Hey look, I didn't abandon this fandom. What a surprise!
Warning: Unbeta'd
Disclaimer: If I owned PJO, I wouldn't be asking my aunt for money right now.
Rachel Elizabeth Dare was a very patient person, or at least as patient as someone in her shoes could be. Sure, after everything that happened during the summer, Rachel had gotten, not exactly accustomed, but more like expecting of strange things. After monsters and demons trying to kill her, she settled down into watching more Supernatural than usual, you know, just in case. The only good thing that came out of the whole gods-are-real-and-are-about-to-go-to-war experiance was Percy. Percy, who was late for their planned meeting spot.
Rachel has been standing outside of a little burger joint for half an hour, waiting for him. She tried not be so frustrated with him, considering he was the child of the Prophecy, and him being only 15, who could blame him for being a little late.
Once a little turned into a lot, Rachel became annoyed. She began to tap her fingers against her arm, twirl a curly strand of red hair, pace up and down the sidewalk in front of the joint they agreed to meet at. Before she knew it, Rachel became worried, scared even. What if he was in trouble? What if he was hurt? What if he was, gods forbid, on the brink of death?!
"Rachel!" An out of breath voice called out, snapping her out of her thoughts. The voice was feminine, but familiar. Rachel looked around for the caller.
"Y-yes?" She asked out tentatively. She might have been calling out to a different girl named Rachel. It wasn't that unpopular of a name.
Rachel looked around, a bit confused. She didn't see anybody she recognized.
"Rachel! Thank the gods I found you, I was worried that you might've left since I'm so late, but you really can't blame me..."
Rachel did a double take at the young girl in front of her, talking rapidly and gasping for air at the same time. The girl had long wavy black hair that made Rachel a bit envious, a blue tube top and denim shorts. She looked like she could belong on a magazine. Rachel took a glance at her wrinkled Giants sweatshirt and her ripped jeans. She unconsciously smoothed down her curly red hair, which was tied back with a bandana. She looked homeless compared to this girl.
"...and it was so awkward trying to explain it to my mom and before I knew it she was squealing-"
"Um, excuse me, do I know you?" Rachel asked, interrupting the girl. She blinked, before blushing madly. Her eyes looked oddly familiar.
"Oh, how could I forget," she laughed nervously, her face a flame. "This must be pretty awkward. Um, how can I explain this?"
The girl seemed to be fumbling with her words, as if she didn't know what to say. Rachel couldn't stop looking at her eyes. It was so familiar. What did it remind her of? The better question was, who did it remind her of? Finally it clicked.
"This may seem weird, but I'm, kinda, um, Percy...?" The way she said it sounded like a question.
Rachel blinked. "Percy?" She asked. "Jackson?"
"One and only," Percy laughed awkwardly. "I'm now a...um...girl."
"Oh my god, Percy!" Rachel exclaimed. "What happened? How did you turn? Were you cursed? Who cursed you?"
"I-I don't know," Percy exclaimed, a bit overwhelmed by her questions. "I just woke up a girl. It was horrible."
Rachel didn't know what to feel. Her feelings were contradicting themselves. On one hand, she was worried for Percy. Although she was new to the whole Greek-gods-and-goddesses-are-real-thing, even she knew it was bad if you were cursed. What if something worse happened? What if this was permanent?
On the other hand...
"I always wanted a sister," Rachel mumbled.
"What?" Percy asked, confused.
"Nothing," Rachel said quickly. "Come on, let's go inside."
Inside the burger joint, Rachel and Percy sat across from each other. Rachel was carefully scrutinizing Percy, chewing thoughtfully on a fry. Percy was clearly uncomfortable. She was shifting in her seat and pulling on the sleeves of her leather jacket. She certainly wasn't nervous enough to finish two burgers and a banana milkshake, though.
Percy had just finished explaining exactly what had happened up until now, including the awkward conversation with her mom. Rachel felt embarrassed for her. She couldn't imagine going through all that humiliation, and that conversation with his mom!
"Wow," was all she could say after.
"Yeah."
