Sitting in the car with Miss Jackson, Percy, Thalia, Audrey (she had somehow talked them into it), and Annabeth is highly amusing. Miss Jackson kept talking about all of Percy’s embarrassing stories and he was highly embarrassed, and I kept smirking at him.
“Mom!” He yelled after I started dying of laughter after she started talking about Percy’s tub time as a baby and he caused all the water to splash up around him.
“You-You said you were the tubby time king!” I roared with laughter, and he pulled me back up.
“Well, I was!” He defended, and I kicked my legs up on his lap.
“You’re cute enough to be one.” I said, and he smirked.
“Well, you’re adorable enough to be my queen.” He said, and I grinned.
“Okay, you know a few days ago when we were discussing the two of you flirting? This is it.” Audrey said, and I rolled my eyes.
“We’re not flirting.”
“Pfft, yeah, we aren’t flirting.”
I shot up. “That was a phony pfft. Tell me that wasn’t a phony pfft!” I exclaimed, and he shrugged.
“You’re an adorable nerd.” He said, boredly.
“And you’re a cute idiot.” I said, and he turned red. “Doesn’t mean we were flirting.” Every person in the car stared at me. “It doesn’t mean the flirting meant anything.” I corrected.
We drove a bit longer, until I leaned over to Percy. “By the way, not a nerd.” I whispered, and he gazed at me, speculatively.
Miss Jackson told another story before we got there. Thalia wiped the mist off the window. “Oh, yeah. This’ll be fun.”
Westover Hall looked like a dingy version of Hogwarts.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to wait?” Miss Jackson asked, and I bit my lip to keep from grinning.
“No, thanks, mom,” He said, blushing. Aww, he cares about his mummy. That’s truly sweet. “I don’t know how long it’ll take. We’ll be okay.” Blush much.
“But how will you get back? I’m worried, Percy.”
He turned bright red and it was all I had to not start giggling.
“Don’t worry, Miss Jackson.” I said, proudly. “I’ve made sure Harry Potter and Ron Weasley haven’t done anything stupid. They only get in trouble when I’m not around. Like when…they went into the Forbidden Forest and got chased by giant spiders!” Annabeth let out a small whimper, and I grinned. “Hey, you sound just like Ron! I assume. I was barely alive in the Hospital Wing.”
That didn’t help apparently and Annabeth had to calm her down.
“Hey,” Percy said. “Why were you barely alive in the Hospital Wing?”
“Oh, so you know those basilisk, the snake monsters?” I said, and he nodded slowly. “Yeah, that.”
“How did you not, um, die?”
“I looked in its eyes through a mirror and got petrified.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” I laughed and kissed his cheek, and he turned red again.
“Alright, dears,” Miss Jackson said, “Do you guys have everything you need?”
“Yes, wait,” I said, spotting the dog again. “I have to deal with something.”
I ran to the dog and slid to my knees. “What are you doing here?” I snapped, and he turned into a human.
“What? I wanted to check on my daughter.” He said, and I gave him a look. “C’mon, I saw the cheek kiss. And I trailed behind the car, I heard your awful flirting.” He said, and I gave him another look. “You should be better at that, y’know the apple shouldn’t fall far from the tree.”
“Except I have two different trees, Padfoot.” I said, and he shrugged.
“So…you have a crush on the tubby time king?” I groaned and he raised a brow. “No deniance, ay?”
I sighed, “I can talk to you right?” I asked, and he nodded. “Well, I discovered a long time ago that…me and Percy are destined to be together. Like literally. Not like I’ve fallen in love with him and I can’t resist the way his eyes shine, and the way his hair falls just in the right way, and the way that when he smiles-”
“Woah, woah, woah, I said you can talk to me. Not all about boys. You should talk to Moony about it.” He said, and I shook my head.
“No! Moony got defensive about Will! My gay friend.” I said, and Padfoot smirked. “That’s eleven.”
“Butterfly!” Percy yelled. “Get down here! We have to go!”
I ran back and ended up stumbling, and Percy tried to catch me, but he simply ended up falling on top of me. “Why hello,” I said, smirking, and he turned red.
“C’mon, you little-” He stopped looking up the hill. “Whatever you say mademoiselle.” He said, getting to his feet and he helped me up.
“Did you see the doggy?” I asked, and he nodded.
“Yup.”
The doors opened, and we walked in with the swirling snow.
The decorations made me depressed. They were all of weapons. I get it. Military school. Weapons. But still! A butterfly never hurt anyone.
“Woah,” Percy said, and I nodded.
Unlike the others, my magic item helped me control my powers. So no unwanted thoughts entered my mind, my mum gave me my purple butterfly hair clip. It just allowed me to focus on the things I wanted to, so I didn’t waste my energy on unwanted thoughts and that I could reach people farther away with all the extra energy. She gave it to me for my birthday a few weeks ago. I did, however, have a hidden celestial bronze knife hidden in my sock. I mean, who doesn’t?
“I wonder where-” Annabeth was cut off by the doors slamming behind us.
“O-okay,” Percy mumbled. “I guess we’ll stay a while.” Music was flowing through the halls, and I started to bounce up and down to it. “You need to chill out.” Percy noticed, and I gave him a sideways look and he backed off.
