¹POCKET FULL OF POSIES. p. jackson

𝐗𝐈𝐈𝐈. the party ponies

pocket full of posies
❛ xiii. the party ponies ❜

━━━━━ WAKING UP BY being smacked in the face by salt water was not the way Posie wanted to wake up. Percy was shaking her shoulder. She looked around, her eyes wide, and then wildly turned to face forward, ears burning.

Seeing his face so close to her made her momentarily forget about her nightmares. Seeing the gaunt face of Liviana as her eyes glowed a dangerous green and her tears were the color of poison as the man spoke to her ( Don't forget, he said. We've met. And will again—soon. ) would seemingly be hard to forget, but here Posie was.

In the distance, the sun was setting behind a city skyline. She could see a beachside highway lined with palm trees, storefronts glowing with red-and-blue neon, and a harbor filled with sailboats and cruise ships.

"Um," Posie cleared her throat. "Where are we?"

"Miami, I think," Annabeth answered from her own hippocampus. "But the hippocampi are acting funny."

And with that, there was a whining noise, and then they began swimming in circles, sniffing the water. They didn't look happy. One of them sneezed. After a moment, Percy turned to the others and declared, "This is as far as they'll take us. Too many humans. Too much pollution. We'll have to swim to shore on our own."

Posie wasn't thrilled with the idea, but she knew there was no other option. She slid off her hippocampus's back and into the ocean, wincing from the cold.

You've changed, Onesimus suddenly said. Like, a lot.

Of course I have, agreed Posie. Last summer, I would've passed out from the thought of going on a quest, and here I am—swiming in the ocean after fighting for my life against a Cyclopes.

No, I mean— Onesimus stopped for a moment. Well, yes. That. But I mean ... everything else. It's a good way. I like it, kid. You're stronger now.

Posie wasn't so sure she agreed, but she took the compliments in stride, knowing how Onesimus was. But ... she was different—if you ever looked at Posie last summer and said, You're going to go on two life-threatening quests and make some of your best friends! she would've laughed in their face. But that person would've been right. No really, even Percy knew how to help Posie calm down from a panic attack before it became uncontrollable.

She was still Posie Easton, just ... more comfortable ( and uncomfortable ) in her own skin. A bit more confident, a ton more scared of herself, and a lot more accepting to other's help.

Why are you saying this, Onesimus? she asked curiously.

I just ... want to make you feel better, he said. Knowing I couldn't help you when you had that—what'd you call it?

Panic attack, supplied Posie.

Yeah, that. I felt a bit helpless not being able to help you, he admitted. This whole quest. I told you you'd get answers, but ... you don't really see it as answers.

You mean when Apollo spoke to me about the plagues? she asked.

That, and ... Onesimus trailed off. Forget it. It hasn't happened yet.