Ch. 5

Thalia, Annabeth, Zoë, and Phoebe made the train just in time for it to release. Outside the train station Thalia's eyes caught something glinting gold. She focused her vision, and saw the name 'SUNWEST RAILWAYS' written in gold on some of the freight cars.

"Let's go!"

Getting inside the car they saw it was filled with expensive cars. Feeling the weight of the car shift, they deduced it was moving out of the station. They heard an amused voice.

"Wow! You guys– or girls –actually made it. Bravo! Molto bravo!"

It was same slightly accented voice. They saw Percy lounging in a black Ferrari, with munching on a Twinkie.

Thalia voiced her confused thoughts, "Percy? You're still here?"

With a mouth full of Twinkie he replied, "Its my mission. Presented by The Great August Kami Who Shines In Heaven herself."

Annabeth couldn't understand Percy with his mouth full. "Who?"

Swallowing, Percy simply replied, "Amaterasu. Anyway, I'm not gonna shirk my duty just because modern medicine couldn't cure the almost insane amount of bitchiness inside of Zoë and Phoebe."

"Listen here, fox–" Zoë couldn't finish her threat/insult before Percy snapped his fingers. She fell to floor. Phoebe's eyes widened before she notched an arrow, aimed at the between Percy's eyes. Percy snapped his fingers before she could release an arrow at him. She met the same fate as Zoë.

Annabeth ran to the girls as Thalia exclaimed at Percy, "What did you do to them?!"

Before Percy could answer Annabeth beat him to the punch, "Thalia, they're not dead," she said checking the girls' pulses, "just asleep."

Thalia looked at Percy expectantly. Opening another Twinkie, he shrugged nonchalantly, "Would you prefer I snapped their necks? Because I could've, but I didn't, cause I'm nice a person. Now get some sleep, as pretty as you are you like hell."

Thalia's cheeks tinged pink. Thalia wanted to retort, but couldn't, she was wary that she was gonna get a forced nap from Percy. So, putting the sleeping girls in the a car she found a red convertible to sleep in.

X

Percy reclined in the driver's seat of the Ferrari, relaxing. But before sleep could claim a voice called to him.

"I must say: you're pretty fun to be around."

Snapping his head to the left, he saw the Greek sun god himself, with a stupid grin on his face.

"Apollo," Percy tilted his head, "what the hell are you doing here?"

Apollo's grin widened, "Oh, you know, fun. BTW, don't call me 'Apollo'. While I'm in incognito the name's Fred."

Percy replied, "Hold up. Lets backtrack. How did you find us?"

Apollo's grin nearly split his face. Percy face palmed before sighing, "Sunwest Railways, seriously? You couldn't have picked another name that doesn't scream conspicuous?"

Apollo shrugged casually before he turned serious. "Thanks Perseus, for going on this mission to save my sister. I know we argue a lot, but I know she loves me just as much as I love her. And I also know you didn't have to take on this mission. So, thank you."

Percy reclined before he replied, "I was raised and trained in the ways of the samurai. My morals learned from that training allows me to see the good in helping those that can't help themselves. So please, no need to apologize."

Apollo chuckled; clearly amused, "Alright, see you around Perce."

Apollo vanished in bright light. Minutes later Thalia came up and sat in the passenger's seat. Percy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

Thalia narrowed her eyes at the kitsune, "How do you know this train is going in the right direction?"

"Because its obviously going west," Percy putting his hands behind his head.

Thalia looked suspicious, "How do know?"

Percy snapped his fingers when a pair of black, aviator sunglasses appeared on his face; his red irises glowing visibly through his shades, "I have my ways."

Thalia glared fiercely at the fox, "Don't beat around the bush! Who?!"

"Who else do you think wants Artemis found and rescued as much as Zoë or Phoebe?"

Thalia thought hard before a light bulb went off in her head. "Apollo!"

Percy nodded, "Bingo!"

Percy looked at Thalia before leaning in close, much to close for Thalia's comfort. He whispered in her ear, "Tell me, what's easier? You getting into those jeans, or getting out of them?"

