
"Then let them kill each other." The daughter of war said dismissively. "Better for us."
"And if it is Bethy or Percy?" Andi shot back.
"Fine~! Let's go save the losers. Again. If it's them!" Clarisse said, unable to resist adding the last bit at the end.
As Hunter brought them to shore, Andi looked around and noticed the steep formation of rock that held up the plateau. It was full of jagged spires and outcroppings of rock, too treacherous for a human to climb. Luckily, their transportation wasn't human.
"Hunter, think you can hopscotch that?"
Hunter nodded his head, his tongue lolling out as he did.
"Alright, go for the gold boy!"
Both girls grabbed onto his fur tightly as the large dog crouched low to the ground, his tail wagging.
The golden dog leapt from spire to ledge to spire like he was a professional gymnast with paws. The girls hung on for dear life, GLaDOS even popped out a mechanical arm from the side of her tablet to hold on too.
Seriously, she'd better not be holding out on a death ray in that thing.
As they cleared the lip of the plateau, Clarisse quickly slipped off. "Go deal with the Cyclops. I'll get the Fleece."
Andi nodded as she urged Hunter towards the boulder throwing menace which had stopped to stare at them in confusion.
"Sick em, boy."
Not that the dog needed the prompting, as soon as Clarisse was clear, he bounded forward before Andi could so much as begin tugging on his fur. Hunter charged at the monster, getting a yelp from Polyphemus as the force of the tackle sent them both slamming right into the mountainside outside of the cave that he had been standing in front of.
"Whoa!" A cry from the cave shouted, sounding like Percy.
"Get out of here!" Andi shouted to him, noting Grover right next to him… in a wedding dress that did not flatter his hairy legs. All while she struggled to keep from puking at the horrid smell that wafted off the Cyclops.
"Urgh, bad dog!" The horrific monster roared and socked Hunter right in the muzzle.
"Hey! My Hunter is perfect. You're the disgusting one." Andi shot back defensively as she took in the truly garish outfit the Cyclops was sporting. It was a crude kilt and shoulder-wrap, stitched together from baby-blue tuxedos, enough to have kitted out an entire wedding party.
Was he gonna marry Grover? Really?
Percy and Grover looked ready to rush in to help Andi and Hunter but Clarisse's voice called out from where she and Annabeth were already half-way across the rope bridge.
"Jackson, Underwood, get your butts over here! Leave the Prom Reject to Potter and her dog!"
The boys looked hesitant but at a quick nod from Andi, rushed off to help Clarisse and Annabeth.
Meanwhile, Hunter just shrugged off Polyphemus' blow like a champ and snarled at him with a snap of his jaws. Polyphemus took a few steps back and picked up a nearby boulder, one of many that littered the front lawn of his cave.
He made an attempt to throw it, but Hunter just lunged at him.
"Stay away!" The Cyclops cried out, using the rock like a club, smashing Hunter in the face with it.
Whining, the golden dog stumbled back, clearly shaken by the powerful blow
His owner was not pleased by that.
"You leave my dog alone!" Andi glared with anger as she drew her bow and fired a cluster of wind arrows at the Cyclops. Each exploded on contact, but they didn't do much damage, only managing to scratch him up a little. They did however force Polyphemus to cover his face to protect his eye and give Hunter enough time to recover.
Andi couldn't keep up her bombardment for long though, the exhaustion from her injuries quickly got the better of her. It left her panting and sweating profusely.
As the barrage ended, Polyphemus advanced but Hunter kept a wary distance. The two monsters sizing each other up as they circled each other.
"Ruining my wedding day! And I even made a nice cake for my now fake wifey!" The Cyclops complained.
"Huh, so there really was cake. Go figure." GLaDOS commented with surprise, still clutching onto Hunter's back with her mechanical arm.
Huh, so she was still around. Go figure.
Andi looked at the monster's legs and raised her hand up. With a twirl of her wrist, air began to dance around it. With a flick of said wrist, she sent the spiraling mass of air towards the Cyclops. As it made contact, the air exploded outward into ropes of wind that coiled around the monster's legs trying to snap them together.
However, the Cyclops just shifted its footing and in that single motion, effortlessly snapped the ropes. "Huh?" The monster said, looking down in confusion at what had happened
Andi looked wide eyed at how he'd just shrugged off her air ropes. Seriously? I underestimated his strength by that much? I really need to practice on something bigger.
Hunter took that moment to lunge once more, his maw stretched wide to bite his head off.
The cyclops was not too distracted to lash out with a kick though, one that scored flush against Hunter's chest. Polyphemus stumbled a little at the awkward move but recovered more quickly than Hunter and stalked forward, raising his fists in a bid to follow up by beating the dog's head in with an overhead blow of his meaty fists.
Andi hung on tight and saw the blow coming. "Hunter!" She cried out.
Her dog recovered just in time and stuck out with his paw, his nails digging deep into the cyclops chest, just as the cyclops swung down. He left three huge gashes on the monster, dying the baby blue rags red and purple.
Polyphemus backed off quickly, gasping in pain and patted his chest, looking down at it with his milky eye. He gripped his ruined outfit and snarled, giving Andi and Hunter a heated look. "Do you know how hard it is to get my size! Now I have to find someone to fix it!" In a fit of rage, he pulled the rags off. "Now I'm super angry!"
His humongous hands balled into fists once more and he charged at them like a crazed bull.
At seeing Andi, Percy was relieved.
