𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 ➵ 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧¹

: ̗̀➛𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 nico's new babysitters

edited

┌── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┐

Devi just seemed to realize how much of a dork Percy Jackson was. She couldn't blame him though since she also was confused and exhausted. The only thing she wanted at that moment was sleep, her body felt tired, like she had run a marathon. However, Percy decided to say the stupidest thing.

"Um...okay."

Devi had no clue how Percy made it this far in life. 

Somehow all the energy rushed back to Grover. He gasped and knelt hastily in the snow and started yammering, "Thank you, Lady Artemis! you're so... you're so... Wow!"

"Get up, goat boy!" Thalia snapped. "We have other things to worry about. Annabeth is gone!"

"Whoa," Bianca di Angelo said. "Hold up. Time out"

Everybody looked at her. She pointed a finger at all of them in turn, like she was trying to connect the dots. "Who... who are you people?"

Artemis's expression softened. "It might be a better question, my girl, to ask who are you! Who are your parents?"

Bianca glanced nervously at her brother, who was still staring in awe at Artemis.

"Our parents are dead," Bianca said. "We're orphans. There's a bank trust that pays for our school, but..." She faltered. She could tell that they didn't believe her from their faces. "What?" she demanded. "I'm telling the truth."

"You are a half-blood," Zoe Nightshade said. Her accent was hard to place. It sounded old-fashioned like she was reading from a really old book. It reminded Devi every time her teacher read something from a Shakespeare book in school. "One of thy parents was mortal. The other was an Olympian." 

"An Olympian...Athlete?"

"No," Zoe said. "One of the gods."

"Cool!" said Nico.

"No!" Bianca's voice quavered. "This is not cool!"

Nico danced around like he needed to use the restroom. "Does Zeus really have lightning bolts that do six hundred damage? Does he get extra movement points for—" 

"Nico, shut up!" Bianca put her hands to her face. "This is not your stupid Mythomagic game, okay? There are no gods!"

The boy looked at the ground, upset. Through half-closed eyes, Devi was the only one who noticed the boy falter.  After having one or no parents to support you, being moved from place to place, and being chased by monsters you can't help getting frustrated over it. It isn't easy when a demigod finds out about being one.

Thalia must've been feeling something similar because the anger in her eyes subsided a little bit. "Bianca, I know it's hard to believe, But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well... Our lives are dangerous."

"Dangerous," Bianca said, "like the girl who fell."

Devi grimaced at the mention of her best friend.

Even Artemis looked pained. "Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why won't you let us go look for her?" Percy asked.  

"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished."