Percy's POV:
We decided to get out of there as soon as possible. As it turns out, blowing up the St. Louis Arch tends to cause a nation wide manhunt for the person responsible. Which turns out to be me. Apparently they also linked me to other incidents across America and now put me on some sort of list called "Most Wanted" or something like that. It's not my fault monsters choose to attack me at the worst possible times and in the worst possible locations.
I was all against boarding a train because of the manhunt issue, but Grover and Annabeth wouldn't hear it. Apparently my mode of transportation is "nauseating" and "mind-numbing" or some bull crap excuse like that. Hello! I am the suspect of a nation wide manhunt and it won't be too hard to miss a shirtless child with my stature!
So as I was sitting on the train with my two partners with a week left on the deadline and Annabeth had this great idea to call and inform Chiron on our little situation. Like that would help much. I created mist from the bathroom faucet and called out. "Hey Iris! It's me Percy. Do me a solid and show me Camp Half-blood." I got odd looks from my two companions and I just shrugged it off. Iris and I go back, so I let it go. Next thing I know, the image clears up and shows me Luke staring off into the distance in a real dramatic fashion.
"Luke!" Annabeth shrieked. Which hurt because we're cramped in a bathroom. He swung around and stared at us wide eyed.
"Annabeth? Thank the gods you're alright! Same goes to you too Percy and Grover. Is everything OK?"
"Oh just great. Nothing like a near death experience to wake you up in the morning. Anyway we need to speak to-"
"Chiron!" Annabeth jumped in, finally getting over the fact that we were talking to Luke. She kept stuttering like a complete buffoon after she broke my ears.
"Uhh he's down by the cabins. We ran into some issues. He had to break up a fight. It has gotten really tense since you guys left, the cabins are taking sides after word leaked about the whole Zeus vs Poseidon standoff going on. We're not sure who it is, but we believe it's the person who sent the Chimera. Everything is a mess. You need to hurry." A noise in the hallway caught our attention.
"You guys go check it out. I can't be seen remember?" They nodded and went to go see what it was.
"Percy listen... I think I know who could've stolen the bolt. Hades." That's odd. "He was there during the winter solstice and holds a great grudge against the Olympians. I wouldn't put it past him to try something. He has the capability to do so with his Helm of Darkness. There is no other way to steal the bolt. I'm sure of it." I heard a scuffle from the hallway. "You better check that out. Oh and how are the shoes-" I cut off the connection by swiping my hand through the mist. We don't have time to dilly dally.
I heard something shatter and stood by the door. Uncapping Riptide I jumped out and... shoved the cap back onto my sword. It was the dinner cart, and Grover was on the floor moaning. Annabeth was talking to the cart lady and was apologizing. The lady glanced at me and her stance changed from a kindhearted women with a warm smile, to a forced grin and shaky hands. "It's quite alright dear. Now if you'll excuse me." She shuffled past us swiftly and left the cart.
"Good news, free food. Bad news, she made us." Annabeth spoke and I couldn't agree with her more. Just then the conductor came on and said we were entering Denver. This couldn't of been a more opportune time for us to get the Hades out of there. Running out of the train we continued.
My feet pounded the asphalt with all the grace of a sack of wet concrete, the springing graceful steps of five miles earlier had long since disappeared. Our rasping throats were parched as a dead lizard in the desert sun. Grover's head bobbed loosely from side to side with each footfall and his eyes rolled heavy in their sockets.
We needed to stop. Our stomachs were begging for some food. Good thing we burnt out next to a nice looking diner. How convenient is that? Anyway we crawled our way inside looking like some sweaty street beggars hoping for an easy meal. "C-can we get a table please?" Grover asked with a rasp filled voice.
The lady looked us up and down. "Can you pay for it?" Either this lady didn't have a heart or-
Everything fell deathly silent as the sound of a hog screeching for help from a lava pit screamed on by. What stepped off was a cliché meat head stocked with shotguns and leather covered seats. With an excessive amount flames colored all over his bike. He also decided to carry a heavy air around him that gave off waves filled with hatred and war. Mortals stood around frozen as he strolled his way into the diner. He wore so many scars and walked proudly as if each was a trophy.
The doors shut behind him and he waved his hand dismissingly. The mortals went back to their normal conversations as if a god walking in never happened. The diner lady repeated herself, but I just kept my eye on the man walking towards us. "It's on me." He said and guided us into a booth that was way to small to fit us comfortably. "Still here?" He asked the waitress. She stiffened and disappeared.
