DON'T KILL ME PLEASE! I'M SORRY IT'S BEEN LIKE 2 WEEKS!

warning: several POV changes.

anyway in order to keep everyone as happy as possible, I mention the Frazel child, but he's not here yet becuz I didn't want a forced love triangle (Sorry!) maybe later don't kill me. I want to work on ZachxAubrey

btw i don't own Percy Jackson, but the plot and idea is all mine! MWAHAHA!

...i don't understand myself sometimes lol :P

This chapter is dedicated to the long, essay-like-reviews writer, PinkFan-Gurl! Thank you for your awesomeness and brilliant ideas!

CHAPTER SIX

~~~Aubrey Sally Jackson~~~

REMEMBERING HUNTER

"Wow," Percy says as we climb out on deck.

The Argo II is on top of a forested hill, gazing down at the city of Atlanta. Atlanta has skyscrapers downtown, and then what seems to be endless highways, houses, and every once in a while, a patch of green indicating a park or forest or something.

I'm admiring the architectural side (come on, my mother's an architect! Don't judge me!), when Coach Hedge interrupts my thoughts:

"Ah, lovely spot. Good choice, Valdez." He took a deep breath of morning air. The satyr still, in all honesty, freaks me out. He's my constant reminder that this Greek myth stuff is real, and his goat legs always sorta creep me out anyway.

"I just picked a tall hill," Leo says with a shrug, "That's a presidential library or something over there. At least that's what Festus says." Leo points to a complex of white buildings off to our left.

"I don't know about that!" Hedge yells gruffly, "But do you realize what happened on this hill? Frank Zhang, you should know!"

Frank flinches, "I should?"

Hedge nods, before yelling, "A son of Ares stood here!"

Frank sighs, "I'm Roman… so Mars, actually."

"Whatever! Famous spot in the American Civil War!"

"I'm Canadian, actually."

I stifle a giggle, before a wave of homesickness hits me like a tidal wave.

The Zhang family came to visit a few years ago. Uncle Frank and Aunt Hazel have two kids. A nineteen-year-old girl named Ella, and a fifteen-year-old boy named Hunter.

I kind of talked with Hunter for a long time on the first night of their stay, and I told him all about Zach, and he listened. He told me that even if Zach was a jerk, he'd always be there for me.

Okay, here's my secret. Ever since I was, like, ten, I've had a crush on Hunter. I don't see him as much, so he's not as close to me as Zach is, but he's just so shy, and funny, and in the last few years when Zach turned on me, I talked to Hunter a lot on the phone.

Frank's shyness reminded me of Hunter. Hunter was humble, anyone can tell.

Hunter is tall, and muscular, with tan skin and these dark eyes, with golden specks. He has short dark hair, like his dad, but he doesn't really look like either of them. Okay, he's hot, I'll say it. And the cutest part? He doesn't know it. Yah, I know, crushing on an older guy, whatever. He's only going to be a sophomore, though!

I used to think Zach was hot, too. But then he turned on me, basically labeling me as a lower life form, and I forgot about whatever crush I might've had on him. I don't care, though. He can do what he wants, I guess.

I suddenly wish Hunter was here, as I follow Percy and the others down the gangplank, onto the ground.

But then again, I don't. He and Zach, since they were like, nine or ten, haven't gotten along. By that I mean, they hate each other's guts. The glares they give are really impressive. But I really don't understand why they hate each other. I tried asking Hunter once when he came to visit, but he just turned away, blushing, saying a quick, "Nothing!"

Believe it or not, Zach had the same exact reaction.

I don't understand those two.

I walk up to Percy, who's leading the rest of our group heading towards the presidential library. I'm still nervous talking to him, but the nausea has mostly passed whenever I see his face.

"Why don't we just call your Pegasus or something?" I ask him.

He glances at me quickly, "Well, after yesterday…"

I nod, understanding. After a pause I say, "How often do you do this?"

"Do what?" he says, puzzled.

"Go on quests and stuff."

"Since I was twelve, I guess I did one pretty much every year," Percy replies casually.

