My guys! My beloved readers the first chapter of Percy Kane has been released! Enjoy. Anyways, in this chapter, Percy and Hylla meet again! And Percy can't resist voicing her opinion.
Replies:
Weirdhead: Well, you could hardly blame them, Percy is badass, of course the Hylla situation makes things complicated lol.
Thickneck: I just have! And honestly that's too nice and easy for me, no it's much more chaotic than that.
The Official Clarisse: Well they already know Sammy and Leo look alike- but Percy will be seeing the photo- and can I just say, poor Hazel. It must have been so hard for her.
Guest: Yep, the Amazons do not like boys! And I am.
Guest: Things are starting to come through even if she hasn't full remembered stuff so Percy will find herself thinking things and not even realising it.
Undeath9087: Percy is not great at keeping her thoughts to herself so it is fun. And yeah, yeah it is a crazy ass family.
Noir Nyan: I'm part way through the Mark of Athena plotline, and yes, yes I am putting her through more trauma.
PJ Fan 285: I have a rough plan for Nyx- and Alabaster is aware of the fact that whoever gets Percy gets to have her- he's practically competing alongside the giants to get her first honestly. But I won't say too much because that may spoil some bits later on.
Percy was not happy. The Amazons had confiscated Hazel and Frank's weapons- they'd searched Percy but they hadn't realised what her pen really was, and then the trio were marched down so many flights of stairs that it was impossible to keep count.
Percy kept a worried eye on Frank and Hazel as they were shoved along, she wanted to protect them both as much as she could, she was furious that Frank had gotten hurt- though thankfully he didn't seem to be too badly injured.
Finally they emerged in a cavern so big it could have accommodated ten high schools, sports fields and all. Stark fluorescent lights glowed along the rock ceiling. Conveyor belts wound through the room like water slides, carrying boxes in every direction. Aisles of metal shelves stretched out forever, stacked high with crates of merchandise. Cranes hummed and robotic arms whirred, folding cardboard boxes, packing shipments, and taking things on and off the belts.
Some of the shelves were so tall they were only accessible by ladders and catwalks, which ran across the ceiling like theaters scaffolding.
Percy was looking around slowly with wide eyes, and she couldn't help but notice that the only people around were black suited security women patrolling the catwalks and some men in orange jumpsuits, like prison uniforms, driving forklifts through the aisles, delivering more pallets of boxes. The men wore iron collars around their necks.
Hazel was the one who said what they were both thinking, her voice horrified and furious at the same time. "You keep slaves?" she spat the words- and yeah Percy could understand that horror. Slavery was very bad, obviously- and it had been a lot more recent to Hazel after all- she'd been alive in the forties- sure slavery had been abolished by then before Hazel had even been born but still- she'd have heard horror stories Percy was sure.
"The men?" Kinzie snorted. "They're not slaves. They just know their place. Now, move."
"Wow." Percy's voice was thick with sarcasm, "You're just so generous aren't you- y'know I didn't like the whole thing with Bellerophon but honestly right now
I owe him an apology your lot did have it coming if they pull shit like this-"
"Bellerophon?" Kinzie's eyes narrowed, "What are you talking about, that hero's been dead for thousands of years-"
"Yeah yeah." Percy paused, blinking before, "My diadem! I think I remember him giving it to me."
"What is she talking about?" Kinzie turned her head to look at Hazel, who gave a small shrug.
"I honestly don't know-"
"Doesn't matter." Percy waved a hand dismissively, "I'll tell you guys later-" it wasn't much but she could remember some of her time in Elysium- it was
starting to come back, she could remember her brother visiting her not long after their first meeting, before Theseus' welcome party, gifting her the diadem as a welcome present.
"Just- keep moving." Kinzie eyed Percy wearily as they were pushed along- and it really was a huge warehouse- Percy couldn't blame Hazel for the annoyed tone of her voice when she spoke up again.
"Even the underworld isn't this big."
That made Kinzie smile smugly, "You admire our base of operations? Yes, our distribution system is worldwide. It took many years and most of our fortune to build. Now, finally, we're turning a profit. The mortals don't realize they are funding the Amazon kingdom. Soon, we'll be richer than any mortal nation. Then—when the weak mortals depend on us for everything—the revolution will begin!"
