'NOBODY messes with Annabeth and gets away with it if he could help it.'
Chapter 5: Questions and Somewhat Answers
Percy looked out the window that was right by his bed. It was still dark. If Percy had to guess, he'd say it was around 1:00 in the morning. Though it was pitch black, he could still faintly make out little white flakes that belonged to the never-ending snow fall. As Percy watched all this, he wondered if Jack was to blame for the light snow. It didn't seem normal for it to be snowing this lightly, especially in this particular aria. Percy shook the feeling away. He figured he would never look at snow the same way again. He lay back down and tried to get back to sleep for now but the bed was too sticky with sweat, tears and drool from the nightmare he had just suffered from. Giving up on his struggle for sleep, he went into the bathroom, turned the on faucet and willed the water to the bed, completely soaking it. He left it that way for a few minutes to insure it gets clean. Approving of his work, Percy thought it was his turn. He turned the shower on and waited for the right temperature. After a two hour long shower, he got out and willed himself dry. As he was doing this, he noticed the ten drachmas he had placed on the counter earlier. Because of the nightmare, he was even more anxious to check on Annabeth. This time, he did not hesitate in making a rainbow and throwing a coin into it.
"Show me Annabeth Chase, Half-Blood Hill," Percy said.
The familiar watery image bubbled out of the rainbow. It showed Annabeth walking around the cabins with a clip board in hand. Every time she passed a cabin, she would peak in; jog some notes down, than move to the next one. She wore her Camp Half-Blood T-shirt with shorts and sneakers. Her curly blond hear was pulled back in a ponytail. There wasn't so much as a scratch on her. Percy breathed a sigh of relief and Annabeth looked up.
"Percy! Where are you? What are you doing? Are they like we expected? Is the architecture good? What time is it there? Are they-"
"Annabeth, calm down. Take a deep breath," Percy said, hiding a smile.
"Sorry, I'm just so excited. I made a list of questions I wanted to ask the next time I talked to you. Are you ok? You look pale."
"Yeah, I'm fine." Percy could tell Annabeth could see right through him but she said nothing.
"So, what's it like up their? Are they like we expected?" she asked.
"Not really. Santa turned out to be Russian –"
"Seaweed brain, I could have told you that."
"-The Tooth Fairy looks like a half human, half hummingbird hybrid and the sandman is just that. A man made of golden sand."
"That's probably why I saw golden sand over Jack's head when I found him asleep." A little girl's voice came from behind Percy and Annabeth. A minute later, Maddy's little face peaked into view. "Is the Easter Bunny there? He's always been my favorite. Easter brings hope. I guess for a demigod that stood out," Maddy said.
"Wise words Maddy," Annabeth said.
"Yeah, he's here as well," Percy said. Maddy's eyes widened with excitement. "The whole group's here."
"Can I talk to them? Oh please, oh please, oh please!" Maddy was jumping up and down and squealing with excitement. Being able to meet her childhood heroes was a dream come true for her.
"Sorry, Maddy. It's about 1in the morning here. They are probably asleep," Percy said.
"Percy, immortals don't sleep. They don't need it," said Annabeth.
"Would you risk it?"
"No. What are you doing up that early in the morning?"
"I…I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd check up on you. What time is it there?"
"It's about 5 here. We were doing cabin inspections and let me just say, your score is almost as low as the Hermes cabin. When was the last time you cleaned it?" Annabeth teased.
"Maybe I would have gotten a higher score if I had known cabin inspections were today. I would have cleaned while I was packing for a sudden, unplanned trip," said Percy. Annabeth stuck her tongue at him.
"Don't worry. We put a curve on your score for that reason. You now have a two out of five." Maddy said. Behind her Annabeth face palmed.
"I wasn't going to tell him that," she said.
"Oh." Maddy looked around nervously. "I think I'll go practice… uhh…rock climbing." She ran out of sight. Annabeth shook her head, smiling as she watched Maddy.
"I like it when she acts older than what she really is but I think it's better when she acts her own age. She's a little girl. It would be sad to take away her childhood innocence," said Annabeth.
