It's funny but I keep on forgetting to write in the changes from early on so I keep on panicking and having to fully rewrite these chapters... hehe... but it's fun honestly as they are adding up.
After tossing the scarf of love magic into a fire, offering it to Aphrodite with some food they found at the water park, and watching it shimmer away in a blur of pink magic, they made their way back to the Dinner. However, to his shock, even that tiny bare piece of magic caused his entire being to ache. He hadn't cast any spells either, to summon the flame or anything, they made it the hard way with rocks and sticks, and yet the mere sacrifice caused a rush of pain through him. He felt it, the magic, even though his talisman was empty and that hurt, hurt every nerve in his body leaving him almost gasping for breathe.
To the surprise of no one, The war god was waiting in the diner parking lot, smug and smirking and very much proud of his arrogant self.
"Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed."
"You knew it was a trap," Percy said.
Ares gave him a wicked grin. "Bet that crippled black-smith was surprised when he netted a couple of stupid kids. Pity, I figured you would have been on T.V. but something messed with signal." His eyes widened just a little as his grin turned into a smirk. "A disruption spell huh, and you made it work on a Gods magic... boy you've got potential. I can't wait to see the mayhem you create when your stronger."
Percy shoved his shield at him, a growl on his lips. "You're a jerk."
Annabeth and Grover caught their breath but Aaron leapt into action, smacking his brother's arm. "Sorry Lord Ares, he's still under the effects of your aura. He's usually more respectful then this."
Ares snorted as he grabbed the shield and spun it in the air like pizza dough. It changed form, melting into a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.
"Think nothing of it. See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop in Vegas."
The eighteen-wheeler had a sign on the back: KINDNESS INTER-NATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.
Percy gaped at the thing, and said, "You're kidding."
Ares snapped his fingers. The back door of the truck unlatched. "Free ride west, punk. Stop complaining. And here's a little something for doing the job."
He slung a blue nylon backpack off his handlebars and tossed it to Percy.
Inside were fresh clothes for all of us, twenty bucks in cash, a pouch full of golden drachmas, and a bag of Double Stuf Oreos.
"I don't want your lousy-"
"Thank you, Lord Ares," Grover interrupted, giving his best red-alert warning look. "Thanks a lot."
A camera going off from the dinner, now filled with worried people looking at them, made Aaron sigh, turning to glare at his brother to get him to hurry up. " We have to go. Thank you, Lord Ares. Your help is deeply appreciated, expect a sacrifice when we can safely grant one." A lie, but one he could not help but say as he looked at the arrogant god.
'Hecate, he is the one who stole the Bolt and Helm or at least is the god who's turned. I know you can only do so much, but please get the attention of Lord Hades. Let him know what we know so we can get this safely worked through.'
He laughed. See you around, kid."
"You're pretty smug, Lord Ares, for a-MMMPH!" Wrapping his hands around his brother's face, Aaron used his far greater strength to bury his brother into his chest.
"Have a good day, Lord Ares. We appreciate your aid. Lots to do though, so we will be seeing you." Dragging his brother away, the others followed as the God replied, a hot wind at their back.
"We'll meet again, Percy Jackson."
He revved his Harley, then roared off down Delancy Street.
Annabeth said, "That was not smart, Percy." And Aaron released his brother, glaring at him
"I don't care."
Frowning at his brother, Aaron sighed. "Stop pissing off powerful people, you can't get away with it forever. Not all of us are as protected as you are with your Dad being one of the Big Three."
"Hey, guys," Grover said. "I hate to interrupt, but ..."He pointed toward the diner. At the register, the last two customers were paying their check, two men in identical black coveralls, with a white logo on their backs that matched the one on the KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL truck. "If we're taking the zoo express," Grover said, "we need to hurry."
As one, the Questers ran across the street and climbed in the back of the big rig, closing the doors behind them.
Still weak from his brush with something worse then death, Aaron almost collapsed from the sudden surge of heat and stink. As it was he gagged, barely holding down his food.
"What the hell is that?"
The trailer was dark inside until Percy uncapped Anaklusmos. The blade cast a faint bronze light over a very sad scene. Sitting in a row of filthy metal cages were three of the most pathetic zoo animals in known history. A zebra, a male albino lion and a gazelle.
