Ginny was not having a Goode day, and wanted to sue the administration for false advertising.  At first, it seemed like she could do it. She could make it through this orientation with no issues. No problems. No beheadings and violence of any kind. But she should have known that to ask the universe to make it through the day without bloodshed was really just asking too much.

That being said, she never anticipated this. The most attractive guy she'd ever seen in her life just coming out and saying that not only was he not human, but neither was Ginny. This scary intense redhead dragging her behind bongos and demanding answers about mythical monsters. She certainly didn't anticipate running into robot-donkey-cheerleaders who were essentially the Greek equivalent of vampires. Or maybe a succubus was a better comparison? Either way, she didn't expect it.

Honestly, compared to everything else that was going on, Percy's pen turning into a sword was the least exciting thing to happen. But Ginny's eyes were still latched onto it, like it was the most important thing to focus on at the moment.

"It's a sword," she repeated dumbly, "and it's glowing."

Percy sent her a small smirk, as if he couldn't help but feel pleased at her being impressed by Riptide, and then turned back to Tammi, the robo-donkey.

"Oh, come on," she cooed, trying to be endearing. Ginny thought she even batted her eyelashes for effect. "You don't need that? How about a kiss instead?"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Percy," Ginny shuddered. It was hard, fighting to shake off what Percy had called the mist, but she could just barely see through it, not that she really wanted to. After all, it made Tammi's face a lot more horrific. "Her teeth are huge, and I think she wants to eat you. Literally."

"She's just jealous," Tammi huffed, before turning to Kelli for permission. "May I, mistress?"

Kelli was licking her lips as she looked from Percy to Ginny. She was blocking the band room door, and Ginny was pretty sure it was less to keep the innocent out and more to keep them in.

"Go ahead, Tammi," she cheered, her tone almost motherly in her belief in the other demon. "You're doing fine."

"How encouraging," Ginny couldn't help but mutter. "Is this Tammi's first attack?" Then she made it worse by speaking directly to her.

"Do you get a gold star for each of us that you eat, or is it more of a participation trophy?"

"Actually," Tammi snapped, "I get recognition by our supreme Mistress Hecate. It's a great honor."

"Well, I'd wish you good luck," Ginny said earnestly, "but I think you'd understand why I'd be rooting against you."

"Well thank you-hey! Your words will not distract Tammi!"

Ginny turned to Percy then, "Do they always talk about themselves in the third person?"

"You know," he responded conversationally, "it has been a theme."

"Good to know."

"Uh guys! Little less conversation!" Rachel squealed, gesturing to Tammi who was now getting closer to them.

A little more action, Ginny mentally finished in her head. Then she almost laughed about how apt that whole song was at the moment. Then she saw that Tammi was licking her lips and literally RIGHT THERE.

Focus.

Percy instinctively raised his sword so that it was leveled right at her robo-donkey chest, and ordered, "Get back!"

"Freshman," she snarled with derision, as if that were their problem. "This is our school, half-blood. We feed on whom we choose!"

Then she did it. She revealed her true form, the one that Ginny had been getting glimpses of through the mist but was now on display for them all. The color completely drained from her face and arms, making her skin abnormally white. Like neon white. Her eyes became a solid red, no pupil, iris, or anything, just a nice soothing blood red. Then, there were her fangs.

"A vampire!" Percy exclaimed, and then his eyes went to her legs which were completely visible with her skirt.

"Robo-donkey vampire cheerleaders," Ginny surmised, and Percy nodded in agreement.

"Don't mention the legs!" Tammi exclaimed defensively. "It's rude to make fun!"

"And it's not rude to eat people?" Ginny couldn't help but ask the obvious.

"And I thought I had a mouth," Percy laughed even as he scrambled back a few steps as Tammi got closer. Ginny was amazed that she could walk steadily on her legs, she thought the girl would have a limp.

"Yeah, well," Ginny chuckled nervously while staring at the red eyes and fangs, "I have a bad habit of talking when I'm nervous. I never can shut up."

