︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

DAYS IN THE SUN

chapter three 
❛ 𝚢𝚎𝚜, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒'𝚖 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐. ❜

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

AMARA MADE HER way to the Big House. Grover had fetched her, claiming Chiron needed her before leaving to join the centaur. She heard voices as she entered the room, immediately going to the nearest window by Chiron and resting her body against it.

"Tell me, Percy." The centaur insisted. "What did you make of the Hellhound?"

"It scared me." He answered. "If that camper—"

"Micheal Yew," she interrupted.

"—If Micheal Yew," He shot a look at the brunette. She flashed him a smug smirk as an irradiated expression flashed across his face. "Hadn't shot it, I'd be dead." Becoming bored with the conversation, she titled her head back and let out a huffed breath, causing her small bangs to move out of her electric eyes.

"You'll meet worse, Percy. Far worse, before you're done." Chiron replied. Her interest got peeked, resulting in her moving her head back down to see the centaur.

"Done . . . with what?" Percy asked.

"Your quest, of course. Will you accept it?" She raised a brow. He'd been there for only a week and he was already given a quest. For some reason, that didn't shock her very much, especially since he was a son of Poseidon.

"Um, sir," he glanced at Chiron. "You haven't told me what it is yet. Or," he pointed his thumb towards the youngest Grace. "Why Amara is here."

The camp director sighed. "Well, that's the hard part, the details."

Feeling the hair on her arms stand up and the familiar sense of electricity in the air, Amara looked out the window to see what she had already sensed. Thunder rumbled across the valley, storm clouds reaching the edge of the beach. Thunder echoed across the sky once more, causing the big house to shake, but whatever the raven haired boy was thinking, she didn't care. She knew it was Zeus' way of saying hello to his daughter, to her.

When it quietened down teal soon appeared, flickering within her irises as thunder roared through the sky, just not as powerful or nearly as loud as before. A grin appeared on her lips as the teal soon disappeared and her electric blues became natural. She twisted herself back around to see Grover and Chiron giving her small smiles.

"Poseidon and Zeus," Percy spoke. "They're fighting over something valuable . . . something that was stolen, aren't they?"

The centaur and satyr exchanged looks before he sat forward in his wheelchair. "How did you know that?" Amara's gaze was stuck on the son of Poseidon. Her arms were crossed with a smirk twisted onto her lips, maybe, just maybe, he wasn't as dumb as she had thought.

"The weather since Christmas has been weird, like the sea and the sky are fighting," he reasoned. "And . . . I've also been having these dreams."

"I knew it," the satyr said.

"Hush, satyr." The bearded centaur ordered.

"But it is his quest!" Grover's eyes were bright with excitement. "It must b—"

"Grover," she cut him off with a stern tone while giving him a reassuring look. The older boy quickly shut his mouth and bowed his head.

"Only the Oracle can determine." Chiron stroked his bristly beard as Amara's attention was pulled back to him. "Nevertheless, Percy, you are correct. Your father and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise, a lightning bolt."

The sea green eyed boy laughed nervously. "A what?"

"Do not take this lightly." He warned. "I'm not talking about some tinfoil covered zigzag you'd see in a second grade play. I'm talking about a two-foot long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god level experience."

"Oh." The centaur moved his head to Amara, looking at her with a raised brow, silently asking if she'd like to continue.

"Zeus's Master Bolt." The daughter of Zeus continued where he left off, adjusting herself against the windowsill. Percy's gaze moved to her, but she didn't meet it. Instead, she focused on the electricity that began flickering between her fingernails as she explained.

"The symbol of his power, from which all lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclops for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheered the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne."

She lifted her hand up as she rested her elbow on her thigh, her eyes following the electricity on her finger as it danced against her skin, moving in circles before slowly trailing down her finger towards her palm, when she distinguished the movement by putting her hand in a fist. Electric blue eyes met sea green as she lifted her irises from her hand. "The master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs look like firecrackers."

