FLIP

"feel the burn"

ARIADNE HAD HAD ENOUGH OF MONSTERS. First off, she was forced to fight them twenty-four-seven. Second, her patience was at its breaking point, especially after those three stupid hags made her lose consciousness, allowing three of their crew members to be taken beneath the water.

As of now, Annabeth, Coach Hedge, and Buford the table rushed around repairing things so that the ship wouldn't sink. Percy, despite being exhausted, searched the ocean for their missing friends. Jason, also exhausted, flew around the rigging like a blond Peter Pan, putting out fires from the second green explosion that had lit up the sky and just above the mainmast. Piper was currently attempting to locate Leo, Hazel, and Frank through her knife Katoptris.

The oldest girl was arguing with Annabeth, who was forcing her to sit down and stop her massive headache that wouldn't go away, but she resisted and wobbled around the deck while helping the repairs.

By the time the sun rose, none of them had slept. Percy had scoured the sea floor and found nothing. The Argo II was no longer in danger of sinking, though without Leo, they couldn't do full repairs. The ship was capable of sailing, but no one suggested leaving the are—not without their missing friends.

Piper and Annabeth had sent a dream vision to Camp Half-Blood, warning Chiron of what had happened with the Romans at Fort Sumter.

Percy had basically held Ariadne back from punching Jason when the boy was fixing her wound, wiping away the dried blood on her skin.

After the Iris-message, the demigods paced the deck in silence, staring at the water and hoping for a miracle.

When it finally came—three giant pink bubbles bursting at the surface off the starboard bow and ejecting Frank, Hazel, and Leo—Piper went a little crazy. She cried out with relief and dove straight into the water.

She paddled over to Leo and kissed him in the cheek, which kind of surprised him.

"Miss me?" Leo laughed.

Piper was suddenly furious. "Where were you! How are you guys alive?"

"Long story," he said. A picnic basket bobbed to the surface next to him. "Want a brownie?"

Once they got on board and changed into dry clothes the crew all gathered on the quarterdeck for a celebratory breakfast—except Coach Hedge, who grumbled that the atmosphere was getting too cuddly for his tastes and went below to hammer out some dents in the hull. While Leo fussed over his helm controls, Hazel and Frank related the story of the fish-centaurs and their training camp.

"Incredible," Jason said. "These are really good brownies."

"That's your only comment?" Piper demanded.

He looked surprised. "What? I heard the story. Fish-centaurs. Merpeople. Letter of intro to the Tiber River god. Got it. But these brownies—"

"I know," Frank said, his mouth full. "Try them with Esther's peach preserves."

"That," Hazel said, "is incredibly disgusting."

"Pass me the har, man," Jason said.

Percy, for his part, wanted to hear every detail about the aquatic camp. He kept coming back to one point: "They didn't want to meet me?"

"It wasn't that," Hazel said. "Just...undersea politics, I guess. The merpeople are territorial. The good news is that they're taking care of that aquarium in Atlanta. And they'll help protect the Argo II as we cross the Atlantic."

Percy nodded absently. "But they didn't want to meet me?"

Annabeth swatted his arm. "Come on, Seaweed Brain! We've got other things to worry about."

Ariadne nodded in agreement. She had her arms hooked over her knees, clutching them close to her. It was a loose posture she had grown accustomed to in the hours of watching Leo and cabin nine build the Argo II, almost falling asleep that way. Her shoulder sat touching Percy's, who was leaning back on his hands.

"She's right," Hazel said. "After today, Nico has less than two days. The fish-centaurs said we have to rescue him. He's essential to the quest somehow."

She looked around defensively, as if waiting for someone to argue. No one did.

"Nico must have information about the Doors of Death," Piper said. "We'll save him, Hazel. We can make it in time. Right, Leo?"

"What?" Leo tore his eyes away from the controls. "Oh, yeah. We should reach the Mediterranean tomorrow morning. Then spend the rest of that day sailing to Rome, or flying, if I can get the stabilizer fixed by then..."

Jason suddenly looked as though his brownie with peach preserves didn't taste so good. "Which will put us in Rome on the last possible day for Nico. Twenty-four hours to find him—at most."

Percy crossed his legs. "And that's only part of the problem. There's the Mark of Athena, too."

Annabeth didn't seem happy with the change of topic. She rested her hand on her backpack, which, since they'd left Charleston, she always seemed to have with her.

