Children of the Harvest (rewritten)

by Angel Cauldwell

It had been over a year and a half since the battle of Manhattan of when the avengers were formed. Of when it was revealed that Lieutenant USA and Captain America still live.

26. Chapter 26

Bucky's pov

It been two days since they left Venice, Bucky was getting more and more worried, if Bucky been like he is now since the war and was in Emily's position, he wasn't sure if he could handle it. He wondered of how Emily didn't lose her sanity knowing that her three closest friends were alive but lost to her but they could still die at any time, the only difference between himself and Emily that he doesn't know when Emily would die if she does die. It was a depressing thought to think that Emily was dead or could dead, he wanted to hear news of Emily so much and to know if she was alive down there in Tartarus. It was after breakfast and he was standing at the railing oh the Agro II, Hazel was not to far away from where he was standing with that weasel or whatever it was and it was passing gas. Bucky thought it was the strangest thing ever to see a weasel passing gas and he wondered why that weasel thing was here on the ship in the first place. Bucky looked away from Hazel and the weasel to looked at the white cliffs in the distance, he wondered of what was happening with Emily. The past few nights that Bucky kept having nightmares and they were getting worse with each night, some of the nightmares was his past, some of it was Emily's past that much he was sure.

One of the dreams of where Emily would search the area of where he fell trying to find him or a trace of him but she found none. That was painfully to watch as she circle that area and screamed his name before falling into the snow crying her heart out at the loss of Bucky as well as going to different places that she was at with Bucky, Steve and Lauren looking for clues of where they were. It pained him to see those memories, but there few happy dreams he sees in his dream, mostly of when Emily was at camp Halfblood of who she play with at Camp Halfblood, training and pulling pranks though most do them were with Lauren. He was sure that those dreams came from the memories he saw from Emily or partly at least. There were also the memories of when she was helping with raising Arabella as well as seeing the memories of when she helped Phil to train as a demigod. Bucky was glad that after a while that she found some siblings to love and care for, but he could always see the trace of sadness in her eyes in every one of those dreams. The traces of sadness that only seen when he saw her in the Helicarrier and after she found him in the clearing. Than Frank pulled him out of his thoughts as Frank spoke to Hazel.

"Feeling any better?" Bucky nearly jumped for he was surprised to see Frank standing next to Hazel, when Frank got back from Venice that he changed, he wasn't sure of what happened to Frank but he was taller and didn't look like a sumo wrestler any more. It pained him slightly to watch Hazel and Frank, for it reminded him too much of Emily and himself, not at that age since they were different places at that time. But he was sure if they were together at that age, that he has a feeling that things could turned out differently.

"I'm – I'm all right, You?"

"I'm, uh, taller. Otherwise, yeah. I'm good. I haven't really, you know, changed inside …" Even though his looks changed, Frank hadn't changed on the inside at all, it reminded him of when he saw Steve after the serum. He was shocked at the change but Steve was still the same inside, expect for he seem to got more attention from girls after the serum. He still remembered that one joke that Steve made after he tried to flirt and tried to get a date with Lauren, that joke was really funny since Bucky now knows that Steve meant Emily and Bucky married her.

"I know, and I'm glad. It's … it's actually not you I'm worried about."

"How's Nico and Arabella doing?" Bucky followed Frank's gaze, Nico was on top of the foremast as usual, that was the odd thing he found about Arabella and Nico. They both liked being alone, that Nico seem to like it up on the foremast, Bucky figured that was because Nico wanted to be alone. But Nico and Arabella have slowly came up more often and spoke more often to Bucky, Lauren and Phil, at least. From what he heard that Nico was turned into a corn plant, Nico and Arabella were more reclusive and morose than hue were before or at least towards most of the crew. Even though they saw some of his memories that Bucky was still unsure of how to team to them, if they did talk to him that he let them guide the conversation to figure out better of how to talk them.

"I don't know. They been through a lot. Getting captured in Tartarus, being held prisoners in that bronze jar, watching Emily, Steve, Percy and Annabeth fall …"

"And promising to lead us to Epirus. I get the feeling Nico and Arabella doesn't play well with others." Bucky almost laughed as Frank stood straight, since the change that his clothes were too small on him. He brought the clothing the day before his change, Bucky was almost sure if Lauren or Emily were up here that they would make a funny comment when Frank stretched.

"Nico and Arabella are among my only relatives, they are not easy to like, but … thanks for being kind to them."

"Hey, you put up with my grandmother in Vancouver. Talk about not easy to like."

"I loved your grandmother!" The weasel scampered up to the two, farted before running away.

"Ugh. Why is that thing here, anyway?"

"Hecate sent Gale to observe."

"Observe what?"

"I don't know. Some kind of test." Suddenly the boat lurched. Bucky tumbled to the floor when the ship lurched, Bucky heard Festus creaking in alarm and shooting fire. Bucky got up from where he fell and he managed to catch himself when the ship rocked to port with a massive of commotion like telephone poles were snapping in half. Than he heard Leo yell from behind him.

"Gahh! It's eating the oars!" Bucky went over to where Leo was, as he did so that he jumped over Frank and Hazel with his sword out as well as Jason. Piper was already on the quarterdeck shooting food from the cornucopia, the one Emily gave to her when they went into Rome, and she was yelling.

"Hey! HEY! Eat this, ya stupid turtle!" When Bucky reached the part of the deck of where Piper was that he was surprised to see a giant turtle eating the oars of the ship. Bucky thought Piper was going nuts when she yelled out turtle but she wasn't though, Bucky wondered what that turtle was. Frank joined them quickly and started shooting arrows at the turtle, Leo was at the ship's controls as they tried to fight off the turtle. Bucky started throwing fire at the turtle as Leo started to hell.

"Oars won't retract. Get it away! Get it away!" Nico was yelling from the rigging.

"Styx – it's huge! Port! Go port!" Arabella and Gleeson were the last ones on the deck, Arabella looked like she might throw up but Gleeson was the opposite of that. He seem to compensated being the last one up with enthusiasm, he bounded up the steps waving his baseball bat around without hesitation he goat galloped to the stern and leaped over the rail with a gleeful ha. Leo was still yelling as the boar shuddered and oars snapped.

"No, no, no! Dang slimy-shelled son of a mother!" Bucky tried to find a way to fight the turtle besides his fire, the turtle was as huge as an island, the shell of the turtle was black and brown squares so that it could pass off as a small island when and if the head was underwater. The shell has hills of bone, shiny pearl valleys, kelp and moss forests, and rivers of seawater trickling down the grooves of it's carapace. At the moment, it's head was underwater and than it's head rose up from the water so that he could see it's head for the first time. It's eyes were gold and its eyes were the size of wading pools with dark sideways slits for pupils, the turtle's skin glistened like wet army camouflage, brown flecked with green and yellow, it's red toothless mouth could have swallowed the Athena Parthenous in one bite. The turtle snapped off half a dozen oars. "Stop that!" Gleeson clambered around the turtle's shell, whackin at it uselessly with his baseball bat and was yelling at it.

