Some more serious discussions and then a classic Percy mood lightener. Enjoy!
Replies:
Guest: She's channelling his power- we'll get there in time and then you'll get to see Ra at his full power.
DrizzleRain: Percy's abilities will stay- and I do kind like the idea of the white hair staying though there's a chance I may change my mind. But yeah you'll understand why certain abilities will stay at the end of this one. Even recovering from the trauma won't take away her skill with languages, or the hair and scar.
Guest: You are not wrong.
Percy let out a relieved breath, Carter was safe now- and she watched as he scrambled to his feet and rushed towards Zia- who extinguished the fire around her hand and they embraced- and even Percy who thought all stuff like that was kinda yucky had to admit that it was adorable.
Which- maybe she shouldn't have let herself be distracted by her brother and his girlfriend because she saw Carter's expression turn panicked and she followed his gaze and uh oh- but she didn't really had time to react.
The Egyptian Queen rammed the shore at full speed.
The force at which the ran aground was like getting hit by a bus- Percy screamed as she was launched forwards and up, almost flipping over the wheel- and the white hot pain that ripped through her arm was something else- and she smashed through the wheelhouse window- also not fun, Percy could feel the glass shredding her arms and legs.
Percy felt like a human cannonball as she flew through the air, the hull cracking apart below and behind them with a horrific creaking cracking noise.
Then Percy was speeding towards the black sandy land- she knew that hitting it at that speed would probably kill her, but Percy didn't have the time to think.
She screamed, "MAW!" and water burst out of the ground beneath her- and Percy knew it wasn't just her magic- she could feel that slight tugging in her belly which she'd come to connect with her use of the demigod powers- though it only happened when she was pushing them past her usual limits.
Still, she hit the geyser of water and instantly felt the pain disappearing, she could almost feel the bones in her wrist healing up nicely, healing the gashes along her arms and legs.
And without the pain it was easy enough to let the geyser shrink and she lowered herself to the ground, and by the time she was jumping off the geyser she realised that Carter and Zia had already hit the ground- and- he was holding Ra's crook and flail. That made Percy blink rapidly- she'd been told about them of course, but why her brother now had them she had no clue.
And Zia was was dragging Carter away from the fiery crevice which they'd landed next to.
Percy sprinted towards them, but by the time she reached them Zia was already rubbing a blue paste into Carter's wounds, and Percy paused, hanging back slightly as she watched Zia lean down closer to Carter as she applied whatever it was to his injuries- and she couldn't help the faint smile on her lips as she watched Zia finish and press her palm to Carter's cheek before pressing their lips together. It was a soft moment in a harsh place- gentle almost.
When Percy did approach Carter was sitting up and looking around quickly- though tension eased from his shoulders when he spotted Percy, and she gave a little wave, jogging the rest of the way towards her brother and friend.
"Percy." Carter's voice was faintly breathless, and the relief in it was palpable, "Are you okay-he hurt you- you were bleeding- gods I-"
"I'm fine." Percy said quickly, waving away his concern with ease, "Water, you know the drill. Are you guys okay?" she
didn't bother hiding the concern in her voice, and Carter managed a smile.
"I am now."
"And I'm fine." Zia added, "Perhaps a bit bruised but nothing serious... but we do have a problem." and Percy followed her gaze- which was on the Egyptian Queen. And she blinked once, twice and then.
"Well that's not good."
The Egyptian Queen wasn't in such good shape. The remains of the hull were scattered across the beach—boards and railings, ropes and glass, mixed with the bones that had already been there. The wheelhouse had imploded. Fire curled from the broken windows. The fallen smokestacks bubbled golden smoke into the river.
As Percy watched, the stern cracked off and slid underwater, dragging the glowing orbs of light with it. Maybe the magical crew was bound to the boat.
"You don't say." Carter remarked with a wry smile on his lips. "I'm going out on a limb and saying we won't be going back that way."
"No." Zia agreed, "Where are we? And what happened to Setne?" and that made Percy let out a little growl.
"That little rat's the one who set Bloodstained Blade on us I'm sure of it. Last I saw him he was trying to run away or
something. I stopped him and Carter rebound him and he fell into the water." she looked around, eyes scanning the beach.
She almost giggled when she spotted a slightly battered pink mummy about twenty yards down the shore, squirming and struggling through the flotsam, apparently trying to inchworm his way to freedom.
"Ding dong." she pointed and Carter snorted.
"I would say we should leave him like that but he's got the Book of Thoth."
Zia smirked slightly- one of those nasty little smirks she could get from time to time when someone annoyed her. "I don't think we have to hurry. He's not going to get far. How about a picnic you two. And if worst comes to worst we're by a river and we have little miss water here with us."
"Very good suggestion Zia." Percy shot her a devilish grin, "See, this is why you fit in with us Kanes. You have an evil mind when you want to." and that made Carter laugh.
"Hey, I'd like to point out that only you and Sadie are evil gremlins-"
"Yes, but you're our big brother and you have to be used to dealing with us." she declared, almost teasingly. "You're the voice of reason."
"A thankless job." Zia remarked with a grin, "As I have seen time and time again. But don't worry Carter." She pressed her lips to his cheek, "I appreciate you."