"And it's missing?" Percy asked stupidly. Amara took back her comment about thinking he was smarter than she had previously thought, he was still as dumb as before.

"Stolen," Chiron corrected.

"By who?"

"By whom." He corrected once again. "By you." The son of Poseidon's mouth fell open but the centaur continued anyway. "At least, that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. The usual nonsense, 'Mother Rhea always liked you best. Air disasters are more spectacular than sea disasters,' etcetera. Afterwards, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot steal another god's symbol of power directly, that is forbidden by the most ancient of divine laws. But Zeus believes your father convinced a human hero to take it."

"But I didn't—"

"Patience and listen, child," the camp director interrupted, causing a grin to appear on her lips. "Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forces of the Cyclops are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the makers of his brother's lightning bolt. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt and is now secretly having the Cyclops build an arsenal of illegal copies, which might be used to topple Zeus from his throne. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure about was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Now Poseidon has openly claimed you as his son. You were in New York over the winter holidays. You could have snuck into Olympus. Zeus believes he has found his thief."

"But I've never been to Olympus! Zeus is crazy!" Percy exclaimed.

A sigh escaped the Grace girl as she stared out the window at the sky once more, already knowing if he could, her father would release lightning, but instead, she felt the familiar feeling of electricity as thunder echoed throughout the sky.

"Er, Percy . . . ?" The brown eyed satyr said. "We don't use the c-word to describe the Lord of the Sky."

Amara let out a grunt as her gaze landed on the protector. "Just let him," she let out a shrug as the raven haired boy's eyes narrowed on her. "He'll learn his lesson one way or another. Especially when it comes to insulting a god."

The son of Poseidon huffed. "Yeah? What, you think you're all that just because Zeus is your father? King of the gods?" A glare appeared in the brunette's eyes as she straightened up. "Think that you're high and migh—"

"Percy," Chiron cut off the sea green eyed boy. The blue electricity had returned between the daughter of Zeus's fingers tips, the teal flickering lightly as her anger began to grow. The satyr gave her a look, maintaining eye contact as he raised his hand up and down, giving her a gentle smile. With a huffed breath, the electric blue eyed girl willed the electricity and teal to disappear, earning herself a grin from the son of the Wild.

The camp director continued his story. "Poseidon has tried to unseat Zeus before. I believe that was question thirty-eight on your final exam . . ." He looked at Percy.

"Something about a golden net?" He guessed after a moment. "Poseidon and Hera, and a few other gods . . . they, like, trapped Zeus and wouldn't let him out until he promised to be a better ruler, right?"

"Correct," Chiron said. "And Zeus has never trusted Poseidon since. Of course, Poseidon denies stealing the master bolt. He took great offense at the accusation. The two have been arguing back and forth for months, threatening war. And now, you've come along, the proverbial last straw."

"But I'm just a kid!" Amara scoffed, all the campers at Camp Half-Blood were just kids. But at the end of the day, they were trained to fend off monsters for survival. Who knew what each camper was fully capable of.

"Percy," Grover cut in. "If you were Zeus, and you already thought your brother was plotting to overthrow you, then your brother suddenly admitted he had broken the sacred oath he took after World War II, that he's fathered a new mortal hero who might be used as a weapon against you . . . wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?"

"What about Amara, she's a child of Zeus! He broke the oath as well!" The Grace girl narrowed her eyes at Jackson boy, opening her mouth to make a remark but held back once Chiron sent her a sharp look, causing her to admit defeat.

"But Amara, is Zeus's daughter." The satyr explained, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, something she agreed with full heartedly.

"But I didn't do anything, Poseidon, my dad, he didn't really have this master bolt stolen, did he?" Percy questioned.

