Commander Alpha

Chapter 31

Next up was Chaos. The campers, all scared of him and the power he held, fell completely silent.

"Nerd!" Castor shouted, trying to get some people to laugh. No one did.

"Well," Chaos started, clapping his hands in front of him. "Let me just start by saying that if you have a resurrected child of the god of death, an immortal centaur, the goddess of wisdom, and the creator of the universe speaking at your funeral, you must have done something right." This got weak laughs from the solemn crowd. Chaos went on to talk about Emma's different accomplishments in his army, and certain memories he had of her. When he left the stage, I saw a midnight-colored tear slip don his face. I'd never seen him cry before.

Athena's speech was similar to Chaos's, talking about Emma and all she had done. What was special was how she ended hers. "Emma," she spoke, no longer talking about her, but rather to her daughter. "You've made me proud." At this, a whole new round of tears spread through the crowd as the stone-faced goddess returned to her seat.

Finally, it was Bianca's turn. She got in front of the crowd and swallowed nervously.

"Hi." She started in a small voice. "My name Bianca and I was," she corrected herself, "am, Emma's best friend. Emma was... well, she was a great person. She was basically the 'little sister' of the Warriors, although she could kick all of our buts at hand-to-hand any day." Bianca seemed to loosen up a bit. "She was the most sarcastic person, besides Percy, that I've ever met. She had the uncanny ability to make a joke out of every situation. After she lost her leg, I dreaded hanging out with her because of all of her leg jokes. She always made fun of Beckendorf and Silena about their relationship. She thought that love was gross, and would run out of the room screaming 'cooties' whenever they kissed. She kept us from taking ourselves too seriously and was always able to find the light in even the darkest of situations." Bianca stopped, turning sad again. "She was the best friend I've ever had. I'm going to miss her so much." She walked away, wiping her eyes.

"If anyone has any items they want burnt with her shroud, now's the time to bring them forward." A few Chaos soldiers went up and left little trinkets that reminded them of her, and Hestia left a book that Emma had leant her to read, but never gotten back. Chiron was about to burn the shroud when he was interrupted.

"Wait!" I whipped around in my seat to see Percy sitting upright in his bed.

"Pe-Commander!" Luke called, catching himself. Percy ignored him and locked eyes with Chiron.

"I need to grab something." Chiron nodded, and Percy raced out of the amphitheater and towards the Warrior cabin. Beckendorf whistled.

"The kid's in a coma for a week, he just woke up ten seconds ago, and now he's running." He said, sounding impressed. The other people in the amphitheater seemed surprised as well. Chaos was shaking his head in a way that said that he'd never understand Percy (which I don't even think is possible. Does Percy even understand Percy? (Percy mind messaged me saying that he doesn't understand himself either. Figures.))

In less than a minute, Percy raced back into the amphitheater, carrying a metal tin. He handed it to Chiron, who opened the tin and looked inside. He smiled a bit, nodded at Percy, and put the tin back on the altar. Percy took a seat next to Luke who stared at him in shock.

"Why...How..." Percy gave him a look that said he'd explain later, and we all turned our attention back to Chiron. He burnt the shroud and said a prayer. All of the people in the amphitheater dispersed. The campers went to their cabins; Annabeth was wheeled back into the infirmary; Hestia went back to her hearth, which, for the first time, had no flame; The Olympians flashed away; Chaos teleported to his planet to attend to the never-ending duty of the creator of the universe; and the Chaos Warriors gathered where Emma's shroud had been.

"What happened? What was in that tin?" Luke demanded. Percy opened his mouth and was about to answer when Bianca interrupted, staring at the ashes of the previously burning fire, looking uncomfortable.

"Can we take this discussion to the cabin?" She suggested. We all agreed, and headed back. Once we arrived and settled ourselves in the living room, Percy started talking.

"The tin had blue cookies in it. Emma came to me in a dream and asked for me to burn them with her, she never got to try any."

"Percy, why don't you go see your mom? She's probably worried sick about you!" Silena suggested. Percy flinched, as though the subject caused him physical pain. He hung his head at the ground.

"I only found out later, but when Brendan was still terrorizing me at camp, He gave my mom a potion that made her forget about me." He admitted, a tear sliding down his cheek. Silena gasped. She put an arm around Percy's shoulder in a comforting way.

"Later, when things quiet down, how about we see what Chaos can do about that." Percy's face brightened.

"You said that Emma came to you in a dream, right?" Bianca asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"What else did she say?" The Warriors all listened intently.

"She said that I would have to fight to stay alive, she asked me why I make everything about me, which I don't, everyone else makes everything about me, she asked for blue cookies, and told me that I would have to do something she would hate to wake someone up." Percy paused. "Can you guys think of who she would be referring to?" All of the Warriors, besides Percy, shared a look.

"Annabeth." We said at once. Percy turned stark white.

"A-A-Annabeth? I-Is she okay!" he stuttered.

"Yeah, she's been in a coma for a week, just as long as you were." Luke explained.

"Can you guys think of what she might have been referring to?" Percy asked desperately. While the others threw out theories, I felt something in my mind like two puzzle pieces fitting together. I laughed, despite myself.

"No way."

"What is it?" Percy demanded.

"True love's kiss."

"She would hate that." Bianca agreed.

"But do you think it'll work?" Percy asked.

"Well," I got up from the couch. "There's only one way to find out." The others followed suit and we made our way to the infirmary. There, we found Will and Nico making out. Percy cleared his throat. They didn't hear.

"STOP KISSING I NEED MY OTP TO HAPPEN." Silena shouted. Will and Nico jumped apart. Nico immediately blushed beet red, but Will didn't seem affected.

"Aw, so you mean that Nico and I aren't your OTP?" He pouted.

"Outa the way, third place." Silena said, and shoved Will and Nico to the side. We walked down the rows of beds until we found Annabeth.

"Third place?" Nico whispered.

"What are you guys doing?" Will asked, interested now that he was no longer snogging Nico.

"Waking Annabeth up." Luke supplied.

"How?"

"True love's kiss!" Silena gushed.

"She's unconscious, that is kinda gross." Nico decided.

"You and Emma agr-" Bianca stopped, as the horrible realization dawned on her.

"Actually, she does agree with me." Nico said. "She just fake vomited all over your commander. She says she hopes you are up to date on your cooties shots."

"Nice." Percy said, staring at Annabeth.

"Also," Nico continued.  "She's waving a tin at you, Commander, and is thanking you for the... cookies?" Percy nodded and smiled a little.

"I have an important question for Commander Alpha." Will announced. Percy looked over at him. "Are you Percy?" Percy nodded, taking off his hood.

"Nice to see you again, Solace."

"Ditto, Jackson."

Nico pumped his fist. "Knew it."

Percy made his way over to Annabeth, his eyes glued on her face. He kneeled on the floor, and moved his head towards hers.