Finding Leo

Chapter 11: Atlanta is FUN! (Sarcasm)

OH BOY YES IT'S ME INTERRUPTING YOUR NOTIFICATIONS AGAIN.

Here it is, chapter 12! I hope everyone had a nice... couple of months that it took me to finally finish this. Ugh. Writing is fun until you feel obligated to do it.

Not to be too serious or anything, though! I really do enjoy writing this story, but I've just been trying to figure out how the wonky storyline I created a century (and an honors writing course) ago can fit into what I have in mind now.

Wish me luck, and enjoy what trash I spilled out this time!
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Ally's POV

Leo refused to explain why Atlanta was apparently a terrible place for demigods. After half an hour of him leading us through the bustling streets without encountering a single monster, I was growing increasingly confused and somewhat annoyed.

I had thought I had gained the son of Hephaestus' trust in the few days we've spent surviving together, but his refusal to explain anything about where he came from irked me. All Leo had mentioned (rather vaguely, I might add) was a camp, and a few mutters of people called Piper and Jason. Honestly, I was a little hurt. I had been through Hades and back with this guy, and he wasn't trusting me.

I'm not sure what this strange kid had gone through, but whatever it was, it gave Leo no right to keep Eddie and me in the dark.

Speaking of the Hades boy, he looked deader than the spirits his father ruled over. Shadow traveling drained Eddie more than he let on. As we maneuvered through the city, I sometimes had to catch him from stumbling. Every time I began to suggest to Leo that we stop for a moment, to let Eddie rest, he cut me off with a curt "no."

After Eddie bumped into a pedestrian and ricocheted into my shoulder like a pinball, I had had enough. Gripping the boy's shoulder's so he wouldn't fall again, I stopped abruptly, in the middle of a crowded sidewalk beside the Georgia Aquarium entrance. The large building loomed above us. Families ready for a day staring at caged animals chattered in the ticket line (I had always hated zoos and that kind of stuff. How would you feel if someone bigger than you plopped you in a display case and gawked at you all day?).

Leo wouldn't have even noticed we stopped if I didn't call out to him. "Hey, Sonic! Slow down, please?" I glanced at Eddie next to me, who was breathing heavily. "Can you tell us where we're going?"

Trust me, it'll be easy, Eddie had said. Yeah, easy my butt.

Leo turned around to face us, but his eyes darted back and forth, like he was on edge - or maybe looking for something. His fingers drummed against his hip.

"I-I don't know the details, but the last time I was here, with my friends-"

"Your camp friends?" I questioned bitterly. I didn't care I'd interrupted. Leo didn't deserve my utmost respect right about now.

Leo paused, a little shocked. "Uh, yeah." He was suddenly interested in fumbling with his tool belt. "Anyway, a few of them had a run in with some monsters here. I'm not sure exactly what - they mentioned whale monsters? - but there's a force in Atlanta we don't want to have to deal with."

"Really? That's awful!" A voice beside me piped up, and I nearly jumped to New Orleans all by myself.

A young woman had walked up to us. I could tell she worked at the aquarium from her embroidered blue and green polo shirt and her name tag: Kate. Her framed eyes were wide, looking appalled, and her braces matched her shirt.

She continued, her tone so dramatically horrified that it appeared comical. "Well, I wouldn't want to meet whatever your friends did. You kids better come inside; I work here, you'll be safe."

Leo looked like Kate had just got down one one knee and proposed to him with a Ring Pop. He sputtered, "I- uh, we actually just-"

"Don't worry, my boss won't mind!" Kate said, as if Leo hadn't said anything. She waved a finger at Eddie, who was leaning on me and looking like he was going to collapse, adding, "We can fix up your friend, too!" Turning abruptly, Kate made her way towards the aquarium entrance, gesturing over her shoulder for us to follow.

Leo inched over to my side, the one without Eddie, and muttered, "Trap? Monsters? Whale monsters?"

I stared after Kate, waving at us from the front door. Then at Eddie leaning on me, taking ragged breaths. I made a decision. "Definitely. But if they have something for him, we should give it a try."

Leo looked like he was going to argue, but then he looked over at Eddie for the first time since he yelled at the boy. His hardened expression melted. "Yeah," he murmured, turning to follow Kate. "Okay."

That's when I first realized what Leo must be feeling. We were facing a primordial goddess that had almost succeeded in killing Leo and destroying his home before. Getting to New Orleans and utilizing the materials there was the only way to defeat Gaea, so no wonder his emotions were going haywire. Leo didn't want it to happen again.

He wasn't talking, but I could tell that Gaea had done something to him that had changed him somehow. I remembered sifting through Leo's memories, and seeing the one about fire.

Now, his most prominent feeling was guilt. He had gotten so worked up over making it to Louisiana that he lost it at Eddie for only getting us this far. Without meaning to, I recalled how I'd been snapping at him the entirety of our trek through Atlanta.

I guess it was my turn to feel guilty.
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aLRIGHT THE ENDING IS A LITTLE RUSHED BUT IT'S AN UPDATE???

Also, Kate. Ohohoho. Georgia Aquarium. ohOHOHO.

What shall become of Leo's teen angst? Eddie passing out: to be or not to be? Hint: 11 year old Ally being more rational than Leo and Eddie combined is to be.

Enjoy, and be patient with me!