❝ I suppose you have a plan, Butterfly? ❞
☆ ☼ ☆
Nature was fighting again, but it felt different this time. The sea wasn't opposing itself to the wildfire from the girl's hands, its waves high against the lightning striking the beach. A city appeared behind her, which she noticed was not New York. Many buildings spread apart as palm trees fought to remain in their current place. The wind increased as Sheila tried to step forward, her feet not moving an inch. They were glued to the sand, her blue Converse soaked in salty water.
Her eyes scanned the dark ocean lying in front of her. It didn't take the girl long to notice two figures down the surf, seemingly fighting rather violently. The second thing she realized was that this storm wasn't caused by Nature but rather by a raging force. A faint golden glow came from her fingertips at the magic surrounding her. Sheila frowned, wonders floating around her head as lightning struck beside her. One step closer, and it would have turned her into ashes.
Panic started to take over her. She felt her lungs inhaling as much air as permitted, but it wasn't enough to ease her swift heartbeats. Her nightmares were never like this one. She couldn't even move from her dangerous position. One strong wave would pull her to the ocean's deepest parts. One gush of wind would attract the storm to her and swallow her whole. The lack of voice in her throat didn't even allow Sheila to shout out for help or to tell those men to cease fire.
Then, a familiar boy screamed, "Stop fighting!"
Sheila's head snapped toward the voice's localization. Just as she spotted Percy Jackson running along the beach, one of the two men fighting yelled, "Give it back!" His tone was childish, similar to a child who argued with someone at the playground.
Something was wrong. Percy wasn't supposed to be in Sheila's nightmares. She wasn't even supposed to be in this one. Whatever those two men were fighting over didn't have anything to do with her, and Sheila cursed at the Fates for screwing her over once more. Percy was soon by her side, still shouting at the men to stop arguing. It did nothing. Sheila wondered if he made matters worse as the ground shook underneath their feet.
A voice she was all too familiar with then spoke, "Come down, little heroes. Come down!"
Then, an abrupt pain made Sheila gasp. It was soft at first, tightening the muscles in her stomach. Percy's words of worry went over her head as she wrapped her arms around herself to ease the pain. Prayers slipped past her lips even though she knew they were useless since the gods could do nothing in the world of sleep. Percy gripped her shoulder when a second earthquake made them stumble, eyes squinting at the figures down the surf.
"Destroy them," a voice whispered in the girl's ears. Sheila yelped, her insides turning. "You know you want to."
And that was terrifying. Sheila couldn't deny the voice was right, but the agony overtaking her senses was more significant than her hunger for revenge. Her hands moved over her ears, trying to block out the storm, the fighting, Percy's questions, everything. It wouldn't take much more for her to lose it completely.
But suddenly, the sand that glued her down split. Percy was the first to slip into a crevice. His screaming was nothing but a whisper. Sheila stared beneath her feet, and soon enough, she had joined the boy in the centre of the earth.
. • ° ✧ . • °
An itching sensation was the first thing Sheila felt when she woke up. Her entire body was on fire, the pain barely bearable. Sheila would have probably groaned and demanded ambrosia if she wasn't used to it. She didn't have to, though, as Michael was soon by her side and making her drink nectar with a block of ambrosia. The pillow behind her back helped ease the discomfort caused by the rough texture of the headboard, yet Sheila felt as if every sensation had been intensified.
The covers were quickly thrown off her legs as she went into a spiral of panic. Michael's voice sounded too much like the one in her dreams, the laughter echoing around her. Sheila never coped well with her nightmares, but this particular one had destabilized the girl. It reminded her of a threatening promise, reassuring her that the voice was far from done with its unknown plan.
Flames sparked at Sheila's fingertips, the wind picking up outside. It rattled against the windows, the infirmary growing colder. Michael tried to make Sheila understand she escaped the nightmare, but she wasn't responsive. Her hands covered her ears to block out the noise she couldn't register properly. The floor under her feet felt too rough, and the bandages protecting her wounds itched. The unstoppable laughter was the worst of it all. It was repetitive, loud and familiar.
