#i need a twelfth. i need an ocean's twelfth to fit everyone i want

[starscelly]

unnecessary amounts of brain power going into me trying to assign ocean's characters to stars players. like i assure u its not that serious but trying to choose between miro and wyatt for linus is going to make me cry.

[feather-dancer]

Tales of Arcadia Fanfic Recommendations - Part 6

I do admittedly have things left to read in my tabs I’d normally prefer to clear out before posting one of these but when you sail past the 30 mark I think it’s about time to get it out my drafts, yeah? Most importantly means this will be out before Rise of the Titans comes and emotionally destroys us all.

Needless to say soon as this is posted I give it 24 hours before 7 starts, we’ve got some amazing writers in this fandom and there’s a couple I juuust want one more chapter before I feel I can recommend it. Hope you find something you enjoy :)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

If at all interested in my own writing you can find it here!

General Trollhunters

Romeo, Question Mark - Jim is figuring himself out and has a question for Toby though nervous of how he might react. Honestly the support Aromantic’s need when they’re either questioning or coming out, Toby is a gem.

By The Book - After his dad left changing his world Jim had moments in his life where he needed to wrangle things in a way he could understand them with some moral support along the way that wasn’t there to do it for him, just give a light nudge the right direction. Comes with light Jilaire fluff.

That I Could Fear a Door - Jim was pulled from the Darklands whole but you cannot escape the trauma of your experiences quite so easily. It will take a little time, a lot of patience and perhaps the right ear to listen but with it can come hope.

Lest Back the Awful Door Should Spring - Sequel to the above, Jim’s capture to be sentenced by the tribunal echoes his experiences in the Darklands a little too closely sending all his careful progress hurtling back in one fell swoop. Is it any wonder he chose a false freedom that Unkar offered?

Façade - The confirmation that Mr. Strickler is not the man you thought he was probably was not going to be an easy one, Jim’s thoughts sit ill after that dinner.

Fashion - All changelings take root somewhere in a human life before their changeling one succeeds it and Nomura is no different. She felt love she could not understand and the ache of loss will follow for as she meanders through this world by the Whisper Man’s orders and her own volition of needing to belong somewhere. She will try her hand with the humans and the trolls, paint the road with blood as much as indulging herself with the arts and even risking her heart until everything leads her to Arcadia’s doorstep.

In Deep Trouble - What happened in the Deep during Season 2?

Aftermath - Just after the finale of Season 2 the Market trolls are forced to run leaving their homes behind and follow the Trollhunter they had dismissed so many times into the great unknown before them.

Don’t think - Jim weighs up his options and attempts to settle his thoughts before making the final decision whether or not to go through with using Merlin’s potion.

Nocturne for a Trollhunter - Jim learns a new hobby that gives him another way to relax that doesn’t involve cooking, one that follows him beyond Arcadia.

The Asteroid - A rare 3Below fic for my lists if centered on a certain hedge witch and Wizard. The end of the world is coming but not by Morgana’s hand and Merlin certainly never warned Douxie about it so if this truly is the end then it’s the best time to bring your loved ones close so you won’t be going out alone. Yes it’s Zouxie.

A bright future so it seemed (but that light grew a little less bright) - Claire’s parents (Or more specifically Ophelia) set her on the perfectionist’s path early, even a little slip can feel like the end of the world

Rest, Master Jim - You might be able to escape the Darklands but you cannot escape the consequences of being trapped there for so long as easily.

General Wizards

Not Found - So why did neither Douxie or Archie find the two remaining changelings in Arcadia or bring back the sole Akiridion when Merlin asked?

Place of Power - A lovely bit of shameless Zouxie fluff in that brief period the gang was at Hex Tech before the plot came to get them.

Bitter Water - Only two of the old team remain in Arcadia and those were Jim and Krel, the rest having left to pursue educational pursuits and in one particular case kept away for Nari’s safety. For the Akiridion he is still here with reminders of his heritage and what it took to have this life on earth chasing him all the way. It’s always good to have friends with a listening ear and hot chocolate.

Together, Dearest - The very act of resting is a potential invitation for nightmares and Nari is no different but when once more in the waking world you will find you’re not alone, there are hugs available.

The Night Belongs To Us - Lovingly described Skraelroc fluff during their long hunt for Merlin and the strangeness that can be observed on clearer nights.

Nineteen Plus Nine Hundred, Give Or Take - 900 years is a long time by anyone’s standards but perhaps during that Douxie can figure out how to truly live.

Twelfth Century Wizard, Twenty-First Century Witch - The follow up to the above, when you’ve lived a long and interesting life things can still pop up in odd ways... Even if you haven’t quite mastered the sacred art of texting yet.

ERAS TÚ (It was you). | Tales of Arcadia One-Shot - Would you want to live forever if it meant leaving everyone behind? Jilaire.

the only way for us to go - From his rescue from the streets of Camelot to the eventual guardian of this realm, Douxie has come a very, very long way. Through the frustrations of trying to learn magic, the belittling of others, the faith of Morgana and the power of music his experiences throughout 900 years truly make him what he is.

lay down your head - Even the mightiest can be plagued with the not so humble migraine. Skraelroc fluff.

Stricklake

Merry Christmas, Doctor Lake - Some Christmas gifts are worth going all out for and getting your friends and family to help out to make it extra special.

Grocery Run - After the incident where Merlin dismissed Strickler for being a changeling it is time for an excuse to get out the house for a bit and have a frank discussion about their relationship, the future beyond the incoming battle and lingering insecurities of two worlds colliding.

Alternate Universe

Fashionista, How Do You Look? - An AU that very much takes the term very literally here where everyone is human, Skrael, Bellroc and Nari are fashion designers plus many other ToA characters we know and love are either in the industry in some way themselves or on the fringes because of their jobs/who they know. Sometimes you work with catty bitches and want to kick back and watch the fireworks you know? Contains friends to almost to enemies to friends to maybe we’ll get our shit together this time but the odds aren’t great Skraelroc. There’s also a Zouxie oneshot in this collection that was a gift for meee because of the corner I dug in the AU.

Atlas, Fallen - When a star falls from the sky it is a punishment so when Atlas suddenly finds himself amongst the humans he had observed from above for countless ages in a flesh body like theirs he fears his Mother is punishing him and unable understand what he did wrong. While trying to find his way back home he gets a crash course in what it’s like to be human making friends along the way. Slow burn Jilaire.

she once was a true love of mine - I put this under the AU section even though it wavers between that and not, a mixture of classical Arthurian mythos and the glimpses of the Camelot in Tales of Arcadia where one kingdom collapses from war another strengthens by taking their princess as queen. While Arthur might have turned her head once it is the sibling that seems to be catching Gwen’s eye of late as much as her thoughts. Morgwen but in the department of pining.

Pulled From The Ocean - AU doesn’t quite fit this one but it feels a bit more fitting than general. A little oneshot snapshot of Jim living with deafness and the contrast of one world that falls easily into supporting that whereas the other tries their best but it makes the slip ups sting even more.

you are a stranger here, why have you come? - Fate is a funny old thing, something happens a little bit differently such as a father not leaving alone and everything can change so drastically. Nari’s fondness for children strikes again and this time it involves a 5-year old Jim Lake Jr. ending in the Order’s care and their foray into found family. Somehow Jim is even more of a disaster and as likely surmised from the fact I write this trope myself I am very weak for it.

go into your local forest and you will find a friend and a boy - Toby was unlucky in the friend department and by the time he is ten he still feels miserable and lonely having to endure Steve’s increasing bullying all the while. This is of course until he finds a blue half-troll hiding out the daylight hours munching cans in the local woods...

[kookie-doughs]

Y/N L/N AND THE HALFBLOODS

Percy Jackson X Reader -Y/N L/N met Percy Jackson and everything was now ruined.

