˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚
BOOK ONE
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
❝ so, i just, what, pray for a rainbow? ❞
IT WAS June 14, just seven days before the solstice, and the promise of discovery hung in the air like the scent of rain before a storm. The group had boarded a train to Denver, and as it chugged rather slowly into the station, Aria leaned against the window, her head resting harshly on the tainted wood. Annabeth tapped her on the shoulder, signalling that it was time to leave, and they made their way off the rusty vehicle and onto the platform. The first thing that Aria noticed when she got off the train was that there were not many people. Benches were left untouched in every corner, and only the occasional workers milled through the area. Maybe Denver wasn't a very popular destination.
The group walked aimlessly out of the station, breathing in the Coloradan air. Annabeth spoke up.
"We should try to get in touch with Chiron."
"Wait but we can't use our phones can we? The monsters can track us down, right?" Percy inquired.
"She wasn't talking about phones, Jackson," Aria replied to the boy.
They continued to walk downtown for twenty minutes, and Aria already knew what they were looking for. Eventually, a do it yourself car wash appeared on the corner of an empty street, not a single person, or monster, in sight.
"We don't have a car to wash?" Percy remarked, clearly confused about the whole situation.
"No shit Sherlock," Aria said, back to her usual mean-ness with the demigod.
"Don't worry Percy, you'll see. Do you have any more change?" Grover asked, holding out his hand.
Percy reached into his pocket, extracting a few quarters that had somehow managed to stay there.
"Great!" Grover exclaimed. "We could have done it with a spray bottle obviously, but the connection is always terrible."
Aria watched as Percy pursed his lips. All he could think to say was.
"What?"
"I'Ming," Grover said, as if that answered all his questions.
"We're gonna instant message Chiron?"
"No. Iris-messaging," Annabeth corrected. "The rainbow goddess called Iris carries messages for the gods. If she's not too busy, and if you know how to ask, she'll do the same for half bloods."
Percy scratched his head, a hint of confusion in his eyes, "So, I just, what, pray for a rainbow?"
Annabeth rolled her eyes with a smirk. "Not exactly. You need a drachma, an offering to Iris. Toss it into the water, and, if the goddess is in a good mood, she might bless you with a connection."
Percy reached into his pocket again, this time pulling out a relatively gleaming drachma. "Alright then, let's give it a shot." He gave the coin to Annabeth, who stepped into the now kaleidoscopic vapour that glistened in the afternoon sun. She tossed the coin over her head and into the rainbow where it disappeared in an instant.
"O goddess, accept our offering. Half Blood hill," Annabeth requested.
As the colours of the rainbow began to shift and dance within the spray, a familiar figure materialised within the ethereal hues. Luke Castellan, with his tousled dark hair and subtle smirk, appeared on the spectrum of light. A sword was clenched tightly in his hand, and he was pensively looking out onto the fields.
"Luke!" Percy called out, excited to see the older boy.
Luke whipped around, surprise etched on his marred face.
"Percy! Oh thank the gods! Is Annabeth there with you?"
Annabeth, slightly blushing, peeked around Percy's shoulder, smoothing out her jacket.
Luke gave a look of relief.
"Is Grover there?" he asked again.
Grover gave a small wave and a soft smile at him, awkwardly looking at the "camera".
Luke faltered. "Uhh what was the other girl's name. Sorry, I forgot."
Aria was not impressed. With a crossing of her arms she said in a monotone voice.
"It's Aria."
Luke tried to give her a warm smile. "That's right. Riri! My fault. My mind's been a little distant lately."
"Again," Aria said, "it's Aria."
His smile faded. Good, she thought. Now she certainly didn't like him.
"So, uh, are you guys good?" Luke asked, moving past the awkwardness.
"Yeah, we're fine," Percy replied. "Just thought we were going to talk to Chiron. Where is he by the way?"
Luke leaned in as if sharing a secret. "Chiron's down in the cabins. We have been having a lot of issues with the campers."
Grover spoke up. "What kind of issues?"
Just as Luke was about to share, the ambient sounds of the city were suddenly drowned out by a booming bass. A vibrant car pulled into the car wash, its windows rattling with the intensity of the music. The rhythmic beats echoed through the building, momentarily disrupting the conversation.
Luke raised an eyebrow, glancing at the source of noise. "What's going on?"
"I'll go deal with it. Aria, Grover, you're with me." Annabeth said.
As they approached the blaring car, Aria peered through the tinted windows. "Ugh of course it's a 30 year old man going through a midlife crisis"
They reached the car, and Annabeth, with her no-nonsense attitude, approached the driver's window. "Excuse me, could you turn the music down? It's disrupting the area."
