Hey guys! (wow I'm starting every chapter with this)
OH MY GOD THANKS A LOT for ALL OF YOUR SWEET COMMENTs I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Also, WE'VE REACHED 100 FOLLOWERS/FANS/AWESOMEPEOPLE! I'm so happy guys, like, THANKS SO MUCH.
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Dedication goes to MisakaLovesYou for the sweet comment. Seriously guys, you are THE reason I keep on writing.
Caterpillars!
Frank Zhang VII
"Jason!" Frank yelled to the flying figure, "Jason! Oh my god, why won't he listen? Jason!"
"Leo!" Hazel yelled. Leo looked down at Hazel and Frank, who gestured for them to come down. Leo yelled at Jason, who lowered himself onto deck.
"What's wrong?" Jason asked, frowning.
"Percy and Annabeth." Hazel said, "We think they might be in trouble."
"Piper went to check on them." Frank added. He saw the momentary look of worry that appeared on Jason's face, but it disappeared just as quickly.
"Alright, then, let's go." Leo said, turning and bolting down the stairs. Jason followed, and Hazel was right behind him, making Frank last.
"Annabeth?" Jason called, cupping his hands around his mouth, "Percy?"
"Piper! Where'd you run off to, Beauty Queen?" Leo yelled.
"Here, guys!" Hazel exclaimed, pushing on a door. "This door's locked, so Piper, Annabeth, and Percy must be in here!"
"T-that's Piper's room." Frank stuttered. "A coincidence?"
"Piper!" A familiar voice, Percy, screamed, "Get out of here, quickly! It's a trap!"
Fear and worry showed on everyone's faces, as a loud crashing sound was heard, making Frank flinch away from the door.
"W-what was that?" Hazel asked, her eyes wide.
"Piper!" Jason yelled, finally seeming to break. He pounded on her door, each thud echoing through the hallway, "Piper, open up!"
"What's going on in there?" Frank asked.
"I dunno, but it can't be good." Leo replied, glaring at the door.
"Okay, stand aside, people." Frank said. The three demigods immediately backed away, and Frank turned into a grizzly bear. Using all his might, he charged towards the door.
A moment before Frank's impact with the door, Hazel yelled "No!" Frank was repelled back by an invisible force, thrown against the wall. He dropped to the floor, turning into a human and coughing up blood.
"Frank!" Hazel exclaimed, dropping to her knees next to him.
Frank felt a burning feeling travel through his body, his limbs heavy and aching. Frank let out a groan as Hazel helped him to a sitting position.
"What was that?" Frank asked, his vision blurring for a few seconds, then returning to normal.
"A magical force field. If you attack it, it will repel you and cause you to have intense pain." Hazel replied grimly, "I would have told you sooner, but I realized a bit too late."
"I guess, all we can do is wait for now." Jason said solemnly, "Let's take Frank to the infirmary for now."
"Agreed."
Jason and Leo picked up Frank, who was now barely conscious. He felt someone haul him onto a bed, and gentle hands pull a blanket over his body. The blanket was a bit too small, so his feet and ankles peaked out from under the blanket.
Unlike before, when Frank's body was burning, Frank was now shivering violently. Coldness had seeped into his bones, eating all the warmth from his body. Frank curled up in a ball, trying to stop shivering, but that made no difference.
"What's wrong with him?" Leo asked, but his voice sounded distant and muffled, "I don't think that's the magic force field."
"I don't think so either. I don't know what's happening." Hazel said, sounding as if she was underwater. Frank also heard the worry in her voice, making Frank shiver harder for some reason.
Frank felt heat radiating above him, but it didn't help his cold body. Fear rushed through his viens, follwed by pain and alarm.
What was happening to him?
"Ambrosia." Jason's voice rang, "Feed him Ambrosia."
Frank felt someone hold him in place, keeping him from shivering. Chills ran down his back, the cold seeming to eat right through him.
His mouth opened and he was forced to eat something. It tasted like those Chinese Moon Cakes his gandmother always used to make, warm and straight from the oven. Slowly, he stopped shivering, warmth spreading through his body and feeling returning to his cold limbs.
Frank didn't even realize it, but he fell asleep at some point.
Frank awoke from a dreamless sleep, his limbs feeling like lead. Frank turned his head, grunting in effort, to see two people lying in the infirmary next to him. The infirmary felt cramped, and Frank felt like he was being suffocated.
Frank clawed at his throat, each breath taking way more energy than needed. Why did Frank feel so weak?
"Frank?" A soft voice asked, making Frank turn over.
"Hazel?" Frank asked, even his voice feeling heavy.
"How are you feeling?" She asked.
"Not so good." Frank replied honestly, groaning as a headache formed.
Piper walked into Frank's vision, smiling slightly to reassure him, "How are you doing?"
"I'll live." Frank said. Piper looked shaken, her eyes showing that she had seen something she didn't want to see, "What happened to you?"
Piper grimaced, making Frank feel slightly guilty, "I'll tell you once Percy and Annabeth wake up."
"What happened to them?"
"Annabeth has minor wounds, something that can be easily fixed," Piper said lightly. Her tone suddenly turned dark, "Percy, however, I'm not sure. He doesn't appear to be physically hurt, but he's mentally unstable."
"He's gone insane?" Frank asked, his eyes wide.
"Not exactly." Piper answered, hesitating as if trying to pick the right words to explain, "He's been mentally tortured. It left a huge mark on him, and I doubt Percy will ever be the same, but he'll recover enough to be close enough to normal that no one will notice."
"Oh." Frank said softly, his gaze travelling to the two demigods who lay on the beds beside him. They both had been through so much, it almost seemed like it was a dream. Two teenagers, two young demigods, having gone through so much, and still having to do more.
Suddenly, Annabeth stirred. Piper went to go check on her, feeding her Ambrosia and pouring Nectar on her wounds. As if on cue, Percy sat up as Annabeth did, and they both exchanged sorrowed glances.
Percy gripped Piper's arm, pursing his lips, "What happened with her?"
Piper looked at Percy, then at Annabeth, and just broke. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she curled up into a ball beside Annabeth. Percy looked at her sadly, while Annabeth stroked her head and tried to comfort her.
"I-I'm sorry, guys." Piper whispered, "I'm just so useless and I'm going to get us all killed. You should all just kill me now and get a burden of your chests. It'll be so much easier without me."
"Shh, Piper. We would never do that. You mean a lot to everyone, and you're not useless." Annabeth said reassuringly.
Piper didn't agree. She kept on repeating the words "I'm sorry" and discouraging herself, breaking down her own self-confidence. Frank sighed and averted his gaze, unable to watch Piper any longer. His gaze travelled to the doorway, where Leo stood, leaning against the wall. He looked grave and worried, unlike his usual self.
He turned around, and Frank heard him mutter, "Jason, you better talk to Piper. She's broken without you."
And indeed, she was.
Alright guys, please comment and vote, thanks a lot! [I'm doing this at like midnight *cough* what has happened to my good habits *cough* what?]
~Infinite_Warrior