CHAPTER 10: The Wheels On The Bus Goes Skrt Skrt Skrt

It didn't take me long to pack. I didn't have anything at all, which left me only an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for me and Percy. Both having nothing to carry we decided to share a bag. The camp store loaned us one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. These coins were as big as Girl Scout cookies and had images of various Greek gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, Chiron told us, but Olympians never used less than pure gold. Chiron said the coins might come in handy for non-mortal transactions—whatever that meant. He gave Annabeth, Percy and I each a canteen of nectar and a Ziploc bag full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt. It was god food, Chiron reminded us. It would cure us of almost any injury, but it was lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn us up, literally. Annabeth was bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she told us had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom. She carried a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she got bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve. I was sure the knife would get us busted the first time we went through a metal detector. Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human. He wore a green rasta-style cap, because when it rained his curly hair flattened and you could just see the tips of his horns. His bright orange backpack was full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket was a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knew two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto no. 12 and Hilary Duff's "So Yesterday," both of which sounded pretty bad on reed pipes. We waved good-bye to the other campees, took one last look at the strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hiked up Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Chiron was waiting for us in his wheelchair. Next to him stood a surfer looking dude. According to Grover, the guy was the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he was wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so I could only see extra peepers on his hands, face and neck. "This is Argus," Chiron told us. "He will drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things." I heard footsteps behind us. Luke came running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes. "Hey!" he panted. "Glad I caught you." Annabeth blushed, the way she always did when Luke was around. I looked at him with a frown. "Don't look at me like that. I had to find out from the others you're going on a quest." he glared. "So much for the option you won't die at." "I would've told you if you were at the cabin when I got back. Now what's with the shoes?" "Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told Percy. "And I thought... um, maybe you could use these." He handed him the sneakers, which looked pretty normal. They even smelled kind of normal. Luke said, "Maia!" White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels, startling me so much, Percy dropped them. The shoes flapped around on the ground until the wings folded up and disappeared. "Awesome!" Grover said. Luke smiled. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turned sad. I didn't know what to say. It was cool enough that Luke had come to say good-bye. But here he was giving Percy a magic gift.... It made me a bit jealous. "Hey, man," Percy said. "Thanks." "Listen, Percy..." Luke looked uncomfortable. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just... kill some monsters for me, okay?" They shook hands. Luke patted Grover's head between his horns, then gave a good-bye hug to Annabeth, who looked like she might pass out. The three went to Chiron about stuffs while Luke and I had a staring contest. "So Percy got a present and I only get an I don't know... a hug? Here I thought I was your favorite." "What made you think you are?" He laughed and ruffled my hair. "And no you don't get a hug." "Suddenly I'm not coming back." He smiled and from his back he pulled out a sheathed knife. "I meant to say you won't get only a hug. I noticed you're not a fan of swords. So, I made this my self. I am no Hephaestus child but hey..." He handed me the knife. The sheath was plain colored with a metal chap and locket, it had chains attached to the locket where I could probably put it on something to make sure I bring it with me. Pulling the knife out of the sheath, its knife was around 15 inches. On the blade, Ancient Greek was engraved on it. I think it's my name and the other side is his. "What is this?" I grinned. "I don't know. I ran out of good ideas! I swear I looked up some of Plato and Socrates for that." "And you settled for that?" I laughed. "I am going to take that back now." "Hey, that doesn't mean I don't like it. Thanks." "It's celestial bronze... Half of it at least." "Half?" "I'm sure Chiron won't appreciate it. It will harm both us and humans." "So... It'll hurt both side?" "Yup. And I'm not sure but according to a Hephaestus kid but it's supposed to glow when its near something." "Its not glowing now." "We never said no backsies. I'd like it back now." "I'll take good care of..." I stopped to think of a name and almost immediately remembered a perfect one, "Sting." "I would ask but I already know." Luke shook his head. "Be careful with Sting. It---" "He. Sting is a he, thank you very much." "HE, is lethal. He it can kill us, others close to our kind and normal humans." "Oops I accidentally stabbed myself." With a worried look he pulled me in a hug, "And whatever happens. Put your safety above all. No need to be the hero. If you die in this quest I will get the lord of the dead revive you or kill me." "Ew how sentimental." "Be careful... okay? All of you. Promise me that." "Fine, I promise. On the knife, I'll come back not dead, with everyone." After Luke was gone, I placed the knife on my waist. I went back to Percy. "Okay, that's extremely cool," I heard him say. "What's cool?" I grinned standing behind Percy overlooking his shoulder. "My new pen." He showed me his pen and uncapped it only to show a sword. "I can't loose it no matter what! Its called Riptide." "But what if a mortal sees you pulling out a sword?" Chiron smiled. "Mist is a powerful thing, Y/N." "Mist?" "I just keep hearing that over and over can someone finally explain?" "Yes. Read The Iliad. It's full of references to the stuff. Whenever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-blood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go to fit things into their version of reality." Percy put Riptide back in his pocket. For the first time, the quest felt real. We was actually leaving Half-Blood Hill. We was heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone. (Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be worse than sending up a flare.) I had no weapon stronger than a knife to fight off monsters and reach the Land of the Dead. "Chiron..." I said. "When you say the gods are immortal... I mean, there was a time before them, right?" "Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age." "So what was it like... before the gods?" Chiron pursed his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born." "But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So... even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?" Chiron gave us a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, Percy. The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny." "Our destiny... assuming we know what that is." "Relax," Chiron told me. "Keep a clear head. And remember, you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history." "Relax," Percy said. "I'm very relaxed." When we got to the bottom of the hill, I looked back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Chiron was now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur. I took Percy's hand and we gave each other a reassuring nod. I wish us luck. Talking whilst at camp drained me. I apologize if I won't be much help. You have stamina? So you aren't a bigshot all powerful god? Without you and I as one. I am nothing. I have given you my everything.

Argus drove us out of the countryside and into western Long Island. It felt weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Percy was sitting next to me as if we were normal carpoolers. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seemed like a fantasy. I found myself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parents' car, every billboard and shopping mall. "So far so good," Percy said. "Ten miles and not a single monster." She gave him an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, seaweed brain." "Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?" "I don't hate you." "Could've fooled me." She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look... we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals." "Why?" She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon 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 that her gift was better, so they named the city after her." "They must really like olives." I interjected. "Not you too! You know what? Forget it." "Now, if she'd invented pizza—that I could understand." "I said, forget it!" In the front seat, Argus smiled. He didn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winked at me. Traffic slowed us down in Queens. By the time we got into Manhattan it was sunset and starting to rain. Argus dropped us at the Greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, Percy and I didn't let go. Taped to a mailbox was a soggy flyer with Percy's picture on it: HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY? He ripped it down before Annabeth and Grover could notice. "They could've at least gotten a better picture." I smirked which caused him to roll his eyes. Argus unloaded our bags, made sure we got our bus tickets, then drove away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulled out of the parking lot. Grover shouldered his backpack. He gazed down the street in the direction Percy was looking. "You want to know why she married him, Percy?" I stared at Percy then at Grover. "Were you reading my mind or something?" "Just your emotions." He shrugged. "Guess I forgot to tell you satyrs can do that. You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?" Percy nodded. I missed my parents of course, but I had Luke and Grover to talk to which made me less lonely. Percy became an outcast when we got to camp and had no one to talk to. I squeezed his hand and gave him a smile. "Your mom married Gabe for you," Grover told him. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. The guy has this aura.... Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him on you, and you haven't been near him for a week." "Thanks," Percy said. "Where's the nearest shower?" "You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy—if that makes you feel any better." I knew what Percy was thinking. He was thinking of the fact we'll get his mom and my parents. How we'll save them all. We got restless waiting for the bus and decided to play some Hacky Sack with one of Grover's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. I wasn't too bad myself. The game ended when I tossed the apple toward Grover and it got too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappeared—core, stem, and all. Grover blushed. He tried to apologize, but we were too busy cracking up. Percy pulled me to a corner, after excusing ourselves for a bathroom break. "You finally going to tell me about this quest?" "The truth is," He started. "I don't care about retrieving Zeus's lightning bolt, or saving the world, or even helping my father out of trouble." I gave him a look that reassured him to continue. "The more I thought about it, I resented my father for never visiting me, never helping my mom, never even sending a lousy child-support check. He'd only claimed me because he needed a job done. All I cared about was you and my mom. The underworld god had taken her unfairly, and he is going to give her back." "Percy, we don't even know what's going on. Yeah, he might have her. But what is there's another reason? We don't exactly know anything. I don't even think my parents are with him." "Well, no matter where they are. We will get them back. The least I could do is get them back." He rested his head on my shoulder. "Don't "You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend," "What?" I froze. "Percy... I would never---" "You will fail to save what matters most in the end." "What are you talking about?" The rain kept coming down. "The rest of the prophecy. Y/N, I don't want you to betray me. Please... don't." I could hear his voice breaking. "Of course I won't. We'll get this quest done. We won't loose anyone and we'll get our parents. Don't worry." I hugged him. "I will stay with you. I won't leave and I won't betray you." "Hey Bonnie and Clyde, we need to go." Finally the bus came. As we stood in line to board, Grover started looking around, sniffing the air. "What is it?" I asked. "I don't know," he said tensely. "Maybe it's nothing." But I could tell it wasn't nothing. I took Percy's hand and started looking over my shoulder, too. I was relieved when we finally got on board and found seats together in the back of the bus. We stowed our backpacks. Annabeth kept slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh. As the last passengers got on, I immediately clamped my hand onto Percy's knee. "Percy." It was Mrs. Dodds. Older, more withered, but definitely the same evil face. I scrunched down in my seat. Behind her came two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise they looked exactly like Mrs. Dodds—same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dresses. Triplet demon grandmothers. And I was now sure, Mrs. Rudolph was one of them. 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. The bus pulled out of the station, and we headed through the slick streets of Manhattan. "She didn't stay dead long," Percy said, "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime." "I said if you're lucky," Annabeth said. "You're obviously not." "All three of them," Grover whimpered. "Di immortales!" "Who knows maybe they just want to play?" I said nervously. Annabeth gave me a look of irritation, "Not now," she said, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The three worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows." "They don't open," Grover moaned. "A back exit?" she suggested. There wasn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we were on Ninth Avenue, heading for the Lincoln Tunnel. "Maybe a nice chat would help?" "They won't attack us with witnesses around," Percy said. "Will they?" "Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminded him. "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. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof... ?" We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus went dark except for the running lights down the aisle. It was eerily quiet without the sound of the rain. Mrs. Dodds got up. In a flat voice, as if she'd rehearsed it, she announced to the whole bus: "I need to use the rest-room." "So do I," said the second sister. "So do I," said the third sister. They all started coming down the aisle. "I've got it," Annabeth 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." "I can't just leave Y-- you guys!" "Don't worry about us," I assured him. "Go!" His hands were trembling. But I took the Yankees cap and put it on. And he simply vanished. Mrs. Dodds stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at a spot. My heart was pounding. Apparently she didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept going. "Maybe if they approach us, I could try talking? I really was Mrs. Rudolph's favorite..." I stammered. "Yeah stage is yours." Annabeth answered. The old ladies were not old ladies anymore. Their faces were still the same—I guess those couldn't get any uglier— but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws. Their handbags had turned into fiery whips. The Furies surrounded us, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?" The other people on the bus were screaming, cowering in their seats. They saw something, all right. "He's not here!" Annabeth yelled. "He's gone!" The Furies raised their whips. "Don't!" I stepped in front of them shaking. "H-Hi Mrs. Rudolph. W-What could you need?" Annabeth drew her bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can from his snack bag and prepared to throw it. To our surprise the bus jerked to the right. Everybody howled as we were thrown to the right, and I heard what I hoped was the sound of three Furies smashing against the windows. "Hey!" the driver yelled. "Hey—whoa!" The bus slammed against the side of the tunnel, grinding metal, throwing sparks a mile behind us. We careened out of the Lincoln Tunnel and back into the rainstorm, people and monsters tossed around the bus, cars plowed aside like bowling pins. Somehow the driver found an exit. We shot off the highway, through half a dozen traffic lights, and ended up barreling down one of those New Jersey rural roads where you can't believe there's so much nothing right across the river from New York. There were woods to our left, the Hudson River to our right, and the driver seemed to be veering toward the river. The bus wailed, spun a full circle on the wet asphalt, and crashed into the trees. The emergency lights came on. The door flew open. The bus driver was the first one out, the passengers yelling as they stampeded after him. The Furies regained their balance. They lashed their whips at Annabeth while she waved her knife and yelled in Ancient Greek, telling them to back off. Grover threw tin cans. It was as if I didn't exist which was kinda offensive. "Hey! I'm also here!" I yelled pulling out my now glowing knife and helped Grover. "Hey!" A voice from the door way echoed. "Percy you idiot! Run!" I yelled. The Furies turned, baring their yellow fangs at him. Mrs. Dodds stalked up the aisle. Every time she flicked her whip, red flames danced along the barbed leather. Her two ugly sisters hopped on top of the seats on either side of her and crawled toward him like huge nasty lizards. I don't know how but I managed to parkour my way to avoid them and get to Percy in no trouble. I raised my knife and stood in between of them. "Perseus Jackson," Mrs. Dodds said, in an accent that was definitely from somewhere farther south than Georgia. "You have offended the gods. You shall die. I suggest you step away from him Y/N L/N." "I liked you better as a math teacher," he told her. She growled. Annabeth and Grover moved up behind the Furies cautiously, looking for an opening. Percy took the ballpoint pen out of his pocket and uncapped it. Riptide elongated into a shimmering double-edged sword. The Furies hesitated. Mrs. Dodds had felt Riptide's blade before. She obviously didn't like seeing it again. "Submit now," she hissed. "And you will not suffer eternal torment." "Nice try," I told her. "Percy, look out!" Annabeth cried. Mrs. Dodds lashed her whip around my sword hand while the Furies on the either side lunged at him. I managed to keep one of them and parried with her using my knife., which turned out to be Mrs. Rudolph. "I hate to admit it but you were my favorite teacher. Why go mean now?!" I struck with the hilt of my knife against her, sending her toppling backward into a seat. I turned to see Percy had sliced the Fury on his right. As soon as the blade connected with her neck, she screamed and exploded into dust. Annabeth got Mrs. Dodds in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the whip out of her hands. "Ow!" he yelled. "Ow! Hot! Hot!" Mrs. Rudolph came at me again, talons ready, but I dove in and got in range to swing Sting at her and she broke open like a piñata. Mrs. Dodds was trying to get Annabeth off her back. She kicked, clawed, hissed and bit, but Annabeth held on while Grover got Mrs. Dodds's legs tied up in her own whip. Finally they both shoved her backward into the aisle. Mrs. Dodds tried to get up, but she didn't have room to flap her bat wings, so she kept falling down. "Zeus will destroy you!" she promised. "Hades will have your soul!" "Braccas meas vescimini!" Percy yelled. I wasn't sure where the Latin came from. I think it meant "Eat my pants!" Thunder shook the bus. The hair rose on the back of my neck. "Get out!" Annabeth yelled at us. "Now!" I didn't need any encouragement. Taking Percy's hand, we rushed outside and found 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 my photograph before I could recap my sword. "Our bags!" Grover realized. "We left our—" BOOOOOM! The windows of the bus exploded as the passengers ran for cover. Lightning shredded a huge crater in the roof, but an angry wail from inside told me Mrs. Dodds was not yet dead. "Run!" Annabeth said. "She's calling for reinforcements! We have to get out of here!" We plunged into the woods as the rain poured down, the bus in flames behind us, and nothing but darkness ahead.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

