im baaaaaaaack

anyway, some of u asked about Nico. he's mentioned in this chapter, and will be in later chapters so no need to fret.

lets play 20 questions:

1. Do i own Percy Jackson?

No, sadly, just Aubrey, Zach, Hunter, and some of the ideas.

CHAPTER EIGHT

~~~Aubrey Sally Jackson~~~

I LEARN A FEW THINGS ABOUT OCEANOGRAPHY.

Hazel and I draw our swords in unison.

"Fat chance, Octavian," she snarls.

At that, I burst out in giggles. I laugh harder and harder. I know everyone's staring, but I don't care. I just keep laughing. This is too much.

"Your name is–" gasp for air, "–Octavian?"

My parents and honorary aunts and uncles all had this inside joke about a guy named Octavian.

I don't really understand it, but my dad's reenactments of it are hilarious. And I don't even know what he's trying to reenact.

"You won't be laughing soon. You will die." Octavian snarls

Piper raises her hand in a gesture of peace. "Octavian, what happened at camp was a setup. We can explain."

"Can't hear you!" Octavian yelled like a child. "Wax in our ears– standard procedure when battling evil sirens. Now, throw down your weapons and turn around slowly so I can bind your hands."

"Let me skewer him. Please." Hazel mutters/begs.

"Be my guest," I say, "This scarecrow is a piece of schist."

"What did you just say?" Hazel stutters, her eyes widening.

I shrug. "My parents have an inside joke." My parents have a lot of inside jokes. I'm sorta starting to see why.

"Well?" Octavian interrupts.

"You're outnumbered," I snap at him.

I don't know where my courage is coming from. I'm still feeling waves of anger from the whole Zach thing. Sure, maybe you think death threats is overreacting. But seriously, you try being told that someone who bullied and ignored you for years is freakin' in love with you.

The death threats are still flowing. Don't judge me.

Octavian smirks at me. "Judging by your reaction you think you can take us down. You're wrong. You're just wimpy little girls. You're useless without your knights in shining armor."

Oh no he didn't just say that. I feel my anger stirring and growing. If there is anything I don't do, it is take orders from sexist scarecrows.

Behind me, Annabeth's dagger splashes into the water.

When Octavian turns to scold her, I lunge at one of his goons, slashing him across the face.

I have no idea what I'm doing, and I'm probably going to regret that. And no, I don't like hurting people, but this guy was seriously aggravating me. Again, stop judging. Jeez.

A part of me screams: you need a plan!

Another part of me commands: attack!

My stomach wails: pizza!

The goon howls in rage, and I jump backward, out of his reach (more like clumsily stumble).

I put on my best I'm-insane smile, probably making me look mentally unstable, but also dangerous (I hope).

I got the satisfaction of seeing fear flash in Octavian's eyes.

"What is it, scarecrow?" I taunt. "Wet your pants?"

I swear I hear him mumble, "Maybe," under his breath.

I step closer with the same smile still on my face. "I'm sorry." I don't sound sorry at all. Which I'm not. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Octavian looks a mixture of furious and frightened. And embarrassed. Like he wet his pants or something.

Suddenly the harbor surrounding the Romans erupts, circling them and dragging them into the harbor.

Percy stands on the deck in their place, poker-faced, holding Annabeth's dagger, and says, "You dropped this."

Annabeth throws her arms around him. "I love you!"

I'm seething, however. It's probably a combination of the Zach thing and the sexist scarecrow, but I can feel the harbor boiling around me.

Maybe it's because scaring that guy was so fun.

I can feel my anger reflected in the water, churning it into a storm.

"Guys, we need to hurry," Hazel says. "And Percy, stop making the water do that, it looks kinda creepy."

Percy looks confused. "Do what?" When he sees the water, the blood drains from his face. "I'm not doing that."

I glance at the water. Then my face contorts into a look of shock and fear. All across the harbor, the water's turned choppy, almost looking like it's boiling, fighting.

Kind of like me.

After a moment of my shock, the water calms down.

So maybe it wasn't me making the water do that.

I look around at Percy, and my anger returns. I don't need a knight in shining armor to save me. I can take care of myself. We would've been fine without him storming in.

"Percy…" Annabeth warns, eyeing the water again, "Seriously."

Percy shakes his head. "It's not me."

"But it was calm a moment ago, and then stormy, then calm, than stormy," Piper insists.

From the water, Octavian cries, "Get me out of here! I'll kill you!"

"Tempting," Percy replies.

They exchange a few more words, but I'm staring, mesmerized, at the harbor.