"Did anyone give you The Talk yet?" Rachel asked curiously. She remembered having The Talk in fifth grade. The Talk itself wasn't awkward, the lady who came in after with sock puppets was. She had nightmares for about a week, along with the irrational fear of sock puppets.
"The Talk?" She asked, puzzled.
Rachel drew in a sharp breath and blushed. Ah hell no, she was not going to be the one giving her The Talk! Percy seemed to understand what The Talk might consist of because she started blushing like mad. They both were, their thoughts most likely heading to Elsewhere.
"How long are you going to stay like this?" Rachel asked quickly, changing the subject.
"I don't know," Percy confessed, looking relieved at the subject change. "It just happened today, so we're just trying to find the goddess who cursed me right now."
Something in Rachel's brain clicked. A somewhat questionable smile emerged on her face. "So you just turned today, eh? Well, that means these are your only sets of clothes, yeah?"
Percy looked at her outfit, not yet understanding where Rachel was heading with this. "Y-yeah, I guess. I got these from the Aphrodite cabin."
"Today is my lucky day," she chuckled. When was the next time she had the opportunity to go shopping and thoroughly embarrass her crush at the mall?
"Huh?"
Without any warning, Rachel pulled her up and shoved her outside the door, leaving leftover fries and burger wrappers on the table. The teenaged employee working there gave Rachel the evil eye. She didn't really care, she was too busy containing her laughter at Percy's bewildered and longing look at the leftover food.
"I wasn't finished," she groaned.
"It's a fever you just can't sweat," Rachel shrugged.
Percy frowned at her. "What?"
"Haha, nothing, come on, let's go, we don't want you to be standing here all awkward," Rachel rambled, pulling her towards a new direction. "Let's go, there are many wonderful places we can go, like the mall. I like the mall. By the way, have you heard the new Panic! song yet..."
"Wait, what do you mean the mall? Rachel, wait!" Percy yanked her hand free. "What are you going on about?"
Rachel smiled mischievously. Percy shivered slightly. "Are you worth your weight in gold?"
"What?"
"Just trust me, Percy. You'll dance to anything, if you know the right song. Show them all you're not the ordinary type. Percy, sweetie, there are some sacrifices you have to make to survive in this world. Going to the mall is one of them. Miss Jackson, where will you be waking up tomorrow morning? The world is filled with doorways of fate, and you need to find the best one. Just don't forget to close the goddamn door."
"You lost me," Percy said, frowning. "What are you talking about?"
Rachel sighed. "Let's go shopping."
"Oh."
It took her a few moments for the information to really sink in. "Oh. Wait, why?"
"Trust me, Percy, I won't make you go anywhere uncomfortable." Rachel undid her bandana and took a step towards Percy. She took a step back.
"W-what are you doing?" She asked nervously.
"I want it to be a surprise," Rachel giggled. This was going to be fun.
She looked around suspiciously, her hands clutching Riptide so hard, she was scared it would break. Her green eyes searched the unfamiliar surrounding, sweat beading on her forehead. Her leather jacket made her hot and stuffy.
Damn it Rachel, she thought annoyed, where are you? This place is very uncomfortable!
If asked, Percy would say that she wasn't scared at all, but in reality, she was terrified. She had never been in such a strange and frightening place before. She felt her face redden, and she cursed her luck for getting lost. This place was way too big.
"Um, excuse me?"
Percy jumped, smothering a screech with her hand. She looked up in surprise when she saw a boy around her age looking at her weirdly. She didn't bother explaining what she was doing on the floor of the Victoria Secrets. She didn't even bother explaining why she held a pen out towards him in a threatening way. She just gaped at him, her face burning. She just couldn't catch a break today
"Do you need help?" He asked, peering at her curiously with hazel eyes.
Percy just blinked.
"A-are you okay?"
Percy was silent.
Mystery Boy was silent.
The entire atmosphere was just getting awkward.
Suddenly, Percy sneezed. That seemed to snap her out of her silence. "Oh gods, I'm so sorry! I didn't realize, I mean I did but I forgot and this is getting awkward but it's not entirely my fault, it's Rachel's..." Percy babbled nervously. She has never been more embarrassed in her entire life. She wished Annabeth was here. She would know what to do.
