Project Percy (Kotlc Meets Percy Jackson)

Chapter 3

"Soooo..." Percy drew out the O, not quite sure what to say. "What am I? An alien? A clone? A Greek demigod?"

He waited for Annabeth's answer.

She burst into laughter.

Percy raised an eyebrow. "Ok, not a Greek demigod."

"No," Annabeth said once she'd composed herself. "I'm saying you're an elf."

The word hung in the air.

"An elf," Percy repeated. He imagined little people with tights and belled shoes. 

"You don't believe me," Annabeth said.

"Do you really expect me to?"

"I guess not." She ran her hand through her blonde ponytail, twisting one of the curls around her finger. Could someone that beautiful really be crazy?

Percy decided to humor her. "Ok, I'm an elf. Do I make toys at the North Pole? Or am I supposed to help Frodo destroy the ring and save Middle-earth?"

She sighed, but there was a smile in the corner of her mouth. "Would it help if I showed you?"

"Oh, this ought to be good."

Annabeth pulled something out of her pocket, some kind of slender silver wand with intricate carvings etched into the side. On the top was a small, round crystal, sparkling in the sunlight.

"Is that a magic wand?" He was unable to resist.

Annabeth sighed. "No, it's a pathfinder." 

"It looks like an expensive flashlight."

Annabeth ignored him as she spun the crystal and locked it into place with a silver latch on the top. "Do you promise to do exactly what I tell you?"

Percy's smile faded. "Depends. What do I need to do?"

"You need to take my hand and concentrate on holding on. And by concentrate, I mean you can't think about anything else, no matter what happens. Can you do that?"

"Why?" 

"Do you want proof or not?" He wanted to say no. She couldn't actually prove anything. What was she going to do, whisk him away to some magic elf land?

But he was curious...

And what harm could come from holding onto someone's hand?

He silently ordered his palms not to sweat as he took her hand. His skin still tingled.

Annabeth glanced over her shoulder, scanning the area. "Ok, we're alone. We'll go on three."

"What happens on three?"

She shot him a look, and he decided to shut up, concentrating on her hand.

"One," she said, holding the pathfinder up to the sunlight. The crystal glittered as it caught the light, and a bright beam sparkled on the ground.

"Two." She tightened her grip, and Percy ignored his beating heart.

"Three."

Annabeth pulled them forward, and the warm tingling in his hand shot through his entire body. He felt like there were thousands of warm feathers tickling his skin. He fought off a giggle as he focused on Annabeth. Wait, where was she? He knew he was holding her hand, but he couldn't see her. It felt like his body melted into goo, and the only thing keeping it together was a blanket of warmth. Then, before he knew it, the warmth was gone, and he opened his eyes.

His mouth fell open.

They stood on the banks of a river. The water felt...different from the water back home. Calmer, somehow. He could feel the hum of its call in the back of his mind, but it didn't try to take over.