Fury roared in Thalia's ears. Her body crackled with electricity. Percy was shot of the car into the wall. His body ached from Thalia's electrical shock. Grunting, he raised his head only to have the sharp end of a spear pointed at his throat. Thalia's spear crackled with electricity.

Thalia's electric blue eyes glared harshly at him, "You don't want to know what'll happen to you if you ever get that close to me like that again!"

Percy smirked amusedly at her threat, "Come dici tu, principessa."

Thalia was momentarily confused by the language. Confused and angry wasn't a good combination for Thalia Grace. While she couldn't understand the language, he spoke one word she easily translated one word. Princess.

Gritting her teeth Thalia pressed the spear harder into Percy's throat, "Don't call me 'princess'."

Percy's smirk widened further, frustrating Thalia even more. Her spear collapsed into a can of mace before the irate girl stalked out.

Percy wiped the glowing white blood from his throat with a smile. "I think I might like working alongside with Grace."

X

Percy felt a hand shaking him before he woke fully. Stormy grey eyes bore into his ruby colored orbs. Percy yawned sleepily, "Annabeth? What do you want?"

"Get up," Annabeth said with a withering look, "it's about time to go."

Percy angrily mumbled something incoherently, but rose regardless. He stretched his body and tails.

"Alright, I'm well rested. Lets do this!"

Percy was about to leave but Annabeth grabbed his shoulder to prevent from leaving. "First we need to know what those monsters?"

Percy opened the door and started walking as he spoke, "Onikuma."

Thalia didn't know what he just said, "What?"

"Onikuma," Percy said slower, "literal translation: demon bears."

Zoe asked, "What's the difference between these onikuma and regular bears?"

"The fact that their bigger and stronger," Percy answered, "and they said that they were working for Izanami."

"Izanami? Who's that?" Annabeth inquired.

Percy answered, "Izanami is the one of gods of the Seven Generations of the Age of the Gods; or Kamiyonanayo. She's the Primordial Goddess of the Earth, Underworld, Death, Darkness, and Creation. With her husband; Izanagi, Primordial God of the Sky, Heaven, Life, Light, and Creation, she birthed the Japanese islands as well as several deities."

"Wow," Thalia said a roll of her eyes, "thanks for the history lesson."

"You're welcome. This whole war with Amaterasu and Izanami is basically a grudge match between father and daughter vs mother."

Thalia asked, "What do you mean?"

"When Izanami was giving birth to the fire god; Kagutsuchi, she was fatally burned. So when she died her soul went to Yomi; the Underworld. Izanagi was grief-stricken, so he left for Yomi to find his wife. When he found her it so dark he couldn't see. So called to her to return, but she denied saying she ate the food of the Underworld. Filled with denial, Izanagi lit his comb into a torch to see her. He was horrified to see her body decayed, rotten, and deteriorated."

"Why couldn't she leave," Phoebe asked, "was it like Persephone?"

"Sort of, the difference is that once you bite into the food of Yomi you're bound to Yomi for eternity. Filled with disgust and fear, Izanagi fled Yomi. But Izanami had other plans; angry at her newly ex-husband for so quickly abandoning her she and a group of shikome; ugly, female oni, chased after Izanagi. When Izanagi reached the entrance he placed a monstrous boulder; Yomotsuhirasaka, at the entrance, trapping Izanami in Yomi for eternity."

"Wow," Thalia said, "talk about a marriage on the rocks."

Percy chuckled, ", I know. Anyway, finding the entrance blocked, Izanami screamed to release her. Izanagi denied her. So with grief, sadness, and rage she told him that if her left her she'd take 1000 human souls everyday. In retaliation, Izanagi promised to give life to 1500 humans everyday."

Annabeth commented, "Their marital problems created the cycle of life and death."

"Sí," Percy commented, "life and death is nothing but a fight between Izanagi and Izanami."

"So the onikuma," Zoë said, "why are they hunting us?"