I don't see how I could do that, but the water… responded to me.

In a sort of daze, I follow the demigods onto the ship. Yeah, I'm angry. Still furious, in fact. I hope Percy lets them drown.

Then I realize what I'm saying. What have I become now? I blame Aphrodite.

But I'm also fascinated by the water, and that takes away a small part of my anger.

I don't understand this ship. It almost seems to be working on its own. But then I see Percy. Scratch that. This ship seems to be responding to Percy.

I run to the front of the ship, with my sword still in hand, as we head towards the small island of Fort Sumter.

I've always wanted to come to Charleston. But not like this. I'd want to come with my actual, grown-up family, and Lucas.

I'm still thinking about what has become of my life when I hear:

"There!"

I turn. Piper was referring to another giant eagle soaring towards us, but this one was different. It wasn't golden, like Scarecrow's, it was a bald eagle.

"Frank!" Hazel cries.

Say whaaaaaaaaaa?

It takes me a few moments to process that. I'll never get used to the fact Frank's a shape shifter.

Okay, status report:

Frank: giant eagle.

Leo: screaming and cursing in several languages, while holding onto the eagle/Frank's feet.

Jason: flying.

Wait, what?

"Jason can fly?!" I yell.

"Never seen Jason fly before," Percy grumbles. "He looks like a blond Superman."

But the most shocking thing…

Zach appears from behind giant-eagle-Frank.

Zach is flying, too.

-_-_Zachary Jason Grace_-_-

I FIND OUT MY INABILITY TO INHALE KOOL-AID.

When Jason shakes me awake, I'm still grinning like a madman. Wait a sec… no I'm not. That would mean I'm crazy and look like I want to kill someone.

No I'm grinning so big, you could almost imagine that silly things like demigods and monsters don't exist.

Newsflash! They do!

But I'm still beaming so bright, Apollo would be proud.

Of course, this doesn't stop me from flinching away from Jason when I see him.

Then pretend like I didn't just flinch away.

Jason frowns at my grimace, but says, "Hey, man, we're going to a museum. Going to talk to some ghosts about finding the map."

I scrunch up my nose. "Ghosts? Really? They exist, too? Next thing I know and you're going to tell me Harry Potter's joining our quest."

Jason frowns. "Who's Harry Potter?"

"No one," I say, quickly, getting to my feet.

It's really hard to talk to my dad and he doesn't even know that I'm his kid. And it still makes me feel sick to even think about it.

But in ways, this Jason and my dad are a lot different. My dad is taller, tanner, and radiates more power. Jason is a lot more insecure than my dad, too. I mean, they're both confident, but Jason seems more like: Fake it to make it, instead of actually knowing exactly where he is in life. My dad also wears glasses.

By the way, if you were wondering, Percy's not still here. Probably eating. That seems like the guy's main hobby.

Jason tosses me a Georgia Aquarium shirt (probably taken right out of Aubrey's stock) and some jeans.

After a moment, when he doesn't leave, I shift uncomfortably. "Uh, you leaving yet, man?"

Jason is just staring at me suspiciously.

After another moment: "Dude? Dude!"

His eyes narrow. "Who are you? Really?"

Not this again.

I feel jittery, though. Jason seems like a human lie detector. You tell him you like his hair, when you actually don't, and he explodes.

"Uh," I say, "We already went over this. I'm Zach."

Jason is studying me like he has a Zach exam tomorrow.

"Who are you really?" He repeats. "Why do I feel like I've seen you before?"

I'm suddenly in the mood to get as far away as I can from this guy. Who cares if he's supposed to be my dad?

I force a look of defiance on my face. "I've already told you who I am, okay? Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta change."

I set my (hopefully) best glare on him.

He glares back, but turns to leave anyway.

Many hours later, the museum has revealed nothing, and, truthfully, it's getting old. Almost as old as the people who live here.

The ghosts/zombies, which are kind of like they are in movies, but creepier, don't help much.

They only get near us when we approach the artifacts, to make sure we don't destroy their sentimental old war relics, probably.

"We need like, Nico di Angelo or something," Jason complains.

I'm avoiding all eye contact with everything. Especially the ghosts, but the mention of Nico makes my head snap up.

"Nico?" I gasp.

Too late, I realize my mistake.

My companions stare at me distrustfully. "You know Nico?" Jason asks.

Jeez, can this guy get any more wary of me?

"I, uh," I'm blabbering and I know it. "I have a friend named Nico."

