Hehe. Enjoy guys :).
Replies:
Rage2091: It's that Percy luck I guess.
Undeath9087: You are not wrong about the communication skills lol. As for the weapons, well you'll have to wait and see just what weapon it is.
Guest: Yep. If only they'd been clearer and Percy hadn't been so oblivious.
MKDemiGodzilla-Warrior: Well they're definitely not going to start well. Sorry not sorry.
Brendiboi633: Communication would certainly help lol. And no, no it's not. And I mean, she's definitely a major antagonist for this fic.
Oujiswan: Thank you!
Guest: Oh a trap it is. And Carter knows she likes girls- he's seen the way she is around Piper and Annabeth, but he feels confident that she's so thick headed that it'll never be a problem lol. And yes it's roughly the same timeline wise.
Krypton Joy Writes: I mean, there is gonna be some major heart break, but not because she really cares about Alina. Hehe. You shall see why she will be devestated.
Zephyr0f8: You shall find out very soon.
PJ Fan 285: You shall have to wait and see- but you will get most answers to your questions soon I promise you.
12Problems 99: I hope you keep that opinion! It should be fun.
Percy would have been quite happy if, in that moment, the ground beneath her had opened up and swallowed her. She felt her blood run cold, her heart speed up and her chest go tight. Alina. Alina Martins. Alina Menshikov. She probably hadn't actually been given her fathers last name, but she would have claimed it for herself.
Alina. The girl who had been so interested in her, who had seemed to pleased when she'd said yes to the date to the dance. Alina who had gotten a message and taken off earlier. Percy doubted that her intentions were pure, not if she'd been tracking her before Set had intervened a year and a half earlier.
Fuck what was she planning, what was she up to? Percy could feel the world closing in around her, her mind spinning with thoughts, filling up and overflowing they came so fast.
If it wasn't for Desjardins hand suddenly clamping on her shoulder she might have spiralled even further. "Percy?" his voice was suddenly thick with worry, "What is the matter?" And that alone made Percy stop spiralling. Made her let out a slow shaky breath as she focused her gaze on the man.
"Alina is here." her voice was steadier than she'd expected. "She asked me to come to the dance with her today. She's my date." and that made Desjardins pale, his own eyes going wide in shock.
"Some sort of trap?"
"It has to be." Percy breathed out slowly, "She was tracking me back then, and I doubt she had good intentions. I killed her father." the words made her feel sick, and Desjardins was shaking his head sharply.
"No." his voice was firm, "No Percy, you didn't. It was Apophis. The Serpent killed Vladimir you had no control over what he did using her body, your power."
"I-" Percy forced herself to take a deep breath, giving a small nod, grateful for the comfort and reassurance- and gods but wasn't that a funny thought given where they'd started. She'd have never expected to come to see the other magician as almost an uncle figure. As one of her most trusted allies. "Thank you." her smile was genuine, if slightly unsteady. "I- just thank you." she bit her lip, "We need to figure out what she's planning..." she paused, "I need to get everyone out just in case." she pulled out her phone, "I'll call Bianca a second- she can get it started and then you and I can hunt down Alina and find up what she's up to."
Desjardins nodded in agreement, and they both stood there as Percy clicked on Bianca's number, waiting several long moments as it rang before Bianca picked up.
"Percy? What's up? Why are you calling me I was dancing with Kaya?"
"Bianca, I need you to stay calm and do something for me-"
"What-"
"Calm." Percy spoke firmly, forcing her own voice to stay calm. She had to be a good example to Bianca. "I need you to pull the fire alarm and get everyone in the school out okay?"
There was a moment of silence and then; "Something's really wrong isn't it?"
"Yeah, I'll explain later but I need you to do what I asked now okay? Get Kaya and Felix and everyone to help you okay?"
"Of course." Bianca nodded, "I'll do it- are you okay?"
"I will be. I'll see you soon okay Bianca?"
"Yeah."
Percy hung up, slipping her phone away quickly, wishing she'd brought a jacket with her- sure her dress had slightly longer sleeves but the fabric wasn't exactly thick and she could feel the cold air getting to her. Or maybe it was in her head, the tension making her shiver. "Bianca will get everyone out. We need to track down Alina, I saw her leave through the side entrance doors, we should start there."
"Lead the way." Desjardins pulled his staff from the Duat as Percy did much the same with her khopesh, laying a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it again, tight and reassuring as they walked through the main entrance into the school, Percy leading the way down one of the side corridors that led to the side entrance that Alina had slipped out of, her eyes scanning ahead of her for any sign of the Russian Magician.
And then Percy heard the fire alarm, heard the confused babble rising from up ahead in the main hall, heard Bianca, Kaya and Felix calling for everyone to head out of the main entrance quickly.
That was a relief. At least if there was a big attack planned people would hopefully get out.
And then everything went wrong. The noise of the fire alarm almost made Percy miss the slight creek of one of the classroom doors moving, but Desjardins must have seen it because he was suddenly pushing Percy forward- and not a moment too soon because a voice cried;
"Ha-Wi!" and he was sent flying backwards, smashing into a wall.
Usually Percy would have been able to respond quickly, but Desjardins shove had sent Percy smashing into the water fountain, practically flipping over it and hitting the ground hard, her khopesh flying from her grip and skittering across the tiled floor.
"Desjardins!" Percy managed to stagger to her feet quickly despite the fact that she was winded, her eyes darting this way and that to try and find Alina even as she rushed towards the man who was pushing himself up from where he'd landed against the lockers.
