' You know where to find me, and I know where to look." Taking what's not yours - TV Girl.
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𝓥ictoria's eyes fluttered open, it was still dark outside. She sighed, rubbing her eyes as she laid down. "Hey, you asleep?" Percy asked. Victoria sat in silence for a second before answering. "Yes." She joked in a monotone voice.
"Were you and Thalia close?" Percy pondered. "Kind of, not as close as her and Annabeth though." She shrugged. "What was she like?" He urged. "Why?" "She was the last forbidden kid before me, right? She must've dealt with the same kind of stuff." He assumed.
"She was tough, she knew she was a forbidden kid, but she just didn't care." Victoria explained. "When I met Luke and Thalia at camp, Annabeth wasn't there yet, but Luke was very caring for me and my sister, made sure to show us around. And Thalia..she made us earn it." She continued.
"Is that why you give me a hard time? I gotta earn it with you too?" Percy wondered. "Not really, I'm just mad all the time. I never actually hated anyone." "That doesn't really make sense to me, why your always mad." Percy said, puzzled. "I dont know why I get mad either, but if I could be a different person, I promise you, I would." Victoria confessed.
Percy was about to say something before seeing Grover stir awake. "You awake?" He asked. "Well I am now, thanks." Grover sassed. "Don't mind him, he's super grouchy when he doesn't get enough sleep." Victoria commented.
"He's super grouchy when he doesn't get enough, nahh!" Grover mocked Victoria. "Wow." Percy lightly chuckled. "You've never been on the road with him before, a little different than a froofy boarding school." Victoria smirked.
"Who's froofy? Your froofy! What's froofy?" Grover blurted. "Grover your froofy, now can we all sleep?" Annabeth chimed in. "Yea, whatever." Victoria laughed slightly.
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"Two days until we reach Los Angeles, plenty of time before our deadline to reach the Underworld." Grover declared. Percy stuttered a bit before speaking. "Can I ask a dumb question?" He asked.
"Do you wanna get made fun of?" Victoria teased. "I've never been to Los Angeles before. I'm guessing none of you guys have been either." Percy began. "So, how will we have any idea where we are going?" He suggested.
"No idea. But that's like step 37, we're still on step 4. Cross that bridge when we get there." Grover encouraged.
"Follow up stupid question.." "Really?" Victoria scoffed. " 'And you shall save what matters most in the end.' " Percy quoted The Oracle. "Back in Jersey, I told you The Oracle said this quest would fail. And no one's mentioned it since. Seems like something we oughta be taking a little more seriously." He trailed off, looking out the window.
"Centaurs." Annabeth admired. "No one even knows they're there." Percy observed. "There used to be herds of them, everywhere." Grover began. "What happened to them?" Percy asked. "A few thousand years ago, the god of the wild, Pan, disappeared. And ever since, without him to protect the natural world, humans have been trying really hard to chip away at it."
"The bravest satyrs volunteer to become Searchers, trying to find Pan. None have ever returned." Victoria added.
"Your uncle we found in Medusa's, Ferdinand, he was a searcher?" Percy shifted his attention to Grover once again. "The Oracle didnt say the quest would fail. 'Fail to save what matters most,' that could mean a lot of things. That's how prophecies work, that's how fate works. It could mean a lot of things. The harder you work to understand, the harder it gets to understand." Annabeth encouraged.
"Sometimes, you've just gotta let it come to you when it's ready." Victoria nudged. The group all turned their heads towards the cop that approached them. "Excuse me. Can I see your tickets, please?" The cop asked.
Victoria quickly grabbed their tickets out of her backpack, handing it to the officer while he inspected it. "You're in cabin 17B?" He gestured.
The four of them nodded, puzzled.
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The group was escorted back to their cabin, finding it in a state of disarray, with belongings scattered and furniture overturned. Deep claw marks marred the walls, leaving ominous traces of an intruder.
Victoria's frustration was visible as she surveyed the scene. The police officer inquired, "You wanna explain?" to which Percy retorted, "You think we did this?" The tension hung heavy as the officer pressed, "Did you?"
"How? And why?" Percy questioned. "Sir. When we left to get breakfast, everything was intact. We don't know how this happened." Grover jumped in. "We got a witness here, says she heard the window smash, and then heard children's voices." The police officer stated.
"Oh, come on. You really think four twelve-year olds did this? And where did the claw marks even come from? Because I know, I don't have claws." Victoria sassed, rolling her eyes.
"Are we under arrest?" Annabeth asked. "I don't think you wanna take that tone with me, little girl." The officer warned.
"Are we under arrest." Victoria repeated, stepping in front of the cop.
