OH, CHÉRIE!¹ percy jackson

011

after the explosion, annabeth didn't find ivy like she did him. they didn't know if she was alive, or somehow made it to a lifeboat. even worse, they were now at a spa. every turn he took he was reminded of how ivy would love this place. he didn't know where tyson was either, and he felt his missing presence heavy on his heart, too. although percy couldn't figure out why each loss caused a different kind of heartache.

shaking his head out of depressing thought, he found it difficult to find anything good in himself.

"there, there," c.c. consoled. "how about we try... this."

she snapped her fingers and a sky-blue curtain rolled down over the mirror. it shimmered like the fabric on her loom.

"what do you see?" c.c. asked.

percy looked at the blue cloth, not sure what she meant. "i don't –"

then it changed colors. he saw myself – a reflection, but not a reflection. shimmering there on the cloth was a cooler version of percy jackson – with just the right clothes, a confident smile on his face. his teeth were straight. no blemishes on his face. more athletic, all the workout he has been putting time into actually coming to fruition. maybe a couple of centimeters taller. it was him, without the faults. at the back of his head, he wondered if ivy would like him like this.

"whoa," he managed.

"do you want that?" c.c. asked. "or shall i try a different –"

"no," percy said. "that's... that's amazing. can you really –"

"i can give you a full makeover," c.c. promised.

"what's the catch?" he said. "i have to like... eat a special diet?"

"oh, it's quite easy," c.c. said. "plenty of fresh fruit, a mild exercise programme, and of course... this."

she stepped over to her wet bar and filled a glass with water. then she ripped open a drink-mix packet and poured in some red powder. the mixture began to glow. when it faded, the drink looked just like a strawberry milkshake.

"one of these, substituted for a regular meal," c.c. said. "i guarantee you'll see results immediately."

"how is that possible?"

she laughed. "why question it? i mean, don't you want the perfect you right away?"

something nagged at the back of his mind, a voice that sounded eerily like ivy's. "why are there no guys at this spa?"

"oh, but there are," c.c. assured him. "you'll meet them quite soon. just try the mixture. you'll see."

percy looked at the blue tapestry, at the reflection of him, but not him.

"now, percy," c.c. chided. "the hardest part of the makeover process is giving up control. you have to decide: do you want to trust your judgement about what you should be, or my judgement?"

his throat felt dry. he heard himself say, "your judgement."

c.c. smiled and handed percy the glass. he lifted it to his lips.

it tasted just like it looked – like a strawberry milkshake. almost immediately a warm feeling spread through his gut: pleasant at first, then painfully hot, searing, as if the mixture were coming to a boil inside him.

percy doubled over and dropped the cup. "what have you... what's happening?"

"don't worry, percy," c.c. said. "the pain will pass. look! as i promised. immediate results."

something was fucking wrong.

the curtain dropped away, and in the mirror percy saw his hands shrivelling, curling, growing long delicate claws. fur sprouted on his face, under his shirt, in every uncomfortable place you can imagine. his teeth felt too heavy in his mouth. his clothes were getting too big, or c.c. was getting too tall – no, he was shrinking.