Emily wasn't sure if she was right of what she told Lauren about being pregnant, for she never been pregnant before. It would have been difficult in the last about seventy years expect for about year and half as well as the first couple of months that she was married to Bucky. She could feel that one Hestia power going utterly nuts at the moment, like the power found a new family member of hers or even a half siblings. But her Hestia powers were telling her that the bond she shares with the new family member was more stronger and powerful than with a half siblings, a full sibling or an in law. Emily was unsure if her Hestia powers were acting up or if she was really and truly pregnant with a child, Bucky's child no less. In a way she hoped that she was pregnant, but if she was, that there was so many questions that would be raised up. Like was she ready for a child? Would she be a good mother? What about Bucky? Was he ready to be a father? What would he think about this? Emily knows that Bucky would like a child at some point, as well as herself, but at this time, she was unsure if this was the right time.
However the answers to her first two questions were easily answered, for she helped raised Arabella in the underworld for the past sixteen years. Emily did her best to let Arabella have a normal childhood but yet make sure that Arabella was ready for the trails ahead of being a demigod. More so when she reaches the age of about ten, for the scent of a child of one of the big three was much more powerful than of any other demigod. Most other demigod's scents come about thirteen or even twelve, or at times eleven, it depends on the God and how powerful the child was. Emily was sure that if she was with a child that he fates would have a part in the child's life but not as much as they did with her own life. But there was only one way for Emily it be sure that she was right in thinking of that she was with a child. She hoped that she would get the answers she wanted and needed from her patron goddess, thinking of it that she has two due to the fact that she was married. But she never gave it much thought of Hera being a patron, she still think of Hestia more of her patron than Hera, of which was not a big surprise.
So after Lauren and Emily finished talking, that Lauren went back to bed, that Emily went to her level and changed out of her night clothes. When she changed that Emily took the elevator and went across the state to the Empire State Building. Like always there was people out there in the middle of the night in New York City as well as traffic, it seems that there was a stand still of cars. Once more, that was not surprising, so Emily quickly crossed the street before the traffic light could turn green. When she managed to get the security guard to give her the key to the 600th floor that she went inside before going up to the 600th floor. Emily might be able to use shadow travel but she only did that on the solstices, she was unsure if she could do it at any other time and she never has. She just never had a reason to try on any other day, Emily did thought of asking Hestia to go to the tower instead but decided against it. There was a chance the gods know about Emily being pregnant, maybe, but she was unsure and honestly she prefer gods overhearing as oppose to the avengers. More so with Tony and most likely Arabella, than the rest of the avengers, she knows Steve would be happy about having a child and having a niece or nephew.
The music played as the elevator went up to the 600th floor of the Empire State Building, honestly, Emily never been to Olympus at night time or at least at those hour. When the doors open that Emily walked through the city on Olympus, Emily was surprised that she was able to enter Olympus at all since it was closed. It wasn't till Emily reminded the guard that she was the princess of the underworld that he gave her the key. Emily figured that since she was a heir to the underworld that in a sense she was like a goddess, but she was not really a goddess. For now she was an immortal demigod unless if Hades would fade, she wasn't sure what will happen than to be honest. She figured that she would become a goddess when and if Hades should fade, but she doubts the twill happens and she hopes that would never happen. But she figured because of her title was the only reason of how and why she even managed to get into Olympus in the first place. As Emily walked the streets that she noticed there was not very many goslings, minor gods, nymphs or anyone else for that matter. Emily figured that they were doing their jobs or sleeping, there was also a couple of other options as well.
But there was only one goddess that Emily wants and needs to talk to now, she hoped that the said goddess was awake. If she was than Emily would know where she was, for that is where Hestia would be when she was awake, unless if she was at Camp Halfblood. Emily has never seen Vesta in New Rome, since Emily learned about the romans about seventy years ago, shortly after Steve fell into the ice. After a few minutes that Emily entered the palace and went straight towards the throne room where the hearth was. As soon as Emily reached the throne room that she sighed in relief, the hearth was lite up as usual and her patron goddess was sitting by the fire poking at the fire. Emily walked over to Hestia and sat down next to her without saying a word to her, Hestia just sat there poking at the fire without saying a word as well. Emily and Hestia were like that for the next few minutes, both of them were aware of the other, it was a comfortable silence that was between them. Emily wanted to say something but she was unsure of what to say or even what to do now that she was here. After a few minutes that Hestia broke the ailed that was between them.
"Is there a reason you are here, Emily?"
"Hestia." Hestia looked away from the fire and looked at Emily. "Will the powers, that you gave me seventy years ago, detect a child in me like it would with other woman? If so does it detect it sooner?" Hestia smiled when Emily said that.
"They will detect the child in you like the other woman but they will detect the moment you become pregnant. That is the only difference between you and other women, that it would take at least two weeks to a month for you to detect other women. Unless if they are close to you like Lauren, Arabella or even Hazel, than you will detect it sooner." Emily snorted when Hestia said that, in other words Emily was pregnant. That was the last thing Emily needed now in a time of war, it wasn't fair for the baby or even her, who knows what could happen between now and when she gives birth. "So I assume you asked me that because you're pregnant?"
"Yeah, I didn't expect to become pregnant, not now."
"I have to admit that I prefer it was a better time for you to become pregnant than now, but at least you not going to give birth with the next few days or weeks." Emily was glad of that at least, they spend a few more hours talking till the sun started to come up. As the sun started to come up that Emily left Olympus and headed back to the tower.
