Hello all Storm here with a new chapter! Here we'll be seeing Andromeda learning exactly what's been going on and receiving her quest, along with only a few changes here and there. So, without further ado.
I own nothing
"Are you sure we don't need an umbrella?" Andromeda asked as she and Grover made their way to the Big House, looking out towards Long Island Sound, seeing the hazy curtain of rain coming right towards camp.
"No, it never rains here unless we want it to." Replied Grover, assuring her that they didn't have to worry about the approaching storm, with the Daughter of Poseidon not looking convinced.
"And what happens when that gets here?" Said Andromeda, pointing at the storm, making the satyr look at the sky uneasily.
"It'll pass around us. Bad weather always does." Grover said, though Andromeda felt he was now trying to assure himself more than her.
'A child of Poseidon also hadn't just been claimed and the gods weren't fighting over something before.' Andromeda thought sarcastically, doubting the storm will simply "pass around" this time.
That's not counting how the other rain clouds she's seen moving around the valley since coming here weren't anywhere near as big as the one heading towards them. With Andromeda seeing other campers going about their usual business. Apollo's kids were playing an early morning game at the volleyball pit, Dionysus's twins were walking through the strawberry fields, everyone doing what they usually did. But she also saw they were noticeably tense and also keeping an eye on the sky.
It wasn't long before they arrived at the Big House, finding Mr. D and Chiron, now back in his wheelchair, sitting at the pinochle table. Both of them playing against invisible opponents, given the two sets of cards floating in the air.
"Well, well, our little celebrity." Mr. D said sarcastically without looking up from his cards, making Andromeda frown at him before waiting to see why she was called here, the God of Wine rolling his eyes and looked at her.
"Come closer, and don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal. Just because old Barnacle Beard is your father." Stated Mr. D, not caring as a net of lightning flashed across the sky and thunder caused the windows to shake.
"Blah, blah, blah." Mr. D said, while Chiron feigned interest in his cards and Grover cowered by the railing.
"You're the one who called me here. Are you going to tell me or just insult me?" Said Andromeda in annoyance, knowing it wasn't smart, but she'd prefer knowing why she'd been summoned, with Mr. D narrowing his eyes at her.
"If I had my way, I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm." Mr. D retorted, the ravenette gulping at this, being reminded that she is dealing with a god.
"Spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr. D." Chiron said casually, as if he's reminding Mr. D of that fact again.
"Nonsense, girl wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself, I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father." Said Mr. D, looking at Andromeda with his eyes glowing slightly, only making the girl more nervous.
"Mr. D-" Chiron said, giving him a warning look, with Mr. D sighing in frustration.
"Oh, all right. There's one more option, but it's deadly foolish." Mr. D said, setting his cards down and standing up, with the invisible players dropping their cards as well.
"I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the girl is still here when I get back, I'll turn her into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Andromeda Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do." Said Mr. D, making Andromeda's eyes widen that he used her actual name for once, making her really feel like she wasn't going to like the other option.
Mr. D then picked up one of the playing cards before twisting it, turning it into a plastic square, with Andromeda thinking it was a credit card for a moment, only to see it's a security pass. Before the God of Madness snapped his fingers, causing the air to bend and fold around him. First turning into a hologram, then a wind, and finally he was gone, leaving behind the scent of fresh-pressed grapes.
"…I'm…really not going to like the other option, am I." Andromeda stated, looking at Chiron, who only smiled at her, though it looked tired and strained, while setting his cards down, showing a winning hand.
"Sit, Andromeda, please. And you Grover." Said Chiron, motioning to the empty seats, with the demigod and satyr sitting down.
"Tell me, Andromeda, what did you make of the Hellhound?" Chiron asked, making Andromeda shiver at the reminder of the monster.
"It scared me. If Naruko hadn't frozen it and you hadn't shot it, I'd be dead." Andromeda replied honestly, doubting that's what he wanted to hear.
"You'll meet worse, Andromeda, far worse before you're done." Stated Chiron, with the Daughter of Poseidon frowning in confusion at his words.
"Done…with what?" Andromeda asked, wondering what she's even supposed to be doing.
"Your quest, of course. Will you accept?" Chiron asked, looking at her expectantly, while Grover crossed his fingers.
"Um, sir, you haven't told me what it is, yet." Said Andromeda, having felt like she'd be given a quest, but would want to know what it was exactly.
"Well, that's the hard part, the details." Said Chiron with a grimace, with Andromeda frowning again with a blank expression.
'Of course they are.' Andromeda thought, getting the feeling that details and straight answers are always the hard part.