I grit my teeth. Why did my parents keep this from me? I'm fourteen! I can handle it!

"Would you…" I hesitate for a half second, then I continue before I can lose my nerve, "Would you tell your kids about your demigod life?"

He seems lost in thought for a minute, before nodding slowly, "Yeah, I probably would. When they got old enough."

"What's 'old enough'?" I press on.

"Probably twelve," he says after a moment, "That's when I found out. Or like… seven, maybe… that's when Annabeth got to Camp."

Liar! I want to yell suddenly, before I bite back my anger. But I was older then both seven and twelve and they hid this from me.

We're both silent until we reach the library.

Getting a ride is actually really easy. A librarian named Esther insists on driving us, and Coach Hedge assures us she doesn't smell like a monster.

I try to ignore that he said smell, and that he's actually part goat…

And that this is actually real.

^^^Perseus Jackson^^^

WE FIND THE SALT WATER, A FEW MONSTERS, AND BLUE SOUR STRAWS.

We are sitting in the back of a big, black Cadillac (that rhymes haha), and Esther tells us so much about the city that I decide to try and see if she knows anything about salt water in the landlocked city.

"Uh, so, Esther," I begin, "here's a hard question for you. Salt water in Atlanta. What's the first thing that comes to mind?"

The old woman laughs, "Oh, sugar. That's easy. Whale sharks!"

I exchange a confused look with Frank, but out of the corner of my eye, I see Aubrey light up.

"The aquarium? I went there with my dad and uncle once! The whole time we were there, they would break out laughing about something, especially when we went under the–" then her voice halts, and I look at her. She's gone pale, and she glances quickly at me and Frank, then away.

"The aquarium? Is that where you wanted to go, sugar?" Esther asks me.

I can't get the look of Aubrey's pale face out of my head, but I nod, after a quick debate with myself. I mean, we don't have anywhere better to go, right? It wouldn't do us any good to wonder around randomly, looking for a person sitting next to a glass of salt water or something weird like that.

"Yes, that's where we're going," I say.

I see Aubrey pale even further, with a light tinge of green suddenly added to her cheeks. I look at her with concern, "Aubrey?" I say quietly, "Are you feeling alright?"

Aubrey tries to smile at me, but there is fear in her eyes. Fear of what? Why is she afraid of this aquarium suddenly? She went there with her father and uncle, right? She seemed like she had had a good time, when she was explaining it to us before.

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she says back.

We get out at the main entrance to the aquarium, after, of course, receiving Esther's phone number for emergencies, money for a taxi ride, and a jar of complimentary homemade peach preserves, which, oddly enough, she kept in a box in the trunk of her car.

Frank puts the jar in his backpack.

When Esther drives away, Frank questions, "Are all people in Atlanta that nice?"

"Hope not," says Coach Hedge with a grunt, "I can't fight them if they're nice. Let's go beat up some whale sharks. They sound dangerous!"

I hear Aubrey whisper under her breath, "Violent, much?"

I see a line full of families and kids attending summer camps, and I feel a pang of longing. I could be at Camp Half-Blood right now, with all my friends and Annabeth in peace. The Fates are cruel.

As I glance around, I notice Frank also looks upset. And Aubrey is staring at the families with sadness in her green eyes that could break anyone's heart.

That gets me thinking: I wonder what her family is like. Why can't she go home?

I sigh, glancing at the long line, "Well, I guess we wait in line. Anybody have money?"

Aubrey rolls her eyes, "Um, are you kidding? I appeared on deck, completely unconscious, and half-dead and now you ask me to pay for your tickets?"

"Um, sorry?" I half-say, half-ask, shrugging in apology.

Aubrey laughs, "I don't have the money anyway. My brother Lucas was the only one with his wallet…"

She fades off, staring into the distance, so I turn away and leave her to her thoughts. I know what it's like to miss someone.

