Making Waves

Chapter 16

The larger laistrygonian growled. "You mixed up their names!"

She shrugged. "Strikes the same amount of not-fear. Plus, I don't hear them complaining."

"They never reformed," he said, lips baring harshly, "And I will get my revenge on you, sea spawn, for dusting my closest allies. And then I will feast on your bones!"

Percy mentally sighed. It was always the same thing. Why couldn't any monsters just want to kill her? Why did they have to eat her too? She pressed her thumb to the cap of her pen, but before she could flick it off, the tip of Skin Peeler's club touched the ground with a soft thud.

"I thought I was your best friend," he said, looking at Joe with a frown.

Percy held her hands up, taking a step back. "This seems like an internal issue, so I think I'll just—go."

"You will be, if you kill her," Joe ordered the other monster, then ran a tongue over each sharp tooth in his grin.

"That's so gross," Percy whined, but Skin Peeler only took a second or two to consider this offer before hefting his club up and charging at her.

The smaller giant was faster than she had expected, but she dodged the first downward strike of his weapon with ease, uncapping Riptide with a single fluid movement. He snarled, and reached for her again, but Percy took advantage of his height, ducking between his legs.

"You know he's exploiting you, right?" she informed Skin Peeler, but it seemed he would not be swayed.

He swung the club back around, just barely brushing the crown of her head. Percy slashed Riptide across both his ankles, and when he teetered to his knees, she kicked him powerfully from behind, his weapon clattering to the side of the alley. The giant toppled face forward, and she wasted no time in launching onto his fallen body and, with both hands, bringing Riptide down into the back of his neck.

Skin Peeler instantly burst into gold.

Percy looked up, blowing a few strands of hair out of her face with a sharp exhale.

"Are you this manipulative to all of your friends? It's no wonder Marrow Skull and Sucker Eater didn't come back."

Joe Bob's eyes flashed wild, as he discarded his club, letting it roll to the side of the alley. He hit one fist into the palm of his other hand, bulging muscles distorting the designs of his hideous artwork. "I will eat you!" he roared, saliva dripping from his fangs.

Percy yelped, and dodged the spit as he came at her with his bare fists.

"It's Marrow Sucker—" Joe grabbed her neck in his grip and squeezed, but Percy cut off the limb with her sword. "And Skull Eater—" The giant tried to ram his remaining fist into her stomach. Percy yanked it to the side and chopped that one off at the same place. Huh, it seemed like extensive linework like the kind he sported really did cost an arm. Or two. Glitter oozed out of both shoulder sockets as the monster stood, seething in fury.

"Skinny Skull and Eater Peeler?" she asked, innocently.

"Die!" Joe Bob screamed.

He hurled himself at her one last time, directly onto Riptide's razor-sharp point.

The echo of his last word dissipated into the alley along with the shiny gold dust.

Percy capped her sword, grimacing at the volume of the stuff that had stuck to her sweater. She tried to brush it off, but monster guts were known for being stubborn, so she removed the outer layer entirely, bunching it up and tucking it under her elbow. She only wore a thin t-shirt underneath, but at least she didn't look like a walking party city commercial.