Before she looked out over the sky, hearing the thunder rumble across the valley, with the storm clouds now reaching the edge of the beach. The ravenette only being able to feel like the sky and sea were about to come alive and start attacking each other at any moment.
"Poseidon and Zeus, they're fighting over something valuable…something that was stolen, aren't they?" Andromeda said, guessing he wanted her to figure it out herself, seeing she was right when Chiron and Grover exchanged a look.
"How did you know that?" Chiron asked, sitting forward and looked at her intently.
"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting. Then I talked to Annabeth and she'd overheard something about a theft. And…I've also been having these dreams." Admitted Andromeda, making the centaur and satyr perk up.
"I knew it!" Grover said excitedly, with Chiron looking at him warningly.
"Hush, satyr!" Ordered Chiron, only for Grover to be too excited.
"But it is her quest! It must be!" Grover said.
"A few days ago, you said any quest I got would be incredibly dangerous, now you're excited I'm getting one. I just feel the love G-man, truly." Andromeda said dully, making the satyr bleat in embarrassment, making her smile in amusement.
"Either way, only the Oracle can determine this. Nevertheless, Andromeda, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt." Revealed Chiron, causing Andromeda to laugh nervously.
"A what?" Questioned Andromeda, wondering why they'd be fighting over a single lightning bolt, figuring Zeus would have dozens, if not hundreds, of them.
"Do not take this lightly, I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade Celestial Bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives." Chiron warned, wanting her to understand just how dangerous and powerful the Master Bolt is.
"…Oh." Andromeda muttered with wide eyes, not sure what to say to that.
"Zeus's Master Bolt, The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the Master Bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers." Continued Chiron, making the Daughter of Poseidon gulp, unable to imagine a weapon being that powerful.
"And…it's missing?" Said Andromeda, wondering how something like that could go missing.
"Stolen." Chiron corrected.
"By who?" Andromeda asked.
"By whom. By you." Said Chiron, correcting her and revealing who was suspected, much to Andromeda's disbelief.
"At least, that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense: "Mother Rhea always liked you best", "Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters", etc. Afterward, Zeus realized his Master Bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp another god's Symbol of Power directly, that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it." Chiron clarified, with the ravenette's disbelief only growing.
"But I didn't-" Andromeda said, only to be interrupted.
"Patience and listen, child. Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the Master Bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about, was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his daughter. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could easily have snuck into Olympus, so Zeus believes he has found his thief." Explained Chiron.
"But I've never even been to Olympus! I haven't known about any of this for even a month now! Zeus is crazy!" Andromeda shouted, not believing she's being blamed for stealing the Master Bolt, when she's barely been at camp for a month, let alone even knew Olympus was in New York.
With her words making Chiron and Grover glance nervously up at the sky, with the clouds not parting, like the satyr said they would. Instead, rolling right over the valley, as if sealing them inside a coffin.
"Er, Andie…we don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky." Grover said nervously, not her to end up being struck down.
"Perhaps paranoid. Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam…" Said Chiron, looking at her expectedly, making Andromeda mentally groan at now being quizzed.
"Something about a golden net? Poseidon, Hera, and a few other gods…they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?" Andromeda replied, unsure if that was right, with Chiron nodding at her answer.
"Correct. And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the Master Bolt, he took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now you've come along, the proverbial last straw." Chiron said, with Andromeda frowning at how everything seemed to come back to her.
"But I'm just a kid!" Said Andromeda, wishing they'd see she wasn't some thief or a suspect.
"Andie, if you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you. Then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero, who might be used as a weapon against you…wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?" Said Grover, trying to get her to see things from the God of Lightning's perspective, so she didn't say anything else dangerous.
Only for the three of them to jump when one of the Big House's windows suddenly exploded, making them look at it with wide eyes, before slowly looking away.
"But I didn't do anything. Poseidon, my dad, he didn't really have this Master Bolt stolen, did he?" Andromeda asked, wanting to believe her father didn't steal the Master Bolt, but she really wasn't sure what to believe at the moment, with Chiron sighing and dragging a hand down his face.
"Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the Sea God is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the Summer Solstice, that's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera, Demeter or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the Master Bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full-fledged war would look like, Andromeda?" Chiron asked, looking her right in the eyes.
"Bad?" Andromeda said in an unsure manner.
"Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big, it will make the Trojan War look like a water balloon fight." Chiron said gravely, while the ravenette paled slightly and gulped.
"…Really bad." Andromeda stated.
"And you, Andromeda Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath." Chiron said, making her gulp again, before looked out and saw it was now raining.
The sight making the campers all stop and look at the sky in disbelief and stunned silence, while Andromeda realized what it was.