Another voice then called her name. Hooves hit the ground, and Michael sighed in relief when his friend finally came back from the cage that was her head. Chiron sent him a worried look, but the boy focused on Sheila as he helped her back onto the bed. She grasped his hand, her grip tight, but Michael didn't complain.
"Shei, it's okay," he whispered. "If I'd known you'd wake up like that, I would've asked for Charlie."
"No," she quickly replied. "Don't worry him, I'm fine. It just felt... too real." Sheila shivered, flashes of her dream replacing the walls of the infirmary. "Why am I here?"
Chiron then made his presence known. "Sheila, do you remember what happened during Capture the Flag?" he asked, not yet mentioning her panicked state.
The girl frowned, eyes narrowing. "The hound," she recalled. "I know I killed it, then Jackson got claimed by Poseidon. After that, nothing."
"Michael, you should go help Will with the Hermes cabin," Chiron told the boy, who got the message and left, but not before squeezing Sheila's hand reassuringly. "You passed out after the fight, Sheila. It has been two days since then."
"Two days?" Sheila exclaimed. "H-how?"
Chiron walked closer to the bed. "Your wounds were deep, but luckily, Michael managed to close them with Lee's help. I suppose you used too much magic, and your body couldn't handle it. I've seen this happen with Bonnie."
Her mother's name caused Sheila to wince. It was still painful to think about her, let alone talk about her. She grasped her necklace and tried to ignore the guilt and grief in her chest. If Chiron noticed the pain in her eyes, he didn't mention it.
"I think it's time for me to share something with you, Sheila," the centaur announced. He had this serious look, the one the girl hated. It told her nothing good would pass his lips. "You are about to discover the secrets your mother hid from you, the reason behind your golden eyes. I cannot say what they are, but I can warn you. You'll leave for a quest with Annabeth, Percy and Grover in a few days. You four will have to return what has been stolen from Olympus and stop a war from happening."
The girl thought she misheard him, but Sheila jumped out of bed when he repeated himself. Excitement and apprehension were quick to brush away the memory of Bonnie. Finally, after years of begging, she and Annabeth could leave the camp and prove themselves to those who doubted them. While Sheila didn't like that Percy would also be there, she wouldn't let his presence ruin the one thing she had been waiting for in the past few years. Fear of the unknown still lingered, but she ignored it.
"Before you get too excited," Chiron spoke, motioning for Sheila to sit back down, "you need to remember the letter you received this week. The world is not safe for you. When you're out of our magical barriers, I can no longer help you. You'll have to control your magic by yourself and keep calm. If your anger rises, the monsters will feel your presence even more. This is what Charlie has been training you for."
Surprisingly, Chiron's words weren't enough to dim the girl's excitement. She already knew all this since it was just how things were for her. At the young age of seven, Sheila understood the world would never be safe. She learned this the hard way. As for controlling her anger, that would be easy. Chiron refused to see it was what she had been doing ever since she was a child. As he mentioned, Charlie had also been preparing her for this. He had given her every advice he could think of, every tactic he used for the anger issues he also struggled with.
The voice in the back of her mind was disregarded as Sheila grinned. "It'll be fine, Chiron. I've been getting better recently. Can I leave the infirmary now? I want to go see Annabeth."
"She's at the Big House waiting for us," the centaur stated. "I've told her about the quest already, but I need you there whilst I inform Percy about it. Let's head over there before he arrives."
Sheila didn't waste a second putting on a hoodie Michael left for her on the bed and followed after Chiron. Her hands were shaking due to the tornado of emotions, which messed up the thoughts she believed she had organized. Being granted a quest meant everything to the demigods at Camp Half-Blood. Annabeth Chase was one of those whose main goal was to lead a successful one, but Sheila stayed on the side of those who only wanted to get out of the camp for some time.
The Big House was quick to reach as all the campers were busy doing their daily activities. Sheila was quite happy not to cross anyone's path; the stares she was used to getting would probably be worse now. The storm passing over the camp wouldn't help, though at least it didn't affect their weather, unlike last time. Now, that would have earned the girl some glares and a surprise from the Demeter cabin for ruining their gardens.
