PERCY: Dude, we can get mythical animals! Maybe I'll get a penguin!
SARAH: Penguins are real.
PERCY: That's the spirit, sarah! They're real to me too!
️.ೃ࿐ CHAPTER NINE.ೃ࿐ 💎
( volume one ) the weight of living
ix ️ Things Can't Get Any Worse
THEY MADE ONE PIT STOP IN MARYLAND MUCH TO ZOE'S CHAGRIN, EVERYONE NEEDED THE BATHROOM AND ALMOST EVERYONE WANTED SNACKS. Zoe only really agreed to the pit stop because Sarah threatened to take the wheel from her. Everyone was quick to use the restroom and to grab their snacks and it wasn't long before they got back on the road.
The drive to D.C was driving Sarah insane, Thalia and Zoe were at each other's throats and Zoe wouldn't let Sarah turn on any music. Percy was staring dejectedly out the window, Bianca was playing with her fingers while avoiding eye contact, and Grover was half assed-ly trying to stop the both of them from fighting. It was totally rough, Sarah was itching to grab her walkman from her bag but she had tossed it in the back and she doubted Zoe would stop for her to grab it or fall for her 'I'll grab that wheel from you so help me, Zoe Nightshade!' trick again. So she sat suffering as she listens to them argue.
As they enter D.C, Bianca gasps quietly from the seat behind Sarah as she took the scenery in. Sarah watches Bianca with keen interest, having a feeling as to why the girl had gasped but since Bianca doesn't say anything out loud, Sarah decides she wouldn't either.
Finally after what felt like forever, the come to a stop per Grover's orders. The spell had led them to the National Mall. They clamber out of the van and follow Grover and his trusted magic acorns up to the Smithsonian. Sarah straggles behind to grab her bag because after going on that one quest Percy she's learned to never leave all the bags behind.
She turns to follow after the group when she notices that Percy had stopped. With an exasperated sigh, she turns back to ask him what his deal was. In response, pushes her out of sight of whatever he had been looking at, he dodges it too.
"It's Thorn," He says in a hushed whisper.
Her eyes widen "The Manticore?"
Percy nods.
"Shit."
"I think he was following us, I had noticed a black car following the van a few times but I didn't think anything of it, I mean, I didn't think it was actually following us . . . But then it stopped and Thorn got out."
"We need to tell the others," Sarah says urgently, feeling panicked because she knows that Zoe is the biggest target and Sarah had already lost sight of their group.
"You need to tell the others, I'm gonna follow him."
"What, no!"
"I've got Annabeth's cap, I'll be fine."
Sarah doubts that and by that she means she doubts he'll get out without doing something stupid, selfless, and reckless first.
"They went into the Air and Space museum, I saw . . . I think Thorn's going somewhere else, I need to go or I'll lose him."
As much as Sarah hated it, there was no time to argue and it wasn't a terrible plan. It would be good to know what the Manticore was up to and who else they may be fighting against. And even more pressing, Annabeth could be where he is going.
"Fine, but don't do anything dumb and meet us back at the doors of the space museum in no longer than half an hour." Sarah says hurriedly, handing him a couple of Ambrosia Squares from her bag just in case.
Percy nods, pulling the cap on and vanishing from sight. Sarah quickly turns back to the museum, looking for the one that Percy said their group had went into.
She hopes she had made the right decision by letting him go alone. If she had been better at handling the shadows, she would've went with him but alas it would be too dangerous for her to go with the lack of control she had over the shadows, it'd be more dangerous for Percy to be with her than be by himself. It'll be fine, she tells herself, the prophecy said nothing about a museum leading to anyone's demise.
Once Sarah caught up with the others, she informed them of what was going on. Zoe was displeased with her decision to let 'the boy' go off on his own, which Sarah didn't expect anything less than that but besides that they were okay with it. Zoe settled once she decided that letting Percy follow Thorn may give them more than enough insight if all goes well.
Sarah asks how their end of the search was going, Grover looked disheartened to inform her that it seems like it was a dead end. She pats his back, telling him gently, that he did his best. If Artemis was long gone then so was the mystery monster she was searching for.
