Energy Unbound

Chapter 11

Sea of Mind

Annabeth awoke with a headache, her long blonde hair nearly completely covering her vision. She inhaled deeply and blew upwards, pushing enough out of her face to see the person she was laying against. Percy Jackson, two time Hero of Olympus, her significant other, and demigod son of Poseidon. The father of their future children. The daughter of Athena sighed happily, snuggling into Percy's well muscled chest.

Annabeth, she heard, and glanced up to see if Percy was awake. What puzzled her was that he was not; and yet, she had just heard his voice. Maybe he'd said her name in his sleep. He tended to do that interchangeably with the times he drooled.

"Percy, are you up?" she decided to ask, gently shaking his body. The Seaweed Brain just muttered in response, and his head turned sideways. Great, she thought, he's completely out.

Annabeth, she heard again, but this time her eyes widened. She had been looking at his face rather intently, and Percy's lips hadn't moved a centimeter. Mmm... his lips. No, stop it, she scolded herself, something's going on. Figure it out, adore Percy later.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked again, shaking him harder this time. His eyes fluttered open a little for a few seconds, then closed as he went back to sleep.

Ugh, moron, she grumbled internally. It looked like she was going to have to wake him up another way.

Looking around Cabin Three, she spotted the fountain that Poseidon had given Percy, happily bubbling away and creating a fine mist. Percy called it his 'Irisphone'. Even though he couldn't get wet unless he willed it, Annabeth knew he still felt the cold of water that touched him. She was going to drench him in it for making it so difficult to wake him up this morning.

There was a slight problem though; Annabeth was between Percy and the cabin wall. She would have to clamber over him to get up or slide out of the bunk laterally. Sighing, she began to inch herself off the bunk, but stopped when Percy tightened his grip on her. Apparently she wasn't moving. Grand.

Not for the first time, Annabeth wished she had hydrokinesis like Percy. Then she could just will some water from the fountain onto him to wake him up. She glared at the fountain, daring it to keep happily bubbling away while she was stuck.

She did not expect the water to actually respond.

Annabeth felt a tug in her gut, then the fountain's pool exploded into the air, the water racing towards the couple. She just barely had enough time to close her eyes when they were drenched head to toe. But hey, it worked.

Percy's eyes shot open and he was instantly on his feet, Riptide in hand in sword form, rapidly turning his head to find the threat. Annabeth was sitting up on the bunk in stunned silence, the puzzle pieces already falling into place.

Percy had told her that whenever he used his power over water, he felt a tug in his gut. She had just felt one right before the fountain exploded. Then she noticed something else; the bunk was soaked, but she was completely dry. Had Percy's abilities transferred to her? No, she confirmed, seeing that he was also completely dry. So what, we both have hydrokinesis now? she asked herself. How is this possible?

Annabeth? She heard in her head once again. This time Percy's voice sounded questioning. He turned the sword back into a pen and pocketed it, turning to look at her. He had confusion on his face, but he was smiling despite his cheeks glowing red.

Annabeth is so hot, his voice said in her head. She blushed at the compliment, but then realization dawned. His lips hadn't moved. Again. She decided on one last test to see if her hypothesis was correct. If it was, their day was going to get a whole lot more complicated.

Percy? Annabeth thought, trying to direct the thought at him. She had no idea if that would work or even how to do it, but she tried nonetheless. When Percy spluttered and tripped backwards into the fountain, she knew she was right.

"Annabeth? Was that you?" Percy asked, with his mouth this time, staring at her in shock.

Yes? she replied hesitantly.

"I heard that," Percy gasped.

Annabeth closed her eyes and focused. This? You hear this?

"How are you doing that?" Percy cried, eyes widening until they looked like they would pop out of his head.

"I think..," Annabeth began. Before she could continue, she noticed Percy's sea-green eyes. Wait, no. His mismatched, storm grey and sea green eyes. His right eye seemed to have become the color of her own.

"Percy, your eyes!" she said, getting up and walking to him. She grabbed his face and stared into his eyes, the hypothesis seeming both more impossible and more likely every second.

"Annabeth, I think whatever happened to my eyes happened to yours as well," Percy breathed, barely audible.

