Heroes of Olympus - The Blood of Olympus (Discontinued)

Chapter 23 - Frank

Chapter 23 - Frank

Right after the serpents exploded below them in a star-burst of scales, talons, and slippery green and red serpent flesh (yes... gross...), Frank felt the weight leave his back as if Hazel had suddenly vanished into the night around them. He let out a frightened screech, flapping his wings, his beady eyes darting around wildly to suddenly see the dark form that he knew was Hazel plummeting towards the water.

"Hazel!" he cried, but it came out more as: "Aaaeerriikk!!!

He tucked in his wings and dove, watching helplessly as she plunged into the sea. 

Frank streaked for the water, his form beginning to change. His wings morphed into slippery fins, his back-feathers elongating into a blubbery tail, his beak shrinking into a short snout with long whiskers. Frank dove into the sea as a bull seal, swimming through the currents, trying to find Hazel. It was only a matter of seconds, but there she was, sinking into the depths, bubbles streaming from her nose and mouth. She must've had another blackout or something; or maybe summoning the mist had taken all of her energy.

Frank swam over, and quickly pushed her upward with his nose, breathing in the crisp night air as his head broke the surface, blinking the water out of his eyes, just in time to see Jason swoop down, his arms wrapping around Hazel - not caring that she was soaking wet - and the pair rose into the sky heading back to the Argo II.

Frank barked gratefully after them, raising his flipper in sort of a salute. He watched until they reached the faint streak of light on the horizon that was their ship. The demigods had made quite a distance between them and the serpents. Just before he followed, Frank dove under the water. His eyes scanned the darkness around him, his new seal senses on full alert, and he could sense the massive bulk of what he knew was all that remained of the Ketea sinking into the blackness of the deep. He shuddered thinking about it.

He floated in the water for a minute more, scanning the sea for more possible trouble.

Nothing.

It was dead silent. Frank felt an eerie chill come over him. He suddenly wanted to get out of here. The others would be waiting for him anyway, and he desperately wanted to see if Hazel was alright. Turning through the currents, he swam for the ship, leaving the serpents sinking behind him.

He caught up with the ship quickly, being as he could swim around three times quicker than the average human now, and as he surfaced next to the starboard side of the ship in human form once more, Jason flew down, plucked Frank out of the water as if he were a buoy, and set him down upon the deck. "Thanks," he gasped, resting his hand on Jason's shoulder, his clothes dripping wet.

Percy came over, and touched Frank's shoulder, drying him instantly.  

"Where's Hazel?" he asked.

"Below deck," Jason said. "Sickbay. She's fine, man. The mist just took it out of her. I wouldn't go running to her yet."

So, of course, down the stairs Frank went, bounding through the hall to the sickbay. The door was opened slightly, and as Frank peeked his head inside, he was rewarded to see Hazel's eyes open, her breathing steady. She was sitting up on one of the beds inside, wrapped in warm blankets. Piper sat behind her, brushing her curls like a mother to a child, and Annabeth was rearranging the cabinets, putting away the ambrosia and nectar.

"Oh gods." Frank pushed the door open all the way and walked in, wrapping Hazel in a bear hug. He felt Hazel hug him back fiercely, noticing she was perfectly dry already, and he said a silent thank you to Percy Jackson. He murmured into her ear, "don't scare me like that again, okay?"