"Annabeth, please. You're starting to sound like my mom. She'll be fine. Besides, it's hard to keep your childhood innocence when you're a demigod her age," said Percy.
"Mmm," Annabeth seemed absent minded as he stared after Maddy. Then she shook her head and focused her gaze back at Percy. "So what was your nightmare about?"
"How did you know?"
"What other reason would you be awake at this ungodly hour?"
"I…uhh…it was… it was nothing. I'm ok."
"Percy, I can see right through you. I could always see right through you."
"Really, it's nothing." Annabeth looked like she wanted to press the matter further but instead she let it slip. Suddenly, an idea jumped into Percy's mind.
"Could you see if there is a prophecy? I mean this is big. Two worlds are colliding. I'm sure the Oracle has something to help us," he said.
"I guess you're right." Annabeth laughed. "I never thought I'd hear myself say those words.
"Very funny. Iris Message me tonight so I'll see what you found," said Percy.
"Alright. I'll talk to you later."
With that, Annabeth swiped her hand through the image, making it disconnect and fizzle back into the rainbow, which disappeared. Percy sat on the bed, which he remembered a little too late that it was already soaking wet. He touched different parts of the bed and willed the water on the bed to dissolve into the air. Finally satisfied and with a clean bed, Percy nodded and crawled into the sheets. The second his head hit the pillow, he was instantly asleep.
Knock, knock, knock.
Percy awoke to a heavy thudding on his bedroom door. When the knocker didn't get a response, the door opened to reveal a huge creature with tannish-gray fur that covered its entire body. It didn't say anything; instead it just grunted and growled a language that was completely alien to Percy. He blinked confusedly at the creature in front of him. He had a vague memory of seeing creatures like this on his way to his room the night before. The yeti looking creature was carrying a try of food in its big hands. Not taking its eyes off of Percy, it sat the tray on the bedside table by Annabeth's picture and quietly shut the door behind him. Percy leaned over to see what the yeti had brought him. He was surprised to see a plate of bacon, blue waffles and a glass of milk.
Having blue food was an inside joke between him and his mom ever since he was little. It was Percy's favorite color so his mom went out of her way to make blue food; blue cakes, candy, blue everything. And Percy liked to carry on that small tradition. How the guardians knew this was a complete mystery to Percy. He took a bite and smiled. It even tasted like his mom's homemade waffles. When he was done eating he got up and changed into a deep sea blue long sleeved shirt, jeans and a pair of sneakers. He reached into his back pocket to find his pen already there, ready for use. Not that he'd need it but it was a safety precaution.
xXx
As Percy walked back into the globe room he noticed Jack sitting on top of the globe absent mindedly playing with a snowflake he'd created. One of Tooth's Mini fairies lay asleep on his shoulder. His staff was hooked to the axes of the globe as not to fall. He was slowly rotating in and out of sight with the globe. As soon as he saw Percy, he lightly nudged the little fairy awake. She looked at Percy then flew off in the opposite direction and into another room.
"Where is everybody?" Percy asked.
"Sandy and Tooth went back to their jobs, North went to work on preparations for Christmas and Bunny went to help him. Babytooth was the fairy that was here. She went to tell North and Bunny you were awake. So basically, they left me here to wait for you to wake up," said Jack.
"What do you normally do?"
"I usually go around spreading snow and fun around the world to children."
"Oh. How did you get up there?"
"Ever since I was created, I have had this connection with the wind. It's kind of hard to explain but it's like the wind has been my… companion? Friend? -From the very beginning.
"So the wind carried you up there? That's how you managed to fly all that way with Blackjack and I without needing a Pegasus."
"We all have a special ability that no one else has. I can also control ice and frost at will. Bunny can create tunnels underground that lead him anywhere he wants or needs, Sandy can create and control dreams; Tooth created her mini fairies and North has his reindeer. Even you. You can talk to horses."
Just then, they heard heavy footsteps coming from the direction Babytooth had just flown through. North and Bunny came into the room with Babytooth right behind them. She instantly made a bee line for Jack and took her place on his shoulder again.
