-Fractured-
Sup?
;)
Zoe Nightshade had always seen herself as a morning person.
Really, one had to enjoy mornings if they wanted to survive being a Hunter of Artemis; their mornings were always filled with stocking, training, cooking, maintenance... Hunters were expected to attend to dozens of duties everyday. On rare occasions, however, one couldn't help but enjoy sleeping in.
It was a modest, still Saturday morning in the Allegheny Hills of Southern Pennsylvania. The night before had been cool by June standards, the breeze of dusk a welcoming cool lull after a week-long heat-wave. The air was a right balance between crisp, yet comfy that caused her will to crumble and stay in her nice, warm cot.
Percy barged in, a squirrel on his head, and falcon on his shoulder. She tried ducking her head beneath her wool covers, cursing and pushing him away when he attempted to grab at her arms.
"Zoe, get up," the son of Poseidon prodded as he tried to wrestle through the wool and tickle her out.
Zoe yawned with annoyance as she kicked at his warms away, her eyelids till heavy.
"Ten more minutes..."
"That trip to New York I asked you to come with, it's today." The son of Poseidon poked at her. "We need to head out just after dawn, if we want to make it in time."
The memory of her and Percy's planned outing returned to her. Something about needing to meet an important ally for the Titan War being in New York this summer. The set of responsibility within her reignited, to her displeasure.
"Fine," Zoe relented, poking her head out and immediately motioning him out. "Get out. I need to change."
Percy only blinked as their gazes met. The squirrel chittered.
"What?" she said.
Percy smirked. "So demi-titans do get bed-head…"
Horus squawked in what Zoe could only assume was laughter.
Zoe's cheeks warmed. The nerve this boy had.
"Out!"
He laughed, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm leaving, I'm leaving…"
When Percy had discussed with her about their new ally in New York, he had failed to mention that they would have to attend a mortal high school.
'Goode High School' was a large brownstone building that sat on the waters of the Hudson River. It was comprised of multiple tall columns studded was as many windows. Wrapped around the entryway arch were streamers and balloons, with a colorful banner that welcomed all the new students to orientation dangling from it. The decorating wasn't done with much care, all things considered.
It seemed that the two of them arrived right on time, as hundreds of kids were filing towards the main entrance. The crowd made sneaking into orientation unnoticed, trivial. There hadn't seemed to be enough organization to take attendance, and she and Percy looked close enough to the age to fit in with the children around them.
"Percy?" A man's voice shouted as they had entered. Percy cursed silently.
So much for being unnoticed.
She and Percy both turned their heads in the direction of the voice, to meet an older man wafting through the crowd of kids in their direction.
"Hey, Paul…" Percy greeted with a heavy breath.
Paul was an easy figure to spot. Among the assemblage of teens, the tall, thirty-something man poked out like a sore thumb. He had longish salt and pepper hair and wore a brown jacket over a faded black tee-shirt. He was reminiscent of some kind of actor, with his rugged good looks and sly expression.
"I'm surprised to see you here!" Paul said, clapping Percy on the shoulder. So the two were familiar enough, Zoe thought. "Your mother told me you were staying at that boarding school in Colorado over the summer."
Zoe gave him an inquisitive gaze. Boarding school in Colorado? Was that what Percy's mother had come up with to explain Percy abandoning mortal life?
"Oh, she said that?" Percy chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head for an explanation. "I just got home last night. Colorado's cool and all, but it's so different from home... I decided to come home for summer break. Mom mentioned this morning that school you worked at having orientation today, so I thought, I might as well‒"
"See if maybe you'd get a good fit that's closer at home?" Paul nodded sagely. "Goode idea. I'd love to see you come back home for school. Your mother always talks about how her apartment feeling so empty with you gone for school.
Percy stared at him, in thought. It was this silent moment where Paul seemed to notice Zoe's still presence. "Oh, who's this?"
Zoe looked back at Percy for him to explain.
"This is Zoe," Percy said, looking between her and Paul. "We met at the boarding school in Colorado..."
"I'm from the Bronx. Home for the summer too," Zoe continued, much to Percy's relief. "Percy here was nervous to go to orientation alone, so he begged me to come with him."
"I did not."
"You came over and dragged me out of bed."
The best lies were always sprinkled with truth.
"You had already agreed to go beforehand!" Percy complained.
Paul bursted out in laughter at her and Percy's banter. "Well, great to have both of you here! Maybe orientation can convince you two to go to school a bit closer to home?"