"Three denarii from Camp Jupiter," Frank announces. "Five dollars Canadian."

Hedge digs around in his pockets, reporting the finds: "Three quarters, two dimes, a rubber band and– score! A piece of celery."

"Great," I snap. I only have Riptide in my pocket.

Suddenly, a woman in the blue and green Georgia Aquarium uniform approaches us, smiling cheerfully. She has fizzy black hair hanging in two ponytails, braces behind dimpled cheeks, and thick-framed glasses. She looks to be in her late twenties, but she is bouncing from foot to foot with the energy of a six-year-old with a lollipop.

"Ah!" she exclaims, "VIP visitors!"

I spot her name tag, which reads: KATE.

"You have your payment, I see. Excellent!" she says cheerfully.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion. "What?"

"Yes, that's fine," she says as she scoops the three denarii out of Frank's hand, "Right this way!"

I look at my companions. "A trap?"

Frank and Aubrey respond at the same time:

"Probably."

"Most likely."

Hedge gives a more detailed answer. "She's not mortal. Probably some sort of goat-eating, demigod-destroying fiend from Tartarus."

"No doubt," I agree.

"Awesome, let's go," Coach Hedge responds, grinning.

I notice Aubrey is analyzing the area, like Annabeth does often. I feel I weird flash of déjà vu. I glance at Aubrey… I'm pretty sure, before a few days ago, I'd never seen her before. But she seems so familiar…

We follow Kate into the aquarium. As she leads us around, I know every sea creature there. I hate this place, with all the sea animals calling out for me to free them, and I obviously can't at the moment, so I just try and block them out.

But one voice in my head screams so loud that I can't help but hear:

A son of Poseidon and a granddaughter of Poseidon! Amazing!

I freeze in my tracks. What the Hades? Who said that? I yell for the fish in my head. But I get too many responses to pick out the same one.

"Um, Percy?" Frank questions.

I shake it off and follow Kate and the others by the gift shop. Frank stops at a clearance table to inspect the items.

"Take what you want," Kate says.

"Really?" Frank and Aubrey say in unison.

"Of course!" remarks Kate, "You're a VIP!"

Frank starts stuffing T-shirts into his backpack after a moment's hesitation.

"Dude, what are you doing?" I ask.

"She said I could," Frank blames in a whisper, "Besides, I need more clothes. I didn't pack for a long trip! And you aren't even questioning what Aubrey's doing!" he points to Aubrey, stuffing a snow globe into his backpack, which doesn't seem like clothes to me, but I let it slide as I look for Aubrey.

I snicker, spotting Aubrey, who's already rushing around the store, grabbing a few Georgia Aquarium backpacks and grabbing everything she can reach, stuffing them into the bags.

Frank picks up a small braided cylinder.

Squinting at it, he asks me, "What is–"

"Chinese handcuffs," I reply.

"How is this Chinese?" Frank, being Chinese Canadian, looks offended.

"I don't know. That's just a gag gift."

"Come along, boys!" Kate calls, "And make sure you bring the lady with you!"

"I'll show you later," I promise him.

Aubrey ends up with four full backpacks. Slinging two over her shoulders as she comes out, she shoves two more at me saying, "Can you hold these for me?"

I roll my eyes at her, taking the backpacks. "Someone has a shopping addition."

She shakes her head with a grin, "Not a shopping addition. A souvenir addition. Oh! And also a food and T-shirt addition."

She reaches into a backpack, pulling out a bag of M&M's, basically drinking them down.

As we follow Kate, I beg Aubrey for some candy.

"Please?" I ask, "I'm carrying these stupid bags for you!"

"Stop being a baby, Jackson!" she snaps, then chucks a pack of blue Sour Straws at my head, and I catch it, tearing open the bag in the same second.

"You have got to teach me that move!" she says, referring to my candy-bag-opening skills.

I snicker at her, removing a Sour Straw and cramming it into my mouth. "A good chef never reveals his secrets!"

"You're not a chef!"

"A good magician never reveals his tricks!"

"You're not a magician either!"

"You don't know that!"

"Shut up, will you?" Frank asks.

We both shut up as we enter a tunnel with water all around us.

