Mayday, Mayday!

003. Swords and Wielders

TRIGGER WARNING: Somewhat Suicidal Thoughts (Self-Harm)

  Perhaps Aella-Mae lied when she said she remembered nothing about her death.

  It came in flashes: thunder in the night, cold wind upon her bare skin. Her face was ashen white against the harsh light, half-shut eyes rung with dark circles as she stirred in her sleep. Those crimson locks of hers stuck to her feverish forehead, drenched in sweat. 

  There were few things worse than dying (to Aella-Mae, at least) but her worst nightmare was reliving death, in all its glory. It was not by choice. Her mind woke in the night and purged the thoughts from her body.

  DEAR DIARY, I THINK I'M DEAD.

  THE KNIFE IN MY BACK IS SLICK WITH BLOOD, AND SO IS THE HAND THAT IS PULLING IT OUT. I DO NOT BELIEVE THEM TO BE A KILLER. 

  THEY TREMBLED AS THEY DID IT. I COULD FEEL IT. NOT TRAINED IN THE ART OF TAKING LIVES. THEY ALMOST MISSED MY HEART. HOW CAN SOMEONE MISS THE HEART? IT'S NOT THAT HARD!

  I BELIEVE I AM DEAD. 

  NO SECOND GUESSING.

  YET I AM AWAKE. THIS FLESH IS TOO HEAVY FOR MY BONES AND UNCOMFORTABLY SQUEAMISH TO LIVE IN, AS WELL. IS IT STRANGE THAT I FEEL EVERY INCH OF MY SKIN? IT STICKS TO MY BODY. IS THIS NORMAL?

  WHAT IS TO HAPPEN TO JASON?

  MY BROTHER! WHERE IS HE? HE'S STILL IN THE WOODS. DEAR HERA, LOOK AFTER HIM AS IF HE WERE REALLY ONE OF YOUR OWN. TAKE THIS AS MY DYING WISH.

  YOU ARE STILL OUT THERE.

  I AM STILL DEAD. IF YOU CUT ME OPEN, NO BLOOD WOULD SPILL. WHAT AM I NOW? A MONSTER?

  I HEAR OF GAIA AND HER TROOP OF THE DEAD. YET I DO NOT THINK I AM ONE OF THEM. I SHOULD TRY TO BLEED. I NO LONGER KNOW WHAT TO DO.

  YOU HAVE MADE ME THIS.

  LOVE,
  AELLA-MAE.  

  But that was not the sort of thing she tended to tell Percy Jackson when they practiced swordfighting . . . there are some things one simply did not speak about.

✸ 

  She trudged towards the arena, trying to focus on Percy's words. While most of the rain had slipped off surfaces like benches, leaving the place clean enough to sit down on, it'd all fallen to the mud, turning the floor to brown sludge that appeared to have quite a fine time swallowing her feet whole.

  "Remind me why I have to train with you? I think my wrist is still broken from the war games," Percy complained.

  Squelch, went Aella-Mae's shoes.

  The girl blew a stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "I think you just answered your own question." She tried for a smile. "After all, you clearly aren't at my level yet."

  "Excuse me?" Percy gasped, turning around to scowl at her. "I was offered immortality!"

  Aella-Mae shrugged. "You didn't take it. So if we're counting based on actual accomplishments, you almost died who knows how many times, but only I actually died. Therefore," she jabbed him in the ribs, "I'm superior."

  "Whatever you say," was Percy's only retort.

  Squelch. Aella-Mae tried to wipe the mud that'd gotten on the floor off with her feet but only ended up making more brown sludge (defying physics at its best.) So she kicked off her shoes and slid across the wooden panels in only her socks.

  Percy looked at her, bewildered, before following suit. "If I lose my balance and accidentally pierce your organs, I'm telling Hazel it was your fault."

  "Sure, dumbass."

  There really was no negotiating with Aella-Mae.

  She pulled out one of the golden chopsticks that had been pinned in her hair, the slender pieces of metal elongating into a maguro bōchō knife.

  The boy grinned. "You do love your tuna filleting knife."

  "Perfect for a fish boy like you, wouldn't you say?" Aella-Mae reached for the other chopstick in her hair. Then she lunged.

  Riptide glinted in the sunlight, but the girl was quick to dodge, her knives flashing in the air as she twisted and turned away. Percy's technique may have been unorthodox, but Aella-Mae was never one for tradition. The primal instincts, fight or flight, took over, and all premises of guessing vanished. It was no longer, Percy may try to do this, but simply reacting as fast as her senses would allow her to even the slightest tremor from the boy.

  She countered with a swift strike, but Percy parried with ease, his sword ringing against her blades.

  The two circled each other, each waiting for the other to make a move. 

  Percy feinted left, then right, but Aella-Mae was far quicker than that. His sword never seemed to get even close to her.

  Aella-Mae leant forwards, knives aimed at his chest, but the boy sidestepped and swung his sword in a wide arc, narrowly missing her. She spun around, her knives whistling through the air, but Percy was ready this time, matching her pace.

  Although Riptide was larger, Aella-Mae's blades were much lighter and longer, giving her the advantage of distance. The boy was forced to retreat, his sword held high as he tried to fend off her relentless attacks.

  Finally, Percy saw an opening. But before he could move again, Aella-Mae disarmed him with one swift motion, sword clattering to the ground. 

  She placed the edge of one of her blades lightly on his neck, kneeling on top of him. "Now, fish boy, do you want to be scaled or gutted first?"

  Then the world seemed to topple over, as Percy pushed up against the blade and sent it flying to the side, turning over so they'd switched places.

  "Who's tuna now?" The boy gave her a side-smirk, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Aella-Mae scowled at him.

a/n: i had the WORST writers block for this book. honestly i love aella-mae sm but idk i just have no idea what i'm going to do. my poor baby!! i feel bad for her holy shit why don't i write for her.