The driver, a man with an audacious grin, leaned out of the window. "Why don't you mind your own business, little girl."
Aria, unimpressed by his attitude, decided to take matters into her own hands. With a swift motion, she opened the car door and, with a dagger in hand, placed it against the man's neck. Her voice was calm yet assertive. "How about you show some respect or find another place to blast your fucking god awful music?"
The man's confident smirk faltered, and he quickly complied. "Yes, ma'am. No problem."
As the car drove away, leaving the car wash in relative peace, Grover looked at the girl with a new found awe, his mouth dropped. "Well, that's one way to handle it." he said.
Back at the rainbow, Percy, off call with Luke, looked slightly pale and visibly worried. Aria, noticing his demeanour, asked with a playful tone, "Jackson, why do you look like you've seen a ghost?"
Percy shook his head. "It's nothing, don't worry. Let's go eat."
˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡˚
THE GROUP found themselves in a classic 50's- style diner. Booths lined the walls, each adorned with shiny chrome accents and red leather upholstery. The chequered floor tiles beneath them, gleamed under the harsh lighting, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee permeated the air. The jukebox near the entrance hummed with gentle tunes, occasionally crackling at certain parts.
As they settled into their chosen booth, the waitress, her apron adorned with a chequered pattern matching the floor, approached with a smile. She took out her notepad and asked, "Hi, how can I help you?"
"We would like to order dinner please ma'am," Percy said, flashing his nicest smile.
Aria, who was sitting next to the boy, let her eyelids flutter shut, and her head fell down onto Percy's shoulder. He tensed at the sudden contact, extremely surprised at the action, even if it was not intentional.
The waitress spoke again. "Do you have any money sweetheart?"
He was about to respond when a sudden rumble outside silenced the lively chatter within the diner. Aria's head shot up quickly.
"I'm awake!" she exclaimed to no one.
All eyes turned toward the entrance as a massive, gleaming motorcycle rolled up, its polished chrome catching the neon lights of the diner.
The motorcycle itself was a beast, a classic yet imposing machine. Its engine roared with authority, and its sleek, black frame exuded an air of dominance. The distinct sound of leather against the wind accompanied its arrival.
As the motorcycle came to a stop, a tall figure dismounted with an air of unrivalled confidence. Dressed in a black leather jacket adorned with various patches, the man strode into the diner. His presence was commanding, and an air of danger clung to him like an invisible cloak.
With a strong jawline, piercing eyes, and a rugged handsomeness, Aria couldn't help but stare. His dark hair was tousled, and a faint shadow accentuated the strong lines of his face. Tattoos peeked out from beneath the edges of his sleeves and Aria had to admit. They looked good.
The waitress turned back to them, her gaze moving from one face to another. She hesitated for a moment before asking the group again, "You guy's got money to pay for your meals?
Before anyone could respond, the man smoothly slid into their booth, taking a seat next to Aria. She felt Percy tense beside her, and out of her peripheral vision she spotted the boy giving the biker an intense death stare.
The man, with a devilish grin that seemed to relish in the tension he caused, said, "Dinner's on me."
The waitress, though clearly uncertain about the situation, nodded and left the group to their unexpected guest.
Percy shot him a wary look. "We appreciate it, but we're not looking for trouble."
The mystery man chuckled, the sound carrying a sense of amusement. "Trouble will always find you kid. I've heard a lot about you - old seaweed's kid, right?" He directed the question at Percy, his gaze sharp and probing.
"What's it to you?" Percy replied with a scowl.
Annabeth leaned in from across the booth, her voice a cautious whisper. "Percy watch it that's-"
But before Annabeth could finish her warning, the man cut her off with a dismissive wave. "Relax, smartie pants. I don't mind a bit of attitude, as long as he remembers who's boss."
He leaned back, a smile still playing on his lips. "Do you know who I am, little cousin?"
Aria's eyes widened and her eyes darted to Annabeth. You have got to be kidding me.
"Your'e Clarisse's dad." Percy responded, still glaring intently at the god. "Ares, god of war."
Ares grinned even more widely now, and took off his sunglasses, revealing eyes that flickered like flames.
"That's right, punk. I heard you broke Clarisse's spear," Ares said, his tone challenging.
Percy's eyes narrowed as he retorted, "Clarisse deserved it. She's the one who started the fight."
Ares chuckled, waving off the statement. "Alright, I don't fight my kids' battles."
