Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter
The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: Symphony of Tempering
Chapter Eight: A Totally Normal Year
Beta: ShadowofAxios
"Pass me the mashed potatoes would you, Percy?" Rhode asked as she sat at the Jacksons' dining table enjoying Christmas dinner with the mother and son.
"Sure, here you go Rhode." Her brother said as he handed over the requested bowl.
"Thanks," Rhode said with a smile as she scooped out a spoonful of the side dish onto her plate to join the serving of mixed vegetables and slices of turkey that she'd picked out for herself.
"Mm, this is so creamy Mrs. Jackson." Rhode smiled at the goodness before her. Camp's food was of course amazing, but something about a home cooked meal just warmed the demigoddess' heart.
"I actually use cream instead of milk." The older woman replied as she had some turkey. "It really makes it fluff like a cloud."
"Cool! Gotta try that next time I make mash," Rhode said with a nod.
"So how is school going for you, Rhode?" Mrs. Jackson asked with a smile. "You're attending Horace Mann School to finish your high school diploma, right? It's one of the best schools in New York. You're coping well?"
Rhode hummed thoughtfully at the question. "I'm actually enjoying it. It's been going surprisingly well."
"Really?" Percy asked, surprised.
"Yeah, I was leery of going to such a prestigious school at first, especially after my experiences at Hogwarts and being behind in my studies thanks to the siege in my final year in Scotland. It was pretty tough to keep up with my distance learning, but it seems my tutoring while I was at Atlantis caught me up better than I expected."
After shoveling down a forkful of carrots, Percy asked. "You pulling any crazy stunts? I heard you were nuts in Hogwarts from Annabeth."
"Hey, hey, none of that was my fault!" Rhode quickly denied with a pout and growing blush. "Besides, I think I've matured enough to not get into zany trouble. Plus Horace Mann doesn't have the madness Hogwarts had. At least it doesn't have Basilisks in the plumbing."
"I certainly hope not." Sally said with a shake of head. "Considering how much I'm sure your Father is paying to have you attend."
"About that," Percy said, shooting his mom a curious look. "Why doesn't Dad arrange for me to go to a prestigious school?"
"He offered," Mrs. Jackson revealed. "Even wanted you to attend Horace Mann with Rhode, but I declined."
"Why?" Percy whined playfully.
"One, I don't want to be beholden to your Father." Sally said, ticking the points out. "Two, you've not proven yourself capable of holding down a place in such a good school. I know it's not your fault, but you've never managed to stay at any school for more than a year since preschool."
Percy pouted.
Was the baby seal pout hereditary?! Rhode thought as she stared at the look on her brother's face and let out a laugh.
"Relax, Percy," The older teenager said as she got her laughter under control. "You'll get more comfortable with your powers soon then things should calm down for you at school. And as you get better trained, you'll also be more able to cover it up when things do go pear shaped. That should help you hold down a spot at a school better."
"I get it." Percy said with a sigh and a nod. "Change of topic! Rhode, you joined any clubs at school?
"Yeah," Rhode said after she swallowed a cut of turkey. "I joined the photography club as a casual member."
"They differentiate between types of members?" Mr. Jackson asked as she carved up more slices of turkey for everyone.
"Not officially." Rhode shrugged. "But informally, they ask you what you prefer so they can better plan things."
"That's nice of them." Percy said with a nod.
"Yeah, the photography club is super nice. The swim team though," Rhode replied with a frown. "They keep pestering me to join."
"And you don't want to?" Percy asked curiously. "I'd have thought you'd have loved it."
"Nah," Rhode said as she accepted a couple new slices of turkey from Mrs. Jackson with a thankful nod. "I'd feel like I was cheating if I competed, being a daughter of Poseidon and all."
"Guess, you're right there." Percy said with a disappointed frown.
"Don't be disappointed, Percy." Mrs. Jackson said encouragingly. "If you want to, you can. I think it's fine."
Rhode frowned. That wasn't what Amphitrite had told her when she'd called her to discuss the matter. Her stepmother had told her it probably wouldn't be a good idea and a little unfair against mortal competitors that she might face in meets. She guessed Mrs. Jackson was trying to be encouraging and didn't consider that.
Let's change topics though. I don't want to start a fight over different parenting styles.
"Speaking of school, how has that new place been for you Percy? Meriwether Prep?"
"College Prep." Her brother corrected with a grumpy look. "I mean, it's kind of cool. Math is hard, but some of the kids are real jerks."
"You know, when I had a bully problem I sort of just judo flipped them when no one was looking. They'd run away from me after that." Rhode snorted.
Percy hummed at the thought while Mrs. Jackson gave both children of Poseidon chastising looks.
Chuckling, Percy shook his head. "I doubt I'd do that. Though they do pick on this homeless kid the school picked up for PR. He's a tall guy called Tyson. He doesn't really fight back so I try to stand up for him when I can. Social pariah in a few months is a new record. At least he's friendly enough."
"We actually tried to call Social Services in to help Tyson, but apparently they can't find him after school hours. And whenever they come during school hours, he's always missing for whatever reason."
