Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter, I would say it'll be fun but we all know I lie.
Replies:
Weirdhead: Yeah, honestly she'd probably be better off in Elysium but you're right, that bitch Gaea would never let Percy have peace.
Catetaboada2: We're not quite there yet I'm afraid, but we'll get there.
Undeath9087: I mean that Estelle being kidnapped isn't the big traumatizing thing that's going to happen, sorry for any confusion- but I mean, there will be a good dose of trauma for everyone.
As they sailed away from Portland and back onto the ocean Percy felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She hadn't been aware of just how much she'd been bottling up until it had all come pouring out- and soon enough Hazel and Ella came up to join Percy and Frank on deck, Hazel grinning carrying several bags of chips and some bowls- which they set up on the round table, Ella happily picking at the food as they journeyed onwards, coming to sit next to Percy, chattering away at her.
Percy did notice Hazel shooting her a worried look, but Frank leaned in and whispered something to Hazel which had the younger girl nodding and giving Percy a slight smile- it was a strange feeling for Percy. Months with no one around who really cared and no memories of people caring before that. She found herself painfully grateful for Hazel and Frank- who both cared so much already despite how little time they'd known each other for.
Percy wasn't sure what she'd have done without them. Probably crashed and burned.
Percy let herself relax, wrapping an arm around Ella's shoulder, holding her close as the sky started to darken, and she smiled softly when she saw Hazel sitting next to Frank, Hazel seemed incredibly down in the dumps, but while Percy would have usually stepped up to try and help boost her mood it was very clear that Frank was taking that as his responsibility, smiling as he tried to gently coax a smile from her with jokes and pointing out buildings that looked familiar to him.
Percy wasn't really listening truthfully, she was more focused on Ella, but she did pause when Hazel started talking.
And Percy felt her heart breaking for Hazel as the younger girl explained her past- how her mother had summoned Pluto and fallen in love with the god. She explained her mother's wish for all the riches in the earth, and how that had turned into Hazel's curse. She described her life in New Orleans, she told them about how Gaea had manipulated and controlled her mother. She explained how they had moved to Alaska, how Hazel had helped to raise the giant Alcyoneus, and how she had died, sinking the island into Resurrection Bay.
Percy wanted to reach out and pull the other girl into a hug- she silently vowed that she'd do everything in her power to protect Hazel- she'd been through more than anyone should have to go through in one lifetime.
But Percy didn't really need to because she saw Frank grabbing Hazel's hand- and she had to admit that was adorable- the look Frank was giving Hazel- as if she was the most amazing person in the universe- and Hazel was looking at Frank as if the only thing in the world that really mattered was what he thought about her.
She wondered if they'd even realised how head over heels for each other they were. She still didn't have any clear memories but Percy was pretty sure that was how she felt about Annabeth and Rachel- and they felt the same about her.
And when Frank spoke Percy found herself smiling softly-
"You sacrificed yourself to stop the giant from waking. I could never be that brave."
"It wasn't bravery. I let my mother die. I cooperated with Gaea too long. I almost let her win."
"But you didn't." Percy pointed out, "Let's face it, you stopped her in the end. Apparently I freaking married a Titan- which sounds crazy-" but even if she couldn't remember it she was pretty sure it was true- "You did the right thing when the time came. You sacrificed yourself to save the world-" Percy paused, "You should have been in Elysium with me then. But- you said- why weren't you in Elysium-"
Hazel turned ashen, shaking her head, "Please don't ask…" and Hazel's expression was turning vacant- and Frank was leaning closer, gripping her hand tightly.
"Hazel- Hazel what's wrong?"
"'Slip Sliding Away,'" Ella muttered. "Number five U.S. single. Paul Simon. Frank, go with her. Simon says, Frank, go with her."
And Percy watched as Frank and Hazel both slumped on the benches, Frank still clinging to Hazel's hand as they passed out- and Percy forced back her panic- it was exactly like what had happened to Hazel before, except this time it wasn't just Hazel it was Frank too.