Chiron sighed. "Most thinking observers would agree that thievery is not Poseidon's style. But the sea god is too proud to try convincing Zeus of that. Zeus has demanded that Poseidon return the bolt by the summer solstice. That's June twenty-first, ten days from now. Poseidon wants an apology for being called a thief by the same date. I hoped that diplomacy might prevail, that Hera, Demeter, or Hestia would make the two brothers see sense. But your arrival has inflamed Zeus's temper. Now, neither god will back down. Unless someone intervenes, unless the master bolt is found and returned to Zeus before the solstice, there will be war. And do you know what a full fledged war would look like, Percy?"

"Bad?" He guessed.

This time Amara answered. "Imagine the world in chaos. Nature at war with itself. Olympians forced to choose sides between Zeus and Poseidon. Destruction. Carnage. Millions dead. Western civilization turned into a battleground so big it will make the Trojan War look like a water balloon fight."

"Bad," Percy repeated, meeting eyes with the brunette before she sent him a glare as she continued.

"And you, Percy Jackson, will be the first to feel Zeus's wrath."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

While Percy went upstairs to speak to the Oracle, Amara sat herself back on the windowsill. The centaur cleared his throat before giving her a look, one she knew the intention behind immediately. "You want me to go, don't you." Her electric blues bored into his brown ones, a stare off happening between the demigod and camp director.

"It's the safest solution." She arched a dark brow at his words. "You want me, a daughter of Zeus, on a quest, with the son of Poseidon? While, not to mention, our fathers are threatening to go to war?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

Finally, she let out a defeated sigh as she crossed her arms. "Fine, but—"

"—Amara," he cut her off. "Please, try not to electrocute our newest camper, he doesn't know any better."

Her eyes narrowed. "Chiron—"

"No buts, end of discuss." His eyes softened. "At least give him a chance."

The daughter of Zeus didn't have the chance to retaliate before the sound of footsteps reached her ears. Her eyes were directed to the stairs, where the raven haired boy was slowly making his way down.

"Well?" Chiron questioned.

He slumped into a chair at the pinochle table. "She said, I would retrieve what was stolen."

Grover sat forward, chewing excitedly on the remains of a Diet Coke can. "That's great!"

"What did the Oracle say, exactly?" Amara pressed, leaning her chin on her hand. "This is important."

"She . . ." He let out a sigh. "She said I would go west and face a god who had turned. I would retrieve what was stolen, and see it safely returned."

"I knew it," the satyr said, but Chiron didn't look satisfied.

"Anything else?" The director pressed.

"No," Percy answered. "That's about it."

She studied his face, he was lying, and wasn't very good at it. "Very well, Percy. But know this, the Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much. The truth is not always clear until events come to pass." Chiron said.

"Okay," he replied. "So where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"

"Ah, think, Percy." The centaur responded. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in a war, who stands to gain?"

"Somebody else wants to take over?" He guessed. The brunette held back a groan at the raven haired boy's slow realization, wishing he would figure it out already.

The brown eyed male sent her a warning look, causing her to hold up her hands in surrender while giving him a mock innocent look. She didn't feel like getting a lecture from the centaur today, especially with how strict he could be. "Yes, quite. Someone who harbors a grudge, who has been unhappy with his lot since the world was divided eons ago, whose kingdom would grow powerful with the deaths of millions. Someone who hates his brothers for forcing him into an oath to have no more children, an oath that both of them have now broken."

"Hades," Percy said after a moment of silence. She raised a brow as she thought, maybe the Jackson boy did have some smarts in him after all, and his head wasn't full of kelp. She diminished the thought once she remembered the centaur had a hand in helping him figure it out.

Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead is the only possibility."

A scrap of aluminum dribbled out of Grover's mouth making Amara move her legs quickly in disgust as the spit covered aluminum almost landed on her converses.

"Whoa, wait. Wh—what?" The satyr stuttered.

"A Fury came after Percy." She reminded the son of the Wild, putting her feet back where they once were. "She watched him until she was sure of his identity, then tried to kill him. Furies obey only one lord . . . Hades."

