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ALL TOO WELL

THE SEA OF MONSTERS
[ T H E   S I R E N S ]

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IN ALL HONESTY, Natalia Flynn was not having a good time. She was in the Sea of Monsters, sailing to save Grover in a wedding dress from the Cyclops Polyphemus. Percy was thrashing in his sleep, probably having a nightmare, and Annabeth was staring blankly ahead. Natalia, on the other hand, was cold, tired, and hungry. All she wanted to do was go back to Camp Half-Blood and curl up in the Artemis Cabin.

Suddenly, they saw land in the distance. Natalia would've been elated, but she knew better. They were in the Sea of Monsters, after all. This, of course, was the land of the Sirens. Natalia sighed.

She nodded her head to the son of Poseidon. "We'd better wake him up."

Annabeth shook him, and he awoke with a start. "Percy, you were having a nightmare. You need to get up."

"Wh-What is it?" Percy questioned. "What's wrong?"

"There's land," Natalia answered grimly. "Which means we're approaching the island of the Sirens."

Percy arose and the three of them stood on the deck, staring out at the island. Natalia could barely see it. It was just a dark spot in the mist, but she could feel its power from here.

"I want you both to do me a favor," Annabeth announced. "The Sirens . . . we'll be in range of their singing soon."

The Sirens' singing was powerful and extremely dangerous. They sang so sweetly that sailors would become entranced and be lured to their death. If you asked Natalia about it, she'd tell you that it wasn't very polite.

"No problem," Percy assured her. "We can just stop up our ears. There's a big tub of candle wax below deck-"

"I want to hear them."

Natalia blinked. "You didn't tell me that, Anna. Do you know how risky—"

"I know," she responded grimly. "But they say the Sirens sing the truth about what you desire. They tell you things about yourself you didn't even realize. That's what's so enchanting. If you survive . . . you become wiser. I want to hear them. How often will I get that chance?"

Deep down in her heart, Natalia knew she was right, but she still felt uneasy about letting Annabeth get tempted by the Sirens. Annabeth told them her plan — which included Percy and Natalia blocking their ears with wax and Annabeth being tied to the boat — and they helped her get ready. Percy ordered a rope to tie around Annabeth's waist, binding her to the foremast.

"Don't untie me," she ordered, "no matter what happens or how much I plead. I'll want to go straight over the edge and drown myself."

"Are you trying to tempt me?" Percy asked.

"Ha-ha."

Natalia, ignoring the slight flutter of jealousy in her heart, shook her head. "We promise to keep you secure, Annabeth."

Percy and Natalia each took two large wads of candle wax. They kneaded them into earplugs and stuffed their ears with them. Annabeth nodded sarcastically, letting the two know that the earplugs were a real fashion statement. Natalia rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at the blonde.

Natalia didn't like the silence. She stood next to Percy at the pilot's wheel, watching as he willed the Queen Anne's Revenge to skirt around the jagged rocks of the island. All she could hear was the rush of her blood in her head.

She looked back at the foremast. Annabeth seemed completely normal until a puzzled look painted across her face. Her eyes widened and she began to strain against the ropes. She called both Natalia's and Percy's names — Natalia couldn't hear, but judging by her lips, she knew that was what she was doing. Annabeth's expression was as clear as day: she had to get free. It was a situation of life or death. She had to get out of the ropes right now.

Natalia, her heart breaking, forced herself to look away from her best friend. It was extremely difficult not to run up and cut her free. However, she kept her gaze facing forwards as Percy urged the ship to go faster.

The fog made it hard to see, but floating in the water were pieces of wood and fiberglass from the wreckage of old ships. There was even a flotation cushion from an airplane.

Natalia knew the Sirens were deadly, but she couldn't help but wonder what they would sing about for her. She was tempted, just for a second, to take out her earplugs and listen to their song.

The Sirens' voices vibrated in the timbers of the ship. Annabeth was pleading with the two of them. Tears streamed down her face rapidly. She thrashed against the ropes as if they were tying her back from everything she cared about. Natalia could read the broken expression on her face: You're supposed to be my best friend. How could you be so cruel?

Natalia didn't know what the Sirens were telling Annabeth, but she was tempted to notch an arrow and blindly shoot at the island. She forced herself to look away from Annabeth. The longest she could do that was about five minutes, which was just enough time for their plan to go to shit.

