The One Who is Free (Percy Jackson - Maki Zenin & SI-not-MC Chapter 6)
Three old ladies knitted a sweater.
It was going to be a large Christmas sweater. They were discussing it, planning it, talking about it shape and size as they made it.
It was something they talked about making for a while now, but now it's time to actually start the work.
So the three old ladies knitted a sweater.
...One of the cloth lines was off. The colors and shapes on the cloth weren't lining up.
"Huh?" Lachesis blinked in surprise.
"Vincent! It's so good to see you again." Persephone said as she hugged her step-son.
"It is good to see you too, Aunt Sophie." Vincent said, hugging her back. "I'm surprised to catch you. I thought you'd have left by now."
"I am heading back up to Olympus tomorrow." The Queen of the Underworld smiled, as she went back to her husband's side.
"So, you are finally done with your quest?" Hades asked his son as they all sat in the God of the Dead's personal study.
Like all buildings in the Underworld it had no roof, as there was no need for it. That's why the sound of the leathery wings can be heard flapping high up above.
"Not yet. One last thing and I'll be done. I figured its best we have this talk now, in case I don't get the chance to do so for a long while." Vincent answered back.
"There is nothing to talk about." Hades said with his normal regal frown.
"Hades, we should tell him." Persephone advised.
"That matter is done, Persephone. It's been decades now." Hades said, yet his firm tone was lessening with the calming tone of his wife.
Vincent said nothing all the while, letting his father open up in his own time. He knew his father well enough by now.
"If it was done, then why for many years now have you purposely avoided telling your son?" Persephone said back.
"You're implying that I was afraid?" Hades glowered.
Vincent could see his father was just trying to find something to be angry about to avoid the topic. Whatever it was that made him sent hellhounds after Zeus' child. Because broken oath of no more kids or not, Hades wouldn't have taken a reaction to said vow being broken that seriously, given Bianca and Nico.
Vincent narrowed his eyes at that thought. Were his half-siblings murdered by Zeus?
"Nothing of the sort, dear. Just that you simply didn't wish to open just an old wound." Persephone easily said. "But it hurts you even now. It even hurt me." She said with a nostalgic smile. "Yet, isn't sharing a burden leads to it be lessened?"
For a long while Hades said nothing, and his son stayed quiet patiently.
"...Maria is dead." Hades finally said and Vincent leaned forward, frowning in thought.
Maria would have been 87 years old if she was alive today. The fact that Hades mentioned that she had been dead for years now and not from natural causes.
"Who killed her? Where are Bianca and Nico?" Vincent asked. Because her death being a murder, is the only logical conclusion to all of this, this reaction. The culprit should be obvious, but Vincent learned never to assume. Confirm then act.
"Zeus." Hades growled. "Who else? He feared the prophecy so much, he struck her and the children with his lightning, even if they weren't part of it!" The God of the Dead looked away, lost in memory, a quiet pain in his eye but not on his face. Persephone meanwhile looked genuinely sad at the loss of her mortal friend and lover to her and her husband. "I managed to save our children, but Maria, I couldn't reach her in time."
Vincent sighed and the picture was revealed. "So when you learned of his oath breaking, you sent forth the hellhounds and the Erinyes after his daughter?"
"They didn't succeed." Hades said with an annoyed scowl. "The girl, Thalia Grace, held of the horde at the hill of the Camp's barrier. After that rather than let her face my judgement, Zeus turned her into a tree for her valor to help reinforce the Camp's barrier."
"Ah. There is the usual Greek family fuckery, someone did transform into something weird." Vincent nodded.
Persephone held back a chuckle. Hades stayed stoic, trying to look unamused. Vincent could see otherwise.
"And now, Athena's child or not, your daughter will likely have the ire of Zeus upon her." Hades said.
"Well," Vincent leaned back into his chair, rolling a finger along his beard in thought. "I guess I can make a pitstop and grab the Golden Fleece to pacify Zeus, and gain his gratitude, or at least hold back his spite against my daughters." Vincent didn't need to clarify that his daughter had a twin. Gods all share knowledge of prophecies once one is made after all. The only one who would know more than what every gods knows would be Apollo. "What of Bianca and Nico?"
Hades looked down. "I had Alecto bring them here, bathed them in the Lethe and left them in the Lotus Casino. There... their lives will be peaceful. They would be safe."