"A vampire, you say? That silly legend was based on us, you fool. We are empousai, servants of Hecate!" Kelli laughed from her spot by the door.

"See though, I tried to tell him that," Ginny reminded the girls, "Before he even pulled his sword out, but you interrupted me."

"Shut it death girl!" Tammi edged closer to Ginny causing her to stumble back into Rachel, who caught her. Ginny sent the girl a small thank you, before turning back to the empousa.

"Dark magic formed us from animal, bronze, and ghost! We exist to feed on the blood of young men. Now come, give me that kiss!"

"Gross! Dude! Don't you know that it's not-cool to come onto minors when you're what, a couple thousand years old?"

"Really?" The empousa was momentarily startled and sent her a pleased grin even as she patted her deathly pale cheeks. "A couple thousand you say?"

"TAMMI!" Kelli yelled, no longer the encouraging mother figure. "Ignore the flattery! Finish them!"

"Right! I will kill the girl with the big mouth last for her compliments."

"Great," Ginny gave her a quick thumbs up. "Thanks a lot."

Then the distraction was over. The empousa was coming right for Percy and he appeared too stunned to defend himself. His sword had dropped down to his side and his eyes were dazed. If they were anything like vampires in the movies, Ginny was sure that he was in some sort of controlling trance brought on by the cheerleader's red eyes. Frantically she looked around for something to fight with.

Rachel seemed to be on the same wavelength as she threw a snare at the vamp's head, although the red-eyed cheerleader batted it away with one hand. Then, the redhead threw a xylophone, but that was swatted away too.

"I don't usually kill girls," Tammi growled, "But I was already going to make an exception for that one, so I'll do the same for you, mortal. Your eyesight is a little too good!"

"Think again!" Ginny yelled, just as Percy was coming out of his trance. Ginny threw herself between Rachel and Tammi, and she stabbed the girl in the heart with a flute. Silver alloy. Not a wooden or silver stake but it was the best she could come up with on short notice.

Of course, it would have been that bit of mythology that was changed in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

"You stupid girl! We aren't vampires! How many times do we have to say it!" Tammi wailed. "Look at what you did to my outfit!"

"Oops," Ginny let out an awkward laugh. "Think about all the stories you'll have now though. A good laugh with all your empousai friends, right?"

"Oh, I'll laugh alright," Tammi growled, reaching out and gripping both of Ginny's arms tightly, "Laugh as I destroy you!"

"Ginny!" Percy yelled and Ginny could feel him almost right behind her. "Let her go!"

"Yeah," Ginny struggled in her grip, "Let me go!"

Ginny looked up, and found herself looking Tammi in the eyes again. Her sunglasses lay forgotten on the floor, and she couldnt reach them even if she'd had the sense of mind to. But she didn't have her mind. Instead, Ginny saw it again, that stretch of eternal darkness, except it wasn't foreboding now. Now that darkness seemed an ally, because Ginny knew that Tammi feared that darkness for all that she was a creature made of dark magic. Ginny couldn't see it, but her eyes began to turn black, as all black as Tammi's were all red.

"What-what are you doing?!" Tammi demanded of Ginny hysterically, she started to let the girl go, but Ginny caught her arms, using strength she didn't know that she had and holding her opponent still. From beneath the touch of Ginny's palms, dark spots seemed to spread along Tammi's skin.

"Let go!" she screamed, panic evident. "Mistress! Mistress, stop her!"

But it was too late, screaming, Tammi appeared as if she were burning to death. Her skin turned black and began to crumble into dust until eventually she was no more. Then, Ginny's eyes turned back to normal, and she stumbled back into Percy's arms this time. He didn't even stop to consider that she might very well do to him what she did to Tammi, which was all Rachel could think as she receded back to the wall. Instead, Percy just held her up with one arm while keeping Riptide up in the direction of Kelli, who now looked pissed rather than hungry.

"You killed my trainee!" Kelli screamed, her eyes zeroed in on Ginny. "You need a lesson in school spirit!" Then she did what Tammi had done. Her curly black hair turned to fire, flickering flames dancing around head, threatening to leap out and set the entire room on fire. Her eyes became the same red Tammi's had, and they could all hear the nauseating clump, clank of the hoof/bronze leg advance.

