"Big brother, I love you", grinned Tyson broadly as he hugged Percy close.
The half-blood laughed softly, trying to return the hug. How much he had missed his big little brother. It was good to hug his family again. Mrs. O'Leary was running around them nervously, her tail wagging curiously as she sniffed her long-lost master. Patting her between the ears, he turned to his other companion. Frank and Hazel were staying close by, looking nervously around as the three heroes were on their way to leave the Zhang property.
"Ty, I'm really glad to see you", smiled Percy. "Look, I would love to have a real reunion, but... those friends of mine, Frank and Hazel, and me, we're on a very important quest. And our friend Ella, she's not fit to take on such a journey. Can you and Mrs. O'Leary take her with you?"
"Ella?", repeated the cyclops confused and cocked his head.
"Yes?", asked the harpy softly from where she was crouched on a tree.
Percy blinked amused as his brother tugged on his purple shirt to gain his attention so he could whisper in his way too loud voice. "Oh. She's very pretty."
The harpy blushed and flapped her wings. "Ella will go with Tyson."
"Well, that solves that problem", chuckled Percy amused as he watched them.
With cautious eyes, Percy watched how his brother and the red-haired harpy climbed onto the hell-hound to leave. This was good, Percy knew she would be safe with Tyson. Now it was up to Frank, Hazel and himself to find safety. They needed to continue their journey to Alaska.
/break\
Truth be told, the journey to Alaska was a blur to Percy. His mind was too clouded with panic. Hazel had a vision of Gaia and learned of her brother's capture. Nico was captured by Gaia. His Ghost Prince was being held prisoner by the enemy and he had no idea how to find him and safe him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was aware of them stopping at Hazel's old home, where she used to live with her mother. But Percy needed the time to sort his thoughts. The fact that one of his lovers was kidnapped and held captive by the enemy made him antsy and panicked. But this quest was important and demanded his full attention. By the time they reached Alaska, he had enough of a grip on himself to concentrate on the task at hand. First saving Thanatos, then Nico.
And damn, that task really made it easy to concentrate on him. The guy was the most beautiful sight Percy had ever laid eyes on. If Aphrodite was male, this should be her form. The husky, black-skinned hunk, with the deep eyes and broad black wings. Somewhere he had seen the pretty god before, in the underworld during a banquet with the family of Death and a bunch of gods from the underworld. He had caught Percy's eyes back then too. Sadly enough, Percy didn't get a chance to inspect the goods closer, because an army of supposedly dead guys decided to attack.
He hated to separate from his friends, but Frank was the only one able to break the iced chains of Thanatos. With the stick his life was bound to. He literally burned his life-force to free death. The irony of that was not lost on Percy, but he had no time to dwell on it.
"Take care of the Romans", growled Frank, sweat running down his face.
Percy nodded as he tried himself on too many enemies. His Stygian-iron shield held them off enough to give him breathing space, but it were just way too many. He backed off more, his trident in one hand, the cursed pen-sword in the other. As he was backed into a corner - or rather, against the edge of a cliff - an idea hit him. Throwing a last glance at Frank, Hazel and Thanatos, he thrust his trident into the ice, he prayed to his father's powers that it might break enough ice off so the long fallen Romans would fall again. With him into the ice-cold waters of Alaska. His eyes closed tightly as they fell, fear gripping his heart. The son of Neptune would drown. This prophecy ran through his head over and over and over again. What if he would drown in these seas? Alaska was out of the gods' reach. The ice water, it could mean his end. A bitter smile slid onto his lips. His fatal flaw. He would give everything for his friends, even his own life, if he needed.
