Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter
The Unrelenting Frozen Seas: Symphony of Tempering
Chapter Thirteen: Entering the Snowy Depths
Beta:
Trigger Warning: Dubious Consent, Sexual Assault, Rape
The phone rang on the other end as Jack stood in the Big House.
With how things had turned around in his life. Again. He needed his rock, his only safe harbour in the chaos that was his life. He needed Rhode. So he decided to get in touch with her via the last option he had available to him, her divine cellphone.
Isn't like anyone else is letting me so much as talk to her without a chaperone.
Rhode was his girlfriend. The others didn't have a right to do this to them. To split them up! She was perfectly happy being with him!
Still, the fact Mr. D is helping me out here… no, he just wants a laugh. Like the rest of the gods.
He honestly understood what Castellan was going on about with the gods. Even if he was a nutjob, Jack still somewhat got what he was on his soapbox for.
Once the line picked up, he heard Rhode ask in a groggy tone. "Chiron?"
"Nope, it's me babe." Jack smiled into the phone, her voice was so cute when she was dazed. Though it was about three in the morning, so it made sense.
"What? Jack?!" She hissed quietly into the phone before her voice was replaced by the sound of shifting blankets, footsteps and the closing of a door. She had probably sneaked into her bathroom. "Why are you calling me?"
"I can't call to have a conversation with you?" He asked innocently.
"You know we're not supposed to be talking, Jack." She answered with a sigh.
He bristled at that and said, "Yeah, so you're being watched like a dog on a leash? Come on, Rhode. We all know it's just those busybodies messing with our relationship."
Like Chiron and Su. Honestly, Su was just a desperate shit that wanted to milk being with Rhode. She was a sycophant during their time at that magical school of theirs and that's all the girl was going to amount to. Chiron? Chiron was supposed to be there for him and he just kept failing when Jack had needed him most. And now he was ruining the one, final good thing he had left.
Fuck that and fuck them.
"Jack, n-no. I'm hanging up. We can talk in the morning when there are other people around." Rhode shakily answered, but he wasn't going to take that.
"Rhode, come on. Let me just talk with you… please? I-It's been hard without you. Could we meet? Just to hang out. Like the good old days?" He asked sweetly. The line was still on, so she hadn't hung up on him thankfully.
"Jack, no. Come on."
"Our special spot. Come on, just give me a chance Rhode. You know I'd never hurt you."
And he wouldn't. He'd rather die than hurt her. This was just for her own good.
"...Where?" She asked in a sullen yet intrigued voice.
"Canoeing Lake, fifteen minutes." He said, preening with happiness.
Dionysus watched as the blasted son of Khione raced out of the Big House of the accursed Camp for his rendezvous with the one demigod from this generation and who wasn't one of his children that he liked. Honestly, if not for what he'd foreseen for the girl if he didn't allow this, he'd have engineered a little "accident" for the boy already. The mortal didn't realise it but he was as bad as his mother. No, he was worse. At least Khione was an unrepentant monster. Her son on the other hand still thought of himself as a victim.
"The lesser of two evils," the god of madness said with a sigh as he emptied his can of Diet Coke and instantly replaced it with another. It wasn't his beloved wine but since he was barred from that thanks to his Father's ridiculous punishment, he had to make do.
To think letting the daughter of Poseidon be used like this was the lesser of two evils just showed how unfair the universe was. And the mortals wondered why the gods were capricious and cruel? How could they not be when the universe they supported was exactly that?
Or maybe his heart just went out to young princesses getting screwed over?
"Still better this than being reduced to that brat's little living dutch wife."
"Jack, meeting you like this is a bad idea." Rhode told the son of Khione as she walked to the spot by the canoeing lake where they'd agreed to meet.
"Why would that be?" He asked with a devilishly handsome smile that had Rhode's stomach doing flips. "You're my girlfriend. It's only natural that we meet up alone sometimes. And with everyone hovering around you all the time, this is the only way we'd get any time together."
"Jack, I'm not your girlfriend right now." Rhode reminded him. "We broke up remember?"
Jack's face fell at that and Rhode felt like a heel.
"So you're really dumping me?" He asked, looking devastated. "Are you abandoning me too? Betraying me and leaving me all alone just like everyone else?"
No, devastated wasn't the word for it. Jack looked so broken as he spoke that it broke Rhode's heart. His eyes looked so empty, the usual joy that burned in them snuffed out abruptly. His tone, usually full of youthful happiness sounded hollow. His shoulders had slumped and he was practically folding in on himself. He looked like he wanted to hug himself but just couldn't bring himself to go all the way.
In the face of that, Rhode's convictions crumbled.
"You can't say it, can you?" Jack said, his voice hopeful. "You just can't say that we're not dating. I'm right, aren't I?"
"I-I-"
"I know you're unsure, Rhode." He said, his words dripping with honey. "But I know how to make you realise the truth."
"Wha-"
Before Rhode could even finish the sentence, he'd grabbed her arms and roughly pulled her into a kiss. Her first thought was to push him away, but as she tasted the almost forgotten wintermint taste of her lips that idea evaporated into so much vapour and she instead melted into the kiss.
And as his hands let go of her arms and began wandering over her body, she allowed it, even wrapped her arms around Jack's neck. It nevertheless surprised her when she felt his cold hands on her breasts over her Camp tee and she gasped, her face heating up as he began to tease her nipples through the fabric with his icy fingers.
This was too much and she began to pull away but he responded by giving her by now very erect nipples a firm twist that had her squeaking in a mix of pain and pleasure. Pulling away from their kiss, he leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"Do you want to stop?" He asked cheekily, sounding sure as to her answer.
Rhode opened her mouth to reply, not sure what she'd say, when he pinched her nipples again sending a shiver of delicious pain and pleasure shooting up her spine.
"M-More," Rhode said, her voice slurred by pleasure.
"Gladly," Jack said as he pulled back. "But I want to see what I'm touching."
Rhode blushed and hesitated.
"You don't want to?" Jack asked, looking sad. So very sad. So much so that it broke her heart seeing such a look. "Don't you want more? Or is it because you don't trust your boyfriend?"
Rhode wanted to say no, to stop. But she couldn't. Not when Jack was telling her that if she did, she would be rejecting him. So offering him a shy smile that hid her anxiety, she pulled off her Camp tee and before she lost her nerve undid her bra too, tossing both aside.
Even as the son of Khione continued to talk the daughter of Poseidon into and guide her through their first sexual encounter, they were unaware as the winged god of love, Eros, watched them from his perch in a tree overlooking the couple.
Sometimes this job can be so unjustly cruel. The god thought as he watched the two youngsters with a frown.
"This is not how things should have developed." The god said, sounding furious.
"Blame Electra," his mother, the goddess Aphrodite, said as she materialized next to him. "Rhode isn't the only one who's been affected by the whims of the divine."
"Yes," Eros nodded. "The coma has changed things. Forcibly accelerated the development of their relationship in the only way that time will allow."
"And thus turning him into an emotionally abusive monster."
"Accelerated his growth into one you mean."