"I am senior empousa! No hero has bested me in a thousand years! Especially not one of you!" she pointed to Ginny again, who only now seemed to be getting her color back. Whatever she'd done, it had taken a lot of energy from her.

"Yeah?" Percy demanded challengingly. "Then you're overdue!"

Then he turned to Ginny, "Think you could make this one dust?"

"Uh, maybe?" she said, purposefully averting her eyes, looking around the floor for her sunglasses. Upon spotting them, she pushed herself out of Percy's arms and snatched them back on her face. "But uh, I don't know how I did it the first time, and I'm kind of wobbly."

"Fair enough. Get back with Rachel. I'll get her."

Kelli was very fast, Ginny noticed. She seemed to dodge Percy's first attempt to strike and lead the fight towards the brass section. The poor trombones didn't stand a chance. There was a very loud crash, and Ginny wondered at the fact that no one else had even tried to come in there yet. They weren't exactly quiet.

"Such a pretty little blade," Kelli eyed Riptide warily, but also as if it didn't pose that big of a threat. "What a shame it stands between us."

Percy lunged for her again, but she easily dodged the attack. She was circling, and Ginny couldn't help but notice that ever so gradually, she'd been making her way back around, closer to her and Rachel. Instinctively, Ginny put herself between Rachel and the empousa. She didn't know what she was doing, but at least she had some experience battling these things before today, unlike Rachel. She also, for some reason, thought that she just might stand a better chance against this demon over the shorter girl.

"Poor dear," Kelli laughed, continuing to distract Percy. "You don't even know what's happening, do you? Soon, your pretty little camp in flames, your friends made slaves to the Lord of Time, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. It would be merciful to end your life now, before you have to see that."

Then, the worst happened. Ginny's absolute worst nightmare. From down the hall, they could hear the sounds of people. The tours. The tours were coming this way. They were going to be caught fighting, no one noticing or even caring that they were fighting a Greek vampire, and then that was going to be it. They were going to be expelled. Ginny was going to be expelled.

She couldn't get expelled!

As if reading her mind, the empousa looked pleased at this new development.

"Excellent! We're about to have company!" Then she threw the tuba. Percy and Rachel dived out of the way, but Ginny stepped to the side, just barely avoiding it. She was too trapped in her own dread.

She was going to fail again. But no. No she wasn't. She brushed off her exhaustion, replacing it with her ironclad will. When she wanted to be, Ginny could be stubborn. She saw the demon's plan before she enacted it. Get people in here. Get them in trouble with the school officials. Ruin their lives. Ruin her life. But Shelby. Ginny couldn't do that to Shelby. Shelby had trusted her! She couldn't let her down! Not again! Especially not because of this obnoxious, robo-donkey cheerleader!

"No. Stop!" Then, she reached out and grabbed Kelli's hand which was going for a music stand as she'd opened her mouth. Like before with Tammi, Kelly's skin began to turn to black ash under Ginny's fingers. Instead of being scared like Tammi had been, Kelli just looked furious. She let out a screech and then disappeared. All was quiet. 

"Did I do that or did she do that?" Ginny asked Percy, but the boy was already shaking his head.

"I have no idea," he admitted. "Do you usually make monsters disappear like that?" He capped Riptide making it a pen again.

"Only once before. The other times one got hit by a bus, and one ran off after I hit her with my lunch tray."

As if to reassure her, Percy reached forward to give her hand a comforting squeeze as if to say, 'been there'. He was close to her now, Ginny realized. Very close and his closeness was actually rather comfortable. He was warm and unlike most males of their age, he didn't smell like questionable body odor and fast food. He smelled nice, like sea salt and chocolate chip cookies.

"Uhhh..." she shook her head violently in an effort to startle herself out of the cute boy daze. Like, she'd just fought two demons. She had to sort her priorities. "What do we do now?"

