Chapter 7: Our New Paths
Percy
Percy must be dreaming somehow… When he woke up in a strange and surreal cabin, a teary Annabeth watching over him worriedly, a part of him already knew something was amiss.
His intuition was right.
It took him no time to remember everything….
Naturally, Percy had many questions, but at the same time, he also didn't want to deal with them.
There was something much more important he wanted to make sure, someone who he cared a lot about and wanted to do everything he could to protect her.
Of course, he was talking about Annabeth, the sweet and innocent girl with silky smooth blonde hair and soft grey eyes, the wise girl he had fallen in love with at first sight.
Thank goodness she was alright.
After dragging him along for a surprise midnight stroll through the woods in only a warm hoodie and her elegant nightgown, it's only natural for Annabeth to look messy accompanied by her wild appearance, but it wasn't the only cause because she had been crying from whatever happened. Weariness drew her usually brilliant smile away, replacing it with a dull and dreary look.
As always, Percy wished to see her vibrant and cute smile instead, but at least there was one thing Percy was relieved about, it's the fact that she wasn't hurt. Her fair skin was a bit dry and scratchy, but otherwise, there wasn't a single scratch on her.
Honestly, Percy wouldn't know what he would have done if Annabeth was hurt in any way. He didn't even want to imagine it. Just seeing her safe and sound in front of him was more than he could ask for.
His heart eased with that thought alone.
But of course, his rhythm wasn't entirely calm and relax either…
There were reasons why Percy had been feeling on edge ever since he woke up.
The obvious reason was that Thalia knew more or less what's going on. Percy could already tell there was some kind of secret she was hiding. Why was he fighting so desperately? What kind of place is this?
Digging rabbit holes, it truly felt like a never-ending maze, and any path he chose would lead to a dead end. That's why all these new things were enough to terrify Percy not to think about them.
Fortunately and through whatever miracle, Percy came out of that experience alive and he was able to protect Annabeth from harm too. They both survived tonight, and that's all he wanted.
Although there were a lot of unknown variables of what happened- It was a fact that he still had many questions about Thalia, about her twin brother, and this mysterious place Annabeth's been trying to find tonight…. Nothing compared to the other reason why his heart had been thumping rapidly.
It all started when he woke up.
Tried as he might, there was no denying how embarrassed Percy was by it. Despite how inseparable they've become now that he spent most of his time with Annabeth, they never had such an intimate moment where his wise girl would hug him that close, especially on her own accord. The pleasant warmth of her slender body and the softness of her smooth creamy skin wasn't something he could easily forget, especially since he was still a hormonal teenage boy and the mental stimulation of her current attire was way too much to handle.
The perfect and immaculate dream-like princess sitting on his lap and straddling him….
Percy felt a little guilty, but he honestly couldn't help but run that image a thousand times over in his head, burning it into his memory before he buried it deep beneath his subconscious.
Luckily, Annabeth didn't seem to have realized his increasing wayward thoughts about her. It wouldn't just be light smacks on his chest if his wise girl so much as suspected him of having those improper… ahem, images in his head.
As for the final surprise, it was a real kicker Percy never could have seen coming… literally.
The shock he felt when Percy followed Annabeth outside the cabin and came face to face with a large camp. Despite his tiny seaweed brain, Percy was at least able to figure out what that meant. They were finally at the place Annabeth's been searching for this whole night!
And everything was unlike what he imagined.
Theirs wasn't the only cabin, there were lots more, some with a more advanced and futuristic structure to them. The place was huge, almost the same as the back of Annabeth's mansion. A flat open field filled to the brim with weird and strange things, Percy noticed tall hills surrounding this camp that seemed impossible to pass, or rather, it seemed like there was something reflective on the peak of the hills, almost like a rainbow film distorting his vision.
Of course, Percy rubbed his eyes at first, but his vision didn't play any tricks on him. The bubbly film was most definitely there.
Before long, Percy realized a huge group had gathered in the square, seemingly waiting to see them come out. He was so taken back that he didn't even register Annabeth's hand squeezing his for comfort.
What made it more interesting was that everyone seemed to be kids their age, though some did look older, there wasn't a single other adults in the crowd when Percy was able to get a good look.
Just when he thought this reveal was the tip of the surprise iceberg, he was proved so wrong when he yelped and stumbled backward. It was the first and probably only time in his life where he fell into utter speechlessness.