"To-meh-to, To-mah-to." The Olympian said with a shrug. "Besides, brain damage is a cause too. Chiron might be one of the best healers in the world but brains are tricky things."
"He missed it?" Eros asked, honestly surprised.
"Oh, he healed the injury but not before it had permanent effects." Aphrodite corrected. "Think what happened to Henry VIII from his jousting injury. It wasn't fatal and it healed but it changed his personality completely."
Eros nodded. "And the course of their relationship as we'd scripted for them did not help."
"Nope," Aphrodite said, tittering in amusement, eyes shining with monstrous love. "And now we have a wonderful love story to watch. Isn't it grand?"
"I do not agree, Mother." Eros said with a shake of his head. "I do not like this. Not at all."
Aphrodite shrugged. "What's done is done, son. There is nothing we can do. You remember the deal we made with Poseidon. No more interventions."
"I remember. It is the only thing making me stay my hand at the moment." Eros replied, clenching his fists in anger. "It feels wrong to do nothing as the curses' on the poor girl reach their peak potency and perverts the natural course of things."
"Just think of it as an amateur show, sweetie. I'm sure Rhode's lovers will like how skilled she is~ After all, she has so many suitors, so many routes. I'm eager to see how it ends, be it forever after or tragedy." The goddess tittered, hands holding her cheeks as she watched the show with rapt attention.
Eros nodded, hiding his disgust with the ease of practice. He loved his Mother, he truly did, but oftentimes she was too monstrous for his tastes.
"Shall we go?" He said. "I fear if I stay any longer I will soon not have the restraint to not do something rash."
"Oh, alright." Aphrodite said with a pout and teleported away in a cloud of pink mist.
Throwing one last pitying glance at Poseidon's daughter, with one powerful beat of his wings Eros likewise departed.
As Rhode walked back to Cabin Three after her rendezvous with Jack, she couldn't help but feel disgusted with herself. All it took for her to agree to get back with him were a few words!? Worse, she'd let him sweet talk her into not just second but third base all at once!? She'd even given him a bloody blowjob!
She could still feel the taste of his cum on her tongue. It clung to her teeth and the taste just wouldn't go away. It was like a thick jelly with a salty tinge. It didn't taste sweet anymore for some reason. Now it just tasted awful.
What the Pit did I do? Why by Olympus did I let him talk me into doing any of the things we did!? Rhode thought, fighting back tears. She held her arms around herself tight, trying to wrap her brain around it all. Why am I so weak when it comes to him!? Why!? Why!?
Even though she knew what she did had set her on the path of spiraling towards her own self-destruction… She also knew that if put in the same situation again that she would have succumbed all over again. Jack was… She was… It was just impossible to say "no" to him. This dire realisation caused her breath to come up short and her chest was overcome by an ugly tightness that made her just want to crawl into bed and never wake up.
"I'm pathetic," Rhode whispered as she reached Cabin Three and quickly adjusted her clothing just in case. Percy should still be asleep, but there was no reason not to be cautious. There was no way she wanted her little brother to find out just ho-how pathetic she truly was.
Chiron sat in his office in the Big House with Su, Annabeth and Thalia as they waited for Percy to bring the subject of their mutual concern over.
"What is taking so long?" Amphitrite asked via the IM she was using to attend this gathering. "They should be here by now."
"It hasn't been that long, Lady Amphitrite. Percy only went to fetch Rhode a few minutes ago." The Trainer of Heroes reminded the anxious Queen of the Seas.
"Only? It feels longer." The goddess admitted with a frown.
Thalia looked ready to make some kind of comment at that, probably negative, but thankfully Annabeth put a restraining hand on her shoulder and the daughter of Zeus held her tongue. Yes, this was the sixth time the goddess had asked the same question in as many minutes but pointing that out was just uncalled for. Firstly because Amphitrite was just being an anxious mother and secondly because she was a goddess. Pointing out the shortcomings of any divinity was foolhardy at best.
"Chiron, I'm here like you asked." Rhode said as she opened his office door and stepped into the room with Percy trailing behind her, though she froze as she noticed who was waiting for her. "...Is this what I think this is?"
"If you're thinking this is an intervention, dear, then yes it is." Amphitrite said, crossing her arms and glaring at her adopted daughter.
Rhode opened her mouth to say something, but the goddess was having none of it and continued before the girl could say a word.
"I know what you did with that Jack boy last night."
"Y-You do!?" Rhode said, paling and stumbling back in shock. "H-How!?"
"Yes, I do. For the how, it does not matter. What is our concern is this boy has stepped too far, dear."
"O-Of course it matters," Rhode said, hiding her face with her hands. "We were at the Canoeing Lake… The nereids! T-They saw us, didn't they?"
"Among others," Amphitrite confirmed. "A couple dryads did as well and a few gods who happened to look that way. All of whom were more than happy to regale your father and I about your tryst in the morning session of court."
Rhode looked down, as if begging Hades to swallow her up.
"Tryst?" Percy said, his voice sounding frigid. "What did Jack make you do, Rhode?"
A quick glance around the room showed that it wasn't just Percy who was furious and curious all at once. Annabeth had drawn her dagger and was clutching its handle in a white knuckled grip. Thalia was sparking uncontrollably. And Su… Her shirt had practically exploded as Helel's tendrils burst free from the fabric that usually kept the Devil's Snare she'd planted along her spine hidden and were writhing around her in agitation. The daughter of Demeter was exposing herself somewhat, standing there topless save for her bra but she didn't seem to care.
"Nothing. Nothing I d-didn't agree to." Rhode weakly informed, her shoulders slouched and anxiety written all over her face.
"You mean you were manipulated into." Amphitrite corrected. "Eros was quite clear on that being the case."
"I-No! D-Don't twist my words!" Rhode shot off with heat in her voice. Until she froze at what she heard. "W-What do you mean, Eros?"
"He was there," Amphitrite told her. "He was one of the gods whose blessings are upon you. Did you think he would not be interested in keeping a watch over you?"
Rhode looked ready to bolt, like a startled doe. Her eyes shifted left and right as she took a step back. Her breath hitched as her shoulders shook.
"Before we proceed," Chiron said with a polite cough. "Might I know exactly what you two did, Rhode?"
"So you can punish us?" Rhode asked, shooting Chiron a worried look. "I know what we did are against-"
"Hardly," Chiron said with a shake of her head. "Not unless you get pregnant and even then exceptions can be made. That said, you two did not go that far I hope?"
"No," Rhode said in a small, relieved whisper. "Not yet."
"And what do you mean by 'not yet'?" Su asked, her voice dripping poison just like how Helel's vines did the same.
Rhode looked at the floor, unwilling to meet anyone's eyes. "Must I?"
"We are concerned and would really like to know what lines have been crossed," Chiron said comfortingly. "And as your counsellor, I need to know so that we can talk about it."
Forcing it out in front of so many people would not normally be a good thing, however in this case Chiron decided it was appropriate. Rhode needed to admit to what she'd done. Not just to a confidant but to her whole family. Only then would she be able to truly come to terms with it and work towards fixing it.
"I can't, I don't want to talk about this anymore. Please." She asked pleadingly, her chest heaving as if hyperventilating.
