'Careful...those thoughts got you in trouble in the first place'
The sun had set by the time Corey, Annabeth and Percy got to the amusement Park. "What is this place called?" Corey asked, squinting her eyes as she tried to read the sign. 'Wleocme ot Wtaerlnad' was all she saw. "It's...Wel...Welcome...to? Waiterland?" Annabeth guessed, also squinting her eyes at the sign. "I think it's Waterland" Percy told them before they all walked in.
The whole place gave them a bad vibe, shivers running in their bodies. "I haven't seen a lot of horror movies, but this seems like exactly the kind of place they'd suggest to avoid" Percy commented as they walked towards the turnstile gates. "I've never seen any kind of movie. I'll have to take your word for it" Annabeth shrugged. Percy looked at her with slight fear, "Never? What do you mean never like, never-never?" He asked her, not believing Annabeth had never seen a movie. "Is there another kind?" Annabeth questioned with a bit of sarcasm,
Well, if neither of us is dead in a few days, we really ought to fix that. You're missing out" Percy told her softly, making Annabeth smile. Corey had stayed back a bit watching them converse. She smiles at them sweetly, at least they weren't being awkward again.
"In the meantime, we should probably get this over with, though" Percy walked ahead to the turnstile gates. As he pushes the gate as metal clanks, "Wait, Percy, stop" Annabeth calls out to him, looking up above him as metal clanks. "Corey, you see that?" Annabeth asked the older demi-god. Corey looked up, her face turned to one of impressed, "Wait, what just happened?" Percy asked, his voice shaking slightly as he heard Annabeth and Corey talk low. "Just hold still. Gimme a second" Annabeth told him before turning to Corey.
"Is that what I think it is?" Annabeth asked Corey who nodded with her, even though she couldn't see it well. "In the mechanism there, that's Celestial bronze" Annabeth told him, looking at the mechanics. "Oh, fascinating. Annabeth, what is happening right now?" Percy wasn't really in the mood for Annabeth's silent thinking. "Celestial bronze is what your sword is made of. If you're a human, it'll pass right through you" Annabeth explained, the gears in her head turning as she tried to come up with a solution. "If you're a monster or a demigod... not so much" Corey clenched her teeth as she walked closer to Percy. "Well, what's it doing there?" Percy asked the girls with more fear. "Hey it's okay, just breathe" Corey told him with a soothing voice.
"That's a great question. Safe to say, this is not just some amusement park. A god built this" Annabeth told them, the inner working of the gate looking vaguely familiar to her. "What kind of god builds amusement parks?" Percy asked them. "Hephaestus" Corey and Annabeth answered, seeing how complex it looked. Just like Hephaestus' kids' technique. "Why would Hephaestus build an amusement park?" Percy questioned, he had a point though. Gods were immortal beings, why would they build something as mundane as an amusement park. "Maybe he finds them amusing?" Annabeth jokes, hoping to calm Percy's nerves. "That's really not funny, Annabeth" Percy scoffed light heartedly while Corey snickered at Annabeth. "Sea Pup" She smiled with amusement. "It's a little funny" Annabeth shrugged at him.
"Oh... Oh, look at that. That's cool" Annabeth was staring at the gate. "Annabeth!" Percy scolded. "Just relax. I'm on it" Annabeth told him bluntly. Corey crossed her arms at him, "You are so lucky this gate is stopping me from slapping your head" She told him. Percy shook his head, "If I get out alive, you'll have so many more opportunities" He let out a forced chuckle. Corey bit back her lip at his comment. More opportunities. "Okay. I get this. Just... push through it" Annabeth told Percy, eleven though that's what she stopped him from doing. "Push?" Percy questioned, a little nervous at the idea. "Yep" Annabeth nodded. "'Cause weren't you the one this morning who was all, 'The Fates say one of us is gonna die and we should take it really seriously?'" Percy stalled, sharing a look with his sister. "Percy?" Annabeth crossed her arms. "Yeah?" Percy answered, praying to whatever god was listening that she had a different plan. "Just push" Annabeth told him, if it weren't for the metal Corey was sure Annabeth would push him herself.