Why?
Because a literal bomb he never saw coming drop from the sky!
Like everyone else, Percy was looking up at the gentle night above when he spotted a shadow against a backdrop of infinite celestial stars, it flew in circles above them until in the blink of an eye, a heavy bombardment, or rather… Honestly, Percy was shell-shocked when a flying Pegasus swooped down and landed gracefully before them, a mythological creature straight out of fantasy fiction, it was the sole reason why Percy felt like he was in a dream somehow.
Alfred, Annabeth's caretaker and chauffeur since she was born, was the one who whistled into the air for this majestic beast. Percy still remembered what the friendly chauffeur said when he revealed himself back in the cabin. His name was actually Chiron and he was a centaur, also the camp counselor of Camp Half-Blood who lived and oversaw everyone in this place.
Obviously, Percy couldn't make sense of any of it, but when Alfred brought Blackjack- hence he's a black Pegasus- right in front of him, Percy felt like all his worries were gone. A mesmerizing horse with huge wings, Percy couldn't help but pat a creature that might or might not even be real, it was honestly so baffling that he just didn't care anymore.
A hidden-away fantasy place that shouldn't be real… Percy now realized there was more than what met his eye. Besides, if Annabeth wasn't freaking out when she saw something as impossible as a Pegasus dive-bombing at their feet, then something must have truly happened when he was knocked out cold.
Speaking of which, Percy didn't even know how it was that he fell unconscious in the first place. Not having a clue what's going on anymore, Percy hoped it was only a matter of time before someone would give him a proper explanation, worrying about things now would do him no good.
So, while everything was still a novelty, Percy tried to enjoy himself. Still, he wasn't surprised when he was asked to ride Blackjack the Pegasus; Alfred, or Chiron, told them they were heading back to the mansion, and it seemed Thalia would help them do that. She helped him up after helping Annabeth settle behind her first. The girly scream Annabeth made when her nimby and slender body was hoisted onto Blackjack's back…Percy had to hide his smirks.
Like Percy imagined, they definitely weren't going for a normal horseback ride through the wood anymore. Instead, a powerful beat of wings jolted them all upward above the sky.
"Ahheehhh!"
His own beating heart sank crazily from the atmospheric pressure. It was almost unbearable as gravity weight on his body like he'd put on a fifty-pound suit. However, it was also Percy's first time flying in the air, and it was…
"Holy Shit! This is amazing!"
As far as first time went, Percy thought riding a Pegasus - a creature that shouldn't be real - would scare him shitless. Turned out he was a lot more eager than anticipated because he couldn't stop screaming in excitement . Despite all the dreadful circumstances and development tonight, Percy hadn't had this much fun in a while.
"Woo-Hoo!" He shouted again. There was something about the wind blowing past his face that felt so good. Having the gentle night sky wrapped around them, even Blackjack seemed to agree with him when he heard a loud neigh in agreement, "We are flying! Woo-Hoo!"
In less than a second, a different voice screamed something very different on top of her lungs.
"Nooo! T-This Is Terrifying!"
Strong wind zoomed past them and whistled in their ears, it was enough to hide the princess's timid screams easily. Thalia and Percy knew exactly what she was saying though, her whole face buried into her best friend's back as she clutched into her body like a comfort teddy bear give it all away. If they weren't flying on the back of a fictional Pegasus right now, Percy would have teased his wise girl for looking so adorable when she's scared.
Thalia looked around and caught Percy's smirk with an amused look. He grinned back, the girl up front seemed to be planning something devious, and Percy had to do his best to stifle his snickers so the girl in between them wouldn't catch on.
Meanwhile, Annabeth was still screaming on top of her lungs, her arms tightly wrapped around Thalia's waist and she didn't let up whatsoever.
"Stop being such a scaredy-cat, princess." Thalia nudged back, "Come on, take a look, will you?"
"No Way!" Annabeth refused and buried her face further into Thalia's back, "I am not on solid ground, so there is No Way I am doing that! Please, just get me back down already…"
"We aren't even going that fast, princess."
"No! I won't listen anymore… please, just tell h… h-him to land already. I'd rather walk." Annabeth clutched her best friend much harder, unmoving and tensed.
If only Annabeth could take a look around us… Percy thought and smiled at the sight around them.