"You will, young lady." Amphitrite ordered, stern and unflinching. "Tell them or I will."
"I...W-We-" Rhode's eyes welled up with tears, holding herself as shame filled her face. She tried to speak, but her voice looked lost.
"It's okay, Rhode." Annabeth said, walking up to the daughter of the seas and pulling her into a one armed hug. Though Chiron noted that she never once relaxed her grip on her dagger. "Take it slow."
With a shuddering breath, Rhode explained in nary a whisper at just how far Jack took their moonlight rendezvous.
"H-He had me show him my breasts," she said, hugging herself and covering said breasts. "And t-touch them. We made out and I-I came."
There were gasps at that but no one interrupted her as, to the shock of most of the room, she continued.
"And then he asked me to return the favour and so I did by giving him a, a b-blowjob."
For a second the whole room was absolutely silent as they processed that bombshell. Chiron had known of course. The Atlantean court hadn't been the only ones informed of what happened by the dryads and nereids.
Mr. D found it humorous, having enabled Jack.
Chiron himself had been disappointed, but not surprised. He knew the power Jack had over Rhode. What did surprise him and give him hope was the clear regret and disgust with her own actions that Rhode radiated as she told them what happened. She honestly looked like she wanted nothing more than to die of shame. He could use that.
Before he could though, the room exploded into chaos. Percy had turned to make for the door he'd closed upon his arrival, one hand on the knob and the other on a drawn Riptide. He was restrained from doing so only by Annabeth who had still not sheathed her dagger. Thalia for her part was just staring at Rhode with horror. The only one who did anything remotely productive was Su who had practically teleported to Rhode's side and pulled her into a comforting hug even as Helel's vines growing from her back writhed ever more violently, now sporting vicious venus flytrap-like mouths lined with deadly looking teeth.
"It's okay Rhode," the daughter of Demeter said, running her hand comfortingly through the other girl's hair and holding her close. "It wasn't your fault. Jack sweet talked you into it. We all know thanks to the curses on you, you can't say 'no' to him."
It was at times like this that Chiron felt his age. He would have to have someone watch Jack at all times. If this turned any worse, Poseidon may do something drastic.
If you don't do something, you will not need to wait for my husband. Amphitrite warned telepathically even as she shot her daughter a worried look and frowned in frustration at not being physically present to be the one to hug her. Triton already has a battalion of mermen building a base out in the Sound. If anything like this happens again, he'll storm Camp. And that's nothing to what I will do if there is a repeat of this.
I will keep that in mind, my lady. Though please stay your hand, marching on Camp could lead to strife upon Olympus. He advised in return.
"Rhode," Chiron said at last once Annabeth had managed to wrestle Percy onto the couch in the corner of his office, though she wisely kept him in a restraining hold. "Do you want to do those things with Jack again?"
Everyone shot Chiron a dark look for that question except for Amphitrite and Rhode herself. The former because she understood where he was going with it and the latter because she was too busy shaking her head.
"No!" Rhode blurted out, eyes shining with more tears. "I-I don't want to feel like that again. I think a part of me died inside…"
"And can you say 'no' to him if he tries to get you to do it again? Or ask you to do more?" Chiron pressed.
Rhode looked away from him, hiding her face inside the crook of Su's neck as she replied. "I-I don't think so. Everytime I'm near him, it's, it's like my brain just shuts down and I just wanna do whatever he tells me. I-I don't know what to do!"
"I vote we exile Jack," Lady Hestia said as she materialised out of nowhere to sit on Chiron's desk. "We can send him to work for Aeolus. It's far enough removed from his mother and his powers can actually be a help to him, so it's likely the Ancient Laws will allow it."
"That sounds like something the Head Director should decide, Aunt Hestia." Mr. D said as he held a hand over his mouth, yawning obnoxiously as he strolled into the room. "Oh, a private party and I wasn't invited? Pity."
He strolled over to the free couch on the opposite side of the one occupied by Percy and Annabeth, sitting upon it and swung his feet to rest on the other end. "Now, what did Regina here do this time? Slip on her bum or something?"
"Don't play games, Dionysus." Amphitrite said, shooting him a warning glare. "We all know what Rhode did. Even you."
"Fine, take the fun out of it." Mr. D dryly retorted with a roll of his eyes. "So dramatic. So the little slip of a girl knocked boots with a boy. News of the century. Tell me why I should care a lick of it?"
"If you don't care then why would you be against banishing Jack?" Chiron asked carefully.
He knew Mr. D well enough to know that the god was up to something. He'd helped set things in motion for this fiasco to transpire by enabling Jack in the first place, that meant he'd taken a personal interest in this. The question was why?
"Ah, but I find it funny. So… no exile. Subject over."
"Not good enough," Poseidon said, his visage suddenly appearing next to his wife's in the IM. His eyes were churning with the power of a brewing storm and the earth was trembling slightly. Too weakly for humans, even half-bloods to feel it, but Chiron was sensitive enough to detect it. "The boy is a threat to my daughter. Why are you protecting him?"
In an instant, Mr. D's guise fell away and in its place was none other than Dionysus, the Olympian god of madness.
"Because it is through the fires of pain and hardship that the greatest heroes are forged." The youngest of the Olympian Twelve said fiercely. "Will she falter? Will she rise? You know full well Uncle that she will need to be tested to know that."
At once the seriousness faded away and the god was once more Mr. D.
"Plus I like the drama, Uncle." He said, popping open a can of Diet Coke that he'd conjured. "I've invested into this girl of yours and now I'm merely stacking the deck to make sure I make a profit from it."
"You play with fire, nephew." Hestia said, shooting Mr. D an angry look.
"Rhode," Dionysus said suddenly, ignoring the glares everyone was shooting him. "You think you can handle the crap this nonsense with Khione's boy will cause you? It'll be painful, but I assure you once it's all done, you'll be stronger for it."
Rhode looked floored, so stunned was she, that all she could do was meekly nod.
"There, good enough for me." The wine god shrugged as if all was fixed.
"This will not stop us from protecting Rhode," Amphitrite declared firmly. "Everyone else agrees that we need to keep that boy away from her, correct?"
There were nods from everyone but the wine god, even Chiron and Hestia.
"Yes, yes. Huzzah, friendship and family. Now if we could quiet down, it's my nap time."
"Enjoy your nap," Hestia said sarcastically as the wine god teleported away, before turning to Rhode who was still being held protectively in Su's arms.
"As for you, Rhode." The goddess of family said in a much more soothing tone. "Why don't you let Su and the rest of your friends take you somewhere and relax? I think you need it."
"Yeah, I think I do." Rhode agreed in an uncharacteristically small voice.
"Come on, Rhode." Su said, guiding the daughter of Poseidon gently out of the room. "Let's go hang out in the potions lab. No one goes there but us witches. You can unwind there in private."
Rhode just nodded and let herself be led away, Percy and Annabeth both following after them radiating carefully contained fury. Thalia though stayed and shot the gathered gods a look.
"You can't overrule Mr. D?" She demanded once the others had left, speaking in a deceptively calm voice that reminded Chiron warily of the calm before a storm.