UwU Haha this is what the knife looks like since I'm not sure if I describe it that well... Omg I just realized my brother changed the chapter title lmao -kookie-doughs

Just imagine it has your name on the blade.

Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @the-natureofme @booknerd-3000

[xs-a-t-u-r-nx]

ADVICE FOR SATURN IN THE HOUSES

love can only be birthed from love

Saturn in the First House:  Identity has never been something that has been easy. Thousands of years of existence, and humanity has yet to find an acceptable definition of the self. You may feel that you are often times a person without true definition. That who you are is not really who you are, and that the perception that you give off to the world is restricted in more ways than quantifiable. Your identity has been subject to restraining and suppression. Trying on a passing personality for size will never result in satisfaction. The only personality that you have is the one that has always existed within. Do not distort it to fit the parameters of what you have come to define as “acceptable”. You must allow yourself to grow into yourself. The only thing that this will take is time.

Saturn in the Second House:  Material worth is something that is glorified to extremes that are unable to be taken back. What opulence society finds in things that glitter and dance in the light. It’s undeniable that worth is something that is everything. The difference between stained and worn cloth and the perceived glamour of authentic silk is stagnant and unmoving. Worth is both nothing and everything at once, yet it binds us to the sorrows of our own misery. But, what does worth mean when it comes to yourself? Do you treat yourself as a person or do you treat yourself as all of your failures? When you look in the mirror, is there any glow behind your eyes? Or is there nothing at all? Self worth is just that. Worth that is of the self. You cannot let their words manipulate something that is inherently yours.

Saturn in the Third House: Why is it that you fear your own words? Fear each roll of the tongue, each enunciation of a syllable, each exhale after long-winded sentences. Your words are not meant to please other people. They cannot be contained by restrictions and taboo-ness entirely designed by the mind. Let the words fall loosely and without strain from your lips. Let the ink cover every inch of the paper. Your voice has been something that has been forced into a form that you cannot hold forever. It’s time to let go.

Saturn in the Fourth House: The past cannot confine you. Your upbringing, small and bright-eyed as we all once were, cannot harm you anymore. Restrictions placed upon you early on have and will weaken with time. There is often a crushing sense of responsibility from places that you no longer have to answer to. The whittling away of your ability to succumb to your own softness. Know that each and every being needs a time of rest and of submission. Know that childhood restrictions will succumb to the rigidity of time. Your childhood should not be a weight that you must bear. Release it.

Saturn in the Fifth House:  There is an almost universal love for the things that create joy in abundance. Perhaps it’s the subdued whistle of laughter. Maybe, the melting hues of a divine sunset. For others, it’s what is within. You are not undeserving of this kind of lightheartedness. You are not undeserving of the things that are able to warm and soothe your heart. It is not selfish to take the time to indulge in your own enjoyments. It is not selfish to take time for yourself without the inkling of doubt that is tomorrow. Joy is an overgrown garden that we all are obligated to pick from. Let the rigidity of yesterday melt like honey on a tongue. Immerse yourself in the things that you love.

Saturn in the Sixth House: Service to others is something that is absolutely as necessary as it is kind. If it wasn’t for the help of others, where would you be in your own life? Yet, sometimes you may underestimate what the amount that you do contributes to the world around you. Fruition from your labor may seem unsteady and without hope. Aspects of your service to others; mottled and convoluted. You plant a garden out of the softness of your heart and come harvest there is nothing to be found. Recognition for what you do for others, slow and delayed to extremes that are intolerable. Do not allow the negligence of others to impact the ways that you deem yourself “useful”. You are not worthy of being unworthy. You have to believe, at the root, that you are enough and that what you are doing cannot be belittled. Continue to work towards what it is you want to work towards. Sometimes, the only “thank you” you’ll get is from yourself.

Saturn in the Seventh House:  Love comes in unpredictable waves of beginnings and endings. The tide washes away the imprint of past lovers left in the sand. Your association with love may be one that is tiresome and lonely; indebted to the coagulation of its own implications. Thwarted in its stagnancy; love for you may be a swollen river; a love defined by miles and miles of stale water. Do not lose the faith in love that has been imbued in you. When Saturn takes root, anything that it grows from will blossom. It will only take time. Trust that your heart is weathered enough for the long path. If it is meant to be, it will be. If not, the next tide will roll in.

Saturn in the Eighth House:  It is understandable to want to bury our darknesses beneath light conversation and plain speech. It is understandable that there are things that one keeps secret and has only ever revealed the content to themselves. Mistrust is a language that we are all fluent in. It crowds its way into our minds without welcome, yet we never ask it to leave. I know that secrecy and the possession of things that you want to be your things and your things only hold weight. I know that there is enough deceit in this world to create another ocean. But, despite all of the world’s shrouded truths, there is trust that is able to be found in another. Love buried in another can and will crowd this roughened sense of skepticism out the door. I promise.

Saturn in the Ninth House:  Belief is something that has been and always will be fluid. The way that “I believe” can be just as unspoken as it can be spoken, loud and unforgiving. Your path in life, the way you believe the world to be, does not have to conform to what is around you. Attachment to a concept out of the desire for security is not believing. What you choose to follow in life is a broadened path with an infinite number of side paths, each stretching on into what could be the rest of your life, be it joy or misery. Do not allow what you have been told to guide you towards believing that isn’t really believing. Allow yourself to take the time needed to truly define what this world means to you.