Sheila gasped when she felt someone's arms wrap around her, her body instantly relaxing upon recognizing Annabeth's touch. They now stood on the porch of the Big House, Chiron joining Mr D at the pinochle table. When Annabeth pulled away to check on Sheila, the latter almost pulled her in for another embrace. She wanted to feel safe for a few more minutes, but there were more important matters.
"You scared me, Shei," Annabeth admitted lowly as not to be heard. "I told you never to use magic that much."
Sheila shrugged. "Sorry?"
Annabeth shook her head, though she seemed less tense. Chiron interrupted their short discussion and asked them to hide since Percy would arrive soon. The girls were quick to vanish in thin air, Annabeth with her Yankee baseball cap while Sheila muttered an easy invisibility spell. To her relief, it didn't take too much of her energy.
Footsteps were heard as Sheila moved to lean against a pillar. She looked over her shoulder, sighing at the sight of Percy and Grover approaching. Flashbacks of her nightmare disturbed her thoughts when she remembered Percy was in them as well. Did he see her too, or had he forgotten she was there?
"Well, well," Mr D greeted without looking up. "Our little celebrity."
Percy, unsure what to do, decided to stand there. He remained still until Mr D spoke, "Come closer. And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father."
A net of lightning flashing across the clouds made Sheila jump. She could feel the wind growing agitated as thunder shook the windows of the Big House. Mr D didn't seem fazed as he mocked the god who caused this unstable weather. However, Chiron feigned interest in his pinochle cards while Grover cowered by the railing, his hooves clopping back and forth. It was dramatic to Sheila, not that she commented on it.
"If I had my way," Dionysus continued as if he hadn't offended another God, "I would cause your molecules to erupt in flames. We'd sweep up the ashes and be done with a lot of trouble. But Chiron seems to feel this would be against my mission at this cursed camp: to keep you little brats safe from harm."
"A spontaneous combustion is a form of harm, Mr D," Chiron reminded him.
"Nonsense," Dionysus disagreed. "Boy wouldn't feel a thing. Nevertheless, I've agreed to restrain myself. I'm thinking of turning you into a dolphin instead, sending you back to your father."
"Mr D —" Chiron warned.
Sheila found herself amused by the situation. Annabeth, on the contrary, looked quite annoyed. Her foot tapped the floor repetitively. Her arms were crossed over her chest.
"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "There's one more option. But it's deadly foolishness." Dionysus rose, and the invisible players' cards dropped to the table. "I'm off to Olympus for the emergency meeting. If the boy is still here when I return, I'll turn him into an Atlantic bottlenose. Do you understand? And Perseus Jackson, if you're at all smart, you'll see that's a much more sensible choice than what Chiron feels you must do."
Dionysus picked up a playing card, twisted it, and it became a plastic rectangle, more precisely a security pass. He snapped his fingers. The air seemed to fold and bend around him. He became one with the one and was gone, leaving only the smell of fresh-pressed grapes lingering behind. Sheila tilted her head, a part of her wondering if her magic could make her vanish like that. It would be really cool to have powers similar to those she just witnessed.
Chiron smiled at Percy, but Sheila noticed how tired and stained he seemed. "Sit, Percy, please. And Grover." They listened to him, taking a seat in front of him. Chiron laid his cards on the table, a winning hand he hadn't gotten to use. "Tell me, Percy," he began, "what did you make of the hellhound?"
Just hearing the name made Percy shudder. "It scared me," he admitted. "If Sheila hadn't done what she did, I'd be dead."
Sheila looked at the ground, a slight grin replacing the frown on her lips. For once, someone thanked her for what she had done and wasn't afraid. Annabeth glanced at her and raised a brow upon spotting a golden butterfly flying around Sheila's head. To see the witch react this way to a compliment was a first. Then again, Sheila didn't receive a lot of those.
"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done," Chiron declared.
Fear flashed in the boy's sea-green irises. "Done... with what?"
Sheila felt sympathy for him. Only days ago, he had no idea about this part of the world, but now he was forced to save it and stop an imminent war. He wasn't like the demigods who trained their whole life for this. It hadn't been two weeks since he learned about his father's true identity.
"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?"
Percy glanced at Grover, who was crossing his fingers. "Um, sir, you haven't told me what it is yet," the former pointed out.
The centaur grimaced. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."