"Yes, but—but Hades hates all heroes," the protector protested. "Especially if he has found out Percy is a son of Poseidon . . ."

"A Hellhound got into the forest," Chiron continued where Grover left off. "Those can only be summoned from the Fields of Punishment, and it had to be summoned by someone within the camp. Hades must have a spy here. He must suspect Poseidon will try to use Percy to clear his name. Hades would very much like to kill this young half-blood, before he can take on the quest."

"Great," Percy muttered. "That's two major gods who want to kill me."

"But a quest to . . ." Grover swallowed. "I mean, couldn't the master bolt be in some place like Maine? Maine's very nice this time of year."

"Hades sent a minion to steal the master bolt," the centaur insisted. "He hid it in the Underworld, knowing full well that Zeus would blame Poseidon. I won't pretend to understand the Lord of the Dead's motives perfectly, or why he chose this time to start a war, but one thing is certain. Percy must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."

"Look, if we knows it's Hades." Percy told Chiron. "Why can't we just tell the others gods? Zeus or Poseidon could go down to the Underworld and bust some heads."

"Suspecting and knowing are not the same." Amara spoke up again. Percy's head moved towards her direction as she witnessed a confused look take over his expression. "Besides, even if the others gods suspect Hades, and I imagine Poseidon does, they couldn't retrieve the bolt themselves. Gods cannot cross each other's territories except by invitation. That is another ancient rule. Heroes, on the other hand, have certain privileges. They can go anywhere, challenge anyone, as long as they're bold enough and strong enough to do it. No god can be held responsible for a hero's actions. Why do you think the gods always operate through humans?"

"You're saying I'm being used," he sighed.

"I'm saying," she continued. "It's not an accident Poseidon has claimed you now. It's a very risky gamble, but he's in a desperate situation. He needs you."

Percy looked at Chiron. "You've known I was Poseidon's son all along, haven't you?"

"I had my suspicions. As I said . . . I've spoken to the Oracle, too."

"So, let me get this straight." The son of Poseidon said. "I'm supposed to go to the Underworld and confront the Lord of the Dead."

"Check," Chiron said.

"Find the most powerful weapon in the universe."

"Check," she muttered.

"And get it back to Olympus before the summer solstice, in ten days."

"That's about right."

Percy looked at Grover. Amara watched the interaction with a raised brow as the satyr gulped down the ace of hearts. "Did I mention that Maine is very nice this time of year?" He asked weakly.

He then looked over at the brunette. She let out a sigh, slipping off the windowsill and stuffing her hands into her jean pockets. "Let's get this over with."

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

Amara's head was leaned against the car window, her electric blue eyes locked on the outside world as she watched the trees, buildings, and cars fly past. She doubted she could ever look away, it was the first time she's been outside the camp in five years and she wanted to see how the world looked since it moved on without her.

"So far, so good." Percy remarked. The brunette rolled her eyes from besides him, wishing she had chosen the passenger seat instead of the back seats with Annabeth and the son of Poseidon. "Ten miles, and not a single monster."

"You know, every time someone says that, bad things follow." She commented, her eyes being directed to the sky as she witnessed the clouds began to darken the more she went into the city, her father making it clear he was in a foul mood.

The sea green eyed boy moved his gaze towards the daughter of Zeus, studying her. The black leather jacket she wore fit her well, but it was clear she had some growing into it to do. The sleeves would have gone past her hands, if she didn't roll them up. The white and grey long sleeve went well with the jacket, her silver lightning bolt necklace was more visible against her chest.

His switched his focus to her light blue skinny jeans, random designs were drawn in pen around the bottom, fires, lightning bolts, an owl, dove, everything to do with the gods, it was there. Her converses was in the same boat, expect there was random blue electricity lines on the side. Last piece of jewelry he noticed was the gold eagle ring she wore, he figured it was a symbol of her father, Zeus.

