Whoo, hey guys I hope you enjoy this chapter- Hazel and Frank learn a bit about Percy! Which is definitely fun. And guys- I have written 20 chapters of the KC au, do you guys think I should start posting it alongside this one? I mean, it may not have daily updates if my writing slows but I'm definitely tempted.
Replies:
Weirdhead: Percy is gonna be real happy to start to remember- we love that for her, even if it brings more worries.
Guest: Yep. Percy's definitely starting to remember- even if her brain protects her from some stuff. And yeah, Percy's reunion with Hylla was pretty fun.
The Official Clarisse: Hah, gotta love your reaction, because he would, even a hint would have him like 'hah! She secretly loves me'. And that is an interesting headcannon- I may incorporate that in my KC AU. That could be fun. They do have personalities that mesh well.
Undeath9087: It was just a normal nightmare. And yes, yes Octavian would- he'd try and blackmail her with it you just know he would, which our girl would not take well.
Guest: Okay so if you're asking that then I assume you've not read the rest of this series- in which case things will get really confusing for you so you might want to go back and read the others in this series.
Noir Nyan: It's gonna be pure pure chaos when they find out. Lots of tears and emotion, and yes, yes he is.
Percy let out a breath as she steered the boat towards the down town docks. She kept an eye on Hazel and Frank- Hazel looked as though a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders- it had been barely noticeable before but Percy had realised that Hazel hadn't felt comfortable, didn't seem happy in her own skin- and that was gone now, lifted away with the latest blackout. And something had definitely happened between her and Frank too, the soft looks, the way their shoulders brushed when they sat down on the benches, Hazel looking at some of the drawings- Percy turned her head when she heard Hazel breath in sharply.
"Everything okay you guys? Hazel?"
"This drawing," Hazel picked up one and held it up so that Percy would be able to see it "I know this boy, I recognise him. I knew him. Before."
"You-" Percy's brows furrowed as she looked over at the drawing Hazel was holding up, "How could you? That's my brother. Leo. I might not have my memories back fully but he's my little brother I know that much."
"He-" Hazel looked as if she'd been punched, "But he looks just like Sammy."
"Who's Sammy?" Frank's voice was curious- and Hazel suddenly looked slightly uncomfortable.
"He was my friend. Sammy Valdez. It- this looks just like him. I swear."
Percy frowned, turning fully and pulling the photo from her pocket, walking over to Hazel and Frank. She laid it out of the table, unfolding it and turning it so that Hazel would be able to see it- and Hazel breathed in sharply.
"By all the gods it-" she picked up the photo. "It- but it doesn't make sense. Sammy's probably dead by now. How could-"
"I told you, that's Leo." Percy stated firmly, "He's my baby brother- I-" her brows furrowed, "I think mom adopted him after- something to do with Mount
Tam. I don't remember but he's my brother."
Frank leaned over to look at the picture, a curious look on his face.
"You mean the short boy who looks crazy?"
"Yeah, yeah that's him." Hazel nodded, "It's uncanny."
"It's definitely weird." Percy admitted, "But he definitely wasn't around in the forties when you were alive I know that much even without my memories."
"And- this is the brother that's coming to Camp?" Hazel lifted her head, her expression a mix of nervousness and almost hopeful curiosity.
"Yeah." Percy nodded, "He's coming. He might be there when we get back, or he might arrive not long after I guess. I don't know."
"What about the others?" Frank's voice was almost hesitant as he peered at the picture.
And Percy smiled as she nodded, "This one." she pointed at Luke, "Is my big brother- I love all my family but I think Luke was- I think he's the one who- I don't know." she shrugged slightly. "He's my big brother. And This-" she pointed at her mom, "Is my mom. I know that, I think this guy is her husband. I don't remember their names but- he's a good guy I think. And this is Luke's girlfriend." she tapped on the choppy haired girls face, "Don't know her name right now either. And that's Nico." she pointed at Nico's face, "He's my brother too-" she gave Hazel a sidelong glance, "Our brother-"
"Oh." Hazel's eyes widened and she looked closer, smiling slightly, "I- I can see it. He looks a lot like Bianca actually. Nico. So I have a brother-"
"Oh you now have multiple siblings." Percy grinned at Hazel, "You're gonna be part of our family from now on-"
"That sounds nice." Hazel admitted softly, "Having a family again. And those two?"
