How Do You Say Gods- Last Olympian

4: I GO CRUISING WITH EXPLOSIVES Part 2

We now return to our regularly scheduled program. I didn't originally plan Annabeth's arrival to get two whole chapters, but hey, who's complaining about more content of this? Certainly not me!

PJOPJO

Jason jumped to his feet with a stance that meant battle was still afoot.

He took a deep breath though and marched, literally like his steps were being counted, past Thalia and snatched his beanbag up, hauling it to where Nico's was and throwing himself violently into it as answer.

Sparks were still flitting around his head like a power outage gone very wrong, (they were pretty sure he couldn't set the furniture on fire?) but at least he'd stopped taking his turn to try and kill them all.

"Jason," Thalia tried again, the heartbreak in her voice clear, but he turned his face away with anger she knew she had to give space to or risk the wrath of far worse.

"I'm really hoping this finally trumps my screaming fit," Magnus said into the awkward silence. "Surely Annabeth showing up and nearly getting this place blown to hell finally makes me seem not that bad, right?"

"As if Maggie," the last girl scoffed and put her hands on her hips, her swagger enough to fill this room. "If I ever let you live that down then I'm having a bad day."

"Is there even an explanation for what you two are doing here?" Annabeth asked them as she came forward, her arms open hopefully to her cousin.

Magnus smiled in surprise and hesitantly came forward. The hug was just as awkward, but just as sincere as her boyfriends. Magnus even gave her a rapid pat on the back too before pulling back.

There was something about his appearance that nagged at Annabeth's mind instantly, but she couldn't quite place it as he smiled and gestured to his friend, "Alex, Annabeth. You obviously know everybody else."

"Alex Fierro," Alex would never let anybody introduce her but herself with a grand bow. "Genderfluid, she/ her pronouns, a great admirer of your work to piggyback ride a fury."

"Alex is, abrasive," Thalia agreed to Annabeth's astounded look, anything to keep her broken-hearted eyes away from Jason. "You get used to her pretty quickly."

"You do?" Percy demanded, because he sure wasn't yet.

Annabeth was as quick a study as had been promised. She followed her instinct as she looked from her, to her cousin, to Jason Grace, and turned to Thalia, Alex watched with interest.

Nico had mentioned another Camp...Artemis's transformations...Hera's ploy...there were pieces and dots that needed to be connected. "Something happened to Artemis, but I'm sure she's safe." Annabeth said as her eyes repeated to all the kids who 'shouldn't be here.'

"That was my fault I'm afraid," Alex answered a touch guiltily. "Skadi. I couldn't help but think of her, seeing the goddess in person."

Magnus took it as a good sign that his cousins' surprised but accepting attitude of him being here instead of pelting him with toy soldiers as a good omen as she gave his arm a friendly squeeze he made himself tolerate for her sake and went back over to Percy.

She linked her arm with his and pulled him gently down onto two bean bags that they might as well sew together now. Thalia flopped miserably down beside her and took to looking at the same place Jason was glaring as if they'd inscribed the stars into the ceiling while Annabeth cautiously picked up the book.

"This is what's causing so much trouble huh?" She chuckled.

"We can take a break while you catch up," Will instantly offered, studying her clinically.