AN: Sorry for the long wait on this update, I didn't really have time to write with my schoolwork so a sincere apology to all of you my readers. A big 'thank you' to all of you who faved, followed or reviewed this story. Sadly, like with the other chapters, I can't really promise you a fast update since I'm constantly on a tight schedule, but I will promise you a double update next time. I really appreciate you giving this story a chance and for that alone I love you guys. When I published the first chapter, I really didn't think anyone would read it. FYI, I decided to for Merri and Annabeth to swap places in the encounter with Medusa and it won't be following the movie dialogue to the letter since I think they would react differently to the same situation.
Chapter 5The end of the bus ride went like this: Percy and Annabeth were flirting non-stop (though, they would most definitely deny the whole thing), Merri was listening to some music on her iPod (AC/DCs 'Highway to hell' when they were getting of the bus) and Grover was munching on some Pringles Merri gave him to shut him up. She had nothing against talking but Grover was going on like it was in his job description. She was all too happy when the ride was over.
It didn't take them as long as they thought it would to find 'Aunty Em's Garden Emporium', a couple of hours at most.
''This place definitely needs an extreme makeover,'' said Grover when they got there.
Merri couldn't agree more with him in that moment. There were stone statues of all sizes and shapes around the building and, it seemed, inside as well. The statues seemed very unnerving to her, like there was something bad in the air. Against her instinct, she went in after them as Percy called, ''Hellooooooouh!''
Grover was next. ''Hello?!'' he called. ''Anybody home in Aunty Ville?!''
Aaaand, of course, the first thing they all notice is the fudge. 'Typical.' Merri thought. She was looking around to make sure nothing would surprise them or something. The inside of thiat place looked no less creepy to her than its outside. In fact, it was even creepier, if that was even possible. The only good thing she could see were the fountains which meant there was water here somewhere.
''I don't know about you guys but I'm getting a strange vibe from this place,'' she said as she turned back to face them with her right hand holding the strap of her bag on her shoulder, her hair falling over the said shoulder in a braid she made on the bus. It was more practical, she convinced them when they asked her why she didn't leave her hair down.
Just as she had finished her sentence Grover and Annabeth opened the fridge to find it filled with rats which caused them both to yelp, though Grover more Squeaked like a little girl.
''See?'' she said with a smug look on her face. ''I never knew you were so much in tone with your feminine side, Grover,'' she teased earning herself a sarcastic 'Ha, ha, very funny'.
Grover then pointed to the fridge. ''Now that's nasty. The health department needs to give this place an F,'' he exclaimed as he wiped his hand on his jacket.
The heard Annabeth calling them from the other room. ''Look at this,'' she said pointing to the bronzed fountain next to which she was standing. There was water in it as well as some coins. Merri picked one up to examine to examine ti closer, then seeing that those were no ordinary coins, but rather drachmas. Annabeth herself took out a fistful and showing it to the boys.
''Nice!''
''Those are gold drachmas,'' Merri explained to Percy returning the one she held into the water as he stared at those in Annabeth's hand. ''And as much as I hate to admit it,'' she said ''we're on the right track.''
Annabeth gave the drachmas she was holding to Percy before turning to the elder girl. ''How are we gonna find the pearl in this place?''
''It's a good question,'' Grover commented.
''Okay, let's split up guys,'' Percy suggested ''Check everything.'' Grover and Annabeth nodded and already started their own way.
''Good idea,'' they said.
''Bad idea,'' Merri said stopping them all in their tracks.
''What do you mean 'Bad idea'?'' Percy asked her with a confused expression.
She started explaining without taking her eyes of their surroundings, a feeling something might jump out of the smallest shadow and attack them still present in her chest. ''Look, I'm getting a really weird feeling about this place. Something's in here and its old and dangerous, so that's why I think splitting up is a bad idea. I admit, it would save us the time but it would also leave our backs unprotected. So my suggestion is that, if we really have to split up, at least go in pairs, that way the chances of us getting surprise-attacked are smaller.''
...
They still split up into three groups: Percy and Merri went each by themselves while Annabeth ended up paired up with Grover. Both Percy and Merri claimed it was for their own protection. When the two tried to argue, Percy explained that he could heal himself if need arise and Merri was older than them meaning she probably had more experience in dealing with quests than them, a claim Merri backed given that it was true.
