Traveling with kids and an engaged couple was exhausting.
At least that's what Ariadne continuously complained about. Percy didn't really see the problem. Once they left the house of doom, they ended up stumbling over Annabeth and well… Annabeth. His (soon to be) fiancée had sent her little hellpup, Magnus, to them quickly. She was leaning against the wall, smiling lightly at the sight of them.
Her eyes had widened when she took in their appearances. Ariadne had huffed when she took in the worry before smiling at the older girl in thanks. They had gotten closer since Ariadne had come back from Olympus. It was different from her just accepting Annabeth as Percy's girlfriend. She respected Annabeth outside of their relationship.
Though it was still a shock to everyone when she called her by her first name instead of her last name.
Anyhow, the three Fated watched as Grace and Luey scoped out the area around them. Percy pursed his lips. He wondered if he could convince his sister to take them out on more ventures into the world at least to stop them from running off if nothing more. They could do with some life experience instead of just training.
The twins laughed lightly when Little Annie sprung out with her hammer in hand. If it weren't for Luey's fast reflexes, that would've taken his head off theoretically. She began kicking at Luey, screaming "Go away!"
Annabeth was watching the scene with a look of nostalgia. Clearly, she wanted it to happen the same as the first timeline, but- Ariadne walked forward to crouch in front of the girl. "Hey, it's okay."
Percy snickered. And she claimed that she wasn't good with kids.
"It's okay. We're not here to hurt you."
"Monsters!"
Ariadne gasped theatrically, "Monsters? Where?" Raising her hand up, she manipulated the water to look like a mini shield. "We'll protect you."
Annie stared at the shield wide eyed. "You're like me?"
Ariadne smiled amused. She booped the child on the nose; Annabeth let out a strangled sound from beside him. "We're better. Your mommy sent us."
"Mommy? Athena?"
"Uh huh. We're here to take you to a safe place where no monsters can get to you." Leaning in even closer, Ariadne's voice dropped to a whisper, "No scary spiders either." Annie yelped, throwing her arms around his sister.
"Oh, that's cold. Using our fear against us like that," Annabeth whined. She was smiling though. She probably knew just like he did that Annie was going to follow her to the ends of earth.
[Much better than holding out hope for a homicidal maniac that was killing all of their friends, after all.]
Luey stepped forward, with an encouraging smile, "How'd you like a real monster-slaying weapon?"
How was this his life? To give a child an extremely sharp knife. "Knives are only for the bravest and quickest fighters," Luey cooed. Annabeth grasped onto Percy's hand tightly. He could hear her whisper under her breath the same words that Luey spoke, "I have a feeling you're pretty clever."
The three Fated kept quiet as the two teenagers crowded around the girl. It was probably obvious to them that she'd be going back with them.
[Poor kids. They'd probably try to use the girl as an excuse for running away. Percy could hear them now saying that it was fate. Ariadne was going to have Nico summon the first Perseus and have him train them into the ground.]
Annie looked down at the ground, "I'm not going back to my daddy? They don't like me."
"They?" Grace prompted. They should probably stop them. Even though things ended up better for Annabeth, they should still stop voicing out her entire life story.
"My daddy and new mommy. And little brothers."
Ariadne's eyes flashed and he knew that any hope to let this go evaporated. If there was one thing his sister didn't like, it was insensitive step parents. [It's why she and Hera still didn't get along and why the Queen refused to remove some curse she put on her.] "Well how about we fix that," she had said.
And that led them to now… traveling halfway across the country back to California.
Ariadne turned deaf to any complaints that Annabeth had, refusing to listen to reason. In fact, the only thing Ariadne had told Annabeth was that she wasn't going to stop until she punted her father and stepmother over the pacific ocean and if she had a problem with that, then that's just too bad.
[It reminded him of the girl she used to be before expectations pushed her to the ground. The girl that didn't stand for injustice. The girl that revolutionized their entire camp just because she could and it was the right thing to do.]
Their travels were not without their fair share of commentary as they rode their pegasi.
[Part of Percy wanted to cry. He would see Blackjack again, but he'd never be Blackjack's boss.]
What really broke the camel's back was when they ran into some of their friends.
Ariadne had frozen the first time they stopped for a break. Her gaze turned onto something they couldn't see. Annabeth and Percy had been alarmed to see the tears in her eyes before she was disappearing from view. She had returned with Connor and Travis asleep and tucked up her arms.
She had gently traced her fingers over their cheeks, childhood fat still clung to their faces. Her voice was soft as she introduced them to Luey. "These are your younger brothers, Luke." And just like usual, she had been able to tell them apart instantly. "This is Travis and this is Connor."
Luey had held Connor to his chest tightly. And there was this look in her eyes that almost broke Percy.
[She would tell him later on of how their Luke had mentally tortured Connor. How he plagued his mind every night with dreams and nightmares that could bring even the gods to their knees. How Travis… sweet fun loving Travis had viciously ripped into the older over and over again for daring to touch his brother and his siblings. Because they didn't belong to Luke. Not anymore.]
But bringing them along also meant more commentary that she was determined to ignore. [She was so doting on them. Grace and Luey were already calling favoritism. Jokes on them though, as much as she loved the Stolls, the demigod she still loved more than life was Percy. And that wouldn't change no matter if he was an only child or not.]
Connor had looked between the twins, and with a straight face asked, "Do twins have the same sized dick?" Percy could see the way that Ariadne mentally checked out of the conversation instead going over to Annie to make sure her scent blockers were in working form. Traveling in such a big group brought in more attention than they wanted whenever they needed to hit the ground.