The last he had seen the girl was when she was getting chomped up by Scylla. And then the ironclad had exploded, possibly taking Tyson with it.
The son of Poseidon couldn't lie, seeing his cousin and brother taken in the span of minutes, it weighed on him. He felt like he should have done something different. Anything. Maybe then they could have been saved.
But seeing her rush in to save them on that monster dog of hers? Well, he was thankful the hyper munchkin was alive.
"Jackson, Underwood, get your butts over here! Leave the Prom Reject to Potter and her dog!" Clarisse shouted at them.
Oh, and Clarisse too. He guessed.
Percy exchanged a look with Grover. Neither of them wanted to leave Andi to fight Polyphemus alone. Even with her giant dog. But they both knew it was the right thing to do. They needed to get the Fleece and now, with the Cyclops distracted, was the best time to go get it.
Andi nodding at them sealed the deal and the two rushed off to help Clarisse and Annabeth.
Hang in there, Andi. As soon as we get that glorified throw rug, we'll be back to help you.
As he caught up to Clarisse on the bridge to the other half of the island, Percy turned to the daughter of war. "What about Tyson? If you two managed to get away…"
Clarisse grunted at him. "Haven't seen him since we wrecked."
"Oh." Percy said, his fist tightening around his sword even as his cheer sank a little.
"Clarisse, how are Andi's injuries?" Annabeth asked, re-materializing as she took off her invisibility cap, glancing over her shoulder for a second to see the monster fight as she did so. "I saw bandages all over her."
The daughter of Ares visibly winced. "Bad."
"How bad?" Grover asked cautiously, as if afraid of the answer.
"Let's just get the Fleece, okay?!" The burly girl snapped at the satyr.
Annabeth clearly looked like she wanted more of an answer, but they got to the end of the bridge and found themselves up against a sea of hungry eyes and wool.
So questions were going to have to wait.
A few of Polyphemus' herd of pets had spotted them and were charging at them like hungry hungry hippos. Clearly that deer didn't fill them up in the slightest. Or maybe these were the ones who hadn't gotten a taste of Bambi's mom and just wanted some raw demigod and goat.
"Grover, talk to them." Percy whispered to the satyr, steadying his feet and readying himself to make some lamb chops.
"I would," Grover told him with a frightened laugh. "But the thing is, I just pissed off my fiance, who feeds them, so yeah...we all know what's on their minds." He told the son of Poseidon as he shuffled behind him while holding up his dress.
"Great."
"Less talking, more fighting." Clarisse told them as she leveled her spear at the approaching monsters. "Here they come!"
Clarisse met their charge. She stabbed at the first of the sheep, scoring a fatal blow in its throat.
Just as it fell to dust, another came at her, but Percy sprung into action.
Riptide sliced off its mouth in a flash, and before the monstrous mountain of wool could even register the pain, Percy sank the blade right into its forehead.
As gold dust splashed his feet, Percy asked Clarisse. "So, up for mutton?"
"Don't go stealing my kills, Jackson."
And just as a third charged at them trying to exploit the distraction that their minor banter had created, it was killed by an unseen foe.
"Can you two focus for five seconds?" Annabeth's voice rang out, she'd turned invisible already it seemed.
"Peh," Clarisse grinned. "You're no fun, Princess."
So they continued to fight wave after wave of hulking piles of unprocessed lamb hungry for half-blood flesh, Percy and Clarisse keeping score the whole time. Annabeth continued her sneaky kills, trying to thin the huge herd while Grover helped out as best he could by throwing rocks to keep the sheep confused and distracted.
After two intense minutes of fighting that left both Percy and Clarisse drenched in sweat and breathing heavily, Annabeth appeared in a shimmer next to them, her Yankees' hat in her hand. "We can't keep this up forever."
"Says you." Clarisse disagreed.
Annabeth just gave her a look and pointed at the herd with her dagger.
Only then did Percy understand what had happened. He'd been so busy fighting that he'd completely missed it as the hippo sized sheep had encircled them while keeping a good distance. And they all looked primed for a charge.
Huh, that's some smart sheep.
"So, anything else to say, or…?" Percy trailed off to Clarisse.
"Fuck you, Jackson."
"Thought so."
Just as they were about to become sheep feed however, an unexpected whistling sound announced their salvation in the form of a large boulder that landed on five sheep, flattening them into dust.
That caused panic among the wooly ranks, as more boulders started to rain down from out of nowhere.
"Bad sheepies!" A voice bellowed across the plateau like a fog horn.
Percy turned to see what was a sight for sore eyes.
Tyson, a boulder over his head, was charging up from the beach like a bulldozer. He threw his payload of rocky ammo at them as he went, picking up a refill without even breaking stride as he did, even when he had to tear it straight out of the ground.
With demigods on one side, and a cyclops lobbing boulders at them coming from the other, the few remaining sheep started to flee in terror.
"Tyson…" Percy breathed out, a happy laugh coming from his lips even as he smiled as widely as he could.
The demigod of Poseidon wasn't given much of a chance to celebrate Tyson's survival and triumphant return. Just as he was about to open his mouth to do so, a pained canine whine echoed across the whole island.
Everyone snapped their heads to the source and watched with horrified eyes as Andi's dog flew through the air for a good distance before crashing to the ground in a painful sprawl, Andi falling off his back in the process.