"They-" Percy's eyes lingered on the two girls who Hazel was pointing too, "Are Annabeth and Rachel. My Wise girl and my Daredevil- I- I don't fully remember yet but- I'm pretty sure that's what I used to call them."
"Oooh." Frank grinned slightly, "Your girlfriends?"
"Yep." Percy popped the P, a smile playing at her lips, "You wanna know something awesome- in my dreams, Rachel." she tapped Rachel's face in the photo,
"She hit Kro-Saturn in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush-"
"Oh please tell me that happened." Hazel was laughing, and Percy grinned widely.
"I'm pretty sure it did. And Annabeth- she's- she's smart and fierce and I am ridiculously in love with them both. I'm not sure what'll happen when I see them again but- I know that nothing is ever going to make me stop loving them."
Frank and Hazel both exchanged looks at that and Frank spoke up.
"It must be nice. Having that strong of a relationship."
"Oh it is." Percy nodded. "Or I think it is anyway. Like I said, I don't even really remember yet. I was lucky though I know that much." she shifted slightly. It was amazing, being able to talk about the people she loved, even if she didn't remember them fully. Just knowing that it was coming back was incredibly comforting.
"I for one can't wait to meet everyone." Hazel declared, "They must be amazing to get such high praise from you."
"Oh they are." Percy folded up the picture, turning her head, "Now as much as I want to sit here and chat for a little bit longer I think I need to get up and make sure the mortals don't realise the Poseidon's Joy 2 is steering itself."
Hazel paused, looking around, "Are we stopping?"
"Yep." Percy nodded, looking around. It was beautiful, with inlets and bridges, wooded islands dotting the bay and snow-capped mountains rising in the distance.
"Why?" Frank frowned. "Aren't we working towards a deadline."
"We are." Percy lifted up her necklace so that they could see the ring hanging on it. "Reyna told me she has a sister here. She wanted me to try and find her and show her this, see if she can send the camp some help."
"Reyna has a sister?" Frank looked terrified by the idea- Percy didn't entirely blame him, Reyna was very scary herself. If her sister was anything like her she'd be impressive Percy was sure of that much.
"Amazons," Ella muttered. "Amazon country. Hmm. Ella will find libraries instead. Doesn't like Amazons. Fierce. Shields. Swords. Pointy. Ouch."
Frank reached for his spear. "Amazons? Like…female warriors?"
"That would make sense," Hazel said. "If Reyna's sister is also a daughter of Bellona, I can see why she'd join the Amazons. But…is it safe for us to be here?"
"Nope, nope, nope," Ella said. "Get books instead. No Amazons."
Percy sighed, "Listen guys I get it if you guys don't want to go- you can stay on the boat if you want but I told Reyna I would find her sister and I don't make a habit of breaking my promises I know that much." Percy turned her gaze to Ella, "Listen, Ella I know you don't wanna meet the Amazons and you don't have to but- do you have any idea where we can find them?"
"And, um," Frank said nervously, "they don't, like, kill men on sight, do they?"
Ella glanced at the downtown docks, only a few hundred yards away. "Ella will find friends later. Ella will fly away now."
And she did. Percy blinked, staring after
"Well…" Frank picked a single red feather out of the air. "That's encouraging."
"It'll be fine." Percy stated after a moment, "I'm sure of it." she docked the ship at the wharf, making their way off of it, and Percy shifted her grip on her bag- she'd shoved her drawings in there. They mattered, they meant something to her even if she hadn't remembered enough that she could put words to why they meant so much. And when they were on the docks Percy's gaze was drawn to the Poseidon's Joy and she stared at it for a long moment, reaching out and pressing her hand against the side of the ship.
She wasn't sure what it was but she had a nasty feeling that they wouldn't be coming back to it.
