A new beginning (completed)

Across The Water

A.N. Hey guys, Thank you all for keeping up with the story and a big thank you to booklover4646. As promised a double update, I hope you enjoy.

CHAPTER 10: ACROSS THE WATER

        We finally made it out of camp to start our adventure but we were already encountering problems. How were we supposed to get across the country with barely any money? We decided to start off by using some helpful sea creatures called hippocampi. Percy whistled and they just came to bring us across the water. Jason wasn't so happy about it but he didn't come up with another option so we accepted Percy's idea. The hippocampi were fairly big so we decided, or rather Percy decided, that we should all double up because he didn't want to call so many of the creatures into these dirty waters. Somehow I ended up with Alek, Percy ended up with Annabeth and Frank was with Jason.

        While we were on the water Alek and I started trying to plan for our meeting with the Romans. "I think we should go in with some sort of gift to get them on our good side before we ask them to help us." It was a good idea, the only problem was what we could give a camp of magical demigods. There isn't so much they don't already have. Alek seemed to be thinking along the same lines as me, "It seemed like a good idea but I just can't think of what to get them... maybe we should bring them a hawaiian t-shirt and a diet coke to spice up their garden." I remember Hazel telling the stories about New Rome around the bonfire after Chiron announced the quest. She seemed to really like the garden of Bacchus. She had described the almost nude statue and the whole camp had started laughing before we remembered that this was, sort of, our camp director. I don't think any of us would have liked to see a barely clothed statue of his lazy, annoying, and irritating director. I turned to respond when suddenly there was a big wave and my hippocampi, being scared, dove under the water. Now this wouldn't have been a big issue if I was like Percy and could breath underwater, but because I couldn't breath I was in trouble. I didn't want to let go of the hippocampi because I didn't really know where I was but I didn't think I could hold my breath any longer. I tried pulling on the creature's neck but that was obviously the wrong thing to do as it threw me off its back and swam away. It was only then that I remembered Alek was also on this hippocampi and he should have fallen with me. If I could find him hopefully I would be able to find the others.

        I decided the first thing I had to do was break the surface so I could get some air but the more I swam the harder it seemed to get. I could see the sunlight but I was too tired to swim anymore. My life would always be hard if I continued trying. I mean, I am a demigod and it doesn't really get easier. If I am not trying to swim then I will be fighting for my life or going on quests for the gods. I really don't have much to look forward to, and with that thought I stopped. I stopped struggling. I stopped trying and I actually floated a little. The rising felt a little weird, sort of like someone was holding me in the back and softly bringing me up. Then I realised I wasn't floating but I was being pulled towards the surface by someone. This person was warm and strong. I could feel his arms around me as I finally got a breath of air. We were still in the water but the feel of his strong body holding me up reminded me that I do have things to look forward to. I have a life ahead of me and that is what this quest was supposed to be about, the future. I opened my eyes and found ten eyes staring at me with mixed looks of worry, confusion, and exasperation. Boy do I have a lot of explaining to do.

                After I explained about the wave and my almost drowning, I left out the depressing thoughts part, I started to wonder; "Why weren't you still with me when the wave hit?" Alek looked at we with a look that said, isn't it obvious? "I saw the wave and jumped off, I thought you would do the same but then you were still on the hippocampi so I thought you knew something that I didn't. When you didn't come back up and I saw the hippocampus swim away I swam towards where I thought you were but you weren't there so it took me a little while to find and save you." That is so sweet! He wanted to save me. Who would have thought Alek, a guy I barely knew, would save my life? "Wait, why did the wave even come? Isn't this your 'domain'? Why would your dad let a random wave bother us?" Wow, I guess Jason has some sort of feud with Percy. I mean it kind of makes sense. They are both incredibly powerful demigods who are used to being in charge. Thank goodness we have Annabeth to keep them in check. "Jason!" "What?" "The gods must be busy. You don't have to yell at Percy about it." Ya, you tell him girl! "I wasn't yelling and I thought Percy could control water." "I can control water! How do you think we have been moving so fast? I just got a little distracted..." Was he blushing? Percy turns to Annabeth to give her a half annoyed half loving look. "I wasn't trying to be distracting. I just thought it wouldn't hurt for me to hold on, I mean we were going pretty fast and maybe I was worried." She can try to look innocent, but Annabeth can't fool anyone. "Maybe we could try going across land for a bit?" Great idea Frank! Maybe then I won't have near death experiences because Annabeth is distracting Percy. Everyone else, except Percy, seem to agree so Percy instructs the hippocampi to head for land.

        Once I am standing on my own two feet again I feel a lot better. We even stop at a coffee shop so Alek and I can change into dry clothes. Annabeth came with me into the washroom and she seemed to think now might be the time for a pep talk. "You know, for a first timer you are doing pretty well. I hope you didn't actually feel like life wasn't worth it because I know sometimes being a demigod is overwhelming but it really does have it's perks. I mean, when else would you get to travel around the country with a few other teenagers, most of which seem to be guys. I don't know about you but I have heard that some parents are very over-protective, at least now we all have some freedom. Especially when there are cute guys involved. Wouldn't you agree?" Maybe she has a point, we are always going to have to fight but at least we are taught to defend ourselves. Plus, if I was mortal, my dad never would have let me get into a situation where a guy would need to save me from drowning. "I guess. It is really frustrating to know that the monsters will just keep coming back though."

A.N. Thanks so much guys. I hope you liked it. I really would love to hear any ideas or comments from you guys so please feel free to leave one. Also, please vote and follow if you liked the story because I am trying to figure out how many people are actually reading this. Thanks again.

~briarose14