The ice stretched out infront of me, trapping most of the pirates in it. Some of them were frozen up to the waist, while some further back just had their ankles trapped in the ice. A few pirates were still on the shore, and unaffected by my ice. Annabeth leapt out of the water, high into the air, disappearing in the night sky.
"Did... did she just ditch me?!" I shouted, looking for her in the dark sky.
One of the pirates screamed and flew past me splashing into the water. I turned to see Annabeth fighting the left over pirates and the captain alone.
"What?! Hang on I'm coming!" I shouted, and struggled to wad my way through the waist high water. She sent a couple of men, flying through the air and disappeared into the forest. She then flipped over the captain, and kicked his head mid air. He fell to the ground, and she landed gently a few feet away.
The captain got up and ran off, leaving the rest of his crew behind in the ice.
"Come on Percy we have to move," Annabeth said. She jumped up onto Appa's back and grabbed the reins. I crawled up the side of the fur monster and he launched into the night air.
We flew for a while, none of us saying a word. Annabeth was sitting on the front seat of the saddle watching where we were flying. I moved closer to her, sitting with my back against the wall of the saddle, and Annabeth to my right.
"You are an amazing fighter," I said. "You didn't need my help at all."
"Well, I am the Avatar and an Airbending Master," Annabeth said, keeping her eyes on the sky. Her tone was pretty cold.
"Oh...yeah..." I said softly, I began wondering if I did something to piss her off. "Did...did I offend you somehow?"
Annabeth looked at me confused, "No. Not at all," she said. "Why say that?"
"Well... your tone was kinda... icy," I said.
"Oh... no... I was just thinking about what the pirate said. Nothing about you, no. You were actually really amazing. Learning that ice move that quickly. I wouldn't have been able to fight all of the pirates at once. Yeah..." Annabeth turned around to look at me. Her legs were crossed, and she was still in her swimware. She was looking down, her thumb flicking something on the saddle. "I was just thinking... it's been a 100 years since I disappeared... everyone I knew is long dead. And I'm alone."
"You're not alone," I said. "You got this giant fur pig. And you got... me. I'm not going anywhere soon, I'll stick around with you until you master water. Then, I guess... it's up to you if I stay or go."
"Why would it be up to me?" Annabeth said.
"Well, you would have mastered water. Since I'm your water teacher, and if you master it, I'm out of a job," I said. "I mean, sure I want to stay with you and travel all over the world with you like all the time. But if there's no need for me, then why keep me around."
Annabeth jumped up and landed next to me sitting in the saddle. She was shivering a bit, so I handed her my water tribe jacket as a blanket. "Thank you..." she said, pulling the jacket over her legs and tucking her arms in. "For the record... I want you to stay, and travel with me all the time too. You're my only friend now, and I don't want to lose you." she said softly, and gently laid her head on my shoulder.
I kinda froze, and didn't know what to say next. A few minutes passed, and Annabeth hasn't said anything either. "I like you..." I blurted out. She didn't say anything, I turned to look at her. She was asleep, with her head on my shoulder. "Damn..." I chuckled, and relaxed laying my head on top of hers and falling asleep too.
