~ Wheels on the Bus Go Boom Boom Boom ~

CHLOE

Unlike many other demigods, as well as her best friend, Chloe's dreams are usually quite pleasant. She dreams about being with the Hunt, everyone around the campfires laughing and telling stories, enjoying the meals she made for them. Sometimes she's sprinting through the woods alongside them, hunting for their next prey.

This time, she was having a lovely dream, or rather, a memory… a snowball fight with Saphira and the other hunters. It was the day that her friend really started to show she was coming out of that darkness that had nearly consumed her, and she treasured that memory ever since. She and her were laughing, smiling, having fun… that is until she found herself being jostled awake by some sudden movement.

"Chloe, wake up! We have only two hours before the bus gets here!" Saphira is nudging her in a not-so-gentle manner, making Chloe groan in complaint. It's not that she's lazy or anything, but who in their right mind likes waking up like this?

"Seriously, Saph! I love you to the moon and back, but please," Chloe complains, pushing Saphira off her. "Can you at least be gentle when you wake me up?"

Saphira's cheeks tinge red with some light embarrassment. "Sorry, but we need to pack up and be ready to leave. Perseus and Annabeth are still asleep and we need to wake them too."

With a covered yawn, Chloe arches her back as she stretches her limbs. She then sits up, but apparently she's moving too slow for her friend.

"Come on. Let's wake them- hrk!"

Chloe interrupts the Hesperide by yanking her back from unzipping the tent and trapping her in her arms. Saphira squeaks in protest and tries to break free, but Chloe somehow manages to keep her restrained while also turning her in their struggle so that their eyes meet.

"Saph, remember our talk last night? Relax. Deep breath, and chill. You're way too excited right now," she says.

Saphira frowns at her, ceasing her struggle. "But I am relaxed."

Chloe scoffs and shakes her head, amused that Saphira clearly doesn't even realize her state. "You haven't even changed out of your sleepwear, and you were about to go charging outside like this."

She nods towards Saphira's chiton and the Hesperide blushes once again.

"Oh," is all she says in a small voice.

Chloe chuckles and finally lets go of her. "Let's get dressed first. Then we'll go outside and wake the others."

The two of them begin to get dressed. White, long-sleeved shirts and silver-camouflage pants for the two of them, with Chloe slipping on a sleeveless silver, sleeveless jacket and Saphira her silver, thigh-length cloak.

"You don't want to braid your hair first?" Chloe asks her, gesturing at her dark locks.

Saphira reaches up to run a hand through them, frowning. She'd adopted the long braid style from Zoe, showing her pride to be kin and friend to the former lieutenant. It was rare that she ever had her hair loose.

"Maybe later," Saphira admits. "Let's get packed first so we can get ready for that bus."

They rise and emerge from the tent together, stepping into the early afternoon rays of the sun. The park is alive with mortal activity. Couples and families walk the paths or gather at the picnic tables. Children play in the grass while some groups of teens are busy with games of sports. None seem to notice them. The trees do their job well and give them enough cover to remain hidden from any curious eyes.

Lykos pads over to greet the pair as they emerge, happily brushing himself against them with a soft mumble of hello. Chloe catches a brief scratch on his ear before he moves on to sit beside their tent. The couple seems to still be absent, indeed still asleep inside their own tent as Saphira had said.

"Percy! Annabeth!" Chloe calls to them while Saphira shrinks their tent into its cylinder. "Wakey, wakey, you two! It's almost time to leave!"

The response is quick. Their tent rustles and jostles from within and a moment later, Annabeth pokes her head out from the flap.

"Just a minute!" She hisses before disappearing back inside.

Chloe and Saphira exchange a glancing expression of knowing amusement and suspicion. Chloe wonders if as a child of the god of truth, she could have some way of knowing what they were really up to in there.

A minute passes and true to her word, wisdom's daughter and the son of the sea emerge from their tent almost hastily. Their clothes look slightly rumpled. Percy's hair seems far more disheveled than usual, and Annabeth's golden curls don't look as tidy as they normally do. Chloe can't help the smirk crawling onto her face as she clicks in mock disapproval.

"You know, you two look awfully disheveled. Did you get enough sleep last night?" She asks them, trying to keep an innocent tone despite her smirk

Annabeth's cheeks turn pink while Percy develops a sudden interest in the ground.

"We didn't do anything," she quickly replies. Chloe thinks she hears some dishonesty there. Perhaps she does have a bit of a gift for detecting truth. However, she doesn't need a gift to determine that Annabeth isn't being entirely honest when she fluffs out her hair in a flushed manner, and Chloe gets a glimpse at the small dark mark on her neck.

"So I guess that mark on your neck was from nothing," she says.

Annabeth's stormy gray eyes go wide as her hand flies to her neck to feel it. She whirls around on Percy with an accusing expression and tone.

"I told you not to leave a mark!" she cries.

Percy stuffs his hands into his pockets with a sheepish shrug and grin to match. "I didn't hear you complaining about it when I made it!"

"You-" Annabeth slugs him in the shoulder and although she clearly held a lot back, Percy flinches away, his grin failing to leave. She turns back on the hunters. "Okay fine! We just kissed some and cuddled! We didn't go any further than that!"

"Hey, I'm not judging. Also, not that this is super important or anything, but there's a second flap that you can zip up on the tent that will magically make it soundproof from the inside," Chloe tells them.

Saphira is attempting to hold back a grin as she finally speaks, having been brushing Lykos' scalp. "Chloe, leave them be. Their romantic activities in the dark are not something we as hunters should be discussing."

She then makes a pointed look at Percy.

"Just remember. Lady Artemis has high expectations from you as the man who earned her respect. I suggest you take great care in not losing that," she warns with a soft laugh. "Treat Annabeth well."

"Artemis can rest easy. I'll be the one keeping him on his toes," Annabeth declares, glaring at her boyfriend while gesturing to the mark on her neck. Her glare fails to intimidate him as he simply sweeps her up into his arms, twirling her with a kiss before he sets her back down.

"I love you," is all he says in reply, and that seems to be all he needs to say to make the gray-eyed girl melt against him with a happy sigh.

Chloe shakes her head in amusement, and in doing so, notices Lykos staring at the couple intently, though she can tell right away that he seems to not really be seeing them. His gaze seems to be lost to somewhere else and his thoughts with it. There's something else, like curiousity or wistfulness or… or longing.

Then there it is. A single small tear that escapes his eye.

While there's a lot they still don't know about him and his past, one of the things they do know is that Lykos had loved someone at some point. Who she is or what happened to her, is unclear as he never seemed to want to dwell on it long enough for them to interpret his communication. But what was obvious was that something tragic occurred and it scarred him deeply.

And right now, he seems to be remembering her.

Chloe gently nudges Saphira and gestures with her chin down at him. Saphira frowns and looks down to him, immediately picking up on his feelings as she strokes his ear. Lykos quickly wipes at his eye with his paw, hastily rubbing away the tear, and then proceeding to act like nothing had happened. He pads away, throwing a gruff woof over his shoulder at them, as if telling them to get moving.

Neither Chloe nor Saphira fall for his act as they exchange concerns.

'I will talk to him later,' Saphira mouths to her. Chloe nods in response. He'll come around and open up when he's ready.

"Alright. Pack up your tent and we'll eat before we go to the bus," the Hesperide says as she clasps her hands together.

The couple packs up and the party sits down to have their first meal of the day. Chloe wishes she could cook a full meal for all of them. Not that their dried meats, nuts, and fruits aren't good, but they don't beat freshly cooked meals.

"While I would love to eat these all myself, my mom told me to share it with you guys," Percy pipes up while lifting the bag of cookies that his mother had given him.

Annabeth is the first to receive one, followed by Saphira, then Chloe, and finally Lykos. The wolf holds the cookie between his paws, seeming content to lick and nibble on it. Chloe and Saphira take their first bites together.

Despite the fact that they were baked yesterday, the taste is still so fresh and good that it feels as if they were fresh out of the oven. Chloe closes her eyes, humming in delight as the chocolate chips melt in her mouth, before reopening them to share a smile with her friend.

Saphira seems to have completely fallen in love with the treat, looking at Percy with nothing but appreciation.

"Your mother is truly gifted and I adore her," she declares. "I don't think I'll ever be able to not have one of these again."

Percy chuckles as he enjoys his own cookie. "You, Chloe, and Lykos are all welcome to come by the apartment any time. I'm sure my mom would love to make you cookies every time."

"I wish we had ovens back home with the Hunt," Chloe sighs. "I would love to be able to bake things like this for the girls. I'll have to try to convince Artemis to let me have one."

"How is life with the Hunt?" Annabeth asks. "I'd ask Thalia about it, but I haven't gotten to see much of her the past couple years."

"It's great! Times can be tough and trying, but we always manage to pull through it together. It's exhilarating to be able to run with Artemis and the girls. No truer sense of freedom," Chloe says.

"Is Thalia handling it well, being the lieutenant?"

This time, Saphira replies. "She is a fine lieutenant. Strong physically and mentally, and she cares for us. She got us through the war with Lycaon."

"Plus, she has some incredible next-of-ranks to help her," Chloe adds, gently nudging Saphira.

"Next-of-ranks?" Annabeth asks.

