Authors Note: Sorry for making you wait so long, I just was not in the mood. Oh and also, a little change of plans, you way back when I said no….. Wait! Hold on! If I tell you it might ruin the chapter so why don't I shut my big mouth and you guys can R&R in peace! :)
Disclaimer: FYI the "ME" no own PJO. :(
We all like Jeeps Now Don't We?
"Sooo… what time are we leaving?" said a tentative voice behind me. Rebecca.
"In an hour," I said.
"So at 10 am?" she asked.
"Yup," I replied.
"Is Argus driving us down there?" she pushed.
"Nope, we're getting picked up by Apollo," I explained.
"Are they true?" she inquired wide-eyed.
"Are what true?" I asked.
"The rumors," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What rumors?" She was confusing me.
"The ones about Apollo," she prompted.
"There are a lot of rumors about Apollo," I replied.
"No, I mean the ones about his driving," she explained.
"Oh, so you've heard."
"That he really sucks at driving and that it is more commonly coupled with one of the scariest rollercoasters on earth," she said.
"Umm… yeah… they're true," I answered.
"Great," she muttered.
"So I'll meet you back here at 10 o'clock sharp."
"Great, really great. I really am looking forward to it," and with that sarcastic note she walked off towards the Hermes cabin.
"Tell Harry and Stewart this also and all of you need to change and take a shower!" I called after her. She just waved her hand in the air as if to say,
"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."
I walked down the hill back to my cabin, I was halfway there when I ran straight into Clarisse, flanked by her group.
"Watch where you're going punk," she snarled at me. Lance stood next to her staring off into the distance, Ben cowered in fear as Clarisse spat at me and Jack just stood there polishing the point of his spear.
"I was, except that your head isn't filled with anything so it's sort of hard to see it," I retorted.
"Then look harder," she sneered. I took my cue and started walking away.
"Hey! Wait a moment! What did you just say!" she shouted as I began to sprint off towards my cabin. Finally I made it there, slamming the door behind me I sat down on the floor, breathing heavily and closing my eyes.
I opened my eyes, and blinked. Someone was calling my name, they sounded close, but yet really far away. I stood up and drew Riptide.
"Who's there" I said.
"Percy! It's you!" said a loud, over excited voice.
"What?! Tyson?! Where are you?" I cried.
"In a rainbow." He replied as simply as if he were telling me the time.
"What! Why are you in a…." then comprehension dawned on me.
"Oh… it's an Iris message," I said, a little discombobulated.
I walked over to the salt water fountain that was glowing slightly in the corner. I leaned over it and stared down. There smiling up at me was Tyson. He waved at me while the forges blazed behind him.
"Percy! You answered!" He said excitedly.
"Great to see you too big guy, how's life?" I asked.
"It's good, but I miss you and Annabeth." He paused. "And even goat boy."
"I know, but hey! You can come see them soon!" I exclaimed.
"Cool!"
"Yeah, this Friday," I explained.
"Okay, I'll go ask Mr. Boss if that's okay," He paused, then someone yelled,
"You there! Tyson, get back to work!" and with that the message dissolved.
I looked down at my watch, Hades! It's 9:58! With that I ran outside, and up to the bottom of the hill where Thalia's old tree stood, I stopped and looked up. Rebecca and Stewart were already there, talking and laughing about something or other.
I looked over my shoulder, squinting into the bright sunlight, as I saw Harry trudging, slowly, towards us. He saw me looking, his pace quickened and a moment later he was walking besides me, we climbed the hill in silence.
I looked over at him when we had reached the top; he looked sad, almost wistful. I opened my mouth but before I could say anything I had to look away because just then a huge blinding golden light appeared and in a second flat standing in front of us, leaning against his car, was Apollo, God of the sun.
Stewart and Rebecca immediately bowed while Harry stared opened mouthed at the car. I just stared at Apollo, who waved his hand dismissively for Rebecca and Stewart to get up, before walking over to me.