Putting a gentle squeeze on her slim waist, Percy's soft hands easily wrapped around her sides. He leaned forward a bit and whispered right beside her, "Come on, wise girl… Just take a look."
Annabeth shook her head firmly, but his voice seemed to have eased her a bit and her rejection wasn't as harsh compared to Thalia's.
"E-Easy for you to say, Percy…" Annabeth's soft voice was drowned out by her own trembling vocal core and the strong winds blowing against them, "You aren't even scared."
"Of course I am scared." Percy admitted, "We are flying so high in the air, after all."
Annabeth's lips quivered, "H…How h-high?"
"Mmm? If I had to guess, more than a few hundred thousand feet give or take?"
Instead of shivering in fear, Annabeth replied coldly, "Shut up, Percy! If we are really at a few hundred thousand feet high in the air, we wouldn't be able to breathe properly, seaweed brain!"
"Okay, you are right." Percy snickered at his intentional flat-out lie, "We are actually way above the clouds right now, so one wrong move, and you'll plummet straight down!"
Aheeeehhh! A sharp and girly squeal echoed through the night air.
"You are joking!" Annabeth made a faint attempt and tried to pull away from Thalia's back, but quickly decided against it, "We are not above the clouds right now!"
"Yes, we are, right Thalia?"
Thalia had to suppress her giggles just like Percy who was trying his best not to laugh at his wise girl's expense, but if there was one thing he loved about Annabeth, it was how much fun he gets teasing her.
"Uh-huh! So unless you take a look, I'll ask Blackjack to nosedive again. You wouldn't want that, would you?" If Annabeth could function properly right now, Thalia would be on her crosshair already.
The color on Annabeth's face drained away, "Ugh! That's not fair! Why are you two such mean jerks!?"
Sharing a smirk with the girl up front, Percy watched as Annabeth shook her head firmly against Thalia's back. She made her decision.
"Mmm-Hmm… No way! I am not going to do that. No matter what!"
"Fine," Thalia smirked, turning forward to Blackjack and whispered something next to his long head. It sounded foreign. The Pegasus neighed in response, sounding almost too cheerful at the devious plan cooking up in Thalia's head, "Alright, you've asked for it, Annabeth. Now hold on tight!"
When in reality, they were only flying a few feet above the tree lines right now, way lower than what Percy originally said they were. Disappointed, Percy guessed his scare tactic didn't work.
But hopefully, Thalia would finally get Annabeth to take a look at the scene around them because it was breathtaking.
"No, wait… T-Thalia, I'll— Don't, I'll… I'll take a… Aaeehhee!"
"Too late, princess!" Thalia laughed as Blackjack swooped through the air.
Cheers and terrified screams blended together, mixing together with laughers as they pressed forward towards the large mansion on the horizon.
-Line Break-
Fummff! Fu-um-um- umff— Whump! Thump-Thump-Thump…
Blackjack eased up with rapid beats as he landed on the gravel pavement below. Done with grace and precision, Percy didn't even feel a slight wobble when they were finally back on solid ground. He dropped them off right next to the huge fountain in the middle of the back courtyard.
Neeigh… Blackjack brayed and tilted his head at all three of them as if saying Thanks for riding the Pegasus airline or something like that. Percy smiled.
Honestly, the last ten minutes was a moment too short-lived, but this was an experience Percy could never forget, even if no one else believed him.
"There we go…" Thalia patted Blackjack's mane before suddenly jumping off with ease. She left them alone and walked off to the mansion, "Stay here for a bit, okay? I've gotten take care of something first."
Gone was her 'teddy bear' comforting support, a frozen Annabeth sat on Blackjack with a blank expression, it was obvious she was perturbed by everything. Terror gripped those grey eyes turned stormy, her weak hands propped up on the Pegasus's back, she looked as if she's about to be sick, and it was already a miracle that she managed to stay upright after all that.
" …." A painfully quiet sound left between her lips.
Even Percy's stomach wasn't feeling too well after the dozen barrel rolls and loopy-loops. It seemed Thalia really overdid it, or maybe it was all Blackjack's idea to do that, but Percy was just as glad as Annabeth that they were finally back.
"You okay?" Percy asked the trembling girl sitting in front of him, but her only response was more shaking. Percy honestly felt bad now. He was the one who encouraged Thalia and Blackjack, but seeing how his wise girl was reacting, Percy really wished he didn't go along with them.