"He is unfortunately Head Director here at Camp, so no." Poseidon said with a shake of his head. "I could petition the Council but I doubt it'll go anywhere. It is the Council's general opinion, as we learned earlier this summer, that Dionysus should be granted free rein here."
Thalia nodded and stood.
"Niece." Poseidon said in a firm tone. "Please continue to be there for my daughter."
Thalia offered a stiff nod and headed out of the Big House, with frightening purpose from the look of it.
"She's going to find Jack." Hestia said with certainty. "Chiron, I order you to have tea with me. Now."
The Trainer of Heroes blinked in confusion for a second as a tea set materialized on his desk and the goddess took a seat in one of the chairs facing him.
"Well played, Lady Hestia. Well played." Chiron said, nodding appreciatively at his half-sister's move.
If he was preoccupied with her, he would not be in a position to stop Thalia.
"We'll make sure the boy lives. No guarantees on the state of his health though." Poseidon said as his image vanished.
"Remember my earlier warning Chiron," Amphitrite told him sternly before she too departed.
Chiron just sighed. Getting caught in the middle of a divine tug of war like this was so draining.
"There, there Chiron," Hestia said with a smile as she poured him a cup of tea. "At least, you're not the one being tugged on. That's gotta count for something."
"That's hardly comforting," the centaur said with a sigh as he accepted his tea. "I just hope this doesn't evolve into a tragedy."
Thalia had walked out of Chiron's office radiating fury that manifested itself in the storm of electricity that arced off her body as she made her way towards the object of her ire. That her target was very conveniently making himself obvious courtesy of the large spire of ice he'd created at the edge of the canoeing lake while seemingly practising his cryokinesis just made things easier on her.
The asswipe is at the canoeing lake!? The place where he made Rhode do all those things!? Thalia thought, the mere idea that he was at the place where he'd violated her sister enraging her even more. I'll kill him!
The call for judgement was ringing in her head and Thalia was ready to answer it.
Breaking into a run towards the lake, she blitzed past gaggles of Campers looking at her warily and made a beeline for the pathetic excuse for a human being at the lake. All hyped up, she barely felt strained at all by the run and in only a couple minutes she was at the lake and ready to dish out some oh so righteous judgement.
"Overland!" Thalia shouted in lieu of greeting alongside a powerful bolt of lightning. "Stay away from Rhode!"
Acting on the superhuman instinct and reaction times that came from being a half-blood, the son of Khione pulled off what should've been impossible and despite not noticing she was even there somehow still managed to avoid getting electrocuted.
"Hey!" He shouted as he narrowly managed to throw himself out of the way of the electric bolt thanks to a blast of frigid air. "Watch where you're throwing those around, Sparkplug!"
"The only one that needs to do anything here is you, you abusive asshole." Thalia shot back as she summoned her Aegis and shot Jack with a healthy dose of fear.
She'd learned from practising with it alongside Rhode that when used against courageous people, its effects could be resisted and loathed as she hated to admit it, the son of Khione was no coward. But its effect couldn't be entirely ignored, at least not by anyone they'd tried it on, and he was no exception.
As a result, he flinched and gave the daughter of Zeus the opening she was looking for, allowing her to blast him with a powerful lightning bolt that had him dancing on the spot from spasms. Sadly, the boy was a half-blood and like with his reflexes that meant he had superhuman durability too. So despite being hit with enough of a voltage to knock a grown man unconscious, Jack actually managed to counterattack.
Swinging his staff in her vague direction he sent a barrage of hail flying at Thalia and forced her to cut the current flowing into her opponent's body so she could take cover behind her Aegis.
"I don't know what's your problem, Sparkplug." Jack said as he used the breather to send a serpentine construct of ice shooting towards her.
"My problem is I want you to stay away from Rhode!" Thalia shouted back as she called down a bolt of lightning from the sky that consumed the construct in its entirety and covered her as she charged towards her opponent with blinding speed. It might've just been her adrenaline messing with her perception by it almost seemed like she was moving like she was a bolt of lightning.
Regardless of whether that was true, she certainly managed to move fast enough to catch Jack by surprise. He was still in the process of raising his guard when she closed into close quarters and palmed the Mace canister that was the disguised form of her spear. Triggering its expansion into its true form at the same as she thrust forward, she added to his disorientation thus allowing her to easily run him through with the pole arm.
"Argh! Are you trying to kill me!?" Jack cried out as he hastily pushed himself off her spear with a powerful blast of icy air that also served to force Thalia behind the protection of her Aegis.
"For what you did to my sister!? You bet I am!" Thalia shouted as she blindly fired a lightning bolt in Jack's direction via her spear.
"What I do with my girlfriend is none of your business even if she's your sister." Jack declared defiantly as he shot into the air atop that silly shepherd's crook of his. "And I'll have you know everything we did was consensual."
Taking to the skies against a daughter of Zeus? Idiot!
"Like you didn't manipulate her." Thalia snorted as she called down another bolt of lightning from the sky.
To the son of Khione's credit, he actually managed to evade the first bolt. He did not however escape getting hit by the second one and was knocked out of the sky, trailing smoke and his precious little staff reduced to a lump of charcoal.
That wasn't enough for Thalia though and she ran towards where the boy had made what she'd hoped was a very painful landing. One that he was still stumbling away from when Thalia smashed his face in with Aegis, sending him back onto his back. She was still not done though, she was not satisfied yet. Not by a long shot.
Stabbing down with her spear, she impaled the white haired boy through his stomach. Blood flaked her face from how hard she penetrated.
"Stay. Away. From." Thalia said as she channeled a surge of electricity through her spear and into the hapless boy's body with each word, causing him to cry out and writhe in agony each time before pulling her weapon free.
"MY SISTER!" She roared as she sent the electrically charged spear down towards the abusive piece of shit's groin.
"THALIA! STOP!" Rhode shouted, startling Thalia enough that she missed and the spear instead penetrated deeply into Jack's thigh where it unloaded its stored electrical charge, causing him to roar with pain and spasm uncontrollably.
She turned, blue eyes glowing with electricity as she felt like her hand was caught in a cookie jar. Seeing Rhode's ashen face, she clicked her tongue and pulled her spear free.
"Hey Rhode… what's going on?" Thalia said, trying to sound casual as her shoulders felt heavy for a moment, and the exertion of the fight finally began to catch up to her.
Silence took over the field of battle before that Su girl stepped up. Pep in her step.
"Rhode!" Jack shouted, sounding incredibly pained. Good! He deserved it! "Your sister tried to kill me!"
"After what you did to her, you're lucky I didn't get to finish the job!" Thalia said as she literally spat on him in reply.
"Thalia-" Rhode began, but Su had one of the tentacles of the plant growing from her back cover her mouth, gesturing for the daughter of the seas to be silent.
"Let him defend himself." The daughter of Demeter said. "And just for your information, Jack, we know what you made Rhode do. You manipulative piece of shit."
Even Thalia found the smile the usually sweet natured girl wore to be… off-kilter.
"We didn't do anything that wasn't consensual!" Jack shouted, trying to sit only for Thalia to use the butt of her spear to roughly force him back onto the ground.
