THIS IS ME TRYING

26: Because

"HEY! HEY, come on, Red." A distant voice spoke, as Luna was dragged back into consciousness, "Wake up, Luna. Come on— wake up! Red—"

Abruptly, Luna sat up with a choke, and Clarisse immediately rolled the girl onto her side. Her throat burned as she coughed up salty water into the sand beneath her. Luna felt a hand rub her back, which seemingly helped her from choking on the water that was stuck in her system, but then she became of aware of what had happened. Weakly, Luna pushed the girl away from her, climbing to her knees as she took in her surroundings. She was sitting beside Clarisse on an unknown island... and the last memory she had of her brothers and friend was on an exploding ship. Her throat burned, not only from previously choking, but from the threat of tears. She didn't want to cry in front of the daughter of Ares.

Luna watched as Clarisse stumbled to her feet, brushing the sand from the side of her face and planning their next move. Luna frowned weakly, and when she spoke her voice was hoarse, "What are you doing?" She stayed kneeling in the sand because she couldn't shake the feeling that Percy, Tyson, and Annabeth were gone. She refused to believe it.

"We have to find out where the hell we are." Clarisse replied, keeping her eyes on her surroundings, "Come on." She gestured for Luna to follow her, but she stayed in the sand. In confusion, Clarisse turned back; she sighed, storming back towards the girl, "Hey, you hear me, Red? We have to—"

"No," Was all she said, keeping her eyes on the sand.

"What?" Clarisse frowned in confusion, standing over the girl and growing impatient.

"No." Luna repeated sternly, swallowing back the lump in her throat.

"Seriously, Red?" Clarisse mocked, but when Luna didn't move, Clarisse reached down to grab the girl's arm in attempt of pulling her to her feet. She added, "Come o—"

"I said no!" Luna shoved her away, stabilising her feet in the sand beneath her, and glaring at Clarisse as she stumbled back a couple of steps.

Clarisse's jaw clenched with anger, but she refused to fight back because she knew Luna was weakened by her use of magic. She snapped, "What? You just wanna sit here and make sandcastles?"

"I want to find my brother! Find Annabeth— Tyson!" Luna shouted, her voice cracking with emotion but she refused to show anything but rage.

Clarisse's expression faulted for a short moment, before feeling obligated to take control again, "Let's go." Clarisse didn't particularly like seeing Luna upset, but she wasn't quite sure how to comfort her either.

"Did you hear what I just said?" Luna refused to follow her again, causing Clarisse to turn back around again with a huff of annoyance. She insisted stubbornly, "I have to look for—"

"You can't abandon a Quest." Clarisse shot back coldly, "We finish this. We save Camp!"

"The Quest?" Luna scoffed in disbelief. She grew more frustrated, "We got separated from everyone and we almost died! Yet you're worried about your fucking Quest?!"

"We're here to get the Fleece! I chose you to help me— you can't just quit because..." Clarisse trailed off, reeling back slightly, "Because you're hurt. We have to move on. We have to win."

Luna stared at the girl in a state of disbelief. She knew that Ares' kids were children of War, but Luna was speechless as to how determined Clarisse was. And the line between her determination and insensitivity had started to blur. Luna couldn't just move on from being separated from her family because she was supposed to protect them... that was her job. She had failed— the only way she'd ever win was if she found them again.