'This is my fault. The storms only here because of me, he's punishing the whole camp…just because of me!' Andromeda thought, angry that Zeus was willing to punish the entire camp just because she was here.
"So I have to find the stupid bolt and return it to Zeus." Said Andromeda while turning back to Chiron, who nodded in response.
"What better peace offering than to have the Daughter of Poseidon return Zeus's property." Chiron replied, making Andromeda sigh, not believing this was happening.
"If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?" Andromeda asked, hoping to at least get a hint or idea for where to look for the Master Bolt.
"I believe I know. Part of a prophecy I had years ago…well, some of the lines make sense to me, now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle." Said Chiron, knowing she'd need to receive a prophecy from the Oracle before they can discuss things any further.
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is, beforehand?" Questioned Andromeda in annoyance.
"Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge." Chiron stated, only increasing the ravenette's annoyance.
"You just said I'd be Zeus's first target if it's not returned. I don't think the challenge really matters if there's a chance to survive." Andromeda said, preferring a small chance to no chance at all.
"You agree then?" Chiron asked, wanting to hear her accept the task.
Looking at Grover, Andromeda saw her friend nod encouragingly at her, making her sigh before nodding at Chiron.
"Alright. It's better than being turned into a dolphin." Replied Andromeda.
"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle. Go upstairs, Andromeda Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more." Chiron replied, making the Daughter of Poseidon sigh and get up before going into the Big House.
Once she was inside, Chiron and Grover watched as the broken pieces of the window floated up and repaired themselves.
"Sorry about the window." Naruko said as she rose up from the shadows in the empty chair, with Grover bleating fearfully.
"Blaah-ah-ah! I hate it when you do that!" Said Grover, hating it when Naruko Shadow Traveled, given it always made him nervous a monster was going to appear.
"And I hate self-righteous hypocrites, Goat Boy. You know Zeus can't say anything about Poseidon breaking the oath, when he did it first." Retorted Naruko, refusing to have Zeus claiming the moral high ground when broke the Oath first or anyone defending him.
"How much did you hear Naruko?" Chiron said tiredly, knowing the Daughter of Hecate had a habit of eavesdropping on conversation whenever she could.
"Enough to know what's going. And that Zeus and Poseidon should pull their heads out of their asses!" Naruko replied before shouting the latter part at the sky and sea, with a loud crack of lightning jumping between the clouds and a wave crashing down on the beach.
"You're only proving my point!" Naruko exclaimed, much to Chiron's and Grover's worry.
"Pl-pl-pl-please d-do-don't d-d-do-do that." Grover said pleadingly, not wanting her to keep insulting two of the Big Three like that.
"Indeed, most would think it's not very wise to speak so openly about the gods, especially the Big Three." Chiron said cautiously, only for the Uzumaki to scoff.
"Then it's a good thing I'm not a child of Athena, thank Chaos for that." Naruko stated, not really caring what the gods thought about what she said, making the centaur sigh at her attitude.
"I take it you intend to join Andromeda on her quest." Chiron stated, though already knew the answer.
"Yep." Replied Naruko, given her Oath on Styx, she'd need to make sure Andromeda is safe, and the fact she wasn't going to let the gods destroy the planet when she still had to save Thalia.
Their attention then turned back to the door when they saw Andromeda coming back out, looking more lost, confused, and worried than before. The ravenette stopping when she saw Naruko sitting at the table.
"Wh-when did you get here?" Andromeda asked in surprise and a little wariness.
"I've been here the entire time, so I know what's happening and that you just went to talk with the corpse in the attic." Replied Naruko, making Andromeda flinch at the reminder of the prophecy she just got from the Oracle before falling down in her seat.
"Well?" Said Chiron, looking at her expectantly to hear what the prophecy was.
"She said I would retrieve what was stolen." Andromeda replied, much to Grover's excitement while chewing on a Diet Coke can.
"That's great!" Said Grover, happy to hear she'd be able to find and return the Master Bolt.
"What did the Oracle say exactly? This is important." Chiron said pressingly, knowing it'd important she told them the entire prophecy.
"She…she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned." Said Andromeda, with Naruko slowly clenching her fists at the first line.
"Anything specific about the god?" Naruko asked, wanting to know which god they'd face.
"Anything else?" Questioned Chiron, wanting to know if there was more to the prophecy.
Andromeda looked between them nervously, not wanting to share the rest of the prophecy, especially the third line now that Naruko was here. While she didn't want to think it, the Daughter of Poseidon knew Naruko didn't have any love or care for the Olympians, especially with what happened to Thalia.