She could feel Frank and Hazel's eyes on her and she shook her head very slightly, dismissing those thoughts. Though she did send a silent prayer to her father, asking him to protect her ship for her and make sure that even if she didn't take it home it did get home.
Then she moved her hand and turned to the others, gaze shifting to the steep hills of downhill Seattle. "Come on guys. Let's go and find Reyna's sister- and let's hope she doesn't hate me as much as Reyna thinks she does-"
"Woah why would Reyna's sister hate you?"
"I don't fully remember." Percy took off before Frank could ask anything else, and her tone of voice stopped the others from questioning her any further.
They explored for hours. They found some great salty caramel chocolate at a candy store. They bought some coffee so strong that it made Percy even more energy filled than she usually was- she found herself tapping her fingers against her thigh and playing with the denim bracelet around her wrist a lot. They stopped at a sidewalk café and had some excellent grilled salmon sandwiches- well, according to Hazel and Frank anyway- Percy didn't really like the thought of eating a fish that she could talk to- it didn't feel right.
Once they saw Ella zooming between high-rise towers, a large book clutched in each foot. But they found no Amazons. It was worrying- Percy was willing to
admit that much. What if they were wasting time? It was June 22 already, they didn't have much time to waste even with a ship like the Poseidon's Joy. But she'd promised Reyna- Percy hated the idea of having to break her promise. It really wasn't her.
Finally they wandered south of down town, into a plaza surrounded by smaller glass and brick buildings. And it was Hazel who noticed it, she pointed to an office building on their left.
It had a single word etched onto the glass doors: Amazon.
"Oh," Frank said. "Uh, no, Hazel. That's a modern thing. They're a company, right? They sell stuff on the Internet. They're not actually Amazons."
"Unless..." Percy's brows furrowed. "I know the Underworld has an entrance in LA called DOA records. Stranger things have happened."
"How would you even know that?" Frank's voice was incredulous and Percy gave a small shrug.
"Annabeth told me- it was how she got in when-" Percy paused, "I- don't fully remember yet but I know she did. She was coming for me I'm pretty sure. So it's worth checking this place out even if it doesn't work out." with that she strode forward, pushing the doors open and stepping inside.
And immediately Percy thought that the lobby was like an empty fish tank- not a nice thought given the fact that she was the daughter of Poseidon. It had glass walls, a glossy black floor, a few token plants, and pretty much nothing else. Against the back wall, a black stone staircase led up and down. In the middle of the room stood a young woman in a black pantsuit, with long auburn hair and a security guard's earpiece. Her name tag said Kinzie. Her smile was friendly enough but there was something in her eyes that put Percy on edge. She looked as if she was ready for them to attack her.
Kinzie nodded at them- and Percy couldn't help but notice the way the girl didn't look at Frank. "May I help you?"
"Um, I hope so." Hazel spoke up, "We're looking for Amazons."
Kinzie's eyes moved over them again. And Percy noticed how her gaze lingered on Hazel's sword and Frank's spear. Either she was clear sighted or she wasn't a mortal. Percy glanced at her friends- and Frank and Hazel both gave imperceptible nods. They'd noticed it too.
"This is the main campus for Amazon," she said cautiously, "Do you have an appointment with someone or-"
"Hylla." Percy spoke up quickly, "I need to meet Hylla- I have something for her and we need to talk."
Kinzie's eyes narrowed. "Hylla?"
"Yeah." Frank nodded, "We k-"
Kinzie moved so fast that Percy almost didn't see the way she moved- she kicked Frank in the chest and sent him flying backwards across the lobby- and Percy was lunging forward, not even wasting time to pull Riptide out of her pocket, barging into the other girl and knocking her off her feet, pinning her down.
"No one touches my friends you bitch!"
She heard Hazel letting out a panicked yell and she turned her head to look- that was her mistake- dozens of girls dressed in black flooded up the staircase, swords in hand- and Percy was being flipped over, a sword almost appearing out of nowhere which Kinzie pressed against Percy's throat.
"First rule: Males don't speak without permission. Second rule, trespassing on our territory is punishable by death. You'll meet Queen Hylla, all right. She'll be the one deciding your fate."