Percy took a deep breath, pushing the turnstile slowly as he tried to ignore the clanging gears. As he made it to the other side the sound of a bell echoed. "What was that?" Percy asked, turning to face the girls. Corey looked up as the number one replaced a zero that was above the turnstiles. "The machine isn't designed to hurt us. It's meant to scare us. It's a test, "Annabeth said, following Percy's actions first. The sound of the gate grinding made Corey flinch. "Hephaestus wanted to know any time one of us came poking around his playground" Annabeth added, looking back to see Corey hesitating.
"Corey?" She called out. Corey walked inside the gate, her hands trembling. She was scared. The ground beneath her tremors slightly as she stops halfway. "Seashell, what's going on?" Percy asked her, walking up to her. Corey looked at him through the metal. "There's something you should know" Corey let out a shaky breath. Percy scrunched his eyebrows, "What did Ares tell you?" He asked, balling his fists at the thought of the god scaring Corey.
"He... he told me if I find something belonging to Aphrodite...she'd lift my curse" Corey told him. Percy was confused, "Seashell, that's great" He told her but Corey shook her head. "No it's not...People believe that Aphrodite is weak, I did. Until she cursed me...love it's powerful and love holds grudges" Corey told him.
"You're afraid that she might not go through with it" Annabeth spoke up. Corey nodded, "There are enough people who suffered because of me...I can't let you be next Percy" Corey admitted to him, that was the second time she called him by his name. Percy was confident that Corey had never called him by his name unless she was scared. Percy reached out to touch Corey's hand. "When you brought me to the Oracle, you said that you weren't going anywhere and I told you the same thing when you collapsed at Medusa's. I meant it Corey. I'm not leaving you and some curse isn't gonna change that" Percy told her, squeezing her hand softly.
Corey pushed the gate until the entrance was clear, a small smile on her face. Percy hugged her softly, earning a ruffle in his hair. The number above the gate changed to three, the melodic ding echoing in the empty amusement park. "Hephaestus must really like knowing his guests" Corey mused.
~Ψ~
The trio walked through the abandoned park. Corey could feel everything around her. "How are we supposed to find the shield? Ares didn't even tell us where it was?" Percy kicked a rock. Corey stood still, closing her eyes as the wind blew through her hair.
Annabeth placed her hand on her hips, "Corey what are you doing?" She asked her. "Finding the shield" Corey answered, feeling goosebumps on her skin as the cold air nipped her skin. "Any items held by the gods have their own magic...like their scent" Corey began to explain as she took note of her breaths. "Ares' power radiates war and courage that's how it's so easy to blow a fuse" Corey felt a wave of the same feeling she got around the god.
She looked over to her left, pointing at an attraction. "There, I can sense the remnants of war induced courage in some water" Corey tells them. Annabeth and Percy looked in the direction of Corey's hand. "In water?" Percy looked at Corey with a deadpan face. Corey rolled her eyes at him. Annabeth grabbed Percy by his arm. "A water ride? Okay that shouldn't be hard" Annabeth nodded as she pulled Percy away from Corey.
"Wait" Percy stopped, looking at Corey. "What about you?" He asked her. Corey smiled, cupping his face in her hands. "This is something I need to do alone. Be safe Sea Pup" Corey told him, kissing the top of his head. Percy nodded, "You too Seashell" He walked back to Annabeth slowly, the girl giving her a nod of her head.
Corey waited until they were out of her sight before turning around. She had seen the house of mirrors when they walked in. Corey stood outside the attraction, her hands clammy as her heart raced. "You can do this...just grab the scarf and go" She told herself, though even she knew nothing could be that easy.
She stepped foot in the door of the house, the sweet scent of perfume hitting her nose. "Love magic" Corey scrunched her nose.
The door behind her slammed shut, Corey jumped at the sudden bang. Lights flickered on, blinding Corey for a moment. She blinked quickly to adjust. She was met with her reflection. Corey hadn't realised what she looked like since the Arch. Her hair was a pale orange, no longer the dark brown she had lived with most her life. Her top was burnt to a crisp just under her ribcage. Her jeans had holes starting from her knees with scraps on every visible piece of skin.
Corey took a breath, now wasn't the time for this. All around her was her reflection, no real sense of her direction. She touched the glass, not feeling the edges but a warm feeling. That's when she noticed that even the ground was made of glass. "Where is that scarf?" Corey grumbled as she walked slowly.