They had been there for almost a half hour, Sarah opens her mouth ready to suggest that they head for the doors when Thalia goes toppling over into an Apollo space capsule, letting out a string off curses. Percy shimmers into existence, paling when he comes face to face with Sarah and Zoe pointing their loaded bows at him.
Sarah quickly lowers her bow, Zoe does the same just not as quickly as Sarah had. Zoe goes to ask Percy what he had witnessed when he blurts out:
"Luke's here!" Percy exclaims, trying to catch his breath.
Thalia, who had looked ready to curb stomp Percy for crashing into her, jolts. Sarah can almost physically see the fight leave Thalia at the mention of Luke, Sarah is sure she does something similar.
"Luke?" Thalia gasps, lower lip trembling as she reaches for her silver bracelet ⸺ her shield, Aegis. Another bracelet is on her wrist as well, a friendship bracelet that's worn and faded. The one that little Annabeth had made for Thalia's tree because she was still their friend, tree or not.
"Where?" Sarah asks, although it doesn't really matter because he's against them. She hope's he's not following after Percy, she doesn't think she's ready to face him.
Percy explains what he had seen in the other museum, he recounts what he had heard Thorn, Luke, and the General discuss.
"The General here? That is impossible, you lie!" Zoe, stunned, accuses Percy.
Percy narrow his eyes, looking confused "What, why would I lie?!"
He looks flabbergasted for a moment before he shakes his head "Look, there's no time. Skeleton warriors ⸺"
"Shit,' Thalia curses, "How many?"
"Twelve," Percy is quick to reply "And that's not all. That General guy, he said he was sending something, a "playmate", to distract you over here. A monster."
Thalia and Grover exchange looks, Sarah pinches the bridge of her nose. Whatever Atlas is planning to send their way, well it can't be good. Especially with the Spartoi thrown into the mix. Not that Sarah wouldn't be able to handle them, they could only be killed by a child of Hades after all. Twelve isn't even that much, she's handled a lot more before.
"Zo, if it is him ⸺" Sarah begins to say but Zoe glares at her like a caged animal and Sarah falters.
"It cannot be!" Zoë snaps, stubborn as ever, "Percy must have seen an Iris-message or some other illusion."
"Illusions don't crack marble floors," Percy retorts, his tone so very sure.
Zoë's eye twitches because he's right as much as she hates it. She takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
"If Percy is telling the truth about the skeleton warriors, we have no time left to argue. They are the worst, the most horrible . . . We must leave now."
Sarah nods, she grabs Bianca's hand and turns towards the direction the entered the museum when thunderous roar had the group freezing. Even the mortals present seem to tense up, if Sarah didn't know that the roar came from the Nemean, she'd wonder what they were seeing. But if she had to guess, they were probably seeing a normal lion. A few of the mortals let out screams, a kid delightedly calls out 'kitty'.
Shit, Sarah thinks.
The Nemean Lion bounds into sight, it's bigger than she remembers it being which does nothing to soothe her nerves, it's as big as pick-up truck. Sarah steps in front of Bianca, who lets out a startled gasp at the sight of the monster.
"Don't move," Thalia breathes out while subtly stepping in front of Percy. Her bright eyes fixated on the monster.
The beast lets out another deafening roar so powerful, Sarah feels her hair whip around. Shit, shit, shit!
"Separate on my mark, try to keep it distracted," Zoe instructs, her voice just as soft as Thalia's as she too, keeps her dark eyes on it.
"Until when," Grover squeaks out.
"Until I figure out how to kill it again ⸺ go!"
Percy rolls to the left, uncapping his sword, Sarah lets her arrows fly as she tries to remember what they did to kill it last time they encountered it before. It had been a decade or two since that had happened and it had taken them awhile to defeat it. This time around, they didn't have time to spare in destroying the monster.
Sarah hears Grover play some sharp notes as she drags Bianca behind some kid of space-themed display. Zoe had taken to climbing the Apollo capsule, firing her arrows one after the other but they do nothing but shatter off the beast's shiny coat. Right, Sarah recalls, the fur of the lion was impenetrable.