He tried to contain his expressions when he realized he hadn't imagined her having light freckles that spread across her cheeks. The freckles complimented her face, going extremely well with her electric blue eyes.

"You know," he spoke up, silently earning the Grace girls attention. "If your eyes were just darker, then you'd be the perfect Belle."

She slowly moved her head away from the window and faced the son of Poseidon. A glare appeared in her eyes as they hardened, her mind racing a thousand miles an hour as she tried to control her anger. Soon, an idea came to mind as thunder roared across the sky. Using the loud noise as a distraction, she moved swiftly, grabbing the daughter of Athena's dagger. Before the raven haired boy could react, the brunette held the dagger against his neck, earning a wide eyed look from the Jackson boy.

"Amara—" the blonde started, quickly recovering from her shock. The demigod didn't give her the opportunity to speak as she gave her a look, shutting her down quickly. Putting a hint of pressure on the dagger, she met eyes with the son of Poseidon. Teal flickered in her electric blue eyes as she met sea green ones, a cold look resting on the former's face. "If you ever bring up that name again, you, Percy Jackson, will regret you ever helped retrieve my father's lightning bolt."

She arched a brow, asking a silent question if she had made herself clear. Percy gave a sly nod, making it clear he was being cautious of the dagger and he understood what she was saying. A sigh escaped the son of Poseidon as she took away the dagger, handing it back to the stormy eyed girl who gave her a look, one she's been on the receiving end of many times over the years.

Shrugging, she returned her gaze back out the window, an unconscious grin appearing as she realized what she had done. Thunder roared once more, and she knew it was her father telling her he was watching. But, she also couldn't wait to tell a certain blond son of Hermes, he would never let the son of Poseidon live it down. Her grin seemingly widened, Luke was definitely starting to rub off on her, that is to be expected after all the years they've spent together.

"Anyway," the daughter of Athena quickly returned back to the original topic. Amara heard the familiar sound of her dagger being sheathed, earning herself an unknown glare from the blonde. "It's bad luck to talk that way."

The Jackson boy gave the girls a look, before crossing his arms over his chest and letting out a low huff. "Remind me again," he gave them a pointed look that Amara could practically feel from the back of her head. "Why do you two hate me so much?" He directed the question mostly towards the Grace girl, but she ignored him, resulting in the blonde to take over.

"We don't hate you, well," she looked at the brunette. "Okay, maybe she might hate you."

"Could've fooled me," He snapped before jabbing his thumb in the electric blue eyed girl's direction. "And she's made it clear since the day I arrived here."

"Look, we're not supposed to get along, okay?" Annabeth crossed her arms. "Our parents are rivals."

"Why?"

"How many reasons do you want?" Amara rolled her eyes, she's heard this argument from the stormy eyed girl a lot over the years, and what comes hand and hand with this argument, is why Zeus and Poseidon kids shouldn't be allowed near each other and why they don't get along. "One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in her Temple, which is hugely disrespectful."

Just when the daughter of Zeus thought the blonde was done, she kept going. "Another time, Poseidon and Athena competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw her gift as better, so they named the city after her."

"And what about Amara?" Percy's attention was directed to her. "Do you hate me just because our fathers are threatening to have war?"

She turned her head to face him, giving the raven haired boy a mock of an innocent smile, before her smile dropped and it was clear she was not in the mood. Annabeth sighed, telling the demigod she was going to answer for her, so she directed her attention back to the window.

"Zeus and Poseidon's kids," the blonde began, again, another conversation Amara's heard multiple times. "They've never gotten along. Zeus' kids have a temper, and most lack self-control, some, however, have self-control, like Amara. But that's rare in Zeus' children. And Poseidon's children believe they are superior since all they need is water to have unlimited strength, their egos are big, superiority complex, and a temper. For a child of Poseidon to have none of those, are one in a million. So when those two clash, it never ends well."

"Besides," Unknowingly, Amara had began to twist her ring back and forth as her eyes landed on water in the distance. "The sky and sea never interact, much less touch, so what's the point for their children? They're complete opposites."