"Take that! And that!" Bucky noticed out of the corner of his eye that Aubrey and Phil were standing next to Frank shooting arrows at the turtle as well. Not only that but some some of the kelp and moss started to grow on the back of the turtle and they were trying to grow around the turtle. He knew that the moss and kelp growing were due to Phil, Jason and Lauren flew from the stern and they landed on the creature's head. Lauren tries to stabbed her sword on top of the head while Jason tried to stab the turtle between it's eyes. However the blades slipped sideways as if the turtle's skin was greased steel, Bucky got onto the railing and he put the sword into his metal arm before he lit his one hand up and started to shot fireballs off the turtle but they bounced off. Frank and Aubrey were shooting at the monster's eyes but meet with no success. Piper was shooting cantaloupes into the water yelling fetch to the turtle, but it seems to be fixated on eating the Argo II. Jennifer was close to Bucky but she was just staring at the turtle, honestly, he wasn't sure of how much help Jennifer could be in this fight. It wasn't till Hazel spoke that he realized she joined them but she wasn't fighting either, Hazel and Jennifer wasn't the only one since Arabella wasn't fighting either.

"How did it get so close?" Bucky throw another fireball at the turtle and spoke as he did so.

"I would like to know that as well." Leo threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Must be that shell. Guess it's invisible to sonar. It's a freaking stealth turtle!"

"Can the ship fly?" Leo punched some of the buttons and spun his Archimedes sphere,

"With half our oars broken off? I'll have to try something else." Nico yelled from above in the foremast.

"There! Can you get us to those straits?" Bucky throw another fireball at the turtle before he looked to where Nico was pointing. About a half mile to the was was a long strip of land that ran parallel to the coastal cliffs. It was hard to be sure from this distance, but the stretch of water between them looked to be only twenty or thirty yards across. It looks wide enough for the Argo II to slip through but there was no way that it was not wide enough for the giant turtle's shell to go through.

"Yeah. Yeah." Leo turned the Archimedes sphere. "Lauren, Jason, get away from that thing's head! I have an idea!" Lauren and Jason were still hacking away at the turtle's face but when they heard Leo say that he has an idea that they made the only smart choice. Of which was flew away as fast as possible. Lauren called over to Gleeson, of who was still using his baseball bat to beat the turtle up or trying to at any rate.

"Coach, come on!"

"No, I got this!" Lauren grabbed him around the waist and took off, thankfully Lauren's sword turned back into her necklace and was around her neck. But Gleeson was struggling against Lauren as she flew back towards the ship.

"Gleeson!"

"What? I was softening him up!" The turtle head butted the hull, of which almost tossed the whole crew off the port side. Bucky heard a cracking noise, as he fell off the railing and into the deck, like the keel was splintered. Leo's hands were flying over the console.

"Just another minute." Frank and Aubrey fired their last arrow and it was Frank who spoke.

"We might not be here in another minute!" Piper yelled at the turtle.

"Go away!" For a moment it actually worked, the turtle turned from the ship before it dipped it's head underwater. Bucky sighed with a relief but it was short lived, for the turtle came right back and rammed into the Argo II even harder. Jason, Lauren and Gleeson landed on the deck.

"You all right?"

"Fine."

"Fire in the shell!" Leo was spinning his Wii controller. Bucky thought the stern exploded for a minute for jets of fire blasted out behind them washing over the turtle's head. The ship shot forwards and the blast almost threw Bucky to the deck again, but it threw Hazel to the deck again though. Bucky helped Hazel up, when she was on her feet that he saw that the ship was bouncing over the waves at an incredible speed. Bucky saw the turtle and realized he should been aiming at the head of the turtle instead of the shell like he was doing earlier. For the turtle's head was charred and smoking from the blast of fire for the Argo II, the turtle bellowed in frustration. Than the turtle started after them, the turtle started to paddle and was scooping through the water with such power that the turtle was actually started to gain on them. The entrance to the straits was still a quarter mile ahead, Bucky wished that Percy was here to talk to that turtle.

"A distraction. We'll never make it unless we get a distraction."

"A distraction." Bucky looked at Hazel she repeated what Leo said. Suddenly there was a flash of light and steam, it streaked across the surface of the Adriatic. In a heartbeat, Arion stood on the quarterdeck. Hazel climbed up on Arion's back before looking at Piper.

"Piper, I could use that charmspeak of yours." Piper accepted a hand up.

"Once upon a time, I liked turtles, Not any more!" Hazel spurred Arion and Arion leaped over the side of the Argo II, hitting the water at a full gallop. Bucky went to the railing and watched as Hazel and Piper fight the turtle with only a sword, charmspeak, and a horse. As soon as the Argo II passed into the straits that they broke off their harassment and sped after the ship. A moment later that they were back on deck. The rocket fire was extinguished, through the smoking bronze exhaust vents were still jutted from the stern. The Argo II was limping forward under sail but Hazel's plan paid off, they were safely harboured in the narrow waters with a long rocky island to the starboard and the sheer white cliffs of the mainland to port. The turtle stopped at the entrance to the straits and glared at them but the turtle made no attempt to followed them, mostly because of it's shell. Bucky was rather glad that the plan Hazel came up with worked. When Hazel and Piper dismounted Arion that Hazel got a big hug from Frank.

"Nice work out there!"

"Thanks." Piper slid down next to Hazel.

"Leo, since when do we have jet propulsion?" Leo tried to look modest but he was failing badly. Bucky rolled his eyes, ever since Leo got that sphere that he been added things to the ship and hasn't stopped added things since.

"Aw, you know … Just a little something I whipped up in my spare time. Wish I could've given you more than a few seconds of burn, but at least it got us out of there."

"And roasted the turtle's head. So what now?"

"Kill it! You even have to ask? We got enough distance. We got ballistae. Lock and load, demigods!" Bucky spoke up.

"First off, I don't think the ballistae will do any good. That shell is like Nemean Lion skin. It seems the head is not much softer." Bucky remembered what Emily told him about how hard the skin of the Nemean Lion was, thinking of it, he wondered if Emily could talk to a lion. Bucky pushed that thought aside for now and asked Emily that question when he remembers that question next.

"So we chuck one right down its throat, like you guys did with that shrimp monster thing in the Atlantic. Light it up from the inside." Frank was scratching his head.

"Might work. But then you've got a five-million-kilo turtle carcass blocking the entrance to the straits. If we can't fly with the oars broken, how do we get the ship out?"

"You wait and fix the oars! Or just sail in the other direction, you big galoot." Frank looked confused.

