The Ever-changing Tides~ (PJOxHP)

1:16

Chapter 16: WE TAKE A ZEBRA TO VEGAS

The war god was waiting for us in the diner parking lot.

"Well, well," he said. "You didn't get yourself killed."

"Of course not, it was a trap meant for cheating gods. Not demigods and a satyr."

Many breaths were caught at the bold words from younger Percy. Even the other gods and goddesses looked between each other with shock written on their faces.

Percy shared a matching smirk with her father. They knew exactly why she was still alive.

Ares gave me a wicked glare. He drew the knife he had threatened the waitress with earlier and was about to speak when I interrupted him.

Checking my nails I said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." Looking up I continued, "Only mortal daughter Poseidon has ever had, and you kill her? Let's see what he makes of you, and consequently the world, then."

I saw the barest flash of fear flash through the god's eyes and let a tiny smirk grace my lips. I was already pushing my limits, but I knew Ares's temper was running high as well.

The hall had all started staring between Percy and Ares.

Percy wore a smirk again, bigger this time, as she turned around on her shared beanbag to see everyone's reactions.

She held in her laughter at all the shocked faces... until her eyes swept over Apollo and Hermes. The two blonde gods were avoiding eye contact with each other and desperately holding in their own laughs, but as they looked up and saw Percy, all three of them simultaneously lost it.

Percy ended up slumped over the back of the beanbag with a fierce need for air.

Apollo had his hands on his knees and had unintentionally made the room brighter and a bit warmer.

Hermes had his head thrown back while his hands rested on the couch he was sitting on and were accidentally starting to transfigure the fabric.

After a couple minutes the three started to calm down. They hesitantly looked between one another and shared a few more chuckles as they wiped tears from their eyes. Returning to their upright positions and fixing their slip-ups in power on the gods parts, they all breathed a few calming breaths.

Everyone watched as the demigod and two gods calmed themselves, not saying a word.

When no one spoke for several seconds, the book started reading once again.

Feeling the weight on my arm I remembered Ares's shield. I unhooked it from my arm and tossed it over. "By the way, you're a jerk."

This time I heard the three behind me all take sharp inhales. Though Sirius's sounded more choked, as if he was holding back laughter.

Sirius nodded in agreement with Percy's observation. He turned to his left as he settled a hand on her thigh and said, "I probably cracked a rib from trying not to laugh." Percy flashed him a smile before leaning her head in his shoulder.

Ares grabbed the shield and held it to his chest as he stared back at me. I saw his jaw clench impossibly tight before he looked away and tossed the shield up and spun it like pizza dough. It changed form then, melting into a bulletproof vest. He slung it across his back.

"See that truck over there?" He pointed to an eighteen-wheeler parked across the street from the diner. "That's your ride. Take you straight to L.A., with one stop to Vegas." The eighteen-wheeler had a sign on the back, which I could read only because it was reverse-printed white on black, a good combination for dyslexia: KINDNESS INTERNATIONAL: HUMANE ZOO TRANSPORT. WARNING: LIVE WILD ANIMALS.