We put our bags behind a pillar, and headed down the hall, but it wasn’t long before I heard another pair of footsteps. It was a man and woman coming to lecture us. Their formal military outfits were real downers, yo, like ya feel me?
“Well?” The woman barked at us. Talk about going down with the dogs. “What are you doing here?”
“Um…” Wow. Everytime I needed a quick thinker, I would go with everyone’s favorite…Percy Jackson! I had to think quick since Percy was bombing. “Ma’am we’re just-”
“Ha!” The man snapped, and Percy jumped about a mile. “Visitors are not allowed at the dance! You shall be eee-jected!” He had a French accent. I knew right off the bat. I was fluent in French as me and Hermione studied the language together in first grade.
I contorted the mist with a snap of my fingers. I was gifted in the ways of the mist, being a witch and a legilimens. Illusions were always my favorite. I implanted a few memories of us in her mind with my powers, making myself her favorite student (obviously), since I couldn’t break into the other’s mind. Monster.
“We’re not visitors though!” I said indignantly and the woman smiled.
“Of course! Of course, Alora! How could I forget you?! Such a gifted child…” She said, and I smirked and Percy gave me a look.
“Mrs. Gottschalk, do you know these students?” The monster asked.
Me and Percy shared a look, desperately trying not to laugh. Poor kid…and I thought Potter was bad.
“Certainly!” Mrs. Gottschalk said. “This is Alora and her friends, um…” She seemed to be blanking, so I quickly gave her their names. “Oh! Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia! What are you doing outside of the gymnasium?”
I slumped back against Percy, thinking fast, when more footsteps sounded. “You made it!” Grover bursted out, out of breath. “You-” He saw the adults. “Oh, Mrs. Gottschalk, Dr. Thorn! I, uh-”
“What is it, Mr. Underwood?” The man said. Clearly, he didn’t like Grover. I thought that’d be impossible, but…oh well. “What do you mean, they made it? These students live here.”
“Yes, sir.” Grover said. “Of course, Dr, Thorn. I’m so glad they made…the punch for the dance! The punch is great. And they made it!”
Dr. Thorn glared at us, but Mrs. Gottschalk sighed dreamily. “Yes, the punch is excellent. Now run along, all of you. You are not allowed to leave the gymnasium again!”
We said a lot of ‘yes ma’ams’ and ‘yes, sirs’ on the way into the gymnasium to avoid further scolding.
Percy took a step closer to me, “How did you do that finger-snap thing?” He whispered, quietly.
“You mean the mist? I dunno. I guess it’s like legilimency and telepathy.” I said, and Percy nodded, glumly.
“That was close!” Grover said, and I zoned out until Percy asked about the monsters.
“Oh, there was that one. That Thorn guy.” I said, coolly.
“Right,” Thalia said. “These half-bloods are at the dance?” She asked and Grover nodded. “Then let’s dance.”
The students seemed to be going wild over the dance. Girls in ugly outfits (at least in my opinion) going around shrieking and giggling, and torture some poor lad. The guys seemed to be camping out away from those disastrous girls.
“There they are.” Grover said, nodding over to a pair of siblings arguing on the bleachers. “Bianca and Nico di Angelo.”
The boy was utterly adorable. The girl seemed a bit on edge. She was scolding him about something as he shuffled his trading cards of some sort. He seemed like a darling.
“Do they…have you told them?” Annabeth asked.
Grover shook his head, reminding her that that would only make their scent stronger.
“So, let’s grab them and get out of here.” Percy reasoned.
“I don’t think it’ll be all that easy,” I said, gesturing to Thorn who caught him, trying to move towards the di Angelos.
“We’re five powerful demigods, our presence should confuse him. Mingle. Act natural. Do some dancing. But keep an eye on those kids.”
“Dancing?” Annabeth questioned, and Thalia nodded.
I scrunched up my nose. “Ugh, who chose Jesse McCartney?”
“I did.” Grover said, hurt.
“Well, Grover,” I pressed a hand to his shoulder. “Your taste in music stinks just as bad as Jesse McCartney. Why not Taylor Swift?” I was being overly sarcastic, except with my beloved Tay Tay. Don’t mess with Swifty.
“Who?”
I gasped dramatically, pressing a hand to my chest. “Tell me you jest!” I said, and Thalia chuckled.
“Grover, let’s dance before you give Ally a heart attack.” She said, grabbing Grover’s arm.
“But I can’t dance!”
“You can if I’m leading. Come on, Goat Boy!”
Annabeth was about to try and talk to Percy when Audrey tapped her shoulder. “You look lonely, wanna dance?” She said, and Annabeth hesitated before nodding.
“They ditched us.” He said, and I snorted.
“It’s almost like they don’t like us.” I said, sharing a look. We stood there for a moment. “I’m bored. Wanna dance?”
“Indeed, mademoiselle.” He said, and he offered me his hand.
“So, how’s everything at school? I know it’s not good. I just want to know.” He said, swaying a bit to the music, since he clearly had no idea how to dance. I took his hand and he jumped about a mile.
“Dance with me, idiot.”
“Oh,” He spluttered, “Oh, oh, OH!” He placed a hand on my hip and I rested my other hand on his shoulder. “Anyways, school?”