Argh, I feel like I was hit by the Hogwarts Express. Andi thought to herself as she collected her wits after being thrown off Hunter. It was as she did so that she noticed something, she'd dropped Skyline!
A fact that was made increasingly important by the earth shaking footsteps and gods awful smell that was growing ever closer.
Where is it?
Her frantic search was interrupted however when she was abruptly lifted into the air by two meaty fingers grabbing onto the back of her shirt.
"I's wonder how'd a little snack like you would taste? Needs comfort foods."
Andi's blood froze in her veins even as her mind was consumed with but one though. Not again!
Once more she was on the verge of being eaten by a monster and that fact was leaving her too terrified to act.
Hunter however was not held back and began to struggle to his feet. Unfortunately, Polyphemus was not completely blind and saw it. Reacting quickly, the cyclops kicked the dog in the head, hard.
Hard enough to knock the divine beast unconscious and back into his regular size.
The sight of her beloved dog being hurt was just the jolt to her system that Andi needed.
With a furious roar, the daughter of Zeus drew her drakon dagger from its ring form. A weapon that she rarely used because of the deadly poison that it was imbued with which made it incredibly risky to handle, especially in pitched battle where one wrong move could poison an ally or herself.
Right now though those worries were swept aside in the face of blind rage.
Without a hint of hesitation, Andi swung the deadly blade at the nearest bit of exposed monster flesh she could reach.
Unfortunately for the daughter of the skies, Polyphemus hadn't lived as long as he had for nothing. He may have been almost blind but that only meant that his other senses had grown more acute to compensate. It was these that warned the monster of the danger and allowed him to react in time.
"Poison!" The cyclops screamed as with a quick flick of a wrist he threw her away from him.
Even then Andi only missed her mark by inches.
"Damn it!" The daughter of Zeus cursed softly to herself as she manipulated the winds around her for a soft landing. If only it was a little longer.
"Snack is poison." Polyphemus said accusingly, as if Andi brandishing a poisoned weapon to save her life was somehow against the rules. "I's crush!"
With that he grabbed a nearby boulder and prepared to toss it at the girl.
Oh shi-
Andi didn't get the chance to finish freaking out though when she was saved by a taunting voice calling out from the other side of the ravine.
"Hey! Polyphemus!" The voice of Percy rang out, making Andi and the monster turn in his direction. In Percy's hands was the golden wool that they'd come for. "Thanks for the Fleece, you moron! It's all mine now!" He placed it on his shoulders as if he were king of the world, openingly laughing at the monster.
Polyphemus' boulder almost slipped from his hands.
"THAT MINE!"
With a roar of rage that shook the whole island, Polyphemus threw the boulder in his arms right at Percy and his group before running towards the rope bridge that separated them.
"Bad rock!" Tyson shouted in return, throwing his own boulder with keen accuracy. The two rocks collided and were sent off course to crash into the gorge.
As Polyphemus darted across the bridge, Percy raised Riptide.
With a sweep of the blade, he cut the supporting ropes just as the monster was in the middle of the bridge.
"See ya!" Percy grinned, giving a mock salute.
"AHHHA!" The cyclops wailed, flailing his arms as he fell to the ravine below.
Andi fell to her back as she panted for a moment, working to regain a sense of equilibrium after yet another very close shave with death. Finally collecting herself, she released a sigh of relief and put away her dagger.
"Thanks, Percy." She muttered.
"Andi!" Percy's voice called out from the other plateau. "Come on!" He waved at her, clearly indicating that she should join them.
Mustering what strength she had, Andi rolled to her stomach and pushed up with her good arm. Looking around, she finally caught sight of Skyline, glinting from the sunlight a ways off. Her everything hurt like you wouldn't believe, but she stubbornly fought past it and focused, willing the air to pick it up and float it over to her. It clattered next to her, and she turned it back to its keychain form.
Gritting her teeth and closing her eyes as she concentrated, the daughter of Zeus lifted herself slightly into the air. It was barely a hover, but it was enough to allow her to levitate the short distance over to Hunter. Falling into his sea salt scented fur, Andi's eyes scanned him worriedly, stroking his head.
"It's going to be okay boy." She promised as she looked at the group and shouted. "Give me a minute!"
"You know," The annoying voice of GLaDOS piped up. Andi craned her neck to see the AI using her tablet's single mechanical arm to pitifully drag herself towards the half-blood. "I'm still here right?"
"Oh."
Andi had honestly totally forgotten about the tablet.
The mechanical fingers latched onto Andi's ankle, not that the girl could feel it.
The child of Zeus looked at the gorge and down at Hunter. Taking a nervous glance at the gorge once more, Andi said. "How am I supposed to get across?"
"Fly you idiot!" Clarisse told her.
Andi was afraid of that. Hovering was ok. But flying? Like when she'd been almost torn apart? The mere thought of it brought back memories of crocodile heads and tentacle like necks. Of agony and torn flesh.
Floating herself and Hunter towards the edge, Andi looked down as a frightful yelp escaped her lips.
"I can't!"
The others looked at each other in confusion at the declaration.
Andi felt a sense of shame fill her. She knew she could do it. Once. Even loved it. Flying, that is. But not anymore. And the very idea made her just lock up, wanting to stay on the nice safe ground.
Some daughter of Zeus I am. Andi thought to herself even as her heart raced and she fought for breath.
On the other side of the gorge, Clarisse seemed to have pulled Percy and Annabeth into a huddle of some sort. "She's got PTSD after what happened with Scylla."