"Girls who are the 'leaders' of each of our units. Trackers, trappers, healers and so on. They are the best of each unit," Chloe explains to her. "Saphira here is a next-of-rank, the best fighter in the Hunt… which is funny since she's always the one getting her-"

"Chloe!" Saphira protests, but Chloe only grins at her with a giggle. The Hesperide glares at her for a moment before going on to change the subject. "If we're all done eating, then I say it's time to head for the bus."

. . . . . .

Only ten minutes after packing camp and having lunch, the gang now finds themselves waiting to board their bus. Aside from the five of them, there are a few other passengers waiting as well. A middle-aged woman, an older man, and a young couple that appears to be only a few years older than Percy or Annabeth.

Nobody has seemed to pay them much mind, which Chloe is grateful for. The less attention they draw to themselves, the better. It's nearing four o'clock and the late afternoon sun is already beginning to set. By the time they get to Springfield, it'll be dark.

"Please have your tickets ready when you board!" blares a voice over an intercom from the station. As this is said, a bus pulls into the boarding zone with whining brakes as it comes to a halt. The door folds open and the passengers begin to climb on, with each one presenting their ticket to the driver before they continue on to find their seats.

"Just let me do the talking," Annabeth hisses at them just before it's their turn. Before anyone can ask what she means, the wisdom child steps up onto the bus. The driver looks at her first, then past her at the waiting wolf with them.

"Cute pup, kid, but I can't allow pets on board," the driver says.

"Well, I suppose it's a good thing that Rex here isn't a pet. He is my service animal. I suffer from a traumatic stress disorder and I can be prone to anxiety attacks. Rex is the only thing that can keep me calm and help me through my condition," Annabeth replies with an assertive tone.

The driver raises a brow. "You got any papers for that?"

For a moment, Chloe thinks they're screwed, but Annabeth doesn't miss a beat.

"By decree of the ADA, I am not obligated nor required to display documentation that prove my animal is certified, trained or license as a service animal," she declares, and then crosses her arms. "If you insist on preventing a person with PTSD from boarding with their service animal, then I'm sure your superiors will be happy to discuss it further."

The driver sighs and waves her on. "I'm not paid enough to deal with that. Go ahead and find a seat. Just make sure your dog doesn't cause trouble."

"I can assure you he will be well-behaved. Thank you," Annabeth replies before moving on into the aisle with Chloe and the others right behind her. The only one who decided to give the driver a parting blow was none other than Lykos, who scores a direct hit on the driver's face with a swish of his tail.

"Agh! God damn it, my mouth was open!" the driver curses, but he makes no further complaint as he rolls the door shut behind them.

They take their seats near the back of the bus. Chloe and Saphira sit together with Percy and Annabeth across from them, while Lykos rests in the aisle.

"Nice one. Did you come up with that on the spot?" Chloe asks the wisdom child.

Annabeth smiles and brushes her hair behind her ear. "No, I thought of it last night since I figured they would probably have a problem with Lykos."

"Poor Lykos. We'll have to figure out how to get you back into your human form so we can avoid this in the future," Saphira says as she rubs the wolf's head. He only grunts as a reply.

The bus then begins to move, whistling as the tires grind and turn as they pull away from the station. Chloe leans back in her seat, readying herself for the ride to Springfield.

For about two hours, the two pairs conversed individually of each other, while Lykos simply lay idle between them. Chloe and Saphira talked about camp and how much they miss their wilderness home, revelling in the thought of how they would be able to relax back in the comfort of their own tent. Chloe misses being able to sit around a fire with the other girls, after having just cooked them all a fresh, warm meal to battle the chilly temperatures.

She's never really been one for going on adventures like most of the other hunters. While she certainly knew how, she rarely did much hunting herself, be it for prey or for monsters. She rarely went on missions and when she did, she was just making sure everyone was well and healthy. Battles are another thing. She's seen quite a few. The Battle of Manhattan, and of course, the battle against Orion and Lycaon's forces last year, among other events… and she decided she saw enough.

Perhaps that influenced her path as a healer. She'd rather care for her fellow warrior than witness them die on the battlefield.

Chloe's shared thoughts with Saphira are interrupted when Annabeth decides to interject for their attention.

"Hey, since we're close to Springfield, I figure now is the perfect time to share a plan I've been forming," she says. In her lap is some kind of device; a tablet, which she turns to show them a screen of an image looking down on a city from above. "This is a satellite image of Calvary Cemetery. This is where the gorgon sisters will be handing Asteria off to higher-ups."

"I thought demigods couldn't use modern electronics or monsters would track them," Saphira says.

Annabeth nods. "That's right, but that's more for cellphones. Besides, I had this specially made for me by the Hephaestus kids, so it's extra safe. Anyway, based on what we know, this is extremely important to them that they succeed, which means they will want to hand her off quick. At the same time, they won't want mortals around to see some suspicious people just handing off a little girl and leaving."

