Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief
Chapter Seven: We Get Stoned!
"What an inappropriate time to do such recreational activities!" Apollo scolded Percy with a wag of his finger. "For shame, Percy Jackson, for shame!"
"Oh come on! It's legal in Colorado," Hermes said with a wave of his hands. "Besides, he's eaten seaweed."
"That's not the same thing, Hermes, and you know it."
It was nice, in some strange way, knowing that there were the Greek Gods somewhere out there; you had somebody to blame when things, inevitably, went wrong. For instance, when you're walking away from a bus that's just been attacked by monster hags and blown up by lightning, and it's raining on top of everything else, most people might think that's just really bad luck; when you're a half-blood, you understand that some divine force really is trying to mess up your day.
So there they were: Andi, Annabeth, Grover and Percy, walking through the woods along the New Jersey riverbank. Andi was leading them through the dim, dark forest with her wand out, a ping pong ball sized, soft luminescent white light bobbing just off the tip. The soft pattering of rain against the leaves made for a calming soundtrack as the warm, auburn glow of New York City seeped past the tree cover as they slowly trudged away from it, the odor of the Hudson swirling around them.
Grover was shivering and braying, his large, goat-like eyes were stretched as wide as they possibly could; he could have passed off as surprised, but his pupils, slitted in fear, betrayed how utterly petrified he was. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."
"Such stamina, what an impressive goat."
"Mom. Seriously. Eww." Piper stuck her tongue out.
Percy was pretty much in shock himself. The explosion of bus windows still rung fresh in his ears. But Annabeth kept pulling them along, saying, "Come on! The farther away we get, the better."
"All our money was back there," Percy reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."
It was then that Andi snapped and spun around, glaring at her cousin. "What. The. Hell!" She shouted at him, poking him with her free hand at each word. "Are you bloody mental?!" She screamed. Air, previously still and silent, started to moan ominously as it encircled her.
"Yes." The demigods answered before Percy could.
"Ha! I knew it!" Dionysus smirked at Apollo. "You owe me two quests and three favors!"
"Damn." Apollo swore at the bet he lost.
"What?" Percy snapped, oblivious to Andi's rising temper, still getting his wits about him.
"You heard me Jackson, I'm questioning your sanity." The girl gritted out with a scowl, "I had it under control. I was going to use invisibility to sneak behind them and kill one. Then in the surprise at losing one of their own; I could have taken down a second. That would've got the last one to turn to me, letting Annabeth and me go for a pincer. The dark tunnel was the perfect place to do it too, the dark would've helped to cover our kills, or I could have used the Mist on the mortals if that didn't work!" She huffed, throwing her arms in the air in a clear sign of her frustration.
"Wait, you thought that up as soon as you saw them?" Annabeth asked curiously.
"Duh." Andi drawled out, still in a snippy mood.
The blonde gave Andi an impressed nod for the on-the-fly idea.
"Still, should've said something. 'Cover me', or 'keep them busy'," Percy said under his breath. "Any warning really would've worked."
"You know what, he's got a point." Frank hummed.
"Thank you, Frank!"
Percy narrowed his eyes, and was about to rebut, but Andi cut him off before he could even breathe a word.
"Instead we have the idiot of the year here crashing a bus through a tunnel and into who knows how many other people!" She glowered, air hissing around her form snapping at the spawn of the sea, echoing their mistress's fury. "You could have gotten us and the mortals killed you nimrod."
"Well it didn't happen, did it!?" He shot back; he was not going to take this lying down.
"This isn't a world for maybes!" Andi yelled, getting so close to his face their noses nearly touched. "You either know what the bloody hell you're doing or bumble around like a fool. And I am no fool Jackson."
"But it's fun to be the fool!" Hermes protested.
"No, dude, not now." Apollo whispered as he put a hand on his brother's shoulder.
The black haired girl hissed at him, "how many of those mortals are hurt from your actions, you reckon, Percy? Hm?" Her voice had gone soft, but it dripped with venom.
Percy winced at that, but recovered just as fast. "Okay, yeah, I messed up. At least I stayed around to try to help instead of just disappearing like you did! As if you abandoned us." He accused, throwing the blame desperately.
"Percy Jackson," Rhea said with a frown aimed at her godson.
"Wh-She could've said something!" Percy protested. He shrunk under Rhea's glare. "Sorry, Grandma."
Andi just looked at him coolly, her electric blue eyes clouded over. "Don't accuse me of abandoning my friends, Jackson. That's something I would never do."
"Yes, yes, act all cool. Like some grand lone wolf." Percy mocked, causing Andi to bristle, her stormy eyes all but slits; in her other hand, her wand twitched ever so slightly. "And I haven't mentioned anything about how your dad blew up all our stuff."
"He was trying to help us."
"By leaving us with almost nothing?" Percy replied in a patronizing voice. "Great help there!"
"He killed the last Fury before it could finish calling for reinforcements!" Andi argued heatedly, wood creaked as winds arched and raced through the forest.
"With the massive boom of doom." Poseidon scoffed.
"Poseidon." Rhea warned.
"Yes mother."
"And he couldn't do it with something that wouldn't destroy everything around it?" Percy continued, still in a patronizing voice. "He's real smart, huh?"
Andi seethed, but reined her anger in, she didn't want to lose control of her powers. In a tight voice, she countered. "Well at least my father actually did something to help us. What did yours do?"
"Oh, shit. Shots fired." Apollo gasped.
"That little, imputent-!" Poseidon grit his teeth. "Zeus would've thrown a shit fit if I tried anything so openly! He would've had Aeolus working decades of overtime to clean up afterwards!"
"It's true, he would've." Hera nodded.
