Maisie is hanging out at the Uley's, which she often is, given that the boys get clingy if she tries to go stomping around in the woods alone and Emily feeds her. Leah is there today, which is actually a rarity, given the messy breakup with Sam and the rest of the pack's obvious distaste for her. Maisie doesn't mind, in fact, she enjoys the other girls silent company.
Bella comes around more often, hanging with Jake or Embry or whomever but to be honest, Bella was bland and awkward around Maisie, so she tended to avoid her. Leah, however, was blunt and, well, her stubborn pain reminded Maisie of Camp Jupiter and her friends there. She could commiserate silently next to Leah with no judgment.
Paul always seemed to pick up on Maisie's moods, always asking her what was wrong. Around Leah it was nice to just not worry about other people's perception of her for once. She wasn't sure Leah felt the same.
Leah sat criss cross on the floor, leaning up against the chair Maisie curled in, which was centered on the TV. The news was playing, reporting on a lack of large storms lately.
Maisie was also lacking some large storms, the other shoe hadn't yet dropped, she Maisie was wondering what in the hell was taking them so long.
As if sensinging the dark turn her thoughts had taken, Paul peeked his head into the room. She gave him a quick smile as he flopped onto the couch. He was, as always, not wearing a shirt. He had probably just gotten back from patrol, given that he was already snoring when Maisie went to say hi, however, he jumped awake as the door slammed open.
Paul was on his feet in a flash, though he didn't need to be, as Jake paced into the room a second later, shaking in anger.
"Jacob, calm down. What happened?" Paul stood protectively in the doorway.
"You're telling me to calm down?" Jake let out a bitter laugh, "It's the goddamn Cullens."
"They're gone." Paul creased his brow, confused.
"Who are the Cullens?" Maisie rose to her feet, leaving Leah on the floor.
"Well, apparently not." Jake threw his arms up, "The freaky one-"
"-They're all freaky." Paul interrupted.
"The girl, Alice or whatever, stopped by and Bella left with her to Italy to go save her bloodsucker boyfriend who doesn't even care about her." Jake barked out, obviously frustrated.
"Am I speaking Latin here? Who are the Cullens?" Maisie interrupted.
"A clan of bloodsuckers that used to live here." Paul explained.
"And you let Bella leave with one?" Maisie arched an eyebrow in Jake's direction.
"They don't eat people. These guys drink animal blood." Paul nodded.
"Still monsters, though. It's not like I wanted to. I tried to stop her, believe me." Jake muttered.
Maisie absorbed the information quietly.
"So what? Are they back then?" The malice in Leah's voice was evident, and a little surprising.
"I hope not." Paul muttered darkly. Jake seemed calm enough now, though he still paced around, his brows furrowed.
"I'll kill him." Jake swore, "If that goddamn bloodsucker shows his face around here again I'll rip it off."
Leah nodded her head as if she agreed.
"They don't hurt people," Maisie started, "but you still hate them. Why?"
"They're monsters." Jake replied, "It's who they are."
"They don't change. The gods have been the same selfish cruel beings for thousands of years." Luke's- no Saturn's voice rang out across the crowd. Maisie shivered, leaning closer to Jess's side. The dracnae beside her howled manically and banged her fists against her breastplate. Maisie's own breastplate fell awkwardly against her chest. It was the legion given one, that never quite fit right. Imperial gold was too scarce to custom make a breastplate for everyone.
"It's time we take them down a notch, eh?" The group of demigods and monsters went wild, clanging and banging and cheering. Jess's hand twitched, grabbing onto Maisie's.
"You are the brave soldiers who will stay and protect Mount Othyrus as I️ crumble Olympus! Krios will guide you to victory!" With a final cry, Saturn descended into the horde, swaying through on his way down the mountain. Liam materialized next to Jess and Maisie, blood dripping down the side of his face.
"Are you okay?" Maisie hesitantly brushed her fingers over his wound.
"Yeah, fine." Liam replied, obviously still hyped on adrenaline, "One of the Legion's scouts got me."
Maisie nervously fiddled with her breastplate. The battle was close now. It suddenly seemed so real, the white noise in her head finally clearing as the realization crossed over her in vivid clarity that she was about to fight demigods. Demigods who stood by the gods, but kids like her nevertheless. The idea of running into Reyna, or even worse, Jason Grace, on the battlefield turned her stomach to knots.
"You can't fight in that thing." Liam noticed her fidgeting, "It doesn't fit you."
"It's the only breastplate I have." She murmured back, voice nearly drowned out by the clamoring monsters around her.
She was going to fight demigods with monsters who've terrorized and eaten those before her.
"C'mon, lets go get you another one." A horn blasted in the distance. "Quickly."
Maisie hand was pulled away from Jess's as Liam led her down a few hallways towards the armory. He turned the knob, opening the empty room. The sounds of a battle started in the distance.
"Take that one off." He instructed as she unbuckled her armor. He turned his back to the doorway, shuffling in the stack of breastplates. The sound of footsteps down the hallway quickened Maisie's heart rate. Her breath caught in her throat as Jason Grace, son of Jupiter stood in his full glory in the doorway, spear raised, lightning crackling between his fingertips, reflected in his eyes.
"Liam." She gasped, causing her mentor to spin around. The metal in his hands clattered to the ground as Liam stumbled back.
"Please-" Maisie stuttered as Jason's face twisted, the static in the air making her hair stand up on end. Liam snapped into action, leaping past Maisie and tackling Jason into the hallway.
"Go, Maisie!" He shouted.
Maisie ran. She ran and she kept running.
Hey Y'al! I drew Maisie so if you wanna see her, uhh lemme know in a comment and i'll post it. I appreciate the support and sorry for not updating in a while I was just so unhappy with the last chapter :(