Why a year? Demigods have so many advantages, I need a reasonable amount of time to give my oc a fighting chance... even the weakest demigod starts off super strong, faster, durable and they all heal faster. Some more so than others, I needed a realistic time to develop.
I am sorry for the change, but the last story sucked bad. All tell and no show...
Everything about this story is superior...
It didn't take Rowan long to pack, he had his stuff perpetually packed in case he had to flee Camp. He had his satchel of magical stuff, his enchanted sword and shield that could turn into bracelets ( Thank you Charlie.). He would have taken a bow, but he had no room. What he did take was a second back filled with food and clothes and other such things.
Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told them had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom. She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she got bored (Very ignorant), and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve.
Grover wore fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes. No weapons, giving Rowan the impression the boy was a moron...
They waved good-bye to the other campers, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Chiron was waiting for them in his wheelchair. Next to him stood was a tall surfer man covered in eyeballs, oozing power similar to Hera's cabin. According to Grover, the guy was the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he was wear-ing a chauffeur's uniform, so you could only see extra peepers on his hands, face and neck.
"This is Argus," Chiron told them. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."
Rowan heard footsteps behind them.
Luke and Charlie came running up the hill. Luke was carrying a pair of basketball shoes and Charlie was carrying a small set of vials.
Charlie pulled Rowan aside. "I had some of the children of Hecate make these, healing salves and potions. You can't use Ambrosia or nectar, so this I thought you could use these."
Rowan threw himself at Charlie, hugging him tight. " Thank you... hey, why are you so nice to me? No one else is?"
He sighed. "I could tell you were lonely, and I am familar with isolation...you deserved better, so I wanted to give you better..." He helped Rowan put the potions in his bag. " They taste like scum, but they are powerful."
"I won't forget this, ever."
"Just be safe, okay?"
Rowan nodded. "I will, Charlie."
"Maia!" Grover suddenly shouted, making Rowa jump.
He got off the ground okay, but then fell over sideways so his backpack dragged through the grass. The winged shoes kept bucking up and down like tiny broncos.
"Practice," Chiron called after him. "You just need practice!"
"Aaaaa!" Grover went flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawn mower, heading toward the van. Sighing Rowan turned to Charlie. "I might as well get him... thank you again, Charlie."
And with that, he hurried down to stop the seemingly useless satyr before he hurt himself...
After about five minutes, Argus drove them out of the countryside and into western Long Island. Rowan sat up front, comfortably next to Argus.
"So far so good," Percy randomly told Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."
She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain."
"Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"
"I don't hate you."
"Could've fooled me."
She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look ... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."
"Why?"
She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."
"They must really like olives."
"Oh, forget it."
"Now, if she'd invented pizza-that I could understand."
Rowan turned around. "Annabeth, piece of advice. You aren't Athena, so It would be wise to not treat him like dung. Grow up. He deserves better and has done you no wrong." She turned red, the color of blood. "Beside, why be proud of Athens, women were subjugated and abused horribly there...and they had slaves."
Traffic slowed them down in Queens. By the time they got into Manhattan it was sunset.
Argus dropped them at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, and soon after they got their tickets, left them driving back to camp.
They demigods got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Only Rowan, the sole mortal, kept an eye out for monsters...
Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever.
The game ended when Percy tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappeared-core, stem, and all.
Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but Annabeth and Percy were too busy cracking up.
Finally the bus came. As They stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air.
"What is it?" Percy and Rowan asked.
"I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing."
It was definitely not nothing.
They found seats together in the back of the bus. Unlike the others, Rowan did not stow his back-pack. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.
As the last passengers got on, Annabeth clamped her hand onto Pecy's knee. "Percy."
An old lady had just boarded the bus. She wore a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, and she carried a big paisley purse. When she tilted her head up, her black eyes glittered with malice. Rowan sensed a wave of intense dark energy, filled with hate and fear.
Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds-same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers.
They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message: nobody leaves. The bus pulled out of the station, and they headed through the slick streets of Manhattan.
"She didn't stay dead long," Percy said, trying to and failing from keeping his voice from quivering. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."
"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not."
"All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!" And Rowan realize he was dealing with the Furies.
"It's okay," Annabeth said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."
"They don't open," Grover moaned.
"A back exit?" she suggested.
There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.
"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?"
"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded him. " People like Rowan are rare. Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."
"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"
She thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof ... ?"
They hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet.
The Fury leader got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need touse the rest-room."
"So do I," said the second sister.
"So do I," said the third sister.
They all started coming down the aisle.
"I've got it," Annabeth said. "Percy, take my hat."
"What?"
"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to
the front and get away."
"But you guys-"
"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."
"I can't just leave you."
"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"
Rowan stood up. "They aren't here to harm you... they are here to help." The others looked at him with confusion. "Hades is innocent, this will prove it."
And so he remained as the Furies marched down towards him, their stance shifting to something kinder as they saw him. "Priest of Hecate." The Leader said. " I am Alecto, and Lord Hades has a message for you."
"I am listening."
"He wishes to thank you, for defending his character, so rare among mortal beings. For Perseus Jackson making that Oath, his mother has been returned to her home."
Percy gasped. "Really?"
Alecto nodded. "The Lord of the Dead pays his debts!" She hissed before turning back to Rowan. "When you reach California, come to the Underworld, he will help you find the trail to whomever stole the Bolt. Now go, to the forests outside of here, our Oracles have revealed your future must start there." With a flick of her hands, the bus stopped, just by a forest. "Go and be a good hero, less I eat you!"
Nodding, he bowed. "Thank you, Lady Alecto."
And the group all rushed out, towards the forest and into the darkness of the night sky...
Annabeth muttering. "I cannot believe that worked..." the entire time they walked through the woods.
It took everything for Rowan to not smirk the entire time.
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This was a joy.
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.