The Great Divide (Percy Jackson Fanfiction)

Chapter 18- Calli

This time when I woke up the sun was rising. I stretched my arms and rubbed the sandman from my eyes. As I sat up I remembered Annabeth had been in our cabin. I glanced over at Percy's bunk. He was still asleep. He had one arm draped across his pillow, I'm guessing where Annabeth had been and the other under his head, his mouth was open and there was a small puddle of drool on his pillow.

I crawled down my ladder and went into the bathroom. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, my long black hair hung over my shoulders, only a little messed up since I didn't move in my sleep. I stared at my frame, I'm small, even for a thirteen, I caught myself, a fourteen year old, and not very strong. Yes this past week had started making me stronger but it had only been a week. I looked into my green eyes, I no longer thought of grass when I saw them, now I recognized the depths of the sea that were reflected in them. They now reminded me of the dad I had never met. When I had asked Percy he had told me that our dad had shaft black hair and green eyes just like us. I no longer felt like my looks disconnected me from my mom but connected me to my dad. I picked up my brush and started tearing it through my hair. The familiar motion calmed my already growing nerves. I knew that soon the day would begin, Nico, Jason and I would leave for Saint Louis and I would embrace the family legacy of quests. After my hair looked decent I grabbed the clothes I had set out and closed the bathroom door so I could change.

When I came out of the bathroom Percy was climbing down from his bunk, squinting in the now full sunlight that was shining through our windows. "Hey." He said as he passed me to go into the bathroom. "Hey!" I yelled back at him. The door was already closed. I decided I'd wait for Percy before I went to breakfast so I sat on the bottom bunk and practiced with the fountain again. I was really starting to get a hang of controlling water. I heard a knock at the cabin door and released the personal geyser I had made. "Come in!" Nico walked in. He was wearing his usual get up, dark jeans, a black shirt with a skull on it and a leather jacket, even though it was at least seventy degrees out. "Good morning." I said, kind of surprised to see him "Percy's in the bathroom, if you wait a second he'll be out." "Actually I'm here to check in with you." Nico said. Now I was really surprised "Oh OK, well I'm not in the bathroom so feel free to talk." I almost face palmed myself, I'm not in the bathroom? What a dork. Nico walked over and sat on the bunk across from me. "So, it's OK, to be nervous." Nico said awkwardly "But you shouldn't worry too much, this is a pretty routine quest so we shouldn't have to worry about any involvement from the gods or too many monsters. So yeah, don't worry, but it's OK to worry if you want to, but you shouldn't. I mean it's not even really a quest more like a mission, or a road trip " I stared at Nico, those were the most words I'd ever heard out of his mouth. "OK, thanks." Nico nodded and started getting a shifty look in his eyes , I could tell he was ready to leave when Percy walked out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair with a towel. He had a khaki shorts on and wasn't wearing a shirt and though I had grown use to Percy's utter lack of modesty Nico seemed very uncomfortable. When Percy saw Nico, he started blushing and immediately grabbed the orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt that was hanging off his bunk and threw it on. Nico stood up "Right, well I'm going to go get breakfast." Nico cleared his throat "I promised Will I'd meet with him before we left, so, see you guys later." And he rushed out of the room. Percy was still standing in the bathroom doorway, towel now on the floor. "OK, well, we should go to breakfast too. You ready?" I nodded and Percy followed me out the door.

When Percy and I got to the mess hall there was a quiet roar of noise as half bloods were waking up. Sunday morning. Mom and I would be heading to church now, after she had made me birthday pancakes. "It's my birthday." I blurted out. Percy looked down at me, "Happy birthday Calli." "Thanks." "That means, your what? Fourteen?" Percy asked. I nodded, "Yep." "I'm still kind of surprised we didn't get you sooner, I mean Dad knows the rules." I nodded again, I only vaguely knew what he was talking about, the requests he had made from the gods after the first great war. Percy took the lead to our usual table and I followed. Will and Nico were already sitting down eating sausage and eggs off of one another's plates. Percy sat down next to Will. "Guys, it is Calli's fourteenth birthday. I vote we make the entire camp sing for her." "No!" I blurted out immediately regretting telling him. Will laughed "Happy Birthday Calli!" "Thanks, but let's not have anyone sing." I said glaring at Percy as I sat down next to Nico. Annabeth sat down seconds after Percy and I had joined the table and scooted super close to Percy. They exchanged a look that seemed to say I missed you and don't you dare tell anyone, at the same time. They're relationship was too complex for me to try and decipher. "Where are Jason and Piper or Leo and Calypso?" Percy asked after swallowing a mouthful of blue pancakes. What was his deal with blue food? "Well Leo hasn't left his underground bunker for over twenty four hours now and Calypso is sitting at the Aphrodite table." Annabeth answered. "Oh, good." Percy said, seeming a little relieved that Calypso wouldn't be joining us. He always looked a little more awkward when she was around. "What about Piper and Jason?" Will asked. "They're in the woods having a picnic." Grover rolled his eyes as he sat down, "I saw them there after I left Juniper." Everyone nodded like them having picnics was pretty normal.
After breakfast everyone dispersed into opposite directions. Grover went to go hang out with Juniper, Annabeth had signed Percy and her up for a shift working in the strawberry fields Will and Nico went to the medic area to go check on a few of Will's patients and I decided to go to the beach. I was sad to leave it after being to a beach for the first time in my life. I knew the Midwest well and there wouldn't be any beaches there.
As I took off my converse I checked the time on my wristwatch. It was the one Percy gave me. He said to use it if I got into any trouble, I wasn't sure what I would use a watch for but I was grateful for the temporary gift. I had to give it back when we returned from New Rome. 9:30, I had an hour until we left for Saint Louis. I decided to spend my hour wading. Soaking in as much of the saltwater as I could before we left.
When thirty minutes had passed I walked back to my cabin. My legs were drying in the hot sun and my body felt revived. When go to my cabin I opened the bag Percy had given me and opened it. I went through everything I had packed one more time. After that, I picked up the jeans I had laid out on the bed. I figured I'd be better off in those since it was going to get cold fast in Missouri. Once I'd changed, I slipped the knife my dad had sent me into my pocket. I grabbed my hoodie off the door hook and looked down at my watch. Thirty minutes had already flown by, it was time to go.