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"So we're just killing time 'til we find it it that guy's like a werewolf or something, right?" Percy said. "I don't think he's a monster." Annabeth whispered back.
"It's hard to tell." Grover shrugged. "Why would anyone tear our room apart?" Percy expressed. "Maybe they were looking for something." Grover suggested.
"We don't have anything." "The people who think you stole Zeus's master bolt might disagree." Annabeth said. "Well they're not gonna find something we don't have." Grover shrugged.
"Either way, we aren't spending the day answering questions in the St. Louis Police Station. We need to get out of this before we get delaye-" Victoria was cut off by a woman tapping her shoulder.
The woman was blonde, maybe in her late 40's or early 50's with a concerned look smeared across her face. She finally spoke. "Do you mind if I sit?" She asked, gesturing to the empty seat.
"Yea, I mind." Victoria murmured. The woman sat down anyway before speaking again. "You poor dears. Your parents aren't here, are they?" She sympathized.
"Isn't that right precious? Don't children get scared when they're all alone?" She began talking to her dog.
"It's okay. I'm a mom. I know how scared you must be." She smiled, turning around to face the cop that monitored them. "Excuse me. Would you mind giving us a little space? I think you're making them nervous." She requested.
"I want you to know, I don't actually think that you made that mess back there. I just wanted a moment alone with you." The woman reassured.
"There are things I need you to understand-" She was interrupted by Grover. "You have something on your jacket." He inspected. "It looks like.. it looks like glass." Grover stuttered.
The woman's smile dropped slowly. "No one smashed out the windows from inside our cabin. Someone smashed them in from the outside." He theorized.
She turned back around to her pet, who was growling aggressively. "Yes sweetheart. I know, you're impatient." She stood up and turned back to the four. "This isn't your fault, but sadly, you're going to have to bear the burden of your parents' mistakes today." The woman concluded.
"Listen lady, I don't know who you are, but I think I know what you are. We've run across a few monsters like you and we've sent them all packing." Percy retorted.
"Monsters like me?" She scoffed, her smile crept back up her face. It was eerie, almost doll-like.
"Well, of course, their like me. They were my children." She admitted. "Echnida." Victoria fumed.
"The mother of monsters." Grover sat up in his seat with a silent gulp. Echnida's pet growled more, very feral. She shushed it, petting the case.
"Monster. It's an odd word, considering my grandmother is your great-grandmother, and this has always been a family story." Echnida stated. "But.. to my eye, the demigod is the more dangerous creature. Disruptive, violent, if I exist for anything, it is to stand in the way of monsters like you." She sighed.
"My little one here, she's just a pup now." She cooed. "Bless her heart." Echnida began to lightly chuckle. "Today you will be her prey." She exclaimed.
"Are you afraid yet? It's all right. Fear is natural. It's also essential to the hunt. Your fear. Your doubt. Your confusion." The more Echnida spoke, the harsher Victoria was gripping her holster.
"I needed you to understand what was happening so that she could track the scent, so she could learn and grow because that's what a good parent does for her children." She admired her creation, then eyed Victoria.
"Not that you would know." She hissed, smirking. Victoria was fuming, the anger evident on her face. The zipper was slowly drawing back, and the more it was, the more the group got scared.
Suddenly, Echnida turned to them. "You should run now." She suggested, the chimera unzipped its cage all the way and jumped out, stabbing Percy with its tail.
It was quick to grab Victoria next, but she was quicker. She grabbed her sword out the holster and sliced off a chunk of the tail, quickly being placed back onto the ground.
"Run! Now!" She exclaimed. The four quickly ran away, police officers chasing after them. They ran door after door, passing by some passengers cabins.
They ran to the exit, locking its door. "Percy." Victoria grabbed his shoulder, taking the tail stinger out of his shoulder. "What is that?" he asked.
"It's a stinger." Annabeth said. "Grover you know what kind of monster has one of those?" She questioned. "I don't know. I mean, nothing good probably." He sighed.
"Do you feel okay?" Victoria interrogated. "I think so. Why?" Percy shrugged. "Is it poisonous or something?"
Victoria shrugged back, looking back at the exit door. "I'm not sure." she said before the train shook, creaking.
The chimera began to break through all the exit doors, but the group had already ran out by then.
"Why isn't it still chasing us?" Percy inquired. "Echnida said whatever she was hiding in that carrier, it's young. It won't venture too far from her mother. She's learning to hunt, and this seems like the hunting part." Annabeth declared.
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"We aren't gonna be able to outrun them for very long." Grover said. "We don't need to. We just need a place to hole up." Victoria responded. "Some place safe. Any ideas where we might find one of those?" Percy inquired.
