Percy Jackson: Daughter of Shadows

10. We Ride a Pig, and Aphrodite Yells at Ares

We got out in Cloudcroft. It was a little ski town covered in pine trees. "Alright, boss, what do we do now?" Thalia asked Zoe sarcastically. Zoe towered over her. "Okay, okay, enough you two" I said, stepping between them. "Thalia, you take Percy, Bianca, and Grover to look around. Zoe, go with Viktor, don't worry about him, he won't do anything, I swear, and wait near the grocery store" Zoe nodded and walked to Viktor. "'Come on," he said. "I wonder if I can get a couple of things..." "What are you looking for, Vik?" "Nothing. What are you going to do?" "Call Chiron and Mr. D, I've got some of the Nemean Lion blood in a bag" Viktor nodded and headed off with Zoe. Thalia and the boys went after them, exploring the area. I waved my hand and sparked a fire. I unzipped my duffel bag and took out the blood bag. I threw it into the flames. "Chiron and Dionysus, Camp Half-Blood, Long Island Sound" The smoke whipped around and showed the porch of the Big House. "Chiron!" Chiron turned to me. "Lilly! Dionysus, Lilly called!" Mr. D appeared in the image. "Ah, good. How is the quest going?" "Well, despite Thalia and Zoe's constant bickering, pretty good. How's everything there?" 

 Chiron's hooves tapped against the porch, nervous. "Well?" Mr. D grabbed his Diet Coke and took a sip. "Not great. Everyone's worried about your quest, and the remaining Hunters aren't helping. They fear for Artemis. Have you a clue about where she is?" "Unfortunately, no. We're in Cloudcroft, New Mexico" Mr. D nodded and took another sip. "What about that new Hunter, Bianca, right?" "She's okay, for the most part. No one here is perfectly fine, if I'm being honest" "What about you?" I sat in the snow. "What about me?" "How are you?" "I'm fine, why'd you ask?" Chiron glared at me. "'Lilly..." "Chiron, I'm fine, honest" "Very well. Take care, get back soon" "I will. And I'll try to bring Percy back in one piece" "Or multiple" "Dionysus!" I laughed. "See you all later." 

 Viktor and the others came back minutes after the message ended. "What did you lot find?" Viktor pointed back to the grocery store. "I got everything I was looking for, and Percy and Bianca found a coffee shop" "Great" I stood up. "Let's all get some coffee" Thalia and Viktor went inside to get the coffee. I sat next to Zoe. "Hey" "Hey" She fiddled with her bow. "Are you-" "How is thy-" We looked at each other and started laughing. "Zoe, are you okay?" She nocked an arrow. "I'm well" "Really?" She glanced at me, and then shook her head. "Do you still have that fire I gave you?" Zoe pulled out the purple fire from her pocket. "It didn't burn my clothing" "Yeah, it's a special type of fire. Can I see it for a moment?" She handed it to me. "Watch" I pulled the flames apart and began to spin the into a man's shape. "Heracles..." Zoe blinked, tears forming. "How do you-" "I took a hint about why you don't like Percy. Anaklusmos was Heracles's sword, you made it for him. By helping him, you were banished from the Garden of Hesperides, right?" Zoe nodded. "I regret it" I placed my hand on her leg. "Percy isn't like him, I swear. He's too dorky to do something like that" Zoe chuckled. "I'll be the judge of that" I held my hands up. "Alright" I turned the flame Heracles into a tiny statue of Artemis. "Here" I handed it to her. "Hold onto that. Maybe it's still okay to be a kid sometimes" Zoe shook her head. "I'm not a child. Do you even-" "You're thirteen. When you met Heracles, you were smitten with him, but since he was much older, you never acted on it" Zoe took the statue. "Thank you" "Anytime." 

 Thalia and Viktor came back out with the coffee and treats. "Please tell me mine has espresso in it" I said, taking the drink Viktor handed me. "Yep, three shots" I smiled. "You know me so well" "Naturally" "Knock it off, love birds" Thalia said, sitting next to Grover. "Shut up, Pine Tree" Viktor said. I spat out my drink. "VIKTOR?!" He winked at me. "You and Percy aren't the only snarky ones here" I laughed. "Well, good job" "Thanks. Oh! I got you something" He handed me a small bag. Inside was a small ring with an amethyst in it. "Vik..." "Just put it on, it was crazy cheap" I slid it onto my finger. "Did you get anything to eat?" "Nah, Bianca saw the driver give you brownies. You got any left?" I pulled out the leftover brownies. Everyone except Bianca took one. "Something wrong?" "Nothing! I'm just not very hungry" "Mhm" I got up and handed her a corner piece. "You're eating, and I don't want to hear anything else" Bianca took it and took a tiny bite.