In which my research of train and bus routes actually paid off and made me want to high five someone- because yes I genuinely checked different routes and how long they take and all that jazz. And also, Piper's a good friend, and things start to go a little bit wrong.
Replies:
Undeath9087: Sadie would be cackling and Carter would be there like 'No! No I made a mistake I didn't forbid her from dating girls! NOOOOO!' mind you he doesn't need to panic yet, Percy and Piper are still oblivious to their feelings.
Thickneck: Who'd run it though? Felix? He spends more time with them since he's in their classes at school lol.
rage2091: Percy is just there like, 'What feelings? Piper's my best friend.' also, picture Sally just sat there rolling her eyes because sure, Carter and Sadie were a little bit ridiculous with their crushes, but by all the gods at least they knew that they had crushes.
Guest: The godly family is very very large lol.
Guest: Not really any horses at this stage- but she will in time don't worry. And yeah, Percy's just there like 'You guys don't have phones?!' in horror because honestly, phones are a godsend when you're doing things like that.
PJ Fan 285: I did cover it but it's cool! They don't want the Egyptian gods noticing anything strange going on with Percy because they might get a little bit jumpy if they find out that she's involved with something that let's face it, could lead to a war. And some of the gods aren't exactly friendly like Babi and Nekhbett.
Guest: I'm honestly not sure, but it is an interesting thing to consider.

The journey was going far too well.

Percy should have known that it was going to go terribly wrong- she really should have. It was her luck after all.

She'd let her guard down, that was the problem- she and Piper had both started to relax- things had been going well.

Percy should have realized that they were going too well. She should have known that it could never be so simple or easy.

The journey to Dallas had been, well, boring. Percy had woken up from her shift and she'd actually pulled her school backpack out of the Duat- and Carter had laughed for days when she'd told him she kept it there but, well, it was the best way, after all if she forgot it she could always just retrieve it whilst hidden in the toilets or something. And it meant she didn't have to carry the heavy bag around constantly.

She was so bored whilst Piper had slept that she got out the book in there- Tom Sawyer- she'd been supposed to read it for school but she hadn't bothered, and with a quick spell to translate it into ancient Greek to make it easier for her, she'd actually started to read it.

Sadie would have been devastated Percy had realised- but alas there wasn't much else for her to do.

When Piper had woken up she'd even let the other girl rest her head on Percy's shoulder and Percy had read out loud to her- it was something they often did back home- after all Piper struggled with reading too, but Percy had her magic and the spell was simple enough.

Piper did sometimes do the reading but she wasn't as fluent in Greek as Percy was, so usually it was left up to the Kane to do the reading- and she did enjoy reading the story of their adventures to her little siblings- though if anyone asked she'd deny that.

In any case, Percy didn't mind reading if she was in the mood for it. But she did have to be in the right mood, and she usually did it to read out loud rather than to herself- and so she did, even when Piper lifted her head and started braiding Percy's hair- another thing they did fairly often- Piper might not be into girly stuff but she did enjoy playing with Percy's hair. And Percy didn't mind, it was a nice feeling.

Eventually Percy did get bored of reading- at which point she and Piper got out some of their supplies and Piper shared out the cookies between them- blue of course.

When they did reach Dallas at around midday they had until two to wait for the next bus- so the two girls took the chance to find the nearest McDonalds- mostly because they were in a rush, and then they headed back to the bus station, where they ate their food before the bus to Los Angeles came along.

And Percy was glad for the short break- sure she was coping with it but by the gods did she hate having to spend hours at a time just stuck on the bus doing nothing interesting.

She'd have been happier with a longer break if she was honest with herself-but they weren't willing to wait for almost twelve hours so the shorter break would have to do- but hey it did give Percy a chance to stretch her legs before the last part of the journey- which she was dreading if she was honest since it would take another thirty hours- and honestly it seemed crazy taking that long to travel.

Percy was used to Duat travel or Portals these days- it was rare that they even bothered flying anywhere more than an hour away.

This was infuriatingly slow for Percy- but she'd promised that she wouldn't travel through the Duat- and she understood her moms reasons for that- and portal travel was out too because of the same reason.

So the boring mind numbingly slow travel it was.

At least there hadn't been any more sign of gods hunting down the Bolt and the Helm.

Percy genuinely wasn't sure how she'd handle it if there was- she wasn't sure how effective her magic would be- after all Greeks were so much different from Egyptians, oh undoubtedly her Chaos magic would work but- she hadn't used that since the day they'd defeated Apophis.

She might be the new manifestation of chaos but that didn't mean she was going to use chaos magic unless she had no other choice- it had been so painful.

The memories of it made her feel dizzy- a part of her was terrified that if she used the powers it would somehow overwhelm her, consume her and leave nothing but an empty, a conduit for chaos. She had to keep control.

So yeah, Percy was glad that there were no signs of the twin, or of Ares or Athena.

Percy should have known that something would go wrong.

It always did after all, and she also should have known when it would go wrong. But she hadn't made the link, she'd seen that the train went to LA and she hadn't thought about the cities they'd pass through. The cities they'd stop in.

Percy didn't realise until she saw the road signs saying that they'd reached Las Cruces that she realised where their journey would take them- and Piper must have noticed her tensing up because she reached out, catching Percy's hand. "Percy are you okay?"

