LUNA WAS waiting for Percy to come back to camp, and when he did, it was the happiest she'd ever been. They hugged for a long time, Luna practically squeezed the air out of the boy, who's eyes filled with tears of happiness. The Campers clapped and cheered for Percy, who had successfully stopped the war- the boy was dirty and visibly exhausted, though Luna didn't blame him. Percy had saved the world. Her little brother.
"Are you okay?" Luna smiled, as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"I'm okay." Percy reassured, as they walked towards the Hermes Cabin, "I met my dad."
"No way, Percy, that's amazing!" Luna supported, "You need to tell me everything... Like, how you ended up with Annabeth's necklace-"
"No! Gross." Percy pushed her gently, his cheeks blushing pink with embarrassment, "It wasn't like that."
"Okay, okay." Luna surrendered sarcastically, "Whatever makes you sleep at night."
As the siblings entered the Hermes Cabin, they were met with Annabeth and Luke. Luna glanced over at her bunk, noticing the tin of brown paint had spilled over onto the floor stained a section of her red converse. She rolled her eyes, cursing underneath her breath, "Fucking Clarisse."
"What?" Grover's eyes widened as he trotted into the Hermes Cabin, the words that Luna had spoke had been misinterpreted, "Hold on, when?"
"No, no, no! Grover, I mean she kicked over this paint and it leaked on my shoe." Luna corrected quickly, as she tried her best to clean it up. Her face flushed a shade of pink, as the group looked at her in confusion.
Grover replied in realisation, "Oh."
"What was Clarisse doing in here anyway?" Percy asked impatiently, "Lu, you told Chiron about her, didn't you?"
"Percy, it's complicated." Annabeth replied for Luna.
"What's complicated about her stealing the bolt?" Percy shot back.
"Percy." Luna warned gently, "If I told Chiron, Camp would've been in total chaos."
"She's right." Luke agreed, "Everyone was already preparing to fight. We didn't have any proof that Clarisse stole it, so it would just cause more fights. But, because you stopped the war, it's safe to tell Chiron and finish cleaning up the mess. I told him we needed to meet him away from the celebration so we can talk with Clarisse's supporters noticing."
"I'll keep an eye on Clarisse while you're gone." Annabeth suggested, "Make sure she isn't going anywhere."
Luna said, "I'm staying with Percy."
"This isn't a three person job." Luke replied quickly, "Clarisse will notice somethings wrong if you come with us."
Luna shrugged, "We better make it quick then."
***
The three walked through the forest, the only source of light coming from Luke's lantern and the fireworks above them showering over the night sky. Luna didn't feel comfortable, she couldn't shake the feeling, however she assumed she was just uncomfortable with Percy missing his celebration party. But the feeling grew the more they trekked into the dark forest... alone.
Luna could feel that Percy was on edge, which made her even more worried. She hadn't spoken since the three arrived in the forest, walking behind Luke and Percy alone. Every twig that snapped beneath her feet caused her to flinch- Luna had never felt so vulnerable.
This moment felt so familiar to her, like a dream she had forgotten a long time ago. She didn't feel real, the crackle of fireworks snapped her back into reality.
She looked up, spotting her owl, Kamali, within the tall trees, though this time she didn't speak to Luna. The animal had a look of warning in her beady eyes, as she followed Luna through the trees.
Luke chuckled slightly, "You're never quiet, Percy, you haven't spoke two words since we left the Cabins."
"Just... thinking about what the Oracle said." Percy explained, "That I'll fail to save what matters most in the end."
"You're thinking about your mom, I get that." Luke comforted, as he stopped walking and placed down his lantern on a log next to them, "But prophecies? Those things are so vague."
"The Quest is over, and everything the Oracle said had either come true or makes sense." Percy continued.
Luke questioned, "Has it?"
"Percy." Luna warned, but her brother failed to notice.
Percy listed, "You shall go west and face the God who had turned."
"Ares." Luke nodded, "Okay."
"Find what was stolen, and see it returned." Percy continued.
"Clearly the bolt." He nodded.
Percy said, "And you shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend."
"Percy, stop." Luna insisted, as she caught up to the boys in front of her. She looked at Luke slowly, "You never told Chiron about Clarisse... did you?"
Luke smiled nervously, "Come on-"
"Clarisse was telling the truth." Luna muttered to herself, "She didn't steal the bolt."
"What?" Percy frowned in concern, before looking at Luke accusingly, "You worked with Ares to plant it on me, so when the shoes you gave me pulled me down into Tartarus, the bolt would be delivered right to Kronos."
Luke hesitated, the flashes of red fireworks highlighting the subtle tears in his eyes, "I didn't think you'd give them to Grover to wear." He paused, "I'm your friend. None of this was meant to betray either of you. The Gods are my enemy. I'm here to recruit."