She turned her gaze to look at Ella, who was watching Hazel and Frank with wide eyes. "Ella, sweetie what were you saying about Frank going with her?"
"Frank and Hazel sharing." Ella told Percy seriously, "Sharing is good. Hazel feel better when sharing. No more black outs."
"Right." Percy nodded slowly, carefully, a thoughtful look on her face as she looked at her friends before she took a deep breath, "Right. Well in that case I'm going to take them both down to the beds- can you wait up here while I do that Ella?"
"Ella will wait." Ella smiled at Percy, "Percy Ella's friend. Percy good- brave. Percy protects."
"I-" Percy stared at Ella, somewhat bemused before she shook her face, "Whatever you say Ella. I'm going to get them downstairs." then she opened up the hatch that led down below deck before she carefully picked up Hazel, one arm supporting her back and the other arm under her legs as she carefully carried the younger girl down and set her on one of the beds before heading back up to do the same to Frank, who admittedly was a little bit harder to carry since he was both taller and wider than her and a lot more muscled for sure, still, she was strong, and she was used to fighting opponents bigger than her. She'd trained her entire life, she'd be ashamed of herself if she wasn't able to carry her friend down to a bed. And thankfully the black out seemed to mean they were very, very deeply asleep which meant that they didn't wake up when Percy moved them.
On her way back up Percy absent mindedly grabbed some paper and pens from a drawer- and the fact that she hadn't even had to search around was a good sign- it was a little thing but she was definitely starting to remember. It would get clearer over time she was sure.
Once she was back up on the deck Percy slid into her seat at the table, humming to herself as she leaned over and started to draw- she wasn't an artist by any means- not like she was sure Rachel was- and she was pretty sure Annabeth was a better drawer than her but- it was almost soothing. Percy traced the pen over the paper, barely even thinking as she drew, Ella settling in by her side again, falling quiet as she tucked herself into a little ball- and the harpy must have been tired because it didn't take her long to fall asleep.
Percy didn't sleep- she stayed awake, letting the memories flow- oh they weren't back, not even nearly but she found herself drawing faces- faces she recognised even if she couldn't put names to them- a centaur, smiling proudly his hand resting on Annabeth's shoulder, two boys who looked like twins running away from a girl, a big beefy girl and a boy with a bow in a chariot with victorious grins.
Her two younger brothers grinning madly, Leo's hand literally on fire as Nico- and she was sure that was her other brothers name, held out a pan with popcorn in it over it.
She drew a Cyclops- the one from her dream, grinning and holding a beautiful round shield- he'd made it for her- she was sure of that even if she didn't actually remember it fully.
She drew Luke and the girl with choppy dark hair and blue eyes, Luke's arm slung over her shoulder as the girl tossed her head back and laughed.
She drew a Faun- Satyr who was grinning, giving a goofy thumbs up and clutching a cup of coffee in his free hand.
And her mom and a man stood at the alter, hand in hand getting married.
And of course she drew Annabeth and Rachel.
She drew them sparring, both using knives, both looking determined, and both looking so beautiful- Percy could see it in her mind- a frozen image, beautiful and amazing and she wished she could unfreeze it.
It was incredibly frustrating. Percy knew it would take time- of course she did. Everything seemed to take time. For someone with as little patience as Percy it was not fun- but still, the drawing helped- it coaxed out memories that weren't fully formed- she might not be able to see them in her mind clearly but she could somehow put them on paper.
She spent hours drawing, clicking on the little light that could illuminate the seating area- and she was so absorbed in what she was doing that she didn't even notice herself drifting off to sleep.
And she dreamed- they were crowded and distant- too unclear to even settle on anything, flashes of faces, voices- some which made her feel safe and warm, some which didn't- one which made her blood run cold- she dreamed of herself in a cold dark room, gripping a dagger as a beautiful dark haired girl helped her cut her own hair, she dreamed of running from someone with green eyes- someone who called after her, "Princess! Princess come back I love you!"