She opened the bag and brought out a thin bronze disk the diameter of a donut. "This is the map that I found at Fort Sumter. It's..." She stopped abruptly, staring at the smooth bronze surface. "It's blank!"

Percy took it and examined both sides. "It wasn't like this earlier?"

"No! I was looking at it in my cabin and..." Annabeth muttered under her breath. "It must be like the Mark of Athena. I can only see it when I'm alone. It won't show itself to other demigods."

Frank scooted back like the disk might explode. He had an orange-juice mustache and a brownie-crumb beard.

"What did it have on it?" Frank asked nervously. "And what is the Mark of Athena? I still don't get it."

Annabeth took the disk from Percy. She turned it in the sunlight, but it remained blank. "The map was hard to read, but it showed a spot on the Tiber River in Rome. "I think that's where my quest starts...the path I've got to take to follow the Mark."

"Maybe that's where you meet the river god Tiberinus," Piper said. "But what is the Mark?"

"The coin," Ariadne said. It clicked in her head.

Percy frowned. "What coin?"

Annabeth dug into her pocket and brought out a silver drachma. "I've been carrying this ever since I saw my mom at Grand Central. It's an Athenian coin."

She passed it around. Ariadne took it from Jason, her fingers barely gripping the metal before her hands burned. The girl flinched slightly, not wanting to drop it and cause a scene, so she dealt with it. The coin was engraved with a few Greek letters and a owl and an olive branch.

The second she handed it over, her hands wound together while her fingers pressed into her shorts, putting pressure on the pain to cease it.

"An owl," Leo noted. "Well, that makes sense. I guess the branch is an olive branch? But what's this inscription, AOE—Area Of Effect?"

"It's alpha, theta, epsilon," Annabeth said. "In Greek it stands for Of The Athenians...or you could read it as the children of Athena. It's sort of the Athenian motto."

"Like SPQR for the Romans," Piper guessed.

Annabeth nodded. "Anyway, the Mark of Athena is an owl, just like that one. It appears in fiery red. I've seen it in my dreams. Then twice at Fort Sumter."

She described what had happened at the fort—the voice of Gaea, the spiders in the garrison, the Mark burning them away.

Percy's face washed with guilt. "We should have been there for you."

"But that's the point," Annabeth said. "No one can be there for me. When I get to Rome, I'll have to strike out on my own. Otherwise, the Mark won't appear. I'll have to follow it to...to the source."

Frank took the coin from Leo. He stared at the owl. "The giants' bane stands gold and pale, Won with pain from a woven jail." He looked up at Annabeth. "What is it...this thing at the source?"

Before Annabeth could answer, Jason spoke up.

"A statue," he said. "A statue of Athena. At least...that's my guess."

Piper frowned. "You said you didn't know."

"I don't. But the more I think about it...there's only one artifact that could fit the legend." He turned to Annabeth. "I'm sorry. I should have told you everything I've heard, much earlier. But honestly, I was scared. If this legend is true—"

"I know," Annabeth said. "I figured it out, Jason. I don't blame you. But if we manage to save the statue, Greek and Romans together...don't you see? It could heal the rift."

"Hold on." Percy made a time-out gesture. "What statue?"

Annabeth took back the silver coin and slipped it into her pocket. "The Athena Parthenos," she said. "The most famous Greek statue of all time. It was forty feet tall, covered in ivory and gold. It stood in the middle of the Parthenon in Athens."

The ship went silent, except for the waves lapping against the hull.

"Okay, I'll bite," Leo said at last. "What happened to it?"

"It disappeared," Annabeth said.

Leo frowned. "How does a forty-foot-tall statue in the middle of the Parthenon just disappear?"

"That's a good question," Annabeth said. "It's one of the biggest mysteries in history. Some people thought the statue was melted down for its gold, or destroyed by invaders. Athens was sacked a number of times. Some thought the statue was carried off—"

"By Romans," Jason finished. "At least, that's one theory, and it fits the legend I hard at Camp Jupiter. To break the Greeks' spirit, the Romans carted off the Athena Parthenos when they took over the city of Athens. They hid it in an underground shrine in Rome. The Roman demigods swore it would never see the light of day. They literally stole Athena, so she could no longer be the symbol of Greek military power. She became Minerva, a much Yanet goddess."