"That's not living, dad." Vincent said.
"And what would you have had me do?" Hades looked up with a glare.
"Tell me. I would have dropped everything and returned." The Son of Hades said back.
"You had been through enough. A a string pulled too far that a feather laying upon it would have broken it. You are all my children." He meant Vincent, Bianca and Nico. "And you all deserved peace. Could you truly tell me that your spirit would have had enough strength to carry on one more duty?"
"Yes. Family is different. I would have been reinvigorated for the sake of protecting them." Vincent said with determination blazing in his eyes.
Hades smiled at seeing life in his son's eyes, before looking away.
"I guess we'll never know." Hades said.
The room fell into silence once more. Although Persephone had a dry look on her face, at dealing with the men in her life with their stoic demeanors.
"Alright," Vincent nodded, his mind made up. "I guess I know what I'll do now. Golden Fleece. An apple from the Hesperides Garden. The moly flower. Mai, then Bianca and Nico."
Persephone smiled at seeing her step-son act with his old spirit.
"You'll take them to Camp? Who will protect them?" Hades questioned. He trusted his son, but he still worried for his other defenseless kids.
"I will. You said Athena sent Artemis' hunters on me. If I stay in the Camp, they can't argue about taking me anywhere. And if they try I'll beat them."
"The Hunters while predictable, in a sense for a veteran demigod, are not to be underestimated. Especially if you would fight them all." Hades advised, yet he hide his pride as he knew Vincent's strength.
"I didn't simply sit down and do nothing for the past 60 years. Even if it hadn't been with the same intensity as the last ten, I have been training. I had nothing but that to pour my efforts into. Let them try, they know nothing of the world outside of the Greek Pantheon." A fatal flaw of groups within a pantheon, is that they never venture outside of it. This is also why any pantheon's Fates didn't wish for their demigods to attain immortality or travel outside their area. His decision made, Vincent smiled and stood up. "As for Bianca and Nico, once at camp Zeus can't get them if he stays angry. And if they ever venture out, I'll make sure they are strong enough." He vowed.
"...Take your sword with you." Hades said after a moment.
The ground near Vincent's feet broke as a blade rose out of it hilt first.
Spoiler: Andrḗïos Kardía
The blade was forged of Stygian Iron. It was wrapped in infernal flames that hadn't been quenched since it was last wielded. A result of the rage of a man that was pushed beyond his patience, and in retaliation for what he lost burned an island down.
"Braveheart." Vincent smiled at his old sword. He had left it with his father once he left America behind. It had been too much of a reminder, and it's name didn't feel like it fit anymore for him. He didn't have bravery in his heart while wielding it anymore, just bitterness and resentment.
Persephone giggled. "Did you know that a movie came out recently with that title?"
"Haha, yeah I've heard of it." Vincent laughed back. The mood joyous among the Underworld family. Vincent took the blade in hand, and let his shadow consume it, returning it to his side. "I'll be off then," Vincent turned to move, before stopping. One question stuck in his mind. "Dad." HE turned back to face his father and step-mother. "I do have one last question. Why didn't you bring back Maria?"
The mood fell down.
"As the God of the Dead, I should not selfishly ignore the Laws of Life and Death. She is... gone." Hades said. Persephone reached out and held his hand with hers.
"Yeah, that's bullshit." Vincent said right away, making Hades look up toward him.
The sound of flapping leathery wings intensified,
"Lord Hades' decision was wise. Do not speak of what you know not of, child." Alecto said as she perched herself on one of the room's walls.
"Were you addressed Electra? Do not speak unless spoken to." Vincent said with a cold voice unlike anything used in this conversation thus far.
"'Electra'? I am Alecto, you disrespectful—"
"Silence." Vincent commanded.
Alecto found her mouth shutting up involuntarily. Her eyes widened in fear as she felt the strength of will and power rolling off the son of Hades. The area shook and rumbled from his rage. A reminder of how far in strength this demigod had come, and why all mythological being were wary of him.
"Is this who you're taking advise of? This idiot?" Vincent turned to his father.
"Boy." Hades stood up facing his child, staring him eye-to-eye. His tone telling him not to push his attitude. "Despite her loathsome personality, the Fury is right. I should not resurrect souls without concern, the cycle of life and death must be adhered to."