"That's why I'm here." Percy shrugged, before looking around, trying to find an excuse to end the conversation.
"Where's it starting?" Zoe asked.
That was the wrong thing to ask.
"Oh, first, everyone must attend the mandatory presentation in the auditorium, before we split into smaller groups to tour the building. I'm heading that way anyway, I'll show you there," Paul volunteered.
They weren't able to convince Paul otherwise, so he took us immediately to the auditorium, where they were forced to sit and watch. After listening to a long, arduous presentation by the school staff, Percy and Zoe luckily were the first two out and towards the 'Band Room' where they waited now.
The huntress raised an inquisitive eyebrow as Percy closed the door behind them.
"Percy, I trust you know what tho‒you're doing," Zoe self-corrected, "but are you sure that this is a good idea?" She held her arms crossed as she tapped her foot on the hard carpet flooring impatiently, before redirecting her gaze to the walls of the room and all the modern musical trinkets that decorated them.
She'd visited numerous modern schools in the last few decades - the Hunters had to recruit somehow - but she'd rarely taken time to actually notice them.
The presentation was a complete bore, but Zoe had nevertheless paid close attention. They had spoken about next generation technology and instruction techniques, their inclusiveness and achievements, and their wide range of 'extracurriculars.'
The school spoke about helping students learn so much, but Zoe noticed the lack of necessities like hunting and foraging. It came at her chagrin when Percy explained to her that the education system had apparently abandoned teaching basic survival decades ago. It explained why newer recruits were requiring more training these days. Instead, the 'extracurriculars' served to busy the time of students.
Some seemed more useful than others. Zoe could see some use for 'Track and Field' as a way to increase physique and endurance while the Conservation Club worked to preserve nature.
This 'Band Room' and its contents were on Zoe's deemed list of wasted budget. A light tune on the lyre will brighten anyone's afternoon of training, but an entire commitment to perform on street parades?
Modern mortals needed better prioritization.
The son of Poseidon scoffed indignantly at her previous question, while playing with a set of mallets. "Of course it is! Nothing can go wrong."
Zoe rolled her eyes at the blatant challenge to the Fates. "Oh that fills my bones with so much confidence. Still, I think‒"
Percy cut her off with a shushing motion. "Hold that thought, I think I hear them coming."
The doors to the high-school band room burst open, revealing a familiar red-haired girl Zoe had met not too long ago. She had a sprinkle of freckles on her face that reminded Zoe of constellations and wore a maroon T-shirt which read HARVARD ART DEPT.
That iconic set of green eyes were bright with fear.
This was Rachel Elizabeth Dare.
"Zoe Nightgottago?" Rachel Elizabeth Dare said in surprise, when she noticed them.
The huntress tilted her head in confusion, she wasn't named after a flower called 'nightgottago'.
"My name isn't- "
Zoe was cut off once again.
"We can save proper introductions for later, kinda busy right now!" Her voice was a nervous squeak as she locked the door and scrambled towards the percussion section. "Look, I don't know why you're here but I'd suggest you hide before they find us."
Zoe wasn't entirely sure what was going on. She should've insisted a better explanation from Percy the next time he decided to drag her off on some miniature adventure that the fate of the world relied on.
Percy walked forward and hid behind one of the shelves, stacked with various wood instruments that she couldn't name. He gestured for Zoe to do the same, which she mutely complied with. No use questioning him now, she would get her chance once the apparent danger was over.
They were just out of the line of sight of anyone who may enter the room, which Zoe had to admit was a strategic advantage that the boy had somehow come up with. He wasn't much of a tactician, but he knew how to make do, however rare those moments might be.
Just as Percy gave a shushing motion to Rachel - hopefully she understood the cue - two figures stepped into the band room, both feminine. They seemed to be adorned in purple and white uniforms - cheerleaders, Zoe guessed. That was one of the other useless activities that was presented. One was blond with icy blue eyes. The other was African American with dark curly hair.
Percy took a sharp intake of breath. Apparently, Percy was familiar with these two girls, and he didn't seem too pleased about it.
"Oh, would you look at that Tammi, the little redhead thinks she can hide from us from behind those drums," the darker skinned girl that spoke.
"I think she will make an excellent appetizer," she sniffed the air, "A main course of demigod awaits us. He's close… I can smell it."
Rachel threw a snare drum at the blonde girl.
The demon hissed and batted the drum away. It went rolling along the aisles between music stands, its springs rattling against the drumhead. Rachel threw another, but the demon just swatted that away, too.
