Hey guys, I hope you all enjoy this chapter.
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Undeath9087: Yeah, Percy loves her big sister, she's pretty epic back up, and also yeah, Sadie's a lot more comfortable with Sally after spending three months living with her- and she witnessed that her mom was pretty friendly towards Sally when they met so that helps Sadie feel like she's not betraying her by caring.
There was a moment of awkward silence when Carter noticed that Percy and Sadie had arrived, though it didn't seem like he'd been waiting for them- he was feeding a pile of roasted turkeys to the griffin from the night before- and he'd already set up a nice stable for him. It seemed like Carter had taken in a stray.
He stared at them for a long moment before he wiped the turkey grease off his hands and walked over to to them, not meeting either of their eyes. "Be careful you two. Sadie I uh- I got you a birthday gift but I'll wait until you come back."
"Look, Carter-" Sadie's voice was almost hesitant, "I-"
"Just go you two. It's not going to help us to argue-"
"I'm sorry." Percy's voice was small, "Are you upset with me?"
And Carter let out a groan, "No- Percy it's not- I just don't think this is a good idea I'm worried about you two okay? I know you're both strong but-"
"But I keep messing up right?" Sadie's voice was bitter "Like with the scroll. I'm sorry okay I know you think I was stupid for not being more careful and I know it nearly went really really badly wrong and if your girlfriend wasn't there it'd have probably ended with people getting hurt but I can't- I- I don't want to spend what might be my last birthday-"
"Sadie-" Carter cut Sadie off, moving forward and gripping her shoulders, "Just stop a second- I-" he shook his head, "I know it's hard okay? For all of us-"
"We shouldn't have to do this." Sadie's tone was almost whiny, "We're just kids. Why should we have to keep nearly dying?"
"'Cause no one else can do it." Percy answered, "The adults don't know the stuff we know or they're dumb. Uncle Amos-"
"Is still fragile." Carter finished, "And mom-"
"Isn't a fighter." Sadie let out a breath, "I know. That doesn't make it fair though. It just feels like we're giving up everything to fix stuff that it isn't our job to fix. Like we haven't already had a bad enough time lately with what happened with dad."
"You know what we have to do." Carter gave a small shrug, "We don't have much choice. I mean if the world ends then-"
"Then we're all gone die anyway right?" Percy tilted her head, "We're gonna be fine y'know. We'll wake Ra and stop the stinky snake guy.
"I hope you're right." he ruffled Percy's hair. "You two should go. I just- if anything seems suspicious-"
"We'll come right back." Sadie agreed, "I know Percy's with me I won't be stupid-"
"Uh huh-" Carter's lips twitched very slightly as his gaze shifted to Percy, "Percy, you look after Sadie for me okay?"
"Of course-"
"Hey!" and Sadie laughed, the tension that had been lingering disappointing just like that before her expression turned slightly more serious. "Carter- did you have a dream-"
"I-" Carter faltered, "Can we talk about it when you guys get back? It's- I'm figuring it out."
"Hmmmm." Sadie eyed him suspiciously "Okay. Just this once I will be a good sister and I won't push it. But this isn't me dropping it for good you know that right Carter?"
"Yeah." Percy nodded, "S'long as you tell us when we get back." her voice was very serious.
"I'm sure you'll remind me." Carter stepped back, "I need to go and finish feeding Freak-"
"Oh Carter." Sadie laughed, "You've named it? You've actually named the griffin. You're... honestly Carter, only you would adopt that thing."
"I-" Carter went red and then- "Shut up."
"I think it's cute." Percy declared, "We've got a new pet now! But why'd you call it Freak Carter, that's kinda mean." there was just a hint of disapproval in her tone, which made Carter smile.
"I wasn't being mean. That's what it sounds like when he screeches." he gave a small shrug, "I figure it's as good a name as any."
And with that Carter headed back over to the griffin and Percy turned to Sadie- who looked a lot happier- she was smiling, and there wasn't that undercurrent of tension that had refused to go away any more.
Percy was glad, she'd hated the idea of Sadie being stressed out on her birthday. This was much better, so Percy hooked her arm through Sadie's, "Let's go to London then. I hope I don't cramp your style too much."
"Are you kidding me?" Sadie gave a devilish grin, "I get to show off my own awesome mini-me-"
"I am not a mini-you." Percy laughed as they walked across to the sphinx, "I'm much too cool for that. How am I your mini-me?"
"I mean-" Sadie reached over with her free arm and flicked Percy's hair, "I suppose blue is different from red but let's be real, you wanted your hair done 'cause you think I'm cool and you wanted to copy me."
"Lies!" Percy giggled, "You're a loser, just fe- hey!" Percy yelped as Sadie tugged her hair lightly, "That hurt-"
"Oh come on you probably barely felt it you little weirdo. I swear you're like a freaking tank or something. Nothing can stop you. You could get hit by a car and you'd just get back up and try and beat up the car. That's why I'm bringing you along." Sadie's voice turned teasing, "If anyone comes for us I can just point you at them and watch the chaos unfold."
"Carter would not approve-"
"But you do-"
"Of course." Percy gave a toothy grin, "I like kicking bad guy butts. But we're gonna try and avoid that today because we promised." she scrunched up her face- as though that very fact was offensive to her- which if she was being honest it was.
"Yep." Sadie nodded, and a moment later a gateway was opening, a swirling funnel of sand. Percy had to admit that Sadie was very good at portals, Percy had never grasped them. Though she had gotten better at transforming since she'd hosted Nephthys three months earlier. Those had been her weakest areas, that and healing.
She didn't linger on those thoughts though, exchanging grins with Sadie before they rushed towards the funnel of sand and jumped through it, still arm in arm.