That's not entirely a lie. Nico's around the age to be my uncle, but he couldn't stand "Uncle Nico". I didn't know much about him, but I always thought he was really cool, though the punk-rock/gothic sort of type. I didn't understand him much, but he had a good sense of humor and had known my parents for a while.

Nico also knows about this demigod world?

The more that I thought about it, the more I realize how many people I already know that are part of this world. I know Hedge, but he is a lot older and I don't see him as much. I know his son, Chuck, who I see more often.

Hmm… kind of makes me wonder who else I know is also part of this.

Jason and Frank don't look convinced, but Leo exclaims, "Give the guy a break. Nico's a common name."

"Um, not really," Frank says, scratching his neck.

"Whatever, Zhang."

"Guys," Jason interrupts, "Look."

We look out the window and spot giant eagles circling the sky.

"We'd better go," Jason says, heading for the exit.

We scramble after him.

Outside the museum, Frank leaps into the air and transforms (almost dramatically) into a giant bald eagle.

I feel sick, but I'm also staring with wide, awestruck eyes.

Frank swoops down and snatches up a protesting Leo in his talons, then makes a dive for me.

Heck, I don't care if Frank's a good guy, I'm not riding in his talons.

I jump out of the way. "No thanks, Frank," I call, "I'll hitch a ride with Ja–"

I turn to look for Jason and he's hovering in the air.

I nearly faint. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Jason frowns. "My dad's Jupiter, so I can fly. Um, can I ask how you are?"

"Uh, what?"

Jason points to my feet.

I look down.

And I'm hovering a foot above the ground. My breakfast comes halfway back up my throat, but I swallow it down. That's so gross.

Think, Zach, think!

Why am I flying, anyway, though?

Down. I command, half-heartedly.

I float back down.

UP! And I shoot into the air.

I'm almost level with a gawking Jason and a certain eagle.

"Um," I say, "I'm d-descended from…"

Who should I be descended from? Maybe one of the winds? But what are their names again?

"I'm descended from one of the wind gods."

Smooth one, Zach. That's really specific!

Shut up.

Jason looks like he wants to protest, but a voice calls, "Jason! We need you to get back to the ship! ASAP!"

Jason turns to see an image of Piper. It's not perfectly clear, and fuzzy around the edges, but a talking image isn't the weirdest thing I've seen recently, so I don't really react.

"We're on our way," Jason responds.

The image disappears and Jason takes off, followed by Frank the Eagle, and me.

Don't ask me about the details.

I don't understand how this is happening.

But it's awesome.

I feel free, with the sky surrounding me. Almost at home.

Then, naturally, my good time was ruined.

Stupid demigods.

A chariot pulled by flying horses comes out of nowhere.

I'm surprised when this doesn't make me feel half as sick as when I first saw Blackjack.

Maybe I'm just used to things that don't exist by now.

We are basically over Fort Sumter, when, of course, we get shot at.

Something that's on fire explodes over the heads of the pegasi.

Unfortunately, that affects me, too. My ears are ringing, and the hair on my arms feels… like… scorched off.

I don't realize I'm falling out of the sky until an arm wraps around me.

My eyes fly open and I realize that Jason is struggling helplessly to keep both Leo and I suspended.

Up, I say in my head.

I feel stable again, and squirm around until I'm helping Jason with Leo.

But even then, both of us can't hold him.

We sink into the chaos of tourists.

And people in battle armor, all charging suddenly towards us.

"Jason!" I yell over the noise, "Who the hell are these peeps?"

"They are the Twelfth Legion of Rome!" Jason says.

Leo gets to his feet, grinning stupidly. "Thanks for the ride, amigos!"

"Shut up," I snap, "Who's the Twelfth Legion? I'm guessing they don't–"

I was cut off by an odd sound.

"That sounded like a giant elephant!" Leo snickers.

I tap his shoulder and point to what I assume is Frank, and say, "Maybe it's the giant elephant, Valdez."

"Oh."

Two of the Roman people charge, managing to squeeze past tourists, and Jason and Leo manage to disarm them, knocking one of them unconscious, and shoving the other one to the floor, dazed.

Jason snatches the sword of the unconscious one and shoves it into my hand. "Defend yourself, if you can."

Gee, thanks. Might has well have dropped me in the middle of the woods without a compass or anything, and then told me to find my way out in five minutes.

The raging, confused tourists pull me away from my allies and I stumble, looking around for the exit.

A guy appears in front of me. He is stocky and has these lips that were stained cherry red.

Dude, please don't tell me vampires are real, because I honestly don't think I could take it.

Vampire-dude frowns. "Who are you?"

"The name's Zach," I say.