Percy thought a moment before responding, "No idea. Izanami must've paid them off in exchange for their loyalty."

Zoë sighed in frustration, "So how do we kill them?"

"The same way you kill regular bears," Percy answered casually, "they may be onikuma but they don't have any magical powers."

Zoë felt momentarily relieved, but was still wary of the unknown danger.

Percy's mind raced with thoughts. Why would Izanami have onikuma stop us from the this mission? Aren't the Titans capable of stopping us with their own forces? Unless… unless their's something bigger going down.

X

"How the Hades did we get to New Mexico in one night?"

Walking away from the train and into town they found out their in New Mexico. Annabeth racked her brain in trying to understand how the group to New Mexico in only eight hours.

"We had help."

Percy's answer made Annabeth glare holes into him. Her grey eyes brimmed with frustration, "Explain. Now."

Percy smirked, "Fred."

Annabeth got even angrier at Percy's vague response. She got into his face with her intensified glare, "Who the Hades is Fred?"

"Apollo," Percy said pushing her away from his face.

Before Annabeth could say anything else she heard else a monstrous roar pierced their ears. The onikuma charged for them down the street. Their bodies appeared to be badly burned.

"Onikuma are great hunters and trackers! They won't stop hunting us until the order is called off, they kill us, or we kill them!"

Percy crouched in a pouncing position, his tails elongated and lit with red fox-fire. He emitted a low growl before charging on all fours. Flipping acrobatically, Percy landed on the largest demon bear; pinning him on the ground, with his fangs embedded into it's shoulder.

The demon bear swatted Percy away before getting back on its hind legs. Percy landed with his claws embedded into the pavement.

Percy charged the onikuma as it did the same. The kitsune performed a half twist over the demon bear. Launching himself onto the bear, Percy clamped his fangs into the bear's shoulder.

The onikuma roared in pain before flailed about; trying to rid it of the kitsune. The demon bear fell on it's back; painfully crushing Percy in a crater. Before Percy could get to his feet the onikuma slammed it's paws on Percy. Before he could do it again, Percy caught the massive paws in his own; using his strength against the onikuma.

"あなたの終わりを受け入れる、小さなキツネ!", the onikuma growled as he slowly forced Percy into the pavement.

The kitsune bared his fangs menacingly, "私は最初に死ぬでしょう!"

Thalia sidestepped a swipe from the onikuma before coming up behind and slashed at the back of it's legs, which resulted in a roar of pain. The demon bear rebutted with a backhand to Thalia. Barreling back to her foot, Thalia summoned her Aegis shield; putting the bear in a temporary, fear-induced trance.

Annabeth came up from the side with a deep gash across the bear's stomach. Using the onikuma's gash as a distraction, Thalia electrified her spear and threw it with acute accuracy into the bear's throat.

Thalia removed her spear from the demon's throat as it choked on it's own blood. "Thanks for back up, Annie."

Annabeth dangerously narrowed her grey eyes at being called 'Annie'.

Zoë and Phoebe shot arrow after arrow at the as an to disorient it. In a fit of rage the onikuma slammed it's massive paws on the pavement; sending a shockwave that the huntresses off their feet.

The onikuma reared back its paw, about to strike Zoë. Phoebe intercepted it by leaping on it's back with her legs wrapped around the bear's neck. She raised her hunting knives before jamming them in the demon's eyes.

The white onikuma roared in agony as it tried to get a feel of Phoebe in order to maim her. As it blindly clawed and slashed at empty air, Zoë and Phoebe shot two arrows at it. One in between the eyes, another in the throat, and another in the side of it's gut.

All four females looked as the dead demons' bodies burst into flames. The corpses burned before, in minutes, the flames died and left nothing but a blackened bear skeleton.

"Well that's new," Thalia said, collapsing her spear and Aegis shield.

Percy walked up to the females with plenty of bloodstains in the fur of his legs and arms. "I fucking hate onikuma."

The girls were shocked to find his wife-beater was ripped off, exposing a large portion of his lean, defined, muscular torso and abdomen. Despite not liking the fox, Thalia had to admit that his body was a sight to look at.

