We have one more chapter left- a much shorter one after this! And then it shall be on to the next fic, and I'd love to hear everyones theories about my plans. After all there's a lot of differences now.
Also, since people keep asking, what do you guys think should happen with Percy's hair?
Replies:
Jubby1905: We will get a short Poseidon chapter before the next fic, which will cover things that happen between this and the lightning thief and the lightning thief plotline- Percy will be meeting her first other demigod soon.
rage2091: Oh believe me they'll be aware of it. It's all gonna be so cute.
Undeath9087: Percy would be down to fight literally anyone if they pissed her off. You'd get one of them saying something dumb and she'd be there cracking her knuckles like 'Hm, where do you want to be punched first.' and I love that.
Guest2.0: Possibly, I shall see what people think.
pvtbarton: Percy just there like, 'How many times have I nearly died? and trying to count them and failing'.
They stepped out of the portal on a beach by the Lake of Fire- and Percy let out a happy cry when she saw Bast- who was waiting for them, tossing a ball of yarn from hand to hand. Her pure black bodysuit matched her hair and her feline eyes danced in the red light of the waves.
Percy sprinted across the beach to her- beaming as she smashed into the goddess, who wrapped her arms around Percy with a wide smile and a laugh.
"There's my little warrior kitten." Bast declared proudly, "And my other kitten too- it's good to see you again. But-" she gently pushed Percy away from her by her shoulders, "I'll talk to you in a minute- you have some others waiting for you." she winked and she pointed up the steps to the House of Rest.
There was a note of sadness in her voice- which Percy found a little odd- but then there were some things she'd long ago decided that she just wouldn't understand with adults- and Bast was a god too so that just made it even more so.
Sadie kissed Bast on the cheek and then the trio made their way up the stairs.
Inside of the nursing home the atmosphere was festive to say the least. Fresh flowers decorated the nurses' station. Heket the frog goddess walked upside down along the ceiling, hanging party streamers, while a group of elderly dog-headed gods danced and sang the hokey-pokey—a very slow version, but still impressive. You put your walker in / you put your IV out—and so forth. The ancient lion-headed goddess Mekhit was slow-dancing with a tall male god. She purred loudly with her head on his shoulder.
"Carter, look," Sadie gasped. "Is that—?"
"Onuris!" Tawaret answered, trotting over in her nurse's outfit. "Mekhit's husband! Isn't it wonderful? We were sure he'd faded ages ago, but when Bes called the old gods to war, Onuris came tottering out of a supply closet. Many others appeared too. They were finally needed, you see! The war gave them a reason to exist."
The hippo goddess crushed the three of them in an enthusiastic hug. "Oh, my dears! Just look how happy everyone is! You've given them new life."
"I don't see as many as before," Carter noticed.
"Some went back to the heavens," Tawaret said. "Or off to their old temples and palaces. And, of course, your dear father, Osiris, took the judgment gods back to his throne room."
And it was amazing- seeing all of the old gods looking so bright and happy- Percy hadn't spent as much time with them as Sadie and Carter had but even when she'd briefly visited not so long ago it had been a rather sad place.
"Will they stay this way?" Sadie's voice was soft and worried, "I mean, they won't fade again?"
Tawaret spread her stubby hands. "I suppose that depends on you mortals. If you remember them and make them feel important, they should be fine. But come, you'll want to see Bes!"
He sat in a chair, staring blankly out the window at the Lake of Fire. The scene reminded Percy of when she'd seen him before he'd gotten better- and it must have reminded Sadie too because she let out a horrified noise.
"Is he alright?" and she was running up to him, "What's wrong with him?"
Bes turned, looking startled. "Besides being ugly? Nothing, kid. I was just thinking—sorry."
He rose (as much as a dwarf can rise) and hugged the three of them.
"Glad you kids could make it," Bes said. "You know Tawaret and I are going to build a home on the lakeside. I've gotten used to this view. She'll keep working at the House of Rest. I'll be a house dwarf for a while. Who knows? Maybe I'll get some little dwarf hippo babies to look after!"
"Oh, Bes!" Tawaret blushed fiercely and batted her hippo eyelids.
The dwarf god chuckled. "Yeah, life is good. But if you kids need me, just holler." he winked at Percy, "After all, you've got your own little ball of chaos so there's no reason I can't visit."
Carter scowled fretfully. "Do you think we'll need you a lot? I mean, of course we want to see you! I just wondered—" and Percy giggled- she knew what he meant- after all it would be nice for them to have a bit of breathing space- as much as they'd all love to see Bes they didn't want to need him for anything like they'd needed him before. But Bes didn't take offence. He just laughed.
"Hey, I'm an ugly dwarf. I've got a sweet car, an excellent wardrobe, and amazing powers. Why wouldn't you need me?"
"Good point," Carter agreed.
"But, uh, don't call too often," Bes said. "After all, my honeycakes and I got a few millennia of quality time to catch up on."
He took Tawaret's hand, and the way they looked at one another reminded Percy of the way that Sally and Julius had always looked at one another. The love in their eyes.
"Thank you. For everything Bes."
"Yeah." Percy nodded, "You saved our butts."
"Are you kidding?" Bes grinned, "You gave me my life back. And I don't just mean my shadow."
And since the two gods very clearly wanted their alone time the three siblings headed back out of the no longer depressing nursing home, and they headed down the steps to the lake.
The white sand portal was still swirling. Bast stood next to it, engrossed in her ball of yarn. She laced it between her fingers to make a rectangle like a cat's cradle.
"Having fun?" Sadie sounded like she was forcing down a laugh- and Bast lifted her head slightly, giving them a smile.