"What's a galoot?" Bucky spoke.

"A clumsy person." Everyone looked at Bucky when he said that. "True, I was out of touch with most things but I still spoke English and picked up words since my memories of my old life came back." Nico called down from the mast.

"Guys! About sailing in the other direction? I don't think that's going to work." Nico pointed past the prow. A quarter mile ahead of them that the rocky strip of land curved in and met the cliffs, the channel ended in a narrow V.

"We're not in a strait. We're in a dead end." Bucky knew at that moment that this has to be a trap, he fought enough in the one demigod war as well as in World War II to know a trap when he sees one. It seem Hazel realized the same thing.

"This is a trap." The others looked at Hazel when she said that but the others didn't seem to think the same thing.

"Nah, it's fine. Worst that happens, we make repairs. Might take overnight, but I can get the ship flying again." Bucky spoke up.

"I agree with Hazel, that this is a trap." Piper was about ready to say something but the turtle roared, making it plain that he wasn't leaving any time soon. Not only that but as soon as Bucky said that, that an arrow sank into the mainmast, six inches from Piper's face. Everyone scattered for cover, expect for Piper of who stood frozen in place, she was gaping at the arrow that almost pierced her nose the hard way. Bucky was surprised by the arrow, he expected something when he realized that this was a trap but he didn't expect the arrow at all, no one else did either. Jason whispered harshly at Piper.

"Piper, duck!" No other missiles came down, Bucky looked at the angle of the arrow in the mast before he looked up towards the top of the cliffs. When he looked up that Bucky saw a tiny single figure on top of the ledge, his bronze was glinting the light of the sun. Frank noticed the single figure as well.

"Up there, Single shooter. See him?"

"Who the heck is he? Why is he firing at us?" Piper spoke up and her voice was thin and watery.

"Guys? There's a note." Bucky looked back at the arrow and he was surprised to see the parchment scroll tied to the arrow shaft. Hazel stormed over to the arrow and untied the scroll from the arrow.

"Uh, Hazel? You sure that's safe?" Hazel read the first line of the note.

"First line: Stand and deliver."

"What does that mean? We are standing. Well, crouching, anyway. And if that guy is expecting a pizza delivery, forget it!"

"There's more. 'This is a robbery. Send two of your party to the top of the cliff with all your valuables. No more than two. Leave the magic horse. No flying. No tricks. Just climb.'"

"Climb what?" Nico pointed towards the cliffs.

"There." Bucky looked to where Nico was pointing, there was a narrow set of steps that was carved into the cliff, leading to the top. Bucky has a feeling that this was not the first time that the person who write the letter ambushed a ship here with the cliffs and turtle. Hazel finished reading the note.

"'I do mean all your valuables. Otherwise my turtle and I will destroy you. You have five minutes.'" Gleeson cried out.

"Use the catapults!" Apparently the letter wasn't done for Hazel went on reading it.

"'P.S. don't even think about using your catapults.'"

"Curse it! This guy is good."

"Is the note signed?" Bucky was not thrilled about this, they were trapped here while Emily and Steve were down in Tartarus waiting for him to get to them. Bucky looked at the tiny figure on the cliff as Leo spoke.

"That's not a good trajectory. Even if I could arm the catapult before that guy pincushioned us with arrows, I don't think I could make the shot. That's hundreds of feet, almost straight up."

"Yeah. My bow is useless too. He's got a huge advantage, being above us like that. I couldn't reach him." Piper nudged the arrow that was stuck in the mast.

"And, um … I have a feeling he's a good shot. I don't think he meant to hit me. But if he did …" Piper didn't need to finish that, it was clear that this robber could hit targets with ease hundreds of feet away and he could shoot them all before they react. Hazel spoke up.

"I'll go." Everyone looked at Hazel when she said that, Frank gripped his bow.

"Hazel –"

"No, listen, this robber wants valuables. I can go up there, summon gold, jewels, whatever he wants." Leo raised an eyebrow.

"If we pay him off, you think he'll actually let us go?"

"We don't have much choice. Between that guy and the turtle …" Jason raised his hand and everyone fell silent.

"I'll go too. The letter says two people. I'll take Hazel up there and watch her back. Besides, I don't like the look of those steps. If Hazel falls … well, I can use the winds to keep us both from coming down the hard way." Arion whinnied in protest.

"I have to, Arion, Jason … yes. I think you're right. It's the best plan." Bucky could tell that Hazel didn't think too highly of Jason because what happened with Nico and Arabella. Sure Jason was being careful but even Bucky knows that they have to take risk, but if they didn't save Arabella and Nico than they may never learned about the doors of death of which is important to this quest to close those doors. Honestly if they didn't try to help Nico and Arabella that they would have less of a chance to stop Gaea than they do now, it was clear to Bucky of what he has to do. Bucky stood up and spoke.

"Actually, let me go instead of you, Jason." Jason looked over at Bucky in surprise. Besides the fact Hazel felt uncomfortable around Jason after he tried to write off Nico and Arabella as traitors that Bucky felt he has to look out for Emily's half siblings as much as he could. He bonded with them since those memories were shared and plus Bucky knows that Hazel trust him more she does with Jason. Hazel looked relived when Bucky spoke up, but Jason didn't seem as sure as Bucky.

"Why?"

"I have the same powers as you do over you, not only that but this is summer and my wind powers were be stronger now than any other time of the year. So I can use the winds to keep us from coming down the hard way as well. Besides I also have fire of which may help if it leads to a fight, I also have some training that not very many other demigods, that is if any other demigod has them." Before Jason could say anything that Hazel spoke up.

"Thanks, Bucky. Now, if there are no other objections, we have a robber to meet." No one disagreed, so Bucky and Hazel got off the Argo to go to the cliffs of where the stairs were. When they got to the cliff steps that Bucky and Hazel started climbing up the steps, Bucky walked behind Hazel as they walked. The steps were hard to climb, more for him than they were for Hazel, since Bucky was bigger than Hazel was. He wasn't clumsy and thank goodness for the training he got as a soldier as well as the winter soldier, otherwise the climb would have been more difficult than it was for him. As they walked up that Bucky noticed that the weasel was on her shoulder, he still wonder about that weasel and why it was here. During the climbing that Hazel looked to her right and her foot almost slipped, it send a spray of gravel over the edge.

"You all right?"

"Yes. Fine." They went on walking, after a couple of minutes that Hazel spoke up. "I am surprised that you even decided to come up after Jason volunteered to come with me. I don't think anyone ever did that to him before. It seem to take him by surprise."

