Aunty M
So what did we all learn today?
Never leave Perseus Jackson behind the wheel!
Yeah, also the fact that Zeus intentionally threw a lightning bolt to a bus with a Fury... at someone from my father's realm. Weeks ago, I was playing the guitar, I realized I was different, mom is dead, I'm in a Godly Camp! My father is King of the Underworld! I met a beautiful girl, and one that I just want to strangle to death! My best friend is also a demigod, my other friend is half goat! My teacher is half a horse, I got a drunk wine counselor! I got a spear of a weapon! And all our sh*t is back in that burning goddamn bus!
Yeah... this is my life now. Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Grover Underwood, Thomas Lightwood, Kajsa Blanchet and me, Y/N Galanis are walking in the damn woods, almost in the middle of nowhere, more specifically, New Jersey... I really wish this is a dream of Morpheus.
Grover was shivering and braying, his big goat eyes turned slit-pupilled and full of terror. "Three Kindly Ones. All three at once."
"Seems being a Prince is meaningless. Those bastards forced us to leave our bags!" I screamed in anger, as I glare at Percy. "If I ever get my license and I have a car, remind me never put you in the wheel, even though this was for sort of a good cause."
"Come on! The further away we get, the better." Annabeth said, trying to help us move forward... with everything that is happening, no it is not helping.
"All our money was back there." Percy reminded her. "Our food and clothes. Everything."
"Well, maybe if you hadn't decided to jump into the fight-"
"What did you want me to do? Let you get killed?"
"You didn't need to protect me, Percy. I would've been fine."
"Sliced like sandwich bread," Grover put in. "but fine."
"Shut up, goat boy." Annabeth said.
Grover brayed mournfully. "Tin cans... a perfectly good bag of tin cans."
"Is a miracle I didn't take my hat or the guitar, the fire would've caught up to it." I said, taking a bit of my hair from my face.
"Now wondering, that hat... you don't change it or give it to anyone, I assume there's a... deeper story?" Kajsa asked, causing me to look back.
Thomas knew what it meant, Percy as well, but the rest didn't really.
I sigh and keep following them. "The hat is... the last gift Uncle Tony gave me, until he passed away. I wear it as a memoir, always telling myself that I'm never alone, I have him always by my side."
I looked at Kajsa who slowly looks down, but keeps walking, I knew they were all hearing it.
"Is the same for the guitar, mom gifted to me, and with her gone, that's... all I have left, that her words "My heart to you, cowboy." Can't imagine how dad will feel after he finds out she died."
"Maybe... this was a touchy topic I shouldn't have-" Kajsa said with a bit of regret in her tone, but I stop her.
"Is fine, it was going to come out to the light eventually." I had a reassurance tone while we kept walking, even with the night vision I couldn't see anything that well... was a safe spot.
We kept walking a few minutes, still under the rain, the ground was sort of mushy and the trees felt a bit off. I still had to move some of my hair from my eyes, again... stupid rain.
"Look, I..." Annabeth's voice faltered. "I appreciate your coming back for us, okay? That was really brave."
I looked back to her seeing her try to sort of apologize to Percy.
"We're a team, right?" Percy asked though still having that naive tone.
Annabeth was silent for a few more steps, just to say, "It's just that if you died... aside from the fact that it would really suck for you, it would mean the quest was over. This may be my only chance to see the real world."
"See it?" I asked, looking at her who looks back at me and then at the others... like if she could see me. The rain already disappeared by it but she still hasn't said anything.
"You haven't left Camp Half-Blood since you were seven?" Percy asked her.
"No... only short field trips. My dad-"
"The history professor."
"Yeah. It didn't work out for me living at home. I mean, Camp Half-Blood is my home." The tone she was having now, is like she was rushing her words, she was talking way too fast. "At camp you train and train. And that's all cool and everything, but the real world is where the monsters are. That's where you learn whether you're any good or not."
There was doubt on her voice when she said that... a lot of it.
"Don't lower yourself, you were pretty good out there with the knife." Kajsa said.
"You think so?"
"Anybody who can piggyback ride a Fury is okay by me." Percy said as Thomas also agrees.
