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

Chapter 10

"So what's the full plan?" Grover asked over breakfast the next morning.

"Convince Lord Chiron that Luke is behind everything." Percy said, writing down what they had for the plan.

"And how are we gonna do that?" Tyson asked as Thalia stumbled into the room, arms full of thistleburst.

"Okay, this is all the thistleburst I gathered yesterday." Thalia explained, spreading everything out on the table.

"Why do you have so much thistleburst?" Percy asked cautiously.

"Because the people I work for were going to throw a get well party for your father before they left with Annabeth to go get your antidote."

"Any news that she's back yet?" Grover asked cautiously.

"Nope. I have her family convinced that she's been spending the night at my place since she's been gone."

"Just out of curiosity... What exactly do you do for the people who live here?" Tyson asked cautiously.

"I gather whatever they need me too, and most of the time that requires me to go to the swamp to get thistleburst." Thalia said glumly.

"Does Annabeth-" Percy started to ask.

"Oh God no. I forbid her from doing that when she first started working here when she was fourteen. She stays in here and cleans."

"Are you not seventeen like me?" Percy asked.

"Nope. I'm twenty one." Thalia explained, growing a little quiet. "I ran away from my home when I was little. Since my mother was a butterfly fairy, I flew here and met Luke and Annabeth. Heck, at this point, Annabeth is practically like my little sister. If anything were to happen to her... And now there's the whole Luke situation..."

Percy reached over at put his hand on top of Thalia's. "Annabeth is gonna be fine, Thalia. I believe in her, and I barely know the girl."

"Yet you have a crush on the girl." Tyson said snarkily.

"Tyson, shh!" Percy said, going back to the list. "We snuck a lot of ilios from Luke to power the thistleburst for tonight, but I think we're going to have way too much left over ilios."

"Say no more." Thalia complained, throwing her her hands as she grabbed a bag. "I'll go back to the swamp."

"Good luck." Percy said sadly as Thalia left the house. He looked over at Grover. "Grover, have you talked to the flutter pixies union?"

Grover shook his head. "They're sending over some representatives today to talk."

"Cool. And Tyson? How's it going with the other members of the royal guard who promised not to turn us over to Lord Chiron?"

"Pretty good." Tyson said, looking over at Percy with his one good eye. "They're all coming over here later to hear the full game plan from you. That includes that Beckendorf guy, Will Solace, his boyfriend Nico di Angelo, and that red haired girl."

"Do you mean Ella, the one you have a crush on?" Percy teased.

Tyson blushed. "No..."

"Now Tyson-"

"We need to focus on saving Dad!"

"Oh, but when I say that after you and Grover start teasing me about Annabeth, it doesn't work."

"That is how that works." Grover said teasingly, tapping one of the bottles of ilios. "Now come on. I need an example to show the flutter pixies."

"You only need a drop of ilios to put on the thistleburst." Percy explained, opening up one of the bottles and slowly and letting the poison drop onto the thistleburst.

"Gah!" Tyson said, closing his eyes. "That's almost as bright as what Dad's lights used to be."

"Exactly." Percy said, putting the thistleburst in a box and closing the lid. "Hopefully, this will buy us time until Annabeth gets back."

"You still think she's gonna get back in time?"

"I have to. She's our last hope." Percy said, looking out the window. "If she doesn't, we're as good as dead."