Puppets (Percy Jackson AU)

Hazel

[16]//HAZEL//:

"Hazel? Are you alright?"

Hazel felt a slight tugging on her arm. She opened her eyes to see Frank hovering over her.

She was in her dorm, she noticed. And her head was throbbing, painfully. She felt like she would throw up. Ugh. What had happened?

"Frank?" She lifted her eyes to meet his. "What..."

"I don't know." He answered. "I found you on the floor with Rachel near you. I told her to get lost and you blacked out on me. I brought you back here."

"My head hurts," Hazel said honestly. She couldn't think straight. Her mind was running.

"You probably have a concussion. I'm going to go get Mr. Apollo." Frank said.

"No," Hazel stopped him, remembering the recorder. "I need to go somewhere."

"That's what you said last time, and look where you ended up." Frank pointed out.

"Yes, but, this is about the deaths. I know who killed them, and I need to share that information with the next targets, and-" Hazel stopped herself before she said too much. "I promise I'll tell you."

She sat up, then stood, her knees buckling. She grasped her bedpost for support. Frank went to her side, meaning to support her.

"I'm fine," she snapped, then immediately wished she could take it back. I'll explain later, she told herself as she walked out the door and towards Piper and Thalia's dorm.
She banged on the door, and Piper opened it. "Hazel?" She gasped. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'll explain later. Just run away- go out- run out and get Reyna and Annabeth." Hazel said nearly incoherently, her mind fuzzy. Piper ran off as Hazel entered the room to see Thalia on her bunk.

Dizzy, Hazel stumbled over and collapsed onto Katie Gardner's bunk. Immediately, Thalia was hovering over her, asking if she was alright and what happened. Contrary to popular belief, she does have a heart. Unlike the Tin Man, Hazel thought, her sight blurring. She laughed out loud for no reason and Thalia looked at her, concerned and confused.

Piper entered the room, Annabeth and Reyna in tow. "Okay," the choppy haired girl said, crossing her arms. "Explain."

And so Hazel did.

She started with Rachel's plan to ruin Thalia and Bianca. Later, she moved onto accidentally killing Zoë and Bianca. She talked about Rachel's video messages, and how she recorded everything. After a fuzzy talk, Hazel let them listen to the dialogue. Then, she showed Rachel's video message.

"So?" Hazel asked, but the four were frozen, looking at each other worriedly. Reyna was gripping Annabeth's hand so tightly. Thalia's knuckles were white as she gripped the edge of her bed. Piper's hands were shaking ever so slightly.

"L," Piper spoke first. "Hazel, I think you need an explanation."

Hazel nodded quickly, but just then, there were a few light taps at the door. "I got it," Thalia said, and came back in with a note in hand. "It's for you, Hazel."

"I can't- my head-"

"Alright. I'll read it out loud. Is that okay, Hazel?" Reyna said kindly, and began.

"Hazel,
"So you wish to know who is L is. That would be me, darling. The master of all, the controller of you puppets. But it really runs much deeper than that, sweetheart. These girls in their silly little competition? I control them. I am them. I know them better then they know themselves. And now that you know who I am, that branches out to you, sugar. Now run along and play with your dollies, Hazel Levesque. Go have your last glimpse of childhood before you grow up, like the girls around you did. And look what happened to them, honey. Be careful, or you might end up just like your sister.
"L, xx."

Hazel was shaking badly. She trembled from head to toe, grabbing Thalia's hand and squeezing it so hard that the blue eyed girl winced slightly.

"I'm sorry, Hazel." Annabeth said kindly as Hazel blinked away tears. "Rachel dragged you into this."

"She's going to pay," muttered Thalia, the hand that Hazel didn't have clenched in a fist.

"We have to catch her," Reyna said quietly, Annabeth squeezing her hand supportingly.

Hazel looked at them.

Reyna, with her air of authority, and her willingness to always live by every strict rule she made.

Annabeth, the genius, the insanely intelligent problem solver who couldn't handle fate.

Thalia, with her punk rock appearance and tough exterior, but heart of gold for anyone seeking compassion.

Piper, the queen bee, and her seemingly badass exterior that was so thin yet so strong.

Hazel allowed a small smile to settle on her lips as she looked at the girls who were about to change her life, for bad or for worse. "So," she said, leaning forward slightly, pushing all her pain away. "What's the plan?"

TADDDAAAAA

sorry for late update, I've been awfully busy. Oh, and tell me: who do you want to be a main character in the next book? I already know of one person. ;) can't tell you who.