"Oops."
No one was fooled by her pretending it'd been a mistake but no one called it out either. The older half bloods - And yes that included Rhode, strange as it seemed to Thalia. - were too focused on the conversation to pay attention to her antics.
"Really now? And your ability to sweet talk her into anything thanks to your superhuman charisma and her curses didn't play a part?" Su shot back easily, without once dropping that unnerving smile on her face. "Both of which are things you know about. That I know Chiron warned you about."
Well, now it was turning into an interesting show and Thalia was fascinated how Su was lashing at the teenage boy with nothing but her words.
"Rhode is not some hormonal teenager! She can make her own decisions, curses or not. If she consents, she consents." Jack shot back as he used his cryokinesis to close his many wounds with a little frost. "What right do third parties like Chiron, you and the Sparkplug, or anyone for that matter, have to second guess her choices?"
"I'm her sister." Thalia reminded the boy, glaring down at him.
"And she's outgrown the time you had any say in what she did." He replied, shooting her a glare just as filled with cold fury as her own. "Or did you forget that she's older than you now?"
Blue arcs of static rolled off her shoulders in anger at the remark.
"Enough!" Rhode said, suddenly as she pushed aside the vine covering her mouth. "Please! Enough! Let's just not talk about this anymore!"
She looked so upset, so shaken that everyone else's mouths snapped closed. In that moment she looked nothing like the confident young woman that Thalia knew her to be but instead was a girl who was on the verge of breaking apart. In the face of that, the words she'd been about to hurl back at Jack felt like ash in her mouth.
Jack must've felt the same because he too was struck dumb. The only one who wasn't was Su.
"You're looking really beat up there, Jack." Su said, with a malicious glint in her eyes. "Why don't I help you to the infirmary."
Without waiting for a reply from anyone, the still mostly topless Chinese girl had the tentacles of the plant she'd grafted to her spine wrap around the son of Khione's battered body. Tentacles which were covered in thorns, dripping with poison and which proceeded to cover his body so completely that he looked like a Egyptian mummy, muffling anything that he had to say.
"Rhode, Thalia, I'll be taking Jack to see Chiron now." The girl said, turning to head to the Big House. "You two should talk."
"Thanks Su," Rhode said in a small voice, pointedly not looking at the bound form of her abusive boyfriend. "I really appreciate it."
"I'm always happy to help you, Rhode." Su said with a sweet smile before walking off. "Now please do talk to each other. You two really need it."
Rhode offered her ex-girlfriend - And why the hell did they break up!? Su was loads better as a partner than the asshole Jack ever was! - a smile before turning to Thalia expectantly.
The daughter of Zeus just dismissed her weapons back into their disguised forms and put them away, before she crossed her arms and stared back at her sister defiantly without saying a word.
"Well?" Rhode said when the silence stretched for too long. "Anything to say Thalia?"
"Are you gonna stay away from that piece of shit?"
"I-I don't know if I can." Rhode confessed, voice so small that it was like when she was so much younger. When things were just so simpler.
Hearing that really made Thalia want to hit something. She was almost tempted to make that something Rhode. Maybe she could knock some sense into her head. But she couldn't do it. Her sister looked pathetic enough as is. So that just meant she had to find another outlet for her building anger.
"Where are you going?" Rhode asked as Thalia turned away from her and began stalking toward the woods.
"To find some monsters to kill!" Thalia shouted back. "I really need to let off some steam right now!"
The daughter of Zeus heard a sigh from behind her. She wasn't entirely sure what it meant. Was it resignation? Exasperation? Relief? All of the above? She was finding it hard enough to read this grown up version of Rhode as is, but when she got all emotional like she did now? Yeah, Thalia was lost half the time. So she was just glad that Rhode didn't insist on following her into the woods.
She really did need to vent and the monsters lairing there would be the perfect punching bags to help her do so.
"Rhode, what do you think of this?" Thalia asked as she showed off the new Celestial Bronze Kopis that she'd commissioned from the Hephaestus kids of Cabin Nine. "I was thinking that since I'm not much of a sword fighter that I'd go with a Kopis over the typical Xiphos for my backup weapon since it's more like an axe and is all about dealing maximum damage with every hit rather than technique."
"You'll still need technique," Rhode commented idly as she examined the weapon. "But I understand your reasoning. You were always more about power than finesse anyway so a Kopis does suit you more than a Xiphos."
"Thanks Rhode," Thalia said, honestly pleased with the approval of her choice. "So you mind helping me with working on the technique? We could listen to some music as we do and I think I have some Skittles back in my Cabin that I bought from the Camp Store the other day, I can go grab them for snacks during breaks! You game?"
"Sure," Rhode agreed easily. "But you know that I'm on to you, right?"
"What do you mean?" Thalia asked, acting innocent. Or as innocent as she could anyways. She was a punk rebel and she knew and loved it. Acting innocent was just not in her DNA.
Thankfully Rhode just rolled her eyes and did not press.
"Why don't you go grab those Skittles and I'll meet you in the Arena? I'll go grab my stereo and my IPod. We can listen to one of my playlists."
Thalia winced. "Can I choose which one?"
As much as she loved her sister, Rhode's tastes in music had changed so much from when they were children that she was honestly disgusted with it now.
"Rap has its merits too. Give it a shot over Alt Rock."
"Rap? Seriously?" Thalia snorted. "What? Like Vanilla Ice?"
"No, like more current artists." Rhode responded waspishly.
"Still think it's silly." Thalia shot back. "What happened to good ol' Greenday?"
"I diversified my tastes."
"Like you did with your wardrobe?" Thalia said with a roll of her eyes. "What are you going to tell me you like Classical music now too, just like you like all those fancy dresses your stepmother, wait you call her your Mum don't you? Ya, your Mum sends you?"
"Keep my Mum out of this Thalia." Rhode warned, tone growing frosty. "And yes, I do in fact have some appreciation for Classical music now. I'd have to or I'd have gone mad in Atlantis. It makes up at least half the music at feasts and balls there."
"You've changed Rhode." Thalia said with a frown. "And not in a good way."
"Well, we all have to grow up some time, Thalia."
"Yeah, and you grew up to end up being some piece of shit's little bitch!" Thalia said without thinking, her anger getting the better of her. She knew she'd crossed a line there, but she couldn't bring herself to stop. All her anger at what Rhode was doing to herself, both fair like what she let Jack do to her and unfair such as in reference to the changes to her tastes, had been simmering ever since they'd been reunited and she was finally getting a chance to express them. An opportunity that she wasn't about to let slip away from her.
"Why the hell do you let him walk all over you! You're strong Rhode! You could beat the shit out of him if he tried something stupid! Smart, pretty and you know how to dress nicely too! You could totally find someone better!"
"So this is about Jack after all," Rhode said with a tired sigh. "Look, Thalia, my relationship with Jack is not something you, of all people, need to worry about."
"I'm your sister," Thalia shot back, crossing her arms and glaring at Rhode. "You might have become older than me now but we're still sisters! It's my job to look out for you! Ask Annie! She'd say the same!"