Her eyes? What was wrong with them? Panicking, she raced over to the now refilled fountain and stared at her reflection. Crap, she thought, I was right. Her left eye was now sea green.

"Right about what?" the son of Poseidon asked.

"Percy, don't freak out, okay?" she said calmly, trying to reassure herself just as much as her boyfriend.

"Annabeth, I'm way past freaking out. We were woken up by a wave of water and you're talking in my head!" Percy replied, voice shaky.

Annabeth didn't respond, she just focused on the water in front of her. After a second or so, the now familiar tug in her gut appeared, and the water in the pool flowed out into the air, flying around her like ribbons. She turned around and saw the broken look on Percy's face. This proved it; the hypothesis was right.

Completely right.

"Annabeth," Percy managed to get out, staring at the water flying around her.

"I think we somehow have each other's abilities," Annabeth said, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"You mean... this is you?" he asked.

She nodded. "I think the wakeup call was me, too."

"But... how?" Percy asked, bewildered.

Annabeth racked her brain, trying to figure out what caused it. The new girl, she realized. Just as she was about to say it, Percy beat her to it.

"The new girl," he said, then got a shock on his face. "Wait, what? How did I know that?"

"My power from Athena," Annabeth gasped, the true weight of this situation tumbling down on her. "Percy, Athena's domain is intelligence."

Percy's mouth fell open. "So... I'm as smart as you now?" he asked tentatively.

"The same way I can apparently control water, yup," she said. Realizing that she had just said yup, she covered her mouth with her hands.

Percy smirked. "Looks like you didn't just get control over water from me."

"Percy, I've never used 'yup' in my life," she said, a look of fear on her face.

Seeing her distress, Percy pulled her into a hug, ignoring the water ribbons plowing into him. "Annabeth, it's okay. Even if you got some of me in whatever happened to cause this, it's fine, right? Because you love me, so it can't be that bad," he reasoned.

Annabeth mock punched him in the arm. "For once you're right, Seaweed Brain," she said with a smirk, her fear fading a little.

"Mark the day!" Percy cried out to the walls, "For on this day my girlfriend admitted I was right!"

"Don't get used to it," she teased, then she realized something. They were both completely naked.

"Uh, before we go see Ari, or whoever she is, we should put some clothes on," she muttered, blushing profusely.

Percy looked down at their bodies, then his face became red as well. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea," he admitted.

Seaweed Brain, she thought, shaking her head.

"Hey! I heard that!" he responded, a look of mock hurt on his face, which rapidly turned into confusion. "Annabeth, how come I can hear your thoughts?"

"I can think of two reasons, but it's not just you hearing mine. I can hear yours too," Annabeth said.

You can hear this? Percy's voice rang out in her head.

Yeah, she replied, causing him to look shocked again.

"Reading minds... could you do that before?" Percy asked, looking a little worried.

"Relax, Seaweed Brain, no I couldn't. Like I said, two reasons might exist as to why we can do this. One, which is more likely, is that whatever process did this to us bonded us together, so we can only read each other's thoughts," Annabeth explained.

"And number two?" Percy said, raising an eyebrow.

She drew in a deep breath before responding. "Mind reading is a power my mom has, but none of her children do. It's known that we are not very powerful demigods. We rely more on our brains than any divine abilities," she began.

"So?"

"So, what if... this… this transfer, or whatever it is that gave me your power over water also made me much more powerful? So much more that I gained a new power from Athena? If so, it probably would have transferred to you like your power to me. What if we can both read anyone's mind because we're now the most powerful demigods alive?"

Percy gulped. "We need to talk to Ari."

"Yes we do. Get dressed," Annabeth commanded, turning her attention to the water ribbons still flying around them and directing them back into the pool.

"Yes, ma'am!" Percy laughed, grabbing an orange T-shirt and some jeans and heading into the bathroom.

Annabeth chuckled at her boyfriend's antics and began to get dressed herself.

The Hero of Olympus walked out of his cabin first, hands on his hips and hair blowing in the wind. It must have been Aeolus having a laugh at Percy's expense today. It seemed he decided to do it by making the Son of Poseidon appear to everyone like the superhero stereotype.