She closed her eyes, allowing her body to relax. Love magic was easier to detect than most others, beside her father's sea magic. She felt the sweet perfume wrap around her body as she followed it. Once she opened her eyes, Corey could see the scarf, shimmering in the light. She couldn't tell if it was pink or red as the light reflected off it.
"Looks like you're free, right?"
Corey jumped at the voice, looking around her. "Who's there!" She called out, shoving the scarf in her pocket. She looked at the mirrors surrounding her, but she didn't see her reflection.
"All you need to do is leave with the scarf and you're free"
Corey turned around to see herself, a dark expression on her face. "What are you?" Corey asked, glaring at her reflection. "I'm you...only more" the reflection shrugged, walking to the side. "This is why Aphrodite left without her scarf...Hephaestus made this so that his wife would only see her flaws. Smart" Corey had to give it to the god.
Her reflection chuckled at her, hands behind her back. "Flaws" She mused at her, "You have so many". The mirrors changed, a girl stood in front of Corey. She had long auburn hair, sun kissed skin that seemed to glow with radiance, freckles dusted her body as a soft and sweet smile greeted Corey. "You remember her right? What was her name? Heather? Betty?". Corey felt her face heat up as her body went rigid. "Helena" Corey shuddered. She looked as beautiful as ever, Corey thought before shaking her head. "Careful...those thoughts got you in trouble in the first place" Her reflection tutted her head.
The mirrors changed again, and a boy came to view. He had dirty blonde hair, tall and heavy eyes. He was about sixteen wearing a yellow stained shirt and brown pants. Corey felt the hair on her neck, "Thomas" her voice gasped out.
"Yes...Thomas the poor boy you misled" her reflection cooed. Corey's fists clenched at this. "I did not mislead him...he was cursed. I didn't want him, I never wanted..." Her voice trailed off, her body shaking at the thoughts of what he did to her because of the curse. Because of Sofia. "Yes...your curse. The only reason for your misfortune" The tone itself was enough for Corey to swing. The shattered glass seemed to glisten in a pink hue.
She fell forwards on her knees, panting as her breath materialised on the glass. The room became dark as the sound of rain pelting on the ground echoed. Corey saw herself, sword abandoned by her feet as Echidna stood above her. A Chimera sat soundly behind the woman, licking its paws. In Corey's arms was a little girl with blonde hair, wearing a light green dress stained with blood and her skin pale.
"I warned you...you should have stayed at camp little girl" Echidna scolded her before walking away with her child. Corey cried over the little girl's body, "My sweet little starfish...I'm so sorry" her voice was soft as she swiped out the blonde curls from her face.
"Elise" Corey watched as her body held her daughter's like a doll. "He looks like her..." the scene shifted to Percy. Corey felt a tear slip as she watched him and Annabeth, it looked like they were fighting. "Are you gonna blame your curse for losing him too?". Her reflection towered over her like a shadow.
Corey stood up, her body shaking as she did. "No! This is just a machine...I won't lose him" Corey stated, glaring at the mirrors as tears streamed down her face. "That's your problem, you are too hopeful" her reflection stated as more people manifested around her. Thomas, Sofia, Elise, Percy even Annabeth and Grover.
"The line between naïveté and hopefulness is almost invisible... how could you be a child of Poseidon if you cannot be ruthless!" Her reflection screamed. "The reason Thomas took advantage of you, why Sofia treated you the way she did, why your precious Elise died? You choose to have hope instead of being the ruthless person you are?" Corey stepped back as it felt like everyone was surrounding her.
"Will you be ruthless enough to protect them! You're sweet little Percy might not be leaving with you!" Corey's heart stopped as she looked up. Percy was sitting on a golden throne as gold seemed to cover his body. "Tell...Tell Corey I forgive her...you have to tell her I'm not angry" He told Annabeth.
Corey hit the mirror, causing a crack. "You're lying! No!" Corey shouted as she felt her body tremble. This can't happen, not again. She couldn't fail him, not after everything she's done. "YOU'RE THE PROBLEM CORDELIA. EVERYTHING. EVERYONE YOU TOUCH DIES! WHY BLAME A CURSE WHEN YOU KNOW THE TRUTH ". Corey held her knees close to her chest, tears streaming down as she hiccupped.
"It's all my fault" She whimpered.