"I do." Annabeth said with hesitation in her voice. "A sanctuary dedicated to Athena, built by one of her demigod children a long time ago." Annabeth explained.
"There is an Athenian temple hidden somewhere in the middle of downtown St. Louis?" Grover sassed. "Yes. Except it's not all that hidden." She spoke.
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The St. Louis Arch. That's where annabeth led the group to. On the way there, she described all the architectural elements about the place, practically bragging.
"This is how you show Athena your love." Annabeth smiled. "A monument to the power of perfection." she explained.
"It's a monument to some other stuff, too." Grover winced, looking at the animal artifacts. "You're thinking about what humans want this place to be about. She's talking about what it actually is." Victoria reassured.
"Whatever. We're safe here, right?" Grover asked. "No monsters can enter. Not even Echidna. We're safe." Annabeth nodded.
"Great. Well, since our train exploded, i'm gonna see if there's another one we can get tickets on." Grover said. "Cool, i'll come with." Annabeth gestured, walking off with him.
"He doesn't like it when people mess with animals." Percy sighed. Victoria shifted her gaze towards him. "Yea, I know. I shouldn't have snapped at him, I just.. Annabeth seemed really proud about this. I didn't want Grover to ruin the moment." she muttered.
"So...Athena's place. Wonder if she's around." Percy tried to make conversation, failing miserably. Victoria meekly nodded at his attempt, fidgeting with her backpack as she looked around.
"Be right down! Just going to the potty!" He imitated a posh woman, Victoria turned to him, her brows furrowed with a small smile on her face.
"Nice," she said with a soft chuckle, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "I have a gift." Percy boasted, his gaze lingering on her.
Even when she wasn't paying attention, Percy couldn't help but stare at her with wide-eyed wonder. It was as if he had a magnet in his eyes, always pulling him towards her. He watched her with a playful smile.
Victoria cleared her throat before speaking again. "I- uh, wanted to say sorry about the forest thing. I shouldn't have said that about your mom. You have only been a demigod since what.. saturday? You just want your mom back, and I get that. I knew it wasn't a good thing to say and I said that anyway..it was really rude of me." She apologized sincerely.
Percy looked at the ground, not responding. "Did I say something wrong?" Victoria asked. She shook Percy a bit. "Percy? Don't give me the silent treatment." She sighed.
She finally grabbed Percy by the shoulders and spun him towards her, as she did, he fell to the ground.
"Percy!" She yelped, catching him. Annabeth and Grover came rushing back, Annabeth going to Victoria's side. "What happened?" She asked.
"I think.. I think those stinger things were poisonous." Percy choked out, his breathing uneven. Annabeth's eyes lit up as she thought of an idea.
" I have an idea, come on." Annabeth said, helping Percy up.
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"Stop moving!" Victoria exclaimed, They were splashing Percy with water as he squeezed his eyes shut. "You know, I think it's- I think it's working." Percy shouted over the splashing water. "Great call." Percy nodded to Annabeth, standing up. "Or not." He choked out when he fell back down into the water.
"Maybe it needs to be naturally running water for Poseidon to be able to heal him." Victoria suggested. But, crashing noise interrupted and cars were flipped over and crashing into eachother. "Okay we need to get back inside. Now." Victoria said.
"We need to keep trying!" Grover begged. "This isn't working and she's on her way. Get him up, now." Victoria demanded with a stern voice.
"Okay look, we'll take Percy inside and we go to the temples altar." Annabeth said. "Altar? Where is there an Altar?" Percy asked. "The highest point, the best view." Annabeth answered. "Okay but what good is that gonna do us!" Grover said, clearly panicked.
"We're going to get to the altar and ask my mom for help." Annabeth explained, Victoria had Percy hanging onto her shoulder. "Come on, let's get moving." Percy stumbled as Victoria let him hold onto her.
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The group quickly ran to the Arch's elevator, slamming the door shut.
"How did the Chimera even get inside here!" Grover said, annoyed. "How did any monster get inside!" He rambled. "Annabeth?" Victoria called. "We're in a sanctuary, Athena would have had to let her in." Grover spoke over the girl. "Annabeth!" Victoria yelled, getting her attention. "What did Echidna say to you."
"She said my impertinence wounded my mothers pride. And that that will be my doom." Annabeth said. "Impertinence? What kind of-" Percy was cut off by Victoria. "Medusas head." She muttered. "I embarrassed my mother." Annabeth sighed. "But I'm the one who sent the head to Olympus?" Percy said, confused. "And I went along with it." Annabeth snapped. "It embarrassed her, now she's angry."