Someone had thrown the lion a sack of turnips, which he obviously didn't want to eat. The zebra and the antelope had each gotten a Styrofoam tray of hamburger meat. The zebra's mane was matted with chewing gum, like somebody had been spitting on it in their spare time. The antelope had a stupid silver birthday balloon tied to one of his horns that read OVER THE HILL!
Apparently, nobody had wanted to get close enough to the lion to mess with him, but the poor thing was pacing around on soiled blankets, in a space way too small for him, panting from the stuffy heat of the trailer. He had flies buzzing around his pink eyes and his ribs showed through his white fur.
"This is kindness?" Grover yelled. "Humane zoo trans-port?"
The hate and anger in his voice was intense, and it was something that a furious Aaron could relate too. He grabbed Grover's hand, sharing a very hateful look with the boy at the outrage before them. However before they could so much as flinch from the sight, the truck started moving and shaking and they had to find a place to they before they collapsed.
The group huddled in the corner on some mildewed feed sacks, trying to ignore the smell and the heat and the flies. Grover talked to the animals in a series of goat bleats, but they just stared at him sadly. Annabeth was in favor of breaking the cages and freeing them on the spot, but Percy wisely pointed out it wouldn't do much good until the truck stopped moving.
Percy found a water jug and refilled their bowls, then used Anaklusmos to drag the mismatched food out of their cages while Aaron used his bow to help do the same. They gave the meat to the lion and the turnips to the zebra and the antelope.
Grover calmed the antelope down, while Annabeth used her knife to cut the balloon off his horn. She wanted to cut the gum out of the zebra's mane, too, but they decided that would be too risky with the truck bumping around. They told Grover to promise the animals we'd help them more in the morning, then they settled in for night.
Grover curled up on a turnip sack; Annabeth opened the bag of Double Stuffed Oreos and nibbled on one half-heartedly. Aaron followed suit, wishing he had a glass of cold milk to go with it.
"It's been years since I last had an Oreo." He whispered before diving into the luscious treat before eventually curling up next to Grover, trying to fall asleep.
"""
"Hey," Annabeth said, "I'm sorry for freaking out back at the water park, Percy." Percy turned towards the daughter of Athena just as his stepbrother fell asleep.
"That's okay."
"It's just..." She shuddered. "Spiders."
"Because of the Arachne story," Percy guessed. "She got turned into a spider for challenging your mom to a weaving contest, right?"
Annabeth nodded. "Arachne's children have been taking revenge on the children of Athena ever since. If there's a spider within a mile of me, it'll find me. I hate the creepy little things. Anyway, I owe you."
"We're a team, remember?" Percy said. "Besides, Grover did the fancy flying and Aaron cast that amazing spell."
He thought the Goatboy was asleep, but Grover mumbled from the corner, "I was pretty amazing, wasn't I?"
Annabeth and Percy laughed.
She pulled apart an Oreo, handed him half. "In the Iris message … why didn't you want to tell me that Luke basically blamed me for the theft?""
He munched on his cookie and thought about how to answer. The conversation via rainbow had bothered him all evening. "Luke said you and he go way back. I didn't want you to be upset at something he said..."
In the dim bronze light of the sword blade, it was hard to read their expressions.
Grover let out a mournful bray.
"Luke's never been the same since his quest... I don't think he meant it I mean I know what you said before but... why me? Why put it on me, we have so much history."
Aaron laughed, a mean sound that didn't shock Percy in the slightest. He started realizing that his step brother wasn't always a very nice person. "Luke meant it, he was trying shift the blame." Sitting up with a yawn, Aaron started to rustle through his bag. " Move the sword towards me Percy, I need the light." Obeying, he watched his brother as he started writing down some things.
This lasted a few minutes, but it seemed to much for Annabeth. "What do you mean he meant it? Luke would never blame me for something like this."
