Hey guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please read and review- and also, am I a terrible person? I've obviously finished writing TLO, which is great, no more Alabastard- but do you know what my brain does? It goes 'The doors of death are open you know'? So now I'm resisting the temptation to have him show his face again.

As soon as the god was gone Percy felt herself shaking- and then Rachel was there behind her, arms wrapping around her carefully, resting her chin on Percy's shoulder. "It's okay. You're okay." her voice was soft, soothing, "He's gone. And you're here-"

"He- I saw-"

"Whatever it was, it wasn't real." Rachel breathed the words, "Whatever it was it wasn't real. I promise you."

"If you hadn't-"

"But I did." Rachel soothed, "Clarisse was handling things okay and I wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Thank you." Percy turned her head, and Rachel turned hers slightly, pressing their lips together for a brief moment, "I love you so much." Percy whispered, "You know that. I love you."

"I love you too " Rachel kissed Percy's cheek, "My beautiful brilliant warrior queen."

"Warrior queen?"

"That's what you are." Rachel declared, "I mean, admittedly he wasn't that good but- the way you fought- it was something else."

"I only managed to fight because you saved my life-"

"Percy..." Rachel let out a breath, "We'll talk about it later." Rachel promised, "Right now we should probably get to Clarisse. Right?" she paused "How do we get the chariot to her?"

Percy focused on the bike, her eyes narrowing very slightly before she let out a breath, "We do something that if Ares ever finds out about will get me smote."

"What-"

Percy twisted so that she was facing Rachel, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the bike quickly, a devilish smile playing across her lips, and Rachel's eyes widened in realization, "Oh you're not-"

"Oh I am." Percy nodded, and she moved quickly, gripping Rachel's hips and swinging her up and onto the bike before she slung her leg over it too, grinning to herself as Rachel automatically latched onto her from behind, laughter slipping past her lips.

"Holy Hades this is actually happening-" and Percy started the bike, taking off with wild carefree laughter filling the air around them as they sped out of the aquarium, Rachel pressed up close to her from behind, clinging to her tightly as they raced along, it was a rush, Percy was more than willing to admit that, the feeling of the air rushing past as they moved, the feeling of Rachel there, warm and alive against her was so very comforting.

It was easy enough to follow where Clarisse and Deimos had gone at least- they just had to follow the trail of destruction. Fences were knocked down. Animals were running free. Badgers and lemurs were checking out the popcorn machine. A fat-looking leopard was lounging on a park bench with a bunch of pigeon feathers around him.

Percy parked the motorcycle next to the petting zoo, and there were Deimos and Clarisse in the goat area- Clairsse was on her knees.

Percy cursed loudly as she slung herself off the bike and went to run forward- but she stopped suddenly, because it wasn't Deimos- or- it was but it didn't look like him. It looked like Ares. Percy sucked in a shocked breath and Rachel skidded to a halt by Percy's side.

He looked like Ares, his whole body was almost smoking with anger, the eyes behind the glasses glowing so brightly that Percy could almost see the red of their fire.
And he was stood over Clarisse, his fist raised.

"You failed me! You stupid girl! You failed me again! I warned you, my children don't get held prisoner like pathetic weaklings." he tried to strike her and Clarisse scrambled backwards, shaking with fear.

"No! No please I- Please father-"

"Pathetic, you're pathetic, you let them capture you. Did you beg? Did you cry-"

"Please-"

And Percy felt her heart aching for the other girl. Clarisse might be a bully herself but she sure as fuck didn't deserve to be talked to like that.

And a part of Percy wanted to beat the ever loving snot out of Deimos- but... if she knew Clarisse then she knew the other girl wouldn't thank her for that.

Admittedly Clarisse didn't often thank anyone for anything but that wasn't the point.

Clarisse had to fight her own battle, if Percy stepped in then she'd feel weak- which was ridiculous, Clarisse was one of the toughest people Percy had ever met.

"Hey!" Percy might not be able to kick Deimos' ass for Clarisse, but she sure as Hades could snap her out of the trance like state she was in, "Hey! Clarisse! It's not real dumbass. It's not him! It's Deimos being a huge dick. Are you gonna let him play you like that?" Clarisse's head snapped to the side, her gaze landing on Percy, her eyes wide.

"Jackson I don't- you don't understand-"

"C'mon sewer breath, get off your ass and stand up for yourself. Don't let your dumbass jerk of a brother beat you. I bet he can't even fight. Phobos couldn't!" admittedly for anyone else it would probably not be the best way to talk to someone, but this was Clarisse, she responded better to nastiness than she would to sympathy. That was just who she was, that was how their friendship was.

"Even I could kick Phobos' ass!" Rachel joined in, "And I'm a mortal with barely any training."

Deimos's form flickered. "I am Ares!" he insisted. "And you are a worthless girl! I knew you would fail me. Now you will suffer my wrath."

"We have to help her-" Rachel's voice was shaky, her eyes wide, "Percy-"

"No. No she has to do this herself." Percy said quickly, "This is her worst fear Rache. She has to overcome it by herself we can't fight her battle for her. It's a matter of pride."

The fact that Percy hadn't actually overcome hers was something that she didn't want to dwell on- she had been attacking at least, she had snapped out of it enough to try and attack the illusion. She had to cling to that thought as much as she could. She'd at least been willing to fight.