"Blegh." Percy poked her tongue out, "You guys are super gross." because she couldn't allow them to know she thought it was kinda cute, after all she was the baby sister her job was to torment Carter about his love life.
"Yeah yeah." Carter grabbed a handful of the sandy soil and tossed it at her- which wasn't effective. "C'mere."
And Percy did as she was told, scrambling so that she could sit next to him, tucking herself into her side as Carter started spreading out their supplies on the beach- which included bottled water and protein bars- and Carter took the chance to clean off the blood on his skin from his fight with Bloodstained Blade.
Once he was done they ate and drank- and they entertained themselves by watching the gift-wrapped pink ghost try to crawl away.
"How did we get here, exactly?" Zia asked. Her golden scarab still glittered at her throat. "I remember the serapeum, the Apis Bull, the room with the sunlight. After that, it's fuzzy."
And Carter explained what had happened as best as he could- how she'd channelled the power of Khepri and fried the Apis Bull- how it had almost burned her out and how Percy had used water to cool her down- how they'd rushed her back to the ship and how Bloodstained Blade had turned on them.
The look Zia gave them both was unimpressed. "You granted Setne permission to give Bloodstained Blade orders?"
"Yeah. Maybe not my best idea."
"In our defence we were like super worried about you." Percy pointed out, "So like, was it really our faults?"
"Yes." Zia gave her a look, "Yes it was."
"Awe." Percy pouted, "Well at least we messed up 'cause we were worried about you."
"And he brought us here—to the Land of Demons, the most dangerous part of the Duat."
"Yep." Percy popped the P, "But uh- I hate to say it but I have the horrible feeling that he was right to bring us here- don't ask me why." she pulled a face. And Carter winced.
"More Apophis stuff coming through?"
"Not much. Just a gut feeling." Percy gave a small shrug before- "I wish I had a camera right now. Sadie would love pictures of this." she added as she watched Setne.
That earned a startled laugh from Carter and they lapsed into a comfortable silence before- "Listen-" Carter was shifting nervously, "Are you... feeling okay? About the stuff with Ra?"
And Percy winced, her gaze flicking to Zia, who's gaze went distant as she stared across the pitted landscape of black sand, bones, and fire.
"Carter, I wanted to tell you, but I didn't understand what was happening to me. I was frightened."
"It's okay." Carter reached out, grabbing her hand gently, "I know it's not the same but it was scary for me when I was the Eye of Horus."
Zia pursed her lips. "Ra is different, though. He's much older, much more dangerous to channel. And he's trapped in that old husk of a body. He can't restart his cycle of rebirth."
"That's why he needs you," Percy spoke up, "He- when-" she swallowed hard, "When I was- when Apophis first took over my body, I was about- about to- he said he needed Zebras and Apophis- I told him that you weren't there. 'Cause Apophis knew that you were the one he needed."
"And then Desjardins blasted you away right?" Carter's voice was gentle, "That was when Sadie and I realised something was going on with you two."
"Yeah." Percy pulled her knees to her chest as she looked at Zia. "It's scary. Feeling out of control."
"Whenever I tap into his power I feel this sense of panic." Zia's voice was soft, "He feels imprisoned, helpless. Reaching out to him is like…it's like trying to save somebody who's drowning. They grab on to you and take you down with them." Zia shook her head. "Maybe that doesn't make sense. But his power tries to escape through me, and I can barely control it. Every time I black out, it gets worse."
"Every time?" Carter frowned, "You've been blacking out?" his voice was soft, concerned.
"Carter I- I didn't want to worry you." Zia shook her head, "It's been so hard, figuring it all out. "It-"
"It happened in the House of Rest." Percy piped up when she saw that Zia was struggling, quickly explaining how she'd nearly destroyed the nursing home with her fireballs.
"Ra is too powerful," she said. "I'm too weak to control him. In the catacombs with the Apis Bull, I might've killed you. I-" she shook her head, eyes flicking to Percy.
"I know it seems selfish saying that in front of you Percy- after what-"
"No, no it's totally scary it makes sense." Percy pulled a face, "I mean it's no way near the same thing but- I get that it's scary."
"And you didn't kill me." Carter added, "You saved my life—again. I know it's hard, but you can control the power. Ra needs to break out of his prison. The whole shadow magic idea that Sadie wants to try with Bes? I get the feeling that won't work with Ra. The sun god needs rebirth. You understand what that's like. I think that's why he gave you Khepri, the rising sun." he pointed to her scarab amulet. "You're the key to bringing him back."
Zia took a bite of her protein bar. "This tastes like Styrofoam."
"Yeah." Carter gave a small smile, "They really do. When this is over I'm taking you to the mall again-"
"You are such weirdos." Percy declared, "What are you gonna do, get married in the mall?"
"PERCY!" Carter's face went bright red and he started to choke on his protein bar- and Zia burst out laughing, tossing her head back.
"Percy Kane are you trying to kill your brother?"
"Of course not! I just want to torment him a little." Percy gave a devilish grin, "So, will you?"
"Okay that's it-" and Percy yelped, flailing as Carter tackled her into the sand, and Zia leaned backwards quickly as the siblings started to roll around like little kids.
"Ah yes. We're on a serious mission to save the world and you two are wrestling-"
"He started it!"
"The heck I did!"