Saturn in the Tenth House: The ego is something that is able to drive us to destinations unknown. The innate desire that is wanting to hold ourselves to standards not set by ourselves, in a blind attempt to please the people that do not care about us. Yes, who you want become is as important as it is influential, but consider the source. Are your predetermined goals, your predetermined goals, or are they the amalgamation of what everyone around you has ever wanted you to be? If you follow a path coerced by the opinions of other people, is the future of your life still really your own? Do not lay claim to the words of other people. You cannot shape yourself into what is not yourself for the sake of another’s opinion. Allow who you want to become to come to you in whatever way it needs to. There is no value in growing into a ‘you’ made by other people.

Saturn in the Eleventh House:  Friendship is something that is delicate. The way that bonds strengthened by years of memories can be severed by a sole action. The careful selection of friends is a sort of coping mechanism. Lessen the friends, and lessen the amount of ways that you can become hurt. Condense the social circle into such a small point that there is no danger in betrayal. But what is it that can be defined as friendship? If a person harms you in ways that are not able to be forgiven, were they ever truly your friend? Allowing friendship to be thwarted by those that were thinly disguised negativity is not something that is sustainable. You cannot live in fear that a friend will betray you because a friend would not betray you. Take note of the difference between a friend and someone that you see often.

Saturn in the Twelfth House:  Your mind is beautiful and expansive; your subconscious a whirlwind of things procured entirely from your own mind. Do not fear what lies in your depths. There is no absurdity in absurdity. The dreams, the daydreams, the gentle thoughts of poetry, the things that are kept buried beneath layers and layers of the self, are not meant to be suppressed. Think of your other, deeper, self, as an overgrown garden. Yes, it may sometimes become unkempt and overspill with the fruits of your own emotions. But that does not mean that it lacks its own wonder. You have spent an undefinable period of time hiding yourself from yourself. What is actually you has been lost to years of burials. Let the garden grow in its entirety. Allow yourself to truly experience its radiant kind of beauty.

[thedaughterofkings]

Tag Game: Dig a Little Deeper

Thank you for the tag, @theproblemwithstardust! These are always fun to think through!

1. do you prefer writing with a black pen or a blue pen? Blue

2. would you prefer to live in the country or in the city? Depends on the city - I was very happy in Edinburgh, but wouldn’t be able to live in New York, I think, at least not for long. In general, the happy middle is ideal - big enough to get most of the advantages of a city (big shops with long opening hours, good travel connections, some cultural options), but small enough and close enough to the country side to have a garden and a short way into a forest

3. if you could learn a new skill, what would it be? I think I’d like to be better at handy man type things, and just feel more confident to try them out? Other than that there are so many instruments I’d love to learn!

4. do you drink your tea/coffee with sugar? I very, very rarely drink coffee, and if I do I’ll often add some sugar. But I drink tea every day and take no sugar there.

5. what was your favorite book as a child? An old book of my grandma’s, from when she was a child, which I used to read every single time we visited! It was about four sisters and their coming of age and I just loved it! I really need to reread it. Other than that our fairy tale books (good old German bloody versions, no disney sugar in this household!), and Max Kruse’s Urmel series!

6. do you prefer baths or showers? Showers for sure! I pretty much only take a bath in winter and then I’ll usually take a quick shower afterwards to wash my hair, because washing my hair in the bath is a pain that will lead to flooding.

7. if you could be a mythical creature, which one would you be? A DRAGON!!!!! If that’s for some reason not an option, then a selkie!

8. paper or electronic books? Paper books and electronic fics - though I’ve seen some book binding tutorials making the rounds and I’m very tempted now to print out my favourites and bind them prettily!

9. what is your favorite item of clothing? Gosh, I don’t even know? Probably a dress, but I wouldn’t be able to choose between them...

10. do you like your name? would you like to change it? I like it and wouldn’t want to change it! It’s relatively rare here (though not world wide, so not some strange invention from my parents), but not to the point of being incomprehensible (usually - there have been some interesting spellings, especially from English speaking people) and I think it fits me!

11. who is a mentor to you? My mum? But she’s my mum, so does she really count as a mentor? Singing wise perhaps my conductor, but she’s also a pain, so there’s that? I can’t really think of someone I’d truly call my mentor!

12. would you like to be famous? if so, what for? To do Dancing with the Stars! (Or Strictly, or Let’s dance, wherever they’ll take me!) No seriously, I’d love to do one of the dance shows, and that’s the only reason I’d like to be famous. I’d like to be reasonably rich of course, to be financially secure enough to be able to easily help family and friends and causes close to my heart (and buy and uphold a Scottish castle), but you don’t necessarily need to be famous for that. But just being famous for famous-sake? To be recognised wherever you go? No thanks. That sounds absolutely horrible.

13. are you a restless sleeper? That’s a pretty resounding yes unfortunately.

14. Do you consider yourself to be a romantic person? Oh god, I don’t even know. Do I enjoy romance? In fic yes, in books and films often not, in realy life excessive PDA creeps me out and honestly, my threshold for that is super low, so excessive probably means more like ‘any PDA’. As for whether I’m personally romantic? I’ve never been a romantic relationship and I’m not sure I even want to be!

15. which element best represents you? Earth perhaps? I’m not really sure what the elements even represent, though, so who knows! Probably not fire, though :p

16. who do you want to be closer to? I’m good actually, I think!

17. do you miss someone at the moment? Not in a particular ‘I miss you right now and won’t miss you in an hour’ way. I always miss my dad and grandpa, but that’s a different kind of missing, I think.

18. tell us about an early childhood memory. I remember the blinds and doors of the holiday home we stayed in when I was ... four? five? And the path to the beach!

19. what is the strangest thing you have eaten? I’m not the most adventurous eater admittedly, but as far as ‘I’ll never eat it again’, I took a bite out of a pickled egg once and it was properly disgusting!

20. what are you most thankful for? My family and my living circumstances (is that a word? term? It sounds weird)

21. do you like spicy food? Not reallyyyyyy - some spice is okay, and some spiciness is worse than others, but in general I’m a total wuss.

22. have you ever met someone famous? I said good morning to David Tennant, but I’m not sure I’d call that “having met him”.

23. do you keep a diary or journal? Nope! I’ve started one a couple of times, but never made it beyond three days or so!

24. do you prefer to use pen or pencil? Generally a pen, but a pencil is fine, too!

25. what is your star sign? Leo

26. do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy? Crunchy! (though I haven’t had actual cereal in ages)

27. what would you want your legacy to be? Positive, if I’m to have a legacy at all

28. do you like reading? What was the last book you read? Very much so! I last read Cornelia Funke’s Reckless series.

29. how do you show someone you love them? I try to tell them, and I try to make sure they know I’m here to listen or help or talk or whatever they need. I’m not sure I always succeed, though...

30. do you like ice in your drinks? No.

31. what are you afraid of? Not being good enough.

32. what is your favorite scent? My roses - individuals with a superb scent are The Lady of Shalott, Rose de Resht and Sweet Juliet, but there’s something really special about that first breath of rose air when Frühlingsduft (scent of spring), the first rose of the year blooms!

33. do you address older people by their name or surname? Surname! Unless they offer their first name and the ‘Du’, and even then I’ll probably try to avoid using either^^°

34. if money was not a factor, how would you live your life? I’d buy a Scottish castle and plant so many roses!

35. do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? Definitely pools, I’m always just a little afraid something is going to happen in natural water^^°

36. what would you do if you found $50 in the ground? I’d collect them (Unless I just saw who lost them) but try to put it towards something charitable (not 50, but one day I found two pounds on the ground, gave them to the homeless person with the kitty on Princes Street, found another pound, gave that to the one with the pupper and found another three, I think! That was a really nice day)

37. have you ever seen a shooting star? did you make a wish? Yes and yes!

38. what is one thing you would want to teach your children? To be kind? To themselves and others

39. if you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? A watercolour tattoo probably, perhaps of a dragon or fox, or a flower, and somewhere not always on display

40. what can you hear now? If I opened the window I’d probably hear at least some birds (some woke me up this morning with unholy yowling)

41. where do you feel the safest? At home.

42. what is one thing you want to overcome/conquer? My perfectionism that usually appears through some really strong procrastination. I also wish I was better at talking to people, especially people I don’t know or who are intimidating (which is everyone I don’t know and quite of those I know a little). I’ve mostly come to terms with my shyness, but that doesn’t make everything easy suddenly, unfortunately.

43. if you could travel back to any era, what would it be? There’s way too many! But for just one I’d love to see a Shakespeare play in the Globe when it was performed originally, ideally Twelfth Night or Hamlet! And I’d like to meet Queen Elizabeth I!

44. what is your most used emoji? 😘 probably or 😊

45. describe yourself using one word. overwhelmed (I am also hungry and tired right now, and that plays a big part in that - ask me again in an hour or so when I’ve eaten and the world will look a little more rose-y again^^°)

46. what do you regret the most? I can’t think of anything I truly regret - there are things I wish I’d done differently, but what’s done is done and I have to do the best with what I have now

47. last movie you saw? The Martian!

48. last tv show you watched? Die purpurnen Flüsse/Les rivières pourpres (the purple rivers), a French (German co production?) series based on the novel the Jean Reno film was based on!

49. invent a word and its meaning. This is hard because in German you can just compound away, so for every thing I think of, I’m like ‘but you could just put these three words together for the same effect!!!’ But this is English, so I’ll go with “pflundering” - the sound a bird makes when it takes a very enthusiastic bath!

This took quite a bit, and my brain is no longer able to come up with people to tag, so I’m tagging you, person who actually read through this! Do it (be honest, you already thought up most of your answers while reading it^^) and tag me, I’m curious!