"Oh, I can totally understand that." Rhode said with a nostalgic sigh. "Homeless kids all know to stay away from Social Services. They are all about trying to force you into a foster home or orphanage. That's okay for most I guess, but sometimes you just want to be on the street, you know?"
"Why?" Percy asked, confused.
"Any number of reasons. Everyone has one. For half-bloods like us, we need to make it to Camp or keep mortals safe from monster attacks by staying away." Rhode explained. "Or for something simple like keeping on the move to avoid getting others an idea of your habits so they can't take your stuff. I can speak for the latter two from my experience being homeless for three years. It can be a dog eat dog world on the streets."
Mrs. Jackson shot Rhode a sad look and Percy mumbled angrily under his breath.
"Hey, no need to get angry on my behalf." Rhode told Percy. "You know getting to Camp is the first trail of any half-blood. Mine just took a little longer than most."
"I know," Percy said with a sigh. "It doesn't mean I've gotta like it."
"Okay, why don't we talk about something less depressing." Mrs. Jackson said as she took a sip from her wine - a luxury for the holiday, she said - and tipped her glass at Rhode. "How's your romantic life going, dear? With your divinely inherited good looks, you must be fending off all the boys."
Percy choked on some turkey and tried to pat his chest to help swallow it down.
"I have been asked out quite a bit at school," Rhode said with a wince. "But since my last relationship ended in a mess, I'm taking a break from dating to get my head on straight."
"I understand," Mrs. Jackson said sympathetically. "I hope you're feeling better about it now and you'll get over it in time. Romance can lead to all kinds of wonderful things."
As she said that, she glanced at Percy with a look that radiated affection and both children of Poseidon could see how much the woman loved her son.
"Speaking of dating," Rhode said with a sly grin as she glanced at Percy. "How are things going with Bethy, Percy? She mentioned in one of her letters that she was writing to you too."
Percy's face went to an adorable shade of red as Sally also looked at him with slight amusement.
"I'm going to the bathroom." Percy said, blushing bright red as he scampered off with the two women giggling at his paltry attempt to escape the question.
"By the way, Rhode, is it a crush?" Mrs. Jackson asked, curiously.
"Honestly? I'm not sure." Rhode admitted with a shrug. "But I don't think so."
"Really?" Mrs. Jackson said, sounding very pleased. "I hope they make each other happy."
"Yeah." Rhode agreed.
"I'm back," Percy declared dramatically as he exited the bathroom and walked back to the dining table. "So, Rhode, how's your magical studies going?"
Rhode exchanged an amused look with Mrs. Jackson, knowing he was just dodging the question but at his mother's nod she decided to humor her brother.
"I've been practising some magic I picked up while in Atlantis lately and I'll be happy to show them to you once I've mastered it."
"Why can't you show me now?" Percy asked with a pout.
"A, we're at the dinner table and my spells might wreck your apartment," Rhode told him with a teasing smile. "And B, I want them to be a surprise."
"I remember you saying you needed to take some kind of wizard test, right?" Mrs. Jackson asked as she took a fork of turkey. "Mm, were you able to sit and get it done?"
The teenage girl nodded, "Yeah, I was able to pop by the American wizarding school, Ilvermorny, shortly after Percy went home after summer."
"Oh? Did they go well?"
Rhode answered with a shrug. "I did okay. Nothing spectacular, but enough so that the wizards and their paparazzi should stop harassing me about it."
Mrs. Jackson nodded in relief.
"We're almost done," she said, surveying the table. "Why don't we save the chatting till after we're finished?"
"Okay." "Alright." Percy and Rhode chorused in agreement.
Rhode had offered to help with the clean up after their meal but Mrs. Jackson said that she'd handle it all and that she and Percy should just chat. Percy seemed just as reluctant as she was to agree to it, but his Mom insisted so they had both ultimately agreed. They just couldn't deny Mrs. Jackson when she shot them that motherly look of hers.
So that's how Rhode and Percy ended up sitting on their couch continuing to chat as Mrs. Jackson cleaned up after Christmas dinner.
"So Percy, serious now, did Bethy tell you anything about how things are going with her and her family?" Rhode asked. "She's being kinda vague about it in her letters to me or when I call her."
"Same with me," Percy said, now frowning slightly. "You think something is wrong and she's hiding it? It would be just like her to do something like that."
"It would." Rhode agreed with a soft sigh. "So you think we should be worried?"
Percy hummed thoughtfully before shaking his head.
"I don't think so." He said hesitantly. "I mean Annabeth would let us know if she's in trouble, right? She's stubborn, but she knows to reach out to us if things get bad."
"Yeah," Rhode agreed with a swift nod. "Just worried is all. I think I might give a call to Mr. Chase directly just in ca-"
"Probably not a good idea," Mrs. Jackson said from the kitchen where she was putting the dishes into the washer. "If you do, it'll come across as accusatory. That alone will cause trouble for Annabeth. Better to just wait and see."
"Alright," Rhode said with a resigned sigh. "I'll just be patient. It's hard though."
"I know it is, Rhode." Mrs, Jackson said as she wiped down the dining table.
