The Next Generation: Hades's Helm

Chapter 12: Thunder

Thunder was just sitting in the Zeus cabin, playing with Delilah. Normally, she would be in Camp Jupiter, but she never left when Delilah was here.

Delilah was sitting on Thunder's lap, touching her hands. When Delilah would touch her hands, Thunder would spark a bit. Not enough to hurt the toddler, just enough to make her giggle.

Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened. Ally walked in, followed by a girl Thunder didn't recognize.

Thunder stands up, putting Delilah down on the bed. She walks over to the two younger girls. "Hey, Ally. Who's this?"

"This is Hayley. She's new, just got claimed. The daughter of Hades." Ally answers. The girl behind her, Hayley, waves a bit.

"Oh," Thunder mutters, looking the girl over for a moment before looking back at Ally. "You don't think...?"

"She has to be." Ally says, nodding. "She's the only child of Hades we've seen in nearly 10 years."

Thunder pauses for a moment, before nodding slowly and stepping aside to let the girls into her room. Delilah was distracted by Thunder's ring.

"So, first quest. How are you feeling?" Thunder asks. She was looking at Ally, but the question was directed towards both of the girls.

"Fine," Ally says, shrugging and looking down at the floor.

That's when Thunder knew something was wrong. Ally was always excited, wanting to go on her first quest. Now that she was on the brink of it, she seemed distant, almost afraid. That was fair. A lot of demigods, older ones that are much more skilled than Ally, died on quests all the time. But Thunder had seen Ally at training. She was more than capable of surviving.

"Hey," Thunder says, kneeling down in front of the younger girl. "You'll be fine. I promise. You'll get back to camp. You'll be able to go back to school."

Ally looks up at Thunder, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. She nods, then sighs, walking over to an empty bed and sitting on it. She gestures for Hayley to sit beside her, but the youngest girl shakes her head, remaining standing.

"How are we going to get to Korea?" Ally asks, looking over at Thunder. "We can't fly, because we have a daughter of Hades with us. We can't go by boat, because of you and Hayley."

"We could have the Gray Sisters take us," Thunder suggests. She'd only heard about the three taxi driving sisters in Chiron's stories, but it seemed like their only option.

Ally pauses for a moment, glancing at Hayley. Thunder could practically see the gears turning in her head as she thinks. Eventually, Ally nods slowly, looking back at Thunder. "That could work."

Thunder glances from Hayley back to Ally, nodding. She sighs, looking over at Delilah and gently stroking the young girl's hair. "We should leave as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the more we'll overthink it. Plus, I think Hades wants his helm back."

Ally nods, standing up. "I'll help Hayley pack the stuff she'll need. We leave before sundown. You go ask Chiron if the Gray Sisters can travel across the ocean."

Thunder nods, watching as Ally leads Hayley out. She doesn't move for a moment, before standing up and picking up Delilah.

Moments later, she arrived at the Big House. She knocked on the door, before entering Rachel's room.

Rachel was sitting on her bed, on her laptop. She looked up when she heard the door open, smiling. She opens her arm and Delilah immediately crawls into her mother's side. Thunder smiles, taking her ring back, waving to Rachel, and walks out of the room. She closes the door behind her, walking towards Chiron's office.

"Chiron," Thunder calls out, opening the door to the centaur's office.

Chiron was sitting in his wheelchair, looking over some injury reports from the infirmary. When he hears Thunder call his name, he looks up, sitting up a bit. "Ah, daughter of Jupiter. You're here to discuss the new prophecy, yes?"

Thunder nods, walking into Chiron's office. "Kind of. Can the gray sisters move across oceans?"

Chiron pauses for a moment, contemplating Thunder's question. "I should think so, for a few extra Drachmas. Why?"

"Our quest is in Korea," Thunder explains, "and we have no means of getting there. We can't go by ocean or air, because we have a daughter of Hades. And we can't go by land."

Chiron nods, thinking for a few moments before speaking again. "I suppose that's reasonable. Ally should know how to hail their taxi. And I'm sure she has some Golden Drachmas."

Thunder nods, sighing quietly. "Yes. Thank you, Chiron."

"Of course, my dear. Good luck on your quest." Chiron says, turning his attention back to the injury reports.

Thunder hesitates for a moment, before turning and walking out of the Big House. As she mulls over the quest ahead of her, she can't help but feel bad for Hayley. She's so young. Sure, Ally's young too, but at least she has training. Hayley just got here.

Eventually, she reaches the Zeus cabin again, which is now empty, since Ally is helping Hayley prep for the quest. She sighs, laying down on her bed, enjoying the silence of her cabin.

The calm before the storm.