"And the children of Athena have been searching for the statue ever since," Annabeth said. "Most don't know about the legend, but in each generation, a few are chosen by the goddess. They're given a coin like mine. They follow the Mark of Athena...a kind of magical trail that links them to the statue...hoping to find the resting place of the Athena Parthenos and get the statue back."

They spoke like a team—Annabeth and Jason—without any hostility or blame. The two of them had never really trusted each other. Ariadne had seen the brunt of their harsh comments and shade thrown beneath the table, as she had to calm the taming winds and spirits before her own patience snapped and did far worse.

Percy seemed to be having similar thoughts, judging from his surprised expression. "So if we—I mean you—find the statue...what would we do with it? Could we even move it?"

"I'm not sure," Annabeth admitted. "But if we could save it somehow, it could unite the two camps. It could heal my mother of this hatred she's got, tearing her two aspects apart. And maybe...maybe the statue has some sort of power that could help us against the giants."

"This could change everything," Piper said. "It could end thousands of years of hostility. It might be the key to defeating Gaea. But if we can't help you..."

Annabeth squared her shoulders. "I have to succeed," she said simply. "The risk is worth it."

Hazel twirled her hair pensively. "I don't like the idea of you risking your life alone, but you're right. We saw what recovering the golden eagle standard did for the Roman legion. If this statue is the most powerful symbol of Athena ever created—"

"It could kick some serious booty," Leo offered.

Hazel frowned. "That wasn't the way I'd put it, but yes."

"Except..." Percy leaned against Ariadne's shoulder. "No child of Athena has ever found it. Annabeth, what's down there? What's guarding it? If it's got to do with spiders—?"

"Won through pain pain from a woven jail," Frank recalled. "Woven, like webs?"

Annabeth's face turned as white as printer paper. Her grey eyes locked onto Ariadne. The eldest girl understood, knowing what was awaiting her...if at least a very good idea.

"That can be dealt with once we reach Rome," Ariadne suggested, but her rough voice provided it more as an order for the crew. "It's going to work out. Trust me, Annabeth is going to kick some serious ass."

Her voice was always commanding in a way. Much different from other leaders they had met: Chiron, his voice was parental in many ways, acting as a guiding path. Thalia had a cold and icy voice, not really leaving any other option. Percy was known for his very questioning tactics, his commands always coming off a bit unsure and hesitant. Jason held a peaceful, calm resonance in his own voice, hailing all ears, but soothing worries. A booming voice of hard obsidian rested in Reyna, who thus proved that leadership could be embodied.

Ariadne was described as a rough, smooth voice, like calloused hands after a hard battle. Her words were laced with thick passion with every enunciation. When needed, she could grown harsh, deep and guttural, like the world was about to open at her feet. Other times, it was soft and airy, like a smooth brush of the wind tickling the grass in a field of flowers. But no one could disagree that whatever she uttered, Ariadne had a way to let her words weigh on others' shoulders, leaving them to think it was a command rather than a statement.

"Yeah," Percy said. "I learned a long time ago: Never bet against Annabeth."

Annabeth looked at them both gratefully.

Judging from their half-eaten breakfasts, the others still felt uneasy; but Leo managed to shake them out of it. He pushed a button, and a loud blast of steak exploded from Festus's mouth, making everyone jumó.

"Well!" he said. "Good pep rally, but there's still a ton of things to fix on this ship before we get to the Mediterranean. Please report to Supreme Commander Leo for your supergirl list of chores!"

Ariadne and Annabeth were put in charge of fixing the engine room. It was a mess, with patches of dents everywhere, and pipes needing to be turned back in place. Leo was working on his controls and any other mechanical issues the two girls couldn't handle.

The brunette had taken the hammer from Coach Hedge and was smashing the dents back into place. It was tedious work, and by the time she had gotten down with a few, her arms were sore.

Annabeth was working on the pipes and ensuring it was all in the right place, using her expertise to move them back in place.

It took them most of the day, ending with their arms as heavy as lead while they leaned against the wall of the ship, sitting down and panting while shaking off the beads of sweat soaking their foreheads and arms. In the end, the two had resorted to removing their shirts and sticking to their shirts and sports bras. It was much easier that way.

The brunette glanced over at her best friend. Annabeth was staring at her hands, her finger shaking slightly from exhaustion and stress. Whatever was guarding the statue, it was weighing on her. Of course, they wouldn't know for sure until it was seen with her own stormy eyes, but the countless possibilities of terrifying events that could occur was sweeping her under.