'Did she…' Thought Andromeda, wondering if Naruko would go far enough to steal the Master Bolt, simply to watch the gods tear each other apart.
Before she glanced at Thalia's tree and realized how foolish that would be. While she still didn't know Naruko that well, one thing Andromeda could say for certain is she'd never do anything to endanger Thalia, whether she's a tree or not. And a war between the gods would definitely be something that'd endanger her.
But she still wasn't sure it'd be good to reveal that line, since she didn't really have that many friends and who knows if there's a traitor in the camp.
And the last line, that she'd fail to save what matters most in the end. Wondering what kind of Oracle would send her on a quest, only to say that she'll fail in the end.
"No, that's about it." Andromeda replied after a few moments, with Chiron and Naruko both studying her, the latter looking like she didn't believe her at all.
"Very well, Andromeda. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." Chiron said, with the ravenette getting the feeling he knew she isn't telling them everything.
"Okay. So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?" Andromeda asked, only to see Naruko scowling darkly with her eyes glowing an eerie green.
"Hades." Naruko spat, the other three flinching when a window cracked.
"Hades? The…God of the Dead? Why would he-" Said Andromeda, only for Naruko to slam her fists down on the table.
"Because he's a self-righteous, butthurt coward! One that'd rather send monsters after an innocent girl than take his problems up with his little brother, himself!" Shouted Naruko, causing Chiron's and Grover's eyes to widen in fear.
While the entire camp suddenly began shaking, making Andromeda, Grover, Chiron and all the campers hold onto something, with Naruko merely glaring at the ground.
"Well am I wrong?!" Naruko demanded rhetorically, with the ground continuing to shake before stopping, though they could all feel a sense of reluctance to it.
"That's what I thought." Said Naruko with a scoff.
"Was that-" Andromeda said nervously, not believing what the Daughter of Hecate just said and the response it got.
"Yes, it was. But um…aside from Naruko's…crude and blunt remark, Hades is the only one who'd benefit from a war between the gods. He has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, and the one whose kingdom would grow more powerful with the deaths of millions. And he hates his brothers for forcing him to make an oath that forbids any more children, an oath that both of them have now broken. The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility." Chiron said, making Andromeda gulp.
"The…the monster…Mrs. Dodds…she was a Fury, right? Is…is that why she attacked me?" Questioned Andromeda, with the Trainer of Heroes nodding.
"It's the only explanation, she had observed you until she was sure of your identity as Poseidon's daughter, once she was, then she attacked. Then a Hellhound got into the forest. Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect that Poseidon will try to use Andromeda to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood before she can take on the quest." Explained Chiron.
"Or he's just hoping for a second chance to kill another innocent child." Naruko muttered bitterly, still glaring at the ground.
"Great. That's two major gods that want to kill me…" Said Andromeda while holding her head.
"But a quest to…I mean, couldn't the Master Bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year." Grover said nervously, not liking the idea of going to the Underworld and confronting Hades.
"Hades sent a minion to steal the Master Bolt. He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Andromeda must go to the Underworld, find the Master Bolt, and reveal the truth." Said Chiron, knowing that's what must be done if they were going to prevent a war between the gods.
"Look, if we know it's Hades, why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads." Andromeda said, seeing that as the safer option, letting Zeus or her father deal with Hades and get the Master Bolt back.
Even if she's sorely tempted to take the quest and confront Hades for trying to kill her three times, and the fact that her mother was in the Underworld. Only to remember the fact that Hades was a god, one of the Big Three, and has millennia of experience and unbelievable power. And she's just a kid that barely has two weeks of training.
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same. Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades, and I imagine Poseidon does, they couldn't retrieve the bolt, themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule." Chiron explained.
"Hermes and my mom can." Stated Naruko, making Chiron pause and clear his throat.
"Ah, yes, that's correct. Hermes is the only god capable of freely traveling to and from the Underworld, while Hecate had been given power in all three major realms by Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades allowing her to freely travel between the sky, sea and Underworld. But no other god is capable of doing so. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?" Chiron said, making Andromeda frown at this.
"So you're saying I'm being used." Andromeda said, remembering Naruko's words to her the first night at camp, at how demigods would only be claimed if their parents had a use for them or they had proven themselves.
"I'm saying it's no accident, Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you." Clarified Chiron.
'That doesn't make it any better." Thought Andromeda, given that basically meant if her father wasn't desperate, then he wouldn't have claimed her or at least as soon as he did.
That's not counting how he's ignored her for the past twelve years, and now suddenly he needs her to fix everything.
