Chapter Text
Watch your words with care,
Regret fills the air.
The Sun is here.
***
“Sorry about that.” Rhea said.
Frank slowly turned around, as if afraid that she was still in her birthday suit, he sighed in relief when he saw her with her clothes on.
“It’s not what you think, I turned into water which is why I was naked.” Rhea explained.
Frank swallowed still uncomfortable. He was dressed in running shoes, dark cargo pants, and a Vancouver Winter Olympics T-shirt with his Roman centurion badge pinned to the neck. Frank averted his eyes as if the sight of her might burn him.
“Everyone thinks you’ve been kidnapped,” he said. “We’ve been scouring the ship—oh, gods, you’ve been here all night?”
“Yep.”
“We just came down here to talk and we fell asleep.” Annabeth shrugged.
“We’d better…” Frank pointed to the stable doors. “Uh, we’re supposed to meet for breakfast.”
Frank ran.
When everyone finally gathered in the mess hall, it wasn’t quite as bad as Frank had feared. Jason and Piper were mostly relieved.
Leo was the one who asked questions. “So like are you two…” He pointed at them back and forth. “Not judging.”
“No we are not.” Rhea and Annabeth said at the same time with the same deadpan expression on their faces.
“Okay !” Leo did a ‘I give up’ gesture.
Jason cleared his throat. “Let’s grab some food, everybody. Let’s get started.”
The meeting was like a war council with donuts. Then again, back at Camp Half-Blood they used to have their most serious discussions around the Ping-Pong table in the rec room with crackers and Cheez Whiz.
She told them about her dream—the twin giants planning a reception for them in an underground parking lot with rocket launchers; Nico di Angelo trapped in a bronze jar, slowly dying from asphyxiation with pomegranate seeds at his feet.
Hazel choked back a sob. “Nico… Oh, gods. The seeds.”
“You know what they are?” Annabeth asked.
Hazel nodded. “He showed them to me once. They’re from our stepmother’s garden. The seeds are a last-resort food,” Hazel said. She was nervous, all the silverware on the table was starting to move toward her. “Only children of Hades can eat them. Nico always kept some in case he got stuck somewhere. But if he’s really imprisoned—”
“The giants are trying to lure us,” Annabeth said. “They’re assuming we’ll try to rescue him.”
“Well, they’re right!” Hazel looked around the table, her confidence apparently crumbling. “Won’t we?”
“Yes!” Coach Hedge yelled with a mouthful of napkins. “It’ll involve fighting, right?”
“Hazel, of course we’ll help him,” Frank said. “But how long do we have before… uh, I mean, how long can Nico hold out?”
“One seed a day,” Hazel said miserably. “That’s if he puts himself in a death trance.”
“A death trance?” Annabeth scowled. “That doesn’t sound fun.”
“It keeps him from consuming all his air,” Hazel said. “Like hibernation, or a coma. One seed can sustain him one day, barely.”
“And he has five seeds left, including today.” Rhea said. “The giants planned it from the start, so we’d have to arrive by July first.”
“That’s not much time,” Piper summed up. She put her hand on Hazel’s shoulder. “We’ll find him. At least we know what the lines of the prophecy mean now. ‘Twins snuff out the angel’s breath, who holds the key to endless death.’ Your brother’s last name: di Angelo. Angelo is Italian for ‘angel.’”
“Oh, gods,” Hazel muttered. “Nico…”
Rhea clenched her fists around the bronze glass till it cracked.
“We’ll get him back.” Rhea said.
“That’s right,” Piper said encouragingly. “Hazel, your brother went searching for the Doors of Death in the Underworld, right? He must’ve found them.”
“Nico is strong, have faith.” Rhea reassured Hazel, it also sounded like she was reassuring herself too.
Hazel took a deep breath. “Yes.”
“Uh…” Leo shifted in his chair. “One thing. The giants are expecting us to do this, right? So we’re walking into a trap?”
Hazel looked at Leo like he’d made a rude gesture. “We have no choice!”
“Don’t get me wrong, Hazel. It’s just that your brother, Nico… he knew about both camps, right?”
“Well, yes,” Hazel said.
“He’s been going back and forth,” Leo said, “and he didn’t tell either side.”
Jason sat forward, his expression grim. “You’re wondering if we can trust the guy. So am I.”
Hazel shot to her feet. “I don’t believe this. He’s my brother. He brought me back from the Underworld, and you don’t want to help him?”
Frank put his hand on her shoulder. “Nobody’s saying that.” He glared at Leo. “Nobody had better be saying that.”
Leo blinked. “Look, guys. All I mean is—”
“Hazel,” Jason said. “Leo is raising a fair point. I remember Nico from Camp Jupiter. Now I find out he also visited Camp Half-Blood. That does strike me as… well, a little shady. Do we really know where his loyalties lie? We just have to be careful.”