Walking up to the Big House where we were meeting. I saw Piper and Jason talking next to a big oak tree. In between them were their hands grasped in one anothers. Piper swung their hands to and fro. Jason leaned in and gently kissed Piper and then they hugged, as I got closer, I heard Piper whisper "Be careful." They pulled apart and Jason grinned "Aren't I always?" Piper rolled her eyes and pushed Jason's glasses up on his nose. I walked on and sat down on the steps of the Big House's porch. Nervously I fiddled with the straps of the Water Land backpack. When I looked up Jason was walking up to the Big House holding hands with Piper. Behind me I heard the door open. I turned around and out walked Chiron. "Ready?" He asked "As I'll ever be." I said, trying to hide the anxiety in my voice. Chiron laughed "That's the attitude!" He said and clapped me on the back. "Hey guys!" Jason said as he walked up to us, his hand still holding Pipers. Right as Jason sat down next to me Nico and Will walked up. "So I'll be back in like a week." Nico said eyeing all of us sitting on the porch. Will nodded "OK man, be safe." Nico looked over at us again "I will be." Will wrapped Nico into a hug. At first Nico tensed but he quickly relaxed and hugged back. After a few seconds they pulled apart. Will put his hands on Nico's shoulders "No shadow jumping." He said sternly. Nico frowned "OK" Will held on a second longer staring into Nico's eyes to see if Nico meant what he had said. Satisfied and he let go and Nico breathed a sigh. "Don't let him do any underworld magic guys." Will said looking at all of us. "We won't." Jason said reassuringly. I nodded agreeing, even though I didn't know what he meant by underworld magic. Piper stood up and joined Will, "OK, well bye guys. Everyone be safe, call us when you get to Saint Louis." "Bye Pipes." Jason said Piper nodded and walked off with Will. I had hoped Percy would come say goodbye to me but I guess he was busy. He had a lot of homework to work on he had told me after school Friday. "Well guys, good luck, may the gods be with you." Chiron said and then walked back into the Big House. Jason and I stood up and walked with Nico towards the edge of the camp. None of us talked, everyone stuck in their own mind. I didn't mind the silence. I was still mentally preparing myself for whatever was going to happen when we left the camp borders. Part of me worried that we would immediately be swarmed by monsters.

"Wait, guys wait!" I turned around, behind us Percy and Annabeth were running up the hill. Jason, Nico and I stopped. "Hey," Percy panted "just wanted to say goodbye and good luck." Annabeth breathed in and out heavily "Yeah, good luck! Let us know what happens in Saint Louis, hopefully nothing will, but, keep us posted." Jason laughed, "Will do, thanks guys!" "And take care if my sister, oh and tell Tyson I say hi when you get to New Rome." Percy added. I beamed when Percy called me his sister, I knew it was one of those obvious truths since we shared a dad but it meant a lot that he actually thought of me as that. "Well, we'll see you guys in a week or so." Jason said. We all exchanged goodbyes and then walked off in the opposite directions. Percy and Annabeth back to camp, Jason, Nico and I towards our quest.

After walking for about thirty minutes in total silence I spoke up, "So are we going to walk the whole way to Saint Louis?" Jason and Nico exchanged a look. "No, just until we reach the city." Jason answered "And then what?" I asked. "Then I'm gonna hotwire a car and call my good friend Jules-Albert and he's going to drive us to Saint Louis." Nico said "Oh OK. Who's Jules-Albert ?" "He's Nico's chauffeur. Oh and he's a zombie." Jason answered. "Oh, OK." I said again. We continues walking in silence for another thirty minutes when we finally reached a small neighborhood. At this point my legs were exhausted and I was finding it hard to breathe. Even though we had only been walking for hour my body was not used to this kind of continuous exertion. Jason lead us into the neighborhood and we walked past a couple of houses until we found one with a silver Prius sitting out front. "Perfect." Nico said with a grin. The smile was a tad evil but I decided to ignore that. Even though I had done a lot of things that had gotten me into trouble before, I could safely say I had never hot wired a car before, and even though I wasnt entirely against the idea I wasn't entirely in support of it. My hands started to sweat as Nico unlocked the door with his sword and started the process. Jason and I looked out but since it was the middle of the day we didn't have any trouble. After a few seconds I heard the engine rev to life. Jason and I turned around. "We're ready!" Nico smiled. Jason and I jumped in the back of the car while Nico summoned Jules-Albert . The next thing I knew a decrepit man with a black suit on was sitting in the front seat next to Nico and we were off. Jules-Albert zoomed through the streets as if he were racing and before I knew it we were on the highway headed towards Saint Louis.