Percy gave a squeeze to Nico's shoulder and gave a grim nod. Nico's chest tightened. The younger boy did the same with his father. Hades looked at him and Nico gave him a nod. Hades realized at once what his son was trying to say. He bit his lip.
Thalia immediately got up and went to Nico's side. Percy shifted a little to make space for her. Annabeth did the same and sat on Percy's other side so Triton had to scoot towards his mother. Will met Percy's eyes and Percy nodded. Will got up and sat next Nico, between him and Thalia.
The gods watched this scene with a little sadness but were also glad to see their children get together so well.
Percy hesitantly put a hand on his Hades' shoulder. Hades looked at him with a raised eyebrow but didn't tell him off.
"You should be careful in there though…" Hephaestus trailed off
The demigods on the quest looked down.
Pollux started with the text.
We rode the boar until sunset…how comfortable boar-riding was.
"Very." Leo said sarcastically
Poseidon winced as he felt the pain.
I have no idea how many miles…chewed it, needles and all.
"Needles would hurt." Dakota winced
"Not to the boar though." Reyna said
"This is as far as he'll go," Grover said…before Zoë Nightshade was born
Everybody snickered.
"It couldn't have been that old." Hermes laughed
"It looked like it." Percy chuckled.
And a white stucco post office…another wild boar up your sleeve?"
Everybody laughed.
"You would still like to ride a boar with a sore back end?" Annabeth asked
"Nah but better than walking I guess." Thalia laughed
Grover was sniffing the wind…"The little deformed one," Zoë suggested.
Everybody roared with laughter.
Artemis was clapping.
"Nice on Zoe." She grinned
Percy pouted.
"Little deformed one." Nico snickered.
Will, Percy and Thalia gave small smiles to see Nico laugh.
"Oh, shut up"… something on an alien planet.
"When you think of it, it did seem like that." Thalia said
"Yeah, something like you see in video games." Grover said
We decided to camp for the night…. And when they didn't, they were gone.
The hunters smirked.
"Some more hunter magic?" Travis asked
Thalia smirked and nodded.
"No fair." Connor pouted
Everybody chuckled.
The night got chilly fast…The stars are out," Zoë said.
The demigods on the quest and Artemis smiled sadly.
"I always loved the stars." Zoe smiled
She was right. There were millions of them, with no city lights to turn the sky orange.
"It looks beautiful without the lights." Percy said
"So peaceful." Grover agreed
"Amazing," Bianca said…Can the same be said for thee?"
"Yes." Percy said immediately
Everybody turned to look at him.
"Maybe I can't do as much as Grover for the wild on the surface of the earth, but my blood is that of the sea and I will do my level best to help with the pollution there." He said, determinedly
"Same for me, just underworld instead of sea but you get what I'm trying to say." Nico said
Hades and Poseidon smiled.
"Which reminds me, when are you planning to use the machines?" Thalia asked Poseidon and Hades
"What about after a couple of chapters, we can go to our domain and install them." Poseidon said
"You'll need our help though." Nico said
"Then you can come with us." Hades said
Percy and Nico nodded and gave grateful looks to the Hephaestus gang who gave them thumbs-ups.
"But you use you for the beginning of a sentence"… It changes too often!"
Everybody chuckled.
Grover sighed…alive when the wind blew.
"Thanks man." Grover said gratefully.
Percy smiled.
"Grover, do you really think…. I didn't want to squash Grover's hopes.
Grover smiled.
"What I want to know," Thalia said…everybody paying attention to her.
"Yeah that's super awkward." Piper said
"Very relatable." Percy nodded
"Never mind," Zoë told her…I think that would be Las Vegas."
"Not that place." Nico groaned
"I hate it there." Annabeth said
I was about to protest that Grover…the steep end of a roller coaster.
Hades grimaced.
Zoë frowned. "Why?"… He was thinking the same thing.
"I was and I did not like it one bit." Grover sighed
"Bianca," I said…"Oh, great," I said.
The demigods groaned or face-palmed.
"That's why the subway confusion was there." Castor said
"Yeah." Percy nodded.
"Wait," Thalia said…I really don't want to talk about this."
Hades sighed.