Hazel’s arms shook. A silver platter zoomed toward her and hit the wall to her left, splattering scrambled eggs. But before she could say anything someone beat her to the punch.
Things happened too fast, one moment Jason was sitting the next he was held against the wall by the neck. Many were too shocked to react and froze.
Annabeth stood up. “Rhea !! Let him go !”
“I dare you to say that again.” Rhea glared at him and growled.
“Stop that ! You’re choking him !” Piper shouted.
“NO sh*t !” Rhea glared at her.
Jason struggled in her hold. “I’m … I’m just being cautious !” He said while trying to get her to lose her grip.
“There is being ‘cautious’ and then there is being a ‘brainless idiot’, if you thought about it just one second, if you decided to use those two braincells that are currently fighting for third place, the idea of Nico not talking about the Camps to each other so no war between them would happen would have crossed your mind ! AND YOU ARE QUESTIONING HIS LOYALTIES ?!”
Annabeth grabbed her arm. “Rhea … that’s enough.”
The black haired her gave her a long look before she threw Jason at Piper who grabbed him and sure that no lasting damage was left on his neck while he coughed.
Piper glared at him. “I know what he said was harsh but that was total overreaction !”
Rhea scoffed. “Overreaction ? I think it was a proper response, my cousin is f*cking suffocating to death right now and your little boytoy and mister flaming hazard right here are questioning his intention.” She narrowed her eyes at the ‘flaming hazard’ in question.
Leo at least had the sense to look away with guilt.
She turned back to Piper. “It not like you can understand.”
“Maybe so, but at least I understand why your ex left you, you are horrible, and if I was him I’d leave you too.” Piper retorted, she didn’t care that it was a low blow, Piper just wanted to hurt Rhea because she hurt Jason.
Rhea stayed silent while looking down at her before she raised an eyebrow. “Huh…”
“What the heck Piper ??” Annabeth shouted. “You were spying on us ?? What is wrong with you !”
Piper’s eyes widened realizing she messed up big time. “I didn’t … I’m sorry it slipped ! I didn’t mean to spy on you, I just…”
“Save it.” Rhea coldly said. “Annabeth don’t bother, she isn’t worth it.” She smirked at Piper. “Unlike you little lamprey, what I had with my ex was not based on fake memories a goddess put in my head just so that your yellow perch will take you on the quest instead of choosing someone else.”
Piper flinched at that, Rhea walked out of the mess hall.
“Sooo…” Leo awkwardly started but he didn’t know what to say.
“I’ll go talk to her.” Annabeth followed after Rhea.
“Pray to the gods that she forgives you.” Frank mumbled.
Hazel spoke after a few seconds. “You should apologize.”
Piper gave her a look. “Apologize ? She’s the one who needs to apologize to Jason ! She choked him ! What kind of psycho does that ? Don’t paint me as the bad guy !”
“I’m going to be honest and fair here, Jason was supposed to be fair and a good leader, but he messed up, I’m angry about what he said about Nico too.” Hazel started. “You don’t throw suspicions like that without proof it creates discord just look at what just happened, I looked up to you and I’m quite disappointed.” She said to Jason.
Jason looked the other way.
“Rhea was already worried about Nico, she was already on edge, so I don’t blame you fully for her outburst, was she wrong to grab you by the neck ? Yes it was, but at the same time your words were the last straw that broke the camel’s back.” Hazel turned to Piper. “Not only did you spy on a conversation between Annabeth and Rhea but you also used it as a weapon against her just so you can hurt her.”
“It was an accident ! I didn’t mean to spy on them, I just went to grab a water bottle and overheard their conversation honest !”
“You do realize you’re making it worse right ? Using someone past to bring them down, especially their relationship … ? That’s low.” Leo said.
“And you do realize you’re not making yourself look any better right ?” Frank narrowed his eyes at him.
“Hey ! I’m just saying I’m not defending myself here !” Leo raised his arms.
“It was messed up.” Jason said.
“But—” Piper tried to protest.
“Listen Pipes I don’t blame you okay ?” Jason reassured. “But we don’t know what happened between Rhea and her ex, we are all at fault here, and it seriously not the time for us to fight each other over something that we can apologize for and move on when there is bigger things to worry about.”
From up above came a whirring sound like a large drill.
“That’s Festus,” Leo said. “I’ve got him on autopilot, but we must be nearing Atlanta. I’ll have to get up there… uh, assuming we know where to land.”
Everyone looked at each other.
“Well … Rhea isn’t here to say anything.” Jason said.
“I’ll tell her.” Hazel said before she walked out.
Piper felt shame and regret.
*~*
“Did you get it out of your system ?” Poseidonas frowned.
Rhea panted and stood up again, clinching the trident in her hand. “…Not yet !” She attacked him again.