Annabeth looked back and forth between them, wondering where all this was coming from. They got along good at camp, so this was just such a 180. She could only assume the influence of their parentage was rearing its head as a result of the building tension. Both their fathers were kings in their own rights, even if Poseidon nominally accepted Zeus' seniority. This was why there was such a rivalry between the two brothers, Poseidon chafed at Zeus' leadership and Zeus would not brook anything but unquestioning loyalty. The same was playing out here, Andi had inherited her Father's desire to lead just like Thalia had as she demonstrated by always leading them around before they made it to Camp, and just like his father, Percy was unwilling to fully accept someone else taking charge.
"That's a very astute evaluation," Athena said dryly.
"You know, I think I know what your problem is?" Percy asked his cousin.
"Oh? Enlighten me." The aerokinetic girl snapped.
"Simple, your whining because I got this job, and you didn't, right? You want to be in charge all the time, the one that does all the great things. Annabeth set it up for Luke to get the flag, but no, you didn't like that, so you went for it instead. Come on, admit it." Percy goaded back.
Andi gritted her teeth, "That doesn't matter." She brushed off quickly. Too quickly.
"Oh, it's getting good." Ares grinned. He took a handful of the ambrosia popcorn and shoveled it into his mouth. Then pumped his fist. "Lesh shee shome blood!"
"Mouth closed, Ares." Rhea, Hera and Hestia chided absentmindedly.
Percy pounced, "Yes, it does." He shot back, smirking at her, which made his cousin growl at him.
"Then tell us fearless leader," she mocked. "What's our next move, hm? What about food, money, transportation?" She pushed further. "Ideas?"
Percy faltered, "Well-I," he stammered, "Oh, like you have answers! And let's not forget it was your dad which got us into this mess in the first place." He snapped back, throwing his arms in the air.
Andi lifted her bag from her shoulder, "I've got cash, drachma, clothes, first-aid supplies, ambrosia and nectar, and a good feeling of what to do. What've you got?" Andi asked with a superior smirk.
"...And the tides turn once more."
"Shut up, Valdez." Percy grumbled.
Percy was about to open his mouth before a new voice entered the argument with a shout of, "Enough!" Annabeth got between them, pushing them apart before they decided to brawl in the middle of the woods, "Okay, just, stop it already!" she glowered, looking them both in the eye with quick swivels of her head.
Andi just gave Percy a frustrated look and huffed, before stomping away.
Percy, just ran his hand through his messy black hair. Seriously, things were a mess right now, and as much as he hated to admit it, Andi made some good points. Also, he was kind of jealous of her; she seemed so sure of herself right now while he felt so lost. He felt like he was wading through an ocean of Jell-O, but she seemed to just take everything in stride. It was so frustrating, they started out the same, but she was a sponge, taking in everything that was thrown at her with ease, while he was, well, not spongy.
Hell, he wasn't even in this for the glory, or because his dad needed help, or for the people that could be killed in this messed up glorified bitch fit between their fathers. He just wanted his mom back, that was all that really mattered to him.
"Yes, to hell with the fate of the world! Peter Johnson just wants his mommy back." Dionysus snorted.
"Says the one who went to the Underworld to barter for his mother's life," Hades said coolly.
"...Th-that's different!" Dionysus sputtered.
"Sure it is."
Percy was still busy complaining about the situation when Andi lifted her wand once more, taking point once again.
After a few minutes, Annabeth fell into line next to Percy. "Look, despite agreeing with Andi with your approach, and being upset that you actually thought that I needed help." She pointed out tersely, "I..." Her voice faltered. "I appreciate you coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."
"We're a team, right?"
She was silent for a few more steps. "It's just that if you died ... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over…or Andi would take over, so it would mainly suck for you. Oh! What I'm trying to say is, this may be my only chance to see the real world. So we can't afford screw ups, okay?"
"Ah, budding romance, isn't it sweet?" Piper asked.
"Shut up, McLean." Annabeth grumbled.
The thunderstorm had finally let up. The city glow faded behind them, leaving them in almost total darkness besides Andi's lit wand, guiding them through the night like Rudolph.
Percy could be offended by Annabeth's accusation that he was going to be the one to mess up the quest, but chose not to. He didn't want to get into another argument. Instead he asked, "You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?"
"No ... only short field trips. My dad-"
"The history professor."
"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." She was rushing her words out. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not." She said, her voice wavering only the slightest.
"Aw, bonding..."
"Piper, I swear I will shave you bald and make sure you stay that way."
"You're pretty good with that knife."
"You think so?"
"Anybody who can piggyback a Fury is okay by me." Percy grinned at her, getting to see a smile from the blonde in the wand light.
"You know," she said, "maybe I should tell you ... Something funny back on the bus ..."
Whatever she wanted to say was interrupted by a shrill toot-toot-toot, like the sound of an owl being tortured.
"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" Grover cried. "If I could just remember a 'find path' song, we could get out of these woods!"
He puffed out a few notes, but the tune still sounded suspiciously like Hilary Duff.
"Point me." Andi said grumpily as she held her wand on the flat of her hand. It turned sharply to the right, "Okay, that's north." She said, using her wand and the point me spell as an improvised compass, "So west is that way." She looked ahead while pointing in the direction.
"I love magic." Annabeth praised quietly as Percy nodded.
"Traitors." Thalia grumbled with a mild glare aimed at the couple.
They walked in the glow of the warm magic light in silence for another mile or so, the crickets their only background music.
They kept moving and about an hour after their break, they started to see a bright light, and not the one from Andi's wand, up ahead: the colors of a neon sign. They could smell food too. Fried, greasy, food.
"All. American. Appetizers." Percy grinned.
"Only at Chili's." Leo added.
"Now I want some baby back ribs." Frank rubbed his stomach thoughtfully.
It was then that Andi realized she hadn't eaten anything unhealthy since she'd arrived at Half-Blood Hill, where they lived on grapes, bread, cheese, and extra-lean-cut nymph-prepared barbecue. She felt far better with that food then the hearty meals she had at Hogwarts. It now suddenly made sense why a lot of kids back at school were on the pudgy side of the spectrum. Looks like she was going to have to change her diet when she got back.