"Have you ever thought about summer camp?" Percy asked Ginny.

"Oh, no," she shook her head. "I couldn't ask Shelby to pay for something like that."

"It doesn't cost anything," Percy explained. "And it's a place where people like us...people who have children eating principals and robo-donkey cheerleaders coming after them, go to learn how to take care of themselves. They teach us how to fight. They give us a safe place to just...be kids for very small stretches of time while preparing us to be, well...demigods, and you know how the stories usually go for us. Any advantage is life or death. It's really nice. You'd like it."

"I-" she began, but before she could finish her thought they heard the voice of none other than Paul Blofis getting closer and then it was right outside. "Sudden migraine attack and I fell into the instruments. Catch me, sword boy!"

Then, it was like a perfectly choreographed dance worthy of Apollo. Her face appeared to drain of color, her eyes closed behind her glasses, and then she went down. Only at that moment did Percy realize exactly what she meant by "catch me". She fell right into his arms the very moment Paul Blofis opened the band room door, presumably to investigate all of the noise.

"Percy?" Paul's eyes widened as he took in the mangled instrument and the seemingly unconscious girl in his arms. "What happened? Is Ginny alright?"

Ginny was warmed at the man's concerned tone and wished momentarily to see his face. He sounded so genuine, in a way so few people were when they expressed concern for her wellbeing. It was nice. She'd like working with Paul if she wasn't kicked out in the next five minutes.

Percy however, wished he could be the one unconscious in this girl's arms because the last thing he wanted to do was look like a jerk in front of Paul. His mom really liked him and Percy definitely found him to be a major improvement over Smelly Gabe.

"Sorry Paul," Percy said to his mom's boyfriend as he awkwardly shifted Ginny up a bit higher in his arms. "Uhhh...there was a bit of an accident."

Rachel, pulling herself from her stupor, chimed in, "Yeah. We got separated from the other tour group, right, and then Ginny said that she didn't feel good. I think she mentioned something about her head hurting from a migraine, so we came in here to get away from the crowd. Then she got so dizzy that she accidently tripped over the trombone. She feels terrible about it, but I told her not to worry. She's my new friend and I could easily pay to replace it and it wasn't her fault it was left out for someone to trip on. If anything, she was the victim really. Shes in so much pain."

"Oh," Paul looked between Percy, Ginny, and Rachel, and over at the trombone. It lay on the floor in warped pieces...it had very clearly not been stepped on or tripped over. Or even fainted on. It was nothing short of warped and if one looked really closely, like Percy could see Paul doing, one could easily make out the hand prints clearly indented into the metal. "Well...accidents happen. If she's not feeling well, should we call an ambulance?"

"No," it took everything in Ginny not to pop up and shout the words. Instead she did her best to weakly moan, delivering her next words raspily, as if she were coming out of a fit. "I'm okay, my migraines can be triggered by stress or new experiences, but I'm a bit better now. It wasn't too bad, but I should still go home and rest."

Paul nodded, a bit unsure about the entire situation, "If you're sure. Do we need to call your guardian to come and pick you up?"

"No," she smiled faintlu. "That's alright. No need. I'll go right home. Its a straight bus route."

Percy nodded, leading Ginny towards the door. "I thought I might make sure she gets home, Paul."

Paul looked between the two of them, eyebrows raised, and seeing his expression both teenagers immediately knew he was mentally running through their files to figure out if they were up to something. "You two already knew each other before today?"

"No, but it turns out we have mutual friends," Percy explained. "And I feel responsible."

"Which makes no sense since this was an accident and not something that Percy could control," Rachel nodded along. "We should get her to a cab and home so she can recover."

"That would be great," Ginny agreed. "Thank you, Mr. Blofis. I am really excited to start high school here. Hopefully without the migraine next time."

"Okay. Feel better Ginny," Paul nodded to them and the three teenagers made their way down the hall and out of sight.

