Zero to Hero (Percy Jackson Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Six-Lord of the Stalls

Percy's POV

I walked into the stables. I'd grown up with the horses. Every camper had to take an equinology class, which mostly involved cleaning, grooming, saddling, and riding the great animals. I was used to the smell, and feel of them. I could tell when a horse needed feed, or needed to find an unused trail to do its business. I was familiar with their gentle noises, and even their terrible screaming when something was wrong.

Therefore, I was completely dumbfounded when, upon entering the long room, several horses lifted their heads and cried out in unison, Lord! Lord!

I blinked, then walked backwards out of the stables as fast as possible. I shook my head, then cautiously peaked back in. The horses were still looking at me expectantly. 

At last! The Son of Poseidon has come to save us!

Lord! They have surely been gone too long. Is there any hope for them at all?

I felt lightheaded. There was something familiar about being called The Son of Poseidon. And also, you know, the horses were talking to me, which wasn't exactly normal. 

I quickly tried to think back on my knowledge of Greek mythology and fit in talking horses somewhere, but couldn't seem to manage it. Was this actually happening? Did I dare talk back to them and acknowledge my own insanity? I didn't want to offend them by ignoring them. 

Thankfully I was saved from making an immediate decision because Annabeth stepped through the archway into the stables. She had her arms folded over her chest, and her long curly blonde hair was pulled back into a tail. She was pursing her lips and looking at me suspiciously. 

The sight of her sent a flurry of emotions swirling through me. I was simultaneously terrified, embarrassed--for I surely did not look very dapper, standing amidst the hay and horse poop--and nervous.

But there was also a sense of annoyance. Annoyance that I couldn't push the feelings away, even though they were certainly a figment of my imagination as real as talking horses, given to me because two people--two gods--had practically told me I had to feel that way. 

"Hey Percy." She looked at me a long while, as though trying to read my entire backstory through my face.

"Annabeth," I said awkwardly, breaking eye contact.

"I wanted to talk to you."

I waited for her to continue, but it got too hot under the intensity of her gaze. "About what?"

"Well...Piper said you've been having dreams about...about your dad?"

I looked back at her, feeling a new wave of anger towards Piper. "What did she tell you?"

Apparently some of my hostility crept into my voice, for Annabeth raised her hands placatingly. "She's just scared about all the myth stuff that's happening, please don't be made at her. Her powers are manifesting themselves too, and they're not as gentle as yours."

I sighed and carefully extracted the irritation from my voice. "Fine. But, what did she say?"

"Only that you had a dream about your dad and some message from Aphrodite..." at this, she trailed off, eyes flicking to my face, and a corner of her mouth twitching.

There was a tick between my eyebrows as my mind raced to come up with an acceptable reply. "Um...about that. See, I'm not sure what that was about. I mean Piper could have been pulling my leg or something..."

But Annabeth was smirking at me. My gut twisted. Did I have something on my face?

"Oh my gods," Annabeth muttered, "Piper was totally right."

I blinked. "About what?"

"Nothing." Annabeth grinned. And then, to my astonishment, she stepped forward, reached up on her toes and pecked my cheek. Then she left the stables with a, "See you later, Percy," and was gone.

I touched the spot where she'd kissed me. "Uh...what just happened?"

Are you alright, Lord? said a horse with genuine concern.

I blinked a few times, trying again to clear my fuzzy thoughts. "I...yeah. Um. Sorry...what were you saying?" As if talking horses happened every day.

All the horses started talking at once, bumping against the walls of their stalls.

Have you started looking for them?

Any luck?

They've been gone for ages. 

Who took them?

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on a minute," I said over the clamour of hooves and huffs. "Who's missing?"

There was a very long pause. Many of the horses gazed at him in horror or confusion. 

You don't--haven't you noticed?

The Pegasi! one of them cried.

"Pegasi," I said, "as in Pegasus? The winged horse?"

He doesn't remember! He doesn't remember! Wailed the horses. How could you forget? They have helped you on many of your quests.

"Pegasi...as in, more than one?"

The horses huffed and whinnied in dismay. 

"Alright, alright." I stepped back nervously. "Well, how long have they been gone?"

Weeks. Three, maybe four. So long. Too long. 

I still wasn't totally convinced I wasn't dreaming, but I assumed the apparently missing pegasi I had no recollection of had something to do with Mnemosyne's plan to keep us ignorant of the godly world. 

"Okay..." I said, trying to think of what to do about the situation. I couldn't just run out and start shouting that the Pegasi were missing. Then I would have to explain that the horses had told me that. And then I would be admitted to a psychiatric care facility. "Right. Well, we'll start looking for them then," I said, and walked stiffly out of the stables again. 

What in the world was I supposed to do now? I suppose I had decided to believe that whole scene wasn't a figment of my imagination--though the kiss from Annabeth made it seem more unreal than the talking horses. So who did I tell? I couldn't very well run off to look for the pegasi myself. I had nothing to go on. No clues. No idea where they might have gone. 

I didn't want to tell Annabeth. I wasn't sure if I could look her in the face without going red for a few more hours. But who should I talk to? 

Thalia would laugh. Jason would be concerned. Nico...no, I wasn't talking to Nico about this. Grover then. 

I deliberated a few seconds more before jogging off towards the forest in search of the Halfbreeds Club.