They kept walking until they saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie, and one open business, which was the source of the neon light and the greasy smell.
It wasn't a fast-food restaurant like she had heard Percy openly wishing it was. It was one of those weird roadside curio shops that sell lawn flamingos and wooden Indians and cement grizzly bears and stuff like that. The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary. The neon sign above the gate was impossible for them to read, because if there's anything worse for their dyslexia than regular English, it's red cursive neon English.
To the demigods, it looked like: ATNYU MES GDERAN GOMEN MEPROUIM.
"Gomen? Why are they saying sorry?" Apollo asked.
"Is that what that means?" Hermes asked.
"It's an abbreviated form of apology."
"Huh. And this whole time I thought you were cursing Artemis when you said that."
"Wha-I would never!"
"Yeah, that's what she said when I tried to tell her."
"You what?!"
"Apollo, shush, there's plot!" Hermes hushed his brother.
"What the heck does that say?" Percy asked.
"I don't know," Annabeth said as Andi narrowed her eyes at the sign, showing she too was struggling to find out.
Grover translated: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."
"Thanks Grover." Andi chirped.
Flanking the entrance, as advertised, were two cement garden gnomes, ugly bearded little runts, smiling and waving, as if they were about to get their picture taken.
Percy crossed the street, following the smell of the hamburgers.
"Hey...I don't think-" Grover shuffled his hooves.
"The lights are on inside," Annabeth said. "Maybe it's open."
"Snack bar," Percy said wistfully.
"Snack bar," the blonde agreed.
"Snack Bar!" the demigods cheered.
"Are you two crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird."
"Grover, it's garden gnomes, of course it's weird. But if there is food, we need to stock up." Andi told him as the other two ignored him.
The front lot was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover the creeps.
"Bla-ha-ha!" he bleated. "Looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"
"Oh yeah, I remember him." Dionysus chuckled. "He always was a sucker for pretty women."
"So Zeus as a Satyr?" Hades asked.
"No, no. He wasn't that bad."
They stopped at the warehouse door.
"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."
"Your nose is clogged up from the Furies," Annabeth told him. "All I smell is burgers. Aren't you hungry?"
"Meat!" He snorted scornfully. "I'm a vegetarian."
"You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminum cans," Percy reminded him.
"Those are vegetables. Come on. Let's leave. These statues are...looking at me."
"Join us, Grover. Join us." Apollo, Hermes, Frank and Leo implored in creepy sync.
They didn't listen as they approached the door.
Grover grabbed Andi's shoulder, "You believe me, right?" he asked pleadingly.
It gave the small girl pause; they had left the Furies a while ago. Plenty of time for Grover's nose to clear up even if they had been clogged like Annabeth suggested, "Let's just be careful." She told him, her own stomach grumbling as she was had foregone eating anything so as to save her remaining rations of two granola bars and bag of trail-mix for when they really needed it.
Then the door creaked open, and standing in front of them was a tall Middle Eastern woman-at least, they assumed she was Middle Eastern, because she wore a long black gown that covered everything but her hands, and her head was completely veiled. Her eyes glinted behind a curtain of black gauze, but that was about all one could make out. Her coffee-colored hands looked old, but well-manicured and elegant, so they imagined she was a grandmother who had once been a beautiful lady.
"She seems familiar." Rhea mused to herself.
Athena scowled and glared at her rival.
Poseidon began to sweat bullets.
Her accent sounded vaguely Middle Eastern too. "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"
"They're...um..." Annabeth started to say.
"We're orphans," Percy said. Getting Andi to send him a scathing glare.
"Orphans?" the woman said. The word sounded alien in her mouth. "But, my dears! Surely not!"
"We got separated from our caravan," Percy continued. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"
"...Wow, damn, and I thought Apollo had a hard time lying!" Hermes said as he burst into laughter.
"C-circus caravan! Gets me every time!" Leo managed to get out between his belly laughter.
Percy's face turned bright red and he tried to shrink down in his seat.
"Oh, my dears," the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."
They thanked her and went inside.
Annabeth muttered to Percy, "Circus caravan?"
"Always have a strategy, right?"
"Your head is full of kelp." Annabeth pointed out.
"Thank you for agreeing with me, Annie."
"Keep reading, Thalia."
"At least go for something more believable." Andi added, "Like runaways, that's always a tear jerker." She stated in an angry whisper, the orphan comment slightly upsetting her.
The warehouse was filled with more statues-people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. Seriously, you had to have some huge property to display these things.
They walked in and the group barely noticed Grover's nervous whimpers, or the way the statues' eyes seemed to follow them, or the fact that Aunty Em had locked the door behind them. They were just too hungry.
"How can you be that hungry?" Leo asked.
"We. Were. Twelve." Annabeth and Percy grumbled.
"...Still though..."
They finally made it to the dining area at the back of the warehouse, a fast-food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater, and a nacho cheese dispenser. Everything you could want, plus a few steel picnic tables out front.
"Please, sit down," Aunty Em said.
"Awesome," Percy said.
"Um," Grover said, "We have some-yeow!" he yelped out as Andi jabbed his hip discreetly.
"We don't have any money though," Andi stated to the woman, her bottom lip jutted out with a tiny whimper and big blue eyes. It was clear to the others that she was trying to milk her cute factor to get the old woman to feed them for free.
"...It would work." Rhea admitted with a coo. "Look at that widdle face! And Zeus almost ruined it!"
"Wow, she is mad at him..." Hades mumbled to his brother.
"Oh yeah." Poseidon nodded.
Hera rolled her eyes. "Mother, it's not that cute."
"Hera, darling, your babies are beautiful as are you, but that is the adorable factor that only humanity can create." The Titaness explained. She'd always been a fan of the humans, especially the children. They were just so cute!
Aunty Em seemingly smiled, they couldn't be sure with her veil, and said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."
