In which they get some worrying news, Percy has a tough decision to make and Piper is the ultimate Pep talker.
Replies:
Undeath9087: Set secretly likes Percy a lot so that does help lol.
Thickneck: Set and Percy together just gives me life.
Jubby1905: Piggy backs are awesome, and Percy and Piper together is also awesome so we shall see lol.
Guests: Set'll pop up from time to time, he enjoys causing chaos. And he has suspicions but nothing concrete, but with Set it's always games.
Guest: It'll be explained, don't worry.

Percy stared at Set incredulously for several long minutes before she scoffed, "Set, I say this with all the respect I can muster, but- are you out of your mind?"

"Awe, you think it's a trap. I'm flattered really. But it's not. Like I said I like you- and-" he leaned closer, "I'm not the only one tracking you princess."

"What?" Percy tensed, her eyes narrowing, "If you're talking about the Greeks and the monsters I already-"

"Nope." Set shook his head, "It's a real nice thought princess but no. No the tracking magic wasn't Greek magic. Luckily for you I've disrupted it. Which is part of why I came here-"

"And you didn't open with that?"

"Because you'd have believed me?" Set raised an eyebrow, "No, you're too smart for me to have opened with that. But I am telling the truth. Cross my heart hope to die." he leaned back very slightly. "I was tracking you and I noticed the spell."

"See I hate you because I don't know what to believe with you Set." Percy snapped the words, "You're a nightmare."

"I made a promise to my wife. Shockingly enough we do talk from time to time. I told her that if you needed it I'd help you- besides, you'd owe me so what do I have to lose?"

"Do you actively try to be annoying?" Percy asked incredulously. "Wait-no don't answer that question. It was stupid, of course you actively try to be annoying." Percy bit her lip, staring at Set for a long moment.

The truth was that she believed him. Maybe it was insane, maybe she was asking to get killed by him but something told her that he was telling the truth.

"Percy." That was Piper's voice. "What are you thinking?"

"I think that I'd like to bash Set over the head with a brick." Percy grumbled the words. "Set-"

"I don't know who cast the spell, before you ask." Set held up his hands, "If I did then I would have opened with that. Which is annoying because I'd have just loved to have more to give you, get you really in my debt-"

"The way I look at it all of the gods owe Carter, Sadie and I." Percy shot back, "And you all owe us a lot. This, you helping me out here, that's basically just making things even- except I don't know if you can ever make things even given the fact that if it wasn't for us the world would have been destroyed and you along with it. So don't you even think about trying to use this to get favors from me or I'll do to you what I threatened to do to Horus that time-"

"Oooh. I forgot just how feisty you were." Set laughed, holding up his hands, "Though I would love to know what you threatened to do to Horus."

"I threatened to chop off his arms and shove them up his butt-"

"Oh I knew I loved you." Set cackled, "You are hilarious kid-"

"You know the threat lacked finesse though. These days I'd probably add that I'd shove them so far up his ass that he'd have to wave out of his mouth-"

Set clapped his hands together, a delighted look on his face. "I love you. I really, really do. Your entertainment value is through the roof I'm telling you. And I get the point." he chuckled, "You don't have to look at me like that kid, don't worry. I won't try and use this to win any favors with you or the rest of the Brady Bunch I'm not that stupid."

"So you helping us-"

"As soon as you arrived I disrupted the tracking spell, right now whoever cast it thinks that you're on your way to Japan-"

"Japan?"

"Hey, it's a good pick." Set shrugged, "Nothing wrong with Japan, especially since since I feel pretty sure that's not where you actually want to go right?"

"I-" Percy paused, "You're not wrong." she bit her lip, "So Nephthys sent you here?"

"Not sent, not exactly. My wife doesn't have that much power over me." he rolled his eyes, "But- well she asked me if I could check up on you after I told her what I saw with our dear son. There is still a connection between you both, even if it's only faint these days."

"Okay." Percy took a deep breath, "I guess I should thank you then. I- let me talk to Piper before we make any decisions about what we do next."

"Honestly." Set raised his hands, "You'd think I'd betrayed you or something before- oh way- I have." he smirked "Well, go on then you two. Have your little talk, decide if you'll take me up on my generous offer to help you."

"We'll let you know." Percy grabbed Piper's hand, dragging her a short distance away from Set, who leaned against the rock again.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance Percy turned to Piper.

"What do you think?"

"I- Percy I don't know him." Piper shook his head, "You can't ask me to judge on this-"

"I'm not asking you to make the decision." Percy grimaced, "I just- I don't know what to do. On one hand, trusting Set for anything seems pretty freaking crazy I'm not going to lie, but..."

"He seems pretty genuine." Piper finished when it was clear Percy didn't want to finish what she was saying.

"Pipes- I know I shouldn't trust him- I know I shouldn't but for some reason I actually believe him right now."

"Percy your instincts are usually pretty good." Piper's voice was firm, "I would trust them any day. So what are you instincts telling you?"

"They're telling me that Set's not lying. He was right him coming here and helping does help him in a way- Carter and Sadie would feel like they owe him even if I don't. And... even if he and Nephthys have their issues they do love one another or he'd have never given her his secret name."

