So this chapter is a bit of a rollercoaster, and just so people know- Percy knows who it is- she just doesn't have time to process and admit it to herself. And you'll understand what I mean when you read- and you'll also understand why I said that you will hate Hera even more.
Replies:
Undeath9087: I mean, it's kinda obvious. Who else would ruin it? And Nico will find out, and he will feel absolutely horrible for the things he said. So that'll be fun.
Guest: Hades and Poseidon would be super smug and Zeus would be there like 'But I thought I was mothers favorite!' to which Percy would just pop up like, 'Nah, she loves me more'.
Annonymously96: I mean, Bianca was trying to do something amazing so that Percy would get to meet her sister the day she was born. It's not her fault- and she's so late because she can't bring herself to face Nico right away. And yeah, yeah Nico is gonna regret the things he said.
The Official Clarisse: I mean, if that's your reaction the chapter before I can't wait to see your reaction when Hera does show up and with how she does it. Because it is especially cruel and you feel so sorry for Percy and Bianca in this one. Especially Bianca I think, knowing what Nico will then say.
JjlovesPJO: Perhaps that one wasn't- but this one is!
Guest: Yeah, there was never going to be any way Percy blamed Bianca for what she did- Bianca was twelve- I don't believe hunters really age emotionally, so she was twelve and trying to learn about her mother, she didn't handle things well but she was a child! She made a mistake and Percy of all people would never blame her, besides, Bianca did the right thing in the end and she's actively trying to fic her mistakes. And yeah, yeah, no reunion until MOA's plotline. Hahahahaha.
Guest: She'll do whatever she has to do to protect her family. That's just Percy- and- well, you shall see.
MKDemiGodzilla-Warrior: I mean, you'll see in this chapter- and don't you just love how cruel I can be sometimes to my faves.
The journey out of the underworld was surprisingly easy and Bianca had learned more about her powers- enough that she could cloak them in the shadows so almost no one would be able to notice them as they travelled- not even the monsters that were passing through- and that infuriated Percy, if she was being truthful, but there was little she could do about it, not now.
Once she got home they could find a way to stop the monsters from making their way back so quickly.
Percy had been nervous of course- and it hadn't been helped by the fact that she was half convinced someone was following her- glimpses seen out of the corner of her eye, a chill down her spine- it was infuriating more than anything else.
And then as they'd stepped through the exit Percy had felt something, someone gripping her wrist tightly and she'd let out a panicked cry as she'd stumbled, almost falling backwards, and it was only Bianca's iron tight grip on her right hand yanking her forwards that stopped her from tumbling back and not making it through- but as she stumbled through she felt that grip on her wrist still, and she let out a panicked noise.
"Bianca something's got me!"
"What?" Bianca's eyes widened and then she cursed, "We'll get out of here." And Percy let out another cry when she felt the familiar rushing tumbling sensation of shadow travel- and they landed in Central Park- Percy recognised it easily enough, and she stumbled, tearing herself free of both Bianca's grip on her and the strange grip on her left wrist.
"Someone had me!"
"I can't see anyone!" Bianca and Percy were both spinning around frantically- and Percy cried out in shock when Bianca went flying backwards, seemingly pushed out of the way by something or someone they couldn't see, the daughter of Hades hitting the ground with a startled cry.
"Bianca!"
Then there were invisible hands suddenly on Percy's face and she felt hot breath against her skin as one of the hands moved and yanked her forward by her hip, pulling her close to what felt like someones chest- and she smelled the sharp familiar scent of mint as a voice, hoarse from... from something, Percy didn't want to know what, whispered.
"Oh I'm going to have to thank Gaea for this-" and Percy brought her hand up, slapping at the face- and a hand caught her wrist- moving away from her face, and she heard laughter as the other hand moved from her hip and suddenly her camp necklace was being torn away from around her neck and she let out a panicked noise. "Hey!"
"Don't worry Princess." the voice whispered again, "You'll get this back soon-" and then she was being shoved backwards- and she stumbled and tripped, still too shocked from the suddenness of everything to be able to catch her balance.
She hit the ground hard- heard laughter- and then footsteps sprinting away as Bianca managed to lunge to her feet and rush over to her.
"Percy are you okay? What in dads name was that?"