"Percy be careful-" his warning was useless, Percy couldn't see her enemy and she'd caught her head when she'd fell, which made her slightly dazed, blood dripping down from a cut in her forehead.
Alina had to be using an invisibility spell Percy realised. Fuck that was annoying.
Then there was a sharp pain in the back of her neck, like a needle. Her hand flew back, slapping down over the spot where she'd been stabbed as she twisted, other hand lashing out, smacking into something, possibly a shoulder.
And a moment later with a loud crackling popping sound Alina was there, a nasty smirk on her face that did remind Percy of her father. "Too late."
"W-what did you just do?"
"You'll see." Alina looked far too smug for Percy's taste, that pretty face twisted suddenly. "But I have plans Percy. You really shouldn't have started hanging out with Greeks- who'd have known, a whole new world to help me destroy your family.
"Not a chance." Percy's head was spinning but she couldn't let Alina win- "Maw!" she thrust out her hand, expecting a fountain of water burst from her palm, send Alina flying back.
But nothing happened. Percy felt horror seeping into her as she changed tactics. "TAS!" her voice was high- and she couldn't feel the magic she realised, nothing was coming. Alina's eyes were almost gleaming with cruel amusement.
"You know, I've spent a long time finding a mix that would be strong enough to cut off chaos herself from her magic- it'd probably kill most magicians but you? It's gonna cut you off from your magic for at least a few days, if not a week."
"No-" Percy felt a sick feeling curling in the pit of her belly. And what's more, she could feel a heaviness spreading through her limbs, and in her head, it felt fuzzy as she staggered backwards.
"Run!" the cry came from Desjardins, who tossed his staff between Percy and Alina, and it morphed even as he threw it, transforming into a snarling lion, causing her to step backwards to avoid a swipe of giant paws.
Then Desjardins was by Percy's side- and she realised that she really was slow because she hadn't seen him move, though she felt his arm wrapping around her waist, pulling her arm over his shoulder as he half carried half dragged her further into the school- since Alina was blocking the way out.
Percy did try to run, she really did, but her ankles kept rolling, her legs had lost all of their strength.
Percy could feel herself slipping in and out of consciousness as the drugs did their job, no matter how hard she tried to fight them, no matter how desperately she fought to cling to consciousness.
Then Percy found that she was sitting, leaning against the wall, blinking rapidly to try and bring herself around, though she could feel that she'd be slipping under again soon.
She saw Desjardins, wielding his staff, and Alina was there too- she must have caught up with the man Percy realised. They were fighting. And Desjardins was glancing back at Percy, mouthing at her to run.
Which must mean he was very desperate because they both knew there was no chance of her running anywhere.
Still she could try, dragging herself away from the wall.
Trying to stand made her head spin so she decided to crawl on her hands and knees, forcing back tears of desperation.
Then she heard it- not a loud sound, not a scream or a cry, just a shocked inhale, a pained noise, she turned her head to look back- and the fast movement made her head spin.
Alina and Desjardins were still stood- and as she watched Desjardins arms dropped to his side- and- she felt as if she'd been punched in the gut as she saw him stagger back, a hand moving to press against his stomach- and she saw a dagger in Alina's hand, glinting and dripping blood.
"No-" Percy's voice was faint despite her attempt to scream the word as the world around her shattered.
"No." the tears came harder and faster, she dragged herself around, crawling towards Desjardins.
The Frenchman managed to turn his head as he dropped to his knees, and she could see it in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." he twisted towards her before he fell, hand reaching out to try and grab hers.
She could feel the strength still draining from her as her arms gave out- her struggles forward ceasing- but she was close enough, her fingers reaching out to desperately clasp the dying mans hand, her eyes glued to his, and then his eyes were closing, and Percy felt a shadow falling over her as darkness swallowed her, but before it swallowed her completely she heard a voice whisper "Shame you got everyone out, still, who knows, maybe there'll be stragglers. I wish I could stay around and see the show. I hear Greek fire is pretty... explosive."
...
Bianca felt sick. Something was really, really wrong. She'd managed to get everyone out of the school as Percy had told her, but she couldn't find Percy anywhere.
So she'd made the choice to take a big risk, rushing back into the building, mind racing as she sprinted back towards the main hall- and she heard noises in the distance, so she followed them, rushing towards one of the side entrances- and she paused as she reached it, noticing something strange above her head, attached to the top of the door frame. A small vial of green liquid, attached to- was that a timer?
She felt her blood run cold.
Some kind of bomb. And gods but how many were there? Was it just one? Were there more?
She didn't have time to ponder how bad the situation was. Kaya would already be calling for back up Bianca was sure. She had to find Percy, now.
she could still hear the fighting, it was moving she was sure of it. If only she could just catch up, it had to be something to do with Percy.
And after what felt like a lifetime she swerved a corner, and her gaze focused on a scene that made her feel sick to her stomach.
There was a man, and Bianca could feel it, could feel his soul slipping from his body and there was nothing she could do about it. And somehow worse than even that was the figure at the other end of the hall, she had her back to Bianca, but she could see, slung over the shoulders was a familiar unconscious form, long white hair giving away her identity instantly.
Bianca started to run, and then the world itself felt as if it was tearing apart, the explosion was deafening, and it was all Bianca could do to summon shadows to shield herself, protecting herself from the worst of the shock wave.
Even so she still hit the wall hard, head cracking against it.
She didn't even have time to scream.