Linked Demigods (HIATUS)

Chapter 18: Twilight Makes A Promise

Percy's POV

 I uncapped Riptide and slashed off the top of the water fountain. Water burst out of the busted pipe and sprayed all over us.

  Thalia gasped as the water hit her. The fog seemed to clear from her eyes. "Are you crazy?" she asked.

But Grover understood. He was already fishing around in his pockets for a coin. He threw a golden drachma into the rainbows created by the mist and yelled, "O goddess, accept my offering!"

The mist rippled.

"Camp Half-Blood!" I said.

And there, shimmering in the Mist right next to us, was the last person I wanted to see: Mr. D, wearing his leopard-skin jogging suit and rummaging through the refrigerator.

He looked up lazily. "Do you mind?"

"Where's Chiron?!" I shouted.

"Uh...Percy...he's still a god," Twilight said worriedly, wincing.

"That's right, Twelve," Mr D rolled his eyes, "Least someone has respect."

"Hello," I amended. "We're about to die! Where's Chiron?"

Mr. D considered that. I wanted to scream at him to hurry up, but I knew that wouldn't work. Behind us, footsteps and shouting—the manticores troops were closing in.

"About to die," Mr. D mused. "How exciting. I'm afraid Chiron isn't here. Would you like me to take a message?"

I looked at my friends. "We're dead. "

Thalia gripped her spear. She looked like her old angry self again. "Then we'll die fighting. "

"How noble," Mr. D said, stifling a yawn. "So what is the problem, exactly?"

I didn't see that it would make any difference, but I told him about the Ophiotaurus.

"Mmm. " He studied the contents of the fridge. "So thats it. I see. "

"You don't even care!" I screamed. "You'd just as soon watch us die!"

"Lets see. I think Im in the mood for pizza tonight." Mr D said.

Twilight's brain was thinking. I saw the gears turning.

"Mr D," he said calmly, "Hear me out."

"I'm listening," Mr D said.

"We need your help," he said, "I would even plead. Please."

I opened my mouth, but Twilight shot me off with a look.

"You're our only help. Please." he said.

There was a long silence.

"Fine. But only if you promise something. I don't like how you've been lying to your friends," Mr D said, and Twilight sighed.

"You've been lying?" Thalia asked.

"Oh, yes he has. I'll help, on one condition," Mr D said.

"Which is?" Twilight asked.

"When the time comes, I want you to reveal yourself. It's the only way, the prophecy said so." Mr D said.

Twilight sighed. "It's a deal."

 The manticore screamed, "There!" And we were surrounded. Two of the guards stood behind him. The other two appeared on the roofs of the pier shops above us. The manticore threw off his coat and transformed into his true self, his lion claws extended and his spiky tail bristling with poison barbs.

The manticore grinned, "Spare the daughter of Zeus and the son of Artemis. They will join us soon enough. Kill the others."

The men raised their guns, and something strange happened. You know how you feel when all the blood rushes to your head, like if you hang upside down and turn right-side up too quickly? There was a rush like that all around me, and a sound like a huge sigh. The sunlight tinged with purple. I smelled grapes and something more sour-wine.

SNAP!

It was the sound of many minds breaking at the same time. The sound of madness. One guard put his pistol between his teeth like it was a bone and ran around on all fours. Two others dropped their guns and started waltzing with each other. The fourth began doing what looked like an Irish clogging dance. It would have been funny if it hadn't been so terrifying.

"No!" screamed the manticore. "I will deal with you myself!"

His tail bristled, but the planks under his paws erupted into grape vines, which immediately began wrapping around the monsters body, sprouting new leaves and clusters of green baby grapes that ripened in seconds as the manticore shrieked, until he was engulfed in a huge mass of vines, leaves, and full clusters of purple grapes. Finally the grapes stopped shivering, and I had a feeling that somewhere inside there, the manticore was no more.

"Well," said Dionysus, closing his refrigerator. "That was fun. "

I stared at him, horrified. "How could you...How did you-"

"Such gratitude," he muttered. "The mortals will come out of it. Too much explaining to do if I made their condition permanent. I hate writing reports to Father. "

He stared resentfully at Thalia. "I hope you learned your lesson, girl. It isn't easy to resist power, is it?"

Thalia blushed as if she were ashamed.

"Mr. D," Grover said in amazement. "You...you saved us.

"Mmm. Don't make me regret it, satyr. Now get going, Percy Jackson. I've bought you a few hours at most."

"The Ophiotaurus," I said. "Can you get it to camp?"

Mr. D sniffed. "I do not transport livestock. Thats your problem. "

"But where do we go?"

Dionysus looked at Zoe. "Oh, I think the huntress knows. You must enter at sunset today, you know, or all is lost.  And Twilight...remember what you promised. Now good-bye. My pizza is waiting. "

"Mr. D," I said.

He raised his eyebrow.

"You called me by my right name," I said. "You called me Percy Jackson. "

"I most certainly did not, Peter Johnson. Now off with you!"

He waved his hand, and his image disappeared in the mist.

All around us, the manticores minions were still acting completely nuts. One of them had found our friend the homeless guy, and they were having a serious conversation about metal angels from Mars. Several other guards were harassing the tourists, making animal noises and trying to steal their shoes.

I looked at Twilight.

"Twi...what have you been keeping from us?" I asked, worried.

"The reason I'm in the prophecy. My line." he sighed. "It's not actually that big of a deal. I'd just thought you'd treat me differently. But it's not time for you to know yet."

"I still trust you," Zoe said, "As well as everyone else, as long as you reveal it later."

I agreed, and everyone nodded.

"So, where do we go?" I asked.

 "The garden of my sisters," Zoe said. "I must go home. "