He felt guilty that it didn't have a good effect on his daughter but at least he had managed to save her from Zeus.
Zoë sat forward…"Theodore or Franklin?"
All the demigods swallowed, they had a feeling the answer was going to be wrong.
"Franklin," Bianca said…make sure they weren't wrinkled.
"Your age in the casino is just a number there but you don't age physically or mentally." Percy said
Hades, Nico, Annabeth, Grover and Thalia nodded.
Thalia's eyes turned sad…Why did he do it?"
"I shouldn't have put too much pressure there." Percy winced.
Before she could answer…it was nighttime.
"He could've used my chariot." Artemis said
"It would've been way obvious for father." Apollo said
We grabbed our sleeping bags and got out of the way…hollow sockets filled with flames.
Poseidon glared at Ares.
"Ares." He growled
Ares cringed.
"Ares," I growled…And I never behead my enemies in front of a lady."
"You will never behead any of the demigods in front of anybody or nobody." Poseidon growled
Ares gulped and nodded.
Hestia gave a disappointed look to Ares which made him feel like he was being washed in a bucket of guilt.
"What lady?" Thalia asked…"Besides," Grover managed, "the taco place is closed."
A few people face-palmed at Grover.
Grover looked sheepish.
Ares snapped his fingers again. The lights inside the taqueria suddenly blazed to life. The boards flew off the door and the CLOSED sign flipped to OPEN. "You were saying, goat boy?"
"Only we are allowed to call Grover goat boy." Thalia glared at Ares
Ares decided not to glare back, knowing that the hunter might just glare back and it would be worse.
"Go on," I told my friends…He's got things under control."
"I never said I was big or strong, all I didn't want is for them to get in trouble." Percy said
My friends reluctantly headed…forgiving of rudeness as I am."
"Well she doesn't cause anger like you do." Grover said
"Mom? No she doesn't cause anger." Silena said
When I saw her, my jaw dropped…the dark side of the moon.
Aphrodite giggled.
Ares blushed and looked at her.
Clarisse, Frank, Silena and Piper turned green.
"I totally get how you're feeling right now." Nico said, seriously
"I mean I emptied out my guts during two particular chapters and I somehow survived through them." He added
Thinking back on it…she looked a little like Annabeth.
Annabeth and Percy blushed bright red.
Aphrodite squealed.
Then like this television actress…Then…well, you get the idea.
"I would normally say I would like to hear more but I want to know what happens right now." Hermes said
"Well that's a relief." Percy muttered under his breath.
"Ah, there you are, Percy"… "Um uh gah."
Everybody laughed.
"You're every sweet." Aphrodite smiled at Percy
She smiled…though I couldn't see anything wrong with it.
"Aw aren't you nice." Aphrodite squealed.
"Um Pipes how should I respond to this?" Percy asked Piper
"Lol I have no clue." She said, grinning.
"A simple thanks maybe." Silena suggested
"Oh yeah thanks Aphrodite." Percy said
Everybody laughed.
"Do you know why you're here?" she asked…With eyes like pools of spring water…Whoa.
Ares was staring at Aphrodite.
Frank and Clarisse shook his hand.
"You here dad?" Frank asked
"Yeah, I'm listening." Ares said
"We've lost him." Clarisse said
Everybody burst out laughing.
"You're still luckier than me." Nico said
Hades and Persephone blushed.
"That's true." Frank shuddered
"You just had to relate that with water right?" Annabeth joked
"Yep." Percy grinned.
I pinched my own arm, hard…and that helped clear my mind.
"Yeah thanks for the unknown help." Percy said
"Yeah no problem." Ares said, still a little dreamy
Hephaestus rolled his eyes at Ares.
Percy decided to have some fun.
"So I can ask you for anything?" He asked
"Yeah whatever." Ares said
Everybody roared with laughter.
Hephaestus got up and pinched Ares who yelped and glared at Hephaestus.
"He did you a favor, you just agreed to do anything Percy asked." Hermes snickered
"WHAT?!" Ares screamed
"Chill out, I don't want anything from you." Percy said
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said…imprison Artemis. Bo-ring!"
The hunters and Apollo glared at Aphrodite.