Wow, she's efficient. She's like a super homemaker!
"But it's the best course of action you can take, so bear with it." Mrs. Jackson said as she finished up and put the rag she used back on its hook in the kitchen.
"I'll try," Rhode told the woman as she saw her start to make them some hot chocolate.
"Patience doesn't come easy to children of Poseidon, does it?" Mrs. Jackson said with a knowing look at her son as she came out carrying a tray laden with three cups of steaming cocoa goodness.
"No, but I'll do my best." Rhode repeated herself as she took a cup. "Thank you."
Mrs. Jackson just smiled.
"So now that Mom's done with cleanup, gift exchange time?" Percy asked with a playful smirk.
"He's been itching to ask that all day, hasn't he?" Rhode asked the boy's mother with a grin.
"At least he wasn't asking it repeatedly like he would have when he was younger." Mrs. Jackson said with a giggle as Percy whined at the tease.
"Oh! Don't make me share stories about Bethy and chocolate frogs. You would die from laughter." Rhode insisted with a giggle of her own.
"Now, I totally want to hear those stories." Percy said with sparkles in his eyes. "But later! Gift time now!"
"I don't have a death by blonde wish." The elder child of Poseidon snorted. "And yes yes, gifts. Who's first?"
"Since you're the guest, you can go first. Here Rhode, from both me and Percy." Sally said, passing Rhode a box wrapped in green wrapping paper. "I sewed it and Percy helped me pick the pattern."
"Open it," Percy said eagerly as Rhode took the box from his mother.
Shaking her head at her brother's enthusiasm, she carefully undid the wrapping paper and opened the box to find a handknit sweater. It was green, as she'd expected, and decorated by a smattering of snowflakes that seemed almost as if they were being blown across the surface of the sweater by the breeze. They were subtle, almost artfully done and gave the sweater a youthful but not childish flair.
"It's beautiful," Rhode said honestly before she slipped it over her blouse. "How do I look?"
"Wonderful," Mrs. Jackson said with a grin and Percy shot her a thumbs up.
"Thanks," Rhode said, blushing lightly at the praise as she turned to fish out the presents she'd gotten for the Jacksons from the bag she'd brought along to dinner.
"Here," she said, passing the two boxes to her hosts. "These are from me."
Mrs. Jackson opened hers first and gasped.
"Rhode, this is incredible." The older woman said as she carefully took out the painting within. It was a framed watercolor painting of her and Percy.
"It's no big deal." Rhode said, waving away the weeks of effort she'd put into the painting.
"You have talent Rhode. Real talent." Mrs. Jackson said honestly as she held up the painting in different directions as if trying to figure out where to hang it.
"Maybe something to look forward to when college rolls around." Rhode shrugged with a light laugh.
"Maybe as an elective." Mrs. Jackson paused in her thoughts of redecorating to tell her with a wince. "There's no money in art. Better to major in something more safe."
"True," Rhode nodded, before turning to her brother. "By the way, Percy, you're being strangely quiet."
Said son of Poseidon just looked at her sheepishly, his mouth full of some of the blue sea salt candies that she'd gifted him.
Mrs. Jackson just laughed at him as she put down her new painting for a moment.
"Percy, mind your manners." She said through her giggles. "And didn't you just finish dinner?"
"I had to try and see if they were good." He insisted as he swallowed his mouthful.
"Are they?" Rhode asked.
"Yup, thanks Rhode."
"Thank you for the painting as well, Rhode." Mrs. Jackson said, echoing her son's gratitude.
Rhode simply nodded, thinking of how she missed spending Christmas with Bethy and… Luke.
Her mind took a dark turn for a moment that had her trying to push back her mounting rage.
"So, Rhode," Percy said suddenly, pulling her from the dark direction of her thoughts. "Like Mom said, you have a real talent for art. You sure you don't want to do it as your college major?"
"I never said I wouldn't." Rhode said, crossing her arms. "Your Mom just suggested I shouldn't."
"And I stand by that advice," Mrs. Jackson said from where she'd already hung up her new painting in pride of place just across from the apartment's front door so it would be the first thing any visitors saw when they opened it. "College isn't cheap. Spending all that money on something that likely won't earn you a living wage is a waste of it."
"But what about all that 'pursue your dreams' stuff we keep getting told in school?" Percy asked, surprised by what his Mom was saying.
"Do it in your spare time," Rhode chimed in. "Your Mom is right on this, I think. Better to get a college degree that can help you get a decent job first then think about maybe pursuing your dreams. That way you have a fallback."
"Makes sense I guess." Percy said, uncertainly. "So, um, what would you major in instead?"
Rhode shrugged. "I dunno. I'll think about it more when it's time to start applying for colleges. Right now, I'm leaning towards Physics though."
"Physics?" Percy asked, sounding disgusted at the mere idea.
"Yeah, hydraulics is a Physics subject." Rhode told him with a wink and he chuckled.
"Well, I think Physics is a good choice. Though if hydraulics is your interest then Engineering might be too."
"I know." Rhode nodded. "I'm considering that too."
