This is kind of filler but I am really happy with it.
Sally, as Percy figured, freaked out when she saw all the blood on Aaron and Meggy. Only, she calmed down quickly and quickly began to mother them, leading Meggy into the shower where she proceeded to clean and dress the girl in the last of Gabe's clothes she had yet to burn. Thankfully it was a large flannel and shorts, making the girl look like a comfortable Lumberjack. Meggy flopped onto the couch and curled up, snoring ever so slightly as soon as she moved into the Living room... well, after snarfing down a whole trey of cookies, six peanut butter sandwiches and a whole family bag of chips.
It broke Aaron's heart to see the girl so happy from such little generosity but he was touched to see how safe she felt with them despite her miserable life. He wasn't strong enough in magic or gifted enough in divination to see her sad life but he could almost feel it when he saw her. The tragedy etched into her large brown eye, the tiny scars decorating the outsides of her arms and her throat as is she had been attacked by a thousand angry weasels.
Sally insisted he take a shower next, which he did, dressing himself as well in his father's last remaining clothes. It felt nice to have the blood off of his body and relish in the warm waters, easing his deep seated soreness and the damage the beast did to his left shoulder, elbow and wrist. They weren't broken or even dislocated but they were hurt and he would need tending too by Chiron or the children of Apollo if he was to really get a full measure of what happened to him. Sigh.
As he exited the shower to go and get his own food, Sally bombarded him with a warm hug. " Oh my dear, how are you, what happened to you, why did you bring a young cyclops here?" She rambled, adorably, making Aaron laugh ever so slightly.
And so he explained to her the fully story, catching her up with how he had been, his life choices such as binding with the spirits of the dead, continuing to learn magic in general, his choice to hunt Underworld monsters and so on. It took nearly an hour to fill her in but when he was done he was well fed and very, very tired.
She clucked at him, seeing his yawn. "And now you've worn yourself out. I'm sorry, dear, I hope my prattling on didn't make you more tired."
"Not at all, a mother's love is always welcome. I wish I had that in my life before." He grabbed her warm hands, drinking in her kindness. "How have you been, you too Percy? You keeping up with your training?"
Percy made a sound, like he was choking. " UH, well I broke mom's cabinet while training with a spear so I ... No, not really."
Anger exploded in Aaron's soul. " Are you kidding me? Your enemy is the best swordsmen in three hundred years and you... are you that dumb?" He stood, growling. " You could visit camp and train on the weekends, or find a local area and control the Mist to hide yourself to train, which yes your definitely strong enough to do... why, your so irresponsible you could get yourself killed!" Then he stopped, curious. " How haven't you been attacked, if I was a monster you would be a serious target... your aura is strong, I am not even using magic and I can feel it. You should be a natural target, a lone demigod that is being lazy and complacent..."
Percy was a deep red. "Heh, I am not being lazy I just... sigh, no your right, as usual. " He grumbled out, looking away from Aaron.
"Come to camp on the weekends, we'll fix you up and get you to your peak. You need to be prepared, you shouldn't need to but you ought to be."
"He's right Percy. " Sally said. looking stern. " I didn't know you were neglecting your training. No skateboarding shop or skateboarding at all until your up to snuff."
"But mom!"
"No butts, you know better. I've been too busy, I should have asked... but you will get to camp to catch up on your training." Her eyes were filled with tears, but she seemed more angry then sad. "I will not lose you because you were being lazy." Her son nodded, sighing. "Now enough, let's get to bed. Tonight is the start of the weekend, you can go to camp with Aaron and start fixing your swordskills."
"What about Tyson then, if he is not with me then he will just be..."
Sally recoiled, but sighed. " I will let him spend time with me then. He is a sweetheart and is not bad in the kitchen, I would be happy to entertain him."
"""
Percy pouted as his mom drove them all up to Camp, annoyed with his step brother and their new kind of sister Meggy. They had gotten him grounded, even if they weren't wrong to do so. he knew that. He wasn't dumb, he knew he messed up. His mom's pain was more then punishment enough as far as he was considered, her disappointment and pain... like daggers to his heart. He hated it, it made him hurt almost as much, which was why he was not acting on that annoyance.
The feel of Camp, like a magnet to his chest, brought forth all sorts of pleasant feelings leaving him almost breathless. He couldn't help but turn in excitement, almost bubbling in his every cell. A smile on his face that erased the pout, his leg bouncing.
"Nice Percy boy, you seem excited, is Camp that nice? Will Meggy be happy there too?" Meggy, the sweet Cyclops, drew Percy's attention from the magical pull of Camp.
Turning to her, he couldn't help but smile at her cute, bird like turn of her head or the weird way she spoke.
"Um yeah, probably."