Annabeth shot Andi a quick look, "She's breathing like she just ran a marathon all of a sudden. I think she's having a panic attack."
Oh, thanks for the diagnosis Doctor Chase.
So she was having a panic attack. Great. Fantastic. And she was talking to herself as it happened? Bloody hell, I'm going crazy!
"We're not exactly school counselors here." Percy pointed out. "How do we get her over?"
Annabeth flinched at that, "I have an idea. But it's not something any one of us will like."
Andi herself wasn't liking it already. Damn her super acute hearing.
"I think we've gotta try it anyways." Grover said nervously as he walked over from wherever he and Tyson had disappeared off to. "The sheep are getting restless. I dunno how long before they come at us again. Threatening them with boulders only lasts so long."
"So what's the plan?" Clarisse demanded at Annabeth.
The blonde shifted uneasily. "We use her Fatal Flaw."
The child of Zeus grew more annoyed at this. I can hear you!
Seriously, it's like people just forget someone's got super hearing or something?
"You're right." Percy said sounding angry. "I don't like this. Besides, can't she hear us?"
"Percy, shush. We're talking about the plan."
Clarisse's eyes seemed to widen for a moment before narrowing. "Yeah, Jackson. Shut up."
"You shut up." Percy shot back, glaring at her.
"Guys?" Andi called out to her friends. "Stuck on a plateau over here, hello!"
Andi barely picked up the sound of snickering, but ignored it.
"Give us a-" Grover began only to be cut off by Annabeth.
"Grover, I'm trying to think." The blonde chided him. "So keep quiet for a moment."
Percy frowned and turned to face Andi, but Clarisse stomped on his foot.
"Ah! You jerk!" Percy looked about ready to deck the daughter of Ares in the nose.
Andi had had enough.
Holding onto Hunter tightly, she grunted from his weight. Okay, you are going on a diet. With her grip firmly around his body, she started to float.
If there was one thing Andi hated, it was being ignored. If her friends wanted to squabble - which they were still doing - when she was flipping stranded! - then the daughter of Zeus had to give them a good reminder that she existed and would not be ignored!
The child of the sky started to slowly float across the gaping ravine, glaring at her friends as best she could.
There was no way something as stupid as some fear would keep her from being recognised.
She didn't even notice as she landed by them and shouted. "Stop ignoring me!"
Annabeth just smiled at her, glancing sideways at Percy. "And that's how you use a Fatal Flaw."
Percy looked stumped, and so did Andi.
"You, I, what?" The child of Zeus asked as she looked behind her, Polyphemus' home a good distance away now. Heart hammering, breath escaping her, Andi muttered. "I can't believe I did that."
"Potter," Clarisse said as she came over and knelt down to look Andi in the eye. "Breathe slower. Take deep breaths."
Andi nodded and obeyed.
Meanwhile, GLaDOS was cackling like a loon. "I can't believe how childish that plan was! I expected more from one of Athena's grey matter dolls."
"Excuse me!" Annabeth cried out, looking indignant.
Clarisse intervened, as Andi's breathing finally calmed down. "Ignore it, it's just a piece of trash."
"Who helped you get here~" GLaDOS reminded.
The daughter of war ignored that as she marched over to Percy. "Give Potter the Fleece, now. We've gotta fix her paralysis."
"What?" Percy said, looking wide eyed.
Annabeth and Grover just looked on slack jawed for a moment.
Andi was stunned that Clarisse would even ask for that.
"Paralysis? What paralysis?" Annabeth demanded after she overcame her shock. At the same time, she rushed to Andi's side radiating concern all the while.
"Scylla." Andi said by way of explanation. By the way the others winced, it was more than enough.
"Clarisse," Andi began while looking at the other girl thankfully.
But Clarisse saw the look and cut her off with a grunt. "I'm just covering my own ass. Okay, Potter? You got it?"
"Whatever you say, Clarisse." Andi said as she offered her a light smile.
Suddenly Percy gently placed the Fleece over Andi.
"It's heavy!" The tiny girl whined.
"Of course, it's made of gold." GLaDOS opined in her usual deprecating way. "What did you expect?"
"Something I could wear and not suffocate me." Andi rudely sniped back. And then the Fleece began to shift around her, changing shape. After a brief glow, the golden fleece had the appearance of a red-and-gold high school letterman jacket, with the Greek letter Omega printed on it.
"Better?" Annabeth asked, still clearly very concerned.
"Much."
It was hard to explain what she was feeling. But the moment the Fleece was put on her, warmth filled Andi like she was sunbathing. Her skin tingled and she felt a sense of peace overcome her. It was like she just wanted to curl up into a ball and take a good long nap in a flowery meadow or something naturey like that.
The daughter of Zeus' good mood was dashed however when the annoying AI once more made a snide comment. "It's still too big for you. You look like a little girl playing dress up."
"Shut up, bitch." Clarisse said as she moved to kick the tablet, only for Grover to stand in her way.
"Hey, hey, let's all calm down here. Alright?" The satyr said placatingly. "I know she's annoying, but she's a living thing just like you and me. I can sense it."
"She's a bunch of ones and zeroes, Grover." Clarisse told him bluntly, before adding darkly to herself in a volume that even Andi had to strain to hear. "Besides, even if she wasn't I'd still beat her up." She looked at Andi. "Why'd you even bring her over?"