"You've known I was Poseidon's daughter all along, haven't you?" Andromeda asked rhetorically while looking at Chiron.
"I had my suspicions. As I said…I've spoken to the Oracle, too." Chiron admitted, giving her an apologetic look for keeping the information from her, making the ravenette sigh and cover her face before lowering her hands.
"So let me get this straight, I'm supposed go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead." Andromeda stated.
"Check." Said Chiron.
"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe." Said Andromeda.
"Check." Chiron repeated.
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days." Andromeda said while looking at them.
"That's about right." Naruko stated, making Andromeda sigh again before looking at Grover, who'd eaten another card.
"Did I mention that Maine is very nice, this time of year?" Grover said nervously.
"You don't have to go; I can't ask that of you." Andromeda assured, knowing he needed to go with her on a quest, but wouldn't ask him to go on one this dangerous.
"Oh…no…it's just that satyrs and underground places…well…" Grover said before taking a deep breath and standing up, brushing the remains of the playing cards and cans off him.
"You saved my life, Andie. If…if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down." Said Grover, with the ravenette smiling in relief and thanks.
"All the way, G-man. So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west." Andromeda said, turning back to Chiron, wondering how they're supposed to get to the Underworld.
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west. It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America." Replied Chiron, making Naruko sigh in frustration.
"Los Angeles, it's Los Angeles! Is that so hard to say?!" Naruko said, wondering why Chiron seemed to forget Andromeda was still learning everything.
"Oh, naturally. So we just get on a plane-" Said Andromeda.
"No! Andromeda, what are you thinking?! Have you ever been on a plane in your life?!" Grover said, panicking at the idea of them taking a plane.
"You are the daughter of the Sea God. Your father's bitterest rival is Zeus, Lord of the Sky. Your mother knew better than to trust you on an airplane. You would be in Zeus's domain. You would never come down again, alive." Chiron stated, with lightning crackling overhead as if in agreement.
"Okay, so I'll travel overland. Unless…you wouldn't happen to know magic to teleport us there?" Andromeda asked looking at Naruko hopefully, only for the Uzumaki to shake her head.
"While I know a few teleportation spells, I currently don't have the power to teleport us all the way across the country. The furthest I could maybe get is…Colorado or Missouri, but even than that'd leave me completely drained." Said Naruko, making the Daughter of Poseidon deflate.
"So…walking then, great." Andromeda muttered.
"That's right. And normally only three campers are allowed to go on a quest, the one who receives the quest and two companies. Naruko and Grover have already chosen to go. However another has also volunteered, if you'll-" Chiron said, only for them to hear a yelp, looking to see Naruko holding Annabeth's Yankees cap, revealing the Daughter of Athena.
"Gee, who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?" Said Andromeda, feigning surprise, having already guessed Annabeth would be the other volunteer.
"Would you stop that?!" Annabeth said, looking at Naruko in annoyance and taking her hat back, before stuffing it into her back pocket.
"As soon as you stop skulking around with it." Retorted Naruko.
"You're one to talk about skulking." Muttered Annabeth before looking at Andromeda.
"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain. And someone needs to be around to keep you both in line." Said Annabeth as she looked between Andromeda and Naruko.
'And I'm not going to let you needlessly throw your life away.' Annabeth mentally added, looking at the whiskered demigod, refusing to let her risk her life if she can stop it.
"If you say so. I suppose you have a plan, Wise Girl?" Andromeda said, making Annabeth blush in annoyance.
"Do you want my help or not?" Retorted Annabeth, the ravenette nodding since she'd take all the help she can get.
"Excellent. This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own." Chiron said, pleased that the group was now formed and just needed to prepare.
Before they all looked up as lightning flashed across the sky and rain poured down on the meadows that were never meant to see violent weather. The questers trading looks with each other, knowing they didn't have any time to waste, before they immediately left to go pack and prepare.
So, what did you think, good. Yep we see things going as expected with Andromeda learning the Master Bolt has been stolen with Zeus and Poseidon getting ready for a fight, before accepting the responsibility of finding and returning it leading her to go speak with the Oracle. Then we see Naruko appear, having been listening in, and showing no care about in calling the Big Three out for their behavior, as well as holding a grudge against Hades for what he did to Thalia (not bashing or making Hades evil, just showing Naruko's resentment). Finally we see Andromeda returning and tells them part of what her prophecy is and learning where they'd need to go to get to the Underworld and who will be going on the quest with her, with the questers knowing they don't have any time to waste. So, for those that like the story, thanks for your support. For those that don't or at least don't like the direction taken, you're more than welcomed to drop the story. But thanks for giving the story a chance anyway.
Storm out