"Trust me, she does." Rhode said, her voice narrowly avoiding being a whine. "So does Percy, Chiron, Su, heck even Aunt Hestia! And the less said about Dad, Mum and Triton the better! They call me every day to check in, did you know that!?"
"Just, I, we, just want to see you stop hurting yourself like this for that piece of shit." Thalia confessed, teeth gritted as her hate for Overland - He didn't deserve to be called Jack. The asshole didn't deserve the respect. - made her spark.
Please Rhode! Please listen to me!
"I-I-!" Rhode began but found herself unable to properly formulate a reply. "Look, like I said yesterday, I don't know if I can. I can only promise to try and even then…"
The way she trailed off told Thalia how little confidence she had in being able to succeed in doing even that and that made the daughter of Zeus want to cry.
"L-Let's just talk about something else!" Rhode said, shaking her head as if clearing away all thoughts of her shitty boyfriend. "You wanted to practise with your new sword right? Let's do that! We can listen to Alt Rock as we do too. How about that?"
Thalia frowned. She honestly would've preferred to keep pushing Rhode in the right direction but… She knew that pushing too hard could backfire and she definitely didn't want to see where that might lead. So she grudgingly nodded to Rhode's suggestion.
"Sure," she said with a forced smile. "I'll go grab those Skittles I was talking about and meet you in the Arena. See you in five?"
"Yup," Rhode said, sounding relieved. "See you there."
With that they parted ways, Rhode walking away so fast that she was just shy of breaking into a run as she practically fled.
Thalia's chest felt tight, from anger, sadness or something else. She just didn't know.
Though she did know that whatever she was feeling it was breaking her heart.
Keeping to her promise to Amphitrite last year, Rhode's birthday party this year was being held in Atlantis with her Camp friends receiving special dispensation, and magical assistance to survive in the watery depths for those who needed it, to attend. Though she was a little miffed that her parents had explicitly excluded Jack from the guest list.
"I know no one wants him close to me, myself included, but he is my boyfriend." Rhode said with a frown to Thekla and Estella as they helped her get ready for the ball.
"Is he really, my lady?" Estella asked as she helped Rhode lace up her corset. "From what we've heard that term hardly seems to fit the nature of your relationship with the boy."
"Oh? Then what would?" Rhode asked curiously even as she breathed in a little to allow her handmaiden to secure the corset a little better.
"Abuser?" Thekla opined frankly from where she was waiting, holding a petticoat of her gown for the night. "Considering how he manipulates you into doing things, I honestly cannot call him anything else. Whilst not as bad as the worst the gods have done, what he does is most definitely not acceptable."
"I know. But…"
"But you cannot help yourself." Estella finished for her.
"Many a maiden can fall for the charms of rogues, my lady. I only ask you to rise above those before you end up repeating their tragic fates."
"You know why it's especially hard for me, right?"
"We know," Thekla said as Estella finished lacing up Rhode's corset and came over to help her put on the petticoat she'd been patiently holding. "But can you promise us to try?"
"I will," Rhode told them honestly. "Just like I promised everyone else."
"Then that's all we can ask," Estella said as she helped to secure the stays that kept the petticoat in place.
"Thank you," Rhode said sincerely. "For always being there for me."
Thalia stood in a corner of the Atlantean ballroom where Rhode's parents, both Poseidon and Amphitrite, had thrown an elaborate ball to celebrate her sister's seventeenth birthday and sulked. It wasn't because she didn't have a date for the ball, though that did suck a little, as no one among the Campers except the all but married couple that were Rhode's friends Emily and Gaige had brought a date. No, what really had her all worked up was that she'd been forced to wear a dress for the occasion!
Yes, she was experimenting with her wardrobe at Rhode's urging but she still wasn't entirely comfortable with dresses yet but since this was a ball and a dress was required for the ladies… She'd had no choice. At least the bowknot collar, green and peach dress with its flared, pleated skirt reminiscent of 1950s styles - Or at least that's how Rhode had described it to her. - was easy to move in. She'd have gone mad if it wasn't.
And she really needed all the help to avoid losing her cool tonight. Because not only was she in a dress but she also had to deal with various gods of the Atlantean court hitting on her which was just… Well, most of them were good looking. Super hunky and handsome but that's gods for you. But her father was the same and he wasn't about to win any awards for being either a good person, spouse or parent, so yeah… There was no way in the world she'd ever even consider dating a god.
Too many bad endings were listed on that front.
Thankfully, Rhode - Or was it Amphitrite? Thalia wasn't entirely sure. - had arranged for Thetis and a number of the court's senior nymphs to keep an eye on her and help keep the sharks - Rhode's words - away. And it had mostly been successful. Thalia only had four gods proposition her and one offer for her hand in marriage. Can you read the sarcasm?
"Announcing the guest of honour, the Princess Rhode Evans!" The herald for the evening shouted suddenly, pulling Thalia from her sulk and she turned towards the main doors of the ballroom and watched flabbergasted as Rhode swept into the hall dressed in a very elaborate, very feminine gown.
Holy Olympus is that Rhode!? Thalia couldn't help but think as she admired her sister all dressed up in a dark navy, short sleeved, off the shoulder gown.
She really does look like a princess. Thalia couldn't help but think at the natural smile her sister had as she floated down the stairs, the two Oceanids that served as her ladies-in-waiting trailing behind her.
Seeing her like this, it finally sunk in for the daughter of Zeus that the Rhode she knew was gone. In the place of the street urchin that clung to her like a life preserver in the chaotic sea of half-blood life, there was instead a confident young woman that had become her rock instead. It was a role reversal which she'd acknowledged intellectually but until now, until seeing just how high Rhode had climbed, she had not truly accepted.
It was strange. This acceptance should've brought anger. Or at least melancholy. But she felt none of that. All she felt was pride and joy.
Rhode has grown up.
Percy had just had the pleasure to dance a waltz - Thank you Rhode for teaching him how! - with Annabeth at his aforementioned sister's birthday ball and was now walking with his friend back to the little spot their group of friends from Camp had secured for themselves at the side of the ballroom for when they weren't in the mood to dance.
"You're staring." Annabeth said, with a blush and looking away to avoid meeting his eyes. "Again."
"Well, can you blame me?" Percy asked, honestly. "You look fantastic today."
And he was totally honest about that. As befitting a ball, Annabeth had been forced to dress for the occasion just like he had. But where he'd just gotten himself a basic suit, she'd gone above and beyond and with help from Aphrodite Cabin had worn a blue ombre, off the shoulder, belted ball gown that was accented by sequins in the shape of the stars and moon.
Now you might be wondering how a poor boy from Manhattan knew enough about fashion to describe a dress with that much detail. Well, he did spend his summers living with Rhode and despite what she said, she was quite a fashionista. She had a wardrobe of at least a hundred different gowns at Camp alone and he knew she had more down here in Atlantis! Plus it seemed Amphitrite sent her a new dress every week. Heck, it had gotten to the point that girls from Cabin Ten had started coming over to their Cabin to borrow a dress to wear when they were in the mood for something fancy.
Annabeth thumped his arm lightly. "Flatterer. You look good too, Percy."
"Thanks. Rhode helped me dress for the occasion." Percy informed her honestly.