"Wow," Percy breathed out once they were away from Paul and where they'd killed two empousai who had threatened camp. Camp! He had to get back there, right away. "Ginny, I know that you are overwhelmed, but I really think we need to get you out of here. There's no way that those two back there were alone. I have the worst kind of luck and every school year I've had ends with fire or police sirens, or both. I'm supposed to head off to camp tomorrow, but I think we might have to make that today."

"Oh," Ginny murmured. That's when she realized that the boy was still carrying her like they were walking over a threshold,  so she forcibly removed his arms and got back on her feet. Then, just so she could think clearly, she backed away from him. "I'm sorry. You should be getting home then to pack. I can get my bus from here."

"No. Ginny, you heard what I said back there. You need to come with me. It isn't safe for demigods to be here. You...you belong at camp. You'll be safe there."

"I can't just leave," Ginny protested. "Shelby is expecting me to be home in a few hours. I promised her...I promised her that this year was going to be different. But...but it's not. I let her down, again. She's going to be so dis-"

"Hey," Percy gently got her attention by placing his hand under her chin and raising her gaze to meet his own. While her glasses were back on, shading her eyes with their dark lenses, he felt like they'd connected. As for Ginny, she hadn't realized that while she stepped back, he'd stepped forward.

"I get it," Percy assured her, and she felt that he did. "I understand, more than you can imagine, what a promise like that means when it's made to the one person who believes in you. The one person who doesn't think you are a criminal or a failure. I won't make you just abandon her. We can go to my house first and get my mom to talk to Shelby. Maybe she can get Shelby to let you go to camp."

"O-okay."

After that, she was quiet as Percy led her and Rachel out the door. Rachel, reading the tension in the bodies of her two new friends, both individually and the way they interacted together, kept quiet for the moment. But the moment they stepped out into the humid New York Summer, Percy came to a sudden halt, causing both girls to run into each other behind him.

"Annabeth!" He called out. He picked up Ginny's hand and lead her down the stairs to meet this new person. She followed, staring at his back as he appeared to look around as they approached the other girl. Ready, it seemed, for another attack.

"Hey!" A bright female voice called out with a slight laugh. "You're out early, Seaweed Brain!"

Ginny didn't get a good look at this Annabeth person until they reached the bottom of the steps and she moved out from behind Percy. But when she did see the girl, she felt very, very inadequate. She didn't think she'd ever seen anyone who had such a presence, a sense of control and confidence, than the girl in front of her. 

Annabeth was a tall, statuesque girl with long blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail and piercing gray eyes that had turned quickly from laughing to calculating as she took in the presence of Ginny and Rachel. She was wearing a pair of jeans and a bright orange t-shirt that Ginny, after a bit of concentration, could see read 'CAMP HALF-BLOOD'.

Before Ginny had time to avert her gaze, Annabeth's gray eyes locked onto her face and took in the dark shades with a bit of suspicion.

If Annabeth was disconcerted by Ginny's presence, she didn't react. However, she did raise her eyebrows as Ginny saw her take in Percy's hand in Ginny's. She didn't look angry or irritated though, merely curious. However, the blonde did send a suspicious glance towards Rachel.

"So," Annabeth drew the word out, pinning Percy with her intense eyes, "who are they?"

"Annabeth, this is Rachel. She's a friend, and this is Ginny, who has just learned that she isn't as crazy as she thought she was."

Annabeth looked at the taller girl, who appeared frightened as she tugged on the end of her sweater with the hand that wasn't holding Percy's. For some reason, despite every logical thought telling her to be wary, Annabeth found that she didn't distrust the brunette. 

"Hi," Rachel waved to Annabeth before turning to Percy and Ginny.

"While I understand that you are on a bit of a time crunch, I expect answers. Answers about half-bloods and monsters and this stuff about the gods," She reached into her pocket and pulled out a permanent marker. Then, she reached for one of Percy's hands, but had to pause. One hand was holding onto Ginny's and the other was gripped onto his pen/sword. 

Seeing the problem, Ginny let go of Percy's hand and reached into the pocket of the black messenger bag that she always carried around with her and pulled out a notepad and a pen. She handed them to the girl with a shy smile, which Rachel immediately returned. Rachel wrote down her number and tore out the page to shove it at Percy. Then she was kind enough to return the pen and notebook back to Ginny. 

