Heroes of Olympus: After Gaea

Frank

"Where the hell are we?" Coach Hedge exclaimed, smacking Jason on his arm.

Frank and Jason were bored, so decided to take the ship on a spin. Unfortunately, they didn't recall how to actually get back to the pier. Even worst, Coach Hedge woke up.

"Frank, can you turn into a bird of some kind and attempt to find land?" Asked Jason, rubbing his arm and glaring at Coach Hedge. Frank nodded and imagined the seagulls he was looking at above the ship. He started to feel warmer, like he was covered in cotton. He was an seagull.

He flapped his wings and shot up into the air with the other seagulls. They looked at him but looked back to the direction where they were flying.

Can I speak with them? Frank thought, but didn't try.

They flew in a pack for a while until boulders appeared. Perched on them were two birds that had the face of women more beautiful than Aphrodite herself. The seagulls were flying closer towards them at an alarming way but Frank stopped midair, eyes wide.

It can't be...

"No humans are coming here! I don't want stupid seagulls to eat anymore!" One woman with brilliant ombre hair complained.

"Don't be alarmed," the other women with bright green eyes snarled, "I smell a very strong demigod."

Frank cursed. They were Sirons. If they knew he was a demigod, he'd be doomed. He acted fast. Quickly, he pecked out feathers from the seagull next to him. The seagull screeched frustratingly and Frank returned a sympathetic look. He flew down, feathers still in beak, and splashed against the water, thinking of his human self. He was back to himself, feathers in his mouth. Quickly, he stuffed them in his ears until he could hardly hear a thing.

"Demigod!" The woman screeched.

He thought of being a dolphin, but he was panicking. He needed to calm down otherwise he wouldn't be able to do anything.

They started to sing, but Frank blocked them out with his stuffed ears.

"Come to us, dear, can't you see? How much more blissful life can be? If you come near us, you will hear. You'll make life perfect if you come near."

Frank willed more than anything to take out his ears and listen to how they would make his life perfect, but he shook his head. Closing his eyes, he thought of transitioning into anything. Anything, just so they can't recognise him anymore.

"You can live without your stick, we'll make that true. You'll no more fear fire, you'd be immune! Your grandma and mum will return to the world, and they'll be no more sadness upon your girl."

The singing was muffled, but he knew there was a beautiful voice telling him how he'd survive without his stick. His family will be resurrected. Hazel will be happy.

His right arm went to his ear, but at the last moment, he stopped. They're Sirons. They're lying. Finally, he calmed down, and turned into a dolphin. Ecstatic, he quickly swam away, his blue ears still blocked.

"You'll be as smart as Leo is! As funny, as gifted, no more compared to Sammy! As great and important as Percy is! Like Jason, you'll be as handsome as he! Your father will be Apollo, no lie! You'll be respected for the first time in your life! If only you come, Zhang, and we swear it's true. You'll finally be able to change you."

Change you. It seemed so tempting. Everything he wanted would come true as long as he went to the beautiful women with equally beautiful voices. But their voices were barely audible as Frank were miles away from them and could see the ship in a distance. Frank grinned. He beat them. He beat the Sirons without anyone helping him.

He was exhausted. Fighting the Sirons were more exhausting than most monsters he's fought. But, who knew what would become of him if he rested in the sea? With his last ounce of energy, he swam to the still ship.

*

"I Iris-messaged Percy, and he said-" Began Jason. He looked down and saw an eye open. "Frank. Hey."

Frank opened his eyes to be greeted by a concerned Jason and frowning Coach Hedge.

"We're back at the pier." Coach Hedge smiled. Frank looked at his side and saw Insurgent on a bark bed-stand. He was in his room. But wasn't swimming to the ship seconds ago?

"We saw you floating in the water right below the Argo II." Jason said, as if he was reading Frank's mind. "So we got you up. What happened?"

Frank explained what happened, but didn't tell them what the Sirons were singing to him. Exposing his insecurities would be like exposing himself.

"You survived that on your own." Jason said, opened mouthed.

"We underestimated your strength, cupcake." Coach Hedge told him, patting him on his arm.

As always, thought Frank.

They walked out of the room, leaving Frank to relax. He sat up, cluster headaches violently emerging. He held back a scream as he grabbed his book and tried to read. Tris' monologue wasn't making sense as letters were dancing on the page. He didn't suffer from Dyslexia, so knew his head just decided to not cooperate.

He decided the best thing for him to do was to lie down. He placed the book back, but was soon interrupted by one of the many people he aspired to be.

"Hazel Iris-messaged you," Jason said in his deep voice, "also, have you seen my glasses?"

Frank looked at the hero, who's glasses were perched on his golden nest.

"Nope." He said, forcing himself to stumble out of bed.

He walked to the deck, where a fragile girl with crazy cocoa hair was in tears. That couldn't be Hazel.

But it was.

Frank forgot about his headaches, or his aching limbs. He sprinted towards the hologram and panicked as he looked into Hazel's broken golden eyes.

"Hazel? What happened?"

"I-I," she began, blinking away tears, "I got kidnapped by a monster. It's the one that molest women. He said I was a beautiful fragile doll and that I'm too pure to be touched. But, he kept me in a small room. Another of his kind... they..."

Frank's eyes started to water as Hazel's voice wavered.

"They came in and... started to twist my curls with their fingers. He said how he had to break the guy's rules and started to kiss me. I tried to break away but he gripped me tighter and was trailing up my legs."

They'll be no sadness upon your girl, he heard singing in his head.

"He was saying that that's the only thing girls are good for. But I saw that there was a ring on his finger and I used that to pin him on the wall. I got my knife and killed him and the door was open. I ran out to see Leo setting the satyr on fire. He grabbed my hand and took me out of that place. We missed our coach rife as Leo said I should relax. He got us a hotel to stay in overnight and we'll go to Atlas tomorrow."

"Hazel," Frank sniffed, "just come back."

"I can't!" She insisted. "I'm fine now. My crew saved me."

You mean Leo did. He thought. Hazel waved goodbye and cut off the message.

He walked back to his bed and attempted to sleep.

You'll be as smart as Leo is! As funny, as gifted, no more compared to Sammy!

...they'll be no more sadness upon your girl.

You'll finally be able to change you.