"Ahh, Percy. You're awake," said North.
"Yeah. What time is it?" asked Percy.
"It's about ten a.m. Mate. I forgot how long a mortal sleeps," said Bunny.
"He was just really tired before he went to bed. That's why he slept later," Jack put in.
"Whatever, Frostbite," Bunny replied.
"Did you enjoy your breakfast? I made it myself," said North, changing the subject.
"Yes, I did. It tasted just like my mom's homemade waffles. Thank you. But how did you know I like blue?"
"I'm Santa. I know a lot about you," said North.
"But we don't," said Bunny. "Why don't you need protecting?"
"What?" asked a dumbfounded Percy.
"We protect the children of the world but North said your kind doesn't need protecting. Why?" Bunny argued. Percy looked at North, who had an apologetic look on his face.
"We fight monsters. If we don't, we die. It's as simple as that. We protect ourselves. That's practicality what we're born for. Now it's my turn to ask a question. What exactly do you guys do?" North was the first to answer.
"Everyone has a center. Like me for instance. I have always seen the wonder in everything; the lights in the trees or the magic in the air. Bunny has hope, Tooth has memories, Sandy has dreams, and Jack has fun."
"You lost me," said Percy.
"Think of it like one of those Russian dolls. The outer shell is what someone would think of you by first impressions. But once you start talking, and they get to know you a little better, that would be the second shell. And continue on until you get to the center of the doll," said Jack.
"Thanks," Percy said.
"Anyway, that center is what we put into the world and protect in children," North finished.
"Protect? Protect from what?" asked Percy.
"Remember what I said about Pitch Black yesterday?" asked Jack.
"Yeah, the boogieman. You protect the children from him?"
"Yeah. He's bad news," Bunny said.
"What is your center?" North asked.
"I don't know," Percy said.
"It'll take some time. Don't worry, you'll figure it out," Jack said.
"Thanks," said Percy.
"My turn to ask," Jack said, though he was out of sight on the other side of the globe. "What other powers do you have besides talking to horses?"
"Erm, that's it, I guess,"
"You talk to horses?" Bunny asked.
"Yeah, I guess you could call it a special power I have."
"How do you have powers? Yeah, I get that you're half Greek god, but what does that do? Which god?" Bunny's voice was full of confusion and even a little hatred. Just like North the night before, Percy wished he were anywhere but here.
"He doesn't need to answer all our questions now if he doesn't want to," North said. Percy sent him a silent 'thank you'.
"I promise that I don't have any more powers except talking to horses," he said. Just then, they heard a fizzling sound and they all turned to see what it was. Out of nowhere, an Iris Message appeared. It looked like one of those video conversations, like the ones over the internet. It was so clear; the girl standing in it looked like she was standing right in the globe room along with them.
"Ok, that was not me," Percy said.
xXx
"Very funny. I'll Iris Message you tonight and see what you found," said Percy.
"Alright. I'll talk to you later."
Annabeth swiped her hand through the Iris Message. She stood their thinking for a few minutes. After a while, she finished up her cabin inspections, ran to the Big House and knocked on the door.
"Come in," a rough voice said. Annabeth opened the door and walked in to find Chiron and Mr. D playing Pinocle in the front room.
"What's it Annabeth?" Chiron asked.
"I need to go to the Oracle and see if there is a prophecy for Percy. He asked me to do this," said Annabeth.
"He asked you? You do know that it's about one in the morning where Percy is, right? What was he doing awake?" Chiron asked.
"He had a nightmare," Annabeth replied.
"And he asked you to get a prophecy for him?"
"Yes."
"Rachel isn't here yet. You're going to have to go to her,"
"I know," Annabeth said.
"Alright. You have my permission to leave camp. But I want you to bring someone just in case," said Chiron. Annabeth sighed.
"Fine," she said then turned and left. She was heading to her cabin to ask her half-brother, Malcolm, if he wanted to go, when Maddy blocked her path.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm going to see Rachel," Annabeth replied.
"Can I come?" Maddy asked.