Annabeth's blonde princess curls were gathered into a low ponytail. Hairs had escaped as the day passed by, framing her face, shielding her thin expression from view of the world. Ariadne had always considered her best friend one of the most beautiful people—because of her grit, determination, and her godly looks.

That was never enough for her, though. In the end, Ariadne knew wholeheartedly that Annabeth believed herself to be inferior to all, because of the dumb blonde interpretation, and also the constant comparison to her best brunette friend. She tried to prove herself with a huge ego and flaunted her greatness and a prideful heart, it did nothing to conceal the fear and insecurities beneath her strong layers.

"You're wrong," Ariadne said against the ship's groaning engines and churning waters smashing alongside the hull. "You're so clearly wrong."

Annabeth gave her friend a concerned look. What was she on about? Yes, Ariadne had a tendency nowadays to speak to herself at times, but most demigods had. Habits die hard, she guessed.

"What?" the blonde questioned, shifting her legs out in front of her.

There were no moves to gain her attention, amethyst irises staring straight ahead. "What you said up there, on deck," Ariadne said simply, as if the answer has been obvious the whole time. "You won't be alone."

Annabeth scoffed. "I beg to differ."

There it was again, the aging habit for both of them to spout negatively in the face of danger.

"You can, but that doesn't excuse the fact you're wrong." Ariadne sighed. "Annie, you won't be alone."

"Tell that to the coin burning my pocket right about now."

Ariadne took her hand roughly. Her grey eyes wrapped in shock at the right grip, gazing upon the serious expression dawning the pretty girl's face.

"I'm serious. Yes, you'll have to find the statue yourself, I know. But...Annie, that doesn't mean you will be fighting this battle alone. The second you find that statue, I'll be there, swinging my sword and helping you finish the legacy and mission your siblings have been on for thousands of years. I get that you must go off on your own  and prove yourself, but don't think for one second you have to shoulder this alone, the last time that happened three of us gained streaks in our hair."

The blonde pushed down the tears welling in her eyes. They pricked and burned her skin while begging to flee her body, but she wouldn't budge.

"Walking alone has always been my path," Annabeth murmured, mainly toward herself, as if reminding her own mind. "Even if you're there, next to me, the second I keep walking on, your body heat won't be there to remind me."

Ariadne slid her hand toward the blonde's cheek, cupping it. "Oh, sis," she muttered, "you're burdening yourself too much. Nothing will take me away from you. We've made it this far, haven't we?"

Annabeth felt a tear slip down her tan cheek. It was not intended, but the release was almost too much to bear as her shoulders racked with sobs, burying her head into the brunette's shoulder while she cooed softly  in her ear.

It was times like these where Annabeth was so lucky to have her sister.

"Anna Elizabeth Chase, you are my sister. My younger-by-eight-days sister. You have always made me admire greatness and dissolved the idea that blondes are clueless idiots. Never have I ever doubted your wise words or skills, your incessant urge to learn more and more about the world and it's architecture. My best friend till the end, you will never leave my heart."

Her warm hands slipped between hers', interlocking their fingers.

Ariadne smiled. "As long as I'm here, breathing, and even if I'm not, you will feel my hand in yours, and a smile pointed at you."

Annabeth smiled sadly. The two embraced in a tight hug, ignoring the sound of the ship's bell ringing for dinner, beckoning them upstairs.

For now, it was just them—two sisters of unfortunate circumstances.

Ariadne Aidan Phoenix and Anna Elizabeth Chase, holding tightly together while the tears hit the floor. The damp wood creaked underneath their shoulders while they cried.

Nothing would tear them apart.

authors note:

BOOM!

Update eight days late!

I hate myself! But that's the fun! HDBDBNDND

Anyways, hope y'all enjoyed this. Short, sweet, angst, the way I like it

Your girl is going to Chicago next weekend for an Indian reception because fuck yeah. IM FULLY VACCINATED NOW SO BOO YAH

Q: What BNHA (MHA) character would you rather date?
A: BAKUGOU BAKUGOU BAKUGOU BAKUGOU I LOVE HIM SO HDBDND

anyways! I love you guys so much!

I already have so many ideas planned in my notes! Don't hack please!

already know who's going off that cliff so stay tuned my lovelies

Should we have a nickname? Like a group name??? What should it be?

Love you guys!