“It’s so terrible.” I whispered. “Shafiq always finds me, Harry’s completely blowing me off, dragging Ron and Hermione with him, and my cousin just…ugh. Then there’s my dad.”
“Yeah, kind of figured that’s why…”
I looked up at him. “No, my other dad. He’s a professor there now, and everyone loves him! And then see me and say, ‘How could someone so cool produce something that terrible?’” I said, and he shifted his hand to my back and pulled me closer.
He stepped on my foot. And we were literally just swaying in place! “C’mon, Jackson! Do you even have dances at that school of yours?!”
“Well, yeah,” He said, stupidly. “But I don’t…you know, dance at them.”
“Why not?”
“All the girls…they’re just so…uck at my school.”
I rolled my eyes, “You act like you’re in Kindergarten.”
“Yeah well,” He spun me around, and I ended up stumbling because of the force. “If I’m in Kindergarten, then you are too, Little Miss Butterfly.”
I gazed into his eyes for a long moment, then I finally realized the two demigods were missing. “Percy,” I said, urgently.
“Yeah?” He said, dazedly, brushing my hair back behind my ear.
“Percy, they’re missing.” I hissed, and he slowly snapped out of it.
“What?”
“The di Angelos, they’re gone.” This got him.
Our arms slid apart, yet Percy kept a firm grip on my hand as we waded through the crowd. He glanced over at both Annabeth and Audrey, and Thalia and Grover, before pulling Riptide out of his pocket and ran after Dr. Thorn.
There was a bit of scuffling and a grunt. Percy uncapped Riptide, and he hesitantly released my hand. “Do you have something? Anything?” He asked, and I gave him a look.
“No duh, dimwit.” I said, grabbing my knife from my sock, and he sighed, relieved.
He jogged down the corridor and I walked over to him. He was being over dramatic like he was in one of those James Bond movies. He opened the door and the di Angelo children stood there.
“It’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Percy said, and I gave him the side-eye
“That’s kind of hard to believe. You have a sword in your hand, idiot.” I said, and he rolled his eyes.
“My name’s Percy,” He said, and I stared at him. “I’m going to take you out of here, get you somewhere safe.”
Bianca’s eyes widened, and she bawled her fist. I felt Percy move and then hiss with pain. I yelped when another one of the projectiles, which I discovered were thorns, came close to my face. Dr. Thorn had come from the shadows, and Percy was slammed back against the wall. He swung his sword pointlessly (no pun intended).
“Yes I know who you are, Perseus Jackson.” He mangled the J in his last name. It sounded like a cross of Shackson and Hackson. “I know who you are.” He turned to me. “And you, Alora Lupin-Black. Or shall I say, Butterfly.” I blinked. How did he know he called me Butterfly?
“Thank you for coming out from the gym,” Dr. Thorn said, and I stepped back. “I hate middle school dances.”
Another thorn impaled the wall, just beside Bianca. “All four of you will come with me,” Dr. Thorn said, and I froze. “Quietly. Obediently. If you make a single noise, if you call for help or try to fight, I will show you just how accurately I can throw.”
ততততত
Dr. Thorn was fast. Percy seemed to be thinking of a way out, and I was focusing on trying to get Annabeth, Audrey, Thalia, or Grover’s thoughts. ‘Annabeth Chase,’ I thought vigorously, ‘I want to find Annabeth Chase’. I broke through, ‘Annabeth!’
A wave of shock, confusion, and panic soared through my mind, and I tried to regain my focus, but it was wavering. ‘Annabeth, Thorn has the di Angelos, Percy, and I. Going outside. Help.’
I didn’t have enough focus to gather much from her thoughts but I caught more of her panic and steady mindedness battling. I tried to get Thalia, but then I realized Percy kept nudging my shoulder. ‘Percy, I’m trying to reach one of them.’ I transferred into his head.
‘I’m trying to get Grover with the uh…empathy link,” He thought, and I nodded. ‘But I just got yelled at for doing it.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Yeah…sorry,’ He thought, and I rolled my eyes. ‘Man…I’m like a Percysicle in this weather!’
‘You are just a big child.’
‘Well then, I’m your favorite big child.’
‘You’re the only big child I know, Aquaman.’
‘And I am happy with that, Butterfly.’
I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder (the one that was not injured), and he made some sort of squeaking noise. He unsurely rested an arm over my shoulders.
‘I’m not a genius, but this doesn’t seem like the time to be flirting.’ He thought, and I gave him a look.
‘Shut up, this my first quest-like thing, and I’m panicked. Your arm around me is reassuring.’ I transferred, and he sighed.
“There is a clearing ahead,” Thorn said, pulling me and Percy out of our silent conversation. “We will summon your ride there.”
“What ride?” Bianca demanded. “Where are you taking us?”
“Silence, you insufferable girl!”
“Don’t talk to my sister that way.” Nico said, and I bit my lip. He was just too cute.
Thorn was growling in an unsettling manor. I couldn’t focus. I had to trust Percy in the vain hope he could reach Grover.
“Halt,” Thorn said.
He pushed us towards a cliff. Percy seemed less worried than me. After a quick scan of his thoughts, I knew why. The cliff was overlooking the sea. He could sense it. I could tell.
