𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐀, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐨𝐧

13 - hand-to-hand combat is ouchie

˖*࿐ •*⁀➷

MABEL LIKED SEATTLE. The skyline was interesting, towering skyscrapers and spots of trees and the Space Needle high above the rest. She'd like to go to the top of it, one day. If she wasn't dead or insane soon.

The Pax entered a large bay, heading toward the downtown area, and Mabel ran a hand through her hair, shaking it out. They'd only been gone from camp for a couple of days, but she felt grimy and gross and in need of a shower. Haltingly, she began to weave the long waves into a messy braid, her fingers fumbling through the movements; she'd never been very good at it. Jason had always done it for her.

Recalling mindlessly that she probably needed to wake the others, she leaned down, the strands of her half-done braid still tangled around her fingers, and gently knocked her elbow against Percy's head, which rested against her knee. Her hips had locked up and her feet had gone numb hours ago, but for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to shift for fear of waking him. How idiotic.

Waking with a muffled groan, the son of Poseidon lifted his head, glancing up at Mabel while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "...Hm?" he managed, squinting against the morning sun.

The brunette continued her struggle with her hair, lips pursed in focus. "We're in Seattle," she informed him absently, hissing when her fingers got caught and yanked out a few strands. "Can you wake Frank and Hazel?"

Percy watched her for a moment, something unreadable lingering in his face. Maybe it was the dark circles beneath her hazel eyes, or the gleam of the gray streak weaving through her braid, or the slight pull of a frown at the corners of his lips. Or maybe he just liked looking at her.

Mindlessly tying off the end of her mess of a braid, Mabel glanced back to see Percy shaking Hazel and Frank by the shoulders. "Wake up," he said, tanned skin gleaming in the sunlight. "We've reached Seattle."

Hazel sat up, her curls having become a wild mane around her head, shining gold in the light. "Frank?" she mumbled, glancing around through squinted eyes.

Mabel almost wanted to smile; the two young teens had been dancing around each other for the past month. Perhaps this quest would give them a chance to acknowledge the things they chose not to say.

The aforementioned son of Mars groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Did we just... was I just—?"

"You both passed out," Percy informed them, settling back into his seat beside Mabel, the two of them turning to face the kids behind them. "We didn't know why, but Ella told us not to worry, I think. Something about sharing?" He shrugged, stretching his arms above his head.

Mabel nodded at the same time Ella agreed, "Sharing." The harpy crouched in the stern, preening her red feathers with her teeth. "Sharing is good. No more blackouts. Biggest American blackout, August 14, 2003. Hazel shared. No more blackouts."

Percy scratched his head with a light sigh, his shoulder brushing Mabel's as he let out a yawn. "Yeah... I still don't know what she's talking about."

Mabel studied Ella, who stared back with those wide, all-seeing eyes. "We had conversations like that all night," the daughter of Trivia told the other three, tugging mindlessly at the end of her braid. "Quoting books back and forth. The occasional cryptic, otherworldly aware comment from her." Forever and always and a day. What a strange thought.

Mabel saw Hazel press a hand against the pocket of her coat, her lips turning down slightly. She looked over at Frank. "You were there."

The boy nodded. Mabel tilted her head, intrigue pulling at her brows. A sort of understanding hung in the air between Hazel and Frank, knowledge of something that no one else knew. Secrets shared in confidence. A shared blackout seemed especially strange for them.