She looked back to see a heap of cut ropes and an empty mast. Annabeth's Celestial Bronze knife laid on the deck. Foolishly, her and Percy had forgotten to take her weapon away. Natalia looked around frantically to see Annabeth's figure paddling madly toward the island with the waves pushing her towards the jagged rocks. She was utterly entranced and was swimming straight to her death.

Natalia, without even a second thought in her mind, jumped off the boat. She didn't even care that she could potentially die in the water. All she cared about was trying to get to her best friend. Natalia coughed and swam through the waves towards the blonde, only to feel somebody wrap their arm around her waist. She thrashed away, but turned to see it was only Percy. He stared at her and held out his hand as an invitation.

She took it. Percy made an air bubble surround Natalia's head and they both went underwater. He bent the currents around them to create a jet stream that shot them forwards. They came to the surface and spotted Annabeth, but a wave caught her and swept her between two sharp rocks.

Percy, now with a tight hold on Natalia's waist, plunged the two after her. He dove them under a wrecked hull of a yacht and some mines. Using his powers, he avoided them getting smashed against the rocks or tangled in the nets of barbed wire that were strung below the surface.

Natalia decided that as long as she lived, she would never, ever, come back to the Sea of Monsters.

Percy jetted between the two rocks and Natalia found them in semicircle-shaped bay. More ship wreckage and floating mines choked the water. The sand on the beach was black and made of volcanic rock. Natalia glanced around for Annabeth and spotted her almost to the black beach. She was just about to sigh in relief about how her friend was an excellent swimmer, but the fog cleared and the Sirens emerged.

The sight was truly frightening. They were the size of normal people with dirty black plumage, gray talons, and wrinkled pink necks. Human heads sat upon those necks, but they kept changing. As their mouths moved in song, Natalia could recognize a couple — her dad, Artemis, Grover, Chiron, and Will Solace, a new Apollo camper whom she had gotten close with. These were all the people she wanted to see the most. The Sirens smiled reassuringly at her to invite her forwards. Natalia knew better, since their mouths were greasy and caked with remnants of old meals, no matter what shape they took.

Annabeth swam towards them. Natalia nodded her head urgently towards her. Percy propelled them forwards, and while he grabbed her ankle, Natalia grabbed her hand.

A shock went through Natalia's body the moment she touched her. She suddenly began to see the Sirens the way Annabeth saw them.

In Central Park, three people sat on a picnic blanket with a feast spread out before them. One of them was Annabeth's father, whom she recognized from the photos, with sandy-hair and athletic build. He was holding hands with the Goddess Athena, who radiated power and looked stunning in her blue jeans, denim shirt, and hiking boots. Sitting next to the two of them was a face Natalia knew all too well . . . Luke.

The whole scene glowed gold and was extremely warm. All three of them were talking and laughing together and their faces lit up in delight when they saw Annabeth arrive. Her parents held out their arms invitingly to their daughter. Luke grinned and patted the spot next to him for her to sit — as if he hadn't betrayed her and become a servant to the Titan Kronos.

Natalia caught her breath. A city skyline rose behind the trees of Central Park, but it was Manhattan totally rebuilt with white marble, golden windows, and rooftop gardens. It was better than New York City. Better than Mount Olympus, even.

The Sirens would show people what their greatest desires were. This was everything Annabeth wanted. To be the architect for a whole new world, reunite her parents, and save Luke.

Natalia forced herself to blink hard and snap herself out of it. When her eyes opened, all she saw was the Sirens, eagerly waiting to feed on another victim. Percy and Natalia began pulling Annabeth back to the surf. Natalia couldn't hear her but she assumed she was screaming. She was kicking, trying to free herself from the grips of her friends.

She thrashed so hard that they almost collided with a floating mine. Natalia sent a concerned look to Percy. They would never make it back to the ship alive if Annabeth kept fighting.

Suddenly, they went under. Annabeth stopped struggling, her expression becoming one of confusion. When their heads broke the surface, she began to fight again.

The water, Natalia realized. Sound waves didn't travel very well underwater. If they could submerge Annabeth long enough, the spell of the Sirens' music would be broken. Natalia and Percy locked eyes. They seemed to communicate what needed to be done.

Percy kept a tight grip on Natalia's hand and wound his arm around Annabeth's waist. He made the waves push them all down, being careful since Annabeth and Natalia wouldn't be able to withstand the same amount of pressure he could. Annabeth continued to fight as bubbles rose around them.