What was its' weakness, She wonders, she aims for its' eyes but she couldn't get a clear shot. It seemed to know better than to keep them too wide. If Sarah remembers correctly they had to get it in the eye or any kind orifice really.
"Her arrows aren't doing anything," Bianca worries, eyes going wide as she clutches onto Sarah's forearm.
"No, they aren't," Sarah agrees, "But, she must have a plan, she's probably fought this monster more than any hero ever. We've fought it before but that was like twenty years ago and I wasn't leading that hunt. I can't remember clearly who or how the kill shot was made. If I had to guess, we'll have to get it in its' eye or mouth . . . Or even the nostrils."
Bianca nods, looking around the edge of the showcase to glance at the monster "The mouth sounds like our best bet . . . But it still can't be easy."
From somewhere in the room, Percy yells for Zoe to target the monster's mouth, reaching the same conclusion that Sarah and Bianca had. Pretty quick for someone who probably doesn't even know about the Nemean Lion, Sarah had to give him points for that.
That's my little cousin, she thinks and for once she doesn't shove away for the overwhelming affection she feels for the boy.
She hears him yell for Grover to clear the area followed by a loud crash and another deafening roar.
"Okay, Bianca. You're climb up this display here, it's not very high but it should give you a good view of the lion. You think you can do that?"
Bianca nods, her obsidian eyes lighting up with determination.
"Good, okay, you're gonna fire arrows at the lion like Zoe, keep it distracted, But if you get a good shot of its' mouth or eye, take it. But mostly I want you to distract it while the rest of us try to get it from the ground. Does that work for you?"
She nods again, Sarah smiles brightly at her and turns to help Percy who's on the lower floor now.
"Be careful," Bianca calls to Sarah, brows furrowed in concern as she pulls herself up on the display.
"You too," Sarah calls back as she takes the stairs two at a time, scanning the area for Percy.
She caught him on one side of the huge model of the earth, on the other side of the globe stood Thalia, looking ready to strike and so did the monster. Although it was having a bit of a tough time deciding who he wanted to strike first ⸺ Percy or Thalia.
The lion balance itself easily on the top of the globe, eyes darting between Thalia and Percy as it let out a loud growl.
"No clear shot," Zoe's frustrated voice rang out from above them.
"We need to get its' mouth," Bianca's uncertain voice calls out to Percy, "Get it to open its' mouth."
Sarah briefly wonders if this museum has a snack place, as she jabs at the monster, trying to get it down from the globe. If they did, she could possibly use some beef jerky or pepperoni sticks to get it to open its' mouth. But, even as she thought it she knew it was a ridiculously stupid idea. And if this place did have a snack store, knowing their luck it was probably on the other side of this museum.
"Sarah, Thalia! Keep it occupied," Percy instructs as if that's not what they were doing.
Then her cousin turns on around and races for the gift shop. Okay, Sarah thinks, whatever plan he has is definitely more insane than mine.
Thalia used her spear to zap the monster in the tail with a spider-web like bolt of lightning, causing it to turn away from Percy and pounce at her. Thalia rolls away just in time, using Aegis to keep it at bay. Sarah cringes at the sight of the shield but she tries her best to cram down the fear like she was cramming a pillow or blanket into the top shelf of a closet.
Unlike Thalia, none of Sarah's weapons aren't that useful against the monster so she does the dumbest thing she can think of and that's jumping on the lion's back. As if she was going to let this monster do anything to Thalia, her blood rushes in her ears as images of that night on the hill flash in her mind. She won't let Thalia die again.
Tears threaten to blur her vision as she struggles to stay on the Nemean Lion, fists tangled in the lion's shiny mane. Sarah gives the mane a hard yank trying to distract it from Thalia. It lets out a growl and shakes its head fiercely but Sarah manages not to lose her grasp. She hears Thalia yelling at her but she can't make out what the younger girl is saying over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.
