The Other Half (Percabeth Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Blackjack

Chapter 9: Blackjack

***Annabeth's POV***

"Clarisse!" I yelled, storming into the sword fighting arena. She stops, mid swing and turns to look at me. "How would you like to go on an improvised quest with me?" At her sly grin, I turn and leave with her in pursuit. "So as you know, Jason is in a coma and Percy, Frank, and Leo went to Ogygia to get a flower to cure him. This seems like an easy quest but Percy thinks that he's not coming back." I hand her his letter. Thankfully she ignores the blotted words and tear streaks.

"So what are we going to do?" Clarisse asks when she has read it.

"We need to go after them and make sure that Percy comes back alive," I say like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"What? Annabeth, hold on, stop. We can't just go after them. 1) We aren't allowed to leave camp. 2) How will we get to Ogygia? Leo is the only one able to figure that out. 3) You broke up with Percy, why are you going to risk your life for him?"

I stop and turn to her, tears in my eyes, "Why would I risk my life for him?" I furiously demand, "Of course I would risk my life for him. I love him. I couldn't live without him. I don't care if you're coming or not, I just thought I would give you the chance. You won't be able to stop me. I'll figure out the other things when I need to. Will you come, or stay?"

The look in her eyes gives me my answer, "I'll be coming with you," she tells me.

"Good. Now we just need to find us a ride," I say.

"I think I have an idea for that," Clarisse informs me, and again we are off into the night, in search of our own quest.

***Leo's POV***

Man, this trip is just too depressing. I'm on the boat of my dreams, literally, going to get the girl of my dreams and to save my best friend, but I can't be excited at all. I want to say that it's Percy's fault, he's still moping over Annabeth, but he has a right to. It's also my fault, the fact that I need to save Jason has made me pretty sad all the time. He's Jason, how could something even touch him? I don't tell the others that I'm scared, I'll seem like such a wuss. The prophecy scared me the most, death? What if one of us dies? Then we would save Jason and lose someone else. I just hope it's not Calypso. I could handle dying myself, and I'm sure everyone would be able to move on if I died, but I love Calypso and it would hurt me an unimaginable amount to see her, just to once again lose her.

I am so excited, yet so scared to see her. What if she has already moved on? What if some other, better looking, demigod washed up, and she has already fallen in love with him? Just because I can't forget her, doesn't mean she can't forget me. For all I know, she just kissed me because of her curse. She didn't really love me. What if she won't come back with us? What if- No. I can't afford to think like that. This isn't about me and Calypso, it's supposed to be about Jason. It doesn't matter if she won't come with me or doesn't love me, all I need is that flower, I think, but my heart has other plans.

***Clarisse's POV***

I was hesitant to help Annabeth, I didn't want to get thrown out of camp, then she nearly started crying and I couldn't resist. Annabeth is so strong. Not as strong as me of course, strong in other ways though. I'm not even great friends with her. I respect her strength and brains and courage to try and date someone as stupid as Percy. I feel bad for her too. He broke her heart, she should have seen it coming. People think Percy is the best, I think Annabeth is. I just had to help her out. If Chris left and wasn't coming back, I wouldn't care about anything he did or anyone else did, I would go to save him, so I got us a ride.

"Hey Blackjack! Wake up buddy! I have donuts!" I call and immediately he sits up and comes to me. Percy often complained about his flying horse's fixation on fried dough.

Woah. Where are my donuts? You told me you had some! He seemed to say as he nuzzled my hands.

"Blackjack, this is about Percy," I say. That gets his attention, "Hold on," I command.

"Okay Annabeth. Our form of transportation will be pegasi. Silena was my best friend so I was taught all about pegasi. I'm no Percy, but I can ride them and they don't mind me which is pretty miraculous for a child of Ares. Blackjack, do you think you could find Percy and bring me and Annabeth to him?"

I took Blackjack's indignant whinny and snort as a yes, he could find the boss.

"We think he's in trouble and he'll do something heroic and get himself killed and we need to stop that from happening." Blackjack seemed on board with the plan of don't let Percy kill himself, so we saddled him and Porkpie up and got ready to go.

Twenty minutes later with a bag full of weapons and a box full of donuts, I reenter the stable. Annabeth is already there and I suspect she only left for the necessary time to get clothes.

Porkpie's white hair shines in the dark of the stable. As Annabeth and I both clamber on to the back of our horses, ready to go save an idiot.

*******************

Riding on a flying horse without a saddle for 2 hours is not something I'd recommend. I woke up with my back aching and my butt sore. We're up in the air flying along, wind whistling in my ears.

"So how exactly are we supposed to find Percy?" I wonder aloud.

"Well I'm not exactly sure. But Blackjack has always been able to find Percy when he is called, so I just feel like if we keep flying and thinking of him, it should work and we'll find him eventually." Is Annabeth's response.

While this makes no sense to me, Annabeth seems satisfied. Athena kids, I roll my eyes, they think they're so smart.

"When do you think we will be there?"

"Probably about another hour or two," Annabeth tells me. Athena children really never stop with the smartness.

"Well in that case I'm going to sleep again." I lay my head on Porkpie's mane and fall into a slumber once more.