I zoned out again, vaguely aware of what was going on. I extended a hand towards the edge of the cliff, towards the mist. The second my hand grazed the mist an image placed itself in my mind. A rock with blood on it, a lake or a pond (I don’t know the difference) with a boat, a makeshift island on a rock or something, something with some sort of liquid, a locket…a locket. I had taken divination, and Professor Trewlaney told me I was a natural seer. I didn’t spew out prophecies, but I’d get glimpses with some sort of trigger. Something about this was odd. I didn’t like it. I screamed at the top of my lungs at what looked like corpses coming from the water. I screamed, and I screamed, and I screamed as I was pulled underwater, suffocating me, then there was a ring of fire. When I miraculously took a breath, I realized it was just a vision.
“Alora! Alora Lupin-Black, come back to me! Butterfly!” I realized Percy was trying to help me, and I opened my eyes, taking a deep breath. He ran his thumb across my forehead and I understood.
‘A vision…bad vision,’ That was all I dared to share. Things could get bad if you tell people your visions before they happen.
Thorn grabbed something from his pocket– a phone. He pressed the side button and said, “The package– it is ready to deliver.”
‘Creepy, a monster using a phone. Too modern and stuff.’ Percy thought, and I gave him the sideways look. Monsters are creepy and modern all the time these days! He hasn’t even heard about the Olympian Zoom meetings! They’re on Wednesdays, but sometimes, on Fridays, they have one where demigods are allowed to join! Of course…no one does. It’s too dangerous.
Percy glanced at the cliff, and I inwardly panicked. The vision was too fresh in my mind.
I wanted to scream or kick or punch because I felt so limited, like I was of no use. I simply guarded the di Angelos as the others fought.
“A manticore!” Annabeth exclaimed, after her magical yankees cap had flown off.
“Who are you people?” Bianca yelled. “And what is that?”
“A manticore!” Nico di Angelo exclaimed, gasping in amazement. “He’s got three thousand attack power plus five to saving throws!”
I snapped my fingers, realizing what he was talking about. “Mythomagic!” I exclaimed. “I love that game! I make all my friends play!”
“You do?! Who’s your favorite?!” Nico asked, jumping up and down.
“Psyche, she can get ahead by reading their minds! And she has a thousand attack power when she uses her butterfly attack and has another two thousand when she uses her telekinesis!” I exclaimed, and Annabeth hit me over the head.
“Now is not the time to nerd out! Get down!” She yelled, and I pulled the two of them down with me. I didn’t pay much attention to the battle. I just vaguely listened to Nico as I spotted Padfoot a good ways away.
My attention was pulled, however, when Annabeth cried out, “The Hunters!” I’ve met the Hunters at camp. Most of them were pretty chill after you got to know them. Others were just always tense with anyone that wasn’t a Hunter.
Zoë stepped forward, her long dark hair flowing back behind her. “Permission to kill, my lady?”
“This isn’t fair! It’s direct interference! It’s against Ancient Laws!” Thorn whined.
“Not so,” The one I assumed to be Artemis was. She had this godly atmosphere about her. And moon-like eyes. “Zoë, permission granted.”
The manticore growled, mancingly. “If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead!” He lunged at Percy and Thalia, knowing they were weaker.
“No!” Annabeth yelled, charging at the monster.
“Get back, half-blood!” Zoë yelled, indignantly. “Get out of the line of fire!” Annabeth still leaped onto his back.
“Fire!” Zoë ordered.
“No!” Percy yelled.
It was too late. The arrows had been fired and forced Thorn down the cliff with Annabeth on his back. “This is not the end, Huntress! You shall pay!” The manticore wailed, staggering back.
“Annabeth!” Percy cried out, and I ran after him, preventing him from jumping.
“Percy, you can’t help her if you jump too.” I said, calmly, and I ran my hand over his arm. Then there was the sound of gunfire, and I pulled him back from the ledge.
I tried to calm the frantic Percy as the Hunters avoided the gunshot, dodging the bullets carefully. I could sense his desperate aura and tried to slightly manipulate his emotions to a calmer state. I rubbed his shoulders, and he slowly untensed, but remained quite panicked.
“Mortals,” Artemis called out. “Are not allowed to witness my hunt.” She thrusted out her hand and turned the helicopter into a flock of ravens.
The Hunters advanced on us, but I didn’t mind. I was on good terms with them. I had wanted to join, but Artemis refused thanks to the fact that I had a prophecy about me and Percy and everything.
“You,” Zoë said, disgusted at Thalia. They were not on good terms.
“Zoë Nightshade,” Thalia responded angrily. “Perfect timing, as usual.”
Zoë examined all of us. “Four half-bloods- five, if thou count the witch- and a satyr, my lady.”
“Yes,” Artemis said, gazing over us. “Some of Chiron’s campers, I see.”
“Annabeth!” Percy yelled, and I rubbed his shoulders, trying to get him to calm down. “You have to let us save her!”
Artemis turned toward him, “I’m sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help.”
Percy tried to stand, but I pulled him back down, making soothing noises and trying to heal his mind through mental healing. He wasn’t completely bonkers, but he was a loyal one. He cared about his best friends, and I understood that. I wrapped my arms around his neck and slowly swayed side to side.