"Mortals aren't as troublesome as they are for us, but still. They don't want any hindrances," Percy adds.

"Exactly, so I'm assuming that they will do the hand-off somewhere that's less noticeable to the public, but also close to the parking lot where they can quickly drive off from," Annabeth continues. She points to a spot on her tablet map. "Here. It's well within the first gravestone field, behind the main building where most people wouldn't see them, but it's also near the parking lot. Trees are everywhere, but the closest and most dense clump is here. We can set up in this clump so we can hide while having a view of the field where they're most likely to make the exchange."

Chloe is far too impressed to even make a comment, just stunned by her fellow blonde's thinking power. She exchanges a look first with Saphira, who judging by her expression, is thinking the same thing. Then they both look at Percy.

"She's incredible," Chloe says, causing Annabeth to straighten her posture with beaming pride while Percy grins and nods.

"In every way imaginable," he says, looking at his girlfriend with a look that can only be described as lovestruck.

"I fear we would be lost without you," Saphira adds.

Annabeth blushes and waves them off. "Okay, okay, stop! You're all too sweet."

Saphia smiles, then turns serious again as she regards the map. "It seems like a solid plan, but we should devise a way to keep tabs on the rest of the cemetery park should they end up meeting in a different spot."

"Agreed," Annabeth says. "But it may be tricky. We are a small group. It's a lot of ground to cover with just the five of us, and if we spread ourselves too far, then we leave a lot of room open for something to happen to any of us."

Chloe remembers that she has a card to play, one she used yesterday when they were investigating the warehouse.

"I think I can keep us covered in that regard," she offers. "I can summon Anita again once we are there. She can be our eyes in the sky and alert us if Asteria happens to be elsewhere."

"Your falcon? That'll do," Annabeth says.

"We'll need to be up early too. We don't want to risk missing them by time," Percy says.

"In that case, I guess we should try to get some more sleep. I know we already slept most of today but we'll need all the energy we can get," Saphira says.

Unfortunately for them all, sleep isn't going to be an option.

"Damn bikers coming up on me again!" the driver complains. "They're always making me late on my schedules!"

Curious, Chloe leans up and turns to see over the back of her seat, out of the rear window of the bus. The sun is deep into its set. The highway is dimly lit, but the headlights of the vehicles far back behind them is enough to illuminate the road to see almost a dozen riding figures closing in on the bus. However, on a first glance, it's easy to tell that they are no biker gang. Chloe feels her chest grow heavy with irritation as she sinks back into her seat with a sigh. Apparently it was too much to ask for a peaceful, unhindered ride to Illinois.

"What is it?" Saphira asks her.

Chloe looks at her as she prepares her bow for combat and replies. "Centaurs."

Saphira's eyes narrow and she too draws her bow. Lykos is up from the floor in an instant and heading to the back of the bus where he leans up to peer outside. His mane begins to bristle and a low growl builds in his throat.

"The Party Ponies?" Percy asks as he turns around to see.

"Unlikely. The Party Ponies don't have horns," Chloe says.

"They're rogues," Saphira growls. "I mentioned that I was attacked by them when I was telling you about my past."

Percy and Annabeth unsheathe their swords while the former activates his shield.

"Why would rogue centaurs be chasing us? How did they even know we were taking this bus?" Annabeth mutters as she takes point behind her boyfriend and his shield.

"If I had to take a guess, word is out that we are searching for Asteria. Also, Perseus does have a pretty strong scent," Saphira says.

"Hey!" the sea child protests.

"Your demigod scent, Percy," Chloe clarifies. "You're a Big Three kid."

Percy blinks and then curses under his breath. "Had to be a Big Three kid… no offense, Dad."

Chloe and Saphira move to the back of the bus alongside Lykos, where they both nock arrows to their strings and kneel so that they can peek without exposing themselves too much. The centaurs are at full gallop, fanned out to take up much of their side of the road. They're covered in war paint and sport small horns from their skulls. These are indeed the rogue breed, different to Chiron or the Party Ponies. Many of them wield bows and arrows, though a few ride with spears or clubs. All of them look hungry for violence. As if that wasn't enough…

"They have riders," Saphira hisses and points out a few of the horse-bodied men. Chloe follows her pointing and notices that some of the centaurs are carrying passengers; dog-headed beasts with humanoid bodies. Chloe recognizes them on sight.

"Cynocephali," she murmurs. They are a tribe of savage monsters from India and Africa, recruited by that mad augur from New Rome to attack Camp Half-blood. That war is over and done with, so what are they doing here? Chloe tips her chin to Saphira. "What's the plan?"