She can imagine Thalia yelling at them to run, poised ready to strike to take on an army of monsters even at twelve years old.
Sarah grits her teeth, trying to swing her one leg over the lion's back, if she can get a proper hold maybe she can manage to pierce one of her arrows through its eye.
The lion rears back and swats Thalia through the air like some glorified cat toy, Sarah shrieks, losing her grasp and plummeting to the ground, landing on her leg which gives a sickening crack. The pain is sharp and shoots straight up her leg right through to her spine, she curls over. Cursing under her breath, she lifts her head to see that Thalia seems to be perfectly fine, if not a little dazed, as she clutches her head.
The sound of a sword clattering at her feet drags her attention away from Thalia, it's Riptide, the lion had turned to face Percy who is now completely unarmed. Sarah's eyes widen and she tries to stand up but her right leg is definitely broken and a jolt of jagged pain shoots up her thigh and send her crumbling into the side of the display case.
"Gods damn it," She hisses, placing her whole weight onto her left leg so she can at least stand up.
She looks up to watch Percy chuck some kind of cotton candy looking blob into the lion's gaping maw.
Mid strike, the lion's eyes got wide and it began to choke like a cat coughing up a hair ball.
"Space food," Grover wheezes out from beside her, "Brilliant."
Sarah startles as Grover had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. His dark skin glistens with sweat, his curly hair a mess, she could see his one horn peaking through the curls.
"You okay," He questions, looking down at the way her one leg looked slightly bent in the way it shouldn't be.
She shrugs, as she looks down at it too, she's relieved to find that at the very least none of her leg bones are visible.
Percy calls for Zoe to take aim as he throws a chocolate coloured blob into the lion's mouth. He's got strangely good aim, which is weird because she remembered that he was shit at archery two years ago. She wonders if he's improved or if he plays baseball when at school.
"Snack time," Percy yells as he sends several more blobs into the lion's mouth causing it to choke violently.
"Now," Percy calls out to Zoe and Bianca, within seconds several arrows sprouted from the lion's maw.
The lion fell over, thrashing violently before finally falling still.
Grover looked over the monster, grinning with pride before turning to Sarah and offering her a shoulder to lean on. He mutters something about checking on Thalia who was just getting to her knees, just a few display cases down from them, Sarah eagerly accepts his help so she too can check on Thalia.
Zoe drops down from the balcony above them, Bianca takes the stairs down to them, almost three stairs at a time as she rushes over to Sarah, looking equal parts terrified and furious. Zoe made her way over to the monster as it began to melt in the same fashion that most monsters do, Zoe regards Percy with an unreadable expression.
"What were you thinking," Bianca exclaims, her cheeks a violent shade of pink as she points at Sarah, "You could have been killed!"
"I wasn't thinking," Sarah says trying to hide the surprise she feels over being scolded by a twelve year old, "I'm sorry for scaring you like that, it was an impulsive move on my part but luckily I am fine, save for a broken leg."
Bianca deflates slightly, still looking panicked as she rambles "Are you okay, you need that Ambrosia stuff, right! Or is it nectar? Oh, dear, I'm not sure what to do!"
"You don't have to do anything, you did your part and you did it well. I know what I must do to get healed, this is up to me to worry about, you're all good. You are good right, no injuries?"
Bianca blinks, looking unsure of herself before she nods "I'm okay."
Her fingers flex as she looks between Grover and Sarah, as if looking for something to do. A way to help. Sarah understands, Bianca is so used to always being the comforter, the healer, the protector that she doesn't know what to do now that she isn't alone anymore with only her baby brother ⸺ her responsibility ⸺ with her. Not many people understand that it can be hard to be cared for but Sarah does. She looks over to Thalia, as much as she wants to rush to her side, she thinks that it might be better for Bianca to help for the time being.
"That's good. Do you mind helping Thalia up, she looks a little dazed there," Sarah suggests, holding back a wince as she almost steps down on her right foot.
Bianca nods eagerly before rushing to Thalia's side. Thalia looks a little startled at Bianca's offer to help but after a pause, she accepts it.