~Ψ~
Hephaestus watched as Annabeth ran to Percy as the effects of the chair were reversed. Percy seemed a little out of it. "You should go, Percy, your sister needs you" the god told him before leaving the room with the golden chair.
Percy furrowed his eyebrows, feeling something in his gut turn. He looked at Annabeth, something was wrong. "Annabeth..." The young girl didn't need to think twice at Percy's tone. She grabbed the shield as Percy almost fell off the edge in the water to get out. "Percy!" Annabeth called pointing to the ladder where Hephaestus was standing above them.
Everything was a blur for Percy, he couldn't register the sounds of metal creaking as he ran out of the Tunnel of Love ride. Annabeth tried her best to catch up to him as she held Ares' shield in her hands. Percy didn't realise he had run from one side of the amusement park to the other until Annabeth's gasps for air seemed to sound like an asthma attack. "Annabeth? You okay?" Percy panicked, seeing Annabeth with her hands on her knees as the shield had fallen to the ground.
"Go...Cor..rey needs you" She managed to tell him, shooing him away with her hand weakly. On any other day, Percy would have hesitated. But it was like his body was drawn to this feeling. He couldn't explain why or how, but Percy knew that Corey needed him. Once he had made it to the House of mirrors, he could hear the sobs echoing.
Like a bull in an arena, Percy charged in with his sword unsheathed. He looked around, reflections of Corey curled up on the floor crying surrounded him. "Seashell!" He called out, walking towards the sounds of her sobs.
"It's all my fault" He heard her sob, tears falling like a river. "Seashell!" He called out again, suspicious of the mirrors. It was hard to tell where she actually was, when Percy would reach out his hand, he was met with the cold surface of a mirror.
"Any items held by the gods have their own magic...like their scent"
Percy remembered how Corey helped find the shield. If she was looking for something similar, then maybe he could sense it too. Percy closed his eyes, keeping his grip on his sword just tight enough. He let his shoulders drop, taking a deep breath just like Corey did. It took a moment before he noticed it, the subtle scent of his mom's perfume. Not one of those really strong ones that make you sneeze. No. It was one that smelled like a warm breeze on the beach.
Percy followed the scent, feeling it entangle with his limbs somehow as Corey's sobs got louder. He opened his eyes when the scent got too strong, looking just a few centimeters away from his feet was Corey. She looked worse from the reflections somehow, her eyes red and puffy as the tears that stained her cheeks glistened in the light.
"Seashell" Percy's voice was soft as he knelt in front of her, placing his sword next to them. "It's all my fault" Corey sniffled, not looking up from the floor. Percy gently placed his hand on her knee, making Corey jump at the touch. "What happened?" He asked her, rubbing circles with his thumb.
Corey wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket. "She was right...Sofia was right" Corey muttered as her sobs raked in the back of her throat. "Right about what?" Percy pressed her carefully. "You cannot have those thoughts about girls. It is wrong and shameful" Corey seemed to repeat as if she heard the sentences over and over, she sounded like a robot to Percy.
"These...thoughts...Was that why you got cursed?" Corey looked up at Percy, her dark eyes looking at him bright ones. "I compared her to Aphrodite. I didn't mean to, I swear!" Corey cried out, bringing her knees closer to her body. "Seashell..." Percy cooed at her, this time placing a hand on her shoulder. "I got her killed, my little starfish. I shouldn't have come...I'll get you killed. I don't deserve to have family" Corey cried out more, shaking her head in fear.
Percy gripped her shoulders, making Corey look at him. "Don't say that!" He raised his voice, catching Corey's attention. "Everyone deserves family. I may not like how this world works, but I know that you were the first person in my corner. Like really. You are my sister Corey, I know we haven't known each other that long but I don't care" He snapped at her, shaking her shoulders slightly.
"You sacrificed yourself for me back in St Louis, you knew going on the quest could get you killed but you did anyways for me! I need you Seashell and you need me! Maybe that's why you went missing...whatever god made you freeze in time knew that I would need you so that you could protect me...to be my big sister" Percy told her, tears welling up in his eyes.
"I love you Corey"
Corey looked at him with wide eyes. Sure, she said it back at the Arch, never thinking she would ever tell him again let alone hear him say it back. Corey wrapped her arms around him, hugging Percy close to her body. "I love you too Percy" She whispered, her voice hoarse from the crying. Percy smiled into her shoulder, the scent of his mother's perfume shifted slightly to a mix of the smell of the tide coming in as the saltiness mixed with the air.
