Hello guys! I hope you enjoy this chapter- just so you all know I have over 100 chapters prewritten, and because I'm nice I have made a decision, until this fic is finished, I will either update daily as normal, or I will update every five reviews as long as I'm, y'know, awake or able to get to my laptop.
Sorta poll for Sally's parentage/who she's a legacy of. I won't be including the vote for Vesta because she's a maiden.
Terra: 11
Nox: 6
Venus: 5
Saturn: 4
Ceres: 3
Baccus: 1
Jupiter: 1
Pluto: 1
Neptune: 1
Apollo: 1
Mars: 1
Caelus: 1
Tartarus: 1
Daughter of Venus: 9
Daughter of Ceres: 1
Percy had to admit that as much as she wished her girlfriend could have stayed away from the danger, it was amazing to see Rachel again, she was sat on Blackjack in front of Percy, her body twisted slightly so that they could see each other, Percy's arms resting lightly on her waist, "How are you even still awake?" She asked once they were in the air on their way- keeping one eye on Drew and her parents. Paul seemed incredibly excited- he couldn't see Lady and Blackjacks wings thanks to the mist but he was incredibly excited at the fact that he was flying on the back of a Pegasi- she could faintly hear his rapid eager questions, which Drew was answering as best as she could, fingers brushing over the necklace Percy had given her- one from her own collection which she didn't wear often.
It made her smile despite everything.
"I have no idea." Rachel admitted, shaking her head, "I just- it was terrifying, I was with your mom and Paul, your mom was stress baking cookies and then she just- they barely had time to sit down before they were falling asleep but it just didn't have any effect on me- and when I do sleep I've been having weird dreams-"
"Weird dreams?"
"The paintings." Rachel's voice was very quiet, "You saw them Percy."
"I-" Percy swallowed hard- her mind treacherously going to the painting that Rachel had been destroying in the dream. "I don't know what it means Rache."
"And there's more too. I know that Kronos is going to send a Drakon after you guys- and that it can only be killed by a child of Ares. And I know that you're going to go to Olympus twice more. And I know that the second time will be the end of the war- and I don't know how I know any of this Percy- and it scares me. I'm not- I don't..." she shook her head, "I keep seeing glimpses of the future-
and that rarely ends well."
And Percy's mind instantly flipped to May, and Rachel knew what she was thinking because she nodded, a teary look on her face. "I don't- I don't want to end up like her- and it's weird- I feel like- I'm not destined to. That's not my fate, I'm- I don't know." she shook her head, "I'm the guide. My dreams have warned me not to try and become the Oracle- before you ask. Not that I'd want to anyway, but- I feel like I'm guiding it somehow. I'm being used to guide things. I don't know."
"Whatever it is we'll figure it out together Rache." Percy pressed her lips to Rachel's shoulder, holding her tighter as they flew. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying with them. For protecting them." Percy closed her eyes, letting out a breath, "I'm- if you hadn't been there and woken them up they'd have been defenceless."
"Well they're my family too in a way." Rachel admitted, "I spend more time with Sally and Paul than I do my own parents. They care about me more than my own parents too. I'd rather be with them than on holiday worrying about you guys."
"Gods I'm lucky to have you." Percy pressed her lips to Rachel's cheek then. "I love you so so much. My beautiful Daredevil."
"I love you too." Rachel hesitated, "I have a present for you by the way- I would wait but- I don't know if I'll get the chance to give it to you on the day." Rachel shifted, pulling a little box from her pocket, which she handed to Percy, who opened it carefully, blinking as she stared down at the charm- it was square- and printed on it was one of Rachel's paintings, shrunk down into a minature, about the size of a quarter maybe. It was all three of them, Percy in the centre, and Annabeth and Rachel on either side of her, arms wrapped around her waist.
"I figured you could put it on your camp necklace."
"Oh Rache." Percy beamed at the other girl, managing to take her necklace off and slide the charm onto it. "I love it."