Except that wasn't comforting it was terrifying.
And she dreamed of that same man in a coffin, eyes snapping open glowing a molten gold- except he wasn't the same he was different- worse somehow.
She dreamed of trying to run and finding herself unable to- of her friends- her family arriving- of Rachel fierce and beautiful launching a blue plastic hairbrush at him- she dreamed of a dark tunnel after- of Annabeth pulling Rachel into a kiss- their first kiss- and then kissing Rachel herself- and Percy knew that had been the start. She tried to cling to that part of the dream, that beautiful perfect moment but it dissolved and she was on Olympus and that man was in front of her again, his hand on her back- she was wearing a wedding gown Percy realised, and she was helpless, unable to move as he lifted the veil and spoke- though she couldn't hear it over the roaring in her ears and then- and then his lips were on hers- and Percy jerked awake with a scream- falling off the benches from the shock of it, throwing out her had as she did to try and catch herself.
There was cracking noise- but Percy couldn't feel it- she felt frozen, numb and she was shaking violently as she dry heaved, and Ella let out a startled yelp, fluttering
to Percy's side instantly.
"Bad memories for Percy! Bad memories. Ella get help-" and Ella was rushing down below deck as Percy shook, it was a while body thing, curling in on herself as she tried to suck in deep breaths, tears pouring down her cheeks as a moment later Hazel and Frank came pounding up the steps to find her, Hazel reaching her first.
"Percy! Percy what's wrong?" she crouched in front of Percy, who swallowed hard- letting out a shuddering whimper.
"I- memories- dreams." she managed to force out, "Not good-"
"Is she okay?" That was Frank's voice- and Percy managed to lift her head, looking up at the son of Mars, who looked incredibly worried.
"She fell asleep- some of her memories came back I think." Hazel told him quickly, "Come on Percy- let's get you sat up- oh-" and Percy followed Hazel's gaze and her
eyes flicked down and she whimpered slightly at the sight of her left hand- she'd fallen awkwardly- and her hand definitely wasn't supposed to bend like that.
"Huh." her voice was faint. "I didn't even feel it."
"Okay. Okay that's not good." Frank helped Hazel pull Percy up and onto the bench, quickly fetching some nectar and ambrosia, and Percy took a square of the ambrosia, letting out a soft sigh at the taste- it warmed her up, chasing away the numbness.
"Percy okay? Ella's voice was worried, "Bad memories- wedding and a funeral, heroes soul cursed blade shall reap-"
"I-" Percy swallowed hard, "I'm fine Ella- I- that-" the prophecy- it was hers. Her prophecy- and the wedding...
"Wedding?" Hazel's eyes widened, "Oh gods Percy-"
"Yeah." Percy took the flash of nectar that Frank handed her and took a little sip. "It's definite now. I don't- it's not real memories as such just flashes but- I married him. I married Kro-Saturn. I don't think I wanted to though."
"Gods." Hazel breathed the word, "Let's make sure certain people never find out about that. Octavian would have a field day- that's almost as bad as with me-"
"You- what was your blackout about? Ella said you shared it does that mean-"
"I was there." Frank nodded, shooting Hazel a soft look, and Hazel looked lighter th she had before, there was something in her eyes when she looked at Frank.
"Sharing." Ella spoke up, fluttering anxiously by Percy's side "Sharing is good. No more blackouts. Biggest American blackout, August 14, 2003. Hazel shared. No more blackouts."
And Percy saw Hazel and Frank exchanging looks again, Hazel slipping her hand into her pocket. "What does it mean though, Ella- how would you know that?"
"Ella knows. No more blackouts for Hazel. More books for Ella. Books in Seattle."
And Percy started slightly, her mind flashing back to Reyna's words.
Well. It seemed like they'd be making another stop.