"And if it had been a case where she died of old age, diseases or some freak accident, I would agree with you. But she died due to an attack by Zeus! It's literally divine intervention, so why not bring her back with another act of divinity." Vincent argued back.
"And what do I do then? How could I protect her? Keep her trapped in the Underworld then?" Hades said back.
"I will bring back his daughter. For that act, I will make him swear no harm on Maria as a reward." Vincent replied.
"And if he makes you choose between leaving Maria alone, and your daughters?" Hades asked.
"I'll pick Maria. As for my daughters, they have me. And even if I hate her guts right now, Athena wouldn't want her kids to die to a grudge from Zeus either." Vincent argued.
With all the reasons and arguments laid out, the only thing left was Hades' decision. He didn't have any excuse to hide behind.
Persephone went up by her husband's side and held his arm. "Hades," she said with a gentle voice. "Whatever you decide we'll abide by it." She said looking at Vincent, and then back to Hades to show their support. "But do know that you aren't alone."
"...Very well." Hades didn't agree. His tone was one Vincent recognized as an argument considered over. He simply nodded turned to leave.
Then stopped as something came to him, and as turned back with a small smirk.
"Say..."
"What is it?" Hades said, some impatience in his voice.
"Can you send me to a place with lots of skunks?"
Hades raised an eyebrow.
Polyphemus sat in his island happy.
He wondered when the next delicious saytr will arrive, drawn in by his fleece.
Such a genius idea of getting the fleece and using it as bait. He had enjoyed goat meat for centuries because of it.
Suddenly the cyclops sniffed and a frown came to his face.
A new smell arrived on the island.
A horrible smell.
An awful smell.
"What... what is that smell!?" The cyclops shouted.
He heard it then. The sound of dozens of critters with a foul smells dropping from the sky.
Dropping upon him.
"OOOOOH GODS! NO! NO! NOOOOO!"
"Polyphemus!"
A voice. A human shouted. A human he missed because his smell was drowned by all the foul stench of skunks.
"WHO GOES THERE? DID YOU DO THIS?" Polyphemus shouted.
"Aye! I am Noone, Son of Nobody! I've come to finish what my father started!" Shouted Noone.
"NOBODY'S SON!" Shouted Polyphemus in rage, looking around. His sight barely helping and his nose was shot. The skunks were loud so he couldn't hear the human's breathing. "YOU HAVE COME TO DIE!"
"Nay! My father took your sight and I will take your nose! ROUND TWO, BITCH!" Vincent shouted with amused youthful vigor.
Polyphemus ran to where the voice was.
He was met with blades of shadow and fire cutting his legs off.
Before the cyclops could even scream, he was pulled down through his own shadow and dropped into the Underworld.
Afterwards Polyphemus was stabbed through his body and joints with giant stone swords as the Underworld itself killed him under the Son of Hades' command.
"What do you mean the pictures aren't lining up? I gave you enough thread." Clotho shouted.
"Well clearly not enough. Look! It's not lining up." Lachesis shouted back.
"Then you must have messed up somewhere." Atropos argued.
"I didn't mess up! My work is perfect as always. Clotho mess up, she didn't give enough thread." Said Lachesis.
"I did not! I always give the exact amount." Said Clotho.
"Check back up the thread. See where the change is!" Atropos cried out.
The three sisters of fate argued on the changes to their designs that started to appear.
The chronicles of Benjamin Franklin latter part of his life and ultimately his death was a fascinating read.
For one, as I came to learn, he was the son of Dionysus, so there's that.
The part that dad highlighted for me to read was a second about Benjamin trying to acquire a means to defend against magic as a whole. Something not easily found, since while some items or rituals can protect against certain magics, there is nothing that protects against all magic.
The only example that came close was the flower Hermes picked up for Odysseus to use against the witch Circe. It turns out unlike what legends wrote, charms and illusions aren't the only thing Circe was an expert one, as she could use a whole slew and variety of spells. She just used illusions and charms to affect the mind out of a sadistic preference.
The important thing is, the moly flower not only made all her spell fail upon touching Odysseus, it even drained her magic energy to be around him, while the moly was in effect.
I wondered how this translated to a way to remove my divinity. The only thing known about the flower was that gods could pick it up but not mortals. This is because gods are deathless.
The chronicles of Benjamin Franklin started to clear up this mystery. Benjamin documented that when he picked up the flower, he felt himself weakening. He didn't die but had to let go after partially removing it. Benjamin feared he might end up with little life left had he fully plucked it from the ground.