The biker stared at me from behind his shades. And like any god, his aura fought against my better nature. To fight, hatred, bloodshed, resentment, and all those nasty emotions. "So, you're the big news all around Olympus, huh, sea spawn?"
"I wouldn't know. Never been there." I calmly stated.
"That's not the rumor that's been going around. Word is, you're the one that started this whole mess."
"Is that right? Eh, I don't care. I'm just here because it is my duty. Sooo, why is a god like you here anyway?"
"Percy! Do you even know who you're talking to?!" Annabeth was shocked at the tone I was giving him.
"Of course I do. Ares, god of war." I said dismissingly said.
"Oh you got spunk kid. I don't mind though. I just heard that you were in town and I had a proposition I wanted to share." The waitress came back with heaps of food. We couldn't handle it any longer and attacked the food and drinks that lay before us. "I come asking for a favor."
"Pass." I told them.
"What was that punk?"
"I said pass. If you haven't noticed I'm trying to stop World War III from happening." I kept on eating my food without a care.
"You don't pass on a favor from a god. Punk! I should turn you into prairie dog and shoot you for sport!" Whoops. "But I don't have the time. Which is why I came to you. You bring back my shield from a water park near here and I will give you transport for your troubles. My girlfriend and I were having a lovely time, but it was cut short. After all you should be thanking me."
"Oh and why is that?"
"Out of all the gods sent to find the missing bolt, I was one of them. Thankfully, as an expert in war I picked up on the strategy pretty quickly. Framing somebody to start a war? Oldest trick in the book. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be on this stupid quest. Going after death breath and all."
"Fine but, I expect a decent ride when I get back. I'm beginning to cramp up." He gave a sly smirk and told us to hit the road after giving me a vague notion of directions to a love ride in a water park. Damn god with an inflated ego. Some one should knock him down a peg or two. In the blink of an eye Ares was gone leading us to wonder.
"Percy, this isn't good. A god seeking you out personally... This isn't good at all." Grover muttered out. Leaving a few strands lettuce and napkins in his teeth. We left the diner and set off down the road. I had a way of walking that made me seem perpetually in a hurry. My steps weren't long but, they were rapid. Like a speed-walker without that odd twisting motion they make.
"Do you guys want to know something?" They looked at me curiously. "Why I wanted to take you two along with me?" They looked at each other and nodded. So I began, "I could've chose anyone I wanted to come with me. I even thought about going by myself, in the hopes that no one else would die and find the answers that I was looking for. But, I decided to bring two friends along. Grover, I know you have doubts and I know how hard it is to move past a failure. But, the more you wallow in your own self pity, the more fear creeps up on you and you freeze. You think I haven't noticed how monsters keep getting past your nose? The nose that found a daughter of Zeus and two other demigods? Who kept them alive until you got to camp?... Hmph now you're scared. If you continue to live like this you'll never find Pan or make any real change. You may not like it, but that is the cold truth. I brought you along because I think of you as one of my best friends. I'm only trying to look out for you."
"Percy I-" Grover began a bit shaky, but I cut him off.
"Grover you need to get over this funk. Do it for the wild. For Pan." He lost any way to form words. "And you wise girl... You dream of seeing the world, but you're blind. You're the daughter of Athena for crying out loud. One of the most versatile goddesses out there, but you only choose to use one part, your brains. You think of every possibility before doing something."
"And there's something wrong with that?"
"Depends but, on this trip so far I would say yes. I fought more than either of you and it's time for you to pick up the slack. Sometimes you need to think of something on the spot or it could cost you. I grew up with the teaching that I should think before I act. Yet, if I did that for all my fights, I would be already dead. Your overthinking dampens your fighting prowess and your ability to use the full extent of a daughter of Athena. You have a lot more to offer than just your brains. You may not like it but, that is how it is. Frozen equals death... and I don't just mean physically, I mean in your abilities. Monsters keep coming back and they learn. They're not dumb, not even in the slightest." I may have been a little harsh but, they needed to hear that. "I'm not here to babysit anyone. We have a quest to finish." I put emphasis on the "we" to make my point. They didn't say anything back for the next couple minutes as we neared the park.
We reached the park as the sun was setting. It looked like any other water park with the slides, pools, and rides. Except for the fact that the fence had barbed wire covering the top of the main gate. And it was abandoned. Taking Riptide I sliced the padlock off and we walked inside without incident. "We should be careful. We don't know what caused Ares and Aphrodite to leave." I couldn't agree with Annabeth more. It totally slipped my mind that Ares was dating Aphrodite.