"What are you going to do?" Frank grumbled. "Cancel free shipping?" one of the guards moved to slam the hilt of her sword into Frank's gut but Percy moved, lunging forward and grabbing it, snarling as she did.
"Don't hurt my friend!"
"He needs to learn respect." Kinzie snapped, "It's males like him who have ruined the mortal world. The only harmonious society is one run by women. We are stronger, wiser—"
"Oh come on." Percy snorted, rolling her eyes as she stood protectively in front of Frank, "Admittedly some men can be moronic dumbasses but they aren't all bad."
"You-"
"Stop!" Hazel's voice was sharp, and Percy was startled the the guard who had been about to hit Percy for arguing with them stopped. "Hylla is going to judge us, right?" Hazel asked. "So take us to her. We're wasting time."
Kinzie nodded. "Perhaps you're right. We have more important problems. And time…time is definitely an issue.""What do you mean?" Hazel asked. A guard grunted. "We could take them straight to Otrera. Might win her favor that way."
"No!" Kinzie snarled. "I'd sooner wear an iron collar and drive a forklift. Hylla is queen."
"Until tonight," another guard muttered. Kinzie gripped her sword. And for a second it looked like the Amazons were about to start fighting one another,
but Kinzie seemed to get her anger under control.
"Enough," she said. "Let's go." They crossed a lane of forklift traffic, navigated a maze of conveyor belts, and ducked under a row of robotic arms that were packing up boxes.
Most of the merchandise looked pretty ordinary: books, electronics, baby diapers. But against one wall sat a war chariot with a big bar code on the side. Hanging from the yoke was a sign that read: ONLY ONE LEFT IN STOCK. ORDER SOON! (MORE ON THE WAY)
Finally they entered a smaller cavern that looked like a combination loading zone and throne room. The walls were lined with metal shelves six stories high, decorated with war banners, painted shields, and the stuffed heads of dragons, hydras, giant lions, and wild boars. Standing guard along either side were dozens of forklifts modified for war. An iron-collared male drove each machine, but an Amazon warrior stood on a platform in back, manning a giant mounted crossbow. The prongs of each forklift had been sharpened into oversized sword blades.
The shelves in this room were stacked with cages containing live animals. It was a difficult sight to take in- black mastiffs, giant eagles, a lion-eagle hybrid that must've been a gryphon, and a red ant the size of a compact car.
Percy watched in a mix of shock and horror as a forklift zipped into the room, picked up a cage with a beautiful white pegasus, and sped away while the horse whinnied in protest.
"What are you doing to that poor animal?" Hazel demanded.
Kinzie frowned. "The pegasus? It'll be fine. Someone must've ordered it. The shipping and handling charges are steep, but—"
"You can buy a pegasus online?" Percy asked, "I had to rescue mine-" She paused, "Uh- I think."
Kinzie rolled her eyes at her. "Obviously you can't. But Amazons can. We have followers all over the world. They need supplies. This way." At the end of the warehouse was a dais constructed from pallets of books: stacks of vampire novels, walls of James Patterson thrillers, and a throne made from about a thousand copies of something called The Five Habits of Highly Aggressive Women.
At the base of the steps, several Amazons in camouflage were having a heated argument while a young woman watched and listened from her throne.
Hylla was in her twenties, lithe and lean as a tiger. She wore a black leather jumpsuit and black boots. She had no crown, but around her waist was a strange belt made of interlocking gold links, like the pattern of a labyrinth. It was very easy to see the resemblance to Reyna, they looked incredibly alike. Hylla was a little older, perhaps, but with the same long black hair, the same dark eyes, and the same hard expression, like she was trying to decide which of the
Amazons before her most deserved death.
Percy felt her mouth dropping open in shock- because she'd seen that woman before- the memories rushed back and she felt very nervous suddenly. Oh yeah, now she got why Reyna had been so pissed at her.
Her attention was drawn back to Kinzie when she let out a grunt of distaste. "Otrera's agents, spreading their lies."
"What?" Frank asked.
Then Hazel stopped so abruptly, the guards behind her stumbled. A few feet from the queen's throne, two Amazons guarded a cage. Inside was a beautiful horse—not the winged kind, but a majestic and powerful stallion with a honey-colored coat and a black mane. His fierce brown eyes regarded Hazel- and Percy had to admit that he was an impressive horse.