“You are in no condition to be hurling yourself off cliffs.” Artemis said, and Percy looked down.
“B-but Annabeth…” Percy said, simply distraught now. “Why can’t I? You aren’t the boss of me.”
Zoë stepped forward as if to smack him.
“No,” Artemis ordered. “I sense no disrespect. He is simply distraught. He does not understand.” She studied him critically, and I had absent mindedly been stroking his arm to get him to calm down. “I am Artemis,” She clarified. “The Goddess of the Hunt.”
Percy, being the genius he always was, said, “Um…okay.”
Grover, on the other hand, fell to his knees, and I half expected him to start chanting, “I’m not worthy! I’m not worthy!” He did, however, start yammering, “Thank you, Lady Artemis! You’re so…you’re so…wow!”
“Get up, Goat Boy!” Thalia snapped. “We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!”
Percy made another sort of whimpering noise, and I started to rub his shoulders and manipulate his feelings. I didn’t try to completely get rid of his feeling of distraught because that would just be postponing the pain. I just wanted to slow that down so he wasn’t depressed throughout this whole thing.
“Woah,” Bianca di Angelo said. “Who…who are you people?”
Artemis smiled at her. “It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?”
Nico was staring in awe at Artemis. I smirked and ruffled his hair that was already messy. “Hey!” Nico whined, and I laughed a bit when he tried to fix it.
“Our parents are dead. We’re orphans. There’s a bank trust that pays for our school, but…” Bianca trailed off, seeing the look on all our faces.
I bit my lip, and Percy rested a hand on my shoulder, but I slapped it away. “Don’t touch me!” I said, and he rolled his eyes.
“I let you hold me!” Percy protested, and I huffed.
“Well, you were panicking!” I said, and he pouted, and I hugged him.
“And why did you hug me then?” He asked, and I grinned.
“Because you looked sad.” I said, and he rolled his eyes.
“And you looked nervous!” He said, and I stuck out my tongue at him.
I returned to the conversation, yet I tabbed Percy’s thoughts. Mainly the ones concerning me. Images of me laughing, glaring, pouting, and, for some reason, sleeping. He must’ve been creepier than I thought. Maybe he just remembered me from when he was in Hermes cabin? I hoped or else…I’d have to get an explanation for it at some point. I’d probably do that either way. But so many of his thoughts revolved around me. And others, but mainly me. An image of me and Percy came to mind, and I didn’t know whether or not it was my fantasy or his. What? He’s a cute idiot. Anyways, that was enough to completely distract me.
I had ADHD like most demigods. My impulsiveness wasn’t as bad as most demigods, but I paid for that dearly in my attention span. I also couldn’t sit still. Classes were difficult, but my grades stayed up with the help of fun study methods. Like games. That’s why Dianna was my go to study buddy. She learns stuff through reading it and reads through the books to find questions to ask me. Lisa was okay, but she preferred just reading through her books. Sue Li, another Ravenclaw girl, acted like a prick. So was Isobel MacDogel and Mandy Brockelhurst.
Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein were the only boys from Ravenclaw I enjoyed spending time with. The two were best friends. Anthony was rather the stereotypical Ravenclaw, while Terry had been a bit more…outgoing? I don’t care what the word is, the point is they’re both awesome.
I was completely out of it until Artemis asked to see Bianca by herself. I knew she was offering her a place with her Hunters.
“What about me?” Nico asked, clearly annoyed, probably assuming it was just because he was the little sibling.
“Perhaps, you can talk about Mythomagic with Alora. I know she loves the game.” She said, and Nico smiled.
During our walk, Nico and I got into a heart to heart conversation about Mythomagic and who would win, Hades or Poseidon.
“C’mon! Hades can summon zombies!” Nico said in a ‘duh’ tone.
“And Poseidon can drown them!” I reasoned and he groaned.
“Still!”
I laughed, and we walked for a while longer, being complete geeks together. When we got back, I turned my nose up at Percy's cut.
“It’s green!” Nico said, delightedly.
“Idiot. Do you not know how to take care of yourself?” I asked, grabbing some ambrosia and the magic salve.
“Why take care of myself when I can count on you?” He said, cheekily, and he hissed in pain when I rubbed the salve in and dressed his wound, but he had his ambrosia so I wasn’t all that worried.
Nico rummaged through his bag and set some of his figurines down in the snow. I grinned at all of them, thinking of my own Mythomagic collection. I had every single card and figurine.
“Big collection,” Percy noted.
“I’ve got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards! Well, except a few really rare ones.” Nico said, and I grinned.
“I have duplicates of many of mine that I don’t think you have. I can help you out if you need.” I said, and his eyes widened.
“Really?” Nico said, jumping up and down, and I nodded.
“So you’ve been playing for a long time?” Percy said, and Nico shrugged.
“Just this year. Before that…” He trailed, his eyebrows knit.
“What?”
“I forget. That’s weird.”
I grinned, resting my arm over his shoulder. “Don’t worry, kiddo. It’s probably just gone for the time being. You’ll remember soon enough.” I said, and his unsettledness vanished.
“Hey, can I see that sword you were using?” Nico asked Percy.
Percy grinned and explained how it worked. He took pride in his sword. It was one of the few things his dad gave him.
“Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?”
“Um, well, I don’t actually write with it.”
I thought for a moment. “Hey, when you use your sword, you uncap it, right?”
“Yeah, so?”
“Okay, so you can’t write with it. Easy.” I said, and Percy stared at me confused. “Well, unless you want to carve your words on paper, you can’t ever see the tip of your pen.” Percy was about to say something, but I stopped him before he could. “No, you won’t see it if you put your eye really close to the cap when you uncap it. You’re welcome to try it though.”
“Are you really a son of Poseidon?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Can you surf really well, then?”
Percy looked at me as I was trying desperately to stifle my laughter.
“Jeez, Nico.” Percy said. “I’ve never really tried.”
I grinned, “Well, I can see it, Percy.” I said, teasingly. “Y’know,” I mimicked a surfer, and Percy smirked.
“Do you see a beautiful blonde girl with stunning blue eyes as my girlfriend?” He flirted, and I punched him in the shoulder.
Nico went on to ask Percy many more questions. Did he fight with Thalia a lot since she was a daughter of Zeus? He refused to answer that. If Annabeth’s mother was Athena, the goddess of wisdom, then why didn’t she know better than to fall off that cliff? He seemed really annoyed by that, but I calmed him down again. Was I his girlfriend?
“Well, I mean…” Percy had said, throwing his arm over my shoulders lazily, but I elbowed him. “Well, I guess not.”
Percy seemed like he was about to blow up, so I ran my hand over his arm soothingly. I fastened my arm around his neck and rested my hand on his chest, and his arm went around my waist.
“You two really seem like boyfriend and girlfriend!” Nico said, and I stepped back away from Percy.
“Ca- To- Urghh!” Percy groaned, and fell to the snow covered ground.
I glanced at Nico. “I think you killed him.”
I slipped to my knees, brushing his hair back. He gave me a death stare. I kissed forehead, he leaned up with me, as if he was trying to get me to stay. “Meh!” Percy groaned when I shifted away and fell back onto the ground.
He seemed ready to blow up, and I was barely keeping him together. I’m pretty sure he would have strangled Nico if Zoë hadn’t come over.
“Percy Jackson, Alora Lupin.” She hadn’t bothered to Black, which I understood, but c’mon! I know I have a long last name. But what about Padfoot?! “Come with me. Artemis wishes to speak with thee.”
Zoë took us to Artemis’s tent, and Percy gripped my hand in his. I sat on the floor across from her, feeling comfortable. Percy, however, stood awkwardly. There were animal pelts on the walls, and Artemis’s sacred deer next to her.
“Join us, Percy Jackson,” Artemis said.
Percy sat down next to me and I rested my head on his shoulder. He seemed really uncomfortable so I took his hand.
“Are you surprised by my age?” The goddess asked him.
“Uh…a little.”
“I could appear as a grown woman, or a blazing fire, or anything else, but this is what I prefer. This is the average age of my Hunters, and all the young maidens for whom I am patron of, before they go astray.”
“Go astray?” Percy questioned.
“Grow up. Become smitten with boys.” She gave me a look at that and I shrugged. “Become silly, preoccupied, insecure. Forget themselves. If you want an example, take a look at Alora.” I took offense at that, but I didn’t speak against it. She’s a goddess, man. “Once a brave little girl who really wanted to join my Hunters, now…I bet she would much rather flirt with you than pay herself any respect.”
“What? I…you wanted to join the Hunters?” He asked me, and I nodded.
“Yeah, but a particular goddess never let me join.” I said, and Artemis gave me a look.
“You have a destiny to full-fill, Alora. You can’t throw that away,” She examined me and Percy. “I see you’re having no trouble with the said destiny anymore.”
“What’s…what’s your destiny?” Percy asked, a bit insecure.
“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you later.” He doesn’t need to know how much later.
Zoë sat next to Artemis, glaring at Percy like it was his fault I never became a Hunter. To be fair, it was…
My head slid from his shoulder and to his lap, and I tucked myself into a ball. I raised my hand.
“Yes…Alora?” She said, confused.
“Is the whole reason you invited me here because you wanted someone to show dominance over like…I dunno, to prove you had more power?” She stiffened when I pointed that out.
“Uh, no. I simply wanted Percy to have emotional support.”
I stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. I retired back onto Percy and then Grover poked his head in.
“Uh, Alora? There’s a dog out here asking for you.” He said, and I groaned.
“I swear, I’m gonna kill that idiot someday!” I grumbled, jumping to my feet. I kissed the top of Percy’s head, and he smiled.
I stormed out and saw Padfoot sitting with a bunch of the Hunters who were petting and grooming him. “Ugh! You’re lucky! This little pup is so…ugh, I want this dog!” One of the Hunters squealed, and I rolled my eyes.
“Yeah, well, you wouldn’t if you knew his true nature.” I said, and I took Padfoot away. When we were far away, I kicked him. “You little- ugh! I don’t like talking to you in dog form! Just turn into my dad already!”
He morphed back to human, and he had a concerned look on his face. “Ally? What’s wrong?”
