Victorious

Carter

Just so you know i wrote this like 2 years ago and I'm only publishing this for my friend so save yourself before it's too late -me, may 2nd 2017

I know that it's absolutely terrible to start a story with monologues, but hey, rules are created cause they're meant to be broken, right? Well, my name's Carter Valdez. I'm 14, and right now, I'm supposed to be at a Cello Recital. Why?
Because my praetor told me to. He was like, 'Carter, I don't give a schnitzel about your cello camp. This girl is important.' And no, he wasn't talking about a prom date. He was talking about a prophecy he's been obsessed with. Honestly, I don't know the words, which I don't give a dingo about. This girl that Scott (the praetor) was talking about was said to be the 'key to the prophecy'. I don't know how he knew this, either, but she lived in Kildare, Ireland. And that's where Emma and I came back from. Who's Emma? Oh, sorry. Emma Zhang is my best friend. (Don't freak when she turns into a Pegasus- she's a shape shifter.)
And so that's it. The basics. We were flying above Arizona on our way back to New Rome at the moment.
Emma and I picked up the girl and we took her back to camp. Nothing happened.
Just kidding. Of course something happened.
"Almost there," I called to Emma, hoping she would understand me. Emma flapped her Pegasus wings and soared above the Arizona desert.
The girl we picked up was sitting behind me, snoring with her forehead slammed against the top of my back. A bit of a tight squeeze, but thank the gods she was asleep.
I looked down at the desert and tried to locate our distance from new Rome. I didn't think we even reached Phoenix yet.
I readjusted Emma's reigns and was about to call to her to let us down, but my plans were cut short when a small, but sharp, Swiss Army knife appeared held by my throat. The girl behind me was holding it. I didn't turn my head to see her, or give her a look that would say, are you crazy? We risk our lives to save you and you just try to kill me?
"Who are you?!" The girl yelled. "Where are you taking me?!" She pushed the knife harder against my throat.
"Emma," I croaked to the Pegasus, pulling on her reigns. "Land!"
I tried to think of what to do next. But the knife was so close- too close- that if I moved, my throat would cut.
Sometimes, I am so grateful to have Emma alive. She must have understood me perfectly.
She landed so harshly, it caused the girl behind me to remove the knife and jump off. I fell, which was fine with me. Better than being cut open.
I coughed and inhaled, happy to have my throat free. Emma trotted around angrily, kicking sand in the girls face.
The girl charged straight at me. She pointed her knife at my throat, but this time I had pulled my dagger from my tool belt. Not my preferred weapon, but it would do in a mid life crisis. Just kidding. I was only fourteen. But since I was 75% God, that made me a little bit more powerful than the average demigod, which made my aura just as strong. So, that meant I probably already reached halfway through my life.
Anyways, the girl was pretty stunned to see a dagger, but she didn't give up. Inches away from my face, she held the Swiss Army knife, and she was so close I stumbled onto a rock. That's mainly because she looked hotter than Aphrodite.
[Oh, for the gods sake, someone take Cleo out of the room, I can't concentrate. It's not funny! And no, Alex, this has nothing to do with you.]
She had light brown hair with a bit of red, brown and even a tiny bit of blonde- weird, right? Well anyway, it was elbow length in a long braid, and bangs swept to the side of her face. Her eyes were hazel, and she was wearing a jean jacket with a blue t shirt that said, "Kildare fencing team" with two fencing swords on the front. Her grey jeans were tattered, and she was wearing a pair of black Dr. Martens.
I didn't know whether to sit there and stare or to be truly terrified. She was pretty, annoyingly pretty, but I was well aware she could probably kill me.
"Who are you?" she said. "Answer me! Or I'll kill your horse."
"Excuse me?" someone called.
I looked at the spot where the horse stood, but the Pegasus was gone. Instead was a fourteen year old girl like me, with brown curly hair and an Asian like face, like an anime character. Instead of a Pegasus was my friend Emma.
"It's not a horse, it's a Pegasus." Emma reminded as she inspected her sword.
"What? How did you- where's the horse?" The girl flipped her head around numerous times, then she gave up. "Forget it. But I'm not sure where you live," she started walking towards me, but I tripped over the rock, mad at myself for being so stupid. I could feel my face getting hot.
"But in my country, kidnapping is a felony."
"We weren't kidnapping you." I stated simply.
"Oh yeah? Then why was I on a horse?"
"Pegasus."
"It's not like I wanted to be on a Pegasus."
"Sure you did."
"I've never met a Pegasus before. I don't understand how they are even alive."
"One of the mysteries of life."
"Whatever. But I demand you take me back to Kildare. Now."
That's another thing about the hot mysterious girl. She has an Irish accent. [Cleo, I will drag you out of my room myself if I have to- alright, that's it.
Sorry about that, let's continue.]
"We can't." I lied. "I followed orders to bring you back to camp."
"What camp?" She complained. "I don't care about any camp. Bring me back!" She aimed quickly at the side of my face.
"Emma!" I yelled quickly. In a matter of seconds, I pulled a moose tranquilizer gun out of my tool belt and slid it to her. Emma fired it the exact second the blade touched the side of my ear. But the girl collapsed next to me. The knife fell.
[Yes, Cleo. We know you still can't believe we shot you with a tranquilizer. And Emma's right. You were too bloody hostile.]
"Because sometimes 'no,' isn't enough." Emma said, restating the company's slogan.
I stood up and smiled triumphantly.
"Wow. That one's violent." I noted.
Emma nodded.
I picked up the moose tranquilizer and handed it to Emma.
"Here." I said. "She hates me a lot more than you."
"Noted." Emma stuck the tranquilizer in her belt. She put away her sword, too.
I picked up a few random nuts and bolts that fell out of my tool belt and my pockets and stood up.
"I'm not sure about you, but I'm hungry." I said.
"And thirsty." Emma said, sighing.
"Would you like to go get something to eat without getting eaten my empousi?"
"I'd love to." Emma smiled. I cracked a smile, too.
"What are we going to do about her?" Emma prodded her with her foot.
"We'll bring her along." I said. "It won't hurt. She'll be asleep."
Emma nodded.
"Are you ready?" I asked. "South Phoenix, here we come."

