~Outside Millie’s House~

‘Who-who are you?’ Piper stuttered.

The man shrugged casually, ‘I could ask you the same thing.’

Hazel stood and snapped her fingers, the demigods felt a ripple of air expand from her fingers.

‘You don’t see a bunch of kids,’ she told the man. ‘Just a group of stray cats.’

The man stared at her blankly, ‘Your Mist won’t work on me.’

Hazel stumbled back in surprise, clutching her chest. She couldn’t believe her power didn’t work, and she couldn’t believe this man actually knew of it.

The man frowned, ‘Actually, could I ask why there’s eight demigods and my daughters rabbit fighting monsters in my driveway?’

Annabeth looked up at him from the ground where Percy’s head remained in her lap, the hellhound pushed to the side, ‘Who are you and how do you know of demigods?’

The man bowed with a smile, ‘My name is Jacob Lance, and as to how I know about demigods, I would’ve thought that was obvious. I know about them because I am one.’

Millie peeked her head out from behind her father’s legs. Frank bounced forward in front of Jacob and sat on his hind legs, his nose twitching as he stared at his daughter behind him. Jacob squatted down and scooped Frank up, handing him to Millie who hugged him with a cry of, ‘Captain Cuddles!’ Hazel ran forward a few feet.

‘Wait,’ she cried. ‘That’s not Captain Cuddles. That’s my boyfriend.’

Millie and Jacob looked at Hazel like she’d lost her mind. Hazel’s confidence crumbled back she managed to take a shaky breath and explain.

‘That’s Frank Zhang,’ she said, voice trembling. ‘Son of Mars. His ancestor was granted the power to shape shift and just yesterday my friend Piper convinced him to turn into a bunny for Easter. But something scared him and he ran away and ended up in that pet shop. We tried to help but he couldn’t turn back into a person. Ask him if I’m telling the truth.’

Jacob blinked, ‘You want me to ask a rabbit if you’re telling me the truth?’ Hazel nodded earnestly. Jacob sighed and knelt down to Franks level, ‘Okay then. Uh, is your girlfriend telling the truth?’

Frank’s head moved up and down in a motion that could never be mistaken as anything but a nod. Jacob stood up in surprise.

‘Millie,’ he said. ‘I think we might have to go back to the pet store and get you a new rabbit.’

Hazel smiled lovingly at the bunny but Millie’s bottom lip quivered and tears welled up in her eyes. Hazel noticed and guilt expanded inside her like a balloon. She went right up to Millie and knelt down beside her. Millie hugged Frank to her and the bunny rubbed his nose against the girls cheek.

‘Millie,’ Hazel began softly. ‘I know that you’ve grown fond of Captain Cuddles, but he's not a real bunny. He’s a boy; my boy. He has a home to go back to where his family and friends are waiting. But if he stays here, he can never see them again.’

Glistening tears stained Millie’s cheeks but she nodded sadly and placed Frank gently in Hazel’s waiting arms. Millie turned away and buried her face in her father’s pant leg.

‘Thank you,’ Hazel whispered. ‘Maybe he can visit sometime.’

Millie didn’t respond, she just cried. Hazel wished the feeling of guilt would leave her, but it just kept growing bigger, going from the size of a tennis ball to a basketball. Frank peered at Millie from her arms, feeling just as guilt ridden.

‘You’ve done a good thing,’ Jacob promised his daughter. He looked up at the other demigods, ‘She’ll be okay once we get her a new pet.’

Calypso stepped forward, ‘You don’t have to worry about that, sir. I created a replica of Frank and replaced it in the tank in Millie’s bedroom.’ She locked eyes with Millie, ‘There’s a new Captain Cuddles waiting for you in your room.’

Millie shook her head, ‘Not real one.’

The demigods exchanged looks but there wasn’t much else they could do.

Annabeth helped a still dazed Percy to his feet, ‘I’m afraid we have to get back to camp. Maybe Frank can visit, but we have to get back before another monster attack.’

Jacob nodded, smiling, ‘You know where we’ll be.’

The group turned and headed back down the driveway. Frank hopped on top of Hazel’s shoulders, looking back at Millie as they retreated to the street. Hazel glanced at him briefly, wondering how attached he’d gotten to the young child. Frank felt a tear slide down his furry face as he left the lonely girl behind.

They’d only gone about a block before the sound of feet against pavement filled the air. They turned back to see Millie sprinting up the street, blonde hair flying behind her like a cloud of yellow paint in water. Jacob jogged not far behind her, calling her name.

She ran right up to Hazel and sniffed, ‘One last hug?’

Hazel’s heart melted and she nodded, handing Frank to the distraught little girl. Millie clasped him to tight and Frank wrapped his little rabbit paws around her neck, snuggling against her cheek. Millie chuckled but the sound was watery and sad. She squatted down and held a hand over the ground. The ground cracked and Hazel gasped as a single daisy popped through the pavement.

She’s a descendant of Demeter, Hazel realized. Which means her father is a son of Demeter.

Millie smiled and picked the flower. She tucked it in Frank’s fur, winding the stem around his left bunny ear. She held him closer and he licked her face with a tiny pink tongue. Jacob stood next to Hazel and watched the girl and the rabbit. Both of them felt sad that these two were being separated. It was clear to see they had both grown fond of each other.

Just as Jacob opened his mouth to tell Millie they had to go home, the last hellhound melted out of the shadow of a house and ran straight for the girl. Millie screamed as Jacob fumbled for his bow, but he could never notch an arrow in time. Hazel froze in horror and the others were too far down the road to help.

Frank suddenly jumped from Millie’s arms and stood his ground, ready to protect her. The hellhound neared and Frank’s fur changed colour from white to brown. His ears began to shrink to the size of buttons, and he grew bigger and heavier. His paws enlarged and grew sharp claws. He changed form until he loomed over the hellhound as a 500 pound brown bear.

With one swipe of a large claw, Frank melted the hellhound into a puddle of monster goo. His skin rippled again until he shrunk back down to his human form. He held his hands out in front of him like he couldn’t believe they were flesh and blood again. Then Frank turned to Millie who stared like he was something out of a horror movie.

Frank’s heart snapped in two.