The odd thing was Benjamin never got a quest after that. Or at least it was noted that he quest he went on belonged to other demigods, but never one of his own. Also magic seemed to weaken around him. That was important.
Later on Benjamin Franklin died of diseases and old age. Demigod don't die of mortal diseases.
The one point is, when Benjamin was in a quest after the moly incident, he was unpredictable. Well more unpredictable than a child of Dionysus usually was. However, some simply saw that as just an aspect of his divine heritage.
"What are you reading? An autobiography? Is that what you're interested in?" A young kid's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to see gray eyes similar to my own, stare back at him. The eight year old girl—Annabeth, I think was her name—tilted her head, while looking at me with curiosity. "I like books on architecture myself. What part of the autobiographies do you like?"
"The actions that they took and what can be learned from them." I said back curtly. Annabeth flinched at my tone. I realized I was giving off an aggressive vibe, and forced myself to relax my voice and expression.
I was used to being way more relaxed in this life. But surprisingly, upon coming to Camp Half-Blood and all the craziness of the first day, I found myself falling into my old routine when I used to be in the Zenin Clan. Habits that I had to force myself not to fall back on during Jujutsu Tech.
Always be on guard, always be ready for a fight, never show weakness, that type of stuff. I really shouldn't act like that with a bunch of kids, but they weren't just kids, but demigods. Each cabin's group is usually pretty cohesive, but all the bullshit favoritism I was shown, had even the Hermes kids I was squatting with up the pranks more than usual toward me. Even though I was a newcomer.
"Hmm, wanna talk about it more at our cabin?" Annabeth said pointing a the Athena Cabin.
I held back a smirk at the obvious "subtle" scheme.
"I'm afraid I can't join another cabin, since I am claimed by Lord Hades, thus I can only stay at the Hermes Cabin." I said calmly. Technically I could hang out in another cabin with a camper's permission from said cabin, but given everything, it's best to avoid any potential political statements.
Urgh, I hate politics.
"But why? We have the same mom, so we should be together." Annabeth insisted.
"That's just the way things are. There's no reason for us not to sit together in the common area." I shrugged and said back.
"...Why did she want you so much?"
Wow this kid was blunt.
"Who know, maybe she had a plan for me." I lied. It wasn't a maybe. My "mother" definitely had a plan for me.
"Hmm, yeah. Athena always has a plan." Annabeth nodded happily.
I had a weak smile at that. I wanted to tell her that wasn't such a good thing, but didn't want to hurt the little girl's feelings.
"Hey, Maki, Annabeth." A boy with sandy blonde hair and a mischievous smile.
"Hey, Luke!" Annabeth cheered up. Well, cheered up even more at his arrival. "Wanna read books together?"
"Sorry, Beth, maybe later." He told her with a smile. "Maki, our cabin has the training grounds next. Come on, we have some drills to do."
"Sure." I nodded and got up from my seat. "Let's hang out against later, Annabeth."
"Can I read your book?" She asked about the book. My dad said this wasn't some special account by Benjamin Franklin. There's likely a copy in the Camp Store, but I didn't dismiss the possibility of some of the jealous campers ruining it. "I promise to give it back just as you gave it to me."
"Sure." I shrugged with a smile. Ultimately there is nothing in camp that I could lose that I would worry over.
I lent Annabeth the book, and left with Luke.
Over all while I got a lot of looks from all other kids, none of them really seemed bad in my opinion. Although I was warned by dad to be careful around any child of Hecate as she had grievances with him.
However, more than being concerned about Camp Half-Blood or the gods or any or noise, I wanted to see Mai. I wanted to know where she was, that she was safe. Dad said that first we need to build up our strengths, to be able to keep her safe when we got her. Meaning him making preparations so the gods don't have a complete hold over us, or hopefully in the future leave us the fuck alone.
He suspected that if Mai isn't in Camp Half-Blood by next year then she would be in the Roman version of Camp Half-Blood, but he didn't know where it was as the knowledge was taken away from him. Also no god could be asked about that for aid since seem to suffer at the mention of, or being around Roman Gods.
"So," Luke said after we walked for a while. "You seem pretty good with a spear. Any good with a sword?"
"We're training with swords specifically this time?"
"Yeah, Dennis wants us to learn how to use different weapons, not just what we're good at." Luke mentioned. Dennis Reider was the Hermes Cabin leader.