Of course they gained appreciation from their adoring fans. It also provided good experience for Luey and Grace. Annabeth gave her younger self tips to use her dagger. Percy had promised the Stolls that they'd get them a weapon as soon as possible.
Percy snorted in response to Connor's question, "As a twin, I can say my dick is definitely bigger than my sister's." Ariadne shot him a glare that even Kronos would run from. Annabeth only looked exasperated.
Luey immediately countered his words though, "That's a lie." Grace nodded beside him, "Ariadne ounces big dick energy. You're like medium dick energy."
Ariadne scowled, "Why are we talking about penises? Why do you two know that kind of language? I know that's not being taught in your classes." If it was, he had no doubt that she'd find a way to bring their ghostly instructors back to life to kill them again.
The kids laughed and ran off to the side to play and let off some more energy as they rested. This time Percy turned towards his sister. "How did you know the Stolls were there?"
Ariadne turned to look at the two, smiling softly. Her hair blew gently through the air, and she resembled the girl he had come to know in the past five years. "They're my boys. My brothers. No matter the time or distance; I'd always be able to find them." But still—she furrowed her brows as she gazed at them, "I think our actions have also messed with the timeline more than we thought. Travis had told me plenty of times that they had a good relationship with their mom. Even their stepdad was cool the one time I met him. It was easy to see why Hermes had a child with her twice."
Percy shot a look at Annabeth. That was jealousy in her voice and he was not going to be convinced otherwise.
"Their little family was strong and loving. Their stepdad would come up with increasing difficult challenges to curb their klepto. He invited them to his poker games and encouraged the two to clear out the groups. He'd use their prize money to buy them toys and then challenge them to steal it. He went to get a job at a postal service just because he thought he could help Hermes out. He loved them. But–Connor states that this man didn't. He said he hated them. He hurt them… Travis set up a prank… well really a trap and they ran away."
And he could almost hear the conflicting thoughts in her mind. She wanted this man dead, but she mourned for the man she knew. It must have been killing her to not take action against him.
Percy didn't blame her though. He wanted the man dead also. He didn't understand how the Stolls continued to smile.
[The welts on their legs made more sense. It made sense why Ariadne had cried when she saw them. How she clutched them to her as they rode on the pegasi as nature cried out in fury.]
She shook her head softly, "We shouldn't have too much longer until we reach San Francisco. Annabeth, even if I don't punch them, we should at least let them know that we're placing you in good hands."
"My father found me after I made it to camp. He sent me his ring," she shrugged. "I'm not too worried about it."
Percy agreed with his sister though. "If we do this now, we can give Annie a headstart to a better relationship with your dad than you did."
Annabeth pursed her lips, "I don't need one. I turned out just fine with Chiron." Ariadne snorted disdainfully at that. Percy had the unpleasant reminder that his sister did not like their old teacher.
[He was never more thankful than Apollon and Dionysus breaking that connection to her memories. He did not need the image of her losing her virginity in his mind nor the many times she hid in their apartment whenever Smelly Gabe had his friends over. Their mother really dropped the ball with her.]
"Well we're out to make you better," his sister stated before she was standing up gracefully. "Let's go. I think one of Hermes' stores is around here somewhere. We need to get Annie, Trav, and Con some new clothes."
There was one nearby.
Hermes, himself, was manning it.
The god smiled at them as they walked in before shooting Ariadne a wink.
[Percy saw that blush! It was not just the lightning.]
There was a quiet moment where Hermes looked at the mini-Stolls before turning back to Ariadne. She pretended she couldn't see him as she pushed her basket around the store. Percy rushed over to her side, snatching the chain-linked dress that looked like something from Star Wars out of her hands. Because, "Yeah. No way in Tartarus."
Ariadne rolled her eyes before they took note of Hermes leading his children into his office. One of the Stolls was already crying, clutching onto his father tightly. His sister clenched her jaw before passing him the basket. She followed right after them, hesitating at the door before Hermes opened it and pulled her in.
[A few minutes go by and Percy can feel a build of power come from the office. It was filled with guilt and rage and Percy knew that the boys' stepfather was going to die no matter what life he led before.]
He and Annabeth walk around the store, taking note of the clothing that had Silena and Helen's handprint all over them. There were a lot of scent blockers, and he was suddenly reminded of the earrings and necklaces and even makeup that the Aphrodite cabin always wore.
["You might be a child of Aphrodite or Demeter. Their kids don't attract many monsters because they aren't a real powerful force."]
[Katie cackled as her weeping willow looked scarily similar to the one from harry potter and threw away their adversaries.]
[Drew's eyes were dark as she stared down two opposing demigods. Lips planted blood red, power on her tongue, grief in her eyes, betrayal ringing in her ears, she spat, "Love hurts." The demigods bled as they screamed as her siblings ignited heartbreak and lust into their very blood like poison. But there was nothing to soothe that ache inside of them all as their eldest sister died from poison that even love couldn't wash away.]
They soon left with Hermes promising to visit them in Castellan once they made it there. All of them had been dressed in new clothing that Hermes waived the fee for. They made their way to the Chase's home. Annabeth got increasingly more agitated as they moved leading to Ariadne and Percy to stand comfortingly at her side.
They made it to the door and Annie had run back to Ariadne. The girl stared wide eyed as the child jumped into her arms. Percy snickered under his breath and even Annabeth cracked a smile.
With one last look, they made their way to the front door. A familiar man opened it up with a familiar woman standing not too far behind him.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Chase," Ariadne smirked. Their entire group cut an impressive figure in their suits despite the fact they were mostly made of kids. "We're going to need you to come with us."