What is and what should never be

Chapter 12: I learn to really hate Vending machines.

Just like during the last Titan war our demigod Army had made the Plaza hotel our headquarters. As we flew on Blackjack through the cloudy New York sky, I noticed almost a hundred empty pedestals that usually held statues were now empty, I could definitely tell that Annabeth's plan had worked, but i didn't know if that was good or bad, all of manhattans best Automatons had clanked off to either guard Olympus or destroy it but I wanted to stay positive. We skidded to a haunt right in front of the hotel doors, I did a head count, myself, Nico, Bianca and Piper were all accounted for, I grabbed a bag of chocolate covered coffee beans from the saddle bag and tossed  it to Porpentina the Roman goddess of plenty, who's statue was portioned in front of the hotel doors, tactically speaking the Plaza wasn't the best place to set up headquarters, but it was very old fashioned and quaint to the point that our status wouldn't be obvious. I ran inside with Nico and Bianca on my heels.

All of our demigods had completely taken over the whole Hotel (as apposed to last time when they only took over the penthouses) Campers and Hunters were everywhere, crashed out on the sofas, washing up in the bathrooms, ripping the silk draperies to bandage their wounds and helping themselves to all the snacks and drinks from the minibars. The Hermes cabin was emptying out all the vending machines and loading themselves down with snacks. I saw two of the Hunters standing in front of the elevators crossing their spears over the doors, I told my sisters of the Hunt that I came in peace and we rode straight up to the penthouse floors, I counted to ten in my head trying to keep myself from stabbing the wall in anger. Standing watch on the penthouse terrace were our main operatives, Reyna Ramirez Arellano, Clarissa LaRue, and Krolia, a fluffy purple, cat-like alien creature with pointy ears called a Galra and she was also Keith's mother. The children of Nemesis stood guard all around the perimeter of the Hotel, guarding every entrance. I spotted Thalia grace and immediately waved Nico and Bianca off so I could discuss private matters with my lieutenant. "Thalia!" I panicked a little more out of breath than I wanted to be, "Dakota, you're white as marble what's wrong?" I took a few deep breaths, "nothing," I practically gagged out. Yes I know I was exhausting myself, but what else was I supposed to do? If I didn't keep tabs on everything, who would? "I need to know our status, any opposing forces," Thalia stood their in absolute shock. "No, Truax you need rest, you need food, you looked like you haven't slept in two weeks, when was the last time you eaten?" I waved off Thalia's concern, "not important, where's Keith?" I demanded. "He's in the shower, but miss Truax you need to stop, even the hunters need rest sometimes," I nearly collapsed in distress while Thalia scolded me, I would've busted into the bathroom screaming What Is Wrong With You? Don't you know what's happening out their? But I wasn't exactly interested In Galra anatomy, and Thalia did have a point. I rushed to the Hotel dining area to have some food as Thalia had prescribed.
The Demeter cabin had whipped up a whole buffet in the Hotel Kitchens, Everything from Pizza to Pineapple ice cream, every kind of food you could want sandwiches, burgers, grilled goodies, Sushi, Mexican food you name it. I sat down and ate until I felt all the weight i had lost return once again, and I no longer felt weak. I inhaled a Grilled cheese sandwich, two pieces of strawberry pie, a glass of OJ, a whole plate of sushi and a whole bowl of lemon chicken pasta. I finished with a bowl of pineapple ice cream and two glasses of fizzy water. I found the nearest unoccupied, squishy, canopy bed and collapsed.
Then came the weird Vivid nightmares. I shouldn't have to be the first one to tell you that demigod dreams are never actually dreams they were usually some kind of trapped vision from the past. I saw a dark night stretched over a beautiful, vast, dessert. It was obviously Egypt, the giant glimmering pyramids were a dead give away, I saw something else that caught my eye, a giant gold and sapphire Chariot charging across the sand, pulled by two regal looking black horses. Their was a woman holding tightly onto the reigns, her face stunned with worry, and eyes bloodshot from fear and concern. She had golden olive colored skin, green eyes and straight, long black hair that went all the way to her waist. She wore an all white, sleeveless dress with gold decorations and sprouting from the top of her golden crown was a rearing cobra. I knew this was Isis, Egyptian queen of the gods, not exactly my favorite but hey, sometimes you have to deal with gods you don't like. Her chariot stopped abruptly and this absolutely shocked me, if a god stops for anything, you know that isn't good. Scouting around the chariot, swaying in from the nighttime shadows were hundreds of black beasts, they looked like large greyhounds, but they were all black with golden eyes and lean, flexible structure. Jackals I realized, wild dogs from the Egyptian dessert. Isis snapped the reigns and followed after the whole pack of jackals they seem to be directing her towards something, but I couldn't figure out what exactly, but I was shortly released to find what it was. The pack lead Isis into a dark Egyptian style graveyard with the moon directly shining over it, which took the creep factor from fifty too a hundred really quick. Lying in the sand in the middle of the graveyard was what looked to be a baby Hellhound puppy wrapped in a white linen blanket, it was all black with a cute little snout, large pouty eyes and tiny paws, it looked hungry and neglected "WAAAAAH!" The puppy screamed, Isis parked her chariot at full force and raced to the puppy, she lifted it up in her arms and clasped him tightly against her clavicle, "there there, it's alright you're safe, in the arms of the god's," she said rocking the puppy, and soothing him until he put the dewclaw of his paw in his mouth and his eyelids drooped, I bit back an AWE! At the sleeping puppy. Isis clutched the adorable creature to her breast and looked up into the night sky, tears streaming down her flushed face, she opened her blue and green, stained glass wings and wrapped them around her sleeping pup, and tilted her head right up at the sky dramatically "CURSE YOU SET!!" she screamed loud enough to cause a clap of thunder. My dream self took a step back with shock. And at that time Morpheus decided that was a perfect time to end my dream of traumatic puppy rescue. I swore to Ra that as soon as this war ended I would storm up to mount Olympus, right into the bedchamber of Hypnos god of sleep, and hack apart his sleep number mattress with a battle axe! My dream shifted to show Asgard: home of the Norse Aesir gods. Heimdall the gatekeeper stood at the be-frost bridge, that's the giant rainbow bridge that connected Asgard to Midgard the realm of man. Heimdall raised the yell-horn and blew into it with two long bursts, I knew what he had told me, I Blow this thing twice It's Ragnarok Baby! Frigg Norse goddess of forethought and wisdom, also queen of the gods peered over her balcony in shock, and she raced off to prepare for war, I knew that the rebels were attacking Asgard. I was treated to a view of the throne room of Freya, Norse goddess of Love and beauty, she sat down in her rose gold throne with Legolas (her white Persian cat) sitting in her lap while she was petting him without a care in the world, until she heard the Yell-horn of Asgard down on the bridge, she kept up from her throne with shock, she kept stumbling over her many, many cats as she rushed to the window. As soon as she saw the Liberal Army's on march to Asgard she raced to the closet grabbed her sword and shield and raced off.
I sprang up from my bed and saw Thalia standing over me holding onto my ankle "Dakota, you're awake thank the gods, theirs someone here to see you,"