"I was thinking we put down every last one of them," the Hesperide replies with a tone that tells Chloe she is being dead serious.

"Works for me," Percy agrees.

The centaurs that wield bows load them and prepare their aim for the back of the bus. Chloe is already ducking by the time Annabeth calls it out and the next moment, the wide rear window explodes inward from the force of their large arrows. Several of the projectiles whistle past to embed themselves in the seat or bounce off the exterior of the bus. The other passengers on board cry out in fright and duck under their seats.

"Everybody stay down!" the driver calls. He swerves a bit, startled by an arrow that just narrowly missed him. "Stay down! They have guns!"

The mortals clearly have no idea what's actually happening as the Mist alters their interpretation of what they are seeing, but that doesn't make it any less terrifying for them as they scream and cry out their fright.

Meanwhile, Chloe and Saphira are already set to take their turn and fire back.

"Now!" Saphira declares, and she and Chloe both pop up to quickly take aim and release their arrows. Chloe picks the nearest centaur to her side and lets her arrow fly, scoring a perfect hit in the centaur's chest. He lets out a choked neigh as his galloping legs give out, and he topples head over hooves as he dissolves into dust. Another centaur falls the same way from Saphira's shot, and both girls duck back down again to avoid the next volley.

They peek again for another shot, this time downing a centaur and its cynocephalus rider with Chloe's shot, and a fourth centaur with Saphira's. This time, the enemy doesn't fire in a volley, but continuous, unrelenting shooting of arrows, keeping the gang pinned.

"Can't get a shot like this!" Chloe snaps, ducking her head as an arrow bounces off the sill of the window over her.

"They're going to waste their ammunition!" Saphira growls. "What are they doing?!"

Annabeth is the one who seems to figure it out as her gray eyes widen. "They're flanking us!"

Chloe leans just far enough to peer out the window on her side, and sure enough, spots a few centaurs and their riders galloping up alongside the bus, while others do the same on the other side. They're going to try to board them!

"Percy, Lykos! Don't let them board!" Chloe cries just as the cynocephali leap from their centaurs to the sides of the bus, smashing in the windows in preparation to crawl through.

Lykos is the first to respond, bounding away from them to attack the closest of the boarding cynocephalus. He snaps his jaws on the head of the dog-man and shoves it right back through the window to splatter on the road. Percy takes the next closest invader, stabbing it in the chest with his sword before kicking it off the bus. Others are there to replace them, smashing their way in through other windows. Their size makes it difficult for them to enter easily, but there are many and if they don't get rid of them, they'll be in serious trouble.

Chloe quickly peeks their pursuers again, shooting one in the head. His flailing body trips up the legs of another centaur, making her single shot count for two enemies down. A spear suddenly pops through the bus from the rear between her and Saphira, making both girls yelp in surprise.

Things quickly begin to take a turn for the worse as a commotion at the front of the bus catches their attention. A centaur and its cynocephalus rider have ridden up alongside the driver's window, pulling the screaming, thrashing man through.

"Annabeth, the driver!" Saphira yells and the blonde charges to the front, but she's too late to save their driver from being yanked out. Instead she swiftly stabs the dog-man before piling into the driver's seat, taking the wheel with a jerk to the side. The bus veers left and plows the centaur over, before she gets them back on their side of the road.

"Keep them off me!" Annabeth calls. Chloe looks to Saphira, who briskly nods.

"Cover her! I'll deal with the rest of them back here!" she growls, fitting another arrow to her string. Keeping herself crouched low to avoid getting shot in the back, Chloe hurries away from the rear window to join Annabeth at the front.

Lykos and Percy are still doing their work of keeping the enemy flankers from boarding, slashing, stabbing, kicking, and throwing off any attackers that attempt to board. Chloe squeezes past them, reaching the front of the bus just in time to fire an arrow into the eye of a cynocephalus that was breaking the windshield open.

"Thanks!" Annabeth exhales, gripping the steering wheel tight.

"Don't mention it," Chloe replies as she reloads her bow with her head on a swivel.

It is utter chaos on the bus. Almost all the windows are broken. Their driver is gone. The passengers are cowering below their seats, screaming in terror at whatever images the Mist is befuddling their minds to see. Arrows of the enemy bounce off the exterior with a few whistling into the windows. Percy and Lykos battle fiercely to keep the cynocephali from boarding. Saphira is still at the back of the bus, returning fire on their pursuers and from up here at the front, there is no way for Chloe to tell how many she has left to deal with.

"Eight o'clock!" Annabeth cries, alerting Chloe to the centaur that has just galloped up alongside them. The horse-man is taking aim at the daughter of Athena, but before he can hurl his spear, Chloe leans back to get a bead on him from the passenger window behind Annabeth and takes him out with a shot to the collarbone. The centaur wheezes as he collapses into a tumbling cloud of dust, but while she was focused on him, Chloe fails to notice the cynocephalus behind her, hanging on the side of the bus to rip off the door.