Thunder rumbled across the valley. The storm clouds had now reached the edge of the beach. Sheila cursed under her breath, waving a hand as the sky and the sea boiled together. She managed to calm them down for what she hoped would be a few minutes, but she knew her efforts wouldn't last that long. Nature listened only when it wanted to, and the Lord of the Sky had far more influence than Sheila.
"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy stated. "They're fighting over something valuable... something stolen, aren't they?"
Chiron and Grover exchanged looks. The former sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?"
"The weather since Christmas has been weird like the sea and the sky are fighting," Percy explained, and Sheila smiled sympathetically at the nervousness in his tone. "Then I talked to Sheila and Annabeth, and they'd overheard something about a theft. And... I've also been having these dreams, with Sheila in some of them."
Annabeth's eyes narrowed at this new information. Sheila gave her an apologetic look, but there was a reason why she didn't speak up about it. Nightmares like the ones she had meant things she didn't even want to think about. They affected Sheila differently than Percy, and not in a good way.
"I knew it," Grover muttered.
"Hush, satyr," Chiron ordered.
"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must be!"
"Only the Oracle can determine," Chiron reminded as he stroked his bristly beard. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt."
A nervous laugh passed Percy's lips. "A what?"
"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil-covered zigzag you'd see in a second-grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives."
At his words, Sheila grew interested. Chiron hadn't explained everything to her since she had just woken up. This discussion would help clear up her confusion.
"Zeus's master bolt," Chiron informed, getting worked up now. "The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."
"And it's missing?"
"Stolen," Chiron responded.
"By who?"
"By whom," Chiron corrected. Sheila resisted the urge to roll her eyes; Being a teacher did affect him. "By you."
Percy's mouth fell open in shock. It didn't surprise Sheila to see the shock written all over his face as he had been accused of something he wasn't even aware existed before now. The gods should have considered that before accusing him, she thought.
Chiron held up his hand, instantly specifying it was Zeus' thinking, not his. He informed Percy of his father and Zeus' arguing during the winter solstice when the latter realized his bolt had gone missing. Sheila rolled her eyes when she heard he immediately blamed Poseidon despite this act of stealing being forbidden by the most ancient divine laws. Percy's role in this was being the hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt for his father. His recent claim must have been enough evidence for Zeus.
"But I've never even been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!"
Sheila almost blew her cover with a laugh.
"Er, Percy...?" Grover cleared his throat. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."
"Perhaps paranoid," Chiron suggested. "Then again, Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam..."
Percy wondered how anyone could accuse him of stealing a god's weapon while Chiron was waiting for an answer. "Something about a golden net?" the boy guessed. "Poseidon and Hera and a few other gods... they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"
Confusion wrote itself on Sheila's face, the girl having the worst memory for history and similar things. She knew Annabeth was shaking her head in disappointment at that. It was part of their history, after all.
"Correct," Chiron agreed. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offence at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along — the proverbial last straw."
"But I'm just a kid!"
Grover's explanation regarding Zeus' reasoning went over Sheila's head. Percy's words resonated deep within her mind. How many times had she cried about being too young to carry the burden of her heritage? Luke was always there to comfort her, but even he couldn't help lighten the weight dragging her to the ground. The gods were to blame, not that they would ever assume the consequences of their actions. It sparked up the flame in Sheila's chest. Percy might not be someone she liked. He didn't deserve to be another victim of those who believed they were superior.
Chiron continued to explain neither Poseidon nor Zeus would back down as long as the other didn't. Sheila listened to half of his speech, only remembering that they would have until the summer solstice to retrieve the bolt and bring it back to Olympus. It gave them ten days from now on. He also mentioned the war that would explode if they were to fail. The world would be chaos, Nature at war with itself. That part sent shivers down Sheila's spine. She knew how badly this could end. In simple words, it would be a carnage.
"And you, Percy Jackson, would be the first to feel Zeus's wrath," Chiron finished.
The storm they thought would pass over them started pouring through the camp. Sheila glanced over at the Volleyball players who had stopped their game to stare at the sky. They immediately ended their game and rushed to find cover. Percy had unintentionally brought this on them. Zeus decided to punish the whole camp because of actions he hadn't committed. Sheila noticed how furious it made the boy.