If she was going to be angry she might as well channel it in something useful like training.
“Rhea ?” Annabeth voice echoed.
Rhea stopped mid-attack, she lowered her weapon and walked out of the plane.
“Do you think she’s going to be alright ?” Aidoneus frowned.
Poseidonas crossed his arms. “With her mania being at that level, those idiots need to pray that she doesn’t lose it and leave a bloodbath behind.”
*~*
Annabeth poked Rhea’s cheek, the girl opened her eyes and turned to the blond.
“Hey.” Annabeth softly said as she sat on the bed.
“Hey.”
“Are you alright ?”
“Hmm.”
“I’m not going to tell you to ignore what she said but…” Annabeth crossed her legs.
“I honestly should have seen that coming.” Rhea scoffed. “I knew she was listening in on our conversation, but to use that kind of argument against me ? Hah …” She shook her head. “A stab wound would have been better.” She laughed, it was cold void of any humor. “Well, there goes ‘not caring’ to ‘absolute hatred’ congratulations !” She turned grabbed a hand mirror. “Can you pass me my thin eyeliner pencil ?”
Annabeth passed her the eyeliner, the black haired girl proceeded to applied the eyeliner.
“I swear one of these days I’ll step on her with stilettos !” Rhea waved the eyeliner pencil while talking. “And just for your sake I’ll tolerate her, but when this whole sh*t ends, I will turn to the other side if she is in danger.”
“From a scale from one to ten what is the level of hatred here just so I can made sure of something.” Annabeth closed her eyes when Rhea turned to apply the eyeliner on her which only took a few seconds. “That was quick.”
“Years of practice.” Rhea smiled. “And to answer your question, if I had to choose between saving Ares or Piper, I’ll choose Ares.”
“Oh…”
“And just so you know her train of through is the following ‘seven people on a quest? Well, no worries. Let's just hope me and Jason survive. The rest can go f*ck themselves right?’ and ‘Jason this Jason that, me, me, me, me, oh I don’t want him going back to Camp Jupiter stay with me, oh he put a purple shirt today I don’t like it !’.” Rhea sighed. “Does she have good qualities ? Yes I’m not going to lie, but the Cons are more than the Pros here, she needs to set her priorities straight, I’m not saying that thinking about Jason is a bad thing but come on ! We are in the middle of a war being a teenager is not an excuse ! Also there is love and there is obsession, honey you don’t love the boy ! If you did you would have wished what is best for him not what best for yourself, oh and you don’t have to tell me ! I know I’m being a hypocrite here because I’m the biggest manipulative bitch you’ll ever meet, but at least I don’t use charm-speak on my allies as if they are common monsters ‘for a great cause’.”
“Wait what ?” Annabeth was taken aback at the last part.
“Eh now that you are aware it won’t affect you much, also the only reason why she is on this team if because Hera chose her, and Aphrodite gave her a stockpiled charm-speak on top of the charm-speak Piper was born with which is why it sometimes powerful and doesn’t make sense.” Rhea took a deep breath. “I also would love if she stopped giving herself a bad reputation with that stupid eagle feather in her hair, ok she’s Cherokee descendant but she could at least search the meaning of things before she gets herself cursed by a Cherokee spirit for the disrespect ! I don’t fault her much for this but still, in Cherokee culture, eagle feathers hold deep spiritual significance and are often used in ceremonies, rituals, and regalia. Wearing an eagle feather as a fashion accessory without proper understanding like she does is disrespectful and insensitive. I wouldn’t say anything if it’s a fake feather, but no, it’s a real eagle feather.”
Annabeth blinked.
“By the way my grandma Estelle was native too, not Cherokee but Cheyenne.” Rhea said. “Which is why I know a lot of things.”
“You never told me that !”
“…Yeah cause my life does not revolve around Cheyenne culture… Besides in what conversation would I bring that up ?? That would be a useless info dump for absolutely no reason.” Rhea shrugged.
There was a knock on the door, Rhea stood up to open it.
“Oh hey Hazel ! Come in.” Rhea stepped to the side to let her in.
“Hey … How are you doing now ?” Hazel asked.
“Perfectly fine, I have my therapist right here as you can see.” Rhea snorted and gestured to Annabeth.
“Yeah that would be two hundred drachma by the way.” Annabeth said.
“And as you can see she is scamming me out of my money.” Rhea deadpanned.
Hazel giggled. “I’m glad.” She turned to Rhea. “Leo wanted to know where to land.”
“Somewhere central, high up so we can get a good view of the city but also hidden, the woods are the only place I can think of.” Rhea said. “I also will be going alone too.”
“Are you sure ?” Annabeth asked.
Rhea nodded. “Yeah. I need to cool my head a bit more.”
“I’ll go tell the others.” Hazel walked out.