"I thought my little kittens might want to see this." she held up the cat's cradle as they approached and a video image flickered across it's surface like on a computer screen.
Percy peered at it curiously- it was the Hall of Gods Percy realised, with its soaring columns and polished floors, its braziers burning with a hundred multicolored fires. On the central dais, the sun boat had been replaced with a golden throne. Horus sat there in his human form—a bald muscular teen in full battle armor. He held a crook and flail across his lap, and his eyes gleamed—one silver, one gold. At his right stood Isis, smiling proudly, her rainbow wings shimmering. On his left stood Set, the red-skinned Chaos god with his iron staff. He looked quite amused, as if he had all sorts of wicked things planned for later. The other gods knelt as Horus addressed them.
Carter got an offended look on his face.
"He's doing the same thing I did," Carter protested. "I bet he even stole my speech. That copycat!"
Bast clucked disapprovingly. "No need to call names, Carter. Cats are not copiers. We are all unique. But, yes, what you do as pharaoh in the mortal world will often be mirrored in the world of the gods. Horus and you, after all, rule the forces of Egypt."
"That," Sadie said, "is a truly scary thought."
Percy couldn't help but giggle at that. "Don't be mean Sadie-" she said as Carter swatted Sadie on the arm, and he shot her a grin until, "After all, Uncle Amos is gonna do most of the day to day stuff-"
"I hate you both." Carter mock glared before his expression became more genuinely upset. "I just can't believe that Horus left without even a good-bye. It's as if he tossed me aside as soon as he was done using me, and then forgot about me."
"Oh, no," Bast said. "Gods wouldn't do that. He simply had to leave. He has duties he must attend to."
"I think Nephthys will be there if I ever need her." Percy said after a moment.
"Bast-" Sadie suddenly looked upset at something, "You're coming with us, aren't you? I mean- there's no reason you can't because of Percy right? We need our nap instructor at Brooklyn House."
Bast rolled up her ball of yarn and tossed it down the steps. Her expression was quite sad for a feline- "Oh my kittens- I'm not abandoning you- don't ever think that little ones. I'll be in and out so much you'll be sick of me- after all your mother might need help with those little babies. But- I won't be there all the time any more. You've all grown up so much. I can't stay with you forever- you need to make your own ways in life. You don't need me any more. Your claws are sharp, your eyesight is keen, and cats must make their own way in the world."
"B-but you'll be back."
"Of course." Bast chuckled softly, "but- probably not for a month or so- I have things to do my kittens."
"We'll miss you." Carter's voice was tight, "Seriously- whenever you're not around."
"You can protect yourselves now." Bast's voice was fond, "What do you need me for anyway?"
"Oh, Muffin-" Sadie surged forward and hugged her tightly, and when she pulled back Percy darted in to do the same.
"Y-y'know Bast I'm only like, ten- I'm still a kitten-" and that made Bast toss her head back and laugh loudly.
"Oh really?" she looked very amused when Percy pulled back with a pout. "You're probably the fiercest out of the three of you-"
"I am offended!" Sadie declared, which just made Bast laugh harder.
Then Bast let go of Percy and reached out to Carter, rubbing his ears- which did look kinda weird.
"Go on now you three. Before I start to mewl. Besides." she fixed her eyes on the ball of yarn, which had rolled to the bottom of the steps. "I have some hunting to do."
"We'll miss you Bast." Sadie laughed, "Come see us again soon. And good hunting."
"Yarn," she said absently, creeping down the steps. "Dangerous prey, yarn…"
Percy snickered at that, grabbing Carter's hand before looking at Sadie and holding out her hand, "Time to go home?" she asked lightly.
Carter and Sadie both nodded at that, and Sadie took her hand, and together they stepped through the portal.
This time it didn't lead to the terrace but to the roof of Brooklyn House.
And Percy blinked rapidly when she spotted a familiar figure stood by Freak's roost- and Sadie let out a little squeak that made her want to laugh.
Because it was Walt. He was smiling at them- though- it was more that he was smiling at Sadie.
And he looked unburdened- there was no pain in his expression. He looked hopeful- alive.
His amulets were all gone-which was strange, Percy was used to seeing him with them. Except no- no there was one, the one that matched with Sadie's. The one he'd given her for her birthday. And she noticed that Sadie looked hopeful and nervous all at once.
She glanced at Carter, who gave a small nod and grabbed her hand.
And they quickly rushed inside- neither of them wanted to deal with Sadie's awkward reunion with both of her boyfriends.
"Well." Percy grinned as Carter turned his head slightly to look at her. "At least she can stop moping about which of them she likes more."
And Carter tossed his head back and laughed as he yanked her into his side, pressing his lips to the top of her head.
"You're not wrong." he grinned, "We should go get some sleep. I for one am exhausted-"
"So am I." Percy pulled a face, "I could do with Bast's napping class right now-"
"C'mon." Carter let out a soft laugh, tugging her tightly into his side, "Let's go get some sleep, you wanna crash with me tonight?"
"Oh gods yes." Percy nodded, not bothering to hide her yawn- and she stumbled very slightly.
It was odd, talking about going to bed somehow made the exhaustion she'd been fending off come crashing down around her, but Carter didn't skip a beat, he had one arm around his back and he was twisting, sweeping her legs out from under her with his other arm.
And Percy let out a startled giggle at that. "Carter-"
"Hey, you might be growing up but you're not so big that I can't carry you to bed any more."
And Percy wrapped her arms around Carter's shoulders, resting her head on his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs.
And she was asleep before they even reached his room.