"Thank you, ma'am," Annabeth said politely.
Aunty Em stiffened, as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but then the old woman relaxed just as quickly.
"She seems very familiar for some reason. Blast it, if only I could put my finger on it." Rhea hummed.
Athena smirked while Poseidon grimaced.
"Quite all right, Annabeth," she said. "You have such beautiful gray eyes, child." Andi gave the old woman a look.
How'd she know Bethy's name? They hadn't introduced themselves, ah, her stomach was growling. Maybe she was just so hungry that she'd been too distracted and missed one of the others doing so.
The hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before the group knew it, she'd brought them plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes, and XXL servings of French fries.
Percy was halfway through his burger, looking like he didn't even need to breathe.
"Respect." Thalia nodded at her cousin.
Percy grinned.
Annabeth slurped her shake in happiness.
Andi was looking at her burger, not too enthused by the idea something that greasy, even if her stomach was growling. She just took sips from her water bottle to shut it up.
Grover picked at the fries, and eyed the tray's waxed paper liner as if he might go for that, but he still looked too nervous to eat.
"What's that hissing noise?" he asked.
Percy listened, but didn't hear anything. Annabeth shook her head. Andi's ears were flexed out, like she just barely could hear something and was straining to do so.
"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Grover."
"I take vitamins. For my ears." The disguised Satyr answered.
"Those exist?" Leo asked. He rubbed his chin in thought.
Andi didn't, but she recognized…the hissing and voices that followed them. How could she not? She had heard them all year long during her second year. They were coming from…the old woman's…covered hair. She gasped, but covered it quickly with a choking sound, pretending to pound her chest.
"My dear, are you okay?" Aunty Em asked in a voice laced with concern.
"Wrong pipe," the blue-eyed girl croaked out, taking a sip of water while one thought raced went through her mind.
Medusa.
"I knew she looked familiar! I-..." Rhea turned and looked at her second son.
Poseidon was inspecting the tip of his trident innocently.
"Poseidon..."
"Mother, we already had this discussion-"
"Yes, but now she's after your son and Athena's daughter."
Athena smirked at her rival, who growled back at her.
"Poseidon..." Rhea warned again.
"Mother, I cannot control - Athena is the one that cursed her, not I!"
"You slimy-!" Athena scowled and then grimaced as Rhea turned towards her.
"I thought that I had warned you not to do that after the whole Arachne debacle!"
"She invited Poseidon into my temple for carnal pleasures! I had to punish her somehow!"
"...This is better than reality television." Apollo mumbled. He snapped his fingers and a notepad and pencil appeared in his hand. "Idea... 'Under Rhea's Roof.'"
"I'd watch that." Artemis smirked. She would, too. And make the Hunters join her.
Thalia felt a shiver go down her spine.
"But how do I pitch it?" Apollo wondered, tapping the end of his pencil against his chin.
Fantastic, she fought a freaking Drakon, a snake lady, the Furies and now it was time to fight the Gorgon who could turn ya to stone with a look.
"Is there a bathroom?" Andi asked sweetly, throwing in a mock smile.
"Of course dear." She assured the smallest of the group.
"Can you show me?" The black-haired girl asked with a look of embarrassment, playing the age her small stature allowed her.
You could see a wide smile under the veil, "Certainly." She told Andi, and got up from her seat.
"Thanks…not!" Andi shouted at the end, flipping the table, sending the food flying. She summoned a gust of wind to push it into the monster, sending her and the table into some statues, smashing them.
"Andi!" the group shouted.
"Medusa, she's Medusa! Snakes in her hair." The daughter of Zeus told them in rapid fire.
"I knew she was a monster!" Grover exclaimed, looking happy. Give it a second. A look of horror came to his face, "Medusa?!" he bleated in fear. There it was.
"Nice reaction." Ares snickered.
"How did you know?" Annabeth asked, worry prevalent in her steel grey eyes when faced with the thought of fighting one of her cabin's greatest enemies.
"I can kinda speak snake," Andi waved it off, like it wasn't a big deal whatsoever.
"Which has to come from the whole curse thing." Apollo mused.
"Oh."
"Um, running away time?" Grover asked, looking like he was preparing to run a marathon.
"No," Andi told him as they grouped up and headed for the warehouse of statues for cover. The daughter of the sky lord saw some stones on the ground and took out her wand. In a wave, the pieces of stone turned into four small rectangle mirrors. The black-haired girl took them and passed them around, "Scramble," she ordered, "Use the mirrors, we have to take her out if we want to keep going." She said as the table was pushed aside and angry hissing could be heard, "Go!" she said, running left as the others followed her lead and dispersed as well.
Annabeth put on her hat and slipped away. Grover ran with those speedy goat legs of his and flew off with a cry of 'Maia'. Percy took out Riptide and clenched his mirror, moving as well.
Andi rushed down a row of statues before turning sharply behind a statue and ducked down to catch her breath. Her growling stomach not helping in the slightest. Having not eaten any of Medusa's food had left her feeling both tired and hungry.
"That's her mistake," Leo said.
"I don't blame her." Piper grimaced. "That stuff will kill you if the monsters won't."
"Jason, we have to talk about your girlfriend."
"Thalia, read. I'm not having this discussion."
Hearing footsteps with her sharp ears, she used her mirror to check behind the statue she was using for cover.
"Andi," a voice whispered and the girl spun around, her sword coming from her keychain and nearly stabbed the seemingly empty space in front of her out of instinct, "Gods, Bethy, don't do that," the girl hissed like a cat, finally understanding how her friends felt when she did that with her cloak.
"Sorry," Invisobeth said in a whisper, "Listen, I think she laced our food, I feel groggy."
"Two comments: First, so calling you that forever." Piper smiled at Annabeth.
"Don't you dare."
"Already done, Invisobeth." Piper giggled when Annabeth growled. The daughter of Aphrodite continued, turning to Leo. "Second: Told you that the food would kill them."