"Guys, what are we gonna do?" Grover asked. "She isn't gonna help us when we get to the top to save Percy." Annabeth looked towards the door. "No, he meant what are we gonna do about Echidna and Chimera." Victoria explained. "They're gonna be right behind us." The elevator let out a ring, signaling they had gotten to the top. Victoria grabbed Percy and helped him up as they walked to the top.
"We're not gonna have much time. They'll be up here any minute." Annabeth said. "And if my mother isn't gonna protect us, then we'll just have to fight it out up here." Victoria rolled her eyes as they got to the top, showing a bunch of people crowded in the hallway.
"I'm not doing this today." Victoria said, pulling the fire alarm. Loud murmurs were heard as the civilians started to evacuate. "Grover help Percy. Annabeth go down with them." Victoria demanded, taking her sword out of her holster. "No- what? We're not splitting up." Grover furrowed his brows.
"Grover come on." She pleaded. "No, we're all getting out of here together." Percy said. "We won't make it. The chimera is the demigod-killer." Victoria said, annoyed and worried as she led them down to the exit.
"Someone had to stay back to slow her down and buy everyone some time." Victoria said as Annabeth looked at her in worry. The trio stopped at the door. "Help him down the stairs and get him to the river, Poseidon will heal him there." Victoria pushed them through the door.
"Wait. Take this." Percy handed his riptide to Victoria. "I have a sword, i'll be fine." She gently ushered his hand away, as their hands touched, he pushed Grover and Annabeth away. "Wait!" Annabeth yelled. "Hey percy!" Grover banged on door.
"Percy!" Victoria yelled in annoyance. She began to bang harshly on the door. After a moment of her banging on the door, she turned back to Annabeth and Grover.
"You two go downstairs, I'll be back in a second." She explained, ushering them away. "But-" Grover started. "No buts, just go." Victoria sternly said.
"I trust her, Grover." Annabeth put a hand on his shoulder. "Thank you." Victoria nodded, watching them walk away.
Victoria tried to bang on the door again, her palms set against it. She yelped a bit when she saw a small flame emit from her hands.
"What..?" She said, shrugging it off.
Victoria took her sword and began to cut the door with it, grunting. Her sword cut a large hole in hit, large enough for her to crawl in.
Her eyes widened when she saw a large hole in the ground, and Percy hanging on by a thread.
She looked up at Echnida, anger evident in her eyes. Victoria let out a quiet gasp when Percy fell.
"Percy!" She exclaimed, jumping down after him.
Victoria had always been cautious, preferring to weigh her risks carefully before taking action. However, when she saw Percy in danger, something inside her shifted. Despite her usual reluctance to put herself in harm's way for others, Percy was different. He had some kind of charm that made her instinctively leap to his rescue, without a second thought.
As i plunge to my death, i feel..bliss? She thought, she felt oddly calm in this situation, as if she knew nothing was going to happen.
Victoria was taken aback by the sudden wave of water taking both of them into the sea. She panted heavily, her head coming back from under the water.
"Percy?" Her voice echoed across the waves as Victoria scanned her surroundings, searching desperately for any sign of him. With a determined breath, she plunged back beneath the surface, her eyes straining against the murky depths.
Despite her efforts, all she encountered was the expanse of the ocean and the delicate beauty of the coral below. With a heavy sigh, Victoria surfaced once more, her heart sinking with disappointment.
Victoria sensed a gentle touch on her shoulder, prompting her to whirl around abruptly, her hair hitting her face. Before her stood Percy, the familiar sight of his blonde, curly hair bringing a rush of comfort and familiarity.
A smile spread across her lips as she gazed at him, a wave of relief washing over her at the sight of his presence.
"I don't know what you were thinking, but never do that again. I thought you died, kelp dummy." Victoria joked, holding eye contact with him.
Victoria and Percy swam back to the dock, hopping over the fence. She was greeted by Grover and Annabeth running towards them, and was enveloped in a warm hug from Annabeth.
"Suprise." Percy said after the reunion came to a halt. "What happened?" Grover asked, confused but happy that his friends had come back.
"We need to go to Santa Monica." Percy responded. "W-wait, what, like now?" Grover confirmed. "Yea. My fathers gonna meet me there, he's gonna help us." Percy answered.
"Okay, one flaw though. The police think we crashed and Amtrak train and then did that." Grover pointed to the arch, everyone's gaze following.
"Isn't that gonna make it hard for us to get on a train?" Percy asked. "..are you slow?" Victoria chuckled. "Obviously it's gonna be hard. Kelp dummy." She rolled her eyes.
"Well.. on foot we go I guess." Annabeth shrugged, smiling at Victoria.
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𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄:
i'm sorry it took me so long to come out with this lmao 💀 I had writers block and i had a lot of school stuff to work on, but enjoy this! Victorias powers are developing yalll‼️‼️