"Zach what? Who's you're parent?" the guy pulls out a flask and starts to drink.

"Zach Grace, son of Jason Grace," I say.

I really want to see his reaction, don't blame me. Plus, he might not even know Jason.

The guy chokes, jerking forward, and his drink splashes my face, and I breathe it up my nose before I can help it.

I start to cough, violently.

Some of it gets in my mouth. Cherry Kool-Aid?

Note to self: Does not own the ability to breathe in Kool-Aid.

"What?!" the vampire guy shrieks, and I disappear into the crowd.

The part of Fort Sumter I'm in is crammed with screaming people, but I can hear a voice screaming my name, every syllable laced with hate.

I grip my sword. It's too unbalanced, but not too heavy, and I'm glad to have it.

"ZACHARY! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

I frown. That almost sounds like…

Aubrey stands before me.

Her blond ponytail is in disarray, her cheeks are a tinge of pink, but the anger in her eyes looks like the stormy sea. She grips a sword, looking like she's going to use it to chop my head off.

Maybe I'm not un-friend zoned, then. Crap.

"Hey, are you okay?" I yell, still glancing around for the vampire and the Roman people.

"No!" she screams. "I'm NOT!"

She looks downright murderous.

Sure, there's a storm raging overhead, but it also seems like the air around Aubrey is swirling faster.

"Uh," I'm really nervous now. "What did I do this time?"

Yep, it's definitely not my imagination. I watch in awe and horror as Aubrey is surrounded by a… miniature hurricane?

"Why the hell would you do that to me, Zach?!" she screams.

I feel like I'm in one of those movies where the villain was the main character's old friend who turned evil out of bitterness or something.

Aubrey seems to be turning into the villain

"Aubrey," I plead. She is seriously freaking me out. "What the heck are you talking about?"

Her eyes narrow and her personal hurricane swirls fasters, whipping at my clothes, soaking them.

She's about to reply when I yell, "DUCK!"

Out of instinct, she ducks, and a swords passes over her head.

I look around. I'm an idiot. We are completely surrounded.

Aubrey's still standing in her hurricane, but it's dying down.

Glancing around, I get one last idea.

A crazy one, but at least it's something.

I step into her miniature cyclone, before it's totally gone.

***Annabeth Chase***

DON'T ASK ME WHAT HAPPENING. IT'S A FIRST, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOING ON.

I'm running towards the ship, map in hand, when I freeze.

I look around.

Why is no one stopping me?

"Annabeth! Come on! While they're distracted!" Percy calls.

A moment ago, Percy and Jason had been neck-deep in Romans, battling them off with their powers, making one Hades of a storm, but now, even though the gray clouds linger, the sea isn't stormy, just choppy.

Distracted by what?

I run and hop on deck and run immediately over to where I have a good view into Fort Sumter.

I squint. "What is that? How are you guys doing that?"

In the middle of Fort Sumter, a swirling mass of water circulates, about the size of two dump trucks.

It's like Percy's miniature hurricanes, but bigger, and this one has lightning and thunder.

It looks awesome, in other words.

It swirls at top speed up into the sky and impressive bolts of lightning slice through it, accompanied by thunder worthy of Zeus himself.

I turn to Percy and Jason, who both look exhausted. "That's awesome, guys, but you can stop doing that now. We're all safe."

Percy and Jason glance at each other. Then at me.

"That's not us, Annabeth. I don't know what that is," Percy says nervously.

Suddenly, something clicks in my head.

My earlier suspicions.

I look around. "Where are Aubrey and Zach?" I say. It doesn't sound like a question, more like I'm giving an explanation for something.

Everyone glances around, then down at the storm. They seem to get it.

"Do you think…?" Piper asks nervously.

That's when I catch sight of Hazel and Frank's faces. They look impressed, but not really shocked or horrified, like the rest of us.

When I notice the wind dying down considerably, the thunder not as impressive, I decide we'll make tomorrow International Interrogation and Accusation Day, but for now, we need to help our friends.

"Frank!" I say.

He looks over at me.

"Can you get them?" I ask.

He studies the storm, which is much, much smaller now, and I can hear the cries of Romans trying to get through it.

They probably think Percy or Jason's at the center.

Uh, oh.

Frank bites his lip, but nods. "I think I can."

He transforms into a golden eagle this time, identical to the Roman eagles, and soars down.

Three minutes, thirty seconds, and five pounds of sweat later, Frank is landing on deck with a half-conscious Aubrey, and a Zach that looks more like half-dead than just half-conscious.