"I-" Percy's eyes were wide as she looked around, "I don't know- he- they- my necklace-" she tried to ignore the sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach. It couldn't be. She'd been imagining it, it- it wasn't possible. "I don't know." it was hard, pushing down the rising panic as Bianca dropped to her knees next to her.
"Are you okay?"
"I- I'm not hurt I just- my necklace-" her voice shook. The beads- Annabeth's fathers ring, the charm Rachel had given her. All gone.
"Thank the gods. I know losing the necklace sucks but at least you're not hurt." Bianca looked deathly pale. "Percy- what did we bring back? What did I bring back-"
"I- I don't know." Percy thought that maybe she answered too quickly- she couldn't help but notice Bianca's brows furrowing with concern, but clearly she sensed that pushing wouldn't do her any good in this case.
"Okay. Okay well whatever or whoever it was, they're gone for now. We'll figure it out later after I've gotten you back home." Bianca gave a weak smile, holding out a hand, "C'mon, I think Lady Rhea will probably be coming to find us soon- she didn't actually tell me where to take you once I brought you back."
Percy blinked at that, "I- I'm really back?" she glanced down at herself- she was still wearing what she had been in Elysium- it seemed that somehow the Doors of Death had given her a new body when she was brought through- she imagined her body had been burned on a funeral pyre- and wasn't that a very weird thought- and probably not one she should contemplate. She met Bianca's gaze with a slow smile, reaching out and taking Bianca's hand, letting the daughter of Hades help her to her feet.
"I'm really alive huh?"
"Yeah." Bianca laughed, "You're as alive as anyone else around here. How do you feel?"
"I-" Percy hesitated, a thoughtful look on her face, "Honestly, a little bit hungry and achy but- I feel good." she paused, "I wonder if I still have the curse of Achilles."
"I-" Bianca looked thoughtful at that, "That's actually a good question."
"There's an easy way to find out." Percy pushed her ring down her thumb and pressed the point into the flesh of the palm of her hand- nothing, Percy felt her lips twitching as she slipped it back onto her thumb, "Seems that I'm still invulnerable. Which explains why most of the ache is in my mortal spot." it was annoying but it was bearable- and she supposed it did make sense, after all, that was what had killed her. The dagger her brother had given her, cursed by the things Alabaster had done with it.
And gods but she felt almost naked without her camp necklace- the weight of the beads and the ring and charm. Whoever it was that had taken them- she'd find a way to find them and kick their ass.
But first- she let out a breath, "Bianca, what date is it?"
Bianca pulled a phone out of her pocket, giving a wry grin, "It's the 1st of April, it's three. And based on the fact that Nico's been texting me non stop telling me to hurry up I'd say that we still have time to get to the hospital before your newest sibling's born-"
"Oh gods-" Percy pushed back her worry about the invisible figure who had hitched a ride back with them- she'd deal with that later, right now she had a new baby sibling to think about- and Bianca laughed at the giddy little grin that spread across the daughter of Poseidon's lips "Bianca- Bianca I get to meet my baby sister-"
"That you do." Bianca laughed, hooking her arm through Percy's, "Let's go and give the others the surprise of their lives." and together they grinned and went to start walking- and Percy should have known it was too good to be true- should have expected something to go wrong- but she hadn't.
She hadn't expected the familiar- infuriatingly so, voice from behind her.
"I am afraid you won't be meeting your sister today-" and Percy pulled her arm free from Bianca's as she whirled around, her eyes wide.
"What do you want?"
And stood behind them was Hera- the goddess looked just as she had the last time Percy had seen her, a picture of the elegant Queen, chin tilted up slightly, looking down her nose at the two demigods.
"Lady Hera!" Bianca's voice was shocked, "What- how did you know-"
"My mothers plans have been known to me for some time." Hera declared, Though I was unsure on the details. I knew that she believed as did I that the last member of the seven was you-"
"Gee, I'm so honored." Percy rolled her eyes, eyeing Hera wearily, "What do you want. You didn't answer my question before."
"You're right. I didn't." Hera eyed Percy like she was a piece of dirt beneath her feet. "Unfortunately you're needed. My plan to bring the camps together was right, I'm sure of it. But I had my doubts that things would work with a one way exchange- it seems to me that I now have the perfect chance to ensure that things aren't so one sided-"
"Whoah there." Percy's eyes narrowed, "What the fuck do you think you're talking about?"
"Oh no." Bianca grabbed Percy's wrist tightly, "She wants to do the same to you as she did to the Jason guy I told you about-"
"Oh you are fucking with me." Percy took a step back, "No way Lady Hera. I just got back from the fucking dead you are not making me go to some Roman camp."
"Persephone." Hera gave her a disproving look, "You really do use such callous language- and you seem to believe that you have a say in the matter- which you don't-"
"I'll just run away back to camp Half-blood, or I'll pray to my father-"
"Child-" Hera shook her head, starting to advance on the two girls, who kept backing away, Percy feeling the panic rising in her chest. "You won't remember anything-"
"Lady Hera you can't do this." Bianca let go of Percy's wrist, holding up her hands in front of her- and Percy felt terror flooding through her- she didn't have her sword. She didn't have Riptide. And she doubted she could control the Ichor running through Hera's veins.
"Calm yourselves- it must be done-"
"Percy run! I'll hold her off!" and Percy whirled around and started to run as Bianca pulled a Stygian Iron blade out from a sheath on her belt, rushing at Hera as Percy desperately made a break for it, heart pounding in her chest as she ran- Bianca had brought them to a spot near Bow bridge- and she felt like a monster for leaving the other girl to try and fend off Hera, but Bianca had told her to run, so run she did, she ran like as if she was being chased by the worst monsters possible- and truthfully she'd rather be fighting monsters than having to flee from Hera- and she made it further than she'd thought she would- she was approaching Heckscher playground- and didn't that bring back memories- when Hera suddenly appeared out of the air in front of her, and Percy cried out as she skidded to a halt and tried to turn back around, but Hera was faster- and they definitely earned a few looks, but Percy doubted the mortals would even remember what they saw as Hera grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards.
She screamed, thrashing as she tried to pull herself free, "No! No let me go!"
"I'm sorry child." Except Hera didn't look very sorry. "But it must be done. Don't worry. You won't remember what's been taken from you, and you will remember again when necessary-"
"Please, please I died to save you guys please don't do this-" Percy gave up on pride, she shook her head frantically, desperately trying to pull free from Hera as she begged. "I- I'll go. I'll go there with my memories please please don't take them from me-"
"I need you there without your memories." Hera's voice was cold, "It is the only way-"
"NO!" Percy almost screamed the words, "Please I saved you all I saved you all I gave up so much to save you please don't-" and the the goddesses hand was suddenly pressing to the top of her head and everything went black, Percy crumpled like a rag doll into Hera's arms, and a few moments a breathless horrified looking Bianca came sprinting towards them, limping slightly and holding her arm awkwardly, shaking her head.
"No! No you didn't! You've gone too far Hera how could you?" she demanded, "Undo it-"
"No." Hera was still holding Percy, "And you will not be telling anyone about what has happened here today-"
"Oh you can go to Tartarus if you think-"
"That was not a request." Hera's voice was like ice, "Unless you want my husband to learn what you have done- I doubt he will care that your sister is one of the seven-" and Bianca reeled back as if she'd been struck, a horrified look on her face.
"No. No you wouldn't-"
"Would I not child?" Hera raised an eyebrow. "Do not test me Bianca Di Angelo." she looked down at the unconscious girl in her arms.
"You will take this one to the Wolf House. Lupa will take her from there- and if you get any funny ideas despite my warning- the girl will not wake until she is taken to the Wolf House. But I will be merciful." Hera waved a hand, and a jacket appeared on Percy, "It has pockets, she will have her blade."
"You-" Bianca's voice cracked, "You're a monster."
"No. I am simply doing what is necessary." Hera's gaze was cold, "A child like you would never understand that. A child willing to delay her father from joining the battle when he was needed." and Bianca flinched, tears filling her eyes as she looked away. "You will do as you are told or you will pay the price. And then Hera let go of Percy and Bianca had to dive forward to catch her, stop her from hitting the ground.
By the time Bianca lifted her head again Hera was gone- and Bianca knew that she had no choice. Not if she wanted to protect Hazel.
So, with a heavy heart she gathered up Percy and Shadow Travelled them both to the Wolf House before leaving.
By the time Rhea found her- a few days later Bianca was beyond exhausted, guilt and worry having pushed her almost over the edge- and when she shattered into Rhea's arms the Titan closed her eyes and cried tears for her granddaughters- painfully aware that it was too late now. Hera's plan was in action. Percy likely wouldn't see her family for months.