"Now. Let's get your curse lifted" Percy pulled away from Corey, standing up and holding out his hand.
~Ψ~
The trio walked inside the diner, the small bell ringing above them. Ares looked at them as Annabeth held his precious shield. She placed it on the table, a loud clunk unheard by the mortals around them. Corey then threw the scarf on top, crossing her arms at Ares. "Where's our ride?" Percy barked at him. Ares only smirked at them, "Well..." He huffed as he spread his arms out. "Eat up, your ride will be here soon" He told them, hitting the table lightly. Annabeth and Percy looked at Corey. "Eat" She smiled, patting their shoulders.
Ares stood up, allowing room for Corey to sit. "Not hungry" She told him, staying put where she was. Ares only shrugged his shoulders, "Whatever" He huffed before leaving the diner. She looked back at the kids, a soft smile on her face. "You look like her" Corey spoke out loud, her eyes on Percy.
He titled his head, furrowing his eyebrows. "Elise, she had blonde hair that would curl up at the bottom. You look like her" Corey's voice was soft, her face tired from the crying she did. "What was she like?" Annabeth asked, making Corey look at her. "She was sunshine in human form. Sometimes I wonder if Apollo blessed her too" Corey told her. Grover seemed intrigued as well, "It's rare for a demigod to have a child, what happened?" He asked her.
"I..I offended Aphrodite which led to me offending Hera and misfortune followed. My last quest, Echidna attacked us. But she wasn't after me or my friends...she was after Elise" Corey told Annabeth and Grover, the melancholy smile on her face making Grover wish he didn't ask. Percy reached out to hold Corey's hand, giving his sister a small smile. Corey felt like she'd put him in a tough position, she opened her mouth to talk but Ares had impeccable timing.
They followed the god outside the diner, where a large storage truck with many caged animals inside was waiting. "You're kidding" Percy scoffed at the god. Corey nudged his side gently as if to say 'don't even'. Ares didn't give a shit per usual, "Get in, don't. I really don't care. But in a few hours, this thing is gonna be at the Lotus Casino in Vegas. Hermes hangs out there. You play your cards right and his personal driver can get you to L.A. in minutes" He explained to them as he held up a backpack. "Here. Clothes. Cash. Drachmas to summon Hermes. I'd wish you luck, but what good would it do you?" He gave them a shit eating grin that made Corey press her nails into her hands.
"We're not gonna fail" Percy snapped at him. Ares looked like he was boasting about his many battles, "Don't worry. Your dad had plenty of kids he stopped caring about once he lost interest. Just asked your sister" Ares winked at her. Corey tried not to vomit. "We're not gonna fail, and I'm getting pretty tired of you saying it" Percy started to walk towards Ares. "Percy" Grover called out, only to fall upon deaf ears. Corey bit her lip hard as Percy continued. "You think you know who I am, but you don't. And if you aren't careful... you're gonna find out" He glared at Ares, trying to square him up even though he was a few feet shorter than him.
"Percy" Corey called out this time, her voice strained as her eyes never left Ares. "So, thank you for the emotional abuse and the cheeseburgers... and the ride. We're gonna take you up on that, too" Grover thanked Ares quickly as he pulled Percy away and into the container along with Annabeth. "What about my curse?" Corey asked the god. "She'll be in touch" Ares told her before the girl climbed into the container.
"Hey, do you think we could get some paper towels or something, it's not that nice in here?" Grover asked him. Ares didn't respond as he clicked his fingers causing the doors to close. Corey immediately smacked Percy up the head. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked her, rubbing where she hit him. "Do as I say, not as I do. I say don't threaten a god!" She scolded him. Percy rolled his eyes, "Well... this smells" He changed the topic as the animals seemed to be restless. "If it gets us where we need to go, that's all that matters" Annabeth told him, though she did think it smelled bad. "Assuming Ares was telling the truth" Percy added.
Grover turned around, "He wasn't. Not entirely, at any rate. He was holding something back" He told them, catching their undivided attention. "How do you know?" Annabeth asked him, her curiosity spinning at whatever answer Grover was gonna give. "Because I think I got it out of him" Grover answered, looking up at the three of them.
"I know who stole the master bolt"