Natalia glanced around in amazement as all the bubbles around them clumped together, forming one giant bubble of air around them. The one around her head that Percy had given her earlier popped. Only their legs were stuck in the water, but it was enough to keep them breathing.

Annabeth gasped and coughed. Her whole body trembled, and when she looked back at the concerned glances of Natalia and Percy, Natalia knew the spell had been broken.

"Anna . . ." Natalia trailed off, her own voice muffled due to the wax in her ears.

That was all it took before Annabeth began to sob. And when Natalia says sob, she means horrible sobs that didn't allow Annabeth to breathe. She surged forwards and buried her head in Natalia's shoulder. Natalia closed her eyes and hugged her friend tightly. Percy put his arms around the two of them and held the two girls. The three best friends floated there for a couple of minutes, just staying in each other's embraces.

Once her sobs had slowed down, Percy said something, presumably telling them that he would bring them back to the ship. Annabeth nodded and muttered something neither of them understood. She had let Natalia go but continued to hold her hand. Percy made the current send their air bubble back to the Queen Anne's Revenge, dodging through the rocks and barbed wire. The ship was maintaining a slow and steady course away from the island. They stayed underwater until Percy judged they were out of earshot of the Sirens.

He surfaced them and the air bubble popped. Percy ordered a rope ladder to drop over the ship. They all climbed aboard.

Percy and Natalia kept their earplugs in just in case they had another incident. They sailed until the island was completely out of sight. Natalia glanced over at Annabeth. She was huddled in a blanket on the forward deck. Finally she looked back up and mouthed the word safe.

Natalia took out her earplugs. It was quiet except for the sound of waves splashing against the hull. The fog had dissipated, displaying a blue sky, like the island of the Sirens had never existed.

"Oh, Annabeth," Natalia breathed out, rushing up to her friend and wrapping her in another tight hug. She pulled away and kissed the blonde's forehead softly. "I'm so glad you're safe."

"I didn't realize," Annabeth murmured.

"What?" Percy questioned.

"How powerful the temptation would be."

"Natalia and I saw the way you rebuilt Manhattan," Percy told her. "And Luke and your parents."

Her face flushed a light shade of pink. "You saw that?"

"Luke told you on the Princess Andromeda that you could start the world from scratch," Natalia realized. "I guess it really got to you."

She pulled the blanket tighter around her. "My fatal flaw. That's what the Sirens showed me. My fatal flaw is hubris."

Percy blinked. "That brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches?"

Natalia slapped the back of his head. "Come on, Fish-Boy. Don't be an idiot."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "No, Seaweed Brain. That's hummus. Hubris is worse."

"What could be worse than hummus?"

"Hubris means deadly pride, Percy. Thinking you can do things better than anyone else . . . even the Gods."

"You feel that way?"

Annabeth looked down sadly. "Don't you ever feel like, what if the world really is messed up? What if we could do it all over again from scratch? No more war. Nobody homeless. No more summer reading homework."

"I'm listening."

"I mean, the west represents a lot of the best things mankind ever did — that's why the fire is still burning. That's why Olympus is still around. But sometimes you just see the bad stuff, you know? And you start thinking the way Luke does: If I could tear this all down, I would do it better. Don't you ever feelthat way? Like you could do a better job if you ran the world?"

"Um . . . no. Me running the world would kind of be a nightmare."

Natalia scoffed. "That's an understatement."

Percy glared at her.

"Then you're lucky," Annabeth continued. "Hubris isn't your fatal flaw."

"What is?"

"I don't know, Percy, but every hero has one. If you don't find it and learn to control it . . . well, they don't call it fatal for nothing."

Percy looked at Natalia. "What's your fatal flaw?"

"Overthinking," she replied. "I think too much about everything and it distracts me." Natalia turned her attention to Annabeth. "Do you think it worked? Do you feel more wise than you did before?"

She gazed into the distance. "I'm not sure. But we have to save the Camp. If we don't stop Luke . . ."

Annabeth didn't finish. She didn't need to. If Luke's way of thinking tempted even Annabeth, there was no way to know how many other Half-Bloods would join his cause.

Suddenly Annabeth's eyes widened. "Percy. Natalia."

Natalia followed her gaze. In front of them was another blotch of land — a saddle-shaped island with forested hills, white beaches, and green meadows.

They had officially reached the home of the Cyclops.

★彡

percy and annabeth hugging while falling into tartarus? no. percy and annabeth hugging at the bottom of the sea of monsters? yes.