Annabeth eventually shook her head in fright.
Yeah, she's definitely not okay. I should make it up to her later…
Meanwhile, Thalia was making her way to the back of the mansion, and over by the porch, Percy only now saw two women in their sleepwear and waiting anxiously. One woman had long blonde hair, while the other woman had medium-length brown hair.
Athena and Mom? Percy wondered why they would be here.
Thalia soon reached his mom and Athena, and it seemed like she was explaining the situation to them. It made Percy curious. Just why did Thalia have to explain what happened to Athena and his mother? As far as he could tell, neither of them told their parents where they were sneaking off tonight, but it seemed like his mother already knew, the same could be said for Athena too.
Percy turned back to his wise girl. Still trembling, Percy tried to calm her down with a light squeeze at her sides, his palm gently enveloping her.
"So, did you take a look?" Percy asked behind her with a comforting voice.
Annabeth nodded and shivered against him.
"The view was pretty great though, isn't it?"
Annabeth nodded bashfully again, but it's clear her fear was still gripping her entire body, unable to move. Percy smirked and decided to hug her close. It seemed to have calmed her down another notch. She shifted back against him, seemingly seeking his comfort.
"Alright, you two." Suddenly, Thalia came back out of nowhere and snickered at them, "There is plenty of time for you two to get intimate and lovey-dovey, but let's get you off Blackjack now."
Interrupting them in the middle of their moment, Percy sighed. With Thalia's track record, it would be a real surprise if she didn't use these moments to tease them later on.
Caught, an embarrassed Annabeth scooched away and blushed hard. She hung her head down.
Meanwhile, Percy turned his gaze away too. He couldn't bring himself to look at his wise girl or Thalia and focused on staring around at nothingness.
Awkward whistles…
"Gosh," An exasperated smile moved across Thalia's lips.
She sighed in despair, "Are you two love birds always going to be like this when someone interrupt you?"
More awkward whistles and uncomfortable silences….
Thalia shook her head, "I wish you two just hurry up and get married already."
Marry?! Percy's eyes bugged out. We are definitely skipping a few steps…
Finally, Thalia reached her hand out for Annabeth, but given how pissed off she still was about the wild ride on Blackjack, she stubbornly huffed and ignored her best friend. Percy smiled warmly and squeezed his princess's sides another time, bringing a faint reaction.
"Annabeth?" Percy whispered, "You can get off now, you know?"
A small blush faded soon as it appeared on her adorable cheeks.
"D-Don't think I am letting you off the hook so easily, seaweed brain!" Annabeth warned him so abruptly he was taken back by her reaction.
And there I thought she'd forgiven me already…
Catching her hand, Thalia helped Annabeth off Blackjack as she settled back on solid ground. Although she was back on her own two feet, Annabeth couldn't help but wobble on shaky knees.
"Here," Thalia snickered, "Just hold on to me until you are ready to walk."
Annabeth gave in and let her best friend hold her still, but instead of throwing the same reaction, she shockingly let Thalia off the hook even though she was the one who asked Blackjack to do barrel rolls and loopy loops. Percy's shock turned into silence.
"Hey! What about me?" He grumbled at the unfair treatment.
Still riding Blackjack, Percy was left on his own which would have been fine since he wasn't afraid of the black Pegasus, but since he had never ridden a horse before, he couldn't imagine how to get off on his own. Is he going to hurt him if he climbed down? His wings were extended on his sides, and the height difference with the gravel pavement wasn't something to joke about. One wrong move and he could spring his ankles, or worse, break all the bones in his legs!
"You can take care of yourself, can't you?" Thalia's suppressed chuckles ticked him off in a way that made him want to smack her, "Besides, I've gotta take care of your princess."
Percy gritted his teeth in annoyance.
Damn those two…
And after all the effort Percy put into protecting her… It made him sigh exasperatedly. Why him? Why is it always him when it came to stuff like this? Annabeth was surely going to be the death of him someday….
Their slim figures were already moving away. Left truly alone, Percy tried his best to gauge and measure his attempt. It would be his only chance, and because of it, he certainly need to make sure everything went accordingly.
"Alright, Blackjack… Don't try anything funny, okay?" Percy patted his back.
I'm talking to a horse… Can tonight get any weirder?
Neigh! He responded in kind.