"Yes, Sister, big help." Tyson agreed as they walked over to join him in their spot. His cyclops brother having taken time from his job working with the older cyclops in the Atlantean forges to join the party. "She help me too."
"And you look good too, Tyson." Annabeth praised the suit clad cyclops.
"Though I wish I could openly carry my knife too." She added, pointing as Percy reattached Riptide to his waist. He had taken it off to make dancing easier. "But it doesn't go with my dress."
"Yeah," Percy said, nodding to one of the naiads nearby who had a sheathed sword hanging by a belt around her waist and which artfully blended in with the skirts of her gown. "Should've thought of that when you picked it out. Or get it a magical disguise."
"I will," Annabeth agreed. "It's my own fault for not checking in with Rhode beforehand if it was alright for the ladies to open carry their weapons. It wouldn't be allowed in a mortal ball."
"Ah. But this ain't a mortal ball, Annabeth." Lee said as he came over with Penny, carrying between them trays with enough drinks and finger food for everyone and then some.
"Yeah. Like I said, it was an oversight on my part." Annabeth said with a sigh as she took a drink. "By the way, where's Su? I saw Emily and Gaige dancing-"
"Creator and Creator Two are enjoying themselves." Penny said with a pleased smile.
"They certainly looked like it." Percy agreed. "But seriously where's Su? And Thalia? They're not causing trouble right?"
"Su managed to snag a dance with Rhode. As for Thalia," Lee said as he put down his tray on a nearby bar table and gestured towards another corner of the ballroom where the daughter of Zeus was lurking and being watched over by a group of nymphs. "She's off hiding from gods who want to proposition her."
"That and watching Sister like shark on seal." Tyson added. "She very protective. I approve."
"As do I," a voice that radiated authority said from behind them and the entire group of Campers turned to see a twin tailed merman floating behind them. A very familiar merman.
And Percy wasn't saying that just because he recognised him as his godly brother Triton. No, it was because looking at him was like looking at a mirror. A freaky funhouse mirror that aged him up a few years, gave him blue-green skin and scales but… Yeah. The similarity in their features were uncanny. There was no doubt at all that they were brothers.
"Oh, oh my…" Annabeth said with the hue of a blush growing on her face, but she quickly hid it by offering a curtsy. "Lord Triton, greetings."
"Oh? One of Athena's children. While our sires may be rivals, it warms my heart knowing that my sister and one of Athena's own are close. She was a handful as a child herself, but I'm glad she's mellowed out over the years." Triton chuckled as he sipped a drink of some kind. Probably Ambrosia and gin.
"Brother Triton, looking for?" Tyson asked, tilting his head questioningly.
"Tyson, good to see you Brother. I was just taking a circuit of the party and happened upon you. Though, Perseus, a word?" The god of the navy asked.
"Sure," Percy agreed easily. "Uh, I'm guessing we should go somewhere private?"
"Yes," the god nodded. "Have you had a chance to take a walk in the gardens? They are beautiful, at least our sister says so. Perhaps I could show you around and you might want to take your girlfriend later?"
"G-Girlfriend?" "He's not my boyfriend!"
Percy turned sharply to a blushing Annabeth as he realised she'd spoken the same time he had. They shared a look and blushing turned away from each other, earning laughs from everyone nearby. Even other guests.
Olympus! This is embarrassing. Was Percy's first thought, only for it to be swiftly replaced by another. Wait! If Annabeth is reacting this way...
"Oh, don't deny it, both of you. Cute as it is." Triton said with a chuckle. "I can see the work of both Eros and Aphrodite upon you. You two have chosen each other already and it's been sanctioned by the gods of love, you just haven't accepted it yet."
Percy's blush turned atomic red at that.
"I-I'm okay with t-that." Annabeth stuttered out suddenly, causing Percy to look at her sharply. "T-That's, uh, if, you're okay with it, Percy?"
"Uh, sure?" Percy said, uncertain about what he could say in this situation. "So, we're, uh, dating now?"
"S-Sure, b-boyfriend."
"Right, uh, girlfriend."
"You two are adorably awkward." Triton said with a chuckle. "What's the mortal word? Adorkable? Yes, that. Rhode will get a kick out of watching you two stumble through your relationship. But speaking of Rhode- Perseus, we must speak. Come."
"Right," Percy said, shaking off the awkwardness of abruptly learning that he had been dating Annabeth without either of them acknowledging it till now. "Lead on."
I can get why Rhode's so confused with dating. It's nuts!
Triton led them out of the ballroom and into an attached garden full of exotic aquatic plants, sponges and corals that rivaled and outshone the most impressive terrestrial gardens Percy had ever seen, even those on TV. Though since he was a son of Poseidon, he was probably biased.
"The paths are actually color coded for our guests tonight," Triton explained as he gestured to a set of angler fish swimming in a circle just off the path, each with a different color for their bioluminescent lures. "Green is for a casual stroll. Yellow is for those who want a longer walk. And lastly, blue is the longest walk but leads to a number of quiet spots. I recommend you take your paramour on the yellow path later. You two are a little too young for any hanky panky so avoid the blue one."
Percy pulled at his collar. He felt that Triton was just doing this on purpose to get a reaction from him. "Um, yeah, t-thanks."
"Let's take the yellow one for now as well," Triton said as he led them down the yellow path which Percy noted quickly branched off the green path as shown by the differing combinations of circling angler fishes along the route. "We can talk as we walk and I fear our conversation might take some time."
"Right, um, so what do you want to talk to me about, uh, Lord Triton?" Percy asked nervously.
"Call me Triton or Brother. There is no need to be so formal." Triton replied, though his tone remained somewhat cool. "And I am sure you have an idea, Brother. We need to talk about that Overland boy."
At the mention of Jack, the water shifted somehow. It was like a weight was pressing down on Percy's shoulders as Triton spoke. Like the sea was still with false calm and just waiting to unleash its wrath at the slightest provocation. It was a very familiar feeling. He felt the same way every time he even thought of the son of Khione too.
So far his family was pretty chill and then he remembered they were divinity. Big whoops.
How does this guy feel threatened by my existence again? Percy asked himself as he swallowed heavily. "Uh, yeah. Jack."
"I heard from Father and Mother what he talked Rhode into doing for him. Tell me, Brother, why did you not run him through with your sword for it?"
"Trust me, I wanted to." Percy confessed with a scowl. "But the others didn't let me. Chiron, Mr D, the works. They even had Annabeth talk me out of it. Made her watch me too."
"Yes I heard about Dionysus' thoughts on the matter. I don't like it, but he didn't almost take over India with a slow mind. Even maddened machinations can yield results."
"Yeah, but if it was just that I'd probably still have done it. Or at least beat the shit out of him like Thalia did. But Annabeth pointed something out to me."
"And what did your beloved daughter of wisdom tell you?"
"That if we killed Jack, it would hurt Rhode." Percy said, breathing out a frustrated sigh. "As much as we hate to admit it. As much as he is a total asshole. He is important to her. If we hurt him, or worse kill him, she'd be devastated."
Triton tilted his head in thought, pondering about something. Probably two hundred different things at once like gods do.