"She latched onto my ankle, I think. I didn't really notice." Andi told her. "Plus, she's our guide out of here."
And I do feel sorry for what happened to her. A little. Andi mused. Though if she says something bitchy one more time? All bets are off.
Percy and Annabeth shared a look.
"Actually, Percy has perfect bearings on the ocean. We don't need that." Annabeth pointed out.
Percy just nodded, though he very obviously nodded at Grover as the satyr picked the tablet up. Obviously he was voting to take the AI along.
Looking down at Andi with worry, he asked. "You feeling better? Is it doing anything?"
Andi had honestly been too distracted by everything, especially the panic attack thing, to actually check until now. So she did a quick once over. The fall from Hunter's back had left her bruised and might have opened some of her older wounds, she wasn't honestly paying much attention then, not when Polyphemus had been breathing down her neck. Those were gone now, she'd reckon. They were under her bandages so she couldn't check, but there wasn't any pain from them now. As for the real problem, her lower body.
She looked down at it, trying to make herself move.
It was tiny, barely something a person would register, but Andi had felt it. A faint prickling sensation, a much fainter version of what she'd felt if her legs had simply fallen asleep. Tears slowly rolled down her scratched up cheeks. "I-I can feel them." She whispered in joy.
They had feeling in them! Sure, they were still mostly numb, but Andi could feel something from them!
Annabeth pursed her lips. "I guess the Fleece is going to take a while to fix the damage."
Andi didn't care if it took time, she was too overjoyed.
Clarisse heaved a sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping.
The daughter of Athena gave Andi a gentle hug, and so did Grover as Percy gave Clarisse a quizzical look. GLaDOS just snorted but everyone ignored the AI.
"I'm surprised you're being nice."
Clarisse didn't even muster a glare at him. "Shut it, Jackson. I'm just fixing my mistake is all."
Percy just shrugged at her.
The daughter of war just glared at him, while the others looked on in amusement.
"Ah! Head hurts!." A unwelcome voice slurred from the depths of the ravine, shattering the moment. "Where is this? Why am I here?"
Percy just looked up and said. "Seriously? One time." He grumbled and pointed to the swanky looking pirate ship off in the distance. "Come on, let's get out of here before he wants to have a family reunion."
"Percy!" Tyson shouted as he ran over to join them. "Bad cyclops is getting up."
"Yeah. I heard him, big guy."
"Where my Fleece!?" Polyphemus' bellowed.
"Tyson," Annabeth said, looking at the baby cyclops. "Can you carry Andi and Hunter? Gently? She's hurt."
"Andi hurt?" Tyson said worriedly even as used his big hands to gingerly pick up Andi and heft Hunter - and GLaDOS too, since she'd grabbed onto the dog's coat like a limpet, not that anyone paid her any mind - under his arm. Nestled in the crook of his arm, Andi held onto his sheep scented shirt.
Or was that the Fleece?
"Yeah. But I'm getting better." Andi said to reassure the cyclops. They could explain things better later when there wasn't a homicidal monster on their tails.
"Glads you better, Andi." He smiled brightly at the tiny demigoddess.
She patted his arm. "Me too, Tyson."
"Guys! We've gotta hurry. He's climbing the cliff fast." Grover observed from where he'd gone to peer cautiously over the edge.
They dashed to the beach, a few of the monstrous sheep seemed to think their mad dash was a sign to resume their attack but a little blade work from Clarisse and Percy easily held them off.
It didn't take them long before they were walking up the planks to the ship. Just in time to turn around to see the island's owner finish his climb up to the plateau and start to rage. "Thieves! Thieves!" He jumped up and down like a child for a bit, a very dangerous one though as he quickly added to this by reaching over for a boulder -Seriously, where did he keep getting those?- and cocked his arm back, letting it rip.
"Whoa!" Grover yelped, scampering away from the side of the ship as the stone learned in the water just a few feet shy of its target, sending a massive spray of water into the air. "You wife beater! That almost hit me!" The satyr shook his fist at the cyclops.
"Hurry up, hurry up!" Annabeth shouted at Percy as the son of Poseidon started giving commands to the ship. All whilst Polyphemus kept lobbing boulders in their direction, steadily adjusting his aim based on the slightest sounds - which he had plenty of in the form of the noisy preparations that Percy was making to get the ship going - and getting closer to scoring a direct hit.
"I'm working on it!" Percy told her, sidestepping a chunk of stone that fell off a boulder that just barely overshot them.
The flying boulders stopped for a moment as the sail unraveled and the winds picked up.
Clarisse grasped the railing and released a laugh. "In your face, Cyclops! You throw like a wimp! Just like your sheep! You're just a blind old-"
The child of Zeus glared furiously at Clarisse and shouted over her, saying. "Shut up! Don't tempt the Fat-!"
They didn't have time to even finish their sentences as a boulder flew right into the bow of the ship, shattering it.
Andi couldn't believe how fast a ship could sink. It was like the moment the rock hit them, it instantly started to creak and groan before listing forward like it was going down a playground slide.
Percy released a sailor-like curse and told Tyson to dive.
The sky child wanted to protest but Tyson jumped faster than she thought he could. Taking in as much air as she could, Andi held her breath while clinging to the cyclops' arm.
She closed her eyes to the salt water and didn't see what was going on around her. But Andi could guess that all around her, the others were trying their best to swim. She hoped they made it. She didn't know anything about shipwrecks but all that debris from the ship must make swimming while it went down difficult. At least she had a son of Poseidon to take care of her.