"Aw, how cute. She's trying to fight back," It was the other girl who spoke this time.
Then the two began to change. The color drained out of their faces and arms. Their skin turned as white as chalk, eyes turning completely red. Their teeth grew into fangs. Beneath their skirts, Zoe could notice mismatched legs, her left leg was brown and shaggy with a donkey's hoof. Her right leg, while shaped like a human leg, was made of bronze.
Empousae.
"I'm going to enjoy eating you mortal."
Percy stepped out from behind the shelves, "No, I don't think you will."
With a fluid motion, he cut down both the monsters before they even had a chance to turn around or even scream. The two exploded into a cloud of dust all over the three teenagers.
Percy grunted, "Thank the gods I don't have to deal with Kelli again."
Zoe stepped out shaking her head, if the boy was this relieved, this 'Kelli' must've been a real pain in his timeline.
"You… killed her?"
That came from Rachel.
Percy shrugged, re-capping his sword, "Tammi should be finished. Kelli, from my experience is a tad trickier. She'll reform soon enough."
Rachel scrunched her face, then turned towards Zoe.
"Would you mind explaining what the heck is happening," she breathed, "Oh and sorry for cutting you off, you were saying something about your name?"
Zoe smiled at her, "My name is Zoe Nightshade, not Nightgottago"
Rachel laughed, "Figured. Nightgottago is not a catchy name."
She then turned to Percy, "Your partner in crime?"
The boy grinned, "Percy Jackson at your service."
"I knew it!"
Explaining that the Grecian Myths are real was surprisingly easy with Rachel, she soaked up whatever Percy or Zoe said like a sponge, she looked… relieved?
"You don't know how hard it's been," she said. "For years I thought I was going crazy. I couldn't tell anybody. I couldn't—" Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. Who are you? I mean really?"
"We aren't monsters," Zoe supplied optimistically, a small grin adorning her features.
"Well, I know that. I could see if you were. You look like…you. But you're not human, are you?"
"I'm a half-blood," Percy said. "I'm half human."
"And half what?"
Percy swallowed, "Half god."
Rachel took a few seconds to process the information, "Zoe too? Is she half human and half god?"
"I'm half titan," She clarified. She expected the mortal to scowl, or at least give her some sort of indication that her parentage was not okay, but Rachel did no such thing. She looked almost sympathetic.
"Yeah, I know a thing or two about not having the best parents."
Zoe was surprised. She caught a look on Percy that screamed there was more to what Rachel was saying, but she didn't pry.
"So, what are the two of you doing here?"
Percy smiled. "Same as you, orientation."
That wasn't true, they were here to talk to Rachel but she couldn't know that.
Rachel rephrased her question, "I meant what are you doing here, in this room. Surely there has to be a reason you were already in the band room when I arrived."
Percy blanched and his eyes widened, Zoe wanted to face-palm. Of course, that idiot boy hadn't thought everything through.
"We got lost while trying to find the restrooms?"
His tone of voice didn't install any confidence in Zoe as to whether Rachel would buy that sorry excuse.
Rachel narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything to call out the obvious lie.
"Well, you guys saved me so I guess I won't question you too much," she turned to Zoe, "Take care of your boyfriend, he looks like he's about to explode."
Percy choked on his own spit, "We're not – She's not."
Zoe felt her cheeks burn at the redhead's words. "We're not together, in that way," she managed.
Yet.
Her mind supplied, unhelpfully.
From down the hall, Zoe heard voices. A tour group was approaching. A man was saying something about locker combinations.
She nudged the son of Poseidon, "This is probably our cue to leave."
Percy turned to Rachel and handed her a gold drachma.
"Use this to contact any of us if you're in trouble. Just say "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering." And toss the coin into a rainbow."
Rachel accepted the coin hesitantly, a look of confusion painted across her freckles. "Where am I supposed to find a rainbow in Manhattan?"
"I'm sure you'll manage it somehow. We gotta go. Bye Rachel!"
Percy ran off, dragging Zoe along with, their fingers intertwined in a comfortable grip. Zoe's face burned as she scrambled to follow him out of the school.
"That went smooth," Zoe said.
Maybe the sarcasm wasn't quite evident in her voice because Percy just grinned at her, "I know, right!"
Zoe rolled her eyes, this boy was going to be the death of her.
Well, happy birthday to me!
Here's the sequel y'all wanted, and I took way too long to write :D
Hope y'all enjoyed, and as usual, from the next chapter I'll greet ya on the top and V shall bid you adieu.
xoxo
~Josh