"We could always send him on a suicide quest." His divine brother effortlessly stated.
"Already working on it, Triton." Aunt Hestia said, rounding the corner with a dormouse on a stick. Hadn't that been a popular street food back in Ancient Rome? Percy remembered reading about that in Classics class once. "I've even spoken to a cousin of mine to arrange things. It'll be done. The General will make sure of it."
Percy felt the wheels of his mind come to a crashing halt at the thought of the goddess of the hearth planning a hit!
It was one of many such moments he'd have to endure today, he was sure.
"Thank you, Aunt Vesta." Triton said with a smile even as the eldest daughter of the Crooked One just waved the thanks away and disappeared around a corner.
"Yeah, um, thanks Aunt Hestia." Percy shouted after regaining his wits. Wait, Vesta what? No, nevermind, just focus on the more important thing.
"In the meantime though, keep an eye on him, Brother." Triton warned Percy, his voice radiating his divine power. "Or I'll be forced to do something extreme."
Like what? Code Megalodon?
"I will," Percy nodded with determination. "I won't let him hurt her again."
"I can only hope we can keep that promise." Triton said with a sigh. "But if Dionysus' words are to be believed, I fear we cannot. But we must try our best regardless."
Percy frowned. Mr D. had made it seem like no matter what they did Jack would end up hurting Rhode somehow. But that just meant they had to try harder! Even if they couldn't completely protect her from him, they could still keep the harm he could cause to a minimum!
"Yes, that's a good approach to this, Brother." Triton said with an approving nod.
They settled into a comfortable silence after that, broken only occasionally by Triton pointing out an interesting part of the garden that he encouraged Percy to explain to Annabeth when he took her for their walk later. Oh, and the god chuckling at every blush Percy had, which were many, at the mere thought of the fact that he and the pretty daughter of Athena were dating now.
When did my life get so complicated? Oh right, when I found out that my dad was a god.
That thought brought to mind something about his relationship with Triton.
"Hey, Triton, question here. Are you, uh, worried that I might make or be used to make a claim on your status as heir to Atlantis?" Percy asked bluntly. He probably could've been more tactful but they were both sons of Poseidon and he was sure they both appreciated the direct approach.
"Rhode explained it to you?" Triton asked, surprised by the unexpected question enough to come to a sudden stop.
"Yeah."
"Well, I cannot say I am completely unconcerned." Triton admitted. "But I am also not overly so. You are not the first demigod brother that I've had, Perseus."
"I know," Percy nodded. "But I don't want this issue to hang over my head. So-"
Percy paused to take a deep breath before continuing.
"I swear on the River Styx that I, Perseus Jackon, will never seek to usurp control of Atlantis from my father or my brother, Triton. Nor challenge the latter's position as our father's heir."
As he finished speaking, their surroundings boomed with supernatural thunder as the Stygian Oath was sealed.
"So, uh, that good?" He asked awkwardly.
"Very much so," Triton said with a warm smile. "Did Rhode word that Oath for you?"
"Annabeth actually." Percy admitted with a smile of his own. "No way I could've come up with something like that on my own."
"Yes, it is far too eloquent for a member of our House save perhaps one of the ladies." Triton said with a nod. "We boys are a little too rough. They at least can control themselves enough to manage it if they put in the effort."
"So true," Percy nodded in return. "I dunno how Rhode can find the patience and be willing to put in all the effort to get dressed in some of her fancier dresses all alone. She's in the bathroom for hours sometimes."
"That is why we invented pants, Perseus. So we don't wear dresses." Triton chuckled and teasingly wagged his tails.
"Uh-uh," Percy replied playfully. "Didn't we wear tunics a lot back in the old days? Those are practically dresses. Robes too."
"No more than a kilt!"
Percy burst into a laugh at that and Triton joined him. It was fun!
"Ah, we're almost back to the ballroom." Triton said as they turned around one last corner and caught sight of the doors back into the palace. "You remember everything about the garden I told you? Ready to impress your girlfriend?"
"Yes, Triton." Percy said, rolling his eyes.
His brother was a matchmaking busy body it seemed.
It wasn't that bad if he was honest.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
Alright, honest truth time. First part of this chapter was dirty. On that front it was on purpose, we used it to show just how far Jack has gone from that once sweet boy that we used to know. Dionysus has his own idea on what to do and that is something you'll see as we go on, that's for certain. Rhode will feel like she's making the walk of shame for a long while sadly. At least Thalia got her pound of flesh, huh?
Nameless: And yes, we know that Rhode shouldn't be so easily swayed by Jack. But that's where the curses come in. And if you're wondering why they're suddenly so much more potent. As Eros says, they've reached peak potency so of course their effects have become more pronounced. I know some will see it as such, so feel free to see it as a soft retcon if you must. By the way, if you want to see the full version of that scene, please hop over to AO3. Lastly, we've held out on commenting on the hate for pairing Rhode with Su till now because of this scene. It is why everyone in Rhode's friends and family give her a pass. They see her as the better option. She's not perfect by any means but she's not as horrible as Jack. We honestly don't think she's quite as bad as some reviewers paint her out to be so we don't reflect that in story but if you are of that opinion then see her as the lesser of two evils for Rhode.
If you're questioning Vesta doing something so cold blooded as setting up one of her family to die, recall that she's Hestia's more militant aspect and she was okay with exiling Jack. Also, consider the things most people would do for family. That sometimes includes removing someone toxic for the health of the rest of the family.
E4E: And yes, Hestia just made a hit on someone. You know you fucked when the goddess of the hearth is calling for blood! Or Vesta in this case. And Percy and Triton bond. That was refreshing like hell! Oh and Percabeth early, I guess. YEAH THAT'S RIGHT! We did it early. After all, Annabeth didn't just have Luke to moon over in this timeline, she also had a big sister looking out for her and helping her through things. And maybe noticing Luke had feelings for her big sis, so she held off. It would have been perfect if Jack hadn't fucked it up for her! At least when she was little she thought that.
Nameless: To be honest, I wanted to make Percabeth a fated thing to contrast with Rhode's mess of a love life. Basically to show that the gods can make the right matches, but it's up to the mortals to make them work. But E4E said that would tarnish free will and I deferred to his veto.
So instead of destined, it's more like they chose each other and the gods confirmed it. Essentially it's the best outcome we could come up with. It's the one where they can get the most happiness. And if Percy has learned anything from Rhode's love life, it's to grab it while he can before it can get messy. Or think of it as the canon pick in a dating sim.
Nameless: On one last note, hope you guys got the hint about what Vesta did. If you've read our TETW series, you'd get it. But for those who don't, I'll just say that in our universes before quests take place the gods and the monsters/Titans/Giants agree to some terms beforehand so that things don't go too crazy. Neither side wants the Ancient Laws to be violated and call down those who enforce them. *wink* As for who those are, well… You'll need to have read our COTU series to get it since they make their biggest appearance there. And yes, this is some shameless shilling for our other stories.
Like setting the rules of engagement type dealo. Don't super fuck us and we won't super fuck you. That's about it. As for shilling, yay shilling!
You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!