~~~Aubrey Sally Jackson~~~

TRAPPED IN A FISH TANK

For a moment, as I argued with Percy, I could imagine I was actually here with my dad, arguing pointlessly with him. But Frank threw us back into the present (or past?!) and I try frantically to hide my frown by smacking on a Snickers bar. Only God… I mean the gods… know how I'm not fat by now. So don't ask me.

We walk into a cool-looking tunnel where water surrounds us, with fish everywhere, including over our heads.

I've always loved the water. Just like Lucas loved school with a passion, water was my thing.

We come into a viewing room that's lit with blue light.

I look around and spot a giant tank, inhabited by two spotted sharks, each probably more than twice my size, and dozens of fish accompany them.

The poor sharks look bored and they're also fat and slow, bumping around with open mouths. I feel my anger kindle as I watch the trapped creatures swim mindlessly.

And their thoughts? Involving nothing but food. Huh. Kind of like mine.

"Whale sharks. Now we shall battle to the death!" Coach Hedge growls.

"Silly satyr," Kate giggles, "Whale sharks are peaceful. They only eat plankton."

I scan the room quickly. It's empty. This is creeping me out… I have a really bad feeling about this. And… wait… how does Kate know he's a satyr? His furry (creepy) legs are covered by pants and shoes.

The coach looks disgusted, "Peaceful sharks? What's the point of that?"

"The only whale sharks in captivity in the world," Frank says, reading the plaque by the tank, "That's kind of amazing."

"Yes," Kate answers, "and these are small. You should see some of my other babies out in the wild."

"Your babies?" I stutter.

"So, Kate, we're looking for a guy… I mean a god, named Phorcys," Percy interrupts, "Would you happen to know him?"

"Know him?" Kate snorts, "He's my brother. That's where we're going, sillies. The real exhibits are right through here."

I look over at the wall Kate gestures to, and the black–originally solid–wall ripples, making another tunnel appear.

Still unused to this magic or Mist or whatever, I feel slightly sick, but try and hide it as I follow Kate and the others inside.

Inside, Hedge whistles, "Now that's interesting."

It's another tunnel surrounded with water. Giant, trash-can-sized jellyfish glide above us.

I notice Percy seems to be having a little trouble breathing. I frown. Isn't he a son of Poseidon? He shouldn't be afraid of water, or giant jellyfish.

Then I remember a prophecy Annabeth told me about when we were talking yesterday:

To north, beyond the gods, lies the legion's crown.

Falling from the ice, the son of Neptune shall drown.

I don't know if that's already happened to some other demigod and it's not even about Percy, but I lean and whisper in Percy's ear: "Don't worry; you can't drown, Percy. Okay?"

He looks at me oddly, slightly freaked out (like: how'd you know about that?), but nods. My words of comfort don't seem to affect him, though.

Kate is saying to Coach Hedge: "You see? Forget the whale sharks! And there's much more."

More what? Do I even want to know?

We enter a larger room with glass walls (like a real aquarium but much bigger).

I notice a giant red sign announces:

DEATH IN THE DEEP SEAS! Sponsored by Monster Donut.

Because of my dyslexia, I have to read it a few times, and it still gives me a slight headache.

Beside me, Percy asks, "Monster Donut?"

"Oh, yes. One of our corporate sponsors," Kate says happily.

Percy gulps. I decide to ask him about it later.

Then I notice the creatures in one of the giant tanks and gasp. It is a giant half-fish, half-horse thing that makes me feel sick (you know, since it doesn't exist), but at the same time, it looks dull and lifeless, and I feel the tears in my eyes as I watch the poor creature bonk it's head on the glass, seemingly lifeless.

Its thoughts are mumbles, not even full words. I only catch food and sleep.

"This isn't right," Percy and I mumble at the same time. We look up and lock eyes.

He sees the tears in my eyes. We silently agree that we won't let these animals remain like this. We have to set them free.