"Pfft, you can't prove it." Leo waved her off.
"And this is why you don't take candy from strangers."
"…Are you gloating? Right now?" It was the invisible girl's turn to hiss.
"Just making a point."
"You are impossible at times."
"Where do you think I get it from?" Andi asked in amusement.
"…We are in a life and death situation and you're making jokes."
"Fight one glance killing monster, you've fought them all." The black-haired girl shrugged. Seriously, she was so desensitized from these kind of things by now. After finding out about the gods, there was nothing else that could shock her.
Just monster day, just another day.
"...I don't know if that was a joke or a poorly adapted song lyric. Apollo?" Hermes asked.
"My money's on sly comment." Apollo nodded.
The blue-eyed girl heard hissing traveling upon the air and flexed her ears. She used her mirror again and saw the monster coming, her head hissing not nice things, "Dammit, Bethy, go find Percy and figure out a way to kill her. I'll run distraction." She said before the other girl could protest.
Trusting Annabeth to heed her instructions, the child of lightning let out a sharp whistle. "Over here!" she hollered, as she weaved through rows of statues, Medusa's victims, her brain idly supplied."Get back here! Let me kill you for your brother's crimes!" The Gorgon screeched like a banshee.
"Oh get over yourself!"
The monster only screamed more, it sounded like useless babble to the wind user.
"Batter up!" Grover's voice echoed out from somewhere above Andi, then suddenly there was a loud crack before the sound of stone shattering rang out. Andi used her mirror to see Grover flying with a broken tree branch in hand and Medusa among the rubble of some of her statues, "That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled.
"For Ferdinand! For glory!" Leo shouted, earning a rousing cheer from the rest of the demigods.
"Go Grover! You're the Satyr!" The daughter of the sky cheered with a whoop.
In the meantime, Annabeth found Percy.
"Wow, already worshipping him, Invisobeth?"
"I swear to God, McLean..."
"You shouldn't do that, Invisobeth. The Olympians might smite you."
"ARGH!"
"Why can't we just get out of here?" The boy whispered back, using his mirror to check for the monster.
"Like Andi said, we need to take her out," Annabeth told the son of Poseidon, "Look at these statues Percy," she said, pointing to a pair of lovers turned to stone, "She's evil, a menace, she needs to be gone or more innocent people will be changed." She spoke sternly.
Percy looked at the statues and his heart clenched, one was a little girl, maybe seven or eight, carrying an Easter egg basket, in a little dress with fancy shoes, her face etched in horror.
This woman, no, monster, needed to go.
This can't keep happening. He thought as he clenched Riptide tightly in his hand.
"You have the best shot at her," Annabeth continued, "I'd do it myself, but you have the better weapon. Andi and I can't get close to her without getting sliced to pieces. Me for my mother, Andi for her brother," she said, speaking of the original Perseus.
"But Andi has a bow."
"She can't get a clean shot if she has her eyes closed Seaweed Brain." Came the scolding tone of Annabeth, "I've only seen Cabin Seven pull that off." She answered, even if Andi was a natural crack shot, she silently noted.
"Only because of the whole wind thing!" Apollo interjected quickly. He crossed his arms. "Ain't no one out there better than me and Arte."
Artemis nodded in agreement. "We are the archers."
"HFIL yeah!"
The twins shared a high five without glancing at each other.
Grover did another fly by, but Medusa grabbed his makeshift bat and sent him flying into a crash course with a stone grizzly which he impacted with a thud and got tangled in its arms.
"Right," Percy bit his lip, he nodded, his sea green eyes filled with determination as he took a breath to calm his nerves. Riptide up, he turned his mirror towards the sound of the monster, who was yelling at Andi, something about taking off her hair with arrows and Andi shouting back that she was doing her a favor.
Looks like Andi was firing blind. Great, so he needed to avoid friendly fire too. Fun. Of course as soon as he thought that an arrow whizzed by his head, "Andi watch it!" he shouted, getting Medusa to look at him from what his mirror was telling him.
"Sorry!" Was the shout from the archer, though she didn't really sound sorry.
"She's definitely Zeus' daughter." Poseidon grumbled.
He kept moving, seeing as Medusa let him approach, twenty feet, ten feet. As he got closer, he noted how ugly she really was.
"You wouldn't harm an old woman, would you Percy?" She crooned to the boy.
The son of the sea felt a fog settle in his head at her words.
"The Gray-Eyed One did this to me, Percy," Medusa said, and she didn't sound anything like a monster. Her voice invited him to look at her, to sympathize with a poor old grandmother. "Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this. Andi's brother killed me, for no reason other than as some trophy."
"And to tap that sweet ass..."
"Ares! That's not what happened!" Aphrodite protested.
"According to Apollo's movie version it is!" Ares huffed.
"I hate that film. And the remake...especially the remake..." Hades growled. "Zeus was played by Liam Neeson and who do I get? Lord freakin' Voldemort."
"That, by the way, was not my decision. I prefer the original." Apollo noted. "Stop motion sea monkey Kraken and all."
"Don't listen to her!" Annabeth's voice shouted, somewhere in the statuary. "Do it, Percy!"
"Silence!" Medusa snarled. Then her voice modulated back to a comforting purr. "You see why I must destroy the girls, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust along with that wretched sky child who shares blood with the bastard who slew me. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer."
"I will show you intimate pleasures."
"APHRODITE!" The goddesses, Poseidon, and Rhea glared at the tittering goddess of love while the younger gods busted a gut and Hades chuckled.
Percy, however, flushed so red that one might be concerned for his health.
"Oh gods, Percy kill this whining thing already!"
"Silence you pre-pubescent whore!" Medusa screeched.
"Says the skank herself!"
Thwack!
"Ah!" the snake woman cried out, an arrow embedded in her rear.
"There's an arrow in her butt!" Piper cried out.
Leo snickered. "Ah, Shrek. Classic."