"She is beautiful." Thalia said
"Attitude matters more than looks." Annabeth said
"Exactly." Percy said
"But she was chasing a monster," I protested…"Annabeth is in trouble."
Annabeth and Percy blushed again.
Aphrodite beamed. "Exactly!"… That's so cute!"
"Those dreams were anything but cute." Rachel said
"I swear." Percy shuddered.
"No! I mean…that's not what I meant"… "Of course"
"YOU ALMOST KILLED MY HUNTER!" Artemis yelled
Aphrodite waved it away.
Zoe growled.
Because really, how boring these Hunters are! A quest for some monster, blah blah blah. Saving Artemis. Let her stay lost, I say.
"Don't ever make the mistake of saying that again." Apollo warned
Aphrodite looked at him.
"And why is that?" she challenged
"I'll mess with your love life then." Apollo warned
"You can't do that." She scoffed
"Oh you don't know what I can do." Apollo said, giving a humorless laugh
Aphrodite closed her mouth and nodded.
"Good one dad." Will, Michael and Lee said and fist-bumped Apollo
Artemis gave a grateful look to Apollo.
But a quest for true love—"…It's so romantic!"
"Joining the hunters doesn't meant throwing your life away, life is more than romantic relationships." Thalia said
"Especially for people who won't find love." Reyna said
"Uh…"…"The Hunters are your enemies
"Stop trying to put your dirty words in my son's mouth, I trust he wouldn't believe them but don't even try." Poseidon warned
Aphrodite nodded.
"The hunters are not my enemies, they never were, they are not and they will mostly never be." Percy growled
The hunters smiled. They knew that the mostly was if somebody betrayed him. If they did then he wouldn't be their friend which was absolutely understandable.
Forget them and Artemis and the monster…we've had a good tragic love story."
"Tragic?" Athena asked, a hint of warning in her voice
"Stay out of my son's and his girlfriend's love life." Poseidon growled
Aphrodite swallowed.
"But-" she started
"No." Poseidon said
"Love conquers all," Aphrodite promised…Follow your heart."
"Eh yeah, why would death of thousands of mortals or people for that matter bother her? Why would a zombie apocalypse matter to her? Eh such small matters." Nico said sarcastically, shaking his head
Everybody snickered.
"Ah good old sarcasm." Leo grinned
Hades looked proud.
"But…I don't know where it's going…giddy when she talked about it.
"That's because it's her domain." Piper said
"Yeah, her aura makes you do that." Demeter said
"Not knowing is half the fun," Aphrodite said…Anguish. Indecision. Oh, you just wait."
Athena, Poseidon and the other gods who cared about Percy and Annabeth glared at Aphrodite but that was nothing compared to the glares Percy and Annabeth were giving her.
"That's really okay," I told her. "Don't go to any trouble."
The glares immediately subsided and a few people chuckled.
"You're so cute. I wish all my daughters could break the heart of a boy as nice as you." Aphrodite's eyes were tearing up.
"We're already with partners who treat us well, we don't intend on breaking their hearts." Silena said
Beckendorf smiled.
"Now, you'd better go…about his trinkets and trash."
"At least you gave him a warning." Triton said
"Well something useful." Poseidon said
"What?" I asked…going to remember the wrath of Ares."
Silence.
"You cursed him. YOU CURSED MY SON!" Poseidon yelled
Ares backed up. His kids didn't do anything to defend him because he was wrong big-time here.
"You cursed him for beating you fairly, stop being a sore-loser." Annabeth said in disgust.
"Brother please sit down." Hestia said, getting up and placing her hand on Poseidon's shoulder.
Poseidon looked at her and the anger in his eyes vanished at once. He shot Ares a murderous glare which made him flinch. Poseidon went and sat down next to Percy and pulled him into a hug.
"That was way too wrong dad." Clarisse frowned
Ares winced.
The demigods glared at Ares.
"Pollux please continue." Hestia said, spreading waves of calmness in the throne room.
I balled my fists…Until then…Get lost."
"I'm pretty sure Percy's got Ares beat by now in the taunt king title." Nico said
"Hundred percent." Travis agreed
"Totally." Connor agreed
He snapped his fingers…"You can't trust Aphrodite."