"Enough about me," Rhode said, turning to Mrs. Jackson as she sat back down. "How's college treating you Mrs. Jackson?"
They continued to chat all the way till late in the evening, talking about everything from tidbits about their daily lives to their interests and everything in between. It was truly a relaxing and enjoyable experience. It was just so amazingly normal! And for a girl like Rhode such moments were something she treasured beyond measure. All good things must come to an end however and as it neared midnight, Mrs. Jackson asked a question around a yawn that told Rhode that it was time to call it a night.
"Rhode, it's getting late. Shouldn't you be heading back to Camp?"
"It is," Rhode said, offering the kindly woman a smile even as she stood.
"You're going already?" Percy asked, sounding torn between being sad that she was leaving and concerned with how tired his Mom was starting to look.
"Yeah," Rhode told him with a playful ruffle of his hair that got him protesting loudly. "But I'll see you soon."
"Okay," Percy said as he fixed his hair. "I'll come by Camp one of the coming weekends."
"I'll drive him." Mrs. Jackson assured on her son's behalf, all but sealing the deal.
"Thanks," Rhode said with a giggle at the almost betrayed look Percy was shooting his Mum. "Okay, I'm going now."
"How?" Mrs. Jackson asked curiously, even as Rhode pulled out her wand.
She'd have used Spellbound but swinging a trident around inside an apartment was just a bad idea. "Apparition. It's a wizarding mode of teleporting basically."
Mrs. Jackson breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried you'd have to travel back the old fashioned way. It's not safe for a young woman to be travelling alone this late, even if she's a demigod."
Part of Rhode, the old rebel without a cause part, was offended at that, but mostly she was grateful for the concern. It was unsafe for a young woman, anyone really, to be out and about so late. New York City was a lot safer nowadays, but street crime was still a thing. So she just offered the older woman a smile.
"Thanks for the concern." She said before turning to Percy. "You know it sucks that I've gotta go. Between school and everything else, I don't get to spend anywhere as much time with you as I would like."
"It's okay, Rhode. I get it." Her little brother said understandingly.
"Thanks," Rhode said with a grateful smile. "Bye Percy, bye Mrs. Jackson."
"Bye Rhode." The mother and son said in unison even as Rhode spun on the spot and apparated away.
"So I heard you kinda manipulated water pressure on your first quest." Rhode said to Percy as they both stood by Camp's canoeing lake about to practice their hydrokinesis.
It was early spring so it wasn't really that cold anymore and starting to warm up, the ice on top of canoe lake having finally melted and allowing them to use it for training. That it allowed them to just hang out in their Camp tees and shorts was another plus, walking around in winter wear got tiring after a whole season.
Oh, and as they talked his sister was juggling some water behind her with her mind.
She called it control training, but doing that while teaching him? It was a little nuts.
Hearing her question, he fixed her with a grimace at the reminder of that event during his quest for the Master Bolt. Waterland had not been a fun time, at all.
"I see you did," Rhode nodded. "So that gives me an idea on something you can try."
"Like what?" Percy asked, curious enough to forget his distaste of his experiences at the Tunnel of Love.
"Bolts of pressurized water." Rhode told him with a slight grin. "Like bottling up the power and then shooting it out. It should make any water bolts you shoot pack an extra punch. Think of it like a bottle rocket."
"What made you think of this? I mean, I told you about my quest ages ago."
"One of my school projects involves hydraulic pressure." Rhode said with a shrug. "It got me thinking. Now don't interrupt, I'm trying to lecture here."
"Sorry." Percy said with a grin that had his sister rolling her eyes.
"Now, I'm fine with ice bolts but you can't do ice. So this should be a nice way to make up for it. I have ice, you get more powerful water bolts."
Percy was still trying to figure out how she could just turn water to ice with a casual thought. He didn't say it out loud, but he had tried it a few times at home and got nowhere with it. He couldn't even chill tap water.
"Percy, are you listening?" Rhode chided and Percy hastily nodded.
"Good," she continued, satisfied she had his attention again. "So let's give this a try. Try making a water bolt like you normally do but just before you let it fly, try holding it back and letting it loose only after, I dunno, a second or two?"
"Okay," Percy said as he did as she suggested, even as she created a few ice targets further out on the lake for him to hit.
As usual when he used his hydrokinesis, the water obeyed his commands like it was nothing. Even something as complex or abstract or whatever the word to describe it as what Rhode was suggesting, the liquid obeyed without any complaint.
Thus, Percy wasn't even a little surprised as the powered up bolt of water slammed into one of Rhode's ice targets and shattered it. The whole thing was just a tad more draining than usual.
"I'm always surprised how quickly you get things when it comes to your hydrokinesis." Rhode said with exasperated disbelief.
"I'm probably just good with water. Plus you're a good teacher, you helped me with the flow of it during the summer a lot." Percy told her and he was being honest. Chiron knew stuff, but Rhode just knew stuff. She knew the flow, the feeling and just the motions behind their powers. "And you always have the craziest ideas."
"You've gotta think out of the box Percy." Rhode said with a grin. "Now let's see the limits of what you can do with this, alright. Do it again but take longer and build up more pressure this time."