The waitress returned with plates piled high with food, and the sight of the cheeseburgers and shakes made Aria's mouth water with desire. Ares handed the waitress a few golden drachmas.
The waitress opened her mouth to protest, but Ares cut her off with a swift motion.
"Is there a problem?" he asked, casually pulling out a gleaming knife.
The waitress, wide eyed, shook her head and scurried away.
Percy couldn't hold back his frustration. "You can't just threaten people with knives."
Ares laughed heartily, his booming voice echoing through the diner. "Are you kidding? I love this country. Best place since Sparta. Don't you carry a weapon, kid? You should; it's a dangerous world out there."
Percy glanced at the pen tucked inside his pocket. Ares leaned back, a mischievous glint in his fiery eyes, and continued, "Which brings me to my proposition."
He leaned in, his tone conspiratorial. "I need you to do me a favour."
Aria retorted, "Why would the great Ares need our help? Can't you just summon it back with a snap of your fingers or something?"
Ares, his patience thinning, sighed. "It's something I don't have time for. I was on a date with my girlfriend, and we were interrupted. I left my shield behind at an abandoned water park here in town. Now, I want you to fetch it for me."
Percy, not thrilled with the idea, asked the obvious question, "Why can't you just go get it yourself?"
Ares bristled, his eyes narrowing. "That's none of your business, punk."
Percy leaned back, uninterested. "Well, I'm not interested in getting it for you."
Grover, looking visibly scared, fidgeted in his seat. Annabeth and Aria exchanged glances and Aria said, "Sorry, we're kind of busy with our quest."
Ares, growing impatient, leaned in close to Aria, a sinister smile on his lips. "Little demigod, don't you know it's dangerous to say 'no' to a god?"
Aria, feeling immensely uncomfortable, attempted to move away from Ares without invading Percy's space. She didn't want to make him upset right now. Percy, noticing Aria's discomfort, casually slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her slightly closer and away from the god who was now grimacing at them. They waited for the god to continue.
"I know all about your stupid quest. When that item was first stolen, Zeus sent out his best to look for it: Apollo, Athena, Artemis, and well me of course. If I can't sniff out a weapon that powerful... then you little devils have got no hope. But, I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. Your dad and I go way back. After all, I'm the one who told him my suspicions about old corpse breath."
Percy spoke. "You told him Hades stole the bolt?"
"Sure. Framing someone to start a war. Oldest trick in the book. I recognised it immediately. In a way, you got me to thank for your quest."
"Gee wiz, we really are blessed," Aria muttered, Percy still gripping onto her shoulders.
"Hey, what can I say, I'm a generous guy. Just do my little job, and I'll help you on your way. I'll arrange a ride west for you and your friends."
Percy protested. "We're doing fine on our own."
Ares chuckled, the sound deep and menacing. "Yeah, right. No money. No transport. No clue what you're going up against. Help me out, and maybe I'll tell you something you need to know. Something about your dear old mother."
"My mom?"
Ares smiled, revealing teeth that gleamed in the neon lights of the diner."I see that got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancey. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride."
Percy couldn't resist probing further. "What interrupted your date?" he asked. "Something scare you off?"
Ares bared his teeth in an intimidating manner but Aria saw a flicker of nervousness cross his features.
"You're lucky you met me, punk, and not one of the other Olympians. They're not as forgiving of rudeness as I am. I'll meet you back where you're done. Don't disappoint me."
Then he was gone, and Aria sighed in relief, now allowing herself to relax.
Grover spoke up, "It's not good for Ares to seek you out Percy. He's trouble."
As the group peered outside and noticed Ares' motorcycle was gone, Percy dismissed it as some kind of trick. "Forget Ares. We don't need his help."
But Annabeth, despite her disdain for the god of war, shook her head. "You can't just ignore the gods, Percy. That's a sure way to invite bad fortune."
"Why does Ares need us? Can't he handle his own problems?" Percy questioned, releasing his arm off Aria.
Annabeth, with a hint of condescension, replied, "Ares is all brawn and no brains. He actually needs smart people to do his little jobs."
Percy raised an eyebrow, "So, what? He just shows up and expects us to do his dirty work?"
Annabeth sighed, "We're demigods, Percy. Children of the gods. We can't escape their attention, and sometimes they have their own agenda. We'll have to find out what's really going on."
Aria couldn't help but voice her fear. "Ares almost looked.. nervous when he mentioned the water park. What could have made a god like him, scared like that?"
Annabeth's expression turned serious, "We'll have to find out. And we need to be careful. This might be more than just a simple errand for Ares."
camp notes ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁
why ares kinda..
⤷ gracie