I have a feeling this idea of practicing with different weapons was a new thing. From what I've seen in the camp, most campers try to find what weapon fits them and stick with it. Any training in different weapons is only a case of self-training.
"I'm decent with a blade." I said casually.
"Must be cool to have a demigod for a parent." Luke said before stopping himself. His frown at the hastily comment showed he was admonishing himself for it.
"I had to deal with a lot of monsters every single day. Double the demigods, double the scent and all that." I said back, willing to give the kid a break. At least he wasn't being pushy and spiteful with his jealousy.
Honestly given the conditions of the camp, and the kids lives, I get it. I get why they'd feel bitter, even if their frustration being directed at me was annoying.
"Ah, yeah." Luke nodded, thinking he got my situation. "Well, even if you travelled around, living with your dad must have been pretty cool."
"...Yeah, yeah. Living with dad is cool." I felt like correcting him on not having to move around would be a low blow.
"Alright, everyone, gather around, get a sword and let's start. Rules same as before, winner continues till they lose. Maki, Eddy, you're up first." Dennis said easily, as if he wasn't telling an eleven year old and a fifteen year old to fight each other.
When I used a spear I won almost every fight till the kids were much older and taller than me. At that point, physical difference just made it difficult to win, not to mention I've been going for several matches at that time.
As for this time with a sword?
"Fuck!" Eddy cried out as he closed his eyes at a hit to the temples, that came after a hit to the back of his knees when I jumped around him.
With a smaller weapon and my smaller body? I didn't have my past strength, not yet. And even if it's not on that same level, I had speed.
And I used it always. I didn't play to anyone's strength but mine.
Old instincts and experience was still there.
I dominated the spars.
The first five fights.
After that I was gradually tiring out, till in the eleventh match I was facing Luke.
"'Decent', huh." He smiled a bit.
"Don't know. Never spared with anyone but my dad." I shrugged and got into a sword stance.
We circled each other for a while, looking at each other's openings.
Luke decided to lunge first, wanting to capitalize on the advantage of my fatigue.
Our training sword clashed a few times as he tried to overwhelm me. He had talent, lots of it, but I had experience. With my condition mostly treated, I was able to move more as I wanted, as I used to.
I could feel the stable heat of divinity inside me move steadily with my body. Maybe because in my part life as a Jujutsu Sorcerer and knowing how a different energy in the body feels like, along with all the times I got sick from overheating in this life that I knew what my divinity felt like.
I felt it, thus I could call upon it, push it to move in that instinctual way it needed to. The world seemed to slow down as I sped up. Insights of where to strike, where to move and where danger was coming from, all poured out into my head. It reminded me of my old full capabilities, maybe that's why it was easy use this power from my blood.
It also confirmed what I felt for a while now.
I dodged a stab to my eyes, that turned into an elbow strike that I blocked and moved with the momentum to dash away and get some distance. Except Luke reacted quickly, getting right in my face with another slash from the side upward. I parried that one then stopped a punch to my stomach with my free hand.
Luke was fighting to kill.
My divinity had felt like a solid core inside of me since the apple smoothie. Lately however, with all the fights and needing to focus and call on my demigod fighting ability it felt like that solidness was starting to become more frizzled, more hazy at the edges.
Is this a consequence of pushing myself? I have been basically going into spars none stop all day for the past ten days. At least it mean most other kids didn't bother me all that much. The Ares kids seemed to both love and hate me.
However, I did hear enough here and there to get an idea of why Luke is murderous at me. He was part of the group that came a year ago chased by hellhounds and the furies. One of his friends became a tree by Zeus to escape my grandfather's wrath.
Maybe dad can figure out a way to fix that girl back into human?
Regardless I needed to end this now.
I pulled on that core inside me, feeling a slight fever. I pushed through it anyways.
Even if I didn't have my old body's strength, my reaction speed could somewhat return to that level.
Luke tried to stab forward at my ribcage, angling to switch it up to my throat. Kid's hell of a fighter, at least for his age, I'll give him that, however...
"AARUGH!" Luke cried out from his neck being choked.
In an instant, I threw my sword at him, he deflected it, I was already dashing and in arms length. I made it looked like I was going to tackle him, and he did react with a punch, but wasn't quick enough to realize it was a faint. I went around, grabbed the arm and twisted as I wrestled around him, using my arms and legs to constrict him, and make him fall to the ground, choking him. All of it took less than a second.