"Same." Thomas then looks at me, wanting to admit what it, I look at him and keep walking... they were actually waiting for me to say something.
"You did... more than all of us, so..." I told her, which if I didn't hear wrong, she was pretty shock.
"Was that... a compliment?" Annabeth asked but I quickly finish the conversation.
"Please don't push it-Percy-" I tried to warn him but... he crashed with a tree head on, like literally, head on.
The others giggled after that, with me included. We kept walking after that incident, with Percy growling like some wild dog after that, I saw a neon sign... like... I'm not kidding, a neon sign... in the middle of the forest... huh... not creepy at all.
But from that neon sign which was a building, I could smell something from it... Chicken Tenders!
I asked the others, "Hey, you guys smell that?"
Percy was next to sniff. The smell of fried, greasy and very unhealthy food got stronger the closer we walked... this is a huge victory.
In Camp Half-Blood, we always ate healthy food, well not anymore, I'm so hungry for this. You know what I need? A triple cheeseburger with no salad, only cheese and ketchup with a large coke and fries.
Yes I eat much, so what?!
We kept walking until we saw a deserted two-lane road through the trees. On the other side was a closed-down gas station, a tattered billboard for a 1990s movie and one open business, which was the source of the neon light and the good smell.
This place didn't look like a fast food, but guess what, I don't care!
The main building was a long, low warehouse, surrounded by acres of statuary. The neon sign above the gate was impossible for me to read, it wasn't just the fact that I'm dyslexic, is the fact that it was also written in cursive... like... why?
"Um... Aaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuutmmmmmmm... yeah what the hell it says there?" I asked the others with Percy, Annabeth and Kajsa also looking... damn being dyslexic.
"I have no idea." Percy said.
"Aunty Em's Garden Gnome Emporium." Grover said.
I could see two cement garden gnomes, though very ugly, like way too ugly. I looked at Percy who definitely followed the smell of hamburgers. I quickly walked to slow Percy down, cause let's think of this more rationally. There's a restaurant, in the middle of nowhere, open?
"This... This doesn't feel right." I stated a bit unsure and nervous.
"The lights are on inside." Annabeth said. "Maybe it's open."
"Snack bar." Percy said wistfully.
"Snack bar." she agreed,
"Wait, we're going in there?" Thomas asked nervously, as I gulped.., yes I gulped.
"Yep, we are." Kajsa said which made me look in a bit of shock at what she said... her too?
"Are you three crazy?" Grover said. "This place is weird."
"M-Maybe we can try and find somewhere else to eat?" I asked them, but they ignored us, I so not liked this. I mean... fast food? Yes! The fact that is in the woods? Nope.
The front garden was a forest of statues: cement animals, cement children, even a cement satyr playing the pipes, which gave Grover and Thomas the creeps.
"Bla-ha-ha!" Grover bleated. "He looks like my Uncle Ferdinand!"
"Hey, he actually does." said Thomas, but... these statues are off, very off. They keep walking, but I look at the statues... these statues were very detailed in a sense, but there were whispers in those statues... but they sounded muted... like if they couldn't speak... this... this is so not okay.
We all stopped in front of the warehouse door.
"Don't knock," Grover pleaded. "I smell monsters."
"Yeah, I sense one... I think." I said in a bit of confusion, which Thomas turns his head at me in confusion.
"Sense?"
"Maybe it has to do with your father." Kajsa said. "He is the King of the Void, any monster from there are technically servants of him."
Annabeth then says to Grover, "Well I don't smell anything but burgers. Aren't you hungry?"
"Meat!" he said scornfully." I'm a vegetarian."
"You eat cheese enchiladas and aluminium cans." Percy reminded him.
"Those are vegetables. Come on. Let's leave. These statues are... looking at me."
But the moment we were about to leave, the door creaked opened, and in front of us was a tall woman, above average I think. She had a robe that covered most of her body but her hands, and her head completely veiled. Her eyes were slightly covered by a black gauze, I couldn't see more than that. Her hands quite wrinkled but well manicured.
When she went to talk to us, she had an odd accent, not one I recognized. She said, "Children, it is too late to be out all alone. Where are your parents?"
"They're... um..." Annabeth started to say, but she had nothing, we had to build some kind of lie, luckily I had one.