"Gotcha!" Percy said, as he got ready for a good ol' training session.
After about an hour of practising with his new pressurised water bolts and some general hydrokinesis practice later, Rhode had invited Percy on a trip into the woods with Su and her.
"I dunno, I'd feel like a third wheel." He confessed, trying to decline. He kinda knew Su had a thing for his sister and didn't want to ruin her chance for a date.
"It's not a date." Rhode said, rolling her eyes. "Malcolm from Athena and Clarisse from Ares are going too. It's part of keeping the monster population in the woods down. Something that's part of us, year-rounders' duties during Camp's off season."
"Oh," Percy said, nodding in understanding. "Then I guess I'm okay with it."
"Good, now prep for some woods exploring. I'll go pick up some stuff we'll need from the Camp Store." Rhode flashed him a smile. "We can turn it into a lesson about outdoor survival too. Being able to dowse for water with your head is really useful."
"So should I pack a shovel to dig it up?"
Rhode just looked at him like he's crazy.
"Percy… You can use hydrokinesis to summon the water." His sister said with a shake of her head. "Just go grab your standard quest stuff. I'll walk you through the basics of outdoor survival."
Percy blushed at having made a fool of himself.
"Okay!" He said as he ran away, too embarrassed to say anything else.
A few weeks later, Rhode was just waiting for Argus to pick her up from the Burger King along Broadway where she'd just grabbed a snack after school when there was a sudden very localized earthquake.
"What the?" Rhode mouthed as she spun to its source - Minor earthshaker powers helped with that. - and saw a fissure had opened up in the carpark from which a throng of ghosts were hurrying out.
Rhode didn't need them talking about "making good their escape" or "being careful of pursuing security ghouls" to recognise them as escapees from the Underworld.
"You lousy dead assholes." She glowered and pulled out her wand from her wrist holster and hurried out of the fast food joint. Quickly, she hit as many as she could with the Seeker Charm.
The spell was one of those she'd learned to pass her DADA OWLs and was a tracking charm that would let her track anything she tagged with a paired variant of the Four-Point Spell. Plenty useful in all kinds of situations and was thus one of only a handful of the spells she'd learned for the silly wizarding exams that she actually bothered to really commit to memory.
"Shit! The fuzz is on to us, break for it!" One of the ghosts cried out in horror.
And with that, they fled like Cerberus was on their tails.
"There goes my afternoon," Rhode said with a groan. "And my extra fries."
Some time later, Rhode chased one of the ghosts through the 231st Street Metro Station. The accursed spirit she was chasing, a redhead woman dressed in a Victorian era dress, having managed to make it all the way here from the Burger King a whole station away.
"You're not getting away," Rhode said under her breath as she pulled out one of her Marble Grenades - one of the few items of her questing gear she could bring to school without raising a fuss or having to resort to hiding with her wonky control of the Mist - and tossed it at the fleeing spirit.
Her aim, built up over months of practice, was true and it hit the spirit in the small of her back and triggered. The handy anti-spirit effect immediately activated and shocked the undead woman like a lightning bolt. Stunned, the spirit couldn't resist as she was pinned to the station floor with Spellbound
"Alright asshole, this is how it's going down. You are going back to deadman wonderland and deal with the fact you don't belong up here. Got it? Good."
The woman looked very sad, but nevertheless nodded.
"Uncle Hades, here's another one of those escapees." She invoked and the ground under her turned to shadow as the long arms of a security ghoul shot out of the portal and dragged the unresisting soul back into the Underworld.
Breathing out a sigh of relief as the portal closed and the ghost was returned to where she belonged, Rhode surveyed her surroundings whilst offering a silent prayer of thanks to her Uncle.
Good, the job I did with the Mist held. She thought with a grin as she saw that her run-in with the ghost was being thoroughly ignored by the mundane commuters in the station. A few that Rhode sensed were more than what they seemed shot her a look but quickly dismissed her presence and went back to what they were doing.
I really need to work on my Mist Control. Rhode reminded herself as she finished regaining her breath. It was true, she sucked at it. Well, not entirely but she was definitely subpar for a demigod witch who were all supposed to be decently talented with it.
Lady Hecate must be helping me to cover for this little slip up? She is an Underworld goddess, right? So helping to clean up runaway ghosts is within her doman. Gotta ask Chiron later.
"Either way, ain't I lucky today," she said sarcastically.
To be fair, she was. After all, despite the sudden nature of this ghost hunt, she'd somehow managed to keep things completely under wraps. She'd called Argus and let him know what was going on so he wouldn't wonder where she went. Between that and a few hasty white lies to her school acquaintances she'd inevitably ran into whilst pursuing the ghosts so near her campus, she was pretty sure she was good. Though just having to deal with this mess made her too salty to look on the bright side of things.
"Rhode, I've been looking for you." A familiar voice said from behind her and she spun around, Spellbound at the ready, to see… Cedric Diggory!?
