ᝰ.ᐟ CHAPTER FOUR:
Goodbye Camp Half Blood! Hello Danger!
THE ARROW FLEW from its place between my fingers with a quick snap. As expected, it landed right in the middle. I heard, next to me, some kids from the Aphrodite cabin gossiping.
"He's a forbidden child, didn't you hear?" One of them said.
Another nodded. "Oh, yeah! Who's kid again? I hope it's not Hades. He is way too cute to be a child of Hades."
My face scrunched. What? I grabbed another arrow, lodging it into the bow.
"Cute, Isabella? He's half your size," Ophelia, a child of Aphrodite I did not get along with, said.
Isabella laughed. She was one of the children of Aphrodite I tolerated a bit more. "Well, at least he's not half my age."
Ophelia gasped. "She looked 17!" she defended.
"I still can't believe she was thirteen! You flirted with a thirteen year old!" This time it was Oscar to laugh.
My eyes widened. I'd heard some crazy gossip from the Aphrodite cabin, mainly through Sunniva hearing stuff from her chats with Selina Beauregard, but nothing as insane as that.
Suddenly, Sunniva came jogging over. "Hey, Val!"
I looked over to her, lowering my bow. "Sunniva! What's up?" I asked, smiling.
"Chiron's asking for us. It's about the new kid's quest," she said.
My face contorted with confusion. "How do you know that? Chiron rarely ever tells what these things are about until we get to the meeting."
Sunniva clears her throat. "Hello? Daughter of the God of Prophecies? Right here?" she said, gesturing to herself. I rolled my eyes.
We headed up the hill to the Dining Pavilion where many campers—all of which I noticed to be very skilled at what they do—gathered. They stood in a circle, with Chiron and Mr. D at the head.
After we finally arrived, Chiron began. He didn't seem to notice me, as I hid behind my older and taller sister, him being too preoccupied with the topic of the meeting.
"The Oracle has confirmed what we expected," he said after reciting the prophecy told to him by Percy, who received it from the demon halloween decoration thing, "that this quest will proceed toward the Underworld, where you will confront the god who has rebelled against his brothers. Hades."
My eyes lit up in excitement as I let out a quiet, short, breathy laugh. Gods, I wanted to go on this quest.
Chiron continued, "The entrance to Hades's domain lies under the city of Los Angeles. This is where you will journey to. Time is short." He looked around the circle at the rest of us. "I have selected our most compelling candidates, from which you will choose three to join you on this quest and ensure that we succeed."
Immediately, Percy spoke up. "Valerie." A smile stretched across my face at his response.
Chiron looked down at the boy. "Customarily, one waits to at least hear a name or two before choosing. Are you sure you don't wanna hear more?"
"This thing," Percy started, "Zeus's master bolt, we need to get it back, right?"
"Yes," Chiron nodded.
"And it's gonna be hard to get, right?" he asked.
"Extraordinarily."
"And if the mission required someone to push me down a flight of stars for it to succeed...you'd want someone who won't hesitate when they do it."
Chiron raised a brow then turned to the group. "The first quest-mate shall be Valerie Adlao!" he announced.
I locked eye with Percy, smiling. He nodded at me and I nodded back as Chiron continued.
I STUFFED A pair of socks into my half-full messenger bag as Sunniva walked over. "Hey," she said. Her voise was slightly hoarse, like she'd been crying.
"Hey." I turned to look at her. She looked as though she'd been crying, too. "Are you okay?" I asked.
Sunniva pouted. "I can't believe my baby sister is going on her first quest," she sniffed, wrapping her arms around me. I groaned as she swung from side to side, rocking me back and forth.
I slapped her arms away. She sat down next to me on my bed, the springs squeaking slightly. Sunniva reached over and dropped the drachmas inside my bag.
"Are you nervous?" she asked suddenly.
I paused my movements, taking time to think. Was I nervous? I mean, this was the first time I had gone outside of camp since I'd gotten here six years ago. It was dangerous, like humankind-threatening dangerous, and one of the people I was going on the quest with I barely knew, let alone trusted.
Everytime I had thought about the quest, I thought about the easy parts. Catching buses to Los Angeles, maybe stopping for snacks. But I rarely thought about the monsters or enemies we would encounter. My excitement for the whole thing clouded my ability to think about the deadly factor of it.
I could die on this quest. Grover could die on this quest. Annabeth could die on this quest. I didn't want to think about that.
Part of me knew I was overthinking it. That wouldn't happen. The other part, the now non-clouded part of me told me that going on this quest was a mistake. That I would lose someone I lov—cared for, again. What if it was my fault, again?
A cough is what shook me out of my thought. Sunniva looked at me, still awaiting an answer to her question. "Are you nervous?" she repeated.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, I nodded. "Yeah."
Sunniva smiled sadly. "That's understandable. I remember how nervous I was about my first quest. Did I ever tell you about that?"
"Yeah, like a million times," I laughed. "A giant heading to destroy Camp Half-Blood, defeating it with Luke." I wiggled my eyebrows at his name, knowing she had a slight crush on him.
She rolled her eyes, placing a hand over my face and pushing my head back. "Shut up, you."
I shook my head, chuckling and placing a first aid kit on top of the rest of my stuff. I zipped the bag and stood. Sunniva stood with me and walked with me to Half-Blood Hill.
The grass whisked gently against our calves as the light breeze blew through the Camp. When we reached the hill, Annabeth was already there. She held onto one bag strap and stood beneath Thalia's pine tree. I quickly hugged Sunniva goodbye before walking over to stand next to my friend.
Annabeth stared sadly at the tree, reminiscing on the short time she had with Thalia before the incident. Everyone at Camp knew what the incident was. I remember that day clearly. I had been living at Camp for about a year when Annabeth, Grover, and Luke ran up that hill.
Their friend, Thalia, had stayed behind to fight against the monsters, sacrificing her life to save her found-family. Zeus had taken pity on her and, before her soul went to Hades, turned her into a pine tree.
That was the same night I met Annabeth, as she sat in the Big House infirmary. I believed it was my duty as an Apollo kid to make sure everyone felt better, so I hugged her as she cried. And ever since then, we were attached at the hip.
I placed a hand on her shoulder. Annabeth looked at me with a sorrowful smile, both showing that she missed Thalia and that she was thankful I was with her.
Soon, I noticed Percy and Grover standing there. Annabeth and I walked over, hearing part of their conversation.
"So, at the last moment... Zeus intervened to safe her life and... changed her form," Grover explained to the blond.
Percy's expression shifted into one of confusion. "The most powerful being in the universe's best idea to save his daughter's life..." he started, "was to turn her into a tree?"
That's when Annabeth decided to add herself to the conversation. "She was the bravest demigod I ever knew," she told him. "She fought valiantly and she met a hero's fate."
The boy gestured to the tree. "She met a pinecone's fate."
Excuse me? I rolled my eyes at him. Does he have any respect? In the corner of my eye, Annabeth's face falls at his comment, disheartened.
Grover looked at his exasperatedly. I said, defending Annabeth's late big sister, "Forbidden children are always in danger, even the strongest ones, even Thalia. And you are not Thalia. Do exactly as Annabeth says, and maybe you survive this. Are we clear?"
Hearing no answer, I threw an arm around Annabeth's shoulder as we turned and started walking down Half-Blood Hill.
After checking that we distanced ourselves from the boys, I asked her, "Are you okay?"
Annabeth hummed, nodding. "Yeah," she said. "Thanks for sticking up for Thalia, by the way. You didn't have to do that."
"Shut up. Yes, I did. There was no way I was going to let be disrespectful towards Thalia or you. He needed to be put in his place," I said.
She laughed lightly. I looked at her. Her smile was as radiant as ever, her dark skin glistened under the hot summer sun, and her braids fell delicately over her shoulder, long and beautiful.
Every time I looked at her it felt like I was looking at a goddess. Strong and beautiful. Smart and daring. Witty and fast. Annabeth Chase, my best friend, and I was proud as ever to call her that.
I SAT NEXT to Annabeth on the bus in the aisle seat, to which I very reluctantly accepted. A toilet flushed behind us and a door opened. The smell that came from it caused me to scrunch my nose and gag as the man that was in there shuffled past. I glared at Annabeth for making me take this seat, but she shrugged with a smile.
"There is no way this is what sacred smells like," Percy said, referring to what Grover had told him about quests on the way to the bus terminal.
Annabeth leaned over to look at him. "We're soldiers on a mission. It's not a vacation."
"That you for clearing that up," Percy sassed. "But if this is so important, why didn't Chiron spring for plane tickets? This seems kind of low priority, doesn't it?"
I furrow my brows. Has no one told him?
"Sorry," Grover apologised, "I assume someone had told you."
Percy looked back between Grover and I. "Tell me what?" he asked.