[melodiouswhite]

Kópakonan

(A/N: This one has an androgynous character in it, who uses male pronouns, but refers to himself as ‘hermaphrodite’. I would have used the term ‘intersexual’, but I wasn’t sure, whether it’s accurate. If there are inaccuracies, don’t hesitate to enlighten me in the comments, please. There also will be mention of rape, forced marriage, forced pregnancy, bullying and abuse, just a warning.)

Henry Jekyll tilted his head, as he read the passage:

“The Faeroese know the legend of the Kópakonan, the Seal Woman. The lore has it, that seals are the reborn spirits of humans, who drowned themselves in the sea. Once a year, on the twelfth night of the year, they are allowed to shed their seal skin and go onto land as humans to amuse themselves with song and dance. In the morning, they slip back into their seal skins and return to the sea.”

The article went on with an exemplary tale from one specific island:

A farmer heard of the lore and went to watch the seals that night, to see if it was true. He saw that it was and stole the skin of a beautiful seal lady. As he refused to give it back, despite her pleading, she had no choice than to follow him and become his wife. So she lived in that forced marriage with him and had several children with him. And because he was a douche, he kept the seal skin locked away and always carried the key around, so she couldn't get it back. But one day, he forgot the key at home and when he realised it and came back, the seal lady was already gone and back with her seal husband, because obviously she'd had a life, before some twat had abducted and force married her. But a few years later, the farmer and some of his friends decided to go seal hunting in a specific cave. Before the hunt, he had a dream, where his former wife appeared and warned him not to kill her seal husband and family. And of course, because he was an arsehole, he proceeded to kill them all and kept the bull seal's head and the flippers of the baby seals. The Kópakonan, rightfully enraged, cursed him and everybody else on the island to die a horrible death, until there were enough dead people to lock hands and form a chain around the island.

“… And to this day it is said, when someone dies by drowning or falling off a cliff, that the people of Kalsoy know that the Kópakonan's revenge is not yet complete.”

Henry clapped the book shut and shook his head.

He felt bad for the seal woman and her family.

Being a woman who had drowned herself had to be hard enough on its own. But then, just when she had found happiness with another seal, she had to be tormented by such terrible events! To be coerced into a relationship by some arsehole, who then proceeded to kill your loved ones! Baby seals no less! Innocent, cute little baby seals, who got brutally maimed out of spite, because her mother had dared to choose her actual family over the arsehole, who had forced her to marry him!

Sure, it was just a folk tale, but this was just too much!

He needed a walk. A good, old walk at the sea side, to catch some of that good, old sea breeze.

As he walked along the strand, he reflected on how different life here was from the city. He didn't regret moving to the small village in the highest north of Scotland. Sure, it wasn't as exciting as faraway London, but it was peaceful and quiet and the people were nice in their way. Besides, he was the only doctor around here. People relied on him and it felt good. Everyone knew each other here and he knew all of his patients. They got along. It felt … not lonely.

Of course there were some bitter memories. Memories that he never spoke of.

He sighed, sat on a rock and looked out to the sea. It was a windy day and the sea was wild here in the north.

It looked powerful. Wide. Free. Inviting.

It was eerie how inviting the ocean was. Perhaps it was nice … cold and untamed, endless room and freedom. It was so easy to relate to the people, who had chosen its watery embrace rather than a dry death at land …

But before he could spiral further into dark thoughts, he heard a moan. He looked around, but couldn't see anyone. Huh. With a shrug he turned his attention back to the sea.

Probably just the wind. It howled quite a bit here.

Maybe I should go back, he thought and stood up.

But then there was another moan, louder this time.

Alright, that was definitely not the wind.

“Hello? Is anyone out here?”, he shouted.

The response was a pained cry. It sounded like a boy's voice.

Henry followed it to a hidden, rocky bay. After a few minutes of search, he finally found the owner of the voice.

To his surprise, it was a brunette girl and she was completely naked, to his embarrassment.

She was clutching her ankle and groaning in pain.

So he gave himself a mental slap. Pull yourself together, Henry! You're a doctor and she needs help!

“Are you alright?”, he called out to her.

She jumped at the sound of his voice and quickly covered her chest, when she saw him.

“Don't worry, I mean you no harm!”, he assured her, while approaching cautiously.

But she didn't seem to buy it, just curled in on herself and scowled.

“Who are you?”, she snarled suspiciously. “How did you find this bay? Humans aren't supposed to find it!”

What the hell does she mean by that? Oh, never mind. I can ask her later.

“Don't be afraid, I'm a doctor”, he told her, “I heard you and wanted to help.”

“A doctor?” Her acid green eyes narrowed. “And you really just want to help?”

He frowned. “If you think what I suspect you're thinking, I promise your suspicions are unfounded. Just let me help you. Your ankle needs medical attention and you need to get somewhere warm.”

“I feel neither heat nor cold”, she replied indifferently. “But … do you really mean it?”

“I promise”, Henry responded earnestly, “I just want to help and do my duty as a doctor.”

It seemed to work, as she relaxed considerably and allowed him to come closer. When he had reached her, he cave her his coat to cover herself and provide some warmth.

Now he could finally focus on her ankle, which was obviously broken.

“Did you slip on the rocks?”, he asked, and added: “Where are your clothes? What were you doing out here at this time of the year anyway? It's January, the sea is just as freezing as the land!”

“It's not your concern!”, she snapped, “You wouldn't believe it anyway. And my clothing is over there.” She pointed to a nearby rock.

He went over to fetch it. But when he held it up, he gaped. “A seal skin?!”

“Yes!”, she snapped, “My skin! Give it back!”

His frown deepened. “I will. Once I have treated your ankle. It's broken and as long as that's the case, I'm afraid you have to stay with me.”

She began to howl with rage and tried to stand up. But since she couldn't stand, she fell back down and her angry howling became pained.

His heart hurt, when she attempted to hide away in his coat and began to sob.

“Now, now”, he spoke softly and patted her back. “I won't keep you longer than necessary, I promise.”

He picked her up bridal style and carried her off.

Once there, he went to get her some clothes. Sadly, since she was so tiny, he had nothing that fit her. So all he could do was hope that she wouldn't be too bothered by wearing oversized clothing.

“Alright, Miss. I'm afraid I have-”

“I'm not a Miss”, she cut him off. Then she spread her legs to reveal …

“Oh”, Henry breathed.

“What's the matter? Never seen a hermaphrodite before?”

“No. As a matter of fact I have not.”

“Whatever. But just for the record, my name is Edward Hyde, so it's 'Sir' and 'Mister' to you!”

The doctor frowned. “I don't see how you have earned the honorific 'Sir', Mr. Hyde”, he retorted coolly and handed him the clothes. “Now do get dressed. Just because I'm a doctor doesn't mean I'm comfortable talking to naked people.”

Hyde huffed and put on the shirt and pullover. He hissed in pain, when the other put a plaster cast on his ankle and growled angrily, when being told that it would take at least a month to heal.

The rudeness frustrated Henry – he was just trying to help! – but when he saw the genuine distress in the other's eyes, he swallowed another cold remark.

“I have a vacant room, where you can sleep”, he offered gently.

“Whatever”, the brunette muttered. “Where is my skin?”

“It's right here”, Henry told him and picked it up. “I will hang it up in the hallway, where you can see it. However”, he added, when the brunette's face brightened up, “I will hang it onto the highest hook. Just to make sure you don't sneak away, before I can be sure that your ankle has healed properly.”

Both of them knew that there it would be out of Hyde's reach.

Which promptly made the young one burst into tears.

When Henry went to bed, he thought about the events of the day and about the small brunette, who was now sleeping in his guest room.

This was all very messed up.

And it was a real shame that the … boy was so resentful.

Henry had never met an androgynous person before and he was genuinely curious.

Unfortunately, he was also attracted.

He had seen the brunette naked and liked the sight more than he was comfortable with.

Hyde had feminine hips, a small waist and a feminine face, yet his body was strong. Then there were those perfect breasts that Henry struggled hard not to think about. His voice was husky and as androgynous as the rest of him. His hair was long, wavy and café noir brown, contrasting milk white skin.

Henry had never known that this was his type, until he had seen it. And it had been so hard to be professional and not stare at that perfect body like a total creep. No one liked to be leered at, especially not by someone whose help they needed! That was disgusting!

And it wasn't even the only thing. There was something unnatural about the brunette (and he did not mean his body, there was nothing unnatural about that!). He had so many questions!

But he also was resolved to stick to his promise and not keep him around for longer than necessary. Even though he really wanted to …

Henry groaned and buried his face in his pillow.

Those will be long, long weeks!

A part of him hoped, that his patient would continue acting like a brat, so it would be easier to part with him eventually.

Over the next weeks, Hyde's ankle healed just like it was supposed to.

But overall he wasn't faring well. Every day Henry caught him look out to the sea longingly, pining away and crying bitterly.

Henry felt horrible for him. But at the same time he didn't want him to leave just yet. He had so many questions to the small brunette.

Hyde didn't answer all of them, but some.

After some prying, he told him that he was a Selkie. Henry hadn't believed it at first, but Hyde had provided irrefutable points and he had to admit defeat.

After answering some questions about how it was being a seal, the brunette finally agreed to talk about himself. The brunette had become a seal after drowning himself, more than 400 years ago. At his birth he had been thought to be a normal girl and been named Máiri. But once it had become apparent that he wasn't a girl, they had … well, treated him the way unusual children had been treated in the late 16th century. At some point the abuse had become too much and he had flung himself off a cliff into the sea at the age of eighteen.

“I just couldn't take the beatings, insults and murder attempts anymore. I saw no point in living on and I thought that on the bottom of the sea no one would be able to hurt me.”