Then, behind Percy, I see something even worse. It looks like two girls sitting at the bottom of a tank, cross-legged, playing Go Fish with blank expressions.

Percy watches my expression turn to horror and he spins to look.

My knowledge of Greek myths tells me: Nereids, female sea spirits.

I want to scream at Kate, but instead a tear escapes and I wipe it away fiercely. Don't cry, don't cry, DON'T CRY.

My sadness turns to anger, but Percy beats me to the chase, "How can you keep them here?!" he's glaring so hard, I would've whimpered under his gaze. But I join him, scowling at Kate.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice reminds me how alike Percy and I must look right now, glaring with our twin green eyes.

I'm so angry, I don't really hear it.

Kate sighs, oblivious to our glares, "I know. They aren't very interesting. We tried to teach them some tricks, but with no luck, I'm afraid. I think you'll like this tank over here much better."

As Kate moves on, Percy mumbles a curse in a different language, Ancient Greek, I assume. And even though my parents taught me some Greek, I cuss loudly at Kate in English… or very fluent French. Whichever you prefer.

She doesn't seem to hear, but Percy stares at me, "Why are you so mad about this? You didn't even know Greek mythology was real until a few days ago."

I turn my glare to him, "These poor creatures aren't free. They are basically lifeless. Why wouldn't I be mad?"

He wants to answer, but as he opens his mouth, Coach Hedge yells, "Holy mother of goats! Look at these beauties!"

I see he's looking at two sea-serpents of about thirty feet long. I feel suddenly extremely light-headed, and I'm pretty sure I faint, like a true wimp, because I blink and I'm on the floor.

Percy and Frank are next to me, but Hedge and Kate don't notice.

"You okay?" Frank asks slowly.

I nod, breathing shakily, but I scramble to my feet, trying not to look over where the sea serpent is. In another tank, I spot a giant squid and I sway on my feet. I lean against a wall, while Percy and Frank look at me with unease.

"I'm fine!" I insist, not looking at anything but the floor now. Do not look in anymore tanks! I order myself sternly.

I'm not looking, nor listening to the conversation, but I slam back into the present when Frank yelps, "Demigod?!"

"But they will eat whales or small boats, too." I look up to see Kate turning to Percy and I. "Sorry… I'm such a monster nerd! I'm sure you know all this, being the son of Poseidon and all." She glances at me. "And you being his daughter."

I'm honestly surprised that I don't faint again, but I can almost feel the blood rush from my face. Yellow and black dots flash and dance before my eyes.

Percy chokes. "Wait a sec! Who's daughter?"

Kate smirks, "Oops."

She did not make this any easier.

Percy turns to me. "What does she mean?"

"I-I don't know! Honest!" I stutter. Does saying honest while you're not being honest make the sin worse? I am so going to hell. Or Tartarus. Whatever.

Percy doesn't look convinced in any way, but he turns to Kate. "Who are you? Does Kate stand for something?"

She looks confused, "Kate?" then she glances at her name tag, and laughs, "Oh… No, it's–"

"Hello!" a new voice booms through the aquarium.

My hallucinations must be getting worse because I see a small man scuttle out of the darkness on bent legs, with his arms stretched out, holding invisible plates. He looks kind of like a crab, actually.

He also wears a wet suit of horrible shades of green, with glittering silver letters down the side that, after a few seconds of staring, I see as: PORKY'S FOLLIES. One of his milky blue eyes is higher than the other and his smile looks forced and frankly disturbing. He has a microphone headset on, explaining the loud greeting from a moment ago.

"Visitors!" he thunders. "Welcome to Phorcys's Follies!"

He gestures dramatically to nothing, probably expecting something to happen.

I catch sight of another tank, and strangely, I see a flash of black and blue. I stare at the spot for who knows how long, with several sparks and smoke clouds around the room attempting to distract me. But I continue to stare at the spot, until I finally decide there is nothing there, and tune back in.

"–to get the VIP tour, and so you shall! Come with me!"

"Um, hold it," Percy interrupts.