"Umm…sure," said Annabeth.
"Yes! Why are we going to see Rachel again?"
"Percy wanted me to see if she had a prophecy. The first time he actually thought of something before I did."
"Wow. Ok, how are we getting there?"
"We'll use the fastest way I know," said Annabeth, as she turned on her heal and walked towards the stable; Maddy right behind her. Within about ten minutes, she and Maddy were flying on the Pegasusi, Guido and Porkpie. Maddy had been on a Pegasus at camp. But she had never flown outside the camp. Come to think of it, she had never been in New York since… since a long time ago. Nervous though as she was, she envied for the felling of freedom once again. They landed right by a huge condominium in the center of New York. When they dismounted, the two pegasi trotted over to the grassy area and started eating. Annabeth and Maddy walked inside and Maddy couldn't help but be amazed. The interior was huge. It seemed to be bigger on the inside. There was a big desk, comfy chairs, a nice rug and the walls seemed to be gold. Annabeth had said that Olympus was bigger and better than this but now Maddy found that difficult to believe, seeing as how she had never been to Olympus. So, all in all, it was the nicest place Maddy has ever seen. Annabeth walked over to the man behind the front desk.
"Is Rachel Dare home?" she asked.
Without looking up, the man asked, "Do you have an appointment?" "No, but I am on her list of friends. I'm Annabeth Chase," she said. The man looked on a sheet of paper that was attached to a clipboard.
"Sorry. I don't see a 'Chase' anywhere. Why don't you just walk away and leave?"
"Because she is my friend and I don't like how you're talking to her." A familiar voice came from behind them and they all turned to see Rachel standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. She wore her usual paint splattered jeans and her red hoody. Her frizzy red hair was tied back in a ponytail.
"Hi Annabeth, Maddy, I knew you would come," she said.
Annabeth mimicked Rachel by crossing her hands over her chest. "You always do," she said.
"True. Come on up," Rachel said, gesturing towards the elevator. As they were leaving the lobby, Rachel turned towards the man behind the desk. "Go ahead and put Annabeth on my friends list please Jeff." With that, the elevator doors shut, leaving behind a very dumbfounded Jeff.
"Don't worry about him. Nobody else likes him, so we're going to fire him," Rachel said.
"Why wasn't my name on the list?" Annabeth asked.
"When was the last time you came to see me without Percy?"
"I get your point." By then, the elevator doors opened to reveal a huge room with a big, comfy looking couch that stretched around a big glass square table. The windows went from the ceiling to the floor and took over the whole wall. The window looked like it overlooked the entire city of New York. A table sat on the other side of the room surrounded by six chairs. To the side, a black spiral staircase could be seen leading to the top half of the penthouse. A huge pool could be seen on the balcony. Rachel went right in and jumped onto the couch. She gestured to Maddy and Annabeth to sit beside her.
"So what brings you here? I take it it's to ask the Oracle something, considering the fact that you never come here just to hang out," Rachel said.
"We need the prophecy that was meant for Percy," said Maddy, speaking for the first time since they entered the condominium. Just then, Rachel sat up as if she were in a daze. Green mist started swirling around her. When she spoke, it sounded as though ten other Rachels were speaking at the same time.
xXx
At the last sentence, Rachel fell back onto the couch. After a minute she sat up rubbing her head. When she looked around, she noticed that Annabeth had already made the rainbow and was throwing the Drachma into it.
"Show me Percy Jackson, Santoff Claussen," she said. The image appeared, showing a room with a giant globe. Percy stood with his back towards them. It looked like the other people in the room were interrogating him. 'Percy was right again,' Annabeth thought as she noticed the giant rabbit, the big round man and Jack sitting on the top of the globe. When they heard the message, they all turned.
"Ok, that was not me," Percy said.
"Bad timing?" Annabeth asked. A reply of "No" and "Yes" came at the same time. Percy and Bunny glared daggers at each other; emerald green meeting sea green. Not one of them flinched. Until realization washed over Maddy and excitement bubbled up inside her.