“That's terrible!”, Henry had asked in horror.

Hyde had smiled bitterly. “Not to them. To them I was terrible. Devil's child, changeling, spawn of Hell, Antichrist … I've heard it all.”

When Henry had informed him that he didn't regard him as anything of that sort, Hyde had rewarded him with the most beautiful smile.

And it had been so hard not to kiss those gorgeous lips.

He was happy in the sea, he said. And he was so adept in modern English, because he hung out with younger Selkies a lot. He still remember the old tongue, though. As proof, he proceeded to speak a few sentences in said tongue, but went back to modern English, when he saw Henry's confused expression. He was from here, but had come around a lot over the centuries. At some point he had decided, that he wanted to be Edward Hyde, rather than Máiri NicDhómhnaill.

When the blond asked him, if he knew that Faeroese folk tale he had read about, he nodded.

“To us Selkies it's a cautionary tale not to trust humans. I actually met her once. We bonded over the shit humans put us through. I'm surprised that you know the tale, though.”

Henry blushed. “I read about it in a folk tale book. Stop laughing!”, he snapped, when Hyde started to cackle.

The blond puffed his cheeks and pouted, making the brunette laugh even more.

“Do you …” Henry was afraid to ask this, because he was afraid of the answer. But he had to know. “… have a family?”

At hearing this question, Hyde immediately burst into tears.

“… I guess that's a yes.”

The brunette nodded and cried harder.

Henry handed him a paper tissue, comforted him and tried to ignore how his own heart was currently shattering into pieces.

Later that night, he was the one who cried.

Of course. How could he have been so self-centred as to hope, that this 400-year-old Selkie didn't have a life of his own?!

Fuck, I'm even more of an egotistical arsehole than I thought!

In the morning, when both were calm enough, Hyde told him a little about his family.

“I have a husband – the most wonderful man you could meet. We met about thirty years ago and bonded over being ostracised. Then we fell in love and married and that was okay, because the sea doesn't care about sexes.”

Hyde sighed dreamily. “He's the most handsome man in the world, he's intelligent, sensible, profound, a real sweetheart and we just have so much in common!”

Henry didn't want to hear it. But he didn't want to be a total dick, so he swallowed his bitterness and pretended to like what he heard.

“That's wonderful. I'm glad you finally found happiness. It's just sad that you had to wait for it so long.”

Well, at least that wasn't a lie.

The brunette's smile became bitter.

“Actually, I've had a family before. But that was 200 years ago. Then some bastard stole my skin and forced me to marry him and the rest was just like in the Faeroese folk tale. Minus the curse, of course. I just drove him into madness. My skin was stolen many times more during the last 400 years, but most of them let me go, when they saw that I'm a hermaphrodite. But some didn't care and proceeded to abduct, use and knock me up, like that's all I'm good for.”

Henry's heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

That explains his apprehension towards me. Damn, why is the world so cruel!

The Selkie continued: “I thought I would never be happy again, until I met him. He is all that matters to me and I want to spend the rest of my existence with him. I … I just love him so much!”

Henry's heart shattered into even smaller pieces.

“What I forgot to ask earlier”, he spoke up at dinner, “May I know the name of the lucky man whom you married?”

Hyde tilted his head and looked at him suspiciously. But then he seemed to decide, that it was safe.

“His name is Hastie Lanyon.”

Henry's eyes widened.

Suddenly images flashed before his eyes.

Images of an auburn-haired young man with mismatched eyes, one pale blue, the other amber. A boy with a radiant, sweet smile, who had once been his friend. Then he had drowned himself, just like Edward. He had jumped from the very same cliffs.

And now these two were …

“Speaking of names”, Hyde stated, pulling him out of his stupor, “You never told me yours, Doctor.”

He gulped. “My name is Henry Jekyll … Hastie … he was my best friend.”

Now it was Hyde's turn to stare. “Henry Jekyll”, he breathed, “No way!”

They spent the rest of the night sitting on Hyde's bed, talking about Lanyon.

Hyde said that he was fine and happier, where he was now. It wasn't hard to believe for Henry.

Turned out that the auburn-haired man had told Hyde quite a lot about him.

And the brunette seemed to be very interested in his side of the story.

The blond had so many fond memories of his dearest friend.

But there also were bad ones.

Like the fight they'd had shortly before Lanyon had committed suicide.

“I called him so many terrible things”, Henry confessed quietly. “And he killed himself just a few days later. I never got to apologise properly. And I never got to tell him …”

The lump in his throat prevented him from speaking any further.

Hyde was looking at him strangely, his bright green eyes knowing.

“You loved him.”

Henry nodded and turned away.

Hyde took his hand. “You blame yourself, don't you? Listen, Henry. He didn't kill himself, because of the things you said.”

Henry looked up. “He did not?”

The brunette shook his head. “No. He killed himself for other reasons. I'm in no position to tell you, why. Just know this: apart from that fight, he told me nothing but good about you. And …” A blush painted that milky face. “I'm pleasantly surprised to find that you fit his description.”

Henry blinked. “Really?

Hyde nodded. “For example, he said that you would never force someone to do something they don't want. Not to sound like a narcissist, but I know that you want me, Henry. I have seen it in your eyes. Don't think I haven't noticed, how you force yourself not to constantly stare at me. But somehow you manage not to. And you never touched me or even so much as flirted at me. I …” He blushed harder. “You're the first human to take my skin and treat me with basic decency. You could have done unspeakable things to me, like all the others before, but you chose to respect my boundaries instead. You always act professionally towards me. I'm really thankful for that.”

It wasn't long until the day came, that Henry evaluated the latest x-ray scans and found, that Hyde's ankle had healed perfectly. And the tiny brunette could walk just fine.

Knowing that he had to live up to his promise, he went into the hallway and took the seal coat off the hook.

It was so hard.

But he had kept him away from home more than long enough.

And he refused to be like the arsehole from the legend.

He found him sitting at the window, gazing out to the sea, as always.

“Edward?”

The brunette gasped, when the seal skin was placed into his hands.

Henry smiled gently. “I did promise to let you go, as soon as I could be sure that your ankle has healed properly, didn't I?”

Henry felt a little better, when he was allowed to accompany the Selkie back to the bay.

He looked away, when Hyde stripped out of the borrowed clothes. But then Hyde's throaty voice told him: “Turn around. I know you want to watch, when I leave.”

Henry braced himself and turned around.

He couldn't help but blush at how beautiful the Selkie was.

Hyde allowed him to look at his human form a last time, before taking his seal skin and slipping inside. In an instant, he began to morph and became a white seal with dark brown dots on his coat.

Henry gasped and stared in awe.

The seal looked at him with his black seal eyes, before crawling towards the sea and finally vanishing into the waves. A moment later, the seal resurfaced and this time he wasn't alone. A second seal with a red-brown coat was with him and they were leaping around each other, bellowing happily.

Henry knew, who it was and couldn't help but smile.

Lanyon had waited for his partner the entire time.

He saw the seals look towards him and waved.

They waved back with their flippers, before diving back into the ocean.

He looked onto the sea for a while, before picking up the left-behind clothes and going home.

Once there, he went to the kitchen and sank onto a chair.

It was better this way.

After a life full of suffering, Lanyon had finally found someone to love and who loved him back. It had only been right to let the love of his afterlife return to him.

Hyde and Lanyon deserved to live a happy and free life as seals. That was their life. That was where they belonged.

They were happy together. And he was happy for them.

So why was his heart broken?

Why was he feeling so hollow and so much lonelier than before?

Henry buried his face in his arms and sobbed.

It had been the right thing to do and he didn't regret it, but it hurt!

He awoke in the late evening.

When he sat up, his back was stiff. Damn, had he cried himself to sleep on the table?

With a groan he stood up. Time to follow his usual evening routine.

But when he wanted to leave the kitchen, there was a scratching at the window.

Weird.

Curious as to what it might be, he went to look.

He opened the window just in time to see a seagull fly away.

Strange.

Just as he wanted to close the window again, he noticed, that there was something lying on the window sill. When he took it inside into the light, he saw that it was a piece of wood.

But something was written on it in an antiquated handwriting:

“Come to the beach where you found me, next year, on the 12th night of January. For this is the only time when we can become human again. I will not take 'no' for an answer.

- E. Hyde.”

Henry stared at the message incredulously.

Then he smiled.

[hungarianaquarian]

April 29 2018 – 

FULL MOON IN SCORPIO – THE DEPTHS OF EMOTION 

The full moon in Scorpio is exact as I write this. The sun is in Taurus trine to Saturn in Capricorn, and the moon in Scorpio is sextile Saturn. The full moon brings things to a conclusion, to fruition, and Saturn represents long-term effects, traditional perspectives, responsibility, hard work, delays. Things that may have been delayed could be coming to an end today—either the delay will end or the effort will end. But the energy will be positive or have an opportunity connected to it. 

 The sun in Taurus represents money, stability, security, determination, persistence. It is the things that make us feel good, that make life pleasant and beautiful. There is a focus on those things now and Saturn brings structure and endurance, practicality. The moon in Scorpio represents emotions, home or home country, family, parents—while Scorpio adds secrets or deep feelings that don’t always come to the surface. It can represent the sea, water, as well as power, transformation. 

The angle between the moon and Saturn brings a positive opportunity if action is taken. It could relate to transformation of our country or home, or feelings for our family, and emotional aspects based on things that are hidden. Saturn can be making someone take responsibility, or to build something that will endure. Saturn is the taskmaster and the moon in Scorpio is powerful feelings about changes and transformation – to the ocean and waterways, to the country, to financial matters (both Taurus and Scorpio represent finances—Taurus is banks, Scorpio is money from investments or authorities, like the government or insurance companies). 