I broke down. I don’t know, I guess it was the bullying, Annabeth falling off the cliff, and…and Harry. It just gets a little much at times. I’m pretty sure that the only reason I didn’t break down sooner was comforting Percy. It may have sounded weird, but taking care of others helped me manage my own. It reminded me I wasn’t alone in everything.
“Okay…um…darnit I wish Moony was here. He’s so much better at this.” I heard Padfoot say, and I wiped my eyes.
“It’s just…everything! Why couldn’t I just be normal?!” I sobbed, and he wrapped an arm over my shoulders.
I curled into his side, tears still streaming down my face. I just cried and he rocked me a bit.
Then I heard footsteps coming up the hill. “Butterfly!” I heard Percy say and then he saw Padfoot. His eyes widened, and Padfoot stiffened. “Woah…” Percy said, his jaw dropped. “You don’t look as scary as you do in your picture!”
“Uh, yeah…” Padfoot said. “They chose my scariest photo to uh…initiate fear, I guess.”
Percy's eyes were wide, but he nodded anyway. “Makes sense…why’re you crying, Butterfly?” I felt his gentle hand wipe away a tear on my cheek.
“Well, th-there was Shafiq a-a-and now th-there’s Annabeth and…an-and n-now Harry being so mean!” I wailed, and Percy took me on his shoulder.
“Butterfly, don’t worry. I’m here for you.” He said, and I snuggled closer to him. “Besides, you are my Moana, and I am the ocean. I obey everything you need or want.” I laughed at that.
“Aquaman, I’m your queen and you are my knight.” I said, kissing his cheek.
“Okay…but that’s not as cool.”
I stayed next to him, and I felt Padfoot’s hand on my shoulder. “I think I should go.” He said, and I grabbed his hand. “Honey, someone else’s here that you trust more than me.” He smiled slightly at Percy. “Someone, I think, cares for you so much.”
He turned back into a dog and ran away. I clutched onto Percy, and he scooped me up.
“Percy?” I mumbled.
“Yeah?”
“Put me down.”
“Yes, Moana.”
I slapped his chest, and he put me down. I ran down the hill with Percy right behind me. Apparently, Artemis got Apollo to let us drive home in his sun chariot or whatever the hell it was now a days.
It was supposed to be almost dawn, but it was so cold that I had given up and stayed in Percy’s arms. I combed through his thoughts blankly and he was none the wiser. I didn’t want to. I just couldn’t help. I just wanted to know what was going on in that beautiful mind.
He thought of a lot of things. Me, Annabeth, Westover Hall, Nico, Bianca, the fact that he was probably gonna be a fugitive again. Suddenly, he seemed to catch on.
“Hey!” Percy protested. “You’re in my mind, aren’t you?”
“I’m sorry!” I said, and he scoffed. “How…how’d you know?”
“You get this blank look on your face, yet still you seem so calm and smiley.” He said, and I nuzzled into his shoulder. I fell asleep, and I hoped he wouldn’t leave.
I woke up a little later, hearing Percy, Thalia, Grover, and Audrey’s voices.
“Okay for once, can you shut up, Audrey?” Percy said, and I sighed. Then Percy told them everything.
“The last time the Hunters came to camp, it didn’t go well.” Grover said.
“And Bianca joined them,” Thalia said, repulsed. “It’s all Zoë’s fault. That stuck-up, no good-”
“Who can blame her? Eternity with Artemis?” Grover heaved a sigh.
“Satyrs,” Audrey miffed. “Always wanting what you can’t have. Grover, she will never love you!”
“But she’s…so into nature.” Grover swooned.
“You’re nuts.” Thalia said.
“Nuts and berries,” Grover said dreamily. “Yeah.”
I sat up, making awakening obvious. “Oh, hey! You’re awake!” Percy said, cheerfully.
“Hey,” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.
“Are you alright? You seemed pretty out cold.”
I smirked. “I’m always alright when I’m with you, Aquaman.”
Audrey groaned, “Can you turn anything flirty with the two of you? Like Percy, give Alora a pick up line related to…water.” She tried, and Percy smirked.
“Hey, are you Moana? Because the sea wants to give you my heart.” He said with no hesitation, and I snorted with laughter.
“Did you like watch Moana last week or something? You just keep bringing it up.” I said after I stopped my laughter.
“Hey Moana is a revolutionary movie!”
ততততত
When the sky finally seemed to be lighting, Artemis muttered, “About time. He’s so-o-o lazy during the winter.”
“You’re, um, waiting for sunrise?” Percy asked, and I rolled my eyes.
“For Apollo, stupid.” I said, and I could already feel his thought process. “Think modernized, you dolt.”
“Oh, okay,” He said, and started to relax. “So, it’s not like he’ll be pulling up in a-”
Suddenly, there was a burst of light and a wave of warmth.
“Don’t look,” Artemis advised, “Not until he parks.”
Percy pulled me into his chest, blocking the light from my eyes. When the light died down, he loosened his hold, yet not completely. The grass was dewey and my shoes were damp. The snow in a small area had completely melted.
“Dang…” Percy mumbled. “I want that car…Butterfly, he stole my car. Help me sue him so I can get that car.”
Apollo was a loose god, in my opinion. He acted playful and young, while in reality he was thousands of years old. He claimed his children. He gave them the occasional gift. He did a better job than the other gods in that manner.
“Wow,” Thalia marveled, “Apollo is hot.”
I scrunched up my nose. I know godly DNA didn’t really count, but technically, Apollo was her brother.
“He’s the sun god.” Percy said, and I snorted.
“That’s not what I meant!” She turned to me. “What do you think?”
“Me?” I said, confused, and she nodded. I shrugged, “Not my type. I prefer my guys to at least have been born in the same century.”
She smirked, “Or maybe they have to be born in say…August? Like between the seventeenth and the nineteenth?”
I turned red and Percy perked up, “Hey, that’s my…oh!” He turned red too, and dropped his hand from my back.
“Little sister!” Apollo called, and I sighed. An argument has just arisen because of that one sentence. “What’s up? You never call. You never write. I was getting worried!”
Artemis sighed. “I’m fine, Apollo. I am not your little sister.”
“Hey, I was born first.”
“We’re twins! How many millenia do we have to argue-”
“So what’s up?” Apollo interrupted. “Got the girl with you, I see. You all need some tips on archery?”
Artemis grit her teeth. “I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to Camp Half-Blood.”
“Sure sis!” Then he got his haiku face on. “I feel a haiku coming on!”
The Hunters all groaned, and I felt the urge to do so too. Apollo was my favorite alongside Artemis (besides my mom of course), but the haikus were a bit toxic.
He cleared his throat and raised a hand dramatically.
“Green grass breaks through the snow
Artemis pleads for my help
I am so cool.”
I scrunched up my nose again at the last line. “The last one was only four syllables.” I voiced, and he turned to me, his stance for applause ruined.
“Ah, Ally!” He said, happily. “Haven’t seen you in a while! Hmm…maybe that last line was only four syllables.”
“What about ‘Phoebus is so cool’ ? That’s still you and that would make it five syllables.”
He snapped his fingers, “I like the way you think! But do I want to refer to myself in third person? No…I think I’ll go with ‘I am so awesome’. But you will be an expert poet in the future!” He seemed very proud of himself and then came to his senses. “And now, sis. Transportation for the Hunters, you say? Good timing, I was just about to roll.”
“These demigods will also need a ride,” Artemis said, pointing over at us. “Some of Chiron’s campers.”
“No problem!” He looked over at all of us. “Let’s see…Thalia, right?” She turned a brilliant red. “I’ve heard all about you.”
“Hi, Lord Apollo,” She said, her face a ridiculous red.
“Zeus’s girl, right? Makes you my half-sister.” Someone realizing that! Finally! “Used to be a tree, didn’t you? Glad you’re back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. Man, I remember one time-”
“Brother,” Artemis interrupted, “You should get going.”
“Oh right,” He said when he spotted me…again. “Ally! Forgot about you! How’s my favorite little seer? See anything new?”
“Actually, yes,” I said. “Over there actually.” I pointed lamely over to the cliffs, and Percy frowned.
“Was that- your screaming and everything- that was a vision?” He asked, and I nodded.
“Not all are like that, though,” I said.
“We’ll talk later about it, Ally.” Then, Apollo narrowed his eyes. “You’re Percy Jackson?”
“Yeah. I mean…yes, sir.”
Apollo stuck out his chest as if to show dominance. “Tell me, kid, how worthy are you of my favorite little seer?”
I hid behind Percy, hitting my head on his back. “Uh…I play PokémonGo with her. Y’know, on occasion when she’s there, and I’m there and…we’ve only played one time.”
“Well!” Apollo exclaimed. “We’d better load up, huh? Ride only goes one way- west. And if you miss it, you miss it.”
I glanced at the car, only to realize that it only sat two people. That wouldn’t work with about twenty of us.
“Cool car,” Nico said.
“Thanks, kid,” Apollo said.
“But how will we all fit?”
Apollo frowned, “Oh…well, yeah. I hate to change out of sports car mode, but I suppose…” He glanced up. “Unless you all want to go on the ground and me and Ally can sit in the seats.”
There were multiple complaints, and he groaned, pressing a button on his keys. The car made a chirp chirp noise like a car alarm. The glare of light returned, but died down soon, and the sports car was replaced with a shuttle bus or something.
“Right, everybody in.”
Zoë ordered the Hunters to start loading. She picked up her camping pack, and Apollo said, “Here, sweetheart. Let me get that.”
Zoë jumped back, her eyes dangerous. “Brother,” Artemis chided. “You do not help my Hunters. You do not look at, talk to, or flirt with my Hunters. And you do not call them sweetheart.”
Apollo spread his hands. “Sorry. I forgot. Hey, sis, where are you off to, anyway?”
“Hunting,” Artemis said. “It's none of your business.”
“I’ll find out. I see all. Know all.”
Artemis snorted. “Just drop them off, Apollo. And no messing around!”
“No, no, I never mess around!”
Artemis rolled her eyes at her brother, and turned to us. “I will see you by the winter solstice. Zoë, you are in charge of the Hunters. Do well. Do as I would.”
Zoë straightened, “Yes, my lady.”
Artemis knelt down, touching the ground. She arose, troubled. “So much danger. The beast must be found.”
She ran and faded into the woods, off to find this mysterious beast.
Apollo turned to us, the keys in his hand, “So, who wants to drive?”