FIVE hours! Five hours and BoO is mine :D
For those who SOMEHOW already have it (*cough*Rickismean*cough*) PLEASE DON'T SPOIL IT FOR THE REST OF US D:
Blue Shadow: Cool. I'd love to see Scotland one day :)
Flaming Ginger: I doubt it. He had a solid part in BotL with no loose ends. When I think of Icarus I think of the crazy inventor kid in the Hercules series. Horribly inaccurate to the tale, but I loved him as a character :) He was like an extremely sun-baked version of Leo!
No, Icarus is male, sorry catsrawesome
And to clear up why Aria is not a true legacy like Zac or Tulio and Espie, here is the explanation I PMed to NyssaFire for future reference:
I have this headcanon where not all grandchildren are legacies. Yes, some (like Octavian) have the powers and show all the signs of being a legacy, but some grandchildren and below just don't have it. Think of the whole 'oh, well the tallness skipped my generation' excuse. It's all in the genes. Aria got most of her mortal genes from Leo's mother's side. Aria is mortal, but is allowed in camp probably because she was born within the boundaries. Steve (the resident monster) confirmed that she doesn't smell like a legacy and would be able to survive in the real world without monsters bugging or trying to eat her. :) Hope that cleared it up.
And with that, here is the final pre-written chapter I have and the last one I will update until I finish BoO. Regardless of how it ends, this is (after all) an AU, as I previously stated in Papi.
Disclaimer: I own the kids/teens but not any of the canon characters.
Oh, I also don't own the riddles. The first was one I found on the interwebs. The second was from one of my favorite books when I was little :)
VII
BOBBY
If it wasn't for the fact that his mother was still missing and possibly held captive inside, Bobby would have been thrilled at the idea of going into the Arch.
The key was glowing more intensely when they got close to the Arch. The questers had decided to adopt the two-or-three-demigods group method that the Seven had used when they had to journey off the ship. The group going inside the arch was Lacy and Bobby, with Leo 'chaperoning'. The other legacies and demititans would wait aboard the Argo II in case the Arch decided it needed to blow up a second time (Bobby's father, Percy, had generously provided the first Arch explosion decades ago).
As they neared, Bobby noticed the sun was pretty much down. He knew the Arch was open until 10 PM, so why was there someone blocking the elevators with a sign that said 'CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS'? Wouldn't at least one be open for business?
Leo strode up to the guy like there wasn't a problem. The mortals in the area gave the son of Hephaestus wide berth, since he seemed to have an air of authority—that was so out of character for him. Bobby always saw him with a smile on his face. But now, there wasn't a smile present. It was kinda scary.
Being away from Calypso must be doing a number on his nerves, Bobby thought as he and Lacy followed the adult.
"Can I help you?" the security guard asked. He seemed bored.
"Yeah," Leo answered, plastering on a fake grin. Bobby almost couldn't tell it wasn't real. "We're part of the repair crew."
The guard eyed him warily. "Really? You, I'll believe. But the kids?"
Leo shrugged. "My apprentices. I'm showin' them the ropes."
He's good, Bobby thought. Leo can just throw out lies like it's nothing!
The guard didn't seem convinced. Leo rolled his eyes and pushed past him with ease. "Coming, apprentices?"
Bobby and Lacy rushed past the guard and the three piled into the elevator before anyone could protest further. Leo pushed the button and the elevator doors shut.
"That's how you do it," Leo said, tilting his chin a little higher. "Pays to be an adult, huh?"
Lacy rolled her eyes. "You probably would've said the same thing if you were our age, Mr. Valdez," she challenged.
"None of that," he said gruffly. "We're all on one team, here. Last names are out the window. It's Leo."
Bobby smiled.
The elevator halted in its ascension after a while. The doors opened slowly.
It was eerily dark up at the top of the Arch. Like, spooky dark. The viewing windows were blocked, letting absolutely no light in.
Leo lit up his hand and gestured to Bobby. "After you," he said calmly.
Bobby gulped and held up the key. It was white hot now, pointing directly into the darkness of the viewing area. Bobby led the way through the blackness, thankful that they had a glowing key and Leo's flames to light the way. Though, he would've preferred the lights to be on.
Suddenly, he got his wish.
The inner lights flicked on. Leo's flame went out, but the key grew ever hotter. Bobby took one look at the other side of the Arch's observation deck and sucked in a breath.