She whirls around in time to just barely avoid the slash of his wickedly curved sword and retaliates with a swift upwards kick to his dog-headed beast yelps and almost falls backward out of the bus, stopping his demise by dropping his sword so that he can catch himself on the doorframe. Chloe swings her bow at his hand with a hard crack, making him yelp and release. Once again he catches himself, this time on a windowframe with his flailing legs slamming into Chloe so hard that she's sent flying, almost right out of the windshield.

"Holy-" Chloe nearly curses. She's hanging upside down in front of the bus, halfway out of the windshield with just her legs as her lifeline. Casting a quick, nauseating glance down, she's met with the roar of the bus's engine by her ears, along with the sight of the blurring asphalt racing past below her. If she were to fall… well, they would have scrape whatever was left off the road and tires for her funeral cremation.

Luckily, her fellow blonde is there to pull her back up to safety. Somehow managing to keep control of the bus, Annabeth reaches out to grab her hand and haul her in. Chloe's heart in hammering in her chest at nearly getting splattered.

"That was scary!" she remarks with a heaving breath.

Her relief is short-lived. The cynocephalus has managed to crawl back into the bus through the window, now standing in the aisle before her. Chloe's bow is on the floor between them, and while he's also lost his sword… his teeth and claws are still gruesome weapons. The dog-man drools as he bares his teeth in a snarl, imposing himself over her as if daring her to try to snatch her bow. She's about to opt for her knives, when suddenly the dog-man lurches toward her, falling short and flat on his face with an angry Lykos tearing at his back.

The cynocephalus yelps in pain and fury as the struggle ensues, with him rolling onto his side to fight back. Lykos is fierce and relentless, snapping and clawing like a demon while the cynocephalus battles to get to his feet. The two growl and thrash with each other, sending blood and fur flying until the dog-man manages to throw the wolf down onto the floor and buy himself some breathing room, but Lykos isn't going to give up so easily.

Chloe keeps clear as the wolf turns away from her to face his opponent once again, wasting no time in launching another attack. The cynocephalus with his humanoid stance is taller, but that doesn't deter Lykos from rearing up on his hind legs to meet him in a clash of fangs. It's only a matter of seconds before the Guardian of the Hunt overpowers his foe, killing him with a vicious, ripping bite to the throat.

Closer to the center of the bus, Percy is finishing the last of the cynocephali, blocking a sword swing with his shield before using it to uppercut the beast in the jaw with enough force to throw it onto its back. He ends it with a lunge that drives his sword down into its chest, then stands up as it dissolves to dust.

"Is that all of them?" he asks, looking around with his sword and shield raised. Behind him, Saphira is nocking an arrow and preparing to stand up at the rearmost window.

"Almost," she growls, then rises to fire the arrow out. She turns to them with a look of triumph. "Now that's all of them."

By now, Chloe finds herself leaving fight mode behind as her instincts as a healer take over, putting her bow away and beginning to check everyone over.

"Is anyone hurt?" she asks as she inspects them one by one.

"I'm okay."

"Same here."

"Unscatched."

To her relief, the worst any of them seem to have are minor bruises and scrapes; nothing that needs immediate attention. When they get to Springfield and find someplace safe, she'll give them a touch-up, but for now, they all simply have to catch their breath. Their fellow passengers still seem much too shaken up by the ordeal to want to come out from under the seats, which is just fine by Chloe. Fortunately, none of them seem to be injured either.

"It was too much to ask for a quiet ride to Springfield," she says, hunching over in her seat.

Annabeth cracks a laugh and throws her a brief grinning glance from her place in the driver's seat. "Yeah. I wish I could tell you that you'll get used to it, but after six years of questing with Percy, I've reached the conclusion that there is no getting used to it. It's like a curse. Let's just be glad that something worse didn't come for us.."

The wisdom child returns her attention to the road, and that's when Chloe notices the change in her demeanor. Her shoulders tense up, and her knuckles whiten from a tightened grip on the steering wheel.

"Something wrong?" she asks her fellow blonde.

Annabeth just grumbles in reply. "I should have just kept my mouth shut."

In an instant, Chloe, Saphira, Percy, and Lykos are crowding at the front of the bus with her, peering ahead at the road before them. While it's dark, the bus' powerful lights as well as those of the other vehicles driving by, can illuminate just enough for them to see something new in their way. Chloe can just barely make out a figure standing in the middle of the highway; manlike, but huge, way bigger than any human. As the distance is rapidly closed, she can make out more distinct features, like the pair of long curling horns atop the figure's head.