"That was an . . . Interesting strategy." Zoe says cautiously.
"Hey, it worked," Percy defends, looking flustered at what is the closest thing to praise he might ever get from Zoe.
She doesn't argue as she watches the lion's body melt until nothing is left but the pelt ⸺ the spoil of war.
"Take it," Zoe tells him.
Sarah gawks at Zoe, Percy too looks equally surprised.
"What, the lion's fur? Isn't that, like, an animal-rights violation or something?" Percy says awkwardly as he gapes at Zoe.
"It is a spoil of war and it is rightly thine."
"You killed it," Percy points out.
Zoe, shakes her said, a the ghost of a smile creeping up on her lips as she says "I think thy icecream sandwich did that. Fair is fair, Percy Jackson. Take the fur."
Percy picks up the pelt, delicately and his eyes widen as it shifts into a full-length golden-brown coat. He eyes it warily but takes it nevertheless, smiling a gratefully at Zoe.
"We have to get out of here," Grover points out, "The security guards won't stay confused for long."
Sarah glances around to find that guards were running around like mice in a very small cage, a few were even running into each other.
She flashes Grover a grin "Nice work."
Percy looks impressed as he asks "You did that?"
Grover's cheeks darken, smiling sheepishly as he explains "A minor confusion song. I played some Barry Manilow. It works every time. But it'll only last a few seconds."
Sarah lets out a low whistle at the mention of Barry Manilow "It's been a hot minute since I've heard about him. Kie loved that guy for some reason."
"The security guards are not our biggest worry," Zoë says as she nods her head towards the glass walls of the closest museum entrance, "Look."
Through the glass walls of the museum, Sarah can see a group of men walking across the lawn. Grey men in grey camouflage outfits ⸺ the Spartoi. Odd, Sarah thinks, they sure took their sweet time in doing their job.
"Go," Percy, ever the self-sacrificing hero, tells them, "They'll be hunting me. I'll distract them."
"Absolutely not," Sarah says at the same time that Zoe disagrees as well.
'No, we go together. I may not have wanted you on this quest but you are one of us nevertheless and I will not be leaving anyone behind if I can help it." Zoe says grudgingly.
Percy attempts to argue but Zoe does not let him.
"Now, help the Satyr with Sarah, her leg is clearly broken and we must get back to the van as quickly as possible." She instructs Percy, her tone sharp as she glares at him.
He spares the Spartoi a hesitant glance before nodding and helping Grover by taking Sarah's other arm and hoisting it over his shoulder.
"Good," Zoe says, surveying the group as if she was making sure they were all intact, she nods her head and says "Let us go now."
YOU'RE DOOMED . . .
( nulla ) the author's commentary of . . .
the introduction ️ Ashes, Ashes, Dust to Dust
. . . THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES IS SWINGING
AUTHOR'S NOTE ⸺ i am SO bad at writing action scenes,,, like i don't hate the fight scene but sarah is supposed to be a badass and i can't show that off because writing action and fight scenes are so not my strong suit! i am trying to improve on that because there is a lot of fighting in this story between both canon events and events i make up in this story so i will be trying my best to get better at it but just know that i am super aware that the action and fight scene was not very action-y nor fight-y! i am very aware that it could have been so much better and i promise you that not all the fight scenes will read like this! i am making an effort to get better but i was really stuck on this one and i finally had to cut my losses and just go with the flow and let it not be the best it could be for the sake of moving on to the next chapters!
02/14/24 ⸺ TSODIS is #25 in #MajorCharacterDeath! ALSO thank you for 10k reads on this story ( ik it says that this story has 500k reads but that's because this story used to be one i had another story on and that had 490k reads when i published tsodis on it! and now it has 498k) so thanks folks for 8k reads! 3 3 3 (ON WATTPAD)
02/16/24 ⸺ TSODIS is #11 in #GroverUnderwood! (ON WATTPAD)
Anyways that's all I have to say for this chapter! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, please don't be shy, let me know what you thought of it in the comments!
WORD COUNT ⸺ 4, 218 words