And so, Merri was wandering around alone and looking around for the pearl. She had a feeling, though, that the pearl wouldn't be hidden in an easily accessible place or somewhere obvious. She sure as hell wouldn't admit it but the place was giving her the chills. The statues just looked too real in her opinion.
All of the sudden, a hysterical woman grabbed her shoulder.
''She's coming!'' Merri looked at her with a furrowed brow, keeping one's composure was vital when dealing with people who are hysterical or in shock.
''Who's coming?''
''We stopped,'' the woman sobbed ''to stop for directions, my poor husband!''
''What are you talking about?'' Merri questioned. The woman started pulling her in the direction from which Merri just came.
''Help me! Please, help me!'' the woman sobbed as she pulled her. In the background, Merri heard Grover calling their names.
''We're in trouble!'' 'I told them there was something wrong with this place,' she thought as she continued to be pulled by the hysterical sobbing woman.
''Please, we need to leave before she finds us!'' the woman said. ''She turned my husband to stone!''
'It can't be who I think it is!' Merri thought. The only logical explanation would be one of the Gorgons, namely Medusa, but no one had heard of them in eons.
''We're lost! We'll never leave!'' the woman yelled. She suddenly stopped in her tracks. In front of them stood a woman in black with dark sunglasses and a turban on her head.
''Don't move,'' Merri told the woman as she placed her behind herself as to protect her before turning to the woman in black with a glare.
''Well this is a fabulous surprise.'' Medusa's voice sent chills down her spine but Merri ignored them in an attempt to be braver than she was. She hadn't faced a monster in years and her last battle with one almost cost her grandfather's life. She was only seven and it was on that day that she had discovered she is a demigoddess and it was that day that she had decided to hide her father's identity for as long as she can.
''It's so heartening to have such young visitors,'' Medusa hissed. ''We get so lonely here. Don't we?'' The question may have seemed rhetorical but Merri knew better. She could hear the hiss of her snake-hair hidden under the turban she wore. ''That's why I create my statues, they're my only company.''
''You deserve no company, Medusa,'' Merri hissed back.
''Well, it is certainly nice to see I am recognized by children, daughter of Poseidon!''
''What do you want, snake?!''
Medusa approached her, taking one of the loose strands that had fallen out of her braid while the woman was pulling her. ''You have such beautiful hair.'' The said strand was about the width of two fingers and was ginger with both some black and golden blonde in it. ''I once had hair like that, I was courted,'' Medusa started to circle them. ''Desired by many suitors but that all changed because of Athena, the woman who cursed me,'' Medusa started to take off her turban. ''The woman who turned me into THIS!'' She took it off, her snake hair free.
At the same time Merri slamed her eyes shut and told the woman behind her to do the same so they wouldn't be turned into stone.
''They say the eyes are the window to the soul. I hope you'll find my eyes attractive.''
For as long as she could remember Merri had hated the dark, it was cold and she never felt safe in it. The only reason why she liked the night was for the moon and the stars that shined on their black canvas. She was glad that she could still hear where Medusa was due to the hissing of her hair, which gave her at least some sense of orientation.
''It's so rude not looking people in the eyes. Come on, sneak a peek.''
Suddenly, the woman's grip on her arm turned vicelike and Merri knew then that the woman had not been able to resist the temptation of looking. She was turned to stone just like her husband had been. Merri felt sorry for them but she had both her and her companion's lives to protect and, right now, she had to do anything in her power to stall Medusa for as long as she could in hopes of giving Percy, Annabeth and Grover a chance to get away even if it cost Merri her life.
''You'll make a wonderful addition to my colection.''
''Funny,'' Merri scoffed ''I'd always thought I was unique and not a part of a set.''
''You'll be friends forever,'' Medusa hissed right into her ear.
''No thanks, I already have enough friends.'' In her head, Merri prayed to whoever was out there that the others have found a way out and wee somewhere safe.
Merri felt slight tugging on her braid and it being untied and let to flow down her back, shoulders and over her face. She felt something moving the hair out of her face before she hears Medusa hissing in her ear: ''Sooner or later, you'll open your eyes. Tempted?''
Merri merely raised an eyebrow. ''Not really.''
''The temptation to look is too hard to resist.''
