The water washes above its head but it does not move with the internal waves of the ocean. It lies cold, it's hard outer shell resting eight hundred and seventy two feet below the surface. Light does not reach it.
The steal lid is cracked and broken, revealing the round and pale shape of her face. Her hair drifts lovingly in the tide and little fish come to nestle within her clothes. She rests among the lost things, sunken ships and lockets that belonged to lovers.
He has come to see her, finally.
He drifts, bloodied clothes attracting more than one curious creature. She hasn't seen him in so long, little Nico. His eyes are closed and a smile tugs at the end of his mouth.
It's as if he reaches for her, one lifeless hand extended to take another. Softly his body connects with the ocean floor and sand puffs away in gentle clouds.
Nico lays beside Bianca. They are finally together again.
🔱
The sky is dusted in scarlet and a mournful red sun peaks over the horizon. The day is breaking and slowly the survivors gather together.
The first to arrive is a man with a limp. His gate is slow and uneven, the cane he leans on helping only sparingly.
The second to arrive is a beautiful woman with a wearied face. She keeps her arms crossed, fighting off the morning chill.
The third and forth come as a pair, the fifth alone, and the last two as the gravesite begins to warm.
Annabeth leans against Percy, her arm wrapped in his. She sways slightly but stays upright.
The preacher begins with a prayer, a poem of peace for the family left behind.
Annabeth wonders if Jason had any family, she had asked Frank earlier but all he did was shrug. She turns her face to Percy as the preacher drones.
His jaw is set tight and his eyes are bloodshot, the result of an all-nighter.
He hasn't forgiven himself, and no matter how much Annabeth has tried to console him, she doubts he ever will.
Leo is relaxed she notices. His shoulders slump not so much out of laziness but apathy. There is far less childlike joy in his demeanor. Annabeth starts to realize things have changed, and that what once was is no longer.
Jason is being lowered into the ground. A detailed coffin constructed of mahogany and gold filagree holds his body.
Piper and Frank had divvied out a portion of Nico's remaining treasury for Jason's casket. A final show of respect from the dissipated crew of the Hellsing.
"Would anyone like to say a few words?" The preachers voice rings in the empty graveyard.
For a few sufferable minutes no one stirs, the silence piercing your skin until Octavian hobbles over with his cane.
"Jason was... well... I wouldn't say an honorable man, but a scary one at best. And good at his job. I didn't really know him but I liked him well enough, if well enough meant I avoided him at all costs." Octavian giggled to himself, somehow finding humor when no one else could. "But in all honesty I wish I could've seen what he was like with us... with the Argo II and without a looming past to follow him around." Octavian turns to the dirt, the muscles around his face starting to quiver. "You are one of many lives lost. I wish you peace and a final release from pain." As quickly as the words came, the quicker everything fell back into silence.
Octavian turns his face, and it warps into something indistinguishable from shame. The people that were lost are haunting images in their minds.
Twenty minutes later Jason is buried, and Hazel brushes the loose earth of his grave with her fingers, muttering random words and planting flower seeds near the headstone. "Witch stuff." Frank had muttered.
After Octavian suggested drinks to drown the sorrow, the ragtag crew found themselves at the Nightshade, a place familiar to them all.
Leo sits at the bar next to Frank and begins to ask him questions. The man is stiff and awkward, but gives the answers up freely. He doesn't want to fight Leo, for he left the life of pirates and warring ships behind.
"How did..." Leo starts out stuttering. "How did you end up joining Di'Angelo?"
"Nico?" Frank stirs in his seat. "Jason found me actually, and convinced me to join. It wasn't until I was already initiated that I met Nico. He was messed up for sure, but I don't think it was entirely his fault."
Leo sneered, his eyes starting to spark and his face turning wrinkled. "Yea right."
Frank took a hold of Leo's chair and spun the man to face him. "Valdez, you heard Octavian talk to him right? He was possessed."
"I don't believe that, I think he's a psychopath who killed his sister and then realized he made a mistake. Somehow in his sick mind he thought the only way to atone was to resurrect her."