"No," Percy muttered, trying to shake off the fog in his head.
"Do you really want to help the gods?" Medusa asked in hissing pain. "Do you understand what awaits you on this foolish quest, Percy? What will happen if you reach the Underworld? Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue. Less pain. Less pain."
"Percy, don't listen!" Grover moaned out.
"Too late!" Medusa cackled, lunging at the black-haired boy with her talons at the ready.
Percy slashed up with his sword, heard a sickening slice, then a hiss like wind rushing out of a cavern: the sound of a monster disintegrating.
Something fell to the ground next to his foot. It took all his willpower not to look. He could feel warm ooze soaking into his sock, little dying snakeheads tugging at his shoelaces.
Grover was gagging at the sound of the dying monster while Annabeth, visible now, had her eyes to the sky, holding Medusa's black veil. She used it to cover the head, telling him sternly not to move. She picked up the head as it dripped green goop from inside the makeshift bag.
"Eww..." Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank and Jason grimaced.
"And you thought she smelled bad on the outside." Nico noted.
"...Nico di Angelo, you have my permission to marry my son." Apollo nodded as he wiped away a prideful tear.
Nico flushed bright red and slumped into his seat, trying to slink out of sight.
"Clear?" Andi's voice asked from a bit away.
"Clear!" Annabeth said as Andi did a super leap and landed next to them.
"You guys okay?" Andi asked, not bothered by the severed head in the bag at all.
"Yeah," Annabeth answered, her voice trembling, even Percy looked a little green in the face, as if he was trying not to puke up his cheeseburger.
"Why didn't the head evaporate?" Percy asked as Grover joined up with them, missing his shoes.
"It's a spoil of war, like your Minotaur horn or Andi's ring." The child of wisdom answered, "But don't unwrap it, it can still petrify you." Annabeth said swiftly with caution in her tone.
"Makes good statues out of crappy step-parents." Percy chuckled.
Poseidon smirked in agreement.
"...Can I borrow it?" Thalia asked.
"Thalia!" Artemis hissed while Hera glared at her for the implications.
"What? I want to see what it would do on other monsters first hand!"
"Nice flight goat boy," the pixie-like girl grinned, giving him a nudge to the shoulder and got a bashful grin back.
"Well, the hitting her with a stick part was fun, getting caught in a statue, not so much." he admitted.
"We'll make the Blue Angels yet Grov," Andi said, arm wrapped around his shoulder as her other hand pointed to the distance dramatically, "But only if you believe in your inner flying goat." She stressed jokingly.
That earned a light heartening laugh among the group, breaking the tense atmosphere.
Percy recapped his sword as Grover got his flying shoes back on his hooves. They made it out of the warehouse and back to the dining area.
They found some old plastic grocery bags behind the snack counter and double wrapped Medusa's head. They plopped it on the now right side up table where they'd eaten dinner and sat around it, too exhausted to speak.
Finally Percy said, "So we have Athena to thank for this monster?"
"It's Poseidon's fault."
"You're the one who changed her!"
"You are both to blame." Rhea drawled, silencing the rivaling Olympians.
Annabeth flashed him an irritated look. "Your dad, actually. Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons and then the original Perseus killed her. That's why Medusa wanted to slice Andi and I up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."
"Says quite a lot about your tastes, Invisobeth."
"Piper, sleep with one eye open."
The sea child's face was burning, a tight frown on his face. "Oh, so now it's my fault we met Medusa."
"Well," Andi spoke up, "You did kinda speak of her Bethy," her voice trickling with mirth, "So maybe…"
"Oh, so it's my fault," Annabeth scowled at the other girl.
"You're saying it, not me." The pixie girl deflected with an innocent look on her face.
Once again, that look didn't suit her devious little mind. All three of the others agreed to that in their heads.
Annabeth was about to start up again, but Grover pounded his disguised hoof on the gravel like a gavel, "Okay, enough with all this, seriously, I'm getting a migraine, and Satyrs don't even get migraines. So, what are we going to do with the head?" he asked around the council of demigods.
Percy stared at the thing. One little snake was hanging out of a hole in the plastic. The words printed on the side of the bag said: WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS.
What had Medusa said?
Do not be a pawn of the Olympians, my dear. You would be better off as a statue.
The son of the sea was angry, not just with Annabeth or her mom, but with all the gods for this whole quest, for getting them blown off the road and in two major fights the very first day out from camp. At this rate, they'd never make it to L.A. alive, much less before the summer solstice.
"But you did." Apollo pointed out.
"Still, nice present." Hermes grinned in amusement.
Percy had a thoughtful look on his face and got up. "I'll be back."
"Percy," Annabeth called after him. "What are you -"
He searched the back of the warehouse until he found Medusa's office. Her account book showed her six most recent sales, all shipments to the Underworld to decorate Hades and Persephone's garden. According to one freight bill, the Underworld's billing address was DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California. He folded up the bill and stuffed it in his pocket.
In the cash register he found twenty dollars, a few golden drachmas, and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins. He rummaged around the rest of the office until he found the right-size box.
Percy came back to the picnic table, packed up Medusa's head, and filled out a delivery slip:
The Gods
Mount Olympus
600th Floor,
Empire State Building
New York, NY
With best wishes,
"You didn't really do that...did you?" Rhea asked her grandson.
"...Uh, well, um...I thought it'd be funny?" Percy mumbled nervously.
Rhea sighed and looked at her son. "He's yours, that's for sure."
Poseidon beamed in pride.
The son of the sea looked to his cousin, "You want in on this?" he asked, a grin on his face, knowing she was pissed about all this too.
Andi raised a fine eyebrow, "Percy, do I look like a girl who would do what I think you are planning?" she asked sternly.
"…Yes."
"Well she did last time." Hermes shrugged.
Andi scoffed at him, "I may like to pull a good joke, but even I'm not this stupid."