From somewhere Merri heard Percy shout at her: ''Don't look, Merri! Don't open your eyes!''
A wave of panic coursed through her. 'They are still here! Why are they still here?! They should've left the moment they realized Medusa was here! What are they thinking?! She will turn them to stone!'
''Who's that?'' Medusa hissed. Merri was seriously starting to wonder if all she could do was hiss instead of speak normally. ''Another demigod?'' The hissing could be heard farther away meaning Medusa was chasing after Percy. Merri dared to crack open her eyes and saw that Medusa was nowhere near. Hurriedly, she wretched her arm free from the statue's grasp.
Grover and Annabeth showed up, both gasping for breath.
''Are you alright?'' Annabeth grasped her shoulder.
''Yeah, I'm fine but Percy won't be if we soon don't do something. Here,'' she gave her bag to Annabeth ''take this and go outside. I'll go after Medusa and help Percy. '' She turned and started when she was stopped by Grover's hand gripping her wrist.
''And what about you?''
Merri shook her head. ''I'm not important; I'm just a stranger tagging along to you. You two, on the other hand, are important in this quest and Percy will need you both to free his mother and sort this mess out so I need you two to remain safe, alright?'' Begrudgingly, they both agreed and went in the direction they believed would take them outside. When they left Merri cracked her neck and fingers. ''And now, to hunt ourselves a snake.''
Jogging through the maze of plants and statues, she listened intently for the familiar sound of snake hissing. While she was running, she turned her celestial bronze charm bracelet into its sword mode. In this form the blade looked like a cross between a katana and a rapier with its special blade and handle shape. Merri came to an abrupt stop once she was able to hear Medusa. It seemed that she has managed to catch up to Percy.
''I hear you have the Lightning Bolt. May I see it?''
Merri used her blade to look around the corners and saw that Medusa was holding Percy by the collar of his jacket, her snake-hair hissing violently.
''I don't have it!'' Percy insisted. His eyes were tightly shut and Merri could only pray he could keep them that way until she came up with something to help him out of this mess.
''Let me see your eyes,'' Medusa tried to lure him in. ''I hear they are bluer than the Circassian Sea! Open them, or my hungry babies will have to open them for you. But it would be such a pity to destroy such a young, handsome face. Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look.'' It seemed Medusa's hissing had come to have some effect because Percy suddenly relaxed his face and turned to face her. It seemed he was going to open his eyes!
''Oh no,'' Merri whispered before shouting from her hiding place: ''Don't listen to her Percy! Don't open your eyes!'' She could see Medusa's head snap in the general direction of her voice.
A loud noise erupted from around them and then the red pickup truck they saw outside burst inside sending debris of crushed statues and fountains all around, some parts even hitting Medusa separating her from Percy and sending her to the floor. At the wheel, Merri could see a terrified Annabeth with her eyes shut and an equally scared Grover on the passenger seat.
''Are you okay?'' Annabeth asked him to what he replied with an excited voice: ''Wooh, yeah, I'm okay!''
Merri shook her head at the two younger teens before rushing to Percy's side but he was nowhere to be seen. Medusa was getting up, he furious eyes and snake-hair scanning for any trace of them.
''Children of Poseidon,'' she hissed before finding Percy's cellphone in the dirt. When she got up to examine it further, Percy stalked up behind her while she wasn't looking and decapitated her.
''Heads up,'' he said and swung his sword as her head fell onto the ground with her snake-hair still moving around. ''Hey guys,'' he called to Annabeth and Grover as he banged on the hood of the pickup they were coming out. Merri, too, came out of her hiding place and fastening her bracelet back on her wrist after she returned it to that form.
Grover had a huge grin plastered on his face. ''Annabeth, that was great, great demigod driving!'' They fist-bumped as she smiled.
Percy turned to Merri with a confused look and said as he gestured to Medusa: ''Before I killed her she called us 'children of Poseidon'. You have anything you want to explain to us?'' Both Annabeth and Grover stopped smiling and turned to her with their own looks of confusion.
Knowing she had nowhere to run form this and that they would find out sooner or later she sighed and looked them all in the eye with her own sea-green eyes, the exact same shade as Percy's. ''She called you and me children of Poseidon because we are them. She called us that because we have the same father.'' She even managed to surprise herself with how calm she was. To be honest, she had half expected herself be so nervous that she wouldn't be able to talk, but here she was telling them the very identity of her father, a secret she'd been hiding for the last eleven years.