The full moon may be bringing closure to one phase and bringing forth the transformation that Pluto (Scorpio’s ruler) represents. Saturn and Pluto energy can bring on long-term changes in power structures, possibly related to financial matters, since both those signs are involved. Capricorn, where Saturn is, also represents big business, the economy, our workplace. There could be changes possible at the work place – changes in who is boss—or an opportunity for the boss to change and build a new structure in the workplace. There is a highly positive connection to stability and the workplace, to financial security, and a determination to bring comfort to the workplace. Taurus also represents food, agriculture, beauty, particularly in the places where we want to feel comforted and nurtured—in the home, in the arms of our lover, in nature. 

Chiron has just moved into Aries just as unpredictable Uranus is on its way out—into Taurus as well—bringing instability to our sense of security and stability. But Saturn is there to keep things in check, to oversee the unexpected possibilities. Once Uranus leaves Aries, it leaves behind a good deal of impulsiveness and aggression, and will feel more grounded. Possibly focusing more on money markets being unpredictable, and the earth (earthquakes), as well as technology and agriculture, how we grow food, how we earn money or what we invest in. How money is handled and by whom. 

So back to Chiron. Chiron represents our wounds from early childhood – things that made us feel pain, things that hurt us, things we may have suffered from in prior years and now we are working on them to heal, to change our feelings and painful memories and learn how to overcome those painful memories and situations from the past. Chiron is in Aries, just out of Pisces. In Pisces, it related to compassion, psychological issues, nurturing, caring. Painful issues related to compassion or lack of compassion. Painful issues from when we did not show compassion to others. Pisces is also a more easy-going, go-with-the-flow kind of sign, and Chiron could be pain from lack of passion, pain from procrastination—missed opportunities—or from depressive conditions or from drug and alcohol addiction. It has been in Pisces since April of 2010, and will briefly backtrack into Pisces in September and leave again in late February 2019. 

When Chiron is in Aries, it will stay until 2027. It was last in Aries in 1968 (Chiron takes 50 years to go around the zodiac, so when we turn 50, we experience its return to where it was when we were born, just before we head into our second Saturn return). 

 Aries represents the self—the sense of “I am.” Aries also represents war, and violence. In 1968, we had the Vietnam war, and violent protests, we had the sense of fighting for rights of individuals – women, minorities. We may see more protests in the next 9 years against guns, and war. Chiron is what happens as we begin to heal the pain we feel as a result of what the sign represents. The pain we feel from attacks, from wars, from violence, from not being ourselves, or from dealing with self-centeredness in others. 

What is the positive side of Aries? Energy. We may look for ways to find healing energy—healing the body with energy, vibration—healing the pain caused by the energy around us—electromagnetic issues, fossil fuels, smoke and pollution, changes in temperature, solar energy. In 1968, we had nuclear disarmament talks. That could come up again. Healing our war-like ways, healing our propensity toward violence. Protests about guns, violence on the streets, and healing issues like bullying, gangs. There could be more healing coming about for burns or fevers and new methods of fire prevention, cooking, heating that may have not been safe in the past or may be healthier now. On a personal level, 

Chiron will heal things related to Aries, but more for where it falls in our charts. So if it is in the first house, it would represent a sense of self, and feeling better about one’s identity and how one fits in. 

 In the second house, it could heal issues related to money—spending money or earning it in ways that may have felt as if we were burning a hold in our pocket—or a passion for making money and spending money—might need to be healed at this point. Find a healthy way of looking at money (as well as self-esteem issues and other things we value). 

Third house is painful communication we may have had—things we said impulsively, or arguments that still hurt, could be healed now. Third house also represents siblings, cousins and neighbors—if things were hurtful in the past because of those relationships, now is the time to heal them. 

 Fourth house could be issues related to a home or family or parents—even our country. Having painful memories or past experiences in these areas—even a past fire, explosion, violence, fights—can begin to heal at this time. 

 Fifth house issues relate to lovers, children, gambling, events, things we like to do for fun—things that may have been painful in the past, can now begin to heal and we can learn and grow from those issues.  

Sixth house is our day-to-day work or health. What we spend our time doing every day. What needs healing that may have been fiery, or impulsive, or hostile. We have nine years to change that. 

 Seventh house is long-term, committed partnerships—relationships or business partnerships—and also open enemies – those people that everyone knows we have issues with. Those painful, angry memories could be healed now. Also passions or aggression in past relationships can begin to feel settled and overcome. 

 Eighth house is power, shared resources, and transformation that may have been painful. Perhaps someone held power over your head because of financial issues, or your life was changed dramatically in a painful way. This is the time to heal from the anger or the strong impulsive emotions that may have resulted. Or the arguments and bad feelings. 

Ninth house is the world, it is what we believe about faith and philosophy and what we learn, how we see other cultures. Also about long-distance travel. Painful issues surrounding other cultures, or travel, or about religious differences that may have caused anger to ensue, educational disagreements – those can now heal. 

Tenth house issues—can be the father, the boss, as well as how the world sees us. If Aries is in the tenth house, it can be time to settle things with regard to reputation, to heal difficulties from the past with the father or the boss. 

Eleventh house relates to social groups and peers. Here is where Aries may have resulted in bullying, gang wars, school rivals, social snubs, hate groups. Anything that caused pain in a social or peer situation could find a way to mend and bring lessons for growth. 

Twelfth house is our inner self, things we may not even be aware of. It can also be confinement—in a hospital or prison, or some kind of restrictive situation—even self-enforced through fears about going out, leaving home—maybe because of past pain involving attacks, arguments, anger, fire, war, guns, accidents, or physical pain. This can be a time to heal those painful feelings of isolation and inner turmoil. 

 With the full moon bringing deep, often hidden emotions in Scorpio to conclusion, and Chiron taking aim at long ago painful issues related to impulsiveness and hostility, as well as the move of Uranus out of Aries, bringing a sense of groundedness to the unpredictable or unexpected events, there could be a fruitful time of healing deep and long-held secrets, anger, pain and injury. It may not be an easy time but as we await the 2020 conjunction of Pluto and Saturn and the passing of Jupiter over those two in Capricorn, and the revolution they could bring, we could be a very different society in the next decade.

[dumbledearme]

chapter four—into the woods

read Child of Land and Sea here

Act I — Storm At Sea

Part IV — Everything's newer, and brighter and bluer, and truer to life than before. Watch me soar.

Andy had never been so blue.

Just when she had started to feel accepted, she was moved (or removed) to cabin three where she was sentenced to be alone. The other campers steered clear of her as much as possible.

The only one who seemed to like Andy more, and dedicated her more of his time, was Luke. He pushed her harder and harder during each of their lessons. And, boy, he wasn't afraid to bruise her up in the process…

"You're going to need all the training you can get," he promised.

Anthony still taught her Greek in the mornings, but he grew more distant everyday. Every time Andy spoke, he would scowl at her like a mad grandpa. Even Clarisse kept her distance, though it was clear she still wanted revenge.

At night, Andy was summoned at the Big House and Chiron, surprisingly, offered her a quest. "Poseidon and Zeus are having their worst quarrel in centuries. They are fighting over something valuable that was stolen. To be precise: a lightning bolt.

Andy laughed, nervously. "A what now?"

"Do not take this lightly," Chiron warned. "I'm talking about a two-foot-long cylinder of high-grade celestial bronze, capped on both ends with god-level explosives. Zeus' master bolt. The symbol of his power, from which all other lightning bolts are patterned. The first weapon made by the Cyclopes for the war against the Titans, the bolt that sheared the top off Mount Etna and hurled Kronos from his throne; the master bolt, which packs enough power to make mortal hydrogen bombs—"

"Okay, I get it," Andy interrupted with a nod. "It's powerful. It's important. It's missing."

"Stolen," Chiron said.

"By whom?"

"By you." Andy's mouth fell open. "At least, that's what Zeus thinks. During the winter solstice, at the last council of the gods, Zeus and Poseidon had an argument. Afterward, Zeus realized his master bolt was missing, taken from the throne room under his very nose. He immediately blamed Poseidon. Now, a god cannot usurp 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—"

"Zeus has good reason to be suspicious. The forges of the Cyclopes are under the ocean, which gives Poseidon some influence over the maker's of his brother's lightning. Zeus believes Poseidon has taken the master bolt, and is now secretly having the Cyclopes build an arsenal of illegal copies. The only thing Zeus wasn't sure of was which hero Poseidon used to steal the bolt. Until he claimed you."

"Okay. First of all, he can't claim me, I'm not a goat!" Andy exclaimed. "And also, I've never been to Mount Olympus... As a matter of fact, I don't even know where that is... Look, I didn't do anything. You know that, right?"

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 returns the bold 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. 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."

"So I have to find the stupid bolt? And return it to Zeus?"

"What better peace offering," Chiron said, "than to have the daughter of Poseidon return Zeus' property?"

Andy failed to see why she had to do something for Poseidon. It wasn't like he had ever done anything for her... She owed him nothing.

An image came to her. World War II, they had said. Massacre. Slaughter. Millions and millions of people dead because of a similar childish strife. Someone had to do something, right? It wasn't fair that the innocent always had to pay the price.

"Fine," she decided. Weird how it was so easy to agree to this because of people who meant nothing to her and, at the same time, so hard because of the one who meant everything. "But if Poseidon doesn't have it... where is the thing?"

Chiron's expression was grim. "I heard a prophecy years ago... But before I can tell you, you need to take up the quest. Go see the Oracle."

