The camp store had given each of us 100 dollars in cash, along with a few golden drachmas. They were the official currency of the Greeks, and about the size of girl scout cookies, as Percy pointed out. Along with that Chiron had given Annie and Perce each a canteen of nectar and baggies of ambrosia. Similar to the things Will had given me only moments prior.
"I remember you saying you felt a connection to this tree when we first got here," Percy says as we made the short walk up the crest of Halfbood hill.
"Yeah, why do you recall this? Am I going to turn into the Lorax?" I joked making him roll his eyes.
"No, but Grover and I were talking the other day. About his assignment to bring us here, well he had one another one before us. He brought Annabeth, and Luke to camp," he explained and I felt the others watching us as we stopped. At the bottom of the hill I noticed Luke racing up to catch us before departure.
"How does this relate to my feelings about a tree?" I pondered giving him a raised brow. Wondering if he finally lost his marbles.
"It's Thalia, your half sister," he admitted, the look in his eyes told me that he had been relieved to finally have the chance to tell me. "The gods might fight but family connections are what bind them to Western civilization, which could explain you're connection towards the tree,"
"What Percy is trying to say is that Thalia sacrificed her life to allow Grover, Luke and I to get to camp safely. In her last dying breaths Zeus spared her of a gruesome death. Preserving her life within the pine, and it's her spirit that provides protection to the camp," Annie states sadly looking at the tree in utter heartbreak.
"That's why I remind you and Luke of her. She was my sister," I concluded gently placing my hand on the trunk of it. Shocked when I felt what could only be described as a pulse beneath my hand. I shook it off as just my mind playing a trick.
As the conversation ended Luke was now in our presence. Slightly out of breath from his run up the hill. He was glad to have caught us before our departure. Saying that despite not being able to accompany us, he still wanted to help.
He gifted Percy a pair of flying sneakers, that had been gifted to him by Hermes. They had been a big help to him on his last quest and hoped they'd be useful for us. I had also learned that from that quest is where he got the scar down his face.
Percy was beat red, just as Annie had been the minute Luke had showed up. I knew that Percy had started looking up to Luke these past few days. But the sight made me giggle. 'Your bisexuality is showing there Perce' I thought to myself. Now I'm pretty sure that he didn't know that yet, and maybe I'm jumping to conclusions. But as a bisexual myself, the signs were there. But that's a topic for another time.
"Thanks," Percy says taking the shoes from the older boy.
"Alot of hope is riding on the both of you. So kill some monsters for me," Luke states shaking Percy's hand. He patted Grover between his horns and gave Annabeth a goodbye hug. He offered me a smile, gently patting my shoulder. Then he wishes us luck and went back into the camp.
"You're hyperventiling," Percy told Annabeth who looked like she was about to pass out after that hug.
"Am not!" She retorts trying to brush it off but I decided to join in on the teasing.
"You let him capture the flag instead of you, didnt you?" I joked wiggling my brows and she flung her arms in defeat.
"Oh why do I want to go anywhere with you two," she states stalking off down the hill. Argus following behind her seeing as he's our ride into town.
As it turned out that despite Luke's best intentions it wouldn't be wise for Percy to wear the shoes. Zeus wouldn't hesitate to strike him down if he were to enter the air. So Grover had been given them instead. Which he was happy about.
In a haste attempt to try them out, he placed them over his fake feet and shouted the command word. This resulted in him being flung around with his legs in the air and back to the ground. He began sliding down the hill and I quickly followed suit, hoping to stop him before he got injured.
~~~
As soon as I sat in the van my earbuds went in. Chiron said that using cellphones was a no no, he never said anything about an MP3 player. The soothing sounds of All Time Low's song Sleepwalking filled my ears drowning out the bickering of Annabeth and Percy. That was until it got unbearable so I belted out the song at full volume to drown them out more.
Wide awake but it just feels so wrong,
Stay in bed 'til the whole years gone,
Wake me up when it's over,
Feel like I'm sleepwalking when you're gone
Medicate 'til my brain goes numb
Like a dream where your feet don't run,
Stuck in place, paralyzed, I
Feel like I'm sleep walking when you're gone
The singing must've soothed them because not long after I finished the course Percy's head lulled onto my shoulder. In the rearview mirror I saw Argus looking at us, a smile on his face as he sent me a wink.
Traffic was slowing us down quite a bit, so by the time we reached the gray station close to our appartment building, the sun had already began setting. Argus had helped us with our bags and helped us obtain our tickets. As he left the eye on the back of his hand opened. Watching us intently as he pulled out of the parking lot.
By then Percy was staring longingly at the direction of our building. Clearly thinking about Sally. I took his hand, running my thumb along the back of it.
"You're wondering why she married him?" Grover asked reading his emotions, which I had learned they could do the other day when he had caught the scent of my sadness about being neglected by our peers. And missing my mom. Who right now would be working in her vet clinic.
"Can you read my mind or something?" Percy asked shocked that his best friend hit the nail right on the head.
"Just your emotions. But she did it to protect you. You call him smelly for a reason right? Well he's got this revolting aura, heck I can smell him from here. Even traces of it off both of you and you've not been around him in a week or so," Grover replied and I reached into the pocket of my bomber jacket taking out my perfume, spritzing myself with it. Internally cringing at the thought, until the smell of coconut filled my senses.
"Gross, why didn't you tell me I smelled like a sewer!" I exclaimed glaring at my other best friend, shocked that if Gabe smelled that bad that Grover even wanted to be around us. And I only spent like two seconds with the guy.
"Thanks," Percy says "where's the nearest shower?"
"Be thankful that he smells so horribly human. Spending every summer with him has masked your godly blood. Naomie's as well, given she lived her whole life right under you're place. Your mother's are alot closer than you know," Grover adds to the explanation as Annie just stood there quietly observing our surroundings.
"Our mothers are actually friends? Then why haven't Percy and I not met until last fall at school?" I asked confused about that part.
"That part you'll have to discuss with them because I don't know the answer," Grover states before heading to a bench, taking Annie with him. They began waiting for the bus.
"Oh hey before I forget, Chiron asked me to give you this. You ran off before he could," Percy's voice brought me out of my thoughts. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a charm bracelet. It looked like it was made of the same metal as the weapons in camp.
"It's beautiful but how is it going to help me?" I asked holding out my right hand, and he carefully put it on. The metal felt cool on my skin, but the charms glimmered in the setting sun.
He smirked "Take off any charm and you'll see," the mysterious look in his eyes intrigued me as I undid the clip for a dagger shaped charm. As soon as the pendant left the bracelet it began transforming into a 10 inch dagger.
"Does it do that for every one?" I asked looking up at him in wonder, and he nodded his head. He gently took the dagger from my hand and tapped it against the bracelet, and it became a charm once more.
After that the two of us joined our companions on the bench, trying our best to patiently wait for our bus. But that's hard for three kids with ADHD and a satyr who eats everything when he's nervous. Hopefully we didn't have to wait too long....
YOU ARE READING
In A Flash of Lightning (Percy Jackson)
Fanfiction(On Hold) Naomie Miller was what society would deem as a troublemaker. Which the majority of times was due to no fault of her own, as she was different from most kids her age. Not that she knew it of course, however because of her obliviousness on t...