"Recruit?" Percy repeated, tears swelling in his eyes as he looked between Luke and Luna. He didn't know what to think. He didn't know what to do.
Luke stepped back, as his sword unsheathed in his grasp. His sword, Backbiter, was much bigger than Percy's... and it didn't help that Luna wasn't given a weapon at all.
Luna stepped in front of Percy, pushing the boy behind her and glaring at Luke in pure anger. She didn't have time to feel scared.
Luke reached out his left hand reassuringly, "Easy. I don't wanna fight. This is what I wanted to show you both. This is our way out."
"Way out of what?" Percy tried to understand, as he lowered his sword.
"Camp." Luke said, as he engraved a line into an old pillar behind him, "Out of their control. Backbiter can open secret doors. We can stay on the run as long as it takes."
"Stop saying we." Luna clenched her jaw tightly.
"It's the word Zeus fears most. The Gods want us to fight for them, worship them, fear them. And they couldn't care less what we want." Luke exclaimed, "They're bad parents, Percy. Kronos opened my eyes to the truth."
Luna frowned in disbelief, quickly looking back at Percy who was holding his sword tightly behind her.
"A Golden Age." Luke explained, as he continued to trace his sword down the pillar, "That's what they called it when he ruled. We're gonna help Kronos bring the Golden Age back. Stealing the bolt and the helm was easy. For what comes next... we're gonna need all the help we can get."
Percy ran forward, pushing Luke's sword away from the pillar with his. Percy explained desperately, "Our parents aren't perfect but they're trying. Look, I met your dad-"
Luke's facial expressions dropped suddenly. He titled his head before clashing Backbiter against Riptide, and the boys started fighting.
Luna stumbled back. She felt useless in a sword fight- like a deer in headlights.
Percy had managed to scratch Luke's arm with his sword, causing him to lower his sword immediately in regret, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"
Suddenly, Luke turned around, slashing his sword at Percy as he fell to the ground holding his arm. A wave of anger washed over Luna, and she found herself storming towards Luke... unprotected.
Luna realised she didn't need a weapon from Chiron. The weapon was her mind, and what it had been training itself to do.
Unexpectedly, almost as though she had done it before, Luna glared at Luke, tilted her head and sent him flying towards the ground. It was almost as though a force had swept him off his feet, and held him down sternly.
However, the force was broken when Luna averted her eyes to Percy, checking if he was okay. Luke took this opportunity to stand up, "I have to admit, Luna, when you got claimed I thought you would be an excellent servant of Kronos. He could teach you how to use your magic to your fullest potential, unlock parts of yourself that you didn't know existed. It's a shame you're putting it all to waste... because of Percy."
Luna ignored him, and spat, "You did it, didn't you?" She paused, "You wrote all those terrible things on my bunk. Engraving insults, knowing I'd blame Clarisse, so I would turn to you for comfort."
"I wrote what everyone was thinking." Luke explained, "They're scared of you, Luna. The other Campers will never understand you and your gifts... Kronos will accept you and be the family that you never had."
Luna snapped, sending another force to push Luke up against a tree trunk. She was choking him very slowly. Luna wanted to see if he'd consider hurting Percy again, after she'd make Luke choke on his own blood.
"You're lucky I don't just kill you now and get it over with." Luna spat.
"T-This is your.... Last chance." Luke managed to say as he gasped for air, "Join me."
Luna obviously hesitated, almost considering the idea of belonging somewhere, because Percy blurted out, "Luna.."
"From now on, you leave me and my friends alone, do you understand?" Luna gritted her teeth before yelling, "Say you understand!"
Luke choked out, "I-"
Her energy was drained, and a wave of exhaustion washed over the girl. She looked away from Luke, the force breaking as he fell to the ground. Luna collapsed to her knees. He stood up, holding his throat and catching his breath. He grasped Backbiter, and with all his strength, stormed forwards towards Luna and-
CLANG!
A familiar knife was thrown at Luke's blade, managing to knock it out of his hand accurately. Luke looked around, confused, before Annabeth took off her invisibility cap. She held another knife, a flicker of anger but mostly sadness in her dark eyes.
Luke's voice cracked, more tears filling his eyes, "Annabeth?"
"I heard everything." She managed to say, though she looked as though she would break down any minute.
Luke looked around at the three of them, before sprinting through the portal he had created, leaving them in silence. Annabeth rushed over to the siblings, helping Percy to stand up before they both turned to Luna, slinging both of her arms around either of their shoulders.
Percy blinked, "I didn't know you could do that."
"Me neither." Luna croaked out, her body weight slouching onto her friends as they guided her out of the forest.
a/n:
i need more dark luna