There was the strange familiar sensation of travelling through a portal and then a heartbeat later they were stumbling out of the portal at Cleopatra's Needle on the bank of the River Thames.
Percy shot Sadie a slightly worried look as they regained their balance- after all Cleopatra's needle was were Sadie's mom had died. Percy wouldn't blame her if she got upset.
And she caught Sadie's gaze- there was a flash of sadness in it before Sadie shook her head very slightly, shifting, sliding her arm free from Percy's to drape it over the younger girls shoulders.
"Let's get out of here. And don't worry, I won't let Gran and Gramps say anything about you or dad or Sally."
"I wasn't worried." Percy said honestly, "I know you won't let 'em say anything mean and if they did why would I care? I used to when I was little- your gramps was kinda scary but I mean, he's just a grumpy old man I could kick his butt any day of the week."
"Now that I believe." Sadie laughed as together they made their way to the Underground station- and Percy trusted Sadie to know the way, and she did, about thirty minutes later they were making their way up to Sadie's grandparents flat.
Percy noticed that Sadie was starting to look nervous as she knocked on the door- and that made sense. Sadie hadn't been home since Christmas eve. Since everything had changed so quickly.
And while Sadie had talked to the Fausts over the phone several times in the three months since then she hadn't visited them once. Percy was sure she'd probably considered it, but Carter had told her that the last time Sadie had seen her grandparents she'd argued with them over 'stuff' though he wouldn't go into detail about what that stuff was.
"It's gonna be okay. They're all gonna be super happy to see you." Percy promised the older girl.
"I know." and they waited for someone to come to the door to let them in. For a minute, two minute- and soon five minutes had come and passed and Percy bit her lip.
"Uh- why is no one answering?"
"I-" Sadie knocked again, her brows furrowing, "I don't know. I planned this ages ago. I told them I'd be here today so it's not like they should have gone out or anything."
"What do we do? They're not gonna answer." Percy couldn't even hear anyone moving around inside of the house.
"I still have a key." Sadie pulled the key out of her pocket, though she was starting to look upset and worried again- and Percy was gonna beat the Faust's up if it turned out that they'd forgot about Sadie's freaking birthday.
Once Sadie had unlocked the door they headed inside- and Percy stayed close as they looked around. The living room was dark and empty, and the stairwell light was off.
"Okay." Sadie's voice was tight, "Something's really, really wrong." her voice was strained as she tightened her grip around Percy's shoulders, "We need to get out of here. Now."
And then, above them at the top of a dark stairwell a voice that was definitely not human hissed, "Welcome Sadie Kane, Persephone Kane."
And Percy's hand lashed out to the side and a moment later her khopesh was in her hand, the blade as sharp as ever- honestly Carter and Sadie teased her about how protective she was of her blade. Carter said it was like a kid with a teddy, but hey, it came in handy from time to time.
She shot Sadie a sidelong glance and winced when she saw that Sadie was clearly trying to retrieve her staff or her wand from the Duat, but she wasn't having any luck. Then again that was one of the things Sadie wasn't good at.
"Oh gods." Sadie hissed the words, "Percy I can't- I am so sorry-"
"It's okay." Percy gripped the hilt of her khopesh tightly, her eyes narrowing. "We'll be okay. What do we do?"
"I- Carter would tell us to run but-
"Your grandparents." Percy finished, nodding in understanding, "They could be in trouble." and the look Sadie shot her was filled with gratitude.
"I'm being selfish-"
"Eh, I'm selfish sometimes too. And this barely counts." the stairwell creaked then. At the top, the hem of a black dress appeared, along with sandaled feet that weren't quite human. The toes were gnarled and leathery, with overgrown nails like a bird's talons. As the woman descended into full view Percy could hear Sadie making a very undignified whimpering noise. And Percy couldn't blame her.
She looked a hundred years old, hunched over and emaciated. Her face, earlobes, and neck sagged with folds of wrinkly pink skin, as if she'd melted under a sunlamp. Her nose was a drooping beak. Her eyes gleamed in their cavernous sockets, and she was almost bald—just a few greasy black tufts like weeds pushing through her craggy scalp.
Her dress, however, was absolutely plush. It was midnight black, fluffy, and huge like a fur coat six sizes too big. As she stepped toward them, the material shifted, and Percy realized that it wasn't fur. The dress was made from black feathers.
Her hands appeared from her sleeves—clawlike fingers beckoning them forward. Her smile revealed teeth like broken bits of glass. And Percy wrinkled her nose at the smellthe smell? Not just old person smell—old dead person smell. It wasn't the worst thing the youngest Kame had ever smelled but it was close.
"I've been waiting for you," said the hag. "Fortunately, I'm very patient."
And Percy shifted, moving so that she was stood between Sadie and the enemy, gripping the khopesh's hilt very tightly.
"Who are you?" Sadie's voice was thick with worry, "Where are my grandparents?"
The hag reached the foot of the stairs. From two meters away, her feathery dress appeared to be covered with bits of- oh that was gross it was meat.
"Don't you recognize me, dear?" Her image flickered. Her dress turned into a flowered housecoat. Her sandals became fuzzy green slippers. She had curly gray hair, watery blue eyes, and the expression of a startled rabbit. And Percy recognised the woman even if she'd never liked her and her heart twisted as she heard Sadie's horrified little gasp.
"No-"
"Sadie?" the voice was different, old, weak and confused. And Percy's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head very slightly.
"I was going to go easy on you." Percy's voice was very sharp. "But now I'm giving you one single chance. If you don't get out of the old lady I am going to make sure you never get to leave the Duat ever again."