"...Then again, this is a different Andi..." The God of Messengers mumbled.
PERCY JACKSON
"They're not going to like that," Grover warned. "They'll think you're impertinent."
"I am impertinent," Percy stated with confidence.
"I don't know if you know what that word means," Jason said dryly.
"It means 'rude'."
"Well, color me impressed. Percy knows a big boy word."
"Shut up, Porcupine head."
Before Percy could add the golden drachmas, Andi grabbed a piece of wrapping paper, "Hold on, let me add something."
"I thought you weren't in on this?" Percy asked her.
"I'm not, I just want to add my own message to the delivery."
How's it going Pops? It's me! Andi! You know, your newly claimed kid. So yeah, Percy (your newest wethead nephew) is sort of an idiot. So don't hold this against him. We're sending this spoil of war as a gift, ignore whatever contrary things that my idiot cousin says. It shows how awesome I am, right? First day out on your Lightning Bolt quest and we off Medusa (also, her snake hair was seriously rude)! So yeah, take care of that spoil and make some use of it if you can.
P.S. Can you make an Aegis out of it for me? Pretty please? If you did, you'd be like, the number one dad of the century!
P.S.S. We'll find that Bolt of yours, no worries!
❤ ANDI POTTER
"...Huh, that's new." Leo mumbled.
"Ugh, I think I threw up a bit in my mouth reading that," Thalia said, gagging.
Annabeth looked at the letter, "An Aegis, really?"
"Bethy, I've read about it, that thing is awesome!" Andi gushed, "Who wouldn't want that?"
"Percy killed it. Why would you get anything out of it?" the blonde questioned further.
"I helped with my amazing distracting skills." Andi said flippantly.
"Well, Zeus is good at that." Poseidon mused.
"Poseidon, behave. You're on thin ice."
Annabeth just gave Andi an annoyed looked, "That really didn't qualify as much help, Andi."
The child of Zeus pouted and declared, "I think it did! And it's what I think that counts, because I say so. Deal with it!"
Annabeth just gave her a frustrated look as Percy himself seemed annoyed and Grover was just wearing a strained smile. None of them were up to arguing with the unreasonable girl after the fight they just had.
Pushing aside his annoyance, Percy poured some golden drachmas in the pouch. As soon as he closed it, there was a sound like a cash register. The package floated off the table and disappeared with a pop!
Percy turned to Annabeth, daring her to criticize with a smirk on his face.
She didn't. The blonde seemed resigned to the fact that they had a major talent for ticking off the gods, in their own way. "Come on," she muttered. "We need a new plan."
"What was your first clue, Bethy?" Andi huffed rudely.
"Oh hush you."
"Such a rude retort, Invisobeth."
"Not even Jason will be able to save you from my wrath."
"Actually-"
"No, bro, just, don't get into it. I can't beat her, and I'm OP, remember?" Percy shook his head at the son of Jupiter.
"...Right."
They were doing pretty okay that night.
They camped out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that local kids had obviously been using for parties. The ground was littered with flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers.
Andi had cleared most of it up with magic, a frown on her face at the ruining of what was no doubt once a beautiful natural place. She had made a bag out of some of Aunty Em's clothes with a feather-lightcharm added onto it, so they had food to carry with them for hopefully part of the way. She even used her magic to make sleeping bags for the group and to dry out all their clothes after the whole Gorgon fiasco. They didn't use Andi's magic light or light a fire, not wanting to attract more attention than they had for the day thank you very much.
They decided to sleep in shifts. Percy volunteered to take first watch.
"And they didn't wake up that morning."
"ARES!"
Annabeth curled up into a bag and was snoring as soon as her head hit the ground. Andi snuggled up like a cat into hers, showing the same skill to sleep on command. Grover fluttered with his flying shoes to the lowest bough of a tree, put his back to the trunk, and stared at the night sky.
"Go ahead and sleep," the son of the sea told him. "I'll wake you if there's trouble."
He nodded, but still didn't close his eyes. "It makes me sad, Percy."
"What does? The fact that you signed up for this stupid quest?"
"No. This makes me sad." He pointed at the pile of garbage Andi collected to the side of them. "And the sky. You can't even see the stars. They've polluted the sky. This is a terrible time to be a satyr."
"Or any nature spirit in general." Artemis sighed.
"Oh, yeah. I guess you'd be an environmentalist."
He glared at Percy. "Only a human wouldn't be. Your species is clogging up the world so fast ... ah, never mind. It's useless to lecture a human. At the rate things are going, I'll never find Pan."
"Pam? Like the cooking spray?"
"...Wow, he clearly said Pan," Nico said.
"I was twelve!"
"How does that affect this?"
"...Shut up!"
"Yeah, didn't think so."
"Pan!" The satyr cried indignantly. "P-A-N. The great god Pan! What do you think I want a searcher's license for?"
As if in response to the god's name a strange breeze rustled through the clearing, temporarily overpowering the stink of trash and muck. It brought the smell of berries and wildflowers and clean rainwater, things that might've once been in these woods. Suddenly Percy was nostalgic for something he'd never known.
"Tell me about the search," the son of the sea said.
Grover looked at Percy cautiously, as if he were afraid the boy was just making fun of him.
And so Percy got Satyr life 101 in the span of a few minutes before Grover told him to rest up. Like his fellow demigods, he fell asleep as soon as he laid his head down.
It had been a long day.
"Yeah…Time to hit that ol' dusty trail." Apollo yawned and stretched his arms above his head.
"Stay awake, fool." Artemis told him with a sharp poke in his side.
It was dreamtime once more, she stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Gray mist creatures churned all around her, whispering rags of smoke that she somehow knew were the spirits of the dead.
They tugged at her clothes, trying to pull her back, but she felt a stronger force bring her to the very edge of the chasm.
She looked down, geez, what a drop.
The pit yawned so wide and was so completely black, she knew it must be bottomless. Yet the child of the sky lord had a feeling that something was trying to rise from the abyss, something vast and sinister.