"W-We're orphans, ma'am." I said.
"Orphans?" the woman said. The way she said that word was even more odd, like if she has never said that word or just weird. "But, my
dears! Surely not!"
"We got separated from our caravan." Percy said trying to make my lie more true. "Our circus caravan. The ringmaster told us to meet him at the gas station if we got lost, but he may have forgotten, or maybe he meant a different gas station. Anyway, we're lost. Is that food I smell?"
"Oh, my dears." the woman said. "You must come in, poor children. I am Aunty Em. Go straight through to the back of the warehouse, please. There is a dining area."
We thanked her and entered... though gonna be honest, Aunty Em had a bad sense, like... I felt her presence a bit odd to a normal person.
Annabeth muttered to Percy, "Circus Caravan?"
"Always have a strategy, right?"
"Your head is full of kelp."
The warehouse was filled with more statues like people in all different poses, wearing all different outfits and with different expressions on their faces. I could hear even more whispers from that, it's so odd... kinda creepy.
"Are you okay, chéri?" I heard Kajsa ask, she could definitely I was a bit skeptical about this place now, it felt so odd.
I said to her, "I... I don't know. This place sort of creeps me out, the amount of statues, I can hear so many whispers, it's unnatural."
Kajsa answers back, "Yeah, Aunty Em seems nice but... I think she's hiding something. Wanna play the detective roles? Between us?"
The question left me a bit confused, but I thought about it... all right, why not.
"All right." I said with a smile as I fist bump Kajsa, who keeps walking this time in front of me, and once again... I'm blushing... can you blame me?
I look at the statues once more... I could notice that they were sort of following us, as in their sight was. The whispers still remained in my head, it was so not good at all. We reached the back of the warehouse and saw a fast food counter with a grill, a soda fountain, a pretzel heater and a nacho cheese dispenser. Plus there were a few picnic tables in front.
"Please, sit down." Aunty Em said.
"Awesome." Percy said very happy.
"Um," Grover said reluctantly, "we don't have any money, ma'am."
I looked at Grover after that, props for him being honest, but at this point, it isn't a very good time to be it. But Aunty Em said, "No, no, children. No money. This is a special case, yes? It is my treat, for such nice orphans."
I look at Kajsa after that, gulping slightly, this is definitely not creepy at all.
"Thank you, ma'am." Annabeth said.
Aunty Em stiffened, as if Annabeth had done something wrong, but then the old woman relaxed just as quickly, this woman was seriously creeping me out.
"Quite all right, Annabeth." she said. "You have such beautiful grey eyes, child."
Kajsa and I perked up slightly after that... we never told her any of our names. I was about to summon my spear, but Kajsa secretly grabbed the hand with the ring, stopping me. I looked at her and shook her head... not yet.
Our hostess disappeared behind the snack counter and started cooking. Before we knew it, she'd brought us plastic trays heaped with double cheeseburgers, vanilla shakes and XXL servings of French fries.
I saw Percy munch that burger like an animal, as well as Annabeth and Thomas, Kajsa ate normally but me? I couldn't eat... not with the stress.
"Y/N, are you not gonna eat?" Aunty Em asked.
"Y-Yeah... I was just inna deep thought, ma'am." I said trying to hide the fact I could hear some hissing. But then Thomas made the question.
"Is it me or is there something hissing?" Thomas asked with a bit on confusion.
Aunty Em looked at him keeping her neutral face.
"Hissing?" Aunty Em asked. "Perhaps you hear the deep-fryer oil. You have keen ears, Thomas."
"I do take a lot of vitamins."
"That's admirable." she said. "But please, relax."
Aunty Em ate nothing. She hadn't taken off her headdress, even to cook, and now she sat forward and interlaced her fingers and watched us eat. It was a little unsettling, having someone stare at me when I couldn't see her face. Her presence was still very unsettling, so I decided to start eating though uncomfortably.
"So... Aunty Em," I heard Kajsa speak after that. "you sell gnomes to people?"
"Oh, yes." Aunty Em said. "And animals. And people. Anything for the garden. Custom orders. Statuary is very popular, you know."
"So you make a lot of business on roads?"