Bucky's pov
It has been a few days since Bucky spend some proper time with Emily, he enjoyed the fact he was with her when Apollo, as well as Steve's and Bucky's godly parents sent Lauren, Steve and Bucky to New Rome of where he appointed Lauren to be his ambassador. Demeter and Notus also made Bucky and Steve their ambassadors as well, the three of them got the Roman tattoo as well yesterday morning. Bucky couldn't believe of how much the tattoos hurt and it was something that Bucky didn't expect as well as Steve and Lauren. Bucky was glad of own thing about it, that it no longer seem odd that Emily had the roman tattoo while he doesn't. Bucky did told Steve that Emily was an ambassador to Hestia's roman form and that Nico and Arabella were the ambassadors of Hades's roman form. He remembered of how he shock he was when Emily revealed her tattoo to him and the others, but considering that she alway been wearing her bracelets and her jacket that it was not surprising he hadn't seen it sooner. There times when she took off the jacket or bracelet, but she would usually have one or the other on. hat night that Bucky and Emily made up for that lost time, though Bucky wished he could make up that lost time from World War II to when his memories return.
When Bucky woke up he next morning that he expected Emily to be laying next to him like she has been for the last year and half. When he reached out for her that he felt noting but the bed, of which worried him slightly and he knows the the tower was secure. Bucky opened his eyes, he realized that Emily wasn't in the bed next to him like she would be till he wakes up. Bucky knows he sort of messed up her schedule that she use to have, but it was messed up when Bucky came along because of Steve. But he knows her schedule would have been messed up since Olympus was closed a few months ago. He was unsure, at the moment, if Emily could go to the underworld or Olympus now or not, if any of the demigods could that Emily would be the one. Bucky quickly got up before he got dressed, rather panicking, for there was a bunch of things that could have happen to Emily. Yes, he knows he shouldn't be worried about Emily but he couldn't help it, but after being apart from her for seventy years that he couldn't help it. For a lot of things could have happened during those seventy years, his biggest worry was nothing greek related. His biggest worry and fear was HYDRA getting to her, wipe her memories and make her another winter soldier.
That was unlikely to happen, but he couldn't help but worry that something would happen. Not only that but he was rather surprised that Emily made it as long as she has without Steve, Lauren or himself there to help and support her. When Bucky and Emily started dating that he was worried about of what could happen to her, for war was not a place for a woman. But he saw what Emily could do and she was not helpless by any means, but he was still worried that something could happen to Emily during that time. However up till about a year and half ago in December, about nine months before the demigod battle of Manhattan, that Bucky didn't know he was a demigod as well. Though he started using his powers before he knew, of which was rather common for demigods, or at least half of the time. So monsters picked them up more than just one demigod, plus Emily's scent was stronger since she was adopted by Hades apparently. The last thing he wanted or needed now was to repeat that seventy years of it was Emily instead of him that disappears. Bucky went down the main level hoping that Emily was there, when he reached there that he was relieved for Emily was there as well as the other avengers. Emily, Steve and Lauren were at the table, the others at different places talking, Bucky went over to the table and sat down next to Emily. Bucky noticed that Steve seem a bit surprised when Bucky sat down at the table next to Emily but he was sure it has nothing to do with Bucky
"Hey, why are you surprised?" Steve looked over at Bucky when Bucky asked them before Steve spoke.
"Lauren's pregnant." Bucky was stunned when Steve said that, Bucky figured that is what the others were talking about. If the baby was a boy or girl and the names that the baby could have, there was no doubt that the baby would have the last name of Rogers. Thinking of it, that he wouldn't mind having a baby, he knows Emily would like that, knowing that Emily been part of Phil's and Arabella's life that Bucky knows she would en a good mother. He would admit that he was not as close to Arabella as Emily was, but he couldn't blame Arabella of being unsure of him. Considering of how and when they meet, even though he was sure that Arabella heard stories of him before they meet and spoke before and after his memories returned. Emily put her head on his shoulder, Bucky smiled when Emily did that, even though he didn't have his memories as the winter soldier that he was sure of one thing. That Emily never left him and that she stay with him even if she was not really there but it was her memory that stay with him. The avengers stayed in the tower that day, as the day went on that something seem to bother Emily and he questioned her about it.