"Well, I could tell you were uncomfortable with coming up Jason after basically saying that Nico and Arabella were baits for a trap. But Jason also question if Nico and Arabella were loyal to the demigods. I know they are loyal to the demigods. I am sure Jason heard some things about Nico form Percy, but I know Nico's full history or most of it for Emily told me of what she knows of which was more than Percy knows. I can understood Nico's reasoning behind those actions for he has no memories to his mother and he wanted to know who his mother was, just like any other kid would want to know their parents. As you know I had my memories wiped, I wanted to know who I was quite a few times and Emily was the only thing that I could remember. It is true it was a trap, but if we didn't have much of choice, we need to know how to close the doors and get there. Arabella and Nico are the only ones that know about the doors."

"You know you seem more accepting of my siblings than everyone else expect for Lauren, Phil, Aubrey and Steve."

"That is because I am married to one of your siblings and the other four know Emily well enough to know that she considers you four as part of her family. We all know how important family is to Emily, even before she was adopted by that one family and Hades that family was important to her." Hazel stopped for a moment when he said that, he was sure if Hazel was able that she would have turned around.

"You mean that she was adopted by another family at birth?"

"No, after her real father died shortly after she turned six and I knew her a year by that point. It was about ten months later that she was adopted by a couple of who wanted a daughter but already has too many children. I am not sure what happened after that, but I know in time she found camp Halfblood than she joined project demigod, than Emily and Steve to come get me, than I joined the howling commandos and I am sure you can figure out the rest from here. That would be hard not to." Hazel didn't say anything for a moment before she went up walking up the steps with Bucky right behind her wondering of what she might be thinking. They resume their climb without saying another would to each other, a few times Bucky glanced up, but he couldn't see the thief from here. He knows that thief was waiting for them up there, the weasel jumped off Hazel's shoulder before scampering ahead than the weasel looked back at Hazel and barked.

"Going as fast as I can." Bucky remembered what Hecate told Hazel or what Hazel told them of what Hecate told her and hoped that Hazel managed to control the mist but he knows that she would managed it. Somehow he knows that Hazel would managed to do this, he wasn't sure how but he does, Bucky spoke up.

"This, uh, controlling the Mist. Have you had any luck?"

"No." When Hazel said that, that Bucky wondered if there has to be a certain thing that could sent off the mist or there has to a certain emotion to use. Bucky was sure that Hazel would be able to figure it out and soon hopefully, that something would be able triggered the ability in her.

"You'll get it." Even though Bucky couldn't see her face, he could tell that seem to surprise Hazel.

"How can you be sure?"

"Just am. Hecate wouldn't have picked you if she didn't believe you had power. Besides I watched you in action as well as on this quest, if anyone can use the mist, it is you." Bucky wasn't sure what was but he knows Hazel would be able to use the mist and magic, but not in the way Arabella could, well he wasn't sure if Arabella could use the mist or not. Soon they reached the top, breathless and sweaty, a long sloping valley marched inland dotted with scraggly olive trees and limestone boulders but there was no signs of civilization. Bucky's legs felt like they were trembling from the climb, the weasel seem anxious to explore he top of the cliff. The weasel barks and farted before it scampered into the nearest bushes, far below, the Agro II looked like a toy boat in the channel. Bucky wondered of how anyone could shot an arrow accurately from this high up with the wind and glare of the sun from the water. At the mouth of the inlet that there was the massive shape of the turtle's shell glinting like a burnished coin. Bucky looked around before he spoke.

"Where –"

"Here!" Bucky nearly jumped and fell off the cliff, only ten feet away from them that a man appeared with a bow and quiver over his shoulder and two old fashion flintlock dueling pistols in his hands. He was wearing high leather boots, leather breeches, and a pirate style shirt, the man looked like he stepped out of a pirate movie into the real world from behind a curtain that Bucky couldn't see. The man's hair was curly and black, the style of the hair looked like what a kid would do to his hair at the age of five. His eyes were a sparkly green color and the eyes seem friendly enough but a red bandanna covered the lower half of his face. The man looked like if he might between the age of twenty to twenty four, so about Emily's and Bucky's age, however Bucky has a feeling that this man was dangerous. The bandit pointed his guns at them and cried. "Welcome! Your money or your life!"

"Who are you?"

"Sciron, of course!" When he said that, that Bucky knew who this man was and he couldn't believe it. It was one of the stories that Emily told him in the last year and half or so, if he remembered that Sciron was a robber that has a giant pet turtle and was a son of Poseidon. But he couldn't remember much else about Sciron though.

"Sciron as in the son of Poseidon?" Hazel and Sciron looked at Bucky in a bit of surprise. Though Sciron seem to recover first.

"Yes, I am! Thief extraordinaire! All-around awesome guy! But that's not important. I'm not seeing any valuables! I guess that means you want to die?"

"Wait. We've got valuables. But, if we give them up, how can we be sure you'll let us go?"

"Oh, they always ask that, I promise you, on the River Styx, that as soon as you surrender what I want, I will not shoot you. I will send you right back down that cliff." Hazel gave Bucky a wary look, Bucky couldn't help but agree with her but he wanted to know something, more like he has to know.

"What if we fought you? You can't attack us and hold our ship hostage at the same –" There was two shots, Bucky barely managed to move just in time as a bullet went past his head. One of the flintlocks was pointed at his face, while the other flintlocks was pointed down towards the Argo II. He knew that the other bullet hit the Argo II, but where it hit, Bucky wasn't sure, Sciron looked slightly impressed with Bucky when moved out of the way.

"You have fast reflexes, bravo! I could use someone like you."

"Not interested." Sciron merely shrugged.

"I am not to worried or bothered about taking a second person at the moment anyway, but if you want to learn to be a robber just call me." However Hazel seem to catch with what happen for she seem to choke before she spoke.

"What did you do?" Sciron laughed when Hazel said that.

"Oh, don't worry! If you could see that far – which you can't – you'd see a hole in the deck between the shoes of the big young man, the one with the bow."

"Frank!" Sciron shrugged.

"If you say so. That was just a demonstration. I'm afraid it could have been much more serious." Sciron spun his flintlocks, the hammers reset, Bucky has a feeling that the guns just magically reloaded. Scion looked back at Bucky before he spoke.

"So! To answer your question – yes, I can attack you and hold your ship hostage at the same time. Celestial bronze ammunition. Quite deadly to demigods. You two would die first – bang, bang. Then I could take my time picking off your friends on that ship. Target practice is so much more fun with live targets running around screaming!" Bucky saw the Children of Apollo practice with their bows as well as Frank, the children of Apollo were the best shots among the demigods as well as Frank. But Sciron seem inhumanly good, than a thought hit him, that he was just as good of a shot as Sciron was with the blessing of Apollo upon him. The hunters have a similar blessing from Artemis that he has from Apollo, the howling commandos were almost of a good shot as Apollo and Artemis were, the same can be said for the Bucky was on Sciron's level but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to make his bow and arrows appear at the moment.

"You're a son of Poseidon? I would've thought Apollo, the way you shoot." The smile deepened around Sciron's eyes.