Percy was never good at reading people. A bit gullible, he was always a bit naive and too trusting sometimes, it was why he took his neigh as a good sign and brought his right leg around his back until he was sitting on Blackjack's left side only. Shifting a bit away from his huge wings, Percy cleared a path of trajectory, sucked in a deep breath, and sighed.
Okay. Three… two… one… Go!
Then he shifted off Blackjack and braced for the landing. It would have been a fine landing too, worthy of his first time riding a horse…. Except it didn't go according to plan.
Of course, the funny and hilarious Pegasus was somewhat of a prankish devil. Just before Percy jumped off, he bounced on his hind legs and wobbled on his weight, the hands pushing off his back lost all their balance which forced Percy to stumble when he finally landed.
"Whoa! B-Blackjack…" Percy screamed.
Percy should have really seen this coming. As he was booted off the Pegasus, his weight slowly shifted forward and the momentum was too unbalanced to try and steady himself. He was about to face-plant into the tiny gravel ground below, and there was nothing he could do about it.
"Ahhh!"
Through sheer willpower, Percy managed to stay on his feet for about three more steps before…
Thud!
It was inevitable as he collapsed, followed by loud crashing sounds. Everyone might not have seen it happening, but they definitely heard it. Heads turned his direction while pain spread through his nerves. A mouthful of tiny stones, the sensations were pretty much on par with how much his chest hurt tonight. Of course, he couldn't remember what made it hurt so much.
"W-What w…was t…that-t?!" He tried to yell back at Blackjack with gavel in his mouth.
Nothing made any sense. He was speaking like a caveman.
Blackjack tilted his large head and made strong trotting sounds with his hoofs, obviously mocking him for falling on his face. To add insult to injury, he neighed at just the right moment for it to feel like he was laughing at his face too.
I am going to find some ways to bury him alive when I see him again!
Spitting out sandy gravel, Percy huffed and ignored the fantastical animal who was more or less a sentient being with real thoughts and feelings. His playful and prankish personality was all but evidence of that fact, and Percy felt as apprehensive about him as he was fascinated.
" Hehehe… Hehe…" Thalia tittered at his expenses.
A little more than five yards away, Percy turned away and caught eyes with Annabeth. She looked worried for him, her innocent bright eyes glowed with concerns and questions. Percy sighed. If she was going to worry for his sake anyway, then she should have let her damned best friend help him off too!
Someday… Percy knew someday Annabeth was going to be the death of him.
On the other hand, Thalia's reaction was all but expected. Percy wasn't shocked, just embarrassed by her funny expression, the laughs going on inside her head, and the cruel snickers she was making.
Yep! I am going to bury her too!
Percy planted his right foot back on the pavement, his hands on the gavel as he lifted himself up. It took a bit of fumbling, but he was finally upright. Only after he got up did Percy realize how dirty he was. He tried to dust off his shirt and leaned over to pad his pants a few times too, but given the things that happened, it wouldn't be that easy for him to clean up with just a few half-hearted brushes with his fingers.
"Are you okay?"
Percy soon took notice of a huge rip in the left sleeve of his t-shirt, redness stained the fabric in a way that won't be easy to wash off. He gulped, then ran his hands through his hair to 'tidy' it up. It was him putting up a brave face, "Of course not. You could have asked Thalia to help me get off Blackjack too, wise g-girl…"
His voice trailed off. It was not Annabeth. The person standing before him was none other than his mother, Sally Jackson. She wasn't looking at him in any particular way, but her brown eyes were definitely filled with a sense of worry that Percy knew he wouldn't be able to reach and reassure. It was clear something was holding her heart in place.
"Oh! I am fine, mom." Percy said, but deep down, he knew not everything was fine. There were many things he still need explaining and catching up on; Blackjack being real, a special group of individuals who knew how to fight with some insane abilities, a camp in the woods where Thalia, Jason, Alfred were all aware and familiar with, but most importantly: Annabeth and him being wrapped up in it. Whatever this might end up being, Percy now knew his mom was in on it too, "Really! It's not that bad of a fall. I think I'll survive."
There was a sudden faint but sad smile on her face, "I know, Percy."
Sally reached out with her hands just when Percy attempted to dust his pants again, "Come here, my little sea turtle."
"Mom?"
A second later, she embraced him tightly. Percy could tell it wasn't a hug for reassurance. It was something more than that, a reminder that he surely wouldn't understand because he wasn't a parent like she was… yet.