The son of Poseidon turned his gaze to the daughter of Zeus, who was staring off into the distance, twisting her eagle ring back and forth. They both understood where the blonde was coming from. The sea green eyed boy belonged to the sea, he was most comfortable there, he was like the ocean itself, filled with different shades, like the many conditions of the ocean, he was a mystery to the brunette. And the electric blue eyed girl, she belonged to the sky. Where she could be in her domain, control that of the weather to her will. Whether she knew it or not, the raven haired boy knew her personality and who she was corresponded to the many different weathers, he just had to unravel her mystery.

And whether they liked it or not, it's what would eventually draw the two to one another. After all, the impossible was always made possible.

.·:*¨༺ ༻¨*:·.

As they were dropped off at Greyhound station, Amara's mood increased significantly as she felt the familiar feeling of rain in the clouds, a grin appearing once she felt the droplets hit her head. Grover, who had woken up from his nap, smiled at her as she used her ability to twirl the droplets around her fingers using the wind.

After awhile, the satyr grew bored and suggested a game. The blonde pulled an apple out of her bag, suggesting the game Hackysack to the other three. At first, she wasn't interested, until the stormy eyed girl challenged her, or wondered if she was scared to lose. Hearing that, the Grace girl couldn't let the daughter of Athena beat her.

The blonde managed to bounce the apple off nearly every body part, but the brunette was a step ahead of her. It was game she used to play a lot with Luke when they were runaways before they found Annabeth, so she learned how to master it. The daughter of Athena rolled her eyes at the electric blue eyed girl as she succeeded in bouncing the apple off every body part, before tossing the apple back towards the stormy eyed girl, who tossed it to the son of Poseidon. Who, made the fatal mistake, of tossing the apple to Grover. The satyr in one bite, got rid of the apple, core, stem, and all.

The son of the Wild desperately tried to apologize as his face grew redder and redder. The blonde and raven haired were clutching onto their stomachs as laughter escaped them, meanwhile the brunette gave the brown eyed boy a small grin as she patted his shoulder.

Not long after, the bus arrived. While standing in line to board, Amara noticed the satyr looking around, sniffing the air like he could smell his favorite food. A grin was wiped from her face as she put her hand on Grover's shoulder.

"What is it?" The son of Poseidon asked.

"I don't know," He said tensely, locking eyes with the daughter of Zeus. "Maybe it's nothing."

Moving her body next to Grover, he shook his head, clearly telling her not to ask. Arching a brow at the son of Wild, he gave her another look, and she decided not to push him. She held her hands up in surrender as she boarded the bus, claiming the window seat.

But, it was clear to her the satyr's uncertainty had gotten to everyone. Annabeth was slapping her blue Yankees cap against her thigh while it was bouncing simultaneously besides Amara, the latter tried not to focus on the son of the Wild's worries as she directed her attention to the window once more, twisting her ring between her fingers.

However, her attention was directed to the front of bus once she felt a shift in the air. An old lady had boarded the bus, wearing a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadowed her face, she carried a big paisley purse. Once she titled her head up, her black eyes glittered.

Soon, came two more old ladies. One in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise, they looked exactly like the other one. Same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Amara's eyes narrowed at the trio. They sat in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X. It was casual enough, but it sent a clear message, nobody leaves.

Her eyes shifted to the son of Poseidon, who spoke once they started heading through the slick streets of Manhattan, before she returned her gaze to the Furies. "She didn't stay dead for long," Percy said. "I thought you said that monsters could be dispelled for a lifetime." He questioned the Grace girl, sending her a look.

"I said if you're lucky." She spared him a sideways look, not bothering to put up with his antics as she kept her attention focused on the trio. "Obviously you're not, Seaweed Brain."

