Before I Die (Split Souls part 1)

40: I Didn't Realize Pirates Used Darts

PERCY POV

"Alright..." My father shifts awkwardly.

"What?" I frown at him.

"Gods can't teleport each other," He says.

Oh. "So you can't just take me down under?"

"No... Are you up for lesson one?" He questions.

"Sure." Why not? 

"Close your eyes, it will be less disorienting." He instructs. I close my eyes. "Feel the water in the air."

Not hard. There's a ton of it. "Do you feel it?"

"Yup." I reply.

"Now, I want you to picture my study in the palace."

Also easy. "Once you have it pictured, I want you to become just what you feel around you."

Okay. That's harder. Become tiny particles of water? But the more I think about all the little pieces, the weirder I feel.

"Good, now go there."

Go there? How am I supposed to go- oh hey woah that feels really weird. What the heck? I open my eyes, and I'm not at camp anymore.

I'm in my father's study. I turn around, to check if it's an illusion. It's not. And I can feel all the water surrounding me. It's... Omnipotent. Think that's the right word.

I feel the ripple and my head snaps to it. There's my father, grinning at me with- is that pride? "Very well done."

"What the Hades was that?" I demand.

"Vapour travel." He continues to grin. "My equivalent of shadow travel."

So the Hades kids can hop through shadows, Poseidon kids can turn into water and teleport, and Zeus kids can fly? "So... Does that mean Zeus' kids get the short end of the stick? They have to like, manually fly everywhere."

My father blinks a few times, before breaking into laughter. "And this is why you are my favorite." He manages after he's caught his breath. Huh, 'catching his breath' underwater? I guess our family just... Breaks the rules.

"So... Can I go see Annabeth?" I ask.

"Ah, yes. Go, she should be in your room by now. Come to the training grounds when you are ready." He says. before I reach the door, he adds, "Be mindful, Son. You have completed your metamorphosis. You won't need sleep. Won't be able to, not for a while to come."

Aaaaand another slap to the face. I can't even sleep anymore? I probably don't even need to breathe. I'm like a shitty vampire or something.

I swallow a lump in my throat, but it doesn't go away. "Does she know?"

The silence before the soft "Yes." feels like forever. 

I know my way around the palace. It isn't long before I'm standing in front of the door to my room. How is she going to react? Will she push me away? What does this mean for us? Am I about to find that everything I've worked for is gone?

I knock on the door. Normally, moments like these are really long. But how I feel now, makes those times feel short, while also not being long enough to prepare myself.

The door opens, and she's standing there, her curls framing her face, grey eyes alert. Before I can even say 'hi' she has wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest. I melt into the familiarity.

After some time, she pulls out of the hug enough to shove me inside the room and close the door. She turns back to me, and takes my hand. We sit across from each other on the bed.