Disclaimer: I. AM. NOT. RICK. RIORDAN. SO. I MUST. NOT. OWN. PERCY. JACKSON. AND. THE. OLYMPIANS.
The bus arrived, and we found seats in the back of the bus. But then, I saw some familiar faces get on board the bus.
I clamped my hand onto Percy's knee. "Percy." I said.
The Furies had entered the bus.
I "Enjoy" My First Bus Ride In Years
I kept my hand on my Yankees cap as the Furies sat in the front row. Two of them crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X.
The bus drove on, and we rolled on the streets of Manhattan.
"She didn't stay dead long," said Percy. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."
"I said if you're lucky," I replied. "You're obviously not."
"All three of them," Grover whispered. "Di immortales!"
I started thinking of plans. "It's okay. The Furies," I said. "The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem, no problem. We'll just slip out the windows."
"They don't open," said Grover.
"A back exit?" I said, but then I realized we were out of options as we approached the Lincoln Tunnel.
"They won't attack us with witnesses around," said Percy. "Will they?"
I was unsure, but the Mist was a powerful thing. "Mortals don't have good eyes. Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."
"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"
"Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe and emergency exit in the roof. . .?"
We entered the tunnel, and one of the Furies stood up. "I need to use the restroom," she said.
"So do I," said the second.
"So do I," said the third.
I would've laughed if I wasn't so in thought. They would come, looking for Percy. "I've got it. Percy, take my hat." I was shocked I said that, but I couldn't take it back and let him get killed.
"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." If anything happened to Percy, I would never forgive myself. No, it's not because I. . . I liked him. The quest would be over already. I would find a way to get Grover and myself out. I was a child of Athena. I could get out of this. (A/N: That's hubris, her fatal flaw, for you :D)
"But you guys—"
"There's an outside chance they might not notice us. You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."
"I can't just leave you," he said. That made me feel a bit better, for some unexplainable reason.
"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"
With trembling hands and a look of doubt, Percy put the hat on and disappeared.
The Furies came closer, and I kept my hand on my knife. They were getting closer. 10 feet. 8 feet. 6 feet.
Then, they morphed. Their jackets molded into leathery swings, and their gloves elongated, turning into claws. Instead of handbags, they were now holding flaming whips. People around us definitely saw something, because a bunch of people began wailing. I just hoped the Mist would work for us, not against.
They advanced on us and soon, Grover and I were surrounded.
"Where is it? Where?" they yelled. It? What's it? I guessed they just meant Percy.
"He's not here! He's gone!" I yelled. They raised their whips and I drew my knife. Grover had tin cans. Brilliant.
I was about to attack, but then, the bus swerved and we were all thrown to the left. We slammed against the side of the Lincoln Tunnel, and after a time that seemed interminable, we got out of the tunnel and exited into a rural road. The bus suddenly braked, and we crashed into trees.
The Furies got up, and I waved my knife at them. "Pigainete makria!" I shouted. "Back off!" Grover started throwing tin cans, and I hoped Percy had gone, safe. Just for a moment, I was relieved that he was safe. I didn't have time to question why.
"Hey!" I heard a voice shout. I turned around, and Percy had taken off my hat, the Seaweed Brain that he is. The two other Furies jumped onto the seats and crawled toward Percy. The head Fury snarled in a heavy accent. "Perseus Jackson. You have offended the gods. You shall die."
"I liked you better as a math teache," said Percy. I motioned to Grover, indicating that we should look for any way to get to Percy, an opening, a space. Percy took out a pen. A pen. What the Hades was he gonna do? Write on them? Gods, we are in so much trouble. I was about to yell at Percy for being so stupid when he uncapped the pen and out sprang a three-foot long blade of deadly celestial bronze.
The Furies hesitated, but then the head Fury hissed, "Submit now, and you will not suffer eternal torment."
"Nice try," he said. I don't know how, but I could tell something bad was going to happen.
"Percy, look out!" I shouted.
The middle Fury's fiery whip wrapped around Percy's wrist. He slammed one Fury with his sword hilt and sliced the other. I jumped on the back of one of the monsters, and Grover got to work tying her up. We tied her up and pushed her into the aisle.
"Zeus will destroy you! she yelled. "Hades will have your soul!"
"Braccas meas vescimini!" he replied/shouted.
Eat my pants???? I would've laughed, but then, thunder rumbled.
"Get out!" I yelled. "Now!"
We ran out, and someone took our picture. We would have to worry about that later, because then I realized that we were missing something.
"Our bags!" Grover said. "We left our —"
BOOOOOOOOOOM! (A/N: Now, I know that's what they say in the book, but how can you have an explosion without a 'boom"? Who's with me?)
"Run! She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!" I yelled. We took off into the woods, not bothering to look back.
We didn't stop running until we reached a creek, and I figured we would have to go follow the water. They wanted to stop, but I wanted to get as far away as possible. I was still shocked that we had forgotten our supplies in the bus, and I knew it was my fault, forgetting. But of course, I didn't want to admit it.
"All our money was back there." said Percy. "Our food and clothes. Everything."
I blamed it on Percy. "Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight—"
"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"
I could've gotten out myself. I was smart. I was clever. I didn't need him. "You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine."
"Sliced like sandwich bread," said Grover. "But fine."
"Shut up, goat boy," I shot back.
Grover proceeded to mourn his stupid "precious" tin cans.
We went on with a few minutes of silence, and I reflected on what had happened. I suddenly felt. . . guilty. I was sorry. I slowed down, going next to Percy.
"Look, I. . . I apprecieate your coming back for us, okey? That was really brave."
"We're a team, right?" He said.
Yeah. A team. I made myself admit it. Percy was a good friend.
"You haven't left Camp Half-Blood sicne you were seven?"
"No. . . only short field trips. My dad—"
"The history professor."
"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." I wasn't ready to tell him about my dad. Not yet. Maybe, just maybe, if we got out alive, I would tell Percy. "At camp, you train and traing. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."
"You're pretty good with that knife," he said.
"You think so?"
"Anybody who can piggyback-ride a Fury is okay by me."
Normally, I wouldn't want Percy to see this, but it was dark. So, I smiled. Maybe this quest wouldn't be so bad after all. Then, I remembered what the Furies had said on the bus: "Where is it? Where?"
"You know, maybe I should tell you. . . Something funny back on the bus. . ." I was interrupted by what sounded somewhat like a tortured, dying hummingbird.
"Hey, my reed pipes still work!" cried Grover.
Percy bumped his head on a tree branch, and we sloshed ahead into the mud.
Soon, I saw a neon light ahead, and I smelled food, glorious food. We trudged forward until we got to a deserted road. What I saw was a big warehouse surrounded by tons of stone statuary. I tried to read the sign, but it was red. And cursive. And of course, neon.
"What the heck does that say?" I heard Percy mumble.
"I don't know."
Grover looked up and translated for us: "Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium."
DUN-DUN-DUN!!! Cliffy. Well, I don't know if you could call it a cliffy, cuz we know what happens. or do we? haha anyway, please read and review!!!! I'm sooo happy! I found out that me and my BFFE aren't the only PJO fans in our tiny little school. An 8th grader loves it, too. Awesome. Cuz usually i spring a PJO reference or tell a PJO related joke and people just stare at us while we laugh our asses off.
Anyway, love you all!
Peace, Love, Fencing, and Pumpkin Pie,
~Sword-WieldingDemigod12697