"Percy, it isn't just the monsters who are trying to stop us," Grover said. "You're forbidden child. Zeus might decide to take a shot at you himself. The sky is his domain. We'd be serving you up on a silver platter to try and travel through it."
The blond stared ahead of him, taking in what he was just told. "Yeah, no one mentioned that." He shook his head.
We sat in silence for the next ten minutes before the bus pulled up at a service station. Annabeth nudged my arm, signalling for me to get up. We silently decided both of us would be getting snacks while Grover and Percy stayed on the bus.
"We're gonna go get some snacks," I told the boys.
Percy started to stand. "I'll come with you," he said. Annabeth pushed him back down in his seat.
"No," she said, "you'll stay right there."
"Why? It smells terrible back here," Percy defended, shaking his head.
I rolled my eyes. "Monsters can't smell you through that, so that's where I want you," Annabeth argued.
"Well, I wanna vote," Percy said. I placed an elbow on the seat in front of his and rested my head in my hand, rubbing my temple. Oh, my gods. "Who thinks that we should all go get to breathe fresh air and buy our own snacks?" He raised his hand.
"There's no voting. Chips and sodas okay for you guys?" I asked, pushing myself off the back of the seat.
Percy shook his head. "I don't think you should just get to decide we don't vote," he said.
"I'm sorry to hear that." I gritted my teeth, shaking my head slightly. This boy was already getting on my nerves.
"Okay. I wanna vote on whether you get to decide we don't vote," he said.
I rubbed my eyes with my hands. "My gods! Are you always this insufferable?" I asked.
He tilted his head. "Only when entitled daughters of Apollo think they can decide whether we can vote or not."
"Entitled?" My eyes widened at his words. "Entitled? You think I'm entitled?" Percy nodded. "Grover, for the gods' sake, would you please—"
I was cut off when Grover started slowly clapping. My eyebrows furrowed. What in the world?
"I really don't want you two to argue," he said as he glanced between Percy and I. "I have a better idea." Grover's clapping sped up into a faster beat, then, he started to sing.
"Oh, golly, the road's gettin' bumpy 'cause I got me some friends who just can't get along." I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what he was doing. My brother was obsessed with that song. "Oh, dear! When the team's gettin' grumpy, the trick to gettin' through it is singing this song—"
"Dude, what are you doing?" Percy cut him off.
Grover looked up at me then back at Percy. "It's the consensus song," he said. "Verse two encourages us to say nice things about each other. You get a few rounds in and you'd be amazed at how disagreements just kind of..."
He noticed the blank stares Percy and I were giving him. "...fade away"
"Chips and sodas okay for you guys?" I repeated.
"Whatever," Percy muttered.
Grover said at the same volume, "Yes, please."
Annabeth and I nodded, turning away from them and heading down the aisle of the bus. She chuckled slightly at my argument with Percy. "Shut up," I told her. She laughed some more as we headed inside the service station.
"I'll get the snacks, you get the drinks, okay?" she said. I nodded, and we split up.
I made a beeline for the fridges at the back of the store. They were filled with drinks, and I was half tempted to stuff a beer into my bag, but I decided against it. It probably wasn't a good idea to get arrested on this quest.
My eyes flickered over the many sodas. Sprite? No. Maybe Fanta? Not really. Finally, my eyes settled on a six pack of Coca-Cola cans. I grasped the door handle, but before I pulled it open, I paused, feeling a presence behind me. It wasn't a usual presence, like the ones humans had. It was an unnatural presence, dark, magical. Mythical. I glanced at the reflection in the door. In the aisle right behind me was a woman with auburn hair with a french pin holding it up. I knew immediately what she was. A monster. A fury. If Annabeth didn't already know about her, I had to warn her.
I grabbed the cans from the fridge and rushed around the store, trying to find Annabeth. Finally, my eyes landed on her. She was waiting in line for the payment counter. I joined her quickly. But I didn't say anything about the monster. If I said the name, it would alert her, and that is something I did not want.
It was then our turn to pay for our stuff. We placed it all on the counter. Annabeth had grabbed at least 10 packets of Bigoof candy, a bag of Doritos, and a packet of sour worms. I heaved the drinks onto the counter. The cashier, Leslie, looked at the large amount of junk food then back at us, probably wondering why two little girls were buying all of this stuff. We just smiled innocently as she scanned the food.
Thats when I felt the presence again, and Annabeth surely felt it too. The auburn-haired woman again. She passed behind us, and this time, I got a better look. I glanced at her. She looked normal, but she was anything but.
