Silena was a mess when she found out. She helped me pack, insuring a little mascara wouldn't hurt on the trip, even though I kept declining.
In the end, I packed some mortal money, some gold drachmas, an extra pair of clothes and a bottle of water.
Silena braided my hair into double french braids as tight as she was able to, and hoped it could stay in for ten days.
Oh gods, I was gonna be gone for ten days.
When I was done with Silena, I met the others in the Big House, where Chiron gave us ambrosia and nectar.
Annabeth was bringing her knife, hiding it under her shirt sleeve.
What a lucky day to have a sword that was also a ring.
The whole camp came out to say goodbye, but Luke was nowhere to be found. I could tell it hurt Annabeth a little, and if I'm being honest, it hurt me as well.
We hiked up Half-Blood Hill, right where the pine tree was.
Emotions were already high as it was, and just standing by this tree almost made me break.
Almost.
I took a sigh and looked at Chiron, who was in his wheelchair.
Next to him, was Argus, head of security.
"This is Argus," Chiron said, more to Percy then anyone else. "He will drive you into the city and, er, well, keep an eye on things."
"Hey!" Luke yelled from behind us. I turned around quickly, seeing him carrying basketball shoes. He went up to Percy, which oddly hurt. "Just wanted to say good luck, and I though... um, you could use these."
He gave him the shoes then said, "Maia!"
Wings came out of the shoes, and Percy dropped them. The shoes flapped around until the wings disappeared.
"Awesome!" Grover exclaimed.
Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days..."
I cringed at the thought of his last quest.
The shoes were cool, but Mom had given me a much better gift in my opinion.
Somehow, she knew I wasn't much for make up and that stuff, almost as if she's really been watching me. Instead of what she gave to Silena, a make up brush that could turn into any sort she needed, she gave me my ring.
Shockingly, I hadn't lost, or stabbed myself with it. Luke and I found the best, and easiest, way for me to switch it to a sword was take the ring off, turn the gem, toss it up in the air, where it would turn into a sword and allow me to catch the handle. Turning it back was easier, just twist the gem and it would turn back into a ring, where I would put it back on.
I hadn't lost it yet, because it was impossible. Anytime I lost it, it would magically appear back as a ring on my finger a couple minutes later.
"Hey, man, thanks." Percy said to Luke.
Luke then began to say something to Percy, then they shook hands. Luke patted Grover between his horns, and gave me and Annabeth a hug.
"Go kill some monsters, Cor." He whispered in my ear before he ran back to camp.
"You're hyperventilating." Percy said to Annabeth.
"Am not."
"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didn't you?"
"Oh... why do I want to go anywhere with you, Percy?"
She then proceeded to go down the hill where a white SUV waited, Argus following after her.
I walked down after her, and stopped when Grover flew right by me, screaming on his way down. I turned to see Percy and Chiron watching, both looking stunned.
•.•.•.•
Grover got to sit in the front seat, leaving me to sit between Annabeth and Percy.
"So far so good, ten miles and not a single monster." Percy said.
Annabeth gave Percy an irritated look over me. "It's bad luck to talk that way."
"Remind me again— why do you hate me so much?"
"I don't hate you."
"Could've fooled me."
Annabeth messed around with her Yankees cap. "Look... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."
"Why?"
"Oh gods, don't get her started." I groaned but Annabeth was already talking.
"How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw her gift was better, so they named the city after her."
"They must really like olives."
"Oh, forget it."
"Now, if she made pizza, that I could understand."
"I said, forget it!"
"Um, my mom and Ares sleep together a lot but I don't get along with the Ares kids." I said, trying to change the subject.
"Coriane, you have some of the worst timing I've ever seen." Grover said from the front.
"We needed to change the subject."
"So you mention how two gods sleep together?"
"Yeah, duh."
"Coriane, you do have the worst timing I've ever seen." Percy said, a slight smile on his face.
"Oh, what do you know?"
Annabeth laughed slightly. "Percy, you don't even know the half of it."
"Yeah, seaweed brain, you don't know the half of it."
•.•.•.•
After we had all of our stuff, we stood outside a Greyhound Station, we waited for a bus, in the middle of the rain.
It had been so long since I'd had rain, I didn't really know what to do about it.