"Not so much, no. Since the highway was built... most cars, they do not go this way now. I must cherish every customer I get."
"Makes sense." Kajsa said, as she looked at me, she definitely could tell I was very thoughtful. The fact she knew our names, the statues, the hidden face. I looked at the statues once more, seeing the amount of details and their reactions... though different... all were either shocked or terrified.
"Ah." Aunty Em said sadly. "You notice some of my creations do not turn out well. They are marred. They do not sell. The face is the hardest to get right. Always the face."
"Those statues... you make them yourself?" I asked... I feel like I know who she is, I think.
"Oh, yes. Once upon a time, I had two sisters to help me in the business, but they have passed on, and Aunty Em is alone. I have only my statues. This is why I make them, you see. They are my company."
"So these statues are a way to... in a sense pay tribute to your sisters?"
Aunty Em looked at me and nodded, I genuinely was feeling bad for her... for this... woman who seemed to have a slight connection to the underworld, but her psyche, I felt sadness from it... and not a facade.
"Take this to the heart, Y/N, do not waste your time on insignificant things, spend as much time as you can with your loved ones."
What Aunty Em really made me looked away in thought... but also sadness... loved ones... if dad hasn't killed himself from sadness... who is it left?
Annabeth stopped eating, sat forward and said, "Two sisters?"
"It's a terrible story." Aunty Em said. "Not one for children, really. You see, Annabeth, a bad woman was jealous of me, long ago, when I was young. I had a... a boyfriend, you know, and this bad woman was determined to break us apart. She caused a terrible accident. My sisters stayed by me. They shared my bad fortune as long as they could, but eventually they passed on. They faded away. I alone have survived, but at a price. Such a price."
"I am so sorry." Thomas said, as Aunty Em nodded smiling at him.
With a tone of slight happiness, she said, "Thanks, dear."
"Percy?" I saw Annabeth shaking him, he looked a bit sleepy. "Maybe we should go. I mean, the ringmaster will be waiting."
Annabeth sounded tense, she looked me as if she wanted me to help, Grover was eating the waxed paper off and gave a piece to Thomas, but Kajsa was slowly holding her knife, and I was so ready to show my spear.
"Such beautiful grey eyes." Aunty Em told Annabeth again. "My, yes, it has been a long time since I've seen grey eyes like those."
She reached out like if she wanted to stroke her cheek... until she heard a sound and felt the tip of a blade near her neck... my blade... the one from Ebony. This was definitely a reflex, they looked at me confused and shocked... except Kajsa, she knew who she was at this point.
Aunty Em asks "Dear, what are you doing?"
"I'm sorry... but we're gonna leave, so either you please step away... or die... Medusa."
The gang looks to me... until the hissing was heard again... what an awful moment. We have to play detective ourselves, the boyfriend is Poseidon, Athena is the bad woman who cursed her, the statues are real people and the hissing... snakes... plus Aunty Em... Em... M... yeah that sort of gives it away.
"Foolish Son of Hades." she quickly spins back taking her cloth off, but I swing at her face, hitting her with the back of the spear, staggering her.
"Run!" Kajsa screamed, as Annabeth quickly puts her Yankees cap on, pushing Grover and Percy to look away, Thomas quickly jumped and Kajsa ran with him, as I ran alone to another side of the garden.
I quickly put Ebony away and ran further and further away from the garden... but I couldn't hear Percy or Grover. I did hear Grover screamed "Maia!" But I didn't hear Percy at all, as I decide to peak slightly by the bushes, with him looking at her claws with a bit of fear, I mean... who wouldn't be.
"Such a pity to destroy a handsome young face."Medusa told him soothingly. "Stay with me, Percy. All you have to do is look up."
I was so hesitant, I could see the snakes in her head, she wasn't looking at me, that was good. I slowly summon Ebony in a silent manner, as I had an idea of something... it wasn't a good idea overall but... better than nothing.
"The Grey-Eyed One did this to me, Percy." Medusa said with a sympathetic voice, it didn't sound those of a monster, but an angry and sad woman. "Annabeth's mother, the cursed Athena, turned me from a beautiful woman into this."
"Don't listen to her!" I heard Annabeth shout from who knows where. "Run, Percy!"