The raven haired boy gave her an unbelievable look. "First Drool Boy," he leaned over Annabeth as he spoke, causing the brunette to face him as a smug look appeared on her face. "Now, Seaweed Brain. What next? What else can you—"

"All three of them." Grover whimpered, unintentionally interrupting the sea green eyed boy's silent challenge to the demigod. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth said, sparing Amara a look. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

She tried. "They don't open."

"Back exit?"

"There isn't one."

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy stated. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes." The brunette reminded him, earning herself an eye-roll from the boy. Her fingers twitched as she tried to keep her cool. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?"

She thought about it, sparing a look to the blonde who gave her a shrug. "Hard to say," Percy gave her a blank look. "But we can't count on mortals for help, it's up to us to survive."

Her vision went dark as the bus travelled into the Lincoln tunnel, she was only able to see the running lights down the aisle. An eerily silenced filled her ears as she could no longer hear the sound of rain, a realization that made her mood go down a bit.

Her electric blues were barely able to make out the first lady getting out of her seat as she spoke in a flat voice, "I need to use the restroom."

"So do I," Said the second sister and third sister in unison.

Soon, they started coming down the aisle, straight towards the demigods and satyr. "I've got it," the daughter of Athena said. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?"

"You're the one they want. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys—"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us." Annabeth said. "You're a son of one of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"Amara's a child of the Big Three too!"

The daughter of Zeus managed to conceal her surprise for the statement the raven haired boy brought up. It caught her off guard that he seemed to have some concern for her, and without realizing it, she met his sea green eyes that were staring her down. "And, she doesn't even own a weapon!"

A scoff escaped her lips at his words, their stare off being disrupted as she gripped her necklace, pulling it from her neck, all she had to do was spark some electricity, and it would morph. The son of Poseidon's eyes followed her hands, and it seemed he realized what she was telling him without words.

"Don't worry about us," Grover said. "Go!"

The two children of the Big Three gave each other one last look as the blonde placed her Yankees cap on his raven locks. "Go, Percy," she spoke. "You can do this."

A glare formed in her eyes as the Furies halted in front of the brunette, expect, they weren't old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bats wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips.

The monsters surrounded the demigods and satyrs as they lashed their whips, one coming dangerously close to the daughter of Zeus's arm. They hissed, "Where is it? Where?"

People on the bus began screaming, hiding in their seats as they cowered away from the Furies. "He's not here!" The daughter of Athena yelled. Teal flickered in the Grace girl's eyes as she gripped the lightning bolt necklace tighter. "He's gone!"

The Furies raised their whips towards the trio. The blonde and brunette hands gripped their weapons, while the satyr grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it. Amara knew she wouldn't be able to draw her sword out anytime soon, she needed room to do so, and being cramped in a bus seat was not the room she needed.

Suddenly, the bus was jerked to the left. She slammed against the window before finding a grip on the bus seat, the sounds of passengers howling reaching her ears as she could only guess they were being thrown around like rag dolls.

"Hey!" The driver yelled. "Hey—whoa!" Her eyes widened slightly, her head snapping towards the front of the bus. It was then she noticed it was like someone else had ahold of the wheel, a smirk appeared as she realized what the Jackson boy was doing.

She turned her gaze back towards the monsters, watching in amusement as they were tossed around the bus, wails escaping as they desperately tried to reach anything to grip onto. But whenever they came close, Percy jerked the wheel the other way, sending them in another direction.

They shot off the highway and through half a dozen traffic lights. Amara was able to make out woods to the her left, the Hudson River to her right, and the driver — or Percy — seemed to be veering toward the river. The sight of the vast open water caused the daughter of Zeus to freeze in her spot, her grip on the seat loosening as fear took over.

She was only knocked out of it when the emergency brake was hit. The bus wailed, spun in a full circle on the wet asphalt, sending the brunette flying down the bus aisle as the vehicle crashed into trees. The emergency lights came on immediately after, the door flying open. The bus driver was the first one out, passengers yelling as they ran after him.