Frank transforms back, and Leo helps us set off.

Percy and Jason are still overly dazed from their own storm, but Aubrey looks like she hadn't slept in weeks, and her hair is a curly mess, exploding everywhere (I could sympathize with that).

Zach looks like he was put in a blender with just water. Maybe some lightning. Including the chopping blades. Zach is bleeding almost everywhere.

I look over at a perfectly healed Aubrey, frowning.

Zach looks like he fought a war, but Aubrey just looks tired to the point that it's probably bad for her health.

What?

Coach Hedge swoops in, ordering to give them space.

He hands the rest of us ambrosia, along with Aubrey, but with Zach he starts to apply different pastes that smell like Gatorade.

"Aubrey, how are you not, like… well… him?" Percy asks her, gesturing to the bleeding Zach, who is now fully unconscious.

Her eyes are half open, but she stutters: "The w-water."

Then she fell down, snoring. Well, not literally, but she was deeply asleep.

I turn, confused, to Percy. "What does that mean?"

Hazel looks nervous, but she puts in, "Maybe Aubrey is descended from Poseidon?"

I frown. "It's a possibility. And Zach… a descendant of Zeus, I'm guessing."

Jason sighs. "You guys ever get the feeling you know these guys?"

Piper nods. "It's weird, but I feel it, too."

"I don't know," Percy says, "but it feels like Aubrey's an old friend, almost."

Not an old friend, children, a voice seems to echo from somewhere in the distance, a friend who doesn't exist yet.

MANY YEARS INTO THE FUTURE

)))Lucas Charles Jackson(((

TAKEN

Fine, I'll admit it. I've known about Mom and Dad being demigods for two years now. Since I was sixteen.

I know about every adventure Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase went on.

And no, I wasn't supposed to tell Aubrey. She had to be sixteen. That was Mom's rule.

Now here I am, running after the dark figures that took my sister, pulling out my credit card in the process.

What does that do, you ask?

Well, it turns into a sword.

In my hand, the card lengthened into a three-foot bronze sword: τυφώνας or Tephonas. And by the way, it means "Hurricane".

Don't ask me why it's called "Tephonas". Ancient Greeks were weird that way.

The dark clothed figures turn into an alleyway.

I could sense it: they were monsters.

Raw fury builds inside of me. They won't touch my sister as long as I'm alive.

I charge into the alleyway.

There are three of the dark figures. They all have swords at the throats of Aubrey and Zach.

"Get away from them!" I yell.

One of the figures turns to me and I can hear the smile in his cruel voice. "This adventure does not concern you, Lucas."

The figure snaps his fingers and my sister and Zach disappear.

I howl in rage and lunge forward, slicing through the figure.

He dissolves into dust.

The next two look at me.

I glare murderously at them. "Where is my sister, you–" at this point I call them a few things I probably shouldn't write down.

"It is none of your concern, descendant of Poseidon and Athena. The Lord Kronos has his wishes."

I know every detail of everything that happened to my parents.

"Kronos is dead. He was killed by my father and my namesake," I snarl.

"Ah, but you see, the Lord Kronos has recovered enough to send us here, so he can offer his mother great heroes in the past."

I have no idea what the Hades that means, but I doesn't sound good.

I just want my sister back.

"Look," I say, "I will make you a deal. You give me back my sister, and I'll not send you back to Tartarus, where you belong."

"That is not our choice to make, Lucas Jackson, but now that the past is being re-done, Gaea will rise and you will never have existed in the first place."

I lunge at the figures, but they are gone.

The weight of grief settles on me.

Aubrey…

Is she gone?

Did I lose my sister forever?

Then my head snaps up.

I have to talk to Nico.

like it or nah?

review if u have a sec.

btw i think the ship name for ZachxAubrey is probs going to be either Zacbrey or Zaubrey

thoughts?

i'll update soon

love y'all

NEXT CHAPTER, COMING IN LIKE THE NEXT 1-7 DAYS (IDK REALLY):

-Aubrey blows up at Zach and more fun adventures

-feat. underwater ponies that didn't want to meet Percy

-Lucas talks to Nico and visits Hunter and other fun stuff

-hopefully something exciting

BY THE WAY WHILE UR WAITING 4 LAZY ME TO UPDATE, GO CHECK OUT PinkFan-Gurl's BONUS SCENE THAT FITS IN AT THE BEGINNING OF CHAPTER 7! AND YES, I SAID SHE COULD WRITE IT, SO NO U CAN'T STEAL MY STORY :P
IT'S AWESOME, GO READ IT!