"Silence!" Medusa roared with a monstrous tone and looked back at Percy with her soothing voice, saying, "You see why I must destroy the girl, Percy. She is my enemy's daughter. I shall crush her statue to dust. But you, dear Percy, you need not suffer."
I quickly decided to take action... and I threw my spear at her... strength? Check... accuracy? No. I threw my spear but it went by her, didn't even scratch her.
Medusa looked at it and the looked at me, I quickly closed my eyes and turned my back on her, definitely doing my best that she doesn't stone me.
"The gods do not mean to help you, Y/N. They're as selfish and cruel as you think, flawed. This quest you both were set in is futile, is a game and you are their slaves." Medusa stated with a tone full of hatred, I still kept my eyes closed... this would be a good time to have my spear back, foolish play I did to myself there.
"Agh!" I heard Medusa slightly scream, sounded like she did out of pain, as I felt something in my hand once more... Ebony?
I looked down seeing my spear in my hand... did the spear just... cane back to my hand.
"Percy!" I looked back, definitely not at Medusa but to where the voice came from... it was a flying goat... the first every flying goat, Grover. Grover then said, "Duck!"
Grover holding a tree branch which looked like a baseball bat and eyes closed flew even closer and closer towards Medusa, he was using his nose and ears... very cleaver.
"Duck!" he screamed again. "I'll get her!"
I saw Grover quickly hit Medusa right in the face, with Percy finally got pumped to fight back. Medusa roared in rage as she got angry against Grover.
"You miserable satyr." she snarled. "I'll add you to my collection!"
"That was for Uncle Ferdinand!" Grover yelled back.
Percy quickly ran and his by my side in the bushes, almost near the sanctuary, as Grover kept attacking her like the Goat he is... atta boy Grover.
"Arrgh!" Medusa roared again but this time even more angrier than before, how surprising.
"Guys!" we both jumped hearing that voice, belonging to Annabeth, I was even gripping my spear very tight.
"Jeez! Don't do that!" Percy said in a bit of shock.
Annabeth took her Yankees cap off and became visible. "We need to cut her off."
"What? Are you insane?! Let's get Grover and throw others and get out of here!" I stated at her to her.
"Medusa is a menace. She's evil. I'd kill her myself, but..." Annabeth sort of hesitated, swallowed her own saliva after that. "But both of you have better weapons than I do. Besides, I'd never get close to her. She'd slice me to bits because of my mother."
"True, and Percy being her ex's son doesn't help much either." I told her as Percy though offended agreed. "Which leaves-"
"You." I jumped again seeing Kajsa and Thomas. Thomas was the one who said it, but... dude please.
"I got a spear, those are not good for cutting, if we're going for the head. Percy you do it." I told him with a straight face, as Percy now looked at me confused... more than before.
He quickly said, "You said-" I cut him off after that, yeah he is Poseidon's son, but he has a better chance of cutting her head.
"I know what I said. But we can't let her turn more people into stone. I say we act now!" I told him, Percy gulped but quickly nodded, he's in. "We should get a mirror or something if it doesn't work."
Annabeth then said, "Mirrors don't work on her, she can't turn herself into stone. She is merely looking her own reflection, is what Perseus did to kill her, look at her reflection, not at herself."
"Hey, guys!" Grover yelled above us. "I think she's unconscious!"
"Roooaaarrr!"
"Maybe not." Grover corrected and went back to hit her.
"Hurry." Annabeth told Percy. "Grover's got a great nose, but he'll eventually crash."
"He's not alone." Thomas said, quickly grabbing one of Kajsa's daggers and rushing to help Grover, I was definitely shocked after that action, was he nuts.
I screamed, "Tommy! Damn you." I said a bit annoyed as I looked around, trying to find something to cover my eyes, luckily, I saw her cloth, quickly grabbing it... but I closed my eyes and looked in direction of Medusa... I still felt her presence... and I could see her psyche even with eyes closed. It was pitch black but I saw an energy, a bright light, but it flowed like energy, calm yet vengeful, weightless yet heavy... her psyche.
I opened my eyes and quickly put the cloth down... I don't need it that much. I hold Ebony tight and went to run, just to see a green gazing ball in the floor... grabbing it and giving it to Percy.