"Oh no. Not him!" Percy groans.

"I agree with that sentiment!" Saphira exclaims with disappointment.

Chloe feels the dread grow quick, her eyes widening as the Minotaur reaches over his shoulder to grasp the hilt of a weapon; a huge, double-bladed war axe, with each blade shaped like an omega. He begins to swing it around and around as they draw closer, and Chloe cries out the moment she realizes his intent.

"Incoming!"

Annabeth jerks the wheel hard, taking them onto the left side of the road while everyone else hits the floor, all in time to narrowly avoid the giant axe that comes hurling through the already shattered window. The weapon embeds itself deep into the ceiling, cutting a massive gouge in the metal.

Chloe pops back up from the floor in time to see that Annabeth has maneuvered them back on the right lane, with the strategist flooring the gas and gunning it straight for the Minotaur.

"HAAAAA!" Annabeth screams just as they close the distance. Chloe has heard about how the bullheaded beast wasn't supposed to be very smart. Apparently, and much to her disappointment, he had enough intelligence to move out of the direct path of the roaring bus. The Minotaur bellows, sidestepping just far enough to still be able to grab on and be snatched away for a ride.

The entire bus lurches with the sudden extra ton of weight, throwing everyone off balance for a moment. Chloe can hear the Minotaur's hooves scraping against the pavement and side of the bus, scrabbling for purchase. He shimmies his way towards the open doorway, seemingly intent on getting to Annabeth.

In an instant, Percy is on it, practically throwing himself at the front of the bus to put himself between his girlfriend and the beast.

"Hey, Beef Boy! Long time no see… again!" Percy yells. Chloe is well aware of the history between the sea child and the Minotaur, and it seems like his old rival hasn't forgotten him either based on the look of absolute hatred.

"MOOO!" he roars and slams his entire head forward, only to be stopped by his horns getting caught in the doorframe.

Percy swallows hard, but he doesn't falter. "Uhm, is it just me or is he getting bigger every time I see him?!"

"Be careful, babe! You don't have invulnerability this time! He can kill you now!" Annabeth warns him.

"Thank you for that. It really helps my confidence!" he retorts as he fends off a swipe from the Minotaur.

The beast's size is as much his hindrance as it is his advantage. He can't fit through the door or windows, though he can clearly still attempt to reach through for them. Percy won't be able to hold him back alone.

Chloe shoots to her feet, once again readying her bow for combat and to aid Percy, with Saphira right behind her. Percy is slashing at the Minotaur's huge, meaty hand every time it reaches for him and Annabeth, driving it back, but each slash seems to enrage the beast even more. Both hunters pull back their strings and take aim before firing into the Minotaur's chest and shoulder. The Minotaur growls, but he seems to be merely annoyed by what are essentially splinters to him.

Chloe and Saphira shoot him again, then again, and again. Percy continues to fend off his attempts to grab him, but all they can do is just hold him off. His hide and muscle is too tough for them to be able to bring him down with shots to the body.

"We need a softer target!" Saphira growls, showing that she has the same thought.

"His neck?" Chloe asks, but the Hesperide shakes her head.

"His eyes."

Chloe grimaces at the reply. From here, they don't have a clear bead on his face, unless they were to lean out of the windows, and she is most definitely not fond of the idea of her body being outside the bus again.

Luckily, another idea comes to mind.

Noting the giant meaty hand that grasp the bus through the shattered windows, Chloe realizes there may be another way to get the Minotaur off this bus. She shifts aim down and puts her arrow between the knuckles of the Minotaur's hand. That must be a more sensitive place because immediately, he roars in pain and his grip becomes slack for just a second, but it's not enough for him to fall. Only enough for him to slide towards the center of the bus, but at least he's away from the front and away from Annabeth.

Now though, the monster just shifts attention towards them instead. Chloe almost gags at the stench of his breath as he peers into the window to roar at them, eyeing her in particular with his beady red orbs of rage.

"Gods, he stinks!" she retches. The Minotaur must be sensitive about his smell, because the second those words leave her lips, he punches a fist into the bus, aiming for her. Chloe is just barely able to dive out of the way and hit the deck. She flips onto her back while reloading and shooting his arm. At the same time, Lykos leaps in to attack, sinking his fangs deep into the meat of the Minotaur's arm.

"MOOO!"

The Minotaur bellows in pain and tries to pull his arm back out, but Lykos apparently has no intention of letting him off easy. The wolf plants his front paws firmly against the window frame and holds on tight with his jaws still on the beast. The Minotaur continues to struggle, wrenching his arm free after a couple more seconds, with a sacrifice of a sizable chunk of flesh being torn from his limb, left behind in Lykos' teeth.