Emily told him not to worry about it, that just made him worry more, more so with the fact that she wasn't there in bed when he woke up that morning. The next few days that Emily was checking on Percy, Hazel and Frank, by using those protector powers that she gain when she was made ambassador of Vesta and Protector of the Roman state and the home. She was mainly able to use it because of the tattoos, for she was connect with them by the tattoo apparently, or something that. Apparently, she could take the tattoo, maybe, but Emily was unsure about that fact since she never done that before. A few times during those days that Emily wanted to go and help Hazel and the others on the quest. It wasn't till she sensed fire close to Hazel that apparently Emily wanted to check up on them. Bucky went with her, for he was worried about Emily along with what has been bothering her, he knew it wasn't her half sibling. Neither her half siblings through Hades/Pluto or Demeter/Ceres. So they arrived on a air flied and there was a jet, Emily went over to the pilot to asked him a couple of questions. Bucky remained close by, waiting, as he stood there that he heard a car coming towards the airfield
Emily's pov
Emily was unsure of how to say she was pregnant, besides she was only like about three days along. She knows that Bucky was worried about her and that he knows that something was bothering her. Emily was still unsure of how he will take that news about their child, but at the moment she was worried about Hazel. For she felt a warning flare and that her protection senses, with the help of her fire senses, that told her at Hazel was close to a fire. Emily knows wherever Hazel was that she was in Canada at the moment, she sense it was close here and she knows about this jet and who the pilot was due of how long she had been ambassador. Before she shadow travel, with Bucky, to the airfield that she changed her appearance, as soon as she reached the airfield that she went to talk to the pilot. After a couple of minutes that she heard a car, Emily turned around to look at the forest that was at the edge of the airfield. A Cadillac drove out of he forest. Emily could barely make out Percy in the front seat. Suddenly he Cadillac hit a pothole and went airborne, Emily winced as she watched it land before it went to a stop. The Cadillac swerved as it stopped, it was just inside the gates of the airfield and just behind the Cadillac were Laistrygonians. Percy, Hazel, and Frank climbed out of the car that they were in before Frank drew his bow, than Frank shouted at Percy and Hazel.
"Get to the plane! They're coming!" The Laistrygonians were closing in, the first line of them burst out of the woods barreling towards the airfield. Emily lowered her palms to the earth, she reached out to the roots and plants that were close to the Laistrygonians. There was a slight rumble as the plants responded to her, she also felt gusts of warm winds blowing by her that were causing the Laistrygonians to be unsteady on their feet. As the trees and roots started to attack the Laistrygonians that Percy and Hazel managed to get a harpy out of the car. Emily could hear the harpy as the harpy yelped the harpy saw the jet.
"N-n-no! Fly with wings! N-n-no airplanes."
"It's okay. We'll protect you!" The harpy made a horrible painful wail like she was burning up or something, Percy held up his hands in exasperation.
"What do we do? We can't force her."
"No." Even with Bucky and Emily using their powers that the Laistrygonians were still moving towards and were three hundred yards out. Frank was still stand between Hazel, Percy, the harpy and the laistrygonians.
"She's too valuable to leave behind." Hazel winced at her own words. "Gods, I'm sorry, Ella. I sound as bad as Phineas. You're a living thing, not a treasure."
"No planes. N-n-no planes." Ella, apparently the harpy's name, was hyperventilating. The Laistrygonians were getting closer and were in throwing distance.
"I've got an idea. Ella, can you hide in the woods? Will you be safe from the ogres?"
"Hide. Safe. Hiding is good for harpies. Ellais quick. And small. And fast."
"Okay. Just stay around this area. I can send a friend to meet you and take you to Camp Jupiter." Frank nocked an arrow
"A friend?" Percy waved his hand in a tell you later gesture. Emily smiled when she saw Percy do that, for it was clear that Percy was starting to remember his old life at Camp Halfblood. She was sure Annabeth would be happy with that fact.
"Ella, would you like that? Would you like my friend to take you to Camp Jupiter and show you our home?"
"Camp." Than Ella did something that Emily didn't expect her to do, she spoke in Latin. "'Wisdom's daughter walks alone, the Mark of Athena burns through Rome.'" Emily stopped using her powers over plants out of shock, emily looked at Ella in surprise. Emily opened her mouth and than Emily closed her mouth once more, unsure of what to say. It was clear that this harp come across the Sibylline books, but how the Harpy came across that book was a total mystery.
"Uh, right. That sounds important, but we can talk about that later. You'll be safe at camp. All the books and food you want."
"No planes."
"No planes."
"Ella will hide now." Just like that Ella was gone and disappeared into the woods. Emily came out of her shock and started using her powers over the plants once more.
"I'll miss her."
"We'll see her again." Percy was frowning, Emily knew why or has an idea, Percy would most likely know by now. The part about Athena would trouble him since he was dating a daughter of Athena and Annabeth was looking for him. An explosion sent the gates spinning into the air, thankfully it didn't hit the plane, than Frank tossed a letter at Percy.
"Show that to the pilot! Show him your letter from Reyna too! We've got to take off now." Emily watched as Percy nodded, than Percy and Hazel ran to the plane while Frank remained behind the car. Percy looked over at Emily and Bucky before shooting her a look saying, why didn't you say anything. Than Percy handed the letters to the pilot that was standing next to Emily, of who merely nodded, the pilot nodded to Emily and Bucky. All of them went into the plane, Hazel was still was on the ladder and she called out to Frank.
"Frank! Come on!" Hazel made it just inside as Frank drove into the plane as Frank sat down that the plane shot down the runaway. Another blast ripped through the runaway behind them but they and the plane were already in the air. Emily looked down and saw that the craters make the airfield look like Swiss cheese from the air. Than Emily looked a few miles to the south that there was a swirling pyre of flames and black smoke. As the plane flew higher that Vancouver disappeared in the clouds below and than the pilot spoke.