This was not new, of course. Every day when he walked out of his cabin the environment would find some way to make fun of him. Usually a god of some sort was behind it. Zeus had even picked on him a couple of times, not that he would admit it to anyone but his children. Most of the campers were used to it by now.

They were also very used to what happened immediately afterwards. Percy? Not so much, even after years of it.

Boss! Blackjack cried out via telepathy, tackling his friend to the ground.

"Oof!" Percy grunted, pinned to the floor under a ton of winged horse. "Good morning, Blackjack."

Hi Boss! the pegasus formally greeted him, as much as this particular equine could do anything formally. Got any donuts for me?

Percy glanced at him with an exasperated expression. "I just woke up, Blackjack. How could I possibly have donuts?"

He shrugged. Don't know. Got any?

Percy sighed. "No donuts yet, I'm afraid. I'll get you some later, but only if you get off me!" he promised, trying in vain to push a much heavier being off of his body.

The door to his cabin opened before Blackjack could get up revealing a well dressed Annabeth. She leaned against the doorframe with a teasing smile on her face, not moving to help her trapped significant other in the least. "Hey Blackjack. Here for your morning routine of pinning my boyfriend?" she asked humorously.

The pegasus squared his shoulders proudly, closing his eyes with a satisfied smirk. Yep. I want donuts!

Annabeth's face went white as a sheet. Unlike every other morning, she no longer needed Percy to translate the pegasus's thoughts into words. "Blackjack?" she hesitantly asked, barely breathing.

He caught her panicked undertone, being a highly intelligent animal, and looked at her supportively. Yeah, She-Boss?

She gulped. "I can hear you," she whispered.

Percy blinked. Blackjack blinked. They looked at each other and blinked again. Finally they turned to her and let out a united "What?!"

"I. Can. Hear. Blackjack!" she hissed.

"So. Not just the water, then," Percy summed up.

"Seems not."

What's this about water?

Annabeth suddenly looked seriously worried. Who are you loyal to, Blackjack?

The winged horse's eyebrows rose higher. You can thought-speak?!

Annabeth nodded.

Ookaaayyyyy, Blackjack warily said. Um, Percy is my boss, he said by way of answer.

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at him. So if Poseidon asked you about us, you could lie to him?

Blackjack narrowed his own eyes, but nodded. Yeah. Old Boss gave me to Percy. He's my Uber-boss now. If he says not to answer something, I'd have to obey, he explained.

Percy's own eyebrows rose. Wait, my dad put you under my service?

Blackjack nodded. Don't let it go to your head though, Boss! he accused.

Percy chuckled lightly. "Okay Blackjack. I trust you. But you can't tell anyone what we're about to tell you, got it?"

Got it, Boss, he agreed. What's so secret?

Annabeth nervously looked away from him while she answered. I can control water now, Blackjack.

The pegasus' eyebrows shot into orbit. Since when do you have the sea in your blood?

Since this morning, apparently, she replied.

Blackjack glanced between them several times before grinning. Did you two do the horizontal dance at midnight last night?

Percy and Annabeth blushed extremely hard. "Blackjack!" Percy scolded.

The winged horse whinnied heartily. So you did. Something really strange happened about that time. Some kind of wave of power washed over the world. I only barely felt it, and that's because I was paying attention because I was on border patrol. It's possible that is what put the sea in your blood, She-Boss, heexplained.

Annabeth looked scarily curious. Did you happen to sense where it came from, Blackjack?

The Pegasus raised a hoof in the direction of the shiny new Hermes cabin.

Percy and Annabeth looked to each other. "We were right," they said.

Right about what, Bosses?

Annabeth sighed. "We have to go see someone, Blackjack. Could you please get off Percy?"

Blackjack narrowed his eyes at her, but did get up. You'll fill me in later, right?

Percy opened his mouth to assure him, but Annabeth glared to cut him off. When she saw he wouldn't speak, she replied instead. If we can, Blackjack. If we can.

The black Pegasus shrugged and lifted off. Aight. Later, Bosses! he sent to them.

"Hermes Cabin?" Percy asked.

"Hermes Cabin," Annabeth confirmed.

The doors to the Hermes cabin slid apart with a pneumatic hiss, revealing the interior. Percy had to quickly steer his girlfriend down a tunnel, or she would have been in the main chamber all day admiring the architecture. He hoped it was the right tunnel. When she half-heartedly resisted, he shook his head at her humorous reactions to buildings and their construction.