Piper nodded, "So it's not crazy to think that if she asked him to come check up on you he'd do it." she paused, "But who's tracking you? And why?"

"That's a hard one." Percy snorted, "Take your pick out of any of the magicians who aren't happy about the Kanes new power in the House. There's a lot of them Piper. A lot. Probably more than we know about- they won't all be obvious about it. They'll keep their head down and wait for a chance to take us down." Percy swallowed hard ."What if I'm giving them one."

"Oh come on." Piper shook her head, "Percy you're doing what you have to to stop a war-"

"Piper I have the stolen symbols of power of Zeus and Hades. If I don't get to Hades- if I don't explain everything- if I get capture, if they don't listen-"

"Then they'd blame the House of Life." Piper said with a slight wince, "That- that would be bad I won't pretend otherwise."

"My families enemies could use it as proof that we're threats to the House- and believe me if they tried to get rid of us it won't be exile like my dad got for freeing Bast."

"They'd kill you all." Piper reached out, grabbing Percy's hand tightly, "Percy-"

"I-" Percy took a deep breath, "I can't believe this but- we need to get this done quickly- Set, if he's telling the truth about disrupting the spell then he's been a huge help. They don't know what we're up to yet or they'd have probably already attacked us. He's brought us some time-"

"But we have no way of knowing how much time."

"Exactly." Percy forced back a groan, taking a deep breath, "If Set can turn us into storm clouds it'll cut down on the journey time a hell of a lot. It's a risk but because it's his magic it should disguise us from Zeus... maybe. And it'll be a much shorter journey than getting a plane would have been even if it's still risky."

"And it'll be harder for them to track us, whoever they are. Do we trust him enough? Do you trust him enough?"

Percy closed her eyes, "This is stupid- this is so stupid if Carter and Sadie were here I'd be telling them we need to go for it-"

"It's not so easy when the decision comes down to you." Piper's voice was gentle. "You know how capable you are Percy. I know this is big and scary but you can do it."

"You really think that?"

"I know that." Piper squeezed Percy's hand, "If Carter and Sadie were here you know they'd listen to you. Right?"

"I... yes." Percy exhaled slowly, "Yes, I do know." she bit her lip. "And I know it's stupid for me to doubt myself right now-"

"It is." Piper's expression suddenly shifted and she straightened up, a determined look on her face. "Percy Kane you need to believe in yourself more."

And Percy couldn't help the laughter that bubbled past her lips at that.

"Piper Mclean you are a terrible terrible cheat." she felt a rush of warmth as she felt her own confidence was growing.

And she could feel the magic in Piper's voice, the power in it. Usually Percy could fight of Piper's Charmspeak when the other girl used it. After all she'd been the one to help her learn how to control it.

A few years of working on it with her and Percy had gotten quite used to resisting the power, but- this time she decided against resisting it.

She let Piper's words have their magic effect.

"You're a good friend you know that?" she asked with a slightly crooked smile that made Piper beam in response.

"Of course I am." she let go of Percy's hand- which made Percy feel kinda sad for some reason. Not that she had too much time to consider it. "Now, how about we go and give Set our answer huh?"

"Alright." Percy nodded, hooking her arm through Pipers, and together they made their way towards where Set was waiting.

As they approached he straightened up slightly, pulling away from the rocks. "So, have you made a decision kids?" he asked lightly, tilting his head, "Or do you need more time to think of it- because I gotta tell you the clock's ticking. It won't take them long to realise that their tracking spells been disrupted and while they won't be able to track you again they'll know that they lost you in Phoenix."

"We have." Percy spoke up, her voice confident, "We've made our decision. And it might be a batshit crazy decision but- well we're going for it here. We're going to Los Angeles. Can you turn us into clouds and get us there?" she raised an eyebrow and Set gave her an offended look.

"Honestly kid, the fact that you even asked that question is just- I mean really, you shouldn't underestimate me Percy you really shouldn't." he smirked "Luckily for you there's been some storms about lately- and the higher you are the faster you move. Don't worry I'll get you there safely."

"Don't tell me not to worry." Percy huffed the words, "Coming from you that only makes me worry more."

"I'll drop you off in LA. Relax girls. You're about the have the time of your lives. And hey, you can tell your brother and sister I turned you into a storm cloud too. And at least you won't have to control it yourselves."

And then he did it.

And Percy had to admit that it was strange as heck, Percy could feel her hands and feet disappearing, turning into whisps of wind, she felt her body being replaced by dust and vapor.

And Percy couldn't see a damn thing. That was the worst part, the fact that she couldn't see.

She was truly at Set's mercy-and it was all Percy could do to hold onto herself as suddenly she was whisked away- tumbling and soaring through the sky as a freaking storm cloud.

She wasn't sure how fast she was moving, or how long they flew for- but it felt like a lifetime before they were tumbling out of the sky- and when she did Percy almost hugged the ground as she hit it, and she heard Piper groaning from behind her as the other girl landed.

"That." Percy managed, "Was horrible."

"Ugh. Remind me to never turn into a storm cloud again."

"Only if you remind me first." Percy slowly pushed herself up so that she was sitting, and she blinked, staring down the sandy slope they'd landed on at.

"Oh my gods is that the Hollywood sign?!"