Percy looked a little out of it and Grover was talking to him some, so me and Annabeth stayed to the side.
Chiron had told us that Percy and Grover went to school together and were pretty close, so if anyone could help Percy now, it was him.
•.•.•.•
I've lost track of how long we've been waiting, but the rain hasn't stopped and we're currently playing hacky sack with an apple.
•.•.•.•
Grover has now ate the apple on accident and we are now laughing hysterically.
Right as this happened, the bus came up. We stood in line, got our tickets checked, and sat in the back of the bus.
I felt my heart speed up as an old lady boarded the bus.
A Kindly One.
I grabbed Percy's knee. "Percy." Was all I could manage without freaking out.
Percy scrunched down, and two more of the same old ladies came on the bus.
They knew we were here. They had to.
"She didn't stay dead long, I thought you said they could be dispelled for a life time." Percy whispered to us.
"Coriane said if you're lucky," Annabeth hissed back at him. "You're obviously not."
"All three of them," Grover said, as though he would pass out. "Di immortales!"
"It's okay," Annabeth mumbled, and I could tell she was racking her head on ideas of how to get out of this. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."
"They don't open." Grover groaned.
"A back exit?"
None.
There was no way out of here.
"They won't attack us with witnesses around, will they?" Percy asked.
"Mortals don't have good eyes," I reminded him. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."
"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"
I thought about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit on the roof...?"
We went in Lincoln Tunnel and the bus was dark and quiet.
Such a great mood for our great time.
One of the Furies got up. "I need to use the restroom."
"So do I," another one said.
"So do I," the third one said.
They walked down the aisle.
"I've got it, Percy, take my hat." Annabeth said, holding it out.
"What?"
I understood and looked at him, pleading with my eyes. "You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you, maybe you can get to the front and get away."
Percy looked confused and almost scared. "But you guys—"
"There's an outside change they might not notice us," Annabeth added, trying to get him to go. "You're a son of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."
"I can't just leave you."
"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"
Percy finally took the cap and placed it on, and he was gone.
The Furies came to us, and suddenly turned into their actual form. They had wings, and claws, and whips.
"Where is it? Where?" They hissed at us, lashing their whips.
Other started screaming, and I was frozen.
"He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!"
The Furies raised their whips.
I took my ring off, twisted the gem, and tossed it up, now having my sword. Annabeth drew her knife and Grover... he held a tin can.
Suddenly, the bus was jerked to the left and I slammed into my window. I yelped as the bus kept jerking back and forth.
Suddenly we came to a halt and everyone ran to the exit.
I held my sword out, putting on my best face showing no fear, even though I was screaming on the inside. Annabeth held her knife in front of her, and kept yelling in Greek.
Meanwhile, Grover threw tin cans.
"Hey!" Percy yelled and he was visible again.
That idiot.
The Furies turned to him, and began to walk towards him.
"Perseus Jackson. You have offended the gods. You shall die."
"I liked you better as a math teacher," was all Percy said.
We slowly moved up behind the Furies.
Percy took out a pen and uncapped it. But it was no longer a pen. It was a sword.
And I thought I had a cool sword, here was Percy with one of the same exact things as me.
The Furies paused.
"Submit now, and you will not suffer eternal torment."
"Nice try,"
"Percy, look out!" I cried to him.
A whip was around his hand, and the other two Furies lunged at him.
Percy hit one with the hilt of his sword, and swung at the other with the blade, and it turned into dust.
One down, two to go.
Annabeth grabbed onto the one who I assumed was Mrs. Dodds, and Grover grabbed the whip, he almost dropped it from the heat.
I took if from him and yelped at how hot it was, but proceeded to wrap the Fury in the whip, and shoved her over.
"Zeus will destroy you!" She yelled as we looked down at her. "Hades will have your soul!"
"Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled. 'Eat my pants.' Very scary, definitely would use.
"Get out!" Annabeth yelled. "Now!"
We ran outside and everyone else looked around in a daze. One dude snapped a picture of me and Percy.
With our swords.
I quickly turned it back.
"Our bags!" Grover yelled. "We left our—"
And the bus blew up.
A wail came from the bus, and the Fury was not dead.
"Run!" I yelled. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"
So we ran into the woods.