"Get up, Chloe!" Saphira yells as she shoots two arrows at once into the Minotaur's torso.

Chloe scrambles to her feet to rejoin her friend. The Minotaur now changes his tactics from trying to get in the bus. He grips the top of the frame and seems to be planting his hooves against the bus' exterior, raising himself high up until all they can see is his furry stomach. Then he suddenly drops his weight back down and the entire bus lurches on that side. Everyone except Annabeth is thrown off their feet. Chloe grunts as she sprawls onto the floor once again.

"What the hell!" Percy cries, his green eyes wide. "What is he doing?!"

Chloe stares in shock as the Minotaur raises himself up a second time, only to drop his weight just as he did before. Again, the bus lurches and again, Chloe finds herself getting ragdolled over the floor. Then a third time, and that's when it clicks for her.

"He's trying to- agh!" She's interrupted by the lurching bus, faceplanting into tbe back of a seat before she can finish her sentence. "He's trying to flip us over!"

The Minotaur continues to rock the bus, and each time he does, Chloe can feel the bus tip more and more towards him as the swaying momentum is built. They have to get him off the bus now!

She and Percy rush to the task. She now swaps to her knives for this. She may not be on Saphira's level in handling blades, but she's skilled enough to use them. She and Percy tagteam the Minotaur as best they can while struggling to keep their balance, slashing and stabbing at his torso and shoulders, but with all the hectic movement, they can't get a good enough strike that will matter.

That's when Saphira finally loses it.

"That's it! We are not losing another ride to Springfield! Not when we're this close!" She snarls before turning on her heel and marching to the front of the bus. Chloe begins to panic at the thought of whatever crazy plan her friend has in mind. She and Lykos hurry after her, hoping to stop her.

"Saph, wait! Where are you going?" She desperately calls after her.

Saphira rips a knife from its sheath and casts an angry, determined glance over her shoulder at them.

"To finish this."

With that, she sticks her knife between her teeth and climbs out through the windshield, seeming intent on getting on top of the bus! Chloe is sure her friend has lost her mind and rushes to try to stop her, but it's too late. Saphira disappears from view, and Chloe can hear her running on the bus over her head. She's close to freaking out at the thought of Saphira falling off. Of all the stupid…

Suddenly, the footsteps stop and are replaced by the sound of the Minotaur screaming a great cry and letting go of the bus to fall. His bulk slips off, hitting the pavement in a hard tumble, horns over hooves, being left far behind them quickly. Chloe only caught a glimpse of his face as he fell, noting the fact that only one of his red eyes had been glowing while the other seemed to have gone dark. Within seconds, his tumbling form disappears into the darkness behind them.

Not one to be distracted for long, Chloe returns her concerns to Saphira's whereabouts.

"Saph! Saph, where are you?!" She calls out.

A moment later, the Hesperide returns, climbing back into the bus with her knife in hand, now bloodied to the hilt. Chloe stares at her in disbelief.

"What did you do? And do you know how stupid and crazy that was?" she demands.

Saphira still has a hard edge in her eyes when she answers. "I took out his eye… and yes. I do, but we didn't have a choice so-"

Chloe marches up to her with her fists clenched. If it weren't for her deeply rooted love for her friend, she'd punch her right now. Lucky for Saphira.

"Artemis charged me with making sure you are well. It's already hard enough just getting you to eat and rest. I do not need you doing suicidal stunts on top of that!" she snaps. Is she overreacting? Possibly. Does she care? Not at the moment. She makes sure Saphira can see how royally irritated she is about that. "Understand?"

Saphira's hard-edged gaze has crumbled into a perplexed and -surprisingly enough- intimidated,wide-eyed stare. Not even with a knife in her hand does she dare to be stubborn with Chloe right now, as she gives a tiny nod of her head.

"Understood." Her voice is small, and while Chloe is still annoyed with her brash action, she cannot stay mad at her forever. Her expression is just too adorable for that.

Chloe sighs, pinching her brow before stepping forward to pull Saphira into a tight hug.

"You're lucky I love you too much to stay mad," she mutters.

"I agree," Saphira replies, returning the brief hug.

Percy sinks into a seat, trying to catch his breath. "Okay. Now that was all of them."

"Don't jinx it," Annabeth warns him, but she too seems to finally relax with a deep sigh. "Good work, everyone. If there's no further hiccups, we should make it to Springfield in less than an hour."

No further hiccups is exactly what Chloe is hoping for. Still, she keeps her bow on hand, just in case. If any gods are listening -maybe even the creator?- would it be too much of a prayer for a smooth sailing the rest of this trip? A fleeting dream, most likely, but given how tonight has gone, she'd say that' a pretty good indicator of how their luck will fare until they get back home.

For now, all she can do, is hope.