A mummy. That's what it was. A disgusting, ancient mummy that sent chills up Andy's spine. The moment Andy entered the attic, she heard the mystical voice. "I am the spirit of Delphi, speaker of the prophecies of Phoebus Apollo, slayer of the mighty Python. Approach, seeker, and ask."

Andy swallowed hard. "I was just wondering... Where is the bathroom?" The mummy remained resolute. It was now or never. "Fine. Then... what is my destiny?" She heard herself say.

The verdict wasn't the best she'd heard:

"You shall go west, and face the god who has turned. You shall find what was stolen, and see it safely returned. You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend. And you shall fail to save what matters most, in the end."

"Cheery," said Andy and went back downstairs after slamming the attic door shut.

Chiron and Grover asked and asked, but Andy refused to share the entire prophecy with them. She only told them the first two verses. The part about failing... well, how could she tell them there was no point to all of this? That she would fail anyway? No, they couldn't know.

Chiron didn't seem convinced and warned her, "The Oracle's words often have double meanings. Don't dwell on them too much."

But if she wasn't supposed to trust the Oracle, why did they need the thing anyway?

Andy changed the topic. "Where do I go? Who's this god in the west?"

"First you need to think," Chiron said. "If Zeus and Poseidon weaken each other in war, who stands to gain?"

She shrugged. "Somebody else who wants to take over?"

"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."

Chiron nodded. "The Lord of the Dead. You must go to the Underworld, find the master bolt, and reveal the truth."

She shook her head. "Oh I feel used. Why do I have to do this? Why do the gods need to operate through humans? Why can't they talk it out like adults?"

"It is no accident Poseidon has claimed you now. He needs you."

"Yeah? What about the times I needed him?"

Chiron watched her silently. Andy didn't know whether to feel happy, grateful or resentful. She glanced at Grover who was trembling.

"You don't have to go," she told him. "I can't ask that of you."

"You saved my life, Andy," the satyr said. "If you're serious about wanting me along, I won't let you down."

Andy felt so relieved she almost cried. "Alright, then. Now where the hell is the Underworld? Literally."

"Always in the west," Chiron said. "Los Angeles."

"Ha ha." She waited. "Oh. You mean it."

"Two companions may accompany you. Grover is one. The other has already volunteered, if you will accept his help."

"Who?" Andy asked, hoping for Luke. The air shimmered behind Chiron and Anthony became visible. Andy made a face. "Ah."

"I've been waiting a long time for a quest, Seaweed Brain," he said. "Athena's no fan of Poseidon, but if you're going to save the world, I'm the best person to keep you from messing up."

Andy tried to hide her disappointment. "As long as you have a plan, Wonder Boy. I haven't made plans since I went to this stupid costume party dressed as a stuffed olive. I dyed my head and neck red—that was the stuffed pimento bit. I thought it was absolutely hilarious, until I tried to get out of my bedroom. I had to go down the stairs sideways. Then I couldn't fit in my mom's car so I had to walk. And when I got to the party everyone laughed. I did a bit of stuffed olive dancing until I nearly destroyed every ornament and bit of furniture in the place. In the end, I went home early—"

"We get it," Anthony snapped.

"I doubt it. Unless you've been a stuffed olive too...?" and she glanced at him expectantly.

Anthony didn't trouble himself to answer.

Andy didn't have anything to take with her but the backpack Chiron stored for her. Anthony was bringing his magic Yankee cap—which he told Andy had been a twelfth birthday present from his mom—a book on famous classical architecture and a long bronze knife, hidden in his shirt sleeve, that he seemed to carry everywhere. Some people had teddy bears, some had knives…

To Andy's surprise, he also came up with a cool leather jacket that he gave to her saying the weather could change drastically. She was strangely pleased with it. Grover wore his fake feet and his pants to pass as human, and his backpack was filled with scrap metal and apples. He also carried a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him.

Before they left, Luke came to say goodbye. Andy's cheeks reddened and she blushed even more when she realized Anthony had noticed the change. "Just wanted to say good luck," Luke told her. "And I thought... um, maybe you could use these." He handed Andy a pair of basketball shoes.

"Not exactly my style, but thank you."

He smiled and said, "Maia!" White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels.

"Awesome," said Grover.

"Those served me well when I was on my quest," Luke said. "Gift from Dad."

Andy didn't know what to say and felt extremely uncomfortable with the look Anthony was giving her. "Thank you."

"Listen, beautiful," Luke's tone softened. "A lot of hopes are riding on you. So just... kill some monsters for me, okay?" And he hugged her. Actually hugged her! Like, passed his arms around her and applied pressure.

Luke also hugged Anthony. "I will see you again, brother," he said before leaving.

Andy watched him go. Anthony leaned over her. "You're hyperventilating," he said, but he wasn't making fun of her, he was almost pissed off about it. "And you can't use those," he added taking the shoes away from her. "He meant well, but you shouldn't go in the air." And he handed the sneakers to Grover who put it on almost immediately.

Then Chiron showed up to say goodbye and to Andy's surprised he presented her with his ballpoint pen. "The sword has a long and tragic history," he told her. "It's name is Anaklusmos. Riptide. Celestial bronze, see? It can't harm mortals, only monsters." Chiron also told her that every time she lost the pen/sword it would magically reappear back in her pocket!

Argus drove them to the city. He was the head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Luckily, due to his clothes, Andy couldn't know how much of that was actually true.

"So far so good," she said. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

Anthony gave her an irritated look. "It's bad luck to talk that way, Seaweed Brain."

"Remind me again—why do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you."

"Mm. Could've fooled me."

He sighed. "You're annoying. If that's not reason enough for you, then let's just say that we're supposed to be rivals. Athena and Poseidon can't stand each other."

"Whatever, dude," Andy said. She was tired of his judgmental comments and the angry stares.

Argus dropped them at the Greyhound Station and Andy felt homesick, she was so close to her house. She wanted so bad to go there, go through the door and find Sally waiting for her…

"You know," Grover said, "she married him for you."

"What?"

"Your mom. You called him Smelly, but you have no idea... The guy has this aura... He smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. He covered your scent for years. That's why you managed to live for so long outside the camp." He said that as if it was suppose to make Andy feel better. It didn't. If anything, she felt worse thinking of the dozens of things her mom had done for her.

"How did you know I was thinking about her anyway?"

"Oh... Satyrs can read emotions. Guess I forgot to tell you that."

In the city, they got into a bus. They sat in the back for a while when an old lady boarded in. Andy felt the panic stuck in her throat—it was Mrs. Dodds.

Andy scrunched down in her seat. Behind her came two other old ladies. They all looked the same: triplet demon grandmothers. They sat on the front right behind the driver. The two on the aisle crossed their legs over the walkway, making an X.

The bus pulled out of the station.

"She didn't stay dead long," Andy whispered to Anthony. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," he argued. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," whimpered Grover. "Di immortales!"

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

"They don't open," Grover moaned.

"A back exit?"

"Hey, they can't attack us with witnesses around, can they?" Andy asked.

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Anthony told her. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"The Mist?"

"Yes. It obscures the vision of humans," he explained. "We can see things as they are, but humans will interpret it quite differently."

That moment, Mrs. Dodds got up. She announced, "I need to use the restroom," to the entire bus.

"So do I," said the second sister.

"So do I," said the third one. They all started coming down the aisle.

"There's no restroom in this bus!" Andy shouted feigning a male voice.

The Furies ignored that.

In a quick gesture, Anthony placed his cap on Andy's head and her body vanished. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"It's you they want. Go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get away."

"But you guys—"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," he said. "You're a daughter of Poseidon. Your smells might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you."

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

Andy's hands trembled. She felt like a coward, but she got to her feet and crept up the aisle. She went ten rows then ducked into an empty seat just as the Furies walked past. Mrs. Dodds stopped, sniffing, and looked straight at Andy. Her heart was pounding, but the monster didn't see anything. She and her sisters kept moving.

Andy made it to the front of the bus then heard hideous wailing from the back. The ladies weren't ladies anymore, they had turned into the winged monsters they truly were. They surrounded Anthony and Grover. "Where is it? Where?"

People on the bus screamed and cowered in their seats. They saw something alright…

"She's not here!" Anthony yelled. "She's gone!" The Furies raised their whips. Anthony drew his bronze knife. Grover grabbed a tin can ready to throw it.

And Andy... well, Andy pulled the wheel from the bus driver and everybody was thrown to the right. While the Furies were trying to stand, Andy had another great idea—she hit the emergency brake.

The bus wailed, spun a full circle and crashed into some trees. The door flew open and people rushed out of there, screaming.

Now there were only them. Andy took off the cap. "Oi, ugly," she called.

The Furies turned, baring their yellow fangs at her. "Andromeda Jackson," said Mrs. Dodds. "You have offended the gods."

"Yeah, but I offend everybody."

"You shall die."

"You know, I liked you better when you were dead." Andy took out Riptide. The Furies hesitated.

"Submit it now," Mrs. Dodds said. "And you will not suffer eternal torment."

"Are you kidding? Eternal torment is all I ever wanted."

Mrs. Dodds lashed her whip around Andy's sword hand. But Andy didn't drop the sword. Instead, she attacked and sliced the Fury on the right. She screamed and exploded into dust. Anthony grabbed Mrs. Dodds in a wrestler's hold and yanked her backward while Grover ripped the whip out of her hands. Andy hit the Fury on the left and she broke open like a piñata. Anthony and Grover managed to tie up Mrs. Dodds with her own whip.

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

Thunder shook the bus and Anthony pulled Andy out of there. The windows of the bus exploded. The passengers ran for cover.

"Run," Anthony said and Andy didn't need any more encouragement.

They plunged into the woods together.