Porky/Phorcys's smile melts away in an ugly fashion, "Yes?"

"You're a sea god, aren't you? Son of Gaea?" Percy questions.

Phorcys begins to complain, with Kate adding in.

"And you're a goddess?" Percy narrows his eyes at Kate.

"Keto, yes! Goddess of sea monsters, naturally!" That would explain why she's a "monster nerd". "Whales, sharks, squids, and other giant sea life, but my heart always belonged to monsters. Did you know that young sea serpents can regurgitate the flesh of their victims and keep themselves fed for up to six years on the same meal? It's true!"

Frank looks like he's going to be sick. You and me both, Frank, me and you both.

Coach Hedge had a different reaction. He whistles then announces, "Six years? That's fascinating."

Keto beams, "I know!"

"And how exactly does a killer squid rend the flesh from its victims?" Hedge asks excitedly. "I love nature!"

"Oh, well–"

Phorcys saves us, "Stop! You're ruining the show! Now, witness our Nereid gladiators fight to the death!"

I don't look at the Nereid tank because I'm afraid I'll blow up with anger again, but I can tell whatever was supposed to happen didn't, by the sound of Phorcys's yells.

"Curse it!"

Keto grimaces at Hedge. "Don't mind Porky. He's such a windbag. Come with me, my fine satyr. I'll show you full-color diagrams of the monsters' hunting habits!"

I would join them except, a) I feel sick b) I don't want to and c) I really don't want to.

So Coach Hedge disappears with Keto, and Percy and Frank look like they want to object.

I notice the tension in the air around Percy and Frank, and they're glancing worriedly at each other.

"Oh, it's fine!" the old sea god reassures, probably having read Percy and Frank's faces. "Keto might be a little boring, but she'll take good care of your friend. And honestly, the best part of the tour is to come!"

I didn't like the sound of that at all, honestly.

"So…" Percy says, sounding tired, "Dionysus sent us here."

"Bacchus," Frank corrects.

After that, they start to talk about stuff that I honestly try to understand, but can't. Stupid ADHD. I'm tapping my foot impatiently while words float in through one ear and out through the other, when I see it again: the flash of black and blue that I was sure I was imagining.

A few words made it through to me as I stare off: twins… giants… maps… Gaea… kill…

But I'm frantically glancing around the room looking for the blue and black flash. What is it?

I only stop my paranoid search when Frank and Percy follow Phorcys as he scuttles through a tunnel.

The tunnel snakes along the floor of a tank the size of a school cafeteria or a gymnasium. But it was pretty much empty.

I again sense Percy's discomfort, and catch him glancing nervously at the glass as if it might break and drown us all. All of us, except for Percy, that is. Why is he freaking out?

What was supposed to go in here, anyway?

Phorcys stops and spreads his arms, as if he's proud of the emptiness. "Beautiful exhibit, isn't it?"

"What do you keep in here? Giant killer goldfish?" Frank asks, looking around.

I notice the floor is littered with weapons and there's a life-sized gingerbread house in the corner. What the heck?

Phorcys raises his eyebrows, "Oh, that would be good! But no. Frank Zhang, descendant of Poseidon. This tank is not for goldfish."

Frank flinches, stepping back.

My mind is spinning, calculating. I figure it out a second before he says it: the tank's for us.

"You're VIPs– Very Important Prisoners!" the god declares.

Percy had uncapped his magical pen sometime during Phorcys's talk, dropping the backpacks I asked him to carry for me and he now lunges. Frank swings his backpack violently at the sea god's head.

But he was gone.

"Yes, good!" Phorcys's voice echoes through the sound system, "Fighting is good! You see, Mother never trusted me with big assignments, but she did agree that I could keep anything I caught. You three will make an excellent exhibit– the only demigod spawn of Poseidon in captivity. 'Demigod Terrors'– yes, I like that! We already have the sponsorship lined up with Bargain Mart. You can fight each other every day at eleven AM and one PM, with an evening show at seven PM."

"You're crazy!" Frank yells.