"Why, thank you! It's just from practice, though. The giant turtle – that's due to my parentage. You can't go around taming giant turtles without being a son of Poseidon! I could overwhelm your ship with a tidal wave, of course, but it's terribly difficult work. Not nearly as fun as ambushing and shooting people." Bucky wasn't sure what to do or say but Hazel seem to though.

"Uh … what's the bandanna for?"

"So no one recognizes me!" Bucky than spoke up.

"But you introduced yourself, You're Sciron." Sciron's eyes widened.

"How did you – Oh. Yes, I suppose I did." Sciron lowered one flintlock before he scratched the side of his head with the other flintlock. Bucky was close of laughing as he watched Sciron. "Terribly sloppy of me. Sorry. I'm afraid I'm a little rusty. Back from the dead and all that. Let me try again." He leveled his pistols.

"Stand and deliver! I am an anonymous bandit and you do not need to know my name!" Ever since Bucky knows his name that Bucky tried to think of the rest of the story about this guy but he couldn't remember the story till Sciron said that or at least some more of that he was killed on the road somewhere by a hero, it seems that story clicked in Hazel's memory.

"Theseus. He killed you once." Sciron's shoulders slumped.

"Now, why did you have to mention him? We were getting along so well!" As Scrion and Hazel spoke that the rest of the story clicked into place, when he remembered the story that he was surprised that he didn't realize that sooner.

"Hazel, you remember this guy's story right?" Hazel looked at Bucky a bit surprised before she nodded.

"Theseus met him on the road to Athens. Sciron would kill his victims by, um …" Bucky rolled his eyes when Hazel stopped, before he could finish for Hazel that Sciron spoke up.

"Theseus was such a cheater! I don't want to talk about him. I'm back from the dead now. Gaea promised me I could stay on the coastline and rob all the demigods I wanted, and that's what I'm going to do! Now … where were we?"

"You were about to let us go."

"Hmm … No, I'm pretty sure that wasn't it. Ah, right! Money or your life. Where are your valuables? No valuables? Then I'll have to –"

"Wait, I have our valuables. At least, I can get them." Sciron pointed a flintlock at Bucky's head.

"Well, then, my dear, hop to it, or my next shot will cut off more than your friend's hair!" Bucky looked at Hazel, she seem to be concentrating. Soon precious metals started popping to the surface as though the earth was expel them out. Hazel was surrounded by a knee high mound of treasures, roman denarii, silver drachmas, ancient gold jewelry, glittering diamonds, topaz and rubies. There was so much of the treasures that it could fill many lawn bags, Sciron's laugh with delight.

"How in the world did you do that?" Hazel didn't answer that question.

"Just take the treasure. Let us go." Sciron's chuckled.

"Oh, but I did say all your valuables. I understand you're holding something very special on that ship … a certain ivory-and-gold statue about, say, forty feet tall?" Bucky was angry when Scrion said that, he wasn't going to give that statue to Sciron, that statue caused so much pain already with the many monsters it attracted, it also cost him his wife. Even though he wants to trade the statue for Emily, he knew she would be waiting for him at the house of hades if they get there in time. He knows that Emily wouldn't trade the statue but try to find a way to use it to stop with the might be war coming, so Bucky stepped forward and spoke low and dangerous.

"The statue isn't negotiable." It seem that Scrion was thick headed or he didn't pay any heed to how angry Bucky was.

"You're right, it's not! I must have it!"

"Gaea told you about it. She ordered you to take it." Sciron shrugged.

"Maybe. But she told me I could keep it for myself. Hard to pass up that offer! I don't intend to die again, my friends. I intend to live a long life as a very wealthy man!"

"The statue won't do you any good. Not if Gaea destroys the world." The muzzles of Sciron's pistols wavered.

"Pardon?"

"Gaea is using you. If you take that statue, we won't be able to defeat her. She's planning on wiping all mortals and demigods off the face of the earth, letting her giants and monsters take over. So where will you spend your gold, Sciron? Assuming Gaea even lets you live." Bucky watched Sciron, he has a feeling that there was two ways to this but both end in the same way. After counting to ten that Sciron's smile lines returned.

"All right! I'm not unreasonable. Keep the statue. Just one more thing, I always demand a show of respect. Before I let my victims leave, I insist that they wash my feet." Bucky expected that much, Sciron's kicked off his leather boots, one right after the other so that he could see his feet. Without a doubt in his mind that Sciron's bare feet was the most disgusting things he ever seen or done for that matter. For he has done some very disgusting things as the winter soldier, he always hated thinking about those memories and he wished that those memories would just go away. He knows that Hades discarded those deeds and told Emily that he would judge Bucky first hand if and when he dies. Bucky was glad of that, though he was still wary around Hades and his other children but Hazel and Jennifer. But that was slowly changing now that he was bonding with Nico and Arabella, he was getting closer to Hazel and Jennifer as looked down at Sciron's feet, his feet were puffy, wrinkled and white as dough. It was as if they been soaking in formaldehyde for a few centuries or more. Tufts of brown hair sprouted from each misshapen toe, his jagged toenails were green and yellow, like a tortoise's shell. Than the smell hit, it was the most disgusting smell he ever smelled. Sciron's wrinkled his toes. "So! Who wants the left, and who wants the right?" Bucky was almost sure that his face was white as the feet were, despite the fact that he was expecting it. Bucky raised an eyebrow before he spoke.

"You've … got to be kidding."

"Not at all! Wash my feet, and we're done. I'll send you back down the cliff. I promise on the River Styx." Bucky was about ready to ask if he could talk with Hazel, for it was clear she could remember some of the story but not all of it. Though Bucky would admit that he was surprised that he remembered the story about Sciron, once Hazel brought up who killed it seems like Hazel remembered the rest of the story.

"Could we have a moment?" Sciron's eyes narrowed at Hazel.

"What for?"

"Well, it's a big decision. Left foot, right foot. We need to discuss." Bucky could tell that Sciron was smiling under that mask.

"Of course, I'm so generous you can have two minutes." Hazel climbed out of her pile of treasure and lead Bucky as far away as she dared, about fifty feet down the cliff. Bucky hoped that was far enough out of earshot.

"Sciron kicks his victims off the cliff, I am taking a guess you remember right?"

"Yes, I would have said something when I remembered, but I think he would be aware that I remembered his story and I believe that this is that first test that Hecate told you about. Do you have a plan?" The weasel appeared from the bushes and was looking at Hazel like do you have any ideas. It seem that Hazel got an idea than she spoke.

"Unfortunately, yes, We have to let Sciron win." Bucky raised an eyebrow when Hazel said that, than she told him the plan. When Hazel was finished telling Bucky the plan that she though of that the two of them walked back over to Scrion.