Percy looked confused and asked, "Um, what is this for?"
I answered, "There's a reflection, you can use it to your advantage, look at her with that."
"Reflection, quite clever." Annabeth complemented... was it actually? I... I genuinely don't know.
Kajsa said with her other dagger, "Let's go!"
We went our separate ways to attack Medusa in different directions. I closed my eyes to run forward at her, I could see her psyche... including Grover's and Thomas, gotta say, compared to Medusa's they look unique.
I thrust the front of the spear at her side, or I think it was. I heard her try and swing, but I definitely hit something after that, hearing her roar... oh I impaled her.
Then her roar was sort of cut short, also hearing a blade touch flesh, just to roar very quickly. She swings at something after that... at me, sending me back and letting go of the spear.
"Oof." I grunted as I land on my back, just to hear other movement and voices.
"Whoa! Whoa!" The voice belonged to Kajsa, as I see her psyche behind Medusa's, she was spinning around, until I saw her psyche slam unto another, Grover's and then to Thomas who probably tried to cut her but failed. Then her psyche was slammed down, hearing a grunt from her as well.
I could tell that Medusa put her focus back on Grover and was about to lunge at him, until I heard Percy. "Hey!"
I looked back to look at Percy... with eyes open, and I saw him holding Riptide and the glass ball. He quickly started to advance, and Medusa actually lets him... I don't know why, but definitely think for a trick.
"You wouldn't harm an old woman, Percy." she crooned. "I know you wouldn't."
I could tell Percy was hesitating... not what we need now at all, and his arms were getting sort of weak now.
I yelled at him, "Percy don't listen to her!"
Medusa cackled. "Too late."
Medusa dashed at Percy, in which I covered my eyes, definitely expecting Percy to go down, until I heard a shlock. I also felt a psyche disappear... that of Medusa's... back to Tartarus I guess.
I slowly opened my eyes, and I saw her body disintegrating. Until I saw Medusa's head rolling, in which I quickly cover my eyes, it can still be used as a weapon, Perseus did. I slowly get up, as I could hear the sound of snakes still... oh geez.
"Oh, gulp, I'm gonna puke." I heard Thomas say that, and I could tell he wanted to puke... wait can Satyrs puke? Either way, he could definitely smell the rotten head and the snakes.
"Oh, yuck." Grover said. "Mega-yuck."
I look away from the head to open my eyes, seeing Thomas walking away quickly to one of her flowers. I slowly got closer to the head without looking, using the back of Ebony, tapping the head... found it.
"Can we... please?" I said not looking, as I looked at Annabeth with Medusa's black veil, though she was looking to the sky and I slightly to it.
She said to Percy, "Don't move."
She picked up her head with a lot of precaution... I mean who wouldn't, that head is still active. I could hear the dripping blood... if she had any, as she manages to wrap up Medusa's head and I looked down, seeing the green blood, so gross.
"Percy, still alive?" I heard Kajsa ask, and I look at her, she still had her eyes closed and a shaky tone.
"No... I don't think I am." Percy said also with a shaky tone.
"Kajsa you can open your eyes." I told her walking to her, though she still wasn't opening it.
She asked, "Is the head covered? The snake hair?"
I grab het arm as a way to reassure her. "Yes. Why?"
"No reason." she said in a very quick pace. I look at Annabeth and Percy who was more relieved, but Kajsa not so much. I could feel her psyche, her emotion... Fear? Disgust?
She opened her eyes looking forward, seeing Annabeth, Percy and then looks at me... there was even a bit of fear in her eyes. I looked back seeing Grover with a big welt on his forehead and the shoes flying around his head with Thomas panting, cleaning his mouth and very disgusted.
"Yeah... I puked." Thomas said not very happy, a bit tired actually. I looked at Kajsa who started to slowly relax.
"Why didn't the head evaporate?" Percy asked trying to slightly change the topic.
"Once you sever it, it becomes a spoil of war." she said. "Same as your Minotaur horn. But don't unwrap the head. It can still petrify you."
"Perseus used it, didn't he?" I asked her in which she nodded. The snake hissed, one popping from the veil, in which we all jumped, Annabeth quickly covering it again.