Annabeth turned her head to look at the fury, and then, the fury looked at us. My eyes widened slightly as I rushed to grab the money from my pocket. The coins clattered on the counter. Leslie bagged our stuff, and we were off. Annabeth and I half speed-walked back towards the bus. I looked behind us, but I couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary.
We stepped onto the bus, heading back down the aisle, then I stopped. Annabeth noticed and turned to me. "What is it?"
"Take the stuff back to Percy and Grover, give me the hat." I said. She looked confused, so I nodded my head over to the fury I had seen. She had grey hair, and was reading a newspaper. To mortals, she was a regular old woman just looking at the yesterday's happenings, but to us, she was a monster ready to attack.
Reluctantly, Annabeth nodded, handing over the hat. I gave her the drinks and slipped the hat on. "Be careful," she whispered.
"I will."
Annabeth turned, walking to our seats at the back of the bus.
I sat down next to the monster as she folded her newpaper up, setting it on her lap. "You guys aren't the best at your jobs, are you?" I finally said.
"Phillip wasn't the best at his either," she said.
"Is that why Hades sent you here?" I questioned. "To brag about a failed job you got your pet to do for you seven years ago?
She scoffed with a chuckle. "How things have changed. You're not the frightened little girl I came for all those years ago."
"Don't kid yourself," I said. "I wasn't that frightened."
"Oh, but you were," she told. "Either way, now it would seem that you're exactly what they say you are." Her demeanour was calm, yet it didn't settle the nerves that had built up inside me.
I let out a shaky breath. "And what is that, exactly?"
"Second best." Her words were laced with venom as they sunk deep into my skin, poisoning my heart. I tensed. As much as I hated it, her words were true. No matter what, I was always second. To Sunniva, to Will, to Annabeth. And now, to Percy. It's not that I resented them for it. It's not their fault. But I had learned that second doesn't get much recognition.
I shook my head. "Why are you here?" I asked, hesitant. I knew it would be nothing good.
"I'm here to collect your friend," she said.
"Collect him? For what?"
"Oh, I don't question orders. 'Bring him in, quick and quiet.' That is what I was told. Lure him off this bus where I can take him quietly away from so many eyes, and your quest goes on unimpeded and unburdened. We both know he's going to keep you at second, why go through the trouble of keeping him alive?"
Then, someone sat down behind us. We couldn't continue talking. It would be suspicious.
The fury sighs. "Some children must learn the hard way."
I didn't bother saying anything back. Instead, I rushed back down the bus to Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, knowing that she was coming. And this time, she would be ruthless.
"Guys," I yelled, catching their attention. I threw the hat off my head and into Annabeth's lap. "You need to open that window, now!"
"I don't think these windows are supposed to—" Grover was cut off by a screech from the fury's seat. We looked towards it, and found that she was no longer in disguise, but in full monster form. "Oh, no."
Annabeth stood up, wrapping her hand around her dagger. Percy and Grover ran around their seats to the fire escape window. The glass broke free of the frame and an alarm was set off. I reached under the seat for my bow and faced the fury.
As everyone was hurrying to get off the bus, the fury was caught and unable to advance towards us. I smirked, stepping backwards slightly. "Valerie, Annabeth, let's go!" Percy called for us.
Suddenly, a shriek erupted from outside, and another fury flew into the bus from the open window. She crashed into the other side, knocking Percy and Grover back.
The fury hissed loudly, turning to the two boys. I lodged an arrow into the bow and raised the weapon. "Hey!" I called. The fury turned as Annabeth ducked, getting out of the way.
I let the arrow fly straight towards the fury. It hit her eye, and she let out another shriek. She stumbled back, clawing at the arrow. But it was too late. Within seconds, she evaporated to dust.
Annabeth ran forward after Grover and jumped out of the window with a grunt. I followed their lead, picking up my arrow as it turned back into a ring. "Come on!" I said to Percy, sliding the ring on my finger. He stared at the other fury still trying to make her way towards us. I grabbed his wrist. "Come on!" I repeated. He swiped up a wooden box from the ground and we jumped together put of the window.
ᝰ.ᐟ AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Approx. 3600 words
Sorry for another long wait. I've been back and forth with my parents houses (#childofdivorce) but I'm really excited to start the next chapter and it WILL be out very soon I promise. It might not follow the exact story as the show, because I really want to incorporate more of the book into this book, so it may not be 100% show accurate.
Thanks everyone for reading this. You all mean so much to me!!
love, divinebqv
xx