𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓 ▷ CONNOR STOLL ¹

002: He's the One

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002: He's the One
[JUNE]

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JUNE'S JACKET WAS decorated with various patches. Each had been sewn on during the hours she spent at the art and crafts center. She'd made the most of it on her own with some assistance from Annabeth. The sleeves glittered with gold stars. The inside was a sky blue, the outside a deep blue that matched the night sky. Each of the patches reminded her of one of her friends. There was a patch shaped like a storm cloud on the right pocket. A patch shaped like a pair of wings on the left pocket. A patch shaped like an owl is near one of the buttons. A patch shaped like a heart. None of the patches matched each other but she liked them anyway. She liked remembering her friends. She sewed on a new patch each summer. One to memorialize a new friendship.

Her first patch had been the storm cloud.

She practiced using her powers when the camp was dead asleep. She accompanied Argus on his strawberry deliveries and practiced when the weather predicted it would rain. She'd tried to make conversation with him but it was difficult. He had hundreds of eyes and maybe even one on his tongue. She found that kind of cruel. On the strawberry runs, she'd pick up things for their underground business. Sometimes the Stolls would manage to stoy themselves away in the back of the truck. Argus was not a fan of that but he couldn't complain.

She had stopped dreaming about the pit this past week. The last seven days she'd been plagued with dreams of a horse and eagle fighting. Something was missing, that much she had deduced. And she knew who the horse and eagle were meant to symbolize.

Was this her father's way of reaching out to her? Through her dreams. She hadn't had any of her prayers answered since Thalia turned into a tree. She had stopped praying to him months ago. She wasn't sure he was listening. She didn't think he cared about her anyway. Thalia had been the chosen one. She was just the second choice. She always had been. She prayed to the other gods. She wondered if they were listening.

Maybe Annabeth would finally get the quest she had been hoping for. She hoped that every new camper would be the one. The one that would grant her that quest. The one that would let her out of the camp's borders. The one who would let her put her training to the test.

She hoped she was wrong. She knew what quests did to people. She and Luke's friendship had fallen apart after he returned from his quest. He pushed her away. She wondered what had gotten him so angry. She wished he'd talk about it. He was angry all the time, it was getting harder and harder to hide that fact. But he plastered on his fake smile and wrapped the camp around his finger.

Today, her prayers had been answered. Someone out there had been listening. It was late that night, camp was dead asleep. She thought better than to practice her powers tonight. She knew someone was watching her. She could feel their eyes burning holes into the back of her head. It seemed Connor Stoll could not leave her alone to her misery. She made no indication of knowing he was there so he remained silent.

She sat on a rock next to the camp's entrance. She resisted the urge to cut glances at Thalia's tree. She didn't want to be sad at this hour. She wondered if she'd ever get over it. Probably not.

Then she heard shouting. There was a howl in the distance. She knew a new camper was well on the way. She stood up from her perch on the rock, staring down the hill. She thought she was imagining it. There was Grover who was unconscious, being held up by a woman and a boy who looked around her age.

They were only a few yards away from Thalia's pine. June got a better look at the monster they ran from, a minotaur.

"Go, Percy! Separate! Remember what I said!" said the woman, shouldering Grover. She looked about ready to collapse. The boy, Percy, had froze, unwilling to split up. But then he came to his senses and realized it was their only option. The minotaur bellowed, bowing its head as it charged. But it was headed toward the woman who had dropped Grover on the grass.

They were so close. They had finally reached the crest of the hill. June flicked her wrists, her rings transformed into twin knives. She wasn't sure where Chiron had come from. He sat in a wheelchair behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"The boy must do it alone," Chiron said solemnly, watching the scene unfold in front of them. June frowned, sheathing her knives. She didn't think it was fair. There was no way they would all make it. The minotaur was closing in. It reminded her of Thalia.

The woman was retreating downhill, attempting to draw the monster away from the unconscious Grover. She told Percy to run. The monster charged. She attempted to sidestep again but it had learned from its mistakes. Its hand shot out and grabbed her by the neck. She struggled, kicking her legs in an attempt to release herself from its grip.

"Mom!" Percy shouted again. His mother met his eyes, managing to get out one final word: "Go!" The monster's fist closed around her throat and she disappeared in a shimmering gold light. June's frown deepened. She'd never seen anything like that happen before.

It reminded her of the cyclops enclosing its fist around her throat. She ran a hand over her throat just to make sure she was still here.

"NO!" Percy screamed, his anger giving him the courage to charge at the monster. The monster inspected Grover, sniffing him as if he would be his next target.

Percy took off his red rain coat, "Hey!" he screamed, waving the jacket, running to one side of the monster. "Hey, stupid! Ground beef!"

The monster's attention quickly snapped back to him. The monster charged and she was sure there was no way to sidestep out of its path. Percy did an unimaginable thing. He leapt up into the air, kicking the monster in the head, turned mid air, and landed on the monster's neck. The monster's attention turned to Grover again, pawing the ground, getting ready to charge. Percy wrapped his hands around the horns, pulling backwards with all his might. The monster shook him off and he landed on the ground, his head hitting a rock. He now held one of its horns in his hands.

The monster charged again, and as he barrelled past, Percy jammed the horn into its side. The monster roared before dissolving into a puddle of dust.

The rain had stopped. Percy hauled Grover up and the two staggered up the rest of the hill and into the camp's borders. June reached out, draping one of Grover's arms on her shoulders when it was clear Percy had no intention of letting go. Together, they walked to the Big House. Percy collapsed as they reached the porch. Annabeth and Chiron stood waiting.

Both stared at the boy.

"He's the one. He must be," Annabeth said.

"Silence, Annabeth," Chiron said. "He's still conscious. Bring him inside."

June and Annabeth draped each of his arms over their shoulders, walking him the rest of the way to the infirmary.