Before Aphrodite could say anything, Demeter cut in.
"I don't blame them, you literally told the boy that his friends were his enemies."
Grover was looking at me funny. Being empathic and all, he could usually read my emotions, and I got the feeling he knew exactly what Aphrodite had talked to me about.
"It was awkward but hey the whole camp shipped you two, even Mr.D and Chiron." Grover grinned and shrugged
Percy and Annabeth blushed, they knew about the campers but no about Mr.D and Chiron. They turned to look at the god and centaur, both of whom trying to look innocent.
"So," I said, anxious to change the subject…"You act like it was real."
"Well it was." Artemis said, glaring at Zeus.
Hera was glaring too.
"Guys," Grover broke in. "Look!"… "That stuff…some of it looks like real gold."
"It is, don't pick it up at least not past the defenses." Hephaestus said
"It is," Thalia said grimly…"It's delicious!"
Everybody looked worriedly at Hephaestus.
"That's not enough to set off my defenses." He said
Thalia swatted the crown…Bianca reluctantly set the hair clip down.
"Hey Perce, I think it would be better for you to sit with Nico for that part." Will muttered
"Are-are you sure?" Percy asked, his voice cracking
"Two hundred percent." Will smiled
Percy got up and exchanged places with Nico and Will explained him everything.
"I don't like this place," Thalia said…attacked by killer refrigerators?" I asked
"Anything is possible in that place." Beckendorf said seriously
"Even killer refrigerators?" Leo asked
"Way more than killer refrigerators."
Leo gulped.
She gave me a hard look. "Zoë is right, Percy. Things get thrown away here for a reason. Now come on, let's get across the yard."
"That's the second time you've agreed with Zoe." Annabeth teased
"That's the second time you've agreed with Zoë," I muttered
Annabeth and Percy winked at each other.
"Great minds think alike." Percy winked
But Thalia ignored me…sweet I had to pick it up.
"Don't take it out though." Hephaestus said
"I didn't." he assured him
"That sounds like a pretty cool guitar." Apollo grinned
"Yeah." Michael grinned
"You play?" Apollo asked
"My main field is archery." Michael admitted
Apollo nodded.
Grover found a broken tree made out of metal…wedged tightly together.
"Toes?" Rachel asked in disgust
Hephaestus nodded.
Bianca frowned…Ping.
Nico and Hades froze.
Thalia hefted her spear…I, uh, don't like fake feet?"
They both let out sighs but it wasn't relief, they were on the edge of panic attacks.
"You wear fake feet." Travis said
"Doesn't mean I have to like them." Grover said
"Come on." Thalia looked at me… "Thank the gods."
"They didn't want to be thanked I think." Grover said
But apparently the gods didn't want to be thanked.
Percy and Grover exchanged quick smiles.
At that moment, I heard a sound like a thousand trash compactors crushing metal.
"Somebody has taken something." Hephaestus said, eyes widening.
I whirled around…A defective model."
"Too small?" Chris squeaked
"The original is way bigger." Beckendorf said
The metal giant didn't like the word defective…getting hit with a battleship.
Everybody flinched.
"One strike and you're dead." Triton said
"Someone took something," Zoë said…"I'm a lot of things, but I'm not a thief."
"I've been accused of thievery before too." Percy chuckled dryly.
Bianca didn't say anything. I could swear she looked guilty.
Nico bit back the tears.
Hades sighed in sadness. 'So his daughter had taken something.' he thought
But I didn't have much time…climbing up a mountain of metal.
"Baby goat?" Grover asked
"Sorry." Percy muttered
"You know before it all happens I want to ask something." Lee said
"Go ahead." Apollo said
"Are our entire lives fate? I mean what about free will?" he asked
Athena thought about it but she didn't get it.
Apollo finally spoke.
"Fate and free will go hand in hand. IT is your free will that leads to your fate. Like for example if a kid is crawling on a table, then that's his will but falling down would be his fate and if he would've just stayed on the ground then he wouldn't fall. Your free will leads to different choices that you could make. If you chose on then it leads to a particular fate and if you chose another then it will lead to another fate. Like for example if somebody has picked up something from the junkyard then it is her free will and the fate will be well… death but if she would've ignored it then she wouldn't die. The oracle sees the future but not in particular. Like it said somebody is going to die but it did not mention who." Apollo explained.