That faith was rewarded when she suddenly felt them suddenly pick up speed, and moments later break the surface of the water.
Andi's eyes fluttered opened and she noticed that they were riding three huge fish-like horses, Hippocampi. Clarisse and Grover shared one, so did Percy and Annabeth. Andi was practically glued to Tyson who was laughing happily as they raced away from Polyphemus's island.
Behind them, Andi could hear the Cyclops roaring in triumph, "I did it! I finally sank Nobody!"
Not really. But take whatever victory you can, you raging arse.
As they made it clear of the island, they all let out a relieved sigh. Finally having some breathing room, Andi decided it was time to settle something that had been bugging her since the fish ponies had shown up.
"Hey Tyson, you think you can call one more of these fish ponies?" Andi asked petulantly, as she tugged on Tyson's wet sleeve while completely ignoring Annabeth's correction of "They're called hippocampi!". She hated looking weak, especially when she wasn't. And thanks to the Fleece she was feeling great, like she had so much energy that she was about to burst.
"Why?" Tyson asked in genuine confusion.
"So I can ride on my own."
Tyson nodded and turned to have some kinda telepathic conversation with the one they were riding.
"Hm, Rainbow say no more fish ponies around right now."
Andi just gave a pout of epic proportions at this news.
Oh well, maybe next time.
Clarisse snorted. "You heard him, this is all we've got Potter. So just keep that yap shut, would ya?"
Then the daughter of Ares smiled in relief. Andi could understand what the other girl was thinking. She probably thought that if Andi was able to be what she called 'bratty' - Which she totally wasn't - that she was getting back to normal.
After all, the girl had over the past day or so often complained under her breath - which she thought Andi couldn't hear - that she wished for her to go back to being the brat she was and to stop making her feel guilty.
Andi didn't really know how to describe her relationship with Clarisse. They were comrades, definitely. Even friends of a sort. But they still hated tons of things about each other. So what were they? Frenemies?
Andi didn't know, but she didn't care. The daughter of Zeus was just glad that she was able to make Clarisse feel better.
Throughout the rest of the ride to the mainland, Andi and Tyson just chattered about everything under the sun from fish ponies, and crazy weapon ideas he could make for Percy, to a possible side business with garden gnomes to take advantage of Medusa's absence.
It took them an hour, maybe two - Andi couldn't be sure since she'd lost her watch with the Birmingham - before they spotted the skyline of a city in the distance. By now the sun was setting and it transformed a great view into something truly spectacular. All dyed in reds and oranges was a beachside highway lined with palm trees, storefronts glowing with red and blue neon, and a harbor filled with sailboats and cruise ships. Andi was enthralled.
"Miami, I think," Annabeth said, as she studied the cityscape. "But the hippocampi are acting funny."
Sure enough, their fishy friends had slowed down and were whinnying and swimming in circles, sniffing the water. They didn't look happy. One of them even sneezed.
"This is as far as they'll take us," Percy declared with a frown. "Too many humans. Too much pollution. We'll have to swim to shore on our own."
None of them were very psyched about that, but they thanked Rainbow and his friends for the ride. Tyson cried a little. He handed Andi and the still unconscious Hunter over to Percy for a bit before turning to unfasten the makeshift saddle pack he'd made, which contained his tool kit and a couple of other things he'd salvaged from the Birmingham wreck. He hugged Rainbow around the neck, gave him a soggy mango he'd picked up on the island, and said good-bye.
Once the hippocampi's white manes disappeared into the sea, they swam for shore. Andi had regained the ability to move her legs by now - Damn! The Fleece was powerful. - but she they were still pretty numb and she wasn't in any condition to even try to swim. Thankfully, between Percy and Tyson they managed to help her and Hunter - and the stowaway that was GLaDOS - along. Tyson steadied them with his strength while Percy commanded the waves to push the group forward, and in no time they were back in the mortal world.
The group wandered along the cruise line docks, pushing through crowds of people arriving for vacations. Porters bustled around with carts of luggage. Taxi drivers yelled at each other in Spanish and tried to cut in line for customers. If anybody noticed them—six kids and their dog dripping wet and looking like they'd just had a fight with a monster. One of them limping along with the help of the others. —they didn't let on.
Now that they were back among mortals, the Mist was out in full force again. It blurred Tyson's single eye. Grover took that as his cue and quickly put on his cap and sneakers to hide his horns and hooves.
While he did that, Annabeth ran to the nearest newspaper box and checked the date on the Miami Herald. What she saw had her cursing. "June eighteenth! We've been away from camp ten days!"
"That's impossible!" Clarisse's face turned ashen at the news.
Stupid time distorting Sea! Andi scowled. She was really starting to hate time related stuff.
"Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Grover wailed. "We have to get the Fleece back tonight."
Andi nodded vigorously in agreement.
Clarisse slumped down on the pavement. "How are we supposed to do that?" Her voice trembled. "We're hundreds of miles away. No money. No ride. This is just like the Oracle said. It's your fault, Jackson! If you hadn't interfered—"
"Percy's fault?!" Annabeth exploded. "Clarisse, how can you say that? You are the biggest—"
"Stop it!" Percy said sternly, glaring at both daughters of war.
Andi gulped nervously at the sight. Oh man, he's got that scary look again.
Neither of the girls were willing to look him in the eyes. Clarisse put her head in hands, while Annabeth looked away and stomped her foot in frustration.