Phorcys answers him, but by that time, I've already snapped out of my daze and I'm sprinting for the exit. I slam into a glass wall with a groan. Percy discovers the other side is blocked, too.

We're trapped. I began to hyperventilate. I sink to my knees.

Breathe, Aubrey, breathe! I command myself.

I hear Percy yelling in the distance, but I look up in time only to see the glass dome shatter, and the water tumble down on me almost in slow motion.

^^^Perseus Jackson^^^

ALL I CAN SAY IS: SOME REALLY WEIRD THINGS HAPPEN.

I hold my breath until I can't any longer and I let it out. The water fills my lungs, but I'm breathing normal and I curse myself for being afraid. My clothes aren't even wet.

Frank! I remember suddenly. I forgot that he can't breathe underwater! I turn, and then glance up, seeing a giant goldfish.

Dude. A goldfish? I question.

Frank responds in my head: I freaked. We were talking about goldfish, so it was on my mind. Sue me.

I'm having a telepathic conversation with a giant koi. Great. Can you turn into something more… useful?

Sorry. I'm stuck, Frank sounds embarrassed, that happens sometimes when I panic. Maybe Aubrey…

Aubrey! We "yell" at the same time.

Frantically, we look around, and spot her, floating near the bottom. Her face appears a blue color, and her eyes bulge from her head as she attempts to hold her breath.

I try to swim down to her, but the currents don't help me like normal, so I have to push twice as hard.

I see her eyes flutter closed as she can't hold her breath any longer and she breathes in the water.

No! And neither Frank nor I have even reached her yet.

If she's dead, Zach is going to murder me. Not to mention whoever her parents are.

When we finally manage to get to her, her skin is paper-white, almost gray against her tan complexion.

She looks dead.

I curse loudly. This isn't fair. She's a brand new demigod and she's dead. From drowning! And I was here! I could've saved her.

I feel, honestly, like crying.

Percy, Frank says suddenly, Percy, she's dry.

My eyes snap open and I reach out and feel her T-shirt. Frank's right. It's dry.

I draw my hand away and she stays dry. But I'm not even touching her.

What did you do?! Frank questions frantically.

Aubrey's eyes flutter open and she sees me and screams: What the hell?!

Frank and I both stare at her in awe. What did I do? How is she breathing? And how could I hear her when she said "what the hell"?

How are we still alive? Who's the giant fish? Her voice floats to me, but her mouth doesn't move.

I'm suddenly suspicious. This has never happened before. I wasn't doing this. Aubrey was.

My mind erupts with random memories:

"Our parents are demigods then."

"That's not your name."

"Descendant of Aphrodite and also… hmm… interesting…"

And let us not forget the son of the son of Jupiter.

A son of Poseidon and a granddaughter of Poseidon! Amazing!

"I'm sure you know all this, being the son of Poseidon and all. And you being his daughter."

And, in all honesty, I'm not smart enough to piece all of these together. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I'm also not sure I want to know the answer.

Frank asks: Uh, Aubrey? How are you still… you know… breathing?

Aubrey looks like she's going into shock or something. She hyperventilating, glancing around the giant fish tank for an exit.

Ignoring Franks question, she begs, how do we get out?

Frank took a few minutes to swim around the tank, finding no exits. I try breaking out with the Celestial bronze weapons at the bottom of the tank. Nothing. And controlling the water doesn't work.

As I swim back down to Aubrey, who is an unnatural color of white again, hugging her knees to her chest and rocking slowly back and forth, and I feel despair.

Aubrey looks up at me. How the heck do we get out of here? She sounds frantic, alone.

Before I can stop it, my voice responds to her: I have no idea.

She glares at me. You're the demigod! Think of something!

I run my hands through my hair. I can't. Annabeth's the one who makes all the plans.

The look she's giving me guarantees that she's going to slap the sass outta me, but luckily Frank interrupts.

Look! Frank says.

Coach Hedge and Keto are walking through the room that displays our demigod tank.

Coach! I yell.

He won't hear you, doofus, Aubrey snaps.