"He did though, why else mention invisibility? I mean I am sure I could figure it out if I want to... but that's a new thing. No, in camp only Annabeth could do it. She would be the only one we know besides Hades that could manage that trick and use it to steal from the Gods." He laughed again, this time more sad or so it seemed to me. "I think he was moving blame, my mom did that a lot whenever something happened to her life. Instead of keeping the blame she would shift it like someone else had to be at fault. It worked a lot... "
"But why would he do that?" Grover and Annabeth spoke at once, both clearly desperate.
"Why not? I don't know his life but I do know he failed that quest and he is surrounded by miserable kids all day abandoned by their parents. I would be bitter too... wouldn't you?"
Annabeth spoke up first, after a moment of silence that I felt. "He has a lot of issues with his dad, I don't know all the details... and then there was Thalia...oh my god, Luke is a master thief and he is really powerful. If anyone could have taken it..." She put her head in her hands, sighing pained and miserable.
"He didn't keep it though, he'd never be able to hide it at camp. Power like that, someone would have found it." Grover's voice was determined, his eyes oddly firm. "Magic radiates and he couldn't suppress it for so long."
It was here that Percy fully figured out what was going on. " The god who turned, the one we'd meet in the West... We already met him. You were right Aaron, He already said that he was sent to track the Bolt. What if he found it?"
"Now your getting it... I think that is why he is helping us. He basically admitted to it, talking about framing the God of the Underworld and causing conflict..." Aaron munched on another Oreo, turning with a serious expression. "I think we can just skip the rest of the quest now, as soon as we land, we can just made a sacrifice to Hades and organize our talk with him as planned. If not... then I have no idea what we are going to do. I mean us against a god? We could never beat him in a fight, not if he was serious. Hades could, easily... I think if we can get to his Realm, he would be able to help us since at this point it interferes with Divine Law. I mean there has to be something about withholding Divine Relics, not just stealing them. If not it is still a form of theft and he can try... our Angry Friend."
We all turned to Aaron, with Annabeth speaking. "How are we getting into the Underworld at all? I mean surely there is no way Hades would just let us down there, have regular money but no Drachma."
"That's why we are going to offer a deal... or at least offer our prayers. Pray to your parents, see if they are willing to talk to him. I am already allowed in the Underworld, The Furies said as much... but you guys will need that sacrifice so we can work it out. Make a deal, offer the right thing, get drawn there for whatever reason. I am sure Hades could literally just take us there. Summon is literally, and since he's on our side I wouldn't be too worried about not being sent back home. I think we got this lads and lady."
'''
Sighing, Aaron stretched out in the silence brought about by the lull in conversation. "Now I really am dead from the neck up. I am going to sleep, we'll need me to have power if we are to sacrifice anything to Hades."
They all agreed and soon he found himself asleep, drifting on the winds of dreams...
Landing before a very amused looking man. Sitting on his black throne, fused with bones and jewels of all shapes, the man radiated power on a level that made Ares look like an errant child. He was blacked haired and beautiful, ripped as much as Ares but in a lean panther sort of way. His eyes burned with a purple radiance that bordered on madness, reminding Aaron just a little bit of Dionysius. Behind him was a vast endless black wall, black on a level that actually seemed to draw in the light itself. Beside him was Hecate, looking noble, dressed as before only with a silver circlet wrapped around her head.
"Your request was heard, child." The man's voice was smooth, like melted chocolate. "It has been a long time since a hero actually asked to come into my realm instead of sneaking or demanding entrance. You've awakened my interest. I will allow it, providing you and your friends cast a sacrifice of some type to me. Paying your fair, so to speak."
Hecate stepped forward. "I can only hold your spirit out of your mortal body for so long, do you understand?" Her eyes were cold, tired and almost worried as she stared at him. "Your body can only withstand this for so long, expect pain when you awaken."
Aaron bowed. "Yes, Lord Hades and I am aware Lady Hecate."
"Very good, I look forward to seeing you soon, Acolyte of Hecate. But remember this warning, it will never be this easy again for the living to enter my realm. Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary actions. Well, your invitation being the exception of course, your kindness and respect has opened my realm to you for as long as your maturity remains."
His eyes ripped open the moment the image vanished, a happy smile on his face as he turned towards his friends. He ignored the sheer agony in his eyes and head, the pounding of a thousand drums in his temples as he waited with bated breathe to tell them the wonderful news. "Guess what?"
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.