"Cedric?" Rhode asked, blinking at her former Hogwarts schoolmate in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"Looking for you," he said with a charming smile that just got him a raised eyebrow from Rhode. He sheepishly chuckled. "I'm here on behalf of the British Wizarding Resistance, a movement of wizards fighting to drive out the muggles from our world. We'd like to recruit you-"
"Good luck. Not interested." Rhode said dismissively as she switched Spellbound back into its disguised form and started to walk away. She had no time for this, those ghosts wouldn't catch themselves.
"Wait! Rhode, please!" Cedric asked, nay, begged as he jogged up next to her. "If I help you out with this ghost problem, would you at least hear me out?"
Threading a hand through her hair, she gave him a stern look. "Fine, pull some weight on this and I promise to listen. But no more than that. I don't feel like jumping into a war."
We've already got one of our own brewing.
Much to Rhode's surprise, Cedric managed to more than pull his weight and so within a couple hours they were already tracking down the last of the ghosts that Rhode had managed to tag, a pack of them dressed in Classical age finery, in an alley.
"What is with those exorcism spells? I've never seen them." Rhode asked Cedric curiously as he shot one of said spells, a grey beam, at the ghosts and herded them in the direction the two wizards wanted.
"I had a couple ghosts back in my family home and so everyone had to learn a fair few spells of the type to deal with them when they got out of hand." Cedric said with a chuckle. "They're pretty standard, though only taught at NEWT level since their utility is so niche."
"I see," Rhode nodded in understanding.
"By the way, why are you chasing ghosts, Rhode?"
"Dude, you're asking me only now?" She asked with a brow raised skeptically.
The handsome boy shrugged. "We're almost done, right? I didn't want to distract you till now. You are scarily efficient when you put your mind to it."
That makes sense. Rhode thought with a nod.
This was the last of the group she'd managed to tag. If there were any others, they were none of her business. Chiron could send out someone else to deal with them. She was tired of playing ghostbuster.
"Well, then I guess I've built up enough goodwill with you for you to hear me out already. So no harm asking now?"
"Very Slytherin of you," Rhode commented idly as she watched the ghosts huddle together fearfully at the wall that marked the end of the dead end alley.
A few tried to phase through it but a quick spell from Cedric prevented it.
"Since we're almost done, I guess I can explain." Rhode said as she relaxed a little. "These ghosts are fresh escapees from the Underworld. I think they exploited the instability brought on by the Crooked One's rise to slip past Lord Thanatos-"
Cedric was about to say something, when suddenly there was a new figure standing in their midst. One that Rhode recognized.
Standing just in front of her and looking at her with a disapproving frown was Lord Thanatos in all his regal, ebony winged, brown skinned glory. And with him came the wave of utter dread and death that he brought wherever he went.
Damn, he is still crazy good looking. Rhode admitted in her head. Just because she wasn't dating, didn't mean she couldn't admire physical perfection when it presented itself.
Shaking the stray thought away, she gave the winged god a look as she steeled herself.
Cedric, to Rhode's surprise, despite turning pale as a sheet kept his cool too. Though she wondered what he was seeing the god as. The Mist might not work all that well on wizards but it did have some power over them.
"Rhode, I would have thought you would have invoked me sooner. Or even just called me." He said in that sweet honey coated baritone voice of his.
"Uh, I was worried you would be too busy." Rhode admitted with a nervous smile. "You're always so busy, Lord Thanatos."
"Yes, I am." The god said with a nod. "But dealing with escaped ghosts is my job, Or part of it."
Whilst Rhode and Lord Thanatos were chatting and Cedric was distracted by the god's presence, the ghosts had attempted to make a run for it.
"Not so fast," Lord Thanatos said, snapping his fingers and causing a surge of power to flood the alley.
Most of the spirits froze, but one managed to act quickly and unbeknownst to Rhode dive into Cedric. Who promptly broke into a run straight out of the alley.
"He ran off? Did your presence break his mind or something?" Rhode asked, eyeing the fleeing wizard in disbelief. "I thought better of him."
"Don't think too badly of him." The god of death told her with a playful smile. "Or what he'll do. It is not his fault. The Fates have interesting things in store for both of them."
Rhode looked at Thanatos sharply at that but before she could ask what he meant, the god and the ghosts he'd captured vanished.
"Great, now I've gotta decipher just what he meant there." Rhode said with a tired sigh as she turned to exit the alley to begin the trip back to Camp. "Guess it'll be something to occupy my mind for the hours long trip at least."
"So you wanted to meet us, servant of the Titans?" An emaciated stallion of a pegasus with a night-black coat, a huge head, fangs like vipers, membranous wings and malevolent dark eyes illuminated by red-hot flames said as he leaned down to glare at the hapless demigod son of Hecate that the Titans had sent to treat with them.
"Loosen up a little Thunderleg," Tanya said, kicking one of her mate's legs lightly. "He's so scared he can't talk. And the longer he takes to say what he came here to tell us, the more time we have to waste on him."
The monstrous former pegasus scoffed but backed off, trotting to the other side of the clearing they were occupying and leaving the demigod to Tanya to handle.
Lazy ass. The immortal sorceress thought affectionately even as she rolled her eyes.