Wow, someone's grumpy today, I tease.

She smirks at me then starts to swim gracefully over to the glass wall.

Frank bumps his head against the glass. Nothing.

Aubrey hasn't even reached the tank yet. She'll be too late.

The currents aren't helping me swim, so I desperately grab a giant marble and throw it at the glass wall.

The thunk isn't nearly loud enough.

Hedge, I now remember, has the ears of a satyr. When he glances over his shoulder, his expression is priceless.

Then a mask of calm settles over his face and he distracts Keto, before quickly removing his fake foot and delivering a solid ninja-kick to the back of her head with his goat hoof.

She crumples to the ground.

That has gotta hurt, Aubrey says.

I know, right, Frank remarks. She deserved it.

Hedge rushes over and we sort of exchange expressions in which he finds out that Frank's a goldfish, Aubrey can breathe underwater (still haven't figured that one out yet), and that he needs to help us break out of the tank.

Keto stirs. Hedge looks like he's getting ready to kick her in the head again, but I motion: No.

We couldn't just continue to knock her out.

We need to knock out of this tank.

On three, I mouth, holding up three fingers.

Frank, we'll need you, too. I say. Can you change form yet?

Maybe back to human. He replies.

Human is fine! Just hold your breath! If this works… Aubrey?

I look at her. She is staring at me with a startling amount of confidence.

What do I do, boss? She asks.

I moan. Gods, now you sound like Blackjack.

Thanks. Now I'm a horse. Great.

Blackjack's a Pegasus.

Whatever.

I spot Keto rise to her knees. I hold up three fingers and count. One, two, three!

Frank turns to human, shoving his shoulder against the glass. Aubrey throws herself at it, all of her strength put into it. Hedge delivers a Chuck Norris roundhouse kick to the glass with his hoof.

I slam into the glass. I call on the water to obey me. Who cares if it doesn't want to? What it does want is to be free. I focus my thoughts on getting back to Annabeth, destroying this prison, and shoving Phorcys's microphone down his ugly throat.

The water obeys me. Fifty thousand gallons of water pushes against the glass with us.

Fracture lines appear in the glass. I just had time to hear Aubrey say: Uh-oh, before the tank burst and I was crashing and swirling and tumbling gracelessly out of the tank.

With satisfaction, I see Keto get body-slammed with a giant diver statue.

Hedge spits salt water out of his mouth. "Pan's pipes, Jackson! What were you doing in there?"

"Phorcys! Trap! Run!" I stutter.

Alarms broadcast our escape as we fly (not literally, that's Jason's thing) towards the exits. I feel Aubrey shove something into my hands.

"Hold these, will you?" she mostly demands, though it's in the form of a question.

"You and your stupid souvenirs," I snap at her, slinging two of her Georgia Aquarium backpacks over my shoulders anyway.

As we run past the Nereid's, Aubrey and I hesitate, but Frank yells, "No time!"

He's right, but I see the pain in Aubrey's eyes.

"One day!" I promise her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

I'll be back, I tell the creatures, if they can even hear me.

"Percy Jackson!" Phorcys's voice thunders.

All the special effects seem to be triggered at once when several different dramatic sound tracks blare from the speakers at the same time. Smoke that smells like donuts fills the halls. The lights spark and catch fire.

I pull Aubrey back into the whale shark room after Coach Hedge and Frank.

People are running crazy.

Aubrey shouts over the chaos, "Seems like something happened to their alarm system. Should we stay and find out what it is?"

I swivel to look at her like she's nuts, but I see she's smirking.

"Well, I certainly don't," she yells before I can retort, then takes off towards the exit, shoving through the crowds.

We don't even hesitate when we race after her.

btw I want to apologize for last chapter's brief "Couch" Hedge. Thank you, providential, for politely notifying me of my carelessness :) Hedge is not a couch, you all

I think I'll update tomorrow.

I can't respond to all your reviews, but if you wrote a long review, I'll try and PM you before the weekend ends!

Love you all!