Annabeth looked past the monsters at her friend. She thought he was a Hufflepuff, not a brainless Gryffindor. So why was the idiot calling attention to himself? Scoffing to herself, her brain supplied the answer. Loyalty.
The kindly ones turned to the small preteen at the front of the bus.
"We know you have it. Give it back honey, and we'll make this quick."
"I don't have what you're looking for. But even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you!"
As the furies started advancing on him, Percy realized just how bad his half-formed idea was and lunged for the steering wheel.
None of the mug-mortals had noticed the three old demon ladies but they certainly saw the eleven year old boy wrenching the wheel out of the driver's hands and sending the bus spinning out of control.
"Hey, kid!"
"What the-?!"
"Hey!"
CRASH
The bus had fallen onto its side and a strong smell of gas permeated the air. Everyone immediately went for the emergency exit windows.
The confusion and chaos allowed the three demigods to escape the bus, and the monsters, with the rest of the people. As they were slipping out the window, a sickeningly sweet voice called out.
"Oh honey, don't you want your little brother back?"
Percy froze and would've stayed if the daughter of Athena didn't grab his arm and pull him along.
Slipping into the trees beside the road, Castor turned back in time to see the vehicle explode.
The three of them ran further into the woods.
"Alright, that just happened. What now?" Castor asked, running a hand through his blond hair.
"Now we follow the road as best we can while staying out of sight." Annabeth said, accepting her baseball cap back from Percy.
The black haired boy leaned heavily against a tree.
"What did she mean?" he whispered with wide eyes, staring at the dirt beneath his feet.
"What was that Perce?"
"What. Did she mean? Do I want my brother back? What the bloody hell did she mean by that?!"
The two blondes exchanged looks.
"Look, lots of hings are possible when it comes to Greek deities. She could've just been trying to get your attention..."
"Or...?"
"The Kindly Ones work for Hades, Lord of the Underworld. It's possible that she would've made a deal with you. The bolt for Harry."
Percy put his hands on his head and tried to blink the tears away. Breathing deeply to push down the lump in his throat that could either be a scream or a sob, he looked at the Ravenclaw girl.
"Harry's alive?"
"Not necessarily in the way you mean but it is possible to bring him back. But Percy, the Master Lightning Bolt rightfully belongs to Zeus. First of all, we don't know where it even is, and second of all, if we found it and gave it to Hades, it would start World War 3."
"So we find a way around it. Harry is my little brother. The only family I have left. I can't just-"
"Okay. Okay, we'll find a way. First we have to find the bolt. The prophecy said to go west so we'll find the nearest town and head west from there. Our best bet is to follow the road and we only have until Summer Solstice so let's get going." Annabeth said and the boys could practically see the plan forming in her mind.
Making sure they had their things, the trio set off through the trees.
<><><>
It was reaching nightfall when they came across a low building decorated with a multitude of statues lying around the front lawn. The smell of burgers and fries wafted through an open window.
"Can either of you read that?" Percy asked, squinting at the sign. The more he tried to focus and puzzle out the words, the more the letters danced around, as though to taunt him.
Castor, having the lightest case of dyslexia, stepped closer.
"I think it says... Aunty Em's... Garden Emporium?"
"Maybe this Aunty Em woman would be willing to share some food." Annabeth said hopefully.
They had packed some food but were hoping to keep it for as long as possible and this could provide the perfect opportunity to save what they had. With that in mind, the blonde members of the quest started forwards.
"Hang on guys, doesn't this seem a bit too... convenient?"
Annabeth hesitated but the son of Dionysus just brushed it off.
"Oh come on, we're three demigods and none of us are slouches. Even if there's something nefarious going on I'm sure we can handle it. I'm starving."
Both boys looked to their resident strategist who looked torn, biting her lip as she tried to think through her indecision.
"Well, we are pretty hungry." She said hesitantly, earning a cheer from Castor.
"Yes! Thank you! Let's go."
Knocking on the door, it was opened by a woman in a black veil.
"Why hello children, whatever could you be doing out here all alone?"
"Hello Ma'am," Castor said, being the most eager for food. "We are with the circus but we got terribly lost and fear they have left without us."
Behind him, Percy and Annabeth exchanged incredulous looks at the tale their friend was weaving.
"Oh that's dreadful!"
"Yes," Castor said mournfully. "We were wandering the woods when we came across your emporium. We don't have much money but we hoped you could spare some food?"
They could just see the shade of a smile through the veil as she moved aside to allow them entry.
"Of course! Such polite children, do come in. And please, call me Aunty Em."
The three of them entered and the smell of food got stronger. Aunty Em led them to a table laden with typical American foods. Everything smelled deep-fried and delicious. After getting an encouraging nod from their host, the demigods dug in.
The more they ate, the more they were filled with a warm floaty feeling. For Annabeth and Castor, they loved it, they felt sleepy in the way one feels with warm, weighted blanket after a long day. Percy however, was not a fan. He had felt that way before, after particularly hard beating. The pain would overwhelm his senses, becoming so much that his mind would be unable to handle it and everything would go numb as sleep claimed his consciousness. Whatever was going on, something wasn't right.
As Percy struggled to clear his fuzzy mind, Aunty Em started to speak.
"You are such darling children, I would just love to sculpt you."
"Really?" Castor asked with a vapid smile. "That sounds cool."
"Yes it is quite. I usually get willing visitors to pose for a photo from which I work when they are gone."
"That sounds awesome, doesn't that sound fun guys?!"
Annabeth's grey eyes were hazy as she turned to the boys.
"Yeah, we should do that! If you'd like to Aunty Em?"
"Why that would be lovely Annabeth dear, follow me and we'll get you three into just the right pose."
They followed her deeper into the building, past countless statues.
"You know Annabeth, you have such lovely hair. I used to have soft hair like that. And Perseus, so handsome, so much like your father. Ah! Here we are, if you will sit on this bench. There, just like that."
"Aunty Em, where's your camera?" Percy asked, the fog lifting slightly.
"I don't remember telling you our names." Annabeth said, her own gaze clearing.
"Smile children."
"GET DOWN!!!" They yelled, shoving poor Castor to the ground and closing their eyes just as the sound of hissing filled the air.
"Now, now, demigods. You really shouldn't close your eyes when having your image immortalized." Aunty Em's voice was smooth as silk.
The fall had snapped the violet-eyed boy out of his trance and he quickly closed his eyes too. The three of them crawled away among the statues, trying to increase the distance between themselves and the monstrous woman.
"Of course, I can't believe I didn't realize it from the beginning." Annabeth groaned even as they kept moving. "Aunty 'M'. It's bloody Medusa."