The Power Within Her

Confessions at the Tunnel of Love

Andromeda

We stopped at a car wash, and I watched as Grover put in the quarters and Annabeth said a prayer to the Goddess Iris and Luke's face appeared, sadly, so did a Lincoln, blasting it's music.
"Come on, Grover." Annabeth pulled him along as I held the nozzle so Percy could talk to Luke. I listened to them talk until the water stopped and Percy faced me, as pale as a ghost.
"Hey, it'll be ok." I rubbed his shoulder before Annabeth and Grover came over.
What happened, Percy? What did Luke say?" Annabeth asked, her face flushing. I'm so tempted to tell her he only thinks of her as a little sister.
"Not much. Come on, let's find some dinner."
Soon, we found a diner and were sitting at a booth. Percy and I were sitting on one side, and Grover and Annabeth on the other.
"Well?" A waitress asked.
"We want to order dinner." I said.
"You kids have money to pay for it?" She snapped. I was about to tell her what's what, but then a rumble from a motorcycle shook the building and a man walked in. I snapped my head towards him and my eyes widened.
Ares.
Everyone rose, but he waved them off and they sat down again and continued their conversations.
"You kids have money to pay for it?" She snapped again as I clenched my teeth. Hunger always made me irritable, but with Ares here, it was much worse.
"It's on me." He said as he pulled up a seat and sat at the head of our table.
"So, you're old Seaweed's kid, huh?" He asked Percy.
"What's it to you?" Percy snapped. I placed my hand on his arm.
"S'okay." He said to me as Percy finally wrapped his mind around who the man with the fire eyes was.
"Ares, God of war." Percy said.
"That's right, punk. So, I have a little proposition for you." Ares said as he cleaned his nails with his knife as the food came out and he tossed the woman some gold drachmas. "I need you to do me a favor."
"What favor could I do for a god?" Percy asked.
"Something I don't have time for. I left my shield at an abandoned waterpark here in town. I was going on a little... date with my girlfriend. Like you two are." He paused as my face grew red.
"We're not on a date! This is a quest!" Percy raged.
"Careful now, she's part mine, you know." He grinned as I punched his arm. "Don't be like that, dear."
"Don't." I hissed. None of the gods are supposed to tell anyone about me.
"Why, because Zeus will throw a fit?" He laughed as I puffed my cheeks. "Still adorable, Little one." He ruffled my hair as I glared at him.
"Wait, what?" Percy asked as I bit my lips.
"If you go, I'll tell you something about your mom."
"My mom?" Percy whispered as my head snapped over to him.
"That got your attention. The water park is a mile west on Delancy. You can't miss it. Look for the Tunnel of Love ride." Ares said before he dissapeared.
"What did he mean by-?" Percy asked.
"So, let's find out how to get in." I quickly cut him off as I climed the fence. I wasn't ready for anyone to know just yet. I know that there's something big coming in the near future, so if anyone knew, I'd be in trouble.
We found a gift shop and stole a few clothes and other things before we continued to look for the Tunnel of Love.
I zoned out until Percy asked Annabeth to go with him and she freaked out.
"Oh, come on, Perc. Let's go." I sighed as I pulled his arm and we went down to the boat and he found Aphrodite's scarf. "No love magic for you, Seaweed brain." I took it out of his hands as he found and grabbed the shield.
And that's when everything went from fine to bad, and then to worst.
"So, what did Ares mean by you are part his?" He asked as my stomach did flips.
"Remember when Mr. D and Chiron took me aside and I told you that when I could, I would tell you?" I asked.
"Yeah?"
"You can't tell anyone, but you probably won't believe me either..." I started before explaining it to him.
"So you have the powers of the gods?" He asked.
"Yes, just, please, don't tell anyone yet." I begged as he put his hand on my shoulder.
"Of course. Just let me know if you tell anyone else." He smiled as I nodded, feeling a huge weight come off my shoulders... that was until all the cupid statues started shooting at each other.
"Spiders." I whispered in fear as metal spiders came crawling towards us as the countdown till the live to Olympus would start.
"Grover!" I screamed. "Turn on the water!"
"Good idea." Percy said as Grover put his hands up. He pushed every button, and nothing worked.
"Bring the ocean to Denver." I said as I took his hand and closed my eyes, feeling the tug in my stomach as all the water exploded out of the pipes just as it hit 0.
The water was filled with a bunch of short circuited spiders, and then the boat's nose turned toward the tunnel and we plunged into darkness.
I held onto Percy tightly, both of us screaming as the boat shot curls and hugged corners and took forty-five degree plunge past Romeo and Juliet and a bunch of other Valentine's day stuff.
"On my mark!" Percy said as I quickly unfastened my seatbelt.
"No! On my mark!" I exclaimed. "Simple Physics!"
"Fine!" He said.
"Now!" I said as we jumped about two seconds before the crack of the boat. We flew into the air as I tried to will the water to catch us.
"Percy! The water! Help me!" I exclaimed as we pulled the water towards us and it caught us, slowing our descent and guiding us towards the pool below.
"Show's over!" I yelled breathlessly at the Cupids that were still filming. Once we got back on land I felt lightheaded and fell.
"Andromeda!" Percy exclaimed as he caught me before I blacked out from using too much of my powers.