"So I have to find the stupid bolt," Percy stated. "And return it to Zeus."
"What better peace offering," Chiron stated, "than to have the son of Poseidon return Zeus's property?"
Percy frowned. "If Poseidon doesn't have it, where is the thing?"
"I believe I know." Sheila's jaw dropped once the information she hadn't gotten made it to her ears. Chiron's expression was grim. "Part of a prophecy I had years ago... well, some of the lines make sense to me now. But before I can say more, you must officially take up the quest. You must seek the counsel of the Oracle."
"Why can't you tell me where the bolt is beforehand?"
Chiron let out a sigh. "Because if I did, you would be too afraid to accept the challenge."
Unlike Percy, Sheila didn't agree with Chiron's reasoning. He deserved to know how much danger he would face to understand the reality of this quest. If anything, it would increase their chances of succeeding in their task.
"You agree then?" Chiron inquired.
Percy looked at Grover, who nodded encouragingly. "All right," he responded. "It's better than being turned into a dolphin."
"Then it's time you consulted the Oracle," Chiron declared. "Go upstairs, Percy Jackson, to the attic. When you come back down, assuming you're still sane, we will talk more."
Sheila watched as the boy walked inside. She allowed her invisibility spell to fall, surprising Grover. He jumped back as he was close to her, the girl laughing at his reaction. Muttering a quick apology, she went back into hiding. The butterfly flying around her settled on her shoulder, making Sheila grin.
The minutes in which Percy listened to his prophecy became long, and the girls decided to start a staring contest to pass the time. Noticing Annabeth was close to blinking, Sheila smirked until she got distracted by Percy coming back, and her eyelids closed. A quiet groan left her as Annabeth smirked in triumph.
"Well?" Chiron asked Percy.
The boy slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said I would retrieve what was stolen," he revealed.
Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"
Chiron didn't share his excitement as he asked, "What did the Oracle say exactly?" His voice was pressuring. "This is important," he reminded.
"She..." Sheila noticed the slight hesitation in his tone as if some voice told him to stay silent, "she said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen and see it safely returned," Percy explained.
"I knew it," Grover whispered.
Chiron didn't seem satisfied with the information he was receiving. "Anything else?"
And that was when Sheila knew Percy was hiding something. His eyes flickered from the Volleyball Court to the centaur, and his hands trembled despite the unnoticeable movement. Either the prophecy shook him, or he discovered he would be a villain. She opted for the first theory, considering their shared nightmares.
"No," Percy shook his head. "That's about it."
Sheila knew by how Chiron studied his face that he didn't believe him either. "Very well, Percy. But know this: the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass."
"Okay," Percy voiced, obviously anxious to change topics. Sheila wondered what was so bad about his prophecy that he could barely talk about it. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the West?"
"Ah, think, Percy," Chiron voiced. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"
"Somebody else who wants to take over?" Percy shrugged, making Sheila roll her eyes.
"Yes, quite. Someone who harbours a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided aeons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."
The evil voice from their dream came into both Percy's and Sheila's minds. While the boy thought this precise god was guilty, Sheila wasn't a hundred per cent certain. "Hades," Percy responded.
Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."
A scrap of aluminium dribbled out of Grover's mouth. "Whoa, wait. Wh-what?"
"A Fury came after Percy," Chiron reminded him. "She watched the young man until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord. Hades."
"Yes, but — but Hades hates all heroes," Grover protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon..."
Sheila understood his reasoning, yet from what she recalled in her dreams, the voice's tone made it seem like he wanted something else. She shook her head, focusing on the discussion. There would be more time to ponder on this.
"A hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and they had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would like to kill this young half-blood before he can take on the quest."
"Great," Percy muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."
"But a quest to..." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."
"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," Chiron insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing fully that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I don't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."
Sheila stared at Percy. She watched how his face contorted, and it told her he wasn't afraid to take on a God. There was a certain feeling in his eyes that represented desire, maybe revenge, she couldn't be sure. She knew one thing: He wanted this because, in his mind, Hades had caused everything he had gone through in such a short amount of time.
