Child of the Moon

Coach Hedge Fights A Lake

It wasn't a pretty landing.  With the oars damaged and the foresail torn, Leo could barely manage a controlled descent.  Everyone else strapped themselves in below, save for our resident lunatic, Coach Hedge, who insisted on clinging to the forward rail and challenging the lake below us.

Hedge: YEAH!  Bring it on, lake!

I stared out the window of my room, but I didn't have much time to take in the scenery.  To the southeast, a city was nestled in the foothills of a mountain range, blue and purple in the afternoon shadows.  A flat desert landscape spread to the south.  Directly beneath us, the Great Salt Lake glittered like aluminum foil, the shoreline etched with white salt marshes..

Leo: Hang on, Coach!  This is going to hurt.

Hedge: I was born for hurt!

The Argo II listed dangerously to starboard, then righted itself and rocked on the surface of the lake.  Machinery hummed as the aerial blades that were still working changed to nautical form.  Three banks of robotic oars dipped into the water and began moving us forward.  I ran up to the deck to make sure everyone was okay.

YN: You two alright?

Leo: Yeah.  Good job, Festus.  Take us toward the south shore.

Hedge: Yeah!

Coach Hedge pumped his fists in the air.  He was drenched from his horns to hooves, but grinning like a crazy goat.

Hedge: Do it again!

Leo: Uh...maybe later.  Just stay above deck, okay?  You can keep watch, in case... you know, the lake decides to attack us or something.

Hedge: On it.

Leo rang the all clear bell and we headed for the stairs.  Before we got there, a loud clump clump clumpshook the hull.  A tan stallion appeared on deck with Hazel on his back.

Leo: How... we're in the middle of a lake!  Can that thing fly?

Arion whinnied angrily.

Hazel: Arion can't fly, but he can run across just about anything.  Water, vertical surfaces,small mountains, none of that bothers him.

Leo: Oh.

Coach Hedge crept forward with his baseball bat, eyeing the magic horse suspiciously.

Hedge: Valdez,does this count as an invasion?

YN: No!

Leo: Um, Hazel, you'd better come with me.  I built a stable belowdecks, if Arion wants to-

Hazel: He's more of a free spirit.  He'll graze around the lake until I call him.  But I want to see the ship.  Lead the way.

The Argo II was designed like an ancient trireme, only twice as big.  The first deck had one central corridor with crew cabins on either side.  On a normal trireme, most of the space would've been taken up with three rows of benches for a few hundred sweaty guys to do the manual labor, but the ship's oars were automated and retractable, so they took up very little room inside the hull.  The ship's power came from the engine room on the second and lowest deck, which also housed sickbay, storage, and the stables.  Leo led the way down the hall.  He'd built the ship with nine cabins.  Eight for the demigods of the prophecy, and a room for Coach Hedge, who Chiron somehow considered a responsible adult chaperone for whatever reason.  Leo had made it so Annabeth and I had our own room, as well as Percy and Calypso.  Hedge had apparently thrown a fit about campers sleeping together, but Leo had convinced him by giving him a slightly larger room.  At the stern was a large mess hall/lounge, which was where we were headed.  On the way, we passed Jason's room.  The door was open.  Piper sat at the side of his berth, holding Jason's hand while he snored with an ice pack on his head.  Piper glanced at Leo.  She held a finger to her lips for quiet, but she didn't look angry.  Zoe's door was open, but the room was empty.  When we reached the messhall, we found the others, Percy, Annabeth, Zoe, Calypso, and Frank, sitting dejectedly around the dining table.  Zoe had bandages around her head, and was chewing some ambrosia.  Leo had made the lounge as nice as possible, since he figured we'd be spending a lot of time there.  The cupboard was lined with magic cups and plates from Camp Half-Blood, which would fill up with whatever food or drink you wanted on command.  There was also a magical ice chest with canned drinks, perfect for picnics ashore.  The chairs were cushy recliners with thousand finger massage, built in headphones, and sword and drink holders for all your demigod kicking back needs.  There were no windows, but the walls were enchanted to show real time footage from Camp Half Blood.  The beach, the forest, the strawberry fields, although at the moment it was making me homesick rather than happy.  Percy was staring longingly at a sunset view of Half-Blood Hill, where the Golden Fleece glittered in the branches of the tall pine tree.

Percy: So we've landed.  What now?

Frank plucked on his bowstring.

Frank: Figure out the prophecy?  I mean... that was a prophecy Ella spoke, right?  From the Sibylline Books?

Leo: The what?

Frank explained how our harpy friend was freakishly good at memorizing books.  At some point in the past, she'd inhaled a collection of ancient prophecies that had supposedly been destroyed around the fall of Rome.

Leo: That's why you didn't tell the Romans.  You didn't want them to get hold of her.

Percy kept staring at the image of Half-Blood Hill.

YN: Ella's sensitive.  She was a captive when we found her.  I just didn't want...

Percy: It doesn't matter now.  I sent Tyson an Iris-message, told him to take Ella to Camp Half-Blood.  They'll be safe there.

Annabeth laced her fingers.

Annabeth: Let me think about the prophecy.  Right now we have more immediate problems.  We have to get this ship fixed.  Leo, what do we need?

Leo: The easiest thing is tar.  We can get that in the city, at a roofing supply store or someplace like that.  Also, Celestial bronze and lime.  According to Festus, we can find both of those on an island in the lake, just west of here.

Hazel: We'll have to hurry.  Knowing Octavian, he's searching for us with his auguries.  The Romans will send a strike force after us.  It's a matter of honor.

YN: Him and his stupid stuffed animals...

Leo: Guys... I don't know what happened.  Honestly-

Annabeth raised her hand.

Annabeth: We've been talking.  We agree it couldn't have been you, Leo.  That cold feeling you mentioned... I felt it too.  It must have been some sort of magic, either Octavian or Gaea or one of her minions.  But until we understand what happened-

Frank: How can we be sure it won't happen again?

Leo: I feel fine now, but we should still be safe.  Maybe we should use the buddy system.  Nobody goes anywhere alone.  We can leave Piper and Coach Hedge on board with Jason.  Send one team into town to get tar.  Another team can go after the bronze and the lime.

Percy: Split up?  That sounds like a really bad idea.

YN: But it will be quicker.  And safer.  Nine demigods traveling together at once... it's a bad idea.  Every monster in the state will know exactly where we are.  As a matter of fact, us just sitting here is probably bad.

Calypso: The ship is designed to conceal and protect us.  We should be safe enough onboard, but if we go on expeditions, we shouldn't travel in groups larger than three.  No sense alerting more of Gaea's minions than we have to.

Percy still didn't look happy about it, but he took Calypso's hand.

Percy: As long as you're my buddy, I'm good.

Hazel: Oh, that's easy.  Frank, you were amazing, turning into a dragon!  Could you do it again to fly Calypso and Percy into town for the tar?

Frank opened his mouth like he wanted to protest.

Frank: I... I suppose.  But what about you?

Hazel: I'll ride Arion with... with Leo, here.

She fidgeted with her sword hilt.

YN: I'll go with you too.  I need some fresh air.  We'll get the bronze and the lime, and we can all meet back here by dark.

Annabeth: Then I'll stay here with Hedge and protect the ship.

Frank scowled.  Obviously, he didn't like the idea of Leo going off with Hazel.  I get why.

Annabeth: Leo.  If we get the supplies, how long to fix the ship?

Leo: With luck, just a few hours.

Annabeth: Fine.  We'll meet you back here as soon as possible, but stay safe.  We could use some good luck.  That doesn't mean we'll get it.