"Get up Clarisse. Stand up and prove you're stronger than those assholes. Clarisse you're the girl who helped me after I got back from Mount Orthys you are the furthest thing from weak!"

"I… I can't."

"Yes, you can. You're a warrior. Get up!"

She hesitated. Then she began to stand.

"What are you doing?" Deimos bellowed. "Grovel for mercy, girl!"

Clarisse took a shaky breath. Very quietly, she said, "No." her back straightened and she gripped her sword slightly, and Percy could see a familiar glint in her eyes. That was Clarisse's 'I'm going to kick your ass now' expression. Percy felt a flood of relief, a smile crossing her lips as she saw that.

"Kick his ass Clarisse!"

"WHAT?" Deimos snarled.

"I'm tired of being afraid of you." and somehow Percy knew that while Clarisse knew it was Deimos, those words weren't actually meant for the god. They were meant for Ares, and she needed to say them, that much was painfully clear from the look on her face, and she raised her sword, deflecting the gods blow. She staggered slightly under the force of it but she didn't fall.

"You're not Ares." Clarisse growled the words, "Percy and Rachel are right you're not even a good fighter."

Deimos growled in frustration. When he struck again, Clarisse was ready. She disarmed him and stabbed him in the shoulder – not deep, but enough to hurt even a god.
He yowled in pain and he began to blow and Percy's eyes widened for a brief moment, her expression was one of pure panic as she moved automatically, screwing her own eyes shut, yanking Rachel into herself, grabbing the back of the other girls neck and forcing the startled red heads face into her shoulder as she screamed, "Close your eyes!"

She could see the golden glow through her eyelids- and she could feel the heat of it as he revealed his true godly form before disappearing- and she felt that too, the sudden darkness, the lack of the heat. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking rapidly as she let go of Rachel, who let out a relieved noise as she stumbled back, looking around with wide eyes- and Clarisse was still stood- so clearly she had closed her eyes in time.

The situation was so surreal- they were alone except for the petting zoo goats which tugged at their clothes looking for snacks.

It felt impossible that they'd just taken down two asshole gods. But they had.

Percy felt that Rachel's next words summed it up pretty nicely.

"Well. That was fun-" and Percy couldn't help the laugh that she let out, shaking her head.

"Hey, at least we got out of class." Percy remarked with a light shrug, "Thanks for that Clarisse."

"Right." Clarisse was relaxing slightly- for just a moment before Rachel had spoken she's looked angry and terrified all at once- and of course she did. Clarisse didn't do
vulnerable and Percy and Rachel had just seen her at her most vulnerable. "Listen you two, you didn't-"

"Y'know, funny thing." Percy turned her gaze to look at Rachel, "I can't remember what happened after we parked up Ares Chariot- it's like a slice of my memories been wiped. What about you Daredevil-"

"Hm, not a clue." Rachel grinned back as she turned her head to look at Rachel "Though I will say I'm holding you to that offer to teach me how to throw knives. I want to be able to protect my dumbass even better than I already can-"

"You literally saved my life and stabbed a god today I don't see how much better it can get."

"I'd like to be able to take his eye out from across the room."

"That-"

"Is very good." Clarisse gave Rachel an approving look, cutting across before Percy could finish her sentence. "I can teach you that. Lessons every Saturday at eight."

"You've got a deal-"

"And suddenly I feel terrified." Percy remarked dryly, "My girlfriend and a girl who has on occasion threatened to disembowel me are getting friendly-"

"I'm already friends with your brother." Clarisse pointed out dismissively, "If I was actually going to disembowel you I'd have probably done it before now."

"See, the probably in that sentence was not reassuring!" she turned to Rachel, "Rachel, my love please don't go to Clarisse for lessons I fear for the shit she'll teach you-"

"Too late." Rachel gave a somewhat gleeful grin as she nodded at Clarisse, "Sounds like fun." she paused, "So what now-" she looked hesitant, "I hate to be the one to point this out but we're on an island and I doubt your dads chariot can take on the form of a boat."

"No." Clarisse frowned, looking downcast for a moment, "No it can't."

"There won't be time to go by the bridges." Percy said after a moment of thought, "It'll take hours to get the chariot where it needs to be."

"So we're screwed." Clarisse grimaced, "Fuck. Was there even any point in getting it back if I can't get it there in time?"

"There has to be something?" and Percy was aware that both girls were looking at her, and Percy thought as quickly as she could before she paused.

"I may have an idea."

"Oh?" Clarisse frowned, "What's your idea?"

"First, get us to the water." and at least that didn't take long. Clarisse managed to get the chariot to transform into it's chariot form and soon enough all three girls were aboard, and once they reached the water Percy took a deep breath and concentrated. "Drive straight ahead." she heard Rachel's sharp little breath of realization.

"Percy you hit your head pretty hard when I knocked you over-"

"I'm fine Rachel." Percy promised, and she heard Clarisse lashing the horses and calling "Hiya!" and she felt the lurch of the chariot moving.

And Percy focused, willing the water beneath them to turn solid- it wasn't like she hadn't done similar before- she'd done things far more difficult really. It was just the fact that she'd have to do it for so long that might be a problem.

But hey, that was a problem for future Percy, she'd deal with that when she needed to.