Author's notes:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2: Trouble and Pain
Both Archie and Atlanta continued to battle for over an hour, during which Archie received a minor scratch across his shoulder and leg. Atlanta only received a bruise and small cut across her cheek. They only stopped when Jay called to them. Archie, who'd leapt up to avoid a blow from Atlanta, landed calmly on the ground, while Atlanta skidded to a halt. "What?" she asked, mopping some sweat from her forehead with the back of her tanned hand. "You two have been fighting for over an hour, yet you barely even nicked each other." He replied calmly. "I mean its great if you're working on dodging, but what about if we're trying to hit Cronos?" Archie shrugged. "Then we avoid his blade and gang up on him?"
At this point Odie spoke up, an etch of trauma in his voice. "Speaking of Cronos, he let Medusa and her sisters back up again." The group whipped around. "How'd you know? Nevermind where are they now?" Jay asked, immediately taking up his role of leadership. Odie began to click away at his gleaming silver laptop. "Umm…one minute…uh…heading this way in the sewers." Odie replied, cleaning his green glasses nervously. "Alright lets get our stuff. Knowing Cronos he'll fight us after we get rid of the three gorgons." Jay instructed.
Ten minutes later they had all been equipped with various weapons, including their reflective lens goggles, and were walking carefully through the sewers. A draft of warm air blew across their faces, causing the group to pull disgusted faces. A soft splash of water caused Neil to stop. "Ewwww. Why couldn't they have stormed around the streets of New Olympia instead of under them?" he complained.
"Well they decided they didn't much like this. So I had to come instead." The group turned angrily to face Cronos. "What? Don't tell me you're not glad to see me. No? Huh. Why?" Jay glared in response. "I suppose we'll have to settle this then." Without hesitation Cronos leapt forward, two glittering scythe blades in hand. The group broke loose in a ferocious battle. The clanging of metal against metal could be heard for quite a ways as they aged on. The teens began to tire after ten minutes of fighting, but Cronos was a fierce as ever. You could see it in his vicious ruby eyes.
Suddenly, time seemed to grate to a stop, as Cronos brought the sharp blade of his scythe down on Atlanta. She cringed, gasping in pain. As she clutched at her side, where the wound was, hoping to lessen the pain, she could distinctly see Cronos laughing evilly. The faces of her friends went blurry and she couldn't help but cry as the pain took over.
"ATLANTA!" Archie stood, horrified as she fell. The sound of Cronus's laugh; so out of place, so cruel made Archies gray blue eyes seem to blaze with anger. He leapt forward, slashing rapidly at Cronos. Just Archie alone in his anger was enough to make Cronos retreat nevermind the other heroes attacking as well.
"I think its time I leave." Cronos announced, opening his portal. It took all of Archies strength not to chase after him, instead of glaring at him as he left. As soon as Cronos was out of sight he rushed toward Atlanta's side where Odie and Herry where already working on bandaging Atlanta's side with strips of clothe. He was uncharacteristically quiet as though he didn't want to reveal something.
"Herry, carry Atlanta back to school. It shouldn't be too far." Jay instructed. Theresa walked behind Herry, then Jay followed, Neil and Odie came after and Archie walked slowest. He was dragging his feet heavily behind him. When they reached the school he sat silently beside her while she yelped as they put on new bandages. Only when he was assured she was sleeping did he leave. He found Jay waiting for him.
"She'll be fine. It is Atlanta after all. She could probably handle worse." He assured Archie. Archie sighed. "I know, but that cut is pretty deep. Chiron said it would take at least a month before she'll be doing any running again. And in the meantime she's having problems even pulling herself into a sitting position." He sounded more worried than he'd intended to, but he couldn't help it. "You understand right? I mean Atlanta can't do much by herself now. You'd feel like this if Theresa had been injured like Atlanta right?" Jay smiled innerly at his friend's unknown confirmation of feelings. "Course I would. I probably wouldn't leave her side unless Hera reassured me at least forty times then shoved me out the door." Both laughed. "So where are the others. I don't believe you stood outside the door for three hours." Archie grinned. Jay shook his head. "Nah, I don't like waiting. They're outside."
They found the others sitting outside, fidgeting as they waited. Theresa caught sight of them first. "So?" She asked hopefully. Archie looked up. "Well, the cut's pretty bad. I mean its deep, and she won't be able to run for a month. Walking will be painful for a couple weeks and at the moment she's still yelping whenever she tries to sit up. When I left her she was sleeping though. Chiron gave her something to help her sleep through the night without pain." Theresa breathed out a relived breath. "So she's alright?" Archie nodded. "Aside from some pain she's alright." Jay, who had leaned against the wall, settled his gaze on Odie, who had been silently staring at his feet.
"Odie?" He asked carefully keeping his tone neutral. He looked up. "If I had paid more attention Atlanta wouldn't be in this mess. And now Cronos knows Atlanta's hurt so he'll be twice as likely to try something." He replied gloomily. Jay walked over to him. "Odie, the only person we can really blame is Cronos. And that's because he was the one who actually brought his scythe down on her. We all tried our best and you did what you could. Don't blame yourself." Odie sighed and nodded, but he still didn't look totally convinced. The atmosphere around the group was rather depressing until the next day when they were allowed to see Atlanta again.
As they entered she pulled herself up with some difficulty, but she smiled broadly. Her fiery red hair was damp with sweat. "Hey guys! What's new?" She asked as they gathered around her. Herry shrugged. "Aside from you nearly scaring us all to death! Not much. What about you?" he smiled lightly. She grimaced, switching positions. "Well the cut's still there, and still hurts most of the time but at least I can see you all now. Yesterday you were all just blurs. Who sat with me last night?" She asked, as if she hadn't known. However she already knew, Chiron had told her when she'd woken up that morning. And quite frankly it made her feel warm kindness.
Archie slowly raised his hand. "Me." Atlanta smiled. The painful expression evaporated from her face. "Thanks Archie. It would have hurt twice as much if no one had been sitting with me. Which reminds me. Why weren't you all with me?" She asked. She was joking around with them. She was becoming her old self. "The blood freaked Odie and Neil out, I didn't like the gloomy atmosphere, Theresa was going to flip if she had to watch you get new bandages put on and Herry decided to follow the rest of us." Jay explained. "Huh. Well I refuse to be cooped up inside no matter how much this may hurt. So someone better find some way to help me outside." Atlanta grinned, seemingly enjoying this. After a minute of searching Herry came upon a wheelchair. "This work?" he asked. "Yeah, but I want to see how much it hurts to walk first." The group grinned. "That's Atlanta for you." Herry announced. "Archie get your but over here. I don't have the guts to catch a scowling, sore Atlanta if she decides she's gonna fall." Archie rolled his eyes. "So all of a sudden I'm Mr. Fearless? I thought that was your role." He retorted, although he didn't sound as if he was complaining. "Oh just get over here!" Atlanta snapped, grinning. Archie grinned too.
Carefully she stood up, wincing with pain. She walked slowly, clenching her teeth together as she put down her feet. After a minute of walking she sat down in the wheelchair. Her muscles were tight with pain but she forced another smile "That hurts. A lot." "Well it's your fault for standing in the first place." Archie scolded half-heartedly. However he was beyond concerned. "Since when have you become my advisor? I knew it was going to hurt, I wanted to find out how much though." She replied smugly. If she could move she would have ruffled his vivid purple hair playfully. Archie took the handles of the wheelchair, and thought but didn't speak. 'I just hate to see you in pain.'