"FINALLY! That was much longer than two minutes!"

"Sorry, It was a big decision … which foot." Bucky hoped that this plan works and he hated the idea, but it was clear that Hazel hated it worse, he could tell that as she told him the plan. So Bucky step forward with his hands open in surrender.

"I'll go first, Sciron. I'll wash your left foot."

"Excellent choice!"Sciron wriggled his hairy, corpse-like toes of which was totally disgusting. "I may have stepped on something with that foot. It felt a little squishy inside my boot. But I'm sure you'll clean it properly." Bucky wanted to drop the charade but he knew he couldn't even with the quick relaxes that he gain as the winter soldier and his metal arm. While if it was just him that he would and that he would punched Scrion over the ledge of the cliff to be eaten by his turtle.

"Sciron, do you have water? Soap? How are we supposed to wash –"

"Like this!" Sciron spun his left flintlock and somehow it become a squirt bottle with a rag, than he tossed it to Bucky. Bucky looked at the label of the bottle and raised an eyebrow before he looked at Scrion.

"You want me to wash your feet with glass cleaner?"

"Of course not! It says multi-surface cleanser. My feet definitely qualify as multi-surface. Besides, it's antibacterial. I need that. Believe me, water won't do the trick on these babies." Sciron wiggled his toes and more odor came from the toes, Bucky hated of what he was going to do but he has to do it anyway.

"Fine."

"Excellent! Now …" Sciron hopped to the nearer chunk of limestone that was the right size for a footstool and he was facing the water before he put his foot on the limestone. So that he looked like an explorer that just claimed some new land instead of a guy with disgust feet. "I'll watch the horizon while you scrub my bunions. It'll be much more enjoyable."

"Yeah, I bet." Bucky knelt in front of the bandit, at the edge of the cliff of where he was an easy target, one kick and he would topple over. Bucky hoped that Hazel would be able to do this, he was putting a lot on line here. He was sort of wished that he was the winter soldier at the moment, for he wouldn't get eaten by a large turtle as the winter shoulder. Bucky was doing his best not to notice the foot that he was cleaning, when Sciron kicked him that he fell, he screamed for a few moments before the wind caught him. Bucky was glad of his power over the winds, even if he wasn't fully away of the fact of where he got them as the winter soldier. Though during that time he assumed that HYDRA gave those abilities to him for some reason or another. At the moment Bucky was a few feet above the turtle, the turtle rose up and seem to swallow something in one bite. Bucky sighed in relief when he saw that happened, Hazel managed to do it. Bucky knew that Hazel could do it, she needed that push so that she could do that. Bucky could hear the alarms going off from the ship as he flew to the cliff and waited just below and listen to Hazel and Scrion.

"What did you do?"

"Oh, dear … That was an accident, I assure you."

"My friends will kill you now!"

"They can try. But in the meantime I think you have time to wash my other foot! Believe me, my dear. My turtle is full now. He doesn't want you too. You'll be quite safe, unless you refuse."

"Don't kick me." Hazel sounded like she was sobbing, but Bucky knew she was acting though. After a minute that he heard Hazel talking again. "Sciron, your feet are the least disgusting thing about you."

"Just clean. Just get on with it!" Bucky looked over the edge before flying up into the sky, when he looked over the edge of the cliff that he saw Hazel was cleaning the other foot of Sciron. But it wasn't till he was up in the sky that he saw that Sciron and Hazel were facing the other direction away from the sea, thankfully since he was part of the illusion that he could see what was really going on. Somehow, while Bucky was flying back up the cliff that Hazel managed to get Sciron to turn around one hundred and eighty degrees. When Bucky saw where Hazel and Scrion were that Bucky was sure that Sciron only saw water in front of him with his turtle below in the water. When the kick came that Hazel flew backwards but not that far from Scrion, she only landed in the grass a few yards away from Scrion. When Hazel didn't fall from the cliff that Sciron was staring at her in surprise, Bucky chuckled as he looked at Sciron.

"But …" Bucky could tell that the illusion was melting, for Sciron looked confused, the sea was Sciron's back now and he realized that he only kicked Hazel away from the ledge. Sciron lowered his flintlock. "How –"

"Stand and deliver." That was his cue, Bucky swooped out of the sky from right over Hazel and kicked Sciron in the face with his feet. Sciron screamed as he fell of the cliff, Bucky landed on the ledge and watched Sciron fired his flintlock wildly but the bullets were hitting nothing. Hazel got up from where she was kicked and walked over to the ledge, she stood by Bucky to watch as the turtle lunge up and snapped Sciron out of the air. As they watched that Bucky put an arm around Hazel's shoulders and grinned at Hazel.

"I knew you could do it." Before Hazel could say anything that Hazel collapsed to her knees, it was than that Bucky remembered when one tries things for the first time that they could get dizzy if they do to much. Just like what Emily did a couple of times in the war but that was only because she was hit by something before hand. Bucky could hear the others cheering from the Argo II, Bucky knelt down besides Hazel and spoke to her. "Hazel, we need to get back to the ship." Bucky wasn't sure if she could hear him or not but from how pale she looked suddenly that he had a feeling that she didn't hear him. It was than that Hazel passed out Bucky picked her up and flew down to the ship carrying her in his arms, when he reached the ship that Frank hurried to over to them and picked her up before carrying Hazel to her cabin. As Frank did that, that the others looked over at Bucky.

"What happened." So Bucky told them the whole story, when he finished that Lauren nodded and spoke.

"I am surprised she didn't black out sooner than she did."

"Why did she black out?" Phil spoke.

"Using the mist is like using your powers, if you haven't used much before that it will have the same affect when you use too much of your powers. Like making those storms you do, if you over do it that you could pass out."

"Or if you knocked out and you try to use your powers right after you wake up will have similar efforts. It happened to Emily a couple of times." The ship went silent as soon as he said Emily, Bucky bit his lip and closed his eyes hoping that she wasn't died.

Emily's pov

Emily was unsure of what to do now with just happened and what was going to happen at some point and soon. For their numbers against this demon things were not good, for it was five of them against several dozen, even with a titan on their side. Emily looked over at Steve of who was just as confused of what he should do as well, Emily hopes that they would be able to figure out something to figure out a way out of this without fighting or she was hoping that might what happen. It was than that Percy jabbed riptide at the nearest shriveled hag.

"Back off." The shriveled hag sneered when Percy said that and jabbed at her. The voice over them spoke once more.

'We are the arai, You cannot destroy us.' Emily felt Steve pressed his shoulder against her own shoulder, Emily relax slightly when Steve did that but she also gripped her sword tighter.

"Don't touch them. They're the spirits of curses.'

