AMARANTHINE-ɪ, pjo/hp

AURORA MANAGES TO NOT DIE

Aurora gasped as her eyes opened. She had some dream, but she couldn't place it. All she remembered was a green light.

"Aurora!" someone gasped before arms wrapped themself around her.

"Woah, Aurora croaked out.

"Let her breathe, Annabeth," someone said. Aurora guessed it was Percy.

"What happened?" she asked. She felt terrible. She was cold. Her head hurt. Her chest hurt and her bones felt weird.

She focused on Percy then Annabeth then Grover and her surroundings. Somehow, she was back on the train.

"Well, you killed the anteater. And then we crash-landed into the Mississippi," Percy begin. Annabeth smacked his arm. "You pulled her with you," she said.

Percy rolled his eyes. "Was I supposed to leave her there for breakfast for the Chimera?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Do you know the risk you took? She would have died. It's a miracle she survived!" Annabeth yelped.

"Shut up," Aurora grumbled before the argument escalated. "I'm half alive and that's what matters."

Annabeth sent her a scathing look. Grover bleated nervously. "I can't believe you killed Echidna. And you survived!" he said.

Aurora raised an eyebrow at him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence goat-boy."

Grover smirked. "My pleasure."

Aurora turned to Annabeth. "What else happened?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, you and Percy crash landed into the Mississippi. 630 feet. You'll were there for gods know how long. We thought that you'll had earnt the one-way ticket to Hades. Then finally, you'll came out. You were unconscious and bleeding badly and we had no idea what to do. Grover and Percy fed you some ambrosia and we managed to clean your wounds by stealing some stuff from the paramedics. Then we dragged you to the train or else it would leave."

Aurora nodded, feeling lightheaded. The last thing she remembered was chucking one of her daggers at the she-monster. She glanced at her hand and sure enough. her rings were in her fingers. She played with them nervously.

"How long was I out?" she asked. She glanced outside. It was night outside.

Quite a few hours," Percy replied. "it's around one in the morning now."

Rory glanced at her friends. They were all tired, their shoulders droopy. They must have not rested out of worry for her.

"You guys should rest. The train will reach Denver by afternoon. I guess we'll be parting ways there," she said.

Annabeth, Percy and Grover didn't look convinced. They had all made a pact as to not reveal anything about their respective quests to the other party. They would part ways at Denver because that was a far as the trio had money to reach. Rory on the other hand, wouldn't stop until DOA Recording Studios, LA.

Aurora convinced them that she was alright. Grover and Percy didn't need too much convincing, but Annabeth was too worried. Finally, Aurora threatened to use Charmspeak if she wouldn't 'bugger of'

She collapsed on her seat, running a hand through her blond hair. She began to wonder what she looked like in her current state. Her hair would be a mess and her clothes, were dirty and grimy. And her face wouldn't be much better. The 'Eros' in her awakened and she suddenly got the sudden urge to change. Most people were either asleep or working on their laptops. Aurora grabbed the black hoodie and a spare tank top and rushed to the washroom.

The washroom was a typical public lavatory and Aurora knew that she had to make the best of what she had. She inhaled sharply before glancing at herself in the mirror. She expected a hideous monster to look back but to her surprise, she didn't look as bad as she thought.