"Hey, cuz! What up?" he said punching me in the shoulder. (He didn't punch that hard but still it felt like someone had poured boiling water there). I put my other hand up to the burnt part of my arm and began to gently message it.
"Oh, sorry, cuz, didn't mean to hurt you, it's just that when you put water and fire together they boil. So who do we have over here?" He mused looking around at my group. His eye's past over Stewart, lingered on Rebecca, with a slight look of longing, but then traveled on to Harry. He looked at Harry for a very long time, staring intently at him, and then he looked back at me.
"So you want me to take you guys to Olympus?" he asked
"Umm yeah, that was kind of the idea," I replied.
"Okay, hop in then." He said walking over to the driver's seat and holding the door open for one of us.
I looked at him and realized what he meant.
"No way," I said.
"I am not going to drive."
"Okaaaaay," He said "who wants to drive!"
"Apollo aren't they all a little to young to dri-"
"I want to!" Rebecca said, cutting me off in mid sentence.
"But you're too young," I protested.
"Please Lord Apollo please?" she asked, fluttering her eyelids and looking up at him with a puppy dog face. He fell for it, I just knew it.
"Alright, you can drive first, as long as you all quit calling me Lord," he said winking at her. Then he turned around, paused and said, "Though Harry, you can call me Dad." And with that he snapped his fingers and a glowing holographic sun appeared over Harry's head.
"Thanks." Harry mumbled, a little awestruck.
"Any time, I mean after all, what are parents for?" and with that he tossed Rebecca the car keys and walked over to the shotgun seat.
"Ummm… Apollo, we don't all fit in a two-seater sports car." I interjected.
"Oh yeah, that might be a problem…"
"I've got it! How about a jeep! We all like jeeps now don't we."
And with that we all piled in.
A minute later we were all seated and buckled in, Rebecca in the driver's seat, Apollo next to her, Harry behind Apollo, and me behind Rebecca.
"Okay, so what's the first thing you do when you get in a car?" Apollo asked.
"Buckle up." She replied.
"And the next thing?"
"Check your mirrors."
"And after that?"
"Start the engine."
"Good, so put the keys in." he said.
Rebecca put the keys in their slot and turned, the jeep roared into life.
"Okay, so just drive down this hill and up that one then hit the gas hard and we'll be off."
"Okay, sure." She said, her voice shook a bit with anticipation.
We started down Half-Blood hill we made it halfway down when Apollo said, deadly serious,
"Stop the car, and no one move a muscle."
We froze as a loud, deep growling sound came form something right above us. I could hear flapping and suddenly the car was picked up and thrown sideways. That's when Apollo got up, fire dancing in his eyes.
"No one messes with me OR my ride," he snarled.
And with that he leaped out of the car and started to volley arrows at the monster. Though where the arrows came from I had no idea.
Apollo leaped around, from tree to wrecked up car, to ground. Suddenly a loud
"NO!" erupted out of Apollo's mouth.
"Stay back Sister!" Apollo yelled this time even louder. I couldn't take it any more; I scrambled out of the car but got knocked back in by a familiar face,
"Thaila." I breathed
"What did you expect seaweed brain, the president?" She snarled slashing at the monster that was attacking us. I couldn't take it any longer. I shouted
"MOVE!" And pushed Thalia unceremoniously out of the way. Drawing Riptide I charged at the beast who was now attacking Apollo, Artemis, and the rest of the Hunters. I ran towards them, anger boiling up inside of me, who was this thing thinking that he could just come out here and attack innocent people like this? Then I felt a huge tug in the pit of my stomach as the ground began to shake causing everyone but me to fall to the ground, even the monster. Then a voice behind me yelled,
"BEGONE WITH YOU MONSTER!" I heard a growl that almost sounded like, as you wish master. And with that he fell down threw a crack in the earth as Nico came running over to us.