His thoughts were absurd and not thought through, yet she understood. He had lost his mother, the person he loved more than anything else. Sheila would have had the same mindset if she was in his shoes.
Grover was trembling. He'd started eating pinochle cards like potato chips. Sheila remembered then that he needed this quest to get his searcher's license. He had been waiting to obtain it for so long.
"Look, if we know it's Hades," Percy told Chiron, "why can't we just tell the other gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."
"Suspecting and knowing are not the same," Chiron stated. "Besides, even if the other gods suspect Hades — and I imagine Poseidon does — they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere and challenge anyone as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"
A look Sheila wasn't able to perceive replaced Percy's frown. "You're saying I'm being used."
"I'm saying it's no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."
It almost made Sheila laugh. To her, his father needing him wasn't good enough to convince him to do the quest. All the demigods needed their Godly parents and yet never got any response to their many prayers. Why should they help the Gods?
Percy glanced at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"
"I had my suspicions. As I said... I've spoken to the Oracle, too."
"So let me get this straight," Percy interrupted. "I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."
"Check," Chiron confirmed.
"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."
"Check."
"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice in ten days."
"That's about right."
Percy glanced at Grover. "Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" the latter asked weakly.
"You don't have to go," Percy declared. "I can't ask that of you."
Sheila was surprised by his words. It wasn't everyone who agreed to go to the Underworld alone. Well, she and Annabeth would be there, but he didn't know this yet.
"Oh..." Grover shifted his hooves. "No... it's just that satyrs and underground places... well..." He took a deep breath, then stood, brushing the shredded cards and aluminium bits off his T-shirt. "You saved my life, Percy. If... if you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."
Sheila grinned, admiring Grover for confronting his fears for his friend. The two reminded her of her family, who would do anything for each other. A family who promised to never turn their back on one another.
"All the way, G-man." Percy faced Chiron. "So where do we go? The Oracle just said to go west."
"The entrance to the Underworld is always in the west," Chiron answered. "It moves from age to age, just like Olympus. Right now, of course, it's in America."
"Where?"
Chiron looked surprised. "I thought that would be obvious enough. The entrance to the Underworld is in Los Angeles."
"Oh," Percy sighed. "Naturally. So we just get on a plane —"
Sheila couldn't believe Percy thought he could get on a plane without getting blasted out of the sky. Had he not yet linked Zeus' and his father's domain? Chiron took the time to remind him of that as lightning crackled.
"Okay." Percy nodded once Chiron finished his explanation. He tried his best to avert his eyes from the storm. "So, I'll travel overland."
"That's right," Chiron confirmed. "Three companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other two have already volunteered if you will accept their help."
"Gee," Percy breathed, feigning surprise. "Who else would be stupid enough to volunteer for a quest like this?"
The air shimmered behind Chiron. Annabeth became visible, stuffing her Yankees cap into her back pocket while Sheila broke her spell. She stepped forward, Percy watching as the butterfly on her shoulder flew away.
"We've been waiting long for a quest, Sharkboy," Sheila told him. "Even though her mum isn't a fan of Poseidon, we're kind of the best campers to keep you from messing up everything."
"If you say so," Percy replied. "I suppose you have a plan, Butterfly?"
Sheila rolled her eyes and glared at him. "Don't call me that. You want our help or not?" She knew he wouldn't refuse it. She could see it in how he stared at her.
"A quartet," he finally agreed. "That'll work."
"Excellent," Chiron sighed. "This afternoon, we can take you as far as the bus terminal in Manhattan. After that, you are on your own."
A groan of exasperation left Sheila as lighting flashed and rain poured in the meadows. "Can someone tell him to calm down," she muttered, waving her hand and minimizing the storm.
"No time to waste," Chiron whispered, eyeing the witch. "I think you should all get packing."
"I'm gonna regret this, aren't I?" Sheila asked Grover, who shrugged.
________________________________________________________________________________
A/N ⁓ This chapter took me way too long to write
we're finally leaving Camp Half-Blood, though! The quartet is off to finding the bolt (though Sheila has other stuff to worry about)
I'll try to be more active, but with finals approaching, I have to focus on school (I'm failing history and science so...)
enjoy this chapter, and I'll try to update it as soon as I can!
-voidheda