"Call me and explain," she ordered the boy before turning to Ginny. "I'm going to go talk to the teachers and see if they'll take a check for the damages in the band room." 

"You shouldn't have to-" she began, but it was pathetic to even argue and Rachel knew it. As nice as Ginny had tried to make her clothes, it was obvious how faded and old they were, and Rachel's jeans, for all that they were covered in marker, were designer. 

"It's no problem," Rachel smiled at the other girl. "Anything for a new friend." 

With that, the redhead left, leaving the other three to stare at each other, unsure of how to start. But Annabeth Chase was rarely at a loss for words and immediately sought answers. 

"What happened?" Annabeth demanded. "Percy! You told a human about us? And what about her?"

"I didn't tell her," Percy defended himself, before hesitating. "Er, well I did, but she knew it already. She can see through the mist. Besides, she warned us about the monsters." 

"Monsters! You have the worst luck! Who was it this time?" 

"Robot-Zombie cheerleaders named Kelli and Tammi," was Ginny's immediate response, earning a half-smile from Percy and furrowed brows from Annabeth. "Oh. Uhum, you would probably call them empousai."

"Empousai," Annabeth nodded towards the school. "In there." 

"Yeah, well, not anymore," Percy explained. 

"I, uh," Ginny blushed. "I think I sent at least one of them to hell?" 

Annabeth's gray eyes widened, "Sent one to hell?" 

"Yeah, well we have bigger problems. I'm sorry for not being able to make the movies Annabeth, I really wanted to meet you and Ben, but we have to get to camp tonight, and we have to bring Ginny with us. The empousai were after her too." 

"Please, don't change your plans for me," Ginny begged. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Well, you didn't change my plans. The empousi did it with their warning. We'll see my mom and pick up my stuff and then," he turned to Annabeth, "I thought we'd get my mom to talk to her family about camp."

"Probably a good idea," Annabeth nodded. "Tactically sound. Sally is very persuasive."

"Agreed," Percy was glad that she agreed with his plan. 

"We'll need to contact Ben when we get to your apartment and let him know we are heading to camp early," Annabeth continued logically.

"No problem."

The three teenagers stepped forward and Percy was the one to hail the cab. Fortunately, they got one quickly and Percy gave the driver was Ginny assumed to be his address. Annabeth slid in first, then Percy, and then Ginny slid in last and shut the door. 

Awkward silence descended then. Annabeth was ready to demand the full story of what had happened at the school, what the empousai had said at camp, how they were certain that Ginny was a demigod, and the numerous other questions that had sprung to her mind. Before she could do that though, Percy opened his mouth. 

"Uhh....so is it your mom or your dad?"

"I'm sorry?" Ginny looked at Percy confused, and Annabeth gave him a solid elbow to the stomach.

"I mean...your," he glanced up at the taxi driver, before looking at Ginny meaningfully, "special parent. They'll be the parent you don't know. So, is it your mom or dad?"

"Oh...I...Shelby is my foster mom. I don't know either of my parents."

Percy blushed, "Uh...right. Sorry." 

"What about you?" she moved her eyes from him to the blonde girl. "Or you, Annabeth?" 

"Well, we can't really talk about it too much around here, but uh, my dad is a professor and my mom is the goddess of wisdom and strategy." 

Ginny smiled, instantly knowing that she was talking about Athena. 

"And my dad is the water dude," Percy nodded to himself. 

"The...the water dude?" Ginny's mouth actually fell open. Poseidon. God of the Sea. One of the three biggest gods of Greece. Percy's dad. 

"Yeah," Percy nodded. 

"Another question. Is, uh...is Percy short for Perseus?" Ginny asked, and cursed herself. She hated it when people asked about her name, and she was sure that it was the same for a lot of people.

"Uh, yeah," Percy responded just as awkwardly.

"Another great demigod hero, makes sense," she nodded, not knowing entirely what she was saying.