"Senatus Populusque Romanus, my friends. Welcome aboard. Next stop: Anchorage, Alaska." As they flew towards the lands beyond the gods that Emily listened as Hazel tried to reassure Frank. Hazel looked at Emily confused, Hazel was aware of Emily's two appearances and names, but Emily was sure of the fact that the reason for the look that Hazel was giving her wa she cause of the look that Percy gave to her earlier. Emily was looking at Frank, his head was down like he was ashamed that he was crying, Emily figured that was his house that was burned down. Emily couldn't blame Frank for crying, she felt the same way when she thought Bucky died as well as Steve. She knows people would push that aside and say it was all right for a girl to cry but not a man, Emily seen men crying plenty time in World War II. Though she would admit that she was the only girl among a group of men, honestly she seen a lot of things during that time that she would never see in camp. As they flew north that Hazel and Percy ask about Frank's family gifts but Frank refused to explain what his family gift was. Emily was unsure if Frank even knows what his family gifts were yet or know how to use it. Frank did tell them about his conversation with Mars the night before as well as explain the prophecy that Juno issued when he was a baby. That his life was tied to a piece of firewood and how he ask Hazel to keep the firewood for Frank.
"Frank, I'm proud to be related to you." Frank's ears turned red and his head was lowered.
"Juno has some sort of plan for us, about the Prophecy of eight."
"Yeah, I didn't like her as Hera. I don't like her any better as Juno." Emily raised an eyebrow when Percy said that, Emily didn't expect Percy to say Her but Juno instead. But that made it clear that Percy was remembering things from his past, if it hadn't apparent at the airfield. Emily watched as Hazel studied Percy, Emily wondered if Hazel figured it out already.
"You're a son of Poseidon, aren't you? You are a Greek demigod." Emily smiled, Percy gripped his leather necklace.
"I started to remember in Portland, after the gorgon's blood. It's been coming back to me slowly since then. There's another camp—Camp Half-Blood." Hazel and Frank stared at Percy when he said that.
"Another camp, A Greek camp? Gods, if Larry found out—"
"He'd declare war, He's always been sure the Greeks were out there, plotting against us. He thought Percy was a spy."
"That's why Juno sent me. Uh, I mean, not to spy. I think it was some kind of exchange. Your friend Jason—I think he was sent to my camp. In my dreams, I saw a demigod that might have been him. He was working with some other demigods on this flying warship. I think they're coming to Camp Jupiter to help."
"Mars said Juno wants to unite the Greeks and Romans to fight Gaea. But, jeez—Greeks and Romans have a long history of bad blood." Emily spoke up.
"You are right Hazel, that is why the gods kept the Romans and Greeks apart." Percy, Frank and Hazel looked at Emily shocked. Hazel tilted her head but it was Frank that spoke.
"Who are you?"
"I have two names and two appearances, but I only told two people of my birth name and appearance at Camp Juipter. In Camp Jupiter I only used the name of Rachel Blackthrone and his appearance that for the last about two years that I have used both my birth name and appearance and this one. But ... " Emily looked over at Percy of smiled slightly, making it plain that he remembers the battle of the labyrinth. "There are more than those two that know." Emily snapped her fingers and her hair changed to it's normal blond color, her eyes turned blue, and her skin become slightly tanned.
"You're Emily Rogers, the Emily Rogers, Lieutenant USA."
"The one and the same. However, it's Barnes, I got married in the last few months of the war to Bucky here." Emily nodded to Bucky, Frank spoke again.
"How come you didn't say anything about who you were or you knew about the Greeks?"
"For it wasn't time, my father wanted me to watch over the romans and maybe make them less warlike if possible. I wasn't tell anyone till the time was right. Due to the fact that Greeks and Romans fought each other in the past and that is why they kept the demigods apart for so long. That is why I never could say that I was greek myself." Hazel stared at her before she spoke.
"You're greek. That is hard to believe, I mean ... "
"I know but believe I am greek and I intend to stay greek, I just needed to act Roman among the romans. Hopefully if there is peace that I could more greek when I am in Camp Jupiter. Frank I need you to swear on the river Styx that you won't tell the romans about who I am really. Even though I love mostly as Emily Barnes that I prefer to remain Rachel Blackthrone to the romans." Frank swear, thunder rumbled, than Emily went on. "But if a Greek warship appeared in the sky above Camp Jupiter, and Reyna didn't know it was friendly ..."
"Yeah, We've got to be careful how we explain this when we get back."
"If we get back." Percy nodded when Frank said that.
"I mean, I trust you guys. I hope you trust me. I feel…well, I feel as close to you two as to any of my old friends at Camp Half-Blood. But with the other demigods, at both camps ... there's going to be a lot of suspicion." Hazel leaned over and kissed Percy on his cheek but it was more a sisterly kiss though.
"Of course we trust you, we're a family now. Aren't we, Frank?"
"Sure. Do I get a kiss?" Hazel laughed but there was a nervous tension in the laugh. Emily looked over at Bucky of who looked at her and Emily mouthed, does that remind you of anyone. Bucky bite his lip from laughing and looked away from Emily Emily was close of laughing herself, from how Hazel and Frank were acing now was similar of how Emily and Bucky were acting after Emily and Steve got Bucky off the HYDRA base and when he kissed her as the HYDRA base was being blowed up. After that till they started dating that there was an awkward tension between them.
"Anyway, what do we do now?" Percy took a deep breath.
"I've got to contact a friend—to keep my promise to Ella."
"How? One of those Iris-messages?"
"Still not working, I tried it last night at your grandmother's house. No luck. Maybe it's because my memories are still jumbled. Or the gods aren't allowing a connection. I'm hoping I can contact my friend in my dream but I'm not sure I can sleep. But I need to try. We can't leave Ella by herself with those ogres around."