"It's nice to see the dog still lives," Phoebe muttered under her breath looking away, sarcasm dripping from her tongue.

Annabeth spoke after looking at the barbecues animal skeletons. She pointed at the burnt bear bones, "You did that?"

Percy looked at what she was pointing at before replying. "That's what happens when you kill an oni; their bodies burn away, leaving either a husk or a skeleton."

"I'd say that's enough of demon slaying for one day. We need to go." Zoe spoke eyeing everyone.

"Wait," Annabeth, "how are we gonna get there? We don't have a ride."

The girls looked at each other hoping the other had a solution. It seemed no one could come up with an answer to their debacle.

"I have an idea."

Looking at Percy, the females were surprised by Percy's response. Phoebe looked at him with both surprise and hesitance, "You have a way of getting us to California?"

Percy nodded, "Yeah."

"Well," Thalia said assertively, "what is it?"

Percy's ruby eyes glowed brightly, his tails gained a bright red aura. The aura spread and snaked around the girls' bodies, much to their awe. Crouching, the kitsune placed his hands on the pavement before the ground shook violently. The next thing shocked the half-bloods.

Percy leaped into the sky. Their bodies jerked upward; following Percy's ascension. Percy shot higher and higher into the atmosphere, all the while Thalia screamed her head.

Reaching the heavens, Percy and the girls stopped as they floated amongst the clouds. Before the girls could ask what happened, Percy's body shot through the sky; their bodies jerked forward and trailed behind Percy's tail… s.

"Get me down from here, now!"

Percy looked over his shoulder at Thalia's fear-filled blue eyes, he sighed in frustration, "Oh miei dèi."

Percy and Thalia's bodies stopped instantly as the others flew past them in the clouds. Annabeth was worried, "What was that?!"

"Where did Thalia and the fox go?" Zoë questioned.

Phoebe stated with confusion, "I don't know!"

Seconds later Percy flew by slowly making his in front. He had the daughter of Zeus piggybacking him. Her arms and legs were tightly secured around Percy's waist and neck as she buried her face into his back.

"Sorry about that, le signore! It seems La signorina Grazia has–"

Thalia interrupted the kitsune with a shriek, "DON'T SAY IT!"

Percy chuckled, "Sicuro, la principessa."

"You can fly? Since when can you fly," Zoë asked over the roaring winds.

Percy answered, "Always, love. Every kitsune learns to fly, it's one of our many abilities. Albeit it takes time, energy, and practice to develop and master it."

Annabeth wondered, "How are we flying?!"

Percy looked at Annabeth with a grin, "That's my power! Using my tails to pull along with me!"

"What the Hades," Phoebe shrieked, "we could've been and rescued Lady Artemis if you'd flown us there!"

Percy rolled over his back, facing Phoebe with an nonchalant, impassive look, "Could've, would've, should've. Keyword: could've."

Zoë replied curtly, "We could've saved days worth of this quest if you'd flown us. Why not?!"

"Because flying takes energy," Percy angrily, "energy that I don't have. Using my flight to get there I'd be burning through my metabolic reserves. And we're going up against a Titan, and probably a few Kami. You're going to need me at one hundred percent."

"But it wouldn't it have been easier!"

Percy was getting annoyed, "Well why don't y'all run everywhere?! Isn't it simpler than walking?! Compare it to walking. Walking takes what?! Energy. Like I said; energy that I don't have. The Titans and the Evil Kami most likely would've sent their forces to us anyway! So quit whining about what can't be changed and just enjoy the view!"

Everyone became as they let the information sink in. The girls left the silence in the air, ironically since they were in the sky. For about several hours the huntresses, demigoddesses, and kitsune rocketed through the heavens. Thalia eventually fell asleep on top of Percy. The kitsune grinned mischievously when he felt Zeus's daughter snuggled her head deeper in his back. The others drifted off to sleep as well; letting Percy carry them across the atmosphere.