"Bob doesn't like curses." Small Bob disappeared inside Bob's coveralls, while Sarah got off Emily's shoulder and followed Small Bob's example. Emily has to give those two cats credit, that was the fact that they were very smart cats. Emily wouldn't deny that she was worried that there was something she couldn't do and was worried with each monster she face might be her last one. At those times she was scared but she never showed it, but looking around that she realized that all those times she was scared was nothing compared to how she was feeling and dealing with now. For Tartarus seem to getting worse, more for her than the others, expect maybe Bon and that was if his memories were coming back like Emily expected that they were. The Titan swept his broom in a wide arc forcing the spirits back but they came back in again.

'We serve the bitter and the defeated, We serve the slain who prayed for vengeance with their final breath. We have many curses to share with you.' Emily panicked slightly for she killed a lot of monsters in her time as well as dealing with enemies of S.H.I.E.L.D as well as HYDRA. She was sure that some of her enemies, monsters or otherwise, cursed her, even if they have no idea about the godly world.

"I appreciate the offer. But my mom told me not to accept curses from strangers." The nearest demon lunged, her claws extended like bony switchblades. Emily was about ready to tell Percy back up but Percy cut the demon in two, as the demon vaporized that the sides of his chest started to bleed. He clamped his hand to his rib cage so that his fingers were covered in blood.

"Percy, you're bleeding! Oh, gods, on both sides."

"Geryon. This is how I killed him …" The demons bares their fangs, more arai leaped from the black trees, flapping their leathery wings.

'Yes, they agreed. Feel the pain you inflicted upon Geryon. So many curses have been levelled at you, Percy Jackson. Which will you die from? Choose, or we will rip you apart!' Somehow Percy managed to stay in on his feet, the bleeding stopped at least, but Emily wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"I don't understand." Bob's voice seem to echo from a long tunnel.

"If you kill one, it gives you a curse."

"But if we don't kill them …"

"They'll kill us anyway."

"I thought the HYDRA soldiers were bad, it seems like those days were easy compared to this." Steve snorted when Emily said that.

"No kidding."

'Choose! Will you be crushed like Kampê? Or disintegrated like the young telkhines you slaughtered under Mount St Helens? You have spread so much death and suffering, Percy Jackson. Let us repay you!' The winged hags pressed in towards them as Emily raised her sword more, their breath was sour, their eyes were burning with hatred. The demon hags looked like the furies, but Emily knows that this things were worse that furies by far, for the three furies were under control of her father and her. So she has no worries about being attacked by the furies, but this things were wild and she was sure that they could multiply with ease. One of the demons lunged at Steve and he cut the demon in half, suddenly Steve dropped to his knees. There was a bullet hole in his side as well as a couple of other places.

'HYDRA soldier cursed you as they died when you shot them.' Emily went over to Steve to look at the bullet holes, there were a lot of bullet holes and in different areas over his body. Emily has a feeling she would have a similar curse to the one at Steve got, for she also did the same thing as well, but one of them would be lit up on fire from the flame throwers. One lunged and she thought it was going for her but he demon hag lunged at Annabeth instead, Annabeth dodged before stabbing the demon with the dagger that Emily gave to her. The demon turned to dust as Annabeth killed the demon, but Annabeth dropped the dagger before closing her eyes and cried in alarm. Emily raised an eyebrow when Annabeth cried out unlike with Steve or Percy that Annabeth wasn't injured. Her eyes were closed, when she opened them that Emily almost cried out in shock, for her eyes were pure white, she was touching her face looking around wildly.

"I can't see!" Percy ran to Annabeth's side as the arai cackled.

'Polyphemus cursed you when you tricked him with your invisibility in the Sea of Monsters. You called yourself Nobody. He could not see you. Now you will not see your attackers.'

"I've got you." As Percy said that, that Emily helped Steve to stand, it was only Bob and herself that haven't been cursed yet. She wasn't even sure if Bob was cursed, Percy put his arm around Annabeth just like Emily out her arm around Steve, of who looked a bit out of it. A dozen demons leaped for every directions, Bob yelled.

"SWEEP!" His broom went over their head and took care of most of the arai but one got through to Emily. Emily swung her sword and cut the one in half, suddenly she felt like she was being stab from the side. Bleed came from her sides. Thankfully, it missed the child inside of her, Emily clutch at it the wound realizing where it came from. She fell to her knees as the voice spoke up.

'Yes the chimera cursed you before she died.' Many more were coming at them, Emily wasn't sure of how much longer they could hold out. The four of them, at least, were weak when they got down here but they were getting more weaker, than they were before. It seems that Bob was not getting any curses or at least for now, she wondered why that was till Emily realized something. That the dip in the Lethe that Bob took might be considered a curse to the arai, than Percy spoke up.

"Bob, you okay? No curses?"

"No curses for Bob!" The arai snarled and circled as well as eying the broom.

'The Titan is already cursed. Why should we torture him further? You, Percy Jackson, have already destroyed his memory.' Emily panicked, Bob was aware that his memories gone for she told him as such when he saw his brother. But she never told him of how he lost his memories or anything. Bob's spearhead dipped.

"Bob, don't listen to them. They're evil!" Bob turned and looked at Percy, he was paying no heed to Emily or the others.

"My memory … It was you?" The Arai's red eyes were gleaming.

'Curse him, Titan! Add to our numbers!'

"Bob, it's a long story. I didn't want you to be my enemy. I tried to make you a friend." Emily managed to get to her knees as well as Steve and they were holding each other for support.

'By stealing your life. Leaving you in the palace of Hades to scrub floors!'

"Which way? If we have to run?" Emily knew why Annabeth's was saying that. She needed to make sure that Bob understands that it might be true that Percy made him forget his old life but he turned out better for it but Percy went on.

"Bob, listen, the arai want you to get angry. They spawn from bitter thoughts. Don't give them what they want. We are your friends."

'You see his face? The boy cannot even convince himself. Did he visit you, after he stole your memory?' Bob's lower lip quivered.

"No, The other ones did."

"The other ones?" Bob scowled at him, his eyes full of hurt.

"Nico, Rachel. Nico and Rachel visited. Told me about Percy. Said Percy was good. Said he was a friend. That is why Bob helped."

"But …" Emily knew that Percy was starting to feel bad, she stepped towards Bob once she moved away from Steve that she looked up at Bob before she spoke to him.

"Bob, Percy may not have been able to visit. It might also be true that Percy may not thought about you after that. You two were fighting before your memory was gone and you went into the Lethe and your memories were gone. Percy didn't have the heart to kill you, not only that but the arai lied to you for you know that you are more than someone who cleans the palace. Though it took a while for Hades to overlook the fact of what you are or were. But he did make you more welcome after a while didn't he? I always did my best to be honest and open but there things you didn't understand or things I couldn't explain properly. There are things that I was unsure of how to tell you or explain, I did wanted to tell you about this but I was unsure of how to go about it." Emily meant every word she said, for Hades was starting to realize Bob was more than what he was when Bob came along. Hades gave Bob a better room, Emily knows that Hades was thinking of doing something else for Bob later on when Hades got more use to Bob. "I tried to help you realized that you were more than what you seem, Bob. That you could be more than a Titan and that you could be more what you were. You might have been cursed but there are times when something good comes out of curses. In your case, good came out for you are able to decide who and what you want to become, you can go back to what you were or you can become more than what you were and are. Yes, there are the fates and they decide when our journey ends, but it is what we decide is what make us who we are."