So of course we searched every inch of the place together because something that worries a god should definitely worry us. We hit any store and shop to get a nice change of clothes and any supplies we could find. Well Grover and Annabeth did. I didn't need to.
We couldn't find his stupid shield until we came across the tunnel of love ride. In the dead center of an empty pool surrounded by bronze statues of Cupid ready to fire and take flight. Of course that is where the love goddess would decide to have a date. In an abandoned park with a meat head. How lovely. Unless this was his idea, that actually makes much more sense. I hear Aphrodite has a lot of style so I doubt it was her idea. "I don't smell any monsters. Or anything to say they were here." Grover said with more confidence than before. Good.
"You sure?" He gave me a dead stare.
"Absolutely." I smiled back at him.
"Good work G-man. So what's the plan wise girl." I couldn't tell if she liked that nickname or not. Annabeth stood by the base of the statue and ran her fingers across the base.
"Eta...Grover since you have the flying shoes, you should stay up here. While Percy and I go and retrieve the shield." That was quick. She didn't seem too thrilled to go on a love ride with me though. Can't say I blame her. Getting down to the boat was the easy part. It looked adorable with the white and pink faded paint, with hearts all over it for two people. The shield sat perfectly in one of the seats. And a silk scarf. I looked back to Grover and saw that mirrors filled the rim of the pool facing this spot. Ugh were they planning on filming a porno? Disgusting! I snatched the scarf and stuffed it in my pocket. Having a favor from a goddess is always a good thing to have. "Oh no you don't Seaweed Brain." Annabeth tried taking it from me.
"Don't worry. I don't plan on falling for the love magic." She didn't seem convinced. I reached for the shield and my finger broke something. "Uh-oh." A fine metal filament. Trip wire. "I should've saw this coming."
"Trap?" Annabeth said.
"Trap." Noise erupted all around us, gear grinding against each other like this whole thing was the trap. Grover tried to fly down to us but, the cupids began firing. Not at us however. They shot across the pool and soon it began weaving across the top of the pool making a massive net. I sometimes hate magic. Grabbing the shield we tried climbing up the sides of the pool as Grover tried leaving an opening in the net. But as soon as he touched it, the threads began holding onto him.
The cupids' heads popped open and out came video cameras equipped with spotlights leaving the weird blue dots in my eyes. "Live to Olympus in one minute..." A countdown with Hephaestus's voice rung around us.
"We are going to broadcast to Olympus!" Annabeth shouted as we almost reached the rim of the pool. Every single mirror opened like hatches and thousands of tiny metallic spider like things poured out. She screamed in terror. Of course, spiders and Athena don't get along. I grabbed Annabeth and slid back down to the boat in the pool. "Forty..." We hopped inside the boat. We were inside a pool. I was a son of Poseidon. Grover continued to fly around searching for anything that could help us.
I tugged on any water that still filled the pipes and called them forward. "Thirty..." A couple of the pipes burst and water rushed towards us with the power of a tidal wave. Slamming into the boat. I willed the water to exit the tunnel and drive us out of here. And killing every little spider along the way. Passing all the cliché love stuff we continued to sail through to the end of the ride. I was laughing and having a blast keeping my hands in the air. Although Annabeth on the other hand was screaming for another reason.
I willed the water to slow down at the end of the ride and Annabeth couldn't be happier. She jumped off the boat and collided with Grover. Happy to know that he got out of there and. At the stall there was a camera still recording and I walked up to it. While Grover and Annabeth disentangled themselves from each other. "Hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did Olympus. Now it is time to say goodnight." I sliced the camera in half because I had no idea where the power button was. No wonder Ares didn't want to show up. Hephaestus was gonna trap them like bugs. The only thing a god worries about is, in fact, other gods that are out to get them.
Back at the diner Ares sat waiting at the same exact booth from before. "Oh, so you're not dead." I flung his shield at him, but he caught it with ease then smirked. The shield began changing and morphed into a bullet proof vest. "Who knew you looked so good on tv? Eh who cares. Your ride is out front, you should be grateful that you even got this much. Goes straight to L.A. with a single stop."
We looked out front and spotted a huge truck, snapping his fingers the backside unlatched. I didn't even bother saying thank you or whatever and walked out of the diner. Before I even managed to reach the door Ares called out, "Hey kid! A little something for your troubles." He tossed me a blue backpack, not even bothering to pick it up.