X

Thalia opened her eyes as she woke from a deep sleep. She never felt such euphoria when she entered Hypnos's realm before. Shifting slightly, she found whatever she was both warm and comfortable. Weirdly enough, her pillow was too warm.

Drowsily rising from her slumber, her deep blue eyes widened comically when she saw Percy– the dark haired, multilingual, annoyingly flirtatious fox spirit; with a Cheshire grin.

Dipping his head forward Percy kissed Thalia's nose lightly. "Buongiorno principessa. I'm assuming you slept well?"

Thalia's eyes slowly turned into a death glare; directed towards Percy. Her face turned cherry red from embarrassment or anger, maybe a bit of both. Her blue eyes glowed before cocking back an lightning-infused fist. Before it could connect to her target, clawed feet hit her in the stomach; forcing the irate girl on her back on the pavement.

Thalia's sudden scream of rage awoke the the others. Getting up they saw Thalia trembling in fury as electrical tendrils coursed around her arms. Percy was floating six feet in air, his body was horizontal as he laughed uncontrollably. And by the looks of things; his laughter increased Thalia's anger.

"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked.

Thalia didn't take her eyes off the cackling fox, "HE KISSED ME!"

Zoë was confused, "What?" Phoebe groaned angrily at hearing Thalia's exclamation.

Percy laughter calmed, just a bit, "On the nose."

"Why would you kiss Thalia on the nose?"

Percy looked at Annabeth with a smirk, "Your friend mistook my sinewy chest for a pillow, and she's pretty strong; so getting her to release me wasn't an option."

Annabeth looked at him with a roll of her eyes, "You do realize you could've woken her, right?"

The kitsune stroked it's chin as he developed a contemplative look before he grinned and started to circle Thalia as she stood in place, not bothering to look at the fox. "What man would I be if I denied a pretty young bambina the right to sleep on my chest?"

An audible 'smack' was heard when Thalia flinched forward; she rubbed her sore rump before spinning on her heel with cocked fist. Before she strike Percy's face Phoebe caught it.

Phoebe looked at Thalia with a stern look, "As much as I would love to see you kill the fox; even more if I could join in with you, we need to go. We're at Mt. Tamalpais, we need go to Artemis. You can kill him when we're done."

Thalia looked at Percy furiously before releasing him and getting in his face. "When I'm done with you you won't be able to feel or move anything from the waist down."

Percy licked his lips hungrily, "Mmm, I love it when you talk dirty."

Thalia looked ready to explode before reeling in her anger and brushed passed past him to the base of the Titans. The others walked behind the angry demigoddess. Annabeth even gave him a pitying glance. Percy walked behind in the back with his ruby irises glued to Thalia's swaying hips and perfectly round and ample rump. Despite the punk attire she had a nice body that made men stare lustfully and women glare jealously at.

Taking down his ponytail, Percy let hit his messy, waist-length hair fall. He held his magical hair-sticks; the gold in his right hand and the black in his left hand. His eyes caught some movement, and even a dark silhouette, in some nearby shrubbery.

Descending up the mountain, the group entered a thick, misty fog. Percy grew wary, extending his senses he kept his muscles clenched. Should the need to pounce rose, he was ready.


Hey guys, it's been a while. Sorry about the absence, there were issues that needed tending to. But hope this satisfies your need to read this story. In the reviews don't ask what language Percy is speaking; you're all pretty capable of translating it. Try guessing what language is.

Translations:

Bravo! Molto bravo!: Bravo! Very good!

Come dici tu, principessa: Whatever you say, princess.

Sí: Yes

Oh miei dèi: Oh my gods

le signore: ladies

La signorina Grazia: Miss Grace

Sicuro, la principessa: Sure, princess

Buongiorno principessa: Good morning princess

あなたの終わりを受け入れる、小さなキツネ: Accept your end, little fox!

私は最初に死ぬでしょう: I will die first!

I don't Percy Jackson, Rick Riordan does. READ, REVIEW, LIKE, & FAVORITE! Hope you enjoyed it. Stay safe.