''Wait a second!'' Grover yelled before pointing a finger at Merri. ''You too are Poseidon's kid?!''
She nodded. ''Yeah. But look, we don't have time for my explanations. We need to get find the pearl and get out of here .Time is slowly running out and we need to free Percy's mom from Hades and go to Olympus to convince Zeus that Percy didn't steal the Bolt. I'll explain everything once we got to someplace safe tonight.'' She gestured to Medusa's severed head. ''We should probably take the head with us as well, it could come in hand.''
''The head?'' It seemed that they had managed to recover from the slight shock and Grover was simply disgusted at Merri's suggestion to bring the head. ''Naw men, that's sick!''
''If you open the eyes, they still work, dead or alive,'' Annabeth explained. ''You never know when something like that might come in handy.''
''Yeah, you're right. But I'm not touching it.''
''Just take off you jacket, man,'' Percy told him. ''We'll wrap it up when we get some ice.''
Grover gave him a killing look. ''Why do I gotta take off my jacket?''
''Because you're the protector.'' The deadpan tone that Percy used and the look that Grover gave him almost got Merri laughing but she managed to keep her posture and stoic look on her face.
''Yeah, you're right. I am the protector,'' Grover agreed taking off his jacket and continuing ''so I'm gonna give you my hoodie, not my jacket! Okay?''
Grover gave the hoodie to Percy who proceeded to wrap the head in it and throw it into Grover's waiting hands who kept complaining about it all being disgusting all the while. 'Such a baby,' Merri thought as she rolled her sea-green eyes at the junior protector. Something shiny from Medusa's corpse caught her eye at the same time as Percy said, ''Hey guys,'' gesturing at the golden bracelet with a large shining green pearl on Medusa's wrist that poked from the sleeve of her black leather coat. ''One down, two to go.''
Merri turned to Annabeth. ''Hey, could you tell me where you put my bag?''
The girl nodded. ''Yeah, I put it in the truck.'' She gestured towadrs the black bag in the middle of the front seat.
Merri nodded and smiled at the younger girl. ''Thanks.'' She took the bag and opened it rummaging for her wallet. Grover noticed her almost frantic search.
''What're you looking for in there?''
''I'm looking for my wallet,'' she answered with a concentrated furrow of her brow. The younger teens exchanged looks of confusion. ''My driver's license is in there,'' Merri explained ''I'm not sure about you but I'm the only, call it, 'adult' here so I'm responsible for you and I'm absolutely positive none of you can drive a car.''
Once she found the said license, they all cramped up in the front seat with Merri behind the wheel and drove away from Medusa's lair. They'd been driving for about an hour, the sun was already starting to set, in search for a motel or somewhere else they could spend the night when Annabeth started up the conversation while holding the pearl and examining it.
''Would've been nice if Luke had warned us about Medusa,'' she said. Merri didn't like her implying tone; she made it look like Luke was trying to set them up or something. He was Merri's friend; she knew he would never do something like that to her or any of the others.
''Maybe he just didn't know,'' Merri and Percy said at the same time. Grover gave them both and excited look.
''Now I'm definitely sure you two are related. You're already finishing each other's sentences!''
Percy frowned as he looked at Merri from his seat. ''You never really told us how we have the same dad. I was told I was Poseidon's only living demigod kid at the time. Why didn't Chiron tell me I had an older sister?''
Merri kept her eyes focused on the road. ''He didn't tell you because he didn't know. Nobody did. Not even my mom knows my dad's true identity. Like I told you earlier, I'll explain it all once we've found a safe place to spend the night.''
Grover decided to turn the matter on another subject. ''Okay, GPS for the gods, where to next?''
Percy pulled the map from his bag under his legs. The truck's cabin was a quite tight fit but there was nothing they could do about it. ''Let's see...'' Annabeth and Grover leaned over to better see the destination on the map. ''The Parthenon in Nashville?'' Percy said while looking at the map.
Grover got an annoyed look on his face. ''Nashville? Oh, great,'' he said with a sarcastic tone. ''Home of my least favorite music!''
''Yeehaw,'' Merri added. She hated country music as well.