Beyond the Shining Lights (Percy Jackson Barbie's Mariposa AU)

Chapter 9

"Here we are!" Rachel said happily. "Mermaid Lagoon."

"Are you sure?" Silena asked. "I don't see any mermaids."

"That's because mermaids live under water. Duh." Rachel said, rolling her eyes as Annabeth knelt down and started investigating some plants by the water.

"Okay, but how are we supposed to talk to them if they're under water?" Piper asked, shrugging as she gave Rachel a confused look.

"This is how." Annabeth said, breaking off the berries off of a plant and passing them out to the group.

"What are these?" Clarisse said, giving Annabeth a confused look.

"Mermadius Syronesis." Annabeth said, pointing to the bushes of plants. "Water Breath."

"But they look like regular strawberries." Silena mentioned, tilting her head.

"But they aren't." Annabeth said, pointing to the stem of the plant. "See the blue stripes on the stem? Blue stripes often mean that they're of the water type, and if the stripes alternate from blue to green like this does, then they allow you to breath underwater."

"Did you get that from your Antonio Andreas book too?" Piper teased.

"No, I got that from a botnany book." Annabeth said, eating the berry whole. "Believe it or not, not everything I read is fiction."

"But how can we trust this strange-" Clarisse asked as Annabeth dove head first into the water. "Or just... Jump on in without talking to the rest of the group..."

After a minute, Annabeth resurfaced, her blonde hair matted to her face. "The plant works! Everybody, jump in!"

Giving each other concerned look, everyone jumped down into the water, holding their breath for a second before letting it go.

"Okay... We are breathing under water." Rachel said, her red hair floating around her face. "Now what?"

"We swim until we find mermaids?" Silena suggested.

"We have to be more strategic than that." Annabeth said, looking around. "Water Breath only works for an hour. Where do we find mermaids..."

"I think I see something!" Piper said, pointing as she started swimming in the direction she was pointing towards.

"Piper, wait!" Silena yelled, swimming after her.

"Come on, we better chase after them." Clarisse said as the three other fairies swam after Silena and Piper, pausing once they saw that Silena and Piper had cornered three mermaids, a girl with long black hair, a girl with blonde hair pulled back in two pigtails, and a boy with short brown hair.

"Guys, come on. Hear these two out!" The boy said, motioning towards Silena and Piper, but then noticed the other fairies behind them. "Or five now. Either way, there must be a reason why they all decided to come down here."

"There is, there is a very good reason!" Rachel said quickly.

"Please we need-" Annabeth started to explain as one of th mermaids started speaking.

"Would this shell look better with my part or opposite?"

"With." The mermaid with the blonde hair said.

"But-" Annabeth tried again.

"Annabeth, we got this." Silena said, turning to the three mermaids. "What can we get you so that you'll help us?"

"Conchal shells!" The small blonde one said excitedly. "Right Drew?"

"Lacy, you can't possibly expect-" The boy started to say.

"Shut up Mitchell." The oldest mermaid, Drew, said as she looked at the fairies. "If you guys came down here, you have to be desperate. Prove the desperation by getting us conchal shells."

"We don't have time to go get your stupid shells!" Annabeth shrieked. "Our entire home rests on finding out where that ilios antidote is. Can't you just tell us where to find it?"

"We know where it is." The blonde girl, Lacy, said. "We'll tell you, after we get our shells."

As the two mermaids swam away, Mitchell looked at the five fairies. "Sorry about them. I'd tell you myself, but I have no idea what ilios even is. But I will show you to the conchal grove."

"Thank you." Clarisse said, nodding as the Mitchell lead the group to a grove where little mermaids were sleeping on the conchal shells.

"Point of advice," Mitchell whispered, swimming away from the group. "Don't wake up the babies because they wake up a sea beast."

Annabeth's eyes widened as she looked at the sleeping mermaids. "How in the world are we supposed to do this without waking them up? Those shells are their pillows. If the pillows are gone, they're definitely gonna feel that!"

"I got an idea!" Piper said happily, swimming over to some kelp and picking a piece from the sand, folding it into itself until it made a small pillow. "These look about the same size, right?"

"Piper, you're a genius!" Clarisse said, grabbing the kelp as Silena swam over to a baby mermaid close to the edge, gently lifting up the baby's head as Clarisse traded the shell for the kelp.

"You two do the same thing." Piper said, handing another kelp pillow to Annabeth.

Rachel carefully lifted up the baby's head as Annabeth switched out the pillows, quickly swimming away and towards the group.

As soon as Annabeth and Rachel were far away from the babies, Annabeth heard one of the babies, the one that she had just taken the shell from, start to cry.

Annabeth's eyes widened in terror as something started moving behind the baby mermaids. "SWIM!"

The five started swimming as fast as they could, throwing the shells at the mermaids as they kept swimming, dodging any attacks thrown at them.

After what felt like forever, the mermaids grabbed their wrists and pushed them towards a tunnel near the surface.

"Okay you two," Mitchell said, swaying his tail as he looked at Lacy and Drew. "You got your shells. Answer their question."

"What was your question again?" Drew asked exhaustedly.

"Where can we find the ilios antidote?" Clarisse asked.

"The Cave of Reflection." Drew said, rolling her eyes.

"Head east, then enter the monster's mouth." Lacy explained in further detail, catching up with Drew.

"Sorry about them again. Family, huh?" Mitchell said, pointing behind the five fairies. "Swim that way and you'll reach the surface."

"Thank you." Annabeth said happily, looking at the group. "Come on guys!"

The fairies swan to the surface, crawling to dry land. Their wings dropped a bit, soaking wet with water dripping down.

"Why don't we take a break here." Clarisse said, grabbing some sticks from the opening of the cave and making a fire. "At least until our wings dry off."

"Good idea." Piper said, plopping down next to the fire.

Annabeth paused for a second before sitting down next to Silena. "Hey... Silena?"

"Yeah." Silena said, Piper leaning towards Annabeth.

"Thank you... For coming along." Annabeth struggled to say. "I don't think I would have known how to deal with those mermaids if you and Piper hadn't insisted on coming along."

Piper shrugged. "They just reminded us of some fairies we know."

"And besides," Silena said, smiling awkwardly at Annabeth. "What are friends for, right?"