"I figured, you always love the sentimental stuff and you know- oh gods." Rachel's voice was horrified, and Percy looked down, wincing at the sight- they were flying over a large portion of Kronos' army- though none of them seemed to have noticed the two pegasi in the sky above them. Percy was grateful for that and she shifted forward slightly, "It's okay Rache. Everything's going to be okay-"
"There's so many of them."
"I know." Percy's voice was soft, "I know."
"How-" Rachel started to speak, but she was cut off by a ringing noise and Percy shifted, slipping a hand into her pocket and pulling her phone out, wincing.
"Annabeth." She clicked the button and held the phone to her ear. "Hey Wise girl-"
"Percy what in the name of the gods is going on are you okay? You just- gods you just woke up screaming and you ran you didn't even give me time to get up and come after you and Leo said he saw you flying away with Drew."
"It's a long story, I'll explain when we get back. Where are you guys?"
"We've moved most of us to the Empire State building." Annabeth told her quickly, "I wanted to go after you but you were already gone- Thalia, Luke and Chiron have already set most of it up."
"And things back at the hotel?"
"We've started taking the worst of the kids back to camp, Michael and Austin are using the chariot to go back and forth, there's a group of Apollo healers there seeing to them and once that's done Will and the other healers we have here will be setting up for battlefield medics."
"Good. That's good." Percy let out a breath, "I'll see you in maybe ten minutes if that."
"And you best have a very very good reason for running off like that."
"Oh believe me I did." Percy let out a breath, "You're going to freak when we arrive-" She paused, "Is Nico going back to camp then?"
"No, no he's here with us- he refused to leave but he has agreed to rest for the day until the battle and to not use his powers-"
"I-" Percy groaned, "He's so stubborn- but I may have an idea of who can keep him out of trouble." she'd assign him to look after Sally and Paul- he'd be away from the main battle but it was an important job, one he'd be more than willing to accept she had no doubt.
"Oh? Now that I'd love to see. I'll see you when you arrive Seaweed brain."
"See you then Wise girl." Percy clicked off and tucked her phone away, looking ahead as they approached the Empire State building, heading downwards as they got closer- and soon she saw Annabeth come running outside, closely followed by Luke, Chiron and Thalia- and Percy grinned widely as she waved and they finished their descent, Annabeth sprinting up to them, "Holy Zeus Percy what did you do!" and she was almost dragging Rachel off of Blackjack's back, a worried look on her face, "Gods Rache!" she hugged Rachel tightly and Rachel hugged her back. "How are you awake?"
"That is a very good question." Chiron's voice was worried, "And where is Miss Tanaka-"
"Incoming!" the call came from above and Percy didn't even bother looking up.
"That would be Drew. With mom and Paul-"
"What?" Luke's eyes widened, "Percy-"
"I had a dream, Kronos ordering Ethan to take a little goon squad and kidnap mom so that they could use her to blackmail me."
"Oh gods." Annabeth's eyes widened, "No wonder you ran out like that-"
"Got there in time to see your pretty little girlfriend kicking the shit into Nakamura." Drew called out as she slid off Lady's back and helped the two mortals down, Paul was looking around with wide eyes- but Sally was moving quickly to throw her arms around Luke and hug him tightly, and Luke clung to her.
"Holy Zeus I- thank the gods for Rachel- but how are you guys awake?"
"I woke them up." Rachel gave an uncomfortable little shrug. "I don't know how I was awake but I was and I- apparently I met Rhea, she gave me this potion, I didn't know who she was but she told me it could wake people up so- I used it."
"It was a very strange sensation." Sally admitted, "And we locked ourselves inside.
"It was definitely interesting." Paul laughed and moved to Sally quickly. "So these are the kids friends-" his gaze focused and Chiron, "I'm assuming that you're not actually riding a horse and that's just this mist I've been told all about."
"Your assumption would be correct. I am Chiron-"
"The Chiron?" Paul's eyes shone with almost childlike glee, "This is amazing- Sally have I ever told you meeting you was the best thing to ever happen to me."