The Furies faced the youngest Grace as she struggled to get to her feet, gripping onto the seats for balance on the tilted bus. The first Fury narrowed its eyes at her, barring her teeth. "You,"

Sending a small current of electricity to the sliver necklace, it morphed into her lightning bolt shaped sword as she moved into a defensive position. The Furies snarled and lashed their whips as they began closing in on the demigod.

"Hey!" The Furies and Amara's attention was directed to the front of the bus, where the son of Poseidon had taken off the invisibility cap. "Looking for me?"

The Furies bared their yellow fangs at him. The first one stalked up the aisle. The two sisters hopped on top of the seats on either side of the middle one and crawled towards Percy like lizards. "Perseus Jackson," The middle one said, in an accent. "You have offended the gods. You shall die."

"I liked you better as a math teacher." Percy sassed and she growled.

She stalked behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening. Sea green eyes met her own irises as she held up a finger to her lips, and he seemed to get the message. She gripped tighter on her handle as she twirled the weapon slightly, testing her reflexes to make sure she wouldn't miss an opportunity.

"Submit now," the Fury hissed. "And you will not suffer the eternal torment."

"Nice try," the son of Poseidon told her.

"Percy, look out!" Grover cried, but it was too late. The first sister had lashed her whip around his sword hand. The two remaining Furies took this chance to lung at the raven haired boy.

He struck the Fury on the left with his sword's hilt, sending her toppling backward into a seat. He turned and sliced the Fury on the right. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust.

Taking the opportunity, the Grace girl jumped onto the first sister's back, putting her sword against the creature's neck. Beneath her, the monster wailed and cries escaped as she tried throwing the demigod off, twisting her body back and forth. Grover attempted to help by ripping the whip out of the Fury's hand

"Ow!" He yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!"

The Fury Percy hilt-slammed went at the son of Poseidon again, talons ready, but Annabeth stabbed her in the heart with her knife and she turned to dust.

The remaining sister was attempting to get Amara off her back, she clawed, hissed, and bit at the daughter of Zeus, but she wouldn't budge. "Grover," the brunette grumbled as she narrowly missed another attempted claw in her face. "Little help?"

The satyr let out a yelp as he went to work, tying up the Fury's legs in her own whip. Once it was clear the monster was ready to trip at any moment, the electric blue eyed girl used all of her body weight to pull the creature backwards. She succeeded, but it earned her to be buried underneath the creature. Annabeth helped the daughter of Zeus from underneath the last sister, earning a grin from the demigod. The Fury tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her wings, so she kept falling down.

"Zeus will destroy you!" She promised. "Hades will have your soul!"

"Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled at the last Fury. The hair's on Amara's arm raised as she felt electricity in the air. "Get out, now!" She screamed at her companions. Grabbing onto the sea green eyed boy's arm, she rushed outside, pulling the demigod along with her.

Once she got out, she noticed the other passengers wandering around in a daze, arguing with the driver, or running around in circles yelling. "We're going to die!" A Hawaiian-shirted tourist with a camera snapped a photograph of the brunette and raven haired before he could recap his sword, the action alone made her grow more irritated by the way the quest was turning out to be.

"Our bags, we left our bags!" Grover's eyes widened in worry just as the bus blew to pieces.

"Run!" Annabeth screamed, "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!"

The four plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind them, and nothing but darkness ahead.

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2-19-23

hello! i am so so so sorry for not publishing, school has absolutely been kicking my butt lately and leaving me with no time to do anything. however, i wanted to especially publish a chapter today as it is a good friend's birthday. so please, if you could all say happy birthday to Sofster07,  whether it be in the comments section, or their dm's, even in the most recent chapter of their book, pls do! i would appreciate it very much! happy birthday !!! i hope you enjoy this chapter and your special day, don't let anyone ruin it for you <3 thank you all for being so patience and supportive, and i'll see you all in the next chapter !!