[3] 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐘𝐒 ― p.jackson, l.valdez

008.

「008. it's time to face your fears」

PIPER AND frank came back from their little expedition, and everybody rushed forwards to meet them on the foredeck- mostly because percy was keeping an eye on a giant red sea serpent swimming off the port side, and really didn't feel like getting unexpectedly mauled today.

"that thing is really red," percy muttered, "i wonder if it's strawberry-flavoured."

"why don't you go jump down there and find out?" barbie asked.

"how about no."

"...anyways," frank said, "according to my pylos cousins, the chained god we're looking for in sparta is my dad ... uh, i mean ares, not mars. apparently the spartans kept a statue of him chained up in their city so the spirit of war would never leave them."

"so we're twinning with the spartans by trapping a goddess?" leo asked.

"well- not exactly," cherry corrected, "but... okay maybe that's exactly what is happening."

jason leaned against the forward ballista. "on to sparta, then. but how does a chained god's heartbeat help us find a cure for dying?" from the tightness in his face, anybody could just tell he was still in pain.

it was also something barbie knew piper thought about far too much. just by glancing ovell she was staring at jason- not in the lovey dovey way, more so out of pure worry. barbie counted herself lucky nobody else had been stabbed with a cursed metal, but they all silently ignored the outcome of jason dying. poor blond, stupidly goofy and righteous jason grace wouldn't be dying of a stupid sword wound.

"piper?" hazel said, looking over at the tranced girl.

"sorry, what?"

"i was asking you about the visions," hazel prompted. "you told me you'd seen some stuff in your dagger blade?"

"uh ... right." piper reluctantly unsheathed katoptris. "i, um ... i don't see anything right now. but one vision kept popping up. annabeth, barbie and i are exploring some ruins-"

"ruins!" leo rubbed his hands. "now we're talking. how many ruins can there be in greece?"

"i... genuinely can't tell if that was sarcastic or not," annabeth said blankly.

leo thought about it, "neither can i."

"well-" barbie said, turning piper, "do you think it could be in sparta?" then, as an afterthought, she added, "did i look well dressed?"

"i- you were wearing these chunky white trainers?"

"excellent," barbie nodded, "i think i know which outfit i was wearing."

they all gave her a blank look.

"and you need to know this... why?" jason asked.

"don't question it," percy said. "it's sort of cute, really."

"cute? that's all i am?" she began, "nothing else? i have several descriptors i could-"

"piper!" annabeth suddenly blurted out, "want to continue with your vision?"

"er...yeah. ok- so suddenly we're in this dark place like a cave. we're staring at this bronze warrior statue. in the vision i touch the statue's face and flames start swirling around us. that's all i saw."

"flames." frank scowled. "i don't like that vision."

"neither do i," percy agreed- glancing over at the red sea serpent, which was still slithering through the waves about a hundred yards to port. "if the statue engulfs people in fire, we should send leo."