"You only love me for my Greek connections." Sally's voice was playful and Luke snorted.
"As much as I'm sure you guys would love to talk to Chiron we should probably get you both inside safely."
"That's a good idea, Rachel, Annabeth and I are gonna need to talk with Chiron. Thalia. Can you go and get Clarisse for us-"
"Sure thing." Thalia nodded and jogged inside quickly and Percy let out a breath, and Luke nodded, not needing Percy to speak, taking their mom's hand and towing her and Paul along with them.
"Are you guys okay?" Annabeth's voice was worried as she focused on her girlfriends.
"We are." Percy gave Annabeth a look and Annabeth nodded.
"And I will go and check in on my sisters." Drew declared, "See you later Princess." Drew gave a little wave before heading inside, and soon Annabeth, Rachel and Chiron were alone on the street outside of the entrance to Olympus.
"What did you need to talk with me about?"
"Rachel says that there's a Drakon coming."
"A Lydian Drakon- I don't know how I know that or even what the difference between a Lydian Drakon and a normal Drakon is but I know that's what they're sending and I know something else. I already told Percy, but the Drakon can only be killed by a child of Ares-"
"That-" Chiron's eyes were wide, "How could you possibly know that?"
"I've been getting glimpses of the future in my dreams- it started with Percy in the volcano but lately they've been worse. I know it sounds crazy-"
"We're literally fighting a war against Kronos the Titan of time." Percy pointed out, "Crazy went out of the window for you right around the time you met us at the Dam."
"I- okay that's true." Rachel admitted, letting out a breath. "I just- all of this is so weird and I don't understand what's happening to
me and it's scary. And I know that sounds stupid because you guys have it so much worse but-"
"Don't be silly child." Chiron's voice was firm, "It would be worrying for anyone- perhaps you've been blessed by Apollo- of you may have some godly blood in you that's bestowed the gift of prophecy. Either way we must take advantage of your gift while we can. You were right to ask Thalia to get Clarisse-" Chiron turned his head to look at Percy. "We have no way of knowing how long we have but we need to start preparing now."
"Which means she needs to be ready to fight." Annabeth finished, "Okay- so we have to assume that we don't have lo-" she was cut off by the sound of a roar shaking the ground- and it sounded close, terrifyingly so.
"Rachel. Get inside."
"But I want to stay with you guys I can fight..." Rachel trailed off, because she'd spotted something across the street- and all of the blood drained from her face.
A shadow blotted out the sun. Across the street, the Drakon slithered down the side of a skyscraper. It roared, and a thousand windows shattered.
"On second thought," Rachel said in a small voice, "I'll be inside."
"Find mom and Paul." Percy's voice was tight, and she didn't look away from the Drakon, "If you see Nico tell him he's on guard duty for them." She pulled Riptide from her pocket, uncapping the pen, "And if you see Clarisse get her out here as fast as you can." she could already see other demigods moving to the doors to look and see what was going on.
"What will you do?"
Percy took a deep breath, turning her head to look at Annabeth, who gave a small nod. "We'll hold it off for as long as we can." Percy turned her gaze back to the gigantic serpent- which was probably over two hundred foot long and thicker than a school bus- it's eyes were like huge yellow searchlights and it's mouth wad full of razor sharp teeth that looked big enough to chew elephants. Honestly it made Percy miss the flying pig and that was saying a lot.
And of course, there was the enemy army marching down Fifth Avenue.
They'd pushed the cars out of the way to try and keep the mortals trapped inside of them safe, but that just made it easier for the enemies to approach.
As they did campers came filing out from the Empire State building, weapons in hand- clearly they'd all heard the roar- it would have been hard to miss after all.
She took a deep breath, raising Riptide above her head as she flicked open her locket with her free hand and called, "I'll hold of the Drakon until Clarisse gets out here! The rest of you, kill some monsters!" and as her armor formed around her she lowered her hand and she felt Annabeth grabbing it tightly, squeezing.
And then they were running.