"So you admit he was sick?"
Leo hung his head. "It's just... it's hard to believe."
"Says the man who tried to curse him."
For moment no one spoke, until frank cleared his throat and started once again. "Hazel said you're probably a descendant of a witch-"
"My grandfather practiced the stuff." Leo cut him off, starting to pull at his hair with his fingers. "He's the one who told me about the Isle of the Lost. He was crazy, but I loved him."
At a table nearby, Piper talks with Annabeth.
"Did it scar?" Piper asks hesitantly, still uneasy being with the crew of the Argo II.
"A little..." Annabeth squints her eyes, trying to draw out the fuzzy memories. "I'm surprised it's so small." She pulls at the collar of her shirt, revealing the white starburst near her heart. It's almost pretty.
Piper goes to touch it but draws her hand back. "Frank. Have you spoken to him. I mean he..."
"Shot me?" Annabeth let out a small burst of laughter. "Yea, you'd think I'd be pissed."
"You're not?" Piper furrows her brows, confusion swallowing her face.
"It's not that I'm not angry," Annabeth leans her head on her hand. "It's just so crazy. Everything was fueled by chaos. I mean, we got shipwrecked, sucked into a cavernous world beneath an island and forced to run from our enemies, nevertheless a monster." She shakes her head. "I don't think any of us were completely sane, even me."
"So you've forgiven him?"
Annabeth snickers. "Hell no." She turns to look at Frank and Leo by the bar. "But I don't hate him."
Sitting in the corner is Octavian, Hazel and Percy.
"So you're a mermaid?" Hazel slaps both hands down on the table. "A legendary creature of the sea."
"Keep your voice down." Percy rolls his eyes in exasperation.
"But I didn't know mermaids had sharp teeth." Hazel cocks her head in question.
"We're carnivorous. What do you think we eat, seaweed?"
"I mean..." Hazel stutters.
"Hazel you're interrupting." Octavian turns to Percy. "So let me get this straight, you saved us all from drowning, and resurrected us with Revocatus?"
"I resurrected you and Annabeth. The rest had the water drawn from their lungs."
"How though?" Octavian clasps his hands together, leaning forward. "Did you use a hose to pump it out or...?"
Percy sighs, taking a deep breath from his abdomen. "I can manipulate the water, I can move and change it, that's how I drew you up from the ocean. I basically asked the ocean to bring you to me."
"Ohhhh." Hazel nods her head in overeager understanding. "You have a connection with the ocean. Water magic."
Percy sighs again. "Yes, water magic."
"Now if only your water magic had worked on Octavian so we didn't have to use Revocatus, then Jason wouldn't have had to die-"
"Hazel." Octavian's words come out harsh but it's too late.
Percy's face drops at his name.
"Yea." Percy glances down at the table. "I made a choice and now I have to live with it. I'm... I'm going to ask around, find out if he has any family."
"I think that's nice." Octavian puts a hand on Percy's shoulder. "If he has any, I think they would want to know."
Percy won't meet his eyes.
"Hey, a lot of people died, but if it hadn't had been for you, every last one of us would be gone. I've been meaning to thank you Percy."
Percy looks up at Octavian, water running along his lash line. "Thanks. I really tried to save you all."
"I know."
🔱
The man dips his head, turning away from the ragtag crew and towards the man sitting across from him. "See? I told you they would survive."
The second man rolls his eyes, brushing the brim of his hat with his knuckle. "Just barely."
"You know?" The first man smiles. "It's really been good having you back. You're as cynical as ever."
The man laughs. "I've missed you too Travis."
"Do you think we should do it again?"
Connor leans back in his chair, "Again? This is like the the millionth time we've had them do this. You really want to give them another chance?"
"Why not? They're bound to get it right eventually."
Connor sighs. "Fine, but you take the lead on this one."
Travis smiles. "Deal." He holds his hand out to Connor. "You ready then?"
Connor leans forward. "Ready."
Travis snaps his fingers.
Did you know water will ripple at the smallest movement of a sea creature?...