*~*
Let’s just say Coach Hedge did not like the fact that Rhea was going alone down there, nobody did like it actually be it took one glare from both Rhea and Annabeth for them to drop the subject.
They had landed near the summit of a forested hill. A complex of white buildings, like a museum or a university, nestled in a grove of pines to the left. Below them spread the city of Atlanta—a cluster of brown and silver downtown skyscrapers two miles away, rising from what looked like an endless flat sprawl of highways, railroad tracks, houses, and green swathes of forest.
“Ah, lovely spot.” Coach Hedge inhaled the morning air. “Good choice, Valdez.”
Leo shrugged. “I just picked a tall hill. That’s a presidential library or something over there. At least that’s what Festus says.”
“I don’t know about that!” Hedge barked. “But do you realize what happened on this hill? Frank Zhang, you should know!”
Frank flinched. “I should?”
“A son of Ares stood here!” Hedge cried indignantly.
“I’m Roman…so Mars, actually.”
“Whatever! Famous spot in the American Civil War!”
“I’m Canadian, actually.”
“Whatever! General Sherman, Union leader. He stood on this hill watching the city of Atlanta burn. Cut a path of destruction all the way from here to the sea. Burning, looting, pillaging—now there was a demigod!”
Frank inched away from the satyr. “Uh, okay.”
“I’ll be going now.” Rhea said.
*~*
Apollo halted abruptly, a sensation of countless eyes fixating on him from all angles. Before he could evade, a force gripped his face tightly.
His eyes widened. "Who—"
"Hello~." The entity smirked, its gaze mirroring an abyssal depth and galaxies. "Do me a favor and relay to her that this time it's Storm, not Fire."
With sudden force, Apollo was hurled. The kaleidoscope of colors surrounding him morphed from hues of purple, blue, red, green, gold, yellow, and white to a void of blackness, then shifted abruptly to cerulean. The rush of wind filled his ears as he plummeted at alarming speed, until he collided with a mountain.
Dusting himself off, Apollo rose with a scowl, distinctly unamused. Yet, his expression froze as a sense of unease settled upon him.
Something was not right.
Apollo furrowed his brow. He was cast from Valhalla to the mortal realm and yet this Earth was not right.
Though it resembled the Earth he knew, his instincts rebelled against its familiarity. Everything within him screamed that this planet was wrong—even the sun appeared foreign. Despite his tether to it, he could manipulate it, yet it felt alien.
Moreover, he sensed his laurel nearby, an impossibility unless...
Extending his senses to perceive everything that is touched by light, Apollo tracked down his laurel, finding Rhea strolling down the street.
It all fell into place.
The odd sensation of the sun.
The inexplicable wrongness of the Earth.
The prolonged sensation of falling.
He had been flung across the cosmos.
*~*
Rhea played with the Chinese handcuffs while walking down the street, she had to buy a folding fan because for some reason the heat intensified.
“What the heck is this heat ??” Rhea complained.
“Found you~” Someone put his very muscular arm around her shoulders.
“Oh no.” Aidoneus sighed.
“How did he get here ?” Poseidonas eyebrow twitched.
Rhea turned around to see Apollo smiling at her.
“How are you this fine morning darling~ !”
She hit him in the face with the fan. “You’re an idiot ! Who sneaks on someone like that ???”
He chuckled and let her go. “My~ my~ you dare to insult me ? How daring of you, that deserves a Divine Punishment.”
Did he just…
Rhea’s eye twitched. “I will divine punishment your ass.”
“Here I thought you’d be happy to see me.” Apollo pouted.
“Which raises a question, Apollo—”
“Lord Phoebus.” He interrupted her.
“…What…”
He smirked. “That’s how you should address me, Lord Phoebus.”
Rhea took a deep breath. “Listen here you little sh*t, I called Poseidon a motherf*cker many times and I’m not afraid of calling you Sunshine f*cker, calling you by your name is me being nice, just answer me how did you get here ?”
Apollo gave her an awkward look. “…I was thrown.”
“Huh/Huh ?” Rhea and the brothers looked confused.
“Posei ! Big bro Hades how are you doing !” Apollo brightened.
“You can see us.” Aidoneus raised an eyebrow.
“Maybe cause you guys are from the same world but that isn’t important, who threw you here ?” Rhea asked.
“That’s the thing, one moment I was making my way to the library so I can continue my research and the next someone grabbed me by the face and threw me across the cosmos and I found myself here.” Apollo explained. “He also said to tell you and I’m pretty sure the message is for you that this time it's Storm, not Fire. Whatever that means. Oh his eyes also reflected the abyss and galaxies if that matters.”
"Khaos..." Rhea’s eyes widened. “Oh f*ck…”
“Language !” Apollo frowned.
This is bad, this is really bad.