The little heroine, an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness. Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do.
The voice felt ancient - cold and heavy. It wrapped around her like sheets of ice.
But she bristled at the weak comment, glaring at the evil in the never-ending hole.
They have misled you, girl, it said. Barter with me. I will give you what you want.
Cold laughter echoed from the chasm.
She laughed too.
"Wow, cliché much? What? Going to give me power? Fame? Money? A harem?"
"I'd go for the harem." Leo mumbled.
"Harem! Go for the harem!" Aphrodite cheered.
"Aphrodite!" "Mom!"
"Oh, as if none of you would!"
she snorted at the last one, "please creeper in a hole, I've got better things to do." She dismissed with a twirl of her heels and began to walk away, marching against the harsh force that kept pushing her towards the pit.
Help me rise, girl. The voice became hungrier. Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods!
"Still as pleasant as ever." Rhea drawled. She shook her head, disappointment on her features.
The spirits of the dead whispered around her, No! Wake!
"Still not hearing anything interesting creeper, not sold. Bye-bye."
Your mortal family may live once more. You can have the normal family life that you've always desired.
And it was at that moment that Andi cursed her second of pause.
The voice laughed, as if it gained some victory.
She marched faster, running even as she felt like she was standing still. The thing in the pit tightened its unseen grip around her.
She realized it wasn't interested in pulling her in. It was using her to pull itself out.
Good, it murmured. Good.
Wake! the dead whispered. Wake!
Someone was shaking her.
Her eyes opened, only to be blinded by daylight.
"Whoops. My bad." Apollo chuckled.
"Well," Annabeth said, "the zombies live."
"That's not funny." Hades glared at Annabeth.
The daughter of Athena sank into her boyfriend's side sheepishly.
The child of the storm gods turned to one another, each could see the horror in the other's uniquely colored eyes.
Once more, they had the same dream, they could feel it.
Andi was rubbing her shuddering shoulders as her cousin asked, "How long was I asleep?" rubbing his face and wiping away the drool from his mouth.
"Long enough for me to cook breakfast." Annabeth tossed them a bag of nacho-flavored corn chips, each, from Aunty Em's snack bar. "And Grover went exploring. Look, he found a friend."
Percy's eyes were still a little fuzzy.
Grover was sitting cross-legged on a blanket with something fuzzy in his lap, a dirty, unnaturally pink stuffed animal.
No. It wasn't a stuffed animal. It was a pink poodle.
"Oh you poor thing," Andi cooed to the freaky colored dog, "What monsters did this to you," she said, getting up and petting behind the animal's ear.
"Rich monsters." Piper shook her head. "People are stupid."
"Preaching to the choir, Pippen." Dionysus huffed.
The poodle panted at her touch, but yapped at Percy suspiciously. Grover said, "No, he's not."
The boy blinked. "Are you...talking to that thing?"
The poodle growled.
"This thing," Grover warned, "is our ticket west. Be nice to him."
"You can talk to animals?"
Grover ignored the question. "Percy and Andi, meet Gladiola. Gladiola, Percy and Andi."
"Hello Gladiola." Andi cooed affectionately, she was a sucker for animals.
Percy stared at Annabeth, figuring she'd crack up at this practical joke they were playing on him, but she looked deadly serious.
"I'm not saying hello to a pink poodle," he said. "Forget it."
"Percy," Annabeth said. "I said hello to the poodle. Andi said hello to the poodle. You say hello to the poodle."
The poodle growled.
Percy said hello to the poodle.
"Smart move," Percy said with a nod.
Grover explained that he'd come across Gladiola in the woods and they'd struck up a conversation. The poodle had run away from a rich local family, who'd posted a $200 reward for his return. Gladiola didn't really want to go back to his family, but he was willing to if it meant helping Grover.
"How does Gladiola know about the reward?" Percy asked.
"He read the signs," Grover said. "Duh."
"Of course," Percy nodded. "Silly me."
"Why?" Andi asked, "He seems like such a smart doggy," the pixie girl smiled at the dog, which was panting under her ear scratching.
"Not going to lie, Corgi are the best." Apollo decided.
"Ein." Piper, Frank, Annabeth and Leo grinned.
"What?" Hazel asked.
"Some dumb cartoon reference," Thalia shrugged.
"So we turn in Gladiola," Annabeth explained in her best strategizing voice, "we get money, and we buy tickets to Los Angeles. Simple."
Percy thought about his dream - the whispering voices of the dead, the thing in the chasm, and his mother's face, shimmering as it dissolved into gold. All that might be waiting for him in the West.
"Not another bus," he said warily.
"No," Annabeth agreed.
She pointed downhill, toward train tracks they hadn't been able to see last night in the dark. "There's an Amtrak station half a mile that way. According to Gladiola, the westbound train leaves at noon."
The group nodded and set forth.
As the child of wisdom and Satyr moved ahead, Andi fell back with Percy.
They needed to talk.
"Andi's pregnant already!? Prissy, you sly dog."
"Ares!" Hera snapped while the group of teens glared at the snickering god of war.
"You heard it too, right?" Percy asked, voice shaking in memory of the haunting voice.
Andi said nothing for a moment, her eyes like ice chips, "Percy, we can't trust that thing." She said sternly, her instincts were screaming at her, run away, run away from that thing.
"It had my mom," he told her, his hands clenched.
"It said it could bring my family back," she told him in a solemn tone, getting him to turn his head in surprise to her, "It's evil Percy, that thing we, we need to avoid it," she spoke, her pitch rising in fear as she stuttered.
The black-haired boy nodded, "Why does it feel like we'll see it when we reach the west?" he asked.
"Because the Fates love us?"
"That seems right."
"It's an understatement." Percy drawled. The demigods nodded in agreement with him.
"I'm going to keep reading," Thalia decided. She turned the page and cleared her throat.