The Beginning of the End (J. Grace)

IX: A goodnight kiss

Well... that sucks.

As Dove explained how she just knew that they were still here, because they'd never officially left, Lightning Boy had quickly let go of my hand as though I was the possessed one! Rude! I didn't comment on it, though, everyone already thinks we're dating and, well, holding hands under the table? Just gonna add that to the list of reasons why everyone is convinced we're together...

Everyone was now staring at her, not quite knowing what to say as we all tried to process this while hearing Hedge's terrible- I mean beautiful!- singing and Blackjack stomping and whinnying above our heads.

Finally, Hazelnut exhaled and broke the sort-of-silence that had settled in the room. "Piper is right." She declared.

"How can you be sure?" Wise Girl shot over immediately, obviously on her guard and nervous, though she masks the nervous part very well.

"Have you met eidolons before?" I asked her in a gentler tone, giving Bethy Baby a pointed look that I hoped said something like: don't doubt my daughter.

Hazel nodded her head, looking down at her plate again, almost embarrassed to admit the truth. "In the Underworld, when I was... you know."

Dead.

I leaned across the table and gave her hand a squeeze, smiling when she looked up.

Be proud of your past. I mouthed to her, but she only shook her head slowly and sadly, making my heart break a little.

"So..." Teddy Bear ran his hand through his buzzed hair and I let go of my daughter's hand, leaning back once more. "You think these things are lurking in the ship, or- "

"Possible lurking inside some of us." Dove admitted and I got the heebie-jeebies, feeling all twitchy and uncomfortable in my own skin. "We don't know."

I felt Lightning boy clench and unclench his fist under the table text to my leg. "If that's true- "

"I think I can do this." Piper muttered to herself and I finally understood where she was going with this. But... what if there was one inside of her? Then what? Would it still work? "Everybody, just... listen."

She took a deep breath and met each of our eyes individually. "Eidolons." Her eyes swirled between all of her emotion colours in the way that it does when she uses her super-cool charmspeak. "Raise your hands."

There was tense silence.

I held my breath and prayed that I didn't have one inside of me too. That's gross! (Although, not as bad as eating Wild Rice.)

Iron Man laughed nervously, looking around for any sign of her command having an effect. "Did you really think that was going to- "

His voice died.

His face went slack.

He raised his hand.

His eyes went glassy and gold.

I looked around in astonishment as Hazelnut caught her breath and Frank scrambled out of his chair. Jason and Percy were the same as Leo.

"Oh, Gods." I muttered, not knowing what to do. Training hasn't prepared me for this!

"Can you cure them?" Wise Girl implored, taking in the scene and surveying it for all possible outcomes, no doubt.

Dove turned her attention to Iron Man for some reason, ignoring the other two entirely. "Are there more of you on this ship?"

"No." His voice was hollow, like Seaweed Brain and Lightning Boy's had been. "The Earth Mother sent three. The strongest, the best. We will live again."