I also saw Kajsa turn around from it and puts her head in my chest... wait... two things. One... is she afraid of snakes? Disgusted and afraid of their look? Two... I think I got... turned... on?
"The Red Baron." Percy said. "Good job, man."
Grover showed a bashful grin. "That really was not fun, though. Well, the hitting-her-with-a-stick part, that was fun. But crashing into a concrete bear? Not fun."
"You were insane for doing that." I told him, still holding Kajsa, who finally says something.
"Can we move?! Please!" Kajsa said which makes everyone including me, look at her. We all agreed to walk away, though I definitely had to make some adjustments... which included looking for a few more things to wrap the head around... I looked at Annabeth... and she definitely knew what was the problem.
We got to the warehouse and saw a few plastic bags... which we put around Medusa's head... it already had like what? 13 layers technically? We then put it in the corner, close to the tables where we ate but not on top... we were so tired.
That was until Percy asked, "So we have Athena to thank for this monster?"
Annabeth gave him a very irritated look. "Your dad, actually. Don't you remember? Medusa was Poseidon's girlfriend. They decided to meet in my mother's temple. That's why Athena turned her into a monster. Medusa and her two sisters who had helped her get into the temple, they became the three gorgons. That's why Medusa wanted to slice me up, but she wanted to preserve you as a nice statue. She's still sweet on your dad. You probably reminded her of him."
"Oh, so now it's my fault we met Medusa."
"Percy, nobody is blaming you or vice versa." I said a bit tired and scratching my eyes slightly. "We should definitely move right now before another monster decides to pop out."
I get up and walk to get the head... I see a snake already popped out, so I do what I do best... punch it out. I grabbed the bag and hold it. I read what the bag said: WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS!
I frown slightly seeing that. Percy has a mission, to return the bolt before the Summer Solstice, at this rate is impossible. I went to find my mother in the Underworld, try and bring her back to life, cause isn't that what father is? God of the Dead? What are the dead? But mortal souls free from their mortal bodies, and what are mortals, but beings who are going to die. He might rule the Underworld, but he is an arbiter, in life and in death.
The gods do not mean to help you, Y/N. They're as selfish and cruel as you think, flawed. This quest you both were set in is futile, is a game and you are their slaves.
Maybe Medusa ain't wrong... the gods are playing us... using us... what if my father doesn't bring my mother back to life? Or Percy's?
I looked at the others talk, but it wasn't much... as I walked to the warehouse... more specifically, Medusa's office.
I heard Annabeth ask me what I was doing, and I know what it is. I decided to look at Medusa's account book, a lot of her deliveries went straight to the Underworld... Persephone's garden. I saw its billing address... DOA Recording Studios, West Hollywood, California. I put the bill in my pockets, also seeing her cash register, 20 dollars, will be needed for the trip, as well as a few golden drachmas and some packing slips for Hermes Overnight Express, each with a little leather bag attached for coins.
I then looked for a box, gonna send a message to the gods... and they'll like it. I managed to find a good one, as I take it back to the table. I slam the box to the table, put the head inside and put a delivery slip... with directions and all.
The Gods
Mount Olympus
600th Floor,
Empire State Building
New York, NY
With best wishes,
Y/N GALANIS
"You do know what you're doing, right? They're not going to like it." Thomas said as I finished writing.
"I know." I told him, I poured some drachmas in the pouch.
Annabeth said, "Are you taking to the heart what Medusa said? About the gods?"
"About the truth?" I asked her... asked... myself. I closed the box, as the package floated off the table and disappeared... there it goes. "Then yes... cause she is right. The gods are selfish, cruel, evil, egomaniacs, they only care for themselves."
I look at Annabeth, waiting for her to say something, but she actually didn't.
I said to end this conversation, "Medusa was right, the gods are flawed, more than we are."
And like this, the chapter ends... phew, about time I posted this, starting college back from zero was one hell of a ride, but 1st semester is finished, better than last year, aiming for a new bachelor degree, new friends and two besties... everything going fine.
Again, hope you enjoyed this very long awaited chapter, vote for it if you like and good night.
Oh, and in case I don't post in the remaining of this year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2024