No awards for guessing what her domain would be if she ever becomes a goddess, he thought.

That idea sent a chill down his spine. As they walked down the absurdly long hall with doors every few feet, he whispered his idea to her.

"Annabeth," he said to get her attention.

"Hmm?" she replied, still absent-minded.

He sighed. "Do you think the Olympians turned us into gods in our sleep?" he asked.

Annabeth almost tripped at that. He caught her with an extended arm. After her grateful look, she turned worried again. "You think they'd do that even when we refused?"

"Wouldn't put it past them," Percy grumbled.

"No, Percy," she tried to assure him. "Our parents wouldn't let them do that."

Percy shrugged. "They might've been out voted," he pointed out.

Annabeth paused her walk to think about it, face scrunched up in concentration. Finally, she spoke. "Wouldn't they have gloated about it by now though? Plus, what about the new girl? And the wave of power Blackjack told us about? I also don't feel very goddess like, just like I normally do," she brought up. "No, I think something else is going on here."

Percy shrugged. "We shall see," he stated, clearly not believing her. "Which door do you think is hers?"

Annabeth tapped his shoulder and pointed to the end of the hall. "Probably the one made out of dark metal with orange lines in it," she answered sarcastically.

"Oh," Percy commented sheepishly, "Yeah. That's probably the one."

Annabeth swatted his head. "Seaweed Brain," she muttered, continuing down the hall towards the door.

"Owl Girl," he retorted, sticking out his tongue.

"Come on Percy, keep up!" she called back to him.

"So," Percy started, "where's the handle?"

Annabeth swatted him on the head again. "None of these doors have handles, Seaweed Brain. They must be motion activated. You know, like in Star Trek?" she explained, staring at him expectantly.

"What?" he asked.

"Star Trek?" she asked again.

Percy knew, even before he said anything, how screwed he was. "I uh… I don't know what that is," he hesitantly replied.

Annabeth's eye twitched. "We have a marathon of Trekking to do after this, Seaweed Brain," she dangerously seethed.

Percy gulped. "Got it."

A third voice spoke from behind Annabeth. It was clearly female, with a light and airy quality to the tone. The voice was also soft and caring, despite neither demigod knowing how they picked up on so many qualities in a voice at once. "As amusing as watching you two argue may be, do you want something?" the voice asked.

Annabeth spun around and gasped. In front of her at eye level an orange rectangle hovered in space, displaying a black void and the face of a woman. This woman was not human, though; she was clearly made of the same metal the new girl used everywhere, even the door.

Percy found his voice first. "H… hello?" he said.

The woman smiled. "Hi. You want something?"

He and Annabeth shared a look. "We need to talk to the new girl," he replied.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Ari is away on business. May I take a message?"

Ari. Now we have a name, Percy thought.

Annabeth snarled at that. "No. You call her back right now. She has some explaining to do!" she demanded.

The woman's eyes glowed momentarily, a scowl on her face. "Do not presume to command me, Daughter of Wisdom," she declared.

Annabeth bristled and would have continued the argument if Percy had not clamped a hand over her mouth. "Sorry, Annabeth has a temper. We really do need to speak to her, though. It's about her…," he trailed off, coming closer to the rectangle and whispering. "It's about her being a goddess."

The woman's eyes went wide and she gasped. "How do you know this?"

Percy glanced around warily before replying. "She revealed it to us last night at Capture the Flag. Told us not to say anything, that we would talk later. Events myself and Annabeth have gone through this morning require that talk to be right now," he explained.

The woman gulped and turned her head. "I'll see what I can do. Be right back."

With that the rectangle blinked out of existence and Percy took his hand off Annabeth's mouth.

"Thanks for stopping me, Percy," she said.

He shrugged. "No sense in ticking off a goddess if they're not at odds with you, right?"

Annabeth raised an eyebrow at her boyfriend's suddenly solid logic. "Says the guy who sent Medusa's head to Olympus as a statement," she retorted.

He rolled his eyes. "Nobody is ever going to let me live that down, are they?" he asked to the ceiling.

A/N: Double post today. Hope the entire 2~ people who read this are happy!