Emma sat outside at a table next to the railing so I could climb over and haul the girl with me. I plopped her in the seat and say next to her. I made her look as if she was sleeping by placing her head on the table. Problem solved.
Emma and I ordered sodas and nachos.
"What do you think she is?" I asked Emma.
Emma looked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Godly parent." I said. "Who do you think her godly parent is?"
Emma thought about that for a minute. Then, she lifted the head of the girl and studied her face.
"She doesn't have one." Emma said simply.
"What? But then how come we spent-"
"Her mom is Reyna." Emma said.
"Reyna who?"
Emma sighed, exasperated. "Honestly Carter, you know nothing. In the praetors hall, guessing you haven't been in there, they hang the pictures of the best and most loyal praetors to new Rome. Her picture is up, and she is known as the best female praetor in new rome's history. The resemblance between them is uncanny."
This time, I lifted the girls head up. She looked much less intimidating when she was asleep. I set her head down and asked Emma another question.
"Who was Reynas godly parent?"
"Bellona." Emma said, taking a sip from her Coke.
"Wait a second." I snapped my fingers, jogging my memory. "I do remember hearing about her! A daughter of Bellona was praetor during the war against Gaea. She fought with the seven at some point too, right?"
Emma nodded. "Alex's parents told us when we went over to their house last Christmas."
"Right. I remember that."
Emma glanced at her watch.
"Styx." She said. "That tranquilizer is going to wear off in like, a minute."
"Good thing we ordered." I said, taking a chip. "I hope she likes nachos."
"Who cares? Here, get her Swiss Army knife! Quick!" Emma searched her pockets and I found it in her jean jacket. I hid it in my tool belt and Emma glanced at her watch nervously.
Then, the girl woke up.
She looked at us for a few seconds, and in those few seconds, I realized she was ADHD. Why? Because it takes one to know one. Her eyes moved to about 50 different places in a matter of three seconds, her foot was drumming on the ground and she was messing with her hands.
She looked at us and came to her senses, reaching in her pocket for the knife.
"If I were you, I wouldn't bring your knife out in public." Emma said to the girl.
"That's kind of a felony here." I said. She shook her head with confusion, probably wondering why I was so funny.
Just kidding. I could tell she didn't care less.
"What are your names?" She asked.
"Only if you tell us yours." I said.
She hesitated, playing with her hands. "Fine. First and surname or just first?"
"First and what?"
She gave me a sarcastic look. "I guess both. Cleo Ramirez-Arellano."
"Emma Zhang." Emma said.
"Carter Valdez." I said stupidly while eating a chip.
"Okay, well I'm not giving up." Cleo said. "You're going to take me back to Kildare."
"But we can't." I said.
"We have a lot of explaining to do." Emma said.
I nodded. "Ever heard of the Greek and Roman gods?"
Plot twist- she said yes.