"Just let me stay like this for a bit, okay?"
Overcome with sudden emotions, his sight turned glossy, his vision blurred, but Percy didn't want to let it show. If the small wet drops on his right shoulder told him anything, it's that he wanted his mother to feel better. That's all that matters right now.
"Hmm-Hmm." Percy stayed like this with arms on his sides.
Of course, he was very shy about hugging his mom back when they were being watched, and given the preemptive interesting look from the girl with medium black hair, holding back was the only logical choice.
"A-Are you okay too, mom?"
Percy asked out of concern, but also because it was getting a bit awkward being stared at by his wise girl and Thalia. Honestly, Percy didn't know what he could do in a situation like this. Although the child in him was ironically happy being pampered by his mother, he was still a sixteen years old teenager, and what other sixteen years old high school boy loved being spoiled like a baby by his mother?
"I am fine, Percy." Sally pulled away slightly, "I am just worried, that's all."
Like always, his mother had already sensed his uncomfortableness which was why she hesitantly pulled away. He knew she wanted to hug him longer though.
"Mom, really, I am fine." Percy reassured her, "It's just a scratch, that's all."
Stealing glances at the thin and delicate girl with blonde hair, Percy was so embarrassed by what happened with his mom that blushes rose from his cheeks in a never-ending cycle. To make things worse, her sudden warm smiles that could easily stop people's heartbeats made it even harder to get the burning under control.
"We can talk about this later, Percy." Sally pinched his flushed cheeks, "For now, I am glad to see that you are safe and well."
Percy nodded timidly, "Yeah, me too."
It didn't go without his notice when Sally passed a worried glance at his sleeve, but words that were meant to interrogate didn't come up. She promptly turned away to the girl being supported by Thalia's arms and hugged her too.
"I am glad you are safe too, Annabeth," Sally spoke softly as she embraced his wise girl.
Percy couldn't help but feel awkward right away, those grey eyes shifted toward him and blinked a few times in puzzlement as well. Ever since he met Annabeth, there were only a handful of times where his mother met Annabeth in person. The hospital visit... and Thanksgiving tonight... He couldn't recall anything else, yet, Sally disregarded all social norms and went to hug Annabeth with such motherly warmth that it was outright uncomfortable, for him and probably for Annabeth too.
"Mom…" Percy tried to stop her, "I am sure Annabeth is fine. Right, wise girl?"
Turned out, Percy was dead wrong.
"Sally, you don't have to worry about me." Annabeth gently hugged her back.
"I know, but I just want to give you a hug too, that's all." Sally's smile widen when Annabeth whispered something beside her ear.
She laughed lightly.
"Yes, I supposed so…"
They let go of each other eventually. Percy had to wonder what was said between them. It was probably something related to him, but given how it usually went, Percy was in no hurry to find out what embarrassing things were said then.
Meanwhile, Annabeth's best friend all but disappeared from the scene. Percy only realized it when someone shoved him forward and he almost tripped over himself if not for his incredible steadiness that kept him from stumbling.
"Oomphff…" He caught himself, "Hey! What's the big deal, Thalia?"
It wasn't a hard shove, but enough to push him forward toward where Annabeth was. He bumped into her shoulders lightly.
"It's your turn to take care of your princess, Perseus." Thalia gave him a grin, "I've to head back to camp right about now."
"Hey!" Percy complained when Thalia heaved herself up on Blackjack with just the reins and her physical strength, "You are not going to leave after all that's happened, are you?"
Thalia hoisted the reins and brought Blackjack around to face the opposite direction. Percy saw her back and nothing else.
"Your parents' will explain everything I can't, Percy." She said, "Besides, I've got to keep a promise and chew into a certain someone right about now. See you later, Percy."
"Huh? Wait! What about—"
Percy saw Thalia tilted back to look at Annabeth specifically, and she had a smirk on her lips from what was said. Percy didn't understand.
"Take care of your boyfriend, princess," Thalia said out loud much to his horror before taking off with Blackjack. With a few rapid beating of his huge wings, they somehow stayed hovering ten feet off the ground, ripples of wind growing softer as they flew higher into the air.
"Wait! Thalia…" Percy still had questions, but all that disappear when Annabeth reached out and grabbed his left hand, their fingers pulled together as she held him tightly.
"Wise girl?" She shook her head.
