I don't own PJO or HG.
Gaea's curse By NewWorldFiction
Chapter Eight
The demigod van pulled into the Dare's estate with no second glances from the entrance security. They drove up the road to the front parking which was a few small driveways surrounded by a beautiful garden. It was there that the van's engine quickly got louder until it dominated the calm serenity that the estate usually had; Every living thing within the garden's shrubbery immediately took off.
Once the demigods pulled into the end of the driveway the engine sputtered to a stop. The doors opened shortly after.
"Gods, will they ever fix the transmission on this thing?" Percy complained as he stepped out of the drover's seat.
"The Hephaestus cabin had better things to do then work on a car." Malcolm responded while pulling out the several bags of reading material he had brought.
"They work on flying ships, metal dragons, even machines for shooting down mosquitoes yet, they don't bother to work on a car?"
"They want to work on things that interest them. Of course, I'd expect you'd be the same." Malcolm accused.
"Hey! So what I get bored fast. But that's with any job and wouldn't they know that better then anyone, you know? Yet they should still work on it."
"Well they do get a lot of work... let me see... fixing a flaming axe or a old car?"
"Fine I get it!" Percy put his hands up in surrender.
"Now I know how it feels when Annabeth beats you in a argument."
While the two bickered, Katniss had taken to checking out the front garden. It reminded her about all those pretty terraces that the Capital had. It brought a scowl to her face.
I hope the people here aren't like the Capital citizens.
"Hey Katniss! You coming?" Katniss whirled around and found that she had trekked far from the pathway up to the front door.
"Yeah! Coming!"
When the trio of demigods arrived at the base of the door steps, Katniss couldn't help but be in awe. Compared to the level of architecture, at Camp Half-Blood this was nothing. But this was modern and not built by gods.
The doors stood at a easy ten feet, each and every one was decorated with a fancy design in it's redwood base and glass panes organized in a arch like pattern.
"How rich is this girl exactly..?" Katniss asked.
"I really don't know, but I know for certain that she doesn't like how her father gets all this cash."
"And how does he get all that money?"
"He buys land and develops it. Usually forests..."
Malcolm knocked on the door, the pounding brought Percy and Katniss out of their conversation.
A few moments later a steady pounding of feet against a wooden floor was heard. The grand doors opened to none other then Mr. Dare, his dusty red hair combed neatly across his head.
"Ah... Percy..."
"Hey Mr. Dare..." Percy grinned sheepishly.
"I believe my last words were, 'Stay off my property or suffer a restraining order.'"
"In my defense, um, uhhhh... Take him!" Percy took Malcolm and shoved him forward.
"What?" Mr. Dare asked confused.
Malcolm sighed, "You will let us in and forget that this meeting ever happened."
Malcolm waved his hand and Mr. Date blinked. "Ah yes, come in, come in! Make yourself feel at him. I'll get Rachel..."
Mr. Dare quickly took off on his heels and sped his way out of view.
Walking in Katniss caught her breath. This was completely unlike all the buildings in the Capital. It was indeed amazing but it also had the feeling of calamity rather then the aura of control that the Capital buildings gave off.
Set before them was a large red-gold rimmed rug the size of a tennis court with interesting designs spiraling across it. To it's far left and right two staircases spiraled upward ending at the second floor and then crossed each other ending at the third floors. Over on the third floor ceiling a crystal chandelier rocked back and forth: The chandelier's diamond like spikes shined several of the multi-colored lights.
"Woah." Katniss barely breathed out. Even Malcolm let go of his usual bored know-it-all look.
"Hmm, they got a new chandelier." Percy commented.
"Huh?" One of Malcolm's eye brows raised.
"Last time I was here I had to use the chandelier to cross between the broken stairways... The Hydra enjoyed swallowing It I'll tell you."
"Of course."
Percy grinned.
From the upper right staircase, a red headed face popped over the staircase's rim. "Percy!"
"Hey Rachel!"
Sprinting down the stairs and occasionally nearly tripping the red head embraced Percy.
"I haven't seen you all summer!"
Hugging the girl back Percy exclaimed, "Well saving the world takes my free time away!"
Letting go of each other, Rachel noticed that the brunette girl had a slight tinge of red to her cheeks along with her eyebrows narrowed a little.
Looks like you have another admirer, Percy...
"Katniss this is Rachel, Rachel this is Katniss." Percy grabbed Katniss and pulled her to the red head.
"Uh... Hi?"
"Hi!" Rachel smiled cheerily.
"And you know Malcolm."
"Yep!"
"Hey Rachel." Malcolm said, his masked face of boredom had returned. But something was different Katniss noticed, his hands were toying with the book in his grasp. Of course she had noticed he read during conversations almost all the time and he never attempted to restrain himself until now.
Odd.
"So Kelp Head, why are you here? You didn't bring any monsters with you right?" Rachel's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"No, no, no! Katniss took of care that."
"Cool." Katniss noted that Rachel's muscles seemed to relax.
"You know RED, I've been having dreams..." Percy began.
"What type of dreams?"
"Of Gaea."
Rachel's smile disappeared faster then a mouse zipping into it's hole.
"What?"
"Gaea. She cursed us Rachel. Nobody knows how but you know how no demigods have been reported since we fought her. How the gods stopped giving us the locations of all the demigods nearing 13? Gaea has stolen all of them."
"How!?"
"Like I said, we don't know. But Katniss here it a key in all that. I guess you could say she escaped from Gaea."
Rachel looked at Katniss expectantly for her to fill in her part of the story.
"Hey! Don't give me that look, I done even know how I got to Camp!"
"Okay... here let's go to my room. The security will be walking by soon..."
A few moments later, several turns down expensive furnished hallways they had arrived in Rachel's room. Which was not so spectacular. It had paint stains thrown all around the walls and stacks of paintings were scattered around.
"Tell me everything." Rachel flipped into her bed.
And they did. From when Katniss arrived in Camp Half-Blood and their run in with Gaea. Malcolm filled in whenever he could, but he was out of the loop, which seemed to upset the son of Athena.
"So..." Percy asked.
"I don't know, I-" suddenly her body stiffened and her eyes turned a blinding blue color. Green mist began to surround them.
Rachel spoke but it wasn't her voice.
Child of the Dreams,
Shall wade within the stream.
With all those around
Darkness will be found.
And death does its part,
As always before,
New life be born,
From shadows' torn.
Rachel's body suddenly went slack and fell, but luckily Malcolm caught her.
"What was that?" Katniss asked with wide eyes.
"That... Was a prophecy." Percy responded with a unusual harsh tone.
And so it begins. R&R I love you guys! :D
EDITED MAY 3RD 2016