"Maybe I can pray to my dad for a ride?" Andi blurted out any idea she could come up with.
Percy looked thoughtful at that. As if he'd just had some kind of epiphany.
"Clarisse," He said after a moment, "what did the Oracle tell you exactly?"
She looked up and took a deep breath and recited her prophecy:
You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,
You shall find what you seek and make it your own,
Your life endangered in a cone of fire and stone,
And fail without unexpected friends, to fly home.
"The ironclad, the Fleece, and the Battle-Cano." Andi looked wide eyed as she pieced together the Prophecy's meaning.
"Battle-what?" Grover looked confused.
"I think she meant Battle-Dome." Percy told the nature spirit.
"Not the time, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth chided.
"Uh, right. Hm, no … wait a minute. I've got it." Percy snapped his fingers, a grin on his face. He started to search his pockets for money, and found nothing but a golden drachma. "Does anybody have any cash?"
Annabeth and Grover shook their heads morosely. Clarisse pulled a wet Confederate dollar from her pocket and sighed.
"Cash?" Tyson asked hesitantly from where he was helping Andi stand. "Like … green paper?"
They all looked at him. "Yeah."
"Like the kind in duffel bags?"
"Yeah, but we lost those bags days a-g-g—"
The demigod of Poseidon stuttered to a halt as Tyson rummaged in his saddle pack and pulled out a Ziploc bag full of cash.
"Tyson!" Percy's jaw hung. "How did you—"
"Thought it was a feed bag for Rainbow," he said. "Found it floating in sea, but only paper inside. Sorry."
Annabeth quickly took the bag from Tyson and started counting the cash.
"How much do we have?" Percy asked. "We need enough for two people to make it back to camp."
Andi protested at that. "No, Clarisse should go alone. I can walk fine now. She can fly home to camp, and I can hang back with you guys."
Annabeth gave her a stormy glare. "Andi, you need the Fleece just as much as Thalia does right now. You are going on that plane, got it?"
Andi continued to protest but the others ignored her, besides the odd chiding look.
"There's six hundred dollars. It'll be tight but it should be enough." Annabeth said, as she finished counting all the money.
Percy nodded and ran to the curb. He quickly grabbed a taxi that was just letting out a family of cruise passengers.
"Clarisse," he yelled. "Come on. You're going to the airport. Andi, hop in. Tyson hand Clarisse Hunter and that computer."
"Tablet, you idiot." GLaDOS corrected.
"And I don't care." Percy retorted.
Annabeth pushed Andi along as Percy stuffed the cash into the letterman's jacket's pocket. Sighing in resignation, Andi accepted that this was how things were gonna play out after all.
Clarisse said, "You'd let me—"
"It's your quest," Percy said. "We only have enough money for a flight for two. Besides, I can't travel by air. Zeus would blast me into a million pieces. That's what the prophecy meant: you'd fail without friends, meaning you'd need our help, but you'd have to fly home. You have to get the Fleece back safely."
Clarisse's mind was obviously awhirl. She looked suspicious at first, wondering what trick Percy was playing, but then finally decided he meant what he said.
She jumped in the cab. "You can count on me. I won't fail."
"Not failing would be good."
Andi buckled up, and held Hunter's head. She looked at her friends and said. "Be safe?"
Percy just gave an assuring smile. "See you at dinner."
The cab peeled out in a cloud of exhaust and they were off to Miami International Airport to deliver the Fleece and save Camp and Thalia.
"The trip back was pretty much a blur to be honest." Andi said as she sat against the trunk of her sister's now healthy pine tree. It had been a few days after their triumphant return to Camp Half-Blood and Andi had woken up extra early to come visit her sister and share the story of the quest. "Hunter woke up during the taxi ride, gave the driver a scare he did. So after going through processing and Hunter going into his puppy form. Yeah, he's got a puppy form. Real cute."
Andi giggled at the memory of Clarisse claiming it was sickeningly cute. All while looking disgusted at how Hunter played it up. Though that hadn't stopped her from getting in her own hug.
Oh, the daughter of Zeus chided him for it when they got back, but that's neither here nor there.
"So anyway, some Mist to get Hunter a seat on my lap and we landed in JFK without a hitch." She said, looking very surprised at that. "Maybe the Fleece was helping us out or something. It couldn't have been so easy otherwise, right?"
There were a couple of other reasons why Andi hadn't remembered much of the trip back, but she wasn't going to share them. Not even with Thalia. She wasn't really ready to admit how she'd worried about Thalia being already dead. About how she'd been too late with getting the Fleece. She didn't want to let her sister, and any possible eavesdroppers, think she was a weakling that was plagued by a fear of failure.
More importantly, she didn't want to let anyone know how a big chunk of her had been worried selfishly about herself. About how whether the Fleece could really completely heal her paralysis. And even if it could whether it would do so before she had to pass it over to save Thalia. Whether she would be able to make that sacrifice when the time came. Andi hadn't been sure then and was too ashamed to admit that she'd ever been so selfish.
"Anyway, we took another taxi to camp and hung it up on that low branch of yours." Andi looked up at the glittering Fleece, radiating nature magic like a beacon. She was glad that in the end, she'd overcome her selfishness to willingly give up the Fleece for her sister's sake. The better reputation she got from the campers thanks to doing that was nice too she guessed. If she was honest with herself though, she was really just happy that by the time the Fleece was to be handed over, she had - thanks to Chiron and Cabin Seven - already been able to walk perfectly fine on her own. She wasn't sure if she'd have been able to give it up if she hadn't.