When Annabeth looked at him, grey eyes shone with reassurance, Percy began to feel relief. His doubts went away because he knew everything would be okay as long as they were going through it together.
Thalia shot them both a satisfying smile, "Well, I'll be seeing you two in school next week. Keep each other safe, okay?"
Annabeth nodded as Percy watched her whisper a different phrase next to Blackjack. It was another foreign-sounding word. Blackjack neighed out loud, and with another heavy beat of wings, they took off at a speed Percy wouldn't believe if he wasn't witnessing it.
They flew away as fast as a shooting star.
In awe, Percy watched until he couldn't even see them anymore. They disappeared into one of the many night stars that decorated the gentle skies tonight. It reminded him of that night on the beach, when Annabeth confessed her feelings for him and the way he managed to do the same for her.
It's been three months in total, huh?
As they stood underneath the same atmosphere, the same breathtaking view, Percy knew his feelings for Annabeth hadn't changed, and he doubt it would ever change as long as he was with her. Percy smiled into the air and held her back. For a split second, Percy swore he saw her tender lips curled into a small grin.
"Shall we?" Sally broke the silence and unknowingly broke their special bonding moment too.
Hands abruptly letting go of each other, Sally turned around met their fluster gaze, her amusement couldn't be contained, "You two can hold hands, I don't mind."
That comment made it worse for either of them, but Percy shared a glance at Annabeth anyway. She did the same at even the same time. Silently, Percy already knew what his wise girl was saying.
"Let's go then…" Percy said and took his first step toward the mansion, braving on this new world that he'd gotten to know briefly.
In the end, it was Athena who was waiting for them.
They walked up together, except Annabeth was trailing behind both him and his mom with her head hung down timidly. Percy thought he might have a clue why, but that's when things went out of control.
"Hi, mom…" Annabeth said in such a soft voice Percy doubted Athena heard anything.
It was obvious Annabeth needed some cheering up, but before Percy could even reach for her wrist and bring her close to him, a shadow passed by him, his eyes barely caught onto the silhouette with her blonde hair tied in an elegant crown braid, as it zoomed passed his vicinity in the blink of an eye.
Slap!
It was loud and sharp, even Percy could feel the stinging on his cheeks. It was obvious to everyone what had just occurred, but the one least expecting it was the young girl with a messy ponytail.
Stinging red with a bright handprint, her cheeks were beyond flushed when a mix of emotions carried through those stormy grey eyes and her blank expression.
Percy was in disbelief, his jaw had fallen way off as he kept his eyes on his wise girl. With every fiber of her being, it took all her strength to lift her hand and touch her cheek. She looked confused, desolated, filled with doubts, sad, and even a bit regretful. Most of all, she looked absolutely scared by what her mother did.
Tears were filling those usually sweet and angelic eyes, and at that point, Percy felt something warm lumping in his throat. It was getting hard to breathe as he stared tempestuously at the woman who was always so sweet to her daughter, who always loved and doted on her to death with everything she ever wanted. Now, she had become a completely different person. Dispassionate and cold, there was not a hint of motherly warmth behind those familial grey eyes.
Percy's heart wrenched in a tight knot. Something he shouldn't feel was raising deep inside him and he couldn't contain his words, but someone beat him to it.
"Athena," Sally interrupted with a firm and calm voice, yet her tone held much more power than her ability to control his little brothers. It felt overwhelming. Athena seemed to sense that, "Let's not take this any further. We should go inside first, isn't that right?"
With a long and uncomfortable sigh, Athena took a step back, her expression devoid of any real emotions, but at the very last second, Percy saw instant regret in her eyes, "Yes, you are right. Let's do that."
As shocked as he was about what happened, Percy just couldn't leave Annabeth alone after what happened. He reached beside him to hold her hand, but she clearly wanted some space because she quickly let him go, their faint touch lasting less than a full second.
"Annabeth…" Percy's voice trailed off.
Percy wanted to do anything he could to help, but that's when an imposing voice he couldn't comprehend spoke out loud. It seemed to be words similar to the language Thalia spoke, then a blinding field of lights filled around them in a circle, it expanded outward into a bubble and shield them inside.
Percy lost all his vision to this brilliant light, one that seemed could last for eternity.
"W-What's going on…?!"
Then Percy heard a loud shout.
"ΜΕΤΑΦΟΡΑ."
