[3] 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 ― p.jackson, l.valdez

002.

「002. why does jason always get hurt 」

BARBIE DIDN'T know who the woman was. but jason seemed to know her. and the more he stared, the more barbie realised something.... they looked sort of similar. she wore this green dress, a flowery kind that had a bit of red and was a wraparound, like the skirt of a christmas tree. she had colourful earrings and colourful bracelets on her wrists. her hair was over-teased and dyed blonde and she smelled like lemons. her eyes were blue light jason's, but they gleamed like fractured light. she new she was important to jason, and maybe this was meant to be an emotional moment, but all she could think of was-

that dress looks fucking ugly.

you have such a way with words, jerald said in her mind, and barbie could almost feel her slapping her forehead, you always know what to say.

"dearest." she held out her arms.

jason's mist disguise burned off, and piper, annabeth and barbie walked closer together. he looked a bit more aware, and he stood up straighter, his once disguised walking stick turning into it's true form of an imperial gold gladius. he looked uncomfortable, like looking at the woman was burning him alive.

"mom?" he managed.

"yes, dearest." her image flickered. "come, embrace me."

i don't have a good feeling about this, jerald said warily in her mind, she's giving me bad vibes.

that colour combination is giving me bad vibes, grumbled barbie in her mind.

barb!

it's true! barbie thought plainly, and yeah.... i don't think i trust her either.

"you're – you're not real."

good white boy.

"of course she is real." michael varus's voice sounded far away. "did you think gaia would let such an important spirit languish in the underworld? she is your mother, beryl grace, star of television, sweetheart to the king of olympus, who rejected her not once but twice, in both his greek and roman aspects. she deserves justice as much as any of us."

the suitors crowded around him, watching. this... this was their sick version of entertainment. the ghosts probably found this even more amusing than two beggars fighting to the death.

barbie stared at piper, as if to say we need to do something.

piper looked to annabeth, who looked back to the two of them, i don't think we can, he looks entranced!

i could try charmspeak? barbie tried to communicate. she frowned, hoping her message was conveyed as she pointed to piper, you should.

"me?!" piper whispered out loud.

"you're the one who is dating him, it would make sense," barbie whispered back, "just... try it."

piper sighed, her breathing shaky, "...jason, look at me." they all stood around twenty feet away, holding her ceramic amphora. her smile remained, nurturing and full of love as her words were fierce but gentle at the same time. "that isn't your mother. her voice... it's working some sort of magic on you- like charmspeak, but more dangerous. can't you sense it?"

"she's right, jason," barbie added seriously, "that's not your mom. not really."

"it's only a remnant of her," continued annabeth, "like an ara, maybe, or-"