"So what do you have to say, little boy?" She barked at the boy who looked at least five years older than she did.
"I-I, um, am here to extend an invitation," the boy said, recovering his nerve as he kept going. "An invitation for you Lady Tanya and Lord Thunderleg to join the armies of my lord, the Crooked One, Lord Kronos, in our war against the gods."
"And why would we do that, hmm?"
"We have a plan, my lady." The boy said with a smirk. "One that will allow my lord to complete his rise whilst also hurting the gods' beloved Camp."
"Boring," Tanya said dismissively. "You know how often I hear that? Thunderleg, help me out? What once every month?"
"Fortnightly," Thunderleg corrected.
"This isn't some foolish monster's ploy, my lady. This is a masterful plan crafted by Lor-"
"Enough," Tanya said, leveling her gun at the boy. "We're not interested. Leave before I kill you."
The boy hesitated for a moment so Tanya gathered some light in the barrel of her gun. That broke his resolve and he turned and fled.
"Was that wise?" Thunderleg asked, trotting back over. "Angering the Titans when they are on the rise is risky."
"It'll be fine." Tanya said with a shrug. "I'm aligned against all divinites. God, Titans, even Gigantes, I will not care. I will kill all of them!."
As Tanya burst into maniacal laughter, Thunderleg shot her an affectionate look and rubbed his head against hers lovingly.
"Sorry to disturb, Devil of the Rhine, Nightmare of Pegasus," a newcomer greeted and the couple spun in its direction with Tanya having her gun raised and light gathered for a powerful laser.
"Who are you?" She asked the handsome human that walked into the clearing without a worry in the world.
"My name is Cedric Diggory," the boy said, though the way the magic around him shifted slightly at his words told her some very interesting things. "I represent the British Wizarding Resistance and I think we can help each other."
"How did you find us?" Thunderleg asked, shocked that a mere wizard had managed the feat.
But the boy was no mere wizard was he?
"I'm listening, son of Aeolus." Tanya said, an eager grin on her face.
One night just before the start of summer, Rhode was finishing off the last of her assignments for the school year, her last bit of schoolwork in general, inside Cabin Three when Chiron's conch horn suddenly sounded.
Alarmed at what it could be about, Rhode leapt to her feet and ran outside. She wasn't the only one. All the year-rounders were rushing out of their cabins and looking around for Chiron.
"Over there! On Half-Blood Hill." Someone, Rhode didn't catch who exactly, shouted.
Rhode spun in that direction and found Chiron, Argus and surprisingly Mr. D standing by Thalia's tree having a tense conversation that was just shy of being an argument.
Rhode and the other Campers rushed over to the hilltop and as she did, Rhode could not help but notice the seemingly sickly color that had suddenly taken over the bark of Thalia's tree.
"Poison!" Su gasped as she and her sister Miranda Gardiner ran over to the pine. "It's been poisoned."
"Yes," Chiron confirmed. "With the essence of Lady Achlys' death-mist. Some of the deadliest poison in the world."
Rhode staggered to a stop and collapsed to her knees looking up at Thalia's tree in horrified shock. She was too shaken by this to react, even as the others tried to figure out what had happened.
"Who?" Clarisse demanded. "How? Why?"
"The who and how are simple. This was the work of a traitor obviously." Mr. D said lazily. "The why? Well, my guess is to weaken this Camp's wards."
"What do you mean?" Silena asked, sounding worried.
"Camp's wards are tied to Thalia's tree." Chiron said with a deep frown. "Now that it's been poisoned, as it weakens-"
"The wards around Camp will as well." Su concluded, looking away from her examination of Thalia's pine. "Judging by my guess, I'm saying we have at best till the end of summer before the tree dies and the wards fail."
"Yes, and as it does monsters will start trying to test them. We will need to set up patrols to-"
"You won't be doing anything," Mr. D said, cutting Chiron off.
Chiron looked at the god questioningly.
"Someone has to take responsibility for this."
"You want to make me the scapegoat?" Chiron asked affronted.
"You are the Activities Director." Mr D. reminded flippantly. "And you don't expect me to take responsibility do you?"
That managed to shake Rhode out of her stupor.
"No," she hissed angrily, frost spreading out from her as she got back to her feet and she marched towards the wine god.
All her horror at the poisoning of Thalia's tree, at there being a traitor in Camp, at Luke's betrayal. At everything! Just poured into the anger she was feeling at the wine god's hypocrisy.
Mr. D for his part just turned to look at her with annoyance.
"'No' what, Rebecca?"
"No, you won't be making Chiron the scapegoat for this." Rhode said, her breath coming out in a cold mist. "You're Camp Director. You're not going to shift the blame."
Chiron, Su and what seemed like everyone spoke up, trying to get Rhode to back down. But it was like she was having tunnel vision. She couldn't hear them. Briefly an image of a seashell appeared in her mind, but that was quickly washed away by the tsunami of anger that was consuming her. All of which zeroed in on Mr. D just like her attention had.
"Are you challenging me, girl?" The god asked, his eyes swirling with purple fire.
"Yes." Rhode said defiantly.