"Who knew that the god of war gets scared of a mechanic?" I looked him dead in the eye and knew I pushed the right button.
"Watch yourself punk or you're in for a fight."
"Try me." I leaned towards him
"That's it! I'm tired of your insolence! Next time we meet, you're dead!" Ares threatened and vanished.
I looked around and saw the waitress from before snapped a photo of us and vanish behind the counter. Great. Just great. I didn't bother to listen to what Grover and Annabeth had to say. I know what I'm getting myself into.
I walked out of the diner, followed closely by my two friends. Reaching the back of the eighteen wheeler I grew furious. Slamming the back shut, I walked to the driver's seat and opened the door. Grabbing the poor fella by the collar I tossed him out of his seat. His friend didn't even het the chance to say anything before I kicked him out as well. "WOah! What the hades Percy!?" Grover said who just so happened to be carrying the backpack... Well, I don't want it.
"Trust me, they deserved worse. We're driving straight to L.A. with as little stops as possible. Grover do you think you could take care of the animals in the back while we look for a spot to let them free?" His eyes grew wide and he rushed back there.
"Do you even now how to drive this thing?" Annabeth asked and to be honest, I didn't. "I do. Uhhh, when I was on the run, Luke, Thalia, and I would sometimes steal cars and we would take turns, you know, driving." She explained herself and I let her sit behind the wheel. She looked ridiculous. Here a twelve year old having the experience and know how to drive an eighteen wheeler all the while barely able to see over the wheel. I would've laughed, but her handling of the car shocked me into silence.
'You know, I wouldn't trust Ares.' Khione finally spoke.
'And where the hades have you been? Usually I have to keep you out of my head. What gives?' It wasn't like her not to annoy me.
'For your information I was notifying your family of your situation.'
'Do you have to say it like that? You make it sound like I went MIA or something.'
'Oh you haven't?' I could tell she was smirking.
'Oh haha very funny. But seriously, ever since I showed up at camp you haven't said a word.'
'The gods just realized you're a son of Poseidon and alive. I didn't want to risk exposing myself. So I just kept watch and dealt to my normal duties as a goddess.'
'That's right! I forgot you were a goddess.'
'What was that!?' She gave me a brain freeze. What kinda power is that?
'Just kidding! Geez... Do you know anything that could help me out here? About the prophecy I mean.'
'I wouldn't worry too much about it. Prophecies usually have double meanings.'
'Yea? And how many other meanings are there for "You shall fail to save what's most important." Because for the life of me, I don't know any other way to interpret it than at face value. You're a goddess, do have even have a slight clue?'
'Just because I'm a goddess, doesn't mean I know everything. And trust me, when a god admits that, they really don't know. You'll just have to be patience.'
'I know... Can you do one last thing for me?'
'I don't see why not.'
'You know the letters I send to Piper?'
'Yea?...'
'Can you send them now?'
'It's a little early isn't it?'
'Yea it is but, I almost died a few times already on this quest. I don't want to push my luck too far, if you know what I mean.'
'If you say so. DAmn it! I forgot to tell you that she wrote back. I've been holding onto them for a couple weeks now.'
'HAHaaa it's alright. I'll read them when I get back. Ok?'
'Uh sure. You should get some rest while you get the chance. Best be prepared for what's to come rather than pass out when you're most needed.'
'I know. It's just the nightmares are getting worse. Something major is headed our way.'
'We'll talk about this some more later. Just get some rest while you can. Goodnight.'
'Goodnight.' I should really try and sleep. You know I haven't thought about Piper since I received the last letter she wrote me. That was a little over a couple months ago. It nice that we keep in touch every once in awhile. It gives me something normal in my life, when everything else is abnormal. "What's with the faces?" Annabeth spoke up.
"What?"
"You've been making faces for the last few minutes like you were talking to someone."
"Well... I kinda was."
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. I was having a lovely chat with my sister."
"The goddess sister?" I nodded back at her. "I'm sorry for being so pushy on the subject before. We all have things we want to keep hidden, and I'm no exception."
"You're fine. You're the daughter of Athena, it's only natural to want to know." I told her and I was completely honest. For the next few hours we sat and had idle chat. Once we stopped for a gas, Grover and I switched places and it was my turn to look out for the animals. Grover put on a blessing on the poor creatures and I did the same. I played a soft lullaby type song on my flute and gave them a peaceful rest until we could let them go. We drove past Las Vegas and I fell asleep. Having one of the worst nightmares to date.