"That thing, I swear that little miracle is amazing." She stroked her now unblemished forehead. "It wiped away every single scar I had on my body, even that mark from Voldie."
"Oh what else is there to talk about?" Andi mused as she looked around the camp, spotting Chiron in the distance as he checked out something at the Dining Pavilion. "Right. So, Chiron is back at the helm of activities, and Tantalus got the boot from Mr. D." Andi looked out at the camp, it was still quiet because of how early it was, but that just meant Andi could have some private time with Thalia.
Her hand fiddled with a few blades of grass as she continued. "Me and Clarisse were hailed as heroes, though she got more credit than me. Which personally, I'm pretty okay with. I know! Surprising, right? Considering my Fatal Flaw and all? But she deserved it, really. After all, if not for her I'd be dead." Andi shook her head at that to drive away the morbid thought. "Anyways, Grover got rewarded too. The Council of Cloven Elders said something about how thanks to him now Searchers won't need to worry about straying into Polyphemus' trap."
The child of Zeus rested her chin on her palm, as she propped her arm on her knee and gazed out at the sea. "Tyson left sadly. Joined the forge in Atlantis. Real happy for him, but I'm really going to miss him too." Andi looked up at the pine. "And then there was GLaDOS. As soon as he got back, Chiron snagged it from us." She frowned at this. "He was actually quite spooked to see her actually. I wonder why. Anyways, as they left, I heard her ask Chiron about her daughter."
"But I totally wasn't eavesdropping. It's not my fault that I have super hearing." Andi hastily told her sister, totally ignoring the snort from Annabeth standing guard a few feet away. The campers had been given shifts to stand over the Fleece until Chiron could hire a more permanent guardian for the priceless artifact.
She looked away from the branches, looking a bit embarrassed. "But seriously, you gotta wonder how that girl turned out, what with having such a strange mother. Though, don't think I'll find out any time soon since Chiron said he had no idea where she was."
She looked off in the distance towards the chariot track and pouted. "Percy ended up winning the last race, but that was only because Bethy helped him out. So of course, with Super Bethy, they had a wicked ride. Tyson even gave Percy a pretty sleek shield too. I swear, me and the twins are totally going to beat the pants off them next time."
"Sure you will, Andi." The voice of Annabeth said, as she walked up to the tree wearing a leather tunic and helmet. Her arms crossed and a smile on her face, she asked. "You all done here?"
Andi hopped to her feet, smiling towards her friend. "Yeah." She placed a hand on the trunk. "Thanks for letting us have a few minutes alone, Bethy."
"It was nothing." Annabeth said with a shrug.
Andi thumbed to the Pavilion. "Want to get some breakfast? I hear a plate of pancakes with our names on them calling."
"Sure." Annabeth agreed easily. "We've just gotta wait for my replacement. My shift's almost over so it shouldn't be long now."
Dawn broke as the first rays of light for the day, streamed along camp, causing the Golden Fleece to shimmer brilliantly.
A thud was suddenly heard on the other side of the pine. Alarmed, both girls hurriedly rounded the tree, catching sight of something that stunned them as they did so.
There, lying sprawled among the roots was an unconscious girl. One that Andi recognized on sight, even if she'd never met her in person.
She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth—a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of bands she'd never heard of.
Andi was overcome by a storm of emotions. She was happy, relieved, delighted, everything under the sun which was related to happiness.
"Welcome back, Thalia." Was what came out of Andi's mouth as she rushed to the girl's side, her smile broad.
Annabeth just stood stunned behind her, a look of shock and just a hint of wariness on her face.
Dun dun dun! Guess' who's back? From the land, guess who's back? Tell a friend~ It's Thalia by the by. Anyway, thanks to my team of Nameless and Axios as usual. And now, with the AN.
Nameless: So Thalia is back. Is this a good thing for Andi? Will she live up to Andi's expectations of what a sister should be? Will Andi live up to Thalia's? Read the rest of the story to find out.
Andi is cured! She's not going to be a cripple. Sorry for giving some of you a scare. Plus, we weren't really ready to take the story down that road either. So, with some powerful magic, and some doctor support, Andi's going to be just fine. Well, mostly, hope you noticed her sudden reluctance to fly.
Nameless: I hope you did. 'Cos it's important. It's the reason we're using to push Andi to develop along a path that sets her apart from the demigod norm. What do we mean? Well… That's a secret for now.
Think of when Percy got scared of drowning. It's an absurd concept, but he was...and was cured in the span of a few days. We're going to play that to be a touch more real. Andi had trauma, and it will affect her. Andi, who once loved to fly, now is scared to take to the skies where she once felt the most free. Will she get over it? Or will she be like Thalia and forever be a Flightless Wonder? Who knows!
Nameless: Well we do, as I've said. But we're sadists who will withhold that knowledge till the appropriate moment in the story. Though if it's any hint, we're trying to avoid creating someone who's basically a clone of Jason combat-wise.
On a side note, I hope some of you noticed that Clarisse had been...well, you're smart. You figure it out.
Nameless: Here's a clue: It rhymes with swoon.
Well, at least you didn't drop a character name.
Nameless: Only because that'll be too obvious.
Well, that's it for this chapter! Be sure to review, no flames, and peace off my peeps!