"I-" Percy swallowed hard, blinking slowly, "Yeah I am I just-" she stared out of the bus window, and it was funny how tight her chest suddenly felt as the memories crushed back on her.

And since the bus was stopped for a good half an hour Percy took Piper to the plaza, getting them both some fresh tortilla's before returning the bus.

But Piper was clearly aware that something was wrong, because as she ate her food and the bus started moving again she asked, "Percy what is it? Something's going on I know you well enough to see something's bothering you."

"Las Cruces." Percy said slowly, "I've been here before-"

"You-" Piper's eyes widened in surprise before, "Wait didn't- wasn't it mentioned in the first book I think? You never actually talk about it much-"

"You already know the story I never really felt the need but-" Percy bit her lip, "We stopped in Las Cruces on the way to- Carter needed to meet Zia there. Which we did. Desjardins ambushed us- this was back in the days before he liked us." she reached up, pulling her amulets out from where they were tucked beneath the neck of her top. "It was where Zia officially joined us. And then not too much later we met uncle Amos-"

"Who was possessed by Set at the time right?" Piper's voice was soft, "That was before they worked together."

"Yes. Zia and I left the others at that point. And we were all going to the same place."

"Wh-" Piper paused "Phoenix. That's where the first big show down happened right? Where you guys faced off with Set-"

"And DC." Percy shrugged, "But. Yeah. Phoenix was where Set built his stupid red pyramid."

"Oh." Piper's eyes widened in realisation, "That's why you look so nervous." and Percy was painfully grateful when Piper grabbed her hand and squeezed, "We're going to be stopping in Phoenix right?"

"Yeah." Percy nodded, "Yeah we are." she swallowed hard. "Lot of memories there."

"Of course." Piper nodded, "That makes sense. Is it the first time since-"

"We never went back there." Percy bit her lip.

She could still remember every moment of that day, of the battle against Set.

It was strange to think of how much had changed since then, Apophis was gone, Set was relatively under control- Percy occasionally saw him when she visited the Duat, he liked popping up to annoy Carter and Sadie from time to time- and he had a soft spot for Percy, said that chaos connected them.

And Percy could admit that she didn't entirely loathe him as much as she once had- he was almost bearable now- and he very much appreciated the fact that Percy had an evil mind at times- she knew for a fact that he'd copied several of her pranks on Carter with Horus- who gave her the stink eye whenever they met these days.

Still, even with a slightly less tense relationship with Set the idea of visiting Phoenix made her chest go all tight and uncomfortable.

She remembered her grief- so fresh at the time, the sight of the sarcophagus. Her fathers golden sarcophagus, if Zia hadn't been there then she'd have had a breakdown- but she had been. And there hadn't been time to mourn the loss until the battle had been won- and by then-it had felt strange mourning for a father who wasn't really dead- but he'd been gone, their lives had been irrevocably changed.

Percy was drawn out of her thoughts by the feeling of Piper's head resting on her shoulder, her hand squeezing Percy's.

"We don't even have to get out of the bus."

"I know." Percy sighed, "It's just going to be weird." she admitted, "Seeing it again. And I know it won't be the same." she shook her head, "I know that. I mean there won't be that stupid pyramid and there won't be the sandstorm, the city won't be deserted, everything is going to be so different but-"

"But still." Piper shook her head, "It's okay that it makes you feel weird."

"What's weird is the fact that it was over three years ago." Percy let out a huff, blowing her hair out of her face, "I know I'm only like, twelve now but- when I look back at it I think I was like, basically a baby."

"Nine is super different from twelve." Piper spoke up, "You were really young. Which just makes you even more amazing because you survived it. How many people can claim they fought multiple gods at nine years old."

"Eh, it wasn't that impressive." Percy's lips twitched despite herself, "Though- well okay maybe I was an awesome nine year old."

"You're an inspiration. Millions of little girls read your moms book and watched the films and decided that they wanted to be just like you. Even I have to admit you're like, a super hero except so much cooler because you're real."

"You'll make me blush." Percy laughed, rolling her eyes.

"Even demigods think you're awesome." Piper teased, "Remember that girl from the day-"

"Yeah I remember." Percy laughed, shaking her head fondly at the memory, "But I mean, we can't be sure she was a demigod-"

"Oh come on we both know she was." Piper declared, "And she was as giddy as a five year old at the idea of getting you to sign her tee- I bet she took it home and tucked it away somewhere so she'd never have to wash it. And she doesn't even know that the stories are real."

"True." Percy shifted slightly. "Our fellow Greeks are kinda oblivious-"

"Most Magicians don't know about the Greeks either really-"

"I- hush." Percy elbowed Piper, "Don't talk logic at me."

And with that they slipped into a peaceful silence, and they stayed that way until they stopped at Tuscon- when right before they left three old ladies boarded the bus.

They were crumpled velvet dresses, lace gloves and shapeless knit hats that shadowed their faces- the only difference between them were was the colors of the hats, one orange, one green, one purple.

Percy's breath caught and Piper followed her gaze, inhaling sharply. "Percy please tell me those ladies aren't monsters."

"I- I'm not sure." but Percy could feel it, a twisting sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Well, so much for a peaceful last stretch of the journey.