"It's him," Hazel murmured.
"Him, who?" Percy asked.
Kinzie scowled in annoyance, but when she saw where Hazel was looking, her expression softened. "Ah, yes. Beautiful, isn't he?"
"Is he…" Hazel could hardly control her voice. "Is he for sale?"
The guards all laughed.
"That's Arion," Kinzie said patiently, as if she understood Hazel's fascination. "He's a royal treasure of the Amazons—to be claimed only by our most courageous warrior, if you believe the prophecy."
"Prophecy?" Hazel asked.
Kinzie's expression became pained, almost embarrassed. "Never mind. But no, he's not for sale."
"Then why is he in a cage?"
Kinzie grimaced. "Because…he is difficult."
Right on cue, the horse slammed his head against the cage door. The metal bars shuddered, and the guards retreated nervously. Percy blinked, shifting backwards slightly when the horse neighed.
"Oh wow- I see what you mean." that horse was using language Percy wouldn't even use and she was no stranger to swearing- but Hazel still looked almost entranced by the horse, though she did manage to pull herself together.
"Just asking." her voice was uncomfortable, Percy couldn't blame her, "Let's see the Queen."
The argument at the front of the room grew louder. Finally the queen noticed Hazel's group approaching, and she snapped, "Enough!"
The arguing Amazons shut up immediately. The queen waved them aside and beckoned Kinzie forward.
Kinzie shoved Hazel and her friends toward the throne. "My queen, these demigods—"
The queen shot to her feet. "You!"
Her eyes were glued to Percy and Percy held up her hands defensively- now that was a look to which the phrase 'if looks could kill' would be accurate. "In my defence, I was only thirteen at the time, and your boss was a bitch-"
Hylla stepped down off the dais of best sellers and she drew a dagger from her belt. "You were incredibly foolish to come here," she said. "You destroyed my home. You stranded us in the sea- do you have any idea- I should kill you where you stand."
"Percy," Frank said uneasily. "What's the scary woman with the dagger talking about?"
"Circe's island." Percy stated, not looking away from Hylla, "I remembered it when I saw her. Hylla was there. I was in the Sea of Monsters. We found the island and we had to check it out, Hylla worked for Circe, she came to take us to her boss. I knew there was something but I couldn't remember it."
Hylla bared her perfect white teeth. "Are you telling me you've had amnesia? You know, I might actually believe you. Why else would you be stupid enough to come here?"
"We've come in peace," Hazel insisted. "What did Percy do?"
"Peace?" The queen raised her eyebrows at Hazel. "What did she do?"
"I-" Percy let out a nervous little cough, "I may have technically summoned a gigantic tidal wave to completely submerge the island-" she flushed at the incredulous looks Frank and Hazel were giving her. "But- but, in my defence I was really angry because her boss turned my big brother into a guinea pig- and sure I look back on that and laugh but at the time it was traumatic!"
"No excuses!" Hylla said. "Circe was a wise and generous employer. I had room and board, a good health plan, dental, pet leopards, free potions—everything! And this demigod with her friend and her brother-"
"Annabeth." Percy nodded, smiling despite herself, "I remember how beautiful she looked after your makeovers-" then she paused, "Wise? Wise? She turned innocent men into guinea pigs!"
"They were hardly innocent I saw the boy- the scars- you cannot tell me the boy never-"
"He got that fucking scar defending me." Percy snarled the words, stepping forward, "He protected me from your bitch of a boss's brother-" she faltered, wincing, "I-" she pressed a hand to her head, grimacing, "I don't- I don't-"
"Percy!" Hazel's voice was panicked, "Don't push yourself- please Queen Hylla I'm sure Percy didn't mean to do it-"
"Didn't mean to do it?" Hylla snorted, "How could she not have meant to do it? She ran Circe through with her blade and outright told us that if Circe didn't give her back her brother she'd drag our island under the sea and kill us all! So Circe gave her back her brother and do you know what the girl did? As she was leaving? She sent a tidal wave to submerge my home anyway! Tell me, tell me girl, how your friend didn't mean to do it?"