"Bunny!" she said. Bunny was shocked by the little girl's outburst and looked towards her. Then he smiled.
"Bunny, you are, like, my favorite Guardian of them all. Thanks so much for what you do," Maddy said.
"No problem, ankle-biter," he said.
"Annabeth, what's going on?" Percy asked.
"I'd like to know the same thing," North said looking at the image in wonder and curiosity. It was such an unusual sight that even Jack drifted down from his spot on the globe.
"I'll explain later," Percy said then turned back to Annabeth.
"You were right, Seaweed Brain. There was a prophecy," she said.
"What is it?" Percy asked even further confusing the Guardians. Annabeth recited the prophecy as best she could as though it was coming from the Oracle.
"'The shadow king rises to power,
Making all those who pass hide and cower.
Mother of all will lead the way,
Sending the heroes on their way.
Water and ice shall break the spell,
Sending evil back to hell.
Sun and wisdom shall come to call,
But beware the life that affects us all.'"
A.N
I'd like to start off this time saying: Yes. For those of you who asked, (And you know who you are) "Count the shadows" IS a Doctor Who reference. WHOVIANS UNITE!
Now I'd like to thank those of you who did the poll in my profile. I couldn't get this chapter done until I got her parentage. You may not know why I had to get Maddy's parentage before updating this but just take my word for it please.
What did you all think of the prophecy? That was the first poem I ever wrote. It's no Rick Riordan but it'll do.
Reply time:
Turkeyhead987: Who said anything about forcing? Personally, I love hearing your ideas. I love hearing any ideas people tend to throw at me. And yours are just so dang good and work so well with the story. I love hearing them. That's part of being an author, I think, is hearing other people's ideas and not just listening to your own. Not that listening to your own is a bad thing… there would never be any stories that way…Oh never mind!
TheLazyWordSmyth: Ya know, I might just take you up on that offer :) You are the first person I'll come to. Thanks' so much.
Guest: Hey, hey, I love your enthusiasm for my story. I really do. Enthusiasm is good. Really good. And I thank you for that. But could you cut down on the cursing a little? Anyway, your review made me laugh and you gave me some ideas. Thanks. And as for Jack, I might pair him with someone, but it would kind of be agents my will because I just don't see Jack with anyone. He was a loner and still is a loner so it would be kind of weird to pair him with someone. That and I just don't like fluff. I might come up with something to satisfy your fangirl ;) But out of curiosity, what "skinny, pale, freckled daughter of Hermes with auburn hair" were you talking about?
Keeping everyone in character is one of the main things I'm worried about. Thanks' for confirming that for me. I like your Maddy/Jamie idea. I might use that. (And to everyone else reading this, it is not what you think, I swear) But the thing with Pitch, I have my own idea on what I'm going to do with him :) *Laughs evilly and laugh turns into a cough.* I need some water *Water is handed over* thank you. So, yeah.
And what's wrong with British men? My favorite TV show is filmed in the U.K. Don't teas the British, man! JK… partly. :D
RachelXJackFrost: Who said they won't? :)
Annabeth Brady: I didn't notice you were a guest until you said something. I am so observant.
.kawaii: We will see, won't we?
BatfamilyFan01: We will see if that hatred will continue to the end of the story ;)
GeekyGirlMeow: I didn't think of that. That's a great idea. I'll work on that.
DeathGuardian24: In my defense, Nico even said it so I thought it would be cool to add into the story and to help people catch on to the irony of what the Guardians really did, which was kidnap the most powerful half-blood there is. Of course, I might have worded it wrong…
Hi: I see where you got that.
theHuntress101: True, but Pitch has gained power as well, that's why Percy was called. But in any other case, yes. Whoever threatens Percy's friends and family also threatens their life.
Thanks to: HuntressofArtemis192, Reading-is-4-life, Rosepink4140, RyuNoRainbow, jessjess98, Monkeygirlz3, Young Heroes, CabbagePatch Kid, binglebop, shalalalalalala, Ryan Girl, Gigabyte2598, ericavaldez889, PurpleGoddess9 and Matsukaze Tenma.