A huge Sphinx was curled up, almost taking up the entire height of the deck. It was old, far older than Bobby would have liked. Her hair was white and tangled, her claws long and gnarled. And her fur? If she had mange it would have been an improvement.
The Sphinx locked her large green eyes onto the group. "Welcome, godlings," she said, her voice scratchy and hoarse.
Bobby stepped forward nervously. "Where's Annabeth?" he asked, trying not to squeak. He felt awkward using his mother's name, but the Sphinx probably would have waved it off if he had said 'my mother'.
The Sphinx tilted her head, her expression bored. "Down to business, eh? You must be a son of Athena."
"Legacy, actually," he corrected. "I'm a legacy of Athena and Poseidon together."
The Sphinx curled her lip into a smile. "I bet that just made those two thrilled. It's rare to see their children cooperate, let alone breed."
Bobby tried to ignore that statement. "I'll ask again: Where's my mother, Annabeth Jackson?"
The Sphinx rose up onto her haunches and gestured behind her. Bobby squinted and held back a gasp.
There was Annabeth, lying on a table, bound in chains and unconscious. Bobby felt anger boil in his stomach. He took a step forward.
The Sphinx lashed her tail. "Now, now, legacy of Athena. You can't just have her. That'd be too easy."
Lacy gripped her brother's shoulder.
Leo spoke up, "So what do we have to do to get her? Fight you?"
The Sphinx yawned, revealing huge yellow cavity-filled teeth. "I'm too old for combat. Besides, that's not what Sphinxes like myself do. We must give out riddles."
Bobby gulped. He hadn't expected the battle of riddles and wits to be with a Sphinx. Annabeth had once told him that Sphinxes don't give out the 'what walks on four legs' riddle anymore, instead giving out a whole stupid test.
He gazed around. There didn't seem to be any test papers or grading machines to suggest an exam.
The Sphinx gazed steadily at Bobby. "My cousins prefer new-school methods such as full tests. I hate asking so many questions in one go. So, legacy of Athena, let me explain my rules.
"First: only you may participate. I would say Athena-blood-only, but I have noticed you have a sister."
Bobby was okay with that. Lacy had their father's…lack of higher intelligence, for lack of a better phrase…
"Second: I will ask you one riddle. If you guess correctly, then you will ask me one riddle. If I can't guess the riddle, you win your mother's freedom."
"Just like that?" Leo asked, sounding apprehensive.
"Just like that." The Sphinx stretched. "Battles aren't my style, and I can see I'm clearly outnumbered. Why would I be stupid enough to challenge you to a fight?"
Bobby shivered. This Sphinx wasn't like the one his mother fought years ago. This one had lived a long time, long enough to know how to pick and choose a battle. And certainly long enough to hear every riddle man had come up with.
He was doomed.
"And if I lose?" Bobby asked. "Say I can't figure out your riddle. Or, you figure out mine. What happens then?"
The Sphinx regarded him. "Nothing. You lose. End of story. You go home. Send for a proper Athena descendant or something. Maybe I'll eat your mother. I don't know."
Only the daughter of Athena at stake.
Bobby nodded. "Okay. I accept the rules."
He stepped forward and got close to the Sphinx, much closer than he would've liked. He glanced at his mother and inhaled deeply, puffing out his chest. "Let's play."
The Sphinx nodded and said, "Give me a moment. I want to see which riddle would be appropriate for you."
She started mumbling to herself. Bobby could hear her mutter, "No, not that one. No, that's too easy."
Finally, she turned her head back towards Bobby and growled, "I've got one. Ready?"
"Ready."
"I am the beginning of the end,
And the end of time and space.
I am essential to creation,
And I surround every place.
What am I?"
Bobby put a finger to his chin. Geeze. Okay, beginning of the end…essential to creation?
He looked over at his mother, still lying unconscious on the table. He was close enough now that he could see a lock in the shape of an owl fused into her chest.
"Would you like me to repeat that, legacy of Athena?" the Sphinx said, yawning.
Well, at least she doesn't gloat, Bobby thought, nodding.
The Sphinx repeated the riddle. Bobby mulled over it in his head for a few minutes, thanking the gods this Sphinx wasn't impatient. She seemed interested in the challenge, but wasn't annoyed at the fact he was taking forever. It finally hit him that she possibly didn't care one way or the other if he got it right; she just wanted to see if he could stump her with his own riddle.
Finally, Bobby internally face-palmed. He had seen this riddle before. And it was rather easy to guess when you read it, but if it was said, it became just a smidge harder.