"Yeah, We've still got hours to fly. Take the couch, man." Percy nodded before he could do much else that Emily spoke.
"Percy." He looked at her. "Who are you going to contact?"
"My half brother." Emily nodded when Percy said that, she knew who Percy was talking about, it was Tyson. Emily knows that Thron and Mrs. O'Leary was with Tyson, that Tyson was one of the few people that the two could play without hurting too badly or at all. Percy stretched out and closed his eyes and fell asleep. The next few hours went by slowly, Hazel and Frank managed to sleep as they flew, neither Emily or Bucky were as tired as the other three. Emily curled up into Bucky of who has his arms around her, Emily felt tired mostly because her Hestia powers were acting up still and as well as using her Demeter powers earlier. After a couple of hours that Bucky spoke.
"Emily."
"Yes."
"Are you sure you are all right, it seems that something is bothering you." Emily sighed before she spoke.
"Bucky, you remember of what I told you about my Hestia powers?"
"Yes, you can sense the family connection or even a similar connection between two people who think of each as siblings even if they are not in blood. Why are you asking?" Emily sat up more properly.
"I can also tell when a woman is with a child." Bucky looked surprised.
"You mean you knew that Lauren was pregnant for the last month?" Emily smiled slightly.
"I did, but not the whole month, I can detect it between two weeks to a month when a woman is with a child. I knew it about a day before she told me. At the time I thought my powers were acting up for I doubted she was pregnant. But I wasn't talking about Lauren." Bucky raised his eyebrow when Emily said that.
"Who were we talking about than." Emily sighed when Bucky said that.
"Well, I am not sure of how to say this. But there is only one woman with the exception of the time frame I would know that she is with a child from the moment that the child is conceived."
"Don't tell me one of your half sisters is pregnant." Emily laughed when Bucky said that.
"Bucky, I said only one woman not ten to fifteen." When Emily said that it was clear that Bucky was thinking and started to realize what Emily was getting out but he seem doubtful about it. He looked at her, he could tell he wanted it to be but not now.
"Are you saying you are with a child?" Emily nodded when Bucky said that. "Are you sure on that."
"Yes. When we got to the tower after camp Jupiter I woke up in the middle of the night and Lauren told me in the middle of the night, since it seemed that she couldn't sleep much that night. As we were talking that I noticed my Hestia powers were really acting up and I guessed of what happened and I spoke with Hestia about it. She confirmed the fact that the moment I am with a child that the powers she gave me would be able to tell if I am with a child." Emily lowered her head, Bucky pulled her closer to him and held her.
"Ever since we started dating and than got married, I wanted a child but I didn't expect it to happen during the war or at least not now. I didn't expect you would know right away."
"Neither did I, and I thought I would known around the same time as other women." Just than Hazel and Frank started to wake up, as they woke up and stretched that the plane started it's descent. Percy woke up with a jolt as the plane started it's descent, Hazel put her hand on his shoulder.
"Sleep okay?" Percy sat up.
"How long was I out?" Frank stood up as Percy sat up, Frank was in the aisle. At the moment, Frank was wrapping his spear and new bow in his ski bag.
"A few hours, We're almost there." Emily and Bucky were looking out of the windows, Emily could see the city of Anchorage ahead.
"Welcome to Alaska. We're beyond the help of the gods." Bucky took Emily's hand, Emily was unsure if he went to Alaska, but hearing about what it was like there that she was sure that he was worried of what may happen in Alaska. As the plane went closer to Anchorage that Emily felt a change in her, she felt like she was stripped of her powers all but the ones she was born with. Judging from the fact that Bucky was squeezing her hand more that she figured that he felt it as well. But the others didn't seem to notice that fact, not a surprise since none of the others were blessed by the gods or some of them. As they took a taxi into downtown anchorage that Percy told them about his dreams when he was asleep. Emily felt her heart pounding when Percy told her about the Giant's army closing in on Camp Jupiter. Emily nearly laugh when Percy told Hazel and Frank about Tyson that Frank choked.
"You have a half-brother who's a Cyclops?"
"Sure, Which makes him your great-great-great—"
"Please. Enough."
"As long as he can get Ella to camp, I'm worried about her." Percy nodded when Hazel said that. The taxi turned on highway one, of which was more of a small street than a highway. It was late afternoon but the sun in was still high in the sky so that it was more like in the middle of the day than late afternoon.
"I can't believe how much this place has grown."
"Been a long time since you visited, miss?"
"About seventy years." Emily smiled as the driver slid the glass partition closed and drove on in silence. Emily was here shortly after Hazel died the first time and hadn't been back in the same amount of time. Though Bucky never been here to Alaska though, even though Emily, Hazel and Bucky were from the same time period. Emily and Hazel pointed out the different features that changed and the landscape, though it was mostly Hazel that was doing the pointing out since she was here longer than Emily was since she only visited here. There there was Hyperboreans, they were wading through the forests, fishing in the bay and striding across the mountains. The mortals didn't noticed the giants, for the taxi passed one that was close to the road.
"Um…" Frank pointed at the blue guy.
"Hyperboreans, Northern giants. I fought some when Kronos invaded Manhattan."
"Wait, When who did what?"
"Long story. But these guys look…I don't know, peaceful."
"We will tell you later Frank, there isn't much time left to talk about what happen in Manhattan. This guys are peaceful."
"They usually are, I remember them. They're everywhere in Alaska, like bears."