"Yeah, well...Perseus got a happy ending, mostly, and my mom well-"

"She wanted the same for you," Ginny nodded. "Smart. Names have such importance for so many cultures, and there is something to be said about speaking your truth into existence...." She trailed off, realizing that she was rambling now, and they probably didn't want to hear her strange ideas. "That is interesting though. While Perseus was the son of the...uh the Big Guy, he began his life in the sea." 

"Huh," he stole a glance at Annabeth who merely nodded, having already noticed this slight irony in his life. 

"They called you Death girl," he said wearily.

Ginny sighed, "And that would be because of MY name, at least I think so."

"Ginny?" Percy looked confused.

"No, that's just my nickname. It's easier."

"Well, what is your full name then?"

Ginny mumbled something unintelligible, that had both Percy and Annabeth craning their necks forward to hear what she'd said.

"I'm sorry," Annabeth said, sounding genuine, "what did you say."

Ginny sighed again, as if she'd been asked to steal the Declaration of Independence. "My name is Antigone. Honestly, with a birth name like that, how did I not know that I was somehow connected to Greek mythology?"

"Who's Antigone?" Percy scrunched his face up in confusion. Annabeth began to answer, but Ginny, er Antigone, did it first.

"Have you ever heard of Oedipus?"

Percy grimaced, "The guy who married his mom?"

"Yeah," Ginny nodded. "Well, when he died, his two sons fought over who would rule Thebes. Etocles and Polynices, brothers, killed each other, leaving their uncle Creon in charge. Creon had declared that Etocles would be buried with honors while Polynices would rot to the animals. Antigone, their sister, felt that to leave his body abandoned was to insult the gods and would condemn Polynices in the afterlife. Regardless of the danger she ran out into the night and ceremoniously buried her brother. The king, enraged, had her buried alive in a tomb. But then, realizing what crimes he had committed against the gods, especially A-" Ginny began, but stopped, remembering Percy's warning. "Especially the war guy and the ruler of the dead, well, the king changed his mind. But Antigone, resigned to her fate, had already killed herself by the time the king reached the tomb to get her out."

"Wow, uh, that's cheerful."

"Yeah," Ginny sighed. "Antigone was also supposed to marry Creon's son, but like any hopeless romantic, he decided to follow her lead, and then Creon's wife did the same after loosing her son. A perfect Greek tragedy. Not exactly a happy ending like Perseus, but objectively better than most in Greek mythology. Better to die for a worthy cause than to live a compromising life or be sentenced to eternal drudgery somewhere. A worthy namesake, but one that comes with an endless amount of name commentary."

"Yeah, Perseus isn't exactly subtle either."

"Okay," Annabeth interrupted, "It's driving me crazy. I want to know everything that happened, Seaweed Brain and don't miss any important parts. We should have enough time on the way to your place." 

And for the rest of the ride, Percy told her about Tammi, Kelli, and Rachel Elizabeth Dare. However, Ginny was very aware of how careful he was telling her about what had happened when Ginny made Tammi disappear. 

The way he spoke, it put Ginny on edge. Percy knew something and she was going to find out what he knew if it killed her. She'd find out what that look in his eyes meant. That wary one, as if he had a very good idea of what she was, and that her existence could not be a very good thing. 

Ginny was still trying to decipher that expression when they came to a stop in front of a really nice apartment building. It wasn't anything grand or fancy, but it was in a much better neighborhood then Ginny and Shelby lived in. 

"Come on," Percy encouraged as he lead Ginny and Annabeth into the building. Seeing her hesitation, this time it was Annabeth her gently grabbed her arm to pull her along.

"Keep up," she said gently, "Don't worry. You'll like Sally. Everyone does." 

Yeah. Except Ginny really didn't want to meet yet another stranger today. She really, really hated knowing how people were going to die.  

Hello lovely people! Comment! Vote! Add to reading lists! Well, do you like it so far? I promise, although it seems really obvious about where I'm going with this, I have what will hopefully be a very good twist in mind. Happy reading!