Clockwork

3

"You scream as if someone is going to hear you. No one is coming to help you." Adrien says smirking. Blood dripped from Percy's face onto his blood-soaked shirt.

The son of Aphrodite proceeded to use the hilt of the dagger to beat Percy before turning it around. Annabeth looked sympathetic, pity shone brightly in her eyes but Percy couldn't find regret.

Being in the middle of the forest made it difficult to have any water aid him, but he had all the water he needed right in front of him. Looking straight in the eyes of Adrien as he slid the knife across Percy's face, the son of Aphrodite buckled and began to scream in agony.

Annabeth looked at Percy in fear as he didn't move, didn't flinch, as he manipulated her apparent boyfriend's blood. Percy had taken his eyes off of Annabeth. Took his eyes off the dagger.

Adrien stopped suddenly, breathing hard, before sitting up fully. Percy looked into stormy gray eyes, the eyes of the woman he fell into Tartarus for. The woman who plunged the dagger hilt deep into his chest.

The woman who smiled.

~
It wasn't easy going through the forest with the three children. Their knowledge of who they were brought monsters to them, and they weren't the bravest bunch, the daughter of Demeter shooting vines at everything that moved, animals included, along with the son of Hecate, who shot magical bubbles at the vines when he sees them begin to move, then the high pitched squeal that came from the daughter of Athena every time she heard a big boom.

They really wouldn't survive on their own.

"S-sir?" The boy spoke for the first time since meeting Percy. Percy had just slain the Minotaur for the fifth time in the span of 3 hours. He should've made Artemis teleport them back. The boy's voice was raspy like he hadn't used it for a very long time. When he got no response from the giant metal man, he continued. "H-how come your sword is gone? Don't you need it to fight?"

Without answering, Percy rolled his shoulder forward, and his arm folded into Riptide, then backward, and his Riptide went back to being his arm. "That's so cool! It's like your arm is from the transformers!" He said. The Athenian looked over too, the cogs turning. "Are you a robot?" She asked. Still no answer.

Since the hunters were always moving, he had changed course three times. But now they were settling down for the night, and they were just up ahead.

"Girls, there's a group that wants to take you in but you have to swear off men. Are you guys okay with that?" Percy asked, stopping before going into the huntress' line of sight. "I guess. Does that mean we can't be friends anymore?" The daughter of Athena asked. Percy wasn't sure when they were 'friends' since they didn't speak during most of the walk. Sure he killed a few monsters but that hardly made them friends. It made him tired sure but not a friend.

"Of course not. We can still be friends." Percy said, unsure. "Will you come to visit?" The daughter of Demeter asked quietly. "I had the impression that you didn't like me very much," Percy said matter-of-factly. The girl snorted. "At first I didn't."

"Sir, what's your name?" The Athenian asked. "Clockwork." "I'm fourteen." She said. "Really? You look 5." Percy asked, actually surprised. "No, I'm Fourteen, not fourteen. It's my name." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah, I'm Nineteen." The boy said. "I'm Eighteen." The daughter of Demeter said. "I see," Percy said. "Now, Nineteen, stay close to me. Don't let any of the girls intimidate you." Percy said, motioning the girls forward. They took off running racing each other, and Nineteen looked at them sadly. "You're going to miss them, aren't you?" Percy asked. The son of Hecate nodded before sniffling. "No tears. The girls will tear you apart." Percy said. The tears magically (pun intended... Sorry) disappeared off Nineteen's face.