"Bears?"
"The giants are invisible to mortals. They never bothered me, though one almost stepped on me by accident once." None of the giants paid them any attention. One stood right at the intersection of Northern lights road, straddling the highway and they drove between his legs. The Hyperborean was cradling a Native American totem pole wrapped in furs and was humming to it like a baby. Emily put her hand over her stomach as she watched the Hyperborean cradle the totem pole. It looked weird to see the giant doing that, and the sight would have been better if the giant was normal size. But the cradling reminded her too much that she was carrying a child, even if she hadn't been carrying it for very long. Bucky noticed of what she was doing and put his arm around her, Emily put her head on his shoulder. The taxi drove through downtown and past a bunch of tourists' shops selling different things. As the driver turned to the seashore that Hazel knocked on the glass.
"Here is good. Can you let us out?" They paid the drive and stepped into fourth street, downtown anchorage was tiny compared to most other downtowns of cities and towns. It was more like a college campus than a city, but Emily was amazed by it since downtown was much more smaller last time she was here than it was now. But she knows that there was not very many people who lived here and this was one place that Emily only went to once. That was only because Hades told her about Hazel and where she she went to so Emily wanted to see it for herself.
"It's huge. That—that's where the Gitchell Hotel used to be. My mom and I stayed there our first week in Alaska. And they've moved City Hall. It used to be there." Hazel and Emily led them down a few blocks though Hazel was in a daze. Emily knew that they needed to find a way to get to the glacier, but she knows that her Hades and Hestia powers didn't work. For she sensed her powers from Hades and Hestia topped working when she entered this town, not only that but her Hestia powers were not going crazy. Plus the shadows were not following her like they would usually, but the few flowers and plants that she walked by bloom more or become more healthy. As they walked that it was clear that Percy smelled something.
"Food. Come on." It didn't take long for them to find a café right by the beach, it was bustling with people but they managed to get a table at the window and they looked though the menus. Frank whooped in delight.
"Twenty-four-hour breakfast!"
"It's, like, dinnertime."
"I love breakfast. I'd eat breakfast, breakfast, and breakfast if I could. Though, um, I'm sure the food here isn't as good as Hazel's." Hazel elbowed Frank but her smile was playful, Emily and Bucky smirked as they watched Frank and Hazel than Bucky whispered.
"It's like watching us all over again."
"It does but without Steve and Lauren. Not only that but we can't make fun of Percy for not knowing too much about women since he is dating Annabeth. We could make fun of Frank about not knowing enough about women. But that won't be as fun since neither one of us know him as well as we know Percy." Bucky was close of laughing when Emily said that.
"That is very true."
"You know, breakfast sounds great." All five of them ordered massive plates of eggs, pancakes and reindeer sausage. Frank looked a little worried about the reindeer.
"You think it's okay that we're eating Rudolph?"
"Dude, I could eat Prancer and Blitzen, too. I'm hungry." Frank looked over at Emily after Percy said that. Frank had been asleep when Emily and Bucky been talking about her powers earlier.
"I would change it to the normal sausage but I can't though. Hestia's blessing doesn't work here, even though Hades adopted me though mortals and godly means, I can't use those powers either." Emily rubbed the back of her neck. "It feels weird not being able to use those powers. When I was here last time that I hardly noticed it since I barely got those two blessings and I used a boat to get here last time." However they started eating, Frank ate fast, the only other one she saw that ate fast was Steve after the serum was placed in him. Between bites of blueberry pancake that Hazel drew a squiggly curve and an C on her napkin.
"So this is what I'm thinking. We're here. Anchorage."
"It looks like a seagull's face. And we're the eye." Hazel glared at Percy, Emily almost laughed when Hazel glared at Percy.
"It's a map, Percy. Anchorage is at the top of this sliver of ocean, Cook Inlet. There's a big peninsula of land below us, and my old home town, Seward, is at the bottom of the peninsula, here." Hazel drew another X at the base of the seagull's throat. "That's the closest town to the Hubbard Glacier. We could go around by sea, I guess, but it would take forever. We don't have that kind of time." Frank polished off the last of his Rudolph.
"But land is dangerous, Land means Gaea."
"I don't see that we've got much choice, though. We could have asked our pilot to fly us down, but I don't know…his plane might be too big for the little Seward airport. And if we chartered another plane—"
"No more planes, Please." Hazel held her hand up in a placating gesture.
"It's okay. There's a train that goes from here to Seward. We might be able to catch one tonight. It only takes a couple of hours." Hazel drew a dotted line between the two Xs.
"You just cut off the seagull's head."
"You are such a seaweed brain." Percy glared at Emily when she said that and she glared at him and he shrunk under her glare. Emily was glad to know her glare still worked.
"It's the train line. Look, from Seward, the Hubbard Glacier is down here somewhere." She tapped the lower right corner of her napkin. "That's where Alcyoneus is."
"But you're not sure how far?"
"I'm pretty sure it's only accessible by boat or plane."
"Boat."
"Fine. It shouldn't be too far from Seward. If we can get to Seward safely." Emily looked out of the window, there was so much to do and there was only a day left before the attack on the camp. Emily watched as a Hyperborean giant lumbered across the street and stepped into the bay. There was ice cracking under his sandals and he thrust his hands into the water, he pulled out a killer whale with one fist. It was clear that was not what he wanted since he threw the whale back and kept wading further into the water.