He knew the answer. "The answer is the letter E."
The Sphinx nodded. "Correct. Now, it's your turn. Try and stump me with your riddle, if you dare."
'If you dare' gave Bobby a great idea. He knew this Sphinx probably knew the answer to every basic and ancient riddle known to man. So, he would try for a children's book riddle. It was risky, but the riddle itself was a trick question that one wouldn't know unless they read the book.
"Mine's a song riddle," he announced. "And I shall repeat it twice, just so you can get it all. Ready?"
"Ready," the Sphinx said, perking up her ears.
And so Bobby began:
"Sorceress Thaegan gulps her favorite food,
In her cave with all her brood.
And the names of her children are,
Hot, Tot, Jin, Jod,
Fle, Fie, Zan, Zod, Pik, Snik,
Lun, Lod
And of course the dreaded Ichabod.
Each child holds a slimy toad,
On each toad squirm 2 fat grubs,
On each grub ride 2 fleas brave.
Here's my riddle and so beware,
Answer this riddle now if you dare,
How many things are living in Thaegan's cave?"
This was a huge risk, but Bobby couldn't think of any other riddle that might stump the Sphinx. He prayed to any god that would listen that this Sphinx hadn't read Deltora Quest.
"Please repeat," she asked, though she sounded like she had already guessed her answer.
So, Bobby repeated the riddle, trying very hard not to emphasize 'favorite food'.
The Sphinx waved a paw. "Asking me a number riddle, of all things. You should have at least made it difficult. Easy addition. All the children and their little toads, grubs and fleas add up to 104. However, you tried to use the trick that I would ignore this Sorceress Thaegan in the cave. So, the answer is…"
Bobby held his breath. Please get it wrong. Please get it wrong.
"105."
Bobby was cheering in his head. The Sphinx had gotten it WRONG!
"HA!" he exclaimed suddenly, taking the Sphinx by surprise. He heard someone jump behind him.
"Holy Hephaestus," Leo spoke up. "That scared the shit outta me."
Bobby ignored him and grinned up at the Sphinx. "You're wrong."
The Sphinx blinked and started counting on her paws. She looked at him with a sneer. "No. I am correct. The answer is 105. Your math is wrong."
Bobby shook his head. "Nope. Anyone who's anyone would be able to answer this riddle. Everyone knows what Sorceress Thaegan's favorite food is." He grinned evilly. "One whole, live raven. The answer is 106! IN YO FACE!"
The Sphinx glared at him and snarled. "A raven!? How am I supposed to know that if it wasn't in the riddle! You cheated!"
Bobby tried to keep calm and crossed his arms, lifting his chin. "If you're such an all-knowing Sphinx, you would've known the answer to that silly children's riddle. It's not my problem you didn't know such basic information."
The Sphinx lifted her paw like she was going to smack him. Bobby held his ground. The clue had said a battle of riddles and wits. He solved the riddle and used his wits to trick the Sphinx. As far as he was concerned, Annabeth was free to go.
The Sphinx slammed her paw down onto the ground. She growled ferociously for a moment, but calmed herself. She looked at Bobby with discomfort.
"Very well," she conceded. "Annabeth Jackson is free to go, as are the rest of you. But before I leave, might I know where you got this so-called children's riddle?"
Bobby smiled. "Certainly. It's from a book series called Deltora Quest. It's a pretty good series, all things considered."
The Sphinx nodded. "Then I shall use that riddle next time one of my cousins try to bother me with their test scores…"
She rose up on her haunches and clapped her paws. The lights went out.
Two seconds later, the lights turned back on. The old Sphinx was gone.
Bobby rushed over to his mother and unlocked her. The chains disappeared and the lock and key absorbed themselves into Annabeth's skin.
Annabeth's eyes opened. She looked right at Bobby.
"Bobby?" she asked. "Where are we?"
Bobby smiled and hugged her. "We're in the Arch, Mom."
Annabeth looked like she wanted to say something, but stopped short. Her fingers traced her pants pocket before reaching in and grabbing something.
Her hand came out grasping a golden key with the end shaped in a lightning bolt.
Bobby instantly knew the owner of that key.
It was Jason's key.
A/N: Alrighty. Hope you guys enjoyed those daily updates, cause they ain't happening again for a while :P Sacrifices sacrifices.
Anyway, Jason's next on the rescue list, with Mark coming up in the POVs :)