"I'll be having her meet the children in cabin nine. She's a cyclops, from what I gather they all have innate forging powers. She would be welcome there I imagine or in the Forges of the sea with your father if things get really uncomfortable for her." Aaron, sitting in the front seat, turned to face them both. "I could also teach you magic, if you want Meggy. I don't know is Cyclopes can learn magic but if you can I would be happy to get you up to snuff."
The pretty girl beamed a happy smile. " Meggy would like that, Nice Aaron brother." Her laugh filled the car with innocence, peace and a sense of love that Percy felt deep inside. It was the same love her felt for his mom, all brought to the surface with the pretty girl's laughter.
The car stopped then, right by the Hill that led to Thalia's tree. His mom turned to them. "Alright, dears. here's your exit. Remember to behave and offer a sacrifice for your successes and Meggy's joining the camp." She turned to Meggy, bringing the girl close to kiss her forehead. "You behave the most, I just know your a troublemaker."
Meggy just giggled and they all hoped out of the car and started their march up to to the Camp.
"""
Aaron turned to Meggy as they approached the barrier he could now feel and said. "Meggy the Cyclops, I Aaron Michael Mathews accept you into Camp and allow you to pass the barrier."
Nothing magical happened but he knew, or hoped, that it would be enough.
The girl frowned. " Meggy doesn't feel any different, did it work?"
"I hope so... if not I need to get someone else, maybe Percy, to let you pass...sigh, magic like this is always finicky." They hurried up the hill then, ignoring the thick grass as they reached the summit. It was only then that his theory was put to the test and they stepped past the barrier... with Meggy not being held back even a little. " I guess it worked, cool."
She beamed a smile that lifted his spirits.
Thankfully no one that saw them, a few random kids that were up and roaming about instead of being in activities, so no one noticed that she was a cyclops. Not even the Satyrs who went by really noticed, which was really odd. Maybe it was her connection to Aphrodite, her potent scent of sugar and cinnamon? Maybe it was her strong aura of power that felt more demigod then anything else, who knew? Either way no one even gave her a second glance until they reached the Big House, where he found Mr. D and Chiron playing Pinchole as usual.
Both men turned to her, eyebrows raised. Chiron spoke first. " Any reason you have a cyclops with you?"
"This is Meggy, daughter of Aphrodite... and that story is quite long." And so he told it, from start to finish. How he summoned the underworld creatures with his interesting bait, how he found Meggy being attacked and how he had chosen to adopt her. He left nothing out, for there was no reason to do so. "No one deserves to be abused by their parent like that, so I decided to have her join me. Besides, you could use the extra hand in the forges and an extra warrior. Really everyone wins here. She can stay in my room, just get me another bed."
Mr. D laughed, only it wasn't his typical cruel voice. "You remind me of Poseidon, old Barnacle Beard. He speaks of Cyclopes the same way... ahh. are you sure you are not related by blood? She can stay, as long as she behaves and is useful. Meggy, wasn't it?" He turned to the girl, who nodded with a low curtsey. " I expect you to be on your best behavior, and to be useful. Can you do that?"
"Yes Mr. Wine God sir. Meggy likes your dark hair, it's pretty, can I touch it? It looks soft."
Aaron had to stop himself from laughing, as Dionysius actually choked for a moment.
"No ... but thank you, I think... anyway, your disturbing your game, off with you all." he dismissed them with a wave of his hand, making them magical whirl around and start walking away from him.
Aaron just sighed and grabbed his adopted kid's hand, leading her and Percy to his room. " Come on, Meggy, this is your room. Well, our room. If you feel any thing when you cross the threshold, that's a spell I added to let me know when people get in the room. I'll add you to the wards in a minute, so you'll stop feeling that. Percy, don't you have a cabin to get too? Cabin inspection is soon and you don't want to score low."
Percy sighed and shook his head. " See you guys. By Meggy." And hurried off with that, leaving Meggy and Aaron alone in their room.
"We'll get you a bed soon Meggy, thankfully my room here is pretty big so there is lot's of room for us both. I guess after adding you to the wards, I should show you around and introduce you to everyone. I think we should start with the Hephaestus kids, they should be working on a project for me as it is, so that would be a good place to start... huh?"
Meggy nodded. "Meggy likes to make bangles and pretties, she left them in her old dumpsters but that's okay, I can make more here. I like my pretties and bangles. Does Aaron wear pretties?"
He frowned. " Pretties? Like jewelery?
"Like earrings and necklaces and stuff."
"Oh, not really but I could start. I plan on wearing a magical necklace as it is."
"Yah!: Meggy is happy here. Thank you, Aaron!"
"Don't thank me just yet, love... wait until you really get to know the place. Now off to Cabin Nine or the Forges, wherever Beckendorf is."
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was fun to write.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.