"Good breakfast, Who's ready for a train ride?" The station wasn't far, they were just in time to buy tickets for the last train south. As Emily and the others climbed aboard the train that Percy said he would be with them in a second. Emily sat down next to Bucky, of who put his arms around her and once more that she put her head on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"I am fine, I just feel odd, like someone ripped half of me away since we entered this Alaska." The conductor shouted.
"All aboard." Emily could see Percy running, Percy just made it on board and climbed to join them and slid into his seat.
"You okay?"
"Yeah. Just…made a call." The train kept heading south, Emily watched as the landscape go by, things kept happening. Bald eagles soared overhead, there were bridges and cliffs of where there were glacial waterfalls tumbled thousands of feet down the rocks, the last forests buried in snowdrifts, as well as big artillery guns. There were lakes so clear that they reflected the mountains like mirrors, so the world looked upside down. Brown browns lumbered though the meadows and Hyperborean giants kept appearing in he strangest places. One was lounging in a lake like it was a hot tub and another was using a pine tree as a toothpick. A third one was sitting in a snowdrift playing with two life Moose like they were action figures. Frank was studied a map of Alaska. Emily kept her head on Bucky's shoulder but she has one of her arms over stomach. Even though she didn't have Hestia's blessing now, she knows that there was a child in her. Emily felt Bucky pulled her closer to him as Percy spoke.
"What are you thinking?"
"Just…possibilities." A hour later that Emily started to relax and she was beginning to get use to only having the powers she was giving at birth now. But than a shadow passed overhead. The tourists murmured in excitement, Emily was concern for she was getting the feeling that shadow belong to something dangerous. Than a tourist yelled.
"Eagle!"
"Eagle?"
"Huge eagle!"
"That's no eagle." Emily looked out of the window just in time for the creature to make a second pass, Emily panicked when she saw the creature. She heard about the creature but she never seen one before now, it was at a moment like this that she wish that she has her Hades powers
"There's another one! Strike that. Three, four. Okay, we're in trouble." They started circling and Emily could see that Percy was feeling for his own in his pocket. Emily has her hand close to her poppy ready for a fight.
"Those things look familiar..."
"Seattle. The Amazons had one in a cage. They're—"
Than several things happened at once, the emergency brake screeched, pitching them forward. The tourist screamed and grumbled through the aisles, Bucky managed to catch Emily before she tumbled off her seat, of how Bucky manage not to fall over was beyond Emily. The monsters swooped down and shattered the glass roof of the car, the entire train toppled off the rails. Emily and the rest of the train fell to the side of the rail, Percy was picked up by a monster, Frank managed to get up as Bucky helped her up. Just as Hazel and Emily stood up that an arrow hit the neck of the one carrying Percy and the gryphons let go of Percy. Percy crashed though tree branches and into a snowbank, he managed to stand up and looked at the pine tree he shredded. Emily and Bucky were to Percy's left while Hazel was at his back hitting any of her monsters that went her way and Frank was to Percy's left. Emily grasp her poppy of which changed into her celestial bronze sword, she didn't dare risk using her Stygian iron sword. Emily heard Hazel gasp when her poppy changed into her sword, Emily was sure that was because Hazel knows the sword. Percy drew riptide and sliced off the wing of one of the monsters sent and that sent the monster spiraling into a tree. Emily sliced though one as well as Percy did it once more and Bucky, but the defeated ones kept reforming at once. Percy yelled.
"What are these things?" It was Emily who responded.
"Gryphons! We have to get them away from the train!" Emily looked over at the train as the attack went on, a glowing gray warrior in camouflage was fighting the gryphon away from the mortals. Emily noticed that Frank's spear was gone, Emily figured of what the spear did but up till that moment, Emily hadn't been sure. Even without her Hades powers that she knew that gray warrior was dead, but the gray warrior was under Mars command not Hades that part was clear. For Emily knows that a certain amount of the dead that died in wars long past went to Mars or Ares, whichever, that amount of dead was part of the defeated forces.
"Used your last charge?"
"Yeah. I had to help the mortals. The spear just dissolved." Emily was proud of Frank, honestly there was a difference between a child of Ares and a child of Mars. It seems hard to believe that the children of a god that come from different aspect could be so different from each other.
"Let's move the fight! Away from the tracks!" They stumbled through the snow, smacking and hitting gryphons as they went, they did the same thing to the ones that reformed each time they were killed. Emily would admit she didn't expect gryphons to look like this and knew that the Greeks have gryphons as well as the magical world. She had seen a couple of gryphons in the magical world but the gryphons in the Greek world were so different. Fifty yards away from the tracks that the trees gave way to an open marsh. The ground was spongy as icy, it reminded Emily of bubble wrap. Frank was running out of arrows and Hazel was breathing hard as well as Bucky. Percy's sword swings were getting slower but Emily was the only one who was not being affected by this or sort of. She tried to use her Hestia and Hades powers, with the hope that they would work, but it did no good. So she was forced to use only her Demeter powers, not that those powers weren't good, it just odd not to have her other powers there.
