Disclaimer: The great and powerful Rick Riordan owns all. Any character you do not recognize are mine.
Thank you to the readers and especially the reviewers! Makes me smile! I'm glad you are enjoying the story.
Last time on Only Time Will Tell:
"What year is it?" The group glanced at each other but it was Rachel who stepped towards her. "2012." The last thing the girl saw were the smiling faces of her parents and Grover, before darkness engulfed her.
Chapter 5: Fetch
Emmett groaned 'what happened? The last I remember I was in Bunker 9.' His head was pounding. It felt like tiny men were attacking his brain. That was his first thought, his second? Something was licking his face. "Ugh" he mumbled pressing his hands upward shoving a hairy face, at least, trying to anyway.
His eyes struggled open, "Stop." He said, but the beast wasn't listening. "Mrs. O'Leary! Stop! St- that tickles!" Finally he was let up and was greeted by Mrs. O'Leary, all 500 lbs of black midnight fur and glowing yellow eyes.
"How did we get here?" Emmett asked, brushing leaves and dirt from his backside.
"Bright light." Mrs. O'Leary replied.
"That's all you know?" Emmett questioned turning towards the hellhound. Mrs. O'Leary barked.
"You hear me?" The hellhound questioned. Her tail wagging faster now.
"Of course I can hear you…"
"You smell…" Mrs. O'Leary sniffed around Emmett's ankles. "Odd." She woofed and sat on her hindquarters.
"Why are you acting all strange?" Emmett asked throwing his hands up. Taking in the surroundings Emmett noted they were in the woods possibly not far from Bunker 9 itself. Suddenly he heard a growl behind him. Jumping he thought 'Another hellhound? Great.' Emmett reached for his bow, but remembered he stupidly left it at the entrance of Bunker 9.
"Away foul beast." The new hellhound growled, it wasn't directed at him but at Mrs. O'Leary.
Mrs. O'Leary's head caulked to the side. "Wait…" He said out loud turning towards the new hellhound he hesitantly took a couple of steps. "Mrs. O'Leary?"
"YES!"
"YA!"
Two voices echoed in his head. Gulping he looked back and forth between them.
"You're… both… Mrs. O'Leary?" Emmett asked crossing his fingers he was wrong.
"Silly pup."
"He smells odd."
"Oh. My. Gods." Emmett breathed out. Their voices were exactly the same. "Which one of you knows me?" He asked. The growling hellhound sat and shook her head.
"You're exasperating." The second Mrs. O'Leary said. The first Mrs. O'Leary was pouncing up and down, making the ground shake.
"I know you not!" Bounce, bounce, run slide. "But you smell." She was panting now, her tongue flopping to one side. "Familiar. Odd. But familiar."
Emmett walked towards 'his' hellhound. "How did we get here?"
"There was a bright light and now we are here."
"Yeah! Bright light! That's how I found you!"
Emmett's Mrs. O'Leary sighed and rolled her eyes in her own hellhound way. "I can't believe I was ever so young."
The hellhounds suddenly perked up and listened, someone was calling. "Go, bring him here. He will help." Emmett's Mrs. O'Leary commanded.
The other hellhound barked and with a wiggle of it's bum jumped into the shadows. "Wait, where is she, I mean you, I mean… Oh gods I don't know what's going on." Emmett sat hard on the ground and put his head in his hands. Mrs. O'Leary ambled over to him and licked his arm.
"Help is coming." And laid down next to him to wait.
In what seemed like forever Emmett was lounging against Mrs. O'Leary waiting. Finally he felt the ground shaking.
"Finally." Mrs. O'Leary sat up dislodging Emmett. "I don't remember being so… slow." Emmett stood. "What are talking about?" he asked. The younger Mrs. O'Leary bounded forward with a rider on her back. Emmett looked hard, his night vision was good, but this person was dressed all in black. It was hard for him to make anything out. Strutting forward the younger Mrs. O'Leary barked in triumph, her rider sliding off her back.
"I found him!"
"Yes, good doggy." Emmett's Mrs. O'Leary said sarcastically. He glared at her.
"What is the meaning of this!" The boy demanded. "Who are you?" Emmett's attention snapped back to the new comer.
"Umm, I'm a…" Emmett stopped, what was he going to tell him. Hi, I'm Emmett, I'm an alien, take me to your leader! Right Emmett must have stood there too long. The boy in front of him took several steps forward revealing his face.
Emmett stared. No it can't be. He's been… How is this possible!? The beating of his heart sped up.
"What is going on?" He frantically mind spoke to his Mrs. O'Leary.
"I've never known you to be slow." She growled back at him. Emmett looked back at the boy. He stood 5' 11" and was a total pole, but held an air of power around him. At his hip was his Stygian sword and Emmett could just make out the skull ring on his right hand. The boy was wearing a black leather jacket, a black Pink Floyd t-shirt, and black jeans with black converse, finishing his look.
Emmett rubbed his thumb over the ring on his right hand and gulped. Opening his mouth he urged himself to form words. The boy, if he could call him that was going for his sword. "Wait," Emmett said and the boy stopped. Taking a few steps closer, the figure held his ground. Emmett swallowed his fear. This was too unreal. It had to be fake.
"Uncle Nico?" he asked.
"What did you call me?" Nico asked. "Who are you? What game is this?" and he slid his sword out. Emmett putt is hands up.
"Wait just, maybe Mrs. O'Leary can…"
"This is Mrs. O'Leary." Nico interrupted patting the younger hellhound on the side.
"Well, you see…" Emmett ran his hands through his really short military buzz cut hair. "They're…Kinda… They're kinda both Mrs. O'Leary."
"You're crazy, there is only one..." Nico asked. Lowering his sword.
"Yeah I know, I don't exactly…"
"Of course you do… Stop being silly." The older hellhound said uncurling herself and standing up to sit beside Emmett. "Ask him." she commanded and moved to start washing her paw. Emmett gulped and turned his attention back to his… much younger uncle.
"What'stheyear?" he asked in a rush manner.
"What?" said Nico.
Emmett sighed. "What year is it?" Nico looked at him like he'd grown another head and Emmett almost brought his hands up to check and see if it were true. Nico re-sheathed his sword. "It's 2012… Why?"
Color drained from Emmett's face, "Oh shit." He said out loud, he was starting to hyperventilate.
"Whoa dude, breathe…" Nico said helping Emmett sit down. There was a flash in the night and Nico grabbed Emmett's right hand. "Where did you get this!" his anger started to boil, as he made sure his ring was still there.
The kid swallowed and looked at him. "From you… in about…" the kid sat trying to count in his head. "Twelve years."
Nico was stunned. "What do you mean, in twelve years."
Emmett swallowed, making eye contact with his Mrs. O'Leary. "I think, I'm from the future."
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