He kept struggling, kept trying to roll me over, or just lift me off with sheer strength, but that wasn't happening. I was starting to worry after a few minutes when he still didn't tap out and his face was turning blue.
"Enough, match over." An familiar old voice grunted and I let go jumping away from Luke.
"What the hell? Who are you? How'd you get here?" Dennis shouted as he and the other campers had their weapons out and trained on my dad that suddenly appeared next to me and Luke. He just stood there surrounded by demigods without care holding some gold carpet over his shoulder.
"Hey, dad." I smiled.
"Vincent Goodman, son of Hades." He grunted to the Hermes cabin leader, mostly so the kids would calm down. It didn't help, they just looked pale at that. "It's time, if you have something to pack, go pack it."
"W-Wait, s-son of Hades?" Dennis looked thrown off.
"Holy shit."
"He's an adult. I thought demigods didn't get to live that long."
"Did he say Vincent Goodman? Like the guy from WWII?"
Dad just walked off. The campers immediately moved aside for him, from his intimidating presence, although other campers showed up to see what was happening. I noticed Chiron running up to.
I went and packed my bag. I didn't own much, so it was a pretty quick job. When I went back I saw dad next to the Thalia tree with Chiron and the campers with him.
"Vincent, it's good to see you." Chiron said with a smile, but his eyes were transfixed on the golden wool—Wool! That's the word—he was carrying. "Is that..."
"What are you doing to Thalia's tree?" Luke demanded, although it was more of a pant, while looking at my dad with a mix to weariness and restrained anger.
"Yes, this is the Golden Fleece." Oh. I wasn't alone in my shock. "And if you studied your history you'll know. It should help." Dad throw the fleece on one of the tree's large branches.
"W-Wait, you mean..." Luke looked like the teenage kid he was once more. He didn't wish to hope, but couldn't help but do so.
We stood by for a few seconds as the fleece's power shined and spread out connecting to the tree and the camp's barrier reinforcing and empowering them.
Then a part of tree opened up and a girl fell out.
No one had any words.
"Mazel tov. It's a daughter of Zeus." I couldn't help but say.
Dad held back a chuckle and walked away and I followed. Luke immediately went to Thalia's side and Annabeth ran up through the crowd to join them.
Dad and I were stopped by a god in a tiger Hawaiian shirt.
"Well aren't you busy." Mr. D said with an amused smirk, while holding a diet coke. "Not even around and you cause Olympus to get thrown into a court drama, then you come around and screw up anything Zeus might try to plan to."
"What can I say? Trying to keep this family from imploding is a full time job." Dad said with a sigh as he looked at me. "I heard about it, but how come you were assigned as Camp Director?"
"Old man didn't like me taking one of his nymphs. Eh, you win some and lose a shit ton." Mr. D said, trying to sound casual, but was clearly annoyed.
"But why the Camp? That's just fucking over every demigod just to punish you. Could have just had you lead AA meetings and everyone you get sober is another year off your sentence." Dad thought out loud.
"Don't give Zeus ideas." Dionysus snorted.
"Maybe, but at least in that one, you could get back to the bottle faster." Dad shrugged, and while it seemed like a horrible advise to say to someone, Mr. D had just been annoying and grumpy ever since I met him. "Ready?" Dad said as he looked at me.
I nodded but was interrupted by the God of Wine.
"And where do you think you're going? You know I really should hold you here till the guys upstairs could figure what the fuck to do with you." Dionysus said. "What makes you think I'll let you leave?"
A tense atmosphere appeared as dad and Mr. D just stared at each other. Dad always had a plan, surely he accounted for Dionysus being around and not stuck in the Olympus court? Maybe they're taking a break upstairs, so the god was present in the Olympus court while keeping an eye on camp?
No, that sounded like too much effort for him.
"Because it will be funny as fuck." Dad said, and I snapped to look at him with wide eyes. Wait, seriously? That's his answe—
"Alright." Mr. D nodded in approval.
"Seriously?" I couldn't help but ask.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna pretend not to see you for a second and—"
Shadows covered me, then dad and I weren't in Camp Half-Blood anymore.
AN: Okay. Now the Ladon fight. Sometimes I fucking hate my brain and muse for not letting things just be simple.