Mr. D didn't bother to respond verbally, he just slapped Rhode so hard that she crumpled to the ground like a ragdoll.
"Rhode!" Su shouted and tried to rush to assist her but Chiron galloped in front of her in a burst of speed and grabbed hold of her.
"Stay out of this, Su!" He ordered even as he restrained the struggling daughter of Demeter.
Rhode wasn't aware of any of that though as she rolled to her feet, wiping the dirt from her eyes and glowered at Dionysus as his purple eyes swirled with disdain and annoyance.
"Are you still challenging me?" The god asked, his voice stern.
Rhode spat out some blood from her busted lip. "Nice love tap."
"Cheeky, and ever so predictable." The god drawled. "Honestly, you aren't as clever as you think. You brats are just all bark and no bite. Let me show you how an actual demigod can fight. Oh wait, I'm not one of you, I'm a god now."
"And you talk too much!" Rhode shouted as she tried to tackle Mr. D only for the god to not move an inch no matter how hard she pushed as the ground beneath her peeled away from the force she was using.
"Pathetic," he said with a snort as he picked her up by the waist and body slammed her into the ground.
It was like her brain was playing Pong inside her skull as she tried to understand where was up and which way was left as she ate dirt.
"Does baby godling need daddy to get anywhere? Honestly, you brats whine and whine, but you don't accomplish much these days."
"Eat cold!" Rhode said, staggering to her feet once more whilst unleashing a blizzard on Mr. D.
"Thank you, it was getting hot today." He said as he lifted an eyebrow and caused all the ice she'd conjured to disappear, leaving in its place a snow cone that he tauntingly took a lick of.
"So shall we continue or will I have to start to break your twiggy bones? Maybe take a limb? You don't need those, correct?"
"Mr. D! You are not allowed to maim the Campers." Chiron reminded him from where he was still struggling with Su, now with the assistance of a couple other Campers.
"Bah, what's a little maiming. It teaches the lesson, no?" The god scoffed. "But I guess the scolding from the Old Man and Barnacle Beard isn't worth it."
Even as he said that though, he stepped up to Rhode and punched her in the face. The blow sent her crashing down Half-Blood Hill.
"Still defiant, Renee?" Mr. D asked Rhode as he strolled towards her. "At least you have gumption if nothing else. I did put a little effort in that one. Enough to fracture your neck."
"You'll never break me." Rhode spat defiantly as she struggled to her hands and knees. Standing was out of the question at the moment, with how her head was spinning.
"Oh girl, I don't need to break your spirit. Just your body." Mr. D said with a menacing smirk as he cupped his fists together and brought them both down in a powerful blow to Rhode's back.
Rhode screamed in agony as she was slammed into the ground so hard that it cratered around her body. Was that a rib in her lung? The gob of blood she just coughed up told her that yes, yes it was.
With her swimming vision, she could see the god's sneakers in front of her. Looking up, the god of madness loomed over her with a glare.
"Anything else you want to say, girl?" He spat.
Rhode was too busy hacking up a pool of blood - And possibly her other lung. - to even respond. Even still, she sank her fingers into the dirt, struggling to push herself up.
Mr. D rolled his eyes and kicked her.
All breath left her as the kick squeezed her leftover lungs like a balloon and sent her hurling right into the New York Sound.
A distant part of her aching mind realized that the move probably just saved her life instead of splattering her into paste from the impact.
"Now," she heard the god's angry voice despite the distance probably through some magic on the spiteful god's part. "Anyone else want to challenge my authority? No? Good! Then scram! I need to go find me a new Activities Director."
It was these last terrible words that wormed into Rhode's brain as darkness took her vision as she passed out and slowly sunk to the bottom.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless and Axios as always!
Ah, this chapter started out so sweet and loving. And then it went down the drain! Alright, fluff first fans. The Rhode and Percy interaction was just a blast. The two have a lot of chemistry and just mesh very well. Truly the sibs are the best. Plus doing some stuff with Sally was nice as well. Thanatos and Cedric were a fun spot to add, that's going somewhere. Also, trust us as you say with Tanya and her Nightmare companion. And then we had the ending, Thalia poisoned, Rhode's wrathful Fatal Flaw rearing its head and Dionysus snuffing it out before she went well, mad~!
Nameless: About Mr. D beating the crap out of Rhode. Well… He's gotta show his true power once in a while. It's sad that he doesn't get enough attention in the fandom. This is a god who conquered his way all the way to India in a drunken binge, he can totally slap around an uppity half-blood. Was he justified in doing so? No, but he's a god and his authority was challenged. That's all the justification he needed.
Also yes, we did change up the poison from Elder Python Venom to Achlys' Death Mist. It helps set her up as a possible enemy in the future and that's just twisted. Honestly, Thalia is probably dying far faster from it.
Nameless: She probably is. Hence, why we're just gonna say the poisoning moved a little earlier in the timeline when compared to canon. Besides, this solves a minor plothole about Python. In Trails of Apollo, it's established he's a singular entity not a race of monstrous snakes. So how in the world was there such a thing as Elder Python Venom?
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!