"Calm down," Mystery Boy cried out, looking about as flustered as Percy felt. He probably also didn't feel comfortable talking in the Woman's Lingerie section of the store. Why did Percy let Rachel drag her here? Oh yeah, she was blindfolded, that's why. Great. "It's fine, but what are you doing here on the floor?"
"What are you doing here?"
Mystery Boy blushed. "I-I...well, my step-sister dragged me here...and I have a car and she needed someone to drive her so..." He scratched the back of his neck nervously.
At least Percy wasn't the only dragged here, although he had a reason not to be here.
"My name's Persephone," Percy said, smiling brightly despite what she was doing only moments before. "Persephone Jacobs."
"Andrew Simmeon," he smiled, his blonde hair falling into his eyes. Percy always wanted hair like that, hair that fell in your eyes just right, without covering your eyes too much. "Or Simmeon-Bobofit, once my mom gets remarried."
Percy felt her stomach turn to ice. "Bobofit?" Why did that name sounds so familiar?
"Yeah, a dumb name, I know. My stepsister-"
"Andrew!" A shrill voice called out, interrupting Andrew.
"No..." Percy whispered, the voice of her nightmares coming to life. It was impossible to forget a voice like that, despite how long it has been.
A shock of red hair and a freckled face was all Percy saw before she let out a screech and a pale plum lingerie fell on her.
Omake:
"What are we doing here?"
"What does is look like?" Luke answered snarkily.
"It looks like we're stalking Jackson."
"We are not!"
"Really?"
Kronos swatted a fly away from him, adding the destruction of flies to his to-do list. Those insects were getting on his last damned nerve. He sighed and leaned back in his chair, running a hand through Luke's-er, I mean, his hair. He was sitting in an outside cafe across the street from where that Jackson kid was currently eating with a redhead. Kronos didn't care about what they were talking about, but unfortunately, Luke did.
"We are not stalking her, we are just observing her movements, like good enemies do."
"So you admit that we are nothing but enemies and you shouldn't think about seeing Jackson as anything but?" Kronos asked. He watched unamused as mortals stared at him, most likely wondering why he was talking to himself. Fools.
"O-of course! What made you think I did?" Luke sputtered indigenously.
What made Kronos think it was a good idea to take over the mind of an adolescent boy? Who's smart idea was that?
"It's because you write sins, not tragedies," Luke remarked. "It can't be helped that I'm the best choice."
Kronos sighed, and lifted his golden eyes to stare at the son of Poseidon. He was currently being pulled by the redheaded mortal. He narrowed his eyes. Didn't she look familiar? Where did he see her from?
"Aw hell no, where is she going with Percy?" Luke screeched outraged. Kronos winced at the sound. "Where is she going with my man- I mean, my enemy?"
Kronos groaned. "I thought you said you didn't think of her like that?"
"It's not my fault," Luke argued. "I see what's mine, I take it. Finders keepers, losers weepers."
"Well, I want to take back the crown. Nothing else matters. So shut up and let's go. They're leaving anyways."
Kronos felt Luke huff in annoyance. One day he'll teach that kid some respect and discipline.
"Wait, they might see us. We should follow them a bit, just in case-"
"Luke!"
"Out the back door-"
"Goddamn-"
"-but I love- I mean hate, her anyway."
A/N: *groans* I should just name this chapter Find The Panic! At The Disco Refrences because this was all it was fucking about! I had to reread this chapter a hundred times, trying to find new places to put Panic! references. Why do I even fucking try? (ButthenewmusicvideobyPanic!issoawesomeandIcan'thelpbuttosingitandOMFGdidyouhearthemusicvideoforVictoriouscomesoutFriday?!)
Anyways, new chapter is new. Sorry for not updating for a while, life (and math homework) caught up with me. Thank you to everybody who reminded me I had to update. Anyways, um, I'm not sure what to write in the A/N. It's Veterens Day and I just want to sleep. Well, maybe I'll update the next time there's no school. Uh, idk, I guess I should just end this. I'll probably add more things in the A/N once my brain is back on my head. If anyone knows where I can add more P!ATD refrences, PM me, or just write it in the comments.
Well, ciao~
Aurelie