Everybody looked at him, understanding what he said.
Athena was in shock that he knew something she didn't.
It must have shown on her face because the entire Apollo gang glared at her.
Bianca and I ended up next to each other…Grover had bought us a few seconds.
"Thanks G-man." Percy said
Grover smiled sadly.
"Come on!" I told Bianca…There were tears in her eyes.
Nico's dam broke and he wept in his hands.
Hades pulled his son into a tight side hug.
Percy was biting his lip hard to keep in the tears.
"Throw it down," I said. "Maybe the giant will leave us alone."
"It won't work." Hephaestus sighed sadly.
She dropped it reluctantly…I couldn't see him anymore.
"Grover!" Annabeth yelled
"I was fine." He assured her.
"No!" Thalia yelled…could feel anything.
Zeus gave an approving smile to Thalia.
Jason grinned at her and Thalia looked pretty proud.
Nico had calmed down a little by now but not much.
There weren't any emotions…"Crazy-idea time," I said.
Percy flinched.
Bianca looked at me nervously…"I'll just have to time it right."
"You'll die." Poseidon said, in panic
Percy didn't say anything, which worried everybody.
Bianca's jaw tightened…Tell him…tell him I'm sorry."
Nico broke down and Hades was on the verge of it.
Persephone put her hand on his shoulder.
Percy's eyes were starting to fill up with tears.
"Bianca, no!"… "Down here."
The atmosphere was so tense that Clarisse didn't even make a comment about Percy's insults.
I ran up to its big toe…Olympus-Air refrigerator.
Poseidon closed his eyes.
The monster was about to finish me off…didn't get back up.
"You said you were fine." Annabeth said
"I was, just exhausted." Grover said
The monster raised his sword…punched himself in the face.
A very faint smile found its way to Hades and Nico's faces.
"Go, Bianca!" I yelled…sun started to rise, but no luck.
Hades and Nico broke down.
They hugged each other and Percy started crying too.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry." He whispered brokenly
He got up and ran out of the throne room.
The sea gang and Annabeth were yelling his name but he didn't turn back.
There was silence in the throne room. Hades and Nico were crying and Percy had run off to fates know where. Poseidon was in a state of panic and shock.
"I'll talk to him." Triton said
He got up and left the throne room, running to find his brother.
He found Percy crying at the bottom of the beach.
He swam down, luckily the fates had given him the ability to breathe underwater normally.
"Brother what's the matter?" Triton asked
Percy shook his head.
Triton sighed.
"Let's go to the throne room, everybody's really worried." He said
Percy winced.
He got up reluctantly and Triton slung an arm around his shoulders. They reached the throne room. Percy was still looking a little broken and was still sobbing. Hades was still holding Nico close to him.
"Son what happened?" Poseidon asked, rushing to hug his son.
Percy sat down without a word.
Nico and Hades wiped their tears and looked at Percy, their eyes were red.
"I-I should have gone instead of Bianca. She died my death and the prophecy never mentioned who would've died." Percy said, burying his head in hands.
"No!" Poseidon yelped
"You shouldn't have died Percy, it wasn't your fault." Triton said
"It was, it was my plan." Percy said
"Bianca had a long life ahead of her but yours isn't less worth." Amphitrite said
"She was just a kid." Percy groaned
"So were you." She said
Annabeth got up and hugged her boyfriend.
"It was not your fault Percy, you can't hold yourself responsible for all the deaths. You can't control them nor stop them. This death wasn't your fault." Annabeth said
"She's right, I know what it feels like to lose somebody and blame it on yourself but this was not your fault." Apollo said
"Exactly, I don't blame you Perce." Nico said
"What if I blame myself?" Percy asked
"You shouldn't. It was not your fault. Bianca made the choice and- and she p-payed the price." Hades said, his voice cracking in the middle
"Are you sure?" Percy asked
"Yes."
Percy nodded but still kept his head in his hands.
Pollux hesitantly continued reading.
Zoë sat down and wept…And Bianca di Angelo was gone.
"Done." Pollux said
"Let's break." Hestia said