Sitting at the edge of my home, it was like any other day. I was just resting up after training for a little while when I looked out and saw shadows rush by the brush in the distance. I remember this... I didn't have the strength to move. Curiosity was the only thing that forced me to get up and go check out what was going on. Hurry up damn it! But I can't... It's only a memory. In this nature's hug of ever open arms of brown, cozy beneath the canopy of greens, there is a welcoming spirit that calls. It is as if there is something in me the trees can feel and they chatter to it, my intuition perhaps. There is a softness to the woodland floor, to the moss that supports and springs back. The woodland is the birdsong, it is the playful light and it is the serenity of time that flows without the clocks of man. That was how it usually felt anyway.
Today however, everything and everyone shows me that all will be okay, but I'm anxious. It comes as an electrical storm in my brain that, quite honestly, is painful. It's different from a headache and it feels the same as intense sorrow, perhaps as a sort of frozen panic with nowhere to go. So though I appear calm, my sad eyes are saying far more than "Help me," they are saying that my soul is in such unbearable pain and all for the lack of real loss. I stepped over a log and...
Out of complete silence the cry arose. Out of complete reverence the things of the world stilled to listen. Like a budding flower it started. Slow and gentle but it rose to a wail that tore at my heart; my voice felt as though tens of thousands of voices were crying out together in total sorrow. To the ends of the world the cry traveled. Over lands and seas, through forests and valleys. Every ear in the universe stilled to listen, every heart broke, so heavy so was miserable their song. When it hit, I fell to my knees. I felt a weight of sorrow press me into the dirt in which I knelt. My mind clouded with pain, my heart grew cold and numb with pent up emotion. I felt clogged with pain and anger, hurt, and fear. All I could do was continue the cry. So I let it out in one long mournful yell to the heavens. Within my heart of hearts I longed for my cry to be loud enough to reach the ear of Chaos itself.
The vision changed and I sat above the pit. "How pathetic. You couldn't even save her."
"It-it wasn't-"
"Your fault? But of course it was. If not for yo-"
"Stop it!"
"Hahahaha... Join me and together no loss will become meaningless."
"It wasn't meaningless!"
"But a loss nonetheless. Continue and more suffering will follow."
"Not if I have anything to say about it..." The voice didn't respond and I was thrown into camp. Everyone stood around the campfire, but there weren't any songs being sung. I pushed past people, finally able to control my own actions, and made my way towards the center. Every face was filled with sorrow and misery. The mood was reflected by the fire and was hunched low and barely gave off any light. A child sitting by the edge desperately trying to tend to the coals as if it was her lifeline.
A coffin carried in by fellow campers gave no indication of who might lay inside. No decorations, patterns, nor family symbols to show. This was a memorial service... I looked around and scanned every face to see who was missing but... nothing. Their faces smudged and clouded. Color drained from my face, as white as a slice of bread, white as a ghost, white as a sheet, rigid, rooted to the spot, frozen, clammy, cold sweat, shaking, stammering, unable to speak, wide eyed, edging backwards, hands clenched, white knuckles, vomit, adrenaline rush, heart in his throat, heart pounding, too scared to comprehend, incapacitated with fear. Nothing made any sense.
Then their piercing gazes fell upon me and I felt constricted. Every single eye fell upon my cowering figure. I shut my eyes and crumpled. "Why couldn't you of done more?" A voice that sounded like her spoke up. One after another everyone began chanting it and reaching out to grab me. Soon every voice numbed my ears. I just want it to stop. Please make it stop. I covered my ears with my hands and shut my eyes tight.
I felt multiple hands clutch my hands and my feet lifting me above theirs heads. I squirmed and wrestled but, they held firmly. I screamed...
Snapping my eyes open, I look around and was back inside the truck. Still with the animals. I brought my hands to my face and realized... I was crying. Tears pouring down my face like cascading waterfalls. Damn it... why now? Why did I have to relive that now?
Emotional pain has a biological purpose, to teach, to educate us away from unhealthy patterns and relationships. I've been pushing back against pain for so long, medicating with friendship, with different notions, yet it returns in my weaker moments, devastating my mind. To keep repeating this pattern will only prolong it, keep the pain underneath when in truth it must rise. Today I make a new choice, one to welcome it as a friend, to let it teach me what it must. Though I will be weaker in the moment, I will be stronger afterward. I will let it in through my doors, sit at my table, talk until I am wiser even though each word is a silver blade. They say only the strongest of warriors choose their battles, this is mine, let me earn my name.