Thankfully they were in nature and she was strongest here in that respect. But one thing was clear that the gryphons were not trying to kill them for it seems like the gryphons wanted to picked them up and carry them off somewhere. Emily figured that they wanted to take them to their nest, that is what they would usually do in a case like this. Before moving too far in the marsh that Percy tripped over something in the tall grass, Emily looked over at Percy when he tripped. It was than that Emily noticed that there was a circle of scrap metal about the size of a tractor tire. It was a massive bird's nest, a gryphon's nest, the bottom was littered with old pieces of jewelry, an imperial gold dagger, a dented centurion's badge and two pumpkin sized eggs that look like real gold. Percy jumped into the nest and pressed his sword tip against one of the eggs,
"Back off, or I break it!" The gryphons squeaked angrily, the buzzed around the nest snapped their beaks but they didn't attack. Emily, Bucky, Hazel and Frank stood back to back with Percy with their weapons ready. Emily remembered that Gryphons collect gold, it was something she forget about and that must have why they attack the train they sense gold as well as demigods.
"Gryphons collect gold. They're crazy for it. Look—more nests over there."Frank nodded his last arrow.
"So if these are their nests, why were they trying to take Percy? That thing was flying away with him."
"Maybe they're working for him. Are these things smart enough to take orders?"
"I don't know. I never fought them when I lived here. I just read about them at camp."
"Weaknesses? Please tell me they have weaknesses."
"Horses. They hate horses—natural enemies, or something. I wish Arion was here!" When Hazel said that, that Emily looked over at Hazel and spoke.
"You meet my half brother?" Bucky, Percy, Frank and Hazel looked over at Emily when she said that. Than Bucky spoke.
"How many siblings do you have?" Before Emily could say anything that Percy spoke.
"And you have a half brother that is a horse."
"So do you. Well you have two. One is Arion and the other is the original Pegasus. Arion is the son of Demeter and Poseidon or Ceres and Neptune, whichever one you prefer."
"It seems hard to believe that you have a horse that is your brother." Emily looked at Bucky when he said that.
"You spent over sixty five years as the winter soldier. Tell me which one is harder to believe." Bucky looked at Emily when she said that.
"You know what, it's harder to believe what I have been doing than you having a half brother that is a horse. There are weirder things than at in the godly world."
"No kidding." Emily looked away from Bucky and at the gryphons shrieked. The gryphons swirled around the nest with their red eyes glowing.
"Guys, I see legion relics in this nest."
"I know."
"That means other demigods died here, or—"
"Frank, it'll be okay." One of the gryphons dived in, Percy raised his sword ready to stab the egg. The gryphon veered off but the other gryphons were losing their patience. Emily wasn't sure of how much longer they could keep this up. Emily looked around trying to think of a way around this but there was nothing that she could think of. But than she saw a giant nearby, a thought entered her mind but it seems hat Percy was thinking the same thing.
"I've got an idea, Hazel—all the gold in these nests. Do you think you can use it to cause a distraction?"
"I—I guess."
"Just give us enough time for a head start. When I say go, run for that giant." Emily, Bucky, Hazel and Frank looked at Percy, Frank gaped at Percy. But Emily knew what Percy was thinking for she has seen it in the battle of of Manhattan.
"You want us to run toward a giant?"
"Trust me, Ready? Go!"Hazel thrust her hand upward, from the dozen nests across the marsh that golden objects were shot into the sit, jewelry, weapons, coins, gold nuggets and gryphon eggs. The gryphons shrieked and flew after their eggs frantic to save them. Emily, Bucky and the others ran across the marsh, their feet splashed and crouched through the frozen marsh. Emily could hear the gryphons coming in after them and they were angry at them, thankfully the giant hadn't noticed the commotion her. "Under! Crawl under!" They scrambled between the massive blue legs and flattened themselves in the mud crawling as close as they could to his loincloth. Emily tried to breath though her mouth, but that didn't help since the smell wasn't pleasant. It was at this moment she wished she has her death aura that was usually around her, she didn't always let it show but now was a good time as any.
"What's the plan? Get flattened by a blue rump?"
"Lay low, Only move if you have to." The gryphons arrived in a wave of angry beaks, talon and wings. They were swarming around the giants trying to get under his legs, Emily shifted some and she felt Bucky put his arms around her pulling her closer to him. The giant rumbled in surprised and he shifted, so they had move away to make sure that they didn't get flatten. The Hyperborean grunted, a little more irritated, and he swatted at the gryphons that were trying to get to the demigods that the giant didn't know were there. The gryphons squeaked in outrage and began peck in at his legs and hands, this the giant bellowed at the gryphons.
"Ruh? Ruh!" The Hyperborean took a deep breath and blow out a wave of cold air, Emily could feel the temperature drop. The gryphons' shrieking stopped and was replaced by the thunk of heavy objects hitting the mud.
"Come on, Carefully." They squirmed out from under the giant, all around the marsh trees were glazed with frost and a huge swath of the big was covered in fresh snow. Frozen gryphons stuck out of the ground like feathery Popsicles sticks, their wings were still spread, beaks open and eyes wide with surprise. If Tony was here he would have called them Capsicles of which was the nickname that he gave to Steve when the avengers were first formed. Emily and the others scrambled away trying to stay out of the giant's vision of which wasn't hard to do. Since he was trying to figure out of how to string a frozen gryphon onto his necklace. Emily was still having a hard time believing that they sided with Kronos in the last Titan war with how innocent and peaceful they were. Hazel was wiping the ice and mud from her face.
"Percy… How did you know the giant could do that?"
"I almost got hit by Hyperborean breath once. We'd better move. The gryphons won't stay frozen forever."