Emily always did her best to be honest with Bob since he came to work for her father, Emily did tell him some things and be his friends. She helped Hades see even with the fact that Bob was a Titan by showing him that Bob could be what he wanted if he just accepted of who Bob was now instead of who he was. When Bob found out something that Emily would try to explain it to him and be as open and honest as she could be. That was mostly because Bob seem so childlike as oppose to what he was like before from what she heard of him. Emily never meet him before he lost his memories, it was hard to think of Bob as the Titan he was. Even though she went by two names and appearance, she never lied and she tried to be open and honest. But depending on what it was that Emily would tell whoever asked her not than for Emily may not feel ready to tell them of what they wanted to know or they were not fully ready to know. Emily just told them either wait till they were older or when she was ready, silence followed that statement, it seem that the arai were impatient for the arai attacked. Emily expected that Bob wouldn't stop the arai but she hoped he did, to her surprise and the arai that Bob stopped the arai. Bob slashed back and forth destroying demons one after the other, Percy, Emily and Steve managed to fight with Bob as best as they could while Annabeth learned against a tree.

Emily managed to get poison from a Manitcore and a couple of other curses as well but it seem weird to have that poison in her. However it seem that Percy got a lot of curses since he was upset about what the curses did to Annabeth. Most of the arai were vaporized by the five of them but the smart ones flown off into the darkness shrieking in terror. Emily and Steve didn't look good after the curses hit them but Percy was the worst of the three that got more than two curses. Percy's legs buckle before he fell to the ground on his knees and he grunted while Bob went to Annabeth before carrying over to them. Bob put Annabeth down next to Emily, Emily noticed that Annabeth has a couple of other curses now besides being blind, Bob touched Annabeth's forehead.

"Owie." When Bob brought Annabeth over that Annabeth was fighting against Bob, but she stopped when Bob touched her. Her eyes cleared and returned to her normal gray color.

"Where – what –?" As Annabeth said that, that Emily looked over at Percy of who looked awful, it seems Annabeht realized Percy. "What's wrong with him? What happened?" Annabeth went over to Percy and cradled his shoulder before she wept into his scalp, Emily was close of crying herself. Partly because of Percy but partly because she was glad that Bucky wasn't down here with her and that something like that could happen to him. Thankfully Steve and emiky were not too bad and Bob easily healed them from their curses while Annabeth took Percy's face and kissed him before she tried to wipe his face with her hands of which didn't do much good. Bob was looming over them, Emily looked up at Bob, his face was unreadable, she wondered if what she said had any effect on his memories.

"Lots of curses, Percy has done bad things to monsters."

"Can you fix him? Like you did with my blindness? Fix Percy!" Bob frowned before he picked at the name tag on his uniform like it was a scab. "Bob –"

"Iapetus. Before Bob. It was Iapetus." Emily took a sharp intake of breath, she figured that his memories might be healing but it was clear that his memories were coming back now. The air was still, than Annabeth broke the silence.

"I like Bob better. Which do you like?" Bob regarded Annabeth with his eyes.

"I do not know any more." Emily got up to her feet before touched Bob's hand and he looked at her.

"Bob, I told you can be more than what you are or were, you don't have to be Iapetus. Honestly I think you were better off as Bob than Iapetus. For when you were memories were wiped clean that it allowed you to be who you really were. I never meet you before your memories were gone but I like Bob, he's a good friend, it was also rather nice to have someone to talk to other than Hades and my siblings." Bob smiled weakly when Emily and Annabeth said that, than Bob crouched next to Annabeth and studied Percy, Bob's face looked haggard and careworn as if he felt the weight of all his years that were suddenly thrusted on him.

"I promised, Nico asked me to help. I do not think Iapetus or Bob likes breaking promises." Emily smiled, Emily was sure that Nico asked him to help because Emily was down here as well as the other three. Than Bob touched Percy's forehead.

"Owie, Very big owie." Percy tried to meet Bob's eyes but couldn't for his head lolled against his chest.

"Bob cannot cure this. Too much poison. Too many curses piled up." Steve put his arms around Emily as Annabeth hugged Percy's shoulders. Emily noticed he called himself Bob, maybe he decided to stay as Bob instead of not his old self.

"What can we do, Bob? Is there water anywhere? Water might heal him."

"No water. Tartarus is bad."

"No, No, there has to be a way. Something to heal him." Emily wanted to say or do something but she was unsure of what to say or do at the moment. Bob placed his hand on Percy's chest, than Bob lifted his hand.

"Tartarus kills demigods. It heals monsters, but you do not belong. Tartarus will not heal Percy. The pit hates your kind."

"I don't care, Even here, there has to be someplace he can rest, some kind of cure he can take. Maybe back at the altar of Hermes, or –" Than Emily heard a voice, one that she heard before only a few weeks earlier.

"I SMELL HIM! BEWARE, SON OF POSEIDON! I COME FOR YOU!"

"Polybotes, He hates Poseidon and his children. He is very close now." Emily and Steve went over to Annabeth and helped her with getting Percy to his feet. Percy was rather heavy, Emily hoped that Steve or Bucky don't weigh as much Percy but she has a feeling that they would weigh more than Percy. If Steve was in his pre serum form than Steve would have been easier to carry for Steve was like ninth pounds before the serum was placed in him. When they meet again after fourteen years that Emily was bigger than Steve of which was strange before she left that she was the smaller one of which seems shocking. If anyone say pictures of Steve and Emily, together, during the week during his training that people would wonder how that was. That was because Emily went to camp and was in training for ten years. Plus that first year after the serum that it was odd to see Steve in his serum form, but thinking back on it, it was weird to think of him in his pre serum form. Funny of how things change as the years went on.

"Bob, I'm going on, with or without you, Will you help?" The kitten, Small Bob, meowed and began to purr, rubbing against Bob's chin while Sarah came over to Emily and jumped onto her shoulder. Bob was looking at Percy before he looked at Rachel.

"There is one place. There is a giant who might know what to do." Annabeth almost dropped Percy.

"A giant. Uh, Bob, giants are bad."

"One is good, Trust me, and I will take you … unless Polybotes and the others catch us first." Emit looked at Annabeth.

"He speaks truly, Annabeth, about this one giant. For this giant was the one I brought up earlier."